THE NEW COVENANT, OR A Treatise of the Sacraments. Whereby the last Testament of our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ, through the shedding of his Pure and Precious Blood, is ratified and applied unto the Conscience of every true Believer. Divided into three Books 1. Of the Sacraments in General. 2. Of Baptism. 3. Of the Lord's Supper. Very Necessary and Profitable for these Times: wherein we may behold THE Truth itself plainly proved, Doctrine of the Reformed Churches clearly maintained, Errors of the Church of Rome sound convinced, Right manner of the Receiving of them comfortably declared And sundry doubts and difficult Questions decided. By William Attersoll, Minister of God's word at Isfield in Sussex. For by one Spirit we are all Baptized into one Body, whether we be jews or Grecians, whether we be Bond or Free; and have been all made to Drink into one Spirit. 1 Cor. 12, 13. The second Edition, Newly Corrected and Enlarged. Printed at London by W. jaggard, and are to be sold by Nicholas Bourne, at his Shop at the entrance of the Royal Exchange, 1614 TO THE RIGHT worshipful Sir JOHN SHURLEY Knight, all health and happiness from Christ jesus our Saviour. Right Worshipful: THE former Edition of this Treatise touching the Sacraments, some eight years since published, was not only by yourself lovingly received, but by divers godly Christians beyond my expectation favourably and friendly accepted. And being at length content to yield to a new Impression, it hath fared with me in perusing this work, as with him that goeth about to repair an old house. For albeit he purpose with himself to pull down a little, or to make a slender addition and alteration in the building, yet when once he beginneth to stir and meddle with the old frame, one piece draweth down another, and the augmenting of one part, I know not how, in a pleasing manner procureth the adding and annexing of another. In like manner, when I determined to review and peruse this book, mine intent was no more than here and there to insert a little, as time, reading, conference, and better judgement have given occasion to see farther: but being entered into the matter, and one change causing another, the work is risen to this volume, like a flood that swelleth by the access and coming in of other waters, that it may rather seem to be the making of a new, than the amending of an old. I have endeavoured here to set before the eyes of all that will vouchsafe to read these lines, the nature and use of the Sacraments, which were instituted of almighty God to admonish us by their mystical signification, both of his goodness and of our weakness, being as signs and seals to assure us of Christ and of his righteousness, and all his merits. There are divers sorts of signs mentioned in the holy Scriptures, which may be fitly sorted into four ranks. Some are natural, Mat. 16, 2, 3 as the clouds be a sign of rain; the redness of the sky in the evening, of fair weather; the lowering of the sky in the morning, of foul weather. Some are civil, as a sword carried before a Magistrate is a sign of his authority, Rom. 13, 4. as the Consuls of Rome had their rods and axe born by their officers. Some are miraculous, as we see in gedeon's fleece, judg. 6, 36. Mat. 24, 29 which was wet when the earth was dry, and dry when the earth was wet: such shall be in the Sun and Moon, and in the stars, in the end of the world, as the Lord declareth. Other are religious signs which appertain to piety and godliness and an heavenly life: of which some are tokens of things past, Exod. 16, 33 Heb 9, 4. levit. 8, 7 as the reserving of Manna: some of things present, as the garments of the Priests and Levites, and their often cleansings and purifications. Some be signs of things to come, as the sacrifices and oblations. But the Sacraments of the new Covenant and last Testament of CHRIST sealed by his precious blood (which we have here described) serve as monuments and memorial of all these, even to note out unto us blessings past, and present, and to come. For they signify the death and passion of Christ which is already past: likewise the promise of grace and forgiveness, which are present to the minds of all right receivers. Lastly, holiness of life, mortification of sin, repentance from dead works, and the fruits of faith, hereafter more and more to be perfected and performed, as also the resurrection of the body and eternal life, which are to be accomplished in the world to come. Especially I have been careful a The corruptions of the Roman Church unmasked. to unmask the corruptions of the Church of Rome, if I may call that unmasking, which is in itself so palpable and apparent, that whosoever hath the sight of the eye may quickly espy them, or the use of reason may easily discover them; wherein we have the full consent of the former and purer Churches. If we will a little consider the truth of this point, and compare the doctrine of the reformed Churches with the pollutions and profanations of the Romish Synogogue, we shall plainly perceive, that light and darkness are not more different and repugnant, than these are the one to the other. Indeed they oftentimes appeal to the sentence of the Fathers, as if their faith were the ancient faith, and their doctrine had the approbation of elder times, howbeit all this foppery serveth but for a flourish, to varnish their rotten posts with deceitful colours; forasmuch as they are content the Fathers shall be expositors of the Scriptures, but it is with this caveat and condition, that themselves will be Interpreters of the Fathers. Wherefore I will b 3 points discussed. propound as it were in a Table 3. points to be handled: First, their contrarieties and oppositions standing against the truth. Secondly, their contentions and contradictions remaining among themselves. Lastly, I will answer their objection that think the matter is not so clear on our side as we pretend, who contemn Transubstantiation and the real presence, and maintain the spiritual eating against the carnal and Capernaitical. First, touching their corruptions c Comparison between the Lord's supper & the Mass. and contrarieties, they are so notable and notorious to all the world, that they can no longer hide them and conceal them, as we may gather by comparing the institution of Christ, with the traditions and abominations of Antichrist. Christ delivered his last Supper, as he sat at the Table with his Disciples, where they did all eat as at a banquet: but Antichrist hath turned and transformed this Supper into the abominable Idol of the Mass, which hath no show or appearance of any feast at all, where the Priest playeth this Pageant alone, he sitteth not at the Table, but standeth at the Altar, turneth away his face from the people, being belike ashamed that they should see his fraud and legier-demaine. Christ took bread d Mat. 26.26. Mar. 14, 22. Luk. 22, 19 1 Cor. 11, 24 as the Evangelists note, such no doubt as was appointed to be eaten with the Paschall Lamb, and not of purpose prepared apart for the Supper: but in the papacy they use thin wafers, not fit to nourish, nor scarce deserving the name of bread, howbeit shaped after the fashion of money, and stamped with the Image of a Crucifix, thereby to call to remembrance that the Lord was betrayed of judas for thirty pence, and that he was crucified for us upon the Cross. Christ gave thanks to his Father for the benefit of our redemption, and blessed the bread and sanctified it to be the figure and remembrance of his body given for us: but Bellarmine e Bellar. lib. 4, cap. 13. de Eucharist. understandeth it that he turned the substance of the bread into the substance of his body; so that this consecration is no other with them than the monster of transubstantiation, whereof there is not one word or syllable in the word of God. Christ broke the bread, not only that he might distribute it and divide it among them, but to the end he might represent the breaking, that is, the crucifying of his body: but among the papists the bread is not broken, but every one hath a little wafer: & in the Mass the Priest breaketh the host, but he doth not distribute it or deliver it among those that are present. Christ gave the bread to the Disciples: whereas they give it not to the people, but offer it up to God the Father, imagining that they offer up his Son for the sins of the quick and the dead, and for the souls departed and detained in Purgatory, and they lift up the bread and show it to the beholders to be worshipped of them: all which tend to the dishonour of God, to weaken the comfort of the people, and to crucify him again, who by the only sacrifice of his death, hath purged away the sins of all that believe, and purchased unto them the favour of God his Father. Christ willed his Disciples to take the bread into their hand, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. as the word properly signifieth; for as he took it into his hands, so he commandeth them to do: but these do not deliver the bread into the Communicants hands, but put it into their mouths, as if forsooth the hands were more profane and polluted then the mouth, or the mouth more holy than the hands: which notwithstanding they may not eat and swallow, but must hold it on their tongue until it melt and dissolve by the heat of the mouth: which argueth intolerable stupidity and superstition. Lastly, Christ also took the cup, and bade them all drink of the wine, the fruit of the vine, which before had eaten of the bread: but the Papists who have g Papists why so called. submitted themselves to the service of the Pope, and thence drawn their names, say, that he commanded them to drink his own blood under the form of wine, and yet withal they keep the h Bellar. lib. 4. cap. 25. de Euchar. people of God from drinking of the cup, as if he had not shed his blood for them. Thus we see that in the institution we have no mention at all of real presence or Transubstantiation, or elevation, or adoration, or reservation, or Mass, or oblation, or Purgatory, or propitiatory and unbloody sacrifice: in all which standeth the life and substance of the popish Eucharist, so that there is nothing almost expressed by the Evangelists in the celebration of the Supper, but they either by their false expositions have wrested, or by their sacrilegious detractions have mingled, or by their presumptuous alterations have corrupted, or by their superstitious additions have shamefully and horribly depraved. The second point i Contentions and contrarieties among the Papists. is touching their contentions & contrarieties, which are plentifully found among them: for as they could never agree with the truth, so they cannot yet accord with themselves, and if their tongues be divided one against another, no marvel if they speak against us. First, they make & move a question, whether the body of Christ be eaten with the mouth of the body and pass into the belly, or only by faith. Some of them hold, k Antonin part 3, ca 6, sect. 3 de defect. Miss. he is taken bodily into the mouth, but goeth not into the belly. Others that he passeth into the belly, and remaineth there so long as the Species of bread abideth. And others go farther, that the body of Christ may be vomited upward by the mouth, and purged downward by the draft. Secondly, they dispute whether the body of Christ be broken and chewed with the teeth or not? Pope Nicholas in a council holden at Rome caused Berengarius to recant in this wise, l De Consecra●. dist. 2, ca Ego. Bereng. I believe that the body of our Lord jesus Christ sensibly and in very deed is touched with the hands of the Priests, broken and ground with the teeth of the faithful. Others think that nothing is broken truly, but only in show: others, that the accidents of bread are broken and chewed, digested and evacuated, and that they are accidents by which we are nourished and strengthened. Thirdly, they are much troubled and perplexed, whether Mice eating the Sacrament, do also eat the body of Christ? Peter Lombard master of the sentences m Sent. lib. 4. dist. 13. standeth in a brown study, and resteth in a muse and mammering, & cannot teach himself, saying, What is it that the Mouse receiveth? God knoweth. Nevertheless, in the end he giveth his resolution thus: It may well be said that bruit beasts do not receive the body of Christ. But the Doctors of Paris have censured him and corrected his judgement, and say, Hic magister non tenetur, Here the master is not to be followed: so that now it is the common and received opinion, that the Mouse eating the Sacrament, eateth and receiveth the body of Christ. Thus they make the Supper of Christ instituted for Mice and vermin, and hold that beasts may have as great benefit by carnal eating, as the believers. They cannot agree among themselves, whether the substance of bread be turned into the body of Christ, or whether the bread be consumed to nothing, & then the body of Christ brought in place of it? Whether the water mingled with wine in the Chalice be transubstantiated into the blood of Christ? or be consumed to nothing? or be turned into the vital humours of Christ or not? whether the worms engendered in the Eucharist come from the substance of the bread, or from the accidents, or from the air? Lastly, there is great diversity between them, with what words their consecration is wrought, and how many words are directly & precisely required to the form thereof, touching the which they are not as yet agreed. It were no hard matter to make an whole volume of such differences, howbeit I will leave them in their own devices, and come to the third point; which is, to answer those that plead the cause of Baal, and are bold to speak what they dare for the whore of Babel: who albeit they live among us, and would be thought to be of us: yet they are neither afraid nor ashamed to affirm n Against such as would not have it disputed and determined, how Christ is present. that the controversy of the Supper is not so manifest as we teach, nor the words of Christ so easy as we affirm, nor the judgement of the Fathers so clear as we pretend, nor the manner of eating so necessary to be holden as we define: that we are to believe that Christ is present, but how he is present we should not dispute, whether it be carnally, or whether it be spiritually. Indeed we fear not to teach that there is no transelementation or transubstantiation, that is, no real turning of the bread into the body, and the wine into the blood of Christ: but when he said, This is my body, he intendeth not to change one substance into another, but meaneth, This bread is a sign or Sacrament of my body, which is delivered to death for us and for our salvation. And when he saith This Cup is the new Testament in my blood, he understandeth that the wine in the Cup is a Sacrament of the new Testament, of our reconciliation to God, and of our communion and participation of Christ with all his benefits; & therefore we doubt not to call this Sacrament, a representation, a remembrance, an image, a token, a type, an antitype, a sign, a figure, and such like. Now that it may appear that the words of institution are truly expounded, and have the constant consent and full approbation of all antiquity, o The ancient Fathers teach the same touching the Supper that we do. let us produce our witnesses, and see what the Fathers of the greyest heads before us have declared & delivered. But before we come to fight hand to hand with these adversaries, and to discharge the volley of shot which we have in store, it shall not be amiss to set down certain inducements, as it were certain preparatives to lead us to believe, that the Doctors of the Church are no less ours in this cause and controversy, then calvin and Beza, and the later writers. For first, we shall never read in all the monuments of former times any mention of adoration or elevation of the host, or that the manner was to lick up the drops of the Chalice, or to sweep the place where a drop was fallen, or to burn the worms which have corrupted or consumed it, or to seek out the host when it is vomited up, & to commend those that will swallow it again. Secondly, Jerome teacheth that after the communion they had a common banquet in the Church, whereat they did eat up all that q jerom. upon 1 Cor. 11. remained after the administration of the Supper. If then it were the manner of many Churches to eat the residue at their love feasts and ordinary banquets, doubtless they did not think it was Christ himself which was eaten therein. Thirdly, the custom was in some places to burn the remainder of the r Hesych. lib. 2. in Leuit. ca 8. Eucharist, and therefore it could not be that they should believe that the bread was the very body of Christ, forasmuch as it had been horrible impiety and a most detestable profanation to burn it, as a s Gregory 7. an Atheist & Necromancer. certain Pope in his rage and fury cast the Eucharist into the fire, because it did not answer to his questions when he consulted with it: or else peradventure the body of Christ (seeing the flame of fire coming toward it) fled up into heaven for fear of being consumed by it. Fourthly, another teacheth that in other Churches the custom was to give the parts that were not spent and used, to little children t Niceph lib. 17. cap. 25. frequenting the School, who are barred from partaking of the Supper by the Apostle, because they are not able u 1 Cor. 11.28 to examine themselves, and therefore they were not of opinion with the Church of Rome. Fiftly, the Mass itself used at this day, and the prayers used in it do speak for the truth against their Idolatrous practice. Hereunto cometh their sursum corda, when they exhort to lift up the heart on high to God, and the prayers craving of God that their oblation may be acceptable, which is the figure and sign of the body and blood of our Lord: whereas if the Church had believed that they did eat Christ with their mouths, they might have stayed their eyes beneath, gazing and gaping upon that which the Priest held in his hands, and needed not to have lifted up their hearts to Christ jesus, which sitteth at the right hand of his Father in the highest heavens. Sixtly, they teach uniformly, that a body cannot be but in one place, and that if we take space of place from them, we destroy the being of a body: and thereupon one saith, a Virgil. lib. 1. Contr. Eutich. The flesh of Chr●st was not in heaven, when it was upon the earth: and now because it is in heaven, it is not on earth. And Augustine in his 57, Epistle to Dardanus hath these words, The human nature of Christ is destroyed, if there be not given unto him, after the manner of other bodies, a certain space wherein he may be contained. The popish purgers and correctors could not suffer the weight of this sentence, and therefore have b Printed at Paris, Anno. 1571. razed it out of some of their late editions; and yet Bellarmine doth allege it and object it against himself: howbeit (it is likely) he did not remember himself, but had forgotten to consult with his good companions, who blot out that which they cannot answer. These six considerations are as certain inducements to sharpen our taste, to break the Ice, and so to prepare the way: now let us set down the several testimonies themselves, and see how they depose for us. Tertullian one of the most ancient faith, c Tertul cont. Marci. lib. 4. Christ receiving the bread; and the same being divided unto his Disciples made it to be his body, saying, This is my body, that is to say, a sign of my body. Theodoret saith, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc. that is, the mystical signs depart not from their nature, no not after consecration: for they remain in their former substance, figure, and form. Can any thing be spoken more plainly? Doubtless Theodoret was in this point a Lutheran or a Caluinist, & one of those whom the bastard Catholics call heretics. Augustine is a man of great authority in the Church, & therefore a sufficient witness beyond all exception: he saith for us, d Aug. cont. Adamants. ●2. The Lord made no doubt or difficulty to say, this is my body, when he gave a sign of his body, declaring thereby, that by these words (My body) he understood the sign of his body, expounding the former by the latter. It is also very weighty and worthy to be considered, Epist. 23. which he writeth in his Epistle to Boniface, If the Sacrament had not a resemblance of the things whereof they are Sacraments, they should not be Sacraments at all: but because of this most commonly they take the name of the things themselves: so then as the Sacrament of Christ's body is after a sort the body of Christ, and the Sacrament of Christ's blood is after a sort the blood of Christ, so the Sacrament of faith is faith. If he had verily believed that it is really the body of Christ, he would never have said this Sacrament is after a certain fashion the body of Christ, as every man would laugh us to scorn, if we should say that Paul was after a sort a man, or Peter was after a sort a man, who were men truly and indeed. And in another place he saith, e Tract. 50, in johan. We have ever jesus Christ according to the presence of his Majesty, but according to the presence of his flesh, he hath truly sa the to his Disciples, Me shall ye not have always, Mat. 26, 11. Origen also is plain for us writing upon Mat. 15, Mat. 16, 11 where he saith, f Orig hom. in Mat. 15. This meat which is sanctified by the word of God & by prayer, as touching his matter, goeth down into the belly, and is voided into the draft. Let us come to chrysostom, who above all the rest is vehement in his amplifications & excessive in the height of his eloquence, being desirous to draw the people to a reverence of this Sacrament, & to redress the abuses thereof crept in, of which he complaineth in all places of his works; yet when he speaketh properly, he teacheth as others teach, and writeth as others writ, as when he saith, g Chrysost. hom 83, in Math. If Christ be not dead, whereof is this Sacrament a sign and token? And likewise in that place, When our Lord gave the Sacrament, he gave w ne. And if he gave wine, then by consequent he gave bread also: which overthroweth such as h Dureus in Wh●t. say he took bread, but gave it not; he took wine, but gave it not. If these places be not plain and pregnant enough, hear yet much plainer. He demandeth, i Hom. 24, in 1 Cor. What is this bread? He answereth himself, The body of Christ: now lest any should imagine some change of substance, and the maintainers of Transubstantiation begin to lift up their ears, he addeth immediately, And what are they made which partake thereof? He answereth, The body of Christ, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. And in the same place he telleth us, We must mount on high like Eagles, if we will come near to that body. And in the unperfect work upon Matthew, (if that work be Chrysostom's) k C●●●●ost. oper. in●●●●●r. Mat. hom. 11. If it be so dangerous a thing to transfer to private uses those sanctified vessels, in which the true body of Christ was not, but the mystery of his body: how much more the vessels of our bodies, which God hath prepared for his habitation? But of all other testimonies none is more evident than an Epistle of his written to Caesarius in the time of his banishment, which albeit it be not printed among his works, l Pet. Martyr. loc. class. 4. c. 10. s●ct. 31. yet is avouched to be extant in the Library at Florence: Before the bread be sanctified we call it bread, but when the grace of God hath sanctified it, it is surely freed from the name of bread, and is thought worthy to be called the body of our Lord, though the nature of bread remain in it. True it is, m Bellar. de Euchar. lib. 2, cap. 22. Bellarmine denieth that ever he wrote any such thing: howbeit Gregory of Valence admitteth the words, & confesseth the place, and yet goeth about to shift it off and to weaken this witness, as if it were not written by that godly and golden Father, n Greg. de Valen. lib. de transub. but by one john of Constantinople. Thus he would delude and deceive his Reader, forasmuch as that john was no other than john chrysostom, and john chrysostom was Bishop of Constantinople. Their own gloss maketh this exposition, o De Cons. dist. 2. Vocatur corpus Christi, id est, significat corpus Christi, It is called the body of Christ, that is, it signifieth his body. Add to these, the witness of Maximus the Greek p In eccles. Hierar. Scholiast, who opposeth the signs to the truth, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, these things are signs, but not the truth. I will shut up all these authorities and allegations with the words of Gelasius Bishop of Rome, q Gelas. in his book of two Natures. Surely the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ (which we receive) are divine things, for that also by them we are made partakers of the divine nature: and yet nevertheless the substance & nature of the bread and wine do not cease to remain. Can any speak more clearly and evidently then these do? Or have any of our own writers written more plainly and distinctly against popish Transubstantiation? How then are they deceived that think we wrist the words of Institution? Or that we impose upon the people more to be believed then can be collected & concluded out of the Scripture? or that we teach and receive more as authentical out of calvin & Beza, and other later authors, than the ancient Fathers ever delivered? I will briefly answer an objection, which these produce out of Cyprian in his Tract of the Lords Supper, Object. r Cyprian. de coen. dom. This bread is changed, not in shape, but in nature, and by omnipotency of God is made flesh. To which I reply 4. things. First, Answer. a change of nature doth not evermore import a change of substance. A wicked person when he repenteth and turneth unto God, changeth his nature, but the alteration is in quality, not in substance: there is a kind of conversion, but no Transubstantiation. Secondly, this book is but a bastard, it beareth upon it the name of Cyprian, but it is a counterfeit, s Censur. patrum. authore Rob. Coco. pa. 75 as is sufficiently and substantially proved, even by the confession of the Papists themselves. And whosoever will vouchsafe to read the book itself, may easily discern by the style as it were by the smell, that it came out of some Covent or Cloister, it is in many places so barbarous. Thirdly, if the word Nature should be taken for Substance in this place, it must expressly contradict sundry testimonies of those writers which we have alleged before, who deny that the nature of bread is changed, that is, the substance. Lastly, this Author is so far from saying that the bread is converted into the flesh of Christ, that he saith the contrary, to wit, that this bread is converted into our flesh and our blood, and serveth for our life and the increasing of our bodies. Thus we see that the ancient Fathers held the same faith that we hold, and differ not in judgement from the reformed Churches, nor the reformed Churches from them, as we shall show (God willing) more at large in another place. And thus I have run over these three points which I purposed and proposed to handle in the beginning, all which are more at large to be seen in the Treatise following. This I offer the second time to your Worship's consideration, as a witness of my love, and a testimony of the savours I have received. My meaning was and yet is, that it should first come unto your view, and from you & for your sake to the use of the Church of God, even of as many as can make any use of these my simple labours. I have prosecuted these points at large, but I cease from troubling you any further, commending you to his good hand who t joh. 13 1 loveth them to the end whom once he loveth, u Rom. 11, 29 whose gifts and graces are without repentance: and so wishing all good from the Almighty a revel. 5, 13. that sitteth upon the Throne, and from the Lamb which liveth for evermore, both to yourself, to your good Lady, to your hopeful Children, and to your whole family, I end and rest. Your worships ever in the Lord, William Attersoll. The preface to the Reader. IT is well said, Aul. Gel. noct. Attic lib. 18. cap. 6. that the very title of a book hath a certain pleasant allurement to draw men to the reading thereof. The argument of this treatise is of the Sacraments, a comfortable portion of the Scriptures, & a necessary part of the Catechism. There is no knowledge comparable to the knowledge of God's word: there is no parcel of God's word more wholesome and heavenly than the Sacraments. There is no Sacrament more excellent and effectual than the Supper of the Lord, which is a medicine to them that are sick, a preservative to them that are whole, a cordial to them that are weak, and a precious treasure to them that are in wants: being an instrument to convey unto us the benefit of Christ's Passion, and the assurance of our own salvation. Nevertheless, there is no ordinance of God more neglected of us, nor less regarded among us. We cannot be ignorant that it was instituted by the Lord of life to give us life, and in remembrance of his death to take from us the fear of death, and therefore in the words of institution he said to his Disciples, This is my body which was given for you: Math 26, 26. this is my blood which was shed for you, to the end we might behold him lively described before our eyes. I have desired and endeavoured not only to teach this truth to the most simple, and to inform the consciences of those that are ignorant, but also to bring to light such doubtful and difficult points as may any way trouble the unlearned. Here then the discreet Reader shall meet with fit matter both to satisfy sundry not well advised among ourselves, and find sufficient armour to overthrow the open & common adversaries. Touching the errors crept in among us as it were into the bosom of the Church, as well in practice as in judgement, I have aimed especially at two things; both to reform some, and to inform others. To reform such as thinks they are left at liberty to receive when they list, and whether they list: and to inform such as call in question the lawfulness of kneeling at the Communion, according to the order established and commanded; the one sort erring in action, the other being deceived in opinion. First, for the better discovering and preventing of their spiritual danger, I have laboured to set before the faces of all drowsy professors, Against negligent comers to the Communion. their slackness and sluggishness in coming to the Table of the Lord, and answered such objections as they usually allege in their own defence, for as much as there is no sluggard but he is wise in his own eyes. Was Christ made man for us, subject to our infirmities, beaten with stripes, crowned with thorns, and pierced with nails, that we should despise the blessed Sacrament that resembleth and representeth all these unto us, which is as a looking glass wherein we may behold him crucified and hanging upon the cross? Chrysost hom. 60. ad pop. An. 〈…〉 He is a shepherd that feedeth his Sheep with his own blood, and nourisheth them with his own substance. If an earthly Prince should call us as his guess to sit down at his Table, would any be so foolish or so froward as to refuse to come? Behold, the King of Heaven and earth inviteth us to his heavenly banquet, and therefore we ought not to stop our ears, or to withdraw ourselves to perdition. True it is, all men almost come thick and threefold at Easter, or else they should not think themselves to be good subjects; then they offer themselves without difference and distinction: howbeit at other times they make no conscience of their ordinary absence & almost continual negligence. Such as come not at other times, it is to be feared they come not in knowledge at that time. For if they come at Easter in conscience of God's commandment more than for fear of the Prince's law, and with a feeling of their own wants, rather than for form and fashion sake, they would fit themselves for this work at all times of the year, so often as the Sacrament is delivered. Indeed none ought to present themselves being unprepared, & presume to handle the outward signs of the body and blood of Christ coming in impiety & impenitency, Mat. 22, 11. like to the guess in the Gospel that came without his wedding garment: notwithstanding when we have made ourselves ready, we must not abstain and absent ourselves from it at our own pleasure; for than we make ourselves guilty of the body and blood of Christ, 1 Cor, 11, 27. and unworthy of any mercy to be reaped and received. We may not be weary in well doing, Gal, 6, 9 but must be forward in the religious exercises of our faith, taking all opportunity to perform this commandment, of coming often to his Table. 1 Cor, 11, 26. This is one sin among others that draweth down heavy judgements upon us and our souls, 1 Cor, 11, 30. for this cause many are weak and sickly among us, and many sleep: yea, it prepareth the way for farther vengeance except we repent of our evil ways, and amend our former negligence by greater diligence. It is not enough that we submit ourselves to the hearing of the word, unless withal we join a care and remembrance of this duty, knowing that they are cursed that go about the matters of God negligently, Ier, 48, 10. Revel, 3, 16. and that all luke warm professors shall be spewed out of his mouth, and such as have left their first love, shall have the light of the candle taken from them, and the candlestick removed out of his place. Touching the information of such as err in opinion, there are many of our good brethren and sisters that abstain from the Communion, because they may not sit at the celebration thereof, and so condemn the reverent gesture of kneeling commanded in our Church, as utterly unlawful and unwarranted: The lawfulness of kneeling at the Communion showed. to yield unto whom some satisfaction (if it may be) I have made a long degression in the third Book, if that may be called a digression which setteth down the duties of the Communicants, and giveth them direction what they ought to do, and what they ought not to do. I am not ignorant that some in the earnestness of their spirit, and forwardness to go before others, have written much against kneeling, with the applause of many, and will by no means yield thus much, that it be in itself an indifferent gesture, but make it as bad and as gross a thing, as to kneel before a crucifix, which is flat Idolatry; as though we did destroy the nature of a Sacrament, & make the supper to be no Spuper at all, What is objected against kneeling. because we use not that gesture at the receiving of it which is used at a supper or banquet. A very weak reason without substance or show of any value, & yet it is much urged and often pressed both in word and writing. But let us set down the force of the reason in form, and so bring it as if it were before the tribunal Seat of judgement, where it shall receive an honourable trial. For thus they conclude, If this Sacrament be a Supper or a banquet, than the gesture of kneeling is unlawful, and ought not to be used at it. But this Sacrament is a Supper or a banquet: Therefore the gesture of kneeling is unlawful, and ought not to be used at it. The force of this reason and as it were the life of it (if it have any) standeth upon this, that such gesture is necessary to be used at this Sacrament as is accustomed at a Supper or at a banquet, and no other: because than we shall make a banquet to be no banquet, Answer. and a Supper to be no Supper. This is their objection: now hear mine answer, and compare them together without prejudice or partiality. The first answer. To this I reply diversly. First I say the reason destroyeth itself, as a man that thrusteth his sword into his own body and bowels, judges 9, 22. like the Midianites that slew one another. For this maketh the gesture to be altogether uncertain, and a variable ceremony not belonging to the substance of the Supper, inasmuch as one gesture is used commonly at banquets, and another at suppers at banquets standing: at suppers, sitting. So then, if the former reason be worth any thing and have any strength at all in it, then upon their own groundwork this reason following is fully as good & as strong in any Court of Conscience wheresoever: If this Sacrament be a banquet, than the gesture of sitting is unlawful and is not to he used at it, because such gesture is necessary to be used as is usual at banquets: but this Sacrament is a banquet; therefore sitting is unlawful & not to be used at it. If their reason be good, them this also is as good, being taken word forword out of the former. Again, in contrary manner we may reason thus: If this Sacrament be a Supper, then standing at it is unlawful: because such gesture only is to be used as is ordinary at Suppers: But this Sacrament is a supper: Therefore standing at it is unlawful. Thus we see how this reason is at enmity and defiance with the truth and with itself; and whiles it goeth about to destroy kneeling, it overthroweth both sitting and standing, for sitting convinceth standing, and standing condemneth sitting. Secondly, The second answer. the foundation of the former reason standeth upon a Metaphor or borrowed speech, and therefore there can no sound and certain conclusion be drawn and diducted from it, especially to take it in a proper sense, & to set the whole weight of the work as it were a pillar of the house upon it. For it is called a banquet or a supper by way of an allusion, which, Sadeel contr. Tu●rian. sophis. both must have ground out of the Scripture, and may not be farther applied than it hath warrant from thence. It is well known that this second sacrament of the new Testament is called a supper in regard of the time when it was instituted: and the Supper of the Lord, because it is celebrated in the Church in remembrance of the Lord jesus, that ordained it by his word, ratified it by his death, and delivered it with his own hands: whereas these men suppose it is called a banquet because we ought to use such a gesture as is common at banquets, and a supper because we ought to use such a gesture as is usual at suppers which not being intended by him is a very weak supposition, collection, and conclusion. Thirdly, The third answer. this argument being well weighed, will minister weapons unto us, to cut in sunder the sinews, and as it were the heart strings of it, inasmuch as it showeth that what gesture soever is used at the one or the other, standeth more upon custom then upon conscience; and more upon the example of men than the commandment of God. For what is the reason that in Court and country, in town and city, they stand at banquets? And what is the reason that most commonly they sit, and somewhere lie along at suppers and dinners? Is it any other than use and custom of places, and persons. Dare any say that it is unlawful to eat a banquet kneeling, or to take our supper kneeling? Are we not left at liberty with what gesture we will eat and drink? Or may we not use what order we please in these things? If then it be in itself as lawful to kneel when we receive our ordinary meats and drinks even in the action thereof, as to sit, or to stand, or to lie along: how is it that many dislike that gesture at the Sacrament, even for this reason, because it is a banquet and a Supper? From whence I reason in this form and manner from their own ground, If this Sacrament be a Supper or a banquet, than the gesture of kneeling is not unlawful, but may freely be used at the taking of it. But this Sacrament is a supper or a banquet: Therefore the gesture of kneeling is not unlawful, but may freely be used at the taking of it. The strength of this reason standeth upon such feet as themselves have shaped unto it, to wit, that such gesture is necessary to be used at this Sacrament, as is usual at a supper or a banquet. If then it be left free for us to use what gesture we please, sitting, or lying, or standing, or walking, or groveling, or bending, how can they hold with any colour, kneeling to be unlawful at the Communion? The 4. answer Lastly, we cannot but confess that kneeling in prayer is the fittest gesture to express the humility of our minds, and the majesty of God, and the excellency of the mysteries we do partake, and our obedience to the Magistrate. Tertul. de orat. cap. 12. Tertullian that lived in the beginning of the second Century holdeth assidere irreverens, that it is an unreverent thing to sit at prayer. But the Supper of the Lord is administered and received among us with a notable & effectual prayer which the Minister pronounceth, and the Communicant heareth. Objection. If any object (as many do object) that by this reason the Minister ought to kneel that uttereth the prayer, not the people that receive the Supper: I answer, first they do but dally with us, Answer. and deceive themselves. For they know the Minister cannot conveniently kneel, as the manner of delivering is used and observed among us, which is not disliked or disproved by any of them, to wit, by going to every one apart unto his seat: and therefore CHRIST also sat at his thanksgiving. And herein do the orders of the Churches differ among themselves; in some places the Minister removeth not, and the people walk: as with us the Minister walketh, and the people remove not. Now as in the preaching of the word, the Minister that conceiveth the prayer standeth, that he may be the better heard and understood of the people whose voice he is to God, & they kneel joining with him: so it is in the Lord's Supper, the Minister standeth, because otherwise he cannot pass from place to place nor dispatch that holy work with any quick expedition. Secondly, albeit the Minister only do by lively voice utter the prayer, yet it appeareth by the testimony of the ancient, that the receiver was also to join with the Minister, and to say Amen, Euseb. ecclesiast. histor. lib. 6. ca 43. and in english 42. as we may read in the Ecclesiastical history of Eusebius, relating the Epistle of Cornelius Bishop of Rome touching Novatus, who being puffed up with pride, left those without, hope of salvation that through infirmity of the flesh fell in time of persecutions. And afterward in that history he reporteth, that Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria wrote unto Xystus Bishop of Rome touching a certain man, who hearing the interrogatories & answers used in baptism, came unto him weeping and wailing, & falling prostrate before his feet, he confessed plainly that the baptism wherewithal he had been baptised of the Heretics had no agreement with that which was in use in that Church, and thereupon desired to be baptised according to the same manner. What answer the Bishop made and how he satisfied him, Eusebius declareth in these words, Ecclesi. histor. li. 7, ca 9 after the Greek, but the 8. in english. He prayed that he might receive this most sincere purification, the which thing I durst not do, but told him that the daily Communion many times ministered might suffice him, when he had heard thanksgiving sounded in the Church, and he himself had sung thereunto Amen: when he had been present at the Lords Table, and had stretched forth his hand to receive that holy food, & had communicated, and of a long time had been partaker of the body and blood of our Lord jesus Christ. Albeit therefore the baptism which he had received were full of sundry impieties and blasphemies, and far unlike that used in the true Church, and that he were so sore perplexed in mind and troubled in conscience, that he durst not presume to lift up his eyes to God, because he had been baptised with such profane words and ceremonies, yet he advised him to comfort himself with his often partaking the holy Communion, in as much as he had stretched forth his hand to receive it, and had answered Amen at the taking of it. I will add one testimony more out of Cyrill, Cyril. catech pa. 2●5 gra. Id est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Id est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, bending the hand, receive the body of Christ, saying Amen. And more expressly a little after, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. that is, After thou hast been partaker of the body of Christ, draw near also to the Cup of his blood, (to wit, in the form of wine) prostrating thyself and worshipping (God) saying Amen, De Sacram lib. 4. cap. 6. Observations out of Cyrils' testimony. whiles thou bendest thy hand to take it, etc. The l●ke might be said out of Ambrose, that as the minister did pray for them, so they also were not idle, but prayed for themselves. These Testimonies are very full to note out the usual custom of these times, out of which I observe these 4. particulars; first that the bread was not wont to be put & popped into their mouths, but the people took it in their hands: and so likewise of the cup. Secondly, that they received the cup of the Lord as well as the bread, and were not used to have dry Communions, as the Church of Rome diateth her Disciples. Thirdly, that the people d●d consent to the prayer of the minister, & did say Amen. Lastly, that they used to bow down & worship God with all reverence, to whom they prayed in the action of receiving, answering Amen. The two former points serve to convince the practice of the Papists, that thrust the bread into the mouths of the communicants and deprive them utterly of the cup: and the two latter, such of our brethren among v● as urge the necessity of sitting and condemn the gesture of kneeling as an impiety, for as much as we see the people in those t●mes did both bow their hands to take it, Application of the former testimonies. & prostrate their bodies to receive it with prayer. And I would gladly be informed and resolved by these, when the minister prayeth that the body of Christ may be an effectual instrument sanctified of God for the preservation of their bodies & souls, whether they do not in their hearts and souls join with him, earnestly craving and desiring this blessing. If they do not, it argueth against themselves little reverence in receiving, and small conscience in coming to this Sacrament, to be no more moved then stones, and to sit as senseless as their seats when prayer is made not to consent unto it; whereof notwithstanding I do not nor dare not e●ther to accuse them or to suspect them. If they do, is it not fit or at least as fit to pray kneeling as sitting? For if it be requisite that the minister should kneel at the delivering of it as they pretend: it is much more reasonable that the people kneel in the receiving of it. And albeit the former manner of answering Amen, noted by the ancient and observed by the people, be not prescribed in our Liturgy as a law and commandment: yet I doubt not but it is both intended by the Church, and practised of every good Christ●an as a duty. For when the minister saith according to the form of administration used among us, The body of our Lord jesus Christ which was given for thee, preserve thy body and soul to everlasting life, etc. who is it endued with any true fear of God and faith in Christ that doth not join with him in heart, & secretly and seriously answer Amen? If then we subscribe to that prayer in our souls & to ourselves, although we do not answer to h●m with an audible voice, how should it not be rather want of reverence in us to sit, then fear of Idolatry in us to kneel? And it were not hard to produce the example of some that have formerly used to fit who having a tender conscience have been troubled that they sat & did not use the gesture of kneeling judging of themselves, that they did not receive it in that reverent manner which they ought. If any say, Objection. kneeling hath been abused to Idolatry which is a grievous sin: I answer, rather we should say, that abuse hath been committed in the time of kneeling. But grant it to be so, Answer. this doth not touch us at all, who have separated the abuse, & do retain the lawful use of it. We abhor the worshipping of the signs & the committing of Idolatry, even our adversaries being judges: we have purged the gesture of kneeling from all pollution, & use it only to express our reverence and devotion. If any shall wonder as it, Why there is so little mention in antiquity, of sitting, standing, or kneeling at the Communion. and ask the question how it cometh to pass that there is so little mention of kneeling, or sitting, or standing, in all Antiquity: I answer, with that honourable Lord of Plessis, in another cause, though for substance not far different, The Apostles and Ancients have not pressed (any thing) but that which was of the ordinance (and appointment) of God, leaving all the rest indifferent, to the arbitrement & determination of such as governed the Churches: who have authority to take order in such things as are lawful, and yet are neither commanded nor forbidden in the word. I will lay before the eyes of those that are contrary minded two points to be considered, Many standing against the Ceremonies, do yield to kneeling. and then I will end this Controversy. First, it cannot be denied, which experience teacheth, that divers even among those that have stood against the Ceremonies, & yet do stand against them, do nevertheless nothing dissent in opinion from the order prescribed in the Church, but conform themselves in practice to the same, and have been authors and persuaders of conformity unto others, as might easily be proved by sundry witnesses: so that these two causes must be severed and divided. Secondly, it will be very hard, if not unpossible, to allege the testimony of any learned man before our times, No writers until 〈◊〉 times hold it unlawful to kneel. so far as I, or others of greater reading can remember, that held it absolutely wicked or unlawful to kneel at the taking of the Sacrament, and therefore there is just cause that others inferior unto them should suspect their own judgement. If then the most, or at the least many, even among those that yield not to some other Ceremonies of the Church, do notwithstanding kneel at the Crmmunion with all reverence, and all the learned troup of classical writers account this kneeling to be lawful & indifferent in itself, why should we be so wedded to our own opinions, as to fasten an imposition of impiety and idolatry upon it as we do, as if all were wicked persons and idolaters that submit themselves unto it? This point I have briefly touched in this place, Book 3, ca 6. but handled more at large in the Book itself, whereunto I refer the Reader for farther and fuller satisfaction: where I have produced as godly and savoury writings as (I think) are any in our age, to the end that if we be led by the judgement of men (who set a bias upon our judgement) we may also have many that are as sufficient to overwaigh and oversway the others. Nevertheless, I begin (not without some cause) to suspect before hand, that I am like to incur the displeasure of such as are contrary minded, whom I have no thought or purpose to offend, but rather to win to that which I am persuaded is the truth. And albeit I have protested sufficiently touching my soundness and sincerity in this behalf, Pag 434. yet I fear offence will be taken, where none is either given or intended, & therefore if any shall unchristianly and uncharitably censure me, I w●ll comfort myself in the clearness of mine own conscience, so that if mine adversary should write a book against me, job. 31, 35, 36 surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a Crown unto me. 1 Cor. 4, 3. I have learned to say with the Apostle, With me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you or man's judgement: yea, I judge not m●ne own self. I cannot forget the words of just job, when he was scoffed and scorned of his friends, he appealed from them to the sentence of the Almighty, chap. 16. joh. 16, 19, Behold my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high. It is noted of Alcibiades, when one lifted up his staff to strike him if he would not hold his peace, that trusting in the justice of his cause & the strength of the truth, he answered, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, Plutar. Smite so that thou wilt hear. So it shall be no great grief unto me to be taunted by the tongue, or traduced by the pen, if I may either strengthen any that waver, or recover any that wander, or confirm any that stand, it is enough, I have my desire and a good recompense for my pains. Now I proceed to buckle with the common adversary both of them and us, I mean the popish sort, who as they have notoriously corrupted the main points of religion, so none more horribly than the Sacraments, Sundry novelties taught in the Church of Rome. and by no means more than by the blasphemous Mass, and the Idolatrous service belonging to that Idol. I have oftentimes marveled with what face or forehead they can ask of us, where our Church was before Martin Luther or john Wickliff? as if it were unknown or unheard of in the former times? whereas themselves are not able to declare or demonstrate where the Roman Church remained, maintaining those opinions which that present Church holdeth. They teach that which was never taught for six hundred, & some things which were never known for a thousand years after Christ. Answer to those that ask where our Church was before Luther. Mark. 1, 27. The true Church of GOD hath always been taxed with this imputation and accusation of novelty, as appeareth by the words of the jews to Christ the master, and of the Philosophers to Paul the Scholar. They say to Christ, what new doctrine is this? Mark 1, 27. We know that God spoke unto Moses, as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is, joh. 9, 29. joh. 9, 29. So the Epicures & stoics took Paul and brought him to Areopagus the highest Court in Athens, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest is? Act. 17, 19 Indeed in the hottest times of persecution, revel. 12.6. the woman fled into the wilderness, where she had a place prepared of God, that they should find her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days. But what an absurd thing and how injurious dealing is this, to persecute us with fire and faggot, and to drive us as poor banished men from place to place, and from corner to corner, and then to ask where our Church is, and to complain against it that it is invisible! Nevertheless, that great Dragon and old Serpent which deceiveth the whole world, Ver. 8, 9 and all his instruments shall not prevail, because to the woman were given two wings of a great Eagle that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she was nourished for a time, Ver. 14. and times, and half a time, so that the gates of hell shall not be able to overcome it and to prevail against it. And albeit the Church be unknown to the world and oftentimes to the particular parts themselves, as it was in the days of Eliah, 1 King 19, 14 Rom. 11, 3. 2 Tim 2, 19 Galath. 1.9. who complaineth that he was left alone: yet it is not hid from God, who knoweth who are his, and described fully in the Scriptures which cannot deceive us. If we or an Angel from heaven should teach otherwise, let him be accursed. It was our Church that shined with glorious miracles, confirming the faith which we profess: that was died with the blood of so many Martyrs confessing the truth which we embrace. It was our Church which convinced the Arrians, Macedonians, Nestorians, Pelagians, Manichees & such like heretics. The general Counsels celebrated in former times at Nice, Popish opinions not heard of, for 600. years after Ch●ist. at Constantinople, at Ephesus and at Chalcedon, stand on our side. But where was the Popish Conventicle which now boasteth itself to be the only Church, for six hundred years after Christ, which were the purest times? Had they any Church any where that worshipped images, that decked them, and then ducked down unto them? that held that the old vulgar Translation of the Bible is authentical? that no interpretation of Scripture is to be allowed against that sense which the Church of Rome holdeth? that the Virgin Mary was exempted from original sin? that the Scriptures are unperfect, and no sufficient rule of faith? that the holy Scriptures and the traditions of the Church are to be reverenced with equal affection? that the Bishop of Rome is judge of all controversies of Religion? Had they any Church upon the face of the earth that believed that the Pope was ever called a God, and the spouse of the Church? that held that venial sins are cleansed and done away with holy water? that the Pope is above a general Council? that the Pope may dispense by his omnipotency within the degrees of affinity and consanguinity forbidden in the Law? that by dispensing the merits of Saints by indulgences he is able to deliver Souls at his pleasure from the pains of Purgatory? that the Pope defining out of his Chair cannot err? Were all these or any of th●se preached or professed in the true Church of God, which are now broached and believed in the Church of Rome? But to pass over these as impertinent to this present Treatise, New doctrines of Popery touching the Supper. and to speak only to the matter in question concerning the Sacraments, what Church did believe the real presence, or Transubstantiation, or private Masses? or received in one kind, or held that there are seven Sacramenss, neither more nor less: or believed accidents without their subject; or called the Sacrament his Lord and God? or administered it in a strange tongue? or lifted it up over his head, or worshipped it as his Maker and Creator? All these are now made articles of faith, and principles of religion, such as without them a man cannot be saved: yet which of them were embraced for six hundred years (I might add more) after Christ? These were never heard off, never dreamt off, which are now the chiefest dreams of the Romish Prelates. And no marvel. For seeing they have in a manner banished and buried the remembrance of CHRIST, it may not seem strange that they have abolished his Supper instituted in memory of his death and passion. Christ our Saviour sitteth in heaven at the right hand of his Father, and maketh continual intercession for us, Sadeel de spiri. manduc. cap. 1 and we must feed upon him spiritually, which is not a feigned or forged presence bred in our own idle fancy, and consisting of our private opinion; neither doth it signify and import that which is only invisible and not offered to the object of the eye, or that we go about to turn and transform the body and blood of Christ into a spirit: but we call it spiritual eating and feeding upon him spiritually, The reasons why we are said to eat Christ spiritually. for three causes. First, because the eating of Christ's flesh and drinking of his blood is brought to pass by the work of the holy Spirit: for it may well be said to be received in that manner, seeing it is effected by that means. Secondly, because this mystery is wrought by the instrument of faith which we send up to the Throne of God, as the Eagle which mounteth up to heaven: inasmuch as it is opposed to the fleshly eating of him, wherein the Papists are like to the Capernaites, joh. 6. that dreamt of a carnal and corporal eating and drinking, joh. 6, 63. which profiteth nothing, and helpeth no man, and bringeth no good. Thirdly, because this most excellent and precious food belongeth to our spiritual and eternal life, seeing we receive the signs not to nourish our bodies, but to feed our souls. The sum and effect of this Book. These things the judicious Reader shall find largely discussed in this Treatise, which I have therefore called The New Covenant, because it layeth open the doctrine of the Sacraments, which serve to confirm and strengthen us in that Covenant and compact which the eternal God hath in great mercy and compassion made with mortal and miserable men, accepting them into grace and favour, promising to them remission of their sins and salvation of their souls. The sum and effect of this Book. These things the judicious Reader shall find largely discussed in this Treatise, which I have therefore called The New Covenant, because it layeth open the doctrine of the Sacraments, which serve to confirm and strengthen us in that Covenant and compact which the eternal God hath in great mercy and compassion made with mortal and miserable men, accepting them into grace and favour, promising to them remission of their sins and salvation of their souls. These my rude (though renewed) labours, I willingly submit to the wise censure of my learned Brethren, remembering that the spirits of the Prophets are subject unto the Prophets. If I have any where erred through human infirmity, 1 Cor. 14, 32 or mistaken the matter any way, which I go about to prove or persuade, I desire them hearty by some means to give me friendly notice thereof, which I shall receive as precious balm or as an excellent oil that shall not break my head. Psal. 141, 5 The Lord God almighty, from whom every good giving and every perfect giving proceedeth, establish us in the New Covenant, and make us careful to keep 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 souls, and to the glory of his great name, Amen, Amen. Thy Brother in Christ our Saviour, William Attersoll. THE FIRST BOOK OF THE Sacraments in general. Of the agreement and difference between the Word and Sacraments. CHAP. 1. GOD even from the beginning added unto the preaching of the word a God always gave his sacraments to his Church. his Sacraments in the Church (as the Scripture teacheth) outwardly repesenting and visibly offering to our sight those things that inwardly he performeth to us: as b Gen 2, 9 the tree of life, & the tree of knowledge of good & evil in the Garden. After man's fall, when a new necessity was added, in regard of man's want and weakness: he testified his love and ratified his Coveant by sacrifices & Ceremonies, to our first Parents. He gave the c Gen. 6, 14. Ark to Noah and his sons, to confirm them in the promise which he made to them, that they should not be drowned with the rest of the world. He added to Abraham d Gen. 17, 11. the sign of circumcision, as a seal e Rom, 4, 11. of the righteousness of faith: and to the Israelites he gave the passover, Manna, oblations, purifications, the brazen Serpent, the Rock, and such like spiritual types, whereby he assured them of the promise, that God for the only sacrifice of Christ wrought upon the Cross, would give to all that believe forgiveness of sins and everlasting life. Now the word of God may fitly be resembled to writings and evidences: and the f The agreement between the Word & Sacraments. Sacraments to seals which the Lord alone setteth to his own letters. They are as a visible Sermon preaching unto us most lively the promises of God: that as the word we hear doth edify and instruct the mind by the outward ears, so do the Sacraments by the eyes and other senses. First then, that we may understand the doctrine & nature of the Sacraments: we are to consider, what the word and Sacraments have in common, and how they agree one with another: then, what they have peculiar and proper each to other, and how they differ one from another. The argument between them standeth in these points. First, both are of God, and instruments which the Holy Ghost useth to this end, to make us more and more one with Christ, and partakers of salvation: not that God needeth them, or that he is tied unto them, (for as he can nourish without meat and drink, so he can save without word or Sacraments:) but because we need them, he useth them when he will, and as often as it pleaseth him. The same which is published and promised by the word of God, is signified and sealed by the Sacraments. For they are not a delivering of new promises and articles of faith, but seal up such as are offered in the word. Secondly, although God use them as instruments of his grace, yet the especial working and forcible power of them, is not in them, but dependeth on God alone: so that we must not think that whosoever partaketh them is partaker of grace, salvation, forgiveness of sins, and everlasting glory, but the virtue of them floweth from him only as from a fountain. A man may hear the word and receive the Sacraments all the days of his life, and be never the better, except God change the mind, open the heart, enlighten the understanding, cleanse the conscience, and sanctify the affections to his glory. Thirdly, as the preaching of the word profiteth nothing unless it be understood, applied, and received, but g Heb. 4, 1. tendeth to judgement: so the Sacraments, except we bring the hand of faith with us, cannot give us faith nor grace, but tend to our condemnation. Yet, as the Gospel is always the savour of life unto life of it own nature, and the h Heb. 4, 12. word lively and of comfortable operation, howsoever the unfaithful turn it to be the savour of death unto death: So the Sacraments cease not in themselves to be true Sacraments, although they be administered by unworthy Ministers, and received by unfaithful people. For man's wickedness cannot pervert, much less evert the nature of God's ordinance. Lastly, as the best seed springeth not up and bringeth not fruit so soon as it is sown, but lieth a time covered in the earth to take rooting: so the fruit reaped by the word, and benefit received by the Sacraments presently appeareth not, but groweth and increaseth at the time appointed of God, who will bless them in his elect, at what season himself hath ordained. Thus we see what the word and Sacraments have in common; both are instruments of the same grace, both have their benefit, blessing, and force depending on God, both require faith to be mingled with them, without which they are unprofitable; and lastly, they profit not by and by at the same moment they are published, administered, heard, or received: but God afterward worketh oftentimes by them in his children to their great comfort, when all fruit to come by them seemed to be buried. The Disciples at the first understood no more of Christ's resurrection then the unbelieving jews did, when he said, i john 2, 19 Destroy this Temple, and I w●ll build it again in three days: But they lay it up in their hearts, and long afterward remember the words he spoke unto them. So when they saw Christ riding to jerusalem, the multitude spreading their garments in the way, and cutting down branches k Mat. 21, 8. from the trees, the City moved, and Children crying in the Temple, Hosanna to the Son of David: they l john 12, 16. understood none of those things at the first: But when jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done such things unto him. If then at the present time of our hearing or receiving, we find not, nor feel the fruit and comfort we desire: let us not doubt and despair▪ but wait on God, who in his own appointed times will make his own ordinances available to all his servants. Thus much of the things that are common to the word and Sacraments. In the next place let us see m Difference between the word and sacraments. what they have proper & peculiar, and so differ one from another. First, forasmuch as the Sacraments are appurtenances and dependences to the word, and are applied to this end to seal up our communion with Christ, & our fellowship one with another: it appeareth that in men of riper years the teaching and hearing of the word preached, and the open confession and profession of faith did go before participation of the Sacraments, as Math. 28. n Mat. 28, 19 Go teach all Nations, that is, make them Disciples of Christ, gain them to the faith (as the word signifieth) and then baptise them. Thus Philip taught the Eunuch before he baptised him, Acts 8. to whom when the Eunuch said, What letteth me to be baptised? Philip answered, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest: and he said, I believe that jesus Christ is the Son of God. And Acts 10. Can any forbid water that these should not be baptised, which have received the Holy-Ghost as well as we? Indeed touching children's baptism, there is another especial respect to be had, of which we shall speak afterward: But touching others, this is the 1. difference between them, that whereas the word was offered even to such as were out of the Church not having heard of the name of Christ, and none excluded or debarred from the hearing of it, whether believers or unbelievers, holy, or profane, jew or Gentile, Barbarian or Schythian. 1, C. 14 No person being an unbeliever or Infidel, was ever admitted to the Sacraments, although he should offer himself (for that had been to give t Mat. 7, 6. that which is holy to Dogs, and to cast pearls before Swine) but such only as were instructed in the faith, and had made public confession thereof as members of the Church. Another difference is in the necessity, end, and use aswell of the one as of the other. The preaching of the word is the ordinary means and instrument of the Holy-Ghost to beget and begin faith in us (except God do deal extraordinarily, which of us is not to be looked for) and none hath entrance to Christ but by faith: so that men, if they will be saved, must hear it. But the Sacraments are of another nature, they cannot engender faith in us: we must bring faith with us, lest we partake them unworthily, so that he which believeth, and could not come to the Sacraments, is yet partaker of salvation. Wherefore the necessity of them is not simply and absolutely so great, that without exception a man cannot be saved without them: for it is the contempt, not the want of them that bringeth danger and damnation. Thirdly, it may sometimes fall out, that in a visible Church, the word preached may be found (as an essential note of the Church) without the Sacraments, and yet be a true Church of God: so that the word may be without the Sacraments, but the Sacraments cannot be without the word, as a writing may be without a seal, but not the seal without the writing; set a seal to a blank, and it is vain, void, and unprofitable. Last of all, the preaching of the word rouseth and affecteth only one of the senses, to wit, the ears, we see it not, we touch it not, we handle it not, only we hear the sound thereof: but the Sacraments are offered to the eyes as well as to the ears, so that we do even behold jesus Christ as it were crucified before us, nay they move and stir up the rest of the senses, whereby we may understand what they bring, to what end they serve, and how they do avail unto our faith, making us after a sort to handle Christ with our hands, and to see him with our eyes, to taste him and touch him with our whole body. Wherefore, they do u How the sacraments are more effectual than the word. more seal up then the word, not that God is more true of his promise when he worketh by signs, then when he speaketh by his word: but in respect of the manner of teaching and receiving, because by his Sacraments he representeth his promises as it were painted in a Table, a Horat. lib. de arte pocti. Segnius irritant animos, demissa per aures, quam quae sunt oculis subiecta fidelibus, etc. and setteth them forth lively as in a picture before our eyes, that we may not only hear, but see, handle, touch, taste, and even digest them. Again, the promise of the Gospel is more effectually declared and sealed up by the Sacraments then by the bare word, not for the substance and matter itself, but for the manner of working which is here full, perfect, and more effectual: so as that which we perceive and receive by many senses, as hearing and seeing, is more sure and certain then that which is discerned by hearing only. Hitherto of the agreements and differences between word and Sacraments, and we have showed that so soon as God gave his word, immediately he seconded the same with his Sacraments. The uses which we are to make Use 1 hereof, are these. First, seeing God contenteth not himself with the word only, but addeth the Sacraments in all ages and times of the Church, which proceedeth partly through his own goodness, and partly through man's weakness: we ought to be so far from despising the Sacraments, that contrarywise we must confess the benefit, use, and worthiness of them can never be sufficiently magnified, and commended, nor they with sufficient reverence be received. We are dull to conceive his promises, & slow to remember them, we are full of doubtting & unbelief: we are like to Thomas b john 20, 25. one of the Disciples, we will not believe them until in some sort we see them, & in some measure feel them in our hearts. Wherefore God hath ordained these mysteries and holy actions, to keep in continual memory his great benefits bestowed upon man, to seal up his promises, and as it were to offer unto our sight those things which inwardly he performeth to us, and thereby strengtheneth and increaseth our faith through the working of his Spirit in our souls. An house, the more props and posts it hath to sustain & support it, the more weak and ruinous it is; whereas if it were strong enough, it needed nothing to bear it up: even so, seeing God contenteth not himself with bestowing upon us, and blessing of us with his word, but giveth unto us together with his word his holy Sacraments also, so that our faith is not only underset with the one, but underpropped with the other, it serveth to lay before our eyes our weakness, our distrust, and our unbelief. For if we had fullness and perfection of faith, we should have no need either of the word or Sacraments: and therefore when this world shall have an end, the ministry of the word shall cease, and the administration of the Sacraments shall be abolished. Seeing, than the word is not sufficient, but the Sacraments were added for further assurance: we must in this behalf consider the great goodness of God towards us, who doth not only give us faith by his word as by his saving instrument, but hath also added to his word, Sacraments or seals of his promise and grace, that by the lawful use of them he might uphold and strengthen our faith through his blessed Spirit. For in as much as the Lord not only sent the blessed seed, for the redemption of mankind, for the remission of our sins, and for the bruising of the Serpent's head, but ordained for us Sacraments to be pledges of his promises, testimonies of his faithfulness and remedies of our distrustfulness: we must freely confess and thankfully acknowledge the bottomless depth of God's endless mercy towards us, who vouchsafeth to be our God, to be reconciled to us being vile and miserable sinners, to make a league & covenant with dust and ashes, and deliver his only Son to suffer the shameful death of the Cross for us. And withal we must ●abor more and more to feel our own blindness, distrust, infidelity, and perverse nature; we would easily forget this mercy of God unless it had been continually represented before our eyes. Again, seeing nothing is offered and given in the Sacraments Use 2 which is not published in the Gospel, seeing they cannot be 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 practice among many professors, that desire and crave, especially in sickness and extremity, often to come to the Lords Table, but esteem little of the preaching of the word, and that seem to languish with a longing after the Sacrament, but never mourn and lament for want of the word: which is as great an error and madness, as if one should ever look upon the seal of his writings, but never regard the conveyance of his estate. Is there not one God, the author of both? Is there not one Spirit, that sealeth up his promises by both? Is Christ divided; that speaketh evidently unto us in both? How is it then, that many desire the Sacrament of the Lords supper, & seem to pine away through want thereof, who never wish or regard the preaching of the Gospel, which is the food of the soul, the key of the Kingdom, the immortal seed of regeneration, and the high ordinance of God to save those c Ro. 1, 16, and 10, 14. that believe? And whence proceedeth it, but from palpable ignorance in the matters of God and their own salvation, to be much troubled that the Sacrament is not brought unto them, and yet never covet to have a word of comfort spoken to them in due season. Let all such persons understand, that as the Minister d Acts 15, 21, and 19, 4, and 2, 42, 40. is charged from God to teach every Sabboath day, and to preach the word in season and out of season: to deal the bread to the hungry, and to give unto every 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, howsoever it be to them that perish, foolishness; yet to such as are called, e 1 Cor. 1, 24. it is the wisdom of God and the power of God. Thus Origen, a man excellently learned, & among the Ancients one of the most ancient, saith, When ye receive the Lords supper with all heed & reverence, ye take heed that no small piece fall from it by negligence to the ground: how then do you think it is a matter of less heinous offence to neglect his word then his body? Whereby we see in the judgement of this Father and Doctor of the Church, the loss of the word is as great a want as the loss of the Sacrament, and the neglect of the word is as high an offence as the neglect of the Sacrament, for as much as one God is the author of them both, and the worker by them both. Wherefore, we are deceived if we make account that there is less danger in neglecting the word of God, then in neglecting the Sacrament of his last supper: but we must take heed, that while we willingly desire the one, we do not wilfully despise the other. For we must carefully consider, that as the Sacrament is a visible word, so the word is a speaking Sacrament: and as God lifteth up his voice unto us in the one, so he reacheth out his hand unto us in the other. We must as well hear when he calleth, as receive when he offereth. Now by his word preached, he calleth: by his Sacraments administered, he offereth his graces unto us: and, as we must have hands stretched out for the one, so we must have ears opened for the other. Lastly, seeing the Sacraments are so nearly linked together, Use 3 and join as friend's hand in hand one with another, it checketh all such as are content to come ordinarily and usually to hear the word, and will scarce miss one Sermon: howbeit when the Sacrament of the supper is administered, they are so senseless and secure, that except it be at Easter, (when they come to it of custom rather than of conscience, for fear rather than of faith) they make small reckoning of it; neither think it their duty to resort unto it. Woe unto all them that unjoine and put asunder those things, which God hath coupled together: woe unto such as do the work of the Lord negligently or deceitfully. This is to serve him 〈◊〉 halves, and to worship him after our own inventions. For as it is a counterfeit repentance to leave one sin, and cleave to another: so it is a feigned holiness to follow one ordinance of God, and to omit or forsake another. True repentance standeth in denying of all sin: and true religion consisteth in practising of all good things of God. Among many that are often hearers of the word, you shall not find many that are often receivers of the Supper of the Lord. These are like unto Ahaz, mentioned in the Prophet Esay, when God offered unto him a sign, and bade him, ask it either in the depth, Esay 7, 11. or in the height above, to strengthen his faith, and assure him of the promise of God, he neglected and contemned the same, through profaneness of heart, albeit he answered in words, he would not tempt the Lord: 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 upon him as a mark whereby he may be known, for as much as in refusing to receive a sign, beside all his other sins, he breaketh out into many sins, and showeth his contempt, unthankfulness, hatred, pride, infidelity, and hypocrisy. So it is with such as live among us, What sins they commit that neglect the use of the Sacraments. and love not to come to the Table of the Lord. First, they are disobedient to God, & refuse to do that which he commandeth them to do. They contemn the ministry of those whom God hath sent to offer unto us the seals of his love, the assurances of his promises, and the pledges of our salvation. To rebel against God is no small sin, and to deny openly without fear and without shame to obey his will. Secondly, such as absent themselves from the Sacraments are most unthankful unto God, who spareth our weakness, and offereth unto us wholesome stays, as it were firm and strong pillars to uphold our faith. Such as have the greatest and strongest faith, and have attained to the highest measure of assurance, do yet in this life stand as much in need of the Sacraments, as a ruinous building doth of shores and supporters, or a weak body doth of meat and nourishment. Thirdly, they are guilty of the grievous sin and horrible crime of hatred against God, because like to Ahaz as much as lieth in them, they would have the glory of God darkened, that it might not shine, and the truth of God buried, that it might not appear in the performance of his promises. If these men were persuaded in their hearts, that the neglect of the Sacraments is a secret hatred against God, and an unjust detaining from him the praise and honour that is due to his great name, they would make more conscience of this sin then commonly they do. Fourthly, such as come not unto them with fear and reverence, are possessed with spiritual pride and presumption, which is a dangerous disease, and so much the more dangerous, by how much it is the less espied. For these men do imagine they have strength of faith, greater than indeed they have: and in that high and haughty conceit of their own gifts, do contemn the use of the Sacraments, as needless and superfluous things: These are they that say they are rich, and have need of nothing, and yet know not that they are wretched and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: these are heartsick and yet feel it not, and are near without speedy repentance unto condemnation. For as the sick man that refuseth wholesome medicines & sovereign preservatives, increaseth his disease, and draweth death willingly and wilfully upon himself: so such persons as regard not the Sacraments, which god (as the spiritual Physician of our souls) offereth unto us, as means to restore us and recover us from the venomous poison of unbelief, which we have drunk from our first parents, do by little and little harden themselves, and justly perish in the evil way. Fiftly, they bewray their infidelity, and an evil persuasion of the truth & power of God, as Ahaz did when he refused the sign which of his grace and goodness was offered unto him. He said, he would not ask a sign neither tempt God; but because he asked not a sign, therefore he tempted God. So do all they that refuse to help the weakness of their faith by the use of the Sacraments, they tempt God, and make trial whether he will save them, or can save them, without those ordinary means that he hath ordained. This is a true and certain rule, that all they which have faith will be careful to strengthen their faith: such as have no faith at all, regard not any means whereby they may obtain faith; as they that have life in them seek to sustain it, but the dead stir not hand or foot. Lastly, such persons as care not to be present at the Sacraments, have their hearts possessed with hypocrisy and deep dissimulation, and do indeed and in truth, no better than mock God and godliness. They profess themselves to be desirous to know God, and to serve him with a perfect heart, and with a willing mind, in as much as they are partakers of the word; howbeit, because they regard not to resort to his Table, and to sit down with him as his guests: they are far from that truth and inward sincerity that ought to be in all the servants of God. Thus then we see how many sins do concur and meet together, in all such as do not constantly and conscionably frequent the Sacraments, which must be duly considered of us, lest by heaping up all these sins in the neck one of another, we also bring down from heaven upon our heads many punishments and plagues, according to our just deservings. For inasmuch as the Lord not only sent the blessed Seed for the redemption of mankind, for the remission of sins, and for the bruising of the Serpent's head, but ordained for us Sacraments to be pledges of his promises, testimonies of his faithfulness, and remedies of our distrust; we must confess and thankfully acknowledge the bottomless depth of his mercy towards us, who vouchsafeth to be our God, to be reconciled unto us being vile & miserable sinners, to make a league and covenant with dust and ashes, and to deliver his only son to suffer the bitter death of the shameful Cross. And withal we must confess, and labour more and more to feel our own blindness, and infidelity, which mercy we would easily forget, unless it had been continually represented before our eyes. CHAP. 2. What a Sacrament is. IN every 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 have heard before, that there are Sacraments & ever have been in the Church of God. Now then let us consider what they are, that first the matter handled, may be defined. For in vain we shall reason and speak of the Sacraments, unless we understand what a Sacrament is. But before we set down any description of it, it shall not be amiss to speak somewhat of the word. The name in so many letters and syllables, is not indeed in the Scripture, no more than the word Trinity, catholic, Consubstantial, and such like: which being now generally received, is not to be rejected, seeing the doctrine contained under it, agreeth with the Scripture, and nothing thereby is added to the Scripture. Now as the fathers of the Greek Church called these holy rites by name of Mysteries, because the substance of them was only known to the members of the Church, and hidden from others: so the ancient teachers of the Latin Church, called them Sacraments, in respect of the affinity and nearness between them and a Sacrament. For a Sacrament properly is that solemn oath in war, by which Soldiers bound themselves to their chief Captain. Such a regard had the old Romans in the discipline of their wars, that it was d Cicero de office Lib. 1. not lawful for any to kill an enemy, or enter into the battle to fight, unless he were sworn a Soldier. So when we are partakers of these holy signs which God hath appointed in his Church, by which he bestoweth upon us spiritual gifts, e A Sacrament properly is the soldiers oath: metaphorically the Church's band binding them to God. we do bind ourselves to him, we profess openly his true religion, we vow to fight under his banner against our enemy's: so that they are testimonies and tokens of the covenant between God and us, that he is our God, and we bind ourselves to be his people, to serve him and no other God. So circumcision was a seal of God's promise to Abraham, and a seal of Abraham's faith and obedience toward God. By them man is bound to God, and God vouchsafeth to bind himself too man. Wherefore, the word Sacrament, being translated from the camp to the Church, from a Soldier to a Christian, from a civil use to an holy, let us see in this sense and signification what it is. Now, the word being borrowed from wars, is f A Sacrament considered 2. ways. taken two ways: first in a general signification, and may comprehend all manner of signs, whether natural, or miraculous, or voluntary, which God commanded men to use, to assure them of the undoubted truth of his promise: as when he gave to Adam in the Garden, the tree of life to be a pledge of his immortality, the Rainbow to Noah and his posterity; sometimes he gave them miraculous signs, as light in a smoking Furnace to Abraham; the fleece wet, the earth being dry, and the earth wet, the fleece being dry, to Gedeon: to promise and perform victory to Gedeon. In this large acceptation of the word, we do not entreat of the Sacraments: we speak properly of those, which God hath left to be ordinary in his Church, to be seals of our communion with Christ, and of the righteousness which is by faith. A Sacrament g What a Sacrament is. thus considered is a visible sign and seal ordained of God, whereby Christ and all his saving graces by certain outward rites are signified, exhibited, and sealed up unto us. In this description, we are to consider these 3. things. First the whole kind or general: secondly, the cause or author thereof: and lastly the use of this doctrine delivered. Touching the first, whereas it is said that a sacrament is a visible sign and seal, this is proved and confirmed in sundry places of the scripture, as Gen. 17. speaking of circumcision, (he saith) h Gen. 17, 11. It shall be a sign of the covenant between me and thee. And Ro. 4. speaking of Abraham (he saith) i Rom. 4, 11 He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness of faith. Indeed a sign and a seal differ one from another, as the general from the especial: for every seal is a sign, but every sign is not a seal. A seal certifieth, assureth, and confirmeth a thing: a sign only showeth it: but a Sacrament doth both. It is a sign to signify and represent: a seal to ratify and assure: an instrument to confer and convey Christ with all his benefits to them that truly believe in him: a pledge unto us of God's promises: a visible word, and as a notable glass wherein we may behold k August de doct. Christ. lib. 2. Cap. 1. assured testimonies of Gods eternal favour, and of the abundant riches of his grace which he bestoweth upon us. This teacheth us to acknowledge, there is more in the Sacraments than is seen with the eyes, or felt with the hands: and therefore we must not conceive unreverently of them, nor come negligently unto them, making them mere carnal and outward things: but we must think reverently, speak soberly, receive humbly and penitently these holy mysteries. Again, hereby we are brought to believe the promises of God: for if the Sacraments be not only signs of his favour but seals of our faith, can we doubt of his mercy and good meaning toward us, having left such pawns and pledges thereof with us, that we might have assured comfort and comfortable assurance of salvation and eternal life? Is it not among men matter of assurance, and a note of true dealing, to have a pledge left with us? But behold God hath left unto us two pawns of his promises, as it were an earnest-penny, that our faith should not waver. If then his alone word be all-sufficient, having a noble addition of the Sacraments, as of his seals, let us believe his promises, and in all temptations rest upon them with all confidence and consolation. Secondly it is said l Sacraments were instituted o● God alone. a Sacrament is a divine ordinance. Not any Angel or Archangel, not any Prince or Potentate, but only God himself is the author and ordainer of all holy signs and Sacraments. This appeareth by many witnesses out of the word of God, I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of the covenant between me and the earth: and when I shall cover the earth with a cloud, and the bow shall be seen in the cloud, then will I remember my covenant which is between me and you. Where we see, that when God determined to be merciful unto the world, and never to drown the same with water again as he had drowned it, he gave them a sign of his promise, to wit, His bow in the clouds. When God would witness and 'stablish to Abraham and his seed after him the promise of his mercy, he ordained a Sacrament to confirm the same, Gen. 17. This is my covenant which ye shall keep between me and you, let every man child among you be circumcised. And the Apostle saith, I have received of the Lord that which I have delivered unto you. And Christ himself instituted Baptism, and sent forth his Disciples to preach the Gospel. All these testimonies as a cloud of witnesses do confirm us in this truth, that none hath power & authority in the Church to institute a Sacrament, but only God. And the reasons are apparent: First, the Sacraments belong to the service and worship of God: now it resteth not in man to appoint and prescribe a service of God, but to retain and embrace that which is taught by him, For in vain they worship him, teaching for doctrines men's precepts. Again, the Sacramental signs have Gods promises annexed unto them, confirming us in the same, which they could not do, but by the blessing and benefit of him that promiseth: so that God only is able to bestow grace, and he alone can appoint true signs of grace. For as he only hath authority to seal the charter & pardon, in whose jurisdiction it is to grant it: so likewise God giveth the pledges and tokens of his grace which sheddeth the graces of the Spirit into our hearts. Wherefore, the reverent Sacraments of the Church, none can institute by his authority, but only God: and hence it is, that the signs have the names of the things signified. None but Christ himself could say of the bread, This is my body: none but he could say of the cup, This cup is the new Testament in my blood: none but he, breathing on his Apostles could say, Receive the Holy Ghost: none but he could make the water in Baptism to be the laver of regeneration. Let us see what good and profitable uses arise from this Use 1 doctrine. First, if the Sacraments be the ordinances of God, than they depend not on the worthiness or unworthiness, fitness or unfitness vices or virtues of the Minister: but all their efficacy and force hangeth on the holy institution of Christ jesus. The Minister's impiety & wickedness maketh not a nullity of the Sacrament, neither hindereth the fruit of the worthy receiver, no more than the piety and godliness of a faithful Minister can profit an unworthy receiver. Indeed, the Church must endeavour that they be clean which bear the Vessels of the Lord, Esay 52, 11. and that the Ministers thereof may be holy and unblamable, according to the Apostles r 1 Tim. 3, 2. rule, but we must not measure the profit of the receiver, by the person of the Minister. If a thief do steal a sack of corn, we see if he sow it, it groweth up and bringeth forth increase, because the fault resteth not in the seed which is good, but in the sour which is evil: so doth the Sacrament profit the faithful, howsoever he be unfaithful that doth administer it. We see if the seede-man have foul, filthy, and unclean hands that soweth, yet if the seed be clean, sweet, and fair, it prospereth: so the holy things of God s Evil ministers may deliver the good things of God. cannot be defiled by the corrupt and sinful life of the Minister, while he delivereth nothing of his own, but dispenseth the ordinances of God. Thus we see that whether the Minister be good or evil, godly or ungodly, an heretic or a Catholic, holy or profane, the effect is all one, the worthiness of the Sacrament dependeth not on man, but proceedeth from God; and therefore all such as contemn the Sacraments of God for the sacrilege of man, shall bear their condemnation whosoever they are. The two sons of Ely, Hophni and Phinehas, were t 1 Sam. 1, 22.23. exceeding sinners against the Lord, yet because the people of Israel abhorred the sacrifices of God, and trod his worship under their feet, the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the whole land, and he denounced u 1 Sam. 6, 11. sore judgements against them. So then, the offence of the Priests was no defence of the people: but as the Priests gave the offence, & the people took it, so God bond them together in the same judgement. So we must know, God will not bear the contempt of his ordinances under any pretence whatsoever of the Minister's wickedness & unworthiness: if his hand be corrupt, let thy heart be uncorrupt; though his sins be his own, yet the Sacram. be Gods: he may minister comfort to thee, though he bring none to himself: as the workmen that builded the Ark prepared a means to save other, but were drowned themselves, or as the bells though they move not themselves, yet serve to bring others to the exercises of religion, or as the Scribes that pointed the way to the wisemen, but themselves vouchsafed not to step out of doors to inquire after Christ. The ears of corn do carry the corn with the chaff to be purged and cleansed in the barn, & though the chaff be unprofitable, yet it profiteth the corn, as the Lantern holdeth the candle to give light unto others that are the passengers. As gold is gold, of whomsoever it is given and received: so the Sacrament is truly a Sacrament, whether it be given of a good or evil Minister: so is it with the word of God. This appeareth by the words of Christ our saviour, Math. 23. The Scribes and pharisees sit in Moses seat: a Mat. 23, 2, 3 all therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do: but after their works do not, for they say and do not. Albeit then, the Scripture condemneth such as give offences, yet such as take offence are not thereby justified; let us magnify the ordinances of God, and then we may expect a blessing at his hands. This is that which the b 1 Cor. 3, 6, 7 Apostle teacheth. I have planted, Apollo's watered, but God gave the increase: So then, neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth, but God that giveth the increase. Wherefore, the people of God notwithstanding the wickedness and unworthiness of the Ministers, may safely and with a good conscience use their ministry, both hearing the word from their mouths, and receiving the Sacraments at their hands: and both of them are effectual and available unto salvation, neither do they defile themselves by their corruption. The Donatists in former times, & the Anabaptists in our days, teach that such scandalous Ministers as give offence can profit us nothing at all, nor further our salvation, nor do us any good, & that being defiled themselves by their sins, they defile also the Sacraments. Hereunto they bring the saying in the law of Moses, Whatsoever the unclean person toucheth, shall be unclean: & the soul that toucheth it shall be unclean until even. Likewise they allege the words of Haggai the Prophet, If a man bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garmant, & with his skirt do touch bread or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy? The Priests answered and said, No. Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? The Priests answered, It shall be unclean: So is this people, and so is this Nation before me, saith the Lord, and so is every work of their hands, and that which they offer there is unclean. Therefore whensoever the Ministers are polluted with vices, they do pollute & profane whatsoever they handle. I answer, these words are corrupted & depraved by these heretics. The Prophet saith not by way of application, so do you pollute the Sacram. and sacrifices of the people, but the drift of the place is to show unto us that our works are polluted and abominable in the sight of almighty God, and utterly rejected of him, except they proceed from the fountain of a pure heart & faith unfeigned: so that albeit they be in their nature never so good, yet if we be unclean and unpure, we make them all unpure to ourselves: I say, to ourselves but not to others. For why should they bear the blame of our impurity? or why should they be punished for our iniquity? The Apostle speaking of the Lords Supper, 1 Cor. 11. saith, He that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh judgement to himself, not discerning the Lords body: he cannot eat and drink judgement to other men, but he may to himself. Likewise, the same Apostle writing to Titus saith, Chap. 1.15. Unto the pure all things are pure, but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving, is nothing pure: but even their mind and conscience is defiled. No man can defile the Sacraments to others, but only to himself, forasmuch as they take their nature and borrow their force from God, not from men: and therefore are not to be esteemed by the vice or virtue of the Minister, but by the power and virtue of God. If a Prince should send us a pardon by his letters pattens, and deliver them into the hand of a wicked man, as God sent judas the son of perdition to the Children of Israel, to preach unto them that the kingdom of God was at hand: would we refuse the pardon because of the wickedness of the messenger? Or may we think it to be less forcible and available, because he is an ungodly person? Woe then unto those that bring in again the damnable doctrine and practice of the Donatists, long since buried and shaken in pieces, who make a schism in the Church, & departed out of the church for the faults & offences of the Ministers; because we are not baptised into the names of the Ministers, neither are made partakers of the supper of the Ministers: but we are baptised in the name of God, and we are made partakers of the Supper of the Lord. They are therefore their own enemies, that look too much upon the messenger, and too Use. 2 little upon him that sendeth him unto us. Secondly, is God the true and only author and appointer of Sacraments? Then none must add unto, or take from the Sacraments instituted by him in the church, no more then unto the c Deut. 4. word itself, deuteronomy 4. Ye shall put nothing to the word which I command you, neither shall ye take aught there from, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you. And revel. 22, 18, 19 If any man shall d Revel 22, 18, 19 add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: and if any man shall diminish of the words of the book of this prophesy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life. If the Sacraments were the inventions of men, they might also fitly receive the additions and subtractions, the changes and the alterations of men: but seeing they are the ordinances of God, we must be content to have them ordered by God. All Ceremonies therefore and rites devised by men, as parts of God's worship, are so many abominations, and innovations of his service. As God only can graciously promise, so he can only effectually perform what he hath promised. Wherefore, we must condemn those as guilty of rebellion against God, that boldly break out either to devise new Sacraments, or to add and detract from them that God hath ordained. We are commanded to rest in those that he hath appointed to the Church in his word: for as well we may devise a new word, as deliver a new Sacrament: aswell we may coin a new Article of faith, as bring in a new confirmation of of faith. Thirdly, we learn hereby, that they which condemn Use 3 the Sacraments, and will not suffer them to be of any force with themselves: and making small account of them do esteem them as trifles, or otherwise abuse them contrary to the institution, will, and commandment of Christ: all these do grievously sin, not against man, but against the author of them, that is God, who hath ordained them, and greatly endanger their own salvation, as 1. Cor. 11. He that eateth & drinketh unworthily, e 1 Cor. 11, 29 eateth & drinketh his own judgement, because he discerneth not the Lords body. If a man contemn or any way contumeliously abuse the seal of a Prince, he is punished: and therefore such as scorn and make a mock of the Sacraments, which are the seals of God, cannot go scotfree, but shall be indited of high treason and rebellion against his Majesty. The last point to be considered in the description of a Sacrament is the end of them, where it is added, Whereby Christ and all his saving graces by certain outward rites are signified, exhibited, and sealed up to us. This is proved directly by the Apostle, 1. Cor. 10, 16. The f 1 Cor. 10, 16 cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the Communion of the body of Christ? So Peter speaketh Acts 2. of the other Sacrament, g Acts 2, 38. Amend your lives, and be baptised every one of you in the name of jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gifts of the Holy-Ghost. And Paul saith in another place, All ye h Gal. 3, 27. that are baptised into Christ have put on Christ. Our souls are washed in the blood of Christ: his burial, his resurrection his sanctification, his wisdom, his righteousness, his redemption is made ours, all his benefits are ours, as Christ is ours. Use 1 Let us make use of this point, and apply it to ourselves. First, is Christ the sum and substance of all Sacraments? Then the Church of Rome is here condemned, that say, we make the Sacraments bare and naked signs. God forbidden that we should say so, or make them to be so: they are the sure seals of God's promises, heavenly tokens, spiritual signs and authentic pledges of the grace, and righteousness of Christ given and imputed unto us. The Sacraments and sacrifices of the old Testament were not bare signs. Circumcision was not i Rom. 2, 28.29. a bare sign, as Rom. 2. This is not circumcision which is outward in the flesh, but the circumcision of the heart. And In Christ k Col. 2, 11, 12. ye are circumcised with circumcision made without hands, by putting off the sinful body of the flesh, through the circumcision of Christ. Even so Baptism is no bare sign, it were great blasphemy so to speak; it were very great iniquity so to think. The grace of God doth work with his Sacraments, and therefore the signs are never received in vain of the faithful and worthy receiver. The water washeth not from sin, the bread and wine feed not to eternal life: but it is the precious blood of Christ, that doth cleanse us from all sin, and purchaseth for us all grace, which is the life and the truth of the outward signs. Again, is Christ jesus offered by God the Father in the Use 2 right use of the Sacraments? then God doth not deceive or delude those that come unto them. If any that come to the Sacraments, depart without grace, without Christ, without fruit, the cause is in themselves, the fault is not in God; for l Christ is offered to all: but received only of the faithful. he offereth Christ to all, even to the unfaithful, but they have not hands to receive him. If a Prince should offer a rich present, and he to whom it is offered, have no hand to receive it, he goeth away empty. When the Sun giveth light upon the earth, if men shut their eyes and be wilfully blind, they receive no profit by it. When God offereth himself and his graces to us by his word and Gospel, if we stop our ears and harden our hearts, it turneth to be the favour of death to death: so is it in the Sacraments when we come to them, God doth not feed our eyes with naked, vain, and idle shows, but joineth the truth with the outward token, and giveth the grace signified with the sign. If we bring the hand of faith with us, which openeth the gate of the kingdom of heaven for us, Christ is both offered and given to us. But howsoever the sign be always inseparably joined with the grace that is signified, in respect of God: yet hence it followeth not that both of them are of all received. For the outward sign is offered to the hand, to the senses, and instruments of the body, which because all bring with them, all are partakers of the outward parts. But Christ who is signified by the sign, is offered to the soul and faith of the receiver, m 2. Thes. 3, which because many want, they lose the fruit of their work, and the benefit of their labour. Thirdly, if the right receivers receive Christ, and with Use 3 him all saving graces needful to eternal life: then the presence of ungodly men, that come to the same Sacraments with us, and meet us at the same Table, cannot hinder and hurt us in our worthy receiving. The unbelievers and unrepentant persons come indeed into the assembly of the faithful, to hear the word of God read, preached, and expounded, and as they come without faith, so they depart without fruit: yet their company defileth not the saving hearer. So is it in the Sacraments: I confess it were to be wished, that the Church were pure without spot, and perfect without corruption, fair without blemish, and they even n Gal. 5, 12. out off that trouble the same: yet sometimes it o revel. 2, 14.20. wanteth that good censure and godly severity which is required to separate such as may infect with the leaven of their life and doctrine. Again, as the faith of the wise and worthy receiver, cannot sanctify the conscience of the hypocrite and offensive liver: so the infidelity or iniquity of another, shall not bar the faithful soul from fruitful receiving to his salvation, according to that p Ezek. 18, 20 saying, The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself. Every one is to prove and examine himself, not to enter into the consciences and conversations of other men: we shall give an account of our own ways and works, not of the deformities of others which we cannot reform and redress. Furthermore, as in an Army every man hath his standing, so in the Church every man hath his calling: it is not in the q Private men are not to meddle with the censures of the church. power of private persons, but of the Governors of the Church to draw out the censures of the Church against notorious offenders, and therefore in their slacking and negligence, the people must tolerate that which they cannot amend, and not make a separation or rent in the Church, as the manner of some is, disturbing the peace & quietness thereof. Use 4 Fourthly, if Christ be offered, given, and sealed up to us in the Sacraments: then the Sacraments must be holden of us in great price and estimation, for their profits sake, not lightly to be regarded, but reverently to be esteemed. They that respect Christ in whom the treasures of all graces are laid up, must regard the Sacraments of Christ: and such as reject them, reject Christ with all his benefits, Use 5 which who so doth, sinneth against his own soul. Lastly, if they be signs and seals of grace offered: then the Sacraments make not a Christian, no more than the seal giveth the purchase or possession. The faithful and the children of the faithful are true Christians, differing from Pagans and Heathen before they be baptised. The Sacraments are signs, not causes of grace. And whosoever is not a Christian before he receive baptizme, baptizme can make him none, which is only the seal of the graces of God and his privileges before received. The word of God and the Sacraments of God are both of one nature: but the word is not able to confer grace, but only to declare and publish what God will confer, inasmuch as to some it is the savour r 2 Cor. 2, 16. of death to death, therefore also the Sacraments of themselves do not confer and bestow grace, having it tied unto them, or shut up in them. For if the Sacraments did actually and effectually give grace, by inherent power and virtue in themselves: it would follow from hence, that every person baptised is certainly saved, and hath his sins remitted, or else that his sins remitted may return and remain and be again imputed. But when God graciously pardoneth sin, s Ezek. 18, 22. he remembreth it no more. Besides, that which is proper to God, ought not to be ascribed to the creature. Again, we see Abraham was not justified by his circumcision, he was justified by his faith; for t Gen. 15, 6. Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness: and afterward he received u Rom. 4, 10, 11. circumcision, to be the sign and seal of his justification. Notwithstanding, the Sacraments may be said to confer the grace of regeneration and remission of sins, as they are instruments used of God, and as they are pledges & tokens to us. They are means to offer and exhibit to the believer, Christ with all his benefits, whereby the conscience is assured of comfort & salvation as the Prince's letters are said to save the life of a malefactor, whereas they only signify to him and others, that it is the Prince's pleasure to favour him. Again, they may not unfitly be said to give us grace, because the sign exhibiteth the thing signified: the outward washing of the body is a pledge and token of the grace of God, so that whosoever useth the sign aright, shall receive forgiveness, and life everlasting. CHAP. III. That the parts of a Sacrament are partly outward and partly inward. WE have seen what a Sacrament is: now we are to consider in it two things, first his parts, than his uses: for in handling these two points, we shall see what is the nature of a Sacrament. The parts of a Sacrament are of two sorts, some outward, open, sensible, earthly, visible, and signifying: some are inward, hidden, spiritual, heavenly, invisible, and signified. For the nature of a Sacrament is partly earthly, and partly heavenly. If we had been wholly a spirit without body, he would give us his gifts spiritually without a body: but seeing we are soul and body, he giveth us his Sacraments, that so we may apprehend spiritual gifts by sensible things. The outward part is one thing, and the inward part is another thing: the outward is applied to the body, the inward is applied to the soul and conscience. This division and distinction of parts a Rom. 2▪ 28.29. appeareth plainly in sundry places of holy Scripture, as Rom. 2. He is not a jew which is one outward, ne●ther is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh: but he is a jew which is one within, and the circumcision is of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter: where we see, he maketh circumcision to stand of two parts, part in the flesh, and part in the heart, partly in the spirit, and partly in the letter. Hereunto cometh b Col. 2, 11. that saying, Ye are circumcised with circumcision made without hands: so that there is a circumcision without, and there is another within by the virtue of Christ. The same we may say of Baptism, there is a baptizing of the body, and there is a baptizing of the soul: the body is washed with water, the soul is cleansed by the precious blood of our saviour Christ, which is the hidden and mystical part of the Sacrament. This appeareth by many examples recorded in Scripture. Simon the sorcerer, though he were baptised with water, yet his heart was not right in the sight of God, he remained c Acts 8, 13, 21, 23. in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity, so that albeit he were baptised, yet he was not regenerated. The Israelites were partakers of the d 1. Cor. 10, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. outward signs, not of the invisible grace. They were all baptised unto Moses in that cloud and in that sea: they did all eat the same spiritual meat, they all drank the same spiritual drink, yet with many of them God was not pleased. The like may be said of judas one of the twelve, he did eat the paschal lamb as well as the rest of the Apostles, but he did not eat Christ (who is the lamb undefiled and without spot) as the other did. This is that also which john the e Mat. 3, 11. Baptist teacheth, Indeed I baptise you with water to amendment of life, but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear, he shall baptise you with the Holy Ghost and with fire: where, as the Baptist maketh two baptizers, himself and Christ, so he distinguisheth their actions, his own to wash with water, and the action of Christ to wash with the Holy Ghost. Neither need we to seek far for reason, to persuade any to believe this truth, that the nature of a sacrament, is neither wholly outward or wholly inward, but taketh part of both; seeing nothing can be a sign of itself, but a sign is a sign of another thing, and seeing they are mysteries, they have an hidden meaning and spiritual understanding. If the water in Baptism had not grace annexed unto it, it could not be a mystery. We see the sign, we see not the grace which is invisible. Now let us come to the uses. These parts though distinguished really one from another, Use 1 that the outward parts cannot be the inward, the earthly cannot be the heavenly, the seal can not be the thing sealed, the token cannot be the thing betokened, nor contrariwise: (for this were to alter nature and mingle heaven and earth together) yet in respect of the proportion between the sign and the thing signified, and of the conjunction of them to the faithful, which receive both the one and the other, one part is affirmed of the other. For we must understand that the Scripture in regard of this union, speaketh of the Sacraments two ways, to wit, properly and figuratively. Properly, when that which belongeth to the sign is given to the sign, and when the thing signified is given and applied to the thing itself; and thus each part hath his own, as Circumcision is called i Gen. 17, 11. the sign of the Covenant. And the blood of the Lamb is called k Exod. 12, 13 a sign: these are plain and proper speeches, and without figure. Again, when it saith, l Lu. 21, 19, 20. My body which is given for you, my blood m 1 Cor. 5, 7. which is shed for many for remission of sins, we must understand the words literally as they lie. Figuratively, when the sign is given to the thing signified, and called by the name of it, as Christ is called n 1 Cor. 5, 7. the passover: & the o joh. 1, 29. Lamb of God: his flesh is also said to be meat indeed, and his blood drink indeed: the holy Spirit is called p Eze. 36, 25. water, or else the name of the thing signified is given to the sign, as bread is called the q Mat. 26, 28. body of Christ, the cup is called the new Testament. These speeches must be taken figuratively, and understood by a change of name according to the intention and meaning of the Holy-Ghost: so that we must beware that we do not take or mistake the sign for the thing, nor the thing for the sign, seeing the parts are distinguished in nature, though joined in the person. Again, albeit by God's ordinance these parts be so united, that by taking of the sign the faithful are made partakers of the thing signified, no less truly than the outward signs are received of our bodily senses: yet we must conceive and consider, that these outward & inward parts remain distinct and unconfounded, and therefore we must take heed we take not one for another: we must not ascribe too much to the outward parts, and so take them for the inward, which hath been the occasion of sundry errors from time to time. Some attribute too little to the outward sign, and some ascribe too much: both ways the Sacrament is abused and the parts are misapplied. Hence sprang as a rank weed in the Lord's corn, the doctrine of transubstantiation or carnal turning of the substance of bread into the body, whereby the sign is swallowed up, & the outward substance with them quite abolished; for their feigned Christ hath consumed the outward sign, as the rich devoureth and eateth the poor. Thus the sign is consumed and too little regarded. Others on the other side, cleave too much to the outward sign, and rest in the external work, placing holiness and remission of sins in the deed done: and thus the thing signified is little regarded and wholly abolished, r Gen. 41, 4. as the evil favoured and leane-fleshed Kine did eat up the fat & well-favored: this was Pharaohs dream, and the other is man's devise. For these men give all to the outward receiving, placing holiness and remission of sins therein, and thinking themselves sure and secure when the bread and wine is taken at the Lords table. Thus all hypocrites, libertines, and carnal Gospelers do: for all the religion, devotion, and godliness of these idle and ignorant professors, standeth in outward resorting to the Church, and in an outward taking of the communion of the body & blood of Christ; which is to make an Idol of the sign, and to flatter themselves in their evils to their own destruction. For albeit a man have been baptised and have received the Lords Supper, yet if he live wickedly and walk after his own lusts, the Sacraments shall avail and advantage him nothing at all, but further his condemnation. Use 3 Lastly, hath the Sacrament some parts outward and some inward, some seen and some not seen with bodily eyes? Then it giveth occasion, both to parents to teach their children the meaning of these mysteries, and to declare unto them the ordinances of God, as likewise to children and the younger sort to ask and inquire of their parents, to hear and learn of them the doctrine of the Sacraments, thereby to know the merciful promises that God hath made to his people. This appeareth s Exod. 12, 26.27. & chap. 13 14, 15. directly, where the fathers are forewarned to teach their children the hidden mystery of the passover, When your children ask you what service is this ye keep? then ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lords passover, which passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and preserved our houses. So likewise Ch. 13, 14. speaking of separating and sanctifying the first borne for the service of God, he chargeth parents to whet this doctrine on their children and to instruct them, how God with a mighty hand and outstretched arm brought them out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Again, t josh. 4, 6, 7.8, 21, 22, 23. we see when the Lord had parted the waters of jordan that the people might pass, he commanded joshua to set up 12. stones in memorial of the mighty and miraculous work of God for his people against their enemies: and when their children should ask them in time to come, what was meant by those stones, they should answer that the waters of jordan were cut off before the Ark of the covenant of the Lord. He would not only have themselves to profit by his wonderful works, but to retain the remembrance of them, he would have their posterity to know the cause & occasion thereof, and so glorify his name for ever. Hereunto we may fitly join u Psal. 78, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. what the Psalmist saith, I will open my mouth in a parable, I will declare high sentences of old which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us; we will not hide them from their children, but to the generation to come we will show the praises of the Lord, his power also and his wonderful works that he hath done: that the posterity might know it, and the children which should be borne should stand up and declare it to their children, that they might set their hope on God, cannot forget the works of God, but keep his commandments. All these things serve to this purpose, to show that it is a duty and burden laid on the shoulders of all parents, to acquaint their children with the works of God, especially with the benefits of our redemption wrought by Christ for our salvation. If they ask the question why Infants are baptised and washed with water into the name of the holy Trinity, we must make plain unto them the meaning of that mystery. We must say unto them, My children, a How to teach our children the meaning of the Sacraments. this is a sign of the Covenant of God's mercy to us, and our duty to God: it is a mystery of our salvation, and teacheth that being in ourselves unclean, unrighteous, unholy, and sinful, our souls are washed by the blood of Christ, even as the water in baptism washeth our bodies: wherein the mercy of God is so much the more marvelous in our eyes, insomuch as the jews were entered into the covenant by cutting, lancing, and effusion of blood in circumcision. Again, before they come to years ro receive the holy Supper of the Lord, we must inform them at home, and declare the institution of that Sacrament and the comfortable uses thereof to them, so they may afterward come to this Communion with better warrant of their work, with greater comfort to themselves, and with less danger to their souls. We must teach them, that as the bread is broken and the Wine powered out, so the body of Christ was crucified and his blood shed for the remission of our sins: and that if we believe in the Lord jesus, we are nourished in our souls to eternal life by the passion of Christ our Saviour, as certainly as our bodies are nourished with the creatures of bread & wine. Notwithstanding there is a general defect of this duty in many parents, neither are children ready to inquire & learn at home, neither are parents able to answer any thing in these matters of God: waywardness in the one, & wordliness in the other, & ignorance in them both, hath taken away all care and conscience from them, touching these holy and heavenly mysteries, so that neither the one teacheth, nor the other learneth, neither the Child inquireth, nor the father answereth. CHAP. FOUR Of the first outward part of a Sacrament. THe outward parts of a Sacrament are such things, as a What outward parts are. under a certain similitude and sickness do represent and signify heavenly things, to assure us they are as truly prelent and offered us, as we behold with our eyes, and receive with our hands the earthly things given unto us. The outward parts of a Sacrament are in number b Four outward parts of a Sacrament. four. First the Minister: Secondly, the word of institution. Thirdly, the sign. Fourthly, the receiver. All these and every one of them are needful to the being and nature of a Sacrament: take them away or any of them, and you take away the substance and bring in a nullity of the Sacrament. If there be no Minister, no word, no element, no receiver: there is no Sacrament. If there be wanting either Minister to deliver it or word to institute it, or element to represent it, or receiver to take it: we cannot assure ourselves to have any Sacrament of God, but rather a tradition and invention of our own. In this place I take the word [part] in a general sense and signification, and therefore do conclude in it, and comprehend under it, as well the Ministers and receivers to be outward parts of a Sacrament, as the signs themselves. All men do confess that the signs are parts, because they are material: but I undertake to prove the persons both of him that delivereth and of them that receive to be essential also. Besides, the actions of the Minister, and the actions of the receiver are both of them significant (as is manifestly showed) so that there is a fit resemblance between the works of the Minister and the works of God the Father; for God performeth the truth of that inwardly which the Minister doth outwardly: and the actions of the receiver do serve to instruct the faithful what they are to do by faith. Wherefore if the signs be parts, because they are significant: then we are to receive the Ministers and receivers as parts also, because whatsoever they do is significant also. First then, c The Minister is the first outward part of a Sacrament. there is required a Minister lawfully called, chosen, and ordained, having at the least the approbation and allowance of the Church to pronounce the words of institution, and to deliver the outward signs to the receivers. They are not makers of the Sacrament, but Ministers: not authors, but administrators: not devisers, but deliverers. Earthly Princes have their letters patents, and their great seals, and keepers of the same: if another shall set to the seal that is not appointed the keeper thereof, is it not made an heinous crime worthy of heavy punishment? So the Lord is a mighty Prince, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords: he hath appointed his seals, to seal up his promise of forgiveness of sins and eternal life: and he hath ordained his Officers as it were keepers of his great seals. God publisheth salvation and pardon to all believers by his word as by his letters patents, and he addeth baptism and the Lords Supper as two broad seals for greater assurance and confirmation, and appointeth the Ministers to be keepers thereof. Whosoever therefore shall presume to set to any of these seals without warrant without a calling, without a function and direction from God himself being no officer, no Minister, no keeper of them, profaneth these seals, and setteth to a counterfeit stamp. For as no man may preach d Rom. 10, 15. except he be sent: so no man may administer the Sacraments except he be called. This is it the e Heb. 5, 4.5. Apostle teacheth. No man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God as was Aaron: and Christ took not to himself this honour to be made the high Priest: but he that said unto him. Thou art my Son, this day begat I thee, gave it to him. Now, to minister the Sacraments, is an honour in the Church, which none can take to himself at his own pleasure, but God must give it. They should have in their own consciences a witness of Gods calling them to this office and honour. Wherefore the sacred functions ordained of God must not be profaned by voluntary officers and usurped offices: no man must take upon him without a lawful calling to teach these holy mysteries. Of these the f jer. 23, 21. Lord complaineth, I have not sent these Prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, and yet they prophesied. Thus these intruders did thrust their sickle into other men's corn. The reasons g Reasons why the Ministers only are to administer the Sadraments. why the Ministers and no others are to intermeddle with the Sacraments, are very apparent. First, because every part and member of the Church hath his especial office and his proper gifts to execute his calling: we see in a camp, the Soldiers in war have their standing-place in sight of their captain who hath chosen them to be warriors: so in the Church must every one keep his several calling in the presence of God, who hath in wisdom and mercy called him thereunto. We see in the natural disposition of the body, h See Book 2, cap. 3. every member hath his special use, the eye to see, the hand to handle, the foot to walk, the ear to hear, and if one member should encroach upon the office of another, it must needs tend to the destruction of the body. We see in the government of an house and family, the husband and wife, the father and son, the master and servant know & acknowledge their places to rule and to obey, to command and to be commanded, without intruding themselves, and encroaching upon the function, as it were upon the free-holde of another. If we would ascend a step higher, we observe in the affairs of state and matters of the commonwealth, every man doth keep within his own lists and limits, and no man dare presume to charge any man or enterprise any thing in the Prince's name & authority, without a sufficient warrant from the Prince himself: so may no man take upon him any functions in the Church, unless he have a commission and commandment from the Lord. For as the Prince appointeth by what officers he will be served: so is it in the offices and officers of the Church, God hath placed and ordained the Apostle to plant, the Evangelist to second and assist, the Prophet to prophesy, the Pastor to feed, and hath set every one k 1 Cor. 12, 12, 14. in his proper place and standing as it were in his watchtower, out of which he must not wander and departed; It is a general & common rule set down by the Apostle, Let every man abide in the same vocation wherein he was called: and again afterwards, Let every man wherein he was called, therein abide with God. Whosoever therefore meddleth without a lawful vocation, as it were violently invadeth another man's possession, as Ahab did the Vineyard of Naboth: and cannot do it without the check & controlment of Christ jesus, who is the l josh. 5, 14. Captain of his own host, m Eph. 4, 15. the head of his own body, the n Heb. 3, 5, 6. Lord of his own house, and the o revel. 12, 5. great King of his own Church. Again, Christ the Prophet and teacher of his Church, and the Prince of Pastors, hath committed the office of administration of the Sacraments to those alone to whom he hath committed the dispensation of his word and preaching of the Gospel: therefore if any other shall set to the seal, it is no true seal but a counterfeit stamp. The truth of this appeareth by the words of john Baptist: Indeed I baptise with water, that is, I that am appointed a teacher in the Church, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. And Paul being converted and called to preach, & to bear the name of God to the Gentiles, did without further word, warrant, or commandment, minister the Sacraments. Now then as we have seen the truth of the doctrine, let us consider the uses thereof. First, is the Minister of the substance of the Sacram. and a principal part of Christ's institution? Then he must consider, it is his duty, being authorised from God & by his Church, to sanctify the outward elements and administer the same, to deliver the outward signs & offer them to the receivers. His works therefore are to put apart & consecrate the signs to an holy use, to open & declare the covenant of God, to pray for his blessing promised upon his own ordinance, to give thanks for the blessed work of our redemption, to offer, give and deliver aright the creatures so sanctified, in baptism to sprinkle with water & wash the body to be baptised: & in the Lord's supper to deliver the bread to be eaten, and the wine to be drunk, to the spiritual nourishment of the Church. So then the Minister ought not to refuse to baptise such as are brought unto him. Shall the servant refuse to do the work of his master? When Christ the master shall say, Go and baptise: shall he answer again, I will not? when the Centurion saith to his servant, Go, he goeth & when he saith Come he cometh. If the Lord keeper of the King's broad seal should proudly and presumptuously disdain to set the seal to the Prince's letters patents, were he not well worthy to be displaced and removed? So if the Minister through envy, or hatred, or any other sinister affection, which ought not to be harboured in their breast, shall refuse to put the seal to the Lords Covenant, and hinder little children from coming to Christ, he deserveth justly to be displaced and to bear office no longer in the city of God, but to be removed for his contempt, q 1 King. 2, 35 as Solomon put down Abiathar. Use 2 Secondly, is it a necessary point of the Sacrament that it be ministered by a Minister? Then it condemneth all those that put these seals into a wrong hand, and all private persons that violently rush upon this calling, and take upon them to meddle with the administration of the Sacraments with unwashen hands, seeing the dispensation of the word and Sacraments is so linked, annexed, and joined together by God, that a denial of licence to do the one is a denial to do the other, and contrariwise the licence to one is licence to the other. Christ never gave to private persons any such commandment, he never committed to them any such office, he never commended to their care these holy actions, he never called them to this honour, he never laid upon them this charge; and therefore they have no part nor fellowship in this business. If notwithstanding these restrainings of authority from them, they will run and rush forward, where they should hang backward, their sin lieth at the door, their punishment hasteneth and their judgement sleepeth not. Lastly, if the Minister be an outward part of the Sacrament, Use 3 we must beware and take heed we ascribe not to the Minister that which is proper to Christ, and so rob him of the honour due unto his name. The Minister may offer the sign, he cannot bestow the thing signified: he may baptise the body, he cannot cleanse the soul: he may deliver the bread and wine, he cannot give the body and blood of Christ: john may wash with water, he cannot give the Spirit. Man indeed pronounceth the word, but God sealeth up his grace in the heart: man sprinkleth the body with water, but God maketh clean the soul by the blood of Christ: man may take away the filth of the flesh, but Christ must purge the conscience from dead works, who is that blessed Lamb of God that r john 1, 29. taketh away the sins of the world. For as Paul s 1 Cor. 3, 6. planteth and Apollo's watereth, but God giveth the increase: so the Minister offereth the element and outward sign, but God giveth the heavenly grace. It belongeth to the Minister to handle the external part: it belongeth as a peculiar dignity to Christ to bestow grace, to give faith, regeneration, t Mat. 3, 11. and forgiveness of sins, and to baptise with the Holy-Ghost. This truth john confesseth, I baptise with water, but one cometh after me, who is mightier than I, he shall baptise you with the Holy-Ghost. Where we see, he maketh a flat opposition between himself and Christ, between his baptism and the baptism of Christ. As on the one side we must take heed of the contempt of him that teacheth and ministereth the Sacraments, because the contempt of the word & Sacraments doth necessarily follow the contempt of his person: so we must beware we attribute or give not to him more than his right, lest the power of the word & force of the Sacraments be attributed to his person, whereby men rob God of his glory, & spoil themselves of the fruit of them both. This was it wherein the n 1 Cor. 1, 22. Corinthians offended, when they said, I am Paul's, I am Apollo's, I am Cephas, I am Christ's. Wherefore to keep a golden mean between too much and too little, we must do as if a Prince should send us some present by one of the meanest messengers of his house, we would receive him favourably and entertain him honourably for the gifts sake which he bringeth unto us: but the gift itself we would receive for the King's sake, from whom it was sent: So it becometh every one of us to do, God hath committed to his messengers and Ministers the word of reconciliation, we must have them in singular love for their works sake that labour among us, but the word & Sacraments we must receive for the Lords sake from whom they come. Thus much of the first outward part, to wit, the Minister. CHAP. V Of the second outward part of a Sacrament. THe second outward part of a Sacrament a The word of institution, a necessary part of the Sacrament. is the word, necessarily required to the substance of a Sacrament: for b August in joh. 13. Tract. 18. the word is added and joined to the element, and there is made a Sacrament. This sacramental word, is the word of institution, which God in each Sacrament hath after a special manner set down; consisting partly of a commandment by which Christ appointeth the administration of Sacraments, and partly of a promise annexed, whereby God ordaineth that the outward elements shallbe instruments and seals of his graces; as for example, when Christ saith, c Mat. 28, 19 Go teach all Nations and baptise them, there is a commandment to warrant the use & practise of Baptism: the promise likewise is in the next words, Into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. So touching the other Sacrament of his supper, when he saith, d Mat. 26, 26.27. Take ye, eat ye, drink ye, do this in remembrance of me, lo, there is the commandment, commanding the continual use thereof until the second coming of Christ. The promise is, This is my body which is given for you, this is my blood of the new Testament shed for you and for many for remission of sins. Whatsoever signs of holy things God gave to strengthen the faith of his children, we may see & discern that God always added the word to the seal, the voice to the sign, and doctrine to the sight, so that when the sign was seen, the word was heard. When one of the Seraphins, bearing an hot coal in his hand which he had taken from the altar, e Esa. 6, 6, 7. touched the mouth of the Prophet, he said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips, and thine iniquity shall be taken away, and thy sins shall be purged. Now, we know a coal hath not power and force to take away sin, but the word uttered by the Angel did assure him that he should be purged by the Holy-Ghost, which was signified by the fire. So when jeremy saw the rod of an Almond tree, the Lord said unto him, Thou hast well seen, for I will hasten my word to perform it. He joineth the sign with the word for a more ample confirmation, signifying by the rod of almond (which first buddeth) the hasty coming of the Babylonians against the jews. Again, when Christ gave to his Disciples the Holy-Ghost, he breathed on them and said, f john 20, 22. Receive the Holy-Ghost. The corporal blast and breathing was not the Holy-Ghost, but he added his word and promise with the outward sign, to assure them that with the breathing he bestowed a blessing. Thus we see, that the Sacraments have the word always joined with them: and without the word, whereby their institution and use is declared, they are as a dead body without life, as a dumb show without voice, as an empty cloud without water, and as a barren tree without fruit. Let us apply this doctrine to ourselves. First it teacheth, that they partake not the Sacraments aright, that have not the knowledge of the word, that are ignorant both of the ordinance and institution of God, and of the promise annexed to the institution of God: of which sort there are many in the world, that never labour to know what he hath appointed and commanded them to do. If they do as others of the Church do, therein they rest and seek no further to be able to warrant their own work. If they hear the word spoken, if they see the body washed, the bread broken and the wine poured out, and receive the outward signs, they regard no more, they go no higher, they imagine that they have done enough, g Understanding of the institution, required of all. they never desire to understand the meaning of the words which are necessary to be known, comfortable to be understood, and profitable to be marked. If a man have goods befallen, or legacies bequeathed unto him by any will or Testament, will he not resort to his learned counsel, to be careful to understand the Testament, and know the meaning of the Testator? Christ jesus before his death made his will, he hath made his children heirs of his promise, he promiseth to them forgiveness of sins in this life, and eternal life in the world to come. Doth it not now behove every faithful Christian to search into it, and know what is promised and bequeathed unto him? Men of this world for the most part make their eldest and first borne heir of all, and leave little to the other: but every child of God is as the eldest and as the h Exod. 4, 22. first borne most dear to him, he shall receive his double portion, the second shall have no less than the first, nor the third less than the second, nor the younger than the elder, the first shall be as the last, and the last as the first, for he may do with his own what he list. Again, if a man do leave all his sons heirs and rich inheritors, for the most part less is bestowed on the daughters: but all the children of God, both his sons and daughters i Rom. 8, 17. Gal. 4, 7. shallbe heirs, even the Heirs of God, and heirs annexed with Christ jesus, their share shallbe as great as the portion of Sons. Moreover when a man hath passed all the days of his life in cark & care, what can he give to his posterity but earthly riches, and a transitory possession, a fading inheritance, leaving them inheritors as well of his sorrow as of his substance? It is not so with the children of God. Christ by his last will and Testament hath promised to make his people sound in faith, rich in hope, blessed in the pardon of their sins, & heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him. This is a great and unspeakable comfort to all God's children, whether high or low, whether rich or poor. So then we ought to be much more careful & earnest to know thoroughly & understand perfectly the will of Christ, than any natural child is to search the meaning of the will of his natural father. And if men were not wholly carnal, they would be thus far spiritually minded. Again, is the word an outward part of the Sacrament? Use 2 Then the Sacraments must never be separated & set apart from the word. They are not dumb shows and idle signs, but have always the doctrine of God adjoining unto them, to show the end, use, and profit of them, and the purpose of God in them. This appeareth in all places, where God gave signs to confirm & assure the truth of his promises. When he gave in mercy to Noah and all his posterity the k Gen. 9, 11. Rainbow immediately after the flood as a sign of his covenant, he addeth his word unto the sign, My covenant will I establish with you, that from henceforth all flesh shall not be rooted out by the waters of the flood, neither shall there be a flood to destroy the earth any more. This is it the Apostle meaneth, 1. Cor. 11. Ye show the Lords death till he come. Where he teacheth, that the Lords Supper cannot be truly delivered and rightly administered, unless there be a declaration and showing forth of the death of Christ. Wherefore it is no Sacrament except the word and doctrine be joined unto it, by way of explication & exposition of the outward sign. Lastly, those Sacraments are proved hereby to be no Use 3 Sacraments, which are foisted and brought in without the warrant of the word. For take away the word, and what is the outward Element but a bare sign? What is the water in baptism but common water? What is the bread in the Lord's Supper but common bread? What is the wine but common wine, such as men use, and all men may take at their ordinary tables? Seeing therefore such signs and Sacraments as have not God's commandment for their institution: nor promise of grace and salvation annexed unto the using of them, are void and nothing worth: hereby the imagined and devised Sacraments of the Church of Rome are condemned, which delivereth that it hath not received of the Lord, and imposeth that to be believed which it never learned in the word. Hereby the last annoyling or extreme unction is excluded, wanting the word to warrant the continual practice of it. Also their confirmation hath neither word to institute the practice, nor element ro assure any grace, nor promise to approve any use. True it is, they have words to administer it, but they are words of men, not of God; unwritten, not written: of tradition, not of Scripture. The like might be said of marriage, though we confess and acknowledge it to be an holy ordinance and m Heb. 13, 4. honourable institution of God, yet was it made no Sacrament, having no word of institution, no promise of sanctification and salvation annexed unto all the faishfull users thereof: neither is it an instrument, whereby God applieth Christ and his saving benefits to the comfort and consolation of his children. Wherefore to conclude this point we affirm, that neither the sons of Romulus at Rome, nor of Remus at Rheims shall ever be able to show and prove, that they are to be acknowledged & received as Sacraments of the church which have no warrant of the word to command them, nor promise annexed to assure the saving graces of Christ to the worthy receivers of them. But such are their five pretended Sacraments of confirmation, penance, orders, matrimony, and extreme unction, wanting either the word, or promise, or both: and therefore we cannot receive, we cannot acknowledge, we cannot believe them. Thus much of the second outward part, namely, the word of institution. CHAP. VI Of the third outward part of a Sacrament. THe third outward part of a Sacrament is the a The sign is an outward part of the Sacrament. element or outward sign. For wheresoever there is a Sacrament, there must of necessity be a sign, such as water is in baptism, and bread and wine in the Lord's supper, not of their own nature, but by the ordinance of God, which are sanctified by the especial word and prayer. Therefore, john the Baptist baptised with water: & Christ when he instituted his last Supper, took bread and broke it, and gave it to his Disciples: Likewise he took the cup, wherein was the fruit of the Vine, as appeareth when he b Mar. 14, 25. said, I will drink no more of the fruit of the Vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God. Seeing then it is clear, there must in every Sacrament be a visible sign that may be seen and handled, let us see how we may profitably apply this to our instruction. First, seeing the signs and Sacramental rites are outward parts: we must take heed we ascribe not too much to the outward sign, and so commit idolatry to the creature. For the Water in Baptism hath not power in itself & force to wash away sin, but by the ordinance of God it is made a sign and seal of regeneration. Even as the water of jordan where john baptised, was no better than the waters of others places and Countries, neither had any strength and virtue to cleanse the Leapars that washed in it: yet by the blessing of God, Naaman the Syrian c 2 King 5, 12 14. washing himself seven times therein, according to the direction of the Prophet, was cleansed and healed of his leprosy: So the water used in the Sacrament of baptism, is in nature and substance the same with ordinary and common water, neither hath it vigour and virtue to cleanse the soul, yet by the institution of God it is appointed to seal up the assurance of remission of sins. Notwithstanding, this confidence in the outward sign, which in itself is as nothing, hath since the fall of man rested and remained in his corrupt nature, flattering himself and deceiving his own soul. This fond and false opinion was in Adam immediately after his transgression; he did attribute too much to the tree of life (which had in itself no more life than the rest of the trees in the garden) and therefore God would thrust him out of the garden, e Gen. 3, 22. lest he should beguile himself with that conceit and imagination. Thus did the Israelites trust too much in the Ark, a sign of God's comfortable presence and protection, attributing salvation thereunto, saying, f 1 Sam. 4, 3. It may save us out of the hands of our enemies, therefore God overthrew them, and gave them into the hands of the Philistims. The like we might say of their circumcision, they gloried much of it, and rested altogether in it, and thought themselves wholly discharged by it, howsoever they lived, and whatsoever they practised. This is the common error of the ignorant people, they imagine they have done God good service, and sufficiently discharged their duty, when they have been at the Communion, albeit they know not what they have received, nor how it is to be received, albeit they know not nor understand the meaning of the institution, nor to what end it was ordained. If they can say, Lord, we have eat and drunk in thy presence, we have been at thine own Table, we have sit down with thee as thy guests, we have been partakers of thy Supper; they bless themselves in their own ignorance, and think themselves as sound Christians as any that live in the Church. Thus do these silly souls deceive themselves, and instead of the comfort of the Spirit, they heap upon themselves further damnation: if they see any wilfully abstain and and sent themselves from communicating & coming to the Sacraments, they are ready to condemn them and cry out against them, and pronounce sentence upon them: howbeit they never consider their own ways, that it were better never to receive the Sacrament of the Supper of the Lord, then to receive ignorantly, brutishly, and unworthily, forasmuch as they are guilty of the body and blood of Christ. Not that any should be nourished or encouraged in their wilful recusancy, but that all persons should learn to know what they do, and whereabout they go, and wherefore they do receive, and so walk in the light as children of the light, and thereby find comfort & rest in their own hearts. Again, we are taught hereby, that they are no Sacraments Use 2 that have no sign, no seal, no element to signify, to strengthen, and to seal up the promises of salvation. For as we showed before, that every Sacrament must have God's word to warrant it: so must it have an outward sign to approve the receiving of it, and to signify the spiritual grace offered by it. Hereby we learn what to hold of transubstantiation, a doctrine teaching that the bread & wine is turned into the very body and blood of Christ, namely that it is a very fable to mock fools withal. For g Transubstantiation overthrown. whatsoever overthroweth the nature and use of a Sacrament, is not to be admitted but omitted, neither to be received but rejected. But transubstantiation overthroweth and overturneth both the nature and use of a Sacrament: and therefore not to be admitted and received into the Church. For touching the nature of a Sacrament it is confessed, h Iren. lib. 4. contr. haer. cap. 34. that it consisteth of two parts, the one earthly and the other heavenly: but if after the words of consecration, the bread and wine are transubstantiated into the body and blood of Christ, than the sign is taken away, the element is overthrown, the material part is abolished; and consequently the nature of a Sacrament is overturned. And touching the use of a Sacrament, there must be an analogy and proportion between the sign & the thing signified. As in Baptism the element of water washeth and purgeth the body, so the Holy-Ghost through the blood of Christ cleanseth and sanctifieth the soul. Likewise in the Lord's Supper, as the Substance of bread and wine received, strengtheneth and comforteth the body: so Christ i joh. 6, 33. received by faith nourisheth & feedeth the soul. The very true principal use of this Sacrament is to confirm our faith, that as surely as those earthly creatures taken and applied, feed our bodies to a bodily life: so the body and blood of Christ received and applied by faith, feed our souls to eternal life. And do not all the faithful feel a sweet comfort, so often as they come to the Lords table by this similitude & agreement, to consider and know assuredly, that as the substance of bread serveth to nourish and doth feed our bodies, so Christ doth feed our souls? But if we must believe, that the substance of bread and wine is changed & clean gone, that nothing remaineth but accidents: where is this comfort and consolation? How can we be assured and strengthened, that as our bodies are nourished with the material elements, so in like manner our souls by feeding on Christ? Wherefore, while they take away the substance of bread which should nourish the body, the nature and use of the Sacrament is destroyed, and we are spoiled of the comfort of our hearts and strengthening of our faith, which we should have by this notable comparison and resemblance of the parts. So then, if we would receive comfort in coming to this Communion, we must retain the substance of the sign, as a staff to stay up our faith that it do not fail. Lastly, seeing God giveth unto us outward signs of his grace, it serveth to teach us, that wheresoever and among whomsoever God continueth his signs, he purposeth to bestow upon them the things signified by the signs: & on the other side, where God denieth the means, he also denieth the thing, & when he taketh away the sign, he taketh away the grace also. This we see in the Turks and Saracens, because he denieth unto them salvation, he taketh from them the seals and assurances of salvation: and because he refuseth them to be his Church, he vouchsafeth not unto them the prerogatives and privileges of his Church. Thus it falleth out in the preaching of the word: upon those whom God determineth to save, and to bestow upon them the gift of faith, whereby they are entered into the kingdom of heaven, he sendeth upon them his word and causeth it to be preached unto them: but when he will not show mercy, but leave a people in their miserable estate and condition, he withdraweth the Ministry from them, as we see in the Acts of the Apostles, Chap. 16. When they were gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, They were forbidden of the holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia: and after they were come to Mysia they assayed to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit suffered them not. Even as when God will bring a famine upon a land, he withholdeth the early and latter rain, making the heaven to be as brass, and the earth as iron: but when he will send plenty and open the windows of heaven, he sendeth a gracious rain and showers upon the earth: so when he will send a famine, not of bread, nor a thirst of water, but of hearing the word of God; he taketh away his word and the means of salvation, that they shall wander from sea to sea, and run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it, but faint for thirst. If any ask the question wherefore the Lord forbade Paul to preach the word in Asia, and to come into Bythinia; we cannot assign this to be the cause that they were unworthy to have the doctrine of salvation offered unto them, forasmuch as they were as worthy as the Macedonians to whom the Gospel was preached, & no more unworthy than the other Gentiles. Neither can we say this was the cause, that God foresaw how every one would receive or entertain the Gospel, & that as he saw them ready and inclined to accept of the word or to reject it, so he vouchsafed or not vouchsafed the same unto them: for he pronounceth openly, that he appeared to them of whom he was not sought, and spoke unto them that never asked after him. Besides, this were to ground the cause of salvation upon ourselves, which is out of ourselves, and to ascribe it to our own merit, which is due only to his mercy. We are all by nature the children of wrath, and destitute of the gift of faith: if there be any willingness in us to obey, it proceedeth from the Spirit of God, who as he electeth freely, so he calleth freely. Now that which is spoken of the preaching of the word, may also be applied to the use of the Sacraments. When he purposeth to strengthen the faith which he hath given unto us, he vouchsafeth the outward signs and seals of his promises, that thereby we should be assured he meaneth to bestow upon us the inward grace represented by them. He dealeth justly and uprightly with us, he hath no purpose to beguile us and deceive us. For they are no bare or naked much less false and lying signs, but effectual instruments of the Spirit to convey the mercies of God in jesus Christ into our hearts, and therefore we must be careful to use them conscionably, as certain pawns and pledges which God hath commended and committed unto us, that they might be as witnesses of his love and favour towards us. And thus much of the third outward part, to wit, the sign. CHAP. VII. Of the fourth outward part of a Sacrament. THe last outward pa●t of a Sacrament is the a The receiver is an outward part of the Sacrament. receiver, which is as needful as the outward sign. We understand and take here a receiver in general, for every one that cometh to the Sacrament, whether good or evil, godly or ungodly, faithful or unfaithful. Such a receiver is likewise a necessary part of the Sacrament. For no sign hath the substance and essence of a Sacrament, unless it be received. Though there be a Minister to administer it, a word to warrant it, a sign to represent it, yet unless there be a fit person to receive it, there can be no Sacrament. If the Minister should sprinkle water, and allege the words of institution where there is no party to be baptised, this were a profaning, not a solemnising of Baptism: or if he should take bread and wine with prayer and thanksgiving, where none are present to communicate and receive, this were to commit sacrilege, not to deliver a Sacrament. Wherefore, unless there be a body to be washed, and except there be Communicants to partake the Supper, there can be no Sacrament. This appeareth by the words of God unto Abraham b Gen. 17, 12. giving unto him circumcision, saying, Every male child of eight days old shall be circumcised. This also appeareth in the c Mat. 28.19. words of Christ speaking of baptism, and charging the Apostles to baptise the nations in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy-Ghost. Where he teacheth, that it is not sufficient to take water, but there must be a washing. So when he speaketh of his Supper d Mat. 26, 26, 27. he saith, Take ye, eat ye, drink ye: so that there must not only be bread, but giving, taking, and eating: there must not only be wine, but giving, taking, and drinking thereof. This truth being evidently delivered, let us see how it may be profitably applied. First of all, must the Sacraments Use 1 necessarily be received? Then it teacheth that the Sacraments without their lawful use are no Sacraments at all: they are no signs of grace, if they be not used. This condemneth the keeping, reserving, holding up, and carrying about with pomp & ostentation the Lords Supper, offering up, kneeling down unto, and adoring a piece of bread: all which are horrible profanations of that comfortable Sacrament, whereby the people is rob and deprived of a precious part of their peace in Christ. The bread feedeth not the body, reviveth not the spirits, strengtheneth not the heart, by looking and gazing upon it, by touching and handling it, but by eating, digesting, and feeding upon it: so doth the Sacrament strengthen faith, not by reserving and keeping it, but by using and receiving of it. For Sacraments are actions, not dumb shows. Christ said not, Hear ye, see ye, gaze ye on, but Baptize ye, eat ye, drink ye, do ye this in remembrance of me. Use 2 Secondly, are the receivers an outward part of the Sacrament? Then the persons that are to receive must know, that divers duties are to be done and performed of them. The persons then that are to receive, must join with the Minister in prayer, in quickening their faith in the covenant and promises of God; beholding the former works of the Minister, blessing, breaking, pouring out, and distributing, ratifying them in their hearts, and lastly by receiving and applying to themselves the visible signs. For as we have showed, if the words of baptism should be rehearsed over the water, and no person be present to be baptised, it is no baptism: so if the words of institution in the Supper should be spoken and repeated without eating, without drinking, without receiving, it were no Sacrament. Wherefore, we must all learn to detest the e Bellar desacram. Euchar. lib. 4. cap. 2. absurd opinion of Bellarmine, and other proctors of the Romish religion, which teach that the bread & wine being once consecrate, whether they be received or reserved, whether they be distributed to be eaten & drunk, or whether they be kept in boxes & vessels of the church, for days, months, and long times, and carried solemnly in procession: are notwithstanding still the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ. Against which dotage we spoke in the former use, and shall speak f Book. 3. c. 6. more in the third book following. Use 3 Lastly, if the receiving be an outward part, than we are not to rest in the outward participation, for so far went judas in the passover: so far went Simon that sorcerer in baptism: and so far went g Cor. 10.1, 2.3, 5. the Israelites, as the Apostle showeth. They were all baptised unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea: they did all eat the same spiritual meat, and did all drink the same spiritual drink, etc. yet with many of them was not God pleased, but they were overthrown in the Wilderness. And therefore john Baptist said to the Pharises and Saducees, when he saw them come to his baptism, h Mat. 3, 7, 8. O generation of vipers, who hath forewarned you to flee from the anger to come? bring forth therefore fruit worthy amendment of life. Now our righteousness must exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and pharisees, if we would enter into the kingdom of heaven. Let us all therefore have this profitable meditation, so often as we deal with the Sacraments and come unto them: we must look further than to the outward sight, we must consider more than the external sign, otherwise as we approach without preparation, so we depart without edification. And thus much of the four outward parts of a Sacrament, to wit, the Minister, the word, the sign, and the receiver. CHAP. VIII. Of Consecration. BEfore we proceed to the inward parts of a Sacrament, answerable to the outward by a fit proportion: it shall not be amiss in this place to speak somewhat of the Consecration of a Sacrament. First, we must consider what it is: for the truth being known, it will cast down error, as the light scattereth the darkness. To consecrate then a What consecration is. is to take a thing from the ordinary and common use, and to appoint it to some holy use. This therefore is consecration, sanctification, and dedication of the outward signs, to apply them unto an holy purpose. This is done, partly by the Minister, partly by the people, and partly by them both. The Minister taketh the water in Baptism, which signifieth the blood of Christ, and he poureth it on the person of the baptised: he taketh the bread and wine and poureth it out, he delivereth them both: the people take and receive, they eat and drink in remembrance of Christ: and both Minister and people join in prayer and thanksgiving unto God the Father for the mystery of our redemption accomplished by Christ our Saviour, so that the Sacrament is consecrated by the whole action of the Minister and people together. This maketh the difference between common water and the water in Baptism: this maketh the difference between that bread and wine of the Supper, and the bread and wine which is used for ordinary meat and drink. True it is, in nature, in essence, in substance there is none: but in the end and use. Common water we use for the washing of our bodies: but the water in Baptism is sanctified by prayer to another use, to be a sign of the cleansing of the soul. Bread and wine at men's tables in their houses are set before them for the nourishment of their bodies: but at the Lords Table they are ordained of God to an higher and holier use, even to be signs of the body and blood of Christ. This is noted by the Evangelists and by the Apostle Paul, that b Mat. 26, 26. Mar. 14, 22. Luke 12, 19 1 Cor. 11, 24. the Lord jesus before he broke the bread and gave it, he blessed and gave thanks to his Father, that he had appointed him to be the redeemer of the world, and given him authority to institute this Sacrament in remembrance of his death and passion. For whereas the Evangelist Matthew saith, he blessed: the other by way of exposition say He gave thanks: so that the blessing here spoken of, is Giving of thanks, which also appeareth, Luke 9, 16. compared with joh. 6, 11. And the Apostle saith, 1 Tim. 4. Every creature of God is good, if it be received with thanksgiving, for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. We see then that Consecration is, when a thing is separated from a common and civil use to a more special use, justin. in Apol. 2 which is done by the authority of the word, and by the virtue of prayer, whereby it hath his full force, power, and virtue. The knowledge of this point, serveth to clear our Use 1 doctrine, & to overthrow sundry errors of the Church of Rome. First, it showeth that we hold and teach a consecration, that is, a sanctifying of the water in Baptism, and of the bread and wine in the Lord's supper, by the word, by prayer, and by thanksgiving. The bread ●●d wine are changed, not in nature, but in quality: not in substance, but in use: not in essence, but in the end: not by force of certain words, but by Christ's institution. We acknowledge and confess a consecration, not a conversion: a sanctification of the signs, not a transubstantiation of the substance into the body and blood of Christ. He blessed and praised his Father as Mediator of the Church, for the mystery of the redemption of mankind: and he g 1 Cor. 10, 16 blessed the creatures, that they might be effectual signs, and serve for the confirmation and increase of our faith. Secondly, we are taught, that consecration is not a bare and historical reading of the Scripture, neither a magical Use 2 charm and incantation by force of certain words, as though these words This is my body, being murmured and spoken over the bread, and, This cup is the new testament in my blood, whispered over the wine, did fully finish a consecration, and made the elements to be immediately changed into the body and blood of Christ, without any other observing of the institution. For the Lord jesus in pronouncing these words did not speak to the bread or to the wine, but to his Apostles. And hence it is, that the form of Christ's giving of thanks is not set down by any Evangelist, because our corruption and superstition is so great, that if we had the words, we would ascribe power & force to the words, syllables, and letters, & therefore the manner of his thanksgiving is pretermitted. This inclination of the heart is apparently seen in the Romish Church, who ascribe efficacy & operation to the pronouncing of certain words, which is a part of sorcery & a point of witchcraft. Whereas we avouch, that the whole action of taking, breaking, pouring out, distributing, eating, drinking, praying, praising, and rehearsing the institution of Christ, are the consecration, that is, the separation of these creatures to this use. Thirdly, if after the Sacramental actions, if after thanksgiving to God, if after prayer that we may use the Creatures to the confirmation of our faith, there do follow consecration, sanctification, and change of the elements to another use: then the power, effect, and working of the Sacrament dependeth not upon the intention of the Minister: and therefore the h Concil. Trident. sess. 7. can. 11. popish opinion is to be refused and reproved, that holdeth it to be no Sacrament, if the Minister have not an intent and purpose in the administration thereof, at least to do that which the church doth, that is, to consecrate the elements and to make a Sacrament. If his mind be not on his matters, and his heart on his business in hand, they hold it can be no Sacrament. For otherwise saith Bellarmine, If a Priest should read the Gospel at the table of Prelates and religious men, and in reading should pronounce these words, This is my body, this is my blood, than all the bread and wine upon the Table should be consecrate and changed into Christ's body and blood: which is not so, because his intent is wanting. Again, if a father should lead his son to the bath, and there dip him in the water, And say, I wash thee in the name of the Father, and though he think nothing of baptizing him, yet it should be baptism, if an intent of baptizing were not required. But I would gladly have him answer this question: What if a father should intend Baptism by dipping his child in the bath, whether that were baptism or not? Or suppose the Priest we spoke of, reading at the Prelate's table, should have a mind and meaning to consecrate all the bread and wine upon the table, must it of necessity be a Sacrament, and real change of all? Or admit the former Priest being in the said Prelates wine cellar, supposing himself to be in the Church and to stand at the Altar, should pronounce the words of consecration with a purpose and intent to make a Sacrament, should all the wine in that cellar be turned into the blood of Christ? Or if he being in a Baker's shop should there solemnly say, This is my body, with the foresaid resolution should all that bread be changed into the body of Christ? Let them speak plainly, let them tell us directly what they hold. I think they will not say so: I am sure it is not so. For other things are wanting, that are needful in this matter. We have showed, that a Sacrament is not made by bare pronouncing of certain words, ascribing force to them after the manner of enchanters, but the whole institution of Christ must be observed; k The Sacrament dependeth not upon the intention of the Minister. there must be distributing and receiving, there must be prayer and thanksgiving, and from the use of these followeth Consecration: all which are wanting in the former examples and suppositions, there is no taking, no breaking, no distributing, no pouring out, no receiving, no praying, no thanksgiving. We see touching the word of God, with what intent and under what pretence soever l Phil. 1, 18. Mat. 23, 2, 3. it be preached, if the Minister teach Christ crucified, howsoever he be affected, it may have his effect in the heart, and work faith in the hearer: so is it in the Sacraments, they have their efficacy and operation howsoever the heart of the Minister be disposed. And as Isaac intended not to bless jacob but Esau, m Gen. 27, 1, 4, 33. yet it hindered not the purpose and determination of God: so the corrupt intent, the wandering imagination, and roving conceit of the Minister, cannot hinder the blessing of God in the Sacraments, being his own ordinances. For the force of the Sacrament dependeth no more upon the intention of the giver, than it doth upon the intention of the receiver. Again, if the right receiving of the Sacrament depend upon the intent of the Minister, what assurance can any man have, that he hath ever received or shall ever receive a Sacrament? What persuasion can we have in our hearts that we were ever baptised? What knowledge that we were ever partakers of the body and blood of Christ in the Supper of the Lord? Doth not this leave us uncertain and unsettled, without comfort, without fruit, without benefit by coming to the Sacraments, and setteth the poor distressed consciences of men upon the rack? Alas, we cannot know the heart n 1 Cor. 2, 11. and understand the intents thereof, For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is within him? Furthermore, were not this hard dealing and extreme cruelty in God, to hang the salvation of men upon the pleasure of the Minister, whereby our faith and salvation shall always be doubtful? and should it not be unjust in God, to make the evil of the Minister to hurt the receiver? Besides, shall it rest in the power of the Priest, (if this be a power) when the people of God are * Mat. 18. gathered together in the name of Christ, and long earnestly to be satisfied with his grace, to send them away empty, and so to frustrate their assembly, because his heart is straying, and his wits a woolgathering? And if his intention be a matter of so great importance, what privilege hath the receiver that cometh with faith, above him that cometh without feeling? Or what shall become of their own doctrine, Ex opere operato. Ex opere operantis. that the Sacrament profiteth and is available, being barely done & performed, if it depend upon the working and operation of the Sacrificer? To draw to an end of this question, o Bellar. lib. 1. de sacra. c. 28. our adversaries themselves confess, that the Church cannot judge of things that are inward: whereupon we frame this reason; If the Church cannot judge of things inward, than it cannot judge of the intent of the Minister: but they confess it cannot judge of inward things, therefore not of the intent of the Minister, & consequently although they be present at the action, they remain doubtful of consecration. Wherefore, Bellarmine foreseeing the inconvenience and absurdity of this unreasonable & uncomfortable assertion, confesseth that if one of their mass-priests in his ministration, p Bellar. lib. 1. de sacra. ca 27. intent to do as the Church of Geneva doth, it sufficeth to make a Sacrament effectual and of force, This is the confession of a known and sworn enemy: Whereby we see, that howsoever they say we have no Ministers, no ordination, no consecration, no Church, that our Sacraments are no better than the feasts of Ceres and Bacchus, and lay many false accusations to our charge, that the Supper of the Lord with us is no Sacrament, but a bare sign without grace, without effect, without virtue: yet they are constrained to confess and yield thus far, that if a Masse-munger purpose to do as the reformed Churches do, his doing is effectual, and the Sacrament is good. The effect of this point is this, that if we desire to be comforted & assured of God's favour when we come to his Supper, we must not hang the profit of his ordinances upon the weak & unstable foundation of Popish intentions. And if there were no other point in controversy between the Church of Rome and us then this which now we have in hand, it were sufficient to make us abhor and abjure the Popish religion: in which they that live, cannot assure themselves whether ever they were baptised, or received the Lords Supper, or were married, or absolved of their sins, whether they have any Sacraments, any Priests, or any Popes; forasmuch as all these hang upon the slender thread of the Priest's intention. The Apostle saith, Rom. 14.23. Whatsoever is not of faith, is sin. But they cannot directly prove or know, whether the Priest going about his business, intended to baptise them, or to deliver the Eucharist unto them, or to marry them, because they know not his heart: and therefore in their adoration and worshipping of the Sacrament, they may be Idolators, and cannot secure themselves from fear of committing Idolatry. For if the substance of bread & wine remain in their nature, it followeth by necessary consequence, that they fall down to a piece of bread, and commit grievous Idolatry in the grossest kind, whereof the Gentiles would be ashamed. The like might be said of their Sacrament of Orders. It is not to be proved or known, that he which ordered the Pope had an intention to give him Orders. They say it is an high point of faith, to believe that the Bishop of Rome is the successor of Peter, the Vicar of Christ, and the head of the Church: yet if the Priest that baptised the Pope had no intention to baptise him, then is he no member of the Church, much less the head of it: and if he that ordained him had no intention to ordain him, then is he no Priest, much less the high Priest: and therefore they must rest altogether doubtful and uncertain, whether Clement or Paul, or any other sitting in the Pope's Chair and sea of Rome be true Pope; and thereupon cannot assure themselves, whether the Decretals which pass under the name of Popes, were indeed their Decretals whose names they carry. Popish shifts to justify the Priest's intention. True it is, notwithstanding the grossness of this assertion, they have invented sundry shifts to cover their own shame and nakedness: but they are as figge-leaves which are easily pulled away. Among the rest two are most principal, which do not suffice to heal the wound, but serve rather to make it wider. First of all, when they are urged and pressed, that the Priest's purpose and intention maketh the people always in doubt, and leaveth them in a maze and mammering what they do; so that they oftentimes adore an vnconsecrated Host, and call that God which is no God, but a bare bit of bread: Pope Adrian will have the Host adored with condition, & with a secret reservation to himself, I adore thee if thou be Christ. And therefore Thomas of Salisbury forbiddeth a man precisely to believe that it is the body of the Lord. Thus though they fall down with great devotion at the elevation of their God amight, yet all their adoration is made at haphazard, so that we may say to them as Christ doth of the Samaritans, joh. 4. Ye worship that which ye know not. For seeing their worship, to make it warrantable, must be joined with an [if] If it be Christ, it maketh them always in doubt; and where doubting is, there is no faith; and where no faith is, there is sin, as we noted before, according to the doctrine of the Apostle james; Ask in faith, and waver not. The second shift is set abroach by Bellarmine, (which we touched before) that it sufficeth, if he intent to make no more than that which the Church maketh: & to draw out the Spider's web as long and large as he can, he saith, It is not needful for the Priest to do that which the Church of Rome doth, but it shall suffice, if his intention be to do that which the Church of Geneva doth. But this is a poor beggarly shift, that cannot help him: both because he will have it to suffice to work this strange feat of transubstantiation, to do that which is done out of the Church, by schismatics, by heretics, and by Infidels: For such he accounteth those that are of the Church of Geneva; he acknowledgeth them to be no Church, because they are not subject to the Bishop of Rome, neither submit themselves to his authority and jurisdiction. And again, because the Church of Geneva hath an intendment not to make the body of Christ in their consecration, so that their intention is not to intend it. Thus we see what silly stuff they bring. But as they that are in danger of drowning, are ready to catch hold of every rush or reed to see if they can save themselves: so do these jesuits, or else they would never teach so strangely touching the Priest's intention, that it sufficeth to make the body of Christ, to have an intent not to make it. O miserable people led by such blind guides! O wretched guides of such blind people! what a woeful condition is this, that a man shall live all the days of his life in the bosom of their holy mother the Church, and yet her Sons and daughters can never assure themselves to have been baptised, (though they make the want of it a note of reprobation) or ever to have received the Lords Supper, or to have been married, which also they make a Sacrament, seeing all dependeth upon the Priest's intention and lawful ordination? This is the lamentable condition of all those that live under the hard yoke and heavy bondage of superstition. There is no peace nor comfort in such a doubtful and doleful religion. Wherefore as the Holy-Ghost saith, revel. 18, 4. Go out of her my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. Thus much of Consecration. CHAP. IX. Of the first inward part of a Sacrament. THe outward parts of a Sacrament have hitherto been declared, by a diligent performance whereof Consecration is performed: now the inward parts follow to be considered, and handled of us, in which the very soul and life of the Sacraments consisteth. For the outward parts profit nothing without these, as the word profiteth nothing, except the inward and true husbandman give the increase; according to the Apostles words, a 1 Cor. 3, 7. He that planteth and he that watereth is nothing; but God that giveth the increase: so the force of the Sacraments is to be looked for, from the Creator that did institute them. Peter saith, 1 Pet. 3, 21. Baptism doth save us, but he addeth, not Whereby the filth of the flesh is washed away, but in that a good conscience maketh request to God. As the Apostle Paul teacheth, that 1 Tim. 4.8. Bodily exercise profiteth little, but godliness is profitable to all things: so the outward sign profiteth little, but the inward parts being applied and received, are profitable to all things. Behold the creatures which God useth, as instruments of his mercy toward us, the Sun, the Moon, the Stars, fire, water, herbs, and such like: we ought not to put any confidence in them, nor admire them as first and chief causes of any benefits. So our trust ought not to be in the outward signs though ordained of God as holy helps unto us (which were to convey his glory to them) but our faith must be lifted up to God being the author of the Sacraments, and the creator of all things. The inward parts of a Sacrament are such invisible and heavenly things as are signified under the earthly & outward parts. We heard before, the outward parts of a Sacrament to be these, the Minister, the word, the sign, and the receiver: so the inward are d What are the inward & invisible parts of a Sacrament four in number, answerable to the outward, to wit, 1. God the Father: Secondly, the Spirit. 3. Christ. 4. the faithful. Now there is a notable proportion and worthy agreement between the outward and the inward parts, e The proportion between the parts. these resembling each other, as one face answereth another in the waters. For even as the Minister by the word, offereth and applieth visibly the outward element and sign to the body of the receiver: So GOD the Father, by the Spirit, offereth and applieth JESUS CHRIST invisibly to the faithful receiver. This is the resemblance ●nd likeness between the external and internal parts: whereby we see, that God the Father is represented by the Minister: the Spirit, by the word: Christ, by the outward element: and the faithful receiver by the outward receiving. This conveniency between the sign and thing signified, doth S. Augustine notably deliver in his 23. Epistle, when he saith, If the Sacraments should not have some similitude of those things whereof they are Sacraments, they should be no Sacraments at all: for of that resemblance, many times they take the names of those things whereof they are signs. Thus was it in the Paschall Lamb, representing jesus Christ unto us in a lively figure, Ovid de Fast. lib. 1. Quid placidae Commeru●stis oves? not only by reason of the innocency of this creature, but especially in that it was slain by the Priest, and eaten by the faithful, to signify and seal up the death of Christ, the unspotted Lamb, the only nourishment of our souls. The first inward part is God the f The first inward part of a Sacrament is God the Father, Father, offering and applying Christ and his saving graces to the faithful. The Minister offereth and delivereth the outward signs to the receivers, and can go no further: herein he representeth God the Father, who offereth Christ to all, albeit the reprobate receive him not. He doth not dally and deal falsely with us, but truly offereth in the Sacraments Christ with all his gifts and benefits, if we have hands to receive him, he is given to us. The use of this doctrine is, first of all to distinguish between Use 1 God and the Minister: the outward signs are given by the hands of the Minister, whether he be good or evil, but the truth and substance of the Sacraments is given by God the Father. Whosoever confoundeth these parts and works, robbeth God of his glory, depriveth himself of the grace of Christ offered, and maketh flesh his arm. Wherefore, as the works of God and of the Minister are distinct, so must these parts remain distinguished, howsoever to the faithful they are not separated and sundered, as in the publishing and preaching of the Gospel, the Minister speaketh unto the outward man, and the sound thereof entereth into the ear, g Act. 16, 14. but it is God that openeth the heart, and speaketh to the conscience of the faithful hearer. Secondly, it serveth to strengthen our faith and help Use 2 our weakness when we come to the Sacrament. So often as we see the Ministers of God appointed by him, delivering the signs and setting them apart to their ends for which they were ordained: we must behold with the eye of faith, God the Father offering his Son to those that can receive him. For if we come aright, we may assure our own hearts, that what the Minister doth outwardly, the same the Father performeth inwardly, than which there cannot be a greater comfort. Let us therefore behold with our eyes, the Sacramental rites: let us hear the promises that God maketh unto us: God the Father will verify them, who hath h john 6, 32. sealed up his Son unto us. My Father giveth you that bread from Heaven. He will as surely give Christ, as the Minister delivereth the bread & wine. Albeit the Sacraments should be ministered by some hypocrite and wicked man: yet they have as much force and as great efficacy, as if they were ministered by faithful and godly men. The virtue of the Sacraments hangeth upon the Minister no more, than the goodness of seed dependeth upon the sour: which if it light in good ground, will bring forth plentiful fruit, albeit it be sown of an ungodly and unskilful man. Thirdly, consider here the difference between a Sacrament and a Sacrifice. For we learn from Use 3 hence, that God the Father in the Sacraments doth give his own Son to the true receivers. True it is, a Sacrament and a Sacrifice have some affinity and agreement the one with the other. They have this in common, that both were instituted of God, and have him for the author of them. In both of them there are outward actions which have inward significations: for the kill of beasts showed plainly what our condition is, both that we are guilty of death, and could not be delivered but by an offering for sin, and that Christ jesus is the true oblation to be offered to God upon the Altar of the Cross for our sins. Nevertheless, they differ also in divers respects; as first in the end. The end of a Sacrament is not to offer it up to God, but that it be offered to us and received of us. The Minister offereth the sign, God the Father offereth the thing signified: we receive the outward element at the hand of the Minister, we receive the inward grace at the hand of God. But the nature of a Sacrifice, is, that we give it, or offer it up to God, according to his own ordinance, whereupon also it is called an offering or oblation. True it is also, that some of the Sacraments of the old Testament under the law were after a sort external Sacrifices, as the Paschall Lamb: howbeit it is not so in the Sacraments of the Church of Christ, because the perfect Sacrifice of Christ once only offered hath abolished and abrogated all outward Sacrifices. Again, they differ the one from the other in the outward form and manner of doing. levit. 16, 5. For the Sacrifices were burned in part or in whole with fire, to note out the purity of Christ's Sacrifice, and the eternal Spirit, Heb. 9, 14. by which he was offered to God: whereas they were properly called by name of Sacraments, which were eaten or applied to the body; and therefore altar was appointed for the Sacrifices, but a Table for the Sacraments that were eaten. CHAP. X. Of the second inward part of a Sacrament HItherto of the first inward part: a The second part of a Sacrament is the holy Spirit. the second inward part of a Sacrament is the holy Spirit, as Math. 3. He shall baptise you b Mat. 3, 11. with the Holy-Ghost and fire. So in Christ's Baptism, when he was baptised & prayed, the c Luke 3, 22. Holy-Ghost descended in a visible shape like a Dove upon him. And Paul saith, d 1 Cor. 12.13 By one Spirit we are all baptised into one body, whether we be jews or Grecians, whether we be bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. And the Apostle layeth down the circumcision of the heart by the Spirit: Rom. 2, 29. He is a jew which is one within, and the circumcision is of the heart in the Spirit. So the same Apostle, Titus 3, 5, 6. According to the mercy of God he saved us by the washing of the new birth, and the renewing of the Holy-Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through jesus Christ our Saviour. Nothing can be fruitful and profitable without his gracious work in us, he worketh and settleth the word of promise in our hearts, and therefore we must necessarily hold the blessed Spirit to be an inward part of the Sacrament, making it and all other ordinances of God available. Use 1 Now let us proceed to the uses of this point, being the second inward part. And first of all, is the Spirit of God the sealer up of the promises after that we believe according to the doctrine of the Apostle, After that ye believed, f Ephes. 1, 13. ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise? Then as often as we hear the promise uttered by the Minister, it confirmeth us that the Father by his Spirit worketh the same in our hearts. The water in baptism, cannot by any force and virtue inherent in it, wash our consciences from dead works to serve the living God, as it hath power to wash away the filth and corruption of our bodies. The bread and wine in the Lord's Supper have no inherent strength to nourish the soul to eternal life, as they have to strengthen the body: they are instruments of the Holy Ghost, who worketh by them to the great comfort of the faithful. Grace is not contained and shut up in them, as water in a vessel, or as a medicine in a box: the Spirit helpeth our infirmities, sealing up to our consciences the fruit of the word that is heard, and of the Sacramental signs that are seen. But because this doctrine is contradicted by the defenders of the Popish faith, it shall not be amiss briefly to propound their chiefest objections whereby they would prove that the outward signs in the Sacraments have force and power to save and justify sinners (howsoever the persons be disposed that partake them) & then to frame short answers to every 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 effectual to save and to sanctify the souls of all them that are baptised? Grace is not tied to the Sacraments. And if these graces were so tied to the Sacraments that all which use them should be justified by them, we make them more effectual than the word of God itself is; forasmuch as all that hear the word are not saved by it, nor transformed into the obedience of it, nor receive life from it, nor are regenerated by it. john the Baptist, who was the first Minister of that Sacrament, confesseth that he could do no more than wash the body, it lay not in his power to give grace and to baptise with the Holy Ghost. Besides, we see all in our days are brought to be baptized, but all these are not by it regenerated: Acts 8, 13. as in the Apostles times Simon himself was baptized, yet he remained an hypocrite, and was destitute of true faith that joineth us to Christ. But because we have handled this point before, let us come to such objections as the adversaries have 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 natural meaning. Touching the types borrowed, some from the old and some from the new Testament, albeit it were sufficient to make this general answer, that similitudes, parables, and comparisons do not prove; yet lest we should seem thereby to turn our backs and yield to the enemy, I will not stick to propound them in particular, and vouchsafe to yield unto them a particular solution. Objection. 1 The first type is drawn from the history of the creation, Gen. 1. The Spirit moved upon the waters to make them fruitful. As then the water received a certain lively force from the Spirit to bring forth the creatures, so doth baptism to make us new men receive strength from the Spirit. Thus doth Bellarmine reason. I answer, Answer. this maketh directly against himself, and therefore he layeth about him like a blind man, who instead of his enemy striketh himself. For hereby it appeareth, that the Sacraments do not give grace, ex opere operato, that is, by the force and virtue of the work done, and that words uttered have no power but by the Holy Ghost. For as the Spirit gave force to the waters whereby the creatures were fostered and form, which were not of themselves available to give life, being as it were dead, and without any vigour: even so the Spirit maketh the water in baptism serve to signify and seal up our regeneration, and not the bare and outward element. The body of man without the soul is dead and without life: so the water without the Spirit cannot confer grace. It is the Spirit that quickeneth, without it the water is as common water. Objection. 2 Another objection is from the history of the flood, Genesis 7, 17. and the drowning of the Egyptians in the red sea, Exodus 14. and the passing of the Israelites through the River jordan to the land of promise, joshua 4. where it appeareth, that the waters themselves saved his people. I answer, Answer. If the waters in the flood had a proper power to save and preserve, why did they not save all the world alive? Why were any of the creatures at all drowned? Again, this robbeth God of his honour and glory, to whom only it is due, and giveth it to the element to which it is not due. For if Noah had believed that the waters could of themselves have saved him, he should have set up an altar as a monument to the waters, and not builded one to God the Lord, Genesis eight, verse 20. But the Scripture ascribeth all to the mercy and clemency of God toward that remnant and remainder of mankind, because he had seen Noah righteous and religious in that generation before him, Genesis 7, verse 1. Therefore it is said he found grace in the sight of the Lord, Genesis 6, verse 18. That the Lord established his covenant with him, Genesis 6, verse 18. That the Lord had him enter with all his household into the Ark, Genesis 7. verse 1. That the Lord shut him in the Ark when he was entered, Genesis 7, verse 16. That the Lord remembered him while he was in the Ark, Genesis 8. verse 1. And after the ceasing and decreasing of the waters, brought him out of the Ark, Genesis 8, verse 16. So that whereas the waters had of their own nature overwhelmed them, even the proud waters had gone over their soul to have drowned them, God in mercy saved them, that they might ascribe the praise of their preservation to the Lord of Hosts, not to the power of the waters And if the Israelites had been delivered at the red sea, and in passing over jordan by the strength of the waters, they would have erected a trophy to them, & not have sung a song unto God. Another type is taken from Circumcision, Genesis 17. Objection. 3 whereof Paul speaketh, Colosians 2. Ye are circumcised with circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with him in baptism; and Baptism than is like unto circumcision: but circumcision that is outward did truly and effectually cut off the flesh, and was not only a testimony of cutting it away. I answer, Answer. the Apostle reproveth such as would join the ceremonies of the law with the Gospel of Christ, whereas now we have no need of them at all, having the truth with us of those shadows. And touching circumcision, there is no need to have it brought in use 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 twofold Baptism, the one outward in the body, the other inward in the heart: the one administered by the hand of the Minister, the other finished by the grace of the Spirit. Besides, if the outward cutting off the foreskin of the flesh were always effectual to cut away the corruption of the soul, how is it that they teach that the Sacraments and Sacrifices of the old Testament were so far from giving grace, Rhem. on Heb. 10. remission, and justification, that they were but shadows, obscurely representing the graces of the new Testament? How can they reconcile themselves, when they make this difference between the old & new Sacraments, that the old did only signify, the new contain and confer grace and sanctification? Thirdly, if the outward cutting off the flesh, did by the work done give grace, and that the sign were not to be separated from the thing signified, how cometh it to pass that Ishmael being circumcised as well as Isaac, and Esau circumcised as well as jacob, yet one being borne after the flesh, persecuted him that was borne after the Spirit, Genesis 21. Galathians 4.29. the other was not beloved of God, neither had grace given unto him, as the Scripture saith, Rom, 9, 13. jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated? Lastly, the outward circumcision that is in the flesh, may be out of the Church and received of them that are no members of the Church; as it was of the Idumeans, Ismaelites, Samaritans, and such as were strangers from the covenant, as also the Turks and Saracens receive it in our days. So is it with baptism, it doth not bring us justification by the outward work done, but sometimes it may go before the sign, and sometimes follow after. The like might be said touching Manna given unto the Israelites, Exod. 16. and the water of separation, Num. 19 We may join all these together, because the force of them is alike, and therefore the answer to the one is an answer to the other. The next type is touching the cleansing of Naaman the Objection. 4 Syrian, by washing seven times in jordan, 2. Kings 5. as then those waters did truly heal him, so the water in baptism doth heal the soul and justify the sinner. I answer, Answer. this is to draw from a wrong supposition, a false conclusion: forasmuch as even those waters had no such inherent power or secret virtue, but only for the present by a miraculous dispensation of God, they cleansed him of his leprosy: neither had they of themselves any other hidden virtue included in them then the Rivers that were in Damascus. 2 Kings 5, 12. And therefore Naaman being cleansed did not magnify the strength of that water above all other Rivers 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 pool of Bethesda john 5. Objection. 5 which healed all manner of diseases at the moving of the waters: and the waters in Siloam, wherewith the blind man is commanded to wash, john 9 I answer, Answer. the Scripture is plain that an Angel went down at a certain season into the pool & troubled the water, without which moving and stirring of it no cure was wrought at any time. Again, if this power had been natural and inseparably tied unto it, than the water would have cured and healed all the whole multitude of impotent persons, of blind, of h●lt, and of withered that should step into it, contrary to the express words of the text, Whosoever did first after the troubling of the water step into it, john 5, 4. was made whole of whatsoever disease he had: So that the poor impotent man which had an infirmity 38. years needed not to have complained, that no man (when the water was troubled) would put him into the pool, but while he was coming, another stepped down before him. And touching the blind man he was not healed and helped, either by the spittle, or the clay, or the waters, or by the force of all them together, which had of themselves served and sufficed rather to have hindered the sight, then to have opened the eyes: it was the miraculous work of Christ's own hand, who worketh sometimes above means and sometimes contrary to means. Thus much touching the objections arising from sundry types and allusions, which he hath heaped up and huddled out of the old and new Testament. Now touching the objections drawn from express Objection. 1 places, we will briefly run them over, forasmuch as many of them conclude not for them, but against them. First of all, john Baptist saith, I baptise you with water, but he that cometh after me shall baptise with the Holy-Ghost, Math. 3. I answer, Answer. john showeth in these words that he was only the Minister of the outward sign, and could work nothing in the hearts of men: whereas Christ whom he pointed out and of whom he spoke, would bestow the Spirit upon them, and those things which belong unto their salvation. Even as the Apostle speaking of his ministry, doth notably in other words expound this saying of john, 1 Cor. 3. I have planted, Apollos hath watered, but God giveth the increase: so that neither he that planteth nor he that watereth is any thing, but God that giveth the increase. That which Paul uttereth touching the preaching of the word, and john of the Sacrament of Baptism, we may fitly transfer and aptly apply to the Supper of the Lord, wherein the Minister doth distribute the bread and deliver the cup of the Lord, but the Lord himself doth feed those that believe in him with his body & blood, which is meat indeed and drink indeed. The next testimony is taken out of Mark 16, 16. He Objection. 2 that believeth and is baptised shall be saved. Hear the force of saving is ascribed to baptism, not to faith: now it cannot save, but by justifying and washing away the filthiness of our sins. I answer, Answer. in the Apostles days, men of years and not infants only were baptised, in regard whereof, profession of faith, and confession of sins did go before, Math. 3, 6. They were baptised, confessing their sins. Again, Christ our Saviour teacheth, that salvation dependeth on faith, john 5, 24. He that believeth is passed from death to life: he never said, Whosoever receiveth the outward baptism is passed from death to life. It is faith that joineth us to God, and not the washing of the body with water. Lastly, if grace were tied to the outward sign, he would have said, He that is not baptised shallbe damned; whereas Christ saith only, He that believeth not shall be damned. Nevertheless, faith and baptism are both joined together, that every one should submit himself to the ordinance of God, and know that to the gift of faith he must annex the use of the Sacraments. The third testimony is borrowed from the conference Objection. 3 of Christ with Nicodemus, john 3. Except a man be borne again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. I answer, Answer. It is not necessary to understand this place literally of the water in baptism, but of the grace of Christ which cleanseth the soul as water doth the body, which in other places is called The water of life, john 4, 11. and 7.38. where speaking of the water of life, the Evangelist addeth, This he spoke of the Spirit, which they that believed in him should receive. Again, water is joined with the Spirit in this place, as fire is joined with the Spirit in another place, Math. 3, 11. He shall baptise with the Holy Ghost and with fire: but there is no necessity, nor so much as probability there to understand fire properly, why then should we take water properly in this place? and wherefore in places that are like, should we seek a meaning that is unlike? Lastly, these words cannot enforce any thing to prove that there is any inherent force in the outward element, seeing the Spirit is joined with it, which addeth power and giveth efficacy to the water, as it doth also to the word in all the saving hearers of it: for as the word is a bare sound without the Spirit, so baptism cannot save without the Spirit. Objection. 4 The last testimony and witness is produced out of the Acts of the Apostles, Chap. 2.38. where Peter exhorteth the jews, that were at his preaching pricked in their hearts, to believe in Christ jesus whom they had betrayed and crucified, saying, Repent and be baptised every one of you in the name of Christ for the remission of sins: and chap. 22, 16. where Ananias persuadeth Paul to be baptised, and to wash away his sins, calling on the name of the Lord. In both which places, forgiveness of sins is ascribed to baptism, and therefore it giveth and conferreth grace. I answer, Answer. It is the believing in the name of Christ that washeth away sins, and purgeth our consciences from dead works: forasmuch as he maketh the outward work available by the inward grace of the spirit. Again, he joineth invocation of the name of God with the outward sign, which hath the promise of salvation annexed unto it, as the Apostle testifieth, Rom. 10, 13. Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Thus we have seen the principal pillars of the Romish error beaten and battered in pieces, & every reason that carrieth any colour laid even with the ground, so that we are wholly to ascribe to the Spirit of God the laver of regeneration, and the answer of a good conscience toward God. Again, is the Spirit of God an inward part of the Sacraments? Then we must learn and remember, that we can never hear the word or receive the Sacraments with fruit and comfort, without the special assistance and inward operation of the Spirit of God. Therefore the Prophet joineth the Spirit and word together, Esay 59 I will make this my covenant with thee (saith the Lord) g Esay 59.21. my Spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not departed out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of the seed of thy seed from henceforth and for ever. A man indeed hath power to hear the word and to receive the Sacraments, his will is free in these outward works: but he hath no power or strength to do them with profit and comfort, except it be given him from above. Though we hear never so much, though we communicate never so often, the Spirit must open our hearts, as he opened the heart of Lydia. So 1 john 2. That anointing h 1 joh. 2, 27. which ye received of him dwelleth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you, but as that same anointing teacheth you of all things, and it is true, and is not lying. Likewise Acts 10. Peter preached the Gospel to Cornelius and his household, and while he yet spoke to them, The i Acts 10, 44. Holy-Ghost fell on them all which heard the word. So also the Apostles being sent out with their commission, and commanded to preach the Gospel to every k Mar. 16, 20. creature, it is noted that they went forth, and preached every where, and the Lord wrought with them, and confirmed the word with signs that followed. And john 14. The l john 14, 26. Comforter, which is the Holy-Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things & bring all things to your remembrance which I have told you. Pharaoh often heard Moses & Aaron, but he hearkened not, but hardened his heart, because there was no inward touching or teaching of the Spirit. The Israelites had heard & seen the wonderful things of God, yet they profited not in faith, in repentance, in regeneration: and the reason is rendered, Deuter. 29. Ye have seen all m Deut. 29, 2.3, 4. that the Lord did before your eyes in the Land of Egypt unto Pharaoh and unto all his servants, and unto all his Land, the great temptations which thine eyes have seen, those great miracles and wonders: y●● the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and care to hear unto this day. When we come to hear the word, which is a word of power, of life, and of salvation, when we come to receive the Sacraments, which are signs of God's graces, and seals of his promises, we see many return as ignorant, perverse, corrupt, froward, rebellious, hard-hearted, and disobedient as they came to these ordinances of God: and whence cometh this? how falleth it out? and what may be the reason hereof? Surely it is not in him that n Luke 13, 24. Rom. 9, 16. willeth; nor in him that runneth, but in God that showeth mercy, who giveth eyes to see, ears to hear, & heart to understand, to whom he thinketh good in his heavenly pleasure. Wherefore our duty is, seeing the natural man perceiveth not the things that are of the Spirit of God, to pray unto him to give us wisdom to see our corruptions, blindness, ignorance, and hardness of heart. Use 3 Thirdly, doth the Spirit work in us by the word? Are the word and Spirit joined together? and doth he teach us by means of the word and Sacraments? then we must not separate the Spirit from the word and Sacraments, as the Anabaptists do, o Against anabaptists depending on revelations. which depend upon revelations, and inward inspirations, upon private motions and divine illuminations without the word. They will not be taught by the word; they will not be strengthened by the Sacraments: but take away the use of both, following their own foolish fancies and devilish dreams. They boast of the Spirit of God, and are led by the spirit of the Devil. We must for our direction and practice learn, that as to rest upon the Spirit without the word is fantastical and heretical, and the mother of all errors: so the word and Sacraments without the Spirit are no better than a dead carcase without life, an empty sound without substance, a naked show without truth, an empty casket without the treasure: and therefore we must knit them together, and assure ourselves that the Spirit speaketh evidently in the Scriptures, the Spirit worketh effectually by the Sacraments, and the Spirit helpeth our infirmities to profit by them both. CHAP. XI. Of the third inward part of a Sacrament. THus much we have spoken touching the holy Spirit, being the second inward part: the third inward part a Christ is the 3. inward part of a Sacrament. is jesus Christ crucified, the very subject and substance of all Sacraments. He was represented by circumcision and the Paschal Lamb, by Manna and the water that flowed out of the Rock: and he is represented in baptism and in the Lord's Supper. When we receive the outward signs, God the Father offereth his Son & all his graces with him, to confirm our faith thereby. The sign is but a figure and token: Christ is the truth & substance. This we showed before, Chap. 2. in the description of a Sacrament, that therein Christ and all his saving graces are truly offered, sealed up, and given to the faithful that believe in his name. Hereunto cometh the doctrine of the Apostle, where he teacheth that the jewish Sacraments, being in the truth of them the same with ours, did signify b 1 Cor. 10, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Christ, for They drank of the spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. So he doth teach elsewher, that by baptism we c Gal. 3, 27. put on Christ, we are buried into his death, and are planted d Rom. 6, 4, 5. Col. 2.11.12. into the similitude of his resurrection. Wherefore, this is the use and end of the Sacraments, to lead our faith to the only Sacrifice of Christ once offered upon the Cross, as to the only groundwork and foundation of our salvation: as touching the other Sacrament, the same Apostle showeth, that the breaking of the bread sealeth up the e 1 Cor. 10.16 communion of his body, and the pouring out the wine the communion of his blood. So then, this is an evident, plain, and manifest truth, confirmed by testimony of the Scripture, that Christ is the matter and substance of a Sacrament. Use 1 Hereby, we gather great strength of faith. If Christ be offered with all his merits, then let us lay hold upon him and not let him go: let us stretch forth the hand of faith, and receive him into our hearts. Wherefore, when Satan assaulteth us, touching our faith in Christ and affiance in his promises, persuading us we are not elected, justified, and endued with faith, and thereby seeketh to cut off our hand from applying, or to blind our eye from looking upon the brazen Serpent, that is, Christ sitting at the right hand of his Father: let us run unto him, let us hunger and thirst after his righteousness, let us acknowledge him to be our wisdom, our righteousness, our sanctification, and redemption, and let us look for our salvation from him and in him. What though our faith be frail and weak? What though it be as a grain of a mustard-seed, which is very little and small? What if it be but as the growth and strength of a Child, which is ready to fall except he be stayed up? yet this weak, this small, this little, this frail, this feeble faith, is able and sufficient to engraffed us into Christ. A child taking a staff in his hand, is able to hold it, as truly though not as strongly as a man: so if we lay hold upon Christ by faith, though we do it with many wants, & much weakness, yet it shall serve and suffice us to salvation. For God looketh not so much to the perfection as to the truth of faith, neither so much to the measure as to the manner of our believing. Even as f Mar. 8, 24. the blind man in the Gospel when he began to perceive the moving of men, and saw them walking as trees, when yet he could not discern their bodies, did as truly and certainly see them as other did, though not so clearly, plainly, and distinctly: So when we have the least spark of faith, it will as truly assure us of our salvation as a stronger. The poor prisoner that lieth in a deep and dark dungeon, may as well discern the light of the Sun at a little hole and crevice, as he that walketh in the open air; so albeit we be compassed about with ignorance, doubtings, weakness, and manifold frailties of the flesh, yet by a dim light and sight of faith, we may certainly apply unto us the mercies of GOD and the merits of Christ, as well as if we had a strong and perfect persuasion of our election and salvation before the foundations of the world. Thus we see, howsoever the faithful may be afflicted, yet g 2 Cor. 4, 8, 9 they are not distressed: though tempted, yet not overwhelmed: though cast down, yet they perish not, For h 1 john 5, 4. this is their victory that hath overcome this world, even their faith, whereby they apprehend jesus Christ, who is offered of God the Father in the Sacraments to all the faithful. Secondly, if Christ be given us, how should not the Use 2 Father with him give us all things else? as the i Rom. 8, 32.22, 23. Apostle concludeth, If God spared not his own Son, but gave him for us all to death: how shall he not with him give us all things also? When we enjoy him we enjoy all things; if we want him it is nothing, though we abound in all things else. Wherefore, when the Father gave him for us, it is more than if he had given to us heaven and earth. For having right & interest in him, we have possession of all things, his righteousness, his sanctification, his obedience, his innocency, & whatsoever he hath is made ours. He that hath Christ who is the Lord of all, cannot doubt but he is made partaker of that which is his. He that hath Christ who is heir k Heb. 1, 2. of all things, may assure himself to be made fellow heir with him. This is it the Apostle saith, l 1 Cor. 3, 21. Let no man rejoice in men: for all things are yours; whether it be Paul or Apollo's, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, whether they be things present, or things to come, even all are yours, & ye Christ's, & Christ Gods. When a parcel of ground is purchased and made ours, thereby the profit and commodity thereof is made ours also: so when Christ by the free donation o● God the father is given unto us, his righteousness & obedience becometh wholly ours together with him. He then that hath Christ, hath all things: he that hath not Christ, hath nothing, howsoever he think himself to be something. If we have him given unto us, let us take no thought for any other thing whatsoever. He is the main and greatest gift, the rest are but appurtenances unto it, or dependents upon it. Let us therefore watch over our hearts, that they be not set upon other gifts more than upon him; and rejoice more in that the Father hath given us his own Son, then if we had received a great possession and an earthly kingdom. Use 3 Thirdly, is Christ the substance and inward part of a Sacrament, the sign being as it were the body, and the thing signified as the soul? Then there hath been from the beginning the same truth of religion, the same faith, and the same means of faith. We have had the same Sacraments for substance throughout all generations. There was a difference in the manner and outward dispensation according unto the several ages & growth of the Church, according to the several times and seasons that God hath appointed: howbeit the substance and effect, the truth & things signified are one and the same, as the body is one albeit it receive divers garments to cover it. The passover and Supper of the Lord, agree in the inward signification, both of them representing, teaching, and offering the merits of Christ's death. Baptism & circumcision are likewise the same in substance, the one cutting off, the other washing away the natural contagion and corruption of sin by the shedding of the blood of the Messiah. The same Gospel was preached to Adam by the Lord himself, and afterward revealed to Abraham and his posterity: as also it was published by Christ and his Apostles: albeit in the time of the law more darkly and obscurely, but in the time of grace more plainly and clearly. The same saving and justifying faith was in Abraham the Father of the faithful, and in all other that ever were or shallbe saved: And therefore john 1, 29. revel. 13, 8. Christ is called The Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world. And in another place, The lamb slain from the foundation of the world. To this purpose the Apostle speaketh, 1 Cor. 10. That the Israelites did eat the same spiritual meat, and drank of the same spiritual drink (that we do) for they drank of that spiritual Rock which followed them, and that Rock was Christ. Likewise in the Epistle to the Hebrews, Chap. 13. jesus Christ yesterday and to day, and the same for ever. He was always the foundation of the Church, and the Fathers were saved by no other means than we are, that is, through him only. God hath appointed him over all things, to be the head of the Church, and the Saviour of his body, Ephes. 1, 22, and 4, 16. There is given no other name under heaven, whereby we must be saved, Acts 4, 12. No man knoweth the Father, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him, Math. 11, 27. joh. 14, 16. Lastly, he saith of himself, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: In which words, he speaketh exclusively, shutting out all others, and meaneth that he is the way alone, the truth alone, and the life alone, by which Adam and all his posterity that believed, attained unto salvation. No man therefore cometh unto the Father but by him. He showeth, john 8.56. that Abraham rejoiced to see his day, and he saw it, and was glad. They which lived under the law and before the law as well as such as live under the Gospel, were no otherwise justified, reconciled, and saved, then by the blood of the only mediator Christ jesus, who indeed was the end of the law: forasmuch as the Gospel is no other than the law promised, Rom. 1, 2. 1 Pet. 1 10. and the law is no other than the Gospel exhibited and accomplished, and all the Prophets bear witness of Christ and his Gospel, Acts 10. For albeit he was manifested in the flesh in the last age of the world, and was crucified when the fullness of time came: yet his death was as effectual to the faithful before the flood and after the flood, before the law and after the giving of the law, as to the faithful that lived with Christ, and after the ascension of Christ: and it was as powerful and profitable to them that lived before he dwelled upon the earth, as when he did hang upon the Cross. This point duly marked, offereth unto us divers good meditations to be pondered in our hearts. First, that there is but one faith, and one true religion, one way to heaven, and one truth in all the Sacraments, albeit they have divers forms and figures. We have one Lord, and one Baptism, saith the Apostle, Ephes. 4. Gal. 1, 8. We have but one Christ, and one Gospel. If an Angel from heaven preach any other Gospel, any other faith, any other Christ, any other Sacraments, let him be accursed. Secondly, the Fathers before Christ's incarnation and taking flesh of the blessed Virgin were saved, and went in soul to heaven as directly and certainly as they do that die now in the faith of Christ. The gates of the kingdom of heaven were not as a Palace that is locked and bar●ed, but they were opened to all believers, before the resurrection and ascension of Christ, as well as in our days, when he sitteth at the right hand of his Father, and maketh continual intercession for us. Enoch and Elias were translated from the earth, and ascended into heaven: they were in Abraham's bosom, Luke 16.26. and 23, 42.43. which is no other than heaven, Luke 16.26. So the penitent thief before Christ rose again went with him into Paradise, Luke 23. which is nothing else but the kingdom of heaven, as appeareth by comparing the request of the thief with the answer of Christ. The Prophet David saith, Psalm 112. The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. And Solomon Prou. 10, 7. The memory of the just is blessed. For seeing they are justified by the same means that we are, why should they not receive the crown of glory, and reward of righteousness in the same manner that we do? This serveth to overthrow the doctrine of the Church of the Romanists, I do not mean the true Church to which Paul wrote, but the false Church of the Romanists that now glory in the name of a Church, as they do in the name of Catholics. But like Church, like Catholics: a bastard Church, bastard Catholics. Their Church is antichristian, and they themselves heretics: they have a name that they live, but they are dead. These men (as if they were of counsel with God) take upon them to tell us many secrets and hidden mysteries in heaven & hell, as if they had searched the utmost bounds and borders of them. The popish orders of Angels. In heaven they stick not to define the degrees and orders of Angels, and they number up nine several names of them, Principalities, rules, powers, dominions, thrones, Cherubin, Seraphim, Angels, and Archangels. Likewise they make four infernal and subterrestrial places, hell, purgatory, limbus infantum, The popish division of Hell. & limbus patrum. Hell is made the lowest room where the Reprobate and damned abide in everlasting fire, from whence is no redemption. Purgatory is the next hot house, where the souls of such as die in venial sins lie puling and purging themselves till they be helped out by dirges and masses, and pardons, and such like trumpery and foolery, that I do not say, impiety and blasphemy. The third dungeon is called limbus puerorum, where children remain and continue that die unbaptized, which hau● lost the glory of heaven, and yet lie there without pain and torment: a gentle kind of hell invented by themselves, and contradicted also by their own writers, among whom many teach that the want of heaven is as great a punishment as the sense of hell. The last Cabbine of hell which is the uppermost, is limbus patrum, where the Fathers lived before Christ. Hear is deep divinity of no small fools, here are the great keys of the popish religion: howbeit because they are uttered without warrant, they may be laughed at without danger, and rejected without reproof. Lastly, our religion and doctrine of the Sacraments that we profess, cannot be upbraided with strangeness and novelty: we teach, we receive, we practise no more than was believed and received from the beginning. The form of our Church service is in substance the same which the jews used in their Synagogues: for they read a Lecture out of the law and Prophets, Acts 13, 15. Acts 15, 21. They preached the word, they prayed, they sung Psalms, and administered the Sacraments. So in the primitive Church they had all these, they began with confession of sins, they had the use of baptism and the Lords Supper in a known tongue, as also the manner is among us. It is the popish religion that savoureth of novelty, and is defiled altogether in the marrow and pith of it with newfangledness, some part of it being taken from the Pagans, and some borrowed from the jews, and some devised by themselves, to please and allure all sorts; as the Koran of the Turks was patched and pieced together, partly from one sect and partly from another, to try if by all means they might draw many Disciples after them, and so make them twofold more the children of hell than themselves. Use 4 Lastly, have we Christ delivered unto us in the Sacraments? Then let us embrace and lay hold upon him, and let us feed upon him, forasmuch as we have all things necessary for us given unto us by the riches of gods grace. For he that findeth him, wanteth nothing. He hath wholesome meat to eat: he hath a precious garment to put on: he hath the posts of his house sprinkled with the blood of the Lamb, that the Angel of the Lord cannot destroy him. The heavenly blessings of God contained in his word, in his Sacraments, and in the exercises of our religion are most plentiful and excellent feasts, & spiritual nourishment to his servants. The Prophet speaking of the soul's provision which the great shepherd of the fold maketh for the sheep of his pasture, saith, Psal. 23. Thou preparest a Table before me, in the presence of mine enemies: thou annointest my head with oil, my cup runneth over. Psal. 36, 8.9. And in another place, They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of th' ne house, and thou shalt make them drink of the ri●er of thy pleasures. Solomon in the book of the Proverbs describes this feast at large, and setteth down the Master of the feast, the place of the feast, the cooks and dressers of the feast, the abundance of the provision, and the inviting of the guests, Prou. 9, 1.2, 3. Psal. 9, 1, 2, 3. Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars, she hath killed her beasts, she hath mingled her wine, she hath also furnished her Table, she hath sent forth her maidens, she crieth upon the high places of the City, etc. These heavenly blessings which are the soul's diet, do as truly and fully satisfy and sustain the life, the health, the strength, and good estate of the soul, as all outward provision doth nourish and maintain the body: & therefore the Prophet crieth, Ho, every one that thirsteth, Esay 55, 5. come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money: come ye, buy, and eat, yea come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. So doth Wisdom call the simple-hearted, Prou. 9, 5. Come eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled. Seeing then we have so many kind callings, let us not refuse to come, lest thereby we refuse Christ himself, who is both the master and matter of the feast, the feeder and the food, the nourisher and the nourishment. Let us not be like to that ungodly and ungracious son, who being called of his father to work in his vineyard, answered readily, but answered hypocritically, Mat. 21, 30. I will Sir, but went not. If our hearts be toward God, as his is toward us, let us sit with him at the Table, and eat in his presence. If we open the door to him, he will come in to us, and we shall sup with him, and he with us, reve. 3.20. Hence it is, that Christ proclaimeth, joh. 6.51. If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever. If we come to his Table, and receive not this bread of life, we were better not come at all. These things being thus made plain and manifest, let us remember that excellent exhortation of the Apostle, 1. Corinthians, Chapter 5. stirring up the Corinthians upon this consideration to be careful solemnly to keep this feast, that seeing Christ our Paschall Lamb is slain and crucified for us, and for our salvation, we should become a new lump, we should purge out the leaven of maliciousness, and every one follow after newness of life. The passover was an institution of God to the Israelites, that they should kill and eat a Lamb without spot, to be a type and figure of that true Lamb; and that with the blood thereof, the posts of their doors should be sprinkled, to the end that the destroyer might pass over their houses when he slew the Egyptians. Now, these types are our examples, and were written to admonish us upon whom the ends of the world are come. The Lamb figured out Christ: the sprinkling of their posts with the blood of the Lamb, figured out the sprinkling of our consciences with the blood of Christ: the passing over of them represented the merit of his death, through which God passeth over our sins, and doth not impute them unto us: the feast of the passover noteth out the spiritual joy that we are to receive for our deliverance from Satan and eternal death: the keeping of the feast without leaven signifieth the casting out of the remnants of infidelity, and the infection of sin, and stirreth us up to lead an holy, uncorrupt, and unblamable life, in token of thankfulness to him that hath delivered us from so great wrath and vengeance to come, and saved us from death and damnation. Hence it is, that the Apostle saith, 1. Corinthians, Chapter 5. verse 7, 8. Purge out therefore the old leaven that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened: for Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice & wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Then indeed we acknowledge Christ to be ptesent with us in the Sacraments, and confess that we are made partakers of him & his graces, when we learn to die to sin, and to renounce all our evil ways, and seek to be united unto him. We cannot be partakers of his holiness, except we forsake our own unrighteousness. And hereby we may examine ourselves, whether Christ be in us or not, for then the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is alive through righteousness. This is that which the Apostle teacheth, 2. Cor. 5, 17. If any man be in Christ, let him be a new creature: old things are passed away, behold all things are become new. So the Prophets prophesying of the kingdom of Christ, do foretell of a new heaven and new earth, Esay 65, 17. signifying thereby that all such as belong to Christ and have him dwelling in them by faith, must be renewed and regenerated by water and the Holy Ghost. He is not as a dead body that hath no working: but he worketh wheresoever he cometh and dwelleth, and altereth all those that are truly partakers of him, not in substance, but in quality, giving them new minds, new wills, new affections, and a new conversation. Happy are they that find this change in them, for they shall be saved in that great day of the Lord, the day of account, when the mouth of iniquity shall be stopped, and all the ungodly put to silence. Thus much of the third inward part of a Sacrament. CHAP. XII. Of the fourth inward part of a Sacrament. THe a The last inward part of a Sacrament is the faithful receiver. last inward part of a Sacrament is the faithful receiver, desiring, apprehending, receiving, hungering and thirsting after Christ. There is required a faithful receiver, if we would receive jesus Christ, faith must of necessity go before, without this there is no justification, without this there is no salvation; as Rom. 14. Whatsoever b Rom. 14, 23 Heb. 11, 6. is not of faith, is sin, And Heb. 11. Without faith it is unpossible to please God. judas executed the function of an Apostle, he was partaker of the passover: yet he ceased not to remain an hypocrite, a devil and the child of perdition, c john 17, 12. that the Scripture might be fulfilled: Neither was he bettered or sanctified by that Sacrament, or by the use thereof. Ananias and Sapphira his wife, d Acts 5, 4, 9 being in the number of Disciples, were no doubt baptized of the Apostles, & had also received ofttimes the Lords Supper; yet they continued in their wickedness, lying, and hypocrisy: the Sacrament did not take away their wickedness, nor give them a justifying and saving faith, e Acts 15, 9 which purifieth the heart by repentance and worketh new obedience in the soul. The like we have said of Simon the sorcerer, f Acts 8, 23. who albeit he were baptized, yet remained in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity. Wherefore the Apostle teacheth, that the word profited not, g Heb. 4, 2. because it was not mingled with faith in those that heard it. If the signs be received without faith, they hurt: not that God's gifts and ordinances hurt of themselves, but not being received aright, they hurt through our sin and default. As the word not received by faith is an empty sound without force: so the Sacrament is an unprofitable and a naked show without substance. Wherefore the Sacraments in regard of the unbelievers and ungodly, are no Sacraments to them, because to them they are not seals of the righteousness of faith. True it is, they remain Sacraments, in respect of God who offereth his own Son, but they lose their strength and force toward the unfaithful, that do abuse and contemn them; h Rom. 2, 25. as the Apostle expressly teacheth, Circumcision verily is profitable if thou keep the law: but if thou be a transgressor of the law, thy circumcision is become uncircumcision. The same Apostle speaking of such i 1 Cor. 11, 20. as used the Lords supper without true godliness and due preparation, saith, This is not to eat the Lords Supper; denying that to be, which was not done as it ought to be. Wherefore, seeing the right use of the Sacrament is, Use 1 when such as are truly converted use them aright, we learn divers instructions that flow and follow from hence. First, that the reprobate (though God offer the whole Sacrament to them) do receive the signs alone without the things signified: they have the bare title without the thing, the vanishing shadow without the body, the outward letter without the Spirit, the empty box without the ointment, and the creature without the Creator. They are washed with the element of water, but not with the grace of regeneration. They eat the bread and drink the wine: but they are not partakers of the body and blood of Christ jesus to salvation. They eat k Panem domini, non pan●m dominum. august, hom. in joh. 65. the bread of the Lord, but they eat not the bread & the Lord: because the sign without the right and holy use thereof, is not an available Sacrament to the receiver of it. We see therefore the wicked partake not Christ, although they partake the signs of Christ, l joh. 20, 6, 7. as they that found his clothes but miss his body. Secondly, we see hereby, that the elect ordained to Use 2 eternal life, but not yet called and converted to the Lord, and to the obedience of his will, though they come often to the Sacraments: yet do in like manner receive the bare signs without the things signified, because as yet they want faith and repentance. What then? Do they nothing differ from the reprobates? In this they differ not for the present time from the Reprobate. Notwithstanding, that receiving of the Sacrament which for the time present was unfruitful and unprofitable, shall after in them have his good effect, as the Corn that lieth long covered in the earth, at the length doth come up and flourish. For the Sacrament received before a man's conversion, is afterward to the believer and penitent sinner ratified, and so becometh profitable: whereby the use of the Sacrament, which before was utterly void and unlawful, doth then become lawful & comfortable; as we see in the word heard without fruit and faith, by an unbeliever, is made a word of salvation afterward when he is converted. Use 3 Lastly, the elect already converted and sanctified by the Spirit of God, do to their profit, comfort, and salvation receive both the sign and the thing signified together: yet so as that for their unworthy receiving thereof, (which happeneth through their manifold infirmities and often relapses into sin) they are subject to temporal punishments for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord jesus. Hereunto cometh that saying, 1 Cor. 11.30. For this cause many are sick and weak among you, and many sleep: for if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged of the Lord. Where the Apostle teacheth, that God brought a judgement upon his own house, and punished this Church with weakness, sickness, and death itself, for their unreverent, unworthy, and disordered receiving of the Lords Supper. Although many among them (no doubt) were elected, and all of them professed the Gospel of the kingdom: yet God visited their want of preparation and reverence with divers diseases and great mortality, n levit. 26, 14 25, 21. Deut. 28, 15, 16, 20, 21. according to the threatening annexed to the law, If ye will not obey me, nor do all these commandments, if ye shall despise mine ordinances, or your soul abhor my laws, then will I do this unto you, I will appoint over you fearfulness, a consumption, and the burning ague to consume the eyes and to make the heart heavy. And if ye walk stubbornly against me and will not obey me, I will then bring seven times me plagues upon you, according to your sins. Wherefore, when we have received grace to believe, and have tasted the first fruits of the Spirit to the comfort of our souls, we must not be puffed up in our knowledge, we must not grow secure, but stir up the gifts of God in us, when they begin to wax faint. Let us seek to prevent his judgements before they come, which we may do, by judging ourselves, by making inquiry into our own ways, and by searching the reins of our hearts, with purpose to condemn all ignorance, error, security, and ungodliness, and as it were to take punishment of ourselves: then this would follow thereupon, we should not be judged and punished of the Lord. This then is the remedy to avoid the sin of unworthy receiving. A man thus visited with sickness, weakness, and divers kinds of diseases, and smitten with the stroke of Gods own hand, cannot possibly be restored by any creature in heaven or earth: and yet behold the Lord hath not left us without means to remove them and take them away, to wit, by taking away the cause, that we may remove the effects. The cause of these puninshments is taken away by judging ourselves. Now a man in judging of himself o What we are to do in judging ourselves. must perform four things. First, he must examine himself of his sins. Secondly, he must confess them, & himself to be guilty, as the poor prisoner that standeth at the bar. No denying of the fact, no defending of the fault, no hiding of the offence, no justifying of our person can procure our pardon: the way to have forgiveness, is to acknowledge our own wickedness. Thirdly, he must condemn himself, and give sentence against himself without partiality. Fourthly, he must plead pardon for the remission of his sins, and never rest until he give him peace of conscience, & restore him to the joy of his salvation. CHAP. XIII. Of the first use of a Sacrament. HItherto of the parts of a Sacrament, both outward and inward: now we come to the uses thereof. For unless we know the use & understand the end why they were ordained, it shall not profit us to know the parts. Every thing must be referred to his right uses and proper ends: so must the Sacraments be. The ends are especially a Three chief uses of the sacraments. these three. First, to strengthen faith. Secondly, to seal the covenant between God and us. Thirdly, to be a badge of our profession. Touching the first end, the Sacraments serve for the better confirmation of our faith, as appeareth, 1. Pet. 3. where the Apostle having set down the drowning of the world, and the preserving of Noah by the Ark, he saith our baptism b 1 Pet. 3, 21. directly answereth that type, which is a taking to witness of a good conscience, and saving us by the resurrection of Christ. So then, by faith confirmed in Baptism, we have an infallible assurance in the death of Christ of our salvation. Many indeed come to the Sacraments, are present at baptism, are partakers of the Lords Supper, that feel no strength of faith, no increase of God's graces, no spiritual growth in the body of Christ, so that they work not salvation in them, but further their condemnation. For the Sacraments (as we have showed) give not grace, but more firmly, surely, and comfortably confirm faith, they apply and seal up Christ crucified. The Sacraments cannot give faith to the faithless, neither were they instituted to the end men should believe, but because they do believe: as meat was not given that men should learn to eat, but that they eating might be nourished. Faith indeed receiveth them, c August. de civit. dei. lib. 25. cap. 25. and then they serve to nourish it. And they confirm not faith by any inherent power included in them, but the holy Spirit applieth Christ to us, and frameth this comfortable conclusion in our hearts. All such as are converted and do rightly use the Sacraments, shall receive Christ & all his saving graces: But I am converted and do rightly use the Sacraments: Therefore I shall receive Christ and his graces. Thus doth the Comforter comfort all those that come rightly and religiously to the Lords Table. Now if we would inquire and search after the reasons of this first end, we should find that one cause why they confirm faith is, because God is true in his promises, he confirmeth and maketh good that which is gone out of his mouth. All the d 2 Cor. 1, 20. promises of God in Christ jesus are yea and are in him Amen, unto the glory of God through us. For as Princes seals confirm their charters, assure their grants, and make certain their pardons: so do Gods Sacraments witness to our hearts and consciences, that his words and promises are true and are established to continue for ever. For as he declareth his mercies by his word, so he sealeth and assureth them by his Sacraments. Again, this appeareth by the example of Abraham, who first believed the promise, and it was imputed to him for righteousness, being yet uncircumcised; and afterward received the sign of circumcision as the seal of the righteousness of faith, as the Apostle e Rom. 4, 9, 10, 11. teacheth: We say that faith was imputed unto Abraham for righteousness: How was it then imputed? when he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not when he was circumcised, but when he was uncircumcised, etc. Where he showeth that Abraham was justified in uncircumcision, but yet was afterward circumcised, that the gift of righteousness might be confirmed in him. The f Acts 8, 36. Eunuch likewise believed before he received baptism, & therefore it sealed up the increase of his faith & of God's graces. And Acts 2. They that gladly received the words of Peter, g Acts 2.41. & 10, 44, 47, 48. and 22, 16. were baptised. And, as Peter preached to Cornelius and others of the Gentiles, The Holy Ghost fell on them all which heard the word, and he said, Can any forbid water that these should not be baptised, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? So he commanded them to be baptised in the name of the Lord. Wherefore, when the Minister washeth with water, it representeth our burial with Christ, into his death, and our rising again with him into newness of life. As bread nourisheth and strengtheneth man: so the body of Christ taken by faith feedeth the soul. We take the bread and cup into our hands, we eat, we drink, we are refreshed: so we feed on Christ, whose flesh is meat indeed, & whose blood is drink indeed, and we are comforted. Use 1 Let us now come to the uses, as we have seen the reasons. And first of all, do the Sacraments serve to strengthen our faith? Then let us all acknowledge our failings and infirmities: Let us labour more and more to feel the weakness and wants of our own faith. True it is, if our faith were perfect & entire lacking nothing, h Chrisost. in Math. hom. 83. we should not need the Sacraments. We must not therefore abstain from them for the weakness of our faith, but for that cause come to God and to the Sacraments of God, praying for strength and confirmation thereof; i Mar. 9, 23, 24 as that father did, whose son was possessed with a dumb spirit when Christ said to him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth, he answered crying with tears, Lord I believe, help mine unbelief. And Luke 17. The Apostles k Luke 17, 5. say to the Lord, Increase our faith. Undoubtedly he that never doubted, never believed: For whosoever in truth believeth, feeleth sometimes doubtings and waver of his faith. Even as the sound body feeleth oftentimes the grudge of a fever and distemperature of the body, which if he had not health he could never find and feel: so the faithful soul findeth sundry doubtings, which if his faith were not sound, he could not discern. For we feel not corruption by corruption, nor sin by sin, l Lu. 11, 21, 22 because when the strong man possesseth the house, all things are in peace: but we feel sin and perceive corruption in us by a contrary grace of God's Spirit. The lesser and smaller measure of grace we have, the lesser is our feeling: & the more grace we have, the more quick we are in feeling of corruption. What is the reason that many have no sight of sin, no feeling of their corruption, no temptations, no trembling, no terror, no fear of God's wrath, but wholly live, lie, and die in their lusts? Surely, because they are without grace, without God's Spirit, & without his inward work in them. But the faithful who are not led by the flesh but by the Spirit, are often tempted, assailed, turmoiled, tried, and provoked to many evils, according to the m Luke 22.31, 32. words of our blessed Saviour, Simon, Simon, behold Satan hath desired to winnow you as wheat, but I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not; therefore when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. As a man carried up and set upon an high Tower or on the Pinnacle of a Temple, & there fast bound in chains of Iron that he cannot fall although he would, when he looketh down, feareth, and all his joints tremble, because he is not acquainted and accustomed to mount up so high in the air, and to behold the earth so far beneath: but when he remembreth himself and perceiveth himself fast bound and out of all danger, than he conceiveth constant hope of continuing, and casteth away all fear of falling: So when we look downward upon ourselves and our own ways, we have doubtings, waver, astonishments, horrors, terrors, tremble, and fears: but when we look upwards, to behold the sweet consolation which God hath promised, Christ hath purchased, the word hath published, the Holy Ghost hath sealed, and every believer hath tasted, we feel ourselves sure, and cease to doubt anymore. For faith though assaulted with doubtings may be certain. The Sun always shineth in the firmament, though the clouds have covered it, and the light appear not. The tree hath life in it, though it be not in winter discerned. So faith hath his assurance & persuasion, though it be shaken with doubtings, and assaulted with temptations. Wherefore, so often as we feel these doubtings & imperfections, let us set against them the certainty of God's truth: let us set before us the unchangeableness of his promises: let us draw near to the holy Sacram. & thereby seek strength & increase of faith. Moreover, was this one end of the Sacraments to strengthen Use 2 faith? Then God refuseth and rejecteth none for weakness of faith. For a weak faith is a true faith as well as a strong faith. A leprous hand can hold that which is offered unto it, as well as a sound and strong hand, albeit not so strongly: So is it with faith; though it be feeble and as a grain of mustard seed, yet if it be unfeigned, it will apply Christ effectually; which weakness God leaveth in us as a means to stir us up to go to the Sacraments. We read that David called lame n 2 Sam 9, 7.8 Mephibosheth to his table, thereby honouring the son for the father's sake: so doth God receive us all deformed and defiled to his heavenly Supper. And as Mephibosheth professed himself unworthy to eat bread at the king's table, saying, What is thy servant, that thou shouldst look on such a dead dog as I am? So must we confess our unworthiness, & be o Mat. 15, 26.27. contented with the crumbs of his grace, that fall from his heavenly table. And thus acknowledging ourselves to be blind, he will restore us: to be poor, he will enrich us: to be wounded, he will cure us: to be captives, he will deliver us: to be sick, he will heal us: to be weak, he will strengthen us: to be lost, he will save us: to be hungry and thirsty, he will refresh us: to be brokenhearted, he will bind us up: to be sold under sin, he will ransom and redeem us. Use 3 Thirdly, it teacheth us to abhor the absurdity of Bellarmine, a factor and attorney of the Church of Rome, p Bellar. de Sacram. lib. 1. c. 14 who denieth that the Sacraments are scales of the promises, or serve to nourish and confirm our faith, and to assure us of free remission of sins by the death of Christ. Contrary to that we heard before, in the example of Abraham, who received circumcision to seal up & assure his justification, by faith; whose example is set forth to show how all men are justified before God, q Rom. 4, 11. and what is the use of the Sacraments in all that are partakers of them. So doth baptism seal up to us Gods promises in Christ, and assureth the remission of sins, r 1 Pet. 3, 21. as Peter teacheth. Use 4 Lastly, if the chief end of the Sacraments and of the ordinance of God in the institution of them, be to confirm faith, and to assure us of regeneration, mortification, sanctification, justification, remission, and salvation: then how say som●, we cannot be assured in this life of our standing in the estate of grace, of the forgiveness of sins, and of our adoption in Christ? Doth not the s Rom. 8, 15, 16. Holy Ghost testify unto us particularly the adoption of children, the remission of sins, and salvation of our souls? As Rom. 8. We have not received the Spirit of bondage to fear, but the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba father: the Spirit beareth witness 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 certainly believe by faith. And this made the Apostle t Rom. 8, 38.39. most confident in the end of the same Chapter, saying, I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ jesus our Lord. If any object, we may hope well for forgiveness of sins, but we cannot believe the same. I answer, Faith and hope cannot be separated, they do always as loving friends accompany each other, they are never sundered and divided; so that if we may be assured of our salvation by hope, it followeth we may be certainly persuaded. True hope followeth true faith, as the effect doth the cause, and no man can truly hope, that is not truly assured. Besides, this is the property of hope, u Rom. 5, 4, 5. it never maketh any ashamed, they shall not be confounded and disappointed, they shall attain unto the thing hoped for, according to the doctrine of the Apostle, Experience bringeth forth hope, and hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us. Hitherto of the first end of a Sacrament. CHAP. XIIII. Of the second use of a Sacrament. THe second end of a Sacrament is this; a The second use of a Sacrament is to be a seal of the Covenant. It serveth to be a seal of the Covenant between God and us, that he will be our God, and we will be his people, as Gen. 17 I am God b Gen. 17, 1, 11 all-sufficient, walk before me, and be upright. The Sacraments are assured testimonies and confirmations of the favour and good will of God, who is well pleased toward us in Christ his Son. By them as by certain pledges given and received, God of his great mercy doth as it were bind himself to us, & we bind ourselves to him to remain his people, and to walk in obedience before him: for they be as strong chains to compass us, as sure cords to hold us, and as fast knots to keep us, that we do not departed from him, and cast off the fear of his name. Circumcision was a seal of God's promise to Abraham, and a seal of Abraham's faith and obedience toward God. But let us see what c What the covenant is between God & man. this covenant is, what are the Articles of agreement between God and us, and what things each part interchangeably covenanteth and contracteth each toward other. The covenant of God in respect of himself, hath three parts. He promiseth, d Rom 11, 26 jer. 33, 8. Esay 43, 25. first of all, forgiveness of our sins: for The deliverer shall come out of Zion, and shall turn away the ungodliness from jacob, and this is my covenant to them, when I shall take away their sins. Secondly, the adoption e jer. 31, 31.32, 33. 2 Cor. 6, 16.18. Zach. 8, 8. of sons and acceptation of us to be his children, joined with the promise of his continual favour, love, grace, and protection: as jere. 31. Behold, the days come (saith the Lord,) that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of judah, not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers, when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the Land of Egypt, the which my covenant they broke, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: but this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel, after those days 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 covenants written by the finger of God, wherein for better assurance he hath bound himself to forgive our sins, & promised to be our merciful God. And to the end there might be a pair of these indentures, interchangeably given each to other party; the Lord by the hand of the Apostle, writing to the Hebrews, 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 have a pair of indentures of covenants, to show the stableness of his counsel. The 3. part of the covenant in respect of God is, g revel. 21, 4.7. the promise of the full possession of the heavenly inheritance and of eternal glory after this life, as Revel. 21. God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, neither crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the first things are passed: he that overcometh shall inherit all things: Also cha. 2. To him that overcometh, will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God, he shall not be hurt of the second death: he shall have power given him over the Nations, and rule them with a rod of iron: he shall be clothed with white array, and I will not put his name out of the book of life: he shall be a pillar in the Temple of God, & shall go no more out. I will grant to him to fit with me in my throne, even as I overcame, & fit with my Father in his throne. Thus we see, how God on his part, by writings and evidences promiseth to give to his people remission of sins, adoption of sons, & possession of heaven; he hath covenanted by word & by oath to perform these things: neither is he as man that he should lie, nor as the son of man that he should deceive. These are great grants, of great blessings, by our great God, to the great good & comfort of his children. For what greater blessings can there be, then being miserable sinners, to be graciously pardoned? being utter enemies; to be freely accepted as sons? being bondslaves and prisoners of hell, to be made heirs of heaven and salvation? Again, the covenant on our part requireth three conditions: for when men intent to covenant and contract one with another, they set down articles, as well on the one side as on the other. First, faith to God, to believe his promises, as john 3.16. God so loved the world, that he hath given his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. And Cham 14. Let not your heart be troubled, ye believe in God, believe also in me. And Rom. 10. With the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth man confesseth unto salvation: for the Scripture saith, whosoever believeth in him shall not be ashamed. Secondly, God requireth of us love toward our brethren: for seeing he hath showed so great love toward us, k 1 john 4, 7, 9, 10, 11. he exacteth love of us again, as john exhorteth, Beloved, let us love one another, for love cometh of God, and every one that loveth is borne of God, and knoweth God: herein was the love of God made manifest among us, because God sent his only begotten Son into this world, that we might live through him: beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. Thirdly, he requireth as a necessary covenant to be kept on our part, holiness, & true obedience throughout the whole course l josh. 24, 24.25. 2 Kings 29, 3. of our life and conversation. This is repeated and urged in many places of the word of God, as josh. 24. when they said they would serve the Lord their God & obey his voice, joshua made a covenant with them the same day, joining God & the people together. So also josiah stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the Lord, that they should walk after the Lord, and keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all their heart and with all their soul. Likewise, to the same purpose we read, 2. Chro. 15. They made a covenant to seek the Lord God of their Fathers: and whosoever will not seek the Lord God of Israel, shall be slain, whether he be small or great, man or woman. Thus we see the conditions of the covenant, both what he promiseth to do, and what he looketh for at our hands. He requireth of us faith, love, and obedience to become his people, if we will have him to be our God. All these three parts of the covenant, m 1 john 3, 23 24. are mentioned and expressed, 1. john 3. This is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son jesus Christ, and love one another as he gave commandment: for he that keepeth his commandments, dwelleth in him, and he in him: and hereby we know that he abideth in us, even by the Spirit that he hath given us. The uses of the second end of a Sacrament are, first to Use 1 behold the exceeding love of God toward his people unworthy of his favour. Can there be a greater love than this? Certainly such as know the great rigour of the law, the infinite justice of God, and the heavy burden of sin: and feel God to arraign them, the law to indite them, their consciences to accuse them, and their hearts to condemn them, do find nothing sweeter than to be eased of that burden, to be acquitted of that judge, and to be freed from that condemnation. For of all burdens sin is the heaviest; of all wounds it is the deepest; of all afflictions it is the greatest; of all pains it is the sharpest, and often presseth down to the gates of hell. Wherefore such as feel God's mercy in their misery, n Psal. 32, 1.2. may cry out with the Prophet in the rejoicing of their spirit Blessed is he, whose wickedness is lightened, and whose sin is covered, Blessed is the man, unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity. This kindness is so great, that the eternal God should make a covenant with dust and ashes, that it ought never to be forgotten of us us, nor departed out of our hearts. Again, let every one be careful to keep the former Use 2 conditions of the Covenant, which are, to love him again, and our brethren for his sake, o Luke 1, 74.75. and to walk in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life. Our Saviour Christ directing our love to our brethren, and teaching that the streams thereof should flow unto our enemies, showeth that if we love them that love us, 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 john 3, 1. , what love the Father hath given unto us, that we should be called the Sons of God: he loved us graciously & freely: he loved us when we were enemies unto him, & spared not his own Son, but gave him to death for us all: do not these things deserve love again? are we not bound to show duty for these mercies, and love to our brethren for this love of our God? & yet many regard neither these blessings of God, neither walking in uprightness of heart Use 3 before him. Thirdly, is God & man entered into a solemn covenant, & are the Sacraments seals of it? Then the contempt of the Sacraments is the contempt of God himself & of his covenant made with us, and therefore worthily to be condemned, and justly to be censured of the Church. If men were thoroughly persuaded of this truth, I am persuaded they would not show this carelessness & profaneness in coming to these ordinances of God. They are not bare and naked promises, but covenants of mercy & favour. Every covenant is a promise, but every promise is not a covenant. Abraham had received many promises from God, of reconciliation, of posterity, of blessing & protection, that he would be his buckler, his bulwark, and his great reward, and give unto his seed the land of Canaan; yet we read not that God as yet made a covenant with him, until by a solemn rite and ceremony he established it, Goe 15. where we see that Abraham took an heiffer, a she-goat, and a ram, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another In the same day the Lord made a covenant with him. This he confirmed afterward by the sign of circumcision, as also he confirmeth his covenant with us by two Sacraments. If any were asked the question whether they would have God to be their God, gracious and merciful unto them, they would answer it is their whole desire: howbeit if we would have God magnify his mercy toward us, we must magnify & make much of his sacram. whereby he hath sealed up his love toward us. Can Abraham have God to be his God, and the God of his seed, and yet reject circumcision commanded unto him, which was a sign of the covenant? Can the Israelites acknowledge God to be the author of their deliverance out of Egypt, and yet refuse the passover that was instituted in remembrance of their delivery and of his mercy? O that we could consider these things, and learn them aright, to make us wise to God and to ourselves. If we give to any man a piece of money to bind a bargain that hath passed between him and us, we would think ourselves much abused, if he should not count himself tied by it to perform his promise and make good his word. So hath God left with us his Sacraments (as an earnest penny) to assure us of his word, and the unchangeable faithfulness of his promise: shall we then make no account of them? or esteem them at our own pleasure? We make ourselves guilty of the blood of Christ, and as much as lieth in us, say to the almighty, Depart from us, we will none of the knowledge of thy ways, we will walk after the stubbornness of our hearts. Lastly, are the Sacraments as a band with a condition? that leaveth us not at liberty to do what we list, but Use 4 bindeth us to perform the condition? Then we must learn from hence, that howsoever God have dealt in mercy toward us, offering us the pardon of our sins, promising to receive us as sons, and assuring us to bestow upon us eternal life: yet if we be not faithful and obedient unto him, but reject these benefits from us, & walk not worthy of them, they shall be taken from us & given to a people that will make more account of them, The covenant that God hath made, is a mutual promise and agreement between God and man, whereby God giveth men assurance that he will be gracious & favourable unto them, remitting their sins, bestowing upon them righteousness, bringing them to salvation & reserving them to his heavenly kingdom through Christ his Son and our redeemer. And on the other side, men bind themselves to faith, repentance, and obedience, and to be thankful unto him for so great and gracious benefits. This mutual compact and covenant, that it might be made firm and authentical, is sealed by the outward badges and tokens of baptism and the Lords Supper, which are sacred signs testifying Gods good will toward us, and confirming our duty toward him. This is no small mercy showed unto us, but the most sacred and sovereign gift of God that can be bestowed upon any people in this life: as Psal. 111.9. The Prophet remembreth in the last place, that he sent redemption unto his people, he hath commanded his covenant for ever. So the Apostle maketh it as a wonderful privilege that God gave to the jews, in that they had the sign of circumcision and the Oracles of God committed unto them, Rom. 3, 1, 2. According to the saying of the Prophet, Psal. 14.19.20. He showed his word to jacob, his statutes and ordinances unto Israel: he hath not dealt so with every Nation, neither have they known his judgements. This aught to teach diligence, and work conscience in all sorts of men, lest we deprive ourselves of the gifts of God lent unto us and bestowed upon us. Thus we see first of all, that mankind generally, neither was, neither is within the covenant, but only such as by faith embrace and lay hold on the covenant. The Apostle saith, Gal. 3.22. The Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by the faith of jesus Christ should be given to them that believe. Without faith it is unpossible to please God, and therefore there is no promise of reconciliation made without faith. The covenant between God and man touching righteousness and eternal life, was delivered and revealed from the beginning to our first parents, immediately after their fall, before they were driven out of the Garden of Eden, Gen. 3, 15. The seed of the Woman shall bruise the Serpent's head. And in the tenor of this covenant God did put a difference between the seed of the woman and the seed of the Serpent. By the seed of the woman he meaneth, the head and his members, Christ and the faithful that believe in him: as also by the seed of the Serpent, all the reprobate that live and die in their sins, forasmuch as he that committeth sin is of the Devil, 1 john 3, 8. and, he is their father. john 8, 44. Hence we see, how foul and fearful a thing it is to be without faith, all such are without life, without Christ, without the covenant, even strangers from the covenants of promise, without hope, and without God in the world. Again, all such as contemn grace offered unto them in the Mediator Christ jesus, who is the foundation and groundwork of this covenant, in whom all the promises of God are yea, and amen: All such as follow sin with greediness, and drink iniquity as water, such as are both bare and barren in good things for ever, but plentiful in bringing forth the works of darkness, and the fruits of disobedience, are all out of the covenant, and have no promise made unto them of grace, of righteousness, of reconciliation, of protection, and of salvation: It is required of us to repent and believe the Gospel, Mar. 1, 15. But if we begin to break with God, shall we think to hold him close to his covenant, and to challenge him with his word? Will we tie him to conditions, and imagine to go free ourselves? Will we urge him hard with his promise, and as it were lay heavy burdens upon him, and not touch them ourselves with our little finger? He promiseth nothing unto us, except we keep covenant with him. And what reason is it, that we should look to receive blessings at his hands, when we will yield no duty of obedience unto him? For as God promiseth to be with us and bestow all good things upon us, so we bind ourselves unto him, to become his children and his servants, to fear him, to love him, and to walk in uprightness before him. God never beginneth to break with us, neither falsifyeth his truth. He never forsaketh us until we forsake him: and therefore the Prophet said to Asa king of juda, 2. Chron. 15, 2. The Lord is with you, while ye he with him: and if ye seek him, he will be found of you: but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you. In all covenants the condition must ever more be marked, considered, and observed. It is unpossible that God should lie, he cannot fail us or deceive us. The like fidelity toward him is required of us. It is not enough for us to know what God hath promised, but it is requisite for us to learn upon what conditions he hath promised to be gracious unto us. He never promised to be merciful unto any, but under the express condition of sincere obedience. If we will believe and obey, we shall prosper: but if we become rebellious and stubborn, he will also walk stubbornly against us, and bring upon us all the curses theatned in his word. CHAP. XV. Of the third use of a Sacrament. THus much of the second use: the third use of the Sacraments, a The third use of a Sacrament is to be a mark & badge of our profession. is to be badges and marks of our Christian profession, that thereby one of us should acknowledge an other to be of one household and of one family, of one society, and as it were birds of one feather. For hereby we do manifest whose we are, whom we serve, to what house we belong, is and to what people and, Church: we are thereby gathered into one religion, and distinguished from other sects: b August cont. Faust. lib. 19 cap. 11. we are gathered into one Church, and knit together in one, as Ephe. 2. Remember that ye that ye being in times past Gentiles in the flesh, c Ephe. 2, 11, 12, 13. and called uncircumcision of them which are called circumcision in the flesh made with hands, ye were at that time without Christ, without God, without hope: but now in Christ jesus ye which once were far off, are made near by the blood of Christ. The jews by circumcision were distinguished from other people, d 1 Sam. 17, 36. and the name of uncircumcised was reproachful, they were accounted unclean and unholy person, for the uncircumcised males were to be e Gen. 17.14. cut off from the number of the people of God. So by baptism we are separated from all other religions, and are consecrated only to Christian religion: and such as continue unbaptised with contempt of that Sacrament, we take them not for our brethren, nor for the people of God, nor for members of his Church, because they refuse to take the Sacrament of baptism, as the badge & cognizance by which they should be known: such as are Atheists, Infidels, Sarazens, Turks, Persians, moors, jews, and other nations that want this mark to be discerned to belong to the family of Christ. Christ jesus sending out his Apostles, bade them teach and baptise the Gentiles, f Mat. 28, 19 Mar. 16, 16. Acts 2, 39, 41.42. to whom he directed them: therefore where the word and Sacraments are, there is a Church and Congregation of the people of God. And Mar. 16, 16. He that believeth and is baptized shallbe saved. And hereunto cometh that saying, Acts 2. When the Apostles, had exhorted the people to amend their lives, and to save themselves from that froward generation, Then they that gladly received the word were baptized: and they continued in the Apostles doctrine, and fellowship, and breaking of bread, and prayers, and the same day there was added to the Church three thousand souls. Thus we see that by the Sacraments as by certain bands and chains, God knitteth and bindeth his people to himself, and keepeth them in his covenant, lest they should part asunder and fall away to infidelity. And the people are warned, that by these outward signs they differ from the barbarous savages, and unbelieving Gentiles, and consequently should endeavour & provide that they likewise differ from them in those things that are signified by those signs. This offereth to our considerations very good uses. Use 1 First, hereby we are put in mind of our dignity & excellency. Such is our privilege & prerogative that we do bear the badges of Christ our Lord. How do men in this world desire to wear the cloth and shroud themselves under the badges of great persons of countenance to protect them? how much greater preferment is it to be the servants of Christ, to be gathered under his wings and to be his Disciples, whose service is perfect g 1. Cor. 7.22. john 8,, 6. freedom and protection from all evils? and whose badges are instruments of his saving graces? If this be the glory of the faithful, let us seek to maintain our dignity and freedom, h joh. 3, 1, 2. joh. 1, 12.13. according as joh teacheth, Behold what love the Father hath given to us, that we should be called the Sons of God: for this cause the world knoweth you not, because it knoweth not him. And again in his Gospel, As many as received Christ, to them he gave prerogative to be Sons of God, even to them that believe in his name, which are borne not of blood, nor of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Whereas on the other side, the estate and condition of ungodly men is base, vile, miserable, and contemptible; they live to themselves and to sin, they die to judgement and condemnation. What can be more fearful? what can be more wretched? Use 2 Secondly, if we wear the cloth and badge of Christ, than we must be bold in the faith, and hold out our profession, notwithstanding dangers and fear of death. For we serve one that is able to bear us out. We see how men belonging to those that are of high place, are many times emboldened thereby in lewd practices: How much more ought we that have learned Christ, to be encouraged in the faith, and not to shrink back for fear of offence? This was the commendation of the Church of Pergamus, revel. 2, 13. I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's throne is, and thou keepest my name, & hast not denied my faith, even in those days when Ant pass my faithful Martyr was sla●ne among you, where Satan dwelleth. So Christ our Saviour taught his Disciples, Math. 10.32.33. Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven: But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. Wherefore, this condemneth those that say, I will keep my conscience to myself, none shall know my religion but God and myself, I will not be too forward for fear of after reckonings, nor any way countenance such as be forward. These men, while they suppose to keep their religion to themselves, do indeed proclaim openly that they are of no religion. For if they did truly believe in their hearts, they would likewise confess with their tongues, according to the saying of the l Rom. 10, 9, 10. Apostle, If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved: for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth man confesseth unto salvation. And m jam. 2, 18. the Apostle james teacheth us to try faith by works, as gold by the touchstone, and the tree by his fruits, Chap. 2. Show me thy faith by thy works, and I will show thee my fa●th by my works. So then, let us not be ashamed of the n Rom. 1, 16. Gospel of Christ, Which is the power of God to salvation to every one that believeth, and not shrink for trouble, as false cloth in the wetting, and a deceitful bow in bending, lest our Master be ashamed of us before his Father and the holy Angels. Thirdly, if the Sacraments be as badges to show forth Use 3 our profession: than it condemneth those that speak evil of men as too precise too nice, too pure for their profession, because they run not into the same excess of riot with others. These are not too precise, but such as scoff at all profession are too profane. It is good to be earnest in the matters of God, provided that our zeal be tempered with discretion: and all neuter be odious to God, o revel. 3.15.16. as it is said to the Church of the Laodiceans, I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou werest cold or hot: therefore because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, it shall come to pass, that I shall spew thee out of my mouth. Wherefore, let us not be discouraged in well-doing, but walking through good report and evil report, let us remember that as Christ is our Lord and Master, so our profession and the Sacraments are our badges. Use 4 Lastly, we see what our estate and condition is, that we are not our own, but are subject to Christ to serve him. For do we bear his badge? Then he is our master. If he be our Master Ma●. 1, 6. where is the fear and reverence due unto him? Is it not meet we should show ourselves thankful for so great mercies and gifts? Were it not intolerable unthankfulness and unsufferable pride, for any man to wear the cognizance of another, and yet to scorn his service, and deny him duty? Might not one worthily check and control him as Christ did the jews, who unwillingly paid such taxes and tributes as were laid upon them? He called for a penny, q Mat. 22, 19.20, 21. and said unto them? Whose image and superscription is this? They said unto him, Caesars. He answered, Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and give to God the things that are Gods. So likewise might one say fitly, Whose badge wearest thou? whose Arms bearest thou on thy sleeve? Doth not this put thee in mind of thy state and condition, and of the service and honour thou owest thy Master? In like manner may it be said to us, Whose badge bearest thou? Is it not Christ's? we are not therefore our own 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 have of God? and ye are not your own. For you are bought with a pr●ce, therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, for they are Gods. So many therefore as come without knowledge and true repentance, break their faith given to Christ, and betray the body of Christ as much as in them lieth. Wherefore to the right use and partaking of the Sacraments, there 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 save his people: to be their Priest, perfectly by sacrifice to reconcile and justify them: to be their king, by the government of his Church, to kill sin in them and to sanctify them; to be their teacher, to instruct them in the will of his heavenly Father. After these is required true faith, and earnest repentance, otherwise we cannot receive r Without faith and repentance we cannot receive Christ. Christ in the Sacraments. Put food into the mouth of a dead man, it cannot nourish him: So if one that is unworthy and unfit, lying dead and rotting in his sin do come to the Sacraments, certainly they do not give him life and worthiness, s 1 Cor. 11, 27, 29. but such a one doth lad himself with a greater burden of sin and punishment, as 1 Cor. 11. Whosoever shall eat this bread and drink the cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord, he eateth and drinketh his own judgement, because he discerneth not the Lords body. CHAP. XVI. Of the number of Sacraments. HItherto we have spoken of the chief uses of the Sacraments: now we are come to speak a The number of Sacraments. of the number of Sacraments, according as we take the name and have declared the nature of them. Let us see then how many such visible signs and seals of spiritual grace in the new Testament, were instituted of God to set forth the benefits of Christ, for the continual use of the Church. Many live in the bosom of the Church, hear the word, come to public prayer, take themselves to be goodly Christians, offer themselves to the Lords-table, & are made partakers of the Sacraments, who yet are ignorant how many Sacraments there are, and what they are. None almost so simple but he can number his sheep and cattle: he knoweth their marks, he knoweth their differences: but ask him how many commandments of the law, how many Articles of faith, how many petitions of the Lords prayer, or how many Sacraments of the new Testament, he can answer nothing. They know no difference between commandment & commandment, between the first Table and the second, between article and article, and between one petition and another. Such have their wits wholly exercised on the world, and on worldly things, which justle out religion and the knowledge of heavenly things. If we have ears to hear, let us hear what is the faith of the Church in this point, grounded upon the infallible rule and rock of the word of God. The Sacraments of the Church ordained by Christ, to assure our communion with him are only two: b Christ instituted only two Sacraments. Baptism whereby we are received into the covenant of God, in stead of circumcision: and the Lords Supper, whereby we are nourished, maintained, and retained therein, in stead of the passover. For albeit the covenant be but one, yet the scales thereof are two, to assure us that by union with Christ, we are regenerated and shall be nourished to eternal life. He hath delivered us a few Sacraments in stead of many, he could have instituted more if he 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, whereby we after a sort do handle Christ crucified & lay hold on the graces of salvation. Christ hath appointed no more Sacraments, he hath laid on us an easy yoke and a light burden. That these two are the only Sacraments of the new Testament, may appear by these reas●ns c Reasons why there are only two Sacraments. following. First, Christ taught no more to his Apostles, the Apostles delivered no more to the Churches, the Churches embraced no more for many years. When th● Lord jesus lived on the earth, Luke 1, 76. and 33. he instituted baptism, by the ministry of john Baptist, who as he was sent to prepare the hearts of the people, so he preached the baptism of repentance: Afterward the Lord jesus establish it with his own mouth, in the commission given to his Disciples: So he appointed and himself first administered his last Supper in remembrance of his death, until his second coming again with power & great glory. These two true Sacraments of the Church, to wit, baptism & the Lords Supper were instituted and warranted by the mouth of Christ himself, and none other beside these. These we receive because Christ ordained them: other we receive not, because he ordained them not. Secondly, the Apostle Paul admonisheth the Corinthians to beware of Idolatry, not to flatter themselves, or to think themselves the members of Christ, & therefore should escape the judgement of God, because they had the Sacraments: for the Church of the Israelites had as great privileges as they, they had the same Sacraments e 1 Cor. 10.1.2, 3, 4. the same Baptism, the same Supper in substance and effect, yet God was not pleased with them, but overthrew them in the wilderness. If then the Corinthians had any more than these two, they might have justly replied, We grant indeed, in respect of these they are equal with us, but we have other which they had not, wherein they are inferior to us, and we superior to them, and therefore are preferred before them. If then the Apostles reason conclude strongly, we may hence gather directly, that there are only two and no other Sacraments, because the Apostle mentioneth no more, where he purposeth to set forth the privileges of the jews, & to make them equal with the Gentiles. Wherefore we must receive two Sacraments only, or else the Apostle hath reasoned weakly. Furthermore, the same Apostle 1. Corinthians 12.3. purposing to show that many members of the Church are one body in Christ coupled by him as by joints, proveth this point by a full enumeration ot the Sacraments, being pledges of our setting into the body of Christ and continual nourishment in the same, when he saith, As by one Spirit we are all baptised unto one body, whether jews or Gentiles, so we have all been made to drink into one Spirit, Where the Apostle showeth, that all the faithful by the effectual working of the Holy-Ghost are made one body in Christ, which he confirmeth by the two sacraments of Baptism and the Lords Supper, without mention of any more. Moreover, another reason may be framed, by comparing the Church of the jews with the Churches of the Christians in regard of their ordinary Sacraments. There are no more Sacraments delivered in the Gospel, than were prefigured under the law: for their Sacraments were types answering to our Sacraments, as 1 Pet. 3, 21. Our baptism answereth the figure of the waters, refresenting the same that our Baptism doth. True it is, the Sacraments of the old Testament were not g jewish Sacraments not figures of Christian Sa●●ments. figures of the Sacraments of the new Testament, for then their Sacraments should be the sign, and ours should be the thing signified: and so there should be Sacraments of Sacraments, which were foolish and absurd. Again, the jewish Sacraments should be signs of things altogether unknown unto them & not given them of God, for they were utterly ignorant of Baptism & the Lords Supper. Besides, that ancient people should be saved by believing baptism & the Lords Supper to come: for doubtless they were saved by believing that which their Sacraments did signify: but they were not saved by believing Baptism and the Lords Supper, but by believing in Christ to come. Lastly, the old Sacraments should have one signification, and the new another; for the old should signify the new, and the new should signify Christ and all his benefits. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Notwithstanding, the Sacraments of the new testament succeed in the room of those of the old, and signify the same things that they do; baptism k Col. 2, 11.12. came in place of circumcision, and the Lords Supper is come in place of the Paschall Lamb, as appeareth in that it was administered presently after it, Luke 22, 14.15. to declare the abrogating of the one and establishing of the other. As then there was the same faith and the same way of salvation by Christ, m revel. 13.8. who was the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world, n Heb. 13, 8. he was yesterday and to day, and the same for ever: so had the jewish rites respect to o 1 Cor. 10, 3, 4. Christ, and all of them are reduced to our two Sacraments. Wherefore, as the jews had only 2. ordinary Sacraments, Circumcision & the passover, as appeareth: p Exod. 12, 48 If a str●nger dwell with thee, and will observe the passover of the Lord, let him circumcise all the males the belong unto him: So the ordinary Sacraments of Christ's Church are Baptism and the Lords Supper agreeing to the same. Now the 5. other Sacraments newly invented, were not prefigured in the law, they succeed not in the place of their ceremonies, they are not answerable to any types of jewish rudiments, therefore they are no Sacraments. Fiftly, these two Sacraments, Baptism and the Lords Supper, are altogether perfect and sufficient, not only to enter and plant a Christian into the Church, but also to retain him in it: and therefore all other are frivolous, vain, and superstitious, as superfluous branches to be pared away. Now that they are sufficient to these purposes, appeareth by the effects & uses of them, What other grace can we have then to be borne again in Christ, to have justification, forgiveness of sins, and all privileges of eternal life, and then afterward to be nourished and kept continually in him? All these are fully represented and sealed up to us in these two: whereupon it followeth, that Christ who ordained the fewest and best Sacraments under the Gospel, appointed these and no more. Thus than we may gather, that by the institution of Christ, by the argument of the Apostle, by comparison of the jewish ceremonies, and by the sufficiency of the two Sacraments of Baptism and the Lords Supper, that these are the only two Sacraments; the rest are forged and counterfeit Sacraments, they seal not up Christ, q August. in Psal. 40. they never flowed out of his side, r john 19, 34. from whence issued only water and blood. Lastly, this number of 2. Sacraments appeareth not only by the testimony of ancient Fathers, but by the confession of the adversaries. For howsoever in many other controversies, their words are many, and their arguments probable and very specious: yet for the avouching of 7. Sacraments, they are dumb and silent, and are not able to produce the reverent witnesses of the elder time. Bellarmine proveth the word s Bellar. de es●●ct, sacr. lib. 2. cap. 24. Sacrament, sometimes to be given to all the seven: but this is when the word is taken in a large and general signification, for any mystical sign and token, t C●nsur. Colon d●al. 7. pag 248 which may signify some other thing, and may more properly be called a sign then a Sacrament, as the covering of the head in the woman was a sign of subjection: laying on of hands in ordination of the ministry, is a sign of their separation to that work, and of God's presence to assist them with his grace and blessing: the Saboth day was a sign of the heavenly rest. In this sense Augustine calleth the u Aug. de sim. lib. 3, cap. 9 mystery of the Trinity a Sacrament; and fire a Sacrament, because by the heat, light, and shining brightness thereof, the Trinity may after a sort be shadowed out. Besides, a Warnw. Enc●unt. 1. c. 13. the late Warneword, Page 91. handling this controversy of the number of Sacraments, doth not prove the number of seven Sacraments out of the Scripture, neither goeth about it, neither is able to derive it further than the counsel of Florence holden in the year 1440. and from Peter Lombard, b S●nent. lib. 4 dist. 2. who was indeed the Father and first finder and founder of this number of seven. Augustine, when speaketh of Sacraments in the strict and proper signification, and taketh them for holy signs and seals, not only signifying, representing and exhibiting spiritual graces, commanded by Christ, succeeding in the room of the jewish two ordinary Sacraments, and offering Christ to all faithful receivers, the use whereof is perpetual and universal, reckoneth them as we do, c August de simb. ad catechu. Haec sunt Ecclesiae gemina sacramenta. i. These be two Sacraments of the Church. And in one other place, d August. de doctr. Christ. l●b. 3. cap. 9 Christ and his Apostles have delivered unto us a few Sacrament instead of many, as Baptism and Lords Supper Cyprian, that lived before him, Cyprian lib. 2. Epist. 1. is of the same judgement who saith plainly, Tunc demum planè sanctificari, etc. that is may be thoroughly 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, etc. that is, The Sacraments of Christ in the Catholic Church are, baptism, and the body and blood of our Lord. So S. Ambrose entreating 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. only maketh mention of those two which we receive, not of the rest which we refuse. Yea Thomas of Aquine the Chief Doctor of the Papists holdeth herein the truth, g In lib. 4. sent. dist. 28. qu. 4. teaching that the form of Baptism and of the Lords Supper is found in the Scripture, but not of the other pretended Sacraments and namely of extreme unction. To conclude, h Bessar. de sacra. Eucharist. Cardinal Bessarion confesseth this, Haec duo sola Sacramenta in Euangelijs manifest tradita legimus, that is, we read that these two only Sacraments were delivered us manifestly and plainly in the Gospel. Thus we see that others before us do join with us, and speak directly of both the Sacraments, of two Sacraments, and of only two Sacraments: and therefore the bringing in of seven is as strange and monstrous, as if a man should say we wanted seven feet to walk, or seven eyes to see, or seven hands to handle, or seven ears to hear, whereas two of each sort are sufficient, and the other five are needless and superfluous in the body Now let us come to the uses of this division. In Use 1 that Christ hath appointed so few Sacraments in number: hereby appeareth the great love of God toward us: he hath not laid a burden upon us which neither we nor our Fathers were able to bear, but charged us with two Sacraments only: whereas he might have delivered other more unto us. The Ceremonial law was a very heavy burden pressing down the Father of the old Testament, and keeping them i Act. 15, 10. in great bondage: now the yoke is broken and we are delivered. As we see the like mercy of God, in teaching a short form of prayer, as a perpetual direction to the Church, and in delivering the ten Commandments divided into two tables: so he hath not troubled us with many Sacraments: whereby also our nature prone to idolatry is respected, and the grace of the new Testament is wonderfully amplified. We see how superstition and gross Idolatry have prevailed in the Church of Rome, & infected with deadly poison one of the Sacraments: how much greater danger were it if more Sacraments had been commanded and commended unto us? Again, hereby we may perceive and conceive the Use 2 difference between the old and new Testament, between the Sacraments under the law and these under the Gospel, k Difference between the Sacraments of the old Testament & the new. between those given to the jews and these retained among Christians. For ours are few in number, theirs are many in number; the Ark, Circumcision, the passover, Manna, the Cloud, the Sea, the Rock, many purifications & oblations which are not easy to be numbered. But the Gospel acknowledgeth only two, as two twins begotten of the same father, & brought forth of the same mother. Hereunto we may add not unprofitably, other material differences to be acknowledged. They differ in time: ours show forth our communion with Christ already come, and so are more firm and durable, as those l 1 Cor. 11, 26 which are not to be changed to the end of the world, 1 Cor. 11. Ye show the Lords death till he come. Their Sacraments were ordained only until the coming of Christ, because they showed and pointed out Christ to come, so that the work of grace was more obscure unto them. Again, they differ much in variety of Sacramental signs and rites, as the cutting of the foreskin, the Lamb of the passover, journeying through the Sea, saving by the Ark, drinking of the rock, lifting up the brazen Serpent, raining down of Manna, washing of their body; they had calves, sheep, goats, doves, bread, wine, oil, and such like: we have only water in Baptism, & bread and wine in the Lord's Supper. Thus the signs do greatly vary. Fourthly, they differ in easiness. For the ceremonies committed to the people of the jews were hard, cumbersome, painful to the flesh, and some of them were administered with effusion and shedding of blood, partly of man & partly of beasts. Of man, as in circumcision: of beasts, as in the Paschall Lamb and in the sacrifices. But our Sacraments, though Sacraments of Christ's blood shed for us, yet of themselves be void of blood. Fiftly, they differ in measure of signification, For our Sacraments have a more plentiful and full representation of grace offered, and stir up a greater measure of faith then the Sacraments of the old Testament (which were more dark & obscure) the Lord reserving a fuller measure of knowledge unto the blessed times of the Gospel. For as the exhibiting of Christ jesus in the flesh in fullness of time, and as it were in the old age of the world, is of more efficacy to move us then the expectation of him to come, so we have better helps and an holy advantage to raise and rouse up our faith unto a greater assurance of grace and mercy, by how much the accomplishment is more than the promise, and the fulfilling greater than the foretelling. Lastly, they differ in respect of the people to whom they were given, and for whom they were ordained: ours belong to all people dispersed over the face of the whole earth (that are engrafted into the Church) whereas theirs were tied to one Nation, to one people, to one place, to the posterity of Abraham. Notwithstanding these differences which are in signs and circumstances: touching the chief thing even the matter and substance of the Sacraments they are equal, m Wherein the Sacraments of the old and new Testament agree. having 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 between God and man, even the man jesus Christ is represented in both the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. They signify and show forth the same Communion of Christ, by which all the elect are saved, and seal up salvation and remission of sins to all that do receive them by faith. For they were given to be signs and seals of grace and of the promises of God, to distinguish the faithful from all other sects and religions in the world, and that they should be received with profit only of the faithful. In these and such like things, the Sacraments of the jewish and Christian Church are not unequal: although in the outward signs and circumstances they be divers, yet in the substance & in the thing signified there is no difference. Use 3 Thirdly, we are bound to believe his promises, and to have strong consolation, seeing he bathe given us two signs. If we had only had one sign as a seal of the mercies of God in Christ, it had been a great sin not to have believed the promise, and not to have rested therein as in a thing unchangeable. For he is not as man that he should lie, or deceive: n 2 Cor. 1.20. his only promise is assured payment: yea all the promises of God in him are yea, and are in him Amen, unto the glory of God. But seeing the goodness of God hath abounded in granting unto us two, Sacraments that where doubting aboundeth, there faith might abound much more: our sin is the greater, if now we waver like o jam. 1, 6. a wave of the sea tossed of the wind and carried away. One tree of life serve Adam to assure him life: one rainbow sufficed Noah: one return of the Sun backward was enough to Hezekiah, and they believed. If then we seek a sign we have two given unto us, that having too unchangeale Sacraments as it were two witnesses of his word, and assurances of his promise, we might have strong consolation. The unbelieving jews said to Christ, p Mat. 12.38. and 16, 1. Show us a sign, and we will believe thee. Behold the Lord showeth us two visible signs of his spiritual and invisible graces, and shall not we believe, being steadfast in faith and grounded in hope? We desire forgiveness of sins & assurance thereof: by these two the Lord promiseth, covenanteth, and indenteth to give the same unto us, setting the seals to his own writing. Lastly, this division and numbering up of the Sacraments Use 4 serveth to teach, that there are not seven Sacraments of the Church, and so do condemn the five supposed and falsely 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 Unction. Baptism we embrace: the Lords Supper we acknowledge: of these two we move no question, we make no controversy: the other five, whose father is unknown, 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 Gospel where the name of Christ: had not been heard. Now because many seducers arose that troubled the peace of the Church, and the faith of many believers began to waver: the Apostles agreed together to go again to the Churches where they had laid a 1 Cor. 3.12. a golden foundation, (howsoever 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 unto Barnabas, Let us return and visit our brethren in every City where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do. And we doubt not, but when the Gospel was revealed, the Apostles by laying on hands gave the jousts of the Holy-Ghost to the believers in Christ. This practice of the Apostles we find, this we confess, this we approve and allow. But of any Sacrament of confirmation we read not, and therefore allow not. Again, it was a laudable custom (in the primitive Church) of Christian parents, to bring their Children to the Bishop, who examined them in the principles and fundamental points of religion, c Heb. 6, 1. he asked them reason of their faith, he instructed them further in the mysteries of godliness: and that this action might have the more reverence and dignity, he laid his hands upon them, and prayed unto God for them, that he 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 strengthened in the Holy-Ghost, and to have increase of grace, corrupted with anointings, depraved with cross, and defiled with sundry superstitions, is no Sacrament. First, every Sacrament should have warrant and appointment from Christ, and a promise annexed unto it, but this hath none. 2. it hath no word of institution in the Scripture, nor commandment to continue the use of it until the coming of Christ and end of the world, & therefore no Sacrament. For the word must be added to the element, and so it is made a Sacrament. True it is, they use a forged and counterfeit form in their confirmation, I sign thee with the sign of the holy Cross and I confirm thee with the oil of salvation, in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy-Ghost. These indeed are words, but no word of God: they show an intolerable presumption, not to be excused. But indeed a counterfeit word is fit enough for a counterfeit Sacrament, & there is a good agreement when both writing and seal are suitable, that is, both forged. Thirdly, it wanteth an outward sign instituted by Christ. We read oftentimes that the Apostles used laying on of hands, we read of no oil or Chrism. Besides, we know they gave thereby, the miraculous gifts of the Holy-Ghost which now are ceased, as Acts 8. where we see, when Samaria was converted to the faith by preaching of Philip, and baptised in the name of the Lord jesus, the Apostles sent thither Peter & john, who prayed for them, e Acts 8, 5, 14 15, 1●, 17. That they might receive the Holy-Ghost, (for as yet he was fallen down on none of them) then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. This confirmation thus used, had then a profitable use in the Church of God. But as the brazen serpent commanded by f Num. 21, 8.9 God, and set up by Moses for good purpose, was afterward abused and f 2 King. 18, 4 incense offered unto it, and lastly was by that good king Hezekiah destroyed and demolished: so popish confirmation hath many intolerable abuses mingled with it, and sundry foolish ceremonies, no better then apish toys, accompanied with horrible superstition; as if it were invented to bring the faith of Christ, the Sacraments of the church, the worship of God, and all holy things into contempt. For first of all, the Bishop that must play this play, The rites and ceremonies used in Confirmation. acteth, the matter with Stage-like gestures, he must breathe with his stinking breath upon the pot or cruse wherein the chrism or unction is, and saluteth it with these gracious or rather graceless words, Hail hol● Chrism, making an abominable Idol of it, and speaking to it as if he had breathed life into it. For the popish religion carrieth no reverence with it, if there be not an Idol set up at one end of it. Secondly, Bellar. de s●cra. Confir. lib. 2. cap. 13. he striketh him a gentle blow with his hand that cometh to be confirmed, to teach him patience, and to bear the Cross for Christ's sake: whereas himself rather deserveth to have a sound rap on his pate, for abusing the party, the place, the people, God, and his Gospel. Thirdly, the child's forehead is bound about with a linen swathing band, lest that the oil should run down, and so all the fat were in the fire, and the grace of God lost which was never obtained. Fourthly, neither head, nor forehead must be washed seven days together after the anointing, to assure us (I think) when all is done, that it is but a fluttish and unsavoury Sacrament. Fiftly, this supposed and counterfeit Sacrament must be given and received by such as are fasting, to be sure they shall not surfeit at the taking of it, and that notwithstanding all this preparation we must look for nothing but hungry stuff: for otherwise here were enough to make a man spew and empty his stomach. Lastly, it is such an holy blessing, that it must be bestowed only on high days and festival times for fear of the contempt of this babble, as at the solemn feast of Easter, and especially at Whitsuntide, because then the Apostles were forsooth first of all confirmed by God himself. Hear is no talk of teaching youth the principles of religion, and of examining them how they profit in knowledge and understanding; here is deep silence touching these things, as if it were a needle's matter, and altogether impertinent unto them. Moreover, it is ministered in a strange tongue that none understand what is spoken and meant: they call the oil, the oil of salvation: they account him no perfect Christian that is not anointed by the Bishop: they prefer it before baptism, because h Cens●r. Colon d●al 11. pag. 326, 327. any of their Priests may baptise, nay private men, nay women in their supposed time of necessity, but Confirmation may be given among them only by the hands of a Bishop: and lastly, they blow & hollow their oil, that it may be made a spiritual ointment to purify soul and body forsooth. These errors are so gross, that of every one they may be seen: they are so palpable, that they may be felt. Wherefore, seeing their confirmation is wrought by anointing, seeing it hath no word of God but a word of their own, seeing they have no commandment for it, nor promise of the presence of the Holy-Ghost, and last of all seeing it hath many abuses joined with it; we have very just causes to thrust it out of this place and rank of the Sacraments, & throw it down from that high seat which it hath long usurped. And so much the rather, because some of the first and sounder Schoolmen have taught, that Confirmation as it is a Sacrament was not ordained, either by Christ or by his Apostles, but afterward in the counsel of Melda, Alex. Halens. part. 4. quest. 24. CHAP. XVIII. That popish penance is no Sacrament. THe doctrine of repentance and turning from all our sins to God, to bring forth fruits of amendment of life, is taught in the Sacraments a joel. 2, 12, 13. and commended unto all, joel 2. Turn you unto me withal your heart, and rend your heart, not your garments. There is none that liveth and sinneth not, we are corrupt and become abominable, the imaginations of our heart are only evil, and that continually: Gen. 6, 5. Rom. 7, 18. in us, that is in our flesh or unregenerate part there dwelleth no good thing: we were conceived and borne in sin, and therefore whosoever saith, He is without sin, deceiveth himself, and there is no truth in him. This corruption of our nature that hath taken hold on all mankind (for there is none that doth good no not one) must be mortified, and the new man which is spiritual and regenerate by the Holy-Ghost must be quickened. Repentance therefore consisteth in an b Esa. 1, 16, 17 Psal. 34, 15. Mat. 3, 8. inward sorrow for our sins, in an hatred of them, in suppressing the corruptions of nature, in a purpose to obey God, in a care to forsake our sins, in confessing the greatness of them, in condemning ourselves for them, in acknowledging the desert of them, in an holy indignation and anger against ourselves, that we have been so careless in looking to our own ways, in fearing lest we run into the same sins again, in desiring ever hereafter to please God, and to walk more carefully before him in zeal touching the service of God, and in taking revenge sometimes and punishment upon ourselves for former offences. For we confess plainly and deny not, but some outward penalties and chastisements of the body may be used and do please God, not of themselves, but because they are profitable means and good helps to further and forward true repentance. As for example, he that hath offended grievously in surfeiting & drunkenness, and hath great heaviness of heart and sorrow of mind that he hath sinned against so gracious a God and merciful Father: may prescribe and appoint to himself without appearance of superstition, or error of satisfaction, or opinion of merit, some fasting or abstinence for a certain time, that he may be better fitted to God's service, and further strengthened against those sins into which he is fallen. This doctrine we receive as the doctrine of Christ, and agreeable to the Prophets and Apostles, as appeareth, 2 Cor. 7. where Paul setteth down the effects or fruits of true repentance. This is our doctrine and the doctrine of the Church of God, touching repentance: let us consider a little the popish penance and what they teach touching it, and we shall see plainly, that heaven and earth, light and darkness are not more opposite than their devices and inventions are to the truth. For they have forged a new Sacrament which they call Penance, What popish penance is. when a man is contrite for all his sins, and maketh a full and sufficient reckoning up & rehearsal of them all in the ear of the Priest, of whom he is enjoined to make satisfaction after he is absolved of them: So that this new coined Sacrament consisteth of these four counterfeit parts, The parts of popish penance. the contrition of the heart, the confession of the mouth, the satisfaction of the work, and the absolution of the Priest. Thus they abuse the name of a Sacrament, when they apply it to these things, as we shall see afterward. Again, they require all these things as necessary to salvation in all that are of years of discretion, whereby they lay snares for men's souls and set them upon the rack, requiring an impossibility at their hands, forasmuch as no man can have perfect sorrow, nor number up all his sins, nor yet make satisfaction for them, and therefore this Penance is not a board to escape shipwreck, neither physic for the soul, but the high way to desperation. Lastly, they make the performance of all these things meritorious, and teach that remission of sins is obtained by them; which tendeth to the reproach and dishonour of Christ. Let us speak somewhat of these in order. Touching the first point, to wit, Contrition, we grant that godly sorrow of heart for sin is necessary to repentance, as also to have a true feeling of sin, and an hatred and detestation of it: howbeit it is no part the repentance, but only the right and ready way that leadeth to it, because the more sin doth press us and afflict us, the more we learn to fly to the mercy of God in his Son Christ. But they teach that this Contrition ought to be perfect, and that the greatness of the grief must be answerable and equivalent to the grievousness of the sin; they make it a necessary mean and cause of justification, and apart of satisfaction for our sins, that we deserve by it remission of them; and therefore their doctrine is devilish and blasphemous, translating unto mortal and sinful men, that which is proper to Christ the Son of God. The next point is Confession. Such as the Scripture alloweth and approveth, we admit and acknowledge; as first, public confession of the whole Church, acknowledging themselves before the congregation to be grievous sinners in the sight of God, consenting to the Minister that conceiveth the prayer, and craving pardon of our heavenly Father in the name of Christ our Saviour. This is practised continually of all the faithful met together, they begin the exercises of religion with this public humiliation, Nehe. 9, 3. Nehe. 9, 3. For wheresoever two or three are gathered together in his name, where he is in the midst of them, there is always confession of sin: forasmuch as there is nothing can withhold good things from us, but our own unworthiness. Secondly, there is a private confession, when a man poureth out his heart before God alone, and desireth forgiveness of his sins. This did David, Psal. 32, 5, and ●1. 1.2. Luke 18. this did the Publican practise: and so doth every believing soul almost at all times. For we do all of us find continual occasions to pour out our meditations before him, to keep us from sin, to hold us up in temptations, and to weaken the power of sin daily in us. Thirdly, there is another confession, when such as are banished from the Church, and excluded from the Sacraments, and excommunicated out of the society of the faithful, do openly acknowledge their offences, and desire to be reconciled to the Church, which they have notoriously offended, as we see in the example of the incestuous Corinthian, 2 Cor. 2.6. 2 Cor. 2, 6. who humbled himself before God, & asked forgiveness of the Church. Fourthly, there is a kind of confession of such as have offended their brethren; not that which we mentioned before, belonging to ecclesiastical discipline: but a private acknowledgement of the injuries and wrongs done unto them, and a craving of forgiveness at their hands, which duty the offenders are bound to perform, and the offended are bound to grant, according to the rule of charity. Mat. 5, 24, and 6, 14. and 18.15. For we are all charged to reconcile ourselves unto our brethren, and to forgive as we desire to be forgiven. Lastly, there is a lawful and laudable kind of confession, pertaining to such as are troubled in conscience for sin, and desire to find comfort, and to be at peace with God. These are to make confession of that particular sin which lieth heavy upon their heart, either to the Minister, if he have the tongue of the learned, and be able to minister a word of comfort in season; jam. 5.16. or to some other faithful and godly brother, that their spirits may be raised up & refreshed by their prayers. All there sorts of confession we know to be good, and therefore receive: but what are they to the auricular confession secretly whispered in the ear of an ignorant and sottish Priest, wherein men are enjoined to confess all particularly, at the least all their mortal sins, Rhem. annot. upon john 20. whether they be committed in mind, heart, will, and cogitation only, or else in word and work, with all the necessary circumstances and differences of the same. This they will have done once a year, in the holy time of Lent, before the Lords Supper be received at Easter. This is a mere invention of carnal men, not an institution of God: forasmuch as Christ neither by commandment, neither by example ordained any such auricular Confession or particular enumeration of all our sins; of which we shall speak further in the third book, where we entreat of the preparation required of such as come to the Table of the Lord. The third point is satisfaction; and it is true that the justice of God must be satisfied, forasmuch as he can never forget to be just: but it is folly and madness, blockishness and senselessness, nay high presumption and blasphemy for flesh and blood to think that they can make recompense to God for their sins and fully satisfy his justice. For who is able to bear the burden of his wrath? Psal. 90.11. For who can pay a price sufficient for his sins? or who dare offer to the righteous God the rags and patches of his own works, to merit thereby his favour? What is the sprinkling of holy water, the building of Churches, the erecting of Monasteries, the mumbling up of prayers, the lighting of Candles, the giving of alms, the putting on of sackcloth, the chastising of the bodge, the saying of Masses, the buying of indulgences, the going on pilgrimages, and such like superstitious vanities and impieties; what I say, do all these avail to make satisfactiOn to God for the sin of our souls? And when it shall be said unto them, Who required these things at your hands? Esay 1, 12. what shall they be able to answer? nay when it shall be said, I detest and abhor your devices and dotages, what can they find out to mutter or utter in defence of themselves? Then they shall be taken speechless, and have nothing to answer for themselves Our satisfaction to God is only Christ's satisfaction (which is perfect and absolute, & imputed to us by faith) who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness, sanctification and redemption, 1. Cor. 1, 30. 1 Cor. 1, 30. As for the popish satisfaction, it is not to be received for these causes: first because they affirm that it standeth with the justice of God to retain the punishment after the sin committed is forgiven. Secondly, they hold that the temporal punishments of this life due to sin, may be bought out, and redeemed by our good works. Thirdly, they teach that it is not sufficient to believe that Christ hath fully satisfied for us, who notwithstanding was made sin for us which knew no sin, 2 Cor. 5, 21. that we should be made the righteousness of God in him, neither that it is enough to amend our lives; but that God must be satisfied by us for our sins in our own persons, by the punishment and chastisement of ourselves; as by penance enjoined by the Priest, or by prayers, fastings, alms, chastisements, and such like shows of wisdom, Col. 2, 23. in voluntary religion and humbleness of mind, and in not spring the body, which are things of no value, sith they pertain to the filling of the flesh, Col. 2.23. Lastly, they avouch that satisfaction by this will-worship is not only profitable to the sufferers themselves, but also available for others, so that one man may bear the burden and discharge the debt of another, one man may merit and satisfy for another. The very naming of these impieties and absurdities is sufficient to overthrow them, and to make us to detest them. The last point is absolution arising from the former, wherein standeth the life of this dead Sacrament. For when the penitent hath performed all the former, his contrition, his confession, and his satisfaction, he is by the Priest fully absolved of his sins, albeit he know nothing of the doctrine of hatred of sin, of amendment of life, and of flying to the mercy of God and the merit of Christ his Son, without which there can be no true repentance. Besides, these three supposed and pretended parts of Penance, may be found in the reprobate, as we see in judas, who had their contrition, for he was sorrowful: their confession, for he said, Matthew 27, 4. Mat. 27 4. I have sinned in betraying innocent blood: and their satisfaction, for he brought back again the cursed money that he had taken, and cast it down in the Temple: and yet he was far from true repentance, as appeareth in this, that he went out immediately, and hanged himself. Thus we have heard at large, what the popish Penance is. Now the question Penance no Sacrament. ariseth between the Church of Rome and us, whether this repentance which is a dying to sin, and a walking in newness of life, and whether reconciliation to the Church and absolution from sin be a Sacrament of the new Testament, instituted by Christ, to assure his saving graces to us? We answer it is not. First, it was in time of the old Testament from the beginning of man's fall and transgression: it was continually preached and published by the Prophets, and therefore before Christ's coming in the flesh, and cannot be a Sacrament of the new Testament. Secondly, it wanteth an outward sign such as water in Baptism, such as bread and wine in the Lord's Supper: now every Sacrament must have an outward element and sign to represent the spiritual grace: therefore Penance can be no Sacrament. Thirdly, it hath no word to command it, no particular promise of God, which is the chief stay and staff of a Sacrament. Bellarmine affirmeth, that d Bellar. lib. 1. de poenit. ca 10 Christ instituted the Sacrament of Penance, when be breathed upon his Apostles after his resurrection, and said unto them, e joh. 20.22. Receive the Holy-Ghost, whose sins ye rem't they are remitted, and whose sins ye retain they are retained. And he saith, the words of absolution are the sign, and that remission of sins is the promise of grace which is signified. For answer to this assertion, would gladly ask this question, whether the Apostles had this ministerial power to forgive sins to repentant sinners, when they baptised to remission of sins, if this power were here first instituted and given unto them? Do they not by tying the authority of remitting sins to this time, make their baptism of none effect? Besides, we have showed that it is not sufficient to have a sound of words that may be heard, to make an outward sign: there must be a visible sign that may be seen, to warrant a Sacrament. Now to make a Sacrament without such a sign, were to make a Sacrament without a Sacrament. Lastly, as they take and understand Penance, it is neither Sacrament, nor sacred: it is neither holy sign, nor holy thing: it is neither an institution of God, nor any way of God. For they mean not thereby amendment of life, or inward sorrow and grief of mind for the life past, which is sometimes testified by weeping and mourning, by sackcloth and ashes, by fasting and humiliation: but they understand by Penance and external discipline, satisfaction for our sins to God by our own sufferings: and that wearing of sackcloth, sprinkling of ashes, chastising of the body, whipping of the flesh, putting on rough apparel, lying on boards and hard places, abstaining from flesh, and afflicting ourselves by such outward exercises, are a paying of the pains due to sin, part of amends made to God's justice, and meritorious before him. This punishment, this Penance, these penalties we abhor, as an horrible blasphemy against the blood of Christ, which is the only satisfaction to God for sin. For if we satisfy for ourselves, then hath not Christ satisfied for us, nor paid the price due unto our sins. Besides, they charge God the Father with injustice, in that having laid the guiltiness of our sins upon his own Son, and punished them in him, they make him not satisfied with that punishment, but to exact the debt of us again, for which his Son as our surety hath fully and sufficiently answered, f Esa. 53, 5, 7. He is punished for our transgressions, he is bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace is laid upon him, and by his str●pes we are healed: the Lord maketh the punishment of us all to light upon him. Likewise g 1 joh. 1, 7. Reu●l. 1, 5. the Apostle john saith, The blood of jesus Christ doth purge us from all sin. And in the Revelation he addeth, Christ hath washed us from our sins in his blood. Whereby we see we are taught to believe, that we are pardoned and reconciled to God, not through our own satisfaction, not for our own works, not by our own sufferings, but only through the death and bloodshedding of Christ. Wherefore, their Penance is to be acknowledged to be sacrilege, and not accepted as a Sacrament: to be injurious to Christ's death, not meritorious for our life. CHAP. XIX. That Matrimony is not a Sacrament. THe Council of Trent under Pius 4. sess. 8. decreeth, a Concil. Trid. sess. 8. can. 1. If any shall say, that Matrimony is not truly and properly one of the 7. Sacraments instituted by Christ, but was brought in by men into the Church, and doth not confer grace let him be accursed. Hereby they would seem to set forth the dignity of marriage above us, seeing they lift it up into the number of the Sacraments of the Church. Yet (as a liar seldom agreeth with himself) they complain that we too highly magnify the married estate, and themselves cannot abide it in their Clergy, because forsooth it is written, Be ye holy for I am holy: and Rom. 8. They which are in the flesh cannot please God. Marriage therefore is too holy an ordinance for their unholy Clergy, inasmuch as they teach in this point b 1 Tim. 4.1.2, 3. the doctrine of devils, and are led by the spirit of error, that forbidden marriage which God hath left free. We confess touching marriage, so much as the word of God teacheth us, that it is an ordinance of God, instituted before the fall of man while he was without sin, c Gen. 2.18. and blessed of God, who said, It is not good for man to be alone, let us make him an helper meet for him. This estate Christ did not abrogate and disannul, but repeated and confirmed, d Mat. 19, 16. john 2, 1, 2. Heb. 13, 4. 1 Cor. 6.9.10. not only by word, but by his own presence, and hath left it as a lawful remedy against fornication and uncleanness. We account it an honourable estate of life among all, and the bed undefiled, but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge, and cast into utter darkness, where their worm shall never die, and their fire shall not be quenched; as the Apostle teacheth, 1 Cor. 6. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor Idolaters, nor adulterers, nor wantoness, nor buggers, nor drunkards, shall inherit the kingdom of God. Notwithstanding, e Reasons why marriage is no Sacrament. we cannot call and account it a Sacrament, for divers weighty reasons, and evident causes. First, seeing it was not instituted by Christ, but was from the beginning of the world, and therefore it was before the law and under the law, how can it be a Sacrament of the new Testament? Again, matrimony may be among Infidels & unbelievers, out of the Church and society of the faithful. For the matrimony of Infidels is lawful. God did institute it for all mankind. The commandment is general, Increase and multiply. The Apostle teacheth, that if the unbelieving woman will dwell with the believing husband, f Grati. in dec. c. 28. qu 1. Lumb. lib 4. dist. 39 he must not put her away for her infidelity: and marriage is honourable among all persons. Seeing therefore it was before the fall of man, before the giving of the law, under the government of the law, and made honourable among all, it cannot be a Sacrament of the Church of Christ, and for the members only of the Church. Thirdly, it is not common and commanded to all the faithful, for it is not needful and necessary that all in the Church should be married. g 1 Cor. 7.7. Mat. 19, 11, 12. Every one hath his proper gift, some one way, some another. And albeit God have not tied grace to the Sacraments, yet they in some sort h H●w the Sacraments are necessary for the Church. are necessary for the Church, and to be partaked of the children of the Church, whether we respect the commandment of God who requireth them: or whether we regard our own weakness, who stand in need of all holy means and profitable helps that tend to the confirmation of our faith. Seeing then matrimony is not commanded to all, neither serveth to confirm faith, it cannot be received as a Sacrament. Fourthly, the Sacraments are ordinances of God, applying Christ and his merits to all the faithful: but matrimony is not an instrument whereby God applieth Christ and all his benefits: much less is it a common instrument of the common salvation and benefits that all have in Christ jesus. Furthermore, we have showed how the Roman Church is contrary to itself in this point: for our adversaries call matrimony a profanation i Greg. Mart. dis. Chap. 15. of holy orders. And k Pigghius. another saith, it is more tolerable for a Priest to keep many Concubines, then to marry, If matrimony be an holy Sacrament, how should the sacred order of your Priesthood be profaned, polluted, and defiled thereby? Lastly, it hath no promise of salvation joined to it (as it ought to have) though it be lawful and used lawfully: in every Sacrament there must be likewise an outward sign or element, as water in Baptism, and bread and wine in the Lord's Supper, together with a sanctifying word to warrant it: but in this supposed Sacrament there is neither matter, nor word, therefore no Sacrament. Hence it is, that Durandus one of their own Doctors saith, that Matrimony in a strict & proper kind of speech is no Sacrament at all. The answer that Bellarmine maketh to this last reason is as absurd as their doctrine itself, namely, that the word of institution in marriage is, l Bellar. lib. 1. de Matrim. c. 6. I take thee, which are the words expressing their mutual consent: and that the matter or sign are the parties married. For not every word can consecrate and sanctify, m 1 Tim. 4, 5. but the word of God. Again, the married persons are receivers of this pretended and supposed Sacrament, so that they cannot be the matter or sign: For the sign and the receiver are two distinct outward parts of a Sacrament, so that they cannot be confounded or mingled together, as before we declared, Chap. 3. The matter cannot be the receiver: the receiver cannot be the matter. The thing received, cannot be the receiver: the receiver cannot be the thing received. If then the persons married be the receivers, they cannot be the sign received. If any further object & say, Marriage is the sign of an holy thing, to wit, of the spiritual conjunction between Christ and his Church: I answer, it was not instituted to confirm our faith in that point, but for other ends which we named before. Besides, if we should call all signs of holy things Sacraments; we should triple the number of seven; for so many comparisons as we find in Scripture, we should have Sacraments: and then the Stars, a grain of mustard-seed, leaven, a draw-net, a shepherd, a Vine, a door, nay a thief, a murderer, and infinite other things, should be Sacraments; which sometimes are made signs of holy things. This were not so much to increase the number of Sacraments, as to multiply absurdities. Lastly, the Sabbaoth was ordained to the jews to be a sign between God and his people in their generations, n Heb. 4, 8. & signified the spiritual rest in Christ, yet was it no ordinary Sacrament, albeit it were blessed and sanctified of God. Wherefore all mystical and signifying signs are not Sacraments. But the greatest reason whereof they are most confident is, where the vulgar translation and the Rhemish interpretation o Eph. 5, 32. readeth, This is a great Sacrament. I answer, first the word signifieth a mystery or secret: but not every mystery or secret is a Sacrament: neither will they admit a Sacrament, wheresoever a mystery is named. Secondly, the Apostle speaketh not of Matrimony, but of the spiritual conjunction between Christ and his Church, as the words following do declare, This is a great mystery: but I speak of Christ and of the Church. Where the Apostle preventeth this very objection, and showeth in what respect he spoke of a mystery. For where one might haply object and say, Dost thou call marriage this mystery? he answereth, I speak not this of Marriage, I speak it in respect of Christ and of his Church. This appeareth likewise in that he calleth it a great mystery; that is, A great secret. But the conjunction of man and wife is sensible, not secret, much less a great secret. Now the Sacraments are called mysteries, p Why sacraments are called mysteries. in respect of the Sacramental union between the sign and the thing signified, between the representation and the thing represented; so that at the same instant that one is present to the eyes, the hands, the mouth, and every part and member of the body: the other by the power and working of God's Spirit is as present in a wonderful, mystical, and secret manner to the faith, being the eyes and hands of the soul. Wherefore Cardinal Caietan not so gross as many among them, q Caiet in Eph. cap. 5. confesseth that these words prove not matrimony to be a Sacrament. Further, it is evident to all that consider the circumstance of the text, that the Apostle brings not forth marriage in this place as a similitude to represent the near conjunction between Christ and his Church, r Eph. 5, 23, 25 28, 29, 32. but contrariwise he bringeth forth the exceeding and eminent love of Christ as a similitude to declare and enforce what should be the love of the husband toward the wife. For the main point of exhortation is set down, verse 25. Husband's love your wives. This is argued and enforced by the example of Christ, As Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it. Again, The man is the head of the woman, as Christ is the head of the Church: and afterward, He that loveth his wife, loveth himself, for no man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord doth the Church. By all these things it is plain and manifest, that if they will needs in this place dream of a Sacrament, consisting of a sign and thing signified: Christ and the Church must be the sign, representation, and consecrated mystery to represent man and his wife, and their mutual love each to other, and not marriage a consecrated sign of him. Last of all, I would know of them, whether so often as the old translator useth the word Sacrament, they will have it taken strictly, properly and particularly for the Sacraments of their church? I think if they be sober minded and well advised, they dare not say so: for s 1 Tim. 3.16. Eph. 1, 9, and cha. 3, 9 revel. 17, 7. then godliness shall be a Sacrament, Gods will shall be a Sacrament, the calling of the Gentiles shall be a Sacrament, yea iniquity shall be a Sacrament. For in all these places the word Sacrament is used, as well as in this place to the Ephesians by the old Interpreter, & sometimes in the good part, and sometimes in the evil: t Conc. Trid. sess. 4. decret. 2. Melch. Canus. lib. 2. cap. 13. Andrad. lib. 4. defence. Trid. to whom notwithstanding they cleave, and must cleave under pain of the censure & curse of the council of Trent. CHAP. XX. That Orders are no Sacraments. BY Orders we must understand the offices and ministry of the Church, a Lumb sent. li. 4. dist. 24 ca 3. as also Peter Lombard doth. We confess when Christ led captivity captive, he gave gifts unto men, b Ephes. 4, 11. and ordained, Some to be Apostles, some Prophets, and some Evangelists, and some Pastors and teachers for the repairing of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, and for the edification of the body of Christ. By these he declareth his will unto us, he gathereth together his scattered sheep, and publisheth the glad tidings of salvation, as jer. 7. I have sent unto you all my servants the Prophets, rising up early every day. jer. 7 25. Luke 10, 16. And Christ our Saviour saith, He that heareth you, heareth me: and he that despiseth you, despiseth me, and he that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me. And the Apostle Paul teacheth that God was in Christ, 2 Cor. 5, 19, 20. and reconciled the world to himself, not imputing their sins unto them, and hath committed to us the word of reconciliation: Now then are we Ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you through us, we pray you in Christ's stead to be reconciled to God. This we hold, this we believe, this we teach touching the degrees, orders, and offices of the ministry of the Gospel. c Sentent. lib. 4. dist. 24. cap 1. But the popish orders of the popish Church, they say are seven, whereof some are greater and higher offices, some are lower, lesser, and inferior. The greater are three, the office of Priesthood to offer up the sacrifice of the body and blood of Christ upon the Altar: of Deaconship, to assist the Priests in all things which are done in the Sacraments, to bring in the oblations, to set them upon the Altar, to cover it with clothes, to bear the Cross, and to read the Gospel and Epistle to the people: of the Subdeacons', to bring the chalice and patten, to bring the cruet with water and the towel to the Altar, & to pour out water to wash their hands. These are their higher Offices above the rest, as the higher trees among the lower shrubs. The lesser orders are four in number. First, of doorkeepers, these receive the keys of the Church door to open the same. Secondly of readers, to read the Bible to the people. Thirdly of Exorcists, to call upon the name of the Lord, over such as have unclean spirits, adjuring and conjuring them to come out in the name of God: which power of commanding evil spirits is ceased in the Church. Lastly, Acolythes, to prepare and carry torches and tapers when the Gospel is read to the people, or the sacrifice is to be offered. These seven popish orders, or rather plain disorders and confusions, we cannot receive d Reasons rendered why orders are no Sacraments. into the number of Sacraments of the Church. For first, orders are so fruitful, that this Bird hath hatched seven young ones. This Sacrament is so rich, so rank, so riotous, that it hath engendered and brought forth seven petty and pretty Sacraments, and therefore these being numbered and patched up to the former, we should have 13. Sacraments. A goodly brood of a gallant egg. For if every one of these orders of doorkeepers, readers, exorcists, Acolythes, subdeacons, deacons, and Priests be Sacraments: we should multiply the number of Sacraments according to the number of these orders, and so indeed of seven we should have 13. Sacraments, which were a very disorderly order, or if you list to call it, an orderly disorder. And so Peter Lombard master of the Sentences, e Scent lib. 4. dist. 24, cap. 1. calleth not orders a Sacrament as speaking of one, but Sacraments as speaking of many, saying, Orders are called Sacraments, because in receiving of them grace is conferred, which is represented by those things that are there performed. Neither can they say they all make but one Sacrament, seeing they are distinct offices one from another, divers in offices, in institution, in calling, in ordination, in ceremonies, and in form of consecration: so that they may by as good right and as great reason make baptism and the lords Supper one Sacrament, as all these orders, so divers and distinct the one from the other. Secondly, Sacraments have their institution from Christ: Orders have not their institution from Christ to be Sacraments of the Church: therefore Orders are no Sacrament. Nay as they are retained and used in the Church of Rome, they are no ordinance or institution of Christ at all. For touching the offices of Priesthood to offer up the body of Christ for the quick and dead: of deacons to serve these Baal's Priests at their Idolatrous altars: of subdeacons, of readers, and of the rest, they are not found in Scripture, neither were ordained by the Apostles, neither were they received into the Church for many years after Christ and his Apostles. The new Testament as it doth acknowledge no other sacrificer and sacrifice but Christ, so it admitteth no Priests, no Priesthood, but spiritual Priests and a spiritual Priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices of praise & thanksgiving unto God, as appeareth: f revel. 1, 6. 1 Pet. 2, 5.9. Christ hath washed us from our sins in his blood, and made us Kings and Priests unto God even his Father. And the Apostle Peter in his first Epistle, Chap. 2. saith, Ye also as lively stones be made a spiritual house, an holy Priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by jesus Christ. And again afterward, Ye are a chosen generation, a royal Priesthood, an holy Nation, a people set at liberty, that ye should show forth the virtues of him that hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Whosoever bringeth in another Priesthood than this, and maketh new Priests, abolisheth as much as in him lieth the Priesthood of Christ. Again, what will they say of offices and dignities in the Church greater than these, the office of Pope, of Cardinal, of Patriarch, and the rest of that unholy hierarchy? Will they discharge and cut off these from being Sacraments, and advance the base orders of hedge-Priests, and dumb Deacons to so high a dignity? What? Do they abase and disgrace those greater places, and think their Popes and Cardinals not worthy of that honour and authority? Or do they think this Sacrament too vile and base to agree to those Princelike dignities of the Church? Or dare they prefer their Priesthood, their Readers, their Deacons, their doorkeepers, their dog-keepers, and the rest of that rabble before the Popedom, the Cardinalship, the Patriarchship? Is not this high treason against their holy father, and petty treason against the Cardinals and other of that generation? Lastly, Sacraments must have an outward element and word of institution, as hath been often declared and proved: but their orders have neither outward element, nor word of institution: therefore Orders are no Sacraments. Seeing therefore they can show no material sign added to the promise, nor gracious promise added to the sign: there can be no Sacrament of orders to seal up and assure any mercy of God granted unto us. To omit that reason, which we might press upon them, namely, that Orders are peculiar and proper to the Ministry, and are no sanctified instrument to apply any general and common grace of the Church. Wherefore, inasmuch as Orders have neither outward sign, nor promise of grace, nor institution from Christ, but disgrace the higher dignities of their Church, and overthrow their own chosen number of seven Sacraments: we conclude necessarily from these premises, that orders are no Sacrament. CHAP. XXI. That extreme unction is no Sacrament. THe last feigned Sacrament is the last anointing (as they call it) performed by the Priest in extremity, whereby they teach that a Bellar. lib. 1. de extr. unct. cap. 2. God assureth forgiveness of sins, and promiseth ease of bodily disease, if it be so expedient: if not, the salvation of the soul in the life to come. They use this form of words, By this holy anointing and his most holy mercy, God doth forgive thee whatsoever that hast offended, by seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching. This unction cannot be a Sacrament for b Extreme unction can be no Sacrament. sundry causes. First, themselves confess, that it hath not his institution from Christ. For the Rhemists in their heretical c Rhem testam. Annotations upon Mar. 6. confess, that there is only a preparation unto it. And Peter Lombard saith, d Senten. lib. 4. dist. 23. cap. 2. It was instituted by the Apostle james. By this doctrine, Christ should only be a preparer of Sacraments, not an appointer: a beginner, not a finisher of them. So that they deal in this Sacrament as they do in other matters of our salvation, for they make Christ a beginner of salvation, but ourselves the finishers of it, thereby shaking the foundation of our Christian faith. Now, these men are all accursed by the Conventicle of Trent, e Concil. Trid. sess. 7. can. 1. & 2. If any man shall say that the Sacraments of the new law were not all instituted by jesus Christ, let him be accursed. Again, the place of the Apostle james, maketh nothing for this forged Sacrament: for there is a great difference and contrariety between the anointing that james speaketh of, and the popish anealing. Their Priests have not the miraculous gift of healing, whereof this anointing was an outward sign in the primitive Church, which custom afterward ceased when the gift of healing ceased: being for a time granted to the Church for the credit of the Gospel. As then the gift was temporal and for a season, so must the sign be of the same standing and continuance: and the gift being taken from the Church, if the sign should remain in use and practise, it should be but a lying sign. For by the same reason, f john 5, 4, & 9, 6, 7. the brook of Siloam, the pool Bethesda, the clay and spittle which were sometimes used in healing the diseased, the washing of feet, might be accounted Sacraments as well as this, being all signs of healing for a certain season, as also anointing with oil was for the first times of the Church while it was in planting. Thirdly, the Apostle would have all sick persons anointed: these do anoint with their greasy oil, only such bodies as are in a manner half dead, even while they lie in extremity, and the life is striving to come forth. The Apostle would have all the Elders called: but one masspriest only with them bringeth the box, and anointeth the sick man. The Apostle assureth health to all that are thus anointed, g jam. 5, 14, 15. Mark. 6, 13. The prayer of faith shall save him that is sick, and the Lord shall raise him up. So also Mar. 6. They cast out many devils, and they anointed many that were sick with oil, and healed them: whereby we see, that restoring and recovering of health was certainly promised to follow the anointing. But not one among many receiveth health after their popish annealing. The Apostle speaketh of bodily health, of the gift of miracles, and of common oil: they prattle of forgiveness of sins, of a common and continual gift, of charmed and consecrate oil, and balm, (whereof notwithstanding can none be found) of bowing their knees and saluting it, saying, Hail holy oil, hail holy ointment, hail holy balm; nay which is more blasphemous, their oil they call The oil of salvation: wihch is to renounce salvation by Christ, and to deny the holy Spirit to sanctify the people of God. Furthermore, every Sacrament must have a word of institution: but the words which they use in annealing are a strange salutation of a dumb and deaf creature, not warranted nor found in Scripture, as the words of consecration in the true Sacraments are: and therefore we cannot receive it for a Sacrament, but must account it an apish imitation and a popish tradition. Moreover, we have proved before, chap. 8. that the element is consecrated when the Sacrament is ministered, by praying, thanksgiving, eating and drinking, delivering and receiving, breaking and pouring out, blessing, and reciting the institution: therefore the oil hallowed long before by the Bishop, heated with breathing upon it, charmed with much murmuring, saluted with bowing of the knee, and other like trumperies, that hallowing I say is fond, superfluous, and superstitious. Lastly, the effect and virtue of a Sacrament is spiritual grace in Christ: but extreme unction hath no spiritual grace in Christ sealed up: for the Apostle ascribeth h jam 5, 16. not the forgiveness of sins to the anointing with oil, but to the prayer of faith. Acknowledge (saith he) your faults one to another, and pray one for another that ye may be healed, for the prayer of a righteous man availeth much if it be fervent: and again, The prayer of fa●th shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Where we see, that the effect of pardon is ascribed to the force of prayer: therefore extreme unction is no Sacrament; and so this greasing, houseling, and anointing is to be abandoned of the people of God. What then, will some say, do you leave the sick without all comfort and consolation? No, i How the sick are to be anointed. we visit the sick among us: and although we do not housle and anoint them with material oil, we anoint them with the precious oil of the mercy of God, we instruct them how to prepare themselves to leave the world, to departed this mortal life, and to strengthen themselves in the assured hope of everlasting life. We say, dear brother, God sendeth his messenger Death to summon and arrest you to come into his presence. k Gen. 3, 19 job. 14, 1, 2. All the children of Adam are dust, and to dust they must return. Man that is borne of a woman is of short continuance, and full of trouble, he shooteth forth like a Flower and is cut down, he vanisheth also as a shadow and continueth not. Death is common l Psal, 89, 48. Heb. 9, 27. to all flesh, it is appointed to all men once to die. It is the gate through which we must enter into heaven. If we would live for ever, we must die: for the way to live eternally, is here to die. Though the time be uncertain, where, when, or how we shall die: yet nothing so certain as that we must die, we know not how soon. This must not seem strange unto you, for the whole life of a Christian should be nothing but a meditation of death, being the end of all flesh: we should make account of every day of our life, as if it were the instant day of our death. You must consider that nothing befalleth us by chance or fortune, all things are ruled and guided by the sovereign providence of almighty God: all the hairs of our head are numbered: not one Sparrow falleth to the ground without the will of your heavenly Father: humble yourself therefore under his mighty hand, m Heb. 12, 5, 6 he correcteth every child whom he loveth: as Heb. 12. My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, neither faint when thou art rebuked of him; for whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth: and he scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. Hereby than God trieth and proveth your obedience, patience, and faith, n jam. 5, 11. job. 13, 15. as we see in the example of job, who praised the name of God in all his miseries: and if the Lord would kill him, he would not cease to put his trust in him. We exhort them to set their houses in order before they die, thereby to cut off hatred and contention, and to stay quarrels and suits after their departure, whereby oftentimes more is spent then was left: then to forget the world and the things of the world, and wholly to give themselves to the meditation of the life to come, where this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and this mortal shall put on immortality, o 1 Cor. 15, 54 according to the exhortation of Christ and his Apostles in many places, as Math. 6. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all things shall be ministered unto you. And 1. Cor. 7. This I say brethren because the time is short, hereafter that both they which have Wives be as though they had none: and they which weep, as though they wept not: and they that rejoice as though they rejoiced not: and they that buy, as though they possessed not: and they that use this world, as though they used it not: for the fashion of this world goeth away. And p Phil. 3, 20.21. the same Apostle saith, Our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for a Saviour, even the Lord jesus Christ who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working, whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself. So 2. Cor. 4. etc. Therefore we faint not, 2 Cor. 4, 16.17, 18. and 5.1.2, 3. but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed daily. For our light affliction which is but for a moment, causeth unto us a far more excellent and an eternal weight of glory: while we look not on the things which are seen, but on the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle be destroyed, we have a building given of God, that is, an house made not with hands, but eternal in the heavens: for therefore we sigh, desiring to be clothed with our house which is from heaven, because if we be clothed, we shall not be found naked. And the q Eccl. 1, ●, 14 wiseman, Eccle. 1. Vanity of vanities saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities, all ●s vanity: I have considered all the works that are done under the Sun, and behold all i● vanity and vexat on of spirit. So 1. joh. 2. Love not this world, r 1 john 2, 15.16, 17. neither the things that are in this world. If any man love this world, the love of the Father is not in him: for all that is in the world (as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life) is not of the Father, but is of this world: and this world passeth away and the lust thereof: but he that fulfilleth the will of God, revel. 14, 13. and 7, 16, 17. abideth for ever. And the same Apostle in his Revelations, I heard a voice from heaven, saying, Writ, the dead which die in the Lord are fully blessed: even so saith the Spirit, for they rest from their labours, and their works follow them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more, neither shall the Sun light on them, neither any heat, for the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall govern them, and shall lead them unto the lively fountains of Waters, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. Moreover, we put them in mind to examine themselves and their lifes passed, how they have offended God and their brethren, and admonish them to make an humble & hearty confession of their sins to God, that they have not lived as they ought to do, to be sorry and grieved for the same, and to promise amendment of life if they recover. Thus the faithful s Psal. 51, 1.2.3, 4, 5. and 32.3, 4. and 38.3, 4. have done; as we see in David, Psal. 51. Have mercy upon me O God according to thy loving kindness, according to the multitude of thy compassions put away mine iniquities. I know mine iniquities, and my sin is ever before me: against thee, against thee, have I sinned, and done evil in thy sight, that thou mayst be just when thou speakest, and pure when thou judgest. Behold, I was borne in iniquity, and in sin hath my mother conceived me. And Psal. 38. There is nothing sound in my flesh, because of thine anger, neither is there rest in my bones because of my sin: for mine iniquities are gone over mine head, and as a weighty burden they are too heavy for me. This practice we see also in Daniel, t Dan 9.7. Ezra 9, ●. N●he. 9, 16. 2 Chro. 33, 12 13. in Nehemiah, in Manasses, and in many others. We move them to labour to be at one with God, to be reconciled to their brethren, and to remember the poor. Especially we stir them up to prayer, in regard of their present necessities, and of the merciful promises of God, resting themselves on the perfect and all-sufficient sacrifice of Christ. Gracious u Psal. 145, 18 and 50, 15. and precious are the promises that God hath made to all that come to the throne of his mercy, as Psal. 145. The Lord is near to all that call upon him, yea to all that call upon him in truth: he will fulfil the desire of them that fear him, he will also hear their cry, and will save them: and Psal. 50. Call upon me in the day of trouble, so will I deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. And our Saviour, Math. 7. Mat. 7, 7, 8. Ask and it shall be given you: seek, and ye shall find: knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for whosoever asketh, receiveth: and he that seeketh, findeth: and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened. So the Apostle james The prayer of faith shall save the sick, jam. 5, 15, 16. and the Lord shall raise him up: and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him: Acknowledge your faults one to another, that ye may be healed: for the prayer of a righteous man availeth much if it be fervent. Now when they are sufficiently humbled for their sins, we move them to hunger and thirst after the merits of Christ, a 1 Cor. 1, 30. who of God is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. We allege unto them b Mat. 11, 28.29. 1 Tim. 1.15. 1 joh. 1, 7, and 2, 1, 2. these and such like comfortable places of Scripture, Come unto me all ye that are weary & heavy laden, and I will ease you. This is a true saying, and by all means worthy to be received, that Christ jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. These things writ I unto you that ye sin not: if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, jesus Christ the just, whose blood cleanseth us from all sin: he is the reconciliation of our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. He is evermore about those that are his, he maketh their bed in all their sickness, d Cant. 8, 3. Rom. 14, 7, 8. his left hand is under their heads, and with his right hand he doth embrace them: so that whether they live, they live unto the Lord, or whether they die, they die unto the Lord: whether they live or die they are the Lords. This is true happiness. Furthermore, we raise them up with sweet comforts & consolations of the word of God against e 1 Cor. 15.54 55, 56, 57 Rom. 8, 1, 38.39. Phillip 1, 12. joh. 11, 25. 2 Tim. 4, 7, 8. all terror and fear of death, as 1 Cor. 15. Death is swallowed up in victory, o death where is thy sting? o grave where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law: but thanks be unto God which hath given us victory through our Lord jesus Christ. And Rom. 8. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ jesus, which walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit: I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor Angels, principalities, powers, nor th●ngs present, nor things to come, neither any creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ jesus our Lord. Christ is to us advantage, whether in life or in death. Such as believe in him, yea though they were dead, shall live. Death is to us as a sleep, and the grave as a bed of rest. A crown of righteousness is laid up for us, which the righteous judge shall give unto us: so that an evil death can never follow, where a good life hath gone before, forasmuch as he cannot possible die ill, who hath lived well. Death indeed is a Scorpion or serpent: but his sting is pulled out, he may well hiss, but he cannot hurt: he may well threaten, but he cannot destroy, for Christ hath quelled and conquered him. Now, f How sick persons may put away the tediousness & pains of sickness. to put away the grief and tediousness of sickness, we will and wish them to meditate on the things they have heard and learned by the ministry of the word from time to time in their health: to consider with themselves how God sometimes suffereth the wicked to prosper for a time, and flourish like a green g Psal. 37, 35.36, 37, 38. bay tree, & how he punisheth them in the end, reserving wrath and judgement for them: how he blesseth or correcteth his children in this life: how he hath prepared eternal torments for the wicked, and unspeakable glory for the godly: but above all the works of God, h 1 Cor. 2, 7.8, 9 Psal. 85, 10, 11 we teach them deeply to think upon the glorious and gracious work of our redemption, (wherein the infinite mercy and justice of God do meet together and kiss each other) taking delight and comfort therein with all thanksgiving. Wherefore we persuade them to bear the pains and griefs of sickness with patience & constant perseverance, because all sickness is God's hand, who being the God of the spirits of all flesh, i 1 Sam. 2, 6, 7. killeth and maketh alive, bringeth down to the grave, and raiseth up again. Thereby we are indeed chastened for our sins, but they are nothing in comparison of that anguish and agony which Christ suffered for us, neither are they worthy of the exceeding glory which shall be showed unto us: and it is their duty to bless 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 upon them & made them to drink of his fatherly cup for their good might justly punish them in all the parts of their bodies, and in all the powers of their souls, and then cast them into hell to have their portion for ever with the Devil and his Angels. But God hath predestinated us k 2 Tim. 2, 11, 12. to be like the image of his son: so that the deeper we sink down in sorrows, the more perfectly we resemble Christ: it is the great mercy of God we are not utterly consumed, & that his loving kindness is not at an end toward us. The sickness of the body is physic for the soul, for the striking of the one is the healing of the other: by the Cross we must enter the kingdom of heaven, and learn to loathe the pleasures & profits of this present life. If they fall to despair and doubting l Remedies against doubting and despair. of God's favour & love toward them in Christ, m Ezek. 34, 4. Luke 19, 10. we labour to strengthen the weak, and bind up the broken hearted: we are ready to leave ninety and nine in the wilderness, and seek that lost one. We bring them to God that hath stricken them and made the wound, considering that the son of man is come To seek and to save that which is lost. God is merciful and his mercy endureth for ever, he desireth not the death of a sinner, but that he turn unto him. His mercy is over all the works of his hands, it is like the Ocean-sea, where no bottom can be found or sounded. It is the express commandment of God, n 1 joh. 3, 20. that we should believe in Christ, who hath triumphed gloriously against sin, against Satan, against hell, against death, against damnation, against desperation. The promises of the Gospel exclude no man, o Esay 55, 1, 2 Mat. 11, 28. unless we exclude ourselves. Infidelity, doubtfulness, and despair, are very grievous sins, and strike at the very heart of God. We must under hope believe above hope with faithful Abraham. The mercies of God and the merits of Christ's obedience are infinite, p Esay 54, 10. higher than the high Heavens, deeper than the earth, broader than the Sea, stronger than the law; mightier than the Devil, and greater than all the sins 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. Moreover, when one sin is forgiven, all the rest are likewise forgiven: even as repentance of one sin, bringeth with it repentance of all known sins, r Rom. 11, 29. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. Last of all, we admonish them to consider, that grace and faith (howsoever they may be smothered) are never wholly taken away by sins of infirmity, s Rom. 5, 20. but thereby are manifested and magnified. Touching their families, we say unto them, call them before you, exhort them to cleave t How sick persons are to behave themselves in respect of their families. unto God with full purpose of heart, to love him, to walk before him in fear and reverence, and to serve him in righteousness all the days of their life: give them charge to learn, believe, and obey the true religion and doctrine of salvation set down in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles. God commended Abraham for this, saying, u Gen. 18, 19 I know him that he will command his sons and household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord to do righteousness and judgement, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that he hath spoken unto him. David gave Solomon his son a notable and right noble charge before he died, a 1 Chr. 28, 9 speaking thus to him standing before him and before the Princes and Peers of the kingdom: Thou Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy Fathers, and serve him with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understands all the imaginations of thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee, but if thou forsake him he will cast thee off for ever. Teach them that childhood & youth are vanity, b Eccl. 1, 12. teach them to remember their creator in the days of their youth: teach them to read the Scripture, and to practise in their lives and conversations, what they have read and learned. Instruct them to avoid idleness, to eschew evil company, to give themselves to prayer, and hearing the preaching of the word. Warn thy children to love God, to reverence their mother, and to love one another. Warn them to speak evil of no man, and beware of taking God's name in vain. Put them in mind that God is their father, their creator, their preserver, their redeemer, their sanctifier, yea, their judge that shall come to judge the quick and the dead, and reward every man according to his works. We must all appear before the judgement seat c 2 Cor. 5, 10. of Christ, that every one may receive the things which are done in his body, whether good or evil. Put them in remembrance, not to oppress or defraud any man, d Psal. 41.5. for the Lord is an avenger of all such things, who will not bless evil gotten goods, but send his curse upon them, and they shall not prosper. Admonish them to show forth their faith by good works, and to show mercy according to their powers: Lastly, to honour their Princes, parents, masters, and all superiors. Thus we instruct men to live and to die, that dying they may live with God in his kingdom. Thus we anoint the sick with precious balm that e 1 Thes. 4, 6. shall not break their head, & with the inward and invisible oil of God's grace and mercy. Thus we warn them to prepare the oil of faith in their lamps, and to keep a good conscience toward God and man, that they may with joy and comfort departed in peace, render up their souls into the hands of God, cheerfully meeting the Bridegroom, and entering with him into his kingdom. So then the people lose nothing by lack of the material oil, the want thereof being supplied with exhortations, admonitions, reproofs, consolations, prayers, and supplications, more desired of the sick, and more available for the sick. And thus much of extreme unction, and the other forged Sacraments, whereof some wanting the outward sign, some the spiritual grace signified, some the word of institution, some the promise annexed, and all of them the commandment 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 only two Sacraments of the Church under the Gospel, which are, Baptism, and the Supper of the Lord. THE SECOND BOOK Of the Sacrament of Baptism, being an Honourable Badge of our Dedication to Christ, containing the true Doctrine thereof, overthrowing the errors of the Church of Rome, and delivering the comfortable use of this Sacrament to all the people of GOD. CHAP. I. Of the word Baptism, and what it is. HItherto we have spoken of the Sacraments in general; together with the parts, uses, and number of them: now we come to the first Sacrament, which is Baptism, being an honourable badge whereby we are dedicated unto jesus Christ. a The word baptism is taken many ways. This word in scripture hath many significations. First, in the native & proper signification, it signifieth to dip, to dive, and plunge under water, as Mat. 3, 16. john 3, 22, 23. Acts 8.38, 39 Secondly, to cleanse and wash any thing with water, even when this Sacrament is not administered, as Mark 7. where it is said, the pharisees did not eat, except first they washed. So Heb. 9, 10. the old tabernacle did consist in washings. Thirdly, it signifieth the Cross, afflictions, miseries, persecutions, and inward vexations of the spirit, as Luke 12.50. where Christ saith, I must be baptised, and how am I grieved till it be finished? And Mat. 12, 22. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I must drink of, and be baptised with the baptism that I shall be baptised withal? Fourthly, it is taken for a liberal and plentiful distribution of the graces and gifts of God, as Acts 15. john baptised with water, but ye shall be baptised with the Holy-Ghost within these few days, that is, ye shall receive a greater measure of the gifts of God than ye have done before. Fiftly, the word is taken for the doctrine of john, which he delivered before he administered the Sacrament of baptism, as Act. 18.25. Where Apollos is said to be an eloquent man, and mighty in the Scripture, knowing nothing but the baptism of john. Likewise Mar. 1, 4. Mar. 1, 4. it is said, that john preached the baptism of repentance unto remission of sins, that is, the doctrine of repentance, for otherwise how could he preach Baptism which properly is ministered not preached? Hereunto cometh the question that Christ demanded of the chief Priests and Elders of the people; The Baptism of john whence was it, Mat. 21, 25. from heaven or of men? whereby he meaneth the doctrine, as appeareth by the words following, for so they understood him, when they reasoned among themselves, saying, If we shall say from heaven, he will say, why then d●d ye not believe him? Mar. 11, 31, 32 for all men counted john that he was a Prophet indeed. The reason why his ministry & preaching is called by the name of Baptism, is because his doctrine that he delivered 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 baptism, one part of his ministry being put for the whole. Lastly, it is taken for the whole work and action of the Sacrament of Baptism, as Math. 28, 19 Go unto all Nations, teach and baptize them: and in this last sense we are now to speak of it. Let us therefore see b Wh●t baptiste is. what this Sacrament is. Baptism is the first Sacrament, whereby, by the outward washing of the body with water once into the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy-Ghost, the inward cleansing of the soul by the blood of Christ is represented. This description of baptism is to be opened and further expounded unto us: c The description of baptism proved. wherein five points are to be considered of us. First, it is called the first Sacrament, both in respect of the other Sacrament of the Lords Supper, and because when the nations were converted to the faith, and believed in the name of Christ, they were immediately baptised; as we see the practice of the Church, Acts 2, 4. and chap. 10, 47. and chap. 8, 12. Where after embracing the faith, we see the partaking of baptism, and the sealing up of their conversion. Again, it is said there must be an outward washing of the body with water, because the d Eph. 5, 26. Apostle declareth thereby the nature of the Sacrament of baptism, calling it the washing of water through the word; and it hath a just proportion or relation to the spiritual washing of our new birth, Tit. 3, 5. Titus 3 5. Ma●. 1, 4. being also called the baptism of repentance and amendment of life for remission of sins. Dipping into the water is not necessary to the being of a Sacrament: sprinkling of water is not necessary to the being of a Sacrament: but wetting and washing with water is necessary to the being of a Sacrament. Now whether the whole body should be washed, or the face only: and whether it should be done once or thrice, is not greatly material, but left indifferent to the Church to decree and determine, what shall be thought fittest to be received and practised. Thirdly, it is added in the former description, that baptism is once only to be administered. For as in natural generation, man is once only borne: so it is in spiritual regeneration. And as circumcision was once only received in the flesh, whereby the foreskin was circumcised: so is Baptism once only to be administered, not oftentimes to be repeated. Wherefore, the Apostle Eph. 4. saith, There is one f Eph. 4, 5, 6. baptism, one faith. Again, Christ willed the Apostles to minister Baptism, not Baptisms. Lastly, in baptism the death of Christ is represented, & he died but once: so that as his death was not to be repeated, no more is baptism to be reiterated. Fourthly, the form and manner of doing, is said to be Into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy-Ghost. Whereby is meant, that we have fellowship with God in three persons (as a wife hath with her husband, who passeth into her husband's name to be subject to him, to obey him, to acknowledge and call upon him, to worship no other God but the true jehova. This therefore is not to be understood only of using the name of the Trinity in baptizing, but by it also is meant, that the persons baptised are received into the grace & fellowship of God, to become his people, and to be partakers of his covenant to their spiritual comfort. Lastly, in the description before remembered, it is affirmed that the outward washing of the body, Representeth the inward cleansing of the soul by the blood of jesus Christ. This appeareth g Gal. 3, 27. Tit. 3, 5, 6. Rom. 6, 4. expressly, Gal. 3. All that are baptised into Christ, have put on Christ. And Titus 3, 5, 6. According to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of the new birth, and the renewing of the Holy-Ghost, which he shed on us abundantly through jesus Christ our Saviour. So also the same Apostle, We are buried with him by baptism into his death These testimonies ou● of the word of truth do evidently teach, that this is the principal scope and end of baptism, to assure our consciences by external washing, of the inward cleansing of our souls by the blood of christ for remission of sins. This being the description of baptism, let us see what good uses may be made thereof, & every part in order, as they have been laid before us. And first touching the h The use of the first part of the description. first point mentioned before in the description, that Baptism is the first Sacrament. This teacheth that such as are gained to the faith, and children of such as are in the profession i Acts ●8, 8. are immediately to be baptised. So was the Eunuch when he was instructed: so was Paul when he was converted: so were the jews when they repent. And indeed this is a true saying, that k August. cont Fa. 〈◊〉 lib. 19 cap. 11. men cannot be incorporate into any religion (whether it be true or false) unless they be combined together by some communion and fellowship of visible Sacraments. Again, Is baptism the first Sacrament of the new Testament? Then it followeth that he which is not baptized, is not to be admitted to the Lords table: he that hath not received the first Sacrament, is not to be made partaker of the second. As in the old testament, circumcision was the Sacrament of entrance & admission, and none was admitted to eat the passover but such as were circumcised, l Exod. 12, 48 as we see in Exod. 12. So none hath this right and privilege to come to the supper of the Lord unless first they be entered, and the door opened to them by baptism. For a man must be known to belong to our family and household, before he presume to eat of the children's bread, that belongeth not to strangers. Touching the use of the second point, to wit, m Use of the second part of the description. that there must be washing with water: we learn that washing with water is of the necessity of Baptism, Indeed ●here may be a washing without baptism, but there can be no baptism without washing. The n Ephe. 5, 26. washing of water through the word. So that this washing is necessary, because of the fit similitude that is between it and our regeneration or new-birth. The water is apt to cleanse us, and leaveth no filth behind: so is our justification & sanctification represented by the blood of Christ, as shall be considered. Therefore such as used sand, or blood, or such like matter not fit for washing, did not indeed baptise, but horribly profane the Sacrament of baptism. The third point in the description is, o uses of the 3. part of the description or Baptism. that baptism is once only to be administered, which affordeth unto us these three uses. First, it showeth a difference between it and the Lords Supper. The apostle Paul speaking of the Supper of the Lord, 1. Corinth. 11 saith, p 1 Cor. 11, 16, 25, 23. As oft as ye shall eat this bread and drink of this cup: and Christ our Saviour, Do this as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me, therefore it must be often received of the Church. But baptism once ministered, is not again to be repeated. As we are once only borne into the world, but after our birth are daily nourished: so we are but once baptised, but there is continual use of the Lords Supper, whereat we are fed to eternal life. Secondly, this teacheth that all rebaptizing is unlawful, as we see by the examples of the apostles, q Act. 2, 42, and 19, 1, 5. who baptised not the believers and members of the Church the second time. For Acts 2. it is noted, that such as believed the Gospel, continued in the apostles doctrine, in fellowship, in breaking of bread & prayer: but not in baptizing again or being baptised again: and chap: 19, 4.5. the disciples which were baptised, and had not received the gifts of the Holy-Ghost, Paul instructed further in the doctrine of Christ, and doth not rebaptise them but layeth his hands upon them, and they receive the visible gifts of the Holy-Ghost. The reason is plain against rebaptisation, because it signifieth and sealeth up our once being borne again, our once setting and settling into the body of Christ, r Ezek. 16, 8. Hos. 2, 19, 20. and our spiritual marriage once with him, who is the spiritual husband of his Church. Whereby we see, that such as have been baptised s Such as have been baptised by heretics, are not to be rebaptised. by heretics or other wicked Ministers, are not to be rebaptized. It came in place of circumcision: but none were twice circumcised, therefore none to be twice baptised. Again, it is a Sacrament that representeth our spiritual incorporation into the Church: but it is sufficient once to be engrafted, and consequently sufficient to have it once administered. This error of rebaptizing, arose upon a corrupt understanding and interpretation of the place, Acts 19 When they heard it, t Acts 19, 5. they were baptised in the name of the Lord jesus. The difficulty of this place is taken away, if we consider they be the words of Paul continuing his speech of john's baptism, not of Luke declaring what Paul did. But of this place we shall have better and fit occasion to speak further in the chapter following, where it is at large expounded. Furthermore, if baptism be administered once for ever, it showeth that he which cometh to Christ once truly and indeed, shall never be cast away; u john 13, 1. Rom. 11, 29. whom Christ jesus loveth once, he loveth for ever, because his graces and guifes are without repentance. What shall separate us from Christ, when we are by his working adjoined unto him? Wherefore this outward washing, being not often repeated, but once only used, doth effectually feal up our once joining unto God, who hath made an everlasting covenant with us, he shall never turn away from us, to do us good, we shall be his people, and he will be our God for ever. Indeed if we could clean fall away from the grace of God, we should have another regeneration, and another baptizing to be the seal thereof: but because we are built upon the brazen pillar of God's election, the gates of hell shall not prevail against us; for this foundation remaineth sure, a 2. Tim. 2, 19.20. and hath this seal, The Lord knoweth who are his. This b Psal. 51, 10.11. appeareth in David, Psal. 51. He desireth to have a clean heart, he prayeth that the holy Spirit be not taken from him: thereby declaring that the Spirit was within him, and that he had a sensible feeling thereof, howsoever the flesh for a season had gotten the upperhand. Hear than is a great comfort sealed to all Christians, in all temptations, against all the terrors and fears of conscience, wherewith they are ready to be swallowed up and overwhelmed. This must strengthen and stay us up, that although we may fall grievously, yet we shall not fall finally from the estate of grace. He that is once a sound and lively member of Christ, can never be wholly cut off. True it is, sin may lessen our conjunction and weaken our communion with Christ: but if we be truly in him, the band shall never be dissolved, c 1 joh. 2, 19 we shall never be wholly severed and fall from him, as 1. joh. 2. They went out from us, but they were not of us, for if they had been of us, they should have continued with us, but this cometh to pass that it might appear that they are not all of us. Now if any man by falling into sin, were totally separated from Christ for a time, surely in his recovery and rising from sin he were to be baptised the second time: for baptism is the Sacrament of initiation and engrafting into Christ, and an universal falling would require a new engrafting. But it were most absurd to say, we should be as often baptised as we fall into sin: and therefore howsoever Satan may buffet, molest, tempt, and wound us grievously, yet he can never overmaister us wholly and overcome us finally, d 1 joh. 3, 9 as the Apostle declareth, 1 joh. 3. Whosoever is borne of God committeth not sin, for his seed remaineth in h●m, neither can he sin, because he is borne of God. This assurance of our standing for ever in the covenant, is the root of all courage and comfort in trials and temptations, it helpeth us to fight manfully against sin, it preserveth us from security, it nourisheth us in good works, it increaseth in us a care to please God: and lastly it confuteth the popish fancy of the forged Sacrament of Penance, whereby (they say) a Christian being clean fallen from grace is restored, finding no comfort in his baptism: whereas the true believer never falleth finally from faith, neither needeth an outward seal to assure his pertaining to God's favour and love. Indeed every Christian that is fallen through infirmity, must rise up, repent unfeignedly, and show forth the fruits thereof: yet the force and strength of his baptism is not lost, the fruit and comfort thereof remaineth for ever, and is extended as well to the time to come as to the time that is past. So many therefore as affirm that the faithful in their falls have remedy in Penance, but no comfort by their baptism, do set up themselves, magnifying their own dreams & devices above the holy ordinances of God. The 4. part of the former description of baptism, is the form of baptizing into the name of the Father, of the Son, & of the Holy-Ghost. e The use of the fourth part of the description of Baptism. This teacheth that whosoever is baptised, hath made a solemn promise to confess & profess the christian religion, to be the servant of Christ, to fight his battles under his banner, against all the enemies of his faith & salvation, against sin, against Satan, against the world: he hath vowed to renounce the works of the flesh, & to serve the true God. So often then as we are present at the administration thereof, we must consider the covenant into which we are entered, which we made in the presence of men and Angels, which we are bound to keep for ever. Wherefore, let us learn daily to die unto sin, & follow a new life by the grace of sanctification. Secondly, this form of administration teacheth us to assure our own hearts of God's protection & defence, f Gen. 20, 16. as a wife doth of her husband's tuition and preservation of her from all dangers. Let us look for life, salvation, government, and nourishment from him alone in Christ. For as he calleth us from the fellowship of Satan, of sin, and of the world to have fellowship with himself: so he promiseth to be our aid and defence in time of need, on whom we are in every estate and condition to depend. The last part of the description g The use of the last part of the description of baptism. showeth, The inward cleansing of the soul by the blood of Christ. This teacheth that they abuse baptism, that in the outward work seek remission of sins, as though the force of washing away sins were found in the element of water. Baptism therefore is not the washing away of sins: only the blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin, 1 john 1, 7. Again, this declareth the perpetual use of it in the Church, seeing it hath this effect to assure remission and forgiveness of sins: unto this let us bring our children: of this let us make them partakers: from this let us by no means keep them: and in this let us continually renew our covenant with God. CHAP. II. That the parts of Baptism are partly outward and partly inward. HItherto we have showed how baptism is taken and what it is. In baptism we are to consider 2. things, a In baptism two things are to be considered, his parts and his uses. his parts and his uses. For in the former book, when we spoke of the Sacraments in general, having showed what a Sacrament is, we descended to his parts and uses, wherein the perfect knowledge thereof consisteth: so we will observe the same in handling the doctrine of the Sacraments in particular. The parts of baptism are first to be opened: the uses are to be reserved to their proper place. The parts are two, b 1 Pet. 3, 21. Mar. 1, 1 Act. 2, 38. the outward and the inward parts. This appeareth, 1 Pet. 3. Whereof the baptism that now is, answereth that figure, which is not a putting away of the filth of the flesh, but a confident demanding which a good conscience maketh to God, and saveth us by the resurrection of jesus Christ. Where the Apostle teacheth, that sin cannot be washed away by that outward water, but by Christ's inward working, which the outward baptism doth shadow. In like manner. Mar. 1. Truth it is, I have baptised you with water, but he will baptise you with the Holy-Ghost: where the Baptist showeth that he baptised outwardly, but the force of it proceedeth from Christ who baptizeth inwardly. So Acts 2. Peter said unto them, Amend your lives, and be baptised every one of you in the name of jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy-Ghost: Where the Apostle declareth, that in such as repent and believe, the virtue of the Holy-Ghost is joined with outward baptism. Hence it is, that the Apostle writing to the Hebrews Chap. 6.2, maketh mention of the doctrine of baptisms, speaking in the plural number, because it hath two parts, the inward baptism of Christ, and the outward baptism of the Minister. The outward parts therefore are one thing, and the inward parts are another: that which is seen is one thing, and that which is understood is another thing. This division of the parts of Baptism, affordeth divers Use 1 good uses, and putteth us in mind of sundry holy duties. And first of all, are there outward and inward parts of Baptism? Then we learn hereby, that the outward parts are no vain ceremonies, no fruitless rites, no unprofitable actions that may be neglected or contemned, but available signs, and effectual seals of the sprinkling of Christ's blood for the forgiveness of all our sins. Again, seeing there is such an union of the parts between themselves, we must not contemn, or despise, or defer baptism. Wherefore the faithful, all delays, reasons, and pretences set apart, have speedily prepared themselves to do that which God commandeth. We have a worthy example in Abraham, c Gen. 17, 22.26. when God required him to circumcise himself, his son, and all the males of his house, and thereby to uncover all their shames: he doth not inquire why God required this at his hands, he doth not complain or consult with flesh and blood: over all doubts faith got the victory, and subdued reason under her, and caused him with diligence, readiness, and expedition to submit himself to fulfil the Lords will, and perform it the same day that he commanded it. Of this duty likewise we see Paul was d Act 22.16. and 18, 8. admonished by Ananias immediately after his conversion, Acts 22. saying, Why tarriest thou? Ar●se and be baptised, and wash away thy sins in calling on the name of the Lord. Whereby he showeth, that this tarrying and delay in the matters of God maketh us culpable in his sight. True it is, it is not e Bernard. epist. 77. the want of Baptism simply that is damnable, (as is showed afterward) but the contempt of the Sacraments is dangerous, & without repentance damnable, f Luke 7, 30. as appeareth: The pharisees and expounders of the law despised the counsel of God against themselves, and were not baptised of him. We know all neglect and contempt in heavenly duties g jer. 48.10. is evil, and bringeth with it a certain curse as the Prophet saith, Cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord negligently. We see in human and worldly things, wise men will not defer the sealing of their writings and calling of witnesses, when they have given a promise to other or made a bargain with other (knowing that unnecessary delay may breed unrecoverable danger) as we see by the example of jeremy, when he had h jer. 32, 9, 10 Gen. 23, 16.17, 18. bought a field of his uncles son, presently he weighed him the silver, & enroled it in a book of remembrance, he signed it, he took witnesses, and left it written in rolls or records, having an instrument or evidence fairly drawn and sealed with the common seal, if any thing should be called in question in time to come. The like we see in Abraham long before, when he had bought a possession of the Hittites for the burial of his dead, he weighed out & paid Current money among Merchants: so the field and the cave that was therein with all the trees and appurtenances that were therein, was made sure to him for a possession. As these men, when they had made the purchase, would not delay the taking of assurance and security: the like delaying and unnecessary putting off the time from Sabbath to Sabbath, from meeting to meeting, aught to be shunned of us: otherwise, though we should be free from contempt, we cannot excuse ourselves of the neglect of an high and holy duty to God and our children. Indeed, i Baptism not precisely tied to a certain day. we are not precisely tied to a certain day in Baptism, as the jews were to the 8. day in their circumcision: but that which the 8. day was to them, a convenient and orderly time is to us. Now, what time can be more convenient, more comely, more fit, than the Sabbath day following, when the Church is assembled? That so it may be administered rightly, reverently, religiously, and conveniently in the public meetings of the faithful? Again, the needless and careless deferring of this work hath a grievous threatening k Gen. 17, 14. annexed of assured punishment and judgement, as it is set down, The uncircumcised male, in whose flesh the foreskin is not circumcised, even that person shall be cut off from his people, because he hath broken my covenant. Whereby we see, that whosoever shall neglect circumcision, and not suffer himself to be circumcised, or shall approve the negligence committed by his parents, shall be none of the people of God, but shall be shut out from the society & barred from the fellowship of the faithful, both in this world, and in the world to come, unless he repent of this sin. And that the l Exod. 4, 24. neglect of God's ordinance draweth his wrath, appeareth in the example of Moses, The Lord met him and would have killed him, because his son was not circumcised. He had dwelled in the land of Midian an Idolatrous country 40. years, he began to savour of the manners thereof: but having called him to be a Governor of the people, would not be appeased toward him, until he had reform his own house. For if any cannot m 1 Tim. 3, 5. rule his own house, how shall he care for the Church of God? Now whereas he had two sons borne unto him in Mid●●● the elder no doubt was circumcised the eight day, according to the order and ordinance of God: why then did he defer the circumcising of the younger? No doubt he was scorned & derided among them for circumcising his first borne, & his enemies were those of his own house, even the wife that lay in his bosom: yea he being then weak in faith, loved the praise of men more than the praise of God, and therefore the Lord would have slain him. Albeit the sign of circumcision seemed base and contemptible in outward show, and to savour of great cruelty toward little children: yet God would not suffer the deferring and neglecting thereof to go without punishment. Although grace be not tied to the Sacraments, and that we may be saved without them: yet it is not left to the disposition of men, whether they will come to them or not, God will not have the outward signs contemned of us: for if we will be in the covenant, we must not despise the seal of the covenant. Furthermore, are the outward parts united to the inward? Use. 3 Then this serveth as a special means to comfort the very lowest estate of men and the poorest degree in the Church, that they doubt not of the fatherly favour of God toward them, but be assured of their acceptation with God, who will make them partakers of his eternal blessings in his kingdom, as well as other whose condition is greater and higher in the world. When God gave circumcision to Abraham, he commanded him to circumcise n Gen. 17.12.13.27. all his servants bond or free, as well borne in his house as bought with his money: thereby signifying that he adopted them for his children, and that albeit they were Abraham's bondmen, o 1 Cor. 7.22. yet they were the Lords freemen. So unto baptism we admit and receive the poor as well as the rich, ●he servant as well as the master, the low as well a● the high, without respect of persons. When the Lord instituted the passover, p Exod. 12.3. the Lamb was eaten of all the congregation. So touching the Lords Supper, it is an holy banquet for all degrees and conditions whatsoever, and therefore q 1. Cor. 11.21.22. the apostle checketh the Corinthians for this abuse, that whereas the poorest soul eating of the bread & drinking of the cup, is as welcome to Christ the governor of the feast as the richest, they did despise the poor and shamed them that had not. All these things duly considered, serve to assure the very meanest, lowest, & simplest in the Church, that they are made heirs of eternal life as well as other, as they are partakers of the sign with other, if they believe with faithful Abraham. This the Apostle r Gal. 3.28. Col. 3.11. teacheth, There is neither jew nor Grecian: there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female, for ye are all one in Christ. And Col. 3. There is neither Grecian nor jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond, free: but Christ is all and in all things. Use 4 Fourthly, are there outward rites, signs, and persons as external parts of baptism? And are there likewise inward parts whereby we are consecrated to God, teaching that we have vowed to renounce the lusts of the world, and to forsake the works of the Devil? Then this s They are to be reproved that depart out of the Church before baptism be solemnised. condemneth those that depart out of the Church before this holy and public action be taken in hand. Baptism belongeth not only to the witnesses and parties that bring the child, but to all the members of the Church, that we may learn by our presence thereat, to renew our faith and repentance unto God. These men do too much disgrace and deface the dignity of this Sacrament, not vouchsafing to remain at the administration thereof, as if it were not worthy to be solemnised before them: whereas they should quicken their faith in the covenant of God, by beholding the works of the Minister, and ratifying them in their hearts, t Luke. 1.58. as we read, Luke 1. where they are said to circumcise, because they were all present at the work, consenting to prayers and thanksgivings of the Church: u 1 Cor. 11.5. as also the Apostle saith, Women pray and prophesy in the Church, when they sit still & are partakers of the prayers and preaching used in the public assemblies. And as no member is cut off by excommunication, a 1 Cor. 5.4. but in presence of all, to be witnesses thereof & to ratify their grief for the loss of a member of their body: so in b Reasons rendered why the assembly should remain altogether until Baptism be finished. Baptism it is required, to witness and approve the public work by their presence, and to assure themselves thereby with joy & comfort, that a fellow-heir is made partaker with them in the communion of Saints. Moreover, the excellency of this Sacrament, is as great as of the other: they are of like worthiness in themselves, and to be had equally and indifferently in like price and estimation: they are both commanded and instituted by the same authority of Christ: there is the same matter and substance of both, to wit, Christ with all his benefits: there is this one and the same end of both, the increase and strengthening of our faith: therefore why should one Sacrament be so much extolled above the other, and preferred before the other? So that whereas many come to the Lords Supper, few remain and abide in the Church, at the administration of Baptism. Seeing then, as loving Sisters they go hand in hand together, and are the dear daughters of one Father, what reason is there that one should be magnified, and the other disgraced? The whole assembly heareth the word preached and delivered by the Minister: the Sacraments are Instruments of our justification by Faith, c Christ is after a sort preached in baptism. as well as the word preached, saving that the word worketh by Hearing only, the Sacraments serve by the senses of Seeing, Handling, and Tasting as well as hearing; to strengthen and increase Faith in our hearts: and therefore it is requisite that we join in the one, as well as in the other. Furthermore, the excellency and worthiness of Baptism appeareth herein, in that it was instituted of God sealing up his gracious covenant, in that it was sanctified by Christ, being baptised of john, and in that it was beautified by the heavenly revelation of the blessed Trinity appearing thereat: so great honour, so great dignity & pre-eminence was never given to any Ceremony? Did God institute it, and shall we contemn it. Did jesus Christ come to john's baptism, and shall we disdain to be at the Baptism of Christ? Was the holy Trinity present, and will we be absent? True it is, some of the sacrifices and burnt offerings were d Gen. 4, 5. compared with Heb. 11.4. miraculously consumed by fire from heaven: but what is this to the glorious presence of the Majesty of God, the blessed Trinity? declaring to us thereby, that God the Father, judg. 13, 20. 1 King. 18.38 2 Chron, 7, 1. God the Son, and God the holy Ghost, are always present at the administration of Baptism, and truly perform that which is outwardly figured and represented. Here heaven was open, which for our sins was shut against us: here the Spirit descended in the visible form of a dove upon Christ, to signify unto us, that being delivered from the terrors of sin and judgement, we are at peace with God: e Ma. 3, 16, 17 The voice of the Father is heard from heaven, saying, This is my son in whom I am well pleased. All these things note out the special force and dignity of this Sacrament. It is not therefore to be administered in a corner of the Church, with three or four persons present to witness the Baptism, the rest of the body of the Congregation being departed, but in the face and open view thereof: forasmuch as God to deliver it from contempt, hath given it visible marks of greater honour. The Apostle f 1 Cor. 12, 23 saith, 1 Cor. 12. Our uncomely parts have more comeliness on: for our comely parts need it not, but God hath tempered the body together, and hath given more honour to that part wh●ch lacked. As God hath dealt with our bodies, so hath he done in this Sacrament. That which is most subject to contempt, dishonour and disgrace, God hath lifted up with sundry excellent pre-eminences & prerogatives, as we have seen in Christ's baptism. And albeit there may be a difference in the person baptised, one high, another low; one noble, another unnoble, one rich, another poor: yet there is none in the substance of the baptism. Seeing then God so highly esteemeth of this ordinance: it serveth to convince, to accuse, and to condemn their carelessness and negligence that refuse to be present at baptism, or if they vouchsafe to be present for a while, yet they are talking and attend not unto it, and departed before the end of the whole action, and rush out of the Church before the name of God be praised, and the whole work finished g Luk. 3, 21. Act. 22.16. and concluded with prayer, as it was Luke 3. It came to pass as all the people were baptised, and that jesus was baptised, and did pray, the heaven was opened. And Act. 22. Arise and be baptised, and wash away thy sins in calling on the name of the Lord. Wherefore we are not to departed before God hath been prayed unto, and praised for his benefits. The Apostle chargeth, that h 1 Cor. 14, 26 40. all things in the Church be done in order and comeliness. Now what can be more comely and convenient, i Ezek 46, 10. then that the Churches begin the exercises of their holy religion together, and end them together? Forasmuch as nothing is done in the assembly, which tendeth not to the edification of the whole body. Use 5 Lastly, if in every true baptism, there be outward & inward parts united each to other: then the baptism of john and of Christ are in nature and substance all one. Contrary to the doctrine of the k Concil. Trid. sess. 7, can. 1. Trent-councel that teacheth, If any shall say, that the baptism of john hath the same force with Christ's baptism, let him be accursed. Although it be no matter of faith, nor greatly necessary in these days to dispute of john's baptism, seeing no man or woman is now baptised by his hands: yet we will show the truth of this point out of the scriptures l The baptism of john and of Christ are in substance one & the same. that they are all one in substance and effect, not of any other kind and nature. For first, john preached the baptism of repentance to remission of sins, they have therefore the same doctrine, the same word, the same promise, m Mar 1, 4. the same repentance, the same forgiveness of sins as they had, the same outward element of water. And the Apostle teacheth, that there is n Eph. 4, 5.6. One body, one spirit, one hope of the calling, one Lord, one Father, one faith, and one baptism. Secondly, the baptism of john was consecrated and sanctified in the person of Christ, for Christ was baptised with the baptism of john. Thirdly, it may appear (as we will prove Chap. 4.) that john baptised into the name of the blessed Trinity. Fourthly, neither Christ nor his Apostles rebaptized any that were baptised by the ministry of john. Apollo's did know only the baptism of john, o Acts 18, 25.26. he is taken and instructed further in the faith and ways of the Lord, but we read not that he was baptised again. Fiftly, if john's baptism were not the same with our baptism, it would follow that Christ was baptised with another baptism than we are, and that our baptism was not sanctified in the person of Christ: which taketh away our comfort & consolation, that we which are the members of Christ have one and the same baptism with our head. Sixtly, if the baptism of john were not one with the baptism of Christ, hereby the error of the Anabaptists should be confirmed; for such as were baptised of john, should be rebaptized. seventhly, the Apostles themselves should not be truly baptised: for they (no doubt) were baptised of john, some of them being first his Disciples, otherwise they should be unbaptized. For Christ with his own hands baptised none, p joh 4, 1, 2. as appeareth joh. 4, 1, 2. and it is not likely that one of them baptised another: yea they should baptise other into another baptism than themselves had received. Last of all, Christ himself testifieth, q Mat. 3, 15. Luk. 7, 29. that the baptism ministered by john, pertained to the fulfilling of righteousness, Mat. 3, 15. and Luke testifieth, that the Publicans and people being baptised of him, justified God; but the pharisees despised the counsel of God against themselves and were not baptised. Wherefore seeing john baptised with water in the name of the Trinity to remission of sins, and that the blessed Trinity was present thereat, we conclude his baptism was the same with ours: r Difference between john's baptism and Christ's wherein? only herein lieth the difference, in the circumstance of time, john baptised in Christ that should suffer death and rise again, we baptise in the name of Christ already dead and risen again to life. Against this evident s Objections answered. truth directly confirmed, Bellarmine the jesuite taketh divers exceptions, and maketh many objections: all which stumbling blocks lying in the way (whereat many may stumble) are to be removed, before we conclude this Chapter. For he reasoneth thus, t Bel. lib. 1. de Bapt. cap 20. The baptism of john was instituted by john himself, not by Christ: he was not the minister only, but the author thereof: therefore it was no Sacrament at all, especially of the new Testament, and consequently not the same with the Baptism of Christ. I answer, we must consider in this reason, the base and vile account that the jesuits make of john's baptism, they make it an idle and vain Ceremony without fruit or force, and no Sacrament or seal of heavenly grace. Again, if john's Baptism were no Sacrament, than Christ which received no other outward Baptism, received no Sacrament: & we should be baptized with another baptism than Christ was. Furthermore, shall we hear with patience, and hold our peace, when these jesuits, or rather jebusites ancient enemies of the people of god, belch out their blasphemies, and blot john's baptism out of the number of Sacraments: and admit their five false and forged Sacraments of Confirmation, Penance, Orders, Matrimony, and extreme Unction? Lastly, what intolerable boldness or blindness is there in these Bayards that make john and not God, to be the appointer, author, and ordainer of his Baptism, contrary to express evidence of holy Scripture? For seeing no man u Hebru. 5, 4. taketh this honour upon him, but he that is called of God, as Aaron was, shall we think, he would usurp this office without God's word and warrant? and doth not Christ himself propound the question to the chief Priests & Elders of the people touching john's Baptism, a Mat. 21, 25. & teach that he baptised and preached by the authority & commandment of God? Besides, do not the Evangelists say b john 1, 6. he was sent of God, and that the word of God came to john in the wilderness, and he came into all the coasts about jordan preaching and baptizing? Luke 3, 2, 3. yea john himself testifieth that he was sent to baptise, joh. 1, 33. I knew him not, but he that sent me to baptise with water, said unto me, upon whom thou shalt see that Spirit come down, and tarry still upon him, that is he which baptizeth with the holy Ghost. Whereby appeareth, that john's Baptism was instituted of God, not of john: and john was not the author, but only the minister thereof. Hence it is that Gaudentius saith, Resp. ad Paul diacon. That Christ came to john's Baptism, as a sinner to wash away our sins in his body, which could not be if john's baptism did not wash away sins at all. Again, c Math 3, 11. he objecteth and allegeth, Mat. 3, 11. where john himself saith, I baptise with water, but Christ shall baptise with the holy Ghost: Whence he d Bel. lib. 1. de Bapt. cap. 21. gathereth, that Christ's baptism gave the holy Ghost, john's Baptism gave not the holy Ghost: therefore their Baptisms are not all one. I answer, these words were spoken to inform e Luke 3, 15, 16 the people that he was not that Christ: so that they make a difference, not between the Baptism of Christ and of john, but between the persons of Christ and of john, between the minister of the Sacrament, and the Instituter thereof. For this is true of all the Ministers of Baptism, to the end of the world, that baptise in the name of the holy Trinity: they pour on the water, they can do no more, they can go no further, Christ must give the grace of regeneration and sanctification. Moreover, f Bel. lib. 1. de Bapt. cap. 22. another objection he taketh out of Act. 19, 4, 5. where Luke speaketh of certain Disciples at Ephesus, to whom Paul said, Have ye received the holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, we have not so much as heard whether there be an holy Ghost. g Act. 19, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. And he sa●de unto them, unto what were ye then baptised? And they said, unto john's Baptism. Then Paul said, john verily baptised with the Baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe in him which shall come after him, that is in Christ jesus. And when they heard ●t they were baptised in the name of the Lord jesus. So Paul la●d his hands on them, and the holy Ghost came on them, and they spoke the Tongues and Prophesied, and all the men were about twelve. In these words it should seem at the first sight, that Paul Baptized the Disciples of Ephesus, with the baptism of Christ, which had before received the baptism of john. If then he baptised them again in the name of Christ whom john baptised, it followeth necessarily that the baptism of john was one, and the baptism of Christ another, otherwise it should be a needless and fruitless repetition. Besides this, the place seemeth to favour rebaptisation, & is alleged by dangerous heretics to that purpose. Wherefore, the place being difficult, the doubts divers, and the errors many that are gathered and sucked from hence, as poison from wholesome herbs: let us assay by the assistance of God to open the true and natural meaning thereof. If we shall weigh and consider the words aright according to the true interpretation thereof, h August. de doct. Christ. agreeable to the drift of the place, to the circumstances of the text, to the propriety of the words, to other testimonies of Scriptures and to the proportion of faith: we shall see they favour and further neither rebaptisation maintained by the Anabaptists, neither real difference between john's baptism and Christ's, defended by the Papists. True it is, there is in this Scripture a double History and narration inserted, intermingled, and enfolded the one within the other, which causeth some doubt & obscurity, but may easily be cleared and expounded. For first of all, the words ver. 5. And they which heard it were baptised: are are not the words of Luke the writer, but of Paul the speaker, continuing his speech of john's Disciples & hearers, and are not to be understood of the twelve Disciples, as appeareth by the two i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greek conjunctions, which are used by the masters of that tongue to join and to disjoin, having relation one to the other, and knitting together the parts of the sentence answering fitly each to other, k Mat. 3, 11. Mat. 1, 8, 9 Act 1, 5, 6. as may be seen in many places; wherefore, Luke speaketh not here of Paul's baptism, but Paul speaketh of john's baptism. He setteth down the office of john, verse 3. then he prosecuteth both the parts of it, mentioning his preaching, verse 4. and his baptizing, verse 5. Again, these twelve abiding at Ephesus dwelling far from the land of judea where john preached & baptised, and living about 30. or 40. years after the death of john, could not hear his doctrine from his own mouth, or receive baptism at his hands. Now, whereas they are said to be baptised to john's Baptism, the meaning is, l Act. 18, 25. Mat. 21, 25. Mar. 1, 4. they embraced and professed the same doctrine which john preached by word, and sealed with his baptism. Thirdly, we have a like example, touching the Samaritans baptised by Philip, m Act. 8.14.15.16.17. The Holy-Ghost was yet come down upon none of them, but they were only baptised in the name of the Lord jesus: then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy-Ghost. Hear we are to observe this order, Philip preached, the people believed, and were baptised: afterward the Apostles hands were imposed, and so the Holy-Ghost is received. They gave the gifts of the Holy Ghost by laying on of hands without baptism, Act. 8.17. Neither do we read, that laying on of hands was used in baptism, neither were these baptised again, but only confirmed and strengthened by imposition of the Apostles hands. So in this place, the twelve Ephesian Disciples had embraced and received the doctrine that john preached, and were baptised in the name of Christ: then the Apostle layeth his hands upon them, and they receive the Holy-Ghost, they are no more rebaptized than were the Disciples at Samaria. Fourthly, if the 4. and 5. verses were to be sundered and dismembered, contrary to the use of the Greek particles, which serve to conjoin the whole, and to disjoin the parts of the sentence (as though the one were spoken of Paul, the other of Luke) why doth Luke afterward ver. 6. repeat and assume the name of Paul? What need was there to make mention of him again? Doth not this show, that in the whole speech before, he had spoken of john and his hearers that heard him preaching in the wilderness Furthermore, the Apostle neither accuseth nor condemneth the Baptism of these Ephesians, neither inquireth whether they were Baptized or no, seeing they were in the number of the Professors of the faith, and believers of the Gospel (for they are called Disciples) but whether they had received the gifts of the holy Ghost? Sixtly, if such as have been once baptised were to be rebaptized, because they are sometimes grossly ignorant, and know not some necessary fundamental point of religion concerning the Trinity, concerning the offices or person of Christ, and such like holy Principles: the apostles themselves should have been baptised again, who conversing with Christ, hearing his Doctrine, seeing his Miracles, and knowing his behaviour, had yet tasted little of his spiritual & heavenly kingdom, n Acts 1, 6. Math. 20, 21. Luke 22, 24. but dreamt that the Messiah should have a temporal and earthly kingdom. The Samaritans also should be baptised anew, because being baptised, they did not immediately receive the holy Ghost. Likewise, Apollos should be baptised again, who was weak in knowledge, understanding only the baptism of john, yet he was not rebaptized, but Aquila and Priscilla took him, and instructed him farther in the Faith of Christ, and in the ways of God: and if baptism were so often to be repeated, as God of his mercy showeth us the errors of our mind, and faults of our life: how often should we be baptised? Should not the faithful many times, not only in a year, but sometimes in a day, require Baptism? Besides, we must consider, that these twelve Disciples were not ignorant of the holy Ghost, the third person in Trinity, but of the extraordinary and miraculous gifts of the holy Ghost, which appeared in cloven Tongues on the apostles, o Act. 8, 17, 18 19, & 10, 44, 45, 47, & 19, 6 as the words are taken. For it were unreasonable and absurd to imagine, that such as are said to be Disciples, scholars of Christ, Professors of the Faith, and Members of the Church, could be ignorant wholly of the holy Ghost, which john saw come down p joh. 1, 32, 33 upon Christ in a very visible shape, without the knowledge of which Spirit, none can be ●aid to be a believer, and to be faithful: such are so far from being admitted into the Church, that they deserve not to sit in the Porch. Neither may we think without intolerable injury done unto john, who was filled with the holy Ghost from his Mother's Womb, that he would ever have received to his baptism such rude and gross Disciples, as had never heard whether there were an holy ●host. Last of all, if Paul had baptised these twelve Disciples of Ephesus, why are they passed over in silence, and not rehearsed; where, of set purpose he q 1 Cor. 1, 13.14, 15. reckoneth up such as were baptised by him? He declareth how he baptised Crispus, Gaius, and the household of Stephanas, he maketh no mention at all of this History. Nay, if he baptised these, might not the Corinthians have taken exception against him, & accused him of falsehood or forgetfulness? and albeit he speak properly and particularly of the Corinthians, yet afterward he extendeth his doctrine farther, & concludeth generally that he knew not whether he had baptized any other, which he would never have spoke, if he had baptized the xii. together, especially seeing he addeth, Christ sent me not to baptise, but to preach the gospel. And seeing th● former Epistle was written after this history, & as some suppose from Ephesus where these disciples dwelled, r 1 Cor. 16, 8. as it may in part be gathered out of chap. 16. when Paul saith I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost: how can it be, that the Apostle baptising these Ephesians and writing his Epistle from Ephesus, should not remember them among & above the rest, being many and also present with him before his face? Thus we have opened the meaning of this place, which the unlearned & unstable have wrested (as they do also other s 2 Pet. 3, 16. Scriptures) to their own destruction, and we have proved the baptism of john to be one & the same in substance with the baptism of Christ, and therefore to be neither unperfect nor unprofitable. Thus we see, that the union of the outward and inward parts together, teacheth, t The sum of th● Chapter is ●et down. that in baptism the outward rites are no needless ceremonies: that it must b●● ministered with all convenient speed, against those that defer the same many weeks and months: that it requireth our presence to the end of the administration thereof, that prayers may be offered up by the Church for infants to be baptised, and ourselves learn what we have vowed to God. We have also learned that God testifieth his love even to the lowest in the Church. Nothing is done in the Church but to the benefit of the whole: and if we desire our Children should be the children of God, why do we not stay to ask it of God? Or, how shall we better know, what ourselves have vowed and promised in our baptism to God, and how we have been answerable thereunto: then by our continual presence when it is administered? Lastly, this division of the parts teacheth, that the baptism of john & Christ differ not in the truth and substance thereof. Thus far we have showed that the parts of baptism are partly outward and partly inward. Now let us see what these outward parts are: and afterward proceed in order to the inward. CHAP. III. Of the first outward part of baptism. AS we declared before in the former book chap. 3. the number of outward parts of a Sacrament: a Four outward parts of Baptism. so the outward parts of baptism are four namely, the Minister, the word of institution, the water, and the receiver. All these though outward parts, yet are substantial and necessary parts. The first is the Minister, as the Ambassador of God sent out by him with commission to meddle in the matter of the Sacraments, as appeareth by the ministry of john, by the commandment of Christ, and by the examples of the Apostles. The Baptist b Luke. 3.15. when all men mused in their hearts if he were not that Christ, said to them, Indeed I baptise you with water, but one stronger than I cometh, whose shoes latchet I am not worthy to unloose. And joh. 1. he saith, I am come baptizing with water, I knew him not, but he that sent me to baptise with water said to me, upon whom thou shalt see the spirit come down and tarry still on h●m, that is he which baptizeth with the Holy-Ghost. And Mat. 28. Teach all nations baptizing them. Now according to this commandment and commission, the Apostles went forth teaching & preaching to the people, and ministering the Sacraments to such as were converted to the faith, c Act. 1.38. & 8 12.38. as we see Act, 2.38. Notwithstanding, whereas Paul sayeth, Christ sent me not to baptise, d 1 Cor. 1.17. but to preach the Gospel, 1. Cor. 1.17. It is not to be understood historically, but comparatively. For his meaning is not simply to relate and set down his office whereunto he was called, but by conferring it with his preaching: as if he should say, This is not the chief and principal end of my calling and function to baptise; the high work of my ministry is to preach the Gospel. Indeed they are both of them parts of the Ministers Office, but this is the chiefest to labour in the word and doctrine, in regard of the greater gifts required, and of the fruit that floweth and followeth from thence to their hearers, it being the high ordinance of God to save such as believe. That this is the Apostles mind and meaning, appeareth by the words immediately ensuing, where he reckoneth up some whom he had baptised, which he would never have done or attempted without a calling. True it is, the dignity and force of baptism dependeth not upon the worthiness or excellency of the Ministers thereof, but on the authority and institution of God, who only remitteth sins, and baptizeth with the Holy-Ghost. This appeareth by the example of such as ca●t out devils in Christ's name, of whom Christ sayeth, M●t. 7 22.23 he knew them not. So judas was sent out with the rest of the Apostles to teach and to preach the Gospel of the kingdom, Mat. 10.1.2.3. M●t. 23.1. ●. 3 I●h 4.1. and to heal every sickness and every disease among the people, yet he was the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled: The Scribes and pharisees sit in Moses his chair. For this cause Christ himself would baptise no man, joh. 4. lest any should esteem of baptism by the worthiness or unworthiness of Ministers. Nevertheless, f Reasons rendered why the Minister only may baptise. it is required that baptism be done and delivered by a Minister ●f ●he church, and one reputed so to be of the Church, as may be confirmed by sundry reasons. First, baptism is a part of the ministry, which none may undertake but such as are thereunto lawfully called. God hath joined the g Mat. 28, 19 Heb. 5, 4. Mat. 19, 6. ministry of the word and Sacraments together: and what God hath coupled together, let no man separate, Mat. 19.6. But women or private persons may not be admitted to teach in the public assemblies h 1 Cor. 14, 34, 35. in a true and well ordered Church, 1 Cor. 14. Let your women keep silence in the Churches, for it is not permitted unto them to speak, but they ought to be subject, as also the Law saith: and if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home, for it is a shame for women to speak in the Church. 1 Tim. 2, 11, 12. And 1 Tim. 2 Let your women learn in silence with all subjection, I permit not a woman to teach, neither to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. Likewise, i revel. 20, 20. the Apostle reproveth the Church of Thyatira, that it suffered a Woman to teach among them, and to exercise the public ministry of the word, contrary to God's commandment and the practice of God's people. I confess, k judg. 4, 4. 1 Sam. 2, 2. 2 King. 22, 14. Act 21, 9 there have been Prophetesses in the Church, as Deborah, Huldah, Hannah, the four daughters of Philip, with some others: but the examples are extraordinary, and therefore cannot make an ordinary rule for imitation. The causes hereof are direct and evident. For to teach publicly, is a token of authority and rule over others, inasmuch as the teacher is higher in place and authority than he that is taught, as Paul was brought up at the feet of l Act. 22, 3. Gamaliell, and as the less is blessed of m Heb. 7, 7. the greater. Therefore, the woman should not be admitted to be a master in Israel, a teacher of the Church, and an instructor of men, as 1 Tim. 2. where the Apostle forbiddeth them to teach publicly, and to usurp authority over the man, but requireth of them to be in subjection, not to challenge dominion. Again, such is the n 1 Pet. 3, 7. Eccl. 7, 29, 30. frailness and weakness of that sex, that they are easier to be seduced and deceived, and so fit to be authors of much mischief being the weaker vessels: therefore Paul having set down the doctrine that women should not take upon them to teach in the Church, and so preach in the assembly of men, presently allegeth this reason, o 1 Tim. 2, 13 14. Gen. 3.6. that The woman was first deceived of the devil, and was in the transgression: he made choice of her, and made her an instrument to beguile her husband. For albeit that women be capable of the doctrine of godliness, and many examples of learned women are extant every where, and in every nation (which might easily be produced) and that such were of ability sufficient to teach the Church, yet shamefastness and modesty (the special ornaments of that sex) do not suffer them to enterprise and execute that function, which requireth courage and boldness in the discharge thereof. True it is, among the Gentiles in their sacrifices and solemnities were women-Priests (fit Priests for such purposes, fit Ministers for such Gods) but in the Church of God, neither under the law, nor under the Gospel, were they allowed to serve at the Altar, or to offer the sacrifice, or to meddle with the service of holy things: and therefore it is unlawful to have a womanish Ministry. And as Moses teacheth in the book of Deuteronomy, Deut. 22, 5. that it is an abomination for a man to put on woman's apparel, so it is not only unseemly and undecent, but unlawful & ungodly for a woman to put on that boldness and manliness which appeareth in the countenance of a man, and to put off the bashfulness and demureness which she ought to carry with her. Solomon in the description of a virtuous woman among other laudable properties as parts of her office observeth, that she seeketh wool and flax, and worketh diligently with her hands: Prou 31, 13, 19 she layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff, Prou. 31, 13, 19 It is never noted as the part of a good woman, that she stretchech out her hand to water, and baptizeth the children that are in danger. Let her meddle in matters of another nature; she hath nothing to do to handle these holy things. True it is, the government of the family under her husband is committed, and the training up of her children in the fear of God, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. commanded unto her, 2 Tim. 1, 5. 1. Timothy 5.14. As also Lois the grandmother, and Eunice the mother of Timothy, bestowed no small pains to plant the unfeigned faith of Christ jesus in him: howbeit they never presumed to baptise their children, much less the children of others. So then, to commit the office of the ministry to women, or any part of it, were as much as to turn the nature of things topsie turny, and to bury and abolish the ordinance of God. For he that should be beneath, is seated above: and he that should be in subjection is endued with sovereignty and authority. The keys of the kingdom of heaven are committed to men, not to women: if then they enter into the services of the Church, they do it by a wrong key, and are no better than intruders. Furthermore, the Minister representeth God's person in this holy work, and therefore he only can offer and deliver with power and authority the outward sign, which answereth fitly to the inward matter. Shall private persons usurp to be the Lords messengers, to bring his letters and seals, not called, not allowed, not authorized? It cannot be without intruding of themselves, and dishonour to God, and confusion in the Church. For as none can wash us from our sins but Christ only: so none can bear his person in the outward Sacrament of the inward washing, but he whom Christ himself hath appointed, if we will receive the benefit of the holy seal of baptism, for the assurance of our conscience p The people cannot with comfort assure themselves to receive a Sacrament at the hands of private persons. that we are washed from our sins. And if the will and pleasure of a Prince, do make that only to be his seal which he hath set apart to seal his grants withal, so that albeit another may be made right of the same matter, just of the same form and fashion, and in all points like unto it, no difference being to be seen between them; yet the same is none of the Prince's seal, but a counterfeit stamp: then how much more ought the known and revealed will of the eternal God (which is, that they only should minister the Sacraments, that have a public calling and allowance thereunto) to have that authority, that no Sacraments can be warranted to be his seals, but such as are signed by his Officers. Again, q Beza. lib. de Quest. in sacra. quaest. 140. 141 suppose the Prince's seal should be stolen away, which he hath appointed to seal his grants withal, and should be set too by him that hath no authority, not being the keeper thereof, there can by no means grow any assurance of comfort to the party that hath it applied to his writings: so if it were possible to be the seal of God which a woman should set too, yet for that she hath stolen her patent, and used it contrary to God's commandment, I see not how any man can persuade his own heart by it to be partaker of a Sacrament: but his comfort is weakened and impaired, and his conscience left in doubt and perplexity. Moreover, this may yet farther appear by a comparison (a form of reasoning often used in the Scripture) comparing different actions of things done by a calling, with such as are done without a calling, whereby we shall see that to have a lawful calling to do a thing, giveth life, liking, and allowance unto the doing. For we must not only consider what is done; but also who is the doer. What is the reason that joab Captain of the host, r 2 Sam. 3.27. and 20, 10. 1 King. 2, 5. killing Abner and Amasa two more righteous than himself, was reserved to judgement: s Num. 6, 25.7, 8. whereas Phineas killing Z●niri and Co●bi, it was imputed unto him for righteousness? What is the reason that Peter is reproved for drawing his sword, and smiting the high Priests servant, being commanded to put up the sword, because so many as smite with the sword t Mat. 26, 5●. 52. Rom. 13, 4. shall perish with the sword: whereas the higher power is said to be the Minister of God, to take vengeance on him that doth evil, and not to bear the sword in vain? Was it not that Phineas was stirred up and called of God to do execution: but joab was stirred up by the Devil, to see and to seek his own revenge? Was it not, that Peter was a private man to whom God had said, a Exod. 20, 13 Thou shalt not k●ll: but the Magistrate is ordained of God, to whom he hath said, b Deu. 13, 8, 9 Thine eye shall not pity him, whom I have appointed to die? Wherefore there is more to be marked of us then the deed that is done, seeing the same deed performed by a person that hath a calling is liked & lawful, the which done without a calling is ungodly and unlawful. This truth is so plain and apparent, that the heathen c Terent in Adelp. act. 5. see. 3. Poet doth acknowledge it. Duo cum idem facunt saepe ut possis dicere Hoc licet impune facere huic, illi non licet: Non quod dissimilis res sit, sed is qui facit. That is. Though two an act attempt in substance one, as doth befall, Yet one we oft as lawful like, th'other unlawful call: Not that the deed is differing, the doer is all in all. So then to say that a woman may minister baptism in cases of necessity, is all one, as if a man should say, that if there be no judge or Magistrate at hand that will do his duty in executing justice against murderers and malefactors: that then a private man may take upon him to draw the sword out of the sheath to strike offenders. But as a private man slaying a murderer, hath himself committed murder and not executed judgement, because he had no calling or commission thereunto, so such as without any warrant have taken in hand to baptise, have made a profane washing: and not administered any Sacrament of the Lord. Lastly, if it be not material who baptise, then if the friends or neighbours meeting together after the birth of a child, should carry the child to the Church to be baptized & solemnly dedicated to Christ that died on the cross; if a private person perventing their purpose cast water on the infant, and withal use the words of institution; the child should by this imagination be baptised and be● carried no further to the Minister of God. Or if no man of purpose pour on water, but it dash at unawares upon the face of the child, or if a shower of rain fall from heaven, & a private person speak the words of institution, it should likewise be baptism. Nay, which is more unreasonable and absurd, d Calu. lib. Epist Pag. 85. if it were ministered by a boy playing and in sport, if it were ministered by a fool or a mad man, if it were ministered by one that were not himself baptised, if it were by a Turk or Infidel that is a sworn enemy by profession to baptism and to them that are baptized, yea if it were ministered by an Atheist that holdeth there is no God, no religion, no salvation: yet it should be by this opinion a good, lawful, and perfect baptism. But seeing this cannot be so, we are not only to observe what is the deed done, but to consider who is the doer, and to provide it be done by the Minister, warranted by the Church, & called of God thereunto. Before we come to the uses hereof, we will answer certain objections which stand in the way, and trouble the Objection. 1 unlearned, and hinder their faith from embracing this truth. The first shall be from the example of Zipporah the wife of Moses, who in case of necessity circumcised her son, and God departed from pursuing her husband to the death for omitting thereof. To this we may answer, Answer. that we must live by laws, not by examples which have no warrant. The question is not of the fact, but of the lawfulness of the fact. Again, there is a difference between circumcision and baptism. For this falling out before the law, was more lawful, when circumcision was left more at liberty: yea under the law there was no special commandment given to the Priests to circumcise, which should tie it unto the Priesthood only. But Christ in the Gospel hath appointed the same persons to be Preachers of the Gospel & Ministers of the Sacraments. Moreover, inasmuch as she did it, Exod. 4, 24.25, 26. not in the absence, but in the presence of her husband, and inasmuch as her heart was not upright, but filled with anger against God, with indignation against her husband, with murmuring and fretting against the institution of circumcision, casting the foreskin with great disdain upon the earth, regarding nothing less than to perform a good duty to God, railing upon and reviling Moses; the act of an angry and testy woman cannot be lawful or approved. Furthermore, it doth not appear out of the scripture that Moses was sick (as some pretend) but it is most probable and likely, that Zipporah wanting discretion but not presumption, through her boldness and hastiness prevented Moses, and adventured on the work before the prophet could prepare himself to it. Neither may we by the sequel and success conclude the lawfulness of her deed, f Bellar. de sacra. ●ap. cap. 7. as Bellarmine doth, because the Angel ceased from vexing him, that therefore God was pacified and appeafed toward him. For the cause why God was pleased, was because the child was circumcised, not because she did it. Besides, the Heathen man condemneth such as measure actions g ovid. Epist. 2 coreal successibus opto, quisquis ab cueutu f●cta notanda pu●●. by the event, as by a false rule and deceitful measure. We see oftentimes evil works prosper, and evil workers speed well in this world. The Assyrians that haulted in the worship of God, & mingled his honour with Idols, were delivered from the h 2 Kin. 17, 25 Lions that devoured them, yet their corrupt and confused religion pleased not God. Wherefore we conclude, that whereas this woman administered circumcision, her example must not be drawn into imitation. Objection. 2 Another objection is drawn from the example & practice of Peter, who when he had preached the Gospel unto Cornelius & his household, Act● 10. did not baptise them himself, but commanded them to be baptised by others: & so it is like, that Paul did not baptise always himself, 1 Cor. 1. Answer. but commanded them to be baptised by others. I answer, the Apostles baptised indeed by the ministry of others, but the Scripture doth not teach that those others were Laymen, and such as had no office or function in the Church. For the apostles had Evangelists & Pastors that did accompany them whither soever they went, as appeareth in sundry places of the Acts. And if as yet there were no Pastors and Teachers appointed in the Church, nor ordinary Ministers erected, it pertaineth not to the question in hand, because when we inquire what persons are permitted to minister the Sacraments, we understand it of the ordinary and settled government of the church: whereas that may not be suffered in a Church planted, which is allowed in the beginning while it is planting, and the foundation is in laying before an ordinary ministry be erected. Again, those that did baptise at the appointment of Peter, did it not of their own head, but by the warrant of the Apostle, who may be said to baptise by their hand, because he that doth a thing by other, may be said to do it himself, as it is said sometimes that Christ baptised, john 3, 22. john 3.22. jesus came and his Disciples into the Land of judea, and there he tarried with them, and Baptized. Sometimes, it is said, that he baptised not at all, as john 4, verse 1, 2. When the Lord knew that the pharisees had heard, john 4, 1, 2, 2. that jesus made and Baptized more Disciples than john, though jesus himself baptised not, but his Disciples. These things may seem contrary the one unto the other, jesus baptised, jesus baptised not: yet the latter place openeth and expoundeth the former, and showeth; that if we speak touching his practice in his own person, he baptised not; but if we speak what he did by the hand, and by the Ministry of his Disciples, he baptised; because when he had preached, he sealed his Doctrine by Baptism, which the Apostles ministered. Lastly, there is nothing which I know, to hinder, why these words thus written, Peter commanded them to be baptised, may not be thus interpreted, He commanded Water to be brought, wherewith they should be baptised: as such as attend and serve the Pastor, in carrying about the Bread, or reaching the Cup, should be said to minister the Lords Supper. For the assistant may bear the name of doing the chief & principal work. But howsoever it was, they are greatly, I will not say grossly deceived, that imagine the Apostle would not vouchsafe to do it, so long as other were present that might do it. For this should savour of Antichristian pride, which was far from the Apostles, who bore themselves with all Christian humility, as they had learned of their Lord and Master: besides the ministry of the holy Sacraments is of the same nature with the preaching of the word, and therefore is of greater worth and excellency, than any mortal man living upon the face of the earth, is worthy to handle. Thirdly, it may be said, what shall we do when a lawful Objection. 3 Minister is wanting, and cannot be had? May we not then use the help and hand of private persons? Answer. I answer, no necessity can compel us to violate the ordinance of God, and to break the orders that he hath established in his Church. For, as in the first institution and administration of baptism, john baptised that preached the Gospel, so is this course to be continued and holden even unto the end. The commandment to preach, is the commandment to baptise: the forbidding to preach, is a restraining to baptise: and therefore Paul joineth the washing of the Water, with the word of the Gospel, Ephe. 5. As for these that have not the preaching of the word committed to them, Christ never said to them, Go and Baptize. If it cannot be had for our children according to this rule, they must be commended to God who will baptise them with the holy Ghost, and save them by his grace, albeit they be not partakers of the outward part of the Sacrament, and washed with the element of water. Neither let any here object the opinion of S. Augustine, Lib. 2. contr. Epist. P●●men. ca 13. who writeth, That if a Layman baptise in case of necessity, either it is no sin at all, or a venial sin: for first, this place concludeth nothing, inasmuch as he speaketh doubtfully whether it be lawful or unlawful. He therefore that will ground any thing upon this authority, and practise such Lay-baptisme from this place, must do it with a doubtful conscience, which in him that doth it is sin, albeit it were in itself lawful. Again, if this godly Father stand in doubt whether baptism ministered by a layman be available, or no; and consequent-whether such persons so baptised aught to be rebaptized, it is manifest that he alloweth not that a layman should take upon him to baptise; for if he had holden such ministration to be lawful, there had been no cause or reason why he should doubt, whether that baptism were good or not. Let not any therefore ground upon his authority more than ever he taught them: but rather let us stom hence infer, that seeing he was not resolved whether baptism by a layman be available, doubtless he was out of doubt, that being administered through the presumptuous intrusion of a woman, it is void and of no effect, who is doubly barred from public charges of the Church, more than a private man. Furthermore, we answer, that the judgement of this learned and reverend Father, is in this cause less to be weighed and esteemed, and indeed not at all to be allowed and followed, because he ascribeth too much to baptism and the outward washing with water, as though all they that departed hence without it, were damned for ever. And this is that which made him rush upon the former rock, ready to suffer shipwreck: for rather than he would have the infant perish, he would have any means used that were possible, to save the soul of the child: but we know that God is not so hard to them, who hath promised to be their God, nor the sentence of his word so heavy, forasmuch as the children of the faithful are within the Covenant, and called holy by the Apostle: of which we shall speak at large afterward. Victor Vticensis in his second book of the persecution of the Vandals, telleth us of a miserable lamentation of the people, Lib. 2 de persecut. Vandal. when their Ministers were banished by the Arrian heretics, saying, Alas, who shall baptise these Infants? And this the Rhemistes confess in their annotations upon john 20, 23. Whereas this complaint should not have needed, if private persons or Midwives, in case of necessity, in time of persecution and in the want of Ministers might have baptised as well as the ministers, and the people withal be assured to receive a Sacrament at their hands, as well as at the hands of the Ministers. And hence it is that Augustine also saith, that in time of necessity, August. Tom. 2. Epist. 183. the women hasted to carry their Children unto the Church that they may be baptized, Epist. 180 Do we not consider in what multitudes the people in such dangers resort to the Church, some desiring they may be baptised, some that they may be reconciled from excommunication: some that they may be admitted to show their repentance for their open crimes; every man desiring comfort, every man desiring the participation of the Sacrament? In which case if there be no Minister to be had, what misery then followeth them that depart this life unbaptized or bound in their sins? Hereby he meaneth, the lawful Minister of the Church, inasmuch as he joineth baptism and reconciliation from the sentence of excommunication together If any man further shall ask the question, Question. seeing baptism is limited, and as it were confined unto the Minister, whether baptism ministered by heretics be available or not? For many incline to think that it is rather good which is ministered of a layman being a member of the Church, then by him that is an heretic. Answer. I answer, heretics are of two sorts: some are removed out of the Church, some are tolerated in the Church, and suffered to enjoy their ministry. So long as a Minister that is an heretic keepeth his place and is not deposed from his function, albeit he should err in the foundation, yet he is a member of the Church, though an unworthy member: and a Minister of the Church, though an unworthy Minister. If he should deprave the institution, and corrupt the essential form which Christ hath appointed inviolably to be used and observed, then were the baptism void, because the form being changed, the thing itself is abolished. What is to be thought of ●he popish Baptism. Hence it is, that the Baptism celebrated in the Church of Rome is true baptism, because albeit the papacy be not the true Church, yet the true Church is in the papacy, God preserving the remnants of it in the midst of the bowels of Antichrist, as God continued light in the midst of the darkness of Egypt. Baptism therefore is in the papacy, as the purse of a true man in the hand of a thief, or as an honest man's inheritance in the possession of an usurper. And albeit they have no ministry rightly and lawfully called, yet such as occupy the place of Pastors and hold the public ministry, are not to be accounted as private persons or mere laymen, and therefore the baptism performed by them is not void or of no effect, both because they baptise in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy-Ghost, not in their own name: and because their ministry is not to be esteemed according to the persons, but as serving to the Church that yet lurketh secretly in the papacy. What then? Whether we may bring our children to be baptized of popish Priests. may such as profess the reformed religion lawfully and with a good conscience offer their children to be baptised of popish Priests and Massmongers? I answer, albeit it be lawful baptism which they deliver, it followeth not that they may lawfully deliver it, or we lawfully seek it at their hands: and albeit it be available when it is done, yet neither have they warrant to do it, nor we to go for it. True it is, they have a calling whereby they differ from private men, but it is so faulty and corrupt, that by no means we ought to use it. We ought not to do evil that good may come thereof, Rom. 3. Rom. 2, 8. 1 Thes. 5, 22. but it becometh us to abstain from all appearance of evil, 1 Thes. 5, 22. We may not by our practice and example allow and justify the horrible profanations of the Sacraments, the detestable corruptions of doctrine, and the abominable superstitions used in the worship of God, and we are bound and straightly charged to take heed we do not make ourselves partakers of other men's sins. 1 Tim. 5, 22. We must beware we do not offend the weak brother, for whom Christ died, who may be emboldened by our example to approve of the relics of Anti Christ, and in the end to join with that false Church. Lastly, 2 Cor. 6, 14. 1 joh. 5.23. we are commanded to fly from Idols temples, & to keep ourselves from Idols: the sheep of Christ hear his voice, but the voice of a stranger they will not hear. It is better for us to defer the baptising of our children, them to resort to their baptism blended and mingled with so many toys and impieties: and though our Children in the mean season should die, yet we must comfort ourselves in the Lord, and lay hold on his covenant, who hath promised to be both our God and the God of our seed, and remember that it is not the want of the Sacrament that condemneth, but the contempt, from which we are free, so long as we are ready and desirous to have our children partakers of it, when it may be had orderly, rightly, and conveniently. Objection. 4 The last Objection deserveth not the name of an objection, much less any answer unto it, saving that the ignorant may stumble at it, & some great Doctors of the church of Rome, labour to add force unto it, and as it were to put life into a dead carcase. For Thomas Aquinas, the darling of the Pope, the Oracle of Schools, and the God of the Papists, Gal. 3.27.23. allegeth the words of the Apostle, Gal. 3. As many as have been baptised into Christ, have put on Christ, there is in Christ neither male nor female: and therefore as well women as men may baptise. Answer. I answer, this is a most foolish and unlearned collection, and a plain wresting and straining of the Scripture: and therefore no marvel if the saying of the wise man be verified herein: Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth Butter, Prou. 30, 33. & the wring of the nose bringeth forth blood: So the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife. The popish divinity is full of such conclusions: I will give thee a taste of them, and then come to answer the objection. They reason on this manner, Christ walked upon the waters, therefore the body of Christ may be shut up in a piece of bread. Peter walked upon the waters, therefore the Bishop of Rome hath authority over all Churches. The Saints in heaven are like the Angels, therefore they hear the prayers of all men. joseph wrapped the body of Christ in fine linen, therefore the Priest must lay up the body of Christ in the Altar. The women came to the Sepulchre to see Christ, therefore we must go on pilgrimage to visit the holy Sepulchre. But I will pass over these fooleries, and come to the place that is objected. The Apostle meaneth that in partaking of salvation, there is no difference between male and female, jew and Grecian, bond and free: but there is great difference between man and man in the dispensation of the word and Sacraments. Again, if this conclusion were necessary, than a man might reason against the Apostle, In Christ is neither Male nor Female; therefore, as well women as men may teach in the Church, contrary to the express doctrine of the Scripture, set down by Paul himself, I permit not a woman to speak in the Church, 1 Cor. 14. 1 Tim. 2. But I will spend no more words in answering such trifles. Thus much concerning the objections. Now, as the truth is plain and evident: so the use is Use 1 profitable and comfortable. First, if the minister be one outward part of baptism, than he must be ready and careful to perform his duty, which is, to wash the unclean body with water in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the holy Ghost; to call upon God, and to follow the institution of Christ, as it is left in the Scripture for his direction. For if there be the outward sign of baptism as the matter of the Sacrament, if there be a party to be baptised, which is the receiver; and if there be a minister to administer it: yet unless he perform his duty, there can be no baptism. So then we must know that the actions of the Minister i What are the actions of the Minister. are double: first there is required of him a sanctifying of the water: secondly, a washing of the party. The sanctifying of the water, is the separation and apointing of it by the word and prayer to this use, to signify the blood of Christ. The outward washing is a certain pledge unto us of our inward washing by the blood and spirit of Christ. Secondly, if it be the office of the Minister to baptise, Use 2 than this giveth direction and instruction to the people, to whom to repair and resort, when they have any Children to be baptised. It is required of them to have recourse to the ministers, as to the officers of God. We see in the affairs of the Commonwealth, and in passing conveyances of houses, of lands, and of inheritances, how careful and circumspect men are, to pass them where they ought to be passed, and in such Courts, and under such officers as are authorized for such purpose, that there may be no error committed in the conveyance. For whatsoever is done and passed before him that hath not his patent to warrant his practice, is held to be void and frustrate by masters of that profession. In like manner it standeth us all upon, when a matter of an higher nature and of greater importance is in hand, than the sealing and assuring of temporal possessions, to look carefully to the diligent performance of this special duty, that the signing of our infants, and sealing them in the Covenant, be made by the hands of such Officers as are appointed by God for that purpose, and by no other. Use 3 Thirdly, this condemneth the abuse and profanation of the Sacrament of baptism in the church of Rome, where women, midwives, and private persons, without any commandment of God, nay contrary to his word, take upon them this part of the Ministers office to baptise children; which they have received from the Heretic Martion, i Epip. hear. 42 who gave women power to baptise, which Epiphanius k Epi. con. haer. 2 teacheth, the holy Mother of Christ was not permitted to do. And the fourth Council of Carthage, Can. 100 hath without exception decreed, that a woman ought not to baptise. Such then as usurp this calling, and approve thereof, never knew the force of our adoption in Christ, nor the strength of the covenant, nor that the elect are saved by the good pleasure and will of God. Therefore, there is not that absolute necessity of baptism unto salvation, which many suppose, that for this supposed necessity, the ordinance of God should be broken and profaned. And a man may marvel, why at such times they did not rather commit the matter to private men to baptise then to women (whose sex is further removed from execution of this office) not only because they be uncalled and private men, l 1 Tim. 2, 11, 12. 1 Cor. 14, 34. but even because they are women, and thereby are wholly uncapable (though otherwise qualified) of any public charge or function in the Church, they are commanded to sit still, and to be quiet. Besides, if in time of this extremity and necessity which is imagined, it be permitted them to minister baptism, why should it not be suffered in like necessity and danger of death, that they minister the Lords Supper, and preach the Gospel, (in case they be able, and men unable or unwilling) the dignity of the one Sacrament being no less than the other, & the excellency of the word, being as great as of them both? If then women may justly be condemned, when they shall presume to sit down in the Chair of Moses, or to minister the Supper of the Lord, they cannot be justified, if they usurp to minister baptism. For, shall we make a shameful and double divorcement of those things that God hath coupled, between the word and Sacraments, and likewise between the one Sacrament and the other? This ●s too great contumely and contempt offered to baptism, to allow it in those that may neither publicly preach, nor lawfully minister the Lord's Supper: seeing their want to practise the one, is no greater than to do the other. In a private Family, it is a great disorder to see the master play the servant, and the servant to do the office of the master: the husband to lose his authority, and the Woman to step into his place. In the Commonwealth it is a wonderful confusion to see base persons and peasants set on horseback, Eccl. 10, 6, 7. and Princes walking as servants upon the ground. Is this unseemly and uncomely in the private house, and in the Commonwealth, and it is not as undecent in the Church, when the distinct parts of the same office, are divided and parted asunder, that private persons are set in Moses his chair, and pastors are put at the feet of the people? Or when the Ministers of the word do occupy the place of Teacher's, and the administration of the Sacraments is committed, or at lest permitted to the Parishioners and people, and which is worse, to Women? And when different offices are so shuffled and shaken together, that it cannot be determined to whom of right they do belong? Wherefore, let all private persons and Mid wives consider with themselves the fearful examples recorded in the Scripture, of such as have rashly p esumed to profane the holy offices of the Church, and how God hath often visited this great sin with grievous judgements, sometimes with fire from heaven, sometimes the earth opening her mouth sometimes with sudden death, and sometimes with the most filthy disease of the Leprosy, whereby as by his voice from heaven, he thundered down on men's disobedience, and so ratifieth this law of the necessity of a vocation & calling for ever. When the men of Bethshemesh pried into the Ark without a calling, the Lord smote of the people fifty thousand, threescore and ten men. 1 Sam. 6, 19 m Numb. 16, 9 Ps. 106, 17, 18 Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, taking upon them the Priesthood without a calling, fire from heaven came down consuming Corah and his consortes: the earth also opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram, that they were swallowed up alive: none of them died the common visitation of other men, but God wrought a strange work upon them, and altered the course of nature, which ought to be a perpetual instruction and direction unto us, to teach us not to pervert or evert that order which he hath established to continue in his Church. Hitherto belongeth that which is written of Vzzah, n 2 Sam. 6, 7. who was smitten with sudden and unexpected death, only for that beyond the bounds of his calling, he put forth his hand to uphold the Ark, which did shake and was ready to fall, which was lawful for the Levites only to meddle withal, although his intent & purpose were never so good: so that if the unlawful intruders upon baptism pretend cases of necessity, here seemed as great a necessity, yea his mind and meaning was as good as theirs; if they pretend devotion, yet it displeased God because it was done without his word and warrant. So Azariah was stricken with leprosy, that he was a Leper to the day of his death, for that not being content with his Kingly o 2 Kings 15, 5 office, he would take upon him the priests office to burn Incense unto the Lord. These worthy examples of Gods most severe judgements executed upon the breakers of this ordinance ought to strike such a fear into our hearts, that we suffer not the sacred functions and offices of the Church to be profaned, and to teach us that every one meddle only with the approved duties of his own calling. And although God doth not now thus execute judgement from heaven, and work strange things in the earth in extraordinary manner, when his ordinances are broken: yet the sin is not thereby lessened, nor the punishment mitigated, nor the hand of God shortened, but stretched out still, though judgement according to desert be deferred: nay rather the p Nah. 1, 2. Eccl. 8, 11.12.13. greater wrath is reserved for his adversaries, to the great day of account, when all flesh shall appear before the throne of his glorious presence. For if the profaners of the sign and Sacraments of the old Testament did not escape, but were thus sharply and severely punished: our Sacraments established by the Lord jesus are not of less value and worthiness, so that the contempt of them shall be visited with sorer judgements. And if God did strike with his revenging hand private men when they sinned in abusing the Sacraments, and spared not kings in the pride of their hearts: how should women standing a degree farther off, and barred from the office by a stronger bolt, enter into the house q joh. 10, 10. at a window, and not be accounted as thieves and robbers? So that we conclude, that the necessity of a calling is as great as the necessity of baptism. And thus much of the first outward part of baptism, namely the Minister. CHAP. FOUR Of the second outward part of baptism. THe second outward part of baptism is the word of institution, a Word of institution is the form of baptism. which is as the form of the Sacrament, as Eph. 2. Christ loved the Church & gave himself for it, that he might sanctify it & cleanse it by the washing of water b Eph. 5, 26. Mat. 28, 19 through the word. This also is expressly set down Math. 28. Go teach all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father & of the Son, and of the Holy-Ghost. This both declareth the use of the Sacrament, and promiseth Christ with all his benefits. For to be baptised into the name of the blessed Trinity, is to be made one of God's family, which is his Church, and to be partaker of the privileges thereof. This promise is contained under the commandment, c Gen. 48, 19 as we may see by sundry testimonies of the Scripture, as Gen. 48. jacob saith, The Angel that hath delivered me from all evil, bless the children, and let my name be named upon them, and the names of my father's Abraham and Isaac: whereby he meaneth, they should be joined to his family, and accounted in the number of them. Use 1 Now the uses remain to be considered. First, hereby it is manifest, what a solemn covenant and contract, & what a near conjunction is made by the washing in baptism between God and the persons baptised: for God the Father vouchsafeth to receive them as his children into favour, the Son to redeem them, the Holy-Ghost to purify and preserve them, to comfort and regenerate them, to protect and defend them from all evil. This is the staff and stay of our hope and comfort. Now to be baptised in the name, or into the name of the Trinity is all one, and therefore in the Scripture they are used indifferently, without difference or distinction. They are said to be baptised in the name of Christ, Acts 2.38. and Chapter 10.48. they are said to be baptised into the name of Christ, Matthew 28. Acts 8.16. and 19, 3, 4, 5. The comfort which we receive from hence, standeth upon the right understanding of these words. To be baptised into the name of the Father, is to have assurance given unto us that God the Father through Christ our Lord is become our Father, and that therefore we stand bound to perform the duty of obedient children toward him. To be baptized in the name of the Son is to have assurance given, that being baptized we are in the number of them that are redeemed by him and reconciled to the Father through his blood, and therefore stand bound to obey him as our mediator and redeemer. To be baptized into the name of the Holy-Ghost, is to have assurance given, that every true believer is sealed up and sanctified by the Holy-Ghost against the day of his full redemption. Now, we can have no greater comfort than this, to be assured that GOD the Father, is become our Father, that GOD the Son is become our Redeemer, and that GOD the holy Ghost, is become our Sanctifier. Secondly, consider on the other side, that the parties thus Use 2 baptised do promise and vow, to acknowledge, believe, serve, worship, and call upon the name of no other Gods, but of the true God, which is the Father, the Son, and the holy Ghost; and consequently to renounce the works of the devil, the fashions of the world, and the lusts of the flesh. Baptism is as it were a solemn oath taken in the sight of God, and in the face of the congregation, whereby the person baptised, bindeth himself wholly to God, three in persons, but one in substance. Indeed we deserve to be cast out of the favour and family of God, yet he vouchsafeth to entertain us, to receive us, and to acknowledge us for his children; therefore we must in every estate depend upon him, honour him as our God, serve him as our Master, obey him as our Lord, and look for salvation from him as from our redeemer. Again, as we have been baptised, not in the name of one person alone, not in the name of the Father alone, or of the Son alone, or of the holy Ghost alone, but in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the holy Ghost, so we must all believe and confess as an article of our faith, that the Trinity in unity, and unity in Trinity is to be worshipped, For, albeit there are three reckoned up as speaking of many: yet here is also mentioned their name, as speaking only of one, not of their names, baptise them in the name of the three persons. So many as deny the doctrine of the Trinity, are justly to be condemned of falsehood and heresy. Such is the Religion of the jews, Greeks', Turks, Persians, and in some sort the Papists, albeit in words these last acknowledge one God in three persons. The Greek Church at this day, denieth in effect the Godhead of the holy Ghost, inasmuch as it holdeth him to proceed from the Father only. The Turks and jews do utterly deny the deity both of the Son and of the Holy-Ghost: the present Church of Rome more glorious in show, but not much more sound in faith, hath defiled the whole Trinity with their Imagery, and set up a false Christ, partly denying him to be GOD of himself, and partly repealing all his offices: so that howsoever they profess him in words, and leave him the name of a Saviour: yet they m●ke a mock of his sacrifice, and have turned Christian religion into Anti-christian superstition. Wherefore as we are baptised into the most worthy name of the blessed Trinity, let us hold fast the true profession thereof, and renounce all errors and heresies oppugning our holy faith, and depriving us of the sweet comfort we have therein. Use 3 Thirdly, are these words of institution, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghost, the outward form of baptism? Then we hold that manner of baptizing must be retained, this ought not to be changed, no other aught to be used then this, prescribed by Christ our Saviour. We must not therefore let pass or leave out, any of the three persons in Trinity (as some heretics have done) though we shall understand the other by naming and speaking of one. Objection. If any say, that the Apostles baptised in the name of Christ, as Act. 2.38. and chap. 10, 48. Answer. and 19, 5. To this objection I answer, the Apostles do not set down in those places the form of baptism, or the words of institution: but the substance and end, which is, to assure remission of sins in the name of Christ. They show not the form, but the fruit: not how it should be ministered, but what spiritual grace is signified thereby. For why should the disciples change the ordinance of their master, who delivered nothing to the Churches, but what d 1 Cor. 11, 23 they received of the Lord? Again, it cannot be denied, but that the Apostles e Act. 10, 47. and 15, 2. baptised in this form, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy-Ghost, as Acts 10, ver. 47. Can any forbid water that these should not be baptised, which have received the holy-Ghost as well as we? As if he should say, these have received the gifts of the Holy-Ghost, therefore they may be baptised in the name of the Holy-Ghost. And more plainly Act. 19 when the Disciples had answered Paul that they knew not whether there were an Holy-Ghost, he saith, Unto what were ye then baptised? Whereby he showeth, it was the manner and custom to baptise in the name of the Holy-Ghost, and consequently of the whole Trinity. The Evangelists also teach, that at the baptism of john, the Father, Son and Holy-Ghost were present. And as he baptised with the same matter, why should we imagine he observed not the same form that Christ commanded expressly to his Apostles? Nay, seeing in the baptism of john we have proved there was the same promise, the same grace, the same virtue, the same sign, the same signification, which was in the baptism of the Apostles (as we have proved before) why should we only doubt of the words of institution? Or why should we imagine that the form should be altered and changed? Wherefore we conclude, that the Apostles would not alter any thing of the direct and express words of their Lord & Master, f Mat. 28.19. prescribed Math. 28. where he chargeth them both what to preach and how to baptise. For as he enjoineth them to teach the Nations to observe whatsoever he commanded them: so he willeth them to baptise in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy-Ghost. And as they altered nothing in the matter of teaching: no more did they in the manner of baptizing, considering that as the doctrine they preached was the doctrine of God; so the Sacraments they delivered were the Sacraments of God, and they had no more leave in the one, than liberty in the other. If then any should baptise otherwise then in the name of the Trinity, or should name the Son to be unequal to the Father, or should deny the proceeding of the Holy-Ghost, or should baptise in the name of the Virgin Mary and the Saints, this cannot be the Sacrament of Baptism instituted by Christ, but a ceremony made void and frustrate by our own inventions. CHAP. V Of the third outward part of Baptism. THe third outward part of Baptism a Water another outward part of Baptism. is the element of water, which is the matter whereof baptism consisteth. This truth is taught in divers places of the new b Mat. 3, ●. john 1, 31, 33. Testament, as Math. 3, 9 Indeed I baptise with water. And joh. 1 Because he should be declared to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water: I knew him not, but he that sent me to baptise with water, he said unto me, upon whom thou shalt see the spirit come down, and tarry still on him, that is he which baptizeth with the holy Ghost. So Acts 8, 36. As they went on their way, they came unto a certain water, and the Eunuch said, See here is water, what doth let me to be baptised? Then he commanded the Chariot to stand st●ll, and they went down both unto the water, both Philip and the Eunuch, and he baptised him. And Chap. 10. Can any man forbidden water that these should not be baptised, which have received the holy Ghost as well as we? Nothing is so apt to set forth the blood of Christ and his merits, as water which is fit to cleanse and wash, and leaveth no filth behind upon the body: by which outward work, Christ would have us feel the inward purging and purifying of the soul. Use 1 The use of this outward part, is threefold. First, it teacheth, that the minister may not baptise with any other liquor and element, then with natural, common, and ordinary water: whereunto answer the flood, the red sea, and the jewish purifyings under the Law. The curious questions, whether wanting water, we may baptise with sand, or water distilled and compounded, came at the first from the dangerous and bloody opinion that they are damned which die unbaptized. Objection. If any demand whether sweet waters and distilled may be taken and used, or mingled with common water, especially when the children of such as are in high place are to be baptised and sealed into the Covenant, thereby to note a difference between person and person, forasmuch as God hath lifted up the head of one above another: I answer, c Rom. 13, 1, 7 all power is indeed of God, Answer. & we with heart and tongue do give honour to whom honour pertaineth, and fear to whom fear belongeth, & reverence to whom it is due. Notwithstanding, all mixture of the water is man's invention & an human tradition, which in God's worship is not to be admitted. Whatsoever is mingled with common water is a corruption, whatsoever the party be that is baptised. The Apostle teacheth, d Eph●s. 4, 5. that the church hath all one baptizing: not one manner of baptizing the poor, and another of baptizing the rich. Besides, why might we not allow mixture of water with Wine in the Lord's Supper, as well as the mixture of compound Water with common water in the Sacrament of baptism? Furthermore, if there might lawfully be admitted a different manner of baptizing the children of rich men, and the children of poor men, then in the other Sacrament the like distinction might be received, and so a finer kind of bread be provided for the richer sort by themselves, and a base and courser sort for the poor by themselves: e 1 Cor. 11.21 22. which separation the Apostle reproveth in the Church of Corinth, and calleth it a despising of the Church, and a shaming of the poor. For in the exercises of religion there ought to be no difference of persons, f Galath. 3, 28 for all are one in Christ jesus, and therefore the Noble Eunuch mentioned Acts, 8. was baptised by Philip with ordinary water. But with GOD there is no respect of persons, Acts. 10. with him there is neither jew, nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female, for we are all one in Christ jesus. Great men when they make their Feasts, for the most part they invite their rich neighbours, but God biddeth and banquetteth the poor as well as the rich, and the brother of low degree, as well as he that is exalted to the highest room, as well him that sitteth in the dust, as him that sitteth in the throne. Now, if no composition may be mingled, g No other sign ought to be used in baptism them water. then much less may any other sign be used, and so the element clean changed, and the ordinance of God altered: for the church of God hath no liberty to bring any other sign in place of water. If a man were baptised with sand, with blood, with wine, with milk, with snow, with oil, and such liquor, it is no baptism at all, but a mere void and idle action: such a person must afterward be sprinkled or washed with water, not that any should be rebaptized, but because all persons should be once baptised, the former action being merely frustrate. Although the form of words be retained in the administration which our Saviour commandeth, and the body be washed in the name of the three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy-Ghost: yet if such an error be committed in the matter that the sign be changed, and another foisted in, contrary to the precept of Christ and practice of the Apostles, there is a nullity of the whole work, the party be-sanded, or be-bloodied, or oiled, is erroneously and unlawfully, not truly and effectually baptised. Nadab and Abihu were smitten with lightning from heaven h Levi. 10, 1, 2. for bringing strange fire into the Tabernacle, whereas they should have taken of that fire which God had appointed, though other fire would as well have consumed the offering. And are not all other elements as strange fire that are brought into this Sacrament, beside water? Or, have we greater liberty to change God's ordinance in the Gospel, than the jews had under the law? When GOD appointed the i levit. 1, 3, 10 14. burnt offering to be offered, and commanded the people to bring either bullocks out of the heard, either Sheep or Goats out of the fold, either Turtle-doves or young Pigeons from among the birds: being thus limited and restrained, might they bring an Ass, or an Elephant, or a Camel unto him? Might they cut off a dog's neck, or offer swine's flesh before the Lord? So whereas God hath ordained the Sacrament of baptism to be administered, and hath willed it to be done with water, most common, most usual, most plentiful, most fit, most significant: shall we take sand or sawdust, oil, or other element than God hath allowed? The Lord likewise threatening a general dearth of Corn, Wine, and Oil, (of which things many of their offerings and oblations consisted) showeth that the Priests should weep and wail, because the k Iccl. 1, 9 Meate-offerings and Drinke-offerings should cease. But what need was there, either that the Priests should have lamented, or the offerings to have ceased, if they might have used other elements, other signs, or other matter than GOD approved? If they might have taken water in stead of wine, or Milk in stead of oil? Or if they might have taken unclean beasts in stead of clean? Or the Fishes of the Sea in stead of the Beasts of the field? Or creeping things for their offerings in stead of such as chew the cud and divide the hoof? Now how can it be better warranted unto us to take oil for water, than it was for them to take water for oil? Again, hereby all popish corruptions and mixtures Use 2 brought into this Sacrament are confuted and condemned, as their cream, their tapers, their crosses, their censors, their salt, their spittle, their holy-water, their exorcizings and conjurations, having also an opinion of salvation and worship annexed unto them. These men (as if it were a base and contemptible thing to baptise with water only, according to Christ's commandment) have brought in a new word & new elements, that is, new dross and new filth into the Church, and into the Sacraments of the Church: as salt, that we may be seasoned with wisdom, and be kept from putrefying in sin: oil, that we may be safe from evil suggestion: spittle, that our ears may be opened to hear the word, & our Nostrils to discern the smell of good and evil: crosses, that all our senses may be defended against the evil spirit, True it is, if all the other parts and actions be observed, these inventions and additions which are so many ●buses make not baptism void, neither bring a nullity thereof: notwithstanding these beggarly ceremonies, as they are destitute of the testimony and approbation of the first and ancient Churches, so they corrupt the pure, simple, and sincere institution of Christ. None were used when Christ was baptised, neither gave he any such thing in charge to his Apostles, neither were they in use in the Apostles times, neither did they deliver them to the Pastors and teachers which they ordained in every City. For Peter saith, l Act, 10, 47. Can any man forbidden water, that these should not be baptised? He calleth not for oil, salt, spittle, cream or any such thing, but only for plain, common, and ordinary water. Thus in one Sacrament they find many Sacraments, and invent types, shadows, similitudes and significations in the immediate service of God, whereas we have the body itself, that is, Christ already. They make these outward things able to give grace, power, and strength against the Devil. But the Apostle teacheth, that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, m 2 Cor. 10, 4 Eph. 6, 12. they are spiritual, that must defend us from evil. If they refer all this trash and trumpery not to the substance of the Sacrament but n Hosij confess. de ritib. bapt. cap. 37. to order and comeliness: do they not thereby blasphemously accuse the baptism of john and of the Apostles of Christ of uncomeliness and disorder? Whereas the comeliness and dignity of the Sacraments is to be esteemed by the word of God, by the institution of Christ, by the simplicity of the Gospel, and by the practice of the Apostles, Nothing is more comely, decent, and orderly, then that which Christ commandeth and alloweth; nothing is more uncomely or unseemly, then that which man inventeth in the service of God, and in the celebration of the Sacraments, thereby inverting & perverting the holy ordinances of God. Thirdly, if washing with water be an outward part of Use 3 baptism which pertaineth to the flesh, but reacheth not to the conscience, which toucheth the body, but cleanseth not the soul: then the bare want of external purification, cannot bring the danger of eternal condemnation. Wherefore children dying without baptism are not rejected because they want baptism: fo● children that are elected are saved, though they die before baptism: and they that are not elected are condemned, though they be baptised. For it is not the want, but the continual contempt thereof that is damnable. Circumcision was as necessary to the jews, as baptism is unto us. But all did not perish o All perished not under the law that died before circumcision. that died uncireumcised: therefore all perish not that die unbaptized. And if the salvation of the child did depend upon the outward Sacrament, it had been an hard thing in the Lord (who will p Ezek. 18, 23 not the death of a sinner) to have required the deferring of it one week, one day, one hour, one minute? We see in joshua, q josh. 5, 5. it was omitted 40. years, while they were in the wilderness, through their continual journeys & uncertain abode in every place: yet it were an hard, cruel, and bloody conclusion to determine thereupon, that whosoever among them during that time dying before he was circumcised, was damned. When David's child died the seventh day, which was before he could be circumcised, (circumcision being limited r Levi. 12, 2, 3 Gen. 17, 12. and 21.4. to the 8. day) he did not cry out pitifully, It is damned, it is damned: but arose from the earth, washed himself, anointed his body, changed his apparel, refreshed himself, cheered his wife, came into the house of the Lord, worshipped God, praised him for all his doings, s 2 Sam. 12.18, 19, 20, 21.23. made his servants that attended on him wonder at his comfortable behaviour, and said, he should go to his child, but not his child return to him again. But if he had thought all condemned that die uncircumcised, his lamentation would have exceeded, for he had cause to have sobbed and sorrowed more after his death, than he did in the child's sickness: and if circumcision had been of such absolute necessity, he might have said, The child being now dead, why should I not fast? why should I not weep? why should I not afflict my soul? seeing I cannot bring him again, or restore him to life to be circumcised? But because he sorrowed not as one without hope, and he complained not on this or any like manner: it appeareth that his faith apprehended the salvation of the child, and feared not his damnation through untimely want of the outward Sacrament. Now, God is not straighter and harder to us under the Gospel, than he was to the Israelites under the law: he is no less able and willing to save now without baptism, then in those days he was without circumcision. For the Evangelist teacheth, that of his fullness we have all received, and grace for grace, and that he is come which is full of grace and truth, joh. 1, 14, 16. Again, how foolish, vain, and unreasonable a thing is it, to put life and death, salvation and damnation into the hands and liberty of mortal men, whose breath is in their Nostrils, as of the parents that should bring them, or of the Minister that should baptise them, or of others that perform other duties unto them? whereas eternal life and salvation standeth sure and settled upon the brazen pillar of God's election (who knoweth t 2 Tim 2, 19 who are his) and upon his merciful promise in his covenant, and not upon the lust and pleasure of any man, as we see in the example of jacob, of whom God said, I have loved him, before he was circumcised, nay before he was u Rom. 9, 11.13. Mal 1, 2. borne, or had done either good or evil. Furthermore, we have showed before a Act 10, 47 that many believed, repent, and had the Holy-ghost before they were baptised. Yea the thief upon the cross repent of his sins & believed in Christ, yet was never baptized: notwithstanding he was received to mercy and certainly saved, as Christ saith, b Luk. 23, 42. This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise. Besides, there is no greater necessity of baptism then of the Lords supper: but we may be saved without the Lords supper: therefore also without baptism. Lastly, if all persons dying without baptism be condemned: then infinite multitudes of children should or may perish & be damned without their own fault, through the carelessness of others: but none perish without their own fault: therefore all dying without baptism are not condemned. To these we might adjoin the testimony & confession of the adversaries, which is strong against themselves, to whom we may say as Christ sometimes did to that slothful person, c Luk. 19, 12. Thou evil servant, out of thine own mouth will I judge thee. These make three sorts of baptism, of water, of blood, of the Spirit: whereby they confess that the want of baptizing with water is not damnable in all, seeing that want may be supplied, either with shedding of their blood for testimony of the truth, or by spiritual regeneration & engrafting into the body of Christ. To conclude, do we desire the custom and practice of the Church? It is well known, that in Thessalia d Socra. lib. 5. cap. 22. Bellar. de sacra. bap. cap. 26. the Sacrament of baptism was celebrated but once in the year, namely at Easter. In other places thrice in the year, and sometimes not until the hour of their death, when they were going the way of all flesh. Constantine the great was the first christian Emperor that reform the Church, yet he was not baptised till e Tripart. hist. lib. 3 c●p. 12. the time of his death. And Valentinianus a christian Emperor died without baptism: yet doth Ambrose give him his due commendation, f Orat. de obit. Valent●n. and doubted nothing of his salvation. Shall we do these good men, these worthy Emperors, these godly Christians this wrong, as to think they were damned, who were the chief pillars and protectors of the true Christian and Catholic religion? Or if the Churches above mentioned had holden this hard opinion, that the want of baptism was a sign of reprobation: would they have deferred it in the hour of death (whereby sometimes they were prevented) or administered it at certain times only of the year? True it is, that custom is not to be followed, neither the negligence of those Bishops to be allowed: but it teacheth thus much, that in deferring baptism they differed in judgement from the now-Church of Rome, and concurred in opinion with the reformed Churches, for which causes their practice is alleged. The reasons used to maintain the absolute necessity of this Sacrament to salvation, are weak & not worth the answering. First they object g Gen. 17, 14. Objection. Answer. the threatening annexed to circumcision. The uncircumcised male shall be cut off from his people. To this I answer, first God commandeth infants to be circumcised the eight day, before which time they were forbidden to circumcise. Wherefore, infants that die before the 8. day, were not bound and obliged by this law. And seeing there h Rom. 5, 13. can be no transgression where there is no law, they are not damned because they are uncircumcised, seeing God called many out of this life before they were capable of this Sacrament. Again, the commination and threatening is not to be understood generally of all, but of such as are grown up: not of children, but of men, as appeareth by the reason, For he hath broke my covenant. This cannot be applied to infants, i Caietan in cap. 7. Genes. who albeit they have not actual faith, yet cannot be said to contemn grace, to refuse the covenant, to reject the promises, or to lie in infidelity and hardness of heart. Wherefore, it belongeth unto those only that being grown up and come to years shall approve the negligence of their parents, and will not suffer themselves to be circumcised. Therefore the child of Moses (whose circumcision was through negligence deferred) was not punished, but the fault was imputed unto Mose● himself, Exod. 4, 24. Now as to Peter, saying, Thou shalt k ●●hn. 13, 8. never wash my feet, Christ answered, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part in me: so to the Israelite that should have said, I will never be circumcised, this threatening might fitly be applied, If thou wilt not be circumcised, thou hast no part in God, no portion in his blessing, no assurance of his promises in this life, or of his kingdom in the life to come. Lastly, to be cut off from the people, doth not signify to be condemned, for even the negligence and contempt of the Sacrament is pardonable where repentance followeth: as we see of such as came unreverently and unworthily to the Lords Supper among the Corinthians, l 1 Cor. 11, 30 31. who were punished with diseases and death itself, yet the soul no doubt was saved in the day of the Lord. Sometime therefore, that phrase of speaking signifieth temporal judgements of God on men & their families m Psal. 55, 24. for their wickedness. Sometimes it signifieth the Magistrate's justice inflicted on malefactors, n Deut. 13, 59 who beareth not the sword in vain, which is expounded afterward, Thou shalt surely kill him. Sometimes, it signifieth to be cut off from the bosom of the Church, o Exod. 12, 15 19 which is done by the high and dreadful censure of excommunication. Whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel: the interpretation of which words is added verse 19 That person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel. So the Apostle speaketh, 1 Cor. 5. He which hath done this thing should be p 1 Cor. 5, 2.13. put from among you, that is, from your company & fellowship, as verse 13. Put away from among yourselves that wicked man. Thus we are to understand the threatening in this place, that such as contemn circumcision, either themselves, or allow the same contempt and negligence of others, shall no longer be reckoned and reputed among the people of God, but be separated from them, and to be as an heathen and a publican. Again, q joh. 3, 5. they object john 3. Objection 2 Unless a man be borne of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God: therefore say they, it is necessary to salvation to be baptised. This is the reason of r Bellar. lib 1 de bapt. ca 4. Bellarmine, and s Hosij confess. cap. 35. Answer. of others. I answer first it is not necessary in this place by water to understand material water, but the grace of Christ purging and cleansing as water doth; which interpretation may be gathered by conference of a like place, Math. 3.11 He shall baptise t joh 3, 11. with the Holy-Ghost and with fire, that is, by the Spirit of God which is as it were fire, lightning our hearts with the knowledge of God, inflaming them with his love, and purging them from evil affections. So when we are said to be borne again by water and the Spirit, he meaneth, by the Spirit showing forth in us the force, power, and property of water, as if he should say, we are borne of water which is the Spirit, u joh. 7, 38, 39 & 4.21. as joh. 7, 38, 39 Again, if it were meant of water in baptism, it must be understood according to a like a joh. 6, 53. sentence, joh. 6. Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye shall not have life in you: which must be understood of such as are of years and grown in age. And thus Innocentius the third in the b Decret Gregor. lib. 3. tit. 42 c. 3. decrees expoundeth it: so doth Peter Lombard c Lumb sent. lib. 4. dist. 4. master of the Sentences. So then, if they will be tried either by their own Pope, which is their holy father: or by Peter Lombard, which is their grand-maister: this place cannot be enforced against infants that die before they be baptised, but must be referred to men of greater years. We reason not thus far, to justify and allow the sluggishness and neglect of careless parents, under colour and pretence of this, that the salvation of the child dependeth not upon the participation of the Sacrament: but to show, that if it cannot be obtained as it ought to be desired or if by godless parents it be deferred and neglected: yet salvation is not tied and glued to the outward water. The neglect of the Sacrament is a notable mark of a despiser, and therefore the pharisees are said to have rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptised of him. Luke 7, 30. It is strange to consider, what childish excuses and pretences parents use to justify their negligence in performing this good duty to their Children. For baptism is necessary in respect of God that hath commanded it; in respect of the Church, the lawful use of it being a note of the true Church: and in respect of the promise annexed unto it. Nevertheless, it is not simply necessary to salvation, as though without the washing of water one could not be a member of Christ. True it is, to every one that believeth, baptism must necessarily be either actually received, or earnestly desired: received, if it may be had: desired, if it cannot be had. For as the true desire of grace is grace indeed in God's acceptance: so the desire of baptism is accepted of God as baptism. And therefore simply the want of it without neglect cannot bring danger of damnation. Away then with the doctrine of the Church of Rome touching the absolute necessity of baptism, and touching Children that die without it: a beastly and bloody d Let none object the opinion of Augustine, for he thought it necessary to salvation, that children should receive the Lords Supper, as well as baptism De pecc●tor me●t. lib. 1. cap. 24. doctrine joined with rigour and cruelty, full of terror and fear, uncharitable in itself, presumptuous by entering into God's secret judgements, impious by binding him to second causes and ordinary means, injurious to thousands of poor infants, uncomfortable to all good parents, and blasphemous against the bottomless mercy of a gracious God, who hath said, e Gen. 17, 7. I will be thy God, and the God of thy seed: where he maketh a covenant of salvation with us and our children, not adding any condition of baptism, if it cannot be had as it ought to be. If it cannot be had by the infant, the Spirit of God doth work the effectual knitting of them to the body of Christ by a secret working (as pleaseth him) in stead of ordinary means. For when our Saviour had said, Mar. 16. He that shall believe, and be baptised, shall be saved: he doth not add contrariwise, he that is not baptised shall be damned, f Ma●. 16, 16. but annexeth only, He that believeth not, shall be condemned. Thus we have showed the malice and madness of Satan against poor infants, and how he hath used proud and pestilent instruments to effect his purpose: partly the Anabaptistes, who deny baptism to their bodies: and partly the Papists, who deny salvation to their souls for want of baptism. CHAP. VI Of the fourth outward part of Baptism. THe last outward part of baptism is a The last outward part of baptism is the body washed. the body that is washed. For we have showed before, that the Sacraments without their use are no Sacraments. And albeit the word joined to the sign make a Sacrament, yet this presupposeth a Minister to administer it, and a receiver to take it: and then the rule is most certainly to be admitted. Now whether the whole body should be washed, or a part of the body: whether it should be washed once, or oftener: whether it should be dipped, or sprinkled: we are neither curiously to inquire, nor seriously to contend, nor rashly to determine: but rest in practice of the Church, and in the custom of the country, as in a thing in it own nature indifferent. The dipping and plunging into the water used by john Baptist, and the Apostles in judea and such hot regions, are not a necessary rule to be drawn into imitation, especially in these cold quarters and countries. For the word doth not only signify to dive, to put and plunge into the water, but to dip, to sprinkle, and to wash. This sprinkling doth very fitly answer to the signification of water. For the apostle Peter teacheth that we are elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctification of the Spirit unto, obedience & sprinkling of the blood of jesus Christ, as 1. Epistle of Peter, chap. 1. 1 Pet. 1.2. verse 2. which is signified by outward baptism, and was shadowed by sprinkling of blood under the law. Neither may we imagine that the efficacy of baptism dependeth upon the quantity of water that is used and employed; no more than the force and virtue of the Lords Supper dependeth upon the quantity of the bread and wine which we receive. They then are much deceived, that would bring in an absolute necessity of dipping Children into the water, as if without it they were not lawfully baptised. For as we noted before, the word importeth even simply any washing of what sort soever, as Mark 7. It is said of the pharisees, that coming from the market they eat not except they wash. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. And this outward washing of the body from filth, representeth the inward cleansing of the soul from sin. Hereunto the Apostle alludeth when he affirmeth, that we are saved according to the mercy of God our Saviour, by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy-Ghost, Tit. 3.5. Eph. 5, 25, 26. Titus 3, verse 5. And elsewhere he saith, Ehesians 5. verses 25, 26, Christ loved the Church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word. So then, the ceremony used among us, to sprinkle water upon the face of the child cannot be reproved or condemned, but standeth with the ordinance of God, as well as dipping in the water: and therefore the Apostle saith to the Hebrews, Chap. 10.22. Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, Heb. 10, 22. having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Hence it is, that Cyprian writing of this argument in his Epistles teacheth, Cyprian. lib. 4. epist. 7. that such as are sprinkled with water being sick, are no less truly baptised then such as are otherwise washed. But let us see who they are that have right and interest in baptism, and who are capable of this Sacrament. For not every one without respect, without difference, without distinction, is to be admitted to this privilege, because they are not fit receivers thereof. If a Minister should take the outward element, and use the word of institution, baptizing in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy-Ghost: yet it can be no Sacrament, unless the deliverer have authority to administer it, and the party baptised have warrant to receive it. If he should baptise a stone, or an Image, or a bruit beast without reason and understanding, these are no fit receivers, here is an apparent and flat nullity: whereby appeareth farther, the truth of the former rule, that besides the joining of the word to the outward sign, there is necessarily required a fitted person to be partaker of the Sacrament, as is more at large expressed, Book 3. Chap. 3. To proceed, b Who are in the covenant. we must know that the receivers are such as are within the covenant, and such as profess the truth, whether in truth or not, we leave to GOD, that searcheth the hearts and reins: c Rom. 14, 4. let us not judge another man's servant, he standeth or falleth to his own master. Again, such as are borne in the covenant are of two sorts. First, men and women of years: Secondly, infants that are the seed of the faithful. For the faithful do believe for themselves and for others: as in bargains they covenant and contract for themselves and their heirs after them for ever. Although children cannot be said to be saved by their father's faith, no more then to live by the father's soul inasmuch as the Prophet d Hab. 2, 4. Rom. 1, 17. Gal. 3, 11. Heb. 10, 38. teacheth, That the just shall live by his own faith: yet the faith of the parents maketh their children to be counted in the covenant, who by reason of their age cannot yet actually believe, as they that want all knowledge and understanding, e jonah. 4, 11. not discerning the right hand from the left. Every man liveth this temporal life by his own soul: so every man liveth the eternal life by his own faith. True it is, baptism is a common seal. But as all have not interest to the pasture, herbage, and privileges of a Commons, but only such as are tenants according to the custom of the manor: so all have not title to baptism, being a Sacrament of the Church, but only such as are the Lords people according to the tenor of the covenant. Touching the first sort of such as are to be baptised, they are men & women of riper years, who adjoin themselves to the Church, testify their repentance, hold the foundation of religion, f Acts 8.36. and confess their faith, as Acts 8. If thou believest, thou mayest be baptised. The second sort are infants within the covenant, g 1 Cor. 7, 14. which have both their parents, or one at the least faithful, as 1, Cor. 7, 14. The unbelieving husband is sanctified to the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified to the husband, else were your children unclean, but now they are holy. Where the Apostle showeth, that albeit a believer be unequally yoked and matched with an unbeliever: yet he is not to be forsaken, nor the marriage bed to be accounted polluted, inasmuch as their children are sanctified to God and the Church, as well as if they were borne of both parents faithful. For so the children of the Israelites being of the posterity of Abraham, are included in the covenant of God. We are not curiously to inquire into the secret counsel and election of God: we must h We must hope well of the seed of the faithful, and therefore we baptise them. hold all the seed of the faithful holy, until they cut off themselves, and in process of time openly declare themselves to be strangers from the promises of salvation. Again, the same Apostle i Rom. 11, 16, Gen. 17, 7. saith, Rom. 〈◊〉 If the first fruits be holy, so is the whole lump: if the root be holy, so are the branches. So likewise God testifieth, Gen. 17. I will establish my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God to thee and to thy seed after thee. Such only were circumcised as were within the covenant. Notwithstanding, they which were borne of unbelieving parents, and were strangers from the commonwealth of Israel, and aliens from the promises of salvation: if they acknowledged the errors in which they lived, and sought forgiveness of their former sins, were accounted the children of faithful Abraham, were admitted into the Church, and received circumcision, as the apostles said to the jailer, k Act. 16, 30.31. humbled under the mighty hand of God, and desiring to be instructed in the way of salvation: Believe in the Lord JESUS CHRIST, and thou shalt be saved, and thy whole household. So the Evangelist testifieth the like of Zacheus, when he had once received CHRIST into his house, nay which is more, into his heart: l Luk. 19, 9 then jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come unto this house, forasmuch as he is also become the son of Abraham. Thus when the Sun of righteousness shineth upon the head and master of the family, the beams thereof by a gracious influence begin to comfort and conserve m Act. 16, 14, 3, 15. 1 Cor. 1, 16. joh. 4, 53. 2 joh verse 1. all the rest in the house: like the precious ointment upon the head of Aaron, that ran down upon the beard, and descended upon the borders of his garments: or like the dew that falleth from heaven upon Hermon and the Mountains of Zion, n Psal. 133.2. which goeth down into the valleys, and maketh all the plain country fertile. The knowledge of this point offereth divers profitable Use 1 uses to our consideration and consolation. First, it is the duty of all those that are within the covenant to give their bodies to be washed, and to receive that washing in the face and presence of the Congregation. Let such as are of years desire and crave this Sacrament: let them claim this privilege: o Act. 8, 36. & 22 16. let them demand to be baptised, according to the example of the Eunuch, Acts 8. So soon as he was instructed in the faith of Christ by the preaching of Philip, as he came to a certain water, he said of his own accord, See, here is water, what doth let me to be baptised? So to the same purpose, Act. 22. Ananias stirreth up Paul to this duty saying, Why tarriest thou? Arise and be baptised, and wash away thy sins. Secondly, this condemneth sundry corruptions and abuses: Use 2 first, the blind, ignorant, and superstitious practice of baptizing bells p The church of Rome profaneth baptism by baptizing bells. practised in the Church of Rome, whereof now they begin to be ashamed, and seeking figge-leaves to cover their shame, they say they were not baptizd, but only hallowed and consecrated to holy uses, as Bellarmine betaketh himself to this shift, as to a place of refuge, Lib. 4. de 'pon. Rom. cap. 12. Where the Cardinal confesseth, that the people call their solemn blessing and sprinkling with holy-water, the baptism of bells. And indeed what can it else be called and accounted? For they baptise them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy-Ghost. They give names unto them as to their children: they have Godfathers appointed unto them as children have when they are baptised & confirmed: q Bellar. de sacra bapt. lib. 1. cap. 27. they have new garments put upon them, as the persons baptised among them likewise have: it is also permitted only to the Bishop's suffragan, who exacteth great sums of money for the baptizing of bells: they ascribe to them a spiritual power against storms and tempests, against thunder and lightning, against winds and evil spirits: Lastly, they sprinkle them with holy-water, bless them, cross them, and so horribly corrupt this Sacrament of baptism. Yea Durand a principal schoolman, not in the schools of the Prophets but of the Papists (a fit teacher of such scholars) setteth out solemnly r Durand lib. 1 Ench rid. cap. 4. the praises of bells, making them public Preachers and drivers away of devils. But the devils are not feared and frayed away by sight of crosses, by sprinkling of water, by sound of bells and babies: s Mat. 17, 2. This kind goeth not out but by fasting and prayer, as our Saviour teacheth. And the Apostle willeth every christian to take unto him the whole armour of God, that he may be able to resist in the evil day. Stand therefore having your loins girded about with verity, Eph. 6, 13, 14.15.16. and having on the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the sword of the Spirit, the preparation of the Gospel of peace, and the grace of prayer in the Spirit. Hear is the universal armour of God: here is the complete furnishing of a Christian Soldier: here is perfect direction given to understand, and to withstand the assaults of the devil: but among these, we have neither the sign of the Cross, nor the hallowing of bells, nor the sound of such Preachers, and therefore they are no part nor parcel of spiritual armour, to furnish us to go into the field against the enemies of our salvation. For evil spirits which fight against the soul are not driven away by hallowing of bells. If then, there were ever profanation of Baptism, this may justly be judged to be one of the most vile and miserable corruptions thereof, to be detested of all true hearted Christians that groan under the burden of them. For this is a general and certain rule, that none are to be baptised but such as are men, to other creatures the Sacrament of baptism may not be administered: forasmuch as the Sacrament of regeneration belongeth to none but to such as in their nature are capable of regeneration, neither the sign but to those that may be partakers of the thing signified. Baptism is the Sacrament of repentance, Mark. 1, 4. none therefore can receive it but such as in time may repent, or already have repent, for there must be at least a possibility of repenting. It belongeth not therefore to the damned spirits, who are so fallen away, that it is impossible for them to be renewed again by repentance. It was instituted only for the use of man, for whom also Christ came into the world, and shed his blood upon the Cross. He took not upon him the angel's nature, but the seed of Abraham, Heb. 2. Heb. 2, 16. He is the Mediator to his Father, not for the apostate angels, but for mankind, 1 Tim. 2. 1 Tim. 2, 5. How wicked then and wretched are they that make a mock of this Sacrament representing the blood of Christ, and undertake to baptise bells without sense and life, and that with greater pomp and solemnity, and use many more ceremonies than when men are baptised? For none may of right baptise bells but their Bishops (a fit work for such workmen) whereas they allow and licence not only every inferior Priest, but even women to baptise their children. Secondly, The second abuse. it reproveth the superstition of such as baptise the dead, or any one that is living in stead or in place of another that is dead. For this is another rule to be holden of us, that baptism belongeth only to the living. Not indeed to all living creatures, but only to living creatures: as likewise not to all that are reasonable, howbeit only to them that are reasonable. Faith and repentance are required of all such as being of years are baptised: but the dead can neither believe the Gospel, nor repent from dead works. And if baptism be the Sacrament of regeneration, and the end thereof salvation and remission of sins, what do these, or what can these things belong unto the dead? Again, it is the greatest folly that may be, to baptise one for another, because Christ never requireth, and the Scripture never teacheth, that one should repent for another, or believe for another, or be baptised for another, but every one must repent, and believe, and be baptised for himself; and therefore the Lord saith, Mar. 16, 16. Mar. 16, 16. He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved. We can no more be benefited by another man's baptism, while we remain unbaptized ourselves, than we can be saved by another man's faith, while we remain Infidels. Besides, it is a vain thing to receive the outward sign for him which is not capable of the thing signified, in which number the dead are, Hence then is condemned the error of the Marcion●tes, among which heretics this was a custom, as Theophylact noteth, Theoph. in 1 Cor. 15. enarrat. that if any died with them unbaptized, they hide a living man under the bed of him that was dead, and coming to the bed they ask the dead man whether he would be baptised? Now he that lieth under the bed answereth that he desireth it, and then they baptise him for the other that is dead. Whensoever they are accused for this folly, they go about to defend themselves by the place of the Apostle, 1. Corinthians, chap. 15. verse 29. What shall they do that are baptised for dead? 1 Cor. 15, 29. If the dead rise not at all, why are they then baptised for the dead? This testimony maketh nothing to their purpose, which proveth the resurrection from the dead. For whether Paul reasoneth from the custom of the jews that washed the bodies of the dead, as appeareth in the Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 9, Act. 9, 37 verse 37. when Tabithae a woman full of good works and almsdeeds was dead, They washed her, and laid her in an upper Chamber: or whether he mean it of the grievous afflictions which the faithful suffered for the Gospel's sake unto death: as if he had said, Why do we suffer adversity unto death? Or why am I in jeopardy every hour? Or wherefore do I fight with beasts at Ephesus, if there be no resurrection? What shall all these advantage me, if the dead rise not? Let us rather eat and drink, for to morrow we die. Both these interpretations are good and godly, and in both these senses and significations the word is taken, as we have showed in the first chapter of this book. Wherefore to conclude this point, it is no doctrine nor determination of the Apostle, either that dead men should be baptized, any more than they should be taught and instructed, or that any of the living should undertake the Sacrament of baptism for the dead: Conc. Carth. 3. can. 6. and the counsel of Carthage hath decreed accordingly, that the weak brethren must beware they do not believe that such as are dead and departed hence may be baptised. Thirdly, The third abuse. they are reproved that admit such to be partakers of baptism as are Infidels and do not profess the faith nor repentance toward God. The apostle Peter preaching unto the jews, saith, Repent and he baptised every one of you ●n the name of jesus Christ, Acts 2. verses 38.41. And afterward Luke addeth, Act. 2, 38, 41. They that gladly received his word were baptised. And Christ our Saviour saith in the first place, He that believeth, Mar. 16, 16. and then addeth in the second, and is baptised. So that both faith and repentance are required in all those of years that are to be baptised. And the reason is evident, because without repentance the old man is not put off, and without faith the new man is not put on. Now the Sacrament of Baptism is a Sacrament of regeneration through the blood of Christ. Wherefore, to admit such as are unbelievers and unrepentant sinners, what is it but even to tread under foot the blood of Christ, and to make a mock of the new Testament? This barreth out very strongly from this privilege of the Church all Turks, jews, Infidels, and all savage nations whatsoever, that have not the knowledge of true religion, but remain in blindness and ignorance of jesus Christ and his Gospel: and on the other side it teacheth, that baptism is by no means to be denied unto them which make profession of faith and repentance. Hear before we do proceed any further, we will answer a few questions that may be demanded touching divers persons, whether they may be baptized or not. The first question shall be, whether the infants of Turks, jews, Whether the Children of jews & Turks may be baptised. and such like barbarous nations may be baptised? I answer, that either their parents or such are in stead of parents give consent to have them baptised, or they will not give their consent. If they will not agree that their children should be baptised, they ought not to be baptised against the liking and good will of their parents: but if they be content and desirous, they may be admitted and received unto Baptism. This determining of the question holdeth touching infants, and infants only. For all such as are of full age and are come to years of discretion to desire baptism, may not nor ought not to depend upon the consent of parents, but whether they be willing or unwilling, they must believe in Christ, profess the faith, practise repentance, and desire to be entered into the Church, saying with the converted Eunuch, Acts 8.36. Act. 8. See, here is water, what hinders me to be baptised? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. For every man should follow Christ his master, albeit his parents should dissuade him, or forbidden him. Howbeit for infants the case is otherwise, they are under the jurisdiction of their parents, and they rule over them, so that they cannot without wrong and injustice be taken from them, to whom by the law of nature they do properly belong. And therefore Christ commanded not the widows son whom he raised from the dead to follow him, Luk. 7, 15. but delivered him to his mother: neither could he be compelled to follow him against the good will of his mother, for that had been to abrogate and abolish the authority of the parents over their children. But if they can be persuaded, and will be contented to have them baptised, than they have no wrong at all done unto them, for injury cannot be offered to them that are willing. Such fathers give some hope that in time themselves will profess the faith: & in this case the Church is as a tender mother over such infants, and therefore may justly and rightly baptise them. Thus much touching their children that are out of the bosom of the Church. The next question is touching the children of those which indeed live within the doors of the Church, but yet are profane and ungodly, who are in the Church, Whether the children of profane and impenitent persons may be baptised. but not of the Church: whether they may be baptised or not? I answer, if the infants of such impenitent persons be brought and offered to be baptised, they cannot nor ought not to be barred and excluded from it. For albeit their parents be wicked men, and unworthy of any grace or privilege of the Church either for themselves or their posterity, yet it is no reason that their impiety should any way hurt or hinder the salvation of their Children that are borne in the Church, or shut them from the means of furthering their salvation. Hereunto cometh the saying of the Prophet Ezekiell, The soul that sinneth shall die: Ezek. 18, 20. the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son, etc. If any object and say, Objection. The children of the faithful only are to be baptised, because only those infants are judged to be in the covenant; and only holy: I answer two things, Answer. first that in this point we are not to regard the ungodliness of such as are their natural parents of whom they were begotten, but the godliness of the Church in which and of whom they were borne: for the Church is as it were their mother. Secondly, we must consider, not only their immediate parents, but their forefathers and ancestors which have led a godly and holy life: So that albeit they be the children of unfaithful parents in respect of the Fathers of whom they came in the flesh, yet they are not the children of such, if we regard the ancient Fathers and the Church wherein they were borne, which is their mother. To this purpose Paul saith, If the first fruits be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, Rom. 11, 16. so are the branches, Rom. 11. By the name of root in that nation of the jews, he doth not understand the next parents who peradventure were profane & ungodly, but those first parents of that people, to wit, Abraham, Isaac, and jacob, to whom the promise was made and the covenant confirmed, that God would be their God and the God of their seed by an everlasting covenant, and therefore all their posterity which did not wholly forsake and renounce the true God of Israel, and cleave to the false Gods of the Gentiles (which are no Gods but the works of men's hands) are within the compass of the covenant, and rightly judged to be holy in regard of the holiness of the covenant. Among Gods own people the jews, we know that many were wicked persons, yet was not circumcision the sign of the covenant ever denied to their children: In like manner the Sacrament of Baptism may not be taken away from the children of such as are counterfeit Christians which profess Christ in words, but deny him in their deeds, forasmuch as even they are in the Covenant in regard of the Elders of whom they descend, and in regard of the whole Church in which they are borne and do live. Whether children born in adultery may be baptised. This point being duly weighed and considered, serveth to answer another question, to wit, whether children borne in fornication and adultery may be baptised? I answer, as such were circumcised in the Church of the jews, so they may be baptised and ought to be baptised in the Churches of the Christians. And as the children of wicked Christians, who hold true religion in judgement, but deny it in their practice, are to be partakers of baptism, as we have already proved in the former question: so may the children of the adulterer and of the whore, provided that there be some to answer and to undertake for them besides their parents. For it skilleth not what the next parents were, out of whose loins immediately they proceed, neither is it material in this case, whether the parents do repent or not, forasmuch as their children being presented by other than the parents themselves and brought unto baptism, may not be rejected from the Church. It pleaseth God in mercy to call some of them to believe, and to bring them to salvation, as we see in the example of jepthah, who was the son of an harlot and borne in fornication, judg. 11, 1. Heb. 11 32. yet he is commended in the Epistle to the Hebrews, and registered among the cloud of faithful witnesses, who through faith wrought righteousness, out of weakness 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 bear the brand of their parent's shame, and are oftentimes given over to follow the sin of their parents, yet if they hate their wicked ways, God hath grace in store for them. If then salvation belong to them so that they repent and believe: how should any deny the outward washing with water unto them, and bar them from the outward part, which is the least part of the Sacrament? And this doth Austin teach at large in his 75. epistle, reproving a certain Bishop, August. epist. 75. who for the wickedness of the father excommunicated the whole family, thereby punishing the son for the sin of the father, the wife for the sin of the husband, and the servant for the sin of the master: contrary to the equal law of God, that the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, Ezek. 18, 20. Whether the children of professed papists and Recusants be to be baptised. Ezek. 18 The next question to be discussed and decided, is, whether the children of Recusants and professed Papists have right to be baptised or not? I answer two things; first that their parents are such as were baptised in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy-Ghost, and they have received true baptism, 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 baptism yet remaineth in the essential part of it: so that such children as are baptised in the Church of Rome ought not to be rebaptized, because the true form of baptism is observed; and likewise their children may be baptised in our Churches, provided that their parents desire this baptism, or consent unto it, as we noted before in disputing about the baptizing of the children of Turks & Infidels: and again, there be such sureties as will undertake the education and training up of the child in the true knowledge of God, and faith in Christ jesus. The last question which now I will stand upon is, Whether the children of excommunicate persons may be baptised. whether the children of excommunicate persons, which are cast out of the Church, and not held as members of it, may be baptised or not? I answer, they cannot nor ought not to be kept from partaking of baptism. For first touching the parents that are excommunicate, it lieth not in the power of the Church to cut them off from the body of Christ: for albeit they be separated from the Church for some grievous offence, Beza epist. 10. yet they are not open apostates & backsliders that combine themselves with the enemies of the Church, and seek the ruin of the Church, and plot the overthrow of the Gospel. Albeit for a season they be put out of the visible Church, it is not to their destruction, but their conversion: and in the judgement of charity we must hold them to be as decayed members, which are as plants engrafted into Christ, albeit for the present time they have not any lively and sensible feeling of the power of Christ's Spirit in them. They are as an arm that hath a dead palsy, which though for a while it remain without sense, so that the body hath no use of it, nor benefit by it: yet by the virtue of some strong medicine it may be recovered and restored to the former strength, and so made as whole and sound as the other. A freeman belonging to any incorporation, that is imprisoned for some crime, remaineth a freeman still, although for the time he be restrained, and have lost the use of his liberty. Again, parents are banished out of the Church for their own personal sins: but it is against the light of reason & common equity that the personal sins of the father should interrupt and intercept the blessing of God from the Child; for then the proverb should be true, that the fathers have eaten sour grapes, Ezek. 18, 2. and the children's teeth are set on edge, Ezek. 18. which the Lord would have no more used in Israel. Besides, we are taught, that the Lord is so gracious and merciful, that he will show mercy to a thousand generations, and therefore why should we shrink in the sinews of it, and pen it up in a narrow room, as if the covenant did not belong to such infants, nor the seal of it? Or by what law are they to bear 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 soul which sinneth shall die. They then are greatly deceived that hold opinion that when once the parents are cut off from the Church, their children have right to no benefit or privilege 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 rank, Beza epist. 10. nor have equal judgement given of them. Of such persons there are four kinds far differing the one from the other. The first is, of those who neither according to election, neither in themselves are any way members of Christ, who are no better than reprobates and vessels of wrath ordained of old to condemnation, Iud 4. albeit through outward show and profession, and through a temporary faith (whereby they deceive both themselves 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. joh. 17, 12. 1 joh. 2, 19 and such was judas the son of perdition, joh. 17. and of such speaketh the apostle john, If they had been of us, doubtless they would have continued with us. The second sort is of those, who according to eternal election are elected in Christ, and consequently are the members of Christ, albeit they be not yet called or converted. These are not members actually, but in the eternal counsel of God. In this sense, Paul saith that God had separated him from his mother's womb, Gal. 1, 15. and called him by his grace, Gal. 1. Whereas a long time he was after a sort a member of Satan persecuting the Church. And in another place he saith, Grace was given us in Christ jesus before the world began, 2 Tim. 1. 2 Tim. 1, 9 Likewise he speaketh in his own person and in the person of the believers, 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 Sons of God, united to Christ by faith, being justified 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 Spirit of God, they are the Sons of God, The fourth and last so●te is of such as do most properly belong to the matter we have in hand, who being elect of God, and engrafted into Christ, yet falling through infirmity, and giving offence unto others are delivered unto Satan, that godly sorrow may work in them repentance. Such cannot be cut off from Christ, forasmuch as the seed of faith remaineth in them, albeit the sense of faith be lost until they renew their repentance. Our Saviour saith, All that the Father giveth me, shall come to me: and him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out, joh. 6, 37. Hereunto cometh the saying of john, 1 joh. 1, 19 If they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us. And Paul saith, The foundation of God remaineth sure, 2 Tim. 2, 1●. and hath this seal, 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 judge the best even of such as are holden captives in the snare of the devil, and therefore far be it from us to conclude, that because the parents are excommunicated, the children pertain not to the kingdom of God. Use 3 Thirdly, we may see the great love of God to all believers, seeing he vouchsafeth not only to be their God, but the God of their seed after them, as God himself t Gen. 17, 1.2.7. promiseth to Abraham, Gen. 17, I will make my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee in their generations, I will be their God: walk before me, and be thou upright. And ought we not to walk in the uprightness of our heart, before this merciful and all-sufficient God, Who thus aboundeth in kindness toward us, and the fruit of our body? Let us return unto him love for his love, who loved us first. Use 4 Lastly, this teacheth that infants are to be baptised, and have as great right and interest in this Sacrament, as they which be in years, able to make confession of their faith. Of which we will entreat in the chapter following, where we will prove this truth by testimonies of the Scriptures, and maintain it against the Anabaptists and other heretics that condemn the same. CHAP. VII. That Infants are to be baptised. ALthough it cannot appear unto us, that infants and new borne babes brought to be baptised, have actual faith, but rather is like they want the habit of faith which hue a Deut. 1, 39 Luk. 1, 15, 44. not the use of understanding, unless God extraordinarily work it, which lieth not in us to judge of: yet we baptise them and admit them to this Sacrament, which we do upon very good grounds and sufficient reasons. First therefore, we will prove by evident demonstration out of the Scriptures, the doctrine of children's baptism to be conformable to the jews circumcision, agreeable to the practice of the Apostles, allowable by the words of Christ, answerable to the custom of the primitive Church, reasonable in itself, profitable to the infants, available by the ordinance of God, and very comfortable to all Christian parents. Secondly, we will maintain this assertion against the objections and arguments of the Anabaptists and other adversaries, that have crossed and contradicted this truth. Lastly, we will show what evident and necessary uses 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 Reason's warranting the baptizing of children. of God, I will make it appear by sundry reasons. We see in the old Testament, that all males by express commandment were willed to be circumcised the c Gen. 17, 12. Phil. 3, 5. eight day. If God made infant's partakers of circumcision: why should we not hold the same of baptism, being instituted for us 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 covenant made with Abraham remain stable and steadfast, it doth no less belong to the children of Christians at this day, than it did appertain to the children of the jews under the old Testament: unless peradventure we will say, that our Saviour Christ by his coming hath restrained or diminished the grace and love of his Father, which were detestable blasphemy against the Father, and an horrible reproach against the Son of God. From hence then, we reason thus: If the infants of the jews were circumcised, than the children of Christians are to be baptised: but the infants of the jews were circumcised: therefore also the children of Christians are to be baptised. Against this reason, sundry exceptions are taken by the adversaries of this doctrine, Objection. which are not unworthy the consideration. They say, circumcision was a sign of mortification, it was tied to be administered the eight day, and that women ought not to be baptised, if baptism were like to circumcision, inasmuch as they were not circumcised. I answer, Answer. these objections will easily appear to be very cavils and mere dreams of idle and addle brains, if we diligently observe, both wherein circumcision and baptism agree, and in what points they differ. They e Wherein circumcision & baptism agree. agree, first, in one author of them both, that is, God himself, who first appointed the Minister of circumcision, which was Abraham, and john the Minister of baptism, whereof he was called the Baptist. Secondly, in the chief and principal ends for which they were instituted, namely, to seal up the promises of grace by Christ. Thirdly, by both of them is wrought our visible receiving into the Church: the jews were received by circumcision, the Christians are entered by baptism. Lastly, by both of them our mortification, regeneration, newness of life, and justification are signified. So then they fully agree in the ends which they respect, and in the things which they signify, to wit, in the substance and nature of the things themselves. The same Christ is promised in circumcision, and given in baptism. Again, circumcision and baptism differ f Wherein circumcision & baptism differ. only in certain circumstances: first, in the form and manner of doing, as circumcision was administered by cutting away of the foreskin & effusion of blood, but baptism by washing and sprinkling with water. Secondly, in the outward sign, which is indifferent in both. Thirdly, in the circumstance of time: for circumcision promised from God grace and mercy in the Messiah to come, baptism in the Messiah already exhibited. Fourthly, in the subjects or persons that are partakers of them: circumcision belongeth only to the male children, but baptism is common to male and female. Notwithstanding, g How women were after a sort circumcised. howsoever the bodies of the men children alone were imprinted, yet through them the women were after a sort made partakers and companions of circumcision, so that albeit God commanded only the males to have this sign in their flesh, yet the females were not excluded from being members of the Church, nor accounted strangers from the Covenants of promise. For as the man is the h 1 Cor. 11, 8. head of the woman, so they were accounted as circumcised in the man, yea they were reckoned and numbered with the men, namely, the unmarried with their father, and the married with their husbands. Now that their circumcision was thus comprehended in the men, so that it was unto them in stead of circumcision to be borne of the circumcised, may be gathered by many places, as Luk. 13. Where the woman which Christ healed of a spirit of infirmity bound together, is called i Luk. 13, 11. the daughter of Abraham, to signify that the privilege of his posterity belonged no less to her and all women that were faithful, then to the males; and that she was as well his daughter, as they his sons. Likewise Gen. 34. the sons of jacob communing with Hamor after their sister was humbled and abused, said unto them, k Gen. 34, 14.15, 16. We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to an uncircumcised man, for that were a reproof unto us: but in this we will consent unto you, if ye will be as we are, that every manchild among you be circumcised, than we will give our daughters to you, etc. where these two are set as contrary one to another, our sister, and the uncircumcised, which teacheth that they were accounted as circumcised in the males, so that it was enough to them to be born of parents that were circumcised. Fiftly, they differ in the settled time which is limited for circumcision, being precisely and necessarily tied to the 8. day: but in baptism it is not so, there is greater liberty left to the church: yet the Sabbath following would not without urgent cause be omitted. Sixtly, circumcision was instituted for the Israelites that were the seed of Abraham: but Baptism was instituted for all Nations that are willing to join themselves to the fellowship of the Churches of Christ that profess his name, of whatsoever Land and language they be. Lastly, circumcision was to endure only till the coming of the Messiah, but the body being come, the figure must cease, whereas baptism is to continue unto the end of the world l Mat. 28, 20. as our Saviour teacheth, Mat. 28. Teach and baptise, and lo I am with you until the end of the world. Wherefore, the circumcision of the Turks and Tartars which live in infidelity, and of the moors which profess christianity used at this day, is nothing worth, albeit they retain the outward sign and ceremony: because the institution of it was only to endure until the blessed times of the Gospel. Thus we see, that notwithstanding the differences between circumcision and baptism in circumstances of time & manner of doing: yet being in substance and effect the same, the argument standeth strong and invincible as a brazen wall, proving the baptizing of infants in the time of the Gospel, from the commandment of circumcising infants in the time of the Law. Again, m The practice of the Apostles. let us consider the practice of the Apostles and ages succeeding in this point. For albeit it be not expressed, that any infant was baptised by the hands of the Apostles: yet we find in divers places, that whole families and households have been baptised, in which no doubt were many infants & sucklings, n Act. 16, 13.33. 1 Cor. 1, 14, 16. Acts 18, 8. and 2.37, 38.39. as Act. 16, 15. Lydia being converted to the faith, was baptised and all her household. And again, verse 33, of the same Chapter, the jailor was baptised and all that were with him. So was Crispus the chief Ruler of the Synagogue and his household baptised, and the household of Stephanus. Furthermore, when Peter commanded the jews, newly converted to the faith of Christ, and hungering after salvation in him whom before they had crucified, to be baptised: he addeth this as a reason. For the promise is made to you, and to your children, and to all that are a far off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. Objection. Answer. Nevertheless will some say, we read not directly that any infants were here baptised in these places. But do we read that any were excluded? And seeing the scripture expresseth all the household, who shall dare to debar infants? Are not they a principal part of the house? Besides, if the baptism of children be not to be believed, because it is not named and expressed: we might with as good reason shut out women from the Lords Supper, (if any were as great an enemy to the communicating of women, as many are to the baptizing of Children) seeing we do not expressly read, that they were admitted to the Lords table in the Apostles times. Besides, by like reason we may say, that the Apostles were not baptised, because we do not read it. But the argument is weak and nothing worth, to argue from not written, to not done; forasmuch as many things were done, which are not written, john 20.30. and 21, 25. Wherefore, children's baptism is no human tradition, no apish imitation, no ancient corruption of this Sacrament: but is grounded on the unblamable practice of the Apostles, which hath the force and strength of a commandment. Thirdly, Christ by his own example alloweth and approveth their baptism as we see, Mar. 10. when the Disciples rebuked those that brought little children to Christ that he might touch them, he said, o Mar. 10, 13, 14, 15. Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbidden them not, for of such is the kingdom of God: verily I say unto y●u, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. Where we are to observe, that he saith not, of these only is the kingdom of heaven, but of such like infants, which shall be in all ages and times of the Church. In this act of Christ embracing the Infants brought unto him, and sharply rebuking his Disciples that forbade them: we are to consider that he commandeth children to be brought unto him, & addeth a reason, To such belongeth the kingdom of heaven. If any object, Objection. It is said, he embraced them, it is not said, he baptised them: or if any reply and say that there is no agreement and resemblance between baptizing and embracing: I answer, Answer. he layeth his hands upon them, he prayeth for them, he commendeth them to his Father, and saith, The kingdom of heaven is theirs. All this is a great deal more then to give them the outward sign. For if reason require, they should be brought to Christ: why should they not be received to baptism, which is a sign of our union with Christ? If the kingdom of heaven belong unto them: why should the sign be denied unto them, whereby the door of entrance into the church is opened? Why should we drive them away from Christ, whom Christ calleth himself? Neither let any say, these children were of years & grown up in age, able of themselves to come and repair to Christ: For the Evangelist useth such * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. words as signify such young Infants as are babes and hang upon their mother's breasts, p Luke 2, 12.16, and 1.44. therefore by coming in this place he meaneth to draw near or to have access. Again, they were such as were brought to Christ by q Luk. 18, 15. others, Luk. 18.15. they were carried in their arms, they walked not on their feet, and Christ also took them in his own arms. Besides, hereto agreeth the practice and custom of the primitive church: for no Teacher so profound, no Doctor so learned, no Writer so ancient, which doth not refer the beginning hereof to the r Orig. lib. 5. comment. ad Rom. Hieron in fine lib. 3. contra. Pelag. August. de bap. paruu●. & cap. 20. libri de Origen. animae. precise times of the Apostles. Let the Anabaptists and adversaries of this truth tell us, who was the first author and inventor of children's baptism, if they refer it not to Christ? who first administered it? What was his name? if they can tell let them not hide it. Let them declare the time when it began? Let them show the place where it was devised? Let them name the child first baptised, and in what assembly or church it was? If they cannot do these or any of them, let them acknowledge the baptism of children to be the ordinance of God, and not of man: warranted both by doctrine of the Scripture and practice of the church. Moreover, if there were no writer to avouch this ancient truth, yet is it in itself very right and reasonable. For do we not see and behold daily very babes and infants s Children admitted to cippis holds by custo●e of the M●nour among men. oftentimes among men admitted to their inheritance, have they not livery and season of land, and have they not the wand or turf taken into their hands, according to the use of the country, or custom of the Manor of which they hold? They know not what is done: they perceive nothing what the Lord of the Manor or steward speaketh unto them: yet we see among the wisest men in this world, this is not thought foolish, neither is such an admission called into question, but they are afterward instructed what they have done, what they have undertaken & taken upon them, what services and duties they own, what their Lord requireth of them, and how they hold their lands. Thus they are admitted in their infancy to a temporal inheritance and possession: this they hold to the end of their life: and of the validity of such entrance no tenant maketh doubt. Why then should it seem unreasonable to give them baptism, the sign of the covenant, being borne heirs of the promise, that after they come to discretion they may make use of it as the rest of the members of the Church? They shall understand afterward that which they understand not for the present: & yet if it please God to take them in mercy to himself from the miseries of the world, before they know the mystery of their baptism, he worketh extraordinarily by ways best known to himself the force of their baptism in their hearts, and sealeth up their engrafting into Christ jesus. If then children have the white wand delivered unto them to assure them of the inheritance which they hold: let none deny unto them the partaking of this Sacrament, whereby they are assured of an eternal inheritance howsoever for the present time they are not capable of the knowledge thereof. Lastly, the privileges and prerogatives of children are no less than those of elder years. For infants are a part of the Church of God, t Children are Christ's sheep and members of his body. they are the sheep of Christ, they are the children of the heavenly Father, they are inheritors of the kingdom of heaven, they are redeemed with the blood of Christ, and engrafted into his body: why then should they not bear the mark of Christ, seeing they are a principal part of his possession? If they be a part of the household, they ought to have entrance into the house: if they belong to the City of God, who shall dare to shut the gates against them? Or if they be in the number of the sheep of Christ, who shall presume to keep them from the sheepfold? Or if they be sound members of the body of Christ, who shall cut them off as rotten members? Wherefore then, u Gen. 17, 7. Acts 2, 39 1. Cor 7, 14. should they not receive the seal whereby the promise is confirmed unto them, seeing they have the promise itself of salvation? Why should they not be partakers of the outward sign, a Mat. 19, 14. seeing they are partakers of the thing signified? Why should they be put back from the figure, seeing they have the truth itself? Why should they not be partakers of the Sacrament with the faithful, seeing they are enroled in the fellowship of the faithful? And who shall deprive them of the seal of the covenant, seeing they are partakers of regeneration and remission of sins? Hereupon thus we reason, whosoever are in the covenant and Church of God, unto them belongeth baptism, which is the seal of the covenant: but Infants are in the Covenant and of the Church: therefore to them belongeth baptism which is the seal of the Covenant. Again, to whom the promise appertaineth, they may and aught to be baptised: but the promise was made even to Infants: therefore they may and aught to be baptised. Furthermore, to whom forgiveness of sins and the Holy-Ghost are promised and given, they ought by no means to be denied the outward sign: but forgiveness of sins and the Holy-Ghost are promised to Infants and given unto them: therefore infants ought not to be kept from the element of water, no more than such as are of years of discretion. Thus much of the first point, putting Children into the right and possession of Baptism, as if it were the right heirs into their inheritance, from which they have been wrongfully and unjustly dispossessed. Having now sufficiently proved by the Scripture, that children are to be baptised: it remaineth that we should maintain this assertion against b Objections of Anabaptists, impugning children's baptism, answered. the cavils of the Anabaptists. For as the former reasons, grounded upon the evident demonstration of the word, as upon a pillar that cannot be shaken, may persuade us to embrace the truth: so the weakness and sophistry which appeareth in the Objections of the adversaries, serveth to confirm us in this persuasion. But let us examine what is the strength of them. First, they object, Objection. it was never commanded that Infants should be baptised. I answer, Answer. unblamable examples & practices not contradicted, are in the nature of precepts. Again, the will of God approving and appointing children's baptism appeareth, c Col. 2, 11.12 in that it came in place of circumcision, Baptism is our circumcision. Besides, we d Mat. 28, 19 1 Cor. 10, 1, 2. have a general commandment, Go teach all nations and baptise them. And the apostle saith, all were baptised in the cloud and in the sea: and he comprehendeth the whole Church, when he saith, it was cleansed with the washing of water, Ephesians 5. verse 26. Christ saith, all nations, the Apostle saith, all the Israelites: let them show where infants are excepted and exempted: for we hold this as a certain principle, that a general commandment includeth the particular, and comprehendeth the same under it, as well as if it were by name expressed. Secondly, they object, if infants may be baptised, Objection. than they may be admitted to the Lords Supper: for why should not the Supper be given to the whole church as well as baptism? I answer, Answer. there is not the like reason and respect of both. There is great difference between these two Sacraments. For baptism is a sign of our entrance and receiving into the church, so that the Supper is to be granted to none but to such as are baptised, and are fit to be●r strong meat, being instituted for our confirmation and sealing unto us, that God having once received us into the Church, will also evermore preserve us in it, that we never fall from it, nor forsake it, and will nourish and ch●●●sh us by the body and blood of Christ. Wherefore, the Lord jesus to show that his Supper was not for children but for men, would not administer it in the element of milk, which is for infants and for new borne babes: but in bread and wine, which are for strong men that are of age. Again, sundry conditions and considerations are required in the supper which debar young infants, that although they are to be baptised, yet they ought not to be admitted to the Lords supper, seeing by their young years they are excluded. For it is required of all those that come to this supper, e 1 Cor. 11.26 28, 29. to show forth the Lords death, to discern the body and blood of Christ, and try themselves whether they have faith and repentance. But infants cannot do these things, they cannot show forth the Lords death, they are not apt to discern his body and blood, they are not able to examine themselves, and therefore infants for good causes are excluded from this Supper. If any say, Is this a good reason, the promise doth belong to infants, and therefore the Sacrament of Baptism? Then why may not the Lords Supper be as well given unto them upon the same ground? This will not follow howsoever some of the ancient Fathers were of that opinion, Cyprian Ser. 5. de laps. August. de eccl. dogm. cap. 52. joh. 6, 6, 5●. applying this Scripture to their purpose, joh. 6, 53. Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. But this place is to be understood of spiritual eating by faith, not of the Sacramental eating, as we shall show in the next book. They were therefore deceived that thought the Supper of the Lord did belong to infants. And touching this consequence, The promise of grace belongeth to children, Therefore the outward sign of the Sacrament: it is true being rightly understood, to wit, according to the limitation, and the appointment of God, proper to every Sacrament, who hath ordained that the Sacrament of entrance should be received both of men and children, Gen. 17. howbeit only the males in the old Testament and not before the eight day: but in the new Testament both of male and female without restraint of time. And touching the Supper of the Lord, which is the Sacrament of our nourishment, it can appertain to those only that are come to years of discretion, first, because the end thereof is to show the Lords death until he come. 1 Cor. 11, 26. 1 Cor. 11, 28. Secondly, because every one that cometh unto it, is commanded to examine himself. Mat. 26, 26. Thirdly, the peculiar actions and external rites of eating and drinking do not agree to babes & sucklings. Thus likewise in the old Testament circumcision was ordained for infants; but the passover for such as were of that age, that they might inquire of their parents touching the substance and signification thereof, Exod. 12, 26. Exod. 12, 26. Thirdly, they object, f Mar. 16, 16. Mat. 28, 19 that it is said, Teach and baptise: Object. 3 and again, He that shall believe and be baptised shall be saved: whereupon they conclude, that such as believe not, are not to be baptised; inasmuch as Christ before baptism commandeth teaching, and afterward joineth baptizing with believing. But infants are not capable of doctrine, neither do they actually believe: therefore they are not to be baptised. Again, g Act. 2, 38. if repentance be necessarily joined as Act. 2. Amend your lives and be baptised: then infants must be separated and secluded, who cannot repent. But repentance is necessarily required: therefore infants are to be barred from the Sacrament of baptism. Answer. I answer, first, those sentences are not general to all, but belong only to men of sufficient years and discretion to discern between good and evil. By this fraud of extending, stretching, and falsely applying general sentences of Scripture, a man might rear and raise many monstrous conclusions. If a man would go about to prove that children are not to be nourished and fed with corporal food, because the Apostle would have none to eat h 1 Thes. 3, 10 but such as labour, were he not worthy to be spitted at or hissed out of the schools, because he carrieth that indifferently to all ages, which is limited and restrained to a certain age? So must we not rack and rend asunder the i Luk. 13, 3, 5. Rom. 10, 17. Mar. 16, 16. Heb 11, 6. general sentences of Scripture, Except ye repent, ye shall all perish: faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God: he that believeth and is baptised, shall be saved. These belong only to men of discretion, and are not to be applied to Infants, whom they do not concern. Again, Christ in those words instructeth his Apostles, what order they should observe in the conversion of the Gentiles: first, they must instruct them in faith; then baptise them being instructed; and lastly guide them in true obedience being baptised: when he addeth, k Mat. 28, 20. Teaching them to observe whatsoever I have commanded you. Besides, if they strictly urge and stiffly stand upon the words, as they literally lie in order: why may we not first baptise them before we teach them, because it is said, baptizing them in the name of the Trinity, and teaching them to observe what I command? But he entreateth in this place of such as are grown up, which must first have knowledge in the Gospel, faith in Christ, and repentance from dead works before they be baptised: but infants are baptised by reason of the promise made to their parents. Moreover, we might oppose unto these the example of circumcision, which we know, and they are not ignorant was given to infants, who could not yet believe: so that such as bar them from baptism, because they are not capable of faith and repentance, might in like manner exclude the infants of the Israelites from circumcision. Baptism is the Sacrament of repentance and faith, though neither of these be in infancy, yet they are baptised to the repentance and faith to come, which albeit they be not actually form in them, yet by the fruits afterward they shall appear to be in them. Lastly, if baptism should be given only to those that truly believe, it should likewise be denied to such as are of understanding; for we are not able to pronounce of these that they do truly believe, and certainly apprehend the promises of the Gospel. Wherefore, if infants are not to be baptised, because they have not faith and want repentance: neither are they of sufficient age to be baptised, of whom it cannot be directly and undoubtedly said, they do believe. S mon the sorcerer mentioned l Act. 8, 13, 20. in the Acts of the Apostles was baptised, and yet remained an hypocrite. If they say, profession of faith is sufficient to make members of ●he visible Church: I answer, our Saviour speaketh not of a bare profession of faith, when he saith, He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved, for then all that profess faith should receive m 1 Pet. 1, 9 The reward of their faith, which is the salvation of their souls. Again, profession of faith is for such as are capable of it, which agreeth not to the age of infants: as they cannot deny the faith before men, which they have not acknowledged: no more can they confess the truth of doctrine, which they never learned. Now to be borne in the Church and in the covenant, is to infants in place and stead of an actual confession and real profession. Such as are grown up must believe with the heart, n Rom. 10, 10 and confess with the mouth the Gospel of salvation: it is sufficient for others to be the children of such as have confessed the faith. Fourthly, they object in this manner, Objection 4 baptism is given for remission of sins: but infants have not sinned: they therefore cannot be baptised: I answer, Answer. infants commit not actual sin, yet are guilty of original sin, they want inherent righteousness, they have a proneness to all evil, their whole nature is corrupted being in the seed of Adam. Albeit therefore infants have not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, in their own persons, yet they have sinned in him, and in his loins, in whom all are dead. This the holy man o job. 14 4. teacheth, job. 14. Who can bring a clean thing out of filthiness? There is not one. Likewise the Prophet p Psal. 51, 5. Rom. 5, 14, 19 David confesseth this truth, Psal. 51. Behold, I was borne in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me. So the apostle Paul, Rom. 5. Death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them also that sinned not after the manner of the transgression of Adam, which was the figure of him that was to come: for as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Wherefore such as hold infants without all guilt of sin, never knew the greatness of Adam's fall, of God's justice, of man's misery, and of Christ's endless mercy. Lastly, Objection 5 they object that Christ himself was not baptised until 30. years of age. I answer, Answer. no more did he preach before he was thirty: yet hence it followeth not, that none ought to enter that calling before that age. True it is, he that desireth that worthy office must be no new plant, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no younger Scholar, none lately come to the profession, & gathered immediately from heathenish religion to the fellowship of the Gospel: yet the office of teaching is not tied to 30. years, the age may be less if the gifts be great, and fit for that calling. Again, Christ stood not in need to be baptised in respect of himself, being without original or actual sin to be washed away, and therefore john at the first put him back: r Mat. 3, 15. yet he would be baptised for our sakes, to fulfil all righteousness, to sanctify our baptism in himself, and that thereby we might know he was installed into his office. But we stand in need to be baptised, to seal up the washing away of our sins, and therefore there is great difference in this respect between Christ and us. Besides, the Evangelist doth testify, that albeit our Saviour were baptised at thirty years of age, yet he was circumcised at eight days old. Now we have proved before, that the same which circumcision was to the jews, baptism is to all Christians. If then he in his infancy were circumcised, than children in their infancy may be baptised, and are not commanded to wait thirty years: for baptism is our circumcision, as the Apostle teacheth: but Christ in his infancy was circumcised, s Luk. 2, 21. when the eight days were accomplished: therefore children in their infancy may be baptised. Furthermore, baptism was not hitherto as yet in use, it was not commanded to be used when he was a child, and therefore he could not possibly be baptised, unless we will imagine he might be baptised, before baptism was. So that we see, as he would not have his circumcision deferred one day beyond the time appointed: so he was presently baptised, so soon as baptism was instituted of God, and administered by john. Fiftly, we are no more tied to this circumstance of time in Christ's baptism, than we are to other circumstances of time, place, and persons in the Supper: he ministered it in an upper Chamber, and before his passion: we in Churches, before dinner, and after his resurrection. Lastly, when the time appointed came, that the promised Saviour and redeem of mankind should manifest himself to the world, than he showed himself openly, than he came to the preaching and baptism of john, and began to publish the glad tidings of salvation, t Mar. 1, 15. and to exhort men to repent and believe the Gospel. These are the chiefest objections against children's baptism, that ca ●y any show and probability of reason, which hitherto we have dissolved and discussed. And this is the second point before propounded. Now as we have seen the truth proved by the Scripture, and maintained it against all the ignorant cavils of the Anabaptists and other Arrians of Transiluania, that have u Ministri. Transiluan. contra Trinit. & incarnationem domini. oppugned this truth: so let us come to see the benefit of this doctrine, and what profit cometh by baptism of children that are without knowledge, without understanding, without faith, and without repentance. What use can there be of this? Much every way, as well as by circumcising an infant of eight days old. First, consider from Use 1 hence, a plain and palpable error of the Church of Rome, a Lindan. lib. 4. panopl. Bellar. de verbo dei. lib. 4. cap. 9 that teach that the baptism of children is by tradition, not by divine institution, from their word unwritten, not in the word of God written. But we have confuted the Anabaptists by the Scriptures, and convinced them by the institution of circumcision, by the tenor of the covenant, by the holiness of their birth, by their redemption through the blood of Christ, and by the practice of the Apostles. This is better armour, these are stronger weapons, this is a sharper sword to cut in sunder the corrupt heresy of the Anabaptists, than the wooden dagger of human tradition which the Church of Rome draweth out against them. The Scripture is all-sufficient b 2 Tim. 3, 16. to prove all truth, and to beat down all false doctrine that lifteth up itself against God. Wherefore, we hold their traditions to be superstitions: and their unwritten verities are written lies. As we retain the baptism of children, so we have always been ready to maintain it by the old and new testament, as by the sword of the Spirit against all the adversaries thereof. Secondly, let us learn from hence to acknowledge a difference Use 2 between baptism and the Lords Supper. For in baptizing of Children, not faith, not repentance, not regeneration is required, but only to be borne in the covenant: but the Supper of the Lord requireth knowledge, discerning, trying, and examining of ourselves: which are not required, neither can be performed of young children, who know not light from darkness, nor good from evil. Thirdly, if infants have interest in baptism, than hence Use 3 it followeth that all are conceived and borne in original sin, c joh 3, 6. 1 Cor 15, 22. Rom. 3, 23, 24. Eph. 2, 1, 2. and whatsoever is of the flesh is flesh. So the apostle saith, As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. There is no difference, all have sinned, and are deprived of the glorious kingdom of God: we must be justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ jesus: by nature all are the children of wrath, and borne dead in sins and trespasses, infants not excepted. We learn therefore that whatsoever is begotten of man, is sinful and corrupt, it must be cut and pared away, we must be renewed & borne again by the Spirit of God, cleansing us from our sins: yea the children of the faithful parents, whose corruptions are mortified, whose lusts are subdued, whose flesh is tamed, and brought under the obedience of the will of God, are notwithstanding brought forth in sin, because they are borne by carnal generation, and not by spiritual regeneration: as corn winnowed from the chaff d August. de poenit. merit. & remiss. li. 3. c. 18 yet groweth up again with it, and as the foreskin cut off from the parents returneth in the child. Again, have infants of the faithful right to be baptised? Use 4 Then acknowledge hereby the difference between them and the children of Infidels, jews, Pagans, and Turks. As the children of the jews being heirs of the covenant, were separated and distinguished from other children of the wicked Idolatrous nations, and were therefore accounted the holy seed: so for the same cause and reason the children of Christians e 1 Cor. 7, 14. are called holy, borne of either party and parent being faithful and a beleeever, and do differ from the profane seed of Idolatrous people. Indeed whosoever maketh a true profession of the faith which he holdeth, and is ready to lead his life according to that confession, though he be not the seed or child of the faithful, yet is to be baptised, though he came of the race of Turks or Pagans, f Acts 8, 37. as appeareth by the speech of Philip to the Eunuch, Acts 8. If thou believest, thou mayest. Thus we see, that the children of those that profess the faith, belong to the Church of God: the children of Pagans belong not to the Church of God: lo how great a difference there is between them. Hereby than the children of the faithful are discerned and distinguished from the profane multitude of Atheists, Epicures, Libertines, Arrians, Anabaptists, Turks, Saracens, Persians, and other barbarous nations, g Eph. 2, 1●. which are without Christ, without hope, without God in the world: whereas the holy seed of all the faithful belong to the Church of God, and are reckoned in the company of the Church. For this h Rom. 11, 6. cause, the Apostle calleth the whole posterity of Abraham holy, that is, consecrated and hallowed to God, If the root be holy, the branches are also holy. Not that the children of the faithful do want original sin, or that they gather any actual holiness or inherent righteousness by carnal generation and propagation from their parents, but because by benefit of the covenant of God, and by force of his gracious promise, they are separated from profane Infidels, and brought into the bosom of the Church, as Noah was into the Ark. Fiftly, this doctrine that children are commended to Use 5 God & infranchized into the heavenly City, setteth forth the honour and glory of God. For is not God greatly glorified, when he showeth himself true in his promises, and hath mercy upon the faithful i Deut. 7, 9 for a thousand generations? And is not occasion offered unto us continually to glorify him? Can we deserve that God should be our God? Nay do we not deserve that he should not be our God? And yet behold he will be the God of our children also? Let us therefore never forget his mercies: let us fill our mouths or rather our hearts with his praises: let us confess before the Lord his loving kindness, and his wonderful works before the sons of men. Sixtly, all parents are hereby wonderfully comforted, Use 6, they have their faith strengthened, and are confirmed in the love of God, when they see themselves so beloved of God, that it descendeth and floweth even to their Children, as they are assured by this visible sign. This is that worthy and wonderful promise which we must receive by k Gen. 17, 7. faith, Gen. 17. I will be thy God, and the God of thy seed after thee; I will establish my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee. A sentence to be written, not only in Gold, but in the tables of our hearts to dwell with us for ever. When we must leave the world and our families in poor estate behind us, and go unto the Father: let us not be dismayed, discouraged, or discomfited: this is the stay of our hope, this is the staff of our comfort, this is our anker-hold, that he will not shut up his mercy toward our children, but be a gracious God to them as he hath been to ourselves: so that we may assuredly say unto them with faithful Abraham, l Gen. 22.8. My son, God will provide. Let us be content with those things that we have, for he hath said, m Heb. 13, 5.6, 7. josh. 1, 5. H●g. 2, 9 I will not fail thee neither forsake thee, so that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, neither will I fear what man can do unto me. Godliness is great gain, and he that is truly godly, is truly rich. He that hath Christ, hath all things: he that wanteth him, wanteth all things. Heaven and earth are the Lords: all the gold and silver are his, who hath promised to be an husband to the widow, eyes to the blind, a covering to the naked, a father to the fatherless, and he will not forget his kindness toward us for ever. Wherefore, let us lift up n Heb. 12, 12.13. our hands and our hearts which hang down, let us strengthen our weak knees, and make strait steps unto our feet, God is able to work contentedness in all his servants, whose power is best seen in our weakness, and whose glory shineth brightest in our greatest wants, Remember o Psal. 37.25 & 34, 8, 9, 10. what the Prophet saith, Psal. 37. I was young and now am old, yet I never saw the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. And again, Taste ye and see, how gracious the Lord is, blessed is the man that trusteth in him. Fear the Lord ye his Saints: for nothing wanteth to them that fear him. The Lions do lack, and suffer hunger, but they which seek the Lord shall want nothing that is good. Lo, how the man shall be blessed that feareth God, not only in his own person, but in his children: p Psal. 115, 13 14. jer. 32, 38, 39 inasmuch as our seed is no less dear to him then we are, as Psal. 115. He will bless them that fear the Lord, both small & great: the Lord will increase his graces toward you and toward your children. And to the same purpose the Prophet jeremy, chap. 32. saith. They shall be my people, & I will be their God, and I will give them one heart, & one way, that they may fear me for ever for the wealth of them and of their children after them. Let us all rest in his words, and rely upon his merciful promises. He is not as man that he should lie, nor as the son of man that he should deceive. He hath said, he will be our God, and the God of our seed that we leave behind us. Behold, O Lord, the words of thine own lips, consider the promises that are gone out of thine own mouth. We know thou art true and faithful in all thy sayings, thou wilt not alter the things which thou hast written with thine own finger: on thee we wait, and in thee we put our trust, let it be unto thy servants according to thy free promise, and according to thy gracious covenant, that we may feel the accomplishment thereof in our souls. seventhly, all parents are hereby to be warned and admonished, Use 7 that seeing the promise of forgiveness of sins and the kingdom of heaven belongeth to their seed, and consequently the sign and seal thereof: they must be careful to bring them up q Eph. 6, 4. in the true knowledge and fear of God, as Eph. 6. Father's provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in instruction and information of the Lord. So Moses teacheth, Exod. 12. Exod 12, 26.27. When their children should ask them touching the Paschal Lamb, that then it is their duty to declare and deliver to them the true cause and occasion thereof. Likewise, so often as we consider how our children are by grace accepted, by baptism consecrated unto God, and so made heirs of life and salvation: it standeth us upon to plant and water the saving knowledge of Christ jesus in them. For what should it profit us to leave them great riches and large possessions, and make them for want of instruction and information in the ways of God the children of hell? If we do no more but feed them, and give them meat and drink: what do we for them, which we do not for the Ox and Ass? Or if our chiefest care be to clothe them well, and to apparel them warm: what do we r 1 Tim. 5, 8. which the Turks and Infidels do not, as well as we? Have not they as great a portion in this as we? but our obedience to the will of God, and duty to our children must exceed theirs, if we will enter s Mat 5, 20. into the kingdom of heaven. Whereby we see, that they are greatly deceived, who when they have made honest provision for the sustenance and sustentation of their children in this world, will say they have done their part, although they have not taught them to know God; these have the greatest and chiefest account to make for their souls. Now if this be a grievous sin to neglect the teaching of our children the fear of God: then they increase and double their iniquity, who by their corrupt example do lead them into evil, and so murder their souls. For children in stead of godly and religious instruction, do oftentimes hear their fathers swear, swagger, lie, tail, blaspheme, and slander: see them deal deceitfully and unjustly, and mark their walking in every evil way, making their houses as it were an image and representation of Hell itself, by practice of all manner of abominations leading thereunto. Lastly, this doctrine is very comfortable unto children Use 8 themselves. For howsoever they cannot know or remember then own baptism: yet they are to consider that they live in a Church and among a people, where infants are ordinarily baptised, and sealed with the sign of the covenant of God. Besides, it is and ever hath been A laudable customs of the Church whom Godfathers and God mothers of ancient time a laudable custom in the Church to have special witnesses (men of credit and estimation) of every child's and infant's baptism, whom commonly we call Godfathers and Godmothers. The steps of this truth may be traced out, if we consider u 〈◊〉 ●. 1. ●. ● what the Prophet Esay saith, Chap. 8. where he declareth that so soon as his wife had borne him a son. he gave him his name (which was done at circumcision) and took two Parents' no 〈◊〉 witnesses of th●● own● ch●ldrens baptism. faithful witnesses Vriah and Zechariah to testify the circumcision of his son, and the solemn giving to him of that name in the presence of the congregation. And howsoever Vriah walked not with a right foot, but turned aside from the pure worship of God to set up the Idolatrous Altar after the fashion of Damascus, to feed the fancy of Ahaz: yet he was a man of reputation, whose testimony was sufficient to assure the naming of the Prophet's Son: because the times to come would be troublesome and full of many calamities. For their children were named, when they were b Gen 21, ●. Luk. 1, 59 and 2, 21. circumcised: as now our children are named when they are baptised. So likewise the Church oftentimes lieth under the cross, and is subject to persecution, as c revel. 11, 6. the woman driven into the Wilderness, Revelations 12, 6. and so the baptism of many members might many times be doubted off and called into question, (forasmuch as no impression abideth in the flesh, as there did in circumcision) the Churches have thought it sit and convenient to require certain men to be as special witnesses of infants their bringing to Christ and to the Church by baptism, and of their names given them in their baptism. True it is, there is no express commandment in the Scripture, neither is it a thing in itself necessary to have chosen witnesses, which they call Godfathers, to undertake for the child. Nevertheless, it is commendable, and not rashly to be rejected and refused: For first, it is not contrary to the Scriptures, and the doctrine contained therein. Secondly, it hath been a very ancient custom in the Church, which seemeth to have sprung from the baptism of those that were called Catechumeni, being as it were novices and newly taught in the principles of christian religion. These being asked concerning their faith, did not only make answer themselves, but gave witnesses & sureties of their faith: in imitation of whom it is now extended generally to the baptism of every one, even of infants. Thirdly, it containeth and commandeth nothing unjust, or unhonest, or unlawful, or any way inconvenient. Fourthly, it proceedeth from charity, both of the fathers which choose such Godfathers to be an help unto them in bringing up their children, and of such also as promise for them, and in their name. Last of all, it tendeth unto the good of the child and of the whole Church. Of the Child, when beside the parents (who may departed out of this life and leave their children young,) there are others as guardians and assistants to have an eye over them, who should not cease to call upon them to learn true religion, and to cleave unto it to the end. Of the Church, because by this means they that belong unto it are better provided for, touching their education and instruction in the fear of God, and their young years are more easily seasoned with the best things betimes. So then we see, that this custom is good and laudable in itself, so that there be no abuse of it, nor superstition in it, nor matter of necessity urged upon it. Seeing therefore children are baptised, and have by this means an assurance given them of their baptism: they have a marvelous benefit bestowed upon them, that they so soon obtain the partaking of Christ and all his benefits. God worketh in the Children of the faithful belonging to his covenant by ways unknown to us, as d Luk. 1, 15.41 john Baptist is said to be filled with the Holy-Ghost from his mother's womb: and they are called e 1 Cor. 7, 14. holy by the Apostle, insomuch that they cannot perish: whom God calleth, some sooner and some later, all in his own appointed time, as seemeth good to his heavenly pleasure. The remembrance whereof, when children come to age, greatly comforteth them in the love and fear of God, when they call to mind that they are so greatly esteemed and highly regarded of God, from the first coming into the world, before they had the use of speech, of reason, and of understanding. Christ jesus shed his blood for them, he died for all the Children of God, f joh. 11, 52. revel. 20, 12. he redeemed them whether they be old or young, small or great, as joh. 11. He must die, not for that nation only, but should gather together in one the children of God which are scattered. And the same apostle revel. 20. saith, I saw the dead both great and small stand before God, and the books were opened, and another book was opened which is the book of life, and the dead were judged of those things written in those books according to their works. Wherefore, when children shall come to years of discretion and understanding, they must hereby be pricked forward to an earnest care and endeavour to walk in the fear of God, and to serve him in holiness & righteousness all the days of their life, by whom they were received for sons and adopted for his children by a solemn pledge of their adoption, before they were able through their age, to know and acknowledge him for their father. This must serve as a strong confirmation of their faith, both in life and death, to assure them that God will never leave them nor forsake them, who so soon beginneth to give them pledges of his love, and to show himself to be their God. We see by common experience, that a little child coming into the world, is one of the miserablest and filliest creatures that can be devised, the very lively picture of the greatest infirmity that can be imagined: more weak in body, and less able to help himself, or shift for himself, than any of the beasts of the field. The other creatures (which are also the work of his hands) by the secret instinct of nature so soon as they are come forth, seek about for succour and sustenance. It is not so with children, they can neither seek their own good, nor defend themselves from evil. They are ready to fall into fire and water, or any other danger; they cannot take one bit of bread to feed themselves, they cannot cover their own nakedness; they must be carried in our arms, swaddled in clothes, attired in apparel, washed with water, nourished with milk, and afterward with meat, and have all things supplied unto them. They would starve for cold sooner than come to the fire to warm themselves, they can do nothing to save or to serve themselves. Thus mankind lifted up into the highest seat of honour, and made little inferior to the Angels is through sin & their revolt from God fallen down into the greatest misery, and lowest degree of all wretchedness. Nevertheless, in respect of the life to come, God hath provided much better for the sons of men then for others: for they are no sooner come into the world, but he taketh care for them, he declareth himself a father unto them, he hath commanded them to be brought unto him, and to be baptised in his name, to the end that so soon as they begin to breath, they might also begin to breath & live anew or second life: so soon as they begin to suck the milk of their mother's breasts, they might also suck both the breasts of the Church, and so find the food of everlasting life. He giveth his Angel's charge over them and receiveth them unto mercy; he reserveth them for his heavenly kingdom, and in the mean season offereth unto them many tokens and assurances of his good will toward them. Let them therefore give the g Prou. 3, 9 Lam. 3, 27, Psal. 119, 9 Eccle. 12, 1. first fruits of their life to God: let them learn to bear the yoke of obedience from their youth, let them redress and reform their ways by taking heed to the word of truth: and seeing God hath remembered them in their baptism, let them also remember their Creator in the days of their youth, and begin to be wise betimes, lest death come suddenly and cut them off, as the sluggard that fore-sloweth the seasons of ploughing and reaping, wisheth for them in vain at another time of the year. Thus we have showed the baptism of children: the certain truth thereof hath been evidently proved: the objections against this truth alleged, have been sufficiently answered: and the uses of it to the great comfort of all faithful parents and Children have been particularly remembered. CHAP. VIII. Of the first inward part of baptism. HItherto we have handled all the outward parts of baptism, now we are orderly to proceed to the inward parts. The inward parts of baptism are such as are represented by the outward. Those are a Mat. 2●, 19.20 Mark. 16, 16. four in number: first, God the Father: secondly, the Spirit: thirdly, Christ: four, the soul cleansed, as we see Mat. 28. Teach all Nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy-Ghost: he that believeth and is baptised, shall be saved. Hear we see these four inward parts b Four inward parts of baptism. are named and expressed. This is also evidently proved c Mat 3, 11. in the baptism of Christ, where the Trinity of persons was manifested. These inward parts do directly and fitly answer to the outward. The Father is represented by the Minister: the Spirit worketh by the word: Christ is sealed by the water: & the soul cleansed is signified by the body that is washed. Now, d The agreement between the outward and inward parts. there is a notable agreement, a singular union, and fit proportion between these parts, where the Minister hath relation and reference to the Father, the word to the Spirit, the water to Christ, and the body dipped to the faithful cleansed. For even as the Minister by the word of institution, taketh and applieth the water to the washing of the body: so God the Father through the working of the Spirit offereth and applieth the blood of Christ, to the cleansing of the faithful. Having seen the proportion of the parts between themselves, let us consider of them particularly & in order. The e The first inward part of baptism is God the Father. first inward part is God the Father, represented by the Minister. The Minister calling upon the name of God, useth the water to wash & washeth the party baptised with the element of water, which sealeth up God's incorporating & engrafting f Gal. 3, 27. of the baptised into Christ, and our spiritual regeneration. Hence it is, that when john baptised, the Father was present, as precedent of the work, when lo, his voice came from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Now let us come to the uses. This serveth first of all, to strengthen our faith in the remission Use 1 of our sins, in imputation of Christ's righteousness in mortification of sin by the force of Christ's death, and in sanctification through Christ's resurrection. Wherefore although the Minister doth nothing, touching or toward the cleansing of the soul: yet in regard of God's ordinance and our benefit, the ministry of man is somewhat, which whosoever despiseth, doth despise GOD the the author of it. For whensoever the eye of the body seethe the Minister pouring on the water, and washing the body: we must behold by faith God the Father, offering the blood of his own Son to be water of life to our souls. And let us all make this use of the Church's baptism to the comfort of our own hearts, so often as we see it administered: let us not rest in it, as in a work done to another, and nothing concerning ourselves, but evermore help our inward affection by the outward action: and always as the eye of the body beholdeth the Minister, let the eye of our faith be fastened firmly upon the Father, who maketh the Sacramental rites available, which are openly done before us for our edification. Use 2 Again, it teacheth, that we must not rest in the outward washing, not in the external actions of the Minister: but ever consider what is offered to our considerations therein: and when the Father offereth to us his Son, let us not refuse him. For he that satisfieth himself with the outward work, is as he that catcheth after the shadow, and regardeth not the substance; or as one that maketh much of the garments, but respecteth little the body itself, which ought to be had in greatest price and estimation. The Minister taketh the water and washeth the body, which is a pledge of a farther thing; for than doth the Father apply the promise of remission of sins and life everlasting to the person baptised, as if he should speak with a loud voice and call the party by his name, while the outward sign is powered on the body: I freely wash away thy sins, and give unto thee the pardon of them, and bestow upon thee eternal life, so that thou turn unto me and believe in Christ thy Saviour. Let us then as true believers by a spe●iall faith re●eiue and apprehend his merciful promises, and rest in them. Let this cause us to turn unto him by unfeigned repentance, and to walk with all obedience in his ways. Seeing therefore he doth so graciously assure us of his great mercies with his own hand & seal, woe unto us if we be not mu●h moved and affected with it. Use 3 Lastly, is God the Father an inward part of baptism? Then we must take heed we give not that to the Minister which is proper to God the Father, whereby he i●●obbed of the honour and glory due to his great name. The Minister may wash the body and cleanse the flesh, but can go no further: he meddleth not with sanctification of the conscience from dead works, which is not in the power of mortal man to do: so that God giveth the thing, and men give the sign; yea while the Minister offereth the one, God the Father giveth the other. CHAP. IX. Of the second inward part of Baptism. THe second inward part of baptism a The second inward part of baptism i● the holy Spirit. is the Spirit of God, having relation to the word and promise of God. Thi● b Mat. 3, 11.10. appeareth Mat. 3, 11. He bapti●eth with the Holy Ghost and with fire: And verse 10. When Christ wa● baptised, the heaven were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit descending like a Dove, and lighting upon him. So the apostle, 1 Cor. 6. saith, Ye are washed, ye are sanctified, ye are justified in the name of the Lord jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. And chap. 12. of the same Epistle, By one Spirit we are all bapti●ed into one body, whether we be jews or Grecians, whether we be bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. And Tit. 3. According to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of the new both, and the renewing of the Holy-Ghost, which he shed on us abundantly, through jesus Christ our Saviour. All these testimony: teach us, that the holy Spirit of God i● a necessary inward part of this Sacrament, and that the baptism of the Spirit joined to the word, giveth force unto it, who worketh in our soule● that which water doth in our bodies, so that without the Spirit it is nothing. From hence we learn, that it is not the dipping of us Use 1 into, or the sprinkling of us with water by the Minister that maketh us partakers of Christ, but it cometh from the virtue of the Spirit, who in time performeth what is represented by outward signs, and promised by the word. Again, we learn hereby, that the Spirit is true God, Use 2 equal with the Father and the Son. For who is able to make the word and Sacraments available but only God? Seeing then this is the proper work of the Holy-Ghost, to open the heart, to teach the conscience, to seal up to the day of redemption, and to help our infirmities in hearing, in praying, and receiving the Sacraments: he must needs be acknowledged to be true God the c 1 Cor. 12, 4.5, 8, 9, 10, 11. revel. 1, 4. giver of these graces. So we see, that in the form of the administration of this Sacrament, the blessed Spirit is named and rehearsed, d Mat. 28, 19 and hath his order together with the Father and the Son, This therefore is a principle of our faith, to be learned, confessed, and believed. Use 3 Thirdly, we are hereby to take heed and beware, that we give not to the word that which is proper to the Spirit; he ingrafteth us into Christ, he keepeth us that we fall not from Christ, he maketh the word and promise of the institution profitable unto us, without whom it should be unto us as sounding brass or a tinckeling Cymbal. Wherefore, as GOD the Father in mercy maketh the promise, so his Spirit must assure it to the Consciences of all the faithful. Use 4 Lastly, let us learn whensoever we come to the word or Sacraments, to crave the gracious assistance of the blessed Spirit, to guide, direct, and regenerate us to eternal life, to sanctify us, e 1 joh. 5, 7. and to assure us of God's endless favour in Christ jesus, as 1. joh. 5. There be three which bear witness in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the holy Spirit: and these three are one. The Holy-Ghost by his grace and virtue worketh in us steadfastly to believe the truth of God's word, and the gracious promises of salvation: as he is the author, beginner, and begetter of faith in us, so he increaseth it, & maketh us fit to receive Christ, and to apply him with all his gifts unto our souls, and sendeth us into the full fruition and possession of Christ. He is our comforter to certify us of our reconciliation to God, and to make us rejoice under the Cross, knowing that f Rom. 5, 3, 4, 5. tribulation bringeth forth patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, and hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy-Ghost which is given unto us. He is the earnest and seal of our inheritance, by whom we are sealed up to everlasting life. Thus we see, that howsoever the increase and strength of faith is assigned to the Sacraments: yet this grace proceedeth from the Holy-Gkost, who is unto our faith as marrow unto the bones, as moisture unto the tree, and as a comfortable rain unto the fruits of the earth. If this inward master and teacher be wanting, the Sacraments g The Sacraments profit not without the Spirit. can work no more in our minds, then if the bright Sun should shine to the blind eyes, or a loud voice sound in deaf ears, or fruitful corn fall into the barren wilderness, or a shower of rain fall upon the hard stones. Wherefore, lest the word of salvation should sound in our ears in vain, and Sacraments joined to the word should be present before our eyes in vain; the Spirit worketh in us whensoever we come unto them aright, he mollifieth the hardness of our hearts, he frameth us to new obedience, and assureth us that God offereth to us his own Son for our justification and salvation. For even as the seed that falleth into a barren soil dieth and rotteth, yet if it be sown in fruitful ground well tilled and manured, it bringeth forth good increase with gain and advantage: so likewise the word and the Sacraments, if they hit upon an hard neck, and fall into a barren heart, become unprofitable and unfruitful: but if the effectual work of the Spirit accompanieth the hearing of the one, and receiving of the other, they are profitable, available, and comfortable. Thus much of the second part. CHAP. X. Of the third inward part of baptism. THe third inward part of baptism a The third inward part of baptism is Christ jesus. is Christ, represented and signified by the water. For, as the Apostle teacheth b Heb. 10, 4. That the blood of bulls and calves cannot take away sin: so the water in baptism cannot wash away sins. It toucheth the body, washeth it, cleanseth and purgeth it, but it can proceed no further. Nay all the water in the rivers and in the Sea cannot scour and make clean the conscience; it is another water, even the Spirit, that must do it. Hence it is, jer. 2, 22, that the Lord saith by his Prophet jeremy, chap. 2. Though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord. To this purpose speaketh job, job. 9, 30.31. chap. 9 If I wash myself with snow-water, and make my hands never so clean: yet shalt thou plunge me in the Ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me. It is not therefore the outward water, but the inward water that availeth us. For this c Act. 2, 38. & 10, ●8. & 19, 5 cause the believers are said to be baptised in the name of Christ, as Act. 2, 38. Be baptised every one of you in the name of Christ. So chap. 19, 5. They were baptised in the name of the Lord jesus. Not meaning hereby the form and manner of baptizing, but the fruit, foundation, and end of baptism. Likewise, d 1 Pet. 3, 21. the Apostle showeth the same, 1. Pet. 3, 21. Baptism answering to the figure of the Ark, saveth us by the resurrection of jesus Christ. There is no force in outward baptism to save, the whole virtue and force floweth from the stream of Christ's blood, as the true material cause thereof, wherein the power of inward baptism doth consist. The truth being evident, that the pouring out of the blood of CHRIST is one of the inward parts of Baptism, let us see the uses. Use 1 The use of this part teacheth divers points. First, that the outward washing with water, is not the washing away of sins: for them whosoever were dipped in it should receive forgiveness of sins, repentance from dead works, and sanctification of the Spirit, whether he believed or not: e Acts 8.22. which is otherwise, as we see Acts 8, 22. Also, they should not, and could not be Christians and eternally saved, which are not outwardly washed, but departing this life without baptism, they should perish in the next world without redress or redemption; and so our condition were worse than the jews their condition in times past, and the grace of God more restrained under the Gospel, than it was under the law, Moses offering more mercy than Christ himself. So then, the washing with water serveth to ratify the shedding of Christ's blood for the remission of our sins, and the imputation of his righteousness to our justification, f 1 joh. 1, 7. as 1. joh. 1, 7. The blood of jesus Christ his Son doth cleanse us from all sin. So revel. 1, 5. He hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his blood, and made us Kings and Priests unto God even his Father. And Col. 1, 14. the apostle saith, In him we have redemption by h●s blood that is, forgiveness of sins. Again, when we see with our bodily eyes the water Use 2 poured upon the body of the baptised: we must behold and consider with the eyes of faith the blotting out of all our sins, as well original as actual, as well after baptism as before baptism, by the precious blood of Christ, that we may assure ourselves it is no idle action. For we must not behold the Sacramental rites, as certain dumb gestures or stage-like shows without substance and signification, but we must make them serve to further our faith and edification: or else we do horribly abuse them to the great dishonour of God, and to the fearful destruction of our own souls. Lastly, it teacheth us not to be led by the outward senses Use 3 to measure the truth, or to judge of the substance of baptism by the outward sign and visible parts: but to have our faith fixed on Christ crucified on the Cross, and signified in baptism. The Infidel seeing children solemnly baptised in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy-Ghost, will rashly and ignorantly conjecture nothing to be there, but naked rites and bare water: but the faithful and true Christian doth behold the washing of the soul and cleansing of the heart by the dearest blood of Christ. So in the Lord's Supper, to the unbeliever appeareth nothing but Bread and Wine, because we see with our eyes, we receive with our hands, we taste with our mouth no more: but the believer knoweth, that together with these signs, God the Father offereth the body and blood of his Son to be spiritually received and digested, Even as he that is unlettered and unlearned, if he look g Esa. 29, 11, 12. upon the face of a book, beholdeth only black colours and spots upon the Paper, seethe certain figures and characters of Letters differing each from other, but cannot read the writing or comprehend the meaning: but he that hath learned his Letters and is able to read them, reapeth great profit and instruction thereby: So is it in the Sacraments. He that resteth in the outward sign, deceiveth himself: but he that respecteth the thing signified receiveth the profit and advantage. The Cross of Christ and preaching of the Gospel, h 1 Cor. 1, 23.24. are a stumbling block to the jews, and foolishness to the Grecians. For the Infidel hearing that Christ was crucified and nailed upon the Cross, is offended at him, accounting it a foolish and weak means to save mankind, that life should spring out of death, glory come out of shame, power proceed out of weakness, and triumphant victory arise out of his contemptible sufferings: but the faithful soul acknowledgeth in this mystery of godliness, the high hand and unsearchable wisdom of God. It may seem ridiculous unto some men, i Gen. 17, 10. that God should require circumcision of Abraham and of his household, young & old, bond and free, master and servants to uncover all their shames, and to open the hidden parts of nature: yet Abraham submitted himself to the ordinance of God. Naaman the Syrian thought it a toyish precept and prescript, when he was bidden to wash himself seven times in jordan, having many Rivers in his own country as good as that: yet by k 2 Kings 5, 11 12, 14. obeying the Prophet, he was cleansed of his leprosy. The inhabitants of jericho scorned joshua and the men of Israel, when they saw them compass their City strong & walled, l josh. 6.20. and to blow with their Rams horns: yet by this weak means the wall fell down, the enemies were destroyed, the City was sacked, and the people of GOD prevailed. Christ seeing a blind man and willing to heal him, he spat on the ground, m joh. 9, 6. and made clay of spittle, and anointed the eyes of the blind with the clay, and said unto him, Go wash in the pool of Siloam: he obeyed, he went, he washed, he returned seeing. Thus doth God by simple, base, and weak things, oftentimes confound the mighty, strong, and wise of the world, that no flesh should rejoice in his presence, and crosseth all the high conceits and proud imaginations of man's will and wit. Wherefore, we must not follow our own understanding, nor measure the matters of God by the crooked rule of our carnal reason. Whosoever will yield obedience to God must deny himself, and renounce his own wisdom, n 1 Cor. 3, 18.19. and become a fool that he may be wise in God, as 1. cor. 3. Let no man deceive himself, if any man among you seem to be wise in this world, let him be a fool that he may be wise, for the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. Thus we see, that in the Sacraments we must understand more than we see, and believe more than we can behold. Such as are without knowledge and faith, comprehend no more of baptism than the bodily eye directeth them unto: but the faithful conceive the blood of Christ to be offered, to purge the soul and conscience from all sin, o Gen. 2, 10. as the river watered the garden of Eden. CHAP. XI. Of the fourth inward part of baptism. THe last inward part of baptism is the soul a The soul cleansed is the last inward part of baptism. cleansed, most lively represented by the body that is washed. For as the outward receiver giveth his body to be washed, so the faithful receiver doth consecrate himself to God with joy, and forsake the flesh, the world, and the Devil, and feeleth the inward washing of the Spirit, as Titus 3, 5. According to his b Tit. 3, 5. Eph. 2, 26, 27 mercy he saved us, by the washing of the new birth, and the renewing of the Holy-Ghost. And the same apostle Eph. 5. Christ gave himself for the Church, that he might sanctify it, and cleanse it by washing of water through the word, that he might make it unto himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle. Wherefore, this outward washing of the body commanded by Christ, signifieth unto me, that I am no less assuredly cleansed in his blood by the working of his Spirit from the spots of my soul, that is, from all my sins, than I am outwardly washed by water, whereby the stains of the body use to be washed away: and it bindeth us that we ought ever afterward by our works and deeds to declare newness of life and fruits of repentance. Use 1 Let us now come to the uses of this last part of baptism. Doth the washing of the body represent the cleansing of the soul? And doth the soaking up of the filthiness of the flesh signify the removing of the remnants of rebellion? Then we are all by nature unwise, unclean, unrighteous, unregenerate, unholy, disobedient, disordered, deceiving and being deceived: we are the vessels of wrath, the children of death, the bondslaves of Satan, the heirs of damnation, we have our part and portion in the offence of Adam, c Rom. 5, 10. & 7, 23, 24. as Rom. 5. By one man sin entered into the world: and ch. 7. I see another law in my members, rebelling against the law of my mind, and leading me captive unto the law of sin, which is in my members. O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Hereunto also cometh that which the d joh 3, 5, 6, 7. Evangelist setteth down in the conference between Christ and Nicodemus, joh. 3. That which is born of flesh is flesh, and that which is borne of the Spirit is Spirit: marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be borne again. For this cause are infants baptised, because they are conceived in sin & borne in iniquity, and cannot become spiritual, but by a new birth wrought by the Spirit, which is sealed up by the water in baptism. Use 2 Again, this serveth to strengthen our faith when we behold the outward washing, pouring out of the water, and baptizing of the body, it assureth the inward cleansing of the soul by the blood of Christ offered to all, and received of those that are elected to eternal salvation. This then is the right and holy use of baptism. Dost thou feel inwardly in thine heart, that through the corruption of thy nature & strength of concupiscence thou art moved, tempted, and provoked to commit sin? And dost thou feel thyself ready to yield to Satan, and so to fall from God into evil? Begin to have some holy meditation of that solemn vow which thou madest to God in baptism, when thou didst consecrate and give up thyself wholly to his service, and didst renounce obedience to the suggestions of Satan, to the allurements of the world, and to the corruptions of the flesh. For baptism is the e Baptism is a Christian man's ensign to fight under it the battles of the Lord. Christian man's ensign given of God to us, that we should fight as it were under it against all the enemies of our salvation, & overcome. It is the badge and banner of our Captain, that we shrouding ourselves under his colours, should not cowardly turn our back in the skirmish, but courageously look the enemy in the face, nay tread him under our feet for ever. For we must learn, that when we are once baptised (whereby we put on the profession of jesus Christ and receive his cognizance) we declare ourselves to be his servants, and vow ourselves to be his soldiers; and therefore be sure of this, and set it down as an infallible truth, that Satan will be our professed enemy, both alluring of us unto himself and his service, and discouraging of us from resting under the banner of our chief Captain Christ jesus our Lord. This than ought to be the continual use of our baptism throughout the whole course of our life, so often as we think upon it, or see the same Sacrament administered unto others, to remember what place we are called unto, and what a strong enemy we are to encounter withal, that his threatenings do not discourage us, nor his allurements entice us, nor his subtleties deceive us, nor his roar devour us: and by all these (which are so many baits and snares to entrap us) let us be made more wary and watchful, that we may know both his policy and our own infirmity: his strength and our own weakness. Christ our Saviour was no sooner baptised of john, but by and by he was tempted in the wilderness, as appeareth Math. 3, 16. compared with Math. 4, 1. Mat. 3, 10. and 4, 1. Acts 7, 23. When it came into the heart of Moses to visit his brethren, than his trouble began, and he was driven out of the Land of Egypt. Paul lived in great credit among the pharisees, and in much favour with the jews; Acts 9, 23. but when he was once baptised and made a Preacher of the Gospel, he was never free from trouble, but was vexed with injuries and laden with all kind of slanderous accusations. This is a meditation most needful to be thought upon. When we are baptised, we renounce the Devil and all his works, we receive the Press-money of jesus Christ, and give our names to be enrolled in his muster book: we are thereby become his soldiers and fight his battles against sin. We have bound ourselves to become his servants, to do that which is acceptable to God, profitable to our brethren, and comfortable to our own conscience, and to adorn our lives with a godly conversation. But if we fight under the banner of Satan, Who are revolters from their baptism. & swarm with lose and ungodly practices, we revolt from our baptism, albeit our names are registered in the number of the baptised. Moreover, hast thou through weakness and infirmity fallen into some sin, to the dishonour of thy God, to the wounding of thine own conscience, to the slander of the Gospel, or to the scandal and offence of thy weak brother? Have recourse to thy baptism, as unto a board after shipwreck, as unto a medicine after sickness, as unto a plaster after wounding, or as unto a staff after falling: that thou mayest receive strength, courage, and comfort to thy soul. For albeit baptism be once only administered for the reasons before alleged, chap. 1. of this present book: yet it being once delivered and received, testifieth that all our sins past, present, and to come are washed away and shall be forgiven. The fruit or efficacy of the Sacrament is not to be restrained and tied to the present time of personal receiving, but extendeth itself to the whole course of our life afterward. Even as that voice which said in the beginning, Gen. 1. Increase and multiply, and replenish the earth, was spoken indeed but once, howbeit it hath always his effect and operation, Chrysost. homil. de prod. jud. nature working to generation: so the words in baptism which are once only pronounced, I baptise thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy-Ghost, are effectual, forcible, and available all the days of our life, and sound aloud continually in our ears, as if they were uttered afresh, and as if we heard Christ say particularly unto every one of us as he did to the man sick of the palsy, Son, be of good cheer, thy sins be forgiven thee, Mat. 9, 2. Mat. 9, 2. Use 3 Thirdly, seeing the washing of the body betokeneth the cleansing of the soul, it teacheth that baptism is not to be handled in sport. It is a serious action of the Church to be administered in the presence of God the author of it, it is not as a stage-like gesture that may be counterfeited & represented for a show only. To this purpose there is required a clear, plain, and evident rehearsal of the words of institution, that the promise made of God may be understood of the hearers, and especially a calling upon the name of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy-Ghost. True it is, what manner of element is to be applied, and what form of baptizing is to be used, is limited and expressed in the Scriptures: but what admonitions and exhortations, or what prayers and supplications are to be made, the Scripture doth not determine nor deliver, but leaveth it free, as shall be thought fit for the edification of the Church of Christ. By the virtue of this invocation of the name of God and using the words of institution according to the commandment of Christ, it cometh to pass, that the sprinkling of water is made a certain pledge of the sprinkling of the blood of Christ, 1 Pet. 1. 1 Pet 1, 2. Titus 3, 5. a sign of our regeneration and of remission of sins. For what folly were it to imagine that the power of God is weaker in one Sacrament then in the other? That his word should be operative in the one, and idle or of no force in the other? Hence it is, that the Fathers of the Church do oftentimes reason from baptism unto the Supper of the Lord. Epiphanius saith, Epiph. contra. haer. lib. 3. ca 52 Euseb. Emissen. The strength of the bread and the virtue of the water are made powerful in Christ, etc. Eusebius Emissenus, applying himself to declare what manner of change is made in the bread and wine of the Supper, layeth it out by a familiar comparison with that which is wrought in the regeneration of man; he continueth one and the same, to wit, in substance, and yet is become quite another manner of man through the growth and increase of faith. Wherefore it must be ministered with great reverence, and we should attend religiously unto it, no less than we ought to do to the word of God, and to the Supper of the Lord: forasmuch as one Christ is offered, yea eaten and drunken in them all. The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation, it is the immortal seed of regeneration, Rom. 1, 16. it offereth us the forgiveness of our sins, and worketh in us the same that baptism and the Lords Supper, and it maketh us one with Christ who is the substance of the word and Sacraments, and he is communicated to us in them both. Wherefore whensoever we come to be partakers of baptism and to be present at it, we must come with a reverent and religious consideration of those holy actions, and set ourselves with all care before the Lord, of whom we ought earnestly to beg and desire his Spirit to teach us the truth of our Baptism, the assurance of the forgiveness of our sins, and the purging of our consciences from dead works. We come oftentimes and ordinarily to this Sacrament, we see children incorporated into the Church, and sealed up to be members of Christ, and yet seldom or never remember what vow we have made to God, and whose we are by our profession: no not in the present work doth any such cogitation or consideration enter into the hearts of many, yea the most sort see the water sprinkled, and hear the words pronounced, but esteem it little, as a matter belonging nothing at all unto them. There is none that come to hear the word and to receive the Lords Supper, but they think it pertaineth no less (if not more) to them than it doth unto others: but touching baptism and making any use at all of it, they put it far from them, they know they are already baptised, and are to be baptised no more; they turn it & pass it over slightly to the infant that is brought, & to the well-beloved friends and neighbours that bring it, saying to themselves as the pharisees did in another case to judas, Mat. 27, 4. what is that to us? see thou to that. But we cannot so shift over the matter, our baptism will cleave more closely unto us, it hath made such an impression in us and sticketh so near unto us, that it can never be blotted out, nor wiped away, it summoneth us to God, and telleth us that we are not our own, but he challengeth us wholly to himself, and will not let us no from him. Use 4 Lastly, is the cleansing and purifying of the foul represented by the washing of the body? Then from hence ariseth unto us great comfort in baptism, namely that it is no idle, no needless, nor superfluous thing, but of great power, force, and virtue. For the water is not bare water, but the water of regeneration, being rightly used, and administered by those only that are lawfully called to the office, and have a warrant from God and commission from the Church to that purpose. It belongeth not to any private persons, men or women, much less to children to make a toy or sport of it, as it is said of Athanasius, that being yet a child & not knowing what he did, Ruffin. lib. 1. cap 14. 1, Cor. 13, 11. or with what he meddled, he baptised. Of whom we may say as Paul doth, 1. Cor. 13. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. Or as the wise man doth, Eccl. 11. Eccl. 11.10. Baptism administered in sport, is no baptism. Childhood and youth are vanity. Hereby can come no sanctification nor cleansing of the soul, and therefore are they deceived that receive it for good, and ratify it for authentical: forasmuch as every such baptism undertaken by private persons in case of necessity, or by children after an apish imitation, is no baptism at all, neither is that water consecrated water but common and profane, and therefore consequently that washing or sprinkling is to be accounted as common and profane also. If a Child should take upon him to minister the Supper of the Lord, that knoweth not what it meaneth, and charge the people to examine themselves, that hath not learned as yet to examine himself, all men must confess this were a great profanation of this Sacrament by no means to be suffered: or if he should step up into the chair of Moses, and offer fond and childishly to utter 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 Gospel of Christ? Or shall we imagine that any fruit or benefit can come hereby? So may we say of Baptism, it is profaned by unfit persons, & not profitably administered. But to leave these abuses, which we have touched & convinced before, let us see what are the comforts that arise from this inward part of this Sacrament, which are of divers sorts; for hence floweth as from a plentiful spring comfort to the whole Church, comfort to the parents of the persons baptised, & comfort to the infants themselves. Comfort to the wh●le Church. It reacheth to the whole Church, because when it beholdeth water sanctified and set apart for baptism and spiritual washing of the soul 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 feel our hearts at any time cast down by the sight of our sins, and find the burden of them to be intolerable unto us, we must lift up our eyes to heaven, and in a sweet meditation of this holy sprinkling of the blood of Christ assure our consciences thereby, that he hath washed them all away, that they shall not be imputed unto us, nor be able to work our condemnation. We are also put in mind hereby, that we are fellow-members of one and the same body, forasmuch as we have all one baptism, Ephe. 4. Eph. 4, 5. as we have all one Lord and Father, all one faith and hope of eternal life. Hence it is, that at the birth of john the Church rejoiced, coming together to have him circumcised. Let us therefore be ready to join together in this work, in prayer and thanksgiving, let us address ourselves to be as witnesses and approvers of it, that we may receive comfort by it, being evermore taught and confirmed in the truth of our baptism, and remembering what we have promised to God, that we may be careful to perform our promise, and fearful to break covenant with him. In this respect the Church is said to circumcise, * Luke 1, 59 1 Cor. 11, 5. and to prophesy and make prayer, because it joineth together in these holy actions. We have all of us one entrance into the Church, whereby we profess to go all one way, to walk one course, to lead one manner of life, & to serve the same God. Comfort to parents. Secondly, this comfort extendeth more principally & particularly toward the parents themselves, than it doth in general to the whole Church. For they see their seed together with themselves joined to the Church, and washed with the blood of Christ: they have the ancient promise of God verified unto them, I will be thy God and the God of thy seed, Gen. 17. which ministereth great matter of joy unto them, so that they should rejoice more in this mercy showed toward them, then if they could make them heirs of the world, and leave them owners of a kingdom. Howbeit this comfort carrieth with it sundry duties, & putteth them in mind to be thankful to God, who hath verified his covenant to them and their seed; to remember the ordinance of God, that baptism is the seal of his covenant: and lastly, to make them diligent in nurtering and instructing them in true religion, that so their children may learn betimes to become the children of God. For what can more inflame us and set an edge upon us to bestow pains and labour in the teaching and training of them up in the fear of God and the knowledge of his ways, then to consider that God loveth them and us, and showeth himself the God both of them and of us. Lastly, this comfort reacheth to the infants themselves that are baptised, Comfort to infants baptised. when they shall mark that they are solemnly set into Christ, and received into the bosom of the Church. For they have this laver of regeneration, as it were a pawn of God's love always lying by them, and committed unto their trust, to apply it in time of need, to the assurance of their justification and sanctification, & to the strengthening and confirmation of them in all temptations against terrors and fears of conscience. jonathan saul's son took comfort from hence, and an occasion to rest and trust in God, and to assure himself of his help, when he spoke to his armour bearer, Come & let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised, 1 Sam. 14, 6. it may be that the Lord will work for us, for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few. The like we see in David when he was to encounter with Goliath, and to deliver the host of Israel from that blasphemous enemy, Thy servant slew the Lion and the Bear that took a Lamb out of the flock, 1 Sam. 17.26. now this uncircumcised Phil●stim shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the army of the living God. Where we see how they comfort themselves in that which they went about, because themselves were circumcised & bore a sign of the covenant in their flesh, & because they had to do with those that were uncircumcised. Thus ought our baptism, whereby we have put on Christ as a garment, to be as a shield and buckler to defend us in the hour of tentation, and as armour of proof against the assaults and fiery darts of the Devil; assuring ourselves that our engrafting into his body is not an idle ceremony, but serveth to make us strong in the Lord and in the power of his might, who will be near unto us and stand round about us in the day of trouble. Thus much touching the fourth and last inward part of Baptism. CHAP. XII. Of the first use of baptism. HItherto we have handled the parts of baptism both outward and inward: now let us proceed to the uses, the last point to be observed in this Sacrament. The uses of baptism are in number a Three uses of baptism. three: first to show our planting, engrafting, and incorporating into the body of Christ: Secondly, to seal up the remission and forgiveness of all our sins: Thirdly, to teach us to die unto sin and live unto righteousness and true sanctification. These ends b Rom. 6, 3, 4.5, 6. appear evidently by the words of the Apostle, Rom. 6. Know ye not that all we which have been baptised into JESUS CHRIST, have been baptised into his death? We are buried then with him by baptism into his death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead to the glory of the Father, so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we be planted with him to the similitude of his death, even so shall we be to the similitude of his resurrection, knowing this, that our old Man is crucified with him, that the body of sin m●ght be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. In this place the Apostle seateth before us the former ends of baptism expressly. Touching the first use, c The first use o● baptism is to show our engrafting into Christ. he showeth that by it is signified and sealed our uniting, setting, d 1 Cor 12, 13. and inserting into the body of Christ, to remain in him for ever, as branches in the vine, as 1. Cor. 12. By one Spirit we are all baptised into one body, whether we be bond or free: where he teacheth that by baptism we become one body with Christ. And Gal. 3. All ye that are baptised into Christ, have put on Christ. This conjunction with Christ is not bodily or natural, it is not by bands in the flesh, it is not by nearness of blood, for such we see may be separated, as the father from the son, the husband from the wife, the brother from the sister: but this is wholly mystical and spiritual, above reason and above sense, because it is wrought not by natural ways as by joints, sinews arteries, ligaments, and such like, but by spiritual means, to wit, by the power of the Spirit, and by virtue of faith: he sendeth down his Spirit, we send up our faith. First, he must send down his Spirit, because all goodness is of him. Indeed we love him, but it is because he loved us first, giving us e Rom. 8, 15. the Spirit of adoption to cry Abba father: Indeed we come unto Christ to be eased and refreshed as he commandeth, but it is because f joh. 6, 44. the father draweth us. Indeed we persever in faith and love, but this is because he persevereth in loving of us. Indeed we repent and turn unto God, but this is because he g Ezek. 36, 26 27. taketh away our stony heart, and giveth unto us an heart of flesh. Secondly, as he putteth his Spirit within us, so our faith mounteth up to the heavens, and apprehendeth Christ sitting at the right hand of the Father. And thus his Spirit descending, our faith ascending, and both of them joining the members to the head, the branches to the vine, us to Christ, being once engrafted, h joh. 15, 5, 6. we are never separated, as joh. 15. He that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withereth, and men gather them, and cast them into the fire and they burn. No man can be partaker of Christ's benefits to salvation, which is i We are joined to Christ in spiritual marriage. not made one with him. As a woman cannot be partaker of the riches and honour of some great man, & have interest in his person, except she be joined to him in marriage, that they become one body and one flesh: and as the members cannot draw life from the head except they be joined with it: so there is no partaking of Christ, except there be an union and communion with him, k joh. 6, 53. as himself teacheth us, joh. 6. Ver●ly, verily I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. If Christ be present to us, life and all things accompanying salvation are present to us. If Christ be absent from us, death is present, wrath lieth at the door, life and salvation are absent: so that we are never partakers of his graces, except we be as nearly coupled to his humanity, as meat and drink are coupled with our body, which of all other is a most near union and inward conjunction. Thus we see, we are severed from the world to have fellowship with Christ, and are set once in him for ever; l 1 joh. 2 19 Rom 8, 33, 34 35, 37, 38, 39 because he that cometh to Christ once, he casteth him not away, he shall never hunger, he shall never thirst, he shall not be lost but live for ever, as the Apostle saith, 1. john 2. If they had been of us, doubtless they had continued with us. And Paul to this purpose saith, Rom. 8. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen? It is God that justifieth, who shall condemn? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? In all these we are more than Conquerors through him that loved us: for I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ jesus our Lord. If once we be joined to him in spiritual marriage, notwithstanding the difference and disparagement between him and us, nothing shall be able to work our divorcement from him. True it is, God findeth us wallowing m Ezek. 16, 4.5, 6. in our own filthiness, polluted in our own blood, defiled by our own uncleanness, he hath made an eternal covenant with us, he hath spoken peace unto our souls, saying, Thou shalt live, even when we were sunk down in sin to death, he said unto us, Thou shalt live: so that he will never turn from us to do us good, but we shall be his people, and he will be our God, he will give us one heart and one way, that we may fear him for ever, and that it may be well with us and with our children. This made the Apostle to write, Eph. 5, 30, 32. We are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones: this is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and concerning the church: Where he seemeth to allude to the n Gen. 2, 21. first creation of the woman made of one of the ribs of the man, shadowing and showing our knitting and conjunction with Christ, which we have by faith, not by nature: by virtue of the Spirit, not of the flesh. Now as we have showed that this conjunction is made by God's Spirit and by our faith which he hath given us: so the means and instruments to work it, are the word and Sacraments. This is a dignity peculiar and proper to the elect, to have perpetual fellowship with Christ, and to grow up into one body with him, as he teacheth, joh. 17, 20, 21. I pray for all them which shall believe in me through their word, that they all may be one as thou O Father art in me and I in thee, even that they may be one with us, that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. If then there be not an union between Christ and us, we have no access to God the Father, being quite cut off from all hope of life and salvation. As then all the substance and nourishment of the tree cometh from the root, and all the vital powers of a true natural body, come from the head: so it is between the Son of God and us, we have not so much as one drop of the heavenly life in us of ourselves, o joh. 14, 6. Christ is the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh unto the Father but by him. To conclude this first use, seeing such as come to this sacrament p Mar. 16, 16. must be Christians before, it appeareth to be a very corrupt custom of the people, when they require baptism of the Pastor for their children, to say, God hath given me a Pagan, I desire you to make him a Christian. For Baptism cannot make a Christian, but signify: the Sacraments cannot make that which is not, but assure that which is already made, as seals do not give the right, but confirm it. Thus much of the first use of Baptism: the second followeth. CHAP. XIII. Of the second use of Baptism. BEing made one with Christ, we are partakerss of the benefits of his death, to wit, a The second use of baptism is to assure forgiveness of sins. of forgiveness of sins, and of regeneration or new birth. So then the second use of Baptism is to assure us of the remission and pardon of our sins, that we may be unblamable and acceptable to God. This is signified by the outward ceremony of washing and sprinkling, to wit, the sprinkling of our souls with the blood of Christ for the forgiveness of all sins, b Acts 2, 38, & 22, 16. as appeareth, Acts 2. Then Peter said unto them, Amend your lives, and be baptised every one of you in the name of jesus Christ, for remission of sins. And Act. 22. Ananias said unto Paul immediately after his conversion, Arise and be baptised, and wash away thy sins in calling on the name of the Lord. So the Evangelist witnesseth, Mark 1, 4. that john did baptise in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of amendment of life for the remission of sins. And the apostle maketh this use, Col. 2, 12. Ye are buried with him through baptism, in whom ye are also raised up together through the faith of the operation of God, which raised him up from the dead: and you which are dead in sins, and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, forgiving you all your trespasses. The meaning of these places is not that baptism c Baptism doth not of itself confer grace. bestoweth or giveth forgiveness, but only signeth, sealeth, and assureth our pardon: even as remission of sins and the righteousness of faith were not in the old Testament by circumcision conferred, but confirmed unto the faithful. The grace of pardon and forgiveness of sins, is not attained but by faith in Christ, so that the work of baptism will not effect it. Moreover we have proved, that it is not lawful to baptise such as are in years, unless they make open profession of their faith in Christ, and repentance from the works of the old man: wherefore they obtain them not by the outward washing with water in baptism. So then we are no less assuredly washed by the blood of Christ from the spots of our souls, then outwardly we are washed with water from the filth of the body. For the force of his death hath that effectual working in cleansing our souls from the corruption and filthiness of sin, which natural water hath in washing our bodies. By the merit of his death we have full forgiveness of all our sins, not only original but actual, not only passed but present and to come, whose blood is never drawn dry, but is ever fresh and full of efficacy. Therefore, the words delivered by the minister in baptism at the commandment of Christ, namely, e Mat. 28, 19 I baptise thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy-Ghost, should be always in our ears, even until the last gasp, and by them we ought to be assured of the full forgiveness of our offences against God. For the blood of christ by which we are once washed, can never be drawn dry, but is ever fresh full of force and strength, to the continual cleansing of our filthiness and iniquities, so that they never come into the sight of God, neither are imputed unto us. Wherefore it is like unto a sealed charter, whereby is confirmed that all our sins are blotted out. We are all taught by our baptism, that none of the enemies of our salvation shall be able to lay any sin to our charge. Art thou tempted to think that Christ's blood was not shed for thee? That thy transgressions are not pardoned? That thou shalt be brought to judgement for them? Doth Satan tempt thy tender conscience with them? Thou mayst as well doubt that thou wast not baptised and washed with water, as doubt thy sins are not blotted out: thou mayst as well surmise thou perishedst in the water, as suppose thou shalt perish in thy wickedness, the floods whereof howsoever they go over thy head: yet shall not be able to prevail against thee fully, and overcome thee finally. This serveth to convince divers heretics that are altogether ignorant of the right use of Baptism. The Messal●ans believed that baptism was only available to take away former sins. De divin. decree. ca de bapt. But Theodoret teacheth that baptism is the earnest of future graces, not as a razor to cut away only the sins that went before. The Papists suppose no sin forgiven by baptism in infants but one sin only, which is original. In those that are baptised being of age (whereof there is small or rare use in these days) they enlarge and extend it thus far, as that it taketh away both original and actual sins before baptism only: wherein although they would seem to open the Lords hand very wide toward us, yet they are indeed notable Church-robbers, who to maintain their bellies & their lusts, do utterly spoil us, not of a piece, but of our whole salvation in jesus Christ, whilst they send us to our own satisfactions, by prayers, fastings, whip, and such like. Note therefore that our Saviour saith, He that believeth and is baptised, Mar. 16, 16. Tit. 3, 5. 1 Pet. 3, 21. shall be saved. Saint Paul saith, Tit. 3, 5, that baptism hath saved us, and Peter affirmeth that it doth save us, 1 Pet. 3, 21. Where the salvation that we have (through faith) in baptism, being applied to the time past, present, and to come, that is, to all times; it is evident that baptism doth as well seal up unto us the remission of the sins that we commit at the last hour of death, as the inborn sin wherein we were first conceived in our mother's womb. This Saint Austin saw, and therefore teacheth, Aust. de nuptijs & concup. lib. 1. cap. 33. that by the laver of regeneration and word of sanctification all the evils of regenerate men are cleansed, not only sins passed, but such as are committed afterward by ignorance or infirmity, so that great is the pardon of baptism. This then overthroweth the false d Concil. Trid. sess. 5. doctrine of the false Church of Rome, the Mother of abominations, which teacheth that by the grace of Christ received in baptism, all our sins going before it, are razed and blotted out, and leaveth nothing in the party baptised e Bellar. lib. 1. de bapt. cap. 13. that hath the name and nature of sin. But albeit our sins be freely and fully forgiven for Christ's sake, pardoned and not imputed, covered and remembered no more: yet the stain, blot, and remnants of sin remain (though not reign) in our flesh, so long as we live in this world, which in the end of our days together with the mortality and corruption of our bodies shall be taken away and abolished. Indeed the Scripture teacheth, that Christ's blood cleanseth, washeth, g job. 1.29. Psal. 32.1. and taketh away sin, joh. 1. Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world: but this is not by an actual purging of us from all corruption, but in freely acquitting and truly discharging us from the guilt, offence, and punishment before God, as Psal. 32, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are lightened, blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not sin. Therefore, though they be forgiven, yet they remain, g 1 joh. 1, 8. as appeareth, john 1, 29. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and there is no truth in us. And Solomon in his worthy prayer saith, If any sin against thee, 1 Kings 8, 46. Rom 7, 23. Eph. 4, 23. Col. 3, 3. Esay 64, 6. for there is no man that sinneth not. So the Apostle teacheth and toucheth this truth by his own experience. Rom. 7. I see another law in my members, rebelling against the law of my mind, and leading me captive unto the law of sin which is in my members. We are all as a filthy cloth, the flesh rebelleth against the Spirit, and in nothing we can do the things we would, so that if God enter into judgement with us, we cannot stand in his sight. And if original sin were extinguished and utterly abolished in baptism, than they which are baptised, should sin no more: but we see they sin again after their baptism. To conclude, baptism is available not only for sins before, but it is a seal for confirmation of faith touching the remission of those sins that are committed after baptism, as well as done before, as our blessed Saviour teacheth, Mark 16, 16. He that shall believe and be baptised, shall be saved, but he that will not believe, shall be damned. Faith than believeth the forgiveness of all sins past and to come, inasmuch as the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sins. And the apostle accordeth hereunto, Titus 3, 5, 7. According to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy-Ghost: that we being justified by his grace should be made heirs according to the hope of everlasting life. Where we see that the promise of justification is general against all sins. Thus much of the second use. CHAP. XIIII. Of the third use of Baptism. THe third use of baptism is to kill and bury a The third vs● o● ba●ti●●●●●to t●● us our d●●●g to sin, and ●●si●● to ●●wn i●e of life. our natural corruption by the power of Christ's death and burial, and to raise us again to sanctification of our nature and newness of life by his resurrection. Hence it is, that sin hath his death's wound and is strike to the heart, so that it cannot live and reign in the children of God. Hence it is, that baptism is often b Luk. 3, 3. called the Sacrament of repentance, as Luke 3. john came into all the parts and coasts about jordan, preaching the Baptism of repentance for the rem ss●on of sins. So likewise Mark 1, 4. john did baptise in the Wilderness and preach the baptism of amendment of life. And the apostle affirmeth as much, Col. 2, 12, 13. declaring that one end of baptism is the death and burial of the old man by the almighty power of God. This also was taught in those c 1 Pet. 3, 20.21. lively types answering our baptism, to wit, the flood that drowned the old world, while Noah and his family were preserved in the Ark. Also the red sea in which Pharaoh and his host perished, but the people of God were delivered. For as God destroyed in the waters and as it were buried in the flood the old world, but saved a remnant of grace: so doth God through Christ mortify the old man, raise again the new man, and seal them both in our baptism. Likewise as God delivered his people out of the hands of Pharaoh, and opened them a way through the red sea, and drowned their enemies that they saw them no more alive: so by baptism he assureth our deliverance from the thraldom and bondage of sin (which bringeth greater slavery & captivity then any slave is in under his earthly master) and the destruction of the flesh, that it shall not hurt or condemn us. We are all d Psal. 51, 7. Rom. 5, 12. borne in sins and trespasses: we have need of repentance and regeneration. We see then what use we are to make of our baptism, even labour to attain to the efficacy and fruit of it, that it may not be a bare and barren sign. Moses and the Prophets earnestly exhort the people of Israel to show forth the force and effect of their circumcision, e Deut. 10, 16. and 30, 6. to cut away the foreskin of their hearts, and harden their necks no more, as we see, Deut. 10, 16. The Lord did set his delight in thy fathers to love them, and did choose their seed after them, even you above all people, Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your hearts, and harden your necks no more: and in another place, The Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, that thou mayest love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. So the Prophet f jer. 4, 4. jeremy saith, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns: be circumcised to the Lord, and take away the foreskins of your hearts, ye men of judah, and inhab tants of jerusalem, lest my wrath come forth like fire, and burn, but none can quench it, because of the wickedness of your inventions. Circumcision was the thing wherein they boasted above all things: it was their glory whereof they bragged, to be a crcumcised people, peculiar to God. Now the Prophets recall and reclaim them from trusting in outward signs and lying words, g jer. 7, 8. that shall not profit: and stir them up to consider the power and effect thereof, not to rest in cutting off a thin piece of skin, but to cut off quite and clean their lusts and corruptions which rebel against the Spirit. This the Apostle teacheth h Rom. 2 28.29. evidently, Rom. 2. He is not a jew which is one outward, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh: but he is a jew which is one within, and the circumcision is of the heart in the Spirit, not in the Letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God. The outward Letter is of no moment with God, it must be the circumcision of the heart, otherwise the circumcising of the flesh is nothing. So if we would have God to take us for his people and heritage, i We must a●● be baptised in heart. we must be all baptised in our hearts and our souls. What will some say, baptised in soul, and in heart? What is that? Or how can this be? Can the water wash the soul? Surely the water cast upon our bodies is nothing, if we have not the truth of it. As then the apostle Paul maketh a difference between inward circumcision of the spirit, and outward circumcision of the letter, insomuch that if they would have the true circumcision indeed, they must have that which is within: so is there a great difference between the baptism of the spirit and of the letter, between that of the soul and the other of the body, between that which is outward, and that which is inward. Whosoever would have the true baptism indeed, he must be cleansed within, repent of his wickedness, mortify his imaginations, deny himself, renounce his affections, and offer up his soul and body in sacrifice to God, that he may renew and regenerate us: otherwise, it is a certain thing, we were never indeed and in truth baptised. For as the jews were charged to be uncircumcised, though the foreskin of the flesh were cut off, and so they were circumcised in body: so we may in like manner be charged to be unbaptized, albeit we have been outwardly washed with water. The jews chosen above all Nations to be the people of God, were oftentimes condemned of forgery and falsehood for breaking the covenant of God, & not answering to the truth thereof, k Esay 2, 4. and 57, 3. and were upbraided with the uncircumcisednesse of their hearts, that they were worse than the heathen themselves, a bastard brood, witches children, and unworthy to be accounted Abraham's seed, to the end they should brag no more of their circumcision, as Act. 7. Acts 7, 51. Stephen a faithful witness of God, objecteth against them. Ye stiffnecked and of uncircumcised hearts and ears, ye have always resisted the Holy-Ghost, as your fathers did, so do you: they slew the Prophets which showed before of the coming of that just, of whom ye are now the betrayers & murderers: where we see he discovereth their hypocrisy, & setteth their sins before their faces, telling them that as their fathers rebelled against God, so the children followed their father's footsteps. Do not th●se things concern us? Though we have not circumcision in action and practice, belong they not to us now a days? Yes even to us. For we shall be condemned for our unclensed and unsanctified hearts, not answering to the truth of our baptism. For so much we profit by baptism, as we profit in mortification. If then we be once baptised and washed with water: we shall pay dearly for our defiling that sacred water, which God hath appointed to so holy an use. True it is, the water of itself is as nothing, no other in substance and nature then that wherewith we wash our hands: but when once it is joined to the word, and applied to an holy end, it is as it were an authentical seal which God hath engraven in it. Now he that counterfeiteth the seal of a Prince, shall he not be punished? Behold, baptism is the seal of God, which serveth not to seal conveyances of earthly possessions as house and lands: but to assure us, that we are called to the heavenly life: and bringeth good assurance and warrant with it, that we be washed from our sins by the blood of our Lord jesus Christ, and borne again by his holy Spirit. Shall we break all and escape unpunished? Let us not then boast of our baptism, and Christianity, to say, oh, we are baptised: we are christened: we wear the badge of God: these things, these things I say, will cost us dear, if we make not our baptism available to ourselves and our own souls by killing our corruptions: for thereby l Eccl. 5, 3. we show ourselves like unto the fool that maketh a vow, and immediately after breaketh it. For what a misery is this, that scarce one of an hundred knoweth the right end of his baptism, and whereunto it availeth? So that albeit they boast of the outward sign, yet they are no more sound Christians indeed, then Turks and Pagans, Infidels and miscreants, inasmuch as they are no way mortified or renewed by repentance, no way changed in the inward man, but lie rotting in their sins and remain in the condemnation of Adam. These shall one day find by woeful experience, what a costly thing it is to take so dear a pawn of salvation at the hands of God in vain. Indeed we bear the name of Christ, and we profess the Gospel: yet you shall find a great number that know not this use of baptism, nor to what end it was ordained. They do call it indeed their Christendom, but are altogether ignorant of the nature thereof, and are unacquainted with the effect of it: yea they bring their children to no other purpose to be baptised, then because it is the usual manner and common custom so to do, being led thereunto not by the commandment of Christ, but by the example of others, forasmuch as they can give no reason at all of that they do. This will cost them dearly, for abusing such a pledge-token at God's hands, seeing it is a means whereby we are united to our Lord jesus Christ, and engrafted into his death and resurrection. Wherefore, whereas many have received baptism in their infancy, and have lived forty or fifty years in the world, without knowing to what end they were baptised: it had been better for them that they had been borne dead, or perished in their mother's womb as an untimely fruit, then to have unhallowed so holy and precious a thing. Thus much of the third and last use of baptism, as also of the parts thereof, and generally touching this whole Sacrament. The end of the second Book. THE THIRD BOOK of the Lords Supper, being Christ's farewel-token to his Church, and a sweet pledge of his wonderful kindness toward mankind: wherein the truth of this Sacrament is manifested, the parts are delivered, the uses are showed, the Doctrine of the reformed Churches is cleared, the errors of the Church of Rome are evidently convinced, and the means set down, how every one is to be prepared to the worthy receiving thereof with fruit and comfort. CHAP. I. Of the names and titles of this Sacrament, together with the reasons and uses thereof. IN the former Book we have spoken of baptism, the first Sacrament of the church, together with the parts and uses thereof. Now we are to set down the doctrine of the Lords Supper, which is the second Sacrament. For after that God hath brought us into his Church by baptism, and made us as it were of his household servants: then as a good father of the family, he feedeth us spiritually with the flesh of his Son, applying unto us the merit of his death and passion. This a The Sacrament of the body and blood o● christ called by divers names. Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ is declared in the Scripture by divers names, to deliver the nature thereof unto us. Sometimes it is called the communion, as 1 Cor. 10. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the b 1 Cor 10.16 communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? Sometimes it is called the Lords Supper, as 1 Cor. 11, 20. When ye come together into one place, this is not to eat c 1 Cor. 11, 20 the Lords Supper. Thirdly, sometimes it is called the breaking of bread, as Acts 2. They continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship d Act. 2, 42. and 20 7. and breaking of bread and prayers: and cha. 20. The first day of the week the Disciples being come together to break bread, Paul preached unto them ready to departed on the morrow. Fourthly, sometimes it is called the table of the Lord, as we see 1 cor. 10. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of Devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lords e 1 Cor. 10 21 table, and of the table of devils. Moreover, we shall nothing offend if we call it the testament or will of Christ, This cup is the f 1 Cor. 11, ●5 Mat. 26, 2●. new Testament in my blood, this do as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me: and our Saviour thus speaketh, Mat. 26. This is my blood of the new testament, that is shed for many, for the remission of sins. These are the chief and principal names given to this Sacrament in the Scriptures. I am not ignorant that the ancient fathers and times succeeding, have given unto it other names, and not unfitly: but my purpose being not so much to allege the counsels or Doctors of the Church, as to instruct the simple and unlearned, I will content myself with expounding such terms and titles as are penned in the word of God, and pointed out by the Spirit of God. Now then, let us render g Reasons rendered of the former names. the reasons of such names, as this Sacrament is entitled withal. It is called the communion because we have a communion and fellowship with Christ, and h 1 Cor. 10.17 he with us: both which are sealed up in this Sacrament, It is called the Lords Supper, both because it was instituted by the Lord jesus at his last Supper, (which circumstance of time the Church hath changed) & because therein is offered to us a spiritual banquet, in which the faithful are spiritually fed and nourished. It is called the breaking of bread, both because this is a necessary action used of Christ not to be omitted, and because it representeth the crucifying of Christ & tormenting of his body: so that we should never be present at this significant ceremony, but we must call to remembrance the sorrows and sufferings of Christ: now if Christ were thus tormented for us, surely we ought greatly to be gripped and grieved for our own sins, which was also showed by the i Exod. 12, 8. sour herbs of the passover, Exod. 12. It is called the table of the Lord, because he doth feed us at it, as this we know is the end and use of tables in our houses, to set our meats and drinks upon them prepared for our nourishment, and this is the scope and end of the Lords table: only here lieth a plain and main difference, our tables serve for bodily nourishment, but the Lords Table is prepared for the spiritual nourishment of our souls. Lastly, it may be called the testament or will of Christ because it setteth forth unto us a solemn covenant between God and us, touching forgiveness of sins and eternal life: which covenant is ratified and established by the k Heb. 9, 15. death of the Son of God: so that herein we find all things belonging to a full and perfect testament, as we shall see afterward. Out of these several names and titles thus interpreted, arise most aptly and fitly sundry uses, which in order as they have been propounded we will consider. The first title is the Communion: from whence we deduct l The uses of calling this Sacrament the Communion. these necessary conclusions. First of all, is the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ called a communion? And so called of our communicating together? Then hereby all the faithful openly testify, that they be all one body coupled together in Christ jesus, we profess him and all his benefits, Use 1 we receive him, we enjoy him, we rejoice in him. God the Father doth give him, the Holy-Ghost doth assure him, faith doth receive him: by this hand we are joined to him, and have spiritual fellowship with him. Wherefore all believers are made one by Christ: and this is not an union in imagination, but in truth and in deed: neither by transfusion of the properties of the God head or manhood into us▪ m 1 Cor. 6, 17. 1 joh. 3, 24. but by one and the same Spirit dwelling in Christ and in all the members of Christ, as 1 Cor. 6. He that cleaveth to the Lord, is one spirit. And the Apostle john testifieth, that Christ dwelleth in us and we in Christ by the Spirit; He that keepeth his commandments, dwelleth in him, and he in him: and hereby we know that he abideth in us, even by the Spirit which he hath gruen us: so that the spirits of just & perfect men in heaven, and all believers upon the earth (how far soever sundered in place) having one and the same Spirit of Christ dwelling in them, are all one in Christ their head. God hath given his own Son unto us freely and fully: our faith receiveth Christ n joh. 1, 12. by believing him and all his gracious benefits to be ours, as joh. 1, 12. As many as received him, to them he gave prerogative to be the sons of God, even to them that believe in his name. Thus we see we are one with Christ, and Christ with us. Use 2 Secondly, as this Sacrament being a communion admonisheth that we are all one in Christ: so it teacheth that it is to be received of many together in the Church, not of one alone, and therefore it overthroweth the private Masses of the Church of Rome, where one partaketh all and the rest of the Church nothing at all. There is a flat opposition between these two: so that the Communion cannot be a private Mass, and private Mass cannot be a Communion. That which is ordained and prepared for many, delivered unto many, and received of many, cannot stand with the Mass, where the Priest prepareth for himself, not for the people: he speaketh to himself, not to the Church: he receiveth himself alone, not with his brethren: all which are directly contrary to the Apostles o 1 Cor. 11, 33 rule, Tarry one for another. Use 3 Lastly, if it be a communion, it teacheth that this is a Sacrament of unity and concord, and we are thereby put in mind to avoid discord and dissension. For Christ never communicateth himself to the malicious man, p 1 Cor. 11, 18, 20. as the Apostle teacheth, 1 Cor. 11, 18, 20. When ye come together in the Church, I hear that there are dissensions among you, this is not to eat the Lords Supper. Wherefore, in that the people communicate of one and the same bread, of one and the same wine, it signifieth the union and agreement between all the faithful in one body, whereof Christ jesus is the head: who loved us dearly, and spared not his life for us. Let us join ourselves together in love, according to the exhortation q Rom. 15, 5, 6 of the Apostle, Rom. 15. The God of patience and consolation give you that ye be like minded one toward another, according to Chr st jesus, that ye with one mind and with one mouth may praise God, even the Father of our Lord jesus Christ. All believers must be of one heart and mind, the Wolf and the Lamb, the Lion and the Calf must dwell together in the kingdom of Christ, for all are one in Christ jesus. For the Apostle having taught that the cup which we bless, and the bread which we break, are the communion of the body and blood of Christ, he addeth, We that are many, are one bread and one body, because we are all partakers of one bread: and therefore he saith, 1 Cor. 11. When ye come together to eat, tarry one for another. This title than must teach us all to embrace true love and the fruits thereof, whereby we think well one of another, speak well one of another, and do well one to another, cutting off all occasions of contentions, and testifying ourselves to be of the holy Communion that is between the Saints. For this sacred feast must be a love-feast, because it showeth our love one to another, The Communion must be a love feast. Mat. 18, 22. Objection. and our willingness to forgive one another, as Christ saith to Peter, not seven times, but even seventy t●mes seven times. But peradventure some will say, what if my neighbour will not be reconciled unto me, nor be friends with me, what then am I to do? Or how shall I behave myself? May I not in this case lawfully abstain from the holy Communion? I answer, Answer. our frequenting of it must not depend upon the forgiving of others, neither must we suspend the discharge of our own duty upon the pleasure of another: we must look what God commandeth unto us, not what other practice toward us. It is the saying of Christ our Saviour, Luke 17. Luke 17, 4. If thy brother trespass against thee seven times in a day and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent, thou shalt forgive him. But if he hate us and will not forgive us, yet are not we discharged or dispensed withal, either to hate him again, or to refuse the partaking of the divine ordinances of God; but we must freely forgive him, and publicly profess love to him and all others, and then we may with a sound heart and a safe conscience come to this Sacrament. But it may be further objected, Objection. It may be they be far off, so that I cannot come to reconcile myself unto them. What then? yet if thou freely forgive, Answer. and hearty desire to be forgiven, and hast an earnest and full purpose to do it if he were present, God accepteth of the inward affection in stead of a real reconciliation. Wherefore no man's absence ought to hinder our presence at this communion. If there were in us a right zeal to God, a true feeling of our own wants, and a sound knowledge of the use of this Sacrament, we would easily overstride all these excuses, which are devices of men, and engines of Satan cast into men's hearts to turn them out of the right way and to draw them to destruction. We come to the Communion, which is so called, as Damascene teacheth, Damas'. lib. 4. cap 14. de orthodox fide not only because we communicate with Christ and be partakers of his flesh and divinity, but likewise because by it we do communicate and are united one with another, so that we all profess to be at unity and in charity among ourselves as members of the same body, and so bear ourselves as if we would never live in malice one with another again. Howbeit we do rather lay it down, then shake it off: we do rather cunningly suppress it for a time, then utterly pull it up by the roots: and therefore we are no sooner departed, but by and by we are ready to break out into our former evil courses, and show ourselves to be as full of envy and debate as ever we were before. Many that come to the holy Communion are like to Serpents. Thus we are like to that serpent, which when she goeth to drink layeth away her poison, and taketh it again when she hath done. If we deal thus with our brethren, discontinuing our dissension with them for a small season, rather than destroying it: what are we better than a generation of Viper's unworthy to be called Gods children, and unfit to be accounted his guests. The second title given to this Sacrament, is r Th● uses of calling this Sacrament the Lords Supper. the Lords Supper: by which name it is now most usually and commonly called, both because it was so instituted by Christ after his last Supper, and is celebrated in the remembrance of Christ. Hereby we learn, first who is the author of this Use 1 Sacrament, not Peter, not Paul, not any of the apostles, not any man, not any angel, but Christ jesus God and man: and therefore it is not called the Supper of the apostles or of any man, but of Christ himself, as the apostle speaketh of baptism, s 1 Cor. 1, 13.15. Was Paul crucified for you? Either were ye baptised into the name of Paul? I baptised none into mine own name. Wherefore, this title serveth to teach us and to put us in mind of the author of this Sacrament. Secondly, seeing this Sacrament is not a common supper, Use 2 but an holy and heavenly banquet, fully furnished, not to fill the body, but to feed the soul: we must come with an earnest desire and longing after Christ, hungering, and thirsting after his righteousness and merits, as after our life, to be made partakers thereof. For never did the body more stand in need of corporal food, then doth the soul of this t joh. 6, 27. Bread of life which came down from heaven, which the Father hath promised to give unto us. Lastly, it condemneth our u Rh●●●. Test. annot. in 1 cor. 11. English Rhomists, and other Use 3 a Bellar. de Messa. lib. 2. ca 10. romish readers of popish divinity, that wholly condemn this name and title as unproper & unfit for this Sacrament, and understand the Apostle to speak of the love-feasts, when he speaketh of the Lords Supper. Indeed, in the Apostles times they used to meet together in one common place, not only for the hearing of the word, for the receiving of the Sacraments, and for prayer to God, but to keep certain feasts, which of their end or use were called b Jude Verse 22. 2. Pet. 2.13. feasts of charity, as Jude speaketh. But of these the apostle speaketh not, when he named the Lords Supper. For first, let them show us the place, where ever these love-feasts are called the Lords Supper, and then they may warrant their exposition by some colour? otherwise we cannot receive their interpretation, being of private motion. Secondly, if this title were meant of love-feast, to what purpose should the apostle bring in the institution of the sacrament of the body & blood of Christ, and largely handle the doctrine thereof? Whereas their abuses in their love-feasts might be reform and redressed without this mention and remembrance of the Supper. Thirdly, to what end should these solemn feasts and banquets be called the Lords Supper, which were not instituted in the honour of Christ, but to testify the mutual love of those that were members of the same body, having God for their merciful Father, the Church for their tender Mother, and Christ for their elder brother. These might rather be called the supper of men, then of the Lord, being feasts of charity, not of piety. Fourthly, the Apostles drift and purpose in this place is to teach, that such as nourish dssention and division partake the Lords Supper unworthily, and therefore willeth them when they come to communicate with the Lord, to shake out of their minds all uncharitable affections, as chaff from good corn, that so they may assemble together with profit and not with hurt. Fiftly, this Supper was administered by the Lord and instituted by him, and therefore is fitly called the Supper of the Lord: whereas these love-feasts the Lord neither administered nor instituted. This then showeth the folly of our adversaries, that love any kind of names better than such as are used in the holy Scriptures. Last of all, to call this Sacrament by the name of the Lords Supper usually among the ancient Fathers c Cipri. in sacr●m. de caena deren. of the Church, grounding themselves from the authority of the Scripture, and example of the Apostle: yea thus some of their own writers d Scholar joh. Gag●. in 1 Cor. 11. H●ij conse●●e ●th●●●●m. 2 cap. 30. & ●im 1. 〈◊〉. 40. call this Sacrament, and expound the words of Saint Paul to the Corinthians. If therefore they will rest themselves either in the true interpretation of the Scripture, or in the exposition of the ancient fathers, or in the confession of their own Writers: we cannot doubt but the Apostle naming the Lord's Supper, understandeth the Sacrament of the body & blood of Christ. As for those that suppose these love-feasts and banquets of charity were called the Lords Supper, because they were celebrated in the Church of our Lord, it is avouched both falsely and absurdly. Falsely, because there were then no churches builded, nor any where to be found, nor in many years after. Absurdly, because it will follow by this reason, if the place may always give denomination to the thing, that any error or heresy and false doctrine preached in the Church may be called the heresy of our Lord, or the false doctrine of our Lord, forasmuch as it is preached in the Church of our Lord. The next title given to this Sacrament is the breaking of bread: which offereth to our considerations, these uses not e The uses of calling this Sacrament the b●eaking of bread. to be passed over. First▪ it showeth that the substance of bread remaineth after the words of consecration, and is not altered by any strange transubstantiation. For when the Apostle saith, This is my body f 1 Cor. 11, 23 which is broken for you, properly it cannot be understood of the body of Christ which Use 1 was g joh 19, 30. not broken, but of his crucifying and death, by a figurative speech taken from the substance of the bread, which Christ broke to distribute it among his Disciples, and to represent effectually his suffering for us. The accidents of bread cannot be broken, as we shall see afterward, no more than they can feed and nourish. Besides, we learn hereby that tropes and figures are used Use 2 in the sacraments, contrary to the opinion and assertion of the Church of Rome, as we make plain by the institution and as we constrain the adversaries themselves to confess, as when it is said, his body was broken, where the literal sense cannot be retained, seeing a bone of him could not be broken. Likewise when it is said, The cup is the new testament: the rock was Christ: the bread is the communion of the body of Christ, these and such like cannot be interpreted without a figure. Lastly, seeing of this one action the whole Sacrament hath his denomination, h Acts 2, 42. and 20, 7. as appeareth in many places, Act. Use 3 2, 42. and 20, 7. and 1 Cor. 11, 24. we must hold that as the Apostles and other Ministers of the Church were wont in the administration of the Supper to break the bread: so must we follow their example, as they also followed the example of Christ. Neither must this be accounted and accepted as an indifferent ceremony, to be admitted or omitted at our own choice and pleasure, seeing Christ jesus the Lord of this sacrament commanded, the Scripture hath commended, the Apostles have practised, and the Ministers afterward observed the same, i 1 Cor. 10, 16. as the apostle witnesseth, The bread which we break▪ is it not the communion of the body of Christ? speaking of himself and the rest of the Ministers of the Church. Besides, it is an effectual expressing and representation of the passion and crucifying of Christ, as also the pouring out of the wine into the cup of the Lord. Wherefore, they are to be accused and convinced as heinous breakers of the high ordinance of Christ, as we see in the Church of Rome, who omit this breaking of the bread as impertinent and unnecessary, and as not significant. For Christ jesus commanded his Disciples to eat that bread which he had broken, and this breaking pertaineth to the end of the Sacrament: so that it cannot be passed over, without neglect of the institution of Christ, and of the essence of the Supper, of which we will speak afterward. The next title given to this sacrament, is the table of the Lord: and it is rightly so called, as by a very fit name. For seeing it is a Supper, and a most heavenly banquet, it is requisite there should be a table answerable unto it, that as it is the Supper of the Lord, so there may be a table for the administration of it. From hence we conclude divers good uses k The uses of calling this Sacrament the table of the Lord. for our further instruction. First of all, it showeth that Christ and his Apostles in the celebration of the Supper used a table, not an altar. For albeit the apostle Paul speaketh unproperly of the table, and doth thereby understand the heavenly meat and drink which was set upon the table for all the Lords guests: yet withal he insinuateth and signifieth the place whereon they were put, to wit, upon a table. In like manner our Saviour Christ at the first institution of this Sacrament remained at the table with his Disciples, he stood not with them at the altar. Now according to the example of Christ and his Disciples, must be the practice of all Churches, inasmuch as Christ shedding his blood on the Cross, had abolished all altars: and therefore the Infidels did oftentimss reprove and reproach the Christians because they had no altars, who on the other side defended themselves, that their Altars are the congregations of such as bow themselves in prayers, and the spirits of just men, which smell as sweet incense in the nostrils of God, other Altars than these they acknowledge none to be among them. Furthermore, inasmuch as the Sacrament of the body and Use 2 blood of Christ was accustomably administered on a Table, not an Altar: of wood, not of stone: made movable, not immovable: We learn from hence that it is a Sacrament, not a sacrifice: An altar doth infer and presuppose a sacrifice: and a sacrifice is referred to the altar whereon it is offered. But we have not now properly any sacrifice, for that were to account the all-sufficient sacrifice of Christ as unsufficient and unperfect: therefore we are not to bring altars again into the Church. There is no use of altars in the new Testament, seeing the making of them together with other types and ceremonies of the old Testament through the death of Christ is abolished, m 1 Cor 9.13. as the Apostle teacheth, 1 Cor. 9 Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things, eat of the things of the Temple? and they which wait at the Altar, are partakers of the Altars? And to like purpose. Heb. 13, 10. We have an altar whereof they have no right to eat, which serve in the Tabernacle, that is, such as retain the necessary use of the ceremonies n Gal. 4, 9 and beggarly rudiments of the jews, are fallen from Christ. Whereby we see plainly and apparently, that sacrifices and altars stood together, and fell together: and therefore whereas they would conclude the sacrifice of Mass from the use of the altars, we may invert the reason, and make it serve to evert and overthrow the sacrifice of their Mass, seeing it is certain there were no Altars. Lastly, we must observe that it is not barely called a table, but the Table of the LORD: to teach us to draw Use 3 near unto it with all reverence and regard. If we measure and mark our affection in earthly things, we see what care & curiosity is often times used, when men come to the table and presence of Noble men: how much greater care and conscience should be used of every one of us, when we come to this table, where the King of Kings and the Lord of heaven and earth is present. When David would reward and recompense the kindness of Barzillai, he charged Solomon his son that the sons of Barzillai should sit and eat bread at his table: how great then is the honour that God vouchsafeth to us, permitting and appointing us to sit at the Table of his own Son, of whom we say truly, a greater than Solomon is there. Wherefore to stir us up to this duty & devotion, let every one consider and meditate thus with himself, I am this day to be the Lords guest: I am invited to his Table: I am to eat of his bread and to drink of his cup: I have not in this business to do with man whose breath is in his Nostrils, but to deal with God in whose presence I do abide, who is both a beholder and judge of all my actions, to whom I shall either stand or fall. If I come in hypocrisy he will find me out, o Heb. 4, 13. before whom all things are naked and open: If I come fitted by faith and sanctified by repentance, I shall receive Christ and all his merits to my endless comfort. Thus much sufficeth to be considered touching this title of the Lords Table. The last title of this Sacrament remaineth to be handled, being called the new Testament or will of Christ, p The uses of calling this Sacrament the testament or will of Christ. from whence we may gather divers uses as good conclusions from this doctrine. For first it teacheth, that there is a double Testament and covenant of God made to his people, one of works, the other of grace: one of the law, the other of the Use 1 Gospel: as john 1, 17. The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth by jesus Christ. And jer. 31, 31, 32. I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of judah, not according to the covenant that I made with their Fathers, when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, the which my covenant they broke, although I was an husband unto them. But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel, after those days saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and will be their God, and they shall be my people. The covenant of the law is a covenant wherein God hath promised to his people all blessings corporal and spiritual, temporal and eternal, q levit. 18, 5. Mat. 19, 17. Gal. 3, 12. Deut. 27, 20. under the condition of perfect obedience: and hath threatened all curses and death 〈◊〉 to all that continue not in all parts and points of the 〈◊〉 do them. The covenant of grace ratified by the death an● blood of Christ, is a covenant wherein God promiseth his love and favour for ever to come upon all that believe in his Son, r joh. 3.16. assuring them of remission of sins and eternal life, requiring of them only faith in him, as john 3. God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that such as believe in him should not perish but live for ever. Again, if this Sacrament sealing up the new covenant Use 2 between God and man, have the name and nature of a will or testament: than it serveth to condemn the Church of Rome, that add & alter, mingle and mangle this Sacrament at their own pleasure. For the Apostle teacheth, Gal. 3. Though it be but a man's s Gal. 3, 11. covenant, yet when it is confirmed, no man doth abrogate it, or addeth any thing thereto. And Heb. 9, 14. He is the mediator of the new Testament, that through his death they which are called, might receive the promise of eternal inheritance: for where a testament is, there must be the death of the testator: for the testament is confirmed when men are dead, for it is yet of no force, as long as he that made it is alive. If then the testament of man may not be abrogated or altered, much less the Testament of God confirmed by the death of the Mediator. Notwithstanding, such is the sacrilege and presumption of that Antichristian Church, that the idolatrous Mass as a bottomless gulf, hath overturned and swallowed up the Lord's Supper, turning the Sacrament into a sacrifice, administering it in a strange tongue, taking away the cup from the people of God, making prayers for the dead, bringing in their carnal presence, imagininng a monstrous transubstantiation, setting up a new Priesthood, a new sacrifice, a new Altar; and lastly feigning uses and ends thereof, which Christ never appointed, the Apostles never acknowledged, the Church's succeeding never confessed or practised. Now masses t Concil. cabilon. can. 33. are mumbled in memory of the Saints: they are held available, not only for the living, but for the dead: they are judged profitable against storms and tempests: they are thought a sovereign remedy against 〈◊〉 ●ore and sickness of the body: healthful and helpful ●●r such as are going to war to cover their heads in the day of battle, as a shield of brass, and to preserve them from the sword of the enemy: good against enchantments and sorceries, and fit to be applied to make trial & proof, whether a man be guilty of the crime and accusation laid to his charge. But what are all these strange uses but strange abuses, yea strong fancies and delusions of the man of sin, burying in perpetual forgetfulness the true ends for the which Christ jesus ordained his last Supper. All these being pestilent corruptions of the Sacrament of the Supper, and fraudulent additions to the last will and testament of Christ, do lay open to the full the wretched abominations of the Church of Rome, the mother of fornications. Use 3 Lastly, the name of Christ's last will and testament given to this Sacrament, serveth for the great comfort of God's children. For herein we shall find all things belonging to a full and perfect testament. For Christ jesus is the testator: all faithful Christians u Rom. 8, 17. 1 Pet. 1, 12. and 5, 1. are appointed heirs: the angels are as the overseers: the Apostles are the witnesses: the legacies bequeathed, are not lands and possessions, or great sums a Mat. 8, 20, 26. of money▪ for the son of man had not where to lay his head: not the kingdoms and governments of this world, for his kingdom is not of b joh. 18, 36. this world: but the forgiveness of sins and everlasting life, obtained by the body of Christ given, and his blood shed for us and our redemption. Wherefore, if God have so loved us, if Christ have not spared his own life to give us life and salvation; how bitter ought our sins to be unto us, and how ought we to strive against them? If we will hate enemies, here are enemies for us to hate: if we will seek revenge against enemies, let us fight against them that seek our overthrow and the destruction of our soul and body. There is no reconciliation and atonement to be made with these enemies, if thou kill not them, they will kill and condemn thee for ever. Hitherto of the names given to this Sacrament. CHAP. II. What the Lords Supper is. AS we have in the former chapter considered the names and titles attributed to this Sacrament: so now we will see what the Lords Supper is. For we shall never understand the nature thereof, except we be able to define or describe it. Therefore, a What the Lords Supper is the Lords Supper is the second Sacrament, wherein by visible receiving of bread and wine, our spiritual communion with the body and blood of Christ is represented. This description is plainly proved by the b Mat. 26, 26.27. 1 Cor. 10, 16.17. 1 Cor. 11, 24.25. institution of Christ, by the first celebration of it, and by other apparent testimonies of holy Scripture. First I say, it is the second Sacrament, because such as have interest in the Lord, Supper, must be first partakers of the other Sacrament: for Christ and his apostles ministered it to those that were before baptised. And how should they be continually nourished and fed at his table, who are not known to be of his house, nor admitted members of his family? We must be received into his protection and jurisdiction, before we sit down at his table for our refection. They then that are in the house must be fed and fostered in the house: the several parts of the family, have the privileges of the family: it is not lawful to take the children's bread and give it unto strangers. Now baptism is the true bath of our souls to cleanse our sores, and an honourable badge whereby we are dedicated to the service of Christ, and have interest in the privileges of the Church sealed up: being partakers hereof, we come with comfort to the Lords Supper. Under the law none uncircumcised c Exod 12, 4● were admitted to the passover, as appeareth, Exodus 12. If a stranger will observe the passover, let him circumcise all the male● that belong unto him. If then the uncircumcised had been admitted, the passover had been profaned. Wherefore it is not enough for us once to be baptised and admitted into the number of the people of God: we must also be partakers of Christ's Supper. When as by baptism we are brought into the Church of God, we are afterward nourished by this heavenly banquet to eternal life. Again, I say in the former description, that by the bread and wine the body and blood of Christ are represented. Herein consisteth the substance of this Sacrament: he was truly given for us, and his blood was shed for the remission of sins, lest our faith should wander, lest our hope should waver. Therefore he saith to his Disciples, d L●ke 22, 19.20. Mar. 14, 24. This is my body, which was given for you: this is the cup of the new testament, which was shed for you and for many for the remission of sins. Use 1 Now that the description of the Lords Supper is proved, let the uses thereof in the next place be declared. Hereby we learn, first, that God doth not lie nor dally with us when we come to his heavenly table, but doth truly offer those benefits in Christ, which are represented to all that are admitted thereunto: and therefore the apostle said, e 1 Cor. 10.3, 4. they did all eat the same spiritual meat, and did all drink the same spiritual drink Indeed many of them did receive only the outward signs and did refuse or neglect the spiritual grace so lively represented and truly offered unto them, but the greater was their sin, who laboured for the meat that perisheth, f 1 joh. 6, 27. but rejected the meat that endureth to everlasting life. Likewise, Christ in the administration of his Supper saith, g Mat. 26, 26. take, eat, this is my body. When he biddeth us take, doth he not give? When he chargeth us to eat and drink, doth he not offer? When he commandeth us to do this, doth he not apply the thing signified? If then we come to this Supper, and departed away without Christ and without comfort, the cause is in ourselves, he is come near unto us, he standeth as it were at the door knocking being ready to enter: he mercifully offereth himself unto us, but we refuse him, we will none of him, we bid him departed from us, and shut the entrance of our hearts against him. Use 2 Again, we see here the excellent price and pre-eminence of the Lords Supper, howsoever to those whose faith it doth not nourish, whose assurance it doth not confirm, and whose salvation it doth not further, it is turned into most hurtful and deadly poison: yet it is an holy banquet for the Lords guests, an instrument of grace, a medicine for the sick, a pledge of salvation, a comfort for the sinner, an assurance of God's promises, a seal of our faith, an help for the weak, meat for the hungry, drink for the thirsty, and a refuge for the distressed in time of tentation. Is not this a worthy dignity? Is not this a great privilege and an high prerogative? So that we must highly regard and reverently esteem this mystery of our religion, and badge of our profession, to the glory of God, and our own comfort. He that is not moved hereby to a reverent regard thereof, hath no spark of God's Spirit in him, but lieth in darkness and discomfit. Let us then make good use of it all the days of our lives, and not abuse it to our destruction. It is not enough to seem religious, and pretend reformation of our evil ways what time we do receive it, and to hang down our heads like a bulrush for a day, and immediately after to run into all excess of riot. We see how many abuse themselves and the Sacrament, giving themselves to feasting, and banqueting, and surfeiting, and have soon forgotten where they have been, what they have done, whom they have served, and how they have appeared before the presence of the eternal God. We see also in others, how contentions and brawlings break out (which seemed smothered and suppressed for a time) like lightning and thunder out of a Cloud, or like fire covered under the ashes, whose flame kindleth afterward with much greater force and violence. These men make not the supper an wholesome preservative, and as it were the sick man's salve, as indeed it is by God's institution: but a snare to entrap them, a thorn to prick them, and a sword to wound them, through their own corruption. Thirdly, hereby the adversaries mouths are stopped, and Use 3 they are put to silence and shame, who accuse us to deny the blessed presence of Christ in the Sacrament. We confess and believe, that we receive the body of CHRIST verily, truly, and indeed, not a naked figure, not a bare sign, not an empty shadow but even that body which suffered death upon the Cross, and that blood which was shed and poured out for the remission of our sins. This Christ h joh. 6, 55, 56 53, 57 himself teacheth, john 6. My flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed: he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me and I in him. And again, verse 33. Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man▪ and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. He that eateth me, even he shall live by me. So then we teach, we preach, we publish, we profess, that there is no other substantial food of our souls, and that whosoever is not partaker of his body and blood, is void of life, of salvation, of grace, and of Christ himself. Wherefore, we shall show i Chap. 10. afterward, that the difference between the Church of Rome and us is, not whether Christ be present in his Supper, but about the manner of his presence; for we say, and will never fly from it, that as the outward signs of bread and wine are delivered & received, so they represent and seal up to every true believer, God the Father offering and giving, the church also taking, receiving, and applying Christ crucified, with all the promises of his covenant ratified in him unto eternal life. Use 4 Lastly, is this the matter and substance of the Supper, to offer and apply Christ for our wholesome nourishment? Then we should often desire (if we hunger after Christ) to sit down at his Table, to come to his banquet: to feed of his delicates, and to be present at his dainties. And why should any be absent that have faith and repentance? Why should they not show that they are one body k 1 cor. 10, 17 by eating all of one bread? Why should not such apply Christ to their justification? We know the Apostles oftentimes prepared, offered, and delivered the outward signs of the Lords supper, exhibiting Christ to all the faithful, even every Lord's day, or first day of the week, and the people received oftentimes the same, l Act. 2, 41, 42. as we see Act. 2. There were added to the church about three thousand souls, and they continued in the Apostles doctrine, and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayers: and cha. 20. The first day of the week the Disciples came together to break bread. And this was the order and ordinance of the Church many years after the apostles times. In some places it was received m August. in job. tract 26. every day: in many places n Chrysost. in Eph 1. hom 26. every Sabbaoth day: o Aug ad januar. epist. 119. in all places often in the year: until through the negligence of the Pastors in administering, and the slackness of the people in communicating, these uses were grown out of usage, and a frozen coldness in the practice of religion stopped in. For it cannot be denied, but it proceedeth from the shop and invention of the Devil (whosoever were the instrument) to bring in this corrupt custom of once communicating in the year, and that for the most part for fashion sake. Now to the end we might return nearer to the ordinance of the Apostles, that the often use of the communion might be retained and maintained, and that the backwardness of the people might in part be redressed: it was ordained by the Canons of many churches, that every one should communicate at the least thrice in the year, not that men should do it no oftener, but least otherwise they would not do it so often, or peradventure do it not at al. And if a survey and examination were made, I fear it would be found to our great shame and beastly slothfulness, that scarce the tenth person hath satisfied the law in this respect in many places, regarding no time of the year but Easter. But seeing it is so necessary a Sacrament let every one consider of this holy mystery, how fruitful, profitable, and comfortable it is to be partaker thereof, and how dangerous to neglect and contemn the same. Is it not an unkind and churlish part among men, when one hath prepared with great costs and charges a rich banquet, killed his Oxen and his fatlings, furnished his table with all provision, bidden his guests, and set all things in order and readiness to entertain them: were it not I say an unkind and uncourteous part for those that are called and bidden, unthankfully and churlishly to refuse to come? Which of us in such a case would not be moved, disquieted, and discontented? Who would not think he had wrong and injury done unto him? Wherefore let us take heed, least by withholding and withdrawing ourselves, we provoke God's wrath and indignation. When he calleth, are ye not ashamed to say, ye will not come? When he saith, p Prou. 9, 4, 5. Eat of my meat and drink the wine that I have drawn, wilt thou desperately and despitefully answer thou wilt not eat, thou wilt not drink, thou wilt not do it? Or wilt thou say thou art a grievous sinner, thou art unworthy? I would ask thee when thou wilt be worthy? Wilt thou lie still in thy sin, as a man in a deep pit, and never strive to come forth? Why dost thou not return to God and amend thy ways? Why dost thou continue in thy hardness, and heart that q Rom. 2, 5. cannot repent, and so heapest up as a treasure to thyself, wrath against the day of wrath, and of the declaration of the just judgement of God? Moreover, if thou be unfit and unworthy to receive this supper, thou art r Chrysost. in Eph. hom. 3. unworthy to pray, thou art unworthy to hear: unless thou pray as a Parrot, and hear as an hypocrite. Consider therefore seriously, and weigh earnestly with yourselves, s Numb. 9, 13. how little such fond, feigned, and frivolous excuses shall prevail with God. When Moses called Corah and his company to come up unto the Lord, they answered presumptuously, t Num. 16, 12. We will not come. When the King in the Gospel had invited his guests, they began all with one mind to excuse themselves, and some refused, saying, u Luk. 14, 20.24. I cannot come. So in these days of sin, albeit the supper be prepared, the guests called, and the table covered: many men make light account of it: and what with some that reply carelessly, we cannot come; & what with others that answer desperately, we will not come, the feast is unfurnished, God is dishonoured, the people are unprepared, & all the exercises of religion are lightly and slightly regarded. I say unto you, that none of these men which were bidden shall taste of his Supper. Again, another sort are as profane as these, which stand by as gazers and lookers on upon them that do communicate, and yet communicate not themselves. What is this else, than a further contempt of God? Truly it is great unthankfulness to departed away: for these depart away from the Lords table, they depart from their brethren, they depart from the heavenly anchor of their souls: but their fault is much greater, when they stand by in contempt, and will not be partakers of this communion: What can this be else, but to have the Minister of Christ in derision? It is said to all that are present, Take ye, eat ye, drink ye, do this in remembrance of me: With what face then, with what countenance, or rather conscience, can ye hear these words sound in your ears, and not be touched? Let us therefore be drawn and persuaded to this duty, by the benefit that redoundeth to the worthy receivers and fruitful partakers thereof: and on the other side, fear to offend by staying and standing still while the faithful are partakers of this Sacrament of the Lords Supper. Hence then are many careless Christians reproved, that altogether neglect this duty and intermit often coming to the Sacrament, as if it were an indifferent thing and an arbitrary matter; for whereas they are content to hear the word oftentimes, they will not come to the Table of the Lord so often as the law requireth; and as the sluggard is wise in his own eyes, so have these sundry excuses, and divers conceited reasons to keep them from the performance of this duty. Objections of careless men why they come so seldom to the Lords Table. Let us therefore hear what they can say for themselves, and examine the chief objections upon which they stand, that so the truth may be cleared, the diligent resorters to this Sacrament may be encouraged, the dull and backward may be provoked and pricked forward, and all persons may be instructed aright how to behave themselves touching this duty. The first objection objection. The first is of such as say unto us they are not prepared, what? would you have us come before we are ready, and prepared to it? this were very dangerous, forasmuch as he that receiveth unworthily, maketh himself guilty of the body and blood of Christ. I answer, Answer. this is to excuse one sin with another, and to add drunkenness unto thirst. For it is one same to neglect the Lords Table; it is another sin not to be prepared to come unto it. Howbeit such sleeveless and shameless excuses will not go for currant payment, when the Lord of this feast shall visit his guests. Neither do these men allege their unpreparednes by way of sorrowing for it, but rather by way of boasting in it as it were glorying in their own shame. Christ jesus commandeth us to be so watchful, Mat. 24, 44. that we should always be ready for his second coming, and to meet him in the Clouds: how then ought every soul among us, to be prepared and provided with oil in our lamps, and with the wedding garment on our backs, with our loins girded, and our lights burning, that we may meet Christ in his ordinances, and enjoy his gracious presence in the Sacrament? If then it be evil to be unprepared, then know that this is an idle excuse, like Adam's figge-leaves that could not hide his nakedness from God, or like the slothful servants pretence, who received judgement from his own mouth. Again, others that are cast in the same mould, The second objection. and smell of the same smoke, allege for themselves, or rather indeed against themselves, that they are not in charity. Alas say they, would you have us come in this fearful manner, when such a man and I are not friends? he hath wronged and abused me grossly, Answer. I cannot put it up. Thus do these men notably bewray both their hypocrisy and their impiety. For dare they presume to pray unto God, or to hear his word, breathing out malice and threatenings against their brethren? All such hearing is in vain, all such prayers are abominable: they are sacrifices no more acceptable to God, then to offer Swine's flesh, or to cut off a dog's neck, Esay 66. Esay 66, 3. What folly then and sottishness is it to come ordinarily to the word and prayer & yet to refuse to come to the Sacrament? Doth not God hate and his soul abhor thy coming to his word without charity, as well as thy coming to his Supper without charity? And how canst thou be fit to come to the throne of grace, that art not fitted to come to the Table of the Lord? These men will seem to have some horror of sin in them, and to have a tender conscience toward God, as if they durst not offend him, or once meddle with the holy Communion: howbeit they do but dally with God, and deceive themselves. For who taught them, or where have they learned to make scrupple of conscience, only when they come to receive the Sacrament, & to be altogether careless and dissolute of their behaviour when they resort to the house of God, and perform other exercises of religion? Either are they so simple to imagine that God looketh to our coming to his Table, but regardeth not in what manner we come to his word? But to pass from this point, let them carry away these few rules, First, that one sin cannot excuse another. One sin may aggravate another, and increase the judgement, (for sin joined to sin maketh the sinner more sinful) but one sin can by no means make another sin to be no sin at all, and therefore never excuse through thy want of charity thy neglect of God's holy ordinance that willeth thee to come often to his Supper. Secondly, the love of God cannot dwell in his heart that beareth no love to his brother. Hence it is that the apostle john saith, 1 john 4. 1 joh. 4, 10. If any man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? Thirdly, so long as they live in this estate, the worship that they perform is not performed to GOD but to the Devil; forasmuch as they are his servants, and his works they do, and to him they yield obedience, and of him they must look for their reward. They cannot pray aright, no not so much as say the Lords prayer, and if they do, they sin in it and provoke God's judgements against them, so long as they live in hatred and malice. I speak not this as though I would have men to do nothing, to abstain from all duties, to refrain from hearing, and forbear from praying: but because I would have them careful and watchful over themselves, to make conscience of all sin, and then they may look for a blessing at the hands of God. Thirdly, there is another sort that is not ashamed to affirm, The third objection. that this often receiving is more than needs, as if forsooth it were a work of supererogation. Thus they open themselves to the whole world, Answer. and show manifestly of what profane spirit they are. For we have not only the word of God requiring us often to eat of this bread and to drink of this cup, 1 Cor. 11.26. but our own weakness and wants crying out aloud unto us, that we have great cause oftentimes to come to his Table. And surely if these men had ever found any sweetness in this Sacrament, and tasted how gracious the Lord is, 1 Pet. 2, 3. they would never argue thus absurdly, I have often received, therefore I need receive no more. If thou wouldst reason in this manner touching thy bodily food as thou dost of this that is heavenly, I have eaten meat before, therefore I need not eat again, there would follow the ruin of the body, forasmuch as it must perish through famine: so if we will not come to this spiritual food because we have often already eaten of it, it must needs bring the destruction of the soul. As than they that are in health having eaten liberally and plentifully of one kind of meat to day, do come with a good appetite unto it to morrow: so should it be with us touching this diet of the soul, the oftener we have eaten of it, the more we should desire it. These are like those carnal Israelites that loathed the Manna that God gave them in the wilderness, Num. 11, 6. saying, Our soul is dried away, there is nothing at all besides this Manna before our eyes: so have we a multitude among us that regard not their souls nor the food of their souls, but are like those that Solomon speaketh of, Pro. 27. Prou. 27, 7. The full soul loatheth an honeycomb, but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet. If these despisers of holy things would with diligence and without partiality examine their own hearts, they should find much profanes and great corruption to lurk in the hidden corners of it, or else they would never make it a needless and superfluous thing to come often, but would rather think they come too seldom, and therefore desire it again and again. There is none almost so absurd as to say, I need not come to the word because I have heard it already: nor I have prayed to God therefore I need not to pray any more: now it is no less unreasonable to reason thus, I have received oftentimes, therefore I need receive no more. But as he that knoweth what it is to hear aright, & hath found the word sweeter to him then the honey and the honeycomb, and more to be desired then much riches, the more he heareth, Psal. 19, 10. the more he longeth to hear: so if at any time we had tasted the sweetness of that glorious work of our redemption, or the bitterness of the fearful estate of man's transgression and corruption, we would come very often to this Sacrament, which is a lively remembrance of his death and passion whereby we are redeemed. Let such then as care not for their redemption, neither esteem any thing of their salvation, neither think they stand in need of Christ to be their justification, let such I say tell us they need not come oftentimes to the Supper of the Lord: but if either Christ be needful for us, or his word powerful in us, or if we have found that God hath been merciful unto us, let us not despise his bountifulness, nor neglect the sweet pledges of his goodness offered unto us. Others tell us plainly, The fourth objection. they have gone further than the former, they have received oftentimes, and come to the Table of the Lord again and again, and looked for some fruit and benefit by it, but yet they could never find or feel any profit, any comfort, or any good by it. This is because thou art not good: Answer. for it argueth intolerable stupidity and hardness of heart in many that come to the food of the soul, and are partakers of the Supper, yet have no more sense of God's inestimable mercy then very blocks, and stocks, and stones. Woe unto such profane wretches, their own mouths shall serve to condemn them. They never go to the Table of their neighbours and to an ordinary feast of common meat, but they find refreshing of their spirits, and strengthening of their members, and nourishing of their bodies, and sustaining of their lives, and maintaining of all the parts in good estate: but they resort to the Table not of men but o● God, to a most costly banquet, not of earthly but of heavenly food, even to eat of the bread of life which came down from the bosom of the Father, and yet are neither afraid nor ashamed to affirm that they can find no benefit, and can reap no comfort by it. And it is very fitly said to be a costly banquet. For Christ jesus who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption, 1 Cor. 1, 30. joh 6, 55. hath given unto us his own flesh to eat, and his precious blood to drink; forasmuch as it was not silver & gold, and such corruptible things that could redeem us. It cost him dear, even his life to make us this feast and will we neglect it? His soul was heavy, to make us merry & cheerful, and will we not come to this feast? He was troubled, that we might be comforted. Esay 53, ●. He was wounded, that we might be healed. He was despised and rejected of men, that we might be honoured of the Father. He was cast down into the depth of sorrow, that we might be exalted and lifted up. He was brought as a Lamb unspotted to the slaughter, that our mouths and our hearts might be filled with laughter. He was smitten with stripes, that we might be spared. He was afraid, and astonished, and amazed, Heb. 5, 7. Mar. 14.33. that we might be cheered up and refreshed. Finally, he was crucified and put to death, that we might be delivered and restored to life. This is the rich and royal feast that he hath made us: this is the costly banquet that he hath prepared for us, and yet notwithstanding wretched and miserable men can find no profit at all in this dainty and delicate food, that cost the heart blood of Christ, before it could be dressed and provided for us. Howbeit we dare not so hardly censure all that say they can feel no such comfort at the Communion, as we persuade is to be reaped by it; we hope better things of many of them, albeit we thus speak. For howsoever they do not at the present time and in the act of receiving feel comfort, yet nevertheless they may find it and have it. Wherefore consider with me, and bear away with thee these five things. First, if thou shouldst utterly abstain from the Supper of the Lord, it is not to be doubted, but that albeit thou feel not thyself any whit the better by thy coming to it, thou shouldst feel thyself many degrees the worse. And albeit thou feel not thyself after thy receiving to be so good as thou desirest, yet if thou camest not at all thou shouldst find thyself to be worse than thou art. Now it is some good to hinder that which is evil, and to keep from us that which is worse .. Thus it is with many that come to the word of God, albeit it do not work their conversion yet it keepeth them from much corruption that otherwise they might and would fall into. Secondly, it is one thing to have grace, and another thing to feel grace: for a man may have grace, and yet not feel it, especially in time of tentation, as a man likewise may have life in him, and yet not feel it. And although he do not feel it through violence and extremity of the disease, yet we cannot truly conclude that he is dead & without life: so albeit we do not feel any comfort in our hearts, it is a false conclusion, that therefore we are without comfort, we live by faith, not by feeling. Heb. 2, 4. We may believe though we do not presently perceive it. God doth oftentimes give faith, and yet will have us wait a long time for the feeling of it. David had lost his feeling, as also the inward joy of the Spirit, yet even then he ceased not to have faith, and the Spirit the worker of faith, Restore to me the joy of thy salvation, and take not thy holy Spirit from me. Psal. 51, 12. So then faith goeth not always with feeling. Thirdly, every man must submit himself with conscience to God's ordinance, and then he may be assured he shall in his good time find comfort. Let us be ready to do for the good of our souls as we are content to deal for the recovery of the health of our bodies. Such as are sick and want health, make haste to have the help of the Physician, and they continue to use his counsel, albeit they find not present help. Let us do likewise in seeking the health of our souls; we must proceed to use the means carefully which God hath ordained for comfort: and albeit help come not by and by out of Zion, yet we must not be discouraged but wait with patience for the appointed time. We see touching our ordinary meat in sick persons, though they feel small strength and corroboration by it, yet no doubt they are strengthened through it, and receive some nourishment from it, even while they know it not, and feel it not, or else they could not live: so may it be with us, we may have some strength of the inner man. some gift of faith, and some comfort of the Spirit, albeit we do not suddenly feel it and presently perceive it. Fourthly, we must set down this as an infallible rule that never faileth, no man was ever made better by withdrawing himself from the Sacrament. For be it that we have used oftentimes the Supper of the Lord, No man can be made better by abstaining from the Supper. and have found no comfort in it, nor fruit by it: do we think to reap any benefit by abstaining from it, and never coming to it? It was never heard of from the beginning of the world, that any hath grown either richer in grace, or stronger in faith, by keeping himself from any of God's holy ordinances. This is as possible as it is to see in the dark time of the night, by keeping himself from the light of the Candle, and abstaining from the place where it is set in the Candlestick to give light to them that are in the house. Lastly, we must not stint God, nor limit him a time when to make us feel comfort, like the unruly patient that will not be cured, except he be cured out of hand. He will try our faith and patience, whether we will depend upon him or not. Our Saviour saith, The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whether it goeth: so is every one that is borne of the Spirit, john 3, 8. 〈◊〉. 3, 8. We know not how or which way the Spirit worketh in us, but in time we shall perceive the work what it is, to our great and endless comfort. Now we proceed to another objection: The fift objection. Some say that often receiving will breed and bring forth a loathing, as in our common proverb we say, too much familiarity often breeds contempt. I answer, Answer. these persons that thus object, may seem to be great friends to the Sacrament, and to be very jealous of the honour of it, as if they could by no means abide to have it disgraced or despised▪ and yet they are deadly enemies unto the Supper, unto themselves, unto the Saints of God, yea to God himself, and seek cunningly & craftily under a colour of delivering it from contempt, to rob the Church of the comfortable use of it. These would have it to be as the fruits of the earth that come but once a year. Thus do some others also secretly undermine the faith of God's people, that could be content the word might no longer be preached unto them, and say that the common preaching of the Gospel maketh it to be contemned. If this were so, yet the fault is not in the word, but in such as are of the common sort of Christians, who care not which end goes forward, whether they have the word, or Sacraments, or prayers, or Churches, or religion, or Christ himself, they do not greatly regard, neither trouble themselves much with these things: but as Gallio answered the jews touching the worship of God, and salvation by Christ, Act. 18. Act. 18, 14. 1● If it were a matter of wrong or witched lewdness, reason would that I should bear with you: but if it be a question of words, and names, and of your law, look ye to it, for I will be no judge of such matters. So do these men deal with God & his people touching the chief mysteries of Christian religion, and the high ordinances of God appointed for our salvation, they esteem them as frivolous and superfluous things that might well be spared. They regard nothing but the matters that concern this present life, and serve to fill the purse, and to feed the belly. But as God hath dealt bountifully with us, so he would have the word of the kingdom preached in season and out of season by his Ministers, 2 Tim. 4, ● Col. 3, 16. and he would have it dwell plentifully in all that are hearers, that they might be richly furnished with the knowledge of it. And the more we know it, the more we will respect it and reverence it: and the deeper we search into it, the farther we shall be from the contempt of it, and the more we shall learn to magnify it and the author of it. So it is in the Sacraments, if once we know the virtue and value of them, we shall esteem them according to the dignity and worthiness of them. True it is indeed, that over-common use of temporal things breedeth contempt, because the nearer we come unto them, & the more familiar we are with them and they with us, the more we see the imperfections of them, and the less we see in them to admire them: but the nearer we come to spiritual things, the more we behold the excellency, and glory, and goodness of them. Even as it is in things that are visible before our eyes, the nearer we are unto them, the greater they seem, but the farther they be distant, the less they do appear: so the more we are conversant with heavenly things and have them continually before us, the greater respect we will have of them, and the more excellent they will seem unto us: whereas the farther they are removed from us, and we from them, the less we will account of them, and they will seem very small to our sight. Would we then be in love with the word and Sacraments? and have a reverent account of them? Let us come oftentimes unto them, and never think our estate and condition better, then when we are partaking of the one or the other. Neither let us fear by our often drawing near unto them to run into the open contempt of them: for whether we do consider the honour of the place where we meet, or the reverence of the person before whom we appear, or the worthiness of the mysteries whereof we partake, or the danger of the judgements which we incur by our carelessness and negligence, all these are able to preserve us from a society and loathing of the Sacraments, and are sufficient to bring us to have a good stomach to them, as the hungry man hath to his meat, and thirsty man to his drink. The sixth objection. Thus much we have to say against those cavillers: now we come to another sort that pretend they have a great desire to come to the Lords Table; they say they are so far from loathing it that they earnestly long after it, howbeit their often infirmities and manifold imperfections do discourage them. Their measure of faith and grace is so little, that they are afraid of coming unworthily, and therefore they think it better to stay until they may be better prepared. Answer. If these things proceed from an inward feeling of their wants and weaknesses, these men are not to be slighted as the former: but we must put too our shoulders to help them bear their burden, and hold out our hands to raise them up that are fallen, and to stay up such as are ready to fall. This is true love and a right compassion to take pity of the souls of our brethren. It is said of Christ, Matthew 12, 20. Mat. 12, 20. A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgement unto victory. Thus ought it to be with us we must by all good means nourish good things in those that are weak in grace, and not altogether destitute of grace: as we must warn them that are unruly, so we must comfort the feeble minded, support the weak, 1 Thes. 5, 14. and be patiented toward all men. To this end and purpose I would have them observe these four conclusions. First, that the feeling of the want of grace, with grief for that want, is grace. For such as are altogether graceless and faithless, do not find at any time any defect of grace and faith in themselves. The step to true spiritual riches is to feel our own poverty, Mat. 5, 3. and such Christ pronounceth to be blessed. Then are we righteous before God, Hier. lib. 1 cen●. Pelag. when we acknowledge ourselves to be unrighteous. The beginning of perfection is to know ourselves to be unperfect. August. ad simplici. If we be grieved inwardly because we cannot pray, we do thereby pray indeed: forasmuch as our sighs and sobs, the groans and gripings of the perplexed heart, have the force and effect of prayer itself, and therefore the Apostle saith, The Spirit helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray as we ought, Rom. 8, 26. but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us, w●th groanings which cannot be uttered. The second point is diducted out of the former, which is, that no man must please himself in his own wants, and nourish the weakness that is in himself. For albeit ●od condemneth no man for his wants, neither withholdeth his graces from him for his imperfections, yet he must not make much of them, nor delight in them, nor think himself the better for them, but rather with might and main strive against them, and crave a supply of them. Mat. 11, ●5 God revealeth the knowledge of the Gospel to the simple, howbeit no man should please himself in his simplicity: he maketh known the mysteries of his kingdom to Babes) howbeit no man must rejoice in his own infirmities, nor purpose with himself to continue in them. The third meditation must be this, that it is a dangerous tentation of Satan against our souls, when he counseleth and persuadeth any man to withdraw himself from the Communion for want of grace, if he have any in sincerity, albeit it be the least measure, albeit it be but as a grain of mustard-seed. The Lord regardeth the truth of grace, more than he doth the measure of it: and if there be in us a ready and willing mind, 2 Cor. 8, 12. he accepteth us according to that which we have, not according to that which we have not. This Supper of Christ was iustituted for the weak, not for the strong: for the poor, not for the rich: for the hungry, not for the full: for the sick, not for the whole: forasmuch as the Sacrament is as physic to cure him, as balm to refresh him, as a salve to heal him, as wine to cheer him, as bread to strengthen him, and as a staff to stay him. Shall any reasonable man then reason so unreasonably and absurdly▪ that he will not eat, because he is hungry? that he will not drink, because he is thirsty? that he will admit no plaster, because he is wounded? that he will not take physic, because he is sick and diseased? that he will not stay himself with his staff, because he is ready to fall? If we all see this to be a foolish consequence, what vanity or rather impiety is it to yield to this false conclusion, which is no better than a devilish tentation, that because we are weak in grace, therefore we will not come to the Sacrament to receive strength of grace, and increase of faith? whereas we ought to reason thus within ourselves: I feel mine own infirmities, and know how weak my faith, my hope, my love, my repentance, and all the rest of the graces of God are in me, I will therefore repair with all diligence to the Supper of the Lord, which he hath appointed for the increasing and strengthening of all good things in me. The last point necessary for us to consider is this, that Christ came into the world to save sinners, and to redeem them that were lost, that is, such as feel themselves to be sinners, and know themselves to be as lost sheep going astray, and desiring to return unto the shepherd and Bishop of their souls, 1 Pet. 2, 25. True it is, God requireth that we should come unto him as well furnished with grace, and replenished with faith as may be, yet he will reject none that presenteth himself before him with any grace, albeit he have never so little a measure, provided that these two cautions and conditions be observed, that the faith & grace be true and sound, not in show and appearance only: Secondly, that there be in him an endeavour and striving for more grace and a greater faith. But if we think we have enough and need no more, we have just cause to suspect ourselves that we never as yet knew what true grace meaneth. To conclude then, we must understand that it is not the weakness of grace which is here reproved and rejected, but the contempt of grace; not such weakness of faith as is in the faithful, but such contempt of grace as was in the profane heart of Esau, who sold his birthright and contemned the blessing, Gen. 25. Gen. 25.34. The next objection that these sluggards use is, The seventh objection. that they say the Sacrament is as physic to purge & cleanse the soul: and therefore as it is not good to take physic often, so it is not good to take the Sacrament often. Surely these are Physicians of no value, that cannot discern a difference between physic for the body and physic for the soul. It is dangerous to the body to be evermore purging and taking of pills, which give no nourishment to the body, but take away good humours as well as bad. It is not so with the Supper of the Lord, it containeth holy and wholesome nourishment in it, through the ordinance of God, and can never deprive us of any good gift and grace of the soul. Besides, we are daily sick in soul, not in the body: and therefore we have often need to seek remedy for our sicknesses and infirmities. Furthermore, all physic to the taste of the body is bitter, and grievous, and loathsome: it is not so with this physic, it is most sweet and pleasant to the soul, and rejoiceth the heart of every true believer. This comparison therefore is not to be urged farther than the point wherein it may be compared, namely, that as they that are weak and sickly use the means and remedy of physic to very good purpose, even for the recovery of strength and health: so whensoever we find in ourselves spiritual diseases to abound, and weakness of faith to assail us, we must have recourse to this Sacrament to confirm & strengthen us in the promises of salvation. The meaning than is not that as physic is best when it is seldom taken, so the Sacrament is best taken when it is seldom taken. For as this Supper is truly called spiritual meat for us, because as meat feedeth the body, so the Supper of the Lord nourisheth the soul: yet we cannot conclude from hence that we should as often receive it as we receive our meat: In like manner, when it is resembled fitly to physic, the which being rarely taken, worketh most effectually, we may not conclude that therefore the more seldom the Sacrament is received, the greater fruit it will bring unto us, for than we conclude against ourselves, and stretch the similitude farther than the purpose and intent of it. The eight objection. The next objection which I will touch is, that some say, a man by seldom receiving shall be the better prepared when he doth receive: whereas if he shall presume to come often, he cannot be so advised as he ought, neither so thoroughly examine himself as he might by continual exercising of himself in this work. I answer, Answer. here are another sort that pretend great devotion, zeal, reverence, and love to the Sacrament, and with all great fear to come unworthily: howbeit all these goodly shows and colourable excuses are but as Adam's figge-leaves patched together to cover their shame. These may be fitly compared to idle and slothful Ministers, who to excuse their negligence in preaching, allege for themselves, that the more seldom they preach, the more learned and profound Sermons they make, and the better they shall be prepared and furnished to speak to the people. Now as they deal with the people, so do the people deal with them. As they sow sparingly, so the people reap sparingly, hear sparingly, and receive sparingly. A careless ministry maketh a careless people. But as this colour of fitting himself the better shall not excuse the Minister in his negligence, ● Tim. 4.2. if he preach not in season and out of season: so it shall not be allowed as a just and lawful defence for the people, to pretend that their seldom receiving is recompensed by their sufficient preparation when they do come. If this might be allowed and warranted for a good plea, than the most careless receivers should be the best receivers: A false plea that the sluggard useth. and such as come most seldom, should above all others deserve to be most commended. So touching the rest of the exercises of our religion, it would follow that such as hear the least, should be the best hearers: they that pray most rarely, should pray most reverently: and they that resort seldom to the house of God, should be chief commended; all which we know to be contrary to reason, truth, piety, and religion. If a man were dangerously sick and required the present help of the Physician, will this patiented neglect his health, and go to him at his own leisure, under colour of coming better furnished and prepared to tell him what his disease is? Or will he not rather make all the hast he can that he may the sooner have help? We are all of us as sick men, we have many sins as noisome diseases that hang about us and beset us on every side, Rom. 6, 23. (the least whereof are mortal) if they be not cured by the precious blood of Christ: shall we then delay to go to the Physician of our souls under pretence of giving him better information of our estate? and laying open our sins more thoroughly before him? Surely we do herein much deceive ourselves, while we go about to deceive others and think to make them believe that we desire nothing more than to come thoroughly prepared to this Sacrament, to which end let us mark these few points following. First we must know, that he which will not be fit to day, shall find himself less fit to morrow, his heart will more and more be hardened, and custom will turn into another nature, and continuance in any thing bringeth a resolution of the heart not to give over. Whosoever he be that beginneth not to remove his corruptions speedily which keep him from being prepared, shall see it much more difficult every day than other; whereas contrariwise, he that receiveth often shall be the more fit to receive. For how vain a thing is it for any to persuade themselves that by delaying their repentance, they shall repent the better? or by delaying to take physic, they shall be healed the better? or by suffering a disease to grow dangerous upon them, they shall be recovered and restored to health the sooner? Thus much for answer to this objection. Let us proceed. For albeit truth be one, yet error is manifold, and the by-paths of it have no end. The ninth objection. Some others object that the jews received the passover but once a year, Exodus 12, 18. Leviticus 22, 5. In the fourteenth day of th● first month at even is the Lords passover. Now the passover of the jews and the Supper of the christians is in substance the same, howsoever in outward rites they differ: therefore seeing they killed the Paschall Lamb once only in the year, and then did eat it: why should it not suffice us to take the Supper of the Lord once in the year and eat of it? I answer, Answer. 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 own people, that once in the year, to wit, in the first month, a Lamb without blemish should be killed: but touching his Supper, it is his will it should be administered and received oftentimes in the year. How then should we make them like in that point wherein God hath made them to be unlike? And if we will tie them to the same time, than it ought also to be celebrated the 14. day of the first month, for than was the passover to be eaten. This communicating once a year was hatched in popery when ignorance prevailed in the Church, as darkness doth in the night season: and is by no means to be followed of us. And albeit the Lord hath not tied us to a certain and settled time, neither limited us a certain day or a certain month, yet it ought not once only but often to be received of us, Reasons why we ought oft-ten-times to communicate. to the end the death of Christ and his passion should be oft-tentimes remembered, that our faith should be strenghened, that the name of God should be praised, and that mutual love among us 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 ye as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me: for as oft as ye eat this bread and drink this cup▪ ye do show the Lords death till he come. But these men would not care if the remembrance of the death of Christ were quite buried & utterly forgotten, and would not have the Sacrament of his Supper to be over common in use: whereas doubtless they are all enemies to the sufferings of Christ, that are enemies to the often remembering of his sufferings, which is done in this Sacrament. True it is, they would be loath to be so censured, and will be ready to tell us that their life consisteth in his death, and their salvation in his passion, but it skilleth not what they pretend, forasmuch as they do deceive themselves and bar themselves from all comfort to be received that way. The tenth objection. And hereby appeareth the answer to another objection, which is just of the same nature and stamp with the former. For what need we say they, such frequent and ordinary use of the Supper, seeing the Lord administered it once only in all his life. Now if there had been such a necessity to have it so common, no doubt he would have administered it oftentimes in the year, and so have commended it by his own example, and left it as a direction unto us. I answer, Answer. by this do these ungodly men bewray most notoriously the profanes of their hearts. And indeed whereunto tend all that they have said, but to leave every one to his own discretion and disposition, to abolish all good order out of the Church, & to bring in an horrible confusion of all Gods holy ordinances among us. And whereunto do their allegations aim, pretending that often receiving will bring a loathing, that the Sacrament is as physic which is not good to use too commonly, that a man by seldom receiving shall come the better prepared, that the passover the same in substance with the Supper, was solemnised but once in a year, 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 deprive us of the comfortable use of the supper, and to rob us of that good which ought to be more dear unto us than our lives? Thus doth all error and impiety (howsoever it be covered) leave somewhat behind it, as a foul and filthy savour, whereby it may be discovered. For hereunto their talking of seldom receiving driveth as to an issue, that it should be received but once a year or once in our life time: and this also they would make arbitrary, and not of necessity. These will seem to be very good Christians, and to look for salvation by the death of Christ, yet notwithstanding they cannot abide the often use of that Sacrament which putteth us in mind of his death. But let us know and bear this away with us, that the more we have a feeling of the fruit and benefit of his death, the more we will have a desire to do this in remembrance of him: 1 Cor. 11, 25. and contrariwise the less we find profit by the death of Christ, and the more hard we find our hearts to be, the less we will desire to come to his Table. The comfortable feeling of the great work of our redemption wrought for us, will make us so long to eat of this bread & drink of this cup, as the hungry soul doth for meat to slake and satisfy his hunger. And therefore the Apostle layeth before us both the common and the continual use of it. For as we must eat this bread and drink of the cup of the Lord until he come again to judgement, so likewise must we do it oftentimes, because his death is oftentimes to be remembered, and the mercy of God toward us to be praised and commended. And if we would consider the zeal and forwardness of the former times, and compare it with the dullness, and backwardness, and coldness of these men, that would be accounted Christians no less than they; we shall find as great a difference and contrariety between them, as between heaven and earth. For the first and ancient Christians never assembled together to hear the word, but withal they did receive the Supper, as appeareth in the Acts of the Apostles, and the writings of justine Martyr and Tertullian. As for the example of Christ, he administered it no oftener, because he did not institute it before his death, to the end we should know it came in place of the passover, & that it might be the more regarded and the better remembered of us, being the last pledge of his love left unto the Church. The 11. objection. Another objection which some use to justify their seldom resorting to the Sacrament is this, that they have very urgent occasion, and that it is not fit or decent they should come at all times when others do. Christ our Saviour hath appointed it to be common both to men & women: but you shall hear many men allege for themselves as some have done to me: that their wives are sick, or lie in, and that they purpose to come hereafter with them. Likewise ye shall meet with many women, that will pretend that their husbands are from home, or not in health, but at their return or recovery, they purpose to come with them. Thus they post off the matter particularly, and think they have spoken wisely, and defended themselves very strongly. Answer. Howbeit all this is nothing worth. For our receiving of the Sacrament must not depend upon the receiving of others, albeit they be never so dear unto us. When it pleaseth God to lay sickness upon us, he requireth of us another duty then to come to the Sacrament, which is, to look to our health, to the end we may come after he hath restored us: notwithstanding, our sickness is no discharging or freeing of any other by what band soever they are joined unto us. Besides, many there are that abstain from the Table of the Lord in regard of the sickness or absence of their wives or husbands, who make no scrupple to go to the tables of their neighbours without them when they are invited: 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 entreated to come to the rich feast that God hath provided: they stick not to be men's guests, that scorn 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 themselves until their husband or wife can be present with them: than it should as well excuse us from coming to prayer and the hearing of the word until they might come together with us. But the husband is bound to attend to God's word without his wife, and the wife likewise without her husband. And we see the ordinary practice of this duty without tarrying one for another. Therefore also when God calleth us to his table, let us not delay the time, but answer readily & cheerfully, Lord I am ready to come at thy call. The just objection The 12. objection. which I will touch is this, that many ignorant souls say for themselves when they are told of their negligence and wretchfulnes, They hope they do well, they bear as good a soul to God as the best of them all, they thank God they love their Church and say their prayers duly; but indeed they were not wont to receive their maker so often, they come at Easter as their honest neighbours do, and they thank God they never miss. These are they that ever stand at one stay, Answer. like those labourers or rather loiterers that stood idle all the day, or like dull scholars that are always in one lesson and never proceed forward, or like to those silly women which are ever learning, and are never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 2 Tim. 3, 7. Where ye left them, there ye shall find them: they will do that which they were wont to do: ye shall find them I warrant you evermore the same. They were wont to bow down to stocks 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? will they be as ignorant as they were before? Let them not tell us what they were wont to do, but let them learn what they ought to do. This objection is the same in effect with the ninth, pretending that the Paschall Lamb was offered once only in the year, so these would tie it only to the time of Easter: saving that they stand beside upon their blind custom, that forsooth they were ever wont to come at Easter, and at no time beside, yet they thank God they have sped as well as the best, and never received hurt by it, and that now they would be loath to change their custom. But Christ jesus, from whom thou lookest for salvation saith, I am the truth: he never saith, I am custom. john 14. Evil customs are better changed then observed. The light is now come into the world, knowledge is discovered as the noon day; let not us shut our eyes that it should not shine upon us, remembering the saying of the Apostle, when he exhorteth the Idolatrous Athenians to forsake their Idolatry and to turn to the living God, Act. 17. Act. 17.30. The times of this ●gnorance God winked at, but now commandeth all men every where to repent. Albeit then we have lived and been led blindly and ignorantly, let it be sufficient that we have spent the former course of our life in superstition, and after the traditions of our forefathers without all understanding, and let us walk as children of the light, being ready to learn what is the good and acceptable will of God. There are many that will say they hate the popish religion, who notwithstanding clean to popish customs, and will by no means departed from them. They thank God they are no papists, and yet they lean too much to their relics and rags that they have left behind them. Let not us make much of their rotten trash that is not worth taking up, but let us know that we have a sure word of the Prophets and Apostles whereunto we must attend, and by which we must direct all our ways. This is the rule of our faith; this is the line and level to square our actions: if we prefer our own bad and blind customs before the word of the Lord, what wisdom can there be in us, or how can we be assured to please God? Thus we have run over and answered the foolish and frivolous objections, that carnal minded men allege in defence of their negligent coming to the Communion of the body and blood of Christ. Christ himself is ready to entertain us as his friends, to invite us as his guests, to command us as his servants to come to his Table: let us then make conscience of this duty, and not bring this curse upon ourselves, to exclude ourselves from his Sacrament and from his presence. Excommunication is the greatest and highest censure of the Church, which as a sharp sword cutteth off offenders from the Church, casteth them out from the communion of the faithful, and putteth out from among them: but these careless persons that regard not to be present at the partaking of this Supper, do banish themselves from the City, and excommunicate themselves from the Church of God. They do willingly and wilfully cast out themselves, and cut themselves off from the society of his people. To conclude this point, let all such slothful and sluggish persons take heed, they do not exclude themselves from this comfortable Sacrament, under what pretence soever it be, lest they be in the number of those that draw back unto perdition, of whom the Lord pronounceth, My soul shall have no pleasure in him. These things being thus rightly weighed and considered, let us make conscience of this duty, and come cheerfully and comfortably to this Table. No man cometh unto it, but he departeth better away, if he come as he ought to do. He is filled with good things, if he have an hand to receive them. No man shall repent of coming unto it, if he repent of his sins before he come. And when we come often, yet we should be sorry that we come not more often. It is Christ's commandment, let us obey it: it is his will, let us do it: it is his counsel let us follow it: and his commandment, his will, his counsel, is not cumbersome or burdensome unto us. If he should require at our hands something that were hard or heavy to flesh and blood, ought we not with cheerfulness to undergo it, seeing he hath made us, and not we ourselves; seeing he hath redeemed us, and not we ourselves; and seeing he hath sanctified us, and not we ourselves, so that all that is in us is the Lords? Howbeit, that which he willeth us to do, is not hard but easy: it is not a burden grievous to be borne, to resort often to his Supper, but light and pleasing to them that are spiritually minded. It was well said of Naaman's servants to their Master when he turned away in a rage from the Prophet, My father, if the Prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldst thou not have done it? How much rather than when he saith to thee. Wash and be clean? 2. King. 5, 12. 2 Kings 5, 12. So if Christ our Lord and Master should command us to do greater things than these, and such as were costly to us, ought we not to do them? How much more than when he saith unto us, Mat. 11. Mat 11, 30. My yoke is easy, my burden is light, and my commandments are not grievous? 1 john 5.3. 1 joh. 5, 3. How much more when he saith, Eat O my friends, drink and make you merry O my beloved, Cant. 5, 1? Cant. 5, 1. Surely he will do very little for a man, who being solemnly bidden, and friendly invited to a feast by his neighbour, will not go to his Table, but scornfully refuse, and churlishly reject both the feast and him that called him. We cannot think he will do any great thing for us, neither can we make any great account of his favour and friendship, that will not come to supper unto us being kindly and courteously entreated. In like manner, what can we assure our hearts that we will do for Christ, that will not feast with Christ? It is well said of Cyprian, How will that man drink the cup of martyrdom for Christ, that will not drink the cup of salvation with Christ? How will he suffer death for him, that will not rejoice with him, nor eat and drink in his presence? Remember therefore that the partaking of this Sacrament is to our great benefit: he that eateth of this bread shall not hunger again: & he that drinketh of his blood shall never thirst again. Remember that he which findeth good by any thing that he doth, needeth no great inviting, much less compelling and enforcing. He needeth no law to enforce him, the love of it will sufficiently allure him. It is enough to compel such as feel no benefit by it, and have no regard of it. But such as love his last Supper and have felt the benefit of it, and have tasted the sweetness of this feast, need no compelling, nor devising of excuses to justify their absence. Remember that God will not always bear with our contempt, nor put up the wrong that is offered unto him. He is indeed very patiented, and a God of much long suffering: he is content to warn us oftentimes, and to withhold his hand from punishing of us; but if we abuse his patience, we provoke him to plague us with divers judgements. If he send out his messengers, and we refuse to come at the first call, he may forbear us: or at the second call, he may peradventure bear it at our hands in hope of repentance: but if we harden our hearts and stop our ears when he calleth, he hath passed sentence upon us already, we shall not eat of his Supper. For when this feast is kept in his Church, Christ himself cometh among them and surueyeth his guests, he looketh for us to meet us at his Table; if he see our places often empty, be sure he will miss us, and ask for us, and not always suffer it: even as Saul did bear with David's absence the first day of the feast, and spoke not any thing, 1 Sam. 20, ●●▪ 27. but when his room was empty the second day, he held his peace no longer, and jonathans' excuse served not. God may bear with our dullness and negligence for a while; but if we be absent from day to day, and can allege no just excuse for our absence, we may be well assured he will not take it at our hands. For as a fearful judgement hangeth over his head that cometh unprepared and eateth unworthily: so is he guilty of judgement that refuseth to come at all. It is not enough to say, we come not unworthily; for as well negligence in not coming is a sin, as want of reverence in our coming. We cannot be excused by pleading for ourselves, I thank God I am not as many others, I come not unfit and unprepared to the Lords Table; I press not in among his guests, I do not come ignorantly and unworthily, without knowledge, without faith, without repentance, without assurance of the love and favour of God, without a sound resolution to live a lively member of Christ, without meditation of the benefits of his passion, & without acknowledgement of the greatness of the mercy showed toward us, by consideration of the greatness of the torment that was prepared for us: for all this we may do, and yet be condemned for not coming at all. And let us mark this as the last point and take it as a farewell, that the cause of all these excuses and colourable pretences is, the suffering of some one maister-sinne to reign in us, there is one predominant or capital sin that thus hath the upper hand over us, the which till it be pulled up by the roots, will ●euer suffer any grace of the Spirit, or duty of obedience to grow in us. This maketh our hearts heavy, and casteth us into a dead sleep, that we cannot hear the voice of God. Let us therefore learn betimes to prepare ourselves by humiliation, by confession, by prayer, and by bewailing the want or weakness of grace in us, that so judging ourselves for our sins, we may not be judged of the Lord. CHAP. III. Of the first outward part of the Lords Supper. HItherto we have showed what the Lords supper is, and how to apply it to our instruction: now we are to consider in this Sacrament two things, his parts and his uses: as we have showed in the former books. The parts are partly outward and partly inward. A man is a compound creature made of flesh and of a reasonable soul, as Athanasius speaketh in his Creed. If the question were asked, whether man were a mortal creature or immortal, earthly or heavenly, visible or invisible: no man could rightly answer without a distinction, that he is earthly touching his body, and heavenly touching his Spirit. In like sort we must consider touching the Lord's Supper, which is made of an earthly and an heavenly thing: and therefore if the question were demanded touching this Sacrament, whether it be an earthly or heavenly thing, we may answer it is both, and must resolve that in part it is earthly, and in part heavenly: earthly in the sign, and heavenly in the matter that is signified. Let us understand this well, and acknowledge the divers natures and parts of it. There had never risen so great division and confusion in the Church touching the Sacrament, if this distinction had been well observed. The ignorance of this point hath bred much strife and debate: for whilst some judge of it according to the inward thing, and some according to the outward only, the truth of the Lords Supper hath been buried in silence: both sorts forgetting that the providence of God and his loving kindness did abase itself unto our capacity, not only yielding words to our ears, but visible signs to our eyes, whereby he would exhibit to our faith spiritual things. The outward part is one thing, the inward part is another thing: the outward is taken in at the mouth, the inward by the inward man: the outward is turned into the nourishment of the body, the inward worketh in us to eternal life: the outward is taken by some to their destruction, but the inward always to salvation. This appeareth evidently by the words of the Apostle delivering to the Church what he had received of the Lord, and declaring how the same night he was betrayed, He took bread, and a 1 Cor. 11, 23 22, 25 Mat 26, 26. 28, 29. when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, Take ye, eat ye, this is my body, which is broken for you: this do ye in remembrance of me. After the same manner also, He took● the cup when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, this do as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me. In these words we see, both the outward parts propounded, and the number of them defined and determined. For here are b Four outward parts of the Lords Supper. four outward parts handled, to wit, the Minister, the words of institution, the bread and wine, and the Communicants. The first Minister thereof was Christ: the words of institution are, This is my body given for you, this is the cup of the new testament in my blood: the signs are bread and wine: the first Communicants were the Apostles. So then the Ministers must do that which Christ did, and the people that which the Disciples did: the actions of Christ are directions to the Minister, the actions of the Apostles are directions to the people. I am not ignorant that it seemeth hard and harsh to some, to make the Minister and receiver of the Sacrament to be parts thereof. I am not willing to contend about words and names where we agree in the substance of the matter, forasmuch as every one confesseth that these two are outward things, which being wanting, there can be no Sacrament. Again, I have declared in the first book, and the fourth chapter, in what sense I call them parts, to wit, because the Minister standeth in the place of God, and his outward actions do represent the inward actions of God the Father, as is farther proved in the 8. chap. of this book: and the receiver doth nothing in receiving, in eating, and in drinking, but it hath his inward signification, as we may see in the 11. chap. following. Lastly, I would have the indifferent reader understand that I say no more than others of the learned have said before me in other words, howbeit in the same meaning; who make two kinds of signs, the one elemental, the other ritual: the one in the matter, the other in the form. The signs elemental in this Sacrament are the bread and wine: the signs ritual are the giving and taking of the elements, which are the proper actions of the Minister and of the receiver. Whether therefore you call the Minister and the receiver signs or parts, or outward things, it is not greatly material, so that we confess and join together in this, that the outward actions performed as well by the one as the other, have a relation to some other thing resembled by them. Let us then see the actions of Christ. He took bread, he blessed, he broke the bread, he poured out the Wine, he distributed and delivered them both. Wherefore the actions and works of the Minister are c Four actions of the Minister. fourfold. First, to take the bread and wine into his hands after the example of Christ, who did it to show that himself willingly giveth himself for his Church, which serveth to strengthen our faith and persuasion of his love toward us: in whose imitation the Minister doth it, to represent the action of God the Father, giving his Son unto us for our full redemption. The second action is blessing and giving of thanks, that is, by prayer, by thanksgiving, and by rehearsal of the promises of God, together with the institution of Christ, actually to separate the bread and wine so taken from their common use to an holy use. Whereby we are given to understand, that the outward creatures are reverently to be used, calling upon the name of God, and craving his assistance to use his ordinance as we ought to do: and that we should joyfully praise God, for the gracious work of our full redemption by Christ. The third action is breaking the bread & pouring out the wine, which are necessary rites to be observed, having respect & relation to the unspeakable torments of Christ for us, who was pierced, crucified, & made a curse for us upon the Cross, d Psal. 22, 16. Esay 53▪ 5. as the Prophet teacheth, He was wounded for our transgressions, he was broken for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him, & with his stripes we are healed. Wherefore, these Sacramental rites of breaking and pouring out are not to be rejected and omitted, being used by e Mat. 26, 26. Act. 2, 42. 1 Cor. 10, 16. Christ, practised by his Apostles, and retained by the Churches. Not as in the Church of Rome, where they break not to distribute to the people, neither pour out the wine to give unto them, as we shall show at large in the end of this chapter. So then, we see that whole bread is not to be delivered, but that the bread is to be broken, and the wine to be poured out, to be distributed among sundry Communicants. The last action of the Minister, is to distribute the bread and wine and give them into the hands of the people present. Christ did not offer them up to God, but delivered them to his Disciples. All these being works to be done and performed by the Minister in the administration of this Sacrament, do note out the actions of God the Father, scaling up his Son unto us, as we shall see afterward when we come to the inward parts. Use 1 Now let us enter into the consideration of the uses of this part. Are these the actions commanded in the word, executed by Christ, and to be performed by the Minister? Then we see that such as are set apart to deliver this Sacrament, are not consecrated & appointed Priests of the new testament, to offer up an unbloody sacrifice for the quick and dead, as the Church of Rome teacheth and practiseth. They are commanded as Ministers of God to deliver the outward signs to the people, not as Priests to offer them to God the Father: they are appointed Preachers of the Gospel, not Priests of the law: which were to abolish the Priesthood of Christ. Wherefore, we must detest the blasphemy of these shameless shavelings, f Stella Clericorum se●dis. Serm. 3. that teach the Priest to be the maker of his maker, & that he which made them, g Cre●tura vobis mediantibus vobis. gave them power and authority to make him, and so after a sort prefer themselves being the sacrificers, before Christ who is the Sacrifice: themselves being the creators, before Christ the creature: themselves the makers, before Christ being made of them. Thus these sacrificing Priests are not ashamed to speak, and to bray aloud. Secondly, if the Minister be an outward part of this Sacrament, than it belongeth not h Num. 3, 10. Heb. 5, ●. to private persons to deliver Use 2 it to others, nor to take it to themselves, and deliver it to themselves, when or where there is no Minister. They may indeed apply to themselves the outward signs, they may eat the bread and drink the wine, and in respect of the sacramental rites do as the Minister doth: yet for that they do it without a calling, it is not a due administration, but a true profanation of this Sacrament of the Supper. For let us a little insist upon the similitude before stood upon: If the keeper of the Princes broad seal be not in the way, or for the present be not to be gotten, shall any man presume to take it where it lieth without direction, & without commandment? Such a one worthily beareth his punishment, whosoever he be. In like manner, albeit one should earnestly desire the Sacrament of the body & blood of Christ, and even faint in soul for the fruition of it, finding himself in his longing affection able to take it himself, without the assistance of another: yet every one must consider his gifts, his standing, his calling, and place wherein God hath set him, he hath not committed to private persons the administration of the Sacraments: they may not preach the Gospel, they may not baptise their children, they may not meddle with the Lords Supper, no more then common subjects may take the Prince's seal, if the keeper be not in the way. Against this evident truth, i Two objections answered, pretending that private men may deliver the Supper. two things of importance may be objected, which I purpose to prevent before I proceed any farther. For first, this doctrine seemeth not to agree with that maxim and principle, which before we have resolved upon, namely, Accedat verbum ad elementum, & fit Sacramentum, that is, join the word of institution to the outward sign, and there is made a Sacrament: Secondly, it seemeth to leave sick persons without comfort in their hearts and peace to themselves, if for want of a public Minister, themselves may not supply that want, and give unto themselves this Supper. These are the two objections, pretending and intending that private persons may at some times, upon some occasions, have some right and interest in dispensation of the Sacraments. Touching the former point, being a ruled case of Saint Augustine, k Aug. Tract. 80. in johan. 13 that if the sign be annexed to the word, a Sacrament is ordained, we doubt not to affirm the rule undoubtedly to be true, being truly and rightly understood. For the meaning is, if there be an outward sign which is the matter, and a word of institution which is the form of the Sacraments, l Aristot. metaphies l●b. 7. cap. 7. the essence of them is fully finished, as if there be the matter & form of an house, we conclude rightly there is an house. Howbeit we presuppose there was a builder of the house to prepare the matter and to order the form. So the former principle doth presuppose a Minister to deliver, and a receiver to receive the Sacrament: otherwise we shall also war under the ensign of our enemies unawares, who hold it to be the Supper of the Lord, m Bellar. lib 4. de Eu●b. cap. 2. count. Tr●d. f●ss. 13. can. 4, 7. albeit there be no eating, no drinking, no receiving thereof. If therefore in the constitution of a Sacrament, the institution of Christ, touching taking, eating, and drinking, must be observed: then we see that more is required then the sign & the word in the work of the Sacrament. Again, touching the objection of the sick, who seem to be wholly left in distress and discomfort, if they may not lawfully administer the Supper to themselves, or receive it at the hands of some private persons: I answer, it was an ancient practice of the n Beza quaest. & resp d. Sacr. Church to carry the Sacrament unto the sick when it was administered in the Church: beside, albeit in extremity of sickness the Minister be wanting, we leave not the sick without counsel and comfort. For this we teach, this we are ready to maintain, this we would have all believers in health and in sickness to recall and remember; that if they steadfastly believe that the Lord jesus hath suffered death upon the Cross for them, if they particularly apply unto themselves his precious merits for their redemption, if they earnestly remember the benefits of his bitter passion with all thanksgiving, and if they truly repent them from the bottom of their hearts of all their sins: they do eat and drink effectually, o joh. 6, 54, 55 56, 57, 58. and to their soul's health profitably the body & blood of Christ our Saviour, although they do not receive the Sacrament with their mouth. If they do not thus the Sacrament received cannot profit them. This serveth to comfort the weak, and to keep them within the lists and limits of their proper calling. Lastly, seeing the former actions of the Minister are done plainly in the sight of all, it is the duty of every one to give diligent heed, and to have weighty consideration of these outward ceremonies, by the meditation thereof to confirm their faith and to make the outward works to further the inward graces. For they are offered to our senses, not that we should rest in them, but that our weakness by them should be helped, and we by them lift up our hearts to think upon greater things. This serveth to reprove those that omit the breaking of the bread, and delivering of it being broken, into the hands of the Communicants. True it is, some make too much of the breaking of the bread, others esteem too little of it, and both sorts are to be reproved, and a middle course between them both is to be retained. One sort much more straight and rigorous then is meet, The first opinion. offend in the excess, who make the breaking of bread to be simply necessary and an essential part of the Supper, as that without it there can be no Sacrament. The reason whereupon they build, is the title given to this Sacrament, that it is called the breaking of bread, and this breaking of the bread is said to be the Communion of the body of Christ, 1 Cor. 10, 16. Objection. 1 Cor. 10.16. From whence they reason thus, The bread broken is the Communion of the body of Christ. Therefore the bread unbroken, is not the Communion of the body of Christ. Answer. This is a broken argument that cannot hold, and so weak in strength that it cannot uphold itself. If one should argue thus, A man is a creature going upright: therefore a man not going upright but crooked as not a man. Or thus, The body of man hath arms, and hands, and legs: therefore if it want either arm, or hand, or leg, it is not the body of a man: all men see this will not follow. This only will follow that such a man is not a sound man, and such a body is not a perfect body: so it will only follow that the Sacrament is not an entire but a maimed Sacrament where the bread is not broken. Wherefore these men do great wrong to many reformed Churches which have not yet this ceremony among them, while they dare pronounce that they have no Supper at all, because they are destitute of this rite: which judgement of theirs savoureth of the want both of verity & charity. The second opinion. Another sort offend on the contrary side, to wit, in the defect, who make this breaking to be merely indifferent and not necessary: accidental, and not of the substance. They confess that the Lord jesus at his last Supper did truly break bread, but that he did it as a thing indifferent, and according to ordinary custom. Besides, they affirm that this breaking signifieth the distributing or dividing of the bread to others. But one of these is contrary to the other, the former overthroweth the latter, and the last destroyeth the first. For if Christ did truly break bread in his Supper, than it followeth that to break bread in the Supper, is not only to deal the bread, but to give it into several parts being broken, as he saith distinctly, He broke it and gave it to his Disciples. Mat. 26, 26. Again, if breaking and distributing be all one, then is not the breaking which they omit a rite indifferent, but very necessary, forasmuch as the giving of the Supper to the Communicants is so necessary, that without it there can be no Sacrament. These therefore are they that overthrow themselves. The third opinion. The third opinion is the sounder of such as hold a mean way between both extremes, that the breaking of the bread is no essential part of the Supper, neither yet an indifferent ceremony, both which are two dangerous rocks on which sundry men suffer shipwreck: but a necessary ceremony, not as though without it there were no Supper at all, but as a part serving to perfect the whole; which wanting, the Supper ceaseth not to be, howbeit it is not entire and complete. For this rite is not as the head or the heart in man's body, without which there could be no body, but as the hand or the foot, without which it is a body, albeit a maimed or a lame body. So likewise touching this holy Supper, without bread, without blessing, without giving, there can be no Supper: it is as much as if the head were cut off, or the heart pulled out, or the brain perished. But without breaking, the Supper remaineth; albeit maimed and unperfect, as if the body wanted an eye or an arm. Besides, How the breaking of the bread is necessary. it is the will of Christ that this ceremony should be observed: so that it may be said to be necessary in two respects: first in regard of the making perfect of the Sacrament: secondly, in regard of the commandment of Christ. Now that this necessity may appear how great it is, let us consider the reasons, whereby it is proved that this beaking, where it is, aught to be continued: and where it is not, aught to be restored. The first reason. First of all we have the example of Christ, who said of himself, Learn of me, every action of Christ about the Supper is our instruction. But in the first institution of the Supper he broke the bread which he had blessed, and did distribute it to his disciples. Therefore it behoveth us to do the like. Objection. Neither let any object that the manner of Christ's beaking, and of his Apostles is unknown or uncertain. Answer. For the Lord doth not command us or tie us precisely to use that form which he used, and therefore if the bread be broken, howsoever the example of Christ is followed. Besides, we are altogether ignorant what form of words Christ used in his blessing of the bread, and in giving thanks to his Father, forasmuch as it is not expressed by any of the Evangelists: may we then from hence cavil and conclude, we know not his manner of blessing: therefore blessing is indifferent and may be safely omitted? No, we cannot reason in that sort. As than we do bless and give thanks aright albeit we know not how Christ did it: so we do well to break the bread, albeit we know not which way he did it. The second reason. The second reason is from the commandment of Christ, Do ye this. And again, So often as ye shall do this: here is an express precept and a direct commandment, without this the Sacrament is as a body lame of his limbs. From hence we reason thus, That which Christ hath commanded us to do as well as blessing and giving, that is necessary to be done: but he hath commanded us to break bread in the use of the Supper as well as to bless it, and give it to them that are present: Therefore to break bread is necessary and not indifferent. The third reason is drawn from the example of the Apostles, The third reason. 1 Cor. 11, 1. who following Christ are to be followed of us, as 1. Cor. 11. Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. Neither did they use this ceremony according to the custom of the country of judea, for they used it as well out of the borders of judea as in them, as appeareth in many places, Acts 2.42. and 20.7. 1 Cor. 10. So that they respected nor the custom of the place, but the commandment of Christ. This is a good precedent for the Churches that profess the Gospel to follow. Fourthly, the whole Sacrament is called by this name, The fourth reason. and hath this title given unto it, to be called, The breaking of bread, as we may see in the places before expressed. Doubtless the Apostles would never call it thus, if this rite that we speak of were not truly necessary and Sacramental. The fift reason. Fiftly, this mystical rite serveth notably to the comfort of our hearts and the strengthening of our faith, and therefore is not to be omitted, seeing it shadoweth out unto us the breaking of the body of Christ, and witnesseth that Christ was as truly broken for us upon the Cross, as the bread that is blessed is truly broken and divided into pieces; this the Apostle noteth, saying, 1 Cor. 11. Which is broken for you, 1. Cor. 12, 24 Luk. 22, 19 that is, which shall shortly be killed and crucified; according to that which Luke saith, cha. 22. Which is given for you, to wit, unto death, even the death of the Cross. To take from us and to rob us quite and clean of this comfort and consolation expressed by breaking of the bread, Objection. they object diverse things. First, that breaking signifieth to deal it and distribute it, as Esay 55. Break thy bread to the hungry; Answer. but it cannot have that signification in this place, as appeareth by the words following he gave it: whereas if they were both one, it should be a needless and fruitless repetition, which the Scripture useth not. Again, Objection. they say that Christ's body was not broken, if we speak properly, not figuratively: for not a bone of him was broken. Answer. I answer, this maketh directly against themselves. For if Christ's body were broken figuratively, than it is evident that this b●eaking hath a similitude and resemblance with the breaking of the bread, so that the one holdeth proportion with the other. Besides, they confess that by breaking, the Apostle would express the most grievous torments which our Saviour suffered; and the most shameful kind of death which he endured, as the word is taken elsewhere, as Esay 38. where Hezekiah complaineth that his bones were broken as it were of a lion. Esay 38, 13. Objection. Again they say farther, If Christ would have his passion represented by this means, he would not have abrogated the ceremony of the passover, which beyond all compassion did more evidently represent the passion of Christ than the bread: otherwise Christ should have abolished a type that was clearer, and have ordained another that was darker, whereas the new Testament and all things done in it and belonging to it are compared to the light of the day in respect of the shadows of the old Testament. Answer. I answer the clear light of the new testament consisteth chief and principally in the form of the doctrine of the Gospel, which is an evident testimony touching the work of our redemption already finished. The Sacraments are dependences upon it, and borrow their light from the Gospel, as the Moon doth from the Sun: so that the Sacraments of the new testament are clearer than the old in this respect, Piscat. in Ma●. cap. 26. not in regard of the form of the ceremony. For the legal washings did no less represent in regard of the outward form, the washing away of our sins by the blood of Christ, than the baptism of the Gospel. So the passion of Christ and the fruit and benefit of his passion was no less, but rather more represented by killing of the Paschall Lamb and the eating of it, then by breaking of the bread & by eating of the bread. If these had been used in the time of the law as they are in the time of the Gospel, they had not been so significant & pregnant as the slaying of beasts: but the breaking of bread in the Sunshine of the Gospel and plenty of knowledge revealed to the world, being a sign of a thing already done, and finished, must needs be more lively in representation then the kill of sacrifices in the law which were shadows of things to come, whereas Christ was not yet revealed, nor the mystery of the Gospel opened. Besides, the words of institution pronounccd in the Sacraments of the new Testament are clearer and more significant than any set down in the law, so that Paul saith, his Gospel was not hid, 2 Cor. 4, 3. Gal. 3, 1. 2 Cor. 4, 3. and that Christ jesus was by his preaching described in their sight, Gal. 3, 1. Lastly, here is produced a false cause of abrogating the Paschall Lamb in stead of a true. For it was not abrogated by the holy Supper, because it is a more clear, manifest, and evident type, but because it was instituted and ordained to continue, until Christ the true Lamb of God figured by it was killed. When he was once crucified, the other killing must cease and give place: forasmuch as his blood had force to staunch all other blood which was wont to be shed both in circumcision and in the sacrifices. Objection. Furthermore it is objected, that in pouring out of the cup there is no mystery or mystical signification; therefore there is none in breaking of the bread. Answer. I answer, the former part is false; for the pouring out of the wine signifieth the shedding of Christ's blood out of his side. For as it is said of the bread, This is my body which is broken for you: so it is said of the cup, This is my blood which is shed for you for the remission of sins. And what can the separation of the bread and the cup signify, but the separation of the body & blood of Christ once made upon the Cross, whereas his blood is now no longer separated from the body, because he can die no more? Objection. Answer. To conclude, they urge that in the new testament is no place for figures. It is true, if they speak of figures shadowing out Christ to come. But if they speak of figures signifying Christ already revealed & manifested, we fear not to affirm, that we have figures still of Christ and of the benefits purchased by him. For I pray you what are our Sacraments but figures lively setting forth Christ our Saviour? So then to take away signs, is to take away the Sacraments, which are nothing else but sacred signs? The sixth reason. Sixtly, that which includeth under it the mystery of the union of the Church among themselves and with Christ the head, is by no means to be passed over. But the breaking of bread hath this mystery in it, that many by partaking of one bread broken, are made one mystical body, as the Apostle witnesseth, 1 Cor. 10, 17. We being many, are one bread and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread, which he declared to be broken in the former verse. The unity between the members of the Church which are many, is shadowed out by the bread made & compact together of many grains: howbeit this is much more evident unto us by the bread which is broken and distributed to all that are present. seventhly, we have the express testimony of the Apostle, The bread which we break, etc. The seventh reason. Now that is to be judged necessary to be done, without which we cannot say with the Apostle in the administration and participation of the Supper, The bread which we break is the communion of the body of Christ: but without this ceremony we cannot join with the Apostle and say, The bread which we break, is the communion of Christ's body: Therefore the rite of breaking and parting the bread into many pieces is necessary. They may say, the bread which we give or distribute, but not the bread which we break: for to break is one thing, and to distribute is another. These two differ so far the one from another, that a thing may be broken which is not distributed and given; and it may be given which is not broken. Eightly, The eight reason. that which fitly serveth to make the Sacrament perfect and absolute, whole and entire, may not be neglected or omitted; and where it is not, it ought to be restored. But the breaking of bread maketh the Sacrament instituted of Christ to be more full, and without it to be maimed, as a man without an hand. Therefore it ought to be restored again. Ninthly, The ninth reason. it is in the power of no creature to omit or abolish any rite not in itself indifferent, but commanded by Christ in the celebration of his Supper. But the breaking of bread is not indifferent to be done or to be left undone, but is expressly commanded to be practised, as we have proved before. Therefore no man under heaven hath authority to abrogate it. For this is a true and certain rule, that a right having the commandment of Christ for the use of it to be continued is not indifferent. Tenthly, it giveth us peace of conscience. The tenth reason. Now that which setteth the conscience at quiet & doth more effectually minister comfort in the use of this Supper, that is by no means to be neglected. But the due observation of this breaking according to the commandment of Christ doth quiet the conscience and comfort the heart more forcibly and fruitfully, inasmuch as it assureth us that we keep the ordinance of Christ purely and entirely, without adding any thing unto it, or without taking any thing from it: Therefore it is not to be passed over. The 11. reason. Lastly, to draw to an end, that ceremony ought to be retained and continued in the Church, whereby the Idolatrous and false opinion of the corporal presence and eating of the body of Christ, is most strongly convinced and pulled out of the hearts of the ignorant people: but such is the ceremony of the breaking of bread. Therefore it ought to be practised, that the Idol set up in the hearts of the multitude may be defaced and pulled down. This carnal and corporal presence profiteth not, as we will make plain afterward. Thus we have heard the reasons which urge and require this as a necessary duty belonging to the Minister to break the bread, a duty neglected not only of the Church of Rome, but also of others, who maintaining a real presence of the body of Christ, omit the breaking of the outward sign. In all this that hitherto hath been observed, we may note three things. First, that we do not condemn our brethren or the Churches who have not this breaking of the bread observed among them, whether it be through error conceived, or any other let and impediment objected. Secondly, the defect of this rite cannot destroy, albeit it do disfigure the Supper, it is as a maim in an whole body, or as a scar in a fair face. Lastly, that this ceremony is not to be holden indifferent, but necessary in respect of Christ's commandment, and necessary to preserve the comeliness and beauty in this Sacrament. CHAP. FOUR Of the second outward part of the Lords Supper. HItherto of the first outward part of the Lords Supper, to wit, the Minister, who is in the Church not only as a Steward to provide, but as a Cook to prepare meat for the children & servants of God: now we come to the word of institution a The words of institution are the second outward part of the Supper and promise annexed or contained therein, which are the second part of this Sacrament, expressed in these words, This is my body which is given for you, or which is broken for you: where the name of the thing signified is given to the sign itself, as if it should be said, this bread which I have in mine hands, is b Tertul cont. Marcio lib. 4. August contr. Ad●m ●n. ca 12. a sign of my body, which shortly after shall be crucified for you, and delivered unto death for your salvation. Christ took nothing but bread: he gave into his Disciples hands nothing but bread to eat, he broke nothing but bread: and Paul saith expressly of this Sacrament, c 1 Cor. 10, 16 Objection. The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? If any object that Christ's body neither is, d joh 1●, 36. Answer. nor was broken, as job. 19, 36. Not a bone of him shall be broken, that the Scripture should be fulfilled: I answer, the Apostle hath respect to the sense and signification which the breaking of the bread importeth, being taken for the tearing & tormenting, the pains and renting of the body of Christ, and the violent sundering of his soul and body one from the other. For as the bread is parted and divided into divers parts: so the soul and body of Christ were sundered & separated each from other. Again, it is said, This is my blood of the new testament which is shed for many for the remis●●● of sins, or, This cup is the new testament in my blood which is shed for you: these speeches are Sacramental, not proper, by the confession of the adversaries themselves, where the thing containing, which is the cup, hath the name of the thing contained, which is the wine the fruit of the vine. So then they which cannot abide figures in the Sacrament, must be constrained to confess a figure, and therefore cannot blame us, when we say the words are figuratively to be understood. But before we come to handle the uses of this part, let us briefly consider the words of Christ delivered at the institution and administration of this Sacrament, that so we may see the true and natural meaning thereof. These words e The words of institution are variably set down. are not recorded & reported in so many words in the scripture, or in so many syllables, but the sense being one, the sentence varieth and is not one. Matthew delivereth the words thus, f Mat 26, 26. Take, eat, this is my body, whereunto g Mar. 14, 22. Mark also accordeth. Luke is somewhat more ample by way of interpretation, h Luk. 21, 19 This is my body which is given for you, do this in remembrance of me. And i 1 Cor. 11, 14 Paul to the like purpose, but in unlike sound of words, Take, eat, this is my body which is broken for you, do this in remembrance of me. Likewise touching the other sign of this Supper, Matthew saith, k Mat. 16, ●8. This is my blood of the new testament, that is shed for many, for the remission of sins. Mark is somewhat more short than the rest, l Mar. 14, 23.24. This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many: but he addeth this more than the rest, they all drank of it. Luke saith, m Luk. 22 20. This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. But Paul declareth the same more at large, This cup n 1 Cor. 11, 25 is the new testament in my blood, this do as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me. Thus we see expressly, a difference in words by adding, by detracting, by changing: yet inasmuch as nothing is added, or detracted, or changed, in regard of the true meaning, let us come to the interpretation and exposition of the words, seeing the Gospel standeth not o jerem. 〈◊〉 cap. 1 ad Galat. in the words of the Scripture, but in the mind and meaning of them. Let us therefore come to the right understanding of the words of Chrst. p The words of institution expounded briefly, truly, 〈◊〉 plainly. Take, to wit, not only into your mouths, but into your hands, representing the soul and faith of the receiver. Eat, that is, not gaze and look on, not reserve, not adore, not offer it, but divide by chewing and preparing to concoction. This, that is to say, not the shows of bread, but this very bread. Is my body, that is, a true sign of my true body, and signifieth unto you myself with all that is mine, or belonging either to my person, or office, or merits. Which is broken for you, that is, which shortly shall be crucified for you, & immediately given to death for you. Do this in remembrance of me, that is, practise these duties, and call to remembrance Christ and his merits oftentimes. So that it is in our choice and liberty to do these duties, or not to do them: if we be not fit, we must presently prepare to make ourselves fit: and we must do them often, so that howsoever there be no set time, yet the oftener the better, due reverence and regard being had thereunto. Moreover, touching the other sign, observe thus much for interpretation. This cup, that is, this wine in the cup: Is the new testament in my blood, that is, this wine is a true sign of shedding my blood, which confirmeth & ratifieth the new Testament, and God's agreement with mankind for their salvation. This is briefly the mind of Christ, and meaning of the Us 1 words of institution. From hence we learn, first, that Christ's words are not properly, but figuratively to be taken. True it is, the words are plain, easy, and manifest: for tropes and figures were found out q Arist. rhetor. ad theode●t. l●b. 3 cap. 6. C cer. de orat o. lib. 3. not to darker, but to open: not to hide, but to help the understanding: howbeit they must have a right construction and a sound interpretation, otherwise, the plainest sentence may breed error and mistaking. Now this is a sacramental speech, and sacramental words must be sacramentally expounded, as proper, must be interpreted properly: spiritual, spiritually; and mystical, mystically. We may not take the letter in all places: for as we have showed, the Scripture standeth not in words, r Hierom. co●. 〈…〉 & in Cap. 1. ad Gal. but in the meaning of the words: not in the reading but in the understanding: not in the outward show, but in the inward substance. Christ in the new testament is called a lamine a lion, a way, a bridegroom, a head, a door, a vine, a g● 〈◊〉 a rock, bread, water, light, & such like these words are 〈◊〉 & evident, yet must they be understood metaphorically, not properly: spiritually, not literally. So to come to the words of institution, What did Christ take in his hand? bread. What did Christ command them to take and eat? bread. What did he call his body? Was it any other thing then the same bread which he had taken, which he had broken, which he had given unto them? Neither is there any other antecedent going before, whereunto it can be referred. Now the bread and body of Christ are in nature Disparata. sundry and divers things, and the one cannot be spoken of the other, and verified of the other without a figure, as to say, one and the same thing should be both bread and Christ's body, but if it be bread, it cannot be his body, if it be his body, it cannot be bread. Wherefore, true bread is a true sign & seal of his true body. Neither is this figure strange or new, but common and usual, when mention is made of the Sacraments: as Gen. 17. This is my covenant, o Gen. 17, 10.11. speaking of circumcision: yet circumcision was not the covenant itself, but a sign and token of the covenant, as also it is afterward expounded, It shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you. The adversaries cannot deny a figure in this speech. Now what difference is there between these two speeches, This is my covenant, and, this is my body? are they not alike, and in like manner to be understood? So Exod. 12. It is the Lords p Exod. 12, 13 14. passover, properly the Lamb was not the passover, but served to put them in remembrance of that benefit, and it is expounded after, the blood shall be a token for you upon the houses where ye are, this day shall be unto you a remembrance. Likewise the Apostle saith, 1. Cor. 10. That rock q 1 Cor. 10, 4. was Christ, whereas properly the rock was not Christ, but the water flowing from it did represent him. Thus than we must understand the words plainly, truly, and briefly, r A paraphrase upon the wor●s of institution. as if Christ had said in this manner, This bread which ye have seen me take, break, deliver, and distribute, and which I bid you take and eat, is a sign or Sacrament of my true body, signifying and sealing up unto you, that my body shall be broken, crushed, and crucified for you, to purchase unto you eternal life, let these Sacramental rites and actions now performed by me and you, be hereafter put in practice by you and all faithful Ministers and professors, for the strengthening of your faith by the remembrance of my death, and by the applying of the benefit thereof, every one to your own selves. Likewise, having finished his Supper, when he did eat the passover with his Disciples, having taken the cup and given thanks, he gave it being filled with wine to his Disciples, and said, drink ye all of this, for this wine in this cup is a sign & Sacrament of my blood, by the shedding whereof, together with my death following, the full forgiveness of sins and perfect salvation (which I by my unchangeable will and decree do give unto you and all that believe in me) are assured to you and all believers. Thus having opened and cleared the interpretation of the words, we shall hereafter need to spend the less time in confuting the contrary doctrine: darkness shall fly before the light, error before truth, and cloudy mists before the Sunshine of the day. Again, seeing the words of institution are variably and Use 2 diversly set down by the Evangelists and the Apostle Paul: we learn that every change of the words where the sense is nothing altered or diminished, is not to be condemned, as sinful or unlawful: so that the alteration being in the form and frame of words, not in the substance and sense of the matter, the Sacrament is not destroyed. For if it had been an heinous sin to have made any change or alteration, or to have miss of the terms or syllables of the institution: no doubt the Evangelists would have consented in the words, and not have swerved one from another, as appeareth they have done. We see how the Apostles in the allegation of sundry places of Scripture borrowed out of the old Testament, do not evermore strictly bind themselves to the s Mat 2, 6. very words, as Mat. 2. 6. Heb. 10, 5. and in sundry other places: but only to the sense, and therefore t Mat. 4, 10. sometimes they add as Matthew 4, 10. sometimes they leave out as occasion serveth. True it is, to alter any substantial part; or to wrest the words to a wrong and contrary meaning, or not at all to express the sense of the words, maketh the Sacrament void: but an alteration only of certain circumstances, u All change in the w●rds of institution makes not the Sacraments void. as of number, or person, of Letters or syllables, cannot make frustrate the whole Sacrament: albeit we allow not any private and particular man to make any change of his own head in such circumstances, or to bring in a new frame of words. So in baptism, the Greek Church saith, Let the servant of Christ be baptised in this water, etc. and hereby nothing is detracted from the truth of the Sacrament, because Christ jesus hath not precisely appointed how many words the Apostles and Pastors of the Church should use in the execution of their ministry. Notwithstanding, the observation of the words, I baptise thee, observed in our Churches, seemeth to draw nearer to the commandment of Christ, and to confirm more fitly and fully the faith of the baptised, and to answer unto the words of john the Baptist, I baptise with water. Likewise in the Lord's Supper, whereas Christ said, Take ye, eat ye, do ye this, as speaking to many: the Sacrament is not destroyed, when the words are particularly rehearsed, and specially applied in our Churches, saying▪ take thou, eat thou, drink thou. Use 3 Lastly, seeing the words of institution are an outward part of the Sacrament, necessary, to be known, read, marked, and understood, wherein the substance and comfortable use of the Lords Supper consisteth: it followeth that they are to be published and pronounced openly, distinctly, plainly, not in a strange language, but in a known tongue, that the Church of Christ and people of God may be edified. For wherefore serveth the commandment and promise set forth in the Supper, if they be not understood? Whether we do read the Scriptures, sing Psalms, pour out supplications, receive the Sacraments, or whatsoever service we perform to God, that he may be glorified, and the Congregation instructed, we must do all in a known tongue to be understood. This God commandeth, this the Apostle prescribeth, this the true church of God practiseth, this reason teacheth, this the Heathen acknowledgeth. Notwithstanding, a Concil. Trid. sess. 22, ca 9 the synagogue of Rome, that it might take away all fruit and comfort from the faithful, and that it might broach horrible errors safely and securely, and not be espied, hath not only commanded to pronounce the words of consecration closely and in silence, but forbidden to use the common mother tongue of all the people. The people of God must not be like Parrots, or Pies, or Ravens, or such birds that chatter with voice, record men's words, and sound a sentence, but understand not the meaning thereof. As Pliny b Plin▪ nature. histor. lib. 10. cap. 43. maketh mention of a certain Raven that had learned to say, ave Caesar Imperator, All hail, or good morrow Emperor Caesar, saluting Tiberius and the two young Princes Germanicus and Drusus. And Celius Rhodiginus writeth, c Celius Rhodiginus. that Cardinal Ascanius had a Popintay, that could pronounce distinctly and orderly all the Articles of the Creed. Such birds or rather beasts, would they have Christian men to be, that would have them pray, and not d Bellar. lib. 2. de Missa. cap. 12. understand what they pray: hear the reading of the Scriptures, but not know what is read: receive the Sacraments, but not know the meaning of the institution. Things without life which give a sound, whether Pipe or Harp, except they make a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped? Or if the trumpet e 1 Cor. 14, 7, 8. give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to battle? All things in the Church must tend to the instruction and edification of all the parts and people: but reading and praying in a strange tongue, do not edify and profit the hearers, as 1 Cor. 14, 26. Let all things be f 1 Cor. 14, 5, 11, 12, 1●, 14, 18.19, 26. done to edifying: and verse 14. I speak languages more than ye all, yet had I rather in the Church to speak five words with mine understanding, that I might also instruct others, then ten thousand words in a strange tongue: for how then should he that occupieth the room of the unlearned, say, Amen, at thy giving of thanks, seeing he knoweth not what thou sayest? Wherefore, except we know the meaning of the words, we shall be unto him that speaketh a Barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a Barbarian unto us. Even the learned languages of Greek & Latin not in themselves, but in regard of the hearers that understand them not, are barbarous. For the Apostle doth not here like an Orator distinguish the tongues, and show which are eloquent and rhetorical in themselves▪ and which rude: but holdeth every tongue barbarous, Hebrew, Syriack, Caldy, Arab ck▪ Greeke, and Latin, to him that knoweth not the force and signification thereof. And this to be most true, g Psal. 114.1. Rom. 1 14. the Scriptures teach, h Ch●ysost in 1 Cor. 14, hom. 35. the Fathers avouch, i Strabo Geograph. ●ib. 1. the heathen writers warrant, k Plautus. in prolog. asmar. Ovid de Tristib. lib. 5. Eleg. 10. the very Poets declare, yea their own Doctors l johan Beleth. paris. Theol. explic. divin. offi. in proemio. Nicol. lyra in 1. Cor. 14. ad verb vers. 16. Caietan opulcutor. tom. 3. tract. 15. do determine. Wherefore to conclude, it is the ordinance of God, it is the doctrine of the Apostles, it is the duty of all Christians, when the word is read or preached, when supplications are offered, when the Sacraments are administered, to use a known tongue understood of all: and without this the Scriptures are vain, the prayers are barbarous, the Sacraments are fruitless, to such as know not what is read, what is asked, what is promised, what is received. Nevertheless, there is nothing so absurd, but the Church of Rome will defend it, especially if it serve to maintain ignorance, one of the main pillars of their Antichristian usurpation & of the kingdom of darkness. Hence it is, that to nuzzle the poor simple souls in the blindness of their superstition, they tell them that forsooth they pray to God who understandeth all languages; and that it sufficeth to have a good intent and meaning in prayer, and leave the rest to him who doubtless will accept of it and them. True it is, God can speak all tongues, he understandeth them better than they that speak them: what then? Doth it follow therefore that he alloweth and approveth such prayers? He understandeth that the Atheist prayeth not at all: doth he therefore allow his not praying? If we come in hypocrisy or use vain repetitions, he knoweth it, but condemneth it and detesteth it: so that from his knowledge we cannot conclude his allowance and acceptance. Neither is it sufficient to have a devout intent of praying; to pray is to speak to God, not to intend to speak: neither will God be worshipped by such intentions, but according to his word. And what reason can they render why the word should be preached in a known tongue rather than read unto the people in a tongue that may be understood? Wherefore, whether there be reading of the Scripture, or praying to God, or singing of Psalms, or receiving of the Sacraments in the Church, all aught to tend to edification and instruction. And thus far of the second outward part of the Lords Supper, to wit, the word of institution: for a Sacrament without the word, is as a picture without sense, or an image without life, which hath a mouth but speaketh not. CHAP. V Of the third outward part of the Lords Supper. THe third outward part of the Lords Supper followeth, a Bread and wine are the outward signs of the Lords Supper. which are the elements of bread & wine, fittest signs for this purpose, to signify the spiritual nourishment of the soul, by eating the body and drinking the blood of Christ. That these are appointed as the substance & matte● of the Supper, it appeareth by the words of Christ, & his Apostles delivering this Sacran. For the Evangelists express, b Mat. 26, 26. Mar. 14, 22. Luk. 22, 19 Act. 2, 41, 42. and 20.17. 1 Cor. 10.16. that Christ took bread, gave it, and said, Take ye, and eat ye. So likewise it is said of the Church newly planted by the Apostles, that such as gladly received the word, and were baptised, Continued in the Apostles doctrine, and fellowship, and breaking of bread. And chap. 20. it is recorded, That the first day of the week, the Disciples came together to break bread. And Paul saith, 1 Cor. 10. The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? And in the chapter c 1 Cor. 11, 23 26, 27, 28. following, the same Apostle often mentioneth and remembreth the bread of this Sacrament. In like manner Christ took the cup, d Mat. 26, 29. wherein was the fruit of the Vine. By these Christ is truly exhibited unto us: he is truly offered unto all: he is effectually given to the faithful, as hath been oftentimes remembered unto us. But before we come to the uses arising from these signs, Objection. it shall not be amiss to ask and to answer a question, why Christ made choice of bread and wine rather than any other elements to be the signs of the Sacrament of his body and blood? I answer, Answer. it was by reason of the analogy and proportion between them; for there is a similitude and agreement between the sign and the thing signified, as will easily and distinctly appear by these particular considerations compared together, both touching the bread and touching the wine. For first of all (to speak in order of them) concerning the bread, Reasons why Christ made choice of bread. Gen. 18, 6. levit. 2, 4. as of the grain of wheat is made corporal bread: so of the body of Christ is made spiritual bread. Secondly, as bread is baked in the Oven by the heat of the fire: so is the body of Christ heated and boiled by the fire of the Cross, and thereby prepared for us to be the food of life. Psal. 81, 16. Thirdly, as this natural life is sustained by bread: so through jesus Christ the bread of life, our souls are nourished to a spiritual and eternal life. Fourthly, Psal. 104, 15. as the heart of man is strengthened and fortified by bread, so the merit of Christ's body doth sustain & support the soul to eternal life. Gen. 18.5. Fiftly, as bread slaketh the hunger of the body: so the force and efficacy of Christ's body doth assuage and allay the hunger of the soul. Sixtly, as bread profiteth such as are hungry, Esay 58, 7. Prou. 27, 7. but doth no good to them that are already filled and glutted: so the merit of Christ's body bringeth a benefit to them only that hunger after righteousness: but as for such as are proud and puffed up with a conceit of their own righteousness, it yieldeth no profit at all unto them. 1 Cor. 10, 17. seventhly, as the bread distributed and divided among many is a sign of unity and concord: so the body of Christ offered up for many upon the Cross; is a pledge unto us of his love toward us, and of the love that ought to be among ourselves. 1 Cor. 10, 16, 17. Lastly, as one loaf is made of many grains: so we that are many are become one mystical body of Christ which are partakers of one bread. Thus we have seen a similitude and likeness between the properties and effects of bread and of the body of Christ: Reasons why Christ made choice of wine. now let us see wherefore Christ used wine, and commanded it to be used after his own example; why he preferred it before all other things, and what is the resemblance between it and the blood of Christ. First of all, as wine is the sweetest liquor proceeding from the Vine: judg. 9, 13. so the blood of Christ is the most pleasant drink of the soul that was shed for us, and flowed out of his side who is the true Vine, joh. 15, 1.7. Secondly, Prou 9, 5. as wine doth quench the thirst of the body: so the merit of Christ's blood doth take away the thirst of the soul, that it shall never thirst again, joh. 4. Thirdly, as wine doth cheer up the heart of man: Psal. 104, 16. so the promises of Christ do cheer and refresh the soul. Fourthly, Prou. 31, 6. as wine doth warm the body and make it more apt and fit to do business: so the blood of Christ received by faith doth stir up and inflame the soul to all good motions, and maketh us more prompt and ready to every good work. Fiftly, as wine taketh away fearfulness, Prou. 23, 32. and causeth men to be more bold and secure: so doth the blood of Christ applied to the conscience by faith, assure us of God's favour, ease us of the curse of the law, and make us constant in the confession of Christ. Lastly, Prou. 21, 29▪ 30. as wine putteth away the paleness of the face and maketh the countenance shine: so the blood of Christ turneth the colour of the soul into a comely hue, which before was pale and wan through fear of death; that is, it quieteth the conscience, Rom. 5, 1. appeaseth the wrath of God, and maketh us gracious before him, so that we appear righteous and acceptable in his sight. This being the plain and evident truth, let us see the uses, first such as concern both the signs jointly and in general, than such as belong to each of them in several and in particular. To begin, we learn from hence to acknowledge a difference between baptism and the Lords supper; in baptism we have one sign as the material part, in the Supper we have two signs, e Why we have two signs in the Lor●s Supper a●d only one in baptism. partly to note out our whole, full, and perfect nourishment in Christ, having whatsoever is requisite for our salvation; and partly to show a fuller remembrance of his death, for the wine which is a figure of his blood, doth as it were present it and represent it before our eyes. So then, albeit the same participation of Christ and the same washing away of sins by his blood, are sealed up in baptism and in the Supper: yet the manner of sealing them in each is divers. Again, baptism is a sign of our entrance into God's Covenant: the Supper is a sign of our abiding and continuing in that covenant. Touching baptism, it is sufficient for infants if they be borne in the Church: in the Supper, the condition of examining ourselves, and remembering the Lords death is required. They differ also in often celebration of them: baptism is to be received but once only in all our life, because the promise once made, is always firm and forcible to such as believe and repent: but the Supper is oftentimes to be received, because an often renewing of that Covenant, and calling it to our remembrance is necessary to increase and strengthen faith. They differ also in the order which is to be observed in the use of them: for baptism is to be given before the Supper, and the Supper may not be given to any, except to such as are known to have been first baptised, or are at least reputed so to be. As first a Child is borne, before he be fed: so must Baptism go before, whereby our new birth is sealed: then the Supper must follow after, whereby our daily nourishment is declared and confirmed. Lastly, they differ in the signs, there is only one sign in baptism, which is the water: but there are two signs in the Lord's Supper, to wit, the bread and wine. The second general use is, that if Christ took, gave, and delivered the substance of the bread and wine: then they must needs retain their former nature & their proper substance, as well as their qualities, as sight, taste, smell, bigness, whiteness, sweetness, redness, roundness, and such like properties. But the Papists turn all things g Against the bare shows of bread and wine: and accidents without subject. upside down, matter into form, substance into accidents, creatures into shows, and subjects into things adjoined: they bring in new shifts and fables against all divinity, philosophy, reason, sense, and experience, setting up their own inventions, and building Castles in the air. Let them prove the annihilation and removing of the substance of bread & wine away, and the h Arist. phis. lib. 1. cap. 3. consisting of accidents without subject, which they are never able to do. For as the water in baptism remaineth in his nature and substance: so do the bread and wine in the Lord's Supper. And albeit in both the Sacraments the signs be changed to a special use: yet are they not corrupted into shows, and turned into shadows. The heavens i Psal. 102, 26. shall be changed at the end of the world: yet hence it followeth not, that they shall be clean abolished and consumed to nothing. All young scholars are taught in the schools, k Accidentis esse est in esse. that an accident hath no being without a subject: yet here these Sophisters, against all the rules of Logic, l Porphyr. ca 5. de accident. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. and grounds of reason, would have accidents and shows of bread and wine to be in no subject. Thus whereas in all places of learning we are taught, that accidents may perish, not the substance of things: they will have the matter and substance to perish, not the accidents. We see whiteness, roundness, dryness, moisture: we taste the sweetness: we touch all these qualities: yet (behold a popish wonder, whereat marvel and be astonished) these, these I say are not in the bread and wine, because they are gone, neither in the body of Christ, because it is not white or black, round or red. So we shall have a white thing, yet nothing white: a round thing, yet nothing round: a smell, yet nothing that smelleth: a taste of bread, yet nothing that tasteth: a breaking, and yet nothing that is broken: so that here we have somewhat made of nothing & nothing made of somewhat. For if any should ask them what round or white thing is this, showing the bread? Or what sweet thing is that, pointing out the wine in the cup? They cannot say it is bread and wine, (for they hold that none are left) they are not able to shape any answer: for they will not say the body of Christ is white, round, sweet, red, or such like. Wherefore, these accidents of bread and wine roving without subjects, are shows of reason without substance, colours without truth, and fancies without settled judgement: and as well might they imagine, walking without feet, an house without a foundation, a vessel without bottom, or a body without space or place. Again, what is it that doth nourish? What is it that doth comfort and refresh? For we feel our bodies strengthened by the creatures taken and received. And we read in their own histories that King jews the gentle, for the m Aimoin. ex Ade●●. li. 5. c. 19 space of 40. days did eat nothing else. What is it then whereby we feel ourselves to be fed? Can their accidents do it, hanging in the air by miraculous Geometry? Can whiteness, or redness, or roundness nourish us where no substance is to be found or felt? Can dryness, or moisture, can smelling or seeing nourish without some material body? They cannot. It must be substance that is turned into our substance: for never was it heard, that accidents were turned into substance. But whereas we have been taught, that accidents are in their subject, now we must hold for our new learning that substances are in their accidents. Wherefore, let us leave these doubtful and deceitful builders that go about to build without ground or foundation, which cannot stand: and therefore their opinion is as improbable & impossible as the alchymisticall transmutation. The third general use arising from both the signs, is this: if Christ delivered his last Supper in bread and wine, than these signs may not be altered, but must be n The bread and wine being the matter of the Sacrament may not be changed in the Lord's supper. retained for the perpetual use and comfort of the Church. And howsoever it be left to the choice and liberty of the church, what bread or what wine they will use: yet that it ought necessarily (as I take it) to be bread and the fruit of the Vine, may appear by divers good considerations. I will propound the reasons that draw me to this opinion, let the church judge of them, seeing the o 1 cor. 14, 32. spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets. First, the institution of the Supper, and the example of Christ himself, whom the Church is to imitate and follow, who said, Do p 1 cor. 11, 25. this in remembrance of me. He said not, do the like, or do what pleaseth you, and serve from my example where you will, bu● do this which ye have seen me do. Whosoever therefore change either the bread or wine, do not that which Christ commandeth, but another thing than he appointeth. Again, no other signs are so significant and effectual as these are for this purpose, to strengthen and to comfort them that are in trouble, and almost in the present Psal. 104. 1● 15. Prou. 31, 6. judg. ●, 12. Eccl. 10, 19 estate of death, as Psal. 104. He bringeth forth bread out of the earth, & wine that maketh glad the heart of man, & oil to make the face to shine, and bread that strengtheneth man's heart. Likewise the wise man saith, Pro. 31. Give ye strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine to them that have grief of heart. So that we are hereby effectually & significantly put in mind, to have a most sweet feeling of Christ, to seek strength in him, and that it is he which abundantly cheereth our hearts. Thirdly, the matter and form of every thing, r Arist. Met●sh lib. 7. cap. 7. Plato in euthiph are holden to be of the nature of it, and to constitute the essence: so it is in the Sacraments, where the signs are the matter, and the words of institution are the form. True it is, circumstances may vary and be changed, as time, place, sitting standing, kneeling, and such like: but the essential parts may not be changed. If then, both of them be of the essence of the Sacrament, such as take either of them away, destroy the Sacrament, and bring in a nullity thereof. Wherefore, if the signs which are the matter, might be changed: then the words also of institution which are the form might be altered, and a new word brought into the church: but a new word cannot be brought in, therefore no new outward sign or matter. Fourthly, if the bread and wine in the Supper might be changed & yet the Sacrament in substance remain: then in like manner, water in baptism might be changed, & yet be true baptism; for of things that are like, there is a like respect, and a like conclusion to be inferred. But this cannot be, as we have showed before in 2. book. cha. 5. where we have proved, that the Minister cannot baptise with any other liquor or element, then with water, as the matter of that Sacrament. Neither let any object the case of necessity: for no necessity can make that lawful, which simply and in itself is unlawful. Fiftly, if we admit and grant a change in the signs at the pleasure of men: why may we not also change other parts of the Sacrament? Why may we not in stead of the Minister appointed of God and called by the Church, admit private persons and receive other alterations enforced upon the Church by the Papists? Do we not hereby open a gap for them, to bring in all their trash and trumpery besides the written and revealed word of God? Sixtly, we have showed in the former book, that Nadab and Abihu the two sons of Aaron were smitten by the immediate hand of God s Levi. 10, 1, 2 for offering the oblation with strange fire. But all signs brought into the Sacraments beside the Scripture, are strange signs & consequently procure strange judgements. And we see how the Prophet joel threatening from God a dearth of Corn, & wine, and of oil, t joel. 1, 9, 19 declareth also that the offerings shall cease, where he saith, The field is wasted, the corn is destroyed, the oil is decayed, the new w ne is dried up, the meat offering and the drink offering is cut off from the house of the Lord, the Priests the Lords Ministers shall mourn: showing hereby that they were restrained from changing the outward signs. If any pretend greater freedom and liberty in the time of the Gospel: let them show their charter, and we will believe them. Lastly, it is confessed on all sides, that without consecration and sanctification, there can be no Sacrament: for without this hallowing, the water in baptism is bare water, the bread in the Supper is bare bread, the wine is common wine. Now every creature is u 1 Tim 4, 5. sanctified by the word of God and by prayer, as the Apostle teacheth, 1 Tim. 4. and therefore we cannot assure our hearts that God will bless any other creatures, as fish or flesh in stead of bread, water or beer in stead of wine, seeing the word hath not sanctified these elements for this purpose. They are sanctified by the word for the ordinary nourishment of our bodies, but they are not by any special word sanctified for the use of the Sacraments. If then it be simply unlawful to change any thing in the matter of the Sacraments, no pretence or necessity can ever make it unlawful. And as when a lawful Minister is wanting, a private person may not be taken: so when the matter appointed for the administration of this Sacrament is missing, another may not be assumed. For as well may we change the Minister of the Sacrament into a private man, as the bread and wine (being the signs) into another matter. If the Sacraments cannot be had according to the precise and pure institution of Christ, they may lawfully be deferred or omitted: for the danger standeth not in the want (as we have declared before) so long as we are free from the contempt of them. I am not ignorant that many learned men are of another judgement, & such as are of reverent account in the church, Bucan. instit. loc. 48. de coen. Beza. epist. 2. who think that where there is no store of bread and plenty of wine sufficient for this purpose, some other thing may be taken in stead of them. Thus it may come to pass, that we shall have nothing which Christ commanded and sanctified by his example, and yet boast that we have his Supper, and do that which he appointed. For whereas we make four outward parts of this Sacrament, the Minister, the word, the signs, and the receiver: there are that hold there is no necessity of the Minister; others, that there is no necessity of the words of institution: others, that there is no necessity of the signs: others, that there is no necessity of the receiver: so that every thing is quite overturned of one or another, and yet all would be thought to do as Christ did, and as he commanded them to do. But consider herein the difference of opinion among men, receiving one part but not another; so that if once we admit any alteration in any of the parts, we open a gap to all innovation, and bring in great uncertainty in the Sacraments. For touching baptism, some require it to be done by a Minister, that think we are not precisely tied to the words of institution, or to the element of water: others hold we are limited to use the water, but in case of necessity we may use private men or women to baptise. So in the Lord's Supper many do necessarily require the Minister and no other to administer it, but do not think it necessary he should use bread and wine, and no other element. Thus we see, there is no certainty when once we depa●t from the institution: so that the safest way is to clean strictly to the example of Christ, and then we shall be sure we shall not do amiss. Then we shall be sure we have the fairest warrant for that which we do, and lie least of all open to be reproved of others. The fourth general use arising jointly from both the signs is, if Christ delivered, and the Disciples received bread and wine as the outward signs of this Sacrament: then we learn that the doctrine of transubstantiation is a dotage a Against transubstantiation. of man's invention. Though this device be now received in the Roman Church, as a matter of salvation, as an Article of saith, & a main point of religion, b Co●cil Trid. sess 13. cap. 4. that by virtue of these words. This is my body, this is the cup of the new testament, the substance of bread and wine is gone, and nothing remaineth but only the shows, likeness, and appearance of them: yet if we examine the matter by the words of institution, by the nature of a Sacrament, by the proportion of saith, by the true properties of a true human body, by force of reason, by judgement of the senses, by confession of the adversaries themselves, and by the manifold contradictions among themselves: we shall find it to be a late device and invention of the Papists, first decreed and determined in the council of Lateran, under Pope Innocent●us the third, in the reign of King john of England, c Anno 1255. not yet 400. years ago. There it was hatched at that time, & made d Barth. Caranza summa Concil. a main matter of faith, approved in the Church of Rome, but yet not then received over all the world. This error is a spice of the error of Marcus, who went about to make his fellows and followers believe, e Iren lib. 1. c ● Epiphan haeres. 34. that he did transubstantiate wine into blood, in the Sacrament. Thus do the church of Rome at this day, yet was he noted for an heretic by the Fathers. I will not for shortness sake bring all the reasons that might be brought to overthrow and overturn f The bread and wine remain in their proper nature the turning of the bread into the body of Christ, and the wine into his blood; but allege some few among many, whereunto we require them to answer if they can. Neither let them pretend that they have been answered already, inasmuch as no sound and certain answer can be brought unto them, to satisfy us or themselves. Our reasons for the present shall be these. First, that which Christ took in his hands, he broke: that which he broke, he gave: that which he gave his Disciples, he commanded them to eat: that which he commanded them to eat, he calleth his body. This appeareth by the testimony of g Mat. 26, 26. Mar. 14, 22. Luk. 22, 19 the Evangelists, and coherence of the words. But he took bread and broke it: therefore he gave bread, he commanded to eat bread, he said of the bread, This is my body. Now if he took bread, but broke it not: or if he broke bread, but gave it not: or if he gave bread to his Disciples to eat, but told them, not this which he gave them, but some other thing beside that, was his body: the latter part of the sentence starteth from the beginning, and the middle swerveth from them both. Secondly, the Apostle after the words of consecration, doth oftentimes call it bread, as 1 Cor. 11. As often as ye shall eat this h 1 Cor. 11.26, 27, 28. 1 Cor. 10, 16. bread, and drink this cup, ye show the Lords death till he come. And again, Whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink the cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. And again, Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of this bread, and drink of this cup. These men say it is not bread: the Apostle saith it is bread: whether of these we shall believe, judge you. So in the former chapter he saith, The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? Likewise, touching the other sign, i Mat. 26, 29. our Saviour expressly calleth it wine after the thanksgiving, Mat. 26. I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the Vine until that day, when I shall drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom. This fruit of the Vine is wine, therefore the substance of it remaineth. Now if the bread had been turned into the body, or the wine into the blood of Christ, and if the Apostle would have spoken properly, he should have said, As often as ye shall eat, not this bread, but this body of Christ under the form of bread, the blood of CHRIST under the form of wine. And again. He that eateth the body and drinketh the blood of Christ unworthily. And again, Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat and take in his mouth the very body of Christ his Creator. But thus the Apostle hath not spoken, neither could he so speak truly, properly, and fitly: therefore we do truly, properly, and fitly conclude, that there is no transubstantiation. Thirdly, Christ speaking of the cup saith, Take, k Luk. 22, 1●, 19 divide it among you; and of the bread he saith, he took it, and broke it. But if the substance of bread be abolished, or changed into the body of Christ, and likewise the nature of the wine turned into the blood of Christ, there could be no true distributing or breaking: for the blood of Christ is not divided into parts, neither is his body broken. Fourthly, if the strength or force of transubstantiation depend upon these words of institution, This is my body, This is my blood: then there can be no real change before these words be fully finished, and pronounced to the end. Therefore, when they begin to say, This is: what is it? What mean they, I say, it is? Is it any other then bread & wine by their own confession, till the words be ended? So then, these sentences shall not be true, when they say, This is my body, this is my blood, except they mean this bread is the body of Christ, this wine is his blood: wherefore bread and wine remain, their nature is not changed and altered. Fiftly, these words, This is my body, must be understood as the words following, This cup is the new Testament: but the cup is not turned into the new Testament, nor into the blood of CHRIST: therefore the other words must be figuratively understood, not literally: for there is one respect of them both: neither can any reason be rendered, why a figure should be admitted in the one part, rather than in the other. The 6. reason: Christ is said to give to his Disciples that which he said was his body, If then this be properly taken, we shall thereby make a proper Christ, and make him a monster of two bodies, as they also make the church a monster of two heads. For so there must be one body which gave, and another body which was given. But it is most absurd, that he should give and be given, hold himself and be holden, offer and be offered: which differeth little from the l Theodoret de sabul. heretic. lib 2. August. de haeresib. cap. 32. heresy of the Helcesaits, who held there were sundry Christ's, two at the least, one dwelling in heaven above, the other in the world here beneath: so these make Christ to have a double body, visible and invisible; a visible body sitting at the table, and an invisible body made of the substance of bread, which (as the papists hold) was given to the Disciples, as likewise they teach of the headship of the Church, that one head is invisible to us in the heavens, another visible to us upon the earth. The 7. reason: It destroyeth the nature of a Sacrament, which standeth m Iren. lib. 4. cont. haer cap. 34. of an earthly and heavenly part: one outward, the other inward: one seen, the other understood: one a sign, the other a thing signified: of which we have spoken before, book 1. chap. 3. But if there be an actual transubstantiation, than the outward part is abolished, and disannulled. The 8. reason: In baptism the substance of water remaineth, though it have words of consecration, and be made a Sacrament of our regeneration: and therefore in the Lord's Supper the bread and wine are not changed and done away utterly. The Scripture speaketh as highly n Mat 26, 26, 1 Pet. 3, 20, 21 of the one as of the other. The ninth reason: If bread be really turned into the body of Christ, and the wine into his blood: then the body and blood of Christ are really separated, for the words are severally pronounced, first of the bread, then of the wine: yea the soul of Christ should be separated from his body, for the bread is turned only into his body, and not into his soul. But his soul, his body, and his blood are not really separated. So then, if the bread be his very flesh, and the wine his blood, and the one really separated from the other; then Christ must necessarily be slain afresh every time the Supper is celebrated, and we are found to be crucifiers of the Lord of life: whereas it is contrary to the doctrine of the Scriptures, that he should die any more, being ascended far above all principalities, and set down at the right hand of his Father. The 10. reason: If the bread be turned into his body indeed by force of a few words uttered by a Priest: then the Priest should be the maker of his maker, & so every massmonger should be preferred before Christ, as much as the creator hath more honour than the creature, the builder than the house, the workman than the work. But they are not ashamed to publish it in their own words and writings, o Stella clericorum. that the Priest is the creator of his Creator, He that created you, hath given you power to create him: he that hath created you without yourselves, p Creatura ●ob ●lli●d ant●bas vrb●s. is created by you, by the means of you. These are the speeches of their wise men, if they be not ashamed of their own words: of which all wise men are worthily ashamed. The 11. reason: the bread in the Sacrament after the words of consecration, is subject to as many changes and chances as it was before: the bread may mould, putrify, & breed worms, q 〈…〉 Leuit. 〈…〉 cap. 3. H●●●he l. co ●t ●aet. and was accustomably in many places burned: the wine may (being immoderately taken) make drunken, it may wax sharp and turn into vinegar: yea both of them may be boiled and made hot: both of them may be vomited up, as certain lepers did; both of them may be mingled with very rank poison, as a certain r 〈…〉 5. Monk gave the poisoned host to Henry the seventh, a noble Emperor of famous memory, which when he had taken, he died. The like may be said of Victor the third, a Pope of Rome, who was poisoned after the same manner s 〈…〉. in the chalice, as the Emperor was in the bread. But the precious body and blood of Christ cannot be mingled with poison, but is an excellent counterpoison against the biting of the old Serpent and all infection of sin whatsoever; the body cannot mould or putrify, the blood of Christ cannot become sharp or sour, as the outward signs may, therefore the substance of bread and wine remaineth. The 12. reason: there is something in the Sacrament material and substantial, which goeth the way of all meats, according to that saying of our t Mat. 15, 17. Saviour, Mat. 15, 17. Perceive ye not yet that whatsoever entereth into the mouth, goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draft? But none of the accidents, as shape, colour, quality, taste, and such like are avoided, because they are altered in the stomach, before they come to the place of avoidance: u Origin. in Mat. cap. 15. and it were blasphemy to think that the body of Christ either entereth into the mouth, or goeth down into the belly, or is cast out into the draft, howsoever many of them have also maintained this monstrous impiety: Therefore the substance of the bread and the wine remain in their own nature in the Sacrament. The 13. reason: If there were a miraculous conversion of the bread & wine, it would appear to the outward senses, as joh. 6. The multitude a joh 6, 26. saw his miracles. There was never miracle wrought by any bodily creature, but sense judged it to be so: but seeing our eyes see, and our taste discerneth that it is bread, we cannot imagine there is any miracle. The miracles that Moses did in Egypt, when he turned water into blood, and his rod into a Serpent: The miracles b August. de Trinit. lib. 3. cap. ●0. that Christ did, when he turned water into wine, the eye saw, the taste discerned, here was no deceit, no fraud, no collusion. And thus every hedge-priest should be a worker of miracles, that only can read his porteous, and say over his Paternoster with an Aue-mary. This is an honour that may be challenged, but cannot be granted unto them. The 14. reason: If there were any transubstantiation, there should be an actual conversion of the bread into the body of Christ; but this cannot stand. For when one thing is changed into another, the matter remaineth, the form is altered: but here they make the form to abide, and the matter to be changed. A strange Metamorphosis, and fitting the fable of this counterfeit turning. Now the matter of bread is not in the body of Christ, because it is perfect in itself, and so glorified, that it can receive no access. Besides, nothing can be converted or changed into a thing before being and preexisting, which was really before the change or conversion; as Christ turned the water into that wine which was not before, c Exod 4, 3. john 2, 8. Gen 1●, 26. and Moses turned his rod into that serpent which was not before: and Lots wise was turned into that pillar which was not before. But the body of Christ is before their transubstantiation, whereupon it followeth, that the bread cannot be changed into his body. The 15. reason: If Christ did transubstantiate the bread into his body when he said, This is my body: then in like manner the Apostle did transubstantiate the Church of the Corinthians into the body of Christ, when he saith, Now ye are d 1 cor. 12, 27. the body of Christ, and members for your part. And Theophylact upon the sixth chapter of john saith, We ourselves are trans-elemented (or transubstantiated) into the body of Christ. What reason can they then allege why transubstantiation should be in the one sentence more than in the other? For the whole college and company of Divines of Rome and Theme, and all the multitude of Papists throughout the world, shall never be better able to prove their transubstantiation out of these words. This is my body: then out of the other Ye are the body of Christ. The 16. reason: If the bread were turned into the body of Christ and received in the mouth, it should go far better with our bodies then with our souls, because our bodies should really receive the body of Christ, but our souls should not▪ being spirits: & bodies cannot be mingled and intermeddled with spirits. Wherefore, we cannot believe and receive this real conversion of one substance into another. The 17. reason: If the bread be transubstantiated into the body of Christ, and so received by us: then either it is turned into our bodies, or vanisheth away into nothing, or returneth and departeth back into heaven. For what fourth thing they should imagine, cannot be imagined. But it is not turned into our bodily substance, for than we should grow bodily into one person with him, he should walk with us and rest with us: he should eat with us, and sleep with us: he should be whole with us and sick with us, finally, he should live with us and die with us: all which are absurd. Neither doth his body vanish to nothing, for this were horrible blasphemy once to affirm or conceive of the body of Christ jesus, who by this fancy shall be made jesus, and no jesus; Christ and no Christ; a Saviour and no Saviour. And if once we admit this, we shall also have religion and no religion: heaven and no heaven: yea God and no God. Neither doth it departed into heaven; for he was there before, Act 3, 21. and the heavens contain him until the times of restitution of all things. Besides, he should every day ascend; which overthroweth our faith, and withal overturneth the truth of his ascension, and bringeth in a strange manner of his taking up, never believed, or received, or delivered, or dreamt of in the Church. Furthermore, as the body of Christ is first supposed to be received and then the blood: so the body should first ascend without the blood, and afterward the blood alone without the body. Lastly, as well we may hold and believe, that he dieth often, riseth again often, is conceived and borne oftentimes, as hold his continual and daily ascension. Thus also we may reason concerning the wine: If it be turned into the blood of Christ, what becometh of that blood? Either it must necessarily pass into our substance: and then Christ's blood should be mingled with our blood, as the blood of the Galileans was mingled with their sacrifices, Lu. 13. Luk. 13, 1. Or else it must perish and come to nothing: and then it should dry up as water, and vanish away as smoke, & consume as a vapour. Or lastly, it must return into heaven, which doth overturn his ascending from the earth, in as much as it was there before. And as there can no other way be devised, so none of these can stand either with divinity or philosophy; either with faith or reason: either with Scripture or nature: and therefore th' se pillars being removed, this tower of Babel, I mean the doctrine of transubstantiation, must of necessity fall to the ground. The 18. reason: If the Disciples had not understood Christ to call the bread his body sacramentally: they would have been greatly troubled (who often doubted of the least things) & demanded the understanding of them. As the hearers of Christ I h. 6. supposing he had spoken of a carnal manner of eating his e joh. 6, 52, 60 flesh, were troubled and offended, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? And ver. 60. This is an hard saying, who can hear ●t? Wherefore, who seethe not that they would have marveled and required farther, if they had understood Christ to have changed the bread into his body, and the wine into his blood? But they doubt not, they demand not, they marvel not, they murmur not, & therefore believe not this juggling of transubstantiation or turning of one substance into another. And if they believed it not, how should we receive it? If they received it not, how should we believe it? The 19 argument: It overturneth sundry Articles of ou● Christian faith. We believe that Christ jesus was begotten of the Father before all worlds, and borne in time of the Virgin Mary: this the Scripture teacheth, this the Creed delivereth: this every true Christian professeth & believeth. But if the bread be transubstantiated into the body of Christ, and the wine into the blood of Christ: then his body is made and borne of bread and wine, and the Priest after the words of consecration may say, a little pretty son is borne unto us, and newly made. Wherefore, in the Missal of Sarum after that the Priest hath consecrated, he maketh a low leg, worshipping the work of his own hands, and saith, ave: which is as much as God save you Sir; or, you are welcome to town. Again, we believe that Christ was crucified and died for our sins, that he was buried, rose again, ascended, & sitteth at the right hand of God the Father almighty. But if the body of Christ be made of bread as often as the Eucharist is celebrated, than Christ being on the Cross might be elsewhere then on the Cross: when he died, he might be where he suffered nothing: lying in the grave, he might be out of the grave: yea he might be in the grave after his resurrection and rising out of the grave: whereof notwithstanding the Angels said, f Mat 28, 5. he is not here. Lastly, we believe that Christ shall come from heaven to judge the quick and dead, and that in the same manner he ascended, g revel. 1, 7. whom we doubt not but men shall see, as revel. 1.7. Every eye shall see him, yea even they which pierced him through. But if Christ's body be made of bread, he shall stare and start out of the pixe, and not come from heaven, and that in another shape then when he ascended: nay thus he should come daily unto us, and yet no man can see him, nor perceive his coming. All these devices overthrow the foundation of faith, savour of novelty, and bring in heresy against all certain grounds of true religion. The 20, argument: If by virtue of Christ's words, transubstantiation were brought to pass, and the true body of Christ were really present on the earth: then the bread should be changed into whole Christ, that is, into his body endued with his magnitude, quantity, quality, colour, & all his dimensions. For Christ said not at his Supper, this is the substance of my body without accidents: but h Luk. 21.16. 1 Cor. 11, 24. This is my body wh ch is given for you, and which is broken for you. Therefore the body was visible and seen of them all it was felt, it had all accidents agreeable thereunto, and the substance of Christ's body alone without his qualities was not crucified on the Cross, neither yet could be crucified. Notwithstanding, we see not Christ's body upon the earth, nor any adjoint thereof is perceived or discerned. Where are they then? Are they in the substance of Christ's body which is in heaven? And not in the substance of his body which is on the earth? Then they make Christ to have two distinct bodies: for one and the same body cannot have his properties and dimensions, and yet be without them, which necessarily implieth a contradiction, & consequently falsehood: especially considering how great a difference they make between the body of Christ in heaven, and this body that lieth and lurketh under the accidents and shows of bread in their box. The 21. reason: It destroyeth the nature of a true body, it taketh away the defence used against heretics, & bringeth in the heresies of Martion, of Eutyches, and the manichees, which i August. ad Quod vult de. denied Christ to have a solid, and true human body, and held that he had only a fantastical body without any material flesh, blood, or bone, in appearance and sight somewhat, but in deed and substance nothing. For they teach that his body is in infinite places at once, and those discontinued, void of quantity and quality, not circumscribed, not visible, nor any way sensible: that being in heaven, he is really and corporally on earth, though not in the distance between heaven and earth, nor in those places where the host is not: which is to assign innumerable bodies to our Saviour Christ, and consequently to make him no body, which is in effect as much as to deny he is come in the flesh, k 1 joh 4, 3. and 2 joh. 7. which is the very doctrine of Antichrist himself, as john speaketh, Every spirit that confesseth not, that jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is not of God: but this is the spirit of Antichrist of whom ye have heard. And in his 2. Epistle, Many deceivers are entered into the world, which confess not that jesus Christ is come in the flesh: he that is such a one, is a deceiver and an Antichrist. But Occam propoundeth this as the doctrine of the schools, that l Occam. in cen. tilo. ●hee●. conclus. 25, 26. The body of Christ is every where, as God is every where, and that if there were an host that filled all the world, the body of Christ might be with every part thereof when it should be consecrated. And Holcot treading in the same steps of the schools, not of the Scriptures saith, If there had been a thousand hosts in a thousand places at the same time that Christ did hang upon the Cross, m Ho●cot. in 4. lib sentent. quaest. 2. Christ had been crucified in a thousand places. But it is an unseparable property of bodies to be local and contained in place: n August. epist. 57 ad Dardan. take away space of place, and true dimensions from bodies, and they are no where, as Augustine teacheth. Besides, hence the Fathers concluded the truth of Christ's body, because o Luk. 24 39 he might be seen & handled, and because he had flesh and bones, according to the Scriptures, Behold my hands and my feet, for it is I myself: handle me and see: for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see that I have. But if he be neither seen nor handled in the Sacrament, nor discerned to have flesh and bones: how shall his humanity be holden and maintained against heretics impugning the same? The 22. reason: It taketh away all judgement from the senses, and maketh the Sacrament of truth to be a Sacrament of forgery & falsehood: for the senses of seeing, of tasting, of touching, of handling, and smelling, do judge bread & wine to be in the Sacrament, and not man's flesh truly and properly: neither can p Ari●t. lib. 2. de anim cap. 6. all the senses be deceived in their proper objects, as even the Philosophers themselves do teach, and that truly. The 23. reason: It is an horrible act and unnatural cruelty for man to eat man's flesh, and for man to drink man's blood: and therefore the Papists are as inhuman as the Cyclopes, Cannibals, and other barbarous people. It is more brutish and barbarous q August de doctr● Christ. lib. 3 cap. 16. Cyril. anat. 11. to eat man's flesh, then to kill a man: and to drink man's blood then to shed it. Thus they make Christian people eaters of man's flesh and bloodsuckers, which is beastly and horrible wickedness, which is threatened oftentimes as a punishment, revel. 16, 6. and Ezekiel 39, 17, 18. and noted as a thing unlawful, 1 Chron. 11, 19 The 24. reason: the Apostle maketh an opposition between the table of the Lord, and the table of Devils, saying, r 1 Cor. 10, 20.21. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lords table, and of the table of devils: where he showeth, that to eat the flesh offered unto Idols is to be partakers of the Idols, as the bread which we break, is the participation and communion of the body of the Lord. Hence he concludeth, that they should not eat of those things which the Gentiles sacrifice to Idols, because they have fellowship with the Devils that eat of them, even as they are united to Christ which partake of the bread in the Supper. If then the flesh offered to Idols be not transubstantiated: why should the sacramental bread be turned into the body of Christ, seeing it sufficeth to make us partakers of the Lords body, to eat of the bread; as it was sufficient to make them partakers of the Idols, to eat of the things offered unto them? The 25. reason: If the institution of Christ be a sufficient direction unto the Church what to hold in this question, we shall easily give this transubstantiation a fall. We see in the cases of matrimony that did befall, our Saviour bringeth them to the first institution, and thereby dissolveth the doubts and difficulties that arose, saying, s Mat 19, 3. 4, 8. From the beginning it was not so. So when any controversy ariseth about the Lord's Supper, the ordinance of Christ is able to take it up, how great or grievous soever it grow. Now there is no sentence, no word, no syllable, no jot, no title in the description of the Supper, that favoureth or savoureth of transubstantiation, or signifieth and insinuateth any such matter. True it is, Christ saith, t Mat. 26, 26. This is my body, but to be, doth not signify to transubstantiate: for then when he saith, u joh. 15 1. & 10, 7. & 14, 6. I am the true vine, I am the door, the way, and such like, he shall be turned and transubstantiated into a natural vine, into a material door into an high way, from whence would follow infinite abuse; and absurdities. Besides, if the word (is) in the institution signify, is transubstantiated, that is, changed from one substance into another, from bread into flesh, from wine into blood: then the change should be made before all the words be uttered, so that hence it would follow, that it cannot be done by virtue of the words, which goeth before the pronouncing of the words. Last of all, the maintainers of transubstantiation, as the builders of Babel, have their tongues divided, and their languages confounded: they cannot accord together, but vary and dissent one from another, a Mar. 14, 56. like the false witnesses that arose against Christ. First, they know not certainly, whether the bread be turned into his body, or come in place thereof, the substance departing. Secondly, some allow not these speeches, b Thom. p. 3. qu. 75 art. 3. bread is Christ's body, or bread is made Christ's body: but will have it said, Christ's body is made of bread: c Canon, convertantur. others condemn this speech also, that bread is made Christ's body. Thirdly, they know not what is broken, whether bread, or accidents, or nothing: others say, the true body of Christ is broken. Fourthly, they agree not, whether their water in the chalice mingled with wine, be transubstantiated: some say it is, other say it is not: some more sober than the rest, are afraid what to say, d Durand. li. 4. and ask who is able to decide the question? Others say it is turned into the humours of his body: others unknit the knot thus, that the water is turned into the wine, & then the wine into his blood, and therefore are circumspect to give this cautel that a little water be mingled, being afraid lest if more water were put in then, the wine, the wine should be transubstantiated into water. Fiftly, they cannot agree with what words their consecration is wrought, whether accidents be without their subject, whether the accidents nourish no less than the substance of bread and wine: likewise what the rats and mice do eat: how and from whence the worms are oftentimes engendered in their Eucharist, & so consume it: whether the shows of bread be the body without the blood, & the shows of wine the blood without the body. Sixtly, soon after the Apostles had received the Supper into their stomachs, Luk. 22, 44. Christ jesus did sweat great drops of blood trickling down to the ground, and was afterward buffeted, mocked, spit upon, and crucified. Now they dare not say that this body of jesus so spitefully and contumeliously entreated, sweat any drops of blood in the stomachs of the Apostles, or was by the Soldiers apprehended and buffeted under the forms of bread and wine, and therefore they make at one & the same time a double Christ; one Christ suffering in the garden and on the Cross: another not suffering in the Disciples: one Christ apprehended, and another not apprehended: one Christ sweeting, another not sweeting; one Christ buffeted by the Soldiers, and another not buffeted. seventhly, they confess that Christ both administered and participated of this Sacrament with his Apostles, whereof will follow that Christ did eat himself and did drink himself: and seeing they hold his body is in the cup, they must also hold that he did drink his own body. From whence ariseth a flat and express contradiction: for to say that the body of Christ was all whole in his stomach, is to affirm that that which is within, containeth that which is without, as if the scabbard were in the sword, or the cup in the wine, or the purse in the money. Thus they make the outward part to be within the inner, and without the inner, that is, without and not without: yea, whereas they affirm that the body of our Lord is greater than the forms of bread which contain it, they make that which is contained greater than that which doth contain it, that is, the treasure wider and larger than the casket in which it is locked: contrary to all the rules of reason, the principles of nature, and the maxims of the Mathematics. Eightly, they say, that the body of Christ is all whole in heaven, and all whole in the pixe, and yet they renounce the ubiquity of his body, and hold that he is not in place betwixt both, so that they make a distance between the body of Christ, and the body of Christ; and therefore withal they make him lower than himself and higher than himself, and separated from himself. Ninthly, they teach that the body of Christ in the Mass, hath all the dimensions and parts of an human body distinct in their natural situation: and yet they teach, that there is not so small a piece of the host where that body is not whole, so that his head shall be where his feet are, and his feet where his head is. And touching his blood, they say it is shed in the Mass, and yet notwithstanding they call it an unbloody sacrifice, so that by their reckoning, there is blood not bloody, and a shedding of blood not bloody; as if a man should say, whiteness which is not white, heat which is not hot, or coldness which is not cold. Thus they had rather say and unsay, and be at discord with themselves, then to accord with us and the truth. They think it reason to deny all reason, & a senseless thing to be judged by the senses. These open and evident contradictions so stiffly avouched & stoutly defended, that an human body should fill no place, and yet should be in an hundred thousand divers places, have length without being extended, & be whole in every crumb of the bread, are so gross and palpable absurdities, that they do estrange the Turks and Infidels from embracing the Christian religion. averrhoes. It is noted of an Arabian Spaniard writing upon the 12. book of the Metaphysics, that his soul should hold with the Philosophers, since the Christians worship that which they eat. The Pagans mock at this as a brutish conceit, Cicer. de nat. Deor. lib 3. as among others it appeareth by Tully in his third book of the nature of the Gods, who saith thus: Thinkest thou any man to be so mad as to believe that that which he eateth is his God? So that this monstrous device embraced in the Church of Rome, as a main pillar that holdeth up the house, hindereth the faith, offendeth the ignorant, bringeth the doctrine of Christ into reproach, hardeneth the hearts of the enemies of the Gospel, and mingleth heaven and earth together. It were infinite c See D. Sutl. de m●ss. l b. 5. cap. 10. to note out all their contentions and contradictions: these may suffice to show how the enemies of God fight one against another, and all of them with their own shadows. And thus much of the late doting device of transubstantiation, which is the soul & life of their popish religion: the deniers or doubters whereof, they pursue with fire and sword more eagerly, than such as are enemies to the blessed Trinity. The last general use is this: If Christ delivered both these signs, not only the bread, but the wine also to his Disciples: then both kinds by the Minister are to be delivered, f Christ's people must receive the supper under both kinds. and both kinds by the people are to be received, not bread alone, nor wine alone, but bread and wine: the bread in token of his body given for us, and the wine in token of his blood shed for us. This is the ordinance of Christ: this is agreeable to the Scripture. Notwithstanding, the church of Rome hath decreed, that it is not necessary for the people to communicate in both kinds, & holdeth them g Con. Trident. sess. 21, cap. 2. accursed that hold it necessary for the people to receive the cup, consecrated by the Priest. Thus it appeareth they labour nothing more, then to take from the faithful the sweet comfort of the Lords Supper. This is a sacrilegious corruption of Christ's institution, devised by Satan, broached by Antichrist, published by his adherents in the corrupt times of most palpable darkness, as may appear by these reasons. First, if none may drink of the consecrate wine but the Priests, than none should eat of the bread but Priests: so that they must either exclude the people from both, which I trust they dare not; or admit them to both, which as yet they do not. For to whom Christ said, h Mat. 26, 26.27. Take and eat, to those gave he the cup and said, Drink ye. Wherefore, the signs being both equal, all communicants must drink of the one, as well as eat of the other, there being the same warrant for the one, that there is for the other, and the let that would bar the one, will hinder the other: so as i Mat. 19, 6. the things which God in his goodness hath joined together, man without sin cannot separate. Secondly, when Christ instituted this Sacrament, he said, k Mat. 26, 27. Mar. 14, 23. 1 Cor. 12, 13. Drink ye all of this: and by all he understood all the Communicants. And the Evangelist Mark addeth, They all drank of it, to wit, all that were present at his last Supper, who had before eaten of the bread of the Lord. This also appeareth by the Apostle, 1 Cor. 12. They have been all made to drink into one Spirit. This commandment of Christ being general, imposeth a necessity upon the people, when he saith, Take ye, eat ye, drink ye, do ye this. These commandments are perpetual, unchangeable, and always in force: not arbitrary, not temporal, not repealed, but bind the conscience to the end of the world, against which no limitation, or dispensation can be allowed, being the commandments l 1 Cor. 14, 37 of God, not of man. Thirdly, the cup is a part of Christ's will and testament. Now touching the nature of a testament or will, the saying of the Apostle is known, m Gal. 3, 15. Heb. 9, 16, 17. If it be but a man's testament, when it is confirmed, no man doth abrogate it, or addeth any thing thereto: where he showeth, that the dead man's will may not be changed, nothing can be put too, nothing taken out without forgery and falsehood. This is the law of nature and Nations. But the Lord's Supper is a Sacrament proper to the new Testament, as Christ saith, n Luke, 22, 20. This cup is the new Testament in my blood which is shed for you. This testament the Lord jesus made the night before he was betrayed, he sealed it by shedding his most precious blood, he hath given legacies, not of earthly and temporal, but of heavenly and eternal goods. And seeing he hath appointed the cup of this his testament to be delivered and drunk of all those for whom his blood was shed: it is intolerable boldness and presumption to take away the use thereof from the greater part of the Church, and an infallible token of an unshamefast and shameless harlot, to alter her husband's will, to defraud and defeat his children of that worthy portion which their father allotted them, and so to keep back part of their inheritance and possession. Fourthly, the blood of Christ shed upon the Cross belongeth not only to the Pastors and teachers, but to all the faithful that come to the table of the Lord, as appeareth by the words of Christ, o Mat. 26, 28. Luk. 22, 20. This is my blood which is shed for you and for many: why then should the blood of Christ be denied, or the cup of the Lord be barred from them? If then the blood of Christ were shed for the people, as well as for the Ministers: surely the cup belongeth to one as well as to the other. If the people have the greater, who shall keep than from the less? If they have their part in the thing signified, who shall deny them of the outward sign? For as the fruit and effect of the blood of Christ is common to the people with the Pastor: so should the cup also, which is the communion of his blood shed for the redemption of the people's sins, be divided indifferently between the Pastor and the people. Fiftly, the p 1 Cor. 11, 23 Apostle delivered that to the church which he had received from the Lords jesus: Now the church ought diligently to observe the written traditions and verities of the Apostles, which are committed to posterity to be kept inviolably. But he hath delivered, how the Lord after taking, blessing, breaking, and distributing of the bread, likewise took the cup, blessed, and distributed it among them, so saith the Apostle must the churches do. If then he received this from the Lord, to deluer both kinds to the people; let the Church of Rome consider with herself, from whence she hath received the contrary, to withhold one of the kinds from the people: for both cannot proceed from one & the same spirit of truth, which is never contrary to itself. Sixtly, if all the faithful that come to the Lords Table, must show forth the Lords death until he come, and this be done by them as well by drinking of the cup, as by eating of the bread: then all the communicants must receive the Sacrament under both kinds, q 1 Cor. 11, 26 until the second coming of Christ. But the faithful must show forth the Lords death by eating of that bread & drinking of that cup, as the Apostle teacheth, As often as ye shall eat this bread, and drink of this cup, ye show the Lords death until he come. Therefore, all communicants must partake the Sacrament under both kinds. seventhly, the Apostle giveth an express commandment to the whole church, which all must obey that come worthily to this holy table, Let a man examine himself, r 1 Cor. 11, 2●. and so let him eat of this bread, & drink of this cup. Where he giveth a double commandment, first to prepare reverently, then to receive worthily. Now all that must prove and try themselves, are commanded not only to eat bread, but to drink of the cup: but all must try and examine themselves: therefore all are commanded both to eat & drink at the Lords table. If this be a commandment to examine: then the words following of eating and drinking, are likewise commandments. There is no halting in these, let them admit both, or let them deny both. Eightly, if the faithful take not the cup in the Supper of the Lord, the condition of Christians under the Gospel, shall be worse than of the Israelites under the law. For the people of Israel in the wilderness having the same Sacrament in effect with us, s 1 Cor. 10, 4. Did all drink of the spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ, as the Apostle affirmeth. But our condition is not worse & weaker than theirs: therefore all the faithful are to drink of the cup of the Lord. Bellarmine, the soldan of the Romish Synagogue, t Bellar. lib. 4. de Eucha ca 27 answereth thus, They drunk not water out of the rock when they did eat of the spiritual meat, but in another place & at another time. But this is an answerless answer which cannot satisfy. For albeit the Sacraments of the Israelites as figures & types did represent, the same graces that our Sacraments do: yet it is not necessary they should in all points answer each other, and in all respects agree together. Besides, the church of Rome at no time alloweth the people to drink of the Wine, a seal of the blood of Christ: they keep them from the cup of the Lord, both when they give them the bread, and at all other times, and thereby make their estate worse than the estate of the jews. Indeed, if they did at any time permit all the people to drink of the cup, they might pretend this example of the Israelites: but inasmuch as they utterly deny them this part of the cup, they overthrow themselves in their malice, and yet in their blindness they do not see it. Finally, many of the Fathers did both eat Manna, and drink water out of the Rock, if not in the same place, yet at one and the same time, n Exod. 16, 21 inasmuch as they gathered thereof every morning, and it ceased not a josh. 5, 12. until they entered the frontiers and confines of the land of promise. But they never allow without a toleration and dispensation, the people in any place, at any time, upon any occasion, and in any respect, to taste of the cup in the Lord's Supper. Ninthly, if the cup of the new testament may be taken from the Lords people: in like manner the water in baptism may be taken away from them. For the blood of Christ, whereby remission of sins is purchased and procured, is represented by the wine of the Lords Supper, as well as by the water in baptism. But the water in baptism without great sacrilege, cannot be omitted or neglected: wherefore then should the cup be taken away. Tenthly, in the matter of the Supper our adversaries allege the words of Christ in john, john 6. If you drink not my blood, you shall have no life in you. If these words be thus to be understood, then by depriving them of the cup, they deprive the people of life and salvation. Again, if drinking of the chalice be a privilege of the Clergy, how cometh it to pass that Kings and Princes have a part in this privilege? How is it that they are permitted as well to drink of the consecrated wine, as to eat of the consecrated bread? But herein was a notable piece of cunning & a great point of policy used, partly to advance the dignity of the Clergy, and partly to stop the mouths of Princes. For as by this order or rather disorder, the proud Clergy are made companions with Kings and Princes, even equal unto them, so they think to hoodwink them & make them content to swallow the rest of their superstitions, because they are pleased to grace them with this privilege above the people as with a special favour. Moreover, it is not to be omitted, that a principal end of this Sacrament was instituted to set forth the death of Christ, not only as an idle narration, but as a profitable application thereof to the conscience. How then shall the people know that the fruit of shedding his precious blood belongeth unto them as the nourishment of their souls, except besides the looking upon the cup, they be partakers of it? It is therefore necessary to understand by eating and drinking, that God doth not nourish them by halves, but that Christ yieldeth whole nourishment unto them. Such than are worthily taxed of rashness themselves that complain how the people rashly presume to receive the Sacrament under both kinds: for as well they might say, that it is rashness and presumption to imitate and follow Christ. And they may justly be condemned of heresy, who pronounce them heretics and worthy to be punished by the secular power, that speak against receiving in one kind only; as if it were heresy to follow the example of Christ left to the Church. For what remaineth more but to proceed one degree farther, even to pronounce Christ himself an arch-heretic, and all the Apostles heretics also, and to condemn them to the Inquisition as deceivers and impostors seducing and misleading the people? Lastly, if any part of the Supper might be taken away from the people: then likewise the word of God may be taken from them, for in this point there is the same reason and respect of them both. A Sacrament is nothing else but a visible word, and a sealing up of the word: and the offence seemeth to be the same, whether a man break the seal, or rend the writing. But the word cannot be withdrawn from Christian people, it being the instrument of faith, and the life of the Church. Wherefore it is the greatest wrong and injury done to the people of God to take from them the cup of salvation. The answer to this reason must be, to confess the parts and yield the conclusion; forasmuch as by forbidding the people the reading of the scriptures, they have rob them of the word of God, and taken from them b Luk. 11, 52. the key of knowledge, neither entering themselves into the kingdom of heaven, nor suffering those that would enter. No marvel then, if they take the cup of blessing from the people, who have taken from them the free use of the word of God. To conclude these reasons▪ it is Antichrist, who contrary to the doctrine of Christ, contrary to the institution of the Supper, contrary to the practice of the Apostles, and contrary to the use of the former churches, hath excluded the people languishing and thirsting after the blood of Christ, as the dry earth for the sweet showers of rain, from taking the cup of the Lord, and left them a dry communion to eat the bread of the Sacrament alone. Having considered the truth of God by sundry reasons grounded in the Scripture, that the people have good interest and title in the cup denied unto them: let us answer the c Objections for taking ●he cup from the people of god Arist in Top. Cicer. lib 1 add Heren. et de Orator. objections of the adversaries, made against the former doctrine. For it is not sufficient only to teach the truth▪ and to confirm our own cause, except we labour sound to infringe and confute the contrary. First, they pretend that Christ administered it to the apostles only, and not to any of the people: and consequently the institution, for taking the cup can be no general commandment for all men: thus d Rhem. Test. upon Mat. 26. and Mar. 14. the Rhemists' reason without reason. I answer, first it may be doubted and disputed, whether only the Apostles were present at his last Supper. For seeing divers were added unto the Church, and professed the faith of Christ, seeing he had other Disciples beside the twelve, seeing many godly men and women followed him to see his miracles▪ & to hear the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth: why should we think that none of them were admitted to his table, who had often heard his preaching▪ and depended upon him in their living. Again, the passover was celebrated in the house e Mat 26, 17.18. of a faithful man, as may be collected by sundry circumstances: now then, either the Lord jesus annexed that family unto his, as the law in one case appointed; or else we shall have two Passovers at one time in one house, which hath no warrant of Scripture, no colour of truth, no probability of reason. We read in the institution and celebration of the passover, of joining house to house, f Exod. 1●, 4. and taking his neighbour next unto him in case of the insufficiency of one household to eat the Lamb: but we never read of killing two lambs, and keeping two Passovers under one roof. Besides, the small remnant of the faithful among the jews would no doubt rightly and religiously observe the passover after the example of their Lord and Master, rather according to the g Exod 13, 6. precept of Moses, then according to the practice of the jews: in imitation of Christ, h joh 13.1. ●am 18, 18. rather than according to the tradition of the Elders. Furthermore, we are to consider, that in eating the passover, they sorted themselves together, according to the number of the persons able to eat up the lamb: for they were commanded to take i Exod. 12, 4, 5 A lamb without blemish, a male of a year old: and if the household be too little for the lamb, he shall take his neighbour which is next unto his house. Now Christ with his twelve disciples alone, were not sufficient to eat up this Lamb of a year old, especially if the Syrian kind were great & large, as may be supposed by the k Arist histor. Anno lib 6. cap 28 P●r h●s●. natur. l b cap. 98 description of Aristotle, Pliny, and others. Neither doth it appear that any remained, or was burned with fire, l Exod. 12, 10. according to the institution of God, because the Evangelists declare, that so soon as the Supper was administered and a psalm sung of thanksgiving, m Mat 2●, 30. they went out into the Mount of Olives. Why then should we not think that Christ added & annexed other to his family, seeing his own disciples sufficed not, especially the blessed Virgin his mother who was not long from him? n joh. 19, 26.27. whom afterward, after his departure, he commended and committed to john, to be protected and provided for, who from that time took her home to his house as his own mother. To conclude, we must consider, that besides the lamb killed for the passover, (whereby they were not all satisfied) they had other meat to make up their Supper, as appeareth by the broth wherein the sop was dipped, Math. 26, 23. Mark. 14, 20. john 13, 26. For the Lamb commanded by the ordinance of God to be roasted, had no sauce or broth appointed, but only sour herbs prescribed, Exodus 12. So there, Fulk on Mat. 16. the learned observe that there were three Suppets that night: the first of the Pafchall Lamb, of which the Evangelists say, The passover was prepared. The second was an ordinary supper to feed and nourish the body, such as was daily received, whereunto we must refer the dipping of the sop in the platter, inasmuch as the passover had no such ordinance. The third was after both the other, to wit, the Sacrament of the Lords Supper instituted to feed the soul, and therefore was taken after the body was fed. Moreover, when the Disciples were sent to prepare a place to eat the passover, the man whom they met bearing a pitcher of water showed them a large upper room furnished and prepared: Mar. 14.15. now what need had there been of such a large chamber, if twelve guests only had sat therein? Wherefore albeit we confess according to the Scripture, that he sat down with the twelve, yet it followeth not hereupon that the twelve only were present, but that all the twelve were present at the passover. It was indeed prepared and provided for the Disciples, Matthew 26. 18. Luke 22.11. but he had more Disciples than they, believing in his name, and professing the truth that they had learned of him; and are oftentimes distinguished from the twelve, which he called his Apostles. joh. 6, 66, 67. But to leave these considerations as conjectures, we answer the former objection, that inasmuch as Christ delivered both signs to the same persons, they might bar the people from the bread as well as from the cup. For I would know why the bread is necessary, but because it was instituted by Christ, and retained by his Apostles? Wherefore, the institution maketh the one as requisite as the other. Besides, if other heretics should arise, as great enemies to the people's partaking of the bread, as the Church of Rome is to their communicating of the cup of the Lord: how might they better be repressed and refelled, then by alleging the first institution of Christ, and showing the practice of the Apostles? So that the reasons brought to confute the one, will serve directly to overthrow the other. Moreover, the Disciples at the first ministration of the Supper, performed not the office of the Minister, nor any part of his duty, but of the people; Christ was the Minister thereof, he took the bread he blessed, he gave the bread, saying, This is my body. Likewise he took the cup, blessed, and gave the same, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood. On the other side, the Disciples took it, did eat and drink, which are the proper duties of all the people. Lastly, the Apostle saith not in the first person, we eat and drink, as speaking of himself and other teachers of the Church: but directing his speech to all o 1 Cor. 1, 2. that are called and sanctified in Christ in every place, (according to the inscription of the epistle) he saith, As often as ye shall eat this bread p 1 Cor. 11, 26 and drink this cup, ye show the Lords death till he come. Now these Corinthians to whom he especially wrote, could not live until the second coming of Christ to judgement: therefore this eating & this drinking belongeth to us that live in these days, and to all that call upon the name of God to the end of the world. Objection 2 Secondly, they object against the former truth, this out of Acts 2. They continued in the Apostles doctrine, and in breaking of bread: and cha. 20. They came together to break bread. It is not said, to deliver the cup unto the people, q Act. 2, 42. and 20, 7. but to break bread: whereby they gather, it was ministered unto the people in one kind only, and not in both. I answer, Answer. by a common Synecdoche, one part is put for the whole. For among the Hebrews, this phrase in Scripture, to eat bread, is to receive whole nourishment and full refreshing by eating and drinking: as appeareth by r Esay. 58, 7. Lamon. 4, 4. M●t. 15, 33. Acts 20, 11. many places, where mentioning only bread for food, it were madness to imagine and gather that they drunk not. Besides, the Apostle sometimes putteth the other part, to wit, drinking of the s 1 Cor 12, 13 cup, for the whole celebration of the Supper, as when he saith, By one Spirit we are all baptised into one body, and have been all made to drink into one Sp●rit: where we see, as our Saviour added the universal note, drink ye all of this: and as the Evangelist Mark accordeth, saying, They all drank of it: so the Apostle doth not pretermit it, but saith, All were made to drink: as if the Lord jesus, the Evangelists and the Apostles would prevent before hand, the corruption that followed in the Church of Rome. Wherefore, seeing drinking of the cup, doth not properly note out the whole action, because no man was ever so grossly blinded, to suppose that the cup might be alone administered: it followeth, that by this member expressed, we must understand the other, and by one part the whole. Furthermore, it is a ruled case among themselves, that it is flat sacrilege, if a Priest consecrate not this Sacrament in both kinds, but do it in bread only. If then the former Scriptures, Act. 2. and chap, 20. prove the receiving under one kind, because bread only is expressed, and so the cup to be excluded: it will likewise follow, they consecrated in one kind, because the wine is not expressed: and therefore by these places, neither Priest nor people should take the cup, if they will not admit a trope or figure. Neither can they say, that Luke describeth not what the Apostles consecrated or received, but what they delivered to the people: for the Evangelist declareth, Acts 20, 11. not only that the Apostle broke the bread but t Act. 20, 7. did eat there of himself; so that they must confess, that Paul also received in one kind, and consecrated in one kind, or else necessarily grant one part put for the whole: as likewise we see, 1 Cor. 11. where he doth expressly touch and teach both kinds, u 1 Cor. 11, 26 27, 28, 29. to the eating of the bread joining the drinking of this cup: yet sometimes a 1 Cor. 11.20, 29, 33. he expresseth only the one sign for shortness sake; and the Church had received this usual manner of speaking, to call the Lords Supper the breaking of bread, as verse 20. When ye come together into one place, this is not to eat the Lords Supper: and verse 33. When ye come together to eat, tarry one for another: likewise verse 29 He discerneth not the Lords body: and yet in the sentence going before, he saith that such as eat and drink unworthily, do eat and drink their own judgement. Wherefore, as the Apostles always celebrated the Supper by consecration both of the bread and of the cup: so the people always received in both these ki●des, to their great comfort and consolation. Thirdly, they pretend that Christ our Saviour did eat Objection 3 with the two Disciples at Emaus, Luk. 24.30. where it is only said, jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it: Howbeit here is no speech of the cup at all, of taking it into his hands, and delivering it into their hands. I answer, Answer. that the Evangelist speaketh not of the Sacrament in this place, but of their ordinary repast for the sustenance of the body. Secondly, suppose and admit that Christ had there administered the holy Supper, because here is mention made of taking, and blessing, and breaking, and giving of bread: yet it will not follow by any good consequent, that there was no wine at all, because Luke speaketh of bread only; for it is said in like manner that joseph, made Governor of the land of Egypt, Gen. 43, 25. and 37, 25. Mat. 14, 19 Luk. 9, 16. invited his brethren to eat bread: the meaning is not that they were bidden to a dry feast and drank not at it, but one part is put for the whole nourishment. So are the words to be understood in this place, that they did eat & drink together, having communed and traveled together. If any man remain obstinate and will not be satisfied with these things, but ask further, how it will appear that there was more than bread used among them, I refer him to the words of Peter preaching to Cornelius, Acts 10. Act. 10 40.41. where speaking of Christ he saith, Him God raised up the third day, and showed him openly, not to all the people, but unto us witnesss chosen before of God, even to us that did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. In which words the truth of his resurrection is proved, by performing of such actions as were ordinary & familiar: and albeit he be said, not once or twice, but oftentimes to eat with them, joh. 21, 13. Luk. 24, 33, 43. yet Peter testifieth in this place that he did both eat & drink, and so we are to understand these words. Lastly, let them mark what will follow from these words being restrained to eating only: for thereby we gather, not only that the two disciples did not drink, but that Christ himself drunk not, who is supposed to deliver the Supper, for there is no speech or mention of it, nor one syllable touching any such matter. And if Christ did not drink, than the Priests also should be exempted from the necessity of partaking of the cup, which marreth all the market and merchandise of these half communions. Objection 4 Lastly, they allege that there is an union and conjunction of each sign, that the body is in the blood, and the blood in the body: that Christ is wholly and perfectly under each kind, because now in his glorious body, b Concomitantia. there is no separation of the body from the blood, or blood from the body. I answer, Answer. surely if this were so, it were a fault and frivolous thing to do that by more, which may be done by fewer, to use two kinds, which may as well be done and is done under one, as a wise Philosopher teacheth. Besides, if one may reason in that sort, the whole Supper might be abrogated, for we are made partakers of Christ in d Gal. 3, 27. baptism, and he dwelleth in our hearts by e Heb 3, 14, 15 Ephe. 3, 17. faith which cometh by the word of God. Again, were not Christ and his Apostles as wise as they? Were they ignorant of this union? Did they not know this accompanying of the body with the blood, and blood with the body? Is the present church of Rome wiser than he, in whom all the f Col. 1, 19 & 2, 3, 9 treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hid? If they think so, let them tell us plainly: if not, let them lay their hands upon their mouth, and submit themselves unto him who administered it in both kinds, and commanded his Apostles to do the like. Moreover, Christ would have us in his Supper consider his blood separated from his body, and set his death before our eyes, and his precious blood shed out of his side: so that delivering the cup, he said, g Mat. 26.27.28. Drink ye all of this, for this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many, without which shedding, there is h Heb. 9, 22. no forgiveness of sins, as the Apostle teacheth. Wherefore, seeing these two are contrary one to the other, and cannot stand together; to wit, the blood to be in the body and to be out of the body, to be shed for us & not to be shed, and that the Sacrament leadeth us to the consideration of the death; and especially of the piercing of the body and pouring out of the blood of Christ: we may conclude, that this i Concil. Trid. sess. 3. can. 3. union of the body with the blood, and blood with the body, flatly crosseth and overthroweth the institution of Christ. And why I pray you do their sacrificing Priests receive the blood twice, and the body twice, drinking first the blood in the body, and again eating the body in the blood? Nay, doth not this union devised, altar the institution of Christ, and confound the several parts of it, making him to speak otherwise then the Evangelists express? For when he said, This is my body, they will have him mean, this is my body and blood: Again; when he said, this is my blood, they will have him mean, this is my blood and my body. Last of all, this late invention, turneth and overturneth the nature of the parts, distinguished one from the other: while we eat the flesh they make us drink the blood, and while we drink the blood, they imagine we eat the body. Thus to eat and to drink shall be all one with them: for we shall eat liquid and moist things, and we shall drink dry and hard things. And is not this drinking of flesh, and eating of blood, an inverting & everting of the nature of things? But thus God striketh his enemies with giddiness of spirit. For after they have broken the pure institution of Christ, and brought in a carnal presence of his body, (one absurdity being granted, k Arist. phys. lib. 1. cap. 2. & 3. a thousand follow) infinite abuses have ensued upon heaps, the floodgates being set open, whereof there is no end or measure. Let them therefore repent themselves of this sacrilege against God, and injury against his people, restoring unto them the communion under both kinds, according to the ordinance of Christ, & direction of the Apostles. And thus much of the general uses arising from both the signs jointly considered. Now let us come to the particular uses offered unto us, Partic. use 1. in each of the signs. And first touching the bread. Is bread simply considered the first sign in the Lord's Supper? Then it is not necessarily required, that it be administered in unleavened bread. For bread is oftentimes named and repeated: but the word (unleavened) is never added. Wherefore as it is in itself indifferent whether the wine be red or white, & whatsoever the kind or colour be (if it be wine:) so is it not greatly material whether the bread be leavened or unleavened, so it be bread. Which overthrows the error of the church of Rome & her favourits, who hold it l Beliar. lib. 4. de Eucha cap. 7. necessary that the bread used in the Sacrament be unleavened. They pretend the institution of Christ, who (say they) made the Sacrament of unleavened bread, instituting it after he had eaten the passover, which was to be eaten with unleavened bread, m Exod. 12, 8.18. according to the law of Moses, neither was there any leaven to be found in Israel seven days together. Thus they charge us to break the institution of Christ. But see here the peevishness and partiality of these proud spirits, who fly to the institution, and stick precisely to the circumstances of it, when it serveth any way to their purpose: but when the question is of matters of substance not of circumstance, as touching communicating under both kinds, touching the necessity of eating and drinking, and of many receiving together against their half communions, private masses, and reservations, they cannot abide to be tied and yoked to the institution. Indeed we deny not, but Christ might use unleavened bread at his last Supper, having immediately before eaten the Paschal Lamb. This peradventure is truly conjectured: yet no such thing is expressed in the Gospel, nor prescribed as a rule necessarily to be followed. The Evangelists teach, he took bread: but make no mention or distinction what bread he took, nor determine what bread we should take, no more than limit what wine we shall use, but leave it at liberty to take leavened bread or unleavened, as occasion of time, place, persons, and other circumstances serve, so we take bread; as their own n Gregor. 1. in Registr. Prophets have confessed, and their own Counsels o Concil. Florent. sess. vlt. have concluded. Wherefore, to consecrate in unleavened bread, is not of the substance of the Supper, no more then to eat it at night or after Supper, as Christ administered and the Apostles first received it. For if any would bring in a necessity of that time, as well as of that bread which Christ used, we see as fair a warrant for the one as for the other: nay we have a more certain direction for the time which is expressed, then for the kind of bread which is not defined. Besides, if Christ on this occasion used unleavened bread: it was because it was usual, common, and ordinary bread at that time, as we also should use that bread which is usual and common. So the Apostle speaketh of that bread which was daily used among the Gentiles, saying, p 1 Cor. 10, 16 The bread which we break: he addeth, neither leavened nor unleavened, but understandeth that in common and continual use. Thus than we conclude, it is no breach of Christ's ordinance, nor a transgression of the first original institution of the Lords Supper, to eat either the one or the other. Partic. use 2. Again, touching the other sign, which is the wine, the Church of Rome may justly be charged with transgressing the ordinance of Christ, who by her sole authority would tie us to mingle water with wine for r Rhem. Test. fol. 452. nu. 23. great mystery and signification, especially, for that water gushed with blood, out of our Lord's side. So they condemn all those Churches as doing impudently and damnably, that do not mix water with wine in the Sacrament, and say it cannot be omitted without great sin. True it is, the Church in former times, where the wine provided for the Lords Table, was of itself heady, strong, hot, fiery, and fuming, was wont to allay it with water, that it might be mild & temperate: lest that which was taken to help and further the soul, should disquiet and distemper the body. This began for conveniency, not for necessity: for fitness, not for signification: for sobriety, not for any mystery. But the water is no part of Christ's institution, neither can it be proved, that Christ or his Apostles used water with their wine, or commanded others to mingle wine and water in this mystery, or that Christ's Apostles ever received it as a matter of faith, or taught it to be a necessary part of this Sacrament. For Alexander the 5. Bishop of Rome, was the first that s Barth. Caranza sum. Concil. Florent p. 458. mingled water with wine at consecration, & ordained that the oblation should be of unleavened t Polid. Virg. de inventor. Rerum lib. 5. cap. 9 bread, and not of leavened, as till that time had been used. Wherefore, let us retain and maintain the plain and simple institution of Christ, who in his last Supper gave wine, not water to be drunk, for he calleth it the fruit u Mat. 26, 29. of the vine, which is wine and not water. Again, they may be pressed and hampered with their own dreams and devices. For whereas they hold that the wine must be mingled with water, & that the elements after the words of consecration are transubstantiated, and remain in their own nature no more: I would ask this question of these Watermen, rowing in the troubled sea of their own decrees (who are near of kin a Papists are near of kin to the old heretics called Aquarij. to the old heretics called Aquarij) whether the water mixed with the wine be turned into blood? If they say it is not, than they deny transubstantiation of all that is within the cup, and so shake the virtue of their consecration in pieces: if they say it is, then will they make Christ a watery body and elemental: beside, it cannot be by virtue of Christ's institution, where water is neither expressed nor included. So then, their best defence is to answer with the pharisees, b Mat. 21.23. We cannot tell. To conclude, let us not seek to be wiser than Christ, nor to mingle together more mysteries than we have learned of him, as Paul saith of his own practice, c 1 Cor. 11, 23 That which I received of the Lord, I have delivered unto you. Neither Prophet, nor Apostle, nor Angel from heaven is to teach otherwise then Christ himself hath taught, as he charged his disciples, Teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. He hath supreme authority in the Church, his doctrine alone should be heard, as the Father himself witnesseth from heaven, d Mat. 17, 5. This is my beloved Son, in whom I have delight, hear h m. We are not to regard what other before us have thought meet to do, but what Christ did, who is before all other, and called himself the truth, e Cyprian epist. and not custom. Thus much of the third outward part of the Lords Supper, to wit, the two signs of bread and wine. CHAP. VI Of the fourth outward part of the Lords Supper. THe last outward part remaineth, which are the a The fourth outward part are the communicants. communicants: whose actions are outward, to take the bread and wine into their hands: then to eat the bread & drink the wine to the nourishment of their bodies, b Mat. 26, 26. as is directly proved by the institution of this Sacrament, where Christ gave the bread and cup into their hands, the Disciples received the one and the other, they did eat the bread and all drank of the cup. These being the necessary actions of every receiver, to take, to eat, to drink: it beateth down many false doctrines of the Church of Rome, as their reservation, ostentation, elevation, adoration, circumgestation, procession, and private communion: it teacheth also many necessary truths to direct our knowledge and increase our obedience, which we will consider in order. Use 1 First of all, did Christ command his Disciples to eat and drink that he delivered, and posted them not over to eat thereof when they were departed, neither willed them to defer their eating until afterward: then all keeping & reserving of bread in boxes, pixes, and other vessels of the Church for days, weeks, and months, all showing it to the people, c Con. Trid. sess. 3. can. 5. lifting it over the Priest's head, and going with it in procession, is utterly unlawful. For it is no Sacrament unless it be used according to Christ's institution and commandment, but to the institution it belongeth, as on the behalf of the Minister to take, to bless, to pour out, and to distribute: so on the behalf of the communicants to take, to eat, and to drink, in them all, to show thereby the Lords death, and to do it in remembrance of him: which cannot be performed but by observing the whole action. For how can they show the Lords death, or do it in remembrance of Christ, unless they take and eat? And as the Paschal lamb was not that passover, unless it were killed and eaten: no more is the bread and wine a Sacrament, except they be received and digested. The passover was the same in effect with the Lords Supper, d revel. 13, 8. who was the lamb slain from the beginning of the world. Now God commanded that none of it should remain unto the morning, but the remnant e Exod 12, 10 should be consumed with fire. The like may be said of Manna, the same in substance with this Sacrament: it was not to be kept & carried about, Let no man f Exod. 16, 19 reserve thereof till morning. Besides, there is the same reason of the cup & of the bread: but they reserve not the wine, they carry it not about to show the people: why then should they keep the other part? Likewise, when Christ said to his Apostles, g Mat. 28, 20. Go baptise the nations: it was no baptism by the h H●●si. Confess. de Euchar st. cap. ●9. confession of the adversaries themselves, unless there were some person baptised: so when Christ said, Take and eat, there is no Sacrament unless there be a receiving and eating. For as the one standeth in washing, so doth the other in eating and drinking, not in keeping and reserving, not in carrying in procession on a white horse, not in hanging it up under a Canopy, nor in bearing it to the sick with bell and candle. Christ took bread and gave it to his Disciples saying, i Mat. 26 26.27. 1 Cor. 11, 26. Eat ye: he took the cup, and when he bade given thanks he said, Drink ye all of this, do this in remembrance of me: as often as ye shall eat this bread and drink of this cup ye show the Lords death till he come. But they hang it in the pixe, bear it in boxes, and carry it about in public triumphs, and in common calamities, when any judgement of war, plague, pestilence, and famine, and like visitation is among them: then their jack in the box goeth abroad in solemn k Council Tried sess. 13. cap. 5. processions to be seen, which is the way to increase, not to slack: to kindle, not to quench: to provoke, not to revoke the judgements of God gone out against them. Besides, they show this Sacrament to the simple people, to fall down to it as to a God, they put it upon the breasts of the dead, and sometimes lay it in the grave with them, I think to declare it to all the world, that they wish Christ dead, buried, and forgotten for ever, that the Bishop of Rome might with his shavelings rule and reign as a God up on the earth. Can light and darkness, can heaven and earth, fire and water, sweet and sour be more contrary than these vain things, to the institution of Christ? Who never said, keep it in vessels, hang it under Canopies, carry it in processions, l Orig in Leuit. hom. l. 5. give it to the dead, lay it up in their tombs, bring it abroad in common judgements: but take ye, eat ye, drink ye, and by receiving, eating, and drinking, show ye forth the Lords death until he come to judgement to judge the quick and the dead. This Sacrament is an holy feast, an heavenly banquet, and therefore not to be hidden in a box, as a light put under a bushel, but to be set on the Lord's Table for all his guests to feed thereon. Again, if the substance and essence of this Sacrament Use stand in the lawful use of eating & drinking: then all elevation & holding up of the Sacrament over the Priest's head, all adoration, falling down, honouring it with divine worship and calling the Sacrament m Guil. Alan. de sacrific. Euchar cap 41. Bristo. moti. 26. their Lord and God, as it is destitute of all antiquity, so it is full of gross and palpable Idolatry. For whereas it was accustomed to hold up the arms & offerings consecrated to God for the poor, thereby imitating the heave-offering of the jews, and stirring up the people to the like charity and devotion, it degenerated to the lifting up of the host and bread in the Sacrament. So that where Christ saith, take ye, eat ye: these bread-worshippers have changed it into, look ye, gaze ye, worship ye, giving his glory to dumb and senseless creatures. True it is, we confess that the Sacraments as mysteries sanctified to an holy use, as vessels of God's grace, and as instruments fitted to work great things, are not to be contemned or refused, but to be received with due regard, and to be used with all sobriety: yea we confess that Christ God & man is to be worshipped every where: we honour his word, we reverence his Sacraments. Notwithstanding, n The Sacrament is not to be adored. we put a difference between God and the Sacrament of God, the same honour is not due to the one, that is due to the other, and therefore we cannot adore the Elements with divine worship, for many reasons. First, because Christ in the institution of his Supper said, take, eat, drink: he said not, worship, fall down, bow the knees before the Sacrament, and call upon it in time of need. We heard before in the case of unleavened bread, they appealed to the institution of Christ: why do they now fly from it, turning eating & drinking into worshipping & adoring? Wherefore, is it not a great iniquity & wickedness to omit that Christ commandeth, & do what he commandeth not? Secondly, God only is to be worshipped with divine honour, o Mat. 4, 10. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God & him only thou shalt serve. And Exod. 20. Thou shalt not bow down to them, nor worship them. Now the Sacran. is not Christ, it is an institution of Christ: it is not God, but an ordinance of God; for God is not visible, but the sacrament is visible, that all may know it, & see it with their eyes: the Sacram. is eaten, but God cannot be eaten & swallowed up of us, p 1 Kin. 8, 27. Acts 7, 48, 49. whom the heavens & the heavens of heavens cannot contain or comprehend. Thirdly, Christ reproveth the Samaritans, because They worshipped that q joh. 4, 22. they knew not: but the papists know not the body of Christ to be contained under the accidents of bread & wine, for the Scriptures have not taught it, Christ hath not delivered it, the Apostles have not showed it. Besides, they know not the Priest's intent, whereon they say the essence of the Sacrament dependeth, so as if he had no purpose of consecration, they cannot deny themselves to be Idolaters and bread worshippers. Fourthly, r joh 4, 24. the true worshippers must worship God in spirit and in truth, as Christ setteth down, john 4, 24. that is, not according to our own imaginations and devices, but as God hath prescribed: but to fall down to the Sacrament is a bodily service, a new forged worship, and an human invention. Fiftly, without faith no man can s Heb. 11, 6. please God: but faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God, which yet they could never show unto us: therefore they can have no assurance of pleasing God in their will-worship. Sixtly, if this Sacrament be to be worshipped, than it is united personally to Christ, because adoration should not be due to Christ as man, except God and man in the union of person were one Christ: but there is no personal union between Christ and the Sacrament of Christ: therefore not to be worshipped. seventhly, no man in his wits and right mind will honour that with divine worship, which himself may take in his hand, and eat with his mouth, & which may be devoured by Mice, Rats, dogs, worms, or other vermin: for how shall that be adored as God, that cannot defend itself from the teeth of men and beasts? As joash answered, t jud. 6, 31, 32. Will ye plead Baal's cause? If he be God, let him plead for himself against him that hath cast down his Altar. Lastly, seeing they adore Christ in the pixe, where the bread is; and in the chalice where the wine is, why do they not likewise worship him in the Priest and in the faithful people, & every man in his brother, when they have created and eaten him up? The same Christ that was surely enclosed in the pixe, is by their doctrine, really contained in the body of Priest and people, when they have eaten and drunken their supposed sacrifice: Why then adore they not the flesh of Christ, after that it is entered into the mouth of man, as well as in the golden box, or in the golden chalice? Nay, why may he not be adored in the bodies of mice and vermin by them, if it fall out that they eat up their God? Shall he be any where without honour? Or will they worship him where they list, and overskip him where they please? Howsoever therefore Christ is to be worshipped, yet we must take heed we worship not a piece of bread in stead of Christ, which is most gross and horrible Idolatry. Use 3 Moreover, if Christ command the bread to be eaten and the wine to be drunk, than they are not to be offered up to God the Father, as is usually wont to be done in the pageant of the Mass. This is a deep dungeon of iniquity, and a monster of many heads, u 〈…〉 turning the holy Sacrament into an unbloody sacrifice for the quick & the dead, abolishing the fruit and remembrance of the death of Christ, disannulling his Priesthood, giving him to his Father, whereas the Father hath given him to us; and imagining thereby to pay a price to God, which he should receive as a satisfaction for our sins. True it is, the Lords Supper may af●er a sort be called a sacrifice, not as the Church of Rome meaneth, a In wine ●ea● Changed ●ists Su●p●● 〈◊〉 be ca●led a ●ac●ifi●e. but because therein we offer up praises & thanksgivings to God, for that sacrifice of atonement once made upon the Cross, which is most acceptable to God: and because such as come aright thereunto, offer up themself; wholly to God, a reasonable, holy, and living sacrifice: and lastly, because thereby we call to our remembrance the bloody sacrifice of Christ with all the circumstances thereof, the shame of the Cross, the darkness of the heaven, the shaking of the earth, the renting of the air, the cleaving of the rocks, the reproaches of the jews, the taunts of the Soldiers, the opening of the graves, and the conquering of the Devil. For the Christians in former times, b The Fathers of the church living among the Gentile, called th● s●pper a sa●●●●. perceiving that many both jews and Gentiles, refused to embrace the faith of Christ, and to join themselves to the Church, because they pretend the want of sacrifices among th●m, (and nature engrafted in all nations this principle, that we have no free access to God, no true peace to ourselves, without a sacrifice) the Fathers to win such as were without, affirmed that the Church had also a sacrifice, and thereupon entitled the Sacrament of the Supper with the name of a sacrifice, for the causes before remembered. But for a mortal man, whose breath is in his nostrils, to presume in the pride of his heart, under the forms of bread and wine o offer up Christ the Son of God in sacrifice to his Father, and to dare to desire the Father favourably to behold and accept his own Son, is idolatry, blasphemy, & horrible impiety, to be detested of all true hearted Christians. Touching the original of d The original of the word Mass. the word Mass, it seemeth to come from an ancient custom of the Church, sending away such as communicated not. For the Deacon was accustomed to bid them departed that were novices in the faith, and such as by Church-discipline e Folid 〈◊〉. de invent Rerum l●b 5. c 19 were removed from the Communion. This dismission of them was noted by the word M●ss●, signifying a sending away and licensing to departed: and thus some of f Suct●● in Cal●g cap 24. the heathen used it. The name then being in itself not evil, is turned into an evil practice, and therefore as it is used and understood of our adversaries, we reject both the name and thing itself, for these causes. First no Angel, no man, no creature is of that dignity and worthiness, that he may offer up and sacrifice the Son of God: for the Priest is above the sacrifice: they therefore that will be the Priests to offer Christ, advance & lift up themselves above Christ. Secondly, if Christ be really offered in the Mass, than he is killed truly and indeed: for a real sacrifice proveth a real death, and when Christ was sacrificed really, he died really, as when the beasts were sacrificed, they were killed. And Hol●●t one of the schoolmen saith. If there had been a thousand hosts n a thousand places, at the same time that Christ d d hang upon the Cross, g 〈…〉 l●b. sent ●●. 3. Christ had been crucified in a thousand places. Wherefore, they that really sacrificed our Saviour Christ, did in that act really and wickedly kill him: so that the Priests of Baal, if they will be sacrificers of Christ, must acknowledge themselves therein the real murderers of Christ. Thirdly, new sacrifices are not to be instituted by men, without commandment of God, as Moses teacheth, Deut. 12. We must not do what seemeth good in our own eyes, but take heed and hear all these words which he commandeth us. Now Christ never said, Sacrifice ye my body and blood to God. Fourthly, Christ took the bread and gave it to his Disciples, he did not offer it up to God the Father, he took the cup and bade them all drink of it: he did not turn himself to God, end desire him then to accept the sacrifice of his body and blood. Fiftly, if the bread and wine remain in their former substance in the Lord's Supper: then bread and wine only are offered, not the body and blood of Christ, but they remain: for Christ delivered i 1 Cor. 10, 16 bread to his disciples, and Paul teacheth that it is the bread which is broken, and that as often as they shall eat this bread and drink of this cup, they show the Lords death: therefore their real Sacrifice is real Idolatry. Sixtly, it appeareth in the institution of the Supper, that Christ consecrated the bread apart, and the wine apart, and afterward delivered them both apart, but the body of Christ was never sacrificed without the blood, nor the blood without the flesh: for Christ offered upon the Altar of the Cross the sacrifice of his body and blood together, this is the cause that he said, Take ye, eat ye, drink ye, not take ye to offer and to sacrifice. seventhly, the Scripture teacheth us one offering and sacrifice for sin once performed and offered. Heb. 10. We are sanctified by the offering of jesus Christ k Heb. 10.12. once made: & ver. 12. This man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, sitteth at the right hand of God. And the Apostle, 1 Tim. 2. There is one meditator between God and men, the man jesus Christ, who gave himself a ransom for all men. So 1 joh. 2. If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our sins. Likewise Heb. 9 By his own blood he entered in once unto the holy place, & obtained eternal redemption for us: not that he should offer himself l Heb. 9, 12, 25 often, as the high Priest entered into the holy place every year, with other blood (for then must he have often suffered since the foundation of the world) but now in the end of the world hath he been made manifest once to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. We have plentiful testimonies of this truth in this Epistle, as chap. 10. Where remission of these things is, there is no m Heb 10, 18 more offering for sin. If then we have remission by the sacrifice of Christ, all other sacrifices are superfluous, and abrogate his all-sufficient sacrifice. So Rom. 6. In that he died, he died for sin n Rom. 6, 10. once. And 1. Pet. 3. Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust. If then this perfect offering were once only to be offered, than he is not offered, neither can be offered again in the Mass. And if the only oblation of Christ once offered by himself be sufficient: all other oblations and sacrifices are vain and superfluous. For how is that perfect, which is often repeated? Eightly, to make a lawful sacrifice, there is required necessarily a fit Minister lawfully called of God, for o Heb. 5, 4, 5. no man taketh this honour to himself but he that is called of God, as was Aaron: so likewise Christ took not to himself this honour to be made the high-Priest, but he that said to him, Thou art my Son, this day I begat thee, gave it him. But Christ is the only Priest of the new testament, his Priesthood is immortal and eternal, he liveth for ever, therefore the popish Priesthood is a plant never planted by the heavenly Father the p joh. 15, 1.2. true husbandman, and the popish Priests were never called of God to sacrifice the body and blood of Christ, he gave unto them no such authority, q Mat. 15, 23. and therefore in time shall be rooted up. If they pretend the precept and planting of God, let them show their commission that we may see it, and let them bring forth their charter that we may try it, otherwise we must take them for usurpers, and counterfeit Officers in the city of God. Ninthly, the Apostle teacheth, that without shedding of blood is no r Heb. 9, 22. remission: But in the unbloody sacrifice of the Mass, there is not effusion of blood, he doth not suffer, he is not killed, he doth not shed his blood, he doth not die: therefore in the Mass is no remission of any sins. Tenthly, if Christ be daily offered in the Mass, than he doth daily satisfy for sin, for the end of his offering is to make satisfaction, as Rom. 4, 25. s Rom. 4 25. He was delivered to death for our sins, and is risen again for our just ficat on And Gal. 1, 4. He gave himself for our sins that be m●ght deliver us from this present evil world; But he doth not make satisfaction for our sins, no more than now he dieth and riseth again, for then Christ would not have said, t joh. 1●, 30. It is finished: nor the Apostle, * Heb. 9, 12. He entered once into the holy place. Wherefore, no more sacrifice for sin remaineth to be offered by such as injuriously usurp the Priesthood of Christ. Last of all, all true Christians are Priests to offer up their bodies an acceptable sacrifice unto God, which is their reasonable service of God, and to offer up a broken and contrite spirit, as 1 Pet. 3, 9 Ye are a chosen generation, u 1 Pet. 2, 9 a royal Priesthood, and an holy nation. And Revel. 1. He hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his blood, & made us Kings and Priests unto God his Father. These are the Priests that now remain, this is the Priesthood which we profess. Whosoever maketh himself any Priest of another order in the new testament, abrogateth and abolisheth the Priesthood of Christ, being after the order a Heb. 6, 20. Psal. 110.4. of Melchizedech, who was both King and Priest. Now then, as they commit sacrilege against Christ, that presume to offer him up an unbloody sacrifice to God the Father, to make peace and atonement between God and man: so they add another iniquity as drunkenness to thirst, making their oblation not only profitable to take away the sins of the living but available to cleanse b The Mass is no propitiatory sacrifice f●● the dead, ●o wit, the price and redemption of ●oules. the sins of the dead, that are come to the end of their days. Indeed we deny not, but the Mass may be beneficial to the rabble of Friars and sacrificing Priests that make it gainful to themselves, who through their sale and merchandise of Masses, dwell stately, go sumptuously, far delicately, drink wine in silver and gold, abound in pleasures, and heap up great abundance of all riches: shall we not now say, the Mass is profitable? But other profit of the Masses than these to the Massmongers, we know none. We know, we find, we feel them otherwise many ways pernicious in themselves, dishonourable to God, and hurtful to the people. For first, the Sacrament was instituted to no such end and purpose, as to help the dead, and to be a propitiation for their sins. For Christ said, Take and eat, this is my body: drink ye, this is my blood: but the dead cannot take any thing offered unto them: they can neither eat nor drink: wherefore, this Supper being spiritual meat and nourishment for the soul, cannot avail the dead, who are neither fed nor nourished. Secondly, it profiteth as much to be baptised for the dead, as to receive the Supper of the Lord for the dead: for both Sacraments were instituted of Christ, and there is the same respect of both. But it can do no good to baptise one for another, the living for the dead, therefore the living coming to receive the Sacrament of the Supper cannot relieve the dead. Thirdly, there is no forgiveness of sins after this life, we have forgiveness in this life or never. Whatsoever is bound on earth, is bound in heaven. Hear is the time, here is the place, here is the occasion offered to work, as the wise man teacheth, Eccl. 9 All that thine hand shall find to do, do it with all thy power: for there is c Eccl. 9, 10. neither work, nor invent on, nor knowledge, nor w●sedome in the grave whither thou goest. And Heb. 3. To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Wherefore then is a sacrifice offered for the dead, for whom there is no relief, no redress, no remission? Fourthly, it is vain to offer for those that have ended their days, and are already come to the end of their race, d joh. 9, 4. and 11, 9, 10. whose estate can never be changed. This the Evangelist john teacheth. Chap. 9, 4. The night cometh, when no man can wor●e, and Chap. 11. Are there not twelve hours in the day? If a man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seethe the li●ht of this world. And chap. 11.9, 10. If a man walk in the night, he stumbleth because there is no light in him. And Paul 2. Tim. 4. I have f●ught a good fight, I have sin shed my race, I have kept the faith, from henceforth is laid up for me the crown of righteousness. But this is the estate of all the dead, they are entered into judgement, they are not subject to any change. Lastly, if the sacrifice of the Mass could wash away the sins of the dead, then the sacrifice of the Mass should surmount and exceed the sacrifice offered by Christ himself upon the Cross. For this helpeth the living, it availeth not the dead: and so we should have other means to take away sin then his oblation, and there should be another propitiation for the sins of the world. And thus much of the popish Idol of the blasphemous Mass. Use 4 Furthermore, did Christ deliver his last Supper to all his Disciples that were present? Did none stand by and gaze on while other received? Then hereby fall to the ground the private communions e Against private masses in the church of Rome. of the popish Church, where all is f Concil. Trid. sess 22. cap. 6. devoured by the Priest, nothing delivered to the people. For whereas the ordinance of Christ and ancient order of the Church was for the Minister & people to receive the Sacrament together: among them the priest accompanied with his boy to make answer, receiveth the Sacrament himself alone, without distribution made to others, yea although the whole congregation be present and look upon him, whereby God is dishonoured, the communion is abolished, the people of God are thereby deprived and rob of all comfort. How is this a feast which the Priest prepareth for himself, not for others: receiveth by himself, not with his brethren: he speaketh to himself, and not to the assembly: he useth a strange tongue, and no man knoweth what he meaneth: the people is taught nothing, they understand nothing, they hear nothing, they receive nothing; and a few childish, apish foolish, and unseemly gestures excepted, they see nothing: they taste nothing, they partake nothing, neither comfort of heart, nor memory of Christ, nor benefit of his passion. But Christ in his last Supper, did not eat up all alone, but after the Disciples had supped as Matthew g Mat. 26, 26. setteth it down, he took bread & blessed, he broke and gave it to them, saying, take ye, eat ye: neither did he drink alone of the fruit of the vine, but taking the cup he gave thanks, and gave to them all, saying, Drink ye all of this. So than albeit a certain number of communicants are not limited and determined: yet Christ in these words appointeth a company to be present, as appeareth by the number, Take ye, eat ye, drink ye all, divide ye it among yourselves, do ye this in my remembrance, ye set forth the Lords death, when ye come together to eat, tarry ye one for another, as often as ye shall eat this bread. These words cannot be understood of one particular man, but necessarily import a great number of men: nay, the Philosopher teacheth, that the word (all) must be verified at the least h Arist. lib. 1. de Cocl. cap. 1. of the number of three, which is the least and lowest number that would be admitted to this Supper. Neither do we read that so soon as one was gained to the faith, that the Apostles administered this Sacrament to him, much less would they minister to themselves alone, when none were converted in a nation or City. Secondly, Christ expressly commandeth us to do as himself did, when he left this farewell token and pledge of his love to his Disciples, saying, i Luk. 22, 19 Do this in remembrance of me. But he, after the words of consecration, did not offer a sacrifice to his Father under shows of bread and wine, but gave the bread and cup to his Disciples, and left his own example as a direction for us to follow: so that the distribution & deliverance of the signs is of the substance of the Sacrament, as well as the breaking of the bread or pouring out of the wine, and it is not lawful in any sort to change the testament of Christ, or to corrupt the meaning of the testator. Thirdly, the Apostle teacheth how he received from the Lord that which he delivered to the churches, that the people should eat of this bread and drink of this cup: k 1 Cor. 11, 23 and proveth that the faithful are made partakers of the Lords Table, not by gazing or looking on while others eat, but by eating: not by standing still while others drink, but by drinking, as 1 Cor. 10. We that are many are one bread and one body, because we are all partakers of one bread. Fourthly, the same Apostle reproveth the Corinthians, which presumed to take the Supper of the Lord before others, and did not tarry for their brethren when they came together to be partakers of the Sacrament, as we see, 1 Cor. 11. Every man when they should eat, l 1 Cor. 11.20, 22. taketh his own supper afore, this is not to eat the Lords Supper. And afterward, Wherefore my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another. Now because the Corinthians broke this order & ordinance, he chargeth them to come unreverently, to receive unworthily, to eat and drink judgement unto themselves. Shall they then that are faithful Christians, patiently bear the injury done them by these sacrificing Masse-mungers, who never bid the Lords guests, nor call them to his table, nor tarry for them till they come to this heavenly banquet, but like the Priests of Bell, do eat and drink up all themselves. Fiftly, the same Apostle willeth and warneth all persons which come to this communion, diligently to prove & examine n 1 Cor. 11, 28 themselves, and then to come to this Supper, as we see, 1 Cor. 11. Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of this bread, and drink of this cup: so that he would not have any excluded from receiving, which have tried their hearts by examining, & are thereby rightly prepared to this great work. Lastly, the names given to this Sacrament, noting the nature thereof, do afford us a good consideration to strike through the heart of this private Mass, being called sometimes the Supper of the Lord, and sometimes a communion among ourselves. If it be an holy Supper and spiritual banquet, why are none bidden and called thereunto? If it be a communion, why doth the Priest uncharitably swallow all alone? whereby they make it a communion, but without company: a supper, but without guests: meat, but without eating: drink, but without drinking: a table, but without sitting down: a participation, but without any that are partakers: a banquet, but without feeding thereat, the people departing as hungry and thirsty as they came. Wherefore, as no man celebrated the passover aright, or received profit thereby, but such as did eat the flesh thereof: so can none come to the supper of the Lord as he ought, though he look upon others, except he eat of the bread and drink of the cup, according to the commandment of Christ, the author thereof. But because the Church of Rome is never mad without reason, let us drive them out of all their shifts and starting holes, wherein they go about to hide their heads. First, they ask the question, What if Objection 1 their be none worthy to communicate, may we not have Masses without communicants? I answer, Answer. this is to suppose an impossibility. For wheresoever the word is truly preached, it gaineth some to the faith, Christ being in the midst of them that are gathered together in his name: and therefore it never happeneth that all become unworthy. The word of God hath his effect, and one part of the seed falleth into good ground, as we see in the parable of the sour. Luk. 8, 15. And if it could come to pass which is here imagined, it were better to abstain for a season then to break the commandment of Christ, according to the rule of the Apostle, When ye come together to eat, tarry one for another. 1 Cor. 11, 33. Furthermore, the Priest knoweth not the worthiness or unworthiness of the greatest part: if any offer themselves to receive, they must be received, when their sin is not known. Secondly, they say that private Masses may be called Objection 2 common, because the people herein communicate spiritually, and because they are celebrated by the public Minister. Answer. Hear we have common Masses without a communion, and without any Communicants: howbeit this is true, that here is no communion at all in breaking of bread, and eating it being broken, commanded in the Gospel. What agreement then is there between Christ sitting at the Table with his Disciples, distributing the bread, and ministering the cup unto them; and the masspriest standing alone at an Altar, and eating all alone, without being seen of the people? Besides, if a Minister pray alone in a corner of the Church, yet his prayer cannot be called public, albeit it be made by a public person, and offered up for all that are absent, and conceived in a public Temple. The like may be said, of the administration of the Lords Supper. Thirdly, they pretend that the cause why the people Objection 3 do not communicate, is their want of devotion and good affection that they ought to have to holy things, Hear is a new colour set upon a foul and deformed face. Answer. A man would think that heareth these excuses, that the Church of Rome did only tolerate private Masses, but not command them; and that they desire they should be public & common, were it not for the slothfulness and the backwardness of the people. Sess. 7. Howbeit, the Council of Trent not only suffereth, but alloweth and commandeth private Masses, wherein the Priest alone communicateth. Again, if they desired that the people should communicate, they would reprove their negligence, and stir them up to greater diligence: whereas they confirm them and continue them in it, and apply themselves unto it, and lead them into error by their own example. Neither have they cause to make such a general complaint, seeing the people for the most part are more devout and religious than the Pastors of the Church of Rome, as it was in the days of Hezekiah. 2. Chron. 30. Objection 4 Fourthly, they demand whether it be the fashion at feasts to constrain them to eat that are not disposed to eat? Is not every one left to himself, whether he will eat or not eat? I answer, Answer. the Church of Rome leave it not at liberty for the people to eat, or not to eat: but utterly forbidden them and restrain them. Secondly, at our common feasts, no man is compelled to eat, because there is no absolute commandment of God to bind them unto it: but in this holy feast it is far otherwise, for we have the express commandment of God, to take and eat all of us. Lastly, this comparison of a feast ill besitteth their whole purpose. For who ever saw a feast, where all the guests that are bidden stand by and eat nothing, and the Governor of the feast devoureth and swalloweth up all alone, as it falleth out in the Mass, where no body but the Priest eateth? Or who ever heard of a solemn feast, whereunto no body is invited? But in private Masses, no man or woman is bidden to come, or received if they come. Objection 5 Fiftly, they add, if the people will not come, would you have, us leave the service of God? Should we be negligent when they are negligent? Or should we follow the humour of the people. Answer. This objection standeth upon a double supposition, and both of them false. The first is, that they desire the people should come and receive, whereas all men know the contrary, and some men have accounted it no less than heresy, to require the partaking of the people at this Supper. The second is, that the Eucharist without Communicants is the service of God: these points they take for granted, but they never go about to prove them and confirm them. If we will receive such trash at their bare word, so it is: if not, they have not a dram of reason to establish it. Furthermore, whereas they add that the ordinances which God hath commanded, ought not to be left for the indisposition of particular men; I would know whether the Minister should pray in the Church openly, when there is none to join with him? Or whether he should preach the word, when there are none to hear him? If he may not, then how should he deliver the Supper, when there are no guests? I will here conclude with the complaint that chrysostom useth in his time, when this corruption began to creep in: O custom! O presumption! Chrysost. Homil. 3. in Ephes. In vain is the daily sacrifice offered: in vain do we stand at the Altar, seeing no body communicateth. Tell me, if a man that is bidden to a feast wash his hands and sit down, and be placed at the Table, and yet eat not, doth he not wrong him that bade him? Were it not better that such a one were not present? So thou art present, thou hast sung the hymn, and in that thou hast not retired thyself with them that are unworthy, thou hast made profession that thou art of the number of those that are worthy, how then doest thou stay and not partake of the Table? Lastly, they demand farther, Doth the essence of the Objection 6 Sacrament depend upon the people's communicating thereof? I answer, Answer. All communions without communicants do overthrow the nature of a Sacrament. For Saint Paul defineth this Sacrament to be a Communion of the body of CHRIST, 1 Corinthians, chap. 10. verse 10. and therefore the Church of Rome destroyeth the definition, and consequently the essence thereof. But of this we have spoken sufficiently before. And thus much of the sole communions and private Masses brought into the worship of God, against the example of Christ, against the practice of the Apostles, against the use of the Church, against the authority of the Fathers, against the light of reason, and against the name and nature of the Sacrament itself. Use 5 Hitherto we have pulled down the heresies of the church of Rome, and have raked in the dirt and dunghill of their devices, the savour whereof hath annoyed heaven & earth: now let us observe out of this last outward part of the Sacrament, how we are directed and instructed thereby to further our knowledge and obedience. Did Christ command the faithful of his family to eat and drink that which he delivereth, without laying any further burden or bondage upon them? Then we must understand, o It is no precept of Christ to receive the Lords Supper fasting. it is no precept of Christ to receive the Lords Supper fasting, before any other meats and drinks. True it is, the people whose zeal goeth beyond their knowledge, make a great scruple of conscience in this point to come fasting, p August. epist. 118. which custom we do not condemn, but commend, so it be without superstition in themselves, and judging of others. But howsoever many make as great a matter to communicate fasting, as to come in faith: yet this is no necessary rule or commandment binding the conscience to the observation thereof. For the word of God and institution of the Sacrament are perfect directions to the Church, teaching all matters of faith and obedience, yet they teach no such practice. And our blessed Saviour teacheth his Disciples what they should do, the Evangelists deliver what they did, and among all their doctrine we find not this precept of fasting. Again, Christ administered it not fasting, the Apostles received it not fasting: not that we are bound to celebrate the Supper at that time: but to show that Christ would never have chosen to do it after supper, if that time had been simply unlawful. Besides, the Apostle, 1 Corinth. 11. reproving the abuses crept into this Sacrament, and labouring to reduce it to the first institution, exhorteth the Corinthians to tarry one for another, and if any be hungry q 1 Cor. 11, 36 that he cannot tarry, he must beforehand eat at home, that so he may better wait for the rest of the congregation. Now he would never have given counsel and commandment, if it had been unlawful or ungodly to take some little repast and short refreshing before, in regard of the present infirmity and weakness of the body. Lastly, he teacheth in another place, That the kingdom of heaven is not r Rom. 14, 17. meat nor drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy-Ghost. To conclude, as he willeth that he which eateth, despise not him that eateth not, and he which eateth not, condemn not him that eateth: s Rom. 14, 3.5, 19 so must it be in this indifferent practice, he that can take it, let him take it: but let not him that receiveth fasting, judge him that fasteth not: and let not him which fasteth not, condemn him that receiveth fasting, he standeth or falleth to his own Master. Who art thou then that judgest another man's servant? Let every one be persuaded in his own mind, and look to the warrant of his own work. Let us follow those things which concern peace, and wherewith one may edify another. If any list to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the Churches of God. Lastly, observe with me that the actions commanded Use 6 unto the Communicants, after the Minister hath taken and blessed, broken and distributed the bread, taken and blessed, and delivered the cup, are these, to take the bread and to drink of the cup of the Lord: these are in themselves necessary, these are commanded and expressed by the Evangelists: other gestures may serve to comeliness and decency, but not to the essence and nature of the Sacrament. How much then are they deceived, who besides taking, eating, and drinking prescribed in the Gospel, do strive for the necessity of sitting at the Supper, as if it were a main pillar of religion, & cry out against the humble, lowly, & reverent gesture of kneeling, as if it were a matter of impiety, and abhor and detest the order of our Church as the sin of Idolatry. There is nothing necessary to be observed as a point of faith, but we have fair warrant for it out of the Scriptures: but for this sitting to be so straightly urged, we have none at all. Christ saith indeed, Take ye; and therefore taking is necessary. Christ saith, Eat ye; therefore eating is also necessary for us. He saith, Drink ye; therefore drinking is also necessary. But he never said to any, Sat ye; therefore we conclude that sitting is not necessary. Howbeit divers do make sitting as necessary in the action of receiving, as either eating or drinking, albeit we have a commandment for the one, but no commandment for the other. And albeit it be an argument concluding negatively from authority, yet it is from the authority of God whereas themselves reason negatively from the authority of men in matter of history, that because they speak nothing of kneeling, therefore it was not used. I am not ignorant how far this point hath been carried in heat of zeal, and what our learned and reverent brethren have written of the absolute necessity of this sitting at the Sacrament of the Supper, insomuch that they teach touching our kneeling, that in the outward act of Idolatry, there is no difference to be discerned between the Papists and us: whereas they kneel to their breaden God, but we give thanks unto God for giving to us the Sacrament of his body and blood, and do not worship the bread nor yet kneel unto it, and therefore there can be no act or show of Idolatry in us, forasmuch as we have no Idol before us, as they have. Besides, I would have all men know what an uncharitable & unchristian censure & sentence they give of our Church, which although it have banished Idolatry, and is as far from it as themselves, yet is charged with Idolatry, & sin greater than Idolatry. Arg. 4. Pag. 62. For thus they writ, What speak we of seeming herein to do the same outward act of Idolatry that the Papist doth? seeing there is also in this so great appearance of the inward and spiritual Idolatry of the heart, in that this gesture seemeth to be both enjoined & practised even with a superstitious intent & meaning to adore the Sacrament itself. Hear is a grievous accusation of private men against an whole Church, but no proof at all of the accusation. And who made them judges of the heart, or opened them a window to look into it? Again, they speak afterward these words, Arg. 4. Pag. 66. Add hereunto, that for men to tie themselves in their prayer to adore God, in or before any creature (without warrant of the word) is Idolatry. And that it were far less sin, and an appearance of an Idolatry that is nothing so gross, to tie us in our prayers to kneel before a Crucifix, then to bind us thus in praying to God to kneel before the bread and wine. I could wish that this sentence had perished in the birth, and never seen the light: then should it not have been graven as with a pen of iron, and remain to be read of every man, neither should those of the separation allege it, and take occasion to slander our Church and profession by it. For by this it appeareth that they judge our kneeling to be flat Idolatry. If it be as bad or worse than kneeling before a Crucifix, it can be no better than Idolatry, forasmuch as kneeling before a Crucifix is open Idolatry, and cannot be denied: whereas we do not worship God in the bread or kneel unto it, as the Papists do to the Crucifix. The bread indeed we confess is before us when we pray to God for his blessing upon it, that it may avail us to the end for which he hath appointed it, even as the meat which we ordinarily receive in our houses, is before us upon the Table when we do give thanks for it. Now they might as well say, we pray to our meat or before the meat, as that we kneel unto the bread or before the bread of the Sacrament. And it is as lawful for us to kneel down at the Table when we do give thanks, as of custom we stand or sit: & yet we should thereby be unjustly censured to kneel down to our food which we receive. I would gladly therefore be resolved of such as stumble at the orders of our Church, whether they allow of the former saying of these men or not? If they do not like it nor approve of it, wherefore do the● join with them in their opinion, when it is upholden with so weak proof as with a rotten pillar? If they do allow it as currant, & hold that so many as kneel in the act of receiving do commit Idolatry, and thereby make the house of God no better than an Idols temple, how dare they be present at such Idolatrous service, & yet make no scruple at it? Objection. To this peradventure they will answer, they will not examine other men's consciences, neither take upon them to judge of other men's doings: if they think they may kneel lawfully, let them do it, so that they condemn not others that have more tender consciences then themselves. Answer. But they must not think so to escape and creep away in the dark, as if they were not espied. For they cannot turn over the matter to others to look to themselves, as if it did nothing concern them: but the question is, how they can justify their own presence at others kneeling, who are accused and condemned to do as bad or worse than bow down to Idols, and kneel before a Crucifix? Will their tender consciences serve them to be present at Idols service and at more gross worship then kneeling before a Crucifix? If the consciences of any be so large in this, and so strait at the bare gesture of kneeling, let them take heed they do not incur the censure of Christ, who accused the pharisees that they strain at a gnat, and swallow a Camel, Mat. 23, 24. that they stumble at a straw, and leap over a block, being precise in small things and loof in greater. Or if they be content to join with us in the service of the same God, and come with us to the same table, let them acknowledge that we do bow the knees to the Father of our Lord jesus Christ, Eph 3, 14. and not to an Idol, and that we do not turn Beth●el into Beth-aven, the house of God into the house of iniquity, and thereby also renounce and utterly forsake their rash opinion, who speak, and write, resolve and determine against the gesture received and commanded to be used in our Church. For if that which they d● maintain and publish be true then in stead of partaking the blessed body and blood of ou blessed Saviour, 1 Cor. 10, 20.21. we should have fellowship w th' the devils: in stead of drinking the ●up of the Lor●, we should drink the cup of devils: and in ●tea● of being partakers of the Lords Table, we should be partakers of the Table of Devils. But to leave these, who I hope have learned to leave themselves and to forsake their assertion, I dare boldly avouch and offer openly to defend, that sitting at the communion is not more requisite and necessary, then either standing at the hearing of the word, or kneeling in the action of prayer and calling upon the name of God, if it be as necessary: so that if they maintain that sitting is the most convenient gesture at the partaking of the Sacrament, I will join with them in this also & maintain, that standing is the fittest gesture at hearing, and kneeling also at prayer. Hence it is, that when Balaam was to deliver the word of God unto the King of Moab, he said, Rise up Balak and hear: Num. 23, 18. and hearken unto me thou son of Zippor, Numb. 23. The like we see in Samuel, when he was to anoint Saul King over Israel, he said unto him, Stand thou still a while, 1 Sam. 9, 27. that I may show thee the word of God. Besides these precepts and commandments, we have sundry examples of Kings and Princes, sacred & profane, and of whole assemblies that practised this gesture. We read in the book of judges, judg. 3, 20. how Eglon King of Moab rose out of his throne, so soon as he understood that Ehud had a message to do to him from God. josiah the good King of judah stood in his place by a pillar, while the Priests read in the book of the Covenant, which was found in the house of the Lord, 2. Chron. 34. 2 Chro. 34.31 2. Kings 23, 2, 3. 2 Kin. 23, 2, 3. When Ezra the Scribe opened the book in the sight of all the people (for he was above them in a Pulpit of wood) to read in it distinctly, and to give the sense, and to cause them to understand the reading, all the people stood up. Nehe. 8, 5. Nehe 8 5. Can those that urge and press the necessity of sitting, and the unlawfulness of kneeling under the hard & heavy doom of Idolatry, show so many precepts and examples thereof? Or are they able to bring any commandment requiring the one as a duty, and forbidding the other as a sin? From hence then we reason thus. If sitting be simply necessary in the act of receiving; then standing is necessary in the act of hearing, and kneeling in the act of prayer. But standing is not simply necessary in the act of hearing, nor kneeling in the act of prayer; Therefore sitting is not simply necessary in the act of receiving. Furthermore, we must understand that sitting or kneeling, or standing, are not (being considered in themselves) of the nature and substance of the Sacrament, but only accidental things and outward gestures of the body: they touch not the life and essence of the Supper, but are left at liberty to be ordered and appointed by the Church, as shall be thought fittest. Is it of the substance of prayer to kneel always in the very action of it? I think not: for how then did the Publican stand and pray? Luk. 18.13. Mar. 11, 25. And yet he did pray aright and acceptably to God. Or how is it that Ch●istia●th, Mar. 11. When ye stand praying, forgive: if ye have aught against any. Others may pray sitting, or walking, or lying, and yet be heard of him to whom they pray. Tertull●an reporteth this as the common custom of his time, De cor●n. milit. and as a tradition received from the Apostles, that it was unlawful to kneel at prayer upon any Lord's day, or upon any other day between Easter and Whitsuntide. And afterward in the first Nicene council a solemn decree was made, Cano. 20. that none might pray kneeling, but only standing upon the Lord's day: and Basile that lived after that council declareth that it was retained as an Apostolical tradition in his time, the true reason whereof seemeth to be this, Hospin. defest. Christ. because on those days is celebrated the joyful remembrance of the Lords resurrection. Thus did those times determine for standing at prayer, and yet is kneeling the fittest gesture, (which themselves say is known to be commanded of God) and we dare not say that their decrees were unlawful and against the word of God. Moreover, is it of the nature of hearing to stand? How then notwithstanding the former precepts & precidents of such as went before us in it, is it said by Ezekiel, Ezek. 33.31. ch. 33. They come unto thee as the people cometh, & they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them? Indeed the Prophet reproveth them in this place, howbeit it is not for the situation of their bodies, but for not attention of their minds, and disobedience of their hearts. If then neither standing at the time of hearing the word, nor kneeling at the time of praying to God, be of the essence of hearing and prayer: how shall sitting be of the substance of receiving this Sacrament? It can be therefore no other in itself, than a variable circumstance or ceremony that may be altered and changed, as occasion shall serve, and the Church determine. Furthermore, who is able to show that there should be greater necessity of sitting at the Supper, than there is of dipping in baptism? For dipping cometh nearer to the nature of that Sacrament, then sitting doth to the nature of the other: forasmuch as the continuance under the water serveth more fitly to signify our burying of the body of sin, and going forward to mortify the corruptions of the old man, and yet notwithstanding children that are sprinkled with water are truly and rightly baptised. But if we would compare things of equal nature together, we might affirm, that receiving sitting or standing, is all one with receiving of it in leavened bread or unleavened, with white wine or red, or any other colour. So that as it skilleth not whether the bread be leavened or unleavened so that it he bread, and whether the wine be red or white so that it be wine: so the matter is not great considered in itself, without the authority of the Magistrate, whether we receive sitting, or standing, or kneeling, so that we do receive it. Nay, to show how little reason there is to stand so strictly upon the necessity of sitting, that men and women will rather abstain from the Communion, than not follow their opinion, it may well be judged more necessary to tie us to receive in unleavened bread, then bind ourselves to the only gesture of sitting, because it may put us in mind to keep the feast not with old leaven, 1 Cor. 5, 8. neither with the leaven of malice, and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. But it will be objected, Objection. that we must cleave precisely to the first institution, and that Christ's example must be our warrant and direction what we ought to do. To this I answer Answer. three things. First, I would have it showed undoubtedly & demonstratively that the Disciples sat while they received. It is true, they sat at the Table while they did eat the passover, but what gesture was used at the Supper is not expressed, neither can by any necessary consequence be collected and concluded. From whence I reason in this manner. Whatsoever is necessarily to be observed in the Sacrament of the Supper, is either expressed manifestly, or may necessarily be gathered from the institution. But that the Disciples sat at the Supper is not manifestly expressed, nor can necessarily be gathered from the institution. Therefore sitting is not necessarily to be used in the Sacrament of the Supper. Objection. If any ask whether I can prove they kneeled: I answer, Answer. I cannot, neither that they stood up, forasmuch as it is left doubtful, and uncertain how they received: and therefore in itself it is a circumstance most indifferent. Objection. Against this it will be said, that many great and learned men grant and confess that Christ sat when he delivered it, and the Disciples when they received it. I answer Answer. first, that some of them speak by supposition and by way of concession, that albeit it be not expressed, yet it may be yielded unto. Again, they speak of it, as of a matter that is probable & most likely: howbeit they make of it no matter of faith, nor article of religion, nor point of salvation, much less do they turn a ceremony into substance, or a circumstance into the essence itself. And if this will content them, we can easily yield it unto them, that it is most probable that Christ and his Disciples sat. Nevertheless, from a matter that is likely, we may not conclude it to be a matter necessary, because albeit they sat at the passover, the gesture might peradventure be altered at the Supper, many things passing between the keeping of the one and the administration of the other. For here I would be resolved of these points, whether of a matter not written, we may conclude a matter not done? Secondly, I demand, whether they can possibly prove the sitting of the Disciples by any invincible argument, if any man will deny it? I ask this the rather, because if it were a matter of so great weight and importance, that we should rather not communicate at all then kneel, and that it were no less a sin then Idolatry, which is the worshipping of Images, we must have plain Scripture and evident proof to enforce the necessity of sitting, we must not be led by conjectures, nor go by probabilities, which in the matters of God do deceive, and oftentimes it falleth out, Arist. Topic. that many falsehoods are more probable than truths; because we judge of truth by the nature of itself, but of probality by the opinion of men. Thirdly, I would know, whether among so many Authors and authorities alleged touching sitting, or standing at the communion, they be content to stand to a verdict of twelve men, and so to have the matter pass by a jury touching the lawfulness or unlawfulness of kneeling? This is our country law, and this offer they cannot dislike, forasmuch as the witnesses are their own, and we will take exceptions to none of their depositions. They tell us indeed that some were wont to sit, and some to stand, and that divers have wished that kneeling might be removed, fearing that it should be an occasion of Idolatry, but they prove not the point in question, to wit, that it is unlawful to receive kneeling: or that men ought to abstain rather than kneel, and not sit. But of this we shall have better occasion to speak more afterward. Now then, to return to the former matter, seeing they cannot prove by force of reason but by probability of truth, what gesture Christ and his Disciples used, how is it that they would gather a certain doctrine from an uncertain doing? But be it that it were true, that the Scripture had determined what particular gesture was used, and that both Christ and his Disciples sat at the Table, I will deduct from hence this conclusion, which I see not how they can avoid. If it be necessary for the people to sit in the act of receiving, than it is necessary also for the Minister to sit in the delivering of it: But it is not necessary for the Minister to sit in the delivering of it, Therefore it is not necessary for the people to sit at the receiving of it. The consequence of the first proposition, if it be denied, is easily proved, because as the gesture of the Disciples must be a direction to the people, so the gesture of Christ must be an instruction to the Minister. The Disciples did take the bread into their hands and did eat it, they took the cup and drank thereof: these are set down to be examples what the people ought to do. Christ jesus took the bread and blessed, he broke it and gave it, he took the cup, he blessed, he powered out the wine and gave it; thus he did, and thus ought the Ministers after his example to do. So than if the Disciples sat at the Table (I speak by supposition) and the people be for that cause bound to sit at the Supper: then likewise if Christ sat, the Ministers ought not to deliver it standing, or walking, but sitting. But if the Ministers be not bound to sit as they deliver it, no more are the people bound to sit as they receive it: forasmuch as according to their opinion and allegation, there was a coherence and connexion of both these together in the first institution. The assumption or second part of the former reason, to wit, that it is not necessary for the Minister to sit, I will not spend any words to strengthen, lest I should seem to fight with mine own shadow, and to go about to prove that which no man deryeth: and therefore if it must be left indifferent in itself for the Minister to sit or to stand, it can by no means be made necessary for the people to sit only. And if the gesture of Christ and his Disciples were all one, how can they that cleave so strictly to the institution allow, that the gesture of the Ministers and people should be different? Three demands required to be proved. Wherefore, if it may be thought reasonable, I require these three things to be proved unto me: First, that the Disciples sat at the Table at the partaking of the Lords Supper. Neither would I have them tell me of likelihoods, and presumptions, and probabilities: but because kneeling reverently is made flat Idolatry, or at least is held to be a spice and to bear a show of Idolatry, I demand plain, evident, and direct proofs, such as may satisfy the conscience: and so much the rather, because they make it a matter of conscience, that we may see how they will persuade another, who are or at least will seem to be so certainly resolved themselves. Secondly, albeit it were sufficiently proved by strong and undoubted demonstrations, that not only Christ but his Disciples sat, yet they have not gained and obtained that which they desire, forasmuch as we come upon them with a second demand, harder for them to prove then the former, nay I will say, more unpossible, to wit, whether the supposed sitting used by Christ and his Apostles were the same that is used with us, or not? If they confess it is not the same, how is it that they call us so much to the institution? Or how is it that the Disciples used one gesture, and they allow, & require, and practise another? If they affirm that their sitting was as our sitting, they are easily convinced both by evident testimonies of the Scriptures, and by the clear authorities of godly Writers, and by the continual practice of those Eastern countries even unto this day. For if we will speak truly and properly of sitting, as we do account of sitting, which is done with the body upright, neither Christ nor his Disciples sat at the passover, as we have the description thereof set down by the Apostle john: and therefore after that Christ had testified and told them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, one of you shall betray me: joh. 13, 23, 2● the Evangelist addeth, Now there was leaning on jesus bosom one of his Disciples whom jesus loved, Simon Peter therefore beckoned unto him that he should ask who it should be of whom he spoke? he then lying on jesus breast, said unto him, Lord who is it? Whereby by it appeareth, that their sitting was not as our sitting, but a kind of leaning or bowing down of the body, not an upright carriage or situation of it. If then they received the passover leaning or lying all along, according to the fashion of those times, and those places, and those persons, it must follow by good strength of reason, that if they sat at the Supper, they sat not, as we call sitting, but leaned at it and lay along, which we would account according to the manners and customs of our countries wherein we dwell, to be very uncivil, and unseemly, and undecent. And this is the judgement of the learned. Beza writing upon the former words touching the Disciples leaning on jesus bosom, saith, This is to be referred to the sitting down of the ancient, Beza annot upon lib. 13. that many being set, the last did as it were lean back upon the former, his feet being laid out from him. And calvin upon the same words useth these words in his Commentaries upon john, Calvin. Com. upon john. It might seem an undecent thing at this day, but such was their manner of sitting at that time: for they sat not at a table as we do now, but having put off their shoes and leaning upon Cushions, they sat half upright in beds, or they lay all along upon little beds with their bodies half way bolt upright. Thus we see how it was in Christ's time: and thus it appeareth to have been before in the times of the Prophets. In the book of Ester Ester 7, 8. it appeareth they lay along upon their beds when they were at their banquets and feasts, chapter 7. Then the King returned out of the Palace garden into the Palace of the banquet of wine, and Haman was fallen upon the bed whereon Ester was. And in the prophesy of Amos, Amos 2, 8. he speaketh against the cruelty and oppression of the Israelites, chap. 2. 8. They lay themselves down upon clothes laid to pledge by every Altar, & they drenke the wine of the condemned in the house of their God. Whereby it is plain, and might yet be made plainer by infinite testimonies sacred and profane, that their sitting was much different from ours, and therefore I would know whether our received custom of a most humble and reverent gesture of kneeling, aught to be changed into lying all along observed by Christ and his Disciples, our shoes being pulled off, and Cushions lying under our elbows? From hence then we reason thus. If we be tied precisely to the example of Christ and his Disciples, than we must lean and lie down all along in receiving the Supper: But we must not lean and lie down all along in receiving the Supper: Therefore we are not tied precisely to the example of Christ and his Disciples. So then, except they can show us that leaning is sitting, & that stooping is all one with being upright, they can never warrant that manner of sitting which they require to be used at the Communion. Lastly, I demand to have it proved, that in every point we are tied to the institution, and that it is not lawful for the Church in any case to departed from the first celebration thereof. But we know that Christ before he administered his last Supper, did eat the passover with his Disciples, and delivered it at evening, Matthew 26, 20. Mat. 26, 20. He delivered his Supper also in a private house, and in an upper Chamber, he instituted it after Supper, when their bellies were filled and hunger satisfied. But we are not bound, neither hath the Church thought fit to have it received in the same manner, neither tying the receivers to unleavened bread, nor to private houses, nor to the evening of the day, nor after our ordinary suppers, and therefore we are not tied to every circumstance in the institution. If it be answered that Christ made special choice of these things above any other, Objection. that it might appear the supper came in place of the passover; I might as well reply, Answer the Evangelists expressed not what gesture was used, that we should learn not to contend about it: as we have no mention what bread was used, that we might know it skilleth not whether we take leavened or unleavened, so that it be bread. But to pass that over, we have gained thus much, that as all the circumstances of the institution are not written for our imitation, so neither are all unlawful that are not warranted from the institution. And thus have we an answer shaped to their argument, which is thus concluded, Whatsoever crosseth the practice of our Saviour, must not be allowed off. But kneeling crosseth the practice of our Saviour, Therefore kneeling is not to be allowed off. The proposition must be warily understood and limited according to the rule of the Scripture, or else being generally uttered, it is false, and taken up both by Anabaptists in the question of the baptizing of Infants, and by the Papists in the point of unleavened bread. The Anabaptists build upon this foundation, Christ was baptised at thirty years, and we trow he knew well the right use of the Sacrament, therefore neither ought we to be baptised sooner. But if this were a good consequent, and might pass without controlment, then must we be first circumcised, and afterward baptised, then must baptism be administered in jordan or in some river. So in the controversy between the Church of Rome and us, whether leavened or unleavened bread is to be used, Bellarmine reasoneth thus; Christ at his last Supper used unleavened bread, Bellar de Euchar li. 4. ca 7 therefore we must also: for it cannot be doubted, but that is far better and rather to be done which Christ himself did. But if we must give place to this kind of reasoning, and grant any force to be in it, than it will as well follow from Christ's example, that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper must be received in an upper chamber, not in the open Church: at evening, not in the morning: after supper, not before dinner; none of which we will grant, albeit all of them stand grounded upon the practice of Christ. Besides, it is well enough known, that the Church of Geneva do not account themselves or any other church bound in the action of receiving to the platform of the institution, or the practice of the Disciples, and therefore the people do receive it at the hands of their Ministers standing, and do eat it walking and passing from them: and their Elders which are their Governors for discipline, do reach the cup unto them. From hence we may fitly retort and return the former argument upon their own heads. Whatsoever crosseth the practice of our Saviour, must not be allowed off: This is their own proposition, I hope they know it & will not deny it. Then we assume, But the order of the Church of Geneva, receiving standing, crosseth the practice of our Saviour: Therefore the order of the Church of Geneva, receiving standing, is not to be allowed off. Wherefore if we will understand the former proposition aright, we must restrain it to such things as are essential and have commandment from the word; for whatsoever crosseth the practice of our Saviour in any material point, of which he hath said, Do this in remembrance of me, doubtless that is not to be allowed of. But kneeling in the act of receiving is not in the number of those thing. Lastly, seeing they will needs tie us hard to the institution, I will endeavour to unknit the knot in this manner, If we be bound of necessity to do as the Disciples did, than we must of necessity sit at the same Table with the Minister as they did with Christ: But we are not bound of necessity to sit at the same Table with the Minister, as they with Christ: Therefore we are not bound of necessity to do as they did. The knitting together of the parts of the proposition is apparent, because it is expressly observed by the Evangelists, that Christ sat down with the twelve: and again, Behold, Mat. 26.20. Luk. 22, 21. the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the Table. Whereby it may be gathered, that these men which do so much urge the necessity of sitting at the Sacrament do not themselves precisely observe the order of the institution, nor the example of Christ and his Disciples, but do serve from it and break it, because according to their practice, they ought to sit at the same table with the Minister in imitation of them. Seeing then they build the frame of their opinion upon the foundation of the institution, why do they make a greater matter of sitting, than of sitting at the same table? How a man may break the institution sitting. Or wherefore do they departed from the institution, & fail in the manner of their receiving sitting, and yet will seem religiously to cleave to the example of Christ? Let them therefore make it manifest, that it is more necessary for them to sit, than it is necessary to sit at the same Table. Will they have what they lift to be necessary, and what they list, not to be necessary? what they please to be indifferent, & what please not them, not to be indifferent? But some will say, as hath been often objected Objection. unto me, It is a Supper or a feast: and therefore if we be not tied to the institution, yet we are tied to the same gesture which is usual at our suppers and feasts. I answer, Answer. this is a most weak and ungrounded assertion, and therefore whosoever trusteth unto it, or leaneth upon it, it will deceive him and make him fall. For it is called a Supper unproperly and figuratively, and therefore to draw an argument from it, as if it were spoken properly, can have no sure and certain foundation. Besides, such do suppose it is called a Supper, because of the gesture which we are charged to observe at the partaking of it, and that we must necessarily receive it as we do our suppers. But it is called a Supper for other causes, as we have noted in the first chap. of this book. Again, the more common and usual gesture observed at banquets, is to stand, and not to sit: and therefore by this reason, we should have neither sitting nor kneeling, but standing at the Table of the Lord. Furthermore, I might better affirm, that it ought to be received kneeling, because it i● received with prayer, which is the most common & commendable gesture in that part of God's worship. Lastly, sitting, standing, & leaning, are variable circumstances, which change and alter according to the different manners & several customs of several places. I have also heard others allege in defence of their refusal to receive kneeling, Objection. that they can see no reason why they should kneel to the bread and wine. Answer. And wherefore do they not as well say, they see no reason why they should kneel to the Minister? for they do no more kneel to the bread and wine which they do receive, then to the Minister of whom they do receive. For no man requireth them to kneel down to the outward signs, any more than to the seats that are before them. We kneel to the creator, not to the creature. And if we may no● kneel in the action of receiving for fear of superstition, by like reason we may not be uncovered and bareheaded: Answer. for this ceremony we use in the matter of God's worship. But we always use that gesture of kneeling in prayer, when the Sacrament is not administered: and when the Sacrament is delivered, we use the outward reverence of bowing the knee, and think it meet to be performed and retained, partly to stir up in ourselves and in others a more religious estimation of those divine seals, Reasons why we kneel at the Communion partly to remove all profane thoughts of contemners and despisers of the Sacrament of the body and blood of our Lord jesus, partly to put a difference hereby from our common bread and wine which we take in our houses and at our Tables, and partly to teach us to lift up our hearts to God to bless his own ordinance, that as well we may take his Son by the hand of faith, as receive his seals by the hand of the body. So then, it is one thing to kneel before a creature, or where the creature is, & another to bow down unto it to honour it & adore it. And how can we kneel any where, but it must be before some creature in heaven above, or in the earth beneath? It is one thing to kneel at the Sacrament, & another to kneel to the Sacrament. If we should kneel down at our giving of thanks for our ordinary meats and drinks at home, may we justly be taxed for kneeling to our meats & drinks? We kneel down to God only to whom we pray and make request, not to the outward signs to which we pray not. Again, it will be objected, Objection. that we must abstain from all appearance of evil: but if kneeling at the Communion be not Idolatry, yet at least it hath appearance of Idolatry in our conformity with the Church of Rome, which hath brought in transubstantiation: and therefore if we shall kneel as they do, there is fear of adoration. Thus have I heard many reason. I answer, Answer. kneeling reverently observed, is no show or appearance of evil, but of good. And there is no fear of adoration when we kneel, more than there is while we sit. For doth not he that sitteth & prayeth aright, adore God? and may not a man worship an Image sitting, as well as kneeling? and set up an Idol in his heart while he prayeth to it, trusteth in it, dependeth upon it, and confesseth unto it, when he sitteth up as well as when he lieth down? And in whom is there fear of adoration? Or to whom is there occasion given of stumbling? Not to the Church-papists that live among us and communicate with us through hypocrisy: for howsoever they hold their Idol of transubstantiation, yet we cannot nourish and nuzzle them in their Idolatry, because they hold our consecration to be no consecration, and consequently our Sacrament to be no Sacrament, and profess themselves in the profaneness of their hearts to receive it as ordinary bread. Not to our own people, who in their kneeling have no purpose to adore the bread, or to bow down unto it. What offence then can be given by this gesture to any that live among us, if not to ●he papists, who will never kneel to our bread, much less to any others? who have learned long ago to renounce their transubstantiation, their ducking, their prostrating & falling upon all four, their kissing the earth, their knocking and bouncing of their breast, and all popish creeping and crouching to the bread to adore it. They tell us that kneeling to the Sacrament was brought in by Antichrist that man of sin and son of perdition, Objection. Honorius the 3. in the year of our Lord, 1220. thereby teaching the people to worship the bread. But what is all this to the purpose, or what doth this belong unto us who, Answer. though we allow kneeling at the Supper, yet dislike and condemn kneeling to the Supper, reserving of it, carrying it about, lifting of it up, & doing worship unto it? Honorius the 3. first commanded the people at elevation time to incline and bow themselves, & when the host was carried about in a solemn procession to fall down to it. This superstition and abuse we go not about to justify, or defend, or restore, but condemn it to the pit of hell from whence it came. Hence it is that calvin teacheth, infiit. ●ib. 4 cap. 17 35.36. that the Apostles are not read to have prostrated themselves and lie along to worship the Sacrament: it is the practice of Rome to prostrate themselves before the bread to adore it. There hath been much written against kneeling at the Communion, but the weakness of the reasons serveth to discover the imperfections of their writings. For first, their opinion looketh one way, & their proofs another: they go about to tie us to the example of Christ & to prove sitting, & evermore they conclude standing, so that we may say with the Poet, Amphora coepit Institut, Horat. de art. Pee● current rota cur urceus exit? Secondly, they tell us that some have wished this gesture of kneeling to be abolished, but who have pronounced and determined that it is unlawful? Thirdly, do they bring us any examples either of Churches in general, or private persons in particular, that did sit at the communion? which deep silence of those that speak of the Sacrament, argueth that the particular gesture was not thought necessary, no more than eating the passover standing, which was afterward altered. Fourthly, they wrist many authors out of joint, they bring them in to serve their purpose, and then make them to depose what they list. Thus they serve calvin in many places, making him to speak against kneeling at the Communion, whereas he only writeth against the popish adoration. Thus also they often cite many & sundry worthy defenders of our faith against the enemies of the grace of God: D. Fulke. D. Sut●●sse. D. Willet. and albeit by their great labours they deserve great praise in the Church, yet they marshal them among other writers, as if either they disliked the order of our Church, or else were some simple fellows that regarded not what they wrote: or as if their opinions and their practices, their books and their lives, their writings and their doings were dissonant and differing the one from the other: or as if they did set down certain principles which themselves do not remember when they come to particulars. Fiftly, they teach that kneeling in the act of receiving the bread and wine is imposed and observed as a part of God's worship, and that it is by all men confessed to be a chief part of religious adoration: De Actorat. p. 22. 3. whereas Aretius a learned Divine maketh it only an accidental part of religious worship, and it is a clear case, it is no chief part of it, both because religious adoration may be and is usually without it, and it is also usually without adoration. For kneeling is not always joined with divine worshipping, as appeareth in the example of Abraham before the people of Heth, of jacob to his brother Esau, of the debtor before his creditor, Gen. 23, 7. & 33, 7. Mat. 18.29. Gen. 48, 12. 1 Kin. 1, 33. and of the subjects before their Princes: all these bow the knee of the body, and yet do not worship in a divine manner. Lastly, the authors which they bring, do speak against them in the particular point for which they bring them: such persons then as stand upon the opinion of others, let them hear with patience the judgement of as excellent Divines as this age hath brought forth. Art. 1 sect 8. B. jewel writing against Harding saith thus, I deny not certain circumstances, as fasting, sitting, standing, kneeling, and other like ceremonies observed in celebrating the holy mysteries, are to be moderated and appointed at the judgement of the Church. If these circumstances of fasting, sitting, standing, and kneeling may be appointed by the Church, than the word of God hath determined and defined nothing concerning the use of them: for the Church hath not authority to establish any thing against the Scriptures. But because his judgement may be thought partial, let us hear what others testify. It is the order of the Church of Geneva to receive standing, as we noted before, and as Beza himself witnesseth. And he hath a notable Epistle written to a friend, resolving him what the faithful aught to do that live where the bread in the Supper is not broken, ne●ther delivered into the hands, but put into the mouths of the Communicants; things of greater weight and importance than is kneeling at the Sacrament: Beza. epist. 2. things that are not in themselves indifferent: things that are no better then plain corruptions of the institution of Christ: yet he adviseth and counseleth that we should not trouble our conscience with these matters, not give offence to our brethren by refusing to communicate in such places and among such persons, as if we were in danger to lose the life and heart of all Christianity. I appeal now unto themselves that cannot abide our kneeling, and make them judges in this controversy, whether he that persuadeth the people to suffer the bread unbroken to be put into their mouths, rather than altogether to abstain, would not also advise to receive kneeling, according to the order of the Church where it is required and commanded, rather than to break the peace of the Church? To this purpose he saith, That which is not in itself necessary, we ought not to urge farther then is meet. And afterward, The taking of the Supper is precisely enjoined unto us, but not the manner how we shall take it. Epist. 12. et 8 And in another epistle, when he was asked his opinion touching the bowing of the knee in the act of receiving, he thinketh of it as of receiving with unleavened bread, yet to avoid superstition (though it be not evil in itself) he wisheth it were abolished, howbeit it is not of him simply condemned. With him accordeth the church of France & of the low Countries, who dare not pronounce the ceremony of kneeling in receiving of the Elements to be utterly unlawful, but for the utter rooting of bread-worship out of the hearts of men, Ob●eruat. upon the Harmo of Confessed. Instit. lib. 4. cap. 17. they hold it much better in most places to have it utterly abol shed. calvin speaking of this gesture applieth it wholly against the Church of Rome that worship this Sacrament; not against the true Churches of God that receive kneeling at the Sacrament, but abhor and condemn the adoring of the Sacrament. Peter Martyr showeth that this outward reverence used in kneeling, is not in itself and it own nature evil, Loc. commu. class 4 cap. 10. sect. 50. so that we stay not in the Elements, but worship in spirit and truth Christ jesus sitting in the heavens. True it is, (to conceal nothing of his opinion) he taketh this prostrating & bending of the knee not to be so fit, unless often preaching be joined by way of iustruction: so that if the people be taught that they are not to worship the outward elements, than there is no such fear of Idolatry, but this gesture may be used and retained; and this is our case at this day. Besides the judgement of this godly man and learned Divine, we have the consent of the Churches of Bohemia, who far from superstitious adoring the outward signs, bow their knees at receiving of the Sacrament, as appeareth in the Harmony of the Confessions, sect. 14. Hum of the Church sect. 14. This Sacrament without adoration and that worship which is due to God only, yet with due reverence and religion must be received and administered, and with that especially which is greatest of all, namely faith and examination of a man's self. And not far after it is added, The Sacrament is reverently with all godliness distributed, and the people of the faithful most commonly falling down on the●r knees, do receive this Sacrament with thanksgiving, with gladness, which th' singing of hymns & holy Psalms: and they show forth the Lords death, and admonish themselves of all his benefits, to the confirmation of their faith, in a true Communion with Christ and his body. Thus we have laid before us the judgement of the best Divines of our age, and the laudable practice of sundry churches of our time, among the which none do simply condemn the use of our Church and the practise enjoined to our people. And albeit they say, it is best to follow his doings who did all things well, yet do not pronounce that they do evil who receive it kneeling, or otherwise then the Disciples took it. But the question which I handle, is not, what gesture is the fittest or unfittest for the Magistrate to command, but whether the gesture of kneeling be lawful or not lawful, whether the Sacrament be profaned by it, or not, and whether we ought to submit ourselves to it where it is imposed, and whether we should abstain from the communion, or may with a good conscience forbear the use of it where we are not permitted to sit or stand at our own pleasure. Having finished in this manner these profess for the lawfulness of kneeling, and disproses of the contrary, I received from a godly, learned, and reverent Divine, a collection of certain reasons, together with an answer of certain objections, whereof I have thought good to make the gentle reader acquainted, that is desirous to settle his conscience in this point. Touching kneeling at the Communion. Argument 1. No set gesture is commanded. Paul, 1 Cor. 11. 1 Cor. 11, 23. delivering what he had received of the Lord, mentioneth not any gesture at all. Therefore any decent and seemly is left free to be used of us in itself. Argu. 2. The Conscience is not bound in any thing which belongeth not to God's kingdom. Now the kingdom of God, that is, the kingdom of grace, consisteth not in meat and drink, that is, in outward things, Ro. 14. Rom. 14, ●7. such is every gesture of the body. Therefore no gesture simply and in itself belonging to God's kingdom, as hindering or furthering us in the service of God & in the duties of religion, any may be used without scruple of conscience. Argu. 3. A most reverent gesture is fit to be used in that action which is performed with prayer. Such is the action of receiving this Sacrament being both given and received with prayer: therefore a most reverent gesture is fit for it, which is kneeling. Argu. 4. It seemeth in the primitive Church they used to kneel at this action, because the Pagans objected to the Christians that they worshipped Ceres & Bacchus: (August. contra Faustum) Aug. con. Faust. which they did (as it is probable) seeing them use that reverent gesture at the Lords Table in receiving the bread and wine. Argu. 5. Peter Martyr thinketh that kneeling may lawfully be used, where there is no opinion of transubstantiatiation, Loc. come. class. 4. ca 10. sect. 50. Loc. come. clas. 4. c. 10. Many godly men bend the knee and adore at the hearing of those words, The word was made flesh, yet those words are not to be said to be adored, but the things themselves signified thereby. Now what should hinder the same to be done in the Sacrament, so that the signs themselves be not worshipped? Art. 1. diuis. 8. against Har●●. B. jewel leaveth receiving the Supper fasting, sitting, standing, kneeling, & such circumstances to the discretion and determination of the Church, The like might be said of the Churches of Bohemia. (These examples and authorities I put down briefly, because they are handled at large before.) object 1 Christ and his Apostles at the first institution Objection 1 sat: therefore we ought to do so. An. First consider the special occasion. They were now Answer 1 sitting at supper, and this Sacrament was to be instituted in the place of the passover: therefore our Saviour continued that gesture still, and would not of purpose rise from Table for so small a matter. But if he had come of purpose only to institue this Sacrament, than it is questionable whether he would have made choice of the gesture of sitting. Secondly, our Saviour as he sat at the institution of this Sacrament, so also he blessed or gave thanks sitting, Mat 26.26. with 20. As they did eat▪ jesus took the bread, & when he had blessed, etc. compared with the 20. v. He blessed as they did eat: now they did eat sitting: therefore he blessed sitting. If then we be tied to his example in sitting at the Sacrament, than the Minister is also tied to it in blessing with prayer the bread and wine, and so he may not kneel at that prayer which containeth the blessing of the bread and wine. Thirdly, why are we not likewise bound to the circumstance of time by his example to celebrate it at night? as also to sit in that manner, leaning one upon another, as well as to this gesture? Objection 2 Object. 2. We must abstain from all appearance of evil, 1 Thes. 5. 1 Thes. 5, 12, but here is appearance of popish adoration of the bread. Therefore we should abstain from kneeling. Answer. Answer. That place is specially meant of matters of doctrine which may justly be suspected, & carry some show or appearance of error, though not direct falsehood, Calvin. Comment. in illum locum. Calvin. Comment. in 1 Thes. 5, 22. Secondly, if we take it as a general rule, it must be restrained, and not extended to all things which come near evil. Our abstinence from flesh in time of Lent and other days being commanded by authority, may seem to be drawn within the compass of that precept, if we restrain it not. For it hath an appearance of the superstitious religious fast of the Papists. There is abstinence from flesh in both, yet the end is far different: they to worship God, we for politic and civil respects. So here the outward gesture is like in both, they kneel, and we kneel: but the end is different, they to adore the bread, we to adore God. Besides, in the primitive church, the christians in prayer turned their faces to the East, which was an appearance of worshipping the Sun, and so were they charged to do by the Gentiles: Tert. in Apol. yet in itself it is not unlawful to turn to the East in prayer. The fact of Paul in joining with the jews in a work of the ceremonial law, Act. 21. to wit, purifying, might as well (as this gesture) be drawn within the compass of the former precept, as making for the confirming of the jews in the necessity of keeping the ceremonial law. Many such instances might be brought to this purpose. I take it therefore that this gesture of kneeling cannot be said to be the appearance of evil, but only in respect of the circumstances, as if among Papists receiving with adoration, a Protestant should receive and kneel, here indeed is appearance of evil. Or a person that is doubted of, whether he be a Consubstantiast or Transubstantiast, should receive with kneeling, and would not receive otherwise, this would breed great suspicion, & kneeling would prove in such a person the appearance of evil. But being used of us renouncing these doctrines, it is not so. Wherefore that precept must thus be understood, whatsoever hath in itself an appearance of evil, is to be avoided simply. But not so, that which may have some such appearance by reason of some circumstances of time, or place, or persons. Remove those circumstances, as they are in this case removed with us, and the thing than may be used, and yet no appearance at all of evil. These reasons and answers to objections I received from a grave and judicious Divine which I have here set down, which I dare be bold to affirm, are of more force & greater importance than any thing that ever I have read or heard objected against our kneeling at the Communion. And therefore if we will not be wedded to our own judgement, or carried away violently as it were with the stream of self-love and a prejudicate opinion, let us yield ourselves to the strength of these arguments, and acknowledge the weakness of the contrary objections. Now that I might omit no defence of those that are otherwise minded unanswered; and thereby leave those of weaker judgement, that rely too much upon them, unsatisfied: let us particularly examine the arguments, which are as the grounds and foundations whereupon they build. First they object, The first argument that kneeling at the Communion is an human invention of no necessity, used and abused to Idolatry. I answer, that touching the administration of the Sacraments, there is & always hath been aliquid humani, that is, something left to man to order and appoint. In all times of the Church, God hath had his Sacraments, and at all times he hath left somewhat arbitrary, whereof he hath spoken nothing, but left it to the discretion of men. Take the first Sacrament for an example in a settled Church, I mean Circumcision. The cutting off of the foreskin is appointed, and the day of the administration of it is limited; but by what Minister, or by what instrument, or with what prayers, or with what words of institution it is to be practised, is neither expressed, neither can be collected. The like we might say touching the passover, who is able to tell us how it was consecrated, snd with what prayers it was solemnised? yet we may not think that they were as dumb shows that had no word to inform the consciences of such as were partakers of them. We see also that it is left to the judgement of the Church what prayers shall be used both at baptism & at the Lords Supper. In baptism, dipping or washing; once or often: in the Supper, what bread it shall be, of what matter, of what form, of what quantity we are to take: and touching the wine, of what colour, and in what cups it shall be put, and sundry such like circumstances every Church determineth freely. Therefore all inventions of men are not mere corruptions of the matter. The like we might say of the precise times of celebrating the Sacraments, which are not tied to certain days, all which are as weighty as sitting is. And touching things abused to Idolatry, we are not bound by and by to leave them for the abuse, but retaining the use remove the abuse. For who knoweth not that the bread itself hath been and also is shamefully and grossly abused to Idolatry? and yet we are not to departed from the institution of God for the superstition of man. If any allege against these things, Objection. that some human inventions may be used in God's service, and some things which are abused to Idolatry may be used in God's service, but not human inventions abused to Idolatry: Hereunto I answer Answer. three things. First, if human traditions may be admitted into the worship of God, and likewise things abused to superstition, then why not human traditions abused to superstition? If they may be received severally, why not jointly together? and if either of them, why not both of them? Secondly, kneeling at the Communion is not merely human, nor merely divine, but rather a mixed action compounded of both. calvin in that learned and worthy work of his Institutions, moving the question, whether kneeling at time of solemn prayer be an human tradition that a man may refuse or neglect at his pleasure, answereth thus, Calvin Instit. lib 4 cap. 10. sect. 30. I say it is so an human tradition that withal it is divine. Gods it is, so far forth as it is a part of that beauty whose care and observation is commended unto us by the Apostle: and it is man's or of men so far forth as it specially designeth what was showed in the general. The substance of which answer I take it to be this, that in the general it is divine, but in the special it is human. So touching the communion, this gesture may be called divine in some part, because it is enjoined by the church which we are commanded to hear, required by the Magistrate to whom we must be obedient for conscience sake, Mat 18, 17. Rom. 13, 5. and administered with a solemn and effectual prayer, The body of our Lord jesus Christ which was given for thee, preserve thy body and soul to everlasting life, etc. & in former time, as the Minister did use this prayer, so the people did testify their consent, and join with the Minister saying, Amen: Hist. li. 7. cap. 9 Hence it is that Eusebius in his Ecclesiastical history witnesseth, that bowing the hand they did receive the body of Christ, and answered, Amen. And albeit this be not enjoined and commanded, yet I doubt not but every right receiver and true religious heart doth testify his assent secretly unto God, and desireth that inwardly between God and his own soul which the Minister outwardly uttereth and expresseth. Thus may kneeling be said not unfitly to be divine: and inasmuch as it is appointed by men and from men, I confess it may be said to be human. Lastly, it were no hard matter to give sundry instances of sundry human traditions that have been abused to Idolatry, and yet are not merely unlawful, nor in themselves evil when they are retained and received. Of this sort is prayer toward the East an ordinance of man, and such an action as hath been very superstitiously abused: yet if it were imposed upon us by authority, I see not but we might and ought to submit ourselves unto it with all obedience. Of this kind also is the setting of the Lords Supper upon an Altar, which God never appointed, nor Christ himself with his Disciples observed, and it is that which hath been and at this day is greatly abused in popery: yet if it were appointed that in every church we should have Altars, as in some reformed churches is practised, why might we not content ourselves to receive upon Altars, provided that all superstition be abandoned and removed? Thus much of the first reason, which is the ground of all the rest, and therefore we will pass them over briefly. The second argument. Secondly, it is objected that kneeling is commanded with mystical signification. I answer, the people of God in all times have used such actions and gestures, as that they used them as helps of their weakness, and furtherances of themselves in true piety. Thus they used to rend their clothes to testify their sorrow and heaviness of heart, and some their displeasure and indignation conceived at that which they did see and behold with their eyes. This was an human tradition, and yet it had a mystical signification, declaring the renting of the heart. Neither doth the Prophet simply reprove it, but comparatively correct it, joel 2, 13. saying, Rend your heart, and not your garments, that is, rather this than them. For this cause also we uncover the head, lift up the eyes and hands in prayer. Now kneeling hath no other mystical signification at the Communion, than this and the former gestures have in prayer, showing the humble and grateful acknowledgement of the benefits of Christ with all thanksgiving, being of ourselves unworthy (as we profess) to gather up the crumbs under his Table, and to receive the least of his mercies. The third argument. Thirdly, it is objected that kneeling is imposed as a necessary part of God's worship. I answer as before, the kingdom of God consisteth not in this or such like ceremonies. It is a wrong done unto our Church to lay any such imputation upon it: forasmuch as it doth no where & upon no person impose it is as a necessary part of the service of God. For then it were utterly unlawful to alter or change it, or to bring in any other gesture in stead thereof: because it is not in the power of any Prince or people to abrogate any necessary part of the service of God. Howbeit we noted before out of the defence of the Articles against Harding, written by the reverent Father in God, Bishop jewel of famous memory, that coming to the Communion fasting, and in receiving, to sit, or kneel, or stand, may be disposed and determined by the Church: yet he never thought that the church had any authority to destroy & abolish any necessary part of God's service and worship. If any of the ignorant sort do judge otherwise, it is their fond opinion, not the Church's resolution. It skilleth not what any private person holdeth or may hold touching this point, neither may the whole Church be justly charged with it, and bear the blame of it. The fourth and last argument The fourth argument. is of less validity than the former. For as the first encounter hath the greatest force, and the surest guard is placed in the forefront; so having sustained the shock of that battle, I doubt not but to put to slight the poor remainder. It is objected, that the action of kneeling swerveth from the general rules appointed to direct indifferent things, which should not be ungodly, nor offensive, nor unfit, nor ridiculous, nor unprofitable, nor undecent. I answer, I have proved already, that this gesture containeth no wickedness not impiety; it is not childish or ridiculous, neither hath it in it any show or colour thereof; neither is it offensive, except peradventure any take offence at it. And touching the indecency or unfitness of it, albeit I cannot see how it can be rightly so accounted among us, where the people are taught and instructed how to use it, yet if this were granted, it cannot prove the unlawfulness of it. Thus I have run over as briefly as I could these reasons, and opened the weakness of them to the faces of such as urge them. I have not purposely concealed any weight or force that they may carry with them for mine own advantage, but propounded them to the view of all men as sincerely as I could, for the cause noted in the end of this discourse: neither do I know any learned writers beside themselves against it. It is true, that some of late opposing the order of the church, do pretend sundry testimonies and authorities of many Authors, and paint the margins of their books with almost infinite quotations, but what do they all make either for them, or against us? Do they speak against the lawfulness of kneeling, or show that it is against God's word, or hold that all men ought to deny to yield unto it? no such matter. Nay, either they are silent in the point for which they are alleged, or else they are witnesses directly deposing against those that allege them. Let them without all circumlocution or multiplying of words inform us, either by text of Scriptures, or decree of Counsels, or constitution of Emperors, or sentence of Fathers, or judgement of Martyrs, or determination of Divines, who have ever taught or published, that kneeling at the Lords Supper is utterly unlawful. This as yet they have not done, and by reason of their deep silence in this matter I am persuaded they cannot do. Let them or any for them prove unto us directly, that we ought by no means to submit ourselves to this gesture, or that we may disturb the peace of the Church for it, either out of calvin, or Beza, or junius, or Vrsinus, or Bucer, or Bullenger, or Bucanus, or Piscator, or Paraeus, or Polanus, or Peter Martyr, or Aretius, or Gualther, or Musculus, or in effect any of elder or later times: or show unto us, that they have advised and counseled any, either utterly to abstain from, or for a time to forbear the receiving of the Communion, rather than to kneel at it, and then they shall speak more to the purpose, and yield unto us better satisfaction. But if they be not able to bring us one sentence or syllable out of these Writers which are produced by themselves, or out of any other whose praise is in the Church for their worthy labours, because their judgement is plain, let them freely confess their error, and readily yield unto the truth. These are those pillars of the church that have carried the burden of the building, and those labourers that have borne the heat of the day; who albeit they have written much of the Sacraments, and themselves lived where they received either standing or sitting, yet never wrote against kneeling, nor condemned those Churches that practised it, knowing very well that we are no more bound to follow them, than they are to follow us. Indeed they have all of them abhorred kneeling to the bread, but none of them have abhorred kneeling at the receiving of the bread: and therefore let them that have been so earnest heretofore for sitting at the Communion, and to reason for the practice a●● in the maintenance of it, lay their hand upon their mou and not so eagerly pursue that cause, but be content to submit themselves to the order of the Church; and let them learn to give thanks to God the Father, that we have the Supper of the Lord so sincerely administered among us, and that they may so reverently receive it, which in so pure and holy a manner is not either delivered or taken in some other Churches, where notwithstanding they ought to Communicate that live in them. So long as we may take the bread and drink of the cup of the Lord with hearing the word preached, with prayers and praises offered to God, let us not strive and contend in indifferent things, (as we have proved this to be) which are to be ordered by the higher powers; but yield obedience to the truth, and be content to join with our brethren, as in the action of the Supper, so in the gesture of the body, that so with joy of heart and comfort of Spirit, with one mind & with one mouth we may glorify our Father which is in heaven. And if the best reformed Churches be only the competent judges in this case, Pag. 50. to whose judgement we are to conform ourselves, as themselves confess, the question will soon be at an end, forasmuch as there is no Church under heaven that we know, nor learned writer before our times that I can understand by the relation and observation of others, to have simply condemned the gesture of kneeling at the Sacrament as unlawful. I deny not but some have held this ceremony needless, unprofitable, in expedient, and fit to be abolished, but not impious, unlawful, Idolatrous in itself. It is well said of Beza Beza epist. 2. in his second Epistle, that albeit the Sacraments be instituted by Christ, and that by man's authority nothing ought to be added to them or detracted from them, yet not every declining from the institution is to be accounted a corruption, so that the intent and purpose of the Author of them be observed. When the Lord jesus did ordain his last supper, it is most likely that the disciples received the bread and the cup not at the hands of Christ, but one of another, forasmuch as he took the cup and gave thanks, and said, Take this and divide it among yourselves, Luke 22, 17. and that all of them did drink of one and the same cup: what then? Shall we say that those Churches offended, or that the commandment of Christ is transgressed, or that the institution is violated, where one doth not deliver the Sacrament to another, but all receive it at the hand of the Minister, & where they drink also not of one, but of divers cups? No, in no wise: because the taking of the Elements is necessarily required, but the manner is not precisely appointed and prescribed. And hereby also we see farther, that we are not servilely bound to cleave to the example of Christ in the administration and participation of the Supper: albeit on the other side we have no purpose to oppose ourselves any way against him; but inasmuch as he hath left it free, we have made choice of that we think fit. Thus I have finished the point which I intended, to bring back our deceived brethren and sisters to a willing submission to the orders of our Church in this behalf. I have of purpose abstained from speaking of many other points which I might have touched, and peradventure had been fit to be observed, lest I should exasperate any way those that are contrary minded, and thereby drive them farther from that whereunto I go about to persuade them, and so wound those whom I desire to win. For I am so far from going about to kindle the coals of contention, and moving them any way to anger, or bringing them to trouble, whom I mind to gain to the truth▪ that if I have let fall any thing from my pen, that they which are contrary to me in opinion and to our Church in practice, might take to be spoken to their disgrace, or uttered in contempt of their persons, I do here freely condemn it myself, before it come into other men's hands to be read of them: I seek for verity, I strive not for victory. In the matters of God we should be far from bitterness, and especially in things of this nature we ought to be patiented toward all men. In all controversies I account it an heavenly direction worthy to be followed, set down by the Apostle, Eph. 4. Eph. 4, 31, 32. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you: and be ye kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. And to conclude, I say with the same Apostle in another place, Gal. 6. Gal 6, 16. As many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. Thus much of the duties and rites to be practised of the Communicants, as likewise touching the rest of the outward parts of the Lords Supper. CHAP. VII. Of the words of Consecration in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper. ALthough we have spoken before sufficiently of consecration, a Book 1. ca 8. what it is, and how it is wrought, to satisfy all such as are sober minded and simple lovers of the truth: yet because special points are here to be observed, and that the adversaries turn the true consecration into a certain magical incantation, to work a miraculous or rather a monstrous transubstantiation: it shall not be amiss to assume & handle this point again, that thereby the truth of God may be cleared, the ignorant instructed, the adversaries satisfied, and consequently their mouths stopped. Consecration is a change or converting of the outward elements into another use, by observing the whole institution of Christ, which giveth it his effect. We confess a turning and changing, not of one substance into another, not by abolishing of natures, not by close pronouncing of certain words: but in the use and in respect of us, c The use of the elements is c●anged: the substance is not changed. and in regard of the promise of God. The water which flowed out of the rock in the wilderness, signified the same to the Fathers, which the wine representeth to us in the Supper. Notwithstanding, it was a common watering to the beasts of the field, and to the people of God; the cattle drank thereof as well as the people, & therefore there could be made no change therein but in respect of men, d Num 20, 10. to whom God gave his gracious promise; which teacheth us to account of the outward signs otherwise then of common meats & common drinks. The Tabernacle and the Ark, and all the instruments thereof were made of common matter, before they were sanctified of God to that purpose. The stones hammered in the quarry, the timber hewed in the Forest, the gold tried in the furnace, were common stuff, before they were laid in the building of the Temple, e Mat 23, 16. and so made holy and sanctified to God and man. The sayings & sentences f Act. 17.28. Tit. 1, 12. 1 Cor. 15, 33. of the heathenish Poets were profane, before they had passed through the Pen of God, and were taken up by the Holy-Ghost. So we teach of the bread and wine, before the institution of Christ is used and observed, they are common: but afterward they are holy. We confess and deny not, but say plainly there is a change in the Sacraments: the elements which before were ordinary meats, now become spiritual in respect of the use: before they served only to feed the belly, now they serve to seal up the nourishment of our souls. The discussing of this question, g Two means of consecration, to wit, the word and p air together with the foundation of this consecration and sanctification of the creatures, is taken out of 1 Tim. 4, 4. Every creature of God is good, & nothing aught to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: for it is sanctified h 1 Tim. 4, ●, 5 by the word of God & prayer. These are the two means, the word and prayer, whereby the Elements are changed, though not transubstantiated, yet they have a dignity and pre-eminence, which they had not before, they are no i Iust. in Apol. 2 more common bread, common wine, common meat, but a Sacrament of Christ's body, a warrant of God's promises, an holy mystery, and seal of the covenant between God and us. The first means of this consecration and setting apart of the creatures to our use, is by the word of God. If we have the evident and express word to warrant our use of the creatures of God, we may use them for our necessity and comfort: if we have no word to bear out the practice, they are not sanctified unto us. The tree of knowledge of good and evil, was not sanctified unto Adam, though it were good in itself (as all k Gen. 1.31. creatures are) because he had a word of commandment not to eat of it: l Gen. 2, 17. Of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it, for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt die the death. After the fall and after the flood, all creatures were not sanctified, some were accounted m Gen. 7, 2. unclean, all might not be eaten, all might not be offered: as under the law, n levit. 11, 3. among the beasts, only they were clean that did chew the cud, and divide the hoof: and among the fishes of the Sea, only such as had scales and sins were called clean, the rest were unclean unto them, because the word did not allow but restrain the use of them. So likewise for this Sacrament of the Lords Supper, not every creature is sanctified, not a lamb, not any flesh, not any fish, not oil: but only bread and wine. These two are consecrated, all the rest are canceled by the word. For albeit flesh be more like unto flesh then bread is, yet would he not make choice of any of that kind, because he respected not the colour and outward form, but the force of nourishment & strengthening of the body, which is greater in bread, then in the flesh of any creature. The second means whereby the creatures are sanctified, is by prayer. For albeit that God by the coming of his Son into the world hath sanctified all meats and drinks, that nothing of itself is unclean, o Rom. 14.15 but to him that counteth it unclean: yet something must necessarily be done on our parts, otherwise that which is holy, we may profane: and that which is good, we may turn into evil: & therefore the Apostle addeth prayer, which is both a thanksgiving to the Lord that he hath sanctified and prepared them for us, and likewise a petition that they may be healthful for us, and we thankful for them, whereby our food, our apparel, and all the succours of this life are sanctified to his glory and our comfort. These be the two means of consecration: if these or any of them be wanting, there can be no true consecration. If then in the time of the law they should have eaten swine's flesh, which indeed p levit. 11, 7. part the hoof, but chew not the cud: they should have sinned, because it was not sanctified: and therefore albeit they had prayed for a blessing all the day long, and given thanks never so much, yet could it not make their practice lawful, which the word of God hath made unlawful. Or if they had offered a clean and holy sacrifice, and not made humble and earnest prayers to God to accept them and their oblations, it could not have due effect, but the word of God had been hindered by their unworthiness. So in the administration of the Lords sacred Supper, we use the word of God, which warranteth us to take the bread and wine; out of this word we allege the promises of God to the true believer: and hereunto we join prayers and thanksgiving, that God would accept us and bless us in the participation of his own ordinance. Thus albeit we have no forged transubstantiation, we have a true consecration: if the word of God and prayer of the Church can work it, which are the means left unto us for this purpose: if we be q jerom 20, 7. any way deceived, it is the Scripture which hath deceived us. Use 1 It remaineth now to mark the uses of this point for our farther instruction. If by using the whole institution of Christ according to his commandment, we confess a change and conversion wrought in the use of the signs: then we are falsely charged and slandered to have no consecration. We pronounce the same words of consecration that Christ pronounced: we observe the same things that Christ observed, and charged us to do: we show forth plainly the death of Christ as if r Gal 3, 1. he were described in our sight, & among us crucified: we speak openly in a known tongue, and the people understand us: we pray unto God to accept us, and render him thanks for the work of our redemption: Lastly, we take the outward elements and join the word unto them, and thus they are made to us a Sacrament. Nay, if to offer up to God, ourselves, our souls, our bodies, our alms for the poor, our prayers and thanksgivings unto God the Father for our redemption, be an oblation and a sacrifice: we have both a Sacrament and a sacrifice in our Churches, though we offer not up Christ's body to be a propitiatory sacrifice for the redemption both of the quick and dead unto his Father. We offer up as much as s We offer up as much as Christ commanded us. Christ commanded us to offer: but that sacrifice was once offered up upon the Cross: he was the Priest, he was the Altar, he was the sacrifice, there is no other sacrifice left to be offered for sin: and he which presumeth to offer him again, is an enemy to the Cross of Christ, treadeth the Son of God under his foot, counteth the blood of the new Testament unholy, and hath renounced salvation by jesus Christ. Now if we cleaving precisely to the institution of Christ, do not consecrate: what may be thought of the popish Priests, who whisper their words closely, that no man heareth? use a strange tongue, that no man understandeth: bring in private Masses, whereat none communicate: deliver dry Communions, wherein no man drinketh: exhort no man, speak to no man: and if they do consecrate, they consecrate only for themselves, & not for others? Wherefore we detest the opprobrious and blasphemous speeches of the profane Papists, who in t 2 Sam 16, 7. 2 King. 18, ●5 the spirit of Shemei and of Rabshaketh, rail falsely, vilely, and slanderously against our Communions, affirming that they are no other than common bread and wine, without grace, without virtue, without sanctification, bare signs of Christ absent, no better than our common breakfasts, dinners, and suppers. Thus they speak basely, proudly, and scornfully of our communions, but all the world knoweth they speak untruly. We hold an effectual consecration in both the Sacraments, though we deny a real conversion into the body & blood of Christ: the water in baptism is no more common water, u Gal. 3.27. it is not void of a spiritual effect, it is not without grace and sanctification. So the bread and wine are changed, not from one substance into another, but from one use to another; not in themselves, but to us: not in their own nature, but in their end; and thus they are not the same they were before. Use 2 Again, are these signs sanctified and consecrated, that are delivered and received? then hereby we learn, what is to be thought of the remnants and leavings remaining after the Lord's Supper. For who seethe not hereby, that the bread and wine out of the holy use and lawful participation appointed, are not a Sacrament? They differ nothing from common bread and wine sold in other places, and taken in our houses. Therefore a Hosich. in Levit lib. 2 ca 8 among divers, the remainder was accustomably used to be burned; b Euagri. lib. 4. cap. 8. Niceph. lib. 17. cap 25. among some it was given to little children that were in the schools; among others, they did eat it in the c Hieron come. in 1 Cor. 11. common assembly at their feasts of love: so that out of the sacred use of the Sacrament they did eat it as common bread, they did drink it as common wine. We see in baptism, the water remaining and not used, is no part of the Sacrament, but may be applied to common uses. So it is in the Lord's Supper (for the Sacraments of the new testament are alike and of the same worthiness) no more is consecrated then is received and applied. This also is evident by d Num. 10, 10 the rock in the wilderness: where the waters flowing from thence, represented the blood of Christ to the Israelites that drank thereof, not to the beasts and cattle that were watered by it. So much was consecrated water as they received, not all the rest. So when john e Mat. 3, 6. baptised in jordan, not all the River but all that which was applied was sanctified. So when he baptised in f joh 3, 23. Fnon, because there was much water there, not the whole stream was hallowed, but so much as he used. Wherefore, whatsoever remaineth after the celebration of the Sacraments, may be applied lawfully to common and ordinary uses, and therefore all superstition touching any of them is to be avoided. Moreover, if the sanctification of every creature, whether Use 3 in the Sacraments or out of the Sacraments, be by the word and prayer, as appeareth by the Apostle: it teacheth a profitable instruction, namely, that no creature of God is to be received, no gift to be used, no blessing to be enjoyed, tending to the health of the body, or comfort of the soul, without this duty of prayer and thanksgiving to the Lord. Indeed every creature of God in itself is good, and every gift is holy: yet if we partake them without praising the name of the giver and creator, to us they become unholy, unclean, and unpure. Now if this be needful in using the common creatures and gifts of God: much more is it necessary in receiving these pledges and seals of feeding our souls to eternal life. Behold here the cause that moved Christ when he had taken the bread, to give thanks to his Father: wherein he showeth what belongeth to the duty of the Minister and of the communicants, to wit, that we ought to lift up our hearts to God, to praise him for giving his only begotten Son to be our redeemer, & humbly to pray unto him that our unworthiness hinder not the effectual working of his Sacraments, but that through his goodness and mercy they may have their full force in our hearts, for the pardoning of our sins, for the increase of his graces, for the confirming of our faith, for the quickening of our obedience, and for the preserving of body and soul to eternal life. Thus we bless God when we praise him, and give him the honour due unto his name. We bless the meats we eat, the drinks we drink, the things we receive, as Paul saith, g 1 Cor. 10, 16 The cup of blessing which we bless: h How the signs in the Sacrament are blessed. when prayer is made to God, that they may be healthful to us, and we thankful for them unto him that is the giver of them. Lastly, if in the Sacrament there be a consecration Use 4 and separation of the outward elements to so holy an end: it warneth us to be careful to use and receive i We ought often to receive the Lords supper. oftentimes this Sacrament of the Lords Supper. For here are not bare signs, bare tokens, bare figures without fruit and without grace: they are consecrated signs, and hallowed elements, effectually sealing up remission of sins. And what is more plain than that which the Apostle teacheth, 1 Cor. 11. k 1 Cor. 11, 25 26. As often as ye shall eat of this bread, and drink of this cup, ye show the Lords death till he come? Thus the Lord jesus speaketh, Do this, as oft as ye shall drink it, in remembrance of me. And have we not many worthy and effectual l Reasons rendered to move us to frequent the Lords Table. considerations, to move such as profess the same doctrine, to resort oftentimes to the same Table of the Lord? It is the commandment of Christ, so that we ought to make some conscience of this duty, as of other commandments prescribed unto us. It is a commandment of God m Exo. 20, 13 Thou shalt not steal. Few but do make some conscience thereof, because it is God's commandment. So is this here, often to come to the Lords Table: yet what little account is made hereof all the year long, every one seethe, and the faithful soul agreeveth. The high God possessor n Gen. 14, 12. of heaven 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 son, or a master of his servant, he could not patiently endure to be disobeyed: o Mal. 1, 6. and shall we not think that God will require his laws at our hands? Again, to his commandment he hath annexed a promise, which maketh our sin and unthankfulness the greater, if we show not ourselves ready in yielding to this duty. Besides, seeing this Sacrament is a special prop to stay up our saith, and bringeth with it Christ and all his merits and heavenly treasures: we are utter enemies to our own selves, to our own souls, and to our own salvation, if we neglect so great mercy offered unto us. Wherefore, it is not left free unto us, and committed to our discretion to receive or not receive, this were no lawful liberty, but unlawful licentiousness. Herein the faithful find very great comfort, and an effectual means to strengthen their faith. Even as the sick man that feeleth his sickness, and knoweth his own weakness, should have a special care to look to his stomach, that thereby he may receive nourishment and gather strength: so we are all spiritually diseased, assaulted of Satan, tempted of the flesh, overcome oftentimes of sin, and must seek strength of faith from this heavenly nourishment. God of his compassion: hath set up his Sacrament as a sign upon an high hill, whence it may be seen far and near on every side, to raise up such as are fallen, to strengthen such as stand, to comfort such as are weak, and to call unto him such as run away from him, whereby he gathereth them under his wings. It is as the brazen Serpent, p Num. 23, 9 that coming unto it with a faith to be healed, we might live and not perish. It is as a banner displayed, that every Christian Soldier should resort unto it as unto his own colours, to fight the battles of God against sin and Satan. It is as a royal feast of the great King, whereunto we must go cheerfully, as guests invited to a comfortable supper, to be had in often use and continual remembrance, to put us in mind of his continual mercy laid up for us in the blood of Christ, and to ratify and seal up the same far more lively than the bare word only. When the words of Christ's 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 unto us out of the Scriptures, they confirm our saith: but much more when the Sacrament is seen with our eyes, that we behold the bread broken and look upon the wine poured out: but most of all when we taste and handle, when we eat and drink the outward signs. We see when one maketh a bare promise to another, with words only between themselves, he beginneth to doubt (to whom the promise is made) of the performance thereof: if he add an oath for confirmation, the promise is more assuredly ratified: but if he give his hand writing and seal it to the party, the matter is made out of doubt. Thus we do reason and help our faith. We have the promises of God, we have the oath of God, we have the words and writings of God, we have the seals and Sacraments of God, these are not reserved in the Lords keeping, but are put into our own hands to see them, to keep them to use them for our comfort and assurance. I speak after the manner of men, if we have a free promise from an honest man, penned fairly in writing, ratified under his own hand and seal, and all given unto us to lock and lay up, we doubt not of the possession, nor of our just title unto the same. Now let us consider the Lords doing, and see what he hath done for us: who is not as man, that r Num. 23. he should lie, nor as the son of man that he should deceive. God sent his Son s Gal. 4, 4. into the world to take our nature upon him, to be like us, t Heb. 4: 15. even in his infirmities he named himself u Mat. 1, 21. jesus, that is, a Saviour, because he should save his people from their sins: after his death he sent his Apostles to preach the glad tidings of remission of sins and everlasting salvation: he ordained his last Supper immediately before his death to testify and assure them unto us, not only by sounding them in our ears, but by beholding, tasting, smelling, feeling, and feeding to seal them in our hearts, and also daily to be repeated and ministered unto us. Seeing then we have both his promises and oath, his word and writings, his seals and Sacraments in our keeping; what would we have more? He would not make half so much ado in assuring his promises, if he loved us not: he would not set such authentic seals to his deed and obligations, unless he meant good earnest. His bare word and naked promise is very good payment: but he respecteth our weakness, whose merciful kindness must not be neglected through our unthankfulness. Thus much of consecration, and the uses thereof. CHAP. VIII. Of the first inward part of the Lords Supper. HIther to we have 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 themselves, but what b August. cont. Maxim. in li. 3. they signify unto us. These inward parts are four in number, to wit, first the Father, secondly the Spirit, thirdly the body and blood of Christ, and four the faithful. All these have a sacramental 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 Father: the word of institution is made effectual by the holy Spirit: the bread and wine are signs and seals, representing the body and blood of Christ: the outward actions of every receiver do note out the inward actions and spiritual works of the faithful. Thus than the agreement answereth aptly, and the proportion falleth fully between the parts. c The agreement between the outward and inward parts. As the Minister by the words of institution offereth unto the Communicants the bread and wine to feed thereupon corporally and bodily: so God the Father by the Spirit offereth and giveth the body and blood of Christ, to the faithful receivers to feed upon them spiritually. Hence it is, that the outward actions of the Ministers, and the outward actions of the receivers are said to be signs of the second kind, and therefore may fitly be called parts of the Supper. Now then, let us remember the sensible and external actions of the Minister, that thereby we may consider the spiritual and inward actions of God the Father. And first of all, the taking of the bread and wine into his hands, and the consecrating or blessing of them by repeating the promise, by prayers, and thanksgivings, doth seal up these holy actions of God the Father, by which he from all eternity even before the foundation of the world, did separate, elect, ordain, choose, and call his Son to perform the office of a Mediator between God and man: and when the fullness of time came did send him into the world, to perform that office, whereunto he was appointed, This we see proved unto us in many places, as john 6. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for the meat that endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him d joh. 6, 27. hath God the Father sealed, that is, hath installed him into his office, to reconcile men unto God, and to bring them to everlasting life. And Gal. 1. jesus gave himself, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, e Gal. 1, 4. according to the will of God even our Father: So that whatsoever Christ did, he did it by the will and appointment of his Father. According to the testimony of the Apostle, Heb. 5. Christ took not to himself this honour, to be made the High Priest, f Heb. 5, 5. but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, this day I begat thee, gave it him. And as the Father ordained him to that office, so in time he sent him, as the Evangelist witnesseth, g Luke 4, 18. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me, that I should preach the Gospel to the poor, bind up the broken hearted, preach liberty to the captives, etc. So likewise 1 joh. 4. Herein is that love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and h joh. 4, 10. sent his Son to be a reconciliation for our sins. And Gal. 4. When the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son made of a woman, and made under the law, that he might redeem them that are under the law. Thus we see the inward actions of God the Father, answering to the outward actions of the Ministers, who being rightly called of God, do work with him, and are the dispensers of his secrets. Use 1 Now let us come to the uses of this part. First of all, this sealing and sending of his Son, serveth to confirm and assure us of our salvation in Christ. For seeing God hath anointed and appointed him into this office, our faith cannot fail, our confidence cannot fall, our hope cannot make ashamed, i Rom. 5, 5. seeing the love of God is thus shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy-Ghost, k Rom. 8, 16. who beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God, by whom we l Eph. 4, 30. are sealed unto the day of redemption. Use 2 Again, let us seek salvation no where else then in him alone, whom God the Father hath sealed, and set apart to that end. For even as the body is nourished by no other meats and drinks then by such as m Deut. 8, 3. Mat. 14, 4. God hath appointed to this purpose, n Ezek. 14, 13 levit. 25, 26 as a staff to sustain us: so is the soul fed by no other means than God hath before ordained▪ The cause of our salvation is in the love of God toward us, which is notably represented by the taking and blessing of the outward elements. He might have left us to ourselves, to work out our own destruction: but his mercy is greater than his justice. Thirdly, by these outward actions of the Minister, we Use 3 must seek confirmation & strength of our faith, being assured that God the Father took his Son, and appointed him to these ends. We must not wander and gaze about, and think we have nothing to do, but when we take and receive the bread and the cup into our hands: we must in every sacramental rite consider the things signified, and ponder in our hearts the fitness and agreement between them both. So then, as we behold with our bodily eyes the Minister (representing the person of the Father) taking, blessing, and separating the bread and wine to that bodily use: so surely and certainly we must learn that God the Father hath ordained and sent his only begotten Son o Mat. 17, 5. and 3, 17. in whom he is well pleased, to be the Mediator for the pardon of our sins. Hence we see the infinite love of God toward us, and let us labour to comprehend p Eph. 3, 18.19. the length, breadth, height, and depth thereof, that spared not his own Son, q Rom. 32. but gave him for us all unto the death: hence we see that exceeding compassion of the Son, that loved his enemies more than himself, and accounted not his own life precious to himself: hence we see the gracious and glorious work of our redemption, wherein the mercy and justice of God r Psal. 85, 10. meet together, and kiss each other, teaching us to take sweet delight and comfort in the meditation thereof day and night with all thanksgiving: hence we have assurance of salvation and consolation in all troubles and temptations: hence we see the greatness of our own sins that could not be pardoned, but by the death of the Son of god, and therefore we must hate them with an unfeigned hatred as our greatest, most dangerous and deadly enemies: and lastly, hence we see, that if God the Father thus loved us, we ought earnestly to love him again, and to serve him in all duties of holiness and true righteousness: neither ought we to love him only, but for him all our brethren, as the Apostle reasoneth, 1 joh. 4, 11. Brethren, if God so loved us, we ought to love one another. Thus we have showed, how the taking of the bread by the Minister, signifieth the Father's appointing of his Son: the Ministers blessing, the Father's separating and setting apart his Son to his office: the Ministers delivering of the bread, the Father's giving of his Son. If then we draw near to the Lords table with faith, reverence, and repentance, nothing can be more sure and certain to us, than the taking and receiving of Christ, for when we receive the bread from the Minister, we withal receive the body of Christ offered by the hand of God the Father, so that as we are assured of the one, we need not doubt of the other. Use 4 Lastly, the breaking of the bread, pouring out of the wine, and delivering of them both into the hands of the Communicants, seal up these actions of God, his chastising of his Son, and breaking him with sorrows upon the Cross for our redemption, offering him unto all, even unto hypocrites, and giving him truly to the faithful with all the benefits of his passion. Indeed the Minister giveth the outward signs to all receivers; but God giveth and applieth only to the faithful, the shedding of Christ's blood for the daily increase of their faith and repentance. But here it may be objected, Objection. that not a bone of him was broken, t Exod. 12, 45 as it was figured by the passover, and performed at his passion: the verifying and accomplishment whereof, we read john 19, 36. I answer, Answer. there is a double breaking of Christ: one corporal, whereof the places before do speak: the other figurative, whereby is understood, u Esa. 53, 4.5. he was tormented and even torn with pains, as Esa. 53. He was wounded for our transgressions, and broken for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. Lo what is meant by the breaking of the bread: his soul was tormented, his spirit was crushed, his hands and feet were pierced, he sweat drops of Water and blood, and cried out aloud upon the Cross, My Ma●. 27, 46. God, my God why hast thou forsaken me. Wherefore let these rites be rightly marked and observed of us for our comfort and consolation: Let us when we see the bread broken and wine poured out, meditate on the passion of Christ how he was wounded and torn for our transgressions. Although not a bone of his body was broken in pieces, yet he was broken with afflictions, bruised with sorrows, and tormented with bitter anguish of his soul, by whose stripes we are healed, by whose condemnation we are justified, by whose agonies we are comforted, by whose death we are quickened. Whosoever resteth in the outward works done before his eyes, never attaineth to the substance of the Sacrament. Thus much of the first inward part. CHAP. IX. Of the second inward part of the Lords Supper. THe second inward part is the a The second inward part of the Lords Supper, is the holy Spirit. holy Spirit, who assureth us of the truth of God's promise. As we have in the word of truth, the forgiveness of sins, increase of faith, groweth in sanctification, a great measure of dying to sin, and a greater care to live in newness of life, promised unto us: so doth the Spirit work these things b Rom. 8, 15. Gal. 3, 2, 5. in the hearts of all the faithful. This appeareth in many places, Rom. 8. Ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba Father: the same Spirit beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. To one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom, & to another the word of knowledge, by the same Spirit: to another is given faith by the same Spirit: all these things worketh one and the self same Spirit, distributing to every man severally, as he will. So then as we are weak in faith and slow to believe: so we have the Spirit given unto us to help our infirmities and to open our hearts to receive the promises. For the Lord jesus reigning continually in his Church, and performing the office of a Prophet, doth make the words of his Ministers lively by his Spirit in our hearts, and causeth them to be of perpetual force and efficacy, assuring us of his promises made unto us, and uniting the sign with the thing signified. This truth being cleared, the uses offer themselves Use 1 to be considered. And first of all, inasmuch as the Spirit worketh these things in the hearts of all the faithfulll, from hence we gather, that such as never find any change or renewing of the mind, or reformation of life after the receiving of the Sacraments, may justly suspect themselves, whether ever they had faith or not, and whether ever they repent or not: and therefore aught to use the means to come by faith and repentance. For the work of the Spirit accompanieth the outward work in the elect of God, as also we see in the hearing of faith preached, he must open the heart that is closed up, before we can receive with meekness c jam. 1, 21. the word of that is grafted in us which is able to save our souls. Indeed every person present may hear the words of institution, may see the wine poured out, may eat of that bread and drink of that cup, as they may also hear the sound of the voice that cometh unto them: but the whole force, effect, and power, resteth only in the Spirit of God, sealing up the truth and substance of those things in the hearts of all the Children of God. Use 2 Again, seeing these things are done and performed by the working of the Spirit: they are confuted and convinced, that think they cannot be made partakers of the body and blood of Christ, and be united to his flesh, unless his body be shut up under the accidents of bread and shows of wine, and so his flesh be given unto us carnally, that we may eat him with our mouths, and convey him into our stomachs. But we see here the Holy-Ghost is the bond of this union, he worketh in us faith, which pierceth the heavens, and layeth hold on Christ. It is said of Abraham the Father of the faithful, that d joh. 8, 56. he rejoiced to see the day of Christ, he saw it and was glad. For as we cannot see him with our bodily eyes, nor hear him with our bodily ears, nor touch him with our bodily hands: no more can we taste or eat him with our bodily mouths. By the hand of faith we reach and apply him: by the mouth of faith we receive and eat him. Let us believe in Christ, and we e Aug. tract. in john. 26. & 27. have eaten Christ: let us not prepare our teeth and our belly, but a lively faith working by love. Wherefore albeit the human nature of Christ go not out of the highest heavens: yet we that live upon the earth are partakers of his body contained in the heavens, and his flesh and blood are communicated to us as truly and effectually, as if he were there present with us. If any say, How can this be? Objection. Can that which is absent from us be present with us? Can heaven be in earth, or earth be in heaven? Hereunto I may most justly answer, Answer. although this be a great mystery and marvelous in our eyes, yet we must confess and consider that the Holy-Ghost is the author of this union, and as it were the Conduit-pipe of this conjunction, who by his divine power joineth together things that are severed in place, & begetteth faith in us, which is the instrument & hand f 1 joh. 17, 20. whereby we receive and apply Christ with all his gifts unto ourselves, as joh. 17. Father I pray thee for such as believe in me, that they may be one, as thou O Father art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us. Hereunto cometh the saying of Paul, Ephe. 3. Christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith. Likewise Acts 13. By him every one that believeth is justified, that is, absolved and discharged. And john 3. So many as believe in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. Thus we see our fellowship with Christ, is from the Spirit, and by our faith. The Spirit is the principal worker: faith is the means and the instrument. Neither must this conjunction seem unto us impossible, through the great distance and distinction of place. For there are divers manners of presences: that which is present to the sight is not present to the hand, Molin. de Eucharist. cap. 2. and that which is present to the ear is not present to the eye: that which is present to the body is not present to the soul; and things present to the soul are oftentimes absent from the body. Things are said to be present with us according as they cause themselves to be perceived of our senses or of our souls. Whereby it appeareth very plainly, after what fashion Christ may be said to be present with us in his Supper, to wit, according as he communicateth himself unto us, which is to our spirits, not to our bodies, and therefore his presence is spiritual, and not corporal. And the Apostle telleth us, Romans 8. Rom. 8, 9, 11. that the Spirit of Christ dwelleth in us, which teacheth us how we are united to Christ, namely, by the bond of one and the same Spirit dwelling both in him and in us. Thus is the conjunction wrought between him and us: so that there is another presence which is true and in deed, besides that which is bodily. This is that which we read in the Apostle john, 1 joh 4, 13. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. And Paul saith, Romans 8. Rom. 8, 9 He that hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. For as by one and the same soul all the members of the body are knit and coupled with the head and so do live: in like manner all the faithful albeit they remain upon the earth, and their head be in the heavens, are really united with him through one and the same Spirit, and being united do live thereby. joh. 6, 63. The like we may say of faith, whereby Christ dwelleth in our hearts, Ephesians 3, 17. Eph. 3, 17. And our Saviour teacheth, that by believing in him we eat his flesh and drink his blood, john 6, 35. joh. 6, 35. If then any ask how we may obtain and hold fast Christ jesus, seeing he is absent from us? Or how we may put forth our hands to take him sitting at the right hand of his Father in heaven? I answer with Austin, August tract. 50, in johan. fide mitte, et tenuisti: Send forth thy faith, and thou holdest him fast. Thus Christ being absent from us, is present with us: for except he were present with us, he could not be possessed of us, nor communicated by us. These are the two hands given unto us, which the soul hath, to wit, the Spirit and faith. The hands of the body lay hold on bodily things; the hands of the soul lay hold on spiritual things. There is a presence also to the sight. We see the Sun daily with our eyes, which though it be situate in the heavens, & separated from us in place communicateth his effect & power to us that dwell on the earth, neither do we marvel thereat, and yet is the Sun but a creature subject unto us, and distributed to all the people under the whole heaven to serve their use. Shall not Christ then the Son of righteousness make us truly partakers of his flesh by the unsearchable power of his Spirit, and the supernatural gift of a lively faith, who can as easily join together things far off, as those that are nigh? Are not the faithful severed in place, and scattered through the world, joined as nearly together as the members are, h 1 joh. 1, 3. to become one body whereof Christ is the head? As the Apostle teacheth, That which we have seen and heard, declare we unto you, that ye may also have fellowship with us, and that our fellowship also may be with the Father, and with his Son jesus Christ. We see this likewise lively laid out before us in the estate of marriage, though the husband and wife be sundered for a time and separated one far from another, yet the band of matrimony doth so join and unite them, that the wife is one flesh with her husband, albeit he be a thousand miles distant from her; so is it between Christ and the faithful, he loved the Church and gave himself for it, and they are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones, which coupling and combining together with Christ is wrought (as we have showed) by the Spirit principally, by faith instrumentally, by both most effectually. We need not therefore any carnal & bodily presence of Christ to join us to him, seeing it is truly and certainly performed by these means, whereby we grow to a perfect man in him. For as the Sun is more comfortable to the world by his refreshing beams and sweet influence being absent, then if his natural body and compass lay upon the earth: so the flesh of Christ being in the glory of his Father, much more comforteth and refresheth our souls and bodies by his heavenly grace and spiritual influence, then if he were present fleshly before our eyes. And as the Sun, not descending from heaven nor leaving his place, is notwithstanding present with us in our Chambers, in our houses, in our hands, and in our bosoms: so Christ being in the highest heavens, not coming down, nor forsaking his glorious habitation, yet i Mat. 28, 20. nevertheless is present with us in our congregations, in our hearts, in our prayers, in our meditations, and in the Sacraments. But of this we shall have occasion to speak more in the chapter following, and we have already spoken somewhat of it in the former books. CHAP. X. Of the third inward part of the Lords Supper. THe third inward part is a The third inward part of the Lords Supper, is the body & blood of Christ. the body and blood of Christ, that is, the body of our Lord delivered unto death for us, and his blood shed for the remission of sins, and consequently whole Christ. This is the chiefest part of this Sacrament. For the body and blood of Christ signified by the bread and wine are thus made and separated to be the lively meat of our souls, and have that force and efficacy of feeding in our souls, which bread and wine have in our bodies. This is the cause why b joh. 6, 48 50 Christ often calleth himself the bread of life, joh. 6. I am that bread of life: this is that bread of life which cometh down from heaven, that he which eateth of it should not die; I am that living bread, if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever. Thus every receiver is given to understand, that as God doth bless the bread and wine in his Supper, to preserve, strengthen, and comfort the body of the receiver: So Christ apprehended and received by faith doth nourish us, and preserveth body and soul unto eternal life. He died in the flesh, that he might quicken us: and he poured out his blood, that he might cleanse us from our sins. Wherefore c How the sacramental rites do serve to strengthen our faith. whensoever as the Lords guests we see the bread on the Lord's Table, we must set our minds on the body of Christ: when we behold the cup of the Lord, we must think upon the blood of Christ: when we look upon the bread broken, and the wine poured out, we must consider how the body of Christ was pierced, punished, crushed, crucified, torn, tormented, and his blood poured out for our sakes: when we feel, that by bread our bodies are nourished & strengthened, and by the wine our vital spirits are comforted & refreshed, we believe that by the body of Christ delivered to death for us, we are fed to everlesting life, and that by his blood poured out upon the Cross, our consciences are sanctified, and we feel his quickening power, which doth confirm us in our communion with him. Thus is this part of the Supper spiritually to be applied: thus are the bread and wine made a Sacrament to us, & not bare signs: thus the memorial of Christ's death is repeated, which albeit it were once finished on the Cross, and now his passion is passed long ago: yet to the faithful in regard of the force, it is still fresh and always present. Now it is not without cause and good consideration, that Christ would have the bread first delivered as a sign of his body, & then afterward the wine as a sign of his blood, severally and apart administered, because his body and blood are not represented to us, as his humanity now dwelleth glorious in the heavens, but as he was offered up a sacrifice on the cross, his blood being shed out of his body. For to the end it may be nourishment to us, it must be crucified. For as corn of itself is not fit food for us, unless it be threshed, winnowed, ground, and baked for us: so is it touching Christ, he must suffer, be crucified, and die, that we may live by him, and reign with him. This is the truth which in this point is to be considered. Use 1 Now let us lay open the uses which of us are to be learned. Is Christ the inward part of the Lords Supper represented by the bread and wine, offered to all, but received only of such as are faithful: then his body is not enclosed in the bread or in the accidents of bread, nor his blood included in the wine or under the shows of wine: d Against the real presence. he is not personally, locally, carnally, corporally, naturally, really, substantially, and sensually present in the Sacrament. The question is not e The true state of the question set down. whether the words of Christ be true, for they are known, confessed, and believed, so that as he is the truth, so all his words are words of truth: neither is the question whether the Sacrament be a bare sign or bare figure, we say Christ is truly represented, sealed, and exhibited: neither is the question whether God be omnipotent & almighty, this is a part of our faith & an Article of christian belief: neither is the question simply of the presence of Christ, whether he be truly and undoubtedly present in the Sacrament of his last Supper, we acknowledge and receive as much. For Christ is present among us sundry ways, by his Spirit, by his grace, by his divinity, by faith dwelling in our hearts, he is present in his word, he is present in the ministry of baptism, he is present in the Sacrament of his body: we only deny that gross and fleshly presence which many go about to fasten upon us. But the whole question is of the meaning and understanding of the words of institution, and of the manner of his presence. We confess & teach the people committed unto us, that Christ's f Confess Gal. lic. art. ●7. Confess. Anglic. art. 12. Cal instit. lib. 4. cap. 17. body and blood are truly, verily, and indeed given unto us, that we truly eat and drink them, that we are relieved and live by them, that we are made bone of his bone, that Christ dwelleth in us, and we in him: yet we say not that the substance of bread and wine is abolished, or that Christ's body descendeth from heaven, or is grossly & corporally present in the Sacrament: we are taught to lift up our hearts to heaven, g Col. 3, 1, 2, 3 where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God the Father, and there to seed upon him. But here is the state of the question and controversy between us. The Church of Rome teacheth, that after h Con. Trid. sess. 13. cap. 1. the words of consecration the bread and wine are abolished, and the body and blood of Christ come in place, so that they make them corporally present, not only in the Sacrament to be eaten with the mouth, but in the pixe, in the Mass, and in their solemn processions, where is neither eating nor drinking. Yea Berengarius in his recantation was taught to say, and forced to subscribe, that i De con dist. 2. ego Bereng. Christ is in the Sacrament sensibly (or sensually) is touched with the fingers, divided, broken, & rend with the teeth, and not only the accidents. Moreover, they make it to be eaten, not only of evil men, but of beasts, and to fill up the measure of blasphemy, to be cast out into the draft, as some of them have taught and affirmed. Thus than the difference standeth between us, they hold that Christ's body, and blood are carnally eaten of wicked men without faith, of brute beasts without reason: but we deny that Christ is thus present in the Sacrament, for his body cannot be under so little a quantity of bread and wine: beside, it is impiety to avouch that the person of Christ or his body and blood can be truly received of Dogs, Swine, and Mice, be chewed with the teeth, swallowed down the throat, digested in the stomach, and be cast out into unclean places. This we deny, this we do not believe, this we abhor and detest from the bottom of our hearts. What is it then we teach and profess? We deny that the body and blood of Christ are carnally contained under the shows and shadows of bread and wine: we deny them to be eaten and drunken of wicked men or unreasonable creatures: we deny that they are truly and properly both in heaven and on the earth, in pixes, and on the Altars. These are k Aug tract. 25 in johan. meat for the mind, not for the mouth: for faith, not for the teeth: for our belief, not for the belly: for the soul, not for the body. For this cause Chrysost. hom. 24. in 1 Cor. saith well, Vbi cadaver, ibi aquilae, etc. that is, where the carcase is, there are the Eagles: the carcase is the Lords body, because of his death: he calleth us the Eagles, to show that he must fly up on high that will come near to that body. This carnal eating of Christ is l Sundry reasons rendered to refel the real presence. confuted and convinced by many reasons. First, Christ sat down at the Table and the Disciples with him, afterward he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it, and said, This is my body: likewise he took and gave the cup and said, Drink ye all of this: whereby we see, when the Apostles received m Luk. 22, 19 the Sacrament, Christ sat at the Table with his true body: but the body which they took, sat not at the Table, therefore they took the sign of his body. Likewise the blood which they received was not in the body which sat at the Table, therefore it was not properly Christ's blood which was not as yet really and actually shed. The same body could not sit at the Table, and not sit at the Table: the same body could not be in their hands, and out of their hands: the blood of Christ could not be out of his veins in the cup, and in his veins within his body: he could not sit visible at the Table, and be invisible in the mouths and bellies of the Disciples. Wherefore the real prsence bringeth with it real contradictions which cannot stand together. Secondly, the end of the Lords Supper, is to call his death to a continual remembrance, as Luke 22. Do this in n Luk. 22, 19 remembrance of me: and the Apostle, 1 Cor. 11. Ye show the Lords death until he come. Now to what end should we need the remembrance of Christ, if he were corporally present in the Sacrament, if he were taken in the hands, if he were holden in the mouth, if he were eaten with the teeth? And to what purpose should we show the Lords death till he come, if he come daily and be present bodily in the Sacrament. Besides, the wisest among the Philosophers teach us that o Arist. lib. de memoria. sense is of things present, but remembrance is of such things as are absent: as hope is of such things as are to come, not seen, p Rom. 8, 24. and this the Apostle teacheth. Thirdly, Christ received a true body with all the natural properties of an human body, like to us in all things sin q Heb. 4, 15. only excepted, and is therefore called the son of David, the son of Mary, the son of man, our brother partaker of flesh and blood, he is said to have taken upon him the seed of Abraham, and not the Angel's nature r Luk. 24, ●9. to be visible, Luk. 24, 39 Behold my hands and my feet, for it is I myself, handle me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have. For if he may be in many places together, in some place visible, and in some invisible: in some to be handled, in others not to be handled, he can have no true body of a true man. And if this were not a strong reason, It is not felt and seen, therefore no human body: the Disciples might have answered unto Christ, why dost thou bid us behold thy hands, and see thy feet, and handle thy body, and thereby to try thy humanity, seeing thou hast a body which cannot be seen, touched, or handled? fourthly, Christ hath left the earth with his bodily presence, and is ascended up into heaven, far above all principalities and powers, and is sit down s Act. 1, 9 and 3 22. on the right hand of his Father, as Act. 1. While they beheld, he was taken up. And Mar. 26. After the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received into heaven, and sat at the right hand of God, So Act. 3. Whom the heavens must contain, until the time that all things are restored. Likewise Phil. 3. Our conversation is in heaven, from whence we look for a Saviour. And again, Luk. 24. As he blessed them, he departed from them, and was carried up into heaven. So joh. 12. The poor always ye have with you, but me ye shall not have always. I am come out from the Father, and came into the world: again, I leave the world and go to my Father. If these things be true, that Christ is t Catechism. Triden. in exposit. Simbo. Apostol. departed from us, if he be no longer among us, if he be taken up into heaven, if he must be contained there until the restoring of all things, if we must look for a Saviour from heaven to change our vile bodies, if he be carried up to his Father and have left the world: then he is not now present with us, his body is not in every Altar, he doth not lurk and lie under the shows of bread and wine. For to be departed from us, and not to be departed from us; to be contained in heaven, and not to be contained in heaven; to leave the world, and yet to remain in the world; to sit at the right hand of God, and to lie under every Altar, cannot stand together any more, then to be a man and no man, to be Christ and not Christ, to be a Saviour and no Saviour, to be God and not God. Fiftly, Christ reproveth the Caparnaits, because they thought his body was to be eaten in fleshly manner, with the mouth of the body, & should descend into the stomach, which is the way that all other meats do pass: when they heard him preach of eating his flesh & drinking his blood, they said, u joh. 6, 60.36. This is an hard saying, who can hear it? They murmured and departed from him, because they thought they must eat him with the mouth and teeth, chew him, and swallow him up. But Christ expoundeth himself, and declareth that he meant not carnally but spiritually. I● is the Spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you are spirit and life, that is, the flesh of Christ thus eaten, thus chewed, thus digested bodily, carnally, and grossly, cannot profit: but truly and spiritually taken it is meat indeed. Whereby it appeareth, that the flesh and blood of Christ are not bodily nourishment, for than we should hold his body in our hands, eat it with our mouths, tear it with our teeth, swallow it down our throats, concoct it in our stomachs, and have it distributed to our fleshly parts. Now to show a What it is to eat the body of christ spiritually. what it is to eat spiritually, and to pull off the garment of this similitude that the truth may more plainly appear, by spiritual eating we do not understand, that which is feigned, standing in a conceit, opinion, or imagination; neither that the body and blood of Christ are turned into a spirit, but we mean by spiritual eating such a communion and participation of Christ, as is wrought by the powerful working of the Holy-Ghost, inasmuch also as it is attained by faith only, and pertaineth to a spiritual and eternal life. And howsoever the benefit of this conjunction reach unto the body, which thereby is mortified, and sanctified, and afterward shall be glorified: yet this fruition of Christ is not called corporal, but spiritual, because this food doth not pertain to the maintaining of this present life, but it is referred to the life which is eternal. Now this life everlasting is called spiritual, albeit the bodies themselves shall be partakers thereof which therefore b 1 Cor. 15, 44 by the Apostle are called spiritual bodies. Thus then standeth the comparison, as there is a present life that is bodily, c Sadcel de Spirit. Mand. cap. 1. so there is another life to be thought upon which is spiritual and eternal: as we are borne to this present life, so are we borne again to life eternal: as this bodily life is sustained by bodily meat and drink, so Christ with all his merits and mercies is the food of the spiritual life: as the body hath d Comparison between the bodily & spiritual eating. his mouth, whereby the meat and drink is received, and so passeth into the body by bodily feeding: so the soul hath her mouth, namely faith, which apprehendeh the most holy nourishment of the body & blood of Christ: and lastly, as the meat by a natural force is concocted and digested that it may pass & disperse itself into the whole body, so the efficacy of the Spirit beginning faith in us, doth so powerfully and mightily work in our soul, that it quickeneth us through Christ, to whom we are nearly united. Thus we see we have no carnal communion with Christ, nor bodily eating of Christ. Wherefore let the capernaitical Papists, or popish Capernaits, prepare their faith, not their teeth, their souls, not their bellies, to eat the flesh of Christ, and drink his blood. And if they be ashamed of the name of the Capernaits, let them also be ashamed of the error of the Capernaits: but if they cleave to their error, they must be content to borrow their name, for the name and opinion must go together. Sixtly, Christ exhorteth the people to beware of false Prophets, that come in sheeps clothes, e Mat. 7, 15. but indeed have Wolves hearts, saying, If any shall say unto you, Lo here is Christ, or there, f Mat. 24, 23. believe it not: behold he is in the desert, go not forth: behold he is in the secret places, believe it not. And the Apostle Paul exhorteth, Col. 3. To seek those things that are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. But if Christ lurk and lie hid under the accidents of bread and wine, them we might believe such as say, Lo, here is Christ, there is Christ, he might be pointed out with the finger on every Altar, and so often as the Priest lifteth up his Idol, he might say to the people, behold here is Christ whom we have newly made, look upon him whom we have newly fashioned: but then we must answer with Christ, believe i● not. seventhly, the Fathers under the law, did eat the same spiritual meat and drink the same spiritual drink that the g 1 cor. 10, 1, 2 Corinthians and other Christians did, though they had differing signs, they had the same Christ signified. But they did not eat the flesh of Christ and drink his blood bodily, for as yet he was not come in the flesh, therefore he is not present in his natural body in our Sacraments. This Paul setteth down, 1 Cor. 10. They did all eat the same spiritual meat, they did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ. Where the Apostles purpose is to prove h Aug. tom. 6. tract. in joh. 26 and in Psal. 77 Gratian can. inquit. 80. that the Israelites were not in feriour to the Corinthians in respect of the Sacraments of God's favour, and therefore had no more to boast of, than the Israelites had: whereupon he saith, they had the same meat, the same drink, the same Christ. Now if they did not eat the same in substance which the Corinthians did eat, than the Israelites were far inferior to them touching their Sacraments, and so the Apostles reason should be of no force. Eightly, Christ is in such sort in heaven in his humanity, as that he is not on the earth i Mat. 9, 15. joh. 13. etc. with his body, and consequently not in the Sacrament, as we see, Mat. 9 Can the children of the bride-chamber mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then they shall fast. But if he were remaining on the earth and contained in the pixe, the bridegroom could not nor would not be taken away. And the same Evangelist, Mat. 26, 11. chap. 26. saith. Ye have the poor always with you, but me ye shall not have always. Likewise joh. 13. joh. 13, 1. and 14.2, 3.28. & 17, 11, 12, 13. When jesus knew that his hour was come, that he should departed out of this world unto the Father, he riseth from Supper, & cha. 14. I go to prepare a place for you, but I will come again: If I go away to prepare a place for you, I will receive you unto myself, that where I am, there may ye be also: and verse 28. Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away and will come unto you. And chap. 17. Now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Again, Act. 1. Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing into heaven? This jesus which k Acts 1, 11. is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come as ye have seen him go into heaven. If then Christ according to his human nature be not on earth, how can his true body be on every Altar? How can they eat him with their teeth? How can they swallow him down their throat? Ninthly, such an eating and drinking of the body and blood of Christ must be holden, as is profitable and comfortable to the receivers: for nothing is more available & fruitful than these, being rightly received Mat. 26, 26. having thereby remission of sins assured, and eternal glory sealed up unto us. But no fruit to our faith can come unto us by this kind of bodily eating the body, carnal drinking the blood of Christ: for wicked men have as great a portion in this as the godly. Nay, by their own doctrine it may be eaten of Birds, of Beasts, of Mice, of Dogs, of Hogs, of vermin: to whom no profit, no comfort, no benefit can come: whereas God would have the flesh m joh. 6.50. of the Son of man to be eaten of those to whom it shall be available to life and salvation, as joh. 6. I am the living bread which came down from heaven, if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give it my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. Tenthly, nothing can be more gross, barbarous, or inhuman then to devour man's flesh, and to drink man's blood. What doth more transform men into savage and cruel beasts? Nay worse than beasts which devour not their own kind? What is more contrary to the pureness and holiness of God's law n Psal. 12, 6 and 19, 9 then this? The words of the Lord are pure words, as the silver tried in a furnace of earth fined seven fold. The fear of the Lord is clean: the law of God is spiritual, holy, just, and good. And the Gospel bringeth salvation to all degrees, and teacheth us, that we should deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, and that we should l●ue soberly, righteously, and godly in this present wo●ld. But what can be more repugnant to godliness, soberness, and righteousness, then to tear with the teeth o Cyril. anot. 11. and jaws man's flesh, and to drink his blood, from which the Capernaus abhorred? What more crosseth the religion of Christ, the law of God, & the light of nature, than man to devour man, and the bowels of one to be in the bowels of another? And are not their stomachs strong to digest this meat? Did not God in the law command p levit. 17, 13 to abstain from eating the blood of beasts & from strangled? Did not the Apostles for a time renew it q Act. 15, 20. among the Christians, in respect of the weakness of the jews, because Moses was read in their Synagogue every Sabbath day? To what end should this be done, if the Church had tasted the blood of Christ with their mouth, or swallowed his body in their bellies? And do not the Scythians and all the Gentiles that are not utterly void of humanity, abstain from man's blood, and from devouring his flesh? Wherefore these men are worse r Hom Odis. li. 10. Virg aeneid. l●b. 3. Plin. not hist. lib. 7. cap 2. ●●●d M●t. li. 3. than the Scythians, Barbarians, & Gentiles, yea worse than the Cannibals and Indies that eat their enemies: but these devour Christ, whom they call their Lord and Master, like Actaeon's hounds (to compare one fable with another) only here lie the differences, they devoured their Lord under the shape of a Stag or heart, they eat their master under the forms of bread & wine: these fastened their mouths upon their master because they thought him absent and not present under that shape, they openly confess their Master to be present, and yet odiously profess to devour him with their jaws, and swallow him in their stomachs, wherefore these men are more cruel than they: yea herein they pass the Idolatrous Gentiles; for the Egyptians did not eat those creatures which they adored as Gods: but these do devour their God and Saviour like bread. eleventhly, if Christ be present in the Sacrament bodily and carnally: in what body shall he be present? Whether in his glorified body as he is in the heavens, or in his mortal body as he was upon the earth? In one of these he must be present necessarily, if he be present fleshly. Whatsoever they answer, they are taken on both hands, and are strooken down as with a sword that hath two edges. Dare they say he is present in his mortal body? This cannot be. For it is certain he hath not now a mortal body but a glorified body: this corruptible hath put on incorruption, t 1 Cor. 15, 54 this mortal hath put on immortality, and death is swallowed up in victory. This the u Rom. 6, 9.10 Apostle confirmeth▪ this the Scripture teacheth, this Christian faith believeth▪ Christ being raised from the dead, dieth no more: death hath no more dominion over him: For in that he died, he died once to sin, but in that he liveth, he liveth to God. Likewise Heb. 7, 25. This man because he endureth ever, hath a Priesthood which cannot pass from one to another, seeing he ever l●ueth to make intercession for them. And chap. 9 of the same Epistle, he is entered into heaven, not that he should: offer himself often, but he was once offered to take away the sins of many. These testimonies duly considered, he cannot be present in a mortal body. What then, will they be helped to say he is present in his glorified body? Then he cannot now be present in the Sacrament of the Supper, as he was present to the Apostles, sitting at the table with them, and preaching unto them of his death: he cannot be present in the same body that he did deliver to his Disciples in the institution of his last Supper. For the body of Christ was then mortal and not glorified, than he had not suffered death upon the Cross, he was not risen and ascended into the heavens, to sit at the right hand of his Father: so that they must seek another place then these words of Christ, a Mat. 26, 26. This is my body, this is my blood, to build their real presence and transubstantiation, for they pointed out his mortal body, because his body was not yet glorified, when the Sacrament was instituted. Besides, what a miserable glorified body should this be, to be subject to the pleasure of every Priest, to come at his call, to stay till he commandeth, nay to suffer himself to be torn with the teeth of every receiver? Wherefore the presence of his glorified body, cannot be grounded upon these words of Christ touching the Sacraments, This is my body. Neither let them say as Camp●on that boasting Champion like another Goliath, b 1 Sa. 17.10. challenging the host of God, sometimes said in the Tower-conference, that this is a fallation, c Conference day 3. inasmuch as his glorification maketh it not a divers body, and that a man whole, & a man sick, at sundry times make not a several man. This jesuitical device hath no colour of reason, but a trick of evasion. For we speak not of the difference between Christ's glorified and mortal body, but of the meaning of the words, This is my body: whether Christ understand his natural and mortal body wherein shortly he was to be glorified, or whether he understand it of his body glorified? Either it must be understood of the one, or of the other, or of both: or rather indeed of neither, except they will have the words taken and spoken one way to the Disciples, and another way to us. Thus the meaning of them when they were first uttered should be, This is my mortal body: but now spoken to us, they should be taken in another sense of us to the end of the world, This is my glorified body. So then the same words spoken to the Disciples should be false as we are to understand them: and the Disciples should be deceived, understanding them as we do take them. What is this but to bring us back again to the reproachful comparisons and blasphemous assertions d Pighi. Hierar. lib. 3, cap 3. Consur. colon dial 4. pa 112. Cusan. epist. 2. and 7. of sundry popish writers, to compare the Scriptures to a nose of wax, and a rule of lead, that they may be expounded diversly, and framed to times, so as at one time they may be understood one way, and at another time they may be interpreted another way. These things being duly considered, we may safely conclude, that Christ is not present in his natural body. Lastly, the presence of Christ in his natural body, abolisheth the light of reason, and confoundeth the nature of things, and bringeth in an heap of absurdities and impossibilities. For what is more repugnant to reason, then for a man to bear himself in his own hands? that a man should eat up himself? that another should eat him, yet he remain untouched, untasted, and uncorrupted? that one and the same man should be visible and invisible, present and absent, in the teeth of the Disciples, and at the table with the Disciples, be a man of stature, and yet be contained and comprehended in a little Cake and cantle of bread? Now as by these reasons and sundry other that might be alleged, the real presence is sufficiently convinced: so the arguments brought to maintain and uphold it, are easily e Objections alleged to maintain the real presence are answered. answered. For as the doctrine is false: so the reasons are weak and foolish. First they object the words of institution, for the defence of this cause. For as in questions of the supremacy, of Peter's pretended, of the Pope's usurped, (which are many) they always allege the words of Christ to Peter, Pasce oves meas, f Bellar. tomo. primo. feed by sheep: so do they deal in controversies of the Supper, where we miss not Objection 1 long, Hoc est corpus meum, This is my body. His words (say they) are true therefore we must believe them: he is a man of his word, therefore we must credit him: if then we be deceived holding his body to be present, he hath deceived us. I answer, Answer. the question is not of the truth of the words whether they be true or false, but of the interpretation and meaning thereof, which we say is figurative, and yet no other than is usual when the Scripture speaketh of other Sacraments of the Church, g Gen. 17, 11. as circumcision is the covenant: the lamb is the passover: the cup is the new testament; the breaking of the bread is the communion of the body of Christ: the rock is Christ: baptism is the washing of our new-birth. Are not all these places like to the words of Christ's institution? Or can they deny them to be understood figuratively and not properly? So the meaning of those words is, that the bread which he had taken, broken, and given, is a sign and figure of his body: it is now no longer common bread, but a representation of his body truly offered to all, and truly given to all the faithful. Our Saviour Christ spoke many things unto his Disciples figuratively, not literally to be taken: he said h Math. 5, 13. they were the salt of the earth, the light of the world, a city set on a hill: he speaketh of cutting off the hand, & pulling out the eye: he calleth himself i john 10, 9 a door, k john 15, 1. a vire, l john 14, 6. a way: are not these figurative and metaphorical speeches? Again, the circumstances of the text, the nature of a Sacrament, and the Articles of our faith will not suffer us to take them properly: besides this, that they should command us an horrible and wicked thing, to eat man's flesh, & drink his blood, and therefore when we are commended to eat his flesh and to drink his blood, it is a figure (as Austin, teacheth) requiring of us to be partakers of his passion, & to keep in remembrance that his flesh was crucified for us. Moreover, the Evangelists never say the bread is transubstantiated into his body, or the wine into his blood, or that the body and blood of Christ are in the bread, or under the bread, or with the bread: all the circumstances teach, that the bread is a Sacrament of his body, the wine is a Sacrament of his blood, as circumcision was a sign of the covenant, the lamb a sign of the passover, the rock a figure of Christ. Lastly, as Christ speaketh to the evil servant, m Luke 19, 22 Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee: so the adversaries themselves give sentence on our side, and one arch-papist condemneth another. Bishop Fisher writing against Luther, affirmeth that n Fish. cont. capti. Babylon. no man can prove by the words of the Gospel, that any Priest in these days doth consecrate the very body and blood of Christ, and therefore o Lindan. pa. nopl. lib. 4. Liudanus among the rabblement of traditions which he reckoneth, rehearseth the real presence. Likewise Tonstall, another Bishop of the same birth holdeth, that it were p Tonst. lib. 1. de Sacr p 46. better to leave every man to his own conjecture, as they were before the counsel of Lateran, then to bring in such questions. And Biel a man of the same stamp, not inferior to the rest, q Gab. Biel in can. lect. 40. confesseth that it is not found in the canonical Scriptures, that Christ's body is in the Sacrament. And let them tell us their opinion whether that Hildebrand held this bodily presence, r Ben. in vit. Greg. 7. when he cast the Sacrament into the fire, contrary to the liking of certain Cardinals present with him? Thus we see, Counsels, Fathers, Reasons, Doctors, Schoolmen, Bishops, Cardinals, Popes, & others of the adversaries themselves fight against the carnal presence of Christ; and the Scriptures themselves overthrow it. Objection 2 Secondly they object the words of Christ, Except ye eat s joh. 6, 53. the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. I answer, Answer. these words are not understood of the Sacrament, they were uttered long before the institution of the Supper, and therefore could not be referred unto that which as yet was not: so that Christ speaketh of spiritual eating, not of carnal: by faith, not by the mouth, whereby we abide in him and he in us: but many eat the Sacrament of his body that have not him abiding in them, nor themselves in him. Again, without this eating of his flesh here spoken off, t joh 6, 54. no man can attain eternal life: but many have eternal life, that never are partakers of the Lords Supper as the thief crucified with Christ, and many others. Besides, how absurd is it for those to imagine that Christ naming bread, speaketh of the Sacrament of the Altar? for they would have no substance of bread to remain, but only the figure, show, and likeness of bread: so that according to the device of their newfound doctrine, he might more truly say, I am no bread, or, I am the shows of bread, then as he doth, r joh. 6, 32. I am the true bread. Moreover, if Christ promising to give bread for the redemption of the world, had pointed out the Sacrament of his Supper: then he should have given his flesh for the salvation of mankind, not upon the Cross, but in his last Supper. Wherefore then served his death? What need was there to shed his blood on the Cross? Furthermore, if these words be referred to his Supper, than the Supper may be celebrated without material bread and wine, without giving of thanks, without blessing, without consecration, without breaking and distributing of the bread, without pouring out, and delivering of the wine, and without remembrance of the death of Christ. For in this place we have no mention of these things. And shall we imagine that the Sacrament is spoken off, where neither the matter, nor form, nor word of institution nor Minister, nor external rite is once remembered? Lastly, to eat the flesh of Christ and to drink his blood, is nothing else but to come to Christ, and to believe in Christ, as appeareth in the Text, s joh. 6, 35, 4●. I am that bread of life he that cometh to me shall not hunger, and he that believeth in me shall never th●rst. And speaking of faith he saith. No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me, draw him. This truth t Ble● sect. 84. super cam●●●. is so clear and evident, that many of the adversaries are driven to confess it, howsoever some of them seek to cast mists before the eyes of men, that they may not espy it, among the which are Sanders and Bellarmine. And as we have showed before, how the Schoolmen and Doctors of the Church of Rome are together by the ears in sundry controversies about the Supper: so are they about the true interpretation of joh. 6. Some understanding it of the sacramental eating, some of the spiritual eating, u Hos C●●● de ●u●●●. and some of both. Thirdly, they object the omnipotency of God: that he Objection 3 is able to turn the bread into the body, and the wine into his blood: he is able to make it really present in heaven & earth, a●d wheresoever Mass is said: he is able to make a body to be in many places at once, and yet not occupy a place. I answer, Answer. when all other reasons fail, they sly to God's omnipotency as unto a sanctuary and place of refuge. But this will not prove a real presence. For albeit God be omnipotent and almighty: must he therefore do all things, yea offer violence to his own body, to maintain their a●●urd and heretical opinions of the real presence and of transubstantiation? Must his power attend upon their fancies and dreams? Cannot he be omnipotent except their positions and assertions be granted? There is no ●e●e of God's power, albeit we withstand their carnal presence. For touching the omnipotency of God, a Two rules to obseru●● 〈◊〉 God's omnipotency. we must observe these two rules and conclusions. First, God's power is never to be opposed and set against his express w●ll, plainly and certainly known: for God is not contrary to himself. Now than it is not enough to prove that God can turn bread and wine into the body and blood of Chr●st, unless they prove he will turn them into his flesh and blood. We ourselves can do many things which we do not, and which we will not do: so we must know it is with God; he c●uld have added wings to man, he might have made many worlds if it had pleased him, Christ of b Mat 3.9. the stones could have raised up children unto Abraham. Christ could have prayed to his Father in his affliction, to send him c Mat. 26, 3. more than 12. legions of Angels, but how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled? Wherefore we ●●e n●t to reason of his power, unless we be assured o● his w●ll revealed in his word; as we see Christ disputing against the ●●du●es saith, Ye are deceived, not knowing the ●●r ptures, n● the power of God. d Mat. 22, 9 Where we see he joineth the Scriptures and the power of God together: so that he is truly said to be omnipotent. e A 〈…〉 1●. because he can bring to pass whatsoever he will: neither can the effect of his will be hindered or res●●ed. Now it is the known will of God that Christ shoul● have a true body, that he might be a true man with his quantity and dimensions. The second rule to be remembered is, f No contradiction is in God. that in God there is no contradiction: and that whatsoever necessarily implieth a contradiction, is an argument not of power, but of weakness. This the Scriptures decree, this the Fathers deliver, this their own Schoolmen determine. For g 2 Cor. 1.59. in God is not yea and nay: he abideth saithful, he cannot deny himself: he cannot die, he cannot lie he cannot deny his word, he c nnot sin, he cannot deceive, he cannot be deceived. These and such like he cannot do: which if he should do, he were not omnipotent. For this h Aug de trin. cap 15 l●b ●●. 〈◊〉 l●b. 2. cap 1●. were a token of impotency, not of omnipotency: of debility, not of ability: of want and weakness, not of strength and power. For in every contradiction i Arist 〈◊〉 ●●terp li 1 ca 5. there is falsehood and a lie which cannot agree to God, who is truth itself, and therefore he cannot make affirmation and negation, truth and falsehood yea and nay to be true together which things are impossible. Yea the popish Schoolmen k Thom contra gent. lib. ● cap. 84. ●n● lib. 2. ●a. 25. confute this popish fancy of the real presence, when they teach that God cannot do any thing wherein a contradiction is implied, and that all other things he can do, and therefore is omnipotent. Now who seethe not that herein is a manifest and notable contradiction? that Christ's body is made visible and invisible together; finite and infinite; circumscribed and uncircumscribed; to have dimension and to want dimension; to be compassed in one certain place, and to be in a great number of Sacraments in many places; to be included in a little bread on earth, which is contrary to the nature of a man's true body, and not to be contained therein; as sitting in heaven, and there having the natural properties of a true body, which cannot be brought within so narrow a compass as the wafer-cake. Wherefore, the absurd conceit of the real presence cannot be maintained without many contradictions. For if Christ's body be visible how can it be invisible? If it have all the properties of a natural body, how can it be without the properties of a natural body? If it be finite how can it be infinite. Lastly, if it be an inseparable and necessary adjoint to a true body to be contained in one certain place: how then can it be true, that his body is in ten thousand places without any circumscription? So then God's omnipotency cannot build up the monstrous work of the real presence: inasmuch as the body of Christ cannot be brought within the slender compass of a piece of bread, without falsehood and destruction of all the properties incident unto a true and natural body. Objection 4 Lastly, as an effect of God's omnipotent power, they object, the bread and wine are turned into the flesh and blood of Christ (appearing bread and wine still) by a wonderful miracle which is wrought by the words of consecration and by a mighty work of God. This objection hath been sufficiently answered already. Answer. We have proved that every miracle may be seen and discerned by the outward senses, as the miracles of Moses, of the Prophets, of Christ, and the Apostles: and therefore the Iewes said unto Christ l joh. 1, 18. Show us a miracle, teaching that miracles are to be judged by sight and sense. When Moses turned m E●o ●●, etc. the waters of the Egyptians into blood, the sight perceived, the taste discerned it. The miracles n joh. 2 9 of Christ appear evidently, and were apprehended by the senses of the body. He turned water into wine: the taste judged thereof ' the dumb spoke, the ear heard them speak. The lame walked, the dead were raised: the eyes perceived the motion, all marveled and were astonished. In like manner, if the bread and wine were changed, either the eye or taste should perceive it, and all the Disciples would be astonished. Again, after the Gospel was plentifully confirmed and had taken root, and the Apostles were dead, such miracles ceased, as experience teacheth. Besides, the holy Supper is an ordinary Sacrament of the Church: but every miracle is extraordinary, or else it is no miracle: so that unless we will turn ordinary into extraordinary, and make miracles as common as Sacraments, o No miracle in the Lord's Supper. we must remove miracles from the Supper. Furthermore, if the real presence were wrought by a miracle, every Priest should be a worker of miracles & wonders, and an ordinary calling should always be accompanied with extraordinary gifts. But their office of Priesthood hath not this gift (in their own judgement) generally given unto it. Wherefore miracles being p Chrysost. in 5. Cor. ca 2. hom 6 now ceased, are not found in the Supper. Lastly, Augustine gathering all the miracles written in the Scripture, q Aug. de Trin. lib. 3. cap. 10. yet speaketh not of this: nay he not only omitted it, but flatly denieth any miracle to be in the Sacrament, when he saith, It may have honour or reverence as an holy thing, but cannot be wondered at as a strange or miraculous thing. If then it be a miracle, it must be in the number of lying miracles spoken off by the r 2 Thes 2, ●. Apostle: so that transubstantiation and the real presence are real contraries or contradictions, repugnant to the Scripture, to faith, to reason, to learning, to sense, to nature, to God's ordinance, absurd and impossible: and therefore of all God's people to be abhorred and abjured, being a renewing of the old heresy of s The errors of Eutiches & Martion. Eutiches, who held that Christ's body after his incarnation, was made equal with his divinity: and likewise of Martion, who held that Christ appeared not in the very natural body of a man, but only in a fantasy or show of a man's body. To conclude this use, we do not exclude all presence of Christ out of the Sacrament: but distinguish the manner of his presence: which we have showed to be in the Supper truly, not grossly: effectually, not fleshly: spiritually not bodily: sacramentally, not carnally: mystically, not naturally. The former use was touching knowledge and faith, instructing Use 2 what to hold of the real presence. The next use is touching our obedience and duty. For is Christ the chief substance of this Sacrament, and his body and blood given us for the food of our souls: a gift far above heaven and earth? Then we are bound to hunger after him, to desire him with an earnest appetite and desire, as we come to our meat and drink. Hunger is a great thing, and we say it maketh men lea●●e over a stone well: he that is hunger bitten, will eat his own flesh from his arms. In this corporal hunger then are two things that pine and pinch men: first, a pain in the lower part of the belly, arising from emptiness: Secondly, an exceeding appetite to be filled and satisfied: such have t Deut 28.53 57 killed, dressed, and devoured their own children, rather than they would starve King 6, 29. Lam 4, 10, this pain hath been so great, this longing hath been so extraordinary. So must it be with us in the spiritual hunger after Christ: we must be inwardly pained in soul for sin, and for the wrath of God kindled for our sin: and then have an hungering desire & longing appetite, that we may possess Christ, and lay hold on him to our salvation. Whosoever cometh to his ordinary meat without hunger, it were better not to eat: it engendereth gross and evil humours, and bringeth a surfeit to the body. So whosoever desireth not Christ with an hungry soul, earnestly longing after him, and craving nourishment from him, cannot be filled with good things. The want of this hunger is a cause why so few receive Christ, and profit not by the means ordained to that end, as the word and Sacraments: these come to them of custom rather than with conscience, and for fashion rather than with faith: these men are not fit to be Christ's guests, that hunger not after him. Wherefore u Elay 55, 7, the Prophet calleth all such as faint in their souls through hunger and thirst of this food, Ho, every one that thirsteth, come to the waters, and ye that have no silver, come buy and eat: come I say, buy wine and milk without silver and without money. And the Apostle, Reu. 22, 17. Let him that is athirst come, and let whosoever will, take of the water of life freely. Likewise the Evangelist, Luke 1, 53. He filleth the hungry with good things, and sendeth the rich empty away. But where is the desire of these things? Where is the hunger after this heavenly food? Where is the thirst after the waters of life? Truly of all gifts this is the greatest: yet the greatest number care nothing for Christ nor for his gifts. As the Israel taes in the wilderness loathed Num 11, 5. etc. Manna, and desired to return into Egypt: such are there among us, no desire, no affection, no zeal this way: they spend their cogitations & endeavours to gain honour, they thirst after silver and gold, they delight in earthly pleasures, they covet houses, lands, and wealth of the world: these things they abound in, these things they make their happiness and their heaven. Such as these there are thousands in the bosom of the Church, that hunger more after these transitory things, then after heavenly: Such are b Heb. 12, 16. profane persons as Esau, who preferred a mess of pottage before the blessing: and as the Gadarens, who preferred their swine before Christ, and therefore besought him to departed out of their coasts, But let us learn better things: for all these shall vanish & come to nothing. And what shall it profit c Mat. 16, 26. a man if he win the whole world, and lose his own soul? Let us not labour for the meat that d joh 6, 27. perisheth, but for the meat that endureth to everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto us. All the dainties and delicates in the world cannot be compared to that which is here offered to be eaten of the soul. Therefore let us remember whensoever we come to his table to be partakers of this Supper, to come with a great longing after life & salvation from him, as we desire bodily meat when we are hungry, and drink when we are thirsty: then shall we by him be satisfied and saved, otherwise we cannot lay hold on him: we may receive the outward sign but we cannot receive the graces o Christ offered unto us. Lastly, consider with me, that if Christ be an inward part of the Sacrament of the S ppe●, as it were the hidden Manna, revel. 2, 17. than no man by nature, I mean which is a mere natural man, doth know, desire, o● seek after him, to be fed and nourished by him to eternal life, but he is concealed from the wisest men of the world, and such as have deep understanding in earthly things. Nay, there are many brought up in the bosom of the Church, and presume to approach to the Table of Christ, that do not know Christ to be their heavenly ●ood, for if they did know him aright, they would quickly feel the spiritual want of him. They would understand that they do not more want the air to breath, the earth to tread upon, the Sun to shine, their meat to put in their bellies their garments to cloth and attire their bodies, than they stand in need of Christ, to make him as their food, and to put him on as their apparel, A man that is not hungry knoweth not what meat & drink meaneth, or at least considereth not the necessity of them: so a man that seeleth not what lack he hath of Christ, doth not indeed know what Christ is, nor what benefits he hath obtained for him. What a shame is this, that any should be found so simple and ignorant! and what danger is this unto themselves! Alas, alas, how many silly souls and ignorant people are there, that bless themselves in their blindness, and think themselves happy men, who never felt the want of Christ, they were never troubled in mind to find him, they were never hunger-bit for him, they never regarded to know Christ and him crucified for the redemption of their souls, for the remission of their sins, and for their deliverance from the gulf of hell? It is noted touching the church, when Christ had for a season withdrawn himself from her, Can. 5, 4, her bowels were moved for him, her soul failed and fainted within her, and she was sick of love to f●inde him again. We must account all things but dung that we may win Christ, after the example of the Apostle, Phil. 3. Phil. 3, 8. We must not labour for the meat that perisheth, but for the meat which endureth to everlasting life, which the Son of man will give unto us, joh. 6, 27. joh. 6, 27. We are bound to endeavour earnestly, and to use all good means to have him as the most excellent food and most precious gift in the world, far above all the riches of the whole earth. Let us seek him where he is to be found, Where Christ is to be found. that is, in the word and Sacraments: in them he is as it were daily crucified before our eyes, Gal. 3.1. Consider herein I pray you the profaneness of this wretched world, of which we spoke in part before. He is the most worthy portion that can befall us, the most royal feast that ever was prepared, the most costly banquet that ever was furnished: he is the bread that came down from heaven: the water of life; the meat & drink that endureth to everlasting life: the heavenly Manna given to eat: 〈◊〉 12. ●. the tree of life in the midst of the Paradise of God, which yieldeth fruit every month, and the leaves of it are for the healing of the Nations: yet not one among an hundred doth seek after him, or any whit seem to regard him, or this Sacrament, which may fitly be called the marriage Supper of the Lamb. We are like the Israelites in the wilderness, who preferred the Onions and garlic of Egypt before Angel's food more sweet than honey. Such Onion-mungers, or rather earth-worms are we, that delight ourselves in serpent's food, breaking our brains, bestowing our studies, and employing our wits and thoughts day and night, to obtain the treasures of this life and the riches of this world, but care not to be rich in God through jesus Christ. How can we persuade ourselves that this will be answered at the day of judgement, thus to disgrace and dishonour the Lord jesus, like judas that sold his master for thirty pence, or like the jews that preferred a murderer before the Lord of life, or like Esau that sold his birthright for a mess of pottage. Hence it is, that many have fat and full bodies, and abound with plenty of outward things, that have poor, and lean, and staruen souls, like to perish and pine away. The wise man saith, Prou. 29, 18. When vision faileth, the people perish: and Christ chargeth Peter again and again, to feed his sheep and his Lambs, to wit, joh. 21.15. with wholesome doctrine of the word, and sound nourishment by the Sacraments. For the soul hath need of meat and drink as well as the body, and doth oftentimes decay and die eternally for want of this spiritual food as well as the body doth through the want of temporal food. 1 Sam. 30, 12. This hath made the faithful from time to time acknowledge, that there is no bodily food so sweet, so delicate, so delightsome, and so to be desired as the immortal food of the soul. The Apostle saith, All flesh is as grass, 1 Pet. 1, 24, 25 and all the glory of man as the flower of grass, the grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away, but the word of the Lord endureth for ever, etc. The Prophet David declareth as much. Psal. 19 Psal. 19, 10. The judgements of the Lord are more to be desired then gold, yea then much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. And Psal. 84. Psal. 84, 2. My soul longeth, yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. Likewise in another Psalm, Psal. 41, 1, 2. As the heart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. Wherefore we ought all of us to be more careful to seed our souls then our bodies, and to frequent with great desire and delight the heavenly and precious feasts that are kept and solemnised in the house of God. We are content to take long walks, & wearisome journeys, & great pains to feed our hungry bodies, Gen. 42, 1, 2. as we see by the example of jacob and his sons in the time of famine. God hath richly prepared his Table for us, and given us his own and only Son to be meat indeed and drink indeed: howbeit it is not made ready for such carrion-creatures as hop below upon the earth, and mind only their back and belly, but it is furnished for Eagles that fly up aloft to heaven and mind especially spiritual things. Woe then to the fearful negligence, or rather open and odious contempt of many dissolute professors that come seldom to the Lords Table: some once a year, some scarce so often, if they could tell how handsomely to shift it off and to cover their fault that they might not be espied: some cut off themselves quite and clean from the house of God and the place of his worship. Let all such take heed, lest when they would enter into the kingdom of heaven, they be shut out and cut off from God's mercy for evermore. Thus than we see, that so often as we resort to this Sacrament, we must call to mind that we are going to a spiritual feast appointed to feed the soul, and not to fill the body. He that tasteth of this banquet aright, hath eternal life. john 6.54. Now such as the meat and drink is, such also is the manner of eating and drinking; the meat is spiritual, the partaking of it therefore must needs be spiritual. For the flesh of Christ which is meat indeed, and the blood of Christ which is drink indeed, hath the consideration of meat and drink, not as it is flesh and blood, or in regard of the substance thereof, for so it should be corporal food, but as they were given for the life of the world, inasmuch as he suffered for all the elect of the whole world. He suffered the most bitter death of the Cross, and was as it were broken with pains that cannot be expressed; he sweat drops of blood in great measure, Math. 26.31. and 27.46. Mat 26, 31. & 27, 46. and complaineth that he was forsaken of God and men; his Soul was exceeding sorrowful even unto death. revel. 19.15. revel. 19, 15. and he trod the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of almighty God. If the Church did lament and complain thus. Lament. 1, 12. Lamen 1, 12. Have ye no regard, O all ye that pass by the way? Consider and behold, if ever there were sorrow like my sorrow which was done unto me, wherewith the Lord did afflict me in the day of the fierceness of his wrath: much more may Christ renew this complaint, to whom it doth more fully and fitly agree, then unto any other: for he was in such great distress as never was any, and in that distress he had no man to regard him, no man to pity him, no man to comfort him, no man to care for him. Now whereunto tend all these his sorrows and sufferings, but to make us a feast of his own flesh? For all this he endured for our sakes, that he might be made a most pleasant meat to refresh us, and a most comfortable drink to quicken us, according to the testimony pronounced from his own mouth: He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life: joh 6, 54. which he hath given to death for the life of the world. Seeing therefore Christ jesus hath done so great things for us, shall we do nothing again unto him? Or rather shall we do nothing for ourselves? Shall we absent ourselves from the feast that he hath furnished? And will we not taste of the meat which he hath prepared at so dear a rate? Doubtless we deserve to perish for ever, and are worthy to have our souls famished unto death, that refuse to come to his holy Supper. And if we will not sup with him here in his Church, he will never sup with us hereafter at his Table. If we will none of his banquet provided on earth, we shall be sure to be shut out of his banquet that he will make in heaven. And if we will not be his guests to eat the bread of the LORD set forth for them that will receive it, we shall never eat bread in his heavenly kingdom. Thus much of the third inward part of this Sacrament, to wit, the body and blood of Christ. CHAP. XI. Of the fourth inward part of the Lords Supper. THe last inward part of this Sacrament of the Supper remaineth, which is the a The fourth inward part of the Supper is the faithful receiver. faithful and Christian receiver. As every Communicant sensibly and outwardly taketh the bread and wine given unto him: eating the bread & drinking the wine for the nourishment of his body: so the faithful receiver apprehendeth and layeth hold on Christ by the hand of faith, and applieth him particularly, that the feeling of his true union with Christ may daily be increased, b joh. 1, 12. according to that saying, joh. 1. As many as received him, to them he gave prerogative to be the Sons of God, even to them that believe in his name. And 1 Cor. 10. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the Communion of the body of Christ? Wherefore when we do faithfully and worthily take the bread and the cup into our hands, we must consider that withal we take and receive jesus Christ himself offered unto us. When we eat the bread and drink of the cup, and so apply them to our bodily uses: we must consider that we apply Christ jesus to ourselves, even to our souls particularly, that he is meat indeed, and that he is drink indeed unto us, if we bring with us the hand of faith. For faith is like c Faith is like the mouth of a vessel. the mouth of a vessel: if you pour liquor upon it all the day long, unless the mouth of the vessel be open to receive it, the water is spilled on the ground, and the vessel remaineth empty: so may a man come to the Lords Table every month, receiving the bread and wine that represent whole Christ, yet except he bring with him faith, which is the mouth of the soul, he receiveth not Christ unto a spiritual life, to be his righteousness and sanctification. And this is the reason why we receive a little portion and a small quantity as well of bread as wine, d Council Nicen. ex Biblie. vatican. because the end of our eating and drinking serveth for the sanctification of the Spirit, not for the filling of the body. Now let us see what uses are offered to our consideration, Use 1 in the meditation of this truth. First, seeing only the faithful are partakers of the things signified in this Sacrament▪ we see all do not receive alike, there is a difference to be made among receivers. But as they which snatch after the leaves of the tree, and let go the fruit, want the profit of their labours: so is it among many men in this world, who take the sign of Christ, but let go Christ. Now as Moses entreating of things e levit. 11, 4. clean and unclean, noteth out four sorts of beasts, some only chew the cud, and some only divide the hoof, some neither chew the cud nor divide the hoof, & some both chew the cud and divide the hoof: or, as in the days of the Gospel, some were circumcised in heart not in flesh, as f Gal 2, ●. Titus; some were circumcised in the flesh not in the heart, as Esau, judas, and many others: some were circumcised neither in flesh nor in the Spirit, g Eph 2, ●●. as the Gentiles: and some were circumcised both in the flesh and in the Spirit, h Act. 16, ●. as Timothy: so there is a difference among receivers, i Four 〈◊〉 o● receivers some receive Christ only spiritually, not sacramentally: some only sacramentally, not spiritually: some neither receive him spiritually, nor sacramentally: and some receive him both spiritually and sacramentally. Of these we will speak briefly and in order, as they have been propounded. The spiritual eating is by faith, whereby we are made one with Christ, and partakers of his benefits without the Sacraments, k joh. 6, 5●. whereof Christ speaketh, He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me and I in him. Thus to eat him, is to believe in him: and therefore he useth these words, l joh. 6, 2●. ●3 35. as being of one force to believe in him and to eat him: to drink him, and to come unto him, This is the work of God, that ye believe in him whom be hath sent: I am that bread of life, he that cometh to me shall not hunger, and he that believeth in me shall never thirst. Again, m joh. 6, ●●▪ 40. Christ attributeth the same fruit & effect to them that believe in him, that he doth to them which eat his body and drink his blood: therefore by eating and drinking he meaneth nothing but believing. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life: And in the 40. verse of the same Chapter he saith, This is the will of my Father, that every one that believeth in the Son, should have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. Hereby we may see that Christ attributeth the same to believing, which in the other place he did to eating and drinking: so that the meaning of Christ is, that to believe in him is to eat him. And thus many receive Christ, eating and drinking his body and blood, that never came to the Sacraments. Hear peradventure some will object, Objection. If this doctrine be true, then are the Sacraments needless. For if we may eat Christ by saith spiritually without any use or coming to the Lords Supper, to what end serveth the Supper? Answer. It seemeth by this, to be made void and superfluous. God forbidden: for the Sacraments are the holy ordinances of Christ by his blessing appointed for our help and benefit, so that the most perfect Christians of the strongest faith, have need to seek the strength of faith against weakness and wavering in the promises of God. Notwithstanding we must confess to the glory of God and the great comfort of many persons, that the faithful soul may and doth often feed upon Christ to salvation, beside the use of the Sacrament. For the spiritual grace is not of necessity tied to the outward signs, as if without them God cannot or doth not sometimes bestow the same. We see in the Acts of the Apostles, n Act. 10, 2, 44 Cornelius and his company was sealed with the Spirit of God before the receiving of the outward Sacrament. Abraham believed the promise being strong in faith, o Rom. 4, 18.10 18. & under hope believed above hope before circumcision was given unto him. Thus also the believing thief upon the Cross, though he did never receive the Sacrament of Christ, yet he did eat the body and drink the blood of Christ to eternal life: so that he believed in him, p Luk. 23, 10 and was the same day with him in Paradise. He was not crucified for the profession of Christ, but was condemned for the merit of his transgression: neither did he suffer because he believed, q Lamb s●nt. lib. ●. dist. ca 1. but he believed while he suffered. He was not baptised, he received not the Lord's Supper, yet his r Rom. 10, ●0. faith saved him, spiritually eating the true food of everlasting life, as Rom. 10. With the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth man confesseth unto salvation: for the Scripture saith, whosoever believeth in him shall not be ashamed. According to that in the Prophet, The just shall live s Hab. 2, 4. by faith. And joh. 11. I am the resurrection and the life, he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet he shall live, and whosoever liveth and believeth in me, t joh, 11, 25 26. shall never die. This ministereth great comfort in trials and tribulations, to consider that howsoever by sickness, by persecution, by imprisonment, we may be separated from the Supper of Christ u Rom. 8, 35. yet we cannot be separated from Christ: though we may be hindered from eating him sacramentally, yet we cannot be hindered from eating him spiritually: though we may be kept from eating the bread and drinking of the cup of the Lord, yet we cannot by the malice of Satan or violence of his instruments, be kept from feeding upon Christ by faith to salvation. And in this case God will accept the will for the deed, if there be in us a desire to be partakers thereof: for as the word of God is not bound, so his grace is not tied up. Again, other receive Christ only sacramentally and not spiritually, who are partakers of the outward Elements of bread and wine, and so receive the bare signs of the body and blood of Christ. For as they are said to eat the true body of Christ spiritually, which receive Christ with the mouth of the soul, that is, by a true faith, and are truly joined to him: so they eat him sacramentally, that handle, eat, and drink the signs and seals of his true body: but because they want faith, they want the means to receive Christ himself. Thus many have been baptised, that were never regenerated and inwardly purged, a Act. 8, 23. appeareth in Simon the sorcerer whose heart was not uptight, so that albeit he were partaker of the Sacrament of regeneration and repentance, yet he remained in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity. So many have resorted to the Lords Supper, that never drew nourishment or strength of faith from him to life and salvation: and thus many thousands in the world come to the Sacraments: but because they come unworthily, they depart away unprofitably. Let no man therefore slatter himself in the work done, but labour to come aright, that so he may find comfort to his soul. Moreover, some neither receive Christ spiritually nor sacramentally: and such are they that never come to Christ nor receive the sacraments of Christ: such are they that live cut of the bosom of the Church, as it were out of the Ark of Noah, as Infidels, jews, Turks, Sarizens, Persians, and such like, these must needs perish in the deep floods of Gods endless judgements. For as Christ is the fountain of life, and the wellspring of all b C●●. 1, 19 & ●, ●. heavenly treasures that accompany salvation, and the Sacraments his instruments whereby these graces are conveyed unto us, & the Church the parties to whom both these belong: so such as are without Christ, without the Sacraments, without grace, without the Church, and consequently without the privileges that pertain to the heirs of his eternal kingdom, lie in darkness and in the shadow of death, c Mat ●5, 26. and are as Dogs to whom the children's bread doth not belong. Lastly, other receive Christ both spiritually by faith, & sacramentally with the mouth, who are partakers both of the signs and of the things signified, who ●●g Tract. ●5▪ ●4 johan eat of the bread of the Lord and the bread which is the Lords. And thus the Apostles that sat at the table with Christ at his last Supper, did receive him, applying the outward part to their bodies, and the inward part to their souls. Also thus all the faithful that come to the table of Christ to the end of the world, do receive him spiritually and sacramentally to the great comfort of their own souls: and thus must every one of us seek to come to Christ whensoever we come to the Sacrament of Christ. Wherefore, we see what difference & distinction is to be made between those that receive Christ, that we be not deceived in the manner of the receiving of him. Again, seeing only the faithful are the inward part of Use 2 this Sacrament, it is not to be administered to such as show themselves unfaithful and unrepentant, so far as they may be known so to be. Such as are without faith, without repentance, without sanctification, have no right and interest in this blessed communion. For if every one should without difference be admitted and received: the Church of God which is a blessed fellowship of Saints, should be turned into a sty of unclean swine, a stable of unclean beasts, a cage of unclean birds, and as Christ speaketh, the e joh. 2, 16. Luke 19, 46. house of God should be made a den of thieves. God did shut out of his f Ezek. 44, 9 sanctuary every stranger uncircumcised in heart and in the flesh: he commanded also the Priests to put a difference between the holy and profane, between the clean and unclean. Hitherto belongeth that saying of Christ, Matthew 7. Give ye not that which is holy to dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they tread you under their feet, and turning again all to rend you. If therefore such as remain in gross and open sins of blasphemy, swearing, contempt of God's word, adultery, fornication, uncleanness, wantonness, drunkenness, maliciousness, and such like, offer themselves at any time with the rest of the members of the Church to partake this Supper, and as it were infectious lepers come into the Lord's host g levit. 13, ●. 45, 46. Num. 5, ●, 3. to be admitted to the sacrifices: it is the Pastor's duty to use the power of the keys, and bar them from this Sacrament, until there appear in them the testimonies of repentance, and the confession of their offences. Should not the shepherd sever the rotten and infected sheep from the rest of the fold? Doth not h 1 Cor. 5, 6. a little leaven sour the whole lump? Will an housholdder admit into his house every one that vaunteth himself to be of the household? The Idolaters by the light of nature, i Hesiod liber oper & dier. Eustath. in Iliad lib. 1. Virg. Aeneid. lib. 2. & 6. would not suffer all to approach to their sacrifices, their heathenish sacrifices, but cried out that profane persons should be packing and get them thence, and not ⁱ presume to offer with unwashen hands. Such as have a very clear fountain and spring of waters committed unto them, if they see filthy swine come toward it, k Chrys hom. 83 in Mat cap 37. must not suffer them to trouble the spring and annoy the water. Shall they then that have the sacred and hallowed spring, not of common water, but of the precious blood of Christ springing up to eternal life committed unto them, l Zeph. 3, 4. suffer such as are notoriously defiled with sin, to profane the blood of Christ, and make a mock of him to their own destruction? Wherefore such as are open wicked persons are not without open repentance to be admitted to the Sacram. of the Supper, but to be separated from the Church as dead members from the body, as withered branches from the tree, and as rotten sheep from the flock, m 1 Co. 5 7. that the rest may be preserved in sound doctrine and in innocency of life and conversation. Use 3 Moreover, if only the faithful receive Christ, let every one prepare a true and lively faith in his heart. It is not enough to have the bodily hand to receive, the mouth to taste, and stomach to digest: but we must bring with us the hand of faith. For this holy Supper, albeit by God's ordinance it be a spiritual thing, yet through the unworthiness of the receivers, it becometh a mere corporal and earthly thing. The passover was a lively figure of Christ, o Revel. ●3. 8 representing the lamb slain from the beginning of the world: but such as did eat thereof unworthily, it was to them an instrument of destruction, and as the messenger of death. judas was one of the twelve, and did eat the Paschall lamb with the rest, but he did not eat Christ with the rest: he did receive damnation to himself, p joh 13.2. Satan entering into him, and procuring the confusion of soul and body. It seemeth he received not the Supper of the Lord, q joh. 13, 30. forasmuch as the Evangelist noteth, that as soon as he had received the sop, he went immediately out. Wherefore r Luke 22, 21. that which Luke affirms, ch. 22. Behold the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me at the Table, albeit it be set down after the supper, yet was uttered before supper, according to the usual manner of the Scripture, which transporteth things done before, to that which is afterward, as appeareth plainly in the words following. And therefore it is a sure and certain rule, that all things are not set down in the old and new Testament in order as they were done; but oftentimes that is set down after, which was done before; and before, which was done after, Besides, after that the Supper was ended and a Psalm sung, Mat. 26, 30. Christ went out into the mount of Olives; now if judas had stayed till the Supper had been ended, he could not have made such preparation at a sudden to get together those that should take jesus: for there came with him a great multitude with swords and staves from the chief Priests and Elders of the people. The council and convocation of the chief Priests, and the Scribes, and the pharisees, and the Elders, and their sitting in judgement determining what to do, required some time, and before judas could receive a band of men from them, it must take up more time: to omit the time spent in departing from Christ and in returning unto Christ again, which could not be done speedily, and therefore no doubt he was gone before. As than Christ bade him do quickly that which he did, so he stayed not, but was glad he was gone from his sight and company. Thirdly, it cannot be but the guiltiness of the conscience of judas did accuse him and sting him who had been with the high Priests and covenanted with them to betray his Master, especially seeing Christ our Saviour was evermore speaking of it, and putting his Disciples in mind that one of them should betray him. joh. 8, 7, ● It is noted touching the Scribes and pharisees, that when Christ willed him that was without sin to cast the first stone at her that was taken in adultery, They being convicted by their own conscience went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last. So likewise he feeling an hell and horror in his conscience, and knowing that (notwithstanding his secret plotting) his devilish dealing was detected and his profane heart espied, could not abide to have his sore touched, but no doubt made all haste to be gone out of the sight & presence of his Master. Lastly, this was done by the special providence and appointment of God, who would show thereby, that wicked men and hypocrites which lead a life unworthy the profession of the Gospel, are not to be admitted to the Lords Supper. And this is the judgement of sundry writers s Hil in Mat c. 30 & lib. 8. de Trinitate. Clem Rom. con. lib. 2. cap. 61. both old and new. But inasmuch as he was present at the passover, which was a figure of the passion of Christ, God by this over fearful example teacheth, that he never suffereth the abuse of his Sacraments to go unpunished. The Apostle saith, 1 Cor. 11. He that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh his own judgement: t Zanch. de redemp. lib. 1. cap. 19 and ●6. Beza in joh. 13. & Tractat. de excem. for this cause many are sick and weak among you, and many sleep: ungodly persons that lie and live in sin, together with all impenitent persons, attribute too much to the outward sign, & rest therein as in the comfort of their souls. Adam thought after his fall, if he could reach out his hand & take the fruit of the tree of life and eat thereof, Gen. 3, 22. he should live for ever. For these words used in that place, Lest he put forth his hand to the tree of life, and eat and live for ever: do respect the purpose and intent of the man, not the event and issue of the matter: inasmuch as the eating of that fruit all the days of his life could not give grace, or restore him to that life he had lost, and to that high estate from whence he was fallen. Now as he imagined if he could but taste of the tree of life again, it should go well with him: so his posterity in all ages, dream of a secret power inherent in the Sacraments, whereas by taking the same unworthily, and by judging of them corruptly, sin is increased, God is offended, and the punishment is doubled. The Ark was a testimony of God's presence, a witness of his love and league with man, and an assured sign that God would make his dwelling place among them, that he would abide with them, that he would walk before them, that he would be their gracious God, and that they should be his people: but the Priests, Elders, and people, attributed overmuch unto it, and far greater things than they ought, they said, a 1 Sam. 4, 3. Wherefore hath the Lord smitten us this day before the Philistims? Let us bring the Ark of the covenant of the Lord out of shiloth unto us, that when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hands of our enemies. Even as the Church of Rome, when any judgement or calamity is upon them, carry forth their breaden-God on procession, hold him up to be seen, and adored, and thereby think to have themselves delivered, and God's wrath to be appeased. These never thought of turning to God with all their hearts, and of changing their lives: but ascribe salvation and deliverance to the Ark itself, and attribute power to the outward sign, which of itself and in itself was no better than a few boards joined together, and therefore through their vain confidence c 1 Sam 4, 10 etc., they were destroyed, the Ark was taken, the two sons of Ely were slain, and the whole host was discomfited. Thus is it with the Sacrament, and with such as come without faith to the Sacrament. The Sacrament indeed is holy, the sacramental rites are holy, the bread and wine are holy: but let them be received of persons that are profane and unholy, they make the Sacraments to themselves unholy, so far are they from conferring grace and holiness to all receivers of them. For can the Sacraments make him holy that is unholy? Or a godly man that is ungodly? Or make him to fear an oath, that is a blasphemer? They cannot: nay to such the Sacraments become unholy, and the receivers grow more unholy, as judas did after the partaking of the passover. Wherefore God as a just judge would drive Adam out of the garden of Eden, lest putting forth his hand to the tree of life, he should d Gen. 3, 22. take and receive it unworthily, thereby e Mercer in 3. cap. Gen. Aralis. Franc. jun. in Gen. profaning the Sacrament, and so eat to himself judgement. The sacrifices were holy ordinances of God, yet when men that lived ungodly came unto them, they turned to be sin to them: so is it with all those that come without faith & feeling to the Supper of the Lord, let us not therefore be faithless but faithful. Lastly, if the faithful only receive with profit: then Use 4 such as are hypocrites and wicked livers cannot be partakers of the body and blood of Christ, no more than God and Satan can be joined together. True it is, such may receive the bare signs, but they receive them to their condemnation, because f Wicked men do not receive Christ. through want of faith & repentance they offend God, repel Christ from them and all his benefits, and draw unto themselves temporal and eternal punishments. For no man can eat Christ, and withal eat his own damnation. Again, whosoever eateth the flesh of Christ and drinketh his blood, shall live for ever, and hath Christ dwelling in him to salvation (for Christ can never be separated from his saving graces) but the ungodly shall not live for ever by Christ with God. For Christ is not eaten with the teeth or mouth, as in the Gospel he directly determineth, joh. 6. Whosoever eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life: my flesh is meat indeed, my blood is drink indeed, g joh. 6, 14. he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me and I in him. But Infidels and wicked persons have not eternal life, neither abide in Christ, therefore by the doctrine of Christ our Saviour, h A●g. tract. in 〈◊〉. 25. they neither eat his flesh, nor drink his blood. We must open the eyes of our faith to behold him, and the mouth of our soul to receive him: for by faith only we are made partakers of him, which the ungodly want, he that i joh. 4, 14. drinketh of the blood of Christ shall never be more athirst. Thirdly, we know that Satan the Prince of darkness ruleth in all the hearts of the children of disobedience, and sitteth in their Consciences 2 Cor. 14, 4. as the God of this world, and filleth them full of iniquity, as we see in the example of judas. Now if these receive the body of Christ: then Christ and the devil should dwell in one subject together, and be joint possessors of one and the same house: Luk. 11, 21. but this cannot be: these cannot be at one: these can never be friends reconciled: there is no m 2 Cor. ●, 14 fellowship between righteousness and unrighteousness, there is no communion between light and darkness, there is no concord between Christ and Bel all. Fourthly, the Apostle teacheth, that where Christ is n Rom. 8, 9 he worketh mortification and dying to sin, Rom. 8. If any have not the spirit of Christ, the same is not his: and if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life for righteousness sake. But the wicked are not dead to sin, they are dead in their sins and trespasses: and they have sin not only remaining but reigning in them, therefore Christ cannot be in them. Fiftly, where Christ is, there are all things necessary to salvation: and to whom God giveth his Son, o Rom 8, 31. to him he giveth justification, sanctification, redemption, repentance, remission of sins, and eternal life, as Rom. 8. If God be on our side, who shall be against us? Who spared not his own Son, but gave him for us all to death, how should he not with him give us all things also? But the wicked have not these gifts accompanying salvation, they are not justified, they are not sanctified, they are not regenerated: therefore they cannot have Christ from whom these flow. Sixtly, we are charged to try and p 2 Cor. 13, 5. prove our own hearts, whether Christ be in us or not, that thereby we may discern of our estate and standing in the faith. 2 Cor. 13. Prove yourselves whether ye are in faith: examine yourselves, know ye not your own selves, how that jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? To what purpose serveth this trial and examination, if Christ may be in us and yet we remain rejected? Wherefore Christ cannot be in us, if we be not approved, but refused of God. seventhly, if such as eat the bread of the Lord unworthily, do withal eat the body of Christ, it will follow from hence, that to eat is no longer to eat, but to reject and refuse. For these two (take ye, and eat ye,) are joined together by Christ himself: so that the eating itself is a kind of receiving. As than he that refuseth the bread cannot be said to eat the bread▪ so they which reject the body of Christ, cannot eat the body of Christ: for if they did eat it, they would also take it and receive it. Lastly, the Apostle chargeth the Church of the Corinthians, not to eat things sacrificed to Idols in q 1 Cor. 10, 20. the Idols temple, because they cannot be partakers of Christ and the devil, nor drink of the cup of Christ and of the cup of devils. 1 Cor 10, 20. These things which the Gentiles sacr●fice, they sacrifice them to devils and not unto God and I would not that ye should have fellowship with the devils, ye cannot b e partakers of the Lords Table and of the table of devils. Where he showeth that a man may come polluted with Idol sacrifices to the Lords Supper, but then he cannot be partaker of Christ indeed and in truth. Thus we see the doctrine of the Church of Rome stricken to the ground, which hold it as a principle of their faith, and teach it to others, that wicked men do receive & eat r Bel. de Sacra. Euch. li 1 c. 14 Lumb. lib. 4. sen. dist. 9 ca 2. Christ himself in the Supper, making Christ indeed to be no Christ. For whereas we have showed, that this Sacrament consisteth of the outward signs which are bread and wine, and the inward truth represented by them which is Christ's body and blood, according to the doctrine of the holy Scripture, and the common consent of all antiquity: the Romanists have turned this truth topsy-turvy, & have laid a new platform of the parts of the Supper. Hence it is, that they have abolished the signs of bread and wine, s Bellar. de Sacra. Euch. lib. 1. cap▪ 13. and make Christ jesus an outward part, as it were thrusting him out of the doors to be received of all both good and bad, and the grace of Christ to be the inward part taken only of the faithful. Thus they make a divorcement and a separation between Christ and his saving graces, which can never be parted and divided. For whosoever receiveth Christ, partaketh the merits and graces of Christ: and whosoever enjoyeth the graces of Christ, embraceth withal Christ himself. Besides, if Christ be the sign, and the sanctifying graces of Christ the thing signified, according to the rule of the Church of Rome: what shall we say of the accidents and shows of bread and wine, whereunto shall they be reduced? What part shall they act and play in this Comedy? Wherefore we hold it as a strong truth, which we have evinced by sundry reasons, that wicked men are not made partakers of Christ. CHAP. XII. Of the first use of the Lords Supper. HItherto we have spoken of all the parts of this Sacrament, as well outward as inward, which is the first point to be considered in the doctrine of them as we showed before: now we are to handle▪ the uses or ends of the Lords Supper, which are a Three ends o● the Lord● Supper. principally these three: first to show forth with thanksgiving, the death, Cross, and sufferings of Christ. Secondly, to teach us our communion and growth with and in Christ. Thirdly, to declare our communion and growth in and with our brethren. In these three standeth the knowledge of those rich and great benefits which are bestowed upon all worthy communicants, which have sanctified and prepared their hearts for this holy action. These things being duly considered, b The false ends o● this sacrament rehearsed & ●e●elled. do directly condemn the Church of Rome, who burying these true ends of the Lords Supper, the commemoration of his passion, the merit of his cross, our communion with Christ, and our fellowship one with another, have altered it like the shipman's hose into all forms and fashions, and make it profitable for all purposes, for peace and war▪ for tempests and calm weather, for the fruits of the earth, and distemperature of the air, for the whole and sick, for men and beasts, for the living and for the dead. And to begin with the last, as none of the least corruptions of this Sacrament, it was concluded in a Counsel, that as a prayer therein is made for the living, c Con Cabi●. c●●. 33. so the remembrance of the dead is to be made in all Masses. It is adjudged an excellent remedy against storms and tempests of the sea, and therefore all seamen are warned in times of danger to call to their minds and remember to sing the Masses which are accustomed to be sung for tempests. And as they make it good in storms: so they make it serve their turn in the day of battle to save them from the sword of the enemy; for the Priests are charged to say the Masses used for them that go to wars. Besides these abuses, they make it available to purge and clear offenders suspected of any crime, d Num. 5, ●9. like the bitter and cursed waters, making trial of the suspected wife, whereupon the Counsel of worms determineth, that If any in the Monestary be suspected of theft, let him be purged by the taking of the Sacrament. Thus Sybicon Bishop of Spire in the Counsel of Mentz, did by it purge himself of adultery, about the year 110. an use never intended by the Spirit of God, nor practised by any of the Apostles, to institute it to discover secrets. Like wise, sometimes it is taken to be good against enchanters and enchantments: sometimes to be good for the remedy and recovery of sickness, to deliver souls out of purgatory, to preserve from the plague, to save cattle, to cure the fever, to recover again things lost, to take away tooth ache, to clear the eyes, and what not. For we shall hear of greater impieties than these. They make the Lords Supper a sacrifice not only profitable to save men from death, but available to deliver their Pigs and their swine from diseases. For they have a Mass commonly called the Mass of Saint Anthony. The Mass of Saint Anthony A●an. de Sacra. Euchar. cap. 32 Yea if a poor woman's hen be sick and ready to be lost, she may procure a mass to be said for it. And no marvel, for although no good redound hereby to the party, yet some gain shall return to the Priest, who if he see no money will say no Mass. But all this is nothing in comparison of that which now you shall hear. For these miscreants and monsters do abuse the Supper of the Lord to cover and conceal most vile and shameful practices and horrible designs plotted among them, and so make the Sacrament of God a sacrifice of the Devil. It is now grown to be a common custom, See the treatise of the powder treason. when they consort themselves together and attempt unnatural villainies and rebellions for the destruction of Prince and people, & for the overthrow of the Church and true religion, to combine themselves in one for further secrecy, by taking the Sacrament, as appeareth by sundry examples in the late powder treason: as if Christ had ordained it to hide falsehood rather than to help our faith. Neither is this only a fault in practice, but an error in doctrine. For whatsoever is revealed to the Priest under the seal of confession, they hold to be so sacred and secret, T●●● 〈…〉. 10. that it ought not to be broken up or made known to others, thought it should concern his own life and save the whole kingdom. And furthermore they teach that in treacheries and conspiracies against Kings and Princes, they may bind their consorts and confederates to keep silence by receiving of the Sacrament, as appeareth by the late examples of Garnet, Oldcorne, and other jesuits. Thus is the holy Supper made a provocation to treason: as if it had been institued not to testify our piety toward God, but to manifest our disloyalty toward Princes: not to show the death of Christ, but to procure the murdering of Kings: not to declare openly out profession, but to conceal privily wickedness and rebellion. All these fancies and supposed ends of this Sacrament agree not with the institution of CHRIST, nor with the former uses set down, which now we come to handle and to prove out of the doctrine of the Apostles themselves. Touching the first and principal end that is, the remembrance, meditation, and showing forth the death of Chrst with all thanksgiving: this he commanded to us at his last departing from us, which ought much to stick in our minds, because the last words of a dear friend ready to part from us, do oftentimes leave behind both deep impressions and devout affections in us. Indeed when we read of the passion and death of Christ, it doth much move us: to hear it opened & expounded, it moveth in a farther degree: but more than these, to have before our eyes a visible representation of the crucifying of Christ in his last Supper, doth move us most of all. The institution of this Sacrament he did in wisdom reserve till the approaching of his death, that we might not forget him when he is gone from us. So God the Father after the universal flood drowning the whole world, for a remembrance of his mercy in delivering Noah and his family from the waters, and of his promise made f Gen. 9, 14. never to destroy it so again: left to them and all posterity the Rainbow. When he had justly smitten the first borne of the Egyptians, and graciously saved the first borne of Israel: he commanded Moses g Exo 13, 1, 2. to sanctify to him all the first borne that first openeth the womb, to remember the day in which they came out of the land of Egypt. When he had miraculously said the Israelites with Manna from heaven, that men did eat Angel's food, h Exod. 16, 32 he would have a golden pot full of it to be reserved in the Ark of remembrance, for the better remembrance of so great a work. So likewise being delivered by the precious blood of Christ from the floods of sin that have gone over our heads, and eased of the heavy burden that pressed down our hearts: we have received baptism to keep us in remembrance thereof, that we are cleansed from the filthiness of sin. Again, being nourished with Christ's body crucified, and his blood shed for us, we are commanded to use this mystery, to continue an holy remembrance of his death and passion to our endless comfort. This end, to wit, to be to us a remembrance of Christ's sacrifice on the Cross, is taught by the Apostle, So often as ye shall eat of this bread and drink of this cup, i Luk. 22, 19 ye show the Lords death till he come. In like manner the Evangelist Luke of the bread saith, Do this in remembrance of me: and of the cup, Do this as oft as ye shall drink it in remembrance of me, by declaring his death. And we declare the Lords death, when we publicly confess with our mouth, and believe with the heart, that our whole hope and affiance for life and salvation is surely set in the Lord's death, that we may glorify him by our confession, and exhort others by our example to glorify him, because his death is our life, his passion is our salvation, his suffering is our rejoicing. We ourselves are the principal and proper causes that he was torn and tormented: our sins wounded him, we ourselves crucified him: we, even we are the causes, for he was chastised for us, that by death he might deliver us from death, and from Heb. 2, 14. him that had the power of death. Our evil motions, our vile thoughts, our corrupt words, and our sinful works, did set on work Pontius Pilate, Herod, Annas, Caiphas, Iuda●, the Gentiles and the jews, who were but instruments, as the Cross, nails, the hammer, and spear: these were as our servants and workmen, in the evil action of his crucifying. We are all of us ready to accuse and condemn these men, we complain against them, and pronounce sentence upon them, because they offered so great injuries to our sweet Saviour. We lay all the blame upon others, we stick not to call Pilate a corrupt judge; Herod a time-seruer and a man-pleaser: Annas and Caiphas' brethren in evil; judas the son of perdition: the jews and Gentiles notorious offenders: but all this while we have forgotten ourselves. Wherefore, to speak the truth, not Satan the tempter, not judas the traitor, not Caiphas the high-Priest, not Pilate the chief judge, not the jews that conspired against him, not the false witnesses that accused him, not the band of men that scorned him, not the passengers that nodded their heads at him, not the soldier that pierced him, not the executioners that railed at him, and nailed him on the cross, are so much to be accused and reproved for his sufferings, as we, we I say ourselves and our own sins. Not that we can excuse those cursed instruments that crucified the Lord of glory, who shall receive according to their works, l Z●ch. 12, 10. job. 19, 37. when they shall see him whom they have pierced, but to teach us chief to accuse and condemn ourselves. We bond him with cords, we beat him with rods, we buffeted him with fists, we crowned him with thorns, we reviled him with our mouths, we railed at him with reproaches, we nodded at him with our heads, we thrust him through with spears, we betrayed him with a kiss, we pierced his hands & feet with nails, we crucified him between two thieves, we condemned him through false witnesses, we poured shame and contempt upon his person, we judged him as plagued and smitten of God. For inasmuch as our faults and offences procured these things to be done unto him, we were the doers by them, and the dealers in them, and the causes of them. And surely, than we are profitably grounded in the doctrine of the m Who they are that profit aright by Christ's passion passion of Christ, when our hearts cease to sin, and we are pricked with an inward grief of those great and grievous transgressions, n 1 joh. 3, 6. Esay 53, 5, 6. whereby as with spears, we pierced the side and wounded the very soul of the immaculate lamb of God, as joh. 3. Who so sinneth, neither hath seen him, nor known him. And the Prophet Esay teacheth, cha. 53. He was wounded for our transgressions, he was broken for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed: the Lord hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all. Seeing then Christ was slain for our sins, let us kill sin in ourselves; seeing he died for us, let us labour that sin may be dead in us: seeing he was crucified for us and our salvation, let us crucify our own lusts that they reign not in our mortal bodies: seeing his heart was pierced with a spear, let us have our hearts thrust through, pierced and pricked with unfeigned sorrow for all our iniquities. This is the right use, this is the true end, this is the sound comfort following and flowing from the death of Christ. To conclude, we must learn and hold for ever, that we have the beginning and chief cause in ourselves, which did crucify Christ and crush him with most bitter sorrows: let us then be revenged of our sins, and do all despite we can unto them: let us indite them, arraign them, accuse them, condemn them and nail them to his cross: let us kill them, mortify them, and bury them in his grave for ever. This is the first end of the supper, which is signified by the breaking of the bread and pouring out of the wine, declaring unto us, that as the body of our Lord was broken, and by violent means afflicted, so his blood gushed out and flowed plentifully out of his gaping and bleeding wounds. This must be our meditation whensoever we come to the Lords table. For the passion of Christ, as the breaking of his body upon the cross, the pouring out of his blood, and the separating of the Soul from the body, must be both spoken of by the Pastor, and remembered by the receiver in the Supper if the one would deliver it faithfully, and the other receive it fruitfully. We must call to mind that Christ humbled himself to death for us, even to the accursed death of the cross, that he apprehended and felt the whole wrath of God upon him in Soul and body, whereby he was brought into a grievous agony; his body being rend with nails, beaten with scourges, pricked with thorns, pierced with a spear, and his Soul pressed with the burden of all our sins which were cast upon his shoulders, he standing as a pledge and surety in our places. What shall we return unto him for this mercy, and what love ought we to render for this great love? Shall we not crush the very head of sin, that hath thus crushed our head? Let us not therefore wound him that hath cured us: nor pierce him with our sins, that was killed for our sins, or crucify him by the lusts of the old man who was crucified to make us new men. And thus much of the first end of the Lords Supper. CHAP. XIII. Of the second use of the Lords Supper. THe second use of the Lords Supper is our spiritual union and communion with Christ. 1 Cor. 10 16, This the Apostle declareth, The cup of blessing which we bless▪ is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? Whereby he meaneth, that the faithful which come conscionably & worthily to the lords table, are joined and united wholly to Christ, by the bread Sacramentally, by faith instrumentally, by the Holy ghost spiritually, and by them almost effectually. For we take the bread in our hands, and likewise we take the cup into our hands as Christ commanded, saying, b Mat. 26, 26. Take ye, eat ye, drink ye, divide ye, Neither do we lay them apart, or hide them aside, or reserve them in a box, or abstain from them: but when we have taken them, we eat them, we digest them, we are nourished by them, and they are turned into our substance. So Christ, being eaten of the godly by saith, is united to them by his spirit (as we have showed before) whereby they are made one with Christ and he one with them. And as meat plentifully prepared, daintily dressed, and only seen upon the table, doth not nourish the body, or take away hunger: so if the Gospel be preached, and the Sacraments administered, except we apply the promises of the gospel, and believe that Christ with all his gifts is ours, they profit nothing towards our salvation. Such therefore as lawfully and worthily come to the Lords Supper, as to a table richly furnished, and to a banquet liberally provided, must not only generally believe that Christ suffered in the flesh and died for sinners, but c Gal. 2, 20 particularly for themselves, yea communicateth himself and all his gifts unto them abundantly, as certainly as themselves eat of the bread and drink of the cup. This union and communion is near, and wonderful great: and therefore the Apostle fitly calleth it a mystery, even d Eph. 5, 32. a great mystery, speaking of Christ & of the Church. For what union can be greater than that which is between the thing nourishing, and the thing nourished? We have nothing in Adam, but that which conveyeth death unto us: so that it is needful to be joined to one which may give life to us, that as we die in Adam, e Rom. 5, 19 so we may live in him. This union cannot by reason be expressed, or fully understood. As Christ in the days of his flesh, had a double kindred, one earthly and carnal kindred, the other spiritual, that by faith received his word, and believed in his name, of whom he said, f Mat. 12, 44. Behold my mother and my brethren; for whosoever shall do my Father's will, which is in heaven, the same is my brother, sister, and mother: so is it in this union and fellowship with him, one is outward & bodily, which all mankind hath with him, in that he is partaker of our flesh and blood, the other inward & spiritual, whereby we are made partakers of him and of all his saving graces to everlasting life. As Christ was borne of the Virgin Mary & united our nature to him, taking upon him, g Heb. 2, 16. not the Angel's nature, but the seed of Abraham, every reprobate hath this union with him, in that he took upon him the shape of a man: but there is a mystical and marvelous union, whereby he dwelleth in us by faith, whereby we are truly coupled to him, made partakers of him, delivered from sin, and made heirs of everlasting life, quickening and sustaining us, as food which preserveth the life of the body. If the arm joined to the body have no life, no sense, no benefit of vital spirits, it is no part of the body, though it be united to it: so the wicked living without faith, are as it were senseless, they have no forgiveness of sins, no sanctification, no salvation, and therefore are no true members of Christ. If he pour not life and grace into them, they are not his members: if he kill not sin in them, they are not united spiritually unto him. The bodily union with him shall profit nothing: it is the Spirit that giveth life. Seeing then the receiving of the bread and wine which Use 1 turn into our substance, teacheth the mystical union between Christ and his members: we learn from hence, that all the faithful and godly are truly made partakers of Christ and his graces, as the members receive life from the head, and the tree moisture from the root. For even as the wife joined to her husband in marriage, is thereby made partaker of his body and goods, hath interest with him in the commodities of this life, g Gen. 20.16. and looketh for nourishment, food, fellowship, protection, and government from him: so being made one with Christ, we are endued with his heavenly gifts and blessings. This must be our comfort in all dangers and temptations in all trials and assaults, to consider that we are one with Christ, we are not only dear unto him, but nearly joined with him, as members to the head, as the wife to the husband, and as the branches to the vine, and therefore can never be separated from him in life or death. We have in him a communion of goods, so that as he hath taken upon him our sins and the punishments of them, so he hath again communicated to us his righteousness and life, and we may through his free gift challenge as our own whatsoever is his. We see in the corporal marriage, so long as one is rich, the other cannot be poor. The Lord is our shepherd, Psal 23, 1. what then can we want? Christ jesus is rich to all that call upon him, he is become all things unto us; the light by which we see: the life by which we live: the way wherein we must walk: the door by which we must enter: the garment which we must put on: the food whereby we must be nourished and strengthened. Of ourselves we are void of all good things. We live in darkness and in the shadow of death: we are borne dead in sins and trespasses: we wander wide out of the way: we have no entrance into God's kingdom: the shame of our nakedness appeareth to the loathing of our persons. But through CHRIST JESUS, both these defects are taken away, and all the merits of his passion are made ours through this union which we have in him sealed up unto us in this Sacrament. Use 2, Secondly, this strait uniting of the faithful to Christ showeth plainly that the ungodly have no part nor fellowship in him and with his graces: though they be joined to a communion of the same nature, and have many common gifts of knowledge and understanding, yet Christ never dwelleth in them with his saving graces, and with his spirit of sanctification; he possesseth not their hearts; he worketh not in them a particular persuasion of their reconciliation to God▪ neither an hungering desire above all things to be at unity and peace with him, neither a distaste and dislike of sin, neither the comfortable Spirit of grace and prayer, all which are in some measure in all the faithful. Wherefore although they may be clothed with the flesh of Christ, they cannot be said to be covered with the grace of Christ: although they be like unto him in regard of this natural body, yet they are not endued with his heavenly Spirit: they have many privileges through him, but they want such as accompany salvation and seal up our redemption. Use 3 Lastly, have we a communion with Christ? then we may be assured by this holy Supper, that there is also between him and us a communion in all estates, and he is touched with a compassion of all our infirmities. In all our troubles he is troubled: in our afflictions he is afflicted: in our persecutions he is persecuted: and he that toucheth us, toucheth the apple of his eye. In the natural body, if at any time the foot be trodden upon, the head complaineth, Why hurt you me? and in the mystical body, if Saul make havoc of the Church at Damascus, the head in heaven crieth out by and by, Acts 9, 4. Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? This putteth us in mind of two things, one concerning Christ, the other concerning ourselves. First, is there such an union between us? Are we so nearly knit together as the husband and the wife, Similites expressing the vn●ō between Christ and us. as the head and the members, as the foundation of the house & the rest of the building, as the Vine and the branches, as the nourishment & the thing nourished? Let us learn hereby, how Christ is affected toward us, he suffereth with us when we suffer, 1 Cor. 12.16, and accounteth our chastisements as his own, even as when one member suffereth, all the members suffer with it. This is a notable comfort unto us in all sorrows, to consider that he is very compassionate and pitiful toward us: he hath a feeling of our miseries, and his soul is after a sort grieved for them. Secondly, as this showeth how he is affected toward us, so it teacheth how we should be affected toward him. If we be feeling members of his body, there is nothing done against him, or committed to the prejudice of his glory, but we should be grieved more than if it were done unto ourselves. Psal. 139, 21. The Prophet did hate them that hated the Lord, and was grieved with those that rose up against him. Rivers of waters did run down his eyes, Psal. 119, 136. because men kept not his law. But alas, where is this feeling to be found on our parts? When the Lord is spitefully abused and wounded even as it were unto the heart, who is wounded with him, or accounteth himself evilly entreated? We are as senseless men, and have not a tear to shed on his behalf, which argueth against us, and proveth to our faces, that the spiritual life is very weak in us, if there be any life at all. CHAP. XIIII. Of the third use of the Lords Supper. THe third use of the Lords Supper is a spiritual communion and growth with our a The 〈◊〉 Supper is the band of charity. brethren, to be one body with them, flowing from the Communion which we have with Christ. For as the union between brethren and sisters of the same blood and of the same flesh, springeth from the near conjunction they have from father and mother as from a fountain: and as the unity and concord among servants of the same society, ariseth by me●nes of the same Master: so the faithful that have communion with Christ, have likewise communion one with another. This Paul testifieth evidently, writing to the Corinthians, b ●o●. 1●, ●7 We that are many are one bread and one body, because we all are partakers of one bread. This is to be understood of that communion and fellowship which the members have one with another, who receive food and nourishment from the same Table, thereby professing themselves to be of the self same family & household. Besides, by the uniting together of many grains is made one bread: of many clusters of grapes, one wine is pressed out: so out of many members groweth up one body of the Church▪ which is the body of Christ. This maketh much to the reconciling, renewing, and maintaining of friendship, that we are all partakers of one bread made of many corns, and drink of the same cup of wine made of many clusters, c 1 Cor. 12, 13 as the Apostle setteth down, 1 Cor. 12 We are all made to drink into one Spirit. Wherefore we are not only to look to our union with Christ, but also our joining ourselves with them who are of the same mystical body, be they never so many that receive with us this holy Supper: in respect whereof, this Sacrament hath been called a communion. Use 1 Now let us consider what use may be made hereof to ourselves. Is this one end of the institution of Christ's last Supper▪ to lay before us our communion one with another? then what gifts soever we have received from Christ, we must employ them to the benefit & good of others. If God have given us knowledge, we must use it to instruct the ignorant: if the gift of zeal, we must apply it to kindle and stir up others to remember from whence they are fallen: if faith and sanctification, we must bestow them to the gaining and winning of others: if the outward things of this life & this world● good, we must communicate them to others, according to their want and our wealth, their poverty and our plenty. The Candle hath received light not for itself but for others. The trees bring forth fruit, the clouds drop down rain, the fountains send down water, the Sun shineth, the earth flourisheth, the Bee gathereth, the beast laboureth, to profit others: And wherefore have we all received moisture from the root, light from the Sun, fruit from the tree, water from the fountain, even life from Christ, but to impart it to others as freely as we received: This is taught us in many places: c 1 Pet. 4, 10. 1 Cor. 12.7. Let every man as he hath received the gift minister the same one to another. And in another place, The manifestation of the Spirit to given to every man to profit withal: God hath tempered the body together, lest there should be any division in the body, that the members might have the same care one of another. So then the gifts that we have received, of understanding, wisdom, zeal, exhortation, reprehension, and whatsoever gifts external, internal, or eternal: let us consider that we are stewards not masters of them, and therefore must render and give an account unto the author and giver of them, when he shall say, Give an account of thy stewardship, d Luk. 16, 12. for thou mayst be no longer Steward. Again, is the Lords Supper the bond of charity? And Use 2, doth it put us in mind of our communion with the Saints, and fellowship which one hath with another? then all such as receive the same doctrine, embrace the same religion, & meet at the same table, e Aug. tract. 26 in johan. must be united in Christian love, gentleness, meekness, and patience one toward another, supporting one another, bearing the burden one of another, being alike affected and disposed, guided by one spirit, nourished by the milk of the same word, acknowledging one Father, professing one faith, living in one body, walking in one calling, looking for one kingdom, worshipping one LORD▪ meeting at one Supper, and washed with one Baptism for our regeneration and sanctification f Eph. 4, 1, 2, ● Ruth. 1, 16, 1● according to the saying of the Apostle, Ephesians 4. Walk worthy of the vocation whereunto ye are called, endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spir t in the bond of peace, there is one body and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your vocation, There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, which is above all, and through all, and in you all. And in the same g Phil. 2.1 ●. 3 Epistle to the Philippians, If there be any consolation in Christ▪ i● any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any compassion and mercy: fulfil my joy, that ye be like minded, having the same love, being of one accord and of one judgement, that nothing be done through contention. And Luke Act. 4. describing the h Act. 4, 3●. notes of the Church of Christ, saith, The whole multitude of them that believed were of one heart and one soul, neither any of them said, that any thing of that which he possessed was his own, but they had all things common. Let us acknowledge ourselves to be fellows of one household, and members of one body: and evermore bring with us this fruit of love to the Lords Supper, otherwise we shall never be the Lords guests. If brethren that are the children of the same father, malice and malign one another, will not the father be angry? And if fellow-servants brought up in one family fall together by the ears, will not their Master be displeased and offended? Seeing then God hath vouchsafed to call us his children, to admit us into his house, to nourish us at his own Table, and to preserve and reserve us to his heavenly kingdom: he will take from us all these privileges and prerogatives if we be hateful and hating one another, and deal with us, not as with his own children, but as with his utter enemy's: Use 3 Lastly, this end of the Supper serveth to reprove all such as profess their union with Christ the head, but hold not the bond of peace among themselves, who do much deceive themselves and fail in the duty which he requireth of them. For whosoever is fast and firmly united unto the head, must needs be more firmly united unto the the body, because all the life that is in the body proceedeth from the head. We must not therefore think that love is required only in preparing ourselves to this Sacrament, but it standeth us greatly upon, to come in love, to departed in love, and to continue in love: yea as we increase the times of receiving, 〈◊〉. 4, 10. drawing near to the Table of the Lord again and again, so we should labour to increase in love & as it were to double our affection toward our brethren. It is a vain thing solemnly to profess before God and men and the holy Angels and all the world, that we come in love and are in charity with all persons, if by and by we be ready upon the least occasion to take up hatred and contention, and to fall out one with another. For we shall need no ●●her witness against us to seal up our condemnation, than this Sacrament of the Supper, except we shun and shake off these vipers, not from our hands, but from our hearts. All such as come with envy, hatred, rancour, malice, and desire of mischief, are as a generation of vipers, seeking to eat out the bowels one of another: because these are as it were the poison or venom of the mind. Let us not make the seal of righteousness to be a sign unto us of certain judgement hanging over our heads, 1 Cor. 11, 18.30. as it fell out among the Corinthians, who nourished divisions among them & therefore were justly and sharply chastened of God many ways. Do not the members of our natural body love one another? Yes they seek the good one of another: the foot envieth not the hand; nor the hand the eye; nor the eye the heart. It would be strange in nature to see the hands beat and tear the face or the feet: then what is it but even monstrous in religion for one Christian to devour another, to pray upon another, to swell against another, and to do hurt one to another. There is no difference of grapes when they are all in the winepress: so there is no difference of Christians (in respect of Christ) coming to his Table; so that being made one body in Christ, there ought to be no division or contention among us, but we should be knit together in love with so firm and fast a knot as may not be broken. Thus much of the third and last end of the Lords Supper. CHAP. XV. Of Examination before the Lords Supper. WHat the Supper of the Lord is, what are the parts and uses thereof, and what an heavenly banquet it is for all worthy receivers, hath hitherto been sufficiently declared: now it followeth to set down a Examination necessary before we come to the Lords Table. the way & means how we may come worthily. For the whole fruit of this Sacrament standeth in the right partaking thereof. The right manner standeth in preparing ourselves to come, and in examining ourselves before we come. No great thing can be done well, without good care and endeavour. In all human b Cicer de ●s●sic lib. 1. things of any importance, nothing is attempted or achieved without some preparation more or less going before, according to the nature of the matter. Before men sit down to eat or drink their ordinary food, before they sleep, before they wash, before they walk, before they work, some preparation goeth before. Before the c rem. 4, 4. ground is tilled, it is prepared. Before the law was delivered, before the d Exo. 19, 10. Sabbath was sanctified, before the sacrifice was offered, before the passover was killed, before the word was received, before prayers were uttered, the heart was in some sort prepared. One of the greatest duties required of us, is to die well: whereunto all our life should be a preparation, and every day should be a meditation of death, that we may not be found unready & unprepared e Mat. 25, 13. when the bridegroom shall come. So the Supper of the Lord being an excellent mystery and the food of our souls, whereby we receive Christ's body and blood: there is required of every one, a trying, proving, and examining themselves, least seeking comfort by their coming, they bring upon themselves judgement through want of preparing. This truth delivered, hath the witness and consent f 2 Chr. 35.6. of many Scriptures for the confirmation thereof. The Prophet 2. Chron. 35. saith, Kill the passover and sanctify yourselves, and prepare your brethren, that they may do according to the word of the Lord by the hand of Moses. And the holy man job, when the days of the banqueting of his children were gone about, sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all. Also the wise man Eccle. 4. Take heed to thy foot when thou interest into the house of God, and be more near to hear, then to give the sacr●fice of fools, for they know not that they do evil. Likewise the Prophet jeremy, Lament. 3. Wherefore is the living man sorrowful? Man suffereth for his sin: let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord. To the same purpose the Prophet David saith, Psal. 4. Tremble and sin not, examine your own heart upon your bed and be still: and Psal. 119. I have considered my ways, and turned my feet into thy testimonies. The Apostle Paul is very direct in this point, as Gal 6.4. Let every man prove his own work: and then shall he have rejoicing in himself only, and not in any other. Also 1. Cor. 11. Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of this bread, and drink of this cup: where he speaketh of purpose of the Lords Supper. So than it is a duty required of all persons that come to the Lords Table, or any other exercise of religion to search their own hearts and consciences narrowly how they be affected & disposed touching the discharge of this duty. And if we would farther consider the necessity of this examination: we should find it standeth upon many sufficient g Reasons of this duty of examination. reasons and causes as upon certain foundations that cannot be removed. Do we not see men when they come into the presence of some honourable and noble person, h Gen. 41, 14. to address themselves to do it with all reverence? joseph being sent for, to come before Pharaoh King of Egypt shaved his head, and changed his raiment: and Prou. 23. When thou sittest down with a Ruler at meat, consider diligently what is before thee. Therefore when we sit at the Lords Table to sup with him, and are admitted to be his welcome guests: we ought much more to be careful to sanctify our souls with all solemnity. Consider with me a little our own practice. We will not put our ordinary meats in a dish unwashed, nor our common drinks into a cup uncleansed: and shall we put the signs of bread and wine which are chosen instruments to convey Christ unto us, into unsanctified souls, unprepared hearts, and filthy consciences? Doth not our Saviour Christ reprove such hypocrisy, when he saith, i Mat. 16, 3. Ye can discern the face of the sky, and can you not discern the signs of the times? And if that upper chamber, where the Supper was first administered, were trimmed and garnished: should not our hearts be prepared, into the which it is received? Shall Christ himself offer to come into our houses: and shall not we sanctify our hearts to entertain such a guest? This were too great carelessness and contempt. Moreover, weigh with me the profit that cometh to ourselves to move us to this examination. The comfort is great, the fruit is excellent, the benefit is unspeakable to those that partake the mystery of the Supper worthily, they receive Christ they receive remission of sins, they receive salvation, they receive assurance of eternal life. For, if the woman diseased l Math. 9, 20. with an issue of blood, lo twelve year, coming behind Christ, and touched only the hem of his: garment, was made whole; then assuredly the spiritual receiving of the body and blood of Christ shall not bring less profit, if the faith be equal, which notwithstanding is wholly lost without preparation. Ponder with me also how by neglect of this trial of ourselves, not only this profit is lost, but the Sacrament itself is after a sort defiled. For, howsoever it be in itself by the ordinance of God an holy and heavenly banquet, yet unto the ungodly, unregenerate and unsanctified, it becometh unholy and wholly earthly, l Hag. 2.14. as the prophet Haggai teacheth, Chapter 2. If a polluted person touch an holy thing it shall be unclean. The person must be holy that will have sound profit by the holy things of God: the man that is unholy, defileth every thing he toucheth, the polluted person polluteth all things. For as to m Tit. 1, 15. the pure all things are pure, but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure, but even their minds and consciences are corrupted: so the profane person defileth all things, and turneth wholesome meat into noisome poison. We must therefore use sanctified things with sadctifyed hearts: and for spiritual meat we must have spiritual vessels. Furthermore, mark the great danger & punishment that is procured and purchased by the want of preparation. For the unworthy receiver is guilty n 1 Cor 11, 27 of the body and blood of Christ, as the Apostle specifieth 1 Cor. 11. Whosoever shall eat this bread and drink the cup of the Lord unworthily, shallbe guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. And again, He that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh his own judgement, because he discerneth not the Lords body: for this cause many are sick and weak among you, and many sleep. Where he teacheth that such as come unworthily, unreverently, and otherwise then such mysteries should be handled, do despise & tread under their feet jesus Christ himself, provoke the Lords wrath, and bring on themselves swift damnation. Not that be is carnally and bodily present, but because the reproach which is used to the signs, toucheth the body and blood of Christ signified by them. Even as if a man should rend, disgrace, deface, spit upon, tread and trample under his feet, and villainously abuse the image, seal, and letters patents of a Prince, he should be adjudged d Ren. jaesae Maiestatis. guilty of a grievous crime against the person of the Prince himself, not which he receiveth but despiteth: so, such as come unthankfully and unworthily to this supper, are guilty of his body, not which they have eaten, but which they have refused and rejected being offered unto them, and therefore are guilty of their own death, inasmuch as God with the signs offereth his own Son. Wherefore seeing the presence of God moveth, seeing our own profit persuadeth, seeing our own practice furthereth, seeing the defiling of the Sacrament, and the danger of unworthy receiving teacheth, and lastly seeing our own judgement in human affairs (when the danger is not so great, nor the loss so certain) crieth out for this necessary preparation, it standeth us upon, before we enter into this holy work (whereunto of ourselves we are more unfit and unto ward, and which in it own nature is most profitable) to set ourselves before the Lord, who shall examine and judge the quick and the dead: to search into our own ways, and to keep a sessions in our own souls: to look into our secret and hidden corruptions, how we have gone forward or backward in godliness: to try whither we have a knowledge, feeling, and disliking of our sins, and whether we have any fear of God's judgements, or faith in his promises, or hope in his mercy: to judge ourselves, that we may not be judged of the Lord: to labour to find our special sins, striving against them by earnest prayer to God, and condemning them for ever in ourselves. If we would thus judge ourselves, we should not be condemned with the world●. Let us be grieved for our natural blindness. Let us acknowledge confusion of faces to be due unto us, Let us deeply imprint in our own hearts the horror of our sins past and present. The more we perceive and discern our own unworthiness, the greater shall be our fitness to come to this Sacrament: and the less we espy our own imperfections, the more we incur the danger of God's judgements. So then to touch us with true humility, and to break our stony hearts in pieces with remembrance of our daily offences, let us often meditate on the death and passion of Christ, who was forsaken, scorned, buffeted, and crucified for us: he was led as a lamb to the slaughter and shunned not the shame of the Cross: then the powers of heaven and earth were moved, p Mat, 27, 45 judea was darkened, the earth quaked, the stones clave in sunder the graves opened, the Sun was in the full-moon eclipsed, the vail of the Temple was rend, the dead were raised, the thief repent, the Centurion glorified God, and the whole order of nature was changed. All these things do set before us the heinousness of our sins, and the greatness of God's wrath, which could not be appeased, but by crucifying of the body and by shedding of the blood of Christ, which is represented to us as in a glass in this Supper. Thus we have showed by testimonies and effectual reasons, that as in the passover they were commanded to choose them a lamb q Exod 12, 3. on the tenth day, but to kill him on the fourteenth, so that they had four days liberty between the separating and the kill of him, for preparation and sanctification of themselves: in like manner in the Supper, which is the same to us, that the passover was to the jews, the Spirit of God chargeth this duty upon us, that we prepare our hearts reverently thereunto. Use 1 Now as we have seen the necessity of this examination: let us consider what uses are to be made thereof. It is required of all Communicants that come to the Lords table, diligently to examine themselves? Then from hence it followeth, that all men are bound to know the word of God, and to be skilful in the Scripture, that thereby they may be able to try their own hearts, and examine themselves by that rule. But if the rule be unknown, the trial spoken oft cannot be made, the examination commanded cannot be practised. Especially there is required of us the knowledge in the doctrine of the law, not only to be able to rehearse the words, but to know the end and meaning of them, the special branches of them, what are the duties commanded, what are the sins condemned: for by r Rom, 3, 20. the Law cometh the knowledge of sin, and the Apostle had not known sin, s Rom. 7, 7. but by the Law: for he had not known lust, except the law had said, thou shalt not lust. As then, he that will try Gold from Copper, must have his touchstone: so he that will rightly examine his obedience, must familiarly be acquainted with the Canon of the Scriptures. This our Saviour teacheth, t john, 5, 3●. Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think to have eternal life, & they are they which testify of me. If then we search them, they will give us light to search ourselves. And the Apostle requireth the Colossians, Col. 3, 16. to have the word of God dwell plentifully in them in all wisdom. Wherefore he that said, examine yourselves, meant we should also know the Scriptures, and especially the law of God, which must be the glass of our u jam. 1, 23, lives to behold our offences: and the very groundwork of this examination. Again, are we charged to try out our ways, and examine Use 2 ourselves? Then we learn from hence to acknowledge a difference between Baptism and the Lords supper. For Baptism is due to the whole Church, and every member thereof, whether old or young, to all Infants, who are the children of faithful parents, that have given their names to Christ, and are entered into the profession of the Gospel. And howsoever confession of faith & fruits of repentance, are required of the elder sort (as we have showed) yet touching infants it is sufficient if they be born in the church, of such as are members of the church. But the Supper of the Lord belongeth only to such as are able to examine themselves, to try their own hearts, and to remember his death, which things cannot agree with children. As we see in the passover, not all the children of the faithful were admitted thereunto: but only such as could inquire and require a reason thereof, b Exod 12, 2● and did desire to be instructed of their parents, and such as had learned to make the law a frontlet before their eyes, and a sign upon their hands, that so the doctrine of God might not departed out of their mouths. Besides, if we consider the outward works in both the Sacraments aright, c This overthroweth the opinion of Innocentius Augustine, Musculus, & others, who teach it to be fit and needful that children be admitted to the Supper. Innocent. 1. Epist. ad patr. Concil. Mile. Aug epist. 107 ad Vitalem. Muscul. loc. Cōmu●titul de Euch●r. we shall plainly see the truth of this diversity. For in Baptism the action of the Minister is to wash the body with water, which requireth not discretion in him that is to be baptised, forasmuch as we can cleanse and wash the things that are without reason, without understanding, without sense, and without life. But in the Sacra. of the Supper, a reverent giving, an attentive hearing, a certain understanding of that which is spoken, a wise receiving and eating, & a careful considering of whom to take, & what to take is required in the outward work: how much greater judgement is required, to know that God the father giveth the body & blood of his Son to be received by faith? Thus then, this examination maketh a distinction between both the Sacraments of the new testament, & showeth, that it is not necessary to the salvation of infants, that they come to the Lords table. Thirdly, seeing no man must presume to come thither without a serious examination of himself: d Six sorts of persons barred from the Lord, supper it debarreth Use 3 from the Lords Supper, six sorts of persons, to wit, the unbaptized children, idiots, ignorant persons, profane persons, and all sorts of Infidels. First of all, such as are not yet entered into the church by baptism, whatsoever their knowledge and faith is, cannot claim any privilege or right to this Sacrament. Secondly, if there be a necessity of searching and trying ourselves, it excludeth all Infants and children in age, who understand not what the holy Spirit speaketh in this Sacrament, what God the Father offereth, what the Son performeth, & what faith receiveth, they know not what it is to eat Christ spiritually, and to be nourished by him effectually. Thirdly, all foolish, furious, and madmen, being such idiots as that they want the use of natural gifts of reason, wit, discretion, and judgement, the defect whereof, whatsoever they are in age and years, maketh them as children in gifts, not being able to examine themselves, are to be separated. Fourthly, howsoever many have years of discretion, and the common use of natural gifts of understanding: yet if they neither have the knowledge of God, nor the knowledge of themselves, nor the knowledge of the doctrine of the Sacraments, and other fundamental points of religion, they are not to be admitted but refused. Fiftly, if they have all these things, and want neither baptism, nor ripeness of age, nor years of discretion, nor use of reason, nor knowledge of the doctrine which is according to godliness: yet if they remain profane, ungodly, unrepentant, stubborn, malicious, revenging, open contemners of God, of godliness, and of his word, Idolaters, adulterers, blasphemers, drunkards, and such in whom appeareth no amendment of life, these and such like are not interessed in this Sacrament. Lastly, it excludeth & shutteth out all such as are without God in the world, all Atheists, Infidels, Turks, jews, and Heretics, all such as have not yielded themselves to the Church of God, & have not made profession of their faith, and such as are worthily excommunicated from the Church by the power of the keys, which are no better than heathen & Publicans. Where by we see, that all not yet baptised, infants & children that want years, all furious & foolish persons that want the use of reason, all blind & ignorant persons, that want the knowledge of God and of themselves, all unrepentant persons that bring not with them faith and repentance, all Infidels and unbelievers with others that are out of the bosom of the Church, are to be kept back from this Supper, being such as either cannot or will not submit themselves to this holy and necessary duty of examination, thereby having no right or title to come to his table. For such as have not the Church to be their mother, cannot be nourished with this meat of the Church, to wit, the Supper of the Lord. Among all these that are thus excluded, we do not name the hypocrite, because his wickedness is in his heart and kept secret to himself and therefore the Church can take no notice of him, but leaveth him to God, who searcheth the heart and trieth the rains. Fourthly, if all persons are to prepare themselves to this Use 4 Sacrament: then none are willingly and wilfully to abstain and refrain from coming unto it. For as such sin grievously, who present themselves unworthily to this blessed Communion: so do they greatly offend on the other side, that of set purpose absent themselves from this spiritual banquet provided for them. God is dishonoured both these ways, as well by receiving unreverently, as by abstaining carelessly from this Sacrament. For he lieth under an heavy e Ier 48, 10. curse deservedly, that doth any of the Lords works negligently. Even as the patiented, which being sick maketh no account of the diet which the Physician hath prescribed, is no less blame worthy, than he that abuseth it disorderly, inasmuch as both sorts do it oftentimes to their danger and destruction: so is he no less faulty, that maketh no reckoning of the receit which the chief Physician of our Souls the Lord jesus hath appointed, than he that misuseth and misapplieth the same, because both do it with great peril and hazard to themselves. We know that such, as being bidden f Mat. 22.7. by the King to the wedding of his Son, made light of it and refused to come, were destroyed as well as he that came without his wedding garment. We know when the word of God is preached, which is g Rom. 1, 16. the power of God to salvation to all that believe, such as absent themselves from the hearing of it, perish justly, as well as they that come without faith and repentance. We know when the passover was celebrated, such persons as were negligent to observe and keep the same according to all that the Lord had commanded Moses were to be cut off from his people, h Num. 9, 13. Because they brought not the offering of the Lord in h●s due season, they shall bear their sin. In like manner such as neglect to come to this communion, & abstain from it, for fear of communicating unworthily, deprive themselves of great comfort. And this is the very cutthroat of all godliness & religion. For why do they not, by like proportion of reason, refrain from invocation and calling upon the name of God, for fear of praying amiss? And why may they not absent themselves from hearing the word of God, fearing to hear amiss? So that if this pretence were a lawful warrant to abstain from the Lords Supper for fear of unworthy receiving, we might bid all godliness farewell, in as much as it openeth a gap for men to abstain from performing all duties of piety and godliness. Wherhfore, let not such persons flatter themselves with vain excuses and lying words that cannot profit, neither daub with untempered mortar, saying, we are unworthy, we cannot come: rather let them labour to shake off their unworthiness, & to cast away i Heb. 12, 1, every thing that presseth down, and the sin that hangeth so fast on, that so they may be worthy receivers. Let them not contemn the commandment of Christ which saith, Take ye, eat ye, do this in remembrance of me. Christ hath commanded, we must obey: he saith, come: shall we be so unthankful to say, we will not come? He calleth, shall we not answer? He biddeth his guests, shall we make excuses? He sendeth his messengers and prepareth his feast, shall we not provide and prepare to eat thereof? He offereth himself unto us, shall we contemn the blessed remembrance of his death and passion, even the price of our redemption, and shut ourselves from the Communion which the faithful have with him and one with another? So that we are to persuade our own hearts, that God is provoked to anger, as well by negligence in abstaining, as by unworthiness in receiving the Supper. Lastly, this serveth to reprove two sorts. First, seeing Use 5 we are commanded to deal with our own hearts, the popish shrift and auricular confession of all sins in the ear of a Priest, which is a needless burden of the mind, and a fruitless practice of the superstitious. True it is, as we have proved already, we must examine our own Consciences, and confess our own sins to God against whom we have sinned: Psal 5●. and when we are afflicted in conscience and can find no comfort, we are to resort to the Minister that hath the tongue of the learned, being able and willing to minister a word in season, or to some faithful brother in time of need, as the patiented doth to a skilful Physician: howbeit there is great abuse thereof in the church of Rome. Against auricular confession. We do not deny or go about to take away all confession of sins before men and unto men, forasmuch as the Apostle willeth, that we confess our faults one to another, james 5, 16. jam. 5, 16. All the question is concerning the manner and order of making confession. But he alloweth it to be made to any man, and of one private person mutually to another; whereas popish s●rift is limited only unto the Priest, and a strait law enjoined to the people to acknowledge all their mortal sins to him, with all the circumstances of them so far as possibly they can remember at the least once every year, if not oftener. Again, the form of confession of sin required and practised, is uttered in a strange tongue & an unknown language, which is foolish and ridiculous: for so they know not what they speak to God. They would seem to ask him forgiveness, and yet they know not what they ask. Lastly▪ they make confession of sins not only to God, but to the dead, to the Saints departed, which is impious and blasphemous. For they make prayer to them and crave their intercession for the better obtaining of the pardon of their sins, which giveth a part of the divine worship to them, and maketh them equal with God, as if they could search and see the heart as well as he doth. The jesuits in their Annotations upon 1 Cor. 11. where the Apostle willeth a man to prove and examine himself, give this note, A man must examine his l●fe dil gently, Rhem. annot. upon 1 Cor. 11.28. whether he be in any mortal sin, and must confess himself of every offence which he knoweth or feareth to be deadly, before he presume to come to the holy Sacrament. For so the Apostles doctrine here, with the continual custom of the Catholike Church, and the Father's example bind to do. Thus they abuse the Apostle which maketh not for them; and pretend antiquity, which they are not able to avouch: and allege the Fathers which serve not their turn. The Apostle in this place speaketh of examination, not of confession: of proving ourselves, not of putting ourselves to the proof of others. The commandment of the Holy-Ghost, to confess one to another, bindeth the Priest to confess to the people, as well as the people to confess to the Priest. And whereas the Evangelist declareth Math. 3. Mat. 3, 6. Act. 19, 18. that many were baptised of john confessing their sins: and likewise Luke in the Acts showeth that many believed, and confessed and showed their works: we must understand it of a confession that is voluntary, not constrained: open, not secret: general, not particular: before others, not in the ear. True it is, the Fathers speak much and often of confession, but they mean it either of such confession as is made to God, or of such persons as had openly fallen in time of persecution, or of them that of their own accord uncompelled, accused their own weakness and purpose of shrinking back, albeit they had not as yet fallen indeed. Now that it may be known that these things do not concern us, nor yet help our adversaries, divers sorts of confession I will set down what confession we hold, and how it is to be made, and in what respect. First, we allow the public confession of the whole Church, confessing themselves to be sinful before God, Neh. 9, 4.5, etc. Secondly, we hold the private confession of every one, pouring out his own heart before God in his private and secret prayers, Lu. 18.13. Thirdly, we maintain 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 testify the conversion and repentance of such as have fallen. Lastly, we teach that confession ought to be made to our neighbour for the offences which we commit one against another, when we have upon any occasion wronged and offended him: and therefore our Saviour saith, Math 5. Mat. 5, 23, 24. If thou bring thy gift to the Altar and there remember'st that thy brother hath aught against thee: leave there thy gift before the Altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. These kinds of confession we confess and believe: but what maketh all this for the whispering confession used in popery? and judged to be necessary to salvation? A tirrannous law, binding us to reckon up every one of our sins in the ear of a Priest, as if forgiveness of our sins stood in this? Whereas we say and are not afraid to avouch, that this confession pressed upon men to be made of all sins to a popish Priest upon pain of damnation is no better than another Inquisition. Would we then know what this shrift is? and how to esteem of it? and what effects it worketh? It is the mocking of God, What popish shrift is. the invention of the devil, the pride of the Clergy, the pick-pursse of the people, the rack of the Conscience, the shame and reproach of the offender, the bewrayer and discoverer of the secrets of Princes and states, the pillar of popery, the ape of repentance, the nursery of despair, the cherisher of uncleanness, and to be short, the bawd of all sins. It getteth a pardon for all that is past, it giveth free passage for such as are present, and purchaseth a privilege for them that are to come. Thus sin is made no sin, it is a light matter, that no man need to trouble himself for it, for as much as the Priest may pardon him with a word speaking. Wherefore, albeit this institution be full of human wisdom and policy for the upholding and strengthening of the kingdom of Antichrist, yet there is no title in the word of God to prove it or confirm it. I confess indeed it was a custom sometimes in the Church of Constantinople, Sozomen. Eccl. ●●●●ter. lib. 7 cap. 17. but when it happened that a noble matron was dishonoured and dishonested by a certain Deacon of unclean life: Nectarius the Bishop of that place by the consent of others, did abolish it out of the Church. What would he have done if he had lived in the times and places of popery, where such examples are not strange but common. If one fast were of sufficient force to thrust it out of that Church, doubtless many hundred precedents that might be produced not inferior unto it, aught to serve as a whip to whip and scourge it out of other Churches, and as a strong bar to keep it out for ever, that it never get footing and entrance into it again. Hence it is that the Church remained in the liberty of Confession twelve hundred years, and had no snare to entangle the conscience laid upon it until the Council of Lateran, in which the law of auricular Confession was first of all enacted: whereby it is come to pass that they have secret intelligence of all secrets, for by this occasion they know the hearts, affections, and dispositions of all persons: and by this means they find an easy way to enrich that covetous and ambitious See, with the riches and revenues of the world: and by them both ariseth a twofold benefit, because both they know how to shift for themselves, and to prevent a mischief before it come upon them. But to leave these, we exhort men to make Confession of their sins to GOD, the only beholder of our thoughts and hearts, who hath promised to forgive them: and will never upbraid us with them. And herein we do no otherwise then the holy and ancient fathers of the Church did before us, who send the people from men to God, from the earth to heaven, from the fellow servants to the common master of all. It was well said of Augustine, What have I to do with men, Confess lib. ●0. cap 3. Curiosum genus ad cognoscendum vitam. alicita●. that I should make confession to them, as if they could heal all my sores? It is a curious kind of people, to search into other men's lives, but most slothful to reform and amend their own The like we might say of chrysostom who is plentiful in this argument. I do not compel thee to confess thy sins to others. And again, If thou be ashamed to confess them to any man because thou hast sinned, say them daily in thine own soul. Homil. 2. in Psal. 50 ser. de poenit. Hom. 4. de Laza, I do not bid the confess them to thy fellow servant who may cast them in thy teeth, but confess them unto God who is able to heal them. In another place he sayeth: Why should we be ashamed to confess our sins, that he may pardon them? Doth God therefore command them to be confessed, that after the manner of men he might punish us? He doth it not to punish us, but that he might pardon us. I will allege one testimony more and then conclude. Homil. de incomprehens. natura dei. I do not lead thee as it were into an open stage of thy fellow servants, I do not compel thee to uncover thy sins to men, unfold thy conscience before God, show thou thy wounds to the Lord the best Physician, and crave of h●m to heal them. Thus ought we to do, let us fly to God when we want help, who is the God of all mercy and the father of all consolation. And when we mind to come to the holy Communion of the body and blood of Christ; let us not think to fit ourselves unto it by a foolish numbering up of our sins to men, but not to God: of custom, but not of conscience: by observing the traditions of the Church, but not by seeking to obtain pardon of our offences. The order which we ought to observe in the examination of ourselves is laid down unto us in the Chapters following. Thus much touching the first reproof. The second reproof 2. Reproof, serveth to condemn all such as are very precise and curious in searching into the lives and conversations of others, that say, stand apart and come not near me, for I am holier than thou. These abstain from the Communion, because of the presence of evil men, and cannot be persuaded to take the Supper with them. Such as are of the separation reproved for not joining with us in the worship of God. In the former part of this Book we have answered sundry objections which sundry persons allege for themselves why they refuse to join with the people of God among us that come with love and zeal to his Table. I have not to do with them in this place: they were for the most part careless men, secure in the matters of God, and senseless in all good things: but those that now we are to encounter withal pretend greater care and conscience in the worship of God than ourselves. These are they of the separation, who have left our Church as no Church, and abhor our Sacraments as no Sacraments, and revile our Ministers as no Ministers. And yet if they would confess the truth and give God the glory, they must for the most part of them acknowledge that they received to believe in our Church, & were begotten a new by our ministry, and have reaped strength of faith by our Sacraments, if they may be called ours which are delivered by us, but instituted by God. Nevertheless, I wish and desire from the bottom of my heart, that our Church were once so happy as to separate notorious offenders, & to cut off all occasion of this question. But because we cannot yet obtain this mercy through our sins, and that through the iniquity of the times evil men prevail: we must not consider so much what ought to be among us, as how far we ought to submit ourselves: neither should we fix our eyes so much upon that which is wanting and missing in our Church, as what great gifts and good things GOD hath vouchsafed unto us and bestowed upon us: we confess we are not in all points that which we should be, howbeit by the grace of our GOD we are far from that which they charge us withal: But let us see what they object. Objection. 1 Cor. 5.11. First, they allege that we are forbidden to eat and drink at our common Tables with them, 1, Cor, 5, From hence they reason from an unequal comparison of the less to the greater, that if we may not do that which is less than we may not eat and drink with them at the LORDS Table, which is the greater. I answer, Answer. this consequent will not follow: For we cannot conclude the abstaining at the Lords Supper from their company, whose company we are to avoid at our own table. It is in our own power for the most part to deprive whom we will of our private Suppers, but it lieth not in us to bar whom we please from the Lords Supper. This belongeth to the officers and overseers of the Church. But as in the private family every one may not be a governors and in the Commonwealth every person may not be a Magistrate to order the affairs thereof: so is it in the Church, no man may sever the holy from the profane, but such as are called to sit in the stern of it. Again, they allege the sentence of the Prophet, Come Objection 2 out from among them, and separate yourselves from them, and touch no unclean thing. Esay 52.11. 2, Cor. 6, 17.18. Esay 52, 11. 2 Cor. ●, 17. Answer. I answer three things: First the place must be understood not somuch of the separation by place, as by affection: not somuch of the company, as of the coruptions of others. Secondly Paul speaketh of the communion of Idolatry, which is nothing at all to the holy Communion, which is commanded unto all Christians without any such limitation as these would bring in. For they can never prove any such exception: to wit, that we may abstain if we see any offer themselves to receive which do seem to us unworthy. Lastly, here is mention of such as were strangers from the faith, and did not so much as profess the Christian Religion: and therefore it serveth not their purpose who refuse to communicate at the Table of the Lord with such as embrace Christianity, and make profession of the Gospel, albeit peradventure their life be not answerable thereunto: so that th●y abuse this place who will by no means be brought to come to the Supper of the Lord▪ when they perceive those to have access unto it whom they account wicked and profane. joseph and Mary frequented the sacrifices in the public assemblies at jerusalem at the solemn feasts, Luk. 2. So did Christ himself, as appeareth in many places of the Gospel. The Church was then full of scandals, as a body full of sores, but because he had no calling nor commission to remedy those evils, he chose rather to join himself with the company of the wicked, them to separate himself from the Sacraments and other holy things. Thus it was with Simeon, Hannah, Zachary, Elizabeth, and other of the faithful. There are two certain rules, with which I will conclude: First, that our being in company with the wicked, unwillingly, not willingly: by compulsion, not by free election, shall not hurt us. It is our delight in them, and desire of them, and striving to be with them, that bringeth danger unto us: but if it be against our will, there is no fear of being infected by them. The second rule is this, that we are greatly hurt in our salvation, and wounded in our souls by separation from the exercises of our religion, and therefore there is no just cause why we should leave the fruit of the one for the presence of the other. It is a part of God's spiritual worship to hear his word, and indeed one of the principal services we can perform unto him, yet may a Christian lawfully hear it where there are Infidels and unbelievers, yea not only communicate with them, but be glad that they will vouchsafe to communicate with us. And touching joining in prayer, and participation of the Sacraments, if it were in our choice and liberty to avoid them, we might not join with them, nor make one among them: but because we have no power nor authority to make any separation, we ought not to refuse or renounce the service of God which is enjoined and commanded unto us: and let us take heed, lest while we go about to separate ourselves from the wicked, we separate ourselves from God himself. For there is no man that forsaketh his worship, but after a sort forsaketh God, seeing that to cleave unto him and not to his worship is unpossible, and to divide between these which are always joined together, is to turn him into an Idol. And thus much touching Examination in general. CHAP. XVI. Of the knowledge of God: the first part of Examination. AS we have weighed the necessity of preparing and examining ourselves: so let us consider the manner how it is to be performed. Such as will in an holy manner prepare themselves a Four points required in Examination of ourselves. to celebrate the Lords Supper to the glory of God, the discharge of their duties, and comfort of their own souls, must diligently acquaint themselves with these four points, with knowledge, faith, repentance, and reconciliation to those whom they have offended. First, it is required of all persons that come to this Sacrament, to know the grounds of religion, and understand the doctrine of the Sacraments. Secondly, to believe in Christ, and to look for sal●ation in him alone, inasmuch as there is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved. So then we must come with faith, which is the hand to apprehend Christ. Thirdly, to abhor and detest our sins, to hate them with an unfeigned hatred as our deadly and most dangerous enemies, and to have godly sorrow for them which may cause repentance not to be repent of. Lastly, to love our brethren truly and sincerely, yea even our enemies. If we find not these things in ourselves, we must carefully use all holy means appointed for this purpose, to begin them in us: otherwise our estate will prove to be fearful and dangerous. We must with all sincerity, conscience, and zeal, use prayer, the word read and preached, conference, meditation, and such like helps as may further them in us. If we do find them in us, though feeble and in great want and weakness, we are not to abstain from the Sacrament, but to come thereunto to seek strength of faith and increase of obedience. Wherefore, b Mat. 11, 28. our Saviour calleth such unto him, Come to me all ye that are weary and sore laden, and I will ease you: take my yoke on you, and ye shall find rest upon your souls: for my yoke is easy, and my burden it light. And chap. 12. A bruised c Mat. 12, 26 reeds shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench till he bring forth judgement unto victory. Touching the first, we are to observe, d The 1. part of examination is knowledge of God's word. that such as will come aright to the lords supper, must have the knowledge of God's word, which is the foundation and groundwork of faith. We must know what to believe, and must learn the doctrine of salvation out of the Scripture. Our Saviour Christ, in that heavenly prayer which he made a little before his passion, useth these words to his Father, e john, 17, 3. This is eternal life to know thee to be the only very God, and whom thou hast sent jesus Christ. We must know how miserable all men are of themselves, that we are separated from god, the children of wrath by nature as well as others, and the very firebrands of hell. They that want this knowledge, cannot judge aright of the parts and uses of this Sacrament, nor desire this heavenly meat which nourisheth to eternal life. So then, knowledge must necessarily go before faith: for it is the nature of faith to believe that which it knoweth, and therefore where there is small knowledge, there can be but little faith: and where there is no knowledge, there can be no faith: according f Rom. 10, 17. to the doctrine of the Apostle, Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. The knowledge required of us when we approach to this Sacrament, standeth in these two g What particular points ●re necess●tie to be known o● all that come to the Communion. points: first, in the knowledge of God, secondly in the knowledge of ourselves. In these two branches standeth the first part of examination. And these two points are so nearly joined and knit together, that no man can thoroughly know God, unless he know himself: and no man can have the perfect knowledge of himself, except he know God in whom h Acts 17, 28 he liveth, moveth, and hath his being. Under these two heads, many particular points are contained, necessary to be known of those that offer themselves to be partakers of this Sacrament. First, that there is only one God, that hath made himself known in three persons, john 5, 7. the Father, the Son, and the Holy-ghost. Secondly, that God made man and all other creatures good, and governeth all things well. Thirdly, man did fall through the enticement of the Devil, and his own wilful disobedience in breaking the commandments of God. Fourthly, there are ten commandments divided into two tables: whereof the four first commandments concern our duties to God, the six last our duties toward our neighbour. Fiftly, we cannot keep these commandments, nor any one of them, but we break them daily, in motion, in thought, in word, and in deed: the breach whereof deserveth k Deut, 27, 25 the curse of God, that is, all miseries in this life, death in th● end of this life, and hell fire after this life. Sixtly; there is no means or remedy in ourselves or in any creature but only in jesus Christ the eternal Son of God, l Luke 1, 35 who is God and Man: God that he might overcome death, and Man that he might die for our sins. He hath pacified God's wrath, fulfilled the righteousness of the Law, sanctified our nature, adopted us to be the children of God, and maketh our duties (though weak) acceptable unto his Father. Seventhly, all have not deliverance by him, but only such as believe in Chr●st, m 1 Cor. 1, 30. whose obedience and righteousness is made ours by a lively faith, whereby we are persuaded that through him our sins are forgiven, and we made the children of God. Eightly, faith is a gift of God, applying Christ and all his merits particularly to ourselves, and teaching that he is a Saviour unto us. Ninthly, being saved by Christ through faith, n Luke, 1, 74. we may not live as we lift: this unspeakable mercy teacheth us to deny all ungodliness, and all worldly and sinful lusts, to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present evil world, and to walk in newness of life, o Ephesia, 6, 5 because no unrighteous person shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. Tenthly, this Faith which bringeth forth a reformed life, is wrought within our hearts by the holy-ghost p Rom, 10, 14. through the preaching of the word, being truly expounded, and profitably applied with doctrine, consutation, exhortation, correction, reformation, and consolation: and it is increased beside, by reading, praying, and receiving of the Sacraments. eleventhly touching prayer, we have a perfect platform left us by q Mat 6, 9 Christ in the Gospel, which containeth 6. petitions, the three first concerning the glory of God, and the three last concerning the necessities of our own bodies and souls. twelvely, the Sacraments are another help to strengthen and increase faith, which are outward signs and seals ordained of God, to assure us that Christ & all his saving graces are given unto us. These are two in number. Baptism, the Sacrament of our regeneration and new birth, assureth us by the washing of water, that our sins are forgiven by the blood of Christ, & we borne anew to God. The Lord's Supper assureth us, that by bread and wine given and received according to God's ordinance, Christ is given us to be our spiritual nourishment to everlasting life. These grounds of religion must be known and understood, that we may learn how wretched and miserable we are by nature, and what remedy God hath ordained for our deliverance. We shall never feel the sweetness of God's mercy, until we find the greatness of our own misery. We cannot perceive how greatly we stand in need of Christ, until we know our own woeful and wretched estate by reason of sin. Such then as are ignorant in these necessary points of Christian religion, and especially in the doctrine of both the Sacraments, can never come aright unto them, can never show forth the Lords death, can never discern his body, but blindly run on to the danger of their own souls. Wherefore it standeth all men upon, to desire the sincere milk of the word r Pet. 2, 10 that they may grow thereby, to seek after knowledge, as for silver, and after understanding as precious stones. A loathing stomach never well digesteth the meat that is put into it: and he that is full, despiseth the Honeycomb. What is the reason that they remain blind in the matters of God and their own salvation, and as bruit beasts in understanding? Surely, because they desire not the ways of God, they regard not his fear, they contemn knowledge, as Esau did the blessing, and the Israelites did their Manna. For no man truly desired the knowledge of God and of godliness unfeignedly, but he had the means offered unto him at one time or other. Cornelius desiring to be thoroughly instructed in the way of salvation, was directed by the Angel to send for Peter, s Act 11, 13. Who should speak words unto him, whereby he and his household should be saved. Thus David going the way of all flesh, instructeth his son Solomon, t 1 Chr. 28, 9 Thou Solomon know thou the God of thy Fathers, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee, but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever. This is it also which the Prophet proclaimed, 2 Chro. 15. O Asa and all judah & Benjamin, hear ye me: the Lord is with you, while ye be with him: and if ye seek him, he will be found of you: but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you. Likewise the Evangelist teacheth, that when Zaccheus sought to see jesus, he showed himself unto him, he entered into his house, and that which is more into his heart, u Luk. 19, 3. etc., and that day salvation was begun in him & in his family, being made the child of Abraham. Hereby is fulfilled that which the Prophet speaketh, Psal. 145. The Lord is near a Psal. 145.18 etc. unto all that call upon him, even to all that call upon him in truth: he will fulfil the desire of them that fear him, he will also hear their cry, & will save them. Where he teacheth, that if we truly desite knowledge, we shall effectually obtain it. God will not be wanting to us, if we be not wanting to ourselves. When the Eunuch came to jerusalem, & exercised himself in the Scriptures, in reading the Prophet for increase of knowledge, as he sat in his chatiot: did not the Lord direct Philip to go to him, b Act. 8, ●8 ●9 & join himself to his chariot, by whom he was farther instructed & baptised? So shall it be with all that hunger & thirst after the doctrine of godliness, they shall not be left destitute, but be filled with the knowledge thereof to their endless comfort. The hand of God is not shortened, he is as ready to help us as ever he was, c Mat 5 6. according to the promise of Christ, Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shallbe filled. Hereunto tendeth the general promise, delivered in the general words of him that is the author of grace, d Mat. 7, 7, 8 A●k and ye shall rece●ue, sick and ye shall find: knock & it shallbe opened unto you: for whosoever asketh, receiveth: & he that seeketh, findeth: & to him that knocketh, it shallbe opened. Here we have an excellent comfort and encouragement, to consider that our holy endeavours shall not be in vain in the Lord. CHAP. XVII. Of faith in Christ, the second part of Examination. HItherto we have spoken of knowledge which is the first part of this examination. Now a man may have knowledge, and yet want faith. Wherefore the a The second part of examination, is to prove whether we have faith or not. next point which we are to try and prove, is our faith in Christ. For every man receiveth so much as he believeth he receiveth, according as our Saviour speaketh to the woman of Canaan, Mat. 15, O woman, great is thy faith, be it unto thee b Mat. 15, 23. and 9, 29. as thou desirest. And the Apostle saith to the same effect, c Heb. 4, 2. Unto us was the Gospel preached, as also unto them, but the word that they heard, profitted them not, because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it. All those are worthy receivers, that ground themselves on the free favour of God in Christ jesus, believe themselves to be delivered by him from eternal damnation, and desire daily to go forward in godliness. Hereunto cometh the exhortation of Paul, 2 Cor. 13. Prove yourselves, d 2 Cor. 13, 5. whether ye be in the faith: examine yourselves: know ye not your own selves, how that jesus Christ is in you, except ye be refused? This true faith is the mouth of the soul, whereby we receive Christ crucified to our salvation. Wherefore, it is required of us, not only to have knowledge and understanding in the mystery of our redemption: but likewise a justifying faith, e What a true faith is. which is a wonderful gift of God, whereby the elect do apply Christ and the saving promises of the Gospel to themselves particularly. We must know f Gal. 1, 4. the purpose and ordinance of God, appointing and setting apart jesus Christ to be the person in g The hand● of faith what they are. whom and by whom he hath decreed & determined the salvation of all the elect. Again, we must have a persuasion of God's true meaning toward us, in offering salvation through Christ, and that all sufficiency and ability is in him to save us, whereupon we shall feel a sweet and comfortable resting upon him in whom God meaneth to save us. These are the hands whereby we apply Christ to ourselves, both by knowing that he gave himself for our sins according to the will of GOD even our Father, and by relying on his all-sufficiency to perform that high work of redemption whereunto he was sealed and ordained, This faith is not borne and bred with us, but is wrought in us by the Holy-ghost, h 2 Thes. 3, 2. who is therefore called The Spirit of Faith. Except he give it, no man can have it: it is natural to us to presume on the one side, and to despair on the other side: but to believe (which is seated in the midst) is supernatural. To have a dead faith cometh of ourselves, but to have a lively faith proceedeth from God, to whom we ascribe all glory and praise. Now the proper office and function of this justifying faith standeth in apprehending, receiving, and laying hold upon Christ and all his benefits. Even as the hand stretched forth layeth hold upon a thing, and pulleth the same unto it, so doth faith apply the saving promises of the Gospel to the soul, as the Apostle teacheth Gal. 3. That the blessing of Abraham might come unto the Gentiles through jesus Christ, i Gal 3, 14 that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through Faith. Where he teacheth that we embrace and receive the precious promises of salvation and forgiveness of our sins by faith, believing the same to belong unto ourselves. The Scripture calleth Christ a redeemer indefinitely; job calleth him his redeemer particularly, job, 19, 25. I know that my Redeemer liveth. The Scripture setteth out the Lord as the God of his Church. Thomas upon a special feeling of Christ's savour toward him, l joh 22.28. acknowledgeth him to be his Lord and God. john 20. Thou art my Lord and my God. The Scripture propoundeth Christ as the Saviour of his people, the blessed virgin taketh this as spoken unto herself, m Luke 1, ●●. and accounteth him her Saviour, My spirit rejoiceth in God my Saviour. The Scripture maketh Christ the Lord & Protector of his church: Elizabeth maketh a special Luk. 11, 43. application thereof, calling him her Lord. Luk. 1 Whence cometh this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come unto me. It is an Article of our holy and Christian faith to believe the forgiveness of sins: this must every one believe, this must every one hold, this must every one apply, o Math. 5, 2. as Christ did to the sick man of the Palsy, Matthew. 9 Son be of good comfort, thy sins are forgiven thee. It is the hardest thing in the world thus to believe, whether we respect Christ or ourselves. An hardthing to believe. It is an easy matter for a man, when he neither knoweth nor feeleth the burden of sin, to say he hath faith, and believeth in God's mercy: but when Satan shall sister him, when his own heart shall accuse him, when sin shall lie heavy upon his soul, when the unsupportable and unsufferable anger of God shall press his conscience to the nethermost hell, and the flame thereof consume his bones, and turn his moisture p Psalm 32, 4. into the drought of Summer: if then he can stand upright, and build himself q Math, 7, 24. upon the rock, when the floods come, when the winds blow and beat upon his house, and when the ground shaketh under his feet, this man with boldness and confidence may truly say, and seal it up for an everlasting truth, My sins are forgiven me. For if then he can comfort himself in his God, and apply his gracious mercies to his own faint heart, and cry out: r job. 13, 15. Though the Lord would kill me, yet still will I trust in him: this is the property of a sound faith, against which the strongest gates of hell shall not prevail. This appeareth evidently unto us in the example of Abraham, s Ro. 4, 17, etc. who believed that of his old, weak, withered, and as it were dead body, should spring children t Genes▪ 1●, 5 like to the sand on the Sea shore, and like the Stars of Heaven for multitude, and that he should have a seed in whom himself and all the nations of the world should be blessed. If he had consulted with flesh and blood, what Discourses might a natural man allege to hinder the crediting of this promise? yet he doubted not, he disputeth not the matter, but believed that the weak should be made strong, that the barren should be made fruitful, and a joyful mother of children, that the dead should be made a live to dwell with a family, springing out of his own body, which was to reason as unlikely and unpossible, as for a dry and dead tree pulled up by the roots, to bud, bear, and bring forth plentiful fruit. So what can be more difficult and hard then for us to believe and be persuaded, that by the death of Christ, we shall have everlasting life? By his shame and dishonour we shall have glory and praise? That by his wounds and reproaches we shall have the curing and healing of our sores? That by his agonies and bloody sweat, we shall have peace and rest? By his condemnation we shall have salvation? Is not this after a sort, in hell to see heaven? In cursing, to see blessing? In humiliation, to see exaltation? In death, to see life? In condemnation, to lay hold of salvation? In feeling of sin, to believe the pardon of sins? Lastly, in our unrighteousness and misery, to be both righteous and accepted to eternal life: and in the breach of the law, to believe the fulfilling of the law? This is indeed to have the saving faith u Tit. 1, 1. of Gods elect. And to say that this is an easy matter, or a small thing is plainly to betray and discover, that we never knew what true faith meaneth. For this faith, let every one of us labour that we may a Gal. 2, 20. specially and particularly apprehend the promises, as the Apostle declareth, Galathians 2. I am crucified w th' Christ, but I live; yet not I any more, but Chrict liveth in me: and in that that I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith in the Son of God, who hath loved me, and given himself for me. And again, b 2 Tim, 4, ●. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith, hence forth is la●d up for me a Crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge, shall give unto me at that day. Where we see a special application to himself of the benefits of CHRIST, and therefore it is not sufficient to believe that Christ came into the world, that he was crucified, died, was buried, rose again from the dead, and ascended into heaven: for this is a general faith, this is the faith of the reprobates, yea the Devils know it, and have as great a part and portion therein as we, yet they tremble at the remembrance of their judgement to come, as james showeth, c james 2, 19 Thou believest there it one God, thou dost well: the devils also believe and tremble. There is more required of us, then to believe the histories and doctrine of the Scriptures to be true, and to make an outward profession of it, to understand and assent unto the covenant of grace made by Christ, that it is certain and shallbe verified in the members of the church: we must beside this general and confused faith, apply and appropriate unto ourselves the promises of salvation. We must not only see them a far off, but feel them in our hearts. We must believe not only that Christ is a Saviour, but that he is our Saviour and Redeemer. Thus we must every one of us for his own part make prop●r to himself all the riches and graces that are in Christ Iesu●, because in giving himself to us, he giveth all his benefits: in that he is God, he maketh us after a sort d 2 Peter 1, 4● partakers of the divine nature, being heir of all things in heaven and earth, e 1 Cor 3, 22. and Lord of the world, he maketh all things ours, whether life or death, whether things present or things to come, recovering in him the possession of those things which we lost ●n Adam, being the beloved son of the father, he maketh us acceptable and wellpleasing unto him: leading captivity captive, and giving gifts f Eph. 4, 8. to men, having Dominion over the devil, sin, hell, the world, the flesh, and all our enemies, he protecteth us that they cannot overthrow us, and hath g revelat. 1, 6 made us Kings and Priests to God even his father: in that he is happy and immortal, he maketh us partakers of his blessedness and immortality. When we shall severally and particularly apply all the actions and benefits of Christ our Lord unto ourselves, we may boldly come to the Lords Table, where we shall find Christ, and enjoy him to our endless comfort, knowing that we live always by faith, but not always by feeling. Neither are we to abstain and hang back from coming to the Supper, nor to despair of ourselves, nor to be too much cast down, when we feel sundry defects and wants in our faith, For h There are 2. degrees of true faith. there is a weak and feeble saith, which is yet a true faith as well as the strong faith. There are two degrees of faith profitable to be known, and comfortable to be considered. The weak faith, i what a weak Faith is. is an earnest and unsaigned desire to be reconciled unto God in Christ, which willing desire in us God accepteth as the deed itself, he accounteth the desire of faith as faith itself: the desire of reconciliation and forgiveness of sins by the death of Christ, shall be available to work out our atonement and redemption. The strong faith is a full persuasion & assurance k What a strong faith is of the mercies of God when the faithful can truly say with the Apostle, Rom. 8, 38, l Roma. 8, 38. 39 I am persuaded that neither life nor death, nor things present nor things to come, neither Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, neither het●hth nor depth, nor any other creature shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ jesus our Lord. To this assurance we labour to come, and in this assurance we endeavour to grow and to go on from saith to faith, and from strength to strength, until we learn to stand fast as it were upon the battlements of heaven, and to set the world at defiance, and to tread the earth under our feet, saying with the Apostle, Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect? Or who shall separate us from the love of Christ? This is the greatest measure and highest degree of faith▪ this is the top, strength, and full ripeness of faith: here unto we are to strive and endeavour, and never to give rest unto our souls, until we be resolved and settled in our consciences, that all our sins are assurredly pardoned, and we accepted to everlasting life. This greatness of faith was in Abraham, m Rom. 4, 20 who was not weak but strengthened in faith, being fully persuaded, He that had promised was able also to do it. All that live in the bosom of the Church do not attain to this full measure of a perfect faith: but even as it is in the estate of the body, we are Babes before we come to be men of ripe years, first we be weak before we be strong, n 1 cor▪ 3, 1▪ ●. first we are fed with milk before we can digest strong meat. We see o Mar. 4 2●. Corn first in the grass, then in the blade, before it come to the stalk, and have ripe corn in the ear. There must be in all things a beginning before there can be a proceeding to perfection. The tree sendeth forth his tender branches, and putteth forth his leaves before his fruit cometh. So is it with every Christian man and woman, first they are babes in Christ, and have certain seeds and beginnings of faith springing in them to eternal life: afterward they grow from strength to strength, from grace to grace, from degree to degree, p Roma 1, 17. and from faith to faith until they come to a full persuasion and assurance without wavering, q Psalm 23, 6 which ariseth after many experiences of Gods manifold mercies and favours in the course of our lives, as we see Psal. 23. Doubtless kindness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall remain a long season in the house of the Lord. Wherefore let us not be dismayed & discouraged when our faith is feeble, for a feeble faith will apply Christ as well as a strong faith: it will draw Christ home to dwell in our hearts, r Ephes. 3, 17. through whom we shall not perish but have everlasting life. He that had but a weak eye and a dim sight to behold the brazen Serpent in the wilderness, s Numb, ● 1, ●. was healed from the deadly stinging of the fiery serpents, as well as he that saw clearly and perfectly afar off. He that hath but a leprous and sickly hand is able to hold that which is offered unto it, as well as a sound and strong hand. So he that hath a little faith in the son of God, shall never have his salvation denied, nor forgiveness of his sins kept from him, if with an humble heart he pray to God to have them pardoned. The Apostles believed, that Christ was the Saviour of the world: t Luke 24, ●5 yet they were ignorant of his death and resurrection, which are the chief means of salvation, and they are said to be men of little faith. So our Saviour, when the u Luke 17, 5, 6 Disciples had asked increase of their faith, declareth that if our faith be in quantity but as a grain of Mustardseed, it should be powerful and effectual, seeing he will not a Mark 2, 23 quench the smoking flax, nor break the bruised Reed, but cherish the lost spark and measure of grace given unto us from above. This likewise was the faith of that Father, whose child was possessed with a dumb and deaf spirit, when Christ said to him, b Math. 7, 7, 8 If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth: strait way he cried with tears saying, Lord I believe, help mine unbelief. Christ doth not reject him for his weakness of knowledge and faith, to teach that we should not despair, or be dismayed, when we find wavering, wants, distrust, and imperfection in ourselves, but rather confessing our frailty with that Father in this place, pray to be strengthened, and to have our Faith increased. For, whosoever unfeignedly desireth any grace of God tending to salvation, shall receive it: if he continue c Reu 21, 6. knocking at the gate of his Mercy, it shall be opened, and his prayer shall be granted, as Christ hath promised, d Phillip 1, 6. I will give to him that is a thirst of the Well of the water of life. Thus, if we long after the graces wanting unto us, as the earth after a great drought for the comfortable showers of refreshing rain, using the means appointed of God to attain them, as earnest prayer, reverent attending on the continual hearing of his word, diligent receiving of the Sacraments, being careful to give honour and glory to him for his gifts we have already of his only mercy obtained and enjoyed, we shallbe satisfied and replenished: for than He that hath begun his good work in us, will perfect the same in our hearts until the day of jesus Christ. Thus much of faith the second part of true examination, which is the instrument whereby we lay hold upon Christ, and are made lively members of him: without which whosoever come to the Lords Supper, depart away without fruit and comfort: because of an action without faith, cometh an end without fruit. CHAP. XVIII. Of Repentance, the third part of examination. THe next thing in this trial to be considered is a Repentance from dead works required of all that come to the Lords table. repentance, which is, a renewing of the mind, a change of the heart▪ a turning of the soul, and a reformation of our life and affections. As knowledge is the beginning, and as it were the very forerunner of faith, like a Messenger going before his Master to prepare for his coming: so repentance is an especial fruit of faith▪ without which, whosoever draweth near to the Lords Table, profaneth the Sacrament, and departeth without comfort. For, it is an altering of our lives and conversations unto God, joined with a godly sorrow and detestation of all sin, together with an unfeigned love and desire of righteousness. This appeareth in the change of the whole man, of our thoughts, affections, meditations and delights: in all these the old man with his deceitful lusts must be put off, and the new man must be put on, b Ephe ●●, 24 which after God is created unto righteousness and true holiness. This duty is taught in divers places of the Scripture. Hereunto come the words of the Prophet Esaiah, When c ●say 1, 12. ye come to appear before me, who required this at your hands, to tread in my Courts? Bring no more Oblations in vain: Incense is an abhom nation unto me, I cannot suffer your New Moons, nor Sab●othes, nor solemn days, (it is iniquity) nor assemblies. And when ye shall stretch out your hands I will hide mine eyes from you: and though ye make many prayers I will not hear, for your hands are full of blood. Wash you make you clean, take away the evil of your works from before mine eyes: cease to do evil learn to do well, etc. And Chap. 66. He that killeth a Bullock, d ●say 66, 3. is as if he slew a man: he that sacrificeth a sheep, is as if he cut off a dogs neck: he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered Swine's flesh: he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an Idol: yea they have chosen their own ways, and their Soul delighteth in their abominations. Whereby the prophet meaneth, that God accepteth no sacrifices without faith and repentance. This also was figured and shadowed out, by washing the Garments, and changing the attire of such as came with c Gen, 35, ●. 3 their Oblations unto God, and prepared themselves unto his service. Th●● jacob commanded, when he reform his household, and went up with them to bethel the house of GOD. Thus Moses prepared the people, before the Law was delivered in Mount Sinai. And hereunto the Prophet David allude●h, Psal. 26. I will wash mine hands in innocency, O Lord, and ●●a●p●sseth 〈…〉. As if he should say, I will endeavour to live most uprightly toward thee and toward men, and so come and offer sacrifices at thine Altar. Wherefore, such as feel not themselves to have penitent hearts, to be humbled and grieved for their sins, to sigh and groan under the burden of them, to tremble at God, judgements, cannot come aright to this holy Supper, but eat & drink certain judgement to themselves. The broken and contrite heart is the pathway to heaven, f 1 Cor 7, 10.11. and an unseparable companion of repentance. This the Apostle teacheth, 2 Cor. 7. Godly sorrow causeth repentance unto salvation, not to be repent off, but worldly sorrow causeth death: but behold this thing, that ye have been godly sorry, what great ●●●e it hath wrought in you: yea, what cleared of yourselves: yea, what indignation: yea, what fear: yea, what desire: yea, what zeal: yea, what punishment. Hear be the g Signs whereby to examine our repentance. notes and tokens whereby we may try our repentance, whether it be sincere or not. It hath these signs to discern it, a care to leave that sin into which we are fallen, otherwise we have not repent, as Act. 2. They which had crucified the Lord of life, and delivered him into the hands of sinners, were pricked in their hearts, and said to Peter and to the other h Act, 1. 37.38 Apostles, Men and brethren what shall we do? And Peter said unto them, Amend your lives, and save yourselves from this froward generation. The other signs of repentance are a confession of our sins to God, & a condemning ourselves for them: an holy and inward anger against ourselves for our carelessness in looking to our own ways: a fear nor so much of God's judgements, as lest we fall into the same sins again, and so offend our merciful Father: a desire ever after to please God with all our hearts: and last of all a renewing and punishing of our own souls for our offences committed against him. Now to the end we may repent aright, and sit in judgement of ourselves, according to the form of God; justice: it shall be needful for us i In examining ourselves, we must 〈◊〉 the order of the commandments. Command. 1. to examine ourselves by the ten words of the law, and out of the same to frame ten several encitements against ourselves, whereby we shall find a great defect of righteousness, a great spoil of obedience, a great access of disobedience, and a great heap of all kind of corruptions. This than may serve and suffice for the true examination of ourselves. We must consider and confess that we have not loved and feared God, we have not believed & depended upon him in all estates as we ought, but have oftentimes feared and loved the creatures above him, we have preferred a filthy pleasure before him, we have doubted of his promises through unbelief, and relied upon an arm of flesh and blood. We have been careless Command. 2 in the worship of God, we have not prayed unto him with steadfast assurance to be heard, we have not served him in spirit and in truth as he requireth of us, but hypocrisy hath crept into our best actions and meditations, we have more laboured after the outward shows and appearances of religion, then to express the power of godliness: and have more esteemed to seem to others to be true Christians then to be such indeed. We have not reverenced the Command. 3 eternal Majesty of God as is meet to do, who is infinite, invisibe, unchangeable; we have not blessed and praised his name with thanksgiving for all things, and at all times, as well for adversity as prosperity: We have not heard, read, and meditated in his word with such affection, reverence, and zeal, as is requisite: when occasion hath been offered to speak of the works of God's providence, we have not acknowledged in them the greatness of his wisdom, power, and goodness as we ought: nay rather the glorious and dreadful name of God (which ought to be more dear unto us than our own lives) hath been blasphemed, dishonoured, and abused by us. Touching the Sabbath, we Command. 4 must consider and confess how we have profaned it: we have been more careful to follow our worldly works & affairs, then to seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness, having had more care of the body then of the soul: we have sent out our servants to dispatch our business on that day, and have not suffered them to attend on the business of the Lord for the salvation of their souls: and ourselves have neglected the ministry of the word of God, have defiled his sanctuary, and have polluted that holy day with feasting, playing, sporting, drinking, idleness, and other vanities. We have not yielded reverence to superiors for conscience sake, nor been afraid to offend them as God hath commanded: we have not always spoken Command. 5 of them and their government as we should: we have not had such a reverence opinion and persuasion of our Pastors and teachers as we ought, which have the charge of our souls, and labour among us in the Lord. Again, we have not been careful to teach and instruct such as are under us, as our Children, Servants, and whole family as we are bound, praying with them in our houses, exhorting them in all wisdom, conferring with them in all gentleness, and furthering them in all the ways of godliness. Touching the sixth Commandment, we have not loved Command. 6 our Neighbours as ourselves, procuring their good as our own; we have broken out through debate, contention, chiding, reviling, brawling, quarreling and revenging: we have not rejoiced at the good and prosperity of our brethren, but when GOD'S eye haih been good towards them in blessing them we have repined and grudged at it. We have not possessed the vessels of or bodies in holiness and honour, as the Temples of the Holye-Ghost, knowing we are bought with a price: we have not tamed and brought into subjection this flesh as we should, to make it in all respects subject and obedient unto the spirit: we have not made a couenat with our eyes, with Command. 7 our ears, with our tongues, to turn them from all unclean sights, wanton words, and filthy communication, but have suffered them to wander after unlawful lust and concupiscence: neither have we used such sobriety, abstinence, and temperancy, as hath been fit to keep under our affections, but riotousness, excess in apparel, surfeiting, slothfulness, idleness, pride, and fullness of bread, (which were the sins of Sodom. Ezekiel 16.) are used in many places: as for drunkenness, it hath taken away the hearts, and even washed away the brains of many. We must confess, that our dealings with our neighbours in Command. 8 buying, selling, bargaining, and contracting, have not been with such uprightness, soundness, justice, sincerity, and truth as God requireth: we have been given to oppression, covetousness, and hard dealing one towards another, and not considered that godliness is great gain, if a man be contented with that he hath, that if we have food and raiment, we must be content, and can carry nothing with us out of this world, we have not at all times been given to mercy and compassion towards the poor, for the maintenance of them and their families, especially in times of famine, dearth, pestilence, sickness, and other mortalities and necessities. Command 9 We must acknowledge, that we have not Loved the truth in the inward parts, neither maintained the credit and good name of men as we ought, but have been addict to lying, envying, backe-byting, flattering, or defaming, one of another, and to hear others with comfort and delight to do the like: we have not been courageous and constant to confess and defend the truth against the enemies thereof, but have been ashamed to set ourselves against lies, errors and slanders: we have kindled the coals of contention by false furmises, carrying of tales, and publishing of infirmities unto the great damage, hurt and hindrance of our brethren. Command. x. Lastly, we must remember (to shut up this confession) that our whole Nature is vile and wretched, the heart of man is deceitful above all things, and past finding out: we are sinful as an evil tree, which can bring forth nothing but evil fruit, our thoughts are vain and corrupt, our first motions and imaginations are evil against the law of God that saith, k Exod 10, 17 Thou shalt not lust, requiring a pure heart towards our neighbours, holy cogitations of the spirit, and a continual conflict against evil affections and lusts of the flesh. Thus must every one of us arraign and indite ourselves. Thus we must accuse ourselves, and condemn our own works. Thus we must search our own ways, confessing that if l john 3, 20 our own hearts accuse us, God is greater than our hearts, and knoweth all things. Then let us appeal to the throne of grace, let us desire salvation in Christ for his mercy's sake, let us cast all our comfort upon him, covering our faces through shame of our sins that are past, humbling ourselves through grief of them that are present, and working out our salvation with a fear of that which may come hereafter. If thus we judge ourselves, God will acquit us: if thus we condemn ourselves, God will justify us: if we accuse ourselves, he will discharge us: if we be displeased with ourselves for our sins, God will be well pleased with us, and clothe us with the righteousness of Christ. But if we stand upon our own righteousness and worthiness, if we say we have need of nothing, if we flatter and deceive ourselves, comparing ourselves with ourselves or with others, and not with the rule of God's word, God will examine us, and sit in judgement upon us. If he enter into m Psal. 130, ●, judgement with us no flesh shall be justified in his sight: for if thou, O Lord, straightly markest iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? He will be revenged of our sins, and bring many plagues upon us: he will send sundry diseases upon our bodies, and a troubled spirit upon our souls, he will add one punishment to another until we repent, as he teacheth by many examples in the scriptures. The Apostle saith, He that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh n 1 Cor. 11, 29 30, 32. judgement to himself. For this cause many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep: for if we would judge ourselves we should not be judged. But when we are judged we are chastened of the Lord, because we should not be condemned with the world. So the Israelites being miraculously fed by the Lords own hand, lusted and became unthankful, and therefore while the meat was yet in their mouths, o Psa. 78, 30 32 The wrath of God fell down upon them, and slew the strongest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel. judas chosen to be one of the twelve, p john 13, 27. coming unworthily to the passover, Satan entered further into him, wrought in him his own confusion, and brought upon him fwift dam nation. The guest in the Gospel, q Mat. 22, 22, 13. that pressed unto the supper without his wedding garment, was taken speechelesse, bound hand and foot, and cast into utter darkness, where shallbe weeping and gnashing of teeth. Let no man therefore put off, and defer his repentance from day to day, lest he draw upon himself final destruction of soul and body, and find his heart exceedingly hardened through continuance in sin: but while r 2 Cor. 6, 2. the acceptable time is, let us both purpose and endeavour to forsake our evil ways, our wicked works, and all known sins revealed unto us by the sacred Oracle of the word of God. And because we have daily wants, and do commit daily and new sins through infirmity of the flesh, s Renewed faith, and renewed repentance required of us. we must have renewed faith & renewed repentance, t Luk. 22, 32 because every new sin requireth a new act of repentance, and appealing to Christ by faith. Then we are aright disposed to the Lords table, when we are lively touched with a sense and feeling of our corrupt dispositions and daily fall in our saith & obedience. For the repentance of every faithful man must be double: first general, repenting of original and actual sins generally, receiving power of God to change our minds, wills, and affections, u Mat. 3, 1. whereof john Baptist faith, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. This is given and granted unto us at that time, when first we receive to believe, it maketh an alteration in us, slayeth the old man, quickeneth the life of the new man; beginneth in weakness, continueth in greater strength, and groweth more & more unto perfection. Secondly special, for special sins and continual failings into which we fall, which we must practise to the end of our days. Now as we said in the former chapter, that no man for the feebleness of his faith, is to absent himself from this Supper, so must we remember touching our repentance, though it be in great weakness and frailty: yet if it be a sound and sincere hatred of all sin, not a forsaking of some sins only, as Saul, Herod and judas did, keeping other in themselves to their own confusion: our imperfections shall be covered, our wants shall be supplied, our weakness shall be remitted by the death of Christ, who was anointed & sent to preach Luk. 4, 18. the Gospel to the poor, to heal the broken hearted, to publish deliverance to the Captives, recovering of sight to the blind, and to set at liberty them that are bruised. And he pronounceth such b Mat. 5.3. blessed as are poor in spirit. For theirs was the kingdom of heaven. Wherefore if thou feel in thyself great defects of faith, of repentance, of sanctification, pray to God earnestly that he will vouchsafe to increase his gifts, let us confess with David, c 2 Sam 12.13 we have sinned; let us weep with Peter, d Luk. 22, 62 and 7, 38. and the sinful woman: let us acknowledge our unworthiness, and say with the Centurion, Lord, e Mat. 8, 8. We are not worthy that thou shouldst come under our roof. Let us cry out with the Publican, f Luk. 8, 13 O God be merciful to me a sinner. Let us not be ashamed to speak it with Daniel, that to us belongeth open shame and confusion of faces. This is the way to make us worthy: this is the means to fit us to the Lords Table: this is to be practised of such as will be his guests. CHAP. XIX. Of reconciliation to our brethren: the last part of Examination. HItherto, in examination of ourselves, we have showed what we are to do in respect of God, the root whereof is knowledge, the body is faith, the fruit is repentance. Now to conclude, we are to handle the last part, which is a Love toward their brethren is required of all that come to the Lords Table. love toward men, and reconciliation of ourselves unto our neighbours, for injuries, wrongs, and offences done unto them, which are as poison to this banquet. For in vain we shall pretend knowledge, boast of faith, glory of repentance, if we fail in duties toward our brethren. First we must look to be at peace with God, and to be reconciled to him. For we shall never be at peace with our brethren, except we be reconciled to God. The greatest war is between God and our own souls, so that nothing can bring peace to us, until we be at one with him: but when once we are at one with him, we shall quickly be at one with all others. For here is the touchstone and trial of all the rest, even our obedience to the second Table, which concerneth the duties of love toward our brethren. Hereunto cometh b Mat. 5, 23. the doctrine of Christ set down in the Evangelist, Mat. 5. If thou bring thy gift to the Altar, and there remember'st that thy brother hath aught against thee, leave there thy gift before the Altar, and go first be reconciled to thy brother, then come and offer thy gift. Where he teacheth, that he so approveth this duty, that he will have his own immediate seru ce cease, and give place for a time, till i● be performed. So in the Sermon which he made to his Apostles, before he was betrayed to death, he did diligently beat upon this point, saying, c joh 13, 35. By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples, if ye love one another. This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you: greater love than this hath no man▪ that a man bestow his life for his friends: ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you. This likewise the d Col 3, 12. Apostle teacheth, that we may know him to be the scholar of the same master, Col. 3. As the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercy, k ndnesse, humbleres of mind, meekness, long-suffering, forbearing one another▪ and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel unto another, even as Christ forgave you, even so do ye: and above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness. As every one hath a comfortable experience in his own heart of God's mercy toward him in the pardon of his sins which are many and great; so let him show mercy again, as he hath received mercy, and deal unto others kindly, as God hath dealt graciously toward him. Our Saviour Christ avoucheth this, Math. 18. in the parable of the lender that had many debtor: he called them to e Mat. 18, 23 take an account of them, and forgiveth the debt, having compassion on him that was not able to pay: but when he was departed, and had found one of his fellow-servants which ought him an hundred pence, he laid hand on him, throttled him, and cast him in prison till he should pay the debt. Then the Lord called him and said, O evil servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou prayedst me: Oughtest thou not also to have pity on thy fellow-servant, even as I had pity on thee? So his Lord was wroth, and delivered him to the torments, till he should pay all that was due to him. Then followeth the application of the whole, So likewise shall mine heavenly Father do unto you, except ye forgive 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 love, and a chain to unite and join us together among ourselves, that if it were possible we should not break 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 unity, and a seal of our agreement one with another. Behold here a chain consisting of many links to knit us together, that we break not from God and our brethren. Do we not all come to one table? Do we not all eat of the same bread? Do we not all drink of the same cup? Is not the same loaf compact of many corns? Is not the same wine pressed out of many clusters? Do we not all join together in the same receiving? Were we not baptised into the same baptism? What a shameful thing is this, full of infamy and reproach, to see the branches of the same vine, the sheep of the same shepherd, the children of the same Father, the servants of the same Master, the fellows of the same household, the heirs of the same kingdom, the guests of the same banquet, 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 strive one against another, to delight in brawling, fight, quarreling, and to nourish hatred, malice, revenge, rancour, spite, envy, biting, & backbiting one of another. If Ephraim be set against g E●●y 9, ●1 Manasses, and Manasses against Ephra●m, if brother be divided against brother, if we bite one at another, let us take heed lest we be consumed one of another. The Sons of God are renewed into the Image of God, to resemble their heavenly Father in true holiness, and do all wear the same cogni●ance & livery. For the Sacraments are the marks of Christ's sheep, whereby they are known and discerned: so that all our dissensions, divisions, railings, ●eu ling, disgrace, and defacings one of another, tend to the reproach and dishonour of our common ●ather, and do give an heavy testimony against our souls with God and his elect Angels. For how do we approach unto God? how do we come into his presence? With what hearts do we pray before him & unto him? Are we not taught h Math. 6, 12. to ask forgiveness of our sins, as we forgive the trespasses done unto us? If then we be malicious and envious, and carry the fresh remembrance of wrongs in our hearts to pursue them with revenge: do we not pray against ourselves? Do we not beseech God to pour vengeance upon us? Do we not open our mouths to our own destruction? For when we use our tongues to say, i Luke 11, 4. Lord forgive us, for even we forgive, is it not as much as if we should pray, forgive us not Lord, for we do not, we will not forgive others? Therefore, after the form of prayer given to the Disciples, Christ addeth, If ye do forgive Men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if ye do not forgive men their trespasses, no more will your Father forgive you your trespasses. And as he exhorteth that when they stand and appear before the Altar, k Mark. 11, 25 they must forgive: so when we appear at the Lords Table, we must forgive, if we have any thing against any man, that our father also which is in heaven may forgive us our trespasses Now if we would be directed to know whether this love be in us or not, we may try our own hearts by these l 1 Cor. 13, 4. holy properties and blessed effects described by the Apostle, 1 Cor. 13. Love (saith he) suffereth long, it is bountiful, love envieth not, love doth not boast itself, it is not puffed up: it disdaineth not, it seeketh not her own things, it is not provoked to anger, it thinketh not evil: it rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth: it suffereth all things, it believeth all things, it hopeth all things, it endureth all things. Hear we may see what manner of love ought to be in us. Every one of us must endeavour that all the parts of this description may rightly agree to every one of us, and truly be found in us toward all men, even our enemies, as we see jesus Christ hath left us an example of his love, m Luk. 23, 35 when he prayed for his enemies, that crucified and cruelly entreated him father forgive them for they know not what they do, and this did Stephen to those that stoned him, lord lay not this sin to their charge. This is the truth, let us acknowledge it. This is the way, let us walk in it: this was their practice, let us follow it. Thus we have showed the necessity of examination of ourselves before we come to the Lords Supper, and declared the parts wherein it standeth, and the manner how it is to be performed. If we come furnished with these things, with saving knowledge, with justifying faith, with unfeigned repentance, with a loving and longing reconciliation toward our brethren among whom we live, having as much n Rom. 12, 15. as is possible, Peace with all men, yea even our enemies: let us not abstain from the Lords table, by reason of some frailties and infirmities in us: for God covereth them, ᵒ and will not bring them into remembrance, as we see 2 Chro. 30. A multitude of people had not cleansed themselves, yet did eat the passover, but not as it was written: wherefore Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good God be merciful toward him that prepareth his whole heart to seek the Lord God, the God of his Fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the Sanctuary: and the Lord heard Hezekiah, and healed the people. Where we see, that because their heart was upright & sincere, their wants and imperfections were not imputed unto them. For God respecteth the truth of the inward parts, and pardoneth their sins that thus prepare their hearts to seek him. So then p The sacrament is not honoured by abstaining from it. they were greatly deceived, that thought they honoured the Sacrament by abstaining from it: it is not honoured, but dishonoured: not hallowed, but profaned: not regarded reverently, but reproached grievously by our wilful abstinence, q 1 cor, 11, 28 as the Apostle teacheth, 1 Cor. 11. Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of this bread, and drink of this cup. He doth not say, let him prove himself and so let him abstain. For the Sacrament is abused, as well by forbearing, having examined ourselves, as by not examining ourselves, and receiving unworthily. And thus much of Examination, and the manner to be observed therein. CHAP. 20. The conclusion, containing an abridgement of the whole Treatise, together with a confirmation of some parts and passages of it. THe effect of that which hath been delivered hitherto in these Books, may thus be gathered into a short sum and abridgement. We have a The sum of the first Book declared that God in all times and ages of the Church, from the first being of our first parents, hath to his word and promises annexed Sacraments, as conduits of grace, and seals of assurance b Gen. 2, 9, etc. for the confirmation of them, thereby magnifying his own mercy toward his people, showing our weakness and unworthiness, and condemning such as oftentimes desire to come to the Lords Table, but esteem little of the preaching of the word, and such as are diligent in hearing of the word, but careless in coming to the Sacraments, and manifesting God's goodness to us, in giving us such helps, as if a man should put a staff in his hand that is weak and ready to fall: whereas the word and Sacraments have one and the same Author, they are instruments of the same grace, their whole force & effect dependeth on God, they require faith c Hebru. 4, 2. to be mingled with them, and they profit not always at the very moment of hearing and receiving. Notwithstanding, some differences we find between them, as namely in the greater necessity of the word then of the Sacraments. Infidels were never barred from hearing the word when they would become d 1 Cor. 14, 24 hearers thereof; and whereas the word affecteth one only of the senses, to wit, the hearing, the Sacraments are offered to the eyes as well as to the ears, and foe in some sort become more effectual than the word. Touching the word Sacrament, it is drawn from martial Discipline, and properly signifieth the soldiers Oath, whereby he bindeth himself to his Captain; which word being used by the old Latin Interpreter, is now become ordinary and common in the Church, which is not mentioned in so many Syllables in the Scriptures. And howsoever the word be often taken in a large and general signification, yet as we take it in these Books, e What a Sacrament is. a Sacrament is a visible sign and seal ordained of God, whereby Christ and all his saving graces by certain outward rites are signified, exhibited and sealed up unto us. This description being received teacheth us these points, first that the force of the Sacraments dependeth not on the worthiness or unworthiness of the Minister, but upon the ordinance of God, f Mat. 23, 2, 3. so that an evil Minister may deliver the good things of God. And this was the cause that g john 4, 2. Christ jesus baptised none, but his Disciples baptised, that we might learn not to esteem of the effect of the Sacraments, by the fitness or unfitness of the Ministers. Besides, we are admonished hereby of the weakness of our Faith which needeth to be strengthened: and this is the reason why so long as we live in this world we must use the Sacraments, because our Faith is always weak and unperfect, and needeth helps to further it, means to increase it, and props to stay it. And therefore the Apostle saith, 1 Cor. 11, 36. As often as ye eat this bread & drink this up, ye do show the Lords death till he come. Furthermore, we learn that there is no use of the Sacraments in the kingdom of heaven, where all things are come to perfection: Now when that which is perfect is come, 1 Cor, 13, 10. then that which is in part shall be done away. Again, h Deutro 4, 2 none must add unto them, none must take aught from them, none must any way abuse them, contrary to the institution and ordinance of God. Lastly, we learn from hence, that the Sacraments are not bare and naked signs of Christ absent i 1 Cor. 10, 16 but sure and certain seals of God's promises, and of the righteousness of Christ who is offered unto all, but received only of the faithful: so that the presence of ungodly men meeting us at the same Table, cannot any way hurt us in our worthy receiving. In a k In a Sacrament consider his Parts, and his uses. Sacrament we are to consider two things, his Parts and his uses. The parts of a Sacrament are l The parts are outward and inward. partly outward and partly inward. The outward parts are m The outward parts of a Sacrament are four, the Minister, the word, the Sign, the receiver. these four. First, the Minister lawfully called, is necessarily required. If then the Minister will not administer them, or if private persons will administer them, n Math. 28, 19 they sin against God, the one for not performing the duties of his calling, the other because he runneth beyond the bounds of his calling. The second outward part o Esay 6, 6, 7 is the word of institution, consisting of a Commandment and a promise: so that it is required of us to understand the words of institution, to join the word with the Sacraments, and to discharge those from the number of Sacraments, which want the warrant of the word. The third outward part of a Sacrament is p Mark 1, 5. the sign: for wheresoever there is a Sacrament, there must of necessity be an outward element, so that neither must we make an Idol of the Sign by advancing it too high, nor clean abolish it as the Church of Rome doth by their doctrine of Transubstantiation. The last outward part is the q Gene. 17, 12 Receiver: so that the Sacraments without their lawful use, are no Sacraments at all, so long as the signs are reserved and not applied. The inward parts also are s 1 Cor. 3.7. four. First, God the Father, offering and applying Christ jesus, as surely as the Minister doth the outward sign, which is a great comfort to such as come to the Sacraments. The second inward part of a Sacrament is t Titus 3.56. the holy Spirit working by the word: so that we can never hear the word or receive the Sacraments aright without the special direction and inspiration of the spirit of God, neither must we hang upon extraordinary revelations, which openeth a wide door unto all disorders, inasmuch as the Spirit is not separated from the word. The third inward part is jesus u 1 Cor. 10, 3 Christ, who is the truth & the life of all Sacraments: now if God the Father have given him unto us, a Rom, 8, 32. how shall he not with him give us all things else? Let us therefore lay hold upon him, especially in all difcomfits and troubles, when our faith is assaulted by the enemies of our salvation. The last inward part is the faithful Receiver: for except we b Ro 14, 23 send out faith to bring Christ home to dwell with us in our hearts, we shall in vain look to receive profit by the Sacraments: so that the Reprobate who are vessels of wrath, and the children of perdition, cannot receive Christ, albeit they partake the signs of Christ. As for the elect, who are the Lords sealed up to the day of redemption, before their conversion and gathering into the sheepfold of Christ, they also only receive the outward sign without Christ, inasmuch as they are without faith: but after they are called with an holy calling effectually, and have received to believe unfeignedly, they are partakers both of the sign and of the thing signified. These are the outward and inward parts. Now there c Acts 8, 36 is a fit proportion and agreement between these parts, each very aptly answering the other. For even as the minister by the word of Institution, offereth and applieth visibly the outward element to the body of the Receiver: so the father by the spirit, offereth and apply jesus Christ invisibly to the faithful receiver. We showed before, that in a Sacrament we are to observe two points, his parts and his uses. Hitherto we have spoken of all the parts, both such as are outward, and such as are inward. Now it remaineth to handle his uses. The uses of a Sacrament d 3. chief uses of a Sacrament. are chiefly three: first, e Rom. 4, 11. to strengthen secondly, f Goe 17, 1, 11. to seal up the covenant between God and us: thirdly, g Ephes. 2, 11 to be a Badge of our profession, and as a banner displayed to witness our warfare under our chief Captain Christ jesus. If these be the true uses and ends of the Sacraments, than we learn to take notice of h Mark 9 23 our own failinges and infirmities of Faith; that GOD refuseth none for weakness and wavering of Faith, i Rom. 4, 11 that there is an assurance of Faith to be attained unto, in this life; that as God evermore keepeth his promise with his people, k Num 23, 15. who is not as man that he should lie, l 1 john 3, 13 nor as the son of man that he should deceive, so must we be careful to keep the Articles of agreement between God and us, namely to believe his word, to love our brethren, to obey his will: that the Sacraments belong not to the unfaithful, and can do them no good at all, forasmuch as they be effectual unto us by faith. Lastly, as our privileges are great, to bear the badges of Christ our Lord, so it teacheth that we are not our own, m 1 Cor. 6, 19 20. but are bought at a great price, not with n 1 Pet. 1, 18.19. coruptible things as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb unspotted and undefiled. Hitherto of the nature of the Sacraments: now of the number of them, as we understand the word for such as are seals of our communion with Christ. The Sacraments o The Sacraments of the new testament are only two of the new testament are two, baptism and the Lords Supper, neither are there any more left unto the Church. For Christ taught no more p 1 Cor. 10, 1.2. Act. 20, 27. Sacraments to the Apostles, the Apostles delivered no more to the Churches, who yet were faithful witnesses, and revealed the whole counsel of God, without concealing and keeping back of any doctrine which themselves had received. Besides, these two Sacraments are altogether perfect and sufficient, both to enter a Christian into the Church, and to retain him continually in the same. From this number of two Sacraments we learn, first to acknowledge the great love of God toward us, who hath eased us of the r Act. 15, 10. heavy burden of infinite ceremonies prescribed in the law, and delivered us s A●g de d●●●. C●●●. ●. 3. c. 9 a few Sacraments in stead of many. Secondly, we see hereby the difference between the old Testament and the new, and between the Sacraments of the old Testament and the new: they had sundry significant signs and ceremonies, whose interpretation was not easily known unto them. Thirdly, seeing God hath given unto us two signs, and added two seals to his word and writings, we ought to have the stronger faith in his merciful promises. For wherefore hath he doubled the signs, but that we should increase in faith & as it were double our assurance of his graces? Lastly, this number of two, overthroweth the number of seven Sacraments, maintained in the Church of Rome, which just number was t 〈…〉. first broached by Peter Lombard, afterward ratified in the Counsel of Florence, and lastly established in the Counsel of Trent, and is now become the common doctrine of that counterfeit Church. For besides baptism and the Lords Supper, which we receive, they u The number of seven Sacraments is fa●se and forged have installed into the number of Sacraments, Confirmation, Penance, Matrimony, Orders, and extreme Unction, contrary to the doctrine of the Scriptures, contrary to the nature of Sacraments, & contrary to the evidence of sundry reasons. And first of all, a Confirmation no Sacrament. Confirmation be lifted up into the seat of the Sacraments, or sit down in this Chair of honour, because it wanteth the institution of Christ, it wanteth an outward sign, it hath no word to warrant it, or promise of blessing: for howsoever b Act, 8, 5, 14, 15, 16, 17. the Apostles by imposition of hands gave the Holy-Ghost, those miraculous gifts are now withdrawn from the Church of God. Lastly, they have advanced it above baptism, they administer it in a strange tongue, & hollow the greasy oil to purify soul and body. True it is, they allege the example of the Apostles, who used imposition of hands, over those of Samaria, Act. 8, 14. But can they bestow the like miraculous gifts as the Apostles did upon the Samaritans by laying on of their hands? Indeed when Philip, had catechised the Samaritans, & taught them the fundamental points of Christian religion, the Apostles came and prayed for them, and laid their hands upon them: So likewise after that children have in their own persons made public & particular profession of their faith (which others did profess for them in their name at baptism.) We acknowledge that prayer may be made for them that strength of faith and increase of grace may be given them by the Holy-Ghost to live and die in that faith whereof they have made profession. To which prayers we deny not but the ceremony of imposition of hands may be added, betokening the restraint of our desires to the parties whom we present to God, and declaring thereby that we pray for them that are before us. But what is this to the cozenage and imposture of the Church of Rome that mock God and his people? For the Apostles did not consecrate Oil mixed with Balm, nor anoint the Samaritans with such Oil. They did not cross their foreheads, nor kiss their mouths, nor clap their ears, nor bind their faces with fillets, nor forbidden them to wash their heads, neither used any such may-game as is now practised by the popish Bishops in their apish confirmation, who have it in greater estimation than the Sacrament of baptism, because they permit the administration of it to every Priest, yea to private persons, yea to women, yea even to the jews and Infidels that are out of the Church: whereas they reserve to the Bishops only the power of Confirmation, as if it had greater power to strengthen the soul against the Devil. Secondly, c Penance is no sacrament their penance instituted by bodily chastisements to make satisfaction for sin to God, is no Sacrament of the new Testament, nor any sacred thing being thus understood. For we acknowledge no other satisfaction d 1 joh, 1, 7. for sin, wherein God delighteth, and the conscience of man resteth, but only the death and obedience of Christ. Besides, true repentance hath been preached and practised from the beginning of the world, after that sin entered into the world. Furthermore, their penance hath no visible sign, as baptism and the Supper of the Lord have. Thirdly, e Matrimony is no Sacrament. matrimony, albeit it be a divine ordinance, honourable f Heb, 13, 4. among all estates, yet can be no Sacrament of the Church of Christ, because it was instituted before g Gen, 2, 18, the law, it is ratified among the Infidels which are no members of the Church, it hath no promise of grace and salvation joined to it, and albeit it be honourable in all, h 1. Cor, 6, 7.7, 37. yet it is not necessary in all. Lastly, the Roman Church esteemeth it as an unclean thing a profanation of holy orders, a living in the flesh: so that as with one hand they advance it to a great dignity, with the other hand they cast it down, with great disgrace and contempt, as unworthy of the high & holy priesthood. Fourthly, orders come in the next i Order no sacrament. place, which are the officers and ministry of the Church, but no Sacrament, or Sacraments of the Church. For then, according to the number of orders, we should multiply the number of Sacraments. Neither have they any outward Element and visible sign. Lastly, we are come to extreme unction, which we suffer not to mask under the name of Sacraments, but pull off the vizard thereof, because the church had the use of anointing so long as it retained the miraculous gift of healing. Besides, it hath no word of institution to warrant the continual practice of it, until the second coming of Christ. Indeed the Apostles and Disciples were commanded to anoint the sick, and so to heal them of their sickness; and if any man in our days have this miraculous gift of healing bestowed upon him, we like well that he should anoint the sick, and in the name of God use the gift bestowed upon him. But the Church of Rome anoint those whose case and condi●ion is without hope of amendment and recovery. Thus a Medicine is turned into a Sacrament: and a miracle is turned into a conjuring of Devils: and the Vnct on which was wont to heal the body is turned into a foolish ceremony unprofitable both to the body and to the soul, and yet it will require a large half hours work to can o●e o●● extreme unction. A great deal of time very all bestowed. Wherefore, s●●ing the word of God teacheth the number of two Sacraments only and the Church of Rome enstructeth her children in●o the number of seven Sacraments neither more nor less: they must pardon us, if we harken rather to the Scriptures then to their Traditions, rather to God then to man, rather to the author of truth then to the spirit of error. Nevertheless, though we thus speak, we like well the things themselves being rightly understood, at the repentance of the penitent, confirmation of the faithful that are weak and new called, the order of the Ministry of the Church, the visitation and comfort of the sick, the lawful estate of honourable Matrimony, as godly and profitable, and that not only in the new Testament, but also in the old: so that we would have no man slander us or mistake us herein, as though we refused those things which be of themselves godly and good; but we like not and allow not the devising of new Sacraments in them, for which we have no warrant in the word of God. Hitherto we have spoken of the Sacraments in general, The sum of the 2. Book. of their parts, of their uses, and of the number: now we come to speak of them in particular, first of Baptism, which is as it were the door or gate of the Church, then of the lords Supper, which is the food and nourishment of the Church. And howsoever Baptism hath sundry significations, yet as it signifieth that washing with Water which serveth to seal and assure the Covenant of the New Testament, What Bapt is. it is the first Sacrament wherein by the outward washing of the body with water once in the name of the Father, of the son, and of the holy Ghost, the inward cleansing of the soul by the blood of Christ it represented. Exod. 12, 48 This description teacheth, that such as are not yet baptised are not to be admitted to the Lords Table, and that albeit dipping be not necessary to the being of Baptism, Ephes. 5, 26. yet washing with water is of the essence of this Sacrament. For the Church is at liberty to baptise either by dipping or sprinkling, D●e. des●d●gm 〈◊〉 4. l. 4. ●●i. 7 as we may see in Austin, that this liberty was kept and retained in the Church: and Cyprian vphouldeth the sprinkling in Baptism, yet so as that he affirmeth it to be at men's liberty. We learn also that such as are once baptised are not to be rebaptized, albeit they have been baptised by Heretics: and that whosoever is baptised hath made a solemn Covenant to profess the Christian religion, and to lead an unblamable and unreprovable conversation, considering that he is no longer his own to live as he list, but as he is bought with a price, so is he bound to serve him that hath bought him, and to approve himself to him in all holy obedience. Now we are to consider in baptism (as we did before generally in a Sacrament) these two things, The parts of Baptism. his parts and his uses. The parts of baptism are both outward and inward. For as there was a circumcision of the body & of the heart, so there is a baptizing of the body, and a baptizing of the soul. john the Baptist, in his baptizing directed all to Christ, to believe in him as Acts 19 and he preached the kingdom of heaven, Math, 3. so that there is but one baptism of the New Testament, Eph: 4. For as we do baptise with water unto Christ, and admit men to have interest in the kingdom of God; as we incorporate them into the Church of Christ, and offer the promise of forgiveness of sins to them which repent and believe the Gospel: so did john in his baptism, Acts 8, and 10 and 1●. who baptised as the Apostles did, forasmuch as both of them are said to baptise in the name of Christ. Herein lieth the difference rather in the order of time, then substance of the Sacrament, the one was first given to the jews only, and this latter was communicated unto the Gentiles also. We cannot therefore assent and agree to them that make two sundry baptisms thereof. For this maketh two baptisms no more than it maketh two Gospels, because Christ and his Apostles did first preach it and publish it to the Israelites, and afterward unto the Gentiles. Again, we are put in mind, that when the Sacrament of baptism is to be administered, we should not make all possible haste out of the Church as the manner of many is among us, as though it did nothing at all belong unto us, but it is our duty to contain ourselves, and continue our presence together with the rest of our brethren, that by our tarrying we may to our comfort consider with ourselves our own receiving heretofore into the visible body of Christ's Church and congregation, as also that it belongeth unto us to offers prayers unto God for the infant that is present to be baptised, like as others did in former time for us, and so as it were pay the debt we own to the church and perform to others that Christian duty which others have already performed unto us. Let us come to the parts of baptism. The outward parts are these four, the Minister of God, the word of institution, the element of water, the body to be washed, The first outward part is the Minister, as the Messenger of God. For baptism is a part of the Ministry and God hath joined the ministry of the word and the administration of the Sacraments together. Wherefore the Minister must be careful and not careless in the execution of his office, who is to sanctify the water, and to wash the party. Moreover, the people are directed unto whom to resort when they have children to be baptised. Thirdly, the Church of Rome profane baptism, when they appoint Midwives and private persons to baptise children, nay, do allow Pagans, even such as are not yet baptised themselves, and hold it available. Lastly, it is not fit that the Church should set apart some ordinarily to baptise, who are not able to preach the word, no more than it is lawful to set apart an ordinary Officer for to minister the lords Supper, which is not able to teach. Besides, this were to institute a new kind of ministery, of such who are not called of GOD as Aaron was; Heb. 5, 4. neither can any sufficient reason be given, why the Church should take upon it this Liberty. The second outward part The second outward part. is the word, of institution, which is as the form of this Sacrament. Now by the word in this place we understand the promises of the Gospel, and the form of administration thereof instituted by Christ which must be in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghost. This part and point being thus rightly understood both teacheth and reproveth. It serveth to teach that we make not three Gods, as though the Father were a God severally, the son a God severally, and the holy Ghost a God severally, albeit these be named and reckoned up severally: for we be not baptised into the names, but in the name: not of many Gods, but of one in nature and essence, and triple in persons and properties. And we must beware of this also, that we make not an inequality of the persons, and suppose that the Son is less than the Father, and the holy Ghost less than the Son, and the Father above them both, although the Father be set in the first place, the Son in the second place, and the holye-Ghost in the third place, because they are coequal, and none before or above the other. Besides, it reproveth one of the slanders published against us by many friends and favourites of the Church of Rome, to wit, that we hold and maintain that we ought never to baptise but when there is a Sermon. But to put them out of doubt, we do no more teach that we may not baptise but when there is preaching, then that we may not preach, but when there is baptizing. For none of us do believe or defend any such doctrine of the absolute necessity of the preaching of the word at the baptizing of children, or the receiving of the Supper, as if the essence of the Sacraments depended upon the preaching or the absence of preaching did destroy the nature of the Sacraments. True it is, we affirm two things. First we say, that a Sermon is very fit and convenient, and always to be wished if it may be had, because it setteth forth more lively a declaration and demonstration of Christ's death. john 7, 22 And therefore we see this practised by john, & the disciples of Christ. Howbeit it is not so needful and behooveful, as that without preaching it should be no baptism, or that for want of this it should be reiterated, and the former made void. And therefore the Priests that circumcised children in the Temple, did not always preach the law to the people, for than they must preach not only upon the Sabaoth, but every day in the week, and peradventure oftentimes in the day, forasmuch as children were brought at all times to be circumcised, being precisely tied unto the eight day, and therefore as children were borne every day of the week, so doubtless they were brought to be circumcised every day of the week. And what Sermon could there be at the circumcision of john Baptist the forerunner of Christ, Luke 1, 62. his Father for his unbelief being stricken dumb, and so not able to speak, Luke 1, 62? Again, we confess that seals without writings, are like wax set to a blank, and therefore baptism without the word is altogether unavaileable and unprofitable. Notwithstanding, by the word we do not understand the solemn interpretation of the scriptures with doctrine and application, but a declaration of the institution of Christ, and a commemoration of the promises of the Gospel. Thus we make the word necessary, and otherwise then thus we do not make it to be necessary. The third outward part is the element of water, The 3. outward part of Baptism. which is the matter whereof baptism consisteth. Whosoever therefore baptizeth with any other liquor then with water, as with blood, with sand, with snow, with milk, or such like matter, doth frustrate baptism, and maketh it an idle Ceremony. Again, all popish corruptions, superfluously added and annexed to this Sacrament, contrary to the simplicity of the Gospel, as Cream, Crosses, Censers, Tapers, Spittle, Salt, and such like unsavoury trumpery, are utterly condemned, having also a superstitious opinion of holiness and worship joined with them. Lastly, seeing water is an outward part, the want of washing with water cannot hinder the salvation of such as die without baptism. All perished not under the Law that died without Circumcision; God is not more rigorous under the Gospel: neither did Christ come to condemn those whom the law saved. This therefore is a bloody and uncomfortable doctrine to be abandoned and abjured of all parents, of all children, of all christians. God said at the first to Abraham, when he instituted circumcision, I will be thy God, and the God of thy seed, Gen. 17, 7. And the Apostle Paul speaking of children born of faithful Fathers and Mothers saith, That they be holy. 1. Cor. 7, 14. By the strength and virtue of this covenant so graciously made and faithfully kept, it cometh to pass, that the children of believers so soon as they be borne, do belong to God and to his kingdom. The absolute necessity of Baptism, How baptism is absolutely necessary. we acknowledge in two points: first, it is necessary to have it celebrated in the church to the end of the world. Christ hath commanded it, and the Church ought to keep this commandment without spot and without rebuke, until the appearing of our Lord jesus Christ. For as the Apostle teacheth that we must show the lords death until he come: so we are to baptise the members of the Church, until he come again to judge the quick and the dead. secondly, it is necessary in this respect, because who soever doth voluntarily deprive himself of baptism, the Sacrament of regeneration, and the seal of the righteousness by Faith, and doth wilfully contemn it, as the Pharisees did against themselves, cannot be saved. For, it is the refusing, not the wanting; the contempt, not the deprivation of baptism that bringeth with it condemnation; according to that which the Lord speaketh touching circumcision, Gen, 17. The uncircumcised male, whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people: he hath broken my Covenant. But to say, Gen. 17, 14. that God cannot or will not save children without baptism, or to believe, that being carried towards baptism, and dying in the way, they are excluded from eternal salvation, Children dying without baptism are not damned. is a rash and cruel sentence of corrupt and partial judges. First, it is a false accusing of our merciful God of extreme rigour and severity, as if he did badly provide for the salvation of children borne under the old testament, who were restrained circumcision before the eight day. Secondly, it committeth the salvation or damnation of children into the power of a man or a Midwife: for if they list to baptise them, they shall go into Paradise, if they please not to do it, than they shall never come unto Heaven. Thirdly, our adversaries themselves, that urge so much the necessity of Baptism, do teach in their writings that many are saved without the Baptism of Water, as sundrte Martyrs that were never baptised, but that the shedding of their blood hath the force of true baptism. And yet (as it is well observed) this baptism of blood is contrary to their own Cannons, which conclude and determine that it can be no Sacrament, if he that baptizeth hath not an intent to baptise: but they dare not avouch, that the persecutors and executioners conferred baptism, or ever had any intent to baptise. And how is the intent requisite in him that doth baptise, more than in him that is baptised? To omit this, that many have ended their days by martyrdom, that never had their blood shed and powered out of their bodies. Fourthly, it is agreed upon on both sides, that baptism is once only to be administered to one and the same person, and not to be iterated or repeated; what reason then can be rendered by them why martyrdom of a person already baptised should be no Sacrament, and that the martyrdom of a person not yet baptised, should be a Sacrament? For he that hath been once baptised may be baptised no more by any other baptism. And thus martyrdom shall be a greater honour and dignity in him that is not baptised, then in him that hath lived and continued in the Church, and been baptised. Fiftly, circumcision in the old Testament, and baptism in the new, are all one, and of like necessity: yet infinite people were saved under the old Testament without circumcision, as all the faithful women, and such as truly repent amongst the Ninivites, at the preaching of jonas. Lastly, our adversaries are constrained to join with us in that they confess, that the power of God is not tied to the Sacraments, Lumb. l 4. dist 4 insomuch that many partake the truth of the Sacrament, which do not receive the outward sign of the Sacrament; and that there is a baptism of the spirit which supplieth the deprivation and default of the baptism of water. And this is as much as we desire: so that they teach that which we teach, and believe that which we believe. The fourth outward part of baptism The 4. outward part of Bapt. is the body that is washed. Now such as are to be baptised must be within the Covenant. Not to all and every of them that have life, nor all that have sense, nor all that have reason have right to it, and a privilege in it: but the people of God by Covenant. These are either men and women of riper years, or else the infants of such who have interest in baptism as well as the parents of whom they are borne. This condemneth the Romish practice of Baptizing Bells, as a most horrible profanation of this Sacrament, and serveth to set forth the great love of God unto all believers, who vouchsafeth to be their God and the God of their seed. Hence likewise it appeareth, d Infants have interest in baptism as well as their parents. that infants are to be baptised. For baptism succeed in place of Circumcision, the Apostles baptised e Colos. 2, 11. whole houses, Christ calleth infants and sucklings f Act. 16, 15, 33 unto himself, and saith that unto such belongeth the Kingdom of Heaven: they are Christ's sheep and members of his body: Hence we learn, that the baptism of Infants is no unwritten tradition, but a written and divine institution taught in the Scriptures. Consider also hereby, the difference between baptism and the Lords Supper, g 1 Cor. 14, 16 Mar. 10, 13, 14 15. and that all are conceived in original sin. Acknowledge also a difference between them and the children of Infidels, and let parents be encouraged h Psal. 51, 5. to bring up their children in the instruction and reformation of the Lord. Hitherto of the outward parts: now follow i Eph. 6, 4. the inward parts, which also are four in number. First, k The inward parts of baptism are four. God the Father represented by the Minister, whereby our faith is greatly strengthened. For whensoever the eye seethe the Minister pouring water on the body, faith beholdeth God the Father cleansing the soul with the precious blood of his Son Christ. The second part is the Spirit l Mat. 28, 19 of God, having relation to the word and promise of God: and therefore whensoever we come to hear the word or to receive the Sacraments, we must crave the assistance of the Spirit to open our hearts, m 1 cor. 12, 12 as he opened the heart of Lydia. If this inward teacher be wanting, the ear heareth, and the hand handleth, but the heart is hardened. The third inward part of baptism n Act. 16, 14 is Christ represented by the water. This serveth greatly to confirm our faith, to consider with ourselves, when we behold with our bodily eyes the water poured upon the body baptised, o Act. 2, 38. the blotting out of all our sins by the blood of Christ jesus. The 4. inward part is the soul cleansed, p 1 Pet. 3, 21. most lively and effectually represented by the body washed. For the washing of the body representeth the cleansing of the soul. This teacheth, that by nature we are corrupt and abominable, q Ep. 5, 26, 27 so that God must work in us both the will and the deed. These are the four inward parts of baptism. The agreement between these outward and inward parts r The proportion betwixt the outward and inward parts of baptism. is very evident. For as the Minister by the word of institution, apply water to the washing of the body: so the Father through the working of the Spirit, apply the blood of Christ to the cleansing of the soul. This distinction and proportion of the parts, to wit, the outward with the inward, serveth to determine many Controversies, untimely raised, hotly pursued, and uncharitably continued among us. For if we did aright discern the outward baptism from the inward, & that which the Minister doth deliver from that which God doth give and bestow, it might be a good means to dissolve sundry doubts, touching the sufficiency and efficacy of this Sacrament, whether it be impeached or abolished by the evil of the Minister, which is of three sorts of heresy impiety and ignorance. The first question is touching heresy, Touching the baptis. of the Heretics. whether baptism ministered by an Heretic be true baptism or not? I answer, If Heretics keep not the substance of baptism, but err in the foundation of religion, and the doctrine of the Trinity, their baptism can be no baptism. Hence it is that Nicephorus Niceph. hist. lib. 3. cap 33 maketh mention of a Minister, that in the want of water baptised with sand▪ but the party was again baptised, and that most justly. But if they keep the Doctrine of the Sacrament sound in substance, and fail not in the essential parts of it, such baptism is good baptism, and ought not to be repeated. For as the truth taught by Heretics is God's truth, and available to edification, so long as they preach out of God's word: so baptism administered by them is true baptism, so long as they observe the institution of God entire and uncorrupt. The second Question is touching the scandalous life & profane heart of the Minister, whether it hinder the effect of the Sacrament or not? Touching the baptism of evil Ministers. I answer it doth not: for as good prayers conceived by evil men have also audience with God, so it is with the Sacraments, albeit they be administered by evil men, yet have they acceptance with God. And albeit the sons of Eli did occasion the people to abhor the offerings of the Lord, yet it is their sin to abstain. judas being sent out to preach ministered Baptism also, which was no doubt effectual and sufficient to the receivers, albeit he were a damnable hypocrite and the child of perdition. True it is, he received no benefit by the word or the Sacraments, yet he might be a means of doing good to others. The light of the Sun passeth by miry and unclean places, and yet it is not defiled; so the dignity of the Sament is not hindered by the lewdness of the Minister. The Sacraments brought unto us by lose Ministers (which are no better than stumbling-blockes laid before the weak, Aug. in johan. tract. 5. are like water that passeth through a Channel into a Garden, itself receiveth no benefit by it, howbeit the garden is watered and made fruitful thereby. Many of the Priests and Levites among the Israelites were ungodly and unsanctified, yet they both offered sacrifices, and celebrated Sacraments, which to the right partakers were feales of the Covenants, and means to increase faith. Again, there is no difference in respect of God between him that is profane in heart, and him that is profane in life; between him that is profane outwardly, and him that is profane inwardly, forasmuch as they are both alike known unto him. But no man knoweth what is in the heart, and therefore if profaneness did hinder the fruitfulness of the Sacrament, no man could be assured that at any time he received a Sacrament, but must always hang in suspense and doubt of the matter. Let no man therefore refuse or abhor the Lords ordinances for the evil demeanour of the Ministers, as no man will reject the gift of a Prince, albeit a wicked person should draw the conveyance. The third and last question remaineth, which is, whether the ignorance or unability of the Minister to preach, Touching the bapt of ignorant ministers do disannul the sufficiency and efficacy of the Sacrament to the receiver that believeth? It were to be wished that every Congregation had his learned Pastor, that so the occasion of this Question might be cut off: but because we cannot have so flourishing a Church, we must consider the matter as the case standeth with us, and know that his actions are not nullities. For the Apostle requireth, that the Minister should be unreprovable in life, 1 Tim. 3.2. as well as apt to teach, 1 Tim. 3. If then his evil life do not disannul his work, why should his ignorance be a greater bar? If then any reason thus: Every Ministry of the New-Testament is a preaching Ministry, Therefore Sacraments are void, that are delivered by no preachers: Why may we not reason in like manner and as strongly, Every ministery of the New-Testament is an unblamable ministry, Therefore Sacraments are void that are delivered by them that are not unreprovable. Indeed every good ministery is a preaching ministry, but not every ministry in general: and therefore it will not follow that the action of him that is no preacher is a nullity●. But of these Questions we have spoken more at large elsewhere. Thus far of the parts ● Baptism, both the outward and the inward parts: now w● come to the uses thereof, s Three uses of Baptism. which are principally three. First, to show the placing and planting into the body of Christ, to r●maine in him for ever. This conjunction with Christ is not bodily or natural, but mystical and marvelous in our eyes: for we are made one with Christ, t 1 Cor. 6, 17. by the same Spirit dwelling in Christ and in all the members of Christ. So then, the Saints triumphing in heaven, and all the believers fight upon earth, as soldiers in warfare, have one and the same spirit of Christ dwelling in them, and therefore are one with him. Secondly, to assure us of the remission of our sins, that we may be able to stand in the presence of God, u Gal. 3, 17. having put on the garments of Christ, as jacob received the blessing clad in the garments of his elder brother. This overthroweth the doctrine or rather doting of the Church of Rome, which teacheth that baptism abolisheth all sins going before it, and leaveth nothing that hath the name or nature of sin. If this were a truth of God not a dream of men, it is not only decent, but greatly to be desired, to have baptism deferred until old age, nay unto the hour of death, that foe we may departed hence in peace with greater assurance of God's favour in the pardon of our sins. Thirdly, a Mark, 1, 1. to slay the old man, and to kill our natural corruption by the power of the death and burial of Christ; beside, to raise us up again to holiness and newness of life by his resurrection. Hence it is, that the Evangelists call it the Sacrament of Repentance, admonishing every one of us to express the strength & power of baptism, as the Prophets oftentimes exhort the jews to b Deut: 10, 15. circumcise the foreskin of their hearts, and to harden their necks no more. So we ought not to content ourselves to be baptised in body, but must labour to be baptised in soul by a daily proceeding in regeneration, by bringing forth the fruits of sanctification, and applying Christ jesus to our full justification. Thus much of baptism, the honourable badge of our profession and dedication to Christ that died upon the Cross, what it is, what are the parts and uses thereof. Now we come to d The sum of the 3. Book. the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, which is called by divers and sundry names in the New Testament. Sometimes it is called the f 1 Cor. 10, 16 Communion, teaching that we are one body coupled togethet in Christ, showing that it is to be received of many together, and admonishing us of unity and concord among ourselves. Sometimes, it is g 1 Cor. 11, 20 called the lords Supper, hence we see who is the author of it, no Man, no Angel, but the Lord jesus, leaving it for a farewell token of his Love towards us. We must also come with an earnest desire hungering after Christ, that we may be satisfied with his righteousness. Sometimes, it is called the h Acts 2, 42. breaking of bread: this showeth, that the substance of bread remaineth after the words of consecration, that figurative speeches are used in the Sacrament, and that this external rite of breaking the bread, used by Christ, practised by the Apostles, observed by the pastors of the Church, ought not to be omitted and over-passed. Sometimes, it is called the i 1 Cor, 10, 21 Table of the Lord: this teacheth, that Christ and his Apostles, at the celebration of it, used a table not an Altar, that it is a Sacrament, not a Sacrifice, and that we ought to draw near unto it with all regard and reverence. lastly, it is called the New testament or Will of Christ. This title teacheth, that there is a double Covenant between GOD and man, the one old, the other new: the one of the law, the other of the Gospel: the first of works, the second of grace. Again, it serveth to condemn the cursed sacrilege of the Church of Rome, which addeth and detracteth, altereth, and mingleth it with the leaven of her own inventions. This is a great comfort to all God's children, to consider that all faithful Christians are the heirs of Christ, to whom he hath promised salvation of their souls, and forgiveness of their sins. As we have seen the several names of this Sacrament, which show the nature thereof unto us: so now we will set down k What the Lords Supper is. what the Lord's Supper is. The Supper of the Lord is the second Sacrament, wherein by visible receiving of bread and wine, is represented our spiritual communion with the body and blood of Christ. Hear God is present, and sitteth as precedent at this Table, he offereth unto us his own Son for our justification, and therefore this Supper must be reverently regarded, and diligently frequented of us. In this Sacrament l In the lords Supper consider hi● parts and his uses. we are in like manner to consider the parts and the uses thereof. The parts are partly outward, and partly inward. For it fareth no otherwise with the Sacrament, than it doth with man considered in his parts. A man is a compound creature, made of flesh and of a reasonable soul, as Athanasius speaketh in his Creed. If the question were asked whether man were a mortal creature or immortal, earthly or heavenly, visible or invisible? No man could rightly answer without a distinction; to wit, that he is earthly touching his body, & heavenly touching his spirit. In like sort we must consider touching the lords supper, which is made of an earthly and an heavenly thing: and therefore if the question be demanded, whether it be an earthly or an heavenly thing? We must resolve that in part it is earthly, and in part heavenly, earthly in the figure, and heavenly in the matter that is signified. We must acknowledge from hence, the divers natures and parts of it, distinguishing the one from the other. Then had never risen so great contention & confusion in the Church of Christ touching this Supper, if this distinction had heene wisely observed, and if what is proper unto the outward parts, and what proper to the inward had been duly marked. The ignorance of this point hath bred much debate, and kindled a fire that will very hardly be quenched. The outward parts are m The outward parts are four. four. First the Minister, who is to take the bread and wine into his hands n 1 Cor. 11, 23 after the example of Christ, to separate the Bread and Wine, so taken from their common use to an holy, to break the bread, to pour out the Wine, and deliver them both into the hands of all the people present: for it is not for every man to minister in the Church of God, and to bestow and dispose the Mysteries of Christ. The Apostles were present at the Supper, not as dispensers, but as communicants; not as Ministers, but as guess: Christ was as the master and maker of the Feast instituting with his own hands the Sacrament of his grace. So then they are not consecrated▪ to be Priests of the New testament, but preachers of the Gospel and ministers of the Sacraments: and therefore private persons may not take this Supper to themselves or deliver it to others. The second part is the word of Institution, o Luke 22, 19 This is my body, that is, this bread is p Tertul. lib. 4. cont. Marcio august. conr. adimant. cap. 12. a sign of my body, which shortly shall be crucified for you: this cup is a true sign of my Blood, presently to be shed, to confirm the new Covenant of GOD, touching forgiveness of sins and eternal life. These words are not properly but figuratively to be understood, being Sacramental speeches. Thus the Scripture speaketh of q Gen. 17, 10 Circumcision & of the Paschall Lamb. The third outward part are bread & wine, fit signs to signify our spiritual nourishment by eating the body, and drinking the blood of Christ. In baptism we have one only sign, but in this supper r Mark 14, 12 we have two, to note out our full and perfect nourishment by Christ. Neither did Christ deliver the deceivable shows of bread and wine or cast a mist before the eyes of his Disciples, to make them think it Bread which was no bread, or wine which was no wine: but he gave them true bread, and the true fruit of the vine, s 1 cor. 10, 16 as the Apostle calleth them, after the blessing, breaking, consecration. Hereby falleth to the ground the mystery of transubstantiation, the most misshapen monster that ever lived or was devised. It bringeth in a false Christ, and turneth him into an Idol: it maketh Sacraments without signs: it maketh Christ to have an infinite body, who is like to us in all things t Heb. 4, 15 sin only excepted: Lastly, it confoundeth heaven and earth together. Objection. Neither let any object that Christ hath now a glorified body, sitting at the right hand of his Father, and therefore his body hath a great privilege above ours, to be in divers places at the same time. Answer. For first, when the holy Supper was instituted, the body of Christ was not glorified. Again, glorification doth not take away the nature of a true body, but taketh away the infirmity and weakness thereof. Take away space of place from a body, and it remaineth no longer a true body, but the essence of it is abolished, u Aug. epist. 57 ad Dardan. as Austin hath well determined. Again, if Christ delivered both signs, the people ought to receive under both kinds, so that they may be justly called Church-robbers, who have takan from the people the use of the cup, and a Gal. 3, 15. wretched depravers of Christ's testament, depriving the right heirs of their inheritance, & engrossing into their hands the goods of others. They make it of the essence of the Sacrament, to use unleavened bread, and to mingle water with wine, which Christ never ordained or commanded: but that which is necessary, they esteem as needles and superfluous, thus transgressing the commandment of God by their own traditions. The fourth outward part are the Communicants, whose duty it is, c Mat. 26, 26. to take the bread and wine into their hands, to eat the bread and to drink the wine to the nourishment of their bodies. He did not bid them to reserve the outward signs, to hold them up and adore them, or call the Sacrament their Lord and their God, he did not command them to offer them up to God the Father as a propitiatory sacrifice for the quick and dead, as is used in their unbloody or rather most bloody Mass, which hath caused so much innocent blood of the blessed martyrs to be shed, d Reu. 6, 7.10 who being killed for the word of God, and the testimony which they maintained, their souls under the Altar cry day and night with a loud voice unto the Lord holy and true, to judge and avenge their blood on them that dwell on the earth. Lastly, hereby are overthrown the private Masses of the Church of Rome, which now grow to be too common, e 1 Cor. 11, 10 and cannot stand with the Communion of Christ, who delivered the signs of bread and wine to all the Disciples that were present, they did not stand by, and gaze one upon another, but received the Supper of the Lord together. The outward parts have been hitherto handled, which being rightly performed, f What Consecration is. there followeth consecration, which is a separation of the outward signs from their ordinary use to an holy and spiritual use, that whereas before they served for the body, now they are made instruments of grace, and seals of the righteousness by faith. The inward parts follow, g The inward parts of this Supper are four. which are four: First, God the Father who appointed his Son to perform the gracious work of our redemption, and in the fullness of time sent him into the world, h Rom. 4, 2 5 who died for our sins, and rose again for our justification. Secondly, the Holy-Ghost, who assureth us of the truth of God's promises. This showeth, that he is true i revel. 1, 4. God equal with the Father and the Son, proceeding from the Father and the Son. This confuteth such as suppose no partaking of the body and blood of Christ, except he be given us in a carnal and fleshy manner: whereas the Spirit worketh faith in our hearts, k Heb. 11.1 which is the ground of things which are hoped for, and the evidence of things which are not seen. The third inward part of the Lords Supper, l Luk. 22, 19 is the body & blood of Christ, delivered for us unto death. This convinceth such of a spirit of error, who make unbelievers and reprobates partakers of Christ's body and blood: thus his body should be profaned, m joh 6, 5 and his saving graces separated from his person. But even as where Satan dwelleth & possesseth the heart, there always reign the works of darkness, and damnation: so the gifts of Christ accompanying salvation, are inseparably joined with the person of Christ. This also condemneth the real presence and carnal eating of Christ, which forgeth many Christ's, and reviveth the heresy of Eutiches: it crosseth sundry Articles of the Christian faith, and maketh faithful men like the unfaithful Barbarians, that devoured man's flesh and drunk his blood. True it is, Christ is truly present in the Sacrament, howbeit not carnally, and corporally, but spiritually and mystically. He hath given himself to be the food of our souls, let us hunger and thirst after him and lay hold on him to our salvation: for n ● joh. 5, 12. he that hath the Son, hath life: he that hath not the Son of God, hath not life. The last inward part is the faithful receiver, who stretcheth forth the hand of faith, & so layeth hold on Christ and all his saving graces. For no man can communicate with his body, but the same is made partaker of his benefits. Let us all prepare the true and lively faith o Tit. 1.1. of Gods elect, and assure ourselves that hypocrites and unbelievers cannot possibly be partakers of the body and blood of Christ. These are the four inward parts also of the Lords Supper. The similitude and relation p The proportion betwixt the outward and inward parts of the Supper. of the outward and inward parts one to another standeth in this manner, even as the Minister by the words of institution, offereth and giveth bread and wine to the Communicants, to feed thereupon bodily: so the Father by the Spirit, offereth and exhibiteth the body and blood of Christ jesus, to the souls of the faithful to feed upon them spiritually. Thus much of all the parts of the Lords Suppeer: now follow the uses to be unfolded. The q The uses of the l●d supper are three uses and profit which we reap by the Lord's Supper are specially three. First to show forth with praise and thanksgiving, the death and the sufferings of Christ, who his own self bore our sins in his body on the tree, by whose stripes r 1 Pet. 2, 24 we are healed: so that we have the chief cause in ourselves, which did crucify Christ. Secondly, to teach our communion with Christ, being made flesh s E●h 5, 30. of his flesh, and bone of his bones. Hence we learn, that all the godly and believers are made partakers of Chrst and his graces. This is matter of great comfort in our manifold trials and temptations, that we are joined to Christ as members to the head, t Rom. 8. ●3. and therefore neither life, nor death, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shallbe able to separate us from the love of GOD, which is in Christ jesus our Lord. But on the other side, the ungodly and unbelievers have no part or portion in Christ and his graces, they are as branches u joh. 15, 6. cut off which whither, and men gather them to cast them into the fire and to burn them. Thirdly, to declare and testify our Communion, fellowship, and a 1 Cor. 10, 17 agreement with our brethren, meeting together at the same Table, and partaking together of the same Supper. Wherefore, seeing we have not only an union with Christ, but a Communion among ourselves, we are the servants of the Church, to serve one another in all duties of love, to instruct them that are ignorant, to raise them that are fallen, and to bind up the broken hearted, to reconcile ourselves one toward another, and to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Hitherto we have handled the doctrine of the Lords Supper, declaring what it is, what are the parts and uses thereof; the preparation to this work followeth, b 1 Cor. 11.28 consisting in the examination of ourselves, and trying our own hearts by the touchstone of the law of God. This duty is very necessary to be performed of us, c jer. 17, 9 for the heart of man is deceitful above all things, and the secret corners of it past finding out. We have to deal with God in this business. Great is the profit which we reap and receive, if we come rightly and reverently prepared. Great is the punishment procured, by want of this trial and examination. And the d Hag. 2 14 Sacrament itself is defiled, by unworthy receiving. This preparation principally standeth in these four points: in the e joh. 17, 3. knowledge of God and of ourselves especially of the whole doctrine of the Sacraments: in a f 2 Cor. 13, 5 lively faith in Christ, seeing every one receiveth so much as he believeth he receiveth: in repentance g Psal. 26, 6. from dead works: and lastly in h Mat. 5, 23. reconciliation toward our brethren, having peace i Rom. 12.18. with all men, and love toward our enemies. Thus I have opened plainly, yet truly, the doctrine of the Sacraments, delivered in the Scriptures, and taught in the reformed Churches. I have disclosed some part of the mystery of Iniquity, and discovered and laid open the skirts of that great Idol of the Mass, the reproach of Christians, the scorn of the Gentiles, the offence of the weak, and the occasion of ruin to many that stumble thereat to their own confusion. The Lord God, high possessor of heaven and earth, and preserver of his people that call upon him, put it into the heart of all Christian Princes and Rulers of the earth, to pull down this abominable Idol, that hath advanced itself against the kingdom of Christ, and to deface this filthy monster that hath deceived many, who trusted in it. The same Lord vouchsafe to reveal his truth to the ignorant, to establish them that are weak, and to confound all obstinate enemies to his truth, to their Prince, and to their Country, for jesus Christ's sake, Amen. Amen. FINIS. A Table of the principal Contents of this Book. Absence's from the Communion. Page 296. 304. 515. 306. Absolution of the Papists, what. p. 128. Abstinence from the Supper. See Absence. Accidents without subjects. p. 348. Adoration of the Sacraments. p 386. 387. adversaries confess two Sacraments. pa. 115. Agreement between the word and Sacraments. p. 2 between Sacraments of the old Testament and New. p. 117. Between Circumcision and Baptism p. 226. Altars not used in the Supper. p. 288. Anabaptists revelations. p. 74. they deny children's Baptism p. 232. Aquarij old Heretics. p 385. Articles of faith overturned by Transubstantiation. p. 362. Assemblies must continue till Baptism be administered. p. 163. reasons of it. Ibid. Assurance of salvation. p. 95. 118. 146. Attention required to the signs p 447. Auricular confession reproved. p. 127, 517. divers sorts of confession. pa. 519. what the Popish shrift is. Ibid. B Baptism taken many ways p. 150 what it is pa 151. the parts of it pa. 158. 174. who have interest in it. p. 210. Baptism of heretics how far good. pag. 155. administered by euill ministers it is good p. 566. and by ignorant ministers. pa. 567 Baptism ought not to be delayed. page 160. not tied to a certain day. p. 161. ●27. in what sort necessary. page 108. it must be handled by the ministers only. p. 175. the reasons of it. p. 176. Baptism of Christ and john all one. pag. 166. 167. Baptism used by the Church of Rome lawful pa. 186. whether we may bring our children to be baptized of Popish Priests. p. 187. Baptism no human tradition. pa 229. 230. 239. it is the Christian badge. pa 259. not to be handled in sport. pa. 261. 263. it belongeth to all present. pa. 262. it engrafteth us into Christ. page 266. it can make none Christians. p. 269. it cannot confer grace. pa. 270. it sealeth up forgiveness of all dnne. p. 270. 272. what uses it hath. page 266. it is available without a sermon. page 561. Baptised in heart. pa. 275. it is the truth of baptism. p. 277. Baptising in the name of the Trinity how to be understood. pa. 194 corruptions of it in the Church of Rome p. 199. bells baptized, p. 213, it belongeth not to Angels, nor to the dead, p. 215. we may not Baptizm one for another, Ib nor infidels, p. 217 Bastards may be baptized, p. 220, & saved Ibid. Blind custom, p. 318. Body of Christ truly received, p. 296. Bread may not be changed in the supper, page 350, why it was chosen before other things p. 437. Bread and wine remain in their proper nature, p. 354. Breaking of bread what use it hath, p. 287 448, it is not to be omitted. Ib. it expresseth Christ's passion, p. 288, how it is necessary, p. 331. C Calling every one must have, page 179. Carnal presence, See Real. Change of the bread wherein, p. 53. Chastisements of the body, p. 124. Children dying before baptism, See Infants. Children are within the covenant p. 211. of such as come of unbelieving parents p 212 Children of Turks and Pagans how they may be baptized, p. 218, of impenitent persons, p. 119, of such as are born in adultery, p 220, of Papists, p. 121, and of excommunicate persons, Ibid. Children not to be admitted to the supper, p. 514. Circumcision the same with baptism, p. 226, it is double. 275, used now of the turks & moors, p, 228. Christ is offered to all. p. 2●. he is received by faith, p. 76. he is the substance of all Sacraments, p. 75 of baptism, p. 253, of the supper, p. 454. he was a Lamb slain from the beginning, p. 79, he is our food, pa. 84. he received a true body, pa. 458, he suffereth with us, p. 502. Christ how present, p 456. Comfort for the lowest in the Church, p. 162, for parents, pa. 241, for children touching their baptism, pag 264 and for the whole Church, Ibid. Communion between Christ & the faithful, p. 267, 281, 499. it is wonderful near, p 500 expressed by marriage, p. 455. Communion with our brethren, pag 503. we must employ our gifts to their good, pa. 50●. love one another, p 505. Communion under one kind, p. 369. Communicants a part of the Supper, p 385 Comparison between bodily & spiritual eating, p 460. Confession no part of repentance, pag. 125, the kinds of it, p. 126. Confirmation no Sacrament. pa. 119, the reasons, p. 120. the ceremonies used in it, p. 121, it is preferred before baptism, p. 122. Concomitantia, p. 380. Consecration what, p. 51, 435, wherein it consisteth, p 52, not a charm pag 53, 436, the means thereof, pag. 436. we have it in our Churches, p. ●●8. Conjunction, See Communion. Contempt of the Sacraments damnable, p. 5, 100, 160. Contrition no part of repentance, p. 125. Contradictions touching transubstantiation, p. 366. Contradictions not in God, p. 471, Corruptions in baptism. p. 200. Covenant between God & man, what, p. 96. who are within the covenant, pa. 102, who are without it, pa. 103, it hath 2. seals, p. 110. D Death not to be feared, p. 146. Declaring the Lord's death, what, p. 496. Departing out of the Church before baptism unlawful, p. 163. Despair remedied, See Remedies. Difference between word & Sacraments, p. 4, between Sacrifice & Sacrament, p. 63. between the Sacraments of the old Testament & the New, pag. 116, between john's baptism & Christ's, pa. 167, between circumcision & baptism, p. 226, between baptism & the Lords Supper, p 239, 347, 513 Difference between the children of the saithful & infidels, p. 240, between the Papists & us touching Christ's presence. p. 456. Dipping not necessary in baptism, p. 152 Division of hell, p 81. Dry communions forbidden, p. 375. Duties of them that are baptized, p. 195. E. Eating of Bread how understood, p 378. spiritual, what, p. 460. Elevation of the Sacrament, p. 386. Ends of a Sacrament, p. 89, of Baptism, p. 266, of the Lords Supper, page 493, false ends devised by Papists, Ibid. Evil ministers may deliver sacraments p. 17 Eucharist, see Supper. Examination necessary, p. 507, reasons urging it, p. 509, wherein it consisteth, p. ●25. the want of it bringeth judgement, p. 543. Examination of others how reproved p. 522 Excellency of the faithful, p. 105. Excommunicate persons, p. 319. F. Faith what it is, p. 530, what are the hands of it, p. Ib. it standeth in applying, p 531, it is the hardest thing to believe, page 532, though weak, yet available, pa. 535, two degrees of it, Ibid. Faith like the mouth of a vessel p 480, it must be brought with us to the Supper, p. 486, 530, it goeth not always with feeling, p. 305, it is assaulted with doubting pa. 93, none rejected for the weakness of it, p 94. Fa●se Sacram. of the Roman Church, p. 42 False ends of the Supper, see Ends. Falling from grace, p 1●6. Fasting not necessary before the Supper, p. 402. Father's dying, went to heaven, p. 80. Fellowship with Christ, p. 268, the means that work it, p. 269. Forgiveness of sins, p. 395, Form of baptism p. 157, 193, the means thereof, p. 194. G. God the Author of Sacraments, p. ●6, he always gave them to his Chu ch, p. 1. his love to the faithful, p. 242. Godly are made partakers of christ, p. 501 they cannot be separated f am him, Ibid. God fathers and God mother's ancient, p. 244, a commendable custom, pag. 245. whence it came, Ibid. Grace not tied to the Sacraments, p. 65, none rejected that hath my grace, p. 310. H. Hands of the soul, what, p. 452. Heretics baptism, p 155, 186. Hildebrand cast the Sacrament into the fire, p. 468. Hope well of the seed of the faithful, pa. 212, 224. Hunger after Christ, p. 473. Hypocrites ascribe too much to the Sacraments, p. 488, they are not partakers of Christ, p. 489. I. Iewes bossed of circumcision, p. 275, their sacraments were not figures of ours, p. 112. Ignorant persons partake not the Sacraments aright, p. 40, 44. Infants dying before Baptism not damned, p. 202. reasons thereof, pag. 203. they have not actual faith p. 224, they ought to be baptized, p. 22●. proou●d by reasons, p. 225, 226. they ought not to be admitted to the Supper, pp. 233, 234, they are guilty of original sin, p 237. 230. Infidelity, p. 147. Infidels not to be baptized, p. 217. john's Baptism & Christ's alone, p. 559. Intention of the minister not necessary, p. 54, 62, Popish shifts to justify it, p. 58. Inward parts of a Sacrament, p. 61, of Baptism, p. 248, of the Supper, p. 444. judas received not the Supper. page 486. judging ourselves wherein it consists, p. 89. K. Kneeling at the Communion lawful, pa. 40●, it is not Idolatry, p. 405, reasons to justify it, p 419, 424, no learned man against it, p. 410, what is objected against it, Praefac. it is not used to the bread. Kneeling fittest at Prayer, p. 407. Knowledge ought to be ●n all, p. 100L, 512 in what particulars it consists, p. ●16. God offereth the means thereof at one time or other, p. ●29. L Leaning at the Supper, ● 414. Little faith is true faith▪ p. ●6. Love feasts not called the Lords Supper, p. 28. love required of such as come to the supper, p. 5●5, it is the trial o● other duties, p. Ib. it is one end of the Supper, p 557, without it we pray against ourselves, pag. 548▪ the properties of it, Ibid. M. Malicio is cannot receive aright, p. 282 Marcionites, p 216. Marriage between Christ and the faithful, p. 2●7. Mass whence, p. 391, the n●me not evil in itself, Ibid, an idol of the Papists, p. 392, reas●ns against it, Ibid it cannot stand with the Communion, p. 282, 291, it is no propitiatory sacrifice, p. 294 M trimony no Sacrament, p. 42, 131. the reasons thereof p. 132. Messalians, p. 271. Midwives not to baptise, p. 1●1. Minister's only may deliver Sacraments, p. 13, the reasons of it, p 34, their work in the Sacraments p. ●6, they can but deliver the signs, p. 37 what to do when they cannot be had p 184. Ministers must be ready to baptise children, p. ●89 what actions he must perform in baptism Ibid. & in delivering the Supper, p 325, they are not sacrificing Priests, p. 32●. Minister's intent. See Intention, Miracles ceased p. 472. N By nature all sinful, pa. ●58. Necessary how far the Sacraments are, p. 32. Neglect of baptism, pa. 160, 161 of patents sin in this, p. 208. Neglect of coming to the Communion, p 321. Number of Sacraments two, p. 109. the reasons thereof, pa. 110. taught by the Fathers, page 114, 115. O. Objections o● Papists, that the Sacraments confer grace, p. 60, 67. Objections used in defence of women's baptisms, p. 81. Objections used to prove children without baptism damned. p. 205. Objections of Anabaptists against children's baptism, p. 232, 233. Objections of careless Communicants, p. 299, of such as make the breaking of the bread essential, p 329. of such as make it indifferent, p 332. Objections pretending that private persons may deliver the Communion, p. 327. Objections for taking the cup from the people, p 375, for private Communions, p. 399. Objections of the necessity of sitting at the Supper, p. 410, against kneeling, p. 417. Objections touching the real presence, p. 466. Objections of those of the separation, why they cannot Communicate with us, p. 522. O●ten receiving required, p. 316, 297, 284, 302, 442. reasons to persuade it, Ibid. the contrary came from the Devil, p. 297. Offering for sin, p. 392. Omnipotency proveth not the real presence, p 470. Two rules touching it, Ibid. Once Christ was offered, p. 393. Order no Sacrament, p. 42, 136. the reasons thereof, p. 137. Orders of Angels, p. 81. Original sin in Infants. See Infants. Original sin p. 273 it is forgiven by Christ, p 255. Outward parts of a Sacrament, p. 32, of baptism, p. 174, of the Supper, p 323. Outward washing not the chief part of baptism, p. 250. it assureth the inward cleansing, p. 258. P Paraphrase upon the words of institution, p. 340. Parents must teach children, p. 30, 243. not neglect their baptism, p. 208. Pennance no Sacrament, p 123. the reaons thereof, p 129, the parts of it, p. 124, what the Papists mean by it, p. 130. People must resort to Ministers for baptism p. 189. Popish ceremonies in baptism, p. 201 202. Popish shifts to justify the Priest's intention, p, 8 See intention. Popish orders of Angels, See orders, Popish division of hell, See Divisions, Poor comforted, p, 162, 199, Prayer not in a strange tongue, p. 346 a means of Consecration, p. 437, it must be used for God's blessing, p. 441. Presence considered many ways, p. 451. 465. Presence of ungodly men at the Supper, cannot defile us▪ p. 23. Princes allowed to receive in both kinds, p. 373, the reasons thereof, Ibid. Private Communions unlawful, p. 396. they overthrow the nature of a Sacrament, p. 401. Private Mass: See Mass. Private persons must not meddle with Church-censures, p. 24, nor with the Sacraments, p. 36, nor with the Supper, p. 327. Profession of the faith, p. 100L, against such as scoff at it, p. 107. Q Questions, whether the children of jews and Turks may be baptized, pag, 218, whether the children of impenitent persons may, p●. 219. whether children borne in adultery may, pa. 220. whether children of professed Papists may be baptized, pa. 221. whether the children of excommunicate persons may, Ib whether we may bring our children to be baptised of Popish Priests, pa. 187. Question between Papists and us about Christ's presence, p. 296. Question whether the Apostles only received at Christ's hand, p, 375, 376. R Real presence▪ pa, 455. confuted by reasons, p, 457, it bringeth many contradictions p. 458. Reasons why we ought oftentimes to communicate. pa. 3 4. why the breaking of bread ● necessary. p. 331. why Christ made choice of bread, page 346. why he made choice of wine, p 347. Reasons against Transubstantiation, p. 354. Receiver a part of the Sacrament. p 48. without receiving, no Sacrament, page 49. what duties are required of receivers, p. 50 they must not rest in outward receiving, p. 51. Rebaptziation unlawful, p 154. whence it arose p 155. Reconciliation, pa. 283. 284. See love. Remedies against despair. p. 147. Remnants left after the Supper, pa. 440, Repentance required of all communicants p, 108, 109, what it is, p, 123, 538 not to be delayed. p. 313. Reprobates receive the signs alone, p, 87 Reservation of the Supper, p, 386. Revolters from baptism. p, 2●0. Rites, Look Sacramental. S Sacraments profit not always by & by, p, 3, they cannot beget faith, p, 5, a list and in need of them, pa. 10, how more effectual men the word, p, 11, the parts of them, pag. 26, 32. Sacrament what it signifieth, p, 14, not to be adored, p, 388, Sacraments instituted of God, p, 16, their force depends not on the minister, pag, 17, they cannot confer grace, pag, 25, they depend not on the intent of the minister, pag, 55, 56, 57, they seal the covenant between God & us, pag, ●6, they are badges of our profession, p, 104. Sacraments why called mysteries, pa, 138. they profit not without the spirit, p 253. Sacramental rites strengthen faith, p, 454. Sacramental eating what, p, 483, Sacrifice how the Supper is, p, 397, Satisfaction no part of repentance, p, 127, reasons against it, p, 128, Seal & sign how they differ, p, 15. Sermon not necessary before baptism p 560. Sick how to be comforted, pa, 142, how they may put away the pains of sickness. p, 146, how they should behave themselves toward their families, page 148: how they should comfort themselves wanting the Supper, p. 328. Sins committed by such as come not to the Supper p. 10. Sitting at the Supper not necessary, p. 407, 408. Sitting of Christ not the same with ours, p. 413, how the institution may be broken sitting, p 417. Soul cleansed an inward part of baptism, p 257. Spirit makes the Sacraments profitable, p. 64, 72, 251, 449 he is true God, pa. 252, we must crave his assistance coming to the word and Sacraments, Ibid, he joineth us to Christ, page 451. Spiritual eating what, page 481. Spiritual sluggards, page 312, 313. Supper called by many names, pag. 280, why called a Supper, pa. 285, it is no sacrifice, page 289, what it is, p. 293. Supper how abused profanely, pa. 295, it must be often received, p. 297, it is rightly a costly banquet, p. 303, it was instituted for the weak, p. 310, how it is physic, p. 311, six sorts baried from it, p. 514. Sufferings of Christ, p 479, causes thereof in ourselves, p. 496, who profit aright by them, p. 497. T. Testament of Christ, p. 250. Tongue unknown, see prayer. Transubstantiation over thrown, p. 45, 354, it is full of contradictions, p. 366, it is the life of popery, p. 369. Types of baptism, p. 274. V Victor poisoned in the Chalice, p. 358. Understanding of the instituion necessary, p. 140. Unction no Sacrament, p. 139, the reasons thereof pa. 140 ungodly not partakers of Christ, pa. 502, th●y have no benefit by the Sacraments, p. 552. Union between Christ and the faithful, p. 267. Unleavened bread not necessary, p. 382. Unlawful to stand by and not receive, page 298, 299. uses of the Sacraments, p. 90, of baptism p 266, of the Supper, p. 493. Use of spiritual things breeds not contempt, p. 307. W. Water an outward part of baptism, page 158, it cannot clang away si, p 253, 254. Weak faith apply Christ, p. 76, 72, 94 Weak have interest in the Supper, pag. 310. Weakness no cause to abstain from the Supper p. 525. Wicked receive only the signs, pa. 29, they are to be separated from the Sacraments, p. 485, they do not receive Christ, p. 400 Will, see Testament. Wine why chosen to be the sign in the Supper, p. 347, it may not be changed, pag. 350, it is not to be mingled with water pa. 384. Word and Sacraments must go together, pag 10, it is required to the essence of a Sacrament, p. 38, no word, no Sacrament, p. 41 word of institution, p. 337, it is expounded. p. 338, it is a means of Consecration, pa. 437. Women may not baptise, pa. 177, 178. no assurance to receive the truth of a Sacrament from them, p. 178. Women after as●r● circumcised, p. 226. Worthiness of the Sacrament depends not on man, p. 18. Y. Youth must remember God▪ p. 248. FINIS.