according to the seuerall times and seasons that God hath appointed howbeit the substance and effect the truth things signified are one and the same as the bodye is one albeit it receiue diuers garments to couer it The Passeouer and Supper of the Lord agree in the inward signification both of them representing teaching and offering the merites of Christs death Baptisme circumcision are likewise the same in substance the one cutting off the other washing away the naturall contagion and corruption of sinne by the shedding of the blood of the Messiah The same Gospell was preached to Adam by the Lord himselfe and afterward reuealed to Abraham and his posterity as also it was published by Christ and his Apostles albeit in the time of the lawe more darkely and obscurely but in the time of grace more plainely and cleerely The same sauing and iustifying faith was in Abraham the Father of the faithfull and in all other that euer were or shal be saued And therefore Iohn 1 29. Reuel 13 8. Christ is called The Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world And in another place The lambe slaine from the foundation of the world To this purpose the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 10. That the Israelites did eate the same spirituall meat and dranke of the same spirituall drinke that wee doe for they dranke of that spirituall Rocke which followed them and that Rocke was Christ Likewise in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Chap. 13. Iesus Christ yesterday and to day and the same for euer Hee was alwayes the foundation of the Church and the Fathers were saued by no other meanes then we are that is through him onely God hath appointed him ouer al things to be the head of the Church and the Sauiour of his body Ephes 1 22 and 4 16. There is giuen no other name vnder heauen whereby we must bee saued Acts 4 12. No man knoweth the Father but the Sonne and he to whome the Sonne will reueale him Math. 11 27. Ioh. 14 16. Lastly he saith of himselfe I am the way and the truth and the life In which words hee speaketh exclusiuely shutting out all others and meaneth that hee is the way alone the truth alone and the life alone by which Adam and all his posterity that beleeued attained vnto saluation No man therefore commeth vnto the Father but by him He sheweth Iohn 8.56 that Abraham reioyced to see his day and he saw it and was glad They which liued vnder the law and before the law as well as such as liue vnder the Gospell were no otherwise iustified reconciled and saued then by the blood of the onely mediator Christ Iesus who indeed was the end of the law forasmuch as the Gospell is no other then the law promised Rom. 1 2. 1 Pet. 1 10. and the lawe is no other then the Gospell exhibited and accomplished and all the Prophets beare witnesse of Christ and his Gospell Acts 10. For albeit he was manifested in the flesh in the last age of the world and was crucified when the fulnes of time came yet his death was as effectual to the faithfull before the flood and after the flood before the law and after the giuing of the law as to the faithfull that liued with Christ and after the ascension of Christ and it was as powerfull and profitable to them that liued before he dwelt vpon the earth as when hee did hang vppon the Crosse This point duely marked offereth vnto vs diuers good meditations to bee pondered in our hearts First that there is but one faith and one true religion one way to heauen and one truth in all the Sacraments albeit they haue diuers formes and figures We haue one Lord and one Baptisme saith the Apostle Ephes 4. Gal. 1 8. We haue but one Christ and one Gospell If an Angell from heauen preach any other Gospell any other faith any other Christ any other Sacraments let him be accursed Secondly the Fathers before Christs incarnation and taking flesh of the blessed Virgin were saued and went in soule to heauen as directly and certainely as they doe that dye now in the faith of Christ The gates of the kingdome of heauen were not as a Pallace that is locked and barâ—ed but they were opened to all beleeuers before the resurrection and ascension of Christ as wel as in our daies when he sitteth at the right hand of his Father and maketh continuall intercession for vs. Enoch and Elias were translated from the earth and ascended into heauen they were in Abrahams bosome Luke 16.26 and 23 42.43 which is no other then heauen Luke 16.26 So the penitent theefe before Christ rose again went with him into Paradice Luke 23. which is nothing else but the kingdome of heauen as appeareth by comparing the request of the theefe with the answere of Christ The Prophet Dauid saith Psalme 112. The righteous shal be in euerlasting remembrance And Salomon Prou. 10 7. The memory of the iust is blessed For seeing they are iustified by the same meanes that we are why should they not receiue the crowne of glory and reward of righteousnesse in the same manner that we do This serueth to ouerthrow the doctrin of the Church of the Romanists I doe not meane the true Church to which Paul wrote but the false Church of the Romanists that now glory in the name of a Church as they do in the name of Catholikes But like Church like Catholikes a bastard Church bastard Catholikes Their Church is antichristian and they themselues heretickes they haue a name that they liue but they are dead These men as if they were of counsell with God take vpon them to tel vs many secrets and hidden mysteries in heauen hell as if they had searched the vtmost bounds and borders of them The popish orders of Angels In heauen they sticke not to define the degrees and orders of Angels and they number vp nine seuerall names of them Principalities rules powers dominions thrones Cherubim Seraphim Angels and Archangels Likewise they make foure infernall and subterrestriall places hell purgatory limbus infantum The popish diuision of Hell limbus patrum Hell is made the lowest roome where the Reprobate and damned abide in euerlasting fire from whence is no redemption Purgatory is the next hotte house where the soules of such as dye in veniall sinnes lye puling and purging themselues till they bee helped out by dirges and masses and pardons and such like trumpery and foolery that I doe not say impiety and blasphemy The third dungeon is called limbus puerorum where children remaine and continue that dye vnbaptized which hauâ— lost the glory of heauen and yet lye there without paine and torment a gentle kinde of hell inuented by themselues and contradicted also by their owne writers among whom many teach that the want of heauen is as great a punishment as the sense of hell The last Cabbine of hell which
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
had equally and indifferentlie in like price and estimation they are both commanded and instituted by the same authority of Christ there is the same matter and substance of both to wit Christ with al his benefits there is this one and the same end of both the encrease and strengthning of our faith therfore why should one Sacrament bee so much extolled aboue the other and preferred before the other So that whereas many come to the Lords Supper few remaine and abide in the Church at the administration of Baptisme Seeing then as louing Sisters they goe hand in hand together and are the deare daughters of one Father what reason is there that one should bee magnified and the other disgraced The whole assembly heareth the worde preached and deliuered by the Minister the Sacraments are Instruments of our Iustification by Faith c Christ is after a sort preached in baptisme as well as the word preached sauing that the worde worketh by Hearing onely the Sacraments serue by the senses of Seeing Handling and Tasting as well as hearing to strengthen and encrease Faith in our hearts and therefore it is requisite that we ioyne in the one as well as in the other Furthermore the excellency and worthinesse of Baptisme appeareth herein in that it was instituted of God sealing vp his gracious couenant in that it was sanctified by Christ being baptized of Iohn and in that it was beutified by the heauenly reuelation of the blessed Trinitie appearing thereat so great honour so great dignity preheminence was neuer giuen to any Ceremonie Did God institute it and shall wee contemne it Did Iesus Christ come to Iohns baptisme and shall we disdaine to be at the Baptisme of Christ Was the holie Trinitie present and will we be absent True it is some of the sacrifices and burnt offerings were d Gen. 4 5. coÌ„pared with Heb. 11.4 miraculously consumed by fire from heauen but what is this to the glorious presence of the Maiesty of God the blessed Trinity declaring to vs thereby that God the Father Iudg. 13 20. 1 King 18.38 2 Chron 7 1. God the Son and God the holy Ghost are alwaies present at the administration of Baptisme and truely performe that which is outwardly figured and represented Here heauen was open which for our sinnes was shut against vs here the Spirit descended in the visible forme of a doue vpon Christ to signifie vnto vs that beeing deliuered from the terrors of sinne and iudgement we are at peace with God e Ma. 3 16 17 The voice of the Father is heard from heauen saying This is my sonne in whom I am well pleased All these things note out the speciall force and dignitie of this Sacrament It is not therefore to bee administred in a corner of the Church with three or foure persons present to witnesse the Baptisme the rest of the bodye of the Congregation beeing departed but in the face and open view thereof forasmuch as God to deliuer it from contempt hath giuen it visible markes of greater honour The Apostle f 1 Cor. 12 23 saith 1 Cor. 12. Our vncomelie parts haue more comelinesse on for our comely parts neede it not but God hath tempered the body togither and hath giuen more honour to that part whâ—ch lacked As God hath dealt with our bodies so hath hee done in this Sacrament That which is most subiect to contempt dishonour and disgrace God hath lifted vp with sundry excellent preheminences prerogatiues as we haue seene in Christs baptisme And albeit there may be a differeÌ„ce in the person baptized one high another low one noble another vnnoble one rich another poor yet there is none in the substance of the baptisme Seeing then God so highly esteemeth of this ordinance it serueth to conuince to accuse and to condemne their carelesnesse and negligence that refuse to be present at baptisme or if they vouchsafe to bee present for a while yet they are talking and attend not vnto it and depart before the ende of the whole action and rush out of the Church before the name of God be praised and the whole worke finished g Luk. 3 21. Act. 22.16 and concluded with prayer as it was Luke 3. It came to passe as all the people were baptized and that Iesus was baptized and did pray the heauen was opened And Act. 22. Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sinnes in calling on the name of the Lord. Wherefore we are not to depart before God hath beene prayed vnto and praised for his benefits The Apostle chargeth that h 1 Cor. 14 26 40. all things in the Church be done in order and comlinesse Now what can bee more comely and conuenient i Ezek 46 10. then that the Churches begin the exercises of their holy religion together and end them together Forasmuch as nothing is done in the assembly which tendeth not to the edification of the whole body Vse 5 Lastly if in euery true baptisme there be outward inward parts vnited each to other then the baptisme of Iohn and of Christ are in nature and substance all one Contrary to the doctrine of the k Concil Trid. sess 7 can 1. Trent-couÌ„cel that teacheth If any shall say that the baptisme of Iohn hath the same force with Christs baptisme let him be accursed Although it be no matter of faith nor greatly necessary in these dayes to dispute of Iohns baptisme seeing no man or woman is now baptized by his hands yet we will shew the truth of this point out of the scriptures l The baptisme of Iohn and of Christ are in substance one the same that they are all one in substance and effect not of any other kind and nature For first Iohn preached the baptisme of repentance to remission of sins they haue therefore the same doctrine the same word the same promise m Mar 1 4. the same repentance the same forgiuenes of sins as they had the same outward element of water And the Apostle teacheth that there is n Eph. 4 5.6 One body one spirit one hope of the calling one Lord one Father one faith and one baptisme Secondly the baptisme of Iohn was consecrated and sanctified in the person of Christ for Christ was baptized with the baptisme of Iohn Thirdly it may appeare as we will proue Chap. 4. that Iohn baptized into the name of the blessed Trinity Fourthly neither Christ nor his Apostles rebaptized any that were baptized by the ministry of Iohn Apollos did know onely the baptisme of Iohn o Acts 18 25.26 he is taken and instructed further in the faith and wayes of the Lord but we reade not that he was baptized againe Fiftly if Iohns baptisme were not the same with our baptisme it would follow that Christ was baptized with another baptisme then we are and that our baptisme was not sanctified in the persoÌ„ of Christ which taketh away our comfort consolation that we
11 25 26. As often as ye shall eate of this bread and drinke of this cup ye shew the Lords death till he come Thus the Lord Iesus speaketh Doe this as oft as ye shall drinke it in remembrance of me And haue we not many worthy and effectuall l Reasons rēdred to moue vs to frequēt the Lords Table considerations to moue such as professe the same doctrine to resort oftentimes to the same Table of the Lord It is the commandement of Christ so that we ought to make some conscience of this duty as of other commandements prescribed vnto vs. It is a commandement of God m Exo. 20 13 Thou shalt not steale Few but doe make some conscience thereof because it is Gods commandement So is this heere often to come to the Lords Table yet what little account is made heereof al the yeare long euery one seeth and the faithfull soule agreeueth The high God possessor n Gen. 14 12. of heauen and earth hath required and commanded it yet who regardeth The Lord hath spoken and yet who obeyeth If a father should command a duty of his sonne or a maister of his seruant he could not patiently endure to be disobeyed o Mal. 1 6. and shall we not thinke that God will require his lawes at our hands Againe to his commandement he hath annexed a promise which maketh our sin and vnthankfulnes the greater if wee shew not our selues ready in yeelding to this duty Besides seeing this Sacrament is a speciall prop to stay vp our saith and bringeth with it Christ and al his merits and heauenly treasures we are vtter enemies to our owne selues to our owne soules and to our owne saluation if we neglect so great mercy offered vnto vs. Wherefore it is not left free vnto vs and committed to our discretion to receiue or not receiue this were no lawfull liberty but vnlawfull licentiousnesse Heerein the faithfull finde very great comfort and an effectuall meanes to strengthen their faith Euen as the sicke man that feeleth his sicknes and knoweth his owne weaknes should haue a special care to looke to his stomack that thereby he may receiue nourishment and gather strength so we are all spiritually diseased assaulted of Sathan tempted of the flesh ouercome oftentimes of sin and must seeke strength of faith from this heauenly nourishment God of his compassion hath set vp his Sacrament as a signe vpon an high hill whence it may be seene farre and neere on euery side to raise vp such as are fallen to strengthē such as stand to comfort such as are weake and to call vnto him such as run away from him whereby he gathereth them vnder his wings It is as the brazen Serpent p Num. 23 9. that comming vnto it with a faith to be healed we might liue and not perish It is as a banner displayed that euery Christian Souldior should resort vnto it as vnto his owne colours to fight the battels of God against sin and Sathan It is as a royal feast of the great King whereunto we must go cheerefully as guests inuited to a comfortable supper to bee had in often vse and continuall remembrance to put vs in minde of his continuall mercy laid vp for vs in the blood of Christ and to ratifie and seale vp the same farre more liuely then the bare word onely When the words of Christs institution are spoken q Mat. 26 26.28 This is my body which is broken for you this is my blood which was shed for you When these words I say are read vnto vs out of the Scriptures they confirme our saith but much more when the Sacrament is seene with our eyes that we behold the bread broken and looke vpon the wine poured out but most of all when we taste and handle when we eate and drinke the outward signes Wee see when one maketh a bare promise to another with words onely betweene thēselues hee beginneth to doubt to whom the promise is made of the performance thereof if he adde an oath for confirmation the promise is more assuredly ratified but if he giue his hand writing and seale it to the party the matter is made out of doubt Thus we doe reason and helpe our faith We haue the promises of God we haue the oath of God we haue the words and writings of God we haue the seales and Sacraments of God these are not reserued in the Lords keeping but are put into our owne hands to see them to keepe them to vse them for our comfort and assurance I speake after the manner of men if we haue a free promise from an honest man penned fairely in writing ratified vnder his owne hand and seale and all giuen vnto vs to locke and lay vp we doubt not of the possession nor of our iust title vnto the same Now let vs consider the Lords doing and see what hee hath done for vs who is not as man that r Num. 23. he should lye nor as the sonne of man that he should deceiue God sent his Sonne ſ Gal. 4 4. into the world to take our nature vpon him to be like vs t Heb. 4 15. euen in his infirmities he named himselfe u Mat. 1 21. Iesus that is a Sauiour because hee should saue his people from their sinnes after his death he sent his Apostles to preach the glad tidings of remission of sinnes and euerlasting saluation he ordained his last Supper immediately before his death to testifie and assure them vnto vs not onely by sounding them in our eares but by beholding tasting smelling feeling and feeding to seale them in our hearts and also daily to be repeated and ministred vnto vs. Seeing then we haue both his promises and oath his word and writings his seales and Sacraments in our keeping what would we haue more He would not make halfe so much ado in assuring his promises if hee loued vs not he would not set such authentike seales to his deed and obligations vnlesse he meant good earnest His bare word and naked promise is very good payment but he respecteth our weaknesse whose mercifull kindnesse must not bee neglected through our vnthankfulnes Thus much of consecration and the vses thereof CHAP. VIII Of the first inward part of the Lords Supper HIther to we haue spoken of the outward parts of this Sacrament by doing whereof consecration is performed a What are the inward parts of the Lords supper now follow the inward parts to be considered For in Sacraments we must consider not what they be of themselues but what b August cont Maxim in li. 3. they signifie vnto vs. These inward parts are foure in number to wit first the Father secondly the Spirit thirdly the body and blood of Christ and fourthly the faithfull All these haue a sacramentall relation to the outward parts and declare the inward truth of them The actions of the Minister are notes of the actions of God the
our selues the promises of saluation Wee must not onely see them a farre off but feele them in our hearts Wee must beleeue not onely that Christ is a Sauiour but that he is our Sauiour and Redeemer Thus wee must euerie one of vs for his owne part make propâ—r to himselfe all the riches and graces that are in Christ Iesuâ— because in giuing himselfe to vs hee giueth all his benefiâ—s in that he is God he maketh vs after a sort d 2 Peter 1 4â— partakers of the diuine nature being heire of all things in heauen and earth e 1 Cor 3 22. and Lord of the world hee maketh all thinges ours whether life or death whether things present or thinges to com recouering in him the possession of those things which we lost â—n Adam being the beloued sonne of the father hee maketh vs acceptable and well-pleasing vnto him leading captiuity captiue and giuing giftes f Eph. 4 8. to men hauing Dominion ouer the diuell sinne hell the world the flesh and all our enemies he protecteth vs that they cannot ouerthrowe vs and hath g Reuelat. 1 6 made vs Kings and Priests to God euen his father in that he is happie and immortall he maketh vs partakers of his blessednesse and immortality When we shall seuerally and particularly apply all the actions and benefits of Christ our Lorde vnto our selues wee may boldly come to the Lords Table where we shall finde Christ and enioy him to our endlesse comfort knowing that we liue alwaies by faith but not alwaies by feeling Neither are we to abstaine and hang back from comming to the Supper nor to dispaire of our selues nor to bee too much cast downe when we feele sundry defectes and wants in our faith For h There are 2. degrees of true faith there is a weake and feeble saith which is yet a true faith as well as the strong faith There are two degrees of faith profitable to be knowne and comfortable to be considered The weake faith i what a weak Faith is is an earnest and vnsaigned desire to bee reconciled vnto God in Christ which willing desire in vs God accepteth as the deede it selfe he accounteth the desire of faith as faith it selfe the desire of reconciliation and forgiuenesse of sinnes by the death of Christ shall be auaileable to worke out our attonement and redemption The strong faith is a full perswasion assurance k What a strong faith is of the mercies of God when the faithfull can truly say with the Apostle Rom. 8 38 l Roma 8 38. 39. I am perswaded that neither life nor death nor things present nor things to come neither Angels nor principalities nor powers neither hetâ—hth nor depth nor any other creature shall separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lorde To this assurance we labour to come and in this assurance we endeuour to grow and to go on from saith to faith and from strength to strength vntill we learne to stand fast as it were vpon the battlements of heauen and to set the world at defiance and to treade the earth vnder our feete saying with the Apostle Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect Or who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ This is the greatest measure and highest degree of faith this is the top strength and full ripenesse of faith heere vnto wee are to striue and endeuour and neuer to giue rest vnto our soules vntill we be resolued and setled in our consciences that all our sinnes are assurredly pardoned and we accepted to euerlasting life This greatnesse of faith was in Abraham m Rom. 4 20 who was not weake but strengthened in faith being fully perswaded Hee that had promised was able also to do it All that liue in the bosome of the Church doe not attaine to this full measure of a perfect faith but euen as it is in the estate of the body we are Babes before wee come to be men of ripe yeares first we be weake before we be strong n 1 cor 3 1 â— first we are fedde with milke before wee can digest strong meate We see o Mar. 4 2â— Corne first in the grasse then in the blade before it come to the stalke and haue ripe corne in the eare There must bee in all things a beginning before there can be a proceeding to perfection The tree sendeth foorth his tender branches and putteth foorth his leaues before his fruite commeth So is it with euery Christian man and woman first they are babes in Christ and haue certaine seeds and beginnings of faith springing in them to eternall life afterward they grow from strength to strength from grace to grace from degree to degree p Roma 1 17. and from faith to fayth vntill they come to a full perswasion and assurance vvithout wauering q Psalme 23 6 which ariseth after many experiences of Gods manifolde mercies and fauours in the course of our liues as we see Psal 23. Doubtlesse kindnesse and mercie shall follow me all the daies of my life and I shall remaine a long season in the house of the Lord. Wherefore let vs not be dismayed discouraged when our faith is feeble for a feeble faith wil apply Christ as well as a strong faith it will drawe Christ home to dwell in our hearts r Ephes 3 17. through whom we shall not perish but haue euerlasting life He that had but a weak eie and a dim sight to behold the brazen Serpent in the wildernesse Å¿ Numb â— 1 â— was healed from the deadly stinging of the fiery serpents as well as he that saw clearly and perfectly afarre off He that hath but a leprous and sickly hand is able to holde that which is offered vnto it as well as a sound and strong hand So he that hath a little faith in the son of God shall neuer haue his saluation denied nor forgiuenesse of his sins kept from him if with an humble heart hee pray to God to haue them pardoned The Apostles beleeued that Christ was the Sauior of the world t Luke 24 â—5 yet they were ignorant of his death and resurrection which are the chiefe meanes of saluation and they are saide to be men of little faith So our Sauiour when the u Luke 17 5 6 Disciples had asked encrease of their faith declareth that if our faith be in quantity but as a graine of Mustard-seed it should be powerfull and effectuall seeing hee will not a Marke 2 23 quench the smoaking flaxe nor breake the bruised Reede but cherish the lost sparke and measure of grace giuen vnto vs from aboue This likewise was the faith of that Father whose childe was possessed with a dumbe and deafe spirit when Christ said to him b Math. 7 7 8 If thou canst beleeue all things are possible to him that beleeueth straight way he cried with tears
the forgiuenesse of sinnes and of our adoption in Christ Doth not the ſ Rom. 8 15 16. Holy Ghost testifie vnto vs particularly the adoption of children the remission of sinnes and saluation of our soules As Rom. 8. Wee haue not receiued the Spirite of bondage to feare but the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father the Spirite beareth witnesse with our spirits that we are the children of God In these words Gods sanctifying Spirit our sanctified spirit are made the two witnesses of our adoption This we must certainely beleeue by faith And this made the Apostle t Rom. 8 38.39 most confident in the end of the same Chapter saying I am perswaded that neyther death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. If any obiect we may hope well for forgiuenes of sins but we cannot beleeue the same I answere Faith and hope cannot be separated they doe alwayes as louing friends accompany each other they are neuer sundered and diuided so that if we may be assured of our saluation by hope it followeth we may be certainely perswaded True hope followeth true faith as the effect doth the cause and no man can truely hope that is not truely assured Besides this is the property of hope u Rom. 5 4 5. it neuer maketh any ashamed they shall not be confounded and disappointed they shall attaine vnto the thing hoped for according to the doctrine of the Apostle Experience bringeth foorth hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is giuen vnto vs. Hitherto of the first end of a Sacrament CHAP. XIIII Of the second vse of a Sacrament THe second end of a Sacrament is this a The second vse of a Sacrament is to be a seale of the Couenant It serueth to bee a seale of the Couenant betweene God and vs that hee will bee our God and we will be his people as Gen. 17 I am God b Gē 17 1 11 all-sufficient walke before me and be vpright The Sacraments are assured testimonies and confirmations of the fauour and good will of God who is well pleased toward vs in Christ his Sonne By them as by certaine pledges giuen and receiued God of his great mercy doth as it were binde himselfe to vs wee binde our selues to him to remaine his people and to walke in obedience before him for they bee as strong chaines to compasse vs as sure cords to hold vs and as fast knots to keepe vs that we do not depart from him and cast off the feare of his name Circumcision was a seale of Gods promise to Abraham and a seale of Abrahams faith and obedience toward God But let vs see what c What the couenant is betweene God man this couenant is what are the Articles of agreement betweene God and vs and what things each part interchangeably couenanteth and contracteth each toward other The couenant of God in respect of himselfe hath three parts He promiseth d Rom 11 26 Ier. 33 8. Esay 43 25. first of all forgiuenesse of our sinnes for The deliuerer shall come out of Sion and shall turne away the vngodlinesse from Iacob and this is my couenant to them when I shall take away their sinnes Secondly the adoption e Ier. 31 31.32 33. 2 Cor. 6 16.18 Zach. 8 8. of sonnes and acceptation of vs to be his children ioyned with the promise of his cōtinuall fauour loue grace and protection as Iere. 31. Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will make a new couenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Iudah not according to the couenant that I made with their fathers when I tooke them by the hand to bring them out of the Land of Egypt the which my couenant they brake although I was an husband vnto them saith the Lord but this shall be the couenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those daies saith the Lord I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my people Behold the indenture of couenants written by the finger of God wherein for better assurance he hath bound himselfe to forgiue our sins promised to be our mercifull God And to the end there might be a paire of these indentures interchangeably giuen each to other party the Lord by the hand of the Apostle writing to the Hebrewes hath drawn as it were the counterpane of the former word for word expressed as it is in the Prophet f Heb. 8 10 11 so that we haue a paire of indentures of couenants to shew the stablenes of his counsell The 3. part of the couenant in respect of God is g Reuel 21 4.7 the promise of the full possessiō of the heauenly inheritance and of eternall glory after this life as Reuel 21. God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow neither crying neither shall there be any more paine for the first things are passed he that ouercometh shal inherit all things Also cha 2. To him that ouercommeth will I giue to eate of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradice of God he shall not be hurt of the second death he shal haue power giuen him ouer the Nations and rule them with a rod of iron he shal be cloathed with white array and I wil not put his name out of the booke of life hee shall be a pillar in the Temple of God shal go no more out I will grant to him to fit with me in my throne euen as I ouercame fit with my Father in his throne Thus we see how God on his part by writings and euidences promiseth to giue to his people remission of sins adoption of sons possession of heauen he hath couenanted by word by oth to performe these things neither is he as man that he should lie nor as the son of man that he shold deceiue These are great grants of great blessings by our great God to the great good cōfort of his childrē For what greater blessings can there be then being miserable sinners to be graciously pardoned being vtter enemies to bee freely accepted as sonnes beeing bondslaues and prisoners of hell to be made heires of heauen and saluation Againe the couenant on our part requireth three conditions for when men intend to couenant and contract one with another they set downe articles as well on the one side as on the other First faith to God to beleeue his promises as Iohn 3.16 God so loued the world that hee hath giuen his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him
and the bookes were opened and another booke was opened which is the booke of life and the dead were iudged of those things written in those bookes according to their workes Wherefore when children shall come to yeares of discretion and vnderstanding they must heereby be pricked forward to an earnest care and indeuour to walke in the feare of God and to serue him in holines righteousnes all the dayes of their life by whom they were receiued for sonnes and adopted for his childreÌ„ by a solemne pledge of their adoption before they were able through their age to know and acknowledge him for their father This must serue as a strong confirmation of their faith both in life and death to assure them that God will neuer leaue them nor forsake them who so soone beginneth to giue them pledges of his loue and to shew himselfe to bee their God We see by common experience that a little child comming into the world is one of the miserablest and filliest creatures that can be deuised the very liuely picture of the greatest infirmity that can be imagined more weake in body and lesse able to helpe himselfe or shift for himselfe then any of the beasts of the field The other creatures which are also the worke of his hands by the secret instinct of nature so soone as they are come foorth seeke about for succour and sustenance It is not so with children they can neither seeke their owne good nor defend themselues from euill They are ready to fall into fire and water or any other danger they cannot take one bit of bread to feed themselues they cannot couer their owne nakednesse they must be caried in our armes swadled in clothes attired in apparell washed with water nourished with milke and afterward with meat and haue all things supplyed vnto them They would starue for cold sooner then come to the fire to warme themselues they can do nothing to saue or to serue themselues Thus man-kinde lifted vp into the highest seate of honour and made little inferior to the Angels is through sinne their reuolt from God fallen downe into the greatest misery and lowest degree of all wretchednesse Neuerthelesse in respect of the life to come God hath prouided much better for the sonnes of men then for others for they are no sooner come into the world but he taketh care for them he declareth himselfe a father vnto them he hath commanded them to be brought vnto him and to be baptized in his name to the end that so soone as they begin to breathe they might also begin to breathe liue anew or second life so soone as they begin to sucke the milke of their mothers breasts they might also sucke both the breasts of the Church and so finde the food of euerlasting life He giueth his Angels charge ouer them and receiueth them vnto mercy he reserueth them for his heauenly kingdome and in the meane season offereth vnto them many tokens and assurances of his good will toward them Let them therefore giue the g Prou. 3 9. Lam. 3 27 Psal 119 9. Eccle. 12 1. first fruites of their life to God let them learne to beare the yoke of obedience from their youth let them redresse and reforme their waies by taking heed to the word of truth and seeing God hath remembred them in their baptisme let them also remember their Creator in the dayes of their youth and begin to be wise betimes least death come suddenly and cut them off as the sluggard that fore-sloweth the seasons of plowing and reaping wisheth for them in vaine at another time of the yeare Thus we haue shewed the baptisme of children the certaine truth thereof hath beene euidently prooved the obiections against this truth alledged haue beene sufficiently answered and the vses of it to the great comfort of all faithfull parents and Children haue beene particularly remembred CHAP. VIII Of the first inward part of baptisme HItherto we haue handled al the outward parts of baptisme now wee are orderly to proceed to the inward parts The inward parts of baptisme are such as are represented by the outward Those are a Mat. 2â— 19.20 Mark 16 16. foure in number first God the Father secondly the Spirit thirdly Christ fourthly the soule clensed as we see Mat. 28. Teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost he that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued Heere we see these foure inward parts b Foure inward parts of baptiâ—me are named and expressed This is also euidently proued c Mat 3 11. in the baptisme of Christ where the Trinity of persons was manifested These inward parts do directly and fitly answere to the outward The Father is represented by the Minister the Spirit worketh by the word Christ is sealed by the water the soule clensed is signified by the body that is washed Now d The agreement betweene the outward and inward parts there is a notable agreement a singular vnion and fit proportion betweene these parts where the Minister hath relation and reference to the Father the word to the Spirite the water to Christ and the body dipped to the faithfull clensed For euen as the Minister by the word of institution taketh and applyeth the water to the washing of the body so God the Father through the working of the Spirite offereth and applyeth the blood of Christ to the clensing of the faithfull Hauing seene the proportion of the parts betweene theÌ„selues let vs consider of them particularly in order The e The first inward part of baptisme is God the Father first inward part is God the Father represented by the Minister The Minister calling vpon the name of God vseth the water to wash washeth the party baptized with the element of water which sealeth vp Gods incorporating ingrafting f Gal. 3 27. of the baptized into Christ and our spirituall regeneration Hence it is that when Iohn baptized the Father was present as president of the worke when loe his voice came from heauen saying This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased Now let vs come to the vses This serueth first of all to strengthen our faith in the remission Vse 1 of our sins in imputation of Christs righteousnes in mortification of sinne by the force of Christs death and in sanctification through Christs resurrection Wherefore although the Minister doth nothing touching or toward the cleansing of the soule yet in regard of Gods ordinance and our benefit the ministry of man is somewhat which whosoeuer despiseth doth despise GOD the the author of it For whensoeuer the eye of the body seeth the Minister powring on the water and washing the body we must behold by faith God the Father offering the blood of his owne Son to be water of life to our soules And let vs all make this vse of the Churches baptisme to the comfort of our
bread both because this is a necessary action vsed of Christ not to be omitted and because it representeth the crucifying of Christ tormenting of his body so that we should neuer be present at this significant ceremony but we must call to remembrance the sorrowes and sufferings of Christ now if Christ were thus tormented for vs surely we ought greatly to bee griped and greeued for our owne sins which was also shewed by the i Exod. 12 8. sower hearbes of the Passeouer Exod. 12. It is called the table of the Lord because he doth feed vs at it as this we know is the end and vse of tables in our houses to set our meats and drinks vpon them prepared for our nourishment and this is the scope and end of the Lords table onely heere lyeth a plaine and maine difference our tables serue for bodily nourishment but the Lords Table is prepared for the spirituall nourishment of our soules Lastly it may be called the testament or will of Christ because it setteth forth vnto vs a solemne couenant betweene God and vs touching forgiuenes of sins and eternal life which couenant is ratified and established by the k Heb. 9 15. death of the Son of God so that heerein we finde all things belonging to a full and perfect testament as wee shall see afterward Out of these seuerall names and titles thus interpreted arise most aptly and fitly sundry vses which in order as they haue beene propounded we will consider The first title is the Communion from whence we deduct l The vses of calling this Sacrament the Communion these necessary conclusions First of all is the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ called a communion And so called of our communicating together Then heereby all the faithfull openly testifie that they be all one body coupled together in Christ Iesus we professe him and all his benefits Vse 1 we receiue him we enioy him we reioyce in him God the Father doth giue him the Holy-Ghost doth assure him faith doth receiue him by this hand we are ioyned to him and haue spirituall fellowship with him Wherfore all beleeuers are made one by Christ and this is not an vnion in imagination but in truth and in deed neither by transfusion of the properties of the God head or man-hood into vs m 1 Cor. 6 17. 1 Ioh. 3 24. but by one and the same Spirit dwelling in Christ and in all the members of Christ as 1 Cor. 6. He that cleaueth to the Lord is one spirit And the Apostle Iohn testifieth that Christ dwelleth in vs and we in Christ by the Spirit He that keepeth his commandements dwelleth in him and he in him and heereby we know that he abâ—deth in vs euen by the Spirit which he hath gâ—uen vs so that the spirits of iust perfect men in heauen and all beleeuers vpon the earth how far soeuer sundred in place hauing one and the same Spirit of Christ dwelling in them are all one in Christ their head God hath giuen his owne Sonne vnto vs freely and fully our faith receiueth Christ n Ioh. 1 12. by beleeuing him and all his gracious benefits to be ours as Ioh. 1 12. As many as receiued him to them he gaue prerogatiue to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name Thus wee see we are one with Christ and Christ with vs. Vse 2 Secondly as this Sacrament being a communion admonisheth that we are all one in Christ so it teacheth that it is to bee receiued of many together in the Church not of one alone and therefore it ouerthroweth the priuate Masses of the Church of Rome where one partaketh all and the rest of the Church nothing at all There is a flat opposition betweene these two so that the Communion cannot be a priuate Masse and priuate Masse cannot be a Communion That which is ordained and prepared for many deliuered vnto many and receiued of many cannot stand with the Masse where the Priest prepareth for himselfe not for the people he speaketh to himselfe not to the Church he receiueth himselfe alone not with his brethren all which are directly contrary to the Apostles o 1 Cor. 11 33 rule Tarry one for another Vse 3 Lastly if it be a communion it teacheth that this is a Sacrament of vnity and concord and wee are thereby put in mind to auoid discord and dissention For Christ neuer communicateth himselfe to the malicious man p 1 Cor. 11 18 20. as the Apostle teacheth 1 Cor. 11 18 20. When yee come together in the Church I heare that there are dissentions among you this is not to eate the Lords Supper Wherefore in that the people communicate of one and the same bread of one and the same wine it signifieth the vnion and agreement betweene all the faithfull in one body whereof Christ Iesus is the head who loued vs deerely and spared not his life for vs. Let vs ioyne our selues together in loue according to the exhortation q Rom. 15 5 6 of the Apostle Rom. 15. The God of patience and consolation giue you that ye bee like minded one toward another according to Chr st Iesus that yee with one minde and with one mouth may praise God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ All beleeuers must be of one heart and mind the Wolfe and the Lambe the Lyon and the Calfe must dwell together in the kingdome of Christ for al are one in Christ Iesus For the Apostle hauing taught that the cup which we blesse and the bread which we breake are the communion of the body and blood of Christ he addeth Wee that are many are one bread and one body because we are all partakers of one bread and therefore he saith 1 Cor. 11. When ye come together to eate tarry one for another This title then must teach vs all to imbrace true loue and the fruites thereof wherby we thinke well one of another speake well one of another and doe well one to another cutting off all occasions of contentions and testifying our selues to be of the holy Communion that is betweene the Saints For this sacred feast must be a loue-feast because it sheweth our loue one to another The Communion must be a loue feast Mat. 18 22. Obiection and our willingnesse to forgiue one another as Christ saith to Peter not seauen times but euen seauenty tâ—mes seauen times But peraduenture some will say what if my neighbour will not be reconciled vnto me nor be friends with me what then am I to do Or how shall I behaue my selfe May I not in this case lawfully abstaine from the holy Communion I answere Answere our frequenting of it must not depend vpon the forgiuing of others neither must we suspend the discharge of our owne duty vpon the pleasure of another wee must looke what God commandeth vnto vs not what other practise toward vs. It is the saying of
inuert the reason and make it serue to euert and ouerthrow the sacrifice of their Masse seeing it is certaine there were no Altars Lastly we must obserue that it is not barely called a table but the Table of the LORD to teach vs to drawe Vse 3 neare vnto it with all reuerence and regard If we measure and marke our affection in earthly things we see what care curiosity is often times vsed when men come to the table and presence of Noble men how much greater care and conscience should be vsed of euery one of vs when wee come to this table where the King of Kings and the Lord of heauen and earth is present When Dauid would reward and recompence the kindnes of Barzillai he charged Salomon his sonne that the sonnes of Barzillai should sit and eate bread at his table how great then is the honour that God vouchsafeth to vs permitting and appointing vs to sit at the Table of his owne Son of whom we say truely a greater then Salomon is there Wherefore to stirre vs vp to this duty deuotion let euery one consider and meditate thus with himselfe I am this day to be the Lords guest I am inuited to his Table I am to eate of his bread and to drink of his cup I haue not in this busines to do with man whose breath is in his Nostrils but to deale with God in whose presence I do abide who is both a beholder and Iudge of all my actions to whom I shall eyther stand or fall If I come in hypocrisie he will finde me out o Heb. 4 13. before whom all things are naked and open If I come fitted by faith and sanctified by repentance I shall receiue Christ and all his merits to my endlesse comfort Thus much sufficeth to be considered touching this title of the Lords Table The last title of this Sacrament remaineth to be handled being called the new Testament or will of Christ p The vses of calling this Sacrament the testament or will of Christ from whence we may gather diuers vses as good conclusions froÌ„ this doctrine For first it teacheth that there is a double Testament and couenant of God made to his people one of workes the other of grace one of the law the other of the Vse 1 Gospell as Iohn 1 17. The law was giuen by Moyses but grace and truth by Iesus Christ And Ier. 31 31 32. I will make a new couenant with the house of Israell and the house of Iudah not accordâ—ng to the couenant that I made with their Fathers when I tooke them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egipt the which my couenant they brake although I was an husband vnto them But this shall bee the couenant that I will make with the house of Israell after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people The couenant of the law is a couenant wherein God hath promised to his people all blessings corporall and spiritual temporall and eternall q Leuit. 18 5. Mat. 19 17. Gal. 3 12. Deut. 27 20. vnder the condition of perfect obedience and hath threatned all curses and death 〈◊〉 to all that continue not in all parts and points of the 〈◊〉 do them The couenant of grace ratified by the death anâ— blood of Christ is a couenant wherein God promiseth his loue and fauor for euer to come vpon all that beleeue in his Sonne r Ioh. 3.16 assuring them of remission of sins and eternall life requiring of them onely faith in him as Iohn 3. God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne that such as beleeue in him should not perish but liue for euer Againe if this Sacrament sealing vp the new couenant Vse 2 betweene God and man haue the name and nature of a will or testament then it serueth to condemne the Church of Rome that adde alter mingle and mangle this Sacrament at their owne pleasure For the Apostle teacheth Gal. 3. Though it be but a mans Å¿ Gal. 3 11. couenant yet when it is confirmed no man doth abrogate it or addeth any thing thereto And Heb. 9 14. He is the mediator of the new Testament that through his death they which are called might receiue the promise of eternall inheritance for where a testament is there must be the death of the testator for the testament is confirmed when men are dead for it is yet of no force as long as he that made it is aliue If then the testament of man may not be abrogated or altered much lesse the Testament of God confirmed by the death of the Mediator Notwithstanding such is the sacriledge and presumption of that Antichristian Church that the idolatrous Masse as a bottomlesse gulfe hath ouerturned and swallowed vp the Lords Supper turning the Sacrament into a sacrifice administring it in a strange tongue taking away the cuppe from the people of God making prayers for the dead bringing in their carnall presence imagininng a monstrous transubstantiation setting vp a new Priest-hood a new sacrifice a new Altar and lastly feigning vses and ends therof which Christ neuer appointed the Apostles neuer acknowledged the Churches succeeding neuer confessed or practised Now masses t Concil cabilon can 33. are mumbled in memory of the Saints they are held auaileable not only for the liuing but for the dead they are iudged profitable against stormes and tempests they are thought a soueraigne remedy against 〈◊〉 â—ore and sicknes of the body healthfull and helpefull â—â—r such as are going to warre to couer their heads in the day of battell as a shield of brasse and to preserue them from the sword of the enemy good against enchantments and sorceries and fit to be applyed to make tryall proofe whether a man be guilty of the crime and accusation laid to his charge But what are all these strange vses but strange abuses yea strong fancies and delusions of the man of sin burying in perpetuall forgetfulnes the true ends for the which Christ Iesus ordained his last Supper All these being pestilent corruptions of the Sacrament of the Supper and fraudulent additions to the last will and testament of Christ do lay open to the full the wretched abhominations of the Church of Rome the mother of fornications Vse 3 Lastly the name of Christs last will and testament giuen to this Sacrament serueth for the great comfort of Gods children For heerein we shall finde all things belongâ—ng to a full and perfect testament For Christ Iesus is the testator all faithfull Christians u Rom. 8 17. 1 Pet. 1 12. and 5 1. are appointed heires the angels are as the ouerseers the Apostles are the witnesses the legacies bequeathed are not lands and possessions or great summes a Mat. 8 20 26. of mony for the sonne of man had not
5. Byshop of Rome was the first that Å¿ Barth Caranza sum Concil Florent p. 458. mingled water with wine at consecration ordained that the oblation should be of vnleauened t Polid. Virg. de inuentor Rerum lib. 5. cap. 9. bread and not of leauened as till that time had beene vsed Wherefore let vs retaine and maintaine the plaine and simple institution of Christ who in his last Supper gaue wine not water to be drunke for he calleth it the fruite u Mat. 26 29. of the vine which is wine and not water Againe they may be pressed and hampered with their owne dreames and deuices For whereas they hold that the wine must be mingled with water that the elements after the words of consecration are transubstantiated and remaine in their owne nature no more I would aske this question of these Watermen rowing in the troubled sea of their owne decrees who are neere of kin a Papists are neere of kin to the old hereticks called Aquarij to the old hereticks called Aquarij whether the water mixed with the wine be turned into blood If they say it is not then they deny transubstantiation of all that is within the cup and so shake the vertue of their consecration in pieces if they say it is then will they make Christ a watery body and elemeÌ„tall besides it cannot be by vertue of Christs institution where water is neither expressed nor included So then their best defence is to answere with the Pharisies b Mat. 21.23 We cannot tell To conclude let vs not seeke to be wiser theÌ„ Christ nor to mingle together more mysteries then we haue learned of him as Paul saith of his owne practise c 1 Cor. 11 23 That which I receiued of the Lord I haue deliuered vnto you Neither Prophet nor Apostle nor Angel from heauen is to teach otherwise then Christ himselfe hath taught as he charged his disciples Teach them to obserue all things whatsoeuer I haue commanded you He hath supreame authority in the Church his doctrine alone should be heard as the Father himselfe witnesseth from heauen d Mat. 17 5. This is my beloued Son in whom I haue delight heare h m. We are not to regard what other before vs haue thought meete to do but what Christ did who is before all other and called himselfe the truth e Cyprian epist and not custome Thus much of the third outward part of the Lords Supper to wit the two signes of bread and wine CHAP. VI. Of the fourth outward part of the Lords Supper THe last outward part remaineth which are the a The fourth outward part are the communicants communicants whose actions are outward to take the bread and wine into their hands then to eate the bread drinke the wine to the nourishment of their bodyes b Mat. 26 26. as is directly proued by the institution of this Sacrament where Christ gaue the bread and cup into their hands the Disciples receiued the one and the other they did eate the bread and all dranke of the cup. These being the necessary actions of euery receiuer to take to eate to drinke it beateth downe many false doctrines of the Church of Rome as their reseruation ostentation eleuation adoration circumgestation procession and priuate communion it teacheth also many necessary truths to direct our knowledge and increase our obedience which we will consider in order Vse 1 First of al did Christ command his Disciples to eate and drinke that he deliuered and posted them not ouer to eate thereof when they were departed neither willed them to defer their eating vntill afterward then all keeping reseruing of bread in boxes pixes and other vessels of the Church for dayes weekes and months all shewing it to the people c Con. Trid. sess 3. can 5. lifting it ouer the Priests head and going with it in procession is vtterly vnlawful For it is no Sacrament vnlesse it be vsed according to Christs institution and coÌ„mandement but to the institution it belongeth as on the behalfe of the Minister to take to blesse to poure out and to distribute so on the behalfe of the communicants to take to eate and to drinke in them all to shew therby the Lords death and to do it in remembrance of him which cannot be performed but by obseruing the whole action For how can they shew the Lords death or do it in remembrance of Christ vnlesse they take and eate And as the Paschal lambe was not that passeouer vnlesse it were killed and eaten no more is the bread and wine a Sacrament except they be receiued and digested The Passeouer was the same in effect with the Lords Supper d Reuel 13 8. who was the lambe slaine from the beginning of the world Now God commanded that none of it should remaine vnto the morning but the remnant e Exod 12 10 should be consumed with fire The like may be saide of Manna the same in substance with this Sacrament it was not to be kept caried about Let no man f Exod. 16 19 reserue therof till morning Besides there is the same reason of the cup of the bread but they reserue not the wine they carry it not about to shew the people why then should they keepe the other part Likewise when Christ said to his Apostles g Mat. 28 20. Goe baptize the nations it was no baptisme by the h Hâ—â—si Confess de Euchar st cap. â—9 confession of the aduersaries themselues vnlesse there were some person baptized so when Christ said Take and eate there is no Sacrament vnlesse there be a receiuing and eating For as the one standeth in washing so doth the other in eating and drinking not in keeping and reseruing not in carying in procession on a white horse not in hanging it vp vnder a Canopy nor in bearing it to the sicke with bell and candle Christ tooke bread and gaue it to his Disciples saying i Mat. 26 26.27 1 Cor. 11 26. Eate ye he tooke the cup and when he bad giuen thanks he said Drinke ye all of this do this in remembrance of me as often as ye shall eate this bread and drinke of this cup ye shew the Lords death till he come But they hang it in the pixe beare it in boxes and carry it about in publike triumphes and in common calamities when any iudgement of war plague pestilence and famine and like visitation is among them then their Iacke in the boxe goeth abroad in solemne k Concil Trid sess 13. cap. 5. processions to be seene which is the way to increase not to slacke to kindle not to quench to prouoke not to reuoke the iudgments of God gone out against them Besides they shew this Sacrament to the simple people to fal downe to it as to a God they put it vpon the breasts of the dead and sometimes lay it in the graue with them I thinke
present with vs. If any say How can this be Obiection Can that which is absent from vs be present with vs Can heauen be in earth or earth be in heauen Heereunto I may most iustly answere Answere although this be a great mystery and maruellous in our eyes yet we must confesse and consider that the Holy-Ghost is the author of this vnion and as it were the Conduit-pipe of this coniunction who by his diuine power ioyneth together things that are seuered in place begetteth faith in vs which is the instrument hand f 1 Ioh. 17 20. whereby we receiue and apply Christ with all his guifts vnto our selues as Ioh. 17. Father I pray thee for such as beleeue in mee that they may be one as thou O Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in vs. Heereunto commeth the saying of Paul Ephe. 3. Christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith Likewise Acts 13. By him euery one that beleeueth is iustified that is absolued and discharged And Iohn 3. So many as beleeue in him shall not perish but haue euerlasting life Thus we see our fellowship with Christ is from the Spirit and by our faith The Spirit is the principall worker faith is the meanes and the instrument Neither must this coniunction seeme vnto vs impossible through the great distance and distinction of place For there are diuers manners of presences that which is present to the sight is not present to the hand Molin de Eucharist cap. 2. and that which is present to the eare is not present to the eye that which is present to the body is not present to the soule and things present to the soule are oftentimes absent from the body Things are said to bee present with vs according as they cause themselues to bee perceiued of our senses or of our soules Whereby it appeareth very plainely after what fashion Christ may be said to be presēt with vs in his Supper to wit according as he communicateth himselfe vnto vs which is to our spirits not to our bodies and therefore his presence is spirituall and not corporall And the Apostle telleth vs Romanes 8. Rom. 8 9 11. that the Spirit of Christ dwelleth in vs which teacheth vs how we are vnited to Christ namely by the bond of one and the same Spirit dwelling both in him and in vs. Thus is the coniunction wrought betweene him and vs so that there is another presence which is true and in deed besides that which is bodily This is that which we reade in the Apostle Iohn 1 Ioh 4 13. Heereby know we that wee dwell in him and hee in vs because he hath giuen vs of his Spirite And Paul saith Romanes 8. Rom. 8 9. Hee that hath not the Spirite of Christ hee is none of his For as by one and the same soule all the members of the body are knit and coupled with the head and so doe liue in like manner all the faithfull albeit they remaine vpon the earth and their head be in the heauens are really vnited with him through one and the same Spirit and being vnited do liue thereby Ioh. 6 63. The like wee may say of faith whereby Christ dwelleth in our hearts Ephesians 3 17. Eph. 3 17. And our Sauiour teacheth that by beleeuing in him we eate his flesh and drinke his blood Iohn 6 35. Ioh. 6 35. If then any aske how we may obtaine and hold fast Christ Iesus seeing hee is absent from vs Or how wee may put forth our hands to take him sitting at the right hand of his Father in heauen I answere with Austine August tract 50 in Iohan. fide mitte et tenuisti Send forth thy faith and thou holdest him fast Thus Christ being absent from vs is present with vs for except he were present with vs he could not be possessed of vs nor communicated by vs. These are the two hands giuen vnto vs which the soule hath to wit the Spirit and faith The hands of the body lay hold on bodily things the hands of the soule lay hold on spirituall things There is a presence also to the sight We see the Sun daily with our eyes which though it be scituate in the heauens separated frō vs in place cōmunicateth his effect power to vs that dwel on the earth neither doe we maruell thereat and yet is the Sunne but a creature subiect vnto vs and distributed to all the people vnder the whole heauen to serue their vse Shall not Christ then the Sonne of righteousnes make vs truely partakers of his flesh by the vnsearchable power of his Spirit and the supernaturall guift of a liuely faith who can as easily ioyne together things farre off as those that are nigh Are not the faithfull seuered in place and scattered through the world ioyned as neerely together as the mēbers are h 1 Ioh. 1 3. to become one body whereof Christ is the head As the Apostle teacheth That which we haue seene and heard declare wee vnto you that ye may also haue fellowship with vs and that our fellowship also may be with the Father and with his Sonne Iesus Christ We see this likewise liuely laid out before vs in the estate of marriage though the husband and wife be sundred for a time and separated one farre from another yet the band of matrimony doth so ioyne and vnite them that the wife is one flesh with her husband albeit he be a thousand miles distant from her so is it betweene Christ and the faithfull he loued the Church and gaue himselfe for it and they are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones which coupling and combining together with Christ is wrought as we haue shewed by the Spirit principally by faith instrumentally by both most effectually Wee neede not therefore any carnall bodily presence of Christ to ioyne vs to him seeing it is truely and certainely performed by these meanes whereby we grow to a perfect man in him For as the Sunne is more comfortable to the world by his refreshing beames and sweete influence being absent then if his naturall body and compasse lay vpon the earth so the flesh of Christ being in the glory of his Father much more comforteth and refresheth our soules and bodies by his heauenly grace and spirituall influence then if he were present fleshly before our eyes And as the Sunne not discending from heauen nor leauing his place is notwithstanding present with vs in our Chambers in our houses in our hands and in our bosomes so Christ being in the highest heauens not comming downe nor forsaking his glorious habitation yet i Mat. 28 20. neuerthelesse is present with vs in our congregations in our hearts in our prayers in our meditations and in the Sacraments But of this we shall haue occasion to speake more in the chapter following and wee haue already spoken some-what of it in the
of this Sacrament agree not with the institution of CHRIST nor with the former vses set downe which now wee come to handle and to prooue out of the doctrine of the Apostles themselues Touching the first and principall end that is the remembrance meditation and shewing forth the death of Chrst with all thanksgiuing this he commanded to vs at his last departing from vs which ought much to stick in our minds because the last words of a deare friend ready to part from vs do oftentimes leaue behind both deepe impressions and deuout affections in vs. Indeed when we reade of the passioÌ„ and death of Christ it doth much moue vs to heare it opened expounded it moueth in a farther degree but more then these to haue before our eyes a visible representation of the crucifying of Christ in his last Supper doth mooue vs most of all The institution of this Sacrament he did in wisedome reserue till the approching of his death that we might not forget him when he is gone from vs. So God the Father after the vniuersal flood drowning the whol world for a remembrance of his mercy in deliuering Noah and his family from the waters and of his promise made f Gen. 9 14. neuer to destroy it so againe left to them and all posterity the Rainbow When he had iustly smitten the first borne of the Egiptians and gratiously saued the first borne of Israel he commanded Moses g Exo 13 1 2 to sanctifie to him all the first borne that first openeth the wombe to remember the day in which they came out of the land of Egipt When he had miraculously sed the Israelites with Manna from heauen that men did eate Angels food h Exod. 16 32 he would haue a golden pot ful of it to be reserued in the Arke of remembrance for the better remembrance of so great a worke So likewise being deliuered by the precious blood of Christ from the floods of sin that haue gone ouer our heads and eased of the heauy burthen that pressed downe our hearts wee haue receiued baptisme to keepe vs in remembrance thereof that we are cleansed from the filthinesse of sin Againe being nourished with Christs body crucifyed and his blood shed for vs we are commanded to vse this mystery to continue an holy remembrance of his death and passion to our endlesse comfort This end to wit to be to vs a remembrance of Christs sacrifice on the Crosse is taught by the Apostle So often as ye shall eate of this bread and drinke of this cup i Luk. 22 19 ye shew the Lords death till he come In like manner the Euangelist Luke of the bread saith Do this in remembrance of me and of the cuppe Do this as oft as ye shall drinke it in remembrance of me by declaring his death And we declare the Lords death when we publikely confesse with our mouth and beleeue with the heart that our whole hope and affiance for life and saluation is surely set in the Lords death that we may glorifie him by our confession and exhort others by our example to glorifie him because his death is our life his passion is our saluation his suffering is our reioycing We our selues are the principall and proper causes that he was torne and tormented our sins wounded him we our selues crucified him we euen we are the causes for he was chastised for vs that by death he might deliuer vs from death and from Heb. 2 14. him that had the power of death Our euill motions our vile thoughts our corrupt words and our sinfull works did set on worke Pontius Pilate Herod Annas Caiphas Iudaâ— the Gentiles and the Iewes who were but instruments as the Crosse nailes the hammer and speare these were as our seruants and workemen in the euill action of his crucifying We are all of vs ready to accuse and condemne these men wee complaine against them and pronounce sentence vpon them because they offered so great iniuries to our sweet Sauiour We lay all the blame vpon others we sticke not to call Pilat a corrupt Iudge Herod a time-seruer and a man-pleaser Annas and Caiphas brethren in euil Iudas the sonne of perdition the Iewes and Gentiles notorious offendors but all this while we haue forgotten our selues Wherefore to speake the truth not Sathan the tempter not Iudas the traytor not Caiphas the high-Priest not Pilat the chiefe Iudge not the Iewes that conspired against him not the false witnesses that accused him not the band of men that scorned him not the passengers that nodded their heads at him not the souldior that pierced him not the executioners that railed at him and nailed him on the crosse are so much to be accused and reproued for his sufferings as we we I say our selues and our owne sinnes Not that we can excuse those cursed instruments that crucified the Lord of glory who shall receiue according to their works l Zâ—ch 12 10. Iob. 19 37. when they shall see him whom they haue pierced but to teach vs chiefly to accuse and condemne our selues We bound him with cords we beate him with rods we buffetted him with fistes we crowned him with thornes we reuiled him with our mouths we railed at him with reproches wee nodded at him with our heads we thrust him through with speares we betraied him with a kisse we pierced his hands feet with nailes we crucified him between two theeues we condemned him through false witnesses we poured shame and contempt vpon his person we iudged him as plagued and smitten of God For inasmuch as our faults and offences procured these things to bee done vnto him we were the dooers by them and the dealers in them and the causes of them And surely then we are profitably grounded in the doctrine of the m Who they are that profit aright by Christs passioÌ„ passion of Christ when our hearts cease to sinne and we are pricked with an inward griefe of those great and grieuous transgressions n 1 Ioh. 3 6. Esay 53 5 6. whereby as with speares we pierced the side and wounded the very soule of the immaculate lambe of God as Ioh. 3. Who so sinneth neither hath seene him nor knowne him And the Prophet Esay teacheth cha 53. He was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes we are healed the Lord hath laide vpon him the iniquity of vs all Seeing then Christ was slaine for our sins let vs kill sin in our selues seeing he died for vs let vs labour that sin may be dead in vs seeing he was crucified for vs and our saluation let vs crucifie our own lusts that they raigne not in our mortal bodies seeing his heart was pierced with a speare let vs haue our hearts thrust through pierced and pricked with vnfaigned sorrow for all our iniquities This is the right vse this is the true end this
despaire on the other side but to beleeue which is seated in the middest is supernaturall To haue a dead faith commeth of our selues but to haue a liuely faith proceedeth from God to whome we ascribe all glory and praise Now the proper office and function of this iustifying faith standeth in apprehending receiuing and laying hold vppon Christ and all his benefites Euen as the hand stretched foorth layeth hold vpon a thing and pulleth the same vnto it so dooth faith apply the sauing promises of the Gospell to the soule as the Apostle teacheth Gal. 3. That the blessing of Abraham might come vnto the Gentiles through Iesus Christ i Gal 3 14 that we might receiue the promise of the Spirit through Faith Where he teacheth that we embrace and receiue the precious promises of saluation and forgiuenesse of our sinnes by faith beleeuing the same to belong vnto our selues The Scripture calleth Christ a redeemer indefinitely Iob calleth him his redeemer particularly Iob 19 25. I know that my Redeemer liueth The Scripture setteth out the Lord as the God of his Church Thomas vpon a speciall feeling of Christes sauour toward him l Ioh 22.28 acknowledgeth him to be his Lorde and God Iohn 20. Thou art my Lord and my God The Scripture propoundeth Christ as the Sauiour of his people the blessed virgin taketh this as spoken vnto her selfe m Luke 1 â—â— and accounteth him her Sauiour My spirit reioyceth in God my Sauiour The Scripture maketh Christ the Lord Protector of his church Elizabeth maketh a speciall Luk. 11 43. application thereof calling him her Lord. Luk. 1 Whence commeth this to me that the mother of my Lord should come vnto mee It is an Article of our holy and Christian faith to beleeue the forgiuenes of sins this must euery one beleeue this must euery one hold this must euery one apply o Math. 5 2. as Christ did to the sick man of the Palsey Mathew 9. Sonne be of good comfort thy sinnes are forgiuen thee It is the hardest thing in the world thus to beleeue whether we respect Christ or our selues An hardthing to beleeue It is an easie matter for a man when he neither knoweth nor feeleth the burden of sin to say he hath faith and beleeueth in Gods mercie but when Sathan shall sist him when his owne heart shall accuse him when sinne shall lye heauie vpon his soule when the vnsupportable and vnsufferable anger of God shall presse his conscience to the nethermost hell and the flame thereof consume his bones and turne his moysture p Psalm 32 4. into the drought of Summer if then he can stand vpright and build himselfe q Math 7 24. vpon the rocke when the floods come when the winds blow and beat vpon his house and when the ground shaketh vnder his seete this man with boldnesse and confidence may truely say and seale it vppe for an euerlasting truth My sinnes are forgiuen mee For if then he can comfort himselfe in his God and apply his gracious mercies to his owne faint heart and cry out r Iob. 13 15. Though the Lorde woulde kill me yet still will I trust in him this is the propertie of a sound faith against which the strongest gates of hell shall not preuaile This appeareth euidently vnto vs in the example of Abraham Å¿ Ro. 4 17 c who beleeued that of his olde weake withered and as it were deade body should spring children t Genes 1â— 5 like to the sande on the Sea shore and like the Starres of Heauen for multitude and that hee should haue a seede in whome himselfe and all the nations of the world should bee blessed If hee had consulted with flesh and bloode what Discourses might a naturall man alleadge to hinder the crediting of this promise yet he doubted not he disputeth not the matter but beleeued that the weake should bee made strong that the barren should be made fruitfull and a ioyfull mother of children that the dead should be made a liue to dwell with a family springing out of his owne body which was to reason as vnlikely and vnpossible as for a dry and dead tree pulled vp by the rootes to bud beare and bring foorth plentifull fruit So what can be more difficult and hard then for vs to beleeue and be perswaded that by the death of Christ we shall haue euerlasting life By his shame and dishonour we shall haue glory and praise That by his wounds and reproches we shal haue the curing and healing of our sores That by his agonies and bloody sweate we shall haue peace and rest By his condemnation we shall haue saluation Is not this after a sort in hel to see heauen In cursing to see blessing In humiliation to see exaltation In death to see life In condemnation to lay hold of saluation In feeling of sinne to beleeue the pardon of sinnes Lastly in our vnrighteousnesse and misery to be both righteous and accepted to eternall life and in the breach of the law to beleeue the fulfilling of the law This is indeed to haue the sauing faith u Tit. 1 1. of Gods elect And to say that this is an easie matter or a small thing is plainely to betray and discouer that we neuer knew what true faith meaneth For this faith let euery one of vs labour that we may a Gal. 2 20. specially and particularly apprehend the promises as the Apostle declareth Galathians 2. I am crucified w th Christ but I liue yet not I any more but Chrict liueth in me and in that that I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith in the Sonne of God who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me And againe b 2 Tim 4 â— I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith hence forth is laâ—d vp for me a Crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue vnto me at that day Where we see a speciall application to himselfe of the benefits of CHRIST and therefore it is not sufficient to beleeue that Christ came into the world that he was crucified died was buried rose againe from the dead and ascended into heauen for this is a generall faith this is the faith of the reprobates yea the Deuils know it and haue as great a part and portion therein as wee yet they tremble at the remembrance of their iudgement to come as Iames sheweth c Iames 2 19 Thou beleeuest there it one God thou doest well the deuils also beleeue and tremble There is more required of vs then to beleeue the histories and doctrine of the Scriptures to bee true and to make an outward profession of it to vnderstand and assent vnto the couenant of grace made by Christ that it is certain and shal be verified in the members of the church we must besides this generall and confused faith applie and appropriate vnto
of Christ Howbeit it is not so needfull and behooueful as that without preaching it should bee no baptisme or that for want of this it should be reiterated and the former made voide And therefore the Priests that circumcised children in the Temple did not alwaies preach the law to the people for then they must preach not onely vpon the Sabaoth but euery day in the weeke and peraduenture oftentimes in the day forasmuch as children were brought at all times to be circumcised being precisely tied vnto the eight day and therefore as children were borne euerie day of the week so doubtlesse they were brought to be circumcised euery day of the weeke And what Sermon could there be at the circumcision of Iohn Baptist the fore-runner of Christ Luke 1 62. his Father for his vnbeleefe being striken dumb and so not able to speake Luke 1 62 Againe we confesse that seales without writings are like waxe set to a blanke and therefore baptisme without the word is altogether vnauaileable and vnprofitable Notwithstanding by the word we do not vnderstand the solemne interpretation of the scriptures with doctrine and application but a declaration of the institution of Christ and a commemoration of the promises of the Gospel Thus we make the word necessarie and otherwise then thus we do not make it to be necessarie The third outward part is the element of water The 3. outward part of Baptisme which is the matter whereof baptisme consisteth Whosoeuer therefore baptizeth with any other liquor then with water as with blood with sand with snow with milke or such like matter doth frustrate baptisme and maketh it an ydle Ceremony Againe all popish corruptions superfluously added and annexed to this Sacrament contrary to the simplicity of the Gospell as Creame Crosses Censers Tapers Spittle Salt and such like vnsauoury trumpery are vtterlie condemned hauing also a superstitious opinion of holines and worship ioyned with them Lastly seeing water is an outward part the want of washing with water cannot hinder the saluation of such as die without baptisme All perished not vnder the Law that died without Circumcision God is not more rigorous vnder the Gospell neither did Christ come to condemne those whom the law saued This therefore is a bloody and discomfortable doctrine to be abandoned and abiured of all parents of all children of all christians God saide at the first to Abraham when he instituted circumcision I will be thy God and the God of thy seede Gen. 17 7. And the Apostle Paul speaking of children born of faithfull Fathers and Mothers saith That they be holie 1. Cor. 7 14. By the strength and vertue of this couenant so graciously made and faithfully kept it commeth to passe that the children of beleeuers so soone as they be borne do belong to God and to his kingdome The absolute necessitie of Baptisme How baptism is absolutelie necessary we acknowledge in two pointes first it is necessary to haue it celebrated in the church to the end of the world Christ hath commaunded it and the Church ought to keepe this commaundement without spot and without rebuke vntill the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ For as the Apostle teacheth that wee must shew the Lordes death vntill hee come so we are to baptize the members of the Church vntill hee come againe to iudge the quicke and the dead Secondlie it is necessarie in this respect because who soeuer dooth voluntarily depriue himselfe of baptisme the Sacrament of regeneration and the seale of the righteousnesse by Faith and dooth wilfully contemne it as the Pharisees did against themselues cannot be saued For it is the refusing not the wanting the contempt not the depriuation of baptisme that bringeth with it condemnation according to that which the Lorde speaketh touching circumcision Gen 17. The vncircumcised male whose flesh of his foreskinne is not circumcised that soule shall be cut off from his people he hath broken my Couenant But to say Gen. 17 14. that God cannot or will not saue children without baptisme or to beleeue that being carried towardes baptisme and dying in the way they are excluded from eternall saluation Children dying vvithout baptisme are not damned is a rash and cruell sentence of corrupt and partiall iudges First it is a false accusing of our mercifull God of extreme rigor and seuerity as if he did badlie prouide for the saluation of children borne vnder the olde testament who were restreined circumcision before the eight day Secondly it committeth the saluation or damnation of children into the power of a man or a Midwife for if they list to baptize them they shall goe into Paradise if they please not to doe it then they shall neuer come vnto Heauen Thirdly our aduersaries themselues that vrge so much the necessitie of Baptisme do teach in their writings that many are saued without the Baptisme of Water as sundrte Martirs that were neuer baptized but that the shedding of their blood hath the force of true baptisme And yet as it is well obserued this baptisme of bloode is contrarie to their owne Cannons which conclude and determine that it can be no Sacrament if hee that baptizeth hath not an intent to baptize but they dare not auouch that the persecuters and executioners conferred baptisme or euer had any intent to baptize And howe is the intent requisite in him that doth baptize more then in him that is baptized To omit this that manie haue ended their daies by martyrdome that neuer had their blood shedde and powred out of their bodies Fourthly it is agreed vpon on both sides that baptisme is once onely to be administred to one and the same person and not to be iterated or repeated what reason then can bee rendred by them why Martyrdome of a person alreadie baptized should bee no Sacrament and that the Martirdome of a person not yet baptized should bee a Sacrament For he that hath beene once baptized may bee baptized no more by anie other baptisme And thus Martyrdome shall be a greater honour and dignity in him that is not baptized then in him that hath liued and continued in the Church and beene baptized Fiftly circumcision in the olde Testament and baptisme in the new are all one and of like necessitie yet infinite people were saued vnder the olde Testament without circumcision as all the faithfull women and such as truelie repented amongst the Niniuites at the preaching of Ionas Lastly our aduersaries are constrained to ioyne with vs in that they confes that the power of God is not tied to the Sacraments Lumb l 4. dist 4 insomuch that manie partake the trueth of the Sacrament which do not receiue the outward signe of the Sacrament and that there is a baptisme of the spirit which supplieth the depriuation and default of the baptism of water And this is as much as we desire so that they teach that which wee teach and beleeue that which wee beleeue The fourth outward