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A68467 A treatise of the sacraments according to the doctrin of the Church of England touching that argument Collected out of the articles of religion, the publique catechism, the liturgie, and the book of homilies. With a sermon preached in the publique lecture, appointed for Saint Pauls Crosse, on the feast of Saint Iohn Baptist, Iune 24. 1638. / By T.B. Pr. Pl. Bedford, Thomas, d. 1653. 1638 (1638) STC 1789; ESTC S113179 66,854 266

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this form of Administration together with the proper element of Baptism by which even the Priests of the worst times baptised Infants into the true faith of Christ and like a leprous and infectious mother is the present Church of Rome she beareth and bringeth forth sound children but presently hazardeth the infection of them with her milk as it were with deadly poyson That this Element together with the Ceremony and the form of words used in the Administration were all of them ordeined by Christ is so plain by that text Mat. 28. that it cannot be denied thus have we manifested both the Essence and Originall of Baptism CHAP. III. The manifestation of the Essence and Originall of the Lords Supper TOuching this our Church saith that the Element or outward part in the Lords Supper is Bread and Wine which the Lord hath commanded to be received thereby teaching us both the number and names of the Elements and also the Originall of this sign or which is all one the ground of our receiving For the NVMBER of Elements there are two yet not two Sacraments no both make but one Sacrament for which they are joyned together in this sacred action to teach us the full sufficiencie of spirituall nourishment which is in Christ. Corporal nourishment must consist of something moist and something dry and he that partaketh not of both hath not sufficient so here we have both in Christ and therefore need not seek elsewhere The NAMES of these two Elements are Bread and Wine not Flesh and Blood which happly would have carried a greater resemblance of that which is thereby signified lest it might have been impiously thought to have been prepared for Cannibals not for Christians but Bread and Wine which have an excellent proportion and Analogicall Representation of what is here remembred as shall be shewed in the seventh Chapter The ORIGINALL of these Elements and the ground of our receiving is the cōmand of the Lord expressely mentioned by S. Matthew Mark and Luke and out of S. Luke repeated verbatim by S. Paul Whence appeareth the abominable impietie and horrible sacriledge of the present Church of Rome which hath not only appointed new ends and uses of the Sacraments Circumgestation and Adoration which Christ and his Church never did once dream of but also hath deprived the Laity of the Cup altogether And whereas Christ saith drink ye all of this She saith no not all of you but only the Clergie must the rest must be content with their wafer cake for more they get not Object That word Omnes All of you is to be restrained to the Apostles who alone were present Sol And to whom must the other Omnes which tho not expressed is yet understood in the precept of eating to whom I say must that be extended To whom doth Saint Paul direct that Canon Cor. 11.28 Let him eat let him drink Why do they not also take away the Bread from the Laitie as well as the Cup since none but the Apostles were present But to let these bellies passe all that desire the benefit of the Sacraments must know it to be their dutie to eat and drink the Bread and Wine which the Lord hath commanded to be received Ob. But blood was never used for nutrition nay the eating or drinking thereof is directly prohibited Gen. 9.4 and Levit. 7.14 and much more the blood of man why then are these men blamed that forbeare to drink that in its type and figure which manifestly was forbidden to be drunk in its proper substance Sol We are not to depart from the letter of Christs Precept because we cannot untie the knots of humane Curiosity Blood indeed was never lawfully drunk much lesse the blood of man but alwayes shed for expiation and therefore it might to carnall reason seem as incongruous to drink it in its type and figure as it is congruous to eat flesh in its figure which was allowed for the proper food and nourishment of the body yet since Christ hath commanded us to drink that Wine which he himselfe hath called his blood we must do what he biddeth and leav him to stop the mouths of Cavillers when God calls for obedience by the letter of his word we must not stand to ask him the ground and reason of his Commandement Duties belong to us Reasons to God Note that as the Bread accidentally was unlevened that Bread I mean which Christ our Saviour used at the first institution so also the wine in the Cup was not intentionally provided for this new Sacrament our Saviour took such ordinary provision as the custome of the country used in the Passeover happily also the wine that he used was mingled with water it being the custome of the country to dash their wine to prevent Drunkennesse which things are fit to be noted lest we should place any superstition in the imitation or not imitation of those things whih were but accidentall The Catholick Church hath appointed Wine to be used yet indulgence was granted to the Norwegians to use other drinks The reformed Churches some of them put leaven into the bread some of them banish water out of the wine And in these things tho the text of Scripture impose no necessity but leav a liberty yet is it fitting that men should in conscience use their liberty according to the Canons and Constitutions of the Church CHAP. IV. The inward Grace signified by the outward Elements THE Sign in either of these two Sacraments as we have heard is externall and visible now what is signified by these Elements cometh to be enquired this is called a Grace and it is said to be inward and spirituall Particularly the inward part and thing s●gnified by the Bread and Wine saith our Church is the body and blood of Christ by the bread is signified the Body and by the wine the Blood both which being found in Christ do set forth the truth of his Humanity but being considered in their separation that is as separated really one from the other they do set forth the truth of Christs death A reall separation of the blood from the body is here in the Sacrament represented and set forth in the locall distance of the two Elements the bread in one vessell by it selfe the wine in another by it selfe for which cause the Elements ought not to be mingled together The Elements are bread and wine Not a sopp because not the blood of Christ while it was running in the veins but when it was shed upon the ground is signified in the Sacrament so much is plain out of the words of our blessed Saviour touching the Cup This is my blood of the new Testament which is shed for many plain also it is out of the speciall end of the Institution of this Sacrament which saith our Church out of Saint Paul is for a continuall remembrance of the death of Christ c. But of this hereafter Now
acquaint us with this Redemption is the ministery of the Word and Sacraments And here is the businesse and malice of Sathan that grand enemy of our Salvation Hee could not hinder the work of our Redemption but hee will do what hee can to hinder us from the knowledge and comfort of the same For this end one while hee seeketh to darken the light of the Sunne otherwhiles to oppresse the heat thereof sometimes to trouble the pure streams of knowledge running in the word sometimes to turne aside the waters of comfort streaming in the Sacraments Here then is the office of the Church and the members thereof to preserve as much as they can the text of holy Scripture and the Doctrine of the holy Sacraments free from all Corruption To preserve I say if it may be or else to vindicate both the one and the other from that which is contracted that in them and by them the Children of the Church may bee able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that so th●y may be filled with all the fulnesse of God Since the time that Popery truly so called hath beene discovered to be meere delusion rather than true Christian doctrine by the light of the glorious Gospell in this later age breaking forth like the Sunne from under some cloud It may be worth our labour to note how by little and little one point after another hath beene purged from corruption and by the labours of of the industrious learned brought to that light and perfection that we cannot readily see what more can be added If any thing bee yet wanting it is time that the labours of the faithfull Ministerie be applied to the doctrine of the Sacraments that it also may be yet further cleared from the misconceits of errour and ignorance and the people taught to yeeld that respect and honour which is due to that sacred ordinance For this cause have I tho the unablest of many set pen to paper that what light my selfe have gained by perusing the doctrine of our Church touching this argument I may not envy it to others a fault too frequent in this age but rather present it to their view that others also may see the same and so receive more fruit and comfort by the Sacraments than hitherto At least that hereby they may be stirred up to dig deeper and seek further than happily as yet they have done into the doctrine and usefulnesse of these sacred mysteries To come to the knowledge of the nature and use of the Sacraments three things are especially to be learned viz. What a Sacrament is Why it was instituted and what qualification is required in the Receivers To these three heads may well bee reduced whatsoever is needfull especially for the vulgar for whose sake I undertook this task needfull I say to be known In the handling of which I will precisely follow the doctrine of the Church of England not only because by subscription I am bound to acknowledge it for a truth but also because ind●ed it doth best agree with the text of sacred writ and doth most fully and clearly explicate the sacred truth of this most usefull doctrine CHAP. I. What a Sacrament is THE Notation of the word we leave to Criticks together with the common use thereof in humane Authors As it is used by Divines we are to speak of it And so the Church defineth Sacraments to be not only badges of Christian mens profession but rather they bee certain sure testimonies and effectuall signes of grace and Gods good will towards us By which he doth work invisibly in us and doth not only quicken but also strengthen and confirme our faith in him Thus in the Articles of Religion enacted and established Anno 1562. Afterward in the second book of Homilies viz. in that of Common-prayer and Sacraments out of Saint Augustine is confirmed the common description of a Sacrament which saith the Homily is that it is a visible signe of an invisible grace that is to say that setteth out to the eyes and other outward senses the inward working of Gods free mercy and doth as it were seal in our hearts the promises of God A little after distinguishing of Sacraments according to the exact signification of the word from the generall acception of the same it sheweth that in the exact signification of the word Sacraments are visible signes expresly commanded in the new Testament whereunto is annexed the promise of free forgivenesse and of our holinesse and joyning to Christ. To the same effect and almost in the same words hath Mr. Nowell in his larger Catechisme set down the definition of a Sacrament Out of all which when in the conference at Hampton Court Anno 1603 in the first yeare of King Iames of blessed memory it was motioned granted and appointed that something should bee added to the Catechisme in the Communion book for the doctrine of the Sacraments this definition was collected viz. That a Sacrament is an outward visible signe of an inward and spirituall grace given unto us ordained by Christ himselfe as a mean whereby we receive the same and as a pledge to assure us thereof In which description beside the end of the Institution which I reserve to speak of by it selfe in the second part wee have a cleare expression of the Quiddity and Essence of the Sacraments together with the Author and Originall of them Of which in order The Essence of a Sacrament THis is conteined in the Genus and Species The Genus or common nature of a Sacrament is that it is a sign The Specificall nature or difference of a Sacrament is that it is externall and visible A SIGN This I say sets forth the common nature of a Sacrament The word is a note of Relation and puts us upon this question Whereof is it a sign The answer is ready A sign of grace The Article addeth signs of grace and Gods good will towards us What this Grace this effect of Gods good will to us ward is wee shall best determin when wee find it in the severall Sacraments For the present the Church saith it is Inward and spirituall that is such a Grace as resteth not in the body but reacheth to the inner man the Soul and Spirit Moreover it is a grace given unto us not only reported or proffered but also given and put into our possession OUTVVARD and VISIBLE This word puts a difference betwixt this and other signs of grace This is a signe for Representation and therefore must be obvious to the senses By these is knowledge conveyed into the understanding Thus is the Body a loving yoke-fellow and helper to the Soul Neither is this sign only outward but also visible and subject to the Eye Herein differing from the word Grace maketh way into the Soul by the Eare by the Eye By the Eare in the
a spirituall strengthning and refreshing of the soul to cure those spirituall diseases to which the soul is subject These diseases are spirituall weakness and weariness faintings and defectiveness Apostacie and declination That this is so not only the frequent admonitions and exhortations in sacred Scripture do pre-suppose but also is confirmed by reason and evidenced by too wofull experience Reason to confirm this may be drawn from the nature of grace it self which is no part of the soul nor any faculty in the soul but only a quality dwelling in the soul as light in the Ayr heat in the water or rather as sap in the branches for as they dry up and wither if either the union of them to the root be cut off or the passage of the sap be hindred and interrupted so is it here that is except there be a conscionable use and attendance upon the word and Sacraments we cannot expect that grace should live The seed of the New-birth is termed incorruptible by S. Peter because by using the means appointed it is preserved from decay Not so is it in the naturall birth no use of means no food nor physick can preserv the liveliness of that beyond an appointed time Nay even the preparation of a Remedy is the supposition of a malady As therefore the ordination of Baptism to incorporate us first into Christ doth prov that by nature we are wild Olives so the ordination of this Sacrament to continue this Union and from this Union continued to convey spirituall strength and refreshing doth sufficiently prov what would become of us after we are in the state of grace if God should leav man to himself Behold then the goodness of our God who knowing our malady hath provided a Remedy this Remedy is to partake of the holy Sacrament of Christs most blessed body and blood for which cause our duty is to frequent the same both to prevent but especially to repaire the decays of grace in the soul so then dost thou keep thy standing in grace hast thou as yet not failed nor faultred yet be not high-minded but fear the worst thou knowst not what tentations may encounter thee nor how much strength thou shalt need Go therefore to the Sacrament that thy soul may be strengthned thy strength increased prevent a mischief But now hast thou failed stumbled fallen oh then make haste to this blessed Ordinance that thou mayst be refreshed and recovered See then how much they are Enemies to their own souls who suffer themselvs to be hindred and kept away from this blessed Ordinance whether it be through covetousness or consciousness While men covet revenge or as they use to speak while they desire to right themselves by following the Law they lose the benefit of Receiving not that they must needs forbear but Sathan doth so disturb the passion in them while they prosecute the Law that they cannot settle their thoughts to so holy a work Consciousness also keeps many back from the Sacrament when sinn hath gotten into the soul and guilt hath crept into the conscience we dare not present our selvs before God but like our father Adam do hide our selvs and prov the greatest enemies to our own souls To shut up this point see how each Sacrament doth work as a convenient means to produce that end for which they were ordained Baptism is appointed to admit us into the Covenant of grace to give us our first title and interest in Christ and in it we have wrought in us Remission and Renovation a death unto sinn and a new birth unto Righteousness The Lords Supper doth strengthen and refresh our souls and therefore fitly appointed and designed to this end to be the Sacrament of our Confirmation By Baptism as we heard the soul was regenerate and made partaker of the seeds of grace These seeds being watered and as it were hatched up by the Ministry of the word are strengthned ripened and confirmed by the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and now is the faithfull soul confirmed in the state of grace and certain expectation of eternall Salvation For the close of all that hath been said touching the efficacy of the Sacraments peruse those few lines which our Church hath set down in the first part of that Homily which intreateth of the worthy receiving and reverend esteeming of the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ. The words are these We need not to think that such exact knowledg is required of every man that he be able to discuss all high points of the doctrin thereof But this much we must be sure to hold that in the Supper of the Lord there is no vain ceremony no bare sign no untrue figure of a thing absent But as the Scripture saith the Table of the Lord the bread and cup of the Lord the memory of Christ the annuntiation of his death yea the Communion of the body and blood of the Lord in a marvelous incorporation which by the operation of the holy Ghost the very bond of our Conjunction with Christ is through faith wrought in the souls of the faithfull wherby not only their souls live to eternall life but they surely trust to winn their bodies a Resurrection to immortality The true understanding of this fruition and union which is betwixt the body and the head betwixt the true beleevers and Christ the Ancient Catholick Fathers both perceiving themselvs and commending to their people were not afraid to call this Supper some of them the salv of immortality and sovereign Preservative against death Others a Deificall Communion Others the sweet dainties of our Saviour the pledg of eternall health the defence of faith the hope of Resurrection Others the food of immortality the healthfull grace and the Conservatory to everlasting life All which sayings both of the holy Scriptures and godly men truly attributed to this celestiall banquet and feast if we often call to mind oh how would they inflame our hearts to desire the participation of these mysteries and oftentimes to covet after this bread continually to thirst for this food CHAP. X. Corollaries drawn from the Premisses FRom the observation of the particular and speciall ends of either Sacrament may the reason be givē why Baptism is administred and received but once the Lords Supper oftentimes The ground of which practice binding us to obedience under correction I speak it I take to be not any direct text of Scripture either commanding the one or prohibiting the other but the tradition of the ancient Church received and approved by the constitution of the present Church Neither is this therfore in the liberty of the Church to alter both because the Antiquity and Universality of it doth prov it to be Apostolicall and also because the originall of this custome may in a certain sence be said to be Divine This originall is the analogie and proportion which holdeth between the Sacraments of the old Testament and the
is that we are conformable to him in mortification Now to be baptised into the Communion of Christs death what is it else but by Baptism to be partaker of his death and consequently discharged from the Dominion of sin So the Doctrin Doct. Christians howsoever before their Baptism they be servants of sin yet by Baptism they are freed from the service and dominion therof The uses of this Doctrin are three-fold First for instruction shewing the efficacy of Baptism touching which two cautions 1. That the efficacy of the Sacrament is but instrumentall 2. That it pre-supposeth a right Qualification in the Receiver Secondly For consolation to Parents in respect of their children dying in infancy Quest. Whether all infants be regenerate in Baptism An Answer set down in two conclusions An objection taken from the usuall phrase of Preachers in pressing the duty of attendance upon the means of grace The answer to it Thirdly for exhortation And this directed First to Parents To watch carefully over their children that they be not re-enslaved To acquaint them with this benefit to call upon them c. Secondly To all Christians In generall to walk as Free-men In speciall to hinder the reign of sinn in themselves Object I fain would do so but am not able Sol. Christians have helps to subdue the power of sinn sc. An interest First In the blood of Christ streaming in the Sacraments Secondly In the Communion of Saints the Churches Prayers A Caveat That if Christians desire this benefit they must not forfeit their interest by running into tentation Hitherto the copy of the Sermon These two little books not much unlike to the poore widows two mites have I cast into the Treasury of the Church I pray God they may be no less accepted with God and all good men that so the succesfulness of these my poore endevours may encourage me to go on cheerfully in the work of my Ministery and to bestow some bigger volumn upon the Library of this Church and Nation I know we are not born for our selvs alone not for this present age alone I should choose rather to be too busie in this kind and to over-do rather than to be wanting to my place and people I cannot hope to live at least not here wher I am til I see the harvest of my seeds time the fruits of my labour here bestowed We of the Ministery commonly our greatest comfort is in the happy growth of grace in those whom at our first entrance we find to be of tender years Nor do I doubt but that amongst these there will be found some that hereafter will rejoyce in the remembrance of those holy truths which they have heard received and gathered up in their attendance upon my poore labours and they will say this and this did I then heare and learn and tho for the present I felt no great sweetness in it yet do I now taste it and know it to the holy truth of God In particular this Doctrin of the Sacraments and their efficacy which seemed so strange and uncouth in the ears of divers of the elder Audience will by the younger sort be received now and hereafter remembred with happy congratulation Now then for their sakes that they may keep fresh in memory what they have heard that they may recall to mind what perhaps hath slipt and is forgotten have I sent abroad these and if God say amen I shall send abroad some other of my notes For their sakes I say that they may have wherwithall to perswade others what themselvs do know viz. That those things to use the phrase of the Disciples to Saint Paul in a case not much unlike that those things wherof divers have been informed concerning me are nothing but that I also walk orderly and keep the Law The law I mean of holy teaching and edification not wasting the time in curious and needless speculations but endevouring pro posse meo both plainly to explicate and profitably to apply what the text of Holy Writ hath led me to In the prosecuting of which if I have proceeded otherwise as some say than others have done before me let the indifferent Reader do that which those Hearers should have done sc. try and examine which of us doth most neerly follow the steps of the holy Scripture and tread in the path of our Mother-Church To me I confess it is a scruple to depart from the pattern of wholsome Doctrin to the which I have subscribed if it be not so to others it is not my fault if I dare not follow them But there is a generation of men who have learned to pretend the authority of such Worthies and such grave Divines meerly to countenance what themselvs have pitcht upon in prejudice and opposition of the present Ministery This was say they the Doctrin this the opinion of such and such when upon due examination their judgment was nothing so but clean contrary That this may not hereafter befall me this Treatise shall be a witness to the world what I beleev what I have taught as touching this Argument The scope wherof in brief is to shew That the effect of the Sacraments is ou● union with Christ The fruit is communion in his Merits and Graces in his merits for Remission in his Graces for Regeneration both which are begun in Baptism and perfectly consummate in the Lords Supper This is all Farewell dear Christian Reader pray for him who hath devoted himself and the strength of his labours to the advancement of thy spirituall welfare Let thy prayers commend me and my labours to the blessing of our heavenly Father In whom I rest Thine The Lords unworthy servant in the work of the Ministry T. B. A TREATISE OF THE SACRAMENTS The Preface GReat was the love of our blessed Saviour to the sinful race of the sons of men Greatly did it appeare by that Redemption which by his death is purchased This hath recovered to us the favour of God which is to us the deep and inexhaustible fountain of all goodnesse yet hath not the love of Christ our Saviour stayed here hee thought not this sufficient but hath added the Revelation of this benefit for our Comfort Yea hee hath also wisely invented the way by which this benefit might be conveyed to us and we put in full possession of the same Nor is the later a lesse demonstration of his singular love than the former Without the Redemption purchased what are wee but a masse of misery borne to endlesse woe and irrecoverable destruction Without the Revelation of this Redemption and the means by which it may become ours what is this life of ours but a perpetuall disconsolation Wherefore so often as wee blesse God for the benefit of our Redemption purchased by the blood of Christ so often let us remember to praise him for the Revelation of it made unto us by his spirit The way and meanes by which the spirit of Christ doth