and sure Some also haue saide very wel I four mindes be destitute of the holie Ghoste the Sacramentes doe no more profite vs then it doth a blinde man to looke vppon the bright beames of the Sunne But if our eyes be opened through the illumination of the spirit they are wonderfully delighted with the heauenly sight of the Sacramentes And Zwinglius in Libello ad principes Germanil sayth It doeth not offende vs though all those things which the holie Ghoste worketh be referred to the externall Sacrament as long as wee vnderstand them to be spoken figuratiuely as the fathers spake Thus saith he And although Sacraments seale not the promises to the vnbeléeuers because they mistrust thē yet neuerthelesse the Sacraments were instituted of God that they might seale The wicked and vngodly person receiueth not the doctrine of the Gospel yet no man therefore doeth gather that this doctrine was not instituted of God to teache Some one there is that wil not giue credit to a sealed Charter yet doeth it not therfore followe that the sealed charter serueth not to assure or confirme ones faithe Therefore since the doctrine of the Gospel worketh nothing in him that is obstinate and rebellious since the sacramentes doe nothing moue him that is prophane and vnholie neither profite the wicked by any manner meanes that commeth not to passe through him that did institute them or through the worde and sacraments but through the default of the vnbeléeuer In the meane time of them selues they are instituted to profit and to seale and to haue their holie vse end in the holie And thus much haue I said of that principall vertue of sacraments that they be testimonies of gods truth and of his good wil towarde vs and are seales of all that promises of the gospel sealing and assuring vs that faith is righteousnesse and that all the good giftes of Christe perteine to them that beléeue There is also another end and vse of sacramentall signes that is to say that they signifie in signifying do represent which were superfluous to proue by many testimonies since it is moste manifest to all men at least by that which we spake before Now to signifie is to shew and by signes and tokens to declare and pointe out any thing But to represent doth not signifie as some dreame to bring to giue or make that now again corporally present which somtime was taken away but to resemble it in likenes and by a certeine imitation and to call it back againe to minde and to set it as it were before our eyes For we say that a sonne doth represent or resemble his father when after a sort he expresseth his father in fauour and likenes of manners so that he which séeth him may verily think that he seeth his father as it were present And after this manner doe sacraments stir vp help our faith while wee sée outwardely before our eyes that whiche stirreth vpp the minde worketh in vs and warneth vs of our dutie yea that very thing which we a while before comprehended in our minde is nowe after a sorte visibly offered to our senses in a similitude parable type or figure to be viewed and weighed in our minde that mutuallie they might helpe one another The similitude therefore or Analogie of the signe to the thinge signified is héere by the way to be considered I told you before that Analogia is an aptnes proportion and a certeine conuenience of the signe to the thinge signified so that this maye be séene in that as in a loking-glasse The matter shall be made manifest by examples The bountifull and gratious Lord of his méere mercie receiueth mankinde into the partaking of all his good gifts and graces and adopteth the faithfull that nowe they bee not onely ioyned in league with God but also the children of God whiche thing by the holy action of baptisme béeing in stéede of the signe or the verie signe it selfe is most euidētly by representation laid before the eyes of al men For the minister of GOD standeth at the holie fonte to whome the infant is offered to be baptised whom he receiueth and baptiseth into the name or in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holie Ghoste For we maye finde both Into the name and In the name So that to be baptised Into the name of the Lord is to be sealed into his vertue and power for the name of the Lord signifieth power into the fauour mercie and protection of God yea to be graffed and as it were to be fastned to be dedicated and to be incorporated into god To be baptised In the name of the Lord is by the commaundement or authoritie of God to be baptised I meane by the commission or appointment of God the father the sonne and the holie Ghost to be receiued into the companie of the children of God to be counted of Gods household that they whiche are baptised are be called Christians and be named w the name of God béeing called the children of God the father c. His spéech therfore doth somewhat resemble that which we read else-where that The name of God was called vppon ouer some one which is in a maner as if we should say that one is called by the name of God that is to be called The seruaunt sonne of God. They therefore which before by grace inuisibly are receiued of God into the societie of God those selfe same are visibly now by baptisme admitted into the selfe same household of God by the minister of God and therefore at that time also receiue their name that they may alwayes remember that in baptisme they gaue vpp their names to Christ and in like manner also receiued a name After this manner by a most apt Analogie the verie signe resembleth the thing signified To be short baptisme is done by water And water in mens matters hath a double vse For it clenseth filthe as it were renueth man also it quencheth thirst and cooleth him that is in a heate So also it representeth the grace of God when it cleanseth his faithfull ones from their sinnes regenerateth and refresheth vs with his spirite Beside this the minister of Christ sprinckleth or rather powreth in water or being dipped taketh them out of the water whereby is signified that God verie bountifully bestoweth his gifts vpon his faithful ones it signifieth also that wee are buried with Christe into his death and are raised againe with him into newnesse of life Pharao was drowned in the gulfe of the redd sea but the people of God passed throughe it safe For our old Adam must be drowned and extinguished but oure new Adam day by day must be quickned and rise vp againe out of the water Therefore is the mortification and viuification of Christians verie excellently represented by baptisme Now in the Lords supper bread and wine represent the verie bodie and
déede is holie not in respecte of the wordes rehearsed or by crosses and other signes made but because God hath instituted it and in respecte of the holie vse and prayers of the godly Of whiche matter I spake not long agoe when I intreated of the sanctification or consecration of the Sacramentes And Christe commaunded his disciples to baptise with water for diuerse causes For types or figures wente before Baptisme in water as the â—loud as the redd sea through which the people of Israel passed as diuerse cleansinges and set washings mentioned in the lawe Neither doe the Apostles of Christe dissemble those thinges For Peter sayth that Noe was saued in the water of the floud but the wicked drowned in the water Paule affirmeth that all our fathers were baptised by Moses in the Cloude and in the Sea. Therefore mortification and viuificatioÌ„ is prefigured And truely the principall badge of the newe testament is Baptisme witnessinge that full remisâ—ion of sinnes is brought vnto vs by Christe And the holye Prophetes of God by the mouth of the Lorde foreshewinge and promisinge this haue willingly shadowed out this inestimable benefite by water therefore Baptisme must be ministred in water This also serued notably to represent the mysterie Of which matter I haue spoken in my last sermon when I intreated of the analogie or likenesse of signes And for these causes chiefly baptisme ought to be ministred in this and not in any other element There is contention also aboute this Whether once or thrise hee that is baptised oughte to bee dipped or sprinckled with water Truely the Apostles haue not curiously commaunded any thing in this behalfe So that it is frée either to sprinckle or to dip Sprincklinge séemeth to haue béene vsed of the olde Fathers For honestie and shamefastnesse forbiddeth to vncouer the body And also the weake state of infants for the moste parte cannot away with dipping since sprinckling also doeth as much as dippinge And it standeth in the choyce of him that minstreth baptisme to sprincle him either once or thrise after the custome of the Church wherof he is minister Tertullian contra Praxeam sayeth The Lorde commaunded to baptise into the father and into the sonne and into the holie Ghoste Not into one For wee are baptised not once but thrise at eache name into eache person And Gregorie aunswering Leonarde the byshop saith A diuerse custome hindereth nothing the holye church so that it be done in one faith Wee by thrise dipping doe signifie the mysterie of Christes lying in the graue three dayes Againe the reuerend fathers in the fourth counsel helde at Toledo doe allowe but one dipping in baptisme and then ad immediatly this reason And lest any should doubt of the mysterie of this Sacrament why wee allowe but one dippinge he may se therein our death and resurrection For the dipping into the water is as it were the goinge downe into the graue and the comming vpp againe out of the water is the rysing againe out of the graue Also hee may perceiue that therein is shewed the vnitie of the Godhead and the trinitie of the persons The vnitie is figured when we dipp once the trinitie when we baptise in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holie Ghoste This I doe not alleadge to stay my selfe vppon mans testimonyes but by mans testimonie to shewe that it is frée to followe that whiche serueth moste to the edifying of the Church Also there is a question moued touching the place of baptisme Whether it be not lawfull to baptise in any other place than in the Churche I say that the Churche is consecrated to ministeries and to the worshipp of God and therefore that comelynesse it selfe requireth to baptise openlie in the Churche But if necessitie will not permit this the baptisme of Christe is tyed to no place For we heare that Philipp baptised out of the founteine in the broade fielde Yet let vs take héede that wee make not necessitie a pretence for our lewde affections But let all thinges in the Churche bee cleane which perteine vnto Baptisme let all superfluitie be laide aside let all filth and vncleannesse bee banished let all thinges as saith the Apostle be done honestly and in order Touching the time there is no lawe prescribed of the Lord that is left frée to the iudgement of the godly They that beléeued the preaching of S. Peter at Hierusalem in the day of Pentecoste the Eunuch also whome Philip baptised Cornelius the Centurion likewise finally Paule the Apostle at Damascus yea and Lydia the purple-seller a religious or deuout woman and the kéeper of the prison they of Philippos also and other faithfull men and women as soone as they had tasted of the gyftes and graces of Christe and beléeued his worde foorthwith they dersired to be baptised they did not foade it off till another next time Wherfore they do verie wel whiche neither in themselues neither in their families do linger in receiuing baptisme The delaying of circumcision in his children fel not out wel vnto Moses As therfore we graunt that the time of baptisme is frée so it ought to bee our duetie to take héede that we abuse not our libertie being always mindefull of these wordes spoken by God The vncircumcised manchilde in whose fleshe the fore-skinne is not circumcised that soule shal be cut off from his people because he hathe brokeÌ„ my couenant But we are not ignorante that baptisme came into the place of circumcision Therefore the omitting of baptisme is not free There were some in the time of Cyprian which helde opinion that baptisme ought to bee receiued on the eighth day after the manner of circumcision But Cyprian and the 66. Bishops and Elders that were with him in the Counsell ordeyned the contrarie to wit that euery one without any delay shoulde receiue baptisme and procure the same spéedily in their familie That place is extant epist. li. 3. Epist. 8. Furthermore Socrates the hystoriographer Lib. 5. Ca. 22. saith I knowe also another custome in Thessalie according to the whiche they baptise onely on the dayes of Easter Whereby it commeth to passe that sauing a verie small number they dye vnbaptised But after a certeine time there was a lawe made that the Infantes of the faithfull should not bee baptised but at the feastes of Easter and Whitsuntide They excepted the time of necessitie We may read this in Decret Syricij Pont. in Isidore in the Epistles of Pope Leo vnto the Bishopp of Campania and Sicylia which in order are reckoned to be 57. and 62. But the thinges that moued them herevnto are suche as may bee easily disproued and ouerthrowne Truely from the beginning the time of baptisme was not so limited Neuerthelesse that Lawe of baptising the faithfull at the feast of Easter Pentecoste was renued by Pipine Charles Lodouick Lothar French kinges and was spread farre as their dominions
name of IESVS CHRISTE for the remission of sinnes and yee shall receiue the gifte of the holie Ghoste Therefore in baptisme water or sprinckling of water in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holie Ghost and al that which is done of the church is a signe rite ceremonie outwarde thing earthly sensible lying opē made plaine to the senses but remission of sinnes partaking of euerlasting life fellowshippe with Christ and his members and gifts of the holy ghoste which are giuen vnto vs by the grace of God through fayth in Christ Iesus is the thing signified the inward and heauenly thing and that intelligible thing whiche is not perceiued but by a faythfull mynde After the same manner the Scripture bearing witnesse also of the Supper of the Lord which is the other sacrament of the Church sayth The Lord Iesus when hee had taken breade hee gaue thankes and brake it and gaue it to his disciples and sayde take ye eate ye this is my body whiche is giuen for you Likewise he tooke the cuppe and gaue it to them saying drinke ye all of this for this is my bloud of the newe Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sinnes doe this in remembraunce of me Nowe therefore all that action which is done of the Church after the example of Christ our high Prieste I meane breaking of bread the distribution thereof yea and the banquet or receyuing of breade and wine is the signe rite ceremonie and the outwarde or earthly thing and also that selfe same sensible thing which lyeth open before the senses but the intelligible thing thing signified the inward and heauenly thing is the verie body of Christ giuen for vs and his bloud shed for the remission of sinnes and oure redemption and fellowship which we haue with Christe and all the Saintes yea whiche he chiefly hath with vs. By these things it shall be easie to determine certeinely of the names or termes nowe giuen to the sacramēts For they are called external or outward signes bicause they are corporall or bodily entring outwardly into those senses whereby they be perceyued Contrariwise we call the thing signified inwarde thinges not that the thinges lye hidde included in the signes but bycause they are perceiued by the inwarde faculties or motions of the mynde wrought in mē by the spirit of god So also those signes are termed both earthly and visible bycause they consist of thinges taken from the earth that is to wit of water breade and wine and bycause they are manifestly séene in these likenesses To be short the thinges signified are called heauenly and inuisible bycause the frute of them is heauenly bicause they are discerned with the eyes of the mynd or of faith not of the body For otherwise the same body and bloude of our Lorde Iesus Christ which in the supper are represented to the faythfull by the fourme of breade and wine are not of their owne proper nature heauenly or inuisible For the body of our Lord touching his substaunce and nature is consubstantiall or of the same substaunce that our bodyes are of Now the same is called heauenly for his deliueraunce from corruption and infirmitie or else bycause it is clarified not by reason of the bringing to nought or laying aside of his owne nature The same body of his owne nature is visible not inuisible resident in heauen howbeit it is séene of the godly celebrating the supper not with the eyes of the body but with the eyes of the mynde or soule therefore in respect of vs it is called inuisible which of it selfe is not inuisible Now the worde in the sacraments is called and is indéede a witnessing of Gods will and a remembraunce and renuing of the benefits and promises of God yea and it is the institution and commaundement of God which sheweth the author of the sacrament with the manner ende of the same For the word in baptisme is the verie same that euen now we haue recited Goe ye into all the worlde c. In the supper of the Lord this is the word of God Iesus tooke breade c. And the rite custome and manner howe to celebrate the supper is to be sought out of the example of the lord going before in the holy action wherein we comprehend bothe prayers and those things which are recited out of the worde of Christ For as he brake breade and diuided it and in like maner the cuppe so likewise with holy imitation and sacramentall rite we follow the same in this holy action As he gaue thankes so also wee doe giue thankes wee by certeine prayers in baptisme doe request the assistaunce and grace of the Lorde we recite certeine places out of the gospell which we know to be requisite in the administration of baptisme and we are woont to doe the same also in the celebration of the Lordes supper But it is not my intent at this presente to speake largely and exactly of the rites of the Sacrament which notwithstanding we holde to bee beste that are taken out of the holie scripture and doe not excéede of whiche shall be spoken in theire place Some in stead of the word doe put promise and in stead of rite ceremonie And truely in the word ceremonie I sée no daunger at all if by ceremonie be vnderstood the outwarde comelines and rite which the Lorde him selfe hath commended to vs by his example and left to be vsed in the celebration And in verie deede Sacramentall signes are not simple or bare signes but ceremonies or religious actions so also there séemeth to bee no daunger in the worde promise so that by promise wee vnderstand the preaching of the gospel the commemoration or remembrance of Gods promises which we often vse in the preching of the gospell and celebration of the sacraments that is to say that God doeth receiue vs into his fellowship for Christe his sake through faith doeth wash away our sinnes endeweth vs with diuerse graces that Christe was giuen for our sinnes shed his bloud to take away the sinnes of all faithfull For in celebrating of Baptisme we vse these wordes of the Lord Suffer little children to come vnto mee for vnto such belongeth the kingdome of heauen c. In the celebration of the banquet of Gods holie children we vse these holie wordes of our Lord And after supper Iesus tooe bread and after he had giuen thanks he brake it gaue it to them saying take ye eate ye this is my bodie whiche is giuen for you This is my bloud which is shed for you for the remission of sinnes this do in the remembrance of me c. For those remembrances and rehersalls are promisses of the Gospel promising forgiuenesse of sinnes to the beléeuers shewing that the Lords bodie is giuen for them and his bloud shed for them whiche faith verilie is the onely and vndoubted meane to
coupled together in a faythful contemplation bycause they which partake the Sacramentes religiously doe not fasten their eyes on sensible thinges onely but rather on thinges insensible signified and heauenly so that the faithfull haue in them selues both twaine coupled together which otherwise in the signe or with the signe are knit together with no bonde For corporally sensibly they receiue the signes but spiritually they possesse comprehend renue and exercise the thinges signified In signification and likenesse of the thinges I say they are coupled together bycause the signe is a token of the thing signified And vnlesse signes haue likenes with those things whereof they are signes then coulde they be no signes They haue therefore most apt and verie neare affinitie betwéene them selues For as water washeth away the filthe of the body as breade and wine satisfieth and maketh merrie the hart of man euen so by the grace of God the people of God are purified euen so the body and bloude of the Lorde which was giuen for vs being apprehended by fayth doth both satisfie and make merrie the whole man that he maye yealde him selfe wholy vnto thankesgiuing and obedient to Godwarde I would speake here more largely of the Analogie or of the signe and thing signified but that I sée I maye doe the same hereafter in place more conuenient But I thinke I shall not néed any more places out of the scripture to open these thinges more euidently since they followe of their owne accorde vppon that which we haue hitherto by testimonies of scriptures confirmed and will hereafter more at large confirme Moreouer in respect of the likenesse of the signe and the thing signified the name of the one is giuen to the other as I will proue by most euident testimonies of Scripture In Genesis 17. the Lorde sayth thus to Abraham Thou shalt keepe my couenaunt therefore bothe thou and thy seede after thee in their generations This is my couenaunt whiche ye shall keepe betweene me and you Euerie man-child among you shall be circumcised Ye shall circumcise the fleshe of your foreskinne and it shall be a token of the couenaunt betweene me and you The mouthe of the Lorde hath spoken this Who will gainesay the worde of GOD The worde of GOD calleth Circumcision a couenaunt therefore the name of the thing signified is giuen to the signe For in verie déede Circumcision is not the couenaunt it selfe For the couenaunt is the bargaine and agreement betwéene GOD and men whiche hath certeine conditions and articles Wherfore afterwarde by interpretation the same Circumcision is called A token of the couenaunt And who will finde fault with this interpretation of GOD The signes therefóre yea GOD béeing the interpreter take the names of the thinges signified So you may reade in the twelfth chapter of Exodus Yee shall eate the lambe in hast for it is the Lords Passeouer Againe And the bloud shall be vnto you a signe in the houses wherein you are c. And againe This day shall be vnto you a remembraunce c. What can be spoken more plainely than that the Lambe is called the Passeouer But what is the proper meaning of the Passeouer Let vs giue eare to the Lorde here agayne expounding him selfe and saying I will pasle through the lande of Aegypte this same night and will smite all the first borne of Aegypt from man to beast and when I shall see the bloude of the Lambe I will passe ouer you and the plague shall not bee vppon you to destroye you Beholde the Passeouer GOD him selfe so interpreting it is that passing ouer whereby the Angel of GOD passing ouer the houses of the Israelites whiche were marked with the bloude of the Lambe spared their firstborne slue the first borne of the Egyptians If thou art ignoraunt what and what manner of Lambe it was listen againe to the Lorde instructing thée and saying In the tenth day of this moneth euerie man take vnto him a Lambe according to the housholde and let your Lambe be without blemishe a male of a yeare olde which yee shall take out from among the sheepe and from among the goates And here the Lambe is playnely called the Passeouer And who dothe not sée that the Lamb is not the Passeouer yet bycause it is a signe or remembrance of the passeouer as the mouth of the Lorde sayth surely it taketh the name of the Passeouer or passing by Againe you reade in the nintenth of Num. Thus spake the Lorde vnto Moses Speake vnto the children of Israel that they bring thee a red cow without blemishe And ye shall giue her vnto Eleazar the Priest that he may bring her without the hoast and cause her to bee slayne before his face and to bee burnt whole And a man that is cleane shal gather vp the ashes of the cow and lay them without the hoast in a cleane place And it shall bee kept for the multitude of the children of Israel for a water of separation or sprinckling For it is sinne Marke againe the manner of the speaking of the Scripture A heifer or cow is sinne that is a sacrifice for sinne as Christe is sayde to be made sinne for vs that for or by sinne he might condemne sinne whiche is that by the one oblation of his body he might cleanse and purge vs from sinne Hitherto also belongeth that whiche the Apostle speaking of sacrifices vnto the Hebrues sayth But in these sacrifices there is mention made of sinnes euerie yeare for it is not possible that the bloude of bulles and goates should take awaye sinnes As often therefore as sacrifices as Heifers Goates Bulls and Lambs are called sanctifications cleansings or sinnes the signes take the names of the thinges signiâ—ied For these were certein types and figures of the Prieste whiche was to come and of Christe vppon whome all our sinnes are layd For He truly is the Lambe of GOD whiche taketh away the sinnes of the worlde Nowe we are come also to the sacramentes of the newe Testament whose signes also beare the names of the thinges signified For Peter saythe Actes 2. Let euerie one of you bee baptised in the name of Iesus Christe for the remission of sinnes And Paule also in the Actes of the Apostles heareth Arise and be baptised and washe away thy sinnes by calling on the name of the Lorde Therefore truely baptisme is called a cleansing or washing awaye of sinnes And Peter also elsewhere saiths Baptisme saueth you not that therby the filthe of the fleshe is put awaye but in that a good coÌ„science maketh request vnto God. And Paule also saith Ye are washed ye are sanctified ye are iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the spirite of our GOD. Therefore the due and right coÌ„paring of these places betweene them selues doth manifestly proue that to the signe of baptisme whithe is water is giuen the name of the thing signified
and that this inward sanctification is outwardly by the ministerie represented and sealed there he might haue vnderstoode that sealed euidences may be published as well by an euill minister as by a good Gods sacraments are to be referred to God the authour of them who is faithfull and true in all his ordinaunces howe false and faithlesse so euer men be Although Iudas were a théefe yet he preached and baptised whose doctrine and baptisme was as well the doctrine and baptisme of Christe as was Peters and Andrewes Iames and Iohns And touching the perfectnesse purenesse bothe of the doctrine and baptisme done by the ministerie of Iudas no man euer doubted as though they were neuer taught or baptised whome he taught and baptised who in the meane while is called of the Lorde him selfe not a diuelishe man but a verie diuell For he baptised not in his owne name but in the name of Christe he preached not his owne but the doctrine of Christ To conclude the Lorde of his goodnesse for his truthes sake and not for Iudas sake wrought in the faythfull whiche working of his an others vngratiousnesse maliciousnesse coulde not hinder as at this daye verily it hindereth not a whit Truely we muste doe what we can to haue holy and vnblameable ministers so farre foorthe as by oure care and diligence we are able to procure and bring to passe yea let vs depriue and disgrade them whom we shall finde to behaue them selues vnworthy of their function but in the meane time let vs not doubt at all of the purenesse of the Sacramentes whiche they while they were in their office ministred vnto vs that is to say after the same manner and fourme as the Lorde instituted And verily as the faythful doe not fasten their myndes on the elements so neyther doe they on the ministers They in althings looke only vp to God the authour of all goodnesse and to the ende of those thinges which the Lord ordeyned Saint Augustine hath handled this matter verie diligently excellently well applying to these thinges verie effectuall arguments whose wordes I wil set down Lib. 3. contra Donatist de baptismo 3. cap. 10. The water is not vnholy sayth he or defiled ouer which the name of the Lorde is called on though it bee called on of vnholy and vncleane persons bycause neyther the creature it self nor yet the name is vncleane And the baptisme of Christe consecrated with the wordes of the Gospell is holy both by them that are vncleane and in them that are vncleane thoughe they bee defiled and vncleane bycause his holinesse can not bee polluted and in his sacramēts a diuine power is present eyther to the saluation of them that vse them well or to the condemnation of them that vse them yll Dothe the lighte of the Sunne or of a candle when it shineth through a filthy sinke gather no vncleannesse from thence and can the baptisme of Christ be polluted with any mans wickednesse For if wee apply our myndes vnto the verie visible things vnder which sacraments are deliuered who knoweth not that they are corruptible But if wee ascend vnto that whiche is figured by them who seeth not that they be incorruptible though men by whom it is ministred according to their deseruinges are eyther rewarded or punished And so foorth I could alledge many examples of this kynde if I thought them necessarie For I think that by them it is largely and plainly enough declared that the perfectnesse and purenesse of the Sacramentes are not to be estéemed by the worthinesse or vnworthinesse of the ministers but by the truth of God who did institute them To him be glory power dominion for euer euer Amen Of holie Baptisme what it is by whom and when it was instituted and that there is but one baptisme of water Of the baptisme of fire Of the rite or ceremonie of Baptisme how of whome and to whom it must be ministred Of Baptisme by Midwiues and of infantes dying without Baptisme Of the Baptisme of Infantes against Anabaptisme or Rebaptising and of the power or efficacie of Baptisme The eighth Sermon NOwe I haue to intreate particularly of holy Baptisme and of the holy supper of the Lorde whiche may be done somuch the more briefly as we haue largely spoken alreadie of Sacraments in generall Christe our Lorde open your myndes and guyde my toung vnto the glorie and prayse of his blessed name for euer Baptisme is a worde fetcht from the Eréekes who vse bothe these words Baptismus and Baptisma both whiche signifie baptisme as the Latines also do And Baptisme is a dipping whiche worde Tertullian willingly vseth For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to dip or dip in and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to plunge or put farre in wherevppon also to baptise is vsed for to plunge in to washe away or to cleanse and baptisings in the Scriptures are put for washings and purifyings as it appereth in S. Marke the seuenth chapter and in Paule to the Hebrues the 9. chap. To be baptised with the same baptisme is prouerbially spoken of him that is partaker of the selfe same danger or misfortune And to be baptised with bloude is to be imbrued with bloud They define Baptisme for the most parte to be a token or recognizaunce of our cleansing yea of oure inrolling whereby we are receyued into the Churche to be of the number of Gods children But we describing the nature of baptisme more at large do say That it is an holy action instituted of GOD and consisting of the worde of God and the holy rite or ceremonie whereby the people of God are dipped in the water in the name of the Lord to be short whereby the Lorde him selfe dothe represent and seale vnto vs our purifying or cleansing gathereth vs into one body and putteth the baptised in mynd of their duetie In this description of Baptisme these things séeme chiefly to be considered Who did institute Baptisme Of what things it consisteth Whether it be simple but one and the selfe same or drawne into many partes What rite or ceremonie of baptising is deliuered to the Churche What the ende and force of Baptisme is It was no man that did institute the Sacrament of baptisme but God him selfe though by man it tooke the name that is to say by Iohn it was ministred who of it was called the Baptist That we might vnderstand this the Euangelists in many places haue confirmed that the calling of Iohn was from heauen For thereby we may gather that his ministerie was from heauen Doth not he say him selfe in expresse words He which sent me to baptise with water the same sayde vnto me vpon whom so euer thou shalt see the holy ghost c. Also our Lord in the Gospell arguing that the baptisme of Iohn was not from men but from God he demaundeth of the Phariseis The baptisme of Iohn whence was it from heauen or of men Wherefore the
the christian church or congregation and afterwarde Paule the Apostle laying his handes on them they are baptised not with water againe but with fire Luke bearing witnesse and saying The holie Ghoste came vppon them and they spake with tongues and prophecied But this baptisme of fire and the visible ministration of the giftes ceased together with miracles neither at this day is it vsuall or common in the Churh but the baptisme of water remaineth whiche is one and the selfe same whether it be ministred by the handes of Iohn or of the Apostles or by diuerse handes of the ministers of the Churche For diuerse handes make not diuerse baptismes Wherefore we rightly beléeue that there is but one onely and simple Baptisme of the faithfull in all ages For Paule in expresse wordes sayth There is one Lorde one faithe one baptisme and one god and father of all Where-vnto also tendeth this saying of the same Apostle I thanke God that I baptised none of you but Crispus and Gaius least any should say that I had baptised in mine owne name Vppon this Apostolique trueth the reuerend fathers of the Counsel of Constantionople are reade to haue made this confession in their Créede I beleeue one Baptisme for the remission of sinnes For there is but one Churche onely one body one head and one king prince and highe Priest of the Catholique Church Now I am come to expound the rite or ceremonie of Baptisme It was simple and but one from the beginning and not charegable or burdenous to the Churche through immoderate ceremonies Iohn baptised in Aenon beside Salem because much water was there and he baptised in the name of Christe So did the Apostles likewise Whereby it remaineth for an vndoubted truth that the verye beste fourme of baptising is that whiche is done by water in the name of the Father and of the sonne and of the holie Ghost For so the Lorde commaunded in the 28. of Matthew Doe you aske howe it commeth to passe that Luke in the Actes maketh mention that Peter and Paule baptised in the name of the Lorde and expresseth not that they baptised in the name of the Father and of the sonne and of the holie Ghoste I answere That vnder the name of the Lorde the mysterie of the trinitie is comprehended For when the Lorde saide I and the Father are one he whiche is baptised into the Lorde is also baptised into the father and so in like manner into the holie Ghoste whiche is not diuided from them For verily they haue one and the selfe same spirite For truely Luke sayth that they were baptised of the Apostles in the name of the Lorde whome the Apostles baptised according to the Lords instiution Some say Christe is the accomplishment or fulfilling and the proper obiecte of Baptisme wherefore it is no meruaile that the Apostles baptised into the name of the Lorde who neuerthelesse were commaunded to baptise in the name of the father and of the Sonne and of the holie Ghoste For all the mysteries of Baptisme are laide foorth vnto vs in the onely Sonne of god Truely wee say bothe To baptise into the name of the Lorde and to baptise in the name of the Lorde The vse of speaking after the firste manner is read in the 28. of Matthew and in Luke Actes the 19. For bothe haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In nomen into the name And so also Tertullian interpreteth it contra Praxeā saying Hee commaunded that wee should be baptised into the father the sonne c. The latter manner doeth the same Luke vse in the Actes 10. and 2. saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is In the name Moreouer what it is to baptise into the name or in the name of the Lord I tolde you in the last Sermon next before this that it is to be inrolled into Gods housholde that he whiche is baptised may now receiue the name of GOD and be called the sonne of God yea and be as it were registred into the roll of the children of God Citizens of the kingdome of Heauen Wherevppon we haue also nāmes giuen vs in baptisme that as often as wee heare our selues named wee may remember our Baptisme and the mysteries therof Neither is it a new thing or straunge from the Scriptures that names are giuen vs in baptisme For so it was vsed also in Circumcision whiche is to be séene in Luke 2. Chapter Furthermore the question is asked Whether we oughte to baptise with these bare words I baptise thée in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holie ghost Or whether it be lawful to ad or ioyne some thing els I thinck we ought to aunswere That it is the seruants dutie to ad nothing to his lords institutiō but diligentlie to kéep that which he hath deliuered yea aduisedly to marke what in baptisme the Lord him selfe and his Apostles did holily to imitate the same that in the church of God as Paule hath commaunded all thinges may be done decently and in good order But after that most holie fourme of baptising set downe and deliuered we sée two things in holie Baptisme and in the vse thereof to be obserued For firste the Apostles and they that were with the Apostles did teache verie significantly of the promises of GOD and faith in Christ whiche is apparaunte in the Actes of the Apostles It is lawefull therefore in the action or ministration of Baptisme to recite the promises of God to rehearse the beliefe and require faithe either of them that are to be baptised béeing of perfecte age or else of them whiche bring the Infantes to bee baptised Moreouer when the Lorde was baptised of Iohn Baptiste in Iordan he prayed Which thing Luke in his Gospel reporteth of him in the historie of the Gospell It is lawfull therefore in the vse of Baptisme to pray and solemnely to cal vpon the name of the Lorde At the firste these Prayers were moderate and shorte not of a great length tedious In processe of time there was no measure kept not onely in tedious blessings but also in diuerse ceremonies which they that came after added therevnto Of the whiche it shall not séeme altogether vnprofitable to rehearse somewhat out of the olde Doctours Tertullian in his booke De Corona militis saith When we go to the font there and also a little before in the church the bishop laying his hand on vs wee doe confesse that wee forsake the diuel his pompes and all his angels Then are wee thrise dipped in the water not some leaue out not aunswering any thing more then the Lorde hath set downe in the Gospell When wee be taken out of the fonte we taste of milke and honie mingled together and from that time wee absteine from daily washinge by the space of a whole weeke We heare in this an vtter denying or renouncing a thirde dipping a
terpretatioÌ„ of the wordes of the supper To argue from the sacrameÌ„ts of the old testament to ours of the newe We may vse sacramentall speaches Sacramentall speaches are to be expounded ☞ A briefe rehersall of such poinctes as he intreated vppon in his former sermon We mustâ— vse reuerence in disputing of sacramentes The arke of the coâ—â—nant To attribute too â—uch to saâ—â—aments It is a greate sin not to attribute so much vnto the sacraments as the scripture doth attribute Num. 4. It is taughte that sacramentes giue grace Augustinâ— taught not that sâ—cramentes giue grace Of the likenes difference of the sacramentes of the old and newe Testament Augustine teacâ—eth that the SacrameÌ„ts of the Iewes and ours are al one Grace â—hat it is SacrameÌ„ts do not coÌ„ferre or giue grace Ieremie 7 Esai 1. Galath 3. The error in the Apostolique churche Actes 15. That grace is giuen freely and receiued by faith Luke 7. Iohn 4. Rom. 5. Their santasy which faine a generall and speciall taith is here confuted Whether the grace of God be conteined â—n the Sacramentes These are soung in the Easter holie daies at their coÌ„sâ—cration of baptisme Bonauentura sayth that grace is not conteined in the Sacraâ—ents The seate of the grace of God. 3. Reg. 8. Actes 7. Actes 17. Iohn 4. The canon of the Nicene counsell touching baptisme The Aâ—ostles bâ—ptised in water not consecrated Actes 8. To include grace in the sacraments causeth idolatrie The godâ—y are first iustified receiued into fauor before theâ— be made partakers of the sacraments Actes 2. 1. Iohn â— 1. Iohn 4. Rom. 10. 1. Iohn 5. Actes 10. Actes 2. 1 Cor. 11. Rom. 12. To euacuate the sacrameÌ„ts and conuince God of a lye SacrameÌ„ts are holy and not prophane thinges SacrameÌ„ts are witnesses of the trueth The gospell is a witnesse SacrameÌ„ts do visibly confirme the good wil of god to vs ward Rom. 4. SacrameÌ„ts are seales and where vnto seales do serue Nehe. 9. Hag 2. â—ere 22. Matth. 27. The place of Paule Rom. 4. is expounded and he receiued a signe of the circumcision c. The matter is made â—laine by 1 Parable SacrameÌ„ts haue a more effectual force than any sealed chancers How bapâ—isme sealeth Mark. 16. Marke 10 Matth. 18. Infantes which beleue not â—re baptised Howe the lords supper is a seale of the righteousâ—es of fayth Ioh. 6. Zuinglius of the Sacramentes which certifie and beare witnesse The holy ghost doth properly sâ—ale The sacraments seal nothing to the vnbeleeuers SacrameÌ„ts representeâ— thinges SacrameÌ„ts doe stirre vppe and healpe faith Of the analogie in baptisme To giue and take names in baptisme Of the analogie in the supper Synaxis a communion How the SacrameÌ„ts do stirre vp faith The efficacie or force in the preaching of Gods worde Zuinglius of the Sacraments vpholding fayth A coniunction with Christ and with the Church By sacraments we are visibly gathered together into one religion and distinguished from others Ephe. 2. Phil. 3. Rom. 15. 1. Cor. 12. The place of Paul. 1. Cor 18. The bread which we breake c is expounded They are the members of the diuell that are partakers of vnlawful Sacraments Zuinglius of binding SacrameÌ„ts c. SacrameÌ„ts â—ut the faithful in minde of their duetie Deut. 10. Iere. 4. Rom. 6. 1. Cor. 11. That the sacraments profite nothing without faith Iohn 12. Hebr. 4. 1. Cor. 11. Rom. 1. Hebr. 11. Matt 22. 1. Cor. 10. Heb. 11. Augustine doth teache that sacramentâ—â— receiued without faith are vnprofitable to the receiuers SacrameÌ„ts depende not on our worthines or vnworthinesse Rom. 3. Of baptisme of infantes Rom. 8. That SacrameÌ„ts or not superfluous or voide to them that haue faith Gen. 17. Exod. 4. Matt. 3. Sacraments are indifferent Many are sanctified without visible sacraments Cyptians error touching the Sacrament of baptisme Iohn 6. Baptisme What baptisme is Who instituted baptisme Iohn 1. Matth. 22. When baptisme was instituted Of What thinges baptisme consisteth One onely baptisme The baptisme of Iohn of Christ and of the Apostles is one and the selfe same Actes 19. Of the baptisme of Christe which is also the baptisme of fire Actes 1. Actes 1. Actes 8. Actes 10. Ephes 4. 1. Cor. 1. Of the ritâ— ceremonies of baptisme â—hon 3. What it is to baptise in the name of the Lorde 1. Cor. 14. Luke â— Ceremonies added in times past to baptisme Whether we ought to baptise with water not consecrated Why the 〈◊〉 commaunded â—o baptise â—ith wâ—â—er â— Pet. 3. â— Cor. 10. Whether once or thrice the infant ought to be dipped in the water Of the place of baptisme The time of Baptisme Gen. 17. What the baptiser worketh Iohn 1. Whether midwiues may baptise 1. Tim. 2. Sepâ—ora circumciseth Exod. 4. 25 2. Sam. 12 of saluatioÌ„ of infantâ—â—â—eparting without â—aptisme Mark. 10. Matt. 18. Gen 17. 1. Cor. 7. Gen. 17. Iohn 3. The Pelagians deny the baptisme of infants and why Lib. 3. Depecâ— meâ— remiss Cap. The exposition of the place The soulâ— of the vncircumcised shal be cut off The exposition of the place Except a man be borne of water c. Iohn 3 De peccatorum meritis remissione lib. 1. ca. 20. Iohn 6. Who ar to be baptised Who be the people of God. Actes 8. Gen. 17. Rom. 5. Infantes confessing or beleuing By what argumeÌ„t tâ—e Anabaptistes â—each that infanâ—es ought not to be baptised Matt. 28. Infantes vnderstaÌ„d not the mysterie of baptisme That the baptisme of infantes is of God and that the Apostles baptised infants Actes 10 1. Cor. 1. Rom. 8. Iohn 4. Col. 2. Iosua 5. The baptisme of in fants hath lasted froÌ„ the time of the Apostles The historie of Anabaptisme Imperiall lawe against the Anabaptistes Ios 5. The places alledged to proue Anabaptisme are confuted The twelue men of Ephesus not rebaptised Actes â— Actes 19. Of the â—orce of Baptisme we are baptised into the remission of sinnes Mark. 1. Luke 3. Iohn 2. Actes 2. Actes 22. Ephes 5. Baptisme is effectual for mans whole life By baptisme we are gathered together to be the people of God. Gal. 3. Tit. 3. Luke 3. 1. Cor. 12. Baptisme serueth for our coÌ„fession Sundrie names of lordes supper The Lords table Communion Breaking of breade A memoriall of the Lords passion A thankes giuing A Sacrament Synaxis An assemblie A Testament What the Lords supper is The supper of the Lord is an holie action Who is the author of the supper When the supper was instituted Wherof iâ— consisteth the words of the supper After what maÌ„ner the supper was celebrated and instituted Wether it be lawfull to ad aniething to the rite c. Leuit. 1â— Leuit. 10. 2. Sam. 9. Num. 4. 1. Cor. 11. How in old time it hath been celebrated in the Church The fourâ—e of the Lordes supper changed Why it was instiâ—â—ted in thâ— fourme 〈◊〉 bread an wine Whether the bread ought to be leauened or vn leauened Whether water is to be mingled with the
the vse or effect of the lawe of God and of the fulfilling abrogating of the same Of the likenesse and difference of bothe the Testamentes and people the old and the new 400 9 Of Christian libertie and of offences Of good workes and the reward thereof 440 10 Of sinne and of the kyndes thereof to wit of originall and actuall sinne and of sinne against the Holie Ghoste And lastly of the most sure and iust punishment of sinnes 477 The summe or contentes of the tenne Sermons of the fourth Decade 1 Of the Gospell of the grace of GOD who hath giuen his Sonne vnto the world and in him all thinges necessarie to saluation that wee beleeuing in him might obteine eternall life 525 2 Of repentaunce and the causes thereof of confession and remission of sinnes of satisfaction and indulgences of the olde and newe man of the power or strength of mē the other things perteyning to repentāce 561 3 Of God of the true knowledge of God and of the diuers ways how to know him That God is one in substance three in persons 604 4 That God is the creatour of all things and gouerneth all thinges by his prouidence where mention is also made of the good wil of God to vsward and of Predestination 635 5 Of adoreing or worshipping Of inuocating or calling vpon And of seruing the onely liuing true and euerlasting god Also of true and false religion 648 6 That the sonne of God is vnspeakably begotten of the father that he is consubstantiall with the father and therefore true god That the selfe same sonne is true man consubstantiall with vs and therefore true God and man abiding in two vnconfounded natures and in one vndiuided person 677 7 Of Christ King Priest of his onely euerlasting kingdome and priesthoode and of the name of a Christian 698 8 Of the holie Ghoste the thirde person in Trinitie to be worshipped and of his diuine power 714 9 Of good and euil spirites that is of the holie Angels of God and of diuels or euill spirites of their operations 731 10 Of the reasonable soule of man and of his most certeine saluation after the death of his body 759 The third last Tome and first the summe or cōtents of the ten Sermons of the fift and last Decade 1 Of the holy Catholique Churche what it is how far it extendeth by what marks it is knowne from whence it springeth howe it is mainteyned and preserued whether it may erre Also of the power studies of the Church 812 2 That there is one Catholique Church that without the Churche there is no light or saluation Against Schismatiques Wherefore we depart from the vp-start Churche of Rome That the Church of God is the house vineyard and kingdome of God and the body sheepefolde and spouse of Christe a mother and a virgine 841 3 Of the ministerie and ministers of Gods worde wherefore and for what ende they are instituted of god That the orders giuen by Christe vnto the Churche in times past were equall Whence and howe the prerogatiue of ministers sprang and of the supremacie of the byshop of Rome 870 4 Of calling vnto the ministerie of the word of god What manner of men and after what fashion ministers of the worde must be ordeined in the church Of the keyes of the Churche What the office of them is that be ordeyned Of the manner of teaching the Churche and of the holie life of the Pastours 891 5 Of the fourme and maner how to pray to God that is Of the calling on the name of the Lorde where also the Lordes prayer is expounded and also singing thankesgiuing and the force of prayer is intreated 914 6 Of signes the manner of signes of Sacramentall signes what a sacrament is of whome for what causes and how many Sacraments were instituted of Christ for the christian church Of what thinges they doe consist howe they are consecrated how the sign and the thing signified in the Sacramentes are eyther ioyned together or distinguished and of the kinde of speaches vsed in the Sacramentes 955 7 That we must reason reuerently of Sacramentes that they doe not giue grace neyther haue grace included in them Again what the vertue and lawful end and vse of Sacraments is That they profite not without fayth that they are not superfluous to the faythfull and that they do not depend vpō the worthinesse or vnworthinesse of the minister 995 8 Of holie Baptisme what it is by whome when it was instituted and that there is but one baptisme of water Of the baptisme of fire Of the rite or ceremonie of baptisme howe of whome and to whome it muste be ministred Of Baptisme by Midwiues and of infants dying without baptisme Of the baptisme of infantes againste Anabaptisine or Rebaptising and of the power or efficacie of baptisme 1032 9 Of the Lords holie Supper what it is by whom when and for whome it was instituted after what sort when and howe oft it is to be celebrated of the ends thereof Of the true meaning of the wordes of the supper This is my body O◠the presence of Christ in the supper Of the true eating of Christes body Of the worthy vnworthy eaters thereof how◠euerie mā ought to prepare him self vnto the lords supper 1063 10 Of certeine institutions of the church of god Of scholes Of Ecclesiasticall goods of the vse abuse of the same O◠Churches holie instrument◠of Christians Of the admonition and correction of the ministers of the Church and of the whole Churche Of matrimonie Of widowes Of virgines Of Monkes What the church of Christe determineth concerning the sicke and of funeralls and burials 1112 The second table conteyning such places and testimonies of Scripture both of the old Testament and the Newe as are vsed of the Authour euery where throughout this his whole worke The first number is referred to the Chapter the second to the Page ¶ Out of Genesis 1IN the beginning God created heauen earth c. Pag. 632. 1 Let there be light and there was light c. 977 1 Let vs make man in our Image after our owne likenes c. 490. 633 2 Of the institution of mariage It is not good for man to bee alone c. 222. 2 Thou shalt not eate of the fruite of the trée of knowledge c. 483. 484. 488 3 Ye shall not die the death for God doth know that the same day that ye eate thereof your eyes shal be opened c. 751 3 The Serpent was subtiler than all the beastes of the field c. 749 3 The woman whom thou gauest to be with mée gaue mée of the trée c. 479 3 For dust thou art and into dust thalt thou be turned againe c. 764 3 The séed of the womā shall crush the serpents head c. 687 4 The voice of thy brothers bloud cryeth out of the earth c.
and the abhominable and murtherers c. 655 22 And after I had heard and séene I fell downe to worship c. 653 22 Sée thou do it not for I am thy fellow seruaunt c. 743. 842. 890 The third and last table conteyning a short summe of such words or names and matters as are mentioned in this booke A. AAron a type or figure of Christ 332 Aaron his rod. 332 Abraham how he is iustified 3. 387. 554 Abia beléeuinge the ward of the Lord ouercommeth 5000000. men of theâ—ribe of Israel 253 Abigei what they are 279 Abrogation of the Lawe 409 Abrogation of the Iudiciall lawes 427 Abortion what it is 443 Abuse of Christian libertie 449 Alsolom 523 Abuse of the Church goods 1128 Achaz 254 AccusatioÌ„s false and wrongfull 320 Accusations that be iust 322 Actuall sinne and the cause thereof 505 Adam and â—ethusalem 649 Adoration 651 Adamonition before punishmeÌ„t 202 Adulterie spoken against 231 Adulterie and fornication 863 Adulcerie pardoned by Christ 234 Adulterie what things are in it forbidden 234 Arian heretiques condemned 775 Affinitie that the word of God hath with sacraments 291. 892 Afflictions 292 293. 298 299. 307. 310. 311. 312. 313 316. Altar 348 Altar or table of the Lord. 1070 Allthinges of God by God and in God. 494 Amasias 254 Ammon the king rebelling against the word of God after two yeares infortunate reigne was murthered of his owne household servaunts 255 Ambition worketh by priuate gifts 278 Anabaptistes and Nouations the me 〈◊〉 of Sathan 569 Angel and Angels 732. 733. 734. 735. c. vsque 745. Anthropomoâ—phites 118. 613 Antiochus Epiphanes 511 Anthemius 892 Annoynting or annoyling 1136 Apostles of Christ 11 Apostles how they bynde and loose 902 Apostles what they be 877 Apostles bâ—ptise infants 1055 Apostles authoritie very great 12 Apostles Créede 55 Apostles receiue wages 1121 Application of scripture necessarie 903 Appeale 392 Appearing of spirits 392 Article of the Christian faith 55 2 Article 59 3 Article 60 4 Article 63 5 Article 67 6 Article 69 7 Article 74 8 Article 78 9 Article 78 10 Article 81 11 Arâ—icle 84 12 Article 90 Aristocracie 169 Arcke 345. 346. 996. Assemblie 1064 Assemblies that be holy 915. 916 Ascension of Christ 69 Asturia 235 Asa 253 Ascend into heauen 1088 Auncient lawes 387 Authoritie of the Apostles very great 12 Authoritie of fathers 393 Auengment taken by the magistrate 196 Augustines opinion of the righte hand of the father 73 Augustines diuision of signes 955 Augustines sentence touching merites of Saintes 494 Auricular confession 577. 578 581 Authoritie of pastours 912 Authour of Sacraments God himselfe 962 Auncient exposition of the words of the Supper This is my bodie 1086 B. Backbiting pernicions 323 Bargaining buying selling 287 Baptisme 989. 1005. 1013. 1027. 1031. 1033. 1050. 1055. 1060. 1061. 1062. Baptising with water vnconsecrated 1039. 1040. Baptiser 1042 Baptised 824. 1055. 1060 Baâ—lards 395 Baâ—des and Curtisans haue benefices at Rome 900 Belongeth to vs to knowe what was written to theÌ„ in old time 15 Beléeue in the sonne of God. 59 Beléefe of oures the second Article thereof 58 Beléefe in the church forbidden 78 Bed in wedlocke ought to be vndefiled 226 Benâ—fits of God are to be acknowledged 952 Beginning of sinne against the holy Ghost 517 Beginning of the ministerie from whome and the worthines thereof 875 Behauiour of the godly in their calamities 300 Bearing witnesse 319 Birth of Christ 63 Bishops 878. 905. Blaspemie 516. 517 Blessing and thankesgiuing 977 Bloud and strangled forbidden by the apostles 421 Body of Christ 689 Body glorious 87. 88 Body naturall body spirituall 89 Bodies of the wicked rise againe 89 Bonauentures opinion of grace 1003 Bondage 395. 441. 442 Both kindes in the supper giuen receiued 1066 Bow downe to images what it is 122 Bread among the Hebrues what it signifyeth 947 Bread and wine remaine in their substance after consecration 984 Bread and wine are so called after consecration 985 Breaking of bread 1063 Buriall of Christ 65 Buying and selling c. 394 C. Catalogue of the bookes of the diuine Scripture 12 Cause of Christes incarnation 60 Calling to the ministerie 891. 893 Cathechising 907. Calamities 291. 293 Candlesticke golden 347 Carnall and fleshly people 404 Cure of the bodie 448 Cauills of those that attribute iustification to workes 458 Cause of sinne and euill 483 Catholique church what it is 79. 813 Carnall bondage and seruile 991 Carthage counsell for examining of bishops 895 Celebration of the supper c. 1072 Ceremonies 229. 328 329. 330. 364. 413. 415. 424. 1033. 1034. Confession of true religion 366 Charitie 92. 98 Christe as yet executeth all the dueties of a priest in the church 872 Christ what hee receynâ—th to himselfe from his ministerie and apostles 872 Christ is the naturall sonne of God 883 Christ reâ—eyneth both natures vnconfounded together 691 Christ in one person remayneth vndiuided 694 Christ is king of all 698 Christ is a Monarch 698 Christ is cotent to debate with Pilate of his kingdome 700 Christ called the onely sonne 59 Christ how he reigneth on earth in his kingdome 700 Christ Iesus the highe prest 704 Christ is annointed but with inuisible oile 705 Christ doth the office of a priest that is teacheth maketh intercession blesseth sacrificeth and sancrifieth 705 Christe his priesthood 706 Christians are kinges and priesis 709 Christ compared with Adam 49 Christ died not in vaine 50 Christ by interpretation annoynted 60 Christ is our Lord. 60 Christs conception and the maner thereof 62 Christes conception pure 63 Christ suffered vnder Pontius Pilate 64 Christ a Judge 74 Christ conueyeth himselfe awaye when the people would haue made him a king 218 Christians haue nothing to doe with the yron like Philosophie of the Stoikes 301 Christ coÌ„mandeth vs to beare his crosse 309 Christ and Paule examples to vs. 314 Christ is the rock not Christ signifieth the rocke 991 Christ the first begotten 331 Christ and his Apostles institute scholes 1115 Christ hath taken all burthens froÌ„ our shoulders 437 Christ fulfilled the lawe and is the perfectnes of the faithful 407 Christ alone is our life and saluation 543 Christ doeth fully worke our saluation 544 Christ is receiued by faith and not by workes 548 Christ how he preached the Gospel 548. 661. 862. Church Churches and CoÌ„gregation c. 667. 812. 813. 815. 816. 820. 821. 827. 831. 832. 833. 852. 860. 861. 863. 864. 866. 867. 868. 1118 1127 Circumcision 355. 357. 358. 359. 360. 361. Citie and temple of Hierusalem destroyed 413 Clearkes what they were sometime 883 CoÌ„municating of properties 696 Counsell of the priestes forsaken by king Ioas what followed 254 Conscience at quiet peace before God is the worke of the holy ghost 723. Constancie of the Apostles 723 Consecrating of pastours begun with fasting and prayer 897 Concupiscence 108. 949 Consubstantiall and coessentiall 59 Communion of sainctes 80 Confession and acknowledging of sinnes 81
good will towarde the faithful to be a type of Christ and partely also to gather all the partakers thereof into the fellowship of one bodie and to put them in minde to be thankfull and innocent This Sacrament was first ordeined by God him self and not by man For Moses deliuered to the children of Israel whatsoeuer he receiued at the Lordes hande as is to bee séene at large in the 12 Chapter of Exodus And he instituted that ceremonie euē at that verie time when he brought y Israelites from out of Aegypt Now since this ceremonie came firste from God it followeth consequently that all the passeouers which followed euen vntil that passeouer whiche the Lorde did holde with his disciples a little before his death were holie and diuine actions To fleshe and worldly wisedome many pointes I may saye all the partes of this sacrament do séeme to be méerely absurde and altogether néedelesse but faith whiche looketh vp to God the author of this sacrament hath a great respect vnto reuerenceth greately all the mysteries conteined therein For euen as God is the chiefe and moste absolute wisedome so are all his ordinances moste absolute and passing profitable Here now is noted the time when this Sacrament was first deliuered to the church of Israel to wite in the foure hundreth and thirtéeth yeare counting from the promise made to Abraham or from the time that hée departed frō his countrie firste which was the 2447 yeare from the beginning of the worlde 791 yeares after the generall floud The time is also appointed when the passeouer shoulde be holden to wite euery yere in the moneth Nisan which taketh parte of our March and parte of April Moreouer the verie day is named that is the fourtéenth of the moneth beginning their accompt at the spring times Equinoctiall For on the tenth daye they chose the Lambe that should bee eaten and on the fourtéenth day they killed it There is also set downe the houre of the daye when it should bée slaughtered that was about euen tyde to wite betwixt thrée and fiue of the clocke in the after noone according to the course of our dialles and as the Iewes were wont to reckon the houres of the daye it was to bee killed betwixt nine and eleuen a clocke And in that killing of the Lambe at euen tyde did this meaning lye hidde that Christ should be slaine in the latter dayes of the worlde yea the verie houre and moment wherein Christe should dye was therein foretolde For he gaue vp the ghoste about the ninth houre Whereupon Sainct Peter saith that the Prophets did search at what moment or minute of time the spirite of Christ which was in them did signifie that Christ should come and suffer Furthermore there was a certein appointed place assigned to this Sacrament In Aegypt verily they did eate it by companies here and there in seuerall houses But when they were once come into the land of promise it was not lawful to hold passeouer in any place but at the Tabernacle of appointment and after that at the temple in Hierusalem Being diuided therefore into seuerall houses at Hierusalem they did eate it by companies as is to be séene in the 22. Chapter of S. Lukes gospel And that was a type that Christe which was to be offered but once vppon the mount of Caluerie should bee effectuall for euer to cleanse the sinnes of all his people There was also appointed who they should be that shoulde holde the passeouer to wite the whole circumcised congregation of Israel béeinge assembled by houses and families in so greate companies as were sufficient to eate a Lambe For as Christe is the Sauiour of vs all so all sinners for wée all are sinners are the cause whie Christ our Lord was offered vppon the altar of the Crosse Moreouer there is great diligence vsed in describing the manner of killing eating the Lambe First they chose to them selues this Lambe frō among other Lambes and Kiddes the fifte daye after they cut the throate therof and saued the bloud in a platter which with a bushe of Hysope made like a holie water sticke they sprinckled vpon the two sides and vpper postes of the doore The Lambe it self they did eate publiquely not boyled with water but rosted with fire and that whole also I meane bothe head and féete and purtenaunce too and with it they did eate letuce or sower hearbes and vnleauened bread And while they were at it they stoode about it with their loynes girded with shooes on their féete and staues in their handes They did eate it in haste they neither brake nor cast a bone of it vnto the dogges but burnt the bones with fire From euening vntil morning no man did set one foot out of dores All these ceremonies had their endes whereunto they tended conteined greate mysteries and bare a verie euident signification of thinges past things present and thinges to come They did also ioyne the whole congregation or Iewish churche into one bodie and profession of one religion and did also warne all those that did eate of the Lamb to be thankfull to God and zelous in religion as I will by partes touch and teach you as briefely as I can For first of all the Lordes wil was to kéepe in memorie and as it were for euer to prolong the remembrance of that great benefite which hee did once for his people of Israel in preseruing merueilously his chosen flock when he slewe in one night all the first borne of the Aegyptians and the next day after led his elect from out of Aegypt where they had a long time susteined greate miserie in bondage This benefite he woulde not haue onely to bee preached by woorde of mouth for it is certeinly sure that in that feast were made moste effectuall Sermons touching Gods benefites grace shewed to their fathers but woulde haue them also layde before their eyes by an holie action and ceremonie as it were by a looking glasse liuely picture euen as though their déede were newely in dooing againe before their faces For the visible action did after a sorte make a Sermon to their eyes and other senses Wherfore Moses when he did interprete y ceremonie and holie action did saye When your children shall saye vnto you what meaneth this worship of yours ye shall saye vnto them this sacrifice is the passinge ouer of the Lorde who passed ouer the houses of the children of Israel in Aegypt whē he slewe the Aegyptians and deliuered our houses But this ceremonie was the signification of a thinge alreadie past and therefore it should haue little auailed that age of man which followed to celebrate a benefite which did nothing at all belong vnto them vnlesse the Lorde had applyed it to euery age and season God therefore woulde haue this to be as a testimonie to the posteritie of his fauour goodnesse and perpetual assistance to put them
might sanctifie the people with his bloud did suffer without the gate Hebr. 13. And although in this which I haue hetherto alledged I haue by fittes declared the ende and fruite of this ceremonie yet will I not thinke it muche here againe particularly to repeate the same againe since I sée that the holie Ghoste in the Scripture doth as it were take paines verie busily to beate the same into our heades The end of all this stirre and solemnitie is that all the sinnes I say all the sinnes of Gods vniuersall church are by the one and onely sacrifice once onely offered moste perfectly blotted out and absolutely purged Let vs therefore heare the verie woordes of the holie Ghoste which speaketh in the Scripture moste plainely and euidently saying 1. And the high Priest shall confesse ouer the Goate all the iniquities of the children of Israel and all their trespasses all their sinnes 2. And the Goate shall beare vppon him all their misdeedes into the desart 3. The same daye shal the priest make an attonement for you to cleanse you that you may bee cleane from all your sinnes before the Lord. 4. And let this be an euerlasting ordinance vnto you to cleanse the children of Israel from all their sinnes once euery yere But who is so verie a sott or dull head as to thinke that all the sinnes of the people are washed awaye with the bloud of beastes If saith the Apostle they had once fully cleansed sinnes then would they haue ceassed to offer any more By this ceremonie therefore the mysterie of Christe to come was beaten into all mennes braines and once euery yere layed foorth to the eyes of all men to beholde For of this ceremonie did Zacharie borrowe his prophecie of Christ in his thirde Chapter where he saith Beholde I bring foorth the braunch my seruant For lo the stone that I laye before Iosua vppon one stone shal be seuen eyes behold I wil cut the grauing therof saith the Lord of hostes and I will take away the sinne of this lande in one daye The Lord doth promise the Messiah which was prefigured by the priestes and especially by the high priest Iosua Christe is the stone vppon which the eyes of all men are stedfastly fixed as vppon their onely sauiour He is digged in and cut in his passion and by suffering and dying once he purgeth the sinnes of all the earth Of this ceremonie and of this place of Scripture did Paule the holie Apostle of Christe borrowe his whole discourse almost in his Epistle to the Hebrewes touching the sacrifice of Christe once offered for all the sinnes of the whole worlde in which discourse he doeth verie often repeate out of the lawe the word Once and that with a certeine emphaticall vehemencie Now to appoint other Priestes to institute another time and to ordeine another manner of sacrifice is vtterly to kicke at and treade vnder foote this heauenly and moste euident trueth But this doctrine of the onely sacrifice of Christ is the true auncient sound vnreproueable and euerlasting doctrine by which all they are saued that are saued and by which all they haue béene saued that haue béene saued since the beginning of the worlde The enimies or aduersaries of this doctrine Paule the Apostle of Christ and the Gentiles whose skill in the lawe was inferiour to no mans doth call fooles madde vnconstant light headed carried with euery pusse of winde wicked apostataes which haue reuolted from Christe lyars false Prophets false Apostles deceiuers schismatiques dogges inchaūters witches detestable and cursed Therefore if an Angel from heauen teache vs any other wise let him bee to vs accursed Yet by the way this must not bee concealed that in that yerely sacrifice it was required and looked for at mennes handes first that they should confesse their sinnes then that they shoulde bee sorrie in their mindes in good earnest and in déede for theire sinnes committed lastly that they should kéepe Sabboth I do not meane an ydle resting from honest businesse but a quietnesse in the faith of Christ and a ceassing from yll déedes Who soeuer doth so prepare him selfe in the feast of attonement that is in the time of the preachinge of the grace of God through Christe hee is without doubt throughly cleansed by that only sacrifice of Christe Iesus of whiche I haue hitherto not without good cause spoken so largely as you perceiue that I haue For this one place doeth giue a wonderfull light both to the vnderstanding of many places in the Scriptures and also of the mysterie of our redemption and of Christe our redéemer so plainly that no other place doth so clearely expound set forth lay them open before our eyes to bée seene and looked on it doth also teache vs to vnderstand the wordes of Christ our Lord in the gospel of sainct Iohn where he saith There is one which accuseth you euen Moses in whome ye hope for had ye beleeued Moses ye would then haue beleeued mee for he wrote of mee Nowe with the sacrifice of attonement and the other cleansinge sacrifices we do aduisedly number the sacrifice of the redde cowe I meane of the cleansinge or of the cleansing or holie water that was ordeined against all sortes of defilings and vncleannesses for there were sundrie kindes of vncleannesses Of which there is a large discourse to be seen in Moses his law and by them is layde before vs y type of our corrupt nature and continuall sinnes There is fully described in the 19 Chapter of the booke of Numbers first the verie ceremonie and sacred rite then is declared the manner howe to make the holie cleansing water against all defylings lastly is added the vse and effect of that holie water There was brought to Eleazer the prieste a redde cowe without spot which neuer felte the yoake and that was out of hande carried out slayne without the hoast Parte of the bloud was saued by the prieste and with his singer he sprinckled it seuen times towardes the tabernacle of appointment But the whole Cowe he burnt with fire so that no parte of it was lefte and into the fire hee cast Cedar wood hysope and a scarlet lace This being once done the priest did washe him selfe in water and in his steede came another that was cleane who gathering the ashes did lay them vpp in a cleane place Therefore so often as néede required they did put off those ashes into an earthen vessel into which they powred running water in that sorte was the holie cleansinge water alwayes prepared which they did sprinckle with a sprinckler made of hysope vppon all such as were defiled This was the manner and ceremonie of the cleansinge the vse and ende whereof doeth immediately followe The Apostle Paule doeth testifie that the circumstances of this Ceremonie did lay before vs a most euidēt type of Iesus Christ for in the ninthe to the Hebrues he sayth If the ashes of a younge
Cowe sprinckled doeth sanctifie them that are partakers of it to the purifying of the fleshe howe much more the bloud of Christe Therfore both the priest and the cowe did beare the type of Christ The female kinde in the cowe doth note the infirmitie of mans nature the redd colour doth admonishe vs of the Lord his bloud by whiche wee are washed from our vncleannesse There was no spot to be found in Christ for hee was the holy of holies and altogether frée from and without all sinne Hée was not brought to death by the yoke of necessitie For hee offered himselfe vnto it of his owne free will. Yea hee offered himselfe willingly to go to his death and that too without the hoast or walls of the citie in the mount of Caluarie which thing the Apostle Paule doth touch in the 13. to the Hebrues Christ both God and man was whoalie offered in body and soule whose bloud is hoalesome for vs if by the holyghost it be sprinkled in our harts The faithfull also must die with Christ they must be humbled and burne in loue to Godward as redd as Scarlet and that was the meaning of the Cedar wood the Hysope and the Scarlet lace which were cast into the fire Moreouer the ashes which came of the sacrifice were gathered vp and preserued to purifie and cleanse withall Those ashes were nothing else but the type or figure of the effect of Christ his death or sacrifice I meane the verie cleansing and remission of our sinnes For therefore did bloud and water gushe aboundantly out of the pierced side of Christ that wee might learne that out of the death of Christe doeth flowe our cleansing and our life For in bloud life doeth consist and water purgeth and is a signe of cleÌ„sing The ashes were gathered by a man that was cleane who neuerthelesse was made and did remaine vncleane vntill the euening Finally the water was sprinkled with a sprinklar made of Hysope vppon the defiled to the end that thereby hee might bee sanctified or purged The water was kept in an holy place For Margarites and that which is holy ought not to be caste to dogges and filthie swine The Lord also doth require preachers to teache the effecte of Christ his passion and in the coÌ„temptible and lowly preaching of the Gospell to lay before the world our redemption and sanctification in the death and bloud of Christ he doth require I say such holy teachers as are themselues faithfull and cleansed in the bloud of Christ And yet those teachers with the whole Church beside do euen til the euening I meane the ending of their liues pray stil Forgiue vs our trespasses For the Lord himselfe said Hee that is washed is cleane hath no neede but to washe his feete onely To this do appertaine the often washings vsed in this Ceremonie which signifie that by the grace of God all sinnes are purged that the Sainctes haue alwayes an holy care to watch against the assaults of sinne and that those sinnes are clensed none other wayes but by the water of Christ his grace Lastly it is most often earnestly repeated in the law that they al remaine vncleane how many soeuer being once defiled are not again cleÌ„sed with the holy water of separation For the Lord said to Peter Vnlesse I washe thee thou shalt haue no paâ—te with mee My meaning is not to runne through euery particular point of this Ceremonie but to touch the especial matters onely Therefore now I procéede to that which remayneth To these cleansing sacrifices may also be added the sacrifices whereby the bodily defilings which were figures of the defilinges of sinne were purified cleansed of which sort were the defilinges of the séede the eating and touching of vncleane creatures the Leprosie and of the woman in childbedd All which Moses doth largely handle from the 12. of Leuiticus vnto the 16. of the same And in al this there is nothing else prefigured to the Church of God but our naturall corruption and originall wickednesse with the frée cleansing of the same by the grace of God in the bloud of Christ our Sauiour With these we may also number the sacrifice of iealousie which is thoroughly treated of in the 5. Chapter of Numeri although the maner and order thereof seemeth rather to belonge vnto the Iudiciall lawes of God. The fourth kinde of sacrifices was the sacrifice of thanckesgiuing whiche they called Schelamim or Schlomim the sacrifice of health or the peace offering For it was offered to giue thankes withall to witt either for the recouerie of health or for felicitie and prosperitie I meane when they had receiued some good turne at the handes of God or else by his ayde had escaped the brunt of some mishapp or euil fortâ—ne In this sacrifice they vsed a bâ—aste either of the heard or of the fould It was not lawfull to oâ—fer birds for it was done either â—â—th a vnllocke or an hâ—ffar with a male or a female lamâ—e or with an hée or a shee goate It was 〈◊〉 before the Atrium The â—ide or skinne therof was the priestes fee. The bloud was sprinckled about the altar The kidneys the call of the lyuer the rumpe of the lambe and all the fatt was burnt vppon the altar of burnt offerings The right shoulder was heaued the breast was waued toward the endes of the world For Thruma and Thnupha that is the heauing and wauing were not kinds of sacrifices but ceremonies onely which the priestes did vse in making their sacrifices and oblations By the heauing was signified that Christe should be heaued or lifted vp and that he being once lifted vp should drawe all men vnto him The wauing of the breast toward euery part of the world was a token that the preaching of Christ should be spread in euery corner of the world The breast and the shoulder were both the priestes portion together with the iawe done and the paunch or bellie The rest of the fleshe returned to him that made the oblation and was eaten by him in an holie banquet The remnaunt of Ceremonies belonging to this sacrifice are to be found in the third Chapter of Leuiticus For if it were Thoda a confession a praise or a protestation then was added to the sacrifice a cake of pure wheat floure and salt steeped in oyle or sodden cracknells or bread baked in pannes part whereof was heaued and fell to the priestes share the rest returned to the offerer euen as also leauened bread was allowed to be eaten in the banquet Nowe in this kinde of sacrifice also Christ was preached with the effect â— power of his death and passion and in it was shewed the whole maner and order of giuing thankes to God for his good benefits There are sondry sorts of benefits If a man receyued a good turne if an ill 〈◊〉 had not be fâ—lne him if he had receuered his health or had escaped some misfortune
driueÌ„ out go their way by these verie signes it is proued that that is true which is said that Christ is Lord of all things So the wonders which Moses Aaron wrought in Aegypt Exod. 4. are called in the Scripture signes For they were witnesses both of Gods lawefull sending tokens of his mightie power to be executed against Aegypt but neither had these any ceremonie nether gathered together into any societie Now also we read that some signes are paradigmaticall that is vsed in déede of men but not without Gods commaundement that these also may be said to be signes from god Those be altogether frée from myracles and in déede not onely fetched from natural things but also from things méere common and vsual as were the bands pitcher and chaines of the holy prophet Ieremie whereby beeing willed of God so to doe hee layed before them those thinges in a certaine euident fourme and figure I meane in a visible signe to be séene with mens eyes which by his preaching he prophecied should fall vppon them The like wée maye sée in Ezech. the 17. and 24. cap. These signes paradigmaticall or for exaÌ„ple are in some things like to those exercises of Rhetorique called Chriae ActiuÄ™ yea rather they are certeine mixt Chriae so termed for that they consist partly in woords and partly in déeds Aphthonius defineth an Actiue ChriÄ™ To be that which declareth plainely sheweth a thinge by action deed or gesture As when Pythagoras was demaunded how long mans life lasted He for a while stood still that they might looke vppon him but anon hée shrunke away and withdrew himselfe out of their sight after that manner action signifying the mans life is but short momentanie But in the scripture for the most part are sett downe ChriÄ™ coÌ„sisting of word déed as wheÌ„ Christ toke a little child and set him in the middest of his disciples and spake these words Verilie I saye vnto you except ye shall turne and beecome as little children ye shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen But these actions or signes haue not the institution and commaundement of God charging vs to renue this very action by solemne celebrating the same Neuertheles sacramentall signes haue some affinitie with these namely baptisme and the Lords supper For they are giuen vnto vs from aboue are taken from naturall thinges without any myracle yea they are instituted vnder the fourme of naturall and sensible things and in such things as are verie common water bread and wine This they haue common with other signes giuen of God in that they renue thinges past and shadowe out thinges to come and by a signe do represent thinges signified They differ peculiarlie from other signes in that they haue ceremonies ioyned with the commaundement of God which ceremonies hee hath commaunded his church to solemnize And this also is peculiar to them that being seals of gods promises they couple vs visiblye to God and to all the sainctes they are dedicated to the most holy mysteries of God in Christ Of these I wil intreate more largly and diligently hereafter The sacramentall signes of Christ and of Christ his church namely whiche Christ our Lord hath deliuered to his church and which his church hath receiued of him and do lawfully vse the same are called of Latine writers by the name of Sacraments But the word is not found in the whole Scripture sauing that it is read to be vsed of Interpretours howbeit the word Signe is oft in the scriptures and that which helpeth for our purpose is most signicantly set down in Gen. 17. Rom. 4. In the meane while we do not reiecte the Latine word SacramentuÌ„ a sacrament as lightly regarding it neither yet reiecting it do we forge or deuise a new I likewel enough of the word SacrameÌ„t so it be vsed lawfully S. August in his 5. epist. to Marcellinê° saith It were too long to dispute of the diuersitie of signes which wheÌ„ they perteine to holy things are termed sacraments From wheÌ„ce doubtles sprange that coÌ„mon definition or descriptioÌ„ A Sacrament is a signe of an holy thing which as it cannot be reiected so there is none but séeth that in it the nature of the thing is not fully coÌ„prehended or expressed neither is it separated froÌ„ those thinges whiche also are holy signes There is another definition therfore brought forth and vsed which is in déed more perfect than the other A sacrament is a visible signe of an inuible grace But because this also doeth not in all poinctes expresse the nature of the thing this definition following séemeth vnto many more allowable which is after this manner Sacraments are ceremonies wherwith god exerciseth his people first to stirr vp increase and mainteine their faith then to the end to testifie before men his religion This is a true and right definition But what if you define a sacrament somewhat more fully and largely in this manner Sacramentes are holy actions consisting of wordes or promises of the Gospell or of prescripte rites or Ceremonies giuen for this ende to the Churche of God from heauen to bee wittnesses and seales of the preaching of the Gospel to exercise trie faith and by earthly and visible thinges to represent sett before our eyes the deepe mysteries of God to bee short to gather to gether a visible Church or congregation and to admonishe them of their duetie This definition truely is farre fett large and many fold a definition I say gathered of many parts but we meane to goe to it simplie plainly to lay forth the whole matter before your eyes to be séen then wil we make manifest euery part therof and confirme the same with testimonies of scripture Now that I may fully intreat of the names the are giuen to this thing I finde that Latine writers call Sacrament an oath or a religious bond because it was not done as I thinke thoroughly and to the proofe without certeine ceremonies M. Varro in his second booke De lingua Latina declaring what it is to contend with an oth sayth The plaintife the defendant eche of them in some thinges gaged down at the place appointed for that purpose fiue huÌ„dred peeces of siluer and also in other thinges a sett number of ounces so that he which recouered in iudgement should haue his gage againe but hee whiche was cast should forfaite it to the treasurie Since therefore by intermeddling of holy thinges through partaking of the sacraments we are bouÌ„d to God and to all the saincts as it were by obligation and that God himselfe also by the testimonie of the sacraments hath as it were by an oathe bound himselfe to vs it appeareth that the name of sacrament is very aptly properly applied to our signes We read also in Latine writers of an oath that souldiers vsed to take For it was not lawefull for theÌ„ to fight vnlesse
to wit that she should remember she is no Ladie or mistresse ouer the sacraments but a seruant or minister and that she hath no more power or authoritie to institute anye fourme of a sacrament than she hath to abrogate any law of god Aquinas also Part. 3. quaest 46. ariculo 2. saith He instituteth or is the authour of a thing which giueth it force and vertue but the vertue and power of the sacraments commeth from God alone therefore God alone is of power to institute or make sacraments And in déede God alone is of power to institute the true seruice and worship but sacraments belong to his seruice and worship therefore God alone doth institute sacraments If any one in the olde testament had offered sacrifice whiche God commaunded not or offered it not after that manner that God willed it to be offered it was not only nothing auailable vnto him but also his offence in so doing was rewarded with moste terrible and fearefull punishment Who knoweth not that the sonnes of Aaron for offering strange fire were horribly burnt and scortcht vp with fire which fell downe from heauen Suche sacrifices therefore displease God as prophane or vnholy neyther deserue they to be called lawfull sacraments whiche haue not God him selfe for their authour Herevnto is added that sacraments are testimonies and as it were seales of Gods good will and fauour toward vs And who I pray you can better more vprightly or more assuredly beare witnesse of Gods good will to vs-warde than God him selfe In no wise deserueth that to be called or counted the seale of God whereto he neyther set his hand nor printed it with his owne marke yea it is a counterfet seale bycause it coÌ„meth not froÌ„ God and yet in the meane time beareth a shew outwardly of the name of god In this behalfe is reade that saying of S. Augustine whiche is in euerie mans mouth The worde is added to the element and there is made a sacrament Whereby we gather that in the institution of sacraments the worde of God obteyneth principall place and hath most adoe The word I say of God not the worde of men nor yet of the Church Wherevpon it followeth that the signe ought to haue his procéeding euen from God him selfe and not from any manner of meÌ„ be they neuer so many be they neuer so clearklike or lerned be they neuer so harmlesse and holy of life of that nowe there can be no other authour of Sacraments than God him selfe alone As we doe receiue the worde of saluation and grace so it is néedefull also that we receiue the signes of grace Although the worde of God be preached vnto vs by men yet we receiue it not as the worde of man but as the worde of God according to that saying of the Apostle When ye had receiued the worde of God whiche ye hearde of vs ye receyued it not as the worde of men but as it is in deede the woorde of GOD. It is behoneful for vs to haue respect to the first authour thereof who when he sent abroade his disciples sayde Goe into the whole worlde and preache the Gospell to all creatures teaching them to obserue what so euer I haue commaunded you and baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holie Ghoste He that heareth you heareth mee and he which despiseth you despiseth me And therefore albeit by the handes of men the Sacramentes are ministred yet are they not receyued of the godly and religious as procéeding from men but as it were from the hande of GOD him selfe the first and principall authour of the same To this belongeth the question which Christe our Lorde asked in the Gospell saying The Baptisme of Iohn was it from heauen or of men Truely Iohn who did baptise was a man but in that he baptised he baptised according to Gods institution and ordinaunce and therefore the baptisme of Iohn was from heauen though the water wherewith he baptised flowed out of the bottomelesse depthe into the riuer Iordan and Iohn him selfe conuersaunt on the earth To this also notably agréeth that which Paule sayth That whiche I deliuered vnto you I receyued of the Lorde Therefore although Sainte Paule were a man yea and a sinner too yet that whiche he deliuered to the Churche he did not deliuer it as from him selfe or as any inuention of man but as Christ had deliuered the same so that it is not his or mans but Christes tradition a diuine and heauenly tradition Besides this oure highe Prieste and euerlasting Byshoppe woorketh euen at this daye in his Churche whose ministerie they execute that is at whose commaundement they baptise and according to whose institution they which are the stewardes or disposers of the mysteries of GOD minister the holie Sacramentes of the Lordes Supper The institution therefore of the Sacramentes must be acknowledged of vs to be the verie worke of god And thus farre touching the authour of Sacramentes Peter Lombard in his sentences reckoneth vp thrée causes why Sacramentes were instituted that is to say why spirituall and heauenly thinges were deliuered and committed vnto vs vnder visible signes fourmes and ceremonies the first of whiche is so colde and weake that I am loathe to moue it to memorie He placeth merite in that that by Gods gouernement and direction as he affirmeth man séeketh saluation in thinges baser and inferioure to him selfe Vnto the whiche he addeth this afterward Although not in them yet in GOD through them he séeketh saluation which also vnaduisedly enoughe he hath vttered and not sufficiently considered The other two causes to wit that Sacramentes were inuented and ordeined vnder visible signes for oure instruction and exercise séeme not altogether absurde or disagréeing from reason The truest and most proper cause why Sacramentes be instituted vnder visible signes séemeth partly to be Gods goodnesse and partly also mans weakenesse For verie hardly doe we reache vnto the knowledge of heauenly thinges if without any visible â—ourme as they bee in their owne nature pure and excellent they be layde before oure eyes but they are better and more easily vnderstoode if they be represented vnto vs vnder the figure of earthly thinges that is to say vnder signes familiarly knowne vnto vs As therefore our bountifull and gratious Lorde did couertly and darkely nay rather euidently and notably set before vs to viewe the kingdome of GOD in parables or darke speaches euen so by signes it pleased him to lay before our eies after a sort the very same thing and to pointe out the same vnto vs as it were painted in a table to renue it a freshe and by liuely representation to mainteine the remembraunce of the same among vs This cause doth Iohn Chrysostome allowe as a chiefe and proper cause who in his eightie and thrée Homilie vppon Matthewe sayeth The Lorde hath deliuered vnto vs nothing that is sensible The
thinges in deede are sensible howbeit they haue altogether a spirituall vnderstanding or meaning So Baptisme is ministred vnder a sensible element namely water but that which is wrought thereby that is to say regeneration and the newe byrth doth spiritually enter into the mynde For if thou wert a bodilesse creature hee would haue deliuered vnto thee all these giftes bare naked and bodilesse according to thy nature but since thou hast a resonable soule coupled and ioyned to thy body therefore hath he deliuered vnto thee in sensible signes substāces those things which are perceyued with a spiritual vnderstāding Which I doe not alledge to this end as if I woulde take the testimonie of man for my stay but bicause I sée S. Iohn Chrysostome his speache according to the manner obserued and vsed in the Scripture For who knoweth not that the Scripture is full of parables similitudes allegories and figuratiue speaches whiche the holie Ghoste vseth not for his owne but for oure sakes The talke whiche Christe had in the Gospell with Nicodemus touching heauenly regeneration is verie well knowne where he by hidden and couert kynd of speaches of ayre winde and water c. reasoneth saying If I haue told you of earthly things and ye beleeue not howe will you beleeue if I shall tell you of heauenly thinges He calleth Earthly things that his doctrine of heauēly regeneration or new birth figured to vs vnder earthly signes of water the spirit or of aire the winde And by heauenly things he meaneth that selfe same doctrine of heauenly regeneration nakedly deliuered to Nicodemus without any imagination without similitude or sēsible signes The Lorde therefore signifieth hereby that men do more easily conceiue and vnderstand the doctrine of heauenly thinges when it is shadowed out vnder some dark and couert signe of earthly things then when it is nakedly spiritually indéede deliuered that by comparing together of thinges not much vnlike it may appeare that the sacraments were for none other cause foūd out or instituted thā for demonstratiō sake to wit that the heauenly thinges might become more familiar and plaine vnto vs In which thing we haue to mark the Analogie which is a certeine aptnesse proportion or as Cicero termeth it a conuenience or fit agréemēt of things I say knowne by their signes that if they be sleightly passed ouer without this analogie the reason of a sacrament can not be fully and perfectly vnderstoode but this analogie being diligently discussed and obserued to the full offereth to the beholder without any labor at al the verie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say the hidden and secrete meaning of a sacrament We will when we come to intreat of these things do what we can to make them manifest by examples Whosoeuer therfore shal throughly weigh the institution of sacramēts he can not choose but extol with prayses the excéeding greate goodnesse of the Lorde who doth not onely open vnto vs miserable men the mysteries of his kingdome but hath a singular care of mans infirmitie whereby he framing him selfe to oure capacitie doth after a sort stutte and stammar with vs whilest he hauing respect to oure dulnesse the weakenesse of our wit doth as it were cloath and couer heauēly mysteries with earthly symbols or signes thereby most plainely and pithily opening them vnto vs and laying them before our eyes euidētly to be beheld In this same institution of the sacraments wee haue cause to extoll and prayse the wisedome of God if so be we take in hand to compare great and small things together For this custome is receiued as a lawe throughout the world that all the wisest men when they had occasion to speake of high mysteries of wisedome they did not by words only but by signes and words together commende them to their hearers to the ende that the two most noble senses in man to wit Hearing and Seeing might be both at once vehemently moued and forceably prouoked to the consideration of the same The volumes of heathenish philosophers are ful of examples What say you to the Iewes Gods olde auncient people did not God him selfe shewe among them verie many such kind of examples Againe as in making leagues or in confirming promises in earnest and weightie matters men vse signes or tokens of truth to winne credite to their wordes and promises euen so the Lord doing after the maner of men hath added signes of his faithfulnes and truth to his euerlasting couenaunt and promises of life the sacraments I meane wherewith he sealeth his promises and the verie doctrine of his Gospell Neyther is this rare or straunge vnto him Men sweare euen by the Lorde him selfe when they would make other beléeue certeinely and in no case to mistrust the truth of their promises yea it is read in the holy Scriptures that the Lord him selfe tooke an othe sware by his owne selfe when hee ment Most aboundantly to shewe to the heires of the promises as the Apostle sayth the stablenesse of his counsel Moreouer it was the accustomed manner among them of olde as they were making their league or couenaunt to take a beast and to diuide him in péeces and ech of them to passe through and betwéen the péeces so diuided testifying by that ceremonie that they would yeald them selues so to be diuided and cut in péeces if they did not stedfastly stande to that which they promised in their league or couenaunt After the same manner the Lorde making or renuing a league with Abraham which Moses describeth at large in the 15. of Genesis he commaundeth him to take an heifer a she goate and a ramme each of thē thrée yeares olde and to diuide them in the middest and to lay euery péece one ouer against an other which whē Abraham had done the Lord himselfe in the likenesse of a smoaking fornace or firebrand went betwéene the sayd péeces that thereby Abraham might knowe that the lande of Chanaan should of a certentie be giuen to him and to his séede to possesse and that all things which he had promised in that league shoulde be brought to passe Since therfore the good and true lord is alwayes like vnto him selfe frameth himselfe after the same manner nowe to his Churche as we sayde he did then what wonder or straunge thing is it I praye you that he hath left vnto vs also at this day vnder visible thinges signes and seales of his grace and mysteries of the kingdome of God And hitherto haue we entreated of the chiefe causes of Sacraments for the which they were instituted Touching the kinde number of Sacraments which hath the nexte place to that which went before there are diuers opinions among the writers specially of later time For amoung the olde and auncient this question as an vndoubted and well knowne perfecte principle drewe quickly to an end But he which shal diligently search the Scriptures shal
the words pronounced doe preuaile nothing at all Neither is that any let or hinderaunce at all that those Exorcistes were without faith For this is a thinge very well knowen and receiued of all men that Sacramentes are no lesse effectuall when they are ministred by wicked ministers then when they are ministred by the best ministers But héere is obiected againste vs this saying of the Apostle Christe gaue him selfe for the church to sanctifie it cleansing it in the founteine of water by the word or in the word Beholde say they men are cleansed by the water of Baptisme which by the word hath the force of sanctifying put into it therfore it must néeds be that words haue force to sanctifie But I wil confute them by an euident demonstration that the Apostle did not so meane as they suppose The Apostle prescribeth vnto married Christians their dutie to the more plaine and pithyer settinge foorth whereof he vseth the example of Christe and his Church commending that excéedinge loue whiche Christe beareth toward his Church wherewith béeing inflamed he gaue him selfe for it to this end to make it to him selfe a pure and glorious spouse where by the way hée setteth downe the manner of purgeing For the Lord Iesus him selfe sayeth hée hath cleansed it For it is onlye Christes office to purge and cleanse Now the manner of purgeing followeth In the founteine of water by the worde â–ª which because it is briefly spoken hath in it some obscuritie He maketh mention of two thinges which the Lord vseth to cleanse those that bée his The founteine of water And The worde The Founteine of water is Baptisme whiche is the outwarde action and witnesse-bearing of the inwarde purifying or cleansing wrought by the grace and spirite of GOD as the Apostle sayeth According to his mercie hee saued vs by the founteine of regeneration and renewing of the holie Ghoste which hee shed vpon vs richlie throughe Iesus Christe our Sauiour For hee addeth in way of interpretation And renewing of the holie Ghoste whereof the founteine of water is a signe Moreouer the Worde is the verie preaching of the Gospell testifying that by the grace and mercie of God the Father his onelye Sonne was giuen vnto vs who béeinge giuen for our sinnes maketh them that beléeue in him heyers of eternall life so that now these wordes of Paule to the Ephesians the 5. Chapter doe verie well agrée with this Commaundement of the Lorde mentioned in Sainct Marke Goe into all the whole worlde and preache the Gospell to all creatures hee whiche shall beleeue and be baptised shall be saued c. For by these words also the Lord shadoweth out vnto vs the manner and meanes of our saluation that it is hee onelie whiche purgeth vs by faithe yet in the meane while hee willeth the beléeuers to bee signed with Baptisme and that it shoulde be preached openlye in the worlde that it is he which pardoneth sinnes yea and which freely giueth euerlasting life But what doe all these thinges I pray you make for their purpose who wil proue by those wordes of Paule that there is force and vertue in the words to sanctifie baptisme These wordes of the lord spoken to his Apostles do yet make our matter more manifest Now are ye cleane saith he through the worde which I haue spoken vnto you Shall we say here that through the wordes which Christ rehearsed the disciples of Christ were made cleane what then néeded he the nexte day to haue bene crucified to haue died What to the ende that he might purchase power vnto the wordes Therefore all boastinge in the force of wordes shal be cleane taken away Doth not faith and godlunesse tell vs By the worde of the Lorde we should rather vnderstande this which is declared by the preaching of the Lorde that is the death and redemption of Christ wherby because they beleued it they are clensed For in an other place he saith purifying their hearts by faith Wherefore they erre in that because they doe not rightly iudge of the word or speach For the Lorde speaketh of the word preached and beléeued and they vnderstande him of the worde pronounced as though béeinge pronounced it had force from the Lorde to sanctifie S. Augustine also maketh for vs who in his 80. treatise vpon Iohn saith From whence commeth so great vertue and power vnto the water that it should touch the bodie and wash the heart but through the woorking of the worde not because it is spoken or pronounced but because it is beleeued For in the word it selfe the sounde passing away is one thing and the vertue which remaineth is an other thinge This is the worde of faith which wee preach saieth the Apostle because if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth that Iesus is the lord and beleeue with thy heart that God hath raised him from the deade thou shalt be saued For with the hart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made vnto saluation Whereupon we reade in the Actes of the Apostles purifying or cleasing their heates by faith And S. Peter in his Epistle saith So also Baptisme saueth vs not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but in that a good conscience maketh request to god This is the worde of faith which we preach wherwith vndoubtedly baptisme is also consecrated that it may haue power to clense For Christ with vs the Vine with his father the Husbandman hath loued his church and gaue him selfe for it Reade the Apostle and marke what he addeth saying That he might sanctifie it cleansing it by the founteine of water in the worde In vaine therefore should cleansing be attributed to a fraile and vading element vnlesse this were added In the word And so forth For thus farre I haue recited S. Augustines wordes not that I stay my selfe vpon mans testimonie or that I would haue any man to vrge the same or that I am content to be ruled by the witnesse of man but because in these wordes he hath gathered together some testimonies out of the scripture bearing witnesse of the worde Whereby we may vnderstande that the worde of faith preached and not the worde spoken or pronounced ought to be receiued This worde I say doth truly clense that is to say the grace of Christ only doth purifie to the which both the worde faith are directed for that cause he saide â—xpresly Not because it is spoken but beâ—ause it is beleeued Anon after he saith The word of faith which we preach Furâ—hermore he saith by the word of faith bapâ—isme is coÌ„secrated that it might haue powâ—r to clense Which what is it else theÌ„ if â—e had said the very substaÌ„ce of faith makâ—th baptisme effectual For it followeth For clensing in vain should be attributed to the vading corruptible element vnles were added In the word Now if a maÌ„â—o consider the mysteries of the saints or holy men
his bodie or distribution of his bloud It is manifest therefore that the substance of bread and wine in the Sacrament of the Lordes supper doe remaine in their owne nature and that transubstantiation is a sophistical imagination This also is a sophistical and a notable papisticall forgerie in that they say that the bread and wine consecrated in the Supper is therefore called of the Apostles breade and wine béecause they were bread and wine before For that is nowe done whiche is reade in Erod to haue béene done in times past where Araons rodde is saide to deuoure the Inchaunters rods which neuerthelesse then were not roddes but Serpentes but now they are named roddes because they were rods before they were so chaunged which now are serpents and not rods But againe who doth not sée this example hathe no similitude or likenesse with the breade and wine of the Lord For the rod truely was called a rod. But in the meane while it was and séemed plainly to be not now a rod but a serpént but the bread is called bread neither doeth it appeare to be any thing else but bread here is no forme of flesh séene as was séene there the fourme of a serpent Beside this the rod is saide to be turned into a serpent is shewed for a wonder or miracle but ye shal read in no place that the breade was turned into flesh by any miracle but a sacrameÌ„t is instituted which in déed looseth the name nature of a sacrament when the substance of the signe beeing annihilated made voide nothing remaineth there but the thing signified for the which they triflingly say of accidents myraculously subsisting without their subiect remayning in sted of the signe is to no purpose If we shuld go about to boast of our dreames for miracles there will be nothing so absurde foolish which we shal not colour with our fansies lyes What if this word transubstantiatioÌ„ doth manifestly proue that this whole trifling toy is not fetcht from the simple plaine doctrine of the Apostles but froÌ„ the subtile schole of quarelling sophisters But the Apostle Paule giueth vs in charge to beware both of Philosophie and straungenesse of wordes though at this present we do not only intreate of new wordes but also of new matter and new doctrine contrary in all pointes to the Apostles For this doctrine of transubstantiation is cleane coÌ„trary both to the doctrine of the Apostles Euangelistes touching the true incarnation of our Lorde and the true nature and propertie of his humane body and also the true raising vp againe of our bodies For they are constrayned to forge many thinges altogether myraculous as of the inuisible body of Christ of the subtile body of Christ pearcing by his subtility through the gate the stone I meane that which couered his sepulchre or the Lordes very body béeinge altogether and at one time in many places and filling all thinges and other innumerable which are of this stampe absurde and wicked Nowe also Ioan. Scotus a subtile doctour in his woorke Sentent Distinct 11. Lib. 4. quaest 3. saith That the article of Transubstantiation is neyther expressed in the créede of the Apostles neyther in those créedes of the auncient fathers but that it was brought in and inuented of the Churche so sayth he meaning the Romishe Churche vnder Innocentius the thirde in the Counsel of Lateran Whereby we gather that the doctrine of Transubstantiation is of late time and newely start vp the historie whereof we haue elsewhere more largely compyled But by this that I haue sayde I thinke it playnely and effectually enoughe declared that the signes are not mingled with the things signified or chauÌ„ged into them but that eache of them remaine in their seuerall natures But albeit eyther of the parts without myxture doe reteine their owne nature yet those two agrée in one sacrament and being ioyned together and not diuided do make one perfect and lawfull Sacrament For water alone both priuately and ordinarily sprinckled is no sacrament vnlesse it be applyed and vsed according to the institution of Christ Purifying also or washing away of sinnes and the ingraffing or receiuing into the league and fellowshippe of God and all Saintes of it selfe is no Sacrament vnlesse there be also a sprinckling of water in the name of the blessed Trinitie In like maner it is no Sacrament if we eate bread in a common assembly and drinke wine of the selfe same cuppe after the common manner neyther is it a Sacrament if through a faythfull remembraunce thou consider that the Lordes body was betrayed for thée and his bloude shedde for thée for the which also thou giuest thankes but so farre fâ—â—rth as they are all mysteries of God and our saluation they are generally termed sacramentes that is secrete and spirituall mysteries of GOD and oure saluation For in a perfect and lawfull Sacramente there must néedes goe together both the holy action corporall or sensible and the spirituall celebration thereof for the whiche this sacramentall action was inuented and put in practise But here some moue many and diuers questions touching the sacramentall vnion whether it be personall reall or rationall I bycause I sée nothing of this matter doubtfully deliuered of the Apostles and that the thing being playne of it selfe by such maner of sophisticatioÌ„s is made dark doubtful difficult and obscure simply and playnely saye that the signe and the thing signified are ioyned together in the Sacramentes by Gods institution by faythfull contemplation and vse to be shorte in signification and likenesse of the thinges but I vtterly denye that those two are naturally vnited together so that the signe in the Sacrament beginneth to be that whiche the thing signified is in his owne substaunce and nature I denye that the thing signified is ioyned corporally with the signe so that the signe remayneth still in his owne substaunce and nature and yet neuerthelesse in the meane time hath the thing signified corporally ioyned vnto it that thereby who so euer is partaker of the signe shoulde be also by the signe or with the signe partaker of the thing it selfe The reason why I do so constantly denie that appeareth I thinke sufficiently by those examples whiche I haue hetherto declared and whiche hereafter shall be declared Furthermore I say that the signe and the thing signified are coupled together by Gods institution bycause he whiche instituted the Sacrament of baptisme and the Supper instituted it not to this ende that with water we might washe awaye the filthe of the body as the custome is to doe by daily vse of bathes neyther that wee should take oure fill of the breade and wine but that vnder visible signes he might commend vnto vs the mysteries of our redemption and his grace and to be shorte of our saluation by represeÌ„ting them to renue them and by sealing them to confirme theÌ„ My saying is that they are
Iesus Christe And whereas in euery place almost they adde Not by the lawe not by ceremonies or other rituall obseruationes do wee thinke that they will admitte Sacramentes to the partaking of suche power and vertue séeing they be cōprehended vnder rites and ceremonies and so accounted Christian faith doeth attribute the grace of GOD remission of sinnes sanctification and iustification fully and wholely to the frée mercie of God to the merite of Christs passion yea in suche sorte doth Christian faith attribute these spirituall benefites vnto it that beside it nothing at all is admitted to take parte with it Therefore whereas Lombard saieth That sacramentes haue receiued power to conferr or giue grace by the merite of the passion of Christe it is of his owne foarging For as Christ giueth not his glorie to any either saint or mortall man muche lesse to a creature without life euen so he that beléeueth to be fully iustified by the death and resurrection of the Lord séeketh no further grace and righteousnesse in any other thing than in Christe only vpon whom he stayeth whome also by faith he féeleth in his hart or minde alreadie to exercise his force by the holy Ghost For herevnto perteyne those sayinges in the Gospel Goe in peace thy faithe hath saued thee And also He whiche drinketh of this water shall thirst againe but whosoeuer shall drinke of that water which I shal giue him shall neuer thirst c. To this perteineth the saying of Paule also Therefore being iustified by faith we are at peace with God thorough our Lorde Iesus Christ By whome also we had an entraunce by faith vnto this grace wherein wee stande and reioyce in hope of the glorie of God. I am not ignorant of the craftie sleightes of some who imagine there is a certeine generall also a speciall faithe The generall faithe they call that whereby we beléeue that we are truely iustified by the deathe and resurrection of Christe but that they call a speciall faith whereby we béeléeue that by the sacramentes and by our owne worke the gyfts of GOD are applied particularly to euery one of vs one by one But to what purpose was it béeing in a lande where they might bee fedde with Manna to looke backe to the potage pottes and vnsauourie léekes of Egypt What I pray you haue Christians to doe with the distinctiōs of subtile sophisters or how will they proue this distinction of theirs vnto vs Verily there is but one faith and the same is no other in the vse of the Sacraments than it is without the vse of them Without the vse of them we beléeue that wee are sanctified by the death and resurrection of Christ In baptisme and the Lordes supper we practise no other faithe than wherby we beléeue that we are purged from our sinnes by the grace and mercie of Christe and that by his body giuen for vs and his bloud shed for vs we are redéemed from deathe and become heirs of eternal life Not the Sacramentes but faithe through the holy Ghost applyeth these thinges vnto vs whiche thing all the writinges of the Apostles doe witnesse but suche feigned gloses do obscure and darken To be shorte there is one GOD and Sauiour of all one Saluation one Redemption and purging one faith whereby wee receiue Saluation offered vnto vs of GOD in Christe through the holie Ghoste The same is declared or preached vnto vs in the worde by the minister and is represented and sealed by the Sacramentes And now who knoweth not that Paule the Apostle in all his writinges onely laboureth to proue that those that beléeue are iustified by faith in the Lorde Iesus and not by any workes Againe who is ignoraunt that the receiuing and celebration of sacramentes are also counted among our workes Wherevnto I will add this that Sacramentes giue not that whiche they haue not themselues but they haue not grace and righteousnesse and heauenly gyftes therfore they doe not giue them But hence springeth vppe another disputation for vs to handle whether the grace of GOD and a certeine heauenly power be put in or included in the Sacramentes and as it were conteined in them so that from them it might be conueyed into the receyuers The whole rable of Priestes and monkes as well in worde as in déede haue bewrayed them selues that they thinke That in the bare signes there is heauenly grace included yea and that God himselfe is comprehended in them For from no other founteine sprang their carefull disputations concerning That the mouse eateth when it eateth the Sacrament of the bodie of Christe Pope Innocent Libro quarto De Sacramento altaris Capite vnde cimo sayth Miraculously doth the substaunce of bread returne againe not that bread which was turned into flesh But it cōmeth to passe that in sted of it other bread is miraculously created which bread is eaten c. Behold here is a certein wittie miraculous kinde of diuinitie I passe ouer of purpose many other whiche are of this kinde And herevnto that by crossinges and certeine secret words gestures and breathings they consecrate the water of baptisme all which things they beautifie with the name of blessinge And among other thinges they sing thus God by the secrete mixture of his light make fruitefull this water prepared to regenerate men with-all that beeing sanctified and borne againe of the immaculate wombe of the heauenly founteine it may come foorth a new creature Let this holy innocent creature be free from all the assaultes of the aduersarie Let him not intrap it in his snare Let it become a liuing founteine a regenerating water a purifying riuer that all that are dipped in this wholesome lauer the holy ghost working in thē may atteine to the excellencie of perfect purificatiō Wherfore ô thou creature of water I blesse or coniure thee by the liuing God by the true God by the holy god by the god which in the beginning feparated thee by his word from the drie lande c. Againe breathing thrice on the water he forthwith vttereth these wordes Thou O Lord blesse with thy worde these waters which make request vnto thee that beside their natural cleannes whiche in washing they may giue to our bodies they may also be effectual to purifie our soules Then the priest taketh a burning waxe candle and putteth it thrice in the water consecrated to baptisme saying Let the power of the holy Ghost come down into this plentifull founteine He addeth And let it make the whole substance of this water fruitefull with the fruite of regeneration And so foorthe All these thinges they vnderstande and expounde to be spoken simplie and without tropes or figures whiche euidently enough declareth what these men attribute to holy or consecrated water and howe they thinke that in the signes the holy thinges themselues are conteyned Aboute this matter Bonauentura hathe woonderfully busied himselfe who in his writing In 4. Magistri
Distinct 1. Quest 3. among other thinges at the length sayth Wee must not say by any meanes that grace is conteyned substantially in the Sacramentes as water in a vessel or as a medicine in a boxe yea to vnderstande it so it is erronious But they are saide to contein grace in that they signifie grace and because vnlesse there bee a want on the part of the receiuer grace is alwayes giuen in them so that ye must vnderstand that grace is in the soule and not in the visible signes For this cause they are called also vesselles of grace They may be also called vessels after another maner Because as that whiche is in a vessel is no parte of it neyther commeth of it and yet neuerthelesse is drawen out of it so grace commeth neither of nor by the Sacramentes but springeth from the eternall founteine and is drawne out from thence by the soule in the sacramentes And as a man when he wold haue liquor goeth streight to the vessell so he that seeketh after the liquor of grace and hathe it not must haue recourse to the sacramēts Thus farre Bonauentura who rightly referred grace vnto GOD the founteine of all good thinges I would he had also more purely and simplie sett downe the rest He also saide truely that the soule of man was the seate and receptacle of grace and of the gyftes of GOD and not thinges without sense For the holie Scripture teacheth euery where that the minde of man not any Element or whatsoeuer is forged by mans deuise is the mansion place of the grace of god and that it is not to be sought for or worshipped as included in any insensible thing If the heauen of heauens sayth Solomon be not able to conteine thee howe shoulde then this house do it that I haue builded Wherevnto the most constant martyr of Christ Stephan alluding saieth He that is highest of all dwelleth not in Temples made with handes as sayeth the prophete Heauen is my seate and earthe is my footestoole What house will ye builde for mee sayeth the Lorde or whiche is the place of my reste Hathe not my hand made all these thinges Which that great Apostle of Christe Paule following sayth God that made the world and al that are in it seeing that he is Lord of heauen and earth dwelleth not in temples made with hands neither is worshipped with mennes handes as thoughe he needed of any thing seeing he himselfe giueth to all life and breath and all thinges c. Wherevpon Christ him selfe in the Gospell speaketh more expressely The houre commeth when yee shall neither in this mounteine neither at Hierusalem worshippe the Father But the houre commeth and now is whē the true worshippers shal worship the father in spirit and truth The faithfull therefore do lifte vpp the eyes of their minde from earthly and visible thinges vnto heauenlie wherevppon our godly forefathers when they celebrated the Lords supper heard that saying repeated or soūg vnto them most agréeable to such holy mysterics Lifte vpp your hands all the people answearing together Wee lifte them vpp vnto the Lorde Doth not the verie grosse absurditie of the thing plainely proue that grace is not conteyned in the signes For if by grace you vnderstande the fauour and good will of God if pardon and forgiuenesse of sinne cleansing I saye and iustifying of the beléeuers if finallie the giftes and graces of the spirite what I pray you can be imagined more absurde and senselesse than that suche excellent thinges shoulde be kepte inclosed in water bread and wine The signes truely haue no néede of grace nor a-any pardon and forgiuenesse of sinnes To what purpose then should grace be conteined within Sacramentes What profite I pray you will redound vnto men Or who knoweth not that all the institutions GOD were ordeyned for the commoditie of man Or shall wee say that grace is therefore kepte included within the Sacramentes that from thence it might be conueyed vnto vs by chanels But the scripture speaketh not after that manner For grace as hath béene often nowe repeated is the fauour and good will of GOD whereby he him selfe not by sensible matters but of his owne accorde and thoroughe his power and might is brought vnto vs These thinges are spirituall and therefore are brought to passe by the gyft and mediation of the holy Ghost GOD is ioyned vnto vs by his spirite and we are coupled to him by faith thorough the gyfte of the holy Ghoste whiche thing in the writinges of the Euangelistes and Apostles is euerie where to be séene Moreouer the wordes of the Canon of the counsell of Nice are not to be vnderstoode after suche a grosse and rude manner Our baptisme is not to be considered with the bodily eyes but with the eyes of the minde Thou seest water weygh the heauenly force whiche lyeth hidde in the water c. For it is a Sacramentall spéeche whiche truely euery bodie at that time vnderstoode as also at this day to vs it is no new nor harde kinde of speaking to say that in the seale there is faith and trueth in a marriage ring the faith and loue of wedlocke in a Scepter and crowne the kinges authoritie For no man is so foolishe that by reason of the kinde of speeches he will affirme that the thinges them selues are conteyned and inclosed in the signes euerie man knoweth this kinde and manner of spéech To this matter also apperteineth that Iohn the Baptist baptised in the riuer Iordane that the Apostles also themselues baptised with water neither cōsecrated nor prepared with any inchauntmentes breathinges or crossinges that it might receiue the grace of God into it and make them that are baptised partakers thereof The Aethiopian in the Acts of the Apostles saw a founteine not mingled with Dyle neither consecrated with any holy charmes neither moreouer prepared with any breathinges nor putting in of waxe candles nor pictures of crosses yet neuerthelesse he said to Philip the Apostle See here is water what doth let me to be baptised But Philip required faith of him in the Lord Iesus and vpon his confession he foorthwith baptised him no consecration of the founteine first prouided for by the whiche forsoothe he might call downe the grace of the holy Ghoste and the power of regeneration into the water and forthwith might applie it to the purifying of the Aethiopian And if so be wee procéede to include the grace of GOD within the Elementes and the thinges themselues within the signes by the whiche they are represented who séeth not with howe great daunger wee shall doe the same especially among the simple sorte For vnto those we shall giue occasion of idolatrie and to cleaue vnto the visible signes of whome also they will require and aske that whiche ought to be asked of God the authour of all goodnesse with mindes lifted vpp into heauen For where as it is obiected
godly yea euen at this day do receiue baptisme as it were at the handes of God him selfe though they be baptised through the ministerie of men For the Lorde establishing his institutions by his spirite worketh saluatioÌ„ in the elect So that it must néeds followe that the vertue or efficacie of Baptisme is not hindered by an euill minister Whereof hath bene already elsewhere and hereafter shal be spoken At that time truly baptisme was instituted and beganne at S. Iohn the Apostle when he began to preache openly that the time was fulfilled and that Christe was exhibited and giuen to the worlde But the signes of thinges to come or of things which should be reuealed the thing it self being present do no more remaine but ought to be chaunged into other signes And Circumcision was a signe of the blessed séede which was to come I meane of the Messias him selfe which by the sheading of his bloud shuld bestow his blessing vpon the whole worlde Therefore when he was come and should forth-with shed-forth his bloud it was néedeful that Circumcision should be chaunged into Baptisme Whereof shal be spoken hereafter Nowe Baptisme consisteth of the signe and of the thing signified of the worde or promise of God and of the holy rite or ceremonie The signe is the outward actioÌ„ that is the sprinkling of water in the name of the Father and of the sonne and of the holy Ghost with the calling vppon of the name of god The promise or worde of God is Baptising them He that shall beleeue and be baptised shall be saued And so forth Whereof we haue spoken aboundantly inough in the sixte Sermon Many in the olde time haue distinguished betwene the baptisme of Iohn and the baptisme of Christ and his Apostles For some of them deny that forgiuenesse of sinnes was comprehended in the baptisme of Iohn but if we diligently view weigh the doctrinâ— of the holy Scripture we shal finde that the baptisme of Iohn and Christ and his Apostles is one and the selfe same Certeinly the doctrine of Iohn of Christe and his Apostles is one and the selfe same euery where For they al with one mouth do preach the gospell and by it repentance and remission of sinnes in the name of Christ Let him that wil conferre those thinges which Iohn the Euangelist writeth of the doctrine of Iohn Baptist in the firste and thirde chapter and that which Luke writes in the â—ourand twentieth chapter of his gospell and in the Acts of the Apostles of the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles and he will say that all their doctrine is one and the selfe same But to their doctrine is baptisme set to as a seale to an euidence Who therefore beléeueth that there are diuerse seals of their doctrine or diuers baptismes S. Iohn baptised with water the Lorde commended no other element to his disciples than water neither baptised they any other wise than with water They themselues baptised into Christ into repentance and remission of sinnes But Saint Mark writeth of Iohn Baptist Iohn baptised in the wildernes preaching the baptisme of repentaunce for the remission of sinnes And S. Paule speakinge of the doctrine baptisme of Iohn saith Iohn baptised with the baptisme of repentaunce saying vnto the people that they should beleue on him which shoulde come after him that is on Iesus Christ By these testimonies who can not gather that the baptisme of Iohn and of Christ is altogether the very same vnlesse this peraduenture séeme to any man to bring some differeÌ„ce that Iohn baptised in him that was to come and should be reuealed but the Apostles into him that was already reuealed But I sée not how so little space of time can bringe any difference especially since Iohn spake so much froÌ„ the beginning of his preaching of him which should be reuealed for immediatly he did both point him out present with his finger and he bare witnesse that he was present and reuealed that he should come no more or be reuealed Herevnto is added that Christ was baptised with no other than with the baptisme of Iohn For if Iohns baptisme were an other baptisme beside the baptisme of the church of Christ it would followe that neither Christ was baptised with our Baptisme neither wee in the Baptisme of Christe But Christe did sanctifie with his bodie the baptisme of Iohn and did vouchsafe to be baptised with vs into the same fellowship so that we at this day are also baptised not with that baptisme of Iohn but of Christe who by Iohn instituted baptisme and he him selfe consecrated the same Wherfore Christe in Matthew 28. Chapter and in Marke the 16. Chapter doeth not abrogate the baptisme whiche Iohn began he doeth not institute a newe but commaundeth to continue and to minister the same to them that beléeue In the name of the Father and of the sonne and of the holie Ghostc Now where as Iohn sayth him selfe I baptise with water but hee shall baptise you with the holie Ghoste hee maketh not difference betwéene his owne baptisme of water and Christes baptisme but hee attributeth some-what more vnto Christ wherein no man or minister for they did erre which in time past baptised with fire had parte with him but hee olone giueth the baptisme of fire that is the singular giftes of the holie Ghoste but firste of all the vse of tongues vnder the fourme of fire For so this matter is expounded in the Actes firste by the Lorde Christe him selfe then by experience in the Church For the Lorde sayth Departe not from Hierusalem but waite for the promise of the father whereof saith hee ye haue heard of mee for Iohn truelie baptised with water but yee shall be baptised with the holie Ghoste after these fewe dayes And consequently vppon the day of Pentecoste they were baptised with the baptisme of Christe not with water againe but were all filled with the holie Ghost clouen tongues as it were fierie sitting vppon eache one of their heads and they began to speake with other tongues In the Actes the Citizens of Samaria are baptised of Philipp with the baptisme of Christe in water lawfully and fullie But the verie same afterwarde are baptised with the peculiar baptisme of Christe while by the laying on of handes by Peter and Iohn they receiue the holie Ghoste Not that hetherto they were altogether voide of the gifte of the holie Ghoste for how coulde they beléeue without the holie ghost but for that they were baptised with the visible Baptisme of fire beside and receiued the gifte of tongues and other excellent graces As it is also read of Cornelius who verilie béeinge firste baptised with fire I meane with the peculiar baptisme of Christe spake with tongues and afterwarde was baptised with water Contrarywise those twelue disciples at Ephesus were firste fullie baptised with the Baptisme of Iohn and with the baptisme of the water of
tasting of milke and honie and after baptisme an abstinence from bathing by a wéekes spaces In his first boke against Mart. hemaketh mentiō also of oyle Truly milk is méete for children vnto whom also they that be of perfect age being baptised are likened Beside this in the olde testament there is often mention made of the land of promise flowing with Milke and Honie Those thinges were first offered to be tasted of them that are baptised to giue thē to vnderstande that Christ Iesus being their capteine and hauing passed ouer Iordan they might by an infallible hope haue an inheritance in the lande of promise S. Hierome witnesseth that wine was mingled with milk saith Com. lib. 15. ad Isaiam The Lord prouoketh vs not onely to buy wine but milke also which signifieth the innocencie of infants which type and custome is euen vnto this day kepte in the weste churches to giue to thē that are borne a-new in Christ wine and milke At this day neither of them both is giuē to infants no not of them which will seeme to be zealous mainteiners of the olde ceremonies They beléeue in the meane while that their omitting of these ceremonies is without sinne and néedeth no satisfaction Nowe also we may gather out of the sixte booke of Augustine de Bap. contra Donat cap. 24. that they vsed diuers and what praiers thei thought good about baptisme The same August contra Pelag. Celest. lib. 2. cap. 40. saith In baptising of children they firste coniure and blow away all contrarie power Which also the infantes by the wordes of them that beare them doe aunswere that they renounce This ceremonie he mentioneth also Libro primo de Nupt. Concup ad Valer. cap. 20. libro 2. cap. 18. It is saide in the ecclesiasticall Decrees that the holy church through-out the whole world vsed that ceremonie Againe August In Epistola ad Bonifa 43. saith that the god-fathers doe aunswere for the faith of the children and confesse their faith We aske them saith he which offer the infants and say Beleeueth he in God who being of that age knoweth not whether there be á God or no They answere He beleeueth and so they aunswere vnto euery question which is asked The same Augustine in his booke de Trinitate 15. capi 26. maketh mention also of Oyle wherewith they that were baptised were annoynted Rabanus Maurus Bishop of Mentz a longe time following after Augustine reckoneth vp many more ceremonies of baptisme For he Libro de Institutione Cleri 1. cap. 27. saith They are marked in the forehead and heart with the crosse in baptisme that the diuell seeing that marke may knowe that that sheepe is not of his folde Also consecrated salte is put into the childes mouth that beeing seasoned with the salte of wisedome he may be free from the stinch of wickednesse and rotte no more with the wormes of sinne His eares and nosthrilles are touched with spittle saying the word Ephatha vsed of our Sauiour beeing therevnto added that by the vertue of Christ the high Priest his eares may be opened to receiue the knowledge of God and to heare the wil and commaundementes of god Then the childe is blessed and his breast annoynted with holy oyle that no reliques of the enimie may lurk and remaine in him After this in the name of the holie Trinitie he is baptised beeing dipped thrise in the water And in his 28. Chapter And beeing baptised he immediatlie is signed in the forehead with the Chrisme with a prayer together followinge that he may be made an inheritour of the kingdome of Christ and of Christ may bee called a Christian And in the 29. Chapter After Baptisme there is deliuered to the Christian a white garmente signifying purenesse and innnocencie Also for this cause were the baptised cloathed with white garments that they mighte nowe remember that they were set free and of seruauntes and bonde-slaues of the Diuell made the free-men of CHRIST IESVS Moreouer white couloure in times paste was consecrated to victoryes and triumphes Whereby it may seeme that the white garmente was therefore giuen to them that were baptised that they mighte bee mindefull that whiles they lyue here on earth they must continually fight and ouercome in Christe For the life of manne is a warrefare vppon earth And certeinely whereas offeringes also began to bee giuen to the baptised by the God-fathers that seemeth to haue bene borrowed from warrefare For by the offering or earneste whiche wee Switsers call Die yn bindeten he that is baptised is warned of his faithe giuen in baptisme alwayes to be mindeful what a Capteine hee forsooke and into what garrison he was entertayned wherein hee muste keepe his faith giuen to the new capteine Christe Many other thinges of this kinde which I find◠among writers of this latter age I willingly passe ouer leaste I shoulde séeme to abuse your patience and gentlenesse And who perceiueth not yea that at this day other of this kinde innumerable new deuises are added to baptisme Therfore the safest and surest way is to builde vppon the firste foundations of the blessed Apostles For if antiquitie séeme to boulster vpp these last inuented ceremonies who dare denie that the authoritie of the Apostles doeth excell it manye wayes For the Apostles were before them all which haue lastly inuented and deliuered those manifolde ceremonyes to be vsed in Baptisme This also commeth in question Whether we ought to baptise with bare faire water or with consecrated water and why the Lorde commaunded to baptise with water S. Cyprian epist. lib. 1. epist. 12. sayth The water ought to bee cleansed and sanctified before of the priest to wash away the sinnes of the man that is baptised But the examples and testimonies of the holie Scripture doe more preuaile with me than the authoritie of Cyprian or any other man whatsoeuer it be This good man of God was also deceiued in another place aboute the mysterie of Baptisme so that we must read his writings with iudgement The Scripture telleth vs that Iohn Baptist and the Apostles and faithfull disciples of Christ baptised with water not consecrated For what can bee spoken or read more plaine than that Iohn baptised in Iordane Yea that Christe him selfe and his Apostles also baptised in the Riuer Iordane Where or howe did the Apostles consecrate the water of baptisme in the Actes of the Apostles Philip when the Eunuch shewed him water as they iourneyed he baptised him oute of that pure and cleare founteine Beside this I haue declared in the Sermon nexte going before how little purenesse is in common fourme of baptisme whereby the fonte is consecrated But if any man thincke that wee oughte to Baptise with consecrated or holie water and by consecrated doe neither vnderstande annoynted or prepared with crosses or sanctified with charmes but chosen to holie vses I woulde stande in contention with him neuer a whitt For the water of Baptisme in very
vnto saluation that baptisme is superfluous he hath despised the ordinance of God is condemned for a rebell and an enimie to God. Furthermore that place of Iohn 3. is not to be vnderstood of the ourward signe of holy baptisme but simplie of the inward most spiritual regeneration of the holy spirite which when Nicodemus vnderstoode not perfectely the Lorde figured and made the same manifest vnto him by parables of water of the spirit that is to say of the winde or the ayer by elements verie base and familiar For by and by he addeth That whiche is borne of the flesh is flesh c. Again The winde bloweth where it lusteth c. whiche must néedes be ment of the ayer For the other part of the coÌ„parison followeth So is euery one that is borne of the spirite Furthermore he addeth If I tel you of earthly thinges and ye beleeue not how will you beleeue if I tel you of heaueÌ„ly things But the argumeÌ„t which he put forth was not altogether earthly For this is the argument of his whole disputatioÌ„ Except a man be borne from aboue he cannot see the kingdome of God That is to say vnlesse a man be renued as it were borne againe by the spirite of God which is giuen from aboue that is to say powred into him from heauen he caÌ„not be saued The doctrine is altogether heauenly but the meanes wherby he deliuered declared set forthe this heauenly doctrine is earthly For by thinges taken from the earth he shadowed out to man beeing grosse of vnderstanding earthly a spiritual and heauenly thing laid it open as it were euen â—â— the view of his eyes As by water ayre oftentimes the qualities of bodies are changed and as the effecte and woorking of water and the aire in bodies is merueilous in like manner is the working of the holy Ghoste in the soule of man which it changeth purifieth and quickeneth c. For so the Lorde himselfe afterward whiche I tolde you euen now expoundeth an other parable of the spirite And because al olde writers for the moste part by water haue vnderstood sacramentall water that is to say holy baptisme we also receiue this interpretation For we willingly graunte that baptisme is necessarie to saluation as wel in such as are of perfect age as also in babes or infantes so that necessitie constraine not the contrarie For otherwise if we goe forwarde stubbernly with S. August to condemne infantes by this place truely we shal be compelled also to coÌ„demne euen those that are baptised if they departe this life without partaking of the bodie and bloud of Christ For S. Augustine béeing infected with the like errour defendeth that the sacrament of the Lordes supper ought to be put into the infantes mouthe or else they are in daunger of death and damnation because it is written Except ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of man drink his bloud yee haue no life in you Therefore after this same order he placeth these two sentences Except a man be born of water and of the spirite he cannot see the kingdome of God. And Excepte ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man c. So that if thou persist obstinately in S. Augustines sentence verily thou wilt condemne the whole Church at this day which denieth the partaking of the Lordes supper vnto Infantes But if in this thing there be admitted a coÌ„uenient interpretation why are ye so rigorous obstinate in another the like place cause not disagréeable What wil you say if in this opinion Augustine doeth not satisfie no not himselfe in all and euery point To a Lay-man he thinketh it veniall sinne if he baptise in time of necessitie He cannot tell whether it be godlily spoken the baptisme ministred by a lay-man ought to be iterated or done againe But how much better and safer had it béene letting the necessitie of baptisme pas which hath no lawful causes to holde opinion the infantes if they be not preuented by death ought to be baptised of the minister of the church in the church their parents procuring it as opportunitie first serueth that too too spéedie souden death which we cal the pinch of necessitie is no let or hinderance to saluation to them which are not yet broght to be baptised The same Augustine trembleth and is afraide to determine of the punishmente of damned infants for not beeing baptised neither knoweth truly what he might certeinly say In his first booke De anim c. ca. 9. hée saith Let no maÌ„ promise to infantes vnbaptised as it were a middle place of rest or felicity whatsoeuer it be or whersoeuer it be betweene hell and the kingdome of heauen But that sentence is for the most part receiued of all men â–ª whervpon also the infantes are buried in the churchyarde in a certeine middle place betwéene the prophane holy ground And againe the same Aug. contra Iulianum Pelagianum lib. 5. ca. 8. writeth That those infantes of all other shal come in the easiest damnation And immediately bee addeth Which of what maner how great it shal be although I cannot describe yet I dare not say that it were better for them to be as no body thaÌ„ to be there And againe in his Epistle to Sainte Hierome 28. he sayth When I come to determine of the punishments of little infants beleeue me I am driuen into narrowe streightes neyther finde I any thing at all to aunswere Héere also may that be added whiche hee disputeth vppon Lib. 4. contra Donatist cap. 22. 23. touching the théefe whiche was crucified with Christe among other things saying That then baptisme is fulfilled inuisibly when not the contempt of religion but the poynt of necessitie excludeth and shutteth out from visible baptisme Why then should wee not beleeue also that in infantes departing by to to timely death baptisme is inuisibly perfourmed since that not contempt of religion but the extremitie of necessitie whiche can not bee auoyded excludeth and debarreth them from visible baptisme And since verie many at this day doe graunt that any man of perfect age withoute baptisme in the point of necessitie may bee saued so that hee haue a desire of baptisme why then may not the godly desires of the parentes acquite the infantes nowe newly borne from guiltinesse But thus much hitherto Touching this also who are to be baptised both in time past our age there hath bene bitter iarring Pelagius in time past denyed that infants ought to be baptised which we heard euen nowe Before Pelagius time AuxeÌ„tius Arianus with his sectaries denyed that they are to be baptised Some in the time of S. Barnard denied the same as we may gather out of his writings The Anabaptistes at this day a kinde of men raysed vp of sathan to destroy the Gospel denie it likewise But the Catholique trueth whiche is deliuered vnto vs in the holy scriptures
owne of his méere grace and frée promise without their confession So that of the contrary part we doe thus reason They that beléeue are to be baptised whiche the verie aduersaries also do confesse Infantes doe beléeue For God reckoneth them in the number of the faithfull whiche I haue afore manifestly proued Therefore infantes are to be baptised They obiect that infants vnderstande not the mysterie of baptisme and therefore that it is not onely repugnant to religion but to common sense and reason to baptise infants For to baptise an infant is to baptise a logge since neither of theÌ„ hath the vse of reason but these filthy knaues let their tongs run at randon against the verie maiestie of god God commaunded to circumcise the infants and circumcisioÌ„ conteineth high mysteries whiche infants vnderstand not But hath God ordeined any thing against reason coÌ„monsense Go ye falseknaues go with your blasphemies to the place which you deserue It is a most filthy déede yea and more than barbarouâ— in that ye compare infants to logges For what great store God setteth by infants we taught you alredy before out of the Gospell But men which nowe beginne to haue the vse of sound reason are diligently and earnestly to be taught and admonished to remember they are baptised and to indeuour by calling on the name of the Lord in all points to be answerable in life and conuersation to their promise and profession For so Abraham instructed his sonne Isaach and all the holy fathers their children But letting passe these brainsicke frantique and foule-mouthed raylers who as we haue heard neuer want wordes to wrangle though we haue hadde neuer so muche neuer so often and neuer so earnest conference with them Let vs procéede to declare in a sewe but yet manifest arguments that infants are to be baptised and that the Apostles of Christe our Lord haue baptised infants The Lorde commaunded to baptise all nations and therefore infantes For they are comprehended vnder the worde of All nations Againe whom so euer God reckoneth among the faythfull are faythfull For Peter in a vision heareth That whiche God hath cleansed call not thou common or vncleane God reckoneth infantes among the faythfull therefore they are faythfull except we hadde rather resist God and séem to be stronger than he And now we count it oute of all controuersie that the Apostles of Christe baptised them whome Christ commaunded to baptise but he commaunded to baptise the faythfull therefore the Apostles baptised infants The Gospell is greater than baptisme for Paule sayth The Lorde sent me to preache the Gospell and not to baptise not that he did absolutely denie that he was not sent to baptise but bycause he preferred doctrine For the Lord commended them both to his Apostles Furthermore in the Gospell children are receyued of God and not refused who then vnlesse he be willingly obstinate can debarre them from the lesse In â—acramentes the thing signified and the signe are considered The thing signified is the excellenter from the infants are not debarred Who then will denie them the signe Truly the holy sacraments of God are more estéemed by the worde than the signe By the woorde we gather that women are not excluded from the Supper of the Lorde Although therfore we reade not that they were in the first institution and set at the first table of the Lorde neyther that there is any expresse law which commaundeth vs to admitte them to the Supper yet neuerthelesse withoute feare or doubt by a perfect argument we admit them S. Peter could not deny them the baptisme of water to whome he sawe the holie Ghost to be giuen whiche is an assured tokeÌ„ of Gods people for he saith in the Acts of the Apostles Can anye man forbid water that these should not bee baptised which haue receiued the holie Ghoste as well as wee Wherefore the holie Apostle Peter denyed not baptisme to infants For he knewe assuredly euen by the doctrine of his Lord and maister that I may speake nothing now of the euerlasting couenaunt of God that the kingdome of heauen is of infants No man is receiued into the kingdome of heauen vnlesse he be the friende of god And these are not destitute of the spirite of god For hee which hath not the spirit of Christe the same is none of his children are Gods therefore they haue the spirite of god Therefore if they haue receyued the holy Ghost as well as we if they be accounted among the people of God as well as we that be growne in age who I praye you can forbid these to be baptised with water in the name of the Lord At the first the Apostls murmured being theÌ„ not sufficiently instructed against them that brought infantes vnto the Lorde But the Lord rebuked them and said Suffer little children to come vnto me Why then do not the rebellious Anabaptistes obey the commaundement of the Lord For what other thing doe they at this day whiche bring children vnto baptisme than that whiche they in times past did which brought infants vnto the Lord And the Lord receyued them layde his handes on them and blessed them and to be shorte by wordes and gestures he notably signified that children are the people of God and most acceptable to god But why then by the same meanes say they did not he baptise them Bycause it is written that Iesus him self did not baptise but his disciples Nowe since of the thing it selfe it is so playnely determined why as yet doe we contend about the signe Hitherto good men are satisfied but contentious persons go on to busie them selues with questions Beside this circumcision among the olde people of God was giuen to infants therefore baptisme ought to be giuen to infants among the newe people For baptisme succéeded in the place of circumcision For S. Paule sayth By Christ ye are circumcised with circumcision made withoute hands by putting off the body of the fleshe subiect to sinne by the circumcision of Christ buryed with him in baptisme Loe Paule calleth baptisme the circumcision of Christians made without hands not that water is not ministred by hands but in that no men hencefoorthe is circumcised with handes the mysterie of circumcision remayning neuerthelesse in the faythful Neither shalt thou reade any of the old interpreters of the church which haue not confessed the baptisme came in stead of circumcision Yea the likenesse and similitude of both of them do shewe a manifest succession To that whiche I haue sayde I ioyne this The seruauntes of God haue alwayes bene carefull to gyue the signes to them for whome they were ordained For that I may passe ouer al other did not Iosua diligently prouide that the people shoulde be circumcised afore they entered into the lande of promise And since the Apostles the preachers to the whole worlde haue bene the faythfull seruaunts of Iesus Christe who hereafter may doubt that they
I haue admonished you elsewhere Therefore it is an horrible offence to iterate the Ceremonie of baptisme it is without example Neither in this matter is there any necessitie for to what ende is it to baptise againe when as baptisme once giuen is sufficient for the whole course of a mans life Beside this since Anabaptisme is nothing else but a confederacie conspiracie and a certeine lincking together by one marke into a newe and seditious or at the least superstitious companie into a newe and scismaticall Church and into a new and straunge kind of doctrine and as contrarie as can bée to the doctrine of Christe and his Apostles truely it is no meruaile that the obstinate Anabaptists are kept vnder and punished by common lawes For otherwise these thinges are damnable and not to be dissembled or suffered of a Christian magistrate But the Anabaptists presently obiecte vnto vs these two places The first out of the fifte Chapiter of Iosua where we read in these words Make thee sharpe kniues of stone and goe to againe and circumcise the children of Israel the second time Behold the second time they could not bee circumcised saye they vnlesse they had béene also circumcised before I answere To circumcise the second time or to doe a thing once againe doeth not signifie to doe that which was done before For when the fore-skinne was once cutt off howe could it be cutt off againe Therefore that which was left vndone for a certeine space is nowe againe renued and is said to be done the second time So that the second time is not applied to them that should bee circumcised but vnto the verie time wherein they that were vncircumcised should bée circumcised For they were first solemnely circumcised in Aegypt before they did eate the Passeouer Nowe entering into the land of Chanaan they are the second time solemnly circumcised which hetherto by reason of the wildernesse and iourneying were not circumcised And so it followeth immediatly in the same Chapter that all the males that came out of Aegypt died in the wildernesse and that their sonnes were vncircumcised so that nowe it was expedient that they should be circumcised as their fathers were before them Therefore the Anabaptistes in this testimonie of the lawe haue no defence at all The latter testimonie to mainteine Anabaptisme or rebaptising they bring out of the 19. Chap. of the Actes where they say that those twelue men of Ephesus were once baptised by Apollos with the baptisme of water and with that of Iohns likewise but the verie same afterward are rebaptised of Paule in the name of Christe I aunswere That those twelue men were not baptised againe of Paule with water They were once baptised with water whiche was sufficient for them But neither could Paule minister another baptisme of water than that of Iohns For I taught and euidently proued anon after the beginning of this Sermon that the baptisme of water ministred by Iohn Christe and his Apostles is one and the selfe same There I declared that the baptisme of fire or of the spirite is peculiar and proper to Christe Those men therefore of Ephesus were baptised with the baptisme of water as the Samaritans were by Philip but they were not as yet fully instructed of the baptisme of fire neither were they baptised with fire yea they confesse they know not whether there be any such baptisme that is whether there be an holy Ghoste whiche in the visible forme of fire shuld come downe vppon men For they could not be altogether ignoraunt that there was a holy Ghost without whom vndoubtedly they had not beléeued yea in whome they had beléeued if they had rightly beléeued Therfore they were onely ignoraunt of that baptisme of fire As therefore Peter and Iohn layed their hands on the Samaritanes and they forthwith receiued the holy Ghoste So Paule layeth handes on the men of Ephesus and they receiue the holy Ghoste For Luke sayeth When they heard these thinges they were baptised in the name of the Lord Iesus And least any man should vnderstand this of the baptisme of water by and by he addeth the manner thereof and a plaine exposition saying And when Paule had layed his handes on them the holy Ghoste came vppon them This I say hee called baptising in the name of the Lord Iesus For it followeth And they spake with tongues and prophecied And this alwayes hath béene the fruite and effecte of the baptisme of fire in the Primitiue Churche as I declared anon after the beginning of this Sermon Wherefore the Anabaptists haue no testimonie out of the scriptures for their Anabaptisme or rebaptising So that all that will gather their witts about them doe plainely sée that they are to be forsaken and shunned of all good men But wée haue sufficiently disputed against them as it séemeth Nowe wée goe forward to expound those things that remaine to be opened touching baptisme whiche are not the last and of least account Now that we are come to intreate of the vertue efficacie of baptisme we will followe that order which wee shadowed out in the description of baptisme knitting vp at least the particulars because in the generall consideration of Sacramentes wée haue spoken largely of them Yet neuerthelesse it is good first of all to knowe what the aduersaries of the Churche haue sometime thought touching the force of baptisme The Manicheis baptised none of their secte For they taught that Baptisme did auaile the receiuers nothing to saluation The Seleucians who are called also Hermiani did likewise sett baptisme at nought The Messalians whiche bee called Euchetes or prayer-makers as I haue shewed in the end of my former Sermon and the Enthusiastes inspired I say by some heauenly power nay rather by some hellishe furie are persuaded that baptisme neither profiteth nor hindereth any man For so they did attribute all meanes of saluation to the inward woorking of the spirite yea to mans prayers in somuch that they loathed and abhorred all outward helpes yea and doctrine also as vnprofitable and without force Whiche Theodoret in his Ecclesiasticall historie Libro 4. cap. 11. rehearseth of them But the holy Scripture teacheth that wée are washed cleane from our sinnes by baptisme For baptisme is a signe a testimonie and sealing of oure cleansing For GOD verilie hath promised sanctification to his Churche and hée for his trueths sake purifyeth his Churche from all sinnes by his Grace thoroughe the bloud of his sonne and regenerateth and clenseth it by his spirite whiche cleansing is sealed in vs by baptisme whiche wée receiue and thereof is it called in the Scriptures cleansing and remission of sinnes purifying newe birthe regeneration and the lauer or founteine of regeneration as circumcision is called the couenaunt and sacrifices sinnes and sanctifications For wée read in the Gospell according to Sainct Marke Iohn baptised in the desart preaching the baptisme of repentaunce for the remission of sinnes
soule For the thing that signifieth is wont to be called by the name of that thing whiche it signifieth as it is written The seuen eares of wheate are seuen yeares He said not doe signifie seuen yeres And seuen oxen are seueÌ„ yeres and many such like In like sort it is said The rocke was Christ Hee said not The rock signifieth Christ but as though it were so in deede whiche is not the same in substance but by signification So likewise the bloud beecause thrugh a certeine vital substaÌ„ce in it signifieth the soule in the sacraments is called the soule Thus far he The same Augustine also against Adimantus cap. 12. saith So is bloud the soule like as the rock was Christ And againe in the same place he saith I may also expouÌ„d that that precept of the bloud and soule of the beast c. consisteth in the signe For the lord douted not to say This is my body when he gaue the signe of his body Thus much Augustine There is no foole so doultish that will say that these wordes of Augustine are darcke or doubtfull Who so liste maye add here vnto that which the same authour hath plainely written concerning figuratiue spéech Libro 2. Contra Aduers Legis Cap. 9. But let vs leaue off to cite mens testimonies coÌ„cerning the proper and most auncient exposition of Christes wordes This is my bodie Let vs rather procéede to alledge sounde arguments out of the scriptures as we promised to do thereby to proue that wée must sometime of necessitie depart from the letter that Christes words are accordingly as I haue said to bée expounded by a figure First it is euident that the Lord at this present instituted a Sacrament whereby it is manifest that the Lord spake after the same manner as he is wont to speake in other places of the scripture concerning sacraments as when he saith that circumcision is the Lords couenaunt the lambe the Lords Passeouer that sacrifices are sinnes and sanctifications baptisme the water of regeneration But we declared in the sixt sermon of this Decade that all these kindes of speaches remaine to be expouÌ„ded This saying or spéech therefore is to be expounded This is my bodie This is my bloud because it is sacramentall For it receiued the common interpretation whiche most truly and for certeinty was vsed and receiued by the catholique church euer since the time of the Apostles yea and euer since the time of the Patriarches vnto this day to wit that signes do receiue the termes and names of those things that are signified so that thereby they receiue no part of their substance but do stil continue remaine in their owne proper nature For this cause it coÌ„meth to passe that our Lord Christe in the Gospell written by S. Luke did ioyne the banquet of the Passeouer with this our lordes supper in such sort that he substituted this in the place of the other that it should not séeme straunge if he said in this our supper This is my body for in the solemnizing of the feast of Passeouer it is thus said The lambe is the Lords Passeouer Which kind of speach was not darke to be vnderstoode by the Apostles who vnderstoode that this lambe was a remembrance of the passage once past By that meanes also they vnderstood that the Lords bread giuen vnto them by the Lord is a remembrance of his body For in other matters of much lesse weight they diligeÌ„tly questioned and inquired of the Lord touching the proper sense signification of the words But of these woordes they neuer once doubted or asked any question For al sacramental spéeches were to the holy fathers very wel knowen Moreouer if we continue to vnderstand the words of the supper simply according to the letter it followeth that the Lord hath deliuered vnto vs his body and bloud corporally to be receiued And I pray you to what ende should hee deliuer them but that we receiuing them corporally might liue But the vniuersal canonical scripture teacheth that our life or saluation our iustificatioÌ„ coÌ„sisteth in faith only which we repose in the body which was giuen the bloud shedd for vs which is the spiritual eating not in any work of ours much lesse in the bodily eating of Christes body whiche he sheweth in another place to be nothing auaileable Then since there is but one meanes and that most simple wherby to obteine life and iustification to wit by faith only not by the work of our eating neither is the scripture repugnant to it selfe surely the Lord hath not instituted any such worke of eating therefore the solemne words of the supper do admit some other exposition If the bread were the lords true and natural body it must néeds follow the euen the wicked being partakers of this bread shuld eate Christs body that verily his flesh shuld be meate to feed the bellie since they that eate it lack both mindes faith But all holy men abhorre that thought as absurd most vnworthie of whiche matter I will intreate more hereafter Therfore the saying of Christ This is my body admitteth an expositioÌ„ The whole vniuersal canonical scripture witnesseth that our Lord Iesus Christ toke a body of the vndefiled virgin consubstantial in al poincts vnto our bodies that is to say an humane bodie yea that hee was made like to vs in all respectes except sinne Nowe it is manifest that he spake of his true sensible bodie when he sayeth This is my body For he addeth Whiche is broken or giuen for you But the true natural sensible or humane body was deliuered and died for vs But this appeareth not in the bread or vnder the bread Wherefore the Lords words must be expounded Surely if it had béene the Lords will to make his body of bread his bloud of wine according to the power wherby he made all thinges with his word as soone â—s euer he had said This is my body the bread had béene the body of Christ and that very body whereof he spake mortall passible to be felt and séene For he spake the word and they were made he commaunded and they were created He said let ther be light and light was made and such kind of light as might be perceiued and did shine But in the supper we sée nothing in Christes hands but bread no body And therfore it was not our sauiours meaning by these words This is my bodie to create or make his body of the bread For if he had ment so to do surely it had béene done Neither is there any cause why they should here as it were casting their mistes before our eyes and applie their coloured interpretations vnto a rotten construction vsing wordes vnspeâ—keably supernaturally inuisibly not qualitiuely not quantiuely not as in a place For by these termes they intending in the meane while to bring some other thing to passe doe by the wonderfull iudgement of God quite subuert and ouerthrow