articles of faith but seale vp such as are offered in the word Secondly although god vse them as instruments of his grace yet the especiall working and forcible power of them is not in them but dependeth on God alone so that we must not thinke that whosoeuer partaketh them is partaker of grace saluation for giuenesse of sinnes and euerlasting glorie but the vertue of them floweth from him onely as from a fountaine A man may heare the word and receiue the Sacraments al the daies of his life and be neuer the better except God change the minde open the heart enlighten the vnderstanding clense the conscience and sanctifie the affections to his glory Thirdly as the preaching of the word profiteth nothing vnlesse it be vnderstood applyed and receiued but tendeth to iudgement so the Sacraments except we bring the hand of faith with vs cannot giue vs faith nor grace but tend to our condemnation Yet as the Gospel is alwaies the sauour of life vnto life of it own nature and the word liuely and of comfortable operation howsoeuer the vnfaithfull turne it to be the sauour of death vnto death So the Sacramentes cease not in themselues to be true Sacraments although they be administred by vnworthy ministers and receiued by vnsaithfull people For mans wickednesse cannot peruert much lesse euert the nature of Gods ordinance Lastly as the best seede springeth not vp and bringeth not fruite so soone as it is sowne but lieth a time couered in the earth to take rooting so the fruite reaped by the word and benifit receiued by the Sacraments presently appeareth not but groweth and increaseth at the time appointed of God who will blesse them in his elect at what season himselfe hath ordained Thus we see what the word and Sacraments haue in common both are instruments of the same grace both haue their benifit blessing and force depending on God both require faith to be mingled with them without which they are vnprofitable and lastly they profit not by and by at the same moment they are published administred heard or receiued but God afterward worketh often-times by them in his children to their great comfort when all fruite to come by them seemed to be buried The disciples at the first vnderstood no more of Christs resurrection then the vnbeleeuing Iewes when he sayde 3 Destroy this Temple and I will build it againe in three daies but they lay it vp in their hearts and long afterward remember the wordes hee spake vnto them So when they saw Christ ryding to Hcirusalem the multitude spreading their garments in the way and cutting downe branches from the trees the 〈◊〉 moued and Children crying in the Temple Hosanna the Sonne of Dauid they vnderstood none of those thinges at the first But when Iesus was glorified then remembred they that these thinges were written of him and that they had done such thinges vnto him If then at the present time of our hearing or receuing we finde not nor feel the fruit and comfort we desire let vs not doubt dispaire but waite on God who in his owne appointed times will make his owne ordinances auaileable to all his seruants Thus much of the things that are common to the word and Sacraments In the next place let vs see what they haue proper and peculiar and so differ one from another First forasmuch as the Sacraments are appurtenances and dependances to the word and are applyed to this end to seale vp our communion with Christ and our fellowship one with another it appeareth that in men of riper yeares the teaching and hearing of the word preached and the open confession and profession of faith did go before participation of the Sacraments as Math. 28. Go teach all Nations that is make them disciples of Christ gaue them to the faith as the o worde signifieth and then Baptize them Thus Phillip taught the Eunuch before he baptized him Act. 8. to whom when the Eunuch said What letteth me to be baptized Phillip answered If thou beleeuest with all thine hart thou maiest and he said I beleeue that Iesus Christ is the sonne of God And act 10 Can any forbid water that these should not be baptized which haue receiued the holy ghost as wel as we In deede touching childrens baptizme there is another especiall respect to be had of which we shal speake afterward But touching others this is in difference between them that where as the worde was offered euen to such as were out of the Church not hauing heard of the name of Christ and none excluded or debarred from the hearing of it whether beleeuers or vnbeleeuers holy or prophane 1 Cor. 14. No person being an vnbeleeuer or infidell was euer admitted to the Sacraments although he shuld offer himselfe for that had bin to giue that which is holy to Dogs and to cast pearles before Swine but such onely as were instructed in the faith had made publike confession therof as members of the church An other difference is in the necessity end and vse of the one and of the other The preaching of the word is the ordinarye meanes and instrument of the holy ghost to beget and beginne faith in vs except God doe deale extraordinaryly which of vs is not to bee looked for and none hath entrance to Christ but by faith so that men if they will be saued must heare it But the Sacramentes are of another nature they cannot ingender faith in vs we must bring faith with vs least wee partake them vnworthyly so that hee which beleeueth and could not come to the Sacramentes is yet partaker of saluation Wherefore the necessity of them is not simply and absolutely so great that without exception a man cannot be saued without them for it is the contempt not the want of them that bringeth danger and damnation Thirdly it may sometimes fall out that in a visible Church the worde preached may bee founde as an essentiall note of the Church without the Sacraments and yet be a true Church of God so that the worde may bee without the Sacramentes but the Sacramentes cannot be without the worde as a writinge may be without a seale but not the seale without the writing Set a seale to a blanke and is it not vaine voyde and vnprofitable Last of all the Preaching of the word rouseth and affecteth onelye one of the senses to witte the eares wee fee it not wee touch it not wee handle it not onely wee heare the sound thereof but the Sacramentes are offered to the eyes as wel as to the eares so that we do euen behold Iesus Christ as it wer crucified before vs nay they moue stir vp the rest of the senses wherby we may vnderstand what they bring how they auaile vnto our faith making vs after a sort to handle christ with our hāds to see him with our eies to tast him and touch him with our whole
and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this cup. Where he giueth a double commaundement first to appeare reuerently then to receiue worthily Now al that must proue and try themselues are commaunded not only to eate bread but to drink of the cup but al must try and examine themselues therfore al are commanded both to eat and drink at the lords table If this be a commaundement to examine then the wordes following of eating and drinking are likewise commandements There is no halting in these let them admit both or let them deny both Eightly if the faithfull take not the cup in the supper of the lord the condicion of Christians vnder the Gospel shal be worse then of the Isralites vnder the law For the people of Israell in the wildernesse hauing the same sacrament in effect with vs Did all drinke of the spiritual rock that followed them and that rock was Christ as the Apostle affirmeth But out condicion is not worser and weaker then theirs therefore all the faithful are to drink of the cup of the lord Bellarmine the Souldan of the Romish Synagogue answereth thus They drunke not water out of the rock when they did eate of the spirituall meate but in another place and at an other time But this is an answearlesse answer which cannot satisfie For albeit the sacraments of the Isralites as figures and types did represent the same graces that our Sacraments do yet it is not necessary they should in all pointes answer each other and in all respectes agree together Besides the Church of Rome at no time aloweth the people to drinke of the Wine a seale of the blood of Christ they keepe them from the cup of the Lord both when they giue them the bread and at all other times and thereby make their estate worse then the estate of the Iewes Indeed if they did at any time permit al the people to drink of the cup they might pretend this example of the Israelites but inasmuch as they vtterly deny them this part of the cup they ouerthrow themselues in their malice and yet in their blindnes they do not see it Lastly many of the fathers did both eate Manna and 〈◊〉 water out of the rock if not in the same place yet at one the same time inasmuch as they gathered thereof euery morning and it ceased not vntill they entred the frontiers and confines of the land of promise But they neuer alow without a toleration and dispensation the people in any place at any time vpon any occasion and in any respect to tast of the cup in the Lords supper Ninthly if the cup of the new testament may be taken from the Lordes people in like manner the water in baptisme may be taken away froÌ„ them For the blood of christ whereby remission of sins is purchased and procured is represented by the wine of the Lordes Supper as well as by the water in baptisme But the water in baptisme without great sacriledge cannot be omitted or neglected wherefore then should the cup be taken away Lastly if any part of the supper might be taken away from the people then like wise the word of God may be taken from them for in this point there is the same reason and respect of them both A Sacrament is nothing else but a visible word and a sealing vp of the word and the offence semeth to be the same whether a man break the seale or rent the writing But the word cannot be withdrawen froÌ„ Christian people it being the instrument of faith and the life of the Church Wherefore it is the greatest wrong and iniury done to the people of God to take from them the cup of saluation The answer to this reason must be to confesse the parts and yeeld the conclusion forasmuch as by forbidding the people the reading of the Scriptures they haue robbed them of the word of God and taken from them the key of knowledge neither entring themselues into the kingdom of heauen nor suffering those that would enter No marueile then if they take the cup of blessing from the people who haue taken from them the free vse of the word of God To conclude these reasons it is Antichrist who contrary to the doctrine of christ contrary to the institution of the supper contrary to the practise of the Apostles and contrary to the vse of the former churches hath excluded the people languishing and thâ—â—sting after the blood of christ as the dry earth for the sweete shewers of raine from taking the cup of the lord and left them a dry coÌ„munion to eat the bread of the sacrament alone Hauing considered the truth of God by sundry reasons grounded in the scripture that the people haue good interest and title in the cup denied vnto them let vs answer the obiections of the aduersaries made against the former doctrine First they pretend that christ administred it to the apostles only and not to any of the people consequently the institution for taking the cup can be no general coÌ„maundement for al men thus the Rhemistes reason I answer first it may be doubted and disputed whether onely the Apostles were present at his last Supper For seeing diuerse were added vnto the church and professed the faith of christ seeing he had other disciples beside the twelue seeing many Godly men and women followed him to see his miracles and to hear the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth why should we think that none of them were admiâ—ted to his table who had often heard his preaching and depended vpon him in their liuing Again the passeouer was celebrated in that house of a faithful man as may be collected by sundry circumstances now theÌ„ either the lord Iesus annexed that famely vnto his as the law in one case appointed or else we shall haue two passe-ouers at one time in one house which hath no warrant of scripture no colour of truth no probability of reason We read in the institution celebration of the passe-ouer of ioyning house to house and taking his neighbor next vnto him in case of the insufficiency of one houshold to eate the lambe but we neuer read of killing two lambes and keeping two passeouers vnder one roofe Besides the smal remnant of the faithful among the Iewes would no-doubt rightly and religiously obserue the passe-ouer after the example of their lord and maister rather according to the precept of Moses ' then aceording to the practise of the Iewes in imitation of christ rather then according to the tradition of the elders Furthermore we are to consider that in eating the passeouer they sorted theÌ„selues together according to the number of the persons able to eate vp the lambe for they commanded to take A lambe without blemish a male of a yeare old if the houshold be to little for the lambe he shal take his neighbour which is next vnto
promise the partakers of the same hope the members of the same bodye and the professors of the same faith to contend and striue one against another to delight in brauling fighting quarrelling and to norish hatred malice rancour spite enuy biting and backbiting one of another If Ephraim be set against Manasses and Manasses against Ephraim if Brother be diuided against brother if we bite one at another let vs take heed least we be consumed one of another The sonnes of God are renewed into the image ofGod to resemble their heauenly father in true holines and doe all weare the same cognizance and liuery For the Sacraments are the marks of Ch. sheepe whereby they are knowne and discerned so that all our discentions diuisions railings reuilings disgracings and defacings one of another tend to the reproch and dishonour of our common father and do giue an heauy testimony against our souls with God and his elect Angels For how do we approach vnto God how do we come into his presence With what harts do we pray before him and vnto him Are we not taught to aske forgiuenes of our sins as we forgiue the trespasses done vnto vs It then we be malicious and enuious and carry the fresh remembrance of wronges in our hearts to pursue them with reuenge do we not pray against our selues Do we not beseech God to poure out vengance vpon vs Do we not open our mouths to our owne destruction For when wee vse our tongues to say Lord forgiue vs for euen we forgiue is it not asmuch as if we should pray forgiue vs not Lord for we do not we will not forgiue others Therefore after the forme of prayer giuen to the Disciples Christ addeth If ye do forgiue men their trespasses your heauenly father will also forgiue you but if ye do not forgiue men their trepasses no more will your father forgiue you your trespasses And as he exhorteth that when they stand and appeare before the Altar they must forgiue so when we appeare at the Lords table we must forgiue if we haue any thing against any man that our father also which is in heauen may forgiue vs our trespasses Now if we woulde be directed to knowe whether this loue be is vs or not wee may try our owne hearts by these holy properties and blessed effectes described by the Apostle 1 cor xiii Loue saith he suffereth long it is bountifull loue enuieth not loue doth not boast itselfe it is not puffed vp it disdaineth not it seeketh not her owne things it is not prouoked to anger it thinketh not euill it reioyceth not in iniquity but reioyceth in the truth it suffereth all things it beleeueth al thinges it hopeth al things it endureth al things Heere we may see what manner of loue ought to be in vs. Euery one of vs must indeuour that all the parts of this description may rightly agree to euery one of vs and truely be found in vs toward all men euen our enimies as we see Iesus Christ hath left vs an example of his loue when he praied for his enimies that crucified and cruelly entreated him father forgiue them for they know what they do and this did stephen to those that stoned him Lord lay not this sin to their charge This is the way let vs walke in it this was their practise let vs follow it Thus we haue shewed the necessity of examination of ourselues before we come to the Lordes supper and declared the parts wherein it standeth and the manner how it is to be performed If we come furnished with these things with sauing knoledg with iustifieng faith with vnfained repentance with a louing and longing reconciliation towarde our brethren among whom we liue hauing as much as is possible Peace with all men yea euen our enimies let vs not abstaine from the Lordes table by reason of some frailties and infirmities in vs for God couereth them and will not bring them into remembrance as we see 2. Chron 30. A multitude of people had not clensed themselues yet did eate the passeouer but not as it was writen wherfore Hezekiah praied for them saying The good God be merciful toward him that prepareth his whole hart to seeke the Lord god the god of his fathers though he be not clensed according to the purification of the sanctuarie and the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people Where we see that because their hart was vpright and sincere their wants and imperfections were not imputed vnto them For God respecteth the truth of the inward partes and pard oneth their sinnes that thus prepare their harts to seeke him So then they were greatly deceiued that thoght they honoured the Sacrament by abstaining from it it is not honoured but dishonoured not hallowed but prophaned not regarded reuerently but reproched greeuously by our wilfull abstinence as the Apostle teacheth 1 cor 11. let a man examin himself and so let him eat of this bread and drink of this cup. He doth not say let him proue himselfe and so let him abstaine For the Sacrament is abused as well by forbearing hauing examined our selues as by not examining our selues and receiuing vnworthily And thus much of examination and the manner to be obserued therein Chap. 20. The conclusion containing an abridgement of the whole treatise THe effect of that which hath bene deliuered hitherto in these Books may thus be gathred into a short sum and abridgement We haue declared that God in al times and ages of the church from the first being of our first parents hath to his word and promises anexed sacraments as seales of assurance for the confirmation of them therby magnifieng his owne mercy toward his people shewing our weaknes and vnworthines and condemning such as oftentimes desire to come to the Lordes table but esteeme little of the preaching of the word whereas the word and Sacraments haue one and the same author they are instruments of the same grace their whole force and effect dependeth on God they require faith to be mingled with them they profit not alway at the very moment of hearing and receiuing Notwithstanding some differences wee find betweene them as namely in the greater necessity of the worde then of the Sacramentes Infidels were neuer barred from hearing the word when they would become hearers thereof and whereas the word affecteth one only of the sences to wit the hearing the Sacraments 〈◊〉 offered to the eies as well as to the eares and so in some sort become more effectuall then the word Touching the worde Sacrament it is drawne from martiall discipline and properly signifieth the Souldiers othe whereby hee bindeth himselfe to his Captaine which worde being vsed by the olde Latine interpreter is now become ordinary and common in the Church which is not mentioned in so many sillables in the Scriptures And howsoeuer the word be often taken in a large and generall signification yet
10 hee sealeth vp the promise maketh it eff 〈◊〉 Christ Iesus chap. 1 who is the truth and 〈◊〉 of all sacraments the faithful receiuer c. xii 〈◊〉 christ apylieth him to himselfe the Vses see this letterb. the vses of a sacrament are three to strengthen and confirme faith chap. 13 〈◊〉 God is true in his promises Many of the faithfull first beleeued before they didde partake the sacraments to be a seale of the 〈◊〉 chap. 14 these are the articles of agreement between God who promiseth Forgiuenesse of sinnes Adoption of son nes Possession of Heauen Man 〈◊〉 hoe promiseth to beleeue the promises to loue his Brethren Enimies to performe Obedsence to be badges of our christian profession chap. 15 the number of them See the letter a that Baptisme and the Lords supper are the two onely sacramentes of the New testament chap. 16 that 〈◊〉 is no sacrament chap 17 that popish pennance is no sacrament chap. 18 that Matrimony is no sacrament chap 19 that Orders are no sacrament chap 20 that extreame unction is no sacrament chap 21 A Table of the contents of the Second Booke Baptism is the first sacramēt wherin by outward washing of the bodie once in the name of the father the son and of the holy ghost the inward cleansing of the soule is represented chap. 1 In Baptisme consider the partes are twofold chap. 3 Outwarde partes Minister chap. 3 whose dutie it is to Sanctifie the water Wash the party Word of institution Baptise in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holy ghost chapt 4 Element of water chap 5 Receiuers are all such as are in the couenant chap. 6. Men and women in yeares that are in the faith Infantes of them chap 7 Inward partes God the father chap 8. who Offereth the bloud of his sonne Giueth Christ to the beleeuers Holy spirit chap 9 who perfourmeth that which is promised in the word Christ Iesus chap 10 ratifieng our Regeneration Remission of sinnes Soule clensed represented by the body washed cha 11 The vses of baptisme are these 3 To shew our planting and ingrafting into the body of christ cha 12 to assure vs of the remission of sinnes cha 13 Original Actual to teach to die to sinne and liue to righteousnesse cha 14. A Table of the principall points contained in the last Booke The Lordes supper called by 〈◊〉 names ch 1 is the second sacrament wherein by visible receiuing of bread and wine is represented 〈◊〉 spiritual communion 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 ch 2 In this sacra obserue the work it selfe where in obserue the parts Outward Minist chap. 3 whose duty is To take the bread and mine into his hands to blesse and 〈◊〉 the words of institution to breake the bread and poure out then ine to distribute the bread and Wine The word of institution and promise contained therein chap. 4 The outward signes chap. 5 which are Bread Wine The cōmunicāts chap 6. whose actions are to take the bread and cupinto their handes to eate the bread drink the wine Inwarde God the father ch 8 who offereth christ to al commers Giueth christ for the redemtion of the fat Spirit who assureth vs of the truth of Gods promises ch 9 the body and bloud of christ prepared to be the liuely food of our soules ch x the faithfull receiuer chap. 1 〈◊〉 hose duties are to apprehend receiue christ his benefits to appropriate and apply him to the soule the Vses see this letter c to shew forth with thankesgiuing the sufferings of christ chap 12 to teach our communion and growth in christ chap. 13 to declare our communion and growth with our brethren chap. 14 Preparation to the worke See the letter d The necessitie in respect of Gods presence with whom we haue to do and to deale Our owne profit being rightlie prepared Our owne practise in preparing and taking our ordinarie meates The sacrament it selfe defiled by vnreuerent receiuing the punishment procured by want of this care the partes the knowledg of God and our selues especially of the whole doctrine of the sacraments chap 16 Faith in Christ seeing euerie one receiueth so mnch as he beleeueth he receiueth chap. 17 Repentance from dead workes daily renewed for daily sinnes Reconciliation to our brethren chap 19. THE FIRST BOOKE of the Sacraments in generall containing the true Doctrine therof ouerthrowing the errors of the Church of Rome and deliuering the comfortable vse ofthem to all the people of GOD. CHAP. I. Of the agreement and difference betweene the word and Sacraments GOD euen from the beginning added vnto the preaching of the word his Sacramentes in the Church as the Scripture teacheth outwardly representing vifiblie offering to our sight those things that inwardly hee performeth to vs as the tree oflife and the tree of the knowledge of good and euill in the Garden After mans fall when a new necessity was added in regard of mans want and weaknesse he testified his loue and ratified his Couenant by sacrifices and Ceremonies to our first Parents He gaue the Arke to Noah and his sonnes to confirm them in the promise which he made to them that they should not be drowned with the rest of the world He added to Abraham the signe of Circumcision as a seale of the 〈◊〉 of faith and to the Israelites he gaue the Passeouer Manna oblations purifications the brazen Serpent the Rock and such like spirituall tipes whereby he assured them of the promise that God for the onely sacrifice of Christ vvrought vpon the Crosse would giue to all that beleeue forgiuenesse of sinnes and euerlasting life Now the world of God may fitly be resembled to writtings and euidences and the Sacraments to seales which the Lord alone setteth to his owne letters They are as a visible Sermon preaching vnto vs most liuely the promises of God that as the vvord we hear doth edifie and instruct the minde by the outward eares so doth the Sacraments by the eyes other senses First then that we may vnderstand the doctrine and nature os the Sacraments we are to consider what the word Sacraments haue in common and how they agree one with another then what they haue peculiar and proper each to other and how they differ one from an other The agreement betweene them standeth in these points First both are ofGod and instruments which the holy ghost vseth to this end to make vs more and more one with Christ and partakers of saluation 〈◊〉 that God needeth them or that he is tyed vnto them for as he can nourish without meate and drinke so he can saue without word or Sacraments but because we neede them he vseth them when he will and as often as it pleaseth him The same which is published and promised by the word of God is signified and sealed by the Sacraments For they are not a deliuering of new promises and
body Wherefore they do more seale vp then the word not that God is more true of his promise when hee worketh by signes then when he speaketh by his word but in respect of the manner of teaching and receiuing because by his Sacraments he representeth his promises as it were painted in a Table and setteth them forth liuely as in a picture before our eies that we may not only heare but see handle touch tast and euen digest them Again the promise of the Gospel is more effectually declared and sealed vp by the Sacraments then by the bare worde not for the substance and matter it selfe but for the manner of working which is heedfull perfect and more effectuall so as that which we perceiue and receiue by many senses as hearing and seeing is more sure and certaine then that which is 〈◊〉 by hearing onely Hitherto of the agreements and differences betweene the word sacraments and we haue shewed that so soon as god gaue his word immediately he seconded the same with his Sacraments The vses which wee are to make heereof are these First seeing God contenteth not himselfe with the worde onely but addeth the Sacraments in all Ages and times of the Church which proceedeth partly through his owne goodnesse and partly from mans weakenesse we ought to be so farre from dâ—spising the Sacramentes that contrary-wise vve must confesse the benifit vse and worthynesse of them can neuer be sufficiently magnified and commended nor they with sufficient reuerence be receiued We are dull to conceiue his promises and slovv to remember them we are full of doubting and vnbeleefe we are like to Thomas one of the disciples we will not beleeue them vntill in some sort vve see them and in some measure feele them in our hearts Wherefore God hath ordained these misteries and holy actions to keepe in continuall memory his great benifits bestovved vpon man to seale vp his promises and as it were to offer vnto our sight those things which inwardly he performeth to vs and therby by strengtheneth and increaseth our faith through the working of his spirit in our soules Seing then the word is not sufficient but the Sacraments were added for further assurance we must in this behalfe consider the great goodnesse of God toward vs who doth not onely giue vs faith by his word as by his sauing instrument but hath also added to his word Sacraments or seales of his promise and grace that by the lawfull vse of them he might vphold and strengthen our faith through his blessed spirit For in asmuch as the Lord not only sent the blessed seede for the redemption of mankind for the remission of our sinnes and for the brusing of the Serpents head but ordained for vs Sacramentes to be pledges of his promises testimonies of his faithfulnesse and remedies of our distrust wee must confesse and thankfullye acknowledge the bottomlesse depth of gods endlesse mercy toward vs who vouchsafeth to be our God to be reconciled to vs being vile and miserable sinners to make a league and couenant with dust and ashes and delyuers his onely sonne to suffer the shamefull death of the Crosse for vs. And withall we must labour more and more to feele our own blindnesse distrust infidelity and peruerse nature we would easily forget this mercy of God vnlesse it had beene continually represented before our eies Againe seeing nothing is offered and giuen in the Sacraments which is not published in the Gospell seeing they cannot bee where there is no worde and seeing the same Christ with all his benifits is propounded in both it meeteth with a common corruption and lamentable practise among many professors that desire and craue especially in sicknesse and extremety often to come to the Lords table but esteeme little of the preaching of the word and that seeme to languish with a longing after the Sacrament but neuer mourne and lament for want of the word which is as great an errour and madnesse as if one should euer looke vpon the seale of his writings but neuer regard the conueiance of his estate Is there not one God the author of both Is there not one spirit that sealeth vp his promises by both Is Christ diuided that speaketh euidently vnto vs in both How is it then that many desire the Sacrament of the Lords supper and seeme to pine away through want therof who neuer wish or regard the preaching of the Gospell which is the foode of the soule the keye of the kingdome the immortall seede of regeneration and the high ordinance of God to saue those that beleeue And whence proceedeth it but from palpable ignorance in the matters of God and their owne saluation to be much troubled that the Sacrament is not brought vnto them and yet neuer conet to haue a word of comfort spoken to them in due season Let all such persons vnderstand that as the minister is charged from God to teach euery saboth day and to preach the word in season and out of season to deale the bread to the hungry and to gie vnto euery one in the family his portion so is it required of all the people to desire the sincere milke of the word of God that they may grow thereby which howsoeuer it be to them that perish foolishnesse yet to such as are called it is the wisedome of God and the power of God Wherefore we must not make account that there is lesse danger in neglecting the word of God then in neglecting the Sacrament of his last supper but we must take heede that while we willingly desire the one we doe not willingly despise the other For we must carefully consider that as the Sacrament is a visible word so the word is a speaking Sacrament and as God lifteth vp his voice vnto vs in the one so he reacheth out his hand vnto vs in the other We must as well heare when he calleth as receiue when he offereth Now by his word preached he calleth by his Sacraments administred he offereth his graces vnto vs and as wee must haue eares for the one so must we haue hands for the other CHAP. 2. What a Sacrament is IN euery treatise and discourse it is necessary first to know whether a thing be before we consider what it is We haue heard before that there are Sacraments and euer haue beene in the Church of God Now then let vs consider what they are that first the matter handled may be defined For in vaine we shall reason and speake of the Sacraments vnlesse we vnderstand what a Sacrament is But besore we set downe any discription of it it shall not be amisse to speake some what of the word The name in so many letters and sillables is not indeede in the scripture no more then the word Trinity catholike Consubstantiall and such like which being generally receiued are not to be reiected seing the doctrine contained vnder them agreeth with the
and Sapphira his wife being in the number of Disciples wer no doubt baptized of the Apostles and had also receiued ofttimes the Lordes supper yet they continued in their wickednes lyinge and hypocrisie the sacrament did not take away their wickednes nor giue them a iustifying and sauing faithe which purifieth the hart by repentance and woorketh newe obedience in the soule The like we haue said of Simon the sorcerer who albeit he were baptized yet remained in the gall of bitternes and in the bond of iniquity Wherefore the Apostle teacheth that the worde profited not because it was not mingled with faith in those that heard it If the signes be receiued without faith they hurt not that Gods giftes and ordinances hurt of themselues but not being receiued aright they hurt through our sin and default As the worde not receiued by faith is an empty sound without force so the sacrament is an vnprofitable and a naked shew without substance Wherefore the Sacraments in regard of the vnbeleeuers and vngodly are no Sacraments to them because to them they are not seales of the righteousnesse of faith True it is they remaine Sacraments in respect of God who offereth his owne sonne but they lose their strength and force toward the vnfaithfull that do abuse and contemne them as the Apostle expresly teacheth Circumcision verilyts profitable if thou keepe the law but if thou be a transgressor of the law thy circumcision is become vncircumcision the same Apostle speaketh of such as vsed the Lords Supper without true godlinesse and due preparation saith This is not to eate the Lords Supper denying that to be which was not done as it ought to be Wherefore seeing the right vse of the Sacraments is when such as are truely conuerted vse them aright we learne diuerse instructions that flow follow from hence First that the reprobate though God offer the whole Sacrament to them doe receiue the signes alone without the things signified they haue the bare title without the thing the vanishing shadow without the body the outward letter without the spirit the empty box without the oyntment and the creature without the creator They are washed with the element of water but not with the grace of regeneration They eate the bread and drink the wine but they are not partakers of the body and blood of Christ Iesus to saluation They eate the bread of the Lord but they eate not the bread and the Lord because the signe without the right and holy vse thereof is not an auailable Sacrament to the receiuer of it Wee see therefore the wicked partake not CHRIST although they partake the signes of Christ as they that found his clothes but missed his body Secondly we see heereby that the elect ordained to eternall life but not yet called and conuerted to the Lord to the obedience of his will though they come often to the sacraments yet do in like manner receiue the bare signes without the things signified because as yet they want faith and repentance What then Do they nothing differ from the reprobates In this they differ not for the present time from the reprobate Not with standing that receiuing of the Sacrament which for the time present was vnfruitfull and vnprofitable shall after in them haue his good effect as the corne that lieth long couered in the earth at the length doth come vp and florish For the Sacrament receiued before a mans conuersion is afterward to the beleeuer and penitent sinner ratified and so becommeth profitable wherby the vse of the Sacrament which before was vtterly voide and vnlawfull doth then become lawfull and comfortable as we see in the word heard without fruit faith by an vnbeleeuer is made a word of saluation afterward when he is conuerted Lastly the elect already conuerted and sanctified by the spirit of God do to their profit comfort and saluation receiue both the signe and the thing signified together yet so as that for their vnworthy receiuing thereof which hapneth through their manifold infirmities and often relapses into sin they are subiect to temporall punishments for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saued in the day of the Lord Iesus For this cause many are licke and weak among you and many sleeps for if we would iudge our selues we should not be iudged of the Lord. Where the Apostle teacheth that God brought a iudgement vpon his owne house and punished this church with weakenes sicknesse and death it selfe for their vnreuerent vnworthy and disordered receiuing of the Lords Supper Although many among them no doubt were elected and all of them professed the Gospel of the kingdome yet god visited their want of preparation reuerence with diuerse diseases and great mortality according to the threatning annexed to the law If ye will not obey me nor do all these comcaundements if ye shall dispise mine ordinances or your soule abhor my lawes then wil I do this vnto you I wil appoint ouer youfearfulnes a consumption and the burning ague to consume the eies and to make the heart heauy And if ye walke stubbornly against me and will not obey me I wil then bring seauen times moe plagues vpon you according to your sinnes Wherefore when we haue receiued grace to beleeue and haue tasted the first-fruites of the spirit to the comfort of our soules we must not be puffed vp in our knowledge we must not grow secure but stir vp the giftes of God in vs when they begin to wax faint let vs seek to preuent his iudgments before they com which we may do by iudging our selus by making inquiry into our own waies and by searching the reines of our hartes with purpose to condemne all ignorance error security and vngodlinesse and as it were to take punishment of our selues then this would follow thereupon we should not be iudged and punished of the Lord. This then is the remedy to avoid the sin of vnworthy receiuing A man thus visited with sicknes weakenesse and diuerse kinds of diseases and smitten with the stroke of Gods own hand cannot possibly be restored by any creature in heauen or earth yet behold the Lord hath not left vs without meanes to remoue them and take them away to wit by taking away the cause that we may remoue the effects The cause of these punishmentes is taken away by iudging our selues Now a man in iudging of himselfe must performe foure things 1. he must examine himselfe of his sinnes 2. he must confesse them and himselfe to be guilty as the poore prisoner that standeth at the bar No denying of the fact no defending of the fault no hiding of the offence no iustifieng of our person can procure our pardon the way to haue for giuenes is to acknowledge our own wickednes 3. he must condemn himselfe and giue sentence against himself without partiality 4. he must plead pardon for
the remission of his sins and neuer rest vntil he giue him peace of conscience and restore him to the ioyof his saluation Chap 13. Of the fir st v se ofa Sacrament HItherto of the parts of a Sacra both outward and inward now we come to the vses therof For vnlesse we know the vse and vnderstand the end why they were ordained it shal not profit vs to know the parts Every thing must be referred to his right vses and propper endes so must the Sacramentes be The endes are especially these three First to strengthen faith Secondly to seale the Couenant betweene God and vs. Thirdly to bee a badge of our profession Touching the first end the Sacraments serue for the better confirmation of our faith as appeareth Where the Apostle hauing set down the drowning of the world and the preseruing of Noah by the Arke he saith our baptisme directly answereth that tipe which is a taking to witnesse of a good conscience and sauing vs by the resurrection of Christ. So then by faith confirmed in Baptisme we haue an infallible assurance in the death of Christ of our saluation Many indeed come to the sacraments are present at Baptisme are partakers of the Lords supper that feele no strength of faith no increase of Gods graces no spiritual groth in the body of christ so that they worke not saluation in them but further their condemnation For the sacramentes as we haue shewed giue not grace but more firmely surely and comfortably confirme faith they apply and seale vp Christ crucified The sacraments cannot giue faith to the faithlesse neither were they instituted to the end men should beleeue but because they do beleeue as meat was not giuen that men should learne to eate but that the eating might be nourished Faith indeede receiueth them and then they serue to nourish it And they confirme not faith by any inherent power included in them but the holy spirit applyeth Christ to vs and frameth this comfortable conclusion in our hearts All such as are conuerted and do rightly vse the sacraments shal receiue Christ and al his sauing graces But I am conuerted do rightly vse the sacraments Therfore I shal receiue christ his graces Thus doth the cōforter comfort al those that come rightly religiously to the Lords table Now if we would enquire and search after the reasons of this first end we should find that one cause why they confirme faith is because god is true in his promises he confirmeth and maketh good that which is gone out of his mouth All the promises of God in Christ are yea and are in him Amen vnto the glory of God through vs. For 〈◊〉 Princes seales confirme their charters assure their grantes and make certaine their pardons so do gods sacraments witnesse to our hearts and consciences that his words and promises are true and are established to continue for euer For as he declareth his mercies by his word so he sealeth and assureth them by his sacraments Againe this appeareth by the example of Abraham who first beleeued the promise and it was imputed to him for righteousnes being yet vncircumcised and afterward receiued the signe of circumcision as the seale of the righteousnes of faith as the Apostle teacheth We say that faith was imputed vnto Abraham for righteousnes How was it then imputed when he was circumcised or vncircumcised Not when he was circumcised but when hee was vncircumcised c. Where he sheweth that Abraham was iustified in vncircumcision but yet was afterwarde circumcised that the gifte of righteousnes might be confirmed in him The Eunuche likewise beleeued before hee receiued baptisme and therefore it sealed vp the increase of his faith and of Gods graces And Act 2. They that gladlie receiued the wordes of Peter were baptized And. as Peter preached to Cornelius and others of the Gentlies The Holy-ghost fel on them all which heard the word and he said Can any forbid water that these shoulde not bee baptized which haue receiued the Holy-ghost as wel as we So he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Wherefore when the minister washeth with water it representeth our buriall with Christ into his death and our rising again with him into newnes of life As bread norisheth and strengthneth man so the body of christ taken by faith feedeth the soule We take the bread and cup into our hands we eat we drink we are refreshed so we feed on Christ whose flesh is meat indeed and whose bloud is drink indeed and we are comforted Let vs nowe come to the vses as we haue seene the reasons And first of all do the sacraments serue to strengthen our faith then let vs all acknowledge our failings and infirmities Let vs labor more and more to feele the weakenes and wantes of our owne faith True it is if our faith were perfect and entire lacking nothing we should not neede the sacraments We must not therefore abstaine from them for the weakenes of our faith but for that cause come to God and to the Sacramēts of God praying for strength and confirmation thereof as that father did whose sonne was possessed with a dumbe spirit when Christ saide to him If thou canst beleeue all things are possible to him that beleeueth he answered crying with teares Lord I beleeue help mine vnbeleese And Luk. 17. the Apostles say to the Lord Increase our faith Vndoubtedly he that neuer doubted neuer beleeued For whosoeuer in truth beleeueth feeleth sometimes doubrings and wauerings of his faith Even as the sound body feeleth oftentimes the grudginges of a feuer and distemperature of the body which if he had not health he could neuer finde and feele so the faithfull soule findeth sundry doubtings which if his faith were not sound he covld not diseerne For we feele not corruption by corruption nor sinne by finne because when the strong man possesseth the house all things are in peace but we feele sinne and perceiue corruption in vs by a contrary grace of gods spirit The lesser and smaller measure of grace we haue the lesser is our feeling and the more grace we haue the more quick we are in feeling of corruption What is the reason that many haue no light of sinne no feeling of their corruption no tentations no trembling no terror no feare of gods wrath but wholly liue lie and dye in their lustes Surely because they are without grace without gods spirit and without his inward worke in them But the faithfull who are not led by the slesh but liue by the spirit are often tempted assailed tormoyled tryed and prouoked to many euils according to the words of our blessed sauiour Simon Simon behold Satan hath desired to winnow you as wheat but I haue prayed for thee that thy faith faile not therefore when thou art conuerted strengthen thy bretheren Asa man carried vp and set vpon an high to wer or on
condemneth those that speake euill of men as too precise too nise too pure for their profession because they run not into the same excesse of ryot with others These are not too precise but such as scoffe at al profession are too prophane It is good to be earnest in the matters of god prouided that our zeale be tempered with discretion and all Newtets be odious to God as it is said to the Church of the Laodiceans I knowe thy workes that thou art neither cold nor hot I woulde thou werest colde or hotte therefore because thou art Luke warme and neither colde nor hot it shall come to passe that I shall spew thee out of my mouth Wherefore let vs not be discouraged in wel-doing but walking through good report and euill report let vs remember that as christ is our Lord and master so our profession and the sacraments are our badges Lastly we see what our estate and condition is that we are not our owne but are subiect to Christ to serue him For we do beare his badge then he is our maister If he bee our Maister where is the feare and reuerence due vnto him Is it not meet we shoulde shewe our selues thankefull for so great mercies and gifts Were it not intollerable vnthankefulnes and vnsufferable pride for any man to wear the cognizance of another and yet to scorne his seruice and deny him duty Might not one worthily check and controul him as Christ did the 〈◊〉 who vnwillingly paid such taxes and tributes as were laid vpon them Hee called for a penny said unto them Whose image and superscription is this They said vnto him Caesars He ansuered Giue therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesars and giue to God the thinges that are Gods So likewise might one say fitly whose badge wearest thou whose Armes bearest thou on thysleeue Doth not this put thee in mind of thy state and condition and of the seruice and honor thou owest thy Maister In like manner may it be said to vs whose badge bearest thou Is it not Christes we are not therefore our owne men as the Apostle reasoneth and concludeth 1. Cor. 6. Know yee not that your bodie is the temple of the Holy-ghost which is in you whome ye haue of God and ye are not your owne For you are bought with a price therfore glorifie God in your body in your spirit for they are Gods So many therefore as come without knowledge and true repentance break their faith giuen to Christ and betray the body of christ as much as in them lyeth Wherefore to the right vse and partaking of the sacraments there is required the knowledge of god in three persons especialy of the persō of christ perfect God and perfect man and of his three offices to saue his people to be their Priest perfectly by his sacrifice to reconcile and iustifie them to be their king by the gouernement of his church to kill sin in them to sanctifie them to be their teacher to instruct them in the wil of his heauēly father After these is required true faith and earnest repentance otherwise we cannot receiue christ in the sacraments Put food into the mouth of a dead man it cannot nourish him so if one that is vnworthy and vnfit lying dead rotting in his sin do come to the sacramēts certainly they do not giue him life and worthines but such a one doth lade himselfe with a greater burden of sin and punishment Whosoeuer shall eat this bread and drinke the cup of the Lord vnworthily shall be guiltie of the bodie and blood of the Lorde he eateth and drinketh his 〈◊〉 iudgement because he discerneth not the Lords bodie Chap 16. Of the number of Sacraments HItherto we haue spoken of the chiefe vses of the sacraments now we are come to speake of the number of sacraments according as we take the name and haue declared the nature of them Let vs see then howe manie such visible signes and seales of spirituall grace in the new testament were iustituted of God to set forth the benefits of christ for the continuall vse of the church Many liue in the bosom of the church hear the word come to publick praier take themselus to be goodly christians offer themselues to the lordes table and are made partakers of the Sacrament who yet are ignorant how many sacraments ther are what they are None almost so simple but can number his sheep and cattel he knoweth their marks he knoweth their differences but aske him how many commaundements of the law how many Articles of faith how many petitions of the Lords prayer or how many Sacraments of the New Testament he can answere nothing Such haue their wits wholly exercised on the world and on wordly things which iustle out religion the knoledge of heauenly things If we haue eares to heare let vs heare what is the faith os the Church in this point grounded vpon the infallible rule and rocke of the word of God The sacraments of the church ordained by Christ to assure our communion with him are onely two baptisme whereby we are receiued into the couenant of God in steed of circumcision and the Lordes supper whereby we are nourished maintained and retained therein insteed of the Passeouer For albeit the couenant be but one yet the seales there of are two to assure vs that by vnion with Christ we are regenerated and shall be nourished to eternall life He hath deliuered vs a few sacraments insteade of many he coulde haue instituted moe if he had thought it good for the benefit of the Church These are as it were the two eies wherby we see and behold the promises of God These are as the two hands whereby we after a sort do handle Christ crucified and lay hold on the graces of saluation Christ hath appointed no mo sacraments he hath laide on vs an easie yoke and a light burden That these two are the onely sacraments of the new testament may appear by these few reasons following First christ taught no more to his Apostles the Apostles deliuered no mo to the churches the churches embraced no moe for many yeares When the Lord Iesus liued on the earth he instituted baptisme by the ministery of Iohn baptist who as he was sent to prepare the harts of the people so he preached the baptisme of repentance Afterward the Lord Iesus established it with his owne mouth in the commission giuen to his disciples he appointed and himself first administred his last supper in remembrance of his deth vntil his 2. comming againe with power and great glory These two true sacraments of the church to wit baptisme and the lords supper were instituted and warranted by the mouth of christ himselfe and none other beside these These we receiue because christ ordained them other we receiue not because he ordained them not Secondly the Apostle Paule admonisheth the
circumcised He had dwelt int h land of Midian an Idolatrous country 40. years he began to sauour of the manners thereof but hauing called him to be a gouernor of people would not be appeased toward him vntill he had reformed his owne house For if any cannot rule 〈◊〉 owne house how shall he care for the church of God Nowe whereas he had two sonnes borne vnto him in Midian the elder no doubt was circumcised the eight day according to the order and ordinance of God why then did he deferre the circumcising of the younger No doubt he was scorned and derided among them for circumcising his first borne and his enemies were those of his owne house euen the wife that lay in his bosome yea he being then weake in faith loued the praise of men more then the praise of God and therefore the Lord would haue slaine him Albeit the signe of circumcision seemed base and contemptible in outward shew and to sauour of great cruelty toward little children yet God woulde not suffer the deferring and neglecting thereof to goe without punishment Although grace be not tyed to the sacraments and that we may bee saued without them yet it is not left to the disposition of men whether they will come to them or not God will not haue the outward signes contemned of vs for if we will be in the couenant we must not despise the seal of the couenāt Furthermore are the outward parts vnited to the inward then this serueth as a speciall meanes to comfort the verie lowest estate of men and the poorest degree in the church that they doubt not of the fatherly fauor of God towarde them but bee assured of their acceptation with God who will make them partakers of his eternall blessinges in his kingdome as well as other whose condition is greater and higher in the world When god gaue circumcision to Abraham he commaunded him circumcise all his seruants bond or free as well borne in his house as bought with his money thereby signifying that he adopted them for his children and that albert they were Abrahams bond-men yet they were the Lords free men So vnto baptisme wee admit and receiue the poore as well as the rich the seruant as well as the maister the low as well as the high without respect of persons When the lord instituted the passeouer the lambe was eaten of all the congregation So touching the Lords supper it is an holy banket for all degrees and conditions whatsoeuer and therefore the Apostle checketh the Corinthians for this abuse that wheras the poorest soule eating of the bread and drinking of the cup is as welcome to christ the gouernor of the seast as the richest they did despise the poore and shamed them that had not All these things duly considered serue to assure the very meanest lowest and simplest in the church that they are made heires of eternall life as well as other as they are partakers of the signe with other if they beleeue with faithfull Abraham This the Apostle teacheth There is netther Iew nor Graecian there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for ye are al one in Christ. And Col. 3. There is neither Graecian nor Iew circumcision nor vncircumcision Barbarian Scithian bond free but Christ is all and in all things Fourthly are there outward rites signes and persons as externall parts of baptisme And are their likewise inward parts whereby we are consecrated to God teaching that we haue vowed to renounce the lusts of the world and to forsake the workes of the deuill Then this condemneth those that depart out of the church before this holy and publike action be taken in hand Baptisme belongeth not onely to the wittnesses and parties that bring the child but to all the members of the church that we may learne by our presence therat to renew our faith and repentance vnto God These men do too much disgrace and deface the dignity of this sacrament not vouchsafing to remain at the administration therof as if it were not worthy to be solemnized before thē wheras they should quicken their faith in the couenant of god by beholding the works of the minister and ratifieng them in their harts as we read Luk. 1. wher they are said to circumcise because they were al present at the work consenting to prayers and thanks giuings of the Church as also the Apostle saith Women pray and prophesie in the church when they sit stil and are partakers of the praiers and preaching vsed in the publike assemblies And as no member is cut off by excommunication but in presence of al to be witnesses therof to ratifie their grief for the losse of a member of their body so in Baptisme it is required to witnesse and approoue the publike worke by their presence and to 〈◊〉 themselues thereby 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and comfort hata fellow-heire is made partaker with them in the communion of Saintes Moreouer the excellency of this Sacrament is as great as of the other they are of like worthynes in themselues and to be had equal and indifferently in like price and estimation they are both commaunded and instituted by the 〈◊〉 authoritye of Christ there is the same matter and substance of both to wit Christ with all his benifits there is 〈◊〉 one and the same end of both the increase and strengthning of our faith therfore why should one Sacrament be so much extolled aboue the other and preferred before the other So that whereas many come to the Lords Supper few remaine and abide in the Church at the administration of baptisme The whole assembly heareth the word preached and deliuered by the minister the Sacramentes are instruments of our iustification by faith as well as the worde preached sauing that the word worketh by hearing only the Sacraments serue by the senses of seeing handling and tasting as well as hearing to strengthen and encrease faith in our hearts and therefore it is requisite that we ioyne in the one as well as in the other Furthermore the excellency and worthynesse of baptisme appeareth heerein in that it was instituted of God sealing vp his gratious couenant in that it was sanctified by Christ being baptized of Iohn and in that it was beautified by the heauenly reuelation of the blessed Trinity appearing thereat so great honour so great dignity and preheminence was neuer giuen to any Ceremony Did God institute it and shall we contemne it Did Iesus Christ come to Iohns baptisme and shal we disdaine to be at the baptisme of Christ Was the holy Trinity present will we be absent True it is som of the sacrifices and burnt offerings were miraculously consumed by fire from heauen but what is this to the glorious presence of the maiesty of God the blessed Trinity declaring to vs thereby that God the father God the son and God the Holy-ghost are alwaies present at
partakers of the sacrament with the faithfull seeing they are enrolled in the fellowship of the faithfull And who shall depriue them of the seale of the couenant seeing they are partakers of regeneration and remission of sinnes Heereupon thus we reason whosoeuer are in the couenant and Church of GOD to them belongeth baptisme which is the seale of the couenant but infants are in the couenant and of the Church therefore to them belongeth baptisme which is the seale of the couenant Againe to whome the promise appertaineth they may and ought to bee baptized but the promise was made euen to infants therefore they may and ought to be baptised Furthermore to whome forgiuenes of sinnes and the Holy-ghost are promised and giuen they ought by no meanes to bee denied the outwarde signe but forgiuenesse of sinnes and the Holy-ghost are promised to infantes and giuen vnto them therefore infantes ought not to bee kept from the element of Water no more then such as are of yeares of discretion Thus much of the first point putting children into the right and possession of Baptisme as if it were the right heires into their inheritance from which they haue bene wrongfully and vniuftly dispossessed Hauing now sufficiently prooued by the scripture that children are to bee baptized it remaineth that wee shoulde maintaine this assertion against the cauils of the Anabaptists For as the former reasons grounded vppon the euident demonstration of the worde as vppon a pillar that cannot be shaken may perswade vs to embrace the truth so the weakenes and sophistry which appeareth in the Obiections of the aduersaries ferueth to confirme vs in this perswasion But let vs examine what is the strength of them First they obiect it was neuer cōmanded that infants shold be baptized I answer vnblamable examples and practises not contradicted are in the nature of precepts Againe the will of God approuing and appointing childrens baptisme appeareth in that it came in place of vncircumcision Baptisme is our circumcision Besides we haue a generall commaundement Go teach all nations and baptize them And the Apostle saith all were baptized in the cloud and in the sea Christ saith al nations the Apostles saith all the Israelites let them shew where infants are excepted and exempted for wee hold this as a certaine principle that a generall commaundement includeth the particular and comprehendeth the same vnder it as well as if it were by name expresled Secondly they obiect if infants may be baptised then they may be admitted to the Lords supper for why should not the supper be giuen to the whole church as well as baptisine I answere there is not the like reason and respect of both There is great difference betweene these two sacraments For baptisme is a signe of our entrance and receiuing into the church so that the Supper is to be granted to none but to such as are baptised and are fit to beare strong meat being instituted for our confirmation and sealing vnto vs that God hauing once receiued vs into the church will also euermore preserue vs in it that we neuer fall from it nor forsake it and will nourish and cherish vs by the body and blood of Christ. Wherefore the Lord Iesus to shew that his Supper was not for children but for men would not administer it in the element of milke which is for infants and for new borne Babes but in bread and wine which are for stronge men that are of age Againe sundry conditions and considerations are required in the supper which debar young infants that although they are to be baptized yet they ought not to be admitted to the Lords supper seeing by their young yeares they are excluded For it is required of all those that come to this supper to shew foorth the Lords death to discerne the body and blood of Christ and try themselues whether they haue faith and repentance But infants cannot doe these thinges they cannot shew foorth the Lordes death they are not apt to discerne his body and blood they are not able to examine themselues and therefore infants for good causes are excluded from this Supper Thirdly they obiect that it is said Teach and baptize and again He that shall beleeue and be baptized shall be saued where vpon they conclude that such as beleeue not are not to be baptized inasmuch as Christ before baptisme commaundeth teaching and afterward ioyneth baptizing with beleeuing But infants are not capable of doctrine neither do they actually beleeue therefore they are not to be baptized Again if repentance be necessarily ioyned as Act. 2 Amend your liues and be baptized then infants must be separated and secluded who cannot repent But repentance is necessarily required therefore infants are to be barred from the sacrament of baptisme I answere first those sentences are not generall to all but belong onely to men of sufficient yeares and discretion to discerne betweene good and euill By this fraud of extending stretching and falsely applying generall sentences of Scripture a man might reare and raise many monstrous conclusions If a mā would go about to proue that children are not to be nourished and sed with coporall foode because the Aposte would haue none to eate but such as labour were he not worthy to be spitted at or hissed out of the schools because he carrieth that indifferently to all ages which is limited and restrained to a certaine age So must we not rack and rent asunder the generall sentences of scripture Except ye repent ye shall al perish faith commeth by hearing hearing by the word of God he that beleeueth and is baptized shal be saued These belong onely to men of discretion and are not to be applyed to infants whom they do not concerne Againe Christ in those words instructeth his Apostles what order they should obserue in the conuersion of the Gentiles first they must instruct them in faith then baptize them being instrued and lastly guide them in true obedience being instructed when he addeth Teaching them to obserue what soeuer I haue commaunded you Besides if they strictly vrge and stifly stand vpon the wordes as they literally lye in order why may we not first baptize them before wee teach them because it is said baptizing them in the name of the Trinity and teaching them to obserue what I commannd But hee intreateth in this place of such as are growne vppe which must first haue knowledge in the gospell faith in Christ and repentance from dead workes before they bee baptized but infants are baptized by reason of the promise made to their parentes Moreouer we might oppose vnto these the example of circumcision which we know and they are not ignorant was giuen to infantes who could not yet beleeue so that such as bar them from baptisme because they are not capable of faith and repentance might in like manner exclude the infants of the Isralites from circumcision Baptisme
the graue with them I thinke to declare it to all the world they wish Christ dead buried and forgotten for euer that the byshop of Rome might with his shauelings rule and raign as a God vpon the earth Can light and darkenesse can heauen and earth fire and water sweete and sower be more contrary then these vaine things to the institution of Christ Who neuer said keep it in vessels hang it vnder Canopies carry it in processions giue it to the dead lay it vp in their tombes bring it abroad in common iudgements but take ye eat ye drinke ye and by receiving eating and drinking shew yee forth the Lordes death vntill hee come to iudgement to iudge the quicke and the dead This Sacrament is an holy feast an heauenly banket and therefore not to be hidden in a box as a light put vnder a bushell but to be set on the lords table for all his ghuests to feede thereon Againe if the substance and essence of this sacrament stād in the lawful vse of eating and drinking then al eleuation holding vp of the sacrament ouer the priests head all adoration falling downe honoring it with diuine worship and calling the sacrament their lord and God as it is destitute of all antiquity so it is full of grosse and palpable idolatry For wheras it was accustomed to hold vp the almes offerings consecrated to God for the poore thereby imitating the heaue-offering of the Iewes and stirring vp the people to the like charity and deuotion degenerated to the lifting vp of the host and bread in the sacrament So that where Christ saith take ye eate ye these bread-worshippers haue changed it into looke ye gaze ye worship ye giuing his glory to dumbe and senselesse creatures True it is we confesse that the Sacramentes as mysteries sanctified to an holy vse as vessels of gods grace and as instrumentes fitted to worke great things are not to be contemned or refused but to be receiued with due regard and to be vsed with all sobriety 〈◊〉 yea we confesse that christ God man is to be worshipped euery where we honor his word we reuerence his sacraments Notwithstanding we put a difference between God and the sacrament of God the same honor is not due to the one that is due to other and therefore we cannot adore the elemēts with diuine worship for many reasons First because christ in the institution of his supper said take eate drink he said not worship fal down bow the knees before the Sacra and call vpon it in time of need We heard before in the case of vnleuened bread they appealed to the institutiō of cstrist why do they now fly from it turning eating and drinking into worshipping and adoring Wherefore is it not a great iniquity and wickednes to omit what christ commaundeth and do what he commaundeth not Secondly God only is to be worshipped with diuine honor as Math. 4 Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only thou shalt serue And Exod. 20. Thou shalt not bow down to them nor worship them Now the sacrament is not christ it is an institution of christ it is not god but an ordinance of God for god is not visible but the sacra is visible that al may know it and see it with their eies the sacrament is eaten but God cannot be eaten and swallowed vp of vs whom the heauens and the heauens of heauens cannot contain or cōprehend Thirdly christ reproueth the Samaritans because They worshipped that they knew not but the Papistes know not the body of Christ to be contained vnder the accidentes ofbread and Wine for the scriptures haue not taught it CHRIST hath not deliuered it the Apostles haue not shewed it Besides they knew not the priests intent whereon they say the essence of the Sacrament dependeth so as if he had no purpose of consecration they cannot deny themselues to be idolaters and bread-worshippers Fourthly the true worshippers must worship God in spirit and in truth as Christ setteth downe Ioh. 4 24 that is not according to our owne imaginations and diuises but as God hath prescribed but to fall downe to the sacrament is a bodily sernice a new-forged worship and an humane inuention Fistly without faith no man can please God but saith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God which yet they could neuer shew vnto vs therefore they can haue no assurance of pleasing God in their wil-worship Sixtly if this sacrament be to be worshipped then it is vnited personally to Christ because adoration should not be due to Christ as man except God and man in the vnion of person were one Christ but there is no personall vnion betweene 〈◊〉 and the sacrament of Christ therefore not to be worshipped Seuenthly no man in his wits and right mind wil honor that with diuine worship which himselfe may take in his hand and eate with his mouth and which may be deuouied by Mise Rattes dogs Wormes or other venime for how shall that be adored as God that cannot defend it selfe from the teeth of men and beastes As Ioash answeared Will ye plead Baals cause If he be God let him plead for himselfe against him that hath cast downe his altar Lastly seeing they adore Christ in the pixe where the bread is and in the chalyce wher the wine is why do they not likewise worship him in the priest and in the faithfull people and euery man in his brother when they haue created and eaten him vp The same Christ that was surely inclosed in the pixe is by their doctrine really contained in the body of priest and people when they haue eaten and drunken their supposed sacrifice Why then adore they not the flesh of christ after that it is entred into the mouth of man as well as in the golden boxe or in the gilden chalice Nay why may he not be adored in the bodies of mise and vermin by them if it fall out that they eate vp their God Shall he be any where without honor Or wil they worship him wher they list and ouerskip him where they please Howsoeuer therefore Christ is to be worshipped yet we must take heed we worship not a piece of bread in stead of christ which is most grosse and 〈◊〉 Idolatry Moreouer if christ command the bread to be eaten and the wine to be drunk then they are not to be offered vp to God the father as is vsually wont to be done in the pageant of the Masse This is a deep dungeō of iniquity and a monster of many heads turning the holy sacrament into an vnbloody sacrifice for the quicke and the dead abolishing the fruite and remembrance of the death of christ disanulling his priesthood giuing him to his father wheras the father hath giuen him to vs and imagining thereby to pay a price to god which he should receiue as a fatisfaction for our sins True
part his sonne to his office the minsters deliuering of the bread the fathers giuing of his sonne If then wee drawe neere to the Lords table with faith reuerence and repentance nothing can be more sure certain to vs then the taking receiuing of Christ for when we receiue the bred from the minister we with all receiue the body of christ offered by the hand of God the father Lastly the breaking of the breade pouring out of the wine and deliuering of them both into the handes of the communicants 〈◊〉 these actions of God his chastising of his sonne and breaking him with sorrowes vppon the crosse for our redemption offering him vnto all euen vnto hypocrites and giuing him truely to the faithfull with all the benefits of his passion Indeed the minister giueth the outwarde signes to all receiuers but God giueth and applyeth onely to the faithfull the shedding of Christes blood for their daily increase of their faith and repentance But heere it may be obiected that not a bone of him was broken as it was figured by the passeouer and performed at his passion the verifieng and accomplishment whereof we read Iohn 19. 36. I answere there is a dubble breaking of Christ one corporall whereof the places before do speak the other figuratiuely wherby is vnderstood he was tormented and euen torne with paines as Esa. 53. He was wounded for our transgressions and broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vppon him and with his stripes we are healed Lo what is ment by the breaking of the bread his soule was tormented his spirit was crushed his hands and feet were pierced he sweat drops of Water and blood and cryed out aloud vpon the crosse My God my god why hast thou for saken me Wherefore let these rights be rightly marked and obserued of vs for our comfort and consolation Let vs when we see the breade broken and wine poured out meditat on the passion of christ howe hee was wounded and torne for our transgressions Although not a bone of his body was broken in pieces yet he was broken with afflictions brused with sorrowes and tormented with bitter anguish of his soule by whose stripes we are healed by whose condemnation we are iustified by whose agonies we are comforted by whose death we are quickned Whosoeuer resteth in the outward works done before his eies neuer attaineth to the substāce of the sacrament Thus much of the first inward part Chap. 9. Of the second inward part of the Lords supper THe second inward part is the holy spirit who assureth vs of the truth of Gods promises As we haue in the word of truth the forgiuenes of sins increase of faith groweth in sanctification a great measure of dying to sin and a greater care to liue in newnes of life promised 〈◊〉 vs so doth the spirit worke these things in the hearts of all the 〈◊〉 This appeareth in many places Rom. 8. rehaue receiued the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father the same spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God To one is giuen by the spirit the word of wisdome and to 〈◊〉 the word of knowledge by the same spirit to another is giuen faith by the same spirit all these thinges woorketh one and the selfe same spirite distributing to euery man seuerally as hee will So then as wee are weake in faith and slowe to beleeue so we haue the spirit giuen vnto vs to helpe our infirmities and to open our heartes to receiue the promises This truth being cleared the vses offer themselues to be considered And first of all inasmuch as the spirite worketh these things in the harts of all the faithfull from hence we gather that such as neuer finde any chaunge or renewing of the mind or reformation of life after the receiuing of the Sacramentes may iustly suspect themselues whether euer they had faith or not and whether ever they repented or not and therefore ought to vse the means to come by faith and repentance For the worke of the spirit accompanieth the outward worke in the elect of God as also we see in the hearing of faith preached hee must open the hart that is closed vppe before wee can receiue with meekenes the worde that is grafted in vs which is able to saue our soules Indeed euery person present may heare the wordes of institution may see the Wine poured out may eate of that bread and drinke of that cuppe as they may also hear the sound of the voice that commeth vnto them but the whole force effect and power resteth onely in the Spirite of GOD sealinge vppe the truth and substance of those things in the harts of all the children of God Againe seeing these thinges are done and performed by the working of the spirit they are confuted and cōuinced that thinke they cannot be made partakers of the bodye and blood of Christ and be vnited to his flesh vnlesse his body be shut vp vnder the accidentes of bread and shewes of wine and so his flesh be giuen vnto vs carnally that we may eate him with our mouthes and conuey him into our stomackes But we see heere the Holy-ghost is the bonde of this vnion hee worketh in vs faith which pierceth the heauens and layeth hold on Christ. It is saide of Abraham the Father of the faithfull that he reioiced to see the day of Christ he sawe it and was gladde For as we cannot see him with our bodily eies nor hear him with our bodily ears nor touch him with our bodily hands no more can we tast or eat him with our bodily mouths By the hand of faith we reach and apply him by the mouth of faith we receiue and eate him Let vs beleeue in Christ and we haue eaten Christ let vs not prepare our teeth and our belly but a liuely faith working by loue Wherefore albeit the humane nature of Christ goe not out of the highest heauens yet we that liue vpon the earth are partakers of his bodye contained in the heauens and his flesh and blood are communicated to vs as truely and effectually as if he were there on the present with vs. If any say How can this bee can that which is absent from vs be present with vs can heauen be in earth or earth bee in heauen He ere vnto I may moste iustlye aunsweare although this bee a great mistery and marueilous in our eyes yet we must confesse and consider that the Holy-ghost is the author of this vnion and as it were the conduit-pipe of this coniunction who by his diuine power ioyneth togither things that are seuered in place and begetteth faith in vs which is the instrumenr and hande whereby we receiue and applye Christ with all his gifts vnto our selues as Iohn 17. Father I pray thee for such as shall beleeue in mee that they may be one as thou
vnworthinesse in receiuing the Supper Chap. 16. Of the knowledge of God the first part of examination AS we haue waighed the necessity of preparing and examining our selues so let vs consider the manner how it is to be performed Such as will in an holy manner prepare themselues to celebrate the Lords Supper to the glory of God and comfort of their owne soules must diligently acquaint themselues with these 4. pointes with knowledge faith repentance and reconciliation to those whom they haue offended It is required of all persons that come to this Sacrament to know the grounds of religion and vnderstande the doctrine of the sacramentes Secondly to beleeue in christ and to looke for saluation in him alone inasmuch as there is no other name vnder heauen by which we must be saued So then we must come with faith which is the hand to apprehend christ Thirdly to abhorre and detest our sins to hate them with an vnfained hatred as our deadly and most dangerous enemies and to haue godly sorrow for them which may cause repentance not to be repented off Lastly to loue our bretheren truely and sincerly yea euen our enemies If we find not these things in our selues we must carefully vse al holy meanes appointed for this purpose to begin them in vs otherwise our estate will proue to be fearefull and dangerous We must with al sincerity conscience and zcale vse prayer the word read and preached conference meditation and such like helpes as may further them in vs. If we do find them in vs though feeble and in great want and weakenesse we are not to abstaine from the sacrment but to come thereunto to seeke strength of faith encrease of obedience Wherfore our sauiour calleth such vnto him come to me all ye that are weary and sore laden and I will ease you take my yoke on you and ye shall find rest vpon your soules for my yoake is easie and my burden is light And Chap 12. A brused reede shall he not breake and smoking flaxe shall he not quench till he bring forth iudgment vnto victory Touching the first we are to obserue that such as wil come aright to the lords Supper must haue the knowledge of Gods word which is the foundation and ground-work of faith We must know what to beleeue and must learne the doctrine of saluation out of the Scripture Our Sauiour Christ in that heauenly prayer which he made a little before his passion vseth these words to his father This is eternall life to know thee to be the onely very God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ. We must know how miserable all men are of themselues that we are seperated from God the children of wrath by nature as wel as others and the very firebrands of hel They that want this knoledge cannot iudge aright of the partes and vses of this Sacrament nor desire this heavenly meate which nourisheth to eternall life So then knowledge must necessarily go before faith for it is the nature of faith to beleeue that which it knoweth and therefore where there is small knowledge there is a little faith and where there is no knowledg ther can be no faith according to the doctrine of the Apostle Roman 10. Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God The knowledge required of vs when we approach to this Sacrament standeth in these two pointes first in the knowledge of God Secondly in the knowledge of our selues In these two braunches standeth the first part of examinarion And these two pointes are so neerely ioyned and knit together that no man can throroughly know God vnlesse he know himselfe and no man can haue the perfect knowledge of himselfe except he know God in whom he liueth moueth and hath his being Vnder these two heads many particular points are containd necessary to be known of those that offer themselues to bee partakers of this sacrament First that there is onely one God that hath made himselfe knowne in three persons the Father the sonne and the Holy-ghost Secondly that God made man and all other creatures good and gouerneth all thinges well Thirdly man did fall through the entisement of the Deuill and his own wilful disobedience in breaking the commandements of God Fourthly there are ten commaundements diuided into two tables where of the foure first commaundements concern our duties to God the sixe last our dutyes toward our neighbour Fiftly we cannot keepe these commandements nor any one of them but we breake them daily in motion in thought in worde and in deede the breache where of deserueth the cursse of God that is all miseries in this life death in the ende of this life and Hell fire after this life Sixtly there is no meanes or remedy in ourselues or in any creature but onely in Iesus Christ the eternal son of god who is god man God that he might ouercom death and man that he might die for our sins He hath pacified gods wrath fulfild the righteousnes of that law sanctified our nature adopted vs to be the children of god and maketh our duties though weake acceptable to his father Seuenthly all haue not deliuerance by him but onely such as beleue in Christ whose obedience and righteousnes is made ours by a liuely faith whereby we are perswaded that through him our sinnes are forgiuen and wee made the children of God Eightly faith is a gifte of God applying Christ and al his merits particularly to our selues and teaching that he is a Sauiour vnto vs. Ninthly beeing saued by christ thrugh faith we may not liue as we list this vnspeakeable mercy teacheth vs to deny all vngodlinesse and all worldly and sinfulllusts to to liue soberly righteously and godly in this present euill world and to walk in newnes of life because no vnrighteous person shal enter into the kingdome of heauen Tenthly this faith which bringeth forth a reformed life is wrought in our heartes by the Holy-ghoaste through the preaching of the word being truely expounded and profitably applyed with doctrin confutation exhortation correction reformation and consolation and it is encreased besides by reading praying and receiuing of the sacraments Eleuenthly touching prayer we haue a perfect platforme left vs by Christ in the Gospell which containeth sixe petitions the three firste concerning the glorie of God and the three last concerning the necessities of our owne bodies and soules 12. the sacraments are another help to strengthen and increase faith which are outward signes and seales ordained of God to assure vs that Christ all his sauing graces are giuen vnto vs. These are two in number Baptisme the Sacrament of our regeneration and new birth assureth vs by the washing of water that our sins are for giuen by the blood of Christ and wee borne a new to god The Lords supper assureth vs that by bread and wine giuen and receiued according to gods ordinance
beleeuers who vouchsafeth to be their God the god of their seed Hence likewise it appeareth that infants are to be baptized For baptisme succeedeth in place of circumcision the Apostles baptized whole houses Christ calleth infants and sucklings vnto himselfe and 〈◊〉 that to such belongeth the kingdome of Heauen they are Christ sheepe and members of his body Hence we learne that the baptisme of infantes is no vnwritten tradition but a written and diuine institution taught in the Scriptures Consider also heereby the difference betweene baptisme and the Lords Supper and that all are conceiued in originall sinne Acknowledge also a difference between them and the children os Infidels and let parents be incoraged to bring vp their children in the instruction and reformation of the Lord. Hitherto of the outward parts now follow the inward parts which also are four in number First god the father represented by the Mi. wherby our faith is gretly strengthned For whensoeuer the eie seeth the minister 〈◊〉 water on the body faith beholdeth god the father clensing the soule with the precious blood of his sonne Christ. The seconde part is the spirit of God hauing relation to the word and promise of God and therefore whensoeuer wee come to heare the word or to receiue the sacramentes we must craue the assistance of the spirit to open our harts as he opened the hart of Lydia If this in ward teacher be wanting the eare heareth and the hand handleth but the hart is hardned The third in ward part of baptism is Christrepresented by the water This serueth greatly to confirme our faith to consider with our selues when we behold with our bodily eies the water poured vpon the bodie baptizd the blotting out of all our sinnes by the blood of Christ Iesus The 4. inward part is the soul clensed P most liuely and effectualy represented by the body washed For the washing of the body representeth the clensing of the soul. This teacheth that by nature we are corrupt and abhominable so that God must worke in vs both the will and the deede These are the foure in ward parts of baptisme The agreement betweene these outward and inward parts is very euident For as the Minister by the word of institution applyeth Water to the washing of the body so the father through the working of the spirit applyeth the bloode of Christ to the clensing of the soule Thus farre of the parts of Baptisme both the outward and the inward parts now we come to the vses thereof which are principally three First to shew our placing and planting into the blood of Christ to remaine in him for euer This coniunction with Christ is not bodily or naturall but misticall and marueilous in our eyes for we are made one with Christ by the same spirit dwelling in Christ and in all the members of Christ. So then the saints triumphing in heauen and al the beleeuers fighting vpon earth as souldiers in warfar haue one and the same spirit of christ dwelling in them and therfore are one with him Secondly to assure vs of the remission of our fins that we may bee able to stand in the presence of God hauing put on the garments of Christ as Iacob receiued the blessing clad in the garments of his elder brother This ouerthroweth the doctrin or rather doting of the church of Rome which teacheth that baptism abolisheth al sins going before it and leaueth nothing that hath the name or nature of sinne If this were a truth of god not a dreame of men it is not only decent but greatly to be desired to haue baptisme deferred vntil old age nay vnto the hower of death that so we may depart hence in peace with greater assurance of Gods fauor in the pardon of our sins Thirdly to slay the old man and to kil our natural corruption by the power of the death and burial of christ besides to raise vs vp againeto holines and newnes of life by his resurection Hence it is that the Euangelists call it the Sacrament of Repentance admonishing euery one of vs to expresse the strength and power of baptisme as the Prophets of tentimes exhort the lews to circumcise the forskin of their harts and to harden their necks no more So we ought not to content our selus to be baptized in body but must labour to be baptized in soul by a daily proceeding in regeneration by bringing foorth the fruites of sanctification and applying Christ Iesus to our full iustification Thus much of baptisme the honourable badge of our profession and dedication to Christ that dyed vppon the Crosse what it is what are the 〈◊〉 and vses thereof Now wee come to the Sacrament of the body and bloode of CHRIST e which is called by sundrye names in the new testament Sometimes it is called the Communion teaching that we are one body coupled togither in Christ shewing that it is to bee receiued of many togither and admonishing vs of vnity and concorde among our selues Sometimes it is called the Lords Supper hence we see who is the author of it no man no Angell but the Lord Iesus leauing it for a fare-well token of his loue toward vs. We must also come with an earnest desire hungring after Christ that we may be satisfied with his righteousnesse Sometimes it is called the breaking of breade this sheweth that the substance of breaderemayneth after the wordes of consecration that figuratiue speeches are vsed in the Sacrament and that this externall rite of breaking the bread vsed by Christ practised by the Apostles obserued by the pastors of the church ought not to be omitted and ouerpassed Sometimes it is called the table of the Lord this teacheth that christ and his Apostles at the celebration of it vsed a table not an altar that it is a Sacrament not a sacrifice and that we ought to draw neere vnto it with all regard aud reuerence Lastly it is called the new testament or Will of Christ. This title teacheth that there is a double couenant betweene God and man the one old the other new the one of the law the other of the Gospell the firste of Workes the seconde of grace Againe it serueth to condemne the cursed sacriledge of the church of Rome which addeth and detracteth altereth and mangleth this sacrament at her own pleasure and mingleth it with the leauen of her owne inuentions This is a great comfort to all Gods children to consider that all faithfull christians are the heires of Christ to whom he hath promised saluation of their soules and forgiuenesse of their sinnes As we haue seene the seueral names of this sacrament which shew the nature there of vnto vs so now we will set downe what the lords supper is The supper of the lord is the second sacrament wherein by visible receiuing of bread and wine is represented our spirituall
be holy and seperated from the prophane of the world 2 cor 6 xvi xvii Q what meane you by calling it catholicke A I beleeue that the church is not tyed to one time or place but spreadeth it selfe throughall nations vnder heauen whomesoeuer God shall cal act x xxxiiii Reuel 5. 9 Q what are the gifts giuen to the church A Two fold first in this 〈◊〉 secondly after this life Act 2 46 47 Q what be the gifts in this life A Two the communion of saints and forgiuenes of sins 1 Iohn 1 7 Q what means you by communion of Saints A I beleeue that howsoeuer the faithfull by distance of place are far seperated one from another yet there is such a mutual compassion and fellow-feeling each of others condition that they are a like both greeued and ioyfull at each others aduersity and prosperity Act. 4 32 1 cor x. i. 25 26. Rom. xii xv xvi Q what meane you by forgiuenes of sinnes A I beleeue that Iesus christ hath already suffred for my sins and therefore they shall be freely pardoned and the punishment of them forgiuen vnto me i. Iohn 2. i. 2 Psal. xxxii 5 Q what be the gifts bestowed on the church after this life A Two the resurrection of the body and life euerlasting i. cor xv 42. i. Thess. 4 xvi xvii Q what beleeue you of the resurrection of the flesh A I beleeue that the dead bodies of al such as haue dyed from the beginning of the world shall in the end be raised again and be vnited to their soules i cor xv xxii Li Q what beleeue you of euerlasting life A I beleeue that after the body and soule bee ioyned together againe in one person the godly shal go into euerlasting ioy and felicity and the vngodly shal be cast into endles 〈◊〉 and misery Dan xii ii Q Is it sufficient to haue that Faith which beleeueth these Articles to be true A No we must haue a iustifieng faith to apply them to our selues Phil. 3 8 9 Q what is that faith A Faith is a gift of God whereby we apply to our selues particularly the promises made to vs in christ Gal 2 xx act xv x xi Q what be the meanes whereby this faith is attained A They are two the be getting and the continual nourishing of it Eph 4 xi xii xiii Q what are the meanes whereby faith is first begun and hegotten in vs A The word 〈◊〉 Rom. x xiiii Q How is this faith nourished in vs and increased A By the same preaching of the word by praier and by the sacraments act 242 Q what is prayer A Prayer is a calling vpon God alone in the name of his son Iesus christ Ioh 〈◊〉 23 Q How many kinds of praier be there A Two petition and thanks-giuing Psal 50 15 1 Tim 2 1 2 Q Haue we no rule prescribed to direct our praiers by it A Yes we haue a forme of praier which christ taught his disciples commonly called the Lords prayer Math 6 9 Luk xi 1 2 Q What haue we to consider in this prayer A Three things the entrance the petitions and the conclusion of the prayer Q What is the entrance of the praier A Our father which art in heauen Q What meane you when you say our father A Heereby I beleeue he tendreth vs as a louing father doth tender his owne children and therefore is most ready and willing to heare and to help vs Math 7 xi Esa. 49 xv Q What meane you by this that he is said to be in heauen A I learne that because he is in heauen his power is almighty and therfore he is fully able to do vs all good Luk 1 37 Rom 4 21 Dan 3 xvii Q What consider you in the petitions A Two things First they are set downe Secondly they are considered by reason Q How many petitions are there set downe A Sixe Q How are these petitions divided A The three first concerne gods glory the three last petitions concerne our owne selues Q What is the first petition A Hallowed be thy name Psal 111 1 Dan 9 7 Q What do we desire in this first petition A We pray that the name of God may continually be vsed of vs in thought word and deed with all reuerence Psal 48 xi Q What is the second petition A Thy kingdome come Q What do we desire in this second petition A We pray that God throwing downe the kingdome of sin and Satan would raigne in vs by his word and spirit and hasten vnto perfection his kingdome of glory Reuel xxii 20 Q What is the third petition A Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen Psal. 40. 7. 8 Mar. 26 42 Q What do we desire in this third petition A We pray that the reueiled wil of God may be done willingly sincerely and readily by vs men on earth as the Angels and saints in heauen do it Deut. 29. 29 Psal 103 20. Q What is the fourth petition A Giue vs this day our daily bread Gen 28. xx 30. 8 Q What do we desire in this fourth petition A We pray not onely for a competent measure of all commodities seruing both for necessity and christian delight but also thar God wold blesse them to our seuerall vses Psal. 127 1 Leuit xxvi xxvi Q What is the fift petition A Forgiue vs our trespasses Dan. 9 5 8. 9. x xi Q What do we desire God in this petition A we pray that God would freely pardon our sinues committed against him and the punishments due vnto them giuing vs peace of conscience and iustifieng vs in his Son Psal 51 1 7 8 Q Why are these wordes added as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs A For two causes First as a reason to perswade God to forgiue vs seeing euen we which haue not a drop of his infinite mercy in vs are ready to forgiue such offences as are committed against vs. Luke xi 4 Secondly to assure our owne harts of forgiuenes at the handes of god if we from our harts forgiue our brethren Math 5 7 I am 2. xiii mat xviii 32. 33. 35 Q What is the sirt and last petition A Lead vs not into tentation but deliuer vs from euil 2 Cor 12. 7 8 9 Math 26. 41 Q What do we desire in this last petition A we pray not onely to be deliuerd from the power of Satan sinne and the world but also to be directed by the spirit of god in the wayes of true obedience i. cor x xiii Q How are these petitions strengthned and confirmed by reason A For thine is the king dome and the power and glory for euer Q What is the meaning of this strength of the reason A It containeth a thanksgiuing wherin the gouernment and ordering of al things to gither with the power and glory of the same is ascribd wholly and onely vnto the Lord 1 chron 29 xi Q what signifieth this word Amen in the conclusion of
Scripture and nothing by them is added to the Scripture Now as the fathers of the Greeke Church called these holy rites by name of Misteries because the substance of them was onely knowne to the members of the Church and hidden from others so the ancient teachers of the Latine Church called them Sacraments in respect of the affinity and neerenesse betweene them and a Sacrament For a Sacrament properly is that solemne othe in Warre by which Souldiers bound themselues to their chiefe Captaine Such a regard had the old Romaines in the discipline of their Warres that it was not lawfull for any to kill an enemy or enter into the battell to fight vnlesse he were sworne a Souldier So when we are partakers of these holy signes which God hath appointed in his Church by which he bestoweth vpon vs spirituall gifts we do bind our selues to him wee professe openly his true religion we vowe to fight vnder his banner against our enimies so that they are testimonies and tokens of the couenant betweene God and vs that he is our god and we bind our selues to be his people to serue him and no other god So circumcision was a seale of Gods promise to Abraham and a seal of Abrahams faith and obedience toward god By them man is bound to God and God vouchsafeth to bind himselfe to man Wherfore the word sacrament being translated from the campe to the Church from the soldiour to a christian from a ciuill vse to an holy let vs see in this sence and signification what it is Now the word being borrowed from warres is taken two waies first in a generall signification and may comprehend al maner of signes whether naturall or myraculous or voluntary which God commanded men to vse to assure them of the vndoubted truth of his promise as when he gaue to Adam in the Garden the tree of life to be a pledge of his immortality the Rain-bow to Noah and his posterity sometimes he gaue them miraculous signes as light in a smoaking Furnace to Abraham the fleece wet the earth being dry and the earth wet the fleece being dry to Gideon to promise and performe victory to Gedeon In this large acception of the worde we do not intreat of the Sacraments we speak properly of those which God hath left to be ordinary in his Church to bee seales of our communion with Christ and of the righteousnes which is by faith A Sacrament thus considered is a visible signe and seale ordained of God whereby Christ and all his sauing graces by certaine outward rites are signified exhibited and sealed vp vnto vs. In this description we are to consider these 3. things First the whole kind or general secondly the cause or author thereof and lastly the vse of this doctrine deliuered Touching the first wheras it is said that a sacrament is a visible signe and seale this is prooued and confirmed in sundry places of the scripture as Gen. 17. speaking of circumcision he saith It shall be a signe of the 〈◊〉 betweene me and thee And Rom. 4. speaking of Abraham he saith he receyued the signe of circvmcision as a seale of the righteousnesse of faith Indeed a signe and a seale differ one from another as the generall from the especiall for euery seale is a signe but euery signe is not a seale A seale certifieth assureth and confirmeth a thing a signe only sheweth it but a Sacrament doth both It is a signe to signifie and represent a seale to ratifie and assure an instrument to confer and conueigh Christ with al his benifits to them that truely beleeue in him a pledge vnto vs of Gods promises a visible word and as a notable glasse wherein we may behold assured testimonies of Gods eternall fauour of the riches of his grace which he bestoweth vpon vs. This teacheth vs to acknowlege there is more inthe Sacraments then is seen with the eies or felt with the hands therfore we must not conceiue vnreueretly of them nor come negligenly vnto them making them meere carnal and outward things but we must thinke reuerently speake soberly receiue humbly and penitently these holy misteries Againe heereby we are brought to beleeue the promises of god for if the Sacraments be not only signes of his fauour but seales of our faith can we doubt of his mercy and good meaning toward vs hauing left such pawnes and pledges thereof with vs that we might haue assured comfort and comfortable assurance of saluation and eternall life Is it not among men matter of assurance and a note of true dealing to haue a pledge left with vs But behold God hath left vnto vs two pawnes of his promises as it were an earnest-penny that our faith should not wauer If then his alone word be al suffycient hauing a noble addition of the Sacramentes as of his seales let vs beleeue his promises and in all tentations rest vpon them with all confidence and consolation Secondly it is saide a sacrament is a diuine ordinance Not any Angell or Arch-angell not any Prince or prelat but onely God himselfe is the author and ordainer of the Sacramentes This appeareth by many witnesses out of the worde of God I haue set my bow in the cloud and is shall be for a signe of the couenant betweene me and the earth and when I shall couer the earth with a cloud and the bow shall be seene in the cloud then wil I remember my couenant which is between me and you Where we see that when God determined to be mercyfull vnto the world and neuer to drowne the same with water againe as he had drowned it he gaue them a signe of his promise to wit His bow in the cloudes When God would witnesse and stablish to Abraham and his seede after him the promise of his mercy he ordained a Sacrament to confirme the same Gen. 17. This is my couenant which ye shall keepe betweene me and you let euery man child among you be circumcised And the Apostle saith I haue receiued of the Lord that which I haue deliuered vnto you And Christ himselfe instituted Baptisme sent forth his disciples to preach the Gospell All these testimonies as a cloud of witnesses do confirm vs in this truth that non hath power autority in the church to institute a Sacrament but God only And the reasons are apparant First the Sacraments belong to the seruice worship of god now it resteth not in man to appoint prescribe a seruice of God but to retaine and embrace that which is taught by him For in vain they worship him teaching for doctrines mens precepts Againe the Sacramentall signes haue Gods promises annexed vnto them confirming vs in the same which they could not doe but by the blessyng and benefit of him that promiseth so that God onely is able to bestow grace and he alone can appoint true signes of grace For as he only
declare the couenaut of God to pray for his blessing promised vpon his owne ordinance to giue thankes for the blessed worke of our redemption to offer giue and deliuer a right the creatures so sanctified in baptisme to sprinkle with water and washe the body to be baptized and in the Lords Supper to deliuer the bread to be eaten and the wine to be drunke to the spirituall nourishment of the Church So then the minister ought not to refuse to baptize such as are brought vnto him Shall the seruant refuse to do the worke of his maister Or if the Lord keeper of the kings broad seale should proudly and presumpteously disdame to set the seale to the Princes letters patents were he not well worthy to be displaced and remoued So if the minister through enuy or hatred or any other sinister affection shall refuse to put the seale to the Lords Couenant and hinder little children from comming to Christ he deserueth iustly to be displaced and to beare office no longer in the citty of God but to be remoued for his contempt as Salomon put downe Abiathar Secondly is it a necessary point of the Sacrament that it be ministred by a minister Then it condemneth 〈◊〉 those that put these seales into a wrong hand and all 〈◊〉 persons that violently rush vpon this calling and take vp on them to meddle with the administration of the Sacraments with vnwashen hands seeing the dispensation of the word and Sacraments is so linked annexed and ioyned together by God that a deniall of licence to do the one is a deniall to do the other and contrary wise the license to one is license to the other Christ neuer gaue to priuate persons any such commaundement he neuer committed to them any such ossice hee neuer commended to their care these holy actions he neuer called them to this honor he neuer laid vpon them this charge and therefore they haue no parte nor fellowship in this businesse If notwithstanding these restrainings of authority from them they wil runne and rush forward where they should hang backward their sinne lieth at the doore their punishment hastneth and their iudgement sleepeth not Lastly if the minister be an outward part of the Sacrament we must beware and take heed we ascribe not to the minister that which is proper to Christ and so rob him of the honour due vnto his name The minister may offer the signe he cannot bestow the thing signified he may baptize the body he cannot clense the soule he may deliuer the bread and wine he cannot giue the body and blood of Christ Iohn may wash with water he cannot giue the spirit Man indeede pronounceth the word but God sealeth vp his grace in the heart man sprinkleth the body with water but God maketh cleane the soule by the blood of Christ man may take away the filth of the flesh but Christ must purge the conscience from dead workes who is that blessed lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world For as Paule planteth and Apollos watereth but God 〈◊〉 the increase so the minister offereth the element and outward signe but God giueth the heauenly grace It belongeth to the minister to handle the external part it belongeth as a peculiar dignity to Christ to bestow grace to giue saith regeneration and forgiuenesse of sinnes and to baptize with the Holy-ghost This truth Iohn 〈◊〉 I baptize with water but one commeth after me who is mightier then I he shall baptize you with the Holy-ghost Where we see he maketh a flat opposition betweene himselfe and Christ betweene his baptisme and the baptisme of Christ. As on the one side we must take heede of the contempt of him that teacheth and ministreth the Sacramentes because the contempt of the word and Sacraments doth necessarily follow the contempt of his person so we must beware we attribute or giue not to him more then his right least the power of the word and force of the Sacramentes be attributed to his person wherby men spoile themselues of the fruite of them both This was it wherein the Corinthians offended when they said I am Pauls I am Apollos I am Cephas I am Christs Wherefore to keepe a golden meane between too much and too little we must do as if a prince should send vs some present by one of the meanest messengers of his house we would receiue him fauorably and entertaine him honorably for the gifts sake which he bringeth vnto vs but the guift it selfe we would receiue for the kings sake from whom it was sent So it becommeth euery one of vs to do God hath committed to his messengers and ministers the word of reconciliation we must haue them in singular loue for their workes sake that labour among vs but the word and Sacramentes we must receiue for the Lords sake from whom they come Thus much of the first outward part to wit theminister Chap. 5. Of the second outward part of a sacrament THe second outward part of a Sacrament is the word necessarily required to the substance of a Sacrament for the word is added and ioyned to the element and there is made a Sacrament This sacramentall word is the word of institution which God in each Sacrament hath after a speciall manner set downe consisting partly of a commaundement by which Christ appointeth the administration of Sacramēts and partly of a promise annexed whereby God ordaineth that the outward elements shal be instruments and seales of his graces As for example when Christ saith Go teach al nations baptize them there is a commaundement to warrant the vse and practise of Baptisme the promise likewise is in the next words Into the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy-ghost So touching the other Sacrament of his supper when he saith Take ye eate ye drinke ye do this in remembrance of me Ioe there is the commaundement cōmaunding the continual vse therof vntil the second comming of christ the promise is this is my body which is giuē for you this is my blood of the new Testament shed for you for many for remission of sins Whatsoeuer signs of holy things god gaue to strengthen the faith of his childrē we may see and descern that god alwaies added the worde to the seale the voice to the signe and doctrine to the sight so that when the signe was seene the word was heard When one of the Seraphims beating an hot coale in his hand which he had taken from the alter touched the mouth of the prophet he said Lo this hath touched thy lips and thine iniquity shall be taken away and thy sinnes shall be purged Now we know a coale hath not power and force to take away sinne but the word vttered by the Angell did assure him that he should be purged by the holy ghost which was signified by the 〈◊〉 Againe when Christ gaue to his disciples
are present to communicate and receiue this were to commit sacriledge not to deliuer a Sacrament Wherefore vnlesse there be a body to be washed except there be communicants to partake the Supper there can be no Sacrament This appeareth by the words of God to Abraham giuing vnto him circumcision saying Euery male-child of eight daies old shall be circumcised This also appeareth in the words of Christ speaking of baptisme and charging the Apostles to baptize the nations in the name of the father and of the son of the Holy-ghost Where he teacheth that it is not sufficient to take water but there must be a washing So. when he speaketh of his supper he saith Take ye eate ye drinke ye so that there must not only be bread but giuing taking and eating there must not onely bee wine but giuing taking and drinking thereof This truth being euidently deliuered let vs see how it may be profitably applied First of all must the Sacraments necessarily be receiued Then it teacheth that the Sacraments without their lawfull vse are no sacraments at all they are no signes of grace if they be not vsed This condemneth the keeping reseruing holding vp and carying about with pompe and ostentation the Lords supper offering vp kneeling downe vnto and adoring a piece of bread all which are horrible prophanations of that comfortable Sacrament whereby the people isrobbed and depriued of a precious part of their peace in Christ. The bread feedeth not the body reuiueth not the spirits strengthneth not the heart by looking and gazing vpon it by touching and handling it but by eating digesting and feeding vpon it so doth the sacrament strengthen faith not by reseruing and keeping it but by vsing and receiuing of it For sacramentes are actions not dumbe shewes Christ saide not Heare ye see ye gaze re on but baptize ye eate ye drinke ye doe ye this in remembrance of me Secondly are the receiuers an outward part of the Sacrament Then the persons that are to receiue must know that diuers duties are to bee done and performed of them The persons then that are to receiue must ioyne with the Minister in prayer in quickning their faith in the couenant and promises ofGod beholding the former works of the Minister blessing breaking pouring out and distributing ratifieng them in their harts and lastly by receiuing and applying to themselues the visible signes For as we haue shewed if the words of baptisme should be rehearsed ouer the water and no person to be present to be baptized it is no baptisme so if the words of institution in the supper should be spoken and repeated without eating without drinking without receiuing it were no Sacrament Wherefore we must all learne to detest the absurd opinion of Bellarmine and other procters of the Romish religion which teache that the breade and Wine being once consecrate whither they be receiued or reserued whither they bee distributed to be eaten and drunke or whether they be kept in boxes and vessels of the Church for daies moneths and long times and carried solemnly in procession are notwithstanding still the Sacrament of the body and bloode of Christ. Against which dotage wee spake in the former vse and shall speake more in the third booke following Lastly if the receiuing be an outward part then we are not to rest in the outward participation for so farre went Iudas in the Passeouer so farre went Simon that sorcerer in baptisme and so farre went the Israelites as the Apostle sheweth They were all baptized vnto Moses in the cloud and in the sea they did all eat the same spirituall meat and did al drink the same spirituall drinke c yet with many of them was not god pleased but they were ouerthrowne in the Wildernesse And therefore Iohn Baptist said to the Pharisees and Saduces when he saw them come to his baptisme O generation of vipers who hath forewarned you to flee from the anger to come bring foorthe therefore fruit worthy amendment of life Now our righteousnes must exceede the righteousnes of the Scribes and Pharisees if wee woulde enter into the kingdome of heauen Let vs all therefore haue this profitable meditatiō so often as we deale with the Sacraments and come vnto them we must looke further then to the outward sight we must consider more then the externall signe otherwise as we approch without preparation so we depart without edification And thus much of the foure outward parts of a Sacrament to wit the minister the word the signe and the receiuer Chap. 8. Of consecration BEfore we proceede to the inward parts of a Sacrament answerable to the outward by a fit proportition it shall not be amisse in this place to speake somewhat of the Consecration of a sacrament First wee must consider what it is for the truth being knowne it will cast downe errour as the light scattereth the darknesse To consecrate then is to take a thing from the ordinary and common vse and to appoint it to some holy vse This therefore is Consecration sanctification and dedication of the outward signes to apply them to an holy purpose This is done partly by the minister partly by the people and partly by them both The minister taketh the water in Baptisme which signifieth the blood of Christ and he poureth it on the person of the baptized he taketh the bread in the Lords supper and breaketh it he taketh the wine and poureth it out he deliuereth them both the people take and receiue they eate and drinke in remembrance of Christ and both minister and people ioynein praier and thanksgiuing vnto God the father for the mistery of our redemption accomplished by Christ our sauiour so that the sacrament is consecrated by the whole action of the minister and people together This maketh the difference betweene common water and the water in Baptisme this maketh the difference betweene that bread and wine of the Supper and the bread and wine which is vsed for ordinary meate and drinke True it is in nature in essence in substance there is none but in the ende and vse Common water we vse for the washing of our bodies but the water in Baptisme is sanctified by prayer to an other vse to be a signe of the clonsing of the soule Bread and wine at mens tables in their houses are set before them for the nourishment of their bodies but at the Lords l'able they are ordained of God to an higher and holier vse euen to be signes of the bodye and blood of Christ. This is noted by the Euangelistes and by the Apostle Paule that the Lord Iesus before he brake the bread and gaue it he blessed and gaue thankes to his father that he had appointed him to be the redeemer of the world and giuen him authority to institute this Sacrament in remembrance of his death and passion For wheras the Euangelist Mathew saith he blessed the other by way
of exposition say Hegaue thanks so that the blessing heere spoken of is Giuing of thanks which also appeareth compared with Ioh. 6 11. And the Apostle saith Euery creature of God is good if it be receiued with thank sgiuing for it is sanctified by the worde of God and prayer We see then that Consecration is when a thing is separated from a common and ciuil vse to a more special vse which is done by the authority of the worde and by the vertue of prayer whereby it hath his full force power and vertue The knowledge of this point serueth to cleere our doctrine and to ouerthrow sundry errors of the church of Rome First it sheweth that we hold teach a consecration that is a sanctifieng of the water in Baptisme and of the bread and wine in the Lords supper by the word by prayer and by thanksgiuing The bread wine are changed not in nature but in quality not in substance but in vse not in essence but in the end not by force of certaine words but by Christs institution We acknowledge and confesse a consecration not a conuersion a sanctification of the signes not a transubstantiation of the substance into the body and blood of Christ. He blessed and praised his father as mediatour of the Church for the mistery of the redemption of mankind and hee blessed the creatures that they might be effectual signes and serue for the confirmation and increase of our faith Secondly we are taught that consecration is not a magical charme and incantation by force of certaine wordes as though these word This is my body being murmured and spoken ouer the bread and This cup is the new testament in my bloud whispered ouer the wine did fully finish a consecration and made the elements to be immediatly changed into the body and blood of Christ without any other obseruing of the institution And hence it is that the forme of Christs giuing of thanks is not set down by any Euangelist because our corrupution and superstition is so great that if we had the words we would ascribe power force to the words sillables and letters and therefore the manner of his thanksgiuing is pretermitted This inclination of the hart is apparently seene in the Romish church who ascribe efficacy operation to the pronouncing of certain words which is a part of sorcery and a part of witch craft Wheras we auouch that the whole action of taking breaking pouring out distributing eating drinking praysing rehearsing the institution of Christ are the consecration that is the separation of these creatures to this vse Thirdly if after the Sacramentall actions if after thanksgiuing to god if after prayer that we may vse the creatures to the confirmation of our faith there do follow consecration sanctification and change of the elements to another vse then the power effect and working of the Sacrament dependeth not vpon the intention of the minister therfore the popish opinion is to be refused and reprooued that holdeth it to be no Sacrament if the minister haue not an intent and purpose in the ministration thereof at least to do that which the church doth that is to consecrate the elements and to make a Sacrament If his mind be not on his matters his hart on his busines in hand they hold it can be no Sacrament For otherwise saith Bellarmine If a priest should read the Gospell at the table of prelates and religious men and in reading should pronounce these words This is my body this is my blood then all the bread and wine vpon the the table should be consecrate and changed into Christs body and blood which is not so because his intent is wanting Againe if a father should lead his sonne to the bath and there dip him in the water And say I wash thee in the name of the father and though he thinke nothing of Baptizing him yet it should bee baptisme if an intent of baptizing were not required But I would gladly haue him answere this question what if a father should intend Baptisme by dipping his child in the bath whether that were baptisme or not Or suppose the priest we spake off reading at the prelates table should haue a mind and meaning to consecrate all the bread and wine vpon the table must 〈◊〉 of necessity be a Sacrament and reall change of all Or admit the former priest being in the saide prelats wine seller supposing himselfe to be in the Church and to stand at the alter should pronounce there words of consecration with a purpose and intent to make a sacrament should all the wine in that 〈◊〉 be turned into the blood of Christ Or if he being in a bakers shoppe should there solemnely say This is my body with the foresaide resolution should all that bread be changed into the body of Christ Let them speake plainely let them tel vs directly what they hold I thinke they will not say so I am sure it is not so For other things are wanting that are needefull in this matter We haue shewed that a Sacrament is not made by bare pronouncing of certaine wordes ascribing force to them after the manner of enchanters but the whole institution of Christ must be obserued there must be distributing and receiuing there must be praier and thankesgiuing and from the vse of these followeth Consecration all which are wanting in the former examples suppositions there is no taking no breaking no distributing no pouring out no receiuing no praying no thanksgiuing We see touching the word of God with what intent and vnder what pretence soeuer it be preached if the minister teach Christ crucified howsoeuer he be affected it may haue his effect in the heart and worke saith in 〈◊〉 hearer so is it in the Sacramentes they haue their efficacy and operation howsoeuer the hart of the minister be disposed And as Isaac intended not to blesse Iacob but Esau yet it hindered not the purpose and determination of God so the corrupt intent the wandering imagination and rouing conceite of the minister cannot hinder the blessing of god in the sacramēts being his own ordinaces For the force of the Sacrament dependeth no more vpon the intention of the giuer then it doth vpon the intention of the receiuer Againe if the right receiuing of the Sacrament depend vpon the intent of the minister what assurance can any man haue that hee hath euer receiued or shall euer receiue a Sacrament What perswasion can we haue in our hearts that we euer were baptized What knowledge that we were euer partakers of the body and blood of Christ in the supper of the Lord Doth not this leaue vs vncertaine and vnsetled without comfort without fruite without benefit by comming to the sacraments and setteth the poore distressed consciences of men vpon the rack Alas we cannot kno the hart and vnderstand the intentes thereof For what man
assured paiment yea all the promises of God in him are yea and are in him Amen vnto the glory of God But seeing the goodnesse of God hath abounded in granting vnto vs two Sacraments that where doubting aboundeth there faith might abound much more our sinne is the greater if now we wauer like a waue of the sea tossed of the wind and carried away One tree of life serued Adam to assure him life one raine-bowe sufficed Noah One returne of the fun back ward was inough to Hezekiah and they beleeued If then we seeke a signe behold we haue two giuen vnto vs that hauing two vnchangeable sacraments as it were two witnesses of his worde wee might haue strong consolation The vnbeleeuing Iewes said to christ shew vs a signe and we will beleeue thee Beholde the Lord sheweth vs two visible signes of his spirituall and inuisible graces and shal not we beleeue being stedfast in faith We desire forgiuenesse of sins and assurance therof by these two the Lorde promiseth couenanteth and indenteth to giue the same vnto vs setting the seales to his owne writing Lastly this diuision and numbring vp of the sacramentes serueth to teach that there are not seuen sacraments of the church and so do condemne the fiue supposed and falsely named sacraments maintained of the church of Rome to wit confirmation pennance Matrimony orders and extreame vnction Baptisme we embrace the Lordes supper we acknowledge of these two we moue no question we make no controuersie the other fiue whole father is vnknowne we refuse as bastards and cannot admit them into the number of sacraments the reasons whereof we will render in the chapters following Chap. 17. That confirmation is not a sacrament THe Apostles as the maister-builders of the churches planted the Gospell where the name of Christ had not bin heard Nowe because many seducers arose that trobled the peace of the church and the faith of many beleeuers began to wauer the Apostles agreede together to goe againe to the churches wher they had laid a golden foundation howsoeuer other had builded hay and stubble thereon to see how they increased or decreased as Act. 11. and they confirmed theyr heartes and established them in the faith which they hadde taught And Chap 15. Paule said vnto Barnabas Let vs returne and visit our brethren in euery Citty where we haue preached the word of the Lord and see how they do And we doubt not but when the Gospell was reueiled the Apostles by laying on hands gaue the giftes of the Holy-ghost to the beleeuers in Christ. This practise of the Apostles we finde this we confesse this we approue and allow But of any sacrament of confirmation we read not and therefore allow not Againe it was a laudable custome in the primitiue church of christian parents to bring their children to the Bishop who examined them in the principles and fundamentall points of religion he asked them a reason of their faith he instructed them farther in the misteries of godlines and that this action might haue the more reuerence and dignity they laid their hands vpon them and prayed vnto God for them that he would increase and continue the good things that he had begun in them This imposition of handes with prayer to be strengthened in the Holy-ghost and to haue increase of grace corrupted with annointings depraued with crossings and defiled with sundry superstitions is no sacrament First euery sacrament should haue warant and appointment from Christ but this hath none Secondly it hath no word of institution in the scripture nor commaundement to continue the vse of it vntill the comming of Christ and end of the world and therfore no sacrament For the word must be added to the element and so it is made a sacrament True it is they vse a forged and counterfeit forme in their confirmation I signe thee with the signe of the holie crosse and I confirme thee with the oile of saluation in the name of the father and the son and of the holi-ghost These indeed are wordes but no worde of God they shew an intollerable presumption and not to be excused But indeed a counterfeit Sacrament and there is a good agreement when both writing and seale are sutable that is both forged Thirdly it wanteth an outward signe instituted by Christ. We read oftentimes that the Apostles vsed laying on of hands but we read of no oyle or chrisme Besides we know they gaue thereby the miraculous gifts of the holy ghost which now are ceased as Act. 8. where we see when Samaria was conuerted to the faith by preaching of Phillip and baptized in the name of the Lord Iesus the Apostles sent thither Peter Iohn who praied for them That they might receiu the Holy-ghost for as yet he was fallen down on none of thē then laid they their hands on them and they receiued the Holy-ghost This confirmation thus vsed had then a profitable vse in the church of God But as the brasen Serpent commaunded by God and set vp by Moyses for good purpose was afterward abused and incense offered vnto it and lastly was by that good king Hezekiah destroyed and demolished so popish confirmation hith many intolerable abuses mingled with it it is ministred in a strange tongue that none vnderstand what is spoken and ment they call the oyle the oyle of saluation they acount him no perfect Christian that is not anointed by the Bishop they prefer it before baptisme because any of their piiests may baptize nay priuate men nay women in their supposed time of necessity but confirmation may be giuen among them onely by the hands of a byshop and lastly they blow and halow their oyle that it may be made a spirituall oyntment to purifie soule and body These errors are so grosse that of euery one they may be seene they are so palpable that they may bee felt Wherfore seeing their confirmation is wrought by anoynting seeing it hath no word of God but a word of their own seeing they haue no commaundement for it nor promise of the presence of the Holy-ghost and last of all seeing it hath many abuses ioyned with it wee haue very iust causes to thrust it out of this place and ranke of the sacraments and throw it downe from that high seate which 〈◊〉 hath long vsurped Chap. 18. That popish penance is no Sacrament THe doctrine of repentance and turning from all our sinnes to God to bring forth fruits of amendment of life is taught in the Sacraments and commended vnto all Ioel. 2. Turne you vnto me withall your heart and rent your heart not your garments There is none that liueth and sinneth not we are corrupt and become abhominable the imaginations of our hart are only euill and that continually in vs that is in our flesh or vnregenerate part there dwelleth no good thing we were conceiued and borne in sin and therfore whosoeuer saith He is
the faith beeing the eyes and hands of the soule Wherefore Cardinall Caietan not so grosse as many among them confesseth that these wordes proue not matrimony to be a Sacra Further it is euident to al that consider the circumstance of the text that the Apostle not forth marriage in this place as a similitude to represent the neere coniunction between christ and his church but 〈◊〉 he bringeth forth the exceeding and eminent loue of christ as a 〈◊〉 to declare and enforce what should be the loue of the husband toward the wife For the mayne point of exhortation is set downe verse 25. Husbands loue your wiues This is argued and enforced by the example of Christ As Christ loued the church and gaue himselfe for it Againe The man is the head of the woman as Christ is the head of the church And afterward He that loueth his wife loueth himselfe for no man euer yet hated his owne flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it euen as the Lord doth the church By all these things it is plaine and manifest that if they wil needes in this place dreame of a sacrament consisting of a signe and thing signisied Christ and the church must be the signe representation and consecrated mistery to represent man and his wife and their mutuall loue each to other and not marriage a consecrated sign of him Last of al I would know of them whether so often as the old translator vseth the word sacrament they wil haue it taken strictly properly and particularly for the Sacraments of their church I thinke if they be sober minded and well aduised they dare not say so for then godlines shal be a sacrament Gods wil shall be a sacrament The calling of the Gentiles shal be a Sacrament Yea iniquity shal be a Sacrament For in al these places the word Sacrament is vsed as wel as in this place to the Ephesians by the old Interpretor sometimes in the good part and sometimes in the euil to whom notwithstanding they cleaue and must cleaue vnder paine of the censur and curse of the councell of Trent Chap. 20. That orders are no Sccrament BY orders we must vnderstand the offices and ministry of the church as also Peter Lumbard doth We confesse when Christ led captiuity captiue he gaue giftes vnto men and ordained Some to be Apostles some prophets some Euangelists and some pastors and teachers for the repairing of the saint for the worke of the ministry and for the edification of the bodie of Christ. By these he declareth his will vnto vs he gathereth togither his scattered sheep and publisheth the glad tydings of saluation as Ier. 7. I haue sent vnto you all my seruants the Prophets rising up earlie euerie date And christ our sauiour saith Luc 10. He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you aespiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me And the Apostle Paule 2. Cor 5 teacheth God was in Christ and reconciled the world to himselfe not imputing their sins vnto them and hath committed to vs the word of reconciliation Now then are we Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you through vs we pray you in Christs stead to be reconciled to God This we hold this we beleeue this we teach touching the degrees orders and offices of the ministry of the gospell But the popish orders of the Popish churches they say are seuen whereof some are greater and higher offices some are lower lesser and inferiour The greater are three the office of Priest-hood to offer vp the sacrifice of the bodye and blood of Christ vpon the Altar of Deaconship to assist the priests in all things which are done in the Sacramentes to bring in the oblations to set them vpon the Altar to couer it with cloathes to beare the crosse and to read the Gospell and Epistle to the people of the subdeacons to bringe the chalice and patten to bring the cruet with water and the towell to the Altar and to pour out water to wash their hands These are their higher Offices aboue the rest as the higher trees among the lower shrubs The lesser orders are foure in number First of dore-keepers these receiue the keyes of the church doore to open the same Secondly of readers to reade the Bible to the people Thirdly of Exorcistes to call vppon the name of the Lorde ouer such as haue vncleane spirites adiuring and coniuring them to come out in the name of god which power of commaunding euill spirites is ceased in the Church Lastly A Colythes to prepare and carry torches and tapers when the Gospell is read to the people or the sacrifice is to be offered These seuen popish orders or rather plaine disorders and consusions we cannot receiue into the number of Sacraments of the Church For 〈◊〉 orders are so fruitefull that this bird hath hatched seauen young ones This Sacrament is so rich so rank so riotous that it hath ingendered and brought forth seauen petty and pretty sacraments and therefore these being numbred and patched vp to the sormer we should haue 13. Sacraments A goodly brood of a gallant egge For if euery one of these orders of doore-keepers readers exorsistes Acolithes subdeacons deacons and priests be Sacraments we should multiply the number of Sacramentes according to the number of these orders and so indeede of seauen we should haue 13. Sacraments which were a very disorderly order or if you list to cal it an orderly disorder And so Peter Lumbard maister of the Sentences calleth not orders a Sacrament as speaking of one but Sacraments as speaking of many saying Orders are called Sacraments because in receiuing of them grace is conferred which is represented by those things that are there performed Neither can they say they al make but one sacrament sceing they are distinct offices one from another diuerse in offices in institution in calling in ordinatiō in ceremonies and in forme of consecration so that they may by as good right and as great reason make baptisme and the Lords supper one sacrament as all these orders so diuerse and distinct the one from the other Secondly sacraments haue their institution from christ orders haue not their institution from Christ to be Sacraments of the church therefore orders are no sacraments Nay as they are retained vsed in the church of Rome they are no ordinances or institutions of christ at all For touching the osfices of priest-hood to offer vp the body of Christ for the quick and dead of deacons to serue these Baals priests at their Idolatrous alters of subdeacōs of readers and of the rest they are not found in scripture neither were ordained by the apostles neither were they receiued into the church for many yeares after Christ and his Apostles The new Testament as it doth acknowledge no other sacrificer and sacrifice but Christ so it admitteth no priests no priest-hood but
and receiued circumcision as the Apostles said to the Iailer humb'ed vnder the mighty hand of GOD and desiring to be instructed in the way of saluation Beleeue in the Lord IESVS CHRIST and thou shalt bee saued and thy whole houshold So the 〈◊〉 testifieth the like of Zacheus when hee had once receiued CHRIST into his house nay which is more into his heart then Iesus said vnto him This day is saluation come vnto this bouse for-asmuch as he is also become the sonne of Abraham Thus when the Sunne of rightcousnesse shineth vpon the head and maister of the family the beames thereof by a gratious influence beginne to comforr and concerue all the rest in the house like the precious oyntment vpon the head of Aaron that ranne downe vpon the beard and descended vpon the borders of his garmentes or like the dew that falleth from heauen vpon Hermon and the Mountaines of Sion which goeth downe into the vallies and maketh all the plaine countrey fertill The knowledge of this point offereth diuerse profitable vses to our consideration and consolation First it is the duty of all those that are within the couenant to giue their bodies to be washed and to receiue that washing in the face and presence of the Congregation Let such as are of yeares desire and craue this Sacrament let them claime this priuiledge let them demaund to be baptized according to the example of the Eunuch Act. 8 so soone as he was instructed in the faith of Christ by the preaching of Phillip as he came to a certaine water he saide of his owne accord See heere is water what doth let me to be baptized And to the same purpose Act. 22 Ananias stirreth vp Paule to this duty saying Why 〈◊〉 thou Arise and be baptised and wash away thy sinnes Secondly this condemneth the blinde ignorant and superstitious practise of baptizing belles practised in the church of Rome whereof now they begin to be ashamed and seeking fig-leaues to couer their shame they say they were not baptized but onely hallowed and consecrated to holy vses as Bellarmine betaketh himselfe to this shift as to a place of refuge Lib. 4 de pon Rom. cap. 12. Where the Cardinall confesseth that the people call their solemne blessing and sprinkling with holy-water the baptisme of belles And indeede what can it else be called and accounted They giue names vnto them as to their children they haue God-fathers appointed vnto them as children haue when they are baptized and confirmed they haue new garments put vpon them as the persons baptized among them like wise haue it is also permitted onely to the By shops suffragan who exacteth great summes of money for the baptizing of belles they ascribe to them a spiritual power against stormes and tempests against thunder and lightning against windes and euill spirits Lastly they sprinkle them with holy-water blesse them crosse them and so horribly corrupt this Sacrament of baptisme Yea Durand a principall schooleman not in the schooles of the prophets but of the papists a fit teacher of such schollers setteth out solemnly the praises of belles making them publike preachers and driuers away of deuils But the deuils are not feared and fraied away by fight of crosses by sprinkling of water by sound of belles and babies This kinde goeth not out but by fasting and prayer as our sauiour teacheth And the Apostle willeth euery Christian to take vnto him the whole armour of God that he may be able to resist in the euill day Stand therefore hauing your loynes grided about with verity and hauing on the brest plate of righteousnesse the shield of faith the sword of the spirit the preparation of the Gospell of peace and the grace of prayer in the spirit Heere is the vniuersall armour of God heere is the compleat furnishing of a Christian Souldier heer is perfect direction giuen to vnderstand and to withstand the assaultes of the deuill but among these wee haue neither the signe of the crosse nor the hallowing of belles nor the sound of such preachers and therefore they are no part nor parcel of spitituall armour to surnish vs to goe into the fielde against the enemies of our saluation For euill spirits which fightagainst the soule are not driuen away by hallowing of belles If then there were euer prophanation of Baptisme this may iustly bee iudged to bee one of the most vile and miserable corruptions thereof to bee detested of all true hearted Christians that grone vnder the burden of them Thirdly we may see the great loue of God to all beleeuers seeing he vouchsafeth not onely to bee their God but the God of their seede after them as God himselfe promiseth to Abraham Gen. 17. I will make my couenant betweene me and thee and thy seede after thee in their generations I will be their God walke before mee and be thou vpright And ought we not to walke in the vprightnesse of our heart before this mercifull and all sufficient God Who thus aboundesh in kindenesse toward vs and the fruite of our body Let vs returne vnto him loue for his loue who loued vs first Lastly this teacheth that infants are to be baptized and haue as great right and interest in this Sacrament as they which be in yeares able to make confession of their faith Of which we will intreate in the chapter following where we will proue this truth by testimonies of the scriptures and maintaine it against the Anabaptistes and other heretiks that condemne the same Chap. 7. That Infants are to be baptized ALthough it cannot appeare vnto vs that infantes and new borne babes brought to be baptized haue actuall faith but rather is like they want the habit of faith which haue not the vse of vnderstanding vnlesse God extraordinarily work it which lieth not in vs to iudge of yet wee baptize them and admit them to this sacrament which we doe vpon very good grounds and susficient reasons First therefore we wil proue by euident demonstration out of the scriptures the doctrin of childrēs baptisme to be conformable to the Iewes circumcisiō agreeable to the practise the Apostles allowable by the wordes of Christ answerable to the custome of the primitiue church reasonable in it selfe profitable to the infants auaileable by the ordinance of God and very comfortable to all christian parents Secondly we will maintaine this assertion against the obiections and arguments of the Anabaptists and other aduersaries that haue crossed and contradicted this truth Lastly we will shew what euident and necessary vses may be gathred from hence for the strength of faith and the increase of our obedience Touching the first that the baptising of infants is waranted by the word of God I will make it appeare by sundry reasons We see in the old testament that all males by expresse commaundement were willed to be circumcised the eight day If God made infants partakers of
According to his mercy he saued vs by washing of the new-birth and the renewing of the holy-ghost which he shedde on vs aboundantly through Iesus Christ our sauiour All these testimonies teach vs that the Holy spirit of God is a necessary inward part of this sacrament and that the baptisme of the spirit ioyned to the word giueth force vnto it who worketh in our soules that which water doth in our bodies so that without the spirit it is nothing From hence we learne that it is not the dipping of vs into or the sprinkling of vs with water by the Minister that maketh vs partakers of Christ but it commeth from the vertue of the spirit who in time performeth what is represented by outwarde signes and promised by the worde Againe we learne heereby that the spirit is true God equall with the father and the sonne For who is able to make the worde and Sacramentes auaileable but onely God Seeing then this is the proper worke of the Holy-ghost to open the heart to teach the conscience to seale vppe to the daye of redemption and to helpe our infirmities in heating in praying and receiuing the Sacraments he must needs be acknowledged to bee true God the giuer of these graces So we see that in the forme of the administration of this sacrament the blessed spirit is named and rehearsed and hath his order togither with the father and the sonne This therefore is a principle of our faith to be learned confessed and beleeued Thirdly we are heerby to take heed and beware that we giue not to the word that which is proper to the spirit he ingrafteth vs into Christ he keepeth vs that we fal not from Christ he maketh the word and promise of the institution profitable vnto vs without whome it shoulde be vnto vs as sounding brasse or a tinckeling Cymball Wherefore as GOD the father in mercy maketh the promise so his spirite must assure it to the Consciences of all the faithfull Lastly let vs learne whensoeuer we come to the Worde or sacramentes to craue the gracious assistance of the blessed spirit to guide direct and regenerate vs to eternal life to sanctifie vs and to assure vs of gods endlesse fauour in Christs Iesus as 1 Ioh 5. There be three which beare witnesse in heauen the father the word and the holy spirit and these three are one The Holy-ghost by his grace and vertue worketh in vs steadfastly to beleeue the truth of Gods worde and the gratious promises of saluation as he is the author beginner and begetter of faith in vs so he increaseth it and maketh vs fit to receiue Christ and to apply him with all his gifts vnto our selues and sendeth vs into the full fruition and possession of Christ. He is our comforter to certifie vs of our reconciliation to god and to make vs reioyce vnder the crosse knowing that tribulation bringeth foorth patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of god is shed abroade in our harts by the holy-ghost which is giuen vnto vs. He is the earnest and seale of our inheritance by whom we are sealed vp to euerlasting life Thus we see that howsoeuer the increase and 〈◊〉 of faith is assigned to the sacramentes yet this grace proceedeth from the holy-ghost who is vnto our faith as marow vnto the bones as moysture vnto the tree and as a comfortable raine vnto the fruites of the earth If this inward maister and teacher be wanting the sacraments can worke no more in our mindes then if the bright Sunne should shine to the blind eies or a loud voice sound in deafe eares or fruitefull corne fall into the barren wildernesse Wherefore least the word of saluation should sound in our eares in vaine and Sacraments ioyned to the word should be present before our eies in vaine the spirit worketh in vs whensoeuer we come vnto them aright he mollifieth the hardnesse of our heartes he frameth vs to new obedience and assureth vs that God offereth to vs his owne sonne for our iustification and saluation For euen as the seede that falleth into a barren soile dyeth and rotteth yet if it be so wen in fruiteful grownd wel tilled manured it bringeth 〈◊〉 good increase with gain aduantage so likewise the word and the sacramentes if they hit vpon an heard neck and fall into a barren heart bcome vnprofitable and vnfruiteful but if the effectual work of the spirit accompanieth the hearing of the one and receiuing of the other they are profitable auaileable and comfortable Thus much of the second part Chap 10. Of the third inward part of Baptisme THe third inward part of baptisme is Christ represented and signified by the water For as the A postle teacheth That the blood of bulles and calues cannot take away sinne so the water in baptisme cannot wash away sinnes It toucheth the body washeth it clenseth and purgeth it but it can proceed no further For this cause the beleeuers are said to be baptized in the name of Christ as Act 2 38. He baptized euery one of you in the name of christ So chap. 19 5 They were baptized in the name of the Lord Iesus Not meaning heerby the forme and manner of baptizing but the fruite foundation and end of baptisme Likewise the Apostle sheweth the same 1 Pet 3 21. Baptisme answering to the figure of the Arke saueth vs by the resurrection of Iesus Christ. There is no more force in outward baptisme to saue the whole vertue and force floweth from the streame of Christs blood as the true materiall cause thereof wherein the power of in ward baptisme doth consist The truth being euident that the pouring out of the blood of CHRIST is one of the inward partes of Baptisme let vs see the vses The vse of this part teacheth diuerse pointes First that the outward washing with water is not the washing away of sins for then whosoeuer were dipped in it should receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes repentance from dead workes and sanctification of the spirit whether he beleeued or not which is otherwise as we see Act. 8 22. Also they should not and could not be Christians and eternally saued which are not outwardly washed but departing this life without baptisme they should perish in the next world without redresse or redemption and so our condicion were worse then the Iewes their condition in times past and the grace of God more restrained vnder the Gospell then it was vnder the law Moyses offering more mercy then Christ himselfe So then the washing with water serueth to ratifie the shedding of Christs blood for the remission of our sinnes and the imputation of his righteousnesse to our instification as 1 Ioh. 1 7. The blood of Iesus Christ his sonne doth clense vs from all sinne So Reuel 1 5. He hath loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his blood and
at the doore life and saluation are absent so that we are neuer partakers of his graces except webe as neerly coupled to his humanity as meat and drink are coupled with our body which of al other is a most neer vnion and inward coniunction Thus we see we are seuered from the world to haue fellowshippe with CHRIST and are set once in him for euer because he that commeth to CHRIST once he casteth him not away hee shall neuer hunger he shall neuer thirst he shall not be lost but hue for euer as the Apostle saith If they had been of vs doubtles they had continued with vs And paule to this purpose saith Rom. 8 Who shal lay any thing to the charg of GODS chosen it is GOD that instifieth who shall condemne Who shal seperate vs from the loue of CHRIST shal tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednes or perill or sword in all the se we are more then conquerours through him that loued vs for I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor thinges to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to seperate vs from the loue of GOD which is in CHRIST IESVS our LORDE If once wee bee ioyned to him in spirituall Marriage notwithstanding the difference and disparagement between him and vs nothing shall bee able to worke our deuorcement from him True it is God 〈◊〉 vs wallowing in our owne filthines polluted in our owne bloode defiled by our owne vncleannes he hath made an eternall couenant with vs he hath spoken peace vnto oursoules saying Thou shalt liue euen when wee were sunke downe in sinne to death hee saide vnto vs Thou shalt liue so that he will neuer turne from vs to do vs good but we shall be his people and he will be our God he will giue vs one hart and one way that wee may feare him for euer and that it may be well with vs and with our children This made the Apostle to write Ephe. 5. 30. 32. Wee are members of his bodie of his flesh and of his bones this is a great misterie but I speake concerning christ and concerning the church Where he seemeth to allude to the first creation of the Woman made of one of the ribs of the man shadowing and 〈◊〉 our knitting and coniunction with Christe which we haue by faith not by nature by vertue of the spirit not of the flesh Now as we haue shewed that this coniunction made by Gods spirit and by our faith which he hath giuen so the meanes and instruments to worke it are the word and sacraments This is a dignity peculiar and proper to the elect to haue perpetuall fellowshippe with Christ and to growe vp into one body with him as he teacheth Iohn 17 20. 21. I pray for all them which shall beleeue in me through theyr word that they all may be one as thou O father art in me and I in thee euen that they may be one with vs that the world may beleeue that thou hast sent me If then there be not an vnion betweene Christ and vs we haue no accesse to God the father being quite cutte off from all hope of life and sa'uation As then all the substaunce and nourishment of the tree commeth from the roote and all the vitall powers of a true naturall body come from the head so it is betweene the sonne of God and vs we haue not so much as one drop of the heauenly life in vs of our selves CHRIST is the waye the truth and the life no man commeth vnto the father but by him To conclude this first vse seeing such as come to this sacrament must be christians before it appeareth to be a very corrupt custome of the people when they require Baptisme of the pastor for their children to say God hath giuen me a Pagan I desire you to make him a Christian. For Baptisme cannot make a Christian but signifie the Sacraments cannot make that which is not but assure that which is already made as seales do not giue the right but confirme it Thus much of the first vse of Baptisme the second followeth Chap. 13. Of the second vse of baptisme BEing made one with Christ we are partakers of the 〈◊〉 of his death to wit of forgiuenes of sinnes and of regeneration or new birth So then the second vse of Baptisme is to assure vs of the remission and pardon of our sinnes that we may be vnblamable and acceptable to god This is signified by the outward ceremony of washing and sprinkling to wit the sprinkling of our soules with the blood of Christ for the forgiuenes of all sinnes as appeareth Act. 2 38 Then Peter said vnto them Amend your liues and be baptized euerie one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for remission of sins And Act. 22 Ananias said vnto Paul immediately after his conuersion Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sinnes in calling on the name of the Lorde So the Euangelist witnesses Marke 1 4. that Iohn did baptize in the wildernesse and preach the Baptisme of amendment of life for the remission of sinnes And the Apostle maketh this vse col 2 12 13. Ye are buried with him through Baptisme in whome ye are also raised vppe together through the faith of the operation of GOD which raised him vp from the dead and you which are deade in sinnes and in the vncircumcision of your flesh hath hee quickned together with him forgiuing you all your trespasses The meaning of these places is not that baptisme bestoweth or giueth forgiuenesse but onely signeth sealeth and assureth our pardon euen as remistion of sins and the righte ousnesse of faith were not in the old Testament by circumcision conferred but confirmed vnto the faithfull The grace of pardon and forgiuenesse of sinnes is not attained but by faith in Christ so that the worke of baptisme will not effect it Moreouer we haue proued that it is not lawfull to baptize such as are in yeares vnlesse they make open profession of their faith in Christ and repentance from the workes of the olde man wherefore they obtaine them not by the outward washing with water in baptisme So then we are no lesse assuredly washed by the blood of Christ from the spots of our soules then outwardly we are washed with water from the filth of the body For the force of his death hath that effectuall working in clensing our soules from the corruption and filthines of sinne which naturall water hath in washing our bodies By the merit of his death we haue full forgiueneste of all our sinnes not onely originall but actuall not onely past but present and to come whose blood is neuer drawne dry but is euer fresh and full of efficacy Therefore the wordes deliuered by the minister in baptisme at the commaundement of christ namely I baptize thee in the
couenant it self but a sign and token of the couenant as also it is afterward expounded It shall be a signe of the couenant betweene me and you The aduersaries cannot denie a figure in this speech Now what difference is there betweene these two speeches This is my couenant and this is my body are they not alike and in like manner to be vnderstood So Exodus 12. 11 It is the Lordes passeouer properly the lambe was not the passeouer but serued to put them in remembrance of that benefit and it is expounded aster the blood shall be a token for you vpon the houses where ye are this day shall be vnto vou a remembrance Likewise the Apostle sayeth 1 Cor. 10. That rocke was Christ whereas properly the rocke was not Christ but the water flowing from it did represent him Thus then we must vnderstand the words plainely truely and briefely as if Christ had saide in this manner This bread which ye haue seene me take breake deliuer and distribute and which I bid you take and cate is a signe or sacrament of my true body signifying and sealing vp vnto you that my body shal be broken crushed and crucified for you to purchase to you eternal life let these sacramental rites and actions now performed by me and you be heerafter put in practise by you and all faithfull ministers and professors for the strengthning of your faith by the remembrance of my death and by the applying of the benefit thereof euery one to your owne selues Likewise hauing finished his supper when he did eate the passeouer with his Disciples hauing taken the cup and giuen thanks he gaue it being filied with wine to his Disciples and saide drinke ye al of this for this wine in this cup is a signe and sacrament of my blood by the shedding whereof togither with my death following the full forgiuenes of sins and perfect saluation which I by my vnchangable wil decree do giue vnto you and al that beleeue in me are assured to you and all beleeuers Thus hauing opened and cleared the interpretation of the words we shal heerafter need to spend the lesse time in confuting the contrary doctrin darkenes shal flie before the light error before truth cloudy mists before the sun-shine of the day Again seeing the words of institution are variably and diuersly set down by the Euangelists and the Apostle Paul we learne that euery change of the words where the sence is nothing altered or diminished is not to be condemned as 〈◊〉 or vnlawfull so that the alteration being in the forme and frame of words not in the substance and sence of the matter the sacrament is not destroyed For if it had bene an heinous sinne to haue made any change or alteration or to haue missed of the tearmes or sillables of the institution no doubt the Euangelists would haue consented in the words and not haue swarued one from another as we see they haue done We see how the Apostles in the allegation of sundry places of Scripture borrowed out of the olde Testament do not euermore strictly binde themselues to the very wordes as Mathew 26. Hebrewes 10. 5. and in sundry other but onely to the sence and therefore sometimes they adde as Mathew 4 10. sometimes they leaue out as occasion serueth True it is to alter any substantiall part or to wrest the wordes to a wrong and contrary meaning or not at all to expresse the sence of the wordes maketh the Sacrament voide but an alteration onely of certaine circumstaunces as of number or person of Letters or sillables cannot make frustrate the whole sacrament albeit we allow not any priuate and particular man to make any chaunge of his owne heade in such circumstaunces or to bring in a new frame of wordes So in baptisme the Greeke church saith Let the seruant of CHRIST be baptized in this Water c. and heereby nothing is detracted from the truth of the sacrament because Christ Iesus hath not precisely appointed how many wordes the Apostles and pastours of the Church shoulde vse in the execution of their Ministry Not withstanding the obseruation of the words I baptize thee obserued in our churches seemeth to drawe neerer to the commaundement of Christ and to confirme more fitly and fully the faith of the baptized and to answere vnto the words of Iohn the baptist I baptize with Water Likewise in the Lordes supper whereas Christ saide Take ye eate ye doe ye this as speaking to many the sacrament is not destroyed when the words are particularly rehearsed and specially applyed in our churches saying take thou eat thou drinke thou Lastly seeing the wordes of institution are an outwarde part of the Sacrament necessary to be knowne read marked and vnderstood wherein the substance and comfortatable vse of the Lordes Supper consisteth it followeth that they are to be published and pronounced openly distinctly plainely not in a strange language but in a knowne tongue that the church of 〈◊〉 and people of God may be edified For wherefore serueth the commaundement and promise set foorth in the supper if they be not vnderstood Whether we doe read the Scriptures sing Psalmes poure out supplications receiue the sacraments or whatsoeuer 〈◊〉 we performe to God that he may be 〈◊〉 and the congregation instructed we must doe all in a knowne tongue to be vnderstood This God commandeth this the Apostle prescribeth this the true church of God practiseth this reason teacheth this the Heathen acknowledgeth 〈◊〉 the sinagogue of Rome that it might take away all fruit and comfort from the faithfull and that it might broch horrible errors 〈◊〉 and securely and not be 〈◊〉 hath not onely commanded to pronounce the words of consecration closely and 〈◊〉 but forbidden to vse the common mother tongue of all the people The people of God must not be like Parrots or 〈◊〉 or Rauens or such birds that chatter with voice record mens words and sounde a sentence but vnderstande not the meaning thereof As Plmy maketh mention of a certaine 〈◊〉 that had learnd to say Aue Caesar imperator All haile or good morrow Emperor Caesar saluting 〈◊〉 and the two young princes 〈◊〉 and Drusus And Celius Rhodiginus writeth that Cardinall Ascanius had a Popiniay that coulde pronounce distinctly and 〈◊〉 all the Articles of the Creede Such birds or rather beasts woulde they haue Christian men to be that would haue them 〈◊〉 and not vnderstand what they pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the reading of the scriptures but not know what is reade 〈◊〉 the sacraments but not know the meaning of the institution Things without life which giue a sounde whether pipe or 〈◊〉 except they make a distinction in the soundes howe shall it bee knowne what is piped or harped Or if the 〈◊〉 pet giue an 〈◊〉 sound who shall prepare himselfe to battell All things in the church must tend to the instruct on 〈◊〉 edification
all sides that without consecration and sanctification there can be no Sacrament for without this halowing the matter in 〈◊〉 is bare water the bread in the Supper is bare bread the Wine is Common Wine Now euery creature is sanctified by the word of God and by prayer as the Apostle teacheth 1 Tim. 4. and therefore we cannot assure our hearts that god wil blesse any other creatures as fish or flesh in stead of bread water or beere in stead of Wine seeing the word hath not sanctified these elementes for this purpose They are sanctified by the worde for the ordinary nourishment of our bodyes but they are not by any speciall worde sanctified for the vse of the Sacramentes If then it be simply vnlawfull to change any thing in the matter of the 〈◊〉 no pretence or necessity can 〈◊〉 make it lawsull And as when a lawfull Minister is wanting a pryuate person may not be taken so when the matter appoynted for the administration of this sacrament is missing an other may not bee assumed For as well may wee change the minister of the Sacrament into a pryuate man as the bread and Wine being the signes into another matter If the Sacraments cannot be had according to the precise and pure institution of Christ they may lawfully be deferred or omitted for the danger standeth not in the want as wee haue declared before so long as we are free from the contempt of them The fourth generall vse arising ioyntly from both the signes is if Christ deliuered and the Disciples receiued bread and wine as the outwarde signes of this Sacrament then we learne that the doctrine of transubstantiation is a dotage of mans inuention Though this deuise be now receiued in the Roman church as a matter of saluation as an Article of faith and a maine point of religion that by vertue of these words This is my body this is the cup of the new Testament the substaunce of breade and wine is gone and nothing remaineth but onely the shewes likenes and appearance of them yet if we examine the matter by the words of institucion by the nature of a sacrament by the proportion of faith by the true properties of a true humain body by force of reason by iudgement of the sences by confession of the aduersaries themselues and by the manifold contradictions among themselues we shall find it to be a late deuise inuention of the Papists first decreed and determined in the counsel of Laterane vnder pope Innocentius the 3. in the raigne of King Iohn of England not yet 400. years ago There it was hatched at that time and made a main matter of faith aproued in the church of Rome but yet not then receiud ouer al the world This error is a spice of the error of Marcus who went about to make his fellows and followers beleeue that he did trāsubstantiate wine into blood in the sacrament Thus do the church of Rome at this day he was he noted for an heretick by the fathers I wil not for shortnes sake bring all the reasons that might be broght to ouerthrow and ouerturn the turning of the bread into the body of Christ and the wine into his blood but alleage some few among many wherunto we require them to answer if they can Neither let thē pretend that they haue bin answerd already inasmuch as no sound and certain answer can be brought vnto them to satisfie vs or themselues Our reasons for the present shal be these First that which Christ took in his hands he brake that which he brake he gaue that which he gaue his Disciples he commanded them to eat that which hee commaunded them to eate hee calleth his bodye This appeareth by the testimony of the Euangelistes and coherence of the words But he tooke bread and brake it therefore he gaue bread he commanded to eat bread he saide of the bread This is my body Now if he tooke bread but brake it not or if he brake bread but gaue it not or if he gaue bread to his Disciples to eat but told them not this which he gaue them but some other thing beside that was his body the latter part of the 〈◊〉 starteth from the beginning and the middle swarueth from them both Secondly the Apostle after the words of consecration doth oftentimes call it bread as 1 Cor. 11. As often as ye shall eat this bread and drinke this cup ye shew the lords doath til he come And againe Whosoeuer shall eat this bread and drinke the cup of the Lord vnworthily shall be guiltie of the bodie and blood of the Lord. And againe Let a man examme himselfe and so let him eat of this bread and drinke of this cup. These men say it is not bread the Apostle saith it is bread whether of these we shall beleeue iudge you So in the former chapter hee saith the bread which we breake is it not the commanion of the body of Christ Likewise touching the other signe our sauiour expressely calleth it wine after the thanks giuing Mat. 26. I will not drinke hencefoorth of this fruit of the vine vntill that day when I shall drinke it new with you in my fathers kingdome This fruit of the vine is wine therfore the substance of it remaineth Now if the bread had bene turned into the body or the wine into the blood of Christ and if the Apostle would haue spoken properly he should haue said As often as ye shall eat not this bread but this body of Christ vnder the forme of breade the blood of Christ vnder the forme of Wine And againe he that eateth the body and drinketh the blood of Christ vnworthily And againe let a man examine himselfe and so let him eat and take in his mouth the very body of Christ his creator But thus the Apostle hath not spoken neither could he so speake truely properly and fitly therefore we do truely properly and fitly conclude that there is no 〈◊〉 Thirdly Christ speaking of the cup saith Take diuide it among you and of the bread he saith he tooke it and brake it But if the substance of bread be abolished or changed into the body of Christ and likewise the nature of the wine turned into the blood of Christ there could be no true distributing or breaking for the blood of Christ is not deuided into parts neither is his body broken Fourthly if the strength or force of transubstantiation depend vpon these words of institution This is my body This is my blood then there can be no reall change before these words be fully finished and pronounced to the end I herefore when they begin to say 〈◊〉 is What is it What mean they I say it is Is it any other then bread and wine by their owne confession till the wordes bee ended So then these sentences shall not be true when they say 〈◊〉 is my body this is my blood
serpēt which was not before and Lots wife was turned into that pillar which was not before But the body of Christ is before their transubstanriation wherupon it follow weth that the bread cannot be changed into his body The 15. reason if Christ did 〈◊〉 the bread into his body when he saud This is my body then in like manner the Apostle did 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of the Corinthians into the body of Christ when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now ve are the bodie of christ and members for your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 can they alleage why 〈◊〉 should be in the one sentence more thē in the other For the whole colledge and company of diuines of Rome and Rhemes and all the multitude of papistes through out the world shall neuer be better able to proue their transubstantiation out of these words This is my body then out of the other 〈◊〉 are the body of Christ. The 16. reason if the bread were turned into the body of Christ and receiued in the mouth it should go farre better with our bodies then with our soules because our bodyes should really receiue the body of Christ but our soules should not being spirits and bodies cannot be mingled and intermedled with spirits Wherefore we cannot beleeue and receiue this real conuersion of one substance into another The 17. reason if the bread be transubstantiated into the body of christ and so receiued by vs then either it is turned into our bodies or vanisheth away into nothing or returneth and departeth back into heauen But it is not turned into our bodily substance for then we should grow bodily and not spiritually carnally not mistically into one person with him neither doth it vanish to nothing for this were horrible blasphemy once to imagine and conceiue of the body of christ neither doth it depart into heauen for he was there before and the heauens containe him to the end of all things Therefore the bread cannot be said to be turned into the body of christ except one of these be granted And thus also we may reason of the wine If it be turned into the blood of Christ it must necessarily passe into our substance or vanish away or returne to the heauens for no fourth way can be imagined But none of these can stand either with diuinity or phylosophy either with faith or reason either with scripture or nature and therfore consequently transubstantiation must fall The 18. reason if the disciples had not vnderstood christ to call the bread his body sacramentally they would haue beene greatly troubled who often doubted of the least things and demaunded the vnderstanding of them As the hearers of Christ Ioh. 6 supposing he had spoken of a carnal manner of eating his flesh were troubled and offended saying How can this man giue vs his flesh to eate And vers 60 This is an heard saying who can heare it Wherefore who seeth not that they would haue marueiled and required farther if they had vnderstood christ to haue changed the bread into his body and the wine into his blood But they doubt not they demand not they maruaile not they murmur not and therfore beleeue not this iugling of transubstantiation or turning of one substance into another And if they beleeued it not how should we receiue it The 19. argument it ouerturneth sundry Articles of our Christian faith Wee beleeue that Christ Iesus was begotten of the father before all worldes and borne in time of the Virgin Mary this the Scripture teacheth this the Creed deliuereth this euery true Christian professeth and beleeueth But if the bread be transubstantiated into the body of Christ and the wine into the blood of christ then his body is made and borne of bread and wine and the priest after the words of consecration may say a little pretty son is borne vnto vs and newly made Againe we beleeue that Christ was crucified and died for our sins that he was buried rose againe ascended and sitteth at the right hand of God the father almighty But if the body of Christ bee made of bread as often as the Eucharist is celebrated then Christ being on the Crosse might be elsewhere then on the Crosse when he died he might be where he suffered nothing lying in the graue he might bee out of the graue yea hee might be in the graue after his resurrection and rising out of the graue wherof notwithstanding the Angels said he is not heere Lastly we beleeue that christ shall come from heauen to iudge the quick and dead and that in the same manner he ascended whom we doubt not but men shall see as Reuel 1. 7. Euery eye shall see him yea euen they which pierced him through But if Christes body be made of bread he shall stare and start out of the pixe and not come from heauen and that in another shape then when he ascended nay thus he shold come daily vnto vs yet no man can see him nor perceiue his cōming Al these deuises ouerthrow foundation of faith sauour of nouelty and bring in heresie against all certaine grounds of true religion The 20. argument if by vertue of Christs words transubftantiation were brought to passe and the true body of christ were really present on the earth then the bread should be changed into whole Christ that is into his body indued with his magnitude quantity quality colour and all his dimensions For Christ said not at his supper this is the substance of my body without accidents but This is my body which is giuen for you and which is broken for you Therefore the body was visible and seene of them all it was felt it had all accidents agreeable thereunto and the substance of Christs body alone without his qualities was not crucified on the Crosse neither yet could be crucified Not withstanding we see not Christs body vpon the earth nor any adioy nt thereof is perceiued or discerned Where are they then Are they in substance of christs body which is in heauen And not in the substance of his body which is on the earth Then they make Christ to haue two distinct bodies for one and the same body cannot haue his properties and dimensions and yet bee without them which necessarily implyeth a contradiction and consequently falsehood especially considering how great a difference they make betweene the body of Christ in heauen and this body that lieth and lurketh vnder the accidents and shewes of bread in their box The 21. reason it destroyeth the nature of a true body it taketh away the defence vsed against heretickes and bringeth in the heresies of Marcion of Eutiches and the Manichics which denied Christ to haue a solid and true humane body held that he had only a phantastical body without any materiall flesh blood or bone in appearance and sight some what but in deed and substance nothing For they teach that his body is in infinite places at once those discontinued voyd of quantity and
it is the Lords supper may after a sorte be called a sacrifice not as the church of Rome meaneth but bycause therin we offer vp praises thanks giuings to god for that sacrifice of attonement once made vpon the crosse which is most acceptable to god and because such as come aright thereunto offer vp themselues wholly to god a reasonable holy and liuing sacrifice and lastly because thereby we cal to our remembrance 〈◊〉 bloody sacrifice of christ withal 〈◊〉 circumstances therof the shame of the crosse the darkenes of the heauen the shaking of the earth the renting of the aire the cleauing of the rocks the reproches of the Iewes the taunts of the soldiers the opening of the graues the conquering of the deuil For the christians in former times perceiuing that many both Iewes and gentiles refused to embrace the faith of christ and to ioyne themselues to the church because they pretend the want of sacrifices among them and nature engrafted in all nations this principle that we haue no free accesse to God no true peace to our selus without a sacrifice the fathers to win such as were without affirmed that the church had also a sacrifice and thereupon entituled the sacrament of the supper with the name of a sacrifice for the causes before remembred But for a mortall man whose breath is in his nostrils to presume in the prid of his hart vnder the formes of bread and wine to offer vp christ the son of God in the sacrifice to his father and to dare to desire the father fauourably to behold and accept his owne sonne is idolatry blasphemy and horrible impiety to be detested of all true hearted Christians Touching the originall of the word Masse it seemeth to come from an ancient custome of the church sending away such as communicated not For the deacon was accustomed to bid them depart that were nouices in the faith and such as by Church-discipline were remoued from the communion This dimission of them was noted by the word Missa signifieng a sending away and licensing to depart and thus some of the heathen vsed it The name then being in it selfe not euill is turned into an euill practise and therfore as it is vsed and vnderstood of our aduersaries we reiect both the name and thing it selfe for these causes First no angell no man no creature is of that dignity and worthinesse that he may offer vp and sacrifice the sonne of God for the priest is aboue the sacrifice they therefore that will be the priests to offer christ aduance and lift vp themselues aboue christ Secondly if christ be really offered in the Masse then he is killed truely and indeed for a reall sacrifice proueth a reall death and when christ was sacrificed really he dyed really as when the beasts were sacrificed they wer killed And Holcot one of the schoolemen saith If there had been a thousand hostes in a thousand places at the same time that Christ did hang vpon the crosse christ had beene crucified in a thousand places Wherfore they that really sacrificed our Sauiour Christ did in that act really and wickedly kill him so that the prieste s of Baal if they wil be sacrificers of Christ must acknowledge themselues therein the reall murtherers of Christ. Thirdly new sacrifices are not to bee instituted by men without commaundement of god as Moses teacheth Deut. 12. we must not do h what seemeth good in our owne eyes but take heede and heare all these words which he commaundeth vs. Now Christ neuer saide Sacrifice ye my bodie and blood to God Fourthly Christ tooke the bread and gaue it to his disciples he did not offer it vp to God the father he tooke the cup and bad them all drinke of it he did not turne himfelfe to God and desire him then to accept the sacrifice of his body and blood Fiftly if the bread and Wine remaine in their former substance in the Lords supper then bread and wine onely are offered not the body and blood of Christ but they remaine for christ deliuered bread to his Disciples and Paule teacheth that it is the bread which is broken that as ofren asthe 〈◊〉 eat this bread and drinke of this cup they shew the Lords death therefore their reall Sacrifice is reall idolatry Sixtly it appeareth in the institution of the Supper that Christ consecrated the Bread apart and the wine 〈◊〉 and afterwarde deliuered them both apart but the bodye of Christ was neuer sacrificed without the blood nor the blood without the flesh for Christ offered vppon the Altar of the crosse the sacrifice of his bodie and blood together this is the cause that he saide Take ye eat ye drinke ye not take ye to offer and to Sacrifice Seuenthly the Scripture teacheth vs one offering and Sacrifice for sin once performed and offered Heb. 10. Wee are sanctified by the offering of Iesus Christ k once made and ver 12. This man after he had offered one saerifice for sinnes sitteth at the right hnnd of God And the Apostle 1 Tim. 2. There is one mediator betweene God and man the man Iesus Christ who gaue himselfe a ransome for all men So 1 Iohn 2. If any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous and hee is the propitiation for our sinnes Likewise Heb 9. By his owne blood he entred in once vnto the holy place and obtained eternall redemption for vs not that he should offer himselfe l often as the high Priest entered into the holy place euerie yeare with other blood for then must he haue often suffered since the foundation of the worlde but now in the end of the worlde hath he bene made manifest once to put away sinne by the sacrifice of himselfe We haue plentifull testimonies of this truth in this Epistle as chap. x. Where remission of these things is there is no more offering for sinne If then we haue remission by the sacrifice of Christ all other sacrifices are superfluous and abrogat his al-sufficient sacrifice So Rom 6. In that he died he died for sinne once And 1. Pet. 3. Christ also hath once suffered for sinnes the iust for the vninst If then this perfect offering were once onely to be offered then he is not offered neither can be offered againe in the Masse And if the onely oblation of Christ once offered by himselfe be sufficient all other oblations and Sacrifices are vaine and superfluous For how is that perfect which is often repeated Eightly to make a lawfull sacrifice there is required necessarily a fit minister lawfully called of God for no man taketh his honor to himselfe but he that is called of God as was Aaron so likewise Christ took not to himselfe this honour to be made the high-priest but he that saide to him Thou art my sonne this day I begat thee gaue it him But Christ is the onely priest
to praise him fo giuing his onely begotten Sonne to bee our redeemer and humbly to pray vnto him that our vnworthynesse hinder not the effectuall working of his Sacrametnes but that through his goodnesse and mercy they may haue their full force in our heartes for the pardoning of our sinnes for the increase of his graces for the confirming of our faith for the quickning of our obedience and for the preseruing of body and soule to eternall life Thus wee blesse God when we praise him and giue him the honour due vnto his name We blesse the meates we eate the drinkes we drinke the thinges wee receiue as Paule saith The cup of blessing which wee blesse when prayer is made to God that they may be healthfull to vs and we thankefull for them Lastly if in the Sacrament there bee a consecration and separation of the outward elementes to so holy an end it warneth vs to be carefull to vse and receiue oftentimes this Sacrament of the Lordes Supper For heere are not bare signes bare tokens bare figures without fiuite and without grace they are consecrated signes and hallowed elements effectually sealing vppe remission of sinnes And what is more plaine then that which the Apostle teacheth 1 Cor. 11. As often as ye shall eate of this bread and drinke of this cup ye shew the Lordes death till he come Thus the Lord Iesus speaketh Doe this as oft as ye shall drinks it in remembrance of me And haue we not many worthy and effectuall considerations to moue such as professe the same doctrine to resorte oftentimes to the same Table of the Lorde It is the commaundement of Christ so that we ought to make some conscience of this duty as of other commaundementes prescribed vnto vs. It is a commaundement of God Thou shalt not steale Few but to make some conscience thereof because it is Gods commaundement So is this heere often to come to the Lordes Table yet what little account is made heereof all the yeare long euery one seeth and the faithfull soule agreeueth The high God possessor of heauen and earth hath required and commaunded it yet who regardeth The Lorde hath spoken and yet who obeyeth If a father should command a duty of his son or a maister of his seruant he could not patiently endure to be disobeyed and shal we not thinke that God will require his lawes at our hands Againe to his commaundement he hath annexed a promise which maketh our sin and vnthankfulnes the greater if we shew not our selues ready in yeelding to this duty Besides seeing this sacra is a speciall prop to stay vp our faith and geth with it Christ and all his merits and heauenly treasurs we are vtter enemies to our owne selues to our own souls and to our owne saluation if we neglect â—o great mercy offeâ—eâ— vnto vs. Wherefore it is not left free vnto vs and committed to our discretion to receiue or not receiue this were no lawfull liberty but vnlawfull lycentiousnesse Heere in the faithfull find very great comfort and an effectuall meanes to strengthen their faith Euen as the sicke man that feeleth his sickenes and knoweth his own weaknes shoulde haue a speciall care to looke to his stomacke that therby he may receiue norishment gather strength so we are all spiritually diseased assaulted of Satan tempted of the flesh ouercome afterâ—imes of sin and must seeke strength of saith from this heauenly nourishment God of his compassion hath set vp his Sacrament as a signe vpon an high hill whence it may be seene farre and neere on euery side to raise vp such as are fallen to strengthen such as stand to comfort such as are weak and to call vnto him such as run away from him whereby hee gathereth them vnder his winges It is as the brazen Sepent that comming vnto it with a faith to be healed we might liue and not perish It is a banner displayed that euery Châ—â—stian souldiâ—r should resort vnto it as vnto his owne comfortable Supper to be had in often vse and continuall remembrance to put vs in mind of his continuall mercy laid vp for vs in the blood of Christ and to ratifie and seale vp the same farre more liuely then the baâ—e word onely When the words of Christs institution are spoken This is my body which is broken for you this is my blood which was shed for you When these words I say are reade vnto vs our of the scriptures they confirme our faith but much more when the Sacrament is seene with our eyes that we behold the bred broken and looke vpon the wine poured out but most of all when we tast and handle when we eate and drinke the outwarde signes We see when one maketh a bare promise to another with wordes onely betweene themselues he beginneth to doubt to whome the promise is made of the performance thereof if he adde an oath for confirmation the promise is more assuredly ratified but if he giue his hande writing and seale it to the party the matter is made out of doubt Thus we doe reason and helpe our faith We haue the promises of God wee haue the oath of God we haue the wordes and writinges of God we haue the seales and Sacramentes of God these are not reserued in the Lords keeping but are put into our owne handes to see them to keepe them to vse them for our comfort and assurance I speake after the manner of men if wee haue a free promise from an honest man penned fairely in writing ratified vnder his owne hand and seale and all giuen vnto vs to locke and lay vp we doubt not of the possession Now let vs consider the Lords doing and see what hee hath done for vs who is not as man that he shoulde lie nor as the sonne of man that he should deceiue God sent his sonne into the world to take our nature vpon him to be like vs euen in his infirmities hee named himselfe Iesus that is a Sauiour because he shoulde saue his people from their sinnes after his death he sent his Apostles to preach the glad tidings of remission of sinnes and euerlasting saluation he ordained his last supper immediately before his death to testifie and assure them vnto vs not onely by sounding them in our eares but by beholding tasting smelling feeling and feeding to seale them in our hearts and also daily to be repeated and ministred vnto vs. Seeing then we haue both his promises and oath his worde and writings his seales and Sacramentes in our keeping what would we haue more He would not make halfe so much adoin assuring his promises if he loued vs not he would not set such authentike seals to his deede and obligations vnlesse he ment good earnest His bare worde and naked promise is verie good paiment but he respecteth our weakenes whose mercifull kindnesse must not be neglected through our vnthankefulnes
the shewes of wine he is not personally locally carnally corporally naturally really substantially and sensually present in the Sacrament The question is not whether the wordes of christ be true for they are knowne confessed and beleeued so that as he is the truth so all his wordes are wordes of truth neither is the question whether the Sacrament bee a bare signe or bare figure we say Christ is truely represented sealed and exhibited neither is the question whether God'bo omnipotent and almighty this is a part of our faith and an Article of christian beleefe neither is the question simplye of the presence of Christ whether he be truely and vndoubtedly present in the Sacrament of his last supper we acknowledge and receiue as much But the whole question is of the meaning and vnderstanding of the words of institution and of the manner of his presence Wee confesse and teach the people committed vnto vs that christs body and blood are truely verilie and indeede giuen vnto vs that we truely eat and drinke them that we are releeued and liue by them that we are made bone of his bone that Christ dwelleth in vs and we in him yet we say not that the substance of bread and wine is abolished or that christs bodie discendeth from heauen or is groslie and corporally present in the sacrament we are taught to lift vp out hearts to heauen where christ sitteth at the right hand of God the father and there to feede vpon him But he ere is the state of the question and controuersie betweene vs. The church of Rome teacheth that after the wordes of consecration the bread and wine are abolished and the body and blood of christ come in place so that they make them corporally 〈◊〉 not onely in the sacrament to bee eaten with the mouth but in the pixe in the Masse and in their solemne processions where is neither eating nor drinking Yet Berengarius in his recantation was taught to saie and forced to subscribe that Christ is in the sacrament sensible or sensually is touched with the singers diuided broken rent with the teeth and not onely the accidents More ouer they make it to be eaten not onely of euill men but of beasts and to fill vp the measure of blasphemy to be cast out into the draught as some of them haue taught and affirmed Thus then the difference standeth betweene vs they hold that christs body and blood are carnally eaten of wicked men without faith of brute Beastes without reason but wee denye that CHRIST is thus present in the Sacrament for his body cannot bee vnder so little a quantity of bread and Wine besides it is impietie to 〈◊〉 that the person of CHRIST or his bodye and bloode can bee truelie receiued of Dogges 〈◊〉 and Mise be chewed with the teeth swallowed downe the throat digested in the stomacke and be cast out into vncleane places This we deny this we doe not beleeue this wee abhorre and detest from the bottom of our hearts What is it then we teach and professe We deny that the body and blood of Christ are carnally contained vnder the shews and shadowes of bread and wine we deny them to be eaten and drunken ofwicked men or vnreasonable creatures we deny that they are truely and properly both in heauen and on the earth in pixes and on the 〈◊〉 These are meate for the mind not for the mouth for faith not for the teeth for our beleefe not for the belly This carnall eating of Christ is confuted and conuinced by many reasons First Christ sate downe at the Table and the Disciples with him afterward he tooke bread gaue thankes brake it gaue it and said This is my body likewise he tooke and gaue the cup and sayd Drinke ye all of this whereby we see when the Apostles receiued the Sacrament Christ sate at the table with his true body but the body which they tooke sate not at the table therefore they tooke the signe of his body Likewise the blood which they receiued was not in the body which sate at the table therefore it vvas not properly Christes blood vvhich was not as yet really and actually shed The same body could not sit at the table not sit at the table the same body could not be in their handes and out of their handes the blood of Christ could not be out of his veines in the cup and in his vines within his body hee could not sit visible at the table and bee inuisible in the mouthes and bellies of the 〈◊〉 Wherefore the reall presence bringeth with it real contradictions which cannot stand together Secondly the end of the Lords supper is to call his death to a continuall remembrance as Luk. 22. Do this in remembrance of me and the Apostle 1 Cor. 11. Ye shew the Lords death vntill he come Now to what end should we neede the remembrance of Christ if he were corporally present in the sacrament if he were taken in the hands if he were holden in the mouth if he were eaten with the 〈◊〉 And to to what purpose should we shevv the Lordes death till he come if he come 〈◊〉 and be present bodily in the sacrament Besides the wisest a nong the Phylosophers teach vs that sence is of thinges present but remembrance is of such thinges as are absent as hope is of such thinges as are to come not seene and this the Apostle teacheth Thirdly Christ receiued a true body withall the naturall properties of an 〈◊〉 body like to vs in all thinges sinne onely exc pted and is therefore called the sonne of 〈◊〉 the sonne of 〈◊〉 the sonne of man our brother partaker of flesh and blood hee is said to haue taken vpon him the seede of Abraham and not the Angels nature to be visible Luk. 24 39 Behold my hands and my feete for it is I my selfe 〈◊〉 me and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me haue For if he may be in many places together in some place visible and in some inuisible in some to be handled in others nor to be handled hee can haue no true body of a true man And if this were not a strong reason It is not felt and seene therefore no humaine body the Disciples might haue answered vnto Christ why doest thou bid vs behold thy hands and see thy feete and handle thy body and thereby to try thy humanity seeing thou hast a body which cannot be seene touched or handled Fourthly christ hath left the earth with his bodily presence and is 〈◊〉 vp into he 〈◊〉 farre aboue all principalities and powers and is sit do vne on the right hand of his father as Act. 1. While they beheld he was taken vp And Mar. 16. After the Lord had spoken vnto them he was receiued into heauen and sate at the right hand of God So Act. 3. Whom the heauens must containe vntil
messe of pottage before the blessing and as the Gadarens who preferred theirswine before christ therfore besought him to depart out of their coastes But let vs learne better thinges for all these shall vanish and come to nothing And what shall it profit a man if he win the whole world and lose his owne soule Let vs not labour for the meate that perisheth but for the meate that endureth to euerlasting life which the Sonne of man shall giue vnto vs. Therefore let vs remember whensoeuer we come to his table to be partakers of this Supper to come with a great longing after life and saluation from him as we desire bodily meate when we are hungry and drinke when we are thirsty then shall we by him be satisfied and saued otherwise we cannot lay hold on him we may receiue the outward signe but we cannot receiue the graces of christ offered vnto vs. Thus much of the third inward part of this Sacrament Chap. II. Of the fourth inward part of the Lords Supper THe last inward part of this sacrament of the supper remaineth which is the faithfull and christian receiuer As euery communicant sensibly and outwardly taketh the bread and wine giuen vnto him eating the bread and drinking the Wine for the nourishment of his body so the faithful receiuer apprehendeth and layeth hold on christ by the hand of faith and applyeth him particulally that the feeling of his true vnion with christ may daily be increased according to that saying Ioh. 1. As many as receiued him to them he gaue prerogatiue to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name And 1 Cor. 10. The cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the communion of the blood of Christ The bread which we breake is it not the communion of the body of Christ Wherefore when we do faithfully and worthily take the bread and the cup into our hands we must consider that withall we take and receiue Iesus christ himselfe offered vnto vs. When we eate the bread and drinke of the cup and so apply them to our bodily vses we must consider that we apply christ Iesus to our selues euen to our soules particularly that he is meate indeede and that he is drink indeed vnto vs if we bring with vs the hand of saith For faith is like the mouth of a vessell if you poure Lyquor vppon it all the daye longe vnlesse the mouth of the vessell bee open to receiue it the Water is spilt on the ground the vesselremaineth empty so may a man come to the lords table euery month receiuing the bread wine that represent whole christ yet except he bring with him faith which is the mouth of the soule hee receiueth not Christ vnto a spirituall life to be his righteousnes and sanctification And this is the reason why we receiue a little portion and a small quantity as well of bread as wine because the end of our eating and drinking serueth for the sanctification of the spirit not for the silling of the body Now let vs see what vses are offred to our consideration in the meditation of this truth First seeing onely the faithfull are partakers of the things signifyed in this Sacrament we see all doe not receiue alike there is a difference to be made among receiuers But as you snatch after the leaues of the tree and let go the fruit want the profit of their labour so is it among many men in this worlde who take the signe of Christ but let goe Christ. Nowe as Moses intreating of thinges cleane and vncleane noteth out foure sorts of beasts some onely chew the cud and some onely diuide the hoofe some neither chew the cudde nor diuide the hoofe and some both chew the cud diuide the hoofe or as in the dayes of the Gospell some were circumcised in heart not in flesh as Titus some were circumcised in the flesh not in the hart as Iudas some were circumcised neither in flesh nor in the spirit as the gentiles and some were circumcised both in the flesh and in the spirit as Timothy so is there a difference among receiuers some receiue Christ onely spiritually not sacramentally some onely sacramentally not spiritually some neither receiue him spiritually nor Sacramentally and some receiue him both spiritually and Sacramentally Of these we will speake 〈◊〉 and in order as they haue bin propounded The spirituall eating is by faith whereby we are made one with Christ and partakers of his benefits without the Sacramentes where of Christ speaketh He that eateth my 〈◊〉 and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him Thus to eat him is to beleeue in him and therfore he vseth these words as being of one force to beleeue in him and to eat him to drinke him and to come vnto him This is the 〈◊〉 of God that ye beleeue in him vvhom he hath sent I am that bread of life hee that commeth to mee shall not hunger and he that beleeueth in me shall neuer thrist Againe Christ attributeth the same fruit and effect to them that beleeue in him that hee doth to them which eat his body drink his blood therefore by eating and drinking hee meaneth nothing but beleeuing He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life And in the 40. verse of the same chapter he saith This is the will of my father that euerie one that beleeueth in the sonne should haue cternall life and I vvill raise him vp at the last day Heerby we may see that Christ attributeth the same to beleeuing which in the other place hee did to eating and 〈◊〉 so that the meaning of Christ is that to beleeue in him is to eat him And thus many receiue Christ eating and drinking his body and bloode that neuer came to the Sacramentes Heere 〈◊〉 some will obiect If this doctrine be true then are the Sacraments needlesse For if we may 〈◊〉 christ by faith spiritually without any vse or comming to the Lordes supper to what ende serueth the Supper It seemeth by this to be made void and superfluous God forbid for the sacraments are the holy ordinances of Christ by his blessing appointed for our help and benefitte so that the most perfect christians of the strongest faith haue need to seeke the strength ofsaith against weaknes and wauering in the promises of God Notwithstanding we must confesse to the glorie of god and the great comfort of manie persons that the faithfull soule maie and doth often feed vpon christ to saluation beside the vse of the sacrament For the spirituall grace is not of necessitie tied to the outward signes as if without them God cannot or doth not sometimes bestow the same We see in the acts of the Apostles Cornelius and his company was sealed with the spirit of God before the receiuing of the outwarde sacrament Abraham beleeued the
and pricked with vnfained sorrow for all our iniquities This is the right vse the true end and the sound comfort following and flowing from the death of christ To conclude we must learne and hold for euer that we haue the beg nning and chiefe cause in our selues which did crucifie christ and crush him with most bitter sorrows let vs then be reuenged of our sins and do al despite we can vnto them let vs endite them arraigne them accuse them condemne them and naile them to his crosse let vs kil thē mortifie them and bury them in his graue for euer This is the first end of the supper which is sanctified by the breaking of the bread and pouring out of the wine declaring vnto vs that as the body of our lord was broken and by violent meanes afflicted so his blood gushed out and flowed plentifully out of his gaping and bleeding wounds This must be our meditation whensoeuer we come to the lords table Chap. 13. Of the second vse of the lords supper THe second vse of the lords supper is our spirituall vnion and communion with christ This the Apostle declareth The cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the communion of the blood of christ The bread which we breake is it not the communion of the body of christ Whereby he meaneth that the faithfull which come conscionably worthily to the lords table are ioyned and vnited to whole Christ by the bread Sacramentally by faith instrumentally by the holy ghost spiritually and by them all most effectually For we take the bread into our hands and likewise we take the cup into our hands as christ commaunded saying Take ye eate ye drinke ye diuide ye Neither do we lay them apart or hide them aside or reserue them in a boxe or abstaiue from them but when we haue taken them we eate we digest them we are nourished by them and they are turned into our substance So christ being eaten of the Godly by faith is vnited to them by his spirit as we haue shewed before whereby they are made one with christ and he one with them And as meate plentifully prepared daintily dressed and only seene vpon the table doth not nourish the body or take away hunger so if the gospell be preached and the sacraments administred except we apply the promises of the gospel and beleeue that christ withal his gifts is ours they prosit nothing towards our saluation Such therefore as lawfully and worthily come to the lords supper as to a table richly furnished and to a banket liberally prouided must not onely generally beleeue that Christ suffered in the flesh and dyed for sinners but particularly for themselus yea communicateth himselfe and al his gifts to them aboundantly as certainly as themselues eate of the bread and drinke of the cup. This vnion and communion is neere and wonderfull great and therefore the apostle fitly calleth it a mistery euen a great mistery speaking of christ and of the church For what vnion can bee greater then that which is betweene the thing nourishing and the thing ' nourished We haue nothing in Adam but that which conueyeth death vnto vs so that is is needefull to be ioyned to one which maie giue life to vs that as we die in Adam so wee may liue in him This vnion cannot by reason be expressed or fully vnderstood As Christ in the daies of his flesh had a dubble kindred one earthly and carnal kindred the other spirituall that by faith receiued his worde and beleeued in his name of whom he said Behold my mother and my Brethren for whosoeuer shall do my fathers will which is in heauen the same is my brother sister and mother so is it in this vnió and felloship with him one is outward and bodily which al mankinde hath with him in that he is partaker of our flesh and blood the other inward and spirituall whereby we are made partakers of him and of al his sauing graces to euerlasting life As Christ was borne of the Virgin Mary and vnited our nature to him taking vpon him not the Angels nature but the seed of Abraham euery reprobate hath this vnion with him in that he tooke vpon him the shape of a man but there is a mysticall and marueilous vnion whereby he dwelleth in vs by faith whereby we are truely coupled to him made partakers of him deliuered from sin and made heires of euerlasting life quickning and sustaining vs as food which preserueth the life of the bodie If the arme ioined to the body haue no life no sence no benefit of vitall spirits it is no part of the bodie though it be vnited to it so the wicked liuing without faith are as it were sencelesse they haue no forgiuenes of sinnes no sanctification no saluation and therefore are no true members of Christ. If he poure not life and grace into them they are not his members if he kill not sinne in them they are not vnited spirituallie vnto him The bodily vnion with him shall profit nothing it is the spirit that giueth life Seeing then the receiuing of the bread and wine which turne into our substaunce teacheth the misticall vnion between Christ and his members we learne first from hence that all the faithfull and godly are truly made partakers of Christ and his graces as the members receiue life from the head and the tree moisture from the root For euen as the wife ioyned to her husband in marriage is thereby made partaker of his body and goods hath interrest with him in the commodities of this life and loketh for norishment food fellowship protection and gouernement from him so being made one with christ we are indued with his he auenly gifts and blessings This must be our comfort in all dangers and tentations in all tryals and assaults to consider that we are one with christ we are not only dear vnto him but nearely ioyned with him as members to the head as the wife to the husband and as the braunches to the vine and therefore can neuer be seperated from him in life or death Secondly this streight vniting of the faithfull to Christ sheweth that the vngodly haue no part nor fellowship in him and with his graces though they be ioyned to a communion of the same nature and haue many common gifts of knowledge and vnderstanding yet Christ neuer dwelleth in them with his sauing graces and with his spirite of sanctification he possesseth not their harts he worketh not in them a particular perswasion of their reconciltation to God neither an hungring desire aboue all things to bee at vnity and peace with him neyther a distaste and dislike of sinne neyther the comfortable spirite of grace and prayer all which are in some measure in all the saithful Wherfore although they may bee cloathed with the flesh of Christ they cannot be said to be couered with the grace of Christ although they be
Christ is giuen vs to be our spirituall norishment to euerlasting life These grounds of religion must be knowne and vnderstood that we may learne how wretched and miserable we are by nature and what remedy god hath ordained for our deliuerance We shall neuer feel the sweetnes of gods mercy vntill we find the greatnes of our owne misery We cannot perceiue how greatly we stand in neede of Christ vntil we knowe our owne woful and wretched estate by reason of sin Such then as are ignorant in these necessary points of christian religion and especially in the doctrin of both the sacraments can neuer come aright vnto them can neuer shew forth the Lords death can neuer discerne his body but blindly run on to the daunger of their owne soules Wherefore it standeth all men vpon to desire the sincere milke of the word that they may grow thereby to seeke after knowledge as for siluer and after vnderstanding as precious stones A loathing stomack neuer wol digesteth the meat that is put into it and he that is ful despiseth the Hony combe What is the reason that they remaine blind in the matters of god and their owne saluation and as bruit Beastes in vnderstanding Surely because they desire not the waies of god they regard not his fear they contemne knowledge as Esau did the blessing and the Israelites did their Manna For no man truely desired the knowledge of god and of godlines vn sainedly but he had the meanes offred vnto him at one time or other Cornelius desiring to be throughly instructed in the way of saluation was directed by the Angel to sende for peter Who should speake words vnto him whereby he and his houshold should be 〈◊〉 Thus Dauid going the way of all fleshe instructeth his sonne Salomon Thou Salomon know thou the God of thy fathers and serue him with a perfect hart and with a willing mind if thou seeke him he will be found of thee but if thou for sake him he wil cast thee off for euer This is it also which the Prophet proclamed 2 chron 15. O Asa and all 〈◊〉 and Beniamin hear ye me the Lord is with you while ye be with him and if ye seeke him he will be found ofyou but ifye for sake him he will for 〈◊〉 you Likewise the Euangelist teacheth that when Zacheus sought to see I esus he shewed himselfe vnto him he entered into his house and that which is more into his heart and that day saluation was begun in him and 〈◊〉 his family being made the chi'de of Abraham Heerby is fulfild that which the Prophet speketh Psal. 145. The Lord is neere vnto al that cal vpon him euen to all that cal vpon him in truth he wil fulfil the desire of them that fear him he wil also heare their cry and wil saue them Where he teacheth that if we truely desire knowledge we shal effectualy obtain it God wil not be wanting to vs if we be not wanting to our selus When the Eunuch came to Ierusalem and exercised himselfe in the scriptures in reading the prophet for increase of knowledge as he sat in his chariot did not the lorde direct Phillip to goe to him and ioyne himselfe to his chariot by whom he was farther instructed and baptized So shall it bee with al that hunger and thirst after the doctrine of godlines they shall not bee lest destitute but be filled with the knowledge thereof to their endlesse comfort The hand of God is not shortned he is as ready to help vs as euer he was according to the promise of Christ our Sauior Math. 5. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnes for they shal be filled Heereunto tēdeth the general promise deliuerd in the general words of him that is the author of grace Ask and ye snalreceiue seek and ye shal find knock and it shal be opened vnto you for whosoeuer asketh receiueth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shal be opened Heer we haue an excellent comfort and encouragement to consider that our holy indeuours shall not be in vaine in the Lord. Chap. 17. Of faith in Christ the second part of examination HItherto we haue spoken of knowledge which is the first part of this examination Now a man may haue knowledge and yet want faith Wherfore the next point which we are to try and proue is our faith in christ For euery man receiueth so much as he beleeueth he receiueth according as our Sauiour speaketh to the woman of Canaan Math. 15 O woman great is thy faith be it vnto thee as thou desirest And the Apostle saith to the same effect Vnto vs was the Gospell preached as also vnto them but the worde that they heard prositted them not because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it Al those are worthy receiuers that ground themselues on the free fauor of God in christ Iesus beleeue themselues to be deliuered by him from eternall damnation and desire daily to go forward in godlinesse Heereunto commeth the exhortation of Paule 2 Cor 13 Proue your selues whether ye be in the faith examine your selues know ye 〈◊〉 your owne selues how that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be refused This true faith is the mouth of the soule wherby we receiue christ crucified to our saluation Wherefore it is required of vs not onely to haue knowledge and vnderstandding in the mistery of our redemption but likewise a iustifieng faith which is a wonderfull gift of God whereby the elect doe apply Christ and the sauing promises of the Gospell to themselues particularly We must know the purpose and ordinance of God appointing and setting apart Iesus Christ to be the person in whom and by whom he hath decreed and determined the saluation of al the elect Againe we must haue a perswasion of Gods true meaning toward vs in offering saluation through Christ and that all sufficiency and ability is in him to saue vs whereuppon we shall feele a sweet and comfortable resting vpon him in whom God meaneth to saue vs. These are the handes whereby we apply Christ to our selues both by knowinge himselfe for our sins according to the will of God euen our father and by relying on his al-sufficiency to perform that high worke of redemption whereunto he was sealed and ordained This faith is not borne and bred with vs but is wrought in vs by the Holy-ghost who is therefore called the spirit of faith Except he giue it no man can haue it it is natural to vs to presume on the one side and to dispaire on the other side but to beleeue which is seated in the middest is supernaturall To haue a dead faith commeth of our selues but to haue a liuely faith proceedeth from God to whom we ascribe all praise and glory Now the proper office and function of this iustifying faith standeth in apprehending
misrable people led by such blind guids O miserable guides of such blind people What a wofull condition is this that a man shal liue al the daies of his life in the bosom of their holy mother the church yet her sons and daughters can neuer assure themselus to haue bin baptized thogh they make the want therof a mark of reprobation or euer to haue receiued the Lords supper or euer to haue bin 〈◊〉 or absolued seeing al hangeth vpō the priests intention obseruation ordination This is the lamen table condition of all those that liue vnder the heauy yoake and greeuous bondage of superstition Ther is no peace no comfort no ioy of hart in such a doubtful and doleful religion Wherfore as the Holy ghost saith Go out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sinnes and that ye receiue not of her plagues Now among all other abuses of the church of Rome and prophanations of the blessed sacrament of the bodye and blood of Christ none is more notable and notorious then that great Idoll of the Masse being indeede a masse of many abominations And howsoeuer it be greatly liked of those that are enamored of it as the things that are not faire yet seeme faire to them that are in loue it is knowne to the true church to be an heape of errors a lumpe of confusions a bottomlesse gulfe of all blasphemies and an engine that ouerturneth the foundatiō of religion They make the Lordes Supper to bee a sacrifice not a sacrifice of praise and thansgiuing but propitiatory to be offered by a masse-priest for the quicke and the dead to saue man and not onely to saue man but sometimes their Pigs and their Swine from diseases For they haue a masse commonly called the Masse of Saint Antony Yea if a poore womans hen be sicke and ready to be lost shee may procure a Masse to be said for it And heereby although no good redounde to the party yet some gaine shall returne to the Priest who if he see no money wil say no Masse And are not these more beastly and vncleane then swine yea more mad then mad men thus to abuse the holy ordinance of Christ and to turne that to their owne profit which was instituted for the peoples comfort Do they not by this means make the death of Christ of none effect while they offer vp a new that only sacrifice which being once offered hath sanctified vs for euer and yet behold more abhominations then these The right ends of the institution are basely esteemed they make it of speclall force against tempests against sicknes against Warres auaileable to saue cattell to cure the feauer to restore lost things yea profitable for the deade and that Ex opere operato sine bono motu vtentis that is onely being present at the worke done though there be neuer a good motion brought thereunto by him that is present Thus they make the Masse deuised by Antichrist more precious then the holy supper instituted by Christ. Touching the word Masse we must vnderstand that neither the name nor thing ment by the name by the Church of Rome is found in the Scripture nor in any 〈◊〉 and approued Writer for foure hundered yeares after Christ to call the Sacrament or sacrifice by that name Tertullian Cyprian Ierome Augustine Lactantius knew it not these Lataine fathers vsed it not Againe the fathers of the Greeke Church Chrisostome Basill Nazianzene Gregory Nissene and other were neuer acquainted with it they passe by it as a stranger vnto them But as there go many forged and 〈◊〉 Writings vnder the names of the fathers so I deny not but the word Masse may be found in such base and bastard bookes as in Augustines Sermons de tempore Ierom on the Prouerbs which books were neuer made by them but are of another style and of a later stampe And howsoeuer some would deriue it from the Haebrew word Missath which signifieth an oblation yet it seemeth rather to be all one with Missio which importeth a sending away and a licensing to depart and therefore Saint Cyprian saith remissa peccatorum in stead of remssio For this was the order and custome of the Church in former times Nouices and such as were newly planted in the Church being conuerted srom paganisme to Christianity and from infidelity to the faith of Christ and not yet baptized till they were able to giue an answere to such as asked of them a reason of their profession were not suffered to come to the Lords table Likewise such as denying the faith by sinking and shrinking vnder the heate of persecution or committing some other heinous offence were enjoyned to make satisfaction to the church whom they had greeuously offended no withstanding they might be present at the publike praiers the church and at the preaching of the word yet might not be present at the administration of baptism nor receiue the sacrament of the lords supper Wherefore after the prayers were finished and the sermon ended the deaconsaid to such as wer barred either by age or want of susficient knowledge or their owne offence from the sacraments Ite missa est that is Go ye hence ye may depart Moreouer such as would not communicate with their bretheren were willed to depart not to trouble the rest of the church that staied to communicate Of this dismissing and sending away al nouices 〈◊〉 and carelesse persons which either might not or 〈◊〉 not communicate and of this proclamation of the deacon the whole action of the holy communion in processe of time was called the Masse that is a dismissing of all such persons as wer not to communicate But whē through negligence of the people or couetousnes of the priests this order was altered yet the name was retained and now it is vsed for another thing to wit for that solemne action whereby the sacrament is made a sacrifice and offered vp to god to take away the sins of the quick and dead And in this sense we haue iustly abolished both the name and the nature of the Masse inasmuch as it hath frustrated the death of CHRIST and taken from vs the comforte of the Lordes Supper And albeit we deny not but the Lords Supper may truely be called a sacrifice being a memoriall of the real sacrifice of christ offered vpon the crosse being a thaks-giuing to god for the worke of our redemption being a presenting and giuing vppe our selues our soules and bodies to God a liuing holy and acceptable sacrifice and being ioyned with almes and releefe to the poore according to euery mans ability which is a testimony of our thankfulnesse to God yet as they vnderstād it to be a real external bodily and vnbloody sacrifice in the natiue and proper signification and themselues to be truely and propely priests according to the order of Melchisedech to offer
23 1 Psal 15 3 Q what is the tenth commaundement A Thou shalt not couet Q what is forbidden and commaunded in this law A The first motions and lustes to sin before consent are forbidden and loue out of a pure heart and a good conscience is required Rom. 7 7 Q 〈◊〉 any man able to 〈◊〉 these commaundementes A No man is able to 〈◊〉 them Rom iii. xxiii i Ioh i 8 Galath iii Q In what estate stand we by meanes of the breach of the law A We are the children of wrath and euerlasting damnation Gal 3 x Q What is the second part of religion A Faith to beleeue whatsoeuer God hath set down in his word the sum whereof is contained in the apostles creed consisting of twelu articles Q what is the first Article A I beleeue in God the father almighty maker of heauen and earth Q what is the second Article A And in Iesus Christ his onely sonne our Lord. Q what is the third Article A which was conceiued by the holy ghost borne of the Virgin Marȳ Q what is the fourth Article A Suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried he descended into hell Q what is the 〈◊〉 Article A He rose a gaiue the third day from the dead Q What is the 〈◊〉 article A He ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of god the father almighty Q What is the seuenth article A From thence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead Q What is the eight article A I beleeue in the Holi-ghost Q What is the ninth article A I beleeue the holy Catholick church the communion of Saints Q What is the tenth article A I beleeue the forgiuenes of sinnes Q what is the eleuenth article A I beleeue the resurrection of the body Q what is the twelfth article A I beleeue the life euerlasting Q what are the 〈◊〉 points of this Creed A Two concerning God or concerning the church Q what consider you in God A The vnity and the trinity 1 Iohn 5 7. Q what beleeue you of the vnity A I beleeue that in substance there is one only true and almighty God 1 cor 8. 4 Deut. 6 4 Q what beleeue you of the Trinity A I beleeue that in one God there are three distinct persons the father the sonne and the Holyghost Math. 28 19. and 3 16. 17 Q what beleeue you of God the father A I beleeue that he is almightie and therefore hath made all creatures good and gouerneth all things wel Gen. 1 1 Nehem. 9. 6 act 4. 24 Q what beleeue you of the 〈◊〉 A I beleeue that we being borne dead in finnes he came into the world to be a mediatour betweene God and man 1 Tim 2 5 Q what meane you by a mediator A I beleeue that he was sent to reconcile vs to his father and his father vnto vs and so to make peace between God and man Esa 9. 6 Eph 2 16 Q What is required of a mediatour A Two natures Iohn 1 14 Heb. 5. 6 Q what are they A The diuine nature and the human nature Heb 2 16 Q what beleeue you of 〈◊〉 diuine nature A I beleeue that he onely is the naturall sonne of God and therefore God and our Lord Heb. 1 3 Q what beleeue you of his humane nature A I beleeue two things his entrance into the world and the things that followed the same Luke xxiiii xxv xxvi Q what haue we to consider in his entrance into the world A Two things his conception and his birth Q what 〈◊〉 you of his conception A I beleeue he was begotten by the myraculous power and working of the Holi-ghost Luke i 35 Math i. xviii Q what 〈◊〉 you of his birth A I beleeue that he tooke flesh and was borne of a virgine whose name was Mary Math. 1 xx Esa 7 xiiii Q what be the things that followed his entrance and comming into the world A two his fufferings and his glorie Luke xxiii xxv xxvi 46 Q what were his sufferings A Of two sorts in bodie or soule Q what were his sufferings in body A I beleeue that Pontius Pilate the iudge giuing sentence his hands and feet were nailed to a crosse and thereby dying his body was buried in manner as others were and lay for a time vnder the dominion of death Iohn xix xviii 1 cor xv 3 4 Actes xiii xxviii 29 Psal. xxii xvi Q what 〈◊〉 you of his sufferings in soule A I beleeue that he suffered in his soule the fierce wrath of his father kindled for our sinnes to deliuer vs from the curse of the law Luke xxii 44 Gal 3 xiii Q what things are to be considered touching his glory A Three things eyther his glory which is past or present or to come 1 Pet 3. xxi xxii act i. xi Q what beleeue you touching his glorie past A His resurrection and his assention act 1 2 3 Q what beleeue you touching his resurrection A I beleeue that although for a space his bodie laie dead in graue yet after three dayes he raised it vp and gaue it life againe Math 28 6 2 cor 13 4 Ioh x 17. xviii Q what beleeue you of his ascending into heauen A I beleeue that his body being vnited againe to his soule he was personallie taken vp into the heauens after that he had bene conuersant vpon the earth 40 dayes acts 1 9 Q what is his glory present A He sitteth at the right hand of the father Marke 16 19 Q what meane you thereby A I beleeue that his father hath aduanced him into the highest honour and hath committed vnto him the gouernement of all things in heauen and earth Heb. 1 3 Psal. 110. 1 Q what is his glory to come A He shal come from heauen to iudge the quick and the dead Math. 25 31 Act 1 xi Q what meane you thereby A I beleeue that in the end of the worlde all flesh shall appeare before him both of those that haue bene deade from the beginning of the world and of those also that then shall be liuing and that then as an vpright iudge he shall throw the wicked into perpetuall cursednesse and aduance the righteous to euerlasting blessednes Math 25 32 33 1 Thes. 4. 16. 17. Reuel 20. 12 xiii x iii. Q what beleeue you of the Holy-ghost A I beleeue that he is God proceeding from the father and the sonne and 〈◊〉 all the children of God Rom 8 xi Q what beleeue you of the Church A Two things first that there is one holy Catholicke church Secondly that there are 〈◊〉 giuen vnto it Math xvi 18 Q what meane'you by a chruch A The whole company of the faithfull seruants of God which euer wer from the beginning which also be now and shal be to the end of the 〈◊〉 of which number I beleeue that I am one Iohn 10. 16 Q why do you call it holy A because none can be 〈◊〉 to God vnlesse he
his house Now christ with his twelue disciples alone were not sufficient to eat vp this lambe of a yeare old being great large according to the sirian kind as may be supposed by the discription of Aristotle Pliny others Neither doth it appeare that any remained or was burned with fire according to the institution of God because the Euangelists declare that so soone as the supper was administred and a psalme sung of thanksgiuing they went out into the Mount of Oliues Why then should we not thinke that christ added and annexed other to his family seing his own disciples sufficed not especially the blessed virgin his mother who was not long from him whom afterward after his departure he commended and committed to Iohn to be protected and prouided for who from that time took her home to his house as his own mother But to leaue these consideratiōs as coniectures we answer the former obiection that in asmuch as christ deliuered both signs to the same persons they might bar the people frō the bread as wel as from the cup. For I would know why the bread is necessary but because it was instituted by christ and retained by his Apostles Wherefore the institution maketh the one as requisite as the other Besids if other heretiks should arise as great enemies to the peoples partaking of the bread as the church of Rome is to their cōmunicating of the cup of the Lord how might they better be repressed and refelled then by alleaging the first institution of christ and shewing the practise of the Apostles so that the reasons brought to confute the one wil serue directly to ouerthrow the other Moreouer the disciples at the first ministration of the supper performed not the office of the minister nor any part of his duty but of the people Christ was the minister therof he took the bread he blessed he brake he gaue the bread saiing This is my body Likewise he tooke the cup blessed gaue the same saying This cup is the new testament in my blood On the other side the disciples took it did eat and drinke which are the proper duties of all the people Lastly the Apostle saith not in the first person we ate and drink as speaking of himselfe other teachers of the church but directing his speach to all that are called and sanctified in Christ in euery place according to the inscription of the epistle he saith As often as ye shal eate this bread drinke this cup ye shew the Lords death til he come Now these Corinthians to whō he specially wrote could not liue vntill the second comming of christ to iudgement therefore this eating and this drinking belongeth to al that cal vpon the name of god to the end of the world Secondly they object against the former truth this out of Act. 2 They continued in the apostles doctrine and in breaking of bread and Ch. 20 they came together to break bread It is not said to deliuer the cup vnto the people but to breake bread wherby they gather it was ministred vnto the people in one kind onely and not in both I answer by a cōmon Synecdoche one part is put for the whole For among the Hebrewes this phrase in scripture to eate bread is to receiue whole nourishment ful refreshing by eating and drinking as appeareth by many places wher mentioning only bread for food it were madnes to imagine and gather that they drunk not Besides the Apostle putteth the other part to wit drinking of the cup for the whole celebration of the supper when he saith By one spirit we are al baptized into one body and haue been al made to drink into one spirit where we see as our sauiour added the vniuersal note drink ye al of this and as the Euangelist Mark accordeth saying they al dranke of it so the Apostle doth not pretermit it but saith al were made to drink as if the Lord Iesus the Euangelists and the Apostles would preuent before hād the corruption followed in the church of Rome Wherfore seeing drinking of the cup doth not properly note out the whole action because no man was euer so grosly blinded to suppose that the cup might be alone administred it followeth that by this member expressed we must vnderstand the other and by one part the whole Furthermore it is a ruled case among themselues that it is flat sacriledge if a priest consecrate not this sacrament in both kindes but do it in bread onely If then the former scriptures Act. 2. and ch 20. proue the receiuing vnder one kind because bread onely is expressed so the cup to be excluded it wil likewise follow they consecrated in one kinde because the wine is not expressed and therefore by these places neither priest nor people should take the cup if they will not admit a trope or figure Neither can they say that Luke discribeth not what the Apostles consecrated or receiued but what they deliuered to the people for the Euangelist declareth Act. 20. 11. not onely that the Apostle brake the bread but did eate thereof himselfe so that they must confesse that Paule also receiued in one kind and consecrated in one kind or else necessarily grant one part put for the whole as likewise we say 1 Cor. 11 where he doth expresly touch and teach both kindes to the eating of the bread ioyning the drinking of this cup yet sometimes he expresseth onely the one signe for shortnes sake the church had receiued this vsual manner of speaking to call the Lordes Supperthe breaking of bread as verse 20. When ye come together into one place this is not to eate the Lords Supper and verse 33. When ye come together to eate tary one for another likewise verse 29. He discerneth not the Lords body and yet in the sentence going before hee saith that such as eate and drinke vnworthily do eate and drinke their owne iudgement Wherefore as the Apostles alwaies celebrated the supper by conseeration both of the bread and of the cup so the people alwaies receiued in both these kinds to their great comfort and consolation Thirdly they alleage that there is an vnion and coniunction of each signe that the body is in the blood and the blood in the body that christ is wholly and perfectly vnder each kind because now in his glorious body there is no separation of the body from the blood or blood from the body I answer surely if this were so it were a fault and friuolous thing to do that by more which may be c done by fewer to vse two kindes which may as well be done and is done vnder one as a wise Philosopher teacheth Besides if one may reason in that soit the whole supper might be abrogated for we are made partakers of christ in baptisme and he dwelleth in our hearts by faith which commeth by
the word ofGod Again were not Christ and his Apostles as wise as they Were they ignorant of this vnion Did they not knowe this accompanying of the body with the blood and blood with the body Is the present church of Rome wiser then he in whom al the treasures of wisedom and knowledge are hid If they thinke so let them tell vs plainly if not let them lay their hands vpon their mouth and submit themselues vnto him who administred it in both kinds and commaunded his Apostles to do the like Moreouer Christ would haue vs in his supper consider his blood separated from his body and set his death before our eies and his precious blood shed out of his side so that deliuering the cup he said Drinke ye all of this for this is my blood of the new testament which is shed for many without which sheading there is no forgiuenesse of sins as the Apostle teacheth Wherefore seeing these two are contrary one to the other and cannot stand together to wit the blood to be in the body and to be out of the body to be shed sor vs and not to be shed and that the sacrament leadeth vs to the consideration of the death and especially of the piercing and pouring out of the blood of Christ we may conclude that this vnion of the body with the blood and blood with the body flatly crosseth and ouerthroweth the institution of Christ. And why I pray you do their sacrificing priests receiue the blood twice and the body twice drinking first the blood in the body and againe eating the body in the blood Nay doth not this vnion deuised alter the 〈◊〉 of Christ and confound the seuerall parts of it making him to speake otherwise then the euangelistes expresse For when he said This is my body they will haue him meane this is my body and blood Againe when he said this is my blood they will haue him meane this is my blood and my body Last of all this late inuention turneth and ouerturneth the nature of the partes distinguished one from the other while we eate the flesh they make vs drink the blood and while we drinke the blood they imagine we eat the body Thus to eat and to drinke shall be all one with them for wee shal eate liquid and moift thinges and we shall drinke dry and hard things And is not this drinking of flesh and eating of blood and inuerting euerting of the nature of things But thus God striketh his enemies with giddines of spirit For after they haue broken the pure institution of christ and brought in a carnal presence of his body one absurdity being granted a thousand follow infinite abuses haue ensued vpon heapes the flood-gats being set open wherof there is no end or measure Let thē therfore repent themselues of this sacriledge against god and iniury against his people restoring vnto thē the cōmunion vnder both kinds according ro the ordinance of christ and directō of the Apostles And thus much of the general vses arising from both the signs ioyntly considered Now let vs come to the particular vses offered vnto vs in each of the signes And first touching the bread Is bread simply considered the first signe in the lords supper Then it is not necessarily required that it be administred in vnleauened bread For bread is oftentimes named and repeated but the word vnleauened is neuer added Wherfore as it is in selfe indifferent whether the wine be red or white whatsoeuer the kind or colour be if it be wine so is it not greatly materiall whether the bread be leauened or vnleauened so it bee bread Which ouerthroweth the error of the church of Rome her fauorites who hold it neeessary that the bread vsed in the Sacra be vnleauened They pretend the institution of Christ who say they made the Sacra of vnleauened bread instituting it after he had eaten the passeouer which was to be eaten with vnleauened bread according to the law of Moses neither was there any leauen to be found in Israel 7. daies together Thus they charge vs to breake the institution of Christ. But see heere the 〈◊〉 and partiality of these proud spirits who fly to the institution and sticke precisely to circumstances of 〈◊〉 when it serueth any way to their purpose but when the question is of matters of substance not of circumstance as touching communicating vnder both kinds touching the necessity of eating drinking and of many receiuing together against their halfe communions priuate masses and reseruations they cannot abide to be tyed and yoked to the institution Indeed we deny not but christ might vse vnleauened bread at his last supper hauing immediately before eaten the paschal lambe This peraduenture is truely coniectured yet no such thing is expressed in the gospell nor prescribed as a rule necessarily to bee followed The Euangelists teach he tooke bread but make no mētion or distinction what bread he took nor determine what bread we should take no more then limit what wine we shal vse but leaue it at liberty to take leauened bread or vnleuened as occasion of time place persons and other circumstances serue so we take bread as their own prophets haue confessed 〈◊〉 their own coūsels haue concluded Wherfore to consecrate in vnleuened bread is not of the substance of the supper no more then to eat it at night or after supper as christ administred and the apostles first receiued it For if any would bring in a 〈◊〉 of that time as wel as of that bread which christ vsed we see as faire a warrant for the one as for the other nay we haue a more certain direction for the time which is expressed then for the kind of bread which is not defined Besides if Christ on this occasion vsed vnleuened bread it was because it was vsual common and ordinary bread at that time as we also should vse that bread which is vsual and common So the Apostle speaketh of that bread which was daily vsed among the Gentiles saying The bread which we breake he addeth neither leuened nor vnleuened but vnderstandeth that in common and continuall vse Thus then we conclude it is no breach of christs ordinance nor a transgression of the first originall institution of the Lords supper to eate either the one or the other Againe touching the other signe which is the Wine the church of Rome may iustly be charged with transgressing the ordinance of christ who by her sole authority would type vs to mingle water with wine for Great mistery signification especially for that water gushed with blood out of our Lords side So they condemne all those Churches as doing impudently and damnably that do not mixe 〈◊〉 with wine in the sacrament and say it cannot be omitted without 〈◊〉 sinne True it is the Church in former times where the wine prouided for the Lordes Table was of it selfe heady