swallow him vp But Christ expoundeth himselfe and declareth that he meant not carnally but spiritually I◠is the Spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing the words that I speake vnto you are spirit and life that is the flesh of Christ thus eaten thus chewed thus digested bodily carnally and grosly cannot profit but truely and spiritually taken it is meat indeed Whereby it appeareth that the flesh and blood of Christ are not bodily nourishment for then we should hold his body in our hands eate it with our mouths teare it with our teeth swallow it downe our throats concoct it in our stomacks and haue it distributed to our fleshly parts Now to shew a What it is to eate the body of christ spiritually what it is to eate spiritually and to pull off the garment of this similitude that the truth may more plainely appeare by spiritual eating we do not vnderstand that which is fained standing in a conceit opinion or imagination neither that the body and blood of Christ are turned into a spirit but we meane by spirituall eating such a communion and participation of Christ as is wrought by the powerfull working of the Holy-Ghost inasmuch also as it is attained by faith onely and pertaineth to a spirituall and eternall life And howsoeuer the benefit of this coniunction reach vnto the body which thereby is mortified and sanctified and afterward shall be glorified yet this fruition of Christ is not called corporall but spirituall because this food doth not pertain to the maintaining of this present life but it is referred to the life which is eternall Now this life euerlasting is called spirituall albeit the bodies themselues shall be partakers thereof which therefore b 1 Cor. 15 44 by the Apostle are called spirituall bodies Thus then standeth the comparison as there is a present life that is bodily c Sadcel de Spirit Mand. cap. 1. so there is another life to be thought vpon which is spirituall and eternall as we are borne to this present life so are we borne againe to life eternal as this bodily life is sustained by bodily meat and drinke so Christ with all his merits and mercies is the food of the spirituall life as the body hath d Comparison betweene the bodily spiritual eating his mouth whereby the meat and drinke is receiued and so passeth into the body by bodily feeding so the soule hath her mouth namely faith which apprehendeh the most holy nourishment of the body blood of Christ and lastly as the meat by a naturall force is concocted and digested that it may passe disperse it selfe into the whole body so the efficacy of the Spirit beginning faith in vs doth so powerfully and mightily worke in our soule that it quickeneth vs through Christ to whom we are neerely vnited Thus we see we haue no carnall communion with Christ nor bodily eating of Christ Wherefore let the capernaiticall Papists or popish Capernaits prepare their faith not their teeth their soules not their bellies to eat the flesh of Christ and drinke his blood And if they be ashamed of the name of the Capernaits let them also be ashamed of the error of the Capernaits but if they cleaue to their error they must bee content to borrow their name for the name and opinion must go together Sixtly Christ exhorteth the people to beware of false Prophets that come in sheepes cloathes e Mat. 7 15. but indeed haue Wolues hearts saying If any shall say vnto you Loe heere is Christ or there f Mat. 24 23. beleeue it not behold he is in the desart go not forth behold he is in the secret places beleeue it not And the Apostle Paul exhorteth Col. 3. To seeke those things that are aboue where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God But if Christ lurke and lye hid vnder the accidents of bread and wine thē we might beleeue such as say Loe heere is Christ there is Christ he might be pointed out with the finger on euery Altar and so often as the Priest lifteth vp his Idoll he might say to the people behold heere is Christ whom wee haue newly made looke vpon him whom wee haue newly fashioned but then we must answere with Christ beleeue i◠not Seuenthly the Fathers vnder the law did eate the same spirituall meate and drinke the same spirituall drinke that the g 1 cor 10 1 2 Corinthians and other Christians did though they had differing signes they had the same Christ signified But they did not eate the flesh of Christ and drinke his blood bodily for as yet he was not come in the flesh therefore he is not present in his natural body in our Sacraments This Paul setteth downe 1 Cor. 10. They did all eate the same spirituall meat they did all drinke the same spirituall drinke for they dranke of that spirituall rocke that followed them and that rocke was Christ Where the Apostles purpose is to proue h Aug. tom 6. tract in Ioh. 26 and in Psal 77 Gratian can inquit 80. that the Israelites were not in feriour to the Corinthians in respect of the Sacraments of Gods fauour and therefore had no more to boast of then the Israelites had whereupon he saith they had the same meat the same drinke the same Christ Now if they did not eat the same in substance which the Corinthians did eate then the Israelites were farre inferior to them touching their Sacraments and so the Apostles reason should be of no force Eightly Christ is in such sort in heauen in his humanity as that he is not on the earth i Mat. 9 15. Ioh. 13. c. with his body and consequently not in the Sacrament as we see Mat. 9. Can the children of the bride-chamber mourne as long as the bride-groome is with them But the daies will come when the bride-groome shall be taken from them and then they shall fast But if hee were remaining on the earth and contained in the pixe the bride-groome could not nor would not be takē away And the same Euangelist Mat. 26 11. chap. 26. saith Ye haue the poore alwaies with you but me ye shall not haue alwaies Likewise Ioh. 13. Ioh. 13 1. and 14.2 3.28 17 11 12 13. When Iesus knew that his houre was come that hee should depart out of this world vnto the Father he riseth from Supper cha 14. I go to prepare a place for you but I will come againe If I go away to prepare a place for you I will receiue you vnto my selfe that where I am there may ye be also and verse 28. Yee haue heard how I said vnto you I go away and will come vnto you And chap. 17. Now I am no more in the world but these are in the world and I come to thee Againe Act. 1. Yee men of Galile why stand ye gazing into heauen This Iesus which k Acts 1 11. is taken vp from
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
the eye the heart It would be strange in nature to see the hands beate and teare the face or the feet then what is it but euen monstrous in religion for one Christian to deuoure another to pray vpon another to swell against another and to do hurt one to another There is no difference of grapes when they are all in the wine-presse so there is no difference of Christians in respect of Christ comming to his Table so that being made one body in Christ there ought to be no diuision or contention among vs but we should be knit together in loue with so firme and fast a knot as may not bee broken Thus much of the third and last end of the Lords Supper CHAP. XV. Of Examination before the Lords Supper WHat the Supper of the Lord is what are the parts and vses thereof and what an heauenly banket it is for all worthy receiuers hath hitherto beene sufficiently declared now it followeth to set down a Examination necessary before we come to the Lords Table the way means how we may come worthily For the whole fruite of this Sacrament standeth in the right partaking thereof The right manner standeth in preparing our selues to come and in examining our selues before we come No great thing can be done well without good care and endeuour In all humane b Cicer de â—sâ—sic lib. 1. things of any importance nothing is attempted or atchiued without some preparation more or lesse going before according to the nature of the matter Before men sit downe to eate or drink their ordinary food before they sleepe before they wash before they walke before they worke some preparation goeth before Before the c rem 4 4. ground is tilled it is prepared Before the law was deliuered before the d Exo. 19 10. Sabboth was sanctified before the sacrifice was offered before the Passeouer was killed before the word was receiued before prayers were vttered the hart was in some sort prepared One of the greatest duties required of vs is to dye well whereunto all our life should be a preparation and euery day should be a meditation of death that we may not be found vnready vnprepared e Mat. 25 13. when the bridegroome shall come So the Supper of the Lord being an excellent mystery and the food of our soules whereby we receiue Christs body and blood there is required of euery one a trying prouing and examining themselues least seeking comfort by their comming they bring vpon theÌ„selues iudgement through want of preparing This truth deliuered hath the witnesse and consent f 2 Chr. 35.6 of many Scriptures for the confirmation thereof The Prophet 2. Chron. 35. saith Kill the Passeouer and sanctifie your selues and prepare your brethren that they may do according to the word of the Lord by the hand of Moses And the holy man Iob when the dayes of the banketting of his children were gone about sent and sanctified them and rose vp earely in the morning and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all Also the wise man Eccle. 4. Take heed to thy foote when thou entrest into the house of God and be more neere to heare then to giue the sacrâ—fice of fooles for they know not that they do euill Likewise the Prophet Ieremy Lament 3. Wherefore is the living man sorrowfull Man suffereth for his sinne let vs search and try our wayes and turne againe to the Lord. To the same purpose the Prophet Dauid saith Psal 4. Tremble and sinne not examine your owne heart vpon your bed and be still and Psal 119. I haue considered my waies and turned my feet into thy testimonies The Apostle Paul is very direct in this point as Gal 6.4 Let euery man proue his owne worke and then shall he haue reioycing in himselfe onely and not in any other Also 1. Cor. 11. Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this cup where he speaketh of purpose of the Lords Supper So then it is a duty required of all persons that come to the Lords Table or any other exercise of religion to search their owne hearts and consciences narrowly how they be affected disposed touching the discharge of this duty And if we would farther consider the necessity of this examination we should finde it standeth vpon many sufficient g Reasons of this duty of examination reasons and causes as vpon certaine foundations that cannot be remoued Do we not see men when they come into the presence of some honourable and noble person h Gen. 41 14. to addresse themselues to do it with all reuerence Ioseph being sent for to come before Pharaoh King of Egipt shaued his head and changed his rayment and Prou. 23. When thou sittest downe with a Ruler at meate consider diligently what is before thee Therefore when we sit at the Lords Table to sup with him and are admitted to be his welcome guests we ought much more to be carefull to sanctifie our soules with all solemnity Consider with me a little our owne practise We will not put our ordinary meates in a dish vnwashed nor our common drinks into a cup vncleansed and shall wee put the signes of bread and wine which are chosen instruments to conueigh Christ vnto vs into vnsanctified soules vnprepared hearts and filthy consciences Doth not our Sauiour Christ reproue such hypocrisie when he saith i Mat. 16 3. Ye can discerne the face of the skie and can you not discerne the signes of the times And if that vpper chamber where the Supper was first administred were trimmed and garnished should not our hearts bee prepared into the which it is receiued Shal Christ himselfe offer to come into our houses and shall not we sanctifie our hearts to entertaine such a guest This were too great carelesnes and contempt Moreouer waigh with me the profit that commeth to our selues to moue vs to this examination The comfort is great the fruite is excellent the benefit is vnspeakeable to those that partake the mystery of the Supper worthily they receiue Christ they receiue remission of sins they receiue saluation they receiue assurance of eternall life For if the woman diseased l Math. 9 20. with an yssue of blood loe twelue yeare comming behind Christ and touched onely the hemme of his garment was made vvhole then assuredly the spiritual receyuing of the body and bloode of Christ shall not bring lesse profit if the faith be equall which notwithstanding is wholy lost without preparation Ponder with me also how by neglect of this triall of our selues not onely this profite is lost but the Sacrament it selfe is after a sort defiled For howsoeuer it be in it selfe by the ordinance of God an holy and heauenly banquet yet vnto the vngodly vnregenerate and vnsanctified it becommeth vnholy and wholy earthly l Hag. 2.14 as the prophet Haggai teacheth Chapter 2. If a polluted
partes A man is a compound creature made of flesh and of a reasonable soule as Athanasius speaketh in his Creede If the question were asked whether man were a mortall creature or immortall earthly or heauenly visible or inuisible No man coulde rightly answere without a distinction to wit that he is earthly touching his body heauenly touching his spirit In like sort we must consider touching the lords supper which is made of an earthly and an heauenly thing and therefore if the question be demaunded whether it be an earthly or an heauenly thing Wee must resolue that in part it is earthly and in part heauenly earthly in the figure and heauenly in the matter that is signified We must acknowledge from hence the diuers natures and partes of it distinguishing the one from the other Then had neuer risen so great contētion confusion in the Church of Christ touching this Supper if this distinction had heene wisely obserued and if what is proper vnto the outward parts and what proper to the inwarde had beene duely marked The ignorance of this point hath bred much debate and kindled a fire that will very hardly bee quenched The outward parts are m The outward parts are foure foure First the Minister who is to take the bread and wine into his handes n 1 Cor. 11 23 after the example of Christ to separate the Bread and Wine so taken from their common vse to an holy to breake the bread to poure out the Wine and deliuer them both into the handes of all the people present for it is not for euerie man to minister in the Church of God and to bestowe and dispose the Mysteries of Christ The Apostles were present at the Supper not as dispensers but as communicants not as Ministers but as ghesse Christ was as the maister and maker of the Feast instituting with his owne hands the Sacrament of his grace So then they are not consecrated to be Priestes of the New testament but preachers of the Gospell and ministers of the Sacraments and therefore priuate persons may not take this Supper to themselues or deliuer it to others The second part is the word of Institution o Luke 22 19 This is my body that is this bread is p Tertul. lib. 4. cont Marcio august conr adimant cap. 12. a signe of my bodie which shortly shall be crucified for you this cup is a true signe of my Bloode presently to be shed to confirme the new Couenant of GOD touching forgiuenesse of sins and eternall life These words are not properly but figuratiuely to be vnderstood beeing Sacramentall speeches Thus the Scripture speaketh of q Gen. 17 10 Circumcision of the Paschall Lambe The third outward part are bread wine fit signes to signify our spirituall nourishment by eating the body and drinking the bloode of Christ In baptisme wee haue one onely signe but in this supper r Mark 14 12 we haue two to note out our full and perfect nourishment by Christ Neither did Christ deliuer the deceiueable shewes of bread and wine or cast a mist before the eies of his Disciples to make them thinke it Bread which was no bread or wine which was no wine but he gaue them true bread and the true fruite of the vine ſ 1 cor 10 16 as the Apostle calleth them after the blessing breaking consecration Heereby falleth to the ground the mystery of transubstantiation the most mishapen monster that euer liued or was deuised It bringeth in a false Christ and turneth him into an Idoll it maketh Sacraments without signes it maketh Christ to haue an infinite body who is like to vs in all things t Heb. 4 15 sinne onely excepted Lastly it confoundeth heauen and earth together Obiection Neither let any obiect that Christ hath now a glorified body sitting at the right hand of his Father and therfore his body hath a great priuiledge aboue ours to bee in diuers places at the same time Answere For first when the holy Supper was instituted the body of Christ was not glorified Againe glorification doth not take away the nature of a true body but taketh away the infirmity and weaknes thereof Take away space of place from a body and it remaineth no longer a true body but the essence of it is abolished u Aug. epist 57. ad Dardan as Austine hath well determined Againe if Christ deliuered both signes the people ought to receiue vnder both kindes so that they may be iustly called Church-robbers who haue takan frō the people the vse of the cup and a Gal. 3 15. wretched deprauers of Christs testament depriuing the right heires of their inheritance ingrossing into their hands the goods of others They make it of the essence of the Sacrament to vse vnleauened bread and to mingle water with wine which Christ neuer ordained or commanded but that which is necessary they esteeme as needles and superfluous thus transgressing the commandement of God by their owne traditions The fourth outward part are the Communicants whose duty it is c Mat. 26 26. to take the bread and wine into their hands to eate the bread and to drinke the wine to the nourishment of their bodies He did not bid them to reserue the outward signes to hold them vp and adore them or cal the Sacrament their Lord and their God he did not command them to offer them vp to God the Father as a propitiatory sacrifice for the quicke and dead as is vsed in their vnbloody or rather most bloody Masse which hath caused so much innocent blood of the blessed martyrs to be shed d Reu. 6 7.10 who being killed for the word of God and the testimony which they maintained their soules vnder the Altar cry day and night with a loud voice vnto the Lord holy and true to iudge and auenge their blood on them that dwell on the earth Lastly heereby are ouerthrowne the priuate Masses of the Church of Rome which now grow to be too commō e 1 Cor. 11 10 and cannot stand with the Communion of Christ who deliuered the signes of bread and wine to all the Disciples that were present they did not stand by and gaze one vpon another but receiued the Supper of the Lord together The outward parts haue bin hitherto handled which being rightly performed f What Consecration is there followeth consecration which is a separation of the outward signes from their ordinary vse to an holy and spirituall vse that whereas before they serued for the body now they are made instruments of grace and seales of the righteousnes by faith The inward parts follow g The inward parts of this Supper are foure which are foure First God the Father who appointed his Son to performe the gracious worke of our redemption and in the fulnesse of time sent him into the world h Rom. 4 2 5 who dyed for our sinnes and rose againe for our
yet if wee bee vncleane and vnpure we make them all vnpure to our selues I say to our selues but not to others For why should they bear the blame of our impurity or why should they bee punished for our iniquity The Apostle speaking of the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11. saith He that eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh iudgement to himselfe not discerning the Lords body hee cannot eate and drinke iudgement to other men but hee may to himselfe Likewise the same Apostle writing to Titus saith Chap. 1.15 Vnto the pure all things are pure but vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure but euen their minde and conscience is defiled No man can defile the Sacraments to others but onely to himselfe forasmuch as they take their nature and borrow their force from God not from men and therefore are not to bee esteemed by the vice or vertue of the Minister but by the power and vertue of God If a Prince should send vs a pardon by his letters pattens and deliuer them into the hand of a wicked man as God sent Iudas the son of perdition to the Children of Israel to preach vnto theÌ„ that the kingdome of God was at hand would we refuse the pardon because of the wickednesse of the messenger Or may wee thinke it to bee lesse forcible and auaileable because hee is an vngodly person Woe then vnto those that bring in againe the damnable doctrine and practise of the Donatists long since buried and shaken in peeces who make a schisme in the Church depart out of the church for the faults offences of the Ministers because wee are not baptized into the names of the Ministers neyther are made partakers of the supper of the Ministers but we are baptized in the name of God and we are made partakers of the Supper of the Lord. They are therefore their owne enemies that looke too much vpon the messenger and too Vse 2 little vpon him that sendeth him vnto vs. Secondly is God the true and onely author and appointer of Sacraments Then none must adde vnto or take from the Sacraments instituted by him in the church no more then vnto the c Deut. 4. worde it selfe Deutronomy 4. Yee shall put nothing to the word which I command you neyther shall ye take ought there from that ye may keepe the commandements of the Lord your God which I command you And Reuel 22 18 19. If any man shall d Reuel 22 18 19. adde vnto these things God shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this booke and if any man shall diminish of the words of the booke of this prophesie God shall take away his part out of the booke of life If the Sacraments were the inuentions of men they might also fitly receiue the additions and subtractions the changes and the alterations of men but seeing they are the ordinances of God we must be content to haue them ordered by God All Ceremonies therefore and rites deuised by men as parts of Gods worship are so many abhominations and innouations of his seruice As God onely can gratiously promise so hee can onely effectually performe what he hath promised Wherefore we must condemne those as guilty of rebellion against God that bouldly breake out eyther to deuise new Sacramentes or to adde and detract from them that God hath ordained We are commanded to rest in those that he hath appointed to the Church in his worde for as well wee may deuise a new word as deliuer a new Sacrament aswell wee may coyne a new Article of faith as bring in a new confirmation of of faith Thirdly wee learne heereby that they which condemne Vse 3 the Sacraments and will not suffer them to bee of any force with themselues and making small account of them doe esteeme them as trifles or otherwise abuse them contrary to the institution will and commandement of Christ all these do greeuously sinne not against man but against the author of them that is God who hath ordained them and greatly indanger their owne saluation as 1. Cor. 11. He that eateth drinketh vnworthily e 1 Cor. 11 29 eateth drinketh his owne iudgement because hee discerneth not the Lords body If a man contemne or any way contumeliously abuse the seale of a Prince he is punished and therefore such as scorne and make a mocke of the Sacraments which are the seales of God cannot goe scot-free but shall bee indighted of high treason and rebellion against his Maiesty The last point to bee considered in the description of a Sacrament is the end of them where it is added Whereby Christ and al his sauing graces by certaine outward rites are signified exhibited and sealed vp to vs. This is proued directly by the Apostle 1. Cor. 10 16. The f 1 Cor. 10 16 cup of blessâ—ng 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 So Peter speaketh Acts 2. of the other Sacrament g Acts 2 38. Amend your liues and be baptized euery one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes and ye shall receiue the guifts of the Holy-Ghost And Paul saith in another place All ye h Gal. 3 27. that are baptized into Christ haue put on Christ Our soules are washed in the bloud of Christ his buriall his resurrection his sanctification his wisedome his righteousnesse his redemption is made ours all his benefits are ours as Christ is ours Vse 1 Let vs make vse of this point and apply it to our selues First is Christ the summe and substance of all Sacraments Then the Church of Rome is heere condemned that say we make the Sacraments bare and naked signes God forbid that we should say so or make them to be so they are the sure seales of Gods promises heauenly tokens spiritual signes and authentike pledges of the grace and righteousnesse of Christ giuen and imputed vnto vs. The Sacraments and sacrifices of the olde Testament were not bare signes Circumcision was not i Rom. 2 28.29 a bare signe as Rom. 2. This is not circumcision which is outward in the flesh but the circumcision of the heart And In Christ k Col. 2 11 12. yee are circumcised with circumcision made without hands by putting off the sinfull body of the flesh through the circumcision of Christ Euen so Baptisme is no bare signe it were great blasphemy so to speake it were very great iniquity so to thinke The grace of God doth worke with his Sacraments and therfore the signes are neuer receiued in vaine of the faithfull and worthy receiuer The water washeth not from sinne the bread and wine feede not to eternall life but it is the precious blood of Christ that doth cleanse vs from al sin and purchaseth for vs all grace which is the life and the truth of the outward signes Againe
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
g TransubstaÌ„tiation ouerthrowne whatsoeuer ouerthroweth the nature and vse of a Sacrament is not to be admitted but omitted neyther to bee receiued but reiected But transubstantiation ouerthroweth and ouerturneth both the nature and vse of a Sacrament and therefore not to be admitted and receiued into the Church For touching the nature of a Sacrament it is confessed h Iren. lib. 4. contr haer cap. 34. that it consisteth of two parts the one earthly and the other heauenly but if after the words of consecration the bread and wine are transubstantiated into the body and blood of Christ then the signe is taken away the element is ouerthrowne the materiall part is abolished and consequently the nature of a Sacrament is ouerturned And touching the vse of a Sacrament there must be an analogy and proportion betweene the signe the thing signified As in Baptisme the element of water washeth and purgeth the bodye so the Holy-Ghost through the blood of Christ cleanseth and sanctifieth the soule Likewise in the Lords Supper as the Substance of bread and wine receiued strengtheneth and comforteth the body so Christ i Ioh. 6 33. receiued by faith nourisheth feedeth the soule The very true principall vse of this Sacrament is to confirme our faith that as surely as those earthly creatures taken and applyed feed our bodies to a bodily life so the body and blood of Christ receiued and applyed by faith feed our soules to eternall life And do not all the faithfull feele a sweete comfort so often as they come to the Lords table by this similitude agreement to consider and know assuredly that as the substance of bread serueth to nourish and doth feede our bodyes so Christ doth feede our soules But if wee must beleeue that the substance of bread and wine is changed cleane gone that nothing remaineth but accidents where is this comfort and consolation How can wee bee assured and strengthened that as our bodies are nourished with the materiall elements so in like manner our soules by feeding on Christ Wherefore while they take away the substance of bread which should nourish the body the nature and vse of the Sacrament is destroyed and wee are spoyled of the comfort of our hearts and strengthning of our faith which wee should haue by this notable comparison and resemblance of the parts So then if wee would receiue comfort in comming to this Communion wee must retaine the substance of the signe as a staffe to stay vp our faith that it do not faile Lastly seeing God giueth vnto vs outward signes of his grace it serueth to teach vs that wheresoeuer and among whomsoeuer God continueth his signes he purposeth to bestow vpon them the things signified by the signes on the other side where God denyeth the meanes he also denyeth the thing wheÌ„ he taketh away the sign he taketh away the grace also This we see in the Turkes and Sarazins because he denyeth vnto them saluation hee taketh from them the seales and assurances of saluation and because he refuseth them to be his Church hee vouchsafeth not vnto them the prerogatiues and priuiledges of his Church Thus it falleth out in the preaching of the word vpon those whom God determineth to saue and to bestow vpon them the guift of faith whereby they are entred into the kingdome of heauen hee sendeth vpon them his word and causeth it to be preached vnto them but when he will not shew mercy but leaue a people in their miserable estate and condition he withdraweth the Ministry from them as we see in the Acts of the Apostles Chap. 16. When they were gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia They were forbidden of the holye Ghost to preach the word in Asia and after they were come to Mysia they assaied to go into Bithinia but the Spirite suffered them not Euen as when God will bring a famine vpon a land he with-holdeth the early and latter raine making the heauen to be as brasse and the earth as iron but when he will send plenty and open the windowes of heauen he sendeth a gracious raine and showers vpon the earth so when he will send a famine not of bread nor a thirst of water but of hearing the word of God hee taketh away his word and the meanes of saluation that they shall wander from sea to sea and runne to and fro to seeke the word of the Lord and shall not finde it but faint for thirst If any aske the question wherfore the Lord forbad Paul to preach the word in Asia and to come into Bythinia we cannot assigne this to be the cause that they were vnworthy to haue the doctrine of saluation offered vnto them forasmuch as they were as worthy as the Macedonians to whoÌ„ the Gospell was preached no more vnworthy then the other Gentiles Neither can we say this was the cause that God foresaw how euery one would receiue or entertaine the Gospel that as he saw them ready and inclined to accept of the word or to reiect it so he vouchsafed or not vouchsafed the same vnto them for hee pronounceth openly that he appeared to them of whom hee was not sought and spake vnto them that neuer asked after him Besides this were to ground the cause of saluation vpon our selues which is out of our selues and to ascribe it to our owne merite which is due onely to his mercy We are all by nature the children of wrath and destitute of the guift of faith if there be any willingnesse in vs to obey it proceedeth from the Spirite of God who as he electeth freely so he calleth freely Now that which is spoken of the preaching of the word may also be applied to the vse of the Sacraments When he purposeth to strengthen the faith which hee hath giuen vnto vs hee vouchsafeth the outward signes and seals of his promises that thereby wee should be assured he meaneth to bestow vpon vs the inward grace represented by them He dealeth iustly and vprightly with vs hee hath no purpose to beguile vs and deceiue vs. For they are no bare or naked much lesse false and lying signes but effectual instruments of the Spirite to conuey the mercies of God in Iesus Christ into our hearts and therefore we must bee carefull to vse them conscionably as certaine pawnes and pledges which God hath commended and committed vnto vs that they might be as witnesses of his loue and fauour towards vs. And thus much of the third outward part to wit the signe CHAP. VII Of the fourth outward part of a Sacrament THe last outward paâ—t of a Sacrament is the a The receiuer is an outward part of the Sacrament receiuer which is as needfull as the outward signe We vnderstand and take heere a receiuer in generall for euery one that commeth to the Sacrament whether good or euill godly or vngodly faithfull or vnfaithfull Such a receiuer is likewise a necessary part of the
of Christ seeing they are a principall part of his possession If they be a part of the houshold they ought to haue entrance into the house if they belong to the Citty of God who shall dare to shut the gates against them Or if they bee in the number of the sheepe of Christ who shal presume to keepe them from the sheepefold Or if they be sound members of the body of Christ who shall cut them off as rotten members Wherefore then u Gen. 17 7. Acts 2 39. 1. Cor 7 14. should they not receiue the seale whereby the promise is confirmed vnto them seeing they haue the promise it selfe of saluation Why should they not bee partakers of the outward signe a Mat. 19 14. seeing they are partakers of the thing signified Why should they be put backe from the figure seeing they haue the truth it selfe Why should they not be partakers of the Sacrament with the faithfull seeing they are enrolled in the fellowship of the faithfull And who shall depriue them of the seale of the couenant seeing they are partakers of regeneration and remission of sinnes Heereupon thus we reason whosoeuer are in the couenant and Church of God vnto them belongeth baptisme which is the seale of the couenant but Infants are in the Couenant and of the Church therefore to them belongeth baptisme which is the seale of the Couenant Againe to whome the promise appertaineth they may and ought to bee baptized but the promise was made euen to Infants therefore they may and ought to be baptized Furthermore to whom forgiuenesse of sinnes and the Holy-Ghost are promised and giuen they ought by no meanes to be denied the outward signe but forgiuenesse of sinnes and the Holy-Ghost are promised to Infants and giuen vnto them therefore infants ought not to be kept from the element of water no more then such as are of yeares of discretion Thus much of the first point putting Children into the right and possession of Baptisme as if it were the right heires into their inheritance from which they haue beene wrongfully and vniustly dispossessed Hauing now sufficiently proued by the Scripture that children are to be baptized it remaineth that we should maintaine this assertion against b Obiections of Anabaptists impugning childrens baptisme anâ—wered the cauils of the Anabaptists For as the former reasons grounded vpon the euident demonstration of the worde as vpon a pillar that cannot be shaken may perswade vs to embrace the truth so the weakenesse and sophistry which appeareth in the Obiections of the aduersaries serueth to confirme vs in this perswasion But let vs examine what is the strength of them First they obiect Obiection it was neuer commanded that Infants should be baptized I answere Answere vnblameable examples practises not contradicted are in the nature of precepts Againe the will of God approuing and appointing childrens baptisme appeareth c Col. 2 11.12 in that it came in place of circumcision Baptisme is our circumcision Besides we d Mat. 28 19. 1 Cor. 10 1 2. haue a generall commandement Go teach all nations and baptize them And the apostle saith all were baptized in the cloud and in the sea and he comprehendeth the whole Church when hee saith it was clensed with the washing of water Ephesians 5. verse 26. Christ saith all nations the Apostle saith all the Israelites let them shew where infants are excepted and exempted for we hold this as a certaine principle that a general commandement includeth the particular and comprehendeth the same vnder it as well as if it were by name expressed Secondly they obiect if infants may be baptized Obiection then they may be admitted to the Lords Supper for why should not the Supper be giuen to the whole church as wel as baptisme I answere Answere there is not the like reason and respect of both There is great difference betweene these two Sacraments For baptisme is a signe of our entrance and receiuing into the church so that the Supper is to be granted to none but to such as are baptized and are fit to beâ—r strong meat being instituted for our confirmation and sealing vnto vs that God hauing once receiued vs into the Church wil also euermore preserue vs in it that we neuer fall from it nor forsake it and will nourish and châ—â—â—sh vs by the body and blood of Christ Wherfore the Lord Iesus to shew that his Supper was not for children but for men would not administer it in the element of milke which is for infants and for new borne babes but in bread and wine which are for strong men that are of age Againe sundry conditions and considerations are required in the supper which debar yong infants that although they are to be baptized yet they ought not to be admitted to the Lords supper seeing by their young yeares they are excluded For it is required of all those that come to this supper e 1 Cor. 11.26 28 29. to shew foorth the Lords death to discerne the body and blood of Christ and try themselues whether they haue faith and repentance But infants cannot doe these things they cannot shew forth the Lords death they are not apt to discerne his body and blood they are not able to examine themselues and therefore infants for good causes are excluded from this Supper If any say Is this a good reason the promise doth belong to infants and therefore the Sacrament of Baptisme Then why may not the Lords Supper be as well giuen vnto them vpon the same ground This will not follow howsoeuer some of the ancient Fathers were of that opinion Cyprian Ser. 5. de laps August de eccl dogm cap. 52. Ioh. 6 6 5â— applying this Scripture to their purpose Ioh. 6 53. Except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood yee haue no life in you But this place is to be vnderstood of spirituall eating by faith not of the Sacramentall eating as wee shall shew in the next booke They were therefore deceiued that thought the Supper of the Lord did belong to infants And touching this consequence The promise of grace belongeth to children Therefore the outward signe of the Sacrament it is true being rightly vnderstood to wit according to the limitation and the appointment of God proper to euery Sacrament who hath ordained that the Sacrament of entrance should be receiued both of men and children Gen. 17. howbeit only the males in the old Testament and not before the eight day but in the new Testament both of male and female without restraint of time And touching the Supper of the Lord which is the Sacrament of our norishment it can appertaine to those onely that are come to yeares of discretion first because the end thereof is to shew the Lords death vntill he come 1 Cor. 11 26. 1 Cor. 11 28. Secondly because euery one that commeth vnto it is commanded to examine himselfe Mat. 26 26.
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
and nailed vpon the Crosse is offended at him accounting it a foolish and weake meanes to saue mankinde that life should spring out of death glory come out of shame power proceed out of weakenesse and triumphant victory arise out of his contemptible sufferings but the faithfull soule acknowledgeth in this mystery of godlines the high hand and vnsearchable wisedome of God It may seeme ridiculous vnto some men i Gen. 17 10. that God should require circumcision of Abraham and of his houshold young olde bond and free maister and seruants to vncouer all their shames and to open the hidden parts of nature yet Abraham submitted himselfe to the ordinance of God Naaman the Syrian thought it a toyish precept and prescript when he was bidden to wash himselfe seauen times in Iordan hauing many Riuers in his owne country as good as that yet by k 2 Kings 5 11 12 14. obeying the Prophet he was cleansed of his leprosie The inhabitants of Iericho scorned Ioshua and the men of Israell when they saw them compasse their Citty strong walled l Iosh 6.20 and to blow with their Rammes hornes yet by this weake meanes the wall fell downe the enemies were destroyed the Citty was sacked and the people of GOD preuailed Christ seeing a blinde man and willing to heale him he spat on the ground m Ioh. 9 6. and made clay of spittle and annointed the eyes of the blinde with the clay and said vnto him Go wash in the poole of Siloam he obeyed he went he washed he returned seeing Thus doth God by simple base and weak things oftentimes confound the mighty strong and wise of the world that no flesh should reioyce in his presence and crosseth all the high conceits and proud imaginations of mans wil and wit Wherefore we must not follow our owne vnderstanding nor measure the matters of God by the crooked rule of our carnall reason Whosoeuer will yeeld obedience to God must deny himselfe and renounce his owne wisedom n 1 Cor. 3 18.19 and become a foole that he may be wise in God as 1. cor 3. Let no man deceiue himselfe if any man among you seeme to be wise in this world let him be a foole that he may be wise for the wisedome of this world is foolishnesse with God Thus we see that in the Sacraments we must vnderstand more then we see and beleeue more then we can behold Such as are without knowledge and faith comprehend no more of baptisme then the bodily eye directeth them vnto but the faithful conceiue the blood of Christ to be offered to purge the soule and conscience from all sinne o Gen. 2 10. as the riuer watered the garden of Eden CHAP. XI Of the fourth inward part of baptisme THe last inward part of baptisme is the soule a The soule clensed is the last inward part of baptisme cleansed most liuely represented by the bodye that is washed For as the outward receiuer giueth his body to be washed so the faithfull receiuer doth consecrate himselfe to God with ioy and forsake the flesh the world and the Diuell and feeleth the inward washing of the Spirit as Titus 3 5. According to his b Tit. 3 5. Eph. 2 26 27 mercy he saued vs by the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy-Ghost And the same apostle Eph. 5. Christ gaue himselfe for the Church that hee might sanctifie it and cleanse it by washing of water through the word that he might make it vnto himselfe a glorious Church not hauing spot or wrinkle Wherefore this outward washing of the body commanded by Christ signifieth vnto me that I am no lesse assuredly cleansed in his blood by the working of his Spirit from the spots of my soule that is from all my sins then I am outwardly washed by water whereby the staines of the body vse to be washed away and it bindeth vs that we ought euer afterward by our workes and deeds to declare newnes of life and fruites of repentance Vse 1 Let vs now come to the vses of this last part of baptisme Doth the washing of the body represent the clensing of the soule And doth the soking vp of the filthines of the flesh signifie the remouing of the remnants of rebellion Then we are all by nature vnwise vncleane vnrighteous vnregenerate vnholy disobedient disordered deceiuing and being deceiued we are the vessels of wrath the children of death the bond-slaues of Sathan the heires of damnation we haue our part and portion in the offence of Adam c Rom. 5 10. 7 23 24. as Rom. 5. By one man sin entred into the world and ch 7. I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind and leading me captiue vnto the law of sin which is in my mēbers O wretched man that I am who shal deliuer me from the body of this death Hereunto also commeth that which the d Ioh 3 5 6 7. Euangelist setteth downe in the conference betweene Christ and Nicodemus Ioh. 3. That which is born of flesh is flesh and that which is borne of the Spirit is Spirit maruell not that I said vnto thee ye must be borne againe For this cause are infants baptized because they are conceiued in sin borne in iniquity and cannot become spiritual but by a new birth wrought by the Spirit which is sealed vp by the water in baptisme Vse 2 Againe this serueth to strengthen our faith whē we behold the outward washing pouring out of the water and baptizing of the body it assureth the inward clensing of the soule by the blood of Christ offered to all and receiued of those that are elected to eternall saluation This then is the right and holy vse of baptisme Doest thou feele inwardly in thine heart that through the corruption of thy nature strength of concupiscence thou art moued tempted and prouoked to commit sin And doost thou feele thy selfe ready to yeeld to Sathan and so to fall from God into euill Begin to haue some holy meditation of that solemne vow which thou madest to God in baptisme when thou diddest consecrate and giue vp thy selfe wholy to his seruice and didst renounce obedience to the suggestions of Sathan to the allurements of the world and to the corruptions of the flesh For baptisme is the e Baptisme is a Christian mans ensigne to fight vnder it the battels of the Lord. Christian mans ensigne giuen of God to vs that we should fight as it were vnder it against al the enemies of our saluation ouercome It is the badge and banner of our Captaine that we shrouding our selues vnder his colours should not cowardly turne our backe in the skirmish but couragiously looke the enemy in the face nay tread him vnder our feete for euer For we must learne that when we are once baptized whereby wee put on the profession of Iesus Christ and receiue his cognizance we
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
where to lay his head not the kingdomes and gouernments of this world for his kingdome is not of b Ioh. 18 36. this world but the forgiuenes of sins and euerlasting life obtained by the body of Christ giuen and his blood shed for vs and our redemption Wherefore if God haue so loued vs if Christ haue not spared his owne life to giue vs life and saluation how bitter ought our sins to be vnto vs and how ought we to striue against them If we will hate enemies heere are enemies for vs to hate if we will seeke reuenge against enemies let vs fight against them that seeke our ouerthrow and the destruction of our soule and body There is no reconciliation and attonement to be made with these enemies if thou kill not them they wil kill and condemne thee for euer Hitherto of the names giuen to this Sacrament CHAP. II. What the Lords Supper is AS we haue in the former chapter considered the names and titles attributed to this Sacrament so now we wil see what the Lords Supper is For we shall neuer vnderstand the nature thereof except we be able to define or describe it Therefore a What the Lords Supper is the Lords Supper is the second Sacrament wherein by visible receiuing of bread and wine our spirituall communion with the bodye and blood of Christ is represented This description is plainely proued by the b Mat. 26 26.27 1 Cor. 10 16.17 1 Cor. 11 24.25 institution of Christ by the first celebration of it and by other apparent testimonies of holy Scripture First I say it is the second Sacrament because such as haue interest in the Lord Supper must be first partakers of the other Sacrament for Christ and his apostles ministred it to those that were before baptized And how should they be continually nourished and fed at his table who are not knowne to be of his house nor admâ—tted members of his family We must be receiued into his protection and iurisdiction before we sit downe at his table for our refection They then that are in the house must be fed and fostered in the house the seuerall parts of the family haue the priuiledges of the family it is not lawfull to take the childrens bread and giue it vnto strangers Now baptisme is the true bath of our soules to clense our sores and an honourable badge whereby we are dedicated to the seruice of Christ and haue interest in the priuiledges of the Church sealed vp being partakers hereof we come with comfort to the Lords Supper Vnder the law none vncircumcised c Exod 12 4â— were admitted to the Passeouer as appeareth Exodus 12. If a stranger will obserue the passeouer let him circumcise all the maleâ— that belong vnto him If then the vncircumcised had bin admitted the Passeouer had beene prophaned Wherefore it is not enough for vs once to bee baptized and admitted into the number of the people of God we must also be partakers of Christs Supper When as by baptisme we are brought into the Church of God wee are afterward nourished by this heauenly banket to eternall life Againe I say in the former description that by the bread and wine the bodye and blood of Christ are represented Heerein consisteth the substance of this Sacrament he was truely giuen for vs and his blood was shed for the remission of sinnes least our faith should wander least our hope should wauer Therefore he saith to his Disciples d Lâ—ke 22 19.20 Mar. 14 24. This is my body which was giuen for you this is the cup of the new testament which was shed for you and for many for the remission of sinnes Vse 1 Now that the description of the Lords Supper is prooued let the vses thereof in the next place be declared Hereby we learne first that God doth not lye nor dally with vs when we come to his heauenly table but doth truely offer those benefits in Christ which are represented to all that are admitted thereunto and therefore the apostle said e 1 Cor. 10.3 4. they did all eate the same spirituall meate and did all drinke the same spirituall drinke Indeed many of them did receiue onely the outward signes and did refuse or neglect the spirituall grace so liuely represented and truely offered vnto them but the greater was their sinne who laboured for the meate that perisheth f 1 Ioh. 6 27. but reiected the meat that endureth to euerlasting life Likewise Christ in the administration of his Supper saith g Mat. 26 26. take eate this is my body When he biddeth vs take doth he not giue When he chargeth vs to eat and drinke doth he not offer When he commandeth vs to doe this doth he not apply the thing signified If then we come to this Supper and depart away without Christ and without comfort the cause is in our selues he is come neere vnto vs he standeth as it were at the doore knocking being ready to enter he mercifully offereth himselfe vnto vs but we refuse him we will none of him we bid him depart from vs and shut the entrance of our hearts against him Vse 2 Againe we see heere the excellent price and preheminence of the Lords Supper howsoeuer to those whose faith it doth not nourish whose assurance it doth not confirme and whose saluation it doth not further it is turned into most hurtfull and deadly poyson yet it is an holy banket for the Lords guests an instrument of grace a medicine for the sicke a pledge of saluation a comfort for the sinner an assurance of Gods promises a seale of our faith an helpe for the weake meate for the hungry drinke for the thirsty and a refuge for the distressed in time of tentation Is not this a worthy dignity Is not this a great priuiledge and an high prerogatiue So that we must highly regard and reuerently esteeme this mystery of our religion and badge of our profession to the glory of God and our owne comfort He that is not moued heereby to a reuerent regard thereof hath no sparke of Gods Spirit in him but lyeth in darknesse and discomfit Let vs then make good vse of it all the dayes of our lifes and not abuse it to our destruction It is not enough to seeme religious and pretend reformation of our euil waies what time we do receiue it and to hang downe our heads like a bulrush for a day and immediately after to runne into all excesse of riot We see how many abuse themselues and the Sacrament giuing themselues to feasting and banketting and surfetting and haue soone forgotten where they haue bin what they haue done whom they haue serued and how they haue appeared before the presence of the eternall God We see also in others how contentions and brawlings breake out which seemed smothered and suppressed for a time like lightning and thunder out of a Cloud or like fire couered vnder the ashes whose flame kindleth afterward
with much greater force and violence These mē make not the supper an wholesome preseruatiue and as it were the sicke mans salue as indeed it is by Gods institution but a snare to entrap them a thorne to pricke them and a sword to wound them through their owne corruption Thirdly hereby the aduersaries mouths are stopped and Vse 3 they are put to silence and shame who accuse vs to deny the blessed presence of Christ in the Sacrament We confesse and beleeue that we receiue the body of CHRIST verily truely and indeed not a naked figure not a bare signe not an empty shaddow but euen that body which suffered death vpon the Crosse and that blood which was shed and poured out for the remission of our sinnes This Christ h Ioh. 6 55 56 53 57. himselfe teacheth Iohn 6. My flesh is meate indeed and my blood is drinke indeed hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him And againe verse 33. Verily verily I say vnto you except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood ye haue no life in you Hee that eateth me euen he shall liue by mee So then we teach wee preach we publish we professe that there is no other substantiall food of our soules and that whosoeuer is not partaker of his body and blood is void of life of saluation of grace and of Christ himselfe Wherefore we shall shew i Chap. 10. afterward that the difference betweene the Church of Rome and vs is not whether Christ be present in his Supper but about the manner of his presence for we say and will neuer flye from it that as the outward signes of bread and wine are deliuered receiued so they represent and seale vp to euery true beleeuer God the Father offering and giuing the church also taking receiuing and applying Christ crucified with all the promises of his couenant ratified in him vnto eternall life Vse 4 Lastly is this the matter and substance of the Supper to offer and apply Christ for our wholesome nourishment Then we should often desire if we hunger after Christ to sit downe at his Table to come to his banket to feede of his delicates and to be present at his dainties And why should any be absent that haue faith and repentance Why should they not shew that they are one body k 1 cor 10 17 by eating all of one bread Why should not such apply Christ to their iustification We know the Apostles oftentimes prepared offered and deliuered the outward signes of the Lords supper exhibiting Christ to all the faithfull euen euery Lords day or first day of the week and the people receiued oftentimes the same l Act. 2 41 42. as we see Act. 2. There were added to the church about three thousand soules and they continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayers and cha 20. The first day of the weeke the Disciples came together to breake bread And this was the order and ordinance of the Church many yeares after the apostles times In some places it was receiued m August in Iob. tract 26. euery day in many places n Chrysost in Eph 1. hom 26. euery Sabbaoth day o Aug ad Ianuar epist 119. in all places often in the yeare vntill through the negligence of the Pastors in administring and the slacknesse of the people in communicating these vses were growne out of vsage and a frozen coldnesse in the practise of religion stopped in For it cannot be denyed but it proceedeth from the shoppe and inuention of the Diuell whosoeuer were the instrument to bring in this corrupt custome of once communicating in the yeare and that for the most part for fashiō sake Now to the end we might returne neerer to the ordinance of the Apostles that the often vse of the communion might be retained and maintained and that the backwardnes of the people might in part be redressed it was ordained by the Canons of many churches that euery one should communicate at the least thrice in the year not that men should do it no oftner but least otherwise they would not do it so often or peraduenture do it not at al. And if a suruey and examination were made I feare it would bee found to our great shame and beastly slothfulnes that scarce the tenth person hath satisfied the law in this respect in many places regarding no time of the yeare but Easter But seeing it is so necessary a Sacrament let euery one consider of this holy mystery how fruitefull profitable and comfortable it is to be partaker thereof and how dangerous to neglect and contemne the same Is it not an vnkinde and churlish part among men when one hath prepared with great costs and charges a rich banket killed his Oxen and his fatlings furnished his table with all prouision bidden his guests and set all things in order and readinesse to entertaine them were it not I say an vnkind and vncurteous part for those that are called and bidden vnthankefully and churlishly to refuse to come Which of vs in such a case would not be moued disquieted and discontented Who would not thinke he had wrong and iniury done vnto him Wherefore let vs take heed least by with-holding and with-drawing our selues wee prouoke Gods wrath and indignation When he calleth are ye not ashamed to say ye will not come When he saith p Prou. 9 4 5. Eate of my meate and drinke the wine that I haue drawne wilt thou desperately and dispitefully answere thou wilt not eate thou wilt not drinke thou wilt not do it Or wilt thou say thou art a greeuous sinner thou art vnworthy I would aske thee when thou wilt be worthy Wilt thou lye still in thy sinne as a man in a deep pit and neuer striue to come foorth Why doost thou not returne to God and amend thy waies Why doost thou continue in thy hardnesse and heart that q Rom. 2 5. cannot repent and so heapest vp as a treasure to thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God Moreouer if thou be vnfit and vnworthy to receiue this supper thou art r Chrysost in Eph. hom 3. vnworthy to pray thou art vnworthy to heare vnlesse thou pray as a Parrat and heare as an hypocrite Consider therefore seriously and weigh earnestly with your selues ſ Numb 9 13. how little such fond fained and friuolous excuses shall preuaile with God When Moyses called Corah and his company to come vp vnto the Lord they answered presumptuously t Num. 16 12. We will not come When the King in the Gospell had inuited his guests they began all with one minde to excuse themselues and some refused saying u Luk. 14 20.24 I cannot come So in these dayes of sinne albeit the supper be prepared the guests called and the table couered many
be the food of life Psal 81 16. Thirdly as this naturall life is sustained by bread so through Iesus Christ the bread of life our soules are nourished to a spirituall and eternall life Fourthly Psal 104 15. as the heart of man is strengthened and fortified by bread so the merit of Christs body doth sustaine support the soule to eternall life Gen. 18.5 Fiftly as bread slaketh the hunger of the body so the force and efficacy of Christs body doth asswage and alay the hunger of the soule Sixtly as bread profiteth such as are hungry Esay 58 7. Prou. 27 7. but doth no good to them that are already filled and glutted so the merit of Christs body bringeth a benefit to them onely that hunger after righteousnesse but as for such as are proud and puffed vp with a conceit of their owne righteousnes it yeeldeth no profit at all vnto them 1 Cor. 10 17. Seauenthly as the bread distributed and diuided among many is a signe of vnity and concord so the body of Christ offered vp for many vpon the Crosse is a pledge vnto vs of his loue toward vs and of the loue that ought to bee among our selues 1 Cor. 10 16 17. Lastly as one loafe is made of many graines so we that are many are become one mysticall body of Christ which are partakers of one bread Thus we haue seene a similitude and likenesse betweene the properties and effects of bread and of the body of Christ Reasons why Christ made choice of wine now let vs see wherefore Christ vsed wine and commanded it to be vsed after his owne example why he preferred it before all other things and what is the resemblance betweene it and the blood of Christ First of all as wine is the sweetest liquor proceeding from the Vine Iudg. 9 13. so the blood of Christ is the most pleasant drinke of the soule that was shed for vs and flowed out of his side who is the true Vine Ioh. 15 1.7 Secondly Prou 9 5. as wine doth quench the thirst of the body so the merit of Christs blood doth take away the thirst of the soule that it shall neuer thirst againe Ioh. 4. Thirdly as wine doth cheere vp the heart of man Psal 104 16. so the promises of Christ do cheere and refresh the soule Fourthly Prou. 31 6. as wine doth warme the body and make it more apt and fit to do businesse so the blood of Christ receiued by faith doth stirre vp and inflame the soule to all good motions and maketh vs more prompt and ready to euery good worke Fiftly as wine taketh away fearefulnes Prou. 23 32. and causeth men to be more bold and secure so doth the blood of Christ applyed to the conscience by faith assure vs of Gods fauour ease vs of the curse of the law and make vs constant in the confession of Christ Lastly Prou. 21 29 30. as wine putteth away the palenesse of the face and maketh the countenance shine so the blood of Christ turneth the colour of the soule into a comely hue which before was pale and wan through feare of death that is it quieteth the conscience Rom. 5 1. appeaseth the wrath of God and maketh vs gracious before him so that we appeare righteous and acceptable in his sight This being the plaine and euident truth let vs see the vses first such as concerne both the signes ioyntly and in generall then such as belong to each of them in seuerall and in particular To begin we learne from hence to acknowledge a difference betweene baptisme and the Lords supper in baptisme we haue one signe as the materiall part in the Supper we haue two signes e Why we haue two signes in the Lorâ—s Supper aâ—d only one in baptisme partly to note out our whole full and perfect nourishment in Christ hauing whatsoeuer is requisite for our saluation and partly to shew a fuller remembrance of his death for the wine which is a figure of his blood doth as it were present it and represent it before our eyes So then albeit the same participation of Christ and the same washing away of sins by his blood are sealed vp in baptisme and in the Supper yet the manner of sealing them in each is diuers Againe baptisme is a signe of our entrance into Gods Couenant the Supper is a sign of our abiding and continuing in that couenant Touching baptâ—sme it is sufficient for infants if they bee borne in the Church in the Supper the condition of examining our selues and remembring the Lords death is required They differ also in often celebration of them baptisme is to bee receiued but once onely in all our life because the promise once made is alwayes firme and forcible to such as beleeue and repent but the Supper is oftentimes to be receiued because an often renewing of that Couenant and calling it to our remembrance is necessary to increase and strengthen faith They differ also in the order which is to be obserued in the vse of them for baptisme is to be giuen before the Supper and the Supper may not be giuen to any except to such as are knowne to haue beene first baptized or are at least reputed so to be As first a Child is borne before he be fed so must Baptisme go before whereby our new birth is sealed then the Supper must follow after whereby our daily nourishment is declared and confirmed Lastly they differ in the signes there is onely one signe in baptisme which is the water but there are two signes in the Lords Supper to wit the bread and wine The second generall vse is that if Christ tooke gaue and deliuered the substance of the bread and wine then they must needs retaine their former nature their proper substance as well as their qualities as sight taste smell bignesse whitenes sweetnes rednes roundnes and such like properties But the Papists turne all things g Against the bare shewes of bread and wine and accidents without subiect vpside downe matter into forme substance into accidents creatures into shewes and subiects into things adioyned they bring in new shifts and fables against all diuinity philosophy reason sence and experience setting vp their owne inuentions and building Castles in the ayre Let them prooue the annihilation and remouing of the substance of bread wine away and the h Arist phis lib. 1. cap. 3. consisting of accidents without subiect which they are neuer able to do For as the water in baptisme remaineth in his nature and substance so do the bread and wine in the Lords Supper And albeit in both the Sacraments the signes be changed to a speciall vse yet are they not corrupted into shewes and turned into shadowes The heauens i Psal 102 26. shall be changed at the end of the world yet hence it followeth not that they shall be cleane abolished and consumed to nothing
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
plenty of outward things that haue poore and leane and staruen soules like to perish and pine away The wise man saith Prou. 29 18. When vision faileth the people perish and Christ chargeth Peter againe and againe to feed his sheepe and his Lambes to wit Ioh. 21.15 with wholesome doctrine of the word and sound nourishment by the Sacraments For the soule hath need of meat and drinke as well as the body and doth oftentimes decay and dye eternally for want of this spirituall food as well as the body doth through the want of temporall food 1 Sam. 30 12 This hath made the faithfull from time to time acknowledge that there is no bodily food so sweet so delicate so delightsome and so to be desired as the immortall food of the soule The Apostle saith All flesh is as grasse 1 Pet. 1 24 25 and al the glory of man as the flower of grasse the grasse withereth and the flower thereof falleth away but the word of the Lord endureth for euer c. The Prophet Dauid declareth as much Psal 19. Psal 19 10. The iudgements of the Lord are more to be desired then gold yea then much fine gold sweeter also then hony and the hony-comb And Psal 84. Psal 84 2. My soule longeth yea euen fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh cryeth out for the liu ng God Likewise in another Psalme Psal 41 1 2. As the Hart panteth after the water brooks so panteth my soule after thee O God Wherefore we ought all of vs to bee more carefull to seede our soules then our bodies and to frequent with great desire and delight the heauenly and precious feasts that are kept and solemnized in the house of God We are content to take long walkes wearysome iournies great paines to feed our hungry bodies Gen. 42 1 2. as we see by the example of Iacob and his sonnes in the time of famine God hath richly prepared his Table for vs and giuen vs his owne and onely Sonne to be meat indeed and drinke indeed howbeit it is not made ready for such carrion-creatures as hop below vpon the earth and minde onely their backe and belly but it is furnished for Eagles that flye vp aloft to heauen and minde especially spirituall things Woe then to the fearefull negligence or rather open and odious contempt of many dissolute professors that come sildome to the Lords Table some once a yeare some scarce so often if they could tell how handsomely to shift it off and to couer their fault that they might not be espied some cut off themselues quite and cleane from the house of God and the place of his worship Let all such take heed least when they would enter into the kingdome of heauen they bee shut out and cut off from Gods mercy for euermore Thus then we see that so often as we resort to this Sacrament we must call to minde that we are going to a spirituall feast appointed to feed the soule and not to fill the body He that tasteth of this banket aright hath eternall life Iohn 6.54 Now such as the meat and drinke is such also is the manner of eating and drinking the meate is spirituall the partaking of it therefore must needs bee spirituall For the flesh of Christ which is meat indeed and the blood of Christ which is drinke indeed hath the consideration of meate and drinke not as it is flesh and blood or in regard of the substance thereof for so it should be corporall food but as they were giuen for the life of the world inasmuch as he suffered for all the elect of the whole world Hee suffered the most bitter death of the Crosse and was as it were broken with paines that cannot bee expressed hee sweat drops of blood in great measure Math. 26.31 and 27.46 Mat 26 31. 27 46. and complayneth that he was forsaken of God and men his Soule was exceeding sorrowfull euen vnto death Reuel 19.15 Reuel 19 15. and he trod the wine-presse of the fiercenes and wrath of almighty God If the Church did lament and complaine thus Lament 1 12. Lamen 1 12. Haue ye no regard O all ye that passe by the way Consider and behold if euer there were sorrow like my sorrow which was done vnto mee wherewith the Lord did afflict mee in the day of the fiercenesse of his wrath much more may Christ renue this complaint to whome it doeth more fully and fitly agree then vnto any other for he was in such great distresse as neuer was any and in that distresse he had no man to regard him no man to pitty him no man to comfort him no man to care for him Now whereunto tend al these his sorrowes and sufferings but to make vs a feast of his owne flesh For all this he endured for our sakes that he might bee made a most pleasant meat to refresh vs and a most comfortable drink to quicken vs according to the testimony pronounced from his owne mouth Hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath eternal life Ioh 6 54. which he hath giuen to death for the life of the world Seeing therfore Christ Iesus hath done so great thinges for vs shall we doe nothing againe vnto him Or rather shall we doe nothing for our selues Shall we absent our selues from the feast that he hath furnished And will wee not taste of the meate which he hath prepared at so deare a rate Doubtlesse we deserue to perish for euer and are worthy to haue our soules famished vnto death that refuse to come to his holy Supper And if we will not suppe with him heere in his Church he will neuer suppe with vs heereafter at his Table If we will none of his banket prouided on earth we shall be sure to bee shutte out of his banket that hee will make in heauen And if we will not bee his guests to eate the bread of the LORD set foorth for them that will receiue it wee shall neuer eate breade in his heauenly kingdome Thus much of the third inward part of this Sacrament to wit the body and blood of Christ CHAP. XI Of the fourth inward part of the Lords Supper THe last inward part of this Sacrament of the Supper remaineth which is the a The fourth inward part of the Supper is the faithful receiuer faithfull and Christian receiuer As euery Communicant sensibly and outwardly taketh the bread and wine giuen vnto him eating the bread drinking the wine for the nourishment of his body so the faithful receiuer apprehendeth and layeth hold on Christ by the hand of faith and applyeth him particularly that the feeling of his true vnion with Christ may daily be increased b Ioh. 1 12. according to that saying Ioh. 1. As many as receiued him to them he gaue prerogatiue to be the Sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his
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
is the sound comfort following and flowing from the death of Christ To conclude we must learne and hold for euer that wee haue the beginning and chiefe cause in our selues which did crucifie Christ and crush him with most bitter sorrows let vs then be reuenged of our sins and do al despite we can vnto them let vs endite them arraigne them accuse them condemn them and naile them to his crosse let vs kill them mortifie them and bury them in his graue for euer This is the first end of the supper which is signified by the breaking of the bread and powring out of the wine declaring vnto vs that as the body of our Lord was broken and by violent meanes afflicted so his bloud gushed out and flowed plentifully out of his gaping and bleeding woundes This must be our meditation whensoeuer wee come to the Lords table For the passion of Christ as the breaking of his body vppon the crosse the powring out of his bloud and the separating of the Soule from the body must be both spoken of by the Pastor and remembred by the receiuer in the Supper if the one would deliuer it faithfully and the other receiue it fruitfully We must call to minde that Christ humbled himselfe to death for vs euen to the accursed death of the crosse that hee apprehended and felte the whole wrath of God vpon him in Soule and body whereby he was brought into a grieuous agony his body being rent with nayles beaten with scourges pricked with thornes pearced with a speare and his Soule pressed with the burden of all our sins which were cast vpon his shoulders he standing as a pledge and surety in our places What shall wee returne vnto him for this mercy and what loue ought wee to render for this great loue Shal we not crush the very head of sin that hath thus crushed our head Let vs not therefore wound him that hath cured vs nor pierce him with our sinnes that was killed for our sins or crucifie him by the lusts of the old man who was crucified to make vs newe men And thus much of the first end of the Lords Supper CHAP. XIII Of the second vse of the Lords Supper THe second vse of the Lords Supper is our spirituall vnion and communion with Christ 1 Cor. 10 16 This the Apostle declareth The cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the cōmunion of the blood of Christ The bread which we breake is it not the cōmunion of the body of Christ Whereby hee meaneth that the faithfull which come conscionably worthily to the lords table are ioyned and vnited wholy to Christ by the bread Sacramentally by faith instrumentally by the Holy ghost spiritually and by them almost effectually For wee take the bread in our hands and likewise we take the cuppe into our hands as Christ commaunded saying b Mat. 26 26. Take ye eate ye drinke ye deuide ye Neither doe wee lay them apart or hide them aside or reserue them in a boxe or abstaine from them but when we haue taken them we eat them we digest them we are nourished by them and they are turned into our substance So Christ being eatē of the godly by saith is vnited to them by his spirit as wee haue shewed before whereby they are made one with Christ and he one with them And as meate plentifully prepared daintily dressed and onely seene vpon the table doth not nourish the body or take away hunger so if the Gospell be preached and the Sacraments administred except we apply the promises of the gospell and beleeue that Christ with all his guifts is ours they profite nothing towards our saluation Such therefore as lawfully and worthily come to the Lords Supper as to a table richly furnished and to a banket liberally prouided must not onely generally beleeue that Christ suffered in the flesh and dyed for sinners but c Gal. 2 20 particularly for themselues yea communicateth himselfe and all his guifts vnto them aboundantly as certainely as themselues eate of the bread and drinke of the cup. This vnion and communion is neere and wonderfull great and therefore the Apostle fitly calleth it a mystery euen d Eph. 5 32. a great mystery speaking of Christ of the Church For what vnion can be greater then that which is betweene the thing nourishing and the thing nourished We haue nothing in Adam but that which conueyeth death vnto vs so that it is needfull to be ioyned to one which may giue life to vs that as we dye in Adam e Rom. 5 19. so we may liue in him This vnion cannot by reason be expressed or fully vnderstood As Christ in the daies of his flesh had a double kindred one earthly and carnall kinred the other spirituall that by faith receiued his word and beleeued in his name of whom he said f Mat. 12 44. Behold my mother and my brethren for whosoeuer shall do my Fathers will which is in heauen the same is my brother sister and mother so is it in this vnion and fellowship with him one is outward bodily which al mankinde hath with him in that he is partaker of our flesh and blood the other inward spirituall whereby we are made partakers of him and of all his sauing graces to euerlasting life As Christ was borne of the Virgin Mary vnited our nature to him taking vpon him g Heb. 2 16. not the Angels nature but the seed of Abraham euery reprobate hath this vnion with him in that hee tooke vpon him the shape of a man but there is a mysticall and maruellous vnion whereby he dwelleth in vs by faith whereby we are truely coupled to him made partakers of him deliuered from sin and made heires of euerlasting life quickning and sustaining vs as food which preserueth the life of the body If the arme ioyned to the body haue no life no sence no benefit of vitall spirits it is no part of the body though it be vnited to it so the wicked liuing without faith are as it were sencelesse they haue no forgiuenesse of sinnes no sanctification no saluation and therefore are no true members of Christ If he poure not life and grace into them they are not his members if he kill not sinne in them they are not vnited spiritually vnto him The bodily vnion with him shall profite nothing it is the Spirit that giueth life Seeing then the receiuing of the bread and wine which Vse 1 turne into our substance teacheth the mysticall vnion betweene Christ and his members wee learne from hence that all the faithfull and godly are truly made partakers of Christ and his graces as the members receiue life from the head and the tree moisture from the root For euen as the wife ioyned to her husband in marriage is thereby made partaker of his body and goods hath interest with him in the commodities of this life g Gen. 20.16 and looketh
for nourishment food fellowship protection and gouernment from him so being made one with Christ we are indued with his heauenly guifts and blessings This must be our comfort in all dangers and tentations in all tryals and assaults to consider that we are one with Christ we are not onely deare vnto him but neerely ioyned with him as members to the head as the wife to the husband and as the branches to the vine and therefore can neuer be separated from him in life or death We haue in him a communion of goods so that as he hath taken vpon him our sinnes and the punishments of them so he hath againe communicated to vs his righteousnesse and life and we may through his free guift challenge as our owne whatsoeuer is his We see in the corporall marriage so long as one is rich the other cannot be poore The Lord is our shepheard Psal 23 1. what then can we want Christ Iesus is rich to all that cal vpon him he is become all things vnto vs the light by which we see the life by which we liue the way wherein we must walke the doore by which we must enter the garment which we must put on the food whereby we must be nourished and strengthened Of our selues we are void of all good things We liue in darknes and in the shaddow of death we are borne dead in sinnes and trespasses we wander wide out of the way we haue no entrance into Gods kingdome the shame of our nakednesse appeareth to the loathing of our persons But through CHRIST IESVS both these defects are taken away and all the merits of his passion are made ours through this vnion which we haue in him sealed vp vnto vs in this Sacrament Vse 2 Secondly this straight vniting of the faithfull to Christ sheweth plainly that the vngodly haue no part nor fellowship in him and with his graces though they be ioyned to a communion of the same nature and haue many common guifts of knowledge and vnderstanding yet Christ neuer dwelleth in them with his sauing graces and with his spirit of sanctification he possesseth not their hearts he worketh not in them a particular perswasion of their reconciliation to God neither an hungring desire aboue all things to be at vnity and peace with him neither a distast and dislike of sinne neither the comfortable Spirit of grace and prayer all which are in some measure in all the faithfull Wherefore although they may be clothed with the flesh of Christ they cannot be said to be couered with the grace of Christ although they be like vnto him in regard of this naturall body yet they are not indued with his heauenly Spirit they haue many priuiledges through him but they want such as accompany saluation and seale vp our redemption Vse 3 Lastly haue we a communion with Christ then wee may be assured by this holy Supper that there is also betweene him and vs a communion in all estates and he is touched with a compassion of all our infirmites In all our troubles he is troubled in our afflictions he is afflicted in our persecutions he is persecuted and he that toucheth vs toucheth the apple of his eye In the naturall body if at any time the foot be trodden vpon the head complaineth Why hurt you me and in the mysticall body if Saul make hauock of the Church at Damascus the head in heauen cryeth out by and by Acts 9 4. Saul Saul why persecutest thou me This putteth vs in minde of two things one concerning Christ the other concerning our selues First is there such an vnion betweene vs Are we so neerely knit together as the husband and the wife Similites expressing the vnâ—oÌ„ between Christ and vs. as the head and the members as the foundation of the house the rest of the building as the Vine and the branches as the nourishment the thing nourished Let vs learne heereby how Christ is affected toward vs he suffereth with vs when we suffer 1 Cor. 12.16 and accounteth our chastisements as his owne euen as when one member suffereth all the members suffer with it This is a notable comfort vnto vs in all sorrowes to consider that hee is very compassionate and pittifull toward vs he hath a feeling of our miseries and his soule is after a sort greeued for them Secondly as this sheweth how he is affected toward vs so it teacheth how we should be affected toward him If we be feeling members of his body there is nothing done against him or committed to the preiudice of his glory but we should bee greeued more then if it were done vnto our selues Psal 139 21. The Prophet did hate them that hated the Lord and was greeued with those that rose vp against him Riuers of waters did runne downe his eyes Psal 119 136. because men kept not his law But alasse where is this feeling to be found on our parts When the Lord is spitefully abused and wounded euen as it were vnto the heart who is wounded with him or accounteth himselfe euilly intreated We are as sencelesse men and haue not a teare to shed on his behalfe which argueth against vs and prooueth to our faces that the spirituall life is very weake in vs if there be any life at all CHAP. XIIII Of the third vse of the Lords Supper THe third vse of the Lords Supper is a spirituall communion and growth with our a The 〈◊〉 Supper is the band of charity brethren to be one body with them flowing from the Communion which we haue with Christ For as the vnion betweene brethren and sisters of the same blood and of the same flesh springeth from the neere coniunction they haue from father and mother as from a fountaine and as the vnity and concord among seruants of the same society ariseth by meâ—nes of the same Maister so the faithfull that haue communion with Christ haue likewise communion one with another This Paul testifieth euidently writing to the Corinthians b â—oâ— 1â— â—7 We that are many are one bread and one body because we all are partakers of one bread This is to be vnderstood of that communion and fellowship which the members haue one with another who receiue food and nourishment from the same Table thereby professing themselues to be of the selfe same family houshold Besides by the vniting together of many graines is made one bread of many clusters of grapes one wine is pressed out so out of many members groweth vp one body of the Church which is the body of Christ This maketh much to the reconciling renuing and maintaining of friendship that we are all partakers of one bread made of many cornes and drinke of the same cup of wine made of many clusters c 1 Cor. 12 13 as the Apostle setteth downe 1 Cor. 12 We are all made to drinke into one Spirit Wherefore we are not onely to looke to our vnion with Christ but
legier-demaine Christ took bread d Mat. 26.26 Mar. 14 22. Luk. 22 19. 1 Cor. 11 24 as the Euangelists note such no doubt as was appointed to be eaten with the Paschall Lambe and not of purpose prepared apart for the Supper but in the papacy they vse thin wafers not fit to nourish nor scarce deseruing the name of bread howbeit shaped after the fashion of mony and stamped with the Image of a Crucifixe thereby to call to remembrance that the Lord was betrayed of Iudas for thirty pence and that hee was crucified for vs vpon the Crosse Christ gaue thanks to his Father for the benefit of our redemption and blessed the bread and sanctified it to be the figure and remembrance of his body giuen for vs but Bellarmine e Bellar. lib. 4 cap. 13. de Eucharist vnderstandeth it that he turned the substaÌ„ce of the bread into the substance of his body so that this consecration is no other with them theÌ„ the monster of transubstantiation whereof there is not one word or sillable in the word of God Christ brake the bread not onely that hee might distribute it and diuide it among them but to the end he might represent the breaking that is the crucifying of his body but among the papists the bread is not broken but euery one hath a little wafer in the Masse the Priest breaketh the host but he doth not distribute it or deliuer it among those that are present Christ gaue the bread to the Disciples whereas they giue it not to the people but offer it vp to God the Father imagining that they offer vp his Son for the sins of the quick and the dead and for the soules departed and detained in Purgatory and they lift vp the bread and shew it to the beholders to be worshipped of theÌ„ al which tend to the dishonour of God to weaken the comfort of the people and to crucifie him againe who by the onely sacrifice of his death hath purged away the sins of al that beleeue and purchased vnto them the fauour of God his Father Christ willed his Disciples to take the bread into their hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the word properly signifieth for as hee tooke it into his hands so he commandeth them to do but these doe not deliuer the bread into the Communicants hands but put it into their mouths as if forsooth the hands were more prophane and polluted then the mouth or the mouth more holy then the hands which notwithstanding they may not eate and swallow but must hold it on their tongue vntill it melt and dissolue by the heat of the mouth which argueth intollerable stupidity and superstition Lastly Christ also tooke the cup and bad them all drinke of the wine the fruite of the vine which before had eaten of the bread but the Papists who haue g Papists why so called submitted themselues to the seruice of the Pope and thence drawne their names say that he commanded them to drinke his owne blood vnder the forme of wine and yet withall they keepe the h Bellar. lib. 4. cap. 25. de Euchar people of God from drinking of the cup as if hee had not shed his blood for them Thus we see that in the institution we haue no mention at all of reall presence or Transubstantiation or eleuation or adoration or reseruation or Masse or oblation or Purgatory or propitiatory and vnbloody sacrifice in all which standeth the life and substance of the popish Eucharist so that there is nothing almost expressed by the Euangelists in the celebration of the Supper but they eyther by their false expositions haue wrested or by their sacrilegious detractions haue mingled or by their presumptuous alterations haue corrupted or by their superstitious additions haue shamefully and horribly depraued The second point i Contentions and contraâ—ieties among the Papists is touching their contentions contrarieties which are plentifully found among them for as they could neuer agree with the truth so they cannot yet accord with themselues and if their tongues be diuided one against another no maruell if they speake against vs. First they make moue a question whether the body of Christ be eaten with the mouth of the body and passe into the belly or onely by faith Some of them hold k Antonin part 3 ca. 6 sect 3 de defect Miss he is taken bodily into the mouth but goeth not into the belly Others that he passeth into the belly and remaineth there so long as the Species of bread abideth And others go farther that the body of Christ may be vomited vpward by the mouth and purged downeward by the draught Secondly they dispute whether the body of Christ bee broken and chewed with the teeth or not Pope Nicholas in a councell holden at Rome caused Berengarius to recant in this wise l De Consecraâ— dist 2 ca. Ego Bereng I beleeue that the body of our Lord Iesus Christ sensibly and in very deed is touched with the hands of the Priests broken and ground with the teeth of the faithfull Others thinke that nothing is broken truely but only in shew others that the accidents of bread are broken and chewed digested and euacuated and that they are accidents by which wee are nourished and strengthened Thirdly they are much troubled and perplexed whether Myce eating the Sacrament doe also eat the body of Christ Peter Lumbard master of the sentences m Sent. lib. 4. dist 13. standeth in a brown study and resteth in a muse and mammering cannot teach himselfe saying What is it that the Mouse receiueth God knoweth Neuertheles in the end he giueth his resolution thus It may well be said that bruite beastes doe not receiue the body of Christ But the Doctors of Paris haue censured him and corrected his iudgement and say Hic magister non tenetur Here the maister is not to be followed so that now it is the common and receiued opinion that the Mouse eating the Sacrament eateth and receiueth the body of Christ Thus they make the Supper of Christ instituted for Myce and vermine and hold that beastes may haue as great benefit by carnall eating as the beleeuers They cannot agree among themselues whether the substance of bread bee turned into the body of Christ or whether the bread be consumed to nothing then the body of Christ brought in place of it Whether the water mingled with wine in the Challice be transubstantiated into the bloud of Christ or be consumed to nothing or be turned into the vitall humors of Christ or not whether the wormes engendred in the Eucharist come from the substaÌ„ce of the bread or from the accidents or from the ayre Lastly there is great diuersity between them with what words their consecration is wrought and how many words are directly precisely required to the forme therof touching the which they are not as yet agreed It were no hard matter to make an
the substance Lastly this Author is so farre from saying that the bread is conuerted into the flesh of Christ that hee saith the contrary to wit that this bread is conuerted into our flesh and our blood and serueth for our life and the increasing of our bodies Thus we see that the ancient Fathers held the same faith that we hold and differ not in iudgement from the reformed Churches nor the reformed Churches from them as we shall shew God willing more at large in another place And thus I haue runne ouer these three poynts which I purposed and proposed to handle in the beginning all which are more at large to be seene in the Treatise following This I offer the second time to your Worships consideration as a witnesse of my loue and a testimony of the sauours I haue receiued My meaning was and yet is that it should first come vnto your view and from you for your sake to the vse of the Church of God euen of as many as can make any vse of these my simple labours I haue prosecuted these points at large but I cease from troubling you any further cōmending you to his good hand who t Ioh. 13 1 loueth them to the end whom once he loueth u Rom. 11 29 whose guifts and graces are without repentance and so wishing all good from the Almighty a Reuel 5 13. that sitteth vpon the Throne and from the Lambe which liueth for euermore both to your selfe to your good Lady to your hopefull Children and to your whole family I ende and rest Your worships euer in the Lord William Attersoll The Praeface to the Reader IT is wel said Aul. Gel. noct Attic lib. 18. cap. 6. that the very title of a book hath a certain pleasant allurement to draw men to the reading therof The argument of this Tretise is of the Sacraments a comfortable portion of the Scriptures a necessary part of the Catechisme There is no knowledge comparable to the knowledge of Gods word there is no parcel of Gods word more holsome and heauenly then the Sacraments There is no Sacrament more excellent and effectuall then the Supper of the Lord which is a medicine to them that are sicke a preseruatiue to them that are whole a cordiall to them that are weake and a precious treasure to them that are in wants being an instrument to conuay vnto vs the benefit of Christs Passion and the assurance of our owne saluation Neuerthelesse there is no ordinance of God more neglected of vs nor lesse regarded among vs. We cannot be ignorant that it was instituted by the Lord of life to giue vs life and in remembrance of his death to take from vs the feare of death and therefore in the words of institution he said to his Disciples This is my body which was giuen for you Math 26 26. this is my bloud which was shed for you to the end we might behold him liuely described before our eies I haue desired and endeuoured not only to teach this trueth to the most simple and to informe the consciences of those that are ignorant but also to bring to light such doubtful and difficult poynts as may any way trouble the vnlearned Here then the discreet Reader shal meet with fit matter both to satisfie sundry not well aduised among our selues and finde sufficient armour to ouerthrow the opē common aduersaries Touching the errours crept in among vs as it were into the bosome of the Church as well in practise as in iudgement I haue aymed especially at two things both to reforme some and to informe others To reforme such as thinks they are left at liberty to receiue when they list and whether they list and to informe such as call in question the lawfulnesse of kneeling at the Communion according to the order established and commanded the one sort erring in action the other being deceiued in opinion First for the better discouering and preuenting of their spirituall danger I haue laboured to set before the faces of all drowsie professors Against negligent commers to the Communion their slacknes and sluggishnes in comming to the Table of the Lord and answered such obiections as they vsually alledge in their own defence for asmuch as there is no sluggard but he is wise in his owne eyes Was Christ made man for vs subiect to our infirmities beaten with stripes crowned with thorns and pierced with nailes that we should despise the blessed Sacrament that resembleth and representeth all these vnto vs which is as a looking glasse wherein we may behold him crucified and hanging vppon the crosse Chrysost hom 60. ad pop An. 〈…〉 Hee is a shepheard that feedeth his Sheepe with his owne bloud and nourisheth them with his owne substance If an earthly Prince should call vs as his guesse to sit downe at his Table would any bee so foolish or so froward as to refuse to come Behold the King of Heauen and earth inuiteth vs to his heauenly banquet and therefore we ought not to stop our eares or to withdraw our selues to perdition True it is all men almost come thicke and threefold at Easter or else they should not think themselues to be good subiects then they offer themselues without difference and distinction howbeit at other times they make no cōscience of their ordinary absence almost continual negligence Such as come not at other times it is to be feared they come not in knowledge at that time For if they come at Easter in conscience of Gods comandement more then for feare of the Princes law and with a feeling of their own wants rather then for forme and fashion sake they would fit themselues for this woorke at all times of the yeare so often as the Sacrament is deliuered Indeede none ought to present themselues being vnprepared presume to handle the outward signes of the body and bloud of Christ comming in impiety impenitency Mat. 22 11. like to the guesse in the Gospell that came without his wedding garment notwithstanding when we haue made our selues ready wee must not abstaine and absent our selues from it at our owne pleasure for then we make our selues guilty of the body and bloud of Christ 1 Cor 11 27. and vnworthy of any mercy to be reaped and receiued Wee may not be weary in well doing Gal 6 9. but must bee forward in the religious exercises of our faith taking all oportunity to performe this commandement of comming often to his Table 1 Cor 11 26. This is one sinne among others that draweth downe heauy iudgements vpon vs and our soules 1 Cor 11 30. for this cause many are weake and sickely among vs and many sleep yea it prepareth the way for farther vengeance except we repent of our euill wayes and amend our former negligence by greater diligence It is not enough that we submit our selues to the hearing of the word vnlesse withall we ioyne
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
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
I speake not this as though I would haue men to do nothing to abstaine froÌ„ all duties to refraine from hearing and forbeare from praying but because I would haue them carefull and watchfull ouer themselues to make conscience of all sinne and then they may looke for a blessing at the hands of God Thirdly there is another sort that is not ashamed to affirme The third obiection that this often receiuing is more then needs as if forsooth it were a worke of supererogation Thus they open themselues to the whole world Answere and shew manifestly of what prophane spirit they are For we haue not onely the word of God requiring vs often to eate of this bread and to drinke of this cup 1 Cor. 11.26 but our owne weakenes and wants crying out aloud vnto vs that we haue great cause oftentimes to come to his Table And surely if these men had euer found any sweetnes in this Sacrament and tasted how gracious the Lord is 1 Pet. 2 3. they would neuer argue thus absurdly I haue often receiued therefore I need receiue no more If thou wouldst reason in this manner touching thy bodily food as thou doost of this that is heauenly I haue eaten meat before therefore I need not eate againe there would follow the ruine of the body forasmuch as it must perish through famine so if we will not come to this spirituall food because we haue often already eaten of it it must needs bring the destruction of the soule As then they that are in health hauing eaten liberally and plentifully of one kind of meat to day do come with a good appetite vnto it to morrow so should it be with vs touching this dyet of the soule the oftner we haue eaten of it the more we should desire it These are like those carnall Israelites that loathed the Manna that God gaue them in the wildernesse Num. 11 6. saying Our soule is dried away there is nothing at all besides this Manna before our eyes so haue we a multitude among vs that regard not their soules nor the food of their soules but are like those that Salomon speaketh of Pro. 27. Prou. 27 7. The full soule loatheth an hony-combe but to the hungry soule euery bitter thing is sweet If these despisers of holy things would with diligence and without partiality examine their owne hearts they should finde much prophanes and great corruption to lurke in the hidden corners of it or else they would neuer make it a needlesse and superfluous thing to come often but would rather thinke they come too sildome and therefore desire it againe and againe There is none almost so absurd as to say I need not come to the word because I haue heard it already nor I haue prayed to God therefore I need not to pray any more now it is no lesse vnreasonable to reason thus I haue receiued oftentimes therefore I need receiue no more But as he that knoweth what it is to heare aright hath found the word sweeter to him then the hony and the hony-combe and more to be desired then much riches the more he heareth Psal 19 10. the more hee longeth to heare so if at any time we had tasted the sweetnesse of that glorious worke of our redemption or the bitternes of the fearefull estate of mans transgression and corruption wee would come verye often to this Sacrament which is a liuely remembrance of his death and passion whereby we are redeemed Let such then as care not for their redemption neither esteeme any thing of their saluation neither thinke they stand in need of Christ to be their iustification let such I say tell vs they need not come oftentimes to the Supper of the Lord but if eyther Christ be needfull for vs or his word powerfull in vs or if we haue found that God hath beene mercifull vnto vs let vs not despise his bountifulnes nor neglect the sweet pledges of his goodnes offered vnto vs. Others tell vs plainely The fourth obiection they haue gone further then the former they haue receiued oftentimes and come to the Table of the Lord againe and againe and looked for some fruite and benefit by it but yet they could neuer finde or feele any profit any comfort or any good by it This is because thou art not good Answere for it argueth intollerable stupidity and hardnes of heart in many that come to the food of the soule and are partakers of the Supper yet haue no more sence of Gods inestimable mercy then very blockes and stockes and stones Woe vnto such prophane wretches their owne mouths shall serue to condemne them They neuer go to the Table of their neighbours and to an ordinary feast of common meat but they find refreshing of their spirits and strengthening of their members and nourishing of their bodyes and sustaining of their liues and maintaining of all the parts in good estate but they resort to the Table not of men but oâ— God to a most costly banket not of earthly but of heauenly food euen to eate of the bread of life which came downe from the bosome of the Father and yet are neyther afraide nor ashamed to affirme that they can finde no benefit and can reape no comfort by it And it is very fitly said to be a costly banket For Christ Iesus who of God is made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption 1 Cor. 1 30. Ioh 6 55. hath giuen vnto vs his owne flesh to eate and his precious blood to drinke forasmuch as it was not siluer gold and such corruptible thiâ—gs that could redeeme vs. It cost him deare euen his life to make vs this feast and will we neglect it His soule was heauy to make vs merry chearefull and will we not come to this feast He was troubled that we might be comforted Esay 53 â— He was wounded that wee might be healed He was despised and reiected of men that we might be honoured of the Father Hee was cast downe into the depth of sorrow that we might be exalted and lifted vp He was brought as a Lambe vnspotted to the slaughter that our mouths and our hearts might be filled with laughter He was smitten with stripes that we might be spared He was afraid and astonished and amazed Heb. 5 7. Mar. 14.33 that we might be cheared vp and refreshed Finally he was crucified and put to death that we might be deliuered and restored to life This is the rich and royall feast that he hath made vs this is the costly banket that he hath prepared for vs and yet nowithstanding wretched and miserable men can finde no profit at all in this dainty and delicate food that cost the heart blood of Christ before it could be dressed and prouided for vs. Howbeit we dare not so hardly censure al that say they can feele no such comfort at the Communion as we perswade is to
which he commanded them to eate he calleth his body This appeareth by the testimony of g Mat. 26 26. Mar. 14 22. Luk. 22 19. the Euangelists and coherence of the words But he tooke bread and brake it therefore he gaue bread he commanded to eate bread he said of the bread This is my body Now if he tooke bread but brake it not or if he brake bread but gaue it not or if he gaue bread to his Disciples to eate but told them not this which he gaue them but some other thing beside that was his body the latter part of the sentence starteth from the beginning and the middle swarueth from them both Secondly the Apostle after the words of consecration doth oftentimes call it bread as 1 Cor. 11. As often as yee shall eate this h 1 Cor. 11.26 27 28. 1 Cor. 10 16. bread and drinke this cuppe yee shew the Lords death till hee come And againe Whosoeuer shall eate this bread and drinke the cup of the Lord vnworthily shall bee guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. And againe Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this cup. These men say it is not bread the Apostle saith it is bread whether of these we shall beleeue iudge you So in the former chapter he saith The bread which we breake is it not the communion of the body of Christ Likewise touching the other signe i Mat. 26 29. our Sauiour expresly calleth it wine after the thanksgiuing Mat. 26. I will not drinke henceforth of this fruite of the Vine vntill that day when I shall drinke it new with you in my Fathers kingdome This fruite of the Vine is wine therefore the substance of it remaineth Now if the bread had bin turned into the body or the wine into the blood of Christ and if the Apostle would haue spoken properly he should haue said As often as ye shall eate not this bread but this body of Christ vnder the forme of bread the blood of CHRIST vnder the forme of wine And againe He that eateth the body and drinketh the blood of Christ vnworthily And againe Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate and take in his mouth the very body of Christ his Creator But thus the Apostle hath not spoken neither could he so speake truely properly and fitly therefore we do truely properly and fitly conclude that there is no transubstantiation Thirdly Christ speaking of the cup saith Take k Luk. 22 1◠19. diuide it among you and of the bread he saith he tooke it and brake it But if the substance of bread be abolished or chāged into the body of Christ and likewise the nature of the wine turned into the blood of Christ there could bee no true distributing or breaking for the blood of Christ is not deuided into parts neither is his body broken Fourthly if the strength or force of transubstantiation depend vpon these words of institution This is my body This is my blood then there can be no reall change before these words be fully finished and pronounced to the end Therefore when they begin to say This is what is it What meane they I say it is Is it any other then bread wine by their owne confession til the words be ended So then these sentences shall not be true when they say This is my body this is my blood except they meane this bread is the body of Christ this wine is his blood wherfore bread and wine remaine their nature is not changed and altered Fiftly these words This is my body must be vnderstood as the words following This cup is the new Testament but the cup is not turned into the new Testament nor into the blood of CHRIST therefore the other words must be figuratiuely vnderstood not literally for there is one respect of them both neither can any reason be rendred why a figure should be admitted in the one part rather then in the other The 6. reason Christ is said to giue to his Disciples that which he said was his body If then this be properly taken we shall thereby make a proper Christ and make him a monster of two bodies as they also make the church a monster of two heads For so there must be one bodye which gaue and another body which was giuen But it is most absurd that he should giue and be giuen hold himselfe and be holden offer and be offered which differeth little from the l Theodoret de sabul haeretic lib 2. August de haeresib cap. 32. heresie of the Helcesaits who held ther were sundry Christs two at the least one dwelling in heauen aboue the other in the world heere beneath so these make Christ to haue a double body visible and inuisible a visible body sitting at the table and an inuisible body made of the substance of bread which as the papists hold was giuen to the Disciples as likewise they teach of the headship of the Church that one head is inuisible to vs in the heauens another visible to vs vpon the earth The 7. reason It destroyeth the nature of a Sacrament which standeth m Iren. lib. 4. cont haer cap. 34. of an earthly and heauenly part one outward the other inward one seene the other vnderstood one a signe the other a thing signified of which we haue spoken before booke 1. chap. 3. But if there be an actuall transubstantiation then the outward part is abolished and disanulled The 8. reason In baptisme the substance of water remaineth though it haue words of consecration and be made a Sacrament of our regeneration and therefore in the Lords Supper the bread and wine are not changed and done away vtterly The Scripture speaketh as highly n Mat 26 26 1 Pet. 3 20 21 of the one as of the other The ninth reason If bread be really turned into the body of Christ and the wine into his blood then the bodye and blood of Christ are really separated for the words are seuerally pronounced first of the bread then of the wine yea the soule of Christ should be separated from his body for the bread is turned onely into his body and not into his soule But his soule his body and his blood are not really separated So then if the bread be his very flesh and the wine his blood and the one really separated from the other then Christ must necessarily bee slaine afresh euery time the Supper is celebrated and we are found to be crucifiers of the Lord of life whereas it is contrary to the doctrine of the Scriptures that he should dye any more being ascended far aboue all principalities and set downe at the right hand of his Father The 10. reason If the bread be turned into his body indeed by force of a few words vttered by a Priest then the Priest should be the maker of his maker so euery massemonger should be preferred before Christ
al the people to drink of the cup they might pretend this example of the Israelites but inasmuch as they vtterly deny them this part of the cup they ouerthrow theÌ„selues in their malice and yet in their blindnes they do not see it Finally many of the Fathers did both eate Manna and drinke water out of the Rocke if not in the same place yet at one and the same time n Exod. 16 21 inasmuch as they gathered thereof euery morning and it ceased not a Iosh 5 12. vntill they entred the frontiers and confines of the land of promise But they neuer allow without a tolleration and dispensation the people in any place at any time vpon any occasion and in any respect to taste of the cup in the Lords Supper Ninthly if the cup of the new testament may bee taken from the Lords people in like manner the water in baptisme may be taken away from theÌ„ For the blood of Christ whereby remission of sins is purchased and procured is represented by the wine of the Lords Supper as well as by the water in baptisme But the water in baptisme without great sacriledge cannot be omitted or neglected wherefore then should the cup be taken away Tenthly in the matter of the Supper our aduersaries alledge the words of Christ in Iohn Iohn 6. If you drinke not my blood you shall haue no life in you If these words be thus to be vnderstood then by depriuing them of the cup they depriue the people of life and saluation Againe if drinking of the chalice be a priuiledge of the Clergy how commeth it to passe that Kings and Princes haue a part in this priuiledge How is it that they are permitted as well to drinke of the consecrated wine as to eate of the consecrated bread But heerein was a notable piece of cunning a great point of policy vsed partly to aduaÌ„ce the dignity of the Clergy and partly to stop the mouthes of Princes For as by this order or rather disorder the proud Clergy are made companions with Kings and Princes euen equall vnto them so they thinke to hood-winke them make them content to swallow the rest of their superstitions because they are pleased to grace theÌ„ with this priuiledge aboue the people as with a speciall fauour Moreouer it is not to be omitted that a principall end of this Sacrament was instituted to set foorth the death of Christ not onely as an idle narration but as a profitable application thereof to the conscience How then shall the people know that the fruite of shedding his precious blood belongeth vnto them as the nourishment of their soules except besides the looking vpon the cuppe they be partakers of it It is therefore necessary to vnderstand by eating and drinking that God doth not nourish them by halfes but that Christ yeeldeth whole nourishmeÌ„t vnto them Such then are worthily taxed of rashnes themselues that complaine how the people rashly presume to receiue the Sacrament vnder both kindes for as well they might say that it is rashnesse and presumption to imitate and follow Christ And they may iustly be condemned of heresie who pronounce them hereticks and worthy to be punished by the secular power that speake against receiuing in one kind onely as if it were heresie to follow the example of Christ left to the Church For what remaineth more but to proceed one degree farther euen to pronounce Christ himselfe an Arch-heretick and all the Apostles hereticks also and to condemne them to the Inquisition as deceiuers and impostors seducing and misleading the people Lastly if any part of the Supper might be taken away from the people then likewise the word of God may bee taken from them for in this point there is the same reason and respect of them both A Sacrament is nothing else but a visible word and a sealing vp of the word and the offence seemeth to be the same whether a man breake the seale or rent the writing But the word cannot be withdrawne from Christian people it being the instrument of faith and the life of the Church Wherefore it is the greatest wrong and iniury done to the people of God to take from them the cup of saluation The answere to this reason must be to confesse the parts and yeeld the conclusion forasmuch as by forbidding the people the reading of the scriptures they haue robbed them of the word of God and taken from them b Luk. 11 52. the key of knowledge neither entring themselues into the kingdome of heauen nor suffering those that would enter No maruaile then if they take the cup of blessing from the people who haue taken from them the free vse of the word of God To conclude these reasons it is Antichrist who contrary to the doctrine of Christ contrary to the institution of the Supper contrary to the practise of the Apostles and contrary to the vse of the former churches hath excluded the people languishing and thirsting after the blood of Christ as the dry earth for the sweet showers of raine froÌ„ taking the cup of the Lord and left them a dry communion to eate the bread of the Sacrament alone Hauing considered the truth of God by sundry reasons grounded in the Scripture that the people haue good interest and title in the cup denyed vnto them let vs answere the c Obiections for taking â—he cup from the people of god Arist in Top. Cicer. lib 1 ad Heren et de Orator obiections of the aduersaries made against the former doctrine For it is not sufficient onely to teach the truth and to confirme our owne cause except wee labour soundly to infringe and confute the contrary First they pretend that Christ administred it to the apostles onely and not to any of the people and consequently the institution for taking the cup can be no generall commandement for al men thus d Rhem. Test vpon Mat. 26. and Mar. 14. the Rhemists reason without reason I answere first it may bee doubted and disputed whether onely the Apostles were present at his last Supper For seeing diuers were added vnto the Church and professed the faith of Christ seeing he had other Disciples beside the twelue seeing many godly men and women followed him to see his miracles to heare the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth why should wee thinke that none of them were admitted to his table who had often heard his preaching and depended vpon him in their liuing Againe the Passeouer was celebrated in the house e Mat 26 17.18 of a faithfull man as may be collected by sundry circumstances now then either the Lord Iesus annexed that family vnto his as the law in one case appointed or else we shall haue two Passeouers at one time in one house which hath no warrant of Scripture no colour of truth no probability of reason We reade in the institution and celebration of the Passeouer of ioyning house to house
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
together and therefore through their vaine confidence c 1 Sam 4 10 c they were destroyed the Arke was taken the two sonnes of Ely were slaine and the whole hoast was discomfited Thus is it with the Sacrament and with such as come without faith to the Sacrament The Sacrament indeed is holy the sacramentall rites are holy the bread and wine are holy but let them be receiued of persons that are prophane and vnholy they make the Sacraments to themselues vnholy so far are they from conferring grace and holinesse to all receiuers of theÌ„ For can the Sacraments make him holy that is vnholy Or a godly man that is vngodly Or make him to feare an oth that is a blasphemer They cannot nay to such the Sacraments become vnholy and the receiuers grow more vnholy as Iudas did after the partaking of the Passeouer Wherefore God as a iust Iudge would driue Adam out of the garden of Eden least puttâ—ng forth his hand to the tree of life hee should d Gen. 3 22. take and receiue it vnworthily thereby e Mercer in 3. cap. Gen. Aralis Franc. Iun. in Gen. prophaning the Sacrament and so eate to himselfe iudgement The sacrifices were holy ordinances of God yet when men that liued vngodly came vnto them they turned to bee sinne to them so is it with all those that come without faith feeling to the Supper of the Lord let vs not therfore be faithlesse but faithfull Lastly if the faithfull onely receiue with profite then Vse 4 such as are hypocrites and wicked liuers cannot bee partakers of the body and blood of Christ no more then God and Sathan can be ioyned together True it is such may receiue the bare signes but they receiue them to their condemnation because f Wicked meÌ„ do not recâ—iue Christ through want of faith repentance they offend God repell Christ from them and all his benefits and draw vnto themselues temporall and eternall punishments For no man can eate Christ and withall eat his owne damnation Againe whosoeuer eateth the flesh of Christ and drinketh his blood shall liue for euer and hath Christ dwelling in him to saluation for Christ can neuer be separated from his sauing graces but the vngodly shall not liue for euer by Christ with God For Christ is not eaten with the teeth or mouth as in the Gospell he directly determineth Ioh. 6. Whosoeuer eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life my flesh is meat indeed my blood is drinke indeed g Ioh. 6 14. he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him But Infidels and wicked persons haue not eternall life neither abide in Christ therfore by the doctrine of Christ our Sauiour h Aâ—g tract in 〈◊〉 25. they neither eate his flesh nor drinke his blood We must open the eyes of our faith to behold him and the mouth of our soule to receiue him for by faith onely we are made partakers of him which the vngodly want hee that i Ioh. 4 14. drinketh of the blood of Christ shall neuer be more athirst Thirdly we know that Sathan the Prince of darknesse ruleth in all the hearts of the children of disobedience and sitteth in their Consciences 2 Cor. 14 4. as the God of this world and filleth them full of iniquity as we see in the example of Iudas Now if these receiue the body of Christ then Christ and the diuell should dwell in one subiect together and be ioynt possessors of one and the same house Luk. 11 21. but this cannot be these cannot be at one these can neuer be friends reconciled there is no m 2 Cor. â— 14 fellowship betweene righteousnesse and vnrighteousnesse there is no communion betweene light and darknesse there is no concord betweene Christ and Bel all Fourthly the Apostle teacheth that where Christ is n Rom. 8 9. he worketh mortification and dying to sinne Rom. 8. If any haue not the spirit of Christ the same is not his and if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin but the Spirit is life for righteousnesse sake But the wicked are not dead to sin they are dead in their sins and trespasses and they haue sinne not only remaining but raigning in them therefore Christ cannot be in them Fiftly where Christ is there are all things necessary to saluation and to whom God giueth his Sonne o Rom 8 31. to him he giueth iustification sanctification redemption repentance remission of sinnes and eternall life as Rom. 8. If God be on our side who shall be against vs Who spared not his owne Sonne but gaue him for vs all to death how should he not with him giue vs all things also But the wicked haue not these guifts accompaning saluation they are not iustified they are not sanctified they are not regenerated therefore they cannot haue Christ from whom these flow Sixtly we are charged to try and p 2 Cor. 13 5. proue our owne hearts whether Christ be in vs or not that thereby we may discerne of our estate and standing in the faith 2 Cor. 13. Proue your selues whether ye are in faith examine your selues know ye not your owne selues how that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates To what purpose serueth this tryall and examination if Christ may be in vs and yet we remaine reiected Wherefore Christ cannot bee in vs if we be not approued but refused of God Seuenthly if such as eate the bread of the Lord vnworthily do withall eate the body of Christ it will follow froÌ„ hence that to eate is no longer to eate but to reiect and refuse For these two take ye and eate ye are ioyned together by Christ himselfe so that the eating it selfe is a kinde of receiuing As then he that refuseth the bread cannot bee said to eate the bread so they which reiect the bodye of Christ cannot eate the body of Christ for if they did eate it they would also take it and receiue it Lastly the Apostle chargeth the Church of the Corinthians not to eate things sacrificed to Idols in q 1 Cor. 10 20. the Idols temple because they cannot be partakers of Christ and the diuell nor drink of the cup of Christ and of the cup of diuels 1 Cor 10 20. These things which the Gentiles sacrâ—fice they sacrifice them to diuels and not vnto God and I would not that ye should haue fellowship with the diuels ye cannot b e partakers of the Lords Table and of the table of diuels Where he sheweth that a man may come poluted with Idoll sacrifices to the Lords Supper but then he cannot be partaker of Christ indeed and in truth Thus we see the doctrine of the Church of Rome striken to the ground which hold it as a principle of their faith and teach it to others that wicked men do receiue eate r Bel. de Sacra Euch. li
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
as Christ sometimes did to that slothfull person c Luk. 19 12. Thou euill seruant out of thine owne mouth will I iudge thee These make three sorts of baptisme of water of blood of the Spirit whereby they confesse that the want of baptizing with water is not damnable in al seeing that want may be supplyed either with shedding of their blood for testimony of the truth or by spiritual regeneration ingrafting into the body of Christ To conclude do we desire the custome and practise of the Church It is well knowne that in Thessalia d Socra lib. 5. cap. 22. Bellar. de sacra bap cap. 26. the Sacrament of baptisme was celebrated but once in the yeare namely at Easter In other places thrice in the yeare and sometimes not vntill the houre of their death when they were going the way of all flesh Constantine the great was the first christian Emperor that reformed the Church yet he was not baptized till e Tripart hist lib. 3 câ—p 12. the time of his death And Valentinianus a christian Emperor died without baptisme yet doth Ambrose giue him his due commendation f Orat. de obit Valentâ—n and doubted nothing of his saluation Shal we do these good men these worthy Emperors these godly Christians this wrong as to thinke they were damned who were the chiefe pillars and protectors of the true Christian and Catholike religion Or if the Churches aboue mentioned had holden this hard opinion that the want of baptisme was a signe of reprobation would they haue deferred it in the houre of death whereby sometimes they were preuented or administred it at certaine times onely of the yeare True it is that custome is not to be followed neither the negligeÌ„ce of those Bishops to be allowed but it teacheth thus much that in deferring baptisme they differed in iudgement from the now-Church of Rome and concurred in opinion with the reformed Churches for which causes their practise is alledged The reasons vsed to maintain the absolute necessity of this Sacrament to saluation are weak not worth the answering First they obiect g Gen. 17 14. Obiection Answere the threatning annexed to circumcision The vncircumcised male shal be cut off froÌ„ his people To this I answere first God commandeth infants to be circumcised the eight day before which time they were forbidden to circumcise Wherfore infants that dy before the 8. day were not bound and obliged by this law And seeing there h Rom. 5 13. can be no transgression where there is no law they are not damnd because they are vncircumcised seeing God called many out of this life before they were capable of this Sacrament Againe the commination and threatning is not to bee vnderstood generally of all but of such as are growne vp not of children but of men as appeareth by the reason For he hath broke my couenant This cannot be applyed to infants i Caietan in cap. 7. Genes who albeit they haue not actuall faith yet cannot be said to contemne grace to refuse the couenant to reiect the promises or to lye in infidelity and hardnesse of heart Wherefore it belongeth vnto those onely that being growne vp and come to yeares shall approue the negligence of their parents and will not suffer themselues to be circumcised Therefore the childe of Moses whose circumcision was through negligence deferred was not punished but the fault was imputed vnto Moseâ— himselfe Exod. 4 24. Now as to Peter saying Thou shalt k â—â—hn 13 8. neuer wash my feet Christ answered If I wash thee not thou hast no part in me so to the Israelite that should haue saide I will neuer be circumcised this threatning might fitly be applyed If thou wilt not be circumcised thou hast no part in God no portion in his blessing no assurance of his promises in this life or of his kingdome in the life to come Lastly to be cut off from the people doth not signifie to be condemned for euen the negligence and contempt of the Sacrament is pardonable where repentance followeth as we see of such as came vnreuerently and vnworthily to the Lords Supper among the Corinthians l 1 Cor. 11 30 31. who were punished with diseases and death it selfe yet the soule no doubt was saued in the day of the Lord. Sometime therefore that phrase of speaking signifieth temporall iudgements of God on men their families m Psal 55 24. for their wickednes Sometimes it signifieth the Magistrates iustice inflicted on malefactors n Deut. 13 59 who beareth not the sword in vaine which is expounded afterward Thou shalt surely kill him Sometimes it signifieth to be cut off from the bosome of the Church o Exod. 12 15 19. which is done by the high and dreadfull censure of excommunication Whosoeuer eateth leauened bread from the first day vntill the seauenth day that person shall be cut off from Israell the interpretation of which words is added verse 19. That person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israell So the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 5. Hee which hath done this thing should be p 1 Cor. 5 2.13 put from among you that is from your company fellowship as verse 13. Put away from among your selues that wicked man Thus wee are to vnderstand the threatning in this place that such as contemne circumcision eyther themselues or allow the same contempt and negligence of others shall no longer bee reckoned and reputed among the people of God but be separated from them and to be as an heathen and a publican Againe q Ioh. 3 5. they obiect Iohn 3. Obiection 2 Vnlesse a man be borne of water and the Spirite hee cannot enter into the kingdome of God therefore say they it is necessary to saluation to be baptized This is the reason of r Bellar. lib 1 de bapt ca. 4. Bellarmine and Å¿ Hosij confess cap. 35. Answere of others I answere first it is not necessary in this place by water to vnderstand materiall water but the grace of Christ purging and cleansing as water doth which interpretation may be gathered by conference of a like place Math. 3.11 He shall baptise t Ioh 3 11. with the Holy-Ghost and with fire that is by the Spirite of God which is as it were fire lightening our hearts with the knowledge of God inflaming them with his loue and purging them from euill affections So when wee are saide to be borne againe by water and the Spirite he meaneth by the Spirite shewing forth in vs the force power and property of water as if he should say we are borne of water which is the Spirite u Ioh. 7 38 39 4.21 as Ioh. 7 38 39. Againe if it were ment of water in baptisme it must be vnderstood according to a like a Ioh. 6 53. sentence Ioh. 6. Vnlesse you eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud yee shall not
haue life in you which must be vnderstood of such as are of yeares and growne in age And thus Innocentius the third in the b Decret Gregor lib. 3. tit 42 c. 3. decrees expoundeth it so doth Peter Lumbard c Lumb sent lib. 4. dist 4. maister of the Sentences So then if they will be tryed eyther by their owne Pope which is their holy father or by Peter Lumbard which is their grand-maister this place cannot be inforced against infants that dye before they be baptized but must be reâ—erred to men of greater yeares We reason not thus farre to iustifie and allow the sluggishnesse and neglect of carelesse parents vnder colour and pretence of this that the saluation of the child dependeth not vpon the participation of the Sacrament but to shew that if it cannot be obtained as it ought to be desired or if by godlesse parents it be deferred and neglected yet saluation is not tyed and glued to the outward water The neglect of the Sacrament is a notable marke of a despiser and therefore the Pharisies are saide to haue reiected the counsell of God against themselues beeing not baptized of him Luke 7 30. It is strange to consider what childish excuses and pretences parents vse to iustifie their negligeÌ„ce in performing this good duty to their Children For baptisme is necessary in respect of God that hath commanded it in respect of the Church the lawfull vse of it being a note of the true Church and in respect of the promise annexed vnto it Neuerthelesse it is not simply necessary to saluation as though without the washing of water one could not be a member of Christ True it is to euery one that beleeueth baptisme must necessarily be either actually receiued or earnestly desired receiued if it may be had desired if it cannot be had For as the true desire of grace is grace indeed in Gods acceptance so the desire of baptisme is accepted of God as baptisme And therefore simply the want of it without neglect cannot bring danger of daÌ„nation Away then with the doctrine of the Church of Rome touching the absolute necessity of baptisme and touching Children that dye without it a beastly and bloody d Let none obiect the opinion of Augustine for he thought it necessary to saluation that children shold receiue the Lords Supper as well as baptisme De peccâ—tor meâ—t lib. 1. cap. 24. doctrine ioyned with rigor and cruelty full of terror and feare vncharitable in it selfe presumptuous by entring into Gods secret iudgements impious by binding him to second causes and ordinary meanes iniurious to thousands of poore infants discomfortable to all good parents and blasphemous against the bottomelesse mercy of a gracious God who hath saide e Gen. 17 7. I will bee thy God and the God of thy seede where he maketh a couenant of saluation with vs and our children not adding any condition of baptisme if it cannot be had as it ought to be If it cannot be had by the infant the Spirit of God doth worke the effectuall knitting of them to the body of Christ by a secret working as pleaseth him in stead of ordinary meanes For when our Sauiour had said Mar. 16. He that shall beleeue and be baptized shall be saued he doth not adde contrariwise he that is not baptized shall be damned f Maâ— 16 16. but annexeth onely Hee that beleeueth not shall be condemned Thus we haue shewed the malice and madnesse of Sathan against poore infants and how he hath vsed proud and pestilent instruments to effect his purpose partly the Anabaptistes who deny baptisme to their bodies and partly the Papists who deny saluation to their soules for want of baptisme CHAP. VI. Of the fourth outward part of Baptisme THe last outward part of baptisme is a The last outward part of baptisme is the body washed the body that is washed For wee haue shewed before that the Sacraments without their vse are no Sacraments And albeit the worde ioyned to the signe make a Sacrament yet this presupposeth a Minister to administer it and a receiuer to take it and then the rule is most certainely to bee admitted Now whether the whole body should be washed or a part of the body whether it should be washed once or oftner whether it should be dipped or sprinkled we are neither curiously to enquire nor seriously to contend nor rashly to determine but rest in practise of the Church and in the custome of the country as in a thing in it owne nature indifferent The dipping and plunging into the water vsed by Iohn Baptist and the Apostles in Iudea and such hot regions are not a necessary rule to be drawne into imitation especially in these colde quarters and countries For the word doth not onely signifie to diue to put and plunge into the water but to dip to sprinkle and to wash This sprinkling doth very fitly answere to the signification of water For the apostle Peter teacheth that we are elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through the sanctification of the Spirit vnto obedience sprinkling of the blood of Iesus Christ as 1. Epistle of Peter chap. 1. 1 Pet. 1.2 verse 2. which is signified by outward baptisme and was shaddowed by sprinkling of blood vnder the law Neyther may we imagine that the efficacy of baptisme dependeth vpon the quantity of water that is vsed and imployed no more then the force and vertue of the Lords Supper dependeth vpon the quantity of the bread and wine which wee receiue They then are much deceiued that would bring in an absolute necessity of dipping Children into the water as if without it they were not lawfully baptized For as we noted before the word importeth euen simply any washing of what sort soeuer as Marke 7. It is said of the Pharisies that comming from the market they eate not except they wash 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this outward washing of the bodye from filth representeth the inward clensing of the soule from sinne Heereunto the Apostle alludeth when he affirmeth that we are saued according to the mercy of God our Sauiour by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy-Ghost Tit. 3.5 Eph. 5 25 26. Titus 3 verse 5. And else-where he saith Ehesians 5. verses 25 26 Christ loued the Church and gaue himselfe for it that hee might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word So then the ceremony vsed among vs to sprinkle water vpon the face of the child cannot be reproued or condemned but standeth with the ordinance of God as well as dipping in the water and therefore the Apostle saith to the Hebrewes Chap. 10.22 Let vs draw neere with a true heart in full assurance of faith Heb. 10 22. hauing our hearts sprinkled from an euill conscience and our bodies washed with pure water Hence it is that Cyprian writing of this argument in his Epistles teacheth
seed to remember the ordinance of God that baptisme is the seale of his couenant and lastly to make them diligent in nurtering and instructing them in true religion that so their children may learne betimes to become the children of God For what can more inslame vs and set an edge vpon vs to bestow paines and labour in the teaching and training of them vp in the feare of God and the knowledge of his waies then to consider that God loueth them and vs and sheweth himselfe the God both of them and of vs. Lastly this comfort reacheth to the infants themselues that are baptized Comfort to infants baptized when they shall marke that they are solemnly set into Christ and receiued into the bosome of the Church For they haue this lauer of regeneration as it were a pawne of Gods loue alwaies lying by them and committed vnto their trust to apply it in time of need to the assurance of their iustification and sanctification to the strengthning and confirmation of them in all tentations against terrors and feares of conscience Ionathan Sauls son tooke comfort from hence and an occasion to rest and trust in God and to assure himselfe of his helpe when hee spake to his armor bearer Come let vs go ouer vnto the garrison of these vncircumcised 1 Sam. 14 6. it may be that the Lord wil work for vs for there is no restraint to the Lord to saue by many or by few The like we see in Dauid wheÌ„ he was to encounter with Goliah and to deliuer the host of Israel from that blasphemous enemy Thy seruant slew the Lyon and the Beare that tooke a Lamb out of the flocke 1 Sam. 17.26 now this vncircumcised Philâ—stim shall be as one of them seeing he hath defied the armie of the liuing God Wher we see how they coÌ„fort themselus in that which they went about because themselues were circumcised bare a sign of the couenant in their flesh because they had to do with those that were vncircumcised Thus ought our baptism wherby we haue put on Christ as a garment to be as a shield and buckler to defend vs in the houre of tentation and as armour of proofe against the assaults and fiery darts of the Diuell assuring our selues that our engrafting into his body is not an idle ceremony but serueth to make vs strong in the Lord and in the power of his might who will bee neere vnto vs and stand round about vs in the day of trouble Thus much touching the fourth and last inward part of Baptisme CHAP. XII Of the first vse of baptisme HItherto we haue handled the parts of baptisme both outward and inward now let vs proceed to the vses the last point to be obserued in this Sacrament The vses of baptisme are in number a Three vses of baptisme three first to shew our planting ingrafting and incorporating into the body of Christ Secondly to seale vp the remission and forgiuenesse of all our sinnes Thirdly to teach vs to dye vnto sinne and liue vnto righteousnesse and true sanctification These ends b Rom. 6 3 4.5 6. appeare euidently by the words of the Apostle Rom. 6. Know ye not that all we which haue beene baptized into IESVS CHRIST haue beene baptized into his death We are buried then with him by baptisme into his death that like as Christ was raised vp froÌ„ the dead to the glory of the Father so we also should walke in newnesse of life For if wee bee planted with him to the similitude of his death euen so shall wee be to the similitude of his resurrection knowing this that our olde Man is crucified with him that the body of sinne mâ—ght be destroyed that henceforth we should not serue sinne In this place the Apostle seteth before vs the former ends of baptisme expresly Touching the first vse c The first vse oâ— baptism is to shew our ingrafting into Christ he sheweth that by it is signified and sealed our vniting setting d 1 Cor 12 13. and inserting into the body of Christ to remaine in him for euer as branches in the vine as 1. Cor. 12. By one Spirit we are all baptized into one body whether we be bonde or free where he teacheth that by baptisme we become one body with Christ And Gal. 3. All ye that are baptized into Christ haue put on Christ This coniunction with Christ is not bodily or naturall it is not by bands in the flesh it is not by neerenes of blood for such wee see may be separated as the father from the sonne the husband from the wife the brother from the sister but this is wholy mysticall and spirituall aboue reason and aboue sence because it is wrought not by naturall wayes as by ioynts sinewes arteries ligaments and such like but by spirituall meanes to wit by the power of the Spirit and by vertue of faith he sendeth downe his Spirit wee send vp our faith First he must send downe his Spirit because all goodnes is of him Indeed we loue him but it is because he loued vs first giuing vs e Rom. 8 15. the Spirit of adoption to cry Abba father Indeed we come vnto Christ to be eased and refreshed as he commandeth but it is because f Ioh. 6 44. the father draweth vs. Indeed we perseuer in faith and loue but this is because he perseuereth in louing of vs. Indeed we repent and turne vnto God but this is because hee g Ezek. 36 26 27. taketh away our stonie heart and giueth vnto vs an heart of flesh Secondly as he putteth his Spirit within vs so our faith mounteth vp to the heauens and apprehendeth Christ sitting at the right hand of the Father And thus his Spirit descending our faith ascending and both of them ioyning the members to the head the branches to the vine vs to Christ being once ingrafted h Ioh. 15 5 6. we are neuer separated as Ioh. 15. He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth foorth much fruite for without me ye can doe nothing If a man abide not in me he is cast foorth as a branch and withereth and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they burne No man can be partaker of Christs benefits to saluation which is i We are ioyned to Christ in spirituall mariage not made one with him As a woman cannot be partaker of the riches and honour of some great man haue interest in his person except she be ioyned to him in marriage that they become one body and one flesh and as the members cannot draw life from the head except they bee ioyned with it so there is no partaking of Christ except there be an vnion and communion with him k Ioh. 6 53. as himselfe teacheth vs Ioh. 6. Verâ—ly verily I say vnto you except yee eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood yee haue