his right hand he doth imbrace theÌ„ so that whether they liue they liue vnto the Lord or whether they dye they dye vnto the Lord whether they liue or dye they are the Lords This is true happinesse Furthermore we raise them vp with sweet comforts consolations of the worde of God against e 1 Cor. 15.54 55 56 57. Rom. 8 1 38.39 Phil 1 12. Ioh. 11 25. 2 Tim. 4 7 8. all terror and feare of death as 1 Cor. 15. Death is swallowed vp in victory ô death where is thy sting ô graue where is thy victory The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the law but thankes bee vnto God which hath giuen vs victory through our Lord Iesus Christ. And Rom. 8. There is no condemnation to theÌ„ that are in Christ Iesus which walke not after the flesh but after the Spirite I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels principalities powers nor thâ—ngs present nor things to come neither any creature shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Christ is to vs aduantage whether in life or in death Such as beleeue in him yea though they were dead shall liue Death is to vs as a sleepe and the graue as a bed of rest A crowne of righteousnes is laid vp for vs which the righteous iudge shall giue vnto vs so that an euill death can neuer follow where a good life hath gone before forasmuch as hee cannot possible dye ill who hath liued well Death indeed is a Scorpion or serpent but his sting is pulled out hee may well hisse but he cannot hurt he may well threaten but he cannot destroy for Christ hath quelled and conquered him Now f How sicke persons may put away the tediousnes paines of sickenesse to put away the griefe and tediousnesse of sicknes wee will and wish them to meditate on the things they haue heard and learned by the ministry of the worde from time to time in their health to consider with themselues how God sometimes suffereth the wicked to prosper for a time and flourish like a greene g Psal 37 35.36 37 38. bay tree how he punisheth them in the end reseruing wrath and iudgement for them how he blesseth or correcteth his children in this life how he hath prepared eternal torments for the wicked and vnspeakable glory for the godly but aboue all the workes of God h 1 Cor. 2 7.8 9. Psal 85 10 11 we teach them deepely to thinke vpon the glorious and gracious worke of our redemption wherein the infinite mercy and iustice of God doe meete together and kisse each other taking delight and comfort therein with all thanksgiuing Wherfore we perswade theÌ„ to beare the paines and griefes of sicknes with patience constant perseuerance because all sicknesse is Gods hand who being the God of the spirits of all flesh i 1 Sam. 2 6 7. killeth and maketh aliue bringeth downe to the graue and raiseth vp againe Thereby we are indeed chastened for our sins but they are nothing in comparison of that anguish and agony which Christ suffered for vs neither are they worthy of the exceeding glory which shall be shewed vnto vs and it is their duty to blesse God with all their hearts that they suffer no more seeing their afflictions if they were greater are inferior to their sins and seeing the same Lord that hath in mercy laid this gentle correction vpon theÌ„ made them to drink of his fatherly cup for their good might iustly punish them in all the parts of their bodies and in al the powers of their soules and then cast them into hel to haue their portion for euer with the Diuell and his Angels But God hath predestinated vs k 2 Tim. 2 11 12. to be like the image of his son so that the deeper we sinke downe in sorrowes the more perfectly we resemble Christ it is the great mercy of God we are not vtterly consumed that his louing kindnes is not at an end toward vs. The sicknes of the body is phisick for the soule for the striking of the one is the healing of the other by the Crosse wee must enter the kingdome of heauen and learne to loath the pleasures profits of this present life If they fall to despaire and doubting l Remedies against doubting and despaire of Gods fauour loue toward them in Christ m Ezek. 34 4. Luke 19 10. we labor to strengthen the weake and binde vp the broken hearted we are ready to leaue ninety and nine in the wildernes and seeke that lost one We bring them to God that hath striken theÌ„ and made the wound considering that the sonne of man is come To seeke and to saue that which is lost God is mercifull and his mercy endureth for euer he desireth not the death of a sinner but that he turne vnto him His mercy is ouer all the workes of his hands it is like the Ocean-sea where no bottome can be found or sounded It is the expresse commandement of God n 1 Ioh. 3 20. that wee should beleeue in Christ who hath triumphed gloriously against sinne against Sathan against hell against death against damnation against desperation The promises of the Gospell exclude no man o Esay 55 1 2 Mat. 11 28. vnlesse we exclude our selues Infidelity doubtfulnesse and despaire are very greeuous sinnes and strike at the very heart of God Wee must vnder hope beleeue aboue hope with faithfull Abraham The mercies of God and the merites of Christs obedience are infinite p Esay 54 10. higher then the high Heauens deeper then the earth broader then the Sea stronger theÌ„ the law mightier then the Diuell and greater then all the sinnes of all the world combined and heaped together Besides God doth measure the obedience due to him q Rom. 7.20 rather by the affection then by the action rather by the desire to obey then by the outward performance of it Moreouer when one sinne is forgiuen all the rest are likewise forgiuen euen as repentance of one sinne bringeth with it repentance of all knowne sinnes r Rom. 11 29. For the gâ—fts and call ng of God are without repentance Last of all we admonish them to consider that grace and faith howsoeuer they may be smothered are neuer wholy taken away by sinnes of infirmity Å¿ Rom. 5 20. but thereby are manifested and magnified Touching their families we say vnto them call them before you exhort them to cleaue t How sicke persons are to behaue theÌ„selues in respect of their families vnto God with full purpose of heart to loue him to walke before him in fear and reuerence and to serue him in righteousnesse all the dayes of their life giue them charge to learne beleeue and obey the true religion and doctrine of saluation set downe in the writings of the Prophets and
owne hearts so often as we see it administred let vs not rest in it as in a worke done to another and nothing concerning our selues but euermore helpe our inward affection by the outward action and alwayes as the eye of the body beholdeth the Minister let the eye of our faith be fastened â—iâ—mely vpon the Father who maketh the Sacramentall rites auaileable which are openly done before vs for our edification Vse 2 Againe it teacheth that we must not rest in the outward washing not in the externall actions of the Minister but euer consider what is offered to our considerations therin and when the Father offereth to vs his Sonne let vs not refuse him For he that satisfieth himselfe with the outward worke is as he that catcheth after the shaddow and regardeth not the substance or as one that maketh much of the garmeÌ„ts but respecteth little the body it selfe which ought to be had in greatest price and estimation The Minister taketh the water and washeth the bodye which is a pledge of a farther thing for then doth the Father apply the promise of remission of sinnes and life euerlasting to the person baptized as if he should speake with a loud voice and call the party by his name while the outward signe is powred on the body I freely wash away thy sinnes and giue vnto thee the pardon of them and bestow vpon thee eternall life so that thou turne vnto me and beleeue in Christ thy Sauiour Let vs then as true beleeuers by a speâ—iall faith reâ—eiue and apprehend his mercifull promises and rest in them Let this cause vs to turne vnto him by vnfained repentance and to walke with all obedience in his waies Seeing therefore he doth so graâ—iously assure vs of his great mercies with his owne hand seale woe vnto vs if we be not muâ—h moued and affected with it Vse 3 Lastly is God the Father an inward part of baptisme Then we must take heed wee giue not that to the Minister which is proper to God the Father whereby he iâ—â—obbed of the honour and glory due to his great name The Minister may wash the body and cleanse the flesh but can goe no further he medleth not with sanctification of the conscience from dead workes which is not in the power of mortall man to do so that God giueth the thing and men giue the signe yea while the Minister ofâ—â—eth the one God the Father giueth the other CHAP. IX Of the second inward part of Baptisme THe second inward part of baptisme a The second inward part of baptisme iâ— the holy Spirite is the Spirite of God hauing relation to the word and promise of God Thiâ— b Mat. 3 11.10 appeareth Mat. 3 11. He baptiâ—eth with the Holy Ghost and with fire And verse 10. When Christ waâ— baptized the heauenâ— were opened vnto him and he saw the Spirit descending like a Doue and lighting vpon him So the apostle 1 Cor. 6. saith Ye are washed ye are sanâ—tified ye are iustâ—fied in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our God And chap. 12. of the same Epistle By one Spirite wee are all baptiâ—ed into one body whether we be Iewes or Grâ—eâ—ianâ— whether we be bond or free and haue beene all made to drinke into one Spirite And Tit. 3. According to his mercy he saued vs by the washing of the new both and the renewing of the Holy-Ghost which he shed on vs aboundantly through Iesus Christ our Sauiour All these testimonie teach vs that the holy Spirite of God iâ— a necessary inward part of this Sacrament and that the baptisme of the Spirite ioyned to the word giueth force vnto it who worketh in our souleâ— that which water doth in our bodies so that without the Spirite it is nothing From hence we learne that it is not the dipping of vs Vse 1 into or the sprinkling of vs with water by the Minister that maketh vs partakers of Christ but it commeth from the vertue of the Spirite who in time performeth what is represented by outward signes and promised by the word Againe we learne heereby that the Spirite is true God Vse 2 equall with the Father and the Sonne For who is able to make the word and Sacraments auaileable but onely God Seeing then this is the proper worke of the Holy-Ghost to open the heart to teach the conscience to seale vp to the day of redemption and to helpe our infirmities in hearing in praying and receiuing the Sacraments hee must needs be acknowledged to be true God the c 1 Cor. 12 4.5 8 9 10 11. Reuel 1 4. giuer of these graces So we see that in the forme of the administration of this Sacrament the blessed Spirite is named and rehearsed d Mat. 28 19. and hath his order together with the Father and the Sonne This therefore is a principle of our faith to be learned confessed and beleeued Vse 3 Thirdly we are heereby to take heede and beware that we giue not to the word that which is proper to the Spirit he ingrafteth vs into Christ he keepeth vs that we fall not from Christ he maketh the word and promise of the institution profitable vnto vs without whom it should be vnto vs as sounding brasse or a tinckeling Cymball Wherefore as GOD the Father in mercy maketh the promise so his Spirite must assure it to the Consciences of all the faithfull Vse 4 Lastly let vs learne whensoeuer we come to the word or Sacraments to craue the gracious assistance of the blessed Spirit to guide direct and regenerate vs to eternall life to sanctifie vs e 1 Ioh. 5 7. and to assure vs of Gods endlesse fauour in Christ Iesus as 1. Ioh. 5. There be three which beare witnesse in heauen the Father the Word and the holy Sp rit and these three are one The Holy-Ghost by his grace and vertue worketh in vs stedfastly to beleeue the truth of Gods word and the gracious promises of saluation as he is the author beginner and begetter of faith in vs so he increaseth it maketh vs fit to receiue Christ and to apply him with all his guifts vnto our soules and sendeth vs into the full fruition and possession of Christ He is our comforter to certifie vs of our reconciliation to God and to make vs reioyce vnder the Crosse knowing that f RoÌ„ 5 3 4 5. tribulation bringeth foorth patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of God is shedde abroad in our hearts by the Holy-Ghost which is giuen vnto vs. He is the earnest and seale of our inheritance by whom wee are sealed vp to euerlasting life Thus we see that howsoeuer the increase and strength of faith is assigned to the Sacraments yet this grace proceedeth from the Holy-Gkost who is vnto our faith as marow vnto the bones as moysture vnto the tree and as a coÌ„fortable raine vnto the fruites of the
consider and confesse that we haue not loued and feared God we haue not beleeued depended vpon him in all estates as we ought but haue oftentimes feared and loued the creatures aboue him we haue preferred a filthy pleasure before him wee haue doubted of his promises through vnbeleefe and relyed vpon an arme of flesh and blood We haue beene carelesse Command 2 in the worship of God we haue not prayed vnto him with stedfast assurance to be heard we haue not serued him in spirit and in truth as he requireth of vs but hypocrisie hath crept into our best actions and meditations we haue more laboured after the outward shewes and appearances of religion then to expresse the power of godlinesse and haue more esteemed to seeme to others to be true Christians then to be such indeed We haue not reuerenced the Command 3 eternall Maiesty of God as is meet to doe who is infinite inuisibe vnchangeable we haue not blessed and praised his name with thanksgiuing for all things and at all times as well for aduersity as prosperity We haue not heard read and meditated in his word with such affection reuerence and zeale as is requisite when occasion hath beene offered to speak of the works of Gods prouidence we haue not acknowledged in them the greatnes of his wisedome power and goodnes as we ought nay rather the glorious and dreadfull name of God which ought to be more deare vnto vs then our owne liues hath beene blasphemed dishonoured and abused by vs. Touching the Sabboth wee Command 4 must consider and confesse how we haue prophaned it we haue beene more carefull to follow our worldly workes affaires then to seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse hauing had more care of the body then of the soule we haue sent out our seruants to dispatch our businesse on that day and haue not suffered them to attend on the businesse of the Lord for the saluation of their soules and our selues haue neglected the ministry of the word of God haue defiled his sanctuary and haue polluted that holy day with feasting playing sporting drinking idlenesse and other vanities Wee haue not yeelded reuerence to superiors for conscience sake nor beene affrayed to offend them as God hath commaunded we haue not alwaies spoken Command 5 of them and their gouernment as we should wee haue not had such a reuerence opinion and perswasion of our Pastors and teachers as wee ought which haue the charge of our soules and labour among vs in the Lord. Againe we haue not beene carefull to teach and instruct such as are vnder vs as our Children Seruants and whole family as wee are bound praying with them in our houses exhorting them in all wisedome conferring with them in all gentlenesse and furthering them in all the waies of godlinesse Touching the sixt Commaundement we haue not loued Command 6 our Neighbours as our selues procuring their good as our owne wee haue broken out thorough debate contention chyding reuyling brawling quarrelling and reuenging we haue not reioyced at the good and prosperity of our bretheren but when GODS eye haih beene good towards them in blessing them we haue repined and grudged at it Wee haue not possessed the vesselles of or bodies in holinesse and honour as the Temples of the Holye-Ghost knowing we are bought with a price we haue not tamed and brought into subiection this flesh as we should to make it in all respectes subiecte and obedient vnto the spirite wee haue not made a couenat with our eies with Command 7 our eares with our tongues to turne them from all vncleane sights wanton wordes and filthy communication but haue suffered them to wander after vnlawfull lust and concupisence neither haue wee vsed such sobriety abstinence and temperancie as hath beene fit to keepe vnder our affections but riotousnesse excesse in apparrell surfetting sloathfulnesse idlenes pride and fulnesse of breade which were the sinnes of Sodome Ezekiel 16. are vsed in many places as for drunkennes it hath taken away the heartes and euen washed away the braines of many Wee must confesse that our dealinges with our neighbours in Command 8 buying selling bargaining and contracting haue not bin with such vprightnesse soundnesse iustice sinceritie and truth as God requireth we haue bene giuen to oppression couetousnesse and hard dealing one towards another and not considered that godlinesse is great gain if a man be contented with that he hath that if we haue food and rayment we must bee content and can carry nothing with vs out of this world we haue not at all times beene giuen to mercie and compassion towards the poore for the maintenance of them and their families especially in times of famine derth pestilence sickenesse and other mortalities and necessities Command 9 Wee must acknowledge that we haue not Loued the truth in the inward parts neither maintained the credit and good name of men as wee ought but haue beene addicte to lying enuying backe-byting flattering or defaming one of another and to heare others with comfort and delighte to do the like we haue not beene couragious and constant to confesse and defend the truth against the enemies thereof but haue beene ashamed to set our selues against lies errors and slanders we haue kindled the coales of contention by false furmises carrying of tales and publishing of infirmities vnto the great damage hurt and hinderance of our brethren Command x. Lastly we must remember to shut vppe this confession that our whole Nature is vile and wretched the heart of man is deceitfull aboue all things and past finding out wee are sinful as an euil tree which can bring forth nothing but euill fruite our thoughts are vaine and corrupt our first motions and imaginations are euil against the law of God that saith k Exod 10 17 Thou shalt not lust requiring a pure heart towards our neighbors holy cogitations of the spirit and a continuall conflict against euil affections and lusts of the flesh Thus must euery one of vs araigne and endite our selues Thus wee must accuse our selues and condemne our owne workes Thus wee must search our owne wayes confessing that if l Iohn 3 20 our owne hearts accuse vs God is greater then our hearts and knoweth all thinges Then let vs appeale to the throne of grace let vs desire saluation in Christ for his mercies sake let vs cast all our comfort vpon him couering our faces through shame of our sinnes that are past humbling our selues through griefe of them that are present and working out our saluation with a feare of that which may come heereafter If thus we iudge our selues God will acquite vs if thus we condemne our selues God will iustify vs if wee accuse our selues he will discharge vs if we be displeased with our selues for our sinnes God wil bee well pleased with vs and cloath vs with the righteousnesse of Christ But if wee stand vpon our owne righteousnesse and worthinesse if we say we haue
that ye are my Disciples if ye loue one another This is my commandement that ye loue one another as I haue loued you greater loue then this hath no man that a man bestow his life for his friends ye are my friends if ye do whatsoeuer I command you This likewise the d Col 3 12. Apostle teacheth that we may know him to be the scholler of the same maister Col. 3. As the elect of God holy and beloued put on tender mercy k ndnesse humbleres of minde meeknes long-suffering forbearing one another and forgiuing one another if any man haue a quarrell vnto another euen as Christ forgaue you eueÌ„ so do ye and aboue all these things put on loue which is the bond of perfectnesse As euery one hath a comfortable experience in his owne heart of Gods mercy toward him in the pardon of his sinnes which are many and great so let him shew mercy againe as he hath receiued mercy and deale vnto others kindly as God hath dealt gratiously toward him Our Sauiour Christ auoucheth this Math. 18. in the parable of the lender that had many debters he called them to e Mat. 18 23 take an account of them and forgiueth the debt hauing compassion on him that was not able to pay but when hee was departed and had found one of his fellow-seruants which ought him an hundred pence he laid hand on him thratled him and cast him in prison till he should pay the debt TheÌ„ the Lord called him and said O euill seruant I forgaue thee all that debt because thou prayedst me Oughtest thou not also to haue pitty on thy fellow-seruant euen as I had pitty on thee So his Lord was wroth and deliuered him to the tormenters till he should pay all that was due to him Then followeth the application of the whole So likewise shall mine heauenly Father do vnto you except ye forgiue from your hearts each one his brother their trespasses Now the Lords Supper was ordained of God for this end that it might be a band of loue and a chaine to vnite and ioyne vs together among our selues that if it were possible we should not breake from him as Paul teacheth 1. Cor. 10. We that are many f 1 Cor. 10 17 are one bread and one body because we all are partakers of one bread Wherefore this Supper may fitly be called a Sacrament of vnity and a seale of our agreement one with another Behold heere a chaine consisting of many linkes to knit vs together that we breake not from God and our brethren Do we not all come to one table Do we not all eate of the same bread Do we not all drinke of the same cup Is not the same loafe compact of many cornes Is not the same wine pressed out of many clusters Do we not all ioyne together in the same receiuing Were we not baptized into the same baptism What a shamefull thing is this full of infamy and reproach to see the branches of the same vine the sheepe of the same shepheard the children of the same Father the seruants of the same Maister the fellowes of the same houshold the heires of the same kingdome the guests of the same banket the obtainers of the same promise the partakers of the same hope the members of the same body and the professors of the same faith to contend and striue one against another to delight in brawling fighting quarrelling and to nourish hatred malice reuenge rancor spite enuy biting backbiting one of another If Ephraim be set against g Eâ—â—y 9 â—1 Manasses and Manasses against Ephraâ—m if brother bee diuided against brother if we bite one at another let vs take heed least we be consumed one of another The Sons of God are renewed into the Image of God to resemble their heauenly Father in true holines and do all weare the same cogniâ—ance liuery For the Sacraments are the marks of Christs sheepe whereby they are knowne and discerned so that al our dissentions diuisions raylings â—eu lings disgracings and defacings one of another tend to the reproach and dishonour of our common â—ather and do giue an heauy testimony against our soules with God and his elect Angels For how do we approach vnto God how do we come into his presence With what hearts do we pray before him vnto him Are we not taught h Math. 6 12. to aske forgiuenesse of our sinnes as we forgiue the trespasses done vnto vs If then we be malicious and enuious and cary the fresh remembrance of wrongs in our hearts to pursue them with reuenge do we not pray against our selues Do we not beseech God to poure vengeance vpon vs Do we not open our mouthes to our owne destruction For when wee vse our tongues to say i Luke 11 4. Lord forgiue vs for euen we forgiue is it not asmuch as if we should pray forgiue vs not Lord for we do not we wil not forgiue others Therefore after the forme of prayer giuen to the Disciples Christ addeth If yee do forgiue Men their trespasses your heauenly Father will also forgiue you but if ye do not forgiue men their trespasses no more will your Father forgiue you your trespasses And as he exhorteth that when they stand and appeare before the Altar k Mark 11 25 they must forgiue so when we appeare at the Lords Table we must forgiue if we haue any thing against any man that our father also which is in heauen may forgiue vs our trespasses Now if we would be directâ—d to know whether this loue bee in vs or not we may try our owne hearts by these l 1 Cor. 13 4. holie properties and blessed effects described by the Apostle 1 Cor. 13. Loue saith he suffereth long it is bountifull loue enuieth not loue doth not boast it selfe it is not puffed vp it disdaineth not it seeketh not her owne thinges it is not prouoked to anger it thinketh not euill it reioyceth not in iniquity but reioyceth in the truth it suffereth all things it beleeueth all thinges it hopeth all things it endureth all things Heere we may see what manner of loue ought to bee in vs. Euery one of vs must endeuour that all the parts of this description may rightly agree to euerie one of vs and trulie be found in vs toward all men euen our enemies as we see Iesus Christ hath left vs an example of his loue m Luk. 23 35 when hee prayed for his enemies that crucified and cruelly entreated him father forgiue them for they know not what they do and this did StepheÌ„ to those that stoned him lord lay not this sin to their charge This is the truth let vs acknowledge it This is the way let vs walke in it this was their practise let vs follow it Thus we haue shewed the necessity of examination of our selues before we come to the Lords Supper and declared the parts wherein it standeth and the
compact which the eternall God hath in great mercy and compassion made with mortall and miserable men accepting them into grace and fauour promising to them remission of their sins and saluation of their soules The summe and effect of this Booke These things the iudicious Reader shall finde largely discussed in this Treatise which I haue therefore called The New Couenant because it layeth open the doctrine of the Sacraments which serue to confirme and strengthen vs in that Couenant and compact which the eternall God hath in great mercy and compassion made with mortall and miserable men accepting them into grace and fauour promising to them remission of their sins and saluation of their soules These my rude though renewed labours I willingly submit to the wise censure of my learned Brethren remembring that the spirits of the Prophets are subiect vnto the Prophets If I haue any where erred through humane infirmity 1 Cor. 14 32 or mistaken the matter any way which I go about to prooue or perswade I desire them heartily by some meanes to giue mee friendly notice thereof which I shall receiue as precious balme or as an excellent oyle that shall not breake my head Psal 141 5 The Lord God almighty from whom euery good giuing and euery perfect giuing proceedeth establish vs in the New Couenant and make vs carefull to keepe the conditions thereof to the increase of our knowledge to the growth of our faith to the furtherance of our obedience to the comfort of our soules and to the glory of his great name Amen Amen Thy Brother in Christ our Sauiour William Attersoll THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE Sacraments in generall Of the agreement and difference betweene the Word and Sacraments CHAP. 1. GOD euen from the beginning added vnto the preaching of the word a God alway gaue his sacraments to his Church his Sacramentes in the Church as the Scripture teacheth outwardly repesenting and visibly offering to our sight those things that inwardly hee performeth to vs as b Gen 2 9. the tree of life the tree of knowledge of good euil in the Garden After mans fall when a new necessity was added in regard of mans want and weakenesse he testified his loue and ratified his Coueant by sacrifices Ceremonies to our first Parents Hee gaue the c Gen. 6 14. Arke to Noah and his sonnes to confirme them in the promise which he made to them that they should not be drowned with the rest of the world Hee added to Abraham d Gen. 17 11. the signe of circumcision as a seale e Rom 4 11. of the righteousnesse of faith and to the Israelites hee gaue the Passeouer Manna oblations purifications the brazen Serpent the Rocke and such like spirituall tipes whereby he assured them of the promise that God for the onely sacrifice of Christ wrought vpon the Crosse would giue to all that beleeue forgiuenes of sinnes and euerlasting life Now the word of God may fitly bee resembled to writings and euidences and the f The agreemeÌ„t between the Word Sacraments Sacraments to seales which the Lord alone setteth to his owne letters They are as a visible Sermon preaching vnto vs most liuely the promises of God that as the worde wee heare doth edifie and instruct the minde by the outward eares so do the Sacraments by the eyes and other senses First then that wee may vnderstand the doctrine nature of the Sacraments wee are to consider what the word and Sacraments haue in common and how they agree one with another then what they haue peculiar and proper each to other and how they differ one from another The argument betweene them standeth in these points First both are of God and instruments which the Holye Ghost vseth to this ende to make vs more and more one with Christ and partakers of saluation not that God needeth them or that he is tyed vnto them for as he can nourish without meate and drinke so he can saue without word or Sacraments but because wee neede them hee vseth them when hee will and as often as it pleaseth him The same which is published and promised by the worde of God is signified and sealed by the Sacraments For they are not a deliuering of new promises and articles of faith but seale vp such as are offered in the word Secondly although God vse them as instruments of his grace yet the especiall working and forcible power of them is not in them but dependeth on God alone so that wee must not thinke that whosoeuer partaketh them is partaker of grace saluation forgiuenesse of sinnes and euerlasting glory but the vertue of them floweth from him onely as from a fountaine A man may heare the word and receiue the Sacraments all the dayes of his life and be neuer the better except God change the minde open the heart enlighten the vnderstanding cleanse the conscience and sanctifie the affections to his glory Thirdly as the preaching of the word profiteth nothing vnlesse it be vnderstood applied and receiued but g Heb. 4 1. tendeth to iudgement so the Sacraments except wee bring the hand of faith with vs cannot giue vs faith nor grace but tend to our condemnation Yet as the Gospell is alwaies the sauour of life vnto life of it owne nature and the h Heb. 4 12. word liuely and of comfortable operation howsoeuer the vnfaithfull turne it to be the sauour of death vnto death So the Sacraments cease not in themselues to bee true Sacraments although they bee administred by vnworthy Ministers and receiued by vnfaithfull people For mans wickednesse cannot peruert much lesse euert the nature of Gods ordinance Lastly as the best seede springeth not vp and bringeth not fruit so soone as it is sowne but lyeth a time couered in the earth to take rooting so the fruite reaped by the word and benefit receiued by the Sacraments presently appeareth not but groweth and increaseth at the time appointed of God who will blesse them in his elect at what season himselfe hath ordained Thus wee see what the word and Sacraments haue in common both are instruments of the same grace both haue their benefit blessing and force depending on God both require faith to bee mingled with them without which they are vnprofitable and lastly they profite not by and by at the same moment they are published administred heard or receiued but God afterward worketh oftentimes by them in his children to their great comfort when all fruite to come by them seemed to be buried The Disciples at the first vnderstood no more of Christs resurrection then the vnbeleeuing Iewes did when hee saide i Iohn 2 19. Destroy this Temple and I wâ—ll builde it againe in three dayes But they lay it vp in their hearts and long afterward remember the words he spake vnto them So wheÌ„ they saw Christ riding to Ierusalem the multitude spreading their garments in the way and cutting
ruinous it is whereas if it were strong enough it needed nothing to beare it vp euen so seeing God contenteth not himselfe with bestowing vpon vs and blessing of vs with his word but giueth vnto vs together with his word his holy Sacraments also so that our faith is not onely vnderset with the one but vnderpropped with the other it serueth to lay before our eyes our weakenesse our distrust and our vnbeleefe For if we had fulnesse and perfection of faith we should haue no neede eyther of the worde or Sacraments and therefore when this world shall haue an end the ministry of the word shall cease and the administration of the SacrameÌ„ts shall be abolished Seeing then the word is not sufficient but the Sacraments were added for further assurance wee must in this behalfe consider the great goodnesse of God towards vs who doth not onely giue vs faith by his word as by his sauing instrument but hath also added to his word Sacraments or seales of his promise and grace that by the lawfull vse of them he might vphold and strengthen our faith through his blessed Spirit For in asmuch as the Lorde not onely sent the blessed seede for the redemption of mankinde for the remission of our sinnes and for the brusing of the Serpents head but ordained for vs Sacraments to bee pledges of his promises testimonies of his faithfulnesse and remedies of our distrustfulnesse we must freely confesse and thankfullye acknowledge the bottomlesse depth of Gods endlesse mercy towards vs who vouchsafeth to be our God to be reconciled to vs being vile and miserable sinners to make a league couenant with dust and ashes and deliuer his onely Sonne to suffer the shamefull death of the Crosse for vs. And withall wee must â—abor more and more to feele our owne blindnesse distrust infidelity and peruerse nature wee would easily forget this mercy of God vnlesse it had beene continually represented before our eyes Againe seeing nothing is offered and giuen in the Sacraments Vse 2 which is not published in the Gospell seeing they cannot bee where there is no word and seeing the same Christ with all his benefits is propounded in both it meeteth with a common corruption and lamentable practise among many professors that desire and craue especially in sicknesse and extremity often to come to the Lords Table but esteeme little of the preaching of the word and that seeme to languish with a longing after the Sacrament but neuer mourne and lament for want of the word which is as great an error and madnesse as if one should euer looke vpon the seale of his writings but neuer regard the conueiance of his estate Is there not one God the author of both Is there not one Spirite that sealeth vp his promises by both Is Christ deuided that speaketh euidently vnto vs in both How is it then that many desire the Sacrament of the Lords supper seeme to pine away through want thereof who neuer wish or regard the preaching of the Gospell which is the foode of the soule the key of the Kingdome the immortall seede of regeneration and the high ordinance of God to saue those c Ro. 1 16 and 10 14. that beleeue And whence proceedeth it but from palpable ignorance in the matters of God and their owne saluation to be much troubled that the Sacrament is not brought vnto them and yet neuer couet to haue a worde of comforte spoken to them in due season Let all such persons vnderstand that as the Minister d Acts 15 21 and 19 4 and 2 42 40. is charged from God to teach euery Sabboath day and to preach the word in season and out of season to deale the bread to the hungry and to giue vnto euery one in the family his portion so is it required of all the people to desire the sincere milk of the word of God that they may grow thereby which howsoeuer it bee to them that perish foolishnesse yet to such as are called e 1 Cor. 1 24. it is the wisedome of God and the power of God Thus Origen a man excellently learned among the Ancients one of the most ancient saith When yee receiue the Lords supper with al heed reuerence ye take heed that no smal peece fal froÌ„ it by negligence to the ground how theÌ„ do you think it is a matter of lesse heinous offence to neglect his word then his body Wherby we see in the iudgement of this Father and Doctour of the Church the losse of the word is as great a want as the losse of the Sacrament and the neglect of the word is as high an offence as the neglect of the SacrameÌ„t for asmuch as one God is the author of them both and the worker by them both Wherefore we are deceiued if wee make account that there is lesse danger in neglecting the word of God then in neglecting the Sacrament of his last supper but wee must take heede that while wee willingly desire the one wee doe not wilfully despise the other For wee must carefully consider that as the Sacrament is a visible word so the worde is a speaking Sacrament and as God lifteth vp his voice vnto vs in the one so hee reacheth out his hand vnto vs in the other Wee must as well heare when hee calleth as receiue when hee offereth Now by his word preached hee calleth by his Sacraments administred hee offereth his graces vnto vs and as wee must haue hands stretched out for the one so wee must haue eares opened for the other Lastly seeing the Sacraments are so neerely linked together Vse 3 and ioyne as friends hand in hand one with another it checketh all such as are content to come ordinarily and vsually to heare the word and will scarce misse one Sermon howbeit when the Sacrament of the supper is administred they are so sencelesse and secure that except it bee at Easter when they come to it of custome rather then of conscience for feare rather then of faith they make small reckoning of it neither thinke it their duty to resort vnto it Woe vnto all them that vnioyne and put asunder those things which God hath coupled together woe vnto such as doe the worke of the Lord negligently or deceitfully This is to serue him 〈◊〉 halfes and to worship him after our owne inuentions For as it is a counterfeit repentance to leaue one sinne and cleaue to another so it is a fained holinesse to follow one ordinance of God and to omit or forsake another True repentance standeth in denying of all sinne and true religion consisteth in practising of all good things of God Among many that are often hearers of the worde you shall not finde many that are often receiuers of the Supper of the Lord. These are like vnto Ahaz mentioned in the Prophet Esay when God offered vnto him a signe and bad him aske it eyther in the depth Esay 7 11. or in the height
aboue to strengthen his faith and assure him of the promise of God hee neglected and contemned the same through prophanenesse of heart albeit he answered in words hee would not tempt the Lorde This man is worthily branded in the Scripture with the note of a wicked man Verse 12. 2 Chron. 28 22. and hath it set vpon him as a mark whereby he may be knowne for asmuch as in refusing to receiue a signe beside all his other sinnes he breaketh out into many sinnes and sheweth his contempt vnthankfulnesse hatred pride infidelity and hypocrisie So it is with such as liue among vs What sinnes they commit that neglect the vse of the Sacraments and loue not to come to the Table of the Lord. First they are disobedient to God refuse to doe that which hee commandeth them to doe They contemne the ministry of those whome God hath sent to offer vnto vs the seales of his loue the assurances of his promises and the pledges of our saluation To rebel against God is no small sinne and to deny openly without feare and without shame to obey his will Secondly such as absent themselues from the Sacraments are most vnthankefull vnto God who spareth our weakenesse and offereth vnto vs wholesome stayes as it were firme and strong pillars to vphold our faith Such as haue the greatest and strongest faith and haue attained to the highest measure of assurance doe yet in this life stand as much in neede of the Sacraments as a ruinous building doth of shores and supporters or a weake body doth of meat and nourishment Thirdly they are guilty of the greeuous sinne and horrible crime of hatred against God because like to Ahaz as much as lyeth in them they would haue the glory of God darkened that it might not shine and the truth of God buried that it might not appeare in the performance of his promises If these men were perswaded in their hearts that the neglect of the Sacraments is a secret hatred against God and an vniust detaining from him the praise and honour that is due to his great name they wold make more conscience of this sinne then commonly they doe Fourthly such as come not vnto them with feare and reuerence are possessed with spiritual pride and presumption which is a dangerous disease and so much the more dangerous by how much it is the lesse espied For these men do imagine they haue strength of faith greater then indeed they haue and in that high and haughty conceit of their owne guifts doe contemne the vse of the Sacraments as neede-lesse and superfluous things These are they that say they are rich and haue need of nothing and yet know not that they are wretched and miserable and poore and blinde and naked these are heart-sicke and yet feele it not and are neere without speedy repentance vnto condemnation For as the sicke man that refuseth wholesome medicines soueraigne preseruatiues increaseth his disease and draweth death willingly and wilfully vpon himselfe so such persons as regard not the Sacraments which god as the spiritual Physition of our soules offereth vnto vs as meanes to restore vs and recouer vs from the venemous poison of vnbeleefe which wee haue drunke from our first parents doe by little and little harden themselues and iustly perish in the euill way Fiftly they bewray their infidelity and an euill perswasion of the truth power of God as Ahaz did when he refused the signe which of his grace and goodnes was offered vnto him He saide he would not aske a signe neyther tempt God but because he asked not a signe therefore he tempted God So doe all they that refuse to helpe the weakenesse of their faith by the vse of the Sacraments they tempt God and make tryall whether hee will saue them or can saue them without those ordinary meanes that he hath ordained This is a true and certaine rule that all they which haue faith will bee carefull to strengthen their faith such as haue no faith at all regard not any meanes whereby they may obtaine faith as they that haue life in them seeke to sustaine it but the dead stirre not hand or foote Lastly such persons as care not to be present at the Sacraments haue their hearts possessed with hypocrisie and deepe dissimulation and do indeed and in truth no better then mocke God and godlinesse They professe themselues to be desirous to know God and to serue him with a perfect heart and with a willing minde in asmuch as they are partakers of the worde howbeit because they regard not to resort to his Table and to sit downe with him as his guests they are farre from that truth and inward sincerity that ought to be in all the seruants of God Thus then we see how many sinnes do concurre and meet together in all such as doe not constantly and conscionably frequent the Sacraments which must be duely considered of vs least by heaping vp all these sins in the necke one of another wee also bring downe from heauen vpon our heads many punishments and plagues according to our iust deseruings For inasmuch as the Lord not onely sent the blessed Seede for the redemption of mankinde for the remission of sinnes and for the brusing of the Serpents head but ordained for vs Sacraments to bee pledges of his promises testimonies of his faithfulnesse and remedies of our distrust we must confesse and thankfully acknowledge the bottomelesse depth of his mercy towards vs who vouchsafeth to bee our God to bee reconciled vnto vs being vile miserable sinners to make a league and couenant with dust and ashes and to deliuer his onely sonne to suffer the bitter death of the shamefull Crosse And withall wee must confesse and labour more and more to feele our owne blindnes and infidelity which mercy we would easily forget vnlesse it had beene continually represented before our eyes CHAP. 2. What a Sacrament is IN euery treatise and discourse it is necessary first to know a Arist poster lib. 2. cap. 1. whether a thing be before we consider what it is We haue heard before that there are Sacraments euer haue beene in the Church of God Now then let vs consider what they are that first the matter handled may be defined For in vaine we shall reason and speake of the Sacraments vnlesse we vnderstand what a Sacrament is But before wee set downe any description of it it shall not bee amisse to speake somewhat of the word The name in so many letters and sillables is not indeed in the Scripture no more then the worde Trinity catholike Consubstantiall and such like which being now generally receiued is not to be reiected seeing the doctrine contained vnder it agreeth with the Scripture and nothing thereby is added to the Scripture Now as the fathers of the Greeke Church called these holy rites by name of Mysteries because the substance of them was onely knowne to the members of the
signified how commeth it to passe that Ismael being circumcised as well as Isaack and Esau circumcised as well as Iacob yet one beeing borne after the flesh persecuted him that was borne after the Spirite Genesis 21. Galathians 4.29 the other was not beloued of God neyther had grace giuen vnto him as the Scripture saith Rom 9 13. Iacob haue I loued but Esau haue I hated Lastly the outward circumcision that is in the flesh may bee out of the Church and receiued of them that are no members of the Church as it was of the Idumeans Ismaelites Samaritans and such as were strangers from the couenant as also the Turkes and Sarazins receiue it in our daies So is it with baptisme it doth not bring vs iustification by the outward worke done but sometimes it may go before the signe and sometimes follow after The like might be said touching Manna giuen vnto the Israelites Exod. 16. and the water of separation Num. 19. We may ioyne all these together because the force of them is alike and therefore the answere to the one is an answere to the other The next type is touching the cleansing of Naaman the Obiection 4 Syrian by washing seauen times in Iordan 2. Kings 5. as then those waters did truely heale him so the water in baptisme doth heale the soule and iustifie the sinner I answere Answere this is to draw from a wrong supposition a false conclusion forasmuch as euen those waters had no such inherent power or secret vertue but onely for the present by a miraculous dispensation of God they cleansed him of his leprosie neyther had they of themselues any other hidden vertue included in them then the Riuers that wer in Damascus 2 Kings 5 12. And therefore Naaman being cleansed did not magnifie the strength of that water aboue all other Riuers in other regions but the great mercy of God toward him and promised he would worship no other God but the God of Israel The next type is from the poole of Bethesda Iohn 5. Obiection 5 which healed all manner of diseases at the mouing of the waters and the waters in Siloam wherewith the blinde man is commanded to wash Iohn 9. I answere Answere the Scripture is plaine that an Angell went downe at a certain season into the poole troubled the water without which moouing and stirring of it no cure was wrought at any time Againe if this power had beene naturall and inseparably tyed vnto it then the water would haue cured and healed all the whole multitude of impotent persons of blinde of hâ—lt and of withered that should step into it contrary to the expresse words of the text Whosoeuer did first after the troubling of the water step into it Iohn 5 4. was made whole of whatsoeuer disease he had So that the poore impotent man which had an infirmity 38. yeares needed not to haue complained that no man when the water was troubled would put him into the poole but while hee was comming another stepped downe before him And touching the blinde man he was not healed and helped eyther by the spittle or the clay or the waters or by the force of all them together which had of theÌ„selues serued and sufficed rather to haue hindred the sight then to haue opened the eyes it was the miraculous worke of Christs own hand who worketh sometimes aboue means and sometimes contrary to meanes Thus much touching the obiections arising from sundry types and allusions which hee hath heaped vp and hudled out of the olde and new Testament Now touching the obiections drawne from expresse Obiection 1 places we will briefly runne them ouer forasmuch as many of them conclude not for them but against them First of all Iohn Baptist saith I baptize you with water but hee that commeth after mee shall baptize with the Holy-Ghost Math. 3. I answere Answere Iohn sheweth in these words that he was onely the Minister of the outward signe and could worke nothing in the hearts of men whereas Christ whoÌ„ he pointed out and of whom he spake would bestow the Spirite vpon them and those things which belong vnto their saluation Euen as the Apostle speaking of his ministry doth notably in other words expound this saying of Iohn 1 Cor. 3. I haue planted Apollos hath watered but God giueth the increase so that neither he that planteth nor he that watereth is any thing but God that giueth the increase That which Paul vttereth touching the preaching of the word and Iohn of the Sacrament of Baptisme we may fitly transferre and aptly apply to the Supper of tho Lorde wherein the Minister doth distribute the bread and deliuer the cup of the Lord but the Lord himselfe doth feed those that beleeue in him with his body blood which is meate indeed and drinke indeed The next testimony is taken out of Marke 16 16. Hee Obiection 2 that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued Heere the force of sauing is ascribed to baptisme not to faith now it cannot saue but by iustifying and washing away the filthinesse of our sinnes I answere Answere in the Apostles dayes men of yeares and not infants onely were baptized in regard whereof profession of faith and confession of sins did go before Math. 3 6. They were baptized confessing their sinnes Againe Christ our Sauiour teacheth that saluation dependeth on faith Iohn 5 24. He that beleeueth is passed from death to life he neuer said Whosoeuer receiueth the outward baptisme is passed from death to life It is faith that ioyneth vs to God and not the washing of the body with water Lastly if grace were tyed to the outward signe hee would haue said He that is not baptized shal be damned whereas Christ saith onely Hee that beleeueth not shall bee damned Neuerthelesse faith and baptisme are both ioyned together that euery one should submit himselfe to the ordinance of God and know that to the guift of faith he must annexe the vse of the Sacraments The third testimony is borrowed from the conference Obiection 3 of Christ with Nicodemus Iohn 3. Except a man bee borne againe of water and the Holy Ghost hee cannot enter into the kingdome of God I answere Answere It is not necessary to vnderstand this place litterally of the water in baptisme but of the grace of Christ which cleanseth the soule as water doth the body which in other places is called The water of life Iohn 4 11. and 7.38 where speaking of the water of life the Euangelist addeth This hee spake of the Spirite which they that beleeued in him should receiue Againe water is ioyned with the Spirit in this place as fire is ioyned with the Spirite in another place Math. 3 11. He shal baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire but there is no necessity nor so much as probability there to vnderstand fire properly why then should we take water properly in this place and wherefore in places that are like should wee seeke a meaning
the forgiuenesse of sinnes and of our adoption in Christ Doth not the ſ Rom. 8 15 16. Holy Ghost testifie vnto vs particularly the adoption of children the remission of sinnes and saluation of our soules As Rom. 8. Wee haue not receiued the Spirite of bondage to feare but the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father the Spirite beareth witnesse with our spirits that we are the children of God In these words Gods sanctifying Spirit our sanctified spirit are made the two witnesses of our adoption This we must certainely beleeue by faith And this made the Apostle t Rom. 8 38.39 most confident in the end of the same Chapter saying I am perswaded that neyther death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. If any obiect we may hope well for forgiuenes of sins but we cannot beleeue the same I answere Faith and hope cannot be separated they doe alwayes as louing friends accompany each other they are neuer sundered and diuided so that if we may be assured of our saluation by hope it followeth we may be certainely perswaded True hope followeth true faith as the effect doth the cause and no man can truely hope that is not truely assured Besides this is the property of hope u Rom. 5 4 5. it neuer maketh any ashamed they shall not be confounded and disappointed they shall attaine vnto the thing hoped for according to the doctrine of the Apostle Experience bringeth foorth hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is giuen vnto vs. Hitherto of the first end of a Sacrament CHAP. XIIII Of the second vse of a Sacrament THe second end of a Sacrament is this a The second vse of a Sacrament is to be a seale of the Couenant It serueth to bee a seale of the Couenant betweene God and vs that hee will bee our God and we will be his people as Gen. 17 I am God b Gē 17 1 11 all-sufficient walke before me and be vpright The Sacraments are assured testimonies and confirmations of the fauour and good will of God who is well pleased toward vs in Christ his Sonne By them as by certaine pledges giuen and receiued God of his great mercy doth as it were binde himselfe to vs wee binde our selues to him to remaine his people and to walke in obedience before him for they bee as strong chaines to compasse vs as sure cords to hold vs and as fast knots to keepe vs that we do not depart from him and cast off the feare of his name Circumcision was a seale of Gods promise to Abraham and a seale of Abrahams faith and obedience toward God But let vs see what c What the couenant is betweene God man this couenant is what are the Articles of agreement betweene God and vs and what things each part interchangeably couenanteth and contracteth each toward other The couenant of God in respect of himselfe hath three parts He promiseth d Rom 11 26 Ier. 33 8. Esay 43 25. first of all forgiuenesse of our sinnes for The deliuerer shall come out of Sion and shall turne away the vngodlinesse from Iacob and this is my couenant to them when I shall take away their sinnes Secondly the adoption e Ier. 31 31.32 33. 2 Cor. 6 16.18 Zach. 8 8. of sonnes and acceptation of vs to be his children ioyned with the promise of his cōtinuall fauour loue grace and protection as Iere. 31. Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will make a new couenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Iudah not according to the couenant that I made with their fathers when I tooke them by the hand to bring them out of the Land of Egypt the which my couenant they brake although I was an husband vnto them saith the Lord but this shall be the couenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those daies saith the Lord I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my people Behold the indenture of couenants written by the finger of God wherein for better assurance he hath bound himselfe to forgiue our sins promised to be our mercifull God And to the end there might be a paire of these indentures interchangeably giuen each to other party the Lord by the hand of the Apostle writing to the Hebrewes hath drawn as it were the counterpane of the former word for word expressed as it is in the Prophet f Heb. 8 10 11 so that we haue a paire of indentures of couenants to shew the stablenes of his counsell The 3. part of the couenant in respect of God is g Reuel 21 4.7 the promise of the full possessiō of the heauenly inheritance and of eternall glory after this life as Reuel 21. God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow neither crying neither shall there be any more paine for the first things are passed he that ouercometh shal inherit all things Also cha 2. To him that ouercommeth will I giue to eate of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradice of God he shall not be hurt of the second death he shal haue power giuen him ouer the Nations and rule them with a rod of iron he shal be cloathed with white array and I wil not put his name out of the booke of life hee shall be a pillar in the Temple of God shal go no more out I will grant to him to fit with me in my throne euen as I ouercame fit with my Father in his throne Thus we see how God on his part by writings and euidences promiseth to giue to his people remission of sins adoption of sons possession of heauen he hath couenanted by word by oth to performe these things neither is he as man that he should lie nor as the son of man that he shold deceiue These are great grants of great blessings by our great God to the great good cōfort of his childrē For what greater blessings can there be then being miserable sinners to be graciously pardoned being vtter enemies to bee freely accepted as sonnes beeing bondslaues and prisoners of hell to be made heires of heauen and saluation Againe the couenant on our part requireth three conditions for when men intend to couenant and contract one with another they set downe articles as well on the one side as on the other First faith to God to beleeue his promises as Iohn 3.16 God so loued the world that hee hath giuen his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him
should not perish but haue euerlasting life And Cha. 14. Let not your heart be troubled ye beleeue in God beleeue also in me And Rom. 10. With the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth man confesseth vnto saluation for the Scripture saith whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not be ashamed Secondly God requireth of vs loue toward our brethren for seeing he hath shewed so great loue toward vs k 1 Iohn 4 7 9 10 11. he exacteth loue of vs againe as Iohn exhorteth Beloued let vs loue one another for loue commeth of God and euery one that loueth is borne of God and knoweth God heerein was the loue of God made manifest among vs because God sent his onely begotten Son into this world that wee might liue through him beloued if God so loued vs wee ought also to loue one another Thirdly he requireth as a necessary couenant to be kept on our part holines true obedience throughout the whole course l Iosh 24 24.25 2 Kings 29 3. of our life and conuersation This is repeated and vrged in many places of the word of God as Iosh 24. when they said they would serue the Lord their God obey his voice Ioshua made a couenant with them the same day ioyning God the people together So also Iosiah stood by the pillar and made a couenant before the Lord that they should walke after the Lord and keepe his commandements and his testimonies and his statutes with al their hart and with al their soul Likewise to the same purpose we reade 2. Chro. 15. They made a couenant to seeke the Lord God of their Fathers and whosoeuer will not seeke the Lord God of Israel shall be slaine whether he be small or great man or woman Thus we see the conditions of the couenant both what he promiseth to doe and what he looketh for at our hands He requireth of vs faith loue and obedience to become his people if we will haue him to be our God All these three parts of the couenant m 1 Iohn 3 23 24. are mentioned and expressed 1. Iohn 3. This is his commandement that wee beleeue in the name of his Sonne Iesus Christ and loue one another as he gaue commandement for he that keepeth his commandements dwelleth in him and he in him and heereby we know that hee abideth in vs euen by the Spirite that he hath giuen vs. The vses of the second end of a Sacrament are first to Vse 1 behold the exceeding loue of God toward his people vnworthy of his fauour Can there be a greater loue then this Certainly such as know the great rigor of the law the infinite iustice of God and the heauy burthen of sin and feele God to arraigne them the law to endite them their consciences to accuse them and their hearts to cōdemne them do finde nothing sweeter then to be eased of that burthen to be acquitted of that Iudge and to be freed from that condemnation For of all burdens sin is the heauiest of all wounds it is the deepest of all afflictions it is the greatest of all paines it is the sharpest and often presseth downe to the gates of hell Wherefore such as feele Gods mercy in their misery n Psal 32 1.2 may cry out with the Prophet in the reioycing of their spirite Blessed is he whose wickednesse is lightened and whose sin is couered Blessed is the man vnto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity This kindnesse is so great that the eternall God should make a couenant with dust and ashes that it ought neuer to be forgotten of vs vs nor depart out of our hearts Againe let euery one be carefull to keepe the former Vse 2 conditions of the Couenant which are to loue him againe and our brethren for his sake o Luke 1 74.75 and to walke in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our life Our Sauiour Christ directing our loue to our brethren and teaching that the streames thereof should flow vnto our enemies sheweth that if we loue thē that loue vs the o Mat. 5 44.46 47. Publicans do the same if we be friendly to our brethren only this is no singular thing Behold p 1 Iohn 3 1. what loue the Father hath giuen vnto vs that we should be called the Sons of God he loued vs graciously freely he loued vs whē we were enemies vnto him spared not his own Son but gaue him to death for vs al do not these things deserue loue againe are we not bound to shew duty for these mercies and loue to our brethren for this loue of our God yet many regard neyther these blessings of God neither walking in vprightnes of hart Vse 3 before him Thirdly is God mā entred into a solemne couenant are the Sacraments seals of it Thē the contempt of the Sacraments is the contempt of God himselfe of his couenant made with vs and therfore worthily to be condemned and iustly to bee censured of the Church If men wer throughly perswaded of this truth I am perswaded they wold not shew this carelesnes prophanenes in coming to these ordinances of God They are not bare and naked promises but couenants of mercy fauour Euery couenant is a promise but euery promise is not a couenant Abraham had receiued many promises from God of reconciliation of posterity of blessing protection that he would be his buckler his bulwarke and his great reward and giue vnto his seed the land of Canaan yet we reade not that God as yet made a couenant with him vntill by a solemne rite and ceremony he established it Ge. 15. where we see that Abraham took an heiffer a shee-goate and a ramme and diuided them in the midst and laid each piece one against another In the same day the Lord made a couenant with him This he confirmed afterward by the signe of circumcision as also hee confirmeth his couenant with vs by two Sacraments If any were asked the question whether they would haue God to be their God gracious and mercifull vnto them they would answere it is their whole desire howbeit if we would haue God magnifie his mercy toward vs we must magnify make much of his sacram whereby he hath sealed vp his loue toward vs. Could Abraham haue God to be his God and the God of his seede and yet reiect circumcision commanded vnto him which was a signe of the couenant Could the Israelites acknowledge God to be the author of their deliuerance out of Egypt and yet refuse the Passeouer that was instituted in remembrance of their deliuery and of his mercy O that we could consider these things and learne them aright to make vs wise to God and to our selues If wee giue to any man a piece of mony to binde a bargaine that hath passed betweene him and vs we would thinke ourselues much abused if hee should not count himselfe tyed by
it to performe his promise and make good his word So hath God left with vs his Sacraments as an earnest penny to assure vs of his word and the vnchangeable faithfulnesse of his promise shall we then make no account of them or esteeme them at our owne pleasure We make our selues guilty of the blood of Christ and as much as lyeth in vs say to the almighty Depart from vs we will none of the knowledge of thy waies we will walke after the stubbornnes of our harts Lastly are the Sacraments as a band with a condition that leaueth vs not at liberty to doe what wee list but Vse 4 bindeth vs to performe the condition Then wee must learne from hence that howsoeuer God haue dealt in mercy toward vs offering vs the pardon of our sinnes promising to receiue vs as sonnes and assuring vs to bestow vpon vs eternall life yet if we be not faithfull and obedient vnto him but reiect these benefits from vs walke not worthy of them they shall be taken from vs giuen to a people that will make more account of them The couenant that God hath made is a mutuall promise and agreement betweene God and man whereby God giueth men assurance that he will be gracious fauourable vnto them remitting their sinnes bestowing vpon thē righteousnes bringing thē to saluation reseruing them to his heauenly kingdome through Christ his Son and our redeemer And on the other side men binde themselues to faith repentance and obedience and to be thankful vnto him for so great and gracious benefits This mutuall compact and couenant that it might bee made firme and authenticall is sealed by the outward badges and tokens of baptisme and the Lords Supper which are sacred signes testifying Gods good will toward vs and confirming our duty toward him This is no small mercy shewed vnto vs but the most sacred and soueraigne guift of God that can be bestowed vpon any people in this life as Psal 111.9 The Prophet remembreth in the last place that he sent redemption vnto his people he hath commanded his couenant for euer So the Apostle maketh it as a wonderfull priuiledge that God gaue to the Iewes in that they had the signe of circumcision and the Oracles of God committed vnto them Rom. 3 1 2. According to the saying of the Prophet Psal 14.19.20 Hee shewed his word to Iacob his statutes and ordinances vnto Israel he hath not dealt so with euery Nation neither haue they knowne his iudgements This ought to teach diligence and worke conscience in al sorts of men least we depriue our selues of the guifts of God lent vnto vs and bestowed vpon vs. Thus we see first of all that mankinde generally neyther was neither is within the couenant but onely such as by faith imbrace and lay holde on the couenant The Apostle saith Gal. 3.22 The Scripture hath concluded all vnder sin that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should be giuen to them that beleeue Without faith it is vnpossible to please God and therefore there is no promise of reconciliation made without faith The couenant betweene God and man touching righteousnes and eternall life was deliuered and reuealed from the beginning to our first parents immediately after their fall before they were driuen out of the Garden of Eden Gen. 3 15. The seede of the Woman shall bruise the Serpents head And in the tenour of this couenant God did put a difference betweene the seede of the woman and the seede of the Serpent By the seed of the woman he meaneth the head and his members Christ and the faithfull that beleeue in him as also by the seed of the Serpent all the reprobate that liue and dye in their sinnes forasmuch as he that committeth sinne is of the Diuell 1 Iohn 3 8. and he is their father Iohn 8 44. Hence we see how foule and fearefull a thing it is to be without faith all such are without life without Christ without the couenant euen strangers from the couenants of promise without hope and without God in the world Againe al such as contemne grace offered vnto them in the Mediator Christ Iesus who is the foundation and ground-worke of this couenant in whom all the promises of God are yea and amen All such as follow sinne with greedines and drinke iniquity as water such as are both bare and barren in good things for euer but plentifull in bringing forth the workes of darknesse and the fruites of disobedience are all out of the couenant and haue no promise made vnto them of grace of righteousnesse of reconciliation of protection and of saluation It is required of vs to repent and beleeue the Gospell Mar. 1 15. But if we begin to breake with God shall we thinke to hold him close to his couenant and to challenge him with his word Will we tye him to conditions and imagine to goe free our selues Will we vrge him hard with his promise and as it were lay heauy burdens vpon him and not touch them our selues with our little finger Hee promiseth nothing vnto vs except we keepe couenant with him And what reason is it that we should looke to receiue blessings at his hands when we will yeelde no duty of obedience vnto him For as God promiseth to bee with vs and bestow all good things vpon vs so we binde our selues vnto him to become his children and his seruants to feare him to loue him and to walke in vprightnesse before him God neuer beginneth to breake with vs neither falsifyeth his truth He neuer forsaketh vs vntill we forsake him and therefore the Prophet said to Asa king of Iuda 2. Chron. 15 2. The Lord is with you while ye he with him and if ye seeke him hee will be found of you but if ye forsake him hee will forsake you In all couenants the condition must euer more be marked considered and obserued It is vnpossible that God should lye he cannot faile vs or deceiue vs. The like fidelity toward him is required of vs. It is not enough for vs to know what God hath promised but it is requisite for vs to learne vpon what conditions he hath promised to be gracious vnto vs. He neuer promised to be mercifull vnto any but vnder the expresse condition of sincere obedience If we will beleeue and obey we shall prosper but if we become rebellious and stubborne he will also walke stubbornely against vs and bring vpon vs all the curses theatned in his word CHAP. XV. Of the third vse of a Sacrament THus much of the second vse the third vse of the Sacraments a The third vse of a Sacrament is to be a marke badge of our profession is to bee badges and markes of our Christian profession that thereby one of vs should acknowledge an other to be of one houshold and of one family of one society and as it were birds of one feather For heereby we doe manifest whose
to God o Reuel 3.15.16 as it is said to the Church of the Laodiceans I know thy workes that thou art neither cold nor hot I would thou werest cold or hot therefore because thou art luke-warme and neither cold nor hot it shall come to passe that I shall spew thee out of my mouth Wherefore let vs not bee discouraged in wel-doing but walking through good report and euill report let vs remember that as Christ is our Lord and Maister so our profession and the Sacraments are our badges Vse 4 Lastly we see what our estate and condition is that we are not our owne but are subiect to Christ to serue him For do we beare his badge Then he is our maister If hee be our Maister Maâ— 1 6. where is the feare and reuerence due vnto him Is it not meete wee should shew our selues thankefull for so great mercies and guifts Were it not intollerable vnthankfulnesse and vnsufferable pride for any man to weare the cognizance of another and yet to scorne his seruice and deny him duty Might not one worthily checke and controule him as Christ did the Iewes who vnwillingly paide such taxes and tributes as were laid vpon them He called for a penny q Mat. 22 19.20 21. and said vnto them Whose image and superscription is this They said vnto him Caesars He answered Giue therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesars and giue to God the things that are Gods So likewise might one say fitly Whose badge wearest thou whose Armes bearest thou on thy sleeue Doth not this put thee in minde of thy state and condition and of the seruice and honour thou owest thy Maister In like manner may it be said to vs Whose badge bearest thou Is it not Christs we are not therefore our owne men as the Apostle reasoneth and concludeth 1 Cor. 6 19 20. Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy-Ghost which is in you whom ye haue of God and ye are not your owne For you are bought with a prâ—ce therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirite for they are Gods So many therefore as come without knowledge and true repentance breake their faith giuen to Christ and betray the body of Christ as much as in them lyeth Wherefore to the right vse and partaking of the Sacraments ther is required the knowledge of God in three persons especially of the person of Christ perfect God and perfect man and of his three offices to saue his people to be their Priest perfectly by sacrifice to reconcile and iustifie them to be their king by the gouernment of his Church to kill sinne in them and to sanctifie them to be their teacher to instruct them in the will of his heauenly Father After these is required true faith and earnest repentance otherwise we cannot receiue r Without faith and repentance we cannot receiue Christ Christ in the Sacraments Put food into the mouth of a dead man it cannot nourish him So if one that is vnworthy and vnfit lying dead and rotting in his sinne do come to the Sacraments certainely they do not giue him life and worthinesse Å¿ 1 Cor. 11 27 29. but such a one doth lade himselfe with a greater burden of sin and punishment as 1 Cor. 11. Whosoeuer shall eate this bread and drinke the cup of the Lord vnworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord he eateth and drinketh his owne iudgment because he discerneth not the Lords body CHAP. XVI Of the number of Sacraments HItherto we haue spoken of the chiefe vses of the Sacraments now we are come to speake a The number of Sacraments of the number of Sacraments according as we take the name and haue declared the nature of them Let vs see then how many such visible signes and seales of spiritual grace in the new Testament were instituted of God to set forth the benefits of Christ for the continuall vse of the Church Many liue in the bosome of the Church heare the word come to publike prayer take themselues to be goodly Christians offer themselues to the Lords-table are made partakers of the SacrameÌ„ts who yet are ignorant how many Sacraments there are and what they are None almost so simple but he can number his sheepe and cattell he knoweth their markes he knoweth their differences but aske him how many commandements of the law how many Articles of faith how many petitions of the Lords prayer or how many Sacraments of the new Testament hee can answere nothing They know no difference betweene commandement commandment betweene the first Table and the second betweene article and article and betweene one petition and another Such haue their wits wholy exercised on the world and on worldly things which iustle out religion and the knowledge of heauenly things If we haue eares to heare let vs heare what is the faith of the Church in this point grounded vpon the infallible rule and rocke of the word of God The Sacraments of the Church ordained by Christ to assure our communion with him are onely two b Christ instituted onely two Sacraments Baptisme whereby wee are receiued into the couenant of God in stead of circumcision and the Lords Supper whereby we are nourished maintained and retained therein in stead of the Passeouer For albeit the couenant be but one yet the scales thereof are two to assure vs that by vnion with Christ we are regenerated and shall bee nourished to eternall life Hee hath deliuered vs a few Sacraments in stead of many he could haue instituted moe if hee had thought it good for the benefit of the Church These are as it were the two eyes whereby we see and behold the promises of God These are as the two hands wherby we after a sort do handle Christ crucified lay holde on the graces of saluation Christ hath appointed no moe Sacraments he hath laide on vs an easie yoke and a light burden That these two are the onely Sacraments of the new Testament may appeare by these reasâ—ns c Reasons why there are only two Sacraments following First Christ taught no more to his Apostles the Apostles deliuered no moe to the Churches the Churches imbraced no moe for many yeares When thâ— Lord Iesus liued on the earth Luke 1 76. and 33. he instituted baptisme by the ministry of Iohn Baptist who as hee was sent to prepare the hearts of the people so he preached the baptisme of repentance Afterward the Lord Iesus establish it with his owne mouth in the commission giuen to his Disciples So he appointed and himselfe first administred his last Supper in remembrance of his death vntill his second comming againe with power great glory These two true Sacraments of the Church to wit baptisme the Lords Supper were instituted and warranted by the mouth of Christ himselfe and none other beside these These we receiue because Christ ordained them other
3 cap. 9. mystery of the Trinity a Sacrament and fire a Sacrament because by the heat light and shining brightnes thereof the Trinity may after a sort be shaddowed out Besides a Warnw. Encâ—unt 1. c. 13. the late Warneword Page 91. handling this controuersie of the number of Sacraments doth not prooue the number of seauen Sacraments out of the Scripture neyther goeth about it neither is able to deriue it further then the counsell of Florence holden in the yeare 1440. and from Peter Lumbard b Sâ—nent lib. 4 d st 2. who was indeed the Father and first finder and founder of this number of seauen Augustine wheÌ„ speaketh of Sacraments in the strict and proper signification and taketh them for holy signes and seales not onely signifying representing and exhibiting spirituall graces commanded by Christ succeeding in the roome of the Iewish two ordinary Sacraments and offering Christ to all faithfull receiuers the vse whereof is perpetuall and vniuersall reckoneth them as we do c August de simb ad cateâ—hu Haec sunt Ecclesiae gemina sacramenta i. These be two Sacraments of the Church And in one other place d August de doctr Christ lâ—b 3. cap. 9. Christ and his Apostles haue deliuered vnto vs a few Sacrament instead of many as Baptisme and Lords Supper Cyprian that liued before him Cyprian lib. 2. Epist 1. is of the same iudgment who saith plainely Tunc demum planè sanctificari c. that is may be throughly satisfied and become the children of God Vtroque Sacramento Paschas de coena dom if they be new borne by both the Sacraments And likewise Paschas 9. speaketh to the same purpose sunt Sacramenta c. that is The Sacraments of Christ in the Catholike Church are baptisme and the body and blood of our Lord. So S. Ambrose intreating purposely e Ambrose lib. 1. de Sacra cap. 1. of the Sacraments speaketh but of two as the reformed Churches hold at this day Innocentius the third speaking of them f C. Firmiter onely maketh mention of those two which we receiue not of the rest which we refuse Yea Thomas of Aquine the Chiefe Doctor of the Papists holdeth heerein the truth g In lib. 4. sent dist 28. qu. 4. teaching that the forme of Baptisme and of the Lords Supper is found in the Scripture but not of the other pretended Sacraments and namely of extreme vnction To conclude h Bessar de sacra Eucharist Cardinall Bessarion confesseth this Haec duo sola Sacramenta in Euangelijs manifeste tradita legimus that is we reade that these two onely Sacraments were deliuered vs manifestly and plainely in the Gospell Thus we see that others before vs do ioyne with vs and speak directly of both the Sacraments of two Sacraments and of onely two Sacraments and therefore the bringing in of seauen is as strange and monstrous as if a man shold say we wanted seauen feete to walke or seauen eyes to see or seauen hands to handle or seauen eares to heare whereas two of each sort are sufficient and the other fiue are needlesse and superfluous in the body Now let vs come to the vses of this diuision In Vse 1 that Christ hath appointed so few Sacraments in number heereby appeareth the great loue of God toward vs he hath not laid a burden vpon vs which neither we nor our Fathers were able to beare but charged vs with two Sacraments onely whereas he might haue deliuered other moe vnto vs. The Ceremoniall law was a very heauy burthen pressing downe the Father of the old Testament and keeping them i Act. 15 10. in great bondage now the yoke is broken and we are deliuered As we see the like mercy of God in teaching a short forme of praier as a perpetuall direction to the Church and in deliuering the ten Commandements diuided into two tables so he hath not troubled vs with many SacrameÌ„ts wherby also our nature prone to idolatry is respected and the grace of the new Testament is wonderfully amplyfied We see how superstition and grosse Idolatry haue preuailed in the Church of Rome infected with deadly poyson one of the Sacraments how much greater danger were it if moe Sacraments had beene commanded and commended vnto vs Againe heereby we may perceiue and conceiue the Vse 2 difference betweene the olde and new Testament betweene the Sacraments vnder the lawe and these vnder the Gospell k Difference betweene the Sacraments of the old Testament the new betweene those giuen to the Iewes and these retained among Christians For ours are few in number theirs are many in number the Arke Circumcision the Passeouer Manna the Cloud the Sea the Rock many purifications oblations which are not easy to be numbred But the Gospell acknowledgeth onely two as two twins begotten of the same father brought forth of the same mother Hereunto we may adde not vnprofitably other materiall differences to bee acknowledged They differ in time ours shew forth our communioÌ„ with Christ already come and so are more firme and durable as those l 1 Cor. 11 26 which are not to be changed to the ende of the world 1 Cor. 11. Yee shew the Lords death till hee come Their Sacraments were ordained onely vntill the comming of Christ because they shewed and pointed out Christ to come so that the worke of grace was more obscure vnto them Againe they differ much in variety of Sacramentall signes and rites as the cutting of the fore-skinne the Lambe of the Passeouer iournying through the Sea sauing by the Arke drinking of the rocke lifting vp the brazen Serpent raining downe of Manna washing of their body they had calues sheep goates doues bread wine oyle and such like we haue onely water in Baptisme bread and wine in the Lords Supper Thus the signes do greatly vary Fourthly they differ in easinesse For the ceremonies committed to the people of the Iewes were hard cumbersome painful to the flesh and some of them were administred with effusion and shedding of blood partly of man partly of beasts Of man as in circumcision of beasts as in the Paschall Lambe and in the sacrifices But our Sacraments though Sacraments of Christs blood shed for vs yet of themselues be voide of blood Fiftly they differ in measure of signification For our Sacraments haue a more plentifull and full representation of grace offered and stirre vp a greater measure of faith then the Sacraments of the old Testament which were more darke obscure the Lord reseruing a fuller measure of knowledge vnto the blessed times of the Gospell For as the exhibiting of Christ Iesus in the flesh in fulnesse of time and as it were in the olde age of the world is of more efficacy to moue vs then the expectation of him to come so wee haue better helpes and an holye aduantage to raise and rouse vp our faith vnto a greater assurance of grace
with all care before the Lord of whom wee ought earnestly to beg and desire his Spirit to teach vs the truth of our Baptisme the assurance of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and the purging of our consciences from dead workes We come oftentimes and ordinarily to this Sacrament we see children incorporated into the Church and sealed vp to be members of Christ and yet sildome or neuer remember what vow we haue made to God and whose we are by our profession no not in the present worke doth any such cogitation or consideration enter into the hearts of many yea the most sort see the water sprinkled and heare the words pronounced but esteeme it little as a matter belonging nothing at all vnto them There is none that come to heare the word and to receiue the Lords Supper but they thinke it pertaineth no lesse if not more to them then it doth vnto others but touching baptisme and making any vse at all of it they put it farre from them they know they are already baptized and are to be baptized no more they turne it passe it ouer slightly to the infant that is brought to the well-beloued friends and neighbours that bring it saying to themselues as the Pharisies did in another case to Iudas Mat. 27 4. what is that to vs see thou to that But we cannot so shift ouer the matter our baptisme will cleaue more closely vnto vs it hath made such an impression in vs and sticketh so neere vnto vs that it can neuer be blotted out nor wiped away it summoneth vs to God and telleth vs that we are not our owne but he challengeth vs wholy to himselfe and will not let vs no from him Vse 4 Lastly is the cleansing and purifying of the foule represented by the washing of the body Then from hence ariseth vnto vs great comfort in baptisme namely that it is no idle no needlesse nor superfluous thing but of great power force and vertue For the water is not bare water but the water of regeneration being rightly vsed and administred by those onely that are lawfully called to the office and haue a warrant from God and commission from the Church to that purpose It belongeth not to any priuate persons men or women much lesse to children to make a toy or sport of it as it is said of Athanasius that being yet a childe not knowing what he did Ruffin lib. 1. cap 14. 1 Cor. 13 11. or with what he medled hee baptized Of whom we may say as Paul doth 1. Cor. 13. When I was a child I spake as a châ—lde I vnderstood as a childe I thought as a childe but when I became a man I put away childish things Or as the wise man doth Eccl. 11. Eccl. 11.10 Baptisme admiâ—istred in sport is no baptisme Childhood and youth are vanity Heereby can come no sanctification nor cleansing of the soule and therefore are they deceiued that receiue it for good and ratifie it for authenticall forasmuch as euery such baptisme vndertaken by priuate persons in case of necessity or by children after an apish imitation is no baptisme at all neither is that water consecrated water but common and prophane and therefore consequently that washing or sprinkling is to bee accounted as common and prophane also If a Child should take vpon him to minister the Supper of the Lord that knoweth not what it meaneth and charge the people to examine theÌ„selues that hath not learned as yet to examine himselfe all men must confesse this were a great prophanation of this SacrameÌ„t by no meanes to be suffered or if he should step vp into the chaire of Moses and offer fondly and childishly to vtter the word of God who would regard it Or who would care for it Shall we say this were to administer the Supper of the Lord or to preach the Gospell of Christ Or shall we imagine that any fruit or benefit can come hereby So may we say of Baptism it is prophaned by vnfit persons not profitably administred But to leaue these abuses which we haue touched conuinced before let vs see what are the comforts that arise from this inward part of this Sacrament which are of diuers sorts for hence floweth as from a plentifull spring comfort to the whole Church comfort to the parents of the persons baptized comfort to the infants themselues Comfort to the whâ—le Chuâ—ch It reacheth to the whole Church because when it beholdeth water sanctified and set apart for baptisme and spirituall washing of the soule represented by the outward cleansing of the body they may see as it were Christ crucified and his blood poured out before their eyes When we feele our hearts at any time cast downe by the sight of our sins and finde the burthen of theÌ„ to be intollerable vnto vs we must lift vp our eyes to heauen and in a sweet meditation of this holy sprinkling of the blood of Christ assure our consciences therby that he hath washed them all away that they shall not be imputed vnto vs nor be able to worke our condemnation We are also put in minde heereby that we are fellow-members of one and the same body forasmuch as we haue all one baptisme Ephe. 4. Eph. 4 5. as we haue all one Lord and Father all one faith and hope of eternall life Hence it is that at the birth of Iohn the Church reioyced comming together to haue him circumcised Let vs therfore be ready to ioyne together in this worke in praier and thanksgiuing let vs addresse our selues to be as witnesses and approuers of it that wee may receiue comfort by it being euermore taught and confirmed in the truth of our baptisme and remembring what we haue promised to God that we may be carefull to performe our promise and fearefull to breake couenant with him In this respect the Church is said to circumcise * Luke 1 59. 1 Cor. 11 5. and to prophesie and make prayer because it ioyneth together in these holy actions We haue all of vs one entrance into the Church whereby we professe to go al one way to walk one course to leade one manner of life to serue the same God Comfort to parents Secondly this comfort extendeth more principally particularly toward the parents themselues then it doth in generall to the whole Church For they see their seed together with themselues ioyned to the Church and washed with the blood of Christ they haue the ancient promise of God verified vnto them I will be thy God and the God of thy seed GeÌ„ 17. which ministreth great matter of ioy vnto theÌ„ so that they should reioyce more in this mercy shewed toward them then if they could make theÌ„ heires of the world and leaue them owners of a kingdome Howbeit this comfort carrieth with it sundry duties putteth them in minde to be thankfull to God who hath verified his couenant to them and their
11 25 26. As often as ye shall eate of this bread and drinke of this cup ye shew the Lords death till he come Thus the Lord Iesus speaketh Doe this as oft as ye shall drinke it in remembrance of me And haue we not many worthy and effectuall l Reasons rēdred to moue vs to frequēt the Lords Table considerations to moue such as professe the same doctrine to resort oftentimes to the same Table of the Lord It is the commandement of Christ so that we ought to make some conscience of this duty as of other commandements prescribed vnto vs. It is a commandement of God m Exo. 20 13 Thou shalt not steale Few but doe make some conscience thereof because it is Gods commandement So is this heere often to come to the Lords Table yet what little account is made heereof al the yeare long euery one seeth and the faithfull soule agreeueth The high God possessor n Gen. 14 12. of heauen and earth hath required and commanded it yet who regardeth The Lord hath spoken and yet who obeyeth If a father should command a duty of his sonne or a maister of his seruant he could not patiently endure to be disobeyed o Mal. 1 6. and shall we not thinke that God will require his lawes at our hands Againe to his commandement he hath annexed a promise which maketh our sin and vnthankfulnes the greater if wee shew not our selues ready in yeelding to this duty Besides seeing this Sacrament is a speciall prop to stay vp our saith and bringeth with it Christ and al his merits and heauenly treasures we are vtter enemies to our owne selues to our owne soules and to our owne saluation if we neglect so great mercy offered vnto vs. Wherefore it is not left free vnto vs and committed to our discretion to receiue or not receiue this were no lawfull liberty but vnlawfull licentiousnesse Heerein the faithfull finde very great comfort and an effectuall meanes to strengthen their faith Euen as the sicke man that feeleth his sicknes and knoweth his owne weaknes should haue a special care to looke to his stomack that thereby he may receiue nourishment and gather strength so we are all spiritually diseased assaulted of Sathan tempted of the flesh ouercome oftentimes of sin and must seeke strength of faith from this heauenly nourishment God of his compassion hath set vp his Sacrament as a signe vpon an high hill whence it may be seene farre and neere on euery side to raise vp such as are fallen to strengthē such as stand to comfort such as are weake and to call vnto him such as run away from him whereby he gathereth them vnder his wings It is as the brazen Serpent p Num. 23 9. that comming vnto it with a faith to be healed we might liue and not perish It is as a banner displayed that euery Christian Souldior should resort vnto it as vnto his owne colours to fight the battels of God against sin and Sathan It is as a royal feast of the great King whereunto we must go cheerefully as guests inuited to a comfortable supper to bee had in often vse and continuall remembrance to put vs in minde of his continuall mercy laid vp for vs in the blood of Christ and to ratifie and seale vp the same farre more liuely then the bare word onely When the words of Christs institution are spoken q Mat. 26 26.28 This is my body which is broken for you this is my blood which was shed for you When these words I say are read vnto vs out of the Scriptures they confirme our saith but much more when the Sacrament is seene with our eyes that we behold the bread broken and looke vpon the wine poured out but most of all when we taste and handle when we eate and drinke the outward signes Wee see when one maketh a bare promise to another with words onely betweene thēselues hee beginneth to doubt to whom the promise is made of the performance thereof if he adde an oath for confirmation the promise is more assuredly ratified but if he giue his hand writing and seale it to the party the matter is made out of doubt Thus we doe reason and helpe our faith We haue the promises of God we haue the oath of God we haue the words and writings of God we haue the seales and Sacraments of God these are not reserued in the Lords keeping but are put into our owne hands to see them to keepe them to vse them for our comfort and assurance I speake after the manner of men if we haue a free promise from an honest man penned fairely in writing ratified vnder his owne hand and seale and all giuen vnto vs to locke and lay vp we doubt not of the possession nor of our iust title vnto the same Now let vs consider the Lords doing and see what hee hath done for vs who is not as man that r Num. 23. he should lye nor as the sonne of man that he should deceiue God sent his Sonne ſ Gal. 4 4. into the world to take our nature vpon him to be like vs t Heb. 4 15. euen in his infirmities he named himselfe u Mat. 1 21. Iesus that is a Sauiour because hee should saue his people from their sinnes after his death he sent his Apostles to preach the glad tidings of remission of sinnes and euerlasting saluation he ordained his last Supper immediately before his death to testifie and assure them vnto vs not onely by sounding them in our eares but by beholding tasting smelling feeling and feeding to seale them in our hearts and also daily to be repeated and ministred vnto vs. Seeing then we haue both his promises and oath his word and writings his seales and Sacraments in our keeping what would we haue more He would not make halfe so much ado in assuring his promises if hee loued vs not he would not set such authentike seales to his deed and obligations vnlesse he meant good earnest His bare word and naked promise is very good payment but he respecteth our weaknesse whose mercifull kindnesse must not bee neglected through our vnthankfulnes Thus much of consecration and the vses thereof CHAP. VIII Of the first inward part of the Lords Supper HIther to we haue spoken of the outward parts of this Sacrament by doing whereof consecration is performed a What are the inward parts of the Lords supper now follow the inward parts to be considered For in Sacraments we must consider not what they be of themselues but what b August cont Maxim in li. 3. they signifie vnto vs. These inward parts are foure in number to wit first the Father secondly the Spirit thirdly the body and blood of Christ and fourthly the faithfull All these haue a sacramentall relation to the outward parts and declare the inward truth of them The actions of the Minister are notes of the actions of God the
and mercy by how much the accomplishment is more then the promise and the fulfilling greater then the foretelling Lastly they differ in respect of the people to whom they were giuen and for whom they were ordained ours belong to all people dispersed ouer the face of the whole earth that are ingrafted into the Church wheras theirs were tyed to one Nation to one people to one place to the posterity of Abraham Notwithstanding these differences which are in signes and circumstances touching the chiefe thing euen the matter and substance of the Sacraments they are equall m Wherin the Sacraments of the old and new Testamâ—nt agree hauing the same end and the same signification and being of one efficacy as also the word of the Prophets and Apostles is One and the same God is author of them One and the same Mediator betweene God and man euen the man Iesus Christ is represented in both the Lamb slaine from the foundation of the world They signifie and shew foorth the same Communion of Christ by which all the elect are saued and seale vp saluation and remission of sinnes to all that do receiue them by faith For they were giuen to be signes and seales of grace and of the promises of God to distinguish the faithfull from all other sects and religions in the world and that they should be receiued with profite onely of the faithfull In these and such like things the Sacraments of the Iewish and Christian Church are not vnequal although in the outward signs and circumstances they be diuers yet in the substance in the thing signified there is no difference Vse 3 Thirdly we are bound to beleeue his promises and to haue strong consolation seeing he bath giuen vs two signes If we had onely had one signe as a seale of the mercies of God in Christ it had beene a great sinne not to haue beleeued the promise and not to haue rested therein as in a thing vnchangeable For he is not as man that he should lye or deceiue n 2 Cor. 1.20 his onely promise is assured paiment yea all the promises of God in him are yea and are in him Amen vnto the glory of God But seeing the goodnesse of God hath abounded in granting vnto vs two Sacraments that where doubting aboundeth there faith might abound much more our sinne is the greater if now wee wauer like o Iam. 1 6. a waue of the sea tossed of the wind and carried away One tree of life serue Adam to assure him life one raine-bowe sufficed Noah one returne of the Sunne backward was enough to Hezekiah and they beleeued If then wee seeke a signe we haue two giuen vnto vs that hauing two vnchangeale Sacraments as it were two witnesses of his word and assurances of his promise wee might haue strong consolation The vnbeleeuing Iewes said to Christ p Mat. 12.38 and 16 1. Shew vs a signe and we will beleeue thee Behold the Lord sheweth vs two visible signes of his spirituall and inuisible graces and shall not we beleeue being stedfast in faith and grounded in hope Wee desire forgiuenesse of sinnes assurance thereof by these two the Lord promiseth couenanteth and indenteth to giue the same vnto vs setting the seales to his owne writing Lastly this diuision and numbring vp of the Sacraments Vse 4 serueth to teach that there are not seauen Sacraments of the Church and so do condemne the fiue supposed and falsly named Sacraments Concil Trid. sess 7. de sacra in gen can 18. 11. 13. maintained of the Church of Rome to wit Confirmation Penance Matrimony Orders and extreme Vnction Baptisme we imbrace the Lords Supper we acknowledge of these two we moue no question we make no controuersie the other fiue whose father is vnknowne we refuse as bastards and cannot admit them into the number of Sacraments the reasons whereof we will render in the Chapters following CHAP. XVII That Confirmation is not a Sacrament THe Apostles as the Maister-builders of the Churches planted the Gospell where the name of Christ had not beene heard Now because many seducers arose that troubled the peace of the Church and the faith of many beleeuers began to wauer the Apostles agreed together to go againe to the Churches where they had laid a 1 Cor. 3.12 a golden foundation howsoeuer other had builded hay and stubble thereon to see how they b Acts 11 22.23 and 15 36. increased or decreased as Acts 11. And they confirmed their hearts and established them in the faith which they had taught And Chap. 15. Paul said vnto Barnabas Let vs returne and visite our brethren in euery Citty where wee haue preached the word of the Lord and see how they do And we doubt not but when the Gospell was reuealed the Apostles by laying on hands gaue the guists of the Holy-Ghost to the beleeuers in Christ This practise of the Apostles we finde this we confesse this we approue and allow But of any Sacrament of confirmation we reade not and therefore allow not Againe it was a lawdable custome in the primitiue Church of Christian parents to bring their Children to the Bishop who examined them in the principles and fundamentall points of religion c Heb. 6 1. he asked theÌ„ reason of their faith he instructed them further in the mysteries of godlinesse and that this action might haue the more reuerence and dignity he laid his hands vpon them and prayed vnto God for them that hee would increase and continue the good things that he had begun in them d Confirmation is no Sacrament This imposition of hands with prayer to be strengthned in the Holy-Ghost and to haue increase of grace corrupted with annointings depraued with crossings and defiled with sundry superstitions is no Sacrament First euery Sacrament should haue warrant and appointment from Christ and a promise annexed vnto it but this hath none 2. it hath no word of institution in the Scripture nor commandement to continue the vse of it vntill the coming of Christ and end of the world therfore no Sacrament For the word must be added to the element and so it is made a Sacrament True it is they vse a forged and counterfeit forme in their confirmation I signe thee with the signe of the holy Crosse and I confirme thee with the oyle of saluation in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy-Ghost These indeed are words but no word of God they shew an intollerable presumption not to be excused But indeed a counterfet word is fit enough for a counterfet Sacrament there is a good agreement when both writing and seale are sutable that is both forged Thirdly it wanteth an outward signe instituted by Christ We read oftentimes that the Apostles vsed laying on of hands we reade of no oyle or Chrisme Besides we know they gaue thereby the miraculous guifts of the Holy-Ghost which now are ceased as Acts 8.