the Sacraments haue force and power to saue and iustify sinners howsoeuer the persons be disposed that partake them then to frame short answeres to euery one of them For what needed this inward part of the Sacraments to wit the working of the holy Ghost if the outward washing were effectuall to saue and to sanctifie the soules of all them that are baptized Grace is not tied to the Sacraments And if these graces were so tyed to the Sacraments that al which vse them should be iustified by them we make thē more effectuall then the word of God it selfe is forasmuch as all that heare the worde are not saued by it nor transformed into the obedience of it nor receiue life from it nor are regenerated by it Iohn the Baptist who was the first Minister of that Sacrament confesseth that hee could doe no more then wash the body it lay not in his power to giue grace and to baptize with the Holy Ghost Besides wee see all in our daies are brought to be baptised but all these are not by it regenerated Acts 8 13. as in the Apostles times Simon himselfe was baptised yet he remained an hypocrite and was destitute of true faith that ioyneth vs to Christ But because we haue handled this point before let vs come to such obiections as the aduersaries haue made and mustered together Bellar. de Sacra lib. 2 cap. 4. which are taken partly from types and figures and partly from places of Scripture wrested from their true and naturall meaning Touching the types borrowed some from the olde and some from the new Testament albeit it were sufficient to make this generall answere that similitudes parables and comparisons do not proue yet least we should seeme thereby to turne our backs and yeeld to the enemy I will not sticke to propound them in particular and vouchsafe to yeeld vnto them a particular solution Obiection 1 The first type is drawne from the history of the creation Gen. 1. The Spirite moued vpon the waters to make them fruitefull As then the water receiued a certaine liuely force from the Spirit to bring forth the creatures so doth baptisme to make vs new men receiue strength from the Spirite Thus doth Bellarmine reason I answere Answere this maketh directly against himselfe and therefore he layeth about him like a blinde man who instead of his enemy striketh himselfe For heereby it appeareth that the Sacraments do not giue grace ex opere operato that is by the force and vertue of the worke done and that words vttered haue no power but by the Holy Ghost For as the Spirit gaue force to the waters wherby the creatures were fostered and formed which were not of themselues auailable to giue life being as it were dead and without any vigor euen so the Spirit maketh the water in baptisme serue to signifie and seale vp our regeneration and not the bare and outward element The bodye of man without the soule is dead and without life so the water without the Spirite cannot conferre grace It is the Spirite that quickneth without it the water is as common water Obiection 2 Another obiection is from the history of the flood Genesis 7 17. and the drowning of the Egyptians in the redde sea Exodus 14. and the passing of the Israelites through the Riuer Iordan to the land of promise Ioshua 4. where it appeareth that the waters themselues saued his people I answere Answere If the waters in the flood had a proper power to saue and preserue why did they not saue all the world aliue Why were any of the creatures at all drowned Againe this robbeth God of his honour and glory to whom onely it is due and giueth it to the element to which it is not due For if Noah had beleeued that the waters could of themselues haue saued him he should haue set vp an altar as a monument to the waters and not builded one to God the Lorde Genesis eight verse 20. But the Scripture ascribeth all to the mercy and clemency of God toward that remnant and remainder of mankinde because hee had seene Noah righteous and religious in that generation before him Genesis 7 verse 1. Therefore it is said hee found grace in the sight of the Lord Genesis 6 verse 18. That the Lorde stablished his couenant with him Genesis 6 verse 18. That the Lorde had him enter with all his houshold into the Arke Genesis 7. verse 1. That the Lorde shut him in the Arke when he was entred Genesis 7 verse 16. That the Lord remembred him while he was in the Arke Genesis 8. verse 1. And after the ceasing and decreasing of the waters brought him out of the Arke Genesis 8 verse 16. So that whereas the waters had of their owne nature ouerwhelmed them euen the proud waters had gone ouer their soule to haue drowned them God in mercy saued them that they might ascribe the praise of their preseruation to the Lord of Hoasts not to the power of the waters And if the Israelites had beene deliuered at the red sea and in passing ouer Iordan by the strength of the waters they would haue erected a trophee to them not haue sung a song vnto God Another type is taken from Circumcision Genesis 17. Obiection 3 whereof Paul speaketh Colosians 2. Yee are circumcised with circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of the sinnes of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ buried with him in baptisme and Baptisme then is like vnto circumcision but circumcision that is outward did truely and effectually cut off the flesh and was not onely a testimony of cutting it away I answere Answere the Apostle reproueth such as would ioyne the ceremonies of the lawe with the Gospell of Christ whereas now we haue no need of them at all hauing the truth with vs of those shaddowes And touching circumcision there is no need to haue it brought in vse into the Church forasmuch as we are inwardly circumcised by the power of Christ So that there was a twofold circumcision as there is also a two-fold Baptisme the one outward in the body the other inward in the heart the one administred by the hand of the Minister the other finished by the grace of the Spirite Besides if the outward cutting off the foreskinne of the flesh were alwaies effectual to cut away the corruption of the soul how is it that they teach that the Sacraments and Sacrifices of the olde Testament were so farre from giuing grace Rhem. on Heb. 10. remission and iustification that they were but shaddowes obscurely representing the graces of the new Testament How can they reconcile themselues when they make this difference betweene the old new Sacraments that the old did onely signifie the new containe and conferre grace and sanctification Thirdly if the outward cutting off the flesh did by the worke done giue grace and that the signe were not to be separated from the thing
that is vnlike Lastly these words cannot enforce any thing to proue that there is any inherent force in the outward element seeing the Spirite is ioyned with it which addeth power and giueth efficacy to the water as it doth also to the worde in all the sauing hearers of it for as the word is a bare sound without the Spirite so baptisme cannot saue without the Spirite Obiection 4 The last testimony and witnesse is produced out of the Acts of the Apostles Chap. 2.38 where Peter exhorteth the Iewes that were at his preaching pricked in their hearts to beleeue in Christ Iesus whom they had betrayed and crucified saying Repent and be baptized euery one of you in the name of Christ for the remission of sinnes and chap. 22 16. where Ananias perswadeth Paul to bee baptized and to wash away his sinnes calling on the name of the Lord. In both which places forgiuenesse of sinnes is ascribed to baptisme and therefore it giueth and conferreth grace I answere Answere It is the beleeuing in the name of Christ that washeth away sinnes and purgeth our consciences from dead workes forasmuch as he maketh the outward worke auaileable by the inward grace of the spirite Againe hee ioyneth inuocation of the name of God with the outward signe which hath the promise of saluation annexed vnto it as the Apostle testifieth Rom. 10 13. Whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shall bee saued Thus we haue seene the principall pillars of the Romish error beaten and battered in pieces euery reason that caryeth any colour laid euen with the ground so that we are wholy to ascribe to the Spirite of God the lauer of regeneration and the answere of a good conscieÌ„ce toward God Againe is the Spirite of God an inward part of the Sacraments Then wee must learne and remember that we can neuer heare the word or receiue the Sacraments with fruite and comfort without the speciall assistance and inward operation of the Spirite of God Therefore the Prophet ioyneth the Spirite and word together Esay 59. I will make this my couenant with thee saith the Lord g Esay 59.21 my Spirite that is vpon thee and my words which I haue put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of the seed of thy seed from henceforth and for euer A man indeede hath power to heare the word and to receiue the Sacraments his will is free in these outwarde workes but hee hath no power or strength to doe them with profite and comfort except it be giuen him from aboue Though we heare neuer so much though wee communicate neuer so often the Spirit must open our hearts as he opened the heart of Lydia So 1 Iohn 2. That annointing h 1 Ioh. 2 27. which ye receiued of him dwelleth in you and ye neede not that any man teach you but as that same annointing teacheth you of all things and it is true and is not lying Likewise Acts 10. Peter preached the Gospell to Cornelius and his houshold and while he yet spake to them The i Acts 10 44. Holy-Ghost fell on them all which heard the worde So also the Apostles being sent out with their commission and commanded to preach the Gospell to euery k Mar. 16 20. creature it is noted that they went forth and preached euery where and the Lorde wrought with them and confirmed the worde with signes that followed And Iohn 14. The l Iohn 14 26. Comforter which is the Holy-Ghost whom the Father will send in my name hee shall teach you al things bring al things to your remembrance which I haue told you Pharaoh often heard Moses Aaron but he harkened not but hardned his heart because there was no inward touching or teaching of the Spirite The Israelites had heard seene the wonderful things of God yet they profited not in faith in repentance in regeneration and the reason is rendred Deuter. 29. Yee haue seene all m Deut. 29 2.3 4. that the Lord did before your eyes in the Lande of Egypt vnto Pharaoh and vnto all his seruants and vnto all his Land the great tentations which thine eyes haue seene those great myracles and wonders yâ—â— the Lord hath not giuen you an heart to perceiue and eyes to see and care to heare vnto this day When wee come to heare the word which is a word of power of life and of saluation when wee come to receiue the Sacraments which are signes of Gods graces and seales of his promises we see many returne as ignorant peruerse corrupt froward rebellious hard-harted and disobedient as they came to these ordinances of God and whence commeth this how falleth it out and what may bee the reason heereof Surely it is not in him that n Luke 13 24. Rom. 9 16. willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy who giueth eyes to see eares to heare heart to vnderstand to whom hee thinketh good in his heauenly pleasure Wherefore our dutye is seeing the natural man perceiueth not the things that are of the Spirite of God to pray vnto him to giue vs wisedome to see our corruptions blindnesse ignorance and hardnesse of heart Vse 3 Thirdly doth the Spirit worke in vs by the word Are the word and Spirite ioyned together and doth he teach vs by meanes of the word and Sacraments then we must not separate the Spirite from the worde and Sacraments as the Anabaptists do o Against anabaptists depending on reuelations which depend vpon reuelations and inward inspirations vpon priuate motions and diuine illuminations without the word They will not be taught by the word they wil not be strengthened by the Sacraments but take away the vse of both following their owne foolish fansies and diuelish dreames They boast of the Spirite of God and are led by the spirit of the Diuell We must for our direction and practise learne that as to rest vpon the Spirite without the worde is phantasticall and heriticall and the mother of al errors so the worde and Sacraments without the Spirite are no better then a dead carkasse without life an empty sound without substance a naked shew without truth an empty casket without the treasure and therefore we must knit them together and assure our selues that the Spirite speaketh euidently in the Scriptures the Spirite worketh effectually by the Sacraments and the Spirite helpeth our infirmities to profite by them both CHAP. XI Of the third inward part of a Sacrament THus much wee haue spoken touching the holy Spirite being the second inward part the third inward part a Christ is the 3. inward part of a Sacrament is Iesus Christ crucified the very subiect and substance of all Sacraments He was represented by circumcision and the Paschal Lambe by Manna and the water that flowed out of the Rocke and hee is represented in baptisme and in
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
our owne vnrighteousnesse And heereby wee may examine our selues whether Christ be in vs or not for then the body is dead because of sinne but the spirite is aliue through righteousnesse This is that which the Apostle teacheth 2. Cor. 5 17. If any man be in Christ let him be a new creature old things are passed away behold al things are become new So the Prophets prophesying of the kingdome of Christ do foretell of a new heauen and new earth Esay 65 17. signifying thereby that all such as belong to Christ and haue him dwelling in them by faith must bee renewed and regenerated by water and the Holy Ghost He is not as a dead body that hath no working but hee worketh wheresoeuer he commeth and dwelleth and altereth al those that are truely partakers of him not in substance but in qualitie giuing them new mindes new wils new affections and a new conuersation Happy are they that finde this change in them for they shall bee saued in that great day of the Lord the day of account when the mouth of iniquity shall be stopped and all the vngodly put to silence Thus much of the third inward part of a Sacrament CHAP. XII Of the fourth inward part of a Sacrament THe a The last inward part of a Sacrament is the faithful receiuer last inward part of a Sacrament is the faithfull receiuer desiring apprehending receiuing hungring and thirsting after Christ There is required a faithfull receiuer if wee would receiue Iesus Christ faith must of necessity goe before without this there is no iustification without this there is no saluation as Rom. 14. Whatsoeuer b Rom. 14 23 Heb. 11 6. is not of faith is sinne And Heb. 11. Without faith it is vnpossible to please God Iudas executed the function of an Apostle hee was partaker of the Passeouer yet he ceased not to remaine an hypocrite a diuell and the childe of perdition c Iohn 17 12. that the Scripture might be fulfilled Neither was he bettered or sanctified by that Sacrament or by the vse thereof Ananias and Sapphira his wife d Acts 5 4 9. being in the number of Disciples were no doubt baptised of the Apostles had also receiued ofttimes the Lords Supper yet they continued in their wickednesse lying and hypocrisie the Sacrament did not take away their wickednes nor giue them a iustifying and sauing faith e Acts 15 9. which purifieth the heart by repentance and worketh new obedience in the soule The like we haue said of Simon the sorcerer f Acts 8 23. who albeit he were baptised yet remained in the gall of bitternes and in the bond of iniquity Wherefore the Apostle teacheth that the word profited not g Heb. 4 2. because it was not mingled with faith in those that heard it If the signes be receiued without faith they hurt not that Gods guifts and ordinances hurt of themselues but not being receiued aright they hurt through our sinne and default As the word not receiued by faith is an empty sound without force so the Sacrament is an vnprofitable and a naked shew without substance Wherefore the Sacraments in regard of the vnbeleeuers and vngodly are no Sacraments to them because to them they are not seales of the righteousnesse of faith True it is they remaine Sacraments in respect of God who offereth his owne Sonne but they loose their strength and force toward the vnfaithfull that do abuse and contemne them h Rom. 2 25. as the Apostle expresly teacheth Circumcision verily is profitable if thou keepe the law but if thou bee a transgressor of the law thy circumcision is become vncircumcision The same Apostle speaking of such i 1 Cor. 11 20. as vsed the Lords supper without true godlines and due preparation saith This is not to eate the Lords Supper denying that to be which was not done as it ought to be Wherefore seeing the right vse of the Sacrament is Vse 1 when such as are truely conuerted vse them aright we learne diuers instructions that flowe and follow from hence First that the reprobate though God offer the whole Sacrament to them doe receiue the signes alone without the things signified they haue the bare title without the thing the vanishing shadow without the body the outward letter without the Spirite the empty boxe without the oyntment and the creature without the Creator They are washed with the element of water but not with the grace of regeneration They eate the bread and drinke the wine but they are not partakers of the bodye and blood of Christ Iesus to saluation They eate k Panem domini non panâ—m dominum â—ugust hom in Ioh. 65. the bread of the Lord but they eate not the bread the Lord because the signe without the right and holy vse thereof is not an auaileable Sacrament to the receiuer of it Wee see therefore the wicked partake not Christ although they partake the signes of Christ l Ioh. 20 6 7. as they that found his cloathes but missed his body Secondly we see heereby that the elect ordained to Vse 2 eternall life but not yet called and conuerted to the Lord and to the obedience of his wil though they come often to the Sacraments yet do in like manner receiue the bare signes without the things signified because as yet they want faith and repentance What then Doe they nothing differ from the reprobates In this they differ not for the present time from the Reprobate Notwithstanding that receiuing of the Sacrament which for the time present was vnfruitefull and vnprofitable shall after in them haue his good effect as the Corne that lyeth long couered in the earth at the length doth come vp and flourish For the Sacrament receiued before a mans conuersion is afterward to the beleeuer and penitent sinner ratified and so becommeth profitable wherby the vse of the Sacrament which before was vtterly voide and vnlawfull doth then become lawfull comfortable as we see in the word heard without fruite and faith by an vnbeleeuer is made a word of saluation afterward when he is conuerted Vse 3 Lastly the elect already conuerted and sanctified by the Spirite of God do to their profite comfort and saluation receiue both the signe and the thing signified together yet so as that for their vnworthy receiuing therof which hapneth through their manifolde infirmities and often relapses into sinne they are subiect to temporal punishments for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saued in the day of the Lord Iesus Heereunto cometh that saying 1 Cor. 11.30 For this cause many are sicke and weake among you and many sleepe for if wee would iudge our selues wee should not bee iudged of the Lord. Where the Apostle teacheth that God brought a iudgement vpon his owne house and punished this Church with weaknesse sicknesse and death it selfe for their vnreuerent vnworthy and disordered receiuing of the Lords Supper
meditation of the life to come where this corruptible shall put on incorruption and this mortal shall put on immortality o 1 Cor. 15 54 according to the exhortation of Christ and his Apostles in many places as Math. 6. Seeke ye first the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all things shall be ministred vnto you And 1. Cor. 7. This I say brethren because the time is short hereafter that both they which haue Wiues be as though they had none and they which weepe as though they wept not and they that reioyce as though they reioyced not and they that buy as though they possessed not and they that vse this world as though they vsed it not for the fashion of this world goeth away And p Phil. 3 20.21 the same Apostle saith Our conuersation is in heauen from whence also wee looke for a Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things vnto himselfe So 2. Cor. 4. c. Therefore we faint not 2 Cor. 4 16.17 18. and 5.1.2 3. but though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed daily For our light affliction which is but for a moment causeth vnto vs a farre more excellent and an eternall weight of glory while wee looke not on the things which are seene but on the things which are not seene for the things which are seene are temporall but the things which are not seene are eternall For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle be destroyed we haue a building giuen of God that is an house made not with hands but eternall in the heauens for therefore we sigh desiring to be cloathed with our house which is from heauen because if we be cloathed we shall not be found naked And the q Eccl. 1 â— 14 wiseman Eccle. 1. Vanitie of vanities saith the Preacher vanitie of vanities all â—s vanity I haue considered all the workes that are done vnder the Sunne and behold all iâ— vanity and vexat on of spirite So 1. Ioh. 2. Loue not this world r 1 Iohn 2 15.16 17. neither the things that are in this world If any man loue this world the loue of the Father is not in him for all that is in the world as the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of this world and this world passeth away and the lust thereof but hee that fulfilleth the will of God Reuel 14 13. and 7 16 17. abideth for euer And the same Apostle in his Reuelations I heard a voice from heauen saying Write the dead which dye in the Lord are fully blessed euen so saith the Spirite for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them They shall hunger no more neyther thirst any more neyther shall the Sunne light on them neyther any heat for the Lambe which is in the midst of the throne shall gouerne them and shall leade them vnto the liuely fountaines of Waters and God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes Moreouer we put them in minde to examine themselues and their life 's passed how they haue offended God and their brethren and admonish them to make an humble hearty confession of their sinnes to God that they haue not liued as they ought to do to be sorry and grieued for the same and to promise amendment of life if they recouer Thus the faithfull Å¿ Psal 51 1.2.3 4 5. and 32.3 4. and 38.3 4. haue done as wee see in Dauid Psal 51. Haue mercy vpon me O God according to thy louing kindnesse according to the multitude of thy compassions put away mine iniquities I know mine iniquities and my sinne is euer before me against thee against thee haue I sinned and done euill in thy sight that thou maist bee iust when thou speakest and pure when thou iudgest Behold I was borne in iniquity and in sinne hath my mother conceiued mee And Psal 38. There is nothing sound in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there rest in my bones because of my sinne for mine iniquities are gone ouer mine head and as a weighty burden they are too heauy for me This practise we see also in Daniel t Dan 9.7 Ezra 9 â— Nâ—he 9 16. 2 Chro. 33 12 13. in Nehemiah in Manasses and in many others Wee mooue them to labour to be at one with God to be reconciled to their brethren and to remember the poore Especially we stirre them vp to prayer in regard of their present necessities and of the mercifull promises of God resting themselues on the perfect and all-sufficient sacrifice of Christ Gracious u Psal 145 18 and 50 15. and precious are the promises that God hath made to all that come to the throne of his mercy as Psal 145. The Lord is neere to all that call vpon him yea to all that call vpon him in truth hee will fulfill the desire of them that feare him he will also heare their cry and will saue them and Psal 50. Call vpon me in the day of trouble so will I deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me And our Sauiour Math. 7. Mat. 7 7 8. Aske and it shall be giuen you seeke and ye shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you for whosoeuer asketh receiueth and hee that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened So the Apostle Iames The prayer of faith shall saue the sicke Iam. 5 15 16. and the Lord shall raise him vp and if he haue committed sins they shall bee forgiuen him Acknowledge your faults one to another that ye may be healed for the prayer of a righteous man auaileth much if it be feruent Now when they are sufficiently humbled for their sinnes wee moue them to hunger and thirst after the merites of Christ a 1 Cor. 1 30. who of God is made vnto vs wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption Wee alleadge vnto them b Mat. 11 28.29 1 Tim. 1.15 1 Ioh. 1 7 and 2 1 2. these and such like comfortable places of Scripture Come vnto me all ye that are weary heauy laden and I will ease you This is a true saying and by all meanes worthy to be receiued that Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners of whom I am chiefe These things write I vnto you that ye sinne not if any man sinne wee haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the iust whose blood cleanseth vs from all sinne he is the reconciliation of our sinnes and not for ours onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world He is euermore about those that are his he maketh their bed in all their sicknesse d Cant. 8 3. Rom. 14 7 8. his left hand is vnder their heads and with
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
earth If this inward maister and teacher be wanting the Sacraments g The Sacraments profit not without the Spirit can work no more in our mindes then if the bright Sun should shine to the blinde eyes or a loud voice sound in deafe eares or fruitefull corne fall into the barren wildernes or a shower of raine fall vpon the hard stones Wherefore least the word of saluation should sound in our eares in vaine and Sacraments ioyned to the word should bee present before our eyes in vaine the Spirit worketh in vs whensoeuer we come vnto them aright he mollifieth the hardnesse of our hearts he frameth vs to new obedience and assureth vs that God offereth to vs his owne Sonne for our iustification and saluation For euen as the seede that falleth into a barren soile dyeth and rotteth yet if it be sowne in fruitfull ground wel tilled and manured it bringeth forth good increase with gaine and aduantage so likewise the word and the Sacraments if they hit vpon an hard necke and fall into a barren heart become vnprofitable and vnfruitefull but if the effectuall worke of the Spirite accompanieth the hearing of the one and receiuing of the other they are profitable auaileable and comfortable Thus much of the second part CHAP. X. Of the third inward part of baptisme THe third inward part of baptisme a The third inward part of baptisme is Christ Iesus is Christ represented and signified by the water For as the Apostle teacheth b Heb. 10 4. That the blood of buls and calues cannot take away sin so the water in baptisme cannot wash away sinnes It toucheth the body washeth it cleanseth and purgeth it but it can proceed no further Nay al the water in the riuers and in the Sea cannot scowre and make clean the conscience it is another water euen the Spirit that must do it Hence it is Ier. 2 22 that the Lord saith by his Prophet Ieremy chap. 2. Though thou wash thee with nitre and take thee much sope yet thine iniquity is marked before me saith the Lord. To this purpose speaketh Iob Iob. 9 30.31 chap. 9. If I wash my selfe with snow-water and make my hands neuer so cleane yet shalt thou plunge me in the Ditch and mine owne clothes shall abhorre me It is not therefore the outward water but the inward water that auaileth vs. For this c Act. 2 38. 10 â—8 19 5 cause the beleeuers are said to bee baptized in the name of Christ as Act. 2 38. Be baptized euery one of you in the name of Christ So chap. 19 5. They were baptized in the name of the Lord Iesus Not meaning heereby the forme and manner of baptizing but the fruit foundation and end of baptisme Likewise d 1 Pet. 3 21. the Apostle sheweth the same 1. Pet. 3 21. Baptisme answering to the figure of the Arke saueth vs by the resurrection of Iesus Christ There is no force in outward baptisme to saue the whole vertue and force floweth from the streame of Christs blood as the true materiall cause thereof wherein the power of inward baptisme doth consist The truth beeing euident that the pouring out of the blood of CHRIST is one of the inward partes of Baptisme let vs see the vses Vse 1 The vse of this part teacheth diuers points First that the outward washing with water is not the washing away of sins for theÌ„ whosoeuer were dipped in it should receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes repentance from dead workes and sanctification of the Spirit whether he beleeued or not e Acts 8.22 which is otherwise as we see Acts 8 22. Also they should not and could not be Christians and eternally saued which are not outwardly washed but departing this life without baptisme they should perish in the next world without redresse or redemptioÌ„ and so our condition were worse then the Iewes their condition in times past and the grace of God more restrained vnder the Gospell then it was vnder the law Moses offering more mercy then Christ himselfe So then the washing with water serueth to ratifie the shedding of Christs blood for the remission of our sinnes and the imputation of his righteousnesse to our iustification f 1 Ioh. 1 7. as 1. Ioh. 1 7. The blood of Iesus Christ his Sonne doth cleanse vs from all sinne So Reuel 1 5. He hath loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his blood and made vs Kings and Priestes vnto God euen his Father And Col. 1 14. the apostle saith In him we haue redemption by hâ—s blood that is forgiuenesse of sinnes Againe when we see with our bodily eyes the water Vse 2 poured vpon the body of the baptized wee must behold and consider with the eyes of faith the blotting out of all our sinnes as well originall as actuall as well after baptisme as before baptisme by the precious blood of Christ that we may assure our selues it is no idle action For we must not behold the Sacramentall rites as certaine dumbe gestures or stage-like shewes without substance and signification but we must make them serue to further our faith and edification or else we do horribly abuse them to the great dishonour of God and to the fearefull destruction of our owne soules Lastly it teacheth vs not to be led by the outward senses Vse 3 to measure the truth or to iudge of the substance of baptisme by the outward signe and visible parts but to haue our faith fixed on Christ crucified on the Crosse and signified in baptisme The Infidell seeing children solemnly baptized in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost will rashly and ignorantly coniecture nothing to be there but naked rites and bare water but the faithfull and true Christian doth behold the washing of the soule and cleansing of the heart by the dearest blood of Christ So in the Lords Supper to the vnbeleeuer appeareth nothing but Bread and Wine because we see with our eies wee receiue with our hands wee taste with our mouth no more but the beleeuer knoweth that together with these signes God the Father offereth the body and blood of his Sonne to be spiritually receiued and digested Euen as he that is vnlettered and vnlearned if he looke g Esa 29 11 12. vpon the face of a booke beholdeth onely blacke colours and spots vpon the Paper seeth certaine figures and characters of Letters differing each from other but cannot reade the writing or comprehend the meaning but he that hath learned his Letters and is able to reade them reapeth great profite and instruction thereby So is it in the Sacraments He that resteth in the outward signe deceiueth himselfe but hee that respecteth the thing signified receiueth the profit and aduantage The Crosse of Christ and preaching of the Gospel h 1 Cor. 1 23.24 are a stumbling blocke to the Iewes and foolishnesse to the Graecians For the Infidell hearing that Christ was crucified
together and therefore through their vaine confidence c 1 Sam 4 10 c they were destroyed the Arke was taken the two sonnes of Ely were slaine and the whole hoast was discomfited Thus is it with the Sacrament and with such as come without faith to the Sacrament The Sacrament indeed is holy the sacramentall rites are holy the bread and wine are holy but let them be receiued of persons that are prophane and vnholy they make the Sacraments to themselues vnholy so far are they from conferring grace and holinesse to all receiuers of theÌ„ For can the Sacraments make him holy that is vnholy Or a godly man that is vngodly Or make him to feare an oth that is a blasphemer They cannot nay to such the Sacraments become vnholy and the receiuers grow more vnholy as Iudas did after the partaking of the Passeouer Wherefore God as a iust Iudge would driue Adam out of the garden of Eden least puttâ—ng forth his hand to the tree of life hee should d Gen. 3 22. take and receiue it vnworthily thereby e Mercer in 3. cap. Gen. Aralis Franc. Iun. in Gen. prophaning the Sacrament and so eate to himselfe iudgement The sacrifices were holy ordinances of God yet when men that liued vngodly came vnto them they turned to bee sinne to them so is it with all those that come without faith feeling to the Supper of the Lord let vs not therfore be faithlesse but faithfull Lastly if the faithfull onely receiue with profite then Vse 4 such as are hypocrites and wicked liuers cannot bee partakers of the body and blood of Christ no more then God and Sathan can be ioyned together True it is such may receiue the bare signes but they receiue them to their condemnation because f Wicked meÌ„ do not recâ—iue Christ through want of faith repentance they offend God repell Christ from them and all his benefits and draw vnto themselues temporall and eternall punishments For no man can eate Christ and withall eat his owne damnation Againe whosoeuer eateth the flesh of Christ and drinketh his blood shall liue for euer and hath Christ dwelling in him to saluation for Christ can neuer be separated from his sauing graces but the vngodly shall not liue for euer by Christ with God For Christ is not eaten with the teeth or mouth as in the Gospell he directly determineth Ioh. 6. Whosoeuer eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life my flesh is meat indeed my blood is drinke indeed g Ioh. 6 14. he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him But Infidels and wicked persons haue not eternall life neither abide in Christ therfore by the doctrine of Christ our Sauiour h Aâ—g tract in 〈◊〉 25. they neither eate his flesh nor drinke his blood We must open the eyes of our faith to behold him and the mouth of our soule to receiue him for by faith onely we are made partakers of him which the vngodly want hee that i Ioh. 4 14. drinketh of the blood of Christ shall neuer be more athirst Thirdly we know that Sathan the Prince of darknesse ruleth in all the hearts of the children of disobedience and sitteth in their Consciences 2 Cor. 14 4. as the God of this world and filleth them full of iniquity as we see in the example of Iudas Now if these receiue the body of Christ then Christ and the diuell should dwell in one subiect together and be ioynt possessors of one and the same house Luk. 11 21. but this cannot be these cannot be at one these can neuer be friends reconciled there is no m 2 Cor. â— 14 fellowship betweene righteousnesse and vnrighteousnesse there is no communion betweene light and darknesse there is no concord betweene Christ and Bel all Fourthly the Apostle teacheth that where Christ is n Rom. 8 9. he worketh mortification and dying to sinne Rom. 8. If any haue not the spirit of Christ the same is not his and if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin but the Spirit is life for righteousnesse sake But the wicked are not dead to sin they are dead in their sins and trespasses and they haue sinne not only remaining but raigning in them therefore Christ cannot be in them Fiftly where Christ is there are all things necessary to saluation and to whom God giueth his Sonne o Rom 8 31. to him he giueth iustification sanctification redemption repentance remission of sinnes and eternall life as Rom. 8. If God be on our side who shall be against vs Who spared not his owne Sonne but gaue him for vs all to death how should he not with him giue vs all things also But the wicked haue not these guifts accompaning saluation they are not iustified they are not sanctified they are not regenerated therefore they cannot haue Christ from whom these flow Sixtly we are charged to try and p 2 Cor. 13 5. proue our owne hearts whether Christ be in vs or not that thereby we may discerne of our estate and standing in the faith 2 Cor. 13. Proue your selues whether ye are in faith examine your selues know ye not your owne selues how that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates To what purpose serueth this tryall and examination if Christ may be in vs and yet we remaine reiected Wherefore Christ cannot bee in vs if we be not approued but refused of God Seuenthly if such as eate the bread of the Lord vnworthily do withall eate the body of Christ it will follow froÌ„ hence that to eate is no longer to eate but to reiect and refuse For these two take ye and eate ye are ioyned together by Christ himselfe so that the eating it selfe is a kinde of receiuing As then he that refuseth the bread cannot bee said to eate the bread so they which reiect the bodye of Christ cannot eate the body of Christ for if they did eate it they would also take it and receiue it Lastly the Apostle chargeth the Church of the Corinthians not to eate things sacrificed to Idols in q 1 Cor. 10 20. the Idols temple because they cannot be partakers of Christ and the diuell nor drink of the cup of Christ and of the cup of diuels 1 Cor 10 20. These things which the Gentiles sacrâ—fice they sacrifice them to diuels and not vnto God and I would not that ye should haue fellowship with the diuels ye cannot b e partakers of the Lords Table and of the table of diuels Where he sheweth that a man may come poluted with Idoll sacrifices to the Lords Supper but then he cannot be partaker of Christ indeed and in truth Thus we see the doctrine of the Church of Rome striken to the ground which hold it as a principle of their faith and teach it to others that wicked men do receiue eate r Bel. de Sacra Euch. li