vouchsafeth to entertaine vs to receiue vs and to acknowledge vs for his children therefore wee must in euery estate depend vpon him honour him as our God serue him as our Maister obey him as our Lorde and looke for saluation from him as from our redeemer Againe as we haue beene baptized not in the name of one person alone not in the name of the Father alone or of the Sonne alone or of the holie Ghost alone but in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost so we must all beleeue and confesse as an article of our faith that the Trinitie in vnity and vnity in Trinitie is to bee worshipped For albeit there are three reckoned vp as speaking of many yet heere is also mentioned their name as speaking onely of one not of their names baptize them in the name of the three persons So many as deny the doctrine of the Trinity are iustly to be condemned of falshood and heresie Such is the Religion of the Iewes Greekes Turks Persians and in some sort the Papistes albeit in wordes these last acknowledge one God in three persons The Greeke Church at this day denieth in effect the God-head of the holy Ghost inasmuch as it holdeth him to proceede from the Father onely The Turks and Iewes do vtterly deny the deity both of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost the present Church of Rome more glorious in shew but not much more sound in faith hath defiled the whole Trinity with their Imagerie and set vp a false Christ partly denying him to bee GOD of himselfe and partly repealing all his offices so that howsoeuer they professe him in words and leaue him the name of a Sauiour yet they mâ—ke a mocke of his sacrifice and haue turned Christian religion into Anti-christian superstition Wherefore as we are baptized into the most worthy name of the blessed Trinity let vs hold fast the true profession thereof and renounce al errors and heresies oppugning our holy faith and depriuing vs of the sweet comfort we haue therein Vse 3 Thirdly are these words of institution baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost the outward forme of baptisme Then we hold that manner of baptizing must be retained this ought not to be changed no other ought to be vsed then this prescribed by Christ our Sauiour We must not therefore let passe or leaue out any of the three persons in Trinity as some hereticks haue done though we shal vnderstand the other by naming and speaking of one Obiection If any say that the Apostles baptized in the name of Christ as Act. 2.38 and chap. 10 48. Answere and 19 5. To this obiection I answere the Apostles do not set downe in those places the forme of baptisme or the words of institution but the substance and end which is to assure remission of sinnes in the name of Christ They shew not the forme but the fruite not how it should bee ministred but what spirituall grace is signified thereby For why should the disciples change the ordinance of their maister who deliuered nothing to the Churches but what d 1 Cor. 11 23 they receiued of the Lord Againe it cannot be denyed but that the Apostles e Act. 10 47. and 15 2. baptized in this forme in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost as Acts 10 ver 47. Can any forbid water that these should not be baptized which haue receiued the holy-Ghost as wel as we As if he should say these haue receiued the guifts of the Holy-Ghost therfore they may be baptized in the name of the Holy-Ghost And more plainely Act. 19. when the Disciples had answered Paul that they knew not whether there were an Holy-Ghost he saith Vnto what were yee then baptized Whereby he sheweth it was the manner and custome to baptize in the name of the Holy-Ghost and consequently of the whole Trinity The Euangelists also teach that at the baptisme of Iohn the Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost were present And as he baptized with the same matter why should we imagine hee obserued not the same forme that Christ commanded expresly to his Apostles Nay seeing in the baptisme of Iohn we haue proued there was the same promise the same grace the same vertue the same signe the same signification which was in the baptisme of the Apostles as we haue proued before why shold we only doubt of the words of institution Or why should we imagine that the forme should be altered and changed Wherefore we conclude that the Apostles would not alter any thing of the direct and expresse words of their Lord Maister f Mat. 28.19 prescribed Math. 28. where he chargeth them both what to preach and how to baptize For as he enioyneth them to teach the Nations to obserue whatsoeuer he commanded them so he willeth them to baptize in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost And as they altered nothing in the matter of teaching no more did they in the maner of baptizing considering that as the doctrine they preached was the doctrine of God so the Sacraments they deliuered were the SacrameÌ„ts of God and they had no more leaue in the one then liberty in the 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 void and frustrate by our owne inuentions CHAP. V. Of the third outward part of Baptisme THe third outward part of Baptisme a Water another outward part of Baptisme is the element of water which is the matter whereof baptisme consisteth This truth is taught in diuers places of the new b Mat. 3 â— Iohn 1 31 33. Testament as Math. 3 9. Indeede I baptize with water And Ioh. 1 Because he should be declared to Israel therefore am I come baptizing with water I knew him not but he that sent mee to baptize with water he saide vnto me vpon whom thou shalt see the spirit come downe and tarry still on him that is hee which baptizeth with the holy Ghost So Acts 8 36. As they went on their way they came vnto a certaine water and the Eunuch sayde See heere is water what doth let me to be baptized Then hee commanded the Chariot to stand stâ—ll and they went downe both vnto the water both Phillip and the Eunuch and hee baptized him And Chap. 10. Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized which haue receyued the holy Ghost as well as wee Nothing is so apt to set forth the bloode of Christ and his merits as water which is fit to clense and wash and leaueth no filth behinde vpon the body by which
the Minister the outward signes are giuen by the hands of the Minister whether he be good or euill but the truth and substance of the Sacraments is giuen by God the Father Whosoeuer confoundeth these parts and workes robbeth God of his glory depriueth himselfe of the grace of Christ offered and maketh flesh his arme Wherefore as the workes of God and of the Minister are distinct so must these parts remaine distinguished howsoeuer to the faithfull they are not separated and sundred as in the publishing and preaching of the Gospel the Minister speaketh vnto the outward man and the sound therof entreth into the eare g Act. 16 14. but it is God that openeth the heart and speaketh to the conscience of the faithfull hearer Secondly it serueth to strengthen our faith and helpe Vse 2 our weakenesse when we come to the Sacrament So often as we see the Ministers of God appointed by him deliuering the signes and setting them apart to their ends for which they were ordained we must behold with the eie of faith God the Father offering his Sonne to those that can receiue him For if we come aright we may assure our owne hearts that what the Minister doth outwardly the same the Father performeth inwardly then which there cannot be a greater comfort Let vs therefore behold with our eyes the Sacramentall rites let vs heare the promises that God maketh vnto vs God the Father will verifie them who hath h Iohn 6 32. sealed vp his Sonne vnto vs. My Father giueth you that bread from Heauen Hee will as surely giue Christ as the Minister deliuereth the bread wine Albeit the Sacraments should be ministred by some hypocrite and wicked man yet they haue as much force and as great efficacy as if they were ministred by faithful and godly men The vertue of the Sacraments hangeth vpon the Minister no more then the goodnesse of seede dependeth vpon the sower which if it light in good ground wil bring forth plentifull fruit albeit it be sowne of an vngodly and vnskilfull man Thirdly consider heere the difference betweene a Sacrament and a Sacrifice For wee learne from Vse 3 hence that God the Father in the Sacraments doth giue his owne Sonne to the true receiuers True it is a Sacrament and a Sacrifice haue some affinity and agreement the one with the other They haue this in common that both were instituted of God and haue him for the author of them In both of them there are outward actions which haue inward significations for the killing of beasts shewed plainely what our condition is both that we are guilty of death and could not be deliuered but by an offering for sinne and that Christ Iesus is the true oblation to be offered to God vpon the Altar of the Crosse for our sinnes Neuerthelesse they differ also in diuers respects as first in the end The end of a Sacrament is not to offer it vp to God but that it bee offered to vs and receiued of vs. The Minister offereth the signe God the Father offereth the thing signified wee receiue the outward element at the hand of the Minister wee receiue the inward grace at the hand of God But the nature of a Sacrifice is that we giue it or offer it vp to God according to his owne ordinance whereupon also it is called an offering or oblation True it is also that some of the Sacraments of the old Testament vnder the law were after a sorte externall Sacrifices as the Paschall Lambe howbeit it is not so in the Sacraments of the Church of Christ because the perfect Sacrifice of Christ once onely offered hath abolished and abrogated all outward Sacrifices Againe they differ the one from the other in the outward forme and manner of doing Leuit. 16 5. For the Sacrifices were burned in part or in whole with fire to note out the purity of Christs Sacrifice and the eternall Spirite Heb. 9 14. by which he was offered to God whereas they were properly called by name of Sacraments which were eaten or applyed to the bodye and therefore altar was appointed for the Sacrifices but a Table for the Sacraments that were eaten CHAP. X. Of the second inward part of a Sacrament HItherto of the first inward part a The second part of a Sacrament is the holy Spirite the second inward part of a Sacrament is the holy Spirite as Math. 3. Hee shall baptize you b Mat. 3 11. with the Holy-Ghost and fire So in Christs Baptisme when he was baptized prayed the c Luke 3 22. Holy-Ghost descended in a visible shape like a Doue vpon him And Paul saith d 1 Cor. 12.13 By one Spirite we are all baptized into one body whether we be Iews or Graecians whether we be bond or free and haue been all made to drinke into one Spirite And the Apostle layeth downe the circumcision of the heart by the Spirite Rom. 2 29. Hee is a Iew which is one within and the circumcision is of the heart in the Spirite So the same Apostle Titus 3 5 6. According to the mercy of God he saued vs by the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy-Ghost which he shed on vs abundantly through Iesus Christ our Sauiour Nothing can bee fruitefull and profitable without his gracious worke in vs he worketh and setleth the worde of promise in our hearts and therefore we must necessarily hold the blessed Spirit to be an inward part of the Sacrament making it and all other ordinances of God auaileable Vse 1 Now let vs proceed to the vses of this point being the second inward part And first of all is the Spirite of God the sealer vp of the promises after that we beleeue according to the doctrine of the Apostle After that ye beleeued f Ephes 1 13. ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise Then as often as we heare the promise vttered by the Minister it confirmeth vs that the Father by his Spirit worketh the same in our hearts The water in baptisme cannot by any force and vertue inherent in it wash our consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God as it hath power to wash away the filth and corruption of our bodies The bread and wine in the Lords Supper haue no inherent strength to nourish the soule to eternal life as they haue to strengthen the body they are instruments of the Holy Ghost who worketh by them to the great comfort of the faithfull Grace is not contained and shut vp in them as water in a vessell or as a medicine in a boxe the Spirite helpeth our infirmities sealing vp to our consciences the fruite of the word that is heard and of the Sacramentall signes that are seene But because this doctrine is contradicted by the defenders of the Popish faith it shall not be amisse briefly to propound their chiefest obiections whereby they would proue that the outward signes in
the forgiuenesse of sinnes and of our adoption in Christ Doth not the ſ Rom. 8 15 16. Holy Ghost testifie vnto vs particularly the adoption of children the remission of sinnes and saluation of our soules As Rom. 8. Wee haue not receiued the Spirite of bondage to feare but the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father the Spirite beareth witnesse with our spirits that we are the children of God In these words Gods sanctifying Spirit our sanctified spirit are made the two witnesses of our adoption This we must certainely beleeue by faith And this made the Apostle t Rom. 8 38.39 most confident in the end of the same Chapter saying I am perswaded that neyther death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. If any obiect we may hope well for forgiuenes of sins but we cannot beleeue the same I answere Faith and hope cannot be separated they doe alwayes as louing friends accompany each other they are neuer sundered and diuided so that if we may be assured of our saluation by hope it followeth we may be certainely perswaded True hope followeth true faith as the effect doth the cause and no man can truely hope that is not truely assured Besides this is the property of hope u Rom. 5 4 5. it neuer maketh any ashamed they shall not be confounded and disappointed they shall attaine vnto the thing hoped for according to the doctrine of the Apostle Experience bringeth foorth hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is giuen vnto vs. Hitherto of the first end of a Sacrament CHAP. XIIII Of the second vse of a Sacrament THe second end of a Sacrament is this a The second vse of a Sacrament is to be a seale of the Couenant It serueth to bee a seale of the Couenant betweene God and vs that hee will bee our God and we will be his people as Gen. 17 I am God b Gē 17 1 11 all-sufficient walke before me and be vpright The Sacraments are assured testimonies and confirmations of the fauour and good will of God who is well pleased toward vs in Christ his Sonne By them as by certaine pledges giuen and receiued God of his great mercy doth as it were binde himselfe to vs wee binde our selues to him to remaine his people and to walke in obedience before him for they bee as strong chaines to compasse vs as sure cords to hold vs and as fast knots to keepe vs that we do not depart from him and cast off the feare of his name Circumcision was a seale of Gods promise to Abraham and a seale of Abrahams faith and obedience toward God But let vs see what c What the couenant is betweene God man this couenant is what are the Articles of agreement betweene God and vs and what things each part interchangeably couenanteth and contracteth each toward other The couenant of God in respect of himselfe hath three parts He promiseth d Rom 11 26 Ier. 33 8. Esay 43 25. first of all forgiuenesse of our sinnes for The deliuerer shall come out of Sion and shall turne away the vngodlinesse from Iacob and this is my couenant to them when I shall take away their sinnes Secondly the adoption e Ier. 31 31.32 33. 2 Cor. 6 16.18 Zach. 8 8. of sonnes and acceptation of vs to be his children ioyned with the promise of his cōtinuall fauour loue grace and protection as Iere. 31. Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will make a new couenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Iudah not according to the couenant that I made with their fathers when I tooke them by the hand to bring them out of the Land of Egypt the which my couenant they brake although I was an husband vnto them saith the Lord but this shall be the couenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those daies saith the Lord I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my people Behold the indenture of couenants written by the finger of God wherein for better assurance he hath bound himselfe to forgiue our sins promised to be our mercifull God And to the end there might be a paire of these indentures interchangeably giuen each to other party the Lord by the hand of the Apostle writing to the Hebrewes hath drawn as it were the counterpane of the former word for word expressed as it is in the Prophet f Heb. 8 10 11 so that we haue a paire of indentures of couenants to shew the stablenes of his counsell The 3. part of the couenant in respect of God is g Reuel 21 4.7 the promise of the full possessiō of the heauenly inheritance and of eternall glory after this life as Reuel 21. God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow neither crying neither shall there be any more paine for the first things are passed he that ouercometh shal inherit all things Also cha 2. To him that ouercommeth will I giue to eate of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradice of God he shall not be hurt of the second death he shal haue power giuen him ouer the Nations and rule them with a rod of iron he shal be cloathed with white array and I wil not put his name out of the booke of life hee shall be a pillar in the Temple of God shal go no more out I will grant to him to fit with me in my throne euen as I ouercame fit with my Father in his throne Thus we see how God on his part by writings and euidences promiseth to giue to his people remission of sins adoption of sons possession of heauen he hath couenanted by word by oth to performe these things neither is he as man that he should lie nor as the son of man that he shold deceiue These are great grants of great blessings by our great God to the great good cōfort of his childrē For what greater blessings can there be then being miserable sinners to be graciously pardoned being vtter enemies to bee freely accepted as sonnes beeing bondslaues and prisoners of hell to be made heires of heauen and saluation Againe the couenant on our part requireth three conditions for when men intend to couenant and contract one with another they set downe articles as well on the one side as on the other First faith to God to beleeue his promises as Iohn 3.16 God so loued the world that hee hath giuen his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him
and mercy by how much the accomplishment is more then the promise and the fulfilling greater then the foretelling Lastly they differ in respect of the people to whom they were giuen and for whom they were ordained ours belong to all people dispersed ouer the face of the whole earth that are ingrafted into the Church wheras theirs were tyed to one Nation to one people to one place to the posterity of Abraham Notwithstanding these differences which are in signes and circumstances touching the chiefe thing euen the matter and substance of the Sacraments they are equall m Wherin the Sacraments of the old and new Testamâ—nt agree hauing the same end and the same signification and being of one efficacy as also the word of the Prophets and Apostles is One and the same God is author of them One and the same Mediator betweene God and man euen the man Iesus Christ is represented in both the Lamb slaine from the foundation of the world They signifie and shew foorth the same Communion of Christ by which all the elect are saued and seale vp saluation and remission of sinnes to all that do receiue them by faith For they were giuen to be signes and seales of grace and of the promises of God to distinguish the faithfull from all other sects and religions in the world and that they should be receiued with profite onely of the faithfull In these and such like things the Sacraments of the Iewish and Christian Church are not vnequal although in the outward signs and circumstances they be diuers yet in the substance in the thing signified there is no difference Vse 3 Thirdly we are bound to beleeue his promises and to haue strong consolation seeing he bath giuen vs two signes If we had onely had one signe as a seale of the mercies of God in Christ it had beene a great sinne not to haue beleeued the promise and not to haue rested therein as in a thing vnchangeable For he is not as man that he should lye or deceiue n 2 Cor. 1.20 his onely promise is assured paiment yea all the promises of God in him are yea and are in him Amen vnto the glory of God But seeing the goodnesse of God hath abounded in granting vnto vs two Sacraments that where doubting aboundeth there faith might abound much more our sinne is the greater if now wee wauer like o Iam. 1 6. a waue of the sea tossed of the wind and carried away One tree of life serue Adam to assure him life one raine-bowe sufficed Noah one returne of the Sunne backward was enough to Hezekiah and they beleeued If then wee seeke a signe we haue two giuen vnto vs that hauing two vnchangeale Sacraments as it were two witnesses of his word and assurances of his promise wee might haue strong consolation The vnbeleeuing Iewes said to Christ p Mat. 12.38 and 16 1. Shew vs a signe and we will beleeue thee Behold the Lord sheweth vs two visible signes of his spirituall and inuisible graces and shall not we beleeue being stedfast in faith and grounded in hope Wee desire forgiuenesse of sinnes assurance thereof by these two the Lord promiseth couenanteth and indenteth to giue the same vnto vs setting the seales to his owne writing Lastly this diuision and numbring vp of the Sacraments Vse 4 serueth to teach that there are not seauen Sacraments of the Church and so do condemne the fiue supposed and falsly named Sacraments Concil Trid. sess 7. de sacra in gen can 18. 11. 13. maintained of the Church of Rome to wit Confirmation Penance Matrimony Orders and extreme Vnction Baptisme we imbrace the Lords Supper we acknowledge of these two we moue no question we make no controuersie the other fiue whose father is vnknowne we refuse as bastards and cannot admit them into the number of Sacraments the reasons whereof we will render in the Chapters following CHAP. XVII That Confirmation is not a Sacrament THe Apostles as the Maister-builders of the Churches planted the Gospell where the name of Christ had not beene heard Now because many seducers arose that troubled the peace of the Church and the faith of many beleeuers began to wauer the Apostles agreed together to go againe to the Churches where they had laid a 1 Cor. 3.12 a golden foundation howsoeuer other had builded hay and stubble thereon to see how they b Acts 11 22.23 and 15 36. increased or decreased as Acts 11. And they confirmed their hearts and established them in the faith which they had taught And Chap. 15. Paul said vnto Barnabas Let vs returne and visite our brethren in euery Citty where wee haue preached the word of the Lord and see how they do And we doubt not but when the Gospell was reuealed the Apostles by laying on hands gaue the guists of the Holy-Ghost to the beleeuers in Christ This practise of the Apostles we finde this we confesse this we approue and allow But of any Sacrament of confirmation we reade not and therefore allow not Againe it was a lawdable custome in the primitiue Church of Christian parents to bring their Children to the Bishop who examined them in the principles and fundamentall points of religion c Heb. 6 1. he asked theÌ„ reason of their faith he instructed them further in the mysteries of godlinesse and that this action might haue the more reuerence and dignity he laid his hands vpon them and prayed vnto God for them that hee would increase and continue the good things that he had begun in them d Confirmation is no Sacrament This imposition of hands with prayer to be strengthned in the Holy-Ghost and to haue increase of grace corrupted with annointings depraued with crossings and defiled with sundry superstitions is no Sacrament First euery Sacrament should haue warrant and appointment from Christ and a promise annexed vnto it but this hath none 2. it hath no word of institution in the Scripture nor commandement to continue the vse of it vntill the coming of Christ and end of the world therfore no Sacrament For the word must be added to the element and so it is made a Sacrament True it is they vse a forged and counterfeit forme in their confirmation I signe thee with the signe of the holy Crosse and I confirme thee with the oyle of saluation in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy-Ghost These indeed are words but no word of God they shew an intollerable presumption not to be excused But indeed a counterfet word is fit enough for a counterfet Sacrament there is a good agreement when both writing and seale are sutable that is both forged Thirdly it wanteth an outward signe instituted by Christ We read oftentimes that the Apostles vsed laying on of hands we reade of no oyle or Chrisme Besides we know they gaue thereby the miraculous guifts of the Holy-Ghost which now are ceased as Acts 8.
we are fed to eternall life Secondly this teacheth that all rebaptizing is vnlawfull as we see by the examples of the apostles q Act. 2 42 and 19 1 5. who baptized not the beleeuers and members of the Church the second time For Acts 2. it is noted that such as beleeued the Gospell continued in the apostles doctrine in fellowship in breaking of bread prayer but not in baptizing againe or being baptized againe and chap 19 4.5 the disciples which were baptized and had not receiued the gifts of the Holy-Ghost Paul instructed further in the doctrine of Christ and doth not rebaptise them but layeth his hands vpon them and they receiue the visible gifts of the Holy-Ghost The reason is plaine against rebaptization because it signifieth and sealeth vp our once beeing borne againe our once setting and setling into the body of Christ r Ezek. 16 8. Hos 2 19 20. and our spirituall marriage once with him who is the spirituall husband of his Church Whereby we see that such as haue been baptized Å¿ Such as haue beene baptized by heretickes are not to be rebaptised by heretickes or other wicked Ministers are not to be rebaptized It came in place of circumcision but none were twice circumcised therefore none to be twice baptized Againe it is a Sacrament that representeth our spirituall incorporation into the Church but it is sufficient once to be ingrafted and consequently sufficient to haue it once administred This error of rebaptizing arose vpon a corrupt vnderstanding and interpretation of the place Acts 19. When they heard it t Acts 19 5. 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 Paul continuing his speech of Iohns baptisme not of Luke declaring what Paul did But of this place we shall haue better and fitter occasion to speake further in the chapter following where it is at large expouÌ„ded 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 u Iohn 13 1. Rom. 11 29. whom Christ Iesus loueth once he loueth for euer because his graces and guifes are without repentance What shall separate vs from Christ when we are by his working adioyned vnto him Wherfore this outward washing being not often repeated but once onely vsed doth effectually feale vp our once ioyning vnto God who hath made an euerlasting couenant with vs he shall neuer turne away from vs to do vs good we shall be his people and he will be our God for euer Indeed if we could cleane fall away from the grace of God wee should haue another regeneration and another baptizing to bee the seale therof but because we are built vpon the brazen pillar of Gods election the gates of hell shall not preuaile against vs for this foundation remaineth sure a 2. Tim. 2 19.20 and hath this seale The Lord knoweth who are his This b Psal 51 10.11 appeareth in Dauid Psal 51. He desireth to haue a cleane heart he prayeth that the holy Spirit be not taken from him thereby declaring that the Spirit was within him and that he had a sensible feeling thereof howsoeuer the flesh for a season had gotten the vpper-hand Heere then is a great comfort sealed to all Christians in all tentations against al the terrors and feares of conscience wherewith they are ready to be swallowed vp and ouerwhelmed This must strengthen and stay vs vp that although we may fall greeuously yet we shall not fall finally from the estate of grace He that is once a sound and liuely member of Christ can neuer be wholy cut off True it is sinne may lessen our coniunction and weaken our communion with Christ but if we be truely in him the band shall neuer be dissolued c 1 Ioh. 2 19. we shall neuer be wholy seuered and fall from him as 1. Ioh. 2. They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene 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 separated from Christ for a time surely in his recouery and rising from sinne hee were to be baptized the second time for baptisme is the Sacrament of initiation and ingrafting into Christ and an vniuersall falling would require a new ingrafting But it were most absurd to say wee should be as often baptized as we fal into sinne and therefore howsoeuer Sathan may buffet molest tempt and wound vs greeuously yet hee can neuer ouer-maister vs wholy and ouercome vs finally d 1 Ioh. 3 9. as the Apostle declareth 1 Ioh. 3. Whosoeuer is borne of God committeth not sinne for his seed remaineth in hâ—m neither can he sinne because hee 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 security it nourisheth vs in good workes it increaseth in vs a care to please God and lastly it confuteth the popish fancy of the forged Sacrament of Penance whereby they say a Christian being cleane fallen from grace is restored finding no comfort in his baptisme whereas the true beleeuer neuer falleth finally from faith neither needeth an outward seale to assure his pertaining to Gods fauour and loue Indeed euery Christian that is fallen through infirmitie must rise vp repent vnfainedly and shew forth the fruites thereof yet the force and strength of his baptisme is not lost the fruite and comfort thereof remaineth for euer and is extended as wel to the time to come as to the time that is past So many therefore as affirme that the faithfull in their fals haue remedy in Penance but no comfort by their baptisme do set vp themselues magnifying their owne dreames deuises aboue the holy ordinances of God The 4. part of the former description of baptisme is the forme of baptizing into the name of the Father of the Son of the Holy-Ghost e The vse of the fourth part of the description of Baptisme This teacheth that whosoeuer is baptized hath made a solemn promise to confesse professe the christian religion to be the seruant of Christ to fight his battels vnder his baÌ„ner against all the enemies of his faith saluation against sin against Satan against the world he hath vowed to renounce the workes of the flesh to serue the true God So often then as we are present at the administration thereof wee must consider the couenant into which we are entred which we made in the presence of men and Angels which we are bound to keep for euer Wherefore let vs learne daily to dye vnto sin follow a new life by the grace of sanctification
thousand threescore and ten men 1 Sam. 6 19. m Numb 16 9 Ps 106 17 18 Corah Dathan and Abiram taking vpon them the Priesthood without a calling fire from heauen came down consuming Corah and his consortes the earth also opened and swallowed vp Dathan and couered the companie of Abiram that they were swallowed vp aliue none of them died the cōmon visitation of other men but God wrought a strange worke vpon them and altered the course of nature which ought to be a perpetuall instruction and direction vnto vs to teach vs not to peruert or euert that order which he hath established to continue in his Church Hitherto belongeth that which is written of Vzzah n 2 Sam. 6 7. who was smitten with sodaine and vnexpected death onely for that beyond the boundes of his calling he put foorth his hand to vphold the Arke which did shake and was readie to fall which was lawfull for the Leuites onely to meddle withall althogh his intent purpose were neuer so good so that if the vnlawfull intruders vpon baptisme pretende cases of necessity heere seemed as great a necessity yea his minde and meaning was as good as theirs if they pretend deuotion yet it displeased God because it was done without his word and warrant So Azariah was striken with leprosie that he was a Leaper to the day of his death for that not being content with his Kingly o 2 Kings 15 5 office hee would take vppon him the priestes office to burne Incense vnto the Lord. These woorthy examples of Gods most seuere iudgements executed vpon the breakers of this ordinance ought to strike such a feare into our hearts that we suffer not the sacred functions and offices of the Church to bee prophaned and to teach vs that euery one meddle onely with the approued duties of his owne calling And although God doth not now thus execute iudgement from heauen and worke strange things in the earth in extraordinary maner when his ordinances are broken yet the sinne is not thereby lessened nor the punishment mitigated nor the hand of God shortened but stretched out still though iudgement according to desert bee deferred nay rather the p Nah. 1 2. Eccl. 8 11.12.13 greater wrath is reserued for his aduersaries to the great day of account when all flesh shall appeare before the throne of his glorious presence For if the prophaners of the signe and Sacraments of the old Testament did not escape but were thus sharply and seuerely punished our Sacraments established by the Lord Iesus are not of lesse value and worthinesse so that the contempt of them shall be visited with sorer iudgements And if God did strike with his reuenging hand priuate men when they sinned in abusing the Sacraments and spared not kings in the pride of their hearts how should women standing a degree farther off and barred from the office by a stronger bolt enter into the house q Ioh. 10 10. at a window and not be accounted as theeues and robbers So that we conclude that the necessity of a calling is as great as the necessity of baptisme And thus much of the first outward part of baptisme namely the Minister CHAP. IIII. Of the second outward part of baptisme THe second outward part of baptisme is the word of institution a Word of institution is the forme of baptisme which is as the forme of the Sacrament as Eph. 2. Christ loued the Church gaue himselfe for it that hee might sanctifie it clense it by the washing of water b Eph. 5 26. Mat. 28 19. through the word This also is expresly set downe Math. 28. Goe teach all nations baptizing them into the name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy-Ghost This both declareth the vse of the Sacrament and promiseth Christ with all his benefits For to be baptized into the name of the blessed Trinity is to be made one of Gods family which is his Church and to bee partaker of the priuiledges thereof This promise is contained vnder the commandement c Gen. 48 19. as we may see by sundry testimonies of the Scripture as Gen. 48. Iacob saith The Angell that hath deliuered me from all euill blesse the children and let my name be named vpon them and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac whereby hee meaneth they should be ioyned to his family and accounted in the number of them Vse 1 Now the vses remaine to be considered First hereby it is manifest what a solemne couenant and contract what a neere coniunction is made by the washing in baptisme betweene God and the persons baptized for God the Father vouchsafeth to receiue them as his children into fauor the Sonne to redeeme them the Holy-Ghost to purifie and preserue them to comfort and regenerate them to protect and defend them from al euill This is the staffe and stay of our hope and comfort Now to be baptized in the name or into the name of the Trinity is all one and therefore in the Scripture they are vsed indifferently without difference or distinction They are said to be baptized in the name of Christ Acts 2.38 and Chapter 10.48 they are saide to be baptized into the name of Christ Mathew 28. Acts 8.16 and 19 3 4 5. The comfort which we receiue from hence standeth vpon the right vnderstanding of these words To be baptized into the name of the Father is to haue assurance giuen vnto vs that God the Father through Christ our Lord is become our Father and that therefore wee stand bound to performe the duty of obedient children toward him To bee baptised in the name of the Sonne is to haue assurance giuen that being baptised we are in the number of them that are redeemed by him and reconciled to the Father through his blood and therefore stand bound to obey him as our mediator and redeemer To bee baptised into the name of the Holy-Ghost is to haue assurance giuen that euery true beleeuer is sealed vp and sanctified by the Holy-Ghost against the day of his full redemption Now we can haue no greater comfort then this to bee assured that GOD the Father is become our Father that GOD the Sonne is become our Redeemer and that GOD the holye Ghost is become our Sanctifyer Secondly consider on the other side that the parties thus Vse 2 baptized do promise and vow to acknowledge beleeue serue worship and call vpon the name of no other Gods but of the true God which is the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost and consequently to renounce the workes of the deuill the fashions of the world and the lustes of the flesh Baptisme is as it were a solemne oath taken in the sight of God and in the face of the congregation whereby the person baptized bindeth himself wholly to God three in persons but one in substance Indeed we deserue to be cast out of the fauour and family of God yet hee
the Acts of the Apostles Chapter 9 Act. 9 37 verse 37. when Tabithae a woman full of good workes and almes-deeds was dead They washed her and laid her in an vpper Chamber or whether he meane it of the greeuous afflictions which the faithfull suffered for the Gospels sake vnto death as if he had said Why do we suffer aduersity vnto death Or why am I in ieopardy euery houre Or wherefore do I fight with beasts at Ephesus if there be no resurrection What shall all these aduantage me if the dead rise not Let vs rather eate and drinke for to morrow wee dye Both these interpretations are good and godly and in both these senses and significations the word is taken as wee haue shewed in the first chapter of this booke Wherefore to conclude this point it is no doctrine nor determination of the Apostle either that dead men should be bâ—ptized any more then they should be taught and instructed or that any of the liuing should vndertake the Sacrament of baptisme for the dead Conc. Carth. 3. can 6. and the counsell of Carthage hath decreed accordingly that the weake brethren must beware they doe not beleeue that such as are dead and departed hence may be baptized Thirdly The third abuse they are reprooued that admit such to bee partakers of baptisme as are Infidels and do not professe the faith nor repentance toward God The apostle Peter preaching vnto the Iewes saith Repent and hee baptized euery one of you â—n the name of Iesus Christ Acts 2. verses 38.41 And afterward Luke addeth Act. 2 38 41. They that gladly receiued his worde were baptized And Christ our Sauiour saith in the first place Hee that beleeueth Mar. 16 16. and then addeth in the second and is baptized So that both faith and repentance are required in all those of yeares that are to bee baptized And the reason is euident because without repentance the olde man is not put off and without faith the newe man is not put on Now the Sacrament of Baptisme is a Sacrament of regeneratioÌ„ through the blood of Christ Wherefore to admit such as are vnbeleeuers and vnrepentant sinners what is it but euen to tread vnder foote the blood of Christ and to make a mocke of the new Testament This barreth out very strongly from this priuiledge of the Church all Turkes Iewes Infidels and all sauage nations whatsoeuer that haue not the knowledge of true religion but remaine in blindnesse and ignorance of Iesus Christ and his Gospell and on the other side it teacheth that baptisme is by no meanes to bee denyed vnto them which make profession of faith and repentance Heere before wee do proceede any further we will answere a few questions that may bee demanded touching diuers persons whether they may bee bapâ—ized or not The first question shall be whether the infants of Turkes Iewes Whether the Children of Iewes Turks may be baptized and such like barbarous nations may be baptized I answere that eyther their parents or such are in stead of parents giue consent to haue them baptized or they will not giue their consent If they will not agree that their children should be baptized they ought not to be baptized against the liking and good will of their parents but if they be content and desirous they may be admitted and receiued vnto Baptisme This determining of the question holdeth touching infants and infants onely For all such as are of full age and are come to yeares of discretion to desire baptisme may not nor ought not to depend vpon the consent of parents but whether they be willing or vnwilling they must beleeue in Christ professe the faith practise repentance and desire to be entred into the Church saying with the conuerted Eunuch Acts 8.36 Act. 8. See heere is water what hinders me to be baptized And Philip said If thou beleeuest with all thine heart thou maiest For euery man should follow Christ his maister albeit his parents should disswade him or forbid him Howbeit for infants the case is otherwise they are vnder the iurisdiction of their parents and they rule ouer them so that they cannot without wrong and iniustice be taken from them to whom by the law of nature they do properly belong And therefore Christ commanded not the widdowes sonne whom he raised from the dead to follow him Luk. 7 15. but deliuered him to his mother neither could he be compelled to follow him against the good will of his mother for that had beene to abrogate and abolish the authority of the parents ouer their children But if they can be perswaded and will be contented to haue them baptized then they haue no wrong at all done vnto them for iniury cannot be offered to them that are willing Such fathers giue some hope that in time themselues wil professe the faith in this case the Church is as a tender mother ouer such infants and therefore may iustly and rightly baptize them Thus much touching their children that are out of the bosome of the Church The next question is touching the children of those which indeed liue within the doores of the Church but yet are prophane and vngodly who are in the Church Whether the children of prophane and impenitent persons may be baptized but not of the Church whether they may be baptized or not I answere if the infants of such impenitent persons be brought and offered to be baptized they cannot nor ought not to be barred and excluded from it For albeit their parents be wicked men and vnworthy of any grace or priuiledge of the Church eyther for themselues or their posterity yet it is no reason that their impiety should any way hurt or hinder the saluation of their Children that are borne in the Church or shut them from the meanes of furthering their saluation Heereunto commeth the saying of the Prophet Ezekiell The soule that sinneth shall dye Ezek. 18 20. the sonne shall not beare the iniquity of the father neither shall the father beare the iniquity of the sonne c. If any obiect and say Obiection The children of the faithfull onely are to be baptized because onely those infants are iudged to be in the couenant and onely holy I answere two things Answere first that in this point we are not to regard the vngodlinesse of such as are their naturall parents of whom they were begotten but the godlinesse of the Church in which and of whom they were borne for the Church is as it were their mother Secondly we must consider not onely their immediate parents but their forefathers and ancestors which haue led a godly and holy life So that albeit they be the children of vnfaithfull parents in respect of the Fathers of whom they came in the flesh yet they are not the children of such if we regard the ancient Fathers and the Church wherein they were borne which is their mother To this purpose Paul
declare our selues to be his seruants and vow our selues to be his souldiors and therefore bee sure of this and set it downe as an infallible truth that Sathan will bee our professed enemy both alluring of vs vnto himselfe and his seruice and discouraging of vs from resting vnder the banner of our chiefe Captaine Christ Iesus our Lord. This then ought to be the continuall vse of our baptisme throughout the whole course of our life so often as we think vpon it or see the same Sacrament administred vnto others to remember what place we are called vnto and what a strong enemy we are to encounter withall that his threatnings do not discourage vs nor his allurements entise vs nor his subtilties deceiue vs nor his roarings deuoure vs and by al these which are so many baites and snares to entrap vs let vs be made more wary and watchful that we may know both his pollicy and our owne infirmity his strength and our owne weaknes Christ our Sauiour was no sooner baptized of Iohn but by and by he was tempted in the wildernes as appeareth Math. 3 16. compared with Math. 4 1. Mat. 3 10. and 4 1. Acts 7 23. When it came into the heart of Moses to visite his brethren then his trouble began and he was driuen out of the Land of Egipt Paul liued in great credit among the Pharisies and in much fauour with the Iewes Acts 9 23. but when he was once baptized and made a Preacher of the Gospell he was neuer free frō trouble but was vexed with iniuries and laden with al kinde of slanderous accusations This is a meditation most needfull to be thought vpon When we are baptized we renounce the Diuell and all his workes wee receiue the Presse-mony of Iesus Christ and giue our names to be inrolled in his muster booke we are thereby become his souldiors and fight his battels against sin We haue bound our selues to become his seruāts to do that which is acceptable to God profitable to our brethren and comfortable to our owne conscience and to adorne our liues with a godly conuersation But if we fight vnder the banner of Sathan Who are reuolters from their baptism swarme with loose and vngodly practises we reuolt from our baptisme albeit our names are registred in the number of the baptized Moreouer hast thou through weaknes and infirmity fallen into some sin to the dishonor of thy God to the wounding of thine owne conscience to the slander of the Gospel or to the scandal and offence of thy weak brother Haue recourse to thy baptisme as vnto a board after shipwracke as vnto a medicine after sicknesse as vnto a plaister after wounding or as vnto a staffe after falling that thou maiest receiue strength courage and comfort to thy soule For albeit baptisme be once onely administred for the reasons before alledged chap. 1. of this present booke yet it being once deliuered and receiued testifieth that all our sinnes past present and to come are washed away and shall be forgiuen The fruite or efficacy of the Sacrament is not to be restrained and tyed to the present time of personall receiuing but extendeth it selfe to the whole course of our life afterward Euen as that voice which said in the beginning Gen. 1. Encrease and multiply and replenish the earth was spoken indeed but once howbeit it hath alwayes his effect and operation Chrysost homil de prod Iud. nature working to generation so the words in baptisme which are once onely pronounced I baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost are effectuall forcible and auaileable all the dayes of our life and sound aloud continually in our eares as if they were vttered afresh and as if we heard Christ say particularly vnto euery one of vs as he did to the man sicke of the palsie Sonne bee of good cheere thy sinnes bee forgiuen thee Mat. 9 2. Mat. 9 2. Vse 3 Thirdly seeing the washing of the bodye betokeneth the cleansing of the soule it teacheth that baptisme is not to be handled in sport It is a serious action of the Church to be administred in the presence of God the author of it it is not as a stage-like gesture that may be counterfeited represented for a shew only To this purpose there is required a cleere plaine and euident rehearsall of the words of institution that the promise made of God may be vnderstood of the hearers and especially a calling vpon the name of God the Father the Son and the Holy-Ghost True it is what manner of element is to be applyed and what forme of baptizing is to be vsed is limited and expressed in the Scriptures but what admonitions and exhortations or what prayers and supplications are to be made the Scripture doth not determine nor deliuer but leaueth it free as shall bee thought fit for the edification of the Church of Christ By the vertue of this inuocation of the name of God and vsing the words of institution according to the commandement of Christ it commeth to passe that the sprinkling of water is made a certaine pledge of the sprinkling of the bloud of Christ 1 Pet. 1. 1 Pet 1 2. Titus 3 5. a signe of our regeneration and of remission of sins For what folly were it to imagine that the power of God is weaker in one Sacrament then in the other That his word should be operatiue in the one and idle or of no force in the other Hence it is that the Fathers of the Church do oftentimes reason from baptism vnto the Supper of the Lord. Epiphanius saith Epiph. contra haer lib. 3. ca. 52 Euseb Emissen The strength of the bread and the vertue of the water are made powerfull in Christ c. Eusebius Emissenus applying himselfe to declare what manner of change is made in the bread and wine of the Supper layeth it out by a familiar comparison with that which is wrought in the regeneration of man hee continueth one and the same to wit in substance and yet is become quite another manner of man through the growth and increase of faith Wherefore it must be ministred with great reuerence and we should attend religiously vnto it no lesse then we ought to do to the word of God and to the Supper of the Lord forasmuch as one Christ is offered yea eaten and drunken in them all The Gospell is the power of God vnto saluation it is the immortall seed of regeneration Rom. 1 16. it offereth vs the forgiuenes of our sinnes and worketh in vs the same that baptisme and the Lords Supper and it maketh vs one with Christ who is the substance of the word and Sacraments and he is communicated to vs in them both Wherefore whensoeuer we come to be partakers of baptisme and to bee present at it we must come with a reuerent and religious consideration of those holy actions and set our selues
Father the word of institution is made effectuall by the holy Spirit the bread and wine are signes and seales representing the body and blood of Christ the outward actions of euery receiuer do note out the inward actions and spirituall workes of the faithfull Thus then the agreement answereth aptly and the proportion falleth fully betweene the parts c The agreemēt between the outward and inward parts As the Minister by the words of institution offereth vnto the Communicants the bread and wine to feed thereupon corporally and bodily so God the Father by the Spirit offereth and giueth the body and blood of Christ to the faithfull receiuers to feed vpon them spiritually Hence it is that the outward actions of the Ministers and the outward actions of the receiuers are said to be signes of the second kinde and therefore may fitly bee called parts of the Supper Now then let vs remember the sensible and externall actions of the Minister that thereby we may consider the spirituall and inward actions of God the Father And first of all the taking of the bread and wine into his hands and the consecrating or blessing of them by repeating the promise by prayers and thanksgiuings doth seale vp these holy actions of God the Father by which he from all eternity euen before the foundation of the world did separate elect ordaine chuse and call his Sonne to performe the office of a Mediator betweene God and man and when the fulnesse of time came did send him into the world to performe that office whereunto he was appointed This wee see proued vnto vs in many places as Iohn 6. Labour not for the meate which perisheth but for the meate that endureth vnto euerlasting life which the Sonne of man shall giue vnto you for him d Ioh. 6 27. hath God the Father sealed that is hath installed him into his office to reconcile men vnto God and to bring them to euerlasting life And Gal. 1. Iesus gaue himselfe that he might deliuer vs from this present euill world e Gal. 1 4. according to the will of God euen our Father So that whatsoeuer Christ did he did it by the will and appointment of his Father According to the testimony of the Apostle Heb. 5. Christ tooke not to himselfe this honor to be made the High Priest f Heb. 5 5. but he that said vnto him Thou art my Sonne this day I begat thee gaue it him And as the Father ordained him to that office so in time he sent him as the Euangelist witnesseth g Luke 4 18. The Spirit of the Lord is vpon me because he hath annointed me that I should preach the Gospell to the poore binde vp the broken hearted preach liberty to the captiues c. So likewise 1 Ioh. 4. Heerein is that loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs and h Ioh. 4 10. sent his Sonne to bee a reconciliation for our sins And Gal. 4. When the fulnesse of time was come God sent forth his Sonne made of a woman and made vnder the law that he might redeeme them that are vnder the law Thus we see the inward actions of God the Father answering to the outward actions of the Ministers who being rightly called of God do worke with him and are the dispensers of his secrets Vse 1 Now let vs come to the vses of this part First of all this sealing and sending of his Sonne serueth to confirme and assure vs of our saluation in Christ For seeing God hath annointed and appointed him into this office our faith cannot faile our confidence cannot fal our hope cannot make ashamed i Rom. 5 5. seeing the loue of God is thus shed abroad in our harts through the Holy-Ghost k Rom. 8 16. who beareth witnes with our spirit that we are the children of God by whom wee l Eph. 4 30. are sealed vnto the day of redemption Vse 2 Againe let vs seeke saluation no where else then in him alone whom God the Father hath sealed and set apart to that end For euen as the body is nourished by no other meats and drinkes then by such as m Deut. 8 3. Mat. 14 4. God hath appointed to this purpose n Ezek. 14 13 Leuit. 25 26 as a staffe to sustaine vs so is the soule fed by no other meanes then God hath before ordained The cause of our saluation is in the loue of God toward vs which is notably represented by the taking and blessing of the outward elements He might haue left vs to our selues to worke out our owne destruction but his mercy is greater then his iustice Thirdly by these outward actions of the Minister we Vse 3 must seeke confirmation strength of our faith being assured that God the Father tooke his Sonne and appointed him to these ends We must not wander and gaze about and thinke we haue nothing to do but when we take and receiue the bread and the cuppe into our hands we must in euery sacramentall rite consider the things signified and ponder in our hearts the fitnesse and agreement betweene them both So then as we behold with our bodily eyes the Minister representing the person of the Father taking blessing and separating the bread and wine to that bodily vse so surely and certainely wee must learne that God the Father hath ordained and sent his onely begotten Son o Mat. 17 5. and 3 17. in whom he is well pleased to be the Mediator for the pardon of our sins Hence we see the infinite loue of God toward vs and let vs labour to comprehend p Eph. 3 18.19 the length bredth height and depth thereof that spared not his own Sonne q Rom. 32. but gaue him for vs all vnto the death hence we see that exceeding compassion of the Son that loued his enemies more then himselfe and accounted not his owne life precious to himselfe hence we see the gracious and glorious worke of our redemption wherein the mercy and iustice of God r Psal 85 10. meete together and kisse each other teaching vs to take sweet delight and comfort in the meditation thereof day and night with all thanksgiuing hence wee haue assurance of saluation and consolation in all troubles and tentations hence we see the greatnes of our owne sinnes that could not be pardoned but by the death of the Son of god and therefore we must hate them with an vnfained hatred as our greatest most dangerous and deadly enemies and lastly hence we see that if God the Father thus loued vs we ought earnestly to loue him againe and to serue him in all duties of holinesse and true righteousnesse neither ought we to loue him onely but for him all our brethren as the Apostle reasoneth 1 Ioh. 4 11. Brethren if God so loued vs wee ought to loue one another Thus we haue shewed how the taking of the bread by the Minister signifieth the
the law of God which must bee the glasse of our u Iam. 1 23 liues to behold our offences and the very ground-work of this examinatioÌ„ Againe are we charged to try out our waies and examine Vse 2 our selues Then wee 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 olde 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 fruites of repentance are required of the elder sorte as wee haue shewed yet touching infaÌ„ts it is sufficient if they be born in the church of such as are members of the church But the Supper of the Lord belongeth onely to such as are able to examine themselues to try their owne hearts 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 b Exod 12 2â— and did desire to be instructed of their parents and such as had learned to make the law a frontlet before their eyes and a signe vpon their hands that so the doctrine of God might not depart out of their mouths Besides if we consider the outward workes in both the Sacraments aright c This ouerthroweth the opinâ—on of Innocentius Augustine Musculus others who teach it to be fit and needfull that children be admitted to the Supper Innocent 1. Epist ad patr Concil Mile Aug epist 107 ad Vitalem Muscul loc CoÌ„muâ—titul de Euchâ—r 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 forasmuch as we can clense and wash the things that are without reason without vnderstaÌ„ding without sense and without life But in the Sacra of the Supper a reuerent giuing an attentiue hearing a certaine vnderstanding of that which is spoken a wise receiuing and eating a careful considering of whom to take what to take is required in the outward worke how much greater iudgment is required to know that God the father giueth the body blood of his Son to be receiued by faith Thus theÌ„ this examinatioÌ„ maketh a distinctioÌ„ between both the Sacraments of the new testament sheweth that it is not necessary to the saluation of infants that they come to the Lords table Thirdly seeing no man must presume to come thether without a serious examination of himselfe d Sixe sorts of persons barred from the Lord supper it debarreth Vse 3 from the Lords Supper sixe sorts of persons to wit the vnbaptized children idiots ignorant persons prophane persons and all sorts of Infidels First of all such as are not yet entred into the church by baptisme whatsoeuer their knoledge and faith is cannot claime any priuiledge or right to this Sacrament Secondly if there be a necessity of searching and trying our selues it excludeth all Infants and children in age who vnderstand not what the holy Spirit speaketh in this Sacrament what God the Father offereth what the Son performeth what faith receiueth they know not what it is to eate Christ spiritually and to be nourished by him effectually Thirdly all foolish furious and mad-men being such idiots as that they want the vse of naturall gifts of reason wit discretion and iudgement the defect wherof whatsoeuer they are in age and yeares maketh them as children in gifts not being able to examine themselues are to be separated Fourthly howsoeuer many haue yeares of discretion and the common vse of naturall gifts of vnderstaÌ„ding yet if they neither haue the knowledge of God nor the knowledge of themselues nor the knowledge of the doctrine of the Sacraments and other fundamentall points of religion they are not to be admitted but refused Fiftly if they haue al these things and want neither baptisme nor ripenesse of age nor yeares of discretion nor vse of reason nor knowledge of the doctrine which is according to godlines yet if they remaine prophane vngodly vnrepentant stubborne malicious reuenging open contemners of God of godlinesse and of his word Idolaters adulterers blasphemers drunkards and such in whom appeareth no amendment of life these and such like are not interessed in this Sacrament Lastly it excludeth shutteth out all such as are without God in the world al Atheists Infidels Turks Iewes and Hereticks all such as haue not yeelded themselues to the Church of God haue not made profession of their faith and such as are worthily excommunicated from the Church by the power of the keyes which are no better theÌ„ heathen Publicans Where by we see that all not yet baptized infants children that want years al furious foolish persons that want the vse of reason al blind ignorant persons that want the knowledge of God and of themselues all vnrepentant persons that bring not with them faith and repentance all Infidels and vnbeleeuers with others that are out of the bosome of the Church are to be kept backe from this Supper being such as either cannot or will not submit themselues to this holy and necessary duty of examination thereby hauing no right or title to come to his table For such as haue not the Church to be their mother cannot be nourished with this meate of the Church to wit the Supper of the Lord. Among all these that are thus excluded we do not name the hypocrite because his wickednes is in his heart and kept secret to himselfe and therefore the Church can take no notice of him but leaueth him to God who searcheth the heart and trieth the raines Fourthly if all persons are to prepare themselues to this Vse 4 Sacrament then none are willingly and wilfully to abstain and refraine from comming vnto it For as such sinne grieuously who present themselues vnworthily to this blessed Communion so doe they greatly offend on the other side that of set purpose absent themselues from this spirituall banket prouided for them God is dishonored both these waies as well by receiuing vnreuerently as by abstaining carelesly from this Sacrament For he lyeth vnder an heauie e Ier 48 10. curse deseruedly that doth any of the Lords workes negligently Euen as the patient which being sick maketh no account of the diet which the Physition hath prescribed is no lesse blame woorthy then hee that abuseth it disorderly inasmuch as both sorts do it oftentimes to their danger and destruction so is hee no lesse faulty that maketh no reckoning of the receite which the chiefe Physition of our Soules the Lord Iesus hath appoynted then hee that misuseth and misapplieth the same because both doe it with great perill and hazard to themselues We know that such as
Ghost the inward cleansing of the soule by the blood of Christ ir represented Exod. 12 48 This description teacheth that such as are not yet baptized are not to be admitted to the Lords Table and that albeit dipping be not necessarie to the being of Baptisme Ephes 5 26. yet washing with water is of the essence of this Sacrament For the Church is at libertie to baptize either by dipping or sprinkling Dâ—e desâ—dâ—gm 〈◊〉 4. l. 4 â—â—i 7 as we may see in Austine that this liberty was kept and retained in the Church and Cyprian vphouldeth the sprinkling in Baptisme yet so as that he affirmeth it to be at mens libertie We learne also 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 solemn Couenant to professe the Christian religion and to leade an vnblameable and vnreproueable conuersation considering that he is no longer his owne to liue as he list but as hee is bought with a price so is he bound to serue him that hath bought him and to approoue himselfe to him in all holie obedience Now we are to consider in baptisme as we did before generally in a Sacrament these two things The parts of Baptisme his parts and his vses The parts of baptisme are both outward and inwarde For as there was a circumcision of the bodie of the heart so there is a baptizing of the bodie and a baptizing of the soule Iohn the Baptist in his baptizing directed al to Christ to beleeue in him as Acts 19. and he preached the kingdom of heauen Math 3. so that there is but one baptisme of the New Testament Eph 4. For as wee do baptize with water vnto Christ and admit men to haue interest in the kingdom of God as we incorporate them into the Church of Christ and offer the promise of forgiuenesse of sins to them which repent and beleeue the Gospel so did Iohn in his baptisme Acts 8 and 10 and 1â— who baptized as the Apostles did forasmuch as both of them are said to baptize in the name of Christ Heerein lyeth the difference rather in the order of time then substance of the Sacrament the one was first giuen to the Iewes onely and this latter was communicated vnto the Gentiles also We cannot therefore assent and agree to them that make two sundry baptismes thereof For this maketh two baptismes no more then it maketh two Gospels because Christ and his Apostles did first preach it and publish it to the Israelites and afterward vnto the Gentiles Againe we are put in minde that when the Sacrament of baptisme is to be administred wee should not make all possible hast out of the Church as the maner of many is among vs as though it did nothing at all belong vnto vs but it is our duty to conteine our selues and continue our presence together with the rest of our brethren that by our tarrying wee may to our comfort consider with our selues our owne receiuing heeretofore into the visible bodie of Christs Church and congregation as also that it belongeth vnto vs to offers prayers vnto God for the infant that is present to be baptized like as others did in former time for vs and so as it were pay the debt we owe to the church and performe to others that Christian duty which others haue already performed vnto vs. Let vs come to the parts of baptisme The outwarde parts are these foure the Minister of God the word of institution the element of water the bodye to bee washed The first outward part is the Minister as the Messenger of God For baptisme is a part of the Ministry and God hath ioyned the ministery of the word and the administration of the Sacraments together Wherefore the Minister must be careful and not carelesse in the execution of his office who is to sanctify the water and to wash the party Moreouer the people are directed vnto whom to resort when they haue children to bee baptized Thirdly the Church of Rome prophane baptisme when they appoint Midwiues and priuate persons to baptize children nay do allow Pagans euen such as are not yet baptized themselus and hold it auaileable Lastly it is not fit that the Church should set apart some ordinarily to baptize who are not able to preach the word no more then it is lawfull to set apart an ordinarie Officer for to minister the Lordes Supper which is not able to teach Besides this were to institute a new kinde of Ministerie of such who are not called of GOD as Aaron was Heb. 5 4. neyther can anie sufficient reason be giuen vvhy the Church shoulde take vppon it this Libertie The second outward part The seconde outward part is the worde of institution which is as the forme of this Sacrament Now by the word in this place wee vnderstande the promises of the Gospell and the forme of administration therof instituted by Christ which must be in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holye Ghost This part and point being thus rightly vnderstood both teacheth and reprooueth It serueth to teach that we make not three Gods as though the Father were a God seuerally the sonne a God seuerally and the holy Ghost a God seuerally albeit these be named and reckoned vp seuerally for wee bee not baptized into the names but in the name not of many Gods but of one in nature and essence and triple in persons and properties And we must beware of this also that we make not an inequality of the persons and suppose that the Son is lesse then the Father and the holy Ghost lesse then the Sonne and the Father aboue them both although the Father bee set in the first place the Sonne in the second place and the holye-Ghost in the thirde place because they are coequall and none before or aboue the other Besides it reprooueth one of the slaunders published against vs by many friends and fauourites of the Church of Rome to wit that we hold and maintaine that wee ought neuer to baptize but when there is a Sermon But to put them out of doubt we do no more teach that wee may not baptize but when there is preaching then that we may not preach but when there is baptizing For none of vs doe beleeue or defend any such doctrine of the absolute necessity of the preaching of the word at the baptizing of children or the receiuing of the Supper as if the essence of the Sacraments depended vpon the preaching or the absence of preaching did destroy the nature of the Sacraments True it is we affirme two things First we say that a Sermon is verie fit and conuenient and alwaies to bee wished if it may be had because it setteth foorth more liuely a declaration and demonstration of Christs death Iohn 7 22 And therefore we see this practised by Iohn the disciples
partes A man is a compound creature made of flesh and of a reasonable soule as Athanasius speaketh in his Creede If the question were asked whether man were a mortall creature or immortall earthly or heauenly visible or inuisible No man coulde rightly answere without a distinction to wit that he is earthly touching his body heauenly touching his spirit In like sort we must consider touching the lords supper which is made of an earthly and an heauenly thing and therefore if the question be demaunded whether it be an earthly or an heauenly thing Wee must resolue that in part it is earthly and in part heauenly earthly in the figure and heauenly in the matter that is signified We must acknowledge from hence the diuers natures and partes of it distinguishing the one from the other Then had neuer risen so great contētion confusion in the Church of Christ touching this Supper if this distinction had heene wisely obserued and if what is proper vnto the outward parts and what proper to the inwarde had beene duely marked The ignorance of this point hath bred much debate and kindled a fire that will very hardly bee quenched The outward parts are m The outward parts are foure foure First the Minister who is to take the bread and wine into his handes n 1 Cor. 11 23 after the example of Christ to separate the Bread and Wine so taken from their common vse to an holy to breake the bread to poure out the Wine and deliuer them both into the handes of all the people present for it is not for euerie man to minister in the Church of God and to bestowe and dispose the Mysteries of Christ The Apostles were present at the Supper not as dispensers but as communicants not as Ministers but as ghesse Christ was as the maister and maker of the Feast instituting with his owne hands the Sacrament of his grace So then they are not consecrated to be Priestes of the New testament but preachers of the Gospell 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 o Luke 22 19 This is my body that is this bread is p Tertul. lib. 4. cont Marcio august conr adimant cap. 12. a signe of my bodie which shortly shall be crucified for you this cup is a true signe of my Bloode presently to be shed to confirme the new Couenant of GOD touching forgiuenesse of sins and eternall life These words are not properly but figuratiuely to be vnderstood beeing Sacramentall speeches Thus the Scripture speaketh of q Gen. 17 10 Circumcision of the Paschall Lambe The third outward part are bread wine fit signes to signify our spirituall nourishment by eating the body and drinking the bloode of Christ In baptisme wee haue one onely signe but in this supper r Mark 14 12 we haue two to note out our full and perfect nourishment by Christ Neither did Christ deliuer the deceiueable shewes of bread and wine or cast a mist before the eies of his Disciples to make them thinke it Bread which was no bread or wine which was no wine but he gaue them true bread and the true fruite of the vine ſ 1 cor 10 16 as the Apostle calleth them after the blessing breaking consecration Heereby falleth to the ground the mystery of transubstantiation the most mishapen 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 t Heb. 4 15 sinne onely excepted Lastly it confoundeth heauen and earth together Obiection Neither let any obiect that Christ hath now a glorified body sitting at the right hand of his Father and therfore his body hath a great priuiledge aboue ours to bee in diuers places at the same time Answere 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 u Aug. epist 57. ad Dardan 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 takan frō the people the vse of the cup and a Gal. 3 15. wretched deprauers of Christs testament depriuing the right heires of their inheritance ingrossing into their hands the goods of others They make it of the essence of the Sacrament to vse vnleauened bread and to mingle water with wine which Christ neuer ordained or commanded but that which is necessary they esteeme as needles and superfluous thus transgressing the commandement of God by their owne traditions The fourth outward part are the Communicants whose duty it is c Mat. 26 26. to take the bread and wine into their hands to eate the bread and to drinke the wine to the nourishment of their bodies He did not bid them to reserue the outward signes to hold them vp and adore them or cal the Sacrament their Lord and their God he did not command them to offer them 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 d Reu. 6 7.10 who being killed for the word of God and the testimony which they maintained their soules vnder the Altar cry day and night with a loud voice vnto the Lord holy and true to iudge and auenge their blood on them that dwell on the earth Lastly heereby are ouerthrowne the priuate Masses of the Church of Rome which now grow to be too commō e 1 Cor. 11 10 and cannot stand with the Communion of Christ 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 together The outward parts haue bin hitherto handled which being rightly performed f What Consecration is there followeth consecration which is a separation of the outward signes from their ordinary vse to an holy and spirituall vse that whereas before they serued for the body now they are made instruments of grace and seales of the righteousnes by faith The inward parts follow g The inward parts of this Supper are foure which are foure First God the Father who appointed his Son to performe the gracious worke of our redemption and in the fulnesse of time sent him into the world h Rom. 4 2 5 who dyed for our sinnes and rose againe for our
iustification Secondly the Holy-Ghost who assureth vs of the truth of Gods promises This sheweth that he is true i Reuel 1 4. God equall with the Father and the Son proceeding from the Father and the Son This confuteth such as suppose no partaking of the body and blood of Christ except he bee giuen vs in a carnal and fleshy manner wheras the Spirit worketh faith in our hearts k Heb. 11.1 which is the ground of things which are hoped for and the euidence of things which are not seene The third inward part of the Lords Supper l Luk. 22 19 is the body blood of Christ deliuered for vs vnto death This conuinceth such of a spirit of error who make vnbeleeuers and reprobates partakers of Christs body and blood thus his body should be prophaned m Ioh 6 5 and his sauing graces separated from his person But euen as where Sathan dwelleth possesseth the heart there alwaies raigne the works of darknes and damnation so the gifts of Christ accompanying saluation are inseparably ioyned with the person of Christ This also condemneth the reall presence and carnall eating of Christ which forgeth many Christs and reuiueth the heresie 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 mystically He hath giuen himselfe to be the food of our soules let vs hunger and thirst after him and lay hold on him to our saluation for n â— Ioh. 5 12. he that hath the Sonne hath life he that hath not the Son of God hath not life The last inward part is the faithfull receiuer who stretcheth forth the hand of faith so layeth hold on Christ and al his sauing graces For no maÌ„ can communicate with his body but the same is made partaker of his benefits Let vs all prepare the true and liuely faith o Tit. 1.1 of Gods elect and assure our selues that hypocrites and vnbeleeuers cannot possibly be partakers of the body and blood of Christ These are the foure inward parts also of the Lords Supper The similitude and relation p The proportion betwixt the outward and inward parts of the Supper of the outward and inward parts one to another standeth in this manner euen as the Minister by the words of institution offereth and giueth bread and wine to the Communicants to feed thereupon bodily so the Father by the Spirit offereth and exhibiteth the body and blood of Christ Iesus to the soules of the faithful to feed vpon them spiritually Thus much of all the parts of the Lords Suppeer now follow the vses to be vnfolded The q The vses of the lâ—d supper are three vses and profit which we reape by the Lords Supper are specially three First to shew forth with praise and thanksgiuing the death and the sufferings of Christ who his owne selfe bare our sins in his body on the tree by whose stripes r 1 Pet. 2 24 we are healed so that we haue the chiefe cause in our selues which did crucifie Christ Secondly to teach our communion with Christ being made flesh Å¿ Eâ—h 5 30. of his flesh and bone of his bones Hence we learne that al the godly and beleeuers are made partakers of Chrst and his graces This is matter of great comfort in our manifold trials and tentations that we are ioyned to Christ as members to the head t Rom. 8. â—3 and therefore neither life nor death nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things preseÌ„t nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shal be able to separate vs from the loue of GOD which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. But on the other side the vngodly and vnbeleeuers haue no part or portion in Christ and his graces they are as branches u Ioh. 15 6. cut off which wither and men gather them to cast them into the fire and to burne them Thirdly to declare and testifie our Communion fellowship and a 1 Cor. 10 17 agreement with our brethreÌ„ meeting together at the same Table and partaking together of the same Supper Wherefore seeing we haue not onely an vnion with Christ but a Communion among our selues we are the seruants of the Church to serue one another in all duties of loue to instruct them that are ignorant to raise them that are fallen and to binde vp the broken hearted to reconcile our selues one toward another and to keepe the vnity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Hitherto we haue handled the doctrine of the Lords Supper declaring what it is what are the parts and vses thereof the preparation to this worke followeth b 1 Cor. 11.28 consisting in the examination of our selues and trying our owne hearts by the touchstone of the law of God This duty is very necessary to be performed of vs c Ier. 17 9. for the heart of man is deceitful aboue al things and the secret corners of it past finding out We haue to deale with God in this businesse Great is the profit which we reape and receiue if we come rightly and reuerently prepared Great is the punishment procured by want of this tryall and examination And the d Hag. 2 14 Sacrament it selfe is defiled by vnworthy receiuing This preparation principally standeth in these foure points in the e Ioh. 17 3. knowledge of God and of ourseluess especially of the whole doctrine of the Sacraments in a f 2 Cor. 13 5 liuely faith in Christ seeing euery one receiueth so much as he beleeueth he receiueth in repentance g Psal 26 6. from dead workes and lastly in h Mat. 5 23. reconciliation toward our brethren hauing peace i Rom. 12.18 with all men and loue toward our enemies Thus I haue opened plainely yet truely the doctrine of the Sacraments deliuered in the Scriptures and taught in the reformed Churches I haue disclosed some part of the mystery of Iniquity and discouered and laid open the skirts of that great Idoll of the Masse the reproach of Christians the scorne of the Gentiles the offence of the weake and the occasion of ruine to many that stumble thereat to their own confusion The Lord God high possessor of heauen and earth and preseruer of his people that call vpon him put it into the hart of al Christian Princes and Rulers of the earth to pull downe this abhominable Idoll that hath aduanced it selfe against the kingdome of Christ and to deface this filthy monster that hath deceiued many who trusted in it The same Lord vouchsafe to reueale his truth to the ignorant to establish them that are weake and to confound all obstinate enemies to his truth to their Prince and to their Country for Iesus Christs sake Amen Amen FINIS A Table of the principall
legier-demaine Christ took bread d Mat. 26.26 Mar. 14 22. Luk. 22 19. 1 Cor. 11 24 as the Euangelists note such no doubt as was appointed to be eaten with the Paschall Lambe and not of purpose prepared apart for the Supper but in the papacy they vse thin wafers not fit to nourish nor scarce deseruing the name of bread howbeit shaped after the fashion of mony and stamped with the Image of a Crucifixe thereby to call to remembrance that the Lord was betrayed of Iudas for thirty pence and that hee was crucified for vs vpon the Crosse Christ gaue thanks to his Father for the benefit of our redemption and blessed the bread and sanctified it to be the figure and remembrance of his body giuen for vs but Bellarmine e Bellar. lib. 4 cap. 13. de Eucharist vnderstandeth it that he turned the substaÌ„ce of the bread into the substance of his body so that this consecration is no other with them theÌ„ the monster of transubstantiation whereof there is not one word or sillable in the word of God Christ brake the bread not onely that hee might distribute it and diuide it among them but to the end he might represent the breaking that is the crucifying of his body but among the papists the bread is not broken but euery one hath a little wafer in the Masse the Priest breaketh the host but he doth not distribute it or deliuer it among those that are present Christ gaue the bread to the Disciples whereas they giue it not to the people but offer it vp to God the Father imagining that they offer vp his Son for the sins of the quick and the dead and for the soules departed and detained in Purgatory and they lift vp the bread and shew it to the beholders to be worshipped of theÌ„ al which tend to the dishonour of God to weaken the comfort of the people and to crucifie him againe who by the onely sacrifice of his death hath purged away the sins of al that beleeue and purchased vnto them the fauour of God his Father Christ willed his Disciples to take the bread into their hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the word properly signifieth for as hee tooke it into his hands so he commandeth them to do but these doe not deliuer the bread into the Communicants hands but put it into their mouths as if forsooth the hands were more prophane and polluted then the mouth or the mouth more holy then the hands which notwithstanding they may not eate and swallow but must hold it on their tongue vntill it melt and dissolue by the heat of the mouth which argueth intollerable stupidity and superstition Lastly Christ also tooke the cup and bad them all drinke of the wine the fruite of the vine which before had eaten of the bread but the Papists who haue g Papists why so called submitted themselues to the seruice of the Pope and thence drawne their names say that he commanded them to drinke his owne blood vnder the forme of wine and yet withall they keepe the h Bellar. lib. 4. cap. 25. de Euchar people of God from drinking of the cup as if hee had not shed his blood for them Thus we see that in the institution we haue no mention at all of reall presence or Transubstantiation or eleuation or adoration or reseruation or Masse or oblation or Purgatory or propitiatory and vnbloody sacrifice in all which standeth the life and substance of the popish Eucharist so that there is nothing almost expressed by the Euangelists in the celebration of the Supper but they eyther by their false expositions haue wrested or by their sacrilegious detractions haue mingled or by their presumptuous alterations haue corrupted or by their superstitious additions haue shamefully and horribly depraued The second point i Contentions and contraâ—ieties among the Papists is touching their contentions contrarieties which are plentifully found among them for as they could neuer agree with the truth so they cannot yet accord with themselues and if their tongues be diuided one against another no maruell if they speake against vs. First they make moue a question whether the body of Christ be eaten with the mouth of the body and passe into the belly or onely by faith Some of them hold k Antonin part 3 ca. 6 sect 3 de defect Miss he is taken bodily into the mouth but goeth not into the belly Others that he passeth into the belly and remaineth there so long as the Species of bread abideth And others go farther that the body of Christ may be vomited vpward by the mouth and purged downeward by the draught Secondly they dispute whether the body of Christ bee broken and chewed with the teeth or not Pope Nicholas in a councell holden at Rome caused Berengarius to recant in this wise l De Consecraâ— dist 2 ca. Ego Bereng 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 faithfull Others thinke that nothing is broken truely but only in shew others that the accidents of bread are broken and chewed digested and euacuated and that they are accidents by which wee are nourished and strengthened Thirdly they are much troubled and perplexed whether Myce eating the Sacrament doe also eat the body of Christ Peter Lumbard master of the sentences m Sent. lib. 4. dist 13. standeth in a brown study and resteth in a muse and mammering cannot teach himselfe saying What is it that the Mouse receiueth God knoweth Neuertheles in the end he giueth his resolution thus It may well be said that bruite beastes doe not receiue the body of Christ But the Doctors of Paris haue censured him and corrected his iudgement and say Hic magister non tenetur Here the maister is not to be followed so that now it is the common and receiued opinion that the Mouse eating the Sacrament eateth and receiueth the body of Christ Thus they make the Supper of Christ instituted for Myce and vermine and hold that beastes may haue as great benefit by carnall eating as the beleeuers They cannot agree among themselues whether the substance of bread bee turned into the body of Christ or whether the bread be consumed to nothing then the body of Christ brought in place of it Whether the water mingled with wine in the Challice be transubstantiated into the bloud of Christ or be consumed to nothing or be turned into the vitall humors of Christ or not whether the wormes engendred in the Eucharist come from the substaÌ„ce of the bread or from the accidents or from the ayre Lastly there is great diuersity between them with what words their consecration is wrought and how many words are directly precisely required to the forme therof touching the which they are not as yet agreed It were no hard matter to make an
in the externall worke placing holinesse and remission of sinnes in the deede done and thus the thing signified is little regarded and wholy abolished r Gen. 41 4. as the euill fauoured and leane-fleshed Kine did eate vp the fat well-fauored this was Pharaohs dream and the other is mans deuise For these men giue all to the outward receiuing placing holinesse 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 doe 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 blood of Christ which is to make an Idoll of the signe and to flatter themselues in their euils to their owne destruction For albeit a man haue beene baptized and haue receiued the Lords Supper yet if hee liue wickedly and walke after his owne lusts the Sacraments shall auaile and aduantage him nothing at all but further his condemnation Vse 3 Lastly hath the Sacrament some partes outward and some inward some seene and some not seene with bodilye eyes Then it giueth occasion both to parents to teach their children the meaning of these mysteries and to declare vnto them the ordinances of God as likewise to children and the yonger 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 Å¿ Exod. 12 26.27 chap. 13 14 15. directly where the fathers are forewarned to teach their children the hidden mystery of the Passeouer When your children aske you what seruice is this yee keepe then yee shall say It is the sacrifice of the Lords Passeouer which passed ouer the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when he smote the Egyptians and preserued our houses So likewise Ch. 13 14. speaking of separating and sanctifying the first borne for the seruice of God hee 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 t Iosh 4 6 7.8 21 22 23. wee see when the Lord had parted the waters of Iordan that the people might passe he commanded Ioshua to set vp 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 meant by those stones they should answere that the waters of Iordan were cut off before the Arke of the couenant of the Lord. Hee would not onely haue themselues to profite by his wonderfull workes but to retaine the remembrance of them he would haue their posterity to know the cause occasion thereof and so glorifie his name for euer Heereunto we may fitly ioyne u Psal 78 2 3 4 5 6 7. what the Psalmist saith I will open my mouth in a parable I will declare high sentences of olde which wee haue heard and knowne and our fathers haue told vs 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 cannot forget the workes of God but keepe his commandements All these things serue to this purpose to shew that it is a duty and burden laide on the shoulders of all parents to acquaint their children with the workes 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 wee must make plaine vnto them the meaning of that mystery Wee must say vnto them My children a How to teach our childâ—en the meaning of the Sacraments this is a signe of the Couenant of Gods mercy to vs and our duty to God it is a mystery of our saluation and teacheth that beeing in our selues vncleane vnrighteous vnholy and sinfull our soules are washed by the blood of Christ euen as the water in baptisme washeth our bodyes wherein the mercy of God is so much the more maruailous in our eyes insomuch as the Iewes were entred into the couenant by cutting lancing and effusion of bloud in circumcision Againe before they come to yeares ro receiue the holy Supper of the Lord we must informe them at home and declare the institution of that Sacrament and the comfortable vses thereof to them so they may afterward come to this Communion with better warrant of their worke with greater comfort to themselues and with lesse danger to their soules Wee must teach them that as the bread is broken and the Wine powred 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 soules to eternal life by the passion of Christ our Sauiour as certainly as our bodies are nourished with the creatures of bread wine Notwithstanding there is a generall defect of this duty in many parents neither are children ready to inquire learn at home neither are parents able to answere any thing in these matters of God waywardnes in the one worldlines in the other ignorance in them both hath taken away all care and conscience from them touching these holye and heauenlye mysteries so that neyther the one teacheth nor the other learneth neyther the Childe enquireth nor the father answereth CHAP. IIII. Of the first outward part of a Sacrament THe outward partes of a Sacrament are such things as a What outward parts are vnder a certaine similitude and sikenesse do represent and signifie heauenly thinges to assure vs they are as truely prelent and offered vs as wee behold with our eyes and receiue with our hands the earthly things giuen vnto vs. The outward parts of a Sacrament are in number b Foure outward parts of a Sacrament foure First the Minister Secondly the word of institution Thirdly the signe Fourthly the receiuer All these and euery one of them are needful to the beeing and nature of a Sacrament take them away or any of theÌ„ and you take away the substance and bring in a nullity of the Sacrament If there be no Minister no word no element no receiuer there is no Sacrament If there be wanting eyther Minister to deliuer it or word to institute it or element to represent it or receiuer to take it wee cannot assure our selues to haue any SacrameÌ„t of God but rather a tradition and inuention of our owne In this
place I take the word part in a generall sence and signification and therefore do conclude in it and comprehend vnder it as well the Ministers and receiuers to bee outward parts of a Sacrament as the signes themselues All men do confesse that the signes are parts because they are materiall but I vndertake to prooue the persons both of him that deliuereth and of them that receiue to bee essentiall also Besides the actions of the Minister and the actions of the receiuer are both of them significant as is manifestly shewed so that there is a fit resemblance betweene the workes of the Minister and the workes of God the Father for God performeth the truth of that inwardly which the Minister doth outwardly and the actions of the receiuer doe serue to instruct the faithfull what they are to doe by faith Wherefore if the signes bee partes because they are significant then wee are to receiue the Ministers and receiuers as parts also because whatsoeuer they do is significant also First then c The Minister is the first outward part of a Sacrament there is required a Minister lawfully called chosen and ordained hauing at the least the approbation and allowance of the Church to pronounce the words of institution and to deliuer the outward signes to the receiuers They are not makers of the Sacrament but Ministers not authors but administrators not deuisers but deliuerers Earthly Princes haue their letters patents and their great seales and keepers of the same if another shall set to the seale that is not appointed the keeper thereof is it not made an heinous crime worthy of heauy punishment So the Lord is a mighty Prince King of Kings and Lord of Lords he hath appointed his seales to seale vp his promise of forgiuenesse of sinnes and eternall life and he hath ordained his Officers as it were keepers of his great seales God publisheth saluation and pardon to all beleeuers by his worde as by his letters pattents and hee addeth baptisme and the Lords Supper as two broad seales for greater assurance and confirmation and appointeth the Ministers to bee keepers thereof Whosoeuer therefore shall presume to set to any of these seales without warrant without a calling without a function and direction from God himselfe being no officer no Minister no keeper of them prophaneth these seales and setteth to a counterfeit stampe For as no man may preach d Rom. 10 15. except hee bee sent so no man may administer the Sacraments except he be called This is it the e Heb. 5 4.5 Apostle teacheth No man taketh this honor vnto himselfe but he that is called of God as was Aaron and Christ tooke not to himselfe this honor to bee made the high Priest but hee that saide vnto him Thou art my Sonne this day begat I thee gaue it to him Now to minister the Sacraments is an honour in the Church which none can take to himself at his own pleasure but God must giue it They should haue in their owne consciences a witnesse of Gods calling them to this office and honour Wherefore the sacred functions ordained of God must not be prophaned by voluntary officers and vsurped offices no man must take vpon him without a lawfull calling to teach these holy mysteries Of these the f Ier. 23 21. Lord complaineth I haue not sent these Prophets yet they ranne I haue not spoken to them and yet they prophesied Thus these intruders did thrust their sickle into other mens corne The reasons g Reasons why the Ministers onely are to administer the Sadraments why the Ministers and no others are to intermedle with the Sacraments are very apparant First because euery part and member of the Church hath his especiall office and his proper guifts to execute his calling we see in a campe the Souldiers in warre haue their standing-place in sight of their captaine who hath chosen thē to be warriors so in the Church must euery one keep his seuerall calling in the presence of God who hath in wisedome and mercy called him therevnto Wee see in the naturall disposition of the body h See Booke 2 cap. 3. euery member hath his speciall vse the eye to see the hand to handle the foote to walke the eare to heare and if one member should incroach vpon the office of another it must needs tend to the destruction of the body We see in the gouernment of an house and family the husband and wife the father and sonne the maister and seruant know acknowledge their places to rule and to obey to command and to bee commanded without intruding themselues and incroching vpon the function as it were vpon the free-holde of another If wee would ascend a step higher wee obserue in the affaires of state and matters of the common-wealth euery man doth keepe within his owne listes and limits and no man dare presume to charge any man or enterprise any thing in the Princes name authority without a sufficient warrant from the Prince himselfe so may no man take vpon him any functions in the Church vnlesse he haue a commission and commandement from the Lord. For as the Prince appointeth by what officers he will bee serued so is it in the offices and officers of the Church God hath placed and ordained the Apostle to plant the Euangelist to second and assist the Prophet to prophesie the Pastor to feede and hath set euery one k 1 Cor. 12 12 14. in his proper place and standing as it were in his watch-tower out of which he must not wander and depart It is a generall common rule set downe by the Apostle Let euery man abide in the same vocation wherein hee was called and againe afterwards Let euery man wherein he was called therein abide with God Whosoeuer therefore medleth without a lawfull vocation as it were violently inuadeth another mans possession as Ahab did the Vineyard of Naboth and cannot do it without the checke controlment of Christ Iesus who is the l Iosh 5 14. Captaine of his owne hoast m Eph. 4 15. the head of his owne body the n Heb. 3 5 6. Lord of his owne house and the o Reuel 12 5. great King of his owne Church Againe Christ the Prophet and teacher of his Church and the Prince of Pastors hath committed the office of administration of the Sacraments to those alone to whō he hath committed the dispensation of his word and preaching of the Gospel therfore if any other shall set to the seale it is no true seale but a counterfeit stampe The truth of this appeareth by the words of Iohn Baptist Indeed I baptize with water that is I that am appointed a teacher in the Church to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. And Paul beeing conuerted and called to preach to beare the name of God to the Gentiles did without further word warrant or commandement minister the Sacraments Now then
as we haue seene the truth of the doctrin let vs consider the vses therof First is the Minister of the substance of the Sacram. and a principall part of Christs institution Then he must consider it is his duty being authorised frō God by his Church to sanctifie the outward elements and administer the same to deliuer the outward signes offer thē to the receiuers His workes therefore are to put apart consecrate the signs to an holy vse to open declare the couenant of God to pray for his blessing promised vpon his owne ordinance to giue thanks for the blessed worke of our redemption to offer giue and deliuer aright the cretures so sanctified in baptisme to sprinkle with water wash the body to be baptized in the Lords supper to deliuer the bread to be eaten and the wine to bee drunke to the spirituall nourishment of the Church So then the Minister ought not to refuse to baptize such as are broght vnto him Shall the seruant refuse to doe the worke of his maister When Christ the maister shall say Goe and baptize shall he answere againe I will not when the Centurion saith to his seruant Goe he goeth when he saith Come he cometh If the Lord keeper of the Kings broad seale should proudly and presumptuously disdaine to set the seale to the Princes letters pattents were he not well worthy to bee displaced and remoued So if the Minister through enuy or hatred or any other sinister affection which ought not to be harbored in their breast 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 q 1 King 2 35 as Salomon put downe Abiathar Vse 2 Secondly is it a necessary point of the Sacrament that it be ministred by a Minister Then it condemneth all those that put these seales into a wrong hand and all priuate persons that violently rush vpon this calling and take vpon them to meddle with the administration of the Sacraments with vnwashen hands seeing the dispensatiō 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 contrariwise the licence to one is licence to the other Christ neuer gaue to priuate persons any such commandement hee neuer committed to them any such office hee neuer commended to their care these holy actions he neuer called thē to this honor he neuer laide vpon them this charge and therefore they haue no part nor fellowship in this businesse If notwithstanding these restrainings of authority from them they will run and rush forward where they should hang backeward 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 Vse 3 we must beware and take heede wee 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 hee cannot bestow the thing signified hee may baptize the bodye hee cannot cleanse the soule hee may deliuer the bread and wine hee cannot giue the body and blood of Christ Iohn may wash with water hee cannot giue the Spirite Man indeed pronounceth the word but God sealeth vp his grace in the heart man sprinkleth the bodye 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 works who is that blessed Lambe of God that r Iohn 1 29. taketh away the sins of the world For as Paul ſ 1 Cor. 3 6. planteth and Apollos watereth but God giueth 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 externall part it belongeth as a peculiar dignity to Christ to bestow grace to giue faith regeneration t Mat. 3 11. and forgiuenesse of sinnes and to baptize with the Holy-Ghost This truth Iohn confesseth I baptize with water but one commeth after mee 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 wee must take heede of the contempt of him that teacheth and ministreth the Sacraments because the contempt of the word Sacraments doth necessarily follow the contempt of his person so we must beware we attribute or giue not to him more thē his right lest the power of the word force of the Sacraments be attributed to his person whereby men rob God of his glory spoile themselues of the fruite of them both This was it wherein the n 1 Cor. 1 22. Corinthians offended when they said I am Pauls I am Apollos I am Cephas I am Christs Wherefore to keepe a golden meane betweene too much and too little we must doe as if a Prince should send vs some present by one of the meanest messengers of his house we would receiue him fauourably and entertaine him honourably for the guifts 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 doe 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 worde Sacraments we must receiue for the Lords sake from whō they come Thus much of the first outward part to wit the Minister CHAP. V. Of the second outward part of a Sacrament THe second outward part of a Sacrament a The word of institution a necessary part of the Sacrament is the word necessarily required to the substance of a Sacrament for b August in Ioh. 13. Tract 18. the word is added and ioyned to the element and there is made a Sacrament This sacramental word is the word of institution which God in each Sacrament hath after a speciall manner set downe consisting partly of a commandement by which Christ appointeth the administration of Sacraments and partly of a promise annexed wherby God ordaineth that the outward elements shal be instruments and seales of his graces as for example when Christ saith c Mat. 28 19. Goe teach all Nations and baptize them there is a commandement to warrant the vse 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 d Mat. 26 26.27 Take ye eate ye drinke ye do this in remembrance of me loe there is the commandement
Sacrament For no signe hath the substance and essence of a Sacrament vnlesse it be receiued Though there bee a Minister to administer it a word to warrant it a signe to represent it yet vnlesse there be a fit person to receiue it ther can be no Sacrament If the Minister should sprinkle water and alleadge the words of institution where there is no party to be baptized this were a prophaning not a solemnizing of Baptisme or if hee should take bread and wine with prayer and thanksgiuing where none are present to communicate and receiue this were to commit sacriledge not to deliuer a Sacrament Wherefore vnlesse there be a body to be washed and except there bee Communicants to partake the Supper there can bee no Sacrament This appeareth by the words of God vnto Abraham b Gen. 17 12. giuing vnto him circumcision saying Euery male childe of eight daies old shall bee circumcised This also appeareth in the c Mat. 28.19 words of Christ speaking of baptisme and charging the Apostles to baptize the nations in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost Where he teacheth that it is not sufficient to take water but there must be a washing So when he speaketh of his Supper d Mat. 26 26 27. he saith Take yee eate ye drinke ye so that there must not onely be bread but giuing taking and eating there must not onely be wine but giuing taking and drinking thereof This truth being euidently deliuered let vs see how it may be profitably applied First of all must the Sacraments Vse 1 necessarily be receiued Then it teacheth that the Sacraments without their lawfull vse are no Sacraments at all they are no signes of grace if they bee not vsed This condemneth the keeping reseruing holding vp and carrying about with pompe ostentation the Lords Supper offering vp kneeling downe vnto and adoring a piece of bread all which are horrible prophanations of that comfortable Sacramēt wherby the people is robbed and depriued of a precious part of their peace in Christ The bread feedeth not the body reuiueth not the spirits strengtheneth not the heart by looking and gazing vpon it by touching and handling it but by eating digesting and feeding vpon it so doth the Sacrament strengthen faith not by reseruing and keeping it but by vsing and receiuing of it For Sacraments are actions not dumbe shewes Christ saide not Heare ye see ye gaze ye on but Baptize ye eate yee drinke ye doe yee this in remembrance of me Vse 2 Secondly are the receiuers an outward part of the Sacrament Then the persons that are to receiue must know that diuers duties are to be done and performed of them The persons then that are to receiue must ioyne with the Minister in prayer in quickning their faith in the couenant and promises of God beholding the former workes of the Minister blessing breaking pouring out and distributing ratifying them in their hearts and lastly by receiuing and applying to themselues the visible signes For as we haue shewed if the words of baptisme should be rehearsed ouer the water and no person be present to be baptized it is no baptisme so if the words of institution in the Supper should bee spoken and repeated without eating without drinking without receiuing it were no Sacrament Wherefore we must all learne to detest the e Bellar desacram Euchar. lib. 4. cap. 2. absurd opinion of Bellarmine and other procters of the Romish religion which teach that the bread wine being once consecrate whether they bee receiued or reserued whether they be distributed to be eaten drunk or whether they be kept in boxes vessels of the church for daies moneths and long times and carried solemnly in procession are notwithstanding stil the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ Against which dotage we spake in the former vse and shall speake f Book 3. c. 6. more in the third booke following Vse 3 Lastly if the receiuing be an outward part then wee are not to rest in the outward participation for so farre went Iudas in the Passeouer so farre went Simon that sorcerer in baptisme and so farre went g Cor. 10.1 2.3 5. the Israelites as the Apostle sheweth They were all baptized vnto Moses in the cloud and in the sea they did all eate the same spirituall meate and did all drinke the same spirituall drinke c. yet with many of them was not God pleased but they were ouerthrowne in the Wildernesse And therefore Iohn Baptist said to the Pharises and Saduces when he saw them come to his baptisme h Mat. 3 7 8. O generation of vipers who hath forewarnd you to flee from the anger to come bring foorth therefore fruite worthy amendment of life Now our righteousnesse must exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisies if we would enter into the kingdome of heauen Let vs all therefore haue this profitable meditation so often as wee deale with the Sacraments and come vnto them we must looke further thē to the outward sight we must consider more then the externall signe otherwise as we approach without preparation so we depart without edification And thus much of the foure outward parts of a Sacrament to wit the Minister the word the signe and the receiuer CHAP. VIII Of Consecration BEfore we proceed to the inward parts of a Sacramēt answerable to the outward by a fit proportion it shall not be amisse in this place to speake somewhat of the Consecration of a Sacrament First we must consider what it is for the truth being knowne it will cast downe error as the light scattereth the darkenesse To consecrate then a What consecration is is to take a thing from the ordinary and common vse and to appoint it to some holye vse This therefore is consecration sanctification and dedication of the outward signes to apply them vnto an holy purpose This is done partly by the Minister partly by the people and partly by them both The Minister taketh the water in Baptisme which signifieth the blood of Christ and he poureth it on the persō of the baptized he taketh the bread and wine and poureth it out he deliuereth them both the people take and receiue they eate and drinke in remembrance of Christ and both Minister and people ioyne in prayer and thanksgiuing vnto God the Father for the mystery of our redemption accomplished by Christ our Sauiour so that the Sacrament is consecrated by the whole action of the Minister and people together This maketh the difference betweene common water and the water in Baptisme this maketh the difference betweene that bread and wine of the Supper and the bread and wine which is vsed for ordinary meat and drinke True it is in nature in essence in substance there is none but in the end and vse Common water wee vse for the washing of our bodyes but the water in Baptisme is sanctified by prayer to another
vse to be a signe of the cleansing of the soule Bread and wine at mens tables in their houses are set before them for the nourishment of their bodies but at the Lords Table they are ordained of God to an higher and holier vse euen to bee signes of the body and blood of Christ This is noted by the Euangelists and by the Apostle Paul that b Mat. 26 26. Mar. 14 22. Luke 12 19. 1 Cor. 11 24. the Lord Iesus before he brake the bread and gaue it hee blessed and gaue thankes to his Father that hee had appointed him to bee the redeemer of the world and giuen him authority to institute this Sacrament in remembrance of his death and passion For whereas the Euangelist Mathew saith he blessed the other by way of exposition say Hee gaue thankes so that the blessing heere spoken of is Giuing of thankes which also appeareth Luke 9 16. compared with Ioh. 6 11. And the Apostle saith 1 Tim. 4. Euery creature of God is good if it be receiued with thanksgiuing for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer We see then that Consecration is when a thing is separated from a common and ciuill vse to a more speciall vse Iustin in Apol. 2 which is done by the authority of the word and by the vertue of prayer whereby it hath his ful force power and vertue The knowledge of this point serueth to cleere our Vse 1 doctrine to ouerthrow sundry errors of the Church of Rome First it sheweth that we hold and teach a consecration that is a sanctifying 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 â—â—d 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 transubstantiatioÌ„ of the substance into the body and blood of Christ Hee blessed and praised his Father as Mediator of the Church for the mystery of the redemption of mankinde and he g 1 Cor. 10 16 blessed the creatures that they might bee effectuall signes and serue for the confirmation and increase of our faith Secondly we are taught that consecration is not a bare and historicall reading of the Scripture neither a magical Vse 2 charme and incantation by force of certaine wordes as though these words 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 bee immediately changed into the body and blood of Christ without any other obseruing of the institution For the Lord Iesus in pronouncing these words did not speake to the bread or to the wine but to his Apostles And hence it is that the forme of Christs giuing of thankes is not set downe by any Euangelist because our corruption and superstition is so great that if wee had the words we would ascribe power force to the words sillables and letters therfore the manner of his thanksgiuing is pretermitted This inclination of the heart is apparantly seene in the Romish Church who ascribe efficacy operation to the pronouncing of certaine words which is a part of sorcery a point of witchcraft Wheras we auouch that the whol action of taking breaking pouring out distributing eating drinking praying praising and 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 doe 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 and therefore the h Concil Trident. sess 7. can 11. popish opinion is to bee refused and reproued that holdeth it to bee no Sacrament if the Minister haue not an intent and purpose in the administration thereof at least to do that which the church doth that is to consecrate the elements and to make a Sacrament If his mind bee not on his matters and his heart on his businesse in hand they holde it can be no Sacrament For otherwise saith Bellarmine If a Priest should reade the Gospell at the table of Prelates and religious men and in reading should pronounce these words This is my body this is my bloud then all the bread and wine vpon the Table should bee consecrate and changed into Christs body and blood which is not so because his intent is wanting Againe if a father should leade his son to the bath and there dip him in the water And say I wash thee in the name of the Father and though he think nothing of baptizing him yet it should be 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 of reading at the Prelates table should haue a minde and meaning to consecrate all the bread and wine vpon the table must it of necessity be a Sacrament and reall change of al Or admit the former Priest being in the saide Prelates wine celler supposing himselfe to bee in the Church and to stand at the Altar should pronounce the words of consecration with a purpose and intent to make a Sacrament should al the wine in that celler 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 bodye of Christ Let them speake plainely let them tell 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 needfull in this matter We haue shewed that a Sacrament is not made by bare pronouncing of certain words ascribing force to them after the manner of enchanters but the whole institution of Christ must be obserued k The Sacrament dependeth not vpon the intention of the Minister there must be distributing and receiuing there must bee prayer and thanksgiuing and from the vse of these followeth Consecration all which are wanting in the former examples and suppositions there is no taking no breaking no distributing no pouring out no receiuing no praying no thanksgiuing Wee see touching the word of God with what intent and vnder what pretence soeuer l Phil. 1 18. Mat. 23 2 3. it be preached if the Minister teach Christ crucified howsoeuer hee bee affected it may haue his effect in the heart and worke faith in the
the Lords Supper When we receiue the outward signes God the Father offereth his Sonne all his graces with him to confirme our faith therby The signe is but a figure and token Christ is the truth substance This we shewed before Chap. 2. in the description of a Sacrament that therein Christ and all his sauing graces are truely offered sealed vp and giuen to the faithfull that beleeue in his name Heereunto commeth the doctrine of the Apostle where he teacheth that the Iewish Sacraments being in the truth of them the same with ours did signifie b 1 Cor. 10 1 2 3 4 5. Christ for They dranke of the spirituall Rocke that followed them and that Rocke was Christ So he doth teach elsewher that by baptisme we c Gal. 3 27. put on Christ we are buried into his death and are planted d Rom. 6 4 5. Col. 2.11.12 into the similitude of his resurrection Wherefore this is the vse and end of the Sacraments to leade our faith to the onely Sacrifice of Christ once offered vpon the Crosse as to the onely ground-worke and foundation of our saluation as touching the other Sacrament the same Apostle sheweth that the breaking of the bread sealeth vp the e 1 Cor. 10.16 communion of his body and the pouring out the wine the communion of his blood So then this is an euident plaine and manifest truth confirmed by testimony of the Scripture that Christ is the matter and substance of a Sacrament Vse 1 Heereby we gather great strength of faith If Christ be offered with all his merites then let vs lay hold vpon him and not let him goe let vs stretch forth the hand of faith and receiue him into our hearts Wherefore when Sathan assaulteth vs touching our faith in Christ and affiance in his promises perswading vs we are not elected iustified and indued with faith and thereby seeketh to cut off our hand from applying or to blinde our eye from looking vpon the brazen Serpent that is Christ sitting at the right hand of his Father let vs runne vnto him let vs hunger and thirst after his righteousnesse let vs acknowledge him to bee our wisedome our righteousnesse our sanctification and redemption and let vs looke for our saluation from him and in him What though our faith be fraile and weake What though it be as a graine of a Mustard-seede which is very little and small What if it bee but as the growth and strength of a Childe which is ready to fall except he be stayed vp yet this weake this small this little this fraile this feeble faith is able and sufficient to ingraft vs into Christ A childe taking a staffe in his hand is able to hold it as truely though not as strongly as a man so if wee lay holde vpon Christ by faith though we doe it with many wants much weaknesse yet it shall serue and suffice vs to saluation For God looketh not so much to the perfectiō as to the truth of faith neither so much to the measure as to the manner of our beleeuing Euen as f Mar. 8 24. the blinde man in the Gospel when he began to perceiue the mouing of men and saw them walking as trees when yet hee could not discerne their bodies did as truely and certainly see them as other did though not so cleerely plainely and distinctly So when we haue the least sparke of faith it will as truely assure vs of our saluation as a stronger The poore prisoner that lyeth in a deepe and dark dungeon may as wel discerne the light of the Sunne at a little hole and creuice as he that walketh in the open ayre so albeit we be compassed about with ignorance doubtings weakenesse and manifold fraileties of the fles◠yet by a dimme light and sight of faith we may certainly apply vnto vs the mercies of GOD and the merites of Christ as well as if we had a strong and perfect perswasion of our election and saluation before the foundations of the world Thus we see howsoeuer the faithfull may be afflicted yet g 2 Cor. 4 8 9 they are not distressed thogh tempted yet not ouerwhelmed though cast downe yet they perish not For h 1 Iohn 5 4. this is their victory that hath ouercome this world euen their faith whereby they apprehend Iesus Christ who is offered of God the Father in the Sacraments to all the faithfull Secondly if Christ be giuen vs how should not the Vse 2 Father with him giue vs all things else as the i Rom. 8 32.22 23. Apostle concludeth If God spared not his owne Sonne but gaue him for vs all to death how shall he not with him giue vs al things also When we enioy him we enioy al things if we want him it is nothing though wee abound in all things else Wherefore when the Father gaue him for vs it is more then if he had giuen to vs heauen and earth For hauing right interest in him we haue possession of all things his righteousnes his sanctificatiō his obediēce his innocency whatsoeuer he hath is made ours He that hath Christ who is the Lord of al cānot doubt but he is made partaker of that which is his He that hath Christ who is heire k Heb. 1 2. of al things may assure himself to be made fellow heire with him This is it the Apostle saith l 1 Cor. 3 21. Let no man reioyce in men for all things are yours whether it bee Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death whether they be things present or things to come euē al are yours ye Christs Christ Gods Whē a parcel of ground is purchased and made ours thereby the profit and commodity thereof is made ours also so whē Christ by the free donatiō o◠God the father is giuē vnto vs his righteousnes obedience becommeth wholy ours together with him Hee then that hath Christ hath al things he that hath not Christ hath nothing howsoeuer he thinke himselfe to be somthing If we haue him giuen vnto vs let vs take no thought for any other thing whatsoeuer He is the maine and greatest guift the rest are but appurtenances vnto it or dependants vpon it Let vs therefore watch ouer our hearts that they be not set vpon other guifts more then vpon him and reioyce more in that the Father hath giuen vs his owne Sonne then if wee had receiued a great possession and an earthly kingdome Vse 3 Thirdly is Christ the substance and inward part of a Sacrament the signe being as it were the body and the thing signified as the soule Then there hath been from the beginning the same truth of religion the same faith and the same meanes of faith Wee haue had the same Sacraments for substance throughout all generations There was a difference in the manner and outward dispensation according vnto the seuerall ages growth of the Church
according to the seuerall times and seasons that God hath appointed howbeit the substance and effect the truth things signified are one and the same as the bodye is one albeit it receiue diuers garments to couer it The Passeouer and Supper of the Lord agree in the inward signification both of them representing teaching and offering the merites of Christs death Baptisme circumcision are likewise the same in substance the one cutting off the other washing away the naturall contagion and corruption of sinne by the shedding of the blood of the Messiah The same Gospell was preached to Adam by the Lord himselfe and afterward reuealed to Abraham and his posterity as also it was published by Christ and his Apostles albeit in the time of the lawe more darkely and obscurely but in the time of grace more plainely and cleerely The same sauing and iustifying faith was in Abraham the Father of the faithfull and in all other that euer were or shal be saued And therefore Iohn 1 29. Reuel 13 8. Christ is called The Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world And in another place The lambe slaine from the foundation of the world To this purpose the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 10. That the Israelites did eate the same spirituall meat and dranke of the same spirituall drinke that wee doe for they dranke of that spirituall Rocke which followed them and that Rocke was Christ Likewise in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Chap. 13. Iesus Christ yesterday and to day and the same for euer Hee was alwayes the foundation of the Church and the Fathers were saued by no other meanes then we are that is through him onely God hath appointed him ouer al things to be the head of the Church and the Sauiour of his body Ephes 1 22 and 4 16. There is giuen no other name vnder heauen whereby we must bee saued Acts 4 12. No man knoweth the Father but the Sonne and he to whome the Sonne will reueale him Math. 11 27. Ioh. 14 16. Lastly he saith of himselfe I am the way and the truth and the life In which words hee speaketh exclusiuely shutting out all others and meaneth that hee is the way alone the truth alone and the life alone by which Adam and all his posterity that beleeued attained vnto saluation No man therefore commeth vnto the Father but by him He sheweth Iohn 8.56 that Abraham reioyced to see his day and he saw it and was glad They which liued vnder the law and before the law as well as such as liue vnder the Gospell were no otherwise iustified reconciled and saued then by the blood of the onely mediator Christ Iesus who indeed was the end of the law forasmuch as the Gospell is no other then the law promised Rom. 1 2. 1 Pet. 1 10. and the lawe is no other then the Gospell exhibited and accomplished and all the Prophets beare witnesse of Christ and his Gospell Acts 10. For albeit he was manifested in the flesh in the last age of the world and was crucified when the fulnes of time came yet his death was as effectual to the faithfull before the flood and after the flood before the law and after the giuing of the law as to the faithfull that liued with Christ and after the ascension of Christ and it was as powerfull and profitable to them that liued before he dwelt vpon the earth as when hee did hang vppon the Crosse This point duely marked offereth vnto vs diuers good meditations to bee pondered in our hearts First that there is but one faith and one true religion one way to heauen and one truth in all the Sacraments albeit they haue diuers formes and figures We haue one Lord and one Baptisme saith the Apostle Ephes 4. Gal. 1 8. We haue but one Christ and one Gospell If an Angell from heauen preach any other Gospell any other faith any other Christ any other Sacraments let him be accursed Secondly the Fathers before Christs incarnation and taking flesh of the blessed Virgin were saued and went in soule to heauen as directly and certainely as they doe that dye now in the faith of Christ The gates of the kingdome of heauen were not as a Pallace that is locked and barâ—ed but they were opened to all beleeuers before the resurrection and ascension of Christ as wel as in our daies when he sitteth at the right hand of his Father and maketh continuall intercession for vs. Enoch and Elias were translated from the earth and ascended into heauen they were in Abrahams bosome Luke 16.26 and 23 42.43 which is no other then heauen Luke 16.26 So the penitent theefe before Christ rose again went with him into Paradice Luke 23. which is nothing else but the kingdome of heauen as appeareth by comparing the request of the theefe with the answere of Christ The Prophet Dauid saith Psalme 112. The righteous shal be in euerlasting remembrance And Salomon Prou. 10 7. The memory of the iust is blessed For seeing they are iustified by the same meanes that we are why should they not receiue the crowne of glory and reward of righteousnesse in the same manner that we do This serueth to ouerthrow the doctrin of the Church of the Romanists I doe not meane the true Church to which Paul wrote but the false Church of the Romanists that now glory in the name of a Church as they do in the name of Catholikes But like Church like Catholikes a bastard Church bastard Catholikes Their Church is antichristian and they themselues heretickes they haue a name that they liue but they are dead These men as if they were of counsell with God take vpon them to tel vs many secrets and hidden mysteries in heauen hell as if they had searched the vtmost bounds and borders of them The popish orders of Angels In heauen they sticke not to define the degrees and orders of Angels and they number vp nine seuerall names of them Principalities rules powers dominions thrones Cherubim Seraphim Angels and Archangels Likewise they make foure infernall and subterrestriall places hell purgatory limbus infantum The popish diuision of Hell limbus patrum Hell is made the lowest roome where the Reprobate and damned abide in euerlasting fire from whence is no redemption Purgatory is the next hotte house where the soules of such as dye in veniall sinnes lye puling and purging themselues till they bee helped out by dirges and masses and pardons and such like trumpery and foolery that I doe not say impiety and blasphemy The third dungeon is called limbus puerorum where children remaine and continue that dye vnbaptized which hauâ— lost the glory of heauen and yet lye there without paine and torment a gentle kinde of hell inuented by themselues and contradicted also by their owne writers among whom many teach that the want of heauen is as great a punishment as the sense of hell The last Cabbine of hell which
Christ into his death and our rising againe with him into newnesse of life As bread nourisheth and strengtheneth man so the body of Christ taken by faith feedeth the soule We take the bread and cup into our hands we eate we drinke we are refreshed so we feed on Christ whose flesh is meate indeed whose blood is drinke indeed and we are comforted Vse 1 Let vs now come to the vses as wee haue seene the reasons And first of all doe the Sacraments serue to strengthen our faith Then let vs all acknowledge our failings and infirmities Let vs labour more and more to feele the weaknes and wants of our owne faith True it is if our faith were perfect entire lacking nothing h Chrisost in Math. hom 83. we should not neede the Sacraments We must not therefore abstaine from them for the weakenes of our faith but for that cause come to God and to the Sacraments of God praying for strength and confirmation thereof i Mar. 9 23 24 as that father did whose sonne was possessed with a dumbe spirite when Christ said to him If thou canst beleeue all things are possible to him that beleeueth hee answered crying with teares Lord I beleeue helpe mine vnbeleefe And Luke 17. The Apostles k Luke 17 5. say to the Lord Increase our faith Vndoubtedly he that neuer doubted neuer beleeued For whosoeuer in truth beleeueth feeleth sometimes doubtings and wauerings of his faith Euen as the sound bodye feeleth oftentimes the grudgings of a feuer and distemperature of the body which if he had not health he could neuer finde and feele so the faithfull soule findeth sundry doubtings which if his faith were not sound hee could not discerne For wee feele not corruption by corruption nor sinne by sinne l Lu. 11 21 22 because when the strong man possesseth the house all things are in peace but we feele sinne and perceiue corruption in vs by a contrary grace of Gods Spirit The lesser and smaller measure of grace we haue the lesser is our feeling the more grace we haue the more quicke we are in feeling of corruption What is the reason that many haue no sight of sinne no feeling of their corruption no tentations no trembling no terror no feare of Gods wrath but wholy liue lye and dye in their lustes Surely because they are without grace without Gods Spirite without his inward worke in them But the faithfull who are not led by the flesh but by the Spirite are often tempted assayled turmoyled tryed and prouoked to many euils according to the m Luke 22.31 32. words of our blessed Sauiour Simon Simon behold Sathan hath desired to winnow you as wheat but I haue prayed for thee that thy faith faile not therfore when thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethren As a man carried vp and set vpon an high Tower or on the Pinacle of a Temple there fast bound in chaines of Iron that he cannot fal although he would when he looketh downe feareth and all his ioynts trēble because hee is not acquainted and accustomed to mount vp so high in the ayre and to behold the earth so farre beneath but when he remembreth himselfe and perceiueth himselfe fast bound and out of all danger then he conceiueth constant hope of continuing and casteth away all feare of falling So when wee looke downeward vpon our selues and our owne waies we haue doubtings wauerings astonishments horrors terrors tremblings and feares but when wee looke vpwards to behold the sweet consolatiō which God hath promised Christ hath purchased the word hath published the Holy Ghost hath sealed and euery beleeuer hath tasted we feele our selues sure and cease to doubt anymore For faith though assaulted with doubtings may be certaine The Sunne alwaies shineth in the firmament though the clouds haue couered it and the light appeare not The tree hath life in it though it be not in winter discerned So faith hath his assurance perswasion though it be shaken with doubtings and assaulted with tentations Wherfore so often as we feele these doubtings imperfections let vs set against them the certainty of Gods truth let vs set before vs the vnchangeablenes of his promises let vs draw neer to the holy Sacram. therby seek strength increase of faith Moreouer was this one end of the Sacramēts to strengthen Vse 2 faith Then God refuseth and reiecteth none for weaknes of faith For a weak faith is a true faith as wel as a strong faith A leprous hand can hold that which is offered vnto it as well as a sound and strong hand albeit not so strongly So is it with faith though it bee feeble and as a graine of mustard seed yet if it be vnfained it will apply Christ effectually which weaknes God leaueth in vs as a meanes to stirre vs vp to goe to the Sacraments We reade that Dauid called lame n 2 Sam 9 7.8 Mephibosheth to his table thereby honouring the son for the fathers sake so doth God receiue vs al deformed and defiled to his heauenly Supper And as Mephibosheth professed himselfe vnworthy to eate bread at the kings table saying What is thy seruant that thou shouldst looke on such a dead dogge as I am So must we confes our vnworthinesse be o Mat. 15 26.27 contented with the crums of his grace that fall from his heauenly table And thus acknowledging our selues to be blinde he will restore vs to be poore he will enrich vs to be wounded hee will cure vs to be captiues he will deliuer vs to be sicke he wil heale vs to be weake he will strengthen vs to be lost he will saue vs to be hungry and thirsty he wil refresh vs to bee broken-hearted hee will binde vs vp to bee solde vnder sinne he will ransome and redeeme vs. Vse 3 Thirdly it teacheth vs to abhorre the absurdity of Bellarmine a factour and atturney of the Church of Rome p Bellar. de Sacram lib. 1. c. 14 who denyeth that the Sacraments are scales of the promises or serue to nourish and confirme our faith and to assure vs of free remission of sins by the death of Christ Contrary to that we heard before in the example of Abraham who receiued circumcision to seale vp assure his iustification by faith whose example is set foorth to shew how all men are iustified before God q Rom. 4 11. and what is the vse of the Sacraments in all that are partakers of them So doth baptisme seale vp to vs Gods promises in Christ and assureth the remission of sinnes r 1 Pet. 3 21. as Peter teacheth Vse 4 Lastly if the chiefe end of the Sacraments and of the ordinance of God in the institution of them be to confirme faith and to assure vs of regeneration mortification sanctification iustification remission and saluation then how say som◠we cannot be assured in this life of our standing in the estate of grace of
should not perish but haue euerlasting life And Cha. 14. Let not your heart be troubled ye beleeue in God beleeue also in me And Rom. 10. With the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth man confesseth vnto saluation for the Scripture saith whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not be ashamed Secondly God requireth of vs loue toward our brethren for seeing he hath shewed so great loue toward vs k 1 Iohn 4 7 9 10 11. he exacteth loue of vs againe as Iohn exhorteth Beloued let vs loue one another for loue commeth of God and euery one that loueth is borne of God and knoweth God heerein was the loue of God made manifest among vs because God sent his onely begotten Son into this world that wee might liue through him beloued if God so loued vs wee ought also to loue one another Thirdly he requireth as a necessary couenant to be kept on our part holines true obedience throughout the whole course l Iosh 24 24.25 2 Kings 29 3. of our life and conuersation This is repeated and vrged in many places of the word of God as Iosh 24. when they said they would serue the Lord their God obey his voice Ioshua made a couenant with them the same day ioyning God the people together So also Iosiah stood by the pillar and made a couenant before the Lord that they should walke after the Lord and keepe his commandements and his testimonies and his statutes with al their hart and with al their soul Likewise to the same purpose we reade 2. Chro. 15. They made a couenant to seeke the Lord God of their Fathers and whosoeuer will not seeke the Lord God of Israel shall be slaine whether he be small or great man or woman Thus we see the conditions of the couenant both what he promiseth to doe and what he looketh for at our hands He requireth of vs faith loue and obedience to become his people if we will haue him to be our God All these three parts of the couenant m 1 Iohn 3 23 24. are mentioned and expressed 1. Iohn 3. This is his commandement that wee beleeue in the name of his Sonne Iesus Christ and loue one another as he gaue commandement for he that keepeth his commandements dwelleth in him and he in him and heereby we know that hee abideth in vs euen by the Spirite that he hath giuen vs. The vses of the second end of a Sacrament are first to Vse 1 behold the exceeding loue of God toward his people vnworthy of his fauour Can there be a greater loue then this Certainly such as know the great rigor of the law the infinite iustice of God and the heauy burthen of sin and feele God to arraigne them the law to endite them their consciences to accuse them and their hearts to cōdemne them do finde nothing sweeter then to be eased of that burthen to be acquitted of that Iudge and to be freed from that condemnation For of all burdens sin is the heauiest of all wounds it is the deepest of all afflictions it is the greatest of all paines it is the sharpest and often presseth downe to the gates of hell Wherefore such as feele Gods mercy in their misery n Psal 32 1.2 may cry out with the Prophet in the reioycing of their spirite Blessed is he whose wickednesse is lightened and whose sin is couered Blessed is the man vnto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity This kindnesse is so great that the eternall God should make a couenant with dust and ashes that it ought neuer to be forgotten of vs vs nor depart out of our hearts Againe let euery one be carefull to keepe the former Vse 2 conditions of the Couenant which are to loue him againe and our brethren for his sake o Luke 1 74.75 and to walke in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our life Our Sauiour Christ directing our loue to our brethren and teaching that the streames thereof should flow vnto our enemies sheweth that if we loue thē that loue vs the o Mat. 5 44.46 47. Publicans do the same if we be friendly to our brethren only this is no singular thing Behold p 1 Iohn 3 1. what loue the Father hath giuen vnto vs that we should be called the Sons of God he loued vs graciously freely he loued vs whē we were enemies vnto him spared not his own Son but gaue him to death for vs al do not these things deserue loue againe are we not bound to shew duty for these mercies and loue to our brethren for this loue of our God yet many regard neyther these blessings of God neither walking in vprightnes of hart Vse 3 before him Thirdly is God mā entred into a solemne couenant are the Sacraments seals of it Thē the contempt of the Sacraments is the contempt of God himselfe of his couenant made with vs and therfore worthily to be condemned and iustly to bee censured of the Church If men wer throughly perswaded of this truth I am perswaded they wold not shew this carelesnes prophanenes in coming to these ordinances of God They are not bare and naked promises but couenants of mercy fauour Euery couenant is a promise but euery promise is not a couenant Abraham had receiued many promises from God of reconciliation of posterity of blessing protection that he would be his buckler his bulwarke and his great reward and giue vnto his seed the land of Canaan yet we reade not that God as yet made a couenant with him vntill by a solemne rite and ceremony he established it Ge. 15. where we see that Abraham took an heiffer a shee-goate and a ramme and diuided them in the midst and laid each piece one against another In the same day the Lord made a couenant with him This he confirmed afterward by the signe of circumcision as also hee confirmeth his couenant with vs by two Sacraments If any were asked the question whether they would haue God to be their God gracious and mercifull vnto them they would answere it is their whole desire howbeit if we would haue God magnifie his mercy toward vs we must magnify make much of his sacram whereby he hath sealed vp his loue toward vs. Could Abraham haue God to be his God and the God of his seede and yet reiect circumcision commanded vnto him which was a signe of the couenant Could the Israelites acknowledge God to be the author of their deliuerance out of Egypt and yet refuse the Passeouer that was instituted in remembrance of their deliuery and of his mercy O that we could consider these things and learne them aright to make vs wise to God and to our selues If wee giue to any man a piece of mony to binde a bargaine that hath passed betweene him and vs we would thinke ourselues much abused if hee should not count himselfe tyed by
we are whom wee serue to what house we belong is and to what people and Church we are thereby gathered into one religion and distinguished from other sects b August cont Faust lib. 19. cap. 11. we are gathered into one Church and knit together in one as Ephe. 2. Remember that ye that ye being in times past Gentiles in the flesh c Ephe. 2 11 12 13. and called vncircumcision of thom which are called circumcision in the flesh made with hands ye were at that time without Christ without God without hope but now in Christ Iesus ye which once were farre off are made neare by the blood of Christ The Iewes by circumcision were distinguished from other people d 1 Sam. 17 36. and the name of vncircumcised was reprochfull they were accounted vncleane and vnholy person for the vncircumcised males were to bee e Gen. 17.14 cut off from the number of the people of God So by baptisme we are separated from all other religions and are consecrated only to Christian religion and such as continue vnbaptised with contempt of that Sacrament we take them not for our brethren nor for the people of God nor for members of his Church because they refuse to take the Sacrament of baptisme as the badge cognizance by which they should be knowne such as are Atheists Infidels Sarazens Turkes Persians Moores Iewes and other nations that want this marke to be discerned to belong to the family of Christ Christ Iesus sending out his Apostles bad them teach and baptise the Gentiles f Mat. 28 19. Mar. 16 16. Acts 2 39 41.42 to whom he directed them therfore where the word and Sacraments are there is a Church and Congregation of the people of God And Mar. 16 16. He that beleeueth and is baptised shal be saued And heereunto commeth that saying Acts 2. When the Apostles had exhorted the people to amend their liues and to saue themselues from that froward generation Then they that gladly receiued the word were baptised and they continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayers and the same day there was added to the Church three thousand soules Thus we see that by the Sacraments as by certaine bands and chaines God knitteth and bindeth his people to himselfe and keepeth them in his couenant least they should part asunder and fall away to infidelity And the people are warned that by these outward signes they differ from the barbarous sauages and vnbeleeuing Gentiles and consequently should indeuour prouide that they likewise differ from them in those things that are signified by those signes This offereth to our considerations very good vses Vse 1 First hereby we are put in minde of our dignity excellency Such is our priuiledge prerogatiue that we doe beare the badges of Christ our Lord. How doe men in this world desire to weare the cloth and shroud themselues vnder the badges of great persons of countenance to protect them how much greater preferment is it to be the seruants of Christ to be gathered vnder his wings and to be his Disciples whose seruice is perfect g 1. Cor. 7.22 Iohn 8 6. freedome and protection from all euils and whose badges are instruments of his sauing graces If this be the glory of the faithfull let vs seeke to maintaine our dignity and freedome h Ioh. 3 1 2. Ioh. 1 12.13 according as Ioh teacheth Behold what loue the Father hath giuen to vs that wee should bee called the Sonnes of God for this cause the world knoweth you not because it knoweth not him And againe in his Gospell As many as receiued Christ to them hee gaue prerogatiue to bee Sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name which are borne not of bloud nor of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Whereas on the other side the estate and condition of vngodly men is base vile miserable and contemptible they liue to themselues and to sinne they dye to iudgement and condemnation What can bee more fearefull what can be more wretched Vse 2 Secondly if we weare the cloth and badge of Christ then we must be bold in the faith and holde out our profession notwithstanding dangers and feare of death For we serue one that is able to beare vs out We see how men belonging to those that are of high place are many times imboldened thereby in leud practises How much more ought we that haue learned Christ to be encouraged in the faith and not to shrinke backe for feare of offence This was the commendation of the Church of Pergamus Reuel 2 13. I know thy workes and where thou dwellest euen where Sathans throne is and thou keepest my name hast not denyed my faith euen in those dayes when Ant pas my faithfull Martyr was slaâ—ne among you where Sathan dwelleth So Christ our Sauiour taught his Disciples Math. 10.32.33 Whosoeuer shall confesse me before men him will I confesse also before my Father which is in heauen But whosoeuer shall deny me before men him will I also deny before my Father which is in heauen Wherefore this condemneth those that say I will keepe my conscience to my selfe none shall know my religion but God and my selfe I will not be too forward for feare of after reckonings nor any way countenance such as be forward These men while they suppose to keepe their religion to themselues do indeede proclaime openly that they are of no religion For if they did truely beleeue in their hearts they would likewise confesse with their tongues according to the saying of the l Rom. 10 9 10. Apostle If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt beleeue in thine heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saued for with the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth man confesseth vnto saluation And m Iam. 2 18. the Apostle Iames teacheth vs to try faith by workes as gold by the touchstone and the tree by his fruites Chap. 2. Shew me thy faith by thy workes and I will shew thee my faâ—th by my workes So then let vs not be ashamed of the n Rom. 1 16. Gospel of Christ Which is the power of God to saluation to euery one that beleeueth and not shrinke for trouble as false cloth in the wetting and a deceitfull bow in bending least our Maister be ashamed of vs before his Father and the holy Angels Thirdly if the Sacraments be as badges to shew forth Vse 3 our profession then it condemneth those that speake euill of men as too precise too nice too pure for their profession because they runne not into the same excesse of ryot with others These are not too precise but such as scoffe at all 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 Newters bee odious
sprinkling of holy water the building of Churches the erecting of Monasteries the mumbling vp of prayers the lighting of Candles the giuing of almes the putting on of sacke-cloth the chastising of the bodge the saying of Masses the buying of indulgences the going on pilgrimages and such like superstitious vanities and impieties what I say do all these auaile to make satisfactiOn to God for the sinne of our soules And when it shall be said vnto them Who required these things at your hands Esay 1 12. what shall they be able to answere nay when it shall be said I detest and abhorre your deuises and dotages what can they finde out to mutter or vtter in defence of themselues Then they shall be taken speechlesse and haue nothing to answere for themselues Our satisfaction to God is only Christs satisfaction which is perfect and absolute imputed to vs by faith who of God is made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnesse sanctification and redemption 1. Cor. 1 30. 1 Cor. 1 30. As for the popish satisfaction it is not to be receiued for these causes first because they affirme that it standeth with the iustice of God to retaine the punishment after the sinne committed is forgiuen Secondly they hold that the temporall punishments of this life due to sinne may be bought out and redeemed by our good workes Thirdly they teach that it is not sufficient to beleeue that Christ hath fully satisfied for vs who notwithstanding was made sinne for vs which knew no sinne 2 Cor. 5 21. that we should bee made the righteousnesse of God in him neither that it is enough to amend our liues but that God must be satisfied by vs for our sins in our owne persons by the punishment and chastisement of our selues as by penance enioyned by the Priest or by praiers fastings almes chastisements and such like shewes of wisedome Col. 2 23. in voluntary religion and humblenesse of mind and in not spring the body which are things of no value sith they pertaine to the filling of the flesh Col. 2.23 Lastly they auouch that satisfaction by this will-worship is not onely profitable to the sufferers themselues but also auaileable for others so that one man may beare the burthen and discharge the debt of another one man may merite and satisfie for another The very naming of these impieties and absurdities is sufficient to ouerthrow them and to make vs to detest them The last point is absolution arising from the former wherein standeth the life of this dead Sacrament For when the penitent hath performed all the former his contrition his confession and his satisfaction he is by the Priest fully absolued of his sins albeit he know nothing of the doctrine of hatred of sinne of amendment of life and of flying to the mercy of God and the merite of Christ his Sonne without which there can bee no true repentance Besides these three supposed and pretented parts of Penance may be found in the reprobate as we see in Iudas who had their contrition for he was sorrowfull their confession for he said Mathew 27 4. Mat. 27 4. I haue sinned in betraying innocent blood and their satisfaction for he brought backe againe the cursed mony that he had taken and cast it downe in the Temple and yet hee was farre from true repentance as appeareth in this that hee went out immediately and hanged himselfe Thus we haue heard at large what the popish Penance is Now the question Penance no Sacrament 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 instituted by Christ to assure his sauing graces to vs We 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 Christs comming in the flesh and cannot bee 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 command it no particular promise of God which is the chiefe stay and staffe of a Sacrament Bellarmine affirmeth that d Bellar. lib. 1. de poenit ca. 10 Christ instituted the Sacrament of Penance when bee breathed upon his Apostles after his resurrection and said vnto them e Ioh. 20.22 Receiue the Holy-Ghost whose sinnes ye rem't they are remitted and whose sins ye retaine they are retained And he saith the words of absolution are the signe and that remission of sinnes is the promise of grace which is signified For answere to this assertion would gladly aske this question whether the Apostles had this ministerial power to forgiue sinnes to repentant sinners 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 sins to this time make their baptisme of none effect Besides we haue shewed that it is not sufficient to haue a sound of words that may bee 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 neyther an institution of God nor any way of God For they meane not thereby amendment of life or inward sorrow and griefe of minde for the life past which is sometimes testified by weeping and mourning by sacke-cloth and ashes by fasting and humiliation but they vnderstand by Penance and externall discipline satisfaction for our sins to God by our owne sufferings and that wearing of sacke-cloth sprinkling of ashes chastising of the body whipping of the flesh putting on rough apparell lying on boords and hard places abstaining from flesh and afflicting our selues by such outward exercises are a paying of the paines due to sin part of amends made to Gods iustice and meritorious before him This punishment this Penance these penalties we abhorre as an horrible blasphemy against the blood of Christ which is the onely satisfaction to God for sinne For if wee satisfie for our selues then hath not Christ satisfied for vs nor payed the price due vnto our sins Besides they charge God the Father with iniustice in that hauing laid the guiltinesse of our sins 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 Son as our surety hath fully and sufficiently answered f Esa 53 5 7.
towell to the Altar to poure out water to wash their hands These are their higher Offices aboue the rest as the higher trees among the lower shrubs The lesser orders are foure in number First of doore-keepers these receiue the keyes of the Church doore to open the same Secondly of readers to reade the Bible to the people Thirdly of Exorcistes to call vpon the name of the Lord ouer such as haue vncleane spirites adiuring and coniuring them to come out in the name of God which power of commanding euill spirits is ceased in the Church Lastly Acolythes to prepare and carry torches and tapers when the Gospell is read to the people or the sacrifice is to be offered These seauen popish orders or rather plaine disorders and confusions we cannot receiue d Reasons rendred why orders are no Sacraments into the number of Sacraments of the Church For first orders are so fruitefull that this Bird hath hatched seauen young ones This Sacrament is so rich so ranke so riotous that it hath ingendered and brought forth seauen petty and pretty Sacraments and therfore these being numbred and patched vp to the former we should haue 13. Sacraments A goodly brood of a gallant egge For if euery one of these orders of doore-keepers readers exorcistes Acolythes subdeacons deacons and Priests be Sacraments we should multiply the number of Sacraments according to the number of these orders and so indeed of seauen wee should haue 13. Sacraments which were a very disorderly order or if you list to call it an orderly disorder And so Peter Lumbard maister of the Sentences e Sent lib. 4. dist 24 cap. 1. calleth not orders a Sacrament as speaking of one but Sacraments as speaking of many saying Orders are called Sacraments because in receiuing of them grace is conferred which is represented by those things that are there performed Neyther can they say they all make but one Sacrament seeing they are distinct offices one from another diuers in offices in institution in calling in ordination in ceremonies and in forme of consecration so that they may by as good right and as great reason make baptisme and the Lordes Supper one Sacrament as all these orders so diuers and distinct the one from the other Secondly Sacraments haue their institution from Christ Orders haue not their institution from Christ to bee Sacraments of the Church therefore Orders are no Sacrament Nay as they are retained and vsed in the Church of Rome they are no ordinance or institution of Christ at all For touching the offices of Priest-hood to offer vp the body of Christ for the quicke and dead of deacons to serue these Baals Priests at their Idolatrous altars of subdeacons of readers and of the rest they are not found in Scripture neyther were ordained by the Apostles neither were they receiued into the Church for many yeares after Christ and his Apostles The new Testament as it doth acknowledge no other sacrificer and sacrifice but Christ so it admitteth no Priests no Priest-hood but spirituall Priests and a spirituall Priest-hood to offer vp spirituall sacrifices of praise thanksgiuing vnto God as appeareth f Reuel 1 6. 1 Pet. 2 5.9 Christ hath washed vs from our sinnes in his blood and made vs Kings and Priests vnto God euen his Father And the Apostle Peter in his first Epistle Chap. 2. saith Ye also as liuely stones be made a spirituall house an holy Priest-hood to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ And againe afterward Ye are a chosen generation a royall Priesthood an holy Nation a people set at liberty that yee should shew foorth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darkenesse into his maruailous light Whosoeuer bringeth in another Priest-hood then this and 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 Cardinal of Patriarch and the rest of that vnholy hierarchy Will they discharge and cut off these from beeing Sacraments and aduance the baser orders of hedge-Priests and dumbe 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 honour and authority Or do they thinke this Sacrament too vile and base to agree to those Prince-like dignities of the Church Or dare they preferre their Priest-hood their Readers their Deacons their doore-keepers their dog-keepers and the rest of that rabble before the Popedome the Cardinalship the Patriarchship Is not this high treason against their holy father and petty treason against the Cardinals and other of that generation Lastly Sacraments must haue an outward element and word of institution as hath beene often declared and prooued but their orders haue neither outward element nor word of institution therefore Orders are no Sacraments Seeing therefore they can shew no material signe added to the promise nor gracious 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 presse vpon them namely that Orders are peculiar and proper to the Ministry and are no sanctified instrument to apply any generall and common grace of the Church Wherefore inasmuch 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 Sacraments we conclude necessarily from these premises that orders are no Sacrament CHAP. XXI That extreme vnction is no Sacrament THe last fained Sacrament is the last annointing as they call it performed by the Priest in extremity whereby they teach that a Bellar. lib. 1. de extr vnct cap. 2. God assureth forgiuenesse of sinnes and promiseth ease of bodily disease if it bee so expedient if not the saluation of the soule in the life to come They vse this forme of words By this holy annointing 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 b Extreame vnction can be no Sacrament sundry causes First themselues confesse that it hath not his institution from Christ For the Rhemists in their hereticall c Rhem testam Annotations vpon Mar. 6. confesse that there is onely a preparation vnto it And Peter Lumbard saith d Senten lib. 4. dist 23. cap. 2. 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 So that they deale in this Sacrament as they do in other matters of our saluation for they make Christ a beginner of saluation but our selues the finishers of it therby shaking the foundation of our Christian faith Now these men are all accursed by the Conuenticle
of Trent e Concil Trid. sess 7. can 1. 2. If any man shall say that the Sacraments of the new law were not all instituted by Iesus Christ let him be accursed Againe the place of the Apostle Iames maketh nothing for this forged Sacrament for there is a great difference and contrariety betweene the annointing that Iames speaketh of and the popish anealing Their Priests haue not the miraculous guift of healing whereof this annointing was an outward signe in the primitiue Church which custome afterward ceased when the guift of healing ceased being for a time granted to the Church for the credite of the Gospell As then the guift was temporall and for a season so must the signe be of the same standing and continuance and the guift being taken from the Church if the signe should remaine in vse and practise it should be but a lying signe For by the same reason f Iohn 5 4 9 6 7. the brooke of Siloam the poole Bethesda the clay and spittle which were sometimes vsed in healing the diseased the washing of feet might be accounted Sacraments as well as this being all signes of healing for a certaine season as also annointing with oyle was for the first times of the Church while it was in planting Thirdly the Apostle would haue all sicke persons annointed these do annoint with their greazy oyle onely such bodyes as are in a manner halfe dead euen while they lye in extremity and the life is striuing to come forth The Apostle would haue all the Elders called but one Masse-Priest only with them bringeth the box and annointeth the sicke man The Apostle assureth health to all that are thus annointed g Iam. 5 14 15. Mark 6 13. The prayer of faith shall saue him that is sicke and the Lord shall raise him vp So also Mar. 6. They cast out many diuels and they annointed many that were sicke with oyle and healed them whereby we see that restoring and recouering of health was certainely promised to follow the annointing But not one among many receiueth health after their popish annealing 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 guift of charmed and consecrate oyle and balme whereof notwithstanding can none be found of bowing their knees and saluting it saying Haile holy oyle haile holy oyntment haile holy balme nay which is more blasphemous their oyle they call The oyle of saluation wihch 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 words which they vse in annealing are a strange salutation of a dumbe and deafe creature not warranted nor found in Scripture as the words of consecration in the true Sacraments are and therefore wee cannot receiue it for a Sacrament but must account it an apish imitation and a popish tradition Moreouer wee haue prooued 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 therefore the oyle hallowed long before by the Bishop 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 extreme vnction hath no spiritual grace in Christ sealed vp for the Apostle ascribeth h Iam 5 16. not the forgiuenes of sinnes to the annointing with oyle but to the prayer of faith Acknowledge saith he your faults one to another and pray one for another that yee may be healed for the prayer of a righteous man auaileth much if it be feruent and againe The prayer of faâ—th shall saue the sicke and the Lord shall raise him vp and if hee haue committed sins they shall be forgiuen him Where we see that the effect of pardon is ascribed to the force of prayer therefore extreme vnction is no Sacrament and so this greazing houseling and annointing is to be abandoned of the people of God What then will some say do you leaue the sicke without all comfort and consolation No i How the sick are to be annoinâ—ed we visite the sicke among vs and although wee doe not housle and annoint them with materiall oyle we annoint them with the precious oyle of the mercy of God we instruct them how to prepare themselues to leaue the world to depart this mortall life and to strengthen themselues in the assured hope of euerlasting life We say deare brother God sendeth his messenger Death to summon and arrest you to come into his presence k Gen. 3 19. Iob. 14 1 2. All the children of Adam are dust and to dust they must returne Man that is borne of a woman is of short continuance and full of trouble he shooteth foorth like a Flower and is cut downe he vanisheth also as a shaddow and continueth not Death is common l Psal 89 48. Heb. 9 27. to all flesh it is appointed to all men once to die It is the gate through which we must enter into heauen If we would liue for euer we must dye for the way to liue eternally is heere to dye Though the time be vncertaine where when or how we shall die yet nothing so certaine as that we must dye wee know not how soone This must not seeme strange vnto you for the whole life of a Christian should be nothing but a meditation of death being the end of all flesh wee should make account of euery day of our life as if it were the instant day of our death You must consider that nothing befalleth vs by chance or fortune al things are ruled and guided by the soueraigne prouideÌ„ce of almighty God all the haires of our head are numbred not one Sparrow falleth to the ground without the wil of your heauenly Father humble your selfe therefore vnder his mighty hand m Heb. 12 5 6 he correcteth euery childe whom hee loueth as Heb. 12. My sonne despise not the chastening of the Lord neither faint when thou art rebuked of him for whom the Lord loueth he chasteneth and he scourgeth euery son whom he receiueth Heereby then God tryeth and proueth your obedience patience and faith n Iam. 5 11. Iob. 13 15. as we see in the example of Iob who praised the name of God in all his miseries and if the Lord would kill him he would not cease to put his trust in him We exhort them to set their houses in order before they dye thereby to cut off hatred and contention and to stay quarrels and suites after their departure wherby oftentimes more is spent then was left then to forget the world and the things of the world and wholy to giue themselues to the
Apostles God commended Abraham for this saying u Gen. 18 19. I know him that hee will command his sonnes and houshold after him that they keepe the way of the Lord to do righteousnesse and iudgement that the Lord may bring vpon Abraham that he hath spoken vnto him Dauid gaue Salomon his sonne a notable and right noble charge before he dyed a 1 Chr. 28 9. speaking thus to him standing before him and before the Princes and Peeres of the kingdome Thou Salomon my sonne know thou the God of thy Fathers and serue him with a willing mind for the Lord searcheth all hearts and vnderstands all the imaginations of thoughts if thou seeke him he will be found of thee but if thou forsake him he will cast thee off for euer Teach them that child-hoode youth are vanity b Eccl. 1 12. teach them to remember their creator in the dayes of their youth teach them to reade the Scripture and to practise in their liues and conuersations what they haue read and learned Instruct them to auoide idlenesse to eschue euill company to giue themselues to prayer and hearing the preaching of the worde Warne thy children to loue God to reuerence their mother and to loue one another Warne them to speake euill of no man and beware of taking Gods name in vaine Put them in minde that God is their father their creator their preseruer their redeemer their sanctifier yea their iudge that shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead and reward euery man according to his workes We must all appeare before the iudgement seate c 2 Cor. 5 10. of Christ that euery one may receiue the things which are done in his bodye whether good or euill Put them in remembrance not to oppresse or defraud any man d Psal 41.5 for the Lord is an auenger of all such things whoe will not blesse euill gotten goods but send his curse vpon them and they shall not prosper Admonish them to shew forth their faith by good works and to shew mercy according to their powers Lastly to honour their Princes parents maisters and all superiors Thus we instruct men to liue and to dye that dying they may liue with God in his kingdome Thus we annoint the sick with precious balme that e 1 Thes 4 6. shal not break their head with the inward and inuisible oyle of Gods grace and mercy Thus we warne them to prepare the oyle of faith in their lampes and to keepe a good conscience toward God and man that they may with ioy and comfort depart in peace render vp their soules into the hands of God cheerefully meeting the Bride-groome and entring with him into his kingdome So then the people loose nothing by lacke of the materiall oyle the want thereof beeing supplyed with exhortations admonitions reproofes consolations prayers and supplications more desired of the sicke and more auaileable for the sicke And thus much of extreame vnction and the other forged Sacraments whereof some wanting the outward signe some the spirituall grace signified some the word of institution some the promise annexed and al of them the commandement of Christ the testimony of the Scriptures and the consent of elder times we cannot admit them for any Sacraments and so we conclude that there are onely two Sacraments of the Church vnder the Gospell which are Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord. THE SECOND BOOKE Of the Sacrament of Baptisme being an Honourable Badge of our Dedication to Christ containing the true Doctrine thereof ouerthrowing the errors of the Church of Rome and deliuering the comfortable vse of this Sacrament to all the people of GOD. CHAP. I. Of the word Baptisme and what it is HItherto wee haue spoken of the Sacraments in generall together with the parts vses and number of them now wee come to the first Sacrament which is Baptisme being an honourable badge whereby wee are dedicated vnto Iesus Christ a The word bapâ—isme is taken many waies This word in scripture hath many significations First in the natiue proper signification it signifieth to dippe to diue and plunge vnder water as Mat. 3 16. Iohn 3 22 23. Acts 8.38 39. Secondly to cleanse and wash any thing with water euen when this Sacrament is not administred as Marke 7. where it is saide the Pharisies did not eate except first they washed So Heb. 9 10. the old tabernacle did consist in washings Thirdly it signifieth the Crosse afflictions miseries persecutions and inward vexations of the spirite as Luke 12.50 where Christ saith I must be baptized and how am I grieued till it be finished And Mat. 12 22. Are ye able to drinke of the cup that I must drinke of and bee baptized with the baptisme that I shall be baptized withall Fourthly it is taken for a liberall and plentiful distribution of the graces and gifts of God as Acts 15. Iohn baptized with water but ye shall bee baptized with the Holy-Ghost within these few dayes that is ye shall receiue a greater measure of the guifts of God then yee haue done before Fiftly the worde is taken for the doctrine of Iohn which he deliuered before he administred the Sacrament of baptisme as Act. 18.25 Where Apollos is said to be an eloquent man and mighty in the Scripture knowing nothing but the baptisme of Iohn Likewise Mar. 1 4. Mar. 1 4. it is said that Iohn preached the baptisme of repentance vnto remission of sinnes that is the doctrine of repentance for otherwise how could he preach Baptisme which properly is ministred not preached Heereunto commeth the question that Christ demanded of the chiefe Priests and Elders of the people The Baptisme of Iohn whence was it Mat. 21 25. from heauen or of men whereby he meaneth the doctrine as appeareth by the words following for so they vnderstood him when they reasoned among themselues saying If wee shall say from heauen he will say why then dâ—d yee not beleeue him Mar. 11 31 32 for all men counted Iohn that hee was a Prophet indeed The reason why his ministry preaching is called by the name of Baptisme is because his doctrine that he deliuered was first of all sealed with that Sacrament which none of the Prophets did or could do before him so that as his person was called the Baptist so his doctrine was called by the name of baptisme one part of his ministry being put for the whole Lastly it is taken for the whole worke and action of the Sacrament of Baptisme as Math. 28 19. Goe vnto al Nations teach and baptâ—ze them and in this last sence we are now to speake of it Let vs therefore see b Whâ—t bâ—ptisâ—e is what this Sacrament is Baptisme is the first Sacrament whereby by the outward washing of the body with water once into the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost the inward clensing of the soule by the blood of Christ is represented This
description of baptisme is to be opened and further expounded vnto vs c The description of baptisme proued wherein fiue points are to be considered of vs. First it is called the first Sacrament both in respect of the other Sacrament of the Lords Supper and because when the nations were conuerted to the faith and beleeued in the name of Christ they were immediately baptized as wee see the practise of the Church Acts 2 4. and chap. 10 47. and chap. 8 12. Where after imbracing the faith we see the partaking of baptisme and the sealing vp of their conuersion Againe it is saide there must be an outward washing of the body with water because the d Eph. 5 26. Apostle declareth therby the nature of the Sacrament of baptisme calling it the washing of water through the word and it hath a iust proportion or relation to the spiritual washing of our new birth Tit. 3 5. Titus 3 5. Maâ— 1 4. being also called the baptisme of repentance and amendment of life for remission of sins Dipping into the water is not necessary to the being of a Sacrament sprinkling of water is not necessary to the being of a Sacrament but wetting and washing with water is necessary to the being of a Sacrament Now whether the whole body shold be washed or the face onely and whether it should bee done once or thrice is not greatly materiall but left indifferent to the Church to decree and determine what shal be thought fittest to be receiued and practised Thirdly it is added in the former description that baptisme is once onely to be administred For as in naturall generation man is once onely borne so it is in spirituall regeneration And as circumcision was once only receiued in the flesh whereby the fore-skin was circumcised so is Baptisme once onely to be administred not oftentimes to be repeated Wherefore the Apostle Eph. 4. saith There is one f Eph. 4 5 6. baptisme one faith Againe Christ willed the Apostles to minister Baptisme not Baptismes Lastly in baptisme the death of Christ is represented he dyed but once so that as his death was not to be repeated no more is baptisme to be reiterated Fourthly the forme and manner of doing is said to be Into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy-Ghost Whereby is meant that we haue fellowship with God in three persons as a wife hath with her husband who passeth into her husbands name to be subiect to him to obey him to acknowledge and call vpon him to worship no other God but the true Iehoua This therefore is not to be vnderstood onely of vsing the name of the Trinity in baptizing but by it also is ment that the persons baptized are receiued into the grace fellowship of God to become his people and to bee partakers of his couenant to their spirituall comfort Lastly in the description before remembred it is affirmed that the outward washing of the body Representeth the inward cleansing of the soule by the blood of Iesus Christ. This appeareth g Gal. 3 27. Tit. 3 5 6. Rom. 6 4. expresly Gal. 3. All that are baptized into Christ haue put on Christ And Titus 3 5 6. According to his mercy he saued vs by the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy-Ghost which he shed on vs aboundantly through Iesus Christ our Sauiour So also the same Apostle We are buried with him by baptisme into his death These testimonies ouâ— of the word of truth do euidently teach that this is the principal scope and ende of baptisme to assure our consciences by externall washing of the inward clensing of our soules by the blood of christ for remission of sins This being the descriptioÌ„ of baptisme let vs see what good vses may be made therof euery part in order as they haue bin laid before vs. And first touching the h The vse of the first part of the description first point mentioned before in the description that Baptisme is the first Sacrament This teacheth that such as are gained to the faith and children of such as are in the profession i Acts â—8 8. are immediately to be baptized So was the Eunuch when he was instructed so was Paul when he was conuerted so were the Iewes when they repented And indeed this is a true saying that k August cont Fa. 〈◊〉 lib. 19. cap. 11. men cannot bee incorporate into any religion whether it be true or false vnlesse they be combined together by some communion and fellowship of visible Sacraments Againe Is baptisme the first Sacrament of the new Testament Then it followeth that he which is not baptised is not to be admitted to the Lords table he that hath not receiued the first Sacrament is not to be made partaker of the second As in the old testament circumcision was the Sacrament of entrance admission and none was admitted to eate the Passeouer but such as were circumcised l Exod. 12 48 as wee see in Exod. 12. So none hath this right and priuiledge to come to the supper of the Lord vnlesse first they be entred and the doore opened to them by baptisme For a man must be knowne to belong to our family and houshold before he presume to eate of the childrens bread that belongeth not to strangers Touching the vse of the second point to wit m Vse of the second part of the description that there must bee washing with water wee learne that washing with water is of the necessity of Baptisme Indeed â—here may be a washing without baptisme but there can be no baptisme without washing The n Ephe. 5 26. washing of water through the word So that this washing is necessary because of the fit similitude that is betweene it and our regeneration or new-birth The water is apt to cleanse vs and leaueth no filth behind so is our iustification sanctification represented by the blood of Christ as shall bee considered Therefore such as vsed sand or blood or such like matter not fit for washing did not indeede baptize but horribly prophane the Sacrament of baptisme The third point in the description is o Vses of the 3. part of the description or Baptisme that baptisme is once onely to be administred which affoordeth vnto vs these three vses First it sheweth a difference betweene it and the Lords Supper The apostle Paul speaking of the Supper of the Lord 1. Corinth 11 saith p 1 Cor. 11 16 25 23. As oft as yee shall eate this bread and drinke of this cup and Christ our Sauiour Do this as oft as ye drinke it in remembrance of me therefore it must be often receiued of the Church But baptisme once ministred is not againe to be repeated As we are once onely borne into the world but after our birth are daily nourished so we are but once baptized but there is continual vse of the Lords Supper whereat
had equally and indifferentlie in like price and estimation they are both commanded and instituted by the same authority of Christ there is the same matter and substance of both to wit Christ with al his benefits there is this one and the same end of both the encrease and strengthning of our faith therfore why should one Sacrament bee so much extolled aboue the other and preferred before the other So that whereas many come to the Lords Supper few remaine and abide in the Church at the administration of Baptisme Seeing then as louing Sisters they goe hand in hand together and are the deare daughters of one Father what reason is there that one should bee magnified and the other disgraced The whole assembly heareth the worde preached and deliuered by the Minister the Sacraments are Instruments of our Iustification by Faith c Christ is after a sort preached in baptisme as well as the word preached sauing that the worde worketh by Hearing onely the Sacraments serue by the senses of Seeing Handling and Tasting as well as hearing to strengthen and encrease Faith in our hearts and therefore it is requisite that we ioyne in the one as well as in the other Furthermore the excellency and worthinesse of Baptisme appeareth herein in that it was instituted of God sealing vp his gracious couenant in that it was sanctified by Christ being baptized of Iohn and in that it was beutified by the heauenly reuelation of the blessed Trinitie appearing thereat so great honour so great dignity preheminence was neuer giuen to any Ceremonie Did God institute it and shall wee contemne it Did Iesus Christ come to Iohns baptisme and shall we disdaine to be at the Baptisme of Christ Was the holie Trinitie present and will we be absent True it is some of the sacrifices and burnt offerings were d Gen. 4 5. coÌ„pared with Heb. 11.4 miraculously consumed by fire from heauen but what is this to the glorious presence of the Maiesty of God the blessed Trinity declaring to vs thereby that God the Father Iudg. 13 20. 1 King 18.38 2 Chron 7 1. God the Son and God the holy Ghost are alwaies present at the administration of Baptisme and truely performe that which is outwardly figured and represented Here heauen was open which for our sinnes was shut against vs here the Spirit descended in the visible forme of a doue vpon Christ to signifie vnto vs that beeing deliuered from the terrors of sinne and iudgement we are at peace with God e Ma. 3 16 17 The voice of the Father is heard from heauen saying This is my sonne in whom I am well pleased All these things note out the speciall force and dignitie of this Sacrament It is not therefore to bee administred in a corner of the Church with three or foure persons present to witnesse the Baptisme the rest of the bodye of the Congregation beeing departed but in the face and open view thereof forasmuch as God to deliuer it from contempt hath giuen it visible markes of greater honour The Apostle f 1 Cor. 12 23 saith 1 Cor. 12. Our vncomelie parts haue more comelinesse on for our comely parts neede it not but God hath tempered the body togither and hath giuen more honour to that part whâ—ch lacked As God hath dealt with our bodies so hath hee done in this Sacrament That which is most subiect to contempt dishonour and disgrace God hath lifted vp with sundry excellent preheminences prerogatiues as we haue seene in Christs baptisme And albeit there may be a differeÌ„ce in the person baptized one high another low one noble another vnnoble one rich another poor yet there is none in the substance of the baptisme Seeing then God so highly esteemeth of this ordinance it serueth to conuince to accuse and to condemne their carelesnesse and negligence that refuse to be present at baptisme or if they vouchsafe to bee present for a while yet they are talking and attend not vnto it and depart before the ende of the whole action and rush out of the Church before the name of God be praised and the whole worke finished g Luk. 3 21. Act. 22.16 and concluded with prayer as it was Luke 3. It came to passe as all the people were baptized and that Iesus was baptized and did pray the heauen was opened And Act. 22. Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sinnes in calling on the name of the Lord. Wherefore we are not to depart before God hath beene prayed vnto and praised for his benefits The Apostle chargeth that h 1 Cor. 14 26 40. all things in the Church be done in order and comlinesse Now what can bee more comely and conuenient i Ezek 46 10. then that the Churches begin the exercises of their holy religion together and end them together Forasmuch as nothing is done in the assembly which tendeth not to the edification of the whole body Vse 5 Lastly if in euery true baptisme there be outward inward parts vnited each to other then the baptisme of Iohn and of Christ are in nature and substance all one Contrary to the doctrine of the k Concil Trid. sess 7 can 1. Trent-couÌ„cel that teacheth If any shall say that the baptisme of Iohn hath the same force with Christs baptisme let him be accursed Although it be no matter of faith nor greatly necessary in these dayes to dispute of Iohns baptisme seeing no man or woman is now baptized by his hands yet we will shew the truth of this point out of the scriptures l The baptisme of Iohn and of Christ are in substance one the same that they are all one in substance and effect not of any other kind and nature For first Iohn preached the baptisme of repentance to remission of sins they haue therefore the same doctrine the same word the same promise m Mar 1 4. the same repentance the same forgiuenes of sins as they had the same outward element of water And the Apostle teacheth that there is n Eph. 4 5.6 One body one spirit one hope of the calling one Lord one Father one faith and one baptisme Secondly the baptisme of Iohn was consecrated and sanctified in the person of Christ for Christ was baptized with the baptisme of Iohn Thirdly it may appeare as we will proue Chap. 4. that Iohn baptized into the name of the blessed Trinity Fourthly neither Christ nor his Apostles rebaptized any that were baptized by the ministry of Iohn Apollos did know onely the baptisme of Iohn o Acts 18 25.26 he is taken and instructed further in the faith and wayes of the Lord but we reade not that he was baptized againe Fiftly if Iohns baptisme were not the same with our baptisme it would follow that Christ was baptized with another baptisme then we are and that our baptisme was not sanctified in the persoÌ„ of Christ which taketh away our comfort consolation that we
in what multitudes the people in such dangers resort to the Church some desiring they may be baptized some that they may be reconciled from excommunication some that they may bee admitted to shew their repentance for their open crimes euery man desiring comfort euery man desiring the participation of the Sacrament In which case if there bee no Minister to be had what misery then followeth them that depart this life vnbaptized or bound in their sinnes Heereby hee meaneth the lawfull Minister of the Church inasmuch as hee ioyneth baptisme and reconciliation from the sentence of excommunication together If any man further shall aske the question Question seeing baptisme is limitted and as it were confined vnto the Minister whether baptisme ministred by hereticks bee auaileable or not For many incline to thinke that it is rather good which is ministred of a lay-man being a member of the Church then by him that is an hereticke Answere I answere hereticks are of two sorts some are remoued out of the Church some are tollerated in the Church and suffered to enioy their ministry So long as a Minister that is an hereticke keepeth his place and is not deposed from his function albeit hee should erre in the foundation yet he is a member of the Church though an vnworthy member and a Minister of the Church though an vnworthy Minister If he should depraue the institution and corrupt the essentiall forme which Christ hath appointed inuiolably to be vsed and obserued then were the baptisme void because the forme being changed the thing it selfe is abolished What is to be â—hought of â—he popish Baptisme Hence it is that the Baptisme celebrated in the Church of Rome is true baptisme because albeit the papacy be not the true Church yet the true Church is in the papacy God preseruing the remnants of it in the middest of the bowels of Anti-Christ as God continued light in the middest of the darkenesse of Egypt Baptisme therefore is in the papacy as the purse of a true man in the hand of a theefe or as an honest mans inheritance in the possession of an vsurper And albeit they haue no ministry rightly and lawfully called yet such as occupy the place of Pastors and hold the publike ministry are not to be accounted as priuate persons or meere lay-men and therefore the baptisme performed by them is not voide or of no effect both because they baptize in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost not in their owne name and because their ministry is not to be esteemed according to the persons but as seruing to the Church that yet lurketh secretly in the papacy What then Whether we may bring our children to be baptised of popish Priests may such as professe the reformed religion lawfully and with a good conscience offer their children to be baptized of popish Priests and Masse-mongers I answere albeit it be lawfull baptisme which they deliuer it followeth not that they may lawfully deliuer it or we lawfully seeke it at their hands and albeit it be auaileable wheÌ„ it is done yet neither haue they warrant to do it nor wee to goe for it True it is they haue a calling whereby they differ from priuate men but it is so faulty and corrupt that by no meanes we ought to vse it We ought not to do euill that good may come thereof Rom. 3. Rom. 2 8. 1 Thes 5 22. but it becommeth vs to abstaine from all appearance of euill 1 Thes 5 22. We may not by our practise and example allow and iustifie the horrible prophanations of the Sacraments the detestable corruptions of doctrine and the abhominable superstitions vsed in the worship of God and wee are bound and straightly charged to take heed we do not make our selues partakers of other meÌ„s sinnes 1 Tim. 5 22. We must beware we do not offend the weak brother for whom Christ dyed who may be imboldened by our example to approue of the reliques of Anti Christ and in the end to ioyne with that false Church Lastly 2 Cor. 6 14. 1 Ioh. 5.23 wee are commanded to flie from Idols temples to keep our selues from Idols the sheep of Christ heare his voice but the voice of a stranger they wil not hear It is better for vs to defer the baptising of our children theÌ„ to resort to their baptisme blended and mingled with so many toyes and impieties and though our Children in the meane season should dye yet we must comfort our selues in the Lord and lay hold on his couenant who hath promised to be both our God and the God of our seed and remember that it is not the want of the Sacrament that condemneth but the contempt from which we are free so long as we are ready and desirous to haue our children partakers of it when it may bee had orderly rightly and conueniently Obiection 4 The last Obiection deserueth not the name of an obiection much lesse any answere vnto it sauing that the ignorant may stumble at it some great Doctors of the church of Rome labour to add force vnto it and as it were to put life into a dead carkasse For Thomas Aquinas the darling of the Pope the Oracle of Schooles and the God of the Papists Gal. 3.27.23 alledgeth the words of the Apostle Gal. 3. As many as haue beene baptized into Christ haue put on Christ there is in Christ neither male nor female and therefore as wel women as men may baptize Answere I answere this is a most foolish and vnlearned collection and a plaine wresting and straining of the Scripture and therefore no maruaile if the saying of the wise man be verified heerein Surely the churning of milke bringeth forth Butter Prou. 30 33. the wringing of the nose bringeth foorth blood So the forcing of wrath bringeth foorth strife The popish diuinity is full of such conclusions I will giue thee a taste of them and then come to answere the obiection They reason on this manner Christ walked vpon the waters therefore the body of Christ may be shut vp in a piece of bread Peter walked vpon the waters therefore the Bishop of Rome hath authority ouer all Churches The Saints in heauen are like the Angels therefore they heare the prayers of all men Ioseph wrapped the body of Christ in fine linnen therefore the Priest must lay vp the body of Christ in the Altar The women came to the Sepulcher to see Christ therefore we must go on pilgrimage to visite the holy Sepulcher But I will passe ouer these fooleries and come to the place that is obiected The Apostle meaneth that in partaking of saluation there is no difference betweene male and female Iew and Grecian bond and free but there is great difference betweene man and man in the dispensation of the word and Sacraments Againe if this conclusion were necessary then a man might reason against the Apostle In Christ is neither
Male nor Female therefore as well women as men may teach in the Church contrary to the expresse doctrine of the Scripture set downe by Paul himselfe I permit not a woman to speake in the Church 1 Cor. 14. 1 Tim. 2. But I will spend no moe words in answering such trifles Thus much concerning the obiections Now as the truth is plaine and euident so the vse is Vse 1 profitable and comfortable First if the minister be one outward part of baptisme then he must be ready and carefull to performe his duty which is to wash the vncleane body with water in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost to call vpon God and to follow the institution of Christ as it is left in the Scripture for his direction For if there be the outward sign of baptisme as the matter of the Sacrament if there be a party to bee baptized which is the receiuer and if there be a minister to administer it yet vnlesse he perform his duty there can be no baptisme So then we must know that the actions of the Minister i What are the actions of the Minister are double first there is required of him a sanctifying of the water secondly a washing of the party The sanctifying of the water is the separation and apointing of it by the word and prayer to this vse to signifie the bloude of Christ The outward washing is a certain pledge vnto vs of our inward washing by the blood and spirit of Christ Secondly if it bee the office of the Minister to baptize Vse 2 then this giueth direction and instruction to the people to whom to repaire and resort when they haue any Children to be baptized It is required of them to haue recourse to the ministers as to the officers of God We see in the affairs of the Common-wealth and in passing conueyances of houses of lands and of inheritances how carefull and circumspect men are to passe them where they ought to bee passed and in such Courts and vnder such officers as are authorized for such purpose that ther may be no error committed in the conueyance For whatsoeuer is done and passed before him that hath not his patent to warrant his practise is held to be voide and frustrate by maisters of that profession In like manner it standeth vs all vpon when a matter of an higher nature and of greater importance is in hand then the sealing and assuring of temporall possessions to looke carefully to the diligent performance of this speciall duty that the signing of our infants and sealing them in the Couenant be made by the hands of such Officers as are appointed by God for that purpose and by no other Vse 3 Thirdly this condemneth the abuse and prophanation of the Sacrament of baptisme in the church of Rome where women midwiues and priuate persons without any commandement of God nay contrary to his word take vpon them this part of the Ministers office to baptize children which they haue receyued from the Hereticke Marcion i Epip haere 42 who gaue women power to baptize which Epiphanius k Epi. con haer 2 teacheth the holy Mother of Christ was not permitted to do And the fourth Councell of Carthage Can. 100. hath without exception decreed that a woman ought not to baptize Such then as vsurpe this calling and approoue thereof neuer knewe the force of our adoption in Christ nor the strength of the couenant nor that the elect are saued by the good pleasure and will of God Therfore there is not that absolute necessity of baptisme vnto saluation which many suppose that for this supposed necessitie the ordinance of God should be broken and prophaned And a man may maruell why at such times they did not rather commit the matter to priuate men to baptize then to women whose sexe is further remooued from execution of this office not onely because they be vncalled and priuate men l 1 Tim. 2 11 12. 1 Cor. 14 34. but euen because they are women and thereby are wholly vncapeable though otherwise qualified of anie publike charge or function in the Church they are commanded to sit still and to bee quiet Besides if in time of this extreamity and necessity which is imagined it be permitted them to minister baptisme why should it not bee suffered in like necessity and danger of death that they minister the Lords Supper and preach the Gospell in case they be able and men vnable or vnwilling the dignitie of the one Sacrament being no lesse then the other the excellencie of the worde being as great as of them both If then women may iustly bee condemned when they shall presume to sit downe in the Chaire of Moses or to minister the Supper of the Lord they cannot be iustified if they vsurpe to minister baptisme For shall wee make a shameful and double diuorcement of those things that God hath coupled betweene the word and Sacraments and likewise betweene the one Sacrament and the other This â—s too great contumely and contempt offered to baptisme to allow it in those that may neither publikely preach nor lawfully minister the Lords Supper seeing their want to practise the one is no greater then to do the other In a priuate Family it is a great disorder to see the maister play the seruant and the seruant to do the office of the maister the husband to loose his authority and the Woman to step into his place In the Common-wealth it is a wonderful confusion to see base persons and peasants set on horsebacke Eccl. 10 6 7. and Princes walking as seruants vpon the ground Is this vnseemely and vncomely in the priuate house and in the Common-welth and it is not as vndecent in the Church when the distinct partes of the same office are diuided and parted asunder that priuate persons are set in Moses his chaire and pastors are put at the feete of the people Or when the Ministers of the word do occupy the place of Teaâ—hers and the administration of the Sacraments is committed or at lest permitted to the Parishioners and people and which is worse to Women And when different offices are so shuffled and shaken together that it cannot be determined to whom of right they do belong Wherefore let all priuate persons and Mid wiues consider with themselues the fearefull examples recorded in the Scripture of such as haue rashly p esumed to prophane the holy offices of the Church and how God hath often visited this great sinne with greeuous iudgementes sometimes with fire from heauen sometimes the earth opening her mouth sometimes with sodaine death and sometimes with the most filthy disease of the Leprosie whereby as by his voice from heauen he thundred downe on mens disobedience and so ratifieth this law of the necessity of a vocation calling for euer When the men of Bethshemesh pried into the Arke without a calling the Lord smote of the people fifty
outward work Christ would haue vs feele the inward purging and purifying of the soule Vse 1 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 ordinary water whereunto answere the flood the red sea and the Iewish purifyings vnder the Law The curious questions whether wanting water we may baptize with sand or water distilled and compounded came at the first from the dangerous and bloody opinioÌ„ that they are damned which die vnbaptized Obiection If any demand whether sweet waters and distilled may be taken and vsed or mingled with common water especially when the children of such as are in high place are to bee baptized and sealed into the Couenant thereby to note a difference betweene person and person forasmuch as God hath lifted vp the head of one aboue another I answere c Rom. 13 1 7 all power is indeede of God Answere we with heart and tongue do giue honour to whom honor pertaineth and feare to whom feare belongeth reuerence to whom it is due Notwithstanding all mixture of the water is mans inuention an humane tradition which in Gods worship is not to bee admitted Whatsoeuer is mingled with common water is a corruption whatsoeuer the party be that is baptized The Apostle teacheth d Ephâ—s 4 5. that the church hath all one baptizing not one manner of baptizing the poore and another of baptizing the rich Besides why might wee not allowe mixture of water with Wine in the Lords 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 maner of baptizing the children of rich men and the children of poor 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 baser and courser sort for the poore by themselues e 1 Cor. 11.21 22. which separation the Apostle reprooueth in the Church of Corinth 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 f Galath 3 28 for all are one in Christ Iesus and therefore the Noble Eunuch mentioned Actes 8. was baptized by Philip with ordinary water But with GOD there is no respect of persons Acts. 10. with him there is neither Iew nor Greeke there is neither bonde nor free there is neither male nor female for we are al one in Christ Iesus Great men when they make their Feastes for the most part they inuite their rich neighbours but God biddeth and banquetteth the poore as wel as the rich and the brother of low degree as well as he that is exalted to the highest roome as well him that sitteth in the dust as him that sitteth in the throne Now if no composition may be mingled g No other signe ought to bee vsed in baptisme theÌ„ water then much lesse may any other signe be vsed and so the element clean changed and the ordinance of God altred for the church of God hath no liberty to bring any otheâ— signe in place of water If a man were baptized with sand with bloud with wine with milke with snow with oyle and such licour it is no baptisme at all but a meere voide and idle action such a person must afterward be sprinkled or washed with water not that any should be rebaptized but because all persons should be once baptized the former action being meerâ—ly 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 error 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 there is a nullity of the whole worke the partie be-sanded or be-bloodied or oyled is erroneously and vnlawfully not truely and effectually baptized Nadab and Abihu were smitten with lightning from heauen h Leui. 10 1 2. 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 elements as strange fire that are brought into this Sacrament beside water Or haue we greater liberty to change Gods ordinance in the Gospell then the Iewes had vnder the law When GOD appointed the i Leuit. 1 3 10 14. burnt offering to bee offered and commanded the people to bring either bullocks out of the heard eyther Sheepe or Goates out of the folde either Turtle-doues or young Pigeons from among the birds being thus limited and restrained might they bring an Asse or an Elephant or a Camell vnto him Might they cut off a dogs 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 be 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 Lord likewise threatning a generall dearth of Corne Wine and Oyle of which things many of their offerings and oblations consisted sheweth that the Priests should weepe and waile because the k Iccl. 1 9. Meate-offerings and Drinke-offerings should cease But what neede was there eyther that the Priests should haue lamented or the offerings to haue ceased if they might haue vsed other elements other signes or other matter then GOD approoued If they might haue taken water in stead 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 stead of the Beasts of the field Or creeping things for their offerings in stead of such as chewe the cudde and deuide the hoofe Now howe can it bee better warranted vnto vs to take oyle for water then it was for them to take water for oyle Againe heereby all popish corruptions and mixtures Vse 2 brought into this Sacrament are confuted and condemned as their creame their tapers their crosses their censors their salt their spittle their holy-water their exorcizings and coniurations hauing also an opinion of saluation and worship annexed vnto them These men as if it were a base and contemptible thing to baptize with water onely according to Christs commandement haue brought in a new word new elements that is new drosse and new filth into the Church and into the Sacraments of the Church as salt that we may be seasoned with wisedome and bee kept from putrifying in sinne oyle that we may bee safe from euill suggestion spittle that our eares may be opened to heare the word our Nostrils to discerne the smel
haue life in you which must be vnderstood of such as are of yeares and growne in age And thus Innocentius the third in the b Decret Gregor lib. 3. tit 42 c. 3. decrees expoundeth it so doth Peter Lumbard c Lumb sent lib. 4. dist 4. maister of the Sentences So then if they will be tryed eyther by their owne Pope which is their holy father or by Peter Lumbard which is their grand-maister this place cannot be inforced against infants that dye before they be baptized but must be reâ—erred to men of greater yeares We reason not thus farre to iustifie and allow 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 as it ought to be desired or if by godlesse parents it be deferred and neglected yet saluation is not tyed and glued to the outward water The neglect of the Sacrament is a notable marke of a despiser and therefore the Pharisies are saide to haue reiected the counsell of God against themselues beeing not baptized of him Luke 7 30. It is strange to consider what childish excuses and pretences parents vse to iustifie their negligeÌ„ce in performing this good duty to their Children For baptisme is necessary in respect of God that hath commanded it in respect of the Church the lawfull vse of it being a note of the true Church and in respect of the promise annexed vnto it Neuerthelesse it is not simply necessary to saluation as though without the washing of water one could not be a member of Christ True it is to euery one that beleeueth baptisme must necessarily be either actually receiued or earnestly desired receiued if it may be had desired if it cannot be had For as the true desire of grace is grace indeed in Gods acceptance so the desire of baptisme is accepted of God as baptisme And therefore simply the want of it without neglect cannot bring danger of daÌ„nation Away then with the doctrine of the Church of Rome touching the absolute necessity of baptisme and touching Children that dye without it a beastly and bloody d Let none obiect the opinion of Augustine for he thought it necessary to saluation that children shold receiue the Lords Supper as well as baptisme De peccâ—tor meâ—t lib. 1. cap. 24. doctrine ioyned with rigor and cruelty full of terror and feare vncharitable in it selfe presumptuous by entring into Gods secret iudgements impious by binding him to second causes and ordinary meanes iniurious to thousands of poore infants discomfortable to all good parents and blasphemous against the bottomelesse mercy of a gracious God who hath saide e Gen. 17 7. I will bee thy God and the God of thy seede where he maketh a couenant of saluation with vs and our children not adding any condition of baptisme if it cannot be had as it ought to be If it cannot be had by the infant the Spirit of God doth worke the effectuall knitting of them to the body of Christ by a secret working as pleaseth him in stead of ordinary meanes For when our Sauiour had said Mar. 16. He that shall beleeue and be baptized shall be saued he doth not adde contrariwise he that is not baptized shall be damned f Maâ— 16 16. but annexeth onely Hee that beleeueth not shall be condemned Thus we haue shewed the malice and madnesse of Sathan against poore infants and how he hath vsed proud and pestilent instruments to effect his purpose partly the Anabaptistes who deny baptisme to their bodies and partly the Papists who deny saluation to their soules for want of baptisme CHAP. VI. Of the fourth outward part of Baptisme THe last outward part of baptisme is a The last outward part of baptisme is the body washed the body that is washed For wee haue shewed before that the Sacraments without their vse are no Sacraments And albeit the worde ioyned to the signe make a Sacrament yet this presupposeth a Minister to administer it and a receiuer to take it and then the rule is most certainely to bee admitted Now whether the whole body should be washed or a part of the body whether it should be washed once or oftner whether it should be dipped or sprinkled we are neither curiously to enquire nor seriously to contend nor rashly to determine but rest in practise of the Church and in the custome of the country as in a thing in it owne nature indifferent The dipping and plunging into the water vsed by Iohn Baptist and the Apostles in Iudea and such hot regions are not a necessary rule to be drawne into imitation especially in these colde quarters and countries For the word doth not onely signifie to diue to put and plunge into the water but to dip to sprinkle and to wash This sprinkling doth very fitly answere to the signification of water For the apostle Peter teacheth that we are elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through the sanctification of the Spirit vnto obedience sprinkling of the blood of Iesus Christ as 1. Epistle of Peter chap. 1. 1 Pet. 1.2 verse 2. which is signified by outward baptisme and was shaddowed by sprinkling of blood vnder the law Neyther may we imagine that the efficacy of baptisme dependeth vpon the quantity of water that is vsed and imployed no more then the force and vertue of the Lords Supper dependeth vpon the quantity of the bread and wine which wee receiue They then are much deceiued that would bring in an absolute necessity of dipping Children into the water as if without it they were not lawfully baptized For as we noted before the word importeth euen simply any washing of what sort soeuer as Marke 7. It is said of the Pharisies that comming from the market they eate not except they wash 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this outward washing of the bodye from filth representeth the inward clensing of the soule from sinne Heereunto the Apostle alludeth when he affirmeth that we are saued according to the mercy of God our Sauiour by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy-Ghost Tit. 3.5 Eph. 5 25 26. Titus 3 verse 5. And else-where he saith Ehesians 5. verses 25 26 Christ loued the Church and gaue himselfe for it that hee might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word So then the ceremony vsed among vs to sprinkle water vpon the face of the child cannot be reproued or condemned but standeth with the ordinance of God as well as dipping in the water and therefore the Apostle saith to the Hebrewes Chap. 10.22 Let vs draw neere with a true heart in full assurance of faith Heb. 10 22. hauing our hearts sprinkled from an euill conscience and our bodies washed with pure water Hence it is that Cyprian writing of this argument in his Epistles teacheth
Cyprian lib. 4. epist 7. that such as are sprinkled with water being sicke are no lesse truely baptized then such as are otherwise washed But let vs see who they are that haue right and interest in baptisme and who are capable of this Sacrament For not euery one without respect without difference without distinction is to bee admitted to this priuiledge because they are not fitte receiuers thereof If a Minister should take the outward element and vse the word of institution baptizing in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost yet it can bee no Sacrament vnlesse the deliuerer haue authority to administer it and the party baptized haue warrant to receiue it If hee should baptize a stone or an Image or a bruit beast without reason and vnderstanding these are no fit receiuers heere is an apparant and flat nullity whereby appeareth farther the truth of the former rule that besides the ioyning of the word to the outward signe there is necessarily required a fitted person to be partaker of the Sacrament as is more at large expressed Booke 3. Chap. 3. To proceede b Who are in the couenant wee must know that the receiuers are such as are within the couenant and such as professe the truth whether in truth or not wee leaue to GOD that searcheth the hearts and reines c Rom. 14 4. let vs not iudge another mans seruant he standeth or falleth to his owne maister Againe such as are borne in the couenant are of two sorts First men and women of yeares Secondly infants that are the seede of the faithfull For the faithfull do beleeue for themselues and for others as in bargaines they couenaâ—â— and contract for themselues and their heires after them for euer Although children cannot be saide to be saued by their fathers faith no more then to liue by the fathers soule inasmuch as the Prophet d Hab. 2 4. Rom. 1 17. Gal. 3 11. Heb. 10 38. teacheth That the iust shall liue by his owne faith yet the faith of the parents maketh their children to be counted in the couenant who by reason of their age cannot yet actually beleeue as they that want all knowledge and vnderstanding e Ionah 4 11. not discerning the right hand from the left Euery man liueth this temporall life by his owne soule so euery man liueth the eternall life by his owne faith True it is baptisme is a common seale But as all haue not interest to the pasture herbage and priuiledges of a Commons but onely such as are tenants according to the custome of the manor so all haue not title to baptisme being a Sacrament of the Church but onely such as are the Lords people according to the tenour of the couenant Touching the first sort of such as are to be baptized they are men women of riper yeares who adioyne themselues to the Church testifie their repentance hold the foundation of religion f Acts 8.36 and confesse their faith as Acts 8. If thou beleeuest thou maiest bee baptized The second sort are infants within the couenant g 1 Cor. 7 14. which haue both their parents or one at the least faithfull as 1 Cor. 7 14. The vnbeleeuing husband is sanctified to the wife and the vnbeleeuing wife is sanctified to the husband else were your children vncleane but now they are holy Where the Apostle sheweth that albeit a beleeuer bee vnequally yoaked and matched with an vnbeleeuer yet he is not to be forsaken nor the marriage bed to be accounted polluted inasmuch as their children are sanctified to God and the Church as well as if they were borne of both parents faithfull For so the children of the Israelites being of the posterity of Abraham are included in the couenant of God We are not curiously to enquire into the secret counsell and election of God we must h We must hope well of the seed of the faithfull and thereâ—ore we baptize them hold all the seed of the faithfull holy vntill they cut off themselues and in processe of time openly declare themselues to be strangers from the promises of saluation Againe the same Apostle i Rom. 11 16 Gen. 17 7. saith Rom. 〈◊〉 If the first fruites be holy so is the whole lumpe if the roote bee holy so are the branches So likewise God testifieth Gen. 17. I will establ sh my couenant betweene me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an euerlasting couenant to be a God to thee and to thy seede after thee Such onely were circumcised as were within the couenant Notwithstanding they which were borne of vnbeleeuing parents and were strangers from the common-wealth of Israel and aliants from the promises of saluation if they acknowledged the errors in which they liued and sought forgiuenes of their former sins were accounted the childreÌ„ of faithfull Abraham were admitted into the Church and receiued circumcision as the apostles said to the Iailer k Act. 16 30.31 humbled vnder the mighty hand of God and desiring to be instructed in the way of saluation Beleeue in the Lord IESVS CHRIST and thou shalt be saued and thy whole houshold So the Euangelist testifieth the like of Zacheus when he had once receiued CHRIST into his house nay which is more into his heart l Luk. 19 9. then Iesus saide vnto him This day is saluation come vnto this house forasmuch as he is also become the sonne of Abraham Thus when the Sunne of righteousnesse shineth vpon the head and maister of the family the beames thereof by a gracious influence begin to comfort and conserue m Act. 16 14 3 15. 1 Cor. 1 16. Ioh. 4 53. 2 Ioh verse 1. al the rest in the house like the precious oyntment vpon the head of Aaron that ranne downe vpon the beard and descended vpon the borders of his garments or like the dew that falleth from heauen vpon Hermon and the Mountaines of Sion n Psal 133.2 which goeth downe into the vallies and maketh all the plaine country fertill The knowledge of this point offereth diuers profitable Vse 1 vses to our consideration and consolation First it is the duty of all those that are within the couenant to giue their bodies to be washed and to receiue that washing in the face and presence of the Congregation Let such as are of yeares desire and craue this Sacrament let them claime this priuiledge o Act. 8 36. 22 16. let them demand to bee baptized according to the example of the Eunuch Acts 8. So soone as he was instructed in the faith of Christ by the preaching of Philip as he came to a certaine water he said of his owne accord See heere is water what doth let me to be baptized So to the same purpose Act. 22. Ananias stirreth vp Paul to this duty saying Why tariest thou Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sinnes Secondly this condemneth sundry corruptions and
abuses Vse 2 first the blinde ignorant and superstitious practise of baptizing belles p The church of Rome prophaneth baptisme by baptizing belles practised in the Church of Rome whereof now they begin to be ashamed and seeking figge-leaues to couer their shame they say they wer not baptizd but onely hallowed and consecrated to holy vses as Bellarmine betaketh himselfe to this shift as to a place of refuge Lib. 4. de pon Rom. cap. 12. Where the Cardinall confesseth that the people call their solemne blessing and sprinkling with holy-water the baptisme of belles And indeede what can it else be called and accounted For they baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost They giue names vnto them as to their children they haue God-fathers appointed vnto them as children haue when they are baptized confirmed q Bellar. de sacra bapt lib. 1. cap. 27. they haue new garments put vpon them as the persons baptized among them likewise haue it is also permitted onely to the Bishops suffragan who exacteth great summes of money for the baptizing of belles they ascribe to them a spirituall power against stormes and tempests against thunder and lightening against windes and euill spirits Lastly they sprinkle them with holy-water blesse them crosse them and so horribly corrupt this Sacrament of baptisme Yea Durand a principall schooleman not in the schooles of the Prophets but of the Papists a fit teacher of such schollers setteth out solemnly r Durand lib. 1 Ench rid cap. 4. the praises of belles making them publike Preachers and driuers away of diuels But the diuels are not feared and fraied away by sight of crosses by sprinkling of water by souÌ„d of belles and babies Å¿ Mat. 17 2. This kinde goeth not out but by fasting and prayer as our Sauiour teacheth And the Apostle willeth euery christian to take vnto him the whole armour of God that he may be able to resist in the euill day Stand therefore hauing your loynes girded about with verity Eph. 6 13 14.15.16 and hauing on the brest-plate of righteousnesse the shield of faith the sword of the Spirite the preparation of the Gospell of peace and the grace of prayer in the Spirite Heere is the vniuersall armour of God heere is the compleate furnishing of a Christian Soldiour heere is perfect direction giuen to vnderstand and to withstand the assaults of the diuell but among these we haue neither the signe of the Crosse nor the hallowing of belles nor the sound of such Preachers and therefore they are no part nor parcell of spirituall armour to furnish vs to goe into the field against the enemies of our saluation For euill spirits which fight against the soule are not driuen away by hallowing of belles If then there were euer prophanation of Baptisme this may iustly bee iudged to be one of the most vile and miserable corruptions therof to bee detested of all true hearted Christians that grone vnder the burthen of them For this is a generall and certaine rule that none are to be baptized but such as are men to other creatures the Sacrament of baptisme may not bee administred forasmuch as the Sacrament of regeneration belongeth to none but to such as in their nature are capable of regeneration neither the signe but to those that may be partakers of the thing signified Baptisme is the Sacrament of repentance Mark 1 4. none therefore can receiue it but such as in time may repent or already haue repented for there must bee at least a possibility of repenting It belongeth not therefore to the damned spirits who are so fallen away that it is impossible for them to be renued againe by repentance It was instituted onely for the vse of man for whom also Christ came into the world and shed his blood vpon the Crosse Hee tooke not vpon him the angels nature but the seed of Abraham Heb. 2. Heb. 2 16. He is the Mediator to his Father not for the apostate angels but for mankinde 1 Tim. 2. 1 Tim. 2 5. How wicked then and wretched are they that make a mocke of this Sacrament representing the blood of Christ and vndertake to baptize belles without sense and life and that with greater pompe and solemnity and vse many moe ceremonies then when men are baptized For none may of right baptize belles but their Byshops a fit worke for such workemen whereas they allow and license not onely euery inferior Priest but euen women to baptize their children Secondly The second abuse it reprooueth the superstition of such as baptize the dead or any one that is liuing in stead or in place of another that is dead For this is another rule to be holden of vs that baptisme belongeth onely to the liuing Not indeed to all liuing creatures but onely to liuing creatures as likewise not to all that are reasonable howbeit onely to them that are reasonable Faith and repentance are required of al such as being of yeares are baptized but the dead can neither beleeue the Gospell nor repent from dead works And if baptisme be the Sacrament of regeneration and the ende thereof saluation and remission of sins what do these or what can these things belong vnto the dead Againe it is the greatest folly that may be to baptize one for another because Christ neuer requireth and the Scripture neuer teacheth that one should repent for another or beleeue for another or bee baptized for another but euery one must repent and beleeue and be baptized for himselfe and therefore the Lord saith Mar. 16 16. Mar. 16 16. Hee that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued Wee can no more be benefited by another mans baptisme while we remaine vnbaptized our selues then we can bee saued by another mans faith while we remaine Infidels Besides it is a vaine thing to receiue the outward signe for him which is not capable of the thing signified in which number the dead are Hence then is condemned the error of the Marcionâ—tes among which hereticks this was a custome as Theophylact noteth Theoph. in 1 Cor. 15. enarrat that if any died with them vnbaptized they hide a liuing man vnder the bed of him that was dead and comming to the bed they aske the dead man whether he would be baptized Now hee that lyeth vnder the bed answereth that he desireth it and then they baptize him for the other that is dead Whensoeuer they are accused for this folly they go about to defend themselues by the place of the Apostle 1. Corinthians chap. 15. verse 29. What shall they doe that are baptized for dead 1 Cor. 15 29. If the dead rise not at all why are they then baptized for the dead This testimony maketh nothing to their purpose which prooueth the resurrection from the dead For whether Paul reasoneth from the custome of the Iewes that washed the bodies of the dead as appeareth in
saith If the first fruites be holy the lumpe is also holy and if the roote be holy Rom. 11 16. so are the branches Rom. 11. By the name of root in that nation of the Iewes he doth not vnderstand the next parents who peraduenture were prophane vngodly but those first parents of that people to wit Abraham Isaac and Iacob to whom the promise was made and the couenant confirmed that God would be their God and the God of their seed by an euerlasting couenant and therfore al their posterity which did not wholy forsake and renounce the true God of Israel and cleaue to the false Gods of the Gentiles which are no Gods but the workes of mens hands are within the compasse of the couenant and rightly iudged to be holy in regard of the holinesse of the couenant Among Gods owne people the Iewes we know that many were wicked persons yet was not circumcision the signe of the couenant euer denyed to their children In like manner the Sacrament of Baptisme may not be taken away from the childrē of such as are counterfeit Christians which professe Christ in words but deny him in their deeds forasmuch as euen they are in the Couenant in regard of the Elders of whom they descend and in regard of the whole Church in which they are borne and do liue Whether children born in adultery may be baptized This point being duely waighed and considered serueth to answere another question to wit whether children borne in fornication and adultery may be baptized I answere as such were circumcised in the Church of the Iewes so they may bee baptized and ought to be baptized in the Churches of the Christians And as the children of wicked Christians who hold true religion in iudgement but deny it in their practise are to be partakers of baptisme as we haue already prooued in the former question so may the children of the adulterer and of the whore prouided that there be some to answere and to vndertake for them besides their parents For it skilleth not what the next parents were out of whose loynes immediately they proceede neither is it materiall in this case whether the parents doe repent or not forasmuch as their children being presented by other then the parents themselues and brought vnto baptisme may not be reiected from the Church It pleaseth God in mercy to call some of them to beleeue and to bring them to saluation as we see in the example of Iepthah who was the sonne of an harlot and borne in fornication Iudg. 11 1. Heb. 11 32. yet he is commended in the Epistle to the Hebrewes and registred among the cloud of faithfull witnesses who through faith wrought righteousnesse out of weaknesse was made strong waxed valiant in fight and turned to flight the armies of the Aliens Heb. 11.34 So then albeit the children of harlots beare the brand of their parents shame and are oftentimes giuen ouer to follow the sinne of their parents yet if they hate their wicked waies God hath grace in store for them If then saluation belong to them so that they repent and beleeue how should any deny the outward washing with water vnto thē and barre them from the outward part which is the least part of the Sacrament And this doth Austine teach at large in his 75. epistle reprouing a certaine Bishop August epist 75. who for the wickednes of the father excommunicated the whole family thereby punishing the sonne for the sinne of the father the wife for the sinne of the husband and the seruant for the sinne of the maister contrary to the equall law of God that the sonne shall not beare the iniquity of the father Ezek. 18 20. Whether the children of professed papists and Recusants be to be baptized Ezek. 18 The next question to be discussed and decided is whether the children of Recusants and professed Papists haue right to be baptized or not I answere two things first that their parents are such as were baptized in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost and they haue receiued true baptisme albeit corrupted with sundry superstitions Secondly albeit the papacy be not the true Church yet the true Church is in the papacy and to be gathered out of it and for this cause baptisme yet remaineth in the essentiall part of it so that such children as are baptized in the Church of Rome ought not to be rebaptized because the true forme of baptisme is obserued and likewise their children may be baptized in our Churches prouided that their parents desire this baptisme or consent vnto it as we noted before in disputing about the baptizing of the children of Turks Infidels and againe there be such sureties as wil vndertake the education and training vp of the child in the true knowledge of God and faith in Christ Iesus The last question which now I wil stand vpon is Whether the children of excommunicate persons may be baptized whether the children of excommunicate persons which are cast out of the Church and not holdē as members of it may be baptized or not I answere they cannot nor ought not to be kept from partaking of baptisme For first touching the parents that are excommunicate it lyeth not in the power of the Church to cut them off from the body of Christ for albeit they be separated frō the Church for some greeuous offence Beza epist 10. yet they are not open apostataes backsliders that combine themselues with the enemies of the Church and seeke the ruine of the Church and plot the ouerthrow of the Gospell Albeit for a season they bee put out of the visible Church it is not to their destruction but their conuersion and in the iudgement of charity we must hold them to be as decayed members which are as plants engrafted into Christ albeit for the present time they haue not any liuely and sensible feeling of the power of Christs Spirite in them They are as an arme that hath a dead palsie which though for a while it remaine without sense so that the body hath no vse of it nor benefit by it yet by the vertue of some strong medicine it may bee recouered and restored to the former strength and so made as whole and sound as the other A free-man belonging to any incorporation that is imprisoned for some crime remaineth a free-man still although for the time he be restrained and haue lost the vse of his liberty Againe parents are banished out of the Church for their owne personall sinnes but it is against the light of reason common equity that the personall sinnes of the father should interrupt and intercept the blessing of God from the Childe for then the prouerbe should be true that the fathers haue eaten sowre grapes Ezek. 18 2. and the childrens teeth are set on edge Ezek. 18. which the Lord would haue no more vsed in Israel Besides we are taught
it did appertaine to the children of the Iewes vnder the old Testament vnlesse peraduenture we will say that our Sauiour Christ by his comming hath restrained or diminished the grace and loue of his Father which were detestable blasphemy against the Father and an horrible reproch against the Sonne of God From hence then we reason thus If the infants of the Iewes were circumcised then the children of Christians are to be baptized but the infants of the Iews were circumcised therefore also the children of Christians are to be baptized Against this reason sundry exceptions are taken by the aduersaries of this doctrine Obiection 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 baptized if baptisme were like to circumcisioÌ„ inasmuch as they were not circumcised I answere Answere these obiections wil easily appeare to be very cauils and meere dreames of idle and addle braines if we diligently obserue both wherein circumcision and baptisme agree and in what points they differ They e Wherin circumcision baptisme agree agree first in one author of them both that is God himselfe who first 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 newnesse of life and iustification are signified So then they fully 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 The same Christ is promised in circumcision and giuen in baptisme Againe circumcision and baptisme differ f Wherin circumcision baptisme differ onely in certaine circumstances first in the forme and manner of dooing as circumcision was administred by cutting away of the foreskin effusion of blood but baptisme by washing and sprinkling with water Secondly in the outward signe which is indifferent in both Thirdly in the circumstance 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 g How womeÌ„ were after a sort circumcised 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 strangers from the Couenants of promise For as the man is the h 1 Cor. 11 8. 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 that their circumcision was thus comprehended in the men so that it was vnto theÌ„ in stead of circumcision to be borne of the circumcised may be gathered by many places as Luk. 13. Where the woman which Christ healed of a spirit of infirmity bound together is called i Luk. 13 11. 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 k Gen. 34 14.15 16. 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-châ—ld 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 vncircumcised which teacheth that they were accounted as circumcised in the males so that it was enough to them to be born of parents that were circumcised Fiftly they differ in the setled time which is limited 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 Sabboth following would not without vrgent cause be omitted Sixtly circumcision was instituted for the Israelites that were the seed of Abraham but Baptisme was instituted for all Nations that are willing to ioyne themselues to the fellowshippe of the Churches of Christ that professe his name of whatsoeuer Land 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 l Mat. 28 20. as our Sauiour teacheth Mat. 28. Teach and baptize and loe I am with you vntill the end of the world Wherefore the circumcision of the Turkes and Tartars which liue in infidelity and of the Moores which professe christianity vsed at this day is nothing worth albeit they retaine the outward signe and ceremony because the institution of it was only to endure vntill the blessed times of the Gospell Thus we see that notwithstanding the differences betweene circumcision and baptisme in circumstances of time manner of doing yet being in substance and effect the same the argument standeth strong and inuincible as a brazen wall prouing the baptizing of infants in the time of the Gospell from the commandement of circumcising infants in the time of the Law Againe m The practise of the Apostles 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 finde in diuers places that whole families and housholds haue beene baptized in which no doubt were many infants sucklings n Act. 16 13.33 1 Cor. 1 14 16. Acts 18 8. and 2.37 38.39 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 baptized and all that were with him So was Crispus the chiefe Ruler of the Synagogue and his houshold baptized and the houshold of Stephanus Furthermore when Peter commanded the Iewes newly conuerted to the faith of Christ and hungring after saluation in him whom before they had crucified to bee baptized 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
of Christ seeing they are a principall part of his possession If they be a part of the houshold they ought to haue entrance into the house if they belong to the Citty of God who shall dare to shut the gates against them Or if they bee in the number of the sheepe of Christ who shal presume to keepe them from the sheepefold Or if they be sound members of the body of Christ who shall cut them off as rotten members Wherefore then u Gen. 17 7. Acts 2 39. 1. Cor 7 14. should they not receiue the seale whereby the promise is confirmed vnto them seeing they haue the promise it selfe of saluation Why should they not bee partakers of the outward signe a Mat. 19 14. seeing they are partakers of the thing signified Why should they be put backe from the figure seeing they haue the truth it selfe Why should they not be partakers of the Sacrament with the faithfull seeing they are enrolled in the fellowship of the faithfull And who shall depriue them of the seale of the couenant seeing they are partakers of regeneration and remission of sinnes Heereupon thus we reason whosoeuer are in the couenant and Church of God vnto them belongeth baptisme which is the seale of the couenant but Infants are in the Couenant and of the Church therefore to them belongeth baptisme which is the seale of the Couenant Againe to whome the promise appertaineth they may and ought to bee baptized but the promise was made euen to Infants therefore they may and ought to be baptized Furthermore to whom forgiuenesse of sinnes and the Holy-Ghost are promised and giuen they ought by no meanes to be denied the outward signe but forgiuenesse of sinnes and the Holy-Ghost are promised to Infants and giuen vnto them therefore infants ought not to be kept from the element of water no more then such as are of yeares of discretion Thus much of the first point putting Children into the right and possession of Baptisme as if it were the right heires into their inheritance from which they haue beene wrongfully and vniustly dispossessed Hauing now sufficiently proued by the Scripture that children are to be baptized it remaineth that we should maintaine this assertion against b Obiections of Anabaptists impugning childrens baptisme anâ—wered the cauils of the Anabaptists For as the former reasons grounded vpon the euident demonstration of the worde as vpon a pillar that cannot be shaken may perswade vs to embrace the truth so the weakenesse and sophistry which appeareth in the Obiections of the aduersaries serueth to confirme vs in this perswasion But let vs examine what is the strength of them First they obiect Obiection it was neuer commanded that Infants should be baptized I answere Answere vnblameable examples practises not contradicted are in the nature of precepts Againe the will of God approuing and appointing childrens baptisme appeareth c Col. 2 11.12 in that it came in place of circumcision Baptisme is our circumcision Besides we d Mat. 28 19. 1 Cor. 10 1 2. haue a generall commandement Go teach all nations and baptize them And the apostle saith all were baptized in the cloud and in the sea and he comprehendeth the whole Church when hee saith it was clensed with the washing of water Ephesians 5. verse 26. Christ saith all nations the Apostle saith all the Israelites let them shew where infants are excepted and exempted for we hold this as a certaine principle that a general commandement includeth the particular and comprehendeth the same vnder it as well as if it were by name expressed Secondly they obiect if infants may be baptized Obiection then they may be admitted to the Lords Supper for why should not the Supper be giuen to the whole church as wel as baptisme I answere Answere there is not the like reason and respect of both There is great difference betweene these two Sacraments For baptisme is a signe of our entrance and receiuing into the church so that the Supper is to be granted to none but to such as are baptized and are fit to beâ—r strong meat being instituted for our confirmation and sealing vnto vs that God hauing once receiued vs into the Church wil also euermore preserue vs in it that we neuer fall from it nor forsake it and will nourish and châ—â—â—sh vs by the body and blood of Christ Wherfore the Lord Iesus to shew that his Supper was not for children but for men would not administer it in the element of milke which is for infants and for new borne babes but in bread and wine which are for strong men that are of age Againe sundry conditions and considerations are required in the supper which debar yong infants that although they are to be baptized yet they ought not to be admitted to the Lords supper seeing by their young yeares they are excluded For it is required of all those that come to this supper e 1 Cor. 11.26 28 29. to shew foorth the Lords death to discerne the body and blood of Christ and try themselues whether they haue faith and repentance But infants cannot doe these things they cannot shew forth the Lords death they are not apt to discerne his body and blood they are not able to examine themselues and therefore infants for good causes are excluded from this Supper If any say Is this a good reason the promise doth belong to infants and therefore the Sacrament of Baptisme Then why may not the Lords Supper be as well giuen vnto them vpon the same ground This will not follow howsoeuer some of the ancient Fathers were of that opinion Cyprian Ser. 5. de laps August de eccl dogm cap. 52. Ioh. 6 6 5â— applying this Scripture to their purpose Ioh. 6 53. Except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood yee haue no life in you But this place is to be vnderstood of spirituall eating by faith not of the Sacramentall eating as wee shall shew in the next booke They were therefore deceiued that thought the Supper of the Lord did belong to infants And touching this consequence The promise of grace belongeth to children Therefore the outward signe of the Sacrament it is true being rightly vnderstood to wit according to the limitation and the appointment of God proper to euery Sacrament who hath ordained that the Sacrament of entrance should be receiued both of men and children Gen. 17. howbeit only the males in the old Testament and not before the eight day but in the new Testament both of male and female without restraint of time And touching the Supper of the Lord which is the Sacrament of our norishment it can appertaine to those onely that are come to yeares of discretion first because the end thereof is to shew the Lords death vntill he come 1 Cor. 11 26. 1 Cor. 11 28. Secondly because euery one that commeth vnto it is commanded to examine himselfe Mat. 26 26.
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 holines righteousnes all the dayes of their life by whom they were receiued for sonnes and adopted for his childreÌ„ by a solemne pledge of their adoption before they were able through their age to know and acknowledge him for their father This must serue as a strong confirmation of their faith both in life and death to assure them that God will neuer leaue them nor forsake them who so soone beginneth to giue them pledges of his loue and to shew himselfe to bee their God We see by common experience that a little child comming into the world is one of the miserablest and filliest creatures that can be deuised the very liuely picture of the greatest infirmity that can be imagined more weake in body and lesse able to helpe himselfe or shift for himselfe then any of the beasts of the field The other creatures which are also the worke of his hands by the secret instinct of nature so soone as they are come foorth seeke about for succour and sustenance It is not so with children they can neither seeke their owne good nor defend themselues from euill They are ready to fall into fire and water or any other danger they cannot take one bit of bread to feed themselues they cannot couer their owne nakednesse they must be caried in our armes swadled in clothes attired in apparell washed with water nourished with milke and afterward with meat and haue all things supplyed vnto them They would starue for cold sooner then come to the fire to warme themselues they can do nothing to saue or to serue themselues Thus man-kinde lifted vp into the highest seate of honour and made little inferior to the Angels is through sinne their reuolt from God fallen downe into the greatest misery and lowest degree of all wretchednesse Neuerthelesse in respect of the life to come God hath prouided much better for the sonnes of men then for others for they are no sooner come into the world but he taketh care for them he declareth himselfe a father vnto them he hath commanded them to be brought vnto him and to be baptized in his name to the end that so soone as they begin to breathe they might also begin to breathe liue anew or second life so soone as they begin to sucke the milke of their mothers breasts they might also sucke both the breasts of the Church and so finde the food of euerlasting life He giueth his Angels charge ouer them and receiueth them vnto mercy he reserueth them for his heauenly kingdome and in the meane season offereth vnto them many tokens and assurances of his good will toward them Let them therefore giue the g Prou. 3 9. Lam. 3 27 Psal 119 9. Eccle. 12 1. first fruites of their life to God let them learne to beare the yoke of obedience from their youth let them redresse and reforme their waies by taking heed to the word of truth and seeing God hath remembred them in their baptisme let them also remember their Creator in the dayes of their youth and begin to be wise betimes least death come suddenly and cut them off as the sluggard that fore-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 prooved the obiections against this truth alledged haue beene sufficiently answered and the vses of it to the great comfort of all faithfull parents and Children haue beene particularly remembred CHAP. VIII Of the first inward part of baptisme HItherto we haue handled al the outward parts of baptisme now wee are orderly to proceed to the inward parts The inward parts of baptisme are such as are represented by the outward Those are a Mat. 2â— 19.20 Mark 16 16. foure in number first God the Father secondly the Spirit thirdly Christ fourthly the soule clensed as we see Mat. 28. Teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost he that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued Heere we see these foure inward parts b Foure inward parts of baptiâ—me are named and expressed This is also euidently proued c Mat 3 11. in the baptisme of Christ where the Trinity of persons was manifested These inward parts do directly and fitly answere to the outward The Father is represented by the Minister the Spirit worketh by the word Christ is sealed by the water the soule clensed is signified by the body that is washed Now d The agreement betweene the outward and inward parts there is a notable agreement a singular vnion and fit proportion betweene these parts where the Minister hath relation and reference to the Father the word to the Spirite 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 body 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 betweene theÌ„selues let vs consider of them particularly in order The e The first inward part of baptisme is God the Father first inward part is God the Father represented by the Minister The Minister calling vpon the name of God vseth the water to wash washeth the party baptized with the element of water which sealeth vp Gods incorporating ingrafting f Gal. 3 27. 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 whom I am well pleased Now let vs come to the vses This serueth first of all to strengthen our faith in the remission Vse 1 of our sins 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 toward the cleansing of the soule yet in regard of Gods ordinance and our benefit the ministry of man is somewhat which whosoeuer despiseth doth despise GOD the 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 faith God the Father offering the blood of his owne Son to be water of life to our soules And let vs all make this vse of the Churches baptisme to the comfort of our
owne hearts so often as we see it administred let vs not rest in it as in a worke done to another and nothing concerning our selues but euermore helpe our inward affection by the outward action and alwayes as the eye of the body beholdeth the Minister let the eye of our faith be fastened â—iâ—mely vpon the Father who maketh the Sacramentall rites auaileable which are openly done before vs for our edification Vse 2 Againe it teacheth that we must not rest in the outward washing not 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 outward worke is as he that catcheth after the shaddow and regardeth not the substance or as one that maketh much of the garmeÌ„ts but respecteth little the body it selfe which ought to be had in greatest price and estimation The Minister taketh the water and washeth the bodye which is a pledge of a farther thing for then doth the Father apply the promise of remission of sinnes and life euerlasting to the person baptized as if he should speake with a loud voice and call the party by his name while the outward signe is powred on the body I freely wash away thy sinnes and giue vnto thee the pardon of them and bestow vpon thee eternall life so that thou turne vnto me and beleeue in Christ thy Sauiour Let vs then as true beleeuers by a speâ—iall faith reâ—eiue and apprehend his mercifull promises and rest in them Let this cause vs to turne vnto him by vnfained repentance and to walke with all obedience in his waies Seeing therefore he doth so graâ—iously assure vs of his great mercies with his owne hand seale woe vnto vs if we be not muâ—h moued and affected with it Vse 3 Lastly is God the Father an inward part of baptisme Then we must take heed wee giue not that to the Minister which is proper to God the Father whereby he iâ—â—obbed of the honour and glory due to his great name The Minister may wash the body and cleanse 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 ofâ—â—eth the one God the Father giueth the other CHAP. IX Of the second inward part of Baptisme THe second inward part of baptisme a The second inward part of baptisme iâ— the holy Spirite is the Spirite of God hauing relation to the word and promise of God Thiâ— b Mat. 3 11.10 appeareth Mat. 3 11. He baptiâ—eth with the Holy Ghost and with fire And verse 10. When Christ waâ— baptized the heauenâ— were opened vnto him and he saw the Spirit descending like a Doue and lighting vpon him So the apostle 1 Cor. 6. saith Ye are washed ye are sanâ—tified ye are iustâ—fied in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our God And chap. 12. of the same Epistle By one Spirite wee are all baptiâ—ed into one body whether we be Iewes or Grâ—eâ—ianâ— whether we be bond or free and haue beene all made to drinke into one Spirite And Tit. 3. According to his mercy he saued vs by the washing of the new both and the renewing of the Holy-Ghost which he shed on vs aboundantly through Iesus Christ our Sauiour All these testimonie teach vs that the holy Spirite of God iâ— a necessary inward part of this Sacrament and that the baptisme of the Spirite ioyned to the word giueth force vnto it who worketh in our souleâ— that which water doth in our bodies so that without the Spirite it is nothing From hence we learne that it is not the dipping of vs Vse 1 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 Spirite who in time performeth what is represented by outward signes and promised by the word Againe we learne heereby that the Spirite is true God Vse 2 equall with the Father and the Sonne For who is able to make the word and Sacraments 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 vp to the day of redemption and to helpe our infirmities in hearing in praying and receiuing the Sacraments hee must needs be acknowledged to be true God the c 1 Cor. 12 4.5 8 9 10 11. Reuel 1 4. giuer of these graces So we see that in the forme of the administration of this Sacrament the blessed Spirite is named and rehearsed d Mat. 28 19. and hath his order together with the Father and the Sonne This therefore is a principle of our faith to be learned confessed and beleeued Vse 3 Thirdly we are heereby to take heede 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 fall not from Christ he maketh the word and promise of the institution profitable vnto vs without whom it should 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 Vse 4 Lastly let vs learne whensoeuer we come to the word or Sacraments to craue the gracious assistance of the blessed Spirit to guide direct and regenerate vs to eternall life to sanctifie vs e 1 Ioh. 5 7. and to assure vs of Gods endlesse fauour in Christ Iesus as 1. Ioh. 5. There be three which beare witnesse in heauen the Father the Word and the holy Sp rit and these three are one The Holy-Ghost by his grace and vertue worketh in vs stedfastly to beleeue the truth of Gods word and the gracious promises of saluation as he is the author beginner and begetter of faith in vs so he increaseth it maketh vs fit to receiue Christ and to apply him with all his guifts vnto our soules 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 f RoÌ„ 5 3 4 5. tribulation bringeth foorth patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of God is shedde abroad in our hearts by the Holy-Ghost which is giuen vnto vs. He is the earnest and seale of our inheritance by whom wee are sealed vp to euerlasting life Thus we see that howsoeuer the increase and strength of faith is assigned to the Sacraments yet this grace proceedeth from the Holy-Gkost who is vnto our faith as marow vnto the bones as moysture vnto the tree and as a coÌ„fortable raine vnto the fruites of the
earth If this inward maister and teacher be wanting the Sacraments g The Sacraments profit not without the Spirit can work no more in our mindes then if the bright Sun should shine to the blinde eyes or a loud voice sound in deafe eares or fruitefull corne fall into the barren wildernes or a shower of raine fall vpon the hard stones Wherefore least the word of saluation should sound in our eares in vaine and Sacraments ioyned to the word should bee present before our eyes in vaine the Spirit worketh in vs whensoeuer we come vnto them aright he mollifieth the hardnesse of our hearts 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 sowne in fruitfull ground wel tilled and manured it bringeth forth good increase with gaine and aduantage so likewise the word and the Sacraments if they hit vpon an hard necke and fall into a barren heart become vnprofitable and vnfruitefull but if the effectuall worke of the Spirite accompanieth the hearing of the one and receiuing of the other they are profitable auaileable and comfortable Thus much of the second part CHAP. X. Of the third inward part of baptisme THe third inward part of baptisme a The third inward part of baptisme is Christ Iesus is Christ represented and signified by the water For as the Apostle teacheth b Heb. 10 4. That the blood of buls and calues cannot take away sin so the water in baptisme cannot wash away sinnes It toucheth the body washeth it cleanseth and purgeth it but it can proceed no further Nay al the water in the riuers and in the Sea cannot scowre and make clean the conscience it is another water euen the Spirit that must do it Hence it is Ier. 2 22 that the Lord saith by his Prophet Ieremy chap. 2. Though thou wash thee with nitre and take thee much sope yet thine iniquity is marked before me saith the Lord. To this purpose speaketh Iob Iob. 9 30.31 chap. 9. If I wash my selfe with snow-water and make my hands neuer so cleane yet shalt thou plunge me in the Ditch and mine owne clothes shall abhorre me It is not therefore the outward water but the inward water that auaileth vs. For this c Act. 2 38. 10 â—8 19 5 cause the beleeuers are said to bee baptized in the name of Christ as Act. 2 38. Be 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 heereby the forme and manner of baptizing but the fruit foundation and end of baptisme Likewise d 1 Pet. 3 21. 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 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 inward baptisme doth consist The truth beeing euident that the pouring out of the blood of CHRIST is one of the inward partes of Baptisme let vs see the vses Vse 1 The vse of this part teacheth diuers points First that the outward washing with water is not the washing away of sins for theÌ„ whosoeuer were dipped in it should receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes repentance from dead workes and sanctification of the Spirit whether he beleeued or not e Acts 8.22 which is otherwise as we see Acts 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 redemptioÌ„ and so our condition 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 Moses 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 iustification f 1 Ioh. 1 7. as 1. Ioh. 1 7. The blood of Iesus Christ his Sonne doth cleanse 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 apostle saith In him we haue redemption by hâ—s blood that is forgiuenesse of sinnes Againe when we see with our bodily eyes the water Vse 2 poured vpon the body of the baptized wee 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 precious blood of Christ that we may assure our selues it is no idle action For we must not behold the Sacramentall rites as certaine dumbe gestures or stage-like shewes without substance and signification but we must make them serue to further our faith and edification or else we do horribly abuse them to the great dishonour of God and to the fearefull destruction of our owne soules Lastly it teacheth vs not to be led by the outward senses Vse 3 to measure the truth or to iudge of the substance of baptisme by the outward signe and visible parts but to haue our faith fixed on Christ crucified on the Crosse and signified in baptisme The Infidell seeing children solemnly baptized in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost will rashly and ignorantly coniecture nothing to be there but naked rites and bare water but the faithfull and true Christian doth behold the washing of the soule and cleansing of the heart by the dearest blood of Christ So in the Lords Supper to the vnbeleeuer appeareth nothing but Bread and Wine because we see with our eies wee receiue with our hands wee taste 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 be spiritually receiued and digested Euen as he that is vnlettered and vnlearned if he looke g Esa 29 11 12. vpon the face of a booke beholdeth onely blacke colours and spots vpon the Paper seeth certaine figures and characters of Letters differing each from other but cannot reade the writing or comprehend the meaning but he that hath learned his Letters and is able to reade them reapeth great profite and instruction thereby So is it in the Sacraments He that resteth in the outward signe deceiueth himselfe but hee that respecteth the thing signified receiueth the profit and aduantage The Crosse of Christ and preaching of the Gospel h 1 Cor. 1 23.24 are a stumbling blocke to the Iewes and foolishnesse to the Graecians For the Infidell hearing that Christ was crucified
seed to remember the ordinance of God that baptisme is the seale of his couenant and lastly to make them diligent in nurtering and instructing them in true religion that so their children may learne betimes to become the children of God For what can more inslame vs and set an edge vpon vs to bestow paines and labour in the teaching and training of them vp in the feare of God and the knowledge of his waies then to consider that God loueth them and vs and sheweth himselfe the God both of them and of vs. Lastly this comfort reacheth to the infants themselues that are baptized Comfort to infants baptized when they shall marke that they are solemnly set into Christ and receiued into the bosome of the Church For they haue this lauer of regeneration as it were a pawne of Gods loue alwaies lying by them and committed vnto their trust to apply it in time of need to the assurance of their iustification and sanctification to the strengthning and confirmation of them in all tentations against terrors and feares of conscience Ionathan Sauls son tooke comfort from hence and an occasion to rest and trust in God and to assure himselfe of his helpe when hee spake to his armor bearer Come let vs go ouer vnto the garrison of these vncircumcised 1 Sam. 14 6. it may be that the Lord wil work for vs for there is no restraint to the Lord to saue by many or by few The like we see in Dauid wheÌ„ he was to encounter with Goliah and to deliuer the host of Israel from that blasphemous enemy Thy seruant slew the Lyon and the Beare that tooke a Lamb out of the flocke 1 Sam. 17.26 now this vncircumcised Philâ—stim shall be as one of them seeing he hath defied the armie of the liuing God Wher we see how they coÌ„fort themselus in that which they went about because themselues were circumcised bare a sign of the couenant in their flesh because they had to do with those that were vncircumcised Thus ought our baptism wherby we haue put on Christ as a garment to be as a shield and buckler to defend vs in the houre of tentation and as armour of proofe against the assaults and fiery darts of the Diuell assuring our selues that our engrafting into his body is not an idle ceremony but serueth to make vs strong in the Lord and in the power of his might who will bee neere vnto vs and stand round about vs in the day of trouble Thus much touching the fourth and last inward part of Baptisme CHAP. XII Of the first vse of baptisme HItherto we haue handled the parts of baptisme both outward and inward now let vs proceed to the vses the last point to be obserued in this Sacrament The vses of baptisme are in number a Three vses of baptisme three first to shew our planting ingrafting and incorporating into the body of Christ Secondly to seale vp the remission and forgiuenesse of all our sinnes Thirdly to teach vs to dye vnto sinne and liue vnto righteousnesse and true sanctification These ends b Rom. 6 3 4.5 6. appeare euidently by the words of the Apostle Rom. 6. Know ye not that all we which haue beene baptized into IESVS CHRIST haue beene baptized into his death We are buried then with him by baptisme into his death that like as Christ was raised vp froÌ„ the dead to the glory of the Father so we also should walke in newnesse of life For if wee bee planted with him to the similitude of his death euen so shall wee be to the similitude of his resurrection knowing this that our olde Man is crucified with him that the body of sinne mâ—ght be destroyed that henceforth we should not serue sinne In this place the Apostle seteth before vs the former ends of baptisme expresly Touching the first vse c The first vse oâ— baptism is to shew our ingrafting into Christ he sheweth that by it is signified and sealed our vniting setting d 1 Cor 12 13. and inserting into the body of Christ to remaine in him for euer as branches in the vine as 1. Cor. 12. By one Spirit we are all baptized into one body whether we be bonde or free where he teacheth that by baptisme we become one body with Christ And Gal. 3. All ye that are baptized into Christ haue put on Christ This coniunction with Christ is not bodily or naturall it is not by bands in the flesh it is not by neerenes of blood for such wee see may be separated as the father from the sonne the husband from the wife the brother from the sister but this is wholy mysticall and spirituall aboue reason and aboue sence because it is wrought not by naturall wayes as by ioynts sinewes arteries ligaments and such like but by spirituall meanes to wit by the power of the Spirit and by vertue of faith he sendeth downe his Spirit wee send vp our faith First he must send downe his Spirit because all goodnes is of him Indeed we loue him but it is because he loued vs first giuing vs e Rom. 8 15. the Spirit of adoption to cry Abba father Indeed we come vnto Christ to be eased and refreshed as he commandeth but it is because f Ioh. 6 44. the father draweth vs. Indeed we perseuer in faith and loue but this is because he perseuereth in louing of vs. Indeed we repent and turne vnto God but this is because hee g Ezek. 36 26 27. taketh away our stonie heart and giueth vnto vs an heart of flesh Secondly as he putteth his Spirit within vs so our faith mounteth vp to the heauens and apprehendeth Christ sitting at the right hand of the Father And thus his Spirit descending our faith ascending and both of them ioyning the members to the head the branches to the vine vs to Christ being once ingrafted h Ioh. 15 5 6. we are neuer separated as Ioh. 15. He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth foorth much fruite for without me ye can doe nothing If a man abide not in me he is cast foorth as a branch and withereth and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they burne No man can be partaker of Christs benefits to saluation which is i We are ioyned to Christ in spirituall mariage not made one with him As a woman cannot be partaker of the riches and honour of some great man haue interest in his person except she be ioyned to him in marriage that they become one body and one flesh and as the members cannot draw life from the head except they bee ioyned with it so there is no partaking of Christ except there be an vnion and communion with him k Ioh. 6 53. as himselfe teacheth vs Ioh. 6. Verâ—ly verily I say vnto you except yee eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood yee haue
no life in you If Christ be present to vs life and all things accompanying saluation are present to vs. If Christ bee absent from vs death is present wrath lyeth at the doore life and saluation are absent so that wee are neuer partakers of his graces except wee be as neerely coupled to his humanity as meate and drinke are coupled with our body which of all other is a most neere vnion and inward coniunction Thus we see we are seuered from the world to haue fellowship with Christ and are set once in him for euer l 1 Ioh. 2 19. Rom 8 33 34 35 37 38 39. because he that commeth to Christ once he casteth him not away he shall neuer hunger he shall neuer thirst hee shall not be lost but liue for euer as the Apostle saith 1. Iohn 2. If they had beene of vs doubtles they had continued with vs. And Paul to this purpose saith Rom. 8. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ Shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword In all these wee 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 things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. If once we be ioyned to him in spirituall mariage notwithstanding the difference and disparagement betweene him and vs nothing shall be able to worke our diuorcement from him True it is God findeth vs wallowing m Ezek. 16 4.5 6. in our owne filthinesse polluted in our owne blood defiled by our owne vncleannes he hath made an eternall couenant with vs he hath spoken peace vnto our soules saying Thou shalt liue euen when we were sunke downe in sinne to death he said 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 bee our God he will giue vs one heart 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 Eph. 5 30 32. We are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones this is a great mystery but I speak concerning Christ and concerning the church Where he seemeth to allude to the n Gen. 2 21. first creation of the woman made of one of the ribs of the man shaddowing and shewing our knitting and coniunction with Christ 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 is made by Gods Spirit and by our faith which he hath giuen vs 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 fellowship with Christ and to grow vp into one body with him as he teacheth Ioh. 17 20 21. I pray for all them which shall beleeue in me through their 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 cut off from all hope of life and saluation As then all the substance and nourishment of the tree commeth frō the roote and all the vitall powers of a true naturall body come from the head so it is betweene the Son of God and vs we haue not so much as one drop of the heauenly life in vs of our selues o Ioh. 14 6. Christ is the way 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 p Mar. 16 16. must be Christians before it appeareth to bee 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 confirm it Thus much of the first vse of Baptisme the second followeth CHAP. XIII Of the second vse of Baptisme BEing made one with Christ wee are partakerss of the benefits of his death to wit a The second vse of baptism is to assure forgiuenes of sinnes 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 sins that we may bee vnblameable 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 sins b Acts 2 38 22 16. as appeareth Acts 2. Then Peter said vnto them Amend your liues and be baptized euery 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 sins in calling on the name of the Lord. So the Euangelist witnesseth Marke 1 4. that Iohn did baptize in the wildernesse and preach the baptisme of amendment of life for the remission of sins And the apostle maketh this vse Col. 2 12. Ye are buried with him through baptisme in whom yee are also raised vp together through the faith of the operation of God which raised him vp frō the dead and you which are dead in sins and in the vncircumcision of your flesh hath he quickened together with him forgiuing you all your trespasses The meaning of these places is not that baptism c Baptisme doth not of it selfe conferre grace bestoweth or giueth forgiuenes but only signeth sealeth and assureth our pardon euen as remission of sins and the righteousnes of faith were not in the old Testamēt by circumcision conferred but confirmed vnto the faithful The grace of pardon and forgiuenes of sins 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 works of the old 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 frō 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 cleansing our soules from the corruption and filthinesse of sinne which naturall water hath in washing our bodies By the merit of his death we haue full forgiuenes 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 ful of efficacy Therfore the words deliuered by the minister in baptisme at the commandement of Christ namely e Mat. 28 19. I baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy-Ghost should be alwayes in our eares euen vntill the last gaspe and by them we ought to bee assured of the full forgiuenes of our offences against God For the blood of christ by which we are once washed can neuer bee drawne dry but is euer fresh full of force and strength to the continual clensing of our filthines 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 wherby is confirmed that all our sins are blotted out We are all taught by our baptism that none of the enemies of our saluation shal be able to lay any sin 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 bee brought to iudgement for them Doth Sathan tempt thy tender conscience with theÌ„ 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 surmize thou perishedst in the water as suppose thou shalt perish in thy wickednes the floods wherof howsoeuer they go ouer thy head yet shall not be able to preuaile against thee fully and ouercome thee finally This serueth to conuince diuers hereticks that are altogether ignorant of the right vse of Baptisme The Messalâ—ans beleeued that baptisme was onely auaileable to take away former sinnes De diuin decre ca. de bapt But Theodoret teacheth that baptisme is the earnest of future graces not as a razor to cut away onely the sins that went before The Papists suppose no sinne forgiuen by baptisme in infants but one sin only which is originall In those that are baptized being of age whereof there is small or rare vse in these daies they inlarge and extend it thus farre as that it taketh away both originall and actuall sinnes before baptisme onely wherein although they would seeme to open the Lords hand very wide toward vs yet they are indeed notable Church-robbers who to maintaine their bellies their lusts do vtterly spoile vs not of a piece but of our whole saluation in Iesus Christ whilest they send vs to our owne satisfactions by prayers fastings whippings and such like Note therefore that our Sauiour saith He that beleeueth and is baptized Mar. 16 16. Tit. 3 5. 1 Pet. 3 21. shall be saued Saint Paul saith Tit. 3 5 that baptisme hath saued vs and Peter affirmeth that it doth saue vs 1 Pet. 3 21. Where the saluation that we haue through faith in baptisme being applied to the time past present and to come that is to all times it is euident that baptisme doth as well seale vp vnto vs the remission of the sinnes that wee commit at the last houre of death as the in-borne sinne wherein we were first conceiued in our mothers wombe This Saint Austine saw and therefore teacheth Aust de nuptijs concup lib. 1. cap. 33. that by the lauer of regeneration and word of sanctification all the euils of regenerate men are cleansed not onely sinnes past but such as are committed afterward by ignorance or infirmity so that great is the pardon of baptisme This then ouerthroweth the false d Concil Trid. sess 5. doctrine of the false Church of Rome the Mother of abhominations which teacheth that by the grace of Christ receiued in baptisme all our sinnes going before it are razed and blotted out and leaueth nothing in the party baptized e Bellar. lib. 1. de bapt cap. 13. that hath the name and nature of sin But albeit our sinnes be freely and fully forgiuen for Christs sake pardoned and not imputed couered and remembred no more yet the staine 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 dayes together with the mortality and corruption of our bodies shall be taken away and abolished Indeed the Scripture teacheth that Christs blood cleanseth washeth g Iob. 1.29 Psal 32.1 and taketh away sin Ioh. 1. Behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sin of the world but this is not by an actual purging of vs from all corruption but in freely acquiting and truely discharging vs from the guilt offence and punishment before God as Psal 32 Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sins are lightened blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not sin Therefore though they be forgiuen yet they remaine g 1 Ioh. 1 8. as appeareth Iohn 1 29. If we say we haue no sin we deceiue our selues and there is no truth in vs. And Salomon in his worthy prayer saith If any sin against thee 1 Kings 8 46. Rom 7 23. Eph. 4 23. Col. 3 3. Esay 64 6. for there is no man that sinneth not So the Apostle teacheth and toucheth this truth by his owne experience Rom. 7. I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind and leading me captiue vnto the law of sin which is in my members We are all as a filthy cloth the flesh rebelleth against the Spirit and in nothing we can do the things we would so that if God enter into iudgement with vs wee cannot stand in his sight And if originall sinne were extinguished and vtterly abolished in baptisme then they which are baptized should sin no more but we see they sin againe after their baptisme To conclude baptisme is auaileable not onely for sins before but it is a seale for confirmation of faith touching the remission of those sins that are committed after baptisme as well as done before as our blessed Sauiour teacheth Marke 16 16. Hee that shall beleeue and bee baptized shall be saued but he that will not beleeue shall be damned Faith then beleeueth the forgiuenes of all sinnes past and to come inasmuch as the blood of Christ cleanseth froÌ„ all sins And the apostle accordeth heereunto Titus 3 5 7. According to his mercy hee saued vs by the washing of the newe birth and the renewing of the Holy-Ghost that we being iustified by his grace should be made heires according to the hope of euerlasting life Where we see that the promise of iustification is generall against all sinnes Thus much of the second vse CHAP. XIIII Of the third vse of Baptisme THe third vse of baptisme is to kill and bury
baptized and washed with water we shall pay dearely for our defiling 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 substaunce and nature then that wherewith wee wash our hands but when once it is ioyned to the word and applyed to an holy end it is as it were an authentical seale which God hath engrauen in it Now he that counterfeiteth the seale of a Prince shall he not be punished Behold baptisme is the seale of God which serueth not to seale conueyances of earthly possessions as house and lands but to assure vs that we 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 Lord Iesus Christ and borne againe by his holy Spirit Shall we breake all and escape vnpunished Let vs not then boast of our baptisme and Christianity to say oh we are baptized we are christened we weare the badge of God these things these things I say will cost vs deare if we make not our baptisme auaileable to our selues and our owne soules by killing our corruptions for thereby l Eccl. 5 3. wee shew our selues like vnto the foole that maketh a vow and immediately after breaketh it For what a misery is this that scarce one of an hundred knoweth the right end of his baptisme and whereunto it auaileth So that albeit they boast of the outward signe yet they are no more sound Christians indeed then Turks and Pagans Infidels and miscreants inasmuch as they are no way mortified or renewed by repentance no way changed in the inward man but lye rotting in their sinnes and remaine in the condemnation of Adam These shall one day finde by wofull experience what a costly thing it is to take so deare a pawne of saluation at the hands of God in vaine Indeed we beare the name of Christ and we professe the Gospell yet you shall find a great number that know not this vse of baptisme nor to what end it was ordained They doe call it indeede their Christendome but are altogether ignorant of the nature thereof and are vnacquainted with the effect of it yea they bring their children to no other purpose to be baptized then because it is the vsual manner and common custome so to do being led thereunto not by the commandement of Christ but by the example of others forasmuch as they can giue no reason at all of that they do This will cost them deerely for abusing such a pledge-token at Gods hands seeing it is a meanes wherby 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 forty or fifty yeares in the world without knowing to what end they were baptized it had beene better for them that they had beene borne dead or perished in their mothers womb as an vntimely fruit then to haue vnhallowed so holy and precious a thing Thus much 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 THIRD BOOKE of the Lords Supper being Christs farewel-token to his Church and a sweete pledge of his wonderfull kindnesse toward mankinde wherein the truth of this Sacrament is manifested the parts are deliuered the vses are shewed the Doctrine of the reformed Churches is cleared 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. I. Of the names and titles of this Sacrament together with the reasons and vses thereof IN the former Booke wee haue spoken of baptisme the first SacrameÌ„t of the church together with the parts and vses thereof Now we are to set downe the doctrine of the Lords Supper which is the second Sacrament For after that God hath brought vs into his Church by baptisme and made vs as it were of his houshold seruants then as a good father of the family he feedeth vs spiritually with the flesh of his Sonne applying vnto vs the merit of his death and passion This a The Sacrament of the body and blood oâ— christ called by diuers names Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ is declared in the Scripture by diuers names to deliuer the nature thereof vnto vs. Sometimes it is called the communion as 1 Cor. 10. The cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the b 1 Cor 10.16 communion of the blood of Christ The bread which we breake is it not the communion of the body of Christ Sometimes it is called the Lords Supper as 1 Cor. 11 20. When yee come together into one place this is not to eate c 1 Cor. 11 20 the Lords Supper Thirdly sometimes it is called the breaking of bread as Acts 2. They continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship d Act. 2 42. and 20 7. and breaking of bread and prayers and cha 20. The first day of the weeke the Dâ—sciples being come together to breake bread Paul preached vnto them ready to depart on the morrow Fourthly sometimes it is called the table of the Lord as we see 1 cor 10. Ye cannot drinke the cup of the Lord and the cup of Diuels ye cannot be partakers of the Lords e 1 Cor. 10 21 table and of the table of diuels Moreouer we shall nothing offend if we call it the testament or will of Christ This cup is the f 1 Cor. 11 â—5 Mat. 26 2â— new Testament in my blood this do as oft as ye drinke it in remembrance of me and our Sauiour thus speaketh Mat. 26. This is my blood of the new testament that is shed for many for the remission of sins These are the chiefe and principal names giuen to this Sacrament in the Scriptures I am not ignorant that the ancient fathers and times succeeding haue giuen vnto it other names and not vnfitly but my purpose being not so much to alledge the counsels or Doctours of the Church as to instruct the simple and vnlearned I will content my selfe with expounding such termes and titles as are penned in the worde of God and pointed out by the Spirit of God Now then let vs render g Reasons rendred of the former names the reasons of such names as this Sacrament is entituled withall It is called the communion because wee haue a communion and fellowship with Christ and h 1 Cor. 10.17 he with vs both which are sealed vp in this Sacrament It is called the Lords Supper both because it was instituted by the Lord Iesus at his last Supper which circumstance of time the Church hath changed because therin is offered to vs a spiritual banket in which the faithfull are spiritually fed and nourished It is called the breaking of
Christ our Sauiour Luke 17. Luke 17 4. If thy brother trespasse against thee seauen times in a day and seauen times in a day turne againe to thee sayâ—ng I repent thou shalt forgiue him But if he hate vs and will not forgiue vs yet are not we discharged or dispensed withall either to hate him againe or to refuse the partaking of the diuine ordinances of God but we must freely forgiue him and publikely professe loue to him and all others and then we may with a sound heart and a safe conscience come to this Sacrament But it may be further obiected Obiection It may be they bee farre off so that I cannot come to reconcile my selfe vnto them What then yet if thou freely forgiue Answere and heartily desire to be forgiuen and hast an earnest and full purpose to do it if he were present God accepteth of the inward affection in stead of a reall reconciliation Wherefore no mans absence ought to hinder our presence at this communion If there were in vs a right zeale to God a true feeling of our owne wants and a sound knowledge of the vse of this Sacrament wee would easily ouerstride all these excuses which are deuices of men and engines of Sathan cast into mens harts to turne them out of the right way and to draw them to destruction We come to the Communion which is so called as Damascene teacheth Damas lib. 4. cap 14. de orthodox fide not onely because we communicate with Christ and be partakers of his flesh and diuinity but likewise because by it we do communicate and are vnited one with another so that we all professe to be at vnity and in charity among our selues as members of the same body and so beare our selues as if we would neuer liue in malice one with another againe Howbeit wee do rather lay it downe then shake it off we do rather cunningly suppresse it for a time then vtterly pull it vp by the rootes and therfore we are no sooner departed but by and by we are ready to breake out into our former euil courses and shew our selues to be as full of enuy and debate as euer we were before Many that come to the holy Communion are like to Serpents Thus we are like to that serpent which when shee goeth to drinke layeth away her poyson and taketh it againe when she hath done If wee deale thus with our brethren discontinuing our dissention with theÌ„ for a small season rather then destroying it what are we better then a generation of Vipers vnworthy to be called Gods children and vnfit to be accounted his guests The second title giuen to this Sacrament is r Thâ— vses of calling this Sacrament the Lords Supper the Lords Supper by which name it is now most vsually and commoÌ„ly called both because it was so instituted by Christ after his last Supper and is celebrated in the remembrance of Christ Heereby we learne first who is the author of this Vse 1 Sacrament not Peter not Paul not any of the apostles not any man not any angel but Christ Iesus God and man and therefore it is not called the Supper of the apostles or of any man but of Christ himselfe as the apostle speaketh of baptisme Å¿ 1 Cor. 1 13.15 Was Paul crucified for you Either were ye baptized into the name of Paul I baptized none into mine owne name Wherefore this title serueth to teach vs and to put vs in minde of the author of this Sacrament Secondly seeing this Sacrament is not a common supper Vse 2 but an holy and heauenly banket fully furnished not to fill the body but to feede the soule we must come with an earnest desire and longing after Christ hungring and thirsting after his righteousnesse and merits as after our life to be made partakers thereof For neuer did the body more stand in need of corporall food then doth the soule of this t Ioh. 6 27. Bread of life which came downe from heauen which the Father hath promised to giue vnto vs. Lastly it condemneth our u Rhâ—â—â— Test annot in 1 cor 11. English Rhomists and other Vse 3 a Bellar. de Messa lib. 2. ca. 10. romish readers of popish diuinity that wholy condemne this name and title as vnproper vnfit for this Sacrament and vnderstand the Apostle to speake of the loue-feasts when he speaketh of the Lords Supper Indeed in the Apostles times they vsed to meete together in one common place not onely for the hearing of the word for the receiuing of the Sacraments and for prayer to God but to keep certaine feasts which of their end or vse were called b Iude Verse 22. 2. Pet. 2.13 feasts of charity as Iude speaketh But of these the apostle speaketh not when he named the Lords Supper For first let them shew vs the place where euer these loue-feasts are called the Lords Supper and then they may warrant their exposition by some colour otherwise we cannot receiue their interpretation being of pâ—iuate motion Secondly if this title were meant of loue-feast to what purpose should the apostle bring in the institution of the sacrament of the body blood of Christ and largely handle the doctrine thereof Whereas their abuses in their loue-feasts might bee reformed and redressed without this mention and remembrance of the Supper Thirdly to what end should these solemne feasts and bankets be called the Lords Supper which were not instituted in the honour of Christ but to testifie the mutuall loue of those that were members of the same body hauing God for their merciful Father the Church for their tender Mother and Christ for their elder brother These might rather be called the supper of men then of the Lord being feasts of charity not of piety Fourthly the Apostles drift and purpose in this place is to teach that such as nourish dssention and diuision paâ—take the Lords Supper vnworthily and therefore willeth them when they come to communicate with the Lord to shake out of their mindes all vncharitable affections as chaffe from good corne that so they may assemble together with profite and not with hurt Fiftly this Supper was administred by the Lord and instituted by him and therefore is fitly called the Supper of the Lord whereas these loue-feasts the Lord neither administred nor instituted This then sheweth the folly of our aduersaries that loue any kind of names better then such as are vsed in the holy Scriptures Last of all to call this Sacrament by the name of the Lords Supper vsually among the ancient Fathers c Cipri in sacrâ—m de caena derâ—n of the Church grounding theÌ„selues from the authority of the Scripture and example of the Apostle yea thus some of their owne writers d Schol. Ioh. Gagâ— in 1 Cor. 11. Hâ—ij conseâ—â—e â—thâ—â—â—â—m 2 cap. 30. â—im 1. 〈◊〉 40. cal this Sacrament and expound the words of Saint Paul to the Corinthians If
repentance without assurance of the loue and fauour of God without a sound resolution to liue a liuely meÌ„ber of Christ withou meditation of the benefits of his passion without acknowledgement of the greatnesse of the mercy shewed toward vs by consideration of the greatnesse of the torment that was prepared for vs for all this we may do and yet be condemned for not comming at all And let vs marke this as the last point and take it as a farewell that the cause of all these excuses and colourable pretences is the suffering of some one maister-sinne to raigne in vs there is one predominant or capitall sinne that thus hath the vpper hand ouer vs the which till it be pulled vp by the rootes will â—euer suffer any grace of the Spirit or duty of obedience to grow in vs. This maketh our hearts heauy and casteth vs into a dead sleepe that we cannot heare the voice of God Let vs therefore learne betimes to prepare our selues by humiliation by confession by prayer and by bewailing the want or weakenesse of grace in vs that so iudging our selues for our sinnes we may not be iudged of the Lord. CHAP. III. Of the first outward part of the Lords Supper HItherto we haue shewed what the Lords supper is and how to apply it to our instruction now we are to coÌ„sider in this Sacrament two things his parts and his vses as we haue shewed in the former bookes The parts are partly outward and partly inward A man is a compound creature made of flesh and of a reasonable soule as Athanasius speaketh in his Creed If the question were asked whether man were a mortall creature or immortall earthly or heauenly visible or inuisible no man could rightly answere without a distinction that he is earthly touching his body and heauenly touching his Spirit In like sort we must consider touching the Lords Supper which is made of an earthly and an heauenly thing and therefore if the question were demanded touching this Sacrament whether it be an earthly or heauenly thing we may answere it is both and must resolue that in part it is earthly and in part heauenly earthly in the signe and heauenly in the matter that is signified Let vs vnderstand this well and acknowledge the diuers natures and parts of it There had neuer risen so great diuision and confusion in the Church touching the Sacrament if this distinction had beene well obserued The ignorance of this point hath bred much strife and debate for whilst some iudge of it according to the inward thing and some according to the outward onely the truth of the Lords Supper hath beene buried in silence both sorts forgetting that the prouidence of God and his louing kindnesse did abase it selfe vnto our capacity not onely yeelding words to our eares but visible signes to our eyes whereby he would exhibite to our faith spirituall things The outward part is one thing the inward part is another thing the outward is taken in at the mouth the inward by the inward man the outward is turned into the nourishment of the body the inward worketh in vs to eternal life the outward is taken by some to their destruction but the inward alwaies to saluation This appeareth euidently by the words of the Apostle deliuering to the Church what he had receiued of the Lord and declaring how the same night he was betrayed Hee tooke bread and a 1 Cor. 11 23 22 25 Mat 26 26. 28 29. when hee had giuen thankes he brake it and said Take ye eate ye this is my body which is broken for you this do ye in remembrance of me After the same manner also He tookâ— the cup when he had supped saying This cup is the new testament in my blood this do as oft as ye drinke it in remembrance of me In these words we see both the outward parts propounded and the number of them defined and determined For heere are b Foure outward parts of the Lords Supper foure outward parts handled to wit the Minister the words of institution the bread and wine and the Communicants The first Minister thereof was Christ the words of institution are This is my body giuen for you this is the cup of the new testament in my blood the signes are bread and wine the first Communicants were the Apostles So then the Ministers must do that which Christ did and the people that which the Disciples did the actions of Christ are directions to the Minister the actions of the Apostles are directions to the people I am not ignorant that it seemeth hard and harsh to some to make the Minister and receiuer of the Sacrament to bee parts thereof I am not willing to contend about words and names where we agree in the substance of the matter forasmuch as euery one confesseth that these two are outward things which being wanting there can be no Sacrament Againe I haue declared in the first booke and the fourth chapter in what sence I call them parts to wit because the Minister standeth in the place of God and his outward actions do represent the inward actions of God the Father as is farther proued in the 8. chap. of this booke and the receiuer doth nothing in receiuing in eating and in drinking but it hath his inward signification as we may see in the 11. chap. following Lastly I would haue the indifferent reader vnderstand that I say no more then others of the learned haue said before me in other words howbeit in the same meaning who make two kinds of signes the one elementall the other rituall the one in the matter the other in the forme The signes elementall in this Sacrament are the bread and wine the signes rituall are the giuing and taking of the elements which are the proper actions of the Minister and of the receiuer Whether therefore you call the Minister and the receiuer signes or parts or outward things it is not greatly materiall so that we confesse and ioyne together in this that the outward actions performed as well by the one as the other haue a relation to some other thing resembled by them Let vs then see the actions of Christ He tooke bread he blessed he brake the bread he poured out the Wine he distributed and deliuered them both Wherefore the actions and workes of the Minister are c Foure actions of the Minister foure-fold First to take the bread and wine into his hands after the example of Christ who did it to shew that himselfe willingly giueth himselfe for his Church which serueth to strengthen our faith and perswasion of his loue toward vs in whose imitation the Minister doth it to represent the action of God the Father giuing his Son vnto vs for our full redemption The second action is blessing and giuing of thanks that is by prayer by thanksgiuing and by rehearsall of the promises of God together with the institution of Christ actually to separate the
bread and wine so taken from their coÌ„mon vse to an holy vse Wherby we are giueÌ„ to vnderstand that the outward creatures are reuerently to be vsed calling vpon the name of God and crauing his assistance to vse his ordinance as we ought to do and that we should ioyfully praise God for the gracious work of our ful redemption by Christ The third action is breaking the bread pouring out the wine which are necessary rites to be obserued hauing respect relation to the vnspeakable torments of Christ for vs who was pierced crucified made a curse for vs vpon the Crosse d Psal 22 16. Esay 53 5. as the Prophet teacheth He was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon him with his stripes we are healed Wherefore these Sacramentall rites of breaking and pouring out are not to be reiected and omitted being vsed by e Mat. 26 26. Act. 2 42. 1 Cor. 10 16. Christ practised by his Apostles and retained by the Churches Not as in the Church of Rome where they breake not to distribute to the people neither poure out the wine to giue vnto them as we shall shew at large in the end of this chapter So then we see that whole bread is not to be deliuered but that the bread is to be broken and the wine to be poured out to be distributed among sundry Communicants The last action of the Minister is to distribute the bread and wine and giue them into the hands of the people present Christ did not offer them vp to God but deliuered them to his Disciples All these being workes to be done and performed by the Minister in the administration of this Sacrament do note out the actions of God the Father scaling vp his Son vnto vs as we shall see afterward when we come to the inward parts Vse 1 Now let vs enter into the consideration of the vses of this part Are these the actions commanded 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 appointed Priests of the new testament to offer vp an vnbloody sacrifice for the quicke and dead as the Church of Rome teacheth and practiseth They are commanded as Ministers of God to deliuer the outward signes to the people not as Priests to offer them to God the Father they are appointed Preachers of the Gospell not Priests of the law which were to abolish the Priest-hood of Christ Wherefore wee must detest the blasphemy of these shamelesse shauelings f Stella Clericorum seâ—dis Serm. 3. that teach the Priest to be the maker of his maker that he which made them g Creâ—tura vobis mediantibus vobis gaue them power and authority to make him and so after a sort preferre themselues being the sacrificers before Christ who is the Sacrifice themselues 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 h Num. 3 10. Heb. 5 â— to priuate persons to deliuer Vse 2 it to others nor to take it to themselues and deliuer it to themselues when or where there is no Minister They may indeed apply to themselues the outward signes they may eate the bread and drinke the wine and in respect of the sacramentall rites do 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 before stood vpon If the keeper of the Princes broad seale be not in the way or for the present be not to be gotten shall any man presume to take it where it lieth without direction without commandement Such a one worthily beareth his punishment whosoeuer he be In like manner albeit one should earnestly desire the Sacrament of the body blood of Christ and euen faint in soule for the fruition of it finding himself in his longing affection able to take it himselfe without the assistance of another yet euery one must consider his guifts his standing his calling and place wherein God hath set him he hath not committed to priuate persons the administration of the Sacraments they may not preach the Gospell they may not baptize their children they may not meddle with the Lords Supper no more then common subiects may take the Princes seale if the keeper be not in the way Against this euident truth i Two obiections answered pretending that priuate meÌ„ may deliuer the Supper two things 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 before we haue resolued vpon namely Accedat verbum ad elementum fit Sacramentum that is Ioyne the word of institution to the outward signe and there is made a Sacrament Secondly it seemeth to leaue sicke persons without comfort in their hearts and peace to themselues if for want of a publike 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 dispensation of the Sacraments Touching the former point being a ruled case of Saint Augustine k Aug. Tract 80. in Iohan. 13 that if the signe be annexed to the word a Sacrament is ordained we doubt not to affirme the rule vndoubtedly to be true being truely and rightly vnderstood For the meaning is if there be an outward signe which is the matter and a word of institution which is the forme of the Sacraments l Aristot metaphys lâ—b 7. cap. 7. the essence of them is fully finished as if there be the matter forme of an house we conclude rightly there is an house Howbeit we presuppose there 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 shal also warre vnder the ensigne of our enemies vnawares who hold it to be the Supper of the Lord m Bellar. lib 4. de Euâ—b cap. 2. conâ—t Trâ—d fâ—ss 13. can 4 7. 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 we see that more is required then the signe the word in the worke 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
5. Byshop of Rome was the first that Å¿ Barth Caranza sum Concil Florent p. 458. mingled water with wine at consecration ordained that the oblation should be of vnleauened t Polid. Virg. de inuentor Rerum lib. 5. cap. 9. bread and not of leauened as till that time had beene vsed Wherefore let vs retaine and maintaine the plaine and simple institution of Christ who in his last Supper gaue wine not water to be drunke for he calleth it the fruite u Mat. 26 29. of the vine which is wine and not water Againe they may be pressed and hampered with their owne dreames and deuices For whereas they hold that the wine must be mingled with water that the elements after the words of consecration are transubstantiated and remaine in their owne nature no more I would aske this question of these Watermen rowing in the troubled sea of their owne decrees who are neere of kin a Papists are neere of kin to the old hereticks called Aquarij to the old hereticks called Aquarij whether the water mixed with the wine be turned into blood If they say it is not then they deny transubstantiation of all that is within the cup and so shake the vertue of their consecration in pieces if they say it is then will they make Christ a watery body and elemeÌ„tall besides it cannot be by vertue of Christs institution where water is neither expressed nor included So then their best defence is to answere with the Pharisies b Mat. 21.23 We cannot tell To conclude let vs not seeke to be wiser theÌ„ Christ nor to mingle together more mysteries then we haue learned of him as Paul saith of his owne practise c 1 Cor. 11 23 That which I receiued of the Lord I haue deliuered vnto you Neither Prophet nor Apostle nor Angel from heauen is to teach otherwise then Christ himselfe hath taught as he charged his disciples Teach them to obserue all things whatsoeuer I haue commanded you He hath supreame authority in the Church his doctrine alone should be heard as the Father himselfe witnesseth from heauen d Mat. 17 5. This is my beloued Son in whom I haue delight heare h m. We are not to regard what other before vs haue thought meete to do but what Christ did who is before all other and called himselfe the truth e Cyprian epist and not custome Thus much of the third outward part of the Lords Supper to wit the two signes of bread and wine CHAP. VI. Of the fourth outward part of the Lords Supper THe last outward part remaineth which are the a The fourth outward part are the communicants communicants whose actions are outward to take the bread and wine into their hands then to eate the bread drinke the wine to the nourishment of their bodyes b Mat. 26 26. as is directly proued by the institution of this Sacrament where Christ gaue the bread and cup into their hands the Disciples receiued the one and the other they did eate the bread and all dranke of the cup. These being the necessary actions of euery receiuer to take to eate to drinke it beateth downe many false doctrines of the Church of Rome as their reseruation ostentation eleuation adoration circumgestation procession and priuate communion it teacheth also many necessary truths to direct our knowledge and increase our obedience which we will consider in order Vse 1 First of al did Christ command his Disciples to eate and drinke that he deliuered and posted them not ouer to eate thereof when they were departed neither willed them to defer their eating vntill afterward then all keeping reseruing of bread in boxes pixes and other vessels of the Church for dayes weekes and months all shewing it to the people c Con. Trid. sess 3. can 5. lifting it ouer the Priests head and going with it in procession is vtterly vnlawful For it is no Sacrament vnlesse it be vsed according to Christs institution and coÌ„mandement but to the institution it belongeth as on the behalfe of the Minister to take to blesse to poure out and to distribute so on the behalfe of the communicants to take to eate and to drinke in them all to shew therby the Lords death and to do it in remembrance of him which cannot be performed but by obseruing the whole action For how can they shew the Lords death or do it in remembrance of Christ vnlesse they take and eate And as the Paschal lambe was not that passeouer vnlesse it were killed and eaten no more is the bread and wine a Sacrament except they be receiued and digested The Passeouer was the same in effect with the Lords Supper d Reuel 13 8. who was the lambe slaine from the beginning of the world Now God commanded that none of it should remaine vnto the morning but the remnant e Exod 12 10 should be consumed with fire The like may be saide of Manna the same in substance with this Sacrament it was not to be kept caried about Let no man f Exod. 16 19 reserue therof till morning Besides there is the same reason of the cup of the bread but they reserue not the wine they carry it not about to shew the people why then should they keepe the other part Likewise when Christ said to his Apostles g Mat. 28 20. Goe baptize the nations it was no baptisme by the h Hâ—â—si Confess de Euchar st cap. â—9 confession of the aduersaries themselues vnlesse there were some person baptized so when Christ said Take and eate there is no Sacrament vnlesse there be a receiuing and eating For as the one standeth in washing so doth the other in eating and drinking not in keeping and reseruing not in carying in procession on a white horse not in hanging it vp vnder a Canopy nor in bearing it to the sicke with bell and candle Christ tooke bread and gaue it to his Disciples saying i Mat. 26 26.27 1 Cor. 11 26. Eate ye he tooke the cup and when he bad giuen thanks he said Drinke ye all of this do this in remembrance of me as often as ye shall eate this bread and drinke of this cup ye shew the Lords death till he come But they hang it in the pixe beare it in boxes and carry it about in publike triumphes and in common calamities when any iudgement of war plague pestilence and famine and like visitation is among them then their Iacke in the boxe goeth abroad in solemne k Concil Trid sess 13. cap. 5. processions to be seene which is the way to increase not to slacke to kindle not to quench to prouoke not to reuoke the iudgments of God gone out against them Besides they shew this Sacrament to the simple people to fal downe to it as to a God they put it vpon the breasts of the dead and sometimes lay it in the graue with them I thinke
the quicke the dead abolishing the fruite and remembrance of the death of Christ disanulling his Priest-hood giuing him to his Father whereas the Father hath giuen him to vs and imagining thereby to pay a price to God which he shold receiue as a satisfaction for our sins True it is the Lords Supper may afâ—er a sort be called a sacrifice not as the Church of Rome meaneth a In wine â—eaâ— Ch â—ists Suâ—pâ—◠〈◊〉 be caâ—led a â—acâ—ifiâ—e but because therein we offer vp praises thanksgiuings to God for that sacrifice of attonemeÌ„t once made vpon the Crosse which is most acceptable to God and because such as come aright thereunto offer vp themselue wholy to God a reasonable holy and liuing sacrifice and lastly because therby we cal to our remembrance the bloody sacrifice of Christ with all the circumstances thereof the shame of the Crosse the darkenesse of the heauen the shaking of the earth the renting of the ayre the cleauing of the rocks the reproches of the Iewes the taunts of the Souldiors the opening of the graues and the conquering of the Diuell For the Christians in former times b The Fathers of the church liuing among the Gentile called thâ— sâ—pper a saâ—â—â—â— perceiuing that many both Iewes and Gentiles refused to imbrace the faith of Christ and to ioyne themselues to the Church because they pretend the want of sacrifices among thâ—m and nature engrafted in all nations this principle that we haue no free accesse to God no true peace to our selues 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 pride of his heart vnder the formes of bread and wine o offer vp Christ the Sonne of God in sacrifice to his Father and to dare to desire the Father fauourably to behold and accept his owne Sonne is idolatry blasphemy horrible impiety to be detested of all true hearted Christians Touching the originall of d The originall of the word Masse 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 theÌ„ depart that were nouices in the faith and such as by Church-discipline e Folid 〈◊〉 de inuent Rerum lâ—b 5. c 19. were remoued from the Communion This dimission of them was noted by the word Mâ—ssâ— signifying a sending away and licensing to depart and thus some of f Suctâ—â— in Calâ—g cap 24. the heathen vsed it The name then being in it selfe not euill is turned into an euill practise and therefore 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 worthines 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 lift vp themselues aboue Christ Secondly if Christ bee really offered in the Masse then hee 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 were killed And Holâ—â—t one of the schoolemen saith If there had beene a thousand hosts n a thousand places at the same time that Christ d d hang vpon the Crosse g 〈…〉 lâ—b sent â—â— 3. Christ had beene crucified in a thousand places Wherefore they that really sacrificed our Sauiour Christ did in that act really and wickedly kill him so that the Priests of Baal if they will be sacrificers of Christ must acknowledge themselues therein the reall murtherers of Christ Thirdly new sacrifices are not to be instituted by men without commandement of God as Moses teacheth Deut. 12. We must not do what seemeth good in our own eyes but take heed and heare all these words which he commandeth vs. Now Christ neuer said Sacrifice ye my body 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 himselfe to God end desire him then to accept the sacrifice of his body and blood Fiftly if the bread and wine remain 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 i 1 Cor. 10 16 bread to his disciples and Paul teacheth that it is the bread which is broken and that as often as they shall eate 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 apart and afterward deliuered them both apart but the body of Christ was neuer sacrificed without the blood nor the blood without the flesh for Christ offered vpoÌ„ the Altar of the Crosse the sacrifice of his body and blood together this is the cause that he saide Take ye eate 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. We are sanctified by the offering of Iesus Christ k Heb. 10.12 once made ver 12. This man after he had offered one sacrifice for sinnes sitteth at the right hand of God And the Apostle 1 Tim. 2. There is one meditator betweene God and men the man Iesus Christ who gaue himselfe a ransome for all men So 1 Ioh. 2. If any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and hee is the propitiation for our sins Likewise Heb. 9. By his owne blood he entred in once vnto the holy place obtained eternall redemption for vs not that he should offer himselfe l Heb. 9 12 25 often as the high Priest entred into the holy place euery yeare with other blood for then must he haue often suffered since the foundation of the world but now in the end of the world hath he bin made manifest once to put away sin by the sacrifice of himselfe We haue plentifull testimonies of this truth in this Epistle as chap. 10. Where remission of these things is there is no m Heb 10 18 more offering for sin If then we haue remission by the sacrifice of Christ all other sacrifices are superfluous and abrogate his al-sufficient sacrifice So Rom. 6. In that he dyed he dyed for sin n Rom. 6 10. once And 1. Pet. 3. Christ also hath once suffered for sins the iust for the vniust 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 only oblation of Christ once offered by himselfe be sufficient al 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 o Heb. 5 4 5. no man taketh this honour to himselfe but he that is called of God as was Aaron so likewise Christ tooke not to himselfe this honour to be made the high-Priest but he that said to him Thou art my Sonne this day I begat thee gaue it him But Christ is the onely Priest of the new testament his Priesthood is immortall and eternall he liueth for euer therfore the popish Priest-hood is a plant neuer planted by the heauenly Father the p Ioh. 15 1.2 true husband-man and the popish Priests were neuer called of God to sacrifice the body and blood of Christ he gaue vnto them no such authority q Mat. 15 23. and therfore 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 trye it otherwise we must take them for vsurpers and counterfeit Officers in the citty of God Ninthly the Apostle teacheth that without shedding of blood is no r Heb. 9 22. remission But in the vnbloody 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 he doth daily satisfie for sinne for the end of his offering is to make satisfaction as Rom. 4 25. Å¿ Rom. 4 25. He was deliuered to death for our sinnes and is risen againe for our iust ficat on And Gal. 1 4. He gaue himselfe for our sinnes that bee mâ—ght deliuer vs from this present euill world But he doth not make satisfaction for our sinnes no more then now he dyeth and riseth againe for then Christ would not haue said t Ioh. 1â— 30. It is finished nor the Apostle * Heb. 9 12. He entred 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 al true Christians are Priests to offer vp their bodyes an acceptable sacrifice vnto God which is their reasonable seruice of God and to offer vp a broken and contrite spirit as 1 Pet. 3 9. Ye are a chosen generation u 1 Pet. 2 9. a royall Priesthood and an holy nation And Reuel 1. Hee hath loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his blood made vs Kings and Pr ests 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 a Heb. 6 20. Psal 110.4 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 b The Masse is no propitiatory sacrifice fâ—â— the dead â—o wit the price and redemption of â—oules the sinnes of the dead that are come to the end of their dayes Indeed we deny not but the Masse may be beneficial to the rabble of Fryers and sacrificing Priests that make it gainefull to themselues who through their sale and merchandize of Masses dwell stately go sumptuously fare delicately drinke wine in siluer and gold abound in pleasures and heape vp great aboundance of all riches shall we not now say the Masse is profitable But other profit of the Masses theÌ„ these to the Masse-mongers we know none We know we finde we feele them otherwise many waies pernitious 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 dead and to be a propitiation for their sinnes For Christ said Take and eate this is my body drinke ye this is my blood but the dead cannot take any thing offered vnto them they can neither eate nor drinke wherefore this Supper being spirituall meate and nourishment for the soule cannot auaile the dead who are neither fed nor nourished Secondly it profiteth as much to be baptized for the dead as to receiue the Supper of the Lord for the dead 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 liuing comming to receiue the Sacrament of the Supper cannot releeue the dead Thirdly there is no forgiuenesse of sinnes after this life we haue forgiuenesse in this life or neuer Whatsoeuer is bound on earth is bound in heauen Heere is the time heere is the place heere is the occasion offered to worke as the wise man teacheth Eccl. 9. All that thine hand shall find to do do it with all thy power for there is c Eccl. 9 10. neither worke nor inuent on nor knowledge nor wâ—sedome in the graue whither thou goest And Heb. 3. To day if ye will heare his voyce harden not your hearts Wherefore then is a sacrifice offered for the dead for whom there is no reliefe no redresse no remission Fourthly it is vaine to offer for those that haue ended their dayes and are already come to the end of their race d Ioh. 9 4. and 11 9 10. whose estate can neuer be changed This the Euangelist Iohn teacheth Chap. 9 4. The night commeth when no man can worâ—e and Chap. 11. Are there not twelue houres in the day If a man walke in the day hee stumbleth not because hee seeth the liâ—ht of this world And chap. 11.9 10. If a man walke in the night he stumbleth because there is no light in him And Paul 2. Tim. 4. I haue fâ—ught a good fight I haue sin shed my race I haue kept the faith from henceforth is laid vp for me the crowne of righteousnesse But this is the estate of all the dead they are entred into iudgement they are not subiect to any change Lastly if the sacrifice of the Masse could wash away the sinnes of the dead theÌ„ the sacrifice of the Masse should surmount and exceed 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
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 thanksgiuings vnto God the Father for our redemption be an oblation and a sacrifice we haue both a Sacrament and a sacrifice in our Churches though we offer not vp Christs body to be a propitiatory sacrifice for the redemption both of the quicke and dead vnto his Father We offer vp as much as Å¿ We offer vp as much as Christ commanded vs. Christ commanded vs to offer but that sacrifice was once offered vp vpon the Crosse he was the Priest he 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 Son of God vnder his foot counteth the blood of the new Testament vnholy and hath renounced saluation by Iesus Christ Now if we cleauing precisely to the institution of Christ doe not consecrate what may be thought of the popish Priests who whisper their words closely that no man heareth vse a strange tongue that no man vnderstandeth bring in priuate Masses whereat none communicate deliuer dry Communions wherein no man drinketh exhort no man speake to no man and if they do consecrate they consecrate onely for themselues not for others Wherefore we detest the opprobrious and blasphemous speeches of the prophane Papists who in t 2 Sam 16 7. 2 King 18 â—5 the spirit of Shemei and of Rabshaketh raile falsly 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 speake basely proudly and scornefully of our communions but all the world knoweth they speake vntruely We hold an effectual consecration in both the Sacraments though we deny a reall conuersion into the body blood of Christ the water in baptisme is no more common water u Gal. 3.27 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 Vse 2 Againe are these signes sanctified and consecrated that are deliuered and receiued then heereby we learne what is to be thought of the remnants and leauings remaining after the Lords Supper For who seeth not heereby that the bread and wine out 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 Therefore a Hosich in Leuit lib. 2 ca 8 among diuers the remainder was accustomably vsed to be burned b Euagri lib. 4. cap. 8. Niceph. lib. 17. cap 25. among some it was giueÌ„ to little childreÌ„ that were in the schooles among others they did eate it in the c Hieron com in 1 Cor. 11. common assembly at their feasts 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 Sacraments 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 d Num. 10 10 the rocke in the wildernesse where the waters flowing from thence represented the blood of Christ to the Israelites that drank therof not to the beasts and cattell that were watered by it So much was consecrated water as they receiued not all the rest So when Iohn e Mat. 3 6. baptized in Iordan not all the Riuer but all that which was applyed was sanctified So when he baptized in f Ioh 3 23. Fnon because there was much water there not the whole streame was hallowed but so much as he vsed Wherefore whatsoeuer remaineth after the celebration of the Sacraments may be applyed lawfully to coÌ„mon and ordinary vses and therefore all superstition touching any of them is to be auoyded Moreouer if the sanctification of euery creature whether Vse 3 in the Sacraments or out of the Sacraments 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 guift 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 thanksgiuing to the Lord. Indeed euery creature of God in it selfe is good and euery guift is holy yet if we partake them without praising the name of the giuer and creator to vs they become vnholy vncleane and vnpure Now if this be needful in vsing the common creatures and guifts of God much more is it necessary in receiuing these pledges and seales of feeding our soules to eternall life Behold heere the cause that moued Christ when he had taken the bread to giue thanks to his Father wherein hee sheweth what belongeth to the duty of the Minister and of the communicants to wit that we ought to lift vp our hearts to God to praise him for giuing his onely begotten Sonne to be our redeemer humbly to pray vnto him that our vnworthinesse hinder not the effectuall working of his Sacraments but that through his goodnes and mercy they may haue their full force in our hearts for the pardoning of our sinnes for the increase of his graces for the confirming of our faith for the quickning of our obedience and for the preseruing of body and soule to eternall life Thus we blesse God when we praise him and giue him the honour due vnto his name Wee blesse the meates we eate the drinkes we drinke the things we receiue as Paul saith g 1 Cor. 10 16 The cup of blessing which we blesse h How the signes in the Sacrament are blessed when prayer is made to God that they may be healthfull to vs and we thankeful for them vnto him that is the giuer of them Lastly if in the Sacrament there bee a consecration Vse 4 and separation of the outward elements to so holy an end it warneth vs to be carefull to vse and receiue i We ought often to receiue the Lords supper oftentimes this Sacrament of the Lords Supper For heere are not bare signes bare tokens bare figures without fruite and without grace they are consecrated signes and hallowed elements effectually sealing vp remission of sinnes And what is more plaine then that which the Apostle teacheth 1 Cor. 11. k 1 Cor.
11 25 26. As often as ye shall eate of this bread and drinke of this cup ye shew the Lords death till he come Thus the Lord Iesus speaketh Doe this as oft as ye shall drinke it in remembrance of me And haue we not many worthy and effectuall l Reasons rēdred to moue vs to frequēt the Lords Table considerations to moue such as professe the same doctrine to resort oftentimes to the same Table of the Lord It is the commandement of Christ so that we ought to make some conscience of this duty as of other commandements prescribed vnto vs. It is a commandement of God m Exo. 20 13 Thou shalt not steale Few but doe make some conscience thereof because it is Gods commandement So is this heere often to come to the Lords Table yet what little account is made heereof al the yeare long euery one seeth and the faithfull soule agreeueth The high God possessor n Gen. 14 12. of heauen and earth hath required and commanded it yet who regardeth The Lord hath spoken and yet who obeyeth If a father should command a duty of his sonne or a maister of his seruant he could not patiently endure to be disobeyed o Mal. 1 6. and shall we not thinke that God will require his lawes at our hands Againe to his commandement he hath annexed a promise which maketh our sin and vnthankfulnes the greater if wee shew not our selues ready in yeelding to this duty Besides seeing this Sacrament is a speciall prop to stay vp our saith and bringeth with it Christ and al his merits and heauenly treasures we are vtter enemies to our owne selues to our owne soules and to our owne saluation if we neglect so great mercy offered vnto vs. Wherefore it is not left free vnto vs and committed to our discretion to receiue or not receiue this were no lawfull liberty but vnlawfull licentiousnesse Heerein the faithfull finde very great comfort and an effectuall meanes to strengthen their faith Euen as the sicke man that feeleth his sicknes and knoweth his owne weaknes should haue a special care to looke to his stomack that thereby he may receiue nourishment and gather strength so we are all spiritually diseased assaulted of Sathan tempted of the flesh ouercome oftentimes of sin and must seeke strength of faith from this heauenly nourishment God of his compassion hath set vp his Sacrament as a signe vpon an high hill whence it may be seene farre and neere on euery side to raise vp such as are fallen to strengthē such as stand to comfort such as are weake and to call vnto him such as run away from him whereby he gathereth them vnder his wings It is as the brazen Serpent p Num. 23 9. that comming vnto it with a faith to be healed we might liue and not perish It is as a banner displayed that euery Christian Souldior should resort vnto it as vnto his owne colours to fight the battels of God against sin and Sathan It is as a royal feast of the great King whereunto we must go cheerefully as guests inuited to a comfortable supper to bee had in often vse and continuall remembrance to put vs in minde of his continuall mercy laid vp for vs in the blood of Christ and to ratifie and seale vp the same farre more liuely then the bare word onely When the words of Christs institution are spoken q Mat. 26 26.28 This is my body which is broken for you this is my blood which was shed for you When these words I say are read vnto vs out of the Scriptures they confirme our saith but much more when the Sacrament is seene with our eyes that we behold the bread broken and looke vpon the wine poured out but most of all when we taste and handle when we eate and drinke the outward signes Wee see when one maketh a bare promise to another with words onely betweene thēselues hee beginneth to doubt to whom the promise is made of the performance thereof if he adde an oath for confirmation the promise is more assuredly ratified but if he giue his hand writing and seale it to the party the matter is made out of doubt Thus we doe reason and helpe our faith We haue the promises of God we haue the oath of God we haue the words and writings of God we haue the seales and Sacraments of God these are not reserued in the Lords keeping but are put into our owne hands to see them to keepe them to vse them for our comfort and assurance I speake after the manner of men if we haue a free promise from an honest man penned fairely in writing ratified vnder his owne hand and seale and all giuen vnto vs to locke and lay vp we doubt not of the possession nor of our iust title vnto the same Now let vs consider the Lords doing and see what hee hath done for vs who is not as man that r Num. 23. he should lye nor as the sonne of man that he should deceiue God sent his Sonne ſ Gal. 4 4. into the world to take our nature vpon him to be like vs t Heb. 4 15. euen in his infirmities he named himselfe u Mat. 1 21. Iesus that is a Sauiour because hee should saue his people from their sinnes after his death he sent his Apostles to preach the glad tidings of remission of sinnes and euerlasting saluation he ordained his last Supper immediately before his death to testifie and assure them vnto vs not onely by sounding them in our eares but by beholding tasting smelling feeling and feeding to seale them in our hearts and also daily to be repeated and ministred vnto vs. Seeing then we haue both his promises and oath his word and writings his seales and Sacraments in our keeping what would we haue more He would not make halfe so much ado in assuring his promises if hee loued vs not he would not set such authentike seales to his deed and obligations vnlesse he meant good earnest His bare word and naked promise is very good payment but he respecteth our weaknesse whose mercifull kindnesse must not bee neglected through our vnthankfulnes Thus much of consecration and the vses thereof CHAP. VIII Of the first inward part of the Lords Supper HIther to we haue spoken of the outward parts of this Sacrament by doing whereof consecration is performed a What are the inward parts of the Lords supper now follow the inward parts to be considered For in Sacraments we must consider not what they be of themselues but what b August cont Maxim in li. 3. they signifie vnto vs. These inward parts are foure in number to wit first the Father secondly the Spirit thirdly the body and blood of Christ and fourthly the faithfull All these haue a sacramentall relation to the outward parts and declare the inward truth of them The actions of the Minister are notes of the actions of God the
Fathers appointing of his Son the Ministers blessing the Fathers separating and setting apart his Sonne to his office the Ministers deliuering of the bread the Fathers giuing of his Sonne If then wee draw neere to the Lords table with faith reuerence and repentance nothing can be more sure and certaine to vs then the taking and receiuing of Christ for when we receiue the bread from the Minister wee withall receiue the body of Christ offered by the hand of God the Father so that as we are assured of the one we need not doubt of the other Vse 4 Lastly the breaking of the bread pouring out of the wine and deliuering of them both into the hands of the Communicants seale vp these actions of God his chastising of his Sonne and breaking him with sorrowes vpon the Crosse for our redemption offering him vnto all euen vnto hypocrites and giuing him truely to the faithfull with all the benefits of his passion Indeed the Minister giueth the outward signes to all receiuers but God giueth and applyeth onely to the faithfull the shedding of Christs blood for the daily increase of their faith and repentance But heere it may be obiected Obiection that not a bone of him was broken t Exod. 12 45 as it was figured by the Passeouer and performed at his passion the verifying and accomplishment whereof we reade Iohn 19 36. I answere Answere there is a double breaking of Christ one corporall whereof the places before doe speake the other figuratiue whereby is vnderstood u Esa 53 4.5 hee was tormented and euen torne with paines as Esa 53. He was wounded for our transgressions and broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes we are healed Lo what is meant by the breaking of the bread his soule was tormented his spirit was crushed his hands and feet were pierced he sweat drops of Water and blood and cryed out aloud vpon the Crosse My Maâ— 27 46. God my God why hast thou forsaken me Wherefore let these rites be rightly marked and obserued of vs for our comfort and consolation Let vs when wee see the bread broken and wine poured out meditate on the passion of Christ how he was wounded and torne for our transgressions Although not a bone of his body was broken in pieces yet hee was broken with afflictions bruised with sorrowes and tormented with bitter anguish of his soule by whose stripes we are healed by whose condemnation we are iustified by whose agonies we are comforted by whose death we are quickened Whosoeuer resteth in the outward workes done before his eyes neuer attaineth to the substance of the Sacrament Thus much of the first inward part CHAP. IX Of the second inward part of the Lords Supper THe second inward part is the a The second inward part of the Lords Supper is the holy Spirit holy Spirit who assureth vs of the truth of Gods promise As we haue in the word of truth the forgiuenes of sins increase of faith groweth in sanctification a great measure of dying to sin and a greater care to liue in newnes of life promised vnto vs so doth the Spirit worke these things b Rom. 8 15. Gal. 3 2 5. in the hearts of all the faithfull This appeareth in many places Rom. 8. Ye haue receiued the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father the same Spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God To one is giuen by the Spirit the word of wisedome to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit to another is giuen faith by the same Spirit all these things worketh one and the selfe same Spirit distributing to euery man seuerally as he will So then as we are weake in faith and slow to beleeue so wee haue the Spirit giuen vnto vs to helpe our infirmities and to open our hearts to receiue the promises For the Lord Iesus raigning continually in his Church and performing the office of a Prophet doth make the words of his Ministers liuely by his Spirit in our hearts and causeth them to be of perpetuall force and efficacy assuring vs of his promises made vnto vs and vniting the signe with the thing signified This truth being cleared the vses offer themselues Vse 1 to be câ—nsidered And first of all inasmuch as the Spirite worketh these things in the hearts of all the faithfulll from hence we gather that such as neuer finde any change or renewing of the minde or reformation of life after the receiuing of the Sacraments may iustly suspect themselues whether euer they had faith or not and whether euer they repented or not and therefore ought to vse the meanes to come by faith and repentance For the worke of the Spirite accompanieth the outward worke in the elect of God as also we see in the hearing of faith preached he must open the heart that is closed vp before wee can receiue with meekenesse c Iam. 1 21. the word of that is grafted in vs which is able to saue our soules Indeed euery person present may heare the words of institution may see the wine poured out may eat of that bread and drinke of that cup as they may also heare the sound of the voice that commeth vnto them but the whole force effect and power resteth onely in the Spirit of God sealing vp the truth and substance of those things in the hearts of all the Children of God Vse 2 Againe seeing these things are done and performed by the working of the Spirit they are confuted and conuinced that thinke they cannot be made partakers of the body and blood of Christ and be vnited to his flesh vnlesse his body be shut vp vnder the accidents of bread and shewes of wine and so his flesh be giuen vnto vs carnally that we may eate him with our mouths and conuey him into our stomackes But we see heere the Holy-Ghost is the bond of this vnion he worketh in vs faith which pierceth the heauens and layeth hold on Christ It is said of Abraham the Father of the faithfull that d Ioh. 8 56. he reioyced to see the day of Christ he saw it and was glad For as we cannot see him with our bodily eyes nor heare him with our bodily eares nor touch him with our bodily hands no more can wee taste or eate him with our bodily mouths By the hand of faith we reach and apply him by the mouth of faith we receiue and eate him Let vs beleeue in Christ and we e Aug. tract in Iohn 26. 27. haue eaten Christ let vs not prepare our teeth and our belly but a liuely faith working by loue Wherefore albeit the humane nature of Christ goe not out of the highest heauens yet we that liue vpon the earth are partakers of his bodye contained in the heauens and his flesh and blood are communicated to vs as truely and effectually as if he were there
present with vs. If any say How can this be Obiection Can that which is absent from vs be present with vs Can heauen be in earth or earth be in heauen Heereunto I may most iustly answere Answere although this be a great mystery and maruellous in our eyes yet we must confesse and consider that the Holy-Ghost is the author of this vnion and as it were the Conduit-pipe of this coniunction who by his diuine power ioyneth together things that are seuered in place begetteth faith in vs which is the instrument hand f 1 Ioh. 17 20. whereby we receiue and apply Christ with all his guifts vnto our selues as Ioh. 17. Father I pray thee for such as beleeue in mee that they may be one as thou O Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in vs. Heereunto commeth the saying of Paul Ephe. 3. Christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith Likewise Acts 13. By him 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 faith The Spirit is the principall worker faith is the meanes and the instrument Neither must this coniunction seeme vnto vs impossible through the great distance and distinction of place For there are diuers manners of presences that which is present to the sight is not present to the hand Molin de Eucharist cap. 2. and that which is present to the eare is not present to the eye that which is present to the body is not present to the soule and things present to the soule are oftentimes absent from the body Things are said to bee present with vs according as they cause themselues to bee perceiued of our senses or of our soules Whereby it appeareth very plainely after what fashion Christ may be said to be presēt with vs in his Supper to wit according as he communicateth himselfe vnto vs which is to our spirits not to our bodies and therefore his presence is spirituall and not corporall And the Apostle telleth vs Romanes 8. Rom. 8 9 11. that the Spirit of Christ dwelleth in vs which teacheth vs how we are vnited to Christ namely by the bond of one and the same Spirit dwelling both in him and in vs. Thus is the coniunction wrought betweene him and vs so that there is another presence which is true and in deed besides that which is bodily This is that which we reade in the Apostle Iohn 1 Ioh 4 13. Heereby know we that wee dwell in him and hee in vs because he hath giuen vs of his Spirite And Paul saith Romanes 8. Rom. 8 9. Hee that hath not the Spirite of Christ hee is none of his For as by one and the same soule all the members of the body are knit and coupled with the head and so doe liue in like manner all the faithfull albeit they remaine vpon the earth and their head be in the heauens are really vnited with him through one and the same Spirit and being vnited do liue thereby Ioh. 6 63. The like wee may say of faith whereby Christ dwelleth in our hearts Ephesians 3 17. Eph. 3 17. And our Sauiour teacheth that by beleeuing in him we eate his flesh and drinke his blood Iohn 6 35. Ioh. 6 35. If then any aske how we may obtaine and hold fast Christ Iesus seeing hee is absent from vs Or how wee may put forth our hands to take him sitting at the right hand of his Father in heauen I answere with Austine August tract 50 in Iohan. fide mitte et tenuisti Send forth thy faith and thou holdest him fast Thus Christ being absent from vs is present with vs for except he were present with vs he could not be possessed of vs nor communicated by vs. These are the two hands giuen vnto vs which the soule hath to wit the Spirit and faith The hands of the body lay hold on bodily things the hands of the soule lay hold on spirituall things There is a presence also to the sight We see the Sun daily with our eyes which though it be scituate in the heauens separated frō vs in place cōmunicateth his effect power to vs that dwel on 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 righteousnes make vs truely partakers of his flesh by the vnsearchable power of his Spirit and the supernaturall guift 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 mēbers are h 1 Ioh. 1 3. to become one body whereof Christ is the head As the Apostle teacheth That which we haue seene and heard declare wee vnto you that ye may also haue fellowship with vs and that our fellowship also may be with the Father and with his Sonne Iesus Christ We see this likewise liuely laid out before vs in the estate of marriage 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 husband 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 Wee neede not therefore any carnall bodily presence of Christ to ioyne vs to him seeing it is truely and certainely performed 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 compasse 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 if he were present fleshly before our eyes And as the Sunne not discending from heauen nor leauing his place is notwithstanding 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 i Mat. 28 20. neuerthelesse is present with vs in our congregations in our hearts in our prayers in our meditations and in the Sacraments But of this we shall haue occasion to speake more in the chapter following and wee haue already spoken some-what of it in the
name And 1 Cor. 10. The cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ The bread which we breake is it not the Communion of the bodye of Christ Wherefore when we do faithfully and worthily take the bread and the cup into our hands we must consider that withall we take and receiue Iesus Christ himselfe offered vnto vs. When we eate the bread and drinke of the cup and so apply them to our bodily vses we must consider that we apply Christ Iesus to our selues euen to our soules particularly that he is meate indeed and that he is drink indeed vnto vs if we bring with vs the hand of faith For faith is like c Faith is like the mouth of a vessell the mouth of a vessell if you poure liquor vpon it all the day long vnlesse the mouth of the vessell be open to receiue it the water is spilt on the ground and the vessell remaineth empty so may a man come to the Lords Table euery month receiuing the bread and wine that represent whole Christ yet except he bring with him faith which is the mouth of the soule he receiueth not Christ vnto a spirituall life to be his righteousnesse and sanctification And this is the reason why we receiue a little portion and a smal quantity as well of bread as wine d Concil Nicen. ex Biblie vatican because the end of our eating and drinking serueth for the sanctification of the Spirit not for the filling of the body Now let vs see what vses are offered to our consideration Vse 1 in the meditation of this truth First seeing onely the faithfull are partakers of the things signified in this Sacrament we see all do not receiue alike there is a difference to bee made among receiuers But as they which snatch after the leaues of the tree and let go the fruite want the profite of their labours so is it among many men in this world who take the signe of Christ but let go Christ Now as Moses intreating of things e Leuit. 11 4. cleane and vncleane noteth out foure sorts of beasts some onely chew the cud and some onely diuide the hoofe some neither chew the cud nor diuide the hoofe some both chew the cud and diuide the hoofe or as in the dayes of the Gospell some were circumcised in heart not in flesh as f Gal 2 â— Titus some were circumcised in the flesh not in the heart as Esau Iudas and many others some were circumcised neither in flesh nor in the Spirit g Eph 2 â—â— as the Gentiles and some were circumcised both in the flesh and in the Spirit h Act. 16 â— as Timothy so there is a difference among receiuers i Foure 〈◊〉 oâ— receiuers some receiue Christ only spiritually not sacrameÌ„tally some onely sacramentally not spiritually some neyther receiue him spiritually nor sacramentally and some receiue him both spiritually and sacramentally Of these we wil speake briefly and in order as they haue beene propounded The spirituall eating is by faith whereby we are made one with Christ and partakers of his benefits without the Sacraments k Ioh. 6 5â— whereof Christ speaketh Hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him Thus to eate him is to beleeue in him and therefore hee vseth these words l Ioh. 6 2â— â—3 35. as being of one force to beleeue in him and to eate him to drinke him and to come vnto him This is the worke of God that ye beleeue in him whom be hath sent I am that bread of life he that commeth to me shall not hunger and he that beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst Againe m Ioh. 6 â—â— 40. Christ attributeth the same fruite effect to them that beleeue in him that he doth to them which eate his body and drinke his blood therefore by eating and drinking he meaneth nothing but beleeuing He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life And in the 40. verse of the same Chapter hee saith This is the will of my Father that euery one that beleeueth in the Sonne should haue eternall life and I will raise him vp at the last day Heereby we may see that Christ attributeth the same to beleeuing which in the other place he did to eating and drinking so that the meaning of Christ is that to beleeue in him is to eate him And thus many receiue Christ eating and drinking his body and blood that neuer came to the Sacraments Heere peraduenture some will obiect Obiection If this doctrine be true then are the Sacraments needlesse For if we may eate Christ by saith spiritually without any vse or comming to the Lords Supper to what end serueth the Supper Answere It seemeth by this to bee made void and superfluous God forbid for the Sacraments are the holy ordinances of Christ by his blessing appointed for our helpe and benefit so that the most perfect Christians of the strongest faith haue need to seeke the strength of faith against weakenesse and wauering in the promises of God Notwithstanding we must confesse to the glory of God and the great comfort of many persons that the faithfull soule may and doth often feed vpon Christ to saluation beside the vse of the Sacrament For the spirituall grace is not of necessity tyed to the outward signes as if without them God cannot or doth not sometimes bestow the same We see in the Acts of the Apostles n Act. 10 2 44 Cornelius and his company was sealed with the Spirit of God before the receiuing of the outward Sacrament Abraham beleeued the promise being strong in faith o Rom. 4 18.10 18. vnder hope beleeued aboue hope before circumcision was giuen vnto him Thus also the beleeuing theefe vpon the Crosse though he did neuer receiue the Sacrament of Christ yet he did eat the body and drinke the blood of Christ to eternall life so that he beleeued in him p Luk. 23 10 and was the same day with him in Paradise He was not crucified for the professioÌ„ of Christ but was condemned for the merit of his transgression neither did he suffer because he beleeued q Lamb sâ—nt lib. â— dist ca. 1. but hee beleeued while he suffered He was not baptized he receiued not the Lords Supper yet his r Rom. 10 â—0 faith saued him spiritually eating the true food of euerlasting life as Rom. 10. With the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse 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 Å¿ Hab. 2 4. by faith And Ioh. 11. I am the resurrection and the life he that beleeueth in me though he were dead yet he shall liue and whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth in me t Ioh 11 25 26. shall neuer dye This ministreth great
being bidden f Mat. 22.7 by the King to the wedding of his Sonne made light of it and refused to come were destroyed as well as he that came without his wedding garment We know when the word of God is preached which is g Rom. 1 16. the power of God to saluation to all that beleeue such as absent themselues from the hearing of it perish iustly as wel as they that come without faith and repentance We know when the passeouer was celebrated such persons as were negligent to obserue and keepe the same according to all that the Lorde had commanded Moses were to be cut off from his people h Num. 9 13. Because they brought not the offering of the Lord in hâ—s due season they shall beare their sin In like manner such as neglect to come to this communion abstain froÌ„ it for feare of communicating vnworthily depriue themselues of great comfort And this is the very cut-throat of al godlines religion For why doe they not by like proportion of reason refrain from inuocation and calling vpon the name of God for feare of praying amisse And why may they not absent themselues from hearing the word of God fearing to heare amisse So that if this pretence were a lawful warraÌ„t to abstaine from the Lords Supper for feare of vnworthy receiuing we might bid all godlines farewell in as much as it openeth a gap for men to abstaine from perfourming all duties of piety and godlines VVherefore let not such persons flatter themselues with vaine excuses and lying wordes that cannot profite neither daube with vntempered morter saying we are vnworthy we cannot come rather let them labour to shake off their vnworthines to cast away i Heb. 12 1 euery thing that presseth downe and the sin that hangeth so fast on that so they may be worthy receiuers Let them not contemne the commandement of Christ which saith Take yee eate ye do this in remembrance of me Christ hath commanded we must obey he saith come shall we be so vnthankfull to say we will not come He calleth shal we not answere He biddeth his guests shall we make excuses He sendeth his messengers and prepareth his feast shall we not prouide and prepare to eate thereof He offereth himselfe vnto vs shall we contemne the blessed remembrance of his death and passion euen the price of our redemption and shutte our selues from the Communion which the faithfull haue with him and one with another So that wee are to perswade our owne hearts that God is prouoked to anger as well by negligence in abstaining as by vnworthines in receiuing the Supper Lastly this serueth to reprooue two sorts First seeing Vse 5 we are commanded to deale with our owne hearts the popish shrift and auricular confession of all sinnes in the eare of a Priest which is a needlesse burthen of the minde and a fruitelesse practise of the superstitious True it is as we haue prooued already we must examine our owne Consciences and confesse our owne sinnes to God against whom we haue sinned Psal 5â— and when we are afflicted in conscience and can finde no comfort we are to resort to the Minister that hath the tongue of the learned being able and willing to minister a word in season or to some faithfull brother in time of need as the patient doth to a skilfull PhysitioÌ„ howbeit there is great abuse therof in the church of Rome Against auâ—icular confession We do not deny or go about to take away al confession of sinnes before men and vnto men forasmuch as the Apostle willeth that we confesse our faults one to another Iames 5 16. Iam. 5 16. All the question is concerning the manner and order of making confession But he alloweth it to be made to any man and of one priuate person mutually to another whereas popish sâ—rift is limitted onely vnto the Priest and a straight law enioyned to the people to acknowledge all their mortall sinnes to him with all the circumstances of them so farre as possibly they can remember at the least once euery yeare if not oftner Againe the forme of confession of sinne required and practised is vttered in a strange tongue an vnknowne language which is foolish and ridiculous for so they know not what they speake to God They would seeme to aske him forgiuenesse and yet they know not what they aske Lastly they make confession of sins not onely to God but to the dead to the Saints departed which is impious and blasphemous For they make prayer to them and craue their intercession for the better obtaining of the pardon of their sins which giueth a part of the diuine worship to them and maketh them equall with God as if they could search and see the heart as well as he doth The Iesuites in their Annotations vpon 1 Cor. 11. where the Apostle willeth a man to proue and examine himselfe giue this note A man must examine his lâ—fe dil gently Rhem. annot vpon 1 Cor. 11.28 whether he be in any mortall sinne and must confesse himselfe of euery offence which hee knoweth or feareth to be deadly before he presume to come to the holy SacrameÌ„t For so the Apostles doctrine heere with the continuall custome of the Cathol ke Church and the Fathers example binde to do Thus they abuse the Apostle which maketh not for them and pretend antiquity which they are not able to auouch and alledge the Fathers which serue not their turne The Apostle in this place speaketh of examination not of confession of prouing our selues not of putting our selues to the proofe of others The commandement of the Holy-Ghost to confesse one to another bindeth the Priest to confesse to the people as well as the people to confesse to the Priest And whereas the Euangelist declareth Math. 3. Mat. 3 6. Act. 19 18. that many were baptized of Iohn confessing their sinnes and likewise Luke in the Acts sheweth that many beleeued and confessed and shewed their workes we must vnderstand it of a confession that is voluntary not constrained open not secret generall not particular before others not in the eare True it is the Fathers speake much and often of confession but they meane it either of such confession as is made to God or of such persons as had openly fallen in time of persecution or of them that of their owne accord vncompelled accused their owne weakenesse and purpose of shrinking backe albeit they had not as yet fallen indeed Now that it may be knowne that these things do not concerne vs nor yet helpe our aduersaries Diuers sorts of confession I will set downe what confession we hold and how it is to bee made and in what respect First wee allow the publike confession of the whole Church confessing themselues to be sinfull before God Neh. 9 4.5 c. Secondly wee hold the priuate confession of euery one powring out his owne heart before God in
his priuate and secret prayers Lu. 18.13 Thirdly we maintaine the confession made to the Church when any person hath openly offended the Congregation by any notorious crime and is for the same excommunicated This doth testifie the conuersion and repentance of such as haue fallen Lastly we teach that confession ought to be made to our neighbour for the offences which we commit one against another when wee haue vpon any occasion wronged and offended him and therefore our Sauiour saith Math 5. Mat. 5 23 24. If thou bring thy guift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee leaue there thy guift before the Altar and go thy way first be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy guift These kindes of confession we confesse and beleeue but what maketh all this for the whispering confession vsed in popery and iudged to be necessary to saluation A tirrannous law binding vs to reckon vp euery one of our sinnes in the eare of a Priest as if forgiuenesse of our sinnes stood in this Whereas we say and are not afraid to auouch that this confession pressed vpon men to be made of all sinnes to a popish Priest vpon paine of damnation is no better theÌ„ another Inquisition Would wee then know what this shrift is and how to esteeme of it and what effects it worketh It is the mocking of God What popish shrift is the inuention of the diuell the pride of the Clergy the pick-pursse of the people the racke of the Conscience the shame and reproach of the offender the bewrayer and discouerer of the secrets of Princes and states the piller of popery the ape of repentance the nurserie of despaire the cherisher of vncleannesse and to be short the bawd of all sinnes It getteth a pardon for all that is past it giueth free passage for such as are present and purchaseth a priuiledge for them that are to come Thus sinne is made no sin it is a light matter that no man need to trouble himselfe for it for asmuch as the Priest may pardon him with a word speaking Wherefore albeit this institution be ful of humane wisedome and policy for the vpholding and strengthning of the kingdome of Antichrist yet there is no title in the word of God to prooue it or confirme it I confesse indeede it was a custome sometimes in the Church of Constantinople Sozomen Eccl â—â—â—â—ter lib. 7 cap. 17. but when it hapned that a noble matron was dishonoured and dishonested by a certaine Deacon of vncleane life Nectarius the Bishop of that place by the consent of others did abolish it out of the Church VVhat would he haue done if hee had liued in the times and places of popery where such examples are not straunge but common If one fast were of sufficient force to thrust it out of that Church doubtlesse many hundred presidents that might bee produced not inferiour vnto it ought to serue as a whip to whippe and scourge it out of other Churches and as a strong barre to keepe it out for euer that it neuer get footing and enâ—rance into it againe Hence it is that the Church remained in the liberty of Confession twelue hundred yeares and had no snare to intangle the conscience laide vppon it vntill the Councell of Lateran in which the law of auricular Confession was first of all inacted whereby it is come to passe that they haue secret intelligence of all secretes for by this occasion they know the hearts affections and dispositions of all persons and by this meanes they finde an easie way to enrich that couetous and ambitious See with the riches and reuenues of the world and by them both ariseth a twofold benefite because both they knowe howe to shift for themselues and to preuent a mischiefe before it come vpon them But to leaue these wee exhort men to make Confession of their sinnes to GOD the onely beholder of our thoughtes and heartes who hath promised to forgiue them and will neuer vp-braide vs with them And herein wee doe no otherwise then the holy and ancient fathers of the Church did before vs who send the people from men to God from the earth to heauen from the fellow seruants to the common maister of all It was well sayed of Augustine What haue I to doe with men Confess lib. â—0 cap 3. Curiosum genus ad cognoscendum vitam alicitaâ— that I should make confession to them as if they could heale all my sores It is a curious kinde of people to search into other mens liues but most slothfull to reforme and amend their owne The like we might say of Chrysostome who is plentifull in this argument I doe not compell thee to confesse thy sinnes to others And againe If thou be ashamed to confesse them to any man because thou hast sinned say them dayly in thine owne soule Homil. 2. in Psal 50 ser de poenit Hom. 4. de Laza I doe not bid the confesse them to thy fellow seruant who may cast them in thy teeth but confesse them vnto God who is able to heale them In another place hee sayeth Why should we be ashamed to confesse our sinnes that he may pardon them Doth God therefore commaund them to be confessed that after the manner of men he might punnish vs Hee doeth it not to punnâ—sh vs but that he might pardon vs. I will alledge one testimony more and then conclude Homil. de incomprehens natura dei I doe not leade thee as it were into an open stage of thy fellow seruants I doe not compell thee to vncouer thy sinnes to men vnfould thy conscience before God shew thou thy woundes to the Lord the best Physitian and craue of hâ—m to heale them Thus ought we to do let vs fly to God when we want helpe who is the God of all mercy and the father of all consolation And when wee minde to come to the holy Communion of the body and bloud of Christ let vs not think to fit our selues vnto it by a foolish numbring vp of our sins to men but not to God of custom but not of conscience by obseruing the traditions of the Church but not by seeking to obtaine pardon of our offences The order which we ought to obserue in the examination of our selues is laid downe vnto vs in the Chapters following Thus much touching the first reproofe The second reproofe 2. Reproofe serueth to condemne all such as are very precise and curious in searching into the liues and conuersations of others that say stand aparte and come not neere me for I am holier then thou These abstaine from the Communion becauâ—e of the presence of euill men and cannot be perswaded to take the Supper with them Such as are of the separation reprooued for not ioyning with vs in the worship of God In the former part of this Booke we haue answered sundry obections which sundry persons alledge for
to this Sacrament to know the grounds of religion and vnderstand the doctrine of the Sacraments Secondly to beleeue in Christ and to looke for salâ—ation 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 of Lastly to loue our brethren truely and sincerely yea euen our enemies If we finde not these things in our selues we must carefully vse all holy meanes appointed for this purpose to begin them in vs otherwise our estate will prooue to be fearefull and dangerous We must with all sincerity conscience and zeale vse prayer the word read and preached conferrence meditation and such like helpes as may further them in vs. If we do finde them in vs though feeble and in great want and weaknesse we are not to abstaine from the Sacrament but to come therunto to seek strength of faith and increase of obedience Wherefore b Mat. 11 28 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 yee shall finde rest vpon your soules for my yoake is easie and my burden it light And chap. 12. A bruised c Mat. 12 26 reeds shall he not breake and smoaking flax shal he not quench till he bring forth iudgment vnto victory Touching the first we are to obserue d The 1. part of examination is knowledg of Gods word that such as will come aright to the lords supper must haue the knowledge of Gods word which is the foundation and ground-worke of faith Wee must know what to beleeue and must learne the doctrine of saluation out of the Scripture Our Sauiour Christ in that heauenly prayer which hee made a little before his passion vseth these words to his Father e Iohn 17 3. This is eternal life to know thee to be the onely very God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ We must know how miserable all men are of themselues that we are separated from god the children of wrath by nature as wel as others and the verie fire-brands of hell They that want this knoledge cannot iudge aright of the parts and vses of this Sacrament nor desire this heauenly 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 can bee but little faith and where there is no knowledge there can be no faith acording f Rom. 10 17. to the doctrine of the Apostle 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 g What particular pointes â—re necessâ—tie to be knowne oâ— al that com to the Communion pointes first in the knowledge of God secondly in the knowledge of our selues In these two branches standeth the first part of examination And these two points are so neerely ioyned and knit together that no man can thoroughly know God vnlesse he know himselfe and no man can haue the perfect knowledge of himselfe except he know God in whom h Acts 17 28 he liueth mooueth 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 Iohn 5 7. the Father the Sonne and the Holy-ghost Secondly that God made man and all other creatures good and gouerneth all things well Thirdly man did fall through the enticement of the Deuill and his own wilfull disobedience in breaking the commandements of God Fourthly there are ten commaundements diuided into two tables whereof the foure first commaundements concerne our duties to God the sixe last our duties toward our neighbour Fiftly we cannot keepe these commandements nor anie one of them but wee breake them daily in motion in thoght in word and in deed the breach wherof deserueth k Deut 27 25 the curse of God that is all miseries in this life death in thâ— end of this life and hell fire after this life Sixtly there is no meanes or remedy in our selues or in any creature but onely in Iesus Christ the eternall Son of God l Luke 1 35 who is God and Man God that he might ouercom death and Man that he might die for our sinnes Hee hath pacified Gods wrath fulfilled the righteousnesse of the Law sanctified our nature adopted vs to be the children of God and maketh our duties though weake acceptable vnto his Father Seuenâ—hly all haue not deliuerance by him but onely such as beleeue in Chrâ—st m 1 Cor. 1 30. whose obedience and righteousnesse is made ours by a liuely faith whereby we are perswaded that through him our sinnes are forgiuen and we made the children of God Eightly faith is a gift of God applying Christ and all his merits particularly to our selues and teaching that he is a Sauiour vnto vs. Ninthly beeing saued by Christ through faith n Luke 1 74 we may not liue as we lift this vnspeakable mercie teacheth vs to deny all vngodlinesse and all worldly and sinnefull lusts to liue soberly righteouslie and godly in this present euill world and to walke in newnesse of life o Ephesia 6 5 because no vnrighteous person shal enter into the kingdome of heauen Tenthly this Faith which bringeth foorth a reformed life is wrought within our heartes by the Holie-ghost p Rom 10 14. through the preaching of the word being truely expounded and profitably applyed with doctrine consutation exhortation correction reformation and consolation and it is encreased besides by reading praying and receyuing of the Sacraments Eleuenthly touching prayer wee haue a perfect platforme left vs by q Mat 6 9. Christ in the Gospell which containeth 6. petitions the three first concerning the glory of God and the three last concerning the necessities of our owne bodies and soules Twelfely the Sacraments are another helpe 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 forgiuen by the blood of Christ we borne anew to God The Lords Supper assureth vs that by bread and wine giuen and receiued according to Gods ordinance Christ is giuen vs to be our spirituall nourishment to euerlasting life These grounds of religion must be knowne and vnderstood that we may
saying Lord I beleeue helpe mine vnbeleefe Christ doth not reiect him for his weaknesse of knoledge and faith to teach that we should not despaire or be dismaide when we finde wauering wantes distrust and imperfection in our selues but rather confessing our frailty with that Father in this place pray to be strengthned and to haue our Faith encreased For whosoeuer vnfainedly desireth any grace of God tending to saluation shal receiue it if he continue c Reu 21 6. knocking at the gate of his Mercie it shall bee opened and his prayer shall be granted as Christ hath promised d Phil 1 6. I wil giue to him that is a thirst of the Well of the water of life Thus if wee long after the graces wanting vnto vs as the earth after a great drowth for the comfortable showers of refreshing raine vsing the meanes appointed of God to attaine them as earnest prayer reuerent attending on the continual hearing of his word diligent receiuing of the Sacraments being careful to giue honor and glory to him for his gifts we haue already of his onely mercie obtained and enioyed we shal be satisfied and replenished for then He that hath begun his good worke in vs will perfect the same in our hearts vntill the day of Iesus Christ Thus much of faith the second part of true examination which is the instrument whereby we lay hold vpon Christ and are made liuely members of him without which whosoeuer come to the Lords Supper depart awaie without fruite and comfort because of an action without faith commeth an end without fruite CHAP. XVIII Of Repentance the third part of examination THe next thing in this triall to be considered is a Repentance from dead works requyred of al that come to the Lords table repentance which is a renewing of the minde a change of the heart a turning of the soule and a reformation of our life and affections As knowledge is the beginning and as it were the verie fore-runner of faith like a Messenger going before his Maister to prepare for his comming so repentance is an especiall fruite of faith without which whosoeuer draweth neare to the Lords Table prophaneth the Sacrament and departeth without comfort For it is an altering of our liues and conuersations vnto God ioyned with a godly sorrow and detestation of all sin together with an vnfeined loue and desire of righteousnesse This appeareth in the chaunge of the whole man of our thoughts affections meditations and delights in all these the old man with his deceitfull lusts must be put off and the new man must be put on b Ephe â—â— 24 which after God is created vnto righteousnesse and true holinesse This duty is taught in diuers places of the Scripture Heereunto come the words of the Prophet Esaiah When c â—say 1 12. ye come to appeare before me vvho required this at your hands to treade in my Courts Bring no mo Oblations in vaine Incense is an abhom nation vnto me I cannot suffer your New Moones nor Sabâ—othes nor solemne daies it is iniquity nor assemblies And when ye shall stretch out your hands I will hide mine eies from you and though yee make manie prayers I will not heare for your hands are full of blood Wash you make you cleane take away the euill of your workes from before mine eies cease to do euill learne to do well c. And Chap. 66. He that killeth a Bullocke d â—say 66 3. is as if he slew a man he that sacrificeth a sheepe is as if he cut off a Dogges necke he that offereth an oblation as if he offered Swines flesh he that burneth incense as if he blessed an Idoll yea they haue chosen their owne waies and their Soule delighteth in their abhominations Wherby the prophet meaneth that God accepteth no sacrifices without faith and repentance This also was figured and shadowed out by washing the Garments and chaunging the attire of such as came with c Gen 35 â— 3 their Oblations vnto God and prepared themselues vnto his seruice Thâ—â— Iacob commanded when he reformed his houshold and went vp with them to Bethell the house of GOD. Thus Moses prepared the people before the Lawe was deliuered in Mount Sinai And heereunto the Prophet Dauid alludeâ—h Psâ—l 26. I will wash mine hands in innocency O Lord and â—â—aâ—pâ—sseth 〈…〉 As if he should say I wil endeauor to liue most vprightly toward thee and toward men and so come and offer sacrifices at thine Altar Wherefore such as feele not themselues to haue penitent hearts to be humbled and grieued for their sins to sigh and grone vnder the burthen of them to tremble at God iudgments cannot come aright to this holy Supper but eate drinke certaine iudgement to themselues The broken and contrite heart is the path-way to heauen f 1 Cor 7 10.11 and an vnseparable companion of repentance This the Apostle teacheth 2 Cor. 7. Godly sorrow causeth repentance vnto saluation not to be repented off but worldly sorrow causeth death but behold this thing that yee haue beene godly sorry what great â—â—â—e it hath wrought in you yea what cleering of your selues yea what indignation yea what feare yea what desire yea what zeale yea what punishment Heere be the g Signs wherby to examin our repentance notes and tokens whereby we may try our repentance whether it be sincere or not It hath these signes to discerne it a care to leaue that sin into which we are fallen otherwise we haue not repented as Act. 2. They which had crucified the Lord of life and deliuered him into the hands of sinners were pricked in their hearts and said to Peter and to the other h Act 1. 37.38 Apostles Men and brethren what shall we do And Peter said vnto them Amend your liues and saue your selues from this froward generation The other signes of repentance are a confession of our sins to God a condemning our selues for them an holy and inward anger against our selues for our carelesnesse in looking to our owne waies a feare nor so much of Gods iudgements as least we fall into the same sins againe and so offend our mercifull Father a desire euer after to please God with all our hearts and last of all a renewing and punishing of our owne soules for our offences committed against him Now to the end we may repent aright and sit in iudgement of our selues according to the forme of God iustice it shall be needfull for vs i In examining our selues we must 〈◊〉 the order of the Comandements Command 1. to examine our selues by the ten words of the law and out of the same to frame ten seueral encitements against our selues whereby wee shall finde a great defect of righteousnes a great spoile of obedience a great accesse of disobedience and a great heape of all kinde of corruptions This then may serue and suffice for the true examination of our selues We must
of the Sacraments 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 b Act 8 5 14 15 16 17. the Apostles by imposition of hands gaue the Holy-Ghost those miraculous gifts are now with-drawne from the Church of God Lastly they haue aduanced it aboue baptisme they administer it in a strange tongue hallow the greazy oyle to purifie soule and body True it is they alledge the example of the Apostles who vsed imposition of hands ouer those of Samaria Act. 8 14. But can they bestow the like miraculous guifts as the Apostles did vpon the Samaritans by laying on of their hands Indeed wheÌ„ Philip had catechised the Samaritans taught them the fundamentall points of Christian religion the Apostles came and prayed for them and laid their hands vpon them So likewise after that children haue in their owne persons made publike particular profession of their faith which others did professe for them in their name at baptisme We acknowledge that prayer may be made for them that strength of faith and increase of grace may bee giuen them by the Holy-Ghost to liue and dye in that faith wherof they haue made profession To which prayers we deny not but the ceremony of imposition of hands may bee added betokening the restraint of our desires to the parties whom we present to God and declaring thereby that wee pray for them that are before vs. But what is this to the cozenage and imposture of the Church of Rome that mock God and his people For the Apostles did not consecrate Oyle mixed with Balme nor annoint the Samaritans with such Oyle They did not crosse their fore-heads nor kisse their mouths nor clap their eares nor binde their faces with fillets nor forbid them to wash their heads neither vsed any such may-game as is now practised by the popish Bishops in their apish confirmation who haue it in greater estimation then the Sacrament of baptisme because they permit the administration of it to euery Priest yea to priuate persons yea to women yea euen to the Iewes and Infidels that are out of the Church whereas they reserue to the Bishops onely the power of Confirmation as if it had greater power to strengthen the soule against the Diuell Secondly c Penance is no sacrament their pennance instituted by bodily chastisements to make satisfaction for sin to God is no Sacrament of the new Testament nor any sacred thing being thus vnderstood For we acknowledge no other satisfaction d 1 Ioh 1 7. for sinne wherein God delighteth and the conscience of man resteth but only the death and obedience of Christ Besides true repentance hath been preached and practised from the beginning of the world after that sinne entred into the world Furthermore their pennance hath no visible signe as baptisme and the Supper of the Lord haue Thirdly e Matrimony is no Sacrament matrimony albeit it be a diuine ordinance honorable f Heb 13 4. among all estates yet can be no Sacrament of the Church of Christ because it was instituted before g Gen 2 18 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 honourable in all h 1. Cor 6 7.7 37. yet it is not necessary in all Lastly the Romaine Church esteemeth it as an vncleane 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 holy priest-hood Fourthly orders come in the next i Orders no sacrament place which are the officers and ministry of the Church but no Sacrament or Sacraments of the Church For then according to the number of orders wee should multiply the number of Sacraments Neither haue they any outward Element and visible signe Lastly we are come to extreame vnction which we suffer not to mask vnder the name of Sacraments but pull off the vizard therof because the church had the vse of anointing so long as it retained the miraculous gift of healing Besides it hath no worde of institution to warrant the continuall practise of it vntil the second comming of Christ Indeede the Apostles and Disciples were commaunded to annoint the sicke and so to heale them of their sicknes and if any man in our dayes haue this miraculous guifte of healing bestowed vpon him we like well that hee shoulde annoint the sicke and in the name of God vse the gifte bestowed vpon him But the Church of Rome annoint those whose case and condiâ—ion is without hope of amendement and recouery Thus a Medicine is turned into a Sacrament and a miracle is turned into a coniuring of Deuils and the Vnct on which was woont to heale the body is turned into a foolish ceremony vnprofitable both to the bodie and to the soule and yet it will require a large halfe houres worke to can oâ—e oâ—â— extreme vnction A great deale of time very all â—â—stowed Wherefore sâ—â—ing the word of God teacheth the number of two Sacraments onely and the Church of Rome enstructeth her children inâ—o the number of seauen Sacraments neither moe nor lesse they must pardon vs if wee hearken rather to the Scriptures then to their Traditions rather to God then to man rather to the author of trueth then to the spirit of error Neuerthelesse though wee thus speake we like wel the things themselues being rightly vnderstood at the repentance of the penitent confirmation of the faithful that are weake and newe called the order of the Ministery of the Church the visitation and comfort of the sicke the lawfull estate of honourable Matrimony as godly and profitable and that not onely in the new Testament but also in the olde so that we would haue no man slander vs or mistake vs herein as though we refused those things which be of themselues godly and good but vvee like not and allow not the deuising of newe Sacraments in them for which we haue no warrant in the word of God Hitherto we haue spoken of the Sacraments in generall The sum of the 2. Booke of their parts of their vses and of the number now wee come to speake of them in particular first of Baptism which is as it were the doore or gate of the Church then of the Lordes Supper which is the foode and nourishment of the Church And howsoeuer Baptisme hath sundrie significations yet as it signifieth that washing with Water which serueth to seale and assure the Couenant of the New Testament What Bapt is 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
part of baptisme The 4. outward part of Bapt. is the bodie that is washed Now such as are to be baptized must be within the Couenant Not to all and euery of them that haue life nor all that haue sense nor all that haue reason haue right to it and a priuiledge in it but the people of God by Couenant These are either men and women of riper years or else the infants of such who haue interrest in baptisme as well as the parents of whome they are borne This condemneth the Romish practise of Baptizing Belles as a most horrible prophanation of this Sacrament and serueth to set foorth the great loue of God vnto all beleeuers who vouchsafeth to bee their God and the God of theyr seede Hence likewise it appeareth d Infants haue interest in baptisme as well as their parents that infants are to be baptized For baptisme succeedeth in place of Circumcision the Apostles baptized e Colos 2 11. whole houses Christ calleth infants and sucklings f Act. 16 15 33 vnto himselfe and saith that vnto such belongeth the Kingdome of Heauen they are Christs sheepe and members of his body Hence we learne that the baptisme of Infants 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 g 1 Cor. 14 16 Mar. 10 13 14 15. and that all are conceiued in originall sinne Acknowledge also a difference betweene them and the children of Infidels and let parents be incouraged h Psal 51 5. to bring vp their children in the instruction and reformation of the Lord. Hitherto of the outward parts now follow i Eph. 6 4. the inward parts which also are four in number First k The inward parts of baptism are four God the Father represented by the Minister whereby our faith is greatly strengthned For whensoeuer the eie seeth the Minister powring water on the body faith beholdeth God the Father clensing the soule with the precious blood of his Son Christ The second part is the Spirit l Mat. 28 19 of God hauing relation to the word and promise of God and therefore whensoeuer we come to heare the word or to receiue the Sacraments we must craue the assistance of the Spirit to open our harts m 1 cor 12 12 as he opened the hart of Lydia If this inward teacher be wanting the eare heareth and the hand handleth but the hart is hardned The third inward part of baptism n Act. 16 14 is Christ represented by the water This serueth greatly to confirme our faith to consider with our selues when we behold with our bodily eyes the water poured vpon the body baptized o Act. 2 38. the blotting out of all our sins by the blood of Christ Iesus The 4. inward part is the soule clensed p 1 Pet. 3 21. most liuely and effectually represented by the body washed For the washing of the body representeth the clensing of the soule This teacheth that by nature we are corrupt and abhominable q Ep. 5 26 27 so that God must worke in vs both the will and the deed These are the foure inward parts of baptisme The agreemēt between these outward and inward parts r The proportion betwixt the outward and inward parts of baptisme is very euident Fot as the Minister by the word of institution applieth water to the washing of the body so the Father through the working of the Spirit applieth the blood of Christ to the clensing of the soule This distinction and proportion of the parts to wit the outwarde with the inwarde serueth to determine manie Controuersies vntimely raised hotly pursued and vncharitably continued among vs. For if we did aright discerne the outward baptism from the inward that which the Minister doth deliuer from that which God doth giue and bestow it might be a good meanes to dissolue sundrie doubts touching the sufficiencie and efficacy of this Sacrament whether it be impeached or abolished by the euill of the Minister which is of three sorts of heresy impiety and ignorance The first question is touching heresie Touching the baptis of the Heretickes whether baptisme ministred by an Hereticke be true baptisme or not I aunswere If Heretiques keepe not the substance of baptisme but erre in the foundation of religion and the doctrine of the Trinity their baptisme can be no baptisme Hence it is that Nicephorus Niceph. hist lib. 3. cap 33 maketh mention of a Minister that in the want of water baptized with sand but the party was again baptized and that most iustly But if they keepe the Doctrine of the Sacrament sound in substance and faile not in the essentiall partes of it such baptisme is good baptisme and ought not to be repeated For as the truth taught by Heretickes is Gods truth and auaileable to edification so long as they preach out of Gods word so baptisme administred by them is true baptisme so long as they obserue the institution of God entire and vncorrupt The second Question is touching the scandalous life prophane heart of the Minister whether it hinder the effect of the Sacrament or not Touching the baptisme of euil Ministers I answere it dooth not for as good prayers conceiued by euill men haue also audience vvith God so it is with the Sacraments albeit they be administered by euill men yet haue they acceptance with God And albeit the sonnes of Eli did occasion the people to abhorre the offerings of the Lorde yet it is their sinne to abstaine Iudas beeing sent out to preach ministered Baptisme also which was no doubt effectuall and sufficient to the Receyuers albeit he were a damnable hypocrite and the child of perdition True it is he receiued no benefit by the word or the Sacraments yet he might bee a meanes of doing good to others The light of the Sunne passeth by myrie and vnclean places and yet it is not defiled so the dignitie of the Sament is not hindred by the lewdnesse of the Minister The Sacraments brought vnto vs by loose Ministers which are no better then stumbling-blockes laide before the weake Aug. in Iohan. tract 5. are like water that passeth thorough a Chanell into a Garden it selfe receiueth no benefit by it howbeit the garden is watered and made fruitfull thereby Manie of the Priests and Leuites among the Israelites were vngodly and vnsanctified yet they both offered sacrifices and celebrated Sacraments which to the right partakers were feales of the Couenants and meanes to encrease faith Again there is no difference in respect of God between him that is prophane in heart and him that is prophane in life betweene him that is prophane outwardlye and him that is prophane inwardly forasmuch as they are both alike knowne vnto him But no man knoweth what is in the heart and therefore if prophanenesse did hinder the fruitfulnesse of the
to declare it to all the world that they wish Christ dead buried and forgotten for euer that the Bishop of Rome might with his shauelings rule and raigne as a God vp on the earth Can light and darknesse can heauen and earth fire and water sweet and sowre be more contrary then these vaine things to the institution of Christ Who neuer said keepe it in vessels hang it vnder Canopies carry it in processions l Orig in Leuit. hom l. 5. giue it to the dead lay it vp in their tombes bring it abroad in common iudgements but take ye eate ye drinke ye and by receiuing eating and drinking shew ye forth the Lords death vntill he come to iudgement to iudge the quicke and the dead This Sacrament is an holy feast an heauenly banket and therefore not to be hidden in a boxe as a light put vnder a bushell but to be set on the Lords Table for all his guests to feed thereon Againe if the substance and essence of this Sacrament Vse stand in the lawful vse of eating drinking then all eleuation holding vp of the Sacrament ouer the Priests head al adoration falling downe honouring it with diuine worship and calling the Sacrament m Guil. Alan de sacrific Euchar cap 41. Bristo moti 26. their Lord and God as it is destitute of all antiquity so it is full of grosse and palpable Idolatry For whereas it was accustomed to hold vp the armes offerings consecrated to God for the poore therby imitating the heaue-offering of the Iewes and stirring vp the people to the like charity and deuotion it degenerated to the lifting vp of the host and bread in the Sacrament So that where Christ saith take ye eate ye these bread-worshippers haue changed it into looke ye gaze ye worship ye giuing his glory to dumbe and senceles creatures True it is we confesse that the Sacraments as mysteries sanctified to an holy vse as vessels of Gods grace and as instruments fitted to worke great things are not to bee contemned or refused but to be receiued with due regard and to be vsed with all sobriety yea we confesse that Christ God man is to be worshipped euery where we honour his word we reuerence his Sacraments Notwithstanding n The Sacrament is not to be adored we put a difference betweene God and the Sacrament of God the same honour is not due to the one that is due to the other and therefore we cannot adore the Elements with diuine worship for many reasons First because Christ in the institution of his Supper said take eate drinke he said not worship fall downe bow the knees before the Sacrament and call vpon it in time of need We heard before in the case of vnleuened bread they appealed to the institutiō of Christ why do they now flye from it turning eating drinking into worshipping adoring Wherfore is it not a great iniquity wickednes to omit that Christ commādeth do what he commādeth not Secondly God only is to be worshipped with diuine honour o Mat. 4 10. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God him only thou shalt serue And Exod. 20. Thou shalt not bow downe to thē nor worship thē Now the Sacrā is not Christ it is an institution of Christ it is not God but an ordinance of God for God is not visible but the sacrament is visible that al may know it see it with their eyes the Sacram. is eatē but God cannot be eatē swallowed vp of vs p 1 Kin. 8 27. Acts 7 48 49. whom the heauens the heauens of heauens cannot containe or comprehend Thirdly Christ reproueth the Samaritans because They worshipped that q Ioh. 4 22. they knew not but the papists know not the body of Christ to be contained vnder the accidents of bread wine for the Scriptures haue not taught it Christ hath not deliuered it the Apostles haue not shewed it Besides they know not the Priests intent whereon they say the essence of the Sacrament dependeth so as if he had no purpose of consecration they cannot deny themselues to be Idolaters and bread worshippers Fourthly r Ioh 4 24. the true worshippers must worship God in spirit and in truth as Christ setteth downe Iohn 4 24. that is not according to our owne imaginations and deuices but as God hath prescribed but to fal downe to the Sacrament is a bodily seruice a new forged worship and an humane inuention Fiftly without faith no man can ſ Heb. 11 6. please God but faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God which yet they could neuer shew vnto vs therefore they can haue no assurance of pleasing God in their will-worship Sixtly if this Sacrament be to be worshipped then it is vnited personally to Christ because adoration should not be due to Christ as man except God and man in the vnion of person were one Christ but there is no personall vnion betweene Christ and the Sacrament of Christ therefore not to be worshipped Seauenthly no man in his wits and right mind will honour that with diuine worship which himselfe may take in his hand and eate with his mouth which may be deuoured by Mice Rats dogs wormes or other vermine for how shall that be adored as God that cannot defend it selfe from the teeth of men and beasts As Ioash answered t Iud. 6 31 32. Will ye plead Baals cause If he be God let him plead for himselfe against him that hath cast down his Altar Lastly seeing they adore Christ in the pixe where the bread is and in the chalice where the wine is why do they not likewise worship him in the Priest and in the faithful people euery man in his brother when they haue created and eaten him vp The same Christ that was surely inclosed in the pixe is by their doctrine really contained in the body of Priest and people whē they haue eaten and drunken their supposed sacrifice Why then adore they not the flesh of Christ after that it is entred into the mouth of man as wel as in the goldē boxe or in the golden chalice Nay why may he not be adored in the bodies of mice and vermine by them if it fall out that they eate vp their God Shall he be any where without honour Or will they worshippe him where they list and ouerskip him where they please Howsoeuer therefore Christ is to be worshipped yet we must take heed we worship not a piece of bread in stead of Christ which is most grosse and horrible Idolatry Vse 3 Moreouer if Christ command the bread to be eaten and the wine to be drunke then they are not to be offered vp to God the Father as is vsually wont to be done in the pageant of the Masse This is a deepe dungeon of iniquity and a monster of many heads u 〈…〉 turning the holy Sacrament into an vnbloody sacrifice for
c Conferēc◠day 3. inasmuch as his glorification maketh it not a diuers body and that a man whole a man sicke at sundry times make not a seuerall man This Iesuiticall deuice hath no colour of reason but a tricke of euasion For we speake not of the difference between Christs glorified and mortall body but of the meaning of the words This is my body whether Christ vnderstand his naturall and mortall body wherein shortly he was to be glorified or whether he vnderstand it of his body glorified Either it must be vnderstood of the one or of the other or of both or rather indeed of neither except they will haue the words taken and spoken one way to the Disciples and another way to vs. Thus the meaning of them when they were first vttered should be This is my mortall body but now spoken to vs they should be taken in another sense of vs to the end of the world This is my glorified body So then the same words spoken to the Disciples should be false as we are to vnderstand them and the Disciples should be deceiued vnderstanding them as we do take them What is this but to bring vs back againe to the reproachfull comparisons and blasphemous assertions d Pighi Hierar lib. 3 cap 3. Consur colon dial 4. pa 112. Cusan epist 2. and 7. of sundry popish writers to compare the Scriptures to a nose of wax and a rule of leade that they may be expoūded diuersly and framed to times so as at one time they may be vnderstood one way and at another time they may be interpreted another way These things being duely considered we may safely conclude that Christ is not present in his naturall body Lastly the presence of Christ in his naturall body abolisheth the light of reason and confoundeth the nature of things and bringeth in an heape of absurdities and impossibilities For what is more repugnant to reason then for a man to beare himselfe in his owne hands that a man should eate vp himselfe that another should eate him yet he remaine vntouched vntasted and vncorrupted that one and the same man should be visible and inuisible present and absent in the teeth of the Disciples and at the table with the Disciples be a man of stature and yet be contained and comprehended in a little Cake and cantle of bread Now as by these reasons and sundry other that might be alledged the reall presence is sufficiently conuinced so the arguments brought to maintaine and vphold it are easily e Obiections alledged to maintaine the real presence are answered answered For as the doctrine is false so the reasons are weake and foolish First they obiect the words of institution for the defence of this cause For as in questions of the supremacy of Peters pretended of the Popes vsurped which are many they alwayes alledge the words of Christ to Peter Pasce oues meas f Bellar. tomo primo feed by sheepe so do they deale in controuersies of the Supper where we misse not Obiection 1 long Hoc est corpus meum This is my body His words say they are true therefore we must beleeue them he is a man of his word therefore we must credite him if then we be deceiued holding his body to be present he hath deceiued vs. I answere Answere the question is not of the truth of the words whether they be true or false but of the interpretation and meaning thereof which we say is figuratiue and yet no other then is vsuall when the Scripture speaketh of other Sacraments of the Church g Gen. 17 11. as circumcision is the couenant the lambe is the Passeouer the cuppe is the new testament the breaking of the bread is the communion of the body of Christ the rocke is Christ baptisme is the washing of our new-birth Are not all these places like to the words of Christs institution Or can they deny them to be vnderstood figuratiuely and not properly So the meaning of those words is that the bread which he had taken broken and giuen is a signe and figure of his body it is now no longer common bread but a representation of his body truely offered to all and truely giuen to al the faithfull Our Sauiour Christ spake many things vnto his Disciples figuratiuely not litterally to be taken he said h Math. 5 13. they were the salt of the earth the light of the world a citty set on a hill he speaketh of cutting off the hand pulling out the eye he calleth himselfe i Iohn 10 9. a doore k Iohn 15 1. a vire l Iohn 14 6. a way are not these figuratiue and metaphoricall speeches Againe the circumstances of the text the nature of a Sacrament and the Articles of our faith will not suffer vs to take them properly besides this that they should command vs an horrible and wicked thing to eate mans flesh drinke his blood and therefore when we are commended to eate his flesh and to drinke his blood it is a figure as Austine teacheth requiring of vs to be partakers of his passion to keepe in remembrance that his flesh was crucified for vs. Moreouer the Euangelists neuer say the bread is transubstantiated into his body or the wine into his blood or that the body and blood of Christ are in the bread or vnder the bread or with the bread all the circūstances teach that the bread is a Sacrament of his body the wine is a Sacrament of his blood as circumcision was a signe of the couenant the lambe a signe of the Passeouer the rocke a figure of Christ Lastly as Christ speaketh to the euill seruant m Luk 19 22 Out of thine owne mouth will I iudge thee so the aduersaries thēselues giue sentence on our side and one arch-papist condemneth another Bishop Fisher writing against Luther affirmeth that n Fish cont capti Babilon no man can proue by the words of the Gospell that any Priest in these dayes doth consecrate the very body and blood of Christ and therefore o Lindan pa. nopl lib. 4. Liudanus among the rablement of traditions which he reckoneth rehearseth the real presence Likewise Tonstall another Bishoppe of the same birth holdeth that it were p Tonst lib. 1. de Sacr p 46. better to leaue euery man to his owne coniecture as they were before the counsel of Lateran then to bring in such questions And Biel a man of the same stampe not inferior to the rest q Gab. Biel in can lect 40. confesseth that it is not found in the canonicall Scriptures that Christs body is in the Sacrament And let them tel vs their opinion whether that Hildebrand held this bodily presence r Ben. in vit Greg. 7. when he cast the Sacrament into the fire contrary to the liking of certaine Cardinals present with him Thus wee see Counsels Fathers Reasons Doctors Schoole-men Bishops Cardinals Popes
others of the aduersaries themselues fight against the carnall presence of Christ and the Scriptures themselues ouerthrow it Obiection 2 Secondly they obiect the words of Christ Except ye eate Å¿ Ioh. 6 53. the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood yee haue no life in you I answere Answere these words are not vnderstood of the Sacrament they were vttered long before the institution of the Supper and therefore could not be referred vnto that which as yet was not so that Christ speaketh of spirituall eating not of carnall by faith not by the mouth whereby we abide in him and he in vs but many eate the Sacrament of his body that haue not him abiding in them nor themselues in him Againe without this eating of his flesh heere spoken off t Ioh 6 54. no man can attaine eternall life but many have eternall life that never are partakers of the Lords Supper as the theefe crucified with Christ and many others Besides how absurd is it for those to imagine that Christ naming bread speaketh of the Sacrament of the Altar for they would haue no substance of bread to remain but onely the figure shew and likenesse of bread so that according to the deuice of their new-found doctrine hee might more truely say I am no bread or I am the shewes of bread then as he doth r Ioh. 6 32. I am the true bread Moreouer if Christ promising to giue bread for the redemption of the world had pointed out the Sacrament of his Supper then he should haue giuen his flesh for the saluation of mankind not vpon the Crosse but in his last Supper Wherefore then serued his death What neede was there to shed his blood on the Crosse Furthermore if these words be referred to his Supper then the Supper may be celebrated without materiall bread and wine without giuing of thankes without blessing without consecration without breaking and distributing of the bread without pouring out and deliuering of the wine and without remembrance of the death of Christ For in this place we haue no mention of these things And shall wee imagine that the Sacrament is spoken off where neither the matter nor forme nor word of institution nor Minister nor externall rite is once remembred Lastly to eate the flesh of Christ and to drinke his blood is nothing else but to come to Christ and to beleeue in Christ as appeareth in the Text Å¿ Ioh. 6 35 4â— I am that bread of life he that commeth to me shall not hunger and he that beleeueth in me shall neuer thâ—rst And speaking of faith he saith No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him This truth t Bleâ— sect 84. super camâ—â—â— is so cleere and euident that many of the aduersaries are driuen to confesse it howsoeuer some of them seeke to cast mistes before the eyes of men that they may not espie it among the which are Sanders and Bellarmine And as we haue shewed before how the Schoole-men and Doctors of the Church of Rome are together by the eares in sundry controuersies about the Supper so are they about the true interpretation of Ioh. 6. Some vnderstanding it of the sacramentall eating some of the spirituall eating u Hos Câ—â—â— de â—uâ—â—â— and some of both Thirdly they obiect the omnipotency of God that he Obiection 3 is able to turne the bread into the body and the wine into his blood he is able to make it really present in heauen earth aâ—d wheresoeuer Masse is said he is able to make a body to be in many places at once and yet not occupie a place I answere Aâ—swere when all other reasons faile they slye to Gods omnipotency as vnto a sanctuary and place of refuge But this will not proue a reall presence For albeit God be omnipâ—tent and almighty must he therefore doe all things yea offer violence to his owne body to maintaine their aâ—â—urd and hereticall opinions of the reall presence and of transubstantiation Must his power attend vpon their fancies and dreames Cannot he be omnipotent except their positions and assertions be granted There is no â—eâ—e of Gods power albeit we withstand their carnall presence For touching the omnipotency of God a Two rules to obseruâ—◠〈◊〉 Gods oâ—â—â—poâ—ency we must obserue these two rules and conclusions First Gods power is neuer to be opposed and set against his expresse wâ—ll plainely and certainely knowne for God is not contrary to himselfe Now then it is not enough to prooue that God can turne bread and wine into the bodye and blood of Chrâ—st vnlesse they proue he will turne them into his flesh and blood We our selues can doe many things which we do not and which we will not do so we must know it is with God he câ—uld haue added wings to man hee might haue made many worlds if it had plâ—ased him Christ of b Mat 3.9 the stones could haue raysed vp children vnto Abraham Christ could haue prayed to his Father in his afflictâ—on to send him c Mat. 26 3. more then 12. legions of Angels but how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled Wherefore we â—â—e nâ—t to reason of his power vnlesse we be assured oâ— his wâ—ll reuealed in his word as we see Christ disputing against the â—â—duâ—es saith Ye are deceiued not knowing the â—â—r ptures nâ— the power of God d Mat. 22 9. Where we see he ioyneth the Scriptures and the power of God together so that he is truely said to be omnipotent e A 〈…〉 1â— because he can bring to passe whatsoeuer he will neither can the effect of his will be hindred or resâ—â—ed Now it is the knowne will of God that Christ shoulâ— haue a true body that he might be a true man with his quantity and dimensions The second rule to be remembred is f No contradiction is in God that in God there is no contradiction and that whatsoeuer necessarily implieth a contradiction is an argument not of power but of weaknesse This the Scriptures decree this the Fathers dâ—liuer this their owne Schoolemen determine For g 2 Cor. 1.59 in God is not yea and nay he abideth saithfull he cannot deny himselfe hee cannot dye he cannot lye he cannot deny his word he c nnot sin he cannot deceiue hee cannot be deceiued These and such like he cannot do which if he should doe he were not omnipotent For this h Aug de trin cap 15 lâ—b â—◠〈◊〉 lâ—b 2. cap 1â— were a token of impotency not of omnipotency of debility not of ability of want and weakenesse not of strength and power For in euery contradiction i Arist 〈◊〉 â—â—terp li 1 ca. 5. there is â—aâ—shood and a lye which cannot agree to God who is truth it selfe and therefore he cannot make affirmation and negation truth and falshood yea and nay to be true together which things are impossible Yea the