he not afford our Sauiours whole allowance to other Christians as well as to the Bohemians Must all the rest of the Christian world be cut short of halfe of their spiritual banquet What fault haue they committed that they must be debarred of the fruite of the vine Surely Christ our Master was not so prouident as his ouerwise Vicar to foresee the grand inconueniences of his sacred primitiue institution 2 Cor. 1â— If they tell vs that the Supper was first instituted amongst Clericks only for the Disciples only were present we answere this is a silly shift for by the like reason the Laicks should haue neyther cup nor bread but they had both also appointed vnto them as wel vnto the Clericks for to the Corinthians Saint Paul teacheth in generall the vse of both and applyeth the ordination both of bread and wine to the whole congregation of the Faithfull Besides it is a weake reason that is vsed viz. that the bread after the words of consecration is transubstantiated and turned into the very body of Christ therefore is not without bloud For this transubstantiation is mere commentum humanum a mere fiction of man so absurd as that if there were not many other strong reasons at large set downe by learned writers in this controuersie which I purposely omit these few reasons following doe sufficiently shew the vanity of this contention or rather circumuention Reas 1 Iohn 6 63. First because that grant it were the very body of Christ his flesh and bones what would this auaile our soules the Lord himselfe hauing taught vs that the flesh profiteth nothing speaking of his owne flesh if they should eate it with their teeth for all things that are eaten as they defile not so they sanctifie not the man seeing they goe downe into the belly Marke 7 16. and are cast out into the draught See therefore ye Romanists what is it that yee striue for What is it that your graue Councell of holy Fathers vnder your graund Captaine Innocent the third in the Councell of Laterane after long deliberation so wisely determined Doe ye not pursue a dead dogge or seeke a flea in the wildernes to vse the words of Dauid to Saul Secondly if it were Christs very body hee must not once onely haue suffered but 10000. times euen so oft as hee is receiued seeing his body is broken and torne with the teeth and his bloud is poured out yea the faithfull such as from crucifying to themselues the Lord of Life which is so abhorring from all good Diuinity Heb. 10.17 as that for such it teacheth that there is no more sacrifice for sinne but a fearefull looking for of iudgement and fire that shall deuoure the aduersaries Consider this also ye Popish Priests what an odious estate ye seeke to bring your selues into whilst you seeke to haue Christs body really present in the Sacrament Are you fo blind as that if you see this you doe not see your selues also to bee his bloudy executioners and butchers Thirdly if Christs body be really in the Sacrament it must needes eyther long since haue an end or else the Lord must daily create him new bodies and a thousand bodies at once seeing that he is so often eaten vp and in so many places at the same time If it be said that the same body can be in many places at once and that it is not wasted and spent though it be often eaten through Gods miraculous working I answere that this is contrary to all not only naturall but also enlightened reason seeing that no quantity can be eaten and by eating consumed as the bread and wine in the Sacrament are but it is wasted and spent I grant that God can indeede miraculously feede men with bread and meate and yet cause that a greater quantity shall remaine as when fiue thousand were fed with a few loaues c. but here the bread was not consumed in eating as it is in the Lords Supper againe a body cannot be in many places at once but being a continued quantity it must fill the interuallum also betwixt one place and another though through miracle not visibly yet so as that it may be felt and hinder the passage of other bodies otherwise the body must be turned into a Spirit that hath not flesh and bones and the nature thereof must cease to be for though misteries in Diuinity bee aboue Philosophicall reason yet they are not cleane contrary vnto it as this is if there be such a mystery But we learne to detest these and the like as foule prophanations of the Lords ordinance and to hold the truth according to Christs appointment Quest 2 Why are bread and wine rather than other signes to be vsed and appointed Because of the neere resemblance betwixt them and Christs precious body and blood First in the preparation the corne whereof the bread is made is threshed c. as hath beene already shewed in speaking of the remembrance Ioh. 1.82 Secondly in the vse the bread and wine are taken fed vpon and inwardly in the stomack digested so the body and blood of Christ is taken and entreth into the stomack of the soule by Faith Psal 104.14.15 Thrdly in the vertue bread and wine being giuen to such as are ready to famish through want of foode doth reuiue them they strengthen the heart of man and make him cheerefull and merry according to that in the Psalmes He bringeth bread forth out of the earth and wine that maketh glad the heart of man so the body and blood of Christ being receiued by the faithfull soule that is euen hungerstarued for want of foode doth reuiue and put life into it for He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath euerlasting life saith the Lord Ioh. 6.47 it strengtheneth vnto a Christian course for without mee saith the LORD also yee can doe nothing and it giueth ioy and gladnesse The Christians after Christs ascention continued together breaking of bread with gladnes and singlenes of heart Act. 2.46 Gen. 14.18 Secondly bread and wine were appointed that by Christ might be fulfilled what before was begun by Melchisedech after whose order hee is for he brought forth bread and wine vnto Abraham Eph. 2. and as the partition wall betwixt Abrahams feede and vs is by him broken downe so the vnity of ceremony was hereby established all others being but more varieties to expresse the same thing but this specially of bread and wine continuing in vse euen vnto the time of this Supper one part of the bread in the Passeouer being kept hid vnder a napkin and a cup of wine to bee distributed after the feast with thankesgiuing Act 15.10 Thirdly bread and wine were appointed because they were things common and alwaies at hand and so in this Sacramentall seale we neede not to say who shall ascend to Heauen to fetch Christ from thence And as they are common
and from the doctrine of the Apostle The cup of Blessing which wee blesse is it not the Communion of the bloud of Christ The bread which wee breake Iohn 6.47 is it not the Communion of the bodie of Christ But how is his body there to bee communicated Not by Transubstantiation as hath been already shewed nor by consubstantiation so as that his body is in vnder or about the bread as the Lutherans teach but onely in a spirituall Sacramentall manner faith making him present vnto the worthy receiuer euen as hereby we possesse euerlasting life according to that He that beleeueth in me hath euerlasting life For as Faith is an eye vnto which things to come are present so it is an hand holding them a mouth feeding vpon them and a stomacke receiuing them and vniting them vnto the person that beleeueth If it be said then the Sacrament is vaine seeing by faith Christ may be receiued without it and he is not outwardly any whit the more present with his body I answere God forbid for it is Gods ordinance to helpe our faith an outward meanes to conuey vnto vs inward grace and sanctification his seale to confirme our faith in his gracious promises As when the King bestoweth any thing vpon a subiect he is assured hereof by his meere donation and giuing it vnto him but yet hee appoynteth vnto him to take the state thereof a meanes of writing and sealing to ratifie what hee hath graunted for more assurance which writings and seale though they containe not the estate about them or in them that is the house or ground in quantitie yet they conuey them vnto him so though the body of Christ bee in heauen and being giuen vnto vs by the Father is made ours through faith yet it hath pleased him for more assurance to appoynt the Sacrament hereby to conuey this rich possession vnto vs and to write and seale to our hearts that Christ is ours by his holy body sanctifying our bodies and soules and by his blood cleansing vs from all our sinnes though this body bee not in or about the bread really in the quantitie as it was heretofore vpon earth And of like nature were the ancient Sacraments appointed to the Fathers vnto which though Christ was not really and corporally annexed yet vnto the receiuers they were Christ through faith 1. Cor. 10.1 Iohn 1.29 for the Rocke was Christ Christ was the Lambe Quest 2 Be there not other wayes besides this of receiuing Christ Answ Yes the Scripture speaketh of two other wayes or meanes 1. Gal 3.27 He is receiued by Baptisme for Hee that is baptized into Christ hath put on Christ 2. Hee is receiued by the preaching of the Word whether by himselfe when he came amongst his owne Iohn 1.12 and to such as receiued him hee gaue power to be the sonnes of God Math. 10.40 or by his Disciples for Hee that receiueth you saith Christ receiueth mee that is the doctrine which hee and they taught being entertained into beleeuing hearts and their persons being welcome vnto them By the word hee is receiued as by the draught of a conueyance and Articles of agreement by the Sacraments as by seales put heereunto Baptisme being properly the seale of a new life which is the beginning of euerlasting life we being dead and buried vnto sinne the Lords Supper the seale of the comforts and strength that wee grow vnto in this life as by most wholesome meats and drinkes till that in the life to come we shall bee continually feasted with him hee being meat and drinke and cloathing and wealth and all in all vnto vs euermore Quest 3 Wherefore is the Communion of the Lords Supper receiued often and Baptisme but once seeing both are Gods Seales and assure our spirituall estate sufficiently by being once put to That the Lords Supper is often to bee receiued the Lord himselfe doth intimate vnto vs where hee biddeth So oft as yee drinke this cup doe it in remembrance of mee Whereupon the Apostle inferreth So oft as yee eate this bread and drinke this cup yee shew the Lords death till he come 1. Cor. 11.26 construing this precept to last till the comming of Christ to iudgement at the end of this world And the reason hereof is first because that howsoeuer our new life is begun at once as is represented in Baptisme yet it continueth from yeare to yeare and must haue often meanes to sustaine it and therefore though circumcision was but once the Passeouer was once euery yeare Secondly because that although we are in Baptisme regenerate and become new creatures yet the flesh still dwelling in vs rebelleth so as that we are subiect to sinne daily against which as the bloud of Christ is continually by faith to be applied to purge vs so the Sacrament whereby his death and bloudshed is represented is often to bee vsed for the more comfortable remembrance hereof euen as to shadow it out before it was the high Priest entred into the holy of holies with bloud once euery yeere Now precisely set downe how often the Lords Supper is to be receiued we cannot because it is left indefinite Acts 10 7. Acts 2.46 The practise of the Primitiue Church was euerie Lords day or first day of the weeke and at the first daily as their dangers were great by reason of the persecution euery day Wherfore in the Canons carrying the name of the Apostles it was commanded that all which came to heare the Word being Communicants should receiue the Communion Et siquis non communicat excommunicatur vt ecclesiae turbator Can. 10. ordinum violator If any man doth not communicate let him be excommunicated as a troubler of the Church and a breaker of order And hereunto do the ancient Fathers assent But this often receiuing was in regard of the times such as at the first institution the shepheard being smitten and the sheep scattered Since in the peace of the Church the Communion hath been three or foure times in the yeare and specially at Easter as succeeding the Passeouer If it be said once in the yeare is sufficient as the Passeouer was but once I answer the Passeouer required a long time euen seuen dayes for the celebration thereof and if it had been often Exod. 12.19 it would haue been too heauy a burthen vnto the people it is not so with the Lords Supper Againe this is the proper time of the right Passeouer the Lords supper in times past besides the Paschall Lambe and vnleauened bread once in the yeare there being many other remembrances of Christ in action viz. the many sacrifices now we haue onely the Lords Supper often to be vsed to the same purpose Quest What are the benefits whereof wee are partakers thereby Answ The strengthening and refreshing of our soules by the bodie and bloud of Christ as our bodies are by the bread and wine Mouns du Plessis
prayer purgeth all things and maketh them pure vnto the faithful Euery creature of God is sanctified by the word and prayer Prayer is a conuersing with God and the most heauenly and sweetest recreation of the soule belieuing whence it is that continuall praier thanksgiuing is commended vnto vs Pray continually 1. Thes 5 17. and in all things giue thanks and for the faithfull saith Dauid praise is comely 2. Of the exercises of the word of God it is spoken The Word of G d. 1. Pet 2.2 as of the food and nourishment of the faithfull soule Desire as new-borne babes the sincere milke of the Word that ye may grow thereby And againe Let the word dwell plenteously in you Col. 3.16 euen as good blood and iuyce in the body to make it thriue and grow It is a pore weake constitution that is not hungry and taketh no delight in the meate and drinke and it is a poore weakly soule neuer like to grow to any good that hungreth not after the Word and receiueth it without appetite The word is the sinewes and strength the prop and stay of faith it is the light to guide all the holy affections hereof that they erre not and the heauenly riches making it most precious It must needs be a crazed weake house that hath no repairing and he must needs wander much that wanteth light and grow poore that spendeth daily and hath nothing comming in so that faith that is not repaired by reading hearing and meditation is very ruinous if it wanteth this light it wil erre if something commeth not in daily out of this treasury it wil be very poore and starued Lastly for the Sacraments these doe more sensibly conuey Gods promises to our hearts whilest we apply to vs the outward washing of bodies for the inward clensing of soules and bodies and whilest we feele and taste the flesh and bloud of Christ of which in preaching we heare with the eare euen as Thomas was confirmed when hee fâ—lt the sides and hands of Christ crying out My Lord and my God Quest 113. What is Prayer Answ It is a lifting vp of the heart vnto God onely in the name of Jesus Christ according to his will in full assurance of being heard and accepted at his gracious hands Of Prayer Explan In the short Catechisme vpon the declaring of our inhabilitie to obey God without his speciall grace there is very opportunely inferred the meanes to call for and obtaine this heauenly treasure of grace namely diligent Prayer and thereupon is the young Scholler in Christs Schoole bidden to repeate the Lords Praier as the direction and aime for asking of our heauenly Father all particular graces Wherefore I heere enter vpon that part of Catechisme which concerneth prayer and because that vnlesse wee know what right prayer is and what is the necessitie of praying and when and where it is to bee made we shall not bee so disposed hereunto as wee ought I haue thought good first to handle these things in generall and then to come nearer to the patterne of prayer prescribed by our Sauiour Iohn 4.24 First I say that prayer is a lifting vp of the heart because that if all the best words in the world be spoken without the lifting vp of the heart it is no praying but a saying of the words which a Parret may be taught to doe God is a spirit and they which worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth Moses prayed thus without the vttering of any words and the Lord said Why cryest thou vnto mee Exod. 14.15 as though lifting vp his heart euen when he vsed no voyce he had made a loud crying sound in the Lords eares according that old Distick Non vox sed votum non musica chordula sed cor Non clamans sed amans clamat in aure Dei Not shrillest voyce but silent vowes Not strings sweet sounds but heart that bowes Not mounted cryes but flames of loue Pierce through the eares of God aboue 1. Sam. 1.20 Such also was the prayer of Hannah which preuailed shee spake in her heart her lips onely mooued But there is a time when the voyce also must be vsed as in the presence of others that they may be edified and ioyne in prayer also and vpon euery other occasion of solemne praying when the vtterance commeth from the heart and spirit though we be alone most priuate the voyce is well vsed if it be not Pharisaically to boast of our deuotion in the eares of others neere about vs. For Christ himselfe being retired and alone prayeth with words Fatheâ— if it be possible let this cup passe from me Matth 26.39 Iohn 17. And for his Disciples whom he was to leaue he prayeth in many words for their custodie for their vnity and for the glorifying of God by them The heart lifted vp therefore with words or without words is true prayer but words without an heart are not so In stead of â—â—aving this is prating and a great abuse So do Laick vnlearned Papists saying many prayers vpon Beads placing deuotion in the labour of the lipps and scoring vp by dozens mumbled-vnknowne shredds of Latin and many of our common people in their morning and euening deuotion beeing drowzie or hauing mindes taken vp with other businesse in the very time doe with their words beate the aire in vaine and deceiue God of his dutie Prayer to God alone I adde further that prayer is a lifting vp of the heart to God alone because it is a part of his peculiar worship and he is robbed and his glory is taken and giuen to another when prayers are made to any other besides the Lord. It helpeth not that is said men vpon earth do pray one for another as the Apostle Ephesians and Thessalonians to pray for him and the sicke are directed by Saint Iames to pray the Elders of the Church to pray for them For though we haue examples of requesting the liuing to pray for vs what one example is there to doe the like to the Saints in heauen There is not one What direction is there in all the Scriptures Verily none at all Psal 50.14 Deut. 6 13. And as for imploring of aide Call vpon me saith the Lord in the time of trouble and Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue but for calling vpon any other not a title in all the Bible to warrant it Esay 63.16 Lastly what hope is there of praying to any other Surely none for Abraham is ignorant of vs and Israel doth not know vs saith the Prophet no more for ought we can tell for certainty doth the blessed Virgin Mary not the holy Apostles Peter Paul c. A frantick or at least an idle and addle part is it then in any to pray to Saints or Angels there being no wel-grounded hope of good thus to bee attained and infinit danger at Gods
no visible signe or formall words for it nor made it a seale of righteousnes nor imposed it vpon all but only in danger of incontinency Penance hath no elementary signe or forme of words prescribed by our Sauiour Confirmation hath no set prescript of words so likewise Extreme vnction which also was but temporary As for Ordination to the Ministery we find in the new Testament both institution and expresse forme of a sacred Ceremonious action and words with necessary perpetuitie in the Church to the worlds end In which respects it doth well be seeme the name of a Sacrament and so is it stiled by iudicious Caluin Jmpositio manuum Cal â—nstit li. 4. cap. 19. sec 31. quam in veris legitimisque ordinationibus Sacramentum esse conâ—edo I grant Imposition of hands in true and due ordinations to be a Sacrament But when we define a Sacrament strictly and confine it to the conditions aboue-said we exclude this as being not vniuersall but peculiar to one estate of men So also Caluin Instit lib 4. cap. 14 sect 20. As I mislike not that imposition of hands should bee called a Sacrament so I doe not account it among the ordinarie sacraments that is as hee expoundeth himselfe there among those quae in vsum totius Ecclesiae sunt instituta appointed to bee vsed by euerie member of the Christian Church For these and other such causes the ancientest and most learned of the Fathers of the Church acknowledged two only Sacraments Cyprian saith Tunc demum plane sanctificari esse filii Dei possunt Ciprian lib 2. Epist 2. ad Stephan Alex. Hal. Par. 4 Qu. 24. Aug. de doct Christ lib 3. cap. 9. si vtroque sacramento naseantur Then may men bee throughly sanctified and become the sonnes of God if they be borne again of both the Sacraments Augustine saith Quaedam pauca pro multis eademque factu facillima intellectis augustissima obseruatione castissima dominus Apostolica tradidit disciplina sicut est baptismi sacramentum celebratio corporis sanguinis Domini The Lord and the doctrine of the Apostles haue deliuered some few things instead of many and those most easie to be done most diuine to be vnderstood most pure in obseruation to wit the sacrament of Baptisme and of the body and bloud of the Lord. The like hath Iustin Martyr Tertullian Ambrose Cyril Alexandrinus and some Schoole Doctors For Alexander Hales saith that the Sacrament of Confirmation neither did the Lord institute nor the Apostles but it was afterwards instituted in the Councell of Melda And Durandus saith that Matrimony to speake strictly and properly is no Sacrament Iohn 3.5 I conclude then that the Doctrine of our Church is true There be two Sacraments of the new Testament onely generally necessary to saluation that is for all people of what condition soeuer which desire to be saued For we do not with the Church of Rome hold for Sacraments properly so called those rites and institutions which are pecular to some kind of people only as aforesaid but that these only are properly Sacraments which doe generally belong to all and also without which there is now vnder the Gospel no saluation ordinarily to be attained Euen as the Lord himselfe hath taught saying Vnlesse a man be borne againe of water and of the holy Ghost he shall neuer enter into the Kingdome of Heauen Yet wee doe not teach them so absolutely and simply necessary as that without them it is absolutely altogether impossible to bee saued for God is aboue al his ordinances and he can saue without meanes of Sacraments as well as hee preserued Israel in the Wildernesse without bread nay saued them without the Sacrament of Circumcision Therefore in setting downe that rule by all to be followed vnto saluation He that belieueth and is baptized shall be saued and he that will not belieue Marke 16.16 shall be damned hee saith not he that is not baptized shall be damned for sometimes a man may necessarily be preuented by death as many infants are and sometime through the delay of Parents without any fault on their part for which God forbid that wee should iudge them out of the case of saluation It is indeed a sinfull neglect in Parents considering this to bee the onely ordinary way to saluation to hazard their children of the depriuation hereof and therefore well is it prouided that all carefull diligence should be vsed about it especially where there appeareth to bee danger of death in the childe and I doubt not but all good Christian people that submit themselues to goe the ordinary way to heauen which God hath appointed will vse this diligence as for others that wil finde out a new way God bee mercifull vnto them Now these two Sacraments are baptisme and the Supper of the Lord baptisme to regenerate and breed a new life the Lords Supper to strengthen and to maintaine it Quest What meanest thou by this word Sacrament Answ I meane an outward visible signe of an inward and spirituall grace giuen vnto vs ordained by Christ as a meanes whereby we receiue the same and as a pledge to assure vs thereof Explan After the number of Sacraments about which there is most controuersie the definition of a Sacrament followeth setting forth the nature of it Jt is an outward visible signe c. This is common to all Sacraments to Circumcision the Passeouer and to such as in more large sense are called Sacraments as to Marriage and all Legall Ceremonies the brazen Serpent the Rocke flowing out waters and the red Sea diuided for in them all is the outward signe and an inward inuisible grace set forth heereby Secondly Ordained by Christ this is the difference betwixt all other Sacraments and these of the new Testament some were ordained by the mediation of men as all the Sacraments that were in the Church vnder the Law some for other vses ordained and great graces vnder them signified as Matrimony the annointing of the sicke for a time and some were ordained Sacraments by Christ purposely to signifie and confirme the maine grace vnto vs and these are Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord. Thirdly As a meanes whereby we receiue the same c. These are ends of the Sacraments they are a means to conuey grace vnto the power of Gods ordinance we not only hearing with the eare the powerfull and comfortable word of God preached but also more neerely seeing and more palpably feeling and tasting in these signes the sweetenesse of Gods grace to our comfort euery outward sense being a meane to conuey the outward obiect to the inward vnderstanding and euery thing being done that is requisite to make a perfect couenant betweene God and vs. Euen as a bargaine of sale of any possession being made betwixt one man and another if the couenants be not only drawne but also sealed and deliuered before witnesses is a perfect bargaine and the
of sinnes and eternall life is sealed vnto them as well as vnto their Parents euen as an Estate or Conueyance in law is made sure vnto a child together with the father by some ceremony vsed vnto it when it vnderstandeth not what is done Ezâ—k 18.18.10 Againe it is further added which they themselues when they come of age are bound to performe Because that howsoeuer in their infancy before they doe good or euill their parents estate is reckoned theirs as hath been said yet in their elder age they are taken as distinct persons subsisting by themselues and standing or falling to themselues if therefore in this due time they doe not actually beleeue and repent their Baptisme is made frustrate and vaine vnto them For then commeth the time of which the Prophet speaketh If a righteous man beget a sonne that is a thiefe or a shedder of blood c. he shall die the death Verse 20. The righteousnesse of the righteous shall bee vpon him and the wickednesse of the wicked shall bee vpon himselfe Wherefore it standeth euery man in hand now to looke to himselfe seeing that how holy Parents so euer hee hath and how soeuer religious his beginning hath been yet if these things bee wanting hee is altogether in his sinnes and vncleane If hee dyeth before wee are to account him holy and vndoubtedly in Gods fauour To whom belongeth the office of Baptizing To the Ministers onely and to none other that is not ordained to that sacred office by the successours of the Apostles and is thereby himselfe made a successour of the Apostles and partaker in that generall Commission which shall neuer bee cancelled till the end of the world Goe and teach all Nations baptizing them c. Are Lay-men are women the teachers of Nations Wee read that our Sauiour himselfe baptized not but his Disciples did which is to bee taken exclusiuely that none baptized but they namely his Apostles and other of the seuenty Disciples who were called to the Ministeriall function If it bee said that priuate persons circumcised of old yea euen Zipporah a woman circumsised her sonne and the Master of euery family killed the Passeouer in his priuat house and distributed it vnto his family whence it may seeme to be lawfull euen for priuate persons now adayes to administer the Sacraments I answere that when Circumcision and the Passeouer were first ordained there were no Priests specially appoynted but the eldest man of euery family was a Priest vnto God and did both sacrifice and performe all other Priestly duties but after that the Tribe of Leui was taken these things were done by them and not by any of other Tribes Now vnder the Gospell Christ hath ordained some from the beginning to preach and administer the Sacraments and therefore it is a confusion and disorder for others to doe those Whence it appeareth that our Communion Booke doth very iudiciously explaine that in time of necessity or danger priuate Baptisme is to bee performed by a lawfull Minister least Midwiues or others should intrude into this function Quest Why was the Sacrament of the Lords Supper ordained Answ For a continuall remembrance of the sacrifice of the death of Christ and of the benefits which we receiue thereby Explan After Baptisme the Sacrament of Initiation followeth the Lords Supper the Sacrament of Consolidation for as the one bringeth the soule into the societie of the faithfull so doth the other feed it and comfort it with heauenly comforts Math. 26. Now considering that both the Sacraments are Seales it is worthily propounded for a question why this particular Sacrament of the Lords Supper was ordeined and it is answered for a continuall remembrance For this is intimated by the Lord to be the proper end of this Institution when he saith Doe this in remembrance of me 1. Cor. 11.26 For as often as yee eate this Bread and drinke this Cup saith the Apostle yee shew the Lords death till hee commeth And this remembrance is so effectuall as that before whomsoeuer it is made it is as if Christ were visibly crucified in their sight Gal. 3 1. for to this purpose saith Saint Paul to the Galathians to whom Christ Iesus was plainely described before your eyes and amongst you crucified In Baptisme there is also a remembrance of Christes death in that as the water floweth so did his blood in streames runne out but this is not the particular end of Baptisme to represent Christ crucified but as he is vertually in vs clensing our soules and making vs to dye and to be buried vnto sinne besides Baptisme doth not so fully set before our eyes Christs grieuous passions as doth the Lords Supper wherein are to be remembred all things about his sufferings The Bread and Wine are first prepared the one by threshing grinding and baking in the fiery ouen the other by cutting downe casting them into the Wine-presse and treading with the feet of men Againe when there is thus made a loafe of bread it is diuided and broken that it may become food and when wine is thus made it is powred out to be drunke and which is a principall Analogie the corne and grape out of which they are made are the meere fruits of Gods blessing and not of mans labour and lastly this threshing and grinding and treading of these creatures are by man for whose sustenance they serue and when they are made ready can affoord no comfort to such as haue them but by Gods effectuall blessing according to that Deut. 8.3 Man liueth not by bread onely but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God So wee are to remember heere that Christ is the Sonne of Gods loue towards vs sent from Heauen according to Gods eternall purpose for our comfort and saluation not through any labour or seeking of ours 2. Cor. 3.5 seeing wee were all enemies euer since the trangression and dead in sinne so as that wee could not so much as thinke a good thought 2. Wee must remember that Christ was threshed with many strokes of affliction ground in the milne of sorrowes and baken in the hoat ouen of Gods wrath when through the feruency heereof his sweat ran downe from him like drops of blood Luke 22.44 that he was cut downe and trodden in the wine-presse of Gods wrath due to vs for sinne 3. That his bodie was broken and his blood shed out of his hands feet and sides that he might be vnto vs bread indeed and drinke indeed 4. That all these sufferings came vnto him from man for whose comfort hee was sent from heauen sinne being the cause and sharpening the Speare and Nayles against him and mens handes being instruments thus to torture and torment him Lastly wee must remember that as Gods mercy sent him so his blessing must cause that we may liue by him otherwise wee are still subiect to perish in our sinnes that we may alwayes lift vp our
hearts vnto him for this blessing It followeth whereof this remembrance is Of the sacrifice of the death of Christ. The old Sacraments and Sacrifices did prefigure this as the Lambe slaine euery morning and euery euening the red Cow the Scape-Goate the Paschall Lambe and all the bloud shed in Sacrificing which made that the bloud might not bee eaten because Christes bloud remaineth euer to speake better things in Gods eares then the bloud of Abel Heb. 13.8 Now as it was in those Sacraments prefigured so in this it is remembred as a thing past because that Christ Iesus yesterday and to day is the same also for euer And the death of Christ is truely a Sacrifice the Altar was the Crosse the Priest Christ himselfe the creature offered was his humane nature the blood shed his precious blood and the fat fuming vp the sweete perfume of his rich merits Of this much is spoken to the Hebrewes Heb. 7.27 Heb 9.12 He did once offer vp himselfe by his owne blood he entred once into the holy place obtained eternall redemption for vs. Moreouer such as the vse of sacrificing hath beene such is the vse of this sacrifice of Christs death The vse of sacrificing was fourefolde 1. To expiate and doe away sinne for if any man had sinned he was appointed to bring a sacrifice therefore 2. To sanctifie those that were outwardly defiled by any vncleannesse as when any had beene infected with the leprosie 3. When a man had touched a dead body they were likewise vsed to sanctifie assemblies and solemne meetings as when all Israell were met at the feast that Salomon made and when Iobs children met together to feast 1 Sam. 13.8 4. To prosper all weighty attempts that are vndertaken as when the battell was by Saul entred into against the Philistims he did sacrifice after that he had tarried seauen dayes for Samuel who intended to haue beene there to do sacrifice himselfe And of the same vse and effectuall to these vses is the sacrifice of Christs death 1 Ioh. 1.6 First to expiate sinne for It is the bloud of Iesus Christ that cleanseth from all sinne Eph. 2.13.11 Secondly To sanctifie such as before were vncleane for Yee that were farre off saith the Apostle are made neere by the bloud of Christ for hee is our peace who hath made of both one and hath broken downe the stop of partition wall that is whereas in times past some were vncleane as the Gentiles and seperated from Israell now they are sanctified and made all one people And the same is expressed by the sheete let downe from heauen before Peter wherein were creatures both cleane and vncleane but it was shewed that by Christ not onely meates but people of all sorts were then sanctified Thirdly all meetings and feastings are sanctified onely by him hee hauing borne the curse for vs and therefore when two or three are gathered together in his name God is in the midst of them as in an holy assembly Act 20.7 Fourthly by vertue of this sacrifice only can we looke to be prospered in our weighty attempts this being the standard that as Constantines crosse maketh all the enemies to yeeld before it and the viands and weapons Act. 2. wherewith the Disciples sought to be furnished in all their dangerous voyages and the precious cordiall that put spirit and magnanimity into the Church so as that it flourished in the midst of Persequutors and Tyrants Whence it appeareth to be a fiction and no truth that the Lord did allow the Israelites of old to sacrifice only that they might be kept from offering sacrifices to Diuels as the Heathen Againe how absurd it is to hold the Sacrament of the Lords Supper to be a Sacrifice propitiatory for the quicke and the dead seeing it is only a remembrance of a Sacrifice neyther is there any liuing creature slaine as must needes bee that there may be a Sacrifice and yet so impudent haue some beene as that they not only affirme it to be a Sacrifice but more auaileable than the very Sacrifice of Christ vpon the Crosse as the Queene Mother of Francis the second of France complained by Letters vnto the Pope that it was preached It will bee answered that this Fryar was too bold so to preach and that the Pope would not beare him out in it But surely no magnifyer of the Masse durst haue sung so high a note but in a Church where the true remembrance of Christs death is so obscured and falsifyed by the bastard Masse and peruerted from the true Sacramentall representation and inward application by Faith into a carnall and theatricall ostentation in crucifyxes and other pictures supersticiously adored Did our Sauiour trow we speake to the painters and engrauers when he said doe this in remembrance of me 1 Cor 11.28 Math. 12. It followeth in the answere And of the benefits that wee receiue thereby for as the danger is great to abuse this ordinance of the Lord or to contemne it the one eating and drinking his owne damnation the other prouoking the master of this feast to anger and reuenge so the benefit is great to vse it rightly whatsoeuer good is purchased vnto vs by the precious blood of Christ being remembred hereby to our vnspeakeable comfort to speake more largely of which benefits there will bee place afterwards Quest What is the outward signe or part of the Lords supper Answ Bread and wine which the Lord hath commanded to bee receiued Explan Hauing considered the end of the institution of the Lords supper the Author and instituter being supposed to bee known to all Christians viz. the Lord Iesus the same night that he was betrayed it followeth here of the outward and visible part of bread and wine In the handling of which diuers questions doe arise First Whether both these things are necessary to bee vsed in the administration of the Lords supper and to be administred to all receiuers Quest 2 These of necessity must be vsed wheresoeuer they may be had vnder paine of being accounted a derogater from the Lords ordination because hee that precisely commanded the vse of these The bread only hath been long vsed to the Laity in the Church of Rome vnder this pretence that it is Christs very body and so must needes haue blood in it for the auoiding of inconueniences if the cup should be vsed also seeing that some of Christs precious blood might bee thus spilt vpon the ground or hang vpon mens beards Wherefore this hath beene also established by the Councel of Trent and for some referred vnto the Pope who through much instance granted the vse of the cup also to them Oh sacriledge whereby both Christ is robbed of his authority and his ordinance debased Christ himselfe hauing commanded Eate Drinke ye all of this it must bee referred to the Pope and he must first allow or else it cannot be lawfull And why forsooth should
so they be few and cheape and not like the ceremonies of the Law which were a costly and burthensome yoake that the forefathers were not able to beare for such was it fit that in fulnes of time should be appointed vnto sonnes Gal. 3. and heires and not to be kept any longer vnder the rudiments of the Law as vnder tutors and gouernours Quest 3 Is there no care to be had of other circumstances for conformity vnto the first institution so that we vse bread and wine in the right forme with thanksgiuing as for the leauen the water which it is likely was mixed with the wine for the gesture sitting c It is not required that we obserue all circumstances no more than that the Iewes in keeping the passeouer should continually stand with staues in their hands and shooes on their feete according to the first institution for Christ himselfe did otherwise keepe the Passeouer Now all men I suppose doe yeeld herein for most circumstances of the place in an vpper chamber of the persons a few disciples men only in the time of the night after supper but it is questioned about the leauen water sitting though little reason to make question about these 1 Cor. 11.17 First if we confider that they are no where precisely expressed though they may be gathered from the place where the institution is described nay which is more where the Apostle repeateth the institutiō though he remembreth the time the night wherein he was betrayed the persons his Disciples yet he speaketh not of leauened bread or water mixed with wine nor yet of sitting Secondly if it bee considered that as the standing at the Passeouer the night c. were taken vp occasionally not purposely as Sacramentall so was the leauened bread this kinde of bread being at hand and sitting or rather leaning downe along which is implyed in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luc. 22.14 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 26.20 that gesture being the position of the body at that time Thirdly if it bee considered that as the night season the persons and place are without any intended signification so is the leauened bread and sitting If it bee said sitting doth set forth our Communion with Christ I answere take heede of inuenting this or the like significations which are beyond the word least thou bee such an one as addeth vnto the word of God and least herein thou rashly censure all those Churches wherein standing walking or kneeling is vsed Indeed some circumstances there be which are not only expressed but commaunded also as Sacramentall and these are alwayes necessary in the Lords Supper First the giuing of thankes whence it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Eucharist or Thankesgiuing for when he had giuen thankes it is said that he brake the bread Acts 2.23 Secondly the taking of the bread and of the cup whereby may be signified how the Lord tooke his deare Sonne and set him apart to be crucified and slaine for the sinnes of the world euen from the beginning of the world for hee was not by the Iewes taken and slaine as being by them ouer-powred but hee was deliuered by the determinate counsell and fore-knowledge of God hee was the Lambe of God slaine from the beginning of the world Thirdly the breaking of the bread whereby is set foorth the Lords submitting of himselfe to the death of the Crosse where he was pierced hands feet and side so that the bloud ranne out abundantly from him Fourthly the distributing of the Bread and of the Wine to his Disciples whereby is set foorth how Christ is giuen by the Father vnto all faithfull Christians to nourish their soules vnto eternall life according to that of the Apostle Hauing giuen vnto vs Christ Iesus how shall hee not together with him giue vs all things also Math. 26.26 Verse 27. Fifthly the forme of wordes in deliuering the bread and wine Take eate this is my bodie doe this in remembrance of mee Drinke ye all of this This is my blood of the new Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sinnes Which words are not the same precisely recorded by euery Euangelist but yet so as that the record of any one doth set foorth the signification the vse and the end of this Sacrament So that if a forme of words bee vsed according to these it is rightly done and according to rule as in our Church Eate this in remembrance that Christ died for you c. the precise wordes as they are recorded by Saint Paul being placed immediatly before Now that these things besides that they are expressed are commaunded is to be noted from the command giuen to the Disciples Doe this in remembrance that is not as some interpret it make this my body but doe in all these things as yee haue seene me doe giue thankes take breake distribute and say according to this forme As for other things yea euen for gesture they may be as shall seeme best vnto the particular Churches of God which haue power to appoint any most lowly reuerent gesture such as kneeling seeing that euen in praising God wee are inuited by the Kingly Prophet O come let vs worship and fall down and kneele before the Lord our maker and the people of Israel in Egypt hearing the good newes of Gods appearing to Moses to deliuer them bowed themselues and worshipped so that as well in receiuing a benefit as in asking this lowly casting downe of the body doth well become vs. The chiefe obiection heere against for all else are friuolous is that kneeling was brought in for adoration of the bread transubstantiated for answere vnto which first I say that it is indeed to bee graunted that they kneeled vnto the supposed body of Christ but it is to be prooued that hence it began first otherwise it is as good an argument they kneeled in praying with their heads therefore we ought not to kneele in our prayers they came to the Masse at Easter therefore wee ought not to come then to the Communion but at some other time c. What superstitious Idolaters haue done in the seruice of their idols marreth not what we do like them the fault not being in the thing or gesture vsed but in the end their kneeling being to an Idol ours to the God of heauen giuing his Sonne to our hearts by faith Quest 132. What is the inward part or thing signified Answ The body and blood of Christ which are verily and indeed aken and receiued of the faithfull in the Lords Supper Explan The inward part of the Lordes Supper is the bodie and bloud of Christ which are present to all the faithfull In handling whereof three questions 1 Cor. 10.16 First how is the Lords body and bloud there for that hee is receiued by the faithfull is plaine both because he saith This is my body and my body is meate indeed and my blood drinke indeed
Explan Considering the solemne ordination of the Lords Supper in a time of so great need when the bridegroome was now to be taken away from the childreÌ„ of the mariage chamber and they should mourne it is worth the considering how great the benefit hereof is and hereof it will not be amisse a little to delay the Reader in shewing the extrauagancies of the Church of Rome in extolling the supposed sacrifice hereof If it be vsed that is if the masse be vsed vpon Saint Gregories dayes it delivereth soules out of Purgatory if vpon S. Rochellâ— day from the plague if vpon S. Antonies it saueth Cattell if vpon Sigismunâ—s it cureth the Ague if vpon S. Anthonies of Padua it restoreth things lost if vpon Saint Apollonius it cureth the tooth-ache if vpon S. Lucies day it cleareth the eyes if vpon the holy Spirits day it giueth a goodly husband or wife as a learned writer hath gathered together of late and set these their fooleries vpon the stage Another hath noted 1. that they teach it to be auaileable as for the liuing so for the dead 2. to be carried about the Church 3. to be carried about the streets 4. to be carried into the fields that the corne and grasse may grow 5. to be caried to the wars for the obtaining of victory 6. before the Pope when he goeth forth 7. at the comming of Kings into cities And which might more be added to houses on fire and to waters ouerflowing as Clement the fift cast it into the Riuer Tyber to asswage the swelling thereof Thus do these men as led with the spirit of lying triflingly deale with this blessed Sacrament and seeking too highly to extoll it make their vse of it vaine and ridiculous and when as euery good Christian should follow his master Christ they differ altogether from him He commanded Doe this in remembrance of me they in remembrance of the dead Christ tooke it and gaue thankes they breath vpon it Christ brake it they hang it vp in a pyxe Christ gaue it to his Disciples they most commonly eate vp all alone and so it is no communion properly so called of the faithfull together Christ took bread and gaue bread they take bread and giue flesh Christ gaue it to confirme faith they to redeeme departed soules Christ gaue it to bee eaten they to bee adored Christ spake plainely in a knowne tongue they in Latin which is not by the vulgar vnderstood Not to aske them therefore which is but lost labour what the benefit is wee say that it is the strengthening and refreshing of the soule More distinctly whatsoeuer benefit redoundeth to the corporall life from the Bread and Wine the like redoundeth here-from to the worthy receiuer by vertue of Christs body and bloud as before hath been particularly declared This made them in the Primitiue Church to seek so earnestly after it that though Christ in body was now absent from doing these good offices vnto them yet they might be supplied by this visible signe of his continuall presence to the worlds end Speciall benefits of the Communion Againe yet more distinctly wee haue hereby communion with Christ and through him with the Father wee becomming flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones as the bread and wine being eaten and incorporated into vs. 2. Strength of faith it being as it were an hand a mouth and stomack with these signes receiuing Christ as hath been said 3. All other graces and blessings which together are therby conueyed vnto vs this being the conduict through which we receiue Chrâ—st and all things also as he is heire of all 4. Communion with one another and with all the faithfull in all ages we becoÌ„ming by Christ one body though diuersly dispersed in the world as many cornes and grapes are brought together to make one loafe of bread and one cup of wine All which benefits are so great as that it should set a most sharpe edge vpon the desires of all men vnto this heauenly duty that euen for loue and earnest desire of these benefits we may gape after them as the thirsty ground for raine and neuer through neglect depriue our selues of such comforts when by Gods Minister they are offered Quâ—st What is required of them which come to the Lord Supper Answ To examine themselues whether they repent them truly of their former sinnes stedfastly purposing to lead a new life haue a liuely Faith in Gods mercy through Iesus Christ with a thankefull remembrance of his death and be in charity with all men Explan The benefit of this Sacrament being so great it is necessary to know how euery man may dispose himselfe hereunto that he may be made partaker of this benefit for this is certaine that all obtaine it not that eat this supper seeing there is an vnworthy as well as a worthy receiuing and the vnworthy eate and drinke their owne damnation For the worthy and right receiuing therfore a rule is here set downe of things to be done before and in the act of receiuing Before there must be an examination in the time of receiuing a remembrance or meditation to stirre vp thankfulnesse for Gods great mercy herein expressed The distinct consideration of which because it is so necessary I haue here subioyned in some distinct questions and answers Quest 134. What is required in those that come to the Lords Supper Answ To bee rightly disposed both before and at the receiuing hereof Quest 135. What ought a man to doe before his comming Answ To examine himselfe for his faith in Christ 1. C r 1â— â—8 Explan Let a man examine himselfe saith Saint Paul and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this cup for he that eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnation where you see that vnder paine of damnation a man must prepare himselfe to the Lords Table and that hee is an vnworthy receiuer that prepareth not by fore-examination Such was the man that came vnto the feast without a wedding garment of whom it is said Bind him hand and foote Matth. 22.12 and cast him into vtter darkenesse Such pulleth vpon himselfe 1. Cor. 11. as the Corinthians sundry plagues and sicknesse and vntimely death And verily though there were no such danger great reason there is that euery man comming to this Sacrament should prepare himselfe 1. Because euery man is most vnfit and vnworthy to come thus familiarly to communicate with the Lord of glorie as when rhe Lord was to descend to giue the Law they were vnfit without a three dayes preparation to heare him speaking vnto them Wee are herein to imitate the most curious women when they came to any honourable place or meeting they spend much time in decking themselues and putting on all their ornaments and behold themselues in the glasse very diligently that nothing may be amisse or vnseemely In like manner seeing wee are to come into the presence of the highest
either way there is nothing but iudgement with out mercy If if bee demanded here whether it bee not a sinne in the Minister to admit such to the holy Communion Matth. 7.6 I answer if any be euidently knowne to be such and wil not promise amendment he that receiueth him giueth that which is holy to doggs and casteth pearles before Swine If otherwise there be a shew of penitency man that cannot see into the heart may admit of him If it should seeme that without difference the wicked as well as the godly are to bee admitted to this holy Supper without difference putting seeing that Iudas was admitted by the Lord. I answere that it is most probable that Iudas was gone out before seeing Matthew and Marke doe speake of his going out immediately after the sop before the holy Supper began vnto whom consenteth Iohn Chap. 13.30 Secondly if it bee granted that hee was present yet this example proueth nothing to this purpose for Iudas was not yet detected his treason was onely in his heart not in action that followed afterward Moreouer how can the minister giue the Lords body to him that is appointed by the Lord to be giuen ouer to Satan for as it was with the incestuous person against the Corinthians 1 Cor. 5.5 so is it with euery notorious scandalous liuer he is vntill repentance to bee put from the communion of Gods people Thus we see what a maze or labyrinth sin doth bring men into in danger they are by comming and in danger by not comming to the Lords Table Quest 139. What may a man doe then in this case Answ He must humbly sue vnto God for the pardon of all his sins to strike his hard heart that he may melt into teares for them and constantly cleaue to his commandements and if there be any dissention he must goe and be reconciled to his brother Explan So gracious is our good God as that when wee are brought into desperate straights and wildred so by sinne as that we know not which way to get out hee holdeth forth the thread of his mercy by the helpe of which wee may come into the right way againe Like vnto Ahashuerosh his scepter stretched out towards his beloued Hester when shee was intangled with danger euen so is the Lords Scepter euer held out vnto vs that in the name of his Sonne we may come vnto him though wee be most wretched sinners Aske saith hee and you shall haue seeke and you shall find knocke and it shall be opened vnto you This is the gate or scale of Heauen which Iacob saw hither wee may come being thus beset with sinne and find mercy to bee deliuered and made welcome to the Lords Table If it bee said but can I being thus in my sinnes pray to bee heard seeing that God heareth not sinners and the sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord I answer was not the Publican likewise in his sinnes and yet hee prayed and was heard and iustified and did not the Thiefe vpon the Crosse likewise So that wicked men praying out of a desire to bee made repentant and to bee brought to amendment grieuing that they are so hard-hearted and without faith are heard in their prayers neither is this against the places before alleaged for the wicked whom God will not heare are such as delight in sinne and are without all care of amendment resolute in sinning Quest 140. What ought a man to doe at the Lords Supper Answ He ought thankefully by seeing and receiuing the outward signes to remember the inward graces of God towards him Quest 141. What are these graces Answ First the Lords giuing of his Sonne Iesus to death for vs set forth by the Ministers taking of the bread and wine breaking and powring out and offering it to vs all Secondly our neare vnion vnto Christ and how we haue all our spirituall foode from him set forth by our taking eating and inward digesting the bread and wine that becommeth nourishment vnto vs. Thirdly the neare vnion that God hath made by Christ betwixt all the faithfull set forth by the same bread being made of many graines of corne and by the same wine being made of many grapes Expl. I shall not need largely here to intreat of these meditations which hath been done already onely the Communicant that commeth to the Lords Table is to bee aduertâ—sed that by no meanes he bee there an idle beholder of things done but a profitable ponderer of all circumstances to stirre him vp to greatest thankfulnesse vnto God for so great benefits In which that hee may bee holpen let him first herein consider Gods admirable loue in giuing his Sonne to death for his sinnes his holy body to be broken and his pure bloud to be shed for without Gods giuing of his Sonne to the cursed death of the Crosse all the power of the Scribes Pharisees and high Priests was not able to doe it Wherefore he saith I lay downe my life for my sheepe and no man taketh it from me but J lay it downe of my selfe Euen as if a man being condemned to die another most louing friend should lay downe his life and suffer for him Oh how thankfully were this loue to be remembred and with what praises to bee celebrated as being vnmatchable by any loue that euer hath been seene amongst men for a deare friend there hath been in many ages one amongst many Kingdoms of the Latines one amongst many of the Grecians that haue offered to die for their friends but for their enemies neuer any Lord therefore should the soule of euery Christian say I offer againe vnto thee mine own self soule body to serue thee and my old nature to be killed and slaine with al the concupiscences thereof though neuer so deare vnto me for thou hast offered thy deare sonne for mee and vnto me without any desert of mine and for this cause art most worthy of all honour and thanksgiuing Secondly let the Communicant consider of Gods admirable loue in vniting him so neare vnto his Sonne and through his sonne vnto himselfe and in feeding him from heauen with such comforts without which his soule must needs bee hungerstarued and perish Iohn 17.21 This was Christs prayer vnto the Father that we might be one with him that they may all be one as thou O Father art in me and I in thee that they may be also one in vs and this did he my stically in this Sacrament shadow out vnto vs. When Dauid was offered the Kings Daughter and to be the Kings Sonne in Law Who am I said he that I should be Sonne in Law to a King and who am I should the Communicant say that I should bee made one with the King of Heauen Most vnspeakable O Lord is thy loue towards me that thou shouldest haue such respect to so poore a worme to raise me out of the dust to sit with thy Christ Rom. 8 1â—
of the Christians in Macedonia of which the Apostle witnesseth when the famine was at Ierusalem saying 2. Cor. 8.3 According to their power I beare them record yea beyond their ability that they were willing 3. Duty To be lifted vp in heart to heauen Col. 3. The third duty is in the remembrance of this admirable Vnion of God vnto man whereby man is beyond measure graced to put vpon vs high spirits both by hauing our hearts lifted vp to Heauen where our nature sits at the right hand of God and also by being vndaunted at the greatest dangers that may befall vs or at the greatest terrours that the Deuill can strike into vs Psal 23. wee must say with Dauid Though I walke in the vale and shadow of death yet will I feare none euill for the Lord is my Shepheard for the Lord wee may say is in vs and with Paul God is on our side who can bee against vs. Rom 8. Wee must stand fast in the euill day when wee are assaulted not with flesh and bloud but with spirituall powers Eph 6.12 For if our eye bee but opened to see who is with vs as Elisha prayed for his seruant Lord open his eyes wee shall assuredly bee without feare 2 Kâ—ng 6. more being with vs then against vs. If it were a duty flowing from faith to be high-spirited according to the world I know that many yea all would easily frame themselues vnto it for euery mans spirit is too high this way all meditate matters too high for them But this highnesse must be abated and brought low that roome may be made for that which ought to be Thou must not be altogether without an high minde for euery man is by all meanes to striue to exceed heerein onely be sure that it aspire to the highest thing of all which is Heauen 4. Duty To reuerence Christ our Lord. The fourth duty is to yeeld due reuerence to this Lord and gracious Iesus of ours for that wee are his hee hath bought vs Neither are wee vnder our enemies hands neither are our bodies our owne that I may speake with the Apostle wee are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your bodies 1. Cor. 6.20 He may rightly challenge at our hands as the Father doth If I be a master where is my feare or my reuerence Now Mal. 1.3 Phil. 2.16 what this reuerence is is expressed to the Philippians God hath giuen him a name aboue all names that at the name of Iesus all knees might bow c. that is that all might outwardly reuerence the name Iesus be reuerently affected inwardly at the very sound thereof and submit themselues to obey his will at the very first comming of the same to their eares for that it is of him who is our Lord Iesus as may best bee vnderstood by comparing this place with that of the Prophet vnto which the Apostle alludeth Esa 45 23. I liue saith the Lord euery tongue shall sweare by me and euery knee shall bow vnto me For swearing by Gods name is vsually put for worshipping and seruing him Wee are therefore to serue the Lord Iesus and in all things so to behaue our selues in our soules and bodies as those that remember they haue such a Lord. Masters must entreat their seruants gently Ephes 6.9 for that they also haue a Lord and maister Iesus Christ vnto whom they must giue account all higher powers and great persons must so vse their authority ouer others Math. 24. as that they may not be found by this their great Lord Math. 25. smiting their fellowse at his comming all men of all sorts must take heed that they haue so vsed their talents as that they be not found to haue gained nothing at his comming If thou bee such an empty and barren Professor of Christs name and seruice though thou weare his badge though thou with thy mouth call him Lord yet hee will bee a terrible Lord to thee at his comming hee will cut thee off and giue thee thy portion with hypocrites hee will bid Take this bad seruant binde him hand and foot and cast him into vtter darknesse Quest 25. Which is the second degree and in which words Answ He suffered the death of the Crosse for my sins set forth in these words He suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried Gen. 49. Explan Hauing explained the first degree of the humiliation of the Son of God we come now to the second He suffered vnder Pontius Pilate That is a Heathen Iudge set ouer the Prouince of the Iewes by the Roman Emperour for hitherto they had Gouernours of their owne according to the Prophesie of old Father Iaâ—cob saying The scepter shall not depart from I dals nor a law giuer from betweene his feet vntill Sâ—â—loh comes Euseb Ioseph For Herod the sonne of Aâ—tipater was the first stranger that was Gouernour ouer them and the two and thirtieth yeare of his raigne was the sonne of God borne and in the two and fortieth of Augustus Caesar the Emperour Olympiad Luc. 3.1 194. And after this Herod was Pontius Pilate set ouer Iudea vnder the Empire of Tiberius Caesar Before these were men of the Hebrew Nation Rulers there viz. Aristobulus Hircanus and Antigonus thirty fine yeares and so ascending vpward to the times of Iudas Macchabeus c. Vnder the gouernment then of this Pontius Pilate Christ began to execute his office for which he was sent viz. To preach the Gospell both by himselfe and his Disciples and continuing thus to doe and to worke many miracles was spitefully entreated of the wicked Iewes for the space of three yeers and vpward then villanously betrayed by one of his Disciples apprehended abused crucified being full thirty three yeeres of age Hee was dead That is he was not onely fastened to the Crosse to the shedding of some of his blood where the nailes entred into his hands and feete but there gaue vp the Ghost was after pierced to the very heart with a speare so that water and blood came out and being found certainely dead he had not his legges broken as theirs were which had beene crucified with him And buried That is for the more certainty that his spirit was departed out of him he was taken downe from the Crosse and laid into the graue And this briefly shall suffice for the meaning Now followe the testimonies and grounds of holy Scripture out of which this is taken First 1. Proofe that he suffered vnder Pontius Pilate 2. That he was crucified and dead 3. That he was buried 4. That he did vndergoe all this for our sinnes For the first It would be ouer-tedious to rehearse all that the Lord suffered according as it is recorded at large by the Euangelists We may therefore referr all briefly to these two heads First to that he suffered before his manifesting himselfe to the world whilst he
was vnder age and then to what he suffered after whilst he was vnder age great was the persecution which was raised vp against him Math. 1. Herod the King vnderstanding that one was borne who should bee King of the Iewes fearing to be deposed called a Councell and learning certainly that Bethelem was the place of his birth first sends cunningly by the wise men which came out of the East to worship this new borne King to be better assured of the house where he lay pretending to come himselfe also worship him the wise men hauing found out the Babe forbeare to certifie the King hereof and depart home another way as they were admonished from aboue whereat hee being more incensed gaue charge forthwith to slay all the male children in Bethelem that were two yeeres olde and vnder without sparing any insomuch that as by some is recorded his owne childe being noursed there dyed also whereupon one saide he had rather haue bin Herods hog then Herods childe But the Lord prouided wonderfully for the safety of his sonne at this time by admonishing his parents secretly to hasten away before this bloody Massacre and shedding of innocent blood Thus the Lord of life was faine to flee for the safegard of his life whilest he was yet in his swadling clouts Luk. 9.59 Moreouer hee suffered by want and pouerty wherefore he saith The Foxes haue holes and the Birds haue neasts but the Sonne of Man hath not whereon to rest his head For this is not only true of him afterwards but from his birth vpward His parents were so poore that when his mother should be deliuered of him shee had none other place to bee in but euen without the towne The Manger wherein Christ was laid Luk. 2. Basil in a caue of a rocke called the manger where poore people rested that could get no roome in the towne as one well obserueth vpon that place of Luke where this history is set downe viz. Basilius Magnus For otherwise the Shepheards could not haue found him out in the night but must haue searched in the stables of sundry Innes moreouer the article Te prefixed in the Greeke seemes to insinuate that some certaine Maunger knowne by that name was meant Iustin Mart. Hereunto consenteth also Iustin Mart. In dialogo cum Tryphone after other words he saith that they rested in a certaine caue neere the Towne Oâ—ig contra Celsum and Origen saith it was a thing commonly celebrated amongst the Christians namely the caue where Christ was borne So also Epiphanius Theodoret and all antiquitie Luk. 3.23 After that he grew to be thirty yeeres of age he began to manifest himselfe vnto the world following herein the rule set down by the Lord concerning the Leuits From thirty yeeres old and vpward Numb 43. euen to fifty yeeres old Though he attained but to the thirty foure yeere of his age according to the consent of Chronologies howsoeuer it may seeme otherwise by that which the Iewes alledge against him Thou art not yet fifty yeeres old Ioh. 8.57 Whereupon Ireneus concludes that he was about this age when he suffered vpon the Crosse and saith that the Elders of the Church learned the same of Iohn and that place of Numbers may seeme to giue some light and credit hereunto Now Tertullian and Lactantius contrariwise teach that he was but thirty In this great variety because the Word of God saith nothing but that of John 8.57 It is hard to define infallibly his certaine age But to me the former opinion seemeth most probable The Lord at thirty yeres of age as hath beene said beginning to manifest himselfe vnto the world was still more and more hardly vsed of the world First of the Diuell then of men Math. 4. He being led into the wildernesse by the Spirit Christs sufferings by the Diuell by men did vndergoe the want of all things forty dayes and forty nights and then was most strongly assaulted by the Diuell when he was supposed to be weakest by reason of his continuall fasting Of men he was hardly vsed First by vile and slanderous speeches Math. 11.19 â—ho 8.48 they calling him a glutton and a Drunkard a Friend of Publicans and Sinners saying that he was mad that he had a Diuell and that through Belzebub the Prince of Diuels he did cast out Deuils and that he was a Deceiuer or Impostor and if any thing more vile could be deuised against him Math. 27.63 or his followers Secondly by their practises against him without any open violence if any man followed him Ioh. 9.22.7.49 he was excommunicated out of the Synagogue he was pronounced accursed therefore hee himselfe was much more excommunicated and accursed they called a Councell against him Ioh 11. as against a dangerous Arch-Heretique Thirdly by their practises against him ioyned with violence but without effect Ioh. 7. Once they sent officers to apprehend him who being ouercome with the grace of his speeches returned without doing their office another time 10.31 they tooke vp stones to haue stoned him and a third time they led him to the side of an hill Luk 4. thinking to throw him downe head-long but he went thorow the middest of them and escaped Yea such and so vncessant was their rage against him that whereas many Rulers did esteeme of him yet they durst not professe it Ioh. 12.42 for feare of the Pharisees Lastly drawing neare to his last Passion he had the apprehension of the wrath of God wrestling with him which made his sweat like drops of blood Luk. 22 39 40. c. the like to which was neuer heard of being exceeding heauy and sorrowfull so as that hee could take no rest in the night but prayed againe and againe and the third time Father if it be 〈◊〉 let this cuppe passe from me And these almost were his sufferings in generall which made him a man of sorrow according to that of the Prophet â—â—a 53.3 He is a man full of sorrowes and hath experience of infirmities 2. Proofâ— Christ crucified Luk. 23.45.46 Secondly that hee was crucified and dead is also planely set downe by the Euangelists with the circumstances aggrauating this his accursed death He was hanged saith St. Luke betwixt two theeues and from the sixth houre to the ninth there was a darkenesse ouer the land then he cryed with a loud voyce Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit and gaue vp the Ghost And St. Peter vpbrayds the Iewes herewith Acts 2.23 Gal. 3.13 Ioh. 19.33 telling them that they had curcified and slaine him And St. Paul saith Hee was made a curse for vs for it is written Cursed is euery one that hangeth on a tree Moreouer that hee was dead the Souldiers that came to breake his legs did testifie for seeing this they let him alone As for the circumstances of his death they make the matter farre
more haynous on the Iewes part and more grieuous on Christs part First Ioh. 18. Christ his apprehension they apprehend him like a Varlet that had done some outrage comming vpon him with swords and staues in the night time Iudas one of his Disciples being their Guide who was hired vnto this with thirty peeces of siluer and most obstinately proceeded they in their enterprize though hee gaue them some taste of his Diuine power Vers 6. for he did but say I am he and with the breath of his mouth they fell to the ground backward he did but touch the eare of one which was cut off and healed it Secondly they carry him first to one High Priest Ioh. 18.13 c. and then to another then to Pilate then to Herod and backe againe to Pilate amongst whom he is mocked laughed at scornefully entreated and buffeted questioned withall spitted vpon and crowned with thornes Ioh. 19.17 Thirdly they compell him to carry his heauy crosse till he fainted vnder the burthen being without all pitty and compassion towards him Fourthly though they could charge him with no fault at all worthy of any punishment insomuch as that Pilate the heathen Iudge would haue acquited him Luk. 23. yet they cried out Crucifie him crucifie him and had rather that Barrabas a Traytor Murtherer should be spared Esa 53.9 then he Fiftly they hung him vp betweene two theeues the most harmelesse and innocent man in the world is numbred amongst the wicked and euill doers Sixtly not content to pierce his hands and feete in most bloody manner with nailes by fastning him to the Crosse like most hard-hearted wretches they giue him vineger mingled with gall to drinke in his great heat and thirst Luk. 23 35. they doe whatsoeuer they can to increase his sorrowes by nodding the head at him by vpbrayding him with the sauing of others and telling him that he could not saue himselfe Otherwise say they let him come downe from the Crosse and wee will beleeue in him When in his greatest pangs he cryed out Ely Ely lammasabactani they mercilesly scoffe at him and say he calles to Elias when they knewe well enough that he called vpon his God Lastly not being astonished at the admirable Ecclipse of the Sun contrary to the course of nature it being about the full of the Moone an obscuring not of some degrees but of all the light of the Sunne and for three houres together nor moued at the vaile of the Temple being rent the opening of the graues and the comming forth of dead bodies all wonders of the world they rage against him when hee is now dead Ioh. 19.34 a Souldier runnes him into the very heart with a speare so that the very water which is placed there for the cooling of the heart came forth together with the blood Thirdly that hee was also buried 3. Proofe 19.38 the Text doth plainely set downe Ioseph of Arimathea an honourable man went and begged his body of Pilate and buried it in a new Sepulcher in a garden neere the place of his suffering And this was according to the prophesie of Esay He made his graue with the rich Esa 53.9 in his death Which is also particularly in our Creede expressed both for the confirmation of his death and for the mystery of our not onely death but buriall vnto sinne prefigured hereby Fourthly that all this was vndergone for our sinnes onely 4. Proofe Ioh. 10.11 Ioh. 11.50 is plentifully testified 1. by himselfe saying I am the good shepheard the good shepheard giueth his life for his sheepe then by his enemy Cataphas the high Priest saying That it was expedient that one should die for the people and not the whole nation to perish which he spake not of himselfe but being High Priest for the yeere Prophetically Thirdly by his vnerring seruants the Apostle Paul Rom 4. Pet. 1.18 saying He was deliuered to death for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification Saint Peter saying We are redeemed not with corruptible things but with the precious blood of Iesus Christ to omit what is said to the same purpose in the Epistle to the Ephesians Eph. 5. Heb. 8.12 He gaue himselfe for his Church to sanctifie it and in the Epistle to the Hebrewes The blood of buls and goats is not able to deliuer oâ— cleanse from sinne but that of the Sonne of God And that of Saint Iohn 1. Iohn 3.16 Hereby we perceiued his loue that hee laid downe his life for vs with infinite like places Nay it is the plaine prophesie of Esay Esa 53.5 He was smitten for our sinnes and broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace is vpon him and with his stripes we are healed And to the setting forth of this tend all the types and figures of him that were before his comming All the sacrifices and slaying of sheepe and oxen calues lambs and feathered fowles made by the Iewes were types and shadowes of this grand sacrifice for the expiation of sinne For when men had sinned they were appointed to bring these sacrifices that they might be forgiuen Exod. 29.39 Ioh. 1. and more specially a lambe was to bee slaine in the morning and a lambe in the euening euery day continually which in truth was the Lambe of God Iesus Christ that takes away the sinnes of the world Againe hee that was not circumcised must die as none of Gods people and the blood of the Lambe in the Passeouer Exod. 12. Numb 21.9 striken vpon the vpper post of the doore deliuered from the destroyer Lastly the brazen Serpent healed them that looked thereupon being set vp aloft in the wildernesse Ioh. 3.14 so doth Iesus Christ heale all such as by the eye of faith looke vpon him being lifted vp vpon the crosse as he himselfe applies it saying As Moses lifted vp the Serpent in the wildernesse so must the Son of Man be lifted vp which he spake signifying what death he should die And these his horrible sufferings must needes bee for our sinnes for he himselfe was without sinne There was no guile found in his mouth 1. Pet. 2.22.1.19 Esa 53. neyther did he any sinne Hee was the vndefiled Lambe of God and without spot Hee was led as a sheepe to the slaughter without any desert of his owne so that hee was able to challenge his enemies Luc 23.4 Which of you can accuse mee of sinne yea Pilate himselfe confesseth that hee found in him no fault at all and Pilates wife that he was a iust man 1. Duty Godly sorrow for sinne Touching the outlets whereby wee are to set forth our faith herein The first is godly sorrow in bewayling our sinnes the onely cause of these great sufferings of our deere Sauiour The women that followed him to his death wept for him most pittifully but he instructs them better saying Luc. 23 28. Daughters of Ierusalem weepe
the matter is suppressed because that would haue beene too great an euidence against them Not long after Ardanus Bishop of Northumberland vnder King Oswaldus opposed himselfe against the same alledging that the grieuous things of the law the burthens of the Pharisees were not to bee propounded to the people Anno. 670. Colmanus another Bishop stoutly resisted the shauing of Priests and other fooolish ceremonies that were vrged but the King taking against him he preuailed not and therefore went from his Bishopricke into Scotland with those that tooke part with him The like resistance had his Predecessour Fannanus made before Auintint lib. 3. Annalium c. Afterwards anno 714. when Boniface who was called the Apostle of the Germans was sent of Gregory the second for the like purpose of establishing Romish ceremonies he was resisted by Adelbertus Gallus Clemens Scotus Sampson Scotus Virgilius and Sidorius learned men who could not endure the ceremonies vrged about the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and Baptisme but they were oppressed by the Popes authority viz. Gregory the second Gregory the third and Zachary Anno 774. Egila Nist Magdeb. Cent. 8. cap. 10. a Bishop in Spaine who before had much reuerenced the Bishop of Rome afterwards vnderstanding that his traditions depended not vpon Gods Word hee contemned them for which cause hee stirred vp other Spanish Bishops against the said Egila Anno 899. there was one Claudius Cent. 9. cap. 10. who had beene a Priest in the Court of Charles the Great which taught the same doctrine that Luther afterwards did inueighing against the imagery and superstition of those times Baleus Trithsnus Anno 841. Bertram a Priest in France who was greatly esteemed by Charles the brother of King Lotharius taught that the body of Christ was not really present in the Sacrament but is by faith receiued Anno 847. Thergaudus Bishop of Treuiris inueighed grieuously against Pope Nicolus hee called the Pope Antichrist and a Wolfe saying Auentiniâ— Reginâ—l lib. 2 Cum sis seruus seruorum Dominus Dominantium esse contendis When as thou art by profession a seruant of seruants thou striuest to be a Lord of Lords Hee called Rome Babylon Being called to Rome together with Guntherius Guntherius Bishop of Calleâ— he was excommunicated vnheard and after slaine Anno 859. S. Vdasrick Bishop of Augusta held that the Roman Bishop might erre and proued learnedly by sundry arguments that it was lawfull for Priests to marry Hist Mag. Cent. 9. cap. 10. Anno 1054. Berengarius a learned man had many followers who stoutly maintained that the body of Christ was not really in the Sacrament Anno 1071. Lanfranke Hist Magdeb. Cent. 1â— cap. 10. Arch-Bishop of Canterbury is said to haue corrected the writings of the Fathers according to the Catholique Faith whence it must needes follow that the Church was then gone froÌ„ the purity of the Fathers times which was noted by some but to blinde their eyes this correction was made In the Epistle of Anselme there is a forme of visiting the sicke prescribed in this manner The Priest should say Thou confessest that thou hast liued so ill that thou hast deserued hell Hist Magd. Cent 11. cap. 6. The sicke answers Yea Doest thou repent thee of these thing He answers Yea Doest thou beleeue that the Lord Iesus Christ dyed for thee He answers Yea Doest thou giue him thankes He answers Yea Doest thou beleeue that thou canst not be saued but by his death He answers Yea Go to therefore whilst thy soule is in thee put thy whole trust in this death trust in no other thing commit thy selfe wholly to this death with this couer thy selfe all ouer winde vp thy selfe all ouer in this death S. Anselme was a Lutheran Whence it appeares that according to the present doctrine of our Church it was held then and that meritorious workes wrought by men were in no request for iustification and saluation Anno 1110. Florentinus a Bishop auouched that Antichrist was then born Platina Blondas for which he was called to account by Paschalis the second and suppressed Anno 1135. one Francis an Abbot maintained that Christs body was not really in the Sacrament Hist Magd. Cent. 12. cap. 5. Anno 1110. Petrus de Beuis a Priest Henry a Monk in France taught that the body and bloud of Christ were not offered in the Masse neither that it was a sacrifice made for the saluation of soules that Altars were to be destroyed that the substances in the sacrament were not altered that sacrifices and masses and prayers and almes c. being made for the dead Cent. 12. cap 9. were fooleries and profited not that Priests and Monkes were rather to marry then to burne that Crosses were not to bee reuerenced that the Canonicall Scriptures were onely to bee beleeued and that the writings of the Fathers haue not equall authority and of these the one was burned the other hardly escaped Bernardi vita Anno 1190. Bernard a learned Father though hee was not so sound through the iniquity of the times in all things yet in the case of iustification he speaketh like a Protestant when being in danger of his life he said I am not worthy J confesse neither can I by mine owne merits obtaine the Kingdome of heauen but my Lord obtaining it by a double right viz. of inheritance and by the merit of his passion being content with the one himselfe h e bestoweth the other vpon mee Anno 1220. one William a Goldsmith said that Rome was Babylon the Pope Antichrist was therfore burned Hist Magd. Cent. 13. cap. 2. Anno 1250. Gâ—lielmus de sancto Amore was banisht for an heretique and his bookes burnt Robert Grostâ—d Bishop of Lincolne a zealous opposer of Papall tyranny should haue had his bones digged vp and burnt but that the Pope being terrified in a dreame desisted from this his enterprize Anno 1260. on Laurence an Englishman had his bones burnt after that they were taken out of the graue Anno 1350. there were many sincere Teachers specially Iohannes de rupe Scissiâ— Anno 1360. Armachanus an Arch-bishop in Ireland Anno. 1370. Iohn Wickâ—liffe disputed openly at Oxenford and was defended by K. Edward the third and the Nobles against the Pope Summa Conc. a Bartholomâ—o Goranza collecta The poynts maintained by him were That the materiall substance of bread and wine remained in the Sacrament That outward confession to the Priest was superfluous and vnprofitable That if any man giueth almes to the idle Friers hee is excommunicate That hee which entreth into any such order is made more foolish and vnfit to obserue Gods Commandements That the Church of Rome is a Synagogue of Satan neither is the Pope the Vicar of Christ That it is a foolish thing to beleeue the Popes Indulgences c. Anno 1410. Iohn Husse and Ierome of Prague were famous in Bohemia Conc. fol.
vpon euery newes or light accident For the name of the great God of all is reuerend and terrible as the Lord said to Manoah asking his name Iudg. 13. Esay 66.2 Why enquirest thou after my name which is wonderfull And his word is such as that it is to be trembled at Wherefore let all such as feare this great God learne better to temper their tongues that they not onely sweare not in their common talke but that they doe not triflingly vse his holy name or any parcell of the holy Scriptures 6. The sixt and last abuse is by vaine protestations and asseuerations that is by the needlesse vse of them when some earnest occasion doth not vrge heereunto Against these as against swearing that speach of Christ is direct Matth. 5.37 Let your communication be yea yea nay nay for whatsoeuer is more then these commeth of the euill one of the diuell Quest. 64. What are we here commanded Answ To glorifie the name of God in all that wee doe thinke speake or desire and to labour that others may be won by our meanes to doe the same Duties of this Commandement Explan This is the duty of this Commandement and is thus abreuiated by the Apostle Whether yee eate or drinkâ— or whatsoeuer yee doe doe all to the glory of God For if it be a thing so much displeasing vnto the Lord to abuse and dishonour his holy name then to honour it by all meanes must needs be highly pleasing vnto his Maiestie Deedes First by our doings Gods name is honoured if they be either deeds of piety praying reading hearing preaching of his holy word Psal 50.14.15 c. For thus saith he by the Psalmist Call vpon me in the time of trouble and I will heare and deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie mee Which is as if he should say By calling vpon my name vowing vnto me and performing thy vowes by giuing thankes and praysing my name thou shalt glorifie me Phil. 1.20 And for preaching the Apostle professeth that he reioyced that he was an occasion to many to preach the Gospell for his hope was that Christ should be magnified thereby 2. Cor 8 19. Againe God is glorified by deedes of charitie For Paul exhorting the Corinthians to liberalitie towards the poore Saints at Ierusalem signifieth that a faithfull brother was chosen to accompany him in his iourney to carry and distribute their beneuolence and hee calleth it the grace that was ministred by them to the glory of God and the declaration of their prompt mind Because that when the poore are relieued homage is done vnto God who is in their persons ready to receiue our liberality and his name is also praised by the poore thus relieued and so is he further glorified Now because it is not the doing but the right doing of these things which is accepted Esay 1. Matth. 6. for we reade of some that haue sacrificed kept Sabbaths and solemne assemblies and of some that haue fasted prayed and giuen almes much and yet haue beene reiected I wil heere set downe the right way of performing these these duties that Gods name may haue glory First Rule 1 therefore they must be frequent and often How good workes must be done Iohn 15.8 Herein is my Father glorified saith our Sauiour Christ that yee bring forth much fruite Good Christians are good trees good ground profitable sheepe that are euer yeelding some profit It is not then sufficient to giue almes sometime to preach and heare and pray sometime but very often Wherefore wee are expressely commanded to giue liberally so many as haue 2. Cor. 9.6 euen as he soweth his ground liberally that expecteth a good crop at haruest to cast our bread vpon the waters Eccles 11.1 to giue a portion to sixe and to seauen that is though they to whom we giue can no more yeeld vs our owne againe then the waters if seed be sowne in them or giue liberally to the poore for this is to sow vpon watery ground which in those parts is most fruitefull We are commanded to be instant in preaching 1 Pet. 2.2 1 Thes 5.17 and as new borne babes to desire the sincere milke of the word To pray continually and in all things to giue thankes 2. Secondly these duties must be done in sinceritie and Rule 2 truth that is from the very heart with an aiming at this only end that God may haue glory For God is a Spirit Iohn 4 24. and the worshippers of God doe worship him in Spirit and in truth If any other thing bee aymed at as the praise of men estimation amongst the people to merit heereby at Gods hands or to gaine any thing in the world it is but Pharisaicall deuotion Math. 6. and hath all the reward heere Rule 3 Iam. 2.6 Thirdly these duties must bee done in faith that is both by persons beleeuing and in assurance of being accepted in all our deuotion For in prayer he that commeth vnto God must beleeue that God is and that he is a rewarder of such as seeke vnto him hee must not wauer least hee bee like vnto the waues of the sea and in euery other duty Hearing must be mingled with faith The Iewes are noted Heb. 4 2. not to haue profited by hearing the word because it was not mixed with faith Heb. 11 6. And it is written Without faith it is impossible to please God Wherefore all the vertues and good works of Heathen men haue beene censured for splendida peccata glorious sinnes And the many prayers whippings and pilgrimages performed by the Papists cannot but be in the like sort being partly done in a false faith viz. to merit heereby and partly their owne inuentions and not Gods word being the grownd of these superstitions Rule 4 Esa 1. Esa 66.3 Fourthly that these duties may be to the glory of God a man must be seperate from sin that is not liue impenitently in or make a trade of any sinne For the people of Israel in stead of glorifying God were censured for such as did offer abomination when they brought incense as did weary the Lord when they kept their solemne assemblies He that sacrificed a bullocke was as if hee had slaine a man hee that offered a sheepe as if hee had cut off a dogges head And all this was because their hands were full of blood that is Esa 1.16 they liued in oppression and other grieuous sinnes And the very prayer of the wicked is abhominaaion to the Lord. 2. Speaches glorifie God Secondly we must glorifie God by our speeches as heerein we are priuiledged beyond all other earthly creatures this is by the right vse of the tongue Right vse 1 Ephes 4.29 Iam. 3. Phil. 2.10 First when our talke is not corrupt but tending to the edification of hearers if it bee rayling cursing slandering or filthy the tongue is made a corrupt
vnnaturall Sinne that can bee in the world and therfore because other meanes of punishment is taken away the law doth brand the dead carcasse with infamous buriall 2. It is also the most dangerous and vnrecouerable except the sinne against the holy Ghost for it seldome giueth any time of repentance and perhaps more seldome any probability Hee that dyeth thus dyeth alas in Satans worke and I feare me in Satans hands Yet I presume not to confine Gods extraordinary and boundles mercy that can reach it selfe forth inter â—ontem fontâ—m after voluntary headlong percipice I deny not this to be possible But O dreadfull tryall of this ballance which in probability weigheth down so heauy on the other side as to presse wretched man to hell it selfe Distressed Brother art thou tempted to this hellish and monstrous sinne Gather thy strength vnto thee say Auoid Satan if thou tell mee I shall notwithstanding bee saued commending my soule to God when I dye say thou art a lyar and the father of lyes for the truth saith â—f a righteous man turneth from his righteousnesse and committeth iniquity in the sinne wherein he is found he shall surely dye If hee telleth thee that thou shalt thus end thy sorrowes say thou art heerin a lyar also Satan I shall passe thus rather from sorrow to greater sorrow from temporall woe to eternall to be gnawed vpon by the worme that neuer dyeth and to bee burned with the fire that neuer goeth out If it be said there are some that dye thus Obiect 2. Selfe-murther â—â— pâ—eseruâ— vertue inuiolate August de Ciuit Dâ—i to preserue vertue vnuiolate as Lucretia to preserue her chastity and certaine Matrons of Rome of whom S. Augustine writeth and some that they may be glorious Martyrs as the Donatists of old holding that if they could procure death to themselues they should immediately passe to glory in heauen Sol. They are all in the same dangerous and demnable plight notwithstanding without extraordinary and euen miracu-repentance they perish as guilty of their owne death Read S. Augustine in the same place excellently setting forth the vice of Lucretia which by the Heathen was commended for a vertue 2. Murthereing of other men 2. Vniust blood-shâ—d This is vniustly to shed the bloud of any man by any meanes whatsoeuer First I say it is an vniust shedding of bloud because there is a shedding of bloud that is no sin as of the bloud of creatures which are giuen vnto man for meat or which are any way noysome vnto him contrary to the Tacian heresie which denyed it to be lawfull to kill any thing Againe there is s shedding of the bloud of man which is no sinne viz. when it is done iustly by such persons as to whom it doth belong and this is by the Magistrate or at his appointment onely and that by iust proceedings for Hee â—eareâ—h not the sword in vaine Rom. 13.4 but is Gods Minister to take vengeance on those that doe euill And it is so necessary for them to put to death where there is iust and necessary cause as that if they spare Gods curse will follow for the Lord hath expressly taught Num. 35.33 that bloud defileth the land and the land cannot be clensed of the bloud that is shed therein but by the bloud of him that shed it And on the other side if they put to death vniustly through malice or for any priuate reuenge they are murtherers for so far forth only may they reuenge by death as they are Gods Ministers set a worke by him Ioh. 21.15 Whence we may see that heathen Kings persecuting the poor Christians to the death were murtherers and in like manner are such as be in authority in the Church of Rome that doe diuersly murther the poore people of God by burning by the sword and by cutting their throats in butcherly manner only for following a righter and more holy way then is allowed amongst them Peter of whose succession they brag so much durst not so to haue turned his maisters charge Feed my sheepe feed my lambs into killing them though they had run out of the fold He would not haue taken heart vpon so sleighty a ground Act. 10. vp Peter kill an eate as some doe to iustifie this killing of the poore sheepe of Christ nay to murther or expose to murther Gods Anointed Lastly there is another iust cause of shedding bloud viz. in lawfull and iust wars and in defence of a mans owne life for iust warres are called the Lords battels 2 Chron. 20.15 as Iehoshaphat encouraging his men saith The battle is not yours but Gods But some make doubt whether it be lawfull for Chrstians to wage warre Answ This is the fancy of the Anabaptists whose follies are easily refuted out of their own furies and ourages in Germany where they that impugned lawfull warre and Magistracy made vse in their rebellions of that which themselues disauowed namely the Sword And as for the vocation of a Souldier surely Iohn Baptist when the Soldiers came vnto him Luk. 3.14 demanding of him What shall we doe Did not answer them that they must of necessity cast off their Swords if they would be the seruants of God but rather aduised theÌ„ to remaine still the Military seruants of Caesar else what place can those precepts haue Do violence to no man neither accuse any falsly be content with your wages Another frenzy of the same sect denieth all vse of the sword at home in time of peace by way of ciuil iustice as if it were against Christian perfection put any man to death by the hand of publike authority though for neuer so grieuous a crime tending to the dissolution of humane society and defacing the Image of God Alas frantique soules that in hatred of Murther maintaine Murther Shall he that hath murthered one man be suffered by suruiuing to embrue his hands with the guiltlesse blood of more Our Sauiour himselfe whose nearest Disciples these saintly innocents would seeme to bee expressly pronounced this law of Iustice Math. 2â— 52 They that take the Sword shall perish by the Sword That is priuate auengers that wring the sword out of the Magistrates hand to vsurpe the vse of it for their own passions must expect to feele the edge of it and to be cut off by it This publique reuenge is so far from being a sinne that as euen now I shewed it is a necessary duty in him that beareth the Sword If this Sword had no edge or were not imployed vpon iust occasion verily it were borne in vaine Obâ—ect But the Apostle Paul say they speaketh of Heathen not Christian Magistrates I answer hee speaketh of Magistrates as Magistrates generally of all whether Heathen or Christian Is not a Christian King Gods ordinance Gods Minister Doe we not owe tribute and honour to Christian Kings as well as to heathen Surely much more Are there not that
doe euill malefactors in an high kind among Christians Alas too many I conclude therefore that that God who in this Commandement saith to euery priuate man Thou shalt not kill doth therewithall and thereby not only permit but also command his own publike Minister to kill for the preuention or auengement of killing other heynous crying sinnes Qâ—est Here it may be demanded whether this vse of the Sword belongeth alwayes and onely to the Magistrate seeing there are in the Scripture examples of others who haue killed and haue therein been not onely blamelesse but also commended as Phinees and Moses True it is that Phinees had no ciuill power yet is greatly commended for killing Cozby and Zimri But this he did out of speciall instinct and extraordinary zeale which God stirred vp in him for the quenching of an extraordinary plague Moses being yet but a priuate man slew an Aegyptian that stroue with an Israelite But Moses was an eminent type of Christ and performed this and other such actions as a rescuer of the people of God And lest we should doubt whether he had a speciall instinct vnto this enterprise Saint â—teuen sheweth that Moses euen before the solemn commission giuen him by God appearing in the flaming bush had an inward vocation and notice of his own office of a Deliuerer whereof this slaying the Aegyptian was as it were the first act an handsâ—l which as himselfe knew so he thought that the people of Israel would acknowledge Act 7. â—5 For hee supposed his brethren would haue vnderstood how that God by his hand would deliuer them In briefe I say to such Heroicall examples that we Christians must liue by rules and not by exceptions within the line of our ordinary callings and without aspiring to a boundlesse imitation of extraordinary actions Heree it may be demanded vnto what crimes the vse of the Magistrates Sword ought to be extended and how farre the prescript of Capitall Lawes giuen to the Israelites bindeth Christian Common-wealths Whereto I answer first as modesty requireth that I will not take vpon mee the office of a Law-maker by defining this Secondly that many of those Lawes were peculiar to the Common-wealth of Israel and agree not with our and other Common-wealths Thirdly as for the chiefe defiances of the first Table as hellish blasphemy and grosse Idolatry I doubt not but that in all Christian Estates they ought to be capitall as they were among the Iewes As for the second Table this commandement aboue all the rest is in all Nations fenced and guarded with this extreame punishment ex lege talionis in the same kinde Limbe for limbe life for life which is of force so generally not out of imitation of the lawes of the Iewes but out of the instinct of nature and ballance of euident iustice How farre other offences against our neighbour are to be made capitall is a greater difficulty by reason of the variety of natures and dispositions in diuers people with true respect wherevnto there may bee ioyned an ayme at the best and most principall positiue Lawes prescribed by God vnto the Iewes as I haue heeretofore touched in the preface before the Commandements Gen. 9. Exo. â—â—2 To proceed now in the description of that which is heere forbidden vnder that name of murther I say it is to shed bloud vniustly that is ad dâ—liquium animae to the spilling of life for thus the Lord describeth killing euery where Againe I say it is a shedding of bloud that is direct and purposed not an act by which bloud is shed by accident besides the intent of the doer Exod. 21 13. For in this case it is no sinne but in a fort Gods act according to the wordes of the Law If a man hath not laid wait but God hath offered him into his hand I will appoint thee a plaâ—e whâ—ther hee shall flye and a particular instance is giuen Deut. 19.5 If a man be felling aâ—ree and his hande strike with the axe and the head slip from the heluâ— and hit his neighbour that hee dyeth heere it is no murther therefore hee is not worthy to dye by whose stroke this was done there was a place of refuge for such to saue himselfe in But it is not so if two men quarrell and fight and one killeth the other Men may mince it heere and call it onely man-slaughter but indeed it is plaine murther as is euident by the very English word of this commandement Thou shalt doe no murther which is the translation of the Latine Nâ—n oâ—ciâ—â—es And surely those that are coÌ„uicted of Manslaughter haue in their inditement their load of this word occiaâ—â—t So then murther legally and precisely taken is either comprised vnder occision or else it is not forbidden in this commandement which were very absurd Moreouer the case of our excused and refined manslaughter differeth much from this case Put by the Lord by which the Law for the quitting of him that slew his neighbour vnawares is illustrated For though the word not laying wait bee vsed and not hating his broâ—her in times pâ—ssed looking to which words onely his sinne may bee extenuated for that hee that slayeth his neighbour in a sudden quarrell may be said not to haue hated him before yet consider the instance that is giuen of one cutting wood to make plaine this Law and it will appeare that the Lord hath no meaning to giue any toleration to any killing in quarrels but onely out of all pretending before or intending then as it is not with him that killeth another in heat and fury seeing howsoeuer he doth it suddenly yet he endeauoureth it and doth it willingly Indeede it somewhat lesseneth the fault if it shall manifestly appeare that slaying was against the intent of the striker either for that the instrument wherewith was but some little stone or sticke not likely to kill or for that the part of the body smitten was not any principall not much wounded and heerein fauour may be shewed Because that otherwise a maister giuing his seruant correction by the striking of one blow vnawares and death following should become a murtherer whereas oftentimes death hath followed vpon a small cause But in these cases our Lawes and Statutes doe sufficiently prouide And as for the case of Manslaughter now discussed by mee I doe not presume to make my selfe regibus Sapientorem but only declare Gods positiue Law which if I deeme to be more equall and iudicious then the law of other Nations I see not why any man should bee agrieued thereat Sam 12. Lastly I adde by any meanes whatsoeuer and thus all accessaries to murther are murtherers First and chiefly he that commandeth or counselleth as Dauid made himselfe guilty of the murther of Vriah Achitophel of Dauid if it had beene proceeded according to his counsell and the high Priests of the murther of Christ 2. He that consenteth as Pilate did vnto the Iewes about the
killing of Christ Act. 8.1 though hee washed his hands and â—aul vnto the killing of Steuen 3. He that concealeth as is set downe in the case of a man found slaine whose murtherer is vnknowne the Elders of the City nearest shall purge themselues of the guilt of this bloud by washing their hands and saying Deut. 21.7 our hands haue not shed this bloud neither haue our eyes seene it so that if any had seene it and not reuealed the murther hee had made himselfe guilty of murther Now this murther is so odious before God as that hee which doth it must die without any fauour yea Exod. 21.14 if he flieth to the Sanctuary he shall be pulled away from thence for thou shalt take him from mine altar saith the Lord and put him to death Whence we may see how great the Popes presumption is in giuing pardon for grosse murders to such as flie to any popish sanctuary 1 Murther a most grieuous sinno But iustly hath the Lord appointed this seuere punishment first because murther is the destruction of a little world as man is rightly called wherein the wonderfull wisdome power and mercy of God doth as much appeare 2. Because it is the defacing of Gods image which is in euery man betwixt which and the clipping of the Kings coine hauing his image there is no comparison 3. Because it is an incroching vpon Gods office to whom alone it belongeth to cal men when it pleaseth him out of this world 4. Because it is the greatest breach of loue and peace and so the greatest sinne against man Iohn 8.44 Gen. 4. Whence it is that Christ entitleth the Deuill a murtherer as by his proper name and how secretly soeuer murther bee committed it is noted aboue all other to be a crying sinne Cains murther cried to Heauen against him The Egyptians murther made amongst the Iewes children cried against them The sin of the rich denying the hire of the poore cryed to Heaven and this is a kind of murther also Iames 5.4 in these places we reade of sinnes that are crying for vengeance to shew that murther of all sinnes is the most crying sinne so that the murther shall not rest but if man reuengeth not God will if man cannot know it God will make it knowne sometime making the dead body to bewray the murtherer somtime the birds and sometime the murtherers owne conscience And hitherto of the head sinne against this Law 2 Against quarrelling A second sinne here is the next degree vnto murther all iniury done vnto our neighbor tending to the preiudice of his life 1. By striking and fighting in priuate vniust quarrelling whereby it commeth to passe that an eye or tooth is lost the head the face or the arme is bruized or broken or some other part of the body hurt The Lord prouideth for the punishment hereof Eye for eye tooth for tooth Exod. 21.24 hand for hand and to pay the charges of the party stricken during the time of the healing 2. By grinding the faces of the poore in selling and letting without all conscience in diminishing their hire or in taking their meanes away from them this is also called oppression Esay 1.15 by which rich mens hands are filled with bloud and such an oppressing bloudy sin as that it shall escape no more then actuall murther when the poore cry out vnder this burthen Exod. 22.24 the Lord threatneth that his wrath shall be kindled and he will kill them that vse it 3. By vsing any outward meanes of impairing our neighbours life or health as if the Phisitian or Chirurgion shall deale falsely with his patient giuing him rather things against then for his health that he may be the longer vnder his hands or hauing no skil or but little shall pretend skill sufficient and so keepe him to the indangering of his health and life from such as bee more skilfull and likewise if the Apothecarie through a greedy desire of gaine or by neglect shall giue one thing for another vnwholsome improper ingredients in stead of the prescribed here is not only a wicked deceit but a degree of murder And as it is in regard of others so also is it in regard of a mans owne selfe if he shall by any meanes willingly impaire his owne health rather choosing to indanger his life in time of sicknes then that he will be at charge for the meanes of recouerie in the time of health rather staruing through idlenesse then working or on the contrary side following drunkennes surfeting and whoring to the breeding of noisome diseases in his body thus and whatsoeuer way else he taketh to the preiudice of his owne life besides his sinne against other Commandements he is guilty of selfe murther 3 Against railing speeches The third sinne is to raile and reuile in speeches although no stroke is giuen for this is also a degree of murther Christ himselfe being Iudge where speaking of murther hee saith Whosoeuer shall say vnto his brother Matth. 5.22 Racha shall be worthy to bee punished by a Counsell and whosoeuer shall say Thou foole shall be in danger of hell fire Prou. 12.18 For rayling and bitter words are like the pricking of swords and therefore are not only forbidden but all appearance hereof by crying out aloud Ephes 4.31 where the Apostle biddeth to put away anger euill speaking and crying And good reason that this should be forbidden here as a degree of murther seeing experience teacheth that of words blowes doe commonly arise 4 Against malice hatred and enuy The fourth sin is to haue murtherous affections of malice hatred and enuy against our brother or but the first degree hereof vnaduised anger for to preuent the height of these euill affections the Lord threatneth such as bee vnaduisedly angry as culpable of iudgement and Saint Iames saith Matth 5.22 Matth. 5.22 Iames 1.20 that the anger of man doth not worke the righteousnes of God This vnaduised anger is heate arising in vs vpon some priuate iniurie done vnto vs or to our friend pricking vs forward to reuenge and this may well be said not to worke the righteousnes of God because it setteth not a man the right way but contrary to that which the Lord hath appointed vs saying Rom. 12 19. Ephes 4.26 Vengeance is mine and I will repay it There is a kind of anger which is commanded Be angry but sinne not but this is not an humane but holy anger and hath these properties First Properties of holy anger 1. Against sin it is only against sinne and not against that which is a priuate displeasure done vnto vs. Such was the anger of Moses when as comming from the Lord with the tables of the law in his hands seeing the idolatry of the people he threw them downe not being able to hold when he saw God thus highly dishonoured 2. It is onely because God is offended
not thinke ill Now according to the greatnesse of the person offended the offence is to be estimated if it be against a temporall King it is a temporall death if against the eternall King it is eternall death in hell For it is not with God as with man whose lawes if they bee broken yet being of diuers sorts onely such as concerns the Kings person are reckoned to be against his Maiesty others against this or that subiect onely but the lawes of God doe all concerne his royall person and any breach is rebellion as Samuel called the sinne of Saul sparing the Amalekites 1. Sam. 15.23 Rebellions is as the sinne of witchcraft and therefore worthy of death and damnation Quest 109. If no man can perfectly keepe the Law wherefore then serueth it The vse of the Law Answ Of excellent vse notwithstanding is the law of God 1. To humble vs in regard of our miserable estate hereby discouered 2. To beare rule of good life vnto vs. 3. To bee a Schoole-master to bring vs to Christ Explan Seeing the end of the Law now is not the perfect obseruing of it in all things without any faile that the doer might so be counted worthy to liue which is impossible it is needefull to bee considered to what end it now serueth Rom. 7.9 And the first is to beate downe pride and to humble the most holy and best men liuing For I was once aliue saith the Apostle without the Law but when the Commandement came sinne reuiued and being more reformed by Gods grace seeing what by the Law he ought to doe and what through infirmitie hee did Verse 24. he crieth out O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death And as the Apostle so euery man that hath his eyes open to see into the glasse of the Law and thereby his miserable estate seeth himselfe so wretched sinne being about him to defile him the threatnings of the law before him the flesh behind still putting him forward to sinne aboue him the Lord ready to take vengeance on him and vnder him hell fire the bottomlesse gulfe ready to swallow him vp with the mouth wide open as that hee cannot but ioyne in an holy despaire with the Apostle and condemne himselfe for a most vnworthy wretched sinner And being thus humbled shall he condemne the Law and cast off all care of obedience because it requireth so much more then hee can any way performe Nay hee will the more loue it and admire the perfection of it saying with the same holy Apostle The Law is holy Rom. 7.12.22 and the Commandement is iust and holy and good and I delight in the Law of God concerning the inner man Euen as a student in any Art to the perfection whereof hee cannot attaine such bee the mysteries thereof yet hee is the more rauisht with the loue of it and striueth hard after the perfect knowledge of it and neuer ceaseth He saith not with Esau what is this birth-right vnto mee because hee is tied to an hard taske hereby but with Saint Paul he presseth towards the marke walking that way of good workes which God hath appointed vsing for a rule this holy Law of God Rom. 8. And lastly finding that when he hath done whatsoeuer hee is able he is an vnprofitable seruant worthy of Gods eternall displeasure he is driuen to seeke both meanes of satisfaction for his delinquencies and failes and helpe to doe this hard task vnto which of himselfe he is so vnsufficient and this satisfaction and helpe is the Lord Iesus Christ alone For that which was impossible to the Law in as much as it was weake because of the flesh God sending his owne Sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh and for sinne condemned sinne in the flesh that the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in vs. Gal. 3.24 And thus doe we see the third and last end of the Law viz. to bee a schoolemaster to bring vs vnto Christ and this schoolemaster is both the Ceremoniall law tutoring and teaching by rudiments and figures as little children those that were not come to full age vnder the Gospell and to vs more principally the Morall Law shewing the great neede which wee haue of a Sauiour and driuing vs vnto him as our onely refuge to be made righteous according to that The law was our Schoole-master to bring vs vnto Christ that we might bee made righteous by faith Quest 110 How may wee bee saued from our sinnes Answ Onely by the bloud of Iesus Christ laid hold vpon by a true and liuely faith 1. Iohn 1.7 Explan Being brought to despaire by the sight of our sinnes in the glasse of the Law and of the horrible punishments due therefore it is necessary that wee now looke for a remedy against so great danger as the cunning Chirurgion when he hath searched a festered soare to the bottom applieth himselfe to the Cure And our onely remedie is the bloud of Iesus Christ according to that comfortable speech The bloud of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth from all sinne If all Angels and men should haue done their vttermost to deliuer and saue one soule it were altogether vaine they being all finite the punishment by sinne deserued infinite and therfore such as could neuer bee satisfied for by creatures finite but in an infinite time It pleased the Lord for this cause to send his onely begotten Sonne into the world that whosoeuer belieueth in him should not perish Iohn 3 16. but haue life euerlasting And his bloud doth saue from all sinne 1. By expiation 2. By sanctification Expiation Expiation is the satisfying of Gods wrath due to sin by bearing the heauy burthen thereof and this did the Lord Iesus Phil. 2.8 when he abased himselfe and became obedient to the death euen to the death of the crosse when he redeemed vs from the curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 1. Iohn 3.16 being made a curse for vs for it is written Cursed is euery one that hangeth on the tree when in loue he laid downe his life for vs. And thus we are by his bloud saued from sin and damnation hereby deserued euen as a condemned person is saued by some other man dying in his stead If it be demanded whether Christ being the Son of God could not haue saued vs by some lesse suffering than death seeing whatsoeuer he endured was of infinite worth I answer that I take it not to be safe affirming or denying this for if we shal say that he could not we should limit his Almightie power if that he could we should call in question his diuine wisdome wherefore I say that he could not so abundantly haue manifested his loue towards vs any other way but by dying for vs and therefore let it suffice to know that hee haâ—h voluntarily and of his owne accord suffered death to deliuer vs from death and damnation
must be a generall turning from sinne in these that come to be baptized so after baptisme there is a daily practise of repentance by confession contrition and reformation For euen after Baptisme we are still subiect to sinne though we striue and fight against sinne daily the flesh leading vs captiue to the law of sin to be deliuered from which we must make a daily practise of Repentance but the seale of Baptisme is no more to be iterated Euen as a seruant being once bored through the eare by his Master without iterating this remained his seruant for euer but if he offended was chastised and reformed often so he that is once truely baptized remayneth Gods seruant for euer but because he doth often offend he must be chastized and reformed by Repentance Quest 135. What is Faith Ans It is a certaine perswasion of the heart wrought by the spirit of God grounded vpon his promises that all my sinnes are forgiuen me in Christ Iesus Heb. 11.1 Explan Hauing spoken of Repentance one thing necessarily required that Baptisme may be compleate it remaineth that we speake now of Faith which is alike required This I say is a certaine perswasion for the assurance that they haue which are faithfull vnto whom Faith is an euidence in their hands as Saint Paul calleth it Faith is the ground of things hoped for and the euidence of things not seene It is a certaine knowledge whereby a man knoweth that hee hath any thing which is made most sure vnto him for which cause it is also commonly called knowledge Esa 53.11 Ioh. 17. 1 Iohn 23. By his knowledge shall my righteous seruant iustifie many And this is life eternall to know thee and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ And againe Hereby wee are sure that wee know him if we keepe his Commandements It is such a certainty as that it maketh things to come present according to that Rom. 8 30. Iohn 6.47 Those whom he hath iustified he hath glorified And he that beleeueth in mee hath euerlasting life Wherefore Faith expelleth doubting and vncertainty in whomsoeuer it is for which cause when Peter doubted hee is checked as hauing little or no Faith Why didst thou doubt O thou of little Faith Rom. 10.14 Eph. 3.17 The heart is the proper seate of Faith for with the heart man beleeueth vnto iustification and Christ is said to dwell in the heart by faith If it bee therefore but an imagination of the braine or an outward profession of faith in word it is but a shadow and no true grace of faith wrought by the spirit of God for it is supernaturall and diuine not flesh and bloud but the spirit of God is the author of it according to that of Christ vnto Peter Flesh and bloud hath not reuealed it vnto thee Math. 1◠6 but my Father which is in heauen viz by his spirit Of Lydia conuerted to the faith it is said Her heart the Lord opened Act. 16.14 that she attended vnto the things that Paul spake To the same tendeth that speech of our Sauiour Christ Iohn 6. Ioh. 3. No man commeth vnto me vnlesse the Father draw him and the winde bloweth where it listeth so is euery man that is borne of the spirit c. ground on vpon his promises For as without a word of institution there is no Sacrament so without a word of promise there is no faith Iohn 6.40 And as faith is not without a promise so it is not without a promise made vnto mee viz. fulfilling the condition with which euery promise of God is made For it is not sufficient because the Lord hath promised He that beleeueth in the Sonne shall haue euerlasting life and I will raise him vp at the last day that a man hold this and through Christ beleeue the acomplishment of this vnto himselfe but he must by faith apply it lawfully fulfilling the condition which the Lord requireth and the condition is to be baptized to true repentance Rom. 6. dying vnto sinne as Christ died and rising vp to newnesse of life as Christ was raised vp vnto the glory of the Father for the words of the promise are He that is baptized beleeueth shall be saued which baptisme is only expounded then to be when sinne is dead and buried and grace which is newnesse Prou 28.13 liueth The condition is to confesse and forsake all my sinnes to deny my selfe to walke after the spirit and not after the flesh Rom. 8.1 If then I doe thus and lay hold vpon the promise I beleeue it law-fully and the mercy promised is sure vnto me otherwise my faith is vaine and the promise is to me of none effect Obiect If it be so then Faith can neuer make a man sure of his saluaition because it may bee that although hee doth now walke after the spirit in newnesse of life yet hee may fall from this againe Sol. A man cannot be so sure as that he may now grow secure and remisse in going forward in that new life which he hath begunne for he must alwayes worke out his saluation with feare and trembling not be high minded but feare serue the Lord with feare Rom. 12. Psal 2. Math. 16. Iohn 17. and reioyce before him with trembling but hee that beleeueth so as hath beene said is so sure as that the gates of hell shall not preuaile against him Christs prayer shall be stronger to keepe him at one with God than all contrary powers to set enmity againe betweene God and him Rom. 11.29 Iohn 13.1 for the guifts and calling of God are without repentance and his owne he loued vnto the end he loued them And this is a reason rendred by S. Iohn 1 Iohn 2.19 Iohn 17.20 why some that were before counted faithfull turned Heretiques They were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they had continued with vs. Whatsoeuer is or can be said to weaken the force of these grounds presumptuously fighteth against that most cofortable euideēt Prayer of Christ Psal 32.1 I pray not for these alone but for them also which shall belieue in my name through their word So that who-soeuer doth rightly belieue in Christ hee hath Christ on his side by the merit of his prayer vniting him vnto himselfe so that he is made a member of his body no more to bee rent or pulled from him Rom. 3.28 That all my sinnes are forgiuen me in Christ Iesus for this is the maine thing assured vnto mee by faith and wherein the happinesse of man consisteth according to that Blessed is the man whose iniquity is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered Wherefore it is said that by faith wee are iustified that is of sinners are made iust and righteous not onely by that purifying quality that is in faith but in regard of Gods acceptance when we by faith cloath our selues with the garments of our elder brother