is the end of thē where it is added Whereby Christ all his sauing graces by certain outward rites are signified exhibited sealed vp to us This is proued directly the cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the cōmunion of the blood of christ The bread which we break is it not the cōmunion of the body of christ So the of the other Sacrament Amend your liues and be baptized euerie one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sins and ve shall receiue the gifts of the Holy-ghost And all yee that are baptized into Christ haue put on Christ. Our soules are washed in the blood of Christ his 〈◊〉 his resurrection his sanctification his wisdome his righteousnes his redemption is made ours all his benefits are ours as Christ is ours Let vs make vse of this point and apply it to our selues First is Christ the sum and substance of all Sacramentes Then the Church of Rome is heere condemned that say we make the Sacraments bare and naked signes God forbid that we shold say so or make them to be so they are the sure seales of Gods promises heauenly tokens spirituall sigues vnd autentike pledges of the grace and righteousnes of Christ giuen and imputed vnto vs. The Sacraments and sacrifices of the olde testament were not bare signes Circumcision was not a bare signe as Rom. 2. This is not circumcision which is outwarde in the flesh but the circumcision of the hart And in Christ ye are circumcised with circumcision made without hands by putting off the sinfull bodie of the flesh through the circumcision of Christ. Euen so Baptisme is no bare signe it were great blasphemy so to speake it were verie great iniquity so to thinke The grace of God doth worke with his Sacraments and therefore the signes are neuer receiued in vaine of the faithfull and worthy receiuer The water washeth not from sinne the bread and wine feed not to eternall life but it is the precious blood of Christ that doth clense vs from all sin purchaseth for vs all grace which is the life and the truth of the outward signes Againe is Christ Iesus offered by God the Father in the right vse of the Sacraments then God doth not deceiue or delude those that come vnto them If anye that come to the Sacraments depart without grace without Christ without fruite the cause is in themselues the fault is not in God for hee offereth Christ to all euen to the vnfaithfull but they haue not hands to receiue him If a Prince should offer a rich present and he to whom it is offered haue no hand to receiue it he goeth away empty When the Sunne giueth light vpon the earth if men shut their eies and be wilfully blinde they receiue no profit by it When God offereth himselfe his graces to vs by his word and Gospell it we stop our eares and harden our harts it turneth to be the sauour of death to death so is it in the Sacramentes when we come to them God doth not feede our eies with naked vaine idle shewes but ioyneth 〈◊〉 truth with the outward token and giueth the grace signified with the signe If we bring the hand of faith with vs which openeth the gate of the kingdome of heauen for vs Christ is both offered and giuen to vs. But howsoeuer the signe be alwaie inseperably ioyned with the grace that is signified in respect of God yet hence it followeth not that both of them are of all receiued For the outward signe is offered to the hand to the senses and instruments of the body which because all bring with them all are partakers of the outward parts But Christ who is signified by the signe is offered to the soule and faith of the receiuer which bycause many want they lose the fruit of their worke Thirdly if the right receiuers receiue Christ and with him all sauing graces needefull to eternall life then the presence of vngodly men that come to the same Sacram. with vs and meete vs at the same Table cannot hinder and hurt vs in our worthy receiuing The vnbeleeuers and vnrepentant persons come indeede into the assembly of the faithfull to heare the word of God read preached and expounded and as they come without faith so they depart without fruite yet their company defileth not the sauing hearer So is it in the Sacraments I confesse it were to be wished that the church were pure without spot and perfect without blemish and they euen cut off that trouble the same yet sometimes it wanteth that good and Godly seuerity which is required to seperate such as may infect with the leauen of their life and doctrine Againe as the faith of the wise and worthy receiuer cannot sanctifie the conscience of the Hypocrite and offensiue 〈◊〉 so the infidelity or iniquity of another shall not bar the faithfull soule from fruitfull receiuing to his saluation according to that saying Thorighteousnes of the righteous shall be vpon him and the wickednes of the wicked shall be vpon himselfe Euery one is to prooue and examine himselfe not to enter into the consciences and conuersations of other men we shall giue an account to our owne waies and workes not of the deformities of others which we cannot reforme and redresse Furthermore as in an Army euery man hath his standing so in the Church euery man hath his calling it is not in the power of priuate persons but of the Gouernors of the Church to draw out the censures of the Church against notorious offendors and therefore in their slacking and negligence the people must tolerate that which they cannot amend or make a seperation or rent in the church as the maner of some is disturbing the peace and quietuesse thereof Fourthly if Christ be offered giuen and sealed vp to vs in the Sacraments then the Sacraments must be holden of vs in great price and estimation for their profites sake not lightly to be regarded but reuerently to be esteemed They that respect Christ in whom the tresures of algraces are laid vp must regard the Sacramentes of Christ and such as reiect them reiect christ with all his benefites which who so doth sinneth against his own soule Lastly if they be signes and seales of grace offered then the Sacraments make not a christian no more then the seal giueth the purchase or possession The faithfull and the children of the faithful are true christians differing from Pagans and Heathen before they be baptized And whosoeuer is not a christian before hereceiue baptisme baptisme can make him none which is only the seale of the graces of God and his priuiledges before receiued The word of god and the Sacraments of god are both of one nature but the word is not able to confer grace but only to declare and publish what god will confer inasmuch as to some it is
declare the couenaut of God to pray for his blessing promised vpon his owne ordinance to giue thankes for the blessed worke of our redemption to offer giue and deliuer a right the creatures so sanctified in baptisme to sprinkle with water and washe the body to be baptized and in the Lords Supper to deliuer the bread to be eaten and the wine to be drunke to the spirituall nourishment of the Church So then the minister ought not to refuse to baptize such as are brought vnto him Shall the seruant refuse to do the worke of his maister Or if the Lord keeper of the kings broad seale should proudly and presumpteously disdame to set the seale to the Princes letters patents were he not well worthy to be displaced and remoued So if the minister through enuy or hatred or any other sinister affection shall refuse to put the seale to the Lords Couenant and hinder little children from comming to Christ he deserueth iustly to be displaced and to beare office no longer in the citty of God but to be remoued for his contempt as Salomon put downe Abiathar Secondly is it a necessary point of the Sacrament that it be ministred by a minister Then it condemneth 〈◊〉 those that put these seales into a wrong hand and all 〈◊〉 persons that violently rush vpon this calling and take vp on them to meddle with the administration of the Sacraments with vnwashen hands seeing the dispensation of the word and Sacraments is so linked annexed and ioyned together by God that a deniall of licence to do the one is a deniall to do the other and contrary wise the license to one is license to the other Christ neuer gaue to priuate persons any such commaundement he neuer committed to them any such ossice hee neuer commended to their care these holy actions he neuer called them to this honor he neuer laid vpon them this charge and therefore they haue no parte nor fellowship in this businesse If notwithstanding these restrainings of authority from them they wil runne and rush forward where they should hang backward their sinne lieth at the doore their punishment hastneth and their iudgement sleepeth not Lastly if the minister be an outward part of the Sacrament we must beware and take heed we ascribe not to the minister that which is proper to Christ and so rob him of the honour due vnto his name The minister may offer the signe he cannot bestow the thing signified he may baptize the body he cannot clense the soule he may deliuer the bread and wine he cannot giue the body and blood of Christ Iohn may wash with water he cannot giue the spirit Man indeede pronounceth the word but God sealeth vp his grace in the heart man sprinkleth the body with water but God maketh cleane the soule by the blood of Christ man may take away the filth of the flesh but Christ must purge the conscience from dead workes who is that blessed lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world For as Paule planteth and Apollos watereth but God 〈◊〉 the increase so the minister offereth the element and outward signe but God giueth the heauenly grace It belongeth to the minister to handle the external part it belongeth as a peculiar dignity to Christ to bestow grace to giue saith regeneration and forgiuenesse of sinnes and to baptize with the Holy-ghost This truth Iohn 〈◊〉 I baptize with water but one commeth after me who is mightier then I he shall baptize you with the Holy-ghost Where we see he maketh a flat opposition betweene himselfe and Christ betweene his baptisme and the baptisme of Christ. As on the one side we must take heede of the contempt of him that teacheth and ministreth the Sacramentes because the contempt of the word and Sacraments doth necessarily follow the contempt of his person so we must beware we attribute or giue not to him more then his right least the power of the word and force of the Sacramentes be attributed to his person wherby men spoile themselues of the fruite of them both This was it wherein the Corinthians offended when they said I am Pauls I am Apollos I am Cephas I am Christs Wherefore to keepe a golden meane between too much and too little we must do as if a prince should send vs some present by one of the meanest messengers of his house we would receiue him fauorably and entertaine him honorably for the gifts sake which he bringeth vnto vs but the guift it selfe we would receiue for the kings sake from whom it was sent So it becommeth euery one of vs to do God hath committed to his messengers and ministers the word of reconciliation we must haue them in singular loue for their workes sake that labour among vs but the word and Sacramentes we must receiue for the Lords sake from whom they come Thus much of the first outward part to wit theminister Chap. 5. Of the second outward part of a sacrament THe second outward part of a Sacrament is the word necessarily required to the substance of a Sacrament for the word is added and ioyned to the element and there is made a Sacrament This sacramentall word is the word of institution which God in each Sacrament hath after a speciall manner set downe consisting partly of a commaundement by which Christ appointeth the administration of Sacramēts and partly of a promise annexed whereby God ordaineth that the outward elements shal be instruments and seales of his graces As for example when Christ saith Go teach al nations baptize them there is a commaundement to warrant the vse and practise of Baptisme the promise likewise is in the next words Into the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy-ghost So touching the other Sacrament of his supper when he saith Take ye eate ye drinke ye do this in remembrance of me Ioe there is the commaundement cōmaunding the continual vse therof vntil the second comming of christ the promise is this is my body which is giuē for you this is my blood of the new Testament shed for you for many for remission of sins Whatsoeuer signs of holy things god gaue to strengthen the faith of his childrē we may see and descern that god alwaies added the worde to the seale the voice to the signe and doctrine to the sight so that when the signe was seene the word was heard When one of the Seraphims beating an hot coale in his hand which he had taken from the alter touched the mouth of the prophet he said Lo this hath touched thy lips and thine iniquity shall be taken away and thy sinnes shall be purged Now we know a coale hath not power and force to take away sinne but the word vttered by the Angell did assure him that he should be purged by the holy ghost which was signified by the 〈◊〉 Againe when Christ gaue to his disciples
of washing away sins were found in the element of water Baptisme therfore is not the washing away of sins onely the bloud of Christ clenseth vs from al sin 1. Iohn 1 7. Againe this declareth the perpetuall vse of it in the church seeing it hath this effect to assure remission and forgiuenes of sins vnto this let vs bring our children of this let vs make them partakers from this let vs by no means keepe them and in this let vs continually renew our couenant with God Chap 2. That the parts of Baptisme are partly outward and partly inward Hitherto wee haue shewed how baptisme is taken and what it is In baptism we are to consider 2 things his parts and his vses For as in the former book when we spake of the Sacraments in generall hauing shewed what a Sacrament is we discended to his parts and vses wherein the perfect knowledge thereof consisteth so wee wiil obserue the same in handling the doctrine of the sacraments in particular The parts of baptisme are first to be opened the vses are to be reserued to their proper place The parts are 2. the outward and the inward parts This appeareth 1 Pet 3 Where of the baptisme that now is answereth that figure which is not a putting away of the filth of the flesh but a confident demanding which a good conscience maketh to God and saueth vs by the resurrection of Iesus Christ. Where the A postle teacheth that sinne cannot be washed awaye by that outwarde water but by Christs inward working which the outward baptisme doth shaddow In like manner Mar. 1. Truth it is I haue baptized you ' with Water but hee will baptize you with the Holy-ghost where the baptise sheweth that hee baptized outwardly but the force of it proceedeth from Christ who baptizeth inwardly So Act 2 Peter saide vnto them Amend your liues and be baptized euerie one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes and ye shall receiue the gift of the Holy-ghost Where the A postle declareth that in such as repent and beleeue the vertue of the Holy-ghost is ioyned with outwarde baptisme The outwarde partes therefore are one thinge and the inwarde partes are another that which is seene is one thing and that which is vnderstood is another thing This diuision of the partes of Baptisme affoordeth diuers good vses and putteth vs in minde of sundrye holy duties And first of all are there outwarde and inwarde partes of baptisme then we learne hereby that the outwarde partes are no vaine ceremonies no fruitlesse rites no vnprofitable actions that may be neglected or contemned but auaileable signes and effectuall seales of the sprinkling of Christs blood for the forgiuenes of all our sinnes Againe seeing there is such an vnion of the partes betweene themselues we must not contemue or dispise or deferre baptisme Wherefore the faithfull all delaies reasons and pretences set aparte haue speedily prepared themselues to do that which God commaundeth Wee haue a worthy example in Abraham when god required him to circumcise himselfe his sonne and all the males of his house and thereby to vncouer all their shames hee doth not inquire why God required this at his hands hee doth not complaine or consult with flesh and blood ouer all doubts faith got the victory and subdued reason vnder her and caused him with diligence readines and expedition to submit himselfe to fulfill the Lords will and performe it the same day that he commaunded it Of this duty likewise we see Paule was admonished by Ananias immediately after his conuersion Act. 22. saying Why tariest thou Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sinnes in calling on the name of the Lord. Whereby he sheweth that this tarying and delay in the matters of God maketh vs culpable in his sight True it is it is not the want of Baptisme simply that is demnable as is shewed afterward but the contempt of the Sacraments is dangerous and without repentance damnable as it appeareth The Pharisies and expounders of the law despised the counsell of God against themselues and were not baptized of him We know all neglect and contempt in heauenly duties is euill and bringeth with it a certain curse as the prophet saith Cursed is he that doth the worke of the Lord negligently We see in humaine and wordly thinges wise-men will not deferre the sealing of their writings and calling of witnesses when they haue giuen a promise to other or made a bargaine with other knowing that vnnecessary delay may breede vnrecouerable danger as wee see by the example of Ieremy when he had bought a field of his vncles sonne presently he weighed him the siluer enrolled it in a booke of remembrance hee signed it he tooke witnesses and left it written in roles or records hauing an instrument or euidence fairely drawne and sealed with the common seale if any thing should be called in question in time to come 〈◊〉 he like we see in Abraham long before when he had bought a possession of the Hittites for the buriall of his dead he weighed out and paied 〈◊〉 money among Marchants so the field and the caue that was 〈◊〉 withal the trees and appurteuances that were therin was made sure to him for a possession As these men when they had made the purchase would not delay the taking of assurance and security the like delaying and vnnecessary putting off the time from Sabboath to Saboath from meeting to meeting ought to be fhunned of vs otherwise thogh we should be free from contempt we cannot excuse ourselues of the neglect of au high and holy duty to God and our children Indeede we are not pricisely tyed to a certaine day in Baptisme as the Iewes were to the 8. day in their circumcision but that which the 8. day was to them a conuenient and orderly time is to vs. Now what time can be more conuenient more comely more fitte then the Sabboath day following when the Church is assembled That so it may be administred rightly reuerently religiously and conueniently in the publike meetings of the faithfull Againe the needelesse and carelesse deferring of this worke hath a grieuous threatning annexed of assured punishment and iudgement as it is set down The vncircumcised male in whose flesh the foreskin is not circumcised euen that person snalbe cut off from his people because he hath broken my couenant Whereby we see that whosoeuer shal neglect circumcision not fuffer himself be circumcised or shal approue the negligence committed by his parents shall bee none of the peop'e of God but shall be shut out from the society and barred from the fellowship of the faithful both in this world and in the world to come vnlesse hee repent of this sin And that the neglect of Gods ordinance draweth his wrath appeareth in the example of Moyses The Lord met him and would haue killed him because his son was not
According to his mercy he saued vs by washing of the new-birth and the renewing of the holy-ghost which he shedde on vs aboundantly through Iesus Christ our sauiour All these testimonies teach vs that the Holy spirit of God is a necessary inward part of this sacrament and that the baptisme of the spirit ioyned to the word giueth force vnto it who worketh in our soules that which water doth in our bodies so that without the spirit it is nothing From hence we learne that it is not the dipping of vs into or the sprinkling of vs with water by the Minister that maketh vs partakers of Christ but it commeth from the vertue of the spirit who in time performeth what is represented by outwarde signes and promised by the worde Againe we learne heereby that the spirit is true God equall with the father and the sonne For who is able to make the worde and Sacramentes auaileable but onely God Seeing then this is the proper worke of the Holy-ghost to open the heart to teach the conscience to seale vppe to the daye of redemption and to helpe our infirmities in heating in praying and receiuing the Sacraments he must needs be acknowledged to bee true God the giuer of these graces So we see that in the forme of the administration of this sacrament the blessed spirit is named and rehearsed and hath his order togither with the father and the sonne This therefore is a principle of our faith to be learned confessed and beleeued Thirdly we are heerby to take heed and beware that we giue not to the word that which is proper to the spirit he ingrafteth vs into Christ he keepeth vs that we fal not from Christ he maketh the word and promise of the institution profitable vnto vs without whome it shoulde be vnto vs as sounding brasse or a tinckeling Cymball Wherefore as GOD the father in mercy maketh the promise so his spirite must assure it to the Consciences of all the faithfull Lastly let vs learne whensoeuer we come to the Worde or sacramentes to craue the gracious assistance of the blessed spirit to guide direct and regenerate vs to eternal life to sanctifie vs and to assure vs of gods endlesse fauour in Christs Iesus as 1 Ioh 5. There be three which beare witnesse in heauen the father the word and the holy spirit and these three are one The Holy-ghost by his grace and vertue worketh in vs steadfastly to beleeue the truth of Gods worde and the gratious promises of saluation as he is the author beginner and begetter of faith in vs so he increaseth it and maketh vs fit to receiue Christ and to apply him with all his gifts vnto our selues and sendeth vs into the full fruition and possession of Christ. He is our comforter to certifie vs of our reconciliation to god and to make vs reioyce vnder the crosse knowing that tribulation bringeth foorth patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of god is shed abroade in our harts by the holy-ghost which is giuen vnto vs. He is the earnest and seale of our inheritance by whom we are sealed vp to euerlasting life Thus we see that howsoeuer the increase and 〈◊〉 of faith is assigned to the sacramentes yet this grace proceedeth from the holy-ghost who is vnto our faith as marow vnto the bones as moysture vnto the tree and as a comfortable raine vnto the fruites of the earth If this inward maister and teacher be wanting the sacraments can worke no more in our mindes then if the bright Sunne should shine to the blind eies or a loud voice sound in deafe eares or fruitefull corne fall into the barren wildernesse Wherefore least the word of saluation should sound in our eares in vaine and Sacraments ioyned to the word should be present before our eies in vaine the spirit worketh in vs whensoeuer we come vnto them aright he mollifieth the hardnesse of our heartes he frameth vs to new obedience and assureth vs that God offereth to vs his owne sonne for our iustification and saluation For euen as the seede that falleth into a barren soile dyeth and rotteth yet if it be so wen in fruiteful grownd wel tilled manured it bringeth 〈◊〉 good increase with gain aduantage so likewise the word and the sacramentes if they hit vpon an heard neck and fall into a barren heart bcome vnprofitable and vnfruiteful but if the effectual work of the spirit accompanieth the hearing of the one and receiuing of the other they are profitable auaileable and comfortable Thus much of the second part Chap 10. Of the third inward part of Baptisme THe third inward part of baptisme is Christ represented and signified by the water For as the A postle teacheth That the blood of bulles and calues cannot take away sinne so the water in baptisme cannot wash away sinnes It toucheth the body washeth it clenseth and purgeth it but it can proceed no further For this cause the beleeuers are said to be baptized in the name of Christ as Act 2 38. He baptized euery one of you in the name of christ So chap. 19 5 They were baptized in the name of the Lord Iesus Not meaning heerby the forme and manner of baptizing but the fruite foundation and end of baptisme Likewise the Apostle sheweth the same 1 Pet 3 21. Baptisme answering to the figure of the Arke saueth vs by the resurrection of Iesus Christ. There is no more force in outward baptisme to saue the whole vertue and force floweth from the streame of Christs blood as the true materiall cause thereof wherein the power of in ward baptisme doth consist The truth being euident that the pouring out of the blood of CHRIST is one of the inward partes of Baptisme let vs see the vses The vse of this part teacheth diuerse pointes First that the outward washing with water is not the washing away of sins for then whosoeuer were dipped in it should receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes repentance from dead workes and sanctification of the spirit whether he beleeued or not which is otherwise as we see Act. 8 22. Also they should not and could not be Christians and eternally saued which are not outwardly washed but departing this life without baptisme they should perish in the next world without redresse or redemption and so our condicion were worse then the Iewes their condition in times past and the grace of God more restrained vnder the Gospell then it was vnder the law Moyses offering more mercy then Christ himselfe So then the washing with water serueth to ratifie the shedding of Christs blood for the remission of our sinnes and the imputation of his righteousnesse to our instification as 1 Ioh. 1 7. The blood of Iesus Christ his sonne doth clense vs from all sinne So Reuel 1 5. He hath loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his blood and
made vs Kings and Priestes vnto GOD euen his father And Col. 1 14 the A postle saith In him wee haue redemption by his bloode that is forgiuenesse of sinnes Againe when wee see with our bodily eyes the Water poured vpon the body of the baptized we must behold and consider with the eyes of faith the blotting out of all our sinnes as well originall as actuall as well after baptisme as before baptisme by the pretious blood of Christ that wee may assure our selues it is no idle action For wee must not behold the Sacramentall rites as certaine dombe gestures or stage-like shewes without substance and signification but wee must make them serue to further our faith and edification Lastly it teacheth vs not to be led by the outward senses to measure the truth or to iudge of the substance of baptilme by the outward signe and visible partes but to haue our faith fixed on Christ crucified on the Crosse and signified in baptisme The infidell seeing children solemnely baptized in the name of the father of the sonne and of the Holy-ghost will rashly and ignorantly coniesture nothing to bee there but naked rites and bare Water but the faithfull and true Christian doth beholde the washing of the soule and clensing of the heart by the dearest blood of Christ. So in the Lordes Supper to the vnbeleeuer appeareth nothing but Bread and Wine because we see with our eies wee receiue 〈◊〉 our handes wee tast with our mouth no more but the beleeuer knoweth that together with these signes GOD the father offereth the body and blood of his Sonne to bee spiritually receiued and digested Euen as he that is vnlettered and vnlearned if hee looke vpon the face of a booke beholdeth onely blacke coulours and spottes vppon the Paper seeth certaine figures and charusters of Letters differing each from other but cannot read the writing or comprehende the meaning but hee that hath learned his Letters and is able to reade them reapeth greate profit and instruction thereby So is it in the 〈◊〉 Hee that resteth in the outward signe deceiueth himselfe but hee that respecteth the thinge signified receiueth the profit and aduantage The Crosse of CHRIST and preaching of the Gospell are a stumbling blocke to the Iewes and foolishnesse to the Gracians For the infidell hearing that christ was crucified and nailed vpon the crosse is offended at him accounting it a foolish weak means to saue mankind that life should spring out of death glory come out of shame power proceed out of weakenesse and triumphant victory arise out of his contemptible sufferings but the faithfull soule acknowledgeth in this mystery of Godlinesle the high hand and vnsearchable wisedome of God It may seeme ridiculous vnto some men that God should require circumcision of Abraham and of his houshold young and old bond and free maister and seruants to vncouer all their shames and to open the hidden partes of nature yet Abraham submitttd himselfe to the ordinance of God Naamaen the Syrian thought it a toyish precept prescript when he was bidden to wash himselfe 7. times in Iordin hauing many riuers in his owne countrey as good as that yet by obeying the prophet he was clensed of his Leprosie The inhabitants of Iericho scorned Ioshua and the men of Israell when they saw them compasse their Citty strong and walled and to blow with their Rammes hornes yet by this weake meanes the wall fel downe the enemies were destroyed the citty was sacked and the people of God 〈◊〉 Christ seeing a blinde man and willing to heale him he spat on the ground and made clay of spittle and annoynted the eies of the blinde with the clay and said vnto him Go wash in the poole of Siloam he obeyed he went he washed he returned seeing Thus doth God by simple base and weake things oftentimes confound the mighty strong and wise of the world that no flesh should reioyce in his presence and crosseth all the high conceites and proud imaginations of mans wil and wit Wherefore we must not follow our owne vnderstanding nor measure the matters of God by the crooked rule of our carnall reason Whosoeuer will yeald obedience to God must deny himselfe and renounce his own wisedome and become a foole that he may be wise in God as 1 cor 3 Let no man deceiue himselfe if any man among you seeme to bec wise in this world let him be a foole that he may be wise for the wisedome of this world is foolishnesse with God Thus we see that in the Sacramentes we must vnderstand more then we see and beleeue more then we can behold Such 〈◊〉 are without knowledge and faith 〈◊〉 no more of baptisme then the bodily eie directeth them vnto but the faithfull conceiue the blood of Christ to be offered to 〈◊〉 the soule and conscience from all sinn as the riuer watered the garden of Eden Chap. 11. Of the foruth inward part of baptisme THe last inward part of baptisme is the soule clensed most liuely represented by the body that is washed For as the outward receiuer giueth his body to be washed so the saithfull receiuer doth consecrate himselfe to God with ioy and forsake the flesh the world and the diuill and feeleth the inward washing of the spirit as Tit. 3 5 According to his mercy he saued vs by the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy-ghost And the same Apostle Eph. 5. Christ gaue himselfe for the church that he might sanctifie it and clense it by washing of water through the word that he might make it vnto himselfe a glorious church not hauing spot or wrinkle Wherefore this outward washing of the body commaunded by Christ fignifieth vnto me that I am no lesse assuredly clensed in his blood by the working of his spirit from the spottes of my soule that is from all my sinnes then I am outwardlie washed by water whereby the staines of the body vse to be washed away and it bindeth vs that we ought euer afterward by our workes and deeds to declare newnes of life and fruites of repentance Let vs now come to the vses of this last part of baptisme Doth the washing of the body represent the clensing of the soule And doth the soking vp of the filthines of the flesh signifie the remouing of the remnants of rebellion Then we are all by nature vnwise vncleane 〈◊〉 vnregerate vnholy disobedient disordered deceiuing and being deceiued we are the vessels of wrath the children of death the bond-slaues of Sathan the heires of damnation we haue our part and portion in the offence of Adam as Rom. 5. By one man sinne entred into the world and ch 7. I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde and leading me captiue vnto the law of sinne which is in my members O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of
at the doore life and saluation are absent so that we are neuer partakers of his graces except webe as neerly coupled to his humanity as meat and drink are coupled with our body which of al other is a most neer vnion and inward coniunction Thus we see we are seuered from the world to haue fellowshippe with CHRIST and are set once in him for euer because he that commeth to CHRIST once he casteth him not away hee shall neuer hunger he shall neuer thirst he shall not be lost but hue for euer as the Apostle saith If they had been of vs doubtles they had continued with vs And paule to this purpose saith Rom. 8 Who shal lay any thing to the charg of GODS chosen it is GOD that instifieth who shall condemne Who shal seperate vs from the loue of CHRIST shal tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednes or perill or sword in all the se we are more then conquerours through him that loued vs for I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor thinges to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to seperate vs from the loue of GOD which is in CHRIST IESVS our LORDE If once wee bee ioyned to him in spirituall Marriage notwithstanding the difference and disparagement between him and vs nothing shall bee able to worke our deuorcement from him True it is God 〈◊〉 vs wallowing in our owne filthines polluted in our owne bloode defiled by our owne vncleannes he hath made an eternall couenant with vs he hath spoken peace vnto oursoules saying Thou shalt liue euen when wee were sunke downe in sinne to death hee saide vnto vs Thou shalt liue so that he will neuer turne from vs to do vs good but we shall be his people and he will be our God he will giue vs one hart and one way that wee may feare him for euer and that it may be well with vs and with our children This made the Apostle to write Ephe. 5. 30. 32. Wee are members of his bodie of his flesh and of his bones this is a great misterie but I speake concerning christ and concerning the church Where he seemeth to allude to the first creation of the Woman made of one of the ribs of the man shadowing and 〈◊〉 our knitting and coniunction with Christe which we haue by faith not by nature by vertue of the spirit not of the flesh Now as we haue shewed that this coniunction made by Gods spirit and by our faith which he hath giuen so the meanes and instruments to worke it are the word and sacraments This is a dignity peculiar and proper to the elect to haue perpetuall fellowshippe with Christ and to growe vp into one body with him as he teacheth Iohn 17 20. 21. I pray for all them which shall beleeue in me through theyr word that they all may be one as thou O father art in me and I in thee euen that they may be one with vs that the world may beleeue that thou hast sent me If then there be not an vnion betweene Christ and vs we haue no accesse to God the father being quite cutte off from all hope of life and sa'uation As then all the substaunce and nourishment of the tree commeth from the roote and all the vitall powers of a true naturall body come from the head so it is betweene the sonne of God and vs we haue not so much as one drop of the heauenly life in vs of our selves CHRIST is the waye the truth and the life no man commeth vnto the father but by him To conclude this first vse seeing such as come to this sacrament must be christians before it appeareth to be a very corrupt custome of the people when they require Baptisme of the pastor for their children to say God hath giuen me a Pagan I desire you to make him a Christian. For Baptisme cannot make a Christian but signifie the Sacraments cannot make that which is not but assure that which is already made as seales do not giue the right but confirme it Thus much of the first vse of Baptisme the second followeth Chap. 13. Of the second vse of baptisme BEing made one with Christ we are partakers of the 〈◊〉 of his death to wit of forgiuenes of sinnes and of regeneration or new birth So then the second vse of Baptisme is to assure vs of the remission and pardon of our sinnes that we may be vnblamable and acceptable to god This is signified by the outward ceremony of washing and sprinkling to wit the sprinkling of our soules with the blood of Christ for the forgiuenes of all sinnes as appeareth Act. 2 38 Then Peter said vnto them Amend your liues and be baptized euerie one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for remission of sins And Act. 22 Ananias said vnto Paul immediately after his conuersion Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sinnes in calling on the name of the Lorde So the Euangelist witnesses Marke 1 4. that Iohn did baptize in the wildernesse and preach the Baptisme of amendment of life for the remission of sinnes And the Apostle maketh this vse col 2 12 13. Ye are buried with him through Baptisme in whome ye are also raised vppe together through the faith of the operation of GOD which raised him vp from the dead and you which are deade in sinnes and in the vncircumcision of your flesh hath hee quickned together with him forgiuing you all your trespasses The meaning of these places is not that baptisme bestoweth or giueth forgiuenesse but onely signeth sealeth and assureth our pardon euen as remistion of sins and the righte ousnesse of faith were not in the old Testament by circumcision conferred but confirmed vnto the faithfull The grace of pardon and forgiuenesse of sinnes is not attained but by faith in Christ so that the worke of baptisme will not effect it Moreouer we haue proued that it is not lawfull to baptize such as are in yeares vnlesse they make open profession of their faith in Christ and repentance from the workes of the olde man wherefore they obtaine them not by the outward washing with water in baptisme So then we are no lesse assuredly washed by the blood of Christ from the spots of our soules then outwardly we are washed with water from the filth of the body For the force of his death hath that effectuall working in clensing our soules from the corruption and filthines of sinne which naturall water hath in washing our bodies By the merit of his death we haue full forgiueneste of all our sinnes not onely originall but actuall not onely past but present and to come whose blood is neuer drawne dry but is euer fresh and full of efficacy Therefore the wordes deliuered by the minister in baptisme at the commaundement of christ namely I baptize thee in the
name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost should alwaies be in our eares euen vntill the last gasp and by them we ought to be assured of the ful forgiuensse of our offences against God For the blood of Christ by which we are once washed can neuer be drawne dry but is euer fresh full of force and strength to the continuall clensing of our filthinesse and iniquities so that they neuer come into the sight of God neither are imputed vnto vs. Wherefore it is like vnto a sealed charter whereby is confirmed that all our sinnes are blotted out We are all taught by our baptisme that none of the enemies of our saluation shall be able to lay any sinne to our charge Art thou tempted to thinke that Christs blood was not shed for thee That thy transgressions are not pardoned That thou shalt be brought to iudgement for them Doth Sathan 〈◊〉 thy tender conscience with them thou maist as well doubt that thou wast not baptized and washed with Water as doubt thy sinnes are not blotted out thou maist as well surnize thou perishedst in the water as suppose thou shalt perish in thy wickednesse the floods where of howsoeuer they go ouer thy head yet shall not be able to preuaile against thee sully and ouercome thee sinally This ouer throweth the false doctrin of the false church of Rome the Mother of abhominations which teacheth that by the grace of Christ receiued in baptisme all our sins going before it are rased and blotted out and leaueth nothing in the party baptized that hath the name and nature of sinne But albeit our sinnes be freely and fully forgiuen for Christs sake pardoned and not imputed coucred and remembred no more yet the stain blot and remnants of sinne remaine though not raigne in our flesh so long as we liue in this world which in the end of our daies togither with the mortality and corruptions of our bodies shall be taken away and abolished Indeede the scripture teacheth that Christs blood clenseth washeth and taketh away sinne Ioh. 1. 29. Behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sin of the world but this is not by an actuall purging of vs from all corruption but in freely acquiting and truely discharing vs from the guilt offence and punishment before God as Psal. 32 Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sins are lightned blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne I herefore though they be forgiuen yet they remaine as appeareth If we say 〈◊〉 haue no fin we deceiue our selues and there is no truth in vs. And Solomon in his worthy prayer saith If any sinne against thee for there is no man that sinneth not So the Apostle teacheth toucheth this truth by his owne experience Rom. 7 I see another lawe in my members rebelling against the Law of my minde and leading me captiue vnto the Law of sinne which is in my members We are all as a filthy cloth the fsesh rebelleth against the spirit and in nothing we can do the things we woulde so that if God enter into iudgement with vs we 〈◊〉 stand in his sight And if Originall sinne were extinguished and vtrerly abolished in baptisme then they which are baptized shoulde sin no more but we see they sin again after their baptism To conclude baptisme is auailable not only for sins before but it is a seale for confirmation of faith touching the remission of those sinnes that are committed after baptisme as well as done before as our 〈◊〉 sauiour teacheth Mark 16 16. He that shall beleeue and be baptized shall be saued but he that will not beleeue shal be damnd Faith then beleeueth the forgiuenes of all sins past and to come inasmuch as the bood of Christ clenseth from al sins And the Apostle accordeth heereunto Titus 3 5 7. According to his mercie hee saued vs by the washing of the new birth and the 〈◊〉 of the holy ghost that we being iustified by his grace should be made heirs according to the hope of euerlasting life Where we see that the promise of iustification 〈◊〉 generall against all sins Thus much of the second vse Chap 14. Of the third vse of Baptisme THe third vse of baptisme is to kill and bury our naturall corruption by the power of Christs death and buriall and to raise vs againe to sanctification of our nature and newnes of life by his resurrection Hence it is that sin hath his deaths wounde and is stricken to the hatt so that it cannot liue and raigne in the children of God Hence it is that baptisme is often called the sacrament of repentance 〈◊〉 Luke 3 Iohn came into all the parts and coasts about Iordan preaching the Baptisme of repentance for the remission of sinnes So likewise Marke 1 4. Iohn did baptise in the Wildernes and preach the baptisme of amendment of life And the Apostle affirmeth as much col 2 xii xiii declaring that the one end of baptism is the death and burial of the old man by the almighty power of God This also was taught in those liuely types answering our baptisme to wit the flood that drownd the old world while Noah and his family were preserued in the Arke Also the red sea in which Pharaoh and his host perished but the people of God were deliuered For as God destroyed in the waters and as it were buried in the flood the world but saued a remnant of grace so doth God through christ mortifie the old man raise againe the new man and seale them both in our baptisme Likewise as GOD deliuered his people out of the hands of Pharaoh and opened them a way through the red sea and drowned their enimies that they saw them no more aliue so by baptisme he assureth our deliuerance from the thral dome and bondage of sinne which bringeth greater slauery and captiuity then any slaue is in vnder his earthly maister and the destruction of the flesh that it shall not hurt or condemn vs. We are al born in sins and trespasses we haue need of repentance and regeneration We see then what vse we are to make of our baptisme euen labor to attaine to the efficacy and fruit of it that it may not be a bare and barren signe Moses and the Prophets earnestly exhort the people of Israell to shewe forth the force and effect of their circumcision to cut away the fore-skin of their harts and harden their necks no more as we see Deut 10. 16. The Lorde did set his delight in thy fathers to loue them and did chuse their seed after them euen you aboue all people Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your hearts and harden your neckes no more And in another place The Lord thy GOD will circumcise thine heart and the hearte of thy seede that thou maiest loue the LORD thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soule that thou maiest liue
beleeuers who vouchsafeth to be their God the god of their seed Hence likewise it appeareth that infants are to be baptized For baptisme succeedeth in place of circumcision the Apostles baptized whole houses Christ calleth infants and sucklings vnto himselfe and 〈◊〉 that to such belongeth the kingdome of Heauen they are Christ sheepe and members of his body Hence we learne that the baptisme of infantes is no vnwritten tradition but a written and diuine institution taught in the Scriptures Consider also heereby the difference betweene baptisme and the Lords Supper and that all are conceiued in originall sinne Acknowledge also a difference between them and the children os Infidels and let parents be incoraged to bring vp their children in the instruction and reformation of the Lord. Hitherto of the outward parts now follow the inward parts which also are four in number First god the father represented by the Mi. wherby our faith is gretly strengthned For whensoeuer the eie seeth the minister 〈◊〉 water on the body faith beholdeth god the father clensing the soule with the precious blood of his sonne Christ. The seconde part is the spirit of God hauing relation to the word and promise of God and therefore whensoeuer wee come to heare the word or to receiue the sacramentes we must craue the assistance of the spirit to open our harts as he opened the hart of Lydia If this in ward teacher be wanting the eare heareth and the hand handleth but the hart is hardned The third in ward part of baptism is Christrepresented by the water This serueth greatly to confirme our faith to consider with our selues when we behold with our bodily eies the water poured vpon the bodie baptizd the blotting out of all our sinnes by the blood of Christ Iesus The 4. inward part is the soul clensed P most liuely and effectualy represented by the body washed For the washing of the body representeth the clensing of the soul. This teacheth that by nature we are corrupt and abhominable so that God must worke in vs both the will and the deede These are the foure in ward parts of baptisme The agreement betweene these outward and inward parts is very euident For as the Minister by the word of institution applyeth Water to the washing of the body so the father through the working of the spirit applyeth the bloode of Christ to the clensing of the soule Thus farre of the parts of Baptisme both the outward and the inward parts now we come to the vses thereof which are principally three First to shew our placing and planting into the blood of Christ to remaine in him for euer This coniunction with Christ is not bodily or naturall but misticall and marueilous in our eyes for we are made one with Christ by the same spirit dwelling in Christ and in all the members of Christ. So then the saints triumphing in heauen and al the beleeuers fighting vpon earth as souldiers in warfar haue one and the same spirit of christ dwelling in them and therfore are one with him Secondly to assure vs of the remission of our fins that we may bee able to stand in the presence of God hauing put on the garments of Christ as Iacob receiued the blessing clad in the garments of his elder brother This ouerthroweth the doctrin or rather doting of the church of Rome which teacheth that baptism abolisheth al sins going before it and leaueth nothing that hath the name or nature of sinne If this were a truth of god not a dreame of men it is not only decent but greatly to be desired to haue baptisme deferred vntil old age nay vnto the hower of death that so we may depart hence in peace with greater assurance of Gods fauor in the pardon of our sins Thirdly to slay the old man and to kil our natural corruption by the power of the death and burial of christ besides to raise vs vp againeto holines and newnes of life by his resurection Hence it is that the Euangelists call it the Sacrament of Repentance admonishing euery one of vs to expresse the strength and power of baptisme as the Prophets of tentimes exhort the lews to circumcise the forskin of their harts and to harden their necks no more So we ought not to content our selus to be baptized in body but must labour to be baptized in soul by a daily proceeding in regeneration by bringing foorth the fruites of sanctification and applying Christ Iesus to our full iustification Thus much of baptisme the honourable badge of our profession and dedication to Christ that dyed vppon the Crosse what it is what are the 〈◊〉 and vses thereof Now wee come to the Sacrament of the body and bloode of CHRIST e which is called by sundrye names in the new testament Sometimes it is called the Communion teaching that we are one body coupled togither in Christ shewing that it is to bee receiued of many togither and admonishing vs of vnity and concorde among our selues Sometimes it is called the Lords Supper hence we see who is the author of it no man no Angell but the Lord Iesus leauing it for a fare-well token of his loue toward vs. We must also come with an earnest desire hungring after Christ that we may be satisfied with his righteousnesse Sometimes it is called the breaking of breade this sheweth that the substance of breaderemayneth after the wordes of consecration that figuratiue speeches are vsed in the Sacrament and that this externall rite of breaking the bread vsed by Christ practised by the Apostles obserued by the pastors of the church ought not to be omitted and ouerpassed Sometimes it is called the table of the Lord this teacheth that christ and his Apostles at the celebration of it vsed a table not an altar that it is a Sacrament not a sacrifice and that we ought to draw neere vnto it with all regard aud reuerence Lastly it is called the new testament or Will of Christ. This title teacheth that there is a double couenant betweene God and man the one old the other new the one of the law the other of the Gospell the firste of Workes the seconde of grace Againe it serueth to condemne the cursed sacriledge of the church of Rome which addeth and detracteth altereth and mangleth this sacrament at her own pleasure and mingleth it with the leauen of her owne inuentions This is a great comfort to all Gods children to consider that all faithfull christians are the heires of Christ to whom he hath promised saluation of their soules and forgiuenesse of their sinnes As we haue seene the seueral names of this sacrament which shew the nature there of vnto vs so now we will set downe what the lords supper is The supper of the lord is the second sacrament wherein by visible receiuing of bread and wine is represented our spirituall
the signe for the thing nor the thing for the signe seeing the parts are distinguished in nature though ioyned in the person Againe albeit by gods ordinance these parts be so vnited that by taking of the signe the faithfull are made partakers of the thing signified no lesse truely then the outward signes are receiued of our bodily senses yet we must conceiue consider that these outward and inward parts remaine distinct and vnconfounded and therefore wee must take heede we take not one for another we must not ascribe to much to the outward parts and so take them for the inward which hath beene the occasion of sundry errors from time to time Some attribut too little to the outward sign and some ascribe too much both waies the Sacrament is abused and the partes are misapplied Hence sprang as a ranke weed in the Lords corne the doctrine of transubstantiation or carnall turning of the substance of bread into the body whereby the signe is swallowed vp and the outward substance with them quite abolished for their fained Christ hath consumed the outward signe as the rich deuoureth and eateth the poore Thus the signe is consumed to little regarded Others on the other side cleaue to much too the outward signe and rest in the externall worke placing holinesse and remission of sinnes in the deed done and thus the thing signified is little regarded and wholly abolished as the euill fauored and lean-fleshed kine did eat vp the fat and wel-fauored this was 〈◊〉 dreame and the other is mans deuise For these men giue all to the outward receiuing placing holynesse and remission of sinnes therein and thinking themselues sure and secure when the bread and wine is taken at the Lords table Thus all hypocrites libertines and carnall Gospellers do for all the religion deuotion and godlinesse of these idle and ignorant professors standeth in outward resorting to the Church and in an outward taking of the communion of the body and blood of Christ which is to make an Idol of the signe and to flatter themselues in their euils to their own destruction For albeit a man haue been baptized and haue receiued the Lords supper yet if he liue wickedly and walke after his owne lusts the Sacramentes shall auaile and aduantage him nothing at all but further his condemnation Lastly hath the Sacrament some parts outward and some inward some seene and some not seene with bodily eies Then it giueth occasion both to parents to teach their children the meaning of these misteries and to declare vnto them the ordinances of God as likewise to children and the younger sort to aske and inquire of their parents to heare and learne of them the doctrine of the Sacraments thereby to know the mercifull promises that God hath made to his people This appeareth directly where the the fathers are forewarned ro teach their childrē the hidden mistery of the Passeouer When your children aske you what seruice is this ye keepe then ye shal say It is the sacrifice of the Lords passeouer which passed ouer the houses of the children of Israell in Egypt when he smote the Egyptians and preserued our houses So likewise Ch. 13. 14. speaking of separating sanctifiing the firste borne for the seruice of God he chargeth parents to whet this doctrine on their children and to instruct them how God with a mighty hand and outstretched arme brought them out of Egypt out of the house of bondage Againe we see when the Lord had parted the waters of Iordan that the people might passe hee commaunded Ioshua to set vppe 12. stones in memoriall of the mighty and miraculous worke of God for his people against their enemies and when their children should aske them in time to come what was 〈◊〉 by those stones they should answer that the waters of Iordan were cut off before the Arke of the Couenant of the Lord. He would not onely haue themselues to profit by 〈◊〉 wonderfull workes but to retaine the remembrance of them he wold haue their posterity to know the cause and 〈◊〉 thereof and so g'orifie 〈◊〉 name for euer Heereunto we may fitly ioyne what the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will open my mouth in a parable I will declare high sentences of old which we haue heard and knowne and our fathers haue told us we will not hide them from their children but to the generation to come we will shew the praises of the Lord his power also and his wonderfull workes that he hath done that the posterity might know it and the children which should be borne should stand vp and declare it to their children that they might set their hope on God and not forget the workes of God but keepe his commaundements All these things serue to this purpose to shew that it is a duty and burden laid on the shoulders of all parents to acquaint their children 〈◊〉 the works of God especially with the benefits of our redemption wrought by Christ for our saluation If they aske the question why infants are baptized and washed with water into the name of the holy Trinity we must make plaine vnto them the meaning of that mistery We must say vnto them My children this is a signe of the Couenant of Gods mercy to vs and our 〈◊〉 to God it is a mistery of our saluation and teacheth that being in our selues vncleane vnrighteous 〈◊〉 y and sinful our soules are washed by the blood of Christ euen as the water in Baptisme washeth our bodyes 〈◊〉 in the mercy of God is so much the more marueilous in our cies insomuch as the 〈◊〉 were entred into the couenant by cutting lancing and effusion of blood in circumcision Againe before they come to yeares to receiue the holy Supper of the Lord we must informe them at home and declare the institution of that Sacrament and the comfortable vses therof to them so they may afterward come to this Communion with better warrant of their worke with greater comfort to themselues with lesse danger to their souls We must teach them that as the bread is broken and the Wine poured out so the body of Christ was crucified and his blood shed for the remission of our sins and that if we beleeue in the Lord Iesus we are nourished in our souls to eternal life by the passion of Christ our Sauior as certainly as our bodies are norished with the creaturs of bred 〈◊〉 wine Notwithstanding there is a generall defect of this duty in many parents neither are children readye to enquire and learne at home neither are parentes able to answere anye thing in these matters of God way wardnesse in the one and wordlines in the other and ignoraunce in them both hath taken away all care and conscience from them touching these holy duties and heauenly misteries so that neither the one teacheth nor the other learneth neyther the child enquireth nor the father answereth CHAP. 4. Of the first outward part of
of exposition say Hegaue thanks so that the blessing heere spoken of is Giuing of thanks which also appeareth compared with Ioh. 6 11. And the Apostle saith Euery creature of God is good if it be receiued with thank sgiuing for it is sanctified by the worde of God and prayer We see then that Consecration is when a thing is separated from a common and ciuil vse to a more special vse which is done by the authority of the worde and by the vertue of prayer whereby it hath his full force power and vertue The knowledge of this point serueth to cleere our doctrine and to ouerthrow sundry errors of the church of Rome First it sheweth that we hold teach a consecration that is a sanctifieng of the water in Baptisme and of the bread and wine in the Lords supper by the word by prayer and by thanksgiuing The bread wine are changed not in nature but in quality not in substance but in vse not in essence but in the end not by force of certaine words but by Christs institution We acknowledge and confesse a consecration not a conuersion a sanctification of the signes not a transubstantiation of the substance into the body and blood of Christ. He blessed and praised his father as mediatour of the Church for the mistery of the redemption of mankind and hee blessed the creatures that they might be effectual signes and serue for the confirmation and increase of our faith Secondly we are taught that consecration is not a magical charme and incantation by force of certaine wordes as though these word This is my body being murmured and spoken ouer the bread and This cup is the new testament in my bloud whispered ouer the wine did fully finish a consecration and made the elements to be immediatly changed into the body and blood of Christ without any other obseruing of the institution And hence it is that the forme of Christs giuing of thanks is not set down by any Euangelist because our corrupution and superstition is so great that if we had the words we would ascribe power force to the words sillables and letters and therefore the manner of his thanksgiuing is pretermitted This inclination of the hart is apparently seene in the Romish church who ascribe efficacy operation to the pronouncing of certain words which is a part of sorcery and a part of witch craft Wheras we auouch that the whole action of taking breaking pouring out distributing eating drinking praysing rehearsing the institution of Christ are the consecration that is the separation of these creatures to this vse Thirdly if after the Sacramentall actions if after thanksgiuing to god if after prayer that we may vse the creatures to the confirmation of our faith there do follow consecration sanctification and change of the elements to another vse then the power effect and working of the Sacrament dependeth not vpon the intention of the minister therfore the popish opinion is to be refused and reprooued that holdeth it to be no Sacrament if the minister haue not an intent and purpose in the ministration thereof at least to do that which the church doth that is to consecrate the elements and to make a Sacrament If his mind be not on his matters his hart on his busines in hand they hold it can be no Sacrament For otherwise saith Bellarmine If a priest should read the Gospell at the table of prelates and religious men and in reading should pronounce these words This is my body this is my blood then all the bread and wine vpon the the table should be consecrate and changed into Christs body and blood which is not so because his intent is wanting Againe if a father should lead his sonne to the bath and there dip him in the water And say I wash thee in the name of the father and though he thinke nothing of Baptizing him yet it should bee baptisme if an intent of baptizing were not required But I would gladly haue him answere this question what if a father should intend Baptisme by dipping his child in the bath whether that were baptisme or not Or suppose the priest we spake off reading at the prelates table should haue a mind and meaning to consecrate all the bread and wine vpon the table must 〈◊〉 of necessity be a Sacrament and reall change of all Or admit the former priest being in the saide prelats wine seller supposing himselfe to be in the Church and to stand at the alter should pronounce there words of consecration with a purpose and intent to make a sacrament should all the wine in that 〈◊〉 be turned into the blood of Christ Or if he being in a bakers shoppe should there solemnely say This is my body with the foresaide resolution should all that bread be changed into the body of Christ Let them speake plainely let them tel vs directly what they hold I thinke they will not say so I am sure it is not so For other things are wanting that are needefull in this matter We haue shewed that a Sacrament is not made by bare pronouncing of certaine wordes ascribing force to them after the manner of enchanters but the whole institution of Christ must be obserued there must be distributing and receiuing there must be praier and thankesgiuing and from the vse of these followeth Consecration all which are wanting in the former examples suppositions there is no taking no breaking no distributing no pouring out no receiuing no praying no thanksgiuing We see touching the word of God with what intent and vnder what pretence soeuer it be preached if the minister teach Christ crucified howsoeuer he be affected it may haue his effect in the heart and worke saith in 〈◊〉 hearer so is it in the Sacramentes they haue their efficacy and operation howsoeuer the hart of the minister be disposed And as Isaac intended not to blesse Iacob but Esau yet it hindered not the purpose and determination of God so the corrupt intent the wandering imagination and rouing conceite of the minister cannot hinder the blessing of god in the sacramēts being his own ordinaces For the force of the Sacrament dependeth no more vpon the intention of the giuer then it doth vpon the intention of the receiuer Againe if the right receiuing of the Sacrament depend vpon the intent of the minister what assurance can any man haue that hee hath euer receiued or shall euer receiue a Sacrament What perswasion can we haue in our hearts that we euer were baptized What knowledge that we were euer partakers of the body and blood of Christ in the supper of the Lord Doth not this leaue vs vncertaine and vnsetled without comfort without fruite without benefit by comming to the sacraments and setteth the poore distressed consciences of men vpon the rack Alas we cannot kno the hart and vnderstand the intentes thereof For what man
without sinne deceiueth himselfe and there is no truth in him This corruption of our nature that hath taken hold on all mankind for there is none that doth good no not one must be mortified and the new man which is spiritual regenerate by the holy ghost must be quickned Repentance therefore consisteth in an inward sorrow for our sins in an hatred of thē in suppressing the corruptiōs of nature in a purpose to obey God in a care to sorsake our sins in confessing the greatnesse of them in condemning our our selues for them in acknowledging the desart of them in an holy indignation anger against our selues that we haue beene so carelesse in looking to our owne waies in fearing least we runne into the same sins againe in desiring euer heereafter to please God and to walke more carefully before him in zeale touching the seruice of God and in taking reuenge sometimes and punishment vpon our selus for former offences For wee confesse plainely and deny not but some outward penalties and chastisements of the body may be vsed do please God not of themselues but because they are profitable meanes and good helpes to further and forward true repentance As for example he that hath offended grieuously in surfetting drunkenes and hath great heauines of hart sorrow of mind that he hath sinned against so gratious a God and mercifull father may prescribe appoint to himselfe without appearance of superstition or error of satisfaction or opinion of 〈◊〉 some fasting or abstinence for a certaine time that he may be better fitted to gods seruice and further strengthned against those sinnes into which he is fallen This doctrine we receiue as the doctrine of Christ and agreeable to the prophets and Apostles as appeareth 2 Cor. 7. where Paule setteth downe the effects or fruites of true repentance Now the question ariseth betweene the church of Rome and vs whether this repentance which is a dying to sinne and a walking in newnesse of life and whether reconciliation to the church and absolution from sinne be a Sacrament of the new Testament institvted by Christ to assure his sauing graces to vs Wee answere it is not First it was in time of the old Testament from the beginning of mans fall and transgression it was continually preached and published by the prophets and therefore before Christes comming in the flesh and cannot be a sacrament of the new Testament Secondly it wanteth an outward signe such as water in Baptisme such as bread and wine in the Lords supper now euery Sacrament must haue an outward element and signe to represent the spirituall grace therefore penance can be no Sacrament Thirdly it hath no word to commaund it no particuler promise of God which is the chiese stay and staffe of a sacrament Bellarmine affirmeth that Christ instituted the sacrament of penance when he breathed vpon his Apostles after his resurrection and said vnto them Receiue the holy ghost whose sinnes ye remit they are remitted and whose sinnes ye retaine they are retained And he saith the words of absolution are the signe and that remission of sins is the the promise of grace which is signified For answer to this assertion I would gladly aske this question whether the apostles had this ministeriall power to forgiue sinnes to repentant sinnets when they baptized to remission of sins If this power were heere first instituted and giuen vnto them Do they not by tying the authority of remitting finnes to this time make their baptisme of none effect Besides we haue shewed that it is not sufficient to haue a sound of wordes that may be heard to make an outward signe there must be a visible signe that may be seene to warrant a sacrament Now to make a Sacrament without such a signe were to make a sacrament without a sacrament Lastly as they take and vnderstand penance it is neither sacrament nor sacred it is neither holy signe nor holy thing it is neither an institution of God nor any way of God For they mean not thereby amendment of life or inward sorrow griefe of minde for the life past which is sometimes testified by weeping and mourning by sackcloth and ashes by fasting and humiliation but they vnderstād by penance 〈◊〉 external discipline satisfaction for our sinnes to God by our owne sufferings that wearing of sackcloth sprinkling of ashes chastising of the body whipping of the flesh putting on rough apparel lying on bourds and hard places abstaining from flesh and aflicting our selues by such outward exercises are a paying of the paines due to sinne part of amendes made to Gods iustice and meritorious before him This punishment this penance these penalties we abhorr as an horrible blasphemy against the blood of Christ which is the onely satisfaction to God for sinne For if we satisfie for our selues then hath not Christ satisfied for vs nor payed the price due vnto our sinnes Besides they charge God the father with iniustice in that hauing laid the guiltinesse of our sinnes vpon his owne sonne and punished them in him they make him not satisfied with that punishment but to exact the debt of vs againe for which his sonne as our surety hath fully and sufficiently answered as Esa. 53. He is punished for our transgressions he is bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace is lated vpon him and by his stripes we are healed the Lord maketh the punishment of vs all to light upon him Likewise the Apostle Iohn saith The blood of IESVS CHRIST doth purge us from all sinne And in the Reuelation he addeth Christ hath washed vs from our sinnes in his blood Whereby we see we are taught to beleeue that we are pardoned and reconciled to God not through our owne satisfaction not for our owne workes not by our owne sufferings but onely through the death and blood sheading of Christ. Wherefore their penance is to be acknowledged to be sacriledge and accepted as a Sacrament Chap. 19. That Matrimony is not a Sacrament THe Counsell of Trent vnder Pius 4. Sess. 8 decreeth If any shall say that Matrimony is not truely and properly one of the 7. Sacramentes instituted by Christ but was brought in by men into the Church and doth not conferre grace let him be accursed Heereby they would seeme to set forth the dignity of marriage aboue vs seeing they lift it vp into the number of the Sacraments of the Church Yet as a lyar seldome agreeth with himselfe they complaine that we too highly magnifie the married estate and themselues cannot abide it in their clergy because for sooth it is written Be ye holy for I am holy they which are in the flesh cannot please God Marriage therefore is too holy an ordinance for their vnholy cleargy inasmvch as they teach in this point the doctrin of deuils and are led by the spirit of error that forbid marriage which God hath left free We confesse touching
spitituall priests and a spirituall priest-hood to offer vp spirituall sacrifices of praise and thanksgiuing vnto God as appeareth Reuel 1. 6. Christ hath washed vs from our sinnes in his blood and made vs kinges and priests vnto God euen his father And the Apostle Peter in his first epiftle chap. 2. saith Ye also as liuely stones be made a spirituall house an holy priest-hood to offer vp spiritual sacrisices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ. And again afterward Ye are a chosen generation a royal priest-hood an holy nation a people set at liberty that ye should shew forth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darkenesse into his marueilous light Whosoeuer bringeth in another priest-hood then this maketh new priests abolisheth as much as in him lyeth the priest-hood of Christ. Againe what will they say of offices and dignities in the Church greater then these the office of pope of cardinall of patryarch and the rest of that vnholy hierarchy Will they discharge and cut off these from being sacraments aduance the baser orders of hedge priests and dombe deacons to so high a dignity What Do they abase and disgrace those greater places and thinke their popes and cardinals not worthy of that honor and authority or do they thinke this Sacrament to vile and base to agree to those princelike dignities of the church Or dare they preferre their priest-hood their readers their decons there doore-keepers their dog-keepers and the rest of that rabble before the pope dome the cardinalship the Patryarchship Is not this high treson against their holy father petty treason against the cardinals and other of that generation Lastly Sacraments must haue an outward element and word of institutiō as hath been often declared proued but their orders haue neither outward element nor word of institution therfore orders are no sacra Seeing therfore they can shew no materiall signe added to the promise nor gratious promise added to the signe there can be no sacrament of orders to seale vp and assure any mercy of God granted vnto vs. To omit that reason which we might 〈◊〉 vpon them namely that orders are peculiar proper to the ministry and are no sanctified instrument aply any general and common grace of the Church Wherefore asmuch as orders haue neither outward signe nor promise of grace nor institution from Christ but disgrace the higher dignities of their Church and ouerthrow their owne chosen number of seauen Sacramentes we conclude necessarily from these premises that orders are no Sacrament Chap. 21. That extreame vnction is no Sacrament THe last faigned Sacrament is the last annoynting as they call it performed by the priest in extreamety where by they teach that God assureth forgiuenesse of sinnes and promiseth ease of bodily disease if it be so exped ent if not the saluation of the soule in the life to come They vse this forme of words By this holy anoynting and his most holy mercy God doth forgiue thee whatsoeuer that hast offended by seeing hearing smelling tasting and touching This vnction cannot be a sacrament for sundry causes First themselues confesse that it hath not his institution from Christ. For the Rhem'stes in their heretical Annotations vpon Mar. 6 confesse that there is onely a preparation vnto it And Peter Lumbard saith It was instituted by the Apostle Iames. By this doctrine Christ should onely be a preparer of sacraments not an appointer a beginner not a finisher of them Now these men are all accursed by the Conuenticle of Trent If any man shad say that the sacraments of the new law were not all instituted by Iesus christ let him be accursed Again the place of the Apostle Iames maketh nothing for this sorged sacrament for there is a great difference contrariety betweene the anoynting that Iames speaketh off and the popish anealing Their priestes haue not the miraculous guist of healing whereof this 〈◊〉 was an outward signe in the primitiue church which custome afterward ceased when the 〈◊〉 of healing ceased being for a time granted to the church for the credit of the Gospell As then the guist was temporall and for a reason so must the signe bee of the same standing and continuance and the gift being taken from the church if the signe should remaine in vse and practise it should be but a lieng signe For by the same reason the brooke of Siloam the poole Bethesda the clay and 〈◊〉 which were sometimes vsed in healing the diseased might be accounted sacramēts as wel as this being all signes of healing for a certaine season as also annoynting with oyle was for the first times of the church while it was in planting Thirdly the Apostle would haue al sick persons anoynted these do anoynt with their greazy oile onely such bodies as are in manner halfe dead euen while they lie in extremity and the life is striuing to come forth The Apostle would haue all the elders called but one Masle-priest only with them bringeth the box and annoynteth the sickman The Apostle assureth health to all that are thus annoynted as I am 5. The prayer of faith shall saue him that is suke and the Lord shal raise him vp So also Mark 6. They cast out many deuels and they anointed many that were sicke with oyle and healed them whereby we see that restoring and recouering of health was certainely promised to folow the anointing But not one among many receiueth health after their popish anealing The Apostle speaketh of bodily health of the guift of miracles and of common oyle they prattle of forgiuenes of sins of a common and continuall gift of charmed and consecrate oyle and balme whereof notwithstanding can none be found of bowing their knees and saluting it saving Hailholy oyle haile holie oyntment haile holy balme nay which is more blasphemous their oyle they call The oyle of saluation which is to renounce saluation by Christ and to deny the holy spirit to sanctifie the people of God Furthermore euery sacrament must haue a word of institution but the wordes which they vse in anealing are a strange saluation of a dumbe and deafe creature not warranted nor founde in scripture as the words of consecration in the true sacraments are and therefore we cannot receiue it for a sacrament but must account it an apish imitation and a popish tradition Moreouer we haue proued before chap. 8. that the element is consecrated when the sacrament is ministred by praying thanksgiuing eating and drinking deliuering and receiuing breaking and pouring out blessing and reciting the institution therfore the oyle halowed long before by the Byshop heated with breathing vpon it charmed with much murmuring saluted with bowing of the knee and other like trumperies that hallowing I say is fond superfluous and superstitious Lastly the effect and vertue of a Sacrament is spirituall grace in Christ but extreame vnction hath no spirituall grace in Christ sealed vp for the Apostle ascribeth
other If then any should baptize otherwise then in the name of the Trinity or should name the sonne to be vnequall to the father or should deny the proceeding of the Holy-ghost or should baptize in the name of the Virgin Mary and the Saints this cannot be the Sacrament of baptisme instituted by Christ but a Ceremony made voide and frustrate by our owne inuentions Chap. 5. Of the third outward part of baptisme THe third outward part of baptisme is the element of water which is the matter whereof baptisme consisteth This truth is taught in diuerse places of the new testament Indeeds I baptize with water And Ioh. 1 because he should bee declared to Israell therefore am I come baptizing with water Knew him not but he that sent me to baptize with water he saide vnto me vpon whom thou shalt see the spirit come 〈◊〉 and tarrie still on him that is he which baptizeth with the Holy-ghost So Act. 8 36. As they went on their way they came vnto a 〈◊〉 ater and the Enuruch said See heere is water what doth let me to be baptized then he commaunded the chariot to stand stil and they went downe both vnto the water both Phillip and the Eunuch and he baptized him And chap. 10. Can anie man forbidde water that these should not be baptized which haue receiued the Holy-ghost as well as we Nothing is so apt to set sorth the blood of christ and his merits as water which is sit to clense and wash and leaueth no filth behind vpon the body by which outwarde worke Christ would haue vs feele the inward purging and purifying of the soule The vse of this outward part is three-fold First it teacheth that the minister may not baptize with any other liquor and element then with naturall common and ordinarie water whereunto answere the flood the red sea and the Iewish purifyings vnder the law The curious questions whether wanting water we may baptise with sande or water distilled and compounded came at the first from the dangerous and bloody opinion that they are damned which die vnbaptised If any demaund whether sweet waters and distilled may be taken and vsed or mingled with common water especially when children of such as are in high place are to be baptised sealed into the couenant therby to note a difference betweene person and person forasmuch as god hath listed vp the head of one aboue another I answere all power is indeede of god and we with hart and tongue do giue honour to whome honour pertaineth and feare to whome feare belongeth Notwithstanding all mixture of the water is mans inuention and an human tradition which in GODS woorshippe is not to be admitted Whatsoeuer is mingled with common Water is a corruption whatsoeuer the partie be that is baptised The Apostle teacheth that the church hath all one baptisme not one manner of baptizinge the poore and another of baptizing the rich Besides why might wee not allowe mixture of water with Wine in the Lordes supper as well as the mixture of compound water with common water in the sacrament of baptisme Furthermore if there might lawfully bee admitted a different manner of baptising the children of rich-men and the children of poore men then in the other Sacrament the like distinction might be receiued and so a finer kinde of breade be prouided for the richer sort by themselues and a courser sort for the poore by themselues which seperation the Apostle reproueth in the church of 〈◊〉 and calleth it a despising of the Church and a shaming of the poore For in the exercises of religion there ought to be no difference of persons for all are one in Christ Iesus and therefore the Noble Eunuch mentioned Act 8. was baptised by Phillip with ordinary water Now if no composition may be mingled then much lesse may any other signe be vsed and so the element clean chaunged and the ordinance of God altred for the church of God hath no liberty to bring any other signe in place of water If a man were baptised with sande with bloude with wine with milke with snowe with oyle and such lickor it is no baptisme at all but a meere voide and ydle action such a person must afterwarde be sprinkled or washed with water not that any should be rebaptized but because all persons should be once baptised the former action being meerely frustrate Although the forme of words be retained in the administration which our sauiour commandeth and the body be washed in the name of the three persons the father the sonne and the Holy-ghost yet if such an errour be committed in the matter that the signe be changed and another foysted in contrary to the precept of Christ and practise of the Apostles ther is a nullitie of the whole work the partie be-sanded or be-bloodied or oyled is erroneously and vnlawfully not truely and effectuallye baptised Nadab and Abihu are smitten with lightning from heauen for bringing strange fire into the tabernacle whereas they should haue taken of that fire which GOD had appointed though other fire would as well haue consumed the offering And are not all other elementes as strange fire that are brought into this sacrament beside water Or haue we greater liberty to change Gods ordinaunces in the gospell then the Iewes had vnder the Law When GOD appointed the burnt offering to be offered and commanded the people to bring either bullocks out of the heard either Sheepe or Goates out of the folde either Turtle-doues or young Pigeons from amonge the birds being thus limited and restrained might they bring an Asse or an Elephant or a Camell unto him might they cut osf a dogges necke or offer swines flesh before the Lord So whereas God hath ordained the sacrament of baptisme to be administred and hath willed it to bee done with water most common most vsuall most plentifull most fit most significant shall we take sand or saw-dust oyle or other element then god hath allowed The Lorde likewise threatning a generall dearth of Corne Wine and Oyle of which things many of their offeringes and oblations consisted sheweth that the priestes shoulde Weepe and waile because the Meat-offerings and Drinke-offeringes should cease But what neede was there either that the priests shoulde haue lamented or the offeringes haue ceased if they might haue vsed other elementes other signes or other matter then GOD approoued If they might haue taken water in steed of wine or Milke in stead of oyle Or if they might haue taken vncleane beastes in stead of cleane Or the Fishes of the Sea in steade of the Beastes of the fielde Or creeping thinges for their Offerings in steed of such as chewe the cudde and diuide the hoofe Nowe howe can it bee better Warraunted to vs to take oyle for Water then it was for them to take Water for oyle Againe heereby all Popish corruptions and mixtures brought into this
cirumcision why should we not holde the same of baptisme being instituted for vs in steed of circumcision there being the same promises in both and there being the same ends of both If then the couenant made with Abraham remaine stable and stedfast it dooth no lesse belong to the children of Christians at this day then it did appertaine to the children of the Iewes vnder the old Testament vnlesse peraduenture wee will say that our sauiour Christ by his comming hath restraind or diminished the grace and loue of his father which were detestable blasphemy against the father and an horrible reproach against the sonne of God From hence then we reason thus if the infantes of the Iewes were circumcised then the children of christians are to be baptized but the infantes of the Iewes were circumcised therefore also the children of christians are to be baptized Against this reason sundry exceptions are taken by the aduersaries of this doctrin which are not vnworthy the consideration They say circumcision was a signe of mortification it was tyed to be administred the eight day and that women ought not to be baptised if baptisme were like to circumcision in asmuch as they were not circumcised I answere these obiections will easily appeare to be verye cauils and meere dreames of idle and addle braines if we diligently obserue both wherein circumcision and baptism agree and in what points they differ They agree first in one author of them both that is God himselfe who firste appointed the Minister of circumcision which was Abraham and Iohn the Minister of baptisme whereof hee was called the baptist Secondly in the chiefe and principall ends for which they were instituted namely to seale vp the promises of grace by Christ. Thirdly by both of them is wrought our visible receiuing into the church the Iewes were receiued by circumcision the christians are entred by baptisme Lastly by both of them our mortification regeneration newnes of life and iustification are signified So then they fullie agree in the ends which they respect and in the things which they signifie to wit in the substance and nature of the things themselues Againe circumcision and baptisme differ onely in certaine circumstances first in the forme and maner of doing as circumcision was administred by cutting awaye of the foreskinne and effusiou of blood but baptisme by washing and sprinkling with water Secondly in the outwarde signe which is different in both Thirdly in the circumstaunce of time for circumcision promised from God grace and mercy in the Messias to come baptisme in the Messias already exhibited Fourthly in the subiects or persons that are partakers of them circumcision belongeth onely to the male children but baptisme is common to male and female Notwithstanding howsoeuer the bodies of the men children alone were imprinted yet through them the women were after a sort made partakers and companions of circumcision so that albeit God commanded onely the males to haue this signe in their flesh yet the females were not excluded from being members of the church nor accounted straungers from the Couenants of promise For as the man is the head of the Woman so they were accounted as circumcised in the man yea they were reckoned and numbred with the men namely the vnmarried with their father and the married with their husbands Now their circumcision was thus comprehended in the men so that it was vnto them in stead of circumcision to be borne of the circumcised may be gathered by many places as Luke 13 Where the woman which Christ healed of a spirit of infirmity bounde togither is called the daughter of Abraham to signifie that the priuiledge of his posterity belonged no lesse to her and all women that were faithfull then to the males and that she was as well his daughter as they his sonnes Likewise Gen. 34 the sonnes of Iacob communing with Hamor after their sister was humbled and abused said vnto them We cannot do this thing to giue our sister to an vncircumcised man for that were a reproofe vnto vs but in this we will consent vnto you if ye will be as we are that euery man-child among you be circumcised then we will giue our daughters to you c. where these two are set as contrary one to another our sister and the vncircumsed which teacheth that they were accounted as circumcised in the males so that it was enough to them to be borne of parents that were circumcised Fiftly they differ in the setled time which is limitted for circumcision being precisely and necessarily tied to the 8. day but in baptisme it is not so there is greater liberty left to the church yet the Sabbaoth following would not without vrgent cause be omitted Sixtly circumcision was instituted for the Israelites that were the seede of Abraham but Baptisme was instituted for all Nations that are willinge to ioyne themselues to the fellowshippe of the churches of Christ that professe his name of whatsoeuer Lande and language they be Lastly circumcision was to endure onely till the comming of the Messias but the body being come the figure must cease whereas baptisme is to continue vnto the end of the world as our sauiour teacheth Math 28 Teach and baptise and loe I am with you vntill the end of the world Wherefore the circumcision of the Turkes which liue in infidelity and of the Moores which professe Christianitye vsed at this day is nothing worth albeit they retaine the outward sign and ceremonie because the institution of it was onely to indure the blessed times of the Gospell Thus we see that notwithstanding the differences betweene circumcision and baptism in circumstances of time and maner of doing yet being in substance and effect the same the Argument standeth strōg and inuinsible prouing the baptizing of infants in the time of the Gospell from the commaundement of circumcising infantes in the time of the Law Againe let vs consider the practise of the Apostles and ages succeeding in this point For albeit it be not expressed that any infant was baptized by the hands of the Apostles yet we find in diuers places that whole families and housholds haue bin baptized in which no doubt were many infants and sucklings as Act. 16. 15. Lidia being conuerted to the faith was baptized and all her houshold And againe Verse 33 of the same chapter the Iaylor was baptised and all that were with him So was Crispus the chiefe ruler of the Synagogue and his houshold baptised and the houshold of Stephanas Furthermore when Peter commaunded the Iewes newly conuerted to the faith of Christ and hungring after saluation in him whome before they had crucified to be baptised he addeth this as a reason For the promise is made to you and to your children and to all that are a farre off euen as many as the LORDE our GOD shall call Neuerthelesse will some say we read not directly that any infants were
Christ Iesus shed his blood for them he dyed for all the children of God he redeemed them whether they be old or young smal or great as Ioh. 11. He must die not for that nation onely but should gather together in one the children of God which are scattered And the same Apostle Reuel 12. saith I saw the dead both great and small stand before God and the bookes were opened and another booke was opened which is the booke of life and the dead were iudged of those things written in those bookes according to their workes Wherefore when children shall come to yeares of discretion and vnderstanding they must heereby be pricked forward to an earnest care and indeuour to walke in the feare of God and to serue him in holynesse and righteousnesse all the daies of their life by whom they were receiued for sonnes and adopted for his children by a solemne pledge of their adoption before they were able through their age to know and acknowledge him for their father Let them giue the first fruites of their life to God let them learne to beare the yoake of obedyence from their youth let them redresse and reforme their waies by taking heede to the word of truth and seeing God hath remembred them in their baptisme let them also remember their creator in the daies of their youth and begin to be wise betimes least death come suddainely and cut them off as the sluggard that for-sloweth the seasons of plowing and reaping wisheth for them in vaine at another time of the yeare Thus we haue shewed the baptisme of children the certaine truth thereof hath beene euidently proued the obiections against this truth aledged haue been susficiently answered and the vses of it to the great comfort of all faithfull parentes and Children haue beene particularly remembred Chap. 8. Of the first inward part of baptisme HItherto we haue handled al the outward parts of baptisme now we are orderly to proceede to the inwarde partes The inward parts of baptisme are such as are represented by the outward Those are foure in number first God the father secondly the spirit thirdly Christ fourthly the soule clensed as we see Math. 28 19. Teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holy-ghost he that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued Heer we see these foure inward parts are named and expressed This is also euidently proued Math 3 in the baptisme of Christ where the Trinity of persons was manifested These inward parts do directly and fitly answeare to the outward The father is represented by the Minister the spirit worketh by the worde Christ is sealed by the water and the soule clensed is signified by the body that is washed Now there is a notable agreement a singular vnion and fit proportion betweene these partes where the minister hath relation and reference to the father the word to the spirit the water to Christ and the body dipped to the faithfull clensed For euen as the minister by the word of institution taketh and applyeth the water to the washing of the bodye so God the father through the working of the spirite offereth and applyeth the blood of Christ to the clensing of the faithfull Hauing seene the proportion of the parts between themselues let vs consider of them particularly and in order The first inward part is God the father represented by the minister The minister calling vpon the name of God vseth the water to wash and washeth the party baptized with the element of water which sealeth vp gods incorporating and ingrafting of the baptized into Christ and our spirituall regeneration Hence it is that when Iohn baptized the father was present as president of the worke when loe his voice came from heauen saying This is my beloued sonne in whome I am well pleased Now let vs come to the vses This 〈◊〉 first of all to strengthen our faith in the remission of our fins in imputation of Christs righteousnes in mortification of sinne by the force of Christs death and in sanctification through Christs resurrection Wherefore although the Minister doth nothing touching or towarde the clensing of the soule yet in regard of Gods ordinance and our benefit the ministery of man is somewhat which whosoeuer despiseth doth despise God the author of it For whensoeuer the eye of the body seeth the minister powring on the water and washing the body we must behold by saith god the father offering the blood of his own son to be water of life to our soules And let vs all make this vse of the Churches baptism to the comfort of our own harts so often as we see it administred let vs not rest in it as in a work done to another and nothing concerning our selues but euermore helpe our inward affection by the outwarde action and alwaies as the eye of the body beholdeth the Minister let the eye of the faith be fastned firmely vppon the Father who maketh the Sacramentall rites auaileable which are openly done before vs for our edification Again it teacheth that we must not rest in the outward washing nor in the externall actions of the Minister but euer consider what is offered to our considerations therin and when the father offereth to vs his sonne let vs not refuse him For he that satisfieth himselfe with the outwarde work is as he that catcheth after the shadow and regardeth not the substance or as one that maketh much of the garments but respecteth little the body it self which ought to be had in greatest price and estimation Lastly is God the father an inward part of baptism then we must take heed we giue not that to the Minister which is proper to god the father whereby hee is robbed of the honor and glory due to his great name The Minister may wash the body and clense the flesh but can goe no further he medleth not with sanctification of the conscience from dead workes which is not in the power of mortall man to do so that god giueth the thing and men giue the signe yea while the Minister offereth the one God the father giueth the other Chap. 9 Of the second inward part of Baptisme THe second inwarde part of baptisme is the spirit of God hauing relation to the word and promise of God This appeareth Math 3 11 He baptizeth with the holy-ghost and with fire And verse 16 When Christ was baptized the heauens were opened vnto him and he saw the spirit discending like a doue and lighting vpon him So the apostle 1 Cor 6 saith ye are washed ye are sanctified ye are iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the spirit of our God And chap. 12 of the same Epistle By oke spirit we are all baptized into one body whether we be Iewes or Graecians whether we be bonde or free and haue beene all made to drinke into one spirit And Tit 3.
So the Prophet Ieremy saith Breake vppe your fallowe grounde and sowe not among thornes be circumcised to the Lorde and take away the fore-skinnes of yonr heartes ye men of Iudah and inhabitantes of Hierusalem least my wrath come foorthe like fire and burne but none can quench it because of the wickednes of your inuentions Circumcision was the thing wherin they bosted aboue althings it was their glory wheros they bragged to be a cirpeople peculiar to God Now the Prophets recall and reclaime them from trusting in outwarde signes and lying words that shall not profit and stirre them vp to confider the power and effect therof not to rest in cutting off a thin peece of skinne but to cut off quite and cleane their lusts and corruptions which rebell against the spirit This the Apostle teacheth euidently He is not a Iew which is one outward neither is that circumcision vvhich is outvvard in the flesh but he is a Ievv vvhich is one vvithin and the circumciston is of the hart in the spirit not in the Letter vvhose praise is not of men but of God The outward Letter is of no moment with God it must be the circumcision of the heart otherwise the circumcising of the flesh is nothing So if we woulde haue God to take vs for his people and heritage we must be all baptized in our hearts and our soules What will some say baptized in soule and in heart What is that Or how can this be Can the water wash the soule Surely the Water cast vppon our bodies is nothing if we haue not the truth of it As then the apostle Paule maketh a difference between inward circumcision of the spirit and outward circumcision of the letter insomuch that if they would haue the true circumcision indeed they must haue that which is within so is there a great difference between the baptism of the spirit and of the letter between that of the soul and the other of the body betweene that which is outwarde and that which is inward Whosoeuer would haue the true baptism indeed he must be clensed within repent of his Wickednesse mortifie his imaginations deny himselfe renounce his affections and offer vp his soule and body in sacrifice to God that he may renew and regenerate vs otherwise it is a certaine thinge we were neuer indeede and in truth baptized For as the Iewes were charged to be vncircumcised though the fore-skin of the flesh were cut off and so they were circumcised in body so we may in like maner be charged to be vnbaptized albeit we haue bin outwardly washed with water The Iewes chosen aboue all Nations to be the people of God were oftentimes condemned of forgery and fasehood for breaking the couenant of God and not answering to the truth thereof and were 〈◊〉 with the vncircumcisednesse of their heartes that they were worse then the heathen themselues a bastard broode witches children and vnworthy to be accounted Abrahams seede to the end they should bragge no more of their circumcision as Act. 7. Stephen a faithfull witnesse of God obiecteth against them Ye stiffe-necked and of vncircumcised heartes and eares ye haue alwaies resisted the Holy ghost as your fathers did so do you they shew the prophets which shewed before of the comming of that iust of whom ye are now the betrayers and murtherers where we see he discouereth their hypocrysie and setteth their sinnes before their faces telling them that as their fathers rebelled against god so the children followed their fathers footesteppes Do not these things concerne vs Though we haue not circumcision in action and practise belong they not to vs now a daies Yes euen to vs For we shall bee condemned for our vnclensed and vnsanctified heartes not answering to the truth of our baptisme For so much we profit by baptisme as we profit in mortification If then we be once baptized and washed with water we shall pay dearely for our desiling that sacred water which God hath appointed to so holy an vse True it is the water of it selfe is as nothing no other in substance and nature then that wherewith wee washe our hands but when once it is ioyned to the word and applyed to an holy end it is as it were an authenticall seale which God hath engrauen in it Now he that counterfaiteth the seale of a Prince shall hee not bee punished Behold baptisme is the seale of GOD which serueth not to seale conueyances of earthly possessions as house and landes but to assure vs that wee are called to the heauenly life and bringeth good assurance and warrant with it that we be washed from our sinnes by the blood of our Lorde I esus christ and borne again by his holy spirit Shall we break al and escape punished Let vs not then boast of our baptisme and Christianity to say oh we are baptized wee are christened we weare the badge of God these things these things I say will cost vs deere if we make not our baptisme auaileable to our selues and our owne soules by killing our corruptions for thereby we shew our selues like vnto the foole that maketh a vow and immediately after breaketh it Now although we professe the Gospell yet you shall finde a great number that knowe not this vse of baptisme neither wherto it auaileth nor to what endes it was ordained They cal it indeed their christend ome but are altogether ignorant of the nature therof are vnacquainted with the effect of it This will cost them decrely for abusing such a pledge-token at Gods hands seeing it is a meanes whereby we are vnited to our Lord Iesus christ and ingrafted into his death and resurrection Wherefore whereas many haue receiued baptisme in their infancy and haue liued 40. or 50. yeares in the world without knowing to what end they were baptized it had been better for them that they had beene borne dead or perished in their mothers wombe as as vntimely fruite then to haue vnhalowed so holy and precious a thing Thus of the third and last vse of baptisme as also of the parts thereof and generally touching this whole Sacrament The end of the second Booke THE THIRDE BOOKE of the lords Supper being Christs farwel-token to his church and a sweet pledge of his woonderfull kindnesse toward mankinde where in the truth of this Sacrament is manifested the parts are deliuered the vses are shewed the doctrine of the reformed Churches is cleered the errors of the church of Rome are euidently conuinced and the meanes set downe how euery one is to be prepared to the worthy receiuing thereof with fruite and comfort CHAP. 1. of the names and titles of this Sacrament together with the reasons and vses thereof IN the former Booke we haue spoken of baptisme the first sacrament of the church together with the partes and vses thereof Now we are to set downe the doctrine of the Lordes supper which is the second sacrament For after that God
of the new testament his priesthood is immortall and eternall he liueth for euer therefore the Popish priesthood is a plant neuer planted by the heauenly father the true husbandman and the popish priests were neuer called of God to sacrifice the body and blood of Christ he gaue vnto them no such authority therefore in time shall be rooted vp If they pretend the precept and planting of God let them shew their commission that we may see it and let them bring forth their charter that we may trie it otherwise wee must take them for vsurpers and counterfait Officers in the cittie of God Ninthlie the Apostle teacheth that without shedding of blood is no remission But in the vnblodie Sacrifice of the Masse there is not effusion of blood he doth not suffer he is not killed he doth not shed his blood he doth not die therefore in the Masse is no remission of any sins Tenthly if Christ be daily offered in the Masse then hee doth dailie satisfie for sinne for the end of his offering is to make satisfaction as Romaines 4. 25. He was deliuered to death for our sinnes and is risen againe for our instification And Gal 1 4. He gaue himselfe for our sinnes that he might deliuer vs from this present euill world But he doth not make satisfaction for our sinnes no more then now he dieth and riseth again for then Christ would not haue said It is finished nor the Apostle u He entered once into the holy place Wherefore no more sacrifice for sinne remaineth to be offered by such as iniuriously vsurpe the priesthood of christ Last of all all true christians are Priestes to offer vp their bodies an acceptable sacrifice to God which is their reasonable seruice of God and to offer vp a broken contrite spirit as 1 Pet 3 9. Ye are a chosen generation a royall priesthood and an holy nation And Reuel 1. He hath loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his blood and made vs Kings and priestes vnto God his father These are the Priests that now remaine this is the priesthood which we professe Whosoeuer maketh himselfe any priest of another order in the new testament abrogateth and abolisheth the Priesthood of christ being after the order of Melchizedech who was both king and priest Now then as they commit sacriledge against Christ that presume to offer him vp an vnbloody sacrifice to God the father to make peace and attonement betweene God and man so they adde another iniquity as drunkennesse to thirst making their oblation not onely profitable to take away the sinnes of the liuing but auaileable to clense the sinnes of the deade that are come to the ende of theyr daies Indeede we deny not but the Masse may be beneficiall to the rabble of Friers and sacrificing Priestes that make it gainefull to themselues who through their sale and merchandize of Masses dwell stately goe sumptuously fare delicately drinke wine in siluer and gold abound in pleasures and heape vp great aboundaunce of all riches shall we not now say the Masse is profitable But other profit of the Masses then these to the Masse-mungers we know none We know we find we feelethem otherwise many waies pernicious in themselues dishonourable to God and hurtfull to the people For first the Sacrament was instituted to no such end and purpose as to helpe the deade and to be a propitiation for their sinnes For Christ sayde take and eat this is my body drinke ye this is my blood but the deade cannot take any thing offered vnto them they can neither eate nor drinke wherefore this supper being spirituall meat and nourishment for the soule cannot auaile the deade who are neither fed nor nourished Secondly it profiteth as much to be baptized for the dead as to receiue the Supper of the Lorde for the deade for both Sacraments were instituted of Christ and there is the same respect of both But it can doe no good to baptize one for another the liuing for the dead therefore the living comming to receiue the Sacrament of the Supper cannot releeue the dead Thirdly there is no forgiuenesse of sinnes after this life we haue forgiuenes in this life or neuer Whatsoeuer is bounde on earth is bound in heauen Heere is the time heere is the place heere is the occasion offered to worke as the wiseman teacheth Ec 9 All that thine hand shall find to do do it with all thy power for there is neither worke nor inuention nor knowledge nor wisedome in the graue whither thou goest And Heb 3. To day if ye wil heare his voice harden not your harts Wherfore then is a sacrifice offred for the dead for whom there is no releefe no redresse no remission Fourthly it is vaine to offer for those that haue ended their daies and are already come to the ende of their race whose estate can neuer be changed The night commeth when no man can worke and Chapt 11 Are there not twelue houres in the day if a man walke in the day he stumbleth not because he seeth the light of this world If a man walke in the night he stumbleth because there is no light in him And Paule 2 Tim 4. I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my race I haue kept the faith from henceforth is laid vp for 〈◊〉 the crowne of righteousnes But this is the state of all the dead they are entred into iudgment they are not subiect to any chang Lastly if the sacrifice of the Masse could wash away the sinnes of the dead then the sacrifice of the Masse should surmount and exceede the sacrifice offered by christ himselfe vpon the Crosse. For this helpeth the liuing it auaileth not the dead and so we should haue other meanes to take away sinne then his oblation and there should be another propitiation for the sinnes of the world And thus much of the popish idoll of the blasphemous masse Furthermore did Christ deliuer his last Supper to all his Disciples that were present Did none stand by and gaze on while other receiued Then heereby fall to the ground the priuate communions of the popish Church where al is deuoured by the priest nothing deliuered to the people For whereas the ordinance of Christ and ancient order of the church was for the minister and people to receiue the Sacrament together among them the priest accompanied with his boy to make answer receiueth the sacrament himselfe alone without distribution made to others yea although the whole congregation be present and looke vpon him whereby God is dishonoured the communion is abolished the people of God are there by depryued and robbed of al comfort How is this a feast which the priest prepareth for himselfe not for others receiueth by himselfe not with his bretheren he speaketh to himselfe and not to the assembly he vseth a strange tongue and no man knoweth what he meaneth the people is
chew not the cud they should haue sinned because it was not sanctified and therefore albeit they had prayed for a blessing all the day longe and giuen thankes neuer so much yet could it not make their practise lawfull which the word of God had made vnlawfull Or if they had offered a cleane and holy sacrifice and not made humble and earnest prayers to God to accept them and their oblations it could not haue due effect but the worde of God had beene hindred by their vnworthynesse So in the administration of the Lordes sacred Supper we vse the word of God which warranteth vs to take the bread and Wine out of this word wee alledge the promises of God to the true beleeuer and heerevnto wee ioyne prayers and thankesgiuing that God would 〈◊〉 vs and 〈◊〉 vs in the participation of his owne ordinance Thus albeit we haue no forged transubstantiation wee haue a true consecration if the word of God and prayer of the church can worke it which are the meanes left vnto vs for this purpose if wee be any way deceiued it is the Scripture which hath deceiued vs. It remaineth now to marke the vses of this point for our farther instruction If by vsing the whole 〈◊〉 of Christ according to his commaundement we confesse a change and conuersion wrought in the vse of the signes then we are falsely charged and slandered to haue no consecration We pronounce the same wordes of consecration that christ pronounced we obserue the same thinges that christ obserued and charged vs to do we shew forth plainly the death of Christ as it he were described in our sight and among vs crucified we speak openly in a known tongue and the people vnderstand vs we pray vnto God to accept vs and render him thankes for the worke of our redemption lastly we take the outward elementes and ioyne the word vnto them and thus they are made to vs a sacrament Nay if to offer vp to God our selues our soules our bodies our almes for the poore our prayers and thanksgiuinges vnto God the father for our redemption be an oblatiou and a sacrifice We haue both a Sacrament and a sacrifice in our Churchés though we offer not vp Christs body to be a propitiatory sacrifice for the quicke and dead vnto his father We offer vp as much as Christ commaunded vs to offer but that sacrifice was once offered vp vpon the Crosse he wasthe priest hee was the altar he was the sacrifice there is no other sacrifice left to be offered for sinne and he which presumeth to offer him againe is an enemy to the Crosse of Christ treadeth the sonne of God vnder his foote counteth the blood of the new Testament vnholy and hath renounced saluation by Iesus Christ. Now if we cleaning precisely to the institution of Christ doe not consecrate what may be thought of the Popish priestes who whisper their wordes closely that no man heareth vse a strange tongue that no man vnderstandeth bring in pryuate Masses whereat none communicate deliuer dry Communions wherein no man drinketh exhorte no man speake to no man and if they doe consecrate they consecrate onelye for themselues and not for others Wherefore we detest the opprobrious and blasphemous speaches of the prophane pistes who in the spirit of Shemei and of Kahshaketh raile falsely vilely and slanderously against our communions affirming that they are no other then common bread and wine without grace without vertue without sanctification bare signes of Christ absent no better then our common breakfasts dinners and suppers Thus they speak basely proudly and scornefully of our communions but all the world knoweth they speake vntruely We hold an effectuall consecration in both the sacramentes though we deny a reall conuersion into the body and blood of Christ the water in baptisme is no more common water it is not void of a spirituall effect it is not without grace and sanctification So the bread and wine are changed not from one substance into another but from one vse to another not in themselues but to vs not in their owne nature but in their end and thus they are not the same they were before Againe are these signes sanctified and consecrated that are deliuered and receiued then heereby wee learne what is to be thought of the remnants and leauings remaining after the Lordes Supper For who seeth not heereby that the bread and wine of the holy vse and lawfull participation appointed are not a Sacrament They differ nothing from common bread and wine sold in other places and taken in our houses Therfore among diuerse the remainder was accustomably vsed to be burned among some it was giuen to little children that were in the schooles among others they did eate in the common assembly at their feastes of loue so that out of the sacred vse of the Sacrament they did eate it as common bread they did drinke it as common wine We see in baptisme the water remaining and not vsed is no part of the Sacrament but may be applyed to common vses So it is in the Lords Supper for the Sacramentes of the new testament are alike and of the same worthinesse no more is consecrated then is receiued and applied This also is euident by the rock in the wildernesse where the waters flowing from thence represented the blood of Christ to the Isralites that dranke thereof not to the beastes and cattell that were 〈◊〉 by it So much was consecrated water as they receiued not all the rest So when Iohn baptized in Iordan not all the Rvuer but all that which was applyed was sanctified So when he baptized in Enon because there was much water 〈◊〉 not the whole streame was hallowed but so much as he vsed Wherefore whatsoeuer remaineth after the celebration of the sacraments may be 〈◊〉 lawful y to common and ordinary vses Moreouer if the sanctification of euery creature whether in the sacraments or out of the sacramentes be by the word and prayer as appeareth by the Apostle it teacheth a profitable instruction namely that no creature of God is to be receiued no gift to be vsed no blessing to be enioyed tending to the health of the body or comfort of the soule without this duty of prayer and thankesgiuing to the Lord. Indeede euery creature of God in it seife is good and euery gift is holy yet if we partake them without praysing the name of the giuer and creator to vs they become vnholy vncleane and vnpure Now if this be needefull in vsing the common creatures and guiftes of God much more is it necessary in receiuing these pledges and 〈◊〉 of feeding our soules to eternall life Beholde heere the cause that moued Christ when he had taken the bread to giue thanks to his father wherin he sheweth what belongeth to the duty of the minister and of the communicantes to wit that we ought to lift vp our hearts to God
testament and the new they had sundry significant signes and Ceremonies whose interpretation was not easily knowne vnto them Thirdly seeing God hath giuen vnto vs two signes and added two seals to his word and writings we ought to haue the stronger faith in his mircyfull promises For wherefore hath he doubled the signes but that wee should encrease in faith and as it were double our assurance of his graces Lastly this number of two ouerthroweth the number of seauen sacramentes maintained in the church of Rome which iust number was first broched by Peter Lumbard afterwarde ratysied in the Counsell of Florence and lastlye established in the Counsell of Trent and is now become the common doctrine of that counterfect church For besides baptisme and the Lords supper which wee receiue they haue instaled into the number of sacraments Confirmation Penance Matrimony Orders and extreame Vnction contrary to the doctrine of the scriptures contrary to the nature of Sacramentes and contrary to the euidence of sundry reasons And firist of all confirmation cannot bee lifted vppe into the seate of the Sacramentes or sit downe in this Chaire of honour because it wanteth the institution of Christ it wanteth an outward signe it hath no word to warrant it or promise of blessing for howsoeuer the Apostles by imposition of hands gaue the holy ghost those miraculous gifts are now withdrawne from the church of God Lastly they haue aduanced it aboue baptisme they administer it in a strange tongue and halow the greazy oyle to purifie soule and body Secondly their popish penance instituted by bodily chastisements to make satisfaction for sinne to God is no sacrament of the new testament nor any sacred thing being thus vnderstood For we acknowledge no other satifaction for sinne wherein God delighteth and the conscience of man 〈◊〉 but only the death and obedience of christ Besides true repentance hath beene preached and practised from the beginning of the world after that sinne entred into the world Furthermore their penance hath no visible signe as baptisme and the supper of the Lord haue Thirdly matrimony albeit it be a diuine ordinance honourable among all estates yet can be no Sacrament of the church of christ because it was instituted before the law it is ratified among the infidels which are no members of the church it hath no promise of grace and saluation ioyned to it and albeit it be honorable in all yet it is not necessary in all Lastly the Roman church esteemeth it as an vnclean thing a prophanation of holy orders a liuing in the flesh so that as with one hand they aduance it to a great dignity with the other hand they cast it downe with great disgrace and contempt as vnworthy of the high and holy priesthood Fourthly orders come in the next place which are the offices and ministry of the church but no sacrament or sacraments of the church For then according to the number of orders we should multiply the number of sacraments Neither haue they any outward element and visible signe Lastly we are come to extream vnction which we suffer not to maske vnder the name of sacraments but pul off the vizard thereof because the church had the vse of anoynting so long as it retained the miraculous gift of healing Besides it hath no word ofinstitution to warrant the continual practise of it vntill the second comming of christ Wherefore seeing the word of God teacheth the number of two sacraments onely and the church of Rome instructeth her children in the number of 7. sacraments neither moe nor lesse they must pardon vs if we harken rather to the scriptures then to their traditions rather to God then to man rather to the truth then to the spirit of error Hitherto we haue spoken of the Sacramentes in generall of their parts their vses their number now we come to speake of them in particular first of baptisme then of the Lords supper And howsoeuer baptisme hath sundry significations yet as it signifieth that washing with water which serueth to seale the couenant of the new testament it is the first sacrament wherein by the outward washing of the body with water once in the name of the father of the son and of the holy ghost the inward clensing of the soule by the blood of christ is represented This descrption teacheth that such as are not yet baptized are not to be admitted to the lords table that albeit dipping be not necessary to the being of baptisme yet washing with water is of the essence of this sacrament that such as are once baptized are not to be rebaptized albeit they haue beene baptized by heretickes and that whosoeuer is baptized hath made a solemne couenant to professe the Christian religion Now q wee are to consider in Baptisme as wee did before generally in a Sacrament these two thinges his partes and his vses The partes of baptisme are outward and inward The outward partes are these foure The first outward part is the Minister as the Messenger of God For baptisme is a part of the Minystry and God hath ioyned the ministry of the word sacraments togither Wherfore the minister must be carefull and not carelesse in the execution of his osfice who is to sanctifie the Water and to wash the party Moreouer the people are directed to whom to resort when they haue children to be baptized Lastly the Church of Rome prophane baptisme when they appoint mid-wiues and priuate persons to baptize children The second outward part is the word of institution which is as the forme of this sacrament The third part is the element of water which is the matter whereof baptisme consisteth Whosoeuer therefore baptiseth with any other liquorthen with water as with blood with sand with snow with milk or such like matter doth frustrate Baptisme and maketh it an idell ceremony Againe all Popish corruptions added and annexed to this sacrament contrary to the simplicity of the gospel as creame crosses censors tapers spettle salt and such like vnsauory trumpery are 〈◊〉 hauing also a superstitious opinion of holinesse and worship ioyned with them Also if water be an outward part the want of washing with water cannot hinder the saluation of such as dye without baptisme All perished not vnder the law that died without circumcision God is not more rigorous vnder the Gospell This therefore is a bloody and discomfortable doctrine to be abandoned and abiured of all parents of all childeren of all Christians The fourth outward parte of baptisme is the body that is washed Novv such as are to be baptized must be within the Couenant these are eyther men and Women of riper yeares or else the infantes of such vvho haue interest in Baptisme as vvell as their parentes This condemneth the Romyshe practise of baptizing bels and serueth to set forth the great loue of God to all
hath authority to seal the charter pardon in whose iurisdiction it is to grant it so likewise God giueth the pledges and tokens of his grace which sheadeth the graces of the spirit into our harts Wherefore the reuerent Sacraments of the Church none can institute by his authority but onely God and hence it is that the signes haue the names of the things signified None but Christ himselfe could say of the bread This is my body none but he could say of the cup This cup is the new testament in my blood none but he breathing on his Apostles could say Receiue the holy ghost none but he could make the water in Baptisme to be the lauer of regeneration Let vs see what good and profitable vses arise from this doctrine First if the Sacramentes be the ordinances of God then they depend not one the worthynesse or vnworthynesse fitnesse or vnfitnesse vices or vertues of the minister but al the efficacy and force hangeth on the holy institution of Christ Iesus The ministers impiety wickednes maketh not a nullity of the Sacrament neither hindreth the fruite of the worthy receiuer no more then the piety and godlynesse of a faithfull minister can profit an vnworthy receiuer Indeede the Church must indeuour that the ministers thereof may be holy and vnblamable according to the apostles rule but we must not mesure the profit of the receiuer by the person of the minister If a theefe doe steale a sack of corne we see if he sow it it groweth vp and bringeth forth increase because the fault resteth not in the seede which is good but in the sower which is euill so doth the Sacrament profit the faithfull howsoeuer he be vnfaithfull that doth administer it We see if the seede-man haue foule filthy and vncleane hands that soweth yet if the seede be cleane sweete and faire it prospereth so the holy things of God cannot be defiled by the corrupt and sinful life of the minister who deliuereth nothing of his owne but dispenseth the ordinances of God Thus we see that whether the minister be good or euill Godly or without Godlynesse an heretike or a Catholike an Idolater or a true worshipper of God the effect is all one the worthinesse of the Sacrament dependeth not on man but proceedeth from God and therefore all such as contemne the Sacraments of God for the Sacraledge of man shall beare their condemnation whosoeuer they are The two sonnes of Eli Hophni and Phinehas were exceeding sinners against the Lord yet because the people of Israell abhorted the sacrifices of God and trode his worship vnder their feete the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the whole land and hee denounced such Iudgement to come vpon them as whosoeuer shall heare thereof both his eares should tingle So then the offence of the Priest was no defence of the people but as the Priests gaue the offence and the people tooke it so God bound them together in the same Iudgement So we must know God will not beare the contempt of his ordinances vnder any pretence whatsoeuer of the ministers wickednesse and vnworthynesse if his hand be corrupt let thy heart be vncorrupt though his sinnes be his owne yet the Sacramentes be gods he may minister comfort to thee though he bring none to himselfe as the workmen that builded the Arke prepared a meanes to saue other but were drowned themselues or as the belles though they moue not thēselues yet serue to bring others to the exercises of religion or as the Scribes that pointed the way to the wise-men but themselues vonchsafed not to step out of doores to enquire after Christ. The eares of corn do carry the corne with the chaffe to be purged and clensed in the barne though the chaffe be vnprofitable yet it profiteth the corne as the Lanterne holdeth the candle to giue light vnto others that are the passengers This appeareth by the words of Christ our sauiour Math. 23. The Scribes and Pharises sit in Moises seate all therefore whatsoeuer they bid you obserue that obserue and doe but after their workes do not for they say and do not Albeit then the Scripture condemneth such as giue offences yet such as take offence are not thereby iustified let vs magnifie the ordinances of God and then we may expect a blessing at his hands This is that which the Apostle teacheth 1 Cor. 3. I haue planted Apollos watered but God gaue the increase So then neither is he that planteth any thinge neither he that watreth but God that giueth the increase Secondly is God the true and onely author and appointer of Sacramentes Then none must adde vnto or take from the Sacramentes instituted by him in the Church no more then vnto the worde it selfe Deut 4. Ye shall put nothing to the worde which I commaund you neither shall ye take ought there from that ye may keepe the commandements of the Lord your God which I commaund you And Reuel 22. 18. 19. If any man shall adde vnto these thinges God shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this booke and if any man shall diminish of the wordes of the booke of this prophesie God shall take away his part out of the booke of life If the Sacraments were the inuentions of men they might also fitly receiue the additions and subtractions of men but seeing they are the ordinances of God we must be content to haue them ordered by God All Ceremonies therefore and rites 〈◊〉 by men as parts of gods worship are so many abominations and innouations of his seruice As God onely can gratiously promise so hee can onely effectually performe what hee hath promised Wherefore we must condemne those as guilty of rebellion against God that bouldly breake out either to deuise new Sacramentes or to adde and detract from them that God hath ordained Wee are commaunded to rest in those that he hath appointed to the Church in his worde for as well wee may deuise a new word as deliuer a new Sacrament Thirdly wee learne heereby that they which condemne the Sacramentes and will not suffer them to be of any force with themselues and making small account of them doe esteeme them as 〈◊〉 or otherwise abuse them contrary to the institution will and commaundement of Christ all these do grieuously sinne not against man but against the author of them that is God who hath ordained them and greatly indanger their owne saluation as 1. Cor 11. He that eateth and drinketh vnworthilye eateth and drinketh his owne iudgement becavse he discerneth not the Lords body If a man contemne or any way contumeliously abuse the seale of a Prince he is punished and therefore such as scorne and make a mock of the Sacraments which are the seales of god cannot go scot-free but shall be indighted of high treason against his maiesty The last point to be considedered in the discrption of a sacrament
the sauor of death to death therfore also the Sacraments of themselus do not confer and bestow grace hauing it tyed vnto them or shut vp in them For if the Sacraments did actually and effectually giue grace by inherent power and vertue in themselues it would follow from hence that euery person baptized is certainely saued and hath his sinnes remitted or else that his sinnes remitted may returne and remaine and be againe imputed But when God gratiously pardoneth sin he remembreth it no more Againe we see Abraham was not iustified by his circumcision he was iustified by his faith for Abraham beleeued god and it was imputed to him for righteousnes and afterward he receiued circumcision to be the signe and seale of his iustification Not withstanding the Sacraments may be saide to confer the grace of regeneration and remission of sins as they are instrumentes vsed of God and as they are pledges and tokens to vs. They are means to offer and exhibit to the beleeuer Christ with all his benefits wherby the conscience is assured of comfort and saluation as the Princes letters are said to saue the life of a malefactor wheras they only signifie to him and others that it is the princes pleasure to shew fauor Again they may not fitly be said to giue vs grace because the signe exhibiteth the thing signified the outward washing of the body is a pledg token of the grace of god so that whosoeuer vseth the sign aright shall receiue forgiuenes and life euerlasting Chap. 3. That the parts of a Sacrament are partly outward and partly inward WE haue seene what a Sacrament is nowe wee are to consider in it two things first his parts then his vses for in handlinge these two pointes wee shall see what is the nature of a sacrament The partes of sacrament 〈◊〉 are of two sortes some outwarde open sencible earthly visible and signifying some are inward hidden spirituall heauenly inuisible and signified For the nature of a Sacrament is partely earthly and partly heauenly If we had been wholly a spirit without body he would giue vs his gifts 〈◊〉 without a body but seeing we are soule and body he giueth v his Sacraments that so we may apprehend 〈◊〉 gifts by sensible things The outward part is one thing 〈◊〉 the inward part is another thing the outward is applyed to the body the inward is applyed to the soule conscience This diuision and 〈◊〉 on of parts appeareth plainely He is not a Iew which is one outward neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Iew which is one within and the circumcision is of the hart in the spirit not in the letter where we see he maketh circumcision to stand of 2. parts part in the flesh and part in the heart partly in the spirit and partly in the letter Heereunto commeth that saying 〈◊〉 are circumcised with circumcision made without hands so that there is a circumcision without and there is an other within by the virtue of Christ. The same we may say of Baptisme there is a baptizing of the body and there is a baptizing of the soule the body is washed with water the soule is clensed by the precious blood of our sauiour Christ which is the hidden and misticall part of the Sacrament This appeareth by many examples recorded in Scripture Simon the sorcerer though 〈◊〉 were baptized with water yet his hart was not right in the sight of God he remained in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity so that albeit hee were baptized yet he was not regenerated The 〈◊〉 were 〈◊〉 of the outward signes not of the 〈◊〉 grace They were all baptized vnto Moyses in that cloud and in that sea they did 〈◊〉 the same spirituall meate they all drank the same spirituall drinke yet with many of them God was not pleased The 〈◊〉 may be saide of Iudas one of the 〈◊〉 he did eate the Paschall lambe as well as the rest of the Apostles but he did not eate Christ who is the 〈◊〉 filed and without spot is the other did This is that also which Iohn the Baptist teacheth Indeede I baptize you with water to amendment of life but he that commeth after me is mightier then I whoseshooes I am not worthy to beare he shall baptize you with the holy ghost and with fire where as the 〈◊〉 maketh two baptizers himfelfe and Christ so he 〈◊〉 their actions his own to wash with water and the action of Christ to wash with the holy ghost Neither neede we to seeke farre for reason to perswade any to beleeue this truth that the nature of a sacrament is neither wholly outward nor wholly inward but taketh part of 〈◊〉 seeing nothing can be a signe of itselfe but a signe is a signe of an other thing and seeing they are mysteries they haue an hidden meaning and spirituall vnderstanding If the 〈◊〉 in Baptisme had not grace annexed vnto it it could not be a mistery We see the signe we see not the grace which is inuisible Now let vs come to the vses These parts though distinguished really one 〈◊〉 another that the outward parts cannot be the inward the earthly cannot be the heauenly the seale cannot be the thing sealed the token cannot be the thing betokened nor contrarywise for this were to alter nature and to mingle heauen and earth together yet in respect of the propoition betweene the signe and the thing signified and of the coniunction of them to the faithful which receiu both the one thother one part is affirmed of the other For we must vnderstand that the Scriptur in regard of this vnion speketh of the Sacraments two waies to wit properly and figuratiuely Properly 〈◊〉 that which belongeth to the signe is given to the signe and when the thinge 〈◊〉 is giuen and applyed to the thing itselfe and thus each part hath his owne as Circumcision is called the signe of the couenant And the blood of the lambe is called a signe these are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proper speaches and without figure Againe vvhen 〈◊〉 saith My body which is giuen for you my blood 〈◊〉 which is shed for many for remission of sinnes vve must vnderstand the words literally as they lye figuratiuely vvhen the signe is giuen to the thing signified and called by the name of it as Christ is called the Passeouer and the lambe of God his flesh is also saide to be meate indeede and his blood drinke indeede the holy spirit is called water or else the name of the thing signified is giuen to the signe as bread is called the body of Christ the cup is called the new Testament These speaches must be taken figuratiuely and vnderstood by a chang of name according to the intention and meaning of the Holy-ghost so that wee must beware that we do not take or mistake
condemneth those that speake euill of men as too precise too nise too pure for their profession because they run not into the same excesse of ryot with others These are not too precise but such as scoffe at al profession are too prophane It is good to be earnest in the matters of god prouided that our zeale be tempered with discretion and all Newtets be odious to God as it is said to the Church of the Laodiceans I knowe thy workes that thou art neither cold nor hot I woulde thou werest colde or hotte therefore because thou art Luke warme and neither colde nor hot it shall come to passe that I shall spew thee out of my mouth Wherefore let vs not be discouraged in wel-doing but walking through good report and euill report let vs remember that as christ is our Lord and master so our profession and the sacraments are our badges Lastly we see what our estate and condition is that we are not our owne but are subiect to Christ to serue him For we do beare his badge then he is our maister If he bee our Maister where is the feare and reuerence due vnto him Is it not meet we shoulde shewe our selues thankefull for so great mercies and gifts Were it not intollerable vnthankefulnes and vnsufferable pride for any man to wear the cognizance of another and yet to scorne his seruice and deny him duty Might not one worthily check and controul him as Christ did the 〈◊〉 who vnwillingly paid such taxes and tributes as were laid vpon them Hee called for a penny said unto them Whose image and superscription is this They said vnto him Caesars He ansuered Giue therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesars and giue to God the thinges that are Gods So likewise might one say fitly whose badge wearest thou whose Armes bearest thou on thysleeue Doth not this put thee in mind of thy state and condition and of the seruice and honor thou owest thy Maister In like manner may it be said to vs whose badge bearest thou Is it not Christes we are not therefore our owne men as the Apostle reasoneth and concludeth 1. Cor. 6. Know yee not that your bodie is the temple of the Holy-ghost which is in you whome ye haue of God and ye are not your owne For you are bought with a price therfore glorifie God in your body in your spirit for they are Gods So many therefore as come without knowledge and true repentance break their faith giuen to Christ and betray the body of christ as much as in them lyeth Wherefore to the right vse and partaking of the sacraments there is required the knowledge of god in three persons especialy of the persō of christ perfect God and perfect man and of his three offices to saue his people to be their Priest perfectly by his sacrifice to reconcile and iustifie them to be their king by the gouernement of his church to kill sin in them to sanctifie them to be their teacher to instruct them in the wil of his heauēly father After these is required true faith and earnest repentance otherwise we cannot receiue christ in the sacraments Put food into the mouth of a dead man it cannot nourish him so if one that is vnworthy and vnfit lying dead rotting in his sin do come to the sacramēts certainly they do not giue him life and worthines but such a one doth lade himselfe with a greater burden of sin and punishment Whosoeuer shall eat this bread and drinke the cup of the Lord vnworthily shall be guiltie of the bodie and blood of the Lorde he eateth and drinketh his 〈◊〉 iudgement because he discerneth not the Lords bodie Chap 16. Of the number of Sacraments HItherto we haue spoken of the chiefe vses of the sacraments now we are come to speake of the number of sacraments according as we take the name and haue declared the nature of them Let vs see then howe manie such visible signes and seales of spirituall grace in the new testament were iustituted of God to set forth the benefits of christ for the continuall vse of the church Many liue in the bosom of the church hear the word come to publick praier take themselus to be goodly christians offer themselues to the lordes table and are made partakers of the Sacrament who yet are ignorant how many sacraments ther are what they are None almost so simple but can number his sheep and cattel he knoweth their marks he knoweth their differences but aske him how many commaundements of the law how many Articles of faith how many petitions of the Lords prayer or how many Sacraments of the New Testament he can answere nothing Such haue their wits wholly exercised on the world and on wordly things which iustle out religion the knoledge of heauenly things If we haue eares to heare let vs heare what is the faith os the Church in this point grounded vpon the infallible rule and rocke of the word of God The sacraments of the church ordained by Christ to assure our communion with him are onely two baptisme whereby we are receiued into the couenant of God in steed of circumcision and the Lordes supper whereby we are nourished maintained and retained therein insteed of the Passeouer For albeit the couenant be but one yet the seales there of are two to assure vs that by vnion with Christ we are regenerated and shall be nourished to eternall life He hath deliuered vs a few sacraments insteade of many he coulde haue instituted moe if he had thought it good for the benefit of the Church These are as it were the two eies wherby we see and behold the promises of God These are as the two hands whereby we after a sort do handle Christ crucified and lay hold on the graces of saluation Christ hath appointed no mo sacraments he hath laide on vs an easie yoke and a light burden That these two are the onely sacraments of the new testament may appear by these few reasons following First christ taught no more to his Apostles the Apostles deliuered no mo to the churches the churches embraced no moe for many yeares When the Lord Iesus liued on the earth he instituted baptisme by the ministery of Iohn baptist who as he was sent to prepare the harts of the people so he preached the baptisme of repentance Afterward the Lord Iesus established it with his owne mouth in the commission giuen to his disciples he appointed and himself first administred his last supper in remembrance of his deth vntil his 2. comming againe with power and great glory These two true sacraments of the church to wit baptisme and the lords supper were instituted and warranted by the mouth of christ himselfe and none other beside these These we receiue because christ ordained them other we receiue not because he ordained them not Secondly the Apostle Paule admonisheth the
hath my mother conceiued mee And psal 38. There is nothing sound in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there rest in my bones because of my sinne for mine iniquities are gone ouer mine head and as a weighty burden they are too heauy for me This practise we see also in Daniell in Nehemia in Ezra in Manasses and in many others We mooue them to labour to be at one with God to be reconciled to their brethren and to remember the poore Especially we stirre them vp to prayer in regard of their present necessities and of the mercifull promises of God resting themselues on the perfect and all-sufficient sacrifice of Christ. Gratious and precious are the promises that God hath made to al that come to the throne of his mercy as p. al. 145. The Lorde is neere to all that call vpon him yea to all that call vpon him in truth he will fulfill the desire of them that feare him he will also heare their cry and wil saue them And psal 50. Call vpon me in the daye of trouble so wil I deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me And our sauiour Math 7. Aske and it shall be giuen you seeke and ye shall find knocke and it shal be opened vnto you for whosoeuer asketh receiueth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shal be opened So the Apo. Iames. The praier of faith shal saue the sicke and the Lorde shall raise him vp and if he haue committed sinnes they shall bee forgiuen him acknowledge your faults one to another that ye may be healed for the praier of a righteous man auaileth much if it be feruent Now when they are sufficiently humbled for their sinnes wee moue them to hunger and thirst after the merits of Christ who of God is made vnto vs wisedome righteousnes sanctification and redemption We alledge vnto them these and such like comfortable places of Scripture Come vnto me all ye that are wearie and heauie laden and I will ease yon This is a a true saying and by all meanes woorthy to be receiued that Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners of whom I am chiefe These things write I vnto you that ye sinne not if any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the iust whose blood clenseth vs from all sinne he is the 〈◊〉 for our sinnes and not for ours onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world He is euermore about those that are his he maketh their bed in all their sicknesse his left hand vnder their heads and with his right hand he doth imbrace them so that whether they liue they liue vnto the Lord or whether they die they dye vnto the Lord whether they liue or dye they are the Lords This is true happines Furthermore we raise them vp with sweet comforts and consolations of the word of god against alterror and feare of death Death is swallowed vp in victory ô death where is thy sting ô graue where is thy victory The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the law but thankes be vnto God which hath giuen vs victory through our Lord Iesus Christ. And Rom. 8. Ther is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels principalities powers nor things present nor things to come neither any creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Christ is to vs aduantage whether in life or in death Such as beleeue in him yea though they were dead shall liue Death is to vs as a sleepe and the graue as a bed of rest A crowne of righteousnesse is laid vp for vs which the righteous iudge shall giue vnto vs so that an euill death can neuer follow where a good life hath gone before forasmuch as he cannot possible die ill who hath liued wel Death indeede is a Scorpion or serpent but his sting is pulled out he may wel hisse but he cannot hurt he may wel threaten but he cannot destroy for Christ hath quelled and conquered him Now to put away the griefe and tediousnes of sicknes we wil and wish them to meditate on the things they haue heard and learned by the ministry of the word from time to time in their health to consider with themselues how God sometimes suffereth the wicked to prosper for a time and florish like a greene bay tree and how he punisheth them in the 〈◊〉 wrath and iudgement for them how he blesseth or correcteth his children in this life how he hath prepared eternall torments for the wicked and vnspeakeable glory for the Godly but aboue all the workes of God we teach them deepely to thinke vpon the glorious and gratious work of our redemption wherein the infinite mercy and iustice of God do meete together and kisse each other taking delight and comfort therein withall thanksgiuing Wherefore we perswade them to beare the paines and griefes of sicknes with patience constant perseuerance because all sicknes is Gods hand who being the god of the spirits of al flesh killeth maketh aliue bringeth down to the graue and raiseth vp again There by we are indeed chastened for our sins but they are nothing in comparison of that anguish and agony which Christ suffered for vs neither are they worthy of the exceeding glory which shal be shewed vnto vs. God hath predestinated vs to be like the image of his son so that the deeper we sinke downe in sorrowes the more perfectly we resemble christ it is the great mercy of God we are not vtterly consumed and that his louing kindnes is not at an end toward vs. The sicknes of the body is physick for the soule for the striking of the one is the healing of the other by the Crosse wee must enter the kingdome of heauen and learne to loath the pleasures and profits of this present life If they fall to dispaire and doubting of Gods fauour and loue toward them in Christ we labour to strengthen the weake and bind vp the broken hearted we are ready to leaue ninety and nine in the wildernes and seeke that lost one We bring them to God that hath striken them and made the wound considering that the sonne of man is come To seeke and to saue that which is lost God is mercifull and his mercy endureth for euer hee desireth not the death of a sinner but that hee turne vnto him His mercy is ouer all the workes of his hands it is like the Ocean-sea wher no bottom can be found or founded It is the expresse commaundement of God that we should beleeue in Christ who hath tryumphed gloriously against sinne against Satan against hel against death against damnation against desperation The promises of the
in baptizing againe or being baptized againe And ch 19. 4. 5. the disciples which were baptized and had not receiued the gifts of the Holy-ghost Paule instructed further in the doctrine of Christ and doth not rebaptize them but laieth his hands vpon them and they receiue the visible gifts of the holy ghost The reason is plain against rebaptization because it signifieth and sealeth vp our once being born again our once setting and setling into the body of christ and our spiritual mariage once with him who is the spirituall husband of his Church Wherby we see that such as haue beene baptized by heretikers or other wicked ministers are not to be rebaptized It came in place of circumcision but none wer twice circumcised therfore none to be twice baptized Again it is a Sacra that representeth our spiritual incorporatiō into the church but it is sufficiēt once to be ingrasted cōsequently sufficient haue it once administred This error of rebaptizing arose vpon a corrupt vnderstanding and interpretation of the place Act. 19. When they heard it they were baptized in the name of the Lord Iesus The difficulty of this place is taken away if wee consider they be the words of Paule continuing his speech of Iohns baptisme not of Luke declaring what Paule did But of this place we shall haue better and fitter occasion to speake farther in the chapter following where it is at large expounded Furthermore if baptisme be administred once for euer it sheweth that he which commeth to Christ once truely and indeed shall neuer be cast away whom Christ Iesus loueth once he loueth for euer because his graces and giftes are without repentance What shall seperate vs from Christ when we are by his working adioyned vnto him Wherefore this outwarde washing being not often repeated but once onely vsed doth effectually seale vp our once ioyning to God who hath made an euer lasting couenant with vs he shall neuer turne away from vs to do vs good we shall bee his people and he will be our God for euer Indeede if we could cleane fall away from the grace of God we shoulde haue another regeneration and another baptizing to be the seale thereof but because we are built vpon the brazen pillar of Gods election the gates of hell shall not preualle against vs for this foundation remaineth sure and hath this seale The Lord knoweth who are his This appeareth in Dauid Psal. 51. He desireth to haue a cleane hart be prayeth that the holy spirit be not taken from him thereby declaring that the spirit was within him and that hee had a sensible feeling thereof howsoeuer the flesh for a season had gotten the vpperhande Heere then is a great comfort sealed to all Christians in all tentations against al the tetrours and feares of conscience where with they are ready to be swalowed vp and ouerwhelmed This must strengthen and stay vs vp that although we may fall greevously yet we shall not fall finally from the state of grace He that is once a sound and liuely member of Christ can neuer be wholly cut off True it is sinne may lesson our coniunction and weaken our comunion with christ but if we be truely in him the band shall neuer be dissolued we shall neuer be wholly seuered and fall from him as 1 10. 2. They went out from vs but they wer not of vs for if they had bin of vs they should haue continued with vs but this commeth to passe that it might appeare that they are not all of vs. Now if any man by falling into sinne were totally seperated from Christ for a time surely in his recouery and rising from sinne he were to be baptized the second time for baptisme is the Sacrament initiation and ingrafting into Christ and an vniuersall falling would require a new ingrafting But it were most absurd to say we should be as often baptized as we fall into sin and therefore howsoeuer Satan may buffet molest tempt and wound vs greeuously yet he can neuer ouermaister vs wholy and ouercome vs finally as the Apostle declareth 1 Ioh. 3. Whosoeuer is borne of God committeth not sinne for his seed remaineth in him neither can he sinne because he is borne of God This assurance of our standing for euer in the couenant is the roote of all courage and comfort in trials and tentations it helpeth vs to fight manfully against sinne it preserueth vs from securitie it nourisheth vs in good works it increaseth in vs a care to please god and lastly it confuteth the popish fancie of the forged sacrament of penance wherby they say a Christian being cleane fallen from grace is restored finding no comfort in his baptisme wheras the true beleeuer neuer falleth finally from faith neither needeth an outwarde seale to assure his pertaining to Gods fauour and loue Indeed euery christian that is fallen through infirmity must rise vp repent vnfainedly and shew foorth the fruites thereof yet the force and strength of his baptism is not lost the fruit and comfort thereof remaineth for euer and is extended as well to the time to come as to the time that is past So many therefore as asfirme that the faithfull in thoir falles haue remedie in penance but no comfort by their baptism do set vp themselues magnifieng their owne dreames and deuises aboue the holy ordinances of God The fourth part of the former description of Baptisme is the forme of baptizing into the name of the father of the son and of the Holi-ghost This teacheth that whosoeuer is baptized hath made a solemn promise to confesse and professe the Christian religion to be the seruaunt of Christ to fight his battelles vnder his banner against all the enemies of his faith and saluation against sinne against Satan against the world he hath vowed to renounce the workes of the flesh and to serue the true God So often then as we are present at the administration thereof we must consider the couenant into which wee are entred which we made in the presence of men and Angels which we are bound to keepe for euer Wherefore let vs learne daily to die vnto sin and follow a new life by the grace of sanctification Secondly this form of administration teacheth vs to assure our own harts of God protection and defence as a wife doth of her husbands tuition and preseruation of her from al daungers Let vs looke for life saluation gouernment and nourishment from him alone in Christ For as he calleth vs from the fellowship of Satan of sin and of the worldto haue felowship with himselfe so he promiseth to be our aide and defence in time of neede on whom we are in euery estate and condition to depend The last part of the description sheweth The inward clensing of the soule by the blood of Christ. This teacheth that they abuse baptism that in the outward work seeke remission of sins as though the force
confession of the aduersaries which is strong against themselues to whome we may say as Christ sometimes did to that sloathfull person Thou euill seruaunt out of thine own mouth wil I iudge thee These make three sorts of baptisme of water of blood of the spirit whereby they consesle that the want of baptising with water is not damnable in all seeing that want may be supplyed either with shedding of their blood for the testimony of the truth or by spiritual regeneration and ingrafting into the body of christ To conclude do we desire the custome and practise of the church It is well knowne that in Thessalia the sacrament of baptisme was celebrated but once in the yeare namely at Easter In other places thrice in the yeare and sometimes not vntill the houre of their death when they were going the way of al slesh Constantine the great was the first christian Emperour yet was he not baptised till the time of his death And Valentinianus a christian Emperor died without baptism yet doth Ambrose giue him his due commendation and doubted nothing of his saluation Shal we do these good men these worthy Emperors these godly christians this wronge as to thinke they were damned who were the chiefe pillers and protectors of the Catholick religion Or if the churches aboue mentioned had holden this hard opinion that the want of baptisme was a signe of reprobation would they haue deferred it in the houre of death whereby sometimes they were 〈◊〉 or administred it at certaine times onely of the yeare True it is that custome is not to be followed neither the negligence of those byshops to be allowed but it teacheth thus much that in de ferring baptism they differed in iudgement from the new church of Rome and concurred in opinion with the reformed churches for which causes their practise is aledged The reasons vsed to maintain the absolute necessity of this sacrament to saluation are weak and not worth the answering First they obiect the threatning annexed to circumcision The vncircumcised male shall be cut off from his people To this I answere first God commandeth infants to be circumcised the eight day before which time they were forbidden to circumcise Wherfore infants that dy before the 8. day were not bound and obliged by this law And seeing there can be no transgression where there is no law they are not damnd because they are vncircumcifed seeing god calleth many out of this life before they were capable of this sacrament Againe the commination and threatning is not to be vnderstoode generally of all but of such as are growne vp not of children but of men as appeareth by the reason For he hath broke my couenant This cannot be applied to infantes who albeit they haue not actuall faith yet cannot be said to contemne grace to refuse the couenant to reiect the promises or to lie in infidelity hardnes of hart Wherfore it belongeth vnto those onely that being grown vp and come to yeares shall approue the negligence of their parents and will not suffer themselues to be circumcised Now as to Peter saiyng Thou shalt neuer wash my feet Christ answered If I wash thee not thou hast no part in me so to the Israelite that should haue said I will neuer be circumcised this threatning might fitly be applyed If thou wilt not be circumcised thou hast no part in God no portion in his blessing no assurance of his promises in this life or of his kingdome in the life to come Lastly to be cut off from the people doth not signifie to be condemned for euen the negligence and contempt of the Sacrament is pardonable wher repentance followeth as we see of such as cam vnuerently and vnworthily to the Lordes supper among the Corinthians who were punished with diseases and death it selfe yet the soule no doubt was saued in the day of the Lord. Sometime therefore that phrase of speaking signifieth temporall iudgements of God on men and their families for their wickednes Sometimes it signifieth the magistrates iustice inflicted on malefactors who beareth not the sword in vain which is expounded afterward Thou shalt surely kill him Sometimes it signifyeth to bee cut off from the bosome of the church which is done by the high and dreadfull censure or excommunication Whosoeuer eateth leauened bread from the first day vntill the seuenth day that person shal be out off from Israell the interpretation of which wordes is added verse 19. That person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israell So the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 5. Hee which hath done this thing should be put from among you that is from your company and fellowship as verse 13. Put away from among your selues that wicked man Thus we are to vnderstande the threatning in this place that such as contemne circumcision either themselues or allow the same contempt and negligence of others shall no longer be reckoned and reputed among the people of God but be seperated from them Againe they obiect Iohn 3. Vnlesse a man be borne of water and the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God therefore say they it is necessary to saluation to be baptized This is the reason of Bellarmine and of others I answere first it is not necessary in this place by water to vnderstande materiall water but the grace of Christ purging and clensinge as water doth which interpretation may be gathred by conference of a like place Math 3 11. He shall baptise with the holy-ghost and with fire that is by the spirit of God which is as it were fire lightning our hearts with the knowledge of God inflaming them with his loue and purging them from euill affections So when we are said to be borne againe by water and the spirit he meaneth by the spirit shewing forth in vs the force power and property of Water as if hee should say we are borne of water which is the spirit as Ioh. 7 38 39. Again if it were ment of water in baptisme it must be vnderstood according to alike sentence Ioh. 6. Vnlesse you eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his blood ye shall not haue life in you which must be vnderstood of such as are of yeares and growne in age And thus Innocentius the 3. in the decrees expoundeth it so doth Peter Lumbard maister of the 〈◊〉 So then if they will be tryed either by their owne Pope which is their holy father or by Peter Lumbard which is their grand-maister this place cannot be enforced against infants that die before they bee baptised but must be referred to men of greater yeares We reason not thus farre to iustifie and alow the sluggishnesse and neglect of carelesse parents vnder colour and pretence of this that the saluation of the child dependeth not vpon the participation of the Sacrament but to shew that if it cannot be obtained
christ is a couenaunt wherin god promiseth his loue and 〈◊〉 for euer to come vpon all that beleeue in his son assuring them of remission of sinnes and eternall life requiring of them onely faith in him as Iohn 3. God so loued the worlde that be gaue his onely begotten sonne that such as beleeue in him should not perish but liue for euer Againe if this sacrament sealing vppe the new couenant between God and man haue the name and nature of a wil or testament then it serueth to condemne the church of Rome that adde and alter mingle and mangle this sacrament at their owne pleasure For the Apostle teacheth Gal 3 15 Though it be but a mans couenant yet when it is confirmed no man doth abrogate it or addeth any thing thereto And Heb 9. 14 Hee is the mediatour of the new Testament that through his death they which are called might receiue the promise of eternall inheritaunce for where a testament is there must be the death of the testator for the testament is cōfirmed when men are dead for it is yet of no force as long as he that made it is aliue If then the Testament of man may not be abrogated or altered much lesse the testament of God confirmed by the death of the mediator Notwithstanding such is the sacriledge and presumption of that Antichristian church that the idolatrous 〈◊〉 as a bottomlesse gulfe hath ouerturned and swallowed vp the Lordes Supper turning the Sacrament into a Sacrifice administring it in a strange tongue taking away the cup from the people of God making prayers for the deade bringing in their carnall presence 〈◊〉 a monstrous 〈◊〉 setting vp a new Priest-hood a new sacrifice a newe Altar and lastly feigning vses and ends thereof which CHRIST neuer appointed the Apostles neuer acknowledged the churches succeeding neuer confessed or practised Now Masses are mumbled in memory of the Saintes they are helde auaileable not onely for the liuing but for the deade they are iudged profitable against stormes and tempests they are thought a soueraigne remedy against euery sore and sicknes of the body heathfull and helpefull for such as are going to warre to couer their heades in the day of battell as a shielde of brasse and to preserue them from the sword of the enimy good against 〈◊〉 and sorceries and fit to be applied to make tryal and proof whether a man be guilty of the crime and accusation laide to his charge But what are all these strange vses but strange abuses yea strong fancies and delusions of the man of sin burying in perpetuall forgetfulnes the true endes for the which Christ Iesus ordained his last supper All these being pestilent corruptions of the sacrament of the supper and fraudulent additions to the last wil and testament of christ do lay open to the full the 〈◊〉 abhominations of the Church of Rome the mother of 〈◊〉 Lastly the name of Christs last will and testament giuen to this sacrament serueth for the great comfort of Gods 〈◊〉 For heerin we shal find al things belonging to a ful and perfect testament For Christ Iesus is the testator all faithfull christians are appointed heires the angels are as the ouerseers the Apostles are the witnesses the legacies bequeathed are not lands and possessions or great summes of mony for the sonne of man had not where to lay his heade nor the kingdomes and gouernementes of this world for his kindome is not of this world but the forgiuenes of sinnes and euerlasting life obtained by the body of Christ giuen and his blood shed for vs and our 〈◊〉 Wherefore if God haue so loued vs if christ haue not spared his owne life to giue vs life and saluation how bitter ought our sinnes to be vnto vs and how ought we to striue against them If we will hate enimies heere are enimies for vs to hate if we will 〈◊〉 reuenge against enimies let vs fight against them that seeke our ouerthrowe and the destruction of our soule and body There is no reconciliation and attonment to be made with these enimies if thou kill not them they will kill and condemne thee for euer Hitherto of the names giuen to this Sacrament Chap 2 What the Lords Supper 〈◊〉 AS we haue in the former Chapt. considred the names and titles attributed to this Sacrament so now wee will see what the Lordes supper is For we shall neuer vnderstand the nature thereof except wee be able to define or describe it Therefore the Lords supper is the second sacrament wherein by visible receiuing of bread and wine our spirituall communion with the body and blood of Christ is represented This description is plainly proued by the institution of Christ by the first celebration of it and by other apparent testimonies of holy scripture First I say it is the seconde sacrament because such as haue interest in the Lordes supper must be first partakers of the other Sacrament for Christ and his Apostles ministred it to those that were before 〈◊〉 And howe shoulde they be continually 〈◊〉 and fed at his table who are not knowne to be of his house nor admitted members of his family We must be receiued into his protection and lurisdiction before we sit downe at his table for our refection They then that are in the house must be 〈◊〉 and fostered in the house the seuerall partes of the family haue the priuiledges of the family it is not lawfull to take the childrens bread and giue it vnto strangers Now baptisme is the true bath of our soules to clense our sores and an honourable badge whereby we are dedicated to the seruice of Christ and haue interest in the priuiledges of the church sealed vppe being partakers heereof wee come with comfort to the Lords supper Vnder the Lawe none 〈◊〉 were admitted to the passeouer If astraunger will obserue the 〈◊〉 let him circumcise all the males that belong vnto him If then the vncircumsed had bene admitted the passeouer had bin prophaned Wherfore it is not enough for vs once to be baptized and admitted into the number of the people of God we must also be partakers of Christs supper When as by baptisme we are brought into the church of God we are afterwarde nourished by this heauenly banquet to eternall life Again I say in the former description that by the bred and Wine the bodie and blood of Christ are represented Heerein consisteth the substance of this Sacrament he was 〈◊〉 giuen for vs and his blood was shed for the remission of sinnes least our faith should wander least our hope should wauer Therefore he saith to his Disciples This is my bodie which was giuen for you this is the cup of the new testament which was shedde for you and for many for the remission of sinnes Now that the description of the lords supper is prooued let the vses there of in the next place be declared Heereby
we learn first that God doth not lie nor dally with vs when we come to his heauenly table but doth truely offer those benefits in Christ which are represented to al that are admitted thereunto and therefore the Apostle said they did all eat the same spirituall meat and did all drinke the same spirituall drinke Indeede many of them did receiue onely the outwarde signes and did refuse or neglect the spirituall grace so liuely represented and truely offered vnto them but the greater was their sinne who laboured for the meat that perisheth but reiected the meat that endureth to euerlasting life Likewise christ in the administration of his Supper 〈◊〉 take eat this is my body When he biddeth vs take doth he not giue When he chargeth vs to eat and drinke doth he not offer When he commau ndeth vs to doe this doth he not apply the thing signified If then we come to this Supper and depart awaye without christ and without comfort the cause is in our selues hee is come neere vnto vs he standeth as it were at the doore knocking being reaready to enter hee mercifully offereth himselfe vnto vs but we refuse him we will none of him we bid him depart from vs and shutte the entrance of our heartes against him Againe wee see heere the excellent price and prehemenence of the Lordes Supper howsoeuer to those whose faith it doth not nourish whose assurance it doth not confirme and whose saluation it doth not further it is turned into most hurtefull and deadly poyson yet it is an holy banket for the Lordes ghuestes an instrument of grace a medicine for the sicke a pledge of saluation a comfort for the sinner an assurance of Gods promises a seale of our faith an helpe for the weake meate for the hungry drinke for the thirsty and a refuge for the distressed in time of tentation Is not this a worthy dignity Is not this a great priuiledge Is not this an high prerogatiue So that wee must highly regard and reuerently esteeme this mistery of our religion and badge of our profession to the glory of God and our owne comfort He that is not moued heerby to a reuerent regard thereof hath no sparke of gods spirit in hun but lyeth in darknesse and discomfit Thirdly heerby the aduersaries mouths are stopped and they are put to silence and shame who accuse vs to deny the blessed presence of CHRIST in the 〈◊〉 We confesse and beleeue that we receiue the body of CHRIST verily truely and indeede not a naked figure not a bare signe not an empty shaddow but euen that body which suffered death vpon the Crosse and that blood which was shed aud poured out for the remission of our sinnes This Christ himselfe teacheh Ioh. 6 Myflesh is meate indeede and my bloode is drinke indeede hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood du elleth in me and I in him And againe ver 33 Verily verily I sar vnto you except ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his blood yee 〈◊〉 no life in you 〈◊〉 eateth me euen he shall liue by me So then we teach we preach we publish we professe that there is no other substantiall foode of our soules and that whosoeuer is not partaker of his body and blood is voide of life of saluation of grace and of christ himselfe Wherefore we shall shew afterward that the difference betweene the church of Rome and vs is not whether christ be present in his supper but about the manner of his presence for we say and will neuer fly from it that as the outward signes of bread and Wine are deliuered and receiued so they represent and seale vp to euery true beleeuer God the father offering and giuing the Church also taking receiuing and applying christ crucified with all the promises of his couenant ratified in him vnto eternall life Lastly is this the matter and substance of the supper to offer and apply Christ for our wholesome nourishment Then we should often desire if wee hunger after Christ to sit downe at his Table to come to his banket to feede of his delicates and to be present at his dainties And why should any be absent that haue faith and repentance Why should they not shew that they are one body by eating all of one bread Why should not such apply christ to their iustification We know the Apostles oftentimes prepared offered deliuered the outward signs of the Lords supper exhibiting christ to all the faithful euen euery Lords day or first day of the weeke and the people receiued oftentimes the same as we see Act. 2. There he addeth to the church about three thousand soules and they continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayers And Chap. 20. 7. The first day of the weeke the Disciples came together to breake bread And this was the order and ordinance of the Church many yeares after the Apostles times In some places it was receiued euery day in many places euery Sabbaoth daye in all places often in the yeare vntill through the negligence of the Pastors in administring and the slacknesse of the people in communicating these vses were growne out of vsage and a frozen coldenesse in the practise of religion stepped in For it cannot be denyed but it proceedeth from the shop and inuention of the Deuell whosoeuer were the instrument to bring in this corrupt custome of once communicating in the yeare and that for the most parte for fashions sake Now to the end we might returne neerer to the ordinance of the Apostles that the often vse of the communnion might be retained and maintained and that the backwardnesse of the people might in part be redressed it was ordained by the Canons of many churches that euery one should communicate at the least three times in the yeare not that men should do it no oftner but least otherwise they would not do it so often or peraduenture do it not at all And if a suruey and examination wer made I feare it would be found to our great shame and beastly slouthfulnesse that scarce the tenth person hath satisfied the law in this respect in many places regarding no time of the yeare but Easter But seeing it is so necessary a sacrament let euery one consider of this holy mystery how fruitefull profitable and comfortable it is to be partaker thereof and how dangerous to neglect and contemne the same Is it not an vnkinde and churlish part amonge men when one hath prepared with great coastes and charges a rich banket killed his Oxen and his fatlings furnished his table with all prouision bidden his ghuests and set all things in order and readinesse to entertaine them were it not I say an vnkind and vncurteous parte for those that are called and bidden vnthankefully and churlishly to refuse to come Which of vs in such a case would not be moued disquieted and
and the wine to be poured out to be distributed among sundry communicantes The last action of the minister is to distribute the bread and wine and giue them into the handes of the people 〈◊〉 CHRIST did not offer them vp to God 〈◊〉 deliuered them to his Discipies All these being workes to bee done and performed by the Minister in the administration of this Sacrament do note out the actions of GOD the Father sealing vppe his sonne vnto vs as wee shall see afterwarde when wee come to the inward parts Now let vs enter into the consideration of the vses of this parte Are these the actions commaunded in the word executed by CHRIST and to be performed by the Minister Then we see that such as are set apart to deliuer this sacrament are not consecrated and appointed priestes of the new testament to offer vp an vnbloody sactifice for the quicke and dead as the church of Rome teacheth and practiseth They are commaunded as ministers of God to deliuer the outward signes to the people not as priestes to offer them to God the father they are appointed preachers of the gospell not priests of the law which were to abolish the priesthood of Christ. Wherefore we must detest the blasphemy of these shamelesse shauelings that teach the priest to bee the maker of his maker and that he which made them gaue them power and authority to make him 〈◊〉 so after a sort preser themselues being the sacrificers before christ who is the sacrifice thēselues being the creators before Christ the creature themselues the makers before christ being made of them Thus these sacrificing priests are not ashamed to speake and to bray aloud Secondly if the minister be an outward part of this sacrament then it belongeth not to priuate persons to deliuer it to others nor to take it to themselues and deliuer it to themselues when or where there is no Minister They may indeede apply to themselues the outward signes they may eat the bread and drinke the wine and in respect of the sacramentall rites doe as the Minister doth yet for that they do it without a calling it is not a due administration but a true prophanation of this sacrament of the supper For let vs a little insist vpon the similitude beforestood vpon if the keeper of the Princes broad seale be not in the way or for the present bee not to bee gotten shall any man presume to take it where it lyeth without direction and without commaundement sucha one woorthily beareth his punishment whosoeuer he be In like manner 〈◊〉 one should earnestly desire the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ and euen faint in soul for the fruition of it finding himselfe in his longing affection able to take it himselfe 〈◊〉 the assistance of another yet euery one must consider his gifts his standing his calling and place wherin God hath set him he hath not committed to priuate persons the administration of the sacraments they may not baptize their children they may not meddle with the Lordes supper no more then common subiects may take the 〈◊〉 seale if the keeper be not in the way Against this 〈◊〉 truth two thinges of importance may be obiected which I purpose to preuent before I proceed any farther For first this doctrine seemeth not to agree with that maxime and principle which 〈◊〉 we haue resolued vpon namely Accedat verbum ad elementum fit 〈◊〉 that is Ioyne the word of institution to the outward signe and there is made a sacrament Secondly it seemeth to leaue sicke persous without comfort in their harts and peace to themselues if for want of a publicke minister themselues may not supply that want and giue vnto themselues this Supper These are the two obiections pretending and intending that priuate persons may at some times vpon some occasions haue some right and interest in despensation of the Sacraments Touching the former poynt being a ruled case of Saint Augustine that if the signe be 〈◊〉 to the word a Sacrament is ordained we doubt not to 〈◊〉 the rule vndoubtedly to be true being truely and rightly vnderstoode For the meaning is if there be an outwarde signe which is the matter and a worde of institution which is the forme of the sacraments the essence of them is fully finished as if there bee the matter and forme of an house we conclude rightly there is an house Howbeit we presuppose ther was a builder of the house to prepare the matter and to order the forme So the former principle doth presuppose a minister to deliuer and a receiuer to receiue the sacrament otherwise we shall also warre vnder the ensigne of our enimies vnawares who hold it to be the supper of the Lord albeit there be no eating no drinking no receiuing thereof If therefore in the constitution of a sacrament the institution of Christ touching taking eating and drinking must be obserued then wee see that more is required then the signe and the word in the work of the sacrament Againe touching the obiection of the sicke who seeme to be wholy left in distresse and discomfort if they may not lawfully administer the Supper to themselues I answere it was an auncient practise of the Church to carry the sacrament vnto the sick besides albeit in extremity of sicknes the minister be wanting we leaue not the sick without counsell and comfort For this we teach this we are readye to maintaine this we would haue all beleeuers in health and in sicknesse to recall and remember that if they 〈◊〉 beleeue that the Lord Iesus had suffered death vpon the crosse for them if they 〈◊〉 apply vnto themselues his precious merits for their redemption if they 〈◊〉 remember the benefits of his 〈◊〉 passion with all thanksgiuing and if they truely repent them from the bottome of their harts of all their sins they do eat and drinke effectually and to their soules health profitably the body and blood of Christ our sauiour although they doe not receiue the sacrament with their mouth This serueth to comfort the weak and to keep them within the lifts and limits of their proper calling Lastly seeing the former actions of the minister are done plainely in the sight of all it is the duty of euery one to giue diligent heede and to haue weighty consideration of these outward ceremonies by the meditation thereof to confirme their faith and to make the outward workes to further the inward graces For they are offered to our sences not that we shoulde rest in them but that our weaknes by them shoulde be helped and we by them lift vp in our harts to thinke vpon greater things Chap 4 Of the second outward part of the Lords Supper HItherto of the first outward part of the Lords supper to wit the minister now we come to the word of institution and promise annexed or contained therin which are the second
part of this Sacrament expressed in these words This is my body which is giuen for you or which is broken for you where the name of the thing signified is giuen to the sign it self as if it should be said this bread which I haue in mine hands is a sign of my body which shortly after shall be crucfied for you and deliuered vnto death for your saluation Christ tooke nothing but bread he gaue into his Disciples handes nothing but bread to eat he brake nothing but bread and Paul saith expressely of this sacrament the bread which we breake is it not the 〈◊〉 of the body of 〈◊〉 If any Obiect that Christes body neither is nor was broken as Iohu 19 3 6. Not a bone of him shall be broken that the Scripture should be fulfilled I Answere the Apostle hath respect to the sence and signification which the breaking of the bread importeth being taken for the tearing and tormenting the paines and renting of the body of Christ and the violent sundring of his 〈◊〉 and body one from the other For as the bread is patted and diuided into diuers parts so the soule and body of Christ were sundred and seperated each from other Againe it is saide This is my blood of the new testament which is shed for many for the remission of sinnes or This cup is the new testament in my blood which is shed for you these speeches are sacramental not proper by the confession of the aduersaries themselues where the thing containing which is the cup hath the name of the thinge contained which is the wine the fruit of the vine So then they which cannot abide figures in the sacrament must be constrained to confesse a figure and therefore cannot blame vs when we say the words are figuratiuely to be vnderstood But before we come to handle the vses of this part let vs directly consider the words of Christ deliuered at the institution and administration of this sacrament that so we may see the true and naturall meaning thereof These words are not recorded and reported in so many wordes in the scriptute or in so many sillables but the sence being one the sentence varieth and is not one Mathew deliuereth the words thus Take eat this is my body whereunto Mark also accordeth Luke is some what more ample by way of interpretation This is my body which is giuen for you doe this in remembrance of me And Paule to the like purpose but in vnlike sound of words Take eat this is my body which is broken for you doe this in remembrance of me Likewise touching the other signe of this Supper Mathew saith This is my bloode of the New-testament that is shedde for many for the remission of sinnes Marke is somewhat more short then the rest This my blood of the New testament which is shedde for many but he addeth this more then the rest they 〈◊〉 dranke of it Luke saith This cup is the Newe testament in my bloode which is 〈◊〉 for you But Paule declareth the same more at large This cuppe is the newe testament in my blood this doe 〈◊〉 oft as ye drinke is in 〈◊〉 of mee Thus wee see expressely a difference in Words by adding by detracting by changing yet in asmuch as nothing is added or detracted or changed in regarde of the true meaning let vs come to the interpretation and exposition of the words seeing the gospell standeth not in the wordes of the scripture but in the mind and meaning of them Let vs therefore come to the right vnderstanding of the wordes of christ Take to wit not onely into your mouthes but into your hands representing the soule and faith of the receiuer Eate that is not reserue not adore not offer it but diuide by chewing and preparing to concoction This that is to say not the shewes of bread but this very bread Is my body that is a true signe of my true body and signifieth vnto you my selse withal that is mine or belonging either to my person or office or merits Which is broken for you that is which shortly shall bee crucified for you and immediately giuen to death for you Do this in remembrance of me that is practise these daties and call to remembrance christ and his merits oftentimes So that it is not in our choyce and liberty to doe these or not to doe them if wee bee not fit we must presently prepare to make our selues fit and we must doe them often so that howsoeuer there be no set time yet the oftner the better due reuerence and regard being had thereunto Moreouer touching the other signe obserue thus much for interpretation This cup that is this Wine is the cup Is the new testament in my blood that is this Wine is a true signe of shedding my bloode which confirmeth and ratifieth the newe Testament and Gods agreement with mankinde for their saluation This is briefely the minde of christ and meaning of the wordes of institution From hence wee learne first that christs wordes are not properly but figuratiuely to bee taken True it is the words are plaine easie and manifest for tropes figures were found out not to darken but to open not to hide but to helpe the vnderstanding howbeit they must haue a right construction and a sound interpretation otherwise the playnest sentence may breede errour and mistaking Wee may not take the letter in all places for as we shewed the scripture standeth not in wordes but in the meaning of the wordes not in the reading but in the vnderstanding not in the outward shew but in the inward substance Christ in the new testament is called a lambe a lyon a way a bride-groome an head a dore a vine a garment a rock bread water light and such like these words are easie and euident yet must they be vnderstood metaphorically not properly spiritually not litterally So to come to the wordes of institution What did Christ take in his hand bread What did Christ command them to take and eat bread What did he call his bodye Was it anie other thing then the same bread which he had taken which he hadde broken which he had giuen vnto them Neither is there any other antecedent going before whereunto it can be referred Now the bread and body of Christ are in nature sundry and diuers things and the one cannot be spoken of the other and verified of the other without a figure as to say one and the same thing should be both bread and Christes body but if it be bread it cannot be his body if it be his body it cannot be bread Wherefore true bread is a true sign and seale of his true body Neither is this figure strange or new but common and vsual when mention is made of the facraments as Gen. 17 This is my couenant speaking of circumcision yet circumcision was not the
couenant it self but a sign and token of the couenant as also it is afterward expounded It shall be a signe of the couenant betweene me and you The aduersaries cannot denie a figure in this speech Now what difference is there betweene these two speeches This is my couenant and this is my body are they not alike and in like manner to be vnderstood So Exodus 12. 11 It is the Lordes passeouer properly the lambe was not the passeouer but serued to put them in remembrance of that benefit and it is expounded aster the blood shall be a token for you vpon the houses where ye are this day shall be vnto vou a remembrance Likewise the Apostle sayeth 1 Cor. 10. That rocke was Christ whereas properly the rocke was not Christ but the water flowing from it did represent him Thus then we must vnderstand the words plainely truely and briefely as if Christ had saide in this manner This bread which ye haue seene me take breake deliuer and distribute and which I bid you take and cate is a signe or sacrament of my true body signifying and sealing vp vnto you that my body shal be broken crushed and crucified for you to purchase to you eternal life let these sacramental rites and actions now performed by me and you be heerafter put in practise by you and all faithfull ministers and professors for the strengthning of your faith by the remembrance of my death and by the applying of the benefit thereof euery one to your owne selues Likewise hauing finished his supper when he did eate the passeouer with his Disciples hauing taken the cup and giuen thanks he gaue it being filied with wine to his Disciples and saide drinke ye al of this for this wine in this cup is a signe and sacrament of my blood by the shedding whereof togither with my death following the full forgiuenes of sins and perfect saluation which I by my vnchangable wil decree do giue vnto you and al that beleeue in me are assured to you and all beleeuers Thus hauing opened and cleared the interpretation of the words we shal heerafter need to spend the lesse time in confuting the contrary doctrin darkenes shal flie before the light error before truth cloudy mists before the sun-shine of the day Again seeing the words of institution are variably and diuersly set down by the Euangelists and the Apostle Paul we learne that euery change of the words where the sence is nothing altered or diminished is not to be condemned as 〈◊〉 or vnlawfull so that the alteration being in the forme and frame of words not in the substance and sence of the matter the sacrament is not destroyed For if it had bene an heinous sinne to haue made any change or alteration or to haue missed of the tearmes or sillables of the institution no doubt the Euangelists would haue consented in the words and not haue swarued one from another as we see they haue done We see how the Apostles in the allegation of sundry places of Scripture borrowed out of the olde Testament do not euermore strictly binde themselues to the very wordes as Mathew 26. Hebrewes 10. 5. and in sundry other but onely to the sence and therefore sometimes they adde as Mathew 4 10. sometimes they leaue out as occasion serueth True it is to alter any substantiall part or to wrest the wordes to a wrong and contrary meaning or not at all to expresse the sence of the wordes maketh the Sacrament voide but an alteration onely of certaine circumstaunces as of number or person of Letters or sillables cannot make frustrate the whole sacrament albeit we allow not any priuate and particular man to make any chaunge of his owne heade in such circumstaunces or to bring in a new frame of wordes So in baptisme the Greeke church saith Let the seruant of CHRIST be baptized in this Water c. and heereby nothing is detracted from the truth of the sacrament because Christ Iesus hath not precisely appointed how many wordes the Apostles and pastours of the Church shoulde vse in the execution of their Ministry Not withstanding the obseruation of the words I baptize thee obserued in our churches seemeth to drawe neerer to the commaundement of Christ and to confirme more fitly and fully the faith of the baptized and to answere vnto the words of Iohn the baptist I baptize with Water Likewise in the Lordes supper whereas Christ saide Take ye eate ye doe ye this as speaking to many the sacrament is not destroyed when the words are particularly rehearsed and specially applyed in our churches saying take thou eat thou drinke thou Lastly seeing the wordes of institution are an outwarde part of the Sacrament necessary to be knowne read marked and vnderstood wherein the substance and comfortatable vse of the Lordes Supper consisteth it followeth that they are to be published and pronounced openly distinctly plainely not in a strange language but in a knowne tongue that the church of 〈◊〉 and people of God may be edified For wherefore serueth the commaundement and promise set foorth in the supper if they be not vnderstood Whether we doe read the Scriptures sing Psalmes poure out supplications receiue the sacraments or whatsoeuer 〈◊〉 we performe to God that he may be 〈◊〉 and the congregation instructed we must doe all in a knowne tongue to be vnderstood This God commandeth this the Apostle prescribeth this the true church of God practiseth this reason teacheth this the Heathen acknowledgeth 〈◊〉 the sinagogue of Rome that it might take away all fruit and comfort from the faithfull and that it might broch horrible errors 〈◊〉 and securely and not be 〈◊〉 hath not onely commanded to pronounce the words of consecration closely and 〈◊〉 but forbidden to vse the common mother tongue of all the people The people of God must not be like Parrots or 〈◊〉 or Rauens or such birds that chatter with voice record mens words and sounde a sentence but vnderstande not the meaning thereof As Plmy maketh mention of a certaine 〈◊〉 that had learnd to say Aue Caesar imperator All haile or good morrow Emperor Caesar saluting 〈◊〉 and the two young princes 〈◊〉 and Drusus And Celius Rhodiginus writeth that Cardinall Ascanius had a Popiniay that coulde pronounce distinctly and 〈◊〉 all the Articles of the Creede Such birds or rather beasts woulde they haue Christian men to be that would haue them 〈◊〉 and not vnderstand what they pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the reading of the scriptures but not know what is reade 〈◊〉 the sacraments but not know the meaning of the institution Things without life which giue a sounde whether pipe or 〈◊〉 except they make a distinction in the soundes howe shall it bee knowne what is piped or harped Or if the 〈◊〉 pet giue an 〈◊〉 sound who shall prepare himselfe to battell All things in the church must tend to the instruct on 〈◊〉 edification
of all the partes and people but reading and praying in a strange tongue doe not edifie and profit the hearers as 1 Cor. 14 26 Let allthings be done to edisieng and verse 14. I speake languages more then ye all yet had I rather in the Church to speake fiue words with mine vnderstanding that I might also instruct others then ten thousand words in a strange tongue for how then should he that occupieth the roome of the vnlearned say Amen at thy giuing of thankes seeing he knoweth not what thou sayest Wherfore except we know the meaning of the words we shall be to him that speaketh Barbarians and 〈◊〉 that speaketh shall be a Barbarian vnto vs. Euen the learned languages of Greeke and Latine not in themselues but in regard of the hearers that vnderstand them not are barbarous For the Apostle doth not heere like an Orator distinguish the tongues and shew which are 〈◊〉 and rhetoricall in themselues and which rude but holdeth euery tongue barbarous 〈◊〉 Syriack Caldy Arabick 〈◊〉 and Latine to him that knoweth not the force and signification thereof And this to be most true the Scriptures teath the fathers auouch the 〈◊〉 writers warrant the very Poets declare yea their owne doctors do determine Wherfore to conclude it is the ordinance of God it is the doctrine of the Apostles it is the duty of all christians when the word is red or preached when supplycations are offered when the sacramentes are administred to vse a knowne tongue vnderstood of all and without this the scriptures are vaine the prayers are barbarous the sacraments are fruitlesse to such as know not what is read what is asked what is promised what is receiued And 〈◊〉 far of the second outward part of the Lordes Supper to wit the worde of institution for a Sacrament without the word is as a picture without sence or an image without life Chap. 5 Of the third outward part of the Lords Supper THe third outward part of the Lords supper followeth which are the elementes of bread and wine fittest signes for this purpose to signifie the spirituall nourishment of the soule by eating the body and drinking the blood of christ That these are appoynted as the substance and matter of the supper it appeareth by the wordes of Christ and his Apostles deliuering this sacrament For the Euangelists expresse that Christ tooke bread gaue it and said Takeye and eate ye So like wise it is said of the church newly planted by the Apostles that such as gladly receiued the word and were baptized Continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread And chap. 20 it is recorded That the first day of the weeke the Disciples came together to breake bread And Paule saith 1 Cor. 10. the bread which we breake is it not the communion of the body of Christ And in the chapter following the same Apostle often mentioneth and remembreth the bread of this sacrament In like manner Christ tooke the cup wherein was the fruite of the vine By these Christ is truely exhibited vnto vs he is truely offered vnto all he is effectually giuen to the faithfull as hath beene oftentimes remembred vnto vs. This being the plaine and euident truth let vs see the vses first such as concerne both the signes ioyntly and in generall then such as belong to each of them in seueral and in particular To begin we learne from hence to acknowledge a difference between baptisme and the Lords supper in baptisme we haue one signe as the materiall part in the supper we haue two signes partly to note out our whole ful and perfect nourishment in Christ hauing whatsocuer is requisite for our saluation and partly to shew a fuller remembrance of his death for the wine which is a figure of his blood doth as it were present it and represent it before our eyes So then albeit the same participation of Christ and the same washing away of sinnes by his blood are sealed vp in baptisme and in the supper yet the manner of sealing them in each is diuerse Againe baptisme is a signe of our entrance into Gods Couenant the Supper is a signe of our abiding and continuing in that couenant Touching baptisme it is sufficient for infants if they bee borne in the church in the supper the condicion of examȳning our selues and remembring the Lords death is required They differ also in often celebration of them baptisme is to be receiued but once onely in all our life because the promise once made is alwaies firme and forcible to such as beleeue and repent but the supper is oftentimes to be receiued because an often renewing of that Couenant and calling it to our remembrance is necessary to increase and strengthen faith They differ also in the order which is to be obserued in the vse of them for baptisme is to be giuen before the Supper and the supper may not be giuen to any except to such as haue beene first baptized or reputed so to be As first a child is borne before he bee fed so must Baptisme go before whereby our new-birth is sealed then the supper must follow after whereby our dayly nourishment is declared and confirmed Lastly they differ in the signes there is onely one signe in baptisme which is the Water but there are two signes in the Lords Supper to wit the bread and the wine The second general vse is that if Christ tooke gaue and deliuered the substance of bread and wine then they must needes retain their former nature their proper substance as well as their qualities as fight tast smell bignesse whitenesse sweetenesse rednesle roundnesse and such like properties But the Papistes turne all thinges vpside downe matter into forme substance into accidents creatures into shewes and subiects into things adioyned they bring in new shifts and fables against all diuinity phylosophy reason sense and experience setting vp their own inuentions and building castles in the aire Let them proue the annihilation and remouing of the substance of bread wine away and the consisting of accidents without subiect which they are neuer able to doe For as the water in baptisme remaineth in his nature and substance so do the bread wine in the Lords supper And albeit in both the sacraments the signs be chāged to a special vse yet are they corrupted into shewes and turned into shadowes The heauens shal be changed at the end of the world yet hence it followeth not that they shall bee cleane abolished and consumed to nothing All young schollers are taught in the schooles that an accident hath no being without a subiect yet heere these sophisters against all the rules of Logick and groundes of reason 〈◊〉 haue accidents and shewes of bread and wine to be in no subiect Thus whereas in all places of learning we are taught that accidents may 〈◊〉 not the
except they meane this bread is the body of CHRIST this wine is his blood wherefore bread and wine remaine their nature is not changed and altered Fiftly these wordes This is my body must be vnderstood as the words following This cup is the new testament but the cup is not turned into the new testament nor into the blood of Christ therefore the other wordes must be figuratiuely vnderstood not 〈◊〉 for there is one respect of them both neither can any reason be rendred why a figure should be admitted in the one part rather then in the other The sixt reason Christ is said to giue to his Disciples that which he saide was his body If then this be properly taken we shall thereby make a proper Christ and make him a Monster of two bodies as they also make the church a Monster of two heads For so there must be one body which gaue and another body which was giuen But it is most absurde that he should giue and be giuen hold himselfe and beholden offer and be offered which differeth litle from the heresie of the Helcesaits who held ther were sundry Christs two at the least one dwelling in heauen aboue the other in the world heere beneath so these make Christ to haue a double body visible and inuisible a visible body sitting at the table and an 〈◊〉 body made of the substance of bread which as the papists hold 〈◊〉 giuen to the disciples as likewise they teach of the headship of the church that one head is inuisible to vs m the heauens another visible to vs vpon the earth The 7. reason it destroyeth the nature of a sacrament which standeth of an earthly heauenly part one out ward the other inward one seene the other vnderstood one a signe the other a thing signified of which we haue spoken before book 1. chap 3. But if there be an actuall transubstantiation then the outward part is abolished and disanulled The 8. reason in baptisme the substance of water remaineth though it haue words of consecration and be made a sacrament of our regeneration and therefore in the Lords supper the bread and wine are not changed and don away vtterly The scripture speaketh as highly of the one as of the other The ninth reason if bread be really turned into the body of Christ and the wine into his blood then the body and blood of Christ are really 〈◊〉 for the words are seuerally pronounced first of the bread then of the wine yea the soule of Christ should be separated from his body for the bread is turned onely into his body and not into his soule But his soule his body and his blood are not really separated The 10. reason if the bread be turned into his body indeede by force of a few words vttered by a priest then the priest should be the maker of his maker and so euery Masse-monger should be preferred before Christ as much as the creitor hath 〈◊〉 honnour then the creature the builder then 〈◊〉 house the work-man then the worke But they are not 〈◊〉 to publish it in their owne words and writings that the priest is the creator of his creator He that created you hath giuen you power to create him he that hath created you without your selues is created by you by the meanes of you These are the speeches of their wise-men if they be not ashamed of their owne words The 11. reason the bread in the Sacrament after the words of consecration is subiect to as many changes and chances as it was before the bread may mould putrifie and breede Wormes and was accustomably in many places burned the wine may being immoderately taken make drunken it may wax sharpe and turne into vineger yea both of them may be boyled and made hot both of them may be vomited vp as certaine lepers did both of them may be mingled with rank poyson as a certaine Monk gaue the poysoned host to Henry the 7. a noble Emperour of famous memory which when he had taken he dyed The like may be said of Victor the 3. a Pope of Rome who was poysoned after the same manner in the chalice as the Emperor was in the bread But the precious body and blood of Christ cannot be mingled with poyson but is an excellent counterpoison against the biting of the old Serpent and all infection ofsinne whatsoeuer the body cannot mould or putrifie the blood of Christ cannot become sharp or sowre as the outward signes may therefore the substance of bread and wine remaineth The 12. reason there is something in the sacrament materiall and substantiall which goeth the way of all meates according to that saying of our sauiour Perceiue ye not yet that what soeuer entreth into the mouth goeth into the belly and is cast out into the draught But none of the accidents as shape colour quality tast such like are auoyded because they are altered in the stomacke before they come to the place of auoydance and it were blasphemy to thinke that the body of Christ either entreth into the mouth or goeth downe into the belly or is cast out into the draught howsomany of them haue also maintained this monstrous impiety Therefore the substance of the bread and the wine remaine in their owne nature in the sacrament The 13. 〈◊〉 If there were a miraculous conuersion of the bread and wine it would appeare to the outward senses as Ioh. 6 The multitude saw his Miracles There was neuer Miracle wrought by any bodyly creature but sense iudged it to be so but seeing our eyes see and our tast discerneth that it is bread we cannot imagine there is any miracle The Miracles that Moyses did in Egypt when he turned water into blood and his rod into a Serpent The miracles that Christ did when he turned water into wine the eye saw the tast discerned heere was no deceit no fraud no collusion And thus euery hedge-priest should be a worker of Miracles that onely can read his portuise and say ouer his pater noster with an Aue mary This is an honor that may be chalenged but cannot be granted vnto them The 14 reason if there were any transubstantiation there shold be an actuall conuersion of the bread into the body of Christ but this cannot stand For when one thing is changed into another the matter remainetin the forme is altered but heere they make the forme to abide and the matter to be changed A strange Metamorphosis and fitting the fable of this counterfeit turning Now the matter of 〈◊〉 is not in the body of Christ because it is perfect in it selfe and so glorified that it can receiue no accesse Besides nothing can be conuerted or changed into a thing before being and pre-existing which was really before the change or conuersion as Christ turned the water into that wine which was not before Moses turned his rod into that
quality not circumscribed not visible nor any way sensible that being in heauē he is really and corporally on earth though not in the distance betweene heauen and earth nor in those places where the host is not which is to assigne innumerable bodies to our sauiour Christ and consequently to make him no body which is in esfect as much as to deny he is come in the flesh which is the very doctrine of Antichrist himselfe as Iohn speaketh Euery spirit that confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God but this is the spirit of Antichrist of whom we haue 〈◊〉 And in his 2. Epistle Many 〈◊〉 are entred into this world which confesse not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh he that is such a one is a deceiuer and an Antichrist But Orcam propoundeth this as the doctrine of the schooles that The body of Christ is euery where as God is euery where and that if there were an host that filled all the world the body of christ might be with euery part thereof when it should be consecrated And Holcot treading in the same stepes of the schooles not of the scriptures saith If there had beene a thousand hostes in a thousand places at the same time that christ did hang vpon the crosse christ had beene crucified in a thousand places But it is an vnseparable property of bodies to be locall and contained in place take away space of place and true dimensions from bodies and they are no where as Augustine teacheth Besides hence the fathers concluded the truth of Christs body becavse he might be seene and handled and because he had flesh and bones according to the 〈◊〉 Behold my hāds and my feete for it is I my selfe handle me and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me haue But if he be neither seene nor handled in the sacrament nor discerned to haue flesh and bones how shall his humanity be 〈◊〉 and maintained against heretikes impugning the same The 22. reason it taketh away iudgement from the senses and maketh the sacrament of truth to be a sacrament of forgery and falsehood for the senses of seeing of tasting of touching of handling and smelling do iudge bread and wine to be in the sacrament and not mans flesh truely and properly neither can all the senses be 〈◊〉 in their proper obiects as euen the phylosophers themselues do teach and that truely The 23. reason it is an horible act and vnnaturall cruelty for man to eate mans flesh and for man to drinke mans blood and therefore the papists are as humane as the Cyclops Canibals and other barbarous people It is more brutish and barbarous to eate mans flesh then to kill a man and to drink mans blood then to shed it Thus they make christian people eaters of mans flesh and bloode suckers which is beastly and horrible wickednesse The 24. reason the Apostle maketh an opposition between the table of the Lord and the table of deuils saying Ye cannot drinke the cup of the Lord and the cup of deuils ye cannot be partakers of the Lords table and of the table of deuils where he sheweth that to eate the flesh offered to idols is to bee partakers of the idols as the bread which we breake is the participation and communion of the body of the Lord. Hence he concludeth that they should not eate of those thinges which the Gentiles sacrifice to idols because they haue fellowship with the diuils that eate of them euen as they are vnited to Christ which partake of the bread in the supper If then the flesh offered to idols be not transubstantiated why fhold the sacramental bread be turned into the body of christ seeing it sufficeth to make vs partakers of the Lords body to eat of the bread as it was sufficient to make them partakers of the idols to eate of the thinges offered vnto them The 25. reason if the institution of Christ be a sufficient direction vnto the church what to hold in this questiō we shal easily giue this transubstantiation a fall We see in the cases of matrimony that did befall our sauiour bringeth them to the first institution and therby dissolueth the doubts and difficulties that arose saying Frō the beginning it was not so So when any controuersie ariseth about the Lords supper the ordinance of Christ is able to take it vp how great or grieuous soeuer it grow Now there is no sentence no word no sillable no iot no title in the discription of the supper that fauoreth or sauoreth of transubstantiation or signifieth and insinuateth any such matter True it is christ saith This is my body but to be doth not signifie to transubstantiate for then when he saith I am the true vine I am the dore the way and such like he shall be turned and transubstantiated into a natural vine into a materal doore into an high way from whence would follow infinite abuses and absurdities Besides if the word is in the institution fignifie is transubstantiated that is changed from one substance into an 〈◊〉 from bread into flesh from wine into blood then the change shold be made before all the words be vttered so that hence it would follow that it cannot be done by vertue of the words which goeth before the pronouncing of the words Last of al the maintainers of transubstantiation as the builders of babel haue their tongs diuided and their languages confounded they cannot accord together but vary and dissent one from another like the false witnesses that arose against christ First they knew not certainely whether the bread bee turned into his body or come in place thereof the substance departing Secondly some alow not these speaches bread is Christes body or bread is made christs body but wil haue it said christs body is made of bread others condemne this speach also that bread is made christs body Thirdly they know not what is broken whether bread or accidents or nothing others say the true body of christ is broken Fourthly they agree not whether their water in the chalyce mingled with wine be transubstantiated some say it is other say it is not some more sober then the rest are afraid what to say and aske who is able to decide the questiō Others say it is turned into the humors of his body others virknit the knot thus that the water is turned into the wine and then the wine into his blood and therefore are circumspect to giue this cautel that a litle water be mingled being afraid least if more water were put in then the wine the wine should be transubstantiated into water Fiftly they cannot agree with what words their consecratiō is wrought whether accidents be without their subiect whether the accidents norish no lesse then the substance of bread wine likwise what the rats mise do eat how srō whence the worms
and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this cup. Where he giueth a double commaundement first to appeare reuerently then to receiue worthily Now al that must proue and try themselues are commaunded not only to eate bread but to drink of the cup but al must try and examine themselues therfore al are commanded both to eat and drink at the lords table If this be a commaundement to examine then the wordes following of eating and drinking are likewise commandements There is no halting in these let them admit both or let them deny both Eightly if the faithfull take not the cup in the supper of the lord the condicion of Christians vnder the Gospel shal be worse then of the Isralites vnder the law For the people of Israell in the wildernesse hauing the same sacrament in effect with vs Did all drinke of the spiritual rock that followed them and that rock was Christ as the Apostle affirmeth But out condicion is not worser and weaker then theirs therefore all the faithful are to drink of the cup of the lord Bellarmine the Souldan of the Romish Synagogue answereth thus They drunke not water out of the rock when they did eate of the spirituall meate but in another place and at an other time But this is an answearlesse answer which cannot satisfie For albeit the sacraments of the Isralites as figures and types did represent the same graces that our Sacraments do yet it is not necessary they should in all pointes answer each other and in all respectes agree together Besides the Church of Rome at no time aloweth the people to drinke of the Wine a seale of the blood of Christ they keepe them from the cup of the Lord both when they giue them the bread and at all other times and thereby make their estate worse then the estate of the Iewes Indeed if they did at any time permit al the people to drink of the cup they might pretend this example of the Israelites but inasmuch as they vtterly deny them this part of the cup they ouerthrow themselues in their malice and yet in their blindnes they do not see it Lastly many of the fathers did both eate Manna and 〈◊〉 water out of the rock if not in the same place yet at one the same time inasmuch as they gathered thereof euery morning and it ceased not vntill they entred the frontiers and confines of the land of promise But they neuer alow without a toleration and dispensation the people in any place at any time vpon any occasion and in any respect to tast of the cup in the Lords supper Ninthly if the cup of the new testament may be taken from the Lordes people in like manner the water in baptisme may be taken away froÌ„ them For the blood of christ whereby remission of sins is purchased and procured is represented by the wine of the Lordes Supper as well as by the water in baptisme But the water in baptisme without great sacriledge cannot be omitted or neglected wherefore then should the cup be taken away Lastly if any part of the supper might be taken away from the people then like wise the word of God may be taken from them for in this point there is the same reason and respect of them both A Sacrament is nothing else but a visible word and a sealing vp of the word and the offence semeth to be the same whether a man break the seale or rent the writing But the word cannot be withdrawen froÌ„ Christian people it being the instrument of faith and the life of the Church Wherefore it is the greatest wrong and iniury done to the people of God to take from them the cup of saluation The answer to this reason must be to confesse the parts and yeeld the conclusion forasmuch as by forbidding the people the reading of the Scriptures they haue robbed them of the word of God and taken from them the key of knowledge neither entring themselues into the kingdom of heauen nor suffering those that would enter No marueile then if they take the cup of blessing from the people who haue taken from them the free vse of the word of God To conclude these reasons it is Antichrist who contrary to the doctrine of christ contrary to the institution of the supper contrary to the practise of the Apostles and contrary to the vse of the former churches hath excluded the people languishing and thâ—â—sting after the blood of christ as the dry earth for the sweete shewers of raine from taking the cup of the lord and left them a dry coÌ„munion to eat the bread of the sacrament alone Hauing considered the truth of God by sundry reasons grounded in the scripture that the people haue good interest and title in the cup denied vnto them let vs answer the obiections of the aduersaries made against the former doctrine First they pretend that christ administred it to the apostles only and not to any of the people consequently the institution for taking the cup can be no general coÌ„maundement for al men thus the Rhemistes reason I answer first it may be doubted and disputed whether onely the Apostles were present at his last Supper For seeing diuerse were added vnto the church and professed the faith of christ seeing he had other disciples beside the twelue seeing many Godly men and women followed him to see his miracles and to hear the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth why should we think that none of them were admiâ—ted to his table who had often heard his preaching and depended vpon him in their liuing Again the passeouer was celebrated in that house of a faithful man as may be collected by sundry circumstances now theÌ„ either the lord Iesus annexed that famely vnto his as the law in one case appointed or else we shall haue two passe-ouers at one time in one house which hath no warrant of scripture no colour of truth no probability of reason We read in the institution celebration of the passe-ouer of ioyning house to house and taking his neighbor next vnto him in case of the insufficiency of one houshold to eate the lambe but we neuer read of killing two lambes and keeping two passeouers vnder one roofe Besides the smal remnant of the faithful among the Iewes would no-doubt rightly and religiously obserue the passe-ouer after the example of their lord and maister rather according to the precept of Moses ' then aceording to the practise of the Iewes in imitation of christ rather then according to the tradition of the elders Furthermore we are to consider that in eating the passeouer they sorted theÌ„selues together according to the number of the persons able to eate vp the lambe for they commanded to take A lambe without blemish a male of a yeare old if the houshold be to little for the lambe he shal take his neighbour which is next vnto
the word ofGod Again were not Christ and his Apostles as wise as they Were they ignorant of this vnion Did they not knowe this accompanying of the body with the blood and blood with the body Is the present church of Rome wiser then he in whom al the treasures of wisedom and knowledge are hid If they thinke so let them tell vs plainly if not let them lay their hands vpon their mouth and submit themselues vnto him who administred it in both kinds and commaunded his Apostles to do the like Moreouer Christ would haue vs in his supper consider his blood separated from his body and set his death before our eies and his precious blood shed out of his side so that deliuering the cup he said Drinke ye all of this for this is my blood of the new testament which is shed for many without which sheading there is no forgiuenesse of sins as the Apostle teacheth Wherefore seeing these two are contrary one to the other and cannot stand together to wit the blood to be in the body and to be out of the body to be shed sor vs and not to be shed and that the sacrament leadeth vs to the consideration of the death and especially of the piercing and pouring out of the blood of Christ we may conclude that this vnion of the body with the blood and blood with the body flatly crosseth and ouerthroweth the institution of Christ. And why I pray you do their sacrificing priests receiue the blood twice and the body twice drinking first the blood in the body and againe eating the body in the blood Nay doth not this vnion deuised alter the 〈◊〉 of Christ and confound the seuerall parts of it making him to speake otherwise then the euangelistes expresse For when he said This is my body they will haue him meane this is my body and blood Againe when he said this is my blood they will haue him meane this is my blood and my body Last of all this late inuention turneth and ouerturneth the nature of the partes distinguished one from the other while we eate the flesh they make vs drink the blood and while we drinke the blood they imagine we eat the body Thus to eat and to drinke shall be all one with them for wee shal eate liquid and moift thinges and we shall drinke dry and hard things And is not this drinking of flesh and eating of blood and inuerting euerting of the nature of things But thus God striketh his enemies with giddines of spirit For after they haue broken the pure institution of christ and brought in a carnal presence of his body one absurdity being granted a thousand follow infinite abuses haue ensued vpon heapes the flood-gats being set open wherof there is no end or measure Let thē therfore repent themselues of this sacriledge against god and iniury against his people restoring vnto thē the cōmunion vnder both kinds according ro the ordinance of christ and directō of the Apostles And thus much of the general vses arising from both the signs ioyntly considered Now let vs come to the particular vses offered vnto vs in each of the signes And first touching the bread Is bread simply considered the first signe in the lords supper Then it is not necessarily required that it be administred in vnleauened bread For bread is oftentimes named and repeated but the word vnleauened is neuer added Wherfore as it is in selfe indifferent whether the wine be red or white whatsoeuer the kind or colour be if it be wine so is it not greatly materiall whether the bread be leauened or vnleauened so it bee bread Which ouerthroweth the error of the church of Rome her fauorites who hold it neeessary that the bread vsed in the Sacra be vnleauened They pretend the institution of Christ who say they made the Sacra of vnleauened bread instituting it after he had eaten the passeouer which was to be eaten with vnleauened bread according to the law of Moses neither was there any leauen to be found in Israel 7. daies together Thus they charge vs to breake the institution of Christ. But see heere the 〈◊〉 and partiality of these proud spirits who fly to the institution and sticke precisely to circumstances of 〈◊〉 when it serueth any way to their purpose but when the question is of matters of substance not of circumstance as touching communicating vnder both kinds touching the necessity of eating drinking and of many receiuing together against their halfe communions priuate masses and reseruations they cannot abide to be tyed and yoked to the institution Indeed we deny not but christ might vse vnleauened bread at his last supper hauing immediately before eaten the paschal lambe This peraduenture is truely coniectured yet no such thing is expressed in the gospell nor prescribed as a rule necessarily to bee followed The Euangelists teach he tooke bread but make no mētion or distinction what bread he took nor determine what bread we should take no more then limit what wine we shal vse but leaue it at liberty to take leauened bread or vnleuened as occasion of time place persons and other circumstances serue so we take bread as their own prophets haue confessed 〈◊〉 their own coūsels haue concluded Wherfore to consecrate in vnleuened bread is not of the substance of the supper no more then to eat it at night or after supper as christ administred and the apostles first receiued it For if any would bring in a 〈◊〉 of that time as wel as of that bread which christ vsed we see as faire a warrant for the one as for the other nay we haue a more certain direction for the time which is expressed then for the kind of bread which is not defined Besides if Christ on this occasion vsed vnleuened bread it was because it was vsual common and ordinary bread at that time as we also should vse that bread which is vsual and common So the Apostle speaketh of that bread which was daily vsed among the Gentiles saying The bread which we breake he addeth neither leuened nor vnleuened but vnderstandeth that in common and continuall vse Thus then we conclude it is no breach of christs ordinance nor a transgression of the first originall institution of the Lords supper to eate either the one or the other Againe touching the other signe which is the Wine the church of Rome may iustly be charged with transgressing the ordinance of christ who by her sole authority would type vs to mingle water with wine for Great mistery signification especially for that water gushed with blood out of our Lords side So they condemne all those Churches as doing impudently and damnably that do not mixe 〈◊〉 with wine in the sacrament and say it cannot be omitted without 〈◊〉 sinne True it is the Church in former times where the wine prouided for the Lordes Table was of it selfe heady
it is the Lords supper may after a sorte be called a sacrifice not as the church of Rome meaneth but bycause therin we offer vp praises thanks giuings to god for that sacrifice of attonement once made vpon the crosse which is most acceptable to god and because such as come aright thereunto offer vp themselues wholly to god a reasonable holy and liuing sacrifice and lastly because thereby we cal to our remembrance 〈◊〉 bloody sacrifice of christ withal 〈◊〉 circumstances therof the shame of the crosse the darkenes of the heauen the shaking of the earth the renting of the aire the cleauing of the rocks the reproches of the Iewes the taunts of the soldiers the opening of the graues the conquering of the deuil For the christians in former times perceiuing that many both Iewes and gentiles refused to embrace the faith of christ and to ioyne themselues to the church because they pretend the want of sacrifices among them and nature engrafted in all nations this principle that we haue no free accesse to God no true peace to our selus without a sacrifice the fathers to win such as were without affirmed that the church had also a sacrifice and thereupon entituled the sacrament of the supper with the name of a sacrifice for the causes before remembred But for a mortall man whose breath is in his nostrils to presume in the prid of his hart vnder the formes of bread and wine to offer vp christ the son of God in the sacrifice to his father and to dare to desire the father fauourably to behold and accept his owne sonne is idolatry blasphemy and horrible impiety to be detested of all true hearted Christians Touching the originall of the word Masse it seemeth to come from an ancient custome of the church sending away such as communicated not For the deacon was accustomed to bid them depart that were nouices in the faith and such as by Church-discipline were remoued from the communion This dimission of them was noted by the word Missa signifieng a sending away and licensing to depart and thus some of the heathen vsed it The name then being in it selfe not euill is turned into an euill practise and therfore as it is vsed and vnderstood of our aduersaries we reiect both the name and thing it selfe for these causes First no angell no man no creature is of that dignity and worthinesse that he may offer vp and sacrifice the sonne of God for the priest is aboue the sacrifice they therefore that will be the priests to offer christ aduance and lift vp themselues aboue christ Secondly if christ be really offered in the Masse then he is killed truely and indeed for a reall sacrifice proueth a reall death and when christ was sacrificed really he dyed really as when the beasts were sacrificed they wer killed And Holcot one of the schoolemen saith If there had been a thousand hostes in a thousand places at the same time that Christ did hang vpon the crosse christ had beene crucified in a thousand places Wherfore they that really sacrificed our Sauiour Christ did in that act really and wickedly kill him so that the prieste s of Baal if they wil be sacrificers of Christ must acknowledge themselues therein the reall murtherers of Christ. Thirdly new sacrifices are not to bee instituted by men without commaundement of god as Moses teacheth Deut. 12. we must not do h what seemeth good in our owne eyes but take heede and heare all these words which he commaundeth vs. Now Christ neuer saide Sacrifice ye my bodie and blood to God Fourthly Christ tooke the bread and gaue it to his disciples he did not offer it vp to God the father he tooke the cup and bad them all drinke of it he did not turne himfelfe to God and desire him then to accept the sacrifice of his body and blood Fiftly if the bread and Wine remaine in their former substance in the Lords supper then bread and wine onely are offered not the body and blood of Christ but they remaine for christ deliuered bread to his Disciples and Paule teacheth that it is the bread which is broken that as ofren asthe 〈◊〉 eat this bread and drinke of this cup they shew the Lords death therefore their reall Sacrifice is reall idolatry Sixtly it appeareth in the institution of the Supper that Christ consecrated the Bread apart and the wine 〈◊〉 and afterwarde deliuered them both apart but the bodye of Christ was neuer sacrificed without the blood nor the blood without the flesh for Christ offered vppon the Altar of the crosse the sacrifice of his bodie and blood together this is the cause that he saide Take ye eat ye drinke ye not take ye to offer and to Sacrifice Seuenthly the Scripture teacheth vs one offering and Sacrifice for sin once performed and offered Heb. 10. Wee are sanctified by the offering of Iesus Christ k once made and ver 12. This man after he had offered one saerifice for sinnes sitteth at the right hnnd of God And the Apostle 1 Tim. 2. There is one mediator betweene God and man the man Iesus Christ who gaue himselfe a ransome for all men So 1 Iohn 2. If any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous and hee is the propitiation for our sinnes Likewise Heb 9. By his owne blood he entred in once vnto the holy place and obtained eternall redemption for vs not that he should offer himselfe l often as the high Priest entered into the holy place euerie yeare with other blood for then must he haue often suffered since the foundation of the worlde but now in the end of the worlde hath he bene made manifest once to put away sinne by the sacrifice of himselfe We haue plentifull testimonies of this truth in this Epistle as chap. x. Where remission of these things is there is no more offering for sinne If then we haue remission by the sacrifice of Christ all other sacrifices are superfluous and abrogat his al-sufficient sacrifice So Rom 6. In that he died he died for sinne once And 1. Pet. 3. Christ also hath once suffered for sinnes the iust for the vninst If then this perfect offering were once onely to be offered then he is not offered neither can be offered againe in the Masse And if the onely oblation of Christ once offered by himselfe be sufficient all other oblations and Sacrifices are vaine and superfluous For how is that perfect which is often repeated Eightly to make a lawfull sacrifice there is required necessarily a fit minister lawfully called of God for no man taketh his honor to himselfe but he that is called of God as was Aaron so likewise Christ took not to himselfe this honour to be made the high-priest but he that saide to him Thou art my sonne this day I begat thee gaue it him But Christ is the onely priest
O father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in vs. He ereunto commeth the saying of Paule Ephe 3. Christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith Like wise Act 13. Byhim euery one that beleeueth is iustified that is absolued and discharged And Iohn 3. so many as beleeue in him shall not perish but haue euerlasting life Thus we see our fellowship with christ is from the spirit and by our 〈◊〉 The spirit is the principall worker faith is the meanes and the instrument Neither must this comunction seem vnto vs impossible throgh the great distance and distinction of place We see the sun daily with oureies which though it be scituate in the heauens and seperated from vs in place communicateth his effect and power vnto vs that dwell vppon the earth neither doe we maruell thereat and yet is the sunne but a creature subiect vnto vs and distributed to all the people vnder the whole heauen to serue their vse Shall not Christ then the sonne of righteousnesse make vs truely partakers of his flesh by the vnsearchable power of his spirit and the supernaturall gift of a liuely faith who can as easily ioyne together things farre off as those that are nigh Are not the faithfull seuered in place and scattered through the world ioyned as neerely together as the members are to become one body where of Christ is the head As the Apostle teacheth That which we haue seene heard declare we vnto you that ye may also haue fellowship with vs and that our fellowship also may be with the father with his son Iesus Christ. We see this like wise lively laid out before vs in the estate of 〈◊〉 though the husband and wife be sundred for a time and separated one farre from another yet the band of matrimony doth so ioyne and vnite them that the wife is one flesh with her 〈◊〉 albeit he be a thousand miles distant from her so is it betweene Christ and the faithfull he loued the church and gaue himselfe for it and they are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones which coupling and combining together with Christ is wrought as we haue shewed by the spirit principally by faith instrumentally by both most effectually We need not therfore any carnall and bodily presence of Christ to ioyne vs to him seeing it is truely and certainely perfourmed by these meanes whereby we grow to a perfect man in him For as the Sunne is more comfortable to the world by his refreshing beames and sweete influence being absent then if his naturall body and compasle lay vpon the earth so the flesh of christ being in the glory of his father much more comforteth and refresheth our soules and bodies by his heauenly grace and spirituall influence then 〈◊〉 he were present fleshly before our eyes And as the Sunne not discending from heauen nor leauing his place is not withstanding present with vs in our chambers in our houses in our hands and in our bosomes so christ being in the highest heauens not comming downe nor forsaking his glorious habitation yet neuerthelesse is present with vs in our congregations in our heartes in our praiers in our meditations and in the sacraments But of this we shall haue occasion to speake more in the chapter following and we haue already spoken of it in the former bookes Chap. 10. Of the third inward part of the Lords Supper THe third inward part is the body and blood of christ that is the body of our Lord deliuered vnto death for vs and his blood shed for the remission of sinnes and consequently whole christ This is the chiefest part of this sacrament For the bodie and blood of Christ are thus made and separated to be the liuelie meat of our soules and haue that force and efficacy of 〈◊〉 in our soules which bread and wine haue in our bodies This is the cause why Christ often calleth himselfe the bread of life Ioh. 6. I am that bread of life this is that bread of life vvhich commeth dovvn from heauen that he vvhich eateth of it shold not dye I am that liuing bread if any man eate of this bread he shall liue for euer Thus euery receiuer is giuen to vnderstand that as God doth blesse the bread and Wine in his Supper to preserue strengthen and comfort the body of the receiuer so Christ apprehended and receiued by faith doth nourish vs and preserueth body and soule vnto eternall life Hee died in the flesh that he might quicken vs and he poured out his blood 〈◊〉 hee might clense vs from our sinnes Wherefore whensoeuer as the Lordes ghests we see the bread on the Lordes table we must set our mindes on the body of Christ when we behold the cup of the Lord we must thinke vpon the blood of christ when we looke vpon the bread broken and the Wine poured out we must consider how the body of chirst was pierced punished crushed crucified torne tormented and his blood poured out for our sakes when we feele that by bread our bodies are nourished and strengthned and by the wine our vitall spirits are comforted and refreshed we beleeue that by the body of Christ deliuered to death for vs we are fed to euerlasting life and that by his blood poured out vpon the crosse our consciences are sāctified and we fele his quickning power which doth confirme vs in our communion with him Thus is this part of the supper spiritually to bee applyed thus are the bread and wine made a sacrament to vs and not bare signes thus the memorall of christs death is repeated whichalbeit it were once finished on the crosse and now his passion is past long ago yet to the faithfull in regard of the force it is stil fresh and alwaies present Now it is not without cause and good consideration that Christ would haue the bread first deliuered as a signe of his body and then afterward the wine as a signe of his blood seuerally and apart administred because his body and blood are not represented to vs as his humanity now dwelleth glorious in the heauens but as he was offered vp a sacrifice on the crosse his blood being 〈◊〉 out of his body For to the end it may be nourishment to vs it must be crucified For as corne of it selfe is not fit foode for vs vnlesse it bee threshed winnowed ground and baked for vs so is it touching christ he must suffer be crucified and dy that we may liue by him and raigne with him This is the truth which in this point is to be considered Now let vs lay open the vses which of vs are to be learned Is christ the inward part of the Lordes Supper represented by the bread and wine offered to all but rcceiued onely of such as are faithfull then his body is not inclosed in the bread or in the accidents ofbread nor his blood included in the wine or vnder
bridegroome shall be taken from them and then they shal fast But if he were remainning on the earth and contained in the pixe the bridegroome could not nor would not be taken away And the same Euangehst chap. 26. saith Ye haue the poore alwaies with you but me ye shal not haue alwaies Like wise Iohn 13. When Iesus knew that hie houre was come that he should depart out of this world vnto the father heeriseth from supper and chap. 14. I goe to prepare a place for you but I wil come againe if I go away to prepare a place for you I will receiue you vnto my selfe that where I am there may ye be also and verse 28 ye haue heard how I said vnto you I go awaie and will come vnto you And chap. 17. Now I am no more in the world but these are in the world and I come to thee Againe act 1. ye men of Galile why stand re gazing into heauen this Iesus which is taken vp from you into heauen shal so come as ye haue seene him go into heauen If then Christ according to his humane nature be not on earth how can his 〈◊〉 body be on euerie altar how can they eat him with their 〈◊〉 how can they swallow him downe their throat Ninthlie such an eating and 〈◊〉 of the bodie and blood of christ must be holden as is profitable and comfortable to the receiuers for nothing is more 〈◊〉 and fruitfull then these being rightlie receiued 〈◊〉 thereby remission of sinnes assured and eternall glory sealed vp vnto vs. But no fruite to our faith can come vnto vs by this kind of bodilie eating the bodie carnall drinking the blood of christ for wicked men haue as great a portion in this as the godly Nay by their owne doctrin it may be eaten of birds of beasts of Mice of Dogs of hogs of vermine to whom no profit no comfort no benefit can come whereas God woulde haue the flesh of the sonne of man to be eaten of those to whom it shal be auailable to life and saluation I am the liuing bread which came downe from heauen if any man eat of this bread he shall liue for euer and the bread that I will giue is my flesh which I wil giue for the life of the world Tenthly nothing can be more grosse barbarous or inhumane then to deuour mans flesh and to drinke mans blood What doth more transforme men into sauage and 〈◊〉 beasts Nay worse then beastes which deuour not their owne kind what is more contrarie to the purenes holines of Gods law then this The words of the Lord are pure words as the siluer tryed in a furnace of earth fined seuen fold The feare of the Lord is clean the law of God is spirituall holy iust and good And the gospell bringeth saluation to all degrees and teacheth vs that we should deny all vngodlines and worldly Iustes and that we should liue soberly righteously and godly in this present world But what can be more repugnant to godlines sobernes and righteousnes then to teare wirh the teeth and iawes mans flesh and to drink his blood from which the Capernaits abhorred what more crosseth the Religion of Christ the law of god and the light of nature then mā to deuour man and the bowels of one to be in the bowels of another And are not their stomackes strong to digest this meat did not god in the law command to abstain frō eating the blood of beasts and from strangled did not the Apostles for a time renue it amōg the christiās in respect of the weaknes of the Iews because Moses was read in their sinagogue euer saboth day to what 〈◊〉 should this be done if the church had tasted the blood of ch with their mouth or swallowed his body in their bellies And do not the Scythians and al the gentiles that are not vtterly voide of 〈◊〉 abstain from mans blood and 〈◊〉 deuouring his flesh wherefore these men are worse then the Scithians barbariās and Gentiles yea worse then the Canibals Indies that eat their enimies but these deuour ch whom they cal their L. and maist like Actcons houndes to compare one fable with another onely heer ly the differences they deuourd their Lord vnder the shape of a stag or Hart they eat their maist vnder the formes of bread and wine these fastned their mouth vpon their maister because they thoght him absent and not present vnder that shape they openly confesse their maister to be present and yet 〈◊〉 professe to deuour him with their iawes and swallow him in their stomacks wherefore these men are more cruell Eleuenthly if Christ be present in the Sacramant bodily and carnally in what body shall he be present Whether in his glorified body as he is in the heauens or in his mortall body as he was vpon the earth In one of these he must be present necessarily if he be present fleshly Whatsoeuer they answer they are taken onboth hands are stroken downe as with a sword that hath two edges Dare they saie he is thus present in his mortall bodie This cannot be For it is certaine he hath not now a mortall bodie but a glorified bodie this corruptible hath put on in corruption this mortall hath put on immortality and death is swallowed vp in victory This the Apostle confirmeth this the Scripture teacheth this Christian faith beleeueh Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more death hath no more dominion ouer him For in that he dyed he dyed once to sinne but in that he liueth he liueth to God Like wise Heb. 7. 25 This man because he endureth euer hath a priesthood which cannot passe from one to another seeing he euer hueth to make intercession for them And chapter 9. of the same Epistle he is entred into heauen not that he should offer himselfe often but he was once offered to take away the sins of many These testimonies duly considered he cannot be present in a mortal body What then will they be helped to say he is present in his glorified body Then he cannot nowe be present in the sacrament of the supper as he was present to the Apostles sitting at the table with them and preaching vnto them of his death he cannot be present in the same body that he did deliuer to his Disciples in the institution of his last supper For the body of Christ was then mortall and not glorified then he had not suffered death vpon the Crosle he was not risen and ascended into the heauens to sit at the right hand of his father so that they must seeke another place then these wordes of Christ This is my body this is my blood to build their reall presence and transubstantiation for they pointed out his mortall body because his body was not yet glorified when the sacrament was instituted Besides what a uniserable glorified body should this be to be
without many contradictions For if christs body be visible how can it be inuisible If it haue al the properties of a naturalbody how can it be without the properties of a natural body If it be finite how can it be infinite Lastly if it be an inseparable necessary adioynt to a true body to be contained in one certaine place how then can it be true that his body is in ten thousand places without any circumscription So then Gods omnipotency cannot build vp the monstrous worke of the reall presence inasmuch as the body of Christ cannot be brought within the slender compasse of a mathematicall cake without falsehood and destruction of all the properties incident vnto a true and naturall body Lastly as an esfect of Gods omnipotent power they obiect the bread and Wine are turned into the flesh and bloode of Christ appearing bread and Wine still by a wonderfull Myracle which is wrought by the wordes of consecration and by a mighty worke of God This obiection hath beene sufficiently answered already Wee haue proued that euerye Myracle may bee seene and discerned by the outward sence as the Myracles of Moses of the prophets of Christ and the Apostles and therefore the Iewes said vnto Christ Shew vs a miracle teaching that miracles are to be iudged by sight and sense When Moses turned the Waters of the Egyptians into blood the sight perceiued the tast discerned it The Myracles of Christ appeare euidently and were apprehended by the senses of the body Hee turned water into Wine the tast iudged there of the dombe spake the eare heard them speake The Lame walked the deade were raised the eies perceiued the motion all 〈◊〉 and were astonied In like manner if the bread and Wine were chaunged eyther the eye or tast should perceiue it and all the Disciples would be astonied Againe after the Gospell was plentifully confirmed and had taken roote and the Apostles were dead such Myracles ceased as experience teacheth Besides the holy supper is an ordinary Sacrament of the Church but euery miracle is extraordinary or else it is no Myracle so that vnlesse we will turne ordinary into extraordinary and make miracles as common as Sacramentes we must remoue miracles from the supper Furthermore if the real presence were wrought by a miracle euery priest should be a worker of miracles and wonders and an ordinary calling shold alwaies be accompanied with extraordinary gifts But their office of priesthood hath not this gift in their owne iudgement generally giuen vnto it Wherefore miracles being now ceased are not found in the supper Lastly Augustine gathering all the Myracles written in the Scripture yet speaketh not of this nay he not onely omitted it but slatly denyeth any myracle to bee in the Sacrament when he saith It may haue honour or reuerence as an holy thing but cannot be wondered at as a strange or myraculous thing If then it be a Myracle it must be in the number of lying Myracles spoken off by the Apostle so that Transubstantiatyon and the reall presence are reall contraryes or contradictions repugnant to the Scripture to fayth to reason to lerning to sense to natur to Gods ordinance absurd and impossible and therfore of all Gods people to be abhored abiured being a renewing of the old heresie of Eutiches who held that Christs body after his 〈◊〉 was made equall with his diuinity To conclude this vse we do not exclude all presence of Christ out of the Sacrament but distinguish the manner of his presence which we haue shewed to be in the supper truely not grosly effectually not fleshly spiritually not bodily sacramentally not carnally mistically not naturally The former vse was touching knowledge and faith instructing what to hold of the reall presence The next vse is touching our obedience and dutye For is Christ the chiefe substance of this sacrament and his body and blood giuen vs for the foode of our soules a gift farre aboue heauen and earth Then we are bound to hunger after him to desire him with an earnest appetite and desire as wee come to our meate and drinke Hunger is a great thing and we say it maketh men leape ouer a stone wall he that is hunger bitten will eate his owne flesh from his armes In this corporall hunger then are two thinges that pine and pinch men first a paine in the lower part of the belly arising from emptinesse secondly an exceeding appetite to be filled and satisfied such haue killed dressed and deuourd their own childen rather thē they would starue this paine hath beene so great this longing hath beene so extraordinary So must it be with vs in the spirituall hunger after Christ we must be inwardly pained in soule for 〈◊〉 and for the wrath of God kindled for our sinne and then haue an hungring 〈◊〉 and longing appetite that we may possesse Christ and lay hold on him to our saluation Whosoeuer commeth to his ordinary meate without hunger it were better not to eate it ingendreh grosse and euill humours aud bringeth a surfet to the body So whosoeuer desireth not christ with an hungry soule earnestly longing after him and crauing nourishment from him cannot be filled with good thinges The want of this hunger is a cause why so few receiue Christ and profit not by the meanes ordained to that end as the word and sacraments these come to them of custome rather then with conscience and for fashion rather then with faith these men are not fit to be Christes ghuests that hunger not after him Wherefore the prophet 〈◊〉 all such as faint in their soules through hunger and thirst of this foode Ho euery one that thirsteth come to the 〈◊〉 and ye that haue no siluer come buy and eate come I say buy wine and 〈◊〉 without siluer and without money And the Apostle Reuel 22. 17 Let him that is a thirst come and let whosoeuer will take of the water of life freely Likewise the Euangelist Luk 1 53. He filleth the hungry with good things and sendeth the rich empty away But where is the desire of these things Where is the hunger after this heauenly foode Where is the thirst after the waters of life Truely of all gifts this is the greatest yet the greatest number care nothing for christ nor for his gifts As the Israelites in the wildernesse loathed Manna and desired to returne into Egypt such are there among vs no desire no affection no zeale this way they spend their cogitations and indeuoures to gaine honour they thirst after Siluer and Gold they delight in earthly pleasures they couet houses landes and wealth of the world these things they abound in these thinges they make their happinesse and their heauen Such as these there are thousands in the bosome of the Church that hunger more after these transitory things then after heauenly Such are prophane persons as 〈◊〉 who preferred a
promise being stronge in faith and vnder hope beleeued aboue hope before circumcision was giuen vnto him Thus also the beleeuing theefe vpon the crosse though he did nener receyue the sacrament of christ yet he did eat the body and drinke the blood of christ to eternal life so that he beleeued in him and was the same day with him in paradise He was not crucified for the profession of christ but was condemned for the merit of his transgression neither did he suffer because he beleeued but he beleeued while he suffered He was not baptized he receiued not the Lords supper yet his saith saued him spiritually eatinge the true food of euerlasting life Rom 10. With the hart man beleeueth vnto rightcousnesse and with the mouth man confesseth vnto saluation for the scripture saith whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not be ashamed According to that in the prophet The iust shall liue by faith And Iohn 11. I am the resurrection and the life he that beleeueth in me though he were deade yet he shall liue and whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth in me shall neuer dy This ministreth great comfort in trials and tribulations to consider that howsoeuer by sickenes by persecution by imprisonment we may be seperated from the Supper of christ yet we cannot be seperated from christ though we may bee hindered from eating him sacramentally yet we cannot be hindred from eating him spiritually though we may bee kept from eating the bread and drinking of the cup of the Lord yet we cannot by the malice of Satan or violence of his instrumentes be kept from feeding vppon christ by faith to saluation Againe other receiue christ onely sacramentally and not spiritually who are partakers of the outwarde Elements of bread and wine and so receiue the bare signes of the body and blood of Christ. For as they are said to eat the true body of christ spiritually which receiue christ with the mouth of the soul that is by a true faith and are truely ioyned to him so they eat him sacramentally that handle eate and drinke the signes and seales of his true body but because they want faith they want the means to receiue christ himselfe Thus many haue bin baptized that were neuer regenerated and inwardly purged as appeareth in Simon the sorcerer whose hart was not vpright so that albeit he were partaker of the Sacrament of regeneration and repentance yet he remayned in the gall of bitternes and in the bond of iniquity So many haue resorted to the Lords Supper that neuer drew nourishment or strength of Faith from him to life and saluation and thus many thousands in the worlde come to the sacraments 〈◊〉 some neither receiue Christ spiritually nor sacramentally and such are they that neuer come to christ nor receiue the sacraments of christ such are they that liue out of the bosome of the church as it were out of the Arke of Noah as Infidels Iewes Turks Saracens Persians and such like these mast needes perish in the deepe floodes of Gods endles iudgements For as christ is the fountaine of life and the wel-spring of all heauenly treasures that accompany saluation and the Sacraments his instrumentes whereby these graces are conueyd vnto vs and the church the parties to whome both these belong so such as are without Christ without the sacramentes without grace without the church and consequently without the priuiledges that pertaine to the heires of his eternall kingdom lye in darkenes and in the shaddowe of death and are as Dogges to whome the childrens bread doth not belong Lastly other receiue Christ both spiritually by faith and sacramentally with the mouth who are partakers both of the signes and of the things signified who eat of the bread of the L. the bread which is 〈◊〉 L. And thus the apostles thatsat at the table with christ at his last supper did receiue him applying the outward part to their bodies and the inward part to their souls Also thus al the faithful that come to the table of ch to the end of the worlde do receiue him spiritually and sacramentally to the great comfort of their own souls thus must euery one of vs seek to come to ch whensouer we come to the sa of ch Wherfore we see what difference and distinction is to be made between those that receiue christ that we be not deceiued in the manner of the receiuing of him Againe seeing onely the faithfull are the inward part of this sacrament it is not to bee administred to such as shew themselues vnfaithfull and vnrepentant so farre as they may be known so to be Such as are without faith without repentance without sanctification haue no right and interest in this blessed communion For if euery one should without difference be admitted and receiued the Church of God which is a blessed fellowship of Saintes should be turned into a stye of vncleane Swine a stable of vncleane beastes a cage of 〈◊〉 birdes and as Christ speaketh the house of God should bee made a 〈◊〉 of theeues God did shut out of his sanctuary euery stranger vncircum cised in heart and in the 〈◊〉 he commaunded also the priestes to put a difference between the holy and prophane betweene the cleane and vnclean 〈◊〉 her to belongeth that saying of Christ Math. 7. Giue ye not that which is holy to Dogs neither cast ye your pearles before svvine least they tread you vnder their 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 againe all to rent you If therefore such as remaine in grosse and open sinnes of blasphemy swearing contempt of Gods worde adultery 〈◊〉 vncleanesse wantonnesse drunkennesse maliciousnesse and such like offer themselues at any time with the rest of the members of the church to partake this supper and as it wer insectious leapers come into the Lords host to be admitted to the sacrifices it is the Pastors duty to vse the power of the keies and barre them from this Sacrament vntill there appeare in them the testimonies of repentance and the confession of their offences Should not the shepheard feuer the rotten and 〈◊〉 sheepe from the fold Doth not a little leauen sower the whole lump Wil an housholder admit into his house euery one that vanteth himselfe to be of the houshold The Idothers by the light of nature would not suffer all to approch to their sacrifices their heathnish sacrifices but cryed out that prophane persons should be packing and get them thence and not presume to offer with vnwashen hands Such as haue a very cleere 〈◊〉 aine and spring of Waters committed vnto them if they see 〈◊〉 swine come to warde it must not suffer them to trouble the spring and annoy the water Shall they then that haue the sacred and hallowed spring not common water but of the precious blood of Christ springing vp to eternallife committed vnto them suffer such as are notoriously 〈◊〉 with sinne to prophane the bloode
like the bitter and cursed waters making tryall of the suspected wife wherupon the counsell of wormes determineth that If any monasterie be suspected of theft let him bee purged by the taking of the sacrament Thus Sybicon Byshop of Spire in the counsell of Mentz did by it purge himselfe of adultery about the yeare 1100 an vse neuer intended by the spirite of God nor practised by anie of the Apostles to institute it to discouer secretes Likewise somtimes it is taken to be good against inchanters and inchantments sometimes to bee good for the remedy and recouery of sickenes to deliuer soules out of purgatory to preserue from the plague to saue cattell to cure the feuer to recouer again things lost to take away tooth-ache to cleere the eyes and what not All these fancies and supposed ends of this Sacrament agree not with the institution of christ nor with the former vses set down which now we come to handle and to proue out of the doctrine of the Apostles themselues Touching the first and principall end that is the remembrance meditation and shewing forth the death of christ with all thanksgiuing this he commaunded to vs at his last 〈◊〉 from vs which ought much to stick in our minds because the last words of a deare friend ready to part from vs do often times leaue behind both deepe impressions and deuout affections in vs. Indeede when we read of the passion and death of christ it doth not much moue vs to heare it opened and expounded it moueth in a farther degree but more then these to haue before our eies a visible representation of the crucifieng of christ in his last supper doth moue vs most of all The institution of this Sacrament hee did in wisedome reserue till the approaching of his death that we might not forget him when he is gone from vs. So god the father after the vniuersal flood drawning the whole world for a remembrance of his mercy in deliuering Noah and his family from the waters and of his promise made neuer to destroy it so againe left to them and al posterity the 〈◊〉 bow When he had iustly smitten the first borne of the Egyptians and gratiously saued the first borne of Israel he commaunded Moses to sanctifie to 〈◊〉 al the first born that first openeth the womb to remember the day in which they came out of the land of Egypt When he had miraculously fed the Israelites with Manna from heauen that men did eate Angels food he would haue a golden pot ful of it to be reserued in the Arke of remembrance for the better remembrance of so great a work So likewise being deliuered by the precious bloode of christ from the floods of sin 〈◊〉 haue gone ouer our heads and eased of the heauy burthen that pressed downe our hearts we haue receiued baptisme to keepe vs in remembrance thereof that wee are ciensed from the filthynes of sin Again being nourished with christs body crucyfied his blood shed for vs we are coÌ„manded to vse this mistery to continue an holy remembrance of his death and passion to our endlesse comfort This end to wit to be to vs a remembrance of Christes sacrifice on the crosse is taught by the Apostle So often as ye shall eate of this bread and drinke of this cup ye shew the lords death till he come In like manner the Euangelist Luk of the bread he saith Do this in remembrance of me and of the cup Do this as oft as ye shall drinke it in remembrance of me by declaring his death And we declare the Lords death when we publikely confesse with our mouth and beleeue with the heart that our whole hope and affiance for life and saluation is surely set in the Lords death that we may glorifie him by our confession and exhort others by our example to glorifie him because his death is our life his passion is our saluation his suffering is our reioycing We our selues are the principall and proper causes that he was torne and tormented our sinnes wounded him we our selues crucified him we euen we were the causes for he was chastised for vs that by death he might deliuer vs from death and from him that had the power of death Our euill motions our vile thoughtes our corrupt wordes and our sinfull works did set on worke Pontius Pilate Herod Annas Caiphas Iudas the Gentiles and the Iewes who were but instruments as the crosse nailes the hammer and spear these were as our seruants and workemen in the euill action of his crucifieng Wherefore to speake the truth not Sathan the tempter not Iudas the Traytor not Caiphas the highpriest not Pilate the chiefe iudge not the Iewes that conspired against him not the false witnesses that accused him not the band of men that scorned him not the passengers that nodded their heads at him not the souldier that pierced him not the executioners that railed and nailed him on the Crosse are so much to be accused and reproued for his sufferings as we we I say our selues and our owne sinnes Not that we can excuse those cursed instrumentes that crucified the Lorde of glory who shall receiue according to their workes when they shall see him whom they haue pierced but to teach vs chifely to accuse and condemne our selues We bound him with cords we beate him with rods we buffeted him with fistes we crowned him with thornes wee reuiled him with our mouthes we railed at him with reproches we nodded at him with our heads we thrust him through with 〈◊〉 we berraied him with a kisse we pierced his hands and feet with nailes we crucified him betweene two theeues wee condemned him through false witnesses we poured shame and contempt vpon his person we iudged him as plagued and smitten of God For inasmuch as our fâ—lts and offences procured these things to be done vnto him we were the doers of them and the dea'ers in them And surely then we are profitably grounded in the doctrine of the passion of Christ when our haits cease to sinne and we are pricked with an inward griefe of those great and grieuous transgressions whereby as with speares we pierced the side and wounded the very soule of the immaculate lambe of God as Ioh 3 Who so sinneth neither hath seene him nor knowne him And the prophet 〈◊〉 teacheth chap. 53. He was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities the chastssement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes 〈◊〉 are healed the Lord haih layd vpon him the iniquity of vs all Seeing then christ was slaine for our sins let vs kill sin in our selues seeing he dyed for vs let vs labour that sin may be dead in vs seeing he was crucified for vs and our saluation let vs crucifie our owne Instes that they raigne not in our mortall bodies seeing his hart was pierced with a speare let vs haue our hearts thrust through pierced
in examining ourselues before we come No great thing can bee done well without good care and endeuour In all humane things of any importance nothing is attempted or atchiued without some preparation more or lesse going before according to the nature of the matter Before men sit downe to eat or drinke their ordinary food before they sleepe before they wash before they walke before they work some preparation goeth before Before the ground is tilled it is prpared Before the law was deliuered before the Saboth was sanctified before the sacrifice was offered before the Passeouer was killed before the worde was receiued before prayers were vttered the heart was in some sort prepard One of the greatest duties required of vs is to dy well whereunto all our life should be a preparation and euery day should be a meditation of death that we may not be found vnready and vnprepared when the bridegroome shall come So the Supper of the Lord being an excellent misterie and the food of our soules whereby we receiue Christs body and blood there is required of euery one a trying prouing and examining themselues least seeking comfort by their comming they bring vpon themselues iudgement through want of preparing This trueth deliuered hath the witnesse and consent of many Scriptures for the confirmation thereof The Prophet 2. Chron. 35. saith Kill the passeouer and sanctifie your selues and prepare your Brethren that they may do according to the word of the Lord by the hand of Moses And the holy man Iob when the daies of the banketting of his children were gone about sent and sanctified them and rose vp earely in the morning and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all Also the wiseman 〈◊〉 4. Take heede to thy foote when thou enterest into the house of God and be more neare to heare then to giue the sacrifice of fooles for they know not that they do euill Likewise the prophet Ieremy Lament 3. Wherefore is the liuing man sorrowfull Man suffereth for his sinne let vs search and try our waies and turne againe to the Lord. To the same purpose the prophet Dauid saith Psal. 4. Tremble and sinne not examine your owne heart vpon your bed and be still and Psal. 119. I haue considered my waies and turned my feete into thy testimonies The Apostle Paule is very direct in this point as Gal. 6. 4. Let euery man proue his owne worke and then shall he haue reioycing in himselfe onely and not in any other Also 1 Cor 11. Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this cup where he speaketh of purpose of the Lordes Supper So then it is a duty required of all persons that come to the Lordes Table or any other exercise of religion to search their owne heartes and consciences narrowly how they bee affected and disposed touching the discharge of this duty And if wee would farther consider the necessity of this examination we fhould finde it standeth vpon many sufficient reasons and causes as vpon certaine foundations that cannot be remoued Doe we not see men when they come into the presence of some honourable and Noble person to addresse themselues to doe it with all renerence Ioseph being sent for to come before Pharaoh King of Egypt shaued his hed and changed his raiment and pro 23. When thou sittest downe with a ruler at meate consider diligently what is before thee Therefore when wee sit at the Lordes table to sup with him and are admitted to be his welcome ghuests we ought much more to be caresul to sanctifie our soules with al solemnity Consider with me a little our own practise We will not put our ordinary meates in a dish vnwashed nor our common drinks into a cup vnclensed and shall we put the signes of bread and Wine which are chosen instruments to conueigh Christ vnto vs into vnsanctisied soules vnprepared heartes and 〈◊〉 consciences Doth not our sauiour Christ reproue such hy pocrisie when he saith Ye can discerne the face of the skie and 〈◊〉 you not discerne the signes of the times And if that vpper chamber wher the supper was first administred were trimmed and garnished should not our hearts be prepared into the which it is receiued Shall Christ himselfe offer to come into our houses and shal not we sanctifie our harts to entertain such a ghest This were to great carelesnesse and contempt Moreouer waigh with me the profit that commeth to our selues to moue vs to this examination The comfort is great the fruite is excellent the benifit is vnspeakeable to those that partake the mystery of the Supper worthily they receiue christ they receiue remission of sinnes they receiue saluation they receiue assurance of eternall life For if the woman diseased with an yssue of blood loe twelue yeare comming behind Christ and touched onely the hemme of his garment was made whole then assuredly the spirituall receiuing of the body and blood of christ shal not bring lesse profit if the faith be equall which notwithstanding is wholly lost without preparation Ponder with me also how by neglect of this triall of our selues not onely this profit is lost but the Sacrament it selfe is after a sort defiled For howsoeuer it be in it selfe by the ordinance of God an holy and heauenly banket yet to the vngodly vnregenerate and vnsanctified it becommeth vnholy and wholly earthly as the prophet Haggai teacheth Chapter 2. If a polluted person touch an holy thing it shall be vncleane The person must be holy that will haue sound profit by the holy thinges of God the man that is vnholy defileth every thing he toucheth the polluted Person polluteth all thinges For as to the pure all thinges are pure but vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure but euen their mindes and consciences are corrupted so the prophane Person defileth all thinges and turneth wholesome meate into noysome poyson We must therefore vse sanctifyed thinges with sanctfyed hearts and for spirituall meate we haue spirituall vessels Furthermore marke the great danger punishment that is procured and purchased by this want of preparation For the vn worthie receiuer is guilty of the body and blood of Christ as the Apostle specifieth 1 cor xi Whosoeuer shall eate this bread and drinke the cup of the lord vnworthily shall be guiltie of the body and blood of the Lord. And againe He that eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh his own iudgement because he 〈◊〉 not the lords body for this cause many are sick and weak among you and manie sleepe Where he teacheth that such as come vnworthily vnreuerently and otherwise then such misteries should be handled doe despise and treade vnder their feet Iesus Christ himselfe prouoke the Lords 〈◊〉 and bring on themselues swift damnation Not that he is carnally and bodily present but because the reproache which is vsed in the signes
toucheth the bodie and bloode of Christ signified by them Euen as if a man shoulde rent disgrace deface spit vppon tread and trample vnder his feet and villanouslie abuse the image seale and letters patents of a Prince he should be adiudged guilty of a grieuous crime against the person of the Prince himselfe not which hee receiueth but despiteth so such as come vnthankefully and vnworthily to this supper are guilty of his body not which they haue eaten but which they haue refused and reiected being offered vnto them and therefore are guilty of their owne death inasmuch as God with the signes offereth his owne sonne Wherefore seeing the presence of God moueth seeing our owne profit perswadeth seeing our owne practise furthereth seeing the defiling of the Sacrament and the danger of vnworthy receiving teacheth and lastly seeing our owne iudgement in humane affaires when the daunger is not so great nor the losse so certaine cryeth out for this necessary preparation it standeth vs vpon before we enter into this holy worke whereunto of our selues wee are more vnfit and vnto warde and which in it owne nature is most profitable to set our selus before the Lord who shal examine and iudge the quicke and the dead to search into our owne wayes and to keepe a sessions in our own soules to looke into our secret and hidden corruptions how wee haue gone forward or backward in golinesse to try whether we haue a knowledge feeling and disliking of our sinnes and whether we haue any feare of Gods iudgments or faith in his promises or hope in his mercie to iudge our selues that we may not be iudged of the Lord to labour to find out our speciall sinnes striuing against them by earnest praier to God and condemning them for euer in our selues If we would thus iudge our selues wee should not be condemned with the world Let vs be grieued for our naturall blindnes Let vs acknoledge confusion of faces to be due vnto vs. Let vs deepely imprint in our owne harts the horror of our sins past and present The more wee perceiue and discerne our own vnworthinesse the greater shal be our fitnes to come to this Sacrament and the lesse we espy our owne imperfections the more we incuire the danger of Gods iudgements So then to touch vs with true 〈◊〉 and to break our stony hearts in pieces with remembrance of our daily offences let vs often meditate on the death and passion of Christ who was forsaken scorned buffeted and crucified for vs he was led as a lambe to the slaughter and shunned not the shame of the Crosse then the powers of heauen 〈◊〉 wer moued Iudea was darkned the earth quaked the stones claue in sunder the the graues opened the Sunne was in the ful-moone eclipsed the vaile of the temple was rent the dead were raysed the theese repented the centurion glorified God and the whole order of nature was changed All these thinges 〈◊〉 set before vs the he inousnesse of our sins and the greatnesse of gods wrath which could not be appeased but by crucifieng of the body and by shedding of the blood of Christ which is represented to vs as in a glasse in this Supper Thus wee haue shewed by testimonies and effectuall reasons that as in the passe-ouer they were commanded to chuse them a lambe on the tenth day but to kill him on the fourteenth so that they had 4. daies liberty betweene the separating and the killing of him for preparation and sanctification of themselues in like manner in the supper which is the same to vs that the passe-ouer was to the 〈◊〉 the spirit of God chargeth this duty vpon vs that we prepare our harts reuerently thereunto Now as we haue seene the necessity of this examination let vs consider what vses are to be made thereof Is it required of all communicants that come to the Lords table 〈◊〉 to examine themselues Then from hence it follo weth that all men are bound to know the word of God and to be skilfull in the scripture that thereby they 〈◊〉 be able to try their owne hearts and examine themselues by that rule But if the rule be vnknowne the tryall spoken off cannot be made the examination commaunded cannot be practised Especially there is required of vs the knowledge in the doctrine of the law not onely to be able to rchearse the words but to know the end and mcaning of them the speciall branches of them what are the duties commaunded what are the sinnes condemned for by the law commeth the knowledge of sinne and the Apostle had not knowne sinne but by the law for hee had not knowne last except the law had sayd thou shait not lust As then he that will try Golde from copper must haue his touch stone so he that will rightly examine his obedience must familiarly be acquainted with the Canon of the scriptures This our Sauiour teacheth Ioh. 5. Search the scriptures for in them ye thinke to haue eternalllife and they are they which testisie of me 〈◊〉 then we search them they will giue vs light to search our 〈◊〉 And the Apostle requireth the Colossians to haue the word of God dwell plentifully in them in al wisedome Wherefore he that said examine your selues ment we should also know the scriptures and especially the law of God which must be the glasse of our liues to behold our offences and the very ground-worke of this examination Againe we are charged to try out our waies and examine our selues Then we learne from hence to acknowledge a difference between baptisme and the lords supper For baptisme is due to the whole church and euery member thereof whether old or young to all infants who are the children of faithful parents that haue giuen their names to Christ and are entred into the profession of the Gospell And howsoeuer confession of faith fruits of repentance are required of the elder sorte as wee haue shewed yet touching infants it is susficiēt if they be born in the church of such as are members of the church But the Supper of the Lord belongeth only to such as are able to examine themselues to try their owne harts and to remember his death which things cannot agree with children As we see in the passe-ouer not all the children of the faithfull were admitted thereunto but onely such as could enquire and require a reason thereof and did desire to be instructed of their parents and such as had learned to make the law a frontlet before their eies and a signe vpon their hands that so the doctrine of God might not depait out of their mouths Besides if we consider the outward workes in both the Sacraments aright we shall plainely see the truth of this diuersity For in Baptisme the action of the minister is to wash the body with water which requireth not discretion in him that is to be baptized fo rasmuch as we
vnworthinesse in receiuing the Supper Chap. 16. Of the knowledge of God the first part of examination AS we haue waighed the necessity of preparing and examining our selues so let vs consider the manner how it is to be performed Such as will in an holy manner prepare themselues to celebrate the Lords Supper to the glory of God and comfort of their owne soules must diligently acquaint themselues with these 4. pointes with knowledge faith repentance and reconciliation to those whom they haue offended It is required of all persons that come to this Sacrament to know the grounds of religion and vnderstande the doctrine of the sacramentes Secondly to beleeue in christ and to looke for saluation in him alone inasmuch as there is no other name vnder heauen by which we must be saued So then we must come with faith which is the hand to apprehend christ Thirdly to abhorre and detest our sins to hate them with an vnfained hatred as our deadly and most dangerous enemies and to haue godly sorrow for them which may cause repentance not to be repented off Lastly to loue our bretheren truely and sincerly yea euen our enemies If we find not these things in our selues we must carefully vse al holy meanes appointed for this purpose to begin them in vs otherwise our estate will proue to be fearefull and dangerous We must with al sincerity conscience and zcale vse prayer the word read and preached conference meditation and such like helpes as may further them in vs. If we do find them in vs though feeble and in great want and weakenesse we are not to abstaine from the sacrment but to come thereunto to seeke strength of faith encrease of obedience Wherfore our sauiour calleth such vnto him come to me all ye that are weary and sore laden and I will ease you take my yoke on you and ye shall find rest vpon your soules for my yoake is easie and my burden is light And Chap 12. A brused reede shall he not breake and smoking flaxe shall he not quench till he bring forth iudgment vnto victory Touching the first we are to obserue that such as wil come aright to the lords Supper must haue the knowledge of Gods word which is the foundation and ground-work of faith We must know what to beleeue and must learne the doctrine of saluation out of the Scripture Our Sauiour Christ in that heauenly prayer which he made a little before his passion vseth these words to his father This is eternall life to know thee to be the onely very God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ. We must know how miserable all men are of themselues that we are seperated from God the children of wrath by nature as wel as others and the very firebrands of hel They that want this knoledge cannot iudge aright of the partes and vses of this Sacrament nor desire this heavenly meate which nourisheth to eternall life So then knowledge must necessarily go before faith for it is the nature of faith to beleeue that which it knoweth and therefore where there is small knowledge there is a little faith and where there is no knowledg ther can be no faith according to the doctrine of the Apostle Roman 10. Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God The knowledge required of vs when we approach to this Sacrament standeth in these two pointes first in the knowledge of God Secondly in the knowledge of our selues In these two braunches standeth the first part of examinarion And these two pointes are so neerely ioyned and knit together that no man can throroughly know God vnlesse he know himselfe and no man can haue the perfect knowledge of himselfe except he know God in whom he liueth moueth and hath his being Vnder these two heads many particular points are containd necessary to be known of those that offer themselues to bee partakers of this sacrament First that there is onely one God that hath made himselfe knowne in three persons the Father the sonne and the Holy-ghost Secondly that God made man and all other creatures good and gouerneth all thinges well Thirdly man did fall through the entisement of the Deuill and his own wilful disobedience in breaking the commandements of God Fourthly there are ten commaundements diuided into two tables where of the foure first commaundements concern our duties to God the sixe last our dutyes toward our neighbour Fiftly we cannot keepe these commandements nor any one of them but we breake them daily in motion in thought in worde and in deede the breache where of deserueth the cursse of God that is all miseries in this life death in the ende of this life and Hell fire after this life Sixtly there is no meanes or remedy in ourselues or in any creature but onely in Iesus Christ the eternal son of god who is god man God that he might ouercom death and man that he might die for our sins He hath pacified gods wrath fulfild the righteousnes of that law sanctified our nature adopted vs to be the children of god and maketh our duties though weake acceptable to his father Seuenthly all haue not deliuerance by him but onely such as beleue in Christ whose obedience and righteousnes is made ours by a liuely faith whereby we are perswaded that through him our sinnes are forgiuen and wee made the children of God Eightly faith is a gifte of God applying Christ and al his merits particularly to our selues and teaching that he is a Sauiour vnto vs. Ninthly beeing saued by christ thrugh faith we may not liue as we list this vnspeakeable mercy teacheth vs to deny all vngodlinesse and all worldly and sinfulllusts to to liue soberly righteously and godly in this present euill world and to walk in newnes of life because no vnrighteous person shal enter into the kingdome of heauen Tenthly this faith which bringeth forth a reformed life is wrought in our heartes by the Holy-ghoaste through the preaching of the word being truely expounded and profitably applyed with doctrin confutation exhortation correction reformation and consolation and it is encreased besides by reading praying and receiuing of the sacraments Eleuenthly touching prayer we haue a perfect platforme left vs by Christ in the Gospell which containeth sixe petitions the three firste concerning the glorie of God and the three last concerning the necessities of our owne bodies and soules 12. the sacraments are another help to strengthen and increase faith which are outward signes and seales ordained of God to assure vs that Christ all his sauing graces are giuen vnto vs. These are two in number Baptisme the Sacrament of our regeneration and new birth assureth vs by the washing of water that our sins are for giuen by the blood of Christ and wee borne a new to god The Lords supper assureth vs that by bread and wine giuen and receiued according to gods ordinance
communion with the body and blood of christ Heere God is present and sitteth as president at this table he offereth vnto vs his owne sonne for our iustification and therefore this supper must be reuerently regarded and diligently frequented of vs. In this sacrament we are in like manner to consider the partes and the vses thereof The parts are partly outwarde and partly inwarde The outwarde partes are foure First the Minister who is to take the breade and Wine into his hands after the example of christ to seperate the breade and Wine so taken from their common vse to an holy to breake the breade to poure out the Wine and deliuer them both into the hands of all the people present So then they are not consecrated to be priestes of the new testament but preachers of the gospel and ministers of the sacraments and therefore priuate persons may not take this supper to themselues or deliuer it to others The second part is the word of institution this is my body that is this bread is a signe of my body which shortly shall be crucified for you this cuppe is the new testament in my blood that is this wine in the cup is a true sign of my blood presently to be shed to confirme the new couenant of God touching forgiuenes of sinnes and eternal life These words are not properly but figuratiuely to be vnderstood being sacramentall speeches Thus the Scripture speaketh of Circumcision and of the paschall Lambe The third outward part are bread and wine fit signes to signifie our spirituall nourishment by eating the body and drinking the blod of Christ In Baptisme we haue one onely signe but in this supper we haue two to note out our ful and perfect nourishment by Christ. Nether did christ deliuer the deceiueable shewes of bread and wine or cast a mist before the eyes of his desciples to make them thinke it breade which was no bread or wine which was no wine but he gaue them true breade and the true fruit of the vine as the apostle calleth them after the blessing breaking consecration Hereby falleth to the ground the mystery of transubstantiation the most misshapen monster that euer liued or was deuised It bringeth in a false Christ and turneth him into an idoll it maketh Sacraments without signes it maketh Christ to haue an infinite body who is like to vs in all things sinne onely excepted lastly it confoundeth heauen and earth together Neither let any obiect that Christ hath now a glorified body sitting at the right hand of his father and therefore his body hath a great priuiledge aboue ours to be in diuers places at the same time For first when the holy supper was instituted the body of Christ was not glorified Againe glorification doth not take away the nature of a true body but taketh away the infirmity and weaknes thereof Take away space of place from a body and it remaineth no longer a true body but the essence of it is abolished as Austine hath well determined Againe if Christ deliuered both signes the people ought to receiue vnder both kindes so that they may be iustly called church-robbers who haue taken from the people the vse of the cup and wretched depriuers of christes testament depriuing the right heires of their inheritance and ingrossing into their hands the goods of others They make it of the essence of the Sacrament to vse 〈◊〉 bread and to mingle water with wine which christe neuer ordained or commanded but that which is necessary they esteeme as needlesse and superfluous b thus transgressing the commaundement of God by their owne traditions The fourth outward part are the communicantes whose duty it is to take the breade and wine into their hands to eate the bread and to drinke the wine to the norishment of their bodies He did not bid them to reserue the outward signes to holde them and adore them or call the sacrament their Lord and their God he did not command them to offer thē vp to God the father as a propitiatory sacrifice for the quicke and dead as is vsed in their vnbloody or rather most bloody Masse which hath caused so much innocent blood of the blessed martyrs to be shed who being kild for theword of god and the testimony which they maintaind their souls vnder the altar cry day night with a loud voice vnto the L. holy and true to iudg and auenge their blood on them that dwell on the earth Lastly hereby are ouerthrown the priuat Masses of the church of Rome which now grow to be too common canot stand with the communion of Christe who deliuered the signes of bread and wine to all the disciples that were present they did not stand by and gaze one vpon another but receiued the supper of the Lord 〈◊〉 The outward parts haue bin hitherto handled which being rightly perfourmed there followeth consecration which is a seperation of the outward signes from their ordinarie vse to an holy and spirituall vse that whereas before they serued for the body now they are made instrumentes of grace and seales of the righteousnes by faith The inward parts follow which are foure First god the father who appointed his sonne to performe the gratious work of our redemption and in the fulnes of time sent him into the world who died for our sins and rose againe for our iustification Secondly the Holyghost who assureth vs of the truth of gods promises This sheweth that he is true god equall with the father and the son proceeding from the father and the son This 〈◊〉 such as suppose no partaking of the body and blood of christ except he be giuen vs in a carnall and fleshy manner whereas the spirite worketh faith in our hearts which is the ground of thinges which are hoped for and the euidence of thinges which are not seene The thirde inwarde part of the Lordes Supper is the body and blood of Christ deliuered for vs vnto death This conuinceth such of a spirit of errour who make vnbeleeuers and reprob partakers of Chr. body and blood thus his body should be prophaned and his sauing graces seperated from his person But euen as where Satan dwelleth and possesseth the heart there alwaies raigne the workes of darkenes and damnation so the gifts of Christ accompanying saluation are inseperably ioyned with the person of Christ. This also condemneth the reall presence and carnall eating of Christ which forgeth many Christs and reuiueth the Haeresie of Eutiches it crosseth sundry Articles of the christian faith and maketh faithfull men like the vnfaithfull Barbarians that deuoured mans flesh and drunke his blood True it is christ is truely present in the Sacrament howbeit not carnally and corporally but spiritually and mistically He hath giuen himselfe to be the foode of our soules let vs hunger and thirst after him and lay hold on him to
ashamed of this blasphemy and of these blasphemers Haue not all your Seminaries cause to blush at this vilany Be hold Christian reader how the lo. dealeth in Iustice with such as giue ouer the known truth striking them with blindnes of hart and giddines of spirit which is the iust reward of errour and superstition Leaue therefore your grosse and carnall presence for sake this barbarous and beastly diuinity renounce this sluttish and vnsauory dung and returne for shame to truth to antiquity to grauity to sobriety to the institution of christ Secondly they handle this question whether the Body of Christ be broken chewd with the teeth or not Some hold not c Non quando manducamus c that is when we eat we do not make parts of him Againe other thinke nothing is broken truely but in shew somewhat seemeth to be broken but nothing is broken so that we haue a myraculous breaking where nothing is broken Contrariwise Pope Nicholas in a counsell holden at Rome caused Berengarius to recant in this wife credo corpus domini nostri Iesu Christi sensualiter et in veritate manibus sacerdotum tractari et frangi et fidelium dentibus atteri that is I beleeue that the body of our Lord Iesus christ sensibly and in very deed is touched with the hands of the Priests broken and ground with the teeth of the faithful This was the consent iudgment and determination of that counsel and yet the rude glosse reprouing the same giueth warning to the Reader Nisi sané intelligas verba c. Except you wartly vnderstand the words of berengarius you wil fal into a greater heresie then euer he held Lastly notwithstanding this Synode the receiued opinion in their schools is that onely the accidents of bred are broken and chewd Thus they wander vp and down in discussing this second question as men that are in a maze and cannot find the end of their iourney Thirdly they dispute whether the substance of bread remaine in the sacrament or not Scotus holdeth that the substance of bread better resembleth the body of christ then onely accidents seeing there is a fitter proportion betweene substance and substance then betweene a substance and an accident So Occam secondeth this opinion saying that to hold that the substance of bread abideth is most probable and least subiect to inconueniences not repugnant to reason nor to the authority of the Bible And Petrus de Alliaco Ille modus qui ponit substantiam panis remanore c. that opinion which holdeth the substance of bread to remaine is contrary neither to reason nor to the authority of the scripture nay it hath better reason in it and is more easie to be vnderstood And Durand the resolute doctor deliuereth that It is rashnesse to say that the body of Christ by the diuine power cannot be in the sacrament in any other manner then by turning of the bread into him Furthemore he affirmeth this If it be graunted that the substance of bread and wine do remain one dissioulty ariseth that two bodies are together which may be answered but the contrary being holden many follow namely how accidsnts can nourish how be corrupted and how any thing can be ingendred in them seeing there is nothing made but there is presupposed or thought to be a matter c. Contrarywise commonly they hold that the substance of bread is turned into the body of Christ but about the manner how it is changed they cannot agree Some think the bread is consumed to nothing and the body of Christ brought in place of it But Thomas their chiefe Schoolman holdeth that it is not brought to nothing whom Scotus crosseth and againe Scotus is crossed and coufuted by caietan And in the counsell of Trent it is made an Article of faith and all such cursed as heretikes which say That the substance of bread and wine doth still continue yet pope Innocentius in a counsell before did not curse those that held the contrary opinion that the substances of bread and wine do remaine Besides this there is a great variety among thē whether the water mingled with the wine in the chalice bee transubstantiated into the blood of Christ. Some bring and wast it to nothing Others holde it to be transubstantiated into blood Some say it is turned into the vitall humor of Christ. Al these are resolute gamsters but Durand being fearefull saith Quis audeat desinire That is who should be so bold as to determine this question Thomas their Saint had rather holde a double transubstantiation first of the water into wine and then of wine into the blood of Christ and there upon wisely and warily giueth a caueat that little water must be mingled with the wine Fourthly they are greatly trobled and perplexed whether mice eating the sacrament doe also eate the body of Christ Bellarmine seeing the iars of the Schoolmen and the vnsetled iudgments of their profoundest Doctors hath thought it best in his Iesuiticall wisedome to pasie it ouer and say nothing either because he was not resolued or because he would not lay open the shame and discouer the nakednes of his fauorites Peter Lumbard maister of the Sentences and teacher no doubt of Catholicke conclusions among them when he commeth to this Question standeth in a mammering and cannot teach himselfe saying Quidigitur sumit mus vel quid manducat Deus nouit that is What is it therfore that the mouse receiueth or what doth the mouse eate God knoweth As if the should say the question is too hard for my part I confesse plainely mine owne ignorance I cannot tel Notwithstanding he taketh hart and giueth his resolution thus It may be saide very well that bruit beasts receiue not the body of christ But the doctors of Paris haue censured and corrected his iudgement and say Hic magister non tenetur that is Heere in the Maister is not to be followed And Harding holdeth it for an errour that a mouse may eate the body of Christ and calleth the contrary doctrine a vtle asseueration Now thomas of Aqume saith thus Quidam dixerunt that is some haue said that as soon as the sacrament is touched of a mouse or a Dog the body and blood of christ doth straight way depart from it but this is a derogation to the truth of this sacrament And yet this is that worthy doctor to whom they say Christ appeared in a vision saying O Thomas thou hast written wel of me So Iohannes de Burgo saith The mouse eating the sacrament receiueth the body of Crist. 〈◊〉 whome wee named before though he will haue Christ to take vp his lodging as well in the stomacke as in the mouth of mau yet he liketh not vt aut mus in ventre 〈◊〉 aut in cloacam discenderet that is Either that the body of Christ should go into the belly of a mouse or be cast foorth into
misrable people led by such blind guids O miserable guides of such blind people What a wofull condition is this that a man shal liue al the daies of his life in the bosom of their holy mother the church yet her sons and daughters can neuer assure themselus to haue bin baptized thogh they make the want therof a mark of reprobation or euer to haue receiued the Lords supper or euer to haue bin 〈◊〉 or absolued seeing al hangeth vpō the priests intention obseruation ordination This is the lamen table condition of all those that liue vnder the heauy yoake and greeuous bondage of superstition Ther is no peace no comfort no ioy of hart in such a doubtful and doleful religion Wherfore as the Holy ghost saith Go out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sinnes and that ye receiue not of her plagues Now among all other abuses of the church of Rome and prophanations of the blessed sacrament of the bodye and blood of Christ none is more notable and notorious then that great Idoll of the Masse being indeede a masse of many abominations And howsoeuer it be greatly liked of those that are enamored of it as the things that are not faire yet seeme faire to them that are in loue it is knowne to the true church to be an heape of errors a lumpe of confusions a bottomlesse gulfe of all blasphemies and an engine that ouerturneth the foundatiō of religion They make the Lordes Supper to bee a sacrifice not a sacrifice of praise and thansgiuing but propitiatory to be offered by a masse-priest for the quicke and the dead to saue man and not onely to saue man but sometimes their Pigs and their Swine from diseases For they haue a masse commonly called the Masse of Saint Antony Yea if a poore womans hen be sicke and ready to be lost shee may procure a Masse to be said for it And heereby although no good redounde to the party yet some gaine shall returne to the Priest who if he see no money wil say no Masse And are not these more beastly and vncleane then swine yea more mad then mad men thus to abuse the holy ordinance of Christ and to turne that to their owne profit which was instituted for the peoples comfort Do they not by this means make the death of Christ of none effect while they offer vp a new that only sacrifice which being once offered hath sanctified vs for euer and yet behold more abhominations then these The right ends of the institution are basely esteemed they make it of speclall force against tempests against sicknes against Warres auaileable to saue cattell to cure the feauer to restore lost things yea profitable for the deade and that Ex opere operato sine bono motu vtentis that is onely being present at the worke done though there be neuer a good motion brought thereunto by him that is present Thus they make the Masse deuised by Antichrist more precious then the holy supper instituted by Christ. Touching the word Masse we must vnderstand that neither the name nor thing ment by the name by the Church of Rome is found in the Scripture nor in any 〈◊〉 and approued Writer for foure hundered yeares after Christ to call the Sacrament or sacrifice by that name Tertullian Cyprian Ierome Augustine Lactantius knew it not these Lataine fathers vsed it not Againe the fathers of the Greeke Church Chrisostome Basill Nazianzene Gregory Nissene and other were neuer acquainted with it they passe by it as a stranger vnto them But as there go many forged and 〈◊〉 Writings vnder the names of the fathers so I deny not but the word Masse may be found in such base and bastard bookes as in Augustines Sermons de tempore Ierom on the Prouerbs which books were neuer made by them but are of another style and of a later stampe And howsoeuer some would deriue it from the Haebrew word Missath which signifieth an oblation yet it seemeth rather to be all one with Missio which importeth a sending away and a licensing to depart and therefore Saint Cyprian saith remissa peccatorum in stead of remssio For this was the order and custome of the Church in former times Nouices and such as were newly planted in the Church being conuerted srom paganisme to Christianity and from infidelity to the faith of Christ and not yet baptized till they were able to giue an answere to such as asked of them a reason of their profession were not suffered to come to the Lords table Likewise such as denying the faith by sinking and shrinking vnder the heate of persecution or committing some other heinous offence were enjoyned to make satisfaction to the church whom they had greeuously offended no withstanding they might be present at the publike praiers the church and at the preaching of the word yet might not be present at the administration of baptism nor receiue the sacrament of the lords supper Wherefore after the prayers were finished and the sermon ended the deaconsaid to such as wer barred either by age or want of susficient knowledge or their owne offence from the sacraments Ite missa est that is Go ye hence ye may depart Moreouer such as would not communicate with their bretheren were willed to depart not to trouble the rest of the church that staied to communicate Of this dismissing and sending away al nouices 〈◊〉 and carelesse persons which either might not or 〈◊〉 not communicate and of this proclamation of the deacon the whole action of the holy communion in processe of time was called the Masse that is a dismissing of all such persons as wer not to communicate But whē through negligence of the people or couetousnes of the priests this order was altered yet the name was retained and now it is vsed for another thing to wit for that solemne action whereby the sacrament is made a sacrifice and offered vp to god to take away the sins of the quick and dead And in this sense we haue iustly abolished both the name and the nature of the Masse inasmuch as it hath frustrated the death of CHRIST and taken from vs the comforte of the Lordes Supper And albeit we deny not but the Lords Supper may truely be called a sacrifice being a memoriall of the real sacrifice of christ offered vpon the crosse being a thaks-giuing to god for the worke of our redemption being a presenting and giuing vppe our selues our soules and bodies to God a liuing holy and acceptable sacrifice and being ioyned with almes and releefe to the poore according to euery mans ability which is a testimony of our thankfulnesse to God yet as they vnderstād it to be a real external bodily and vnbloody sacrifice in the natiue and proper signification and themselues to be truely and propely priests according to the order of Melchisedech to offer
the prayer A It signifieth So be it Deut 27 xv xvi Q what vse is there of it A It sheweth both our feruent desire to obtaine and an assuraunce to our hearts that we shall obtaine that which wee aske 2. Cor. 1. 20. Q what is a Sacrament A It is a visible signe and seale that Christ and all his benefits are giuen vnto vs. Rom 4 xi Q what is to be considered in a Sacrament A Two things his parts and his vses Math. 3 xi Q what are the parts of a Sacrament A Two the outward parts and the inward Rom. 4. xi xii Gen 17 xi 1 cor x 1 2 3 Q How many are the outward parts A Foure the Minister the word the signe and the receiuer Math. 26 26 27. Q How many are the inward parts A Foure God the father the spirit Christ and the faithfull Math. 3s15 16 Q what proportion is there betweene these parts A Euen as the Minister by the worde offereth and applyeth visibly the element vnto the body of the receiuer so the father by the spirit offereth and applyeth Iesus Christ inuisibly vnto the faithfull receiuer Act. 1 36. 37 Q What be the vses of a Sacrament A Three first to norish faith Rom. 49. x xi Secondly to be a seale of the couenant between god and vs Gen 17 Thirdly to be a badge of our christian profession Eph ii xi xii xiii A How many Sacraments are there A Two Baptisme and the Lords Supper 1 cor xii xiii and chap x 1 2 3. 4 Q what is baptisme A Baptisme is the first sacrament wherein by the outwarde Washing of the body with water once in the name of the father of the sonne andof the holy-ghost the inward clensing of the soule by the blood of Christ is represented Math 28 29 Q What is to be cosidered in Baptisme A Two things his parts and his vses Q What are the parts of baptisme A Outward and inward parts Act 2 38 Q How many are the outward parts of baptisme A Foure the Minister the word of institution the element of water and the body washed Math. 28 19 Q How many are the inward parts A Foure God the father the holy spirit Christ and the soule clensed Math 3. 15 16 Mar 16 16 Q What is the proportion betweene these parts A Euen as the minister by the word of institution applyeth the water to the washing of the bodye so the 〈◊〉 through the working of the spirit applyeth the blood of Christ to the clensing of the soule Luk 3 16 Ioh 1 33 Q What are the vses of baptisme A Three first to seale vp the remission and forgiuenesse of sinnes act xxii 16 Secondly to shew our setting and engrafting into the body of christ Gal. 3 27 Thirdly to teach vs to dy to sin and rise againe to righte ousnes Rom. 6. 1 2 3 4 Q What is the Lords Supper A The Lords supper is the second sacrament wherein by visible receiuing of the bread and Wine is represented our spirituall communion with the body and bloode of Christ 1 Cor. 10. 16 17 Q What things are to be be considered in the Lords Supper A Two things his parts and his vses Math 26. xxvi xxvii xxviii Q What are the parts of the lords Supper A Two outward and inward 1 Cor x xvi Q How many are the outward parts A Foure the minister the word of institution bread and wine and the communicant Luk xxii 19 xx Q How many are the inward parts A Foure the father the spirit the body and blood of christ and the saithfull i cor xii xiii Ioh. 6 xxvii Q What is the proportion betweene these parts A Euen as the minister by the word of institution offereth bread and wine vnto the communicants to feede thereupou bodily and corporally so the father by the spirit offereth giueth the body and blood of christ vnto the soule of the faithfull to feede vpon them spiritually i cor xi xxiii xxiiii xxv xxvi c. Q What be the vses of the Lords supper A three first to shew forth the death and sufferinges of christ with all thanks giuing i cor xi xxvi Luk. xxii xix Secondly to teach vs our communion and groweth in Christ 1 Cor x 16 Thirdly to declare our communion and agreement with our bretheren 1 cor x. 17 c. ch xii 13. Q How may wee come aright to the lords table A By preparing and examining ourselues i cor xi 28 Q What is the right manner of preparing our selues A First we must haue a knowledge of God of mans fall and his restoring againe into the couenant by Christ. Ioh xvii iii. Secondly true faith in christ ii cor xiii 5. Thirdly repentance from al dead workes daily renued for our daily sinnes Psal. xxvi 6. Lastly reconciliation to our brethren yea euen our enemies Math 5 23 xxiiii Now to him that is able to keepe you that ye fall not and to present you faultlesse before the presence of his glory with you to God onelie wise our sauior be glorie and Maiestie and Dominion and power both now and for euer Amen Iude verse 24 25 Gentle Reader I am to desire thee to amende these escapes with thy pen either altering the sence or hindering the vnderstanding The rest I remit to thy fauourable construction and correction page 6. line 13. read is heere full P. 18. l 17. and not make p. 19 l. xxi vnfitly p 37. l 3. that they are no. p. 83. l. 36. a connterfect word is fit enough for a counterfect sacrament p 88 l 7. and not accepted p. 〈◊〉 l 33 dele which is good p 136. l xv and euil workers speed p 148 l 6 by the practise and xiijj but reach eth not p 155 l 32 to baptisme P 163 lin 〈◊〉 they were admitted P 165. l. 1 accesse p 170 l xxi are not able p 179. l 22 an assurance P 201 l 1 escape vnpunished and xxii as an and 13 thus much P 209l 4 naming the P 238 l 29 and 31 change P 240 l 29 yet was he 250 l. iii inhumane P 253 l 4. all the. P. 228 l 24 in the cup. P 285 l. 22. out of the holy vse p 290 l. 4. consecration a 2 Thes 2 b Luke x 1 c Ephe 4 `8 d Ro. 1 16 e 〈◊〉 18 f Titus 1 1 g Mat 13 25 h 〈◊〉 pet 5 2 i Plutar. in vita 〈◊〉 k 1 cor 3 〈◊〉 l Ezeck 33 m 〈◊〉 4 17 Gen 28 o Psa. 138 Iuuenal li. 3. Saty. 2 p 1 sam 2 Senecade remed for 〈◊〉 Senec. de Benef. lib 3 cap 1 Cicero de offic lib. 3 Persi sati 1 1 tim 4 8 Act. xx 32 a the number of them c Vses are three d preparation to the worke consisting in Examination of our selues chap. 15 wher in weigh two things a God alway gaue his sacraments to his Church b Gen. 2 9. c Gen. 6 14. d Gen. 17. 11. e Rom. 4 11 b