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 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
should not perish but haue euerlasting life And Cha. 14. Let not your heart be troubled ye beleeue in God beleeue also in me And Rom. 10. With the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth man confesseth vnto saluation for the Scripture saith whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not be ashamed Secondly God requireth of vs loue toward our brethren for seeing he hath shewed so great loue toward vs k 1 Iohn 4 7 9 10 11. he exacteth loue of vs againe as Iohn exhorteth Beloued let vs loue one another for loue commeth of God and euery one that loueth is borne of God and knoweth God heerein was the loue of God made manifest among vs because God sent his onely begotten Son into this world that wee might liue through him beloued if God so loued vs wee ought also to loue one another Thirdly he requireth as a necessary couenant to be kept on our part holines true obedience throughout the whole course l Iosh 24 24.25 2 Kings 29 3. of our life and conuersation This is repeated and vrged in many places of the word of God as Iosh 24. when they said they would serue the Lord their God obey his voice Ioshua made a couenant with them the same day ioyning God the people together So also Iosiah stood by the pillar and made a couenant before the Lord that they should walke after the Lord and keepe his commandements and his testimonies and his statutes with al their hart and with al their soul Likewise to the same purpose we reade 2. Chro. 15. They made a couenant to seeke the Lord God of their Fathers and whosoeuer will not seeke the Lord God of Israel shall be slaine whether he be small or great man or woman Thus we see the conditions of the couenant both what he promiseth to doe and what he looketh for at our hands He requireth of vs faith loue and obedience to become his people if we will haue him to be our God All these three parts of the couenant m 1 Iohn 3 23 24. are mentioned and expressed 1. Iohn 3. This is his commandement that wee beleeue in the name of his Sonne Iesus Christ and loue one another as he gaue commandement for he that keepeth his commandements dwelleth in him and he in him and heereby we know that hee abideth in vs euen by the Spirite that he hath giuen vs. The vses of the second end of a Sacrament are first to Vse 1 behold the exceeding loue of God toward his people vnworthy of his fauour Can there be a greater loue then this Certainly such as know the great rigor of the law the infinite iustice of God and the heauy burthen of sin and feele God to arraigne them the law to endite them their consciences to accuse them and their hearts to cōdemne them do finde nothing sweeter then to be eased of that burthen to be acquitted of that Iudge and to be freed from that condemnation For of all burdens sin is the heauiest of all wounds it is the deepest of all afflictions it is the greatest of all paines it is the sharpest and often presseth downe to the gates of hell Wherefore such as feele Gods mercy in their misery n Psal 32 1.2 may cry out with the Prophet in the reioycing of their spirite Blessed is he whose wickednesse is lightened and whose sin is couered Blessed is the man vnto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity This kindnesse is so great that the eternall God should make a couenant with dust and ashes that it ought neuer to be forgotten of vs vs nor depart out of our hearts Againe let euery one be carefull to keepe the former Vse 2 conditions of the Couenant which are to loue him againe and our brethren for his sake o Luke 1 74.75 and to walke in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our life Our Sauiour Christ directing our loue to our brethren and teaching that the streames thereof should flow vnto our enemies sheweth that if we loue thē that loue vs the o Mat. 5 44.46 47. Publicans do the same if we be friendly to our brethren only this is no singular thing Behold p 1 Iohn 3 1. what loue the Father hath giuen vnto vs that we should be called the Sons of God he loued vs graciously freely he loued vs whē we were enemies vnto him spared not his own Son but gaue him to death for vs al do not these things deserue loue againe are we not bound to shew duty for these mercies and loue to our brethren for this loue of our God yet many regard neyther these blessings of God neither walking in vprightnes of hart Vse 3 before him Thirdly is God mā entred into a solemne couenant are the Sacraments seals of it Thē the contempt of the Sacraments is the contempt of God himselfe of his couenant made with vs and therfore worthily to be condemned and iustly to bee censured of the Church If men wer throughly perswaded of this truth I am perswaded they wold not shew this carelesnes prophanenes in coming to these ordinances of God They are not bare and naked promises but couenants of mercy fauour Euery couenant is a promise but euery promise is not a couenant Abraham had receiued many promises from God of reconciliation of posterity of blessing protection that he would be his buckler his bulwarke and his great reward and giue vnto his seed the land of Canaan yet we reade not that God as yet made a couenant with him vntill by a solemne rite and ceremony he established it Ge. 15. where we see that Abraham took an heiffer a shee-goate and a ramme and diuided them in the midst and laid each piece one against another In the same day the Lord made a couenant with him This he confirmed afterward by the signe of circumcision as also hee confirmeth his couenant with vs by two Sacraments If any were asked the question whether they would haue God to be their God gracious and mercifull vnto them they would answere it is their whole desire howbeit if we would haue God magnifie his mercy toward vs we must magnify make much of his sacram whereby he hath sealed vp his loue toward vs. Could Abraham haue God to be his God and the God of his seede and yet reiect circumcision commanded vnto him which was a signe of the couenant Could the Israelites acknowledge God to be the author of their deliuerance out of Egypt and yet refuse the Passeouer that was instituted in remembrance of their deliuery and of his mercy O that we could consider these things and learne them aright to make vs wise to God and to our selues If wee giue to any man a piece of mony to binde a bargaine that hath passed betweene him and vs we would thinke ourselues much abused if hee should not count himselfe tyed by
we are whom wee serue to what house we belong is and to what people and Church we are thereby gathered into one religion and distinguished from other sects b August cont Faust lib. 19. cap. 11. we are gathered into one Church and knit together in one as Ephe. 2. Remember that ye that ye being in times past Gentiles in the flesh c Ephe. 2 11 12 13. and called vncircumcision of thom which are called circumcision in the flesh made with hands ye were at that time without Christ without God without hope but now in Christ Iesus ye which once were farre off are made neare by the blood of Christ The Iewes by circumcision were distinguished from other people d 1 Sam. 17 36. and the name of vncircumcised was reprochfull they were accounted vncleane and vnholy person for the vncircumcised males were to bee e Gen. 17.14 cut off from the number of the people of God So by baptisme we are separated from all other religions and are consecrated only to Christian religion and such as continue vnbaptised with contempt of that Sacrament we take them not for our brethren nor for the people of God nor for members of his Church because they refuse to take the Sacrament of baptisme as the badge cognizance by which they should be knowne such as are Atheists Infidels Sarazens Turkes Persians Moores Iewes and other nations that want this marke to be discerned to belong to the family of Christ Christ Iesus sending out his Apostles bad them teach and baptise the Gentiles f Mat. 28 19. Mar. 16 16. Acts 2 39 41.42 to whom he directed them therfore where the word and Sacraments are there is a Church and Congregation of the people of God And Mar. 16 16. He that beleeueth and is baptised shal be saued And heereunto commeth that saying Acts 2. When the Apostles had exhorted the people to amend their liues and to saue themselues from that froward generation Then they that gladly receiued the word were baptised and they continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayers and the same day there was added to the Church three thousand soules Thus we see that by the Sacraments as by certaine bands and chaines God knitteth and bindeth his people to himselfe and keepeth them in his couenant least they should part asunder and fall away to infidelity And the people are warned that by these outward signes they differ from the barbarous sauages and vnbeleeuing Gentiles and consequently should indeuour prouide that they likewise differ from them in those things that are signified by those signes This offereth to our considerations very good vses Vse 1 First hereby we are put in minde of our dignity excellency Such is our priuiledge prerogatiue that we doe beare the badges of Christ our Lord. How doe men in this world desire to weare the cloth and shroud themselues vnder the badges of great persons of countenance to protect them how much greater preferment is it to be the seruants of Christ to be gathered vnder his wings and to be his Disciples whose seruice is perfect g 1. Cor. 7.22 Iohn 8 6. freedome and protection from all euils and whose badges are instruments of his sauing graces If this be the glory of the faithfull let vs seeke to maintaine our dignity and freedome h Ioh. 3 1 2. Ioh. 1 12.13 according as Ioh teacheth Behold what loue the Father hath giuen to vs that wee should bee called the Sonnes of God for this cause the world knoweth you not because it knoweth not him And againe in his Gospell As many as receiued Christ to them hee gaue prerogatiue to bee Sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name which are borne not of bloud nor of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Whereas on the other side the estate and condition of vngodly men is base vile miserable and contemptible they liue to themselues and to sinne they dye to iudgement and condemnation What can bee more fearefull what can be more wretched Vse 2 Secondly if we weare the cloth and badge of Christ then we must be bold in the faith and holde out our profession notwithstanding dangers and feare of death For we serue one that is able to beare vs out We see how men belonging to those that are of high place are many times imboldened thereby in leud practises How much more ought we that haue learned Christ to be encouraged in the faith and not to shrinke backe for feare of offence This was the commendation of the Church of Pergamus Reuel 2 13. I know thy workes and where thou dwellest euen where Sathans throne is and thou keepest my name hast not denyed my faith euen in those dayes when Ant pas my faithfull Martyr was slaâ—ne among you where Sathan dwelleth So Christ our Sauiour taught his Disciples Math. 10.32.33 Whosoeuer shall confesse me before men him will I confesse also before my Father which is in heauen But whosoeuer shall deny me before men him will I also deny before my Father which is in heauen Wherefore this condemneth those that say I will keepe my conscience to my selfe none shall know my religion but God and my selfe I will not be too forward for feare of after reckonings nor any way countenance such as be forward These men while they suppose to keepe their religion to themselues do indeede proclaime openly that they are of no religion For if they did truely beleeue in their hearts they would likewise confesse with their tongues according to the saying of the l Rom. 10 9 10. Apostle If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt beleeue in thine heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saued for with the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth man confesseth vnto saluation And m Iam. 2 18. the Apostle Iames teacheth vs to try faith by workes as gold by the touchstone and the tree by his fruites Chap. 2. Shew me thy faith by thy workes and I will shew thee my faâ—th by my workes So then let vs not be ashamed of the n Rom. 1 16. Gospel of Christ Which is the power of God to saluation to euery one that beleeueth and not shrinke for trouble as false cloth in the wetting and a deceitfull bow in bending least our Maister be ashamed of vs before his Father and the holy Angels Thirdly if the Sacraments be as badges to shew forth Vse 3 our profession then it condemneth those that speake euill of men as too precise too nice too pure for their profession because they runne not into the same excesse of ryot with others These are not too precise but such as scoffe at all profession are too prophane It is good to be earnest in the matters of God prouided that our zeale be tempered with discretion and all Newters bee odious
receiue as the doctrine of Christ and agreeable to the Prophets and Apostles as appeareth 2 Cor. 7. where Paul setteth downe the effects or fruites of true repentance This is our doctrine and the doctrine of the Church of God touching repentance let vs consider a little the popish penance and what they teach touching it and we shall see plainely that heauen and earth light and darknesse are not more opposite then their deuices and inuentions are to the truth For they haue forged a new Sacrament which they cal Penance What popish penance is when a man is contrite for all his sinnes and maketh a full and sufficient reckoning vp rehearsall of them all in the eare of the Priest of whom he is enioyned to make satisfaction after he is absolued of them So that this new coyned Sacrament consisteth of these foure counterfeit parts The parts of popish penance the contrition of the heart the confession of the mouth the satisfaction of the worke and the absolution of the Priest Thus they abuse the name of a Sacrament when they apply it to these things as we shall see afterward Againe they require all these things as necessary to saluation in all that are of yeares of discretion whereby they lay snares for mens soules and set them vpon the racke requiring an impossibility at their hands forasmuch as no man can haue perfect sorrow nor number vp all his sinnes nor yet make satisfaction for them and therefore this Penance is not a boord to escape shipwracke neyther physicke for the soule but the high way to desperation Lastly they make the performance of all these things meritorious and teach that remission of sinnes is obtained by them which tendeth to the reproach and dishonour of Christ Let vs speake somewhat of these in order Touching the first point to wit Contrition we grant that godly sorrow of heart for sinne is necessary to repentance as also to haue a true feeling of sinne and an hatred and detestation of it howbeit it is no part the repentance but onely the right and ready way that leadeth to it because the more sinne doth presse vs and afflict vs the more we learne to flye to the mercy of God in his Sonne Christ But they teach that this Contrition ought to be perfect and that the greatnesse of the griefe must be answerable and equiualent to the greeuousnesse of the sinne they make it a necessary meane and cause of iustification and apart of satisfaction for our sinnes that we deserue by it remission of them and therefore their doctrine is diuelish and blasphemous translating vnto mortall and sinfull men that which is proper to Christ the Son of God The next point is Confession Such as the Scripture alloweth and approueth we admit and acknowledge as first publike confession of the whole Church acknowledging theÌ„selues before the coÌ„gregation to be grieuous sinners in the sight of God consenting to the Minister that conceiueth the prayer and crauing pardon of our heauenly Father in the name of Christ our Sauiour This is practised continually of al the faithfull met together they begin the exercises of religion with this publike humiliation Nehe. 9 3. Nehe. 9 3. For wheresoeuer two or three are gathered together in his name where he is in the midst of them there is alwayes confession of sinne forasmuch as there is nothing can with-hold good things from vs but our owne vnworthinesse Secondly there is a priuate confession when a man poureth out his hart before God alone and desireth forgiuenesse of his sins This did Dauid Psal 32 5 and â—1 1.2 Luke 18. this did the Publican practise and so doth euery beleeuing soule almost at all times For we do all of vs finde continuall occasions to poure out our meditations before him to keepe vs from sinne to hold vs vp in tentations and to weaken the power of sin daily in vs. Thirdly there is another confession when such as are banished from the Church and excluded from the Sacraments and excommunicated out of the society of the faithfull do openly acknowledge their offences and desire to be reconciled to the Church which they haue notoriously offended as we see in the example of the incestuous Corinthian 2 Cor. 2.6 2 Cor. 2 6. who humbled himselfe before God asked forgiuenes of the Church Fourthly there is a kinde of confession of such as haue offended their brethren not that which wee mentioned before belonging to ecclesiasticall discipline but a priuate acknowledgement of the iniuries and wrongs done vnto them and a crauing of forgiuenes at their hands which duty the offenders are bound to performe and the offended are bound to grant according to the rule of charity Mat. 5 24 and 6 14. and 18.15 For we are all charged to reconcile our selues vnto our brethren and to forgiue as we desire to be forgiuen Lastly there is a lawfull and lawdable kind of confession pertaining to such as are troubled in conscience for sinne and desire to finde comfort and to be at peace with God These are to make confession of that particular sinne which lyeth heauy vpon their heart eyther to the Minister if he haue the tongue of the learned and bee able to minister a word of comfort in season Iam. 5.16 or to some other faithfull and godly brother that their spirits may be raised vp refreshed by their prayers All there sorts of confession we know to be good and therefore receiue but what are they to the auricular confession secretly whispered in the eare of an ignorant and sottish Priest wherein men are enioyned to confesse all particularly at the least all their mortall sins Rhem. annot vpon Iohn 20. whether they be committed in minde heart will and cogitation onely or else in word and worke with all the necessary circumstances and differences of the same This they will have done once a yeare in the holy time of Lent before the Lords Supper bee receiued at Easter This is a meere inuention of carnal men not an institution of God forasmuch as Christ neyther by commandment neyther by example ordained any such auricular Confession or particular enumeration of all our sinnes of which we shal speake further in the third booke where we intreat of the preparation required of such as come to the Table of the Lord. The third point is satisfaction and it is true that the iustice of God must be satisfied forasmuch as hee can neuer forget to be iust but it is folly and madnes blockishnesse and sencelesnesse nay high presumption and blasphemy for flesh and blood to thinke that they can make recompence to God for their sins and fully satisfie his iustice For who is able to beare the burthen of his wrath Psal 90.11 For who can pay a price sufficient for his sinnes or who dare offer to the righteous God the rags and patches of his owne workes to merite thereby his fauour What is the
we are fed to eternall life Secondly this teacheth that all rebaptizing is vnlawfull as we see by the examples of the apostles q Act. 2 42 and 19 1 5. who baptized not the beleeuers and members of the Church the second time For Acts 2. it is noted that such as beleeued the Gospell continued in the apostles doctrine in fellowship in breaking of bread prayer but not in baptizing againe or being baptized againe and chap 19 4.5 the disciples which were baptized and had not receiued the gifts of the Holy-Ghost Paul instructed further in the doctrine of Christ and doth not rebaptise them but layeth his hands vpon them and they receiue the visible gifts of the Holy-Ghost The reason is plaine against rebaptization because it signifieth and sealeth vp our once beeing borne againe our once setting and setling into the body of Christ r Ezek. 16 8. Hos 2 19 20. and our spirituall marriage once with him who is the spirituall husband of his Church Whereby we see that such as haue been baptized Å¿ Such as haue beene baptized by heretickes are not to be rebaptised by heretickes or other wicked Ministers are not to be rebaptized It came in place of circumcision but none were twice circumcised therefore none to be twice baptized Againe it is a Sacrament that representeth our spirituall incorporation into the Church but it is sufficient once to be ingrafted and consequently sufficient to haue it once administred This error of rebaptizing arose vpon a corrupt vnderstanding and interpretation of the place Acts 19. When they heard it t Acts 19 5. they were baptized in the name of the Lord Iesus The difficulty of this place is taken away if wee consider they be the words of Paul continuing his speech of Iohns baptisme not of Luke declaring what Paul did But of this place we shall haue better and fitter occasion to speake further in the chapter following where it is at large expouÌ„ded Furthermore if baptisme be administred once for euer it sheweth that he which commeth to Christ once truely and indeed shall neuer be cast away u Iohn 13 1. Rom. 11 29. whom Christ Iesus loueth once he loueth for euer because his graces and guifes are without repentance What shall separate vs from Christ when we are by his working adioyned vnto him Wherfore this outward washing being not often repeated but once onely vsed doth effectually feale vp our once ioyning vnto God who hath made an euerlasting couenant with vs he shall neuer turne away from vs to do vs good we shall be his people and he will be our God for euer Indeed if we could cleane fall away from the grace of God wee should haue another regeneration and another baptizing to bee the seale therof but because we are built vpon the brazen pillar of Gods election the gates of hell shall not preuaile against vs for this foundation remaineth sure a 2. Tim. 2 19.20 and hath this seale The Lord knoweth who are his This b Psal 51 10.11 appeareth in Dauid Psal 51. He desireth to haue a cleane heart he prayeth that the holy Spirit be not taken from him thereby declaring that the Spirit was within him and that he had a sensible feeling thereof howsoeuer the flesh for a season had gotten the vpper-hand Heere then is a great comfort sealed to all Christians in all tentations against al the terrors and feares of conscience wherewith they are ready to be swallowed vp and ouerwhelmed This must strengthen and stay vs vp that although we may fall greeuously yet we shall not fall finally from the estate of grace He that is once a sound and liuely member of Christ can neuer be wholy cut off True it is sinne may lessen our coniunction and weaken our communion with Christ but if we be truely in him the band shall neuer be dissolued c 1 Ioh. 2 19. we shall neuer be wholy seuered and fall from him as 1. Ioh. 2. They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they should haue continued with vs but this commeth to passe that it might appeare that they are not all of vs. Now if any man by falling into sinne were totally separated from Christ for a time surely in his recouery and rising from sinne hee were to be baptized the second time for baptisme is the Sacrament of initiation and ingrafting into Christ and an vniuersall falling would require a new ingrafting But it were most absurd to say wee should be as often baptized as we fal into sinne and therefore howsoeuer Sathan may buffet molest tempt and wound vs greeuously yet hee can neuer ouer-maister vs wholy and ouercome vs finally d 1 Ioh. 3 9. as the Apostle declareth 1 Ioh. 3. Whosoeuer is borne of God committeth not sinne for his seed remaineth in hâ—m neither can he sinne because hee is borne of God This assurance of our standing for euer in the couenant is the roote of all courage and comfort in trials and tentations it helpeth vs to fight manfully against sinne it preserueth vs from security it nourisheth vs in good workes it increaseth in vs a care to please God and lastly it confuteth the popish fancy of the forged Sacrament of Penance whereby they say a Christian being cleane fallen from grace is restored finding no comfort in his baptisme whereas the true beleeuer neuer falleth finally from faith neither needeth an outward seale to assure his pertaining to Gods fauour and loue Indeed euery Christian that is fallen through infirmitie must rise vp repent vnfainedly and shew forth the fruites thereof yet the force and strength of his baptisme is not lost the fruite and comfort thereof remaineth for euer and is extended as wel to the time to come as to the time that is past So many therefore as affirme that the faithfull in their fals haue remedy in Penance but no comfort by their baptisme do set vp themselues magnifying their owne dreames deuises aboue the holy ordinances of God The 4. part of the former description of baptisme is the forme of baptizing into the name of the Father of the Son of the Holy-Ghost e The vse of the fourth part of the description of Baptisme This teacheth that whosoeuer is baptized hath made a solemn promise to confesse professe the christian religion to be the seruant of Christ to fight his battels vnder his baÌ„ner against all the enemies of his faith saluation against sin against Satan against the world he hath vowed to renounce the workes of the flesh to serue the true God So often then as we are present at the administration thereof wee must consider the couenant into which we are entred which we made in the presence of men and Angels which we are bound to keep for euer Wherefore let vs learne daily to dye vnto sin follow a new life by the grace of sanctification
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
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
and nailed vpon the Crosse is offended at him accounting it a foolish and weake meanes to saue mankinde that life should spring out of death glory come out of shame power proceed out of weakenesse and triumphant victory arise out of his contemptible sufferings but the faithfull soule acknowledgeth in this mystery of godlines the high hand and vnsearchable wisedome of God It may seeme ridiculous vnto some men i Gen. 17 10. that God should require circumcision of Abraham and of his houshold young olde bond and free maister and seruants to vncouer all their shames and to open the hidden parts of nature yet Abraham submitted himselfe to the ordinance of God Naaman the Syrian thought it a toyish precept and prescript when he was bidden to wash himselfe seauen times in Iordan hauing many Riuers in his owne country as good as that yet by k 2 Kings 5 11 12 14. obeying the Prophet he was cleansed of his leprosie The inhabitants of Iericho scorned Ioshua and the men of Israell when they saw them compasse their Citty strong walled l Iosh 6.20 and to blow with their Rammes hornes yet by this weake meanes the wall fell downe the enemies were destroyed the Citty was sacked and the people of GOD preuailed Christ seeing a blinde man and willing to heale him he spat on the ground m Ioh. 9 6. and made clay of spittle and annointed the eyes of the blinde with the clay and said vnto him Go wash in the poole of Siloam he obeyed he went he washed he returned seeing Thus doth God by simple base and weak things oftentimes confound the mighty strong and wise of the world that no flesh should reioyce in his presence and crosseth all the high conceits and proud imaginations of mans wil and wit Wherefore we must not follow our owne vnderstanding nor measure the matters of God by the crooked rule of our carnall reason Whosoeuer will yeeld obedience to God must deny himselfe and renounce his owne wisedom n 1 Cor. 3 18.19 and become a foole that he may be wise in God as 1. cor 3. Let no man deceiue himselfe if any man among you seeme to be wise in this world let him be a foole that he may be wise for the wisedome of this world is foolishnesse with God Thus we see that in the Sacraments we must vnderstand more then we see and beleeue more then we can behold Such as are without knowledge and faith comprehend no more of baptisme then the bodily eye directeth them vnto but the faithful conceiue the blood of Christ to be offered to purge the soule and conscience from all sinne o Gen. 2 10. as the riuer watered the garden of Eden CHAP. XI Of the fourth inward part of baptisme THe last inward part of baptisme is the soule a The soule clensed is the last inward part of baptisme cleansed most liuely represented by the bodye that is washed For as the outward receiuer giueth his body to be washed so the faithfull receiuer doth consecrate himselfe to God with ioy and forsake the flesh the world and the Diuell and feeleth the inward washing of the Spirit as Titus 3 5. According to his b Tit. 3 5. Eph. 2 26 27 mercy he saued vs by the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy-Ghost And the same apostle Eph. 5. Christ gaue himselfe for the Church that hee might sanctifie it and cleanse it by washing of water through the word that he might make it vnto himselfe a glorious Church not hauing spot or wrinkle Wherefore this outward washing of the body commanded by Christ signifieth vnto me that I am no lesse assuredly cleansed in his blood by the working of his Spirit from the spots of my soule that is from all my sins then I am outwardly washed by water whereby the staines of the body vse to be washed away and it bindeth vs that we ought euer afterward by our workes and deeds to declare newnes of life and fruites of repentance Vse 1 Let vs now come to the vses of this last part of baptisme Doth the washing of the body represent the clensing of the soule And doth the soking vp of the filthines of the flesh signifie the remouing of the remnants of rebellion Then we are all by nature vnwise vncleane vnrighteous vnregenerate vnholy disobedient disordered deceiuing and being deceiued we are the vessels of wrath the children of death the bond-slaues of Sathan the heires of damnation we haue our part and portion in the offence of Adam c Rom. 5 10. 7 23 24. as Rom. 5. By one man sin entred into the world and ch 7. I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind and leading me captiue vnto the law of sin which is in my mēbers O wretched man that I am who shal deliuer me from the body of this death Hereunto also commeth that which the d Ioh 3 5 6 7. Euangelist setteth downe in the conference betweene Christ and Nicodemus Ioh. 3. That which is born of flesh is flesh and that which is borne of the Spirit is Spirit maruell not that I said vnto thee ye must be borne againe For this cause are infants baptized because they are conceiued in sin borne in iniquity and cannot become spiritual but by a new birth wrought by the Spirit which is sealed vp by the water in baptisme Vse 2 Againe this serueth to strengthen our faith whē we behold the outward washing pouring out of the water and baptizing of the body it assureth the inward clensing of the soule by the blood of Christ offered to all and receiued of those that are elected to eternall saluation This then is the right and holy vse of baptisme Doest thou feele inwardly in thine heart that through the corruption of thy nature strength of concupiscence thou art moued tempted and prouoked to commit sin And doost thou feele thy selfe ready to yeeld to Sathan and so to fall from God into euill Begin to haue some holy meditation of that solemne vow which thou madest to God in baptisme when thou diddest consecrate and giue vp thy selfe wholy to his seruice and didst renounce obedience to the suggestions of Sathan to the allurements of the world and to the corruptions of the flesh For baptisme is the e Baptisme is a Christian mans ensigne to fight vnder it the battels of the Lord. Christian mans ensigne giuen of God to vs that we should fight as it were vnder it against al the enemies of our saluation ouercome It is the badge and banner of our Captaine that we shrouding our selues vnder his colours should not cowardly turne our backe in the skirmish but couragiously looke the enemy in the face nay tread him vnder our feete for euer For we must learne that when we are once baptized whereby wee put on the profession of Iesus Christ and receiue his cognizance we
with all care before the Lord of whom wee ought earnestly to beg and desire his Spirit to teach vs the truth of our Baptisme the assurance of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and the purging of our consciences from dead workes We come oftentimes and ordinarily to this Sacrament we see children incorporated into the Church and sealed vp to be members of Christ and yet sildome or neuer remember what vow we haue made to God and whose we are by our profession no not in the present worke doth any such cogitation or consideration enter into the hearts of many yea the most sort see the water sprinkled and heare the words pronounced but esteeme it little as a matter belonging nothing at all vnto them There is none that come to heare the word and to receiue the Lords Supper but they thinke it pertaineth no lesse if not more to them then it doth vnto others but touching baptisme and making any vse at all of it they put it farre from them they know they are already baptized and are to be baptized no more they turne it passe it ouer slightly to the infant that is brought to the well-beloued friends and neighbours that bring it saying to themselues as the Pharisies did in another case to Iudas Mat. 27 4. what is that to vs see thou to that But we cannot so shift ouer the matter our baptisme will cleaue more closely vnto vs it hath made such an impression in vs and sticketh so neere vnto vs that it can neuer be blotted out nor wiped away it summoneth vs to God and telleth vs that we are not our owne but he challengeth vs wholy to himselfe and will not let vs no from him Vse 4 Lastly is the cleansing and purifying of the foule represented by the washing of the body Then from hence ariseth vnto vs great comfort in baptisme namely that it is no idle no needlesse nor superfluous thing but of great power force and vertue For the water is not bare water but the water of regeneration being rightly vsed and administred by those onely that are lawfully called to the office and haue a warrant from God and commission from the Church to that purpose It belongeth not to any priuate persons men or women much lesse to children to make a toy or sport of it as it is said of Athanasius that being yet a childe not knowing what he did Ruffin lib. 1. cap 14. 1 Cor. 13 11. or with what he medled hee baptized Of whom we may say as Paul doth 1. Cor. 13. When I was a child I spake as a châ—lde I vnderstood as a childe I thought as a childe but when I became a man I put away childish things Or as the wise man doth Eccl. 11. Eccl. 11.10 Baptisme admiâ—istred in sport is no baptisme Childhood and youth are vanity Heereby can come no sanctification nor cleansing of the soule and therefore are they deceiued that receiue it for good and ratifie it for authenticall forasmuch as euery such baptisme vndertaken by priuate persons in case of necessity or by children after an apish imitation is no baptisme at all neither is that water consecrated water but common and prophane and therefore consequently that washing or sprinkling is to bee accounted as common and prophane also If a Child should take vpon him to minister the Supper of the Lord that knoweth not what it meaneth and charge the people to examine theÌ„selues that hath not learned as yet to examine himselfe all men must confesse this were a great prophanation of this SacrameÌ„t by no meanes to be suffered or if he should step vp into the chaire of Moses and offer fondly and childishly to vtter the word of God who would regard it Or who would care for it Shall we say this were to administer the Supper of the Lord or to preach the Gospell of Christ Or shall we imagine that any fruit or benefit can come hereby So may we say of Baptism it is prophaned by vnfit persons not profitably administred But to leaue these abuses which we haue touched conuinced before let vs see what are the comforts that arise from this inward part of this Sacrament which are of diuers sorts for hence floweth as from a plentifull spring comfort to the whole Church comfort to the parents of the persons baptized comfort to the infants themselues Comfort to the whâ—le Chuâ—ch It reacheth to the whole Church because when it beholdeth water sanctified and set apart for baptisme and spirituall washing of the soule represented by the outward cleansing of the body they may see as it were Christ crucified and his blood poured out before their eyes When we feele our hearts at any time cast downe by the sight of our sins and finde the burthen of theÌ„ to be intollerable vnto vs we must lift vp our eyes to heauen and in a sweet meditation of this holy sprinkling of the blood of Christ assure our consciences therby that he hath washed them all away that they shall not be imputed vnto vs nor be able to worke our condemnation We are also put in minde heereby that we are fellow-members of one and the same body forasmuch as we haue all one baptisme Ephe. 4. Eph. 4 5. as we haue all one Lord and Father all one faith and hope of eternall life Hence it is that at the birth of Iohn the Church reioyced comming together to haue him circumcised Let vs therfore be ready to ioyne together in this worke in praier and thanksgiuing let vs addresse our selues to be as witnesses and approuers of it that wee may receiue comfort by it being euermore taught and confirmed in the truth of our baptisme and remembring what we haue promised to God that we may be carefull to performe our promise and fearefull to breake couenant with him In this respect the Church is said to circumcise * Luke 1 59. 1 Cor. 11 5. and to prophesie and make prayer because it ioyneth together in these holy actions We haue all of vs one entrance into the Church whereby we professe to go al one way to walk one course to leade one manner of life to serue the same God Comfort to parents Secondly this comfort extendeth more principally particularly toward the parents themselues then it doth in generall to the whole Church For they see their seed together with themselues ioyned to the Church and washed with the blood of Christ they haue the ancient promise of God verified vnto them I will be thy God and the God of thy seed GeÌ„ 17. which ministreth great matter of ioy vnto theÌ„ so that they should reioyce more in this mercy shewed toward them then if they could make theÌ„ heires of the world and leaue them owners of a kingdome Howbeit this comfort carrieth with it sundry duties putteth them in minde to be thankfull to God who hath verified his couenant to them and their
sinne then his oblation and there should be another propitiation for the sins of the world And thus much of the popish Idoll of the blasphemous Masse Vse 4 Furthermore did Christ deliuer his last Supper to all his Disciples that were present Did none stand by and gaze on while other receiued Then heereby fall to the ground the priuate communions e Against priuate masses in the church of Rome of the popish Church where all is f Concil Trid. sess 22. cap. 6. deuoured by the Priest nothing deliuered to the people For whereas the ordinance of Christ and ancient order of the Church was for the Minister people to receiue the Sacrament together among them the Prest accompanied with his boy to make answere receiueth the Sacramēt himselfe alone without distribution made to others yea although the whole congregatiō be present and looke vpon him whereby God is dishonoured the communion is abolished the people of God are therby depriued and robbed of all comfort How is this a feast which the Priest prepareth for himselfe not for others receiueth by himselfe not with his brethren hee speaketh to himselfe and not to the assembly he vseth a strange tongue and no man knoweth what he meaneth the people is taught nothing they vnderstand nothing they heare nothing they receiue nothing and a few childish apish foolish and vnseemely gestures excepted they see nothing they taste nothing they partake nothing neither comfort of heart nor memory of Christ nor benefit of his passion But Christ in his last Supper did not eate vp all alone but after the Disciples had supped as Mathew g Mat. 26 26. setteth it downe he tooke bread blessed he brake and gaue it to them saying take ye eate ye neither did he drinke alone of the fruite of the vine but taking the cup he gaue thankes and gaue to them all saying Drinke ye all of this So then albeit a certaine number of communicants are not limited and determined yet Christ in these words appointeth a company to be present as appeareth by the number Take ye eate ye drinke yee all diuide ye it among your selues doe ye this in my remembrance ye set forth the Lords death when ye come together to eate tarry ye one for another as often as ye shall eate this bread These words cannot bee vnderstood of one particular man but necessarily import a great number of men nay the Philosopher teacheth that the word all must be verefied at the least h Arist lib. 1. de Cocl cap. 1. of the number of three which is the least and lowest number that would be admitted to this Supper Neither doe we reade that so soone as one was gained to the faith that the Apostles administred this Sacrament to him much lesse would they minister to themselues alone when none were conuerted in a nation or Citty Secondly Christ expresly commandeth vs to do as himselfe did when hee left this fare-well token and pledge of his loue to his Disciples saying i Luk. 22 19. Do this in remembrance of me But he after the words of consecration did not offer a sacrifice to his Father vnder shewes of bread and wine but gaue the bread and cuppe to his Disciples and left his owne example as a direction for vs to follow so that the distribution deliuerance of the signes is of the substance of the Sacrament as well as the breaking of the bread or pouring out of the wine and it is not lawfull in any sort to change the testament of Christ or to corrupt the meaning of the testator Thirdly the Apostle teacheth how he receiued from the Lord that which he deliuered to the churches that the people should eate of this bread and drinke of this cup k 1 Cor. 11 23 and proueth that the faithfull are made partakers of the Lords Table not by gazing or looking on while others eate but by eating not by standing stil while others drinke but by drinking as 1 Cor. 10. We that are many are one bread and one body because we are all partakers of one bread Fourthly the same Apostle reproueth the Corinthians which presumed to take the Supper of the Lord before others and did not tarry for their brethren when they came together to be partakers of the Sacrament as we see 1 Cor. 11. Euery man when they should eate l 1 Cor. 11.20 22. taketh his owne supper afore this is not to eate the Lords Supper And afterward Wherefore my brethren when ye come together to eate tarry one for another Now because the Corinthians brake this order ordinance he chargeth them to come vnreuerently to receiue vnworthily to eate and drinke iudgement vnto themselues Shall they then that are faithfull Christians patiently beare the iniury done them by these sacrificing Masse-mungers who neuer bid the Lords guests nor call them to his table nor tarry for them till they come to this heauenly banket but like the Priests of Bell do eate and drinke vp all themselues Fiftly the same Apostle willeth and warneth all persons which come to this communion diligently to proue examine n 1 Cor. 11 28 themselues and then to come to this Supper as we see 1 Cor. 11. Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this cup so that he would not haue any excluded from receiuing which haue tryed their harts by examining are thereby rightly prepared to this great worke Lastly the names giuen to this Sacrament noting the nature thereof do affoord vs a good consideration to strike through the heart of this priuate Masse being called sometimes the Supper of the Lord and sometimes a communion among our selues If it be an holy Supper and spirituall banket why are none bidden and called thereunto If it be a communion why doth the Priest vncharitably swallow all alone wherby they make it a communion but without company a supper but without guests meat but without eating drinke but without drinking a table but without sitting downe a participation but without any that are partakers a banket but without feeding thereat the people departing as hungry and thirsty as they came Wherefore as no man celebrated the Passeouer aright or receiued profit thereby but such as did eate the flesh therof so can none come to the supper of the Lord as he ought though he looke vpon others except he eate of the bread and drinke of the cup according to the commandement of Christ the author thereof But because the Church of Rome is neuer mad without reason let vs driue them out of all their shifts and starting holes wherein they go about to hide their heads First they aske the question What if Obiection 1 their be none worthy to communicate may wee not haue Masses without communicants I answere Answere this is to suppose an impossibility For wheresoeuer the word is truly preached it gaineth some to the faith Christ being in the
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
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
1 c. 14 Lumb lib. 4. sen dist 9. ca. 2. Christ himselfe in the Supper making Christ indeed to be no Christ For whereas we haue shewed that this SacrameÌ„t consisteth of the outward signes which are bread and wine and the inward truth represented by them which is Christs body and blood according to the doctrin of the holy Scripture and the common consent of all antiquity the Romanists haue turned this truth topsie turuie haue laid a new plat-forme of the parts of the Supper Hence it is that they haue abolished the signes of bread and wine Å¿ Bellar. de Sacra Euch. lib. 1. cap 13. and make Christ Iesus an outward part as it were thrusting him out of the doores to be receiued of all both good and bad and the grace of Christ to be the inward part taken onely of the faithfull Thus they make a diuorcement and a separation betweene Christ and his sauing graces which can neuer be parted and deuided For whosoeuer receiueth Christ partaketh the merits and graces of Christ and whosoeuer enioyeth the graces of Christ imbraceth withall Christ himselfe Besides if Christ bee the signe and the sanctifying graces of Christ the thing signified according to the rule of the Church of Rome what shall we say of the accidents and shewes of bread and wine whereunto shall they be reduced What part shall they acte and play in this Comedy Wherefore we hold it as a strong truth which we haue euinced by sundry reasons that wicked meÌ„ are not made partakers of Christ CHAP. XII Of the first vse of the Lords Supper HItherto we haue spoken of all the parts of this Sacrament as well outward as inward which is the first point to be considered in the doctrine of them as we shewed before now we are to handle the vses or endes of the Lords Supper which are a Three ends oâ— the Lordâ— Supper principally these three first to shew forth with thanksgiuing the death Crosse and sufferings of Christ Secondly to teach vs our communion and growth with and in Christ Thirdly to declare our communion and growth in and with our brethren In these three standeth the knowledge of those rich and great benefits which are bestowed vpon all worthy communicants which haue sanctified and prepared their hearts for this holy action These things being duely considered b The false ends oâ— this â—acrament rehearsed â—eâ—elled do directly condemne the Church of Rome who burying these true ends of the Lords Supper the commemoration of his passion the merit of his crosse our communion with Christ and our fellowship one with another haue altered it like the ship-mans hose into all formes and fashions and make it profitable for all purposes for peace and warre for tempests and calme weather for the fruites of the earth and distemperature of the ayre for the whole and sicke for men and beasts for the liuing and for the dead And to begin with the last as none of the least corruptions of this Sacrament it was concluded in a Counsell that as a prayer therin is made for the liuing c Con Cabiâ— câ—â— 33. so the remembrance of the dead is to be made in all Masses It is adiudged an excellent remedy against stormes and tempests of the sea and therefore al sea-men are warned in times of danger to call to their mindes and remember to sing the Masses which are accustomed to be sung for tempests And as they make it good in stormes so they make it serue their turn in the day of battel to saue them from the sword of the enemy for the Priests are charged to say the Masses vsed for them that go to wars Besides these abuses they make it auaileable to purge and cleere offendors suspected of any crime d Num. 5 â—9 like the bitter and cursed waters making tryall of the suspected wife whereupon the Counsell of wormes determineth that If any in the Monestary be suspected of theft let him be purged by the taking of the Sacrament Thus Sybicon Bishop of Spire in the Counsell of Mentz did by it purge himselfe of adultery about the year 110. an vse neuer intended by the Spirit of God nor practised by any of the Apostles to institute it to discouer secrets Like wise sometimes it is taken to be good against inchanters and inchantments sometimes to bee good for the remedy and recouery of sicknesse to deliuer soules out of purgatory to preserue from the plague to saue cattell to cure the feuer to recouer againe things lost to take away tooth ach to cleere the eyes and what not For we shall heare of greater impieties then these They make the Lords Supper a sacrifice not onely profitable to saue men from death but auaileable to deliuer their Pigs and their swine from diseases For they haue a Masse commonly called the Masse of Saint Anthony The Masse of Saint Anthony Aâ—an de Sacra Euchar. cap. 32 Yea if a poore womans henne be sicke and ready to be lost she may procure a masse to be said for it And no maruel for although no good redownd heereby to the party yet some gaine shall returne to the Priest who if he see no mony will say no Masse But all this is nothing in comparison of that which now you shall heare For these miscreants and monsters do abuse the Supper of the Lord to couer and conceale most vile and shamefull practises and horrible designes plotted among them and so make the Sacrament of God a sacrifice of the Diuel It is now grown to be a common custome See the treatise of the powder treaâ—on when they consort themselues together and attempt vnnaturall villanies and rebellions for the destruction of Prince and people for the ouerthrow of the Church and true religion to combine themselues in one for further secresie by taking the Sacrament as appeareth by sundry examples in the late powder treason as if Christ had ordained it to hide falsehood rather then to helpe our faith Neither is this onely a fault in practise but an error in doctrine For whatsoeuer is reuealed to the Priest vnder the seale of confession they hold to be so sacred and secret Tâ—â—◠〈…〉 10. that it ought not to be broken vp or made knowne to others thought it should concerne his owne life and saue the whole kingdome And furthermore they teach that in treacheries and conspiracies against Kings and Princes they may binde their consorts and confederates to keepe silence by receiuing of the Sacrament as appeareth by the late examples of Garnet Oldcorne and other Iesuites Thus is the holy Supper made a prouocation to treason as if it had beene institued not to testifie our piety toward God but to manifest our disloyalty toward Princes not to shew the death of Christ but to procure the murâ—hering of Kings not to declare openly out profession but to conceale priuily wickednesse and rebellion All these fancies and supposed ends
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
his priuate and secret prayers Lu. 18.13 Thirdly we maintaine the confession made to the Church when any person hath openly offended the Congregation by any notorious crime and is for the same excommunicated This doth testifie the conuersion and repentance of such as haue fallen Lastly we teach that confession ought to be made to our neighbour for the offences which we commit one against another when wee haue vpon any occasion wronged and offended him and therefore our Sauiour saith Math 5. Mat. 5 23 24. If thou bring thy guift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee leaue there thy guift before the Altar and go thy way first be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy guift These kindes of confession we confesse and beleeue but what maketh all this for the whispering confession vsed in popery and iudged to be necessary to saluation A tirrannous law binding vs to reckon vp euery one of our sinnes in the eare of a Priest as if forgiuenesse of our sinnes stood in this Whereas we say and are not afraid to auouch that this confession pressed vpon men to be made of all sinnes to a popish Priest vpon paine of damnation is no better theÌ„ another Inquisition Would wee then know what this shrift is and how to esteeme of it and what effects it worketh It is the mocking of God What popish shrift is the inuention of the diuell the pride of the Clergy the pick-pursse of the people the racke of the Conscience the shame and reproach of the offender the bewrayer and discouerer of the secrets of Princes and states the piller of popery the ape of repentance the nurserie of despaire the cherisher of vncleannesse and to be short the bawd of all sinnes It getteth a pardon for all that is past it giueth free passage for such as are present and purchaseth a priuiledge for them that are to come Thus sinne is made no sin it is a light matter that no man need to trouble himselfe for it for asmuch as the Priest may pardon him with a word speaking Wherefore albeit this institution be ful of humane wisedome and policy for the vpholding and strengthning of the kingdome of Antichrist yet there is no title in the word of God to prooue it or confirme it I confesse indeede it was a custome sometimes in the Church of Constantinople Sozomen Eccl â—â—â—â—ter lib. 7 cap. 17. but when it hapned that a noble matron was dishonoured and dishonested by a certaine Deacon of vncleane life Nectarius the Bishop of that place by the consent of others did abolish it out of the Church VVhat would he haue done if hee had liued in the times and places of popery where such examples are not straunge but common If one fast were of sufficient force to thrust it out of that Church doubtlesse many hundred presidents that might bee produced not inferiour vnto it ought to serue as a whip to whippe and scourge it out of other Churches and as a strong barre to keepe it out for euer that it neuer get footing and enâ—rance into it againe Hence it is that the Church remained in the liberty of Confession twelue hundred yeares and had no snare to intangle the conscience laide vppon it vntill the Councell of Lateran in which the law of auricular Confession was first of all inacted whereby it is come to passe that they haue secret intelligence of all secretes for by this occasion they know the hearts affections and dispositions of all persons and by this meanes they finde an easie way to enrich that couetous and ambitious See with the riches and reuenues of the world and by them both ariseth a twofold benefite because both they knowe howe to shift for themselues and to preuent a mischiefe before it come vpon them But to leaue these wee exhort men to make Confession of their sinnes to GOD the onely beholder of our thoughtes and heartes who hath promised to forgiue them and will neuer vp-braide vs with them And herein wee doe no otherwise then the holy and ancient fathers of the Church did before vs who send the people from men to God from the earth to heauen from the fellow seruants to the common maister of all It was well sayed of Augustine What haue I to doe with men Confess lib. â—0 cap 3. Curiosum genus ad cognoscendum vitam alicitaâ— that I should make confession to them as if they could heale all my sores It is a curious kinde of people to search into other mens liues but most slothfull to reforme and amend their owne The like we might say of Chrysostome who is plentifull in this argument I doe not compell thee to confesse thy sinnes to others And againe If thou be ashamed to confesse them to any man because thou hast sinned say them dayly in thine owne soule Homil. 2. in Psal 50 ser de poenit Hom. 4. de Laza I doe not bid the confesse them to thy fellow seruant who may cast them in thy teeth but confesse them vnto God who is able to heale them In another place hee sayeth Why should we be ashamed to confesse our sinnes that he may pardon them Doth God therefore commaund them to be confessed that after the manner of men he might punnish vs Hee doeth it not to punnâ—sh vs but that he might pardon vs. I will alledge one testimony more and then conclude Homil. de incomprehens natura dei I doe not leade thee as it were into an open stage of thy fellow seruants I doe not compell thee to vncouer thy sinnes to men vnfould thy conscience before God shew thou thy woundes to the Lord the best Physitian and craue of hâ—m to heale them Thus ought we to do let vs fly to God when we want helpe who is the God of all mercy and the father of all consolation And when wee minde to come to the holy Communion of the body and bloud of Christ let vs not think to fit our selues vnto it by a foolish numbring vp of our sins to men but not to God of custom but not of conscience by obseruing the traditions of the Church but not by seeking to obtaine pardon of our offences The order which we ought to obserue in the examination of our selues is laid downe vnto vs in the Chapters following Thus much touching the first reproofe The second reproofe 2. Reproofe serueth to condemne all such as are very precise and curious in searching into the liues and conuersations of others that say stand aparte and come not neere me for I am holier then thou These abstaine from the Communion becauâ—e of the presence of euill men and cannot be perswaded to take the Supper with them Such as are of the separation reprooued for not ioyning with vs in the worship of God In the former part of this Booke we haue answered sundry obections which sundry persons alledge for
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
consider and confesse that we haue not loued and feared God we haue not beleeued depended vpon him in all estates as we ought but haue oftentimes feared and loued the creatures aboue him we haue preferred a filthy pleasure before him wee haue doubted of his promises through vnbeleefe and relyed vpon an arme of flesh and blood We haue beene carelesse Command 2 in the worship of God we haue not prayed vnto him with stedfast assurance to be heard we haue not serued him in spirit and in truth as he requireth of vs but hypocrisie hath crept into our best actions and meditations we haue more laboured after the outward shewes and appearances of religion then to expresse the power of godlinesse and haue more esteemed to seeme to others to be true Christians then to be such indeed We haue not reuerenced the Command 3 eternall Maiesty of God as is meet to doe who is infinite inuisibe vnchangeable we haue not blessed and praised his name with thanksgiuing for all things and at all times as well for aduersity as prosperity We haue not heard read and meditated in his word with such affection reuerence and zeale as is requisite when occasion hath beene offered to speak of the works of Gods prouidence we haue not acknowledged in them the greatnes of his wisedome power and goodnes as we ought nay rather the glorious and dreadfull name of God which ought to be more deare vnto vs then our owne liues hath beene blasphemed dishonoured and abused by vs. Touching the Sabboth wee Command 4 must consider and confesse how we haue prophaned it we haue beene more carefull to follow our worldly workes affaires then to seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse hauing had more care of the body then of the soule we haue sent out our seruants to dispatch our businesse on that day and haue not suffered them to attend on the businesse of the Lord for the saluation of their soules and our selues haue neglected the ministry of the word of God haue defiled his sanctuary and haue polluted that holy day with feasting playing sporting drinking idlenesse and other vanities Wee haue not yeelded reuerence to superiors for conscience sake nor beene affrayed to offend them as God hath commaunded we haue not alwaies spoken Command 5 of them and their gouernment as we should wee haue not had such a reuerence opinion and perswasion of our Pastors and teachers as wee ought which haue the charge of our soules and labour among vs in the Lord. Againe we haue not beene carefull to teach and instruct such as are vnder vs as our Children Seruants and whole family as wee are bound praying with them in our houses exhorting them in all wisedome conferring with them in all gentlenesse and furthering them in all the waies of godlinesse Touching the sixt Commaundement we haue not loued Command 6 our Neighbours as our selues procuring their good as our owne wee haue broken out thorough debate contention chyding reuyling brawling quarrelling and reuenging we haue not reioyced at the good and prosperity of our bretheren but when GODS eye haih beene good towards them in blessing them we haue repined and grudged at it Wee haue not possessed the vesselles of or bodies in holinesse and honour as the Temples of the Holye-Ghost knowing we are bought with a price we haue not tamed and brought into subiection this flesh as we should to make it in all respectes subiecte and obedient vnto the spirite wee haue not made a couenat with our eies with Command 7 our eares with our tongues to turne them from all vncleane sights wanton wordes and filthy communication but haue suffered them to wander after vnlawfull lust and concupisence neither haue wee vsed such sobriety abstinence and temperancie as hath beene fit to keepe vnder our affections but riotousnesse excesse in apparrell surfetting sloathfulnesse idlenes pride and fulnesse of breade which were the sinnes of Sodome Ezekiel 16. are vsed in many places as for drunkennes it hath taken away the heartes and euen washed away the braines of many Wee must confesse that our dealinges with our neighbours in Command 8 buying selling bargaining and contracting haue not bin with such vprightnesse soundnesse iustice sinceritie and truth as God requireth we haue bene giuen to oppression couetousnesse and hard dealing one towards another and not considered that godlinesse is great gain if a man be contented with that he hath that if we haue food and rayment we must bee content and can carry nothing with vs out of this world we haue not at all times beene giuen to mercie and compassion towards the poore for the maintenance of them and their families especially in times of famine derth pestilence sickenesse and other mortalities and necessities Command 9 Wee must acknowledge that we haue not Loued the truth in the inward parts neither maintained the credit and good name of men as wee ought but haue beene addicte to lying enuying backe-byting flattering or defaming one of another and to heare others with comfort and delighte to do the like we haue not beene couragious and constant to confesse and defend the truth against the enemies thereof but haue beene ashamed to set our selues against lies errors and slanders we haue kindled the coales of contention by false furmises carrying of tales and publishing of infirmities vnto the great damage hurt and hinderance of our brethren Command x. Lastly we must remember to shut vppe this confession that our whole Nature is vile and wretched the heart of man is deceitfull aboue all things and past finding out wee are sinful as an euil tree which can bring forth nothing but euill fruite our thoughts are vaine and corrupt our first motions and imaginations are euil against the law of God that saith k Exod 10 17 Thou shalt not lust requiring a pure heart towards our neighbors holy cogitations of the spirit and a continuall conflict against euil affections and lusts of the flesh Thus must euery one of vs araigne and endite our selues Thus wee must accuse our selues and condemne our owne workes Thus wee must search our owne wayes confessing that if l Iohn 3 20 our owne hearts accuse vs God is greater then our hearts and knoweth all thinges Then let vs appeale to the throne of grace let vs desire saluation in Christ for his mercies sake let vs cast all our comfort vpon him couering our faces through shame of our sinnes that are past humbling our selues through griefe of them that are present and working out our saluation with a feare of that which may come heereafter If thus we iudge our selues God will acquite vs if thus we condemne our selues God will iustify vs if wee accuse our selues he will discharge vs if we be displeased with our selues for our sinnes God wil bee well pleased with vs and cloath vs with the righteousnesse of Christ But if wee stand vpon our owne righteousnesse and worthinesse if we say we haue
that ye are my Disciples if ye loue one another This is my commandement that ye loue one another as I haue loued you greater loue then this hath no man that a man bestow his life for his friends ye are my friends if ye do whatsoeuer I command you This likewise the d Col 3 12. Apostle teacheth that we may know him to be the scholler of the same maister Col. 3. As the elect of God holy and beloued put on tender mercy k ndnesse humbleres of minde meeknes long-suffering forbearing one another and forgiuing one another if any man haue a quarrell vnto another euen as Christ forgaue you eueÌ„ so do ye and aboue all these things put on loue which is the bond of perfectnesse As euery one hath a comfortable experience in his owne heart of Gods mercy toward him in the pardon of his sinnes which are many and great so let him shew mercy againe as he hath receiued mercy and deale vnto others kindly as God hath dealt gratiously toward him Our Sauiour Christ auoucheth this Math. 18. in the parable of the lender that had many debters he called them to e Mat. 18 23 take an account of them and forgiueth the debt hauing compassion on him that was not able to pay but when hee was departed and had found one of his fellow-seruants which ought him an hundred pence he laid hand on him thratled him and cast him in prison till he should pay the debt TheÌ„ the Lord called him and said O euill seruant I forgaue thee all that debt because thou prayedst me Oughtest thou not also to haue pitty on thy fellow-seruant euen as I had pitty on thee So his Lord was wroth and deliuered him to the tormenters till he should pay all that was due to him Then followeth the application of the whole So likewise shall mine heauenly Father do vnto you except ye forgiue from your hearts each one his brother their trespasses Now the Lords Supper was ordained of God for this end that it might be a band of loue and a chaine to vnite and ioyne vs together among our selues that if it were possible we should not breake from him as Paul teacheth 1. Cor. 10. We that are many f 1 Cor. 10 17 are one bread and one body because we all are partakers of one bread Wherefore this Supper may fitly be called a Sacrament of vnity and a seale of our agreement one with another Behold heere a chaine consisting of many linkes to knit vs together that we breake not from God and our brethren Do we not all come to one table Do we not all eate of the same bread Do we not all drinke of the same cup Is not the same loafe compact of many cornes Is not the same wine pressed out of many clusters Do we not all ioyne together in the same receiuing Were we not baptized into the same baptism What a shamefull thing is this full of infamy and reproach to see the branches of the same vine the sheepe of the same shepheard the children of the same Father the seruants of the same Maister the fellowes of the same houshold the heires of the same kingdome the guests of the same banket the obtainers of the same promise the partakers of the same hope the members of the same body and the professors of the same faith to contend and striue one against another to delight in brawling fighting quarrelling and to nourish hatred malice reuenge rancor spite enuy biting backbiting one of another If Ephraim be set against g Eâ—â—y 9 â—1 Manasses and Manasses against Ephraâ—m if brother bee diuided against brother if we bite one at another let vs take heed least we be consumed one of another The Sons of God are renewed into the Image of God to resemble their heauenly Father in true holines and do all weare the same cogniâ—ance liuery For the Sacraments are the marks of Christs sheepe whereby they are knowne and discerned so that al our dissentions diuisions raylings â—eu lings disgracings and defacings one of another tend to the reproach and dishonour of our common â—ather and do giue an heauy testimony against our soules with God and his elect Angels For how do we approach vnto God how do we come into his presence With what hearts do we pray before him vnto him Are we not taught h Math. 6 12. to aske forgiuenesse of our sinnes as we forgiue the trespasses done vnto vs If then we be malicious and enuious and cary the fresh remembrance of wrongs in our hearts to pursue them with reuenge do we not pray against our selues Do we not beseech God to poure vengeance vpon vs Do we not open our mouthes to our owne destruction For when wee vse our tongues to say i Luke 11 4. Lord forgiue vs for euen we forgiue is it not asmuch as if we should pray forgiue vs not Lord for we do not we wil not forgiue others Therefore after the forme of prayer giuen to the Disciples Christ addeth If yee do forgiue Men their trespasses your heauenly Father will also forgiue you but if ye do not forgiue men their trespasses no more will your Father forgiue you your trespasses And as he exhorteth that when they stand and appeare before the Altar k Mark 11 25 they must forgiue so when we appeare at the Lords Table we must forgiue if we haue any thing against any man that our father also which is in heauen may forgiue vs our trespasses Now if we would be directâ—d to know whether this loue bee in vs or not we may try our owne hearts by these l 1 Cor. 13 4. holie properties and blessed effects described by the Apostle 1 Cor. 13. Loue saith he suffereth long it is bountifull loue enuieth not loue doth not boast it selfe it is not puffed vp it disdaineth not it seeketh not her owne thinges it is not prouoked to anger it thinketh not euill it reioyceth not in iniquity but reioyceth in the truth it suffereth all things it beleeueth all thinges it hopeth all things it endureth all things Heere we may see what manner of loue ought to bee in vs. Euery one of vs must endeuour that all the parts of this description may rightly agree to euerie one of vs and trulie be found in vs toward all men euen our enemies as we see Iesus Christ hath left vs an example of his loue m Luk. 23 35 when hee prayed for his enemies that crucified and cruelly entreated him father forgiue them for they know not what they do and this did StepheÌ„ to those that stoned him lord lay not this sin to their charge This is the truth let vs acknowledge it This is the way let vs walke in it this was their practise let vs follow it Thus we haue shewed the necessity of examination of our selues before we come to the Lords Supper and declared the parts wherein it standeth and the
a The third vsâ— oâ— baâ—tiâ—â—â—â—â—to tâ—â— vs our dâ—â—â—g to sin and â—â—siâ—â— to â—â—wn iâ—e of life our naturall corruption by the power of Christs death and buriall and to raise vs againe to sanctification of our nature and newnes of life by his resurrection Hence it is that sin hath his deaths wound and is stâ—icken to the heart so that it cannot liue and raigne in the children of God Hence it is that baptisme is often b Luk. 3 3. called the Sacrament of repentance as Luke 3. Iohn came into all the parts and coasts about Iordan preaching the Baptisme of repentance for the rem ssâ—on of sinnes So likewise Marke 1 4. Iohn did baptize in the Wildernes and preach the baptisme of amendment of life And the apostle affirmeth as much Col. 2 12 13. declaring that one end of baptisme is the death and buriall of the old man by the almighty power of God This also was taught in those c 1 Pet. 3 20.21 liuely types answering our baptisme to wit the flood that drownd the old world while Noah and his family were preserued in the Arke Also the red sea in which Pharaoh and his hoast perished but the people of God were deliuered For as God destroyed in the waters and as it were buried in the flood the old world but saued a remnant of grace so doth God through Christ mortifie the old man raise againe the new man and seale them both in our baptisme Likewise as God deliuered his people out of the hands of Pharaoh and opened them a way through the red sea and drowned their enemies that they saw them no more aliue so by baptisme hee assureth our deliuerance from the thraldome and bondage of sinne which bringeth greater slauery captiuity then any slaue is in vnder his earthly maister and the destruction of the flesh that it shall not hurt or condemne vs. Wee are all d Psal 51 7. Rom. 5 12. borne in sinnes and trespasses wee haue need of repentance and regeneration We see then what vse we are to make of our baptisme euen labour to attaine to the efficacy and fruite of it that it may not be a bare and barren signe Moses and the Prophets earnestly exhort the people of Israel to shew foorth the force and effect of their circumcision e Deut. 10 16. and 30 6. to cut away the fore-skin of their hearts and harden their necks no more as we see Deut. 10 16. The Lord did set his delight in thy fathers to loue them and did chuse their seed after them euen you aboue all people Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your hearts and harden your necks no more and in another place The Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart and the hâ—art of thy seed that thou maiest loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soule that thou maiest liue So the Prophet f Ier. 4 4. Ieremy saith Breake vp your fallow ground and sowe not among thornes be circumcised to the Lord and take away the fore-skins of your hearts ye men of Iudah and inhab tants of Ierusalem least my wrath come foorth like fire and burne but none can quench it because of the wickednes of your inuentâ—ons Circumcision was the thing wherein they boasted aboue all things it was their glory whereof they bragged to be a crcumcised people peculiar to God Now the Prophets recall and reclaime them from trusting in outward signes and lying words g Ier. 7 8. that shall not profit and stirre them vp to consider the power and effect thereof not to rest in cutting off a thin peece of skin but to cut off quite and cleane their lusts and corruptions which rebell against the Spirit This the Apostle teacheth h Rom. 2 28.29 euidently Rom. 2. Hee is not a Iew which is one outward neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Iew which is one within and the câ—rcumcision is of the heart in the Spirit not in the Letter whose praise is not of men but of God The outward Letter is of no moment with God it must be the circumcision of the hart otherwise the circumcising of the flesh is nothing So if we would haue God to take vs for his people and heritage i We must aâ—â— be baptized in heart we must be all baptized in our hearts and our soules What will some say baptized in soule and in heart What is that Or how can this bee Can the water wash the soule Surely the water cast vpon our bodies is nothiâ—g if we haue not the truth of it As then the apostle Paul maketh a difference betweene inward circumcision of the spirit and outward circumcision of the letter insomuch that if they would haue the true circumcision indeed they must haue that which is within so is there a great difference between the baptisme of the spirit and of the letter betweene that of the soule and the other of the body betweene that which is outward and that which is inward Whosoeuer would haue the true baptisme indeed he must be clensed within repent of his wickednesse mortifie his imaginations deny himselfe renounce his affections and offer vp his soule and body in sacrifice to God that he may renew and regenerate vs otherwise it is a certaine thing we were neuer indeed and in truth baptized For as the Iewes were charged to bee vncircumcised though the fore-skin of the flesh were cut off and so they were circumcised in body so wee may in like manner bee charged to be vnbaptized albeit we haue bin outwardly washed with water The Iewes chosen aboue all Nations to be the people of God were oftentimes condemned of forgery and falshood for breaking the couenant of God not answering to the truth thereof k Esay 2 4. and 57 3. and were vpbraided with the vncircumcisednesse of their hearts that they were worse then the heathen themselues a bastard brood witches children and vnworthy to be accounted Abrahams seed to the end they should bragge no more of their circumcision as Act. 7. Acts 7 51. Stephen a faithfull witnesse of God obiecteth against them Ye stiffe-necked and of vncircumcised hearts and eares yee haue alwayes reâ—â—sted the Holy-Ghost as your fathers did so do you they slew the Prophets which shewed before of the comming of that iust of whom ye are now the betrayers murtherers where we see he discouereth their hypocrisie setteth their sins before their faces telling theÌ„ that as their fathers rebelled against God so the children followed their fathers footsteps Do not thâ—se things concerne vs Though we haue not circumcision in action and practise belong they not to vs now a dayes Yes euen to vs. For we shall be condemned for our vnclensed and vnsanctified hearts not answering to the truth of our baptisme For so much we profit by baptisme as we profite in mortification If then we be once
baptized and washed with water we shall pay dearely for our defiling that sacred water which God hath appointed to so holy an vse True it is the water of it selfe is as nothing no other in substaunce and nature then that wherewith wee wash our hands but when once it is ioyned to the word and applyed to an holy end it is as it were an authentical seale which God hath engrauen in it Now he that counterfeiteth the seale of a Prince shall he not be punished Behold baptisme is the seale of God which serueth not to seale conueyances of earthly possessions as house and lands but to assure vs that we are called to the heauenly life and bringeth good assurance and warrant with it that we be washed from our sinnes by the blood of our Lord Iesus Christ and borne againe by his holy Spirit Shall we breake all and escape vnpunished Let vs not then boast of our baptisme and Christianity to say oh we are baptized we are christened we weare the badge of God these things these things I say will cost vs deare if we make not our baptisme auaileable to our selues and our owne soules by killing our corruptions for thereby l Eccl. 5 3. wee shew our selues like vnto the foole that maketh a vow and immediately after breaketh it For what a misery is this that scarce one of an hundred knoweth the right end of his baptisme and whereunto it auaileth So that albeit they boast of the outward signe yet they are no more sound Christians indeed then Turks and Pagans Infidels and miscreants inasmuch as they are no way mortified or renewed by repentance no way changed in the inward man but lye rotting in their sinnes and remaine in the condemnation of Adam These shall one day finde by wofull experience what a costly thing it is to take so deare a pawne of saluation at the hands of God in vaine Indeed we beare the name of Christ and we professe the Gospell yet you shall find a great number that know not this vse of baptisme nor to what end it was ordained They doe call it indeede their Christendome but are altogether ignorant of the nature thereof and are vnacquainted with the effect of it yea they bring their children to no other purpose to be baptized then because it is the vsual manner and common custome so to do being led thereunto not by the commandement of Christ but by the example of others forasmuch as they can giue no reason at all of that they do This will cost them deerely for abusing such a pledge-token at Gods hands seeing it is a meanes wherby we are vnited to our Lord Iesus Christ and ingrafted into his death and resurrection Wherefore whereas many haue receiued baptisme in their infancy and haue liued forty or fifty yeares in the world without knowing to what end they were baptized it had beene better for them that they had beene borne dead or perished in their mothers womb as an vntimely fruit then to haue vnhallowed so holy and precious a thing Thus much of the third and last vse of baptisme as also of the parts thereof and generally touching this whole Sacrament The end of the second Booke THE THIRD BOOKE of the Lords Supper being Christs farewel-token to his Church and a sweete pledge of his wonderfull kindnesse toward mankinde wherein the truth of this Sacrament is manifested the parts are deliuered the vses are shewed the Doctrine of the reformed Churches is cleared the errors of the Church of Rome are euidently conuinced and the meanes set downe how euery one is to be prepared to the worthy receiuing thereof with fruite and comfort CHAP. I. Of the names and titles of this Sacrament together with the reasons and vses thereof IN the former Booke wee haue spoken of baptisme the first SacrameÌ„t of the church together with the parts and vses thereof Now we are to set downe the doctrine of the Lords Supper which is the second Sacrament For after that God hath brought vs into his Church by baptisme and made vs as it were of his houshold seruants then as a good father of the family he feedeth vs spiritually with the flesh of his Sonne applying vnto vs the merit of his death and passion This a The Sacrament of the body and blood oâ— christ called by diuers names Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ is declared in the Scripture by diuers names to deliuer the nature thereof vnto vs. Sometimes it is called the communion as 1 Cor. 10. The cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the b 1 Cor 10.16 communion of the blood of Christ The bread which we breake is it not the communion of the body of Christ Sometimes it is called the Lords Supper as 1 Cor. 11 20. When yee come together into one place this is not to eate c 1 Cor. 11 20 the Lords Supper Thirdly sometimes it is called the breaking of bread as Acts 2. They continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship d Act. 2 42. and 20 7. and breaking of bread and prayers and cha 20. The first day of the weeke the Dâ—sciples being come together to breake bread Paul preached vnto them ready to depart on the morrow Fourthly sometimes it is called the table of the Lord as we see 1 cor 10. Ye cannot drinke the cup of the Lord and the cup of Diuels ye cannot be partakers of the Lords e 1 Cor. 10 21 table and of the table of diuels Moreouer we shall nothing offend if we call it the testament or will of Christ This cup is the f 1 Cor. 11 â—5 Mat. 26 2â— new Testament in my blood this do as oft as ye drinke it in remembrance of me and our Sauiour thus speaketh Mat. 26. This is my blood of the new testament that is shed for many for the remission of sins These are the chiefe and principal names giuen to this Sacrament in the Scriptures I am not ignorant that the ancient fathers and times succeeding haue giuen vnto it other names and not vnfitly but my purpose being not so much to alledge the counsels or Doctours of the Church as to instruct the simple and vnlearned I will content my selfe with expounding such termes and titles as are penned in the worde of God and pointed out by the Spirit of God Now then let vs render g Reasons rendred of the former names the reasons of such names as this Sacrament is entituled withall It is called the communion because wee haue a communion and fellowship with Christ and h 1 Cor. 10.17 he with vs both which are sealed vp in this Sacrament It is called the Lords Supper both because it was instituted by the Lord Iesus at his last Supper which circumstance of time the Church hath changed because therin is offered to vs a spiritual banket in which the faithfull are spiritually fed and nourished It is called the breaking of