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
his right hand he doth imbrace theÌ„ so that whether they liue they liue vnto the Lord or whether they dye they dye vnto the Lord whether they liue or dye they are the Lords This is true happinesse Furthermore we raise them vp with sweet comforts consolations of the worde of God against e 1 Cor. 15.54 55 56 57. Rom. 8 1 38.39 Phil 1 12. Ioh. 11 25. 2 Tim. 4 7 8. all terror and feare of death as 1 Cor. 15. Death is swallowed vp in victory ô death where is thy sting ô graue where is thy victory The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the law but thankes bee vnto God which hath giuen vs victory through our Lord Iesus Christ. And Rom. 8. There is no condemnation to theÌ„ that are in Christ Iesus which walke not after the flesh but after the Spirite I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels principalities powers nor thâ—ngs present nor things to come neither any creature shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Christ is to vs aduantage whether in life or in death Such as beleeue in him yea though they were dead shall liue Death is to vs as a sleepe and the graue as a bed of rest A crowne of righteousnes is laid vp for vs which the righteous iudge shall giue vnto vs so that an euill death can neuer follow where a good life hath gone before forasmuch as hee cannot possible dye ill who hath liued well Death indeed is a Scorpion or serpent but his sting is pulled out hee may well hisse but he cannot hurt he may well threaten but he cannot destroy for Christ hath quelled and conquered him Now f How sicke persons may put away the tediousnes paines of sickenesse to put away the griefe and tediousnesse of sicknes wee will and wish them to meditate on the things they haue heard and learned by the ministry of the worde from time to time in their health to consider with themselues how God sometimes suffereth the wicked to prosper for a time and flourish like a greene g Psal 37 35.36 37 38. bay tree how he punisheth them in the end reseruing wrath and iudgement for them how he blesseth or correcteth his children in this life how he hath prepared eternal torments for the wicked and vnspeakable glory for the godly but aboue all the workes of God h 1 Cor. 2 7.8 9. Psal 85 10 11 we teach them deepely to thinke vpon the glorious and gracious worke of our redemption wherein the infinite mercy and iustice of God doe meete together and kisse each other taking delight and comfort therein with all thanksgiuing Wherfore we perswade theÌ„ to beare the paines and griefes of sicknes with patience constant perseuerance because all sicknesse is Gods hand who being the God of the spirits of all flesh i 1 Sam. 2 6 7. killeth and maketh aliue bringeth downe to the graue and raiseth vp againe Thereby we are indeed chastened for our sins but they are nothing in comparison of that anguish and agony which Christ suffered for vs neither are they worthy of the exceeding glory which shall be shewed vnto vs and it is their duty to blesse God with all their hearts that they suffer no more seeing their afflictions if they were greater are inferior to their sins and seeing the same Lord that hath in mercy laid this gentle correction vpon theÌ„ made them to drink of his fatherly cup for their good might iustly punish them in all the parts of their bodies and in al the powers of their soules and then cast them into hel to haue their portion for euer with the Diuell and his Angels But God hath predestinated vs k 2 Tim. 2 11 12. to be like the image of his son so that the deeper we sinke downe in sorrowes the more perfectly we resemble Christ it is the great mercy of God we are not vtterly consumed that his louing kindnes is not at an end toward vs. The sicknes of the body is phisick for the soule for the striking of the one is the healing of the other by the Crosse wee must enter the kingdome of heauen and learne to loath the pleasures profits of this present life If they fall to despaire and doubting l Remedies against doubting and despaire of Gods fauour loue toward them in Christ m Ezek. 34 4. Luke 19 10. we labor to strengthen the weake and binde vp the broken hearted we are ready to leaue ninety and nine in the wildernes and seeke that lost one We bring them to God that hath striken theÌ„ and made the wound considering that the sonne of man is come To seeke and to saue that which is lost God is mercifull and his mercy endureth for euer he desireth not the death of a sinner but that he turne vnto him His mercy is ouer all the workes of his hands it is like the Ocean-sea where no bottome can be found or sounded It is the expresse commandement of God n 1 Ioh. 3 20. that wee should beleeue in Christ who hath triumphed gloriously against sinne against Sathan against hell against death against damnation against desperation The promises of the Gospell exclude no man o Esay 55 1 2 Mat. 11 28. vnlesse we exclude our selues Infidelity doubtfulnesse and despaire are very greeuous sinnes and strike at the very heart of God Wee must vnder hope beleeue aboue hope with faithfull Abraham The mercies of God and the merites of Christs obedience are infinite p Esay 54 10. higher then the high Heauens deeper then the earth broader then the Sea stronger theÌ„ the law mightier then the Diuell and greater then all the sinnes of all the world combined and heaped together Besides God doth measure the obedience due to him q Rom. 7.20 rather by the affection then by the action rather by the desire to obey then by the outward performance of it Moreouer when one sinne is forgiuen all the rest are likewise forgiuen euen as repentance of one sinne bringeth with it repentance of all knowne sinnes r Rom. 11 29. For the gâ—fts and call ng of God are without repentance Last of all we admonish them to consider that grace and faith howsoeuer they may be smothered are neuer wholy taken away by sinnes of infirmity Å¿ Rom. 5 20. but thereby are manifested and magnified Touching their families we say vnto them call them before you exhort them to cleaue t How sicke persons are to behaue theÌ„selues in respect of their families vnto God with full purpose of heart to loue him to walke before him in fear and reuerence and to serue him in righteousnesse all the dayes of their life giue them charge to learne beleeue and obey the true religion and doctrine of saluation set downe in the writings of the Prophets and
the Sacraments haue force and power to saue and iustify sinners howsoeuer the persons be disposed that partake them then to frame short answeres to euery one of them For what needed this inward part of the Sacraments to wit the working of the holy Ghost if the outward washing were effectuall to saue and to sanctifie the soules of all them that are baptized Grace is not tied to the Sacraments And if these graces were so tyed to the Sacraments that al which vse them should be iustified by them we make thē more effectuall then the word of God it selfe is forasmuch as all that heare the worde are not saued by it nor transformed into the obedience of it nor receiue life from it nor are regenerated by it Iohn the Baptist who was the first Minister of that Sacrament confesseth that hee could doe no more then wash the body it lay not in his power to giue grace and to baptize with the Holy Ghost Besides wee see all in our daies are brought to be baptised but all these are not by it regenerated Acts 8 13. as in the Apostles times Simon himselfe was baptised yet he remained an hypocrite and was destitute of true faith that ioyneth vs to Christ But because we haue handled this point before let vs come to such obiections as the aduersaries haue made and mustered together Bellar. de Sacra lib. 2 cap. 4. which are taken partly from types and figures and partly from places of Scripture wrested from their true and naturall meaning Touching the types borrowed some from the olde and some from the new Testament albeit it were sufficient to make this generall answere that similitudes parables and comparisons do not proue yet least we should seeme thereby to turne our backs and yeeld to the enemy I will not sticke to propound them in particular and vouchsafe to yeeld vnto them a particular solution Obiection 1 The first type is drawne from the history of the creation Gen. 1. The Spirite moued vpon the waters to make them fruitefull As then the water receiued a certaine liuely force from the Spirit to bring forth the creatures so doth baptisme to make vs new men receiue strength from the Spirite Thus doth Bellarmine reason I answere Answere this maketh directly against himselfe and therefore he layeth about him like a blinde man who instead of his enemy striketh himselfe For heereby it appeareth that the Sacraments do not giue grace ex opere operato that is by the force and vertue of the worke done and that words vttered haue no power but by the Holy Ghost For as the Spirit gaue force to the waters wherby the creatures were fostered and formed which were not of themselues auailable to giue life being as it were dead and without any vigor euen so the Spirit maketh the water in baptisme serue to signifie and seale vp our regeneration and not the bare and outward element The bodye of man without the soule is dead and without life so the water without the Spirite cannot conferre grace It is the Spirite that quickneth without it the water is as common water Obiection 2 Another obiection is from the history of the flood Genesis 7 17. and the drowning of the Egyptians in the redde sea Exodus 14. and the passing of the Israelites through the Riuer Iordan to the land of promise Ioshua 4. where it appeareth that the waters themselues saued his people I answere Answere If the waters in the flood had a proper power to saue and preserue why did they not saue all the world aliue Why were any of the creatures at all drowned Againe this robbeth God of his honour and glory to whom onely it is due and giueth it to the element to which it is not due For if Noah had beleeued that the waters could of themselues haue saued him he should haue set vp an altar as a monument to the waters and not builded one to God the Lorde Genesis eight verse 20. But the Scripture ascribeth all to the mercy and clemency of God toward that remnant and remainder of mankinde because hee had seene Noah righteous and religious in that generation before him Genesis 7 verse 1. Therefore it is said hee found grace in the sight of the Lord Genesis 6 verse 18. That the Lorde stablished his couenant with him Genesis 6 verse 18. That the Lorde had him enter with all his houshold into the Arke Genesis 7. verse 1. That the Lorde shut him in the Arke when he was entred Genesis 7 verse 16. That the Lord remembred him while he was in the Arke Genesis 8. verse 1. And after the ceasing and decreasing of the waters brought him out of the Arke Genesis 8 verse 16. So that whereas the waters had of their owne nature ouerwhelmed them euen the proud waters had gone ouer their soule to haue drowned them God in mercy saued them that they might ascribe the praise of their preseruation to the Lord of Hoasts not to the power of the waters And if the Israelites had beene deliuered at the red sea and in passing ouer Iordan by the strength of the waters they would haue erected a trophee to them not haue sung a song vnto God Another type is taken from Circumcision Genesis 17. Obiection 3 whereof Paul speaketh Colosians 2. Yee are circumcised with circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of the sinnes of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ buried with him in baptisme and Baptisme then is like vnto circumcision but circumcision that is outward did truely and effectually cut off the flesh and was not onely a testimony of cutting it away I answere Answere the Apostle reproueth such as would ioyne the ceremonies of the lawe with the Gospell of Christ whereas now we haue no need of them at all hauing the truth with vs of those shaddowes And touching circumcision there is no need to haue it brought in vse into the Church forasmuch as we are inwardly circumcised by the power of Christ So that there was a twofold circumcision as there is also a two-fold Baptisme the one outward in the body the other inward in the heart the one administred by the hand of the Minister the other finished by the grace of the Spirite Besides if the outward cutting off the foreskinne of the flesh were alwaies effectual to cut away the corruption of the soul how is it that they teach that the Sacraments and Sacrifices of the olde Testament were so farre from giuing grace Rhem. on Heb. 10. remission and iustification that they were but shaddowes obscurely representing the graces of the new Testament How can they reconcile themselues when they make this difference betweene the old new Sacraments that the old did onely signifie the new containe and conferre grace and sanctification Thirdly if the outward cutting off the flesh did by the worke done giue grace and that the signe were not to be separated from the thing
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
Apostles God commended Abraham for this saying u Gen. 18 19. I know him that hee will command his sonnes and houshold after him that they keepe the way of the Lord to do righteousnesse and iudgement that the Lord may bring vpon Abraham that he hath spoken vnto him Dauid gaue Salomon his sonne a notable and right noble charge before he dyed a 1 Chr. 28 9. speaking thus to him standing before him and before the Princes and Peeres of the kingdome Thou Salomon my sonne know thou the God of thy Fathers and serue him with a willing mind for the Lord searcheth all hearts and vnderstands all the imaginations of thoughts if thou seeke him he will be found of thee but if thou forsake him he will cast thee off for euer Teach them that child-hoode youth are vanity b Eccl. 1 12. teach them to remember their creator in the dayes of their youth teach them to reade the Scripture and to practise in their liues and conuersations what they haue read and learned Instruct them to auoide idlenesse to eschue euill company to giue themselues to prayer and hearing the preaching of the worde Warne thy children to loue God to reuerence their mother and to loue one another Warne them to speake euill of no man and beware of taking Gods name in vaine Put them in minde that God is their father their creator their preseruer their redeemer their sanctifier yea their iudge that shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead and reward euery man according to his workes We must all appeare before the iudgement seate c 2 Cor. 5 10. of Christ that euery one may receiue the things which are done in his bodye whether good or euill Put them in remembrance not to oppresse or defraud any man d Psal 41.5 for the Lord is an auenger of all such things whoe will not blesse euill gotten goods but send his curse vpon them and they shall not prosper Admonish them to shew forth their faith by good works and to shew mercy according to their powers Lastly to honour their Princes parents maisters and all superiors Thus we instruct men to liue and to dye that dying they may liue with God in his kingdome Thus we annoint the sick with precious balme that e 1 Thes 4 6. shal not break their head with the inward and inuisible oyle of Gods grace and mercy Thus we warne them to prepare the oyle of faith in their lampes and to keepe a good conscience toward God and man that they may with ioy and comfort depart in peace render vp their soules into the hands of God cheerefully meeting the Bride-groome and entring with him into his kingdome So then the people loose nothing by lacke of the materiall oyle the want thereof beeing supplyed with exhortations admonitions reproofes consolations prayers and supplications more desired of the sicke and more auaileable for the sicke And thus much of extreame vnction and the other forged Sacraments whereof some wanting the outward signe some the spirituall grace signified some the word of institution some the promise annexed and al of them the commandement of Christ the testimony of the Scriptures and the consent of elder times we cannot admit them for any Sacraments and so we conclude that there are onely two Sacraments of the Church vnder the Gospell which are Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord. THE SECOND BOOKE Of the Sacrament of Baptisme being an Honourable Badge of our Dedication to Christ containing the true Doctrine thereof ouerthrowing the errors of the Church of Rome and deliuering the comfortable vse of this Sacrament to all the people of GOD. CHAP. I. Of the word Baptisme and what it is HItherto wee haue spoken of the Sacraments in generall together with the parts vses and number of them now wee come to the first Sacrament which is Baptisme being an honourable badge whereby wee are dedicated vnto Iesus Christ a The word bapâ—isme is taken many waies This word in scripture hath many significations First in the natiue proper signification it signifieth to dippe to diue and plunge vnder water as Mat. 3 16. Iohn 3 22 23. Acts 8.38 39. Secondly to cleanse and wash any thing with water euen when this Sacrament is not administred as Marke 7. where it is saide the Pharisies did not eate except first they washed So Heb. 9 10. the old tabernacle did consist in washings Thirdly it signifieth the Crosse afflictions miseries persecutions and inward vexations of the spirite as Luke 12.50 where Christ saith I must be baptized and how am I grieued till it be finished And Mat. 12 22. Are ye able to drinke of the cup that I must drinke of and bee baptized with the baptisme that I shall be baptized withall Fourthly it is taken for a liberall and plentiful distribution of the graces and gifts of God as Acts 15. Iohn baptized with water but ye shall bee baptized with the Holy-Ghost within these few dayes that is ye shall receiue a greater measure of the guifts of God then yee haue done before Fiftly the worde is taken for the doctrine of Iohn which he deliuered before he administred the Sacrament of baptisme as Act. 18.25 Where Apollos is said to be an eloquent man and mighty in the Scripture knowing nothing but the baptisme of Iohn Likewise Mar. 1 4. Mar. 1 4. it is said that Iohn preached the baptisme of repentance vnto remission of sinnes that is the doctrine of repentance for otherwise how could he preach Baptisme which properly is ministred not preached Heereunto commeth the question that Christ demanded of the chiefe Priests and Elders of the people The Baptisme of Iohn whence was it Mat. 21 25. from heauen or of men whereby he meaneth the doctrine as appeareth by the words following for so they vnderstood him when they reasoned among themselues saying If wee shall say from heauen he will say why then dâ—d yee not beleeue him Mar. 11 31 32 for all men counted Iohn that hee was a Prophet indeed The reason why his ministry preaching is called by the name of Baptisme is because his doctrine that he deliuered was first of all sealed with that Sacrament which none of the Prophets did or could do before him so that as his person was called the Baptist so his doctrine was called by the name of baptisme one part of his ministry being put for the whole Lastly it is taken for the whole worke and action of the Sacrament of Baptisme as Math. 28 19. Goe vnto al Nations teach and baptâ—ze them and in this last sence we are now to speake of it Let vs therefore see b Whâ—t bâ—ptisâ—e is what this Sacrament is Baptisme is the first Sacrament whereby by the outward washing of the body with water once into the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost the inward clensing of the soule by the blood of Christ is represented This
that the Lord is so gracious and mercifull that he will shew mercy to a thousand generations and therefore why should we shrinke in the sinewes of it and penne it vp in a narrow roome as if the couenant did not belong to such infants nor the seale of it Or by what law are they to beare part of the punishment that are no way guilty of the crime It is the rule that God hath left in his word that the soule which sinneth shall dye They then are greatly deceiued that hold opinion that when once the parents are cut off from the Church their children haue right to no benefit or priuiledge of the Church Beza handling this question in his 10. Epistle declareth at large that all such as are not called and accounted the members of the Church must not be held in the same ranke Beza epist 10. nor haue equal iudgement giuen of them Of such persons there are foure kindes farre differing the one from the other The first is of those who neither according to election neyther in themselues are any way members of Christ who are no better then reprobates and vessels of wrath ordained of old to condemnation Iud 4. albeit through outward shew and profession and through a temporary faith wherby they deceiue both themselues and others they are reputed to be among the members of the Church Such was Esau whom God determined to hate Rom. 9. Rom. 9 13. Ioh. 17 12. 1 Ioh. 2 19. and such was Iudas the sonne of perdition Ioh. 17. and of such speaketh the apostle Iohn If they had beene of vs doubtlesse they would haue continued with vs. The second sort is of those who according to eternall election are elected in Christ and consequently are the members of Christ albeit they be not yet called or conuerted These are not members actually but in the eternall counsell of God In this sense Paul saith that God had separated him from his mothers wombe Gal. 1 15. and called him by his grace Gal. 1. Whereas a long time hee was after a sort a member of Sathan persecuting the Church And in another place he saith Grace was giuen vs in Christ Iesus before the world began 2 Tim. 1. 2 Tim. 1 9. Likewise he speaketh in his owne person and in the person of the beleeuers that when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son Rom. 5 10. Rom. 5 10. The third sort is of such as both according to election and their present condition are really and actually the Sonnes of God vnited to Christ by faith beeing iustâ—fied and sanctified by his Spirit and expressing the power of it Rom. 8.14 as the Apostle saith Rom. 8. As many as are led by the Spirite of God they are the Sonnes of God The fourth and last soâ—te is of such as doe most properly belong to the matter wee haue in hand who being elect of God and ingrafted into Christ yet falling through infirmity and giuing offence vnto others are deliuered vnto Sathan that godly sorrow may worke in them repentance Such cannot bee cut off from Christ forasmuch as the seed of faith remaineth in them albeit the sense of faith be lost vntil they renew their repentance Our Sauiour saith All that the Father giueth me shall come to me and him that commeth to me I will in no wise cast out Ioh. 6 37. Heereunto commeth the saying of Iohn 1 Ioh. 1 19. If they had been of vs they would no doubt haue continued with vs. And Paul saith The foundation of God remaineth sure 2 Tim. 2 1â— and hath this seale The Lord knoweth who are his 2. Tim. 2. The application of all this we heard before that we must be ruled by the law of charity to hope well and to iudge the best euen of such as are holden captiues in the snare of the diuell and therefore farre bee it from vs to conclude that because the parents are excommunicated the children pertaine not to the kingdome of God Vse 3 Thirdly we may see the great loue of God to all beleeuers seeing he vouchsafeth not onely to be their God but the God of their seede after them as God himselfe t Gen. 17 1.2.7 promiseth to Abraham Gen. 17 I will make my couenant betweene me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations I will be their God walke before me and be thou vpright And ought we not to walke in the vprightnesse of our heart before this mercifull and all-sufficient God Who thus aboundeth in kindnesse toward vs and the fruite of our body Let vs returne vnto him loue for his loue who loued vs first Vse 4 Lastly this teacheth that infants are to be baptized and haue as great right and interest in this Sacrament as they which be in yeares able to make confession of their faith Of which we will intreat in the chapter following where we will proue this truth by testimonies of the Scriptures and maintain it against the Anabaptists and other hereticks that condemne the same CHAP. VII That Infants are to be baptized ALthough it cannot appeare vnto vs that infants and new borne babes brought to be baptized haue actual faith but rather is like they want the habite of faith which hue a Deut. 1 39. Luk. 1 15 44. not the vse of vnderstanding vnlesse God extraordinarily worke it which lyeth not in vs to iudge of yet wee baptize them and admit them to this Sacrament which we do vpon very good grounds and sufficient reasons First therefore we will proue by euident demonstration out of the Scriptures the doctrine of childrens baptisme to be conformable to the Iewes circumcision agreeable to the practise of the Apostles allowable by the words of Christ answerable to the custome of the primitiue Church reasonable in it selfe profitable to the infants auaileable by the ordinance of God and very comfortable to all Christian parents Secondly we will maintaine this assertion against the obiections and arguments of the Anabaptists and other aduersaries that haue crossed and contradicted this truth Lastly we will shew what euident and necessary vses may be gathered from hence for the strength of faith and the increase of our obedience Touching the first that the baptizing of infants is warranted by the word b Reasons warranting the baptizing of children of God I wil make it appeare by sundry reasons Wee see in the olde Testament that all males by expresse commandement were willed to bee circumcised the c Gen. 17 12. Phil. 3 5. eight day If God made infants partakers of circumcision why should we not hold the same of baptisme being instituted for vs in stead of circumcision d Col. 2 11. there being the same promises in both and there being the same ends of both If then the couenant made with Abraham remaine stable and stedfast it doth no lesse belong to the children of Christians at this day then
his priuate and secret prayers Lu. 18.13 Thirdly we maintaine the confession made to the Church when any person hath openly offended the Congregation by any notorious crime and is for the same excommunicated This doth testifie the conuersion and repentance of such as haue fallen Lastly we teach that confession ought to be made to our neighbour for the offences which we commit one against another when wee haue vpon any occasion wronged and offended him and therefore our Sauiour saith Math 5. Mat. 5 23 24. If thou bring thy guift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee leaue there thy guift before the Altar and go thy way first be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy guift These kindes of confession we confesse and beleeue but what maketh all this for the whispering confession vsed in popery and iudged to be necessary to saluation A tirrannous law binding vs to reckon vp euery one of our sinnes in the eare of a Priest as if forgiuenesse of our sinnes stood in this Whereas we say and are not afraid to auouch that this confession pressed vpon men to be made of all sinnes to a popish Priest vpon paine of damnation is no better theÌ„ another Inquisition Would wee then know what this shrift is and how to esteeme of it and what effects it worketh It is the mocking of God What popish shrift is the inuention of the diuell the pride of the Clergy the pick-pursse of the people the racke of the Conscience the shame and reproach of the offender the bewrayer and discouerer of the secrets of Princes and states the piller of popery the ape of repentance the nurserie of despaire the cherisher of vncleannesse and to be short the bawd of all sinnes It getteth a pardon for all that is past it giueth free passage for such as are present and purchaseth a priuiledge for them that are to come Thus sinne is made no sin it is a light matter that no man need to trouble himselfe for it for asmuch as the Priest may pardon him with a word speaking Wherefore albeit this institution be ful of humane wisedome and policy for the vpholding and strengthning of the kingdome of Antichrist yet there is no title in the word of God to prooue it or confirme it I confesse indeede it was a custome sometimes in the Church of Constantinople Sozomen Eccl â—â—â—â—ter lib. 7 cap. 17. but when it hapned that a noble matron was dishonoured and dishonested by a certaine Deacon of vncleane life Nectarius the Bishop of that place by the consent of others did abolish it out of the Church VVhat would he haue done if hee had liued in the times and places of popery where such examples are not straunge but common If one fast were of sufficient force to thrust it out of that Church doubtlesse many hundred presidents that might bee produced not inferiour vnto it ought to serue as a whip to whippe and scourge it out of other Churches and as a strong barre to keepe it out for euer that it neuer get footing and enâ—rance into it againe Hence it is that the Church remained in the liberty of Confession twelue hundred yeares and had no snare to intangle the conscience laide vppon it vntill the Councell of Lateran in which the law of auricular Confession was first of all inacted whereby it is come to passe that they haue secret intelligence of all secretes for by this occasion they know the hearts affections and dispositions of all persons and by this meanes they finde an easie way to enrich that couetous and ambitious See with the riches and reuenues of the world and by them both ariseth a twofold benefite because both they knowe howe to shift for themselues and to preuent a mischiefe before it come vpon them But to leaue these wee exhort men to make Confession of their sinnes to GOD the onely beholder of our thoughtes and heartes who hath promised to forgiue them and will neuer vp-braide vs with them And herein wee doe no otherwise then the holy and ancient fathers of the Church did before vs who send the people from men to God from the earth to heauen from the fellow seruants to the common maister of all It was well sayed of Augustine What haue I to doe with men Confess lib. â—0 cap 3. Curiosum genus ad cognoscendum vitam alicitaâ— that I should make confession to them as if they could heale all my sores It is a curious kinde of people to search into other mens liues but most slothfull to reforme and amend their owne The like we might say of Chrysostome who is plentifull in this argument I doe not compell thee to confesse thy sinnes to others And againe If thou be ashamed to confesse them to any man because thou hast sinned say them dayly in thine owne soule Homil. 2. in Psal 50 ser de poenit Hom. 4. de Laza I doe not bid the confesse them to thy fellow seruant who may cast them in thy teeth but confesse them vnto God who is able to heale them In another place hee sayeth Why should we be ashamed to confesse our sinnes that he may pardon them Doth God therefore commaund them to be confessed that after the manner of men he might punnish vs Hee doeth it not to punnâ—sh vs but that he might pardon vs. I will alledge one testimony more and then conclude Homil. de incomprehens natura dei I doe not leade thee as it were into an open stage of thy fellow seruants I doe not compell thee to vncouer thy sinnes to men vnfould thy conscience before God shew thou thy woundes to the Lord the best Physitian and craue of hâ—m to heale them Thus ought we to do let vs fly to God when we want helpe who is the God of all mercy and the father of all consolation And when wee minde to come to the holy Communion of the body and bloud of Christ let vs not think to fit our selues vnto it by a foolish numbring vp of our sins to men but not to God of custom but not of conscience by obseruing the traditions of the Church but not by seeking to obtaine pardon of our offences The order which we ought to obserue in the examination of our selues is laid downe vnto vs in the Chapters following Thus much touching the first reproofe The second reproofe 2. Reproofe serueth to condemne all such as are very precise and curious in searching into the liues and conuersations of others that say stand aparte and come not neere me for I am holier then thou These abstaine from the Communion becauâ—e of the presence of euill men and cannot be perswaded to take the Supper with them Such as are of the separation reprooued for not ioyning with vs in the worship of God In the former part of this Booke we haue answered sundry obections which sundry persons alledge for
saith If the first fruites be holy the lumpe is also holy and if the roote be holy Rom. 11 16. so are the branches Rom. 11. By the name of root in that nation of the Iewes he doth not vnderstand the next parents who peraduenture were prophane vngodly but those first parents of that people to wit Abraham Isaac and Iacob to whom the promise was made and the couenant confirmed that God would be their God and the God of their seed by an euerlasting couenant and therfore al their posterity which did not wholy forsake and renounce the true God of Israel and cleaue to the false Gods of the Gentiles which are no Gods but the workes of mens hands are within the compasse of the couenant and rightly iudged to be holy in regard of the holinesse of the couenant Among Gods owne people the Iewes we know that many were wicked persons yet was not circumcision the signe of the couenant euer denyed to their children In like manner the Sacrament of Baptisme may not be taken away from the childrē of such as are counterfeit Christians which professe Christ in words but deny him in their deeds forasmuch as euen they are in the Couenant in regard of the Elders of whom they descend and in regard of the whole Church in which they are borne and do liue Whether children born in adultery may be baptized This point being duely waighed and considered serueth to answere another question to wit whether children borne in fornication and adultery may be baptized I answere as such were circumcised in the Church of the Iewes so they may bee baptized and ought to be baptized in the Churches of the Christians And as the children of wicked Christians who hold true religion in iudgement but deny it in their practise are to be partakers of baptisme as we haue already prooued in the former question so may the children of the adulterer and of the whore prouided that there be some to answere and to vndertake for them besides their parents For it skilleth not what the next parents were out of whose loynes immediately they proceede neither is it materiall in this case whether the parents doe repent or not forasmuch as their children being presented by other then the parents themselues and brought vnto baptisme may not be reiected from the Church It pleaseth God in mercy to call some of them to beleeue and to bring them to saluation as we see in the example of Iepthah who was the sonne of an harlot and borne in fornication Iudg. 11 1. Heb. 11 32. yet he is commended in the Epistle to the Hebrewes and registred among the cloud of faithfull witnesses who through faith wrought righteousnesse out of weaknesse was made strong waxed valiant in fight and turned to flight the armies of the Aliens Heb. 11.34 So then albeit the children of harlots beare the brand of their parents shame and are oftentimes giuen ouer to follow the sinne of their parents yet if they hate their wicked waies God hath grace in store for them If then saluation belong to them so that they repent and beleeue how should any deny the outward washing with water vnto thē and barre them from the outward part which is the least part of the Sacrament And this doth Austine teach at large in his 75. epistle reprouing a certaine Bishop August epist 75. who for the wickednes of the father excommunicated the whole family thereby punishing the sonne for the sinne of the father the wife for the sinne of the husband and the seruant for the sinne of the maister contrary to the equall law of God that the sonne shall not beare the iniquity of the father Ezek. 18 20. Whether the children of professed papists and Recusants be to be baptized Ezek. 18 The next question to be discussed and decided is whether the children of Recusants and professed Papists haue right to be baptized or not I answere two things first that their parents are such as were baptized in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost and they haue receiued true baptisme albeit corrupted with sundry superstitions Secondly albeit the papacy be not the true Church yet the true Church is in the papacy and to be gathered out of it and for this cause baptisme yet remaineth in the essentiall part of it so that such children as are baptized in the Church of Rome ought not to be rebaptized because the true forme of baptisme is obserued and likewise their children may be baptized in our Churches prouided that their parents desire this baptisme or consent vnto it as we noted before in disputing about the baptizing of the children of Turks Infidels and againe there be such sureties as wil vndertake the education and training vp of the child in the true knowledge of God and faith in Christ Iesus The last question which now I wil stand vpon is Whether the children of excommunicate persons may be baptized whether the children of excommunicate persons which are cast out of the Church and not holdē as members of it may be baptized or not I answere they cannot nor ought not to be kept from partaking of baptisme For first touching the parents that are excommunicate it lyeth not in the power of the Church to cut them off from the body of Christ for albeit they be separated frō the Church for some greeuous offence Beza epist 10. yet they are not open apostataes backsliders that combine themselues with the enemies of the Church and seeke the ruine of the Church and plot the ouerthrow of the Gospell Albeit for a season they bee put out of the visible Church it is not to their destruction but their conuersion and in the iudgement of charity we must hold them to be as decayed members which are as plants engrafted into Christ albeit for the present time they haue not any liuely and sensible feeling of the power of Christs Spirite in them They are as an arme that hath a dead palsie which though for a while it remaine without sense so that the body hath no vse of it nor benefit by it yet by the vertue of some strong medicine it may bee recouered and restored to the former strength and so made as whole and sound as the other A free-man belonging to any incorporation that is imprisoned for some crime remaineth a free-man still although for the time he be restrained and haue lost the vse of his liberty Againe parents are banished out of the Church for their owne personall sinnes but it is against the light of reason common equity that the personall sinnes of the father should interrupt and intercept the blessing of God from the Childe for then the prouerbe should be true that the fathers haue eaten sowre grapes Ezek. 18 2. and the childrens teeth are set on edge Ezek. 18. which the Lord would haue no more vsed in Israel Besides we are taught
our sins more throughly before him Surely we do herein much deceiue our selues while we go about to deceiue others and thinke to make them beleeue that we desire nothing more then to come throughly prepared to this Sacrament to which end let vs marke these few points following First we must know that he which will not be fit to day shall finde himselfe lesse fit to morrow his heart will more and more be hardned and custome will turne into another nature and continuance in any thing bringeth a resolution of the hart not to giue ouer Whosoeuer he be that beginneth not to remoue his corruptions speedily which keepe him frō being prepared shal see it much more difficult euery day then other wheras contrariwise he that receiueth often shall be the more fit to receiue For how vaine a thing is it for any to perswade thēselues that by delaying their repentance they shall repent the better or by delaying to take phisicke they shal be healed the better or by suffering a disease to grow dangerous vpon them they shall be recouered and restored to health the sooner Thus much for answere to this obiection Let vs proceed For albeit truth be one yet error is manifold and the by-paths of it haue no end The ninth obiection Some others obiect that the Iewes receiued the Passeouer but once a yeare Exodus 12 18. Leuiticus 22 5. In the foureteenth day of th◠first month at euen is the Lords Passeouer Now the Passeouer of the Iewes and the Supper of the christians is in substance the same howsoeuer in outward rites they differ therefore seeing they killed the Paschall Lambe once onely in the yeare and then did eate it why should it not suffice vs to take the Supper of the Lord once in the yeare and eate of it I answere Answere we compare these two in this one particular point wherein they are not to be compared For this was the ordinance of God to his owne people that once in the yeare to wit in the first month a Lambe without blemish should be killed but touching his Supper it is his will it should be administred and receiued often-times in the yeare How then should we make them like in that point wherein God hath made them to be vnlike And if we will tye them to the same time then it ought also to be celebrated the 14. day of the first month for then was the Passeouer to be eaten This communicating once a yeare was hatched in popery when ignorance preuailed in the Church as darknes doth in the night season and is by no meanes to be followed of vs. And albeit the Lord hath not tyed vs to a certaine and setled time neither limited vs a certaine day or a certaine month yet it ought not once only but often to be receiued of vs Reasons why we ought oft-ten-times to communicate to the end the death of Christ and his passion should be oft-tentimes remembred that our faith should be strenghened that the name of God should be praised and that mutuall loue among vs might be professed Hence it is that the Apostle doth make mention of often eating this bread and often drinking of the cup of the Lord 1 Cor. 11 24.25 1 Cor. 11. This do yee as oft as ye drinke it in remembrance of me for as oft as ye eat this bread and drinke this cup ye do shew the Lords death till he come But these men would not care if the remembrance of the death of Christ were quite buried vtterly forgotten and would not haue the Sacramēt of his Supper to be ouer common in vse whereas doubtlesse they are all enemies to the sufferings of Christ that are enemies to the often remembring of his sufferings which is done in this Sacrament True it is they would be loth to be so censured and wil be ready to tell vs that their life consisteth in his death and their saluation in his passion but it skilleth not what they pretend forasmuch as they do deceiue themselues and bar themselues from all comfort to be receiued that way The tenth obiection And hereby appeareth the answere to another obiection which is iust of the same nature and stampe with the former For what need we say they such frequent and ordinary vse of the Supper seeing the Lord administred it once onely in al his life Now if there had bin such a necessity to haue it so common no doubt he would haue administred it oftentimes in the yeare and so haue commended it by his owne example and left it as a direction vnto vs. I answere Answere by this do these vngodly men bewray most notoriously the prophanes of their hearts And indeed whereunto tend all that they haue said but to leaue euery one to his owne discretion and disposition to abolish all good order out of the Church to bring in an horrible confusion of al Gods holy ordinances among vs. And whereunto do their allegations ayme pretending that often receiuing will bring a loathing that the Sacrament is as phisicke which is not good to vse too commonly that a mā by sildome receiuing shall come the better prepared that the Passeouer the same in substance with the Supper was solemnized but once in a yeare and now lastly that Christ the Lord of this Sacrament celebrated it but once in all his life whereunto I say do all these arguments and allegations tend but to depriue vs of the comfortable vse of the supper and to rob vs of that good which ought to be more deare vnto vs then our liues Thus doth all error and impiety howsoeuer it be couered leaue somewhat behind it as a foule and filthy sauor wherby it may be discouered For hereunto their talking of sildome receiuing driueth as to an issue that it should be receiued but once a yeare or once in our life time and this also they would make arbitrary and not of necessity These will seeme to be very good Christians and to looke for saluation by the death of Christ yet notwithstanding they cannot abide the oftē vse of that Sacrament which putteth vs in minde of his death But let vs know and beare this away with vs that the more we haue a feeling of the fruite and benefit of his death the more we will haue a desire to do this in remembrance of him 1 Cor. 11 25. and contrariwise the lesse we finde profit by the death of Christ and the more hard we finde our hearts to be the lesse we will desire to come to his Table The comfortable feeling of the great worke of our redemption wrought for vs will make vs so long to eate of this bread drinke of this cup as the hungry soule doth for meat to slake and satisfie his hunger And therfore the Apostle layeth before vs both the common and the continuall vse of it For as we must eate this bread and drinke of the cup of the Lord
vntil he come again to iudgement so likewise must we do it ofteÌ„times because his death is oftentimes to be remembred and the mercy of God toward vs to be praised and commended And if we would consider the zeale and forwardnes of the former times and compare it with the dulnes and backwardnes and coldnes of these men that would be accounted Christians no lesse then they we shall finde as great a difference and contrariety betweene them as betweene heauen and earth For the first and ancient Christians neuer assembled together to heare the word but withall they did receiue the Supper as appeareth in the Acts of the Apostles and the writings of Iustine Martyr and Tertullian As for the example of Christ he administred it no oftner because he did not institute it before his death to the end we should know it came in place of the Passeouer that it might be the more regarded and the better remembred of vs being the last pledge of his loue left vnto the Church The 11. obiection Another obiection which some vse to iustifie their sildome resorting to the Sacrament is this that they haue very vrgent occasion and that it is not fit or decent they should come at al times when others do Christ our Sauiour hath appointed it to be common both to men women but you shall heare many men alledge for themselues as some haue done to me that their wiues are sicke or lye in and that they purpose to come hereafter with them Likewise ye shall meet with many women that wil pretend that their husbands are from home or not in health but at their returne or recouery they purpose to come with them Thus they post off the matter particularly and thinke they haue spoken wisely and defended theÌ„selues very strongly Answere Howbeit all this is nothing worth For our receiuing of the SacrameÌ„t must not depend vpon the receiuing of others albeit they be neuer so deare vnto vs. When it pleaseth God to lay sicknes vpon vs he requireth of vs another duty then to come to the Sacrament which is to looke to our health to the end we may come after he hath restored vs notwithstanding our sicknes is no discharging or freeing of any other by what band soeuer they are ioyned vnto vs. Besides many there are that abstaine from the Table of the Lord in regard of the sicknes or absence of their wiues or husbands who make no scrupple to go to the tables of their neighbours without them wheÌ„ they are inuited they can go to a common supper abroad who will not go to the Lords Supper they make no matter at all of it to go alone to an ordinary feast who cannot be intreated to come to the rich feast that God hath prouided they stick not to be mens guests that scorne to be the Lords and run willingly to the houses of men that abstain altogether from the house of God Lastly if this would go for good payment to absent themselues vntill their husband or wife can be present with them then it should as well excuse vs from comming to prayer and the hearing of the word vntil they might come together with vs. But the husband is bouÌ„d to attend to Gods word without his wife and the wife likewise without her husband And we see the ordinary practise of this duty without tarrying one for another Therefore also when God calleth vs to his table let vs not delay the time but answere readily chearefully Lord I am ready to come at thy call The iust obiection The 12. obiection which I will touch is this that many ignorant soules say for themselues when they are told of their negligence and wretchfulnes They hope they do well they beare as good a soule to God as the best of them all they thanke God they loue their Church and say their prayers duely but indeed they were not wont to receiue their maker so often they come at Easter as their honest neighbours do and they thanke God they neuer missed These are they that euer stand at one stay Answere like those labourers or rather loyterers that stood idle all the day or like dull schollers that are alwayes in one lesson and neuer proceed forward or like to those silly women which are euer learning and are neuer able to come to the knowledge of the truth 2 Tim. 3 7. Where ye left them there ye shall finde them they will do that which they were wont to doe ye shall find them I warrant you euermore the same They were wont to bow downe to stockes and stones they were wont to go on pilgrimage to this and that Saint they were wont to worship a piece of bread will they therefore do so still wil they be as ignorant as they were before Let them not tell vs what they were wont to do but let them learne what they ought to do This obiection is the same in effect with the ninth pretending that the Paschall Lambe was offered once onely in the yeare so these would tye it only to the time of Easter sauing that they stand besides vpon their blinde custome that for-sooth they were euer wont to come at Easter and at no time besides yet they thanke God they haue sped as well as the best and neuer receiued hurt by it and that now they would be loth to change their custome But Christ Iesus from whom thou lookest for saluation saith I am the truth he neuer saith I am custome Iohn 14. Euill customes are better changed then obserued The light is now come into the world knowledge is discouered as the noone day let not vs shut our eyes that it should not shine vpon vs remembring the saying of the Apostle when he exhorteth the Idolatrous Athenians to forsake their Idolatry and to turne to the liuing God Act. 17. Act. 17.30 The times of this â—gnorance God wincked at but now commandeth all men euery where to repent Albeit then we haue liued and bin led blindly and ignorantly let it be sufficient that we haue spent the former course of our life in superstition and after the traditions of our fore-fathers without all vnderstanding and let vs walke as children of the light being ready to learne what is the good and acceptable will of God There are many that will say they hate the popish religion who notwithstanding cleane to popish customes and will by no meanes depart from them They thanke God they are no papists and yet they leane too much to their reliques and rags that they haue left behind them Let not vs make much of their rotten trash that is not worth taking vp but let vs know that we haue a sure word of the Prophets and Apostles whereunto we must attend and by which we must direct all our wayes This is the rule of our faith this is the line and leuell to square our actions if we preferre our owne bad and blinde customes