but they must necessarily be reuersed disanulled 21 Therfore when they forsake the Munkish life and take in hand some honest kind of life they are vnworthely accused of breach of faith periurie because they haue broken the knot which could not be loosed as it is commonly beleeued wherby they were bound to God the Church But it is no bond when God doth abrogat disanull that which man confirmeth Note CHAP. XIIII Of the Sacraments 1 BEside the preaching of the word there is an other help for our faith in the sacramēts which is of like sort And a Sacrament is an outward signe whereby the Lord doth seale vp in our consciences the promises of his good will What a sacrament is to support the weaknesse of our faith and we on the other side testifie our godlinesse as well before him and the Angels as before men Augustine calleth it a visible signe of an holie thing 2 The men of old vsed this word in that sence For so often as the olde interpreter would translate into Latine the Greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 especiallie where mention was made of holy thinges Eph. 1.9 3.2 Col. 1.26 he translated it Sacramentum 3 By this definition we vnderstand that a Sacrament is neuer without a promise going before it but that it is rather annexed thereto as an appurtenance to this end that it may confirme the promise it selfe and may establish and make sure the same to vs. Of which meane God foreseeth that our ignorance and slownesse first and secondly our weakenesse stand in neede A medicine for our infirmitie and ignorance A similitude For the weaknesse of our faith is so great that vnlesse it be vnderpropped on euery side it is straight way shaken and doeth forthwith faint 4 This is that which they say commonly that Sacrament consisteth in the word preached vnderstood and the externall signe Obiect It is enough if the priest do onely recite the forme of consecration euen in Latine before men vnlearned Homil. in Ioh. 13. An. Augustine saith otherwise that the word being added vnto the element doth make a Sacramēt not because it is spoken but because it is beleeued This is the word of God which we preach Rom. 10.8 A popish dilemma sayeth Paule* 5 Obiect Either we know that the word of God which goeth before the Sacrament is the true will of God or else we knowe it not If we knowe it we learne no newe thing out of the Sacrament If we knowe it not the Sacrament shall not teach vs that whose force consisteth in the word An. Seales which are hung vpon publike actes Seales confirme writinges A similitude being receaued alone are nothing worth being hung vpon parchment they confirme that which is written So the Sacramentes haue this peculiar thing aboue the word that they are more fit to stay vp our faith seing they do liuely represent vnto vs the promises depainted as it were in tables 6 Obiect That which is earthly and bodilie can not confirme that which is heauenly and spirituall Whether a bodilie thinge can confirme that which is spirituall An. Earthly Sacraments do not confirme the spirituall truth but vs which are carnall 7 Obiect They be not testimonies of the grace of God because they are giuen to the wicked also The Sacramēts doe not giue grace to the wicked who notwithstanding do neuer a whit more feele thereby that God is fauourable to them An. Grace is offered but they refuse it by their want of faith Obiect If faith be good it can not be made better For there is no faith but that which doth firmly leane vpon the word of God An. None of the sonnes of men shal euer attaine to such perfection of faith but that he ought rather to pray with the Apostles to haue his faith increased* and to haue his want of faith holpen* Luk. 17.5 Mar. 9.14 Act. 8.37 8 Obiect Philip answered the Eunuch* that he might be baptized if he did beleeue with all his whole hart Therfore he would haue his faith to be perfect An. To beleeue with the whole hart is not to beleeue perfectly but hartily with a sincere mind to embrace Christ so Dauid with my whole heart haue I sought thee* I will confesse to thee with mine whole hart* Psal 119.10 Psal 12.3 Obiect If faith be increased by the Sacraments the holy Ghost is giuen in vaine whose worke it is to begin maintaine and finish faith An. For one benefit which these men set forth we consider three First the Lord teacheth vs by his word Secondly he confirmeth vs by the Sacramēts Last of all he enlighteneth our minds by the light of his holy Spirit and he setteth open an entrie into our hearts for the worde and Sacraments The confirmation of faith which should otherwise onely sound in our eares and be present before our eyes but not moue our inwarde parts 9 Therfore the ministerie of the confirmation and increase of faith is so assigned to the Sacraments The inward Maister doth make the Sacraments effectuall A similitude that in the meane season all this proceedeth from the holy Ghost If that inwarde maister be wanting the Sacramentes can do no more in our mindes then if either the brightnesse of the Sunne should shine to the blind eyes or if a voyce did soūd in deaffe eares 10 For lest the worde should sound in our eares in vaine and lest the Sacramentes should be present before our eyes in vaine the Spirite sheweth that it is God which speaketh to vs there he mollifieth the hardenesse of our harts and frameth it vnto that obedience which is due to the word of Cod. 11 For like as seede if it should fall in a barren plot of the field A similitude doeth but die but if it be sowen in arable lande well tilled and manured it will bringe foorth fruite with gayne So the worde of God if it shall hit vpon an hard necke it waxeth barren as being sowen in sand* Mat. 13.4 Ier. 8.15 if it get a soule mānured with the hand of the heauenly Spirit it wil be most frutefull 12 Yet the Sacramentes are so said truly to confirme our faith that manie times when the Lord will take away the confidence of the thinges promised he taketh away the Sacramentes themselues which we may see in Adam* and the Ephesians * Eph. 2.12 Gen. 3 22. Obiect The glorie of God is so farre diminished as it is deriued vnto creatures to the which so great power is giuen An. God vseth the instrumentes which he seeth to be expedient that all things may obey his glorie but we place no power in creatures 13 Obiect Sacraments are only signes whereby we are distinguished from profane men An. Sacraments are indeede sure testimonies of our faith before men but this is the chiefest thing that they serue for our faith before God
a certaine ciuill honestie and order What mans vnderstanding cā doe in heauenlie thinges 14 We may see that in liberall artes and manuall to learne which there is in vs all a certaine aptnesse Moreouer wee haue a certaine strength of naturall force and a certaine facilitie to inuent some new thing in euerie art or to amplifie pullish We haue a certaine aptnes to learne the arts Naturall force 15 And yet let vs not in the meane season forget that these are most excellent good things of Gods spirite which he bestoweth vpon whom hee will to the common good of mankinde Exod. 32.2 35.30 16 For if it were requisite that the knowledge which was necessarie for the garnishing framing of the temple should be instilled into Beseel and Oliab * by the spirite of God no maruell if it be saide that the knowledge of those thinges which are in mans life most excellent as lawe and phisicke bee imparted to vs by the spirite of God Quest What fellowship haue the wicked with the spirite which are altogeather straungers from God For the spirite of God dwelleth in the faithfull alone The spirit of sanctification is in the faithfull alone An. That must be vnderstoode of the spirite of sanctification whereby wee are consecrated to bee temples to God himselfe And yet neuerthelesse he replenisheth moueth quickeneth all thinges by the power of the same spirite and that according to the propertie of euerie kinde which he hath giuen to it by the law of creation 17 Obiect But some excell in quicknesse of witte some surpasse in iudgement some haue a more nimble mynde to learne this art or that An. In this varietie God setteth foorth to vs his grace The giftes of God are deuided least anie man challendge to himselfe as beeing his owne that which floweth from his meere liberalitie Thereby wee see some markes of the image of God remaining in man which distinguish him from other creatures Certayne gifts remaine in man 18 Nowe wee must declare what mans reason doth see when he is come to the kingdome of God to that spirituall sight which consisteth principallie in three thinges to knowe God to know his fatherlie fauour towarde vs wherein our saluation consisteth In spirituall thinges and the way to frame the life according to the rule of the law In the first two also properlie in the second the most wittie men are blinder then moles 19 Iohn teacheth this most excellentlie Iohn 1.4 Ioh. 15.1 * when hee writeth that life was in God from the beginning and that life whiche was the light of men that this lyght shineth in the darknesse and the darkenesse comprehendeth it not It was the especiall reuelation of the father Mat. 16.17 that Peter knewe Christ 20 Therefore when Moses hitteth the people in the teeth with their forgetfulnesse hee noteth notwithstanding therewithall that they coulde none otherwise be wise in the mysteries of God Deut. 19.2 saue onelie through his benefite and goodnesse Thine eyes saith hee haue seene these signes Man vnderstādeth the misteries of God by reason of his illightning and these huge wonders and the Lord hath not giuen thee an heart to vnderstand neither eares to hear nor eies to see Whereupon we do easilie conclude that man hath as much power to vnderstande the misteries of God as he shall be illuminate by his grace 21 Obiect God prouideth for this blockishnesse or ignorance when by the doctrine of his worde he directeth mans vnderstanding thither whither it could not come without a guide An. Dauid had the law wherein all wisedome is comprehended and yet beeing not therewith content Psal 119.18 he desireth to haue his eies opened that hee might consider the misteries of the law * 22 The knowledge of ordering the life aright remaineth Ordering of the life though by the law of nature we can somwhat discerne good from euill yet it shall come to passe thereby that mans minde being guiltie before God Rom. 2.14 may be made without excuse * 23. Because we see those things which are good wee allow them wee followe the thinges which are worse 2. Cor. 3.5 Will. 24 We must conclude with Paul that we are not fit of our selues to thinke any thing of our selues as of our selues * 25 The weakenesse of mans reason is so great 26 Furthermore will wherein the freedome of will standeth chieflie must bee considered in diuine matters and in humane matters Sect. 6. c. 4. lib. 2. 27 Our will hath no power at all in diuine matters Phil 2 because it is proper to God alone to giue both to will and also to finish Obiect Paul saith that he would good but hee cannot accomplish it * Rom. 7.15 Therfore man hath of himselfe to will that which is good An. Paule speaketh not of the naturall man but of him that is regenerate For he addeth I am delighted in the lawe according to the inward man but I see another lawe in my members resisting the lawe of my minde Rom. 7.22 * CHAP. III. That there commeth nothing from the corrupt nature of man but that which is damnable 1 THEREFORE it appeareth plainelie by the titles which the scripture giueth man The whole man is corrupt Ioh. 3.6 that he is corrupt in both parts because he is saide to bee flesh borne of flesh * Rom. 8.6 and the affection of the flesh is death * Obiect The word flesh appertaineth onlie to the sensuall and not to the superiour part of the soule An. Christes argument is otherwise that man must be borne againe because he is fleshe Ioh. 3.6 Regeneration according to the minde * he did not commaunde him to be borne againe according to his bodie but according to the minde 2 Therefore in vaine we doe seeke for in man either integritie or vnderstanding or feare of God 3 Obiect But in all ages there haue beene some which during their whole life haue been bent vnto vertue hauing nature for their guide An. God brideleth by his grace the euill affections of men Who haue bin bent to vertue hauing nature for their guide Why God bridleth the euill so much as he seeth expedient for preseruation of the generalitie of things Hereby some are kept backe with shame some with feare of lawes least they breake out into manie sortes of filthinesse 4 Obiect The doubt is not yet answered For we must either make Camillus like Catiline or els wee shall haue an exāple in Camillus that nature if it be framed by diligence is not quite void of goodnes A Dilemma An. The special grace of God gaue that to the one which it denied to the other 1. Sam. 10.6 Wee see that in Saul whom God made a new man * The slauery of sinne 5 Therfore because the will is holden fast bound by the slauerie of sinne it cannot moue it self to that
repaire to the pastours yet there wee must beware both of necessity to reckon vp al faults and that there be no tyrannie in the ministers For our sake and in the people no superstition 13 Christ speaketh of the other in Matthew* If thou offer thy gifte at the altar and there shalt remember c. Vnder this kinde is contained the confessiō of those which haue offended euē the whole church Mat. 5.23 For our neighbours sake So was the mā of Corinthus receiued again to the communion when he had shewed himself obedient to correction* Corinthians 2. Cor. 2.6 14 In these three kindes of confession the power of the keyes taketh place* Mat. 18.19 Ioh. 20.23 either when the whole Churche craueth forgiuenesse with a solemne acknowledging of their offences or when anie priuate person who hath by committing some notorious offence offended the whole congregation doth testifie his repentaunce or when he which by reason of vnquietnesse of his conscience doth need the helpe of the minister doth disclose to him his infirmitie But when we speake of the keies we must beware that wee doe not dreame of anie power separate from the preaching of the Gospell A caution 15 That which the Romishe diuines haue dreamed of the vse and number of the keyes There is no authoritie of the keyes without the worde and of the power of binding and loosing is so absurde that it needeth no refutation 16 For who is able as they will haue it to reckon vp all his sinnes Necessitie to recken vp all faultes Psal 19.13 58.5 Dauid crieth out who shall vnderstand all his errours 17 Therefore it is a butcherie cruellie to vexe mens consciences with that which is vnpossible 18 Moreouer that law that a man must of necessitie reckon vp all his sinnes shall either throw men into despaire or els it wil make them hypocrits hauing brought them from the true feeling of their sinnes and so it shall make them ignorant of God of themselues Quest Must I then confesse all my sins Is there no confession acceptable to God vnlesse it be concluded in these few wordes I am a sinner An. We must not onlie endeuour in one worde to confesse our selues to be sinners but also what manner vncleanesse ours is howe great it is and in how many points that the deapth of mercy may swallow vp the depth of sin Psal 19.13 Dauid said for good cause* Lord cleanse me from my secret faults Obiect The gate of Paradice is shut against him which shall neglect the power to confesse which is offered him An. Yea at what time soeuer a sinner shal repent him of his sinnes from the bottome of his hearte I will put all his wickednes out of my remembrance saith the Lord* Ezech. 18.21 Obiect There can no iudgement be giuen before the cause be heard An. These confessours do rashlie boldlie chalendge to themselues that power who are made iudges of themselues To binde and loose Obiect Wee haue the office of binding and loosing committed to vs. An The Apostles knew not this power Auricular confession is hurtfull 19 Therefore let vs reiect auricular confession as pestilent and hurtfull to the whole church Obiect It causeth him which confesseth to be ashamed that he may heerafter be more warie and preuent the iudgement of God Liberty to sinne cometh from auricular confession An. Yea we may euery where see that by nothing men haue more libertie graunted to sin then when hauing confessed them selues to the Priest beeing carelesse for making confession all the rest of the yeere they neuer once sigh before God Mat. 18.18 20 Quest Therefore the keies were giuen without cause* Shall we make the word of Christ to be of none effect To whom the keyes were ge An. Christ gaue this power to his apostles whose neither vicars not successours the shauelings are Againe that was not done before they receiued the holy Ghost Obiect They haue the holy Ghost An. Why do they then loose those things which the Lord would haue bound why do they bind those which he commaunded to be loosed 21 Ob. They haue power without knowledge An. Knowledge is required to good vse Power without knowledge Obiect The saying of Christ is limitted according to his deserts who is bound or loosed An. The church pronounceth fornicators and adulterers c. to be bound as those which are worthie to be bound By the same worde it looseth those whom it comforteth after they repent Which cannot be done without knowledge and vnderstanding of the word of God 1 Cor. 6.9 22 Ob. The lawful ministers of Christ shal stand no lesse in doubt because they knowe not his faith which confesseth his sinnes but the priest doth only remit the sinne which he knoweth An. The absolution is conditionall Absolution conditionall that the sinner should trust that God wil be merciful to him so that he sincerelie seeke the cleansing of his sinnes in the sacrifice of Christ rest vpon the grace which is offred him 23 Therefore these thinges are preposterouslie wrested vnto auricular confession which are spokē by Christ partly of the preaching of the gospel partlie of excommunication Obiect The authoritie and power to loose was giuen to the Apostles which the Priestes do exercise by remitting sinnes which they know An. This principle is false because absolution which serueth to faith True absolution is nothing els but a testimonie of pardon taken from the free promise of the Gospell But the other which dependeth vpon discipline appertaineth nothing vnto secret sinnes but rather vnto example that the publike offence of the church may be taken away Obiect Sinnes must be forgiuen but with enioyning penance and satisfaction An. That is to halfe that which God hath promised wholie 24 The whole summe tendeth to this end If they will make God the authour of auricular confession The beginning of auricular confession their vanitie is reproued because this tyrannie was brought in when the world was oppressed with filthie barbarisme Popish satisfaction 25 They assigne the third place in repentaunce to satisfaction they say that it is not sufficient for him which repenteth to abstaine frō euils past to change his maners for the better vnlesse hee make satisfaction to God for those thinges which are done Obiect Though God forgiue the fault yet doth hee reserue the punishment An. What is remission but the free gift of liberalitie Againe What remission is Why is the word freelie added but onely to take away all opinion of satisfaction Last of all if by the name of Christe wee obtaine remission of sinnes * Ios 52.3 Collo 2.14 Tit. 3.5 what shall wee neede satisfaction 26 Obiect We are receiued into the fauour of God by Christ in baptisme After baptisme we must rise againe by satisfactions The blood of Christe profiteth nothing but so farre as it is
signe being indeed farre inferiour Obiect The church is cleansed by the Lorde Eph. 5.26 by the washing of water in the word of life* An. Therfore it seemeth to be an vnmeet thing that it should want the testimonie of it in infantes Infantes are heires of the kingdome who are by right accounted a part of the churche seeing they be heires of the kingdome Obiect Wee are ingrafted by baptisme into the bodie of Christ* 1 Cor. 12.13 An. Therefore infants must bee baptized that they be not pluckt from the body of Christ 23 Obiect Peter counsaileth the Iewes to repent and then to be baptised for the remission of sinnes * Act. 8.37 Act. 2 37. Also Philip maketh answere to the Eunuch that he may bee baptised if hee beleeue with his whole heart An. Hee speaketh of those which are growen vp which are not to bee baptized vnlesse their conuersion faith be seen and tried They which are growen vp must not be baptized vntill they make confession of their faith Gen 15.1 Gen. 17.11 Infantes are contayned in the couenant by right of inheritance Ioh. 3.5 There is an other respect to be had of infants 24 As wee may see in Abraham whose faith the Sacrament doth followe* in Isaach it goeth before all vnderstanding* because hee is contained in the couenant from his mothers womb by right of inheritance 25 Obiect Vnlesse one be borne againe of water and the spirite hee cannot enter into the kingdome of God* They thinke that baptisme is called regeneration Therefore they which are not capable of regeneration ought not to be baptised A similitude An. He doth not there intreat of baptisme but of regeneration which is made by the spirite which is compared to water* Mat 3.11 as in an other place to fire otherwise faith should follow after baptisme seeing water is put before the spirit Mat. 28.19 Which is contrarie to the scripture* 26 Obiect All which are not baptized must bee adiudged to eternall death An. Yea whosoeuer beleeueth in the sonne shall not see death Ioh. 5.24 Those which are not yet baptized must not be adiudged to death Mat. 28.19 Mat. 16.16 He shall come into iudgement but he shall passe from death to life* we do no where finde that hee which was not yet baptised is condemned 27 Obiect It was said Teach then Baptise* Againe he which shall Beleeue be baptised shall be saued* What will we more Therfore doctrine and faith must needes goe before baptisme An. If we would greedilie stay in the order of the wordes it shoulde likewise follow that we must first baptize then afterward teach seeing it is said baptise Mar. 16.15 teaching them to keepe* c. 28 But hee intreateth there of those which are growen vp which must first be taught then when they beleeue they must bee baptized Infantes must be baptized because of the promise but infants are baptized by reason of the promise made to their parents 29 If any man cauill that infants are to be depriued of food 2 Thes 3.10 because the Apostle doth not permit them to eate which doe not worke shall he not be worthie to be spitted at of all Why Christ was bap when he was thirtie yeares of age Obiect Christe was not baptized vntill he was thirtie yeares of age An. Because he determined to lay a sure foundation of baptisme then by his preaching he sanctified it vnder his owne bodie that it might succeede circumcision 30 Obiect In like sort infants were to bee made partakers of the supper Why the Supper is not made common to infants An. They differ greatlie therin because baptism is a certaine entring into the church the supper is giuen to those which are growen vp in yeares which are now fit to beare strong meate which are apt to discerne the body blood of the Lord which thing doth not agree to infants 31 Obiect As the signes of Christ are perfect they do likewise require those which are perfect or capable of perfection An. The perfection of baptisme reacheth vnto death The perfection of Baptisme reacheth vnto death therfore it is ill done to restraine it vnto one minute of time Obiect The signes of Christe are instituted for memories sake that euerie one may call to minde that he was buried togeather with Christ An. It appertaineth to the supper The examination of the Supper that euery one examine himselfe Obiect All those remain in death which beleeue not in the sonne of God and the wrath of God remaineth vppon them* Ioh. 3.36 And therefore infantes which cannot beleeue lie in their owne condemnation An. Christ speaketh not there of the generall giltinesse wherein all the posteritie of Adam is inwrapped but he doth only threaten to the contemners of the Gospell damnation But this doth nothing belong to infants What it is to heare the voyce of the Spirit Obiect Whosoeuer is borne of the spirite heareth the voice of the spirite An. That is the faithful are framed to obedience as the spirit worketh in them 1 Cor. 15.46 Obiect Because that which is naturall is first* we must wait for the time which is fit for baptisme which is spirituall 1 Cor. 7.14 An. Though saith Paul they bee lost by nature which are borne of the faithfull yet they are holy by supernaturall grace* Obiect When Dauid went vp into the tower of Sion 2 Sam. 5.8 he did carrie with him neither blind nor lame but couragious souldiers * Luke 14.21 An. Yea trulie he biddeth blinde lame to the heauenlie banquet * Mat. 4.19 Obiect The Apostles were fishers of men not of children * Mat. 13 47. An. All kinde of fishes is gathered into the net of the Gospell* 1 Cor. 2.13 Obiect Spirituall thinges are fit for those which are spirituall* infants are not such An. He intreateth of doctrine yea God doth consecrate to himselfe by his free adoption those which are begotten of the flesh With what meate mē must be nourished Ob. They must be fed with spirituall meat if they be new men An. Baptisme being the signe of adoption sufficeth them vntill being growen vp they be able to beare strong meat Ob. Christe calleth all his vnto the holie Supper An. Hee admitteth none but such as are alreadie prepared to celebrate the remembrance of his death Who are to be admitted to the Supper Obiect It is monstrous if a man eate not after he is borne An. Christe is neuerthelesse meate to infants though they abstaine from the signe Obiect A good steward giueth meat to the familie in due time* Mat. 24.46 An. It belongeth to God alone to determine that Ob. The Apostles are commanded to make hast to the haruest whiles the fields are white* Ioh. 4.35 An. Christ his meaning is to haue the Apostles to addresse themselues more ioyfullie to the worke whiles they beholde