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
Thirdly the peculiar actions and externall rites of eating and drinking do not agree to babes sucklings Thus likewise in the olde Testament circumcision was ordained for infants but the Passeouer for such as were of that age that they might enquire of their parents touching the substance and signification thereof Exod. 12 26. Exod. 12 26. Thirdly they obiect f Mar. 16 16. Mat. 28 19. that it is said Teach and baptize Obiect 3 and againe He that shall beleeue and be baptized shall be saued whereupon they conclude that such as beleeue not are not to be baptized inasmuch as Christ before baptisme commandeth teaching and afterward ioyneth baptizing with beleeuing But infants are not capable of doctrine neither do they actually beleeue therefore they are not to be baptized Againe g Act. 2 38. if repentance bee necessarily ioyned as Act. 2. Amend your liues and be baptized then infants must be separated and secluded who cannot repent But repentance is necessarily required therefore infants are to be barred from the Sacrament of baptisme Answere I answere first those sentences are not generall to all but belong only to men of sufficient yeares and discretion to discerne betweene good and euill By this fraud of extending stretching and falsely applying generall sentences of Scripture a man might reare and raise many monstrous conclusions If a man would goe about to proue that children are not to be nourished and fed with corporall food because the Apostle would haue none to eate h 1 Thes 3 10 but such as labour were he not worthy to be spitted at or hissed out of the schooles because he carrieth that indifferently to all ages which is limited and restrained to a certaine age So must we not racke and rent asunder the i Luk. 13 3 5. Rom. 10 17. Mar. 16 16. Heb 11 6. generall sentences of Scripture Except ye repent ye shall all perish faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God hee that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued These belong onely to men of discretion and are not to be applyed to Infants whom they do not concerne Againe Christ in those words instructeth his Apostles what order they should obserue in the coÌ„uersion of the Gentiles first they must instruct theÌ„ in faith then baptize them being instructed and lastly guide them in true obedience being baptized when he addeth k Mat. 28 20. Teaching them to obserue whatsoeuer I haue commanded you Besides if they strictly vrge and stifly stand vpon the words as they litterally lye in order why may wee not first baptize them before we teach them because it is said baptizing them in the name of the Trinity and teaching them to obserue what I command But he intreateth in this place of such as are growne vp which must first haue knowledge in the Gospell faith in Christ and repentance from dead workes before they be baptized but infants are baptized by reason of the promise made to their parents Moreouer we might oppose vnto these the example of circumcision which we know and they are not ignorant was giuen to infants who could not yet beleeue so that such as barre them from baptisme because they are not capable of faith and repentance might in like manner exclude the infants of the Israelites from circumcision Baptisme is the Sacrament of repentance and faith though neither of these be in infancy yet they are baptized to the repentance and faith to come which albeit they be not actually formed in them yet by the fruites afterward they shall appeare to be in them Lastly if baptisme should be giuen onely to those that truely beleeue it should likewise be denied to such as are of vnderstanding for wee are not able to pronounce of these that they do truely beleeue and certainly apprehend the promises of the Gospell Wherefore if infants are not to be baptized because they haue not faith and want repentance neither are they of sufficient age to be baptized of whom it cannot be directly and vndoubtedly saide they do beleeue S mon the sorcerer mentioned l Act. 8 13 20. in the Acts of the Apostles was baptized and yet remained an hipocrite If they say profession of faith is sufficient to make members of â—he visible Church I answere our Sauiour speaketh not of a bare profession of faith when hee saith He that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued for then all that professe faith should receiue m 1 Pet. 1 9. The reward of their faith which is the saluation of their soules Againe profession of faith is for such as are capable of it which agreeth not to the age of infants as they cannot deny the faith before men which they haue not acknowledged no more can they confesse the truth of doctrine which they neuer learned Now to be borne in the Church and in the couenant is to infants in place and stead of an actuall confession and reall profession Such as are growne vp must beleeue with the heart n Rom. 10 10 and confesse with the mouth the Gospel of saluation it is sufficient for others to be the children of such as haue confessed the faith Fourthly they obiect in this manner Obiection 4 baptisme is giuen for remission of sinnes but infants haue not sinned they therefore cannot be baptized I answere Answere infants commit not actuall sin yet are guilty of originall sin they want inherent righteousnes they haue a pronenesse to al euil their whole nature is corrupted being in the seed of Adam Albeit therfore infants haue not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression in their owne persons yet they haue sinned in him and in his loynes in whom all are dead This the holy man o Iob. 14 4. teacheth Iob. 14. Who can bring a cleane thing out of filthinesse There is not one Likewise the Prophet p Psal 51 5. Rom. 5 14 19 Dauid confesseth this truth Psal 51. Behold I was borne in iniquity and in sinne my mother conceiued me So the apostle Paul Rom. 5. Death raigned from Adam to Moyses euen ouer them also that sinned not after the manner of the transgression of Adam which was the figure of him that was to come for as by one mans disobedâ—ence many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous Wherefore such as hold infants without all guilt of sin neuer knew the greatnesse of Adams fall of Gods iustice of mans misery and of Christs endlesse mercy Lastly Obiection 5 they obiect that Christ himselfe was not baptized vntill 30. yeares of age I answere Answere no more did he preach before he was thirty yet hence it followeth not that none ought to enter that calling before that age True it is he that desireth that worthy office must bee no new plant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no younger Scholler none lately come to the profession gathered immediately from heathenish religion to the fellowship of
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
downe branches k Mat. 21 8. from the trees the Citty moued and Children crying in the Temple Hosanna to the Sonne of Dauid they l Iohn 12 16. vnderstood none of those things at the first But when Iesus was glorified then remembred they that these things were written of him and that they had done such things vnto him If then at the present time of our hearing or receiuing we finde not nor feele the fruite and comfort we desire let vs not doubt and despaire but waite on God who in his owne apointed times will make his owne ordinances auaileable to all his seruants Thus much of the things that are common to the word and Sacraments In the next place let vs see m Difference betweene the word and sacraments what they haue proper peculiar and so differ one from another First forasmuch as the Sacraments are appurtenances and dependances to the word and are applied to this end to seale vp our communion with Christ our fellowship one with another it appeareth that in men of riper yeares the teaching and hearing of the word preached and the open confession and profession of faith did go before participation of the Sacraments as Math. 28. n Mat. 28 19. Goe teach all Nations that is make them Disciples of Christ gaine them to the faith as the word signifieth and then baptize them Thus Philip taught the Eunuch before hee baptized him Acts 8. to whom when the Eunuch said What letteth mee to be baptized Philip answered If thou beleeuest with all thine heart thou maiest and he said I beleeue that Iesus Christ is the Son of God And Acts 10. Can any forbid water that these should not be baptized which haue receiued the Holy-Ghost as well as we Indeede touching childrens baptisme there is another especiall respect to be had of which we shall speake afterward But touching others this is the 1. difference betweene them that whereas the word was offered euen to such as were out of the Church not hauing heard of the name of Christ and none excluded or debarred from the hearing of it whether beleeuers or vnbeleeuers holy or prophane Iew or Gentile Barbarian or Schythian 1 C. 14 No person being an vnbeleeuer or Infidell was euer admitted to the Sacraments although he should offer himselfe for that had beene to giue t Mat. 7 6. that which is holy to Dogges and to cast pearles before Swine but such only as were instructed in the faith and had made publike confession thereof as members of the Church Another difference is in the necessity end and vse aswell of the one as of the other The preaching of the word is the ordinary meanes and instrument of the Holy-Ghost to beget and begin faith in vs except God doe deale extraordinarily which of vs is not to be looked for and none hath entrance to Christ but by faith so that men if they will be saued must heare it But the Sacraments are of another nature they cannot ingender faith in vs we must bring faith with vs least we partake them vnworthily so that hee which beleeueth and could not come to the Sacraments is yet partaker of saluation Wherefore the necessity of them is not simply and absolutely so great that without exception a man cannot bee saued without them for it is the contempt not the want of them that bringeth danger and damnation Thirdly it may sometimes fall out that in a visible Church the word preached may be found as an essentiall note of the Church without the Sacraments and yet be a true Church of God so that the word may be without the Sacraments but the Sacraments cannot be without the word as a writing may bee without a seale but not the seale without the writing set a seale to a blanke and it is vaine voyde and vnprofitable Last of all the preaching of the word rouseth and affecteth onelye one of the senses to wit the eares wee see it not wee touch it not wee handle it not only wee heare the sound thereof but the Sacraments are offered to the eyes as well as to the eares so that wee doe euē behold Iesus Christ as it were crucified before vs nay they moue and stirre vp the rest of the senses whereby wee may vnderstand what they bring to what ende they serue and how they doe auaile vnto our faith making vs after a sorte to handle Christ with our hands and to see him with our eyes to taste him and touch him with our whole body Wherefore they do u How the sacraments are more effectuall then the word more seale vp then the word not that God is more true of his promise when he worketh by signes then when he speaketh by his word but in respect of the manner of teaching and receiuing because by his Sacraments hee representeth his promises as it were painted in a Table a Horat. lib. de arte pocti Segnius irritant animos demissa per aures quam quae sunt oculis subiecta fidelibus c. and setteth them foorth liuely as in a picture before our eyes that we may not only heare but see handle touch taste and euen digest them Againe the promise of the Gospel is more effectually declared and sealed vp by the Sacraments then by the bare word not for the substance and matter it selfe but for the manner of working which is heere full perfect and more effectuall so as that which wee perceiue and receiue by many senses as hearing and seeing is more sure and certaine then that which is discerned by hearing onely Hitherto of the agreements and differences betweene word and Sacraments and we haue shewed that so soone as God gaue his word immediately he seconded the same with his Sacraments The vses which wee are to make Vse 1 heereof are these First seeing God contenteth not himselfe with the word onely but addeth the Sacraments in all ages and times of the Church which proceedeth partly through his owne goodnesse and partly through mans weakenesse we ought to bee so farre from despising the Sacraments that contrary-wise we must confesse the benefite vse and worthinesse of them can neuer be sufficiently magnified and commended nor they with sufficient reuerence be receiued Wee are dull to conceiue his promises slow to remember them we are full of doubtting vnbeleefe we are like to Thomas b Iohn 20 25. one of the Disciples we will not beleeue them vntill in some sort we see them in some measure feele them in our hearts Wherefore God hath ordained these mysteries and holy actions to keepe in continuall memory his great benefits bestowed vpon man to seale vp his promises and as it were to offer vnto our sight those things which inwardly hee performeth to vs and thereby strengtheneth and increaseth our faith through the working of his Spirit in our soules An house the more props and postes it hath to sustaine support it the more weake and
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
to the Eunuch Acts 8. If thou beleeuest thou maiest Thus we see that the children of those that professe the faith belong to the Church of God the children of Pagans belong not to the Church of God loe how great a difference there is betweene them Heereby then the children of the faithfull are discerned and distinguished from the prophane multitude of Atheists Epicures Libertines Arrians Anabaptists Turkes Sarazens Persians and other barbarous nations g Eph. 2 1â— which are without Christ without hope without God in the world whereas the holy seede of all the faithfull belong to the Church of God and are reckoned in the company of the Church For this h Rom. 11 6. cause the Apostle calleth the whole posterity of Abraham holy that is consecrated and hallowed to God If the roote be holy the branches are also holy Not that the children of the faithfull do want originall sin or that they gather any actuall holinesse or inherent righteousnes by carnall generation and propagation from their parents but because by benefit of the couenant of God and by force of his gracious promise they are separated from prophane Infidels and brought into the bosome of the Church as Noah was into the Arke Fiftly this doctrine that children are commended to Vse 5 God infranchized into the heauenly Citty setteth forth the honour and glory of God For is not God greatly glorified when he sheweth himselfe true in his promises and hath mercy vpon the faithfull i Deut. 7 9. for a thousand generations And is not occasion offered vnto vs continually to glorifie him Can we deserue that God should be our God Nay do we not deserue that he should not be our God And yet behold he will bee the God of our children also Let vs therefore neuer forget his mercies let vs fill our mouths or rather our hearts with his praises let vs confesse before the Lord his louing kindnesse and his wonderfull workes before the sonnes of men Sixtly all parents are heereby wonderfully comforted Vse 6 they haue their faith strengthened and are confirmed in the loue of God when they see themselues so beloued of God that it descendeth and floweth euen to their Children as they are assured by this visible signe This is that worthy and wonderfull promise which we must receiue by k Gen. 17 7. faith Gen. 17. I will be thy God and the God of thy seed after thee I will establish my couenant betweene me and thee and thy seed after thee A sentence to be written not onely in Gold but in the tables of our hearts to dwell with vs for euer When wee must leaue the world and our families in poore estate behind vs and go vnto the Father let vs not be dismayed discouraged or discomfited this is the stay of our hope this is the staffe of our comfort this is our anker-hold that he will not shut vp his mercy toward our children but be a gracious God to them as he hath beene to our selues so that we may assuredly say vnto them with faithfull Abraham l Gen. 22.8 My sonne God will prouide Let vs bee content with those things that we haue for he hath saide m Heb. 13 5.6 7. Iosh 1 5. Hâ—g 2 9. I will not faile thee neither forsake thee so that we may boldly say The Lord is my helper neither will I feare what man can doe vnto me Godlinesse is great gaine and he that is truely godly is truely rich He that hath Christ hath all things he that wanteth him wanteth all things Heauen and earth are the Lords all the gold and siluer are his who hath promised to be an husband to the widdow eyes to the blinde a couering to the naked a father to the fatherlesse and he will not forget his kindnesse toward vs for euer Wherfore let vs lift vp n Heb. 12 12.13 our hands and our hearts which hang downe let vs strengthen our weake knees and make straight steps vnto our feet God is able to worke contentednes in all his seruants whose power is best seene in our weakenes and whose glory shineth brightest in our greatest wants Remember o Psal 37.25 34 8 9 10. what the Prophet saith Psal 37. I was young and now am olde yet I neuer saw the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread And againe Tast ye and see how gracious the Lord is blessed is the man that trusteth in him Feare the Lord ye his Saints for nothing wanteth to them that fear him The Lyons do lacke and suffer hunger but they which seeke the Lord shall want nothing that is good Loe how the man shal be blessed that feareth God not only in his owne person but in his children p Psal 115 13 14. Ier. 32 38 39. inasmuch as our seed is no lesse deare to him then we are as Psal 115. He will blesse them that feare the Lord both small great the Lord wil encrease his graces toward you and toward your children And to the same purpose the Prophet Ieremy chap. 32. saith They shal be my people I wil be their God and I will giue them one heart one way that they may feare me for euer for the wealth of theÌ„ and of their children after them Let vs al rest in his words and rely vpon his mercifull promises He is not as man that he should lye nor as the sonne of man that he should deceiue He hath said he wil be our God and the God of our seed that we leaue behind vs. Behold O Lord the words of thine owne lips consider the promises that are gone out of thine owne mouth We know thou art true and faithfull in all thy sayings thou wilt not alter the things which thou hast writteÌ„ with thine owne finger on thee we waite and in thee we put our trust let it be vnto thy seruants according to thy free promise and according to thy gracious couenant that we may feele the accomplishment thereof in our soules Seuenthly al parents are heereby to be warned and admonished Vse 7 that seeing the promise of forgiuenes of sinnes and the kingdome of heauen belongeth to their seed and consequently the signe and seale therof they must be carefull to bring them vp q Eph. 6 4. in the true knowledge and feare of God as Eph. 6. Fathers prouoke not your children to wrath but bring them vp in instruction and information of the Lord. So Moses teacheth Exod. 12. Exod 12 26.27 When their children should aske them touching the Paschal Lambe that then it is their duty to declare and deliuer to them the true cause and occasion thereof Likewise so often as we consider how our children are by grace accepted by baptisme consecrated vnto God and so made heires of life and saluation it standeth vs vpon to plant and water the sauing knowledge of Christ Iesus in them For what should it profit vs to leaue them great riches
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
of this Sacrament agree not with the institution of CHRIST nor with the former vses set downe which now wee come to handle and to prooue out of the doctrine of the Apostles themselues Touching the first and principall end that is the remembrance meditation and shewing forth the death of Chrst with all thanksgiuing this he commanded to vs at his last departing from vs which ought much to stick in our minds because the last words of a deare friend ready to part from vs do oftentimes leaue behind both deepe impressions and deuout affections in vs. Indeed when we reade of the passioÌ„ and death of Christ it doth much moue vs to heare it opened expounded it moueth in a farther degree but more then these to haue before our eyes a visible representation of the crucifying of Christ in his last Supper doth mooue vs most of all The institution of this Sacrament he did in wisedome reserue till the approching of his death that we might not forget him when he is gone from vs. So God the Father after the vniuersal flood drowning the whol world for a remembrance of his mercy in deliuering Noah and his family from the waters and of his promise made f Gen. 9 14. neuer to destroy it so againe left to them and all posterity the Rainbow When he had iustly smitten the first borne of the Egiptians and gratiously saued the first borne of Israel he commanded Moses g Exo 13 1 2 to sanctifie to him all the first borne that first openeth the wombe to remember the day in which they came out of the land of Egipt When he had miraculously sed the Israelites with Manna from heauen that men did eate Angels food h Exod. 16 32 he would haue a golden pot ful of it to be reserued in the Arke of remembrance for the better remembrance of so great a worke So likewise being deliuered by the precious blood of Christ from the floods of sin that haue gone ouer our heads and eased of the heauy burthen that pressed downe our hearts wee haue receiued baptisme to keepe vs in remembrance thereof that we are cleansed from the filthinesse of sin Againe being nourished with Christs body crucifyed and his blood shed for vs we are commanded to vse this mystery to continue an holy remembrance of his death and passion to our endlesse comfort This end to wit to be to vs a remembrance of Christs sacrifice on the Crosse is taught by the Apostle So often as ye shall eate of this bread and drinke of this cup i Luk. 22 19 ye shew the Lords death till he come In like manner the Euangelist Luke of the bread saith Do this in remembrance of me and of the cuppe Do this as oft as ye shall drinke it in remembrance of me by declaring his death And we declare the Lords death when we publikely confesse with our mouth and beleeue with the heart that our whole hope and affiance for life and saluation is surely set in the Lords death that we may glorifie him by our confession and exhort others by our example to glorifie him because his death is our life his passion is our saluation his suffering is our reioycing We our selues are the principall and proper causes that he was torne and tormented our sins wounded him we our selues crucified him we euen we are the causes for he was chastised for vs that by death he might deliuer vs from death and from Heb. 2 14. him that had the power of death Our euill motions our vile thoughts our corrupt words and our sinfull works did set on worke Pontius Pilate Herod Annas Caiphas Iudaâ— the Gentiles and the Iewes who were but instruments as the Crosse nailes the hammer and speare these were as our seruants and workemen in the euill action of his crucifying We are all of vs ready to accuse and condemne these men wee complaine against them and pronounce sentence vpon them because they offered so great iniuries to our sweet Sauiour We lay all the blame vpon others we sticke not to call Pilat a corrupt Iudge Herod a time-seruer and a man-pleaser Annas and Caiphas brethren in euil Iudas the sonne of perdition the Iewes and Gentiles notorious offendors but all this while we haue forgotten our selues Wherefore to speake the truth not Sathan the tempter not Iudas the traytor not Caiphas the high-Priest not Pilat the chiefe Iudge not the Iewes that conspired against him not the false witnesses that accused him not the band of men that scorned him not the passengers that nodded their heads at him not the souldior that pierced him not the executioners that railed at him and nailed him on the crosse are so much to be accused and reproued for his sufferings as we we I say our selues and our owne sinnes Not that we can excuse those cursed instruments that crucified the Lord of glory who shall receiue according to their works l Zâ—ch 12 10. Iob. 19 37. when they shall see him whom they haue pierced but to teach vs chiefly to accuse and condemne our selues We bound him with cords we beate him with rods we buffetted him with fistes we crowned him with thornes we reuiled him with our mouths we railed at him with reproches wee nodded at him with our heads we thrust him through with speares we betraied him with a kisse we pierced his hands feet with nailes we crucified him between two theeues we condemned him through false witnesses we poured shame and contempt vpon his person we iudged him as plagued and smitten of God For inasmuch as our faults and offences procured these things to bee done vnto him we were the dooers by them and the dealers in them and the causes of them And surely then we are profitably grounded in the doctrine of the m Who they are that profit aright by Christs passioÌ„ passion of Christ when our hearts cease to sinne and we are pricked with an inward griefe of those great and grieuous transgressions n 1 Ioh. 3 6. Esay 53 5 6. whereby as with speares we pierced the side and wounded the very soule of the immaculate lambe of God as Ioh. 3. Who so sinneth neither hath seene him nor knowne him And the Prophet Esay teacheth cha 53. He was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes we are healed the Lord hath laide vpon him the iniquity of vs all Seeing then Christ was slaine for our sins let vs kill sin in our selues seeing he died for vs let vs labour that sin may be dead in vs seeing he was crucified for vs and our saluation let vs crucifie our own lusts that they raigne not in our mortal bodies seeing his heart was pierced with a speare let vs haue our hearts thrust through pierced and pricked with vnfaigned sorrow for all our iniquities This is the right vse this is the true end this
despaire on the other side but to beleeue which is seated in the middest is supernaturall To haue a dead faith commeth of our selues but to haue a liuely faith proceedeth from God to whome we ascribe all glory and praise Now the proper office and function of this iustifying faith standeth in apprehending receiuing and laying hold vppon Christ and all his benefites Euen as the hand stretched foorth layeth hold vpon a thing and pulleth the same vnto it so dooth faith apply the sauing promises of the Gospell to the soule as the Apostle teacheth Gal. 3. That the blessing of Abraham might come vnto the Gentiles through Iesus Christ i Gal 3 14 that we might receiue the promise of the Spirit through Faith Where he teacheth that we embrace and receiue the precious promises of saluation and forgiuenesse of our sinnes by faith beleeuing the same to belong vnto our selues The Scripture calleth Christ a redeemer indefinitely Iob calleth him his redeemer particularly Iob 19 25. I know that my Redeemer liueth The Scripture setteth out the Lord as the God of his Church Thomas vpon a speciall feeling of Christes sauour toward him l Ioh 22.28 acknowledgeth him to be his Lorde and God Iohn 20. Thou art my Lord and my God The Scripture propoundeth Christ as the Sauiour of his people the blessed virgin taketh this as spoken vnto her selfe m Luke 1 â—â— and accounteth him her Sauiour My spirit reioyceth in God my Sauiour The Scripture maketh Christ the Lord Protector of his church Elizabeth maketh a speciall Luk. 11 43. application thereof calling him her Lord. Luk. 1 Whence commeth this to me that the mother of my Lord should come vnto mee It is an Article of our holy and Christian faith to beleeue the forgiuenes of sins this must euery one beleeue this must euery one hold this must euery one apply o Math. 5 2. as Christ did to the sick man of the Palsey Mathew 9. Sonne be of good comfort thy sinnes are forgiuen thee It is the hardest thing in the world thus to beleeue whether we respect Christ or our selues An hardthing to beleeue It is an easie matter for a man when he neither knoweth nor feeleth the burden of sin to say he hath faith and beleeueth in Gods mercie but when Sathan shall sist him when his owne heart shall accuse him when sinne shall lye heauie vpon his soule when the vnsupportable and vnsufferable anger of God shall presse his conscience to the nethermost hell and the flame thereof consume his bones and turne his moysture p Psalm 32 4. into the drought of Summer if then he can stand vpright and build himselfe q Math 7 24. vpon the rocke when the floods come when the winds blow and beat vpon his house and when the ground shaketh vnder his seete this man with boldnesse and confidence may truely say and seale it vppe for an euerlasting truth My sinnes are forgiuen mee For if then he can comfort himselfe in his God and apply his gracious mercies to his owne faint heart and cry out r Iob. 13 15. Though the Lorde woulde kill me yet still will I trust in him this is the propertie of a sound faith against which the strongest gates of hell shall not preuaile This appeareth euidently vnto vs in the example of Abraham Å¿ Ro. 4 17 c who beleeued that of his olde weake withered and as it were deade body should spring children t Genes 1â— 5 like to the sande on the Sea shore and like the Starres of Heauen for multitude and that hee should haue a seede in whome himselfe and all the nations of the world should bee blessed If hee had consulted with flesh and bloode what Discourses might a naturall man alleadge to hinder the crediting of this promise yet he doubted not he disputeth not the matter but beleeued that the weake should bee made strong that the barren should be made fruitfull and a ioyfull mother of children that the dead should be made a liue to dwell with a family springing out of his owne body which was to reason as vnlikely and vnpossible as for a dry and dead tree pulled vp by the rootes to bud beare and bring foorth plentifull fruit So what can be more difficult and hard then for vs to beleeue and be perswaded that by the death of Christ we shall haue euerlasting life By his shame and dishonour we shall haue glory and praise That by his wounds and reproches we shal haue the curing and healing of our sores That by his agonies and bloody sweate we shall haue peace and rest By his condemnation we shall haue saluation Is not this after a sort in hel to see heauen In cursing to see blessing In humiliation to see exaltation In death to see life In condemnation to lay hold of saluation In feeling of sinne to beleeue the pardon of sinnes Lastly in our vnrighteousnesse and misery to be both righteous and accepted to eternall life and in the breach of the law to beleeue the fulfilling of the law This is indeed to haue the sauing faith u Tit. 1 1. of Gods elect And to say that this is an easie matter or a small thing is plainely to betray and discouer that we neuer knew what true faith meaneth For this faith let euery one of vs labour that we may a Gal. 2 20. specially and particularly apprehend the promises as the Apostle declareth Galathians 2. I am crucified w th Christ but I liue yet not I any more but Chrict liueth in me and in that that I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith in the Sonne of God who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me And againe b 2 Tim 4 â— I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith hence forth is laâ—d vp for me a Crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue vnto me at that day Where we see a speciall application to himselfe of the benefits of CHRIST and therefore it is not sufficient to beleeue that Christ came into the world that he was crucified died was buried rose againe from the dead and ascended into heauen for this is a generall faith this is the faith of the reprobates yea the Deuils know it and haue as great a part and portion therein as wee yet they tremble at the remembrance of their iudgement to come as Iames sheweth c Iames 2 19 Thou beleeuest there it one God thou doest well the deuils also beleeue and tremble There is more required of vs then to beleeue the histories and doctrine of the Scriptures to bee true and to make an outward profession of it to vnderstand and assent vnto the couenant of grace made by Christ that it is certain and shal be verified in the members of the church we must besides this generall and confused faith applie and appropriate vnto
whole volume of such differences howbeit I will leaue them in their owne deuises and come to the third point which is to answere those that pleade the cause of Baal and are bold to speake what they dare for the whore of Babell who albeit they liue among vs and would bee thought to bee of vs yet they are neyther affrayd nor ashamed to affirme n Against such as would not haue it disputed and determined how Christ is present that the controuersie of the Supper is not so manifest as we teach nor the words of Christ so easie as we affirme nor the iudgement of the Fathers so cleer as we pretend nor the maner of eating so necessary to be holden as we define that we are to beleeue that Christ is present but how he is preseÌ„t we should not dispute whether it be carnally or whether it bee spiritually Indeed we feare not to teach that there is no transelementation or transubstantiation that is no reall turning of the bread into the body and the wine into the bloud of Christ but when he said This is my body hee intendeth not to change one substance into another but meaneth This bread is a signe or Sacrament of my body which is deliuered to death for vs and for our saluation And when he saith This Cup is the new Testament in my bloud hee vnderstandeth that the wine in the Cup is a Sacrament of the new Testament of our reconciliation to God and of our communion and participation of Christ with al his benefits therefore we doubt not to call this Sacrament a representation a remeÌ„brance an image a token a type an antitype a signe a figure and such like Now that it may appeare that the wordes of institution are truely expounded and haue the constant consent and full approbation of al antiquity o The ancieÌ„t Fathers teach the same touching the Supper that we doe let vs produce our witnesses and see what the Fathers of the grayest heads before vs haue declared deliuered But before we come to fight hand to hand with these aduersaries and to discharge the volly of shot which we haue in store it shall not be amisse to set downe certaine inducements as it were certaine preparatiues to leade vs to beleeue that the Doctours of the Church are no lesse ours in this cause and controuersie then Caluine and Beza and the later writers For first we shal neuer read in all the monuments of former times any mention of adoration or eleuation of the host or that the maner was to lick vp the drops of the Challice or to sweepe the place where a drop was falne or to burne the wormes which haue corrupted or consumed it or to seeke out the host wheÌ„ it is vomited vp to commend those that will swallow it againe Secondly Ierome teacheth that after the communion they had a common banket in the Church whereat they did eate vp all that q Ierom. vpon 1 Cor. 11. remained after the administration of the Supper If then it were the manner of many Churches to eate the residue at their loue feasts and ordinary bankets doubtlesse they did not thinke it was Christ himselfe which was eaten therein Thirdly the custome was in some places to burne the remainder of the r Hesych lib. 2. in Leuit. ca. 8. Eucharist and therefore it could not bee that they should beleeue that the bread was the very body of Christ forasmuch as it had beene horrible impiety and a most detestable prophanation to burne it as a Å¿ Gregory 7. an Atheist NecromaÌ„cer certaine Pope in his rage and fury cast the Eucharist into the fire because it did not answere to his questions when he consulted with it or else peraduenture the body of Christ seeing the flame of fire comming toward it fled vp into heauen for feare of beeing consumed by it Fourthly another teacheth that in other Churches the custome was to giue the parts that were not spent and vsed to little children t Niceph lib. 17. cap. 25. frequenting the Schoole who are barred from partaking of the Supper by the Apostle because they are not able u 1 Cor. 11.28 to examine themselues and therefore they were not of opinion with the Church of Rome Fiftly the Masse it selfe vsed at this day and the prayers vsed in it do speake for the truth against their Idolatrous practise Heereunto commeth their sursum corda when they exhort to lift vp the heart on high to God and the prayers crauing of God that their oblation may be acceptable which is the figure and signe of the body and blood of our Lord whereas if the Church had beleeued that they did eate Christ with their mouths they might haue stayed their eyes beneath gazing and gaping vpon that which the Priest held in his hands and needed not to haue lifted vp their harts to Christ Iesus which sitteth at the right hand of his Father in the highest heauens Sixtly they teach vniformely that a body cannot be but in one place and that if we take space of place from them we destroy the being of a body and thereupon one saith a Virgil. lib. 1. Contr. Eutich The flesh of Chrâ—st was not in heauen when it was vpon the earth and now because it is in heauen it is not on earth And Augustine in his 57 Epistle to Dardanus hath these words The humane nature of Christ is destroyed if there bee not giuen vnto him after the manner of other bodies a certaine space wherin he may be contained The popish purgers and correcters could not suffer the waight of this sentence and therefore haue b Printed at Paris Anno. 1571. raced it out of some of their late editions and yet Bellarmine doth alledge it and obiect it against himselfe howbeit it is likely he did not remember himselfe but had forgotten to consult with his good companions who blot out that which they cannot answere These sixe considerations are as certaine inducements to sharpeÌ„ our taste to break the Ice and so to prepare the way now let vs set downe the seuerall testimonies themselues and see how they depose for vs. Tertullian one of the most ancient faith c Tertul cont Marci lib. 4. Christ receiuing the bread and the same being diuided vnto his Disciples made it to be his body saying This is my bodye that is to say a signe of my body Theodoret saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that is the mysticall signes depart not from their nature no not after consecration for they remaine in their former substance figure and forme Can any thing be spoken more plainely Doubtlesse Theodoret was in this point a Lutheran or a Caluinist one of those whom the bastard Catholikes call heretickes Augustine is a man of great authority in the Church therfore a sufficient witnesse beyond all exception he saith for vs d Aug. cont Adamantâ— â—2 The Lord made no doubt
compact which the eternall God hath in great mercy and compassion made with mortall and miserable men accepting them into grace and fauour promising to them remission of their sins and saluation of their soules The summe and effect of this Booke These things the iudicious Reader shall finde largely discussed in this Treatise which I haue therefore called The New Couenant because it layeth open the doctrine of the Sacraments which serue to confirme and strengthen vs in that Couenant and compact which the eternall God hath in great mercy and compassion made with mortall and miserable men accepting them into grace and fauour promising to them remission of their sins and saluation of their soules These my rude though renewed labours I willingly submit to the wise censure of my learned Brethren remembring that the spirits of the Prophets are subiect vnto the Prophets If I haue any where erred through humane infirmity 1 Cor. 14 32 or mistaken the matter any way which I go about to prooue or perswade I desire them heartily by some meanes to giue mee friendly notice thereof which I shall receiue as precious balme or as an excellent oyle that shall not breake my head Psal 141 5 The Lord God almighty from whom euery good giuing and euery perfect giuing proceedeth establish vs in the New Couenant and make vs carefull to keepe the conditions thereof to the increase of our knowledge to the growth of our faith to the furtherance of our obedience to the comfort of our soules and to the glory of his great name Amen Amen Thy Brother in Christ our Sauiour William Attersoll THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE Sacraments in generall Of the agreement and difference betweene the Word and Sacraments CHAP. 1. GOD euen from the beginning added vnto the preaching of the word a God alway gaue his sacraments to his Church his Sacramentes in the Church as the Scripture teacheth outwardly repesenting and visibly offering to our sight those things that inwardly hee performeth to vs as b Gen 2 9. the tree of life the tree of knowledge of good euil in the Garden After mans fall when a new necessity was added in regard of mans want and weakenesse he testified his loue and ratified his Coueant by sacrifices Ceremonies to our first Parents Hee gaue the c Gen. 6 14. Arke to Noah and his sonnes to confirme them in the promise which he made to them that they should not be drowned with the rest of the world Hee added to Abraham d Gen. 17 11. the signe of circumcision as a seale e Rom 4 11. of the righteousnesse of faith and to the Israelites hee gaue the Passeouer Manna oblations purifications the brazen Serpent the Rocke and such like spirituall tipes whereby he assured them of the promise that God for the onely sacrifice of Christ wrought vpon the Crosse would giue to all that beleeue forgiuenes of sinnes and euerlasting life Now the word of God may fitly bee resembled to writings and euidences and the f The agreemeÌ„t between the Word Sacraments Sacraments to seales which the Lord alone setteth to his owne letters They are as a visible Sermon preaching vnto vs most liuely the promises of God that as the worde wee heare doth edifie and instruct the minde by the outward eares so do the Sacraments by the eyes and other senses First then that wee may vnderstand the doctrine nature of the Sacraments wee are to consider what the word and Sacraments haue in common and how they agree one with another then what they haue peculiar and proper each to other and how they differ one from another The argument betweene them standeth in these points First both are of God and instruments which the Holye Ghost vseth to this ende to make vs more and more one with Christ and partakers of saluation not that God needeth them or that he is tyed vnto them for as he can nourish without meate and drinke so he can saue without word or Sacraments but because wee neede them hee vseth them when hee will and as often as it pleaseth him The same which is published and promised by the worde of God is signified and sealed by the Sacraments For they are not a deliuering of new promises and articles of faith but seale vp such as are offered in the word Secondly although God vse them as instruments of his grace yet the especiall working and forcible power of them is not in them but dependeth on God alone so that wee must not thinke that whosoeuer partaketh them is partaker of grace saluation forgiuenesse of sinnes and euerlasting glory but the vertue of them floweth from him onely as from a fountaine A man may heare the word and receiue the Sacraments all the dayes of his life and be neuer the better except God change the minde open the heart enlighten the vnderstanding cleanse the conscience and sanctifie the affections to his glory Thirdly as the preaching of the word profiteth nothing vnlesse it be vnderstood applied and receiued but g Heb. 4 1. tendeth to iudgement so the Sacraments except wee bring the hand of faith with vs cannot giue vs faith nor grace but tend to our condemnation Yet as the Gospell is alwaies the sauour of life vnto life of it owne nature and the h Heb. 4 12. word liuely and of comfortable operation howsoeuer the vnfaithfull turne it to be the sauour of death vnto death So the Sacraments cease not in themselues to bee true Sacraments although they bee administred by vnworthy Ministers and receiued by vnfaithfull people For mans wickednesse cannot peruert much lesse euert the nature of Gods ordinance Lastly as the best seede springeth not vp and bringeth not fruit so soone as it is sowne but lyeth a time couered in the earth to take rooting so the fruite reaped by the word and benefit receiued by the Sacraments presently appeareth not but groweth and increaseth at the time appointed of God who will blesse them in his elect at what season himselfe hath ordained Thus wee see what the word and Sacraments haue in common both are instruments of the same grace both haue their benefit blessing and force depending on God both require faith to bee mingled with them without which they are vnprofitable and lastly they profite not by and by at the same moment they are published administred heard or receiued but God afterward worketh oftentimes by them in his children to their great comfort when all fruite to come by them seemed to be buried The Disciples at the first vnderstood no more of Christs resurrection then the vnbeleeuing Iewes did when hee saide i Iohn 2 19. Destroy this Temple and I wâ—ll builde it againe in three dayes But they lay it vp in their hearts and long afterward remember the words he spake vnto them So wheÌ„ they saw Christ riding to Ierusalem the multitude spreading their garments in the way and cutting
so that God onely is able to bestow grace and he alone can appoint true signes of grace For as he onely hath authority to seale the charter pardon in whose iurisdiction it is to grant it so likewise God giueth the pledges and tokens of his grace which sheadeth the graces of the Spirite into our hearts Wherefore the reuerent Sacraments of the Church none can institute by his authority but onely God and hence it is that the signes haue the names of the thinges signified None but Christ himselfe could say of the bread This is my body none but hee could say of the cup This cup is the new Testament in my bloud none but hee breathing on his Apostles could say Receiue the Holy Ghost none but hee could make the water in Baptisme to be the lauer of regeneration Let vs see what good and profitable vses arise from this Vse 1 doctrine First if the Sacraments bee the ordinances of God then they depend not on the worthinesse or vnworthinesse fitnesse or vnfitnesse vices or vertues of the Minister but all their efficacy and force hangeth on the holy institution of Christ Iesus The Ministers impiety wickednesse maketh not a nullity of the Sacrament neyther hindereth the fruite of the worthy receiuer no more then the piety and godlinesse of a faithfull Minister can profite an vnworthy receiuer Indeede the Church must indeuour that they bee cleane which beare the Vessels of the Lord Esay 52 11. and that the Ministers thereof may bee holye and vnblameable according to the Apostles r 1 Tim. 3 2. rule but we must not measure the profit of the receiuer by the person of the Minister If a theefe do steale a sack of corne we see if he sow it it groweth vp and bringeth foorth increase because the fault resteth not in the seede which is good but in the sower which is euill so doth the Sacrament profite the faithfull howsoeuer hee bee vnfaithfull that doth administer it Wee see if the seede-man haue foule filthy and vncleane hands that soweth yet if the seede be cleane sweete and faire it prospereth so the holy things of God ſ Euill Mininisters may deliuer the good things of God cannot be defiled by the corrupt and sinfull life of the Minister while he deliuereth nothing of his owne but dispenseth the ordinances of God Thus we see that whether the Minister be good or euill godly or vngodly an heretick or a Catholike holy or prophane the effect is all one the worthines of the Sacrament dependeth not on man but proceedeth from God and therfore all such as contemne the Sacraments of God for the sacriledge of man shal beare their condemnation whosoeuer they are The two sons of Ely Hophni and Phinehas were t 1 Sam. 1 22.23 exceeding sinners against the Lord yet because the people of Israel abhorred the sacrifices of God and trode his worship vnder their feete the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the whole land and hee denounced u 1 Sam. 6 11. sore iudgements against thē So then the offence of the Priests was no defence of the people but as the Priests gaue the offence the people tooke it so God boūd thē together in the same iudgement So we must know God will not beare the contempt of his ordinances vnder any pretence whatsoeuer of the Ministers wickednes vnworthines if his hand be corrupt let thy heart be vncorrupt though his sins be his own yet the Sacram. be Gods he may minister cōfort to thee tho he bring none to himselfe as the workmē that builded the Arke prepared a means to saue other but were drowned thēselues or as the bels tho they moue not themselues yet serue to bring others to the exercises of religion or as the Scribes that pointed the way to the wise-men but themselues vouchsafed not to step out of doores to enquire after Christ The eares of corne do carry the corne with the chaffe to be purged and cleansed in the barne though the chaffe be vnprofitable yet it profiteth the corne as the Lanthorne holdeth the candle to giue light vnto others that are the passengers As gold is gold of whomsoeuer it is giuen and receiued so the Sacrament is truely a Sacrament whether it bee giuen of a good or euil Minister so is it with the word of God This appeareth by the words of Christ our sauiour Math. 23. The Scribes and Pharisies sit in Moses seate a Mat. 23 2 3 all therefore whatsoeuer they bid you obserue that obserue and doe but after their workes do not for they say and do not Albeit then the Scripture condemneth such as giue offences yet such as take offence are not thereby iustified let vs magnifie the ordinances of God and then we may expect a blessing at his hands This is that which the b 1 Cor. 3 6 7 Apostle teacheth I haue planted Apollos watered but God gaue the increase So then neyther is he that planteth any thing neither he that watreth but God that giueth the increase Wherefore the people of God notwithstanding the wickednesse and vnworthines of the Ministers may safely and with a good conscience vse their ministry both hearing the word frō their mouths and receiuing the Sacraments at their hands and both of them are effectuall and auaileable vnto saluation neither do they defile themselues by their corruption The Donatists in former times the Anabaptists in our daies teach that such scandalous Ministers as giue offence can profite vs nothing at al nor further our saluation nor doe vs any good that being defiled themselues by their sins they defile also the Sacraments Heereunto they bring the saying in the law of Moses Whatsoeuer the vncleane person toucheth shall be vncleane the soule that toucheth it shal be vncleane vntill euen Likewise they alleadge the wordes of Haggai the Prophet If a man beare holy flesh in the skirt of his garmant with his skirt do touch bread or pottage or wine or oyle or any meat shall it be holy The Priests answered and said No. Then said Haggai If one that is vncleane by a dead body touch any of these shall it be vncleane The Priests answered It shall be vncleane So is this people and so is this Nation before me saith the Lord and so is euery worke of their hands and that which they offer there is vncleane Therefore whensoeuer the Ministers are polluted with vices they do pollute prophane whatsoeuer they handle I answere these words are corrupted depraued by these heretikes The Prophet saith not by way of application so doe you pollute the Sacram. and sacrifices of the people but the drift of the place is to shew vnto vs that our works are polluted and abhominable in the sight of almighty God and vtterly reiected of him except they proceed from the fountaine of a pure heart faith vnfained so that albeit they be in their nature neuer so good
g TransubstaÌ„tiation ouerthrowne whatsoeuer ouerthroweth the nature and vse of a Sacrament is not to be admitted but omitted neyther to bee receiued but reiected But transubstantiation ouerthroweth and ouerturneth both the nature and vse of a Sacrament and therefore not to be admitted and receiued into the Church For touching the nature of a Sacrament it is confessed h Iren. lib. 4. contr haer cap. 34. that it consisteth of two parts the one earthly and the other heauenly but if after the words of consecration the bread and wine are transubstantiated into the body and blood of Christ then the signe is taken away the element is ouerthrowne the materiall part is abolished and consequently the nature of a Sacrament is ouerturned And touching the vse of a Sacrament there must be an analogy and proportion betweene the signe the thing signified As in Baptisme the element of water washeth and purgeth the bodye so the Holy-Ghost through the blood of Christ cleanseth and sanctifieth the soule Likewise in the Lords Supper as the Substance of bread and wine receiued strengtheneth and comforteth the body so Christ i Ioh. 6 33. receiued by faith nourisheth feedeth the soule The very true principall vse of this Sacrament is to confirme our faith that as surely as those earthly creatures taken and applyed feed our bodies to a bodily life so the body and blood of Christ receiued and applyed by faith feed our soules to eternall life And do not all the faithfull feele a sweete comfort so often as they come to the Lords table by this similitude agreement to consider and know assuredly that as the substance of bread serueth to nourish and doth feede our bodyes so Christ doth feede our soules But if wee must beleeue that the substance of bread and wine is changed cleane gone that nothing remaineth but accidents where is this comfort and consolation How can wee bee assured and strengthened that as our bodies are nourished with the materiall elements so in like manner our soules by feeding on Christ Wherefore while they take away the substance of bread which should nourish the body the nature and vse of the Sacrament is destroyed and wee are spoyled of the comfort of our hearts and strengthning of our faith which wee should haue by this notable comparison and resemblance of the parts So then if wee would receiue comfort in comming to this Communion wee must retaine the substance of the signe as a staffe to stay vp our faith that it do not faile Lastly seeing God giueth vnto vs outward signes of his grace it serueth to teach vs that wheresoeuer and among whomsoeuer God continueth his signes he purposeth to bestow vpon them the things signified by the signes on the other side where God denyeth the meanes he also denyeth the thing wheÌ„ he taketh away the sign he taketh away the grace also This we see in the Turkes and Sarazins because he denyeth vnto them saluation hee taketh from them the seales and assurances of saluation and because he refuseth them to be his Church hee vouchsafeth not vnto them the prerogatiues and priuiledges of his Church Thus it falleth out in the preaching of the word vpon those whom God determineth to saue and to bestow vpon them the guift of faith whereby they are entred into the kingdome of heauen hee sendeth vpon them his word and causeth it to be preached vnto them but when he will not shew mercy but leaue a people in their miserable estate and condition he withdraweth the Ministry from them as we see in the Acts of the Apostles Chap. 16. When they were gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia They were forbidden of the holye Ghost to preach the word in Asia and after they were come to Mysia they assaied to go into Bithinia but the Spirite suffered them not Euen as when God will bring a famine vpon a land he with-holdeth the early and latter raine making the heauen to be as brasse and the earth as iron but when he will send plenty and open the windowes of heauen he sendeth a gracious raine and showers vpon the earth so when he will send a famine not of bread nor a thirst of water but of hearing the word of God hee taketh away his word and the meanes of saluation that they shall wander from sea to sea and runne to and fro to seeke the word of the Lord and shall not finde it but faint for thirst If any aske the question wherfore the Lord forbad Paul to preach the word in Asia and to come into Bythinia we cannot assigne this to be the cause that they were vnworthy to haue the doctrine of saluation offered vnto them forasmuch as they were as worthy as the Macedonians to whoÌ„ the Gospell was preached no more vnworthy then the other Gentiles Neither can we say this was the cause that God foresaw how euery one would receiue or entertaine the Gospel that as he saw them ready and inclined to accept of the word or to reiect it so he vouchsafed or not vouchsafed the same vnto them for hee pronounceth openly that he appeared to them of whom hee was not sought and spake vnto them that neuer asked after him Besides this were to ground the cause of saluation vpon our selues which is out of our selues and to ascribe it to our owne merite which is due onely to his mercy We are all by nature the children of wrath and destitute of the guift of faith if there be any willingnesse in vs to obey it proceedeth from the Spirite of God who as he electeth freely so he calleth freely Now that which is spoken of the preaching of the word may also be applied to the vse of the Sacraments When he purposeth to strengthen the faith which hee hath giuen vnto vs hee vouchsafeth the outward signes and seals of his promises that thereby wee should be assured he meaneth to bestow vpon vs the inward grace represented by them He dealeth iustly and vprightly with vs hee hath no purpose to beguile vs and deceiue vs. For they are no bare or naked much lesse false and lying signes but effectual instruments of the Spirite to conuey the mercies of God in Iesus Christ into our hearts and therefore we must bee carefull to vse them conscionably as certaine pawnes and pledges which God hath commended and committed vnto vs that they might be as witnesses of his loue and fauour towards vs. And thus much of the third outward part to wit the signe CHAP. VII Of the fourth outward part of a Sacrament THe last outward paâ—t of a Sacrament is the a The receiuer is an outward part of the Sacrament receiuer which is as needfull as the outward signe We vnderstand and take heere a receiuer in generall for euery one that commeth to the Sacrament whether good or euill godly or vngodly faithfull or vnfaithfull Such a receiuer is likewise a necessary part of the
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
hearer so is it in the Sacraments they haue their efficacy and operation howsoeuer the heart of the Minister be disposed And as Isaac intended not to blesse Iacob but Esau m Gen. 27 1 4 33. yet it hindered not the purpose and determination of God so the corrupt intent the wandering imagination and rouing conceite of the Minister cannot hinder the blessing of God in the Sacraments being his owne ordinances For the force of the Sacrament dependeth no more vpon the intention of the giuer then it doth vpon the intention of the receiuer Againe if the right receiuing of the Sacrament depend vpon the intent of the Minister what assurance can any man haue that he hath euer receiued or shall euer receiue a Sacrament What perswasion can we haue in our hearts that wee were euer baptized What knowledge that we were euer partakers of the body and blood of Christ in the Supper of the Lord Doth not this leaue vs vncertaine and vnsetled without comfort without fruite without benefit by comming to the Sacraments and setteth the poore distressed consciences of men vpon the rack Alas wee cannot know the heart n 1 Cor. 2 11. and vnderstand the intents thereof For what man knoweth the things of a man saue the spirite of man which is within him Furthermore were not this hard dealing and extreame cruelty in God to hang the saluation of men vpon the pleasure of the Minister wherby our faith and saluation shall alwaies be doubtful and should it not be vniust in God to make the euill of the Minister to hurt the receiuer Besides shal it rest in the power of the Priest if this be a power whē the people of God are * Mat. 18. gathered together in the name of Christ and long earnestly to bee satisfied with his grace to send them away empty and so to frustrate their assembly because his heart is straying and his wits a wool-gathering And if his intention be a matter of so great importance what priuiledge hath the receiuer that cometh with faith aboue him that commeth without feeling Or what shall become of their owne doctrine Ex opere operato Ex opere operantis that the Sacrament profiteth and is auaileable being barely done performed if it depend vpon the working and operation of the Sacrificer To draw to an end of this question o Bellar. lib. 1. de sacra c. 28. our aduersaries themselues confesse that the Church cannot iudge of things that are inward whereupon wee frame this reason If the Church cannot iudge of things inward then it cannot iudge of the intent of the Minister but they confesse it cannot iudge of inward things therefore not of the intent of the Minister consequently althogh they be present at the action they remaine doubtfull of consecration Wherefore Bellarmine foreseeing the inconuenience and absurdity of this vnreasonable vncomfortable assertion confesseth that if one of their Masse-Priests in his ministration p Bellar. lib. 1. de sacra ca. 27. intend to doe as the Church of Geneua doth it sufficeth to make a Sacrament effectuall and of force This is the confession of a knowne and sworne enemy Wherby we see that howsoeuer they say we haue no Ministers no ordination no consecratiō no Church that our Sacraments are no better then the feasts of Ceres and Bacchus and lay many false accusations to our charge that the Supper of the Lord with vs is no Sacrament but a bare signe without grace without effect without vertue yet they are constrained to confesse and yeeld thus farre that if a Masse-munger purpose to do as the reformed Churches do his doing is effectuall and the Sacrament is good The effect of this point is this that if we desire to be comforted assured of Gods fauour whē we come to his Supper we must not hang the profit of his ordinances vpon the weak vnstable foundation of Popish intentions And if there were no other point in controuersie betweene the Church of Rome and vs then this which now we haue in hand it were sufficient to make vs abhorre and abiure the Popish religion in which they that liue cannot assure thēselues whether euer they were baptized or receiued the Lords Supper or were married or absolued of their sinnes whether they haue any Sacraments any Priests or any Popes forasmuch as all these hang vpon the slender thred of the Priests intention The Apostle saith Rom. 14.23 Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne But they cannot directly proue or know whether the Priest going about his businesse intended to baptize thē or to deliuer the Eucharist vnto them or to marry them because they know not his heart and therefore in their adoration and worshipping of the Sacrament they may be Idolators and cannot secure themselues from feare of committing Idolatry For if the substance of bread wine remaine in their nature it followeth by necessarie consequence that they fal downe to a piece of bread and commit greeuous Idolatry in the grossest kinde whereof the Gentiles would be ashamed The like might bee saide of their Sacrament of Orders It is not to be proued or knowne that hee which ordered the Pope had an intention to giue him Orders They say it is an high point of faith to beleeue that the Bishop of Rome is the successor of Peter the Vicar of Christ and the head of the Church yet if the Priest that baptized the Pope had no intention to baptize him then is he no member of the Church much lesse the head of it and if he that ordained him had no intention to ordaine him then is he no Priest much lesse the high Priest and therefore they must rest altogether doubtfull and vncertaine whether Clement or Paul or any other sitting in the Popes Chaire and sea of Rome be true Pope and thereupon cannot assure themselues whether the Decretals which passe vnder the name of Popes were indeed their Decretals whose names they carry Popish shifts to iustifie the Priests intention True it is notwithstanding the grossenesse of this assertion they haue inuented sundry shifts to couer their owne shame and nakednesse but they are as figge-leaues which are easily pulled away Among the rest two are most principall which do not suffice to heale the wound but serue rather to make it wider First of all when they are vrged and pressed that the Priests purpose and intention maketh the people alwaies in doubt and leaueth them in a maze and mammering what they doe so that they oftentimes adore an vnconsecrated Host and call that God which is no God but a bare bit of bread Pope Adrian wil haue the Host adored with condition with a secret reseruation to himselfe I adore thee if thou be Christ. And therefore Thomas of Salisbury forbiddeth a man precisely to beleeue that it is the body of the Lord. Thus though they fall downe with great deuotion at the eleuation of their God
that is vnlike Lastly these words cannot enforce any thing to proue that there is any inherent force in the outward element seeing the Spirite is ioyned with it which addeth power and giueth efficacy to the water as it doth also to the worde in all the sauing hearers of it for as the word is a bare sound without the Spirite so baptisme cannot saue without the Spirite Obiection 4 The last testimony and witnesse is produced out of the Acts of the Apostles Chap. 2.38 where Peter exhorteth the Iewes that were at his preaching pricked in their hearts to beleeue in Christ Iesus whom they had betrayed and crucified saying Repent and be baptized euery one of you in the name of Christ for the remission of sinnes and chap. 22 16. where Ananias perswadeth Paul to bee baptized and to wash away his sinnes calling on the name of the Lord. In both which places forgiuenesse of sinnes is ascribed to baptisme and therefore it giueth and conferreth grace I answere Answere It is the beleeuing in the name of Christ that washeth away sinnes and purgeth our consciences from dead workes forasmuch as he maketh the outward worke auaileable by the inward grace of the spirite Againe hee ioyneth inuocation of the name of God with the outward signe which hath the promise of saluation annexed vnto it as the Apostle testifieth Rom. 10 13. Whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shall bee saued Thus we haue seene the principall pillars of the Romish error beaten and battered in pieces euery reason that caryeth any colour laid euen with the ground so that we are wholy to ascribe to the Spirite of God the lauer of regeneration and the answere of a good conscieÌ„ce toward God Againe is the Spirite of God an inward part of the Sacraments Then wee must learne and remember that we can neuer heare the word or receiue the Sacraments with fruite and comfort without the speciall assistance and inward operation of the Spirite of God Therefore the Prophet ioyneth the Spirite and word together Esay 59. I will make this my couenant with thee saith the Lord g Esay 59.21 my Spirite that is vpon thee and my words which I haue put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of the seed of thy seed from henceforth and for euer A man indeede hath power to heare the word and to receiue the Sacraments his will is free in these outwarde workes but hee hath no power or strength to doe them with profite and comfort except it be giuen him from aboue Though we heare neuer so much though wee communicate neuer so often the Spirit must open our hearts as he opened the heart of Lydia So 1 Iohn 2. That annointing h 1 Ioh. 2 27. which ye receiued of him dwelleth in you and ye neede not that any man teach you but as that same annointing teacheth you of all things and it is true and is not lying Likewise Acts 10. Peter preached the Gospell to Cornelius and his houshold and while he yet spake to them The i Acts 10 44. Holy-Ghost fell on them all which heard the worde So also the Apostles being sent out with their commission and commanded to preach the Gospell to euery k Mar. 16 20. creature it is noted that they went forth and preached euery where and the Lorde wrought with them and confirmed the worde with signes that followed And Iohn 14. The l Iohn 14 26. Comforter which is the Holy-Ghost whom the Father will send in my name hee shall teach you al things bring al things to your remembrance which I haue told you Pharaoh often heard Moses Aaron but he harkened not but hardned his heart because there was no inward touching or teaching of the Spirite The Israelites had heard seene the wonderful things of God yet they profited not in faith in repentance in regeneration and the reason is rendred Deuter. 29. Yee haue seene all m Deut. 29 2.3 4. that the Lord did before your eyes in the Lande of Egypt vnto Pharaoh and vnto all his seruants and vnto all his Land the great tentations which thine eyes haue seene those great myracles and wonders yâ—â— the Lord hath not giuen you an heart to perceiue and eyes to see and care to heare vnto this day When wee come to heare the word which is a word of power of life and of saluation when wee come to receiue the Sacraments which are signes of Gods graces and seales of his promises we see many returne as ignorant peruerse corrupt froward rebellious hard-harted and disobedient as they came to these ordinances of God and whence commeth this how falleth it out and what may bee the reason heereof Surely it is not in him that n Luke 13 24. Rom. 9 16. willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy who giueth eyes to see eares to heare heart to vnderstand to whom hee thinketh good in his heauenly pleasure Wherefore our dutye is seeing the natural man perceiueth not the things that are of the Spirite of God to pray vnto him to giue vs wisedome to see our corruptions blindnesse ignorance and hardnesse of heart Vse 3 Thirdly doth the Spirit worke in vs by the word Are the word and Spirite ioyned together and doth he teach vs by meanes of the word and Sacraments then we must not separate the Spirite from the worde and Sacraments as the Anabaptists do o Against anabaptists depending on reuelations which depend vpon reuelations and inward inspirations vpon priuate motions and diuine illuminations without the word They will not be taught by the word they wil not be strengthened by the Sacraments but take away the vse of both following their owne foolish fansies and diuelish dreames They boast of the Spirite of God and are led by the spirit of the Diuell We must for our direction and practise learne that as to rest vpon the Spirite without the worde is phantasticall and heriticall and the mother of al errors so the worde and Sacraments without the Spirite are no better then a dead carkasse without life an empty sound without substance a naked shew without truth an empty casket without the treasure and therefore we must knit them together and assure our selues that the Spirite speaketh euidently in the Scriptures the Spirite worketh effectually by the Sacraments and the Spirite helpeth our infirmities to profite by them both CHAP. XI Of the third inward part of a Sacrament THus much wee haue spoken touching the holy Spirite being the second inward part the third inward part a Christ is the 3. inward part of a Sacrament is Iesus Christ crucified the very subiect and substance of all Sacraments He was represented by circumcision and the Paschal Lambe by Manna and the water that flowed out of the Rocke and hee is represented in baptisme and in
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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
where to lay his head not the kingdomes and gouernments of this world for his kingdome is not of b Ioh. 18 36. this world but the forgiuenes of sins and euerlasting life obtained by the body of Christ giuen and his blood shed for vs and our redemption Wherefore if God haue so loued vs if Christ haue not spared his owne life to giue vs life and saluation how bitter ought our sins to be vnto vs and how ought we to striue against them If we will hate enemies heere are enemies for vs to hate if we will seeke reuenge against enemies let vs fight against them that seeke our ouerthrow and the destruction of our soule and body There is no reconciliation and attonement to be made with these enemies if thou kill not them they wil kill and condemne thee for euer Hitherto of the names giuen to this Sacrament CHAP. II. What the Lords Supper is AS we haue in the former chapter considered the names and titles attributed to this Sacrament so now we wil see what the Lords Supper is For we shall neuer vnderstand the nature thereof except we be able to define or describe it Therefore a What the Lords Supper is the Lords Supper is the second Sacrament wherein by visible receiuing of bread and wine our spirituall communion with the bodye and blood of Christ is represented This description is plainely proued by the b Mat. 26 26.27 1 Cor. 10 16.17 1 Cor. 11 24.25 institution of Christ by the first celebration of it and by other apparent testimonies of holy Scripture First I say it is the second Sacrament because such as haue interest in the Lord Supper must be first partakers of the other Sacrament for Christ and his apostles ministred it to those that were before baptized And how should they be continually nourished and fed at his table who are not knowne to be of his house nor admâ—tted members of his family We must be receiued into his protection and iurisdiction before we sit downe at his table for our refection They then that are in the house must be fed and fostered in the house the seuerall parts of the family haue the priuiledges of the family it is not lawfull to take the childrens bread and giue it vnto strangers Now baptisme is the true bath of our soules to clense our sores and an honourable badge whereby we are dedicated to the seruice of Christ and haue interest in the priuiledges of the Church sealed vp being partakers hereof we come with comfort to the Lords Supper Vnder the law none vncircumcised c Exod 12 4â— were admitted to the Passeouer as appeareth Exodus 12. If a stranger will obserue the passeouer let him circumcise all the maleâ— that belong vnto him If then the vncircumcised had bin admitted the Passeouer had beene prophaned Wherefore it is not enough for vs once to bee baptized and admitted into the number of the people of God we must also be partakers of Christs Supper When as by baptisme we are brought into the Church of God wee are afterward nourished by this heauenly banket to eternall life Againe I say in the former description that by the bread and wine the bodye and blood of Christ are represented Heerein consisteth the substance of this Sacrament he was truely giuen for vs and his blood was shed for the remission of sinnes least our faith should wander least our hope should wauer Therefore he saith to his Disciples d Lâ—ke 22 19.20 Mar. 14 24. This is my body which was giuen for you this is the cup of the new testament which was shed for you and for many for the remission of sinnes Vse 1 Now that the description of the Lords Supper is prooued let the vses thereof in the next place be declared Hereby we learne first that God doth not lye nor dally with vs when we come to his heauenly table but doth truely offer those benefits in Christ which are represented to all that are admitted thereunto and therefore the apostle said e 1 Cor. 10.3 4. they did all eate the same spirituall meate and did all drinke the same spirituall drinke Indeed many of them did receiue onely the outward signes and did refuse or neglect the spirituall grace so liuely represented and truely offered vnto them but the greater was their sinne who laboured for the meate that perisheth f 1 Ioh. 6 27. but reiected the meat that endureth to euerlasting life Likewise Christ in the administration of his Supper saith g Mat. 26 26. take eate this is my body When he biddeth vs take doth he not giue When he chargeth vs to eat and drinke doth he not offer When he commandeth vs to doe this doth he not apply the thing signified If then we come to this Supper and depart away without Christ and without comfort the cause is in our selues he is come neere vnto vs he standeth as it were at the doore knocking being ready to enter he mercifully offereth himselfe vnto vs but we refuse him we will none of him we bid him depart from vs and shut the entrance of our hearts against him Vse 2 Againe we see heere the excellent price and preheminence of the Lords Supper howsoeuer to those whose faith it doth not nourish whose assurance it doth not confirme and whose saluation it doth not further it is turned into most hurtfull and deadly poyson yet it is an holy banket for the Lords guests an instrument of grace a medicine for the sicke a pledge of saluation a comfort for the sinner an assurance of Gods promises a seale of our faith an helpe for the weake meate for the hungry drinke for the thirsty and a refuge for the distressed in time of tentation Is not this a worthy dignity Is not this a great priuiledge and an high prerogatiue So that we must highly regard and reuerently esteeme this mystery of our religion and badge of our profession to the glory of God and our owne comfort He that is not moued heereby to a reuerent regard thereof hath no sparke of Gods Spirit in him but lyeth in darknesse and discomfit Let vs then make good vse of it all the dayes of our lifes and not abuse it to our destruction It is not enough to seeme religious and pretend reformation of our euil waies what time we do receiue it and to hang downe our heads like a bulrush for a day and immediately after to runne into all excesse of riot We see how many abuse themselues and the Sacrament giuing themselues to feasting and banketting and surfetting and haue soone forgotten where they haue bin what they haue done whom they haue serued and how they haue appeared before the presence of the eternall God We see also in others how contentions and brawlings breake out which seemed smothered and suppressed for a time like lightning and thunder out of a Cloud or like fire couered vnder the ashes whose flame kindleth afterward
be reaped by it we hope better things of many of them albeit we thus speake For howsoeuer they do not at the present time and in the act of receiuing feele comfort yet neuerthelesse they may finde it and haue it Wherefore consider with me and beare away with thee these fiue things First if thou shouldst vtterly abstaine from the Supper of the Lord it is not to be doubted but that albeit thou feele not thy selfe any whit the better by thy coÌ„ming to it thou shouldst feele thy selfe many degrees the worser And albeit thou feele not thy selfe after thy receiuing to be so good as thou desirest yet if thou camst not at all thou shouldst finde thy selfe to be worse then thou art Now it is some good to hinder that which is euill and to keepe from vs that which is worse .. Thus it is with many that come to the word of God albeit it do not worke their conuersion yet it keepeth them from much corruption that otherwise they might and would fall into Secondly it is one thing to haue grace and another thing to feele grace for a man may haue grace and yet not feele it especially in time of tentation as a man likewise may haue life in him and yet not feele it And although he do not feele it through violence and extremity of the disease yet we cannot truly conclude that he is dead without life so albeit we do not feele any comfort in our hearts it is a false conclusion that therefore we are without comfort we liue by faith not by feeling Heb. 2 4. We may beleeue though we do not presently perceiue it God doth oftentimes giue faith and yet will haue vs waite a long time for the feeling of it Dauid had lost his feeling as also the inward ioy of the Spirite yet euen then he ceased not to haue faith and the Spirite the worker of faith Restore to me the ioy of thy saluation and take not thy holy Spirit from me Psal 51 12. So then faith goeth not alwayes with feeling Thirdly euery man must submit himselfe with conscience to Gods ordinance and then he may be assured he shall in his good time finde comfort Let vs be ready to do for the good of our soules as we are content to deale for the recouery of the health of our bodies Such as are sicke and want health make hast to haue the helpe of the Physition and they continue to vse his counsell albeit they finde not present helpe Let vs do likewise in seeking the health of our soules we must proceed to vse the meanes carefully which God hath ordained for comfort and albeit helpe come not by and by out of Sion yet we must not be discouraged but waite with patience for the appointed time We see touching our ordinary meate in sicke persons though they feele small strength and corroboration by it yet no doubt they are strengthened through it and receiue some nourishment from it euen while they know it not and feele it not or else they could not liue so may it be with vs wee may haue some strength of the inner man some guift of faith and some comfort of the Spirite albeit we do not suddenly feele it and presently perceiue it Fourthly we must set downe this as an infallible rule that neuer faileth no man was euer made better by with-drawing himselfe from the SacrameÌ„t For be it that we haue vsed often-times the Supper of the Lord No man can be made better by abstaining from the Supper and haue found no comfort in it nor fruite by it do we thinke to reape any benefit by abstaining from it and neuer comming to it It was neuer heard of from the beginning of the world that any hath growne either richer in grace or stronger in faith by keeping himselfe from any of Gods holy ordinances This is as possible as it is to see in the darke time of the night by keeping himselfe from the light of the Candle and abstaining from the place where it is set in the Candle-sticke to giue light to them that are in the house Lastly we must not stint God nor limit him a time when to make vs feele comfort like the vnruly patient that will not be cured except he be cured out of hand He will try our faith and patience whether we wil depend vpon him or not Our Sauiour saith The winde bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it commeth and whether it goeth so is euery one that is borne of the Spirite Iohn 3 8. 〈◊〉 3 8. We know not how or which way the Spirite worketh in vs but in time we shall perceiue the worke what it is to our great and endles comfort Now we proceed to another obiection The fift obiection Some say that often receiuing will breed and bring forth a loathing as in our common prouerbe we say too much familiarity often breeds contempt I answere Answere these persons that thus obiect may seeme to be great friends to the Sacrament and to be very iealous of the honour of it as if they could by no meanes abide to haue it disgraced or despised and yet they are deadly enemies vnto the Supper vnto themselues vnto the Saints of God yea to God himselfe and seeke cunningly craftily vnder a colour of deliuering it from contempt to rob the Church of the comfortable vse of it These would haue it to be as the fruites of the earth that come but once a yeare Thus do some others also secretly vndermine the faith of Gods people that could be content the word might no longer be preached vnto them and say that the common preaching of the Gospell maketh it to be contemned If this were so yet the fault is not in the word but in such as are of the common sort of Christians who care not which end goes forward whether they haue the word or Sacraments or prayers or Churches or religion or Christ himselfe they do not greatly regard neither trouble themselues much with these things but as Gallio answered the Iewes touching the worship of God and saluation by Christ Act. 18. Act. 18 14 1â— If it were a matter of wrong or wiâ—câ—ed lewdnes reason would that I should beare with you but if it be a question of words and names and of your law looke ye to it for I will be no Iudge of such matters So do these men deale with God his people touching the chiefe mysteries of Christian religion and the high ordinances of God appointed for our saluation they esteeme them as friuolous and superfluous things that might well be spared They regard nothing but the matters that concerne this present life and serue to fill the pursse and to feed the belly But as God hath dealt bountifully with vs so he would haue the word of the kingdome preached in season and out of season by his Ministers
our sins more throughly before him Surely we do herein much deceiue our selues while we go about to deceiue others and thinke to make them beleeue that we desire nothing more then to come throughly prepared to this Sacrament to which end let vs marke these few points following First we must know that he which will not be fit to day shall finde himselfe lesse fit to morrow his heart will more and more be hardned and custome will turne into another nature and continuance in any thing bringeth a resolution of the hart not to giue ouer Whosoeuer he be that beginneth not to remoue his corruptions speedily which keepe him frō being prepared shal see it much more difficult euery day then other wheras contrariwise he that receiueth often shall be the more fit to receiue For how vaine a thing is it for any to perswade thēselues that by delaying their repentance they shall repent the better or by delaying to take phisicke they shal be healed the better or by suffering a disease to grow dangerous vpon them they shall be recouered and restored to health the sooner Thus much for answere to this obiection Let vs proceed For albeit truth be one yet error is manifold and the by-paths of it haue no end The ninth obiection Some others obiect that the Iewes receiued the Passeouer but once a yeare Exodus 12 18. Leuiticus 22 5. In the foureteenth day of th◠first month at euen is the Lords Passeouer Now the Passeouer of the Iewes and the Supper of the christians is in substance the same howsoeuer in outward rites they differ therefore seeing they killed the Paschall Lambe once onely in the yeare and then did eate it why should it not suffice vs to take the Supper of the Lord once in the yeare and eate of it I answere Answere we compare these two in this one particular point wherein they are not to be compared For this was the ordinance of God to his owne people that once in the yeare to wit in the first month a Lambe without blemish should be killed but touching his Supper it is his will it should be administred and receiued often-times in the yeare How then should we make them like in that point wherein God hath made them to be vnlike And if we will tye them to the same time then it ought also to be celebrated the 14. day of the first month for then was the Passeouer to be eaten This communicating once a yeare was hatched in popery when ignorance preuailed in the Church as darknes doth in the night season and is by no meanes to be followed of vs. And albeit the Lord hath not tyed vs to a certaine and setled time neither limited vs a certaine day or a certaine month yet it ought not once only but often to be receiued of vs Reasons why we ought oft-ten-times to communicate to the end the death of Christ and his passion should be oft-tentimes remembred that our faith should be strenghened that the name of God should be praised and that mutuall loue among vs might be professed Hence it is that the Apostle doth make mention of often eating this bread and often drinking of the cup of the Lord 1 Cor. 11 24.25 1 Cor. 11. This do yee as oft as ye drinke it in remembrance of me for as oft as ye eat this bread and drinke this cup ye do shew the Lords death till he come But these men would not care if the remembrance of the death of Christ were quite buried vtterly forgotten and would not haue the Sacramēt of his Supper to be ouer common in vse whereas doubtlesse they are all enemies to the sufferings of Christ that are enemies to the often remembring of his sufferings which is done in this Sacrament True it is they would be loth to be so censured and wil be ready to tell vs that their life consisteth in his death and their saluation in his passion but it skilleth not what they pretend forasmuch as they do deceiue themselues and bar themselues from all comfort to be receiued that way The tenth obiection And hereby appeareth the answere to another obiection which is iust of the same nature and stampe with the former For what need we say they such frequent and ordinary vse of the Supper seeing the Lord administred it once onely in al his life Now if there had bin such a necessity to haue it so common no doubt he would haue administred it oftentimes in the yeare and so haue commended it by his owne example and left it as a direction vnto vs. I answere Answere by this do these vngodly men bewray most notoriously the prophanes of their hearts And indeed whereunto tend all that they haue said but to leaue euery one to his owne discretion and disposition to abolish all good order out of the Church to bring in an horrible confusion of al Gods holy ordinances among vs. And whereunto do their allegations ayme pretending that often receiuing will bring a loathing that the Sacrament is as phisicke which is not good to vse too commonly that a mā by sildome receiuing shall come the better prepared that the Passeouer the same in substance with the Supper was solemnized but once in a yeare and now lastly that Christ the Lord of this Sacrament celebrated it but once in all his life whereunto I say do all these arguments and allegations tend but to depriue vs of the comfortable vse of the supper and to rob vs of that good which ought to be more deare vnto vs then our liues Thus doth all error and impiety howsoeuer it be couered leaue somewhat behind it as a foule and filthy sauor wherby it may be discouered For hereunto their talking of sildome receiuing driueth as to an issue that it should be receiued but once a yeare or once in our life time and this also they would make arbitrary and not of necessity These will seeme to be very good Christians and to looke for saluation by the death of Christ yet notwithstanding they cannot abide the oftē vse of that Sacrament which putteth vs in minde of his death But let vs know and beare this away with vs that the more we haue a feeling of the fruite and benefit of his death the more we will haue a desire to do this in remembrance of him 1 Cor. 11 25. and contrariwise the lesse we finde profit by the death of Christ and the more hard we finde our hearts to be the lesse we will desire to come to his Table The comfortable feeling of the great worke of our redemption wrought for vs will make vs so long to eate of this bread drinke of this cup as the hungry soule doth for meat to slake and satisfie his hunger And therfore the Apostle layeth before vs both the common and the continuall vse of it For as we must eate this bread and drinke of the cup of the Lord
to themselues or receiue it at the hands of some priuate persons I answere it was an ancient practise of the n Beza quaest resp d. Sacr. Church to carty the Sacramēt vnto the sicke when it was administred in the Church besides albeit in extremity of sicknes the Minister be wanting we leaue not the sicke without counsell and comfort For this we teach this we are ready to maintaine this we would haue all beleeuers in health and in sicknesse to recall and remember that if they stedfastly beleeue that the Lord Iesus hath suffered death vpon the Crosse for them if they particularly apply vnto themselues his precious merits for their redemption if they earnestly remember the benefits of his bitter passion with all thanksgiuing and if they truely repent them from the bottome of their hearts of al their sins they do eate and drinke effectually o Ioh. 6 54 55 56 57 58. and to their soules health profitably the body blood of Christ our Sauiour although they doe not receiue the Sacrament with their mouth If they do not thus the Sacrament receiued cannot profite them This serueth to comfort the weake and to keepe them within the lists and limits of their proper calling Lastly seeing the former actions of the Minister are done plainely in the sight of all it is the duty of euery one to giue diligent heed and to haue weighty consideration of these outward ceremonies by the meditation thereof to confirme their faith and to make the outward works to further the inward graces For they are offered to our sences not that we should rest in them but that our weaknes by them should be helped and we by them lift vp our hearts to thinke vpon greater things This serueth to reproue those that omit the breaking of the bread and deliuering of it being broken into the hands of the Communicants True it is some make too much of the breaking of the bread others esteeme too little of it and both sorts are to be reproued and a middle course betweene them both is to be retained One sort much more streight and rigorous then is meet The first opinion offend in the excesse who make the breaking of bread to be simply necessary and an essentiall part of the Supper as that without it there can be no Sacrament The reason whereupon they build is the title giuen to this Sacrament that it is called the breaking of bread and this breaking of the bread is said to be the Communion of the body of Christ 1 Cor. 10 16. Obiection 1 Cor. 10.16 From whence they reason thus The bread broken is the Communion of the body of Christ Therefore the bread vnbroken is not the Communion of the body of Christ Answere This is a broken argument that cannot hold and so weake in strength that it cannot vphold it selfe If one should argue thus A man is a creature going vpright therefore a man not going vpright but crooked as not a man Or thus The body of man hath armes and hands and legges therefore if it want eyther arme or hand or legge it is not the body of a man all men see this will not follow This onely will follow that such a man is not a sound man and such a body is not a perfect body so it will onely follow that the Sacrament is not an entire but a maimed Sacrament where the bread is not broken Wherefore these men do great wrong to many reformed Churches which haue not yet this ceremony among them while they dare pronounce that they haue no Supper at all because they are destitute of this rite which iudgement of theirs sauoureth of the want both of verity charity The second opinion Another sort offend on the contrary side to wit in the defect who make this breaking to be meerely indifferent and not necessary accidentall and not of the substance They confesse that the Lord Iesus at his last Supper did truely breake bread but that he did it as a thing indifferent and according to ordinary custome Besides they affirme that this breaking signifieth the distributing or deuiding of the bread to others But one of these is contrary to the other the former ouerthroweth the latter and the last destroyeth the first For if Christ did truely breake bread in his Supper then it followeth that to breake bread in the Supper is not onely to deale the bread but to giue it into seuerall parts being broken as he saith distinctly Hee brake it and gaue it to his Disciples Mat. 26 26. Againe if breaking and distributing be all one then is not the breaking which they omit a rite indifferent but very necessary forasmuch as the giuing of the Supper to the Communicants is so necessary that without it there can be no Sacrament These therefore are they that ouerthrow themselues The third opinion The third opinion is the sounder of such as hold a meane way betweene both extreames that the breaking of the bread is no essential part of the Supper neither yet an indifferent ceremony both which are two dangerous rockes on which sundry mē suffer ship-wrack but a necessary ceremony not as though without it there were no Supper at all but as a part seruing to perfect the whole which wanting the Supper ceaseth not to be howbeit it is not intire and compleat For this rite is not as the head or the heart in mans body without which there could be no body but as the hand or the foot without which it is a body albeit a maimed or a lame body So likewise touching this holy Supper without bread without blessing without giuing there can be no Supper it is as much as if the head were cut off or the heart pulled out or the braine perished But without breaking the Supper remaineth albeit maimed and vnperfect as if the body wanted an eye or an arme Besides How the breaking of the bread is necessary it is the will of Christ that this ceremony should be obserued so that it may be said to be necessary in two respects first in regard of the making perfect of the Sacrament secondly in regard of the commandement of Christ Now that this necessitie may appeare how great it is let vs consider the reasons wherby it is proued that this beaking where it is ought to be continued and where it is not ought to be restored The first reason First of all we haue the example of Christ who said of himselfe Learne of me euery action of Christ about the Supper is our instruction But in the first institution of the Supper he brake the bread which he had blessed and did distribute it to his disciples Therefore it behoueth vs to do the like Obiection Neither let any obiect that the manner of Christs beaking and of his Apostles is vnknowne or vncertaine Answere For the Lord doth not command vs or tie vs precisely to vse that forme which hee vsed
and therefore if the bread be broken howsoeuer the example of Christ is followed Besides we are altogether ignorant what forme of words Christ vsed in his blessing of the bread and in giuing thanks to his Father forasmuch as it is not expressed by any of the Euangelists may we then from hence cauill and conclude we know not his manner of blessing therefore blessing is indifferent and may be safely omitted No we cannot reason in that sort As then we do blesse and giue thankes aright albeit we know not how Christ did it so we do well to breake the bread albeit we know not which way he did it The second reason The second reason is from the commandement of Christ Doe ye this And againe So often as ye shall do this heere is an expresse precept and a direct commandement without this the Sacrament is as a body lame of his limbes From hence we reason thus That which Christ hath commanded vs to do as wel as blessing and giuing that is necessary to be done but he hath commanded vs to breake bread in the vse of the Supper as well as to blesse it and giue it to them that are present Therefore to breake bread is necessary and not indifferent The third reason is drawne from the example of the Apostles The third reason 1 Cor. 11 1. who following Christ are to be followed of vs as 1. Cor. 11. Be ye followers of me euen as I also am of Christ Neyther did they vse this ceremony according to the custome of the country of Iudea for they vsed it as well out of the borders of Iudea as in them as appeareth in many places Acts 2.42 and 20.7 1 Cor. 10. So that they respected nor the custome of the place but the commandement of Christ This is a good precedent for the Churches that professe the Gospell to follow Fourthly the whole Sacrament is called by this name The fourth reason and hath this title giuen vnto it to be called The breaking of bread as we may see in the places before expressed Doubtlesse the Apostles would neuer call it thus if this rite that we speake of were not truely necessary and Sacramentall The f ft reasoÌ„ Fiftly this mysticall rite serueth notably to the comfort of our hearts and the strengthning of our faith and therefore is not to be omitted seeing it shaddoweth out vnto vs the breaking of the body of Christ and witnesseth that Christ was as truely broken for vs vpon the Crosse as the bread that is blessed is truely broken and deuided into pieces this the Apostle noteth saying 1 Cor. 11. Which is broken for you 1. Cor. 12 24 Luk. 22 19. that is which shall shortly be killed and crucified according to that which Luke saith cha 22. Which is giuen for you to wit vnto death euen the death of the Crosse To take from vs and to rob vs quite and cleane of this comfort and consolation expressed by breaking of the bread Obiection they obiect diners things First that breaking signifieth to deale it and distribute it as Esay 55. Breake thy bread to the hungry Answere but it cannot haue that signification in this place as appeareth by the words following he gaue it whereas if they were both one it should be a needlesse and fruite-lesse repetition which the Scripture vseth not Againe Obiection they say that Christs body was not broken if wee speake properly not figuratiuely for not a bone of him was broken Answere I answere this maketh directly against themselues For if Christs body were broken figuratiuely then it is euident that this bâ—eaking hath a similitude and resemblance with the breaking of the bread so that the one holdeth proportion with the other Besides they confesse that by breaking the Apostle would expresse the most greeuous torments which our Sauiour suffered and the most shamefull kinde of death which he endured as the word is taken else-where as Esay 38. where Hezekiah complaineth that his bones were broken as it were of a Lyon Esay 38 13. Obiection Againe they say farther If Christ would haue his passion represented by this meanes he would not haue abrogated the ceremony of the Passeouer which beyond all compassion did more euidently represent the passion of Christ theÌ„ the bread otherwise Christ should haue abolished a type that was clearer and haue ordained another that was darker whereas the new Testament and all things done in it and belonging to it are compared to the light of the day in respect of the shadowes of the old Testament Answere I answere the cleare light of the new testament consisteth chiefly and principally in the forme of the doctrine of the Gospell which is an euident testimony touching the worke of our redemption already finished The Sacraments are dependances vpon it and borrow their light from the Gospell as the Moone doth from the Sun so that the Sacraments of the new testament are clearer then the old in this respect Piscat in Maâ— cap. 26. not in regard of the forme of the ceremony For the legall washings did no lesse represent in regard of the outward forme the washing away of our sins by the blood of Christ then the baptisme of the Gospell So the passion of Christ and the fruite and benefit of his passion was no lesse but rather more represented by killing of the Paschall Lambe and the eating of it then by breaking of the bread by eating of the bread If these had bin vsed in the time of the law as they are in the time of the Gospell they had not bin so significant pregnant as the slaying of beasts but the breaking of bread in the Sun-shine of the Gospell and plenty of knowledge reuealed to the world being a signe of a thing already done and finished must needs be more liuely in representation then the killing of sacrifices in the law which were shaddowes of things to come whereas Christ was not yet reuealed nor the mystery of the Gospell opened Besides the words of institution pronounccd in the Sacraments of the new Testament are clearer and more significant then any set downe in the law so that Paul saith his Gospell was not hid 2 Cor. 4 3. Gal. 3 1. 2 Cor. 4 3. and that Christ Iesus was by his preaching discribed in their sight Gal. 3 1. Lastly heere is produced a false cause of abrogating the Paschall Lambe in stead of a true For it was not abrogated by the holy Supper because it is a more cleare manifest and euident type but because it was instituted and ordained to continue vntill Christ the true Lambe of God figured by it was killed When he was once crucified the other killing must cease and giue place forasmuch as his blood had force to stanch all other blood which was wont to be shed both in circumcision and in the sacrifices Obiection Furthermore it is obiected that in powring out of the cup there is no mystery or
be the food of life Psal 81 16. Thirdly as this naturall life is sustained by bread so through Iesus Christ the bread of life our soules are nourished to a spirituall and eternall life Fourthly Psal 104 15. as the heart of man is strengthened and fortified by bread so the merit of Christs body doth sustaine support the soule to eternall life Gen. 18.5 Fiftly as bread slaketh the hunger of the body so the force and efficacy of Christs body doth asswage and alay the hunger of the soule Sixtly as bread profiteth such as are hungry Esay 58 7. Prou. 27 7. but doth no good to them that are already filled and glutted so the merit of Christs body bringeth a benefit to them onely that hunger after righteousnesse but as for such as are proud and puffed vp with a conceit of their owne righteousnes it yeeldeth no profit at all vnto them 1 Cor. 10 17. Seauenthly as the bread distributed and diuided among many is a signe of vnity and concord so the body of Christ offered vp for many vpon the Crosse is a pledge vnto vs of his loue toward vs and of the loue that ought to bee among our selues 1 Cor. 10 16 17. Lastly as one loafe is made of many graines so we that are many are become one mysticall body of Christ which are partakers of one bread Thus we haue seene a similitude and likenesse betweene the properties and effects of bread and of the body of Christ Reasons why Christ made choice of wine now let vs see wherefore Christ vsed wine and commanded it to be vsed after his owne example why he preferred it before all other things and what is the resemblance betweene it and the blood of Christ First of all as wine is the sweetest liquor proceeding from the Vine Iudg. 9 13. so the blood of Christ is the most pleasant drinke of the soule that was shed for vs and flowed out of his side who is the true Vine Ioh. 15 1.7 Secondly Prou 9 5. as wine doth quench the thirst of the body so the merit of Christs blood doth take away the thirst of the soule that it shall neuer thirst againe Ioh. 4. Thirdly as wine doth cheere vp the heart of man Psal 104 16. so the promises of Christ do cheere and refresh the soule Fourthly Prou. 31 6. as wine doth warme the body and make it more apt and fit to do businesse so the blood of Christ receiued by faith doth stirre vp and inflame the soule to all good motions and maketh vs more prompt and ready to euery good worke Fiftly as wine taketh away fearefulnes Prou. 23 32. and causeth men to be more bold and secure so doth the blood of Christ applyed to the conscience by faith assure vs of Gods fauour ease vs of the curse of the law and make vs constant in the confession of Christ Lastly Prou. 21 29 30. as wine putteth away the palenesse of the face and maketh the countenance shine so the blood of Christ turneth the colour of the soule into a comely hue which before was pale and wan through feare of death that is it quieteth the conscience Rom. 5 1. appeaseth the wrath of God and maketh vs gracious before him so that we appeare righteous and acceptable in his sight This being the plaine and euident truth let vs see the vses first such as concerne both the signes ioyntly and in generall then such as belong to each of them in seuerall and in particular To begin we learne from hence to acknowledge a difference betweene baptisme and the Lords supper in baptisme we haue one signe as the materiall part in the Supper we haue two signes e Why we haue two signes in the Lorâ—s Supper aâ—d only one in baptisme partly to note out our whole full and perfect nourishment in Christ hauing whatsoeuer is requisite for our saluation and partly to shew a fuller remembrance of his death for the wine which is a figure of his blood doth as it were present it and represent it before our eyes So then albeit the same participation of Christ and the same washing away of sins by his blood are sealed vp in baptisme and in the Supper yet the manner of sealing them in each is diuers Againe baptisme is a signe of our entrance into Gods Couenant the Supper is a sign of our abiding and continuing in that couenant Touching baptâ—sme it is sufficient for infants if they bee borne in the Church in the Supper the condition of examining our selues and remembring the Lords death is required They differ also in often celebration of them baptisme is to bee receiued but once onely in all our life because the promise once made is alwayes firme and forcible to such as beleeue and repent but the Supper is oftentimes to be receiued because an often renewing of that Couenant and calling it to our remembrance is necessary to increase and strengthen faith They differ also in the order which is to be obserued in the vse of them for baptisme is to be giuen before the Supper and the Supper may not be giuen to any except to such as are knowne to haue beene first baptized or are at least reputed so to be As first a Child is borne before he be fed so must Baptisme go before whereby our new birth is sealed then the Supper must follow after whereby our daily nourishment is declared and confirmed Lastly they differ in the signes there is onely one signe in baptisme which is the water but there are two signes in the Lords Supper to wit the bread and wine The second generall vse is that if Christ tooke gaue and deliuered the substance of the bread and wine then they must needs retaine their former nature their proper substance as well as their qualities as sight taste smell bignesse whitenes sweetnes rednes roundnes and such like properties But the Papists turne all things g Against the bare shewes of bread and wine and accidents without subiect vpside downe matter into forme substance into accidents creatures into shewes and subiects into things adioyned they bring in new shifts and fables against all diuinity philosophy reason sence and experience setting vp their owne inuentions and building Castles in the ayre Let them prooue the annihilation and remouing of the substance of bread wine away and the h Arist phis lib. 1. cap. 3. consisting of accidents without subiect which they are neuer able to do For as the water in baptisme remaineth in his nature and substance so do the bread and wine in the Lords Supper And albeit in both the Sacraments the signes be changed to a speciall vse yet are they not corrupted into shewes and turned into shadowes The heauens i Psal 102 26. shall be changed at the end of the world yet hence it followeth not that they shall be cleane abolished and consumed to nothing
transubstantiated into water Fiftly they cannot agree with what words their consecration is wrought whether accidents be without their subiect whether the accideÌ„ts nourish no lesse then the substance of bread and wine likewise what the rats and mice do eate how and from whence the wormes are oftentimes ingendered in their Eucharist so consume it whether the shewes of bread be the body without the blood the shewes of wine the blood without the body Sixtly soone after the Apostles had receiued the Supper into their stomackes Luk. 22 44. Christ Iesus did sweate great drops of blood trickling downe to the ground and was afterward buffetted mocked spit vpon and crucified Now they dare not say that this body of Iesus so spitefully and contumeliously intreated swet any drops of blood in the stomacks of the Apostles or was by the Souldiors apprehended and buffetted vnder the formes of bread and wine and therefore they make at one the same time a double Christ one Christ suffering in the garden and on the Crosse another not suffering in the Disciples one Christ apprehended and another not apprehended one Christ sweating another not sweating one Christ buffetted by the Souldiors and another not buffetted Seauenthly they confesse that Christ both administred and participated of this Sacrament with his Apostles whereof will follow that Christ did eate himselfe and did drinke himselfe and seeing they hold his body is in the cuppe they must also hold that hee did drinke his owne body From whence ariseth a flat and expresse contradiction for to say that the body of Christ was all whole in his stomacke is to affirme that that which is within containeth that which is without as if the scabberd were in the sword or the cup in the wine or the purse in the mony Thus they make the outward part to bee within the inner and without the inner that is without and not without yea whereas they affirme that the body of our Lord is greater then the formes of bread which containe it they make that which is contained greater then that which doth containe it that is the treasure wider and larger then the casket in which it is locked contrary to al the rules of reason the principles of nature and the maximes of the Mathematicks Eightly they say that the body of Christ is all whole in heauen and all whole in the pixe and yet they renounce the Vbiquity of his bodye and holde that hee is not in place betwixt both so that they make a distance betweene the body of Christ and the body of Christ and therefore withall they make him lower then himselfe and higher then himselfe and separated from himselfe Ninthly they teach that the body of Christ in the Masse hath all the dimensions and parts of an humane body distinct in their naturall scituation and yet they teach that there is not so small a piece of the host where that body is not whole so that his head shall bee where his feet are and his feet where his head is And touching his blood they say it is shed in the Masse and yet notwithstanding they call it an vnbloody sacrifice so that by their reckoning there is blood not bloody and a shedding of blood not bloody as if a man should say whitenesse which is not white heate which is not hot or coldnesse which is not cold Thus they had rather say and vnsay and be at discord with themselues then to accord with vs and the truth They thinke it reason to deny all reason a sencelesse thing to be iudged by the senses These opeÌ„ and euident contradictions so stifly auouched stoutly defended that an humane body should fill no place and yet should be in an hundred thousand diuers places haue length without being extended be whole in euery crum of the bread are so grosse and palpable absurdities that they do estrange the Turkes and Infidels from imbracing the Christian religion Auerrhoes It is noted of an Arabian Spaniard writing vpon the 12. booke of the Metaphysickes that his soule should hold with the Philosophers since the Christians worship that which they eate The Pagans mocke at this as a brutish conceite Cicer. de nat Deor. lib 3. as among others it appeareth by Tully in his third booke of the nature of the Gods who saith thus Thinkest thou any man to be so mad as to beleeue that that which he eateth is his God So that this monstrous deuice imbraced in the Church of Rome as a maine pillar that holdeth vppe the house hindreth the faith offendeth the ignorant bringeth the doctrine of Christ into reproach hardeneth the hearts of the enemies of the Gospell and mingleth heauen and earth together It were infinite c See D. Sutl de mâ—ss l b. 5. cap. 10. to note out all their contentions and contradictions these may suffice to shew how the enemies of God fight one against another and al of them with their owne shaddowes And thus much of the late doting deuice of transubstantiation which is the soule life of their popish religion the denyers or doubters wherof they pursue with fire and sword more eagerly then such as are enemies to the blessed Trinity The last generall vse is this If Christ deliuered both these signes not onely the bread but the wine also to his Disciples then both kinds by the Minister are to be deliuered f Christs people must receiue the supper vnder both kinds and both kinds by the people are to be receiued not bread alone nor wine alone but bread and wine the bread in token of his body giuen for vs and the wine in token of his blood shed for vs. This is the ordinance of Christ this is agreeable to the Scripture Notwithstanding the church of Rome hath decreed that it is not necessary for the people to communicate in both kinds holdeth them g Con. Trident. sess 21 cap. 2. accursed that hold it necessary for the people to receiue the cup consecrated by the Priest Thus it appeareth they labor nothing more then to take from the faithfull the sweet comfort of the Lords Supper This is a sacrilegious corruptioÌ„ of Christs institution deuised by Sathan broached by Antichrist published by his adherents in the corrupt times of most palpable darknesse as may appeare by these reasons First if none may drinke of the consecrate wine but the Priests then none should eate of the bread but Priests so that they must either exclude the people from both which I trust they dare not or admit them to both which as yet they do not For to whom Christ said h Mat. 26 26.27 Take and eate to those gaue he the cup and said Drinke ye Wherefore the signes being both equall all communicants must drinke of the one as well as eate of the other there being the same warrant for the one that there is for the other and the let that would barre the one will hinder
as the Euangelist Marke accordeth saying They all dranke of it so the Apostle doth not pretermit it but saith All were made to drinke as if the Lord Iesus the Euangelists and the Apostles would preuent before hand the corruption that followed in the Church of Rome Wherefore seeing drinking of the cup doth not properly note out the whole action because no man was euer so grosly blinded to suppose that the cup might be alone administred it followeth that by this member expressed we must vnderstand the other and by one part the whole Furthermore it is a ruled case among themselues that it is flat sacriledge if a Priest consecrate not this Sacrament in both kindes but do it in bread onely If then the former Scriptures Act. 2. and chap 20. proue the receiuing vnder one kinde because bread onely is expressed and so the cup to bee excluded it will likewise follow they consecrated in one kinde because the wine is not expressed and therefore by these places neither Priest nor people should take the cup if they will not admit a trope or figure Neither can they say that Luke describeth not what the Apostles consecrated or receiued but what they deliuered to the people for the Euangelist declareth Acts 20 11. not onely that the Apostle brake the bread but t Act. 20 7. did eate there of himselfe so that they must confesse that Paul also receiued in one kinde and consecrated in one kinde or else necessarily grant one part put for the whole as likewise we see 1 Cor. 11. where he doth expresly touch and teach both kindes u 1 Cor. 11 26 27 28 29. to the eating of the bread ioyning the drinking of this cup yet sometimes a 1 Cor. 11.20 29 33. he expresseth onely the one signe for shortnesse sake and the Church had receiued this vsuall manner of speaking to call the Lords Supper the breaking of bread as verse 20. When ye come together into one place this is not to eate the Lords Supper and verse 33. When ye come together to eate tarry one for another likewise verse 29 He discerneth not the Lords body and yet in the sentence going before he saith that such as eate and drinke vnworthily doe eate and drinke their owne iudgement Wherefore as the Apostles alwayes celebrated the Supper by consecration both of the bread and of the cuppe so the people alwaies receiued in both these kiâ—des to their great comfort and consolation Thirdly they pretend that Christ our Sauiour did eate Obiection 3 with the two Disciples at Emaus Luk. 24.30 where it is onely said Iesus tooke bread and when he had giuen thanks he brake it Howbeit heere is no speech of the cup at all of taking it into his hands and deliuering it into their hands I answere Answere that the Euangelist speaketh not of the Sacrament in this place but of their ordinary repast for the sustenance of the body Secondly suppose and admit that Christ had there administred the holy Supper because here is mention made of taking and blessing and breaking and giuing of bread yet it will not follow by any good consequent that there was no wine at all because Luke speaketh of bread onely for it is said in like manner that Ioseph made Gouernour of the land of Egypt Gen. 43 25. and 37 25. Mat. 14 19. Luk. 9 16. inuited his brethren to eate bread the meaning is not that they were bidden to a dry feast and dranke not at it but one part is put for the whole nourishment So are the words to be vnderstood in this place that they did eate drinke together hauing communed and trauelled together If any man remaine obstinate and will not be satisfied with these things but aske further how it will appeare that there was more then bread vsed among them I referre him to the words of Peter preaching to Cornelius Acts 10. Act. 10 40.41 where speaking of Christ he saith Him God raised vp the third day and shewed him openly not to al the people but vnto vs witnesses chosen before of God euen to vs that did eate and drinke with him after he rose froÌ„ the dead In which words the truth of his resurrection is proued by performing of such actions as were ordinary familiar and albeit he be said not once or twice but oftentimes to eate with them Ioh. 21 13. Luk. 24 33 43. yet Peter testifieth in this place that he did both eate drinke and so we are to vnderstand these words Lastly let them marke what will follow from these words being restrained to eating onely for thereby we gather not onely that the two disciples did not drinke but that Christ himselfe druÌ„ke not who is supposed to deliuer the Supper for there is no speech or mention of it nor one sillable touching any such matter And if Christ did not drinke then the Priestes also should be exempted from the necessity of partaking of the cup which marreth all the market and merchandise of these halfe communions Obiection 4 Lastly they alledge that there is an vnion and coniunction of each signe that the body is in the blood and the blood in the body that Christ is wholy and perfectly vnder each kinde because now in his glorious body b Concomitantia there is no separation of the body from the blood or blood from the body I answere Answere surely if this were so it were a fault and friuolous thing to do that by more which may be done by fewer to vse two kindes which may as well be done and is done vnder one as a wise Philosopher teacheth Besides if one may reason in that sort the whole Supper might be abrogated for we are made partakers of Christ in d Gal. 3 27. baptism and he dwelleth in our hearts by e Heb 3 14 15 Ephe. 3 17. faith which commeth by the word of God Againe were not Christ and his Apostles as wise as they Were they ignorant of this vnion Did they not know this accompanying of the body with the blood and blood with the body Is the present church of Rome wiser then he in whom all the f Col. 1 19. 2 3 9. treasures of wisedome and knowledge are hid If they thinke so let them tell vs plainely if not let them lay their hands vpon their mouth and submit themselues vnto him who administred it in both kinds and commanded his Apostles to doe the like Moreouer Christ would haue vs in his Supper consider his blood separated from his body and set his death before our eyes and his precious blood shed out of his side so that deliuering the cuppe he said g Mat. 26.27.28 Drinke ye all of this for this is my blood of the new testament which is shed for many without which shedding there is h Heb. 9 22. no forgiuenesse of sins as the Apostle teacheth Wherefore seeing these two are contrary one to the other and
theÌ„ of sitting at the same table How a man may breake the institution sitting Or wherfore do they depart from the institution faile in the manner of their receiuing sitting and yet will seeme religiously to cleaue to the example of Christ Let theÌ„ therefore make it manifest that it is more necessary for them to sit then it is necessary to sit at the same Table Will they haue what they lift to be necessary and what they list not to be necessary what they please to be indifferent what please not theÌ„ not to be indifferent But some will say as hath bin often obiected Obiection vnto me It is a Supper or a feast and therefore if we be not tyed to the institution yet we are tyed to the same gesture which is vsuall at our suppers and feasts I answere Answere this is a most weake and vngrounded assertion and therefore whosoeuer trusteth vnto it or leaneth vpon it it will deceiue him and make him fal For it is called a Supper vnproperly and figuratiuely and therefore to draw an argument from it as if it were spoken properly can haue no sure and certaine foundation Besides such do suppose it is called a Supper because of the gesture which we are charged to obserue at the partaking of it and that we must necessarily receiue it as we do our suppers But it is called a Supper for other causes as we haue noted in the first chap. of this booke Againe the more common and vsuall gesture obserued at bankets is to stand and not to sit and therfore by this reason we should haue neither sitting nor kneeling but standing at the Table of the Lord. Furthermore I might better affirm that it ought to be receiued kneeling because it iâ— receiued with prayer which is the most common coÌ„mendâ—ble gesture in that part of Gods worship Lastly sitting standing leaning are variable circumstances which change and alter according to the different manners seuerall customes of seuerall places I haue also heard others alledge in defence of their refusall to receiue kneeling Obiection that they can see no reason why they shold kneele to the bread and wine Answere And wherefore do they not as wel say they see no reason why they should kneele to the Minister for they do no more kneele to the bread and wine which they do receiue then to the Minister of whom they do receiue For no man requireth theÌ„ to kneele downe to the outward signes any more then to the seates that are before them We kneele to the creator not to the creature And if we may noâ— kneele in the action of receiuing for feare of superstition by like reason we may not be vncouered and bare-headed Answere for this ceremony we vse in the matter of Gods worship But we alwayes vse that gesture of kneeling in prayer when the Sacrament is not administred and when the Sacrament is deliuered we vse the outward reuerence of bowing the knee and thinke it meet to be performed and retained partly to stirre vp in our selues and in others a more religious estimation of those diuine seales Reasons why we kneele at the Communion partly to remoue all prophane thoughts of contemners and despisers of the Sacrament of the body and blood of our Lord Iesus partly to put a difference hereby from our common bread and wine which we take in our houses and at our Tables and partly to teach vs to lift vp our harts to God to blesse his own ordinance that as well we may take his Son by the hand of faith as receiue his seales by the hand of the body So then it is one thing to kneele before a creature or where the creature is another to bow downe vnto it to honor it adore it And how can we kneele any where but it must be before some creature in heaueÌ„ aboue or in the earth beneath It is one thing to kneele at the Sacrament another to kneele to the Sacrament If we should kneele downe at our giuing of thanks for our ordinary meates and drinkes at home may we iustly be taxed for kneeling to our meates drinkes We kneele downe to God onely to whom we pray and make request not to the outward signes to which we pray not Againe it will be obiected Obiection that we must abstaine from all appearance of euill but if kneeling at the Communion be not Idolatry yet at least it hath appearance of Idolatry in our conformity with the Church of Rome which hath brought in transubstantiation and therefore if we shal kneele as they do there is feare of adoratioÌ„ Thus haue I heard many reason I answere Answere kneeling reuerently obserued is no shew or appearance of euill but of good And there is no feare of adoration when we kneele more then there is while we sit For doth not he that sitteth prayeth aright adore God and may not a man worshippe an Image sitting as well as kneeling and set vp an Idoll in his heart while he prayeth to it trusteth in it dependeth vpon it and confesseth vnto it when he sitteth vp as well as when he lyeth downe And in whom is there feare of adoration Or to whom is there occasion giuen of stumbling Not to the Church-papists that liue among vs and communicate with vs through hypocrisie for howsoeuer they holde their Idoll of transubstantiation yet we cannot nourish and nuzzle them in their Idolatry because they hold our consecration to be no consecration and consequently our Sacrament to be no Sacrament and professe themselues in the prophanesse of their hearts to receiue it as ordinary bread Not to our own people who in their kneeling haue no purpose to adore the bread or to bow downe vnto it What offence then can be giuen by this gesture to any that liue among vs if not to â—he papists who wil neuer kneele to our bread much lesse to any others who haue learned long ago to renounce their transubstantiation their ducking their prostrating falling vpon al foure their kissing the earth their knocking and bouncing of their breast and all popish creeping and crouching to the bread to adore it They tell vs that kneeling to the Sacrament was brought in by Antichrist that man of sin and son of perdition Obiection Honorius the 3. in the yeare of our Lord 1220. therby teaching the people to worship the bread But what is all this to the purpose or what doth this belong vnto vs who Answere thogh we allow kneeling at the Supper yet dislike and condemne kneeling to the Supper reseruing of it carrying it about lifting of it vp doing worship vnto it Honorius the 3. first commanded the people at eleuation time to encline and bow themselues when the host was carried about in a solemne procession to fall downe to it This superstition and abuse we go not about to iustifie or defend or restore but condemne it to the pit of hell from whence
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.
but we deny that Christ is thus present in the Sacrament for his body cannot be vnder so little a quantity of bread and wine besides it is impiety to auouch that the person of Christ or his bodye and blood can be truely receiued of Dogges Swine and Mice be chewed with the teeth swallowed downe the throat digested in the stomacke and be cast out into vncleane places This we deny this we do not beleeue this we abhorre and detest from the bottome of our hearts What is it then we teach and professe We deny that the body and blood of Christ are carnally contained vnder the shewes and shaddowes of bread and wine we deny them to be eaten and drunken of wicked men or vnreasonable creatures we deny that they are truely and properly both in heauen and on the earth in pixes and on the Altars These are k Aug tract 25 in Iohan. meate for the minde not for the mouth for faith not for the teeth for our beleefe not for the belly for the soule not for the body For this cause Chrysost hom 24. in 1 Cor. saith well Vbi cadauer ibi aquilae c. that is where the carkasse is there are the Eagles the carkasse is the Lords body because of his death he calleth vs the Eagles to shew that he must flye vp on high that will come neere to that body This carnall eating of Christ is l Sundry reasons rendred to refel the real presence confuted and conuinced by many reasons First Christ sate downe at the Table and the Disciples with him afterward he tooke bread gaue thanks brake it gaue it and said This is my body likewise he tooke and gaue the cuppe and saide Drinke yee all of this whereby we see when the Apostles receiued m Luk. 22 19. the Sacrament Christ sate at the Table with his true body but the body which they tooke sate not at the Table therefore they tooke the signe of his body Likewise the blood which they receiued was not in the body which sate at the Table therefore it was not properly Christs blood which was not as yet really and actually shedde The same body could not sit at the Table and not sit at the Table the same body could not be in their hands and out of their hands the blood of Christ could not be out of his veines in the cup and in his veines within his body hee could not sit visible at the Table and be inuisible in the mouths and bellies of the Disciples Wherefore the reall prsence bringeth with it reall contradictions which cannot stand together Secondly the end of the Lords Supper is to call his death to a continuall remembrance as Luke 22. Do this in n Luk. 22 19. remembrance of me and the Apostle 1 Cor. 11. Ye shew the Lords death vntill he come Now to what end should we neede the remembrance of Christ if hee were corporally present in the Sacrament if he were taken in the hands if he were holden in the mouth if he were eaten with the teeth And to what purpose should wee shew the Lords death till hee come if he come daily and be present bodily in the Sacrament Besides the wisest among the Philosophers teach vs that o Arist lib. de memoria sence is of things present but remembrance is of such things as are abseÌ„t as hope is of such things as are to come not seene p Rom. 8 24. and this the Apostle teacheth Thirdly Christ receiued a true body with all the naturall properties of an humane body like to vs in all things sinne q Heb. 4 15. onely excepted and is therefore called the sonne of Dauid the sonne of Mary the sonne of man our brother partaker of flesh and blood he is said to haue taken vpon him the seede of Abraham and not the Angels nature r Luk. 24 â—9 to be visible Luk. 24 39. Behold my hands and my feet for it is I my selfe handle me and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me haue For if he may be in many places together in some place visible and in some inuisible in some to be handled in others not to be handled hee can haue no true body of a true man And if this were not a strong reason It is not felt and seene therefore no humane body the Disciples might haue answered vnto Christ why doest thou bid vs behold thy hands and see thy feete and handle thy body and therby to try thy humanity seeing thou hast a body which cannot be seene touched or handled â—ourthly Christ hath left the earth with his bodily presence and is ascended vp into heauen farre aboue all principalities and powers and is sit downe Å¿ Act. 1 9. and 3 22. on the right hand of his Father as Act. 1. While they beheld hee was taken vp And Mar. 26. After the Lord had spoken vnto them he was receiued into heauen and sate at the right hand of God So Act. 3. Whom the heauens must containe vntill the time that all things are restored Likewise Phil. 3. Our conuersation is in heauen from whence we looke for a Sauiour And againe Luk. 24. As he blessed them he departed from them and was caried vp into heauen So Ioh. 12. The poore alwayes ye haue with you but me ye shall not haue alwayes I am come out from the Father and came into the world againe I leaue the world and goe to my Father If these things be true that Christ is t Catechism Triden in exposit Simbo Apostol departed from vs if he be no longer among vs if he be taken vp into heauen if he must be contained there vntill the restoring of al things if we must looke for a Sauiour froÌ„ heauen to change our vile bodies if he be carried vp to his Father and haue left the world then he is not now present with vs his body is not in euery Altar he doth not lurke and lye vnder the shewes of bread and wine For to be departed from vs and not to be departed from vs to be contained in heauen and not to be contained in heauen to leaue the world and yet to remaine in the world to sit at the right hand of God and to lye vnder euery Altar cannot stand together any more then to be a man and no man to be Christ and not Christ to be a Sauiour and no Sauiour to be God and not God Fiftly Christ reproueth the Caparnaits because they thought his body was to be eaten in fleshly manner with the mouth of the body should descend into the stomack which is the way that all other meates do passe when they heard him preach of eating his flesh drinking his blood they said u Ioh. 6 60.36 This is an hard saying who can heare it They murmured and departed from him because they thought they must eate him with the mouth and teeth chew him and
comfort in trials and tribulations to consider that howsoeuer by sicknesse by persecution by imprisonment wee may be separated from the Supper of Christ u Rom. 8 35. yet we cannot be separated from Christ though we may be hindred from eating him sacramentally yet wee cannot bee hindred from eating him spiritually though we may be kept from eating the bread and drinking of the cup of the Lord yet we cannot by the malice of Sathan or violence of his instruments be kept from feeding vpon Christ by faith to saluatioÌ„ And in this case God will accept the will for the deed if there be in vs a desire to be partakers thereof for as the word of God is not bound so his grace is not tyed vp Againe other receiue Christ onely sacramentally and not spiritually who are partakers of the outward Elements of bread and wine and so receiue the bare signes of the body and blood of Christ For as they are said to eate the true body of Christ spiritually which receiue Christ with the mouth of the soule that is by a true faith and are truely ioyned to him so they eate him sacramentally that handle eate and drinke the signes and seales of his true body but because they want faith they want the meanes to receiue Christ himselfe Thus many haue bin baptized that were neuer regenerated and inwardly purged a Act. 8 23. appeareth in Symon the sorcerer whose heart was not vptight so that albeit he were partaker of the Sacrament of regeneration and repentance yet he remained in the gall of bitternes and in the bond of iniquity So many haue resorted to the Lords Supper that neuer drew nourishment or strength of faith from him to life and saluation and thus many thousands in the world come to the Sacraments but because they come vnworthily they depart away vnprofitably Let no man therefore slatter himselfe in the worke done but labour to come aright that so he may finde comfort to his soule Moreouer some neither receiue Christ spiritually nor sacramentally and such are they that neuer come to Christ nor receiue the sacraments of Christ such are they that liue cut of the bosome of the Church as it were out of the Arke of Noah as Infidels Iewes Turkes Sarizens Persians and such like these must needs perish in the deepe floods of Gods endlesse iudgements For as Christ is the fountaine of life and the well-spring of all b Câ—â— 1 19 â— â— heauenly treasures that accompany saluation and the Sacraments his instruments whereby these graces are conueyed vnto vs the Church the parties to whom both these belong so such as are without Christ without the Sacraments without grace without the Church and consequently without the priuiledges that pertaine to the heires of his eternall kingdome lye in darkenesse and in the shaddowe of death c Mat â—5 26. and are as Dogges to whome the childrens bread doth not belong Lastly other receiue Christ both spiritually by faith sacramentally with the mouth who are partakers both of the signes and of the things signified who â—â—g Tract â—5 â—4 Iohan eate of the bread of the Lord and the bread which is the Lords And thus the Apostles that sate at the table with Christ at his last Supper did receiue him applying the outward part to their bodies and the inward part to their soules Also thus all the faithfull that come to the table of Christ to the end of the world doe receiue him spiritually and sacramentally to the great comfort of their owne soules and thus must euery one of vs seeke to come to Christ whensoeuer wee come to the Sacrament of Christ Wherefore we see what difference distinction is to be made betweene those that receiue Christ that we be not deceiued in the manner of the receiuing of him Againe seeing onely the faithfull are the inward part of Vse 2 this Sacrament it is not to be administred to such as shew themselues vnfaithful and vnrepentant so farre as they may be knowne so to be Such as are without faith without repentance without sanctification haue no right and interest in this blessed communion For if euery one should without difference be admitted and receiued the Church of God which is a blessed fellowship of Saints should be turned into a stye of vnclean swine a stable of vncleane beasts a cage of vncleane birds and as Christ speaketh the e Ioh. 2 16. Luk 19 46. house of God should be made a denne of theeues God did shut out of his f Ezek. 44 9. sanctuary euery stranger vncircumcised in heart and in the flesh he commanded also the Priests to put a difference betweene the holy and prophane betweene the cleane and vncleane Hitherto belongeth that saying of Christ Mathew 7. Giue ye not that which is holy to dogges neither cast ye your pearles before swine least they tread you vnder their feet and turning againe all to rent you If therefore such as remaine in grosse and open sinnes of blasphemy swearing contempt of Gods word adultery fornication vncleannes wantonnesse drunkennesse maliciousnesse and such like offer themselues at any time with the rest of the members of the Church to partake this Supper and as it were infectious leapers come into the Lords host g Leuit. 13 â— 45 46. Num. 5 â— 3. to bee admitted to the sacrifices it is the Pastors duty to vse the power of the keyes and barre them from this Sacrament vntill there appeare in them the testimonies of repentance and the confession of their offences Should not the shepheard seuer the rotten and infected sheepe from the rest of the fold Doth not h 1 Cor. 5 6. a little leauen sower the whole lump Will an housholdder admit into his house euery one that vanteth himselfe to be of the houshold The Idolaters by the light of nature i Hesiod liber oper dier Eustath in Iliad lib. 1. Virg. Aeneid lib. 2. 6. would not suffer all to approach to their sacrifices their heathenish sacrifices but cryed out that prophane persons should be packing and get them thence and not i presume to offer with vnwashen hands Such as haue a very cleere fountaine and spring of waters committed vnto them if they see filthy swine come toward it k Chrys hom 83 in Mat cap 37. must not suffer them to trouble the spring and annoy the water Shall they then that haue the sacred and hallowed spring not of common water but of the precious blood of Christ springing vp to eternall life committed vnto them l Zeph. 3 4. suffer such as are notoriously defiled with sin to prophane the blood of Christ and make a mocke of him to their owne destruction Wherefore such as are open wicked persons are not without opeÌ„ repeÌ„tance to be admitted to the Sacram. of the Supper but to be separated from the Church as dead members from the body as withered branches from the tree and
as rotten sheep from the flock m 1 Co. 5 7. that the rest may bee preserued in sound doctrine and in innocency of life and conuersation Vse 3 Moreouer if onely the faithfull receiue Christ let euery one prepare a true and liuely faith in his heart It is not enough to haue the bodily hand to receiue the mouth to taste and stomacke to digest but we must bring with vs the hand of faith For this holy Supper albeit by Gods ordinance it be a spirituall thing yet through the vnworthinesse of the receiuers it becommeth a meere corporall and earthly thing The passeouer was a liuely figure of Christ o Reuel â—3 8 representing the lambe slaine from the beginning of the world but such as did eate thereof vnworthily it was to them an instrument of destruction and as the messenger of death Iudas was one of the twelue and did eat the Paschall lambe with the rest but he did not eate Christ with the rest he did receiue damnation to himselfe p Ioh 13.2 Sathan entring into him and procuring the confusion of soule and body It seemeth he receiued not the Supper of the Lord q Ioh. 13 30. forasmuch as the Euangelist noteth that as soone as he had receiued the sop he weÌ„t immediately out Wherfore r Luk 22 21. that which Luke affirms ch 22. Behold the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me at the Table albeit it be set downe after the supper yet was vttred before supper acording to the vsual manner of the Scripture which traÌ„sporteth things done before to that which is afterward as appeareth plainely in the words following And therefore it is a sure and certaine rule that all things are not set downe in the old and new Testament in order as they were done but oftentimes that is set downe after which was done before and before which was done after Besides after that the Supper was ended and a Psalme sung Mat. 26 30. Christ went out into the mount of Oliues now if Iudas had staied till the Supper had bin ended he could not haue made such preparation at a suddaine to get together those that should take Iesus for there came with him a great multiude with swords and staues from the chiefe Priests and Elders of the people The councell and conuocation of the chiefe Priests and the Scribes and the Pharisies and the Elders and their sitting in iudgment determining what to do required some time and before Iudas could receiue a band of men from them it must take vp more time to omit the time spent in departing froÌ„ Christ and in returning vnto Christ againe which could not be done speedily and therefore no doubt he was gone before As then Christ bad him do quickly that which he did so he stayed not but was glad he was gone from his sight and company Thirdly it cannot be but the guiltinesse of the conscience of Iudas did accuse him and sting him who had beene with the high Priests and couenanted with them to betray his Maister especially seeing Christ our Sauiour was euermore speaking of it and putting his Disciples in minde that one of them should betray him Ioh. 8 7 â— It is noted touching the Scribes and Pharisies that when Christ willed him that was without sinne to cast the first stone at her that was taken in adultery They being conuicted by their owne conscience went out one by one beginning at the eldest euen vnto the last So likewise he feeling an hell and horror in his conscience and knowing that notwithstanding his secret plotting his diuelish dealing was detected and his prophane heart espied could not abide to haue his sore touched but no doubt made all hast to be gone out of the sight presence of his Maister Lastly this was done by the speciall prouidence and appointment of God who would shew thereby that wicked men and hypocrites which lead a life vnworthy the profession of the Gospell are not to be admitted to the Lords Supper And this is the iudgement of sundry writers Å¿ Hil in Mat c. 30 lib. 8. de Trinitate Clem Rom. con lib. 2. cap. 61. both old and new But inasmuch as he was present at the Passeouer which was a figure of the passion of Christ God by this ore fearefull example teacheth that he neuer suffereth the abuse of his Sacraments to goe vnpunished The Apostle saith 1 Cor. 11. He that eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh his owne iudgement t Zanch. de redemp lib. 1. cap. 19. and â—6 Beza in Ioh. 13. Tractat. de excem for this cause many are sicke and weake among you and many sleepe Vngodly persons that lye and liue in sinne together with all impenitent persons attribute too much to the outward signe rest therin as in the comfort of their soules Adam thoght after his fal if he could reach out his hand take the fruite of the tree of life and eate thereof Gen. 3 22. he should liue for euer For these words vsed in that place Least he put forth his hand to the tree of life and eate and liue for euer do respect the purpose and intent of the man not the euent and issue of the matter inasmuch as the eating of that fruite all the daies of his life could not giue grace or restore him to that life hee had lost and to that high estate from whence he was fallen Now as he imagined if he could but taste of the tree of life againe it should go well with him so his posterity in all ages dreame of a secret power inherent in the Sacraments whereas by taking the same vnworthily and by iudging of them corruptly sinne is increased God is offended and the punishment is doubled The Arke was a testimony of Gods presence a witnesse of his loue and league with man and an assured signe that God would make his dwelling place among them that he would abide with them that he would walke before them that he would be their gratious God and that they should be his people but the Priests Elders and people attributed ouermuch vnto it and farre greater things then they ought they said a 1 Sam. 4 3. Wherefore hath the Lord smitten vs this day before the Philistims Let vs bring the Arke of the couenant of the Lord out of shiloth vnto vs that when it commeth among vs it may saue vs out of the hands of our enemies Euen as the Church of Rome when any iudgement or calamity is vpon them carry forth their breaden-God on procession hold him vp to be seene and adored and thereby thinke to haue themselues deliuered and Gods wrath to be appeased These neuer thought of turning to God with all their hearts and of changing their liues but ascribe saluation and deliuerance to the Arke it selfe and attribute power to the outward signe which of it selfe and in it selfe was no better then a few boards ioyned
together and therefore through their vaine confidence c 1 Sam 4 10 c they were destroyed the Arke was taken the two sonnes of Ely were slaine and the whole hoast was discomfited Thus is it with the Sacrament and with such as come without faith to the Sacrament The Sacrament indeed is holy the sacramentall rites are holy the bread and wine are holy but let them be receiued of persons that are prophane and vnholy they make the Sacraments to themselues vnholy so far are they from conferring grace and holinesse to all receiuers of theÌ„ For can the Sacraments make him holy that is vnholy Or a godly man that is vngodly Or make him to feare an oth that is a blasphemer They cannot nay to such the Sacraments become vnholy and the receiuers grow more vnholy as Iudas did after the partaking of the Passeouer Wherefore God as a iust Iudge would driue Adam out of the garden of Eden least puttâ—ng forth his hand to the tree of life hee should d Gen. 3 22. take and receiue it vnworthily thereby e Mercer in 3. cap. Gen. Aralis Franc. Iun. in Gen. prophaning the Sacrament and so eate to himselfe iudgement The sacrifices were holy ordinances of God yet when men that liued vngodly came vnto them they turned to bee sinne to them so is it with all those that come without faith feeling to the Supper of the Lord let vs not therfore be faithlesse but faithfull Lastly if the faithfull onely receiue with profite then Vse 4 such as are hypocrites and wicked liuers cannot bee partakers of the body and blood of Christ no more then God and Sathan can be ioyned together True it is such may receiue the bare signes but they receiue them to their condemnation because f Wicked meÌ„ do not recâ—iue Christ through want of faith repentance they offend God repell Christ from them and all his benefits and draw vnto themselues temporall and eternall punishments For no man can eate Christ and withall eat his owne damnation Againe whosoeuer eateth the flesh of Christ and drinketh his blood shall liue for euer and hath Christ dwelling in him to saluation for Christ can neuer be separated from his sauing graces but the vngodly shall not liue for euer by Christ with God For Christ is not eaten with the teeth or mouth as in the Gospell he directly determineth Ioh. 6. Whosoeuer eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life my flesh is meat indeed my blood is drinke indeed g Ioh. 6 14. he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him But Infidels and wicked persons haue not eternall life neither abide in Christ therfore by the doctrine of Christ our Sauiour h Aâ—g tract in 〈◊〉 25. they neither eate his flesh nor drinke his blood We must open the eyes of our faith to behold him and the mouth of our soule to receiue him for by faith onely we are made partakers of him which the vngodly want hee that i Ioh. 4 14. drinketh of the blood of Christ shall neuer be more athirst Thirdly we know that Sathan the Prince of darknesse ruleth in all the hearts of the children of disobedience and sitteth in their Consciences 2 Cor. 14 4. as the God of this world and filleth them full of iniquity as we see in the example of Iudas Now if these receiue the body of Christ then Christ and the diuell should dwell in one subiect together and be ioynt possessors of one and the same house Luk. 11 21. but this cannot be these cannot be at one these can neuer be friends reconciled there is no m 2 Cor. â— 14 fellowship betweene righteousnesse and vnrighteousnesse there is no communion betweene light and darknesse there is no concord betweene Christ and Bel all Fourthly the Apostle teacheth that where Christ is n Rom. 8 9. he worketh mortification and dying to sinne Rom. 8. If any haue not the spirit of Christ the same is not his and if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin but the Spirit is life for righteousnesse sake But the wicked are not dead to sin they are dead in their sins and trespasses and they haue sinne not only remaining but raigning in them therefore Christ cannot be in them Fiftly where Christ is there are all things necessary to saluation and to whom God giueth his Sonne o Rom 8 31. to him he giueth iustification sanctification redemption repentance remission of sinnes and eternall life as Rom. 8. If God be on our side who shall be against vs Who spared not his owne Sonne but gaue him for vs all to death how should he not with him giue vs all things also But the wicked haue not these guifts accompaning saluation they are not iustified they are not sanctified they are not regenerated therefore they cannot haue Christ from whom these flow Sixtly we are charged to try and p 2 Cor. 13 5. proue our owne hearts whether Christ be in vs or not that thereby we may discerne of our estate and standing in the faith 2 Cor. 13. Proue your selues whether ye are in faith examine your selues know ye not your owne selues how that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates To what purpose serueth this tryall and examination if Christ may be in vs and yet we remaine reiected Wherefore Christ cannot bee in vs if we be not approued but refused of God Seuenthly if such as eate the bread of the Lord vnworthily do withall eate the body of Christ it will follow froÌ„ hence that to eate is no longer to eate but to reiect and refuse For these two take ye and eate ye are ioyned together by Christ himselfe so that the eating it selfe is a kinde of receiuing As then he that refuseth the bread cannot bee said to eate the bread so they which reiect the bodye of Christ cannot eate the body of Christ for if they did eate it they would also take it and receiue it Lastly the Apostle chargeth the Church of the Corinthians not to eate things sacrificed to Idols in q 1 Cor. 10 20. the Idols temple because they cannot be partakers of Christ and the diuell nor drink of the cup of Christ and of the cup of diuels 1 Cor 10 20. These things which the Gentiles sacrâ—fice they sacrifice them to diuels and not vnto God and I would not that ye should haue fellowship with the diuels ye cannot b e partakers of the Lords Table and of the table of diuels Where he sheweth that a man may come poluted with Idoll sacrifices to the Lords Supper but then he cannot be partaker of Christ indeed and in truth Thus we see the doctrine of the Church of Rome striken to the ground which hold it as a principle of their faith and teach it to others that wicked men do receiue eate r Bel. de Sacra Euch. li
also our ioyning our selues with them who are of the same mysticall body be they neuer so many that receiue with vs this holy Supper in respect whereof this Sacrament hath beene called a communion Vse 1 Now let vs consider what vse may be made heereof to our selues Is this one end of the institution of Christs last Supper to lay before vs our communioÌ„ one with another then what gifts soeuer we haue receiued from Christ we must imploy them to the benefit good of others If God haue giuen vs knowledge we must vse it to instruct the ignorant if the gift of zeale we must apply it to kindle and stir vp others to remember from whence they are fallen if faith and sanctification we must bestow them to the gaining and winning of others if the outward things of this life this worldâ— good we must communicate them to others according to their want and our wealth their pouerty and our plenty The Candle hath receiued light not for it selfe but for others The trees bring forth fruite the clouds drop downe raine the fountaines send downe water the Sun shineth the earth flourisheth the Bee gathereth the beast laboureth to profite others And wherfore haue we all receiued moysture from the roote light from the Sun fruit from the tree water from the fountaine euen life from Christ but to impart it to others as freely as wee receiued This is taught vs in many places c 1 Pet. 4 10. 1 Cor. 12.7 Let euery man as he hath receiued the gift minister the same one to another And in another place The manifestation of the Spirit to giuen to euery man to profite w thall God hath tempred the body together least there should be any diuision in the body that the members might haue the same care one of another So then the gifts that we haue receiued of vnderstanding wisedome zeale exhortation reprehension and whatsoeuer gifts externall internall or eternall let vs consider that we are stewards not maisters of them and therefore must render and giue an account vnto the author and giuer of them when he shal say Giue an account of thy stewardship d Luk. 16 12. for thou maist bee no longer Steward Againe is the Lords Supper the bond of charity And Vse 2 doth it put vs in minde of our communion with the Saints and fellowship which one hath with another then al such as receiue the same doctrine imbrace the same religion meete at the same table e Aug. tract 26 in Iohan. must be vnited in Christian loue gentlenesse meekenesse and patience one toward another supporting one another bearing the burthen one of another being alike affected and disposed guided by one spirit nourished by the milke of the same word acknowledging one Father professing one faith liuing in one body walking in one calling looking for one kingdome worshipping one LORD meeting at one Supper and washed with one Baptisme for our regeneration and sanctification f Eph. 4 1 2 â— Ruth 1 16 1â— according to the saying of the Apostle Ephesians 4. Walke woâ—thy of the vocation whereunto ye are called endeuoring to keepe the vnity of the Spir t in the bond of peace there is one body and one Spirit euen as ye are called in one hope of your vocation There is one Lord one faith one baptâ—sme one God and Father of all which is aboue all and through all and in you all And in the same g Phil. 2.1 â— 3 Episâ—le to the Philippians If there be any consolation in Christ iâ— any comfâ—rt of loue if any fellowshippe of the Spirit if any compassion and mercy fulfill my ioy that ye bee like minded hauing the same loue beeinâ— of one accord and of one iudgement that nothing be done through contention And Luke Act. 4. describing the h Act. 4 3â— notes of the Church of Christ saith The whole multitude of them that beleeued were of one heart and one soule neither any of them said that any thing of that which he possessed was his owne but they had all things common Let vs acknowledge our selues to be fellowes of one houshold and members of one body and euermore bring with vs this fruit of loue to the Lords Supper otherwise we shall neuer be the Lords guests If brethren that are the children of the same father malice and maligne one another will not the father be angry And if fellow-seruants brought vp in one family fall together by the eares wil not their Maister be displeased and offended Seeing theÌ„ God hath vouchsafed to call vs his children to admit vs into his house to nourish vs at his owne Table and to preserue and reserue vs to his heauenly kingdome he wil take from vs all these priuiledges and prerogatiues if we bee hatefull and hating one another and deale with vs not as with his owne children but as with his vttter enemies Vse 3 Lastly this end of the Supper serueth to reproue al such as professe their vnion with Christ the head but hold not the bond of peace among themselues who doe much deceiue themselues and faile in the duty which he requireth of them For whosoeuer is fast and firmely vnited vnto the head must needes bee more firmely vnited vnto the the body because all the life that is in the body proceedeth from the head We must not therefore thinke that loue is required onely in preparing our selues to this Sacrament but it standeth vs greatly vpon to come in loue to depart in loue and to continue in loue yea as we increase the times of receiuing 〈◊〉 4 10. drawing neere to the Table of the Lord again and againe so we should labour to increase in loue as it were to double our affection toward our brethren It is a vaine thing solemnely to professe before God and men and the holy Angels and al the world that we come in loue and are in charity with al persons if by and by we be ready vpon the least occasion to take vp hatred and contention and to fall out one with another For we shall need no â—â—her witnes against vs to seale vp our condemnation then this Sacrament of the Supper except we shunne and shake off these vipers not from our hands but from our hearts All such as come with enuy hatred rancor malice and desire of mischiefe are as a generation of vipers seeking to eate out the bowels one of another because these are as it were the poyson or venome of the minde Let vs not make the seale of righteousnesse to be a signe vnto vs of certaine iudgement hanging ouer our heads 1 Cor. 11 18.30 as it fel out among the Corinthians who nourished diuisions among them therefore were iustly and sharply chastened of God many waies Do not the members of our naturall body loue one another Yes they seeke the good one of another the foote enuyeth not the hand nor the hand the eye nor
themselues why they refuse to ioyne with the people of God among vs that come with loue and zeale to his Table I haue not to doe with them in this place they were for the most part carelesse men secure in the matters of God and sencelesse in al good things but those that now we are to encounter withall pretend greater care and conscience in the worship of God then our selues These are they of the separation who haue left our Church as no Church and abhorre our Sacraments as no Sacraments and reuile our Ministers as no Ministers And yet if they would confesse the trueth and giue God the glory they must for the most part of them acknowledge that they receiued to beleeue in our Church were begotten a new by our ministery and haue reaped strength of faith by our Sacraments if they may bee called ours which are deliuered by vs but instituted by God Neuerthelesse I wish and desire from the bottome of my hearte that our Church were once so happy as to separate notorious offenders to cut off all occasion of this question But because we cannot yet obtain this mercy through our sinnes and that through the iniquity of the times euill men preuaile wee must not consider so much what ought to be among vs as how farre wee ought to submit our selues neither should we fixe our eyes so much vppon that which is wanting and missing in our Church as what great guifts and good thinges GOD hath vouchsafed vnto vs and bestowed vpon vs we confesse we are not in all poyntes that which we should be howbeit by the grace of our GOD wee are farre from that which they charge vs withall But let vs see what they obiect Obiection 1 Cor. 5.11 First they alledge that we are forbidden to eat and drink at our common Tables with them 1 Cor 5 From hence they reason from an vnequall comparison of the lesse to the greater that if we may not doe that which is lesse then wee may not eate and drinke with them at the LORDS Table which is the greater I answere Answere this consequent will not follow For wee cannot conclude the abstaining at the Lords Supper from their company whose company we are to auoide at our owne table It is in our owne power for the most part to depriue whome wee will of our priuate Suppers but it lyeth not in vs to barre whome we please from the Lords Supper This belongeâ—h to the officers and ouer-seers of the Church But as in the priuate family euery one may not be a gouernourâ— and in the Common-wealth euery person may not be a Magistrate to order the affaires thereof so is it in the Church no man may seuer the holy from the prophane but such as are called to sit in the sterne of it Again they alledge the sentence of the Prophet Come Obiection 2 out from among them and separate your selues from them and touch no vncleane thing Esay 52.11 2 Cor. 6 17.18 Esay 52 11. 2 Cor. â— 17. Answere I answere three things First the place must be vnderstood not somuch of the separation by place as by affection not somuch of the company as of the coruptions of others Secondly Paul speaketh of the communion of Idolatry which is nothing at all to the holy Communion which is commaunded vnto all Christians without any such limitation as these would bring in For they can neuer proue any such exception to wit that we may abstayne if we see any offer themselues to receiue which doe seeme to vs vnworthy Lastly here is mention of such as were straungers from the faith and did not so much as professe the Christian Religion and therefore it serueth not their purpose who refuse to communicate at the Table of the Lord with such as embrace Christianity and make profession of the Gospell albeit peâ—aduenture their life be not answerable thereunto so that thâ—y abuse this place who will by no meanes bee brought to come to the Supper of the Lord when they perceiue those to haue accesse vnto it whome they account wicked and prophane Ioseph and Mary frequented the sacrifices in the publike assemblies at Ierusalem at the solemne feasts Luk. 2. So did Christ himselfe as appeareth in many places of the Gospell The Church was then full of scandals as a body full of sores but because he had no calling nor commission to remedy those euils he chose rather to ioyne himselfe with the company of the wicked theÌ„ to separate himselfe from the Sacraments and other holy things Thus it was with Simeon Hannah Zachary Elizabeth and other of the faithfull There are two certaine rules with which I will conclude First that our being in company with the wicked vnwillingly not willingly by compulsion not by free election shall not hurt vs. It is our delight in them and desire of them and striuing to be with them that bringeth danger vnto vs but if it be against our will there is no feare of being infected by them The second rule is this that we are greatly hurt in our saluation and wounded in our soules by separation from the exercises of our religion and therfore there is no iust cause why we should leaue the fruite of the one for the presence of the other It is a part of Gods spirituall worshippe to heare his word and indeed one of the principall seruices we can performe vnto him yet may a Christian lawfully heare it where there are Infidels and vnbeleeuers yea not onely communicate with them but be glad that they will vouchsafe to communicate with vs. And touching ioyning in prayer and participation of the Sacraments if it were in our choyce and liberty to auoid them wee might not ioyne with them nor make one among them but because we haue no power nor authority to make any separation wee ought not to refuse or renounce the seruice of God which is enioyned and commanded vnto vs and let vs take heed least while wee go about to separate our selues from the wicked we separate our selues from God himselfe For there is no man that forsaketh his worship but after a sort forsaketh God seeing that to cleaue vnto him and not to his worshippe is vnpossible and to diuide betweene these which are alwaies ioyned together is to turne him into an Idoll And thus much touching Examination in generall CHAP. XVI Of the knowledge of God the first part of Examination AS we haue waighed the necessity of preparing and examining our selues so let vs consider the manner how it is to be performed Such as will in an holy manner prepare themselues a Four points required in Examination of our selues to celebrate the Lords Supper to the glory of God the discharge of their duties and comfort of their owne soules must diligently acquaint themselues with these foure points with knowledge faith repentance and reconciliatioÌ„ to those whom they haue offended First it is required of all persons that come
our selues the promises of saluation Wee must not onely see them a farre off but feele them in our hearts Wee must beleeue not onely that Christ is a Sauiour but that he is our Sauiour and Redeemer Thus wee must euerie one of vs for his owne part make propâ—r to himselfe all the riches and graces that are in Christ Iesuâ— because in giuing himselfe to vs hee giueth all his benefiâ—s in that he is God he maketh vs after a sort d 2 Peter 1 4â— partakers of the diuine nature being heire of all things in heauen and earth e 1 Cor 3 22. and Lord of the world hee maketh all thinges ours whether life or death whether things present or thinges to com recouering in him the possession of those things which we lost â—n Adam being the beloued sonne of the father hee maketh vs acceptable and well-pleasing vnto him leading captiuity captiue and giuing giftes f Eph. 4 8. to men hauing Dominion ouer the diuell sinne hell the world the flesh and all our enemies he protecteth vs that they cannot ouerthrowe vs and hath g Reuelat. 1 6 made vs Kings and Priests to God euen his father in that he is happie and immortall he maketh vs partakers of his blessednesse and immortality When we shall seuerally and particularly apply all the actions and benefits of Christ our Lorde vnto our selues wee may boldly come to the Lords Table where we shall finde Christ and enioy him to our endlesse comfort knowing that we liue alwaies by faith but not alwaies by feeling Neither are we to abstaine and hang back from comming to the Supper nor to dispaire of our selues nor to bee too much cast downe when we feele sundry defectes and wants in our faith For h There are 2. degrees of true faith there is a weake and feeble saith which is yet a true faith as well as the strong faith There are two degrees of faith profitable to be knowne and comfortable to be considered The weake faith i what a weak Faith is is an earnest and vnsaigned desire to bee reconciled vnto God in Christ which willing desire in vs God accepteth as the deede it selfe he accounteth the desire of faith as faith it selfe the desire of reconciliation and forgiuenesse of sinnes by the death of Christ shall be auaileable to worke out our attonement and redemption The strong faith is a full perswasion assurance k What a strong faith is of the mercies of God when the faithfull can truly say with the Apostle Rom. 8 38 l Roma 8 38. 39. I am perswaded that neither life nor death nor things present nor things to come neither Angels nor principalities nor powers neither hetâ—hth nor depth nor any other creature shall separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lorde To this assurance we labour to come and in this assurance we endeuour to grow and to go on from saith to faith and from strength to strength vntill we learne to stand fast as it were vpon the battlements of heauen and to set the world at defiance and to treade the earth vnder our feete saying with the Apostle Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect Or who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ This is the greatest measure and highest degree of faith this is the top strength and full ripenesse of faith heere vnto wee are to striue and endeuour and neuer to giue rest vnto our soules vntill we be resolued and setled in our consciences that all our sinnes are assurredly pardoned and we accepted to euerlasting life This greatnesse of faith was in Abraham m Rom. 4 20 who was not weake but strengthened in faith being fully perswaded Hee that had promised was able also to do it All that liue in the bosome of the Church doe not attaine to this full measure of a perfect faith but euen as it is in the estate of the body we are Babes before wee come to be men of ripe yeares first we be weake before we be strong n 1 cor 3 1 â— first we are fedde with milke before wee can digest strong meate We see o Mar. 4 2â— Corne first in the grasse then in the blade before it come to the stalke and haue ripe corne in the eare There must bee in all things a beginning before there can be a proceeding to perfection The tree sendeth foorth his tender branches and putteth foorth his leaues before his fruite commeth So is it with euery Christian man and woman first they are babes in Christ and haue certaine seeds and beginnings of faith springing in them to eternall life afterward they grow from strength to strength from grace to grace from degree to degree p Roma 1 17. and from faith to fayth vntill they come to a full perswasion and assurance vvithout wauering q Psalme 23 6 which ariseth after many experiences of Gods manifolde mercies and fauours in the course of our liues as we see Psal 23. Doubtlesse kindnesse and mercie shall follow me all the daies of my life and I shall remaine a long season in the house of the Lord. Wherefore let vs not be dismayed discouraged when our faith is feeble for a feeble faith wil apply Christ as well as a strong faith it will drawe Christ home to dwell in our hearts r Ephes 3 17. through whom we shall not perish but haue euerlasting life He that had but a weak eie and a dim sight to behold the brazen Serpent in the wildernesse Å¿ Numb â— 1 â— was healed from the deadly stinging of the fiery serpents as well as he that saw clearly and perfectly afarre off He that hath but a leprous and sickly hand is able to holde that which is offered vnto it as well as a sound and strong hand So he that hath a little faith in the son of God shall neuer haue his saluation denied nor forgiuenesse of his sins kept from him if with an humble heart hee pray to God to haue them pardoned The Apostles beleeued that Christ was the Sauior of the world t Luke 24 â—5 yet they were ignorant of his death and resurrection which are the chiefe meanes of saluation and they are saide to be men of little faith So our Sauiour when the u Luke 17 5 6 Disciples had asked encrease of their faith declareth that if our faith be in quantity but as a graine of Mustard-seed it should be powerfull and effectuall seeing hee will not a Marke 2 23 quench the smoaking flaxe nor breake the bruised Reede but cherish the lost sparke and measure of grace giuen vnto vs from aboue This likewise was the faith of that Father whose childe was possessed with a dumbe and deafe spirit when Christ said to him b Math. 7 7 8 If thou canst beleeue all things are possible to him that beleeueth straight way he cried with tears
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
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