sprinkling of holy water the building of Churches the erecting of Monasteries the mumbling vp of prayers the lighting of Candles the giuing of almes the putting on of sacke-cloth the chastising of the bodge the saying of Masses the buying of indulgences the going on pilgrimages and such like superstitious vanities and impieties what I say do all these auaile to make satisfactiOn to God for the sinne of our soules And when it shall be said vnto them Who required these things at your hands Esay 1 12. what shall they be able to answere nay when it shall be said I detest and abhorre your deuises and dotages what can they finde out to mutter or vtter in defence of themselues Then they shall be taken speechlesse and haue nothing to answere for themselues Our satisfaction to God is only Christs satisfaction which is perfect and absolute imputed to vs by faith who of God is made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnesse sanctification and redemption 1. Cor. 1 30. 1 Cor. 1 30. As for the popish satisfaction it is not to be receiued for these causes first because they affirme that it standeth with the iustice of God to retaine the punishment after the sinne committed is forgiuen Secondly they hold that the temporall punishments of this life due to sinne may be bought out and redeemed by our good workes Thirdly they teach that it is not sufficient to beleeue that Christ hath fully satisfied for vs who notwithstanding was made sinne for vs which knew no sinne 2 Cor. 5 21. that we should bee made the righteousnesse of God in him neither that it is enough to amend our liues but that God must be satisfied by vs for our sins in our owne persons by the punishment and chastisement of our selues as by penance enioyned by the Priest or by praiers fastings almes chastisements and such like shewes of wisedome Col. 2 23. in voluntary religion and humblenesse of mind and in not spring the body which are things of no value sith they pertaine to the filling of the flesh Col. 2.23 Lastly they auouch that satisfaction by this will-worship is not onely profitable to the sufferers themselues but also auaileable for others so that one man may beare the burthen and discharge the debt of another one man may merite and satisfie for another The very naming of these impieties and absurdities is sufficient to ouerthrow them and to make vs to detest them The last point is absolution arising from the former wherein standeth the life of this dead Sacrament For when the penitent hath performed all the former his contrition his confession and his satisfaction he is by the Priest fully absolued of his sins albeit he know nothing of the doctrine of hatred of sinne of amendment of life and of flying to the mercy of God and the merite of Christ his Sonne without which there can bee no true repentance Besides these three supposed and pretented parts of Penance may be found in the reprobate as we see in Iudas who had their contrition for he was sorrowfull their confession for he said Mathew 27 4. Mat. 27 4. I haue sinned in betraying innocent blood and their satisfaction for he brought backe againe the cursed mony that he had taken and cast it downe in the Temple and yet hee was farre from true repentance as appeareth in this that hee went out immediately and hanged himselfe Thus we haue heard at large what the popish Penance is Now the question Penance no Sacrament ariseth betweene the Church of Rome and vs whether this repentance which is a dying to sinne and a walking in newnesse of life and whether reconciliation to the Church and absolution from sinne be a Sacrament of the new Testament instituted by Christ to assure his sauing graces to vs We answere it is not First it was in time of the old Testament from the beginning of mans fall and transgression it was continually preached and published by the Prophets and therefore before Christs comming in the flesh and cannot bee a Sacrament of the new Testament Secondly it wanteth an outward signe such as water in Baptisme such as bread and wine in the Lords Supper now euery Sacrament must haue an outward element and signe to represent the spirituall grace therefore Penance can be no Sacrament Thirdly it hath no word to command it no particular promise of God which is the chiefe stay and staffe of a Sacrament Bellarmine affirmeth that d Bellar. lib. 1. de poenit ca. 10 Christ instituted the Sacrament of Penance when bee breathed upon his Apostles after his resurrection and said vnto them e Ioh. 20.22 Receiue the Holy-Ghost whose sinnes ye rem't they are remitted and whose sins ye retaine they are retained And he saith the words of absolution are the signe and that remission of sinnes is the promise of grace which is signified For answere to this assertion would gladly aske this question whether the Apostles had this ministerial power to forgiue sinnes to repentant sinners when they baptized to remission of sins if this power were heere first instituted and giuen vnto them Do they not by tying the authority of remitting sins to this time make their baptisme of none effect Besides we haue shewed that it is not sufficient to haue a sound of words that may bee heard to make an outward signe there must be a visible signe that may be seene to warrant a Sacrament Now to make a Sacrament without such a signe were to make a Sacrament without a Sacrament Lastly as they take and vnderstand Penance it is neither Sacrament nor sacred it is neither holy signe nor holy thing it is neyther an institution of God nor any way of God For they meane not thereby amendment of life or inward sorrow and griefe of minde for the life past which is sometimes testified by weeping and mourning by sacke-cloth and ashes by fasting and humiliation but they vnderstand by Penance and externall discipline satisfaction for our sins to God by our owne sufferings and that wearing of sacke-cloth sprinkling of ashes chastising of the body whipping of the flesh putting on rough apparell lying on boords and hard places abstaining from flesh and afflicting our selues by such outward exercises are a paying of the paines due to sin part of amends made to Gods iustice and meritorious before him This punishment this Penance these penalties we abhorre as an horrible blasphemy against the blood of Christ which is the onely satisfaction to God for sinne For if wee satisfie for our selues then hath not Christ satisfied for vs nor payed the price due vnto our sins Besides they charge God the Father with iniustice in that hauing laid the guiltinesse of our sins vpon his owne Sonne and punished them in him they make him not satisfied with that punishment but to exact the debt of vs againe for which his Son as our surety hath fully and sufficiently answered f Esa 53 5 7.
his right hand he doth imbrace theÌ„ so that whether they liue they liue vnto the Lord or whether they dye they dye vnto the Lord whether they liue or dye they are the Lords This is true happinesse Furthermore we raise them vp with sweet comforts consolations of the worde of God against e 1 Cor. 15.54 55 56 57. Rom. 8 1 38.39 Phil 1 12. Ioh. 11 25. 2 Tim. 4 7 8. all terror and feare of death as 1 Cor. 15. Death is swallowed vp in victory ô death where is thy sting ô graue where is thy victory The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the law but thankes bee vnto God which hath giuen vs victory through our Lord Iesus Christ. And Rom. 8. There is no condemnation to theÌ„ that are in Christ Iesus which walke not after the flesh but after the Spirite I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels principalities powers nor thâ—ngs present nor things to come neither any creature shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Christ is to vs aduantage whether in life or in death Such as beleeue in him yea though they were dead shall liue Death is to vs as a sleepe and the graue as a bed of rest A crowne of righteousnes is laid vp for vs which the righteous iudge shall giue vnto vs so that an euill death can neuer follow where a good life hath gone before forasmuch as hee cannot possible dye ill who hath liued well Death indeed is a Scorpion or serpent but his sting is pulled out hee may well hisse but he cannot hurt he may well threaten but he cannot destroy for Christ hath quelled and conquered him Now f How sicke persons may put away the tediousnes paines of sickenesse to put away the griefe and tediousnesse of sicknes wee will and wish them to meditate on the things they haue heard and learned by the ministry of the worde from time to time in their health to consider with themselues how God sometimes suffereth the wicked to prosper for a time and flourish like a greene g Psal 37 35.36 37 38. bay tree how he punisheth them in the end reseruing wrath and iudgement for them how he blesseth or correcteth his children in this life how he hath prepared eternal torments for the wicked and vnspeakable glory for the godly but aboue all the workes of God h 1 Cor. 2 7.8 9. Psal 85 10 11 we teach them deepely to thinke vpon the glorious and gracious worke of our redemption wherein the infinite mercy and iustice of God doe meete together and kisse each other taking delight and comfort therein with all thanksgiuing Wherfore we perswade theÌ„ to beare the paines and griefes of sicknes with patience constant perseuerance because all sicknesse is Gods hand who being the God of the spirits of all flesh i 1 Sam. 2 6 7. killeth and maketh aliue bringeth downe to the graue and raiseth vp againe Thereby we are indeed chastened for our sins but they are nothing in comparison of that anguish and agony which Christ suffered for vs neither are they worthy of the exceeding glory which shall be shewed vnto vs and it is their duty to blesse God with all their hearts that they suffer no more seeing their afflictions if they were greater are inferior to their sins and seeing the same Lord that hath in mercy laid this gentle correction vpon theÌ„ made them to drink of his fatherly cup for their good might iustly punish them in all the parts of their bodies and in al the powers of their soules and then cast them into hel to haue their portion for euer with the Diuell and his Angels But God hath predestinated vs k 2 Tim. 2 11 12. to be like the image of his son so that the deeper we sinke downe in sorrowes the more perfectly we resemble Christ it is the great mercy of God we are not vtterly consumed that his louing kindnes is not at an end toward vs. The sicknes of the body is phisick for the soule for the striking of the one is the healing of the other by the Crosse wee must enter the kingdome of heauen and learne to loath the pleasures profits of this present life If they fall to despaire and doubting l Remedies against doubting and despaire of Gods fauour loue toward them in Christ m Ezek. 34 4. Luke 19 10. we labor to strengthen the weake and binde vp the broken hearted we are ready to leaue ninety and nine in the wildernes and seeke that lost one We bring them to God that hath striken theÌ„ and made the wound considering that the sonne of man is come To seeke and to saue that which is lost God is mercifull and his mercy endureth for euer he desireth not the death of a sinner but that he turne vnto him His mercy is ouer all the workes of his hands it is like the Ocean-sea where no bottome can be found or sounded It is the expresse commandement of God n 1 Ioh. 3 20. that wee should beleeue in Christ who hath triumphed gloriously against sinne against Sathan against hell against death against damnation against desperation The promises of the Gospell exclude no man o Esay 55 1 2 Mat. 11 28. vnlesse we exclude our selues Infidelity doubtfulnesse and despaire are very greeuous sinnes and strike at the very heart of God Wee must vnder hope beleeue aboue hope with faithfull Abraham The mercies of God and the merites of Christs obedience are infinite p Esay 54 10. higher then the high Heauens deeper then the earth broader then the Sea stronger theÌ„ the law mightier then the Diuell and greater then all the sinnes of all the world combined and heaped together Besides God doth measure the obedience due to him q Rom. 7.20 rather by the affection then by the action rather by the desire to obey then by the outward performance of it Moreouer when one sinne is forgiuen all the rest are likewise forgiuen euen as repentance of one sinne bringeth with it repentance of all knowne sinnes r Rom. 11 29. For the gâ—fts and call ng of God are without repentance Last of all we admonish them to consider that grace and faith howsoeuer they may be smothered are neuer wholy taken away by sinnes of infirmity Å¿ Rom. 5 20. but thereby are manifested and magnified Touching their families we say vnto them call them before you exhort them to cleaue t How sicke persons are to behaue theÌ„selues in respect of their families vnto God with full purpose of heart to loue him to walke before him in fear and reuerence and to serue him in righteousnesse all the dayes of their life giue them charge to learne beleeue and obey the true religion and doctrine of saluation set downe in the writings of the Prophets and
THE NEVV COVENANT OR A Treatise of the Sacraments Whereby the last Testament of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ through the shedding of his Pure and Precious Blood is ratified and applyed vnto the Conscience of euery true Beleeuer Diuided into three Bookes 1. Of the Sacraments in Generall 2. Of Baptisme 3. Of the Lords Supper Verie Necessarie and Profitable for these Times wherein we may behold THE Truth it selfe plainly prooued Doctrine of the Reformed Churches clearely maintained Errors of the Church of Rome soundly conuinced Right maner of the Receiuing of thē comfortably declared And sundry doubts and difficult Questions decided By William Attersoll Minister of Gods word at Isfield in Sussex For by one Spirit we are all Baptized into one Body whether wee be Iewes or Grecians whether we be Bond or Free and haue beene all made to Drinke into one Spirit 1 Cor. 12 13. The second Edition Newly Corrected and Enlarged Printed at London by W. Iaggard and are to be solde by Nicholas Bourne at his Shop at the entrance of the Royall Exchange 1614. TO THE RIGHT worshipful Sir IOHN SHVRLEY Knight all health and happinesse from Christ Iesus our Sauiour Right Worshipfull THE former Edition of this Treatise touching the Sacraments some eight yeares since published was not onely by your selfe louingly receiued but by diuers godly Christians beyond my expectation fauourably and friendly accepted And being at length content to yeeld to a new Impression it hath fared with mee in perusing this worke as with him that goeth about to repaire an old house For albeit he purpose with himselfe to pull downe a little or to make a slender addition and alteration in the building yet when once he beginneth to stirre and meddle with the old frame one piece draweth downe another and the augmenting of one part I know not how in a pleasing manner procureth the adding and annexing of another In like manner when I determined to review and peruse this booke mine intent was no more then heere and there to insert a little as time reading conference and better iudgement haue giuen occasion to see farther but beeing entred into the matter and one change causing another the worke is risen to this volume like a flood that swelleth by the accesse and comming in of other waters that it may rather seeme to be the making of a new then the amending of an olde I haue endeuoured heere to set before the eyes of all that wil vouchsafe to reade these lines the nature and vse of the Sacraments which were instituted of almighty God to admonish vs by their mysticall signification both of his goodnes and of our weaknesse being as signes and seales to assure vs of Christ and of his righteousnesse and all his merits There are diuers sorts of signes mentioned in the holy Scriptures which may be fitly sorted into foure ranks Some are naturall Mat. 16 2 3 as the clouds be a signe of raine the rednes of the sky in the euening of faire weather the lowring of the sky in the morning of foule weather Some are ciuill as a sword carried before a Magistrate is a signe of his authority Rom. 13 4. as the Consuls of Rome had their roddes and axe born by their officers Some are miraculous as we see in Gedeons fleece Iudg. 6 36. Mat. 24 29 which was wet when the earth was dry and dry when the earth was wet such shall be in the Sunne and Moone and in the starres in the end of the world as the Lord declareth Other are religious signes which appertaine to piety and godlinesse and an heauenly life of which some are tokens of things past Exod. 16 33 Heb 9 4. Leuit. 8 7 as the reseruing of Manna some of things present as the garments of the Priests and Leuites and their often clensings and purifications Some be signes of things to come as the sacrifices and oblations But the Sacraments of the new Couenant and last Testament of CHRIST sealed by his precious blood which wee haue heere described serue as monuments and memorials of all these euen to note out vnto vs blessings past and present and to come For they signifie the death and passion of Christ which is already past likewise the promise of grace and forgiuenesse which are present to the mindes of all right receiuers Lastly holinesse of life mortification of sinne repentance from dead workes and the fruites of faith heereafter more and more to be perfected and performed as also the resurrection of the body and eternall life which are to bee accomplished in the world to come Especially I haue beene carefull a The corruptions of the Romane Church vnmasked to vnmaske the corruptions of the Church of Rome if I may call that vnmasking which is in it selfe so palpable and apparent that whosoeuer hath the sight of the eye may quickly espy them or the vse of reason may easily discouer them wherein wee haue the full consent of the former and purer Churches If we wil a little consider the truth of this point and compare the doctrine of the reformed Churches with the pollutions and prophanations of the Romish Synogogue we shal plainely perceiue that light and darknes are not more different and repugnant then these are the one to the other Indeed they oftentimes appeale to the sentence of the Fathers as if their faith were the ancient faith and their doctrine had the approbation of elder times howbeit all this foppery serueth but for a flourish to varnish their rotten postes with deceitfull colours forasmuch as they are content the Fathers shall be expositers of the Scriptures but it is with this caueat and condition that themselues will bee Interpreters of the Fathers Wherefore I will b 3 points discussed propound as it were in a Table 3. points to be handled First their contrarieties and oppositions standing against the truth Secondly their contentions and contradictions remaining among themselues Lastly I will answere their obiection that thinke the matter is not so cleere on our side as we pretend who contemne Transubstantiation and the reall presence and maintaine the spirituall eating against the carnall and Capernaiticall First touching their corruptions c Comparisō between the Lords supper the Masse and contrarieties they are so notable and notorious to all the world that they can no longer hide them and conceale them as we may gather by comparing the institution of Christ with the traditions and abhominations of Antichrist Christ deliuered his last Supper as he sate at the Table with his Disciples where they did all eate as at a banket but Antichrist hath turned and transformed this Supper into the abhominable Idoll of the Masse which hath no shew or appearance of any feast at all where the Priest plaieth this Pageant alone hee sitteth not at the Table but standeth at the Altar turneth away his face from the people beeing belike ashamed that they should see his fraud and
compact which the eternall God hath in great mercy and compassion made with mortall and miserable men accepting them into grace and fauour promising to them remission of their sins and saluation of their soules The summe and effect of this Booke These things the iudicious Reader shall finde largely discussed in this Treatise which I haue therefore called The New Couenant because it layeth open the doctrine of the Sacraments which serue to confirme and strengthen vs in that Couenant and compact which the eternall God hath in great mercy and compassion made with mortall and miserable men accepting them into grace and fauour promising to them remission of their sins and saluation of their soules These my rude though renewed labours I willingly submit to the wise censure of my learned Brethren remembring that the spirits of the Prophets are subiect vnto the Prophets If I haue any where erred through humane infirmity 1 Cor. 14 32 or mistaken the matter any way which I go about to prooue or perswade I desire them heartily by some meanes to giue mee friendly notice thereof which I shall receiue as precious balme or as an excellent oyle that shall not breake my head Psal 141 5 The Lord God almighty from whom euery good giuing and euery perfect giuing proceedeth establish vs in the New Couenant and make vs carefull to keepe the conditions thereof to the increase of our knowledge to the growth of our faith to the furtherance of our obedience to the comfort of our soules and to the glory of his great name Amen Amen Thy Brother in Christ our Sauiour William Attersoll THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE Sacraments in generall Of the agreement and difference betweene the Word and Sacraments CHAP. 1. GOD euen from the beginning added vnto the preaching of the word a God alway gaue his sacraments to his Church his Sacramentes in the Church as the Scripture teacheth outwardly repesenting and visibly offering to our sight those things that inwardly hee performeth to vs as b Gen 2 9. the tree of life the tree of knowledge of good euil in the Garden After mans fall when a new necessity was added in regard of mans want and weakenesse he testified his loue and ratified his Coueant by sacrifices Ceremonies to our first Parents Hee gaue the c Gen. 6 14. Arke to Noah and his sonnes to confirme them in the promise which he made to them that they should not be drowned with the rest of the world Hee added to Abraham d Gen. 17 11. the signe of circumcision as a seale e Rom 4 11. of the righteousnesse of faith and to the Israelites hee gaue the Passeouer Manna oblations purifications the brazen Serpent the Rocke and such like spirituall tipes whereby he assured them of the promise that God for the onely sacrifice of Christ wrought vpon the Crosse would giue to all that beleeue forgiuenes of sinnes and euerlasting life Now the word of God may fitly bee resembled to writings and euidences and the f The agreemeÌ„t between the Word Sacraments Sacraments to seales which the Lord alone setteth to his owne letters They are as a visible Sermon preaching vnto vs most liuely the promises of God that as the worde wee heare doth edifie and instruct the minde by the outward eares so do the Sacraments by the eyes and other senses First then that wee may vnderstand the doctrine nature of the Sacraments wee are to consider what the word and Sacraments haue in common and how they agree one with another then what they haue peculiar and proper each to other and how they differ one from another The argument betweene them standeth in these points First both are of God and instruments which the Holye Ghost vseth to this ende to make vs more and more one with Christ and partakers of saluation not that God needeth them or that he is tyed vnto them for as he can nourish without meate and drinke so he can saue without word or Sacraments but because wee neede them hee vseth them when hee will and as often as it pleaseth him The same which is published and promised by the worde of God is signified and sealed by the Sacraments For they are not a deliuering of new promises and articles of faith but seale vp such as are offered in the word Secondly although God vse them as instruments of his grace yet the especiall working and forcible power of them is not in them but dependeth on God alone so that wee must not thinke that whosoeuer partaketh them is partaker of grace saluation forgiuenesse of sinnes and euerlasting glory but the vertue of them floweth from him onely as from a fountaine A man may heare the word and receiue the Sacraments all the dayes of his life and be neuer the better except God change the minde open the heart enlighten the vnderstanding cleanse the conscience and sanctifie the affections to his glory Thirdly as the preaching of the word profiteth nothing vnlesse it be vnderstood applied and receiued but g Heb. 4 1. tendeth to iudgement so the Sacraments except wee bring the hand of faith with vs cannot giue vs faith nor grace but tend to our condemnation Yet as the Gospell is alwaies the sauour of life vnto life of it owne nature and the h Heb. 4 12. word liuely and of comfortable operation howsoeuer the vnfaithfull turne it to be the sauour of death vnto death So the Sacraments cease not in themselues to bee true Sacraments although they bee administred by vnworthy Ministers and receiued by vnfaithfull people For mans wickednesse cannot peruert much lesse euert the nature of Gods ordinance Lastly as the best seede springeth not vp and bringeth not fruit so soone as it is sowne but lyeth a time couered in the earth to take rooting so the fruite reaped by the word and benefit receiued by the Sacraments presently appeareth not but groweth and increaseth at the time appointed of God who will blesse them in his elect at what season himselfe hath ordained Thus wee see what the word and Sacraments haue in common both are instruments of the same grace both haue their benefit blessing and force depending on God both require faith to bee mingled with them without which they are vnprofitable and lastly they profite not by and by at the same moment they are published administred heard or receiued but God afterward worketh oftentimes by them in his children to their great comfort when all fruite to come by them seemed to be buried The Disciples at the first vnderstood no more of Christs resurrection then the vnbeleeuing Iewes did when hee saide i Iohn 2 19. Destroy this Temple and I wâ—ll builde it againe in three dayes But they lay it vp in their hearts and long afterward remember the words he spake vnto them So wheÌ„ they saw Christ riding to Ierusalem the multitude spreading their garments in the way and cutting
in the externall worke placing holinesse and remission of sinnes in the deede done and thus the thing signified is little regarded and wholy abolished r Gen. 41 4. as the euill fauoured and leane-fleshed Kine did eate vp the fat well-fauored this was Pharaohs dream and the other is mans deuise For these men giue all to the outward receiuing placing holinesse and remission of sinnes therein and thinking themselues sure and secure when the bread and wine is taken at the Lords table Thus all hypocrites libertines and carnall Gospellers doe for all the religion deuotion and godlinesse of these idle and ignorant professors standeth in outward resorting to the Church and in an outward taking of the communion of the body blood of Christ which is to make an Idoll of the signe and to flatter themselues in their euils to their owne destruction For albeit a man haue beene baptized and haue receiued the Lords Supper yet if hee liue wickedly and walke after his owne lusts the Sacraments shall auaile and aduantage him nothing at all but further his condemnation Vse 3 Lastly hath the Sacrament some partes outward and some inward some seene and some not seene with bodilye eyes Then it giueth occasion both to parents to teach their children the meaning of these mysteries and to declare vnto them the ordinances of God as likewise to children and the yonger sort to aske and inquire of their parents to heare and learne of them the doctrine of the Sacraments thereby to know the mercifull promises that God hath made to his people This appeareth Å¿ Exod. 12 26.27 chap. 13 14 15. directly where the fathers are forewarned to teach their children the hidden mystery of the Passeouer When your children aske you what seruice is this yee keepe then yee shall say It is the sacrifice of the Lords Passeouer which passed ouer the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when he smote the Egyptians and preserued our houses So likewise Ch. 13 14. speaking of separating and sanctifying the first borne for the seruice of God hee chargeth parents to whet this doctrine on their children and to instruct them how God with a mighty hand and outstretched arme brought them out of Egypt out of the house of bondage Againe t Iosh 4 6 7.8 21 22 23. wee see when the Lord had parted the waters of Iordan that the people might passe he commanded Ioshua to set vp 12. stones in memoriall of the mighty and miraculous worke of God for his people against their enemies and when their children should aske them in time to come what was meant by those stones they should answere that the waters of Iordan were cut off before the Arke of the couenant of the Lord. Hee would not onely haue themselues to profite by his wonderfull workes but to retaine the remembrance of them he would haue their posterity to know the cause occasion thereof and so glorifie his name for euer Heereunto we may fitly ioyne u Psal 78 2 3 4 5 6 7. what the Psalmist saith I will open my mouth in a parable I will declare high sentences of olde which wee haue heard and knowne and our fathers haue told vs we will not hide them from their children but to the generation to come we will shew the praises of the Lord his power also and his wonderfull workes that he hath done that the posterity might know it and the children which should be borne should stand vp and declare it to their children that they might set their hope on God cannot forget the workes of God but keepe his commandements All these things serue to this purpose to shew that it is a duty and burden laide on the shoulders of all parents to acquaint their children with the workes of God especially with the benefits of our redemption wrought by Christ for our saluation If they aske the question why Infants are baptized and washed with water into the name of the holy Trinity wee must make plaine vnto them the meaning of that mystery Wee must say vnto them My children a How to teach our childâ—en the meaning of the Sacraments this is a signe of the Couenant of Gods mercy to vs and our duty to God it is a mystery of our saluation and teacheth that beeing in our selues vncleane vnrighteous vnholy and sinfull our soules are washed by the blood of Christ euen as the water in baptisme washeth our bodyes wherein the mercy of God is so much the more maruailous in our eyes insomuch as the Iewes were entred into the couenant by cutting lancing and effusion of bloud in circumcision Againe before they come to yeares ro receiue the holy Supper of the Lord we must informe them at home and declare the institution of that Sacrament and the comfortable vses thereof to them so they may afterward come to this Communion with better warrant of their worke with greater comfort to themselues and with lesse danger to their soules Wee must teach them that as the bread is broken and the Wine powred out so the body of Christ was crucified and his blood shed for the remission of our sins and that if we beleeue in the Lord Iesus we are nourished in our soules to eternal life by the passion of Christ our Sauiour as certainly as our bodies are nourished with the creatures of bread wine Notwithstanding there is a generall defect of this duty in many parents neither are children ready to inquire learn at home neither are parents able to answere any thing in these matters of God waywardnes in the one worldlines in the other ignorance in them both hath taken away all care and conscience from them touching these holye and heauenlye mysteries so that neyther the one teacheth nor the other learneth neyther the Childe enquireth nor the father answereth CHAP. IIII. Of the first outward part of a Sacrament THe outward partes of a Sacrament are such things as a What outward parts are vnder a certaine similitude and sikenesse do represent and signifie heauenly thinges to assure vs they are as truely prelent and offered vs as wee behold with our eyes and receiue with our hands the earthly things giuen vnto vs. The outward parts of a Sacrament are in number b Foure outward parts of a Sacrament foure First the Minister Secondly the word of institution Thirdly the signe Fourthly the receiuer All these and euery one of them are needful to the beeing and nature of a Sacrament take them away or any of theÌ„ and you take away the substance and bring in a nullity of the Sacrament If there be no Minister no word no element no receiuer there is no Sacrament If there be wanting eyther Minister to deliuer it or word to institute it or element to represent it or receiuer to take it wee cannot assure our selues to haue any SacrameÌ„t of God but rather a tradition and inuention of our owne In this
signified how commeth it to passe that Ismael being circumcised as well as Isaack and Esau circumcised as well as Iacob yet one beeing borne after the flesh persecuted him that was borne after the Spirite Genesis 21. Galathians 4.29 the other was not beloued of God neyther had grace giuen vnto him as the Scripture saith Rom 9 13. Iacob haue I loued but Esau haue I hated Lastly the outward circumcision that is in the flesh may bee out of the Church and receiued of them that are no members of the Church as it was of the Idumeans Ismaelites Samaritans and such as were strangers from the couenant as also the Turkes and Sarazins receiue it in our daies So is it with baptisme it doth not bring vs iustification by the outward worke done but sometimes it may go before the signe and sometimes follow after The like might be said touching Manna giuen vnto the Israelites Exod. 16. and the water of separation Num. 19. We may ioyne all these together because the force of them is alike and therefore the answere to the one is an answere to the other The next type is touching the cleansing of Naaman the Obiection 4 Syrian by washing seauen times in Iordan 2. Kings 5. as then those waters did truely heale him so the water in baptisme doth heale the soule and iustifie the sinner I answere Answere this is to draw from a wrong supposition a false conclusion forasmuch as euen those waters had no such inherent power or secret vertue but onely for the present by a miraculous dispensation of God they cleansed him of his leprosie neyther had they of themselues any other hidden vertue included in them then the Riuers that wer in Damascus 2 Kings 5 12. And therefore Naaman being cleansed did not magnifie the strength of that water aboue all other Riuers in other regions but the great mercy of God toward him and promised he would worship no other God but the God of Israel The next type is from the poole of Bethesda Iohn 5. Obiection 5 which healed all manner of diseases at the mouing of the waters and the waters in Siloam wherewith the blinde man is commanded to wash Iohn 9. I answere Answere the Scripture is plaine that an Angell went downe at a certain season into the poole troubled the water without which moouing and stirring of it no cure was wrought at any time Againe if this power had beene naturall and inseparably tyed vnto it then the water would haue cured and healed all the whole multitude of impotent persons of blinde of hâ—lt and of withered that should step into it contrary to the expresse words of the text Whosoeuer did first after the troubling of the water step into it Iohn 5 4. was made whole of whatsoeuer disease he had So that the poore impotent man which had an infirmity 38. yeares needed not to haue complained that no man when the water was troubled would put him into the poole but while hee was comming another stepped downe before him And touching the blinde man he was not healed and helped eyther by the spittle or the clay or the waters or by the force of all them together which had of theÌ„selues serued and sufficed rather to haue hindred the sight then to haue opened the eyes it was the miraculous worke of Christs own hand who worketh sometimes aboue means and sometimes contrary to meanes Thus much touching the obiections arising from sundry types and allusions which hee hath heaped vp and hudled out of the olde and new Testament Now touching the obiections drawne from expresse Obiection 1 places we will briefly runne them ouer forasmuch as many of them conclude not for them but against them First of all Iohn Baptist saith I baptize you with water but hee that commeth after mee shall baptize with the Holy-Ghost Math. 3. I answere Answere Iohn sheweth in these words that he was onely the Minister of the outward signe and could worke nothing in the hearts of men whereas Christ whoÌ„ he pointed out and of whom he spake would bestow the Spirite vpon them and those things which belong vnto their saluation Euen as the Apostle speaking of his ministry doth notably in other words expound this saying of Iohn 1 Cor. 3. I haue planted Apollos hath watered but God giueth the increase so that neither he that planteth nor he that watereth is any thing but God that giueth the increase That which Paul vttereth touching the preaching of the word and Iohn of the Sacrament of Baptisme we may fitly transferre and aptly apply to the Supper of tho Lorde wherein the Minister doth distribute the bread and deliuer the cup of the Lord but the Lord himselfe doth feed those that beleeue in him with his body blood which is meate indeed and drinke indeed The next testimony is taken out of Marke 16 16. Hee Obiection 2 that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued Heere the force of sauing is ascribed to baptisme not to faith now it cannot saue but by iustifying and washing away the filthinesse of our sinnes I answere Answere in the Apostles dayes men of yeares and not infants onely were baptized in regard whereof profession of faith and confession of sins did go before Math. 3 6. They were baptized confessing their sinnes Againe Christ our Sauiour teacheth that saluation dependeth on faith Iohn 5 24. He that beleeueth is passed from death to life he neuer said Whosoeuer receiueth the outward baptisme is passed from death to life It is faith that ioyneth vs to God and not the washing of the body with water Lastly if grace were tyed to the outward signe hee would haue said He that is not baptized shal be damned whereas Christ saith onely Hee that beleeueth not shall bee damned Neuerthelesse faith and baptisme are both ioyned together that euery one should submit himselfe to the ordinance of God and know that to the guift of faith he must annexe the vse of the Sacraments The third testimony is borrowed from the conference Obiection 3 of Christ with Nicodemus Iohn 3. Except a man bee borne againe of water and the Holy Ghost hee cannot enter into the kingdome of God I answere Answere It is not necessary to vnderstand this place litterally of the water in baptisme but of the grace of Christ which cleanseth the soule as water doth the body which in other places is called The water of life Iohn 4 11. and 7.38 where speaking of the water of life the Euangelist addeth This hee spake of the Spirite which they that beleeued in him should receiue Againe water is ioyned with the Spirit in this place as fire is ioyned with the Spirite in another place Math. 3 11. He shal baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire but there is no necessity nor so much as probability there to vnderstand fire properly why then should we take water properly in this place and wherefore in places that are like should wee seeke a meaning
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
it to performe his promise and make good his word So hath God left with vs his Sacraments as an earnest penny to assure vs of his word and the vnchangeable faithfulnesse of his promise shall we then make no account of them or esteeme them at our owne pleasure We make our selues guilty of the blood of Christ and as much as lyeth in vs say to the almighty Depart from vs we will none of the knowledge of thy waies we will walke after the stubbornnes of our harts Lastly are the Sacraments as a band with a condition that leaueth vs not at liberty to doe what wee list but Vse 4 bindeth vs to performe the condition Then wee must learne from hence that howsoeuer God haue dealt in mercy toward vs offering vs the pardon of our sinnes promising to receiue vs as sonnes and assuring vs to bestow vpon vs eternall life yet if we be not faithfull and obedient vnto him but reiect these benefits from vs walke not worthy of them they shall be taken from vs giuen to a people that will make more account of them The couenant that God hath made is a mutuall promise and agreement betweene God and man whereby God giueth men assurance that he will be gracious fauourable vnto them remitting their sinnes bestowing vpon thē righteousnes bringing thē to saluation reseruing them to his heauenly kingdome through Christ his Son and our redeemer And on the other side men binde themselues to faith repentance and obedience and to be thankful vnto him for so great and gracious benefits This mutuall compact and couenant that it might bee made firme and authenticall is sealed by the outward badges and tokens of baptisme and the Lords Supper which are sacred signes testifying Gods good will toward vs and confirming our duty toward him This is no small mercy shewed vnto vs but the most sacred and soueraigne guift of God that can be bestowed vpon any people in this life as Psal 111.9 The Prophet remembreth in the last place that he sent redemption vnto his people he hath commanded his couenant for euer So the Apostle maketh it as a wonderfull priuiledge that God gaue to the Iewes in that they had the signe of circumcision and the Oracles of God committed vnto them Rom. 3 1 2. According to the saying of the Prophet Psal 14.19.20 Hee shewed his word to Iacob his statutes and ordinances vnto Israel he hath not dealt so with euery Nation neither haue they knowne his iudgements This ought to teach diligence and worke conscience in al sorts of men least we depriue our selues of the guifts of God lent vnto vs and bestowed vpon vs. Thus we see first of all that mankinde generally neyther was neither is within the couenant but onely such as by faith imbrace and lay holde on the couenant The Apostle saith Gal. 3.22 The Scripture hath concluded all vnder sin that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should be giuen to them that beleeue Without faith it is vnpossible to please God and therefore there is no promise of reconciliation made without faith The couenant betweene God and man touching righteousnes and eternall life was deliuered and reuealed from the beginning to our first parents immediately after their fall before they were driuen out of the Garden of Eden Gen. 3 15. The seede of the Woman shall bruise the Serpents head And in the tenour of this couenant God did put a difference betweene the seede of the woman and the seede of the Serpent By the seed of the woman he meaneth the head and his members Christ and the faithfull that beleeue in him as also by the seed of the Serpent all the reprobate that liue and dye in their sinnes forasmuch as he that committeth sinne is of the Diuell 1 Iohn 3 8. and he is their father Iohn 8 44. Hence we see how foule and fearefull a thing it is to be without faith all such are without life without Christ without the couenant euen strangers from the couenants of promise without hope and without God in the world Againe al such as contemne grace offered vnto them in the Mediator Christ Iesus who is the foundation and ground-worke of this couenant in whom all the promises of God are yea and amen All such as follow sinne with greedines and drinke iniquity as water such as are both bare and barren in good things for euer but plentifull in bringing forth the workes of darknesse and the fruites of disobedience are all out of the couenant and haue no promise made vnto them of grace of righteousnesse of reconciliation of protection and of saluation It is required of vs to repent and beleeue the Gospell Mar. 1 15. But if we begin to breake with God shall we thinke to hold him close to his couenant and to challenge him with his word Will we tye him to conditions and imagine to goe free our selues Will we vrge him hard with his promise and as it were lay heauy burdens vpon him and not touch them our selues with our little finger Hee promiseth nothing vnto vs except we keepe couenant with him And what reason is it that we should looke to receiue blessings at his hands when we will yeelde no duty of obedience vnto him For as God promiseth to bee with vs and bestow all good things vpon vs so we binde our selues vnto him to become his children and his seruants to feare him to loue him and to walke in vprightnesse before him God neuer beginneth to breake with vs neither falsifyeth his truth He neuer forsaketh vs vntill we forsake him and therefore the Prophet said to Asa king of Iuda 2. Chron. 15 2. The Lord is with you while ye he with him and if ye seeke him hee will be found of you but if ye forsake him hee will forsake you In all couenants the condition must euer more be marked considered and obserued It is vnpossible that God should lye he cannot faile vs or deceiue vs. The like fidelity toward him is required of vs. It is not enough for vs to know what God hath promised but it is requisite for vs to learne vpon what conditions he hath promised to be gracious vnto vs. He neuer promised to be mercifull vnto any but vnder the expresse condition of sincere obedience If we will beleeue and obey we shall prosper but if we become rebellious and stubborne he will also walke stubbornely against vs and bring vpon vs all the curses theatned in his word CHAP. XV. Of the third vse of a Sacrament THus much of the second vse the third vse of the Sacraments a The third vse of a Sacrament is to be a marke badge of our profession is to bee badges and markes of our Christian profession that thereby one of vs should acknowledge an other to be of one houshold and of one family of one society and as it were birds of one feather For heereby we doe manifest whose
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
Cyprian lib. 4. epist 7. that such as are sprinkled with water being sicke are no lesse truely baptized then such as are otherwise washed But let vs see who they are that haue right and interest in baptisme and who are capable of this Sacrament For not euery one without respect without difference without distinction is to bee admitted to this priuiledge because they are not fitte receiuers thereof If a Minister should take the outward element and vse the word of institution baptizing in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost yet it can bee no Sacrament vnlesse the deliuerer haue authority to administer it and the party baptized haue warrant to receiue it If hee should baptize a stone or an Image or a bruit beast without reason and vnderstanding these are no fit receiuers heere is an apparant and flat nullity whereby appeareth farther the truth of the former rule that besides the ioyning of the word to the outward signe there is necessarily required a fitted person to be partaker of the Sacrament as is more at large expressed Booke 3. Chap. 3. To proceede b Who are in the couenant wee must know that the receiuers are such as are within the couenant and such as professe the truth whether in truth or not wee leaue to GOD that searcheth the hearts and reines c Rom. 14 4. let vs not iudge another mans seruant he standeth or falleth to his owne maister Againe such as are borne in the couenant are of two sorts First men and women of yeares Secondly infants that are the seede of the faithfull For the faithfull do beleeue for themselues and for others as in bargaines they couenaâ—â— and contract for themselues and their heires after them for euer Although children cannot be saide to be saued by their fathers faith no more then to liue by the fathers soule inasmuch as the Prophet d Hab. 2 4. Rom. 1 17. Gal. 3 11. Heb. 10 38. teacheth That the iust shall liue by his owne faith yet the faith of the parents maketh their children to be counted in the couenant who by reason of their age cannot yet actually beleeue as they that want all knowledge and vnderstanding e Ionah 4 11. not discerning the right hand from the left Euery man liueth this temporall life by his owne soule so euery man liueth the eternall life by his owne faith True it is baptisme is a common seale But as all haue not interest to the pasture herbage and priuiledges of a Commons but onely such as are tenants according to the custome of the manor so all haue not title to baptisme being a Sacrament of the Church but onely such as are the Lords people according to the tenour of the couenant Touching the first sort of such as are to be baptized they are men women of riper yeares who adioyne themselues to the Church testifie their repentance hold the foundation of religion f Acts 8.36 and confesse their faith as Acts 8. If thou beleeuest thou maiest bee baptized The second sort are infants within the couenant g 1 Cor. 7 14. which haue both their parents or one at the least faithfull as 1 Cor. 7 14. The vnbeleeuing husband is sanctified to the wife and the vnbeleeuing wife is sanctified to the husband else were your children vncleane but now they are holy Where the Apostle sheweth that albeit a beleeuer bee vnequally yoaked and matched with an vnbeleeuer yet he is not to be forsaken nor the marriage bed to be accounted polluted inasmuch as their children are sanctified to God and the Church as well as if they were borne of both parents faithfull For so the children of the Israelites being of the posterity of Abraham are included in the couenant of God We are not curiously to enquire into the secret counsell and election of God we must h We must hope well of the seed of the faithfull and thereâ—ore we baptize them hold all the seed of the faithfull holy vntill they cut off themselues and in processe of time openly declare themselues to be strangers from the promises of saluation Againe the same Apostle i Rom. 11 16 Gen. 17 7. saith Rom. 〈◊〉 If the first fruites be holy so is the whole lumpe if the roote bee holy so are the branches So likewise God testifieth Gen. 17. I will establ sh my couenant betweene me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an euerlasting couenant to be a God to thee and to thy seede after thee Such onely were circumcised as were within the couenant Notwithstanding they which were borne of vnbeleeuing parents and were strangers from the common-wealth of Israel and aliants from the promises of saluation if they acknowledged the errors in which they liued and sought forgiuenes of their former sins were accounted the childreÌ„ of faithfull Abraham were admitted into the Church and receiued circumcision as the apostles said to the Iailer k Act. 16 30.31 humbled vnder the mighty hand of God and desiring to be instructed in the way of saluation Beleeue in the Lord IESVS CHRIST and thou shalt be saued and thy whole houshold So the Euangelist testifieth the like of Zacheus when he had once receiued CHRIST into his house nay which is more into his heart l Luk. 19 9. then Iesus saide vnto him This day is saluation come vnto this house forasmuch as he is also become the sonne of Abraham Thus when the Sunne of righteousnesse shineth vpon the head and maister of the family the beames thereof by a gracious influence begin to comfort and conserue m Act. 16 14 3 15. 1 Cor. 1 16. Ioh. 4 53. 2 Ioh verse 1. al the rest in the house like the precious oyntment vpon the head of Aaron that ranne downe vpon the beard and descended vpon the borders of his garments or like the dew that falleth from heauen vpon Hermon and the Mountaines of Sion n Psal 133.2 which goeth downe into the vallies and maketh all the plaine country fertill The knowledge of this point offereth diuers profitable Vse 1 vses to our consideration and consolation First it is the duty of all those that are within the couenant to giue their bodies to be washed and to receiue that washing in the face and presence of the Congregation Let such as are of yeares desire and craue this Sacrament let them claime this priuiledge o Act. 8 36. 22 16. let them demand to bee baptized according to the example of the Eunuch Acts 8. So soone as he was instructed in the faith of Christ by the preaching of Philip as he came to a certaine water he said of his owne accord See heere is water what doth let me to be baptized So to the same purpose Act. 22. Ananias stirreth vp Paul to this duty saying Why tariest thou Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sinnes Secondly this condemneth sundry corruptions and
abuses Vse 2 first the blinde ignorant and superstitious practise of baptizing belles p The church of Rome prophaneth baptisme by baptizing belles practised in the Church of Rome whereof now they begin to be ashamed and seeking figge-leaues to couer their shame they say they wer not baptizd but onely hallowed and consecrated to holy vses as Bellarmine betaketh himselfe to this shift as to a place of refuge Lib. 4. de pon Rom. cap. 12. Where the Cardinall confesseth that the people call their solemne blessing and sprinkling with holy-water the baptisme of belles And indeede what can it else be called and accounted For they baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost They giue names vnto them as to their children they haue God-fathers appointed vnto them as children haue when they are baptized confirmed q Bellar. de sacra bapt lib. 1. cap. 27. they haue new garments put vpon them as the persons baptized among them likewise haue it is also permitted onely to the Bishops suffragan who exacteth great summes of money for the baptizing of belles they ascribe to them a spirituall power against stormes and tempests against thunder and lightening against windes and euill spirits Lastly they sprinkle them with holy-water blesse them crosse them and so horribly corrupt this Sacrament of baptisme Yea Durand a principall schooleman not in the schooles of the Prophets but of the Papists a fit teacher of such schollers setteth out solemnly r Durand lib. 1 Ench rid cap. 4. the praises of belles making them publike Preachers and driuers away of diuels But the diuels are not feared and fraied away by sight of crosses by sprinkling of water by souÌ„d of belles and babies Å¿ Mat. 17 2. This kinde goeth not out but by fasting and prayer as our Sauiour teacheth And the Apostle willeth euery christian to take vnto him the whole armour of God that he may be able to resist in the euill day Stand therefore hauing your loynes girded about with verity Eph. 6 13 14.15.16 and hauing on the brest-plate of righteousnesse the shield of faith the sword of the Spirite the preparation of the Gospell of peace and the grace of prayer in the Spirite Heere is the vniuersall armour of God heere is the compleate furnishing of a Christian Soldiour heere is perfect direction giuen to vnderstand and to withstand the assaults of the diuell but among these we haue neither the signe of the Crosse nor the hallowing of belles nor the sound of such Preachers and therefore they are no part nor parcell of spirituall armour to furnish vs to goe into the field against the enemies of our saluation For euill spirits which fight against the soule are not driuen away by hallowing of belles If then there were euer prophanation of Baptisme this may iustly bee iudged to be one of the most vile and miserable corruptions therof to bee detested of all true hearted Christians that grone vnder the burthen of them For this is a generall and certaine rule that none are to be baptized but such as are men to other creatures the Sacrament of baptisme may not bee administred forasmuch as the Sacrament of regeneration belongeth to none but to such as in their nature are capable of regeneration neither the signe but to those that may be partakers of the thing signified Baptisme is the Sacrament of repentance Mark 1 4. none therefore can receiue it but such as in time may repent or already haue repented for there must bee at least a possibility of repenting It belongeth not therefore to the damned spirits who are so fallen away that it is impossible for them to be renued againe by repentance It was instituted onely for the vse of man for whom also Christ came into the world and shed his blood vpon the Crosse Hee tooke not vpon him the angels nature but the seed of Abraham Heb. 2. Heb. 2 16. He is the Mediator to his Father not for the apostate angels but for mankinde 1 Tim. 2. 1 Tim. 2 5. How wicked then and wretched are they that make a mocke of this Sacrament representing the blood of Christ and vndertake to baptize belles without sense and life and that with greater pompe and solemnity and vse many moe ceremonies then when men are baptized For none may of right baptize belles but their Byshops a fit worke for such workemen whereas they allow and license not onely euery inferior Priest but euen women to baptize their children Secondly The second abuse it reprooueth the superstition of such as baptize the dead or any one that is liuing in stead or in place of another that is dead For this is another rule to be holden of vs that baptisme belongeth onely to the liuing Not indeed to all liuing creatures but onely to liuing creatures as likewise not to all that are reasonable howbeit onely to them that are reasonable Faith and repentance are required of al such as being of yeares are baptized but the dead can neither beleeue the Gospell nor repent from dead works And if baptisme be the Sacrament of regeneration and the ende thereof saluation and remission of sins what do these or what can these things belong vnto the dead Againe it is the greatest folly that may be to baptize one for another because Christ neuer requireth and the Scripture neuer teacheth that one should repent for another or beleeue for another or bee baptized for another but euery one must repent and beleeue and be baptized for himselfe and therefore the Lord saith Mar. 16 16. Mar. 16 16. Hee that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued Wee can no more be benefited by another mans baptisme while we remaine vnbaptized our selues then we can bee saued by another mans faith while we remaine Infidels Besides it is a vaine thing to receiue the outward signe for him which is not capable of the thing signified in which number the dead are Hence then is condemned the error of the Marcionâ—tes among which hereticks this was a custome as Theophylact noteth Theoph. in 1 Cor. 15. enarrat that if any died with them vnbaptized they hide a liuing man vnder the bed of him that was dead and comming to the bed they aske the dead man whether he would be baptized Now hee that lyeth vnder the bed answereth that he desireth it and then they baptize him for the other that is dead Whensoeuer they are accused for this folly they go about to defend themselues by the place of the Apostle 1. Corinthians chap. 15. verse 29. What shall they doe that are baptized for dead 1 Cor. 15 29. If the dead rise not at all why are they then baptized for the dead This testimony maketh nothing to their purpose which prooueth the resurrection from the dead For whether Paul reasoneth from the custome of the Iewes that washed the bodies of the dead as appeareth in
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 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
earth If this inward maister and teacher be wanting the Sacraments g The Sacraments profit not without the Spirit can work no more in our mindes then if the bright Sun should shine to the blinde eyes or a loud voice sound in deafe eares or fruitefull corne fall into the barren wildernes or a shower of raine fall vpon the hard stones Wherefore least the word of saluation should sound in our eares in vaine and Sacraments ioyned to the word should bee present before our eyes in vaine the Spirit worketh in vs whensoeuer we come vnto them aright he mollifieth the hardnesse of our hearts he frameth vs to new obedience and assureth vs that God offereth to vs his owne Sonne for our iustification and saluation For euen as the seede that falleth into a barren soile dyeth and rotteth yet if it be sowne in fruitfull ground wel tilled and manured it bringeth forth good increase with gaine and aduantage so likewise the word and the Sacraments if they hit vpon an hard necke and fall into a barren heart become vnprofitable and vnfruitefull but if the effectuall worke of the Spirite accompanieth the hearing of the one and receiuing of the other they are profitable auaileable and comfortable Thus much of the second part CHAP. X. Of the third inward part of baptisme THe third inward part of baptisme a The third inward part of baptisme is Christ Iesus is Christ represented and signified by the water For as the Apostle teacheth b Heb. 10 4. That the blood of buls and calues cannot take away sin so the water in baptisme cannot wash away sinnes It toucheth the body washeth it cleanseth and purgeth it but it can proceed no further Nay al the water in the riuers and in the Sea cannot scowre and make clean the conscience it is another water euen the Spirit that must do it Hence it is Ier. 2 22 that the Lord saith by his Prophet Ieremy chap. 2. Though thou wash thee with nitre and take thee much sope yet thine iniquity is marked before me saith the Lord. To this purpose speaketh Iob Iob. 9 30.31 chap. 9. If I wash my selfe with snow-water and make my hands neuer so cleane yet shalt thou plunge me in the Ditch and mine owne clothes shall abhorre me It is not therefore the outward water but the inward water that auaileth vs. For this c Act. 2 38. 10 â—8 19 5 cause the beleeuers are said to bee baptized in the name of Christ as Act. 2 38. Be baptized euery one of you in the name of Christ So chap. 19 5. They were baptized in the name of the Lord Iesus Not meaning heereby the forme and manner of baptizing but the fruit foundation and end of baptisme Likewise d 1 Pet. 3 21. the Apostle sheweth the same 1. Pet. 3 21. Baptisme answering to the figure of the Arke saueth vs by the resurrection of Iesus Christ There is no force in outward baptisme to saue the whole vertue and force floweth from the streame of Christs blood as the true materiall cause thereof wherein the power of inward baptisme doth consist The truth beeing euident that the pouring out of the blood of CHRIST is one of the inward partes of Baptisme let vs see the vses Vse 1 The vse of this part teacheth diuers points First that the outward washing with water is not the washing away of sins for theÌ„ whosoeuer were dipped in it should receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes repentance from dead workes and sanctification of the Spirit whether he beleeued or not e Acts 8.22 which is otherwise as we see Acts 8 22. Also they should not and could not be Christians and eternally saued which are not outwardly washed but departing this life without baptisme they should perish in the next world without redresse or redemptioÌ„ and so our condition were worse then the Iewes their condition in times past and the grace of God more restrained vnder the Gospell then it was vnder the law Moses offering more mercy then Christ himselfe So then the washing with water serueth to ratifie the shedding of Christs blood for the remission of our sinnes and the imputation of his righteousnesse to our iustification f 1 Ioh. 1 7. as 1. Ioh. 1 7. The blood of Iesus Christ his Sonne doth cleanse vs from all sinne So Reuel 1 5. He hath loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his blood and made vs Kings and Priestes vnto God euen his Father And Col. 1 14. the apostle saith In him we haue redemption by hâ—s blood that is forgiuenesse of sinnes Againe when we see with our bodily eyes the water Vse 2 poured vpon the body of the baptized wee must behold and consider with the eyes of faith the blotting out of all our sinnes as well originall as actuall as well after baptisme as before baptisme by the precious blood of Christ that we may assure our selues it is no idle action For we must not behold the Sacramentall rites as certaine dumbe gestures or stage-like shewes without substance and signification but we must make them serue to further our faith and edification or else we do horribly abuse them to the great dishonour of God and to the fearefull destruction of our owne soules Lastly it teacheth vs not to be led by the outward senses Vse 3 to measure the truth or to iudge of the substance of baptisme by the outward signe and visible parts but to haue our faith fixed on Christ crucified on the Crosse and signified in baptisme The Infidell seeing children solemnly baptized in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost will rashly and ignorantly coniecture nothing to be there but naked rites and bare water but the faithfull and true Christian doth behold the washing of the soule and cleansing of the heart by the dearest blood of Christ So in the Lords Supper to the vnbeleeuer appeareth nothing but Bread and Wine because we see with our eies wee receiue with our hands wee taste with our mouth no more but the beleeuer knoweth that together with these signes God the Father offereth the body and blood of his Sonne to be spiritually receiued and digested Euen as he that is vnlettered and vnlearned if he looke g Esa 29 11 12. vpon the face of a booke beholdeth onely blacke colours and spots vpon the Paper seeth certaine figures and characters of Letters differing each from other but cannot reade the writing or comprehend the meaning but he that hath learned his Letters and is able to reade them reapeth great profite and instruction thereby So is it in the Sacraments He that resteth in the outward signe deceiueth himselfe but hee that respecteth the thing signified receiueth the profit and aduantage The Crosse of Christ and preaching of the Gospel h 1 Cor. 1 23.24 are a stumbling blocke to the Iewes and foolishnesse to the Graecians For the Infidell hearing that Christ was crucified
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
no life in you If Christ be present to vs life and all things accompanying saluation are present to vs. If Christ bee absent from vs death is present wrath lyeth at the doore life and saluation are absent so that wee are neuer partakers of his graces except wee be as neerely coupled to his humanity as meate and drinke are coupled with our body which of all other is a most neere vnion and inward coniunction Thus we see we are seuered from the world to haue fellowship with Christ and are set once in him for euer l 1 Ioh. 2 19. Rom 8 33 34 35 37 38 39. because he that commeth to Christ once he casteth him not away he shall neuer hunger he shall neuer thirst hee shall not be lost but liue for euer as the Apostle saith 1. Iohn 2. If they had beene of vs doubtles they had continued with vs. And Paul to this purpose saith Rom. 8. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ Shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword In all these wee are more then Conquerours through him that loued vs for I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. If once we be ioyned to him in spirituall mariage notwithstanding the difference and disparagement betweene him and vs nothing shall be able to worke our diuorcement from him True it is God findeth vs wallowing m Ezek. 16 4.5 6. in our owne filthinesse polluted in our owne blood defiled by our owne vncleannes he hath made an eternall couenant with vs he hath spoken peace vnto our soules saying Thou shalt liue euen when we were sunke downe in sinne to death he said vnto vs Thou shalt liue so that he will neuer turne from vs to do vs good but we shall be his people and he will bee our God he will giue vs one heart and one way that wee may feare him for euer and that it may be well with vs and with our children This made the Apostle to write Eph. 5 30 32. We are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones this is a great mystery but I speak concerning Christ and concerning the church Where he seemeth to allude to the n Gen. 2 21. first creation of the woman made of one of the ribs of the man shaddowing and shewing our knitting and coniunction with Christ which we haue by faith not by nature by vertue of the Spirit not of the flesh Now as we haue shewed that this coniunction is made by Gods Spirit and by our faith which he hath giuen vs so the meanes and instruments to worke it are the word and Sacraments This is a dignity peculiar and proper to the elect to haue perpetuall fellowship with Christ and to grow vp into one body with him as he teacheth Ioh. 17 20 21. I pray for all them which shall beleeue in me through their word that they all may be one as thou O Father art in me and I in thee euen that they may be one with vs that the world may beleeue that thou hast sent me If then there be not an vnion betweene Christ and vs we haue no accesse to God the Father being quite cut off from all hope of life and saluation As then all the substance and nourishment of the tree commeth frō the roote and all the vitall powers of a true naturall body come from the head so it is betweene the Son of God and vs we haue not so much as one drop of the heauenly life in vs of our selues o Ioh. 14 6. Christ is the way the truth and the life no man commeth vnto the Father but by him To conclude this first vse seeing such as come to this sacrament p Mar. 16 16. must be Christians before it appeareth to bee a very corrupt custome of the people when they require baptisme of the Pastor for their children to say God hath giuen me a Pagan I desire you to make him a Christian For Baptisme cannot make a Christian but signifie the Sacraments cannot make that which is not but assure that which is already made as seales do not giue the right but confirm it Thus much of the first vse of Baptisme the second followeth CHAP. XIII Of the second vse of Baptisme BEing made one with Christ wee are partakerss of the benefits of his death to wit a The second vse of baptism is to assure forgiuenes of sinnes of forgiuenes of sinnes and of regeneration or new birth So then the second vse of Baptisme is to assure vs of the remission and pardon of our sins that we may bee vnblameable and acceptable to God This is signified by the outward ceremony of washing and sprinkling to wit the sprinkling of our soules with the blood of Christ for the forgiuenes of all sins b Acts 2 38 22 16. as appeareth Acts 2. Then Peter said vnto them Amend your liues and be baptized euery one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for remission of sins And Act. 22. Ananias said vnto Paul immediately after his conuersion Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins in calling on the name of the Lord. So the Euangelist witnesseth Marke 1 4. that Iohn did baptize in the wildernesse and preach the baptisme of amendment of life for the remission of sins And the apostle maketh this vse Col. 2 12. Ye are buried with him through baptisme in whom yee are also raised vp together through the faith of the operation of God which raised him vp frō the dead and you which are dead in sins and in the vncircumcision of your flesh hath he quickened together with him forgiuing you all your trespasses The meaning of these places is not that baptism c Baptisme doth not of it selfe conferre grace bestoweth or giueth forgiuenes but only signeth sealeth and assureth our pardon euen as remission of sins and the righteousnes of faith were not in the old Testamēt by circumcision conferred but confirmed vnto the faithful The grace of pardon and forgiuenes of sins is not attained but by faith in Christ so that the worke of baptisme will not effect it Moreouer we haue proued that it is not lawfull to baptize such as are in yeares vnlesse they make open profession of their faith in Christ and repentance from the works of the old man wherefore they obtaine them not by the outward washing with water in baptisme So then we are no lesse assuredly washed by the blood of Christ frō the spots of our soules then outwardly we are washed with water from the filth of the body For the force of his
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
Father the word of institution is made effectuall by the holy Spirit the bread and wine are signes and seales representing the body and blood of Christ the outward actions of euery receiuer do note out the inward actions and spirituall workes of the faithfull Thus then the agreement answereth aptly and the proportion falleth fully betweene the parts c The agreemēt between the outward and inward parts As the Minister by the words of institution offereth vnto the Communicants the bread and wine to feed thereupon corporally and bodily so God the Father by the Spirit offereth and giueth the body and blood of Christ to the faithfull receiuers to feed vpon them spiritually Hence it is that the outward actions of the Ministers and the outward actions of the receiuers are said to be signes of the second kinde and therefore may fitly bee called parts of the Supper Now then let vs remember the sensible and externall actions of the Minister that thereby we may consider the spirituall and inward actions of God the Father And first of all the taking of the bread and wine into his hands and the consecrating or blessing of them by repeating the promise by prayers and thanksgiuings doth seale vp these holy actions of God the Father by which he from all eternity euen before the foundation of the world did separate elect ordaine chuse and call his Sonne to performe the office of a Mediator betweene God and man and when the fulnesse of time came did send him into the world to performe that office whereunto he was appointed This wee see proued vnto vs in many places as Iohn 6. Labour not for the meate which perisheth but for the meate that endureth vnto euerlasting life which the Sonne of man shall giue vnto you for him d Ioh. 6 27. hath God the Father sealed that is hath installed him into his office to reconcile men vnto God and to bring them to euerlasting life And Gal. 1. Iesus gaue himselfe that he might deliuer vs from this present euill world e Gal. 1 4. according to the will of God euen our Father So that whatsoeuer Christ did he did it by the will and appointment of his Father According to the testimony of the Apostle Heb. 5. Christ tooke not to himselfe this honor to be made the High Priest f Heb. 5 5. but he that said vnto him Thou art my Sonne this day I begat thee gaue it him And as the Father ordained him to that office so in time he sent him as the Euangelist witnesseth g Luke 4 18. The Spirit of the Lord is vpon me because he hath annointed me that I should preach the Gospell to the poore binde vp the broken hearted preach liberty to the captiues c. So likewise 1 Ioh. 4. Heerein is that loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs and h Ioh. 4 10. sent his Sonne to bee a reconciliation for our sins And Gal. 4. When the fulnesse of time was come God sent forth his Sonne made of a woman and made vnder the law that he might redeeme them that are vnder the law Thus we see the inward actions of God the Father answering to the outward actions of the Ministers who being rightly called of God do worke with him and are the dispensers of his secrets Vse 1 Now let vs come to the vses of this part First of all this sealing and sending of his Sonne serueth to confirme and assure vs of our saluation in Christ For seeing God hath annointed and appointed him into this office our faith cannot faile our confidence cannot fal our hope cannot make ashamed i Rom. 5 5. seeing the loue of God is thus shed abroad in our harts through the Holy-Ghost k Rom. 8 16. who beareth witnes with our spirit that we are the children of God by whom wee l Eph. 4 30. are sealed vnto the day of redemption Vse 2 Againe let vs seeke saluation no where else then in him alone whom God the Father hath sealed and set apart to that end For euen as the body is nourished by no other meats and drinkes then by such as m Deut. 8 3. Mat. 14 4. God hath appointed to this purpose n Ezek. 14 13 Leuit. 25 26 as a staffe to sustaine vs so is the soule fed by no other meanes then God hath before ordained The cause of our saluation is in the loue of God toward vs which is notably represented by the taking and blessing of the outward elements He might haue left vs to our selues to worke out our owne destruction but his mercy is greater then his iustice Thirdly by these outward actions of the Minister we Vse 3 must seeke confirmation strength of our faith being assured that God the Father tooke his Sonne and appointed him to these ends We must not wander and gaze about and thinke we haue nothing to do but when we take and receiue the bread and the cuppe into our hands we must in euery sacramentall rite consider the things signified and ponder in our hearts the fitnesse and agreement betweene them both So then as we behold with our bodily eyes the Minister representing the person of the Father taking blessing and separating the bread and wine to that bodily vse so surely and certainely wee must learne that God the Father hath ordained and sent his onely begotten Son o Mat. 17 5. and 3 17. in whom he is well pleased to be the Mediator for the pardon of our sins Hence we see the infinite loue of God toward vs and let vs labour to comprehend p Eph. 3 18.19 the length bredth height and depth thereof that spared not his own Sonne q Rom. 32. but gaue him for vs all vnto the death hence we see that exceeding compassion of the Son that loued his enemies more then himselfe and accounted not his owne life precious to himselfe hence we see the gracious and glorious worke of our redemption wherein the mercy and iustice of God r Psal 85 10. meete together and kisse each other teaching vs to take sweet delight and comfort in the meditation thereof day and night with all thanksgiuing hence wee haue assurance of saluation and consolation in all troubles and tentations hence we see the greatnes of our owne sinnes that could not be pardoned but by the death of the Son of god and therefore we must hate them with an vnfained hatred as our greatest most dangerous and deadly enemies and lastly hence we see that if God the Father thus loued vs we ought earnestly to loue him againe and to serue him in all duties of holinesse and true righteousnesse neither ought we to loue him onely but for him all our brethren as the Apostle reasoneth 1 Ioh. 4 11. Brethren if God so loued vs wee ought to loue one another Thus we haue shewed how the taking of the bread by the Minister signifieth the
Fathers appointing of his Son the Ministers blessing the Fathers separating and setting apart his Sonne to his office the Ministers deliuering of the bread the Fathers giuing of his Sonne If then wee draw neere to the Lords table with faith reuerence and repentance nothing can be more sure and certaine to vs then the taking and receiuing of Christ for when we receiue the bread from the Minister wee withall receiue the body of Christ offered by the hand of God the Father so that as we are assured of the one we need not doubt of the other Vse 4 Lastly the breaking of the bread pouring out of the wine and deliuering of them both into the hands of the Communicants seale vp these actions of God his chastising of his Sonne and breaking him with sorrowes vpon the Crosse for our redemption offering him vnto all euen vnto hypocrites and giuing him truely to the faithfull with all the benefits of his passion Indeed the Minister giueth the outward signes to all receiuers but God giueth and applyeth onely to the faithfull the shedding of Christs blood for the daily increase of their faith and repentance But heere it may be obiected Obiection that not a bone of him was broken t Exod. 12 45 as it was figured by the Passeouer and performed at his passion the verifying and accomplishment whereof we reade Iohn 19 36. I answere Answere there is a double breaking of Christ one corporall whereof the places before doe speake the other figuratiue whereby is vnderstood u Esa 53 4.5 hee was tormented and euen torne with paines as Esa 53. He was wounded for our transgressions and broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes we are healed Lo what is meant by the breaking of the bread his soule was tormented his spirit was crushed his hands and feet were pierced he sweat drops of Water and blood and cryed out aloud vpon the Crosse My Maâ— 27 46. God my God why hast thou forsaken me Wherefore let these rites be rightly marked and obserued of vs for our comfort and consolation Let vs when wee see the bread broken and wine poured out meditate on the passion of Christ how he was wounded and torne for our transgressions Although not a bone of his body was broken in pieces yet hee was broken with afflictions bruised with sorrowes and tormented with bitter anguish of his soule by whose stripes we are healed by whose condemnation we are iustified by whose agonies we are comforted by whose death we are quickened Whosoeuer resteth in the outward workes done before his eyes neuer attaineth to the substance of the Sacrament Thus much of the first inward part CHAP. IX Of the second inward part of the Lords Supper THe second inward part is the a The second inward part of the Lords Supper is the holy Spirit holy Spirit who assureth vs of the truth of Gods promise As we haue in the word of truth the forgiuenes of sins increase of faith groweth in sanctification a great measure of dying to sin and a greater care to liue in newnes of life promised vnto vs so doth the Spirit worke these things b Rom. 8 15. Gal. 3 2 5. in the hearts of all the faithfull This appeareth in many places Rom. 8. Ye haue receiued the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father the same Spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God To one is giuen by the Spirit the word of wisedome to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit to another is giuen faith by the same Spirit all these things worketh one and the selfe same Spirit distributing to euery man seuerally as he will So then as we are weake in faith and slow to beleeue so wee haue the Spirit giuen vnto vs to helpe our infirmities and to open our hearts to receiue the promises For the Lord Iesus raigning continually in his Church and performing the office of a Prophet doth make the words of his Ministers liuely by his Spirit in our hearts and causeth them to be of perpetuall force and efficacy assuring vs of his promises made vnto vs and vniting the signe with the thing signified This truth being cleared the vses offer themselues Vse 1 to be câ—nsidered And first of all inasmuch as the Spirite worketh these things in the hearts of all the faithfulll from hence we gather that such as neuer finde any change or renewing of the minde or reformation of life after the receiuing of the Sacraments may iustly suspect themselues whether euer they had faith or not and whether euer they repented or not and therefore ought to vse the meanes to come by faith and repentance For the worke of the Spirite accompanieth the outward worke in the elect of God as also we see in the hearing of faith preached he must open the heart that is closed vp before wee can receiue with meekenesse c Iam. 1 21. the word of that is grafted in vs which is able to saue our soules Indeed euery person present may heare the words of institution may see the wine poured out may eat of that bread and drinke of that cup as they may also heare the sound of the voice that commeth vnto them but the whole force effect and power resteth onely in the Spirit of God sealing vp the truth and substance of those things in the hearts of all the Children of God Vse 2 Againe seeing these things are done and performed by the working of the Spirit they are confuted and conuinced that thinke they cannot be made partakers of the body and blood of Christ and be vnited to his flesh vnlesse his body be shut vp vnder the accidents of bread and shewes of wine and so his flesh be giuen vnto vs carnally that we may eate him with our mouths and conuey him into our stomackes But we see heere the Holy-Ghost is the bond of this vnion he worketh in vs faith which pierceth the heauens and layeth hold on Christ It is said of Abraham the Father of the faithfull that d Ioh. 8 56. he reioyced to see the day of Christ he saw it and was glad For as we cannot see him with our bodily eyes nor heare him with our bodily eares nor touch him with our bodily hands no more can wee taste or eate him with our bodily mouths By the hand of faith we reach and apply him by the mouth of faith we receiue and eate him Let vs beleeue in Christ and we e Aug. tract in Iohn 26. 27. haue eaten Christ let vs not prepare our teeth and our belly but a liuely faith working by loue Wherefore albeit the humane nature of Christ goe not out of the highest heauens yet we that liue vpon the earth are partakers of his bodye contained in the heauens and his flesh and blood are communicated to vs as truely and effectually as if he were there
present with vs. If any say How can this be Obiection Can that which is absent from vs be present with vs Can heauen be in earth or earth be in heauen Heereunto I may most iustly answere Answere although this be a great mystery and maruellous in our eyes yet we must confesse and consider that the Holy-Ghost is the author of this vnion and as it were the Conduit-pipe of this coniunction who by his diuine power ioyneth together things that are seuered in place begetteth faith in vs which is the instrument hand f 1 Ioh. 17 20. whereby we receiue and apply Christ with all his guifts vnto our selues as Ioh. 17. Father I pray thee for such as beleeue in mee that they may be one as thou O Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in vs. Heereunto commeth the saying of Paul Ephe. 3. Christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith Likewise Acts 13. By him euery one that beleeueth is iustified that is absolued and discharged And Iohn 3. So many as beleeue in him shall not perish but haue euerlasting life Thus we see our fellowship with Christ is from the Spirit and by our faith The Spirit is the principall worker faith is the meanes and the instrument Neither must this coniunction seeme vnto vs impossible through the great distance and distinction of place For there are diuers manners of presences that which is present to the sight is not present to the hand Molin de Eucharist cap. 2. and that which is present to the eare is not present to the eye that which is present to the body is not present to the soule and things present to the soule are oftentimes absent from the body Things are said to bee present with vs according as they cause themselues to bee perceiued of our senses or of our soules Whereby it appeareth very plainely after what fashion Christ may be said to be presēt with vs in his Supper to wit according as he communicateth himselfe vnto vs which is to our spirits not to our bodies and therefore his presence is spirituall and not corporall And the Apostle telleth vs Romanes 8. Rom. 8 9 11. that the Spirit of Christ dwelleth in vs which teacheth vs how we are vnited to Christ namely by the bond of one and the same Spirit dwelling both in him and in vs. Thus is the coniunction wrought betweene him and vs so that there is another presence which is true and in deed besides that which is bodily This is that which we reade in the Apostle Iohn 1 Ioh 4 13. Heereby know we that wee dwell in him and hee in vs because he hath giuen vs of his Spirite And Paul saith Romanes 8. Rom. 8 9. Hee that hath not the Spirite of Christ hee is none of his For as by one and the same soule all the members of the body are knit and coupled with the head and so doe liue in like manner all the faithfull albeit they remaine vpon the earth and their head be in the heauens are really vnited with him through one and the same Spirit and being vnited do liue thereby Ioh. 6 63. The like wee may say of faith whereby Christ dwelleth in our hearts Ephesians 3 17. Eph. 3 17. And our Sauiour teacheth that by beleeuing in him we eate his flesh and drinke his blood Iohn 6 35. Ioh. 6 35. If then any aske how we may obtaine and hold fast Christ Iesus seeing hee is absent from vs Or how wee may put forth our hands to take him sitting at the right hand of his Father in heauen I answere with Austine August tract 50 in Iohan. fide mitte et tenuisti Send forth thy faith and thou holdest him fast Thus Christ being absent from vs is present with vs for except he were present with vs he could not be possessed of vs nor communicated by vs. These are the two hands giuen vnto vs which the soule hath to wit the Spirit and faith The hands of the body lay hold on bodily things the hands of the soule lay hold on spirituall things There is a presence also to the sight We see the Sun daily with our eyes which though it be scituate in the heauens separated frō vs in place cōmunicateth his effect power to vs that dwel on the earth neither doe we maruell thereat and yet is the Sunne but a creature subiect vnto vs and distributed to all the people vnder the whole heauen to serue their vse Shall not Christ then the Sonne of righteousnes make vs truely partakers of his flesh by the vnsearchable power of his Spirit and the supernaturall guift of a liuely faith who can as easily ioyne together things farre off as those that are nigh Are not the faithfull seuered in place and scattered through the world ioyned as neerely together as the mēbers are h 1 Ioh. 1 3. to become one body whereof Christ is the head As the Apostle teacheth That which we haue seene and heard declare wee vnto you that ye may also haue fellowship with vs and that our fellowship also may be with the Father and with his Sonne Iesus Christ We see this likewise liuely laid out before vs in the estate of marriage though the husband and wife be sundred for a time and separated one farre from another yet the band of matrimony doth so ioyne and vnite them that the wife is one flesh with her husband albeit he be a thousand miles distant from her so is it betweene Christ and the faithfull he loued the Church and gaue himselfe for it and they are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones which coupling and combining together with Christ is wrought as we haue shewed by the Spirit principally by faith instrumentally by both most effectually Wee neede not therefore any carnall bodily presence of Christ to ioyne vs to him seeing it is truely and certainely performed by these meanes whereby we grow to a perfect man in him For as the Sunne is more comfortable to the world by his refreshing beames and sweete influence being absent then if his naturall body and compasse lay vpon the earth so the flesh of Christ being in the glory of his Father much more comforteth and refresheth our soules and bodies by his heauenly grace and spirituall influence then if he were present fleshly before our eyes And as the Sunne not discending from heauen nor leauing his place is notwithstanding present with vs in our Chambers in our houses in our hands and in our bosomes so Christ being in the highest heauens not comming downe nor forsaking his glorious habitation yet i Mat. 28 20. neuerthelesse is present with vs in our congregations in our hearts in our prayers in our meditations and in the Sacraments But of this we shall haue occasion to speake more in the chapter following and wee haue already spoken some-what of it in the
former bookes CHAP. X. Of the third inward part of the Lords Supper THe third inward part is a The third inward part of the Lords Supper is the body blood of Christ the body and blood of Christ that is the body of our Lord deliuered vnto death for vs and his blood shed for the remission of sinnes and consequently whole Christ This is the chiefest part of this Sacrament For the body and blood of Christ signified by the bread and wine are thus made and separated to bee the liuely meat of our soules and haue that force and efficacy of feeding in our soules which bread and wine haue in our bodies This is the cause why b Ioh. 6 48 50 Christ often calleth himselfe the bread of life Ioh. 6. I am that bread of life this is that bread of life which commeth downe from heauen that hee which eateth of it should not dye I am that liuing bread if any man eate of this bread he shall liue for euer Thus euery receiuer is giuen to vnderstand that as God doth blesse the bread and wine in his Supper to preserue strengthen and comfort the body of the receiuer So Christ apprehended and receiued by faith doth nourish vs and preserueth body and soule vnto eternall life He dyed in the flesh that he might quicken vs and he poured out his blood that hee might clense vs from our sinnes Wherefore c How the sacramentall rites do serue to strengthen our faith whensoeuer as the Lords guests we see the bread on the Lords Table we must set our mindes on the body of Christ when we behold the cup of the Lord we must thinke vpon the blood of Christ when we looke vpon the bread broken and the wine poured out we must consider how the body of Christ was pierced punished crushed crucified torne tormented and his blood poured out for our sakes when we feele that by bread our bodies are nourished strengthened and by the wine our vitall spirits are comforted refreshed we beleeue that by the body of Christ deliuered to death for vs we are fed to euerlesting life and that by his blood poured out vpon the Crosse our consciences are sanctified and we feele his quickening power which doth confirme vs in our communion with him Thus is this part of the Supper spiritually to bee applyed thus are the bread and wine made a Sacrament to vs not bare signes thus the memoriall of Christs death is repeated which albeit it were once finished on the Crosse and now his passion is past long ago yet to the faithfull in regard of the force it is still fresh and alwaies present Now it is not without cause and good consideration that Christ would haue the bread first deliuered as a signe of his body then afterward the wine as a signe of his blood seuerally and apart administred because his body and blood are not represented to vs as his humanity now dwelleth glorious in the heaueÌ„s but as he was offered vp a sacrifice on the crosse his blood being shed out of his body For to the ende it may be nourishment to vs it must bee crucified For as corne of it selfe is not fit food for vs vnlesse it be threshed winnowed ground and baked for vs so is it touching Christ he must suffer be crucified and dye that wee may liue by him and raigne with him This is the truth which in this point is to be considered Vse 1 Now let vs lay open the vses which of vs are to be learned Is Christ the inward part of the Lords Supper represented by the bread and wine offered to all but receiued only of such as are faithfull then his body is not inclosed in the bread or in the accidents of bread nor his blood included in the wine or vnder the shewes of wine d Against the real presence he is not personally locally carnally corporally naturally really substantially and sensually present in the Sacrament The question is not e The true state of the question set downe whether the words of Christ be true for they are knowne confessed and beleeued so that as he is the truth so all his words are words of truth neither is the question whether the Sacrament be a bare signe or bare figure we say Christ is truely represented sealed and exhibited neither is the question whether God be omnipotent almighty this is a part of our faith an Article of christian beleefe neither is the question simply of the presence of Christ whether he be truely and vndoubtedly present in the Sacrament of his last Supper we acknowledge and receiue as much For Christ is present among vs sundry waies by his Spirit by his grace by his diuinity by faith dwelling in our hearts he is present in his word he is present in the ministry of baptisme he is present in the Sacrament of his body we onely deny that grosse and fleshly presence which many go about to fasten vpon vs. But the whole question is of the meaning and vnderstanding of the words of institution and of the manner of his presence We confesse teach the people committed vnto vs that Christs f Confess Gal. lic art â—7 Confess Anglic. art 12. Cal instit lib. 4. cap. 17. body and blood are truely verily and indeed giuen vnto vs that we truely eate and drinke them that we are releeued and liue by them that we are made bone of his bone that Christ dwelleth in vs and we in him yet we say not that the substance of bread and wine is abolished or that Christs body descendeth from heauen or is grosly corporally present in the Sacrament we are taught to lift vp our hearts to heauen g Col. 3 1 2 3 where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God the Father and there to seed vpon him But heere is the state of the question and controuersie betweene vs. The Church of Rome teacheth that after h Con. Trid. sess 13. cap. 1. the words of consecration the bread and wine are abolished and the body and blood of Christ come in place so that they make them corporally present not onely in the Sacrament to be eaten with the mouth but in the pixe in the Masse and in their solemne processions where is neither eating nor drinking Yea Berengarius in his recantation was taught to say and forced to subscribe that i De con dist 2. ego Bereng Christ is in the Sacrament sensibly or sensually is touched with the fingers diuided broken rent with the teeth and not onely the accidents Moreouer they make it to be eateÌ„ not only of euill men but of beasts and to fill vp the measure of blasphemy to be cast out into the draught as some of them haue taught and affirmed Thus then the difference standeth betweene vs they hold that Christs body and blood are carnally eaten of wicked men without faith of brute beasts without reason
others of the aduersaries themselues fight against the carnall presence of Christ and the Scriptures themselues ouerthrow it Obiection 2 Secondly they obiect the words of Christ Except ye eate Å¿ Ioh. 6 53. the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood yee haue no life in you I answere Answere these words are not vnderstood of the Sacrament they were vttered long before the institution of the Supper and therefore could not be referred vnto that which as yet was not so that Christ speaketh of spirituall eating not of carnall by faith not by the mouth whereby we abide in him and he in vs but many eate the Sacrament of his body that haue not him abiding in them nor themselues in him Againe without this eating of his flesh heere spoken off t Ioh 6 54. no man can attaine eternall life but many have eternall life that never are partakers of the Lords Supper as the theefe crucified with Christ and many others Besides how absurd is it for those to imagine that Christ naming bread speaketh of the Sacrament of the Altar for they would haue no substance of bread to remain but onely the figure shew and likenesse of bread so that according to the deuice of their new-found doctrine hee might more truely say I am no bread or I am the shewes of bread then as he doth r Ioh. 6 32. I am the true bread Moreouer if Christ promising to giue bread for the redemption of the world had pointed out the Sacrament of his Supper then he should haue giuen his flesh for the saluation of mankind not vpon the Crosse but in his last Supper Wherefore then serued his death What neede was there to shed his blood on the Crosse Furthermore if these words be referred to his Supper then the Supper may be celebrated without materiall bread and wine without giuing of thankes without blessing without consecration without breaking and distributing of the bread without pouring out and deliuering of the wine and without remembrance of the death of Christ For in this place we haue no mention of these things And shall wee imagine that the Sacrament is spoken off where neither the matter nor forme nor word of institution nor Minister nor externall rite is once remembred Lastly to eate the flesh of Christ and to drinke his blood is nothing else but to come to Christ and to beleeue in Christ as appeareth in the Text Å¿ Ioh. 6 35 4â— I am that bread of life he that commeth to me shall not hunger and he that beleeueth in me shall neuer thâ—rst And speaking of faith he saith No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him This truth t Bleâ— sect 84. super camâ—â—â— is so cleere and euident that many of the aduersaries are driuen to confesse it howsoeuer some of them seeke to cast mistes before the eyes of men that they may not espie it among the which are Sanders and Bellarmine And as we haue shewed before how the Schoole-men and Doctors of the Church of Rome are together by the eares in sundry controuersies about the Supper so are they about the true interpretation of Ioh. 6. Some vnderstanding it of the sacramentall eating some of the spirituall eating u Hos Câ—â—â— de â—uâ—â—â— and some of both Thirdly they obiect the omnipotency of God that he Obiection 3 is able to turne the bread into the body and the wine into his blood he is able to make it really present in heauen earth aâ—d wheresoeuer Masse is said he is able to make a body to be in many places at once and yet not occupie a place I answere Aâ—swere when all other reasons faile they slye to Gods omnipotency as vnto a sanctuary and place of refuge But this will not proue a reall presence For albeit God be omnipâ—tent and almighty must he therefore doe all things yea offer violence to his owne body to maintaine their aâ—â—urd and hereticall opinions of the reall presence and of transubstantiation Must his power attend vpon their fancies and dreames Cannot he be omnipotent except their positions and assertions be granted There is no â—eâ—e of Gods power albeit we withstand their carnall presence For touching the omnipotency of God a Two rules to obseruâ—◠〈◊〉 Gods oâ—â—â—poâ—ency we must obserue these two rules and conclusions First Gods power is neuer to be opposed and set against his expresse wâ—ll plainely and certainely knowne for God is not contrary to himselfe Now then it is not enough to prooue that God can turne bread and wine into the bodye and blood of Chrâ—st vnlesse they proue he will turne them into his flesh and blood We our selues can doe many things which we do not and which we will not do so we must know it is with God he câ—uld haue added wings to man hee might haue made many worlds if it had plâ—ased him Christ of b Mat 3.9 the stones could haue raysed vp children vnto Abraham Christ could haue prayed to his Father in his afflictâ—on to send him c Mat. 26 3. more then 12. legions of Angels but how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled Wherefore we â—â—e nâ—t to reason of his power vnlesse we be assured oâ— his wâ—ll reuealed in his word as we see Christ disputing against the â—â—duâ—es saith Ye are deceiued not knowing the â—â—r ptures nâ— the power of God d Mat. 22 9. Where we see he ioyneth the Scriptures and the power of God together so that he is truely said to be omnipotent e A 〈…〉 1â— because he can bring to passe whatsoeuer he will neither can the effect of his will be hindred or resâ—â—ed Now it is the knowne will of God that Christ shoulâ— haue a true body that he might be a true man with his quantity and dimensions The second rule to be remembred is f No contradiction is in God that in God there is no contradiction and that whatsoeuer necessarily implieth a contradiction is an argument not of power but of weaknesse This the Scriptures decree this the Fathers dâ—liuer this their owne Schoolemen determine For g 2 Cor. 1.59 in God is not yea and nay he abideth saithfull he cannot deny himselfe hee cannot dye he cannot lye he cannot deny his word he c nnot sin he cannot deceiue hee cannot be deceiued These and such like he cannot do which if he should doe he were not omnipotent For this h Aug de trin cap 15 lâ—b â—◠〈◊〉 lâ—b 2. cap 1â— were a token of impotency not of omnipotency of debility not of ability of want and weakenesse not of strength and power For in euery contradiction i Arist 〈◊〉 â—â—terp li 1 ca. 5. there is â—aâ—shood and a lye which cannot agree to God who is truth it selfe and therefore he cannot make affirmation and negation truth and falshood yea and nay to be true together which things are impossible Yea the
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
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
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
the law of God which must bee the glasse of our u Iam. 1 23 liues to behold our offences and the very ground-work of this examinatioÌ„ Againe are we charged to try out our waies and examine Vse 2 our selues Then wee learne from hence to acknowledge a difference between Baptisme and the Lords supper For Baptisme is due to the whole Church and euery member thereof whether olde or young to all Infants who are the children of faithful parents that haue giuen their names to Christ and are entred into the profession of the Gospell And howsoeuer confession of faith fruites of repentance are required of the elder sorte as wee haue shewed yet touching infaÌ„ts it is sufficient if they be born in the church of such as are members of the church But the Supper of the Lord belongeth onely to such as are able to examine themselues to try their owne hearts and to remember his death which things cannot agree with children As we see in the passe-ouer not all the children of the faithfull were admitted thereunto but onely such as could enquire and require a reason thereof b Exod 12 2â— and did desire to be instructed of their parents and such as had learned to make the law a frontlet before their eyes and a signe vpon their hands that so the doctrine of God might not depart out of their mouths Besides if we consider the outward workes in both the Sacraments aright c This ouerthroweth the opinâ—on of Innocentius Augustine Musculus others who teach it to be fit and needfull that children be admitted to the Supper Innocent 1. Epist ad patr Concil Mile Aug epist 107 ad Vitalem Muscul loc CoÌ„muâ—titul de Euchâ—r we shall plainely see the truth of this diuersity For in Baptisme the action of the Minister is to wash the body with water which requireth not discretion in him that is to be baptized forasmuch as we can clense and wash the things that are without reason without vnderstaÌ„ding without sense and without life But in the Sacra of the Supper a reuerent giuing an attentiue hearing a certaine vnderstanding of that which is spoken a wise receiuing and eating a careful considering of whom to take what to take is required in the outward worke how much greater iudgment is required to know that God the father giueth the body blood of his Son to be receiued by faith Thus theÌ„ this examinatioÌ„ maketh a distinctioÌ„ between both the Sacraments of the new testament sheweth that it is not necessary to the saluation of infants that they come to the Lords table Thirdly seeing no man must presume to come thether without a serious examination of himselfe d Sixe sorts of persons barred from the Lord supper it debarreth Vse 3 from the Lords Supper sixe sorts of persons to wit the vnbaptized children idiots ignorant persons prophane persons and all sorts of Infidels First of all such as are not yet entred into the church by baptisme whatsoeuer their knoledge and faith is cannot claime any priuiledge or right to this Sacrament Secondly if there be a necessity of searching and trying our selues it excludeth all Infants and children in age who vnderstand not what the holy Spirit speaketh in this Sacrament what God the Father offereth what the Son performeth what faith receiueth they know not what it is to eate Christ spiritually and to be nourished by him effectually Thirdly all foolish furious and mad-men being such idiots as that they want the vse of naturall gifts of reason wit discretion and iudgement the defect wherof whatsoeuer they are in age and yeares maketh them as children in gifts not being able to examine themselues are to be separated Fourthly howsoeuer many haue yeares of discretion and the common vse of naturall gifts of vnderstaÌ„ding yet if they neither haue the knowledge of God nor the knowledge of themselues nor the knowledge of the doctrine of the Sacraments and other fundamentall points of religion they are not to be admitted but refused Fiftly if they haue al these things and want neither baptisme nor ripenesse of age nor yeares of discretion nor vse of reason nor knowledge of the doctrine which is according to godlines yet if they remaine prophane vngodly vnrepentant stubborne malicious reuenging open contemners of God of godlinesse and of his word Idolaters adulterers blasphemers drunkards and such in whom appeareth no amendment of life these and such like are not interessed in this Sacrament Lastly it excludeth shutteth out all such as are without God in the world al Atheists Infidels Turks Iewes and Hereticks all such as haue not yeelded themselues to the Church of God haue not made profession of their faith and such as are worthily excommunicated from the Church by the power of the keyes which are no better theÌ„ heathen Publicans Where by we see that all not yet baptized infants children that want years al furious foolish persons that want the vse of reason al blind ignorant persons that want the knowledge of God and of themselues all vnrepentant persons that bring not with them faith and repentance all Infidels and vnbeleeuers with others that are out of the bosome of the Church are to be kept backe from this Supper being such as either cannot or will not submit themselues to this holy and necessary duty of examination thereby hauing no right or title to come to his table For such as haue not the Church to be their mother cannot be nourished with this meate of the Church to wit the Supper of the Lord. Among all these that are thus excluded we do not name the hypocrite because his wickednes is in his heart and kept secret to himselfe and therefore the Church can take no notice of him but leaueth him to God who searcheth the heart and trieth the raines Fourthly if all persons are to prepare themselues to this Vse 4 Sacrament then none are willingly and wilfully to abstain and refraine from comming vnto it For as such sinne grieuously who present themselues vnworthily to this blessed Communion so doe they greatly offend on the other side that of set purpose absent themselues from this spirituall banket prouided for them God is dishonored both these waies as well by receiuing vnreuerently as by abstaining carelesly from this Sacrament For he lyeth vnder an heauie e Ier 48 10. curse deseruedly that doth any of the Lords workes negligently Euen as the patient which being sick maketh no account of the diet which the Physition hath prescribed is no lesse blame woorthy then hee that abuseth it disorderly inasmuch as both sorts do it oftentimes to their danger and destruction so is hee no lesse faulty that maketh no reckoning of the receite which the chiefe Physition of our Soules the Lord Iesus hath appoynted then hee that misuseth and misapplieth the same because both doe it with great perill and hazard to themselues We know that such as
to this Sacrament to know the grounds of religion and vnderstand the doctrine of the Sacraments Secondly to beleeue in Christ and to looke for salâ—ation in him alone inasmuch as there is no other name vnder heauen by which we must be saued So then we must come with faith which is the hand to apprehend Christ Thirdly to abhorre and detest our sins to hate them with an vnfained hatred as our deadly and most dangerous enemies and to haue godly sorrow for them which may cause repentance not to be repented of Lastly to loue our brethren truely and sincerely yea euen our enemies If we finde not these things in our selues we must carefully vse all holy meanes appointed for this purpose to begin them in vs otherwise our estate will prooue to be fearefull and dangerous We must with all sincerity conscience and zeale vse prayer the word read and preached conferrence meditation and such like helpes as may further them in vs. If we do finde them in vs though feeble and in great want and weaknesse we are not to abstaine from the Sacrament but to come therunto to seek strength of faith and increase of obedience Wherefore b Mat. 11 28 our Sauiour calleth such vnto him Come to me all ye that are weary and sore laden and I will ease you take my yoke on you and yee shall finde rest vpon your soules for my yoake is easie and my burden it light And chap. 12. A bruised c Mat. 12 26 reeds shall he not breake and smoaking flax shal he not quench till he bring forth iudgment vnto victory Touching the first we are to obserue d The 1. part of examination is knowledg of Gods word that such as will come aright to the lords supper must haue the knowledge of Gods word which is the foundation and ground-worke of faith Wee must know what to beleeue and must learne the doctrine of saluation out of the Scripture Our Sauiour Christ in that heauenly prayer which hee made a little before his passion vseth these words to his Father e Iohn 17 3. This is eternal life to know thee to be the onely very God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ We must know how miserable all men are of themselues that we are separated from god the children of wrath by nature as wel as others and the verie fire-brands of hell They that want this knoledge cannot iudge aright of the parts and vses of this Sacrament nor desire this heauenly meate which nourisheth to eternall life So then knowledge must necessarily go before faith for it is the nature of faith to beleeue that which it knoweth and therefore where there is small knowledge there can bee but little faith and where there is no knowledge there can be no faith acording f Rom. 10 17. to the doctrine of the Apostle Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God The knowledge required of vs when we approach to this Sacrament standeth in these two g What particular pointes â—re necessâ—tie to be knowne oâ— al that com to the Communion pointes first in the knowledge of God secondly in the knowledge of our selues In these two branches standeth the first part of examination And these two points are so neerely ioyned and knit together that no man can thoroughly know God vnlesse he know himselfe and no man can haue the perfect knowledge of himselfe except he know God in whom h Acts 17 28 he liueth mooueth and hath his being Vnder these two heads many particular points are containd necessary to be known of those that offer themselues to bee partakers of this Sacrament First that there is onely one God that hath made himselfe knowne in three persons Iohn 5 7. the Father the Sonne and the Holy-ghost Secondly that God made man and all other creatures good and gouerneth all things well Thirdly man did fall through the enticement of the Deuill and his own wilfull disobedience in breaking the commandements of God Fourthly there are ten commaundements diuided into two tables whereof the foure first commaundements concerne our duties to God the sixe last our duties toward our neighbour Fiftly we cannot keepe these commandements nor anie one of them but wee breake them daily in motion in thoght in word and in deed the breach wherof deserueth k Deut 27 25 the curse of God that is all miseries in this life death in thâ— end of this life and hell fire after this life Sixtly there is no meanes or remedy in our selues or in any creature but onely in Iesus Christ the eternall Son of God l Luke 1 35 who is God and Man God that he might ouercom death and Man that he might die for our sinnes Hee hath pacified Gods wrath fulfilled the righteousnesse of the Law sanctified our nature adopted vs to be the children of God and maketh our duties though weake acceptable vnto his Father Seuenâ—hly all haue not deliuerance by him but onely such as beleeue in Chrâ—st m 1 Cor. 1 30. whose obedience and righteousnesse is made ours by a liuely faith whereby we are perswaded that through him our sinnes are forgiuen and we made the children of God Eightly faith is a gift of God applying Christ and all his merits particularly to our selues and teaching that he is a Sauiour vnto vs. Ninthly beeing saued by Christ through faith n Luke 1 74 we may not liue as we lift this vnspeakable mercie teacheth vs to deny all vngodlinesse and all worldly and sinnefull lusts to liue soberly righteouslie and godly in this present euill world and to walke in newnesse of life o Ephesia 6 5 because no vnrighteous person shal enter into the kingdome of heauen Tenthly this Faith which bringeth foorth a reformed life is wrought within our heartes by the Holie-ghost p Rom 10 14. through the preaching of the word being truely expounded and profitably applyed with doctrine consutation exhortation correction reformation and consolation and it is encreased besides by reading praying and receyuing of the Sacraments Eleuenthly touching prayer wee haue a perfect platforme left vs by q Mat 6 9. Christ in the Gospell which containeth 6. petitions the three first concerning the glory of God and the three last concerning the necessities of our owne bodies and soules Twelfely the Sacraments are another helpe to strengthen and increase faith which are outward signes and seales ordained of God to assure vs that Christ all his sauing graces are giuen vnto vs. These are two in number Baptisme the Sacrament of our regeneration and new birth assureth vs by the washing of water that our sins are forgiuen by the blood of Christ we borne anew to God The Lords Supper assureth vs that by bread and wine giuen and receiued according to Gods ordinance Christ is giuen vs to be our spirituall nourishment to euerlasting life These grounds of religion must be knowne and vnderstood that we may
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
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
neede of nothing if wee flatter and deceiue our selues comparing our selues with our selues or with others and not with the rule of Gods word God will examine vs and sit in iudgement vpon vs. If he enter into m Psal 130 ◠iudgement with vs no flesh shall be iustifyed in his sight for if thou O Lorde streightly markest iniquities O Lord who shall stand Hee will be reuenged of our sinnes and bring many plagues vpon vs he will send sundry diseases vppon our bodies and a troubled spirit vpon our soules he will add one punishment to another vntill we repent as he teacheth by manie examples in the scriptures The Apostle saith He that eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh n 1 Cor. 11 29 30 32. iudgement to himselfe For this cause many are weake and sicke among you and many sleepe for if wee would iudge our selues we should not be iudged But when we are iudged we are chastened of the Lord because we should not be condemned with the world So the Israelites being myraculously fedde by the Lords owne hand lusted and became vnthankfull and therefore while the meate was yet in their mouthes o Psa 78 30 32 The wrath of God fell downe vpon them and slew the strongest of thē and smote downe the chosen men of Israel Iudas chosen to be one of the twelue p Iohn 13 27. comming vnwoorthily to the Passeouer Satan entred further into him wroght in him his owne confusion and brought vpon him fwift dam nation The ghest in the Gospell q Mat. 22 22 13. that pressed vnto the supper without his wedding garment was taken speechelesse bound hand and foot and cast into vtter darkenesse where shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth Let no man therefore put off and deferre his repentance from day to day least he draw vpon himselfe finall destruction of soule and body and find his hart exceedingly hardened through continuance in sinne but while r 2 Cor. 6 2. the acceptable time is let vs both purpose and endeuour to forsake our euill waies our wicked workes and all knowne sins reuealed vnto vs by the sacred Oracle of the word of God And because we haue daily wants and do commit daily and new sins through infirmity of the flesh ſ Renewed faith and renewed repentance required of vs. we must haue renewed faith renewed repentance t Luk. 22 32 because euery new sinne requireth a new acte of repentance and appealing to Christ by faith Then we are aright disposed to the Lords table when we are liuely touched with a sense and feeling of our corrupt dispositions and daily fallings in our saith obedience For the repentance of euery faithfull man must be double first generall repenting of originall and actuall sinnes generally receiuing power of God to change our minds wils and affections u Mat. 3 1. whereof Iohn Baptist faith Repent for the kingdome of heauen is at hand This is giuen and granted vnto vs at that time when first we receiue to beleeue it maketh an alteration in vs slayeth the olde man quickeneth the life of the new man beginneth in weaknes continueth in greater strength and groweth more more vnto perfection Secondly speciall for speciall sinnes and continuall failings into which we fall which we must practise to the end of our dayes Now as we said in the former chapter that no man for the feeblenes of his faith is to absent himselfe from this Supper so must wee remember touching our repentance though it be in great weaknesse and frailety yet if it be a sound and sincere hatred of all sin not a forsaking of some sinnes onely as Saul Herod and Iudas did keeping other in themselues to their own confusion our imperfections shal be couered our wants shall be supplied our weaknesse shal be remitted by the death of Christ who was annointed sent to preach Luk. 4 18. the Gospell to the poore to heale the broken hearted to publish deliuerance to the Captiues recouering of sight to the blinde and to set at liberty them that are bruised And he pronounceth such b Mat. 5.3 blessed as are poore in spirit For theirs was the kingdome of heauen Wherefore if thou feele in thy selfe great defects of faith of repentance of sanctification pray to God earnestly that hee will vouchsafe to increase his gifts let vs confesse with Dauid c 2 Sam 12.13 we haue sinned let vs weepe with Peter d Luk. 22 62 and 7 38. and the sinfull woman let vs acknowledge our vnworthines and say with the Centuriō Lord e Mat. 8 8. We are not worthy that thou shouldst come vnder our roofe Let vs cry out with the Publican f Luk. 8 13 O God bee mercifull to me a sinner Let vs not be ashamed to speake it with Daniel that to vs belongeth open shame and confusion of faces This is the way to make vs worthy this is the means to fit vs to the Lords Table this is to be practised of such as will be his guests CHAP. XIX Of reconciliation to our brethren the last part of Examination HItherto in examination of our selues we haue shewed what we are to doe in respect of God the root whereof is knowledge the body is faith the fruite is repentance Now to conclude we are to handle the last part which is a Loue toward their brethren is required of al that come to the Lords Table loue toward men and reconciliation of our selues vnto our neighbours for iniuries wrongs and offences done vnto them which are as poyson to this banket For in vaine we shall pretend knowledge boast of faith glory of repentance if we faile in duties toward our brethren First we must looke to be at peace with God and to be reconciled to him For we shall neuer be at peace with our brethren except we be reconciled to God The greatest war is betweene God and our owne soules so that nothing can bring peace to vs vntill we be at one with him but when once we are at one with him we shall quickly be at one with all others For heere is the touchstone and tryall of all the rest euen our obedience to the second Table which concerneth the duties of loue toward our brethren Heereunto commeth b Mat. 5 23. the doctrine of Christ set downe in the Euāgelist Mat. 5. If thou bring thy guift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee leaue there thy gift before the Altar and goe first be reconciled to thy brother then come and offer thy gift Where he teacheth that he so approueth this duty that he will haue his owne immediat seru ce cease and giue place for a time till i◠be performed So in the Sermon which he made to his Apostles before he was betrayed to death he did diligently beat vpon this point saying c Ioh 13 35. By this shall all men know
Sacrament no man could be assured that at any time he receiued a Sacrament but must alwaies hang in suspense and doubt of the matter Let no man therfore refuse or abhorre the Lords ordinances for the euil demeanour of the Ministers as no man will reiect the guifte of a Prince albeit a wicked person should drawe the conueyance The third and last question remaineth which is whether the ignorance or vnabilitie of the Minister to preach Touching the bapt of ignorant ministers do disanull the sufficiency and efficacy of the Sacrament to the receiuer that beleeueth It were to bee wished that euery Congregation had his learned Pastor that so the occasion of this Question might be cut off but because wee cannot haue so flourishing a Church we must consider the matter as the case standeth with vs and know that his actions are not nullities For the Apostle requireth that the Minister should be vnreprooueable in life 1 Tim. 3.2 as well as apt to teach 1 Tim. 3. If then his euill life doe not disanull his worke why should his ignorance be a greater bar If then any reason thus Euery Ministery of the New-Testament is a preaching Ministery Therefore Sacraments are voide that are deliuered by no preachers Why may we not reason in like manner and as strongly Euery Ministerie of the New-Testament is an vnblameable ministery Therefore Sacraments are void that are deliuered by them that are not vnreprooueable Indeede euery good ministerie is a preaching ministery but not euerie ministery in generall and therefore it will not follow that the action of him that is no preacher is a nullityâ— But of these Questions wee haue spoken more at large elsewhere Thus farre of the parts â— Baptisme both the outward and the inward parts now wâ— come to the vses therof Å¿ Three vses of Baptisme which are principally three First to shewe the placing and planting into the body of Christ to râ—maine in him for euer This coniunction with Christ is not bodily or naturall but mysticall and maruellous in our eies for we are made one with Christ t 1 Cor. 6 17. by the same Spirit dwelling in Christ and in all the members of Christ So then the Saintes triumphing in heauen and all the beleeuers fighting vpon earth as soldiers in warefare haue one and the same spirite of Christ dwelling in them and therefore are one with him Secondly to assure vs of the remission of our sinnes that we may be able to stand in the presence of God u Gal. 3 17. hauing put on the garments of Christ as Iacob receiud the blessing clad in the garments of his elder brother This ouerthroweth the doctrine or rather doting of the Church of Rome which teacheth that baptisme abolisheth all sinnes going before it and leaueth nothing that hath the name or nature of sinne If this were a trueth of God not a dreame of men it is not onely decent but greatly to be desired to haue baptisme deferred vntill olde age nay vnto the houre of death that fo we may depart hence in peace with greater assurance of Gods fauour in the pardon of our sinnes Thirdly a Marke 1 1. to slay the olde man and to kill our naturall corruption by the power of the death and buriall of Christ besides to raise vs vp againe to holinesse and newnesse of life by his resurrection Hence it is that the Euangelists call it the Sacrament of Repentance admonishing euerie one of vs to expresse the strength power of baptisme as the Prophets oftentimes exhort the Iewes to b Deut 10 15. circumcise the foreskin of their harts and to harden their neckes no more So wee ought not to content our selues to be baptized in bodie but must labour to be baptized in soule by a daily proceeding in regeneration by bringing foorth the fruites of sanctification and applying Christ Iesus to our full iustification Thus much of baptisme the honourable badge of our profession and dedication to Christ that dyed vppon the Crosse what it is what are the parts and vses thereof Now wee come to d The sum of the 3. Booke the Sacrament of the bodie and bloode of Christ which is called by diuers and sundrie names in the New Testament Sometimes it is called the f 1 Cor. 10 16 Communion teaching that wee are one bodye coupled togethet in Christ shewing that it is to bee receyued of manie together and admonishing vs of vnitie and concord among our selues Sometimes it is g 1 Cor. 11 20 called the Lordes Supper hence wee see who is the authour of it no Man no Angell but the Lord Iesus leauing it for a fare-well token of his Loue towards vs. Wee must also come with an earnest desire hungring after Christ that we may be satisfied with his righteousnesse Sometimes it is called the h Actes 2 42. breaking of bread this sheweth that the substance of breade remaineth after the words of consecration that figuratiue speeches are vsed in the Sacrament and that this externall rite of breaking the bread vsed by Christ practised by the Apostles obserued by the pastors of the Church ought not to bee omitted and ouer-passed Sometimes it is called the i 1 Cor 10 21 Table of the Lord this teacheth that Christ and his Apostles at the celebration of it vsed a table not an Altar that it is a Sacrament not a Sacrifice and that we ought to draw nere vnto it with all regard and reuerence Lastlie it is called the New testament or Will of Christ This title teacheth that there is a double Couenant betweene GOD and man the one old the other new the one of the law the other of the Gospell the first of workes the second of grace Againe it serueth to condemne the cursed sacriledge of the Church of Rome which addeth and detracteth altereth and mingleth it with the leauen of her owne inuentions This is a great comfort to all Gods children to consider that all faithfull Christians are the heires of Christ to whoÌ„ he hath promised saluation of their soules and forgiuenes of their sinnes As we haue seene the seuerall names of this Sacrament which shew the nature thereof vnto vs so now we will set downe k What the Lords Supper is what the Lords Supper is The Supper of the Lord is the second Sacrament wherein by visible receiuing of bread and wine is represented our spirituall communion with the body and blood of Christ Heere God is present and sitteth as president at this Table he offereth vnto vs his owne Son for our iustification and therefore this Supper must be reuerently regarded and diligently frequented of vs. In this Sacrament l In the lords Supper consider hiâ— parts and his vses we are in like manner to consider the parts and the vses thereof The parts are partly outward and partly inward For it fareth no otherwise with the Sacrament then it doth with man considered in his
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
owne hearts so often as we see it administred let vs not rest in it as in a worke done to another and nothing concerning our selues but euermore helpe our inward affection by the outward action and alwayes as the eye of the body beholdeth the Minister let the eye of our faith be fastened â—iâ—mely vpon the Father who maketh the Sacramentall rites auaileable which are openly done before vs for our edification Vse 2 Againe it teacheth that we must not rest in the outward washing not in the externall actions of the Minister but euer consider what is offered to our considerations therin and when the Father offereth to vs his Sonne let vs not refuse him For he that satisfieth himselfe with the outward worke is as he that catcheth after the shaddow and regardeth not the substance or as one that maketh much of the garmeÌ„ts but respecteth little the body it selfe which ought to be had in greatest price and estimation The Minister taketh the water and washeth the bodye which is a pledge of a farther thing for then doth the Father apply the promise of remission of sinnes and life euerlasting to the person baptized as if he should speake with a loud voice and call the party by his name while the outward signe is powred on the body I freely wash away thy sinnes and giue vnto thee the pardon of them and bestow vpon thee eternall life so that thou turne vnto me and beleeue in Christ thy Sauiour Let vs then as true beleeuers by a speâ—iall faith reâ—eiue and apprehend his mercifull promises and rest in them Let this cause vs to turne vnto him by vnfained repentance and to walke with all obedience in his waies Seeing therefore he doth so graâ—iously assure vs of his great mercies with his owne hand seale woe vnto vs if we be not muâ—h moued and affected with it Vse 3 Lastly is God the Father an inward part of baptisme Then we must take heed wee giue not that to the Minister which is proper to God the Father whereby he iâ—â—obbed of the honour and glory due to his great name The Minister may wash the body and cleanse the flesh but can goe no further he medleth not with sanctification of the conscience from dead workes which is not in the power of mortall man to do so that God giueth the thing and men giue the signe yea while the Minister ofâ—â—eth the one God the Father giueth the other CHAP. IX Of the second inward part of Baptisme THe second inward part of baptisme a The second inward part of baptisme iâ— the holy Spirite is the Spirite of God hauing relation to the word and promise of God Thiâ— b Mat. 3 11.10 appeareth Mat. 3 11. He baptiâ—eth with the Holy Ghost and with fire And verse 10. When Christ waâ— baptized the heauenâ— were opened vnto him and he saw the Spirit descending like a Doue and lighting vpon him So the apostle 1 Cor. 6. saith Ye are washed ye are sanâ—tified ye are iustâ—fied in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our God And chap. 12. of the same Epistle By one Spirite wee are all baptiâ—ed into one body whether we be Iewes or Grâ—eâ—ianâ— whether we be bond or free and haue beene all made to drinke into one Spirite And Tit. 3. According to his mercy he saued vs by the washing of the new both and the renewing of the Holy-Ghost which he shed on vs aboundantly through Iesus Christ our Sauiour All these testimonie teach vs that the holy Spirite of God iâ— a necessary inward part of this Sacrament and that the baptisme of the Spirite ioyned to the word giueth force vnto it who worketh in our souleâ— that which water doth in our bodies so that without the Spirite it is nothing From hence we learne that it is not the dipping of vs Vse 1 into or the sprinkling of vs with water by the Minister that maketh vs partakers of Christ but it commeth from the vertue of the Spirite who in time performeth what is represented by outward signes and promised by the word Againe we learne heereby that the Spirite is true God Vse 2 equall with the Father and the Sonne For who is able to make the word and Sacraments auaileable but onely God Seeing then this is the proper worke of the Holy-Ghost to open the heart to teach the conscience to seale vp to the day of redemption and to helpe our infirmities in hearing in praying and receiuing the Sacraments hee must needs be acknowledged to be true God the c 1 Cor. 12 4.5 8 9 10 11. Reuel 1 4. giuer of these graces So we see that in the forme of the administration of this Sacrament the blessed Spirite is named and rehearsed d Mat. 28 19. and hath his order together with the Father and the Sonne This therefore is a principle of our faith to be learned confessed and beleeued Vse 3 Thirdly we are heereby to take heede and beware that we giue not to the word that which is proper to the Spirit he ingrafteth vs into Christ he keepeth vs that we fall not from Christ he maketh the word and promise of the institution profitable vnto vs without whom it should be vnto vs as sounding brasse or a tinckeling Cymball Wherefore as GOD the Father in mercy maketh the promise so his Spirite must assure it to the Consciences of all the faithfull Vse 4 Lastly let vs learne whensoeuer we come to the word or Sacraments to craue the gracious assistance of the blessed Spirit to guide direct and regenerate vs to eternall life to sanctifie vs e 1 Ioh. 5 7. and to assure vs of Gods endlesse fauour in Christ Iesus as 1. Ioh. 5. There be three which beare witnesse in heauen the Father the Word and the holy Sp rit and these three are one The Holy-Ghost by his grace and vertue worketh in vs stedfastly to beleeue the truth of Gods word and the gracious promises of saluation as he is the author beginner and begetter of faith in vs so he increaseth it maketh vs fit to receiue Christ and to apply him with all his guifts vnto our soules and sendeth vs into the full fruition and possession of Christ He is our comforter to certifie vs of our reconciliation to God and to make vs reioyce vnder the Crosse knowing that f RoÌ„ 5 3 4 5. tribulation bringeth foorth patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of God is shedde abroad in our hearts by the Holy-Ghost which is giuen vnto vs. He is the earnest and seale of our inheritance by whom wee are sealed vp to euerlasting life Thus we see that howsoeuer the increase and strength of faith is assigned to the Sacraments yet this grace proceedeth from the Holy-Gkost who is vnto our faith as marow vnto the bones as moysture vnto the tree and as a coÌ„fortable raine vnto the fruites of the
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
part of baptisme The 4. outward part of Bapt. is the bodie that is washed Now such as are to be baptized must be within the Couenant Not to all and euery of them that haue life nor all that haue sense nor all that haue reason haue right to it and a priuiledge in it but the people of God by Couenant These are either men and women of riper years or else the infants of such who haue interrest in baptisme as well as the parents of whome they are borne This condemneth the Romish practise of Baptizing Belles as a most horrible prophanation of this Sacrament and serueth to set foorth the great loue of God vnto all beleeuers who vouchsafeth to bee their God and the God of theyr seede Hence likewise it appeareth d Infants haue interest in baptisme as well as their parents that infants are to be baptized For baptisme succeedeth in place of Circumcision the Apostles baptized e Colos 2 11. whole houses Christ calleth infants and sucklings f Act. 16 15 33 vnto himselfe and saith that vnto such belongeth the Kingdome of Heauen they are Christs sheepe and members of his body Hence we learne that the baptisme of Infants is no vnwritten tradition but a written and diuine institution taught in the Scriptures Consider also heereby the difference betweene baptisme and the Lords Supper g 1 Cor. 14 16 Mar. 10 13 14 15. and that all are conceiued in originall sinne Acknowledge also a difference betweene them and the children of Infidels and let parents be incouraged h Psal 51 5. to bring vp their children in the instruction and reformation of the Lord. Hitherto of the outward parts now follow i Eph. 6 4. the inward parts which also are four in number First k The inward parts of baptism are four God the Father represented by the Minister whereby our faith is greatly strengthned For whensoeuer the eie seeth the Minister powring water on the body faith beholdeth God the Father clensing the soule with the precious blood of his Son Christ The second part is the Spirit l Mat. 28 19 of God hauing relation to the word and promise of God and therefore whensoeuer we come to heare the word or to receiue the Sacraments we must craue the assistance of the Spirit to open our harts m 1 cor 12 12 as he opened the hart of Lydia If this inward teacher be wanting the eare heareth and the hand handleth but the hart is hardned The third inward part of baptism n Act. 16 14 is Christ represented by the water This serueth greatly to confirme our faith to consider with our selues when we behold with our bodily eyes the water poured vpon the body baptized o Act. 2 38. the blotting out of all our sins by the blood of Christ Iesus The 4. inward part is the soule clensed p 1 Pet. 3 21. most liuely and effectually represented by the body washed For the washing of the body representeth the clensing of the soule This teacheth that by nature we are corrupt and abhominable q Ep. 5 26 27 so that God must worke in vs both the will and the deed These are the foure inward parts of baptisme The agreemēt between these outward and inward parts r The proportion betwixt the outward and inward parts of baptisme is very euident Fot as the Minister by the word of institution applieth water to the washing of the body so the Father through the working of the Spirit applieth the blood of Christ to the clensing of the soule This distinction and proportion of the parts to wit the outwarde with the inwarde serueth to determine manie Controuersies vntimely raised hotly pursued and vncharitably continued among vs. For if we did aright discerne the outward baptism from the inward that which the Minister doth deliuer from that which God doth giue and bestow it might be a good meanes to dissolue sundrie doubts touching the sufficiencie and efficacy of this Sacrament whether it be impeached or abolished by the euill of the Minister which is of three sorts of heresy impiety and ignorance The first question is touching heresie Touching the baptis of the Heretickes whether baptisme ministred by an Hereticke be true baptisme or not I aunswere If Heretiques keepe not the substance of baptisme but erre in the foundation of religion and the doctrine of the Trinity their baptisme can be no baptisme Hence it is that Nicephorus Niceph. hist lib. 3. cap 33 maketh mention of a Minister that in the want of water baptized with sand but the party was again baptized and that most iustly But if they keepe the Doctrine of the Sacrament sound in substance and faile not in the essentiall partes of it such baptisme is good baptisme and ought not to be repeated For as the truth taught by Heretickes is Gods truth and auaileable to edification so long as they preach out of Gods word so baptisme administred by them is true baptisme so long as they obserue the institution of God entire and vncorrupt The second Question is touching the scandalous life prophane heart of the Minister whether it hinder the effect of the Sacrament or not Touching the baptisme of euil Ministers I answere it dooth not for as good prayers conceiued by euill men haue also audience vvith God so it is with the Sacraments albeit they be administered by euill men yet haue they acceptance with God And albeit the sonnes of Eli did occasion the people to abhorre the offerings of the Lorde yet it is their sinne to abstaine Iudas beeing sent out to preach ministered Baptisme also which was no doubt effectuall and sufficient to the Receyuers albeit he were a damnable hypocrite and the child of perdition True it is he receiued no benefit by the word or the Sacraments yet he might bee a meanes of doing good to others The light of the Sunne passeth by myrie and vnclean places and yet it is not defiled so the dignitie of the Sament is not hindred by the lewdnesse of the Minister The Sacraments brought vnto vs by loose Ministers which are no better then stumbling-blockes laide before the weake Aug. in Iohan. tract 5. are like water that passeth thorough a Chanell into a Garden it selfe receiueth no benefit by it howbeit the garden is watered and made fruitfull thereby Manie of the Priests and Leuites among the Israelites were vngodly and vnsanctified yet they both offered sacrifices and celebrated Sacraments which to the right partakers were feales of the Couenants and meanes to encrease faith Again there is no difference in respect of God between him that is prophane in heart and him that is prophane in life betweene him that is prophane outwardlye and him that is prophane inwardly forasmuch as they are both alike knowne vnto him But no man knoweth what is in the heart and therefore if prophanenesse did hinder the fruitfulnesse of the