priuate to the minister alone When our Sauiour Christ did institute the holy supper commend it to his apostles Math. chap. 26. ver 26.27 he did neither eate drink alone for them nor cōmaunded that one of them shoulde eate and drinke for the rest but he sayde take yee eate yee c. Likewise drinke yee all of this c. 1. Cor. chap. 10. ver 16. The Apostle calleth the cup of blessing c the communion of the bloud of Christ and the bread which wee breake the communion of the bodie of Christ by which wordes it is manifest that the holie Supper must bee no priuate banquet Saint Paule willeth them of Corinth 1. Cor. chap. 11. ver 33. when they come together to eate to tarry one for another which words doe euidently condemne all priuate and alone pertaking of this holye Sacrament If any saye that Paules wordes proue not my purpose because they are to be refered to the Corinthian loue feastes my answere is that the Apostles wordes doe make greatly for my purpose though it were as they fay because the feasts of Corinth were ioyned with the celebration of the holie communion In the time of Iustinus Martyr al that were present in the holie assembly did cōmunicate Apol 2 pro Christ Priuate Masses as yet were neither borne nor conceiued c. 8 Gods people must not bee barred from the cup in the Lordes Supper Christ at the first institution of the holy Supper said drinke ye al of this Math. chap. 26. ver 27. c. If the papists say that Christ spake vnto the Apostles onely my answere is that they may as wel barre Gods people from the bread of the Sacrament because onely the Apostles were partakers of the bread as well as of the cup at the institution of the Supper Let a man examine himselfe 1. Cor. chap. 11. ver 28. and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this cup c. Saint Paule ioynes the bread and cup together how then dare any man make a diuorce betweene the bread and the cup Saint Paule speaketh to the whole body of the Church howe dare anye man presume to barre Gods people from the cup and to restrayne it to the popish priestes The breaking of the bread and distributing of the cup to the communicants are essential parts of the holy supper therfore may not be omitted or altred In Iustinus Martyres tyme after cōsecration of the bread and cup Apol. 2. pro Christ both bread and cup were distributed to the communicants In Cyprians Ambroses and Chrisostomes time Cyp. lib. 1. Epist 2. Theodoritus lib. 5. cap. 18. Chrysost in cap. 8. epist 2. ad Corinth Hom. 18. Gods people were partakers of the cup in the Lords supper Innocentius the 3. was the first that shut Gods people frō the cup in the Lordes supper He did this strāge fact in the Laterane councell in the yeare of our Lorde 1215. 9 What consecration is Consecration is a dedicating to the holy vse of the supper of so much bread wine as shal be occupied in the celebration of the holy communiō and neither more nor lesse Cōsecratiō stādeth not in the abolishing of natures but in the conuerting of the naturall elemēts into a godly vse This is cleere in both the sacramēts whē the minister hath added the word of institutiō to the water it is no more common water but baptisme which is a Sacramēt of our Regeneratiō Whē he hath done the like to the elemēts of bread wine it is no more cōmon bread common wyne but the sacrament of the body bloud of Christ Iesus yet the substaunce of water is not abolished in baptisme nor the substance of bread and wine in the Lords supper If anie say that the meate which is set on the table at dinner supper 1. Tim. chap. 4. ver 5. is dedicated to a godly vse when it is sanctified by the worde of God prayer I grāt it to be so but there is another signification of that then of this in the sacramēt We obtaine by the word of God prayer the lawful vse of Gods creatures at our dinners suppers that if any iot of Gods first curse vpō the earth and fruites thereof remained it shal not be hurtfull to vs but the elemēts signes in the sacraments become more excellēt things by many degrees for by Gods worde institution they are made signes mysteries of our saluation 10 The substance of bread and wine remaine in the Lordes Supper after the words of Consecration The bread which we breake in the Lords supper 1. Cor. chap. 10. ver 16. is it not the partaking of the body of Christ Saint Paule doeth expressely call that which is broken bread not the Accidents of bread I will not hence forth drinke of this fruite of the vine c. by the fruite of the Mat. cha 26 ver 29. vine our Sauiour Christ meaneth wyne not the accidentes of wyne By Accidents of bread wine are vnderstāded the colour roundnes breadth tast c. of bread and wyne The worde of institution is added to the Element and it is made a Sacrament Tract 80. in Iohan. Augustine saith not that it taketh away or expelleth the element Tertullian calles that bread by which Christ represented his bodie Tertul. lib. 1. cont Mar. The same Tertullian labouring to prooue that Christ had not a fantasticall body as the Heretique Marcion imagined but a true body reasons thus frō the sacramēt Christ did giue bread in the sacrament for a true figure of his body lib. 4. cont Mar. therefore Christ had not a fantasticall but a true bodie If no substance of bread remayne in the Lordes Supper which the Papistes hold Tertullians argument against Marcion were verye weake and Marcions monstrous opinion were very strong If we say that Christes bodie is made of the substance of bread how is it true that his body was made of the substāce of the blessed virgin There must be alwayes an Analogie betweene the signe and the thing fignified in the sacrament The Analogie in the holy supper appeareth in ferding The body bloud of Christ doth feed our soules the bread and wine doeth feed our bodies If the substāce of bread wine bee abolished what is left to feede our bodies If the popish sort say that the Accidēts of bread wine doe feede vs they teach strange both diuinitie and philosophie straunge diuinitie because they are manifestly confuted by Christ and Paule straunge philosphie Math. chap. 26. verse 26. 1. Cor. chap. 10. ver 17. Arist cap. 5. de sensu sensili because they reuiue an olde and grosse errour of the Pithagoreans confuted long agoe by Aristotle Besides the Philosophers teach vs that wee consist of the same thinges wherewith we are nourished If we be fedd and nourished with Accidents the
are glad of this and do therefore think very hardly of corrupt mē which will not be restrayned and reformed eyther by Gods and the Queenes both lawes and speech or by the woorthye example of Constantinus or by the testimonye of their owne consciences which cannot but both accuse condēne them They which present mē to ecclesiastical liuings are called patrons that is to say defenders of the church to keepe back either all or part of the church liuinges is not to be a shielde to couer the Churche and the Minister but a sworde to cut them and therefore they may iustly be called the schollers of Lysimachus the Churchrobber which was slaine for his villanies 2. Machab. chap. 4. ver 42. If a patrone preferre a minister for monye and corruption hee must needs thinke hardly and vily of that minister the minister likewise of that patrone for who can like a minister when he feeles his corruption and what minister though hee fishe with a siluer hooke wil accompt of that patrons friendship which he payes so deare for and what good men can like of eyther him that preferres or is preferred in this sorte will they not iudge them to bee straunge market men Ierohoam made Priestes of the lowest of the people which were not of the sōnes of Leui 1. Kings chap 12. ver 31. chap. 13. ver 33. but hee did it for monye For the like respect I feare manye haue beene preferred which cannot be allowed for Prophets because they neuer were the sonnes of the Prophets I haue handeled these poyntes I trust for the good of all that they which are guiltie of this sinne may make restitution and leaue the practise of it and that they which are not guiltie of it may take good heede that they fall not into that sinke of corruption If anye be offended with this I haue set downe it is their faulte and not mine for the seed which I haue sowen is very good but the ground which receiues it not is very bad but my comfort is this that I haue pleased almighty God and his seruauntes in this godly labour though this certayne truthe bee a shut booke as a sealed letter vnto graceles Cormorantes Question Whether landes and pensions giuen for the maintenance of Idolatrie may and ought to be conuerted to the seruice of God Answere They may ought for if mē should conuert them to their priuate vse it might bee iustly thought that in abolishing superstition priuate gaine is the marke which is louelled at and not the promoting of Gods true religion This is Augustines iudgement in a notable and learned Epistle Aug. epist 154 ad Publicolam and deserues to be greatly liked of To the Reader SInce the printing of the first part of my Catechisme I haue bin earnestly dealt with to write somewhat of the Sacraments The request was verie equall and I haue yeelded to it as appeareth by these Treatises The course I haue taken in them is plaine and short If they shall profite such as haue neede of instruction I will thanke God very humbly for it and hereafier by Gods assistance set downe another short Treatise of the Scripture and the Church and Confession for their further benefit These points are waighty but necessary arguments to be handled yet very breesly because the memories of the simple are verie shorte and long discourses are not easily digested by them God giue vs grace to increase in the knowledge of his truth and to frame our liues accordingly to his glorie and our comforte through Iesus Christ A Table of such poyntes as are contained in the first part of this Treatise 1 VVHat a Sacrament is 2 There are but two Sacramēts Baptisme the Lords supper the other fiue which went vnder the name of Sacraments are no Sacraments 3 It is not in any mans power to make a Sacrament 4 Whether the Sacraments of the olde and new testament are all one and howe they differ 5 The Sacramēts must not be administred at all aduentures to euery one 6 The signe must not bee confounded with the thing fignified in the Sacramēt 7 The Sacraments are not to be esteemed better for the worthines of the minister or the worse for his vnworthines 8 The Sacramentall signes offer grace vnto all but doe not of their owne nature conferre grace vnto all that doe receiue them 9 Why almighty God would haue the external signes in the Sacramēts to consist of very simple and vsuall things 10 The Sacraments are not naked bare signes 11 The Sacramentes must haue the word of God annexed to them 12 Gods Church hath neede of Sacraments so long as it is in this world 13 The Sacraments are highly to bee esteemed 14 The contempt of the Sacramentes is very daungerous 15 The Sacraments during the tyme of the action of Baptisme of the Lords supper are Sacraments but after the action is ended they are no Sacraments 16 What good we receiue by the Sacraments ⧠A Treatise of the Sacraments 1 What a Sacrament is A Sacrament is a visible signe of an inuisible grace 2 There are but two Sacramentes Baptisme and the Lordes Supper The other fiue which went vnder the name of Sacramentes that is to say Matrimonie Orders Pennaunce Extreme vnction and Confirmation are no Sacramentes SAynt Paule prouing that the Israelites were equal vnto thē of Corinth 1. Cor. chap. 10. ver 2. 3. and consequently of vs in the externall signes of Gods fauour nameth onelye Baptisme and the Lordes Supper wherein hee had dealt verie strangely if of seuen Sacramentes he had left out fiue Two thinges are especially ioyntly required vnto euery necessary Sacrament of the Churche First a sēsible outward element Secondly the word of institution the element in Baptisme is water the elementes in the Lords Supper are bread wyne the word of institution in baptisme is that which is pronounced by the minister I baptize thee in the name of the Father of the Sonne Math. chap. 28. ver 19. and of the holye Ghost the word of institutiō in the Lords supper is 1. Cor. chap. 11. ver 23.24.25 The Lorde Iesus the same night that he was betrayed tooke bread and when he had giuen thanks he brake it and sayde take eate this is my bodie which is broken for you this do ye in remembrance of me After the same maner also he tooke the cup when hee had supped saying this cup is the new Testament in my blood this doe as oft as yee drinke it in remembrance of me Matrimony orders pennance haue the word of God but no outward element Extreme vnction and Confirmation haue neither word nor element Obiection for Matrimony For this cause shall a man leaue father Ephes chap. 5. ver 31 3◠and mother and shal cleaue to his wife they twayne shall be one flesh this is a great mysterie that is to say Sacramēt as the Church of
vnto him Pigions turtle Doues If their abilitie serued not for these they offred a little meale The outwarde signes in the Sacraments are very meane and base things if wee looke on them with the eyes of our fleshe but they are most precious and singuler Iewelles if wee looke on them with the eyes of our fayth and do esteeme them according to the Lordes institution 10 The Sacramentes are not naked and bare signes In Baptisme the efficacie of Gods spirite is present to washe and regenerate those which appertayne vnto God The Lordes Supper is a spirituall banquet 1. Cor. chap. 10. ver 3.4.16 wherein Gods children are truely and in deede fedde with the body and blood of Christ The apostle calleth the Sacrament spirituall meate and spirituall drinke and a litle after in the same chapter hee calleth the cuppe of blessing which we blesse the communion of the blood of Christe and the bread which we break the communion of the body of Christ The Sacraments are not bare signes because we haue the Lords institution they are seales of righteousnes and tokens of grace they are sure warrantes of Gods promises whereby God bindeth himselfe vnto vs and wee likewise stande bounde to his Maiestie so that God is our God and we are his people 11 The Sacramentes must haue the worde of God annexed to them For the worde of institution is the life of the Sacrament The Sacraments are seales of Gods word Rom. chap. 4. verse 11. Therefore where the word of intution is not there is no place left to the Sacraments There is no vse of that seale and in deede it deserues not the name of a seale whiche is put to an vnwritten either paper or parchment Take away the word of institution and what is the water of Baptisme but water Aug. Tract 80. in Iohan. The woorde of institution is added to the element it becomes a Sacrament 12 Gods Churche hath neede of Sacraments so long as it is in the worlde The fayth of Gods children is true that is to say not counterfaite but their faith is not perfit in this life The Sacraments are pillers of our faith Saint Paul hath these wordes as often as ye shall eate this bread and drink this cup 1. Cor cha 11 verse 26. ye shewe the Lordes death till he come whereby it is manifest that vntill Christes seconde comming wee haue both neede and vse of the Sacraments whereof wee shall haue neither vse nor neede in the life to come 13 The Sacramentes are higly to be esteemed The Sacramentes are pillers of our fayth they are glasses wherein we may beholde the riches of Gods grace which he reacheth vnto vs they are the Lordes couenauntes therefore they contayne promises whereby our consciences are lifted vp to the hope of eternall life Gods childrē receiue great benefit by baptisme Galath chap. 3. ver 27. 1. Cor. chap. 10. ver 16. for all that are baptized into Christ haue put on Christ by the Lords supper bicause the bread which we breake is the cōmunion of the bodie of Christ and the cup of blessing is the communion of the bloud of Christ If the Sacramentes are highly to be esteemed what shall we thinke of Pope Iohn the 23. for baptizing and beeing godfather to the great bell of Laterane in Rome of the popish sort for giuing out that we haue nothing but bare bread bare wyne in the holy communion The Sacramentes are highly to bee accounted of and honoured as holy mysteries but they must not bee honoured with diuine honour 14 The contempt of the Sacraments is very daungerous The contempt of Circumcisiō which was one of Gods sacraments was greeuously punished Gen. chap. 17 ver 14. Exod. chap. 4. ver 25. The Angell woulde haue killed Moses because his sonne was not circumcised Negligence in keeping the passeouer Nomb. chap. 9. ver 13. was greeuously punished It is a common a very soūd speech that not the want but the contēpt of haptisme bringeth condemnation The Messalian heretikes did condēne both externall signes Sacraments Obiection The Israelites were not circūcised in the wildernes by the space of 40. yeeres Iosue chap. 5. ver 7. Answere God commaunded the Israelites to goe on continually in their iourney If they had beene circumcised they had not bin able by reason of the sorenes of their bodies Iosue chap. 5. ver 8. to do as God commanded them so that Gods latter commaundement was a dispensation to thē for the omitting and deferring of circumcision Obiection The Apostles would not presse the Gentiles to be circumcised Acts. chap. 15 ver 24.28 Answere Circumcision after Christes ascensiō was not a necessary Sacrament but a thing indifferent that is to say which might for a time eyther be vsed or omitted If it had been a necessary sacramēt in the Primitiue Church Titus should haue beene circumcised Gala. chap. 2. ver 3. as Timothie was Besides circumcision after Christes ascension might not be thrust vppon the Gentiles Acts. chap. 16. ver 3. because Moses must giue place to Christ Iesus 15 The Sacraments during the time of the action of Baptisme and of the Lordes Supper are Sacramentes but after the action is ended they are no Sacramentes The elements in the sacrament during the time of the action which they serue for are true signes and pledges of the things signified by thē for in baptisme Christes bloud is propounded to vs as a lauer with which bloud we being washed are more and more graft into Christ buried together with Christ In the Lords supper Christes body and bloud is giuen to vs 1. Cor. chap. 10. ver 16. and that by distinct and seueral signes I meane the bread the wine as our true meate and true drinke vnto life euerlasting When the action of baptisme the Lords supper is ended the water in the font is no Sacrament but simple and common water and the bread and wine in the Lordes supper are not the Sacrament of Christes body bloud but commō bread and commō wine Therefore their fault is great which after the action of the Sacrament is ended eyther reserue any part of the elementes for Sacramentes or doe thinke that a mowse dogge or such like tasting or eating of the bread after the Lords supper is ended doe receiue the Sacrament whereas it is a certaine truth that if eyther mowse or dogge shoulde eate of the bread in the Lordes Supper during the time of the holy action they neyther doe receiue nor can be saide to receiue the Sacrament at any hande For seeing the Sacraments are seales of Gods promises touching eternall life it is certayne that no such seale is or can be giuen vnto or receiued by thē to whom Gods promise of eternal life in no wise doth appertayne 16 What good we receiue by the Sacramentes We are put in mynde by the Sacraments of Christes