a treatise of sacramental convenanting with christ shewing the ungodly their contempt of christ, in their contempt of the sacremental covenant : and calling them (not to a profanation of this holy ordnanice [sic], but) to an understanding, serious, entire dedication of themselves to god in the sacramental covenant, and a believing commemoration of the death of christ / by m.m. rawlet, john, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing r a estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a treatise of sacramental convenanting with christ shewing the ungodly their contempt of christ, in their contempt of the sacremental covenant : and calling them (not to a profanation of this holy ordnanice [sic], but) to an understanding, serious, entire dedication of themselves to god in the sacramental covenant, and a believing commemoration of the death of christ / by m.m. rawlet, john, - . 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christ . shewing the ungodly their contempt of christ , in their contempt of the sacramental covenant . and calling them ( not to a profanation of this holy ordnanice , but ) to an understanding , serious , entire dedication of themselves to god in the sacramental covenant , and a believing commemoration of the death of christ. by m. m. london , printed for j. sims , at gresham-colledge-gate in bishops-gate-street . . to the reader . readers , upon the perusal of this treatise , i finde the subject of it to be needful and seasonable , the design of it high and excellent , the stile exceeding plain and pressing , purposely suited to the capacity of the ignorant , for whom it is written : concerning all which , i think it meet to inform you at the entrance , as foreseeing that in all these it is not unlike to be much mistaken . . some think that a sacrament is a narrow and barren , and not very necessary subject to be treated of : but such understand not , that it is the most great and noble subject , as being the very summary and kernel of all our religion : for it containeth in it the whole covenant between god and man , wherein he giveth himself to us as our god , our reconciled father , our saviour , and our sanctifier , and we give up our selves answerably to him , and thankfully accept his gift upon his terms . for the two sacraments are the solemnizing of this sacred covenant , wherein we profess with seriousness , resolvedness , and fidelity , to dedicate and devote our selves entirely to god our father , our redeemer , and our regeneratour : which if we do sincerely , the saving benefits of the covenant are ours : in which sense the ancients truly taught , that baptism certainly washeth away all sin . . therefore this doctrine must needs be seasonable , at a time when our lamentable differences about sacraments , have , with great numbers both of the consciencious and the careless , brought them under abuses , omission , or contempt . many persons , whose desires are to worship god according to his will , beleive that it is their duty , to hold the communion of saints , in churches which have a more holy constitution , guidance , discipline and administration , than most of our publick churches have ; from which , because the law restrains them , some of them communicate now here but in secret , and some so seldome there , as is next to a total omission . the more ignorant people seeing these shun the publick communion , encour●ge themselves the more in their careless omission and contempt of it : some of them think that it is but a thing indifferent , and a ceremony which may well enough be spared without any danger to the soul. and others have some reverence for it , and think that it is not to be approached without repentance and great preparation : but they do the more negligently and quietly omit this preparation and the sacrament it self , when they see it omitted by so many , whom they esteem above themselves . but what ? is it the design of this treatise to drive all these men in their impenitency and ignorance to this sacred work ? and to draw them to imitate such of the same herd , as do it only to avoid the penalty of the law ? i know many that read but the title of this book will say , is it now a time to draw the ignorant multitude to the sacrament ? were it not fitter to seek that stricter discipline might keep them from it , till they are prepared and know what they do ? . to this i answer , that the design of this treatise is not to perswade any to eat the body of christ and drink his blood , in an undiscerning , profane , or unworthy manner : nor doth it tempt men to covenant with their lips , and leave their hearts behinde them : but it teacheth men to understand what the sacrament is , and what a holy and solemn covenant is there to be renewed with god : and how essentially knowledge , faith and repentance , and resolutions for a holy life , are necessary for that covenant . and because most ignorant ungodly people , are so strange to their own hearts , that we cannot convince them of their sottish contempt of christ and holiness , by any proof but what is palpable and past denial ; therefore the authour taketh advantage of their profane neglect of this ordinance to convince them . and while a superficial reader will think he is but drawing them to the lords table , the truth is he taketh this but as an advantage to draw them to the lord himself . the main design of the book is to convince poor , impenitent , unholy souls , of the absolute necessity of a speedy , resolute , faithful consent to the covenant of grace , and a sincere devoting of themselves to god , through jesus christ ; and then that they will solemnize and seal this covenant , in this holy sacrament . no one that readeth the book will think that there is any 〈◊〉 of sufficient warning , against the profanation of the sacrament : blame him not for drawing men to christ and to conversion , and you will finde here no cause to blame him , for immethodical drawing them to the communion of the church . . and the great plainness and largeness of the style ( which to some will seem tedious ) must be imputed to the authours earnest desire to save mens souls , which makes him studiously condiscend to their capacities . the more men understand already , the fewer words will serve their turns : and to such an accurate and sententious stile wil be most acceptable but the ignorant must not only have plainness , but copiousnesse , and much repetition and inculcating of the same things . they understand not that which is briefly and accurately delivered , though the terms be never so common and familiar : and those that have due compassion on the ignorant , will best like that stile which most promoteth their information and conversion ; and will judge of the means by its aptitude to its proper end . the lord give the reader the saving benefit , and the worthy and faithful author the comfort , of these earnest exhortations , in a plentiful success . and o that the judge●●nt which hath turned so many thousand excellent books of late into ashes , may warn the negligent to use such holy instructions with faithful diligence while they have them , in order to their preparation for the hastening day , which will cast the earth and all its glory into more terrible flames ! amen , come lord jesus . acton , the year and month of londons flames sept. . richard baxter . the contents . chapter . the introduction , lamenting the ignorant vulgars contempt of their salvation , and shewing the design of this treatise . pag. chap. . what it is to do this ( to celebrate the communion ) in remembrance of christ ; and i. that it includes the true knowledge of him . pag. chap. . ii. a right remembring sin ; the occasion of his death . of repentance , with considerations to work and promote it . pag. chap. . iii. a right remembring of the great end of the death of christ to redeem us from all iniquity and sanctifie us . of faith and covenanting with christ. pag. chap. . perswasions to accept of the redeemer , and give up the soul in covenant to him . pag. chap. . iv. a right remembring the benefits procured by his death . . of justification . pag. chap. . the second benefit is sanctification . pag. chap. . the third benefit is eternal happinesse with god. pag. chap. . v. it must be a thankful remembrance . pag. chap. . vi. it must produce an holy love to saints . pag. chap. . use , an invitation to come to christ and his sacrament , with motives thereto . pag. chap. . sacraments are not to be accounted vain , because externals . pag. chap. . against too seldome communicating in the sacrament . pag. chap. . the objection of unfitness answered . as proposed by the doubting and careless . pag. chap. . obj. we are not in perfect charity , but at variance with our neighbours . answered . pag. chap. . directions for a due preparation and right receiving . pag. chap. . directions for duty after the sacrament . pag. chap. i. the introduction , lamenting the ignorant vulgars contempt of their salvation ; and shewing the design of this treatise the blessed god who in these last daies hath spoken to us by his son , and more fully and clearly reveal'd the way to life and immortality , which christ hath brought to light ; hath abundantly manifested his infinite wisdome and goodness , in suiting and accomodating his commands and institutions , to the meaness of our capacities ; and , as a god who knows our frame , hath so fitted himself and the revelations of his will , with a respect to our weakness , that nothing but affected ignorance , and meer wilfulness , can keep out the understanding of what he hath taught us , or hinder the performing of what he commands us . the doctrines of the gospel , which are of necessity to be believ'd in order to salvation , and upon which an holy life is built , are few and plain , which we may finde sum'd up in our common creeds . as for the precepts which are given to bee the rule of our life ; how easie are they to be known and remembred , how exceeding reasonable in themselves , and most agreeable to our rectified natures , and apparently tending to the unspeakable advantage of particular persons , families , towns , and common-wealths : the gospel being design'd , not only to bring men to glory and pleasure hereafter , but to better the world at present , and to make this earth a kinde of type and shadow of heaven ; and so it would bee , if men were but more generally brough● under the power and influence of the christian religion , which doth not only forbid those sins which are destructive to the happiness of societies and single persons , as the laws and religion of the heathens might also do : but strikes at the very heart of wickedness , and gives the surest directions and best helps , for the utter removal of the cause and root of all disorders in the world , which it would be beside my purpose at present to speak of . none have cause now to complain , that they know not what to do to obtain eternal life , since he that runs may read his duty , to love god above all , and our neighbour as selves , to do as we would bee done unto , to repent of all our sins , and betake our selves to the mercies of god through his son christ jesus for a pardon , to be humble , holy , chaste , and temperate ; is any of this difficult to be understood ? have we not a plain word , directing us how to lead the whole course of our life ? and have we not a monitour within us , the spirit of god by our consciences in most cases , telling us how wee should behave our selves ? the sum of all is comprehended in our baptismal covenant , to renounce the devil and all his works , the world with its pomp and vanities , the flesh and the lusts thereof , and to be devoted to the father , son , and holy ghost . and as our duty is easie to be known , so is it not difficult to be done , where there is first a willing minde : for indeed in this is comprehended all , to bee unfeignedly willing to be such as god would have us , and to do all that he bids us . so that none can excuse himself for his disobedience , which is nothing else but obstinacy or gross negligence . and though of our selves wee are poor weak creatures , yet through the almighty grace that is offered to our assistance , we may be inabled to do all things needful for our happiness ; and those weaknesses that cleave to us , which we allow not our selves in , but strive against and bewail , wee are assured , through the merits of our precious saviour , shall never be laid to our charge . and as the great truths and duties of our religion are thus plain and easie , so the positive institutions , whereby i mean the sacraments of baptism and the lords supper , are few and clear : being neither burdensome to be practised , nor the meaning of them hard to be understood . doth not that form of words , which christ hath enjoyned to be used in baptism , whereby we are solemlny received into the number of professed christians , sufficiently shew the meaning of it ? namely , that we are hereby consecrated and given up to the father , son , and holy ghost . and doth not our being baptized with water , very plainly hold forth our washing and cleansing from the stains and pollutions of defiled nature , and from the guilt of sin , by the blood and spirit of christ. and who knows not , that the lords supper is for remembrance of jesus christ that died for us ? the breaking of the bread , and pouring forth of the wine , how fitly and evidently do they represent to us , that his body was broken , and his blood shed for us ? and the elements of bread and wine , which we commonly use to nourish and refresh us , do naturally signifie that strength and comfort which we receive from christ , as i shall hereafter shew at large . since then the truths of our religion are so evident , the duties so reasonable and excellent , the ritual part the sacraments so easie , so few , and so exceeding profitable , may it not well be expected , that all who profess themselves owners of that religion which jesus christ hath taught and established , should be well acquainted with these weighty truths ; diligent in the practise of duty to their maker and saviour , and to one another ; and most devout and serious in the observation and use of these holy sacraments , & constant in their attendance upon all ordinances , as publick prayer and preaching whereby they may be instructed & enabled to know and do the will of him that sent them into the world . but alas , alas , to the dishonour of god and our profession , and to the grief of all that long after the advancement of true goodness in the world , by sad experience wee finde the quite contrarary even in this our nation , that we look no further . god forbid that i should go about to disparage the glorious fruits of our reformation from popish ignorance and superstition ; no , blessed and for ever praised be our god , for that unspeakable mercy to this unworthy land , for the happy effects whereof , doubtless thousands of souls are praising him in glory , and thousands more yet on earth have cause to be infinitely thankful for that clear light which visited this corner of the earth , when sunk into little less than an aegyptian darkness : so that i verily beleive there is no nation under the sun , where there are greater numbers of knowing hearty christians , who walk agreeable to the gospel rule , such that would be owned and approved by christ himself and his apostles , were they now amongst us and will be at the day of their appearance before him . but having said this to prevent exception and mistake , give me leave to resume my complaint , that still there are so many that are in darkness in the midst of light , and that walk as in darkness , not as children of the light . notwithstanding the means of knowledge , multitudes remain in gross ignorance , and are unacquainted even with the great foundation-truths of the gospel ; and can it then be otherwise , but that they should bee vicious , careless , and worldly ? and many who have a superficial knowledge of their duty , and confess its best to be careful in doing of it , yet are themselves wilful and gross neglecters of it , and live in open violation of gods holy laws . many there are that can talk religiously , and are ready in the scripture , that yet will not by any means bee brought to forsake those sins , which they finde gods word every where condemns , nor will they set themselves to live such an holy serious life , which is again and again so expresly and earnestly urged upon them . as ●or the sacraments , though most are careful to bring their children to be baptized , yet i pray god it be not more out of custome than conscience , for some of these can give no tolerable account of the reason of that ordinance , nor why they would have their children partake of it , only as they see their neighbours do , so do they . but yet there are far fewer , who make any conscience of enforming their children what a strict covenant they are entred into , how they are related and solemnly engaged to god : for alas , can we expect parents should teach their children to walk as becomes those that are in covenant with god , when they themselves live rather like rebels to his majesty , than faithful subjects ? and as for the lords supper ( which i intend to make the subject of my following discourse ) how sadly is it neglected in many places ; or else rusht upon inconsiderately and carelesly , as if it was but a matter of course , and no such a dangerous thing to receive it unworthily , as scripture assures us that it is . how many hundreds , yea , thousands are there in both city and country , who make no conscience at all of coming to the table of the lord ? perhaps they may come once a year , and scarce that . nay , many go from one year to another and never appear there : as if they acknowledg'd not they had a saviour died for them , or as if he had not bid them thus to remember his death , or as if his death were not worth the remembring . oh careless , stupid sinners , what have you got to take up your thoughts and mindes , that christ himself is thus forgotten by you ? you can think well enough of your children and friends , yea , of your cows and sheep , and your very swine , and must christ have no room in your thoughts or memory ? do these indeed deserve more love than hee ? have they done more for you , than he hath done ? or can they do more than he is able farther to do , and willing also if your wretched obstinacy did not prevent him . i know you can say many of you , that he deserves not to live who can forget christ , and that you do indeed remember him , and take him for your only saviour : and will pretend that you have god alwaies in your minde , when you are about your work , or upon the way , and you think wee must take your word for 't , because wee know not your hearts , and cannot disprove you , but if one may judge by your carriage , you manifest nothing less . if one follow you from morning to night , he shall scarce hear one serious word come out of your mouths ; you spend not half an hour in a day in prayer , either with your familys or alone ; plain enough we can hear you swear and cu●se , and take gods holy name in vain , but scarce ever so much as once to mention him with reverence . what ever company you light into , you are still talking foolishly and vainly , or else only of your own worldly affairs , but nothing that concerns the service of god , and the salvation of your souls . but for m●ny of you , i need no other evidence against you , than your gross neglect of this sacrament of the lords supper . if this paper fall into the hands of any such ( and i hope god wil direct it into their hands , for it was for s●ch ●hat i did chiefly intend it ) if i say , thou who art reading these lines , be guilty of neglecting this ordinance of christ from one year to another , when thou hast frequent opportunities and invitations to partake of it , let me ask thee how thou hast the face to say thou remembrest jesus christ , when thou wilt not do such a small thing as he enjoyns thee to do in remembrance of him ? never taking care to prepare thy self and come to his holy table . canst thou remember him , and yet forget his command ? and absent thy self from those who meet together to celebrate his remembrance , at an ordinance appointed by christ himself for that very purpose ? ah poor creatures , that you did but well know your selves , and your own necessities and concernments , then could you never bee sounmindful of jesus christ , you would as soon forget your daily bread . oh did you well know what he hath done for you , and under what engagements you stand to him , you would sooner forget your dearest friend who had sav'd you from death , and daily fed you , and cloathed you , and kept you alive : for indeed this , and much more than this , do you owe to the redeemer of mankinde . oh that you would but beleive and consider , what glorious unspeakable treasures of love and goodness he hath purchast for , and will bestow upon you , if you will accept them upon his terms , and then you would no more forget him , than you could forget your prince or landlord , from whose bounty you were in daily expectations of a plentiful estate . and if you would but see to get your selves well informed of the nature of this holy ordinance , distinctly and clearly to apprehend the reason and use of it , and what priviledges and blessings are contained in , represented and sealed by it ; i dare say you would more long to partake of it , than of the most delicious banquet , or sumptuous feast that ever was prepar'd . but what do i talk of ? who can perswade carnal , sensual , stupid creatures , to beleive that there is any substance , any worth in those things that their senses cannot reach to ? what care they for that which no way tends to the pampering and pleasing of their flesh ? give me leave before i come to what i principally design , a little to lay open the wretched carelesnesses of the generality of men , and briefly hint at the cause ; that they may be ashamed of themselves when they see their picture and description , and seek out for the cure of their distempers . who would not , by the lives of most , conjecture that they thought themselves sent into the world , on purpose to get food and raiment , and to make provision for the flesh ; and that they had reason given them for nothing else , but to be more witty and politick in carrying on their worldly designs ? and how well would it be for them at the last , if those souls should have the greatest reward , which were most loving to the body , most solicitous for its welfare , and did toil most in its service . but what an heavy doom will light on them , if they must hereafter fare ( as for certain they must ) according as they employed themselves in seeking their own proper happiness , in the pleasing and serving of the great god. oh the strange folly and bruitishness of these men , who are so forward of themselves , to seek out after any thing which they believe makes for their temporal good , and yet will not by any means be drawn or driven to that , which is indeed for their spiritual and eternal good , yea , and their temporal too , so far as may consist with these . as if when they are contriving and working for the body , then only they were about their own business , but when they are minding the matters of their souls , they were employ'd for some body else , in works that will be of no use or advantage to them : when yet god himself hath told us , that in the matters of religion , if we are wise we are wise for our selves . but this comes to pass , by reason of that sottishness which inclines poor creatures to judge of all things by their sense , and to measure their goodness by their suitableness to the flesh . this makes the whole gospel to be a meer riddle to them , and little more regarded than a strange story : for it treats of spiritual invisible things , wherein immortal souls are concerned , and they forget that they have such souls . to hear of spiritual food and raiment , to put on christ and to feed upon him , all which we meet with in the word , are mysteries of which they are willing to be ignorant . to be made glad with the light of gods countenance , to have fellowship with the father and the son , to be beautified , adorned , and enricht with graces and good works ; and the like expressions are so dark and knotty , that they know not what to make of them : they account nothing beauty but what they can look on , nor bravery , which makes not a noise and show in the world : they know no rayment they need , but what they wear on their backs , nor any food but that which they put into their bellies . that only do they account pleasure , which they feel in their throats , or which is so gross , that horses and dogs have a share in it as well as they ; and nothing must pass for honour with them , but having respect in the world ; and that they count their chiefest riches , which they put in their purses , and lay up in their bags . and this same blindness and carnality , amongst all other mischiefs that it does , occasions the contempt of that sacred appointment of christ , the commemoration of his death , by partaking of his supper : for here 's nothing provided to give that entertainment to greedy raging sensualists which they covet and hunt after . it is indeed very well worthy our observation , that so far as our senses might be helpful to us in the service of god , he hath graciously condiscended to use such means as might work upon and affect them , that thereby faith it self , our apprehension of those things which we see not , may be quickned and advanced : which , as in some other instances , so in this sacrament especially is made manifest : for here we have a crucified christ plainly held forth to us , and the benefits we receive by him , are signified by those material things , bread and wine , which we eat and drink . and thus far god hath made provision for sense it self , the more to excite and stir up our dull spirits ; but so far as the pleasing and humouring the senses might bee an hindrance to the soul , god hath made no provision for them . here 's no such pomp , and gaudiness , and outward splendour , as may gratifie wanton carnal minds . papists may devise such things ( instead of christs institutions which they steal away from the people ) to the quenching of all true zeal and spiritual affection in gods service , but the gospel warrants not any such hurtful devices , and our church doth justly reject them . nor is here a feast of dainties to satisfie a luxurious appetite , or feed an hungry belly . here 's food for the soul indeed represented , and convey'd by these elements to the worthy receiver , but the most are so ignorant of their concernments , that they never yet found such a thing within them as a spiritual hunger . what , a soul be hungry ? how can that be ? alas , they have so much to do to supply the necessities of their bodies , that they can't have while to regard their souls . no , they may sink or swim , starve and damn for them ; for they have other matters to mind which they hold more necessary . is it not a wonder what we read matth. . at the beginning , that when the king had made a marriage for his son , and prepared a feast , and sent forth his servants to invite the guests , they should make light of it , and begin to frame excuses , that they had other business to do , and this and that way to go , and therefore could not come ? what , not come to a feast , to a sumptuous marriage-feast ? to a feast made for the kings son ? and when servants were sent on purpose to invite them to it ? were not these a strange sort of stubborn foolish men that would disobey their own king , sending them such a courteous message as this ? reader , dost thou not condemn them in thy own thoughts ? dost thou not think thou wouldst never have been so silly and obstinate as they , if thou hadst been so sent unto ? but for all thy thoughts , it s well if thou prove not guilty of the very same fault thy self . for what was the matter , think'st thou , that these people would not come when they were invited ? why alas , there was no such fare made ready as they had a mind to , be sure had there been but such good chear as would have fill'd their bellies , they would have made hast enough , and would have invented excuses how to get in , rather than to stay away . but this is a parable , shewing what entertainment the most do give to the gospel , whereby we are invited not only to a wedding feast , but to be even married our selves to the lord jesus christ , the everlasting son of the father : and yet this message , the matchless mercy whereof may astonish men and angels , i say this message is sleighted : men will not come to christ that they may have life . adulterous souls go after other lovers , and will not be espoused to the lord of glory : they see no form nor comeliness in him why they should desire him . they hear great commendations of him indeed , what an excellent glorious person he is , no less than the son of god made man , whose love was so great to mankind , that he laid down his life for them : but in the mean time , what has he ? what 's to be got by him ? what estates will he settle on them ? what honours will he advance them to ? what ? why they shall through him have their sins pardoned and subdued , their hearts sanctified , and at length shall be receiv'd into everlasting glory . — nay , if this be all , they have no mind to come on ; but when their consent is desired , they have some excuse or other ready at hand ; and either they will not come at all , or else not yet , or not so thorowly and heartily as they are commanded , and in such a wilful refusal of grace do thousands persist and perish . and though i suppose this fore-mentioned parable doth not directly and primarily belong to the lords supper , yet it may by consequence be very well applied thereto : since here is a marriage-feast of the kings son , here are the great blessings and mercies of the gospel held forth and offered , and all who come duly prepar'd and sincerely dispos'd to accept the same , shall be assur'd of them ; and hither do gods ministers exhort all to come in the appointed regular way . and what 's the effect of their message ? why the most make light of it . hither to this holy table are people call'd to give up themselves to god , to testifie the truth of their sorrow for sin , and to renew their resolutions against it , and so to receive a sealed pardon , and a title to life everlasting ; but for their parts they have no such liking to these spiritual good things which are so freely tendered them . the truth is , their sins as yet they are loath to leave ; for they see no great hurt in them , nay , they think they find much good at present , and do not use to trouble themselves much with the thoughts of that mischief they may hereafter do them , and therefore they have no such high thoughts of christ for his being able to mortifie and remove their lusts , and so to save them from the misery these would bring them to : they can very hardly be perswaded that there is any such excellency in an holy life , that they should so speedily and solemnly resolve upon it . and though they can like well enough to go to heaven when they must needs leave this world , yet they look upon that day so far off , that they are in no great haste of making sure their future happiness , but think it may bee time enough to do that a great while hence . and can any man wonder if those who are no more sensible of any benefit they have by christ , are very slack and negligent in a thankful remembrance of his death , and of those benefits which thereby we enjoy and hope for , which is the great end of celebrating this sacrament ? no marvel if such as these alwaies finde one excuse or other , to keep away from that which they have no more love to , and the necessity and advantage whereof , they are no more acquainted with . if there was but any matter of gain to be got by it , any thing which made for the flesh , wee should need no such ado to get them thither : we may be sure , if the king should but proclaim that he would give six pence a piece , to all the poor throughout london , that would repair to white-hall , there would need nothing but the knowledge of it to get them together . oh what running and crowding and craving would there be : he need not send any messengers to beseech and perswade them to receive his charity . but when the soveraign majesty of heaven and earth by his heraulds proclaims to all : ho every one that is willing let him prepare himself , and come hither to receive an earnest of infinite and everlasting treasures , there are few will accept the offer , as if it was of no value ; and as if the apostle was mistaken , when hee prefers the blood of christ before such corruptible things as silver and gold . nay , i 'le warrant you , in those parishes where you shall find so few at a communion , did but any rich man amongst them make a feast , and invite the whole town to it , you should finde but few stay at home . but now when god himself calls them to his table , and there hath provided them food which came from heaven , true spiritual manna , even the body and blood of christ which is meat and drink indeed , they finde no great appetite to this banquet . all the great words they hear of it work not with them : for in all such cases 't is not other mens words and opinions that we judge by , but our own relish and feeling . and whilst men have got such corrupt dispositions , and carnal affections that they savour onely those things which are grosse and earthly like themselves , what wonder is it if they undervalue that which is so unsuitable to them and in which they can feel no more taste than in the white of an egge . a swine prefers his own swill before the greatest dainties that can be provided ; and a voluptuous sinner that is wallowing in the mud of fleshly pleasures , would not willingly exchange conditions with the glorious angels , that alwaies behold the face of god. oh whither is the soul of man degenerated ? into what a low and sad estate is it faln , that it findes sweetness in any thing rather than in that which is truly pleasant ? how chearfully and contentedly can people set themselves to any thing rather than to that only work which god hath appointed them , even the working out of their salvation ? from morning to night they can follow their worldly business without complaining , and yet know not how to spend one day in seven , nor one half hour in a day in the service of god , for the saving of their own souls . oh what pains do many poor men take only to get a livelihood in the world , and yet think everlasting life worth no regard or care at all . they can bee content to spend their thoughts , and strength , and time upon vanity , to lay out their money for that which is not bread , and to labour for the wind ; but when god saith , but give me your hearts , he is denied . if this careless generation had but houses and lands , money and goods , proffered them on the same terms that heaven is , how greedily would they lay hold on them ? if a rich man should say to them , love but this gold more than the dirt under your feet , and you shall have it ; oh how quickly would they purchase it , and never think the condition hard ? if the poor man was enjoyned to prefer bread bfore a stone , and to desire it more , and then it should be given him , do you think he would ever bee without it ? and yet when the blessed god offers them ten thousand times greater mercies upon such terms as these , they refuse them , as if they were requir'd to do some great thing , for that which was not worth their labour . what doth god command us , but to love himself more than empty creatures ? to value an everlasting kingdome , before the frail comforts of this short life ? and yet we will not do it . he bids us but love our best part , even our souls , more than these vile bodies ; and to take most care for that which deserves most , as being the more excellent . when hee enjoyns us to fly from sin and embrace holiness , it is as if he should say , beware of that which will do you the greatest mischief , and close with that which will do you the most good ; accept of liberty and freedome , and do not lye in prison and fetters ; bee in health and not in sickness ; and yet men will not bee perswaded . when god saith , prefer my pleasant service , before the bondage of the devil , and thou shalt be happy for ever ; he doth as it were say , be but heartily willing to accept of happiness here , and thou shalt have it hereafter , but the most are unwilling . and upon this it is , that not only god , but all the world , yea , themselves , will for ever lay the blame of their destruction , by their resolvedness and willfulness in the waies of sin , they are merciless murderers of their own souls . the devil may tempt , and the world may allure , but they cannot not force them to sin . there is not one of all those millions that perish , who can truly say , that hee was unfeignedly willing to have sav'd himself , but could not . but as for those that perish from amongst christians , they have least of all to plead in their own excuse . for they have been exhorted and besought again and again , to put away their evil-doings , to renounce their lusts and turn to the good waies of god , and yet they would not hearken . what though the devil entic'd them to wickedness , did not gods spirit also move upon their hearts , to have drawn them to holiness ? but they who knew not how to resist the devil as they were commanded , could resist and grieve and offer despight to the spirit of grace . whilst they knew not how to reject nor get away from a sinful companion , they could put off their ministers and godly friends with flat denials if not with contempt and jeers . what though the flesh was craving for forbidden fruit , unlawful pleasures and satisfaction ? yet did not conscience contradict and check it ? why then should flesh which had no reason for its desires be hearkned to , and obeyed , whilst conscience which is the voice of god , must be slighted and silenced ? tell me whoever thou art , that makest a trade of sin , and livest in the neglect of thy duty to god that made thee , and keeps thee alive , not accounting it the business of thy life to serve and honour him , but goest from one day to another without the serious thoughts of his glorious majesty and all his wonderful works and mercies , thou who seest no need of hearing or reading gods word , of constant prayer , or receiving sacraments , that puttest off the thoughts of death and judgement , and art careless of making preparations for the same : tell me i beseech thee , what 's the reason , of such a wretched , sinful course as this ? is it because thou knowest no better ? was 't thou never told how thou oughtest to behave thy self ? didst thou never hear who it is puts men upon sin , and what wages they have for it at length ? didst thou never read nor hear of a saviour that came to call men to repentance and holiness , and laid down his life to save all that will be his faithful followers and servants ? it 's very strange indeed if thou hast lived in any such dark corner , that thou wert never acquainted with these matters . but it is most likely thou hast heard them again and again , but all hath been to no purpose . what dost thou not know who made thee , and why thou wast made ? there 's few children but can answer such questions as these , and yet how few men that consider them or that live as if they knew them . there are indeed many to be found , especially of the meaner sort , who tell you they cannot read , nor are book-learned , and therefore they hope god will hold them excused and not require much of them , but yet these people have learning enough to look to their business in the world , and if they be sick , they 'l seek for help , or if they are wronged they 'l look out for rel●ef . and what have they not learning enough to know , what they must do to be saved ? have they been idle and unwilling to learn so much as to read plain english , and do they think this will serve their turn to plead for their ignorance and neglect of duty , and wilful rebellions against god ? what were they taught or commanded such difficult things , that none but scholars can understand or do them ? they can tell as simple as they are , that the light of the sun is greater than the light of a candle ; that gold is better than brasse , that a king is above a constable ; that its better to have an estate of their own , which they shal enjoy as long as they live , than to be tenants to another , to be turned out when he will. do they know these things , and is it any harder to know that god who made all things , and put that goodness into them which they have , is better than all those things which he made , and therefore should be preferred before all creatures ; that he who is lord of all should be obeyed above all ; that to be like him is better than to be like the beasts ; that a certain everlasting glory is more worth than short , uncertain comforts here below . again , these men knew well enough how to eat and drink , and to take heed of what might hurt their bodies ; they could avoid the persons and places that were infected ; if the house was on fire they would run out of it , and call neighbours to help to quench it ; if they are upon the way , and are told of quicksands and quagmires , they can avoid them . and yet have they not learning enough to do good to their souls , and to take heed of that which will destroy them for ever , and hearken to others that warn them of their danger ? they can be diligent enough to please those that do them good turns , and to beware of offending such as can undoe them . and yet do they account it such an hard matter to love and please that god who hath given them all the mercies they ever enjoyed , and to take heed of provoking him to anger who can kill both body and soul , and cast them into hell ? yea , further , let those very people that cannot read , have a paper given them that tells them how to cure any disease they are troubled with , they can go to a neighbour , and get him to read it to them , and they can mark it so diligently as to follow its directions . or if they be in any trouble about their estates , they can carry their deeds and evidences to a lawyer , and pray him to peruse them , and tell them how the case stands with them . and what could they get no body to read the bible or some good book to them , that might direct them in the way to salvation ? or could they not have hearkened carefully to their minister , whilst he was telling them what they must do ? or might they not have gone to him in private and desired particular instructions for their souls ? nay there are few families of the poorest , but one or other amongst them can read ; and might they not have taken some spare time , and have read together , and discoursed one with another about the state of their souls , and what was to be done in order to everlasting happiness . the plain truth is , there are few but can shew diligence and skill enough in any worldly trifle that they think does at all concern them ; but ( as i hinted before ) they are so insensible of any advantage that 's to be got by minding the things of religion , that they disregard them as matters of no worth or consequence . for i cannot imagine whence this strange and damnable carelesness should come , but that first of all , men forget that they have souls which will never die , but must live for ever in another world either in joy or torment according as they behaved themselves in this : for certainly the sound belief , and frequent sober consideration of the true nature of the soul , is the great foundation and support of seriousness in religion , the great design whereof is to help this immortal soul to an happiness suited to its nature . wherefore , if the soul it self be forgotten , how can it otherwise bee but god will be forgotten also , and the duty we owe to him neglected ? for though if we were ingenuous , his mercies to our bodies might engage us to love and serve him ; and the most carnal men may so far remember god as to look for health and wealth , and outward comforts from him , yet this cannot bring them to any heartiness in religion , which consists very much in denying the flesh , and thinking meanly of all things here below ; and therefore no man can serve god as he ought , but he who believes that he rewards his diligent servants with an everlasting happiness in the fruition of himself : for nothing but the hopes of this can bear out men in those difficulties of suffering and obedience which they may be call'd to . but if men have no regard to their souls neither will they take any heed to please god , nor make it their business to get to heaven hereafter , which is nothing else but a state of happiness principally prepared for a reasonable soul in the full enjoyment of god ▪ neither will they take care to prevent their falling into hell , which is that state of misery whereinto they that forget god are turned , and chiefly appointed for the punishment of the soul. and hence it will unavoidably follow that they will undervalue the work of redemption , and disregard the lord jesus , who wrought this work in behalf of the sons of men , to recover their souls to god , to purchase the pardon of sin and enable them sincerely to please god , and so to prevent their damnation and bring them to eternal glory . and if they have no esteem for christ then needs must they sleight the word and sacraments whereby they should be brought to acquaintance with him to be interested in , and related to him , and to receive the communications of grace from him . now though there are few that will acknowledge themselves guilty of such ignorance of themselves , such contempt of god and glory , and of christ the way thereto , yet their actions do to plainly shew it . for certainly if they had any true knowledge of their own souls , they could not but take more pains to save them than they do , even out of love to themselves ; when as now they never in all their l●ves many of them , are so much as once brough● seriously to ask the question , how they should do to be saved ? no nor ever with-drew themselves into private for an hours time on set purpose to consider what their spiritual condition is , and how they stand related to god , whether as friends or enemies , and whether they must go when they depart out of this life . and tell me then do these people indeed remember to any purpose that they have souls that must either be saved or damned for ever ? what though they may sometimes hear sermons , or read the bible , yet do they use when they come home , or when they have laid aside their books , soberly to think of what they have read or heard ? do they consider how it concerns them ? do they examine themselves by the word , and apply it home to their own consciences and guide their lives by it ? do they regard it as that by which they must shortly be judged ? and though they may sometimes put up a prayer to god ; yet do they perform this duty as seeing any need of it , taking any delight in it , or as expecting any good from it ? do they before hand think what they stand in need of , and so pray to god for a supply of their wants , not onely of their bodies but souls , in as good earnest as they can ask their neighbour for any thing they lack . and in the very act of praying , have they any awe and sense of god upon their spirits , as they would have if they were putting up a petition to a prince or judge ? and do they minde w●at they have been about when they come from the duty ? do they carefully wait for an answer of their prayers , and patiently expect those blessings which they desired from god , such as strength against sin , and grace to serve him ? and do they do what is in their power to procure what they pray for ? thus you may be sure it would be with them if they were in good earnest in their prayers . for when they go to any great man to request a favour from him , they attend what answer he makes , and their thoughts are much upon it , and they are deeply concerned for the successe of their request . though they have been baptized into the name of christ , yet do they ever use to think what they are thereby engaged to , and see to answer that engagement ? and suppose they do sometimes come to the communion , yet did they ever come to it with such a kinde of spiritual appetite and expectation of strength and benefit as they go to an ordinary meal ? or are they careful before hand to fit themselves for the duty so as to profit by it ? what-ever they may pretend , it is most manifest that religion is not taken by them , for the great work of their lives . they are far from spending their time , and busying their mindes like men that were sent into the world on purpose to serve god , which they can say is the reason why god made them . it is not their chief study and work so to know and please their maker , and to get their peace made with him through the lord jesus , that they may live with him hereafter in glory for ever . no , no , to the consciences of these men i dare appeal , this is the least matter of a thousand with them , and there 's scarce any thing which they lesse regard . they hear their minister about these things as if he was telling them a story of no concernment , or spoke in a strange language , which they understood not . was he but telling them the way to thrive in the world , and get store of riches , they would hear him more attentively , and remember better what he said to them , and not think they had done enough when they had stood in the church for an hour as now they do . he that hath made any trial may easily see that this sort of people do not give the same heed to one that discourseth to them about the matters of their own souls , as they do to him that speaks of earthly things . if you talk with a citizen about his trade , or with a country-man about his corn , or cattel , or the weather , or any the like subjects , they can hold discourse with you well enough , but if you come to speak of the unseen kingdome , and the way thereto ; what need we have to search into our souls to see that we have got , a good sound title to that glory ; if you do but tell them of the shorness and uncertainty of life , exhorting them therefore to get well prepared for death and judgement ; how strange is such language as this to the ears of many ? some laugh at it as babling ; others give you a bare hearing , but are little affected with the weightiest matters delivered in the most piercing words that a man knows how to speak . nay many times they 'l be taken up with other things so much as not to minde or understand what is said to them , nor do they afterwards remember it , but are as much moved with the barking of a dog , or blowing of the winde , as with the most serious affectionate exhortations you can give them . and indeed how can men take any great pleasure to hear of things that are not in their own element , but as it were , out of their reach ? would not the plain country-man be ready to laugh and wonder at a scholar that should talk to him in latin , or make him tedious discourses of any point in philosophy though he spoke in plain english ? what 's all this to him ? he understands it not ; or if he did , he may think , what should he be the better for it . and does not the word of god tell us that the natural man receives not the things of the spirit , but they seem foolishness to him , because they are spiritually discerned . the doctrine of regeneration by the spirit , to those that never felt it , is still as strange as it was to nicodemus . and except we have before-hand got some inward apprehension of the things that we hear of , all talk of them is but as an empty sound , that signifies nothing . wherefore no marvel , if they who think so seldome , and understand so little of god , and christ , and a work of grace , to be wrought on their hearts , are no more affected nor stirred when they hear of them . and whilst they perceive no profit they should get by these things , what should they hearken to them for ? they cannot by all you say , get one penny more in their purse , nor a meals meat , nor a suit of cloaths ; and these are the most desirable enjoyments they are acquainted with . and it 's no great wonder when we consider the education of the common sort , if they be of such a wretched temper . for perhaps they were born and brought up by parents like themselves that knew not how to acquaint them what they were made for , in any such manner as was likely to do them good ; and it may be never so much as se● them to school , to learn to read english ; and in their childish years it cannot be thought they should have much understanding in religion , when they think of little else but their meat and play ; and when they grow up to riper years , they are set to trades , and to work for their livings : ( i speak of the meaner sort ) and when they come to be settled in the world , and have wife and children , then they have enough to do to provide for their families , and cannot spare time to learn the way to heaven , and if they live to be aged , they think themselves too old to learne , and are too deep rooted in their waies to be drawn to forsake them without little lesse than a miracle , and so there are multitudes even within the sound of the gospel , that live and dye in lamentable ignorance and senselesness . i know all this while in every state and time through which they pass , the most have opportunities for learn●ng their duty , if they had any heart to it : but their mindes are still possessed with something else . and though they may be somewhat constant in keeping their church , yet this being a thing they have always been wont to before they knew what they did , they still hold on in a customary manner , without duly considering what they come thither for ; not thinking that the minister speaks to them and about matters that are for life or death : the discourses also which they hear being upon particular subjects they are like to profit the lesse by them , in that they have not such a sound and clear knowledge of the chief points of religion , as may enable them to understand and profit by sermons . and though from children they may some of them be able to repeat their creed , and commandments , and lords prayer , yet truly its very easie to say these over a thousand times without being much affected with them , or well understanding them , onely pattering them over by rote : especially if they never had these principles clearly laid open and explained to them . it may be also many of these never had any particular close counsel given them , tending to awaken them to an apprehension of their condition to convince them of their sin and misery by nature , and put them upon searching in good earnest after the way to escape damnation , and be truly happy for ever . or if they have been so exhorted , yet they will not be brought to think of these things soundly by themselves , and to seek to god by prayer for direction and assistance . it is no easie nor trifling matter for a man wholly to change his thoughts , purposes , affections , and manner of life , as all must doe that turn from sin to true godlinesse . such a change as this is not likely to be wrought without much consideration , and sober setled resolutions on mans part , to which the grace of god would not be wanting to make them effectuall . i know it is also the grace of god that puts upon them , but yet it is man himself that by the assistance of this grace must thus consider , and thus resolve . but now when should people set upon this work of considering what they should doe to be saved ? something or other still happens in the way that keeps them from the work , or takes them off before it comes to any good issue . either they are sleeping or working , eating or drinking , or playing and idling , dressing or undressing ; or have some whether to go , or somebody to speak to ; or in some company that they cannot leave ; or have some businesse in their heads which they are contriving , or else are in sicknesse that unfits them for action , or some trouble hath befaln them which puts their minds out of order , or some happinesse and prosperity which puffs them up with a foolish flashy joy ; or they have some brave things in expectation which they are musing on , and pleasing themselves with beforehand . some such matters as these , i dare say , fill the heads and hearts of most from one years end to another throughout their whole lives . these and such like are the things that come into their minds as soon as they are awake , and then presently they are set about one thing or other , or light into some company that takes them up for that day , and the like happens to morrow and the next day ; and whilst the present time never appears convenient for the solemn performance of this great work of repentance , it is by the most posted off till it is too late , and then in vain doe they repent to all eternity that they did not repent in time. now it could not be that they should never have a spare day or hour for the consideration of , and setting upon the work they were sent into the world for , but that they are guided in the course of their lives by this practicall deep-rooted opinion , that their onely businesse hereis to make this life as comfortable as they can ; and therefore that to get food and raiment and riches for themselves and their children , to enjoy pleasures and be well accounted of in the world are the best things which can be imagined ; whereupon they wholly bend themselves to the attainment of these things ; and on they go in a giddy heedlesse manner , never well examining whether this their way be not their folly , nor taking much notice what the principles and opinions are which have the greatest power upon their lives , and whence their actions flow ; which principles may be so wrought into their natures , that they shall lead and rule them whilst they are secret and not distinctly known and weighed . and indeed this conceit , that the good things of this life are most to be set by and sought after , hath its first rise from our corrupted natures , which being faln off from god and contrary to him , incline us to seek happinesse any where rather than in returning to his love . and then in childhood , and for some years after we have very weak apprehensions of any thing but what 's before us , being wholly rul'd by our senses . and when our miserable mistakes have once taken root , and are become naturall to us , it s one of the hardest things in the world to be freed from them : for we are prone to be so conceited of our own ways , that we are by no means willing to be contradicted , much lesse to call our selves fools for all we have done , and begin the world anew , as if we had never set one step forward in the right way . and it must needs be the more difficult to convince men of the folly and basenesse of such a carnall worldly life , because they observe it to be the custome of the most about them , high and low , even of such as are counted wise and judicious , worshipfull and honourable persons . and what , may they think , can they be so foully mistaken , who did but follow the course which they saw such men lead before them ? and this indeed is one great cause of the mistakes and destruction of men , that when they come into the world they chuse rather to follow the examples of their neighbours than the rules of right reason which they should gather from gods holy word , and a due examination of things ; and therefore they take to those actions , and that manner of life which they see others follow , without well thinking whether they doe wisely or not : just as if a man should see a company of people upon the way running as for their lives , pretending that they are in pursuit of some great matters , and thereupon should presently set in with them , and run along as fast as they , without farther enquiring what they look for ; till at length when they are all tired , he perceives they had no other design but perhaps to catch flies , which when they have they know not what to doe with , or to lay hold on some pretty bird which they could not overtake : even thus when a man sees those about him running and riding , striving and swea●ing to get houses and lands , and all outward enjoyments , he thinks it needlesse to enquire whether these things be worthy all their labour ; no , that 's taken for granted : for sure , may he think , these men are no fools , but know well enough what they doe , and therefore without deliberation upon the matter , he joyns with the rest in labouring and contriving for these worldly things , taking all the pleasure in them that they will possibly yield . and whatever help is afforded them for the carrying on of this design , they will readily and thankfully comply with . if you supply them with what they were seeking for , they will greedily receive it , or if you will give them sure directions how to get it , they will hearken to you and diligently follow your advice . but whatever is presented that no way conduceth to these their carnall ends , that which makes them no richer nor higher in the world , nor gives their senses any delight is like to be altogether sleighted by them . what mean thoughts therefore must they needs have of sermons , sacraments , and all spirituall advantages which are onely means for the getting of an happinesse quite of another nature from that they are seekin after ? i hope this large preface ( which indeed i did not design ) will not be altogether uselesse , nor seem impertinent ; since they who so little care for hearing or reading gods word , for prayer or receiving sacraments , who are listlesse to all duties , and feel no sweetnesse in them , all such may hence learn what is the root and ground of this distemper , what it is that makes them out of tast with these rich and savoury provisions which all healthfull souls doe so dearly love , even because their secret , but most powerfull , thoughts are , that they have nothing better than their bodies to provide for , and that to doe this is the chiefest businesse they have , and that nothing is of any great use which makes not for this end . but it would be quite otherwise with them if they were indeed clearly convinced , and soundly perswaded that they have souls which will never die , and that these are their best part , and deserve most care , and are as much to be preferred before the body as a man before the horse which he rides on ; and that these their immortall souls can onely be made happy by the favour of god , out of which they are faln by sinning against him , and that the great work of this life is to get all breaches made up betwixt god and them , that so when they leave this world , they may be restored to perfect happinesse in the enjoyment of god ; and that they can no way be thus reconciled to god but by jesus christ , by whose merits and mediation their sins may be pardoned , and by whose holy spirit ( which is given by the father through him ) they can onely be so changed and sanctified that they may be made meet for the inheritance of the saints in the heavenly light of gods presence and love . was the sound belief of these plain , great and commonly acknowledged truths but well rooted in the hearts of men , so as to overpower and change their affections , we should soon perceive them to be other kind of persons in all their behaviour . if they took it for the business of their lives to work out their salvation , being convinced that they had nothing in the world to doe but this , and what is in order to it , then would they diligently labour after a saving knowledge of a crucified christ , which comprehends in it the whole of religion . and then they would highly prize and diligently attend upon those means which christ hath appointed for the manifesting himself , and conveying his saving benefits to the soul. they would take care to be found in those ways wherein christ is like to be found . whatever had relation to him would be very much esteemed by them ; and they would never be at quiet till they had done their best to make it sure that they had got an interest in him , and through him a title to the fathers everlasting love . they would then rightly inform themselves what 's required , of all that must be saved by christ , and these conditions they would endeavour to come up to , and perform . they would be willing to enter into the most solemn covenant with him , to take him for their saviour in all his offices , by him to be brought to that glory which god hath prepared for true believers : and the keeping of this covenant would be their study and care through the whole course of their life . now though considering these things , it might appear a very fit method for the curing of mens mistakes , and direct them in the way to blessedness , first to represent and demonstrate to them that they have immortal souls , and that the love of god is their onely portion , and that this can no way be obtained but by the lord jesus , and then to shew what is required to make us partakers of happinesse by him ; yet since these things are in some sort known , and readily confest by the most , i shall at present wave this method , and chuse rather to drive at the last of these , which will be found to contain all , namely to direct and exhort poor souls to enter into covenant , and make a thorow closure with jesus christ , that through him their sins may be subdued and pardoned , their persons and natures reconcil'd to god , that they may be blessed for ever in communion with him . and even this is my chief design in laying down the following directions to a due preparation for , and a right receiving of the lords supper , and in giving motives to the serious and frequent performance of that duty , which i look upon principally as a solemnizing and ratifying our covenant with god by jesus christ , and the sincerity of the heart in making this covenant , and our faithfulnesse in keeping it , is the very heart and scope of christianity . for my intention in treating of this subject is not meerly to perswade people to come to the lords table ( alas what a poor thing is that to be rested in ! ) but to instruct them for a right coming to , and hearty receiving of christ himself , then to come to the sacrament , there to make and renew their covenant with him in a more formall and expresse manner , the more to affect , and deeplier to engage themselves . for this being a sensible and solemn thing , will be apt to make the stronger impression upon mens spirits ; and perhaps they will be sooner perswaded to this work because it is so much fitted to sense it self . but the great danger is least they should rush upon that which they understand not the reason of ; and think they have done enough by bare receiving the sacrament , without considering to what purpose they doe it : which would be greater madnesse , and of worse consequence than for a man to run and lay his hands upon the book and kisse it , and use the like ceremonies of an oath , and never mind what he swears to , nor afterwards think what he hath done , though it was about a matter of life and death . and therefore i shall endeavour by gods assistance to prevent this miscarriage by shewing what is the nature and design of this ordinance , in a right participation whereof consists so much of religion : since hereby a man professeth and engageth himself to be a sincere obedient christian , which may be understood by this comparison before i come to speak to it more fully , that more ignorant reader may the sooner have the notion fixt on his mind . it is much what , as if the governour of a city after there had been a seditious insurrection of the citizens , should offer pardon to all that would acknowledge their fault , beg his pardon , and return to their former subjection and peaceable behaviour ; and moreover should enjoyn all that were thus affected to come take a piece of money which he would give abroad , or to partake of a feast which he would make on purpose for the entertainment of such ; now would it not be madnesse , and grosse impudence , and dissembling for any to receive this money , or go sit at this table , who were resolved yet to continue their rebellion , and would imploy that very money , and the strength they received from his meat against him that gave them , whenas hereby they were to testifie their resolutions to be faithfull and obedient ? even thus hath it pleased the lord jesus christ , the redeemer of rebe●l●ous degenerate mankind , to proclaim free and full pardon to all that will heartily repent of , and turn from their wicked ways , and take him for their lord and saviour , and submit to his directions for their attainment of happinesse ; and withall he hath commanded all that will thus become his disciples , first to be listed under him by baptisme , whereby they are visibly entred amongst the number of professing christians , and afterwards they who were baptized in infancy are to come to this sacramental feast , and there to joyn with their fellow-believers in a personall profession of their willingness and resolution to stand to that covenant whereinto they were engaged by baptisme , in testimony whereof they eat the bread and drink the wine , whereby the body and blood of christ is represented , as i shall further shew anon . now would it not in like manner be a strange piece of folly and monstrous hypocrisie for any man to rest satisfied with his having been baptized , or his receiving the lords supper , and think himself therefore a christian good enough without taking care to perform those promises which he then made , but rather encourage himself in sin by the consideration of what he had done , as if he might the more safely rebell against god ; because he had expresly vowed against all such rebellion . could there be a more desperate , dangerous wickedness than to make such a wilfull mistake ? and yet i wish there be not thousands guilty of it . alas , alas ! how few that have taken the earnest-peny , and wear christs colours , that ever think to any purpose what they are hereby bound to ? how many in effect renounce their baptisme by their ungodly lives , and either neglect the lords supper , or come to it to pacifie their consciences that they may sin the more freely , rather than to strengthen and engage themselves against every sin ? as for bap●isme i shall not insist on it , though i grant that this is the leading sacrament appointed for the testimony of our being first devoted to god , which engagement we ought to call to remembrance , and renew at the lords supper , whereof according to my promise i now come to speak . chap. ii. what it is to doe this ( to celebrate the communion ) in reremembrance of christ. and i. that it includes the true knowledge of him . and being desirous to contribute some assistance to those that need it , to bring them ( through gods blessing ) to a conscientious performance of this great duty , i observe there are two sorts of persons faulty herein ; either such as neglect it , or that miscarry and fail in the manner of doing it . those that neglect it are either such that doe it out of meer wilfulness , as the grossely vicious , that will not come to this sacrament because they think this would lay an obligation upon them to forsake those sins which they never intend to part with whatever come on 't , and the stupid sensless ones , that know not the worth , nor see the need of this ordinance , or any other duties of religion , who live as heathenishly as if they had never heard of god and christ , and another world , nor doe they care to be instructed in these points , as if they were not at all concerned in them ; or else they are such that abstain from it out of doubting and fear , not thinking themselves worthy , or not knowing whether they are worthy or not . of this sort there are many excellent christians , who too much indulge to their own melancholy and despondent apprehensions ; and also many weaker , but , i hope , honest well-meaning people , who seem to have a great esteem for this sacrament ; but having always heard what a dangerous thing it is to receive it unworthily , dare not venture upon it , not being well acquainted w●th the nature and reason of it , and being doubtful whether they are fit to come or not , being also , i fear , too languid and heartless in desiring after it , or in making preparation for it , and for such as these principally doe i intend my directions . by those that are guilty of miscarriage in the doing of this duty , i mean such as rush upon it ignorantly and rashly , not well weighing what they doe , and who , notwithstanding their customary attendance at the lords table , continue their old sinfull course of life . these also , i hope , may receive some benefit from the following discourse , together with the most profane and ignorant , whilst i shall endeavour plainly to shew the intention of this sacrament , and perswade them to attend thereupon in a regular manner . for since , in behalf of those for whom especially i write this , my great business is to shew who it is that is worthy to partake of this ordinance , and wherein this worthiness doth consist ; the method i will ●ake shall be this , namely to shew for what purpose it was appointed by jesus christ , and thence to discover those qualifications and graces which are required in the communicants , that they may receive it aright to those purposes for which it was appointed : and after i have done this i shall lay down some arguments or motives to quicken all to come to , and celebrate it in this due manner , and then briefly direct those that intend to come . as to the first what was the reason and end why this sacrament was appointed , i know not whence we should be better informed than by looking back to the time of its first appointment , and to see what christ tells us he did ordain it for , and this we may find expresly set down , luke . . when he had broke the bread and distributed , he addes , this doe in remembrance of me . and the same words he used also after the delivery of the wine , as appears by the apostle s. paul's relation , who delivered unto them what he had received of the lord , cor. . , . where after the giving of the cup is added , this doe ye , as oft as ye drink it , in remembrance of me , and so again ver . . saith the apostle , as often as ye eat th●● bread , and drink this cup , ye doe shew the lords death till he come , that is , you publish and represent it to the world , you acknowledge and commemorate it . so that by this it is plain that the great end of this sacrament to which all others may be reduced is , that by the celebrating thereof we may remember jesus chr●st , and especially that we may keep up the memory of that inestimable mercy to mankind , his dying for us ; a mercy which should never be forgotten by those on earth , and shall never be forgotten by those in heaven . now hence it follows , that they who are in a capacity and fitness rightly to remember christ and his death , are worthy to partake of this sacrament which was set apart for that purpose : wherefore without going any farther i shall shew what is necessarily required to , contained in , or immediately flows from this remembrance of christ , that so we may the more distinctly apprehend w●at is required of us to make us worthy receivers : and herein , i suppose , will be found comprized those several graces usually laid down for the due qualification of communicants , as knowl●dge , repentance , faith , new obedience , brotherly love and thankfulness . and as i go along i entreat thee , reader , seriously to look into ●hy own heart , and examine thy self whether tho● findest in thee these qualifications or not ; whether thou findest those graces wrought in thy heart , which may enable thee so to remember thy redeemer as may be acceptable to him ; that so if thou findest thy self such a one as is described ▪ thou maist give god the praise , and take to thy self the comfort of so great a mercy , and be encouraged to proceed in this and all other holy duties ; but if thou findest the contrary , that thou maist with all speed and earnestness see to get thy heart changed , and thy wants supplied . and to this end ( since i intend no other application ) i shall under every head endeavour to help thee in thy enquiry into the state of thy soul , and in thy seeking after those graces which thou maist be convinced thou art destitute of , and hast hitherto been content without them ; and in this part i shall be the larger , as taking it to be most necessary , though having so large a field before me i shall labour to confine my self . . first then in order to a right remembrance of jesus christ , there is necessarily supposed a knowledge of him : for our memory contains onely those persons or things which we before have known . how could he keep the fifth of november as a thanksgiving for our deliverance from the popish powder plot , who hath not some knowledge beforehand that such a plot there was laid by the papists , and that by divine providence we were delivered from it ? no more can any man remember christ as he ought at the sacrament , except he knows who this christ is , in his person , and natures , and what his offices are , what he came into the world for , what he hath done and will doe for us . and indeed this right knowledge of christ necessarily requires and contains a knowledge of all the chief points of religion ; of which i hope thou art not ignorant who ownest the name of a christian. it 's a shame for thee if thou art , having such means and opportunities to inform thy self as thou enjoyest : having liberty to read thy bible , plain catechismes , and other good books , and to hear gods word publickly preacht . notwithstanding all which advantages i doubt there are many to be found , who are very dark , even in the first principles of christianity , as not accounting it any part of their business to trouble their heads with such matters . and that which a man makes no great reckoning of , nor thinks himself much concerned in , though he may hear it an hundred times over , he 'l scarce have so clear an insight into it as he that hath heard it but once or twice with diligence and attention , applying his mind to it , as to a matter that is for his life . he that hears a physician directing him to a medicine that will recover him from some desperate disease , is far likelier ( if he have the use of his reason ) to take notice of , and fix in●o his mind what 's told him , than another that fits by , who holds himself nothing concerned in it . so surely if people thought it any great matter to save their souls for ever , they would soon see to get acquainted wi●h the way to salvation , and not remain in such bruitish ignorance as multitudes doe . and for the h●lp of such i shall run over those heads of religion , which more especially are required to enable us a right to remember christ at this commemoration-feast , which he hath establisht in his church . know then that god at first made man in an happy e●tate , even adam and eve our first parents , who if they had continued happy so should all we their posterity have been too ; but the condition of their continuing in that estate , being perfect obedience to all gods commands , they fell from it by breaking a particular command , eating of the fruit of a certain tree in paradise , whereof god had enjoyned them not to eat , even of the tree of knowledge of good ●nd evil , as you may read at large gen. . thus their hearts were turned off from god and fixt upon the creature which was pleasing to their senses . hereupon they became liable to the wrath of god , who had before threatned , that in the day they eat ●hereof they should die the death , which included in it all kind of misery whatever it should please god to inflict they being thus become sinners they begat children like themselves , conceived in sin , and brought forth in iniquity : for who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean ? and beside that corruption of nature which did cleave to their children , the guilt of their sin might also most justly be imputed to them , they being as common persons representing all mankind , who had stood with them if they had stood , and fell with them when they fell . but their children as they grew up became guilty of actuall sins in their own persons , to which their wicked natures did incline them , which did more expose them to the wrath of god. this condition was the world brought into by sin , become ignorant of god , prone to all wickednesse , and deserving the greatest misery , even everlasting torment ; and in this estate god might justly have left us , he might have given us up to our own hearts lusts , and so one by one as we came into the world and rebell'd against him , might have destroy'd us for ever without any remedy . yet he did not thus , but was pleased out of his own infinite wisdome to provide for us a saviour when we had thus un●one but could not help our selves . and who was this saviour but his own eternal onely begotten son , very god of very god , who in fulnesse of time became man , and by the power of the holy ghost was conceived in the womb of the virgin mary , and born of her without the least stain of sin , and was god and man in a wonderfull manner united in one person . this was that jesus christ of whom we read in the gospel , who after he had some time preacht his gospel to the jews , laid down his life as a sacrifice to make satisfaction for the sins of the world , and rose again on the third day , and after fourty days continuance on earth he ascended into heaven , and there is exalted to sit at the right hand of god in that humane nature which he assumed , and there he lives for ever to make intercession for us , that the benefits he hath purchast may be given out to the sons of men . and these benefits are such that shew him to be a perfect saviour every way fitted to our necessities . for by his undertaking this work of our redemption , he did as it were reprieve the world , and kept us from being suddenly destroyed by divine justice , which otherwise would have laid hold on us , and did obtain for us that we should be tried once again for our lives , so that our first fall should not be our damnation , if we would accept of that way of salvation which he had procured for , and revealed to us . now since our first happinesse did consist in our being like to god , being righteous and holy and obedient to him , that it might appear that christ consulted for his fathers honour , as well as our interest ; the way to salvation which he appointed was this , that we should love god above all , and count it our greatest happinesse to be reconcil'd to him , that we should humbly acknowledge and repent of all our sins , of nature and practice whereby we had provoked his anger against us , and be sincerely willing to live in obedience to his laws , and that we should own him the lord jesus as our onely redeemer , and depend upon him onely for ability to perform these conditions , and to obtain the pardon of sin and the favour of god upon performance of them . and then that we might have this ability who by the fall were become weak and unable for good , but strongly bent to evil ; christ by his death obtained of the father , that the holy ghost , the third person of the trinity , should be employ'd to bring men to the performance of those conditions which christ required of all whom he would save : and accordingly the holy ghost , in pursuance of this work , did inspire the apostles and their fellowers to write and preach the gospel , and sealed to the truth of it with miracles , for the conviction of all that should hear it . and in some places in all ages hath enabled men to make it known ; and moreover this holy spirit doth accompany the word to the hearts of the hearers , and where he is received doth enlighten the mind , and soften the heart , and heal , and change , and sanctifie the nature of man , and restores him to the image of his maker , and begets in him a strong love to god and a willingnesse to please him in all things , and brings him to an hearty sorrow for , and an hatred of all his sins , and enclines and enables him to come to christ , to believe in him , to love and highly to esteem him for this work of redemption which he hath wrought , ascribing it wholly to his merit that he hath hopes of mercy from god and any power to please him . and then for all those who by this assistance of the spirit are made willing thus to come to christ and to god by him , for these christ hath purchast that their sins should be forgiven them , and greater measures of the spirit bestowed on them ; in a word , that they should have all things good for them here , and be received into everlasting glory hereafter . but all they who reject these offers of sanctification and salvation , shall die in their sins , and be everlastingly in torment with the devil and his angels . and this same jesus christ will be the judge of all men , and at the end of the world shall come with great glory and power , and raise up the bodies of all that were dead and change those that are alive , and shall pronounce and cause to be executed the sentence of absolution and glorification upon the righteous , and the sentence of condemnation upon the wicked . this is that jesus the redeemer of the faln world , whose memory ought to be so precious to you . and these were the weighty causes , and the glorious effects of that death which you shew forth , and keep up the remembrance of , in celebrating the sacrament . i suppose it needlesse to turn you to the particular texts of scripture proving these things , they being so common and well known ; and the truth of them so plain that they cannot well be doubted of by any that own the christian religion . and i hope they are neither so many nor so difficult , that you should pretend you want time , or learning , or wit to get well acquainted with them . i dare say you could learn other kind of matters than these , if you could get any worldly advantage by it . if books were printed that should teach you how to be rich and honourable , to live in ease and pleasure to enjoy health , long life , and all kind of prosperity , you would pore sufficiently upon such books , and beat your brains day and night , but you would get to understand and remember them . but if indeed you have so little regard to your souls , that you will perish for lack of knowing those things which might easily be known , your damnation is just . and as for you that think the most sottish ignorance is excusable because you are no schollars , and yet take your selves for as good christians as the best , let me tell you plainly , if you be without the knowledge of these principal heads of religion , you are not fit to be so much , as called christians . are you disciples of christ that are so blockish and stupid that you have not yet learnt the first principles which he teacheth his schollars ? nay if you refuse to learn them , you thereby renounce jesus christ , to wit , as he is your prophet and teacher ; which if you doe , expect not salvation from him . and as without being acquainted with these fundamentall truths you are able to perform no duty aright ; so especially not this of receiving the lords supper : for , i say , can he remember christ as he should that knows not who he is , what he has done for him , or what need he stands in of him ? and they who being in this wilfull blindnesse venture upon this ordinance , must needs doe it to their own hurt , coming to it as a common meal , or meerly for custome and fashion sake ; and so are guilty of the very same miscarriage which the apostle represents as so dangerous , cor. . . they eat the bread and drink the wine , not discerning the lords body , not having that knowledge of christ who is there represented , whereby they might be enabled to give him that reverence and honour which is required of all that are admitted to these mysteries . i need not sure spend time in examining the reader whether he know these truths before laid down or not . if thou hast the use of thy reason thou canst tell , i hope , what it is thou knowest , and what thou doest not , wherefore take thy self to task , and go over the severall points of religion , as i have before briefly mentioned them , if thou thinkst fit , and take account of thy own apprehension and understanding , and where thou findst thou art most wanting , be diligent to inform and satisfie thy self : and to this purpose make conscience of hearing the word preacht , and of reading the holy scriptures in private . and get well acquainted with the grounds of religion , as you may find them in catechismes , or the pl●inest books that treat of them . but think it not enough to be able to say the bare words , to repeat your creed without book , or the like , but labour well to understand them , and fix them deeply upon your minds , as those things which are of greatest necessity to be known and remembred of any in the world . but yet barely to know and remember them will not profit you , except you so digest and improve them , that they move your affections , and guide you in your conversation . it s a most lamentable mistake to think that the meer saying of what you believe , and what you are to doe , will save your souls : as if there was some strange force in the very words , which would make them usefull to all that should patter them over : for by this means a parrot might passe for a good christian. if you had a receipt given you directing you how to cure the toothache , doe you think it would take away the pain to get it without book , and say it over by rote ? would you not rather see to read it and make use of the medicine which it should appoint ? even thus must you read gods word and good books , to know what is your duty , that you may set with all your might to the doing of it . and indeed your knowledge is defective till it come thus to affect your heart : wherefore let that be the mark by which you may judge of its truth and sincerity , if it raise your affections and leads you forth to action , joh. . , . for if you know that god hath in himself all fulnesse of goodnesse , and know that you are needy and indigent , and can onely receive supply and satisfaction from him , you cannot but desire after him , and seek how to get a part in his love . if you know that you are in your selves lost undone creatures , and that jesus christ and he alone , is able and willing also to recover and save you , you will then betake your selves to him for healing and saving mercy . if you know that sin is your disease , bondage and dishonour , and holinesse your glory , liberty and health , you will readily comply with the spirit of god to be freed from sin , and to be made as holy as your nature is capable . this then is true and saving knowledge which must be in all that can affectionately remember christ at the communion . of this knowledge christ speaks , joh. , . this is life eternal to know thee , the onely true god , and jesus christ whom thou hast sent . and of this the prophet speaks , isa. . , by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many , that is , he shall justifie those who have such a sound and working knowledge of him as leads them to the performance of what he requires of them . for if men once come indeed to know that christ is the son of god , who earnestly desires their good , and enjoyns them nothing but what makes thereto , surely they will readily then hearken to and obey him . all this i adde to knowledge , because it is very imperfect till it become thus fruitfull ; and will not vindicate those in whom it is , from the imputation of ignorance . now to get your knowledge to be thus powerfull upon your hearts and lives , i cannot advise you to any more necessary course than these two , . humbly to beg of god to work the truth with power upon your souls , that you may receive it in the love thereof . when you go to hear or sit down to read , beseech god to accompany the word by his mighty spirit that it may sink into your minds and not become unprofitable ; but that it may enlighten and awaken you , and reach to the very inwards of your souls , and give you such insight into your selves , and such a discovery of your duty , that you may vigorously be carried on to the performance of it . and then . you must often consider of those truths that you know ; you must dwell upon them in your minds till you are moulded , changed and wrought upon by them . for want of this consideration chiefly it is , that so many remain in ignorance : and that many others who have some sleight knowledge are no more bettered by it : for you must meditate upon what you read or hear , that you may more clearly and distinctly understand it , which you cannot doe if words slip out of your thoughts as soon as they are out of your ears . and then after the doctrines of the gospel are well understood , you must farther consider wherein they concern your particular case , and what use you are to make of them : for otherwise how is it possible they should profit you ? though you have never so much book-learning , and brain-knowledge , what are you the better for all , if you improve it not your own good , by this serious consideration ? can you think ever to have a profitable saving knowledge of christ , if you use not seriously to think of him , what need you stand in of him , and what benefit he will be to you , and what must be done to make him yours ; can you get your sins mortified and pardoned , if you will not so much as bethink your self what an evil thing sin is , and what your particular sins are ? can you be move with the hopes of glory if you have it not in your thoughts ? can you escape your danger if you forget it , and so are out of fear ? if then you would ever have any profit by your knowledge , follow the apostles advice to timothy , tim. . . consider what is said to thee at at any time , and that 's the next way to obtain from the lord understanding in all things ; so likewise tim. . . meditate on these things , give thy self wholly to them , that thy profiting may appear to all . if you have not time to spare purposely for meditation , yet take time as you are upon the way , or about any businesse which will permit you . and let this be the chief subject of your thoughts , which i am sure deserves them most , even how you should doe to obtain salvation by jesus christ ; and never leave following on this enquiry , till you be fully resolved , to set about what 's required of you to that purpose . as there must be this sound knowledge of christ and of the chief points of christian religion in all that can duely remember christ at a sacrament , so it will be readily granted , that this jesus christ must be believed to be indeed the saviour of the world as is declared in the scriptures : and all that is there laid down of his incarnation , life , death resurrection , ascension intercession and coming again to judgement must be believed to be true . i will not make a distinct head of this , because it s necessarily supposed in the former as i have explained it : for our knowledge of these truths is never like to be effectuall with us , if we are not first of all perswaded that they are truths . and the reader might be offended if i should make any question whether he believes the christian religion , and takes scripture to be the word of god , and acknowledges that christ is the son of god , and the promised messiah of whom the prophets all along in the old testament foretold . but though there are few who openly deny or seem to doubt of these things , yet i fear there is a great defect , and too common even in this part of faith which consists in an assent to the truth of the gospel . for many there are who take little pains to settle their belief upon sure foundations , which would bear a shaking if any assault should be made ; and can give little reason why they are of this religion or opinion rather than any other , except because this is that they learn● of their parents , and is profest by their neighbours , and set up and countenanced by the laws of the land : and surely these are but weak arguments . but here let me adde as before , that granting you doe believe all that the gospel reveals , yet this is not enough except your belief prevail with you to doe what the gospel requires in order to your salvation . and this is indeed the surest way to get your faith well strengthned and confirmed even by yielding obedience to the truth , and trying by your own experience , what benefit comes by conforming your selves to the will of god revealed in his gospel , whether you can find the promises made to such obedient ones in any measure fulfilled to you ; and when you have found this , you will say with the apostle , you are not ashamed of the gospel of christ , because you have begun to find it to be the power of god to salvation . our lord himselfe tells us , joh. . . that if any man will doe his will , he shall know of his doctrine whether it be of god or not : this is like a mans tasting of honey , which will give him more assurance of its sweetnesse than all arguments could doe : and this will make him confidently to affirm it , though the cunning'st sophister should endeavour by subtle arguments to perswade him to the contrary ; his experience will confute them all . this is the reason why great wits and profound schollars sometimes turn atheists and infidels ; whilst the honest weak christian that hath relisht and well digested the truths of religion , holds them so firmly in his heart , rather than brain , that he can die for that which he cannot so well dispute for . thus far then i hope you see its manifest , that to your right remembrance of christ , & so to make you worthy communicants , its necessary that you know who this christ is , and what you have to doe with him , and to believe that he is indeed the redeemer of mankind , and that all that scripture speaks of him is true . chap. iii. ii. a right remembring sin , the occasion of his death . of repentance , with considerations to work and promote it . it may as easily be understood , that if at the sacrament you keep up a remembrance of christ , and in an especiall manner shew forth his death till he come , then you must needs remember what was the occasion of his dying , and that was the sins of the world . had there been no sin we had needed no saviour . had we continued in our first estate , we had needed no restorer , now hence it will naturally follow , that no man can duely celebrate the sacrament , whose eyes have not been opened to see the exceeding great evil that is in sin , and to be convinced of his own sins so as to lament and hate , and resolve against them . for is it possible for that man to to remember christs death as he ought , that sees no hurt in that which put him to death ? nay , that loves the very nails and spear that were thrust into his hands and feet and sides , and intends to crucifie him afresh when he is gone away ? and all this doth he that never yet saw the odiousnesse of sin , and that is not heartily set against it , but secretly retains and cherishes it . can he rightly remember christs death , who sees no great need he stood in of it , nor is sensible of any great advantage that comes to him by it , but rather thinks christ might have kept his bloud to himself , and that it would be a disadvantage to him to attain the ends and benefits of his bloodshed ? and such wretched blasphemous thoughts in effect hath he that sees not his sad estate by reason of sin , and that thinks it would be to his losse to part with it . wherefore since it evidently appears that true repentance is so absolutely necessary to qualifie and fit a man for this ordinance , where it is to be renewed , and to which he must come with an humble broken heart , let me desire thee to put the question to thy own heart , whether thou know'st by experience what it is to repent of , and be truly humbled for sin ? and that thou maist the better know what i mean , let me ask thee , didst thou ever yet seriously consider what thy condition is by nature , and by reason of thy carelesse sinfull life ? and hast thou found thy self sensibly affected and stirred with this consideration , so that thou hast been verily perswaded , that thou art in thy self a lost creature , and except there be a way for mercy , art like to perish for ever ? and hast thou been convinc'd that sin is the cause of all this misery and danger which thou art liable to ? and hast thou hereupon heartily griev'd for , and bewail'd thy wretched miserable state ? hast thou been humbled for the sin thou broughtst into the world with thee , and for all the sins which thou know'st by thy self and canst remember thou hast at any time committed ? hast thou been carefull to search into thy heart , and to look back upon thy life past , that thou might'st find out what thy particular sins are , that thou maist confesse them before god , and forsake them ? and hast thou indeed been so sensible of the evil of sin , chiefly as it is rebellion against that god who made thee , and hath sent his son to redeem , and spirit to sanctifie thee , and hath daily given thee so many mercies to engage thee to please him , hast thou , i say , seen so much vilenesse and basenesse in thy dishonouring and provoking so good a god , that this consideration hath melted and broke thy heart , and wrought thee into a bitter hatred and loathing of every known sin , so that thou hast earnestly desired to be delivered from it which is so odious in its self , and so mischievous to thee ? and hast thou been therefore deliberately resolved by the help of god without any more delay , to put away far from thee whatever is displeasing to god , and to return to him from whom thou hast faln , and to an obedience to those laws which thou hast violated and contemned . examine thy self faithfully , whether thou hast ever experienc'd such a change of thy mind as this i have described , which may well be call'd repentance unto life . or rather on the other hand , dost thou not find that thou art such a one still as ever thou wast ; as earthly and carnall as ever , as hard-hearted and stupid , and as mad of sin as ever , and know'st not what it means to have thy heart broken for thy offences committed against the great god of heaven and earth ? nay , it may be thou prid'st thy self in being of the very same mind and disposition that thou art now , ever since thou canst remember . thou art one that hast always lov'd god , and believed in christ , and bore a good conscience towards all men ; and then i fear all 's little better than stark naught with thee : for though there may be multitudes of good people in times of light and having good education , that cannot distinctly tell , when they were in a more especiall manner wrought upon , and brought home to god , yet few , if any , but can remember that once they were much worse than they are ; even that they were too like the rest of the world , but now they find they are washed and cleansed . perhaps when thou hast sworn , or been drunk , or committed any the like wickednesse , thou could'st cry , god forgive me , and say thou art a great sinner , but still goest on , and remainest as bad as thou wast . if this indeed be thy case , if thou art yet a meer stranger to this work of christ upon thy soul , who is exalted in 〈◊〉 first place to give repentance , thou art at present very unfit to drink of that blood which was shed for , and which seals the remission of sins . now ( that i may proceed in the method i promised , by directing to the attainment of those graces which are wanting ) in order to the breaking of thy hard heart , and humbling thy soul for sin , i might advise thee in the first place to look back into thy heart and life , to find out thy particular sins , not being content in the generall to confesse thy self a sinner , as all men are : for this is not so likely much to work upon thee , but to fasten upon thy most remarkable sins , and dwell upon and bewail them : and so all lesser evils , and that body of death which thou carriest about thee continually , which was born with thee , and is the ground of all the rest . in this method partly may you find david's confession , psal. . at the beginning to the . verse . further i might direct thee earnestly to beg of god to open thy eyes , and shew thee what thy estate is , and discover to thee more of the evil of sin , before thou feel its sad effects when repentance will come too late . moreover thou art to use all other means appointed for the working of a true and saving sorrow for sin , as to observe what god speaks against it in his word , and to attend diligently to the most searching and awakening preaching ; and to be much employ'd in those considerations that have a special tendency to the begetting of this frame ; and of this sort i might name severall , as for instance , to think frequently how great and gracious a god sin is committed against , and what particular reasons thou hast to serve and please him , from the mercies and means thou enjoyest ; think how he stands related to thee as thy creator , preserver and ruler , and therefore disobedience to him is most odious , impudent and undutifull . withall its good to consider how much hurt sin doth to the soul , which is so excellent a being , how it defiles , debaseth and disquiets it , how it exposeth the whole man to all kind of evils and sufferings here on earth , and to everlasting torments hereafter , and deprives men of those unspeakable joys which are to be had with and from god. but to avoid tediousnesse i shall passe over these and many the like considerations , and keeping to the subject in hand shall rather direct thee to fetch matter for humiliation and repentance from the crosse of christ , the remembrance whereof at the sacrament should still keep up and renew thy godly sorrow . if then thou art one who never yet sawest any great hurt in sin , but for all the ill language which is given it , canst quietly and lovingly entertain it , let me beseech thee a while to fix thy thoughts upon a crucified saviour , and then remain of this wretched opinion if thou canst . behold the son of god become man , a most innocent holy person , whose whole life was spent in doing good , who heal'd diseases , cast out devils , pitied all that were afflicted , taught the ignorant , pray'd and wept for poor sinners : after all , behold this blessed jesus , who had never in all his life been guilty of the least sin in thought word or deed , nor ever gave just cause of offence to any man living , behold him i say , in the garden a little before his crucifying , sorrowfull even to the death , in such a bitter agony that he sweat great drops or clots of bloud ; and what inward pains and sorrows dost thou think must those needs be , which put him into such an unnaturall sweat as this , though his patience was as much greater than any mortall mans , as his sufferings themselves were : for we cannot imagine that he who so calmly bore all those indignities and cruelties which were offered and inflicted by insolent men , should be lesse patient in regard of those sufferings which he underwent immediately from god , but we may conclude that these were infinitely the greater . then after this beginning of sorrows , and after he had been most vilely abused and set at nought by the rulers , the chief priests , the souldiers and common people ; after he had in a jeer been cloathed in a purple robe , with a crown of thorns on his head , and a reed in his hand ; after he had been laught at , spit on , whipt and buffeted , behold him brought forth to be stretcht upon the crosse , where his enemies stood gazing , shouting and wagging their heads at him ; whilst his tender hands and feet are struck through with nails that fasten him to the wood , and in his soul he felt that pain which wrung from him that doleful complaint , my god , my god , why hast thou forsaken me ? now let me beg thee to dwell a while upon this subj●ct with the reason and bowels of a man , and then tell me whethe● in thy conscience thou think'st it was for a small matter that the lord of glory underwent such gr●evous sufferings . what ? was christ so prodigall of his blood as to shed it for a trifle ? or was god so cruel as to put his own dearly beloved son to all this smart for an inconsiderable thing ? certainly if thou art a christian thou canst not harbour any such base thoughts . well then , what was it that put christ to all this sorrow and shame and smart ? ah friend , it was thy sin and mine , and the rest of the worlds that was the cause , and canst thou then imagine it an harmlesse thing ? if thou doubt of what i say , hear the plain word of god , isa. . , , . surely he hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows ; yet we did esteem him stricken , smitten of god , and afflicted . but he was wounded for our transgressions , he was bruised for our iniquities , the chastisement of our peace was upon him , and with his stripes are we healed . all we like sheep have gone astray ; we have turned every one to his own way , and the lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all . pet. . . christ also suffered for us . ver . . who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree . — gal. . . and at the institution of his supper he acquaints us that his blood was shed for the remission of sins , mat. . . when man had rebell'd against his maker , and broke that law which threatned destruction to him that should break it , there was no other way that we are told of , but either he himself must undergoe the punishment he had deserved , or some one else on his behalf . and therefore man being spared , there was found no way for the satisfaction and honour of offended justice , but by these sufferings which the lord jesus our surety underwent : who being so glorious a person , even the son of god made man , he onely being made a sacrifice for sin could condemn sin in the flesh , discovering to all the world that sin was a most hainous evil , so hateful and displeasing to the blessed majesty , that he would not forgive to any man the least iniquity without satisfaction made , and no other satisfaction would he accept but the death of christ , who is become our propitiation , and hath made an attonement for us . and can there be possibly imagined any argument of greater weight to bring all considerative persons to detest and forsake that which hath been found so mischievous ? and give me leave to improve this consideration in two or three particulars , that so it may be the clearlier discerned , and the force of it more felt . . methinks it may be great matter of humiliation to us , to think that we should be so hainously guilty in departing from god , and living in rebellion against him , that we could not by any means avoid his deserved wrath , but by these bitter sufferings of the lord jesus . certainly , reader , hadst thou been present when christ was so abused by the cruel jews and their rulers , it would have mov'd thee to compassion , if thou hadst onely thought him innocent . but if moreover thou hadst known he endured all that for thy sake , would it not have affected thee much more ? if thou hadst seen him spit upon , mockt , and stricken with the palms of their hands , if thou hadst beheld the blood running down when he was scourged , or heard his groanings in the garden , or upon the cross , and then hadst thou●ht within thy self , all this is for my sake , this have i been the cause of , would it not have moved and melted thy heart ? if thou should'st now see any of thy friends put to cruell tortures to free thee from them , would it not make thy heart even bleed within thee ? and why then may it not have the same effect upon thee , to set a dying christ before thy eyes , who as he became poor for our sakes , that we through his poverty might be made rich , cor. . . so he was chastised that we might have peace , received stripes that we might have healing , as in that forequoted . of isaiah . but yet i remember what our blessed lord when he was going to suffer , said to the women that followed him weeping , luk. . . daughters of jerusalem weep n●● for me , but for your selves and your children ; so say i , poor sinners , weep not for christ out of a kind of pity to him , that he should unjustly ( as to men ) be put to so great smart , but weep for your selves and your sins that were the cause . and this is that i chiefly intend under this head , that seeing christ hath bore such an heavy load upon thy account , amongst the rest , thou maist hence learn the true nature and desert of sin , of thy own sins which thou art wont to make so light of . certainly the very torments of the damned doe not more plainly discover the evil of sin , and gods hatred of it , than the sufferings of christ doe . for it is evident , that the greatnesse of the punishment , where the judge is knowing and upright , is a plain argument of the greatnesse of the offence ; if you should see a man by the way hung up alive in chains , you would soon conclude it was for murther , or some the most horrid wickednesse , that he was so dealt with . and as evident it is , that the worth and eminency of the person who is punisht speaks the offence proportionably of an higher nature . if we should hear that a king who is both just and mercifull , had caused his own son 's right hand to be cut off , we might well conclude there was some more than ordinary cause ; but especially if he , being guiltlesse himself , had suffered this for another mans sake , we should reasonably inferre , that it was a crime of the highest nature , for which was made so dear satisfaction . now what must we think when we see the lord jesus upon the crosse , who though he felt pain and sorrow onely as he was in our nature , yet was that nature so nearly united to the divine , that it s said , god purchased his church with his own blood , acts . . so joh. . . hereby perceive we the love of god , because he laid down his life for us , that is , christ who was god as well as man , laid , &c. the like , to mention no more , we find , phil. . , , . if then we consider one so far advanced above men , laid so low ; one holy , harmlesse , undefiled , separate from sinners , suffering such grievous things , may we not in all reason conclude , that the sin which caused this was out of measure sinfull , for that 's the worst word that can be given it ; its nature being so odious that nothing can be said of it sufficient to expresse its vilenesse . good reader then let me perswade thee to judge of sin by this evidence , and never more to hearken to thy own flesh , or to the subtle tempter , or thy foolish companions , that would make the believe there 's no such hurt in those sins that please thee , that thou need'st not be so carefull to avoid them , or so deeply humbled for them : that devil who would perswade thee that it is such a matter of nothing to provoke god to anger , knows and feels the contrary in himself . so much hurt as there is in a devil compared to an angel , in hell compared to heaven , so much hurt he hath learnt there is in sin . beware least thou come to learn it by such sad experience thy self . but that i may finish this , let me once again ask thee , whether thou dar'st say , that christ underwent greater sufferings than he needed to have done , in order to make satisfaction for our sins , or that god laid on him more then in justice he ought when he was become our surety ? if thou dar'st not affirm either of these , beware how thou mincest and lessenest thy sins when thou should'st repent of , and bewail them : for by so doing thou dost in effect thus blaspheme god. oh then let sin be call'd to the barre ; indict it for a murtherer , as well thou mayst , accuse it as guilty of the bloody death of the lord of life , shew all the wounds and stabs that it gave him ; and see that thou pronounce sentence against it , even utter death without any pity or remorse ; and heartily lament thy own basenesse , in having so long given loving entertainment to such a monstrous murtherer and traitour . and when ever thou find'st any favourable thoughts of sin arising in thy breast , call to mind what it did against christ , and let that make thy heart rise against it , and even boil with an holy hatred and desire of revenge . and let the frequent remembrance of those streams of blood which thy sins fetcht from him , open thy eyes to shed streams of tears , or however work thy heart to an unfeigned sorrow for all thy iniquities , for which thy saviour was thus wounded . . the next thing i would have have thee to enlarge thy meditations upon in the sufferings of christ , in order to the bringing of thee to a kindly repentance , is that unspeakable love which is hereby manifested to the lost sons of men : when i speak of repentance , i mean not meerly thy shedding of a few tears , but an inward change of thy mind , as i before shewed , that thou should'st turn from sin to the love of god ; and i know not what can be more likely to produce this , than to shew thee the intolerable evil and mischief of sin , that thou maist turn from it , and the infinite goodnesse of god , that thou maist be drawn to him . both these the crosse of christ most admirably holds forth , so that well might the apostle call christ crucified , the wisdome of god , and the powe● of god , cor. . , . how it shews the evil of sin to bring us to loath and leave it , i have already shown , and shall doe more in two following particulars . that which i would now set thy thoughts upon , is , the inconceivable love of god in giving christ for us , and of christ in being willing to lay down his life , that as many as believe in him might not perish , but have everlasting life . consider seriously how the great god hath sent after thee a poor worm , the god whom thou hadst sinn'd against makes thee offers of peace , the god who needs thee not , yet appears desirous of thy happinesse , when he might have poured out everlasting wrath upon thee , he was willing to shew his compassion . and see what he hath done in order to thy recovery . he hath sent his own son made of a woman , made under the law , and delivered him to death for our offences , and accepted of the satisfaction he hath made on the behalf of all , that shall by him come to that god from whom they are faln : and by his death not onely pardon of sin , and deliverance from hell , but a glorious kingdome that shall never fade is purchast for all true believers . so that here . thou seest plainly there is hope of pardon and acceptance upon thy hearty sorrow for , and resolutions against sin . and whom would not this encourage to come in , freely acknowledging and protesting against their former backslidings and rebellions . if indeed thou wast past hope , it were as good keep thy sins while thou maist , and make thy best of them . but this is not yet thy case ; and if it hereafter should be , thou maist thank thy own wilfulnesse . for jesus christ hath brought in a better hope : there is by him liberty proclaim'd to the captive , freedome to all that are bound , ease and rest to all that are burdened , a pardon to all that are penitent . and what ? will not this make thee stirre ? is a golden scepter held forth , and wilt thou not lay hold of the opportunitie ? is god willing to put up all the affronts he hath received from thee , if thou wilt now come and submit thy self , and will not this bring thee in ? is he ready to be reconcil'd , and art thou backward ? what ? dost thou rather hold off , because he doth so invite and importune thee to him ? because he is pleased with so much earnestnesse and compassion to call thee off from sin to himself , dost thou the more securely run on in wickednesse ? oh base ingratitude , and meer madnesse ! because there is hope of pardon discovered by the gospel , as procured by christ , therefore , even therefore , doe wretched sinners harden their hearts , and embolden themselves to continue at a distance from god , as if it was a matter of nothing to get their peace made with him , or as if he must of necessity pardon and save them , let them live as they list . thus vilely doe they pervert the very design of the gospel . whereas were they ingenuous and reasonable , they would acknowledge it to be a most forcible motive and engagement to cast away sin , to hear that there was hopes of having forgivenesse and favour from god. if a company of subjects should rebell against their prince , what course would be more effectuall in all probability to reclaim them , than to assure pardon to all that would throw down their arms ? but if they should be so base as to abuse the mercy of their prince , and think , because he was so compassionate , they might the safelier persist in their rebellion , it is but just they should be destroy'd . if thou love thy soul , then beware how thou abusest the grace of god. wilt thou put away from thee the evil of thy doings , wash thee and make the clean , and so with humility and submission flie to god for mercy ? if so , this mercy through christ shall be assuredly thine . but otherwise , know there is not a word of comfort for thee in the whole gospel , nothing but what may strike thee with terrour . for remember well , that the death of christ gives all the encouragement in the world to repentance , but not the least to sin. yea , it hath done more to destroy sin than all the terrours and threatnings of the law. well then , though thou art a lost sinner , departed from god , once without hope , yet behold the god of heaven and earth takes pity on thee , he would not have thee utterly perish , though thou hast done so much to destroy thy self . he calls thee back to him , if thou wilt hearken and obey , and humble thy self before him for thy departure from him , and for all the dishonours done to his holy name , and wilt now at length devote thy self to his fear , thou need'st not doubt of his favour . so then here 's hope of mercy that may encourage all that hear it to repentance . . and in the next place there is so much love and goodnesse manifested in that way whereby this mercy is procured and tendered , that may serve to work upon the hearts of all but flat infidels , or bruitish sinners that will not be brought so much as once to consider of it , or seriously regard it . here is love that passeth the full comprehension of men or angels . here are mysteries and unsearchable treasures of goodnesse . wherein could god commend his love more to the faln world , than in giving his son to die for us when we were without help ? and what greater love can be shewn than that which christ hath manifested in laying down his life for his friends ? nay for enemies , that they might be made friends ; for the ungodly that he might reconcile them to god. vile wretches that we are , no more to be affected with this amazing discovery of divine bounty ! it s true indeed , there are many things we are yet ignorant of , which makes this love the lesse apprehended in its due dimensions . did we know more the infinite majesty of god , and our meannesse compared to him , and how provoking a thing sin is , and how contrary to his nature ; did we know more what strange condescension there was in god's manifesting himself in flesh , what bitter things our blessed saviour endured for our sakes ; did we know the greatnesse of that misery he hath sav'd believers from , and of the glory he hath prepar'd for them , did we clearly know these and all other heightning circumstances , our admiration and astonishment would be unexpressible , as it will be when they are more fully reveal'd to us . but though at present we ●re much in the dark , yet so much of them we know , that would we duly ponder them , we should even amazed cry out , oh the depth of the riches of the wisdome and goodnesse of god! and what ? will not this prevail with thee , oh back-sliding sinner , to deal ingenuously and dutifully with that god , who hath revealed such abundant mercies to win thee to himself ? when thou hadst undone thy self , and the law which thou hadst broke had past its sentence upon thee , when thou mightest justly have expected the execution , behold , without thy seeking , a gracious reprieve . and more than so , when thou might'st have had a pursuivant speedily dispatcht to hurry thee to deserved torment , behold a saviour interposing to prevent thy ruine . instead of an unchangeable doom , behold an act of oblivion , assuring pardon upon easie conditions . doe but deliberately weigh these things with that seriousnesse which becomes a man , and see if there be nothing in them that may perswade thee to a sound repentance for sin , and a speedy return to the god of love . what dost thou think , if thou wast a mean tenant , and hadst wilfully , in some discontended fit , pluckt down the house thou liv'st in , & so wast in danger to lie in the open fields , and to be severely punisht as thou hadst deserved ; what now if after all this , thy landlord , pitying the misery thou hadst brought thy self to , should courteously come to thee , and offer to build up thy house again in a more sumptuous manner than ever , and set it at a lower rent , onely requiring thee to confesse thy former folly , and promise to be so guilty no more , but to live thy new-built house , and doe thy best to keep it in repair , and to accept of his help for what thou could'st not doe thy self ; and suppose he should even impoverish his own children through this courtesie to thee , what dost thou think thou should'st now doe in this case ? is it any hard matter to determine ? would'st thou not think he d●served to be taken for a mad-man that should stand justifying his former offence , and would not thankfully accept these courteous offers ? i dare say , reader , if this was thy case , thou art not so foolish or stubborn , but thou would'st quickly resolve what to doe , and this mercy and bounty of thy landlord would even win thy heart for ever , and thou would'st think thou could'st never be sufficiently thankfull for his kindnesse , nor doe enough to make him amends . and would indeed the gentlenesse and liberality of a man , thy fellow-creature , thus affect thee , and shall not the loving kindnesse of god , which hath appeared in jesus christ , have much more power upon thee ? dost thou not believe that our god hath done as much to engage his creatures to himself as this comes to ? hath not he shewn as much pity and tendernesse to the souls of men as that would be to the body ? if thou doubt it , look back upon the state of man , and consider gods gracious dealings with him . did not he by his own folly and disobedience cast himself out of paradise , and by wilful sin deface , and even destroy the workmanship of god ? and yet did not god take pity on us in our blood , when we were cast forth to the loathing of our persons ? did not he contrive the way for our reconciliation to himself , and beseech us to accept of it ? and doe we not read , that in order to our enriching t●e son of god did as it were impoverish himself , and that we might be fill'd with the fulnesse of god , emptied himself , and became of no reputation . and what an heart must that prodigall son have , who will not be affected with the kindnesse of his father , who takes care for , and seeks after him , when he had foolishly forsaken his family , and done what he could to put himself out of his fathers care ? and is courteously entreated to return back to that comfortable ●tate and relation whence he had banisht himself , and upon condition of his return sees another better estate provided for him , instead of that he hath wasted ; and finds his arms opened to embrace him , against whom he had lift up his hand . methinks if thou believ'st that god hath shewn such love to man , it cannot but have some force upon thee , to bring thee back again to him from whom thou hast run away , and so long kept at a distance ; and must needs prevail with thee to cast away with grief and shame whatever is displeasing to him , and doth estrange thee from him . and except thou be an unreasonable infidel , thou canst not but believe it ; for it is plainly revealed in gods holy word ; where also we find the greatnesse of this love inculcated , in gods having regard to us , and first looking after us , when we took no thought for our selves how to get his favour , joh. . . herein is love , not that we loved god , but that he loved us , and sent his son to be a propitiation for our sins . rom. . , . for when we were yet without strength , in due time christ died for the ungodly . god commendeth his love toward us , in that whilst we were yet sinners , christ died for us . and as christ died to bring us to god , so the consideration of this love should dr●w us to him . by this mercy chiefly we are engaged to offer up our selves a living sacrifice to god , which is our reasonable service . judge thy self , is it not most reasonable , that we should give up our selves to that ●od , who spared not his own son , but delivered him up for us all , and with him freely gives all good things to his people ? canst thou then find in thy heart to go on in provoking so good a god , and in sleighting such matchlesse love ? if thou canst , certainly thou hast banisht all gratitude , and hast scarce one spark of common ingenuity left in thee , yea , thou hast put off thy manhood , and art become little better than a senslesse bruit : for what should sooner work upon a reasonable creature to love another , than extraordinary and undeserved-kindnesse which he hath received from him ? nay , i might go farther , and tell thee , and that justly too , the very beasts themselves have more good nature than such a stupid , unthankfull sinner as thou : for they have some sense of a good turn , and some love to those that doe it : they know those that feed them and keep them , and use not to doe them any mischief . the dog does not use to bite his master , nor the horse to kick at him that looks to him . and so indeed god himself complains of ungratefull men , that when the ox knows his owner , and the asse his masters crib , yet they did not know their maker and preserver . but to be short , let me tell the plainly , if thou find'st thy heart nothing mov'd with all this love that god hath revealed , in sending christ to save us from wrath to come , by his own sharp sufferings , i can no way see but that thy case is full as bad , yea rather worse than his , who believes not a word of all i have said . nay , how indeed can it be imagined that thou believest these things , if they make no impression upon thee ? except thou never use to think of them after thou hast read or heard them : but there 's the wonder if thou dost believe them , how thou canst chuse but think on them , and think again , till at length they work some good effect upon thee . but if thou hast hitherto been so strangely carelesse , let me once again desire thee now at length to set upon the sober thoughts of this unconceivable mercy manifested in the gospel , that when thou hadst even destroy'd thy self , god should make haste to thy help ; that he should send his own son to undertake for thee , who was also willing to this work , and should upon him punish thy sins , and now after all onely calls thee to cast away thy sin , and to return to his love ; which if thou wilt doe , he is willing to be reconcil'd to thee . and see if there be not good cause that thou should'st hearken to these invitations , and whether there can be given any just or tolerable excuse for thy disobedience . if the bitterest enemy thou hadst in the world should but save thy life when it was in his hands , much more if he should endanger himself , or undergo any losse for thy safety , i am confident this would soon take off thy spleen against him , and make thee very ready to be restored to his friendship . and why the goodnesse of god should not be as prevalent with thee i cannot imagine , if it be but soundly believed , and well thought on . . i may farther adde , to engage thee to return to the lord , from whom thou a●t faln , another argument drawn also from the goodnesse of god , shewn in the death of christ , as hereby it is most clearly discoverd , that there is some unspeakable happinesse which was purchast by the lord jesus for those that come to god by him , and to which he invites empty miserable creatures . thou canst not imagine that god makes all this adoe with men for nothing . it was not upon any triviall errand that he sent his son into the world ; nor are they any sleight inconsiderable things which he offers to as many as will receive him . it s true , the mercy had been rich and glorious , if christ had onely died to save us from misery , and to have procured of god , that we might have been reduced to nothing rather , than to frie in everlasting burnings : and no tongue can tell what a priviledge the damned in hell would account this . but over and above we read of a kingdome of glory which christ will give to his followers . and how great this is , judge by the price that was paid for it ; not silver or gold , or any such corruptible trifles , but the precious blood of the son of god without price , whose utmost value cannot be exprest by men or angels ; and no more can the glory hereby obtained . for if the merchant be wise , the worth of his jewel may be guest at by the price that he paid for it . precious is the soul of man , and full dear did the redemption thereof cost , more than the the whole world , or ten thousand such worlds as this : and is not , think you , the souls portion answerable to its own excellency ? and the purchased possession answerable to the greatnesse of that cost that was laid out for it ? when a common slave may be freed for a few shillings , half a kingdome will be thought little enough to redeem a captive prince : and we afterward see there is as much difference betwixt them when they have got their liberty , the one sits on a dunghill , the other on a throne . for certain then christ jesus came into the world , and laid down his life to exalt those that hearken to him , to the highest joy and blisse of which the nature of man is capable , in delivering them from all sin , rendring them exactly conformable to god , and placing them in constant full communion with him . he that so loved his church that he gave himself for it , to sanctifie and cleanse it , by all this design'd to present it ●o himself a glorious church . upon this account therefore methinks thou should'st easily be perswaded to cast away sin , which is thy misery , and return to god , who is thy onely life and happinesse , and that no mean happinesse , as i have told thee , is evident , amongst many other reasons . by the infinite value of the price that was given for it . oh little doe any , even the best and wisest on earth , conceive what are the full fruits of christs blood ; what miracles of divine love those are , which through endlesse millions of ages will keep alive the admiration , joy and praise of angels and saints ; and fill the mouths of christs redeemed ones with continuall thankfulnesse , for that wisdome and mercy which contriv'd and wrought their delivery and exaltation . so that you see , laying these things together , the death of christ , as discovering the mercy of god , lays the greatest engagement that can be upon the sons of men , to break off their sins , and return to the obedience and love of god : in that there is so much mercy procured and tendred as may beget hope , and encourage to repentance , which is not like to be rejected ; and as there is so great love exprest , as may well call for the return of love , and even soften the most stony heart ; and as it discovers so great a blessednesse to be had in god through christ , as may prevail with all that love themselves , to make out after it , and depart from sin , which alone can keep them from it . and that 's the second consideration which the death of christ helps us to , in order to the working of a kindly repentance , namely the great goodnesse of god hereby revealed to poor sinners . . from all that hath been said , will more clearly appear the hainous nature of sin , as a farther motive to repentance , in that it is a contradiction to all this love of god , and an undervaluing of the greatest mercy that was ever bestow'd upon the world , being in effect , a trampling under foot of the blood of the lord jesus , whereby we should be sanctified . and hereby i mean those sins which have been committed since men heard of the gospel . for as the evil of sin did appear in the greatnesse of those sufferings which christ underwent to procure a pardon , so these his sufferings doe exceedingly aggravate their sins , who have continued in them , after they have been told again and again what their saviour hath done to make satisfaction for them , if they would not undervalue and despise it . oh how have you made a shift so often to hear and read of the life and death of christ and yet have done all that in you lies to crosse the end of his coming into the world , and to make his death of none effect to you , whilst yet you pretend to believe that his design was wholly for your good ? oh unthankfull wretches , to make such a requitall for such unvaluable love ! as if you studied how you might most dishonour and displease him , who thought not his own life too dear to lay down for you . could you see him upon the crosse wounded , torn , and bruised for your sakes , and could you think of no other recompence but to give him fresh wounds by your wilfull sins ? did he once despise the shame and endure the crosse for you , and could you find in your hearts again to put him to an open shame , and as it were crucifie him afresh ? did he indeed deserve such dealing as this at your hands ? bethink thy self , reader , whether this hath not been thy case . hast thou not liv'd in those sins which christ died to deliver thee from . and what hast thou thereby done lesse than proclaim , that there is more to be got by thy lusts than by thy saviour , that its better to remain in thy polluted corrupt estate , than to be washt in the blood of christ , whereby our consciences are purged from dead works to serve the living god ? and did they vilifie christ more , that contemn'd him , jeer'd him , and put him to death ? if thou take thy fleshly pleasures , and worldly profits , to be of greater advantage than any thing that can accrue to thee by christs death , dost thou not think as basely of him as any of his crucifiers did : and hadst thou been there with this frame of heart , is is not most likely thou would'st have joyn'd with them , what ever thou maist now think ? as they hated christ because he told them the truth , and reprov'd them for sin , and therefore did all they could , to rid themselves of one whose preaching and presence was such a burden to them , so dost thou appear in effect an hater of christ , his life and doctrine , whilst thou walkest so flatly contrary thereto . and what 's this lesse than desiring that there was no god nor christ to govern and judge thee , no such rule as the gospel to be thy guide . nay , let me tell thee , thou who hast profest thy self a christian , and yet hast behav'd thy self thus unworthily toward christ , thou art herein more guilty than the jews themselves : for what they did was very much out of ignorance , but thou , after thou hast known that he is the son of god , and that he laid down his life for our sins , hast manifested all thy contempt of him , and rejected him from being thy saviour , whilst thou would'st not be saved by him from thy reigning lusts , which thou hast loved more than him , as judas loved the money for which he was hired to betray him . after thou hast known of that friendship which by the crosse of christ was shewn to the ruined world , yet thou hast been an enemy to this crosse , whilst thou hast made thy belly thy god , and minded earthly things ; whilst thou hast delightfully liv'd in the practice of any known sin . what then , were the jews prickt to the heart when they were convinc'd that they had crucified , that jesus , whom god had made lord and christ ? and shall it not have the same effect on thee , to consider thou hast been guilty in some sort of the same wickednesse , and hast shewn forth the very same spirit that was in them ? for think not thy self more blamelesse , because thou never saw'st christ , nor hadst any hand in his death , nor didst joyn with his enemies in accusing , condemning and reproaching him , but criest out against them as monsters of men , that persecuted the most spotlesse innocence with such savage fierceness : for all this while , thy guilt may be as great as theirs , whilst thou hast as great an enmity against the image of christ , and the law of christ as they had against his person . and that thou dost not wound him , and spit in his face , is not from the goodnesse of thy nature , but because he is out of thy reach : for were he now before thee , and could it gratifie thy lusts so to deal with him , it s much to be feared thou would'st not stick at it . whilst the pharisees condemned their fore-fathers for killing the prophets , they followed them in the very same sin . and suppose a father had two sons , the one at mans estate , the other an infant , and the elder of these by following wicked courses should break his fathers heart , and occasion his death : and the younger when he was grown up should lead the very same life that the other did , but yet should take on him very much to condemn his brother for being so disobedient and hard-hearted ; as to bring his father to the grave : is it not plain for all this , that had he been in his brothers stead he would have done the same that he did ? since he also takes those courses which were so grievous to his father . thus it is to be remembred that sin was that which put christ to death as well as the jews , and this sin is it thou lovest , though thou seemest to hate them . and as those jews put his body to pain by their cruelties , so dost thou grieve his spirit by thy wickednesse . and know , he takes it as hainously from thee , that thou should'st thus displease him , as he did from them that they should persecute him to the death . nor art thou like to get a pardon at any easier rates than they , even no other way , than looking on him whom thou by thy sins hast pierced , and bitterly mourning for this thy bloodinesse and ingratitude . what saist thou then after all this ? canst thou without tears and groans look back upon all the disorders of thy life , whereby thou hast done all that in thee lay , to make those wounds of thy tender compassionate saviour bleed afresh , which he first receiv'd upon thy account ? i believe thou thought'st not of this : no , if thou hadst , one would think thou could'st never have done it . thy design was onely to please thy flesh by all thy sensuall courses ; thou wast onely full of projects to maintain and raise thy self and thy posterity by all thy worldly designs and businesses , wherewith through thy whole life though hast been so swallowed up . but thou seest how the case stands ; that this while thou hast been most viley rejecting , and even trampling upon the lord jesus , who would have have brought thee off from thy vain conversation , from all thy ungodlinesse and worldly lusts , and hath followed thee with his word and spirit to that end , and hath prest thee with arguments drawn from his matchlesse love , discovered by his death , and hath besought thee to regard him , yea to take pity on thy self , but thou hast made light of all , and hast gone on as securely and quietly in the ways of sin , as if thou hadst never heard what sin did upon christ. and what ? art thou resolv'd to doe so still ? shall nothing stop thee in thy career ? wilt thou not stay to hearken what a way it is thou walkest in ? nor think what unvaluable mercies thou all this while treadest under feet ? hast thou not yet sufficiently abused thy redeemers love and patience ? hast thou not made him wait long enough in vain ? wilt thou still make shew of deafnesse to all those messages he sends thee ? if so , yet be thou sure of this , thou shalt not be able to say at thy appearance before him , that thou never knewest that sin was such an evil thing , and so provoking to him : for beside all other warnings that thou hast had , i now declare to thee who readest or hearest these words , that if thou still continuest in thy loose ungodly life , living in swearing , cursing , drunkennesse , whoredome , covetousnesse , cozening , malice , or any other known sin , and wilfully neglectest thy duty to god , going whole days without prayer or reading gods word , profaning the lords day , neglecting sacraments , if thou hold on this course , thou dost no better than again crucifie and deny the lord that bought thee , and so hast no reason to complain , if thou fall under the same condemnation , which thou thy self wilt acknowledge , judas and pilate , and the rest of christs enemies deserve : and therefore that thou maist not be found amongst them , loaded with the same guilt at judgement , i doe once again in the name of christ beseech thee with all speed to change thy heart and life , and use all means appointed to that end , and after all thy wandrings , now at length return to him the good shepherd of souls , who laid down his life for his sheep . . lastly , the death of christ may powerfully move thee to repent of , and forsake all sin , as it holds forth this weighty , but sad truth , that all those who are despisers of this death , and by living and dying in their sins reap no saving benefit by it , shall in their own persons undergo insupportable torments for this their unbelief and wilfull impenitence . if thou believest the gospel , thou canst not but acknowledge , that all men had been in a most miserable condition if christ had not died ; and thou wilt grant that sin is a most perilous mischievous thing , and an unspeakable provocation to the most holy god , since nothing could appease his wrath but the death of christ , without whose bloodshed we had obtain'd no remission : and what then dost thou think is like to be thy case , if through thy own fault , thou art never the better for all christ hath done , but must thy self answer for thy sins , and bear the punishment they have deserved ? let the death of christ , i say , instruct thee what thou art like to expect if this be thy condition . if , as he himself speaks , such things were done to the green tree , what shall be done to the dry ? if he who was without the least stain of originall or actuall sin drank such a bitter cup , when he stood in our stead , what will be the portion of their cup , who , being poor frail creatures , must make satisfaction for their own sins ? how will they ever up under all the load of gods hottest wrath , when he shall meet them in judgement , and cause his fury to rest upon them ? and above all , thy impenitent , obstinate continuance in sin , and contempt of christ , will lie heaviest upon thee in the day of vengeance . these sins aganst the gospel , against mercy , the greatest and freest mercy are most provoking to god , most inexcusable in themselves , and will therefore prove most pernicious to sinners . methinks then , if thou hadst but any regard to thy self , to thy own ease and comfort , this should make thee out of love with sin , to consider how dear its like to cost thee , how pleasant soever it may now seem . it was not for nothing that christ felt so much sorrow and pain , as thou shalt know to thy everlasting woe , if thou pluck the heavy judgements of god on thy own head , by sleighting him who would have kept them from off thee . assure thy self , poor sinner , as bold and confident as now thou art , thou wilt never be able to contest with that wrath , which exercised even the strength of christ to bear it ; thou art never like to go away lightly with that which he felt so heavy . for shame at length leave thy foolish plea , that god will be more mercifull than to torment his creatures : for hast thou not seen how he bruised his own son , who never offended him , how he bruised him , i say , for our iniquities , and will he then spare thee , who in thy own person hast been a most stubborn , hard-hearted rebel , and hast cast away with loathing the mercies that were again and again even prest upon thee ? thou hast no reason for such fond expectations . what ? wilt thou tell christ at judgement , that thou didst not believe that ever god would be so severe , as to punish thee so dreadfully and everlastingly as his word threatned ? and that therefore thou took'st somewhat more liberty in thy life than he allowed thee ? darest thou come with such a plea as this ? but if thou should'st , what wilt thou answer to christ ; when he shall lay open , what he underwent for thy sake , and how thou madest light of his love ? will not this soon silence thee ? if he ask thee whether thou hadst not evidence and proof enough of the evil and danger that was in sin , by his suffering so much for others transgressions , wilt thou have any pretence left to justifie thy self ? i may perhaps urge this consideration , but i mention it now as offered to us by the sufferings of christ , which doe most plainly declare , that dolefull are the miseries prepared for those who get no good by him , but die in their sins : which may bring all that are not in love with damnation , out of love with that sin which will at length plunge them into it . and thus you see how many motives to true repentance are afforded us from the serious meditation on the cross and passion of christ : as this discovers to us the hainous nature of sin ; and as there is such mercy and love hereby reveal'd , as may work upon , and reclaim all that are ingenuous , gratefull , or wise for themselves ; and as this makes sin more monstrously vile which shall be committed against such mercy ; and as it shews that all men living in sin , dying out of christ , are like to undergo unsufferable torments for their obstinacy . and thus i have finisht the second qualification which is necessary to all worthy commucants , to wit , true repentance , an unfeigned sorrow for , a detestation of , and a turning from all wilfull sin in heart and life . chap. iv. iii. a right remembring the great end of the death of christ to redeem us from all iniquity and sanctifie us . of faith and covenanting with christ. it must needs be , that if we rightly remember the death of christ in the sacrament , we must then remember to what end and purpose this was : and this we shall plainly find in scripture to be , that he might redeem man from that sinfull miserable state he was faln into , and restore him to a state of holinesse and happinesse in the enjoyment of god from whom he was faln . so pet. . . for christ also hath once suffered for sins , the just for the unjust , that he might bring us to god. ephes. . , , . heb. . . and this is the meaning of all those places which speak of the redemption we have obtain'd by christ , if we take it in its largest signification . and to this purpose he offers himself to men to be their redeemer , to conferre upon them the pardon of their sin , and give them victory over all their corruptions , and the temptations of satan , and to lead them by his spirit through this dangerous world , till he shall bring them with triumph into the kingdome of the father . now hence it follows , that no man can remember christ as he ought , who will not receive him to these ends and purposes for which he offers himself , which is our believing in him . for is he a fit man to celebrate christs remembrance who hath no love for him , nor any liking to his undertaking , nor will be perswaded to comply therewith ? and such are all they who reject him and the tenders of his mercy , except they might have them in their own way , and that doe flatly contradict his design in becoming our mediatour by continuing still in their naturall corrupt estate , alienated from god , and liable to his wrath : that is , who are unbelievers . so that here i mean no more than , that without faith in christ we cannot rightly remember him , without we so believe that he is the onely saviour of mankind , that we resolve he , and none but he , shall be our saviour in the way that he himself thinks fit . but to make it yet plainer , how unfit all such rejecters of christ are to come to this holy supper , consider that our receiving of the sacrament is appointed to be on our part , as a token and sign of our making and renewing our covenant with god in christ , in which if we be sincere , then it is a seal on gods part , of his being in covenant with us ; a confi●mation of our belief , that he will be our god , and fulfill all his promises to us ; and herein he gives us an earnest and pledge of the future blessings which we shall receive from him through his son , as i shall shew under the next head. does it not then hence appear , that all those who will not be held in any such covenant , are most unfit persons to come to this sacrament ; the very design of our coming to which , is to shew that we are a people in covenant with god : and by this solemn action , taking and eating the bread , and drinking the wine , we are to testifie that we are so , and doe hereby bind our selves so to remain . what would this be , but with much formality to mock that god who will not be mocked , and even to run upon our own damnation , provoking the lord to destroy those , who so impudently take his name in vain . by this practice men are guilty of a down-right lye , yea , of grossest perjury : for christ in effect sai●h , all you , and you onely that take me for your lord and saviour , come and partake of this feast which i have appointed in remembrance of the redemption i have wrought for you , and yet multitudes who will not take him for their lord to rule over them , nor will be saved from their sins by him , thrust in and partake of this supper . this is just , as if a general of an army , having a mind to single out some of his souldiers for some design , should say , all you that are willing to go along with me , hold up your hands , and yet many should hold up their hands who refuse to go : what would this be but to befool themselves and abuse their leader ? or , as if at the first appointment of the passeover it had been commanded that they , and they only should eat of the paschal lamb who would go out of aegypt into canaan under the conduct of moses : and yet many of the israelites should prepare and eat it , either because they were hungry , or because they would do as the rest did , without ever thinking what was the meaning of this action , or what they hereby engag'd themselves to , being resolv'd still to continue in egypt , neither caring for moses , nor the canaan which he should lead them to . thus when christ commands , that all those who will depart out of the egyptian bondage they are in to sin and satan , and be guided by him through the wilderness of this world till they come to the heavenly canaan , that they should appear at a feast which he hath made on purpose to entertain them , there throng in others to this table who have no right to eat thereat , as having no resolutions to leave their sin , and thus to follow christ , who would lead them to glory . these are the men that are found without their wedding garment , whom the master of the feast will draw out from amongst the rest , and dispose of them to a place and company more suitable for them , as you may read , mat. . , , , . so that i hope you see that its a most unsuitable and unlawfull thing for any man to addresse himself to this ordinance , who is not heartily in covenant with god , since herein he professeth himself to be so , and therefore if he be not , he will be found a lyar both to god and man. but since this is made by some the very nature and design of the lord's supper to be a foederal rite , or an action testifying and confirming a covenant betwixt god and man , as in the eastern and other countries they were wont to ratifie their leagues by feasting together , and as they who eat of the sacrifices offered to devils , therereby had fellowship with devils , as the jews by eating of their sacrifices held communion with , and profest subjection to god , as you may see them paralleld , cor. . , , , , . since i say , this is on mans part a sign of his being in covenant with god ; i shall somewhat fuller explain what this covenant is , that you may understand whether you are cordially entred thereinto , and are willing to continue in it , that so you may know whether you are like to be entertained as worthy guests at the lords table , which is proper to his covenant-people . in a word then , the covenant which wee renew at the lords supper , is the very same with that you were entred into in baptism , when you were baptiz'd in the name of , and thereby engaged to the father , son , and holy ghost ; and therefore to those duties which wee owe to god in the several relations wherein he stands to us , which are denoted by the persons of the sacred trinity : that is , we are hereby oblig'd to acknowledge god the father to be our creator and preserver , and therefore to behave our selves as his creatures ought , submitting our selves to his commands and providences , and placing our happiness in pleasing him and enjoying his love ; god the son made man , that is jesus christ , we are hereby bound to take for our onely saviour , through whom alone we hope for the pardon of our offences , and for ability to serve and please god , and for acceptance and happinesse with him ; and god the holy ghost wee promise to take for our sanctifier ; to have our souls by him renewed after the image of god , and those graces given into us which were purchast for us by christ , and the evidences of gods love , and of our title to the future blessedness to bee clear'd up , and assur'd to our consciences ; the holy word also which he inspir'd the prophets and apostles to write , wee are hereby engag'd to take for the rule of our faith and life . and this is your entring in●o covenant with , and being consecrated to the father , son , and holy ghost : which doth necessarily suppose and include our renouncing the flesh , the world , and the devil , which is in effect the same with repentance for sin , which i spoke to largely under the last head : for he who is truly humbled for and resolved to forsake sin , doth hereby renounce his flesh which is pleas'd with sin , and will not make carnal self his chief end , and he also renounceth the world which is the fuell and food of his lusts , all that wherewith the carnal part is gratified as matters of pleasure , profit , honour , and the like , not regarding them as means to his happiness ; and he renounceth the devil , who , by temptations drawn from these wordly things , would entice him to sin , and that wicked nature also which does the office of a tempter within him . all you then who have been baptiz'd into the christian faith , are thereby bound to take god for your supream governor and chief happiness , and jesus christ for your mediatour and way to the father , and the holy spirit for your sanctifier and guide . and since you were infants when you thus were first dedicated to god , it behooves you that are now come to the use of reason , and are resolv'd by the grace of god to be stedfast in this holy covenant , to come to the lords table and there professe these resolutions , and by the receiving of this sacrament in the presence of the heart-searching god , and all your fellow-christians , to renew your engagement that you will take god for your god , and that you will be his people . since then it is so plain that they , and they only are worthy communicants , who have in heart made this covenant with god in christ , which they are to profess , solemnize and confirm , by eating and drinking the sacramental bread and wine ; it remains that all , who would not venture upon damnation by doing this unworthily , ought to enter into a faithful examination of themselves , whether indeed this be their condition and frame of heart , or not . and let me beseech thee , reader , faithfully to set upon this work , as a businesse of the greatest concernment that ever thou hadst to do in thy life , namely , to see that thou art sincerely in covenant with god through his son ; for this is the very heart and substance of religion , the sum of all christianity , and that upon which thy everlasting happiness wholly depends ; know but this once , and thou maiest know that heaven will be thy portion shouldst thou dye at this hour . and here that i may do what in me lies to help thee to the true knowledge of thy self , let me first advise thee to look carefully into thy own heart , for that 's thy surest way , if thou art but well acquainted with the workings thereof , and wilt deal impartially . and in this searching into the state and temper of thy soul , i would wish thee to put these questions to thy self which i shall ask thee , and to give in a true answer . i demand of thee then , what is that great good on which thou hast plac't thy highest love ? the obtaining of which thou hast made the great business of thy life , and which if thou couldst but attain to , thou believest thou shouldst be satisfied and made perfectly happy ? canst thou say , and that truly , that god hath the upmost place in thy heart , that his authority swaies thee most , and that , for the main , all things that concern thee are regarded but in order to him ? dost thou make it thy principal study and trade to please him ? and dost thou count of nothing as fit to make thee a portion but his everlasting love ? if it be thus with thee , then thou maist safely conclude that indeed thou hast made god thy chief end . but enquire diligently whether it be not quite otherwise , and whether thou hast not set up thy self in a distinction from god , becoming thy own idol ? art thou not possest with high thoughts of thy self ? loving and admiring thy self separate from him who gave thee thy being ? it s true , the man who is most heartily devoted to god hath the greatest love and veneration of himself , but it is as he is gods creature ; and it is his soul which hath his highest esteem ; and he seeks his happinesse by subjecting himself to god , and therefore preferres , adores and admires god infinitely above himself , regarding himself in and for god , accounting it the end of his being to serve his makers will , & desiring no other felicity , than the feeling of that love of god which he manifests to all such humble obedient ones . but the carnall man , though he may have some reverence for god ; and may yield him some tribute of service , some prayers , some praises , and some subjection , yet all this is but in order to his carnal self , for the procuring for it , such things as cannot be had without god ; so that god is regarded but as a means to self , and with a respect hereto is all his service of god , for the manner and measures of it , fram'd and limited . thus may the covetous man , whose chief end is to enrich himself , pray to god for riches , praise him for riches , be so far just and charitable as he thinks may forward his thriving ; yea he may be in all things so far religious as hinders not his chief end , but let this once come in competition with any duty to god , so that by serving him he should impoverish himself , you shall soon perceive what is his god , and what rules him most , as you have an example in the young man that came to christ , mat. . , . wherefore examine , i say , whether thou art not a lover of thy self more than god. does not thy own will and fancy ordinarily guide thee in thy actions and affairs ? and is not that course taken which most conduceth to the interest of thy flesh ? should'st thou not then account thy self well enough provided for , if thou wast but compleatly furnisht with all that in the world , which tends to the accomplishing and gratifying of man as he is an inhabitant of the earth ? and is not thy labour most for , thy desire after , thy delight in such things as tend to the pleasing and advancing thy self in the world ? hast thou not been most taken up in making provisions for thy flesh , thinking with thy self , that to be happy , was to live a merry life , and take thy ease and pleasure ; or else to get more money than thy neighbours , and to have more respect and esteem , that wherever thou goest thou maist be praised and admired ? hast thou not taken those for the happiest men that have the greatest share of these things ? and hast thou not therefore envied them ? and hated them if they have stood in thy way and kept thee from the like ? reader , what saith thy conscience to this ? doe but hearken and it will speak plain , and tell the truth . sure thou canst not but know what thou makest the great end of thy life , what it is for that thou desirest to stay in the world ; what thou risest for every morning , and for what thou goest into this company and that , and takest all thy journeys , and wholly employest thy hands and head . all this is either for god or for carnall self principally : for there cannot be two chief ends . and if thou art one that livest to , and idolizest thy self , for shame take not on thee to love god above all as thou usest to doe : for indeed thou dost not truly and properly take him to be god , nor thy god. again , let me ask thee , hast thou ever found in thy soul powerfull and prevalent convictions , that thou hast no way to attain true happinesse , nor to escape misery but by the lord jesus christ ? and hast thou thereupon heartily consented to his offers , and to the conditions he hath appointed for the saving of thy soul , being willing to be taught and govern'd by him , onely hoping for pardon of sin , grace and glory , to be given to thee by god through him , and for his sake ? put the question to thy own heart , didst thou ever yet see an absolute necessity of christ , so that thou took'st thy self for an undone creature without him ? and hath thy soul been kindly and thankfully affected with this amazing mystery of love , that god hath shown to poor helplesse sinners through his son ? hath it warmed and rejoyced thy heart to consider it ? thus in some good measure will it be with thee , if thou art a true believer in christ. and this depends upon the former : for if thou hast taken the everlasting enjoyment of god for thy chief happinesse , thou wilt then be ready to comply with that way which leads to this end : and that 's onely shew'd to us in and by christ , who is himself the way to the father , and none can come to god but by him . and when thou art once thoroughly perswaded of this , thou canst not but willingly resign thy self to him , consenting to be sav'd by him on what terms , and in what way he shall appoint and prescribe to thee : and this firm and prevalent consent of thy soul is true and saving faith , to which the pardon of sins and everlasting life is promised . this is coming to christ , receiving him ; and severall other way it 's exprest in scripture , but most commonly call'd our believing in him , which includes in it , our trusting to him for all mercy , our hearkning to his teachings , and our resolution sincerely to obey his commands , and imitate his example . examine thy self well then , whether thou hast such a sound faith wrought in thee or not . hast thou not rather contented thy self with a sluggish , unfruitfull belief , that christ is the saviour of the world , without ever minding thy own particular need which thou stand'st in of him ? nor ever making enquiry what he would have thee doe to be saved ? have not thy eyes been so far blinded , that thou never yet saw'st so much evil in sin as should make thee look out for a deliverer , and prize him who hath done so much to redeem thee ? but canst make shift well enough to live without christ , so thou canst but get those things which thou now takest to be more usefull for thee , in order to thy happinesse . thus will it be with thee if thou hast set thy heart upon the pleasing , and advancing of thy carnall self ; thou art not then like to see any great need of christ , or any excellency in him that should make him desirable : for he came not into the world to help carnall wretches to the enjoyment of their idols , but to turn their hearts off them , to the living and true god. and therefore as they who have chose this god for their portion , doe make it their great work to get an interest in christ the mediatour , and doe live upon , and make use of him to bring them to their portion , so they that have made the pleasing of their flesh with any worldly thing their ultimate end , they are diligent in the using of all means that may help on this their base end . the voluptuous , bruitish sinners hunt after sensuall pleasures in their meat and drink , wantonnesse , sloth , excessive sports , and merry joviall company . the covetous man who hath a greedy insatiable fancy to gratifie , wholly spends himself in treasuring up wealth , and he tasts sweetnesse in nothing but his gains . his bonds and bills , and leases are better things to him than the covenant of grace ; and his houses , and lands , and money , more precious than the blood of christ. and so the proud and ambitious that would fain have much esteem and honour in the world , ( which is the most naturall vice to almost every man ) they pursue their design by labouring to get into high places , to make great men their friends ; recommending themselves to the world , by their sumptuous houses , great retinues , rich cloathes , gentile deportment , and the like braveries ; others by their strength , beauty , wit , learning , and the like accomplishments of body or mind . thus you see , according to the nature of mens happinesse , they make use of means to reach it . search well therefore , whether some of these or the like empty trifles have not been more set by , and laboured for , than ●h●ist himself . if so , never say thou takest him for thy m●diatour : for it is apparent , thou dost not make him so . no , but those things are indeed thy mediatours , which thou makest use of to accomplish thy selfish dedesigns . and hereby thou dost in effect as much reject and vilifie christ , as if thou didst revolt from him , and take mah●met f●r thy saviour . oh beware of deceiving thy self in this point , which is so easie , so common and dangerous : to talk of trusting and relying on christ , whi●st the heart relies most upon some outward enjoyment to bring it to the happinesse it seeks for : and the most they look for from christ , is , to have him keep them from hell , after they have been all their days gratifying their lusts , and serving the devil , but they never think of improving him as a mediatour betwixt god and their souls , expecting all their mercies of this life and the next , to come by him ; and by him offering up all their services to god. wherefore i beseech you to remember , that nothing will prove you sincerely in covenant with christ , as one of his living members , but a thorow , stedfast willingnesse to be brought to happinesse by him in his own way , and let it be your care to examine whether you are thus heartily willing . and then lastly , hast thou submitted thy soul to the powerfull workings of the holy-ghost , to renew and regenerate thee ? hast thou faithfully rendred up thy self to him , to be transformed into the divine likenesse , to have thy corruptions purged away , and all saving graces implanted in thee ? it is the office of the holy ghost to carry on christs interest in the souls of men , to fulfill all the pleasure of his goodnesse , and the work of faith with power , to bring them to the father by the son. no man can cry abba father , and be fill'd with a child-like disposition and nature , but he who hath received this spirit of adoption , and no man can call jesus lord , and be heartily subject to him , but by the help of this almighty spirit . he shews men the vanity of the creature , and the goodnesse , the fulnesse , and all sufficiency of god , and enables the heart firmly to cleave to him ; he convinces men of sin , and shews them the odiousnesse and danger of it , and discovers to them a saviour , by whom they may be redeemed from all their iniquities , from the dominion , and from the condemnation of sin : and he begets in the soul a saving faith , making men not onely willing but earnestly desirous to accept of christ to both these ends . reflect upon thy self then , whether thou hast experienc'd any such workings in thy soul or not , whether thou art changed by this divine power into a new and heavenly nature , and art hereby become a new creature , as all in christ are , old things being done away . hast thou ever found the vigorous and warm movings of this holy spirit upon thy heart , conveying light and life to thy dark soul , dead in trespasses and sins ? hast thou carefully cherisht these motions , and complied with this sanctifying work , which spread● it self through the whole man ? and art thou willing to be governed by him , to hearken to his voyce within thee , and to that word which was inspired by him to be a lamp to thy feet ? if these things be so , then indeed thou hast performed the engagement that was laid upon thee , by being baptized into the name of the holy ghost . but call thy self to account , whether it hath not been quite otherwise with thee . dost thou not still remain in the carnall selfish state , alienated from the life of god through a blind mind , and a wicked stubborn will , being still at enmity with him ? hast thou not quenched the spirit , and stifled convictions , and resisted his operations upon thy soul ? art thou not rather guided by the seducing spirit and thy own unmortified lusts ? doe not these still remain in strength and power , so that whatever they draw thee to , must be done , let the word and conscience say what they will ? if it be thus , never boast of having god to be thy maker , nor christ thy redeemer : for if thou art not sanctified by the holy ghost , god will never own thee for his , who accepts of none but an holy people . thus by looking carefully into your hearts , you may discern whether you are truly in covenant with god or not . and if this seem any matter of difficulty , to know what your hearts are : or rather , least you should pretend your hearts are thus right when it is no such thing , i shall give one instance more whereby you may know how you stand related to god , and that is by the consideration of your lives and conversations : for , if you are sincerely devoted to god in your hearts , then you must needs shew it in the holinesse of your lives , which is nothing else but the keeping of that covenant which is made betw●xt god and the soul. if you do indeed f●llow after holinesse , it 's a sign you account it your chief happiness to see god. if you are patient and unwearied in well-doing , it 's a sign you seek for honour and glory with god. and if you keep the commandments of christ endeavouring to walk as he walk't , it 's manifest that you love him and believe in him . if you bring forth much fruit , hereby you and all men may know that you are christs disciples , that you are living branches of him , the true vine ; then have you received christ if you walk in him . and if you shew forth the fruits of the spirit in your lives , it 's a sure token that his graces are sown in your hearts . if you are led by and walk after the spirit , then indeed the spirit is with and in you , and you live in him , gal. . . but on the other hand , it 's as certain thou art a stranger and aliene from this covenant i have be●ore described , if thou be one that servest the devil rather than the true god. make what profession thou wilt to love god and believe in christ , if thou allowest thy self in any one known sin , all thy great pretences will at length come to nothing . what , doth that man love the lord , who doth not hate evil ? nay , who delights in that which the lord abhorrs , and wherewith he is griev'd and provokt to fury ? doth hee take christ for his lord who will not be obedient to him ? doth he take him for his physitian who would not be heal'd , but had rather keep his diseases ? beware as thou lovest thy soul of that dangerous mistake , that thy belief in christ may serve turn well enough for thy salvation without an holy life : for if thou leadst not an holy life , it 's most certain thou dost not truly believe in christ. for it is not enough to prove thee such a believer as shall be saved , to trust in christs merits and hope god will be mercifull to thee for his sake , but it is also of absolute necessity that thou believe in him as prophet , and king , and accept of him to teach and govern thee , if ever thou hope for any saving benefit by him : and therefore thou must believe his promises and threatnings , and faithfully endeavour to yield an universal obedience to his commands , and to follow his footsteps ; so that to say thou hast a good faith in christ whilst thou livest an ungodly life , is as flat a contradiction as to say , thou art faithfull to thy prince whilst thou risest up in arms against him : and so much as an oath of allegiance and fidelity to their soveraign doth tye men from rebellion , so much doth saving faith bind them against wicednesse . and to talk of keeping thy faith firm whilst thou livest in disobedience to thy lord , is as if a wife should say , she was carefull in keeping her marriage-covenant whilst she liv'd in open adultery . thus much here i was willing to speak of this , that thou maist be the more plainly convinc't , that if thou livest in or lovest any sin , and wilt not leave it , though gods word and thy own conscience condemn thee for it , that then thou art not sincerely in covenant with god. wherefore look well into thy life , consider thy ways , how thou behavest thy self towards god & man , and in all thy carriage in the world. art thou not a wilfull neglecter of thy duty to thy maker , living without a sense or acknowledgment of him in all thy wayes , not so much as once in a day , or perhaps in a whole week setling thy self seriously to pray to him in thy family or closer , nor taking any pleasure in reading his word , or in thinking and speaking of him to thy own and others advantage ? dost thou profane the lords day , and turn thy back with contempt upon the ordinances of god ? art thou not us'd to swearing , cursing , and taking the holy name of god in vain in thy common discourse ? or , art thou not guilty of lying , cozenage , injustice in thy trading and dealing with men , of oppression and unmercifulnesse to the poor ? dost thou not live in envy and mallice , allowing thy self in railing , back-biting and slandering ? or , dost thou not riotously abuse the good creatures of god , eating and drinking to excess , unfitting thy self for gods service and studying only to please thy pallat ? dost thou not pollute thy soul with wanton thoughts , discourses , and unclean practices ? dost thou not mis-spend thy time in idlenesse and vanity , carelesly wasting precious hours that should be improv'd for gods honour , by getting or doing good ? dost thou not give way to thy pride in thy discourse , carriage or attire , lavishing money and time for the gratifying of this base lust ? put such questions as these to thy soul , and answer them impartially and truly . and if thou livest in any of these or the like wilfull sins , be assur'd thou hast been false to the covenant which thou wast entred to in baptism : but if thy conscience can truly witnesse for thee , that thou hatest every false way , hast a respect to all gods commandments , earnestly desiring and diligently endeavouring in all thy waies to approve thy self to the most righteous god , longing after nothing more than that thou maist walk unblameably before him , then thou maist safely conclude that thou art one of gods covenant-people : and as such he will own thee , and to thee belong the priuiledges and benefits of the covenant , and therefore the seals of it too , so that thou hast very good warrant to addresse thy self to this sacrament , whereby all the promises of god are confirm'd to his people , and whereby they professe the hearty rendring up of themselves to him . by this time i hope thou seest what it is to be cordially in covenant with god the father , son , and holy ghost , which all are engaged to by baptism , and which covenant they renew at the lords supper , namely , to love god above all , and to account his love thy chiefest happiness ; to accept of jesus christ as thy only saviour to bring thee to this happinesse ; and to be willing to be sanctified by the holy ghost , and led by him in the waies of holinesse . now , if thou findst thy self strange to all this , and didst never yet feel thy soul brought under the bond of this covenant : my next work is to perswade thee to it , even to beseech thee deliberately & seriously , but yet speedily , to make a firm and everlasting covenant with god to be his upon his own terms , to be absolutely devoted to him in heart and life , as thou wast in baptism . something i shall say to prevail with thee if possible for the performance of this weighty indispensable duty . but by the way take notice that all i am exhorting thee to , may well be included in this one word , even believing in jesus christ , which is that qualification i am now upon , discovering the necessity of it in all communicants . and this i would have thee to observe , that thou maist the better understand what i mean when i presse thee to faith in christ , as making it all one with the covenant now mentioned : for , as i have before intimated , he that truly believes in christ receives him in the quality and office of a mediatiour by him to attain to that happiness which he offers to men ; & consents to be brought to in that way which he thinks fit to direct . now the happinesse he offers is the enjoyment of god in glory , and this he hath procured for believers by his satisfaction and intercession , and fits them for it by his spirit , which cures all their distempers , and raiseth them to a perfect love of god and likenesse to him , and so makes them capable of full communion with him , which is their blessednesse . so that to receive christ as he offers himself to us ( which is our faith in him ) not onely signifies our dependance on his merits for the pardon of sin , but also includes in it our love to god above all , to whom we hope to be reconciled and brought nigh by christ , and contains in it our resolution to submit to the working and guidance of the holy ghost , who purifies the heart , & enables us to follow after holinesse till we are brought to the sight and fruition of god. i shall attempt to make it as plain as may be by an easie comparison . suppose a king had banisht a great company of subjects for rebelling against him into a forreign countrey , where they stay so long , that they have even forgot the manners and language of their own nation , & are become wild and barbarous like the people they converst with ; and after some time this king , taking pity on his banish'd subjects , should agree with his onely son , that if he would venture upon the hazards and troubles of so long a journey , he should take a chief officer along with him , and go to these rebels , with proclamation of pardon to all such who should acknowledge their crime , and were willing to return into their own land , there to live in the obedience and favour of their soveraign ; and in order hereto would come to this officer to be taught by him the language of their countrey , and how to behave themselves so as they might please their king , and be fit to be in his presence ; when now the king's son should come to these men , and shew them his commission , and perswade them to be ruled by him , who is come so tedious and dangerous a journey to free them from the miseries of banishment , proposing the terms on which he will deliver them , all those that believe he speaks true , and hath power to help them , and being willing to be delivered upon his conditions , doe put their trust in him , by his means to be restored to the favour of their prince and their former habitations , they doe by this very action manifest their love to their native countrey , and their willingnesse to live in obedience to their king whom they had displeased : and doe hereby also engage to accept of this officer that accompanies the prince , to teach them the language and manners of the countrey they are about to return to . the application of this to the matter in hand is very easie : for in the same manner doth faith in christ , and our acceptance of him , implie our love to god , and desire to live for ever in his favour , which is that christ offers us , and by his death hath purchased for true believers ; and it implies also our willingnesse to be sanctified by his spirit , that we may be made meet to live for ever in the love of god. oh hearken then and give ear , all you lost sinners , ( somewhat to pursue the former comparison ) all you that are the posterity of sinfull adam , who by his transgression banish'd himself out of paradise ; you that are wandring up and down in this wildernesse , and have even forgot the heavenly countrey , as if you were made onely to be inhabitants of this lower world , here to live with the beasts a miserable life for a while , and hereafter to die like beasts that perish ; and accordingly make it your onely work to run , and ride , to labour , and toil for such things as are needfull for this present life , without regarding that which is to come : whilst you are thus estranged from god , forgetfull of , and daily running farther and farther from him , behold a message of glad tidings , and great joy is dispatch'd to you from heaven . the great god that made you , takes pity on you , and is even grieved to see what a misery you have plunged your selves into , when he made you so happy . he is by no means pleased , that such noble creatures , lately raised out of nothing for such glorious ends , should , through their own folly , and the subtlety of the tempter , be debased into such a wretched , sordid slavery . wherefore , in pursuance of his gracious designs for your recovery , and to shew how his bowel● yearn over you , he hath sent his own son out of his bosome , who is one with himself , to take our nature upon him , and to become one with us , that he might be every way fit to be a mediatour betwixt god and us ; that he might teach us by his doctrine , encourage us by his example , and make attonement for us by his death . accordingly all this is done , the son of god is come into the world , and hath abundantly evidenced his commission from the father , to treat with lost mankind about their reconciliation to him ; for the procuring of which reconciliation he laid down his life , and being risen again , he furnished his ambassadors with authority to assure all , that life was given to the world , and this life was in the son , so that he who hath the son , hath life . and this is that message which the ministers of the gospel at this day , and to the end of the world , are to proclaim to the sons of men . this , sirs , is the joyfull sound that is now in your ears : if you will but trust your souls with christ , and consent that his spirit should teach you the language of canaan , and work in you an heavenly nature and disposition suitable to the state and place he would bring you to , then shall you be happy with god for ever . what say you then ? shall chri●● be your redeemer , to bring you to glory upon these terms or not ? what have you to object against him ? doe you think he does not mean as he speaks ? or that he cannot doe what he promiseth ? dare you question his power , his willingnesse , or his truth ? if you will not believe his word , yet give credit to his death . does not that tell you he is in good earnest with you , and fully bent upon the redemption of mankind ? and beside the miracles wrought by , and upon him , which fully witnesse for him , let his resurrection put you out of doubt , that him hath god the father sealed to this office of mediatour : by this is assurance is given to all men , that he is the judge of to be world , and therefore that all are delivered into his hands , to save or condemn as he shall think fit : and he hath plainly declared , that to those who receive him , he will give power , to become the sons of god , but as for those who reject him , upon them the wrath of god abides for ever . but these things i shall branch out into two or three particular considerations , to perswade you , if it may be , to accept of christ the prince of peace , who comes with the tender of peace to your souls : to accept of him , i say , to wash you in his blood , and sanctifie you by his spirit , that at length he may present you without spot or blemish into the presence of his father . chap. v. perswasions to accept of the redeemer , and give up the soul in covenant to him . . and first consider , i am onely perswading you to be christians , which you professe your selves to be . and will you not indeed be what you professe ? why doe you embrace the name , if you dislike the thing ? i know you have false measures whereby you judge of christianity , and think perhaps , that all who are baptized , and keep their church , and call themselves christians , are so indeed : but you should rather say , such doe professe themselves so to be , but they are not so in gods account , except they are true to this profession . he that wears a noble-mans livery seems to be his servant , but if he will not acknowledge him to be his master , by doing what he commands him , you will scarce say such a one's his servant , however , not a servant to be maintained , but cashier'd and punished ; and if you are but such kind of christians , you will acknowledge it was as good you were open infidels . will you think it enough to prove a man your friend , that he calls you so , and gives you many good words , and promiseth you great matters , and in the mean time secretly does all he can to hurt and displease you ? even thus hath christ decided the case , and told us who are his friends , not they that onely speak honourably of him , and pretend great esteem for him , no , but they who doe what he commands them , john . . and if you will not doe thus , and yet will needs please your selves with a conceit that you are christians , notwithstanding , you may easily be convinced , that if your christianity will not bring you to be listed with the friends of christ , but leaves you amongst his enemies , its like to doe you very little service . wherefore he is onely the true christian , who takes christ in all those relations in which he is represented in the gospel , and is willing to perform the duties that these relations bind him to . and to such a receiving of christ i am urging you . can you be christians without taking christ for your lord ? and can you doe this without you are willing to be governed by him ? is he a disciple of christ that will not learn of him , and that will not believe what he speaks to be truth ? to give an instance or two , christ bids you learn of him to be meek and lowly , and if you will not doe thus , are you indeed any of his disciples ? he tells you his yoke is easie , and his burden light , and therefore requires you to take them on you ; if now you think them hard and heavy , and therefore reject them , doe you not in effect give him the lye ? he tells you he is the author of eternall salvation to those that obey him , and if you refuse obedience to him , and yet pretend you hope to be sav'd by him , can you count this believing in him ? when he would redeem you from your iniquities and you will not part with them , doe you take him for your redeemer ? so that its evident you are not really , and in gods account christians , except you are willing to be guided by christ to happinesse in the way which he hath revealed ; wherefore you must see to come up to this , or be reckoned as heathens and infidels and accordingly dealt with : and chuse you whether , if indeed you find any difficulty in the choice . . consider seriously what a kind of design it is that christ comes to you upon , and see whether it be not most reasonable you should comply with him . he offers himself to be your saviour , and what can you say why you should not close with this offer ? examine what hurt there is in that work of christ upon your souls against which you are most prejudiced . he would take off your affections from earthly things that cannot satisfie them , and set them on things above , which will prove a durable portion . he would cure the blindness , bruitishnesse and deadnesse of your souls , and raise you to the greatest liberty and freedome of mind , and to the most reasonable excellent life whereof you are capable . he would bring you out of darknesse into light , from pain and grief to the most manly joys ; he would deliver you out of the noise and tumult of your lusts and passions , and settle you in a sweet and steady peace . instead of being unserviceable to god and man , and destroyers of your selves , he would make you fruitfull and usefull in your generation , and your own truest friends . i speak of the present effects of his operation upon your souls , which would receive an unspeakable advancement , by being freed from the dominion of sin and satan , wherein christ finds you . for certainly to be thus enslaved is the greatest misery that can at present befall you , as it debases and defiles you , and puts you out of that order in the creation which god placed you in . nothing in all the world can be so much disgrace to you as this : for of reasonable creatures , you are hereby become like bruits , yea in some sense worse , and instead of the image of god , you bear the image of the devil , through your love of sin and enmity to holinesse . and doe you think there is no hurt in all this ? no ? not in becoming ideots and fools , living contrary , to , and below your reason ? nor in being like the devil , whom you cry out upon , and pretend to abhorre ? is it no dishonour to you to have him to be your father whilst you doe his works ? well then , i hope you have nothing to say against christ , who comes to recover you to your selves , to bring you into your right wits ; to shew you your former folly , and make you ashamed of , and humbled for it , that you may forsake it : whose design is , to raise you to the priviledge and dignity of your natures , by repairing gods image upon you which you had lost , bringing you to love that which is best for you , to beware of what would hurt you , and to be weaned from those things that will leave you , and cannot make you happy . and if you have nothing to object against all this , much lesse can you speak against his intention to keep you from misery , and make you blessed for ever , if you will hearken to him , of which i shall speak by it self . where then does the matter stick ? what can hinder you from coming to christ , who onely calls you to him to take off your load , and lighten your burden , and to give you ease and rest . . consider what christ hath undergone in order to the making of your peace with god on condition of your acceptance of him . he became poor to make you rich ; he became the son of man that you might be the sons of god ; he came down from heaven to raise you thither ; he entred into combats with the devil that you might be enabled to conquer him . he bore the worst the world could doe , and overcame all its assaults , that you by him might overcome the world . he drank the bitter cup , the dregs whereof you had otherwise been drinking eternally . when the sword of justice was even ready to sheath it self in your bowels , he came betwixt & received it into his own . he willingly gave up himself to the death , that bitter , cruell , shameful death , that your souls might live for ever . he bore your sins that they might not lie on you as an heavy load , to sink you into the lowest hell . he was made a curse that you might escape it and obtain a blessing . and after all this that he that he hath done and suffered shall he be rejected ? hath he done thus much in order to your deliverance , and shall all be lost as to you , as if it had never been done ? what ? hath the son of god , manifest in the flesh , shed his warmest hearts-blood to be as a balsome for your wounded souls , and are you not willing it should be applied ? methinks common ingenuity should tell you that such matchlesse love as this should not be so sleighted . if you was taken captive by the turks , and a dear friend should venture his own life to free you thence , sure you would be willing to return with him , though you might have great offers to stay behind , if it was for nothing else but to gratifie your friend who had ventured so hardly for you , that you might not give him cause to repent of his labour . and what ? shall the blood of christ be as it were spilt on the ground , and have no effect on thee ? how hard is that rock whom this will not soften ? i beseech thee , reader , again and again , to think what christ hath gone through to deliver thy soul from the jaws of death , and then think whether it be just and reasonable that he should reurn without his errand . i know i have mentioned this before , but i shall not stick to inculcate it ●gai● and again , that it may have some force , some power upon thy heart . and to that end , before i leave this head , let me entreat thee to imagine , that thou saw'st jesus christ now before thee all in blood and wounds , calling thee to him as he did thomas , bidding thee to thrust thy hands into his side , and put thy fingers into the print of the nails , and suppose thou heardest him saying to thee , look here , sinner , behold these token● of my love , see what i have endured on thy behalf : oh be not faithlesse but believing , be not perverse and obstinate , but willing to come to me who have felt so much pain to procure thy ease , if thou dost not wilfully refuse it . cast away those sins which have used me thus ; trust thy self with me , who have given such costly evidences of my desire to doe thee good ; accept me for thy redeemer who have paid so dear a price for thee ; own me for thy lord , who have thus bought thee out of slavery ; follow me in the way i shall shew thee , that i may bring thee safe into the presence of the father , whom i have reconciled to thee : suppose , i say , thou should'st see christ even covered over with his own blood , importuning thee , thus to forsake thy sins , and accept of his grace and mercy , what would'st thou say ? what answer would'st thou give ? could'st thou find in thy heart to contemn him , to stop thy ears to his requests , and go away without regarding him ? or would'st thou tell him he had not done enough to engage thee to him , and that thou saw'st no reason to hearken to his offers , that thy sins were more sweet and precious than grace and glory , and any thing he would give could possibly be ▪ surely thou durst not . and if not , then let not thy heart and practice return the same answer to me , who , in the name and stead of christ , beseech thee , that thou wilt through him be reconciled to god. even by all those wounds which christ suffered upon the crosse , by all those pangs and dolours which he felt in his soul , by his cries and groans , by his tears and blood , i doe , as upon my knees , beseech thee to give an hearty entertainment to this lord jesus , who was thus bruised and wounded for thy sake . oh let him in thee see the travell of his soul and be satisfied . no longer cherish those lusts which resist his entrance , off with thos● barres and bolts that have lockt him out ; down with those strongs holds that have stood out against him ; let the gates of thy heart flie open , and let this king of glory come in cheerfully , thankfully receive him , and absolutely render up thy self to him , to be disposed of as he shall think fit , onely begging that thou maist be taken into the number of his redeemed ones , and be enabled to perform the duties enjoyned them , and be fitted to enjoy the priviledges assured to them . this is that faith in christ which i would so fain perswade and beg thee to , and that by the consideration of what thy saviour hath endured upon this account , that through faith in him thou mightest be pardoned and saved . consider , as what bitter things christ underwent to purchase salvation for thee if thou reject him not , so , what a m●st reasonable c●ndition he hath appointed thee to perform , that thou mightest obtain salvation by him : even thy unfeigned willingnesse to accept him for thy redeemer , and thankfully to receive the benefits which he hath purchast for thee . and will not this induce thee to enter into covenant with him , when the terms there of are so fair and gracious . this thy hearty consent , that christ shall perform the whole work of a saviour to thee , and for thee , is the chief thing required to make thee one of his members . this is the great command of the gospel , to believe in jesus christ. so that thou hast nothing to say on thy own behalf , if thou should'st be found at last to have neglected this duty : for tell me could'st thou have desired any thing more favourable ? if thou hadst been enjoyned some g●eat thing , would'st thou not have done it ? much more now thou art onely required to be willing to have christ , and life with him , and all shall be thine , wilt thou not be brought to this ? but still remember the offices of christ must not be divided , nor his benefits separated . he must be taken for thy lord to rule in thy heart , and govern thy life , as well as for thy saviour to keep thee from misery ; and thou must be as willng to feel in thy soul the power of his crosse crucifying thy lusts , as to have the merit of his crosse procure thy pardon ; now thou must be brought to the love of heaven above earth , if thou would'st be received thither by christ when thou leavest the earth . but yet in all this , it is but the consent of thy soul which is principally required , in order to the attainment of the offered mercies . and would'st thou have matters brought down lower yet ? would'st thou be sav'd against thy will ? and hal'd to heaven when thy heart is against it ? or would'st thou have such kind of exceptions as these put in with the conditions of thy salvation ? that thou maist have liberty to trample on christs blood , and yet be wash'd in it from the guilt of sin ; that thou maist have leave to serve the devil , and yet receive from christ the wages he gives his faithfull servants ; that thou maist be allowed to love creatures more than god , and yet that god should love thee with his dearest love ; that thou maist live without grace , and yet when thou diest be received into glory . would'st thou indeed make such terms as these if it was left to thy own choice ? thou could'st not sure be so foolish , so bas●ly disingenuous . if not , then come in and submit to those conditions that are now offered thee , than which thou canst not , if thou beest well in thy wits , wish for any that should be more suited to thy ●●se and interest . hearken then to the free and affectionate invitations of christ himself , ho! every that thirsteth , let him come to me and drink ; and whosoever will , let him take the water of life freely , isa. . . joh. . . rev. . . give not christ cause to complain over thee , that thou wouldest not come to him that thou mightest have life ; that he would have gathered thee as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings but thou wouldest not . oh what a cutting thought will this be in hell , to remember at what cheap rates thou mightest have escaped that misery , but wouldest not ! how easily , how certainly thou mightest have been happy for ever , but thou wouldest not ! the way was shewn thee , and thou wast exhorted and besought again and again to walk in that way , but wouldest not hearken . christ would have been thy saviour as well others , but thou wouldest have none of him , being in the number of those rebellious ones , who would not that he should reign over them . and how utterly inexcusable wi lt thou be at the day of accounts , when it shall be askt thee , what reason thou hadst for thy not closing with christ , when he offered to have sav'd thee ? what answer canst thou then make , except this may go for an answer , that thou wast fully resolv'd against it ? what though thou hadst not wit or learning to improve for christ , nor an estate to lay out for him , yet hadst thou not a will to embrace him and his tenders ? couldst thou not have loved him , and have given up thy self to him ? could men or devils , or any thing but thy own wretched obstinacy and perversnesse have hindred this ? thou who art now reading this , who hast heard the gospel , again and again , canst not pretend ignorance : for thou hast been many times informed , and once more let me assure thee , that if thou art willing christ is willing , yea he is earnestly desirous of thy happinesse , and had rather thou wouldest turn and live , than go on and die : yea , he hath set himself full in the way to prevent thy damnation , so that thou canst not get to hell , but thou must tread him under thy feet , who stands betwixt to keep thee thence . if now at this very moment thou wilt comply with the design of christ , to save thee in the way he hath establish'd , he will surely perform all his promises to thee . but beware of deceiving thy self , pretending that thou art willing to have christ , and that thy heart is wholly set on him , whilst yet in thy actions and conversation thou art not subject to him : for the tenour of thy life will be sure to follow the bent of thy heart . if the temptations of satan doe ordinarily prevail with thee against the commands of christ , doth not he possess thy heart who can thus put thee upon action ? if thou followest thy pleasures or worldly businesse to the neglect of gods service , is it not plain thou lovest the world and thy flesh more than god and holinesse . canst thou be diligent to please those whom thou hatest , and to injure and provoke , such as thou lovest best ? these are too grosse pretences to passe for currant , and thy own conscience cannot but be convinced of their vanity and falshood . if thou consentest that christ alone shall be thy saviour , thou wilt depend upon him onely for thy salvation ; if thou art willing he should govern thee , thou wilt in the course of thy life yield obedience to him . if thou saist thou hast not power to be willing , prethee examine what this means but that thou art absolutely unwilling , and then whose fault is that ? who is it , i would fain know , hinders thee from being willing ? or whom dost thou think to lay the blame on ? be assured the holy god will clear himself , if thou should'st lay the cause of thy damnation on him , as if he did not give thee grace enough to change thy heart : since thou didst not improve that measure of grace which was given thee , and didst by thy wilfullnesse keep out what was farther offered to thee : and thou wilt have small comfort in laying the fault on the devil or thy wicked companions : thy accusations of them will be far from acquitting thy self . they shall dearly answer for what they have done , but yet thou wilt still be left liable to justice : yea thou wilt be found to belye the devil himself , if thou saist he was the chief cause of thy ruine : for he could never have deceived and undone thee , if thou hadst not been willing to hearken to him and be deluded by him . nor could thy companions have drawn thee to sin , if thou hadst not first been in love with it : for neither they , nor the tempter , whose instruments they were , could thus prevail with them whose hearts were against it . neither will it excuse thy rejection of christ , to say thou never hadst sufficient reason given to draw thee to him , and that thou never heardest of any such advantages to be had by him as might allure thee : for thou shalt then be made to acknowledge , that in the thing it self there was reason , abundant reason for thy acceptance of him . but if it did not prove sufficient to work upon thee , why was this ? was the gospel unreasonable , or wast not thou unreasonable in sleighting it ? was it hid from thee ? if so , was it not because thou didst permit the god of this world to blind thy mind , and keep thee from the knowledge of the truth ? if thou art still in the dark , is it not because thou lovest darknesse more than light ? art thou not so fully bent upon the satisfaction of thy lusts , that thou wilt hear of nothing that should draw thee from them ? art thou not slothfull and negligent , and wilt not mind things , nor consider seriously of thy sin and danger , of the love of christ and thy need of him , and the like subjects , the meditation whereof , through the blessing of god , might have softened thy heart , and bowed thy will to a thorough compliance with the lord jesus . and dost thou indeed think that thy wilfull affected ignorance shall be held as a sufficient plea for the neglect of thy duty ▪ i● , when thou fett'st thy servant to work in thy shop , he should shut up the door and windows to keep out the sun , or by night should purposely put out his candle and then pretend he could not see to doe his work , would'st thou take this for a good excuse ? and dost not thou doe thus , who wilt not hearken to , nor consider of the word without thee , and putt'st out the light of thy conscience , tha● candle of the lord within thee , whereby thou mightest be led to christ , had then criest thou canst not find the way to him ? if a prince should send a proclamation to rebels , promising pardon to those that would come in , but threatning destruction to such as should persist : if they stop their ears when it is read to them , and will not enquire after the contents of it , will he excuse them afterwards to say they never heard any invitations to lay down their arms ? nor , farther , canst thou truly say , that christ requi●ed harder things of thee , than this willingnesse of heart to be saved by him : for wast thou once brought to this , whatever else he requires from thee would appear easie . so farre as thy will is made conformable to his , there will appear no more difficulty in obeying his commands , than ●n ●ungry man finds in eating , or than a dutifull child finds in pleasing a loving father . to doe his will would then be thy great delight , thou wouldest find a new nature within thee , carried forth with a mighty power and sweetnesse to all those acts of obedience that flow from a willing soul. but yet farther for thy conviction , suppose a noble-man should offer to a beggar , that if she would put off her rags , and wash her self , and put on the apparel he had provided , and leave her vagrant life to come and dwell with him , and be his loving and faithfull wife , that then he would marry her , and instate her in all his honour and riches : would'st thou say there was any thing required of this woman besides her willingnesse to become his wife ? i hope , to throw away her rags , and leave her wandring companions , and live like a person of honour , does not look like the paying of a portion , or doing difficult works . and this is thy very case ; poor and naked the lord jesus finds thee , onely covered over with rags and filth , these he bids thee to strip off , to wash thee and make thee clean , and put away the evil of thy doings ; to renounce thy lusts , to forsake thy sinfull courses and companions ; to put on the white robes which he hath provided for thee , to be cloathed with his perfect righteousnesse , that the guilt of thy sins may not appear , and to be adorned with the graces of his spirit , that thou maist be lovely in the sight of god , having thus put on christ ; and he offers to espouse thee to himself , and become thy husband and head , and make thee a joynture of heaven it self , if thou wilt continue in love and faithfulnesse to him all thy days ▪ where then is the dowry that must be given him ? no , he asks for none , 't is thy self he desires , and bids thee come boldly without money or price . what easier terms , what fairer offers would'st thou desire ? shall i then prevail with thee or not ? even as abraham sent his servant to seek a wife for his son isaac , so doe i now addresse my self to thee from my lord and master jesus christ , earnestly desiring to espouse thee to him as a chast virgin. with commission from him i make these tenders to thee . behold this hour a message of infinite concernment and greatest favour is sent to thee : christ jesus the king of glory offers himself , with all he is and hath , to thee , and by me his servant thy consent is now demanded . what answer dost thou give me ? wilt thou be married to him or not ? wilt thou not give me that comfortable answer that rebeckah did to abraham's servant , gen. . . i will go with th● man. shall i make up the match this day betwixt christ and thy soul ? if thou saist no , god that stands over thee will witnesse , thy own conscience will witnesse , yea , these very lines shall witnesse against thee , that christ did freely offer himself and salvation to thee , and thou didst perversly reject him . but god forbid thou should'st doe thus foolishly : in the bowels of christ let me beseech thee not to turn the deaf ear to this message : doe not read these things sleightly , as if they concern'd thee not : but rather stay a while , and let thy thoughts dwell upon the matter . if there be not all the reason in the world for what i urge thee to , sleight it and spare not , but examine things well , and see thou contradict not thy own reason , nor undoe thy self by inconsideratenesse . once again then i ask thee , art thou willing to betroth thy self to christ , forsaking other lovers that have sued for thy heart ? wilt thou promise to cleave to him at all times , and in all conditions , and through the assistance of grace , to be faithfull and constant in thy love and obedience to thy lives end ? if thou say yes , and art sincere in this resolution , then doubt not but it will be accepted and ratified in heaven : what thou hast done this hour will be recorded by god himself , and remembred for ever . and doe thou make hast to thy private chamber , there more expresly and solemnly to professe this thy engagement to christ ; and come to the lords table there to seal to and confirm this marriage-covenant ; and let it be thy care all thy days to continue stedfast therein , and then doubt not but christ will perform his part to a tittle . that i may be yet the more likely to bring thee to this saving faith in christ , which is nothing else but thy consent to be married to him , to receive him for thy lord and saviour , as i have before explained it , let me entreat thee to consider the advantages thou shalt hereby receive from him . if thou ask me what these are , i may answer , they are so great that i cannot tell thee ; they are such as thou must not , thou canst not fully know till thou art possest of them . he that was perfectly acquainted with them all , might be to all eternity in revealing them : for so long shall the true christian be in enjoying them . but yet least thou should'st think these were but words to draw thee on and deceive , thee , know , that i am able out of the book of god , to tell the so much of thy gains by christ , in a line or two , as will certainly bring thee to him , if thou wilt be rul'd by the truest reason , and perswaded to chuse what is best for thee . in one word then be assured , thou shalt have all that may make thee truly happy in this world & the next for ever . psal. . . tim. . . rom. . . and what can thy heart wish for more ? that very day wherein thy soul is thoroughly brought over to christ , thou hast right by virtue of his rich promise , to all that is in heaven and earth that may be for thy good , and accordingly shalt enjoy it , as thou com'st to need it , and art made meet to receive it . so soon as by faith thou art united to christ , the guilt of all former sins is done away , and for the future thy services shall be accepted , and thine imperfections forgiven : for god is become thy reconciled father , and will love , own and blesse thee as his child . and canst thou want any thing who hast god to be thy father , who owneth all things ? yea , who hast him to be thy portion who is better than all things ? all his attributes , his wisdome , power , truth and goodnesse will be engag'd on thy behalf , and employ'd for thee ; his works , his word and all providences shall help forward thy happinesse . all thy outward affairs thy heavenly father , who knows what thou hast need of , will see to and regard ; at all times he will so dispose of and provide for thee , as shall be most for thy advantage ; no affliction shall befall thee , but will prove as physick to thy soul ; in all estates and conditions he will be near to thee to direct and preserve thee , if thou retain thy integrity , so that neither men nor devils shall prevail against thee to thy ruine . and the holy ghost will be thine to enlighten ; sanctifie , guide and comfort thee , to assist thee in duties , and to seal thee up to everlasting happinesse . when thou diest the lord jesus will receive thy spirit , and preserve thee from the roaring lion , and the pit of destruction ; and vouchsafe thee the beginnings of happinesse with himself , which shall be compleated and perfected at the great resurrection day , when thou shalt be raised up by his power and brought into appearance , not in wrath but in mercy , and shalt be publickly owned by that christ , whose person and cause thou didst here embrace and own ; and by him thou shalt be openly justified from all accusations of satan or the law ; and shalt be presented pure and holy into the presence of the father , and shalt be eternally blessed in the enjoyment of all those treasures of infinite love and goodnesse , which god hath laid up in store for believers . this , is the inheritance which we come to by christ : we are made heirs of god , yea coheirs with his own son ; we enter upon the joy of our lord ; with him we shall abide in the mansions that are in our fathers house . then at length we shall know all the designs of divine wisdome and love , when they shall be accomplish'd in us and for us ; and by the fruition we shall understand , what is that exceeding and eternall weight of glory , for which there were made such wonderfull contrivances , such solemn preparations by that god who doth all things like himself , being infinitely wise and good , then shall we reach to , and find those glorious things that are spoken of the city of god ; yea those things which it was neither lawfull nor possible for angels or men to utter . to be short , thou shalt then be advanced to the utmost possible perfection of thy nature ; thy soul shall be fitted for those actions and employments which are most suitable to it , even the loving and praising thy maker , saviour and sanctifier ; and shalt be made capable of tasting the most ravishing , satisfying sweetnesse and joy in these employments ; in pleasing the blessing god , and in feeling thy self encompassed with the warm embraces of his dearest love . and as this thy blessedness shall be infinite and unspeakable , so shall the continuance of it be eternall . nor shall thy delight be once abated or interrupted through all this eternity , but be ever exalted to the highest pitch ; it shall always flow , yea overflow , but never ebbe . this is the joy which hath no end , no measures or decay . this is the glory which christ will give his servants : not as the world gives , gives he unto them . this , he tells us , is the will of him that sent him , that every one that sees the son and believes on him , may have everlasting life . joh. . . the water which he gives us to drink shall be , in those who partake of it , a well of water springing up into everlasting life . and some beginnings of this divine life now , there are brought into the soul , whilst it is made in its measure conformable to god , and is carried out after him with the strong workings of love and desire ; and feels the shedding abroad of his love in it self , and lives in the joyfull expectations of an advancement to the abundance of life , the perfection of blisse which i before mentioned . and now , reader , if thou believest all this , which i think thou must needs , except thou take the gospel for a cheat , if then thou believest it to be true , i would know of thee , whether the invitations christ makes thee to come to him , be not backt with sufficient motives , to prevail with all that are not quite beside their wits in matters of the greatest moment ▪ by this time i hope thou seest that thy redeemer seeks thy interest , whilst he is so importunate with thee . what is all for , in the result but this . that thou would'st make thy self blessed for ever . this he commands thee , this he beseeches thee to . and shall such commands be disobey'd ? shall such requests be denied ? good lord ! how strange a thing is this ? that man , a reasonable being , whose wisdome sets him above all other creatures on earth , should be thus woo'd , thus call'd upon and entreated to be happy , and yet that he should stand dallying and deliberating whether he had best be so or not ; yea , that he should peremptorily refuse to be so . which should i most admire in this case , the distraction and base ingratitude of man , or the inconceivable mercy and patience of god , so long to bear with such unworthy creatures , and so frequently to renew the offers of blessednesse , and even presse it upon them ? well then , dost thou think there is any gain in godlinesse ? is there enough to be had with christ to make him and his gifts worth the accepting ? for that i tell thee still is all that is expected from thee : be but cordially willing to take him and all his benefits together , and for certain all shall be thine . thou shalt find every promise of the book of god made good to thy comfort ; yea thou shalt find ten thousand times more than ever thou could'st understand or conceive from the fullest promises , the highest expressions that ever thou mett'st with concerning the priviledges of believers . shall all that is said then bring thee to be one of that number or not ? dost thou know where to make a better bargain for thy self ? if so , take thy own course and make thy best on 't : for be assured , jesus christ needs not thee . his glory doth not so depend on thy subjection to him that it should be lessened in case of thy disobedience . doe thou as thou wilt , he knows how to secure his own interest : but fain he would perswade thee to take pity on thy self , and save thy own soul. if there be any in all the world that hath done more for thee than christ , or that will doe more , hearken to him and spare not . but before thou conclude there is any such person or thing , examine matters well on both sides , and then doe as thou seest meet , indeed the case is so plain that the veriest child or fool almost may know how to decide it . bethink thee well what thou art like to have from the world , from thy lusts , from the service of the devil , or from any thing that would keep thee from christ. canst thou think that the satisfying of thy senses with what they call for , or pleasing thy fancy with things super fluous , or living in idlenesse and wantonnesse , in pride and pomp with the applause of the world , is any or all of this better than the love of god , better than the fulnesse of joy to be had in his presence , or better than the rivers of pleasure at his r●ght hand for evermore ? but be they as good as they will , dost thou think they will last always ? or hath the devil any future reward for his servants , when their miserable slavery in this life is ended ? amongst all his temptations , did he ever so much as once bear thee in hand , that he would make thee happy for ever ? it is possible for thee to be ignorant , that the pleasures of sin , besides their emptiness & basenesse , are but for a seas●n ? so that if thou remain without christ thou hast no whi●her to go , nothing to trust to , that will not miserably fail thy expectations . look round about thee , and see if thou canst find any other foundation to build upon , to raise an happinesse to thy self . and when thou hast but considered a while , with that seriousnesse that beseemes one who hath a desire to doe himself good , i doubt not but the language of thy soul will be like that of peter to christ , joh. . . l●rd whether shall i go ? thou onely hast the words of eternall life . thou one●y hast revealed it , thou alone directest to it , thou onely hast purchast it , thou onely hast promised it , and thou alone canst bestow it upon thy people : wherefore to thee , lord , i betake my self , renouncing all things that stand in competition with thee ; be thou my lord , let me be thy servant ; let me live to thee here , and let me live with thee for ever hereafter , pertaking of that glory which thou hast obtained of the father for thy faithfull ones . what saist thou ? does thy very heart agree to these words or not ? say yea or no before thou goest any farther . i am sure thou hast nothing like reason to give , why it should not . oh give not christ cause to wonder at thy obstinacy and unbelief , who when he came to bring thee salvation was rejected . once again , i assure thee , he comes not to undoe thee . think not thou shalt lose by him , because he calls thee to mortification , self-denyall , and bearing the crosse. if he would take thee from any thing which is dear to thee , 't is onely because it is hurtfull : and he 'll give thee better delights , more noble employments than those he calls thee off from . thou shalt part with nothing by his service which thou could'st have kept long , and instead of it thou shalt receive a treasure that shall never be taken from thee . but if thou art so fast bound to thy profits , thy pleasures and thy sweet sins , to which thou hast been long accustomed , that thou wilt not be perswaded to take thy love off them , and set it on christ , but art so swallowed up with them , that thou turnest the deaf ear to all these entreaties ; if this be thy resolution , that baal shall be thy god , and him thou wilt worship , that the world shall be thy portion , and to it thou wilt cleave , that sin shall be thy trade , and in it thou wilt live : remember then thou hadst thy choice : christ tendered himself , and all his saving mercies to thee , but thou didst deliberately preferre other things before him , and therefore thou hast no wrong done thee if thou goest without him . if this be thy thanks to him for his matchlesse condescension in inviting thee to glory , grudge not if hereafter he exclude thee from it . and now get thee to thy idols which have so taken up thy heart , that there was no room for christ , except he would have the leavings of the world and flesh , which , be it known to thee he never will , he 'll have the highest place or none , and since he must not have that , go thy way i say , and make the best of thy idols , thy riches , thy bravery , thy carnall joys and empty honours , thy dear friends and pleasant companions ; suck all the sweetnesse they will yield , and keep them as long as thou canst : and when thou seest where they leave thee , and what thou hast brought thy self to , then let thy conscience reflect , whether once thou hadst not an offer worth the acceptance . . but this brings me to the sixth and last argument to prevail with thee to give up thy self to christ , and that is the sad and dolefull effects that are like to follow upon thy rejection of him . if god be just and true , thou art not like to go smoothly away with the guilt of this hainous sin . something to this purpose i mentioned before , and therefore shall be the briefer now , onely in faithfulnesse and love to thy immortall soul , that thou maist never be able to say but that thou hadst fair warning given thee , i now come to tell thee , that if thou standest out against the mercy that 's so freely held forth to thee , refusing to receive thy saviour on those terms , and to those purposes for which he demands acceptance , thou art then like to be as miserable , a forlorn , undone creature both body and soul , as ever trod upon the earth , or saw the sun. make as light of these threatnings now as thou wilt , but if there be a god in heaven , be assured they will be made good upon thee , as shortly thou wilt feel to thy everlasting sorrow , if thy speedy conversion doe not prevent it . think not i take any delight to dig in the bowels of hell , and throw flashes of fire in thy face meerly to terrifie and daunt thee : no , but i would fain , if possible , prevent thy misery , by discovering what it 's like to be , if thou throw thy self headlong into it . and oh that i could speak any thing that might make some impression upon thee , not onely to bring thee to a fright , and there leave thee , but a little to awake thee to a sense what a mischievous thing that sin is which now thou art so deeply in love with , that thou maist see to get thy hands rid of it , before it be too late to wish thou hadst done so : even during this present life , whilst thou art without christ , thy condition is most sad , however thou maist applaud and blesse thy self in thy worldly enjoyments : for thou art this while under the load of thy originall sin , and all the transgressions which thou hast actually committed in thought , word or deed , since thou camest into the world , the least of which , without pardoning mercy , would drown thee in perdition . thou hast no certainty for an hour of any of those things which thou possessest , but art liabl● to as short warning as the rich fool in the gospel , who was call'd away in that night wherein he bid his soul take its ease , eat , drink and be merry . for thou canst not shew any true title , by virtue of a promise from god , to the least of all thy comforts : but thou standest always exposed to that wrath which thou art treasuring up for thy self against the day of wrath . thou liest wholly at his mercy whom thou art daily provoking to fury . in all thy ways which are so defiled , the holy god beholds thee in anger , and even loathes thee for thy filthinesse . and he alone knows how short a while he is determined to wait on thee : thy glasse is running , his patience is expiring , death and judgement are hasting , hell is ready burning , and thou canst not promise thy self a moments safety . whilst thou art sleeping or waking , eating or working , talking and laughing , the heavy doom hangs over thy head , and thou hast every day reason to expect the dreadfull vengeance of the lord to seize upon thee , nothing but meer mercy hath kept it off this while , which will not always last . at night when thou goest to bed , it s a great hazard but thou maist awake in flames , and never more see the comfortable light ; or when thou goest out of doors , it 's a question whether thou maist not with judas , go to thy own place , the infernall mansions , before thou returnest home . for ought i know or thou either , this may be the last book that ever thou maist read , this may be the last warning that ever thou maist have . think a little whether this be a comfortable case for a man to continue in , and what wise people they are that venture all upon a repentance hereafter . moreover in all the troubles thou maist meet with in the world , i know not what support , what comfort can be administred to thee : for there 's none to be given thee from god , i am sure , whilst thou art a resolved enemy to him . what shift thou makest to get a little ease and relief at such a time i cannot but wonder : onely the remnants of thy carnall comforts , and the hopes thou hast of seeing things better , its like may help thee to some false peace . but alas poor man , death will shortly arrest thee ; death that will strip thee of all that thy heart delighted and trusted in ; death that will break the neck of all thy fond hopes , and utterly frustrate thy expectations ; death that will carry thee out of thi● beloved world into a place , to which thou hast been a meer stranger , not thinking of it at all , or but coldly and seldome , or with horrour and aversenesse ; this death , i say , will shortly lay hold on thee , and then whither wilt thou look for comfort , who art a stranger to god and jesus christ ? into whose hands wilt thou commend thy departing soul , who would'st not whilst thou wast living resign thy self to the god who made thee , & bought thee with his sons blood ? canst thou expect christ should now receive thee who would'st not be perswaded to receive him ? what ? receive a rebel into the kingdome of peace ? a filthy swine into the communion of saints ? no , never expect it . and if he will not receive thee who must ? if heaven may not hold thee what place , will ? thou canst easily answer these questions . and when , by a resurrection to condemnation , thou art made , with all the rest , to stand in the presence of thy judge , how wilt thou then appear before him ? for the lord's , sake , yea for thy own sake , poor sinner , thou that canst not be brought to like of christ , nor his holy laws and ways , not the sanctifying work of his holy spirit , put these questions , as thou readest them , close to thy heart , what wilt thou then say to jesus christ for this thy contempt and dislike of his person and government ? darest thou then justifie thy unbelief and impenitence when he calls thee to answer for it ? or who wilt thou get to plead for thee , when the onely advocate shall condemn thee ? who wilt thou make thy friend , when he , who alone could and would have been so , is , through thy own fault , become thy greatest enemy ? dare angels or saints speak a word for him against whom their lord shall speak ? or would they if they durst ? no , they will approve his righteous sentence . will the devil take thy part dost thou think ? hath he any power there to secure his followers ? why it 's he that is thy accuser , and if need be , would rather aggravate those faults which he drew thee to . wilt thou then hit him in the teeth with the large promises he made thee , and call on him to make them good ? alas , he 'll but laugh at thee , and scorn thee , and make thee acknowledge , that most justly are all they so served , who would trust to the devils delusions rather than to gods promises . or dost thou expect relief from thy companions in torment ? ah poor creatures , they would rather help themselves if they could , but cannot : oh then ! with what an heart , with what a countenance wilt thou hear that last dolefull sentence , depart from me ye cursed ! when thou shalt look round about and see no help , no hope , but that down thou must lie in that burning lake , which the breath of the lord's fury like a stream of brimstone doth kindle , what a posture will thy soul be in ? i can tremble to conceive it , easier than i can expresse it . and when thou hast lain some thousands of years in that place of torments , what then will the workings of thy heart be ? when thou hast felt that tribulation and anguish which comes upon those that work evil , what thoughts wilt thou have of the ways that brought thee thither ? what would'st thou not doe for the least dram of hope in that miserable despairing state , for the least glimmering of light in that gloomy darknesse ? but there is none to be had , no nor ever will be through a whole eternity : the force of which word eternity , and the meaning of hell , is now known and felt in another manner , than when careless sinners could laugh at the mention of them , or sleep , whilst they were preacht on . but what ? canst thou not perswade thy self that there are any such torments prepared for unbelievers ? if not , it s to be feared thou art one of those unbelievers for whom they are prepared : but if scripture may convince thee , read amongst other places , thes. . , . mat. . . joh. . . and then tell me thy judgement . now indeed all this is but talk ; hell 's out of sight , and the most terrible words are but wind : and therefore it is there is so little care in the world to make sure his favour who can save them from this misery , which , because it 's neither seen nor felt , is sleighted and forgotten . should a king take a company of men out of prison , who had committed some fault worthy of death , and offer pardon to those that would be sorry for their crime and promise never to be guilty of the like , but threaten death to those that would not ; and withall should shew them pardons ready sealed , and great hopes of money to be given to the penitent , but racks , and gibbets , and fires ready kindled , for the execution of the obstinate : doe you think this would not easily prevail with them , when they saw in good earnest what was like to betide them ? and if christ would take this course , and shew heaven and hell , if that were possible , plainly to their eye-sight , it s , like the most stubborn sinners would be awakened : but he will not doe thus , nor is there any reason he should . since we are made men to be ruled by reason , why should he deal with us like bruits that must be led by their senses ? yet because he will not take this way with them , bruitish sinners disregard him , as if they needed him not . but ah sirs ! all you that could see no need of christ , when he was so urged and prest upon you , when shortly you shall see all the world stand before him , and shall behold the devouring flames , into which all they must be cast , who have not a part in his love , then you will see what benefit comes by christ , then you will no longer count them fools , that took it for their greatest businesse to get an interest in him . then , if the most passionate wishes , that you had been so wise , would doe you any good , if the loudest roarings , and bitterest cries for mercy might preval , you would think them all well spent : but alas , all will be to no purpose . cry lord , lord , with never so much noise and earnestnesse , if thou wast here a worker of iniquity , no other answer shalt thou obtain , but , depart from me , i know thee not . and thou thy self shalt be forced to acknowledge , that this sentence is as just as terrible . for didst not thou here hid christ to depart from thee , thou desired'st not the knowledge of his ways ? and is it not just he should then command thee to depart from him , as one he will not know nor own ? heaven thou didst refuse , since it was to be had on no other terms than submission to christ , and therefore thou must needs fall into hell , since there is no third place provided . but perhaps thou wilt flatter thy self with a conceit that none of these things shall come upon thee , in that as thou pretendest thou putst thy whole trust in god that he 'll save thee , and reliest upon thy saviour jesus christ alone , to be kept by him from hell and the power of the devil . but beware , i beseech thee , how thou cheatest thy soul into that misery , whence no trick or wile can ever fetch thee . dost thou put thy trust in god he 'll take thee to heaven when thou diest , who now allowest thy self in those very sins for which he hath threatned to turn men into hell ? if indeed thou dost so , then i hope it is some promise of his that thou bottom'st thy trust upon , or else it is a vain confidence : now shew me , if thou canst , one promise in the whole book of god , that gives thee the least ground to hope for happinesse , whilst thou continuest in an unregenerate naturall estate , in love with thy sins ; take thy bible , and turn it over from one end to the other , and see if thou canst find any such place : but i could shew thee an hundred texts , where wrath is threatned to all unconverted sinners , continuing such . so that in plain english , thy trust in god is no more than a wretched presumption , that he will be so mercifull as to break his word to save thee ; and if indeed this word prove false , than thy confidence will not deceive thee , but if it prove true , as for certain it will , then woe be to thee , for all this pretended trust . and of the very same stamp is thy reliance on christ whilst thou rebellest against him . for tell me , prethee , does the gospel say , that every man who shall believe that christ will save him , shall be saved by him , let his heart and life be what it will. i am sure neither christ nor his apostles ever made known such a doctrine : and if thy faith be grounded upon any other gospel than christ hath revealed , thou art like to go seek another heaven than that he hath promised . for he hath told thee plainly , that without holinesse thou shalt never see the lord ; that he is the author of salvation , onely to those that obey him ; and that he takes off condemnation from none but such who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit . now if thou dost truly believe in christ , thou wilt set thy self to seek for happinesse in the way that he hath appointed , not in one of thy own devising : for else it is a sign thou dost not depend upon him for salvation , but on thy own fancy or satans delusions , or whoever it is whose directions thou followest rather than christs . if thou wast in a place where two ways meet , and one man should bid thee follow him in this way , and another should bid thee follow him in the contrary way , if thou would'st come to thy journeys end : is it not plain that thou believest him whom thou followest ? or if thou hadst some dangerous disease , and an able physician should tell thee , that if thou would'st depend upon him , by the help of god he would recover thee , and should leave with thee such and such physick to take , if in the mean time thou should'st take a conceit , that thou mightest be well without following his advice , and some one else should direct thee to an easier and cheaper way , whereupon thou throwest away his medicines , dost thou then depend upon this physician for cure ? thus the lord jesus , the great physician of souls , assures thee , if thou wilt depend on , and trust thy self with him , or believe in him , he will keep thee from that everlasting death whereof thou art in danger , and to this purpose he sends his word and spirit to cure thee of thy ignorance and wickednesse , which is the disease of thy soul , he would bring thee to repentance , and thoroughly purifie and sanctifie thy heart : but thou think'st this a tedious course , and wilt by no means submit to it , come on it what will ; but fanciest thou maist be saved without so much adoe , and that forsooth by reliance on christ. is not this a very wise businesse , to rely on the physician for health , and throw away the physick that should procure it ? i know well enough what thou would'st have , christ shall keep thee from hell , but yet by all means he must give thee liberty to live in sin ; that is , he must let thee carry fire in thy bosome , but yet he must keep thee from being burnt ; he must let thee drink poison , but yet he must keep it from griping thy bowels . but believe it , christ came not into the world for any such ends . this he hath purchast , that no sins , great or small , shall damn the man that 's truly humbled for , and forsakes them , and depends upon him for a pardon , and is made holy in heart and life : but not , that he who lives and delights in sin should escape misery , which is indeed a kind of impossibility . for man is in bondage , and sin is his fetters ; now the son would make us free , he would set the captive at liberty , but must he not then take off his fetters ? we are polluted , sin is our filth , christ is the fountain opened for our cleansing : and can we be clean if we will not be purged from our filthinesse ? we are slaves to satan through our lusts , by which he leads us whither he will , christ would deliver us from this slavery : but must he not then break these chains ? sin is the spawn or seed , hell is the fruit and off-spring : and if the seed be permitted to grow , must there not needs be the fruit ? and this shews how man plainly destroys him self , whilst he will hug his lusts which are a serpent in his bosome , presuming that for all that , they will not sting him . man by his sins had deserved everlasting wrath , christ came to save him from sin , and so from wrath : and if men will not believe he came to this purpose , or will not improve him in order thereto , must they not needs die in their sins , and so abide under that wrath which was before upon them , and which still follows after sin , joh. . . and . . acts . . ignorance of god is one part as well as cause of mans unhappinesse , and if men wilfully close their eyes , that the light which christ brings to the world can have no entrance , must they not of necessity remain in darknesse ? excessive love to our bodies , and to the comforts of this life which we shall be stript of , and want of delight in god and his holy service is the great misery of a soul , and doth engage it in those strifes with it's maker , that cast men into an hell upon earth , and kindle the unquenchable fire : and if they will not give way to the spirit of christ , to turn the bent and inclination of their hearts from the world to god , doe they not retain their own certain misery ? thus thou seest how impossible it is , even in the thing it self , for all rejecters of christ to escape damnation , supposing they are but continued in being , and left to themselves , both which , scripture assures us , will befall the impenitent in the future state . but know moreover , to the breaking of thy heart in time , thy condemnation is like to be much more heavy for thy rejecting of christ , than it would have been , if he had never come into the world , or had never offered mercy to thee . canst thou in thy own conscience think , that thou who hast been so importuned and begg'd by so many arguments , to accept of christ , shalt escape as easily as they that never heard of him , or but very darkly ? shall not he that abuseth ten talents be more severely dealt with , than he who hides but one ? why else does christ denounce such woes against chorazin and bethsaida , threatning them with worse punishments than sodom and gomorrah ? was it not because they enjoy'd more mercies and greater means for repentance ? doe we not read , heb. . . that they who refuse to hear the son speaking from heaven , shall much lesse escape , than they who refused to hear the prophets of old ? and of a sorer punishment whereof they are worthy ? heb. . . though i would not have thee neglect the means whilst there is any hope , yet let me tell thee , it had been better for thee to have never heard one word of the way to salvation by jesus christ , than having heard to fleight and disregard it . every sermon thou hast heard , every book thou hast read , and every exhortation thou hast had and neglected , will sink thee so much the lower into hell . these very lines which thou art now reading , if they be not improved , will , without repentance , be remembred to thy smart another day . be thou well assured , though god be the father of mercies , and a god of bowels , yet he takes account of the mercies he affords his creatures , and takes notice how they improve them : and if they be abused , they shall be severely reckoned for . god will not be mocked by rebellious creatures , nor shall his precious gifts be trod under feet , and they that doe such things escape unpunished . above all then , how will the love of christ in dying for them make their doom more sad , if they be not constrained by this love . what torments can be great enough for the ingratitude and perversenesse of such ? if thou , reader , be one of them , i dare appeal to thy self , whether thou deservest not , for thy unbelief and impenitency , greater sufferings than if christ had never died . for suppose there was a traitor , who for his treason being condemned to die , the kings own son should be content to have his right hand cut off ( to satisfie the law , and terrifie the people from the like guilt hereafter ) that he might obtain a pardon of his father for this poor man , and when he had got it , should come and tell him what he had done , assuring him , that if he will but take him for his deliverer , relinquish all his traiterous designs , and become a good subject , he shall not onely have a pardon , but be taken into the court , and there live in the greatest favour and honour : but suppose he , when he hath heard all , instead of a thankfull acceptance of his pardon upon these conditions , should kick at the hand that offers it , and turn his back upon him with contempt , asking him who wisht him to trouble himself for him ; nay worse than this , suppose , whilst the prince is holding forth his pardon , he should endeavour with a knife that he had got to stab him to the heart , would'st thou not think that such a wretch deserved the greatest tortures that could be devised ? and more for this his latter obstinacy than for his first treason ? and if thou be found guilty of the very same , yea worse perfidiousnesse and ingratitude against god thy maker , and jesus christ thy redeemer , will not thy own conscience conclude it most just , that the heaviest judgements should be thy portion ? wast thou not liable to death , to all kind of misery for thy sin ? did not the son of god humble himself to take on him thy nature ? and then to die a most shamefull cursed death to purchase thy pardon ? and yet when he offers it upon condition , of thy acceptance of him for thy saviour , and becoming a faithfull subject to the soveraign majesty , thou art so farre from being brought to this , that thou rather takest encouragement from this mercy held forth by christ in the gospel , to continue in disobedience to god , than which thou could'st not offer a greater injury to thy saviour , to make him as it were a patron of thy wickednesse , doing far worse than they that crucified him , whilst thou endeavourest quite to pervert and take away the end of his death , which was to redeem us from all iniquity , and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works , tit. . . and if indeed this be thy case , canst thou say one word in thy own excuse , why all the plagues that are prepared for rebellious sinners should not be poured out upon thee , who thus scornest and abusest thy compassionate saviour ? by this time , i hope , thou art convinced , that there is abundant reason why thou shouldest accept of the lord jesus christ to bring thee to the salvation he hath prepared for his people , in that way which he himself hath prescribed . that thou mightest not want arguments of all sorts , i have plainly told thee what 's like to come of thy obstinate refusall . and now after all i again demand of thee , whether thy heart be brought thus thoroughly to consent , that christ shall be thy saviour , and take his own way with thee , to keep thee from misery , and bring thee to true blessednesse ? art thou resolved to give up thy self to him , and follow his directions , or not ? shall all that hath been said , doe nothing to encline thee thereto ? dost thou think it better to be commanded to go from christ hereafter , than to come to him at his command for salvation here ? canst thou bear his heaviest indignation rather than his easie yoke & light burden ? is there any thing in becoming christs faithfull servant worse than being the devils everlasting bondslave . bethink thy self whilst thou hast leisure , and cease not these thoughts till thou arrivest to a true sense of the things that concern thee , and at length art firmly resolved , without any more baffling or dallying , to bind thy self over to christ by a firm covenant , to be wholly his , never to depart from him , but in all things sincerely to comply with him , and be guided by him , that thou maist escape the vengeance thy sins have exposed thee to , and obtain that glory to which he will assuredly bring thee . this is that covenant with christ or faith in him , which i have been all this while perswading thee to : wherein i told thee is contained thy covenant with god the father , to love and honour him above all , as thy maker , ruler , and end ; and with the holy ghost to be sanctified and led by him . which coven●n● every man must be cordially entred into , that he may be fit to partake of the lords supper , whereby he doth professe to consecrate himself to the father , son , and holy ghost ; that is , to be a true christian , as by , his baptisme he stands engaged . and this is third qualification which is requisite to all communicants . and if i should name no more , hence it may sufficiently appear who is fit to come to this ordinance ; even he that being acquainted with the doctrine of the gospel concerning jesus christ , believes all that is there related to be true , and is sensible of , and deeply humbled for all his sins , being stedfastly resolved , by gods assistance , presently from this time forward to forsake them , and is unfeignedly willing to receive the lord jesus , to be his saviour upon the terms of the gospel , that is ( as i shall next speak particularly ) he that relies upon him alone for the pardon of his sins , and is willing to be sanctified by his holy spirit , that he may be made fit for an everlasting communion with god , upon whom he hath placed his highest love . this is the man whom christ will bid welcome to his table . wherefore , reader , if this be a description of the state of thy soul , let not satan , or thy own fearfull misgiving heart perswade thee , that thou art unfit to partake of the priviledges held forth to believers : but with a chearfull boldnesse addresse thy self to this feast , which thy gracious lord hath appointed for thy refreshment and strengthning , till he take thee to himself into his heavenly kingdome . since i have already thus farre discovered , what kind of persons communicants ought to be , from the nature of this ordinance , as it is for a remembrance of christ and his death , which cannot be without the knowledge of him , repentance for sin , and believing in him , i may therefore be briefer in the particulars that follow , in shewing what more is included in remembring christ at the sacrament , since they serve but farther to illustrate and confirm what i have already mentioned concerning the qualifications of the receivers , and since i may repeat some of them in directing those that intend to communicate . chap. vi. iv. a right remembring the benefits procured for us by the death of christ. . justification . he that remembers christs death as he ought , cannot but remember what were the benefits , purchast by his death for those that believe in him : which benefits are held forth and represented in the sacrament , and by it conveyed and assured to the worthy receivers , and doe call for suitable dispositions and affections in them , as i shall shew particularly . of these benefits i shall name three which are the principall and contain all the rest : and these are justification , sanctification , and glorification . . the first is justification or the pardon of sin ( for the difference betwixt them is so small that i shall here take no notice of it ) which pardon christ hath obtained by the satisfaction he made to divine justice , by his perfect obedience and grievous sufferings , for the sake whereof , believers are releast from the rigour and curse of the law , received into the favour of god , and preserved from those miseries which otherwise had according to their desert befaln them , gal. . . christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law , being made a curse for us . heb. . . when he had by himself purged our sin● , &c. heb. . . — but now hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself . rom. . , . for all have sinned and come short of the glory of god ; being justified freely by his grace , through the redemption that is in jesus christ ; with multitudes of the like places . and the bread and wine set apart for the sacrament , do represent christs body that was given and broken for us , luk. . . . cor. . . and his blood which was shed to procure our pardon , as you may read expresly , mat. . , . and he took the cup , and gave thanks , and gave it to them , saying , drink ye all of it : for this is my blood of the new testament , which is shed for many for the remission of sins . that is , this wine doth signifie and represent my blood , in which the new covenant betwixt god and man is founded and establisht , and by which remission of sins and all other consequent benefits of this new testament or covenant are purchast . and those sacramentall actions of giving and receiving the bread and wine to eat and drink it , doe hold forth and confirm the mutuall covenant betwixt god and man. as it seals to the covenant on mans part , ( that he will receive christ as he is offered , and be devoted to him , and to god by him , ) i have spoken to it under the foregoing head ; and to all who sincerely doe thus , god hereby seals to them , that he will be their god , reconciled to them through his son ; and that christ with all his benefits shall be theirs ; and therefore as one principall benefit , that all their iniquities for christs sake shall be forgiven them . even as the minister , who is here in gods stead , offers them the bread and wine , whereby a crucified christ , with the blessings he purchast , are signified , so doth god make over all these to a believing soul , which doth as really and truly , though in a spirituall manner , receive jesus christ , by consenting to take him for his lord and saviour , as with his hand he takes , and with his mouth eats , and drinks the bread and wine . now in answer to that particular priviledge , pardon of sin , which hereby is assured to us , there is required in us a dependance upon christ for this pardon ; that is , an expectation and hope , that god for his sons sake will pardon our sins , that they shall not be charged upon us , to condemn us at the great judgement day , but that we shall then be cleared from all accusations , and secured from those miseries into which the ungodly shall be sentenced ; and this we are to look upon as sealed to us by the sacrament . and it is to be considered , that this dependance upon christ for a pardon , is one part , or an effect of our saving faith in him : for they who believe that he is the redeemer of the world , and are willing to be saved by him from their wickednesse , and so from hell , they will rely on him to obtain forgivenesse by him ; and according to the knowledge they have of their repentance and faith , the conditions of this mercy , they will the more confidently expect it . but as it is oftentimes difficult to bring the truest believers to this act of faith , in that measure as may give them comfort , so is it more difficult to beat the most negligent out of this refuge , who would cheat themselves with a conceit , that to hope for mercy through christ is all that 's required of them . but know , the pardon which god offers is not barely upon condition of our willingnesse to accept of christ to teach and guide , to sanctifie and save us , which i have oft mentioned , as that believing in christ which the gospel calls for , and entails salvation upon : and then they in whom this willingnesse is wrought , are bound to believe , that all gods promises , made to such as by his grace they find themselves to be , shall be fulfill'd : and therefore particularly they ought to believe , that according to his promise , he will blot out all their transgressions , for his sake who was bruised for them ; and upon the strength or weaknesse of this perswasion doth their comfort very much depend , though not their safety so much , since the want of it commonly proceeds from an ignorance of themselves , rather than an unbelief of the promises : to which i shall say something hereafter , least any should think they must not come to the sacrament , because they have not a confident perswasion that their sins shall be pardoned , and therefore think they have no faith. now from what hath been said it farther appears , that none but penitent believers are worthy receivers : for to such , and none but such , doth god in the covenant of grace promise pardon , and therefore to them onely it is that he conveys and assures it by the sacrament , which is a seal of that covenant , and ratifies no more than what that promiseth . and indeed none but such doe in good earnest desire or seek after a pardon : for none but they are soundly convinced of their need of it , by reason of their breach of that law which doth accuse and condemn them . ignorant sencelesse sinners , that run on desperately in their wicked courses , without any thought or fear of those judgements that are ready to be executed upon them , and never take to heart how they have incensed the divine majesty against them , doe not use much to busie their thoughts how they should turn away this wrath , and prevent this misery . the fear of sicknesse , poverty , disgrace , or the like temporall evils , doth much more take them up than the fears of hell , and accordingly their daily care is to avoid those rather than this . he that is sick prizes the physician , whilst he that is in health , or thinks that he is so , cares little for him or his medicines . a poor prisoner that hath newly heard the sentence of condemnation from the judge's mouth , and knows he 's a dead man in law , what would not he doe to get a pardon from the king ? or oh how thankfull would he be to the man that should doe it for him ? whilst another that knows not himself to be guilty ( though he may really be so ) would take himself little beholden to any one that should make him such an offer , to wit , of the kings pardon . even thus should you come to a stupid sinner , and be able to assure him , that god was reconciled to him , he would be very little moved with the tidings , for this is not a matter whereof he used to make much doubt , or greatly concern himself one way or other : but could you surprize him with the news of a great estate being faln to him , oh what an extasie of joy would you cast the poor man into ? i confesse when these carelesse ones come to be awakened on a death-bed , or by a fit of sicknesse , then they doe indeed earnestly desire , that their sins may be forgiven them . notwithstanding the great affection they had to the devils drudgery , they have no mind to receive the wages which he affords them . though they have loved sin so well , that they would never part with it whilst they could keep it , yet since now they can keep it no longer , by no means are they willing to go to that hell to which their sins directly led them . loth they are to take leave of their lusts till they come to the very mouth of the grave , but then fain they would rid their hands of them : for they know , if they go together one step farther they are like to rue it for ever . whilst they could cast the pleasures of sin they wallowed securely in it , but now sicknesse hath spoil'd their tast , and put them out of temper , they seem somewhat more indifferent to it : but especially fearing , least they have already had all the sweetnesse , and that nothing but bitter dregs are at the bottom of the cup , therefore now at length they would throw it out of their hand . and this i fear is ordinarily the best of a death-bed repentance which many build their hopes so much upon . they may be in good earnest afraid of being damned , and therefore are sorry that they have brought themselves into such danger : but what 's this to an ingenuous sorrow for having offended a good and gracious god , and to a loathing of sin for its own vilenesse ? which are necessary to make our repentance right . and not onely at death , its like , but in time of health also , there are many who would be very willing to have their sins pardoned , if it might be upon any other condition than forsaking them . if bare confession and begging of mercy might serve turn , or if coming to the sacrament might serve turn , and yet still they might live as they list , few would go without a pardon . but remember god nowhere assures pardon to any man absolutely , but upon a certain condition , which except we perform we cannot look for the promised mercy . what this condition is , i have before told you , even that you should repent of , and give diligence to forsake all sin , and receive christ to be your perfect saviour : upon no other terms therefore expect to have a pardon confirmed to you by the sacrament , which will no farther avail you than as it receives power and efficacy from the promise , without which it is a seal to a blank paper that will warrant you to claim nothing . suppose a landlord should make you a lease of an house , upon condition that you would own your self his tenant , & yearly pay him some small quit-rent & should set his seal to this lease , all this would stand you in no stead , if you denied that you was his tenant , and refuse to pay the rent he required . wherefore to know whether your hope of pardon be upon good grounds , and such as will not fail you , examine whether you are such kind of persons as i have before described , whether you are humbled for , and brought out of love with every sin , and doe with firm purpose of heart cleave to the lord jesus . to bring you thus to depend upon christ for a pardon , in a right manner , and upon sure grounds , the considerations i laid down under the last particular may be of use , since this is one part of that faith in christ , which i there exhorted you to ; that was an acceptance of him in all his offices ; this hath a peculiar respect to his priestly office , and is called faith in his blood , rom. . . onely to adde a word or two more , for the quickning of all such who have not much laid it to heart , how to get their sins pardoned , as if they thought it was a thing of no great consequence : consider i beseech you , whether the incarnation , life and death of christ was not a matter of huge importance to the world ? and tell me , reader , dost not think thou art as much concerned herein as any other man ? hadst not thou as much need of his death as any ? and therefore doth it not stand thee upon , to see whether thou sharest in the benefits of it as much as it doth any man breathing ? and tell me farther , if all this preparation in the gospel had been made for thee onely , and christ had come down from heaven , and suffered on the crosse for thy sake alone , that thou mightest be saved by him on the same terms that now thou maist , and should have sent thee a message calling thee by thy particular name , assuring thee of all this , and beseeching thee to accept of these offers of life : dost thou think all this would have convinced thee of the greatnesse of divine love , and of thy need of mercy ? and would it have awakened thee to make out after the same , and to doe all that was required to obtain it ? if so , why then wilt thou not now be perswaded to the same care ? since the gospel speaks to thee as particularly as if it named thee , and the mercy is as great , and thy need of it as much as if thou alone wast concerned in it ; and thou shalt never have the lesse benefit , nay rather more , by having others to share with thee in it : but thy misery , if thou misse of a pardon , will be never the lesse , for having many companions in the same sad case with thy self . once again let me ask thee , thou who now art so insensible of thy need of a pardon , that thou wilt not take pains to get it in the way thou art commanded , wouldest thou be contented at any rates , absolutely and expresly to part with all hopes and expectations of it ? if thou might'st be hired with a thousand or ten thousand pounds , would'st thou for such a summe of money , professe thou didst renounce all right and title to jesus christ , and all hopes of mercy through him ? or would'st thou give this under thy hand in writing to the devil , or to any man that would help thee to a great estate ? what would'st thou think of those who should doe thus ? would'st thou not look upon them as most wretched forlorn creatures ? why , be it known to thee , if through negligence and stupidity thou seek not out after an interest in christ , that thou maist be pardoned and saved by him , thy condition will at length be found as miserable as theirs . if there should be certain acres of ground in ireland , promised to any one that would go thither to possesse them , he that would not take the pains to go over , would have no more advantage by them , than he that should formally renounce his righ● thereto : even so by carelesnesse and sloth maist thou lose all benefit by christ , as certainly as those poor creatures that are drawn to make compacts with the devil , and sell away their souls for a thing of nought . to conclude , if nothing i have hitherto said will move thee , consider , i entreat thee , whether this thy undervaluing of pardoning mercy will remain always . sins thou hast i know thou wilt acknowledge , yea , many and great sins , such as would sink thee to the lowest hell if they be laid to thy charge : dost thou not grant this ? and thou canst not but know , that there will at length come a day of reckoning for these thy sins : and dost thou think when thou must stand before the judge , and give up thy account , that thou shalt not earnestly desire a pardon then ? will it then seem as indifferent a thing as now it does ? then , i say , when without it thou must be sentenced to keep company with the devils , in the midst of scorching flames , for ever and ever . and thou canst not sure be so ignorant as not to know , that none shall have a pardon then but those who got it now : that 's a day for examining and declaring what our estates are , whether good or bad , that we may be dealt with accordingly , not a time for getting them made better , if they were naught before . wherefore if thou beest not a very bruit , onely to mind what 's before thee ; if thou hast any foresight , any belief of this judgement-day that thou art going to , now rouze up thy self , and with all speed and industry labour to get that pardon , which within a while , to thy own most lively sense will be so needfull , and stand thee in so much stead . and when thou art wrought to such a sight of thy misery as makes thee desire after mercy , and to such a loathing of thy sins as fits thee for it , then thou maist be assured , that god for christ sake will be gracious to thee , and thou maist comfortably addresse thy self to the sacrament , and take it as a farther assurance from god , that his promises of mercy shall be made good to thee . chap. vii . the second benefit is sanctification . . the second great benefit purchast by the death of christ , and held forth in the sacrament , is sanctifying , saving grace , for the enlivening and strengthning the souls of believers . there is no truth more plain in the whole gospel , than that one great end of christ's death was , to obtain from the father , that the holy spirit should accompany the proclaiming of the gospel to enlighten the minds and soften the hearts of those who should not wilfully resist his workings , that they might entertain the truth in the love thereof ; and that on these , greater measures of grace should be poured forth , to make them in all things conformable to their maker according to the capacity of their natures : which was the great design of the redeemer , even to restore apostate creatures to the image of god wherein they were created , that so they might be made meet for his service here , and the fruition of him hereafter . a most lamentable mistake it is to confine christs death onely to the procuring of a pardon , and keeping sinners out of hell , since this was but in order to a work of grace on their hearts , and onely such who submit to this work shall at last have a share in the absolute pardon . for suppose a company of prisoners were taken in warre , who being weak and wounded , cannot return into their own countrey , but must presently be put to death by the king that took them ; and in the mean time comes their own prince , and pays a great sum to obtain , that the execution of them may be put off for some time , and that his physician may use medicines , and apply plaisters to as many as are willing , and that all such , when they are made whole , shall be sent to their own homes : and the rest who will not be ruled by the physician , but spit out his potions because they are bitter , and throw away his plaisters , because they make them smart , they are to remain in their prison , and be put to death as they were sentenced . here we see the ransome that was paid , was first to stop the slaughter of the prisoners , and to get liberty to use means for their recovery to health and soundnesse , and secondly to obtain , that the recovered should be set free to return to their own countrey ; and not onely the contempt of the ransome , but of the physician , would bring death . thus had we by the fall , both brought our selves into danger of present destruction , and disabled our souls , that we could not return to that state whence we fell ; but the son of god undertaking our redemption , obtained for us , that the sentence of condemnation should not speedily be executed , and that there should be assured hopes of escaping destruction , and returning to happinesse , for all those who make not their condition desperate , by continuance in sin , and rejecting of the cure which his spirit would work upon them : now the work of his spirit is to plant and encrease grace in their hearts , to heal the diseases , and remove the weaknesse which sin hath caused , that they may be enabled to walk in the ways of holinesse to their everlasting rest ; and the sending forth of his healing spirit was the fruit of his blood : now as it will assuredly damn men to despise the blood of christ , as if it was of no force to be a ransome , nor to attain those ends for which the gospel saith it was shed , so is it as dangerous and damnable to resist and sleight the spirit of christ , let them pretend what esteem they will for his blood . a like mistake also it is , flowing from the former , to limit the notion of free grace to meer pardoning mercy , whenas it includes sanctifying 〈◊〉 so : for in the instance now given , the physick i hope was as free a gift to the prisoners , as the ransome that was paid for them , notwithstanding this was without them , and the other to be taken into them . and in like manner is the giving of the spirit into us , as purely from the grace and mercy of god ( though merited by christ ) as the giving of his son for us , & accepting of us for his sake . this i was willing to hint , least any when they hear or read of being saved by free grace , should dream of a salvation to be had by a meer pardon , without being sanctified by the spirit . that the making men holy in their hearts and lives was a principall end of christs death , without which no happinesse is to be attained , is , i say , a truth so evident in the very tenour of the gospel , that it may seem needlesse to produce particular proofs ; yet amongst the rest read these few , eph. . . we are his workmanship created in christ jesus unto good works , &c. eph. . , , . — christ loved the church and gave himself for it , that he might sanctifie and cleanse it , &c. and that it might be holy and without blemish . joh. . . the son of god was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil . pet. . . who bare our sins — that we being dead to sin should live unto righteousnesse . tit. . , , . — according to his mercy he saved us , by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy ghost ; which he shed on us abundantly through jesus christ our saviour . read also mat. . . luk. . . rom. . . galat. . . tit. . , , . heb. . . now though i acknowledge it is by the help of the spirit , that we are brought to believe : for faith it self is the gift of god , eph. . . yet i think we shall ordinarily find the promises of the spirit , to be made to those who are already believers , to advance and carry on the work of god upon their souls . and to this end , and of this nature is that grace which is 〈◊〉 and given forth by the sacrament ; even to refresh and nourish the souls of believers , to confirm and encrease those graces that are wrought in them . and to bring them forward to farther degrees of perfection . and this much the very elements themselves do teach us : for as bread is the support and stay of life , and wine that which makes glad the heart of man , and both are needfull for the maintaining of life and encreasing our strength , so are the body and blood of christ alike necessary and usefull to our souls : for he himself hath told us , that his flesh is meat indeed , and his blood is drink indeed , and that he who eats his flesh and drinks his blood dwelleth in him , and hath eternall life , with much more to the same purpose , joh. . the proper meaning whereof as will appear by the context , and the occasion of that discourse , i suppose , is , that they who believe in him , having the same expectations of spirituall life from him , that they have of temporall life from their food , and accordingly receive , digest and improve his doctrine , hoping for remission of sins through his blood , giving entertainment to his spirit , and are filled and fed with those graces which he gives out , that all such shall live forever . and then in a secondary sense , these words may be applied to the sacrament ; so farre as this faith in christ , whereby grace is expected and derived from him , is here particularly acted : for thus he who in the sacrament eats the flesh and drinks the blood of christ hath eternall life ; that is , he who comes with that fitnesse of soul as to be made partaker of the blessings and mercies hereby presented , and earnestly desires , that of christs fulnesse he may receive suitable supplies of grace . to the same purpose seems the apostle to speak , cor. . , . the cup of blessing which we blesse , is it not the communion of th● blood of christ ? and the bread which we break , is it not the communion of the body of christ ? for we being many members are one body . as if he should have said , hereby we have a communion with christ himself , we professe our relation to , and interest in him ; and the benefits which come by him are communicated to us who truly believe in him ; his spirit is diffused and shed abroad upon us , and thereby we , who make up one mysticall body , whereof he is the head , being united and ingrafted into him , as members doe live by him , being acted and upheld by that life and vigour which he gives and continues to us . since then here is spirituall food , sanctifying grace held forth and communicated to souls rightly disposed , this farther informs us what kind of persons communicants ought to be . the dispositions of soul particularly suited to this benefit are , . an earnest desire after grace to be given in , and . a resolution to improve this grace received . hither christians are to come , earnestly longing to have communion with christ himself , who is not onely the master of the feast , but the very food whereupon the believer lives ; and this communion we have by his liberall communications of the graces of his spirit to necessitous souls . this desire of grace is that which is signified by those expressions of hungring and thirsting , which we so often meet with in scripture : answerable to which the spirituall things desired are represented by things to be eaten and drank , as by bread , meat , milk , water and wine . and they are her● shadowed forth under the elements of bread and wine , and must be hungred after by all that come 〈◊〉 this ordinance : which teacheth us , that none are fit to come , who have not already received such beginnings of grace , as may cause them to long for more ; who have not such a spirituall life wrought in them , as may put them upon care to have this life supported and increast . none can feel hunger but they that live ; none can desire after greater measures of grace , who have not in some sort known and tasted the sweatnesse and excellency thereof . but no humble souls need therefore be discouraged , as if they were not worthy to feast at this table , where none are welcome but such as have true grace wrought in them , since they may be confident of their acceptance , if they can really find in themselves an appetite to the provisions made for them , an hearty and sincere desire that their spirituall wants may be supplied , their weaknesse strengthned , and all their distempers healed : and what true christian , whose grace is never so low , but finds in himself a love to , and a longing after more ? but this indeed condemns those who feel no need of any nourishment for their souls , and therefore either wholly neglect sacraments , and other means whereby it is to be had , or else come without any stomach at all , and content themselves with the shell and outside of the duty , which will never feed them . these full souls that loathe the honey combe are like to be sent empty away , whilst the hungry onely shall be filled with good things . now to such sickly , listless souls , that even nauseate the most wholsome food , i would say something briefly in order to their cure , to bring them so farre into frame that they may come with quickened appetites , and enlarged desires to the lords table , as perceiving there are such good things here to be had , which they doe most of all stand in need of . . in order hereto , labour to get sensible what needy empty creatures you are : for till then you are not like to seek out for a supply . consider , i mean , chiefly how to destitute you are by nature , and to this very day , of that which is the true riches , the beauty and dignity of the soul , in that you are so unlike to god , so full of corruption and wickednesse , so empty of that spirituall wisdome , that holinesse , humility , heavenly-mindednesse , and the like excellencies , which alone can render you amiable in the sight of your maker . you cannot imagine , if you have well studied your own hearts , that you brought into the world with you , all that grace which is of absolute necessity , to perfect and accomplish your natures ; and it is too sad a sign you are still without it , whilst you have no more mind to those means which god hath ordained for the conveyance and increase of it . how happy a thing now was it , if you were but throughly convinced of your own wants ! when you doe but perceive you need food , or rayment , or physick , how industrious and impatient are you till you have one way or other , got what you would have ? and thus ardently desirous would you be after the graces of gods spirit , if you did rightly apprehend , that these are the food , and cloathing , and physick of the soul. but alas , how doe people generally labour under the sottishnesse , and self-conceitednesse , which was charged upon the laodicean church , that thought her self rich , increast with goods , needing nothing , and knew not that she was wretched and miserable , poor and blind and naked , revel . . . 't is one of the greatest difficulties in the world to bring men to judge of their poverty or riches by the temper and frame of their souls ; to convince them that they are poor and needy whilst they are gracelesse , though they should overflow in wealth and abundance of all externall things . . wherefore in the next place , let me advise you to beware of a secret mistake which ruines millions , in imagining that outward comforts may serve well enough to make amends for all your necessities ; that the husks of worldly enjoyments may serve , instead of the bread that is in the fathers house . oh take heed of inordinate thirsting after these puddles , or of wallowing in them . doe not so eagerly pursue such unsatisfactory trifles as carnall profits and pleasures , which divert you from the pursuit of those things that most concern you ; but examine well what there is in them to doe good to an immortall soul , which you cannot but account your best part . beware then of being so devoted to the pleasing of your flesh , that you should be thereby stupefied to a regardlesnesse of your soul. the luscious fare which the world affords , cloys the mind of man , and spoils his appetite , and puts him out of relish with his own most proper food . this is the undoing of the most , they are so full of the creature , if not in their hands , yet in their hearts , that they have no mind nor room , to entertain any thing of god there . every man breathing finds himself a needy creature , that cannot live upon himself , but must have something from without brought in to give him satisfaction : but then the misery is , they think their wants are all of that nature , that things here below may supply them . the poor think , there is nothing they need so much as better food and raiment , more plenty and ease and esteem in the world ; and they who abound in these things , because they see others excell them , think they want such and such greater estates and dignities to make them happy . though they find after all their attainments , that still they are restlesse , discontented , and wanting something else , they scarce know what : which might convince them , that it is onely from god they can receive satisfaction , by having their natures perfected with those graces which may fit them for that communion with him in love and delight , wherein the soul of man can onely find rest and contentment . this , i say , they might learn from those restlesse infinite desires of their own hearts , if they would but heedfully attend to the nature thereof : but being more cruell to themselves than any parent to his child , when the soul calls for bread they give it a stone ; endeavouring to put it off , with those things that concern the body alone , whilst that within them , which is most needy still remains so , and is suffered to pine and starve . as if an hungry man should fill his mouth with meat , and let nothing down into his stomach . whilst you are fondly endeavouring to quiet your minds , and accomplish your selves with any thing that is without your souls , be it riches , pleasures , honours , friends , and all the accommodations of the outward man which the world most dotes upon , you are as verily besotted and deceived , as he that thinks to ease a violent pain at his heart with putting on a rich suit of clothes : or to supply the want of enlivening blood and spirits by painting his face . your necessities and diseases are deep and inward ; your very souls are out of order , and nothing in the world will doe you any good but what gets within you , and changes your apprehensions , desires and affections , and makes you quite other persons than now you are . wherefore i would beg you to fix this truth deep into your minds , that since you are become poor and naked through the losse of gods image , which was the riches and beauty of the reasonable creature , it 's never like to be well with you , till you be again restored to his image : which is by being brought to the knowledge and love of him , to an universall submission , and exact conformity to his will , . and when you are brought to this knowledge of your wants , and the nature of them , then consider well , that it is by jesus christ alone that you can be satisfied and supplied . the law was given by moses , but by him comes grace and truth , joh. . . he is the mediatour through whom , and for whose sake we receive from god whatever our souls stand in need of . he by his death hath purchast all things necessary for our salvation ; he is ascended on high , and hath received gifts for his people . as king and head of his church , he communicates to his members those graces , that by his death and intercession he hath obtained for them , and they are replenisht with the fulnesse of him who filleth all in all . and then you are to take notice , that christ hath appointed duties to be performed by us , and set up ordinances , which we are diligently to attend upon , and by his spirit accompanying them , he conveys grace to the hearts of those that are conscionable in the use of these means . such are hearkning to , and meditating upon the word , joh. . . sanctifie them by thy truth , thy word is truth . pet. . . as new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby . and prayer to the father in his name , joh. . . luke . . — how much more will your heavenly father give the spirit to those that ask him . jam. . . if any man lack wisdome let him ask of god , who gives to all men liberally and upbraideth not , and it shall be given him . such also is the sacrament of baptisme , being duly improved , gal. . . for as many of you , as have been baptized into christ have put on christ. rom. . , . pet. . . and lastly this receiving of the lords supper , which is our feeding upon christ who is the paschal lamb sacrificed for us , and herein to believers in a spirituall sense , is afforded a communion of the body and blood of christ , as we may find in the apostles words before mentioned . and when you have but arrived to a sence of your own indigence and christs fulnesse suitable thereto , there will necessarily arise in you , desires after a participation of that fulnesse , which will bring you to , and prepare you for those ordinances wherein these desires may be gratified . lastly , i would advise you to beware , of ever entertaining a conceit , that you are become so full now , that you need nothing : for that 's a plain sign you are poor and know it not . your stomachs are filled with wind instead of solid meat . and whilst you are puft up with this self-conceit , you will be hindred from seeking after what you really want . he that thinks his barns full when they are empty , may through this mistake first lie in idlenesse , and after come to beggary . he that dreams of such a perfection , as makes all helps christ hath appointed needlesse to him , neither knows himself , nor considers what a god he hath to serve , nor what a law he hath given him to walk by . it 's much to be feared , that he who thinks he hath grace enough , hath yet got no saving grace at all . he that knows enough is very ignorant , he that 's humble enough is still exceeding proud , and so of the rest . for he that hath tasted that the lord is gracious , longs after fuller communion with him . he that drinks of the water christ gives , though his sickly thirst after creatures will be cured , yet will such a thirst after more of christ arise in him , as will never be quencht , till he be drencht into the ocean of grace and joy . wherefore study thy self , study the duty of this whole present state , wherein we are enjoyn'd to grow in grace , and learn hence so much humility , so much wisdome , as to own thy necessities , and not go about to cover them : for they will not always be hid , but rather use all means to supply them whilst they are afforded . and as there is required in all receivers an earnest longing , after sanctifying grace which is here vouchsafed ; so the other qualification suitable hereto , i told you , is a resolution to improve this grace ; that is , to lay it out , and shew forth the fruit of it in an holy conversation . this is an effect of the former , and indeed necessarily flows from the nature of grace , which is no way desirable but for use and exercise : not is it possible that in should ordinarily lie still in the heart , and not be brought forth into act , and shewn in the life . he that desires patience , humility , purity , temperance , to what purpose is it but to overcome the temptations , which he meets with in the world to the contrary vices , and to shew forth these fruits of the spirit in all his converse ? whence it appears , that no man is wor●hy to come to the lords table , who is not resolved by the grace of god to live an holy life , and to be led by the spirit in all his ways . he that hath got any sin which he is resolv'd to keep , is not like to have any desire after that grace which should mortifie and quell his sin ; nor any mind to remember that death which was to deliver us from this present evil world . he 's like to be far from a right remembrance of christ , who will not be perswaded to imitate him : for certainly that 's one end of our remembring his death , that we may thereby be drawn to follow his example , which he gave us then as well as in his life , by his constancy , patience , charity to his enemies , and ready resignation of himself to his fathers will ▪ as he walked so ought we to walk , and from his very death may we fetch directions for our life . this resolution for holinesse which i am speaking of is indeed one branch of our faith in christ ▪ being no other than our consent to take him for our king , to guide and govern us in all our thoughts , words , and actions : and therefore having said something to it under that head , as also the former of repentance , i shall at present passe it over . chap. viii . the third benefit is eternall happinesse with god. . the last of those benefits which i named , obtained for us by the death of christ , and to be remembred at the sacrament , is eternall happinesse . it is by his resurrection from the dead , and consequently by his death , that believers have a lively hope of an inheritance incorruptible , undefiled , that fadeth not away , reserved in the heavens for them , pet. . . it was his blood that redeemed them to be kings and priests to god , rev. . , . he gave his flesh for the life of the world , joh. . . by jesus christ god calls us to eternall glory , pet. . . he opened the entrance into paradise which sin had shut up . it was his will not onely that they who believe in him should be kept from the place where satan was , but that they should also be with him where he is , joh. . , this he pray'd for , this he died for ; and is gone before to prepare a place for them , and keeps them here to prepare them for that place , and being ready they shall enter into the kingdome . he receives their spirits when they die , and will raise up their bodies at the last day . now their life is hid with christ in god , and when he appears , then shall they also appear with him in glory , coll. . , . be we sure then , this death of christ cannot be remembred as it ought , if the glory purchast thereby be forgotten . how can we remember a dying christ , but withall we must call to , mind , that he vanguisht this death , is risen again and ascended into glory , whither in due time he will exalt his people . moreover that covenant which is sealed to by this sacrament , promiseth an everlasting kingdome to believers : and can any man forget such a benefit , even whilst he is receiving a confirmation of his right to it ? again here is that grace given out which is the pledge , the seed , the beginning and forecast of glory ; here is the meat which endures to everlasting life : and who can forget his journeys end whilst he is taking food to strengthen him for his travell ? to conclude , here 's a communion of saints , which does in some measure shadow out and signifie that perfect communion which they shall have one with another , when all the elect shall be gathered from the four corners of the earth , and with abraham , isaac , and jacob shall sit down , and for ever remain in the kingdome of god. now hence it appears , that the worthy receiver must be one , who hath taken the heavenly glory for his portion ; who hath got a treasure above , and there placed his heart and his hopes : for none but such a one can with any life and raisednesse remember this glory which is to be revealed . he that is wont to solace himself , with the contemplation thereof , will rejoyce in every thing that hath a relation to it , much more in the remembrance of that price that was paid for it . but how can the earthworm , whose soul lies groveling upon the dust , bring himself to any affectionate thoughts of hidden treasures , which cannot be got into his bags not coffers , which he cannot so much as get a sight of . nor can the swinish voluptuous sinners , that feed upon none but the muddy delights of sense , take any comfort in the forethoughts of pure and spirituall pleasures , such as are prepared for exalted purified souls . any , whoever they be , that place their chief con●entment on earth , are not like , with any pleasure , to think of that time , when they must leave this earth , and enter upon another state , where are no such sensuall enjoyments as here they blest themselves in . ignorant , narrow souls have no heart to think of what shall be thousands and millions of years to come . these poor sordid spirits are so glewed to the little trifles of the world , that they look not so high as after crowns and scepters , which christ hath in store for his faithfull followers . and they who never took much pains to secure or clear up their evidences for heaven , but have taken it for granted , that they must needs go thither at last , or counted it an indifferent thing whether they doe or not , will be farre from those lively apprehensions of the greatnesse of that love which purchast it , and of the excellency of the blisse it self , which are necessary for him who can rightly remember either . now to bring those who are yet strangers hereto , to such an apprehension of the glory to come by christ , that they may chuse it as their portion , and so be joyfully taken up in the expectations thereof : in one word , i would desire thee , whoever thou art , that hast but so much common reason as to distinguish between good and evil , to consider well whether thou hast not a sou● as well as a body , and whether this soul must not remain in being and alive , when thy body is rotting in the earth , and whether then it doth not as much , yea infinitely much more , concern thee to seek out for somewhat , that may at that time make thy soul happy , than for what may now please thy senses . yea , since thou must live somewhere for ever , think whether it is not more worthy thy care , to provide for an everlasting well-being , than for the comforts of a frail short life . if thou art thus farre convinced , then make an impartiall search , whether there be any thing here below , that 's able to make thee perfectly happy . thy houses and lands , thy pleasures and honours , will any , or all of these give in all that felicity which thou desirest or needest ? are they of the same nature with thy soul ? or will they last as long as it will last ? must not all thy merry days at length come to an end ? and wilt thou be ever the better for all thou hast enjoy'd when once it 's over ? will the remembrance give thee any satisfaction ? in that night wherein thy soul will be required of thee , what advantage wilt thou have from the goods thou hadst laid up for many years ? yea or from those goods thou hadst liv'd upon the years before ? when the earth and all its works shall be burnt up , where will all thy possessions and treasures be ? if thou hast nothing to live on , but what will be turned into flames , what wilt thou then fix upon ? at that day when there shall be no marrying or giving in marriage , no wives or children , no relations or friends , whose society will afford any such comfort as here it did ; when the interest of princes and great ones , whose favour was here thy shelter and thy pride , shall all be vanisht , what will thy confidence in men avail thee ? examine these or any other outward prop whereon thou leanest , and see whether it be not a broken reed : and if so , except thou art resolv'd against thy own happinesse , methinks thou should'st now onely make choice of that which will never give thee cause to repent what thou didst , as all things will , but the eternall glory which god hath promised to those that love him . but he that can once upon good grounds say , this heaven is mine , i shall see the face of god with joy , and live in his love for ever , may now lead a serene and chearfull life in the midst of all occurrences ; and need not be daunted at death it self , but rather rejoyced , as it takes him to the possession of his treasure , wafts him to his own home . wherefore , if thou love thy life , be perswaded to aim at this highest glory ; let nothing short of it content thee , think no condition hard to get it ; rest not till thou hast made it as sure as thou canst that it 's thine ; and then having thus fixt thy end , thou maist travell on with alacrity and speed , and take abundance of comfort in the fore-thoughts of thy future blisse , in using all helps afforded in thy journey to it , and in the remembr●nce of that precious blood which was shed to purchase it , and by consequence wil be fitted to celebrate the sacrament . chap. ix . v. it must be a thankfull remembrance . it is not possible that the death of christ can be remembred as it ought , without the most hear●y and unfeigned thankfulnesse to god , for so great and glorious a mercy . hath he the heart of a man that can co●template the sufferings of christ , and the infinite unspeakable benefits thereby procured for poor sinners and not find himself raised to return thanks and praise to god , for his gracious dealings with mankind ? this duty is so proper to the lords supper , that hence it antiently obtained the name of eucharist , a return of thanks . since then , every man who partakes thereof , ought to be thus truly thankfull to god for his love revealed in christ , this again acquaints us what kind of persons communicants must be , namely such who are capable of rendring ; acceptable praise to god , which doth but give farther evidence of the necessity of those qualifications before laid down . none but such as have been made sensible of the evil of sin , and of the danger they were thereby liable to , will be heartily thankfull for that mercy which prevent● this misery , by purchasing and vouchsafing the forgivenesse of their sins . how formall and hypocriticall are his thanks like to be for christ , who never yet saw , what need he stood in of him ? will he thank you for a plaister who never felt himself wounded ? can he have any gratefull sense , of the love that plucks poor sinners as brands out of the fire , who never perceived himself in any such danger ? can he be thankfull for ease and rest , who never felt his strong lusts , nor the curse of the law and wrath of god , as any load or burden upon him ? nor can he be thankfull for the grace that is given by christ , who had farre rather keep his sins , than be renewed and sanctified . little thanks will he return for the light who is but disturbed and troubled with it , and so far shamed by it , that he cannot pursue his wicked designs with that freedome and eagernesse as he could before whilst he was more in the dark , where he had still rather remain . how can he thank god for grace who rejects and despiseth it ? for being taken out of the snares of the devil , who wilfully fastens himself into them ? will he praise god for liberty and ability to serve him , who saith of his service , what a wearinesse is it ? and thinks it would be better for him if he might live as he list , and never be put upon so much trouble as godlinesse brings along with it ? nor can he be thankfull for the glory to be had by christ , who hath not a sound perswasion of the certainty and excellency of it , and who hath not firmly resolved to take it for his portion . he that knows nothing better than bodily enjoyments , and would think himself undone was he stript of these , is like to be very cold in giving thanks for spirituall blessings . in a word , he that is sensible of no great benefit he shall have by christ either here or hereafter , cannot be expected to have any great measure of thankfulnesse for this mercy which he so little understands . and this is the case of all unhumbled , unsanctified ones , to whom the gospel is hid , their minds being darkned by the god of this world . and if these poor senslesse creatures should with a few feigned words pretend to give god thanks for jesus christ , yet would it be but the sacrifice of fools , a meer lip service , and therefore no way acceptable to the most holy god. yea indeed they would hereby but very solemnly mock the divine majesty , whilst they thank him for those mercies which they will not accept at his hands ; praising him for jesus christ and the benefits he brings , whilst they will have none of him or them , on the terms that god propoundeth . no , no , it is onely the broken-healed heart , the humble raised soul that can be feelingly and affectionately thankfull to god for a saviour , who hath wrought so great works for them , and in them , and laid up such great provisions for the time to come . they that were lost but are found , they that were dead but are alive , in these will their heavenly father take pleasure , and these will rejoyce in his love , and return praise to him who sent his son , to seek and save that which was lost . to bring men into such a state and frame , that they may be disposed and enabled , from an inward sense of his goodnesse , to render such thanks to the father of mercies , as may be well-pleasing to him ; i should onely onely need to repeat what was before laid down to bring them to accept of christ , which when once they are brought to , and arrived to any hopes of their acceptance with god through him , then both in heart and voice , with their lips and lives will they adore and praise him , who called them out of darknesse into his marvellous light . wherefore study well your many and great necessities which christ alone can supply . consider to what miseries by sin you stand exposed , from which he alone can keep you . remember what he did and suffered , how low he condescended for the sake of man , and remember your own utter unworthinesse , that ever the least love or regard should have been manifested to you ; and yet consider what great things are done for you into how good a state matters are brought , what abundant blessings are freely bestowed on the humble and believing , what rich and precious promises are made them , what mercies are given for this life and that to come , grace and glory , and whatever is good for men , nothing is withheld from them . let but the consideration of all the rich and precious priviledges which christ gives to his servants sink into thy soul , and then thou wilt find it even impossible , not to magnifie the author and purchaser of such gifts ; nor wilt thou be able to refrain from expressions of thy gratitude and love ; and therefore maist worthily come to the sacrament there to exercise and expresse those holy affections . chap. x. vi. it must produce an holy love to saints . he that rightly remembers the death of christ , and and well considers the infinite love herein shewn to mankind , cannot but be thereby wrought to an hearty love to all his fellow christians . and that 's the last qualification i shall mention , necessary for all communicants , and which flows from their remembrance of christ , to wit , that they be in charity with all men , and have an especiall endeared love to all true christians , both those that communicate with them and others . to this great duty of brotherly love we have the most forcible engagement that ever could be imagined , by the example of our blessed lord laying down his life for us ; and his behaviour at death , even praying for his persecutors , doth sufficiently tell us how we ought to behave our selves towards our bitterest adversaries . we see then what a spirit we shall have wrought in us by a right remembrance of our dying saviour , not onely toward our friends but our enemies themselves . as for that love that ought to be amongst all true christians , we find this is the new command , that he hath inculcated upon us , and obliged us to by the great example of his unparalell'd love , that we also should love one another , joh. . , . joh. . . and this he hath made the very badge of his true disciples , whereby they should be known from the rest of the world , joh. . , . and one particular end of our meeting together at the lords table , is to testifie and strengthen our mutuall love . this we shew by our eating and drinking together , which is the custome of friends : and this is one reason why this sacrament is called the communion , in that christians have here the most endearing fellowship with each other . for hereby is not onely represented their union with christ their head , and their spirituall communion with him , but that nearnesse of relation they have amongst themselves , being mystically united into one body , whereof christ is the head , cor. . . for we being many are one bread and one body : for we are all partakers of that one bread . each christian is so related to and joyned with the other , that they go to the making up of one body , as the severall grains compacted together make one bread ; and by their joynt participation of this one bread , they declare themselves to be but one body , the children of one father , living in one family , and feeding at the same table , upon the very same food , even upon christ himself , who is the true bread that came down from heaven ; and upon their being united to christ as head is founded this their so near and intimate relation to each other , to be fellow-members of the same body ; as they that have the same soveraign are fellow subjects , they that have the same parents are brethren : and by their feeding on this sacramentall food , and christ himself therein , from whom the whole body being fitly joyned together makes increase , unto the edifying of it self in love , eph. . , . having here a communion with him which fills and acts them with the same spirit ; hereby , i say , they receive a farther bond and disposition to the greatest unity of hearts and affections . so that we are especially engaged before our attendance upon this ordinance , to go our way and be reconciled to our brother . the leaven of malice , amongst all other wickednesse , is to be purged out when we keep this feast , cor. . , . and indeed we shall find this the generall sense of people , that they ought to be in charity with their neighbours before they come to the sacrament , whilst they discover too little sense of the necessity of other graces that are equally needful ; yea , whilst they remain destitute of this very charity it self , which they acknowledge to be so necessary : for alas ! they are not so easily brought to the practice of their duty as to acknowledge and commend it . for the plain truth is , none can rise up , to this excellent temper of spirit , wherein one half of our religion consists , but he who is engrafted into christ , and transformed into his likenesse by the spirit of love ; which may d●rect those who are yet void hereof what course to take for the attainment of the same , namely to get united to christ by a living faith and fervent love , whereby they shall find kindled in their breasts a new affection to all that doe with them love the lord jesus . for certainly it is not enough for us , that we have no malice in our hearts against any , nor wish them any hurt ; this is a poor description of christian charity , and may be found in a turk or jew : but there ought to be in us , beside a general love to all mankind , which makes us desirous of their good , a peculiar tender love of all christs faithfull servants , which causeth us to take delight in them , as such in whom we behold , the image of god shining forth in their holy conversations , and begets in us unfeigned desires for their good both of soul and body , and makes us willing to contribute our assistance thereto , according to our ability and their necessities , inward or outward , and it inclines us to rejoyce in their good in some measure as if it was our own ; and hereby our hearts are so knit to them , that we hold greatest familiarity with them , and take pleasure in their society and conference , and more especially in joyning with them in the worship and service of god. this is a most sweet affection , and the exercise of it is exceeding pleasant to a gracious soul : which , was it more common in the world , would reform it from a wildernesse into a kind of paradise , and the perfection of it , will be one great part of our future happinesse . but this true christian love can dwell in none but such in whom god dwells , who is love . onely they who are recovered out of the selfish carnall state , and are brought home to god by jesus christ , are the men that are capable of this sincere love to their brethren , for which many clear reasons might be given , was it needfull and pertinent . but this may suffice for all , that this affection is grounded upon and follows our spirituall relation , and therefore a man must first be in christ himself , before he can love another purely as his brother in christ , as a fellow-member of the same body . he that hath not submitted himself to his prince , cannot love another upon account of his being a fellow-subject with him to the same soveraign . and hence it is we find this given in as a character of our regeneration , joh. . . hereby we know we are past from death to life because we love the brethren . most certain it is , that they who find not in themselves a love to any people in the world upon account of their being made like to god in holinesse , are destitute of true love to god himself . wherefore i would advise you to try your selves by this note ; look into your own hearts , and look abroad amongst those you hold your dearest friends , and examine what it is that draws out your love towards them . are they therefore dear to you because they appear to you to be lovers of god , and such as have a great zeal for his glory , because they are of pious exemplary lives , and therefore ( so farre as you can discern ) of gracious spirits ? doe you love them as those that are bought with the same blood , and sanctified by the same spirit with your selves ? as such who are helpfull to your souls , or receive help from you , and walk in the same holy way , and with whom you hope to live for ever in the same glory ? or is not all your affection founded upon carnall reasons , and bestowed onely upon your kindred , or such that have done you courtesies in worldly matters ; but as for the rest , you see no reason , why you should love one more than another . nay farther , doe you not find your hearts secretly rise against such holy persons , as i before mentioned , so that you had rather be in any company than theirs , and could even wish the world rid of them , because their blamelesse lives doe condemn and shame yours , and sometimes their loving admonitions check and disturb you , as lot was a trouble to the sodomites ? are you not so farre from a reverent esteem of godlinesse , that you can rather scoff at it , though pe●haps under o●her names , and are prone to think it nothing else but fancy and folly to be so shy of sin , and so extream carefull to please god ? if it be 〈◊〉 , for certain you are no better than haters of god himself , as he is holy and just , though it may be you think not so much by your selves . he that loves the father will love the child also , so farre as he 's like him : he that loves the person will love his picture . he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen , how can he love god whom he hath not seen ? joh. . . wherefore see to get your hearts deeply affected with the glories and excellencies of the blessed god , and you will find your selves carried out to a great esteem of any shadows , and resemblances of these in his people . let christ be once the chiefest of ten thousand to your souls altogether lovely and desirable , and then you will count those in whom he hath copied out himself , and shed abroad his own spirit , to be the onely excellent ones upon earth , in whom you will take great delight . you will then so fall in love with his image wherever you discern it , that in comparison thereof you will even disdain all those worldly excellencies , which doe so dazle the eyes of short-sighted , mean-spirited ones . that humility , purity , reverence of the divine majesty , gentlenesse , goodnesse , and all other fruits of the spirit , which display themselves in the behaviour of the truly sanctified , will make them appear more honourable in your eyes , and render them farre more dear to you than those , who have nothing to commend them to your esteem , but that they have great estates , wear brave clothes , and have high titles conferred upon them : though you must not be wanting in those respects that are due to outward greatnesse , yet if you be christians of a right stamp , you will be such as david mentions when he describes a citizen of zion , psal. . . one in whose eyes a vile person is contemned , but he honoureth them that fear the lord. yea farther , you will see more reason for your love to those that are holy , than to your brethren or nearest kindred in the flesh , or than to those that are onely of the same opinions and principles that you your selves are of , which doe lamentably confine and regulate the affections of the most . but the right christian temper is farre more generous and large ; for being derived from the bowels of christ , it begets the same disposition in the souls wherein it dwells , according to their capacity , that is in christ himself . and therefore they hate none , they envy none : as for the wicked miserable ones , they pity , and even mourn over them , as we find christ did , and with patience and meeknesse are ready to give them all the help they can , to bring them out of their uncomfortable dangerous estates ; but all whom they have reason to believe christ loves , that walk as he hath enjoyned all his friends to doe , these they dearly love ; and such errours or infirmities , which will not cause christ to withdraw his favour from them , will not take off their affections : for they dare not pretend to greater strictnesse than their lord , least what they might call pure zeal for him , should be found pure selfishnesse . and therefore they dare not make their own private apprehensions , which they find not in the creed nor in the gospel , the standard and measure of such as must passe for godly , and be thought worthy their regard and esteem , which is the constant note of one addicted to a party : but , i say , they would have their friendship as large as their lord and masters , since 't is for his sake that they have any friends at all . such is the affection which gods spirit works in his people , and with which they are possest so farre as they are fram'd and moulded by his spirit . but moreover the charity requisite in communicants , consists not onely in a cordiall love to the godly , whom they are to reckon upon as dearest friends , but also in forgivenesse of injuries to all that are their enemies , and have done or endeavoured to doe them wrong : which temper is of flat necessity to all that would come worthily to this ordinance . hither men come expecting a pardon ; and can he look for a pardon of his many and hainous sins from the great god of heaven and earth , who will not forgive some small offence that he may have received from his fellow-creature ? small , i say , for the greatest injury that can be done us by another is exceeding small , and not worthy our notice so farre as we our selves onely are concerned therein . selfish men will never believe this , but it 's a certain truth , and so plain , that many sober heathens doe with great earnestnesse inculcate it . alas , what can they doe but a little hinder out thriving in the world , or deny us that respect we would have by their carelesse carriage , or speak meanly or falsly of us to lessen our credit ? such like trifles as these are the worst that we shall ordinarily meet with , from our bitterest enemies : and are these such unsufferable injuries , that by all means we must seek to be revenged ? surely such a wicked spirit cannot enter into the breast of a christian , that remembers what he hath done against god , and yet what he expects from him , and what he hath already received . and indeed there is nothing more likely to bring us to the performance of this duty to our brother , than the serious consideration of the infinite mercy god hath shown to us in sending his son , and freely tendering forgivenesse through him . this we find prest upon us , eph. . . and be ye kind one to another , tender-hearted , forgiving one another , even as god for christs sake hath forgiven you . col. . . forbearing one another , and forgiving one another , if any man have a quarrell against any , even as christ forgave you , so also doe ye . and to engage us the more , our forgiving of others is made a condition of being forgiven our selves , mat. . , . for if ye forgive men their trespasses , your heavenly father will also forgive you ; but if you forgive not men their trespasses , neither will your father forgive your trespasses . how hard-hearted must that servant be , who , when his lord hath forgiven him ten thousand talents , takes his brother by the throat , and casts him into prison for an hundred pence ? how just is it that all the former debt should be charged by his lord upon such a servant ? as you may find in the parable at large , matth. . from . to the end , where , after christ had told , how terribly that unthankfull cruell servant was dealt with , he addes ver . l●st , so likewise shall my heavenly father doe also unto you , if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their tresp●sses . to love god above all ; and our neighbour as our selves , are the two great commandments , whereon depend the law and the prophets , and which comprehend all our duty : and to both of these we have the greatest help , and strongest ob●igation by the death of christ that ever could be tho●ght on . shall we not love him that hath thus loved us ? and shall we not shew pity and compassion to others who have received so much our selves ? yea , who shall be shut out from mercy if we be unmercifull ? no spirit in the world is so contrary to the gospel as that of malice and revenge , and retaining a secret enmity and spight against any person whatever . as thou would'st escape the society and portion of devils h●reafter , beware how thou now entertainest this devilish nature , than which nothing is more frequently forbidden in the gospel , and nothing more flatly enjoyned than the contrary temper , gal. . . now the fruits of the flesh ●re manifest , which are these , adultery , f●rnic●tion , &c. hatred , variance , emulations , wrath , strife , seditions , heresies , envyings , murders : ver . . but the fruit of the spirit is love , joy , peace , long-suffering , gentlenesse , goodnesse , f●ith , meeknesse , &c. col. . . but now you also put off all these , anger , wrath , malice , blasphemy , &c. v. , . put on theref●re ( as the elect of god , holy and beloved ) bowels of mercy , kindnesse , humblenesse of mind , meeknesse , long-s●ffering . when the apostle paul wrote to the corinthians to rectifie the disorders they were guilty of , in reference to the lords supper , the first thing he falls upon is the divisions that were amongst them , cor. . . that composednesse of soul , that humility , self-abasement , and humble dependance upon free mercy , which are so absolutely necessary for him that would profit by this ordinance , do all call for a quiet , charitable frame of spirit toward our brethren , when we betake our selves thereto . and thus ( by gods assistance ) have i in some measure shewn , from the nature and design of this ordinance , ( which is to keep up the remembrance of christ ) how those persons must be qualified who can duly attend thereupon . to repeat their description once again : they who are furnisht with the knowledge of the necessary fundamentall truths of christian religion , and doe believe them to be indeed truths , being so verily perswaded that christ is the saviour of the world , that they heartily consent to take him for their saviour ; and therefore being humbled for , and resolved presently to turn from all their evil ways , doe humbly expect ( or at least earnestly desire ) the pardon of their sins from the mercy of god for his sake ; and are truly willing to have their hearts sanctified by the spirit of god given out through him , that they may lead an holy life ; and doe depend upon him to bring them to everlasting glory in the enjoyment of god , upon whom they have set their dearest love , and chose him as their onely portion ; being sincerely thankfull for the manifestations of his wonderfull love in christ , and by the power of this love are in charity with all men , forgiving their enemies , and having a peculiar affection to the members of christ : these , and onely these are fit to partake of the lords supper . wherefore i entreat thee , whoever thou art , that would'st not wilfully delude thy own soul , and rush upon this duty to thy hurt , take thy self to task , and examine well whether thou art such a one as i have here described : yea , if thou hast any desire to escape everlasting misery , and be received into heaven when thou diest , examine thy self ; for except thou beest or becomest such a one , as sure as god is true , thou art never like to be saved . chap. xi . an invitation to come to christ and his sacrament , with motives thereto . use. my next work now is to call upon and exhort all , thus to examine and prepare themselves , and so to come and eat of this bread and drink of this cup. ho! all you that have any love to the blessed jesus , who loved you to the shedding of his warmest hearts-blood for your sakes , come hither and shew forth his death till he come . if christ be precious to you , let his memory be precious , and be you carefull to preserve it by your due and frequent attendance upon this ordinance , set up on purpose for the remembrance of him . all you whose eyes have been opened to discern , the vilenesse of your natures and conversations , come hither and give a kindly vent to your sorrow , beholding sin at the worst , in those wounds that it gave to your dearest saviour . all you that are indeed convinced that christ is the true messiah , come forth from god to give life to the world , and are resolved to hearken to him that your souls may live , come hither , and before god , angels and men , professe these resolutions , and bind your selves over to him , to be his disciples and most obedient servants : be not asham'd of the crosse of christ , but a vow it before all the world , that your hope of happinesse is placed onely in that jesus , who was slain and hanged on a tree , but is risen again and ascended into the heavens ; hereby own that you are christians , let others be what they will. come hither all you that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse , and feed upon him who here conveys of himself to the empty longing soul , and satisfies his people with good things suitable to their wants . come hither poor dejected drooping soul , that dost unfeignedly love thy lord , but art afraid thou shalt never obtain his favour ; come and see what he hath done to assure thee of the reality , the freenesse and fulnesse of his love . come and tast the provisions he hath made for thy comfort and rejoyce in the sense of his bounty . all you that expect shortly to look your redeemer in the face , come hither and behold him , where till then , you may most clearly discern him . here stamp his im●ge firmly upon your minds , that he may live in your breasts , though for a while he is out of your sight , that till you shall see him you may never be forgetfull of him . come hither young ones , and betimes list your selves under christ your leader , here remember your creatour and redeemer in the days of your youth ! come hither ye aged that have stood idle in the market-place , till the eleventh hour of the day , now at length hire your selves under the lord of the vineyard to be more industrious in his service for the hour that is behind . come hither ye poor and partake of a feast that shall cost you nothing . come hither ye rich to a feast more precious and costly than ever you were at , which cost the master thereof his own life to provide it . come hither ye masters , and promise to become the servants of christ. come hither ye servants , and by taking christ for your lord become his free-men . yea , all you that have been the most estranged from god , and greatest despisers of christ , yet now at length if you will come in , acknowledging the folly of your former ways , protesting against any longer continuance therein , humbly imploring mercy and acceptance from god through his son , even you are invited hither , to testifie the truth of your return to him , and to receive the pardon that is ready for you . behold , wisdome hath builded her house , and furnisht her table , and calls to all to eat of her bread and drink of the wine that she hath mingled ; to all that are fully determined to forsake the foolish , and go in the way of understanding . hearken you foolish prodig●ls , whose souls are out of tast with all solid food , through your feeding upon the luscious delights of sin and the creature , which yet have onely deluded , never satisfied you : cast away these empty husks , and come to a plenteous feast here made ready , wherein you will acknowledge there is sweetnesse and fulnesse , if your distempers be cured , and your appetite and relish changed . so large is the commission which christ hath granted , that in his name i dare confidently invite all , whoever they are , or whatever they have been , even the most profane and sensuall , drunkards and whoremonger , the proud and covetous , if now at last you will be perswaded to bid an everlasting farewell to all your ways of wickednesse , and for the time to come to walk in the holy path , see that you are sincere and you may come boldly to the sacrament , there to manifest and confirm these purposes . if at length you are weary of that miserable drudgery , wherein the enemy and tormentour of mankind , the devil , hath imploied you , labouring to keep you in bondage to sin , than which there is not a more loathsome stinking dungeon , more intolerable chains in all the world ; if , i say , you would fain be delivered from this slavery , and will take on you christs easie yoke , that you may find rest for your souls , come hither and enter your , selves into his service , engaging to be subject to him all the days of your life . in a word , all you that have been baptized into the name of the father , son , and holy ghost , and understanding what that signifies , doe consent to the obligations thereby laid upon you , come to the lords supper , and manifest this consent , and renew this covenant to be the lords . some considerations i shall lay before you , to quicken you to the performance of this weighty duty , which i propose not so much to those who are already prepared , that they would come to this feast ; but rather to all indifferently , that they would prepare themselves , and come away without any longer delay . . to that end , first consider , this is the expresse command of christ , as you may find at his first institution of this sacrament before mentioned , luk. . . this do in remembrance of me . and to whom was this command given do you think ? onely to the apostles , or in them to all christians ? what reason can be given why it should be peculiar to them and not common to others ? they were look● upon and spoke to here , as disciples , and therefore all christs disciples are concerned therein . and you cannot think this was an injunction that had reference to that time onely ; the very phrase remembrance speaks the contrary : for this implies something that 's past or absent ; which shews they were to do this after the death of christ should be past , and he ascended from them into heaven , in remembrance of him and his death . but to put the matter past doubt , we have the practice of the apostles after christs death and ascension , telling us how they understood this command : and i hope we shall find none so impudent , as to say they misunderstood it . now though it was always wont to be accounted profanenesse , to violate the commands of christ , yet there are a sort of men in the world , that would make it a piece of religion forsooth , to contemn this his injunction , and their disobedience to his law must passe for a sign of their perfection . but if they stand condemned by all impartiall men , who , not onely in name but in deed , would bring more sacraments into the church than christ hath done , giving the same honour to , and pleading for the same efficacy and necessity of their inventions , as of christs own institutions , wherein the papists are grosly guilty : what doe they better , who would cast forth of the church of those sacraments , which our lord hath ordained , as if they were uselesse unnecessary things , which is the doctrine of our quakers . if there was nothing else to be said in answer to the unreasonable pretences of these men , is it not enough that we have a plain command of christs to oppose to their fancy ? he saith to all his followers , do this , and they say , do it not : which should we rather hearken to ? and hereby judge what spirit that is , which riseth up in such flat contradiction to the voice of christ ? but farther , can they or any man else shew , that this command is founded upon such reasons , as makes it of lesse force and obligation to us , than to those whom it was first given to ? doe not all the grounds of this duty which were then , still remain the same ? as i shall shew more afterward . wherefore let them either shew where christ hath repealed the precept which he once gave , or let them beware of falling under the woe denounced against such , as not onely break his commands , but teach others so to do . and little lesse guilty than these are they , who , though they will grant christs command in force , yet give not obedience to it ; and though they will not say this sacrament is unprofitable , yet by their neglect receive no profit from it . all you that have been long since at years of discretion , and have had frequent opportunities to come to the lords table , and yet have not cared to inform your selves , what it is you should doe there , what good you should get by it , and so have taken no care to make preparations for this duty , but from year to year have neglected it ; what think you of this course . i beseech you ? stay a while and reflect upon it . did you never hear of a command given by the lord jesus , that all true christians should meet together at this supper , and there in remembrance that his body was broken , and his blood shed for them , eat bread and drink wine set apart for that purpose ? hath he given a command to this purpose , or hath he not ? that it was spoken to the apostles , i have told you , hinders not , but that it belongs as well to you , since if you be sincere christians as they were , you have the same cause to doe this that they had . when christ bids them deny themselves , love one another , and pray to the father in his name ; doe not these precepts reach you and i , as well as those particular persons to whom he spake them ? and tell me if you can , why the case is not the same , as to that command of his , which i have even now mentioned , that we should do this , receive this sacrament of his supper , in remembrance of him . he that hath commanded you to mortifie your lusts , to love god above all , he it is hath enjoyned you to do this ; and if you think he ought to be obeyed in one thing , why not in all ? so then since you cannot but grant , that such a command there is , what can you say for your selves who have disobeyed it ? are you not hereby guilty of contemning the authority of the law-giver ? what say you ? doe you think you have herein behaved your selves as you ought ? can you imagine , that this your negligence and disobedience is acceptable to the lord jesus ? or doe you not care whether it is or not ? i hope it is not all one with you to please or to provoke him . does not then your conscience by this time smite you for your carelessnesse ? if not , i doubt it is seared and sencelesse ; if it does , then let me ask you what you intend for the time to come . will you hold on that course which you dare not justifie , which your own conscience condemns you for ? dare you still persist in the breach of a known law ? have you any thing to say against the law it self , or against him that made it ? is it not the law of christ the son of god , your redeemer ? and hath not he power to enjoyn you what he pleaseth ? hath not he right to govern you upon account of his redeeming you ? and are not all things delivered into his hands by the father ? yea , does not the father himself speak to you in and by him ? does not he himself tell us , that the words which he spoke were the fathers that sent him ? john . . and . can you then gainsay christs authority ? if not , how dare you resist it ? doe you indeed take him for your lord or not ? answer me one way or other . if you doe not , then call your selves no longer christians : for this your subjection is essentiall to your christianity , as i have before shewed . if you doe , then pray tell me , how can this consist with wilfull violation of plain precepts ? doe you take him for your master if you will yield him no reverence nor fear ? will you not be as subject to your lord as the centurions servants were to him ? to whom if he said but , do this , they did it . let this be the triall whether you will or not : behold christ saith to thee in the gospel , and now in his name , and with power from him , i charge thee , do this , come and p●rtake of his supper which he hath prepared for his friends and followers . here now is a d●e this : wilt thou obey it or not ? if thou wilt not , consider well , whether christ be like to reckon thee , amongst his faithfull servants at last ; and what thou would'st think of a servant of thy own that should carry himself thus towards thee . what thy usuall shifts and evasions are , i shall take notice anon and give thee an answer . onely at present , let me make hast to entreat thee not to mistake me and deceive thy self , as if i was thus earnest and importunate with thee for nothing else , but to go with thy neighbours sometimes when a sacrament is administred , and there take a bit of bread and a sup of wine with a little seeming reverence , without any due consideration before or after to what purpose it is . canst thou be so silly as to imagine , thou hast satisfied the will of christ when thou hast done this ? or canst thou think thy soul ever the better for it ? wherefore remember what it was i first exhorted thee to , namely to examine and prepare thy self , and so to eat of this bread and drink of this cup ; to repent of , and set thy self against all sin , and to devote thy self to christ , and then to take the sacrament as a testimony that thou dost so , and as a bond to oblige thee firmer to him . this i have frequently told thee ; and that thou maist be sure to understand my meaning and remember it , take it once again in this plain comparison : if a master was about to bargain with one to be his servant , offering so much wages and a shilling in earnest , and another that stands by , having a mind to drive on the bargain , should perswade the servant not to stand off , but to take his earnest , doe you not know what he meant by this ? doe you think he wisht the man onely to take the shilling , and go his way without any more adoe ? surely no , but to agree with him to become his servant , to do the work he should appoint him , and to shew his consent to this , should take the shilling that was to be given in earnest . thus , reader , being earnestly desirous to drive on a match betwixt christ and thy soul , i would fain beg thee to take the sacrament , as an evidence of thy consent to become his faithfull servant ; but upon no other terms i 'le assure thee . wherefore if thou be resolved against the diligent service of god , and yet venturest upon this ordinance , let the blame be upon thy own head . doe not think to excuse thy self by saying , thou read'st a book that told thee it was christ command to all , that they should receive the sacrament , and that therefore thou didst as thou wast instructed : for again and again have i made known to thee , that none ought to do thus but true christians , such as believe in , love and obey the lord jesus ; and this is that to which thou art implicity urged by that very command which he hath given for thy frequenting his supper . and this i would presse upon all that perform this duty rudely and negligently , as well as on those that altogether omit it . let not such carelesse ones imagine , they have hitherto rendred due obedience to this command . for consider , when a duty is enjoyned , all that is necessary in order thereto is thereby enjoyned , and the right manner of performing it also . thus when we are commanded to pray to god , by that very command we are engaged to get the knowledge of god , and to believe that he can hear and help us ; and also to be reverent and serious in our prayers : for without these and the like qualifications we may say over a many words , but we cannot properly be said to pray . thus when christ commands us to eat bread and drink wine in remembrance of him , he hereby commands us to get our hearts into such a frame , that we may be fit and able to remember him with those affections , and in that manner that it beseems ransomed men to remember their redeemer : and therefore we must know him , and be sensible of our own slavery , and be willing to be redeemed by him , and be thankfull for his love , with the other qualifications which i have before shewn to be necessary to , and included in our remembrance of him . if you make a feast on purpose to entertain a friend , you thereby suppose not onely that he should come to your table , but that he should come with a stomach to eat of your provisions . and when christ invites men to his table , where he hath provided spirituall food under the outward elements , doe you not think he requires all that come , that they should have an appetite to , and desire after what he hath provided for them ? thus then have i laid open to you the flat command of christ , whereby you are required to put your selves in a right posture , and come to this feast which he hath ordained in his church , as a memoriall of the redemption he wrought for it . whether you will obey it or not i cannot tell , i leave that to your choice ; if you have any reason that seems stronger , than the will of christ , doe as you shall think fit ; onely remember , the command i have been urging upon you , was given you by that jesus who will be your judge , and whose sentence will passe acccording to that word whereof this command is a part , and if you think you have got any such excuse , as will bring you off clear at that day , though you be found guilty of contemning his law , i have no more to say , but at your own perill be it : here i have given you faithfull warning . here i may farther adde , that you have not onely christs command , but the example of his apostles , disciples , and the primitive christians to engage you to this duty , wherein they were all conscientious and frequent , act. . . they that were converted by the preaching of the apostles continued stedfastly in their doctrine and fellowship , and in breaking of bread and in prayers . and this you may find was the practice of the church of corinth ( and by consequence of all other churches then planted ) in that the apostle rectifies the abuses they were guilty of therein , as you may find at large , cor. . . to the end . and are not we to walk as we have these for an example , and to be followers of them as they are of christ. moreover they that are skill'd in church history tell us , that it is most certain , it was the custome of the primitive christians , usually to celebrate this sacrament every lords day at least . and by the way take notice , though we have no particular precept in scripture how frequently we ought to doe it , yet from thence we are taught , that it ought to be done more than once , and the practice of those who best knew the mind of christ may inform us , that it ought to be done often ; though the particular times are left to the prudence of church-governours . . in the next place i would wish you well to consider , whether you have not good reason to conclude , that you shall receive much advantage from the performance of that duty , which is recommended to you by the expresse command of christ , and the example of his first followers . was there nothing else to be shewed but a command from him , whom you acknowledge your soveraign , one would think it enough to silence all objections , and bring you to obedience . but doe you not moreover believe , that christ designed the good of his servants by the institution of this sacrament in his church ? are any of his commands grievous or unprofitable ? is not the whole design of christian religion evidently for our interest , if we believe we have immortall souls ? and can you imagine this one duty to be an exception from all the rest ? as having nothing in it which may make it worthy our performance . hath not he backt his commands with promises , that we might have all kind of encouragement to his service ? hath not he told us , that to those who keep his commandments he will manifest himself ? doe you think then , that when christ first set up this sacrament , he hereby intended any advantage to those who should celebrate it ? if not , he appointed them a meer piece of drudgery , in some respect worse than the jewish ceremonies ( for they had their use to the spirituall ) and even as bad as tho●e bu●densome ridiculous ceremonies , which make up so great a part of the popish religion ; but if you dare not affi●m this , then i would know , whether the same advantages doe not still continue to this ordinance , which were first intended to be communicated by it to the worthy receiver ? again , did the apostles and their companions get any good by it think you ? if not , it 's strange they should be so exact and frequent in it ; i● they did , fain would i know , why the same good is not still to be got by serious diligent christians . certainly gods treasures of grace are not spent , his fountain is not drawn dry , no nor ever will be . he that will be the everlasting portion of his people when this world is ended , hath enough sure in himself for the supply of all their necessities , whilst they are travelling through the world . when millions of saints have received that grace which leads them to glory , there is not a jot the lesse for those that come after . and as his graces are not exhausted , so neither is the way of giving them forth changed ; in the same manner that his spirit accompanied the word and sacraments , at any time since the gospel was publisht , in the same manner it accompanies them still , for ought that any man living can shew to the contrary . christ is the same yesterday , to day , and for ever . he who will be with his ministers till the end of the world , will be with his ordinances till then , & with his people in the conscientious use of them . why should the first christians be tied to that which we in after-ages may neglect ? is not our case the same with theirs ? are not our necessities as great ? and may not our profitings also , if the fault be not our own ? to prosecute this a little farther , as i promised . is not the death of christ as great a mercy to us in these latter days of his church , as it was to them in the first ? have not we the same pardon offered to us , the same promises given , the same heaven prepared , and the same sanctifying spirit to bring us thereto ? have we not then the same cause to be frequently mindfull of , and thankfull for these mercies , and the death that purchast them , in all ways prescribed to that purpose ? are not we still of the same nature that men were then ? such whose affections are much raised and quickened by sensible things , by the help whereof we can with greater clearnesse and power conceive of th●ngs spirituall ; and can more affectionately remember what 's past , when we see it represented and acted afresh before our eyes . is it not therefore our wisdome and duty to accept of such assistances as our lord himself , in his care of us , hath afforded ? whereof the sacrament of his supper is a principall one , every way fitted for that end . were they more dull than we , that they should need such quickning means which we judge our selves past the use of ? had not we as much need as they to be frequently renewing our more solemn repentance for sin , and covenantings with god , that so the consideration of those renewed engagements we lie under , may the more overpower us to faithfulnesse and perseverance in his service ? are not our wants of grace as great as theirs ? and therefore ought we not to wait in all those ways whereby these wants may be supplied ? which are the same now as formerly . is it not as rich a mercy now as ever , to have all the blessings and priviledges of the covenant of grace , whether temporall , spi●ituall ▪ or eternall , not onely represented , but made ov●r , and assured to us , in such a familiar manner ? is not the exercise and strengthning of mutuall brotherly love , by the maintaining of the most endearing christian communion , still a most pleasant and profitable duty ? now especially , when all men have learnt to cry out , how cold charity is grown ! thus you see there are very many , and those no small advantages that accrue to such as carefully manage this weighty duty , and all of them continue still the same that they were in the time of the apostles . and let there be any other ground of their practice assigned , or any other benefits which they hereby enjoyed , and i question not to prove , that we have the same , or the like grounds , and are capable of the same benefits with them . thus have i shewn you , that to come in a due manner to the lords table is both your duty and your interest ; there is a command given by your lord , obliging you to what is good for your selves , ( and indeed so doe all other his commands if well weighed . ) and what more can be said to work upon men , that have any conscience , or any self love , to give obedience ? wherefore if you be christians , yea , if you be men ; if you have any sense of gods authority , or of your own necessities , make all possible hast out of that dangerous woefull estate , which makes you unfit for , and unwilling to this so profitable a duty ; and your souls being made ready , let them bring your bodies hither . having been larger in these , i shall be brief in those that follow . is it not much to be feared , that whilst y●u sleight the sacrament , you sleight those blessings which hereby are represented , and assured to believers ? you your selves would judge so by others in cases like this . if the king should proclaim , that he will give estates in some of his plantations to all that will come to the court , and take patents from him , and subscribe their n●mes to a bond , which onely ties them to acknowledge they had their estates from his bounty , and to live there accor-to his laws : is it not a sign , that they who will not doe thus much , doe very little care for the estates that are offered them ? and doe not they manifest as little regard of heaven it self , and all the promises of the gospel , who are loath to be at so much pains , as to go to the sacrament , there to have all these confirmed to them ? being unwilling to bind themselves hereby to thankfulnesse and obedience to that god , who makes them such large and bounteous offers . he that refuseth a cheap and easie medicine , which being duly taken may recover him from his sicknesse , may well be said to undervalue his health . thus is it too apparent , that thou little regardest the health of thy soul , whilst thou sleightest those means , which , through the blessing of the great physician upon thy carefull use of them , might tend so much to thy healing and strengthning . if a shilling be offered me in earnest of a thousand pound to be given upon some certain conditions , if i refuse to take it , it is not so much the earnest as the greater summe that i thereby reject . thus heaven is assured to thee upon condition of thy faith and obedience , and if thou likest it upon these terms , the sacrament shall be given thee in earnest , but if thou wilt not take the earnest , thou putt'st away from thee everlasting life . if a condemned man tear in pieces the kings pardon , which is brought to him , his fault is not so much the tearing of a piece of paper as his contempt of the pardon . thus shall it be laid thy charge , not meerly thy despising a bit of bread and sup of wine , but thy sleighting all those rich and unvaluable blessings which hereby were offered & assured to believers . if indeed thou prizest these , shew it by thy setting a due esteem upon that which hath so near a relation to them ; but if thou value them not , think not much if thou go without them for ever : for whom canst thou blame if thou misse of those things which thou caredst not for ? is not this neglect a sad sign , that thou performest no duty as thou oughtest , nor to those ends thou shouldest ? for if thou didst rightly improve any , why should'st thou not be glad of all ? art thou not ready to try all courses , & use all means for the continuance and encrease of thy outward welfare ? and yet thou thinkest every thing too much that 's enjoyned thee for thy spirituall advantage , and therefore comest not to this ordinance , as thinking thou maist doe well enough without it . they that are in health use not to say , if they have one sort of food what should they doe with another ; or if they eat one meal in a day , why need they eat another : and yet this is thy language in reference to thy soul. so long as thou hast been baptized , and comest to church , and saist thy prayers ( and it 's well if thou doe thus much ) why may not this serve thy turn without coming to the sacrament ? why tell mee , pray thee , what 's thy design in these duties ? is it to get good to thy soul ? that thou maist grow in grace , and get fitter for glory ? if it be , why then is not every duty acceptable to thee which would help on this design ? but is it not rather to be feared , that these are done out of custome , without expecting , and therefore without finding any great advantage from them ? and because the neglect of that duty i am urging thee to , is too too common , and so no great matter of disgrace , therefore thou makest so light of it . and withall , perhaps there is somewhat more pains requisite to prepare thee for it , and therefore out of meer sloth and lazinesse thou holdest off . oh that thou wast but set in as good earnest , to inrich thy soul with grace , as the most of men , and it 's like thou thy self art , to grow rich in the world ! how many ways will they wind and turn to get a little gain ? if one course will not serve they 'l take another ; and if that fail , they 'l try a third ; what they misse in one bargain , they 'l seek to make amends for in the next . thus would it be with thee , wast thou a diligent christian : thou would'st turn every stone , seek every corner for the pearl of price . didst thou once by experience know the worth and excellency of true grace , and the satisfying sweetnesse of conversing with god , thou would'st be very diligent in the use of all those means whereby these advantages are to be attained : what thou hadst g●t at one duty , would prompt thee to another , in hopes to find the like ; or if thou hadst mist of thy hopes in o●e , it would put thee upon another , there to get satisfaction . if thou found'st thy self at a distance from god , or under fears of his displeasure , thou would'st never be at rest with thy self till thou hadst found him whom thy soul loved , and hadst got a renewed sense of his love to thy soul : in all those ways wherein he gives a comfortable meeting to his people would'st thou give constant attendance , ever earnestly waiting for the gracious and comfortable manifestations of himself in thy soul. but since thou canst so contentedly misse one priviledge , and that of so great importance , it 's a shrewd sign that thou improvest not any as thou oughtest ; and what a wretched starven case then must thy soul needs be in ? . consider what a shame it is , that thou should'st be thus regardlesse of the provisions made for thy soul , whilst thou art so greedy and forward after any thing , that makes for the gra●i●ying of thy f●esh . generally in the world men refuse no pains to supply their bodily necessities , and yet when here is food provided to their hands , they have no mind to it , because this is onely suited to their souls . h●w eagerly can they hunt after that which they are never like to obtain , or which , if they doe , will neve satisfie and fill them , whilst they put away from them the savoury meat which god hath brought to them : which would be savoury if their taste was not spoil'd . whilst manna is loathed that falls before the tent-door , how doe they long after the garlick and onions , and fleshpots of aegypt . may i not justly say that the table of devils is more frequented than the table of the lord ? what though men now adays doe not offer sacrifices to devils as those idolaters did , of whom the apostle speaks , yet doe they not sacrfice to their own lusts ? and is not this as acceptable service to the devil , and as provoking to god ? and doe they not maintain a fellowship with devils , whilst their nature is so conformable and their lives so subject to them ? such are all swinish epicures , who serve their own belly rather than the lord jesus . oh what multitudes have we got of such voluptuous ones , who had rather bring sicknesse upon their bodies , and damnation upon their souls , by pleasing their greedy unsatiable throat , than come to refresh and strengthen themselves with such food , as , through the spirit of life accompanying it , will preserve both soul and body to everlasting life . wisdome in vain sends forth her embassadours , to stand in the highest places of the city , to call passengers to the banquet she hath made , whilst yet the destroyer of souls is hearkned to , calling them off from the right way , telling them , that stoln waters are sweet , and bread eaten in secret is pleasant : and with these unlawfull pleasures do foolish sinners glut themselves , not remembring , that he doth but feed them for the slaughter , and that his guests are in the depth of hell , pro. . oh how will this aggravate the condemnation of the p●ofane in our days , that whilst they could not be kept out of the alehouse and tavern , but lay there day and night , drinking away their wit , their money , and of entimes the●r life it self , yet no entreaties could bring them duly to prepare themselves , and come to eat and drink at the lords own table . hadst thou but such a favour offered thee as haman , to be entertained at a banquet with the king and queen , how forwardly would'st thou accept it , and with what a pride would'st thou boast of it , as he did ? but yet when the king of glory invites thee to be his guest , thou think'st not his invitations worth hearkning to , so mean are thy thoughts of his company and fare . yea , dost thou not see how importunate beggars are for an alms ? they come to thy door , and stand begging for bread , and will hardly be driven empty away : and yet when thou art thus begg'd to accept of bread that comes from heaven , thou wilt not receive it . here men must be compell'd , that is , importunately woo'd to come in , and yet they will not be prevailed with : or if they doe come , it is oftentimes in such a carelesse manner , that gives as much displeasure to him who sent for them , and brings as much mischief upon themselves as if they had staid away . but of this i spake in the beginning , wherefore i shall onely adde , that it is to me a matter of astonishment , that those who know their bodies will shortly be in the grave , and who say they verily believe their souls must live for ever , that those very men should with so much care and unweariednesse feed and maintain their bodies , whilst willingly , and out of meer sloth , they suffer these immortall souls to starve and perish eternally . . consider , this is a juncture of time wherin especially thou art engaged , to doe all that in thee lies , toward the speedy securing of thy everlasting happinesse ; and therefore in the most solemn manner , to consecrate thy self to god at the sacrament , there renouncing all the ways of wickednesse whereby thou hast provoked him , that so thy peace may be made with him . for consider how he hath lately appeared in judgement against us , and shewn that he hath a sore controversie with us : and shall not we , the surviving inhabitants of the land , learn righteousnesse hereby ? shall not we be so wise , as to meet him in the way , before his anger be kindled against us in particular ? it is to be feared , the neglect of this very duty , and the grosse miscarriages in the manner of performing it , have done much toward the hastening of those judgements we have lain under . and shall not this teach thee what to doe for the future ? wilt thou go on to provoke the lord to jealousie ? so that his anger should not be turned away , but his hand stretched out still . and if thou art one , who hast lately been preserved from the very graves mouth whereinto thou wast ready to fall , being in continuall expectation of death , through the visitation , or any other distemper , i would with thee to look back , and consider what were the thoughts of thy heart at that time , thou , i mean , who hadst lived a loose and carelesse life ? did not thy conscience fly in thy face for all thy wickednesse ? and didst thou not resolve , that if god should spare thee , thou would'st become a new man , and lead another kind of life than thou hadst done ? did it not terrifie thee to remember how thou hadst neglected praying , hearing , and receiving sacraments ? and didst thou not , make promises within thy self , that , if god would try thee once again , it should be no more thus ? but that thou would'st be as diligent and constant therein for the time to come , as thou hadst been slack and negligent before . well now , god hath tried thee according to thy desire : thou who might'st have been sent to the place where repentance will do no good , art yet kept upon earth , to see what will be the fruit of thy afflictions , where yet thou art within the reach of mercy , if thou throw not thy self out of it . what then shall become of all thy good purposes and promises ? are they gone as soon as thy sicknesse and pain are gone ? are they all forgotten already ? yet be thou sure god will remember them : and fain would i perswade thee to remember them too ; and now in particular , having prepared thy soul , to addresse thy self to the lords table , and there renew all those vows and resolutions which thou madest in the time of sicknesse and danger ; and humbly implore mercy and pardon for thy former carelesnesse , and all thy transgressions , and help from god to walk more closely with him for the future . let me now in season be thy remembrancer from the lord , and bring to mind what engagements thou hast made to him , and see thou be faithfull to them : but if they be sleighted , and all that i have said to thee sleighted , because now thou art lusty and well , and seest no death near thee , and hast something else to do , than to trouble thy self with being so religious , as dying men use to be , yet let it sink into thy thoughts , that there is just such another time coming upon thee ; very shortly thou wilt be sick again , and cast upon thy death-bed ; and dost thou not think the very same thoughts will then come into thy mind again ? when thou shalt consider thy self just lanching forth into eternity , & shalt look back upon all thy ungodly deeds , and thy undervaluing the means of grace , by an improvement of which thou mightest have been made ready for such an hour as this , wilt thou not then begin again to fall to wishing that it had been othe●wise , and to purposing thou wilt be better hereafter , if once again thou maist be recovered . but when thy conscience , with a redoubled fury , shall rise up and 〈◊〉 th●e remember , how thou didst long ago , in the same condition , seem as penitent as this comes to ; but yet all c●me to nothing , and that therefore thou hast no reason to expect a farther triall ; and shall moreover tell thee , that it is most likely all this is out of mee● slavish fear , and not out of any true love to god and holinesse ; how wilt thou be able to hold up under such a dreadfull charge as this from thy own awakened conscience ? it is my great desire to prevent thy being then overwhelmed with such sad thoughts as these ; and if thou art but as willing , they may be effectually prevented , even by speedily setting upon such a course , as will be the rejoycing of thy soul at that day , when nothing else will rejoyce thee , but the testimony of gods spririt witnessing with thy conscience , that by the grace of god thou hast had thy conversation in simplicity and godly sincerity : for without this it would be but a poor refuge for thee , to call for a sacrament on thy death-bed , who didst sleight it in thy health . . consider , whether by this thy contempt of the ordinances of christ , thou maist not provoke him justly to withdraw them from us , and to bestow them upon a people that will more prize , and frequent , and better improve them , than we have done . if children be so indifferent to their food , that they play with it , or throw it away , it 's fit it should be taken from them . when people are wanton and curious , that they know not how to be pleased , but upon the least dislike reject their spirituall food , it 's a sign they want that best of sawces , a good stomach , which it's just they should be brought to by being kept short . or if they be so lazy , that they think it more adoe than needs , to be diligent in those exercises of religion , which our lord hath appointed , and take the greatest priviledges for burdens , is it not just they should be eased of them ? for who will continue kindnesses to those , who take them for injuries ? yea , can they expect any other , than ere long to be removed into a world , where they shall never more be troubled with such heavy impositions ? you that are now ready to say , what a stirr's here with sermons , prayers and sacraments , and think all your time lost that 's spent in them , and are vext to think , that you must have so many in●erruptions from your sins or worldly businesse , be content a while , and you shall have no cause long to complain of these things you now judge so grievous . there 's none of this adoe in the hell your ungodlinesse leads to ; but whether there be not sadder doings there , your experience e're long is like to give you full conviction , if nothing sooner will convince you . do but judge reasonably , must it not needs be an high displeasure to god , to see his creatures contemn the most precious mercies , as if they were nothing worth ? how would you take it , if , when out of courtesie you had invited a poor man to your table , and had made ready the best that could be had for him , he should find fault with your meat , and ask you why you troubled him to come from home to such a poor dinner as this ? would you think he deserved to have the worst bit there ? if your landlord , or any rich neighbour should bid you to a feast , would you send word by his servant , that he nothing worth coming for , but that you could provide for your self better at home ? or if you should send such word , do you think you sho●ld be invited twice ? and yet thus sawcy and unthankfull , have you been toward the great god , whilst you have kept away from his table ; notwithstanding which he hath again and again sent forth his servants to invite you thither , in that way , and to those ends which he hath revealed . but , oh sirs , do no more so foolishly , so impudently , i beseech you , least at length you should move god , to withdraw from you the mercies you trample on ; and you , when it is too late , should be put to seek with tears those blessings which once you cared not for , and therefore must never have . . is it not a very great sign , that you forget christ himself , whilst you can thus quietly passe from year to year without remembring him at the sacrament ? could you possibly do thus if you bore him upon your minds , and were sensibly affected with the frequent thoughts of all his love towards you ? would you not then take all opportunities to expresse this your thankfull sense of his kindnesse . the children of israel , we read , were enjoyned to keep the feast of the passeover , as a memoriall of their deliverance out of aegypt , and if , when they were come into canaan , they should after a few years have left it off , might not god justly have taxt them with forgetting their deliverance it self ? and is not the case much what the same here ? so we find , exod. . , . that when their children should see them keep this feast , and ask what the meaning was , they were to answer , it is the sacrifice of the lords passeover , who passed over the houses of the children of israel in aegypt , in that night when he smote the aegyptians , and delivered our houses . if now these children , when they were of capacity , should refuse to keep this feast , as they were commanded , is it not a sign , that either they believed not what their parents told them , or else thought there was nothing in it worth the remembrance ? thus if any of you should demand what 's the meaning of our assembling together at certain times , to eat and drink bread and wine in so serious a manner , it may be answered you , this is the sacrament of the lords supper , which he appointed in the night wherein he was betrayed , for a memoriall of that death whereby he destroyed the kingdome of satan , and delivered his people . if you now take this to be true , and think it deserves so solemn a remembrance , come as you have been directed , and joyn with the rest in this work ; if you refuse this , you can never sure have the face to say , that you doe in your hearts remember christ. if one that had bestowed some great matters upon the town he lived in , should order at his death , that the inhabitants of that town should , upon a certain day in the year , meet together at a feast , to keep up the memory of his bounty , if they neglected this , might it not well be said they forgot their benefactour ? and does not your neglect of this sacramentall feast , as plainly shew a forgetfulnesse of your great benefactour who ordained it ? oh wonderfull ! that ever men who have heard , who jesus christ is , and what he hath done , should be thus unmindfull of him . ah sirs , read the history of his life , think soundly of his death , and consider then , whether he thus deserve to be forgotten by you . had he had no more thought of us , where had we now been , and what had become of us for ever ? hath he done so much for you , even without your seeking , and when he requires so little of you , is he denied ? if but a dying friend should take his ring off his finger , and put it on yours , and bid you look on that ring , and remember him , should you not easily do it ? but much more , if this friend had upon any account given up himself to die for your preservation , and should onely engage you by remembring him , to beware of that fault whereby your life was endangered and his was lost ; would not the memory of such a friend be ever fresh , and precious with you , if you had any humanity , any sense of friendship and kindnesse ? and would not your bowels be even turned within you , whenever you beheld his ring ? but alas , how farre comes this short of the kindnesse which christ hath shewn to poor sinners , in many circumstances , as might easily be shewn ? and yet how is all disregarded with the most ? how few obey this , that was one of his last injunctions to his followers before he offered up himself on their behalf , that they should feed on his body and blood here represented , and remember and love him , who was bruised and poured forth as an attonement for them , and set them selves against the sins that occasioned all this . can men be guilty of worse ingratitude . . if then christ be so farre from your thoughts , that you take no pleasure in the remembrance of him , bethink you beforehand , how you will be able to look him in the face , when you shall be cited to appear before him whether you will or not . be assured , whoever thou art , to whom the memory of christ is no way delightfull , to thee his presence will be most terrible . if thou hast been well pleased to have him as absent from thy heart , as his bodily presence is from the world , thou wilt never know how to abide the terrour of his appearance , and yet abide it thou must . it will then be with thee just as it was with that wicked servant whom we read of , luk. . , . who instead of looking to his masters family in his absence , to give them their portion of meat in due season , as he was commanded , ver . . thinks within himself , that his lord delays his coming , and therefore begins to eat and drink and be drunken , and what follows ? why the lord of that servant will come in a day that he looketh not for him , and in an hour that he is not aware , and will cut him in sunder , and appoint him his portion with hypocrites and unbelievers . even thus maist thou justly expect it will be with thee , who neglectest to take that portion of meat for thy soul which christ hath provided for thee , and hadst rather pamper thy flesh , and indulge it in gluttony and drunkennesse . that very jesus , whom thou takest no pleasure to remember , and could'st be very well content never to come nearer him , never to behold him , or to have any thing more to do with him , even he shall at length surprize thee by the suddennesse of his dreadfull appearance . though thou would'st not remember him , yet then thou must , thou shalt see him . though thou could'st caft him out of thy thoughts , yet thou shalt not be able to avoid his presense , till he himself shall have utterly banisht thee from him . though thou be unmindfull of him ; yet slatter not thy self with a conceit that he 'll forget this thy unworthy behaviour : no , but he 'll remember it , to recompence it on thy own head in that day of his vengeance . a● his people may firmly build upon it , that he 'll never forget their labour of love , so may his enemies be sure , that he will not forget their lazinesse and want of love . will it not be sad for thee at that day , to call upon the ro●ks and mountains to hide thee from his face , and all in vain . and yet is it not just it should be thus with thee , who art now call'd into christs gracious presence , into the nearest communion with him , and thou runnest away , and wilfully hidest thy self , and wilt not be perswaded to come in . alas ! man , then expect other usage from christ than here thou foundest in the day of his patience , whilst he waited to be gracious . he will not come then to offer pardons to the guilty , and to befe●ch their acceptance of them , and of the sacraments to seal them : no , but he will then onely absolve all those who have already got their pardon , and condemn those who have not : wherefore if thou think'st it of any consequence , to look christ in the face with comfort at the last day , now get an acquaintance with him ; put o● thy wedding garment of repentance , faith and love , and come hither to be his guest ; with an humble boldnesse come and feast with him , yea feed upon him , and let him be made familiar to thy soul , that his coming may fill thee with joy and not with horrour . . lastly , if after admonitions and invitations thou l●vest in the neglect of this duty , d●st thou not give us too much ground to fear , that thou art no true christian ? i know it is not thy coming hither on any fashion that will sufficiently prove thee a good christian , but yet thy totall forbearance may rather make thee suspected to be none at all . for what hast thou to plead on thy own behalf ? the greatest argument of thy christianity is thy being baptized : but this was done in thy infancy , and who knows , whether thou stand'st to it or not , if thou wilt not publickly own that thou dost so ? if it was the custome amongst us , that when a father is listed into an army , he should set down the names of his sons also , there to stand till they came to sixteen years of age , at which time they were to go in and write their own names , or else to be cashiered ; if they , when they are come to these years , should refuse to give in their names , doe they not hereby shew that they have no mind to be soldiers ? and is it not a question whether thou ownest christ jesus for thy captain , if thou wilt not make thy appearance with the rest , at times appointed for the acknowledgement of thy relation to him ? if the king should command all that were of age in a town , to come to the market-place , and there take the oath of allegiance , if they would be held for good subjects , how would they be lookt upon , who should stay away and refuse to do it ? now have i not before shewn , how expresse the command of christ is to all his disciples , that , beside all other duties , being rightly prepared , they should celebrate this sacrament in remembrance of him , as an evidence and symbol of their relation to , and communion with him ? how then can we hold them for true disciples that reject and sleight it ? but here give me leave , according to my promise , to meet with two or three objections against the performance of this duty , before i come to give directions for it . chap. xii . sacraments are not to be accounted vain , because externalls . . obj. perhaps then some in the first place may say , what need have we of such outward sh●dows and ceremonies , so long as we have the substance , christ himself , and doe truly believe in him ? what good can we get by such externa●l services as these ? these are low beggarly things , not suited to these more spirituall times of the gospel . though i have before said enough to this , yet because there are those who confidently talk at this rate , and are very busie in perverting common people , i shall say something farther by way of answer to it . ans. . and first i would demand of you , who is fittest to be judge in this case , what you ought to do , and what not ? are you servants , or are you your own masters , ? came the word of god forth from you ? was christian religion something of your devising , that you may frame it , and appoint the duties of it as you shall see best ? or came this word to you onely ? did he who revealed it to the world priviledge you , to pick and chuse some duties & omit others , as you saw good ? if you say , yes pray produce your license and let us see it ; for we find no such thing recorded in that word which we all acknowledge to come from god. and if you have got any private orders contrary thereto , give us sufficient evidence to prove them of divine authority , and then we shall be silent . but till then it must needs be accounted str●nge impudence , for silly worms to quarrel with the institutions of infinite wisdome . for if god's authority may be regarded , rather than the fond opinion of proud and giddy men , we need not be to seek what to do in this matter , christ having so plainly commanded us , to do this in remembrance of him , as i have before shewed . . and since there is such a command , i wonder how it can be accounted an unprofitable thing to obey it ? is there no profit in pleasing god ? and can we please him any other way , than by obeying his commands ? let the matter of the command be what it will , if we know it be given us by god , that 's warrant enough for our practice , & ground for our expectation of benefit by it , though we could not much see the reason of the thing in it self abstracted from the command , ( though here the case is otherwise , as i have also before manifested . ) . if any should say we now lie under no obligation to this duty , let them shew where christ's command to his disciples is repealed , or where there is the least intimation given , that there was a time to come when it should be out of date , and cease to oblige our consciences . nay , are we not taught there was no such time to come ? for do we not find the reason and end of this ordinance assigned to be such , as will make it necessary to the last day ? and this to prevent all exception plainly exprest ; hereby you shew forth christs death till he come , cor. . . . do not they who tell us the sacraments are but shadows , and therefore now to cease , hereby pretend a new dispensation of the gospel , purer and higher , than that which was set up by christ and his apostles , after the ceasing of the leviticall worship ? for long after this we find baptisme and the lords supper in use . wherefore if they are now to be laid aside , is it not because that was but an infant-state of the church , wherein such ceremonies were requisite , which are now needlesse , it being grown to greater maturity , and the members engaged to be more spirituall , and taken off from those carnall services , wherein such mean persons as the apostles and their followers were conversant ? but do not they notoriously violate truth , as well as modesty , who tell us this ? do we either in the old testament or new , meet with any prophesies , that intimate to us a new dispensation , or different way of ordering the christian church , after christ had fully establisht it ? we find such frequently as to the jewish ceremonies , but no where , that i know , relating to any laws or orders that christ hath appointed . and none , i hope , will say our sacraments were like them , of a typicall nature , and so to cease by the coming in , and accomplishment of somewhat which they signified . though the first dispensation under moses was imperfect , yet where are we allowed to find fault with the second introduced by christ ? is not this gospel-state the kingdome that cannot be moved , in opposition to the jewish state of things , which was shaken and removed ? as we may probably interpret , heb. . , . wherefore they who would make us believe , that in these latter days the church is to be reformed , not onely from the corruptions men brought in , but from the ordinances which christ set up , what do they but trouble us , by endeavouring to pervert the gospel of christ ? approaching too near to those , whom the apostle so vehemently pronounceth accursed . gal. . . those indeed would have brought in customes which christ had abrogated , and these would abrogate such as he hath ordained ; and when we remember who ordained them , it may sufficiently awe us from sleighting them , though they may seem but lesser matters , and , as it were , appendages to religion . and it should make all sober christians the more afraid , of hearkning after any new and more spirituall dispensations of the gospel , when we remember the unspeakable mischief , which this groundlesse pretence hath done , and may do to the church . under this notion the familists vent their horrid fancies ; and even mahomet himself made use of this pretence , when he first set up in the world : and so any man that hath a mind to advance some new way , which he can find no ground for in the gospel , may pretend that it is something higher and more excellent than christ thought fit at first to reveal , but now in these last days he hath sent him as his messenger to publish it to the world . and as well may we hearken to any such impostour , as to those who tell us , that though , it 's true , christians at the first were baptized , and received the lord's supper , yet now we have nothing to doe with these things , being arrived to a more perfect state than they were acquainted with . . how unreasonable is it , that they should oppose those things which so well agree together , and mutually promote each other ? whilst they say they believe in christ , and therefore regard not this piece of outward service . but i wonder where they find , that faith in christ may excuse a man from receiving the sacrament : i should think it rather engaged him to it . farre be it from me to presse this duty , as that which will give men the least dispensation to neglect any other , nay , i hope , i have sufficiently shewed all along , that i presse it as a strong obligation , motive , and help to holinesse , both of heart and life . hither should men come purposely to exercise and strengthen their graces ; and therefore it 's a most foolish thing to say they have got grace in their hearts , and will thereupon stay away . if you believe in christ , come hither and professe that you do so : for so he hath bidden you to do ; and be not so ridiculous as to say , because you have faith therefore you will not in this manner professe it . if a king should command all his subjects that would go to such a warre , to come and set down their names , and afterwards come and answer to them at a mustering , would it not be a wise piece of businesse , for any of them to say , he would fight in the warre , and therefore he would not have his name set down nor appear with the rest at the times of mustering ? and is it not much what the same , for any to pretend they 'l keep covenant with christ , and therefore will not make or renew it in that solemn manner he hath commanded ? what ? wilt thou say thou lovest christ , and art sincerely thankfull for his love , and therefore wilt not joyn with thy fellow-ch●istians , in the remembrance of his mercy and expression of thy gratitude ? does this sound like reason ? and yet no better is to be found in thy objection . might not the apostles farre better have said , they needed not the help of this sacrament , to put them in mind of christ , who was ever fresh in their thoughts ? but on the contrary , because he was so much in their thoughts , therefore were they so frequent in this duty . and was thy spirit like theirs , thy practice would not be so con●rary . and let me tell thee farther , it 's much to be feared , thou hast little or no grace at all , who sleightest any way that christ hath ordained , for the increase of grace . a wise man useth not to say , i enjoy my health well , and therefore i care not for my food , since this is the means for continuance of his health . but it seem● thou deniest , that thou canst get any good by this ordinance , wherefore . in the next place let me ask thee , do'st thou imagine thy self arrived to the utmost pitch of perfection so that thou lookest upon all means and ordinances as things below thee ? if so , i cannot now stand to shew thee , the pride and ignorance of this conceit , which are both so great , that it's danger thou wilt not be convinced of either . but wast thou indeed so excellent a creature as thou takest thy self to be , yet methinks thou should'st not imagine , that thou art above the exercise of grace , or returning thanks for what thou hast received , and even these reasons may bring thee to the duty i am now pleading for . or if this be none of thy conceit , do'st thou imagine that the soul can get no good by externall means , which work upon the senses ? if this be thy opinion , thou seemest not to consider , the nature and frame of man in this present state , wherein bodily things do so mightily affect him , and he is beholden to his senses for all , or almost all the knowledge which he hath . by this reason men could profit nothing by reading or hearing , which is contrary to all experience . and by this reason in the time of the law no good was to be got by those ceremonies , that typified christ to come , which is a very bold assertion , and most unreasonable ; and i hope the clearer representations of him , and his benefits in our sacraments , have much the advantage of those darker shadows . . is it not very great impudence and ingratitude , when christ hath chosen to deal with us in such a sensible manner , as he saw most suitable to our natures , for us thereupon to call his wisdome and goodnesse in question , when he calls us to offer our bodies , as well as souls to him , and to glorifie him both with soul & body , shall we say he cares not for bodily service , and thereupon neglect all those services , wherein the body is employed ? and when he out of indulgence to our weaknesse , hath provided externall helps meet for us , shall we think our selves too high for them ? is not this most vile pride and ingratitude ? and consider , whatever we dare to speak in disparagement of christs ordinances , as if they were empty uselesse things , will be found to reflect foully upon the honour of christ himself the law-giver . . where do we finde any of the pious jews before christs time , complaining of their ceremonies as burdensome , unprofitable things ? afterwards indeed when they were maintained in opposition to christ , whom they led to , and ended in , they are call'd beggarly elements , and carnall ordinances ; but we hear not of this language before . though then god frequently exprest his very little regard to them , compared to the more substantial duties of the moral law , yet where read we of any of the godly in those daies that rejected or disused them ? and what is our bondage sorer than theirs ? hath christ put a yoke upon his disciples heavier than that he took off ? and what do they better than say thus , who throw off his gracious institutions , as a burden too heavy for them to bear ? . methinks this is so like the language of infidels that all who have any minde to be thought christians should abhor it . what wonder would it be for an infidel to laugh at baptisme , or the lords supper , if he should see them administred , and ask what good was to be got from washing with water , or receiving a little bread and wine ? but for one who pretends to ow● the authority of christ , to speak after the same manner , seems something strange . if god give a command to wash in jordan for the cure of a leprosie , it be-seems none but an heathen naaman , to ask whether abana and pharphar rivers of damascus are not as good as the waters of israel . and he discovers little more religion , who shall sawcily demand , why bread and wine at his own table will not do his soul as much good as at the sacrament . , i would fain know of these men , whether christ had power to appoint an ordinance of this kinde , to the use of which , christians in all succeeding generations should be oblig'd ? if they grant he had , as i suppose they dare not denie it , then let them lay what he should have said or done more to lay this obligation upon them , than he hath done in the present case . if again they finde fault with the nature of this ordinance , as if it was not suited to be pertual , because of its unprofitableness , let them tell when it begun to be so : was it from the first institution ? or after a certain time ? if from the beginning , what was it ordained for ? why would christ set up an ordinance that was good for nothing ? and why were the disciples so frequent in it ? if afterwards , let them name the time , and give the reason of its degeneracy . but farther , was christ able to make this sacrament profitable to those , who should conscienciouslie attend upon it ? they who say he was not , must not take it ill to be thought infidels : but if they yield he was , then let them alledge some reason why he would not , or rather let them shew wherein he hath been wanting to it to make it so profitable : if these fault-finders might have been at the first appointment hereof , what a kinde of one would they have had it , that it might have been more usefull than now they judge it is ? is it not the death of christ here set out before our eies ? and may not that in some sort affect us , supposing we know the design of it , as well as discourses that reach our eares ? may not this awake us to livelie thoughts of christ , of the reason and ends of his death , and so quicken us to the exercise of repentance and faith , and stir us up to desire after him , and to thankfulnesse for his love ? and when our souls ▪ are wrought into so good a frame , may we not reasonably expect larger communications of grace from that overflowing fountain of goodnesse , who requires nothing more than a right disposition in us , that we may be made partakers of his bounty . not to mention how fit a way this is , for the conferring a right to , and giving assurance of relative and future priviledges . . besides the example of those in the first ages of the church , me thinks the daily experience of the generality of sober christians , may abundantly confute this conceit , that there is no good to be got by frequenting the lords table ; were these demanded one by one whether they had not found the contrary , i believe the most of them would professe they had ; though through their own fault they would acknowledge , they had not hereby profited so much as they might . how many poor souls have come hither heavy and dull , and have gone away enlivened ? how many have come dejected and sad , and have gone away refresht , and chear'd , and have long after enjoyed the benefit of this duty ? but if they who make this objection , never found any such thing , it would speak more modesty and justice too , to lay the blame on themselves , rather than on the means which christ hath afforded them . . lastly , i would desire all that are impartial to consider , how plainly god hath witnest against this sort of men , who are the chief patrons of that opinion i oppose , in suffering them to be so infatuated and besotted in their own minds ; that , whilst they have impudently dar'd to reject the ordinances of christ as needlesse things , they themselves have doted upon the most ridiculous inconsiderable trifles , as if they were matters of some huge consequence . have not those very men , who cry down the lords supper and baptisme , of one sort or other , beside many other duties , as formal things ; yet with a great deal of earnestnesse call'd upon us to say , thou rather than you , to a single person , not to call men master , nor to put off our hats one to another , with a multitude the like fopperies ? these it seems are substantial things which they have devised , whilst christs own appointments are empty and carnal . what 's this but a mark set upon them , ( and few sects are without one ) to let the world know they came not from god , that none who are considerative might be endangered by their delusions ? and let this suffice for answer to the first objection , whereon i have been the larger , in that it is of such ill consequence , and hath too farre spread it self amongst giddy unstable people . chap. xiii . against too seldome communicating in the sacrament . . obj. in the next place some may say , we have already received the sacrament , and so have satisfied the command of christ , and therefore may be excused from it for the future . i should scarce have dreamt of such an objection , had i not heard it us'd ; but to dispatch it in two words . . i have before acknowledg'd that christ hath not told us how frequently , or how oft in our lives we must perform this duty , but yet we may learn from the words of the apostle , cor. . . that it is to be done more than once : for saith he , as often as yee eat , &c. i. e. every time that you eat . and then i have shew'd you what was the practise of the first christians , which may well hold the place of a rule in this case . wherefore you ought to obey the injunction of your pastour , so oft as he shall in prudence , think meet to call you to the lords table , since you have so much reason for obedience , and none to alledge for your refusal . . and in the next place , pray tell me , had you any reason for this duty when you first perform'd it ? you 'l scarce say no , i suppose , and if you had any , then i ask , whether the same reason does not still continue ? if it does , why should not your practise be continued agreeably thereto ? have you not still some necessities of soul which may here be supplied , as well as you had then ? is not the death of christ as well worthy your remembrance now as formerly ? and if you heretofore received any advantage by what you did , me thinks you should be the more inclin'd to hold on therein . but here perhaps some may reply , putting the objection in another shape , that they have often attended on this ordinance , and yet have found no advantage by it , and therefore being out of heart and hope , are readie to throw it quite off . to whom i answer , . if it be thus indeed , you have great reason to acknowledge the fault is your own . either you have not been so diligent in your preparations as you ought ; or else you have been carelesse afterward , thinking you had done when the work was over , as if no more was required to make a sacrament strengthning to your souls , than to make food nourishing to your bodies , barely to receive it , and there 's an end ; when as there is a serious consideration of what you have done , and a constant watchfulness afterwards , necessary to make it beneficical to you , as i may have occasion to shew a non . and especially see that you give not , a kinde of allowance to some pleasant sin or o●her , which you are hardlie willing to be quite delivered from ; such a secret partial cherishing of any lust whatever , will be sure to keep you low and barren , and render all means unprofitable . and thus is it also like to be with you , if you are swallowed up in wordly businesses , or do too sweetlie relish any sensible enjoyment . . you who complain you can get nothing by sacraments , will say the same , i suppose , by other means and duties ; and will you therefore cast off these two ? will you lay aside hearing and praying upon this pretence ? you may as well : for the reason holds as good for one as the other . . but farther , i would have you beware of mistaking your selves , imagining that you profit not when you do . and therefore consider what your expectations have been , and what you have found . perhaps you have expected great joys , and as it were , sensible assurances of gods love , and to be afterward freed from all troubles and doubtings ? or you have expected a perfect freedome from some troublesome temptations wherewith you use to be haunted , and from the very first motions of sin in your selves , and because you have found none of this in those measures you lookt for , therefore you conclude you have met with nothing ? but this is no right arguing : for these are priviledges that you may go without al● your days , and yet thrive under the means too ; and therefore by them you cannot judge of your profiting : but if you can find the strength of sin broken , and your heart more set against it , and you are more thoroughly perswaded to comply with the whole will of god , being firmly resolved to keep close to him to the last , discovering more and more the emptinesse of all creatures , and his alsufficiency , being more prevalently and steadily bent to chuse him as your onely portion , if it be so , you may be sure you grow in grace , and are bettered by the means you enjoy , and may be therefore encouraged to continue in the use of them . . but lastly , however it be with you , yet be you patient and constant in doing your work , and then leave the event to god. wherein upon examination you find you have been wanting to your selves , be more carefull for the future , in the due preparing and managing of your own hearts , and so wait upon god in his appointed way . let your desires be carried out after that which is most needfull for you , and which god hath promised to give , chiefly after grace , and secondarily after comfort , remembring all you have is to come from the free mercy of a wise god , to whom you must referre it what measures of these you shall receive , and how soon it shall be . onely , i say , let it be your businesse quietly to wait his leisure , in the use of those means he hath prescribed you , for which i might give many reasons ; but i shall wave all , onely demanding of you , whether those spirituall blessings you so earnestly long after are worth the waiting for ? if you say , no , you deserve to go for ever without them : but if you grant they are , then pray tell me , whether is it more likely to attain them , by waiting in that way wherein they are to be found , or by turning out of it ? this , i hope , is no difficult case to resolve . if your friend be gone a journey , and you have a mind to meet him upon his return , are you not more likely to meet with him , by holding on still in that road which he 'll be sure to come , than by going back again , or turning to some by path , meerly to gratifie your lazinesse or impatience ? wherefore , when your hopes are at the lowest ebbe , it is most unreasonable and foolish , to cry with that wicked king , why should we wait on the lord any longer ; there is no hope , wherefore let us leave our duties , and cast aside all . be sure there is no hope in such a course as this , but rather a certainty of perishing , whereas if there be safety in any way , it is in an obedient patient dependance upon god , yea , in this way there is certain safety ; embrace it therefore as your wisest , your onely course . do but see that you wait for the lord , and assure your selves you shall not be ashamed , your eyes shall not always fail . get into the psalmists frame , psal. . , . to wait for the lord more than they that watch for the morning , and at length shall the lord manifest himself to the joy of your souls , as sure as the morning light will appear to those who watch for it . chap. xiv . the objection of unfitnesse answered . as proposed by the doubting and the carelesse . , obj. some again there are , and those not a few , that will be ready to say , they find themselves unfit for the sacrament , and therefore dare not come , least it prove to their hurt , rather than to their advantage . severall sorts of persons may upon different grounds raise this objection . first , the sincere and humble christian , whose soul is in the dark , and through ignorance of himself , or not considering the tenour of the covenant , and through the prevalency of temptation , or melancholy , he may without reason condemn himself , as if his estate was worse than it is . to these i have something to say . . why is it , you judge your selves unfit for this ordinance ? is it because you are not so qualified as i have before shewn all communicants ought to be ? i am confident , upon a true enquiry , you will find the contrary : wherefore be not hasty and rash in passing a censure upon your selves , as if you were resolved to comply with , the design of satan to keep you in sorrow ; but examine things soberly , and without passion , and then give judgement upon your state according to true evidence . if you be found faithfull disciples , and unfeigned lovers of christ , you will grant your selves meet to come to that feast which is made for such . tell me then in one word ; are you not from your very souls , willing that christ should be your saviour , and take his own course with you , to bring you to god in glory ? is there any thing in all the world that your heart is se● more upon than this , even that you may be saved by jesus christ ? would you not account the assurance of this a richer mercy , than to be made owners of the whole world ? yea , would you not give a thousand such worlds as this , if you had them , for the love of god in christ ? is not this it which lies heaviest upon your spirits , and makes you walk so sadly , even the fears least you are without true grace , and should go without god and christ for ever ? and yet can the devil so befool you , as to perswade you all this while that you love not god ? have you got any thing here below more dear to you than his favour ? do you take delight in any course that you know is displeasing to him ? do you not long to be made more conformable to him ? to know and love ▪ and enjoy him more , and do him better service in the world ? would it not be the great joy of your souls always to walk closely with him , and retain a strong sense of his presence and all his excellencies upon your minds ? to converse with him more feelingly and powerfully , and in all your approaches to him , to be filled with a suitable reverence , humility , seriousnesse , and all holy affections ? would any thing please you more than to please your god ? are you not then best at ease when you find your hearts most enlarged , and carried out after him ? had you not rather be following after god in the ways of holinesse , and the duties of religion , than to enjoy all the pleasures and merriments of sensuall ones ? is there any duty from which you would be dispensed with ? any command that you would have abolisht ? had not you infinitely rather your heart was brought up to the fullest compliance with it ? have you any lust which you would fain be allowed to keep ? is it a trouble to you , that you must part with your sins or else be damned for them ? or rather , is it not your greatest trouble , that you lived so long without god , and did so much against him in the daies of your unregeneracie ? and if you had that time to passe over again , would you not prefer a life of the greatest suffering before such a life of sinning ; and is not your soul really burdened with those remnants of corruption which you yet feel in your selves ? do you not strive against them , and earnestlie desire to be rid of them ? would you not account it a blessed priviledge , to be more free from ignorance , pride , earthlinesse , distrust , self-will , dullnesse and distractions in holy duties ? would not a deliverance from these be more welcome , than to be freed from any outward afflictions you may lie under ? all you that are sincere ( and to such only i am now speaking ) cannot but acknowledge that the frame of your soul is such , as i have been enquiring after , how harshlie soever , you may conclude of your selves notwithstanding . and if such as you , that love god and holinesse , hate sin , and are humbled for it , have not right to the promises of mercy through christ , i wonder who have ? why therefore will you not come to receive the seal to those promises which do so evidentlie belong to you or none ? but after all perhaps you 'l crie , you cannot believe , and therefore dare not come hither , since this is a sacrament provided for believers only . this objection , i suppose , ariseth principallie from your mistake of the nature of saving faith . wherefore tell me , i pray , what do you mean when you say , you cannot believe . do you not reallie believe , that the witnesse which the scripture gives of christ is true ? whatever temptations you may have to infidelitie , yet is not this the prevalent perswasion of your mindes , that jesus christ is the true messiah , by whom the fallen world is to be recovered out of its ruines ? do you not believe him furnisht with full power and authority to accomplish this design . do you not believe that his death was sufficient for the ransome of the world , and all other truths concerning him that you finde revealed in the gospel ? and then are you not resolved that this jesus shall be your saviour , and none but he ? doe you not from your hearts acknowledge your selves miserable , lost creatures , altogether unable to restore your selves , or to do any thing that may satisfie gods justice , or in it self deserve recompence or acceptance ? so that you are convinc'd , if ever you are sav'd it must be through christ ; and are you not earnestlie desirous of this above all things , that god for his son's sake would pardon and save you ? yea , more than that , are you not sincerelie willing that christ should rule in your hearts , and guide you by his spirit , and frame you according to his will ? do you not accompt his commands holy , just and good ? and do you not desire strength from him your head to obey them , and to conquer all temptations from within and without that would draw you aside ? do you not believe the promises which he hath made , and the threatnings which he hath denounc'd , to be certainly true ? and do you not desire more , that you may have a share in these promises , than enjoy any created good ? and do you not fear his threatned wrath , more than any outward sufferings ? is it thus with you , as i am confident it is , and yet will you cry out , that you cannot believe ? what can you not believe ? why , alas ! you cannot believe you shall ever be sav'd by jesus christ. is that it then which your belief onlie sticks at ? but suppose it does , you are not therefore presently unbelievers in scripture-stile or in god's account . for this is not that which is so much prest upon you : observe well the language of the gospel , which ●uns thus , believe in christ and thou shalt be saved , not believe that th●u shalt be saved by christ. this absolute perswasion of thy own salvation is not so much enjoyned thee , however not in the first place , but rather thy acceptance of christ , that thou mayest be saved by him . and yet methinks , if thou weigh things well , thou maist be rais'd to such well grounded hopes of thy own particular happinesse , as may very much conquer these doubtings and fears , which thou complainest of under the name of unbelief . for let me ask thee seriouslie , why is it thou canst not believe thou shalt be saved by christ ? it is not , i know , because thou doubtest of the sufficiencie of his satisfaction , or of the truth of his promises , or the graciousnesse of his nature . for art thou not fullie perswaded , that he will save all those who trulie believe in him ? i make no doubt but thou art : wherefore hence it is plain , that thy fears of perishing arise from an opinion , that thou art not a true believer . but this from thy own acknowledgments , i have made evident that thou art , whilst thou believest that christ is the only saviour of mankind , and art as willing he should take away thy sins from thee , as prevent wrath from falling upon thee . so that it is rather for want of a clear knowledge of thy self , than for want of faith in the promises , that thou canst so hardly believe thou shalt be saved . wherefore once again i ask thee , art thou not willing , that christ should deliver thee , both from the dominion and condemnation of sin ? if thou art , and wilt shew it , by using the means he hath afforded for this end , then be assured , thou art a true believer , and as such shalt be own'd and crown'd by the lord that bought thee . and therefore with great alacritie come along with thy fellows , to the thankful remembrance of that eternal redemption obtain'd for you , by the blood which ratified the everlasting covenant betwixt god and his people . . what ever your weaknesses , corruptions , temptations are , let them not detain you from , but rather send you with more speed to this ordinance : for you know not but this may be the means , which god will bless for the removall of them . and take this for ● certain truth , whilst you have no sin , but what is the burden of your soul , and which you labour and long to be freed from , you have no sin that makes you unfit for the sacrament : nay more , this your sense of sin makes you rightly fitted for it . and then there is lesse ground of doubt , as to the fears and sadnesse you may labour under , or any temptations with which you are troubled : you cannot sure be so weak , as to think your selves upon any of these accounts , unmeet for your lords table : for you must remember he never made this the qualification of his guests , that they should come wanting nothing , but he calls hither the necessitous to supplie their wants . you come not hither only to be thankfull for what you have received , but to receive farther what your souls stand in need of . you would think he argued at a very silly rate that should tell you , you must not go to a feast till your hunger was satisfied , nor come to the fire till you are warm : and yet no better is the sophistry of satan whereby he would perswade you , that whilst you feel so many imperfections cleave to you , and lie under such great doubtings , you must stay away from the sacrament ; when as this is one means appointed by god for your relief : here 's both physick and food administered to the sick and fainting . and god may take this season of revealing himself to you , and satisfying those doubts which you could no other way get rid of . thus hath it been with many a soul , why may it not be so with you also ? . pray tell me , notwithstanding all these faults which you finde with your selves , yet do you not hold on in the performance of other duties ? to instance in one , do you not use to pray constantly ? if you doe , why then will you not be brought to this work also ? for assure your selves , if you be such whose prayers are acceptable to god , your receiving will be acceptable also . without a dependance upon christ the mediatour , and a resolution to conform your selves to the will of god , your very prayers will be loathsome , but if these things be in you , all your services will be wel-pleasing to him . wherefore beware of pretending so much reverence for this ordinance , and so much necessity of preparation , that least you should not demean your selves as you ought , you will wholly neglect it ▪ for sure you cannot think this according to your masters will , that you should run away from your work , for fear of miscarrying in it . nor pretend that this is of a nature so much different from all other duties , that whilst you may do them you may not be admitted to this , since , if you be sincere and hearty in one as well as another , endeavouring to improve them to the end for which they were appointed , even to get neerer to god thereby , be sure you shall be accepted in all . moreover bethink your selves what you would have done , had you liv'd in the first ages of the church , when the christians were wont for the most part , at every time of their assembling , to have a sacrament . would you then have ordinarily with-drawn from them ? or would you not rather , have contented your selves with that measure of preparation , that you had then been capable of making . though , think not that i am this while encouraging you to lazinesse , or to rush heedlesly and inconsiderately hereupon : no , be as diligent as ever you are able , to prepare your selves for so near an approach to the great god ; but yet be not so over-scrupulous as to keep back from the ordinance , or make your coming lesse profitable , through excessive fears . and remember still , that the habitual devotednesse of the soul to god , without any hypocritical reserve , is the best qualification for this and every other performance . . lastly , one would think you of all persons , should not be guilty of refusing your presence here , where there is a commemoration made of the love of your dearest lord. i speak to you that are serious christians ; well may others slight this duty , if you that lie under so great engagements to it , will be kept back by any ordinary pretences . you are such that are somewhat acquain●ed with the greatnesse of that mercy , manifested in the redemption of the world , and will you be easilie detained from shewing forth that death , which procured it ? you are persons tender of your master's honour , and sensible of your own duty : shew then that you are so , by obeying his command , and preserving the esteem due to his sacred ordinances , by your constant reverent attending upon them . others there are , that may complain of their unfitnesse , who finde themselves at a losse in their preparations for this duty , which yet they are very willing to set about , and are desirous of instructions for their right performance of it . for these especially i have reserved some directions to which i shall come presentlie . but there are a third sort , those the worst , and i fear the most , who will confess they are unfit for the sacrament , and therefore will by no means be drawn to it , but will tell you , though they are not fit now , yet hereafter they hope they shall be ; whilst in the mean time there are no s●gns of any preparation they make : for come to them one moneth , or year after another , still they are in the same posture , and use the same excuses . now the very plain case of these persons , i take to be this ; so much knowledge they have , that they are convinc't no man ought to come to the sacrament , who is not firmly resolved to forsake his sins , and to become a new man , if before he have been a carelesse liver , and yet their consciences tell them , that such and such sins they are guiltie of , which they cannot endure to think of parting with , and such and such duties they believe , they ought to set upon , which yet they have no mind to ; and therefore so much modesty they have , that they will not come to bind themselves , to that which they are not resolved to do ; and this while they fancy to themselves , that their case is something better , than if they should go and make promises of amendment , and soon after break them ; and are apt to conceit , that they may as yet safely take somewhat more liberty , than will be lawfull for them , when once they have taken the sacrament , whereby they imagine they should be strangely hampered , and tied to a strictnesse which they have no liking to : but yet hereafter , when they have tasted a little more of the pleasures of the world , they intend to be take themselves to such a course , and then they 'l be constant at sacraments , and as devout as may be , this they promise to themselves . i dare appeal to the consciences of many , whether such as these have not been their thoughts . reader , have they not been thy own ? and commonlie it is either tipling or wantonnesse , or love to an idle and jolly life , and a listlesnesse to all pains and diligence in spirituall affairs , and a misapprehension of serious holinesse , as if it was a most troublesome rigid thing , that are the ordinarie causes of these , and most mens continuance at a distance from godlinesse , and make them so backward to devote themselves entirely to god. now these i confesse are not to be called immediately to the sacrament , but seriously to be dealt with in order to their recoverie , from those sensuall inclinations , and wretched delusions , which render them so unfit for , and averse from it , to which purpose serve the former exhortations to repentance and faith , whereon i staid so long . onely i shall here discover to them , two dangerous mistakes , wherewith they seem willing to impose upon themselves , and which chiefly hinder the performance of their duty . the first is , a conceit that they may take some kind of liberty , for a loose conversation , before they have bound themselves to the contrary by the sacrament , which thereupon they are much more backward to . now first i shall grant , that hereby a farther obligation is laid upon them , to the greatest watchfulnesse against sin , and to a faithfull discharge of their duty to god , in the whole of their lives : and the wilfull violation of solemn engagements renders sin much more hainous : wherefore it hath been my care all along , to make you understand , that it is not so much the bare receiving , that i would perswade you to , as to get your souls into a fitnesse for the work , and to do it in a right manner . and once again let me warn you ; as you love your souls , not to come hither in love with your sins , or without resolutions to turn from every evil way . be it known to you , god will be sanctified in those that draw nea● him , and will severely punish irreverence and profane rudenesse , in those that pretend to his solemn worship and service , as you may see in that terrible instance of nadab and abihu , levit. . , , . and for unworthy receiving of the lords supper , the apostle tells the corinthians , for this very cause many were weak and sickly amongst them , and many faln asleep , and because they would not judge themselves , therefore god judged them , cor. . , . he 's an holy god , and commands all those to be holy , that hope for acceptance in their approaches to him . and he 's a god that searches the heart , so that there 's no hope of deceiving him . wherefore stand off , all you that have design'd to persist one moneth or week longer , in your rebellions against the soveraign majesty . dare not to offer so great an affront to him , as to thrust in amongst his subjects whilst thou art a resolved traitour , as if thou would'st make a triall , whether he could discern thee in that croud . he 's a jealous god , and will not endure to be so tempted ; and sooner or later be sure , thy sin shall find thee out . if then thou dislikest the holy laws and government of christ , take not an oath in a mockery , that thou wilt be subject to him , which beforehand thou intendest not to keep . here 's no jesting or dallying ; beware how thou playest with edge-tools . these are serious things , wherefore either be serious and sincere in thy medling with them , or keep at a distance . avoid , i say , all you loathsom ▪ defiled sinners , that are in love with your filth , and will not be washed and cleansed ; whilst this is your posture , you are no way fit to fit at the table of the king of glory , there to feast with his beloved friends , whom he hath purified and made meet for his fellowship and favour . but perhaps you 'l presently reply , you like all this well enough , this is that you would have , and you agree with me to stay away , as perceiving your own unfitnesse . and are you indeed resolved to stay away , and to continue in this unprepared posture , as thinking you have hereby some more dispensation for a carelesse ungodly life than others have ? alas ! poor wretches , how willing you are to be cheated into misery ? and how desirous do you seem of a freedome to do your selves the greatest mischief ? but a little to undeceive you . let me assure all you that live upon this earth and are endued with reason , whether you will bind your selves to god by this sacrament or not ; there lie so many other indispensable engagements on you to his service , that you have not the least liberty more than others to rebell against him : and that will sufficiently appear , if you do but consider these two things . . the relation wherein you naturally and necessarily stand to god. . your more expresse and profest obligations to him . for the first , consider , are you not his creatures and ●e your maker ? and is he not the upholder of your being , the lengthner of your lives , and the giver of all your mercies ? is he not therefore your owner and governour ? do you not owe your selves , and all you have to him ? and is it not your duty to serve and obey him , whether you have promised you will do so or not ? do you think he hath no title to you , till in some solemn manner you have profest subjection to him ? do you think the service you owe to god , is so purely a free-will offering , that if you will render it you may , and if not , you are in no fault ? by this reason god must be much beholden to you for it . what , do not his laws bind , till you have given your consent ? must he ask you leave to govern you ? do you think it is with you in this case , as with a servant , that owes this man or that no duty , till he hath hired himself into his service ? sure you cannot be so stupid . but rather , will you not yield , that from your very birth you are at least as much obliged to obedience to your maker , as any child to his parent ? and pray tell me , what would you think of that child , who , when his father bad him do any thing , should stubbornly refuse , and tell him he never promised him any such obedience ? would you think this a satisfactory answer ? do you not easilie perceive , that children are bound to obey their parents , even by virtue of that relation they stand in to them , though they never enter into any formall engagement to be dutifull ? even thus do you stand absolutelie bound to obey god , the father of spirits , before ever you professe you selves to be his people : and all your professions , though they are as so many farther ties upon you to obedience , yet they give not god any new right to you which before he had not , onelie hereby you acknowledge his right , and promise to render him what is his due . hence then you may see what an absurd conceit it is , that you may any whit more freelie sin against god before you have taken the sacrament , than after . can you be so sottish , as to imagine , that such excuses as these will serve your turn at that day , when you must be called to render a reason of your doing ? when the gospel first came to the heathens , i hope , you 'll grant they were bound to receive it , and yet they had never before given their consent to be rul'd by christ , nor had made any covenant with him . but why stand i so long on a case so plain ? and then take notice farther ; that by virtue of this subjection which you owe to god as his creatures , you are bound to expresse your resolutions to serve him , by what signs , and in what manner he shall appoint you ; now he hath commanded you , to expresse these resolutions by receiving the lords supper , as i have before proved : and will you disobey this particular command , and then think , this will excuse you from obedience to the rest ? to make the case plain by a like instance : suppose when the king had commanded all his subjects to repair to severall places in the kingdome , there to take the oath of allegiance , many amongst them should absent themselves , and refuse to take it , and afterwards should conspire together , and rise up in arms against him , do you think it would excuse them , to plead that they never swore allegiance to him ? why , first it was their fault that they did not , since they were commanded to do it ; and then however , they were engaged to peace and faithfulnesse by living in the kingdome , and receiving protection from their prince . even thus will your neglect of sacraments be charged on you as a fault , for which you had no reason , but will be farre from being admitted as an excuse of any other sins , against which you were sufficientlie tied , by your living meerly upon god , and receiving all you had from him . but then in the second place consider , you are already obliged by your own promises and professions , to walk in the fear of the lord , and therefore have not the least ground to al●ow your selves in sin , from your not having received the lo●ds supper as an engagement against it . for bethink you a little , do you not profess your selves to be christians ? and what 's the meaning of that , but that you worship god by jesus christ , and acknowledge him to be your maker and ruler , and christ to be your saviour ? and accordinglie , are you not devoted to god by baptisme , whereby you stand bound to renounce the devill , the world and the flesh , and to be christs faithfull servant to your lives end ? i confesse , you were thus consecrated to god by your parents in you infancy , when , according to the law of god and nature , they had full power thus to dispose of you : but now you are come to years of discretion , do you consent to what they have done or not ? in plain english , doe you renounce your baptisme , wherby you stand obliged to be the servants of god and his son christ jesus ? you that i am now speaking to , will , i know , deny this with great earnestnesse , and cry , god forbid , that you should be such apostate wretches , from christians to turn heathens and infidels . well then , if you acknowledge your selves under the bond of your baptisme , assure your selves , you are hereby as much tied from the least sin in thought , word or deed , as you can be by the sacrament of the lords supper . what will you do then in this case ? will you dare to run on in those sins from which your baptisme doth bind you , and so renounce it in your practise , whilst you own it in profession ? or will you hereafter be so silly as to abstain from the communion , for fear of engaging your selves to an holie life , to which you stand engag'd already by your own consent . if you continue in this mind , it 's too plain a sign that in your hearts you disown your baptisme it self : and what a case are you in then ? for let me ask you , if you had been born of heathen parents , and were but just now come to the understanding of the christian religion , and were acquainted what kind of persons they must be that own'd it , would you be baptiz'd into this faith , and hereby professe your resolutions to lead such an holy life , as all christians are commanded ? if you say you would not , hence then it follows that you dislike your baptisme , since if it was to be done again you would none of it . and if indeed you wish your selves , in the case of unbaptized heathens now , you are reallie worse than they , and shall be in a worse condition shortlie . but if you say , you would readilie be baptized if it was yet to do , then fain would i know , why you are so backward to receive the lords supper , wherein you do but renew the covenant that is made at baptisme , acknowledging your selves to be true christians , and promising that you will remain so : what possible reason can you devise for this unwillingness ? withall take notice , all you that are baptized into the name and church of christ , and do stand to your baptisme , you have hereby bound your selves to be his faithfull servants , to obey his commands , and to behave your selves in his church , as he directs you : now he hath commanded all christians , that are of capacitie to prepare themselves , and so to receive the sacrament of his supper : do you not clearlie perceive then , how your baptisme bindes you to this dutie , you being now come to the use of your reason ? how is it then that you dare neglect it , whilst you are so straitlie engag'd to it ? and further , beside your own baptisme , you fathers that have children , every time you bring them to be baptized , do professe , before god and the congregation , that you renounce the devil , the world , and the sinfull lusts of the flesh , that you believe the articles of the christian faith , and will keep gods holy will and commandments , & walk in the same all the days of your life . and are you sincere in all this ? if you are , why should you stay away from the sacrament , where you are required to professe and promise no more ? however , i hope , hence you may be convinc't , that before you partake of the lords supper , you are so far bound to an holie life , that you have no allowance for the least sin any more , than you have afterward , which is that i am proving . and this is farther evident by all other duties of religion , which you perform to god , every one of which ties you to the most exact obedience to him . i suppose you are not so atheistical but that sometimes you pray to god , and when you pray , do you not beg of him pardon of sin and grace to do him faithful service ? when you say the lords prayer , do you not therein beseech god to forgive you your trespasses , and not to lead you into temptation , but deliver you from evil ? and what , dare you ask of him forgivenesse of sin , whilst you are resolved to continue in it still ; i presume you hope to obtain what you ask , and can you so much as flatter your selves with any hope that god will pardon your sins whilst y●● will not forsake them ? hath not his word plainly old you the contrary ? and when you pray to be kept ●rom sin and the power of satan , is it not to be suppos'd that you desire these things ? and doth not the expression of your desires engage you to do what you can to obtain what you pray for ? and are you not therefore bound to take heed of sin , to watch against and resist temptations ? except you take god for an idol , and make your prayers in a mockerie , as if your servant should come and entreat you to help him do his work , and then run away , and never set his hand to 't ; or as if your childe should pray you to keep him from falling into the water , and should throw himself into it as soon as he had done ; dare you venture thus to play and dally with the all-mightie . and when you desire him to save your souls , and keep you from hell , it speaks you resolv'd not wilfully to destroy and damn your selves , or else you are horrid mockers of god. methinks you should never have the impudence to come neer him , or speak a word to him , whilst you are fully bent to go on in those waies that are so contrary and provoking to him . the like i might say of hearing the word , you are thereby engaged to give obedience to it : for you cannot think sure you serve god sufficiently by hearing your duty , whilst you set not about it . and for you to come to hear what god shall say by his minister , with a secret purpose to hold on in such and such courses , whatever shall be told you to the contrary , is little lesse dangerous and damnable , than to come to the sacramnent with such wicked purposes . let this then suffice to remove your first mistake , that you may take liberty in some sinful waies you have a minde to , before you have taken the sacrament . the second gross mistake which i finde in your objection , is , that you think , though at present you have no great minde to be so serious , as to set upon preparation for the sacrament , yet that hereafter you shall , when you have had your swinge a while longer , and have taken a little more pleasure , being as yet perhaps but in the prime of your youth , and thereupon you hope that god will bear with you yet a while , since you have such good purposes to become his servants for the time to come . should i go about fully to shew you the vanity of this conceit , and your folly in delaying to return to god , i might fill many sheets : wherefore that i may not be tedious , i shall do little more than represent to you , the very true language and import , of this pretence of yours , that so you may be ashamed of ever using it more , or harbouring it any longer . when you talk of staying yet a while , before you cast off your old companions and courses , and bind your selves to a godly life at the sacrament , what do you in effect but say ? that when you have contemn'd gods mercy , and griev'd his spirit a little longer , and done somewhat more to dishonour his name , then you will betake your selves to him , and become his people ; when you have done satan yet a little more service , then you 'l shake him off , and take christ for your master ; when you have a while longer trod under foot his precious blood , then it shall wash you from all your sins ; when you have run deeper on the score , and added something more both to the number and hainousness of your transgressions , then you 'l come for a pardon ; when you have done somewhat more to make god your enemie , then you 'l seek reconciliation ; when you have let your lusts take deeper rooting , then you 'l pluck them up ; when you have made them a little stronger , then you 'l subdue them ; when the sore is festered then you 'l apply the plaister ; when the gangrene is almost got to your vitals , then you 'l seek a remedy ; thus foolishly , thus presumptuouslie and baselie do they argue , who think it is too soon yet to come home to god , and be religious in good earnest . i know you would be asham'd to speak thus , and will scarce be perswaded there lodges so much wickednesse in your hearts , but for certain there does , whil'st you retain secret purposes , to go on in any way of known sin . ah poor sinner ! that thou didst but a little know what thou doest , whilst thou standst thus unresolv'd whither thou shouldest yet bid farewell to thy lusts , and come over heartilie to god by jesus christ. oh disingenuous creature ! dost thou think thou hast not provokt and dishonour'd thy maker enough yet ? hast thou not yet sufficientlie abused thy redeemers grace and patience ? hast thou not yet thrown away time enough ? and sinn'd away mercies and offers enough ? is sin so sweet and profitable a thing that it should be so hard to determine whether it was best be forsaken or not ? is god so hard a master , and his service such a burdensome thing , that sinners must be wooed to him with so much earnestness , and all prove too little with the most ? is it so safe and desirable a state to remain still in the gall of bitterness and under the wrath of god ? can you keep off this wrath which you are plucking upon you ? have you both repentance and time at your own beck ? and are you sure of acceptance , how long so ever you stay before you seek it ? will holinesse be good for you hereafter , and is it not now ? or are you afraid of being happie too soon ? wherefore weigh things well , sirs , and then resolve whether there be any wisdome , in delaying that work which may be put off too long , but cannot be too quickly done : that work to which in all reason and conscience you stand engag'd every hour , even to be divorc't from sin and satan , and firmly betrothed to the lord jesus . how long must he seek and sue for thy consent ? why should not he have thy youth as well as any other ? doth satan deserve it better than he ? did not he die for thee in the prime of his years , and why should'st not thou live to him whilst thou art young ? when wilt thou have put away that wretched disobedient answer , that it 's yet too soon to entertain him ? hath he stood knocking for entrance till his locks are wet with the dew of the night , and is it still too soon to open to him and let him in ? oh beware , least thy continued stubbornnesse should even wear out his patience ; least thy perverse carriage should provoke him for ever to leave thee ; and least if still thou think'st it not time yet to break off thy sins , and set upon a godly life , he should think it time to cut thee off , and sentence thee to everlasting death . in the mean time know , that all thy good designs , what thou wilt do , and be hereafter , will not be the least excuse of thy present wickednesse , nor make thy case any better with god ; nay rather they make it worse , since it appears thou art convinced in thy conscience , that thou oughtest to live after another fashion than thou do'st , and yet wilfully neglectest thy acknowledged duty . i hope then i have said enough , to shew that thou hast no refuge , no excuse that will hold , whilst thou absentest thy self from the sacrament , out of a lothnesse as yet to reform thy life , and do the duties to which this would bind thee . wherefore to conclude . if it be thy purpose to continue in any sinfull course , come to the lords table if thou darest : for farre be it from me to speak one word to encourage thee to forswear thy self . but yet on the other hand , go on in thy sins , and stay away if thou darest : for thou art in danger every moment of dropping into hell , whilst thou remainest in such a state . thou seest then to what a strait sin brings thee , so that turn thee which way thou wilt , whilst thou willingly carriest it about thee , an angel with a flaming sword stands full in thy way , threatning destruction ; whether thou comest or comest not , whilst thou continuest a resolved sinner , thy case is sad and deplorable . but yet one way remains , and but one that i know for thy safety , even with all speed to cast away thy sins , and change thy heart and life : and then come as soon as thou wilt to the lords table , there to professe this blessed change , and to confirm thy self therein . and for thy encouragement take notice of two things . . it is not an absolute sinlesse perfection that here thou bindest thy self to ; even this thou should'st thirst and aspire after , but yet thou art not to be discouraged , if thou never attain it , till thou art taken into the number of the spirits of just men made perfect . mistake me not , as if i was indulging thee an allowance in any the least sin , no , this is it i warn thee of , and against this thou must covenant in the sacrament , to wit , against a willing , loving entertainment of any sin whatever . and thou shalt be accounted true to this covenant , if thou hate and strive against all , and art humbled under the sense of thy remaining imperfections , being farre more desirous to be rid of them , than to retain them , and if upon knowledge of any slip or stumble thou risest again by true repentance , and recourse to the blood of christ for mercy , and to his spirit for fresh strength , being resolved to take more heed to thy ways for the time to come . it is here as if thou should'st promise thy p●ysician , thou would'st be carefull of thy health ; this doth not imply , that thou wilt never be sick more , but yet it implies thus much , that thou wilt not w●lfully bring diseases upon thy self , but wilt use the means that are appointed to preserve thy health ; and whatever sicknesse cleaves to thee will be thy trouble , and thou wilt desire and endeavour to be freed from it . even thus art thou bound to regard the health of thy soul , and to look upon sin as a spirituall sicknesse , and therefore never to fall in love with it , but to do thy best toward its utter removall : even those infirmities , to which the best are liable , are not to be cherisht and pleaded for , no more than thou would'st plead for the keeping of a little head-ach , or any bodily pain . thou should'st not by thy good will be guilty so much as of a vain thought , an idle word , or the least motion to any sin ; but yet it is not required of thee , to promise absolutely never more to be guilty of any of these ; nor art thou to judge thy self unfit for the sacrament , because thou find'st such imperfections cleave to thee , so long as from thy heart thou abhorrest them , and do'st ordinarily overcome all temptations to more grosse and wilfull sins . whilst thou art in the flesh , thy state is like to be so farre imperfect , that it will be thy daily duty to grow in grace , and to pray for the forgivenesse of thy trespasses ; to improve christ both as a treasurie of grace , whence thou art to be supplied , and as an advocate with the father , through whom thou maist be pardoned . this i mention , that thou maist not say , i discourage thee from the sacrament , by making it an engagement to greater strictnesse , than it 's possible for man in this life to come up to , since , i do assure thee thou maist safely come hither , if thou art but sincerely resolved to doe what in thee lies to please god , and not to run wilfully into those actions , which thou know'st are contrary to his will. and this also may take away that fond opinion of some ignorant people , that it 's best never to receive the sacrament , till they come to their death-bed , as thinking that every sin afterward will damn them ; but remember what i have told you , that we do not promise never to sin more , but not to allow our selves in sin ; and to this sincere endeavour to keep all gods commands , we are before as strictly tied by our baptisme , and therefore by your reason this should be deferred till we come to die , as some of the ancients did , partly through this mistake ; and thinking this washt away all the sins before committed . and if you should be of this opinion also , that the sacrament gives you a pardon of all your former sins , and therefore it 's good to put it off to your death-bed , consider well , that it 's by virtue of gods promises that you have any ground to expect pardon of sin ; and by those promises , to which the sacraments are seals , this pardon is assured to all penitent believing ones ; so that baptisme and the lords supper do seal your pardon , even of sins that may hereafter be committed , if you truly repent of them , and betake your selves to gods mercy in christ for forgivenesse : but if you think , when you have liv'd an ungodly life , to make up all by taking the sacrament when you are sick , know , to your timely conviction , this will not do the work , as you shall know to your terrour , if you depend upon 't : for remember what i told you , that if you do not truly repent of sin , it is not the sacrament that will give you a pardon , and this true repentance , few upon a death-bed have , that put it off till then . moreover , you that are for deferring this duty till you come to die , i might ask you how you know , whether you shall not die suddenly , or have the use of your reason taken away by your distemper , or be visited with the plague , that no minister dare come near you ? and farther , you seem not to consider , that this ordinance is exceeding helpfull to us , for the overcoming of lusts , and leading our lives as we ought , and this brings me to the second thing which i would have you take notice of . . namely . that if thou art but once come up to a resolution , to do thy best against sin , and to please god , and addressest thy self to the lords supper , with an earnest desire of grace to be here given thee from christ , to enable ●hee to perform thy promises , thou maist very confidently expect , strength and assistance from him , and even now to partake thereof . little do'st thou think what a mightie blow thou mightest give to thy strong lusts , and to the kingdome of satan within thee , by such a firm resolution as this , made with an humble dependance upon gods grace , bound upon , and confirmed by taking the sacrament . oh! if thou wast but brought into so ingenuous and good a frame , as to be truly grieved , that sin and satan should have so much interest in thee , and didst heartily desire , that god would cast them forth , and take possession of thee for himself , in how good a way wast thou then to a deliverance ? if god saw thee labouring under the burden of thy lusts , tugging with thy backward heart , to bring it t● him , thou canst not imagine what help he would soon afford thee . wherefore sit not down in a faint dejection ; say not , there is no hope of ever getting up such strong lusts , which are so deep rooted in my nature , and so confirmed by long custome , it 's to no purpose to attempt it . why man , must not this work be done , or thou perish for ever ? and the longer it s delaid the harder it 's like to be . thy case is sad indeed , but not desperate yet ; let neither thy presumption , nor despondency make it desperate . the things that are imp●ssible with men , are possible with god. wherefore rouze thy self , and gather up all thy strength : for be sure , sitting still will bring thy death . limit not gods power , but ask thy own heart , whether thou art willing to be cured : for no diseases are too hard for the physician , that will take thee in hand . if thou wilt but attend upon him , and humbly beg and accept his help ; oh how soon can he bring down all high imaginations , and every thought that rebells against him , and subdue all things to himself . he hath healed and cleansed as vile sinners as thou , and conquered as stubborn hearts as thine . he can so change thy nature , and the very temper and bent of thy soul , that thou shalt abhorre those sins , which now thou think'st thou canst not live without , so that thou wilt chuse rather to be torn limb from limb , or to take toads and serpents into thy bosome , than to meddle , with what was once so pleasant ; and wilt wonder that ever thou should'st be such a beast , such a devil , as to take delight in that which was so hurtfull to thy self , and so displeasing to god. oh let not then the seeming sweetness of any lust bewitch thee any longer , or betray thee into a slothfull neglect of thy duty : if sin would have made thee happy , thou hadst found it long since , and yet what hast thou ever got from it , that comforts thee to look back upon it ? or that would do thee any good if thou wast to die at this hour ? and put it on thy account , nothing better wilt thou get at the last . but little do'st thou think what thou losest one year after another , whilst thou remainest estranged from god , and think'st an holy life such a tedious difficult thing . be perswaded then at length to make a triall , and see what can be done in the case . bind thy self by the most solemn vow to forsake thy wicked waies , and to become gods faithfull servant , and come to the sacrament with this design ; and if thou be sincere , thou maist be confident of receiving help from god , to keep this covenant , which by his word and spirit , thou art drawn to make with him . so much for the third objection . chap. xv. obj. we are not in perfect charity , but at variance with our neighbours , answered . . obj. the fourth and last that i shall take notice of , is very common in the mouths of many , to wit , that they are at variance with their neighbours , and therefore cannot with a good conscience come to the communion , whither none are to come , but they that are in perfect charity with all men ; and commonlie they alledge , that they have law-suits , or some kind of quarrellings one with another . ans. in answer hereto , let me ask you , who put this objection , whose fault is it , that you are not at peace with your neighbours ? i question not but you 'll presently tell me , that the fault is theirs . but then farther , have you no enmitie in your minds against them ? but are you willing to be reconciled to them , and to do what on your part may conduce thereto ? and though they be crosse and perverse , yet do you from your heart forgive them ? so that you would not take revenge on them , if it were in your power , but would do them good , if they should need your help ? it 's very like you 'll be ready to reply , that you are thus well-affected toward them , and that the malice is onely on their part : and for the present i shall suppose you speak true ; whereupon i demand , whether you can be so weak , as to think that another mans sin , shall be laid to your charge ? if your neighbour be malicious , is that any fault of yours ? or doth his malice make you any more unfit for the sacrament , than his drunkennesse or covetousnesse ? what a sad case might the best christian be in , if it was in the power of every wicked man , that owes him a spite to make it unlawfull for him to go to the sacrament ? as by your arguing it would be . suppose any malicious man should without reason pick a quarrel with me , and after i had used all means to pacifie him , should utterly refuse to be at peace , what 's to be done in this case ? must i stay away from the sacrament till i can perswade him to be friends with me ? perhaps that may never be , and must i be bound to a thing impossible ? or be so great a loser through another mans wickednesse , which i cannot help ? is it not enough for me to be reconcil'd to him in my own minde , and freely to forgive him what injuries he hath done me ? how else would those blessed saints in the primitive times have done , whilst they were maligned and persecuted by almost all men ? we never finde that they made this any pretence to keep away from the lords table , at which they did so frequently attend . they thought themselves guiltlesse ( as well they might ) whilst they praied for their persecutors , blest them that curst them , not avenging themselves , but giving place unto wrath , and not giving to any man just cause of offence . and do you but labour thus to behave your selves , and then never trouble your mindes with other mens enmitie against you . yea , do but thus , and you will fully answer the command god hath given us , to live in peace and quietnesse . rom. . . if it be possible , as much as in you lies , live peaceably with all men . which words plainly insinuate that it is not alwaies possible to have the good will of all men , but yet we must labour for this , and do nothing that may hinder it , and therefore above all must not bear , or discover ill will to them . but here perhaps some will reply that they are forc't to vindicate their wrongs , and to go to law with those that would abuse them , or that sue them without cause ; and therefore can they with a safe conscience receive the sacrament before the contention is ended ? why , to this you must even ask your own hearts for an answer . for ( as i said before ) if you this while have no malicious design against them , but seek only to defend o● right your selves in a just and lawfull manner , there 's nothing that need trouble you in this case . for in the thing it self , it s not a sin to go to law , if the cause and design be good , no more than it was for the jews to appeal to their judges , to determine matters betwixt man and man. and therefore when the apostle condemns the christians , for going to law one with another , before the heathen judges , which made it utterly a fault , he yet adviseth them to set some in the church to judge betwixt the brethren , in controversies that might happen touching their worldly concernment . cor. . , . and these suits may possibly be lawfull on both sides , as when such a difficult case shall happen that cannot otherwise be decided , and then both parties might maintain charity to each other , if they were but such as they ought . but if without cause you are vext by men of contention , beware of acting out of wrath , spleen or revenge ; yea , or of doing any thing out of meer selfishness : for even in your temporal concerns , about your estate , credit , &c. gods interest should be more aimed at than your own ; and you should not so much endeavour to secure or recover these , for your own sake , as that you may hereby be more capable of honouring god : and if you saw that , through some circumstances , it might tend more to gods honour , to neglect a vindication of your right than to prosecute it , in such a case it would be your duty to sit still . ( they that have devoted themselves , and all they have to god , will understand this and none else . ) hence you finde the apostle expostulating with the christians , why they would not take wrong , and even suffer themselves to be defrauded rather than contend , whereby they did then so much disgrace religion . vers. . of that forequoted chapter . but yet i say , when it is your duty to maintain your right , against those that would abuse you , you may do this , and yet have no spight against their persons , nor any desire of their hurt , if your own hearts be right ; and may really forgive them , whilst you endeavour to avoid the injury which they would offer you . and let this suffice on supposition , that you are thus well-affected towards those , that make themselves your adversaries ; which if you indeed be , i hope i need use no more words to perswade you , that other mens malicious behaviour toward you , need be no hindrance to your coming to the sacrament . but on the other side , give me leave to deal plainly with you , all you that insist upon this reason for neglecting your duty , because there 's difference betwixt you and your neighbours , i strongly suspect that you your selves , are very much in fault : and indeed you confesse as much by your practice , whilst in your words you disown it ; for why is it you make this a ground of abstaining from the sacrament ; but that your consciences tell you , you bear so much ill will to your neighbours , that its a dangerous thing for you to receive it ? oh look back upon your waies , and see whether instead of bearing wrongs , you have not wrong'd and defrauded others . have you not opprest , or needlesly vext them , through eager designes of raising your selves by their ruines , not caring whom you have injured and trampled upon , so you might but get your own ends ? of if you will not own this , yet look faithfully into the temper of your souls . do you not stand vilely affected towards some that have done you injuries , and whom you take for your enemies ? are you not backward to any thorow reconciliation with them ? do you not stand upon your terms ? & expect that they should come first and humble themselves , and stoop to you , before you 'l seek after any peace with them ? your great spirits scorn to be first in this work ; nay it s well if you are not resolv'd against it , let them do what they will ? oh proud wretches ! is this like gods dealing with the world ? when we had given him the offence , yet who was it began first to treat of a peace ? hath the great god given you this example , and yet are you too good , forsooth , to seek to your fellow-creatures to be at peace with you ? if this be your goodnesse , may not the devil himself passe for good ? for he hath pride enough , and what 's yours better ? but further , do you not cherish a secret spleen against them , which fills you with implacable desires of being reveng'd on them , and makes you griev'd to see them do well in the world ? whereas you could heartily wish their ruine , and would delight to be in a capacity of doing them a mischief ; and long to bring them under you , that you might insult over them , and make them repent that ever they displeas'd such as you , oh divellish and monstrous spirit ! that ever it should dwell in the breasts of any that call themselves christians ! christians are they call'd they deserve not the name of men. certainly , there are many as good christians as these , hang'd at tyburn for cutting mens throats . for did not the fear of man restrain them , you should quickly see their envenom'd rancour break out into as bad effects . but suppose your malice be not boild up to such an height , yet if you harbour so much as makes you unfit for the sacrament ( as according to your own acknowledgment you do , whilst it keeps you from it ) it 's a plain sign your souls are yet under miserable distempers , far from being truly sanctifi●d ; you live still under the power of self-love , unmortified pride or covetousnesse which are the secret cause of this your discord with others . and alas ! though these present differences were ended , you would be farre from a fitnesse for the sacrament , whilst you abide in the condition you are yet in , not having your peace made with god , but being in enmitie against him , through a subjection to your reigning lusts . and therefore you might more trulie say , you are not fit for this dutie , because you are proud , and covetous , and envious , than because you are at variance with any one ; onely you hope for some kind of excuse , by laying the fault on others , but that i have taken off before . and furthermore , is it not a plain discoverie , how little love you have to christ and your own souls , that you can willingly be so long absent from this ordinance , upon such a silly pretence as this , that your neighbours and you are not agreed . it 's a sign of an ill stomach , when people are glad of an excuse to save them from eating . what , could not you , if you had been so minded , have got an agreement before now ? or at least , could not you have done so much towards it , as might have satisfied your consciences , that you were not in fault ? was there but any worldly advantage to be got by doing thus much , you would soon set about it , i 'le warrant you . but being , i doubt , very indifferent to sacraments , or to any thing that concerns your souls , a very little reason serves to keep you from them , since you find no want of them , nor can imagine how you should be much bettered by them . and whilst you are in this wretched frame , be sure you shall never want one thing or other to hinder you . to bring you to better apprehensions of things , let what i have said before suffice : for i now hasten to a conclusion ; onely let me wish you to beware of cheating your selves with that m●stake , which i endeavoured to remove under the last objection , to wit , that whilst you come not to the sacrament , you may safely persist in such and such actions , or in such a temper of mind , which ought to be changed before you go thither : for thus you seem to think , whilst you stay away , because there are fallings out betwixt you and others ; being , it seems resolved to continue in your enmitie , and think your selves secure enough , if you come not hither in this evil mind . if these be your thoughts , pray answer me these two things . . how can you desire of god the forgivenesse of your sins whilst you refuse to forgive others ? have you the impudence to doe it ? or the ignorance and presumption , to think such desires would be granted ? see where the contrarie is expresly told you , in that forementioned place , mat. . . nay , tell me plainlie , how dare you so much as say the lords prayer , wherein you beg of god to forgive your trespasses , as you forgive those that trespasse against you ? what , do you pray that he would remember your iniquities , and charge them upon you , and take vengeance of you ? for thus it seems you deal with those that offend you . or do you think to make your case somewhat the better , by never saying this prayer , or by leaving out this petition ? can you imagine this will hinder god from dealing with you according to the tenour thereof ? methinks you should not be so weak : no , be you sure god will make good his word , that if you forgive not , you shall not be forgiven , whether you give your consent or not . if you say you do forgive your enemies , then i ask you again , why upon account of any differences you should neglect the sacrament ? but if you dare not forgive them , you see it 's as dangerous to say your prayers , whilst you are in this mind , as to come to the communion . . but again , if through these differences with your neighbours you are unfit for the sacrament , pray bethink you well , whether upon the same account you are not as unfit for death ? and dare you continue in such a desperate condition as this ? do you not believe , that the charity which is required to make you fit , for the communion of imperfect saints here on earth , is as necessary for your admission into the communion of saints in glory ? are you not fit to go to the lords table ? and are you then fit to appear before his tribunall ? take this for an undoubted truth , that if you so farre allow your self in malice or any other sin , that you are ( according to the gospel rule ) unworthy of the sacrament , if you die in this condition , you will be thought unworthy of everlasting life . methinks then you should never dare to live in such an estate , wherein you dare not die . you take it to be a dangerous thing to die out of charity with any , and is it safe think you , to live out of charity , or in any other sin , for those that are liable to death every moment ? wherefore , to conclude , my advice to you is , that you would without any longer delay go to your brother , and if you have wrong'd him , acknowledge it , and make all due reparation , and do what in you lies to be reconciled to him : but if he prove obstinate , or have wrong'd you , see that you heartily forgive , and clear your breast of all spight , or desire of revenge ; so being carefull in all other respects duly to prepare your selves , come to the lords table , there to receive a confirmation of peace betwixt god and your own souls . and thus i have done with the severall objections that are made against this duty . chap. xvi . directions for a due preparation , and right receiving . in the last place , according to my promise , i come to give some direction to those who are willing to addresse themselves to this work ; to instruct them for their immediate preparation to , their behaviour in and after the same . and though i have already at large shewn what the design of this ordinance is , that so we might the better know how to behave our selves thereat , and have thence discovered what kind of persons communicants ought to be , yet i shall in a few words premise a repetition of the same , that you may the better apprehend and remember it . know then , that it pleased our blessed lord jesus , in the evening of that night wherein he was betrayed , to appoint this sacrament of his supper , partly for the present comfort of his apostles ( who began to be cast down upon the knowledge of his sufferings , and removall from amongst them ) but principally for the benefit of them , and all other christians , in the times that were to follow , even till he should come to judgement , till which time it never ought to be laid down in the church . the great end of it was ( as i have said ) to preserve fresh in the minds of all christians , the memorie of their lord and master , and especially of that unvaluable mercy shewn in his dying for them , his death being very clearly held forth by the breaking of the bread , and pouring out of the wine . but we must not think , that it was for an idle uneffectuall remembrance of him , that he commanded this duty , but for such a remembrance , as might tend to the great advantage of our souls ; even that by remembring our redemption , we might be brought to have low mean thoughts of our selves , who were lost and undone , but recovered by free-grace ; that we might keep up a sence of the exceeding great evil of sin , which made us liable to those miseries , whence onely his death can deliver us , and so might be stirr'd up to a greater sorrow for , hatred of , and resolutions against sin , the occasion of his death ; and that by the remembrance of his love , we might be the stronglier engaged to him , and here in a visible and expresse manner , might solemnize our covenant with him , and frequently renew our promises of faithfulnesse . moreover , here christ hath made a familiar representation of the blessings he hath obtained for believers , that hereby we might be quickned to earnest desires after them , and so being at present fitted , for the communications of grace to our souls , might receive the same ; and might here also receive a confirmation of our faith , that we shall in due time enjoy those priviledges that are invisible , and yet to come . and farther , he hath ordained , that his death should in this lively manner , at set times be represented to us , that having it fresh in our thoughts , we may be the more powerfully moved at such seasons as these , to celebrate and adore that wisdome and goodnesse , which hath so wonderfully appeared in the contrivance , and accomplishment of our redemption ; and that fellow-christians meeting together for this work , may be the more endeared to one another , and quickned to long after a perfect communion in the praises and love of god and their redeemer , in that future glory whereof they have here a shadow and forecast . now as the ends for which this ordinance was appointed inform us , what kind of persons they that frequent it ought to be , as to their habituall qualifications , so do they also teach us , what ought to be the workings of our soul in our approches to it ; since here we are to exercise and put forth those graces , which are before required to be wrought in us : but yet for your plainer direction , i shall tell you more particularly how you ought then to behave your selves ; and lastly shall shew , how you may improve it afterwards to your greatest advantage . but by the way take notice , that i suppose you , to whom i now speak , to be such as are heartily willing to come to the sacrament , in that manner , and to those ends which christ hath commanded : and therefore i suppose you to be already so farre convinc't of the evil of sin , that you are resolved to forsake it ; and so farre convinc't of the greatnesse of those benefits that come by a saviour , and of your need of him , that you are firmly purposed to accept of him , as he offers himself to you , that you may be his , and he may be yours for ever . and upon this account , i shall say little to put you upon , or help you in that self-examination , whereby you may come to the knowledge of your own estates , whether you have a true work of grace wrought in your hearts or not , since i have before said so much to this purpose ; but shall now rather direct you , how to to exercise and expresse your repentance , faith and other graces . onely as you go along , if you find your selves willing to perform the duties i shall mention , you have reason to believe that your condition is good , but if you refuse these you have too much ground to suspect , that all is not well with you . and though it be usuall to distinguish betwixt directions for an immediate preparation to the sacrament , and those that are for a right demeanour in the act of receiving , yet i shall chuse rather to speak of both under the same head , since it hath been my businesse all along , to bring souls to a fitnesse for this work , and since in our performance of the duty , our hearts ought to be kept , in the same disposition and frame that they were brought into , by our preparations for it . . first then , i would advise you who intend to come to the lords table , to set apart some convenient time , for the preparing of your souls for this weighty work . it is a most serious businesse , and ought to be seriously taken in hand . let nothing here be done cursorily or rashly . not that i would have you daunted , as if it was a work of that nature , that you must either come trembling , or else stay away for fear : no , but onely see you be very serious ; for so you ought to be whenever you have any thing to do with god , even when you so much as mention his name , or open a bible , or come to hear his word ; & therefore being now in a more especiall manner to draw near to him , in a duty wherein a miscarriage is more dangerous , it 's very requisite that you make more solemn preparation for it , since upon this , the right performance of it , doth very much depend . and therefore it is , that i would have you set some time apart for that purpose , which will be most convenient in the week , or on the day before you receive : though i would have you be employed in this work more than once or twice . but if you are servants , and so are straitned of time , or through poverty are constrained to daily labour , you must watch for the fittest opportunities you can get . and it is no doubt , but you will find time enough , if you will but be watchfull to redeem time from idlenesse , and vain ways of spending it . however , it 's better to spare some time from your working , or sleeping , yea , or eating , than to neglect those works , for which you had your life it self : for it 's of farre more consequence , i hope , to save your souls for ever , than to keep your bodies alive a little while , though you may very well do both , if you be willing . . having set apart some time , see that you be not onely got alone , and your hands taken off your businesse , but let your hearts be withdrawn from off all worldly things , and set , as in the presence of god , upon an employment of no small consequence ; and humbly beg of god , that he would vouchsafe you his presence and assistance in these your preparations , and in the work you are preparing for ; that he would set and keep your minds in a frame suitable thereto ; and graciously own , accept and blesse you , who in obedience to him have set upon this duty . and beg of him , that he would help you in the searching of your heart , and reviewing of your life , that you may not onely have a sight of sin , but a right sense of its vilenesse , that you may not onely think of it , but grieve for it ; and that all your meditations may be attended with suitable affections , and that in all , you may be sincere and upright , that so upon , good grounds , you may take comfort in the review of what you shall have done , and by this present opportunity may be advanc't one step forward toward your eternall rest . . and when you have done thus , let your first work be , to enter into such a serious consideration of your own estate , both by nature and practice , as may be most effectuall to bring you to a sound repentance . the reason why i advise you to this first , is , because you being now about to celebrate the remembrance of the greatest mercy that ever was manifested to man-kind , wherein especially love & thankfulness are to be exercised , it is not possible you should feelingly acknowledge it as so great a mercy , if you be not very sensible of your own misery , & of that absolute need you stand in of it . should you offer money to one , who thinks he has no great want of it , he m●ght take it perhaps , but not with that thankfulness that another would , who is ready to starve for lack of relief . a man that perceives himself sinking and drowning , with what readinesse will he lay hold on an hand that 's held out to save him ? thus , the deeper sense you have of your own vilenesse , the more will you admire gods goodnesse , in having any regard to such a worthlesse wretch as you . the greater you perceive your sins to be , the more need you will see of pardoning mercie , the more you will prize , and the closer you will cleave to christ , and the more readilie will you come hither to receive the seal of your pardon . the lower your humilations are , the higher ordinarily will you rise in praise and joy . wherefore it will be very needfull , especially if this be the first time of thy receiving , or though it should not , yet i say , it will be needfull and profitable for thee to take an impartiall view of thy self , what a vile unworthy sinner thou art , that so thou maist think meanly of thy self as thou oughtest to think and maist be sincerely humbled in the remembrance of all thy miscarriages . and for thy help herein i shall run over a few particulars . consider what a sinfull nature thou brought'st into the world with thee , being conceived in sin , and shapen in iniquity , and being hereby a childe of wrath . think how ignorant thou art of god , how much at enmitie with him naturallie ; how exceeding prone to all sin and how averse from goodnesse , as by experience thou hast sadly found , and didst soon begin to finde , so that thou maist well acknowledge , that in thy flesh dwells no good thing . and then remember with brokennesse of heart , how early thou didst set upon a trade of actual sinning , wherein thou hast been so constant all thy days . and call to minde the several ages of thy life which thou hast past through , and the particular sins of those times ; the sensuality and pride , and all the follies of thy youth ; thy mispence of precious time in idlenesse and foolish sports and pastimes . reflect also upon the sins of thy riper years , if thou art yet come to them , such commonly as company-keeping , drunkennesse and wantonnesse ; or on the other hand , covetounesse , over-eager following of the world , to the neglect of gods service , injuring and over-reaching your neighbours , uncharitableness to the poor . call to mind also the places and relations you have lived in , and the sins you were therein guilty of , as whilst you were at home with your parents , at school , or in service , or any other way dispos'd of : think whether you were not guilty of telling lies , of disobedience , slothfulnesse and unfaithfulnesse , which are the usual sins of those times . you will finde it very profitable and affecting , to be as particular and punctual as you can in this review , as to think at such a place , in such company , i was guilty of such and such sins . and then fetch in matter for your humiliation , by considering the several aggravations of your sins , as your being devoted to god by baptisme , and yet revolting from him , when you came to the use of your reason ; receiving all you had from him , and yet rebelling against him , abusing your mercies to the dishonour of the giver . moreover your sins are much the more hainous , who have had good education , and been brought up to hear and read the word of god , and have been plainly told what is your duty , and yet have neglected it ; who have had many a time convictions of the sinfulnesse and danger of your courses , and yet have gone on in them , and have had some purposes of a reformation , and yet have soon lost them ; or it may be under some pangs of conscience , or in a fit of sicknesse , you have made promises of amendment , and yet all came to nothing , but after that you went on in a carelesse course of life . you whom i now suppose to be thorowly converted to god , let it grieve your hearts thus to remember the sins of your unregenerate state , that you should live so long estrang'd from god , and entertain such unworthy thoughts of him , and do so much to provoke him , whom you have since found so good and gracious . how can you with dry eies think of that time , when you were like others , foolish , disobedient , deceived , serving divers lusts and pleasures ? me thinks you should be fil'd with a kinde of horrour when you do but reflect upon that dismall state : when you think how neer you were to the burning lake , and yet how secure ; and when you consider what a meer sink of loathsome sins your hearts once were . oh sirs ! was not that a sad time , when you could take delight in nothing but in doing your selves mischief ? when nothing tasted sweet but draughts of poison ? when the very bent of your souls was contrary to god and godlinesse ? so that whatever had a tendencie hereto , was nauseated by you ? prayer was a burden , hearing a burden , holy conference strange and troublesome , and a godly life was accounted the greatest toil and slavery in the world ; so that you could go whole daies and weeks without any thought of god , and never feel any hurt in it . oh can you without shame remember , how you have many a time hearkned to satan's temptations , whilst the good spirit of god hath been resisted and griev'd ? how did your loving saviour follow you from time to time , and by his spirit and ministers beseech you that you would be reconcil'd to god ? and yet you did stubbornly and unkindly put him off , when he had laid open to you what he had done for you , and what advantages he came to bring you , yet you slighted his offers , as if they were inconsiderable things . are you not amazed at your own daring impudence and presumption , to make the great god wait on you so long in vain ? he who in a moment could have stopt that breath which he gave you , and thrown you into the hell you deserved , that yet you durst disobey his commands , yea , even reject the suit he made to you , to save your own souls . but to proceed , you are also to call to minde your miscarriages , since god by the power of his grace brought you home to himself , and shew'd you so much of the evil of sin , that you acknowledged your former behaviour , to be full as vile as i have been representing it , and did ingage your selves to him , to become his obedient people . now consider how you have answered this engagement . and though since that time , your sins may not have been so gross nor so frequent as before they were , yet they are now of another nature , and capable of greater aggravations , as being committed against greater light and experienced love , even against that god who hath freely pardoned you and received you into his favour . think then how unsuitably you have walkt to the profession you have made , and the means you have enjoy'd , how unthankfull you have been for mercies , how unfruitfull and unserviceable since you became the servants of god , though heretofore you had done so much against him ; think how little you have done as parents , masters , and neighbours to advance his glorie , and consider and bewail all other failings , in the duties of your relations . oh think what folly it was in you so much as to venture upon the least sin , who have been convinced that its your own greatest hurt ; or to start aside from the holy path , to walk in which you have found to be infinitelie most for your own ease and advantage . let it grieve you to finde such remnants of sin yet in your selves , any inclination to evil and backwardnesse to good . with sorrow look back upon all your slips and haltings , and partial backslidings , that you have made no more progresse in holinesse , nor got more good by the priv●ledges vouchsaft you . be humbled in the remembrance of your dullnesse , hypocrisie , formality in religious duties , being either prone to neglect them , or slubber them over in a cold and drowsie manner , or else to rest in them . call to minde also your unfaithfulnesse to the many promises , you have made of better obedience , in your prayers , or at the lords table ; and especially review your carriage since the last sacrament , you who have formerly received it . and having by such like considerations as these affected your hearts with a sense of your iniquities , humbly betake your selves to god , and lay open all before him by a free and full confession : acknowledge what wretched hainou● sinners you are , and how unworthy of the least favour , and beg of him to work and increase in you that true and kindly sorrow for sin , which may fit you for mercy . and cease not by your good will from this confession , till you finde your souls even melted within you , in the apprehension of your own vilenesse , but however cease not , till you finde in your hearts a loathing of every sin , and of your selves by reason of it . and if you have but an inward sense of your sores and pollutions , you will not want such words to expresse it , as will be acceptable to god ; only see that you be sincere , and let your heart make your confessions rather than your tongue . labour to be as sensible of your case , as you would be if now you stood before a king whom you had offended , from whom except you could beg a pardon , you must presently be put to death , of which pardon there was good hope , if he did but perceive you to be really sorry for your fault . oh how affectionate and earnest would you be in this case ! and would have words at will to expresse your self . how passionately would you acknowledge and bewail the offence you had committed ? and with what vehemence professe against ever being guilty of the like ? and how importunately would you beg for mercie , when you saw no other way but present death , if your importunitie did not prevaile ? thus behave your selves towards god , and believe that he stands over you now in your closet , and hearkens to your prayers , and observes whether you be heartie in them or not . but remember all this while , it is an inward-dislike and abhorrence of sin , wherein the truth of your repentance consists , more than in bare confessing it , and speaking against it with the greatest fervour : these are required too , but beware of taking up with these ; beware i say , as ever you hope for mercie , of retaining any secret liking to sin , or the least thoughts of continuing in it still , whilst with a great deal of stir you revile it as such an abominable thing . but rather , if you finde in your souls a kinde of hankering after some old lust , not yet thorowlie mortified , betake your selves to those considerations which may bring you out of love with it , as how little its like to do for you , what an happinesse it doth now , and will hereafter deprive you of , what a miserie it leads to , with other the like formerlie laid down ; and quit not these thoughts , till you finde your selves turned against it . for once again let me assure you , then , and never till then , is your repentance right , when you are not only brought to grieve for sin , but to hate it ; when your hearts are not only broken in the remembrance of it , but are broken off from , and thorowlie bent against it . though this exercise of repentance seems most properly preparative to the work you are going about , yet in such a penitent humble frame would i have you be , even when you are at the lords table . if you eat this bread and mingle the wine with tears , it will be never the worse for your souls . and must it not needs affect thee to behold christs body broken , and his blood poured out here in a figure , and then to think with thy self , [ this was sin , my sin ; even my pride and earthlinesse , and all the wickednesse of my heart and life , was part of that load , which he bare on his own bodie on the cross , when he cried out , my god , my god , why hast thou forsaken me ? might not the lord call to me , and even shew me the print of my many grievous sins , in his hands and feet , and the deep stabs they gave him ? and yet ungratefull wretch that i am , how little have i valued this his love ? how little hath my heart been affected herewith ? where had i been , and what had become of me , if he had not thus undertaken for me ? oh what had my sins brought upon me , if he had not interpos'd and kept it off ? how mad and senslesse have i been , in venturing upon sin , harbouring and delighting in sin ? sin , which is so hainous a thing , that without shedding of blood it will never be remitted ; and for which no blood , but that of christs could obtain a remission . how more especially hainous then is my guilt in undervaluing this blood so much and so long , as i have done ? how base was my heart to give entertainment to sin after i had heard what it had done against christ ? and to deny entertainment to him after i had heard how much he had done for me ? was his kindnesse such as to bleed for my sins , and shall not i weep for them , especially for the unkindnesse i have shewn to him ? ] as god never shew'd greater love to man , than in delivering up his son for our offences , so he never shew'd greater hatred of sin than by this action ; and therefore conformably as we ought hereby to be brought to the greatest love of god , so to the deepest hatred of sin and humiliation for it . but i have formerly more fully shewn how the consideration of christs death , may bring us to true repentance , and what i there spoke chiefly of a change of state may be applied to the particular exercise of repentance , wherefore i shall insist no more on this . onely let me meet with an objection , that may perhaps be in the minds of some , namely , that sorrow for sin at this time , scarce seems consistent with , that hope of mercy , that joy and thankfulnesse , which are chiefly required in the communicant . know therefore , that i presse no sorrow , but what is a preparation to joy , and doth even animate and exalt it , whilst the humble christian reflects upon his own nothingnesse and unworthinesse , and thence is carried forth to the greater admiration of that mercy that hath so favourably regarded him . and take notice farther , that i would have the sense of divine bounty , chiefly to raise and keep up this humiliation , whilst we think with our selves , oh what wretched creatures are we , thus to offend so loving a father , who notwithstanding all our provocations , is yet compassionate towards us , and upon our return to him is so readily reconciled . to retain this apprehension of love in the midst of our mournings , will make them most ingenuous , and even pleasant to our souls ; and though it will make us sincere and deep in our repentance , yet it will so moderate our spirits , that we shall not sorrow as those without hope ; and i could wish , that christians in all their sorrowings would observe this rule . but then , that such an ingenuous shame and sorrow as this , is consistent with the greatest confidence of mercy , there is not the least doubt , for which ( to omit all further proof of a matter so plain ) see that very apposite text , ezek. . , . and i will establish my covenant with thee , and thou shalt know that i am the lord , that thou maist remember and be confounded , and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame , when i am pacified toward thee , for all that thou hast done , saith the lord god. it is to be considered moreover , that the promises of joy are principally made to this frame . the spirit of the humble and contrite , god hath promised to revive ; they that mourn shall be comforted . and they who come to the table of the lord weeping , are most likely to return from thence rejoycing . . and when you are wrought to this humiliation for , and hatred of sin , you will easily be brought to the next part of your work , which is , stedfastly to resolve by the grace of god , never more to give willing entertainment to the same , but to be entirely devoted to god by jesus christ , to love , please , and serve him all your days . i have told you how at the lords supper you renew your covenant , to perform those duties which you were engaged to , by being baptized into the name of the father , son , and holy ghost . renouncing carnall self , you professe to place your happinesse in the love of god , and no farther to regard or please your selves , than is consistent with his pleasure ; renouncing the world , your own abilities , righteousnesse and worthinesse , and all ways to to happinesse , which are set up against christ , you professe to take him alone for your redeemer , and to resign up your selves to him , that he may bring you to the fruition of god ; and therefore renouncing the devill , who would draw you from god and christ , to gratifie your lusts with earthly things , you professe your resolutions to be led by the holy spirit of god , in those ways that lead to his everlasting kingdome . you who are truly willing to all this , ( for to such i speak ) i would have you in the most serious manner , to professe the same before god , and especially in the prayers that you make , in preparation for the sacrament . bind your selves over to him by the strictest vow , that he shall be your god , and you will be his people . professe to him , that he shall be the portion of your souls , that you will have none in heaven but him , and will desire nothing on earth in comparison of him , that if he will but vouchsafe you his saving love in jesus christ , you shall be indifferent to all things here below , as knowing that in his favour alone you are abundantly provided for . acknowledge his right to govern you and dispose of you , being your maker and preserver , infinitely wise and good ; and engage to take him for your soveraign and lord , to render a sincere , unlimited obedience to his commands , and quietly to submit to his dispensations . professe to him , that you relinquish all right to your selves , and give up all into his hands , to do with you what he pleaseth ; consecrating all to his glory , whatever he doth or shall afford you , being resolved , through his assistance , so to improve and employ it . promise to him , that neither your own will , nor the will of any mortall man , shall be obey'd in contradiction to his . and bethink your selves of those sins , whereof you have been more especially guilty , in thought , word , or deed ; and of the duties you have omitted : and engage your selves particularly against those sins , and to the performance of those duties . and then remember under what notion you enter into covenant with god , and what kind of creatures you are , even poor lost sinners , loaded with much guilt , which you could never , by any satisfaction of your own making , take off from your selves ; and also exceeding weak , so that you cannot by your own strength give that obedience to god which he requires , nor vanquish the difficulties which you will meet with ; wherefore it is of absolute necessity that you accept of jesus christ , as your deliverer and your strength : for he onely who hath the son , hath the father also . professe then before god , your unfeigned willingnesse to close with the lord jesus , to all those ends for which he offers himself to the world . acknowledge to him , that you neither expect mercy for any merit of your own , nor set upon duty in your own might , nor look for acceptance of any service for its own worth , but that you humbly depend upon christ the mediatour for all that you stand in need of : acknowledge his right to rule over and in you , as having bought you out of slavery with his own most precious blood , to whose mild and gracious government you will therefore submit your selves . professe your willingnesse and earnest desire , to have your hearts purged and sanctified by his holy spirit , and your lives thereby directed according to the precepts of the gospel . thus professe your acceptance of christ , and submission to the spirit , that you may be brought into the favour of god , and be enabled to please and glorifie him by your holy conversation : for all tends to this , even to make you holy in heart and life . therefore are we married to christ , that we may bring forth fruit unto god , r●m . . . and the fruits of righteousnesse are by jesus christ unto the glory and praise of god , phil. . . in him we are created unto good works . this is the effect of his death and resurrection , that we might be dead to sin , but alive unto god , rom. . throughout . they are christs disciples that bring forth much fruit to the glory of god the father , joh. . . and therefore is the spirit of life , given us through jesus christ , that we may be made free from the power of sin and death , that the carnall mind might be taken away , and we made subject to god , and able to please him ; yea , that we might rise up to an higher kind of life , more spirituall and heavenly than was ordinarily attainable under the law , rom. . the former part of that chapter . this being then the summe of all , to devote your selves to god by jesus christ , to live in his love and fear , and in strict obedience to his laws , till you shall be taken glory ; you that are firmly purposed to do this , and have made promises thereof betwixt god and your own souls , do you eat th● bread and drink the wine in the sacrament , as a confirmation of these promises . let this be remembred i beseech you , whatever you forget , that hereby you do most straitly engage your selves to live a righteous , sober , and godly life , from this very day , and to the end of your days . this some give as the reason , why the name sacrament is put upon baptisme and the lords supper , because they are of a like nature with that oath , which souldiers were wont to take , to be obedient to their generall , and rather to die than to forsake their colours , which military oath was called a sacrament ; and thus both by baptisme and the lords supper are we consecrated to the service of god. a very heathen anciently , when he gave an account of the practice of the christians , said of them , that they did sometimes in their assemblies , by eating and drinking together , engage one another to abstain from , theft , murder , adultery , and all kind of wickednesse ; so right a notion he had of the design of this duty . imagine then you heard christ saying , all that will hearken to me , and become such as i would have them , both in their hearts and lives , let them come and take this sacrament , as a witnesse of their resolutions to cleave to me . and let the voice of your souls in answer be , lord , i am willing to hearken to thee , to take thee for my redeemer and lord , and it is my unfeigned desire to be holy as thou would'st have me , and it is my resolution from this time forward , by the help of thy spirit , to yield a sincere obedience to all thy commands , and not allow my self in any known sin whilst life shall last , and in witnesse hereof i take this holy sacrament which thou hast call'd me to . and thus thou do'st plight thy troth to jesus christ , by partaking of these consecrated elements , as friends are wont to break a piece of silver betwixt them , to bind each other the faster to the promises they make ; or as the man and woman expresse their consent to a marriage , by their use of the ring . and hereby thou do'st in effect professe , that thou expectest salvation by christ upon no other terms , than as thou shalt be found faithfull in making and keeping this covenant with him . thou maist easily perceive this is no trifling matter , and therefore good reason there is , i should advise thee to be serious and deliberate in it , least by thy hypocrisie thou should'st even bind over thy self to damnation : for if thy heart will not consent to such a covenant as i have described , think not i go about to perswade thee to dissemble with god. but yet remember , there is nothing in all this , that may afford any ground of hesitation or doubting , whether thou should'st do it or not , unlesse thou art in a doubt , whether thou hadst best be sav'd or damn'd : for except thy heart be brought to such a subjection to , and closure with christ , it 's impossible thou should'st ever be sav'd by him . this wedding-garment of faith and obedience , which i would have thee put on , is as necessary for thy being received into heaven , as for thy being a welcome guest at this table . and by the way , consider how you have endangered your souls , you who have from time to time received sacraments , and never thought of any such engagement as this , which yet the very action it self lays upon you , nor ever took care to be faithfull thereto . in what a daring manner have you laid your selves open to vengeance ? and how great is that patience , which hath hitherto born with you ? even whilst you have been wilfully guilty of most horrid perjury . i mention not this to drive you to despair , no , there is yet hope of mercy concerning this thing , if now at length you are but sensible of your miscarriage , and will carefully reform it for the future . whoever you are , that do now from your very hearts render up your selves to god by your redeemer , doubt not of a gracious acceptance : you that with such designs do assemble to this supper , ( and none else are fit to come there ) of you will christ say , when he looks upon you , as once of his disciples who sat about him , behold my mother and my brethren , mark . . for as he there addes , ver . . whosoever shall do the will of god , the same is his brother , sister and mother . yea , to you will the lord almighty say , i will be a father unto you , and ye shall be my sons and daughters , cor. . . and and safely may you regard your selves in this comfortable nearnesse of relation to him , which brings me to the next . . you that are thus truly humbled for sin , and turned from it to god by jesus christ , upon good grounds , may , and ought to believe , that god will make good all the promises of his covenant , which he hath wade to such as you are . whereupon you may with an holy boldnesse beg the same at his hands , and accordingly do it . humbly beseech him to deal with you according to those gracious promises , wherein he hath caused you to trust . and for the strengthning of your faith , consider some of the chief of them , and plead them with god in prayer , and beg the blessings contained therein . pray earnestly , that the blood of christ may cleanse you from all unrighteousnesse , that your iniquities may be remembred no more ; but that you may have peace with him , being freely justified by his grace . beseech him to give you his holy spirit , to carry on the work of faith with power , to enable you against temptations of all sorts , to fill you with peace and joy , to lead you in the way wherein he would have you to walk , and to perform that good thing he hath begun in you to the day of jesus . pray that you may be found in christ , at that great approaching day , and may stand before him with boldnesse , and be discharged from all accusations , and set with the sheep on his right hand , and with that little flock be received into the kingdome , which he hath promised to all that love him . and since you are as yet in the body , which stands in need of outward comforts and supplies , and are in a world where you have relations , friends and affairs wherein you are concern'd , you have promises touching these also ; and may therefore confidently beg your heavenly father , who knows what you need , to take care of you and yours , and furnish you with what he sees convenient for you ; to direct you in all difficulties , and by his providence so to order all your affairs as may tend most to his glory and your good . ask these things of god , and what ever you perceive necessary , and doubt not but they shall be given into you more abundantly than you can ask or think , and look upon them as confirmed to you by the sacrament . but remember alwaies , that it is for christs sake that these mercies are confer'd upon you , so that you are to acknowledge your selves unworthy of the least of them , and confesse if you had your own desert , you should be stript of all comforts , and be laid under the greatest miseries . professe therefore that all you hope for , is on the account of jesus christ , who hath purchast all things needfull for the happinesse of his people , after a forfeiture was made of all by the fall of adam : through him are these good things promised , and these promises fulfilled . in the new covenant founded in his blood , they all accompany his person ; and are ascertained to those that cordially receive him , as the wife by taking a nobleman to her husband , is made partaker of his estate and honours . so that having christ to be yours , all that is in heaven or earth to do you good is yours also , by vertue of that covenant which shall never fail : faithfull is he that hath promised , and will do it . wherefore this sacrament , which you are about to receive , being a seal of that covenant , you are to take it as an assurance and pledge that all the blessings of it , such things as i directed you to pray for , shall be bestowed upon you , in that time and order which god sees best . here then you see is work for faith , if you would receive the comfort which this ordinance holds forth . and more particularly i shall tell you in two words , what it is for principally , and in what manner you are here to exercise faith . . look upon the sacrament as sealing to you , a full and free pardon of all the sins you stand guilty of , whether by nature or practice , so that none of them shall be laid to your charge , so as to condemn you at judgment . and for your clearer proceeding herein , you are to apprehend the sacrament as joyn'd to the promise of pardon in the gospel , and so to look upon it as a seal annext to a writing , that promiseth mercie to rebels that submit themselves : and if a king should send his officers with many such writings , to a companie of men that were risen up in arms against him , and the officer should tell them , sirs , here 's a gracious message sent you from the king ; here are papers under his own hand , wherein he assures a pardon to such of you that will now come in , and here 's also his own seal put to them for your greater assurance , all which for your security , i 'le put into your hand presently , if you submit your selves ; they who upon this come in , and take these papers , have a pardon thereby given them , which they may boldly produce , if afterward they should be accused . even thus are you to conceive god's embassadour , saying to you , a●l you that are willing to receive jesus christ to rule over you and save you , he hath promised in his gospel to forgive all your sins , and ( beside that of baptisme ) hath ordained the sacrament of his supper , as a seal of this gracious promise , his instrument of pardon ; and here i stand by his appointment to give out the same . you now who find your selves willing thus to receive christ , are to take this sacrament as an assurance that this promise shall be made good to you ; and so look upon it , and with this quiet your conscience when it is unjustly clamorous , and silence satan when he haunts you with temptations to despair : then say within thy self , [ here 's the word of god assuring forgivenesse to all that take christ for their lord and saviour , which by his grace i finde my self inclined and enabled to do , and he hath bound this word with his oath , and to both he hath added his sacraments as seals , and shall this three-fold cord be broken ? what should give me satisfaction , if this do not ? wherefore , be gone satan , shall i not rather believe thou art a liar , who tellest me , repent and believe , and do all that i can , my sins are so great they can never be forgiven , than once suspect that the most true god , will ever revoke that which he hath said and sworn and sealed to ? ] and at the great judgment day of christ will own his hand and seal ; and then solemnly acquit thee , whom he now pardons by his gospel . safely then maist thou triumph with the apostle , who shall lay any thing to the charge of gods elect ? it 's god that justifieth : who is he that condemneth ? it 's christ that died , &c. and this christ with his whole purchase is made over to thee , oh believing soul. even by this sacrament is his blood as effectually made thine ▪ to wash off all the guilt that cleaves to thee , as if thou hadst been bath'd in his warm blood to that purpose , yea much more effectu●lly . . the other direction i would give you , is , that you take the sacrament as an earnest of the everlasting glory , which shall shortly without question be vouchsaft to you , who remain stedfast in your covenant with god. here in like manner you are to look upon the gospel , as a deed of gift , whereby , through christ , an inheritance in the heavens is setled upon you , to which deed also the sacrament doth seal . even as an house is made over by the delivery of a key , and land by a turf , so there is a kinde of conveyance of heaven it self made to you , by the delivery of the sacramental bread and wine into your hands . and when you receive them , imagine you heard god saying to you , here , poor soul , take this in earnest of that eternal life , which i have prepared for , and will bestow upon thee . and if the heavenly kingdome be thus assured to you , on condition of your continuance in the love of god , you need not question , but all things needfull for your passage thither , are herein comprehended . if you shall have glory given you , then be sure you shall have that grace which may fit you for , and bring you to it , whereof i shall speak particularly under the next head . and if you are thus richly provided for , as to your souls , do you think your bodies shall be neglected ? no , never fear it ; whatever shall be found really good for you , shall be vouchsaft . what shall you have christ and his spirit , grace and glory ? and do you question whether you shall have food and raiment ? will the father make his son heir of all when he comes to age , and will he not afford him a maintenance till then ? only refer all your concernments to god , to deal with you as he shall think fit , and question not but hee 'l dispose of all to your contentment , if you be reasonable . the whole world is in the hands of your father , and it is not for want of power or love , if you have not the grea●est share in it ; but it is from his wisdome and mercy , which will rather give you the best . he that spared not his own son , but delivered him up for you , and hath given him to you , how shall be not with him freely give you all things ? rom. . . would you have a larger word ? is there any thing you want , not contained in this ? the like you may see , cor. . , . things present and things to come , all are yours , yee being christs . and as godlinesse thus hath the promises of this life , and that which is to come , so both sorts of promises are here confirmed to you by the sacrament , which is a seal of that full covenant wherein blessings both of the right hand , and of the left are given to believers . you may see then , i hope , by this time , that this is no common bread and wine which is appointed for so great purposes . if a tuig was given into your hands , whereby some great estate was conveyed to you , you would value it sure above a common stick . wherefore if you would not be lamentably wanting to your selves , and enemies to your own comforts , i beseech you , all you that love the lord jesus , know your own priviledges , and fix these things firmly on your mindes ; and let not the greatnesse of them hinder your belief , since they are as sure as great ; but see that you apprehend a reality in all that is done at this holy table . see christ himself in the minister , see also the benefits that come by christ in the bread and wine , and stedfastly believe that these are given you by christ , as verily as the elements are given you by the minister . for pard●n and right to eternal life are things to be believed not felt , so that it is by believing that you must perceive the comfort of them . wherefore , beg of god to clear up these things to your apprehensions , to remove doubtings , to strengthen your faith , and to joyn the inward seal of his spirit , to the outward administration of his ordinance . and do you take the boldnesse , though with the greatest humility , to professe to god , that you take this sacrament as an earnest of all those mercies which you hope for from his bounty , as hereby you deliver up your selves , and all you have and are , to his will and pleasure . and as an earnest engageth both the servant and master , to do according to their agreement , so is god graciously pleased hereby to engage himself to his creatures ; so that not only from his bounty , but from his justice and faithfulnesse , may you expect whatever he hath promised to do for you . there being thus a sacred covenant transacted betwixt god and your souls , see only that you be not treacherous , and heaven and earth shall sooner fail , than god will depart from one tittle , of all that he hath said . with confidence may you look upon god as your father , christ as your head and husband , the holy spirit as your comforter and guide , the angels as your friends ready at christs command to do you service , the saints in both worlds as your brethren ; and the full enjoyment of god , the father , son , and holy ghost , in the joyfull communion of saints and angels , your assured everlasting portion . . since you in your selves are poor impotent creatures , who without christ can do nothing , but must be beholden to that grace , which drew you to this covenant to hold you in it , and to help you to perform your part ; and since there is of this grace , even now to be given , but to the prepared soul , let it be your care to get very sensible of your spiritual wants , and to come hither earnestly , desiring and expecting a supply ; consider well with your selves , what graces you finde weakest and most wanting , what duties you are prone most to fail in and humbly beg suitable help and assistance . examine what temptations you are most exposed to , and oftnest overcome by , what corruptions you finde yet strongest in you , and especially what those sins are to which you are inclined most by nature , and custome , or are most in danger of by your employments or converse in the world , and represent all this in your prayer before god , and beg of him more power and strength against them , and now by this ordinance to convey it to you : look round about and consider well the work you have to do , the difficulties you are to grapple with , the several relations wherein you stand and the duties they bring along with them , and no●●ue out for direction and assistance in all . and for your encouragement , remember what i told you , that god hath engaged himself to all you his covenant-people , to afford you whatever may conduce to your happiness , now since you stand in present need of the supplies of his grace , you may confidently expect the same . he that will bring you to the end , will give you the means . as if a king should call some of his poor subjects , to give them great possessions in another country which he had conquered , and should also furnish them with store of money and provisions for the way , even thus bounteously wil god deal with you , oh believers . hee 'l put strength into your feet , and revive your fainting spirits , that you may hold on in your way ; you that wait upon the lord , though you have no power or might in your selves , yet shall renew your strength , and run , and not be weary , and walk , and not faint , till you come to your journies end . by faith in christ we are engrafted into him , as a branch into the vine , and are related as a member to the head , so that he is become the root of our life , and from him shall sap and nourishment be communicated to our needy souls . he is the dispenser and fountain of grace , and his ordinances are as conduit-pipes , and conveyances of the same . and of this nature is the lords supper . here believers are made to drink into the spirit . cor. . . which words have a plain reference to this sacrament , baptisme being mentioned at the beginning of the verse . come hither then , oh yee thirstie souls , and be refresht with the waters of life that shall flow in upon you in abundance . open your mouths wide , and they shall be filled . be not straitned in your selves : for the bowels of christ are not straitned towards you . bring hither capacious enlarged hearts , and you shall carry away accordingly . the anointing of th● spirit , which is shed abroad upon you , is like the widdows oyl . kin. . . it will not stay running whilst there is room to receive it . oh why is it then that we are so empty ? the fault is not in christ , we must needs acknowledge : but let us examine whether we have not stuft our hearts with other things , that leave little or no room for grace to be poured in there . are we not fill'd with the love of earthly things ? is not our delight most of all in profits and pleasures ? and our desires eagerly carried out after them ? do not creature-comforts so possess and fill us , that they even thrust forth the holy spirit from his habitation ? do we not grieve him by our carnal joys and cause him to with-draw from us ? oh! for shame let it be no longer thus with us . alas ! how little can these narrow hearts of ours contain of the fullness of god , though they were widened to their utmost present capacity ? and shall we pinch and straiten them yet more , by entertaining every trifle there ? this is that room which the king of heaven would have entire to himself , and shall every common guest , every beggar be lodged there ? is it fit that money-changers and merchants should fill the house of god ? that it should be a thorow-fare for every vessel , every common and unclean thing ? oh let your hearts then be consecrated as temples for the holy-ghost , not dens of such thieves as rob god of his due , and draw away those desires and affections which he claims as his own . and now let the gates of these temples flie open , that the king of glory may come in . now in an especiall manner let your hearts be emptied of all trash , that they may be fill'd with the good things which are here distributed . if you were set to an heap of gold , and bidden to carry away as much as you could grasp , you would keep no dirt , nor stones in your hand , that would make them hold so much the lesse . loosen your selves then from the inordinate love or thought of any created good , your houses or lands , your pleasures or employments , withdraw your minds as much as possible from all temporall concernments , with which whilst you are taken up , the edge of your desire after heavenly things is extreamly abated . and if you come not hither with great expectations , you are like to be little the better . if you have no higher designs , but with a little seeming devotion to eat bread and drink wine , then bread and wine are the best things that you are like to meet with : for is it probable you should find that which you never look after ? but if thou comest hither with an holy greedinesse after greater measures of grace , thirsting for the living god , as the hart pants after the water-brooks , and as the parched ground gapes for the refreshing showers , then fear it not , thy desires shall be gratified . thou canst not please god better , than by looking for the greatest and best things from him , which bring most glory to himself , and do most good to thy soul. beg earnestly then , that by the power of his spirit accompanying this ordinance , thou maist partake yet more of a new and divine nature ; that thou maist find strength and vigour diffused through thy whole man ; and maist now receive some communications of that light and life , which christ came into the world that his people might have , and that they might have it more abundantly ; now pray that , his death and resurrection may have their power and efficacy upon thee , that virtue may issue forth from him for thy healing . beg , that by this food thy lusts may be poisoned and destroy'd , and every grace strengthned and encreast . and be particular in thy desires . [ oh that something may be done this day against my pride and passion , my worldlinesse and sensuality , my distrustfull fears and discontents . oh that i may be delivered from that listlesnesse , dulnesse and distractions , wherewith i am haunted in holy duties . oh that i may find my heart hereby drawn nearer to god , and carried out with more unweariednesse and cheerfulnesse in his service ; that i may be better enabled for a conscientious discharge of my duty , in every place and relation that i do stand in , and in the whole course of my life . blessed god , thou who knowest the state of my soul , give in to me , i beseech thee , what thou seest i need most . i have an hard heart , lord soften it ; a dead heart , lord enliven it ; i am much in the dark , lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me . make me more humble , holy and heavenly ; oh take this season for coming in upon my soul , and bestowing more of thy self upon me , that i may become more like to thee . these , oh god , are the mercies thou hast promised to thy people , and bidden them to ask ; these thou art wont to convey by thine ordinances ; for these things therefore do i wait upon thee this day , with no lower aims do i come to thy table ; with such precious things is the lord jesus wont to feast his guests , and of his infinite fulnesse it is , that i hope to participate ; through him it is i hope to be strengthned with might in my inner man , even to be made strong by the grace that is in christ jesus , oh , will the head let a member perish ? shall a branch wither for want of succour and juyce ? blessed saviour , thou who wast so willing to shed thy blood for us , art thou not as willing to bestow the fruits of it upon us ? art thou not still as mercifull and tender as ever thou wast ? thou who didst once so readily heal diseases , and cure all that came to thee , hast thou not as much mercy to souls as to bodies ? lord , i believe thou art as able and ready to help as ever ? if thou wilt thou canst make me clean , and it is my hope that thou wilt : outward means without thee cannot do it , yet here thou hast bid us attend , and thus i do , waiting for the descent of thy holy spirit . oh grant the requests of thy poor creature ; say to me , be it unto thee even as thou wilt : yea , even as thou wilt , oh lord , let it be unto me , who art ever readily and strongly inclined to do thy people good . ] thus stirre up your selves , and actuate faith in such holy breathings as these , and be assured , such additions of grace as you are fitted for , and god in his infinite wisdome sees meet at present to deal out , shall be conferr'd upon you ; and being refresht and strengthned with this banquet , you may cheerfully walk on your way to glory . . from all that hath been said of the greatnesse of the mercies here commemorated , bestow'd and sealed to , it will appear most reasonable and just , that the hearts of all gods faithfull servants should here be raised to the greatest height of divine love , thankfulnesse , and joy . i put these together , because , though in the notion they are different , yet in the workings of the soul they usually go together . that same goodnesse which works love and thankfulnesse , causeth joy too , as it 's begun to be enjoy'd , or strongly hop'd for . and this is a frame most proper to a communicant , all his preparations being much in order to it : therefore should he get sensible of his misery , and humbled for his sin , that he may have the more affectionate thankfull sense of the mercy that pitied and pardoned him . wherefore labour much with your selves , even beforehand , to rise up to this ingenuous and pleasant temper , which will prove so acceptable both to god and your selves . dwell intently upon that amazing mercy , which god hath revealed to mankind in jesus christ , which thing the angels themselves desire to look into : ponder well the severall heightning circumstances thereof ; the meannesse , sinfulnesse and misery of man , the majesty of god , the dignity of christ , the greatnesse of his condescension and sufferings , the fulnesse and freenesse of his purchase and offers . study all his dealings with your selves in particular , whereby he hath accomplisht in you the designs of his love ; and continue these musings , till you feel a fire of love and joy kindled within you . let not satan so farre have his will of you , as to cast you into these dejections , and groundlesse perplexities , which will rob god of his praise , and you of your comfort . let him not be able to perswade you that god is cruell and unmercifull , and hardly reconciled to returning sinners : have you not the strongest , and most unanswerable demonstration at hand , to confute him ? would you desire , or can you have a greater evidence of the graciousness of his nature , than that very mercy which you are going to remember ? even his giving his only son to die for us , whilst we were yet ungodly and enemies . and did he of his own free grace , without our asking , and against our deserving , provide a saviour for us , and is he yet unwilling to save us ? did he find out a means for our reconciliation to himself , and is he now backward to be reconciled ? does he importune us to take that , which he is unwilling to give us ? be not , i beseech you , of such an easie belief of the devil 's grosse fallacies , and so hardly drawn to believe what god hath not onely said , but done , so much to make it past all doubting . see the apostle arguing much after the same manner , rom. . , , , , . oh let your hearts then be fill'd with admiration of that love , which god hath herein exprest to men , the wondrous greatnesse whereof is such , that it almost surpasseth our faith , and doth farre surpasse our full comprehension . that there should be a way for the recovery of self-destroying sinners , contrived by him whom they had offended , and brought about by the death of his own son , that they might be raised to the highest happinesse , even an eternity of the most ravishing joys , in nearest communion with the divine majesty , and all this to be had for a cordiall thankfull acceptance : this is the lords doing , and well may it be marvellous in our eyes ; great things hath the lord done for us , whereof let our souls be glad . if an host of angels came from heaven to proclaim these good tidings of great joy to all people , shall not the congregations of christians eccho back their glory be to god in the highest , who hath sent on earth peace , and shewn such good will to men ? oh give thanks unto the lord , for he is good , and his mercy endureth for ever , let the redeemed of the lord say so , whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy . oh do you praise the lord for his goodnesse , and for his wonderfull works to the children of men ; who hath shewn mercy to such as sate in darknesse , and in the shadow of death , and hath broken the gates of brasse , and cut the barres of iron in sunder ; and hath sent his word and healed you , and delivered you from destruction . oh do you sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving , and declare his works with rejoycing . psal. . call upon your souls with the psalmist in another place , blesse the lord , oh my soul , and all that is within me blesse his holy name ; blesse the lord , oh my soul , and forget not all his benefits , who fogiveth thine iniquities , and healeth all thy diseases ; who redeems thy life from destruction , and who crowns thee with loving kindnesse and tender mercies , psal. . at the beginning . oh think what a deplorable condition we had been in , if god had left us in the hands of satan , to whom we had enslaved our selves , and had never lookt after us more . oh what a dungeon had this world then been ! where we should have lived in darknesse and fetters , in horrours and torments , and all as but an inlet and passage to miseries infinitely worse , and altogether unavoidable . but oh blessed , and for ever praised be his name , who hath visited the earth with his goodnesse , and caused the rejoycing light to shine in dark and disconsolate places ; and hath proclaimed liberty to the captive , and shewn a strong hold , to which he hath called the prisoners ●f hope to turn themselves , having laid help on one that is mighty , sending forth the prisoners out of the pit by the blood of the covenant , zach. . . this is that blood which by the wine in the sacrament is represented to you , yea , which is thereby put into your hands , and given you to drink in remembrance of that which was once shed for you . and shall not the hearts-blood of your dearest lord warm and revive your souls , enflame and advance your love ? will you not now begin that new song of the heavenly chore , ascribing blessing , honour , glory and power to him that sits upon the throne , and to the lamb for ever and ever , who by his blood redeemed us , and makes us kings and priests unto god , rev. . this is that blood to which you owe all that you have or hope for ; this quencht those flames , which else had fed upon you for ever ; this satisfied that justice , which else had laid hold on you for your disobedience ; this purchast an inheritance , which silver and gold could not buy ; this purgeth the conscience from dead works , and makes the soul fruitfull unto god ; this pacifies the conscience , and appeaseth the disturbances that sense of guilt is apt to raise ; by this blood of the lamb , it is , that the saints in all their conflicts do overcome . and can you withhold the most affectionate hearty thankfulnesse for this precious all-healing blood ? methinks we should even be pained in our selves , as not knowing how to give vent enough to our affections , especially when our bleeding lord is set before us . oh let him wholly possesse your thoughts , and do you view that transcendent love which he manifested in his whole course , but chiefly in the close of it , that all may beget in you some answerable returns of love . read , as you have leisure , those heavenly discourses which were his farewell sermons to his disciples , and his last prayer for them , which you may find in the , , , . chapters of john , and see there how love breathes in every line . follow him to the garden , and there hearken to his groans , and behold his bloody sweat , which proclaims him to be sick of love , of a love that would not be quencht by those crimson streams . no , still he goes on , and go thou after him with the women that followed him to his crosse ; and weep not , if thou canst forbear , whilst there thou seest him die for love ; even for love of thee , poor soul , who do'st sincerely love him . art thou not astonisht at the thoughts of it ? what could the lord jesus see in such miserable worms as we , that should incline him to undergo all this on our behalf ? nay , there 's the wonder , he saw nothing , and therefore he underwent it . nothing did i say ? yes , he saw our guilt and defilement ; for which he might have justly loathed us : but he seeing all this our misery , was rather moved to a compassion for us ; such a compassion as never dwelt in a mortall 's breast , that he should pity those who pittied not themselves , and die to recover those who had even murdred themselves , yea , that he should die to make them happy , whose sins were the cause of his death , and even merit mercy for such as had no mercy on him , and give life to them who took his away . all this was voluntarily done by the son of god , who became man , on purpose that he might die , and do all this for the sons of men . let plays and fictions be hist off the stage , let romantick follies be shamed into obscurity : for here is that which alone deserves the name of love ; here 's such truth , as commands our belief ; such worth and weight , as calls for our regard ; and such stupendious greatnesse , as may raise our wonder . here behold the power of love in the fairest display of it , that ever was made to the world , since its foundations were first laid , beyond which imagination it self cannot ascend , nay , which falls vastly short of it ; how vastly short then doth expression fall ? but yet oh that we could feel as much as that little which we speak ! was it ever before known , that the shepherd should lay down his life for his sheep ? not for innocent sheep , but to reduce wilfull straglers to his fold ; that he who was lord of all , should die for his subjects ? not for obedient subjects , but for rebels appointed to the slaughter . thus continue thy meditations till they have so good an effect upon thee , that if christ should appear to thee at this instant , as th●u art got alone , and should call thee by name , as once he did peter , and ask thee , soul , lovest thou me ? thou mightest be able truly to return his answer , lord , thou knowest that i love thee . and then to affect thee yet m●re ▪ consider of gods saving love in christ par●icularly revealed to thy soul , that he was pleased to say to thee , when thou w●●st in thy blood , live ; calling thee out of darknesse into his marvellous light , laying hold on thee by his spirit , and recovering thee to himself , when thou wast running farre away from him ; and many a ti●e preventing and restoring thee by his grace , when ot●erwise thou hadst utterly ruin'd thy self . oh praise him that he left thee no● in satan's kingdome , under the power of thy lusts , but with a strong hand and outstretched arm brought thee out of that house of bondage ; and magnifie his name when thou beholdest that blood wherein thy sins were drowned , as the egyptians in the red-sea . oh blesse his name that he did not suffer thee to remain dead in trespasses and sins , yea , that he did not strike thee dead in them , and sentence thee to the second death , after which there is life no more . this is a fit season for recollecting all the special mercies of thy life , which god hath shewn either to soul or body , to thy self or thine , all which thou art to look upon as vouchsaft through christ , which makes the mercy infinitelie greater . and when you have thus endeavoured to get your hearts brim-full with love and joy , come and let them rise higher , and boil over at the table of the lord. let no sadnesse appear in your looks , nor a tormenting thought , by your good will , seize upon your hearts this day . come loathing sin as much as you are able , but come loving christ as much ; have as low thoughts of thy self as thou wilt , and be as humble as thou canst in remembrance of all thy vilenesse , but yet let thy soul magnifie the lord , and thy spirit rejoyce in god thy saviour . thy gracious lord will not upbraid thee with any former unkindnesse and neglect of his love , which thou art heartily asham'd of and sorry for . wherefore though thou maist come blushing and weeping , yet come not into his presence daunted and despairing . he died on purpose to ease your souls of all those fears , which make you all your life time subject unto bondage . will not you receive comfort , for whom he hath shed his blood , that it might be your cordiall ? let him see you then improve it this day to that purpose : for your health and pleasure , if it be solid , is his delight . and if he would have your joy at any time in this world full , now it is ; if you must ever more rejoyce , this i am sure is a fit season . this is our most solemn thanks-giving feast . oh wonderfull ! that the commemoration of the master's death should be the servants feast . it is his pleasure to have it so , and let us thankfully comply therewith . instead of his vinegar and gall , he gives us bread and wine , and better things than they . here he hath made , according to his promise , isa. . . a feast of fat things , a feast of wines on the lees , of fat things full of marrow , wines on the lees well refined . and you may be sure the master of this feast , who entertains his guests with an affection as great as their fare is costly , would not have them sit there sad and dejected , as if they liked not their provisions or thought themselves not welcome . would it please you to see your friends in such a posture at your table ? oh question not your welcome , all yee lovers of christ , but when you are there assembled , imagine that you heard him saying to you , eat oh friends , drink , yea drink abundantly , oh beloved . here he hath brought you into his banquetting-house , and his banner over you shall be love . here will he comfort you with heavenly manna , and stay with flaggons all you that are sick of love . you children of abraham , that come from the slaughter of your lusts , here doth your lord meet you as his type ( melchizedeck ) met your father , gen. . . setting before you the bread and wine for your refreshment . and here will he blesse you ; he shall cause you to sit under his shadow , and his fruit shall be sweet to your tast . here may you expect the most comfortable comm●nion with christ , that is to be had in this lower world. here then believing in , and loving him whom you have not seen , but whom you may here see represented , do you rejoyce with joy unspeakable , and full of glory . . that your hearts may be more heavenly in this work , and so more apt to be fill'd with joy , and to break out in praise , let me earnestly desire you here to have an eye to a glorified , as well as a crucified christ , to remember not only his humiliation , but his exaltation . it was the minde of christ , that his resurrection , rather than his birth or death , should consecrate a weekly thanksgiving , to be observed by the churh in all ages , which should be call'd the lords own day , and be spent in his praise and service . this being the accomplishment of his labours , his finall victory over death , and the grave and all enemies that did assault his own person , the memorial whereof must therefore needs be most rejoycing to his servants : and as his resurrection cannot be remembred without his birth and death , which must of necessity precede it , no more can his death be here rightly remembred , without we also bear in mind his resurrection and ascension to glory . can we remember what he was , and not think what he is ? sad meetings had we made indeed , if our lord had been held under the power of death , if such a thing may be imagined . all the world then might well be in the disconsolate posture of the two disciples , that were travailing to emaus , crying out we trusted this had been , he who should have redeemed israel . luk. . . then would our faith be vain , we should be yet in our sins . but we may now comfort our selves , and use the apostles gradation , who shall lay any thing to the charge of gods elect ? it 's christ that died , yea rather that 's risen again , and is even at the right hand of god. and now with joy let this resurrection and glory be remembred as being the fore-runner of yours . when in your thoughts you have descended as low as his grave , and there stand weeping to think how your sins have slain him , imagine you heard some angel bespeaking you , in almost the same language that he did the women at his sepulchre , mark . , . fear not yee , for i know that you seek jesus who was crucified ; he is not here : for he is risen as he said , and is gone before you , not into galilee , but into heaven , there shall you see him . when therefore you shall in this ordinance see christ crucified before you , think with your selves , this is the lamb that was dead , but is alive , and lives for ever . by the celebrating of this sacrament , you are to shew forth the lords death till he come . remember then he is to come , for this second coming would christ have you keep much in your thoughts as well as his first . he left not this pledge of his love with his church , as a dying man leaves some gift with his friends to put them in minde of him whom they shall never see more ; but as one who goes a long journey , leaves his p●cture with his wife , that she may be mindfull of him in his absence ▪ and be quickned to long after his return . and good rea●on have you to be mindfull of the glory of our lord , since you your selves will be sharers herein , and so at once you remember both . here i told you , you take an earnest of the everlasting treasures ; and the consideration thereof is exceeding necessary , to raise your value of that which will otherwise appear but worthlesse and mean. and conceive of your selves as in a journey to that kingdome , having here taken in by the way to refresh your selves , as travellers are wont to tu●n in and bait . and like the prophet , king. . . in the strength of this meal you are to go on toward the mount of god. these are provisions sent by your joseph , to serve you by the way , till you come home to himself . yet a few more sacraments , and you shall be past the need of all . here are some fragrancies and drops of sweetnesse for the refreshment of pilgrims , till the day breaks , and the shadows flee away , when we shall get up after our lord to the mountains of myrrhe , and the hill of franckincense . here a table is spread for us in the wildernesse , and some clusters of grapes prest into our cup , till we shall come to canaan , and enjoy the vintage . behold in this transaction at the lords table an emblem and shadow of the future glory , and let your thoughts take advantage from what is here presented to ascend to the joyfull contemplation thereof , yet within a while , and you who are here his welcome guests , shall sit down with your master at his table in his kingdome ; and there shall taste of the fruit of the vine new with him : and shall eat of a manna that is yet hidden to you ; and shall exchange your present company for the society of innumerable angels and perfect saints . and let this something quiet your mindes , though not take off the quicknesse of your desires , all you holy souls , who are acted by so noble and strong a passion , that you are im●atient of that distance at which you yet finde your selves from him whom you love , and are even weary of the world where you cannot fully enjoy him , much more of your own hearts that are so estranged from him ; comfort your selves : for within a very short while , your eies shall behold him , and you shall be fully satisfied in your most intimate accesse to and abode with him . you may look back with joy on the redemption christ hath wrought for you , and may look before you , and lift up y●ur heads with joy , as knowing the day of full and finall redemption draws nigh . only see that you now thirst ardently after that spiritual communion with him which is here attainable , in being possest by him , and closely uni●ed to him , that being joyn'd to the lord , you may become one spirit . this is the blessed , and only possible transubstantiation , to be transformed into the likenesse of christ , which is of infinitely more advantage to the believing soul , than if , according to that monstrous popish fiction , he should chew the very gross flesh , and swallow the raw blood of christ ! for by this means his body would only be changed into ours , but by the change i speak of , our spirits become like to his . and if now you hold but this fellowship with christ in the spirit , shortly you shall have a real presence even to the satisfaction of sense it self : then shall you see him as he is : for you shall be made like to him in that day of his appearance . then indeed shall sacraments vanish as useless shadows , you having got the substance christ himself . you need then no more behold him in a glass , but shall see him face to face , and be perfectly changed into his image . oh the difference that will be betwixt that clear sight and this dark , alas through our own fault , too dark remembrance . oh that 's the comfort ! we shall then have laid by all that stupidity and dulnesse which here attends us whatever we are about . that full view of our blessed lord will for ever cure us of all coldnesse and unbelief , and ravish us into one eternall , affectionate admiration of divine love . if that joy which arose from faith and love , whilst he was not seen , was unspeakable and full of glory , how inconceivable , how transcendently glorious must that be which shall arise from his immediate sight : if it be such a precious priviledge to have a right to heaven here solemnly given us , what will it be to enter upon actual possession ? oh then , christians , whilst you are remembring christ at his table , let it rejoyce your hearts to consider , that he is remembring you at his fathers right hand , and thither will shortly exalt you . all you whom the king of glory now espouseth to himself as it were by proxie , as princes take wives by their embassadours , remember that the day is hastening , when your marriage shall be more publickly and triumphantly solemnized : when all you blessed ones shall be call'd to the great marriage-supper of the lamb. yet a very little while , and he that shall come , will come , and will not tarry : and do you now get your souls mounted as high as you can climbe , by all the means that are afforded you , and stand ever wishly looking , and diligently preparing for his appeearance ; and never flack your watch , nor let your expectations cool , till either you see him comming in the clouds , or shall be taken up beyond them . with some such meditations as these , which i have suggested to you under each head , let your thoughts be taken up whilst you are emploied in this duty , as you shall find your selves most inclined , and as gods spirit shall direct you : for you need not confine your self as to the method and form , but rather let your affections have their free course . onely see that you watch narrowly over your hearts through the whole work , that deadnesse and distractions may not possesse you . keep up a strong sense of god's presence with you , and often lift up your hearts to him for life and quickning . and let all the powers of your souls be summoned up , and engaged in this action , with all possible vigour and closenesse . let your minds be kept cleer from sadning and from impertinent thoughts , that you may attend upon the lord without distraction , and be more capable of those sweet foretasts of his goodnesse , which may be as a certain pledge of your everlasting enjoyment of all that he hath in store for his people . . lastly , let me in a word or two direct you to be carefull in the exercise of brotherly love . i need not stand , i hope , to repeat the advice i gave you , to get all breaches made up betwixt your selves and brethren ; to do all that in you lies to obtain peace ; and if that cannot be had , yet to forgive all injuries that have been done you , and to cleanse your minds from rancour and malice , and all desire of revenge ; to this let the love of christ constrain you . and moreover , let your hearts be let out , with a sincere and strong affection , toward all your fellow-members of that body , whereof christ is the head. a pleasant sight it will be to your master who is in heaven , to look down upon you his disciples , and see you here feasting together in mutuall love and delight , in the remembrance of all that love which he hath shewn to you , and in the joyfull expectation of what farther he hath promised . and whilst your love is stirred up to christ himself , it cannot chuse but be imparted to his friends that are in sight ; such who sincerely love him , & on whom he hath set his heart , and hath shed on them his spirit , whereby they are made like to him , and therefore must needs be lovely in your eyes to whom christ is precious ; as being also by this same spirit made like to your selves ; and when , in your joyning with them in this sacred action , you remember that these shall be your everlasting companions in the joy of your lord , and shall there joyn with you in sounding forth his praises , this will farther engage you to them , as being heirs together of the grace of god , and will work in you the beginnings of that love which will hereafter be perfect and perpetuall . whilst your love is built upon such right and catholick principles as these , being placed upon a christian as a christian , you hold a communion in the spirit with all true christians throughout the world ; though your affections will be most sensibly enlarged to those that you know , and with whom you hold a locall communion in the worship of god. and your joint assembling at this table is a badge of your mutuall love , and an engagement to the firm continuance of it . here are you made to drink into one spirit , by which you were baptized into one body , according to that text i named , cor. . . this sacrament is , if i may so call it , an holy philtre , whereby believers are united in more fervent love to their common head , and to one another . the blood of christ is the onely cement and soder of souls . and this is that christian love which they are taught of god , to which they are inclined by their new nature , and which will easily be brought into exercise , where the grace is first wrought in the heart ; wherefore it 's needlesse to stay longer hereon , having also spoke somewhat largely to it before . onely one thing let me suggest before i conclude this , namely , that you take care to give a practicall demonstration of this love , by contributing , according to your abilities , to the necessities of the poor members of christ. this is a sacrifice wherewith god is well pleased ; a work never out of season , but now most seasonable ; being an evidence not onely of your compassion to the poor , but of the stedfastnesse of your belief in christ and his promises , and of your thankfulnesse for his bounty ; therefore you find both these mentioned together , heb. . , . as we must offer thanks , so we must not forget to do good and communicate . to quicken you to this charity , both now and any other time , when fit objects are presented ; let me onely desire you to imagine to your selves , that the lord jesus , who was willing to part with his blood for you , and thinks not an infinite glory too great to give you upon most easie terms , that even he comes to you in one of his necessitous members , to see what you can find in your hearts to bestow upon him ; if you that have estates think he deserves nothing , let him have nothing ; if he deserve but a little , give him but a little ; if your lusts have more right to your riches than he , then let your lusts have them rather than he ; let christ in his members starve , whilst pride and luxury are maintained , if you think this be just . if you can improve your estates better some other way , take what you think the most gainfull course . for remember , christ himself needs not anything you have or can do , onely he 'll try the kindnesse of your hearts . his is the earth and the fulnesse thereof , and even his poor servants can he sufficiently provide for without you . wherefore if you give notwillingly and cheerfully , you may keep your money to your self , for any good that an extorted charity is like to do you . but remember also , you will be sure to lose and leave all that , which god hath not , one way or other ; but by giving it to him you send it before you , and when all things here below fail , you shall enjoy it with infinite advantage in the everlasting habitations . and let this suffice by way of direction for your preparation to , and carriage in receiving . a few words for your behaviour afterwards , and i shall come to a conclusion . chap. xvii . directions for duty after the sacrament . . when you come home , get alone , and blesse god for the liberty and opportunity of a sacrament , which he hath afforded you , and for all the priviledges that are thereby conferr'd upon you . and let your souls chew the cud , and retain the savour of those pleasant things you have been entertained with ; keep them still lifted up , and exceedingly gladded , in the sence of that love which you have this day been celebrating and tasting , in the belief of that pardon which you have received , in the hopes of that grace and glory which have been assured to you . meditations of heaven and the exercise of thankfulnesse , are now very proper works . consider also what you have done , what an obligation you have laid upon your self , how you are no longer your own man , having made a resignation of your self to god by jesus christ : and beg the assistance of his holy spirit , to enable you to stedfastnesse and perseverance in this holy covenant whilst life shall last ; and beseech him , that the ordinance you have been made partaker of , may become effectuall to your souls to all those ends that it was designed for , and which are attainable by it . think it not enough to read over these things , i entreat thee , but do accordingly , and now betake thy self to consideration and prayer to those ends i have exprest . review moreover , what your miscarriages have been , and humbly beg of god to forgive either want of due preparation , or coldnesse and distractions ; that your hearts have not been affected suitably to the importance and excellency of the duty , and the majesty of him with whom you have herein had to do . and be heartily thankfull for any measure of life and affection , any raisednesse and comfort that god hath been pleased to vouchsafe you . and here by the way , let me caution all humble christians , to beware of a mistake to which they are too prone : to wit , to judge of their profiting in this or other duties , by their present feeling , and so to think they get no good , except their souls are as it were lift up and ravisht with sensible joys ; and these onely they take for evidences of gods acceptance , and the having of communion with him . but by this means you will often plunge your selves into needlesse sorrows , and load your selves with unjust censures ; and which is worse , you will hereby become lesse thankfull to god , as thinking you have received little advantage , because you found not those delights you expected ; and will be in danger of becoming weary of the work , and ready to throw it off , as thinking it unprofitable . wherefore to avoid these ill consequences , and the mistake that begets them , consider well , that it is the uprightnesse and sincerity of your hearts in the performance of your duty , which may administer most ground of comfort to you when you reflect upon it : for be assured , if you have this ornament , you were really acceptable to him that lookt down upon you , though this acceptance might not be testified with the giving in of any extraordinary joy . let it not then trouble you , as if god was not well pleased with you , because your affections were not raised up to an higher pitch , since he doth not look so much at fits of passion , as at the steady bent , and tenour of the soul. nor think because you mist of great joys , that you had no favour from , nor communion with god : for consider again , that the truest communion with god , is to enjoy the c●mmunications of his grace to your souls , whereby you are made conformable to him : and you may enjoy these saving influences of the spirit , when you cannot feel his more abundant consolations . moreover , the fruit of this ordinance is not so much to be discerned at present , as in your after-conversation . for the great benefit you are to expect , being to receive farther measures of grace from the holy spirit accompanying these means , it cannot be well known what grace you have received , till you come to the exercise of it ; when temp●ations shall assault you . and , to allude to the apostles words in another case , though this ordinance may not at present be joyous , yet it may afterward yield the peaceable fruits of righteousnesse to those that are conversant therein . and lastly , if you are but sincere , as i said , in your covenanting with god , it is your duty to believe , that you have this day received from him , a seal to the promise of pardon and eternall life , and in this belief may you take much rationall and solid comfort , which otherwise you are not like to find : and this is the ordinary way whereby the spirit conveys comfort to the soul ; first working in you a belief , that the promises of god are in themselves most true , & enlightning you to the knowledge of your own souls , and then enabling you to apply these promises to your selves , as being such to whom they belong . thus the apostle tells us , their rejoycing was from the testimony their conscience gave of their simplicity & godly sincerity , cor. . . wherefore you are not so much to expect any extraordinary immediate assurance from the spirit , that you are the lords ; but see to get good grounds for your faith , and so to have your hearts fill'd with peace and joy in believing . yet do not misinterpret what i have said , thence to indulge your selves in any sloth or dulness , or to content your selves with the bare doing of the work , without heeding the frame of your heart therein ; no , but take as much pains as you can , to raise them to the greatest sensiblenesse & affection ; and if you do so , you may reasonably expect to find much sweetness and satisfaction in the work it self : but my meaning in this caution is , that you should not look so much at the feeling of extraordinary comforts , as at the integrity of your hearts in vowing your selves to god , and the continuing stedfastnesse of your resolutions to be true to these vows . . and that 's the next thing i would exhort you to , even to disc●ver this inward truth and sincerity , by your future holy and exact walking ; this is that which must crown all the rest . i may say to you as moses to the israelites , deut. . , . you have this day avouched the lord to be your god , to walk in his ways , and keep his statutes ; and the lord hath avouched you to be his peculiar people ; and you have promised to take christ for your husband and lord , to live in love and obedience to him , as you hope to be saved by him . one thing now remains , that you go and do likewise . say with the psalmist , i have sworn , and will perform it , that i will keep thy righteous judgements , psal. . . now you have been remembring him that suffered in the flesh , arm your selves with this mind , no longer to live the rest of your time in the flesh to the lusts of men , but to the will of god , pet. . , , . let it not happen to you according to the proverb , the dog is turned to his own vomit again , and the sow that was washt to her wallowing in the mire . if god have spoke peace to your souls , turn not you again to folly . call to mind particularly what sins you confest and promised to forsake , and do accordingly . you that have been guilty of drunkennesse or gluttony , fornication and wantonnesse , pride or covetousnesse , be so no more ; you that have been wont to spend your time in idlenesse and vanity , in sinfull company or excessive recreations , spend it so no more ; you that have been wont to give way to your exorbitant passions , and suffered them to break forth in unseemly actions and language , do so no longer . you that are masters or servants , parents or children , husbands or wives , consider well what particular duties your relations call for , and be faithfull in the performance of them . you that are subjects obey them that are set over you in the lord. towards your neighbours , and all with whom you converse , be just and honest , loving and courteous , avoiding all backbiting , lying and slandering , all foolish and filthy speaking . be compassionate and charitable to all that need your help in one sort or another . be conscientious for the future in the more immediate service of god : be frequent & serious in his worship , both in publick and private , alone and with your families . beware of swearing and cursing , or of taking the holy name of god or christ in vain ; make not mention of him in your common discourse without due reverence , & that you are not like to have , if at every turn you are crying , oh god and oh lord , as is the custome of careless people . profane no more lords-days , as you may have formerly done , but improve them to your souls good . whatever talent you have , of wit , wealth , time or honour , employ it to his honour , who entrusted you therewith ; in all things study to please god , and so commit your self and all concernments to his will , and quietly submit to all his dealings with you without murmuring or repining . to a sincere endeavour after all this , you have bound your selves by the sacrament , where you have taken god to be your god , and have profest your selves his people . wherefore , i beseech you , beware of that dangerous , and yet too common mistake , to think this weighty action termina●es in it self , and that all 's done when the work 's over . i have endeavoured all along to prevent this false conceit , and i care not how oft i inculcate it : for if this be not removed , all my labour will be lost , and so will yours too , yea , and worse than lost : your receiving of sacraments will then prove but an idle unprofitable ceremony , and will help forward your damnation rather than your salvation , whilst you heed not the design of it , nor improve it to its due end . what would you think of that woman , that when she had promised a man to be his wife , and was solemnly married to him in the face of the congregation , should think there was now nothing more required of her , but that she might go whither she list , and live with whom she pleased ? even just such is your folly and grosse absurdity , who when you have been in the most solemn manner engaging your selves to god , and have taken the sacrament upon it , that you will live in obedience to him , then think that you may go away and live as you list . beware how you make such mistakes as these : for believe it , god's in earnest , whether you are or not : if you would not have him take you at your word , you had better never have made such fair promises . since then the great design of this duty , is , to be an engagement to , and an help for holinesse of life , i shall finish this treatise with a direction or two for the promoting & carrying on of ●he same . . and to that end first let me advise you , to be frequent in considering the engagement you have hereby laid upon your selves , and let that hold and quicken you to faithfulnesse . this is the principall thing which we are to do in order to the due improvement of sacraments to our advantage , even to remember often , what a strict covenant we thereby entred into , that by the remembrance thereof we may be the more aw'd and restrain'd from doing any thing against it . thus ought you to make use of your baptisme , which is , i doubt , too seldome minded ; often you should think , how absolutely you are bound to take him for your god , to whom you were so early devoted ; remember the end of it , and now see to answer and attain i● , which you may find fully exprest , rom. . , . therefore are we buried with christ by baptisme into his de●th , th●t like as christ was raised up from the dead by ( or for ) the glory of the father , even so we also should walk in newnesse of life . whenever you see a child baptiz●d , let it bring to your mind , that you were once so dedicated to god , and admitted into his church , and then think how you ought to walk , who have such a bond upon you . and thus improve the lords supper , where you have personally owned and renewed your covenant with god. especially make this use of it when you meet with temptations to any sin whatever , or when you begin to grow carelesse and remisse in your carriage . if old companions should set upon you and entice you , or if your own heart should incline you to any former sinfull courses , then say with your selves , [ how can i do this and go back from the vow that i have made ? no , i must not , i will not ; the oath of god is upon me , and shall i be forsworn with the living and true god ? how severely will he avenge himself on all such dissemblers ? wicked herod seemed so fearfull of perjury , that he permitted the murdering of a prophet to avoid it , and shall i be guilty of it , rather than destroy my lusts , god's and my own greatest enemies ? most justly may i argue , that for my oath 's sake , and for those that sate with me , i will not do thus : for not one of my fellow-communicants but might witnesse to god against me , that they saw me make a covenant with him . and god himself who stood over me will be witnesse , as well as judge . how then should i appear before him with this heinous guilt upon me ? wherefore , depart from me yee evil doers ; for i will keep the commandments of my god. if you 'l come a long with me , and walk in the holy path , come and welcome ; but never hope to draw me back again with you , into those waies that have cost me so dear , and which i have protested against . i am now no company for you : for i have taken the sacrament . depart satan , and tempt me not from my allegiance to my lord and master , i will not forsake him ; i have obliged my self afresh to be a christian , a sworn enemy to thy kingdome , and a faithfull souldier under christ's banner , therefore depart from me : for i have taken the sacrament . ] and think moreover with thy self [ hath god been so gracious to me , as to vouchsafe me a pardon for all former transgressions , and to seal it to me at his table , and shall i go , and wilfully run upon the score again ? should i thus turn his grace into wantonnesse and abuse his patience , how justly might i fear that his anger will be kindled against me , and that he will no more have mercy upon me ? he , i am sure , will be true to his promises , and shall i be false to mine , and so fall under his threatnings ? ] and after this manner quicken your selves to duty , when ever you are apt to grow listlesse to any part of god's service ; and also quiet your spirits , when they are ready to rise up in tumult , and discontent under any cross that befalls you . then think , i have resign'd up my self to god as to a loving father , let him do with me what he please ; therefore be still my heart , and rebell not against , nor murmur at his righteous will. if you can but thus finde your selve● more strongly bent against sin , and better able to put off ●emptations to it , this is the surest evidence you can have of profiting by the sacrament . and beware of imagining , that any space of time can wear out the force of that obligation , which is here laid upon you ; which , as unreasonable as it is , one would think was the opinion of m●ltitudes : for they 'l be very demure and solemn a little before they go to the communion , and a day or two after , but within a very little while , all seems forgotten , and they are just such as they were before . but for certain , god forgets not their promises , though they do , nor will he forget their breach of them , as they will one day finde to their cost , if they take not another course . the bonds you are entred into , to render hom●ge and obedience to god will never be cancel'd : for this is a debt you will owe as long as you live , though you are alwaies paying it . baptism will be as strong an engagement upon you to godlinesse when you are six●y , as when you are but sixteen . and the same strictnesse the lords supper binds you to for a day , to the same doth it bind you all your days . think now what an horrible thing it would be to run into drunkenness , whoredome , or quarrelling the same day you have received it , and know your sin is little lesse hainous , though it be a month or two , or twenty after it : for this breaks your oath as well as that . if the wife be guilty of adultery twenty years after her marriage , her crime is as great , as if it had been within a week after : for she had oblig'd her self to conjugall fidelity , as long as she and her husband should live . and thus your covenant with god is not for a month , or year only , but for your whole lives . if you should never but once have opportunity to receive the sacramet , this would ever after remain a forcible engagement , upon you : but yet god in his wisdome and good providence hath ordered , that this duty should be frequently repeated , that it might the more work upon , and affect our mindes , who are prone to be so forgetfull and dull . remember then , the matter is now out of your hands ; you have given away your selves to god , and cannot revoke this gift , since indeed you gave him nothing , but what was his own before . after these vows there is no inquiry to be made , whether they should be kept or not . yet , this much i 'le say to you , if you can finde a greater portion and surer friend than god , a better master than christ , better work than his service , better wages than life eternal , you may take your choice : for i would wish you to nothing for your hurt or losse , nor doth god you may be sure , that blessed beeing , who wants nothing out of himself , nor envies his creatures any thing that 's truly good for them : but till you can thus better dispose of your selves , keep your first love , and if you will keep it till then , i shall never question your perseverance to the last . and as you are thus to improve this ordinance to quicken you to , and help you in your duty , so may you make advantage of it for your comfort , by remembring how god stands engaged to you by that covenant to which he hath here set his seal , and which he will be sure to perform to you that depart not from him . with this consideration repell all temptations to excessive doubtings and despair . when the remembrance of former sins is ready to overwhelm you , have recourse to your sealed pardon , and confidently take the comfort it affords you . when you finde the remnants of corruption yet so strong within you , that you are afraid you shall never hold out , remember the holy ghost is in covenant with you to assist you in your combat , and will bring you off conquerour , if you throw not away your weapons : and let this encourage you the more to beg his assistance ; yea in all your addresses to god let it strengthen your faith to apprehend him as in covenant with you . and if you are surprized by any sin , yet whil'st it's matter of grief and shame to you , and you are resolv'd to be more watchfull for the time to come , let it not cast you into such a sorrow , as tends only to disquiet and consume your spirits ; but remember god hath assured you through christ the forgiveness of such weaknesses , and they shall not put you out of covenant with him ; but know , if you are hereupon a whit the more encouraged to a●y sin , it is a very great sign that this promise of pardon at present belongs not to you . in a word , whatever difficulties you are plunged into relating to soul or body , let this still uphold you , to consider , that god hath engag'd himself to be with you in all estates and conditions , and to order all things , so that the issue of them shall be for your advantage . and thus by a frequent consideration of your own engagements at the lords table , and of the priviledges thereby confer'd upon you , you will finde your selves not only comforted and cheared , but very much advantaged for the walking on more steadily in the ways of holiness . . and to the same end , my next counsel is , that the lord jesus , whom you have here been remembring , may ever live fresh in your thoughts . let not your remembrance of him be confin'd to sacrament-seasons , but let him ever dwell in your he●rts by faith and love . set his example before you , and labour to walk as he walkt , who counted it his meat and drink , to be doing his fathers will. behave your self as you believe he would have done , was he in your case . consider how meek and lowly he was ; how little he regarded yea how much he contemned the riches , honours and applause of the world , and learn ●ou to val●e them at the same rate . consider how patient he was in sufferings ; how courteous and gentle to all , to the vilest si●ners and his bitterest enemies , doing hurt to none , but seeking the good of all : copie out this lesson also . willingly deny your selves , take up your cross and follow him . grudge not to be conformed to h●m , though in suffering it self , and complain not till you are in a worse case than he was , who had not where to lay his head . it 's like you think , if christ was on earth , you 'd follow him , though but in the company of poor women and fisher-men , and though the most of the world should laugh at you for so doing , why , know hee 'l take it as well at your hands , if you will but tread in his foot-steps , and adhere faithfully to his interest , though it should cost you the losse of all you had , and of life it self . and let the death of christ be much in your thoughts ; let the love of god which was herein shewn , be your daily , delightfull study , and ever leave a sweet tincture upon your spirits , that by the power of love you may be moved and carried on in the whole of your duty ; let this shame and drive you from sin , let this make you laborious and unwearied in his service . when you are set upon by a temptation , stay so long as to set a bleeding saviour before you ; and think how you have much such a case now before you as the jews once had ; to wit , whether christ or barabbas should be prefer'd ; whether your lust should be subdued , or your lord crucified afresh ; if you approve of the jews choice in this case , you had best imitate them . if that which would murder your soul deserve to be spared , rather than he who dyed to save it , then go on , give christ a stab and sin boldly . consider further how christ by his death hath acquired a title to you , so that you must glorifie him both with body and soul as being not your own , but bought with a price : bought you are , not out of the hands of the father , that you should now have liberty to sin against him , but out of the hands of satan , that being free from sin , you may become subject to god , and the servants of righteousnesse . how wilfully blinde are they who take the more liberty in sin , from the consideration of that death , which was undergone to redeem us from a vain conversation ? pet. . , . where 's that man's reason and ingenuity , who when he was fallen into his masters displeasure , and brought into favour again by the great industry of the son , should think he might now safely disobey his master ? though the son pittied the servant so much , that he was loth to see him perish , yet he loves his father so well , that hee 'l never purchas'd an allowance for his disobedience ; and indeed the servants disobedience is his destruction . christ died once to save the penitent , but hee 'l never die more to save those that remain willfully disobedient . consider also , christ by his death hath purchast abundant grace for the supply of all your wants , and now being at the fathers right hand , hath full power to give out of this store , wherefore make use of him to obtain the same . even as the egyptians received food from pharaoh by the hands of joseph , so must you receive all you have from the father by his son jesus . let then the very life you live in the flesh be by faith in the son of god. by earnest desires vented in fervent prayers , be ever deriving virtue and vigour from him your head . be as desirous and craving as you are necessitous , as hungry as you are empty , that the good god , acco●ding to the riches of his grace , may furnish you with all plenty of spiritual blessings , til you shall come up to the measure of the stature of christs own fulnesse . eph. . . . if you would thus grow in grace , be diligent in the use of all the means of grace which christ hath afforded , and let them be used and improved as means . you must , i have told you , be much in earnest prayer to god in the name of christ , for what ever you are wanting in . let not one day pass without the practice of this duty ; you that have families call them together , and pray with them morning and evening . if you neglect this , how little do you differ from those heathens who call not upon god , and upon whom he will pour out his wrath . be diligent in attending to the publick preaching of the word , and prepare your selves before-hand with a resolution to obey what shall be made known to you to be the wil of god , and beg his blessing on what you hear . consider when you come home , wherein you are particularly concern'd , in what you have heard , and accordingly follow it : setting against that sin , or upon that duty , that you are thereby convinc't of . when you can get time , spend it in reading gods word , and good books , which may explain and enforce that word . especially you that have not much time on the week-days , spend the remainder of the lords day , after publick worship , in some such good employment , and waste it not in idlenesse ; no nor an hour at any other time . read also to and with your family , and ponder of it afterwards , that it may be more profitable to you . often discourse one with another about the matters of your souls , soberly and seriously ; that you may afford each other what help you can . it would be exceeding well , if , when you sit with your neighbours , you would be thus employed in holy savoury conference to the use of edifying , rather than in idle chatting and talking of persons , and things that concern you not . but especially they who are of the same family , and are more neerly rela●ed , have more opportunity and engagement hereto , and should be admon●shing one ano●her daily , and provoking to love and good wo●ks . for the lord's supper , i have already directed you at large and i hope you will practise answerably , and be frequent therein , not ordinarily neglecting any opportunity when you are call'd to it . but as i desire you not to neglect these exercises of religion , so on the other hand as earnestly i would wish you to beware of resting in them , as thinking all religion is confin'd to them , and so becoming lesse carefull of your carriage , as to justice , temperance , inward piety , and all vertuous actions . methinks the wretched error of those sects that throw off all external duties of worship , and crie up themselves as above ordinances , may teach this wholsome lesson to all professing christians , to beware of resting in these things and framing to themselves a religion out of them . these i grant are parts of obedience to god : for he hath commanded them , and they are waies for the exercise and encrease of our graces , and to be as helps to godlinesse ; but to think that they give any discharge from the practice of godlinesse , and make amends for sins we are loath to leave , for which we do as it were compound with god by these formalities , making sin our pleasure , and his service a pennance for it , these are conceits so gross , that methinks none but a papist or one willingly ignorant should entertain them . religion is no road of performances , but a new nature attended with a new life ; it is the subj●ction of the soul to the will of god expressing it self in all commanded acts of obedience ; an eager and ingenuous pursuance after the blessed god in all those waies where in he is to be found , and whereby he communicates himself to the soul of man , so that there is no contradiction betwixt inward holinesse and outward duties , but much-what the same relation , that there is betwixt life and eating , breathing and motion : for in these the divine life is exprest exercised and nourished . but to think that sacraments , prayers and hearing , &c. may serve turn without any inward holinesse and universal sincere obedience , is as if a man should think , that the forced motion of a puppet , should make it pass for a living creature ; that great promises may pass for performances , and that knowing what we must do , and talking of it , may serve instead of doing what we are taught . let them lay this seriously to heart , who , when their practices are ungodly and loose , think to salve all by keeping their church , and saying their prayers ; and all such who make more adoe about the externals in devotion , than about the right ordering of their hearts and lives , whereas all our devotions should tend to better these . . if you would make good the promises you have made at the lords table , to live a strict and godly life , you will find it of singular importance , yea of flat necessity , to retain a great watchfulnesse over all your ways . ever keep up a sense of the danger you are in , by reason of the frailty of your nature , the deceitfulnesse of your hearts , and the many temptations you are every where exposed to ; and therefore let this care secretly run through the whole course of your actions , to beware of being surprized by sin therein . in all emploiments , companies and affairs still keep up this watch . and think beforehand where your danger is greatest , where you are most apt to be overtaken , and there place the strongest guard . set a watch over your eyes , ears , appetites , tongues , hearts and hands , that you be not by them betraid into any miscarriage . when you find your self endangered by a present temptation , then have some solid reason ready at hand to repell it , with store whereof you should alwaies be furnisht , with reasons drawn from god , christ , heaven or hell , or from your sacramentall engagements , as i shewed before ; and be sure , have a strong resolution to check the first risings and beginnings of sin , before it have gone so farre , that your judgment is brib'd and blinded by your affections ; and have speedy recourse to the god of all grace , that he would send you help from above . consideration , resolution , and prayer , are three weapons wherewith the christian souldier may do wonders against the tallest sons of anak , that shall assault him in his way to canaan . often take account of your selves , and review your behaviour in actions that are past ; and let one days experience still teach you how to live the next better . but upon the sense of any miscarriage , let not your guilt drive you farther from god , & put you into unprofitable vexations and horrors , but presently make hast to the throne of grace , get your peace made with god through christ , and renew your watch with more diligence than ever , but alwaies with the most humble and absolute dependance upon divine assistance . ' t is too probable , that some lazy wretches will here flye out , as naaman in a rage did against the prophet , when he heard he must wash seven times in jordan for the cure of his leprosie , which he thought would have been done with a word speaking , so perhaps you 'l tell me , that you had thought receiving of the sacrament would so have kill'd your lusts , and cleansed your hearts , that you need have been at litle care about them afterward ; and will be ready to ask , what good you got by it , if you must take all this pains notwithstanding . you slothfull souls , may you not as well ask what good you get by christs death , and the giving of the spirit ? since notwithstanding both these , you must take pains , or else you are never like to be saved . for know , god will have you employ the faculties he has given you , and the work of grace is to heal your faculties , and enable them for their proper employments . he that made you reasonable creatures , will make you holy and happy as such ; and the help which he affords , is to bring you to diligence , and assist you therein , and by that means to save you . thus sacraments are onely profitable to the diligent and industrious , their use being to quicken and strengthen , but they are no refuges for the slothfull , no encouragements to idlenesse . never think that god will make such a way to heaven , that you may walk in it without using your legs . 't is you that must do the things required , though it be by christ strengthning you , for whose sake also your frailties are forgiven . wherefore let me renew my advice , that at all times , and in all things you would be watchfull , and maintain an holy jealousie over those hearts , that have too often shown what they have in them . take this for the greatest work you have to do in the world to beware of sin , and to be carefull to please god , as the souldier's whole work is to serve his generall , and the servant 's to obey his master ; yea more absolutely than so ought a creature to study his maker's will ; and account this work your own greatest happinesse . so avoid sin , and all occasions and appearances of it , as you would do the plague in a visited town ; and be as carefull to watch all opportunities of doing good both to the souls and bodies of others , as men ordinarily are of laying hold on their gain . often ask your selves , wherein god is honoured by you , or others profited , and be ashamed to live to no better purpose than to eat and drink , to sleep and dresse your selves for work or play . and do not object against this constant watchfulnesse , that it will take up all your time , and hinder your necessary employments : for by using it awhile it will grow even naturall to you , and will no more hinder you in your affairs , than it hinders a traveller in his journey , to take heed of running into bogs and ditches . is it any hard matter to be alwaies carefull , least you should hurt your bodies ? wherever you are , and whatever you are doing , cannot you keep up this care , and yet follow your businesse well enough ? why then can you not take the same heed of your souls with as little trouble or hindrance ? . to help you in this watchfulnesse , and guide you in an exact circumspect walking , it will be exceeding profitable for you , at all times to retain upon your minds a very awfull sense of the presence of the most holy god. whatever you are about , remember he observes you , and ponders all your paths , though you perceive not him . wherefore always order and behave your selves as before him . speak your words as in his hearing ; spend your time , and do all actions as in his sight . you may easier run from under th● heavens , than out of his eye . and consider , he do's not onely look on you , but narrowly regard yo● , and concerns himself with you , being highly displeased when you run into sin , and takes delight in your holy conversation . in whatever company you are , be not drawn away by them in a kind of flashy humour , as if the generall loosness and jollity did engage you to conform to them , but remember , god is in the midst of you , who never gives you a dispensation to be wicked , and whom it more behoves you to please , than all the world beside , though avoid all ensnaring company as much as possible . let this keep you from fear or sh●me , when you are call'd to speak against sin , or for god and holin●sse ; he 's near that will justifie you , you may therefore set your face as a flint . when you are alone , think not you may sin the more securely : for god is with you , and eyes all your mo●ions as if he had none but you to mind . in your addresses to god , a sense of his nea●ness● will much awaken and affect you , and is one of the best helps against wand●ing thoughts that you can have . beware of ever being so farre swallowed up with the noise and hurry of businesses or pleasures , as not to attend to him that stands over you . he that is present every where should be remembred at all times . read to this purpo●e , psal. . such a powerfull habituall sense of a present god should you work into your minds , that you may walk as before him , even when you do not actually think of him : as a servant is all day doing that work which his master would have him , though he may not half that time be think●ng of him : so though it be needfull that you should often actually think of god , yet above all , see that you never so forget him , as to do that which is displeasing to him ; and , to conclude this , in any doubtfull action let this be one rule that you go by , not to do that , which whilst you are about , you dare not boldly think of gods presence . . the last thing i shall say to you for the carrying on of an holy life , to which you are bound by the sacrament , is , that you be much in serious meditation of the last things , death , judgement , and eternity . the frequent and lively thoughts of these will have a mighty influence upon your whole course . to consider your latter end , is both a discovery of , and the way to wisdome . live every day , as he that knows not whether he hath another day to live . think often , what if i had but another mon●h or year to s●end in the world , how strictly and holily should i then live that time ? how carefull should i be of my thoughts , words , and actions ? how thrifty of my time ? how serious and affectionate in all my approaches to god ? how ready and willing to do or receive good ? why let me now live after this exact manner , since it may be i have not so much as a month or year to come ; however , very much i am sure i have not , and my preparations , be they never so soon , will not be lost . let others fun●ralls put you in mind of yours : and flatter not your selves with the hopes of long life , because you are young and healthfull ; but see to get your souls in such a condition , that a long life may not be so much the matter of your hopes , nor death the cause of your fears . and remember , you are always going on to the judgement seat of christ , where you must have a triall of ten thousand times greater concernment , than those that use to come before earthly princes and judges ; when the case must be decided where you must live for ever , whether in the highest joys , or the sorest torments . had you not need then now , to be getting a good cause : for according to the life you led here in the flesh , will that sentence passe . the wicked must go into everlasting punishment , and the righteous into life eternall the god who sees you now , will judge you then by christ the redeemer . think what a life you shall wish you had led , when you come to the end of it , and must be judged for it , and lead such an one now . when the sugred baits of sin are presented , and you have much ado to hold off them , then think what bitternesse it will be in the end ; compare the honey with the gall , the present delight which is vanisht in a moment , with the sting and pain which endures eternally , and then judge and act like reasonable creatures . but above all , let your thoughts be even steept and swallowed up in the pleasant contemplations of that glory , which shall be revealed in , and bestowed upon all that love the lord jesus . whenever you are ready to faint and give out , remember the joy that is set before you , and let that remembrance cheer and revive you . consider what that goodnesse is , which god hath laid up in himself for them that fear him , till you find your love enflamed towards him ; and let that love put you upon more frequent thoughts , and earnest longings after him . onely see to fill up all your time with suitable actions , and then let it even please you to see your days post away so fast . alwaies keep it on your thoughts , that you are in a journey to a glorious kingdome , and be often saying , now i am one day , or month , or year nearer than i was before . stretch out thy self with a longing look towards thy fathers house , shortly i shall be in the arms of my dear saviour , and shall be joyning with saints and angels in the triumphant praises of jehovah and the lamb. and remember , this happinesse consists chiefly in being made perfectly holy , and therefore here must that grace be sown and grow up , that shall then be ripened into glory . and the more holy you are , the nearer to heaven will you get whilst you stay on earth , and the meeter for it will you be , when you are taken off from the earth . ever keep up such a sense of the excellency of this future blessednesse , as may blast all other things in your esteem , and deaden the temptations that are taken from pleasures , riches and honours . oh think how perfectly provided for must he needs be , who shall have god for his portion ! how mad are they that would lose the least hope of this happinesse for the whole world ! and they that look for such great things , what manner of persons ought they to be in all holy conversation and godliness ? oh let nothing weary you , or turn you out of the way . hold out awhile longer , and you shall be plac'd out of the reach of all temptations for ever . fasten upon nothing on this side heaven with any great delight or long stay : but still tell your selves it's time enough to be happy when god shall take you to himself , so he will but here vouchsafe you that converse with him , whereof we in this state are capable , let every thing you meet with be as a step toward mount sion , and raise you nearer to heaven , and make you more desirous of it . and when you have been thus meditating and preparing , waiting and desiring a while , you shall assuredly find , that your labour was not in vain . wher●fore let such considerations as these make you stedfast , unmoveabl● , alwaies abounding in you● lords work , till at length you shall be translated into his joy. and thus i have dispatcht those directions i promised , for the promoting of holinesse , wh●ch was the last thing i had to do . it now remains , that we set our selves resolvedly , and sincerely , to the practise of what god hath revealed to be our duty , which if we do , we need not doubt of his assistance and blessing ; but upon our perseverance in well-doing , to which we have obliged our selves , may , through our mediatour , confiden●ly expect his gracious acceptance , and his glorious c●own . now ●he g●d of peace , that brought again from the dead our lord jesus , that great shepherd of his sheep , by the b●ood of the everlasting covenant ; make you perfect in every good work to do his will , w●rking in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight , through jes●● christ , to whom be glory for ever , and ever . amen . heb. . , . finis . a treatise of miscellany questions wherein many usefull questions and cases of conscience are discussed and resolved ... / by mr. george gillespie ... ; published by mr. patrik gillespie ... gillespie, george, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing g estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a treatise of miscellany questions wherein many usefull questions and cases of conscience are discussed and resolved ... / by mr. george gillespie ... ; published by mr. patrik gillespie ... gillespie, george, - . gillespie, patrick, - . [ ], [i.e. ] p. printed by gedeon lithgovv ... for george svvintoun, and are to be sold at his shop ..., edinburgh : . errata: p. . pages - have print missing; p. is stained in filmed copy. pages - and -end photographed from cambridge library copy and inserted at the end. reproduction of original in union theological seminary library, new york. marginal notes. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of 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assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a treatise of miscellany questions : wherein many usefull questions and cases of conscience are discussed and resolved : for the satisfaction of those , who desire nothing more , then to search for and finde out precious truths , in the controversies of these times . by mr. george gillespie , late minister at edinburgh . published by mr. patrik gillespie , minister at glasgovv . edinburgh , printed by gedeon lithgovv , printer to the university of edinburgh , for george svvintoun , and are to be sold at his shop at the kirk style , at the signe of the angel. . the publisher to the reader . it hath been a grand designe of the devil and instruments acted by him , with much controversie to darken the light in the very breaking up of this present reformation , and to hide the precious truth that the simple should not finde it , such pure malice doth he carry against the high way of the lord , and so afraid he is , that the way-faring men shall not erre therein : but they know not the counsel of the lord , nor the thoughts of his heart , who is about to clear the truth , by the manifold errours which have risen in these late times , to work his peoples hearts to a deep detestation of errour , as well as ungodlines , and to declare his truth , to be proofe of all the controversie that can be moved against it , when every work shall be tried by the fire . there must be heresies , for making manifest who are approved , and what is precious and praise-worthy truth , but at the evening time it shall be light , and the lord shall make truth shine the more brightly , that it hath been for a time darkned and born down , this cloudie morning shal end in a clear day . this litle treatise doth help to blow away and dispell the mists ▪ of errour , and clear many questioned truths , beside some points which are practically handled therein . if god had been pleased to lengthen the author his life for longer serving his generation , i am confident it would have come abroad better polished , if he had compleated it and there survayed the whole work , when set together . but although this peece be unperfect , yet having the authors leave , i have adventured to make it publick , without any addition or alteration , the christian reader will correct the errata , and look upon it as it is his opus posthumū , whom god made very serviceable in his work , in a very short time : i shall only wish that it may prove as useful and acceptable to the iudicious and godly , as other peeces which came from his pen. i am thy servant , pat ▪ gillespie . the contents . cap. i. that the ministery is a perpetuall ordinance in the church , and that ministers are to be received as the ambassadours of christ , now as well as in the primitive times . pag. . an erastian lately published the negative , which also the sect of the seekers hold . pag. . the affirmative is proven from scripture by eight arguments . pag. . . three objections answered . pag. , , . how believers are an holy priest-hood . ibid its proved against that erastian , that the ordinary ministry have an embassy ▪ from christ , as well as the apostles had . pag. . cap. ii. of the election of pastors with the congregations consent . pag. . . the question is stated . ibid. the affirmative is proven from scripture by three arguments pag. , , , . . , . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acts ▪ . is exponed . ibid. it s proven also from antiquity . pag. , . it s also the judgement of sound protestant churches and writters . pag. , , , . it s confirmed by five reasons , pag. . . the confession of adversaries proves it . pag. . seven objections answered , pag. . . . . . . . . how we differ from the independents in this point . pag. . . what is due to the people , and what to the magistrat , and what to the eldership in this point . ibid. the elderships votes , and the peoples consent or dissent are free , and there needs not be given a reason for them . pag , . a schismaticall church hath not just right to the liberty of a sound church . pag. . how the congregation is to judge if a man be qualified and fit for the ministry pag. . incommodities may be on both hands , but fewer on this . pag. . . cap. iii. whether ordination bee essentiall to the calling of a minister . pag. . four distinctions are premised for the right stating of the question . pag. . . . the affirmative is asserted and confirmed by ten arguments from nature and scripture to the end . there should be as much order in the church , as in any politick republick . pag . . that place rom : . . exponed and the socinian exceptions discussed . pag. , . . : . . . how the office of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , belongs to ordinary pastors . pag. : . how the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for an office and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 differ . pag. . what a mission expectants , and probationers have . pag. . the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , of church officers cleared . pag. . . ordination of ministers was a catecheticall head in the primitive times . pag. . the diverse names the ministers of the gospell gets in scripture . pag. . the place tim : . . opened up . pag. . . what lawfull ordination contributes for the peoples good . pag. . cap. iv. objections against the necessity of ordination answered . pag. . how the peoples 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is consistent with the elders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and both necessary . pag. . how election and ordination differ . pag. . the prophets mentioned cor : . . were extraordinarly inspyred , and so no ordinary rule . pag. . how the ordination of our reformers by the church of rome is lawfull , and how not . pag , . these who reject their ordination , must all unchurch themselves and turn seekers . pag. . vvhat may be done in extraordinary cases , and what must be done in ordinary in a constitured church pag. . vvhen the church of rome was most corrupt , there was alwayes a true church in it . cap. v. whether these prophets and prophesyings in the primitive church cor : . and cor. . . eph : . . were extraordinary , and so not to continue : or whether they are presidents for the preaching and prophesying of such as are neither ordained ministers , nor probationers for the ministry . pag : . there are three opinions concerning these prophets , the last whereof is that they were extraordinary prophets , which is holden for true , and proven by . reasons . pag. . ad . prophets in the apostles enumeration , are preferred to pastors and teachers , yea to evangelists pag. . the difference between prophets and pastors and teachers is set down . pag. . . three senses only of the word propbesying in the new testament . pag : . prophesie is distinct both from the word of knowledge and the word of wisedome . pag. . in the prophet there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. . how the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is often used for the new testament . pag. . prophesie is a speciall gift of an apostle . pag. . prophesie and the gift of tongues of the same kinde . ibid. even prophetesses were not allowed to speak in the church pag. , . that place cor. . . exponed and vindicated . pag. , , . how prophesie might be desired . pag . how prophets were subject to tryall . pag . how the word bretbren is sometimes taken . pag. . cap. vi. whether any but a minister , lawfully called and ordained , may administer the sacraments , baptisme , and the lords supper . p. . the negative is justly held by reformed churches against erastians and socinians , and is proven by eight arguments . much of the feeding of the flock confists in the dispensation of the sacraments . pag. what ezekiels vision concerning the new temple means . pag. . none without a calling should make bold with christs broad seals . pag . whom the commission to teach and baptize is given to . ibid. christ hath distinguished between magistracy and ministery , between sacred and civile vocations . ibid. what comfort it is for minister and people if the minister be lawfully ordained . pag. . that one text eph. . , , . is enough to put to silence these gainsayers . pag. . . cap. vii . of prophets and evangelists in what sense their work and vocation might be called extraordinary . and in what sense ordinary . p. their work and vocation is mixed . pag the higher degrees eph : . . are comprehensive of the lower , not contrarywise . ibid. what is the proper work of a prophet , ibid. vvhat is the proper and distinguishing work of an evangelist . pag. . how the word evangelist is taken , ibid. their works how , and in what sense extraordinary , pag. . vvhat kinde of vocation and mission they had , pag. . . timothie had a vocation partly ordinary , partly extraordinary . ibid. cap. viii . that the primitive apostolicall pattern holds foorth unto us for our imitation , a presbyterie , i. e. an assembly of elders having power of ordination , with laying on of hands . pag . how 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ▪ tim : . . is to be taken , and that place vindicated from false glosses . pag. , , , . the change of the phrase in that place is observeable : pag. . imposition of hands is in scripture an authoritative act : pag. . how timothie might be ordained both presbyter and evangelist at one time , in one action . pag. . how timothie might be ordained evangelist by the presbyterie . ibid. in what sense peter calls himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , pet : . , . pag. , , , . how imposition of hands is necessary for ordination , and what kinde of rite it is . pag. . . cap. ix . what is meant in scripture by the word heresies , and how we are to understand , that there must be heresies for making manifest the godly partie , or those that are approved , cor. . . p. heresie is more nor divisions and schismes pag. . vvhat heresie is not , answered in two things pag. , , six things do concurre to make a heresie , pag. , , . a description of heresie . pag. . vvhy heresie must bee , and how . ibid. vvho are the approved , cor , . . and who not . pag. . . how we should look upon gods suffering heresies in the church . p. how a child of god may be drawn over to heresie . pag : . . how heresies makes manifest them , who are approved , pag. . chap. x. of new lights , and how to keep off from splitting either upon the charybdis of pertinacy and tenaciousnesse , or upon the scylla of levity , wavering , and scepticisme . pag. . five concessions for clearing the question . pag. . . the greatest deceits of satan have come under the name of new light. pag. many things cried up as new lights , which are neither lights nor new. pag , . it s a false new light that expelleth much good old light. pag. , . balaam seeks a new light and gets it in wrath . pag. . many of our new lights bring in egyptian darknesse . pag. . it s not good light that makes certain truths uncertain . ibid. scepticisme is no good new light . pag. . beware of new lights which come not from the sun of righteousnesse pag. . the vveigelians wilde fancy . ibid. take heed of proud and self-conceited new lights . ibid. beware of separating new lights pag. . beware of new lights that dare not be seen . ibid. refuse such lights as have fellowship with the works of darknes . p ▪ . they are no new lights which bring no edification . pag. . take good heed of new lights which follow new interests ibid. cap. xi . of stability and firmnesse in the truth . pag. scepticisme is a sin , and stability in the truth a dutie proved from natures light and scripture . pag. . seven reasons confirmed with scripture proved . pag. . . some errours in their own nature damnable . pag. . nine preservatives against wavering , and helps to stability in the truth . pag : . . . pertinacy and levitie both to be shunned . pag. . the sectaries word is yea and nay , ibid. seekers should be called atheists , because nullifidians ibid. cap. xii . whether a sound heart and an unsound head can consist together , & vice versa ? or whether truth and holines be not inseparable companions . pag. . every error is not inconsistent with holynesse , yet pro tanto it retards and hinders it . ibid. dangerous errours can no other wayes consist with true grace , no●… dangerous sins . ibid. what are the roots of heresies and errors in the hearts of corrupt men . pag. . . all opinions and practises in the world are reduced to three heads , john . . ibid. there is a reciprocall influence of the will and understanding , and how it is . pag. as the infection of sin is universall , so is the work of gods spirit in the soule . pag. . soule and spirit , reasons and affections compared together , ibid. both doctrinals and practicalls make up a perfect christian , pag. ▪ to be led in all truth , is a work of the spirit of truth . ibid. truth and grace compared . ibid. how erroneous men are distinguished from the elect , pag : . a holy heretick is a chymaera , and a prophane believer is another . pag. . an ungodly mans knowledge , is but a forme of knowledge . ibid. no sin in the will without some error in the understanding . pag . all professed and mantained errors are but manifestos of the corrupt principles secretly lurking in the judgements of all unrenewed men . pag. , . many hold fast the truth , because not yet tempted , ibid. eleven practicall conclusions drawn from the former principles , pag. , , , , , . . every religion and faith will not save men . pag. . how heresies are damnable . pag. . . church censures should strike both against hereticks and profane men . pag. . there is cause to fast and pray when heresies abound , ibid. we must not converse with false teachers . pag. . opinions are not free more then practises . pag. . hee who would keep his head , let him keep his heart . ibid. the approved in triall are these only who have both true piety and a sound judgement . pag. . cap. xiii . whether conscionable christians and such as love the power and practice of piety , can without defileing their own conscience , or without a destructive wounding of the power of godlinesse , imbrace and hold the principles of these who call themselves the godly partie ? or whether they ought not rather to avoid these who do now pharisaically and donatistically appropriat to themselves the name of the godly partie , as being indeed such , who under the pretence of zeall for the power of godlines , hold diverse ungodly principles . pag. . diverse who now pretend to be the godly party hold many ungodly principles . that none ought to be punished for preaching or publishing an error in faith , except it be contrary to the light of nature . ibid. there is need of some oedipus to loose this , how these who decline natures light in lesser things , should appeal to it in sublimer things . pag. . that in questions of religion we must only argue from the new testament . ibid. this is shortly refuted . pag , . . that sectaries and hereticks peaceable in the state ought to be tolerated and foreborn . pag. . toleration is the sectaries holy of holies . ibid. it s shortly refuted . pag. . that none should believe more nor by reason he can comprehend , this is not good divinity . pag. . . the only gospell reformation , is the destroying of sin out of the elect , and that this work belongs to christ alone . ibid. this is a destructive and injurious doctrine . pag. . . diverse arminian and antinomian tenents are maintained by them , which strengthen the hands of the wicked . pag. other tenents are current among them which are apt to weaken the hearts and hands of the godly . pag. . cap. xiv . another most usefull case of conscience discussed and resolved , concerning associations and confederacies with idolaters , infidels , hereticks , or any other known enemies of truth and godlinesse . pag. three kind of covenants distinguished , civil , sacred , and mixed , the last two are unlawfull to be made with wicked men , and these who differ in religion . ibid : civil covenants called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for peace or commerce are lawful . ibid. civil covenants called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to joyne in military expeditions together , is unlawfull ibid. this is proved from scripture . pag. . three objections from abraams , and the maccabees covenants , and davids associating with broken men , answered . pag , , . five particulars which god hath forbidden his people in reference to heathen or wicked persons . pag. . . . religious covenants and familiar conversation is forbidden pag. . conjugall covenants is forbidden , pag. faedus deditionis , or , pactum liberatorium forbidden , . david did not right in sparing ioab and shimei , ibid. civil covenants of war was forbidden , ibid. this is confirmed more . pag. , . the objection taken from jehosaphats joyning with ahab , proves nothing . pag. , two other objections answered by scripture . pag. . five distinctions to take off all other objections , pag. . three uses of this point pag. . six motives and reasons to drive home this naill to the head . pag. . another objection from davids confederacy with abner and amasa answered fully . pag. , . . what can be drawn from the example of christian states and common-wealths . pag. . an objection of malignants answered . pag : . how men may be forced into the covenant . pag. . how neglect and contempt of a dutie may be censured , and wihall wickednesse in the person who hath taken up the practise of the dutie . pag. another objection removed . ibid wee may no more associat with the wicked of the same kingdome , then of another kingdome . pag. . cap. xv. of uniformity in religion , worship of god , and church government . why luther declined a generall synod for unity in ceremonies , ibid. there is great difference betwen the prelatical conformity and the presbyteriall uniformitie ibid. this is branched out in seven particulars . pag. . . both nature and scriptures gives presidents for uniformity p. . . the church in the old testament was very uniforme both in the substantials and rituals of their worship . ibid. it was also prophecied to be under the new testament , and commended and commanded in it . pag. ibid. the church in the ancient times had a great uniformity pag. . cap. xvi . whether it be lawfull , just and expedient that the taking of the solemne league and covenant be injoyned by the parliament upon all persons in the kingdome under a considerable penalty . pag. nine particulars to be remembred for the right deducing and stating the matter of fact . pag. . . the grounds and reasons of such an ordinance and appointment may be eleven . pag. . . . . four objections answered . pag. . how this ordinance would not bee tyrranny over mens consciences . ibid the covenant is no temporary obligation . pag. . if such an ordinance to the army be scandalum acceptum , then the not making of it is scandalum datum . pag. . cap. xvii . of infant-baptisme . pag. baptisme hath succeeded in the roome of circumcision against mr. tombs opinion ibid. baptizing with water is a divine institution proved from scripture . p. both hebrews and heathens , had a custome of washing infants soone after their birth ibid unto what the institution of baptisme by water related . pag. . the manna and water out of the rock , was the same in substance with the lords supper ; and the cloud in the red sea , was the same with our baptisme in eight respects p. ibid & . this infant-baptisme of theirs is a good warrant for us . p. , . the originall of baptisme is not derived from the baptisme used in the admission of proselyts . p. . another text , ephes : . . proves that baptisme belongs to infants . p. cap. xviii . of the use of a table in the lords supper , and of the communicants there comming to , and receiving at the table . pag. . the first guests our saviour intertained , received at the table . ibid. this sitting was not occasionall only , but had a standing reason for it ▪ p. . successive tables and repeating the words is no deviation from the rule : p. . . another argument taken from the generall notion and nature of the lords supper , as it is a banquet and feast p. ibid. . . a third reason taken from the name table which the apostle uses , p. . . . the sitting at table together , sets foorth the communion of saints with christ and among themselves . p. . the words of distribution proves there must be a table , all must sit at . p. ibid : & ▪ . antiquitie proves it . ibid. cap. xix . that there was among the iews a jurisdiction and government ecclesiasticall distinct from the civill pag. . the jews had ecclesiasticall elders or church governours which proves the point . ibid. even under the roman emperour they had their presbyteri and arcbisynagogi . it s proved out of mr. selden , that their elders received a judiciall degree , and were not civil magistrats . ibid. . the jewish ordination of elders with imposition of hands proves it also . pag. . . a third argument is taken f●…om the synag●…ga magna , pag. . the hebrews triple crown proves it . ibid. the jews exercised ecclesiastical discipline , since their dispersion which is a fifth reason . pag. . . cap. xx. that necessary consequences from the written word of god do sufficiently and strongly prove the consequent or conclusion , if hereticall , to be a certain divine truth which ought to be believed ; and if practicall , to be a necessary dutie which we are obliged unto jure divino . pag ▪ the assertion is cleared by some premisses . ibid humane reason drawing the consequence , is not the ground of our beliefe ▪ pa. . there is a difference between corrupt and renewed reason , ibid. two sorts of consequences distinguished . pag. the assertion is proved , first by the example of christ and his apostles . ibid. in the old testament as well as in the new , some necessary things were left to be drawn by necessary consequence from the law of moses . pag. . two sorts of necessary consequences from the law , a sortiori and a pari pag. ibid & : a third reason from the infinite wisedome of god , who must foresee all things that followes upon his words pag. . diverse absurdities will follow , if this truth be not admitted . pag. . these who most cry down this assertion , yet themselves can bring no other , but consequentiall proffes to proove their tenents pag. . if this be denied , we deny to the great god what is granted to the litle gods or magistrats . ibid. cap. xxi . of an assurance of an interest in christ by the marks or fruits of sanctification , and namely by love to the brethren . also how this agreeth with , or differeth from assurance by the testimony of the spirit ? and whether there can be any wel grounded assurance without marks of grace . pag. . three cautions for right understanding the question , that is , marks are not to be separated , either from the free grace , or from christ , or from the spirit . ibid. it s a sure way to seek after assurance of our interest in jesus by the marks of sanctification proved by five reasons . p. . a twofold certainty of the mind distinguished , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and a twofold uncertainty opposed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , pag. . the evidence of marks gives the first kinde of certainty , the testimony of the spirit , gives the second . ibid. this is illustrat by a simile of believing the scriptures . p. ibid. & . and by another of the disciples going to emma●…s . ibid. the assurance of justification is virtually done in a syllogistical way . the spirit works the firme belief of the proposition , a twofold testimony concurre to the assumption . pag. . none should divide these testimonies , they are joyned in three texts of scripture pag. . d. crisps objection against assurance from the love of the brethren , propounded . pag. for answer three things are demonstrat . ibid. this objection militateth as much against their own interpretatiō . p. . the antinomian way of setling assurance , is an inextricable labyrinth . pag. . the testimony of the spirit must be an evidence according to the word of god. pag. . . wee say the evidence of marks is privative , they say , it is at most cumulative . pag ; . the spirit of god is a spirit of revelation , but not beside or contrary to the word . ibid. another objection of crispe removed . pag. . . how the spirit and word concurre to this assurance . ibid. the word is more sure nor any voice within or without . pag. . crispe his way of assurance by the testimony of the spirit received by faith resuted . pag. : . he grosly mistakes faith . ibid. mr. eton brought against him . pag. . a sad lamentation of a poor soul holding foorth what miserable comforters these antinomians are . pag. , , . the love of the brethren is a sure and clear mark of one being past from death to life . ibid , four things observed touching the brethren pag. . it s not necessar to have a infallible knowledge of their regeneration how far particular saints may be known by their fruits . pag. . antinomians expone cor : . legally , pag. . marks and tokens of true and sincere love of the brethren . p. , no marks h●…eraway without some mixture of contrary corruption : p. there is alwayes bellum , though not alwayes proelium , between the flesh and the spirit . pag. . cap. xxii . of the true real and safe grounds of incouragement to believe in iesus christ or , upon what warrands a sinner may adventure to rest , and rely upon christ for salvation ▪ pag . to say christ died for all men conditionally , is not the way to ease troubled consciences . pag. ibid ▪ & the true and sa●…e grounds of incouragement to believe in christ , are , first christ his alsufficiency , pag. . it s a great part of true faith ▪ to believe christ is able to save to the uttermost . ibid. . christs intention to die for all men , . all sorts of sins or sinners of any kinde . pag. . all men exponed ibid. to pray for all men , and to pray in every place exponed . pag. . . every man , heb. . ●… hath the same sense . pag : . all men can only be all men who are in christ. ibid : & the whole world ioh. , . exponed . ibid. . the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ioh. . . is no larger nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ibid. iesus christ hath died for expiation of all forts , and all manner of sins , pag. . the sin against the holy ghost only excepted , what it is . ibid : how a blasphemer against the holy ghost may repent . pag ▪ . christ receives all who come unto him and excluds none , but such as by their unbelief excludes themselves pag. . chap. i. that the ministery is a perpetuall ordinance of christ in the church , and that ministers are to bee received as the embassadours of ▪ christ , now aswell as in the primitive times . that which hath long lurked in the hearts of many atheists , is now professed and argued for , by that sierce furious erastiane , whose book was published the last year at franeker . he cryes out that the world is abused with that notion of a pretended sacred ministerial calling , that though the apostles and others who first preached the gospel , were indeed sent and set apart for that holy calling , which was also confirmed by signes and miracles , and they were therefore to bee received and submitted unto , as the embassadours of christ , yet ministers and pastours now are not to be acknowledged , as the embassadours of christ , neither is there any such thing now to be acknowledged , as a speciall distinct sacred calling , or solemne setting apart of men to the ministerie of the vvord and sacraments , but any who is fit and gifted , though not called or ordained , may both preach and minister the sacraments , baptisme and the lords supper . the sect of seekers also hold that there are not at this time , neither have been for many ages past any true ministers or embassadours of christ. now for confutation of these errors , and for the confirmation and setlement of such as are any way shaken or troubled therewith , i have thought good here in the first place , to make sure this principle that the ministery as it is distinct both from magistracy , and from private christians , is a perpetuall standing ordinance of christ in his church to the end of the world . this i prove first from , mat. . , . that commission , goe ye and teach all nations , baptising them , &c : could not be meant of the apostles onely or other ministers of christ at that time , respectively and personally , but must needs be extended to true preachers and baptisers in all ages to the end of the world , as is manifested by the promise added : and loe i am with you alway even unto the end of the world . . from eph. . , , . where the ordinance of pastors and teachers , for the work of the ministery reacheth as farre as the perfecting of the whole body of christ , and the gathering in of all the elect , and consequently as far as the end of the world . . from those evangelicall prophesies and promises of pastors and teachers , ier. . . and . . isa. . . and . . . and . . ezekiell . . which are not restricted to the churches of the primitive times , but the true churches of christ in all ages interested therein . . christ hath appointed his gospell to bee preached to all nations , mat. . . luke . . and all the world over , mat. . . and to every creature under heaven , mark . . the preaching of the gospell is the meane and way ordained of god to save them that beleeve , rom. ▪ . cor. . . now although there was a large spread of the gospell in the apostles times through so much of the world as was then knowne , yet that universall commission was not then so perfectly performed and fulfilled as it shall bee before the end be . and however all the elect were not gathered in at that time , but many of them to be yet gathered in , which must bee done by preaching . and who can 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who shall do the office of a herauld , but he that is an herauld ? the holy ghosts word used for preaching , is borrowed from herauldry . . christ hath appointed faithfull and wise stewards to bee rulers over his houshold , to give them their portion of meat in due season , luke . . which was not appointed for the primitive times onely , but till he come again , as appeareth by verse . . blessed is that servaut whom his lord when he commeth shall finde so doing , and verse . . but and if that servant say in his heart , my lord delayeth his comming , &c. more of this scripture afterwards . . from tim. . . the apostles having in that epistle given direction concerning church officers , bishops , elders , deacons , with many other particulars belonging to the ministery , when he comes to the close of the epistle , hee gives a strict and solemne charge to timothie to keep this commandement , without spot , unrebukable , untill the appearing of our lord iesus christ , which cannot be understood of timothy personally , but 't is a charge given in his person to all the ministers of the gospell , who shall live till the appearing of christ. . from revel . . , . there is a charge , that which ye have alreadie hold fast till i come , and this charge is given to two sorts of persons . first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vobis , to you bishops or pastors , for there were more of them then one in thyatira , as likewise in philippie , phil. . . antioch , act. . . and . . ephesus , act. . . . . . the like may be observed of other primitive churches . secondly , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the rest of you , viz. of the flock and body of the church . as the charge cannot be restricted to the church of thyatira , no more can it bee restricted to the ministery in thyatira . but in them christ chargeth all both ministers and church members to hold fast the jewell of the gospell till he come again . . it is the priviledge of the new jerusalem which is above , that there is no temple therein , revel . . . no ministery , no preaching , no sacraments in heaven , but god shall be all in all . an immediate enjoyment of god in this world without ordinances is but a delusion . in the church triumphant prophecies shall faile , cor. . . but in the church militant , despyse not prophesyings , thes. . . if any object ( as some fanatick persons have done ) ier. . . and they shall teach no more every man his neighbour , &c. ioh. . . and ye need not that any man teach you . i answer first , these scriptures are to be understood comparatively , in the same sence as god said , he would have mercy and not sacrifice , hos. . . the spirit of illumination and knowledge shall be so aboundantly powred forth under the gospell , and god shall so writ his lawes in the hearts of his people , that there shall be almost as much difference between those under the old covenant , and those under the new covenant , as there is between those that need a teacher , and those that need not a teacher . . as the law is not made for a righteous man , tim. . . viz. to compell him as with a bitte and bridle , for hee needeth no such compulsion , but obeyeth filially and willingly , yet the law is made for a righteous man to bee a rule of obedience to him . so beleevers under the gospell need not to bee taught by men as ignorants are taught , they are not without understanding as the horse or the mule ; for they shall all know me , saith the lord , ier. . . and ye know all things . ioh. . . yet they need a teaching ministery for growing in knowledge ; for their edification building up , for strengthning and confirming them , and for putting them in remembrance and stirring them up , ephes. . . pet. . . and . . phil. . . there shall ever bee need of the ministery , both to convert such as are not yet converted , and to confirme such as are converted . the apostle thes. . . thought it necessary to send timothy to the church of the thessalonians to establish them , and to comfort them . . as long as we are in this world , that promise that wee shall not need any man to teach us , is not perfectly fulfilled , for we know but in part , cor. . . . we shall ever need a teacher til we be in heaven and see christ face to face . . and thus we must needs understand these scriptures objected , unlesse we will make them to contradict other scriptures , ier. . . rom. . . cor. . . and how can a man understand without a teacher , acts . . object . but if we beleeve the ministery to bee a perpetuall ordinance , and if there be a promise that christ will bee with the ministery to the end of the world , then wee must also beleeve a succession of ministers since the apostles dayes , and that in the midst of popery it self , christ had a true ministery . answer , if our beleeving the holy church universall , and that in all ages christ hath had and shall have a true church , doth not inferre that wee must beleeve the church either alwayes visible , or alwayes pure , so our beleeving a perpetuall ministery , doeth not inferre that therefore wee must beleeve either a lineall or visible succession of ministers , or their purity and preservation from error . there is nothing of this kinde can bee objected against our beleeving a perpetuall ministery , but it falleth as heavy upon our beleife of the perpetuity of the church . object . . the multitude of beleevers are under the new testament made a royall priest-hood , pet. . . and christ hath made us kings and priests unto god , revel . . . answer , first peter explaineth himself , pet. . . ye are anholy priesthood to offer up spirituall sacrifices acceptable to god by iesus christ. vvhat these spiritual sacrifices are we may finde in other scriptures , the mortification of the flesh and offering up of our selves to god , rom. . . contrition psal. . . prayer and supplications , psal. . . heb. . . rev. . . thanksgivings , psal. . . . heb. . ▪ almes deeds , phil. . . heb. . . as to these all beleevers are indeed an holy preist-hood , but not as to publick ministeriall administrations . . this objection drives at the taking away of magistracy and civill government , aswell as of the ministery , for christ hath made beleevers kings aswell as priests , and if kings then not subjects . . the same thing was said to the people of israel , exod. . . and ye shall be unto me a kingdome of priests , yet god appointed the sonnes of aaron onely to be priests , as to the publick administration of holy things ▪ . the same god who hath made christians an holy priesthood , hath promised to the church of the new testament , that he will set a part and take from among them , or of them ( by way of distinction and speciall calling ) priests who shall minister before him in the holy things , isa. . . ezek. . . . &c. whom hee calleth priests not in the jewish nor popish sence , but for their offering up of the gentiles to god by the preaching of the gospel , and sanctified by the holy ghost , rom ▪ . . or wee may conceave they are called priests by the prophets , that they might be the better understood , speaking in the language of those times : even as for the same reason when the prophets spake of the church of the new testament , they mention mount zion , jerusalem , sacrifices , incense , the feast of tabernacles , &c. but i must not forget what the erastian grallator with so much spite and derision rejecteth , viz. that there is not onely a perpetuall ministery in the church , but that ministers lawfully called , are to be receaved as the embassadours of christ , and as sent of god. if there must be a perpetuall ministery yet . that child of the devill and enemy of christ ( for hee can be no other who is an enemy to the ministery of the word and sacraments ) ceaseth not to pervert the right wayes of the lord. he will by no meanes acknowledge any ministers in the reformed churches to be the embassadours of christ , though the apostles were . it seemes he hates this name the more , because embassadours by the law of nations are inviolable persons , how much more the embassadours of christ ? but let us now see whether the word of god gives not as high a rise and authority even to the ordinary ministery of the gospell , as an embassadour from christ. when paul saith , wee are embassadours from christ , cor : . . he speaks it not in reference to any thing peculiarly apostolicall , or any thing incompetent to ordinary ministers , the contrary is most plain from the text it self , he hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation . now then wee are embassadours for christ , as though god did beseech you by us , wee pray you in christs stead , be yee reconciled to god. now if paul was the embassadour of christ , because he had committed unto him the word of reconciliation , then all true ministers of the gospell are also the embassadours of christ for the same reason . see the like eph : . . for which i am an embassadour . for what ? not for working miracles , casting out devills , planting churches in severall kingdoms , or the like , but for opening my mouth boldly , to make knowne the mistery of the gospell , vers . . wherein he desires to be helped by the prayers of the saints . by the same reason all faithfull and lawfully called ministers are the embassadours of christ , as well as the apostles : even as under the old testament , the priests who were ordinary teachers , and called in an ordinary mediat way , were the angels or messengers of the lord of hosts , mal : . . as well as the prophets . . chron ▪ . ▪ so wise men and scribes are said to be sent of god as well as prophets , math. . . and the ministers of the seven churches in asia are called angels , revel : . . and an interpreter of the word of god is a messenger , iob . . now christ hath given to the church pastors and teachers , as well as apostles , prophets , and evangelists , all these are from heaven , not from men , ephes : . . chap. ii. of the election of pastours with the congregations consent . the question is not , whether the power of ecclesiasticall government , or jurisdiction belong to the people , or body of the church ▪ ( for the tenents of brownists and anabaptists , concerning popular government , we utterly abhorre ) nor whether the whole collective body of the church ought to be assembled , and their voi es severally asked in elections , for all may consent when none vote in elections , but the representative body of the church , nor whether the consent of the people to the admission of a pastor is to be sought and wished for , it being generally acknowledged by all , and denyed by none , that it is better to enter with the peoples consent then against it : nor whether liberty ought to be granted to the whole congregation , or any member thereof to object against the mans life or doctrine , or against his qualificatiō for such a particular charge , for it is certain that not only the congregation , but others who know any just impedimēt against his admissiō , have place to object the same , nor whether the churches liberty of consent be inconsistant with , or destructive unto the presbyteries power of examinatiō and ordination , for these may stand together : but the question is whether it be necessarily required to the right vocation of a pastor , that he be freely elected by the votes of the eldership , and with the consent ( tacite or expressed ) of the major or better part of the congregation , so that he bee not obtruded , renitente , & contradicente ecclesia . the affirmative part of this question is proved from scripture , from antiquity , from protestant writters , yea churches and from sound reason , and from the confessions of opposites . to begin with scripture , and with the primitive paterne , the apostles themselves would not so much as make deacons till all the seven were chosen , and presented unto them by the church , ast , . , , , : the author of the historie of episcopacy , part , . pag. . to cut off our argument from acts . saith . that the seven were to be the stewards of the people in disposing of their goods , good reason that the election should be made by them , whose goods and fortunes were to bee disposed of , this answer was made by bellarmine before him : but walaeus tom . . pag. . reasoneth other wayes : the feeders of the peoples soules , must bee no lesse ( if not more ) beloved and acceptable then the feeders of their bodies ; therefore these must be chosen with their own consent , as well as these . secondly , elders ( both ruling and preaching ) were chosen by most voices of the church : the suffrages being signified , per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , by lifting up , or stretching out of the hand , act. . . where the syriak version doth insinuate , that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is not to be understood of the apostles ordination of elders , but of the churches election of elders , thus , moreover they made to themselves , that is , the disciples mentioned in the former verse , made to themselves , for they who were made , were not elders or ministers to paul and barnabas , ( but to the multitude of the disciples ) in every church elders while they were fasting with them and praying , and commending them , &c. now how could this election be , but after the graecian forme by the churches lifting up , or stretching out of hands . but because some doe still stick at this place , it may bee further cleared , thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; it may be understood three wayes , and all these wayes it saveth the peoples right . it may be either the action of the church onely , as the syriak maketh it , or a joynt action both of the churches , and of paul and barnabas , as iunius maketh it ; or an action of paul and barnabas , in this sense that they did constitute elders to the churches , by the churches own voyces . however , the word relateth to election by stretching out , or lifting up of hands , not to ordination by laying on of hands , which is the sense followed by the italian version , and diodati authorising and ordaining such a one only to bee an elder as was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which i prove , . from the native signification of the word , where iulius pollux hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . lib. . cap. . gualther and wolf seberus render it manuum extensio , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manus levare , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , manibus refragari , budaeus interpreteth , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be plebiscitum , suffragium , h. stephanus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manum protendo ; & attollo manum porrigo : and because , saith he , in giving votes , they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , thence came the word to be used , for scisco , decerno , creo , but properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is ( saith he ) as it were , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , id est , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , iustin martyr , quaest. & resp. ad orthod . resp. ad quaest . . doeth expressely distinguish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . as words of a most different signification ▪ where cedrenus anno. . saith euphranius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . pilander , the interpreter rendereth , episcopatui , communibus suffragiis deligitur . scapula , and arias montanus also in his lexicon tells us , that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is manus porrigere , or elevare , eligere , or creare magistratum per fuffragia , for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is most different from laying on of hands , which is not a stretching out or lifting up , but a leaning or laying down of the hands on some thing . wherefore the hebrews note laying on of hands by samak , inniti chrysostome saith the roman senat , did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which d : potter himselfe turneth , did make gods by most voices ; charitie mistaken , pag . . the use of the word in this sense , and in no other sense , either in scripture , cor. . . or greek authors that wrote before the new testament . so that luke could not be understood , if he had used it in another sense , but he wrote so that he might be understood : if he had meant ordination , he would have used the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as acts . . tit. . . or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . as acts . . . the manner of the elections among the graecians testified by demosthenes , cicero , and others , cleareth the meaning of the word . so they had a phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , omnium suffragiis obtinet , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , no man giveth a contrarie vote . when the grecians choised their magistrates at their comitia held solemnely for that end : he that was nominated , was brought into the threater before the people , so many as aproved of him , held forth , or stretched forth , or lifted up their hands : if the major part did thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , hee partly was then said to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a magistrate created by suffrages . so elias cretensis in greg. nazianz. orat . . i finde also in aeschines orat ▪ contra cetesipont , some decrees cited which mention three sorts of magistrates , and among the rest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . those that were made by the peoples suffrage . in the argument of demosthenes his oration , advers . androtion , these magistrates are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , magistrates made by the peoples suffrage , fronto ducaeus in his notes upon the fifth tom . of chrysostome pag . confesseth that with heathen writters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is per suffragia creare , and therefore the word is rendered in the tigurine version , and by calvin , bullinger , beza , and so doth erasmus , upon the place understand the word : ut intelligamus , saith hee , suffragiis delectos . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , doth not at all make against that which i say , as some have conceaved it doth , but rather for it , for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is to bee rendred , ipsis not illis , and so pasor ▪ in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendereth , acts . . quumque ipsis per suffragia creassent presbyteros . so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is used for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the grecians sometimes use the one for the other . so h : stephanus , thes. ling. gr. in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , where he referreth us to budaeus , for examples to prove it , see the like , matth. . : iohn . . thus therefore the text may be conceaved , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , and when they ( the disciples of lystra , iconium and antioch ) had by votes made to themselves elders in every church , and had prayed with fasting , they commended them ( to wit , paul and barnabas ) to the lord in whom they beleeved . it needeth not seeme strange , that here in one verse i make 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be ipsis , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be illos , and meant of different persons , for the like will frequently occurre in scripture , mark . . as iesus sate at meat in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( that is levies ) house , &c. . and they watched him , and they followed him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is iesus , mark . whether he would heal him , here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for iesus , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the man , which had the withered hand , gal. . . to reveal his sonne in me , that i might preach him , here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ipsius , for god the father , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illum for christ. so then the churches of lystra , iconium , and antioch , after choosing of elders , who were also solemnly set a part with prayer and fasting , were willing to let paul , and barnabas goe from them to the planting and watering of other churches , and commended them unto god , that would open unto them a wide and effectuall doore , and prosper the work of christ in their hands , ephes. . . . or they commended them unto god for their safety and preservation , as men are said to commend their owne spirits to god , luke . . pet. . . this sense and interpretation which i have onely offered to bee considered , doth not bring any harshnesse , and much lesse , offer any violence , either to the text or context in the greek . but if another sense be liked better , whether to understand by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the elders ordained or the churches commended to god by paul and barnabas , or to understand all the particulars mentioned in that . verse to bee common and joynt acts done by paul , barnabas and the churches , that is , that they all concurred in making them elders by suffrage , in prayer and fasting , and in commending themselves to the lord ; i shall not contend so long as the proper and native signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is retained , yea ; although wee should understand by this word , an act of paul , and barnabas alone , distinct from the churches suffrage and consent even in that sense , we lose not the argument ; for first it cannot be supposed that the businesse was put to the lifting , or strething out hands in signum suffragii , between paul and barnabas , as if it had been put to the question between them two alone ; whether such a man should bee elder in such a church . but how then can it be an act of paul and barnabas ? thus if you will , thir two did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 creare suffragiis , vel per suffragia , id est ; they ordained such men to bee elders as were chosen by the church . they two made or created the elders , but the people declared by lifted up hands whom they would have to be elders . so calvin instit. lib. . cap. . § . even as saith he , the roman historians often tells us , that the consull who held the court , did creat new magistrates , id est , did receave the vo●…es and preside in the elections . . luke doeth usually mention the churches suffrage in making church officers , or in designing men to sacred employments , as acts . . . acts . . acts . . so doth paul , cor. . . . cor. . . tim. . . so that it is not likely there should bee no mention of the churches election here , where pro●…essedly and intentionally mention is made of planting elders , the prayer and fasting , as acts . , . so likewise , acts . . was common to the church ; they prayed and fasted cum discipulis , jej●…nantibus saith the glosse ) all being one work , why was not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 common to the churches also . . protestant writers draw from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the churches suffrage ; magdebur : cent . . lib. . cap : . zanchius in . prae. beza , cartwright and others , on the place , bullinger decad : . ser. . iunius contro : lib. cap. . and others against bellarmine , de cler cap. . gerhard , tom . . pag. . brochmand : systhem : tom : . pag. . danaeus in tim. . walaeus in his treatise , quibusnam competat vocatio pastorum , and loce : pag. . of papists , also salmeron expondeth this place by , acts. . and saith the apostles gave the election to the churches , here of elders , as there of deacons , bel : de cler : cap. . and esthius in . cor. . . confesse that if wee look either to the etimologie of the word , or the use of greek authors , it is to choose by votes . if it be objected to me that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being referred to the people , will invest them with a judiciall power ; and a forensicall , or juridicall suffrage ; and where is then the authority of the eldership . ans. 't is like enough ( though i confesse not certain ) that no elderships were yet erected in those churches , acts. . . but put case they had elderships , yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might well be referred to the people , to signifie their good liking and consent , for in athens it self the people did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , when they did but like well the persons nominated , as when a thesaurer offered some to be surety , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , whom the people shall approve . demosthenes advers . timocr . in which oration 't is also to bee noted that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the assemblie , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the judiciall court or assembly of judges are plainly distinguished , so farre that they might not be both upon one day ; and that , though the people did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , yet not they , but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or judges , did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ordaine , or appoint a magistrate , see ibid jusjurandum heliastarum . as for the objection from acts . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but as it were the preventing of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a prior designation . . it is there attribute to god 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that in the councell of god the apostles were in a manner elected by voices of the trinitie , as faciamus hominem , gen. . and hindereth no more the proper signification of the word applyed to men , then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ascribed to god , can prove , that there is no change in men when they repent , because there is none in god. as for that objection made by a learned man , that even the septuagints isay . . have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not for extensio or elevatio manuum , but for that which is in the hebrew immissio or innixus digiti or manus . answer , . it is not put for innixus digiti , but for extensio digiti , for so is the text . . sanctius following cyrill , tells us that the sense of the . turning the text so ; was this , nempe hic intelligi suffragia quibus magistratus creantur , a quibus raro solet abesse munerum largitio & corruptio juris . so that his argument may be retorted , i do not say that this is the prophets meaning , but that it is the . their sense of the text in using that word , for the most interpreters understand by putting forth the finger there , derision , and disdain . . the . certainly did not intend the putting on , but the putting out of the finger , so the chaldee hath annuere digito , heirome , extendere digitum , which well agreeth with the hebrew shekach digitum extendere . i. e. malum opus perlongare , saith hugo cardinalis . it is saith emanuel sa , minando , aut convitiando , ( which seemeth the true sense ) the jesuits of doway read , and cease to stretch out the finger . gualther readeth emissionem digiti , and expondeth thus medij digiti , ostensio erat contemptus iudicium , digitis item minitamur , suppose none of all these signifie the laying on of the hands , or finger , but suppose that it is not laid on , and so much shall suffice concerning these scriptures , acts . , , . . and acts . : a third argument from scripture shall be this . if the extraordinary office bearers in these primitive times were not chosen , nor put into their functions without the churches consent , far lesse ought there now to bee any intrusion of ordinary ministers without the consent of the church ; iudas and silas were chosen with consent of the whole church unto an extraordinarie embassage , act. . . so were pauls company chosen by the church , cor. . . the commissioners of the church of corinth , were approved by the church , cor. . . yea mathias , though an apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , was together chosen by suffrage , namely of the disciples , simul suffragiis electus est , as arias montanus , rightly turneth the word ▪ act. . . . bell. de cler. cap. . acknowledgeth , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est dare suffragium , & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est ipsum suffragium , paul and barnabas were extraordinarily , and immediatly called of god , yet when they were to be sent to the gentiles , god would have the consent and approbation of the church declared , act. . . i conclude this argument from scripture , with the magdeburgians cent . . lib. . cap. . neque apostolos , neque alios ecclesiae ministros sibi solis , sumpsisse protestatem eligendi & ordinandi presbyteros & diaconos , sed ecclesiae totius suffragia & consensum adhibuisse ; tum ex , cor. . . patet , tum exemplis probatur , act. . . act. . . act. . . the next argument is taken from antiquity , cyprian lib. . epist. . is very full and plain , for the churches right and liberty in elections . d. feild lib. . cap. . citeth and englisheth the words at large , leo. epist. . cap. . requireth in the election of bishops : vota civium , testimonia populorum , epistola synodalis concilii . car : bar . sussitani apud augustinum , enar i●… psal : . saith , necesse nos fuerat primiani causam , quem ple●…s sa●…cta ecclesiae carthaginensis ▪ episcopum fuerat in ovile dei sortita , seniorum literis ejusdem ecclesiae postulantibus audire atque discutere . the fourth councell of carthage , can. . requireth to the admission of every clergie-man , civium assensum , & testimonium & convenientiam . socrates lib. . cap. . recordeth that ambrose was chosen bishop of millane with the uniforme voice of the church ; and lib. . cap. . he recordeth the like concerning the election of chrysostome , to be bishop of constantinople . moreover , i finde in the pretended apostolicall , but really ancient constitutions , collected by one under the name of clemens , lib. . cap. ▪ 't is appointed to ordain a bishop , thus qualified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in all things unblamable , one of the best and chosen by all the people , unto whom let the people , being assembled together on the lords day , with the presbyterie , and the bishops then present give their consent . then immediatly one of the bishops askes the eldership and people , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , if they desire that man to be set over them , which if they consent unto , he next asketh them ( as a distinct question ) whether they all give him a good testimonie for his life , &c. greg : nazianz. orat . . commendeth athanafius his calling , as being after the apostolicall example , because he was chosen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by the suffrage of all the people . the councell of nice in their epistle to them of alexandria appoint some to succeed into the vacant places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that they appear worthie , and the people chose them , greg : mag : epist. lib. . cap. . clerum & populum singularum civitatum hortari festina , ut inter se dissentire non debeant , sed uno sibi consensu , una quaeque civitas consecrandum eligat sacerdotem , he that would have greater store of antiquity for this , may read blondel . apol . pag. . to . . gerhard citeth for the peoples right , ambrose , chrysostome , origen , isidore , yea twelve popes , and diverse ancient examples , as the election of sabinianus of athanasius , peter the successor of athanasius , of eradius , the successor of augustine , of nectarius , of ilavianus , and others chosen with the consent of the whole church ; gerhard . loc : com. tom : . sect . , , . what need we to say any more of this , bilson himself confesseth it , de gubern : eccles. cap. . pag. . he saith the ancient forme was , totam ecclesiam nominationi & probationi pastoris sui prius consensisse , quam pro electo haberetur : and he observeth ( which another of his minde saith with him , hist : of epistopacy part . . pag ) that the people did more willingly receave , more diligently heare , and more heartily love these in whose election their desires were satisfied , bell : de cler : cap. . confesseth that in the time of chrysostome , ambrose , augustine , leo , and gregory , the receaved forme of elections was , that both the clergie and the people should choose . ancient testimonies for the peoples election , see also smectimnus , pag . thirdly , we argue from the judgement of sound protestant churches and writters ; the helvetik confession tells us that the right choising of ministers , is by the consent of the church : the belgick confession saith , we beleeve that the ministers , seniors , and deacons ought to be called to these their functions , and by the lawfull election of the church to bee advanced into these rooms : see both in the harmony of confessions , secl . . the french discipline we shall see afterwards : the tenent of protestants , which bell : de cler : cap. . undertaketh to confute , is this ; ut sine populi consensu , & suffragio nemo legittime electus , aut vocatus ad episcopatum habeatur . and though our writers disclame many things which he imputeth unto them , yet i finde not this disclamed by any of them , who write against him : it is plainly maintained by luther , lib. de potest : papae ▪ calv ▪ in acts . . beza confess . cap. . art . . musculus in loc : com . zanchius in . praecept : iunius animad : in bell : contro . lib. . cap . cartwright on acts . . osiander . hist : eccles : cent . lib. . cap. . gualther on acts , stutonius fazius in tim. . . morney de eccles : cap. . balduin : de instit : ministrorum cap. . bruchmand : systhem : tom ▪ . pag . . walaeus de vocatione pastorum , & in loc : com : pag . bullinger decad . . ser. . pag. . smectymnus , pag. . . whittaker in his manuscript : de clericis , which was never printed ; ascribeth election to the people . so festus homius speginen controv : belgick . art. . and many others whose testimonies wee can produce if need be , let five onely speak for the rest ; calvin in one of his epistles , though writing against the itching eares , and groundlesse conceits of some people , yet asserteth this for a certaine truth . sane oportet ministrum a populo approbatum esse , antequam i●… ministerii possessionem mittatur , quod si quis seipsum intrudit aliâ viâ , ubi in ecclesia ordo jam constitutus est , legittima vocatione destituitur , see the book of spiles , pag . edit . genev : . gerhard tom : . pag . vt ecclesiâ consentiente pastores vocentur , neve quis invitae ecclesiae obtrudatur ; habet expressa in scripturis testimonia , & perpetuâ ecclesiae primitivae praxi , comprobatum est , zanchius in . praecept : col . . saith , est igitur manifestum nunquam apostolos quempiam ad ministerium e●…egisse & ordinasse suâ tantum authoritate , sed semper id solitos facere consentiente & approbante ecclesiâ , and col : . servatur haec eadem consuetudo etiamnum in mult is ecclesiis reformatis , and col : . eligere pastores sine plebis consensu , primum non est apostolicum , neque legittimum , eoque talis minister , legittimus non fuerit minister , deinde pugnat cum libertate ecclesiae , eoque adimitur ei quod christus donavit , quantum autem est hoc crimen ? tertio non conducit pastori , quia nunquam bonâ conscientiâ poterit suo fungi officio , neque etiam conducit ecclesiae , quia libenter non audiet , neque etiam amabit eum , qui sibi non consentienti obtrusus est , danaeus in tim. . . quemadmodum totius ecclesiae pastor est futurus , ita ab omnibus debet approbari , nè quisquam gregi invito pastor obtrudatur . and after he hath cleared the whole matter at length , hee concludeth , ex his autem omnibus apparet , quam nulla sit vel non legittima eorum dei ministrorum vel ecclesiae , pastorum vocatio , qui solius regis vel reginae , vel patroni , vel episcopi , archi episcopi authoritate , diplomate , bullis , jussu , & judicio fiunt vel eliguntur , id quod dolendum est adhuc fieri in iis ecclesiis , quae tamen purum dei verbum habent , & sequuntur , velut●… in mediâ angliâ . the professors of leyden in synops : pur . theol : disp : . thes. . ius pastores eligendi , est penes ecclesiam , ac proinde plebi commune , cum presbyteris : jus eos ordinandi soli presbyterio est proprium . i must not forget to mention the order of the church of scotland , the first book of discipline in the fourth head , saith , this liberty with all care must be reserved to every severall kirk , to have their votes and suffrages in election of their ministers , the second book of discipline , cap. . saith , in the order of election it is to be eschewed that any person be intruded in any offices of the kirk , contrarie to the will of the congregation to which they are appointed , or without the voice of the eldership : the generall assemblie at edinburgh , in decemb : . sess : . made this ast , that inhibition shall be made to all and sundry persons , now serving in the ministery that have not been presented be the people , or a part thereof to the superintendent : the generall assemblie at edinburgh , may . sess. . requireth the consent of the whole parish to a ministers election , the wordsare these ; anent the doubt moved if it be lawfull to any towne , or city , where there is an vniversitie , and a part of the parish of the same towne lying to landward , without their consent and votes to elect a minister to the whole parish and vniversitie , pretending the priviledge of an old use and custome . the kirk hath voted thereto negative , that it is not lawfull so to do : the generall assemblie at perth , in march . sess. . doth forbid the choosing of ministers without the consent of their owne flocks : the generall assembly at glasgow , sess. . art . o. doth revive the ancient order thus , anent the presenting either of pastors , or elders and school-masters , to particular congregations , that there be a respect had to the congregation , and that no person be intruded in any office of the kirk contrarie to the will of the congregation to which they are appointed in the treatise called , the order and government of the church of scotland ( published anno . for information of the english , and for removing and preventing all prejudices which the best affected among them had , or might conceave against our church government ) we have these words , pag . so that no man is here intruded upon the people against their open or tacite consent and approbation , or without the voices of the particular eldership , with whom he is to serve in the ministery . and now if in any congregation of scotland , the practise should be contrarie to the profession , and rule established ( which god forbid , and i hope it never shall ) it were a double fault and scandle . finally , the order of the church of scotland is strengthened by the civil law of the kingdome : for the second parliament of king charles , act . did ordaine presbyteries to plant vacand kirks with consent of the parishes . and act . anent the presbyteries providing and admitting ministers to the kirks which belonged to bishopricks ; it is alwayes provided , that this be without prejudice of the interest of the parishes , according to the acts and practise of the kirk since the reformation : in the . act of the last session of the same parliament , presbyteries are appointed to plant vacand churches upon the sute and calling of the congregation . in the fourth place , the point is confirmed from sound reason . for , . it is very expedient for the credite and better successe of the ministery , that a bishop have a good name and testimony even among them that are without , as the apostle teacheth , tim. . . it is much more necessary , that he bee well lyked and approved of them that are within the church . . it is a common maxime among the fathers , schoolmen , and summists , quod ad omnes pertinct ommium consensu siere debet . . as the free consent of people in the election , is a great obligation and ingagement , both to them , to subject themselves in christian and willing obedience to him , whom they have willingly chosen to be over them in the lord , and to the person elected to love them , and to offer up himselfe gladly upon the service and sacrifice of their faith : so where this obligation or mutuall union of the hearts of pastor and people is wanting , mutuall dueties are not done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but as it were by constraint and necessity , they in the mean time drawing back from the yoke , and hee , at the best watching over them , not with joy , but with grief and sorrow of heart . . in stead of peace and harmony , there shall be contention and contradiction , gerhard . tom : . pag : . ministros vocaricum consensu & suffragiis ecclesiae cui praeficiuntur , alit mutuam concordiam inter auditores & pastores , summe necessariam , a movet etiam dissidia ex neglectu hujus ordinis metuenda . . it breadeth great peace and confidence when one is thus called . whittaker de ecclesiâ quaest : . cap : . defendeth the calling of luther , zuinglius , oecolampadius , &c. upon this ground , quia sunt a populis & gregibus vocati . . experience hath made men to know the comfortable fruits of free election , and the unhappie successe of violent intrusion . constantius the sonne of constantine , did put orthodox bishops from their places , and substitute arrians in their roome , with the contradiction and reluctation of the churches . the like did papists in the palatinat , and other places where their dagon was set up againe . so did the authors and urgers of the interim in germany . so did the prelats in scotland , england , ireland . upon all which intrusions many unspeakable evils did follow . if wee after a second reformation should now permit violent intrusions , this might well be a prologue to much co●…fusion and disorder . lastly , i argue from the confessions of adversaries themselves , we have cited before the confession of bilson , and of the author of the history of episcopacy , and of salméron , i will adde peresius de traditionibus , who undertaketh to confute the protestant tenent , that it belongeth to the people to elect or reject their ministers ; hee argueth from antiquity , and yet in that same argumentation , he is constrained to speak for us . for speaking of the three bishops which by the ancient canons might ordain a bishop , he sayeth , verum tamen est quod episcopi isti qui ad electionem congregabantur , consensum expectabant cleri & populiut in concilio carthaginensi quarto refertur , qui consensus magis erat testificatio vitae ejus qui erat ordinandus , & signum quoddam expressivum ejus desiderii , quod volebat paulus quando bonum testimonium populi dicebat expectandum ante ordinationem . et infra . hoc enim modo magis pretiosus esset illis praelatus , magisque amabilis , ne cogerentur inviti inutiles homines , & inter dum perniciosos suis sudoribus alere . and answering to the passage of cyprian lib : . epist ▪ . he sayeth ; that tho hee hath not read of it , yet forte erat mos tempore ejus in ecclesiis hispaniarum ( for they were two spanish bishops of whom cyprian writs in that epistle ) ut aliqui ex populo vocem haberent , electivam . quod vero dicit populum posse recusare indignos , etiam fassi sumus , quantum ad electionem si indignitas ordinandi sit not a & populo perniciosa . but what sayeth the canon law it selfe , decr : part : . dest : . electio clericorum est petitio plebis . he was a popish archbishop who condescended that the city of magdeburg , should have jus vocandi & c●…nstituendi ecclesiae ministros : neither would the city admit of peace without this condition . thuan hist : lib : . pag . i had almost forgot d : feild of the church lib : . cap : . confessing plainly that each people and church stand free by gods law , to admitte , maintain , and obey no man as their pastor without their lyking : and that the peoples election by themselves , or their rulers dependeth on the first principles of humane fellowships and assemblies : for which cause , tho bishops by gods law have power to examine and ordain before any man be placed to take charge of souls , yet bave they no power to impose a pastor upon any church against their wills . hee citeth diverse testimonies of antiquity to shew that the ancient elections were by the church or the greater part thereof . it remaineth to answer some objections . and first it is objected , that this is a tenent of anabaptists , independents , and separatists . ans : . but shall we condemne these truthes which either they , or papists , or arrians doe hold ? quid est , saith cyprian , quia hoc facit novatianus ut nos non putemus esse faciendum ? we may goe one myle with the scriptures , though we goe not two myles with the independents , or three myles with the anabaptists , or separatists . . neither in this same point of elections doe we homologat with them , who give to the collective body of the church ( women and children under age onely excepted ) the power of decisive vote and suffrage in elections , we give the vote onely to the eldership or church representative , so that they carrie along with them the consent of the major or better part of the congregation . gamachaeus in primam secundae quaest : tells us out of thomas this difference betwixt consent and election : that though every choosing bea consenting , yetevery consenting is not a choosing : the liberty of consent is one thing ; counsell or deliberation another thing : the power of a decisive voice in court or judicatory a third thing . i speak of a constituted church ( for where there is not yet an eldership , there can be no such distinction : yet however bee there an eldership or bee there none , the churches consent must be had . ) the first of these we ascribe to the whole church , without whose knowledge and consent ministers may not be intruded . the second to the ablest and wisest men of the congregation , especially to magistrates , with whose especiall advice , privity , and deliberation the mater ought to be managed . the third which is the formall , and consistoriall determination of the case of election , consisteth in the votes of the eldership : their way is much different from this , who would have the matter prepared by the conference , and deliberation of the eldership , ( as wee use to doe in committees ) but determined and decided by the votes of the whole congregation . . let them speak for us who have particularly written against the separatists and independents . laget in his defence of church-government , part . . cap : , in the stating of the question about popular government , declareth that the question is not , whether in maters of greater importance , and more publick concernment , ( as admissions , excommunications , and absolutions of members , elections , and depositions of officers ) the case ought to bee made known unto , and determined with the free consent of the people ( for all this he willingly granteth . ) but whether every cause to be determined , ought to be brought to the multitude , or body of the congregation , and they to give their voices therein together with the officers of the church . mr. herle the reverend and learned prolocutor of the assembly of divines at westminster in his treatise , intituled , the independency on scriptures , of the independency of the churches , pag : . while he stateth the question , saith , we acknowledge that the pastors and other officers were ancientlie , and it is to be wished they still were chosen ( at least ) consented to by the members of each respective congregation : but that they are to bee ordained , d●…posed , or excommunicated by the presbyterie , &c. moreover they of the separation , and if not all , yet ( sure ) some independents place the whole essentiality of a calling in election , accompting ordination to be no more but the solemnization of the calling . we say , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the missio potestativa , or the power and commission given to a man , by which hee is made of no minister to be a minister , is not from the churches electing him , but from the lawfull ordaining him : and that election doth but designe such a person to the ministery of such a church . for as gamachaeus sayeth in tertiam partem thomae do sacr : ordin : cap : . the people cannot give spirituall authority which themselves have not : et quamvis fateamur , saith hee , laicos saepissime vocatos ad electionem ministrorum ecclesiae , tamen longe est aliud loqui de ordinatione , quam de electione , &c. object : : this liberty granted to congregations prejudgeth the right of patrons ? ans : : if it were so , yet the argument is not pungent in divinity , for why should not humane right give place to divine right ? nec episcopale nec patronatus jus ecclesiasticis canonibus introductum praejudicare potest potestati jure divino toti ecclesiae in ministrorum electione competenti , saith gerhard tom : . sect : . the states of zeeland did abolish patronages , and give to each congregation the free election of their own minister , which i take to be one cause why religion flourisheth better there then in any other of the united provinces . object . . the churches liberty of consenting or not consenting , asserted by the arguments above mentioned , must ever be understood to be rationall , so that the church may not disassent without objecting somewhat against the doctrine or life of the person presented . answ : . the author of the historie of epistopacy part : . pag : . . tells us out of the book of ordination , that the people are free to except against these that are to be ordained , and are required if they know any crime , for which they ought not to be receaved unto the ministery , to declare the same . he saith further , that presbyters are elected by the patrons , for and in the name of the rest of the people . pag : . so peresius de tradit : part : . pag : . confesseth that people should be required to object what they can against the fitnesse of the man to be ordained . now then if this be all , that people may object , it is no more then prelats , yea papists have yeelded . answ. . this objection cannot strike against the election of a pastor , by the judgement and votes of the particular eldership of that church where he is to serve : for it is evident by the scriptures , testimonies , and reasons above specified , not onely that the church hath liberty of disassenting upon grounds and causes objected , but that the eldership hath power and liberty positive to elect ( by voyces ) their ministers . now men vote in elderships , ( as in all courts and consistories ) freely according to the judgement of their conscience , and are not called to an accompt for a reason of their votes . . as the vote of the eldership is a free vote , so is the congregations consent , a free consent , and the objection holdeth no more against the latter then against the former , for they are both joyntly required by the church of scotland as appeareth by the citations foresaid . . any man ( though not a member of the congregation ) hath place to object against the admission of him that is presented , if hee know such an impediment as may make him uncapable , either at all of the ministery , or the ministery of that church to which he is presented : so that unlesse the congregation have somewhat more then liberty of objecting , they shall have no priviledge or liberty , but that which is common to strangers as well as to them . in this fourth answer , i am confirmed by blondellus a man intrusted , and set apart by the nationall synod of the reformed churches of france , for writing and handli●…g of controversies . in his apologiâ prosententia hieromini , pag : . replying to bellarmine who would enervate cyprians testimonies ( for the peoples right to choose their ministers ) by this evasion which now i speak to , saith , nec pu●…idum in gravi scriptore commentum ferendum , populum habere potestatem eligendi & suffragium ferendi , quia potest dicere siquid noverit boni v●…l mali de ordinando , & sic testimonio suo efficere ut non eligatur : quasi vero is eligendi & suffragium ferendi potestate praeditus eaque usus dici debeat , qui id tantum prestat , quod omni electionis & suffragii jure absolute carens praestare ( quandocunque libet ) potest , autoris quisquam adeo duri reperiatur ut infidelium pessimos quicquid boni vel mali de ordinando noverint dicere , & sic testimonio suo ut nō eligatur efficere posse negare audeat , habe●…unt scilicet ex adversarii hypothesi aequo cum sidelibus jure eligendi & suffragium ferendi potestatem . . though nothing be objected against the mans doctrine or life , yet if the people desire another better or as well qualifyed , by whom they finde themselves more edified then by the other , that is a reason sufficient ( i●…a reason must bee given at all ) and it is allowed by danaeus in . tim : . . and by the first book of discipline in the fourth head , . it being condescended upon in the parliament of scotland that his majestie with consent and advice of the estates , should nominate the officers of estate . the estates of parliament were pressed to give a reason of their disassenting from his majesties nomination , but they refused . and i am sure consenting or not consenting in a matter ecclesiasticall , ought to be as free , if not more free , then in a matter civill . object . . this course may prove very dangerous for an apostatizing congregation , for a people inclining to heresie or schisme , will not consent to the admission of an orthodox and sound minister . answ. . the intrusion of ministers against the congregations will , doth more generally and universally draw after it , great evils and inconveniences , . the corruptions of many patrons , and peradventure also some presbyteries may be more powerfull to intrude insufficient or unsound ministers , then the unsoundnesse or errour of this or that particular congregation , can be to hinder the admission of them that are sound . . we shall heartily accord that a hereticall or a schismaticall church , hath not just right to the liberty and priviledge of a sound church . . zanchius in . praec : col : . would have a congregation infected with heresie or superstition , before there bee a ministery setled among them , to be first convinced of their error , by some other pastor sent unto them by the christian magistrate for a time , and extraordinarly as a kinde of evangelist . at vero saith he , cum constitutae sunt & formatae verae ecclesiae , cur tune saltem non relinquitur illis libertas eligendi suos pastores ? object : . people do often erre in their choise , and cannot judge of the qualifications and abilities of pastors , but follow blindly the humors of their lords or leaders . answ : . we must beleeve what christ saith , iohn , , . that his sheep know his voice , and a stranger they will not follow , but will flee from him . . there are also in presbyteries and in all judicatories , some leading men whose judgement is much respected and hearkened unto . . hee that followeth another is ever blind : a people may follow leading m●…n ; and yet see with their own eyes too . . when bellarmine objecteth that a people cannot judge , whether a man be fit for the ministery , iunius animad : contr : . lib : . cap : . not : . answereth that the congregation judgeth not simply and absolutly whether one be fit for the ministery , but whether he be fit to serve in the ministery among them . vvhich two are so different , that of two men offered to a congregation , he that is absolutely and simply the best qualifyed for the ministery , is not to bee for that cause admitted hic & nunc , but hee who is fittest for that congregation . now a rude and ignorant people can judge which of the two speaketh best to their capacity and edificatition . . vvhen any congregation makes choise of an unfit or dangerous person , against whom there is just exception to be made , they must not therefore be robbed of their right , but called upon to make a better choise : this right people had from a pope , greg : mag : epist : lib. . epist : . habitatores lucensis civitatis quendam ad nos presbyterum adduxerunt , quì eis debuisset episcopus ordinari , sed quia mimine dignus inventus est nec diu sine proprio possunt consistere sacerdote : a nobis admoniti in se●…inio promiserunt alium studiose qu●…rere , &c. object : . seldome or never shall a congregation bee found all of one minde , and because this might bee answered in the words of gregorius de valentia in tam secundae disput : . quaest : . punct : . nam moraliter loquendo illud tota communitas facere censetur quod facit major ipsius pars . therefore to make the objection stronger , it may be further added , that oftentimes the greater part shall overcome the better part , because in every corporation there are more bad then good , more foolish then wise : this inconveniencie is objected by bellarmine de clericis , cap : . who tells us further that popular elections are subject to tumults and seditions . we answer with iunius ubi supranot : . . first inconveniences do also follow upon elections made by presbyteries and patrons without the peoples consent . . de incommodis prudenter curandis , non dere sanctâ mutandâ temere , sapientes videre opportuit . . for avoiding inconvenience of this kinde , it is to be remembred , that the congregation ought to be keeped in unity and order ( so far as may be ) by the directions and precedence of their elders , and by the assistance of brethren chosen out of other churches , when need so requireth . . zanchius ubi supra , col : . answereth out of calvin ; praesideant plebi in electione alii pastores , & cum ipsis etiam magistratus conjugatur , qui compescat tumultuantes & seditiosos . vvherein there is great need of caution , lest under pretence of suppressing tumults , the churches libertie of consenting or not consenting be taken away ; as upon the other part , the election is not to be wholly and solely permitted to the multitude or body of the church , which is the meaning of the . canon of the counsell of laodicaea , as it is expounded by osiander . gerhard , iunius and oth●…rs . . when a congregation is rent asunder , and cannot agree among themselves , this evill may b●…e helped in subordinate , though not in independent churches , for the higher consistories , the presbyteries and assemblies of the church , can end the controversie and determine the case , after hearing of both si●…es . object : . as for that which may reflect on ministers , that have not the peoples consent . . answ : it is ordination that maketh men ministers . and the want of the churches suffrage cannot hinder their being ministers , it concludeth onely that they did not ritè and ordinatè enter into their ministery hic & nunc in such a church . . this also is helped by a posterior approbation of the church , as a woman marrying a man unwillingly , yet after loving him as her husband , removeth that impediment . i conclude with a passage out of the ecclesiasticall discipline of the reformed churches in france , cap : . the silence of the people , none contradicting , shall be taken for an expresse consent , but in case there aryse any contention , and hee that is named should be lyked by the consistory , and disliked by the people , or by most part of them , his reception is then to be delayed , and report of all to bee made unto the conference or provicniall synod , to consider aswell the justification of him that is named , as of his rejection . and altho he that is named , should there be justified , yet is he not to bee made or given as a pastor to the people against their will , nor to the dislike , displeasure , and discontent of most of them . nay the popish french church , hath no lesse zealously stood for their liberty in this point in so much , that the intrusion of men into ec●…lesiasticall charges by the pope himself , hath been openly opposed , as shall most fully appeare to any who shall read the book intituled . pro libertate ecclesiae gallicanae adversus romanam aulam defensio , parisiensis curiae , lodo vico undecimo gallorum regi , quondam oblata . in which they do assert against the papall usurpations , the liberty of elections both by clergie and people , their reasons are these among others ; cum episcopus ecclesiae sponsus sit , & matrimonium quoddam spirituale inter ipsum & ecclesiam contrahatur , necessario consensus ecclesiae in●…ervenire debet . and after , cum episcopus solemniter a collegio eligitur , confirmaturque servatá programma●…um & inquisitionum forma , eò certe ma , or est populi de eo existimatio , magisque eum venerantur , observant & diligunt populares , quam siipsis invitis obtrudatur . ideoque doctrina ejus l●…nge sructuosior est , & ad aedificandum multo efficacior . hinc tametsi petrus christi vicarius esset , & caput ecclesiae : tamen mortuo iuda qui unus apostolorū erat caeteri omnes pariter eligerunt , & sors cecidit super matthiam ut in actis apostolorum legitur . lucius pontifex romanus vir sanctus , & martyr , qui ecclesiae romanae praesuit anno , . ita decrevit : nullus in ecclesiae ubi duo vel tres fuerunt in congregatione , nisi eorum electione canonca presbyter eligatur , &c. the same thing doth duarenus de sacr : eccles : minist : lib : . cap : . confirme , not on●…y from the ancient canons , but from the election of matthias act : . and that of the deacons act : . chap. iii. whether ordination be essentiall to the calling of a minister . this question hath been thus stated in a little book intituled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein the judgement of the reformed churches and protestant divines is shewed ; concerning ordination , &c. the negative part is there mentioned , also in the queries touching the ordination of ministers , written in opposition to the learned and much approved book intituled . ius divinum regiminis ecclesiastici , the same contraversie is touched upon frequently with more railing then reason by that furious erastian who composed the gralloe against apollonius and cryes out that the world is abused with an empty notion of a pretended sacred ministeriall calling , which may be exercised by none but such as are thereunto called solemnly set a part , and ordained . this is the same thing which hath been formerly debated by protestant divines against the anabaptists and socinians . see p. martyr . loc : com : class : . cap. . aretius probl : theol : loc : . the professors of leyden , synops : pur : theol : disp : . wal●…us in loc : com : tom : . pag : . . festus hommius specim , controv : belgic . artic : . of the lutherans , gerhard in loc : com : tom : . cap : . lib : . balduin de institutione ministrorum , cap : . & lib : . de cas : consc : cap : . brochmand synt : theol : artic . de minister , eccles. cap : . quaest : . stegmannus in sphotinianismo disp : . the sociniane tenent against the necessity of ordination , see in socin : tract : de eccles : nicol : and tract : de eccles. & missione ministi . yet the socinans acknowledge it is fit for order , and decency to retaine ordination in the church . peradventure many of the sectaries of this time will hardly acknowledge this much : i shall first of all premise some distinctions and considerations for the better opening of the true state and nature of this contravesie . next i shall bring the positive arguments , and lastly , answer the contrary objections . the particulars to be premised are these . first the question is not whether ordination be the only thing essentiall , or necessary to the right calling of a minister ? i have before pleaded for the necessity of the churches consent , i now plead for the necessity of ordination ; that ought to be no impediment to this , nor this to that . . neither is the question , whether imposition of hands be essentiall and necessary to the calling of a minister . imposition of hands is a rite used in ordination , after the example of the primitive churches ( of which more anone ) but the substance , essence , and formall act of ordination is another thing . therefore not onely the lutheran divines , but calvin in tim : . . iunius animad : in bellar : contr : . lib. . cap : . bucan●…s loc : com : loc : . gersomus bucerus and others distinguish between the act of ordination , and the rite used in that act . m. antonius de dominis , lib : . de repub : eccles : cap : . § . & cap : . § . . & lib : . cap : . § . doth also distinguish between the rite or ceremony of laying on of hands , and the essentiall act of ordination which he rightly calls missio potestativa , a sending of one with power and authority : vvhich agreeth well with matth. . . mark . , , . where we have first the election of the apostles to their office ; he calleth unto him whom he would , and they came uuto him , matthew sayeth , he called unto him his twelve disciples , luke . . he called his twelve disciples together . here was an antecedaneous election or designation of the persons . thereafter followes the ordaining or constituting of them in their office 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith mark , and hee ordained ( or made ) twelve that they should be with him , and that bee might send them forth to preach , and to have power to heal , &c. luke addeth after the calling together of the twelve , that he gave them power and authoritie over all devils , and to cure diseases , and he sent them to preach , &c. vvhich sets forth the true nature and essence of ordination , that it consists in a sending forth of chosen persons with power and authority . and this potestative missioun of the twelve is applyed , not onely to power over devils and diseases ( which was extraordinary and apostolicall ) but to power of preaching which belongeth to the ordinary pastor to call , charge . pastors and teachers are messengers , iob . . and god hath committed unto them the word of reconciliation , . cor : . . . neither is the question , what may be done in extraordinary cases when ordination cannot be had , or where there are none who have power to ordaine . vvee read that aedesius and frumentius being but privat men , became preachers of the gospell , and converted a great nation of the indians : likewise that when the iberians were converted by a captive woman , their king and queen became teachers of the gospell to the people . there may be an extraordinary calling from god where religion is not yet planted , nor churches yet constituted . it is altogether another case in a constituted reformed or reforming church : i adde with peter martyr , that even those persons who set about the work of the ministery extraordinarly or among infidels , if they can come at any who may ordain them in the usuall and right way , they ought not to neglect the seeking of ordination . . nor is the question of teaching , exhorting , admonishing , reproving , comforting one another , or praying for , or with one another , in the way of a private christian fellowship , and and brotherly love . for this belongs to the generall calling of christians as they are christians , observing therein the rules of the word , and there is no need nor use of ordination in all this . but the question is of the particular , speciall , sacred calling of the ministers of the gospell to preach and administer the sacraments , whether ordination be not essentiall and necessary to this calling . the privat christian dueties of teaching one another , reproving , exhorting , &c. are to be conscionably and carefully performed by privat christians , ioh. . , . acts . . eph. . . col. . . heb : . . but this the apostle plainly distinguisheth from the speciall ministeriall function , thess : . , . with vers : , . the affirmation of this question in hand , viz. that ordination is necessary and essentiall to the calling of a minister , may bee confirmed by these arguments . . doeth not nature it selfe teach you : as the apostle sayeth in another case , shall the visible politicall church of christ , which is the purest and most perfyt republick in the world , have lesse order and more confusion in it nor a civill republick . embassadours , commissioners , officers of state , judges , generals , admirals , with the subordinate commanders in armies and navies , do not runne unsent , nor act without power authority and commission given them . how much more unbeseeming , and disorderly were it in the church , ( which nicolaides himself , even where he disputeth against the necessity of ordination , refut : tract : de missione minister , cap : . pag : . ) acknowledgeth to be more perfite then any politick republick in the world ) for any man to assume to himselfe power and authority which is not given him , or which he hath a non habente potestatem , or to intrude himself into any publick administration unto which he is not appointed . it was justly complained of , as a great disorder under the prelates , that midwives were permitted to baptize upon pretence of a case of necessity , yea that deacons were permitted to baptize , because the administration of baptisme , doeth neither belong to deacons , nor to private persons . but that railing rabshaketh , the anonymous erastian before mentioned , goeth so far as to cry down all necessity of ordination or any speciall call to the ministery of the word and sacraments , and alloweth any christian , whether magistrate or subject , both to preach , baptize , and minister the lords supper , having no ordination or speciall mission to that effect . 't is a sufficient answer to him , offer it now unto thy governour , will he be pleased with thee ? mal : . . who will endure such a confusion in a state , that any man may assume publick offices and administrations , not being thereunto called and appointed ? and shall the church ( which must go a great deal further than the law and light of nature , ) come short of that which nature it self teacheth all humane societies ? 't is both a naturall and a scriptura●…l rule , let all things be done decentlie and in order , cor : . : for god is not the author of confusion , but of peace , ibid. vers . . if it were an intollerable usurpation in a mans own family , if any man should take upon him the stewards place to dispence meat to the houshold , not being thereunto appointed . how much more were it an intollerable usurpation in the church , the house of the living god , for any to make themselves stewards of the mysteries of christ , not being appointed ▪ ●… i argue from , rom : . . and how shall they preach except they be sent ? suppose they bee well gifted , yet they may not preach except they bee sent and appointed thereunto . this sending must needs bee ordination , not the churches election : a people may choose to themselves , but cannot send to themselves : the choosing of an embassadour is one thing , the sending him , another thing : the embassadour nominated and elected by the king , may not goe to his work and act as an embassadour , till he bee sent forth with his commission and power delivered to him . there have been severall exceptions made , and more may be made against this argument ; yet all of them may bee rationally taken off . except : : the socinians reply , that the apostle speaketh this of his ownetime when the doctrine of the gospell was new , and did therefore require a speciall mission : but that now ministers being to preach no new doctrine , need not such a speciall call . answ. this is not only , not grounded on the text , but is contrary both to the metaphore and to the context : 't is contrary to the metaphore which the apostle taketh from the sending of embassadours , heraulds , and other publick ministers . these are sent not onely to propound that which was never before propounded , but also oft times to revive and renew a thing before propounded and known . if either embassadour , or herauld run unsent , and goe out without his commission and appointment , it will be no excuse to him , that he hath declared no new thing , but what was declared by other embassadoures , or heraulds before him , for still hee may be challenged as one who runne unsent , and it may bee said to him : by what authoritie doest thou these things ? 't is contrary to the context too , vers . . . . there are five necessary means and wayes which must bee had and used by those who look to be saved . . calling upon the name of the lord. . beleeving on him . . hearing his word . . a preaching ministery . . mission or ordination . if the first foure be perpetually necessary to the end of the world , so must the fifth be , for the apostle layeth al 's great necessity upon this last as upon the rest . if none can be saved who do not pray , and none can pray who do not beleeve , and none can beleeve who doe not hear the word , and none can hear the word without a preaching ministery , the last followeth hard in the text , there can be no ministeriall office without a mission or ordination . i have before excepted extraordinary cases , where there is yet no church nor no ministery : even as the deaf may beleeve who cannot hear , although the apostle say , how shall they beleeve on him of whom they have not heard ! except . . nicolaides addeth that the apostle speakes not of what is unlawfull to be , but what is imposible to bee , namely , it is impossible that any man can preach , that is ( saith he ) declare a new thing except god send him . answ. . if preaching here in this text must bee restricted to the preaching of a new thing , hearing must bee also restricted to the hearing of a new thing , and beleeving to the beleeving of a new thing , and so they who do not hear and beleeve some new doctrine , cannot bee saved . . it is very possible to preach a new thing , when god hath not sent one to preach it : when the jesuits first preached their scientia media , they preached a new thing , yet god sent them not . . let us consider what the apostle means here by preachiug 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , saith hee , 't is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praeco , caduceator . the offices and functions of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . h. stephanus in thes : l. gr : tom : . pag : . . describeth out of homer . they called together the people to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or publick assembly : they injoyned silence , and called for audience and attention : they were sent in time of warre to aske leave to bury their dead : they were sent with messages from princes and great men : they attended princes and great men to serve them upon occasion : they served also at the sacrifices : they prepared beasts and receaved the guests : what is there in all this , which in a spirituall and ecclesiasticall sence is not competent and incumbent to ordinary pastors and teachers aswell as to the apostles : and if wee will have the holy ghost to expound himself as ordinary preachers do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all ages and all the world over , aswell as those who first preached the gospell , mat : . . & . . mark . . & . . luke . . phil : . . tim : . rom. . . thou that preachest a man should not steal , dost thou steal ? . i hope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here doth not signifie one that preacheth a new thing , cor : . . it pleased god by the foolishnesse of preaching ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) to save them that beleeve . will any who hopes to be saved , deny that this extends to preaching in all ages ? except . . that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before cited , in the second part of it pag : . . sayeth that the sending which the apostles means of , is not a ministeriall or ecclesiasticall sending , for then none could be an instrument to convert another but a minister or preacher sent . neither could a man be sure whether he have faith or no , till he be sure his faith was wrought in him by a minister lawfully called . it remaines therefore ( saith he ) that the apostle speaks of a providentiall sending , by giving men gifts , and working with them in their use and exercise . answ. : the giving of gifts and powring out the spirit of a calling , is plainly distinguished from the mission or sending ; yea , in christ himself who had receaved the spirit , not by measure , but above measure , yet his having the spirit of the lord upon him , was not his mission , but is plainly distinguished from his mission and ordination to his office which he had from god , luke . . the spirit of the lord is upon me , because he hath anointed me to preach the gospell to the poor , he hath sent me , &c. the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or ability of gifts to the office is one thing : the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or authority to it , is another thing . . his first reason to prove that the apostle speaks not of a ministeriall sending , because thence it would follow that none could convert another but a minister , hee groundeth thus : for ' its said , none can beleeve but by hearing a preacher sent . now this falls al 's heavie upon his own interpretation , for still this will follow , that no man can be converted but a preacher sent providentially with gifts and assistance , when hee shall loose the knot for himself , he shall loose it for us too . . so likewise for his other reason , if the apostles scope be ( as he glosseth ) to take away doubting from men , he doeth by his interpretation split upon the same rocke which he thinks wee have run upon , for a man must still doubt whether hee hath faith or no , and so whether he shall be saved or no , till he be sure his faith was wrought in him by a preacher sent providentially with working gifts : now the description which hee makes of the providentiall sending , involveth a man in greater doubting then before , for either it agreeth to false and hereticall teachers the ministers of sathan , or not . if he sayeth it doth agree to them , and that false seducing preachers ( pretending to be true , sound , and orthodoxe ) are providentially sent with gifts effectuall , viz. to deceave in the secret judgement of god , according to ezek. . . king. . . then how he will recon●…ile his interpretation with isa. . . . let him see to it . and withall he leads a man upon this opinion , that hee may have faith wrought in him , and so bee saved under any ministery , true or false , orthodoxe or hereticall . he must also justifie the sinne so often condemned in the false prophets , that they run unsent , for ( by his principles ) they are sent , as well as the true prophets . if he will say that his description of the providentiall sending agreeth not to false or hereticall preachers , but to the true ministers of christ , then hee leads a man into this doubt , that hee cannot bee sure that he beleeves and shall bee saved , unlesse hee bee sure that the preacher providentially sent to him , is a true minister of christ , and not a minister of sathan transformed into a minister of righteousnesse . cor. . . or a wolfe in sheeps cloathing , matth. . . but . if this providentiall sending be enough , it takes away the necessity , not onely of ordination , but of the peoples choosing or consenting . it shall bee enough that god give a man a gift , and work by them , whether the church consent or not : yet as i take it , he that makes this objection , holds it necessary , not onely that pastors bee chosen by the church , but that gifted brethren bee allowed by the church to prophesie , else that they must not prophesie . . his objections doth strike against that connexion and concat●…nation of the means of salvation , which the apostle holdeth forth , and there is no more strength in that which he objecteth , then as if one should argue , the deaf may beleeve , therefore faith may be without hearing . look how hearing is necessary , in the same sence , is preaching , and the sending of the preacher necessary , neither doeth it make any thing against our sence of the text , that some may be converted , by those who are not ministers , for tho preaching of the word by those that are sent to the ministery of preaching , is the standing ordinance and ordinary mean of conversion and faith by this text : and even those who perhaps have been first wroght upon by prayer or conference with other christians , are hearers of those who are ministerially s●…nt : it will bee hard to prove that any beleeve , who can hear the word preached by ministers lawfully called and sent , and doe not hear it . except . . that erastian before cited , the composer of the grallae , expoundeth ( as i remember ) this text of an extraordinary mission or calling from god , not an ordinary mission from men : denying the pastors of churches and ministers of the gospel in our dayes to be sent of god and that although the apostles might shew their mission and commission from christ , yet ordinary ministers cannot do it : therefore this sending belongeth not to the ordinary ministers . answ. this text doth certainly hold forth the necessity of an ordinary and mediat mission , when the extraordinary and immediat mission is ceased , which i prove this : if a preaching ministery be a perpetuall and standing ordinance , then mission is a perpetuall and standing ordinance ▪ but a preaching ministery is a perpetuall and standing ordinance , therefore so is mission . the preposition is manifest , both from the kniting together of the parts of this text , in which the apostle screweth up the necessity of mission as high as the necessity of preaching : as likewise from matth. . . . which doeth not onely prove a perpetuall ministery in the church alway even unto the end of the world , but also that this perpetuall ministery is authorized by mission or commission from christ. for reference to this perpetuall ministery , christ saith , goe , teach and baptize , and loe i am with you alway , even unto the end of the world : so that who ever doeth lawfully exercise the office of teaching and baptising , is certainly sent : he cannot be immediatly and extraordinarly in the reformed churches , ther●…fore it must be in a mediat and ordinary way . the assumption is before proved . . as the preaching so the sending is common to ordinary ministers with the apostles . if ordinary ministers be preachers ex officio , as well as the apostles , which ha●…h been before proved , then ordinary ministers are sent as well as the apostles , for how shall they preach except they be sent , and how shall they be sent in our dayes , except in a mediat and ordinary way , by those unto whom the power of ordination belongeth ? except . : but if this text , rom. . . be expounded of ordination , then expectants or probationaries may not preach , because not yet ordained . answ. . they neither preach ordinarly , nor ex officio . they preach occasionally , and without a pastorall or ministeriall office . . neither may these sonnes of the prophets runne to such occasionall work , without approbation and licence , for which cause the directory of worship established in both kingdoms , puts in this caution , that such as intend the ministery , may occasionally both read the scriptures , and exercise gifts in preaching in the congregations , being allowed thereunto by the presbyterie . and so the text will hold true in all cases , extraordinary preachers , apostles , evangelists , prophets , must have an extraordinary mission . ordinary pastors and teachers , must have a mission with power and authority to that effect . probationers , and occasionall preachers must have a proportionable kinde of mission , that is , not to the pastorall office , but to preach upon occasion . the third argument shall bee taken from that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that constituting , appointing or making of church officers which is plainly held forth in scripture . the seven deacons being elected by the multitude of the disciples , were appointed , set and constituted over that businesse by the apostles , acts . . pastors and teachers have much more need to be appointed to their office , and for them let us note two scriptures , one is luke . . who then is that faithfull and wise steward , whom his lord shall make [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] ruler over his houshold , to give them their portion of meat in dew season ? grotius upon the place noteth , that the former parable concerning watching is intended for all christians , so mark. . . but this of stewards belongs to the pastors of churches , for ' its upon occasion of peters question concerning the former parable , ( lord speakest thou this parable unto us , or even unto all ? ) christ answeres by this parable of stewards , appointed or ordained over the houshold , whom he distinguisheth from other servants by their ruleing power , verse ▪ . by their greater knowledge , and consequently greater guiltinesse , if wicked , vers . . and by the greater trust committed to them , vers . . now least it should bee thought , that this making or appointing of stewards over the houshold of christ , is onely meant of the apostles , as it were of purpose to discover the vanity of that socinian error , 't is said , vers . . blessed is that servant whom his lord when he commeth shall finde so doing . till christ come again , and at his comming , there shall be stewards appointed and set over his house : which cannot be without the mediate and ordinary way of making , appointing , and ordaining . the bishops or elders , as well as apostles are the stewards of god , tit. . . and so i come to the other scripture concerning those teaching and ruleing officers . the apostle left titus at crete that he might ordain elders in every city , vers . . the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned in the beginning , replyeth to this text , that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie●…h to fixe , settle , establish one who was in office before as appears by psal ▪ . . see now with how little reason this man oppugneth the receaved principles . the septuagint ( sayeth he ) readeth psal : . . thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but david was a king many years before he took in the hill and fort of zion . i shall not stand here upon this erroneous transcribing of the words of the septuagints : i might tell him again that symmachus readeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . i have an●…inted my king , having respect to the very first making him king , and this is the ne●…rest rendering of the originall . but i will stand to that of the septuagints : even their reading ( without the least violence to their words ) may be understood , not of the setling of david after he took in the fort of zion , but of gods appointing and ordaining him to rule in , upon , or over zion , which i doe not doubt was their meaning , neither doeth the prepositions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at all hinder , but help this interpretation of the septuagint . see the like mat. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , this is not the fixing and setling of that good servant in that ruleing power , but 't is the first giving of it to him , the first making him ruler over many things , having before had but a few things , luke . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so isocrates , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . i may confu●…e him from the septuagint themselves , psal. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dan. . : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. will hee say that the septuagint meant that god setled and fixed the dominion which man had before over the creatures , or that the prince of the eunuches did but settle and fixe that government which melzar had before over daniel ? if they meane in those places constituting and appoynting ( as it is most manifest they doe ) why not also psal. . ? god appointed david to be a king upon the holy hill of zion , which is all that can be made out of the septuagint . well , but i will goe yet further with him , to discover the futility of his exception : 't is true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometime used for restoring and setling that which is out of ' its course , but how did he imagine that this sence of the word could agree to tit. . ? thought hee that titus was left in crete , for restoring , setling , and fixing those elders who had left their station , or had been cast out , or persecuted , or the like ? doeth not the apostle plainly speak of supplying and making up such things as were yet wanting to those churches , and of ordaining elders to churches which wanted elders . wherefore the ordinary reading and interpretation is retained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be understood of making , or ordaining elders , even as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the like , constituere , praeficere , to make or appoint rulers and judges , by giving them power and authority to rule or judge . so asts. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which was not a setling and fixing of ioseph ; in the government of egypt , as if he had been governour of it before , for that was the first time he was made governour . the fourth argument is taken from heb. . . and no man taketh this honour unto himself , but he that is called of god as was aaron . if yee would know what this calling was , see vers . . hee was taken from among men , and ordained for men , in things pertaining to god. the socinian exception against our arguments , from the example and practice of ordination in the apostles times , ( namely that there is no such necessity of ordaining those who are to teach doctrines formerly delivered , and receaved , as there was , for ordaining those who bring a new doctrine ) cannot here help them ; yea , is hereby confuted , for none of the priests under the law , no not the high priest , might teach or pronounce any other thing , but according to the law and the testimony , deut. . . mal. . . yet the priests were ordained to their office , and might not without such ordination enter into it . and this was no typicall thing proper to the old testament , but hath a standing reason . the socinians therefore have another evasion from the words , this honour restricting the apostles meaning , to that honour of the priesthood onely . answ. . the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 need not to be understood demonstratively , or signanter , but indefinitly , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the prepositive article , and so both the syriak interpreter : hierome , arias montanus , and the tigurin version r●…ad it indefinitly , honorem , not hunc honorem , no man taketh honour unto himself , but he , &c. see the very same words in the same sence , rom. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , honour to whom honour , not this honour . so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , revel . . . is not rendered , this honour . . suppose it bee meant signanter , yet our argument is valid . although the apostle give instance only in the high priesthood , yet by analogie of reason , the axiome will hold in reference to the ministery of the new testament , upon which god hath put so much honour , that it is called a worthie work , tim : . . and worthie of double honour . tim : . . and to be esteemed very highly , thess : . . the ministers of the gospell are the embassadours of christ , cor : . . and the angels of the churches , the starres in christs right hand , revel : . . & , . &c. yea , the glory of christ , cor : . . and if ( comparing state with state ) the least in the kingdome of god , be greater then iohn baptist , and iohn baptist greater then any either priest or prophet in the old testament . then ' its not onely as great , but a greater usurpation , for a man to take this honour of the evangelicall ministery to himself , then it had been of old , for a man to take that honour of the legall high priest-hood to himself . the fifth argument i draw from heb : . . . where wee have an enumeration of the generall catecheticall heads , which was necessarly required in catechumens , before they were baptized and receaved as church members , and where there was yet no church planted , these heads were taught , learned , and professed , before there could be a visible politicall ministeriall church erected , that the apostles sp●…aks to the hebrews as visible ministeriall churches is manifest , both from the particulars here enumerat , and fr●…m chap. . . . & . . . now he exhorteth them to goe on unto perfection , and not to be ever about the laying of foundations , or about the learning of these catecheticall principles , the knowledge and profession , whereof did first give them an enterance , state , and standing in the visible church of christ , viz. . the foundation of repentance , i. e. conviction and knowledge of sinne by the law , humiliation and sorrow for it , with a desire of freedome for it . . the foundation of faith in christ for our wisdome , righteousnesse , sanctification and redemption . . the foundations of baptisme , i. e. the abolishing of these diverse legall washings , hel. . . and the ordinance of the christian baptisme for sealing the covenant of grace , and for initiation in church membership : others say he speaks in the plurall , because in those times many were baptized at once usually . . the foundation of laying on of hands , that is ( saith bullinger on the place ) of the ministery , and of their vocation , mission , and authority given them . so also gualther in his archetypes upon the place , tossanus pointeth at the same thing , as principally intended in the text , which agreeth well with that which diverse divines make one of the marks of a true visible church , namely , a ministery lawfully called and ordained , and professed subjection thereunto . . the foundation of the resurrection from the dead . . the soundation of the last judgement , in which christ shall adjudge the righteous to life everlasting , and the wicked to everlasting punishment , matth . ult . that which hath obscured and cast a mist upon this text , was the popish and prelaticall confirmation , or bishopping of children , which they grounded upon this same scripture . and this way goe the popish interpreters , expounding it of their sacrament of confirmation : others understand the gifts of the holy ghost , which in those dayes were given by laying on of hands . but it hath never been , nor can never bee proved , either that hands were layd upon all baptized christians who were growen up to yeares of knowledge in these apostolicall times , or that the gifts of the holy ghost were given with every laying on of hands in those times . for the laying on of hands , ( tim. . . and . . ) was not for giving the holy ghost , but for ordination . wherefore i conceave that the laying on of hands , heb. . . pointeth at the ministery , and their ordination , which was accompanied with that rite . many interpreters who extend the text further , doe not yet acknowledge that the ordination of ministers is a thing intended by the apostle . which is the more probable , if you read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dividedly with a comma betwixt , which erasmus inclineth most unto , following the greek scholiasts . so the tigurin version , baptismatum , doctrinae , ac impositionis manum . so you shall finde seven of these catecheticall principals , and after baptisme , adde doctrine , that is , a preaching or teaching ministery , and then the next head containes the necessity of a speciall calling and ordination to this ministery . however read it conjunctly or dividedly , it makes a true and good sence to expound , laying on of hands ( here ) of the ordinance of a preaching ministery lawfully called and ordained , for this ordinance and a professed subjection thereunto , may justly be reckoned among the catecheticall points , and among the marks of a true visible ministeriall church . whereas it were a dangerous and unsafe interpretation , and i beleeve that which cannot be made out , to say , that any of the catecheticall heads enumerate by the apostle , was proper to that primitive age , and doeth not concerne after ages : or yet to affirme that the giving of the holy ghost by the laying on of hands , was extended to all catechumens baptized in those times , or that the knowledge or profession of the doctrine concerning the giving of the gifts of the holy ghost , by such laying on of hands was s●…ch a principle , as that none ignorant thereof , though insttucted in all the other articles of christian faith , could be receaved as a church-member grounded in catecheticall points . i shall adde a sixth argument from the example and practise of the apostles and others who did ordaine church officers in their dayes , the example is binding in such things as were not onely lawfull and good , but have a standing and perpetuall reason . the seven deacons were ordained with prayer and laying on of hands , act : . . . elders were ordained in every city , tit : . . although those elders were not to preach any new gospel , gal : . . paul warneth timothy , tim. . . lay hands suddenly on no man. i. e. be not rash in ordaining any to the work of the ministery , let them be well examined and approved . this is the receaved sence of interpreters following chrysostome , ambrose , hierome , and others of the fathers , yet nicolaides refut . tract . de missione ministr ▪ will have the text understood , not of ordaining ministers , but of admitting penitents , which was done with imposition of hands . but is this to expound scripture by scripture ? or is it not rather to forsake an interpretation confirmed by scripture , and to follow one which is grounded upon no scripture ? for wee read nothing in scripture of laying on of hands in the receaving or restoring of penitents . of the laying on of hands in ordination , wee doe read in scripture , and least it should bee thought the act of one man onely , it is mentioned as the act of the presbyterie , tim. . . with the laying on of the hands of the presbyterie . a place which gualt●…er , bullinger , tossanus and diverse other good interpreters thinke to hold forth the way which paul would have observed in the calling and appointing of men to the ministery : some understand by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the office it self ▪ dignity or degree of an elder which was given to timothy by the laying on of hands : others understand a company of bishops who were elders and more too : i confesse it doth not ; o●…hers an assembly of elders , without any prelaticall disparity . now neither o●… these interpretations can strike against that point which now i plead for , viz. the point of ordination , but rather make much for it , yea even they who understand the office of a presbyter , doe thereby confirme that which i assert in as much as timothy was not made an elder , but by imposition of hands , as these hold . if so , then certainly ordination is essentiall to the calling of a presbyter . so that what ever come of the word presbytery , the laying on of hands which made the presbyter , will conclude against them who deny the necessity of ordination . the seventh argument shall bee drawn from the denominations of the ministers of the gospell in scripture . . they are called pastors or shepheards , ier : . . eph : . . hee that is not called and appointed by the lord of the flocke , he that entereth not by the doore , but breaks in surreptitiously , and makes himselfe sheepherd at his own hand , is not a sheepherd but a thief , ioh. . . . next they are angels or messengers , mat : . . rev : . : and cor : . . with . . and the embassadours of christ , cor : . . eph. . . therefore they are sent and appointed , and do not run unsen●… . . they are called rulers , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . tim. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , thess : . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , heb : . . . do men make themselves rullers , magistrates , captains at their owne hand , or are they not thereunto appointed by others ? . they are called ●…ishops , or overseers , act. . . tim ▪ . . the athenians give the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to one whom they appointed , ordained , and sent forth to be magistrate or praetor in any of the townes , subject to their jurisdiction . see h. steph. thes : ling. gr : in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stewards , luke . . cor : . tit. . . who dare make himself a steward in a kings house ; yea , or in a more private house , not being thereunto appointed and ordained ? . they are servants who invite and call in guests to the weding , to the marriage supper , mat : . . luke . . will any ( except a fool , or a knave , ) go and invite guests to a mans table , when he is not sent nor appointed : . they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , preachers , heraulds , tim : . . and tim : . . will a herauld go and proclaime the kings edicts , or the ordinances of parliament , if hee be not thereunto appointed ? in both these texts last cited , the apostle speaking of the gospell , sayeth , whereunto i am ordained a preacher , and an apostle , and a teacher of the gentiles . mark , hee is ordained not an apostle , but a preacher , as hee could not bee an apostle without ordination , so he could not bee so much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a preacher without ordination . now ordinary pastors are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as well as the apostles which hath been before shewed . an eight argument i collect from tim : . . and the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses , the same commit thou to faithfull men , who shall be able to teach others also . which is a most considerable place against the socinians , anabaptists , &c. for it teacheth us these five particulars . : that the apostles would not have a teaching or preaching ministery to end with that time , but was carefull to have pastors or teachers provided for the succeeding generation also . . thes : teachers of others who were to labour in the word and doctrine , were to teach no new doctrine , but the very same things which they receaved from timothy , and timothy from paul , and which paul receaved from the lord . it was in sence no new doctrine , when it is taught by paul , much lesse when taught by timothy , and least of all when taught by these who receaved it from timothie . so that the socinian distinction of the necessity of a speciall calling to the ministery when the doctrine is new , not so when the doctrine is not new , cannot here help them . . thes : teachers are distinguished from those who are taught : every man may not be a teacher . it is a peculiar and particular calling , and it is no part of the generall calling of christians : therefore both here , and gal : . . there is such a distinction ●…n the church , some are teachers , some are taught in the word . . fitnesse and abilities ; yea , both grace and gifts together , cannot warrant a m●…n to assume to himself the function of teaching or preaching to others , except he be thereunto allowed , and appointed , and entrusted . the apostle sayeth not , the things that thou heard of me , the same i will that faithfull and able men , who ever shall be willing to the work , teach others also , faithfulnesse , and fitnesse , or ability cannot make a sufficient calling , but qualifie a man for that which he shall be called unto . aptitude is one thing : to be cloathed with a calling , power and authority is another thing . . there is more that belongs to the calling of pastors and teachers , than the churches electing , or choosing of them : for those unto whom the power of ordination belongeth , do also commit unto them that which they are entrusted with , the same commit thou , &c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 't is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which ( as h : stephanus in thes : ling : gr : tom . . pag . noteth ) not seldome in the new testament doeth signifie , depositum alicujus fidei committere , fiduciarium tradere alicut , where he citeth this very text , and i shall clear it yet further from luke : . . and unto whom men have commited much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , of him they will ask the more , which is the conclusion of the parable concerning a faithfull and wise steward , appointed by his lord to be ruler over his houshold ; to give them their portion of meat in due season , and that parable is meant of pastors or ministers lawfully called and sent , as hath been before cleared . ninthly , as we are obleidged by our covenant to endeavour such a reformation , as is most agreeable to the word of god , and the example of the best reformed churches , so in this particular of ordination , and a speciall call and setting apart of men to the ministery , we have not onely the example of the ancient and reformed churches , but the word of god it selfe directeth us this way . . before the law when the first borne in families ( not all promiscuously ) acted the part of priests or publick ministers . whereof there are some expresse examples in enoch a prophet , gen. . . iude epistle , vers . . noah , heb : . . by whom god preached to the old world , pet : . . and so are we to understand gen : . : abraham a prophet , gen : . . melchisedeck the priest of the most high god , is thought by many learned men ( following both ionathans targum , and that of ierusalem ) to have been shem , the first born of noah : of iacob also ( who got the birth-right from esau ) we read that he built altars , and called , upon the name of the lord , and he was a prophet , gen : . and it is often mentioned by moses , that the sons of aaron were taken in stead of the first borne . . under the law , when not onely the prophets , but the priests also who were ordinary ministers , had a speciall ordination to their office . . under the gospell in the primitive times , for the socinians themselves do not deny that ordination or speciall mission was used in the apostles times . tenthly , and lastly without a clear calling , and lawfull ordination , how shall people receave the word from the mouths of ministers , as gods word , or as from thos●… who are sent of god ? or how shall people reverence and highly esteem their ministers who labour among them , obey them , and submit unto them , as they are commanded , thess : . , . heb : . ? and since he that is taught ought to communicat unto him that teacheth him , in all good things , gal : . . and god will have those who labour in the word and doctrine to be maintained , and that they who sow spirituall things , reap temporall things , cor. . , , , . tim : . . yea , the apostle puts the stamp of a ius divinum upon it , cor : . , . having mentioned the priests maintainance in the old testament , he addeth : even so hath the lord ordained that they which preach the gospell , should live of the gospell . so that socinians and anabapt●…sts will finde themselves puzled mightily with this dilemma , either it is the will of god , that none preach the gospell , but such as are called , appointed , and ordained thereunto , or otherwise it is his will , that those who preach the gospell , not being thereunto chosen , called and ordained , must be maintained as well as ministers lawfully ordained and cal●…ed , and if so , it s like enough people shall have good store of preachers , and their purses shall pay well for it . chap. iiii. objections against the necessity of ordination answered . i come now to answere the strongest objections of those who hold ordination not necessary , nor essentiall to the calling of a minister . obejct . . from acts . . they that were scattered abroad , went every where preaching the word . so acts . . apollos also taught boldly in the synagogues , acts . , . yet no word of their mission or ordination . the jews esteemed christ himself but a private man , not ordained nor authorized to any office in the church , yet they permitted him to preach in their synagogues . answ : . those that after stephens death , were scattered abroad , and preached the word , must needs have been called , sent , and ordained ( by the principles of the socinians themselves , ) for the doctrine which they preached , was a new doctrine , both to samaria , acts . . and to those dispersed jews , acts . . themselves confesse , that they who preach a new doctrine , must have a speciall mission and ordination . . philip was one of those who went abroad preaching the word , acts . . now hee is expressely called an evangelist , acts . . therefore no president for private christians to preach . . it is a bad argument luke mentioneth , not their ordination , therefore they were not orda●…ned . they may aswell argue thus . luke mentioneth not that they prayed when they preached , therefore they did not pray when they preached . or thus : the scripture mentioneth not ioabs father , but onely his mother zerviah , therefore he had not a father . . and suppose they preached the word without mission or ordination , this is but like that which chrysostome , lib : ad eos qui scandalisati sunt , cap : . recordeth as a marvelous extraordinary benefit , which did accrew from the bloody persecutions of those ancient times , viz. that in such times , the sheep acted the parts of shepheards , being driven away to deserts and mountains , where ( by the spirit of god speaking in them ) they converted unbeleevers , and gathered churches : which concludeth nothing against the necessity of ordination , in constituted and reformed churches , for they who were scattered abroad , being driven away in the heat of persecution , might not have the opportunity of ordination , and they went forth to gather christians to plant churches , to lay foundations where christ was not known . such cases were in the beginning excepted from the sta●…e of our present question . . if apollos preached without ordination , when he knew onely the baptisme of iohn , and withall when he had to do with those jews , who were yet to be convinced that jesus was the christ , acts . , , . it is no good argument against the necessity of ordination , where the doctrine of christ is known and receaved , and churches constituted . and withall how will it be proved , that apollos having been one of iohns disciples , had not some commission from iohn to preach the word ? or if apollos was but a gifted brother without any publick calling or authority in the church , how came he to be so much esteemed , as to be compared with peter and paul , cor : . . lastly as touching christs preaching in the synagogues , hee was lookt upon as a prophet extraordinarly r●…ised up in israel . luke . , . and the jews say of him plainly , a great prophet is risen up among us luke . . iosephus his testimony given to christ , as a great prophet , is known . object : . the church doeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by their voices in election , make , creat , constitute or ordain elders , acts . . therefore elders need no other ordination , but are sufficiently ordained or made by the church , if elected , and receave their power from the people see this objection prosecuted in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag : . . . and in the queries touching ordination , pag : . tom : . answ : . there is no cogent reason brought by these men , why 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , if rendered thus as they would have it , when they had by voices ordained , must bee therefore understood of ordination by the people , and not by paul : and barnabas , for as i have before noted out of calvìn : instit. lib : . cap : . § . . the sence may bee this , paul and barnabas did make and ordain elders according to the voices of the churches themselves , that is , they ordained such as the church desired . if so , they are double loosers by this their objection . . if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be meant of the churches act , then it is not ordaining , but choosing by voices . the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ought not to hinder the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . election with the churches consent , and ordination are both of them necessary , not inconsistent . in athens it self , although the people did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 choose by voyces their magistrates or rulers , yet the persons so elected were not ordained , and solemnly set apart , appointed and authorized by the people , but by the judges called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of whom dem●…sthenes orat . advers : timo●…r : tels us that they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , took an oath to be faithfull in their constituting or ordaining of mag strates . . in scripture we finde election and ordination frequently distinguished , not only as distinct acts , but oft times in distinct hands , deut. . . moses said unto all israel , take yee wise men and understanding , and known among your tribes , and i will make them rulers over you . the people choose them who shall be rulers , but moses maks them rulers , acts . . wherefore brethren look yee out among you seven men of honest report , full of the holy ghost and wisdome , whom we may appoint over this businesse . the people choose , the apostles appoint the deacons . the choosing of a person to an office , is not the authorizing of the person elected , but the designation of the person to be authorized . 't is here with a person chosen , as with a thing chosen : ezra was to choose , and to designe , when , and how much silver , wheat , wine , oyle , should be taken for the house of the lord , not exceeding the proportion of a hundreth , but the power and authority by which these things were given forth by the thesaurers , to be applyed to such uses , was from the decree of artaxerxes , ezra . . , . so ester choosed what to make request for , but the thing was to be performed by authority of the king , 〈◊〉 . . , . so a man may be chosen to an office by some , and authorized to act in that office by others . how many subordinat offices , ( civill and military ) are there , in which men act by the power and authority , derived from the ordinances of parliament , although not nominated and chosen by the parliament ; but by others , intrusted by the parliament to choose . . even where election and mission , are in the same hands , yet they are not confounded , but are lookt upon as two distinct acts : christ first choosed the twelve , and pitched upon such as he would , and then ordained them , and sent them forth , mark : . . . the synod of the apostles and elders first choosed , then sent iudas and silas , acts . , . where you may observe also by the way , that the mission of a man to the ministery , or pastorall charge of a congregation , doeth not belong to the people who choose him , they cannot send him to themselves . when election and mission are in the same hands , 't is in such cases as th●…se two last cited , when men are sent abroad to others , then indeed they who choose them , may also send them : but when they are sent to those who choose them , then they are sent by others , a minister is sent to the congregation , therefore he is not sent by the congregation , and so that place , rom : . . how shall they preach except they be sent ? cannot be understood of the peoples election , but of ordination , or mission from the presbytery appointed to ordain . . the same apostolicall patterne which holds forth unto us the choosing of elders in every church , acts . . doeth also hold forth unto us the ordaining of elders in every city , tit : . . and these acts in different hands , therefore not the same ; yea , as many conceave in that same text , acts . . beside the election by voyces , th re is a distinct ordination expressed under the adjuncts thereof , prayer , and fasting . object : . the apostle saith , cor : . . when yee come together every one of you hath a psalme , hath a doctrine , hath a tongue , hath a revelation , hath an interpretation , vers . yee may all prophesie one by one . therefore all that preach or proph●…sie , need not to be ordain●…d answ : what those prophets were , and what is meant by prophesying there , all are not of one opinion . i hold that these prophets were in mediatly and extraordinarly inspyred , and i reckon them among these other administrations , which w●…re not ordinary , or ever to continue in the church , apostles , evangelists , workers of miracles . but of this i am to speak distinctly , and by it selfe afterwards . mean while , th●…y that make the objection , must prove two things , else they conclude nothing against the necessitie of ordination . . that these prophets were not sent and ordained , but that their gifts and parts , gave them a sufficient calling to interpret in the church . . that although they had no ministeriall sending , or vocation , yet they were not extraordinary prophets , but that such prophets are to continue ordinarly in the church , i beleeve it will trouble them to prove either . object . . 't is said of the house of stephanus , cor : . . they have addicted ( or ordained ) themselves to the ministerie of the saints , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . they were not ordained by others , but they ordained themselves . answ : : this may well be understood ( as 't is by diverse ) of their devoting themselves to minister to the necessities of the saints , by their works and labour of love. which is else where called , ministering to the saints , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , cor : . . yea , 't is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , cor. . . the administrations of service . see also , ibid. vers : . and rom. . . where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alone is used in the same sence . . others give this sence , that they did willinglie and zealously desire to do service to christ in the ministery of the gospell , according as they should finde a calling . in which sence , if a man desire the office of a bishop , he desireth a good work , tim : . . so isa : . . here am i , send me . he is very willing to the work , yet hee dare not runne , except he bee sent , and get a commission . object . . he that digged in the earth , and hid his talent , is condemned for it , mat. . . . therefore he that hath gifts for preaching , and administering the sacraments , cannot answere it to god , except he improve and use those gifts . ans. . if that parable be applyed to ministeriall talents , then it will prove , not onely a perpetuall ministery , because the lord saith to his servants , occupie till i come , luke : . . but likewise , that none ought to intrude themselves into that holy function , except they have a calling as well as gifts , for mat : . , . that lord called his owne servants ( luke saith , hee called his ten servants ) and delivered unto them his goods : and unto one he gave five talents , to another two , to another one , to everie one according to his severall abilitie : where wee have a distinction of the calling and ability , suppose another man had been able enough , yet if he bee none of the called ones , that parable cannot be applyed to him . . this objection may be made in the behalfe of women also ; many of whom receave excellent gifts from god , yea , it was foretold by ioel , and applyed by peter : that women as well as men should prophesie , acts . . . which being misunderstood , gave some colour to the old pepuzian heresie . object : . if we hold ordination necessary , and essentiall to the calling of a minister , wee bring our selves into this snare , that either the ministers in the reformed churches , are not true ministers , but falsely pretended to be so , or otherwise we must hold that those in the church of rome , from whom the protestant ministers , in the beginning of the reformation , had their ordination , were true ministers of christ. for if those in the church of rome who did ordaine , were not true ministers of christ , then they had no commission from christ to make ministers for him . and who can bring a clean thing out of that which is unclean : if so , then the protestant ministers , who first ordained other protestant ministers ( from whom ordination hath come to us downwards ) having no ordination , but what they receaved in the church of rome , they had not power to ordain others with such an ordination , as hath a divine stamp and character upon it . this argument is much insisted upon by the author of the queries touching ordination : if it can do any thing , yet it is no new light , but the very same which hath been formerlie objected by papists , and answered by protestant writers . whereof see one instance in gerhard , loc : com : tom : . de minist : eccles : § . and now that those who drive so furiouslie after this popish argument , may forever be ashamed of it : i returne these answeres . . by retortion , the argument will conclude as much against the baptisme , and church estate of independents , anabaptists , and who ever they bee that make any use of this way of arguing against us . for by this argument , those who first gathered their churches , bap●…ized , and incorporated them into the body of christ , were not only no true ministers , but no true church-members , having no other baptisme , but what was receaved , either in the church of rome , or from those who were baptized in the church of rome : but who can bring a clean thing , out of that which is unclean . where note by the way , that this argument of theirs , will also make the scripture it self unclean now , because we have it out of an unclean thing , ( the church of rome ) : so that all that will stand to this argument , must unchurch , unbaptize , unchristen themselves : if they will have their recourse to that promise , where two or three are met together , there am i in the midst of them , and think to lay the foundation of their churches there , without any derivation from the church of rome , they must allow us to ●…o so too , but then they must passe from their argument . what will they say then ? either , there can bee in our dayes atr●…e church with all the ordinances of christ in it , independent upon the church of rome , and without building or leaning upon a lineall succession , or derivation from the church of rome , or there cannot . if they hold the affirmative , their argument is not worth a straw , for ordination being one of the ordinances of christ ( which is here to be supposed , and hath been in the precedent chapter proved ) the reformed churches had power to set it up , and restore it by vertue of christs own institution . if the negative , our opposits , must all turne seekers , their churches are no churches , their baptisme no baptisme , &c. . suppose those protestant ministers , who first ordained other ministers , were themselves ordained by such as had no power to ordain them . nay suppose the first reforming ministers , to have been at the beginning of the reformation , no ministers , but private persons , not pretending to be ordained . what will they conclud from this ? it proves nothing against that which wee hold concerning the necessity of ordination : for we plainly say , that in extraordinary cases when ordination cannot be had , and when there are none who have commission and authority from christ to ordain , then , and there , an inward call from god enlarging the heart , stirring up , and assisting with the good will and consent of a people whom god makes willing , can make a minister authorized to ministeriall acts . suppose this to have been the case at the first comming out from popery , yet here was a seed for more churches , and more ministers . at the first plantation of churches , ordination may bee wanting without making void the ministery , because ordination cannot be had , but in constituted churches , the want of ordination doth make a minister no minister . . touching the church of rome ; i answer as a learned country man of mine answered nere . yeares agoe . although it was a church miserably corrupted and defaced , y●…t it was even then a church , wherein he professeth to follow luther , oec lampadius , zuinglius , bucerus , calvin , musculus , bullinger , and the generall sence of the protestant writers . see the smetonii respons ; ad hamilton . apostat . pag. . if there was not a true church , when popery and antichristianisme had most universally spred it self , why is it said that antichrist sitteth in the temple of god , . thes : . ? and if god had not a people in babylon , why is it said , come out of her , my people rev. . ? and if there were not all that time , even before the reformation , true ministers of christ , why are the two witnesses said to prophesie . dayes ( compting dayes for years ) in sackcloath . rev : . . . sure the time of the witnesses , their prophesying in sackcloath , where ever we fix the beginning and ending of it ( which is contraverted ) it doth certainly comprehend those ages before the reformation , as a part of this time . therefore christ had his witnesses and ministers all that while . protestants as well as papists , hold the perpetuity of the true church and ministery , though not ever visible or alike pure . and otherwise , how shall we understand christs owne word , mat : . . loe , i am with you alway , even unto the end of the world . . wherefore i conclude that those who were ordained in the church of rome before the reformation , in so far as they were ordained in the name of christ , by these who had been themselves ordained presbyters as well as bishops , and authorized to preach the gospel , and administer the sacraments ; this far they were true and lawfull ministers , truely and lawfully ordained . but in so farre as they were ordained according to the popish statutes and canons , for teaching and maintaining the traditions of the church of rome , and for offering up the body of christ in the masse , in this consideration ; their calling and ordination was impure and unlawfull , like pure water flowing out of a clean fountain , which contracts impurity from a filthie channel it runs through . see synops : pur : theol : disp. . thes : . and diverse others who might be cited to this purpose . chap. v. whether these prophets and prophesyings in the primitive church , cor. . and cor. . . ephes : . . were extraordinarie , and so not to continue : or whether they are presidents for the preaching or prophesying of such , as are neither ordained ministers , nor probationers for the ministery . there are three opinions concerning these prophets mentioned by the apostle , . that they had neither extraordinary and immediate inspirations of the spirit , nor yet were ordinary ministers called to the office of teaching , but church-members out of office , having good gifts of opening and interpreting the scriptures , for the edification , instructioun , and comfort of the church , and hence is the warrant taken , for the preaching or prophesying of such church-members as are well gifted , being neither ministers , nor intending the ministery : neither doe the independents onely , but socintans , and arminians also cry up that libertas prophetandi . . that these prophets were church officers , and no more but ordinary teachers or interpreters of scripture in the church : without excluding the sons of the prophets , or probationers from their assembly , and from exercising their gifts in preaching upon occasion , and fortryall of their gifts , or of the grouth and encreas thereof , yet i remember no place in the new testament , where ordinary pastors are said to prophesie , except revel : . . where notwithstanding , prophesie is ascribed unto them in no other sence , than the working of miracles , vers : . those have power to shut heaven , that it rain not in the dayes of their prophesie , and have power over waters to turne them into blood , and to smite the earth with all plagues as often as they will. all which ( prophesying and miracles ) is spoken by way of allusion to moses and elias . . that they were extraordinary prophets , immediatly and extraordinarly inspyred by the holy ghost ; and that they are to be reckoned among these other administrations which were notto continue , or be ordinary in the church . synop : pur : theol : disp : . thes : . martyr , loc : com : class : . cap. . aretius , probl : theol . loc : . calvin . instit. lib : . cap. : § . diodati on cor. . . the late english anotations on cor. . . mr. baine on ephes : . . together with two learned country men of mine , mr. david dikson , on cor : . . and mr : rutherfurd on his peaceable plea : c●…p . . apostles , evange ists , workers of miracles : i know many protestant writers of very good note , are of the second opinion . but with all due respect unto them : i hold the third opinion , with gerhard , loc : com : tom : . pag : . and diverse others ; the reasons which move me are these . . the apostle distinguisheth the prophets from the pastors and teachers ; cor : . , . ephes : . . the prophets are enumerate among the publike ministers which christ hath given to the church ; yet distinct from the ordinary pastors and teachers , . they are not onely distinguished from pastors and teachers , but seem also to be set before them ; yea , before the evangelists , ephes : . . and he gave some apostles , and some prophets , and some evangelists , and some pastors and teachers , or as the syriak readeth , and some pastors and some teachers , so distinguisheth pastors from teachers , as mr. bayne also doth : understanding here five , degrees of those who labour in the word and doctrine , the first three extraordinary , the last two ordinary . i know 't is not alwayes preferred in honour and dignity , which is first mentioned : yet i think our dissenting brethren would not think it fit , nor suteable to enumerate their gifted and pro. phesying members , next to the apostles , and before pastors much lesse evangelists , neither do i ground my argument simply and meerly upon the enumeration , but upon such an enumeration as is noted , with first , second , third , cor : . . and god hath set some in the church , first apostles , secondly prophets , thirdlie teachers , where he puts upon the prophets the highest eminency and chiefest dignity next to the apostles , which i thinke the prophesyi●…g b●…ethren of this age doe not look for ; chrysostome , de divers : nov : test : locis : serm : . proves the chief dignity of apostleship from these words : first apostles : is it not as good an argument to prove the next dignitie , to belong to prophesie from these words , secondarilie prophets . 't is true helps are mentioned before governments in that same text. but the apostle hath left o●… his numericall order , before he come at these , and besides , both the deacon and the ruling elder , are church officers , and neither of them preachers , so that the difproportion is not so great when the deacon is named before the ruling elder : but that such preachers or interpreters who had no office at all in the church , should be enumerate , not onely among officers and ministers of the church , but before teachers , and that in foure texts , acts . . cor. . . ibid. vers : . ephes : . . and next to the apostles too , and that with an order , of first , second , third , is to me utterly improblable and uncredible . . the apostle mentioneth prophets with a note of singularity , as not common , but more speciall , cor : . , . are all apostles ? are all prophets ? are all teachers ? are all workers of miracles ? have all the gifts of healing ? do all speak with tongues ? do all interpret ? here the apostle maketh a second enumeration of such administrations as were more rare ; singular , speciall , dignified , and priviledged , and not competent to all church officers , much lesse to all church-members : therefore here he omitteth the ruling elder and deacon ; hee saith not are all helps ? are all governments ? as if he had said ; there are some officers appointed onely for ruling , some appointed onely for helping and overseeing the poore ; these officers are neither apostles nor prophets , &c. and if prophesying be not a priviledge of all church-officers , how much lesse of all church-members : i might adde here , 't is most agreeable to the native signification of the word prophesie , that we understand it to be an extraordinary and rare thing ; for if you consider the very notation of the word prophesie is prediction , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i foretell , of which more hereafter . . one of the prophets of that time , is plainly described to have been inspired with extraordinary revelations , acts . , . there came down from iudea a certain prophet , named agabus , and when he was come unto us , he took pauls girdle , and bound his owne hands and feet , and said ; thus saith the holie ghost , so shall the iews at ierusalem bind the man that oweth this girdle , and shall deliver him into the hands of the gentiles . there were other prophets of the same kinde with agabus , for so runnes the text , acts . , . and in those dayes came prophets from ierusalem to antioch , and there stood up one of them named agabus , and signified by the spirit , that there should bee great dearth in all the world . . that these prophets spake in the church from extraordinary revelation and inspiration , appeareth by cor : . . when they came together , they had a psalme , a doctrine , a tongue , a revelation , an interpretation , not onely a doctrine , and an interpretation , but a revelation , and vers . . after hee hath said , let the prophets speak , two or three ; he addeth , if any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by , let the first hold his peace : upon which text gualther , salmeron , and others who understand by prophesying in that chap : the ordinary ministeriall teaching , are yet made to acknowledge , that this revealing of somewhat to another , was extemporary and extraordinary , and that it is no president for our times . p. martyr , puts this difference between teachers and prophets , that teachers were educated and instructed by masters : prophets , without all humane help ; spake as they were on a suddain moved by the inspiration of the holy ghost ; yea , although he takes the office and functions of prophets and teachers , to have been one and the same ; yet he thus distinguisheth between them . so aretius , speaking of those that bare office in the primitive church , distinguisheh the prophets from the pastors and teachers in this , that the prophets had not onely greater gifts for opening hard scriptures , but that they did interpret scripture with the same propheticall spirit , by which it was dictat and written , and likewise foretell things to come . . it hath been observed by mr. bayne on ephes : . . and others that these degrees are capacious and comprehensive one of another downwards , not upwards , that is ; an apostle might prophesie , and doe the work of an evangelist , pastor , and teacher : a prophet might do the work of an evangelist , pastor , and teacher : the evangelist might do the work of a pastor and teacher . but every pastor and teacher could not do the work of an evangelist , or of a prophet , &c. if this observation hold , which hath pleased many , then we cannot understand those prophets to have been no more but pastors and teachers , much lesse to have been any thing lesse than pastors and teachers , viz. church-members , well gifted for exponding scripture edifyingly , chrysostome de divers : n. t. locis serm : . leaneth very much toward that same notion , for he calls apostles the root , which was comprehensive of all the rest ; a prophet ( saith he ) might not be an apostle , but an apostle was a prophet , evangelist , &c. to prove that an apostle did prophesie , hee cites these propheticall praedictions , tim : . . thess. . . whereby 't is manifest that he understands the prophesie mentioned by paul to be extraordinary . . unlesse we understand those prophets which christ gave to the church , cor. . . and cap. . ephes : . . to have been extraordinarly inspired by the spirit , then we shall not be able to prove from scripture , that christ hath given to the church of the new testament , any extraordinarie prophets to foretell things to come . but 't is certain that christ hath given such extraordinary prophets to the church of the new testament , such as agabus , and the daughters of philip : eusebius tells us there were such prophets in the church , till the dayes of iustin martyr ; which we have also from iustinus himselfe . and now having the occasion , i must say it to the glory of god , there were in the church of scotland , both in the time of our first reformation , and after the reformation such extraordinary men , as were more then ordinary pastors and teachers , even holy prophets receaving extraordinary revelations from god , and foret●…lling diverse strange and remarkable things , which did accordingly come to paste punctually , to the great admiration of all who knew the particulars , such were mr. wishart the martyre , mr. knox the reformer ; also mr. iohn welsh , mr. iohn davidsoune , mr. robert bruce , mr. alexander simson , mr. fergusson , and others : it were too long to make a narration here of all such particulars , and there are so many of them stupendious , that to give instance in some few , might seem to derogat from the rest . but if god give me opportunity , i shal think it worth the while to make a collection of these things : mean while although such prophets be extraordinary , and but seldome raised up in the church , yet such there have been : i dare say , not onely in the primitive times , but amongst our first reformers , and others . and upon what scripture can we pitch for such extraordinary prophets . if not upon those scriptures which are applyed by some to the prophesying brethren , or gifted church-members ; . there are but three senses of the word prophesying , which i can finde any where else in the new testament . . for such prophesying as is competent to all converted and gifted persons , when they are filled with a spirit of illumination , and speak with other tongues as the spirit gives them utterance : in which sense ioel foretold , that daughters as well as sonnes , hand maids as well as men-servants , young and old should prophesie , acts . , . which was accordingly fulfilled upon the day of penticost , for acts . . and . . . this spirit of prophesie was powred out upon all the disciples , men and women . . for such prophesying , ●…s is the preaching of ordinary ministers , although i know no text where without any controversie , the word is used for the ordinary ministeriall preaching ; yet i understand the word to bee used , in this sence , ( though by allusion onely where of before ) . revel . . . and i will give power unto my two witnesses , and they shall prophesie a thousand two hundreth and threescore dayes cloathed in sackcloath . . for extraordinary prophesying from immediate and miraculous inspiration , in which sence it is often used in the new testament , as i shall shew anone . but a fourth sense , viz. the prophesying of gifted brethren , ( not sisters ) out of office , and that publickly , and by an ordinary gift , i can finde no where ; and if we goe either higher or lower , then the ordinary pastorall preaching , women as well as men might prophesie . in the scripture language , prophetesses , as well as prophets . . the apostle plainly distinguisheth , prophesie , both from the word of knowledge , and from the word of wisdom , cor. . . . for to one is given by the spirit , the word of wisdome , to another the word of knowledge by the same spirit , to another prophesie ; now what is that gift and manifestation of the spirit , which is supposed to be given to gifted and prophesying-members , must it not fall under that enumeration , cor : . , , , , . is it then the interpretation , o●… opening of scripture , that is the teachers part , the word of knowledge : is it both to interpre●… , and apply scripture , that is the pastors part , the word of wisdome ; is it to prophesie , that is more nor either the word of 〈◊〉 , or the word of wisdome , and is therefored 〈◊〉 from both . . in that text last cited , prophesie is mentioned , not only as a gift by which the spirit worketh , for the profite and edification of the church , but as a ministery , function , and ad●…inistration in the church , for ve●…s . . , . the apostle teacheth us , that there are diversiti●…s . of gifts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , . of administrations , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . . of operations , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , thereafter in reference to all these three , he addeth the enumeration of the particulars , ver . . , . in a prophet hterefore there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ministerium , as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is frequently used in the new testament for the ministery , not onely of ruling elders and deacons , rom : . . of pastors and teachers ; yea , of evangelists and apostles , ephes : . . col : . . tim : . . . acts . . . and . . and . . and ●… . . rom. . . cor : . . and . . and . . and . . and else where the english translators in these places render it sometimes ministerie , sometimes office , sometimes indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used in the new testament for any ministring to the necessities of the poore saints , by charity and almes . but no body that i know doth imagine or can imagine that this is the sense of the word , cor : . where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . therefore i conclude that the prophets in these primitive times , had an office or ministery in the church . . the word prophesying is often used in the new testament , for that which is extraordinary , and by revelation , mat. . . rev : . . acts . . luke . . revel . . . . revel . . . mark : . . peter . . jud : . john baptist is called a prophet , luke . . and . . matth : . . and . . christ himselfe is called a prophet , matth. . . luke . and . . john . . and . . elymas the sorcerer is called a false prophet , acts. . . prophesying in the name of christ , is joyned with other miraculous , gifts , mat : . . many will say to me in that day , lord , have we not prophesied in thy name ? and in thy name have cast out devils , and in thy name done many wonderfull workes , acts . . and when paul laid his hands on them , the holy ghost came on them , and they spake with tongues , and prophesied . in this sence is the word used , when 't is said that cajaphas prophesied , john . . the same word is used for propheticall prediction , tim : . . according to the prophesies which went before on the rev. . . jezebel did call her selfe a prophetesse . prophecy ( as paul speakes of it ) is so farre from being a common priviledge of gifted saints out of office , that it is one of the speciall and rarest gifts which the apostles themselves had or could have , cor. . . and though i have the gift of prophesie , and understand all mysteries , and all knowledge , which stands there between the gift of tongues , and the faith of miracles : again , cor : . . now brethren , if i come unto you speaking with tongues , what shall i prosite you , except i shall speak unto you , either by revelation , or by knowledge , or by prophesying , or by doctrine . the first two , revelation , and knowledge are immanent in the apostle : the other two prophesying and doctrine ; are transient from the apostle to the church . what shall my gift of tongues profite you , saith he ; or how shall you be edified or satisfied thereby , unlesse , either i utter some revelation unto you by prophesying , or utter my knowledge unto you by doctrine , so distinguishing prophesying from doctrine as greater then it ; because prophesying proceeds from revelation , doctrine from knowledge , in him that teacheth . . i have yet another reason , which i think will be a hard knot to our dissenting brethren , the apostle compareth in that . chap : the gifts of tongues , and the gifts of prophesie . he commendeth both , as desirable , vers : . and wisheth to them all both these gifts , vers : . but rather prophesie as comparatively the better for edifying the church . et magis & minus , non variant speciem . there are both good and desirable gifts of the spirit , given to profite withall , cor. . , , . the apostle also alloweth as many to speak with tongues in the church , as hee alloweth to prophesie in the church ; that is , as two or three of the prophets may speak by course in one assembly , so may two or three speak by course in a strange tongue , so that one interpret , cor : . , . moreover , whereas it is supposed by our dissenting brethren , that all or most of the church , women excepted , did prophesie ; they must upon the very same ground , suppose that all or most of the church , women excepted ; spake strange tongues in the church . for in the same place where 't is said , that every one of them had a doctrine and revelation , 't is said also that every one of them had a tongue and an interpretation , . cor : . . which tongues considered and compared together , it will be found , that if the reasons hold good , and the consequences be valid , which are brought for the prophesying of gifted members out of office , and that therein they have the church of corinth a president , the like reasons , and al 's strong consequences will prove , that any two or three of a church , who shall happilie have the gift of strange tongues , may speak by course in the church , so that one interpret , and that the church of corinth is as good a president for this , as for the other ; let our brethren therefore , either make both these gifts ( prophesie , and tongues ) in the church of corinth , to bee extraordinary and miraculous , and so neither of them to bee an ordinary president : or otherwise , they must make them both to be set forth for ordinary patterns and presidents , and so begin to cry up tongues , as well as prophesying , for if the gift of prophesie , be such as men may attaine by industrie and study , so is the gift of tongues : i know no way to loose the knot without acknowledging , that both the gift of tongues and that of prophesie , were extraordinary and miraculous , which is the truth . these are the reasons which i lean to in this matter . i come next to answere , objections . the first three objections i finde in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerning ordination : but i shall answere other objections also omitted there , but which have been objected by others . object . . the prophets , cor : were not immediatlie inspired with prediction ; for women that were so inspired , might deliver their prophesie in the church , but there women are forbidden to speak , vers : . answ : . but where finde we that women which were prophetesses , and immediately inspired , were allowed to deliver their prophesie in the church . i suppose he had a respect to cor : . . but every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head covered , dishonoureth her head , which is meaned of the publicke assemblie , for the apostle is speaking of covering , or uncovering the head in the church . but diverse interpreters understand here by a woman , that prayeth or prophesieth , a woman that joyneth as a hearer in the publicke assemblie , and so vers : . by a man that prayeth or prophesieth , a man that is a hearer , and joyneth in the ordinances . so that the geneva annotation upon verse . gives a good sence of that text : that women which shew themselves in publick and ecclesiasticall assemblies , without the signe and token of their subjection , that is to sa●… , uncovered , shame themselves . see more for th●…s in junius his annotations on the arabike version in that place . ●… . if the apostle by prophesying , cor : . . . understand prophesying by immediate inspiration , then the objection may bee retorted and turned into an argument against the objectors : for the sence of the word prophesying in the . chap : may give light to the word prophesying in the . chap. . peter martyr , loc : com : eccles : . cap : . is indeed of opinion , that women which were prophetesses , and extraordinarly inspired , might sp●…ak in the church , provided that their heads were covered , in token of foeminine subjection , and that the forbidding of women to speak in the church , extendeth to such , and so hee reconcileth , cor. . . tim. . . with cor : . . i doubt his opinion in this particular is not well grounded , onely so farre i make use of it , that if cor : . . be meant of prophetesses , praying or prophesying in the church , ( which the objector hath to prove ) . then certainely the forbidding of women to speak in the church , cannot be understood universallie , but with a reserve and exception of extraordinary cases : but how can this exception of prophetesses consist with with the text , let your women keep silence in the church , why 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , your women , they had prophesying women , as is supposed by these of the other opinion , from cor : . . nay , even your women must be silent saith the apostle ; and the reasons which he addeth , are so universall as to comdrehend even prophetesses , they are commanded to be under obedience , and to be in subjection , which martyr himselfe noteth , holds true of prophesying women , as well as others , and that for that cause their heads were to be covered : another reason is added , tim. . . adam was not deceaved , but the woman being deceaved , was in the transgression : it might be feared , saith p. martyr , if women were permitted to speak in the church , sathan should returne to his first wyle , and deceave the man by the woman . surely he that made use of evah , might also make use of a prophesying woman to deceave , and so much the more , because , now since the fall , both man and woman are more subject to tentation . so that both the apostles command , and the reasons of it seem plainly to exclude , even prophesying women from speaking in the church , and if they be allowed to deliver extraordinary prophesies and revelations in the church ; why not also to prophesie as other gifted members . if that which is greater be allowed them , why not that which is lesse ? and if prophetesses be excepted from the rule , cor : . . why not also other women of excellent gifts . object : . the apostle , cor. . , . speaks of prophesie as a gift in all , or most of the members of the church , and forbids it to none , but women . answ : . i have already proved from , cor : . , . and . . and . . that prophesie even in those dayes , was not a common , but a rare and singular gift . so , ibid : vers . when he saith , i would that all spake with tongues , but rather that yee prophesied ; hee intimateth that all of them did not prophesie . . when the apostle speaks by way of supposition , vers ; : but if all prophesie , this proves not that all did prophesie , neither can the very supposition bee understood universally : for if an unbeleever had come into their assembly , and heard all , and every one of them prophesying ; sure he had been so farre from being wonne thereby , that he had been more alienated from such a confusion . . that which gives greatest collour to the objection , is vers : . when yee come together every one of you hath a psalme , hath a doctrine , hath a tongue , hath a revelation , hath an interpretation : i shall freely offer my judgement concerning this text to be considered . i hold the first hint from cajetan upon the place ; it is not said , every one of you can speak a strange tongue , or can utter a revelation , &c. but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath ●… . g. every one in the church hath these things for his good and benefite , when one prophesieth , or two , or three , every one in the church hath that prophesie , the like of psalmes , tongues , &c. even as cor : . . . all things are yours , whether paul or apollo , &c. where it may bee truely added , or psalmes , or tongues , or doctrines , or revelations , or interpretations , all these are yours , all these hath christ given to the church for her good , men are said to have these things of which they have the good fruit , use , benefite , at least are allowed to have , and may have the benefite thereof , luke . they have moses and the prophets , ephes : . . and col. . . in whom we have redemption through his blood , cor. . . but we have the minde of christ ; philip. . . ye have us for an example , heb : . . we have an altar , pet. . . we have a more sure word of prophesie , and the like . and thus i understand the text now in controversie , the apostle having from the beginning of that . chap : perswaded that the gifts of tongues and prophesie might be used , not so as the men might be most admired , but so as the church might be most edified , and that not so much the gifts , as the profitable use of the gifts was to be desired , he concludeth this point , vers : . making a transition to certain canons , for order in the use of tongues and prophesie , as if he had said , if these gifts be thus improved to edifie , then although every one of you hath not the gifts of tongues , prophesie , &c. yet when yee come together , every one of you hath all these tongues , prophesies , &c. they being yours , for your good and edification . . but if our dissenting brethren will not receave this sence , ( which is quite contrarie to theirs ) . yet in this text , here , they can no more extend to all or most of the members of the church , one of these branches , then another : if all or most of them did prophesie , then all or most of them had the gift of tongues , and the interpretation of tongues , and revelations , and the ●…ift of composing psalmes , and so the same president shall bring in strange tongues , as well as prophesying , ( of which more before ) beside that of composing psalmes . i shal hardly beleeve that our dissenting brethren themselves will say , that all or most of the church of corinth had the gift of tongues . let us see then , how they will restrict the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every one of you in reference to tongues , they must allow us to make the same restruction in reference to prophesie : but if they will say at large , that all or most of the church of corinth , had the gifts of tongues , as well as that of prophesie , then they are loosers another way , by yeelding the president of the church of corinth ( in that very place upon which they build their prophesying ) to be extraordinary and miraculous . . whereas the objection saith , that all or most of them did prophesie , this addition , of most of them , is fictious and fallacious to hide weaknesse , for the text hath no such thing , but saith , every one of you : themselves dare not understand every one of you , universally , but in a restricted sence , for then prophets , and brethren should bee acciprocall , and convertible names in the epistles to the corinthians , and when 't is said , the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets , cor. . . the sence should bee no more , but equivalent ( upon the matter ) to this , the spirits of all the brethren are subject to the brethren . . wherefore , every one of you , vers : . ( if extended to prophesying ) can be no more , but every one of you prophets , even as isa : . . every one . i. e. every one of the princes ; heb : . . jesus tasted death for every man ; i. e. for every man whom the father had given him , or chosen to be redeemed , cor : . . but the manifestation of the spirit is given to every man ; i. e. that is , to every gifted man in the church , to profite withall ; ephes. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , let every one of you in particular , so love his wife ; that is , every one of you husbands , isa : . . every one is a hypocrite , that is ; every wicked person who cometh to worship before me ; luke . . doeth not each one of you on the sabbah , loose his oxe or his asse , that is , each of you who hath an ox or an asse : many other such instances might be given from scripture . . bullinger noteth out of the greek scholiast , that the apostle here , cor : . . useth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , one of you hath a psalme , another a doctrine , another a tongue , &c. beza gives us the same sence , and refers us to cor : . . which is a notable clearing of this text , for the very same phrase : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is there used : every one of you saith , i am of paul , and i of apollo , and i of cephas , and i of christ , yet every one of them did not say all this , but one said , i am of paul , another said , i am of apollo , &c. the syriak confirmeth the same sence , for cor : . . he rendereth thus : whosoever of you hath a psalme , let him say on , and he who hath a doctrine , and he who hath a revelation , and he who hath a tongue , and he who hath an interpretation : so the arabik version ( which iunius on his marginall annotations upon it here commendeth ) runnes thus . if any of you hath a kinde of psalme to say , and he that hath a doctrine , aud he that hath a revelation , and he that hath a tongue , and he that hath an interpretation , let all this be done to edifying . object : . these gifts which are required in a prophet , cor : . . . are such as men ordinarly may , and do attain by industry and study answ. . the contrary hath been clearly proved , and that wery text , vers : . proveth it ; the more strange it is , that a text which mentioneth revelation , tongues , should be cited for ordinary study and industrie . . 't is said indeed , vers : . he that prophesieth , speaketh unto men to edification , and exhortation , and comfort . what then ; did not an extraordinary prophet , an apostle , an evangelist speak unto men to edification , and exhortation , and comfort ? no man dare deny , but they did , yet this cannot prove that apostles and evangelists were not extraordinary ministers : the edification and fruit which come to the church by these prophets , is one thing , the way of revelation and inspiration by which the prophesie came , another thing : the apostle is there onely comparing two extraordinary and miraculous gifts together , tongues and prophesie : of the two , prophesie is rather to be desired , for the edifying of the church , for he that speaketh a strange tongue , cannot edifie the church , except it be interpreted , but he that prophesieth , edifieth the church by his very gift of prophesie , with lesse businesse , and without an interpreter ; this being the scope and sence of the text , it may discover the weaknesse of that ground , upon which many have supposed that the apostle means nothing by prophesie , but the ordinary gift of expounding , and applying scripture ; yea , vers : . prophesie and revelation , are at once held forth , both as edifying , and as distinct from doctrine , and revelation distinct from knowledge , must needs be taken a gift , and not to be numbred among ordinary gifts ( as iunius upon the arabike , in the place noteth ) what ever acceptions of the word , we may finde else where in scripture . object . . but the apostle bids them desire that they may prophesie , vers : . how can one desire , or pray in faith for a miraculous and extraordinary gift of the spirit . answ : . he bids them not onely desire , that they might prophesie , but that they might have other spirituall gifts , such as the gifts of tongues , so vers : . and the interpretations of tongues , and hee wishes to them all the gift of tongues , now the gift of tongues was extraordinary and miraculous , as acts . , , . they might desire both the one gift and the other , to glorifie god , and to profite withall . cor : . . yea , they might pray for it in faith for these ends , and so much the more , because mark. . . the promise is made to beleevers of that first age . and these signes shall follow them that beleeve , in my name shall they cast out devils , they shall speak with new tongues , &c. and why might not the prayer of faith obtaine the gift of prophesie , as well as recover the sick , iam : . . although neither the one nor the other might be prayed for , with that absolutenesse , and peremptorinesse of desire , as saving mercies and graces necessarie to salvation , which is intimated in part by the different phrase , noted by erasmus , and others to be used , cor : . . follow after charity , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , pursue it , or as ( the syriak ) runne after it , so follow after love , as never to be satisfied till ye overtake it , be earnest in the pursuite of it . but concerning tongues , prophesie , and the like , he addeth ; and desire spirituall gifts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word which falleth short of the other , not signifying any affecting of any thing with all our endeavour ( as the other word doth ) but only a high esteeming , valuing , admiring , wishing of a thing which , yet , if it be denyed to us , we must sit down satisfied without it . object : . but these prophets were to be judged , examined and tryed , cor : . . . therefore it seemes they were not extraordinary prophets infallibly inspired . answ : . if those who came under the name of extraordinary prophets , might not be tryed and examined , why are there so many caveats in the new testament , to beware of false prophets , mat : . . and . , . iohn . . did not the lord admit of moses his objection , that peradventure the children of israel would not beleeve him , that god had appeared unto him , and sent him , wherein god will have him to satisfie them by signes and miracles , exod. . . to vers : . are not the bereans commended , acts . . for proving and trying the doctrine of the apostles themselves by the scriptures ? . although such as had the gift of prophesie , did not , nor could not erre , so farre as they were inspired by the holy ghost in prophesying , much lesse in writing scripture , yet they might have , and some had their owne mistakes and errors in particular cases ; whereof i shall have one instance in elias , who said , he was left alone : but what saith the answere of god unto him , i have reserved to my selfe seven thousand , &c. he spake from his own spirit , when he said he was left alone , but the answer of god corrects his mistake . another instance in those prophesying disciples , acts . . who said to paul through the spirit , that he should not goe up to ierusalem . therefore foretelling and foreknowing of pauls danger at jerusalem , was from the spirit of prophesie , but the consequence they did draw from hence , that therefore paul should not go up to jerusalem . this interpreters conceave , was only from their own spirits , though they misfathered it upon the spirit of god. . 't is well observed in the english annotations upon cor. . . that although those prophesies were infused by the holy ghost , that cannot erre , yet all things are not alwayes revealed to one , and that which is not revealed to one , is oftentimes revealed to more , and sometimes in clearer manner . there might be also some thing mingled with that which the prophets receaved , and it might fall out , that that which they added of their own , by way of confirmation , illustration or application , might be justly subject to censure , wheher it must be tryed and judged by others , whether the prophesies proceed from the inspiration of the holy spirit , and according to the rule of faith , esa. . . object : . the apostle distinguisheth prophesie from ministery , rom. . , . therefore they who prophesied , were gifted persons out of office . answ : . diverse resolve that text thus , that first the apostle maketh a generall division of ecclesiasticall offices , prophesie , comprehending these that labour in the word and doctrine , ministery comprehending those that labour not in the word and doctrine , and that thereafter the apostle subdivideth prophesying into the pastorall and doctorall function : and ministery , he subdivideth into the office of the ruling elder , deacon , and the other of shewing mercy , which was committed sometimes to old men , sometimes to widows . . when i look again and again unto that text , i rather incline to understand by prophesie there , the extraordinary prophesie , and by ministery , the ordinary offices in the church . having then gifts saith the apostle , and differing according to the grace that is given to us , whether prophesie , let us prophesie according to the proportion of faith ▪ that under the colour of prophesie and revelation , wee bring nothing which is not agreeable to the rule of faith , or ministery , let us wait on ministery . if our office and administration be ordinary , let us attend it ; and not slight it , because it is ordinary . then he enlargeth this last by an enumeration of the ordinary offices in the church , pastors , teachers , ruling elders and deacons . while i am writing these things , i finde gomarus upon rom. . , . of the same opinion , that prophesie is meant here of that which is extraordinary , ministery of that which is ordinary . object . . but that text , the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets , is applyed by many presbyteriall writers , for the upholding the authority of classes , and synods , which is not a good argument of these prophets , if these prophets were extraordinary . answ. this makes the argument nothing the weaker but so much the stronger . for if prophets who were immediatly inspired , were to be subject to the examination , and judgment , ●…nd censure of other prophets , and if paul and barnabas gave an account , before the apostles and elders at jerusalem of their doctrine , so much opposed by some at antioh , acts . and if peter being accused for going in to the uncircumcised , was put to make his defence to them at jerusalem , acts . then à fortiori , it doth much more become ordinary pastors and teachers , to submit to the judgment of an assembly of pastors and teachers ; and generally as in civil justice , 't is a good and equall rule , that a man be judged per pares , so proportionably in church censures , it will hold among church officers or ministers , that they should be judged per pares , an apostle by the apostles , a prophet by the prophets , an elder by the elders . object . . iudas and stlas are called prophets , acts . . and they exhorted the church , yet they were out of office , for they are distinguished from the apostles and elders , and said to be chiefe men among the brethren , vers : . answ : . this president will carry the prophesying brethren very high , for silas is reckoned by divines to have been an evangelist , which may be collected from his travelling through so many places with paul , for spreading the gospell , acts . . act : . , . , . act. . . others think hee had a ministeriall charge at jerusalem , but the former opinion seems to be better grounded . . the word brethren and brother , does not ever note such as were out of office in the church , but 't is diverse times used , ( and so i take it here ) of such as were neither fixed as elders nor so eminent in the church as apostles , but had speci●…l and extraordinary employments , or administrations in the church , as cor : . . , cor : . . cor : . . heb : . . cor : . . pet : . . ephes : . . col : . . philem : . . from which places it is manifest , that the apostles fellow labourers in their extraordinary administrations , are often called brethren , and among these brethren , iudas and silas were chiefe men , either for the greatnesse of their gifts , or more aboundant labours . and now in the close , my advise and exhortationis unto such brethren as take upon them to preach , or prophesie , neither being nor intending to be ordained to the ministery , that they would yet take them to serious second thoughts of this businesse , and seeing that prophesying which they take for their president , hath been so clearly proved to have been extraordinary , seeing also christ hath appointed pastors and teachers for the ordinary work of the publicke teaching , edifying the church , and perfecting the saints , ephes : . . . ( which ordinance is sufficient for that end ) , those brethren should do well to improve their gifts in another way , by writing , and by occasionall exhorting , admonishing , instructing , reproving , comforting others , in that fraternall manner , which is sutable to christians out of office : if they desire any other work in the church , let them desire the pastorall office , and offer themselves to tryall in order thereunto , for as greg : nazianzen saith , orat : . christ hath appointed this order in his church , that the flocke may be one thing , pastors another thing ; and again , 't is a great businesse to teach , but it is safe and harmlesse to learn , why makest thou thy selfe a pastor , when thou art one of the flock . chap. vi. whether any other but a minister , lawfully called and ordained , may administer the sacraments , baptisme and the lords supper . the socinians and the erastian crutch-maker before mentioned , so plead against the necessity of ordination , that they held it lawfull and free to gifted persons not ordained , not onely to preach , but to administer the sacraments whether they extend this to women as well as men , i know not . peradventure they will borrow from the pagans those shee priests whom gellius out of cicero , cals antistitas , not antistites , or happilie they hold with the old pepuzians , that women may both preach and administer the sacraments , at least , if they may not speak in the church , ( because that is forbidden , cor. . . although some are so bold as to restrict that prohibition to married women , whereof they think they have some colour from the context ) that yet they may both preach and administer the sacraments in private places . and if there be no more necessary to one that preacheth or ministereth the sacraments , but onely gifts and abilities , how can they avoid to allow gifted women , as well as gifted men to performe these holy things ? but it is justly held by the reformed churches , and ordered in the directorie of worship agreed upon by both kingdoms , and mentioned also in the late confession of faith , chap : . that neither baptisme nor the lords supper may be dispensed by any , but by a minister of the word lawfullie ordained . nay ( say the soundest protestant writers ) not upon pretence of whatsoever necessitie be it among iews , turks , pagans , or to children dying , or the like . the arguments i lean to , are these . . god hath appointed the minister of the word , lawfully called and ordained , and no other to bee the stewards and dispensers of the mysteries of christ , cor : . . let a man so account of us , as of the ministers of christ , and stewards of the mysteries of god. moreover it is required of stewards , that a man be found faithfull . which the apostle doeth not onely apply to himselfe and apollo , vers : . ( where by the way it may be remembred that apollo was neither an apostle , nor evangelist , but a powerfull minister of the gospell ) and to sosthenes ( as appeareth by comparing the text new cited with cor : . . ) but he also applyeth the same to every lawfull bishop , or ordinary minister , tit. . . for a bishop must be blamelesse as the steward of god , and this steward is ordained , vers : . so luke . . who then is that faithfull and wise steward , whom his lord shall make ruler over his houshold , to give them their portion of meat in due season . 't is not christs will that any one of the houshold , who is faithfull , wise , and discreet , may take upon him the stewards office , to dispense meat to the rest . but there is a steward constituted and appointed for that purpose . there are stewards appointed in the church , which is the house of the living god , and those to continue till the coming of christ , ibid : vers : . . and there is nothing which more properly belongeth to the ecclesiasticall stewards , then the dispensation of the sacraments . . ministers lawfully called and ordained , and none other hath christ appointed to bee pastors or sheepherds , to feed the flocke of god , ier : . . eph : . . act : . . pet : . . much of this feeding consisteth in the dispensation of the sacraments . and hee who hath appointed this food to be receaved by some , hath also appointed to be given , and administred by others . surely hee who is so much displeased with pastors , who feed themselves and not the flocke , will not be well pleased with the flocke which will be their owne feeders onely , and will not be fed by the pastor . grotius had an extravagant notion of communicating , where there are no sacramentall elements , or where there are no pastors to administer , yet although he went too farre , those against whom i now argue , doe farre outreach him , for where there are both elements and pastors to administer , they hold there may be a sacrament without any pastor ; yea , this socinian and anabaptisticall way , takes away the very distinction of pastor and flocke in the church , as if any of the sheep were to feed the sheepherd , as well as he them . . ezekiels vision concerning the new temple , is generally acknowledged to bee an evangelicall prophesie , which i have also else where demonstrate by infallible reasons : but i conceave the sectaries of this time , who cry downe the ministery and ordination , doe not nor will not deny it . sure i am such a materiall temple as is described in that vision , never yet was . now among other things , it is there prophesied concerning the ministers of the gospell , ezek : . . they shall enter into my sanctuarie , and they shall come near unto my table to minister unto me ; and they shall keep my charge . whereof we can make no gospell sence , except it belong to the charge of ministers , lawfully called and entered into that work , to administer the sacraments , and namelie that of the lords supper at his table . these ministers are also in that chapter plainly distinguished from the people , or children of israel , vers : . , , , . . the sacraments are seals of the righteousnesse of faith , or covenant of grace , as divines commonly speak , borrowing the phrase from rom : . . this truely hath been justly accounted so necessary , that both the houses of parliament after consultation , had with the assemblie of divines , did by the ordinance dated , octob : . . appoint that who ever doth not know that the sacraments are seals of the covenant of grace , shall not be admitted to the lords-supper , but shall be suspended from it , as an ignorant person . now if it were an intolerable usurpation among men , if a privat person should take the broad seal of the kingdome , and append it to such signatures as he thinks good ; yea , ( put case ) to these signatures onely , whereunto it is to be , and ought to be put by those who are intrusted with the keeping of it : now much more were it a provoking sinne , and usurpation against jesus christ ( who is jealous of his glory , and tender of his ordinances ) to make bold with his seals , without being called , and appointed thereunto . . christ gives a commission to the apostles , to teach , and baptize , and extends the same commission to all teaching ministers , to the end of the world , mat : . . . from which place 't is plaine ; . that jesus christ would have the distinction of teachers and taught : baptizers and baptized to have place in the church alway , even unto the end . . that the commission to teach and baptize , was not given to all who beleeve in jesus christ , but to some onely . . that these some who receaved this commission , are not only the apostles , but ordinary ministers , as is manifested by the explaining of the commission , and promise to the end of the world . . christ hath distinguished between magistracy and ministery , between civil and sacred vocations , mat : . . mat : . . &c. . , &c : . . ioh : . . rom : . . . tim : . . pet : . , . compared with rom : . , , . cor : . . eph : . . thes : . . heb : . , . so that as ministers may not assume civil dignities and administrations , nor exercise seculare power , luke . . &c. . . . ioh : . . cor : . . tim : . . it is no lesse contrary to the ordinance of christ , that magistrates ( or any other civil persons ) stretch themselves beyond their lyne , and get ( with pompey ) into the holy of holies , or with vzziah to the burning of incense , in both which examples , such intrusion was examplarily punished . as it may be said to a secularized minister , who made thee a judge , or a civil magistrate ? so it may be said , to a ministerialized civil person , who made thee a dispenser of the word and sacraments ? . wee have cleare and convincing examples in the new testament , that the sacraments were administred by publicke ministers , called and appointed thereunto , as baptisme by iohn , ( ioh : . . he hath sent me to baptize ) and frequently by the apostles in the story of the acts. the lords supper administred by christ himself , ( whose example in things imitable we are bidden follow , who also himselfe then commanded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , this doe ) . and by the apostle paul , acts . , . so the breaking of bread is joyned with the apostles doctrine and fellowship , acts . . ministers being also called the stewards and dispensers of the mysteries of god , where of before : so that a lawfull minister may in faith administer , and the receavers receave from him in faith the sacraments , having scripture warrands for so doing . but there is neither any commission from christ , to such as are no church officers , to administer the sacraments : nor can there any cleare example be found in the new testament , of administering either the one sacrament or the other , by any person who can be proved , not to have been a minister lawfully called & ordained . therefore such persons cannot in faith administer , nor others in faith receave from them , either baptisme or the lords supper . . that one text , eph : . . , . is enough to put to silence these gainsayers . and hee gave some apostles , and some prophets , and some evangelists , and some pastors and teachers , for the perfecting of the saincts , for the work of the ministery , for the edifying the body of christ , till wee all come , &c. is not the administration of the sacraments a part of the perfecting of the saints , of the work of the ministrie , of the edifying of the body of christ ? and are we not told that this shall continue till the whole number of the elect be fulfilled ? and whom hath christ given here to his church for this work ? hath he given any other but pastors and teachers ( setting aside the extraordinary officers ) and who are the pastors and teachers appointed hereunto ? all , or whosoever will ? nay not all , but some , saith the text. chap. vii . of prophets and evangelists , in what sense their work and vocation might be called extraordinary ; and in what sense ordinary . this question appeareth to be very perplexed and thornie , yet i am led upon it both by the contraversies of the times , concerning the necessity of mission and ordination unto all ministers of holy things , and likewise by occasion of that which is maintained by some men of learning that there are still or may be evangelists in the church . calvin holds indeed that in that age of his , god raised up evangelists to rescue the church from popery instit lib. . cap. . § . and mr. hooker in his ecclesiasticall policie , lib. . sect : . tels us out of eusebius eccles : hist : lib. . cap : . that in trajans dayes many of the apostles disciples and scholers who were then alive , sold their possessions , which they gave to the poor , and betaking themselves to travel , undertook the labour of evangelists , that is , they painfully preached christ , and delivered to them who as yet never heard the doctrine of faith. concerning prophets , i have before shewed out of iustine martyr dial : cum tryph : iud. that in his dayes there were still some in the church , who had an extraordinary gift of prophesie , and such there have been also in other places , and at other times . of which there might be diverse instances given , i shall here speak somewhat , first of the work of prophets and evangelists . their work and administration , i conceave to be partly ordinarie , partly extraordinarie . ordinarie , because the higher degrees . eph. . . are comprehensive of the lower , not contrariwise , a pastor doth the work of a teacher , an evangelist doth the work of a pastor and teacher , a prophet doth the work of an evangelist , pastor and teacher , an apostle the work of all those , which i have also before touched , following chrysostome , and mr. bayne . prophets and evangelists edifie the church by preaching as well as ordinary pastors , cor. . . eph. . . . tim. . . . from which scriptures and others of that sort , as tit. . . tim. . . some have collected that evangelists had a fixed charge in some cer●…aine church , which they attended and took the oversight thereof for the work of the ministerie al 's often , and al 's long as other pressing and publick occasions of the church could permit . see zeperus de polit : eccl : lib : . cap : . aret : probl : theol : loc : . i say again the work of prophets and evangelists was extraordinarie , for the distinguishing or characteristicall propertie of a prophet , i. e. the outmost he could do , which the ordinary officers could not do , nor any other , but an apostle , is the opening of great secrets or foreshewing things to come , by the speciall and extraordinarie inspiration of the holy ghost . their verie name intimateth so much for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 come from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i foretell . according to which sense of the word , all these were called prophets of old , who foretold things to come , as magitians , astrologians , prognosticators , nativitie or figure-casters , &c. see olivarius de prophetia pag : . . the priests and interpreters of the oracles were also called prophets , and the apostle tit : . . calls epimenides a prophet of the cretians , qui quasi praesenserit futura , saith erasmus . as likewise saith he , because that book of epimenides out of which that verse is cited hath its title 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de oraculis . but in the church notion of the word which the fathers took from scripture : prophecy is a prediction of things to come from a special inspiration of the holy ghost . but what is the distinguishing work and characteristicall property of an evangelist , i. e. that which an ordinary pastor and teacher might not do , and which none else could do but an apostle or a prophet ? that i may speak to this more clearly , 't is to be remembred , that the word evangelist is not heere taken in that restricted vulgar sense , for a pen-man of the holy ghost writing gospell ; for in that sense there were but foure evangelists , and two of them apostles . but this is not the scripture notion of the word , which tels us that philip and timothie were evangelists , act. . . tim. . . and that christ hath given evangelists to his church for the work of the ministery . eph. . , . now if we take the word as the scripture doth , the proper work of an evangelist i. e. that which none but an evangelist as an evangelist , or he who was more then an evangelist could do , i conceave to stand in two things : the first is , to lay foundations of churches , and to preach christ to an unbelieving people , who have not yet recieved the gospell , or at least who have not the true doctrine of christ among them . so philip the evangelist preached christ to the citie of samaria , and baptized them before any of the apostles came unto them . act. . . . and if the disciples luk were evangelists ( as many think , and calvin instit : lib : . cap : . . thinks it probable ) their proper work as evangelists , was to preach the gospel to those cities which had not received it . their second work is a traveling and negotiating as messengers and agents upon extraordinary occasions , and speciall emergencies which is oft times between one church and another , and so distinct from the first which is a traveling among them that are yet without . of this second there are diverse examples in scripture , as cor. . . phil : . . . tim : . . tit : act : . in this last example , although some are of opinion that silas was of jerusalem , and had an ordinary ministeriall function there , yet the best writers do commonly reckon silas among the evangelists , and i do not doubt but as he was a prophet , act. . . so also an evangelist , which may appeare by his traveling through many places , in the work of preaching the gospel , sometimes with paul , as his fellow labourer and helper : act &c. . . . sometimes with timothy , act : . . . & . now when i call these works and administrations of prophets and evangelists extraordinary , my meaning is not , that they are altogether and every way extraordinary even as apostleship . for i dare not say that since the dayes of the apostles there hath never been , or that to the end of the world there shall never be any raised up by god with such gifts , and for such administrations , as i have now described to be proper to prophets and evangelists , i. e : the fore telling of things to come , the traveling among unbelievers to convert them by the preaching of the gospell , and between one church and another , upon extraordinary errands . but i call the work of prophets and evangelists extraordinary in calvins sense ( expressed by him in the place before cited ) i. e. it is not ordinary like that of pastors and teachers , which hath place constantly in the best constituted and setled churches . shortly , i take the word extraordinary here , not for that which ceased with the first age of the christian church , but for that which is not , neither needeth to be ordinary . and so much of their work : as for the vocation of prophets and evangelists , . i cannot passe without an animadversion , a passage in mr. hookers ecclesiasticall policie . lib : sect : . where he will not have the prophets mentioned , cor. . to be reckoned with those whom he calleth ( after the then common idiome ) the clergy , because no mans gifts or qualities can make him a minister of holy things , unlesse ordination do give him power ; and we no where finde prophets to have been made by ordination . if we shall take the word prophets so largely as to comprehend all who have any gift of prophesie , and so prophetesses also , i shall not contend against that which he saith , but if we shall understand that the apostle in that place doth enumerat not only diversities of gifts , but diversities of administrations , which god hath appointed in the church ( and this may easily appeare by comparing v. . with v. . . ) and so take prophesie for an administration or service in the church al 's well as a gift ; surely it was not without a mission or vocation thereunto . for as they were extraordinary ministers , so they had an extraordinary mission or ordination al 's well as the apostles , luke . . christ saith , i will send them prophets and apostles , and cor : . god hath set or appointed prophets in the church . yea as their work was partly ordinary and common to pastors and teachers , so a prophet was examined and allowed by an assembly of prophets , as well as an elder by an assembly of elders , which i gather from cor : . and the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets . touching the vocation of an evangelist , the author of the queries concerning ordination , quest . . to elude our argument for the standing ordinance of christ , for ordination of ministers drawne from tim. . . answereth among other things , that timothy being an evangelist , and evangelists being ( by common consent ) extraordinary by calling , he had no need to passe through the common doore of ordination . the extraordinarinesse of evangelists is not so much without controversie , as he would bear his reader in hand , as may appear by what i have but now said : neither can he prove that at that time , when the presbytery laid hands on timothy , he was even then an evangelist or more then a presbyter . however this i will say , that as the work , so also the vocation of evangelists , was partly extraordinary and partly ordinary , and as there may be still occasion for some of their extraordinary work , so there ought to be a speciall mission and vocation thereunto , not only inwardly from the spirit of gods stirring up unto and en●…bling for the work , but outwardly also and orderly in the church the disciples were ordained by christ himself , luke . . the lord appointed other seventy also , and sent them two and two . an angell of the lord spake unto philip and called him from one place to another , acts . . the apostle paul sent epaphroditus and resolved to send timothie to the church of the philippians , phil : . . . these are examples of extraordinary mission , such i mean as ceased with that age , none being now immediatly sent by christ or his apostles . but there are other examples of a mission or calling to somewhat of the proper work of evangelists , which are not to be restricted to that age only ; for they who were agents and did travell and negotiat in the great and speciall affaires of the church , had a speciall delegation and orderly call thereunto . so i understand that of the messengers of the churches , cor : . . and epaphroditus being sent from the church of philippians to paul , is called there apostle or messenger . phil ▪ . . so iudas and silas who went out for the setlement of the distracted churches , had a speciall commission and delegation thereunto from the synod of the apostles and elders . 't is therefore most agreeable to the primitive pattern , that where synods or at least classes may be had , and are not by persecution scattered or hindred to meet , such as undertake either to goe & preach the gospel to infidels , papists , turks or the like , or go about any negotiation abroad in any common bussines of the church ought to be approved , and authorized by a nationall synod , or ( when that cannot be had , & if there be withal great danger in the delay ) by a provinciall synod , or at least , ( where this cannot he had ) by a classis . chap. viii . that the primitive apostolicall pattern holdeth forth unto us for our imitation , a presbyterie . i. e. an assembly of elders , having power of ordination , with laying on of hands . this i gather from . tim : . . neglect not the gift that is in thee , which was given thee by prophesie , with the laying on of the hands of the presbyterie , i have already evinced from this text , the necessity of ordination . let us now see , whether it doth not also shew us the right hands , unto which christ hath committed this power . it is a text most miserably darkened and obscured by controversall glosses , put upon it by popish and prelaticall writers : some would have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here to bee a company of bishops , who were both elders , and more then elders as they hold . this interpretation had so little probability of reason to strengthen it , that it was abandoned by some of the ablest friends of episcopacy ; camero : praelect : in mat : . . dr. forbesse irenic : lib. . cap : . pag : . and why should wee understand by presbyterie , a company of bishops , when it is yeelded even by writers of that side , that in these cities where the apostles planted the gospel , there was collegium presbyterorum , a colledge or company of presbyters . so mr. thorndike , of the government of churches , cap. . the author of the history of episcopacy , part : . pag : . &c. both of them in this following hooker . it was also acknowledged by them , that this colledge of presbyters did together with the apostles lay on hands in ordination , thereby contributing their blessing and assisting with their prayers , whence ( as was alledged ) came the custome of the presbyters , their laying on of hands in the ordination , together with the bishop , conc : carthag : . can : . so that even themselves say as much as may make us understand by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this text , concessus presbyterorum as camero cals it . the footsteps of ordination by presbyteries might be seen , not onely in that canon of carthage , but in the canon law it self , which appointeth the same thing , dist : . cap : . both ambrose in ephes : . and augustine in quaest : ex utroque test ▪ . . bear witnesse that presbyters did ordaine in egypt , when a bishop was not present , dr. forbesse irenie : lib : . pag. . citeth out of panormitan , olim presbyteri in communi regebant ecclesiam & ordinabant sacerdotes . there is another glosse which the erastians ( who love not the name of presbytery , with any power at all jure divino ) are glad to take hold off . 't is that which bilson , stutlivius and other episcopall writers made use of , distrusting ( as it should seeme ) that other interpretation last mentioned : and they had it from bellarmine , and some popish expositors . see gorranus upon the place : i confesse it was also one of calvins few ( for they were but very few ) mistakes , and 't is diligently catcht at by those who set at nought calvins judgement in other things . but quandoque dormitat homerus . i think it worth the while to examine this glosse . and i shall offer these reasons following , to make it appeare that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not here the office of an elder , but the assembly of elders , commonly called the presbytery . . the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is no where used by the holy ghost , for the office it self , or degree of an elder : but 't is used in two other places in the new testament , for an assembly or counsell of elders , luke . . acts . . in which places arias montanus ▪ rendereth it by senatus . beza in the first of these places , retaineth the word presbyterium . in the other place , both his version and the tigurine hath totus seniorum ordo . but the old english translation , readeth the company of elders . however both places are clearly meaned of the company of elders , not of the office it selfe , for the office of elders could not meet together , as in that place of luke : neither could the office of elders bear witnesse to paul , as in that place of the acts. mr. selden in his upon ebraica , lib : . cap : . understands the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in both these places to be used by luke , for the great sanhedrin , the highest assembly of elders . now then , why shall we not understand the same word , tim : . . to be the assembly , not the office it selfe of elders . and i shall aske those who think the apostle means the office of elders , upon what imaginable ground can they conceave that this is the apostles meaning , or how come they to divine this thing , or how could the apostles words be understood in that sense ? the holy gh●…st never useth the word in that sence . the septuagint never use the word in that sense , for they use it not at all . no greek author that lived before paul , can be found to have used the word in that sense , for the word it self is not found in heathen writers . i finde onely one place where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is conceaved to be used for the office of an elder . and that is in the apocrypha story of susanna vers : . but h : stephanus , tom : . pag : . makes a doubt whether it should not bee written in that signification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and suppose it be to be read there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , yet that geek is not so old as paul , for it is ascribed to theodotio , as mr. seldon tells us in that place last cited out of him . yea , the jesuits of the english colledge of doway in their bible acknowledge , that this story is translated out of theodotions edition , and this is the oldest originall which they can alledge for it . and besides this it may be understood of the assembly of elders , when the elders say to daniel , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which those jesuits of doway render thus , because god hath given thee the honour of old age . others the honour of an elder , or an ancient . but i know no reason why the word may not here signifie there assembly of elders . god hath given thee the assembly of elders , that is , god hath given thee thy petition , and thy desire , which was the meeting again of the assembly of elders , as is plaine by the verses preceeding : even as god gave to his praying children this present parliament , . if the apostle had meant to expresse the dignity or degree of an elder , hee would rather have used the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which greek writers use pro senum honore vel dignitate , then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is not used in that sence . . and if he had meant to stirre up timothy from the honour or dignity of that office and degree , which was conferred upon him he had rather mentioned the degree of an evangelist , than of an elder . even as he saith to him else where , doe the work of an evangelist . . the very popish interpreters are forced to confesse that the apostle means an assembly of elders , plurium presbyterorum , saith mariana : caetus presbyterorum , saith salmeron ▪ esthius upon the place noteth , that imposition of hands , was à pluribus adhibita , according to that canon of carthage . hugo cardinalis , noteth here the great honour of presbyters , that three of them at least , laid on hands in ordination . wherefore i can see no sense which can agree to the text , but that which is the ordinary and known sense of the word ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is an assembly of elders . in which sense it is also frequently used by ancient writers , whereof , he that will , may read good store of examples in d. blondelli apollogia pro sententia hieronymi . pag : . it hath been objected by some , that tim : . . holds forth no president for ordinary presbyteries , because . here is mention of prophesie which was an extraordinary thing , . timothy , was ordained by the laying on of the apostle paul his hands , . tim : . . lastly timothy was an evangelist , and how could a presbyter ordain an evangelist ? answ : . those very things which are objected , to depresse the presbyterie , doe put upon it so much the more aboundant honour . altho prophesies had gone before concerning timothy , and some extraordinar predictions , tim : . . altho likewise the apostle paul himself is supposed to have been present , and to have laid on hands at the sametime , yet neither the extraordinary prophesies , nor the laying on of the hands of an apostle , did swallow up , take away or hinder the ordinary power and right of the presbyterie , to be acted and put forth in the ordaining of timothy , or did exempt timothy from entring by that ordinary doore , and passage , through those ordinary hands of the presbytery . . 't is not certaine , that either the propheticall predictions concerning timothy , ( which the apostle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , praegress as , or quae praecesserunt ) or the laying on of pauls hands , was at the same time with the laying on of the hands of the presbyterie . but whether these things were done together , or at severall times , 't is very observable , that to these the apostle prefixeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by , but to the laying on of the hands of the presbyterie , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with , tim : . . that thou stirre up the gift which is in thee , by the putting on of my hands . tim : . . the gift which was given thee by prophesie : then he addeth with ( not by ) the laying on of the hands of the presbyterie : by this change of the phrase on purpose intimating , that the prophesie and laying on of pauls hands , were things extraordinary , because by these the gift , aptitude , and ability of parts , or the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was given to timothy , but the laying on of the hands of the presbyterie , was according to the ordinary rule then and there setled , being a rite used in ordination , so that timothy had not by the act of the presbyterie , any gift or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a potestative , authoritative ministeriall mission ( for to what other use or end could there bee a laying on of the hands of the presbyterie ? ) therefore athanasius in apologia ad imper : constantium citing this text , and applying it to ordinary ministers , he lives out that part concerning prophesie , and the rest of the text he applies thus , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the apostle paul hath commanded each one of us in his disciple , saying , neglect not the gift that is in thee , which was given unto thee with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery . . if it be said that the laying on of the hands of the presbytery was onely to shew their consent , and joyning in prayer , and hearty wishes with the apostle for timothy : the answer is ready ; let these who alledge this shew us from scripture , where laying on of hands was ever used , for a bare testimony of consent , or of joynt prayers and wishes . i know imposition of hands hath been used in prayers , of blessing , or benediction by such as had a speciall power , authority and priviledge , as gen : . iacob when hee blessed the sonnes of ioseph , laid his hands upon them , but we read not that ioseph , or any other , whose heart joyned in prayer and hearty wishes for them , did therefore lay on hands together with iacob , mat. . . mark : . . when christ blessed the little children , he laid his hands upon them : but will any man imagine , that they who brought the children to be blessed by him , did together with him lay their hands upon them ? and generally if we consider the use of laying on hands in scripture , wee must conclude that the laying on of the hands of the presbytery , was an authoritative act , not a testimony of consenting and joyning onely . . 't is thought by some episcopall writers , that timothy was twise ordained , first to be a presbyter , and after to bee a bishop . see the history of episcopacy , pag , . i should rather say , peradventure he was first ordained a presbyter , by the presbyterie . and after ordained an evangelist by the apostle paul. however the presbyteries act needs to be extended no further , but to the ordaining him a presbyter , what was more , ( viz. ordination to the office of an evangelist , ) might proceed from the apostle : i mean , suppose he was ordained once , both presbyter and evangelist , and that both the apostle , and presbyter did lay on their hands together , in this mixed action , we may very well distinguish what was ordinary , what was extraordinary , ascribing that to the presbytery , this to the apostle . . and if the presbyterie had ordained , and sent forth timothy as an evangelist , what inconsistency , or absurdity had been in it ? you will object the lesse is blessed of the greater , and not the greater of the lesse , heb : . . i answer , although timothy as an evangelist , was greater then a single presbyter , yet that proves not , that he was ( even in that capacity , ) greater then the whole presbytery , one of the house of lords , is greater then one of the house of commons , but he is not therefore greater then the house of commons . when a king and his people is compared together , we use to say , that he is major singulis , minor universis . moreover , he that blesseth , is not every way greater then he who is blessed , but he is greater qua talis , in so far as he blesseth . and why might not the presbytery be greater then an evangelist , not simply and absolutly , but in so farre as they blessed and ordained him . so ananias put his hands upon paul , acts . . and afterwards certain prophets and teachers at anti●…ch laid hands on him , and barnabas , acts . , . and in so farre there was a majority and preeminence in those who laid on their hands though simply and absolutly they were the greater , on whom the hands were laid . this takes off some of the chief exceptions brought by the author of the queries concerning ordination , quest : . which done , his other exceptions are the more easily mastered . he himself passeth from one of ●…hem , as not being very considerable , viz. that presbyterie there is used to signifie not a company of elders , but the ordinance or office it self . of which before . there are but two other answers of his . one is that timothy being an evangelist had no need to passe through the common door of ordination . of which hereafter . the other is a conjecture of his own , which if it be a light , i confesse it is a new light . it seemes more probable ( saith he ) be farre that when paul on●…imothy ●…imothy , tim : . . there were some other apostles , or apostles fellowes that joyned with him in that action . and that apostles should be called presb●…ters or elders , and a company of them a presbytery or eldership , is an expression consonant to other scriptures where the appellation of elder is attributed unto them , pet : . . epist : ioh : . &c. epist : . ans : in the last two scriptures which he citeth , the word elder is a name of age not of office , and we are to understand , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in those places to be only a degree more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : epist , to philemon . v. . paul the aged , so iohn the elder . i. e. now full of yeares and very old . for which reason also some have noted that frequently in his first epistle he useth this compellation , my li●…le children . . peter indeed speaketh of himself as one of the elders by office , wherein we ought rath●…r to observe his humility , condescension , and prudent insinuation , then make any such use of it as this querist doth . it had been more for his purpose if another had said it of peter , and not he of himself . for as o●…cumenius upon the place te●…s us , peter cals himself so for modesties cause , and the better to enforce the following exhortation , that the elders should not lift up themselves above others , as he did not lift up himself above them . sure apostles and elders were ordinarly distinguishing names , as it is manifest from act. . . . . : . why then would the querist leave the ordinary scripture notion of the word , elder , and ground his own interpretation of the word presbyterie , upon peters calling himself an elder : he might al 's well argue , that the believing romans who are called the servants of god , rom : . . or these believing strangers who have the same name , pet : . . were apostles , and that we are to understand by the servants of god in these texts , apostles , because tit : . . the apostle paul calleth himself a servant of god. by the like logick he may argue that the ordaining of elders , act : . . tit : . is meant of ordaining apostles , because the scripture calls the apostles elders . . peter calls not himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , an elder , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the sense of the word is explained two wayes , both are mentioned by h. stephanus in thes : ling : gr : tom : , pag : . and both of them make against that which this querist drives at . first the sense is conceived to be this , qui sum & ipse presbyter : so the tigurine , who am also an elder so the english ●…ranslators . now the text running thus , the elders who are among you i exhort , who am also an elder , i. e. i who give this exhortation unto you elders , as i am an apostle , so my apostleship doth not exclude me from being one of you , for i am also an elder : thus ( i say ) this very text makes against the querist , for even here we see that they who were commonly called elders , were not apostles . but there is a second sense , which maks yet more against the querist : for h. stephanus expresseth the sense of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus , qu●… & ipse è seniorum & presbyterorum collegio est , he who is of the assembly or colledge of elders commonly called the presbytery : hierome did happily intend the same thing by the word compresbyter . and likewise beza by his rendering ego una presbyter , i. e. i who am together with you a presbyter , or you and i being presbyters all of us together . and so the text may be red thus , the elders who are among you i exhort , who am also of your presbyteries . there were presbyteries among them , or assemblies of elders properly so called , and of these presbyteries peter was also a member , and when he was present in any of the presbyteries in pontus , gallacia , capadocia , asia , a●…d ●…ythinia , he joyned and acted as an elder , and as in a presbytery . this sense i preferre to the other . for if he had intended no more but to tell them that he also was an elder , i should think he wold have chosen another & plainer expression as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the elders who are among you i exhort , for i also am an elder . or thus , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the elders who are among you i exhort , as being my self also an elder . or thus , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; the elders who are among you i exhort , i my self also being an elder . but now when he purposely chooseth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , he intimateth somewhat more then that he was an elder . viz : that he was presbyterated together with them , as being also of their presbyteries , or assemblies of elders . words of the like composition in the greek tongue , may help to give us light in this particular , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which pollux useth for contubernalis , is not simply , he who is also a guest , or who is also a companion but he who is a guest in the same inne , or a chamber fellow ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not any who ever he be , that doth also lodge , live , & eat , but he who liveth together & eateth together : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , may not be rendered , he who is also an ambassadour , but he who is a collegue in the same embassy , ●…ollega in legatione . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not simply he who also is a witnes ( for then he who is a thousand miles off being witnes in another cause is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) but he who bears witnesse together in the same thing , or he who joyneth in the same testimony , as rom : . pollux hath also , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , qui est ejus dē decuriae , not he who is also of a band or company , but he who is of the same band or company , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is not he who is also a disciple , ( for then a scholler among our antipodes is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) but a condisciple in the same schoole . and if we speak properly we will not call every minister of holy things , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , symmista , but he who is our collegue , or associat or a minister of our owne company . so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 h. stephanus well explaineth complures simul collecti , non sigillarim , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not used for a counsell which is also taken , but for a counsel taken joyntly or together . many like instances might be given both in the greek , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and such like ; and likewise in the latine , compotator , compransor , combennones , commolitor , commurmuratio , compatior , competitor , compingo , comp●…icatio , comploratio , compossessor , compromitto , comprovincialis , concivis , concriminatio , concolor condiscipulus , confabulatio , confaederatio , congener , congerminalis , congenitus , c●…ngerminasco , conjubilatio , conjurati , connutritus , conservus , consedeo , consocer , consorbio , conterraneus , contemporaneus , contribulis , convelificor , converberatus , conviv●… , convictus , and i know not how many more of that kinde , in which words the preposition cannot be rendered by also , but by together in the same thing joyntly or of the same : and now i hope it may appear that the scripture , objected by the querist doth not hurt but help the presbytery . suppose the presbytery , tim : . . to be an assembly of apostles , as the querist would have it , what shall he gaine thereby ? for the name presbyterie being purposely chosen in this text , which mentions laying on of hands in ordination , will prove that the apostles did these as elders , and as an act of one assembly of elders , not as any thing peculiar to the apostles . for no rationall man will imagine , that the holy ghost intending to expresse some extraordinary thing , which the apostles did as apostles , and which belongs not to ordinary elders , would in that very thing purposely call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or an assembly of elders . . that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is not an assembly of apostles , but of elders who were not apostles may appear plainly by comparing the text now in controversie with tim : . . the gift of god which is in thee by the putting on of my hands . if an assembly of apostles had laid hands on timothy , and so joyned in that action with paul , as the querist supposeth , paul had not thus distinguished his laying on of hands , from that of his fellow apostles , as if the gifts of the holy ghost had been given to timothy only by the laying of his hands , and not by , but with the laying on of the hands of his fellow apostles ▪ of this difference of the phrase in the one text and in the other , i have spoken before , which indeed fitly expresseth the difference betwixt the laying of pauls hands , and the laying on of the elders hands , but there could be no such difference among the apostles themselves , or apostles fellowes . but i have not yet done with the vindication and clearing of this text , which holds forth a president for ordination by a presbytery . it may bee further objected , . if this text must be understood of ordination by a presbytery , then the laying on of the hands of the presbytery is necessary to ordination ; and then , what shall become of th●…se who were not ordained by a pressbytery ; and what shall also become of that which so many protestant writers have pleaded against the popish sacrament of orders : viz. that the rite or signe in ordination , i.e. imposition of hands , is not instituted or commanded by christ or his apostles ? to the first i answer , . although i hold the imposition of the hands of the presbytery to be no sacrament , nor efficacious and operative for giving of the holy ghost , as the laying on of the apostles hands was : nor , . necessary to ordination , necessitate medii vel finis , as if ordination were void and no ordination without it , or as if they who were not ordained with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery , were therefore ●…o be thought unordained , or unministeriated : although likewise . i do not hold the laying on of hands to be the substantiall part or act of ordination ( which i have before prooved to be essentiall to the calling of a minister ) but only the rituall part in ordination . and although , . i hold the laying on of hands to be such a rite , whereunto we ought to be very sparing to ascribe mysterious significations , wherein some have gone too farre , and taken too much liberty , yet i hold ( with the generality of prot●…stant writers , and with the best refo●…med churches ) that the laying on of hands is to be still retained in ordination . i hold also that this laying on of hands is an ordinance of the new testament ( and so do our dissenting brethren of the independent way hold also ) and that 't is necessary by the necessity of precept , and institution , and in point of duety . for although there is no certain precept extant , concerning laying on of hands , yet because we see the apostles did alwayes use it , their so ac●…urat observing of it ought to be unto us in stead of a precept , ●…aith calvin instit. lib : . cap : , § . for the examples of the apostles or apostolike churches , in approved things which have a standing reas●…n , are binding , and in stead of institutions . the laying on of the hands of the apostles in so far as the holy ghost was given thereby , was extraordinary , and ceased with themselves , yet in so far as the apostles , yea and the presbytery too , laid on hands in their ordaining of ministers , there is a standing reason why we should do in like maner : the laying on of hands being a rite properly belonging to the praying over these whom we blesse in the name of the lord , with an authoritative benediction , as is manifest by these examples of laying on of hands , in iacobs blessing of ephraim and manasseh . gen : . and in christs blessing and praying over the little children , mat : . . mark : . looking thus upon laying on of hands ; . as a rite in blessing and prayer over ; . as a rite for publik designation and so emne setting apart of such a person ; and if you will , . as a rite of giving up , dedicating and offering unto the lord , of which use of laying on hands there are diverse examples in the books of moses : in these respects and under these considerations we use laying on of hands in ordination , and ought to do so in regard of the primitive pattern . wallaeus tom : . pag. . thinks that the negative precept . . tim : . . lay hands suddenly ●…n no man , doth also containe an affirmative , to lay hands upon such as are worthy and approved . chap. ix . what is meant in scripture by the word heresies , and how we are to understand , that there must be heresies , for making manifest the the godlie parti●… or these that are approved . cor : . . for there must be also heresies among you , saith the apostle , that they which are approved may be made manifest among you , or as others read , that they which are approved among you may be manifest . by heresies here some understand no more but divisions and sects , and conceave that heresies in point of opinion or doctrine , are not here meant . so chrysostome , erasmus and others . if so , then the very divisions and sects , will make a discovery who are approved , who not , before it come to hereticall opinions , i. e. sectaries are not approved , and these who are indeed approved , are none of theirs , but keep themselves unspotted , and free from them . so tit. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendered in the tigurin bible , sectarum authorem , and in the margin f●…ctiosum , i. e. a man that is an author of sects ( or factions ) after the first and second admonition , reject , and cor : . they read , opportet enim & sectas in vobis esse . sometimes the word , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken in the new testament for a sect , yet ( to note that by the way ) onely for such a sect , as either was indeed , or was esteemed to be of some hereticall opinion , as act. . . and . . and . . and . . and . . the apostle hath the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , twise in his epistles , and in both places he makes some difference , and distinction between heresies , and divisions , or strifes and variance , cor : . , . gal : . . for every division , strife , or variance , is not heresie . therefore in the text which i now speak to , i understand heresie to be some what more then division . the arabick cor : . . that is in the greek , and our translations , cor : . . repeateth the word schismes out of the precedent vers : & addeth moreover the word heresies , reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; for there most arise schismes and heresies among you , that these of you who are godly may be known : it seems that they who understand , only divisions to be meant by the word heresies , do not observe the rising of the apostles speach , for after he hath spoken of their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or schismatical divisions contrary to the rule of love ; he addeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. for there must bee also heresies among you . i partly beleeve it , saith he , that there are divisions among you , for there must be , not onely schismes , but worse then that , there must bee heresies also ! if you aske now , what is heresie ? i shall without any implicit following of writers , ground my answer on scripture it self . and i answer first negativelie , then positively . negatively , . heresie is neither to be so farre taken at large , as to bee extended to every error , which may be confuted by scripture , although happily such an error be too tenaciously maintained . nor yet is it to be so farre restricted , as that no error shall be accounted hereticall , but that which is destructive to some fundamentall article of the christian faith , if by a fundamentall article , you understand such a truth without the knowledge and faith whereof , 't is impossible to get salvation . when peter martyr defines heresie , he makes no mention of a fundamentall error , but of an error contrarie to the scriptures , loc : com . class : . cap : . § . so calvin : instit : lib : . cap : . § . understands all such to be heretiks , as make a breach in the church by false doctrines . walaeus , tom : . pag : . saith , hereticall churches do either erre in the foundation , or onlie in some other things built upon the foundation . when peter speaks of such heresies , as take away the very foundation , iesus christ , he thinks it too little to call them simple heresies , but he cals these damnable heresies . but if you understand by fundamentall truths , all the chief and substantiall principles ( i do not mean onely the first rudiments , or a , b , c , of a catechisme , which we first of all put to new beginners , but i mean all such truths as are commonly put in the confessions of faith , and in the more full and large catechismes of the reformed churches , or all such truths , as all and every one who live in a true christian reformed church , are commanded , and required to learn and know , as they exspect in the ordinary dispensation of god to be saved , ) in this sense , i may yeeld that heresie is alwayes contrary to some fundamentall truth . 't is one thing to dispute of the absolute soveraigne power of god , and what are the truths , without the beleif whereof 't is absolutly , and altogether impossible that one can be saved : which question ( i doubt ) is hardly determinable by scripture , nor do i know what edification there is in the canvassing of it ▪ sure i am 't is a question much abused . 't is another thing to dispute what are these truths , which in a church where the gospell is truely preached , all and every one , ( come to years of knowledge and discretion ) and having means and occasions to learne , are bound to know , ( and according to the revealed will and ordinary dispensation of god ) must learne , as they desire or exspect to have a true fellowship with christ in the sacrament of the lords supper , or to bee accepted of god , and saved eternally : . we must not think that no man is a heretick , but he who is consistorially or judicially admonished , and thereafter continueth pertinaciously in his error . for where 't is said tit : . a man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition , reject : 't is intimated that he is an heretick before such admonition . positively , i concieve that these six things doe concurre to make a heresie . . t is an error held by some minister or member of a church , i mean either a true church or an assembly pretending and professing to be a true church . for both peter and paul where they foretell that heresies were to come , pet : . . cor : . . they adde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , among you , i.e. among you christians . so act : . . also of your owne selves shall men arise , speaking perverse things . therefore the scripture gives no●… the name of hereti●…ks to these who are altogether without the visible church , but it calleth such by the names of heathens or unbel●…evers , or they that are without , or the like . . t is an error volunntarlie and freely chosen , both in the first invention and broaching of it , ( which is proper to the heresiarchs , ) and in the maintaining of it , or adhering to it , ( whic●… is common to all hereticks . ) this i collect from the very name which the scripture gives to it for , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i choose . therefore we give not the name of hereticks to such christians as are compelled in time of persecution to profess such or such an error , which peradventure were a formal ▪ heresie , if voluntarly and without compulsion professed . they ought indeed to die , and to indure the greatest torments , before they professe what they know to be an error : but this their sin is not properly called heresie , for an heretick doth freely and voluntarily hold that which is his error . and in this respect and consideration , tertullian thinks that an heretick is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , condemned of himself . tit : . . because he hath of himself choosed that which doth condemne him . the apostle there hath commanded to reject an heretick . if i reject him ( might one say ) then i loose him , i destroy his soule . nay ( saith the apostle ) his perdition is of himself , for he hath chosen his own wayes , and his soul delighteth in his abominations . this interpretation is much surer and safer , then to say that a heretick is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or self-condemned , because he goes against his own light , and against the principles received and acknowledged by himself : which sense is accompanied with many dangerous consequences . . 't is such a choosing of error as is accompanied with a rejecting of truth . a hereticke puts light for darknesse , and darknes ●…or light ; good fo●… evill , and evill for good , he chooseth e●…ror as truth , and ref●…seth truth as error , they that give heed to seducing ●…pirits and doctrines of devils , do also depart from the faith , tim. . . resist the 〈◊〉 , tim . , and turne away their ears from the truth , tim : . . their course hath a te●…minus a quo al 's well as ad quem . 't is an error professed and maintained , and which ●…y that means becomes a scandal and snare to others . for although there may be heresie ( a●…s well as other kinds of sin●…urking and hid in the thoughts , yet that belongs to gods judgement only , not to mans . the heresies which are spoken of , cor : . ●… . are certainly known and apparently discriminative ; even among men . and heretic●…s are scandalous persons to be avoided and rejected , rom : . . tit : . . which could not be , except their errors were known . . 't is an error contradictory to some chiefe and substantial●… truth grounded upon , or be necessary consequence drawne from , the holy scripture . there was never yet any heretick in the christian world who contradicted that whi●…h is literally and syllabically in scripture . the most damnable hereticke will offer to subscribe to the scripture in stead of a confession of faith , who yet will not subscribe to all truths , which necessarily follow from the words of scripture . but i call not every error heresie which is contrary to any consequentiall truth , grounded upon scripture . as the scr●…pture reckons not all who sin , to be workers of iniquitie , so it reckons not all who erre to be hereticks . although there is not any , either sin or errour , in the own nature of it veniall , yet every sin is not a grosse and hainous sin , and every errour is not heresie . heresies are mentioned as greater evills then schismes . cor : . . . which could not be so , if every errour were an heresie . . 't is an errour factiously maintained , with a renting of the church , and drawing away of disciples after it . in which respect augustine said , errare potero , haereti us non ero , i may e●…re , but i shall not be an hereticke . hereticks are deceivers and seducers who endeavour to pervert others , and to overthrow their faith , tim : , . act. : . tim. . . . rom : . , , . pet : . . all known and noted hereticks are also schismaticks who make a rupture , and strengthen their own party by drawing after them , or confirming unto them disciples and followers ( in so much that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is often used for a sect , as act. , . and . . and . . and . . ) for this cause , the donatists were condemned , as hereticks , without imputation of heresie to cyprian . and o strange turning about of things ! ( saith vincentius lirinensis advers : haeret : cap : . ) the authors of the same opinion are judged catholiks , but the followers hereticks . the masters are absolved , the disciples are condemned . the writers of these books are the children of the kingdome , but hell shall receive the assertors or mantainers . this last ingredient which is found in heresie , is hinted by the arabick interpreter , cor : . . where he joyneth schismes and heresies as was noted before . and indeed in the originall , the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and the rising of the speech , sets forth heresie as carying schisme with it in its bosome : i believe saith the apostle in part , what i hear of your schismes , for there must be also heresies , i.e. both schismes and somewhat more . calvin institut . lib : . cap : . § . . makes the breaking of church communion & the making of a rent , a thing common both to hereticks , and schismaticks : for hereticks break one band of church communion which is consent in doctrin : schismaticks break another , which is love , though sometimes they agree in the like faith . from all which scripturall observations we may make up a description of heresie , to this sense . heresie is agrosse and dangerous errour voluntarily held , and factiously maintained by some person or persons within the visible church , in opposition to some chief or substantiall truth or truths grounded upon and drawn from the holy scripture by necessary consequence . but next , why saith the apostle that there must be heresies ? this is not a simple or absolute necessity , but ex hypothesi . i mean , not onely upon supposition of sathans malice , and mens corruption , but upon supposition of gods eternall , and infallible foreknowledge : and not only so , but upon supposition of the eternall decree of god , whereby he did decree to permit sathan , and corrupt men , to introduce heresies into the church , purposing in the most wise , and most holy counsell of his will , to disabuse ( as i may so say ) his church by these heresies , that is to order and over-rule them , for the praise of his grace and mercy , to manifest such as are approved , and from the glory of his justice , in sending strong delusion upon such as received not the love of the truth , but had pleasure in unrig●…teousnesse . these things being so , i. e. sathans malice , and mens corruption being such , and there being such a foreknowledge ; yea , such a decree in god , therefore it is , that there must be heresies , and so we a●…e also to understand , mat : . . it must needs be that offences come : these things i doe but touch by the way . that which i here aime at , is the good use which god in ●…is most wise and soveraigne providence , can , and doth make of heresies : 't is , that they which are approved , may bee made manifest . whereby 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , they which are approved , we can understand nothing but such as are true and sincere saints , approved and accepted of god , or ( as bullinger on the place ) vere pii , truely godly : in which sense the same word is used , rom : . . cor : . . tim : . . ia●… . . the word is properly used of good money , or silver well refined , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 't is transferred to saints with speciall reference to their mortification , or to the refyning of them from the drosse of their corrup●…ions , and so noteth such as walk in the spirit , and not in the flesh . the contrarie word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , reprobate , rejectaneous , naughty , or to bee cast away like the drosse of silver , cor : . . cor : . , . but how is it that by means , or occasion of heresies , the godly party is made manifest ? surely the meaning of the apostle is not , that the authors , and followers of heresies are the godly party , for he calls heresie , a work of the flesh . gal : . and will have an heretick to be rejected , as one who is of himself condemned , tit : . . therefore most certainly his meaning is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , they which are approved , are known by this ; as one of their characters , they hate , avoid , and resist heresies , and earnestly contend for the faith , they hold fast the truth of christ without wavering . and those who broach , or adhere unto heresies , are thereby known to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , unapproved , and such as are like reprobat silver . whosoever therefore sideth , or ingadgeth with heresies , or hereticks ; yea , whoever stands not fast in the faith , doth ipso facto declare himself to be none of pauls godly party . so contrary is the holy ghosts language to the tone of sectaries in these day●…s . neither is it in this scripture alone , but in diverse other scriptures , that the holy ghost distinguisheth those that are approved of god , from such as turne away from the truth after false doctrines , and beleeve seducing spirits , as well as from those who are of an ungodly life . so deut : . . when a false prophet arose , and the signe or wonder came to passe , what was gods meaning in permitting these things ? the lord your god proveth you to know whether ye love the lord your god , with all your heart , and w●…th all your soule . they therefore that hearkened to the false prophet , even when his signe or wonder came to passe , made themselves known thereby , that they had not been lovers of god with all their heart . again matth. ▪ . those that are elect , are not deceived by false christs , and the false prophets : and by the rule of contraries , they who are deceived by them , and go in their errour to the end , are not elect , but reprobat , gal : . . . heresie is a work of the flesh , and is reckoned among these things which render a person uncapable of inheriting the kingdome of god. they therefore who walk in the spirit , and not in the flesh , and are made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light , are not onely no hereticks , but resist and oppose heresie , as being a work of the flesh . ioh. . . they who are christs discples indeed , continue in his word . they who continue not in his word , are not his disciples indeed , ioh : . . with ●… . epist. of iohn , vers : . they who have fellowship with the father and the son , abide in the doctrine of christ : they who abide not in the doctrine of christ , have no fellowship with the father and the son , the like in divers other scriptures . if therefore they must be heresies even for this reason , to make more manifest who are approved , who not : then let no thoughts arise in our hearts , toward the accusing of divine providence in this particular . iustin martyr . quaest , & respons : ad orthod . quaest . . answering this doubt : if god hath taken away the idolatries , superstitious , and false religion of heathens , and hath also abolished the jewish worship , why hath he suffered heresies to enter into the christian church ? hee gives this solution , that although heresies come into the church through mens negligence , and flothfulnesse , ( for while men slept , the enemy sowed the ●…ares among the wheat , mat : . : ) yet the providence of god was no way slothfull in the businesse , for he foresaw , and foretold that heresies should come , and hath given plaine warning in his word concerning the same . he addeth that the s●…me god who did destroy the heathenish and the jewi●…h religion , will also destroy heresies , after hee hath suffered them for a time . although wee had no distinct knowledge , what god intends to work out of heresies , yet we ought not to censure , but humbly , and reverently , to adore gods most wise , and most holy , ( though secret and un●…earchable ) dispensations . if wee should see somewhat which is deadly poyson among some drugges , which a skilled and approved physitian is making use of , wee must not rushly censure the phisitian , for hee knowes how to disabuse that which is in it self poysonable , and to make it one of the ingredients in a most soveraigne medicine . or if we should come into the shop of a curious artificer , or i●…geneer , and there see some ugly and ill favoured instruments , which we think can serve for no good but for evill , yet it were foolishly done to censure the artificer , who knowes to make an excellent good use of these things , though we know not . how much more foolish and sinfull is it , to suffer thoughts to rise in our hearts against the wisdome and providence of god , even alth●…ugh wee know not what he intends to work out of such things ? we were most of all inexcusable to accuse his providence , now when he hath made known in his word to us , that by occasion of heresies , he will make manifest who are approved , who not . wherefore ( saith chryso●…ome , de divers ▪ &c. tom : loc : ser : . ) that no man might say , why hath christ permitted this , paul saith , this permission shall not hurt thee , if thou art one who are approved , for by this means thou shalt be made more manifest . yet all this cannot excuse , either the hereticks , or sectaries themselves , or these who connive at them , for that which christ saith in genere of scandals , is true in specie of heresies , it must needs be that heresies come , but woe be to him by whom they come , i adde , and woe also to him who doth not according to his place and calling , endevour the extirpation of them . the text which i now speak to , cor : . . hath not reference to the will of gods commandement , which is the rule of our duty , but to the will of gods decree , or the secret counsell of his will. 't is gods purpose to permit heresies , and to over rule them for this end ; that his graces in his children may the more shine forth , and that even heresies ( contrarie to the intentions of sathan and hereticks ) may make manifest who are approved , scilicet quos non potuerint depravare , saith tertullian , opening this scripture . de praescr : adv : haer : to wit ( saith he ) such as heresies could not pervert and deprave , no other are the approved ones . but there are two things may be here objected : . may not one chosen and justified , and regenerat be drawn away , and infected with heresie through the flight of men , and cunning craftinesse , whereby they lie in wait to deceave ? if so , then heresies , doe not make manifest who are approved . who not . ▪ may not many who are not approved of god be preserved from the infections of heresies ; yea , be forward in resisting and opposing them ? if so , then preservation from , and resisting of heresies cannot make manifest that one is approved of god. these objections are no more against mee , then against the text of scripture . to the first , i answere , a regenerat person may be tempted and drawn over to heresie , as he may be tempted and drawen over to other great sins . heresie doth no otherwise consist with the state of grace in any person , then other works of the flesh , adultery , fornication , drunkennesse , or the like . look upon an elect and justified person , while lying in some great sinne , for instance , noah , lot , david , peter , even so must ye look upon an elect and justified person poysoned with heresie . but then that person being elected , justified and regenerate , cannot be supposed to live & die in that sinfull estate , but god will certainely heal his backslidings , and rescue his soul out of the snare of the devill by repentance , for the elect cannot be deceived , so as to continue and die in a heresie , mat : . . and while he continueth in such a grosse sin or heresie , you may truely say , that for that time he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , unapproved , or like drosse and unrefined silver , in which sens the word is used by the apostle , where he speaks of his bringing his body into subjection , lest he himself should be found 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , where the old english translation readeth , lest i my self should be reprooved , which is too soft a word . the new translation hath , lest i my self should be a cast away . beza , ne ipse rejectaneus fiam . in the same sense t is used , cor. . . know you not your own selves , how that iesus christ is in you except ye be reprobats . beza , nisi rejectanei estis . h. stephanus expones , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , minime probus non probandus : item adulterinus non sincerus , and he cites aristotle , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . in this sense even an elect and regenerat person supposed to be a maintainer or follower of here●…e ( while such ) is certainly , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , unapproved , greatly reproveable , to be rejected and cast away to the fornace like drossie and unrefined silver , and no marvel , for in that estate he doth not act his graces but his corruptions , and by his great sin doth extreamly grieve and dangerously quench the holy spirit once given to him . to the other objection i answer , first , although the full and perfect discovery ( who are approved , who not ) is reserved to the great and last day , and there is no company , assembly , nor visible church in this world , without a mixture of hypocrites , yet surely the word of the lord hath been and shall be so far fulfilled , that in a great measure and according to the knowledge which the church can have of her members in this life , there is in times of heresies and schismes a discovery made who are the approved ones , who not . . we must remember t is not the scope of this text to give us a note of distinction between these who are approved , and all counterfits or unapproved christians , but between these who are approved , and these who are the fomenters or followers of heresies . thus they who are indeed approved of god continue in the truth of christ , grounded and setled , and stand fast in the faith and contend for it : and this is one of the characters , found in all such as are approved . and thus far , saith augustine , are hereticks profitable to the church , for by their meanes , those who are approved of god and spiritual men , are stirred up to vindicat , open , and hold foorth the truth , whereby they become more manifest then otherwise they could have been . upon the other part , who ever turne away from the truth , and from the doctrine of christ , and turne aside after heresies , do thereby infalliblely declare themselves to be unapproved , whatsoever profession or shew of holine ●…e they have : whatsoever become of the white mark of these who are approved ( which also holds true as i have explained it ) most certainly , this black mark cannot fail upon the other side , and he who supposeth any person who is of a hereticall belief and faction , to be holy , spirituall , mortified , and approved , or one that walketh in the spirit , and not in the flesh , doth but suppose that which is impossible . and i do not doubt , but god is ( by the heresies and schismes of these times ) making a discovery of many unapproved , unmortified professors , who pretended to piety . so that i may transferre to our time what chrysostome observed of his owne , lib. ad eos qui scandali●…ati sunt . cap. . how many are there clothed with a shadow and shew of godlinesse , how many who have a counterfit meeknesse , how many who were thought to be some great ones , and they were not so , have been in this time ( when so many fall off and make defection ) quickly manifested , and their hypocrisie detected , they have appeared what they were , not what they feigned themselves ; and most falsly pretend to be ? neither is this a small matter , but very much for the profite and edification of these that will observe it , even to know distinguishingly these who are clothed in sheeps clothing , & not to reckon promiscuously those woolves ( so hid ) among the true sheep . for this time is become a fornace discovering the false copper coyne , melting the lead , burning up the chaffe , making more manifest the precious mettals . this also paul signified when he said : for there must be also heresies , that they who are approved , may be made manifest among you . vincentius lirinensis doth also record to this purpose , that when almost the whole world was infected with the arrian heresie , some being compelled to it , others cheated into it , yet every true lover and worshipper of christ was preserved pure from it . chap. x. of new lights , and how to keep off from splitting either upon the charybdis of pertinacy and tenaciousnesse , or upon the scylla of levity , wavering and scepticisme . t is pleaded by some who pretend to more tendernesse of conscience then others , that to establish by the law of the land a confession of faith , or a directory of the worship of god , and of the government of the church , and to appoint penalties or punishments upon such as maintaine the contrary doctrines or practises , is to hold out and shut the doore upon new light. that as the state and church hath discovered the evill of diverse things , which were sometime approved and strengthned by the law of the land , so there may be afterwards a discovery made by the light of experience , and a further search of the scripture , to make manifest the falshood of those doctrines which are now received as true , and the evil of that government and way which is now imbraced as good , for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . for satisfaction in this difficulty , first of all , i do not deny but most willingly yeeld , yea assert as a necessary truth , that as our knowledge ( at its best in this world ) is imperfect , ( for we know but in part ) so it ought to be our desire and endeavour to grow in the knowledge of the minde of christ , to follow on to know the lord , to seek after more and more light , for the path of the iust is as the shyning light , that shineth more and more unto the perfect day , prov. . . secondly , i acknowledge that this imperfection of our knowledge , is not only in degrees , but in parts , that is , we may know afterwards not only more of that good , or evill , or truth , or error , of which we knew somewhat before , but we may happily come to know the evill of that whereof we knew no evill before , or the good of that in which we knew no good before , so may we come to know diverse truths which before we knew not . thirdly , i acknowledge there is not only this imperfection , but oft times a great mistake , misunderstanding , error , and unsoundnesse in the judgement of christian persons or churches , so that godly men and true churches may come to know that to be evil which they sometime thought good , and that to be false which sometime they thought true , or contrariwise . which experience hath taught , and may teach again . fourthly , i confesse it is no shame for an augustine to writ a book of retractations . it is the duty , not only of particular christians , but of reforming , yea reformed , yea the best reformed churhes , whensoever any error in their doctrine , or any evill in their government or forme of worship , shall be demonstrated to them from the word of god , ( although it were by one single person , and one perhaps of no great reputation for parts or learning , like paphnu●…ius among the many learned bishops in the counsell of nice ) to take in and not to shut out further light : to imbrace the will of christ held foorth unto them , and to amend what is amisse , being discovered unto them . fifthly , i also believe that towards the evening of the world , there shall be more light , and knowledge shall be increased , dan : . . and many hid things in scripture better understood , when the jewes shall be brought home , and the spirit of grace and illumination more aboundantly powred foorth . we have great cause to long and pray for the conversion of the jewes , surely we shall be much the better of them . but on the other hand , the greatest deceits and depths of sathan have been brought into the world , under the name or notion of new lights . did not the serpent beguile evah with this notion of a new light , gen : . ? which example the apostle setteth before our eyes , cor : . plainly warning us that sathan is transformed into an angell of light , and his apostles into the apostles of christ , vers . . . so rev : . . did not ieroboam make israel to sin by a false new light ? it is too much for you to go up to ierusalem , behold thy gods , o israel , &c. . kings . . . he would shew to the ten tribes , how they might in all matters of religion be independent upon jerusalem ; howbeit ( to note that by the way ) he did not erect independent churches , without an independent common-wealth . he would shew them also that they were abused with a pretended sacred order of the priests , the ministers of the lord , therefore no jure divino men , but ministers dependent , chron : . . . and so he would needs make priests of the lowest of the people , vers . . for all which he had a pretence of power or liberty from god , kings , . . his new light made an independent church , and a dependent ministery . the gnosticks had their name from the profound knowledge and greater light which they pretended to , above all others , yet the ancient writers tell us they were but a prophane sect. maho●…et himself pretended that the angel gabriel taught him his alcoran , that so he might purchase the greater credit to it . now t is to be observed , there are many cautions necessary , and that there is much to be said against many of these things which now goe under the name of new lights among those who plead for liberty of conscience . new light is now become a beguiling word , as once among the graecians , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a new swallow . a beguiling word , i may wel cal it , for most of those things which are now cried up as new lights , are neither lights nor new . not lights , because not according to the word from whence all true light must be derived . not new , because the very same things have been before moved and maintained , antinomianisme , anabaptisme , universall atonement by the death of christ , universall salvation , a temporall and earthly kingdome of christ , and the saints liberty of conscience &c. have been maintained and confuted also before this age . independency it self , if it be a light , yet it is no new one lately struck out , for it was long since a known tenent of the arminians , that synods or counsels ought only to debate , deliberat , consult , and advise , but not to exercise any jurisdiction , to inflict any censure , or to injoyn any thing under pain of censure . see the propositions offered by the arminians in the th session of the synod of dort. see also episcopii disp : theol : part : disp : . thes : , . & part , disp : , thes : . , . but i come to the particular cautions concerning new lights . first , it is but a false new light which expelleth not only the old darknesse , but much of the good old light . as in medecins the paracelsian way is most dangerous when it is destructive to the galenik way , and overthroweth the old approved principles , yet t is of very good use when prudently , and skilfully managed , for perfecting the galenik way , and for doing things more speedily , easily , and pleasantly , than the galenik way could doe : so in divinity , such new lights as do not expell , but retaine , improve , and perfect the old , may be of singular good use : but those new lights which are destructive and expulsive of the old true lights , those new wayes which lead us away from the old and the good way , are to be utterly disliked and avoided , epist : of iohn vers : . look to your selves , that we lose not th●…se things which we have gained . hee speaks it against those deceavers who would have seduced them from the doctrine of christ , as is evident both from the preceeding vers and from that which followeth : whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of christ , hath not god , &c rom. . . now i beseech you brethren , mark them which cause divisions and offences , contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned , and avoid them . a bishop , saith paul , must hold fast the faithfull word , as he hath been taught , ●…it ▪ . . phil. . . neverthelesse , whereto we have already attained , let us walk by the same rule , let us be of the same minde . this he addes as a prevention of a dangerous mistake , and abuse of that which he had said immediatly before : and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded , god shall reveale even this unto you . behold , a reserve for any new light , might some say : nay but take ●…eed saith the apostle , you do not shut forth , but keep fast the light you have already attained unto , you must not under pretence of new light , loose what you have gained , col. . , , . as ye have therefore receaved christ iesus the lord , so walk ye in him , rooted and built up in him , and stablisht in the faith , as yee have been taught , abounding therein with thanksgiving : beware least any man spoil you through philosophie , and vain deceit ; &c. these apostolicall rules , are very far contrary to the accademicall ; yea , pyrrhonian demurre and dubitation , by which some call in question the most received doctrines in the christian church . if skepticisme bee tollerable in the christian faith , why are we bidden stand fast in the faith , cor : . . and again heb. . . let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering ? and why did jesus christ himselfe write to those who had not receaved the false doctrines of that time , that which ye have already , hold fast till i come , rev : . ? it was a fowle error in balaam the false prophet , that after god had said to him concerning balaks messengers , thou shall not goe with them , thou shall not curse the people , for they are blessed , num : . yet at the next sending of messengers , he would needs seek ( forsooth ) a new light from god , vers : . . if balak would give me his housefull of silver and gold , i cannot goe beyond the word of the lord my god , to do lesse or more now therefore i pray you , tarry yee also here this night , that i may know what the lord will say unto mee more . god gave him a n●…w light indeed , but in wrath and judgement , quite extinguishing and expelling judicially that light which the false prophet himself had not intertained , but wickedly forsaken , vers : . and god came to balaam at night , and said unto him , if the men come to call thee , rise up and goe with them . behold the fruit of not entertaining light , once received from god. so likewise the young prophet , kings . for not holding fast what he had receaved from god but taking in a new false light from the old prophet , was most exemplarly and severly punished for it . this is the first caution most necessary for the sectaries of this time , whose new lights are such , that among them vetera deperdita , and nova reperta , go hand in hand together , and are almost convertible termes , as if a man should not keep what he had , because he finds somewhat which he had not . secondly , many of those new lights which some brag off , not onely expell much of the good old light , but bring in grosse egyptian darknesse . there is a woe denounced against those who put darknesse for light , as well as against those who put light for darknesse , isay . . i may well say , that grosse darknesse is introduced , when the fundamentall articles of faith are called in question , denied , and oppugned , as the godhead of jesus christ , the divine authority of the scriptures ; the immortality of the soul , the eternity of glory to the elect , and of torments to the reprobate , &c. if the foundations be shaken , what can the righteous doe ? if wee hold not fast this gospell , if we embrace not this saviour , we cannot have another , cor : . . for other foundation can no man lay , then that is laid , which is iesus christ , gal : . . i marvell that ye are so soone removed from him that called you into the grace of christ , unto another gospell , vers , . but though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospell unto you , then that which wee have preached unto you , let him be accursed . thirdly , beware of those new lights , which make any certain truth ( although neither fundamentall , nor circumfundamentall ) to be uncertaine , as wee ought not to say of any sin , so neither of any truth : is it not a little one ? let every truth be highly valued . buy the truth , and sell it not ; say not , this truth is but a matter of discipline , let it goe , 'ts not worth the buying ? he that is faithfull in that which is least , is faithfull also in much : and he that is un●…ust in the least , is unjust also in much , luke . . melchior adamus , both in the life of carolostadius , and in the life of luther , observeth the great evill which grew out of luthers dislike of carolostadius , his strictnesse , zeal , and forewardnesse , in abolishing auricular confession , and difference of meats , and casting out images out of churches , at which things luther was the more offended , because done by carolostadius in wittenbreg , during luthers absence , and without his knowledge and counsell . luther did also alledge that carolostadius , his strictnesse and zeal in these lesser things , hindered and retarded the reformation in more substantiall points of doctrine . however the story noteth , that hence was the first rise of that deplorable sacramentarian controversie , which hath ever since made so great a rupture in germany . i could never yet observe , or read , or hear of controversies about discipline in any christian church , but still they grew higher and higher , and those who rejected , or slighted the will of christ in smaller things , did afterwards slight it in greater things . fourthly , beware of those new lights , which not only refuse to admit some certaine truths , but refuse to admit any truth , now held or professed in the reformed churches , as sure and certaine and infallible , as if , because mens judgements are not infallible , but subject to error , therefore , wee cannot be sure , nor infallibly perswaded of this or that article . the holy scripture will teach us , that beleevers may attaine to a certaine and infallible knowledge of some truths , for it was no impossible thing that paul prayed for , when he prayed that the colossians might have all riches of the full assurance of understanding , to the acknowledgement of the mystery of god , and of the father , and of christ. the mystery of god that he is , and that he is eternall , invisible , omnipotent , &c : his nature , and attributes , the mystery of the father , or that there is a distinction of persons in the holy trinity , and an eternall generation , the mystery of christ , his person , natures , offices , birth , passion , death , resurrection , ascension , and intercession : these are things of which the apostle would have us most fully and certainly perswaded . timothy was assured of the things he had learned , tim. . . so was theophilus , luke . . . a mariner is not infallible in his judgement , yet hee may bee assured infallibly , that such a thing is a rocke which he must avoid , and such a way , is the way he must direct his course : a physitian is not infallible in his judgement concerning the symptomes , causes and cures of diseases , yet he may be most certainly perswaded , such a disease is deadly , and there is no cure for it , or such a thing may be cured , and this is the cure . so in divinty the obnoxiousnesse of mens judgement to error hindereth not , but they may be infallibly perswaded of this , and this , and the other truth . fifthly , beware of those new lights , which come not from the sunne of righteousnesse : to the law and to the testimony , if they speake not according to this word , it is , because there is no light in them , isa. . . when men walk in the light of their owne sparkes , they shall lye down in darknesse : new fancies are not new lights , 't is no truth , which cannot bee grounded upon the word of truth ? it was a wilde fancy of the weigelians , that there is a time to come ( which they cal seculum spiritus sancti , ) in which god shal by his spirit reveal much more knowledge and light , then was revealed by christ and his apostles in the scriptures . there is so much revealed in scripture , as the apostle calls the wisdome of god , and the hidden wisdome of god , cor : . . the things which are preached and written to us , are the things which the very angels desire to look or pry into , pet. . . and saith not christ ; that which ye have already , hold fast till i come , revel : . ? more of this error , see in brochm and system . theol : com : . article . cap : . quaest : . sixtly , take heed of proud , and lofty , and self conceited new lights , cor : . , . and the spirits of the prophets , are subject to the prophets ; for god is not the author of confusion , but of peace . if the spirits of the prophets must be so subject , how much more the spirits of private persons ? wherefore in a reformed church , all pretended new lights , which are against the receaved doctrine , government , or forme of worship , ought to be in all humility and submission , offered to be tryed by a learned and godly synod . the lo●…rean severity was such , that no man might move for a new law , but with a rope about his neck , that if his motion were thought good , he might be spared : but if bad , hanged . so demosthenes advers : timocr : tells us . i will not allow this severity against such as offer new lights , or move for new changes in the church . but i may well applie here , the athenian law recorded by demosthenes in the same oration . the athenians went not so farre as the locri , yet no man might move for a new law in athens , unlesse the motion were offered and submitted to the senat , who were to judge , whether the old or the new were better . seventhly , beware of separating new lights , to separat from , or gather churches out of the true reformed or reforming churches , hath not the least warrant from the word of god. when we see this or that amisse in a church , wee are bidden exhort one another , and provoke one another to good , but not to separate , heb. . , . zuinglius conferred amicably with the anabaptists in zurik , as with dissenting brethren , and no course was taken to suppresse or restraine them by the secular power , till they grew to gather churches out of the true reformed churches , but when it came to that , they could not be suffered or forborn , it was thought necessary to restrain them . eightly , beware of those new lights which dare not be seen , and are kept up in corners . truth seeks no corners : light doth not shun light : a candle is not lighted to be put under a bushel , but on a candlestick , matth : . . ioh : . , . every one that doeth evil , hateth the light , neither commeth to the light , lest his deeds should be reproved , but he that doth truth , commeth to the light , prov. . . the way of the wicked , is as darknesse : they know not at what they stumble . i adde to make up the antithesis to vers : . their way is darkened more and more untill the dark night . i have heard when the arminians were p●…tto it in the synod of dort , to declare their judgement and sense which they would hold at , they declined it , and episcopius answered in the name of the rest , dies diem docet . and is it not so with the sectaries of this time , from whom you cannot draw a clear modell of what they hold ? ninthly , refuse such new lights as have fellowship with the unfruitfull work●… of darknesse , eph . . 't is a deceitfull new light , which makes men forbear to reprove , speak , or petition against those evills in a state which their consciences know to be sinfull , and to wink at such things , as publikly dishonour god in a nation , upon hopes that themselves shall be winked at and tollerated . but what communion hath light with darknesse , cor. . . there are some who pretend to new light , and to tendernesse of conscience , who yet are content , to combine and associat themselves with those of another and different way , ( which themselves condemn as a sinfull way ) in that common cause of theirs , for crying up their great diana , liberty of conscience , and for opposing the church government by presbyteries and synods . how they who would not assist the presbyterians , for the purging of their congregations , and keep off all scandalous persons from the sacrament , and yet do assist and strengthen separatists , anabaptists , antinomians , socinians , erastians , s●…ekers , in seeking after tolleration , how ( i say ) they will answer this to god and their own consciences , let them look to it . again , many of the pretended new lights : have communion with darknesse in another respect , because they are borrowed from heresies , buried in darknesse . how many new lights are now brought from the arrians , manichees , novatians , donatists , the contemplative monkes and friars , the photinians , socinians , arminians , &c. these are no more new lights , then a beggars cloak is a new garment , being newly made up , out of many old riven and rotten clo●…ts sowed together . tenthly , away with those new lights which let men see nothing better , which bring no edification , those baeoti●… aenigmata , those none sense and naughty high notions , in which some frothie spirits evanish . let all things bee done unto edifying , cor : . . there are vaine bablings , and science falsly so called , which hath made men erre from the faith , tim . , . lastly , take good heed of those new lights , which follow new interests . such was that of ieroboam , kings . . to the end ; and that of balaam ; num : . , , , , , . there are some who suppose that gaine is godlinesse , saith the apostle , tim : . . and so there are some who suppose new interests , to be new lights . chap. xi . of stability and firmnesse in the truth . it is good divinity to maintaine that skepticisme , fluctuation and wavering concerning those things which god hath revealed , to be beleeved or done by us , is a sinne : and to bee firme ●…xed and established in the truth , to hold fast the profession thereof , to stand fast in the faith , is a duty commanded . i shal first prove it to be so ; then give reasons for it , and thirdly , some helps to this duty , and preservatives against this sinne . for proof of the thing , somewhat might bee said from the very light of nature , for h●…th a nation changed their gods , ●…er : . . religion hath the very name of it , a religando , so farre it is , a relaxando . the heathen greeks cald a ●…ubricus and inconstant man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . they said also , that he who erres or miscarries in his religion , doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , drink out of a bored or foraminous cup. how firme and constant have heathen philosophers been in maintaining their opinions ? they could not onely displease their friends , amicus plato , &c. but suffer the heaviest things for their opinions . and shall not we much more hold fast the profession of the true faith ? zonaras annall , tom : . in the raign of michael the emperour , the son of theophilus , tels us ▪ that when the sister of the prince of bulgaria became a christian , and the prince also by her means converted , the ●…ulgarians conspired against him for this change of religion . this diabolicall stedfastnesse of theirs , provoked him to a true christian stedfastnesse , till by gods assistance and blessing , they were made to turne to him , but he turned not again to them . the athenians impeached socrates upon his life , for going about to innovat and change their religion . but to set aside natures light , there is not any of the primitive churches , to which the apostles wrote epistles , but they were expressely warned either positively to stand fast in the faith , to hold fast their profession , or negatively to beware of and to avoid false teachers , and not to be carried about with diverse and strange doctrines . now it must needs be , not only a truth , but a most speciall and necessary truth , which the apostles thought fit , thus to presse upon the churches in all their epistles writen to them . see rom : . , . cor : . cor. : , . gal : , . eph : . . phil. . . . col : . . , . thess. . . . hebr. . and . . iames . , . pet. . , , . and . , , . ioh. . . iude ep : vers : . . all these texts are full and plain , as to this point which i speak to , and in that respect most worthie of our frequent thoughts and observations , especially at such a time when this corner of the world is so full of new and strange doctrines . as for the reasons , take these . . if we be not stedfast and unmoveable in the profession of our faith , we frustrat ( as to us ) the end for which the scriptures were written . luke gives this reason to his theophilus , why he wrote the story of christs birth , life and death . that thou mightest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed , luke . . . when peter hath mentioned the voice which came from heaven concerning christ , hee addeth the certainty of the scripture as a greater certainty . we have also a more sure word of prophesie , whereunto ye doe well that yee take he●…d , as unto a light that shineth in a dark place , . pet : . . a voice from heaven might sooner deceive us , then the written word of god. . to maintaine and professe the true doctrine , and the true faith is by all protestant orthodoxe writers made one , ( yea the principall ) marke of a true visible church . christ himself ▪ ioh. . , . gives us this mark of his sheep , the sheep follow him ( their shepherd ) for they know his voice , and a s●…ranger will they not follow , for they know not the voice of strangers . . if once we forsake the way of truth , and goe into an erroneous way , wee shall not know where to finde our paths , we shall wander from mountain to hill , & forget our resting place as one wave comes after another , so doth one error come after another . as a canker spreadeth , so doth error , . tim . , evill men and seducers , shall waxe worse and worse , deceiving and being deceived tim : . . which hath made some , and i hope will make more , who were too inclinable to the new doctrine and practises of sectaries at first , now to fall off from them , when they increase unto more ungodlinesse , & unto more errour , and there is no end , one error breedeth a hundreth , and a hundreth will breed ten thousand . what was it that made so many fall off from the prelats , who once joyned with them ? was it not , because they were growing from the old ceremonies to many new ones , and each year almost , brought in some new superstition , and from popish rites , they grew to popish doctrines ? . if w●…e waver , and be led about with diverse and strange doctrine ; , then the prophesies which have gone before of the true church , shall not be made good in us . it was promised concerning the church and kingdome of christ , isa. . , . the heart also of the rash , shall understand knowledge , and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly , the vile person shall be no more called liberall , &c. that is those who simply and rashly were led about with every winde of doctrine , shall be so wise and knowing , as to distinguish between truth and error , between vertue and vice , and call each thing by its right name . so , isa. . . and wisedome and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times , and strength of salvation . . instability and forsaking the way of truth , maks us losse much that we had gained , ep . of iohn , vers . . all the comfort we enjoyed , all the good that ever our souls received of such a truth , such a cause , such a ministery , all that ever we did or spake or suffered for the truth , all this we losse when we turn aside after an erroneous way . . it greatly hindereth our spirituall comfort and contentment , col : , . to be knit together in love is one mean , and to have all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgement of gospel truths , is another mean , by which the apostle wisheth the hearts of christians to be comforted . it addeth much to pauls comfort that he could say , i have kept the faith , henceforth there is laid up for me a crown , &c. tim. . . . . we run a great hazard of our soules and our sa●…vation , when we turn aside from truth to error . it is said of the unstable , that they wrest the scriptures unto their own destruction , pet : . , like a man fallen into quick sands , the more he wrestles out , the more he sinks . when the apostle hath spoken of christs purchasing of our reconciliation , justification and sanctification , he addeth an if , col : . : if ye continue in the faith grounded & setled and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel which ye have heard . not that our persevering in the true faith was acondition in christs purchasing of these blessings , but it is a condition without which we cannot possesse & enjoy what christ hath purchased ; that is , he that falls away from the true doctrine of the gospel , proves himself to have no part of the benefits of christ. some errors are in their own nature damnable and inconsistent with the state of grace , or a fellowship with god , pet : . . so ep ▪ iohn v. . whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of christ , hath not god. sure it may be said , of arrians , socinians , papists , libertines , they have not god , because they abide not in the doctrine of christ , so gal : . . other error , there are , of which i may say , whatsoever they are comparatively , impenitency and continuing in them , doth condemne : whence it is that the apostle iames reckoneth him who erres from the truth , to be in a way of death and danger of damnation , ia ▪ . . . now the preservatives against wavering , and helps to stedfastnesse in the faith , are these : . grow in knowledge and circumspection ; be not simple as children in understanding . there is a slight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lye in wait to deceive : so speaks the apostle of these that spread diverse and strange doctrines , eph : . . and rom ▪ . . he warres us that they do by good words and fair speaches deceive the hearts of the simple . thou hast therefore need of the wisedom of the serpent that thou be not deceived , as well as of the fimplicity of the dove , that thou be not a deceiver , phil : . : . do not rashly ingage into any new opinion , much lesse into the spreading of it . with the welladvised is wisedome : pythagoras would have us schollers only to hear , and not to speak for five years . be swift to hear but not to speak or ingage : prove all things , and when thou hast proved , then be sure to hold fast that which is good , thess. . . mat : . . . there was never an heresie yet broached , but under some faire plausible pretence ; beguiling unstable souls , as peter speaks , pet. . . pro : . . the simple believeth every word . be not like the two hundreth that went in the simplicity of their hearts after absolom in his rebellion , not knowing any thing , but that he was to pay his vow in hebron , sam : . . . grow in grace and holynesse , and the love of the truth , for the stability of the minde in the truth , and the stability of the heart in grace , go hand in hand together , heb : . . davids rule is good , ps. . . what man is he that feareth the lord , him shall he teach in the way that he shall chuse . which is also christs rule , ioh. . . if any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine , whether it be of god , or whether i speak of my self . see also deut : . , . elisha healed the unwholesome waters of iericho by casting salt into the fountain , , kings . , so must the bitter streams of pernicious errors bee healed by geting the salt of mortification , and true sanctifying grace in the fountain . be sure to cleave to thy faithfull and sound teachers , the sheep that followes the shepherd , are best keeped from the wolfe . i finde the exhortation to stability in the faith , joyned with the fruitfull labours of faithfull teachers , phil. . . . heb : , . so the apostle eph : . from the work of the ministry verse . , . draweth this consequence v. . that we hencefoorth be no more children tossed to and fro , and carried about with every winde of doctrine . the galatians were easily seduced , al 's soon as they were made to disgust paul. watch and be vigilant against the first beginnings of declining , against the first seeds of error , gal : . . it was while men flept , that the enemy came and sowed tears among the wheat , and when he had done , went his way , mat. . . therefore watch ye , stand fast in the faith , cor. , . go hand in hand together . . avoid and withdraw from the authors and fpreaders of heresies and dangerous errors , rom. . . tim : , . . epist. iohn . . . phil. . . he that would be godly should not use ungodly company , and he that would be orthodox should not use hereticall company , unlesse he have some good hopes to convert some who have erred from the truth , and come into their company only for that end , ia : . , : i remember chrysostome in diverse places warneth his hearers how much they indangered their soules by going into the jewish synagogues , and there was a great zeale in the ancient church to keep christians that were orthodox from the assemblies and companie of hereticks . . get church discipline established & duely exercised , which is ordained to purge the church from false doctrine . rev . . . . leane not to thy own understanding , and be not wise in thine owne eyes , prov. . . . let reason be brought in captivity to the obedience of christ , cor : , . that which made the antitrinitarians and socinians fall away from the belief of the trinity of persons in the godhead , and of the union of the two natures of god and man in the person of christ , was because their reason could not comprehend these articles : which is the ground of their opinion professed by themselves . when i speak of captivating reason , i do not mean implicite faith : the eyes of my understanding must be so far opened by the holy ghost , that i may know such an article is held forth in scripture to be believed , and therefore i doe believe that it is , though my reason cannot comprehend how it is . . count thy cost , and be well resolved before hand what it will cost thee to be a disciple of christ , to be a constant professor of the truth . luk : . . to vers : . act . . confirming the souls of the disciples , and exhorting them to continue in the faith , and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdome of god. this is surer then to confirme our selves with the hopes of a golden age of prosperity in which we shall feel no affliction . . search the scriptures , ioh. . , act , . . do not take upon trust new lights from any man , be he never so eminent for parts or for grace , but to the law and the testimony . the up shot of all is that we ought to hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering , and be stedfast and even unmoveable in the truth , and not to give place to the adversaries , no not for an houre , gal : , , . i do not mean pertinacy in the least error , nor a vain presumptuous overveening conceit of our knowledge , to make us despise any light which others may give us from scripture : pertinacy is an evill upon the one hand , and to be too tenacious of our own opinions . but that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that levity , inconstancy , wavering , scepticisme is an evill upon the other hand , thess : , , be not soone shaken in minde , &c. and this is the epidemicall disease of the sectaries of this time , which i have now been labouring to cure , their word is yea and nay , and not unlike to that which salust objected to cicero , that he said one thing sitting , another thing standing , yet it may be sometimes observed that these who are the greatest sceptiks and pyrrhonians in reference to the common and received tenents , are the most pertinacious and tenacious in tenents invented by themselves . i have read it observed of socinus , that as he set at nought fathers , counsels , and the whole current of ancient and moderne interpreters of scripture , so vain glory made him to maintaine stiffely and tenaciously any opinion or invention of his owne , as if he had been infallible , men are sooner drawne from truth then from error . some are unstable in the truth , and unstable in error too , you may finde among them annuas atque menstruas fides ( to use hilaries phrase ) they are of a new faith , and a new religion , every year , if not every moneth . remember reubens reproach , gen , . . unstable as water , thou shall not excell . one sort of the sectaries there is indeed , which will not ingage to hold any thing , but are known by believing nothing , these passe now under the name of seekers : yet if one of the ancient fathers , or of the reformers themselves who lived an hundreth years agoe , were now alive , they could tell us that these seekers ▪ were in their dayes called atheists , and in deed what other name is due to these nullifidians who are of no religion ? chap. xii . whether a sound heart and an unsound head can consist together , & vice versa ? or whether truth and holynesse be not inseparable companions . t is one of the greatest objections against the suppressing and punishing of heresies , errors and schismes . o say they , this is a persecuting of those that are godly , this is a wound to piety , and the power of godlynesse . i do not denie but there may be , and is true piety in many who are somewhat infected with the leaven of false doctrine , & live in some erroneous opinion , i dare not appropriat the name of the godly party to those who are free from any of the errors of the times : those that are truely godly may in diverse things differ in opinion , every error is not inconsistant with holynesse , yet every error doth pro tanto , and proportionably , retard , hinder , and prejudge holynes , and although the devill sow his tares among christs wheat ( i mean in the same persons al 's well as in the same church ) yet who will say that a field of wheat is nothing the worse of the tares , for then to what end did the enemy watch an opportunity of that malicious hostile act , to sow the tares among the wheat ? . dangerous and damnable errors can no otherwise consist with true grace , then dangerous and damnable sins , and this i will hold as a good rule in practicall divinity , that as the want of true piety maks a person ( if tempted ) apt to be infected with error , so error of judgement , if continued in , doth not only hinder growing , but maks a dangerous decreasing and falling short in true piety , or thus , the stability of the mind and judgement in the faith of the gospel , and in the true reformed religion and the stability of the heart in grace , and true piety ; stand or fall together ; floorish or fade away together , lodge or 〈◊〉 together , live or die together . first of all ( to make good what i assert ) let it be wel observed that the scripture finds out the roots of heresies and errors in the corrupt hearts of men , in some raigning unmortified lust , an unstable heart maks an unstable head , and a corrupt affection maks a corrupt judgement . this may appeare in the generall from gal. . . where heresies are reckoned among the works of the flesh , col : , . where a superstitious minde is called a fleshly minde ; tim : . . where faith is compared to a precious treasure caried in a ship ; a good conscience to the ship that caries it , the losse of the ship is the losse of the loadning . tim : . . thes : ●… . , . gal. . . tim : . . joh , . . it is therefore a good argument that protestant writers have used against the popes infallibility . the pope hath been and may be impious , prophane , sensuall , carnall , proud , covetous . therefore he may dangerously erre in his inditement ▪ and decrees . some have derived the originall of all the popish errors from ambition and avarice , or ( as others ) from the cardinalls caps , and the monks bellies . the apostle iohn reduceth all the cares , courses , studies , endeavours , opinions or practises , of the children of this world , to one of these three , ioh. , . the lust of the flesh , peculiarly so called , uncleannesse , wantonnesse , gluttony , drunkennesse . the lust of the eyes , when the soule is catched with something from without in the world which tempteth , such a thing is goodly to the eye , it entreth in upon the soul by the senses , riches , houses , lands , brave apparell , ornaments , &c. the pride of life , so called , because where pride raignes , a man will al 's soon quite his life , as that thing which his proud spirit loves , he had rather be dead before he get not his pride satisfied , so that his pride and his life are all one to him , and as it were things convertible . you shall find many who have embraced new and erroneous wayes , have been led away with the lust of the flesh , rom. , ▪ philip , : . p●…t , , , . numb ▪ . , , , kings . . , . it was the sensuall pleasantnesse of the groves , and high places which made the jews in so much love with them , that e●…en in the times of reformation , yet the people still sacrificed in the high places . the lust of the eyes hath drawn away others from the way of truth , and from the true faith , pet : . . tim : . , , luke . . tit ▪ . . tim : ▪ , these count gain to be godlynesse , and have mens persons in admiration for advantage : they will no longer adhere to the profession of the truth then they may enjoy the world withall , tim ▪ : . such a one was that eccebolus , who under constantius seemed to be a precise christian , but afterwards under iulian the apostate , he fell away and became a pa●…an , yet after all this turned christian again under the next christian emperour . the pride of life hath corrupted the judgement of others , and p●…rverted them in the way of religion , it was the love of preheminence whi●…h perverted diotrephes , ●…o . . . . it was pride which made coreth , dathan and abiram cry down the magistracie of moses , and the priesthood of aaron , a●…d cry up the whole congregation as holy , it was the love of a crown that made ieroboam set up his calves , and make another a'tar , and other priests , and erect that independent church of his , which should not go up with their hard cases to the sanhedrin at jerusalem henry the fourth of france , who was once a protestant , changed his religion for the same cause ▪ that he might get a crown : so did iulian the apostate once a christian ▪ porphyrius forsook the christians , that he might be the better avenged upon some christian in c●…sarea of palestina , who had done him a wrong , yea there is an innate pryd in all men by nature against jesus christ , psal. . . luke . . which pryd must be mortified , cor : . . secondly , there is a reciprocall influence , as of the will and affections , upon the understanding , so of the understanding upon the will and affections , the will determines the understanding , quo ad exercitium , but the understanding determines the will , quo ad specificationem actus , that is ; the will applyes the understanding unto , or hindereth it from the discerning of good , and evill ; yet the will it selfe hath not light in it selfe , but is guided by the light of the understanding ; wherefore , as the raine makes vapoures , and the vapoures make raine , so a bad understanding , makes a bad will , and a bad will : makes a bad understanding , if the eye be single , the body is full of light , matth. . . which makes good what the schoolmen tells us , that bonitas voluntatis dependet à rectâ ratione velut regula , the goodnesse of the will depends on right reason as ' its rule . see aquinas , qu : ae quest , . art : . and the commentators upon that place . 't is to be observed , that sometimes the scripture speaketh of an error of the judgment concerning the faith , as a fountaine and cause of ungodlinesse , prophannesse , atheisme , tim : . , , , . gal : . . epist : of iohn . as contrarie wise , there is a light and knowledge , which preserveth from sin and ungodlinesse , and leadeth the soul in wayes of holynesse and obedience , psal : . . and . . iohn . . if the knowledge of god , of his christ , and of his word , and will , and name , and statutes preserve us from sinne , and lead us in the wayes of obedience , then by the rule of contraries , error of judgement in these things , will insnare us in sinne and wickednesse , for instance , an error concerning god ; whether father , ioh. . . sonne cor : . . ioh ▪ . . epis : vers : . or holy ghost , ioh : . . thirdly , as the infection of sinne spreadeth it self , throughout the whole soule , and all the faculties and powers thereof , so doth the worke of the spirit of god. wee finde light and holinesse , pet. . . joyned together like the vrim and thummim . see also thes : . . here is both soul and spirit sanctified , which two are plainly distinguished , heb. . . the word of god is so quick and powerfull ▪ as that it pierceth even to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit , if either the intellectuals be not sound , or if the vitals and animals bee not right , the word will finde it out . a well meaning pious soul ; a good heart and affection , which perhaps , a person may sit down satisfied with , will not excuse a corrupt minde , an erroneous spirit ; neither will a sound and orthodox judgement excuse a corrupt heart , and inordinat affections : aristotle himself could distinguish art and knowledge from vertue , because the most excellent intellectuals , cannot make a man so much as morally vertuous , without the practise and exercise of vertue . both soul and spirit , both the inferior and superior part of the soule ▪ must be sanctified . reason is as the helme , the affections as the sailes , let the helme bee stirred never so right , if the winde either blow not at all , or blow crosse in the sailes , the ship makes no speed in her way , let the winde blow never so faire , and fill all the sailes , yet if the helme be off ' its hingers , or be not rightly stirred , the ship may quickly run upon a rock , or run a shore where 't is not saife : so he that hath a sound judgement without good affections , cannot move heaven ward . he that hath good affections , without a sound judgement , will make more haste than good speed : reason is as the rider : affections as a nimble horse , a man is but in an ill taking , if either this rider mistake his way , or the horse run away with him out of the way , having no raines to governe him , or if the horse be lame and cannot ride . fourthly , consider what the apostle saith , tim. . . . he tels us of foure ends and uses of scripture , the first two are commonly referred to doctrinals , the last two to practicalls , the scripture is profitable for doctrine , for reproof , for correction , for instruction , in righteousnesse , that the man of god may bee perfect , throughly furnished unto ali good works . if any of these be wanting , a christian is not perfect , so much as in the perfection of parts . he is but halfe a christian , who is an orthodox beleever , if he be not practicall also : and he is but halfe a christian who is practicall , if he bee not an orthodox beleever . these ends of scripture do not consist , nor stand sure one without another . fifthly , to bee led into all truth , and preserved from error , is a work of the spirit of truth , and this spirit of the truth is the comforter , and the spirit of sanctification , which spirit the mediator prayeth the father to give unto those that are his , ioh : . , . and . , . ioh : . . no promise of being led into all truth , but to those that receave the anoynting of the holy ghost . isa. . psal : . . sixthly , by how much a man falls from the truth , by so much he falls from grace , and by how much a man falls from grace , by so much he falls from the truth , for stability in the stat●… of grace , dependeth in a manner upon stability in the truth , for proof whereof mark three ifs , christs , ioh. . . pauls , col . . iohnes , ioh. . . again , stability in the truth , dependeth upon stability in grace : for proof whereof , marke a fourth if , ioh. . . these scripturall ifs have much in them , and should make us very cautious and headfull , that we do not so farre deceave our selves , as to divide what god hath joyned together , a sound head and a sound heart , chrysostome exhorteth his hearers , to joyn christian vertues , and purity of doctrines together , for saith he , it profiteth us nothing to be orthodox , if the life be vitiated : as upon the other part , a uncorrupt life profiteth nothing without soundnesse of faith , licentiousnesse of judgement in doctrines , will certainly introduce licentiousnesse of heart and life , in practicalls . arminius himself ( although many of his followers have cryed up , septicisme in religion , ) could say that different doctrines produce in a people , a dubitation , or hesitation concerning religion ▪ that this doubting of the truth produceth ▪ despairing to finde the truth , and thence followes atheisme and epicurisme , yet when heresies and false doctrines introduce atheisme & epicurisme , they do but discover those roots of bitternes which were before in the heart . therefore as christ tells those jews that beleeved on him , if they continue not in his word , they are not his disciples indeed , ioh : . . so the apostle ioh●… gives this reason , why simon mag●…s , hymeneus , alexander , philetus , me●…ander , carpocrates , basilides , ebion , cerinthus , and such like , went out and separated from the church , and from the profession of the truth , because saith he , they were not of us ▪ meaning , in respect of lively faith ; true grace and regeneration , therefore they went out from us , ioh : . . which text in iohn , hierome in the close of his first book upon ieremiah , applyes to hereticks in this respect , when they fall away openly , they doe but shew those very idols of their hearts , which in their in ward parts they worshipped before . i will adde a seventh reason , look how the scripture distinguisheth the elect from those who are of an ungodly life , in the same manner it distinguisheth them who are of an erroneous beleif , cor : . : the apostle . thes : . , . tells us that these who perish , beleeve a lie : i. e. an error pretending to be a truth , but vers : . he gives thanks for the beleeving thessalonians , because god had chosen them to sa●…vation , through sanctification of the spirit , and beleif of the truth : so that they who beleeve not the truth , are no more elected , then the uns●…nctified . our saviour , mat : . . intimateth , that it is impossible that the elect should be deceaved by false prophets , that is , in the same sense , as he that is borne of god , doth not commit sin , ioh : . . christ characterizeth his true disciples , and distinguisheth them from others , not onely by obedience and a good life , mat : . . . and . . ioh : . . but also by light in the eye of the understanding , matth ▪ . . . with ephes . . . by continuing in his word , ioh : . . by knowing his voice , and fleeing from a stranger , ioh : . . . i hope i have aboundantly proved what i undertook , and so i conclude that he said right , who compared truth to the teacher , holinesse and righteousnesse to the ruling elders : i adde where heresie is the teacher , ungodlynesse and unrighteousnesse , are the ruling elders , a holy hereticke is a chimera , and a prophane person , beleeving a right is another . but here peradventure some will think , that the great objection lyes , may not a prophane person have a sound or orthodox judgement in all controverted truthes ▪ may not a man understand all mysteries and all knowledge , who yet hath no love , nor true sanctification ? cor : . . may not a person hold fast the profession of the true faith without wavering , whose heart not withstanding , is not right with god nor stedfast in his covenant ? i answer first , where there is but a forme of godlynesse , there is but aforme of knowledge , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a word no where used by the holy ghost , but in two places , a forme of knowledge , rom : . . and a forme of godlinesse , tim. . . it is not the true and reall forme , either of knowledge or godlinesse , which as they have a true matter , so a true forme . he saith not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ( which had been the proper word for a true forme , ) but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speciem scientiae , speciem pietatis . if wee have respect to the notation of the word , 't is a formation or forming , i may call it a forming without mattering , so that the forme of knowledge , more then which an ungodly man hath not , bee hee never so learned ) hath not the truth substance , and reality of knowledge , theophilact saith , some understand it to be the image , and false resemblance of knowledge , so hesychius and suydas understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an image of a thing . secondly , there is no sinfullnesse in the will and affections without some error in the understanding , all lusts which , a naturall man lives in , are lusts of ignorance , pet , . . the sins of the people are called the errors of the people , heb : , : and the wicked person is the foole in the proverbs , the naturall man receives not the things of the spirit of god , and what is the reason , because they are foolishnesse unto him , neither can he know them , because they are spiritually discerned , cor : , . the world cannot receive the spirit of truth , because it knoweth him not , ioh : , . the ●…opish doctrines of free will , of justification by works , of meat , of implicite faith , of believing the scriptures because the church receiveth them , ( & what marvel that they do so whose eyes are not opened to see the sun beame of divine light in the scripture it self , which is spiritually discerned . ) of the sacraments conferring of grace , and the like , also the so●…inian tenents that a man is no●… bound to believe any arti●…le of faith , nor any interpretation of scripture , except it agree with his reason , that pastors and ministers of the word have not now any distinguishing sacred vocation , authorizing them to be the ambassadours of christ , to preach and minister the sacraments more nor other christians ( which is also maintained by a late erastian writer in the netherlands . ) these and the like errors professed and maintained by them , what are they but so many legible commentaries and manifest interpretations of those corrupt and erroneous principles , which are lurking and secretly seated in the judgements and understandings of naturall and unregenerated persons , al 's well learned as uulearned : these hereticks do but bring foorth to the light of the sun , what is hid within the mynds of other unregenerat persons , as in so many dark dungeons : the like i say of t●…e arminian doctrine of universall grace ; and universall atonement by christs death and of originall sin , that it is not properly sin , ( which doctrines are common to many anabaptists , with the arminians , ) the like i say also of the antinomian doctrines , that christ hath abolished not only the curse and rigour and compulsion , but the very rule it self of the morall law ; so that they who are under the covenant of grace , are not bound to walk by that rule , that they ought not to repent and mourn for sin , that god doth not aff●…ict them for sin , that faith without the evidence of any marks , or fruits of sanctification doth assure the soul of its interest in christ , and what is that scientia media which the iesuits glory of as a new light , but the very old error of naturall men , which looks upon things contingent as not decreed and determined by the will of god , and what is the erastian way which oppugneth suspension from the lords table , excommunication , and all church government . . what is it but a declaration or manifesto of the proud imaginations of mens corruptions , which say within themselves , let us break their bands asunder , and cast away their cords from us : and y e take too much upon you moses and aaron , seeing all the congregation are holy every one of them , and the lord is among them . i conclude this point , every naturall man hath in his heart , somewhat of popery , somewhat of socinianisme , somewhat of arminianisme , somewhat of anabaptisme , somewhat of antinomianisme , somewhat of erastianisme , ( and i cannot bu●… adde ) somewhat of independency too , so farre as it pleadeth for more liberty then christ hath allowed , and if every man hath a pope in his belly , as luther said , then every man hath an independent in his belly , ( for the pope is the greatest independent in the world ) and t is naturall ( i think ) to every man to desire to be judged by no man. thirdly , when an unregenerat or unsanctified person holds last the profession of the faith , take heed it be not , because he is not yet tempted , nor put to it in that thing which is the idol of his heart , let him bee brought to this , either to quite the truth and the faith , or to quite what is dearest to him in the world , and see what he will doe in that case . his fruit is but such a●… growes upon the stony ground , but stay till the sun of persecution arise and scorch him . i have the more fully and strongly asserted the inconsistencie of heresie , and holinesse , as likewise of sound beleeving , and prophane living , and have shewed the joynt fading or flourishing of true grace and true holynesse , that this being demonstrated and laid down for a sure principle , may lead us to many practicall and usefull conclusions and corrolaries which i will onely here point at , first , it cuts off the exception of those who cry out against the censuring , suppressing and punishing of hereticks by the christian magistrate , as if this were a persecuting of pietie or pious persons , when it is indeed a suppressing of a work of the flesh ●…for heresie is no other , gal : . . ) and of that which is either the cause or effect , either the usher or page of someimpiety . secondly , it confuteth that most pernic●…ous and cursed opinion , that if a man live well , he may be saved in any religion or any faith. socinus did hold , that all , whether lutherans , or calvinists , or anabaptists , or arians , so that they live well , shall be saved ( as hath been observed ) he was a follower of mahomet , for machomet having compyled his alcoran , partly out of the jewish , and partly out of the christian tenents , and made it an hotch potch out of both , that he might concili●…t favour unto it among both , hee held that every one ▪ who lives well , whether jew or christian shal be saved , he that holds a man may be saved what ever he beleeve , may with as much truth hold that a man may be saved what ever he doe , or howev●…r helive . thirdly , it stoppeth the mouthes of hereticks and sectaries , who call themselves the godly party , arrius , photinus , socinus , arminius , and generally the chief heresiarches , which ever rose up in the church , have been cryed up by their followers , for men of extraordinary piety , as well as parts , all are not sheep that comes in sheeps cloathing , a false prophet is a wolfe in sheeps cloathing , math. . . but it is added , ye shall know them by their fruits , mark by their fruits , not by their green leaves , nor faire flourishes , let them pretend what they will , we must beleeve the word of the lord , that one of the marks of those who are approved , is to hold fast gospell truths against heresies , cor. . . and by the rules of contraries , those infected with heresie , are made manifest , not to be approved . if that which i have formerly asserted and cleared from scripture be a truth , as most certainly it is , then it is no truth , but a most dangerous and grace-destroying doctrine which some hold : . viz. that it is to be much questioned ; whether any opinions or heresies ( as they are called ) be absolutly inconsistent with beleeving in jesus christ ( and so damnable , that is , accompanied with eternall damnation ) but only that which is formerlie contradictorie to such a beleeving . this writer ( who is one of the fomenters of the scepticisme of this time ) makes much question , whether any error or heresie be damnable , which doth not formally contradict this proposition , that whosoever beleeves in jesus christ shall not perish , but have everlasting life , but i have shewed elsewhere that heresies denying the god-head of jesus christ , are accompanied with damnation ( and no marvell ) for whosoever beleeveth in christ , and yet beleeveth not him to be eternall god , doth but believe in a creature , and no creature can redeem us from hell , nor satisfie infinite justice , so are the heresies concerning justification ( which hold that something besides christs righteousnesse , whither our faith , or works is imputed to us to justification ) damnable , if continued in , gal. . . that if by damnable heresies we mean , such errours as are of dangerous consequence , and in this respect , justly and deeply condemnable , or censurable by men , many who hold , and publicklie maintaine damnable heresies , in this sense may have , yea , and some ( as farre as men are able to discerne , de facto ) have true grace and goodnesse . if he mean that such have true grace and goodnesse , in that sense , as david , during the time of his continuing in the sinne of adultery , or peter , during the time of his denying christ , had true grace and goodnesse ; that is , that such doe not totally fall away from true grace , but have the seed of god abidi●…g in them : then hee pleadeth no better , then as if one should say , the sin of adultery , the sin of denying of christ , are not damnable sinnes , at least , not inconsistent with true grace and goodnesse , but if he will yeeld that errours of dangerous consequence , which are justly and deeply condemnable , are inconsistent with true grace and goodnesse in the same sense , as grosse sinnes are inconsistent therewith ; that is , that grosse and condemnable errors are inconsistent with the soules growing , thriving , prospering , & flourishing , yea , with any lively acting , and putting foorth of true grace , yea , that grosse errors doe greatly and dangerously impare , abate , diminish , weaken , wound , hurt and blast true grace and goodnesse , and doe extremly grieve , and in a great measure quench the spirit of grace : then he must also grant , that to bear with , or wink at grosse er●…ors , is to bear with , or wink at such things as are extremly prejudiciall , obstructive , and impeditive to true grace and goodnes . . it is but an ignorant mistake , and a dangerous soul deceaving presumption , for a prophane loose-liver , or for a close immortified and rotten hearted hypocrite , to thinke or promise , that he will stand fast in the faith , and hold fast the truth without wavering . whosoever maketh ship wracke of a good conscience , cannot but make shipwracke of faith too . hee that is overcome of a sinne , may be overcome of an error too , when he is tempted in that which is the idol of his heart . therefore let him who would have light from christ , awake from his sinnes , eph. . . hee that hath not pious affections , and thinkes his orthodoxe judgement will make him stedfast in the faith , is as great a fool , as he that thinkes to ride without a horse , or a captain that thinks to fight the enemy without souldiers , or a mariner that thinks to make out his voyage when his ship wants sailes . . they that would have church censures , put forth only upon hereticks , apostats , or such as are unsound in the faith , but not upon prophane livers in the church ( which was the error of erastus , and before him , of the princes and states of germany , in the . grievances , the originall of which error , so farre as i can finde , was from the darknesse of popery , for there was an opinion that the pope might be deposed for heresie , but not for a scandalous life which opinion aeneus sylvius , de●…gest is concilii basil , lib : . confuteth , they also upon the other hand , that would have the censure of excommunication put forth upon loose and scandalous livers within the church , but not for those things , which the reformed churches call heresies . so ( grotius annot : on luke . . and diverse arminians , diverse also of the sectaries in england . ) these i say , both of the one and of the other opinion , do but separat those things which ought not , cannot be separated . . there is cause to set a part dayes of fasting and prayers , when heresies and errors abound , as well as when prophannesse , and grosse wickednesse aboundeth in the lives of people , christ doth in five of his epistles to the churches of asia ( to ephesus , smyrna , pergamos , thyatyra , philadelphia ) take notice of false teachers , sects , and erroneous doctrines , commending the zeal in ephesus against them , blaming those in pergamos and thyatira , for tollerating such amongst them , incouraging those in smyrna and philadelphia , by expressing his displeasure against those sects . no mention of loose and scandalous livers , distinguished from the sects in those churches . either there were such scandalous livers in those churches at that time , or not . if there were , then observe , christ mentions not them , but the false teachers and sectaries , for although both are condemnable , yet he takes speciall notice of scandals in doctrine , and profession , as being matters of the highest treason against him , and the most provoking sinnes in a church , as being also the more deceitfull , and secreet poyson honeyed over with plausible pretences , and therefore the more needing a discovery ? if there were no such scandalous and prophane livers in these churches . then note , that christ will have a great controversie against a church , which hath false doctrin●…s , and pernitious sects in it , although there were never a scandalous person more in it . there is therefore cause to fast and pray , for which christ makes a matter of controversie against his churches : if we have prayed away popery , prelacy ; the old superstitious ceremonies , the malignant armies , &c. o let us cry mightily for this also , see if wee can pray away heresies , and pernitious doctrines , sects and schismes . . we must turne away from , and avoid the fellowship of false teachers , and the spreaders of dangerous doctrines , not only that we may bee stedfast in the truth , but that our hearts may be established with grace , for there are such reasons given in scripture , for avoiding the company of that kinde of men , as highly concerne piety , avoid them , because they serve not christ , but their owne bellies , rom. . , . from such turne away , because they are men of corrupt minds , supposing gaine to be godlinesse , and their disputings breed envy , strife , railings , evil surmisings , tim : . , . receave them not into your houses , who bring not the doctrine of christ , because such have not god , epist. of iohn vers . . , . . let no man think that opinions are free , more then practises , or that a man runnes no hazard of his salvation , by erroneous and hereticall opinions . error of judgement , as well as wickednesse of practise , may bring death and destruction upon the soul , iam : . . . pet : . . and . . gal. . . hereticks as well as murderers and drunkards , are there excluded from the kingdome of heaven . . if thou wouldest keep thy head from erring , bee sure to keep thy heart from erring , psal : . . it is a people that do erre in their heart , and they have not known my wayes , as thou desirest not to be a backslider in the profession of the true faith , be not a backslider in heart , prov. . . if thou wouldest be preserved from erroneous opinions , pray for the mortification of thy corruptions , gal. . . with . . if thou wouldest be firme and stable in the truth , thou must not onely have grace in the heart , but bee established in grace , heb ▪ . . bee not carryed about with diverse and strange doctrines , for it is a good thing that the heart ( hee saith not have grace , but ) be established 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in grace , hee that is not established in the present truth : i. e. in the truth of the times , proves himself ( or otherwise makes himself ) to bee unstable in grace . if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , if he that is no prophane one ; be yet an unstable one , what doth it profite ? it is plainly intimated to us , pet : . . . that such as are not sted fast in the faith , doe not resist sathan , but are devoured by him , and pet. . . the apostle thinks it not enough that christians be established in the present truth , if they bee not also growing in grace , and making sure their calling and election , and adding one grace to another , wherefore , saith he , i will not be negligent , to put you alwayes in remembrance of these things , ( ●…to wit , which belong to the establishing of the heart in grace ) though yee know them , and bee established in the present truth . now that the heart may be established in grace , ( and so also in the truth , ) let us endeavour to walk alwayes , as under the eye of god , psal : . . heb ▪ . . to improve the promises , and rest upon christ for stability of heart , cor : . . for he is our wisdome and sanctification , as well as righteousnesse and redemption , ibid. vers : . let us intertaine the spirit of grace , and not grieve him , nor quench him , for by the spirit of the lord are we upholden , stablished , strengthened , psal : . , . eph. . ▪ . when it comes to a time of try all , and to the sifting of the whole house of israel , as corne is sifted in a sive , amos . . they onely are made manifest to be approved , in whom there is both sanctification of the spirit , and beliefe of the truth , both true piety , and sound judgement , if either of these be found wanting , bee sure the other is wanting too ; what ever shew there may be to the contrary . there is a text , cor : . . worthy to bee much and often thought upon in these dayes ; for there must be heresies , ( or sects ) among you , that they which are approved , may be made manifest among you : of which text moreanone . now then for as much as the church is sometimes tried by heresies , sometimes by persecutions , sometimes by both , sometimes by other tentations , and for our part , we know not what further tryalls we must endure , before this work be at an end , or before we go off the stage . as we desire to hold out in a time of tryall , let us hold fast truth and holinesse together , and cast away from us whatsoever maketh us to offend , whether it be the right eye of an erroneous opinion , or the right hand of a sinfull will , or the right foot of a carnall affection . chap. xiii . whether conscionable christians and such as love the power aud practice of piety , can without defiling their conscience , or without a destructive wounding of the power of godlinesse , embrace and hold the principles of these who call themselves the godly party ? or whether they ought not rather to avoid those who doe now pharisaically and donatistically appropriat to them selves the name of the godly party , as being indeed , such who under pretence of zeal , for the power of godlinesse , hold diverse ungodly principles . let no man here stumble in the threshold , or bee scandalized at the case i put : i intend nothing , either against piety , or truely pious persons , but to vindicat both from those principles of impiety , which some maintaine and adhere unto , under colour of piety . the arrians , ebionites , and socinians in poland , have pretended to bee the godly party there , in so much that faustus socinus wrote a book entituled thus , that the men of the kingdome of poland , and the great dutchy of lithuania , commonly called evangelicks , who were studious of solid piety , ought altogether to adjoyne themselves to the assembly of those , who in the same places are falsely and undescrvedly called arrians and ebionites . there is as little truth in that pretence , which diverse sectaries now make to the way of godlinesse , observe but these principles of theirs . . that none ought to be punished for preaching , printing , or maintaining any error in faith or religion , except it be contrary to the very light of nature . hence it will follow , that none is to be punished for preaching or publishing these errors : that the scripture is not the word of god. that jesus christ was an impostor or deceaver , for the light of nature will never serve to confute these or such like errors concerning the scriptures , the truths concerning them , being wholly supernaturall . mr. i : goodwin in his hagiomastix sect : . holds , that he who will hold that there is no christ , is not so pernicious nor punishable , as that man who lives , as if there were no christ , and one of his reasons is this , because , saith he , the sinnes mentioned , adultery , theft , &c. are clearly , and at first sight against the light and law of nature , but the denyall of the being of such a person as christ , who is both god and man , is not contrary to any law or principle in nature . i desire that the reader may here observe the words of mr. burroughes , in the epistle dedicatorie of his sermon preached before the house of peers , novemb : . . for connivence at blasphemies , or damnable heresies ; god forbid , any should open his mouth , these who are guilty herein against the light of nature , should be taken off from the face of the earth ; and such as a●…e guilty against supernaturall light , are to be refrained and kept from the society of men , that they infect not others . the latter part of that which he saith , i accept , and i would to god , that so much were put in execution . but why no other hereticks , or blasphemers should be taken off from the face of the earth , but those onely who are guilty against the light of nature : i finde no reason brought for it , and i doe not understand how it comes to passe , that any who look so much forward to new lights , should herein fall so farre backwark as to the light of nature ; or that those who decline the light of nature in matter of church government , subordination , appeals , and the like , should nothwithstanding in matters of faith , which are much more sublime , appeal to the light of nature : there is need of some oedipus here . . that in controversies or questions of religion , we must not argue from the old testament , but from the new . hence are these exclamations against old testament spirits , &c. which might indeed beseem the manichees , who denyed and acknowledged not the old testament . but to bee heard in a reformed church , among those who acknowledge the old testament to be the word of god , as well as the new , 't is most strange . our orthodox protestant writers , condemne as well the anabaptists , who reject and s●…orne at arguments brought against them from the old testament , as the manichees who did repudiat the old testament , as having proceeded from an evill god. see p ▪ martyr in cor. . . aret : proble : theol : loc . . by this principle they shall not hold it contrary to the will of god under the new testament , that a man marry his fathers brothers wife , this not being forbidden in the new testament , but in the old . some indeed of this time have maintained , that it is not unlawfull to us to marry within these degrees which are forbidden , lev : . see mr. edwards in the third part of gangraena , pag . these hold , 't is onely forbidden to commit fornication with such as are within these degrees , not being married , as if 〈◊〉 were not unlawfull to commit fornication with any , be they never so farre without these degrees . by the same principle which rejecteth old testament proofs , they must deny the duty of children under the new testament , to marry with their parents consent , and this is one of the foule errors of some sectaries now adayes , that though consent of parents unto childrens marriage , was commanded under the law to them that lived then , yet because that was but a ceremonie , 't is now lawfull to marry without their consent , because we live under the gospell . see that same third part of gangraena , pag : . by the same principle they must deny that an oath ( be it never so just and necessary ) may be imposed by authority ▪ or that the magistrat ought to put to death , a blasphemer , an incestuous person , an adulterer , a witch , or the like , ( the scripturall warrants which make these crimes capitall , being in the old , not in the new testament . ) saith not the apostle , tim : . . all scripture ( and consequently the lawfull examples , and la●…dable presidents of the old testament , ) is given by in spiration of god , and is profitable for doctrine , for reproof , for correction , for instruction in righteousnesse , rom. . . whatsoever things were written aforetime , were written for our learning . is not our justification by faith proved , by the example of abrahams justification by faith ? rom : . doth not christ himself defend his disciples there , plucking the ears of corne upon the sabbath day , by the example of davids eating the shew bread , and by the example of the priests killing of sacrifices upon the sabbath day , matth : . yea , those that most cry out against proofs from examples of the old testament , are as ready as others to borrow proofs from thence , when they think to serve their turne thereby , which aretius , probl : theol : loc . . instanceth in the anabaptists , who would not admit proofs from examples of the old testament , yet many of them justified the bowrs bloudy warre , by the example of the israelits rising against pharaoh . . that if sectaries and heretickes make a breach of peace , disturbe the state , or doe evill against the common-wealth in civil things , then the magistrate may punish and suppresse them . but sectaries and heretickes , who are otherwise peaceable in the state , and subject to the lawes , and lawfull power of the civil magistrate , ought to be tollerated and forborne . this is their kodesh hakkodashim , their holy of holies : indeed their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . see the compassionat samaritan , pag : ▪ iohn the baptist , pag : ▪ the bloudy tenent , chap : . m. s ▪ to a. s. pag ▪ . . the ancient bounds , chap : . see now how farre this principle will reach . a man may deny , and cry down the word of god , sacraments , ordinances , all the fundamentals of faith , all religious worship . one may have leave to plead no church , no minister , no ordinances ; yea , to blaspheme jesus christ , and god himself , and yet to escape the hand of the magistrate , as being no troubler of the state. this i gather from mr. williams himself in his bloudy tenent , chap. . where hee distinguisheth between the spirituall and the civill peace , and cleares in the instance of ephesus : n●…w suppose ( saith he ) that god remove the candlestick from ephesus : yea , though the whole worship of the city of ephesus should be altered . yet ( if men be true and honestly ingenuous to city covenants , combinations , and principles ) all this might be without the least impeachment or infringment of the peace of the city of ephesus . so that by their principles , if the city of london were turning peaceably to mahumetanisme , or paganisme , the parliament ought not to apply their power for reducing them . if this be not to care for mens own things , not for the things of christ , what is ? and must the magistrat purchase , or hold them quiet of the state at so dear a rate , as the lose of many soules ? what saith mr. williams himself bloudy tenent , chap. . it is a truth , the mischief of a blinde pharisie , blinde guidance , is greater then if he acted treasons , murderers , &c. and the lose of one soule by his seduction , is a greater mischief , then if he blew up parliaments , and cut the throats of kings or emperours , so precious is that invaluable iewel of ●… soule . i could wish this written in marble , or recorded upon the parliament walls , as the confession of one who hath pleaded most for liberty and tolleration from the magistrat , to soule murthering hereticks and deceavers . but if any magistrates will not have respect to the honour of god , and salvation of soules , let them take heed to their own interest ▪ when the church of christ sinketh in a state , let not that state thinke to swimme : religion and righteousnesse must flourish or fade away , stand or fall together . they who are false to god , shall not be faithfull to men . it was a pious saying of constantine , quomodo fidem praestabunt imperato●…i inviolatam , qui deo sunt persidi ? 't is more then paradoxall , and i fear no lesse then atheisticall , which mr. williams chap. . of the bloudy tenent , holds , viz. that a false ▪ religion and worship will not hurt the civill state , incase the worshippers break no civill law. . that socinian principle , doth now passe for●… good among divers sectaries , that a man is bound to believe no more then by his reason hee can comprehend . mr. i : goodwin , in his . quaerees concerning the ordinance , for the preventing of the growing and spreading of heresies , quaest : . tells us , that if reason ought not to regulat , or limit men about the object , or matter of their believing , then are they bound to believe these things , concerning which there is no ground or reason at all , why they should be believed . as if this ( being understood of humane or naturall reason ) were an absurdity ▪ divine revelation in scripture , or thus saith the lord , is the ground or reason of believing , or as school men speak , the objectum formale fidei . but wee are bound to believe , because of thus saith the lord , some things which we are not able to comprehend by our reason ; for instance , the trinity of persons in the god ▪ head , the incarnation of the sonne of god , his conception of a virgin , the union of two natures , of god and man in one person . it is therefore a question tending of it self to the subversion of the christian faith , and so of piety , which that quaerist there propoundeth , viz. whether ought any man ( at least in sensu comsito ) to beleeve the deepest or highest mysterie in religion , any further or any otherwise , then as , and as farre as , hee hath reason to judge it to be a truth ? the same writer in his hagiomastix , sect . . tells us , that this is sound divinitie , that reason ought to be every mans leader , guide and director in his faith , or about what he is , or ought to beleeve : and that no ma●… ought to leap wit●… his faith , till he hath looked with his reason , and discovered what is meet to be beleeved , what not . if this be good divinity , then pauls divinity is not good , rom. . . cor : . . cor ▪ . . . that the onely right reformation under the gospell , is the mortifying , destroying , and utter abolishing out of the faithfull and elect , all that sinne , corruption , lust , evill , that did flow in upon them , through the fall of adam . this is true gospel reformation , saith mr. dell : serm. on heb. . . and besides this i know no other . and after , pag. ▪ christ dying for us , is our redemption , christ dwelling and living in us , is our reformation . again , pag : . for the taking away transgression for us , and from us , which is the onlie reformation of the new testament , is a work agreeable to none , but the son of god , as it is written , his name shall be called jesus , for he shall save his people from their sinnes ; whereupon all alongs he speaks much against ecclesiasticall reformation , and pag : . he adviseth the parliament to lay aside their intentions ( how pious soever ) of the work of church reformation , because they are men of war , and the care of this work belongs onely to christ , the prince of peace . this doctrine , . is destructive to the solemn league and covenant of the three kingdomes , obligeing them to endeavour the reformation of religion in doctrine , worship , discipline , and government . . 't is destructive to the reformation begun by luther , continued and prosecuted by all thereformed churches , and by the independent churches as well as others . . 't is contrary to the example of the apostles themselves , and condemneth them as well as us , for they did not only teach and commend to the churches , that reformation which mr. dell calls the mortifying , or destroying of corruption and lust , or christ dwelling and living in us , but likewise an externall ecclesiasticall reformation , and severall canons concerning the reformation of externall abuses ▪ and scandals in the church : as for instance , that the churches should abstaine from bloud , and things strangled ; that two or three at most should prophesie in the church at one meeting ; that the men should pray with their heads uncovered , the women covered ; that young widows should be no longer admitted to serve the church in attending the sick ▪ and that such widows must be at least . years old , and the like ▪ . this doctrine puts jesus christ himself in the wrong , because he challenged the churches of pergamus ▪ and thyatira , for suffering and having amongst them these that taught the doctrine of b●…laam . ●… . mr. dell , his doctrine openeth a wide doore to the tolleration of the grossest and most horrid idolatries , blasphemies , abominations . i●… thousands in the kingdome should set up the masse , and bread worship , or should worship the sunne , or should publickly maintain that there is no god , nor any judgement to come , nor heaven , nor hell , the parliament ought not , may not , ( by his doctrine ) endeavour the reducing and reforming of such people , or the suppressing of such abominations : these offenders must bee let alone till christ reforme them , & mortify sin in them , which is to him the only reformation now under the gospell . . and while hee appropriateth this reformation to the time of the gospell since christ came in the flesh , hee doeth by necessary consequence hold , that there was no godly or mortifyed person in the old testament , and that we must not take abraham , moses , david , iob , &c. for examples of a personall reformation , or of true holinesse and mortification . as this doth necessarily follow from this doctrine , so it seems to have been not far from his meaning and intention . for pag : . . speaking of the time of the old testament , he saith ▪ there was no true reformation , but under all that outward religion , men were inwardlie as corrupt and wicked as the very heathen , and without any true reformation before god , till christ who was god in the flesh came with the ministration of the spirit , and then indeed was the time of reformation . then hee comes to explaine what this true reformation is , viz. the taking away and destroying of the body of sinne out of the faithfull , &c. whence it cannot but follow , that there was no such thing before the comming of christ , as the taking away and destroying the body of sinne out of the faithfull . . there are divers arminian and antinomian tenents , which very much strengthen the hands of the wicked in his wickednesse , yet such tenents are maintained by many of these , who call themselves the godly party , for instance that of universall atonement , and christ dying for all men , mark but the title of mr. moores book : the universality of gods free grace in christ , to mankinde proclaimed and displayed , &c. that all might be comforted , incouraged , every one consirmed , and assured of the propitiation and death of christ for the whole race of mankinde , and so for himself in particular . hereby the same sweetnesse of gospell comforts , and the same assurance of an interest in jesus christ and his death , is imparted and extended to the humbled , and the unhumbled , to the convinced , and to the unconvinced , to the wounded , and to the unwounded , to beleevers , and to the unbeleevers , to the converted , and to the unconverted ; as if all and every one were fit to be comforted and capable of an assurance , that jesus christ hath redeemed them , and made satisfaction to the divine justice in their behalfe . if this bee not to sow pillows , which sinners may securely lye down and sleep upon , what is ? the like i say of that position which mr. sam : lane in his vindication of free grace hath oppugned , as an arminian position , preached and asserted by mr. j. goodwin , naturall men may doe such things , as whereunto god hath by way of promise annexed grace and acceptation . which takes away the necessity of preventing grace , and the impotency of nature unto , yea , ' its aversnesse from any true spirituall good , which can be acceptable unto god : every such exalting of nature , is a depressing of grace , and ministereth occasion to unregenerat persons to please themselves too much with their present naturall estate . . other tenents are current among many of that party , which are apt to weaken the hearts and hands of the godly in the exercises of humiliation , repentance , mortification , and fruits of sanctification , by holding that god doth not chastise his children for sinne ; that there is not so much as a fatherly displeasure , or anger in god against the faults of his children ▪ that god seeth no sinne in israel , so much as to afflict them for it in this world ; that beleevers are not bound to live according to the rule of the morall law ; that beleevers are not to be terrified , or at all wrought upon by any threatnings , or by danger and punishment of sinne ; that beleevers ought not to trie their spirituall estate , or seek assurance of their interest in jesus christ , and the covenant of grace , by any gratious signes or qualifications , or by any fruits of sanctification in themselves , but onely by the inward testimony of the spirit and light of faith , which ( say they ) are of sufficient credit by themselves , without the help of any markes of grace . it is informed , that among some of the sectaries of this time , are found these tenents , that adultery is no sinne , and that drunkennesse is none neither , but a help to see christ the better ; that there is no resurrection of the dead , nor no hell . see mr. edwards , in the third part of gangraena , pag : . . chap. xiv . another most usefull case of conscience discussed and resolved , concerning associations and confederacies with idolaters , infidels , h●…reticks , or any other known enemies of truth , and godlinesse . while i have occasion to speak of humane covenants , it shall not be unprofitable to speak somewhat to that question so much debated , as well among divines , as among polititians and lawyers , whether a confederacy and association with wicked men , or such as are of another religion , be lawfull , yea , or no. for answer whereunto shortly , let us distinguish , . civill covenants . . ecclesiastical , sacred or religious covenants . . mixed covenants , partly civill , partly religious . the last two being made with wicked men , and such as differ in religion from us , i hold to be unlawfull , and so do the best writers . when the israelites are forbidden a covenant with the canaanites , speciall mention is made of their gods , altars , images , exod. . . and . . . iud. . . that no such superstitious , unlawfull worship might beetolerated . as for civil covenants , if they be for commerce or peace , which were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , they are allowed according to the scriptures , gen. . . gen. . . kings . . ier. . . rom. . . such covenants the venetians have with the turke , because of vicinity : such covenants also christian emperours of old , had sometimes with the pagans . it was the breach of a civill covenant of peace with the turke , that god punished so exemplarly in vladyslaus king of hungary : but if the civill covenant be such a covenant as the grecians called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to joine in military expeditions together , of this is the greatest debate and controversie among writers ; for my part , i hold it unlawfull with divers good writers ; and i conceive that exod. . god forbiddeth not only religious covenants with the canaanites , but even civill covenants , vers . . and conjugall covenants , vers . . which is also iunius his opinion in his analysis upon that place . the reason for the unlawfulnesse of such confederacies are brought . . from the law , exod , . . and . . . deut. . . yea god maketh this a principall stipulation and condition upon their part , while he is making a covenant with them , exod. . . . iud. . . . and lest it should be thought that this is meant only of these seven nations enumerate , deut. . the same law is interpret of four other nations , . kings . , . so that t is to be understood generally against confederacies with idolaters and those of a false religion : and the reason of the law is morall and perpetuall , viz. the danger of ensnaring the people of god : therefore they were forbidden to covenant either with their gods , or with themselves , for a conjunction of counsels , and familiar conversation ( which are consequents of a covenant ) draweth in end to a fellowship in religion . . from disallowed and condemned examples , as asa his covenant with benhadad , . chron. . to vers . . and ahaz , his covenant with the king of assyria , kings . . . chro. . . to . and if it should be objected , these are but examples of covenants with idolatrous heathens , there is not the like reason to condemne confederacies , and associations with wicked men of the same religion ; i answer . . it holds à fortiori against confederacies with such of the seed of jacob as h●…d made defection from true religion , for grotius de jure belli & pocis lib. . cap . num. . noteth , god would have such to be more abominated then heathens , and to be destroyed from among their people , deut. . . besides this i adde . . we have in other scriptures examples , which meet with that case also ; for iehosaphats confederacy with ahab , chron. . . with chron. . and after with ahaziah . chron. . . are condemned , which made iehosaphat ( although once relapsing into that sin ) yet afterwards mend his fault , for he would not againe joyne with ahaziah , when he sought that association the second time , kings . . . so amaziah having associate himself in an expedition with the israelites , when god was not with them , did upon the prophets admonition disjoin himself from them , and take his hazard of their anger : chron. . , , , . lavater upon the place applying that example , noteth this as one of the causes why the christian wars with the turke had so ill successe , why saith he , consider what souldiers were imployed , this is the fruit of associations with the wicked . . these confederacies proceed from an evill heart of unbelief , as is manifest by the reasons which are brought against ahaz his league with benhadad , chron. . , , . and by that which is said against the confederacy with the king of assyria , isay . , . for as calvin upon the place noteth , the unbeleevers among the people considering their own inability for managing so great a war , thoght it necessary to have a confederacy with the assyrians ; but this was from faithlesse feares , from want of faith to stay and rest upon god as all-sufficient . if we must avoid fellowship and conversation with the sons of belial , ( except where naturall bonds or the necessity of a calling tyeth us ) psal. . . prov. . and . . cor . , . and if we should account gods enemies ourenemies , psa. . . then how can we joyne with them , as confederates and associates , for by this means we shall have fellowship with them , and looke on them as friends . now as to the arguments which use to be brought for the contrary opinion , first 't is objected that abraham had a confederacy with aner , eschol , and mamre , genesis . . abraham with abimelech , genesis . . and isaac with abimelech , gen. . iacob with laban , gen , . . solomon , with hiram , kings . . answ. it cannot be proved that these confederates of abraham , isaac , and solomon were either idolaters or wicked ; laban indeed was an idolater : but there are good interpreters who conceive that abrahams three confederates feared god ; and that abimelech also feared god , because he speaketh reverently of god , and ascri●…eth to god the blessing and prosperity of those patriarchs . 't is presumed also that hiram was a pious man , because of his epistle to solomon , chron. . , . however , . those confederacies were civill , either for commerce , or for peace and mutuall security that they should not wrong one another , as that with laban , gen. . . and with abimelech . gen. . . which kinde of confederacy is not controverted . 't is objected also that the maccabees had a covenant with the romans and lac●…monians , macca . , and . , . answ. . that covenant is disallowed by many good writers ; yet 't is observed from the story that they had not the better , but the worse successe , nor the lesse but the more trouble following it . . the story it selfe , macc. . . tells us that the first motion of a confederacy with the heathen in those times proceeded from the children of belial in israel . lastly , it may be objected that persons discontented , and of broken fortunes were gathered to david ; and that he received them , and became a captaine unto them , sam. . . answ. . some think ( and 't is probable ) they were such as were oppressed and wronged by sauls tyranny , and were therefore in debt and discontented , and that david in receiving them was a type of christ who is a refuge for the afflicted , and touched with the feeling of their infirmities . . whoever they were , david took care that no prophane nor wicked person might be in his company , psal. . yea , psal. . . ( which was penned at that same time when he departed from achish and became captaine of those men ) he saith to them , come ye children harken unto me , i will teach you the fear of the lord. . i shall bring a better argument from davids example against the joyning with such associates in wa●… as are known to be malignant and wicked , psal. . . the lord taketh my part with them that help me , therefore i shall see my desire upon mine enemies , psal. . . the lord is with them that uphold my soul. upon this last place , both calvin and gesnerus observe , that although davids helpers were few and weak , yet god being in them , and with them , his confidence was that they should prove stronger then all the wicked ; hee intimateth also , that if he had not known that god was with his helpers , leading and inspireing them , he had looked for no helpe by them : chron . , . that davids helpers in the war were lookt upon as sincere , cordiall , and stirred up of god , may further appear from chron. . where david joyneth with himself fidos homines qui idem cum eo senti●…ent , saith lavater on the place , faithfull men of his own minde : hee addeth , that they were such as hated sauls impiety and in●…ustice , and loved davids vertue . vict. strigelious calls them , fideles amicos , faithfull friends . the text it self tells us , that divers of them joyned themselves to david while he was yet in distresse and shut up in zicklag : vers . . ( which was an argument of sincerity ) also , that some of benjamin ( sauls own tribe ) adjoyned themselves to david , and the spirit came upon amasai , who by a speciall divine instinct spake to assure david of their sincerity , vers . . , . they also who joyned themselves with david after sauls death , vers . . were not of a double heart , but of a perfect heart , vers . . . and they all agreed that the first great businesse to be undertaken , should be religion , the bringing back of the arke : chron. . , . this point of the unlawfulnesse of confederacies with men of a false religion is strangely misapplyed by lutherans , against confederacies with us , whom they call calvinists : so argueth tarnovius tract . de foederib . but we may make a very good use of it : for as we ought to pray and endeavour that all who are christs may be made one in him , so we ought to pray against and by all means avoide fellowship , familiaritie , marriages , and military confederacies with known wicked persons , and such as are of a false or hereticall religion : i shall branch forth this matter in five particulars , which god forbade to his people in reference to the canaanites and other heathens , which also ( partly by parity of reason , partly by concluding more strongly ) will militate against confederacies and conjunctions with such as under the profession of the christian religion do either maintain heresies and dangerous errors , or live a prophane and wicked life . first , god forbade all religious covenants with such , and would not have his people to tolerate the gods , images , altars or groves of idolaters : exod. . . and . . deut. . . iudg. : . and although the letter of the law mention this in reference to the canaanites , yet the best reforming kings of iudah applyed and executed this law in taking away the groves and high places abused by the iewes in their superstition : and what marvell ? if such things were not to be tollerated in the canaanites , much lesse in the iewes . theodosius is comm●…nded for his suppressing and punishing hereticks . . god forbade familiar conversation with these heathens , that they should not dwell together with his people , nay , not in the land with them , exod . . lest one of them being familiar with an israelite , might call him to a feast , and make him eat of things sacrificed to idols , exod. . , compare this with iud. . . psal . . now the apostle layeth much more restraint upon us , from conversing , eating and drinking with a scandalous christian , cor. . . then with a pagan or unbeleever , cor. . . there is a conversing and companying with wicked persons , which is our affliction , not our fault , that is when we cannot be rid of them , do what we can , cor. . . which is an argument against separating and departing from a true church , because of s●…andalous persons in it . the apostle gives this check to such , go where they will , they shall finde scandalous persons all the world over . there is again a conversing and companying with wicked persons , which naturall and civill bonds , or near relations , or our calling tyeth us unto , as between husband and wife , parent and child , pastor and people , magistrate and those of his charge . but wittingly & willingly to converse & have fellowship either with hereticall or prophane persons , whether it be out of love to them and delight in them , or for our owne interest or some worldly benefite this is certainly sinfull and inexcusable . if we take care of our bodily safety , by flying the company of such as have the plague , yea if we take care of the safety of our beasts , and would not to our knowledge suffer a scabbed or rotten sheep to infect the rest , shall we not much more take care of our own and neighbours souls , by avoiding and warning others to avoide the fellowship of the ungodly , whereby spiritual infection comes . remember it was but a kinde visite of iehosaphat to ahab which was the occasion of ingageing him into a confederacy with that wicked man , chron. . ▪ . god forbade conjugall covenants or marrying with them . exod : , . deut : , . the rule is the same against matching with other wicked persons , whether idolaters or professing the same religion with us . we read not of idolatry or any professed doctrinall differences in religion between the posterity of seth and the posterity of cain , yet this was the great thing that corrupted the old world and brought on the flood , that the children of god joyned themselves in marriage with the prophane , gen : , , , . iehoram married not an heathen , but the daughter of ahab ; but 't is marked , he did evill as did the house of ahab ; and what is the reason given for this ? for the daughter of ahab was his wife , kings , , and by and by , vers : . the like is marked of ahaziah the son of iehoram , who did evill in the sight of the lord as did the house of ahab , for he was the son in law of the house of ahab . the apostle peter supposeth that christians marrie such as are heirs together of the grace of life , peter , . see also , pro : . . . god forbade his people to make with the canaanites foedus deditionis or subactionis , ( or as others speak ) pactum liberatorium , he would have his people shew no mercy to those whom hee had destinate to destruction , deut. . . herein ahab sinned , making a brotherly covenant of friendship with benhadad , when god had delivered him into his hand , kings . , , . so in all christian common-wealths , the magistrate , gods vicegerent ought to cut off such evill doers , as gods word appointeth to be cut off . davids sparing of ioab and shimei , being partly necessitate thereto , partly induced by politicall reasons , ( whereof he repented when he was dying , nor could his conscience beat-ease , till he left a charge upon solomon , for executing justice upon both ioab and shimei , kings . , , , , . ) are no good presidents or warrands to christian magistrates , to neglect the executing of justice . 't is a better president which david resolveth , upon more deliberatly , psal. . . i will early destroy all the wicked of the land , that i may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the lord. marke this all , of what degree or quality soever , without respect of persons , and that early , and without delay . lastly , and even ioab himself was so far punished by david , that hee was cast out of his place and command , sam. . . & . . . the law is also to be applyed against civill covenants , not of peace , or of commerce , but of warre ; that is , a league offensive and defensive , wherein we associate our selves with idolaters , infidels , hereticks , or any other knowne enemies of truth or godlines , so as to have the same friends or enemies . a covenant of peace or commerce with such may happen to be unlawfull in respect of some circumstances as when peace is given to those rebells , murderers , incendiaries in the kingdome , who by the law of god ought to be destroyed by the hand of justice , or when commerce with idolaters is so abused , as to furn sh them with the things that they are known to make use of in their idolatry . but as for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a confederacy ingageing us into a warre with such associats , t is absolutely and in its own nature unlawfull : and i finde it condemned by good writers , of the popish party , of the lutheran party , and of the orthodoxe party . some of all these are before cited . what holynesse god required in the armies of israel , see deut : . , , , , : we may well argue as isidorus p●…lusiota doth , lib. epist. . if the law was so severe against such uncleannesses as were not voluntarie , how much lesse would god suffer such as did voluntarily and wickedly defile themselves . t is marked as a part of a●…imelechs sin , iud : . . that he hired vain and light persons which followed him . god would have amaziah to dismisse an hundred thousand men of israel being already with him in a body , and told him he should fall before the enemy if these went with him , because god was not with them , chron. . . &c. if they had not yet been gathered into a body , it had been much to abstain from gathering them , upon the prophets admonition , but this is much more , that he sends them away after they are in a body , and takes his hazard of all the hurt that so many inraged souldiers could do to him or his people , and indeed they did much hurt in going back , vers : , yet god rewarded amaziahs obedience with a great victory . in the last age shortly after the begun reformation in germany , this case of conscience concerning the unlawfulnesse of such confederacies was much looked at . the city of strassburg , anno , . made a defensive league with zurik , berne , and basil , qui & vicini erant , & dogmate magis conveniebant , saith sleidan , they were not onely neighbours , but of the same faith and religion , therefore they made a confederacy with them . about two yeares after the elector of saxony refused to take into confederacy those eelvetians , because although they were powerfull , and might be very helpfull to him , yet they differing in religion , concerning the article of the lords supper , he said , he durst not joyne with them as confederats , lest such sad things might befal him , as the scripture testifieth to have befallen those who for their help or defence took any assistance they could get . the rule was good in thesi . although in that particular case misapplyed . the very heathens had a notion of the unlawfulnesse of confederacies with wicked men , for as victorinus strigelius on chron : . noteth out of aeschylus his tragedy , intituled , seven to thebe , amphiaraus a wise vertuous man was therefore swallowed up in the earth with seven men , and seven horses , because he had associat himself with tydeus ; capaneus , and other impious commanders marching to the siege of thebe . lastly , take this reason for further confirmation , as wee must doe all to the glory of god , so wee must not make warres to our selves , but to the lord ; hence the booke of the warres of the lord , num : , , and , the battel is not ours , but the lords . sam : , , chron : , . now how shall we imploy them that hate the lord , to help the lord ? or how shall the enemies of his glory do for his glory ? shall rebels & traitors be taken to fight in the kings wars ? offer it to thy governour , as it is said , mal. . see if he would take this wel . as for the objections from scripture , they are before answered . there are many other exceptions of mens corrupt reason , which yet may be easily taken off , if wee will receive scripture light . that very case of iehosophats confederacy with ahab , taketh off many of them ; for although , . iehosophat was a good man , and continued so after that association , not drawn away into idolatry , nor infected with ahabs religion , but onely assisting him in a civil businesse ▪ . ahab lived in the church of israel , which was still a church , although greatly corrupted , and hee was no professed hater of god , ( only he had professed to hate micajah the man of god , ) yea , lately besore this he appeared very penitent , and some think iehosaphat now judged charitably of ahab , because of that great humilation and repentance of his , which god did accept , so far , as to reward it with a temporall sparing mercy , kings . at the end : then followes immediatly , chap : . iehosaphats association with him . although iehosaphat was also joyned in affinity with ahab , ahabs daughter being married to his sonne . . the enemy was the king of syria ; and iehosaphat doth not joyne with a wicked man against any of gods people , but against the infidell syrians ; even as amaziah was beginning to joyne with those of the ten tribes against the edomites . . the cause seemes to have been good , as carthusian on kings . . and lavater upon chron : . . note . for ramoth-gilead was a city of refuge , pertaining to the levites in the tribe of gad , and should have been restored by the king of syria to ahab , according to their covenant , kings . . daneus ▪ brings that same example of ahabs going up against ramoth-gilead , to prove that 't is just to make warre against these who have broken covenant with us . , iehosaphats manner of proceeding , was pious in this respect , that he said to ahab , enquire i pray thee of the word of the lord to day , and again , is there not here a prophet of the lord besides , he enquireth ultrà , and seeks all the light he could there have in point of conscience from prophets of the lord , which makes it probable , that those . prophets did not professe , or were not known to iehosaphat to be prophets of baal ; but were lookt upon as prophets of the lord , as cajetan thinketh . therefore they answer also in the name of the lord , the lord shall deliver it . 't is not likely that iehosaphat would desire the prophets of baal to be consulted , or that hee would hearken to them more , then to the prophet of the lord micajah , yet in this he failed extremly , that he had too far engaged himself to ahab , before the enquiring at the word of the lord. how ever it seemes , he was by this enquiring , seeking a faire way to come off againe . . iehosaphats end was good , martyr on kings . thinkes iehosaphat entered into this confederacy with ahab , for the peace and safety of his kingdome , and to prevent a new war between iudah and israel , such as had been between asa his father , and baasha king of israel , for which end also carthusian ibid. thinks that iehosaphat took ahabs daughter to his son . yet notwithstanding of all this , the prophet iehu saith to him , chron. . . shouldest thou help the ungodly , or love them that hate the lord. the lxx : read , hated of the lord , which comes all to one thing . and least it should be thought a veniall or light matter , headdeth , therefore is wrath upon thee from before the lord. so that from this example we learn ; that let us keep our selves unspotted of the false religion , or errors of those with whom we associate , let wicked men seem never so penitent , and our relations to them be never so near , let the common enemy be an infidell , let the cause be never so good , let the manner of proceeding be never so pious , and the end also good ; yet all this cannot excuse , nor justifie confederacies and associations with wicked and ungodly men . and if god was so angry at iehosaphat , when there were so many things concurring , as might seem to excuse or extenuate his fault , it being also in him a sin of infirmity only , and not without a reluctation of conscience , and a conflict of the spirit against the flesh ( which pareus upon kings . doth well collect from his desire of enquiring at the word of the lord , that hee might have occasion to come off ) how much more will god bee angry with such as go on with an high hand in this trespasse , casting his word behind them , and hating to bee reformed . if it be further objected , that we are not able without such confederacies , and help to prosecute a great war alone . this also the holy ghost hath before hand answered , in the example of ahaz his confederacy with the king of assyria ; for he had a great warre to manage , both against the syrians , and against the king of israel , kings . . also against the edomites and philistims , chron : . , , . yet although he had so much to do , this could not excuse the confederacy with the assyrian : he should have trusted to god , and not used unlawfull means . god can save by few , as well as by many ; yea , sometimes god thinks not fit to save by many , iud. . it shall not be the strength of battell , to have unlawfull confederats , but rather to want them , exod. . . if it be said , it is dangerous to provoke , and incense many wicked men by casting them off . this is plainly answered from the example of amaziah , and the . men of israel with him , of which before . if furthermore objection bee made , that he must be gentle and patient towards all , and in meeknesse , instruct those that oppose themselves , tim. . , . answ : . yet hee bids us turne away from the wicked , ibid : chap : . . wee ought in meeknesse to instruct , even him that is excommunicate , thess : . . yet wee are there warned , vers : . to have no company with him . . the angel of the church at ephesus , is at on ecommended , both for his patience , and that he could not bear them which were evil . i shall adde five distinctions which will take off all other objections that i have yet met with . . distinguish between a confederacy , which is more discretive , and discriminative and a confederacy which is more unitive . and here is the reason why covenants of peace and commerce , even with infidels and wicked persons are allowed , yet military associations with such , disallowed : for the former keeps them , and us still divided as two : the latter unites us and them , as one , and imbodieth us together with them : for thucidides defines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be such a covenant , as makes us and our confederates to have the same friends and enemies , and 't is mentioned by writers , as a further degree of uniou then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or covenants of peace . . distinguish between endeavour of duty , and the perfection of the things , which answeres that exception . o then , we must have an army all of saints ( it should be said , without any known wicked person in it ; ) now even as 't is our duty to endeavour a purging of the church , from wicked and scandalous persons , yet when we have done all we can , the lords field shall not be perfectly purged from tares , til the end of the world , matth. . so when wee have done all that ever we can , to avoid wicked persons in an expedition , yet we cannot be rid of them all ; but we must use our utmost endeavours , that we may be able to say , 't is our affliction , not our fault . . distinguish between some particular wicked persons , here and there mixing themselves with us ; and between a wicked faction , and malignant party : the former should be avoided as much as is possible , but much more a conjunction with a wicked faction . david would by no means meet and consult with the kahal meregnim , the assembly of malignants ; neither did he onely shunne to meet and consult with vaine persons ; who openly shew and bewray themselves ; but even with dissemblers , or ( as the chaldee ) with those that hide themselves , that they may do evill , psal. . , . we can know better how to doe with a whole field of tares , in which is no wheat , then we can do with tares growing here and there among the wheat . . distinguish between such a fellowship with some wicked persons , as is necessary ( which is the case of those that are married , and of parents and children ) or unavoidable , which is the case of those , whose lot is to cohabite in one town , or in one family , in a case of necessity , travelling or sailing together ; distinguish , i say , between these and an elective , or voluntary fellowship with wicked men , when love to them , or our owne benefite draweth us thereunto . we neither loose naturall bonds , nor require impossibilities , but that we keep our selves pure , by not choosing or consenting to such fellowship . . distinguish between infidels , hereticks , wicked persons repenting , and those who go on in their trespasse : what ever men have been , yet as soone as the signes of repentance , and new fruits appeare in them , we are ready to receave them into favour and fellowship : then indeed the wolfe shall dwell with the lambe , and the cow and the bear shall feed , their young ones shall lye down together , meaning , such as were wolves , leopards , bears , and now begin to change their nature ▪ not so with the obstinate , contumacious , and impenitent , who still remaine wolves , &c. let us now , : examine our selves , whether there bee so much tendernesse of conscience in us , as to close with those scripture truths , or whether we are still in a way of consulting with flesh and blood . . be humbled for former miscarriages , and failings in the particulars , and for not walking accuratly , according to these scripture rules . . beward for the future : remember and apply these rules , when we have to do with the practise of them : and that i may drive home this naile to the head : i adde , ( beside what was said before ) these reasons and motives . first , 't is a great judgement when god mingleth a perverse spirit in the midst of a people , isay . . shall we then make that a voluntary act of our own , which the word mentioneth as a dreadfull judgement ? with this spirituall judgement , is oftentimes joyned a temporall judgement , as chren : . : and . . and ▪ . so hos : . . , . compared with hos : . , . where their judgement , soundeth forth their sinne as by an eccho : the chaldee paraphrase in the place last cited , saith , the house of israel is delivered into the hands of the people whom they loved . secondly , remember what followed upon gods peoples mingling themselves with the heathen , psal. . . they were mingled among the heathen , and learned their works , hos : . . ephraim , he hath mixed himself among the people , that is , by making confe deracies with the heathen , ( as luther exponds the place ) and by seeking their help and assistance , hos : . . but what followes , ephraim is a cake not turned , hote and overbaken in the nether side , but cold and raw in the upper side . this will prove the fruit of such confederacies and associations , to make us zealous for some earthly or humane thing , but remisse and cold in the things of christ ; to be too hote on our nether side , and too raw on the upper side . whereas , not mingling our selves with the wicked : we shall through gods mercy be like a cake turned , that heat and zeal which was before downward , shall now be upward , heavenward , godward , let it also bee remembred , how both ahaz , . kings . . and asa himself , chron : . . ( though a good man ) were drawn into other great sinnes , upon occasion of these associations , with the enemies of god and his people : this sinne will certainly ensnare men in other sinnes . 't is well said by calvin upon ezek : . . that as we are too prone of our selves to wickednesse , so when wee enter into confederacies with wicked men , we are but seeking new temptations , and as it were a bellows to blow up our own corruptions , as wine being mixed with water loseth of its spirits , and white being mixed with black , loseth much of its whitenesse : so the people of god , if once mixed with wicked enemies , shall certainly losse of their purity and integrity . thirdly , as these unlawfull confederacies draw us both into great judgements and great sins , so into a great security and stupidity under these great plagues and sins , which will make the estate of such to be yet worse , hos : , , after ephraims mixing himself among the people , t is added , strangers have devoured his strength , and he knoweth it not , yea , gray hairs are here and there upon him , yet he knoweth it not : although his confederats have distressed him , and not strengthned him , and although there may be observed in him diverse signes of a decaying dying condition , yet he knowes it not , nor takes it to heart ; the same thing is insisted upon vers : . ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart ; they call to egypt , they go up to assyria . he is as voide of understanding as a silly dove , whose nest being spoiled , and her young ones taken from her ( which the chaldee paraphrase addeth for explications cause ) yet she still returneth to those places where , and among those people by whom she hath been so spoiled ; so israel will still be medling with those that have done him great hurt . fourthly , we finde that such confederacy or association either with idolaters or known impious persons , is seldome or never recorded in the booke of god , without a reproofe , or some greater mark of gods displeasure put upon it . if it were like the polygamie of the patriarchs , often mentioned and not reproved , it were the lesse marvell to hear it so much debated . but now when god hath so purposely set so many beacons upon those rocks , and shelves that we may beware of them , o why shall we be so mad , as stil to run upon them ? it was reproved in the time of the judges , judg : , , , . it was reproved in the time of the kings ; ahabs covenant with benhadad , asa's covenant with benhadad , ahaz his confederacy with the assyrian ; iehosophats association , first with ahab , then with ahaziah : amaziahs association with those . men of ephraim , when god was not with them , all those are plainly disallowed and condemned . moreover that reproofe , ier : . : and now , what hast thou to do in the way of egypt , to drink the waters of sihor ? or what hast thou to do in the way of assyria , to drink the waters of the river ? the chaldee hath thus ; what have yee to do to associat with pharaoh king of egypt — and what have ye to do to make a covenant with the assyrian ? again after the captivity , ezra : . the jewes mingling of themselves with the heathen is lamented . fifthly , the great and precious promises of god , may encourage us so , as we shall never say to the wicked , a confederacy : for upon condition of our avoiding all such confederacies & conjunctions , god promiseth never to break his covenant with us , iudg : : , . and to receive us as his sons and daughters , cor : . , , , . sixthly , t is one of gods great mercies which he hath covenanted and promised , i will purge out from among you the rebels , and them that transgresse against me , ezek. , . why should we then forsake our own mercy , and despise the counsell of god against our own souls . seventhly , as it was in asa his experience , chron , , , , so it hath been in our own , god hath done his greatest workes for us , when we were most unmixed with such men . there is another objection , which at the writing hereof i have met with : t is davids confederacy and association , both with abner , sam. . , . and with amasa , sam : . . whom according to agreement he made generall of his hoste , sam : , . although both of them had been davids enemies , and born armes against him , abner being also scandalous , both for his whoredome , sam. , . and his treachery against ishbosheth in aspyring to the crown ( which is collected from his going in unto sauls concubine , as absolom did unto davids afterward ) yea for that he had born arms against david , when he knew that god had sworne to make david king , and so against the light of his conscience , sam : , . answ : peter martyr commenting upon those places , dissaloweth davids practise in both these cases , especially his league with abner . should we follow these two examples , not being allowed or commended in scripture ? or should we not rather avoid such confederacies , because of many examples thereof , plainly condemned in the word of god ? . what soever may ●…e conceived to be allowable or excusable in these examples of david , yet it cannot be applied , except in like cases . when david covenanted with abner , he was but king of judah , abner undertakes to bring about all israel to him , and that he should make him reigne over all the tribes , whereas otherwise there was no appearance of davids subdueing of all the other tribes ; but by a long and bloody warre . again , when david covenanted and capitulated with amasa , he was in a manner fled out of the land for absalom , sam : . . and was forced to abide in the land of gilead beyond jordan , fearing also ( as interpreters observe ) that the men of iudah having strengthned ierusalem and kept it with a garison for absalom , and having done so much in assisting absalom against david , should grow desperat in holding out against him , hoping for no mercy , therefore he is content to make amasa generall of his army , upon condition that he would cause the men of iudah to bring him back to ierusalem , which amasa moves the men of iudah to do , sam : , ; for it was done by his authority , as iosephus also writeth , nor could it be done without his authority , for absalom and ahitophel being dead , amasa had the whole power and sole headship of that army and of all that faction that had followed absalom . now then let them that will plead for the lawfullnesse of confederacies with wicked persons from these examples of david , first make the case alike , that is , that the wicked one have power of an army , and of a great body of the kingdom , to make them either continue in rebellion and enmity , or to come in and submit . next let it be remembred that both abner and amasa did a great service , ( which was most meritorious at the hands of men ) for the good , peace , and safety of king and kingdom , and they did it at that time also when david was but weak , & they had power enough to have continued a war against him . which is a very rare case , and far different from the case of such as have done and are doing all that they can to pervert and mislead many thousands of the people of god , instead of reducing many thousands to obedience ; as abner and amasa did . . there are some other answers proper to the one case and the other . there is nothing in the text to prove , that david made such a covenant with abner , as the grecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or that he covenanted to make him generall of his army , ( as afterwards he covenanted with amasa , ) for at that time he could have no colour of reason for casting ioab out of his place , as afterwards he had ; therefore i understand with sanctius that the league which abner sought from david , was foedus pacis , a covenant of peace . hierome readeth , fac mecum amicitias , make friendship with me , for before they had been enemies : so that this league is not of that kind which is chiefly controverted . as for amasa , i shall not go about ( as some have done ) to excuse or extenuate his fault in joyning with absalom , as not being from any malice or wicked intention against david his uncle ; but there is some probability that amasa was a penitent and hopefull man. sure david had better hopes of him , then of ioab : and if it be true which iosephus writeth , that before david sent zadock and abiathar to the men of iudah , and to amasa , frequent messages came from them to the king , desiring to be received into his favour ; how ever amasa being so willing and ready to do so much for david , when he might have done so much against him , david as he could not doe his businesse without him , so hee had some ground to hope well of him ; considering withall , that amasa was not set upon this business by any offence or displeasure at the other party , as abner was . . even as this example , so far as concerneth the laying aside , and casting off of ioab , and not preferring his brother abishai in his room ( both of them being gui●…ty of abners bloud , sam. . . and both of them being too hard for david ) helpeth to strengthen that which i have been pleading for . the point being now so fully cleared from scripture , here is the lesse reason to argue contrariwise from human examples in christian states and common-wealths . the word of god must not stoupe to mens practises , but they to it . yet even among those whose examples is alledged for the contrary opinion , there want not instances for cautiousnesse and conscientiousnesse , in choosing or refusing confederats . as namely among the helvetians or suitzers . they of zurik and berne , when once reformed , renounced their league made before with the french king , for assisting him in his wars , and resolved onely to keep peace with him ; but would not continue the league of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or joyning with him in his wars . and whatsoever were the old leagues about . years agoe , mutually binding those cantons each to other for aid and succour , and for the common defence of their country , and for preservation of their particular rights and liberties , and for a way of decideing controversies and pleas , between men of one canton and of another ( which leagues are recorded by those that write of that common-wealth ) yet after the reformation of religion , there was so much zeal on both sides , that it grew to a war between the popish and the protestant cantons , wherein as the popish side strengthened themselves by a confederacy with ●…erdinand the emperours brother , so the protestant side , zurik , berne , and basil entered into a confederacy , first with the city of strasburgh , and shortly thereafter with the lantgrave of hesse , that thereby they might bee strengthened , and aided against the popish cantons . the differences of religion put them to it , to choose other confederates . neverthelesse , i can easily admit what lavater judiciously observeth , upon ezek. . , , , . that covenants made before true religion did shine among a people , are not to be rashly broken ; even as the beleeving husband , ought not to put away the unbeleiving wife , whom he married when himself also was an unbeleever , if she be willing still to abide with him . whatsoever may be said for such covenants , yet confederacies with enemies of true religion , made after the light of reformation , are altogether unexcusable . peradventure some have yet another objection : this is an hard saying ( say divers malignants ) we are looked upon as enemies , if we come not in and take the covenant , and when we are come in and have taken the covenant , wee are still esteemed enemies to the cause of god , and to his servants . answ. this is just , as if those traitors , covenant breakers , and other scandalous persons , from which the apostle bids us turne away , tit. . . had objected , if we have no forme of godlinesse , we are looked upon as aliens , and such as are not to be numbered among gods people , yet now when wee have taken on a forme of godlinesse , we are in no better esteem with paul , but still he will have christians to turne away from us : yea , 't is as if workers of iniquity living in the true church , should object against christ himself , if we pray not , if wee hear not the word , &c. we are not accepted , but rejected for the neglect of necessary duties , yet when wee have prayed , heard , &c : we are told for all that : depart from me yee workers of iniquity , i never knew you . men must bee judged according to their fruits , according to their words and works , and course of living ; and if any who have taken the covenant , shew themselves in their words and actions , to be still wicked enemies , our eyes must not bee put out with their hand at the covenant . if any disaffected shall still insist and say ; but why then are we receaved , both to the covenant and to the sacrament , nay , why are wee forced and compelled into the covenant . answ. . if any known malignant , or complier with the rebels , or with any enemy of this cause hath been receaved , either to the covenant or sacrament , without signes of repentance for the former malignancy , and scandale ( such signes of repentance , i mean , as men in charity ought to be satisfied with , ) 't is more then ministers and elderships can answer , either to god , or the acts and constitutions of this nationall church . i trust all faithfull and conscientious ministers have laboured to keep themselves pure in such things . yea , the generall assembly hath ordained , that known compliers with the rebels , and such as did procure protections from the enemy , or keep correspondence and intelligence with him , shall be suspended from the lords-supper , till they manifest their repentance before the congregation . now if any after signes , and declaration of repentance , have turned again to their old wayes of malignancy , their iniquity bee upon themselves , not upon us . . men are no otherwise drawn or forced into the covenant , then into other necessary duties . nay it ought not to be called a forceing or compelling . are men forced to spare their neighbours life , because murther is severly punished ? or are men compelled to be loyall , because traitors are examplarily punished ? there may , and must be a willingnesse and freenesse in the doing of the contrary duty ; although great sinnes must not go away unpunished . men are not compelled to vertue , because vice is punished , else vertue were not vertue . those that refuse the covenant , reproach it , or rail against it , ought to be looked upon as enemies to it , and dealt with accordingly : yet if any man were knowne to take the covenant against his will , he were not to be receaved . . these two may well stand together , to censure the contempt or neglect of a duty , and withall to censure wickednesse in the person that hath taken up the practise of the dutie . if any israelite would not worship the true god , hee was to be put to death , chron. . . but withall , if worshipping the true god , hee was found to bee a murtherer , an adulterer , &c. for this also hee was to bee put to death . the generall assembly of this church hath appointed , that such as after admonition , continue in an usuall neglect of prayer , and the worship of god in their families , shall bee suspended from the lords-supper , till they ●…mend : yet if any man shall be found to make familie worship a cloak to his swearing , drunkennesse ; adultery or the like , must these scandalous sinnes be uncensured , because hee hath taken upon him a forme of godlinesse ? god forbid . 't is just so here , refusers of the covenant , and railers against it , are justly censured : but withall , if wickednesse and malignancie , be found in any that have taken the covenant ; their offence and censure is not to be extenuated , but to be aggravated . i had been but very short in the handling of this question , if new objections coming to my eares , had not drawn me forth to this length . and now i finde one objection more . some say , the arguments before brought from scripture , prove not the unlawfulnesse of confederacies , and associations with idolaters , heretickes , or prophane persons of the same kingdome , but onely with those of another kingdome . answ. . then by the concession of those that make the objection , 't is at least unlawfull , to associate our selves with any of another kingdome , who are of a false religion , or wicked life . . if familiar fellowship , even with the wicked of the same kingdome be unlawfull , then is a military association with them unlawfull ; for it cannot be without consulting , conferring , conversing frequently together . it were a prophane abusing , and mocking of scripture to say , that we are forbidden to converse familiarly with the ungodly of another kingdome , but not with the ungodly of the same kingdome , or that we are forbidden to marry with the ungodly of another kingdome , but not with the ungodly of the same kingdom , for what is this , but to open a wide gate upon the one hand ; while wee seem to shut a narrow gate upon the other hand ? . were not those military associations , chron ▪ . . and . , . condemned upon this reason , because the associats were ungodly , haters of the lord , and because god was not with them . now then , à quatenus ad omne , the reason holds equally against associations with any , of whom it can be truly said , they are ungodly , haters of the lord , and god is not with them . . god would have the camp of israel altogether holy and clean , deut. . . to ▪ clean from whom ? not so much from wicked heathens ( there was not so much fear of that ) as from wicked israelites . . saith not david , i will early destroy all the wicked of the land , psal. . . and , depart from me all ye workers of iniquity , psal. . . how can it then be imagined , that he would make any of them his associats , and helpers in warre . amandus polanus comment , in ezek : ▪ , , . qui ecclesiae scortationem , hoc est idololatriam vel falsam doctrinam , & confederationes cum impiis reprehendit , non est hereticus , non est schismaticus , non est ingratus adversus matrem eccelesiam : alioqui●… etiam ezekiel cum jeremiâ , aliisque prophetis , fuisset hereticus , aut schismaticus , aut ingratus . chap. xv. of uniformity in religion , worship of god , and church government . the word vniformity is become al 's odious to divers who plead for liberty and tolleration , as the word conformity was in the prelats times . hence proceeded mr delles book against uniformity , and mr burtons book , intituled , conformities deformity . i confesse my love and desire of uniformity hath not made mee any whit to depart from my former principles against the prelaticall conformity , or the astricting of mens consciences ( at least in point of practise and observation ) to certain rites , whether unlawful or indifferent in their own nature , under pain of censure . yet i must needs justifie ( as not only lawfull , but laudable ) what the solemne league and covenant of the three kingdoms , obligeth us unto , namely to endeavour to bring the churches of god in the three kingdomes to the nearest conjunction and uniformity in one confession of faith , one directory of worship , one forme of church government and catechisme . it is alwayes to be remembred , that good things , yea the best things may be dangerously abused by the corruptions of men , especially when the times are generally corrupted . luther had reason in his time , and as the case stood then , to decline a generall synod of protestants for unity in ceremonies ( which some moved for ) before the doctrine of faith , and the substance of the gospell was setled . he said the name of synods and counsels was almost al 's much suspected with him , as the name of free will , and that he would have the churches freely and voluntarly to comply and conforme in externall rites , by following the best examples in these things , but by no means to be compelled to it , or snares prepared for the consciences of the weak . see melchior adamus in vit : lutheri pag : , . but if luther had found al 's good opportunity and al 's much possibility of attayning a right uniformity in church government and worship , as god vouchsafeth us in this age , i do not doubt , but he had been more zealous for it , then any of us now are , or if hee had been in calvins stead , i make no question he had done in this businesse as calvin did . so that we ought to impute it rather to their times and places in which they lived , then to the difference of their spirits , that luthers zeal was wholly spent upon the doctrine of free grace . calvins zeal did also extendit self to discipline , about which luther was unwilling to make any busines at all . but for further satisfaction to truly tender consciences , and that they may not fear we are leading them back again to egypt , i desire that these particular differences between the prelaticall conformity , and the presbyteriall uniformity according to the covenant , may be well observed . first , they did after the heathenish and popish maner affectat ceremonies , and a pompous externall splendor and spectability , and made the kingdome of god come with observation . we desire to retain only the ancient apostolicall simplicity and singlenesse , and we conceive the fewer ceremonies , the better , knowing that the minds of people are thereby inveagled and distracted from the spirituall and inward duties . . much of the prelaticall conformity consisted in such things as were in themselves & in their own nature unlawful , and contrary to the word . shew us the like in any part of our uniformity , then let that thing never more be heard of . uniformity in any thing which is unlawfull is a great aggravation of the sin . they conformed to the papists , we to the example of the best reformed churches , which differeth al 's much fr●…m their way , as she that is dressed like other honest women distereth from her that is dressed like a whore . . the prelatical conformity was for the most part made up of sacred ceremonies , which had been grossely and notoriously abused either to idolatry or superstition , and therefore being things of no necessary use , ought not to have been continued , but abolished as the brazen serpent was by hezekiah . but in our uniformity now excepted against , i know no such thing ( and i am confident no man can give instance of any such thing in it ) as a sacred religious rite or thing which hath neither from scripture nor nature any necessary use , and hath been notoriously abused to idolatry or superstition , if any such thing can be found , i shall confesse it ought not to be continued . . they imposed upon others and practised themselves ceremonies ( acknowledged by themselves to be in their own nature meerly indifferent , but looked upon by many thousands of godly people , as unlawfull and contrary to the word ) to the great scandall and offence of their brethren . our principle is , that things indifferent ought not to be practised with the scandall and offence of the godly . . their way was destructive to true christian liberty both of conscience and practise , compelling the practise and conscience it self , by the meer will and authority of the law-makers . obedite praepositis was the great argument with them to satisfie consciences , sic volo , sic jubeo , sit pro ratione voluntas . we say that no canons nor constitutions of the church can bind the conscience nisi per & propter verbum dei , i.e. except in so far as they are grounded upon and warrantable by the word of god , at least by consequence , and by the generall rules thereof . and that canons concerning things indifferent bind not extra casum scandali & contemptus , i , e. when they may be omitted without giving scandall , or shewing any contempt of the ecclesiasticall authority . . the prelaticall ordinances were after the commandements and doctrines of men , as the apostle speaks , col : , . compare mat : . . but in vain do they worship me , teaching for doctrines the commandements of men . where doctrines may fitly expresse the nature of significant mysterious ceremonies ( such as was the pharisaicall washing of hands , cups , tables , &c. to teach and signifie holines ) all sacred significant ceremonies of mans devysing , we condemne as an addition to the word of god , which is forbidden no lesse then a diminution from it . let many of those who object against our uniformity , examine whether their own way hath not somewhat in it , which is a sacred significant ceremony of humane invention , and without the word ; for instance , the anointing of the sick in these dayes when the miracle is ceased , the church covenant , &c. for our part , except it be a circumstance , such as belongeth to the decency and order , which ought to appear in all humane societies and actions whether civill or sacred , we hold that the church hath not power to determine or enjoyne any thing belonging to religion : and even of these circumstances we say that although they be so numerous and so various , that all circumstances belonging to all times and places could not be particularly determined in scripture , yet the church ought to order them so , and hath no power to order them otherwise , then as may best agree with the generall rules of the word . now setting aside the circumstantials , there is not any substantiall part of the uniformity according to the covenant , which is not either expresly grounded upon the word of god , or by necessary consequence drawn from it , and so no commandement of men , but of god. other differences i might adde , but these may abundantly suffice to shew that the prelaticall conformity and the presbyterian uniformity are no lesse contrary one to another , then darknes and light , black and white , bitter and sweet , bad and good . and now having thus cleared the true nature and notion of uniformity , that it s altogether another thing from that which its opposers apprehend it to be , the work of arguing for it may be the shorter and easier , m ● , dell in his discourse against uniformity , argueth against it both from nature and from scripture . i confesse if one will transire de genere in genus , as he doth , its easie to find a disconformity between one thing and another , either in the works of creation , or in the things recorded in scripture . but if one will look after uniformity in uno & eodem genere , in one and the same kind of things ( which is the uniformity we plead for ) then both nature & scripture giveth us presidents not against uniformity , but for it . it is a maxime in naturall philosophy , that motus coeliest semper uniformis velocitate , the heavens do not move sometime more slowly , sometime more swiftly , but ever uniformly . god himself tels us of the sweet influences of pleiades , of the bands of orion , of the bringing foorth of mazaroth in his season , and of the other ordinances of heaven , which all the power on earth cannot alter nor put out of course , iob , , , . of the sea which is shut up within the decreed place , & within the doors and barres which it cannot passe , vers : , . and generally all the great works which god doeth there discourse of , each of them in its own kinde is uniforme to it self : so likewise , psal : . hath not god said , that while the earth remaineth , seed time and harvest , and cold and heat , and sommer and winter , day and night shall not cease , gen ▪ , . if there were not an uniformity in nature , how could fair weather be known by a red sky in the evening , or foul weather by a red and lou●…ing sky in the morning ? mat : , , . if there be not an uniformity in nature , why saith salomon , the thing that hath been , it is that which shall be , and there is no new thing under the sun ? eccl. . . is it not an uniformity in nature that the st●…rk in the heavens knoweth her appointed times , and the turtle , and the cran , and the swallow observe the time of their comming , ier. . . is not that an uniformity in nature ? io. . . there are yet foure mone hs and then cometh harvest ? as the apostle saith of the members of the body which we think to be lesse honourable , upon these we bestow more abundant honour , cor. . , so i may say of these things in nature which may perhaps seem to have least uniformity in them ( such as the waxing and weaning of the moon , the ebbing and flowing of the sea , and the like ) even in these a very great uniformity may be observed . as for scripture presidents , there was in the old testament a marvelous great uniformity both in the substantialls and rituals of the worship and service of god. for instance , num. . . 't is said of the passeover , ye shall keep it in his appointed season : according to all the rites of it , and according to all the ceremonies thereof shall ye keep it . exod. , . one law shall be to him that is homeborn , & unto the stranger that sojurneth among you . another instance see in the sacrifices , levit , first . chapters . another instance act. , . for moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him , being raed in the synagogues every sabboth day . a fourth instance in the courses and services of the priests and levits , chron , , , , & . luke . , . the like in other instances . of the church of the new testament , it was prophesied , that god would give them one way , aswell as one heart , ier : . . that there shall not onely be one lord , but his name one , zack : . . wee are exhorted to walk by the same rule , so farre as we have attained , that is , to study uniformity , not diversity in those things which are agreed upon to bee good and right , phil. . . doeth not the apostle plainly intimat and commend an uniformity in the worship of god , cor. . . if any man speak in an unknown tongue , let it beby two , or , at the most , by three , and that by course , and let one interpret , vers . for god is not the author of confusion , but of peace , as in all the churches of the saints , vers . . let all things bee done decently and in order . hee limiteth the prophets to that same number , of two or three ; even as he limiteth those that had the gift of tongues , vers , . and was it not a great uniformity , that he would have every man who prayed , or prophesied , to have his head uncovered , and every woman covered , cor. . doeth not the same apostle , besides the doctrine of faith , and practicall duties of a christian life , deliver severall canons to bee observed in the ordination and admission of elders and deacons , concerning widows , concerning accusations , admonitions , censures , and other things belonging to church policy , a , appeareth , especially from the epistles to timothy and titus ? and cor : . , . hee will have an uniformity between the churches of galatia , and of corinth , in the very day of putting forth their charity . now concerning the colection for the saints , as i have given order to the churches of galatia , even so doe you , upon the first day of the week , let every one of you lay by him in store , &c. in the ancient church , although there was not an uniformity in all particulars among all the churches ; for instance in the point of fasting , some fasting on the sabbath , some not , some taking the lords-supper fasting , some after meals , which differences in fasting , gave occasion to the old rule : dissonantia ●…ejunii non dissolvit consonantiam fidei . although likewise , there was a great difference between the custome of one church and another , in the time and manner of celebrating the lords-supper . and in other particulars , as augustine , socrates and the author of the tripartite history , record unto us . yet the centuryes and other ecclesiasticall historians , shew us in every century , a great uniformity in those ancient times , even in very many things belonging to church government , and forme of worship . neither can any man doubt of the great uniformity in the ancient church : who is not a stranger to the canons of the ancient councells . and although irenaeus and others justly blamed victor bishop of rome , for excommunicating the churches of asia , and the quartodecimans , because of their disconformity , in keeping of easter , yet the endeavoring of the nearest uniformity in that particular , was so farre from being blamed , that it was one cause ( though neither the sole nor principall ) of the calling and conveening the councell of nice , which councell did not leave it arbitary to every one , to follow their owne opinion concerning easter , but by their canon determined , that it should not be keept upon the same day with the jews , that is , upon the . day of the moneth . chap. xvi . whether it be lawfull , just , and expedient , that there be an ordinance of parliament , for the taking of the solemne league and covevenant , by all persons in the kingdome , under a considerable penaltie . or an answer returned to a gentleman , who had consulted a friend concerning this question . first of all , that i may rightly deduce and state the matter of fact , 't is to be remembred . that the solemne league and covenant hath been the strongest band of union in this common cause of religion and liberty , and that which the common enemies , have mainly endeavoured with all their might to overthrow . that the chief motive to engage scotland , was professed to be the reformation of religion , and uniformity according to the covenant . that the league and treaty between the two kingdomes , is in pursuance of the ends of the covenant , especially the aforsaid ends of religion . that the declaration of both kindomes , emitted to other nations , doeth hold forth to the world , that our war is for the ends of the covenant , and that we should never lay down armes , till these were obtained . that by order of parliament , the covenant was turned in latine , and sent abroad to the reformed churches , with letters from the assembly of divines . that upon the former assurances , the church and kingdome of scotland , the parliaments of both kingdomes , the assembly of divines , the city of london , and many thousands in england , have taken the covenant , and have sworne most solemnly , that they shall constantly , really , and sincerly , during all the dayes of their lifetime , with their lives and fortunes , stand to the performance of it . and both kingdomes have suffered the losse of their goods chearfully , laid out their means , and laid downe their lives resolutly in pursuance thereof . at the treaty of vxbridge , the propositions for religion ( of which the confirming of the covenant , is the first and chiefest ) were acknowledged to be of such excellency , and absolute necessity , as they were appointed to be treated of in the first place , and that no peace nor agreement should be , till they were first agreed unto . the same propositions for religion , are yet set down in the first place amongst the propositions sent last to the king , as being agreed unto by the parliaments of both kingdomes . and that now the kings answer to the propositions is delayed , the house of commons have thought fit , to turne the propositions into ordinances , to shew their constant resolution of adhering thereto , and that they may be of greater force , and receave the better obedience from the subjects , have converted the propositions for civill matters into ordinances , and ( that their zeal and constancy may appear for religion , which is of greatest moment , and wherein the glory of god , and the good of his church is most concerned ) it is desired , that the propositions concerning the covenant , may be likewise turned into an ordinance , with a considerable penalty , that so we may give some reall evidence , that we do not s●…ek the things of this world in the first place , and the kingdome of heaven , and the righteousnesse of it in the last ; much lesse , that demas ▪ like we forsake it as lovers of this present world . now the grounds and reasons for such an ordinance may be these . . it were a great unthankfulnsse to god , if after sacred and solemne vowes made in time of our greatest dangers , and when after our vowes , god hath begun to deliver us , and hath dissipated our enemies , we should now grow wearie of paying , and performing those vowes . we may say of the covenant , as the prophet said of the laying of the foundation of the second temple . consider whether from that very day god did not sensibly blesse us , and give a testimony from heaven , to his own cause and covenant . and now shall the covenant which was our glory and ornament before god and men , be laid aside as a worne or moth-eaten garment ? god forbid . . if the taking of the solemne league and covenant , bee not enjoyned by authority of parliaments , under a penalty , but left arbitrary , this were an opening in stead of shutting of the doore unto as many as are apt and inclinable ●…o refuse and oppose the covenant , yea , to as many as write or speak against it , and maintaine opinions or practises contrary to it . the impiety and obstinacy of such persons , if not punished , but connived at , or tacitely permitted by the parliaments , involveth them and the nation as partakers of the sinne , and so consequently of the judgement . although the oath which ioshua and the princes of israel made to the gibeonites , was made unadvisedly , and without asking counsell from the mouth of the lord , yet some hundred yeares after being broken , that breach brought a nationall judgement , till justice was done upon the offenders . how much more may a nationall judgement bee feared , if even in our dayes the contempt and violation of a most lawfull and sacred oath , bee winked at ? surely god will not wink at their sinne , who wink at his dishonour . better not to have vowed , then not to pay and performe . . when king iosiah made a solemne covenant ( the effect whereof was a through reformation , the taking away of the ancient and long continued high places , the destroying of baals vessels , altars , priests , &c. kings . through out ) he did not leave this covenant arbitrary : but he caused all that were present in ierusalem , and benjamine to stand to it , chron. . . in all which he is set forth as a president to christian reformers , that they may know their duety in like cases . . all who did take the solemne league and covenant are thereby obleiged in their severall places and callings ( and so the houses of parliament in their place and calling ) to endeavour the extirpation of popery , prelacy , heresie , schisme , superstition , and prophannesse . how is this part of the oath of god fulfilled , if the covenant it selfe , made for the extirpation of all these , be left arbitrary ? . the vow and protestation was not left arbitrary . for by the vote , iuly . . it was resolved upon the question , that whosoever would not take that protestation , are declared to be unfit to bear any office in the church or state , which was accordingly published . but the solemne league and covenant must be at least more effectuall then the protestation , for the narrative , or preface of the covenant , holdeth forth the necessity of the same , as a more effectuall means to be used , after other means of supplication , remonstrance , and protestation . . this same solemne league and covenant was not in the beginning left arbitrary , for some members were suspended from the house , for not taking it . and in the ordinance , feb. . it is ordained and enjoyned , that it be solemnly taken in all places throughout the kingdome of england , and dominion of wales . and withall , in the instructions and orders of parliament , then sent into the committees , it was appointed that the names of such as refuse it , should be returned to the parliament , that they may take such further course with them , as they shall thinke fit . in the ordinance of parliament , for ordination of ministers , ( both the first and the last ordinance ) the person to be ordained , is appointed and obleiged to addresse himself to the presbyterie : and bring with him a testimony of his taking the covenant of the three kingdomes . again , by the ordinance for election of elders , dated the . of aug : . no member of any congregation , may concurre or have voice in the choosing of elders , but such as have taken the nationall covenant . . in the first article of the treaty between the kingdomes , signed novemb : . . 't is agreed and concluded , that the covenant bee sworne and subscribed by both kingdomes , not that it shall bee taken by as many as will in both kingdomes , but that it shall bee taken by both kingdomes . how shall this be performed , if it bee still left arbitrary ? . in the propositions of peace , 't is plainly supposed and intimated , that the taking of the covenant shall bee enjoyned under some penalty . otherwise we have not delt faithfully , neither with god nor man , in tendering that second proposition to the king , concerning his consent to an act of parliament in both kingdomes respectively , for the enjoyning the taking of the covenant , by all the subjects of the three kingdomes with such penalties as by mutuall advice of both kingdomes , shall be agreed upon . . if other propositions of peace be turned into ordinances , and this of the covenant not so , it will strengthen the calumnies cast upon the parliament by the malignant party , that they have had no intention to setle religion according to the covenant , but that they entred into the covenant for bringing in the scots to their assistance , and for gaining the good opinion of the reformed churches . . it will also be a dangerous president to separat between the legislative power , and the corrective or punitive power . for if after the ordinance of parliament injoyning and ordaining that the covenant be taken universally throughout the whole kingdome , there be no sanction nor penalty upon these who shall refuse it , let wise men judge , whether this may not expose the authority of parliament to contempt . i shal conclud with this syllogisme , that which is not only sinful in it self , but a great dishonour to god , a great scandall to the church , & with all a disobedience to the lawfull ordinance of authority , may and ought to be punished , by this christian and reforming parliament . but their offence which still refuse to take the covenant , is not only sinfull in it self , but a great dishonour to god , a great scandall to the church , and with all a disobedience to the lawful ordinance of authority . therefore the offence of these who still refuse to take the covenant , may and ought to be punished by this christian and reforming parliament . objections answered . . object . the covenant ought not to be compulsory but free : good things grow evill when mens consciences are thereunto forced ▪ answ. . an ordinance injoyning the taking of it under a certain penalty , were no other compulsion , then was used by king iosiah and others , yea by this present parliament upon their own members , and upon ministers to be ordained , as is evident by the passages above expressed . the parliament hath also by their ordinance dated the . of august . imposed the directory of worship under certain mulcts and penalties to be inflicted upon such as do not observe it , or preach or write against it . . t is no tyranny overmens consciences , to punish a great and scandalous sin ( such as the refusing and opposing of the covenant , or a divyding from it ) althogh the offender in his conscience believe it to be no sin , yea peradventur believe it to be a duety . otherwise it had been tyranny over the conscience to punish those who killed the apostles , because they thought they were doing god good service , ioh : , . thirdly , if they who make this objection be so tender of mens consciences , why would they keep up an army when there is no enemy , and continue taxes and burthens upon the exhausted counties , which are altogether against the consciences of the generality of people in the kingdome . if in these things they will have the conscience of any to be forced , and in the covenant the consciences of some left at liberty , this is not fair and equall , and it will be generally apprehended , that such men study their own interest more then the publick . . object : the covenant was occasionall , and temporary , being made upon the occasion of the prevalency and growing power of the enemy ( as is mentioned in the narrative ) which fundation being taken away , the superstructure cannot stand . answ. . ex malis moribus bonae nascuntur leges . shall wee therefore be no longer bound to obey and maintaine good lawes , because the evils which gave occasion to their making have ceased . . the covenant doth in expresse words oblige us constantly , and all the dayes of our lives , to pursue the ends therein expressed . so that to hold it but a temporary obligation is a breach of covenant . . there is not any one of the ends of the covenant which is yet fully attained . the very directory of worship is not observed in most places of the kingdome . neither is the abolitione of prelacy , and of the book of common prayer yet established by act of parliament . . if we had attained the ends of the covenant ( which we have not ) yet non minor est virtus quam quaerere parta tueri , and the recidivation may prove worse then the first disease . . object . some things in the covenant are disputable , for instance , good and learned men differ in their opinions about prelacy . answ : . the oath of supremacy was much more disputable , and great disputs there were among good and learned men about it , yet it hath been imposed upon all members of parliament . . if the very materials of the covenant be stuck at , whether they be good in themselves , there is the greater danger to leave all men to abound in their own sense , concerning things of the highest consequence . . object : the army which hath served us so faithfully and regained our liberties , shall by this ordinance loose their own greatest liberty , which is the liberty of their consciences ▪ answ : . in the ordinance and instructions of parliament dated the feb : . it was ordained that the covenant should be speedily sent to my lord generall , and the lord admirall , and all other commanders in cheiff , governours of towns , &c. to the end it may be taken by all officers and souldiers under their command . i hope the parliament did not here take from their army the liberty of their consciences . . the army must either take lawes from the parliament , or give laws to the parliament . if they will as the parliaments servants , submit themselves to the ordinances of the parliament ( which hath ever been professed they would doe ) then the objection is taken away . but if they will be the parliaments masters or fellows , and independent upon the parliament it self , and at libertie to reject as they list so good or wholesome an ordinance a●… the taking of the covenant , then god have mercy upon us , if the parliament doe not preserve their owne rights and priviledges , with which the kingdome hath entrusted them . . if an ordinance imposing the taking of the covenant under a considerable penaltie , be to the army scandalum acceptum . the not passing of such an ordinance will be scandalum datum to the city of london , and to many thousands of the godly and well affected of the kingdome , both ministers and people , who have faithfully adhered to , and served the parliament , and will still hazard their lives and fo●…tunes in pursuance of the ends of the covenant ; yea , a horrible scandall to the reformed churches abroad , whose hearts were once comforted and raised up to expect better things . . god forbid , there be any such in the houses of parliament , as would admit of deformation instead of reformation , and all maner of confusion in place of government . would not this be the ready way to banish all religion , and open a door for all sorts of schisme and haeresie ? and shal this be the fruits of the labours , blood and expences of the three kingdomes , in place of reformation and uniformity , to admit of such a liberty and horrible confusion ? let it not be told in gath , nor published in askelon , least the philistims rejoice , least the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph . chap. xvii . of infant baptisme . master tombes in his apology for the two treatises , and appendix concerning infant baptisme , inserts a letter to mr. selden , pag. . in which he intimateth his opinion , that paedobaptisme did not succeed into the roome of circumcision , wherein he saith , hee was the more confirmed , having read of baptisme , used among the jews before the time of iohn baptist , in their admitting of proselytes , and that therefore iohn was not accused for baptizing , as if that had been a novation or new rite introduced , but for baptizing without authority . i do not marvell that mr. tombes is so cautious , that baptisme should not be thought to succeed into the roome of circumcision , for so he should make baptisme more like to the circumcision of the arabians , who are not circumcised , till they be . years old ( as zonaras annal. tom . . de rebus iudaicis , pag : . tels us ) because their forefather ishmael was circumcised about that age , then to the circumcision of the eight day , ordinarly used among the people of god under the old testament . for my part , i think the apostle , col. . , , doth plainly hold forth , that baptisme hath succeeded into the roome of circumcision : which is also the common and receaved opinion of divines . however , because mr. tombes doth rather think that the christian baptisme , succeedeth to that baptisme used among the jews in their admission of proselytes , this hath ministred occasion to mee , to apply my thoughts , to search a little into the originall of baptisme by ●…ater , and whether the originall thereof , or that which god had respect unto in the institution thereof , maketh any thing against , or for infant-baptisme . that baptizing with water is a divine institution , is plaine from iohn . . hee that sent me to baptize with water , the same said unto me , upon whom thou shalt see the spirit descending , &c. as for that which this institution had reference unto in the old testament , or jewish customs , first of all consider ezech. . . as for thy nativity in the day thou wast borne , thy navell was not cut , neither was thou washed in water to supple thee , &c. where the chaldee saith , the congregation of israel was like unto a childe cast out into the open field , whose navell is not cut , and it is not washed in water , that it might be cleansed . the septuagint whom hierome followeth , and thou art not washed in water unto salvation . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in salutem . hierome applyeth it to baptisme , as being necessary even to infants who are in their bloud and siufull pollution , and have therefore need to bee washed in the laver of regeneration , and baptized . not onely the hebrews , but the heathens had a custome of washing infants soon after their birth , in those hote countries . hence that of virgil. lib. . aeneid . — durum à stirpe genus , natos ad flumina primum deferimus , saevoque geluduramus , & aestu . pineda de rebus solomonis , lib . cap : . noteth that from the hebrews and egyptians , this custome of washing new born babes was derived almost to all nations , for which purpose , he citeth many testimonies . in the next place consider , that as the institution of baptisme by water related to that in ezech : . . so also to the typicall baptisme of all the children of israel , men , women , and children in the red sea , and in the cloud , cor : . . . moreover brethren , i would not that ye should be ignorant , how that all our fathers were under the cloud , and all passed through the sea . and were all baptized unto moses in the cloud and the sea . the apostle speaking there of the church which was brought out of egypt ( whom he calls our fathers , because they were the people and church of god long before us , and from them the law and service of god was transmitted and propagated to us ) sheweth that as their sacraments could not profit them to salvation , they living in sinne and provoking god after they had receaved those sacraments , no more can our sacraments profit us , if wee sinne as they did . for their priviledges were the same with ours . the manna and water out of the rocke was the same for substance and signification to them , which the supper of the lord is to us ; the same spirituall meat , the same spirituall drinke was given both to them and us . so likewise their passing through the sea , and under the cloud was the very same for substance and signification with our baptisme , and they were externally baptized with a true sacrament of baptisme , as well as wee . that baptisme of theirs , did fitly resemble this baptisme of ours in diverse respects . for instance . . they were first brought out of egypt before they were brought through the sea , so we are first redeemed by christ , and finde grace and favour in his eyes , before we receave the seals of the covenant of grace . baptisme is intended onely for the redeemed of the lord. . they were baptized unto moses , ( or as the syriak , and arabik , as likewise augustine , by moses ) that is , moses was the leader and commander of the people , ( so theophylact ) and hee the captaine of their salvation , or rather moses was a typicall mediatour typifying christ ; or they were baptized unto moses , that is , they were by baptisme dedicated and consecrated to that doctrine , covenant , promise of life , faith and obedience , which god revealed by the hand of moses . so are we baptized unto christ , or unto his death , and the benefits and fruits thereof . the same covenant of grace for substance , was sealed by their baptisme and ours . . that baptisme of theirs did visibly separat between them and the egyptians : for the cloud divided them from the egyptians , and the sea drowned the egyptians . so our baptisme , which is unto us a token of salvation , is unto aliens and those without , a token of perdition , and distinguisheth between the church and the rest of the world . . their baptisme was by water , both in the sea and cloud ( it being also probably conceaved that they were sprinkled with drops both of the sea and cloud ) so is ours by water . . the sea resembleth the water , the cloud resembleth the spirit in our baptisme . so athanasius . that is beside the water in baptisme , the spirit is also powred out from on high , and there is an influence of grace from above , according to the good pleasure of gods will , upon so many as are ordained to eternall life . that the cloud did typifie the spirit was damascens observation , who is herein followed by some interpreters . . they passed but once through the red sea ; but the cloud continued alwayes with them in the wildernesse . so the externall baptisme is a transient action , and but once used to one person , not reiterated ; but the spirit and gracious presence of god continueth ever with them in this world . . they passed through the sea , and were under the cloud , and so baptized , before they did eat of the manna , or drink of water out of the rocke , so must wee bee baptized , before we be fit to receave the lords supper . . all that were baptized in the sea and cloud , were not acceptable to god , for with many of them god was not well pleased , and he sware in his wrath , that they should not enter into his rest ; so of those that are now baptized , many are excluded from the heavenly canaan . for these and the like respects the apostle compareth , paralelleth and equalleth their sacramentall priviledge of baptisme with ours . and as p. martyr observeth upon the place , the apostle doth not give instance in their circumcision , but in their baptisme , that his paralell and comparison with our baptisme might be the more evident . now therefore if this paralell hold so fully , then adde two considerations more to make it yet more full ; they are both of them against the anabaptists . first they were truly baptized with water , when but wet or besprinkled under the cloud , ( and therefore the apostle saith , they were baptized in the cloud ) so are we and our children truly baptized with water , when sprinkled as well as dipped , which is not at all inconsistent , but most agreable to the signification of the verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . for althogh it signifieth immergere , tingere in which sense iulius pollux , lib : . cap , . reckoneth among the passions of a ship , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , submergi to be drownd or run under water ( and if any shall contend that the native significatiō of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is mergo , or tingo , i neither think it can be convincingly proved , nor that it maketh against sprinkling ●…hough it were proved ) this i hope cannot be denied that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , doth also signifie abluo , lavo and so is used for any maner of washing by water , which whosoever will deny shall contradict hesyclius , budaeus , stephanus , scapula , arias montanus , pasor in their lexicons , and the holy ghost himself , cor : . . heb : . luke . . with mark. . , . secondly i observe , that though the infants of the people of israel were not fitt to eat of the manna and drink of the water out of the rock , as those of some age did , yet the youngest of their infants were baptized and received a sacramentall seal of their interest in christ and the covenant of grace , which is a notable president to our infant-baptisme , and it must needs hold , unlesse we weaken , yea subvert the apostles argumentation in that place . for what more certain then that among so many hundreth thousand people , there were diverse infants who had not yet the use of reason , nor were able to give an account of their faith ? what more uncontravertable then that these infants were with the rest of the congregation baptized in the sea and under the cloud , being externally incorporated in the common-wealth of israel , and the seed of abraham ? what more manifest then that the apostle holds foorth to us that their baptisme was materially or substantially the same with ours , both for the grace signified and sealed , and for the very element of water ? so that this infant-baptisme of theirs , is ( upon the matter and according to the apostles doctrine ) a good warrant for infant-baptisme among us , as well as if the new testament had expresly told us that some infants were baptized by christ or his apostles . this argument hath taken deep impression in my thoughts , and while i look after the suffrage of divines , i finde some of very good note have had the same notion from this text against the anabaptists , shewing also that their objections against infant-baptisme fall as heavy upon that baptisme of the children of israel . my reverent brother mr. baillie , hath drawn an argument from the same text for infant-baptisme . see anabaptisme . p. , . but now thirdly whereas t is stood upon that the originall of baptisme was derived from the baptisme used among the jews in the admission of proselytes , first it must be proved by these who are of this opinion , that the jewish custome of baptizing with water the proselytes whom they received , is older then iohn baptist , which i finde supposed , yet not proved . mr. ainsworth on gen : . . is indeed of that opinion that the custome of baptizing proselytes , is older then iohn baptist , but he ●…rings no testimony for this , older then moses maimonides . mr marshall in his defence of infant baptisme pag. . yeeldeth to mr. tombes , that baptisme was a knowne rite among the jews at their admitting of proselytes , long before it begun to be a sacrament of divine institution . and so from mr. tombes his own supposition , he argueth for infant-baptisme , which he had reason to doe . neverthelesse i have never yet read any proofor . testimony brought to prove the baptisme of proselytes , which is not far short of iohn baptist or christs dayes . the scripture mentions no signe or seal or ceremony of the initiation of proselytes , but circumcision , after profession of their faith and desire to worship the true god and to be of his people . the baptizing of proselytes was one of the jewish traditions and inventions in their later and declining times . when it began i have not yet found , neither have i yet seen any proof which can make that custome older then iohn baptist , or as old as christs baptisme . next let it be proved to be as old as it can , yet the greatest searchers of the jewish antiquities have observed that the baptisme of proselytes was administred not only to those who were grown up and of age , but to children also under age . so dr buxtorf . and mr selden . such a proselyte under age the hebrew writers call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ger katan : and they reckon a sonne to be minor & puer , from his nativity till he be thirteen years old ( for which see buxtorf in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) so that by their principles a child of one year or two years old might bee baptized as a proselyt upon the consent of the father or of the court . i conclude , that since the institution of baptisme by water hath respect unto those baptizings or washings in the old testament , which are mentioned ezek : , . cor , . . . whereof infants as well as aged persons were partakers ; and since the very talmudists admit the infants of proselytes al 's wel as themselves to baptisme , surely mr. tombes hath gained nothing , but loosed much by starting this question . i adde another text , eph : . . where the apostle ( having respect as i conceive to those passages in the old testament ) saith , that christ loved the church and gave himself for it , that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word , that he might present it , &c. are not the children of the faithful parts of this church , which christ loved , and for which he gave himself , that he might sanctifie and cleanse it , and that he might present it to himself a glorious church , not having spot or wrinkle ? if so , then remember that whole text is copulative ; and none that belong to the church and bodie of christ may be secluded from any part of the text. we may al●… well hold that the children of beleivers not yet grown up to knowledge and the use of reason , are incapable of the love of christ , or of justification , sanctification and glorisication by christ , as to hold that they are uncapable of the washing of water by the word , i.e. of baptisme , which cannot be made void , but is efficacious to all the members of christ , young and old , by vertue of the word of promise and covenant of grace sealed in that sacrament ; according to that of augustine , accedit verbum ad elementum & fit sacramentum : the washing of water , by the word , can no more be restricted to the church of aged or actuall beleevers , then christs love and death with the ends and effects thereof , can be restricted to such . the complication of these benefites , is clearer in the originall ; the the nearest rendering , whereof is thus , that cleansing it with the laver of water , by the word , he might sanctifie it . the tigurine version thus , ut illam sanctificaret , mundatam lavacro aquae , &c. chap. xviii . of the use of a table in the lords supper . and of the communicants their coming to , and receaving at the table . that a table ought to be so farre used , as that the elements of bread and wine ought to be set upon it , is not ( i think ) controverted ; but whether therebe so much light from scripture , as that all the communicants ought to come to , and receave at the table ; this i conceave to be the question . for resolution whereof , i humbly offer these following considerations . first of all it may easily appeare , that the first guests whom our saviour intertained at this sacrament of his body and bloud , receaved at the table . chrisostome de proditione iudae , serm. . comparing the eucharisticall supper with the passeover , saith , that both of them was celebrated , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at or on the very same table . the common supper , the paschall and the eucharisticall were all at the table , luke . . but behold , the hand of him that betrayeth me , is with mee on the table . john . . now no man at the table knew , &c. which texts i do not understand of the lords supper ( as some do ) but of the common supper . but i suppose no man did ever imagine , that the apostles being before set at the table , did remove from it when they were to receave the lords table . peradventure it will be replyed ( for so it hath been replyed by some ) that the first communicants their sitting and receaving at the table , was occasionall , in respect that they had been sitting before at the common and at the paschal supper , so that in this particular , we are no more bound to follow christs example , then in the other occasionall cicumstances , the upper chamber , unleavened bread , after supper , &c. beside , christ had but twelve communicants , unto whom he was to give the sacrament , and so might conveniently make them all sit at the table , which now in many churches cannot conveniently be done . finally , that it is as great a deviation from christs example to have divers successive tables , without which innumerous congregations , all the communicants cannot receave at the table . i answer . . 't is gratis dictum , that sitting at the table was occasionall , or such as hath not a standing , but a temporary reason for it , and there is this reason to the contrary : occasionall circumstances in that action , which are not to be imitated by us , were such as christ was limited unto by the law , or by the providence of god , so that therein he was not left at a liberty or latitude to choose to doe otherwise . for instance , it was not allowed by the law to have any other bread in ierusalem , during the feast of passeover , but unleavened bread onely . the upper room was the place assigned by the master of the house , god so ordering . after supper it must be , because it must succeed to the passeover , being also the testament , or latter will of jesus christ. there was also a providentiall limitation , to such and so many communicants , that is , not exceeding the number which was allowed to eat the passeover together . let some such reason be brought to prove that sitting at table , was occasionall , else let it not be called so . sure if christ had not thought it fittest , and choosed it as the best way , that his disciples should receave his last supper at the table , it was free to him to have changed their posture without encroachment upon any law of moses , or upon any providentiall limitation . secondly , i am herein the more confirmed , because christ himself , as it were on purpose to shew , that the sitting and receaving at table was not occasionall , but such a thing as he meant to commend unto us for our imitation , he gives this standing and permanent reason for it , that it is a peice of honour that he will have put upon those whom he inviteth , calleth , and alloweth to eat and drink with him , luke . . for whether is greater , he that sitteth at meat , or he that serveth ? is not he that sitteth at meat ? this at meat is not in the originall , where wee finde onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , he that sitteth , wee may aswell and better supply at table , from vers : . adde vers : . that yee may ( here i supply from vers : . and matth. . . sit downe and ) eat and drinke at my table in my kingdome , and sit on thrones , judging the twelve tribes of israel . here is an honour of communion , and an honour of iurisdiction : the honour of communion , is to eat and drink at his table in his kingdome , and this honour ( signified by their sitting , eating and drinking at his table in his last supper ) he puts upon them as beleeving communicants , so that it belongs to all such . there is another honour joyned with a speciall judiciall prerogative , to sit on thrones , and judge the twelve tribes of israel , and herein there is somewhat meant peculiarly of the apostles , which is notwithstanding mentioned else were in a different phrase , as a prerogative of all the saints , cor : . . thirdly , it cannot be denyed , but that the first communicants who receaved from christ , might with more ease and conveniency be placed at the table , then can bee now in many churches , which have been accustomed to another way . but we must not bring down our rule to our conveniences , rather bring up our conveniencies to our rule . it is no hard matter to alter pewes and such like things in churches , where the present posture is inconsistent with following the patterne : and a lesse alteration will serve then is apprehended . fourthly , the flux and reflux ( so to speak ) of severall successive tables , where there is a great number to communicat , and the repeating , or pronouncing , and applying to those severall tables of receavers , the words , take ye , eat ye , which christ pronounced but once in one act of distribution , these things ( i say ) cannot be justly charged as deviations from the example of christ , when the same providence which limited him to a fewer number , calls us to distribute to a great number : neither can they who so charge us , ever make good what they alledge , unlesse they prove that although christ had been distributing this sacrament to all the . disciples , to whom hee appeared after his resurrection ( suppose i say , there had been so many communicants ) yet he had given them all at once the elements , and had said but once , take ye , eat yee , and that there had been no intermission at all , nor no partition into severall successive companies . if this can be proved , then they say much against the use of successive tables , otherwise not . fifthly , our dissenting brethren of the independent way , who dislike our severall and successive tables in one congregation , as a dividing of those who ought to communicat all together , ( for they would have none of the communicants receave the cup , before all of the congregation who communicat , have receaved the bread ) these brethren , i say , may satisfie themselves from their owne principles ; for they hold , that although a congregation encrease so much , as that they cannot , or be so persecuted , that they may not meet safely in one place , for the word and sacraments , and supposing the church of ierusalem before the dispersion , acts . . to have been so numerous , and to have accressed to so many thousands , as could not receave the sacrament of the lords supper , nor ordinarily assemble into one place for the worship of god , ( that they receaved the lords supper in severall companies , and severall houses , is ordinarily collected from acts . . and breaking bread from house to house , which the syriak expoundeth expressely of the eucharist . ) yet all this ( say they ) breaks not the church , but they are still one particular church . now if severall companies of the same church assembled , and receaving the lords supper in severall places , be not a breaking or dividing of the congregation , nor a deviation from the example of christ , much lesse can they with any reason , charge our communicating by severall companies at successive tables , in the same meeting place or assembly , to be a breaking of the congregation , or a deviation from christs example . if one of their congregations may receave the sacrament in severall houses , when ( by reason of numerousnesse ) they cannot all receave it together in one house , i cannot conceive why they may not much more allow us severall successive tables in the assembly , when the whole cannot communicat at one table , so much for my first argument taken from christs example . the second argument , i shall take from the generall notion and nature of the lords supper , as it is epulum , a banquet or feast . as those things which are competent to every humane society , or lawfull assembly , are also competent to the church and people of god ; and that which every speaker which speaks in any publik audience ought to doe , the same ought a preacher who speaks to the church , doe ( for instance the posture of his body , and the extension of his voice , ought to be such as he may be best seen and heard ) so likewise those things that are competent , and convenient to every feast or banquet , ought not to be wanting in the lords supper , which is the marriage feast of the kings sonne , matth : . , . a great supper , luke . . the feast , cor. . . prov. . . cant : . . whatsoever is more meant in these texts , sure the lords supper is one thing , and a principall thing which is intended . the lords supper is not onely a feast , but a type , and representation of the everlasting feast and communion with christ in glory , luke . . rev. . . 't is true the marrow and fatnesse , the substance and sweetnesse of this feast in the lords-supper , lies in the spirituall and invisible part , yet ( as irenaeus said ) a sacrament consists of two parts , one earthly and visible , another heavenly and invisible , so that in the very externall part , although there is that which may difference it from a carnall feast , yet there is that which hath a resemblance of a feast , viz. the eating and drinking of many together in a publick place , a table covered , comely vessels , &c. otherwise if in the externall dispensation , there were no resemblance of a feast , then we should take away the analogy betwixt the signe and the thing signified . now among other things which are suteable to every feast or banquet , even ex more recepto apud omnes gentes , one is , that the guests come to , and sit at the table ; which by the very light of nature , and generall consent of the nations , is a token of respect , dignity , and honour put upon the guests . as likewise of friendship and commaradship , or sodalitium . thence the greek proverbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , not to violat the salt and table . i.e. friendship , whereof eating at one table was a symbole . thence also that plautin phrase , communicabo te semper mensa mea . it is aggravation of falshood , and treachery they shall speak lies at one table , that is , under a profession and signe of friendship , dan. . . when david said to mephibosheth , thou shalt eat bread at my table continually , sam : . . doe wee think that david meant no more , but that mephibosheth should eat of the kings meat , and be maintained by his favour ? nay mephibosheths servant had so much . but there is an emphasis put upon eating at the kings table , more then upon eating of the kings meat : so the king expoundeth himselfe , vers : . as for mephibosheth said the king , he shall eat at my table , as one of the kings sonnes , so also doth mephibosheth interpret it , sam , . . another example ( though perhaps it rise not so high ) see kings . . but shew kindnesse to the sons of barzillai the gileadite , and let them be of those that eat at thy table . it was an argument of iezebels favour to the prophets of the groves , that they did eat at her table , kings . . so did nehemiah , expresse his friendship , to the jewes and rulers who did eat at his table , neh. . . peradventure in the two last examples , there were some successive ( at least severall tables : ) however , eating at any mans table was ever a symbole of friendship with him . wherefore looking upon the lords supper as a feast or a great supper made by the great king , it ought not to be without this friendly respect , dignation , and honour , which hath been universally among the nations signified and expressed by placeing the guests at the table . and i can esteem it no lesse then an erring toto genere , when the order and decency , which is universally observed in all other feasts , ( as such , that is , not as lavish , excessive , disorderly , but as feasts ) is not observed in the church-feast , the lords supper . when the old prophet did invite the young prophet to eat bread , and drink water with him , common civility made a table necessary in this single intertainment . kings . . and it came to passe as they sat at the table , &c. if it were a disrespect to invite friends to eat & drink with us , & yet when they come , not to place them at a table ( where a table may be had ) i know no reason why it ought not also to be conceived a wronging of christs guests , when they are not placed at his table . thirdly , i argue from the name table , which the apostle makes use of in this ordinance . cor. . . ye cannot be partakers of the lords table , and of the table of devills . the table of divells was that which they did sit at , and eat at , in the idols temple , cor. . the lords table was that which they did sit at , and eat at in the church , and in those times ( to note that by the way ) they did eat their love feasts before the lords supper in imitation of christ , who had the sacrament after supper , which doth to me put it the more out of doubt , that those primitive christians received the lords supper at the table . the name table is also used ( not without respect to the lords supper ) prov. . . wisedome hath killed her beasts ( or according to the hebrew , her killing●… she hath mingled her wine , she hath also furnished her table , where there is another distinct emphasis upon the furnishing of her table , beside the preparing of meat and drink . again cant : . . while the king sitteth at his table , my spiknard sendeth foorth the smell thereof . it appear●… by this smell that she was also at table with the king : for the words intimat that , when the church is nearest to christ , even sitting at table with him , then her graces send foorth the most pleasant smell , and then doth christ sup with the church upon her graces , al 's well as she with him upon his mercies and comforts , so that here is a mutuall intertainment and communion in that evangelicall vision of ezekiel concerning the second house , which is the church of christ , there is also mention of a table and of comming to it , ezek. . . & they shall come near to my table . it hath been alledged by some , that the name table is but figurative when the scriprure useth it in reference to the sacrament , & that to partake of the lords table is no more but to partake of the body and blood of the lord. so psalme . . can god furnish a table in the wildernesse i. e. give us flesh . to this i answere , when the name table is used for meat and drink , this very use of the word doth not exclude but plainly suppose a materiall table , at which men use to eat and drink , and so a table is used promensâ dapibus instructâ , so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , secundae mensae : auferre mens as , or the like , though not meant of the wooden table , yet do suppose the wooden table . i do not doubt , but they in the wildernesse lusted after a perfect furnisht table , and not meerly after flesh , though that was the cheife thing they desired ▪ and i make al 's little question , but there were both tables and beds in the wildernesse , such as might be had , and such as armies use when they encampe and pitch their tents . but i ask , ought there to be a materiall table in the lords supper , or ought there not , or is it indifferent ? i never yet read it , or heard it doubted by any , but there ought to be a materiall table . all that have been zealous for throwing down altars , would yet have a table . if so , by vertue of what warrant ought there to be a table , and for what use ? first by vertue of what warrant ? is it by vertue of christs example , or any other scripturall warrant ; or is it because of a naturall conveniency and decency ? if by a scripturall warrant , i have what i desire . the same scripturall warrant which will prove that there ought to be a table , will also prove that the communicants ought to come to it , and communicat together at it . for the scripture alloweth not a greater honour to be put upon some communicants , that they eat of the kings meat , and at the kings table too , and a lesser honour to be put upon other communicants , that they eat of the kings meat , but not at the kings table . if it be said , that a materiall table hath not its rise from any scripturall warrant , but from naturall conveniency or decency , then it shall be no trespasse against the word of god , to have no materiall table at all , otherwise then as a naturall indecency . and beside , i still urge the same argument which i was even now hinting , be it by vertue of a scripturall warrant , or be it by vertue of a naturall conveniency , the argument is the same , how ever ▪ all the communicants should come to it , or none at all , for if some come to the table , and some come not , this is not agreeable to that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or equall honour and dignation , which all the communicants ought to have . naturall decency a's well as scripturall warrants are of equall concernment to all the communicants . the second quaere was , for what end and use ought there to be a materiall table ? is it meerly to be a cupboard for holding the vessels and cups which containe the elements , and that the minister may cary them from the table to those who are to receive ? then it is no table , for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a table which we dine or sup at , no by-boord for holding things which servants are to present unto those who sit at the table . what then ? is the table of the lord in the new testament intended for the same end and use as the table of the lord in the old testament , mal : . . the table of the lord is centemptible ? if so , then we make the table an altar , and the sacrament a sacrifice . for the sacrifice was gods meat eaten up by fire from heaven , and the altar gods table , because it contained his meat . but now the table of the lord must have another sense in the new testament ; the lords supper being no sacrifice , but epulum ex oblatis , a feast upon the body and blood of christ offered upon the crosse for us . of this nature of the lords supper , mr cudworth hath learnedly discoursed in a treatise printed anno . i conclude the table which we speak of , is not for a sacrifice , but for a sacrament , for a feast , for meat which god offers to us not wee to him . therefore we ought to come unto the table of the lord to receive the mysticall food in the sacrament , al 's well as we come to our ordinary table for our ordinary food . otherwise what ever use we may devise for a table in the sacrament , sure it serves not for the use of a table , at least not to all the communicants . fourthly , i offer also this argument . the comming to and receiving at the table serveth to set foorth the communion of saints with christ and among themselves , which is a principall thing intended in this sacrament , and without such a symbole as i now plead for , is not plainly and clearly set foorth in this ordinance . to eat in the same house , and of the same meat , is nothing near such a signe of fellowship or communion , as to eat at the same table . this difference is noted between martha and lazarus , ioh. . . when they made a supper to jesus in bethany , martha served , but lazarus was one of them who sate at the table with him . lazarus therefore had more fellowship with christ at that time . peter martyr on cor : . noteth out of chrysostome that communicare doth imply sodalitium , and is more then participare , to communicat is more then to partake , for one may partake of the same bread , who doth not communicat in the same bread . hee ha eateth of the same thing , but not at the same table , cannot be altogether or properly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . you shame them that have not , ( or them that are poore ) saith the apostle . what shall i say to you ? shall i praise you in this ? i praise you not . cor : : . so say i those that receive the sacrament in their pewes , shame the poor that have no pewes , wherein they are not to be praised . sure it were more cōmunion like to sit & receive at one table . it is the most suteable & significant setting foorth of the communion of saints , when the children of god are like olive plants round about his table , psal : . . therefore the apostle having mentioned our partaking of one bread , cor. . . addeth verse . our partaking of one table , which is the lords table . when communicants come not to the table , but abide in their pewes , some here , some there , this is indeed a dividing of the congregation in varias partes partiumque particulas : neither can they be said to divide the cup amongst themselves , ( which by the institution they ought to doe in testimony of their communion ) when they are not within reach , yea oftentimes not within sight of one another . there is nothing like a dividing it amongst themselves , where they come not to the table , and there give the cup each to other . i know some have scrupled whether our saviours words , luke . . take this and divide it amongst your selves ; be meant of the eucharisticall cup , or of the paschall . but they goe upon surer reasons who put it out of question , that it is meant of the eucharisticall cup ( which is there mentioned by luke by way of anticipation , i shall for the present give but this reason , which i know hath satisfied some who were of another opinion ( although much more might be said ) that which luke recordeth to have been spoken by christ concerning that cup , which he bade them divide amongst themselves , the very same doe matthew and mark record to have been spoken by him , concerning the eucharisticall cup , which was drunk last of all , and after the paschall supper , viz. that thencefoorth he would not drink of the fruit of the vine untill he should drink it in the kingdome of god , which doth not hold true if understood of the paschall cup , therefore those other evangelists plainly apply it to the eucharisticall cup , and there withall they close the historie of the sacrament , adding only that a hymne was sung , math : . , , . mark , . , , . with luke . , . and if notwithstanding some will not be perswaded that the words , divide it amongst your selves , were meant of the eucharisticall cup , as i am confident they are in a mistake , so i hope they will at last yeeld this argument , a fortiori . if there was such a symbole of communion in the pascall cup , that the receivers were to divide it amongst themselves , sure this ought to have place much more in the eucharisticall cup , for the lords supper doth more clearly and fully set forth the communion of saints , then the passeover did . the fifth argument i shall draw from the words which christ used in the distribution , take ye , eat ye , this is my body which is broken for you , and of the cup , drink ye all of it . the institution is our rule and patterne , and t is high presumption for any man to be wiser than the sonne of god , or to speak to the communicants individually in the distribution , take thou , eat thou , this is the lords body broken for thee , &c. when christ thought fit in the distribution to speak in the plurall , take yee , eat ye , &c. 't is no answer to say , that the words , take ye , eat yee , &c. are used in the consecration , for then they are but related historically . here is the strength of the argument , christ spoke so in the act of distribution , and by way of application to the communicants in a demonstrative enunciation , therefore so should we . but now this cannot be , where the communicants do not receave at the table , but in their severall pewes : this very thing hath occasioned the change of the words of the institution , from the plurall to the singular . sixthly , we have some light from antiquity also in this particular , for which purpose there are some notable passages in chrysostome , tom : . de divers . nov. test. locis . ser : . where opening these abuses in the matter of love-feasts , reproved in the corinthians , who joyned together with these the sacrament , cor : . this he much insists upon as a principall abuse , that they did eat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by themselves , or severally : and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the table is not made common , for the rich did eat by themselves , not together with the poore . christ did not so with his disciples in his last supper , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . for in that supper , both the master and all the servants sate together . chrysostome sheweth further from the churches custome and forme observed in the administration of the lords supper , how justly the apostle challengeth that abuse in the love feasts . for in the lords-supper all approach unto , and receave at the same table for , saith he , that spirituall and holy table is common to all , both rich and poore — 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , there is the same honour , the same accesse and approach for all . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and untill all doe partake of this spirituall and holy table , the things which are set upon the table , are not taken away , but all the priests , ( or ministers ) stand expecting even him who is the poorest , or smallest of all . so that according to this form and custome which he holdeth forth unto us , the ministers did not goe about with the elements unto the severall pewes of the communicants , but they stood still at the table , and all the communicants , both poore and rich come to the table . chap. xix . that there was among the jewes a jurisdiction and government ecclesiasticall , distinct from the civill . first , they had elders who were spirituall or ecclesiasticall ( not civill ) rulers . whence it is that salmasius de primatu papae , pag : . and long before ambrose in tim : . doeth paralell the jewish elders not to the christian magistrate , but to the elders of the christian church ordained by the apostles . i do not say that they had no elders who were civill magistrates ; but they had some elders who were church governours , or had an ecclesiastical jurisdiction . which i prove . by the arguments brought before , book chap : . pag : . . . the jewes when they had lost their state , power , and civill government , had still under the romane emperours their presbyteri and archisynagogi . whereof mr. selden in eutych : pag : . . brings cleare instances under arcadius and honorius . now the romane emperours did not permit to the jewes their owne civill government , but onely an autonomy in religion . so ibid : pag : . he sheweth us that the kings of england have permitted to the jewes in england their presbyteratus , which he doth not deny , but halfe yeeld , to have been the same with their sacerdotium . . although mr. selden , comment : in eutych : orig : pag. . &c. to . and in his vxor ebraica . lib. . chap. . holdeth that the jewish elders or presbyters , were such as were created by impositione of hands , receaving thereby a judiciall facultie or degree , so that thence forth they were capable of membership in the sanhedrim , either of . or . and were fit to preside in judging of civill causes : and so endeavoureth to shew that it was a civill , not a sacred or ecclesiasticall dignity and preferment ; yet he furnisheth me with some considerable arguments to confirme my opinion , beside that which was last mentioned . as . he tells us in eutych . pag. . that nomina officiorum sacrorum , ut patriarcha , pr●…byter , apostolus , diaconus , primas et episcopus , in christianismum ex iudaismi veteris usu , &c. manarunt . but if the jewish elders were not promoted to a sacred , but to a civill jurisdiction , that name should have been transferred to magistrates , judges , parliament men , rather then to church officers . . he tells of a divided , distinct , bounded & particular ordniation of the iewish elders , some of them being ordained to a faculty or power of judging , but not to judge of lawfull or unlawfull rites , others of them being ordained to judge of rites , but not of pecuniary causes . the forme of words which he citeth , is this , et sit tibi sacultas judicandi , sed ita ut minime sit tibi facultas decernendi quinam ritus illiciti , quinam liciti , aut sit tibi hujusmodi facultas decernendi , ita tamen ut causas pecuniarias non sit tibi facultas judicandi . behold a sacred and a civill jurisdiction distinguished . mr. selden himself , uxor . ebr. lib. cap. . tells us that the word presbyters or elders , is by the talmudicall writers used no only for those who were created by imposition of hands to a magistraticall or judiciall facultie , such as the members of the sanhedrim , or such as were candidats in that facultie , and as it were expectants of a place , and memberships in their courts of justice , but also for other fit and idoneous persons , who might be called for counsell or advice . therefore all their elders were not civill magistrates . my second argument shall be taken from the jewish ordination of elders , ( ordination being an act of the power of jurisdiction , not of order ) with imposition of hands , from which mr. selden , eutych . pag. . . tells us , the christian ordination and imposition of hands upon presbyters , was bo rowed ( even as the christian baptisme from the jewish baptisme at the admission of proselytes , and the lords supper from what was used in the passeover , ) whereunto hee saith , any man will assent , if he consider what is found in the talmudicall writers of the number of three , ( which was the least number which could suffice to the ordaining of a jewish elder ; and the same was the least number which the ancient church thought sufficient for ordination : ) also of the internall effect of that jewish ordination , with laying on of hands , which effect was the resting of the holy ghost upon the elder so ordained . and this was drawen from num. . . deut. . . see ibid. . . there is so much of the christian ordination borrowed from the jewish , that d. buxtorf : lex : rabbin . pag : . where he speaks of the jewish ordination , referrests to tim. . . i will adde other three cited by mr. selden , ibid : pag : . first , i. scaliger , elench ▪ triher : cap : . when i turne to this place , i finde scaliger moves the question , how it came to passe that christ was permitted to sit , and to teach among the doctors in the temple , not being ordained . ( marke here an ordination which was for publick teaching , not for a power of civill judicature , which christ never assumed ) and how it came that both hee and iohn baptist were called rabbi : also he paralells one newly ordained among the jewes , with a young bishop in the ancient canons . the next shall be , h. grotius annot . in evan. pag : . when i turne hither , i finde grotius speaking thus , manuum impositio apud iudaeos indicabat invocationem divinae potentiae : ut alibi diximus . unde factum est ut munia publica eo ritu conferentur , etiam civilia ut senatorum . sed & in archisynagogis & senioribus synagogae , idem observatum , unde mos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad christianos transiit . here is an ecclesiasticall ordination to offices in the synagogue , which he distinguisheth from civill offices . lastly i turne to itiner beni . pag : . . where i read of one d. daniel filius husday , called caput exulum , unto whom the dispersed jewes in severall provinces , have their recourse for ordination of their preachers or teachers . hi omnes israelitarum caetus ab exulum capite potestatem accipiunt , sibi in singulis congregationibus professorem & concionatorem praeficiendi . nam ipsum conveniunt , ut manuum impositione potestatem accipiant . was this ordination now to a civil rule or judicature ? a doctor or professor in the schoole , and a preacher in the synagogue , are here joyned as the common and ordinary rulers in the particular assemblies of the jews , as l' empereur noteth , not . in benjam : . . where he also cleareth , that this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chazan mentioned there by benjamin was not a civill ruler , but praelector & concionator , a reader & expounder of scripture . see buxtorf : lex : rabbin . at the same word . hic maxime oratione sive precibus & cantu ecclesiae praeibat , praeerat lectioni legali , docens quod & quomodo legendum , & similibus quae ad sacra pertinebant . and after he sayeth of this word , pro ministro sacrorum passim usitatissimum . t is a rabbinicall word , sounding somewhat near chozim , seers , which was a name given to the prophets , from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vidit . moreover observe this passage of elias in tisbite , at the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cuicunque manus imposita est ad magisterium , sed non dum idoneus est ut doceat dogma , quo vocetur doctor noster magister , eum magistri socium seu familiarem dicunt . this is cited by scaliger , elench triher . cap : . and by l' empereur not . in benjam : pag : . where he illustrateth it by the fellowes in the english universities , who though not yet masters , yet are diverse times promoted to the degree of batchellours ; yea , doctors of divinity . so then hands were laid on such a person as intended to be a teacher , and if hee had not yet a dogmaticall facultie for teaching , he was counted but a fellow . a third argument i take from the synagoga magni , see aarons rod , pag. . . . . adde mr. selden in eutych ▪ pag : . where he tells us out of the ierusalem gemara , centum & viginti presbyteri , è quibus octoginta prophetae fuere aut instar prophetarum , hanc precandi formulam institueruut . marke they were elders , and that an assembly was an eldership or sanhedrim . but is it credible that ezra zerubbabell , haggai , zechariah and malachia would consent that such an assembly , for which there been neither institution nor president before , should assume that great power in church affaires ? salom. glassius phil. sacr : lib. . tract . . pag : . . rectius est originem ejus ( masorae ) ad veros synagogae seu consistorii magni ( cujus praeses ezra sacerdos , legis divinae peritissimus , ezra . . symmistae & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , haggaeus , zacharias , malachias , nehemias , zorobabel , sacerdos , jehoshua , aliique primarii sacerdotes & levitae , ducis zorobabelis ex babylonia comites , numero centum viginti ) reducere , ezra . . & haec communis hebraeorum est sententia . following the most receaved opinion of the hebrews themselves , ascribes the making and composing of the masora ( a most ingenious and laborious critical doctrine upon the hebrew text ) to the men of the great synagogue . fourthly , consider the triple crowne which the hebrewes speak of pirke aboth , cap. . sect : . tres sunt coronae , corona legis , sacerdotii , & regni . here is an ecclesiasticall and civill government , and jus divinum over both . pirke aboth . cap. . sect . . major est lex sacerdotio aut regno . see aarons rod , pag : . philo saith , moses divided the civill and ecclesiasticall administration . the fifth argument i shall take from that ecclesiasticall government and discipline which the jewes since their dispersion and the destruction of ierusalem and of the temple , have exercised , where they had at all liberty to exercise their religion . i read much in itinerarium benjaminis of the antistites , praepositi , praesides , praefecti , moderatoris synagoga , synedria & capita synedriorum , among the dispersed iewes . pag. . decem in istâ civitate ( in bagdado ) sunt concessus sive synedria , chrisost. lib. , quod christus sit deus , makes mention of a patriarch of the dispersed iewes , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and he had a great power and rule among the iews , as may be collected from that and other places of chrysostome . this can be no civill government or magistraticall courts ( though benjamine is too vain-glorious that way ) as const. l' empereur in his preface to the reader , proves from the testimonies of iewes themselves , kimchi , abrabaniel , maimonides , and the chaldee paraphrase on hos. . all making it manifest , that after their second dispersion , they had no magistraticall nor judiciall power : see also for this , l' empereur his annotations in benjam . pag : . . which answereth that of mr. selden in prolegom . ante lib. de success : nullo adeo in aevo fere non erat hoc nationi huic ( judaeorum ) singulare , suis fere legibus alieno in regno seu republica uti . well , what then was the power of those rulers and courts of the iewes in benjamins observation , who wrote in the twelfth century ? he tells pag : . of their excommunicating of epicurean iews , and pag : . . . of their ordaining of rabbies , readers and preachers . from pag. , he tells a story of one david alroi , who being a witty sorcerer , rebelled against the king of the persians , called himself the king of the iewes , and got some followers . after he was in the hands of this king of the persians , he escaped by his magicall arts , and though pursued , could not be overtaken and catcht , whereupon this persian king , writes to caliphas a machumetan prince residing at bagdadum , that he would deale witt d. daniel filius has dai caput exulum , and with the capita synedriorum , there also residing , to forbid this david al●…ci , and to restraine him , otherwise said the persian king , i will kill all the iewes whom i finde in my kingdome , which put all the iewes throughout persia in great sea●…e , so that they wrote ad exulum principem & synedriorum capita qui bagdadi habitabant , to their pope , as i may so sa●… , and heads of the courts at bagdadum , that they would by their authority prohibite that man , through whom they were in danger of their lives . after this , the heads of those sanhedrims at bagdadum by their auctority gave forth letters to this purpose . scito redemptionis tempus nondum advenisse , necdum signa nostra à nobis conspecta : nam inflato suo animo nemo praevalebit . itaque jubemus ut te cohibeas , quo minus talia in posterū moliaris : quod si non pareas , esto excommunicatus a toto israele . observe here when the jewish government and discipline at that time , was driven to the height , even for preventing the destruction of many of their brethren , they had not a magistraticall secular power ; but they did dogmatically declare against that man , and ordained him to be excommunicated in case of his obstinacy , which maketh manifest these two things , that they had not a magistraticall power , and that they had an ecclesiasticall power of government and censures . but all this preveiled not with david alroi , who still persisted in his course , till zin al-din a turkish king sent against him some who killed him . and if we will learn from chrysostome what the patriarchs of the dispersed jews were in those dayes , see him , tom : . orat : . adversus iudaeos . will thou that i rehearse unto thee lawes concerning the priesthood , that so thou mayest understand that they who are now among you called patriarches , are not priests , but hypocritically act the part of priests ; &c. a litle after he concludes , because they had not sacrifices , nor sprinkling of blood , nor the anointing of oyle , &c. t is manifest that the priest which is now among them ( meaning their patriarch who pretended to be a priest ) is impure unlawfull , and prophane . whence it appears , that among the dispersed iews there remained a shadow and footstep of ecclesiasticall governours and government . chap. xx. that necessary consequences from the written word of god , do sufficiently and strongly prove the consequent or conclusion , if theoreticall , to be a certain divine truth which ought to be beleived , and if practicall , to be a necessary duty , which we are obleidged unto , jure divino . this assertion must neither be so farre inlarged as to comprehend the erroneous reasonings and consequences from scripture which this or that man , or this or that church , apprehend and believe to be strong and necessary consequences . i speak of what is , not of what is thought to be a necessary consequence , neither yet must it be so far c●…arctat and straitned , as the arminians would have it , who admit of no proofes from scripture , but either plaine explicit texts , or such consequences as are nulli non obviae , as neither are nor can be contraverted by any man who is rationis compos . see there praef ante exam : cens : and their examen . cap : . pag. . by which principle , if imbraced , we must renounce many necessary truths which the reformed churches hold against the arians , antitrinitarians , socinians , papists , because the consequences and arguments from scripture brought to prove them , are not admitted as good by the adversaries . this also i must in the second place premise , that the meaning of the assertion is not that humane reason drawing a consequence from scripture can be the ground of our belief or conscience . for although the consequence or argumentation be drawn foorth by mens reasons , yet the consequent it self or conclusion is not believed nor embraced by the strength of reason , but because it is the truth and will of god , which camero prael : tom : . p. . doth very well clear . ante omnia hoc tenendum est , aliud esse consequentiae rationem deprehendere , aliud ipsum consequens ; nam ut monuimus supra saepenumero deprehenditur consequentiae ratio , cum nec comprehendatur antecedens nec deprehendatur consequens , tantum intelligitur hoc ex illo sequi . i am hoc constituto dicimus non esse sidei proprium sed rationis etiam despicere consequentiae rationem , dicimus tamen fidei esse proprium consequens credere nec inde tamen sequitur sidem ( quia consequens creditur ) niti ratione , quia ratio non hic argumentum sed instrumentum est , quemadmodum 〈◊〉 sides dicitur esse ex auditu , auditus non est argumentum fidei , sed est instrumentum . thirdly let us here observe with gerhard , a distinction be-between corrupt reason , and renewed or rectified reason : or between naturall reason arguing in divine things from naturall and carnall principalls , sense , experience and the like : and reason captivated and subdued to the obedience of christ , cor : . , . judging of divine things not by humane but by divine rules , & standing to scriptural principals , how opposite so ever they may be to the wisedome of the flesh . t is the latter not the former reason which will be convinced & satisfied with consequences and conclusions drawn from scripture , in things which concerne the glory of god , and matters spirituall or divine . fourthly , there are two sorts of consequences which aquìnas prima part : quaest . . art . . um . distinguisheth . . such as make a sufficient and strong poof , or where the consequence is necessary and certaine , as for instance sayeth he , when reason is brought in naturall science to prove that the motion of the heaven is ever of uniforme swiftnesse , not at one time slower and another time swifter . . by way of agreablenesse or conveniency ▪ as in astrology ( saith hee ) thi reason is brought for the excentricks or epicycles , because by these being supposed ) the phoenomena , or appa entia sensibila in the coelestiall motions may be salved which he thinks is no necessary proof , because their phoenomena may be salved another way , and by making another supposition . now the consequences from scripture are likewise of two sorts , some necessary , strong , and certain , and of these i here speak in this assertion ; others which are good consequences to prove a sutablenesse or agreablenes of this or that to scripture , though another thing may be also proved to be agreable unto the same scripture in the same or another place . this latter sort are in diverse things of very use . but for the present i speak of necessary consequences . i have now explained the assertion , i will next prove it by these arguments . first , from the example of christ and his apostles , christ proved against the sadduces the resurrection of the dead , from the pentateuch , which was the only scripture acknowledged by them , as many think , though some others hold there is no warrant for thinking so , mat. , . luke . , . now that the dead are raised , even moses shewed at the bush , when he calleth the lord the god of abraham , and the god of isaac , and the god of jacob , for he is not a god of the dead but of the living : for all live unto him . again , ioh. . , , . is it not written in your law , i said ye are gods. if hee called them gods unto whom the word of god came , and the scripture cannot be broken ; say ye of him whom the father hath sanctified , and sent unto the world , thou plasphemest , because i said , i am the sonne of god ? the apostle paul proved by consequence from scripture christs resurrection , act : . , . he hath raised up iesus again , as it is also written in the second psalme , thou art my sonne this day have i begotten thee . and as concerning that he raised him up from the dead , now no more to returne to corruption , he said on this wise , i will give you the sure mercies of david . his god head is proved , heb : . . from these words , let all the angels of god worship him . divine worship cannot be due , and may not be given to any that is not god. . argum : although hooker in his ecclesiasticall policy , and other prelaticall writers did hold this difference between the old and new testament , that christ and his apostles hath not descended into all particularities with us as moses did with the jews , yet upon examination it will be found that all the ordinances and holy things of the christian church are no lesse determined and contained in the new testament , then the ordinances in the jewish church were determined in the old , and that there were some necessary things left to be collected by necessary consequences , from the law of moses , as well as now from the new testament , if we consult the talmud , we find there that the law , num : . . concerning the soul to be cut off , for despysing the word of the lord is applied to those who denied necessary consequences from the law , and ( saith the talmud ) if a man would acknowledge the whole law to be from heaven , praeter istam collectionem amajori aut minori , istamve , à pari , is notatur illâ sententiâ quia verbum domini aspernatus est , exc. gem ar . senhedrin . cap : . sect . . so that here are two sorts of necessary consequences from the law , one is a majori aut minori or if ye will , a fortiori : another a pari either of which being refused , the law it self was despised , yea t is further to be observed with mr. selden in his vxor haebraica lib : . cap : . that the karaei or iudaei scripturarii who reject the additaments or traditions of the talmudicall masters , and professe to adhere to the literall and simple sense of the law , without adding to it , or diminishing from it , yet even they themselves do not require expresse words of scripture for every divine institution ; but what they hold to be commanded or forbidden by the law of god , such commandment or prohibition they draw from the law three wayes , either from the very words of the scripture it self , or by argumentation from scripture , or by the hereditary transmission of interpretations , which interpretations of scripture formerly received , the following generations were allowed after to correct and alter upon further discovery or better reason . the second way which was by argumentation , was by the principles of the karaei themselves of two sorts , a pari or a fortiori . which agreeth with the passage of the talmud before cited . and herein our writers agree with the karaei , that all kinds of unlawfull and forbidden mariages are not expresly mentioned in the law , but diverse of them to be collected by consequence , that is , either by parity of reason , or by greater strength of reason : for instance , levit ▪ . . the nakednesse of thy sons daughter , or of thy daughters daughter , even their nakednesse thou shalt not uncover : for theirs is thine own nakednesse . hence the consequence is drawn a pari . therefore a man may not uncover the nakednesse of his great grand-child , or of her who is the daughter of his sonnes daughter . for that also is his own nakednesse , being a discent in linea recta from himself . from the same text , 't is collected à fortiori , that much lesse a man may uncover the nakednesse of his own daughter , which yet is not expressely forbiden in the law , but left to be thus collected by necessary consequence from the very same text , 't is likewise a necessary consequence that a man may not uncover the nakednesse of her who is daughter to his wives sonne , or to his wives daughter . for here the reason holds , 't is his owne nakednesse , his wife and he being one flesh , which gives ground to that generall receaved rule , that a man may not marry any of his wives blood , nearer than he may of his own , neither may a wife marry any of her husbands blood , nearer then she may of her owne . again , levit : . . thou shalt not uncover the nakednesse of thy fathers brother , &c. hence it followeth à pari , that a man may not uncover the nakednesse of his mothers brother , and by parity of reason ( ever since that law was made , ) 't is also unlawfull for a woman to marry him who hath been husband to her father sister , or to her mothers sister , the nearnesse of blood being alike between uncle and neece , as between ant and nephew . other instances may be given , but these may suffice to prove that what doeth by necessary consequence follow from the law , must be understood to be commanded , or forbidden by god , as well as that which is expressely commanded or forbidden in the text of scripture . . argument , if we say that necessary consequences from scripture prove not a jus divinum , we say that which is inconsistent with the infinite wisdome of god , for although necessary consequences may bee drawen from a mans word which do not agree with his minde and intention , and so men are oftentimes insnared by their words ; yet ( as camero well noteth ) god being infinitly wise , it were a blasphemous opinion , to hold that any thing can bee drawne by a certaine and necessary consequence from his holy word , which is not his will. this were to make the onely wise god as foolish man , that cannot foresee all things which will follow from his words . therefore wee must needs hold , 't is the minde of god which necessary followeth from the word of god. . argument , diverse other great absurdities must follow , if this truth be not admitted . how can it be proved that women may partake of the sacrament of the lords supper , unlesse wee prove it by necessary consequence from scripture ? how can it bee proved that this or that church , is a true church , and the ministery thereof , a true ministery , and the baptisme ministered therein true baptisme ? sure no expresse scripture will prove it , but necessary consequence will. how shall this or that individuall beleever , collect from scripture , that to him , even to him the covenant of grace and the promises thereof belong ? will scripture prove this otherwise , than by necessary consequence ? how will it be proved from scripture , that the late warre against the popish and prelaticall party , in desence of our religion and liberties , was lawfull , that the solemne league and covenant was an acceptable service to god ? necessary consequence from scripture will prove all this ; but expresse scriptures will not . the like i say of fastings and thansgiving now and then , upon this or that occasion , god calls us to these dueties , and it is his will that we performe them , yet this cannot bee proved from scripture , but by necessary consequences . this fourth argument will serve for the extension of the present assertion ( which i now prove ) to ' its just latitude , that is , that arguments from scripture by necessary consequence , will not onely help to prove and strengthen such things which may bee otherwise proved from expresse and plain scriptures , but will be good and sufficient to prove such things to be by the will and appointment of god , or as we commonly say , iure divino which cannot be proved to be such , from any expresse text of scripture . . argument , i shall here take notice of the concession of theophilus nicolaides , the socinian in his tractat , de ecclesia & missione ministrorum , cap. . pag : . although hee professeth his dissent , both from the reformed and romane churches thus far , that he doeth not beleeve things drawen by consequence from scripture to be equally necessary to salvation , as those things contained expressely in scripture , yet he yeelddeth the things drawne by consequence to be as certaine as the the other , quantumuis , saith he , aeque certa sint quae ex sacris literis de ducuntur atque ea quae in illis expresse & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 habentur . and generally it may be observed , that even they who most cry downe consequences from scripture , and call for expresse scriptures , do notwithstanding , when themselves come to prove from scripture their particular tenents , bring no other but consequentiall prooffs . so farre is wisdome justified , not onely of her children , but even of her enemies . neither is it possible that any socinian , erastian , &c. can disput from scripture against a christian , who receaveth and beleeveth the scripture to be the word of god , but hee must needs take himself to consequentiall prooffs : for no christian will deny what is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 literally and syllabically in scripture , but all the controversies of faith or religion in the christian world , were and are concerning the sense of scripture , and consequences , drawne from scripture . . argument . if wee do not admit necessary consequences from sripture to prove a jus divinum , wee shall deny to the great god that which is a priviledge of the little gods or magistrates . take but one instance in our own age ; when the earle of strafford was impeached for high treason , one of his defences was , that no law of the land had determined any of those particulars , which were proved against him to be high treason . which defence of his was not confuted by any law , which literally and syllabically made many of those particulars to be high treason , but by comparing together of severall lawes , and severall matters of fact , and by drawing of necessary consequences from one thing to another , which made up against him a constructive treason . if there be a constructive or consequentiall jus humanum , there must be much more ( for the considerations before mentioned ) a constructive or consequentiall jus divinum . chap. xxi . of an assurance of an interest in christ , by the marks and fruits of sanctification , and namely by love to the brethren . also how this agreeth with , or differeth from assurance by the testimony of the spirit ? and whether there can bee any well grounded assurance without marks of grace . t is a right , a safe , a sure way to seek after , and to enjoy assurance of our interest in christ , and in the covenant of grace , by the marks and fruits of sanctification . which ( before i come to the proof of it ) that it may not be mistaken , but understood aright , take these three cautions ; first , our best marks can contribute nothing to our justification , but onely to our consolation , cannot availe to peace with god , but to peace with our selves ; gracious marks can prove our justification and peace with god , but cannot be instrumentall towards it , that is proper to faith . faith cannot lodge in the soule alone , and without other graces , yet faith alone justifies before god. secondly , beware that marks of grace doe not lead us from christ , or make us looke upon our selves , as any thing at all out of christ. thou bearest not the root ; but the root beares thee . christ is made unto us of god , sanctification as well as righteousnesse . thy very inherent grace and sanctification is in christ , as light in the sunne , as water in the fountaine , as sap in the roote , as money in the treasure . 't is thine onely by irradiation , effluence , diffusion , and debursement from jesus christ. 't is christs by propriety , thine onely by participation . 't is thy union with christ , which conveighs the habits of grace to thy soule . 't is thy communion with christ , which stirs up , actuateth , and putteth forth those habits into holy dueties and operations . 't is no acceptable duetie , no good fruit , which flowes not from the inward acting and exerciseing of grace in the soule . 't is no right acting of grace in the soule , which floweth not from habituall grace , and a new nature . 't is no new nature which floweth not from christ. thirdly , all thy markes will leave thee in the darke , if the spirit of grace do not open thine eyes , that thou mayest know the things which are freely given thee of god. hagar could not see the well , though she was beside it , till her eyes were opened . markes of grace are uselesse , undiscernable , and unsatisfactory , to the deserted and overclouded soule . these cautions being in our eye , that we may not separat our markes , either from the free grace of god , or from christ , or from the spirit : i proceed to the proof of that point , which i propounded in the beginning . first , it may bee aboundantly proved from these texts , psal : . . and . . cor : . . john . , . and . . and . , , . secondly , our passing from the state of nature and wrath , into the state of grace , and to bee in christ , is compared in scripture to such things as are most decernable , and perceptible by their proper markes . 't is called a passing from death to life , from darknesse to light , from being farre off , to be near , &c. all which things are known by manifest and certaine evidences . the spirit of grace is compared to fire , water , winde , which are known by sensible signes . conversion is a returning of one who had turned away , and is not returning discernable by certaine tokens ? the new creature is a good tree , and is not a good tree known by good fruits , matth. . , . thirdly , both in philosophy and divinity ; yea , in common sense 't is allowed to reason from the effects to the causes , here is burning , therefore here is fire ; here is the blossoming of trees and flowers , therefore it is spring , and the sunne is turning again in his course ; here is perfect day light ▪ therefore the sunne is risen ; here is good fruit growing , therefore here is a good tree . 't is a consequence no lesse sure and infallible , here is unfeigned love to the brethen , therefore here is regeneration ; here are spirituall motions , affections , desires , acts and operations , therefore here is spirituall life . fourthly , the markes of grace have so much evidence in them , as formeth in others of the saints and servants of god , a well grounded judgement ; yea , perswasion of charity , that those in whom they behold these markes , are in the state of grace and regeneration . if they could see into the hearts of others , to bee sure of the sincerity and soundnesse of their graces , they could have a judgement of certainty concerning them . but this they cannot , for who knowes the things of a man , save the spirit of a man which is in him . sure a saint may know more of himselfe then another saint can know of him , for hee is conscious to the sincerity of his owne heart in in those things , whereof another saint sees but the outside . and unlesse one will say , that a saint can know no more of himself by marks , then another saint can know of him by the same markes , it must needs be yeelded that , a saint may certainly and assuredly know himselfe by the marks of grace which are in him . fifthly , without a tryall by markes , wee cannot distinguish between a well grounded and an ill grounded assurance , between a true and a false peace , between the consolation of the spirit of god , and a delusion . how many times doth a soule take sathan for samuell ; and how shall the soul in such a case be undeceived without a tryall by markes ? but it may bee objected that this remedy may prove , and doth often prove no remedy ; for may not sathan deceive the soule in the way of markes , as well as without it ? can hee not deceive the soule syllogistically by false reasonings , as well as positively by false suggestions ? i answer , no doubt he can , and often doth , yet the mistaking of marks may be rectified in the children of god : wisdome is justified of her children ; but the rejecting and slighting of all markes cannot bee rectified , but is a certain and unavoidable snare to the soule . if marks of grace become snares to the reprobate , that proves nothing against the use of markes . the word of god is a snare and a gin to the reprobate , that they may goe and fall backward , and bee broken and snared and taken : yet the word is in it self the power of god to salvation . so , the way of markes is a sure and safe way in it selfe , and to every well informed conscience : when any conscience through errour or presumption mistakes the marke , that is the fault of the person , not of the way of markes , and the personall errour may be helped by personall light and information , if the partie wil receave it . whereas to make no tryall by markes , and to trust an inward testimony , under the notion of the holy ghosts testimony , when it is without the least evidence of any true gracious marke , this way ( of its own nature , and intrinsecally , or in it self is ) a deluding and insnaring of the conscience . but it may be asked , and 't is a question worthie to bee looked into , ( though i must confesse i have not read it , nor heard it handled before ) how doth this assurance by marks agree with , or differ from assurance by the testimony of the holy ghost ? may the soule have assurance either way , or must there be a concurrence of both ( for i suppose they are not one and the same thing ) to make up the assurance ? for answere whereunto , i shall first of all distinguish a twofold certainty , even in reference to the minde of man , or in his conscience , ( for i speak not heare de ●…ertitudine entis , but mentis ) the one may be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , when the conscience is in tuto , may be secure ; needeth not feare and be troubled . the graecians have used the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , when they were speaking of giving security and assurance by safe conducts , or by pledges , or by sureties , or the like . the other is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a full perswasion , when the soule doth not onely stirre a right and safe course , and needeth not feare danger , but saile , before the winde , and with all it's sailes full . so there is answerably a double uncertainty , the one may be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , when a man is in himselfe perplexed and difficulted , and not without cause , having no grounds of assurance ; when a man doth doubt and hesitate concerning a conclusion , because hee hath no reasons or arguments to prove it , when a man is in a wildernesse where he can have no way , or shut up where hee can have no safe escaping . the other is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is a doubting that ariseth not from want of arguments , or from the inextricable difficultie of the grounds , but from a disease of the minde , which makes it suspend or retaine it's assent , even when it hath sufficient grounds upon which it may be assured . now 't is the evidence of signes or markes of grace , which giveth that first kinde of certainty , and removeth that first kinde of uncertainty : but 't is the testimony of the spirit of the lord , which giveth the second kinde of certainty , and removeth the second kinde of uncertainty . take a simile two or three for illustration . the scripture is known to bee indeed the word of god , by the beames of divine auctority which it hath in it selfe , and by certaine distinguishing characters , which doe infallibly prove it to be the word of god , such as the heavenlynesse of the matter ; the majesty of the style , the irresistible power over the conscience ; the generall scope , to a base man , and to exalt god , nothing driven at but gods glory and mans salvation ; the extraordinary holinesse of the penmen of the holy ghost , without any respect to particular interests of their owne , or of others of their nearest relations , ( which is manifest by their writings ) the supernaturall mysteries revealed therein , which could never have entered inthe reason of men , the marvailous consent of all parts and passages ( though written by diverse and severall penmen ) even where there is some appearance of difference ; the fulfilling of prophesies , the miracles wrought by christ , by the prophets and apostles ; the conservation of the scripture against the malice of sathan , and fury of persecuters . these and the like are characters and markes , which evidence the scriptures to be the word of god ; yet all these cannot beget in the soule a full perswasion of faith , that the scriptures are the word ; this perswasion is from the holy ghost in our hearts . and it hath been the common resolution of so●…nd protestant writers ( though now called in question by the scepticks of this age ) that these arguments and infallible characters in the scripture it selfe , which most certainly prove it to be the word of god , cannot produce a certainty of perswasion in our hearts , but this is done by the spirit of god within us , according to these scriptures , cor : . , , , . thes : . . iohn . . and . , , , . ioh : . . in like manner , a scholler or a young disputant may argue and dispute ( be it in philosophie or divinity ) upon very right and sure principles , yet perdventure , not without great feare and doubting in his own thoughts , till he be put out of that feare , by the approbation and testimony of his learned master who presideth in the dispute . the evidence of good markes while it is opened unto us , may make our hearts to burne within us , as those disciples said , which were going to emmaus , but yet our eyes are held ( as it was with them ) that wee doe not know christ in us , or talking with us , untill our eyes be opened by the spirit . no doubt they had much light breaking in upon their understandings , while christ expounded unto them the scriptures by the way , and this light was with life and heat in their hearts : but after they knew christ in breaking of bread , then , and not till then , came the fulnesse of perswasion , and then they could say , the lord is risen indeed . luke . , , , , , . our inward evidence of graces or use of signes may bring the children to the birth ( i mean in point of assurance ) but 't is the evidence of the spirit of god , which giveth strength to come forth . without this evidence of the spirit of god , the soule doth but grope after a full assurance , as it were in the dark ; but when the holy ghost commeth to do the office of a comforter , then there is light and liberty . our assurance of justification , adoption , grace and salvation , is virtually in a syllogisticall way : whoever beleeves on the sonne of god , shall not perish , but have life everlasting . but i beleeve on the sonne of god. therefore , &c. whoever judge themselves shall not be judged of the lord. but i judge my self . therefore , &c. whoever loveth the brethren , hath passed from death to life . but i love the brethren . therefore , &c. in these or the like proofes , 't is the spirit of grace which gives us the right understanding , and firme beliefe of the proposition . as for the assumption which hath in it the evidence of graces , 't is made good by a twofold testimony , the testimony of our consciences , cor : . . iohn . . , . and the testimonie of the spirit it selfe , bearing witnesse together with our consciences . and although both propositions be made good , yet we are so slow of heart to beleeve , that we cannot without the speciall help of the comforter the holy ghost , freely , boldly , joyfully , and with a firme perswasion , inferre the conclusion as a most certain truth . so that in the businesse of assurance and full perswasion , the evidence of graces , and the testimony of the spirit are two concurrent couses or helps , both of them necessary without the evidence of graces , 't is not a safe nor a well grounded assurance , without the testimony of the spirit , t is not a plerophory or full assurance . there were two evidences of purchase in use among the jewes , one sealed , another open , ier : . . which custome hierome saith , was continued till his time . the evidence of the spirit is like that which was sealed ; the evidence of markes , like that which was open . therefore let no man divide the things which god hath joyned together . see them joyned in three texts of scripture , rom : . . neither our spirit alone , nor the spirit of the lord alone beareth witnesse that we are the children of god ; but both these together beare witnesse of this thing . the spirit it self beareth witnesse with our spirit , cor : . . . we read , that the spirit revealeth unto us , and makes us to know the things which are fre●…ly given to us of god. but withall vers : . there is a comparing spirituall things with spirituall , and so among other things compared together , there is a comparing of spirituall markes , with a spirituall state , of spirituall fruit , with a spirituall tree , &c. iohn . . the spirits witnessing , is joyned with the witnessing of the water and blood , that is with the evidence of grace , the evidence of justification , and a pacified conscience sprinkled with the blood of christ : and purged from the guilt of sinne , also the evidence of sanctification and a pure conscience , purged from the inherent filth and staine of corruption ; the former of these is the testimony of the blood ; the latter is the testimony of the water , and both these not enough ( as to the point of assurance ) without the testimony of the spirit , nor it enough without them . in the next place let us take a tryall of this way of assurance , so far as concerneth the evidence of graces , so much opposed by the antinomians . let us take that notable evidence , iohn . . and now heare the antinomian objections against this assurance , from the evidence of love to the brethren . 't is objected , that a soule must be exceedingly puzled with this marke of love to the brethren , before it can clear the case that it belongs to christ , for if you will try your selfe by this marke , you must know first what it is to love the brethren , secondly , that they are the brethren whom you love . the nature of love is described , cor : . , , , . charity , ( or love ) suffereth long , and is kinde : charity envieth not ▪ charity vaunteth not it selfe : is not puffed up , doeth not behave it selfe unseemly , seeketh not her own , is not easily provoked , thinketh no evill , rejoyceth not in iniquity , but rejoyceth in the truth : beareth all things , beleeveth all things , hopeth all things , endureth all things . come now , and bring your hearts to these particulars in your examination .. is there no envying in mee at all towards the brethren ? is there no thinking evill of any of the brethren ? is there no seeking my selfe , or my owne good in my love to them ? is there a bearing all things for their sakes ? is there no being puffed up , or vaunting above the brethren ? is there no thinking better of my selfe , then of them ? — so that a soul must attaine to a mighty high measure of sanctification and victory over a mans self , before it can reach to this to say , i love the brethren . but suppose you finde all this love in your selves , doe you know they are the brethren you love ; you know the brother-hood consi●…s in being united unto christ , that is an invisible thing , none can know it but god onely ; no man can say , such a one is a brother . and if you say , though i am not certaine that he is a brother , yet i love him under the notion of a brother : to this it is replyed : take all the sects in the world , they will love their owne sects as brethren : and after a description of the antinomians , 't is added , these are the brethren ; do you love these men ? oh , there are many that goe by signes and markes , that cannot endure the brethren , they goe with them under the name of libertines . i have now the objection before me , as full and strong as one of the best gifted antinomians of this age could make it . for answer whereunto i will demonstrate these three things . . that this objection destroyes as much and more , their own exposition of this text in ioh. . that the antinomian way of removing scruples and doubts of conscience , and setling a soule in peace and assurance , is a most inextricable labyrinth , and layeth knots faster upon the conscience , in stead of loosing them . . that this way of assurance by the marke of love to the brethren , is a sure and safe way , and hath no such inextricablenesse in it , as is here objected . first i say , their objection militateth as strongly , yea much more strongly against their own interpretation of my text : for the same antinomian in that same sermon , and others of that way understand the scope of this text to be for comforting the brethren against the difesteem the world had of them ; the world hates them , vers : . but we know ( saith he ) that we are translated from death to life , because we love the ●…rethren ; that is , whatever the world judgeth of us , we perceive and know one another by this mark , that we love the brethren . in short , they say , this seemes rather to be a marke how my brother may know me , then that by which i should know my self . which interpretation , how ill grounded it is , and how inconsistent with vers . , , , . who seeth not ? only i now observe that they cast down what themselves build : for if i cannot know my self by the inside of love , much lesse can my brother know me by the out side of love : and if i cannot have any solid or safe comfort from this , that i love the brethren ; how much lesse can this comfort me that others judge me to be a lover of the brethren ? and how do i know them to be the brethren who judge so of me ? for ( by their rule ) no man can say such a one is a brother , so that they do but tye themselves with their own knots , and must therefore either quite their sense of the text and take ours , or else hold that this text hath no comfort at all in it , which yet is most full of comfort , and sweet as the honey and the honey combe . but secondly will you see these men falling yet more foully in the ditch they have digged for others ? while they object so much against a believers examining or assuring his conscience by fruits of sanctification , sincerity of heart , hatred of sin , respect to all the commandements , love to the brethren ; while they tell us that none of these can be sure evidences to the soule , and while they pretend to shew other soule satisfying evidences , which can resolve , quiet , comfort , and assure the conscience , they do but more and more lead the soule into a labyrinth , and make the spirits of men to wander from mountain to hill , and to forget their resting place . i might here take notice of the six remedies against doubting , which one of them offereth , as an antidote and preservative against all objections whatsoever , yet all the six put together cannot resolve nor clear the conscience in the point of a personall or particular interest in christ ; i heare much ( will the perplexed soule say ) of the nature of faith , of free justification , of the things sealed in baptisme , &c. but oh i cannot see that i have any interest for my part in these things . not to insist upon these six remedies , which are indeed most insufficient as to this point , my present work shall be , to speak unto those personall and particular evidences of an interest in christ , which are held foorth by their chief writers . do but observe their way , and you shall see that either they fall in at last into our way of gracious marks and qualifications , or otherwise leave the conscience much more perplexed and unsatisfied , then they found it . they tell us of two evidences , a revealing evidence , and a receiving evidence : that by the spirits testimony , this by faith . the revealing evidence of interest in the priviledges of christ , which will put an end to all objections , is the voice of the spirit of god to a mans own spirit . this is the great evidence indeed and the evidence which at last doth determine the question , and put an end to all objections . well : but doth the spirit of god give testimony to the soule , any otherwise then according to the word of god ? no , saith the same writer , by no means , for it is most certainly true , ( saith he ) that every voice in man speaking peace , being contrary to the word of grace , that voice is not the voice of the spirit of the lord , — it is the voice of the spirit of delusion . immediatly he moves this doubt , but how shall i know that this voice , though it be according to the word of grace , is indeed the voice of the spirit of the lord , and be satisfied that it is so . he might have moved this doubt , which is greater , how shall i know that this voice or this testimony doth indeed speak according to the word , or whether it speak contrary to the word , & so be the voice of the spirit of delusion . peradventure he had found it difficult , and even impossible to answer this doubt , without making use of and having recourse unto the way of signes or marks , such as the word holds foorth : and this agreeth to that twofold joint witnessing , rom : . . the spirit of god is not simply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a witnesse , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , qui simul testimonium dicit , he bears witness not only to , but with our spirit , that is , with our conscience , so that if the witnesse of our conscience be blank and can testifie nothing of sincerity , hatred of sin , love to the brethren , or the like , then the spirit of god witnesseth no peace nor comfort to that soul , and the voice which speaketh peace to a person who hath no gracious mark or qualification in him , doth not speak according to the word , but contrary to the word , and is therefore a spirit of delusion . i shall not contend about the precedence or order between these two testimonies in the soul , so that we hold them together , and do not separat them in our assuring or comforting of our hearts before god. and here i must take notice of another passage , where he whose principles i now examine saith , i do not determine peremptorily , that a man cannot by way of evidence receive any comfort from his sanctification , which he thus cleareth . the spirit of the lord must first reveal the gracious minde of the lord to our spirits , and give to us faith to receive that testimony of the spirit , and to sit down as satisfied with his testimony before ever any work of sanctification can possibly give any evidence ; but when the testimony of the spirit of the lord is received by faith , and the soule sits down satisfied with that testimony of the lord , then also all the gifts of gods spirit do bear witnesse together with the spirit of the lord , and the faith of a believer . surely such a testimony or voice in the soul , as the soul sits down satisfied with before ever any work of sanctification can possibly give any evidence , is not an evidence according to the word , but contrary to the word , and therefore not the revealing evidence of the spirit of god , so that in this i must needs dissent from him , for he casts the soule upon a most dangerous precipice , neither is the danger helped , but rather increased by that posteriour evidence , or after comfort of sanctification , which he speaks of , for the soule being before set down satisfied with the testimony of the spirit of the lord , and faith receiving that testimony ( so he supposeth ) it cannot now examin whether its sanctification be sound or not sound , whether its graces be common or speciall , seeming or real : it implyes a contradiction if i say that i am assured by the evidence of the spirit of god , and by the evidence of faith that i am in christ , and in covenant with god , and that notwithstanding i sit down satisfied with this assurance , yet i am not sure of the soundnesse of my sanctification . therefore to put the soule upon a looking after the evidence of graces , and the comfort of sanctification , when the soule is before hand fully assured and satisfied against all objections and doubtings , is not onely to lay no weight at all upon these marks of sanctification , in the point of resolving or clearing the conscience , but it is much worse then so , it is a confirming or strengthning of the soule in such a testimony or assurance , as it hath setled upon contrary to the scripture . and here is a great difference between these antinomian principles and ours : we hold the assurance or evidence of marks to be privative , they yeeld no more but that it is at most cumulative to the evidence of the spirit of god and of faith. for my part i dare not think otherwise , but that person is deluded who thinks himlseffully assured of his interest in christ by the voice of the spirit of the lord , and by the evidence of faith , when in the mean time his conscience cannot beare him witnesse of the least mark of true grace or sanctification in him . and i must needs hold that whatsoever voice in man speaking peace to him , is antecedaneus unto , and separated or disjoyned from all or any evidence of the marks of true ( although very imperfect ) sanctification , is not the voice of the spirit of the lord , neither speaketh according , but contrary to the written word of god. i heartily yeeld that the spirit of the lord is a spirit of revelation , and it is by the spirit of god , that we know the things which are freely given us of god , so that without the comforter , the holy ghost himself bearing witnesse with our spirit , all our marks cannot give us a plerophory or comfortable assurance . but this i say , that which we have seen described by the antinomians as the testimony of the spirit of the lord is a very unsafe and unsure evidence , and speaks beside , yea contrary to the written word . the word speaks no peace to the wicked , to the ungodly , to hypocrits , to morall christians , to the presumptuous , to the self ▪ confident , to the unmortified carnall professours , to temporary believers . christ and his benefits are indeed offered and held foorth unto all that are in the church , and all cal'd upon to come unto christ , that they may have life in him , and whoever cometh shall not be cast out , this is certain : but yet the word speaks no peace nor assurance , save to the humble and contrite , to those that tremble at his word , to those that are convinced of sin , to those that do not regard iniquity in their hearts ; but hate sin with sincere hatred ; to those that believe on the son of god , that love the brethren , &c. now therefore the spirit of the lord which speaks not to the soul , but according to the word of grace ( as is confessed ) doth not speak comfort or assurance to any others , but these only . and if a man would know certainly whether the voice or testimony which speaks to his spirit be a delusion or not , he must to the law and to the testimony , and search whether it speak according to this word . t is granted to us that if the voice which speaks peace in man be not according to the written word of god , it is not the spirit of the lord. but withall t is cautiously declined by these men , that the voice which speaks in the soul be tryed by the written word . they tell us , it is not the word that maks us believe the spirit , but it is the spirit that makes us give credit to the word : that it is only the spirit of god that can truely satisfie the spirit of a man , that it is his own testimony ; and not the spirit of delusion . that as , in all arts and sciences there are some principles — beyond which there must be no inquiry , so also in divine things . — is there any thing in the world of better credit , or that may rather be believed with men then the spirit himself ? nay can any believe , but by this spirit ? if not , then nothing else is able satisfyingly to bear witnesse to the spirit , but it self . this is as if we should receive the testimony of the spirit upon the credit of some other thing . whereunto i answer first , t is to be remembred , the question is not whether the word of the lord can satisfie or pacifie a sinners conscience without the spirit ; for we say plainly that as the best marks of grace , so the richest and sweetest promises and comforts of the word cannot make the soule sit down satisfied , till the spirit of the lord himself speak peace and comfort within us . whence it was that after nathan had said to david in the name of the lord , the lord hath put away thy sin , thou shalt not die , yet even then david prayed , make me to hear joy and gladnesse , that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice . restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy free spirit . psal. , : . with sam. : : but t is another thing which is here in question , for clearing whereof , observe that the efficient cause , or revealing evidence which maks us believe and be assured is one thing : the objectum fomale fidei or that for which we believe and are assured , is another thing . in humane sciences a teacher is necessary to a young student , yet the student doth not believe the conclusions because his teacher teacheth him so , but because these conclusions follow necessarily from the known and received principles of the sciences , and although he had never understood either the principles or the conclusions , without the help of a teacher , yet he were an ill scholler who cannot give an accompt of his knowledge from demonstration , but only from this that he was taught so . in seeking a legall assurance or security we consult our lawyers , who peradventure will give us light aud knowledge of that which we little imagined : yet a man cannot build a wel grounded assurance , nor be secure because of the testimony of lawyers , but because of the deeds themselves , charters , contracts or the like . so we cannot be assured of our interest in christ , without the work of the holy ghost , and his revealing evidence in our hearts ; yet the ground and reason of our assurance , or that for which we are assured , is not his act of revealing , but the truth of the thing it self which he doth reveal unto us from the word of god. secondly , this is not to receive the testimony of the spirit upon the credit of some other thing , for the spirit that speaketh in the word , is not another thing from the spirit that speaketh in our hearts , and saith , we are the children of god , when we receive the testimony or evidence in our hearts , upon the credit of the word , we receive it upon the holy ghosts own credit , comparing spirituall things with spirituall , as the apostle saith . the holy scripture is called a more sure word then that voice of god which came from heaven concerning his welbeloved sonne , pet. . , , . and so by parity of reason , if not a fortiori , the written word of god , is surer then any voice which can speak in the soule of a man , and an inward testimony may sooner deceive us , then the written word can , which being so , we may and ought to try the voice which speaks in the soule by the voice of the lord which speaks in the scripture . if it agree not , then we have not losed , but have made a right discovery and found out a depth of sathan , and so gained by the tryall . if it do agree , so likewise we are gainers , being confirmed in the assurance , not upon the testimony of another , but upon the surest and best known testimony of the holy ghost himself . thirdly , if these things be not admitted , and if the antinomian argument which now i speak to , stand good , then it shall be easie for any deluded person to repell the most searching convictions which can be offered to him from scripture , for he shal still think with himself , ( though unhumbled and unregenerat ) it is the voice of the spirit of the lord , which speaks peace to my soule , and this voice i know is according to the word , because i am assured by the same spirit that it is indeed according to the word , and other evidence i will not look after , because i am to receive the testimony of the spirit upon his own credit , and not upon the credit of some other thing : the voice of the spirit which speaks in my soul is that , beyond which there must be no inquiry . i ask now , how shall the antinomians convince such a one from scriptur ? nay how can they choose but ( according to their principles ) confirme him in his delusory , imaginary assurance ? fourthly , the very same antinomian author , who speaks of the testimony of the spirit of god in the soul , as that beyond which there must be no inquirie ; and which puts an end to all objections , even he himself doth by and by tell us of aliquid ultra , and puts the soul upon a further inquiry , ( which as i said before ) shal either resolve into our way of assurance by marks , or otherwise leave the soul overclouded , & more in the dark then at the beginning . and so i come to his secōd evidence , which he cals the receiving evidēce . though the spirit of the lord ( saith he ) doe reveal the minde of the lord to men , yet they are not fully resolved concerning this mind of the lord to their own spirits , till by faith they do receive it — now till men do receive this testimony and believe it , they are never resolved ; but when men do receive it and believe it , that it is a true testimony , then they sit down satisfied . again , faith is an evidence as it doth take possession of that which the spirit of the lord reveals , and manifests and gives to a person . — the spirit indeed makes the title good , but faith maks good the entry and possession , and so clears the title to us , though good in it self before : — is there a voice behind thee , or within thee , saying particularly to thee in thy self , thy sins are forgiven thee ? doest thou see this voice agree with the word of grace ? — if thou doest receive the testimony of the spirit according to that word . if thou doest indeed receive it , here is thy evidence . thereafter he moves this objection . but you will say , if there be not fruits of faith following , that faith is a dead faith , and therefore there must be something to evidence with it . for answer whereunto , first he rejects this as a great indignity to faith , if faith be not able of it self to give testimony , or must not be credited , when it doth give testimony , except something will come and testifie for it , to give credit unto it . next he answereth thus , that which hath the whole essence of faith , is not a dead , but a living faith : now the whole essence of faith is nothing else but the eccho of the heart answering the foregoing voice of the spirit , and word of grace , thy sins are forgiven thee saith the spirit and word of grace , my sins are forgiven me , saith faith. if therefore the eccho to the voice of spirit and word of grace , be the essence , nay be the whole essence of believing , this is certain , where there is receiving or beleiving , there cannot be a dead faith . now behold him at a losse , all resolves into this issue , no assurance by the testimony of the spirit and word of grace , unlesse this testimony be received by faith , no entry and possession , no clearing of the title to the soule , no resolution or satisfaction to the conscience till it beleive . but then while the soule examines it self , whether it have a true lively faith , or only a dead faith , he dare not admit the tryall of faith by the fruits of it , as if it were an indignity to the tree to be knowen by the fruit , or to the fire to be knowen by the heat . faith purifieth the h●…art , saith the scripture . faith workes by love . faith shewes it self by works . this antinomian durst not adventure upon this tryall by the scripture markes of faith : yea , to avoid this , he runnes into a great and dangerous errour , that the whole essence of faith is nothing else , but the eccho of the heart answering the voice of the spirit , and saying , my sinnes are forgiven me , as if there were no faith where there is no assurance of the forgivenesse of sinnes , and as if faith were quite lost , as often and as long as the soule cannot say with assurance , my sinnes are forgiven me . again , may there not bee a false eccho in the heart : may not a temporary beleever who receaves the word of grace with joy , say within himself , my sinnes are forgiven me ? where is the clearing of the conscience now ? is it in that last word , where there is receaving or beleeving , there cannot be a dead faith ? but how shall i know that there is indeed a receving and beleving ? the essence of faith is the receaving of christ in the word of grace , and a ●…esting upon him for righteousnesse and life . now another antinomian tells us , that to receave christ and his benefites truely , doth necessarily include in it these foure particular points . , to know our lost state by the least sinne , our misery without christ , and what need we have of him . . to see the excellency and worth of christ and his benefites . . a taking and having of christ and his benefites to ones owne self in particular . . to be filled with great joy and thankfull zeal . if these things be so , then i am sure , many doe imagine they have receaved christ and his benefites by faith , who have not truely and really receaved him : so that the ( soul searching it self in this point , whether have i any more then a dead faith , or a counterfeit faith ? ) dare not acquiesce nor sit down satisfied with that resolution , where there is receaving or beleeving , there cannot be a dead faith . for the soule must still enquire , whether is my receaving or beleeving true , reall , sound , lively , and such as cannot agree to a dead faith ? the same author whom i last cited , where he putteth a difference between a counterfeit faith , and a true faith , he saith , that the counterfeit faith neither reneweth nor changeth the heart , it maketh not a new man ; but leaveth him in the vanity of his former opinion and conversation . whence i inf●…r that he who wil throughly & rightly examine himself in this particular , have i true faith , yea or no ? must needs ( before he have a solid resolution ) be put upon this further inquiry , is there any heart-renewing or heart-changing work in me ? or am i still in the vanity of my former opinion and conversation , yea or no ? i shall now after all this , appeall to any tender conscience which is sadly and seriously searching it self , whether it be in the faith , whether christ be in the soul and the soul in christ , let any poor wearied soul which is longing and seeking after rest , refreshment , ease , peace comfort and assurance , judge and say whether it can possibly , or dare sit down satisfied with the antinomian way of assurance , before largely declared , which yet hath been held foorth by those of that stamp , as the only way to satisfie and assure the conscience , and to put an end to all objections . i begin to hear as it were sounding in mine ears the sad lamentation of a poor soule which hath gone along with their way of comfort , and assurance , and hath followed it to the utmost , as far as it will go . oh ( saith the soul ) i have applyed my self to search and find out , and to be clearly resolved in this great and tender point , whether i bee in christ or not ? whether i have passed from death to life , from the state of nature into the state of grace , or not ? whether i be acquit from the curse and condemnation of the law , and my sins pardoned , or not ? when , o when shall i be truly , clearly , and certainly resolved in this thing ? t is as darknesse and death to me , to be unresolved and unsatisfied in it . i refused to be comforted without this comfort . is id , go to now and prove & see this antinomian way , and when i had proved it , i communed with mine own heart , and my spirit made diligent search . then said i of it , thou art madnesse and folly . their doctrine pretendeth to drop as the honey comb , yet at the last it byteth like a serpent , and stingeth like an adder , i find their words at first to be soft as oyle and butter , yet i find them at last as swords and spears to my perplexed heart . i am forbidden to try my spirituall condition , or to seek after assurance of my interest in christ , by any mark or fruit of sanctification , be it sincerity of heart , hatred of sin , love to the brethren , or be what it will be : i am told it is unsafe and dangerous for me to adventure upon any such marks ; i do not mean as causes , conditions , or any way instrumentall in my justification , ( for in that consideration i have ever disclaimed my graces ) nay i do not mean of any comfort or assurance by my sanctification , otherwise then as it flowes from christ , who is made unto me of god sanctification al 's well as righteousnes . but i am told by these antinomians , that even in the point of consolation and assurance , t is not safe for me to reason and conclud from the fruit to the tree , from the light to the sun , from the heat to the fire , from the effect to the cause , i love the brethren with true and unfeigned love , therefore i have passed from death to life . they say , i dare not , i cannot have any true comfort or assurance grounded upon this or any such mark . they promised me a shorter , an easier , a surer , a sweeter way to come by the assurance which i so much long after . they put me upon the revealing evidence or testimony of the holy ghost , which i know indeed to be so necessary , that without it , all my marks will leave me in the dark ▪ but as they open and explain it unto me , i must not try by the written word , whether the voice or testimony that speaks in my heart , be indeed the voice of the spirit of the lord , yet they themselves tell me that every voice in man which speaketh peace to him , and speaketh not according to the word of grace , is a spirit of delusion . again they tel me this testimony of the spirit of the lord will put an end to all objections , and is that beyond which there must be no inquiry , yet by and by they tell mee there must there must be more then this , there must be a receiving evidence of faith , and till i believe , i do not possesse christ or his benefits , neither can sit down satisfied and assured . oh then said i , how shall i know that i have true faith ? shall i try faith by the fruits of faith ? no , say they , by no means , but try it by the eccho in the heart which answers the voice of the spirit , as face answers to face in water . but what if there be no such eccho in my heart ? what if i cannot say with assurance my sins are forgiven me ? must i then conclude i have no faith ? and what if there be such an eccho in mine heart ? how shall i know whether it be the voice of a true faith , or whether it be a delusion ? hath every one a true faith whose heart suggesteth and singeth , my sins are forgiven me ? but where there is a receiving and believing said they , there cannot be a dead faith . alas , said i , they leave me where i was : how shall i know whether there be a believing or receiving ? doe not themselves tell me , there is a great difference between a true faith , and a counterfeit faith ? are not these miserable comforte●…s who tell mee that true faith hath fruits , and yet will not give me leave to try it by its fruits ? they teach me that iustification is like the fire , so that he that is not zealous in holynes and righteousnes by sanctification , t is to be feared that he never had the fire of iustification . another of them s●…ith , doth not love manifested as truly and infallibly kindle love again , a fire kindleth fire . sure then if i doe not love god and his children , the eccho in my heart which saith , my sinnes are forgiven me , is but a delusion . oh how have these men been charming and cheating me out of the right way ? they have unsetled mee , and frighted me out of all my marks of grace , or fruits of faith , and when they have promised me a clear resolution , behold they leave me much more unsatisfied : they have deceived me and i was deceived . when all comes to all in their way , i must either conclude ( which i dare not ) that i have true faith , because my heart suggesteth , and saith my sins are forgiven mee , without any tryall of faith by the fruits thereof , or otherwise i am left in a labyrinth , believe i must , and they will allow me no markes to know whether i believe or not . wherefore i will not come into their secret , i will come out of their paths which lead downe to the chambers of death , i will return to the good old way , the scripture way , christs way , the apostles way , in which i shall finde rest to my soule . the third point now remains , viz. that there is no such inextricable difficulty , darknesse or mist in this mark , the love of the brethren ; but that the children of god may , and sometimes do clearly and safely assure their hearts by this mark , that they have passed from death to life . which that it may appeare , i shall speak first to the object , the brethren , then to the act , which is love . touching the object , let foure things be observed . first . this we certainly know , that there are saints on earth , we believe the holy universall church : now all who have passed from death to life , those and none but those have a true and sincere love to the saints in generall , praying heartily for them , sympathizing with their suffering , and rejoycing at their felicity . none but a saint can say in truth , and with a sincere selfe-denying affection , if i forget thee o ierusalem , let my right hand forget her cunning ; if : i do not remember thee , let my tongue cleave to theroof of my mouth ; if i preferre not ierusalem above my chief joy . ps. . . . the apostle commends praying for all saints , eph : . . and love to all the saints . col : . . i conceive he means , not only all the saints known to us , but the whole invisible church of saints on earth . that prayer and protestation , psal. . , . when uttered in spirit and truth , can proceed from no other , but a gracious renewed heart ; peace be within thy walls , and prosperity within thy palaces . for my brethren and companions sake , i will now say ▪ peace be within thee . this very love to the saints in generall as to the excellent and precious ones of the earth , is a fruit of sanctification , and a mark of a renewed and gracious estate ; even as contrary wise they that have no love to the saints in their species or kind , that love and esteem men only for some earthly respect and consideration , the rich , the honourable , the mighty , &c. or for some particular humane relation , parents , wives , children , kindred friends , benefactors , &c. much more they that delight in the company and fellowship of the prophane and ungodly , prove themselves to be such as have not yet passed from death to life . secondly , t is neither necessary nor possible that we have a a certain and infallible knowledge of the true saintship and regeneration of these particular persons whom we love , under the notion of brethren and saints . the apostles themselves did once look upon and love some as saints , who were no saints , iudas , simon magus , ananias , and saphyra , and others of that kind . it is gods own prerogative to know certainly the hearts of men . to require a certain knowledge of the saintship of others , before we can say , we love the brethren , doth not only strike at the mark of love , but at the duty of love , and makes the yoke of christ heavy , yea unsupportable , and the very evangelicall commandment of love to be most grievous , yea impossible : and if the antinomian objection hold good , no man on earth can performe acceptably this duety of love , except he know the hearts of those whom he loves under the notion of saints . if it be replyed that the commandement of christ is acceptably performed , when to my best knowledge and observation , and according to the best tryall which one christian is allowed by christ to take of another , they are saints whom i love under that notion , and that ti●… not necessary to the acceptable p●…rformance of the duty of love , that i know infallibly such a one to be a true saint : then it will follow by the like rule and by parity of reason , that comfort and assurance may be had from this mark , i love the brethren , although i cannot certainly and infallibly say , these whom i love are true saints . for if i can be cleare in point of the duety , and that my obedience to the new commandement of christ , love one another , is acceptable to god , then may i also be clear in point of the mark or signe , this proposition , i love the brethren , being a necessary consequent from that proposition , i have , through the grace of christ , so far performed the duty of love , as that it is acceptable to god in point of new obedience , and this leads me to a third answer . . particular or individuall saints may be so farre known by their fruits , and are so farre discernable and visible , as that our love to them under that notion may be known to be an acceptable service to god , and so a comfortable mark or evidence to our selves . which plainly appears from what christ saith math : . . . he that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet , shall receive a prophets reward ; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man , shall receive a righteous mans reward . and whoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones , a cup of cold water onely , in the name of a disciple , verily . i say unto you , he shall in no wise lose his reward before verse . into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter , enquire who in it is worthy , and there abide till ye goe thence . heb : . . for god is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love which ye have shewed towards his name , in that ye have ministred to the saints , and do minister . these believing hebrews did not infallibly know that they were saints to whom they ministred , yet the apostle tels them , their worke was acceptable to god , and made himself to be perswaded of them things that accompany salvation . they to whom he writes , being conscious to themselves of the truth and sincerity of their love , might much more be perswaded of themselves things that accompany salvation from this mark of love , although they could not know infallibly the hearts of those whom they loved , as saints . we may without either revelation or infallibility of judgement , by the marks which the word gives us for judging and discerning of others , so farre be perswaded in a judgement of charity , that this or that person is a saint , a brother , a sister , one in christ , as that our love to the person under that notion , is according to the rules of christ , flowes from faith which worketh by love , and is acceptable to god as a part of our new obedience . if it were not so , this absurdity would also follow , there could be no communion of saints one with another , at least no such thing done in faith . do not believers act in faith , and not doubtingly , when they have communion one with another , when they exhort and comfort one another , when they pray one with another , when they sympathize one with another ? if they do not act these things in faith , they sinne , for whatsoever is not of faith , is sin . . it is to be observed that he who objects to others , they cannot know whether this or that man be a brother , even he himself akes upon him to judge , who are the brethren . he makes a description of the antinomians , under fair and plausible expressions , and then concludes , these are the brethren , do ye love these men ? it seems , if it had been condescended upon , that the antinomians are the brethren , there had been an end of his objection . but is not this popish , donatisticall , pharisaicall , to appropriat to themselves the name of the brethren , the godly partie , the true church , excluding many thousands of those who are truly godly , and dear to jesus christ , although different in opinion from them ? and what if one should fancy that the antinomians are only the brethren , yet how should one know that this or that antinomian is a brother ? doth not his own objection fall upon him , the brother-hood consists in being united unto christ , that is an invisible thing , none can know it , but god only , no man can say such a one is a brother ? so much of the certainty of the object , the brethren . now to the certainty of the act , which is love. the nature of love was described out of cor. . , , , . then to fright the soul from examining it self by this mark , it was added , is there no envying at all towards the brethren ? is there no thinking evill of any of the brethren ? is there no seeking my self or my own good , in my love to them ? &c. who is the legal preacher now ? here is a racking of the conscience with necessity of egall perfection in our sanctification and evangelicall graces ? do not themselves say that our iustification is perfect , but our sanctification unperfect ; why then wil they not suffer the soul to take any comfort from the fruits of sanctification , except they be perfect ? when iohn saith , hereby we know that we have passed from death to life , because we love the brethren ; i ask , doth he mean , perfect love which is every way what it ought to be ? if so , then they put a false sense upon the text ; for there neither is now , nor was then any such love in the world . doth he mean of true unfeigned sound love , although imperfect ? then there is no place for their objection . for a true believer hath in himself a true love to the brethren , which love putteth forth and exerciseth it self in a sincere and conscionable indeavour of all those duties which are reckoned forth , cor : . as effects , or ( if you will ) acts of love. this soundnesse and sincerity of love may be a sure mark to the soule , although i confesse without this sincerity , the very work and labour of love is no sure mark to the conscience to examine it self by ; for as the apostle there teacheth us , a man may give all his goods to the poore , and yet not have true love . o but how shall i know ( saith the doubting christian ) that my love to the brethren is a true , sincere , sound love ? to that i say , thou mayest know it by these tokens . first , if thou lovest the saints as saints , and because they are saints , not for their excellent gifts or parts so much as for their graces , not for any relation to thy self so much as for relation to christ. t is true repentance when we sorrow for sinne as sinne : t is true love when we love the saints as saints , that is , for this cause and consideration chiefly , because the image of god appears in them . papists pretend that with one act of adoration they worship christ and his image . but we say with more truth and reason , with one affection and one act of love we love both christ himself and those who bear his image , both god and his children . i mean , t is christ himself whom we love in his saints . secondly , thy love , when thou lovest all saints , col : . . epist : to philemon v. . and this followeth necessarily from the first mark . for a quatenus ad omne . if as saints , then all saints . lovest thou all the saints in general praying for them all ? lovest thou all the saints in particular whom thou knowest , that is , thou darest not confine or limit this love to those saints only who are altogether of thy opinion ( which , it appears from the objection before mentioned , the antinomians have dared to do ) or who have some intimacy of friendship with thee , nay nor to these who never wronged thee , never strov●…with thee , who never spake evill of thee ; but all whom thou hast reason to judge to be saints , thou lovest them , wishest well to them , art ready to do them good according to thy power , and if thou be at variance or difference with any of them , tho ●… prayest god to make them and thy self of one heart , and of one minde , and it is an affliction of spirit to thee to be at variance with any that are christs : canst thou thus clear thy self in thy conscience , and darest thou say these things before the searcher of hearts ? then is thy love a true love. thirdly , thou art a sincere lover of the brethren , when thou lovest them in all their different estats and conditions , the poor as well as the rich , them of low degree , as well as them of high degree , the persecuted , as well as the prospering , the reproached as well as the commended . this is also a necessary consectary upon the first mark : for if thou lovest saints as saints , the variation or difference of their outward condition , will not make thy love towards them to cease . obadiah was a sincere lover of the brethren , and he gave this good testimony of it , he was a kinde friend to the prophets of the lord , when they were persecuted by ahab and iezabel . foorthly , thy love to the brethren is true and sincere , when it puts forth it self in all thy relations , when a man desires to choose a wife that fears god , and a woman desires to marie none who is not godly ; when a master seeks godly servants , and a servant seeks a godly master ; when a people choose godly ministers , and godly magistrats , godly commanders and officers of armies , &c. and again , magistrats , commanders , ministers , love , countenance , encourage and strengthen the hands of such under their charge , as are godly : when a man if he be to choose a friend to consult with , yea if he were but to choose a lodging where he is a sojourner , he desires and seeks after a godly friend , a godly family , &c. fifthly love is true and sincere , when the action of love is not without the affection of love , cor. . . and when the affection of love is not without the action of love , iohn . when love openeth both the heart and the hand , both the bowels and the bosome . i do not mean that all or any of these marks can be found in any saint on earth , without some mixture , of the contrary corruptions ; for we must not look that an imperfect grace ( such as love to the brethren is in this world ) must needs be proved by such marks as have no imperfection in them . if the marks be true , then is the grace true , and that is enough to the point which i now assert . but as the grace is not perfect , no more are the marks of it perfect . and as there is no faith here without some unbelief , no repentance without some impenitency , no watchfulnesse without some security , no contrition without some hardnesse , no self-denyall without some self-seeking ; so no love to the brethren without some want of love to the brethren , no marks of true love without some imperfection and falling short , and no marvell , because no spirit without flesh , no grace without corruption . feelest thou then those contrary corruptions , those roots of bitternesse in thy heart , if thou warrest against them through the strength of jesus christ , and endeavourest to have thy love every way such as hath been described , then god looks upon thee , and would have thee to look upon thy selfe as a lover of the brethren . as long as thou art in this world , thou shalt have cause to walk humbly with thy god , because of the great imperfection of all thy graces , and of thy love to the brethren among the rest , and still thou shall have flesh and corruption to war against all the powers , parts , & acts of thy inward man. let there be but a reciprocall warring of the spirit against the flesh , gal. . , so shall thou passe in christs account for a spiritual , not for a carnall person . neither do i say , that thou must alwayes finde a perpetuall conflict or battell between the flesh and the spirit , or otherwise no ground of assurance . the apostle speaks of warring , not of conflicting or fighting : there is alwaies bellū , though not alwaies praeliū , between the flesh & the spirit . the new man dare not make peace with the old man , nay nor agree to a cessation of armes with him , dare not allow or approve corruption , nor allow the neglect of means and endeavours . yet the new man is sometimes taken napping and sleeping , sometime assaulted and spoiled , and bound hand and foot , he may be carried away as a poor prisoner ; but christ will again relieve his own prisoner , and set him in a fresh military posture against sathan and sin . i hope i have now so far scattered those mists & clouds cast by antinomians , and so farre extricated a poore soul out of those doubtings into which they would drive it , as that a beleever may knowingly and confidently say , i love the brethren sincerly and unfeignedly , and hereby i know that i have passed from death to life ; which is a good and sure argument , whether we consult scripture or the experience of saints . chap. xxii . of the true , reall and safe grounds of en●…uragement to believe in iesus christ. or , vpon what warrants a sinner may adventure to rest and rely upon christ for salvation . there are some divines abroad who condemning arminianisme ( and much more pelagianisme ) yet have not adhered to the orthodox doctrine asserted by the most approved protestants writers and received by the best reformed churches against the arminians , in the article concerning the death of christ. these have found out a midle and a singular way of their owne , that christ died for all men conditionally , viz , if they shall believe in him , that he hath redeemed all upon condition of faith. one of their arguments is because otherwise we cannot encourage sinners to believe nor satisfie a troubled conscience , nor keep it from desparing . upon the like ground that all may be comforted ( every man being assured that christ died for all men and so for himself ) mr moore hath written a tractat of the universalitie of gods grace , and of christ dying for all men as himself expresseth in the title of his book . t is also one of mr saltma●…sh his encouragements which he gives to sinners , that christ died for sinners as sinners , as hee speaks , whereupon it followeth ( according to the rule , à quatenus ad omne ) that he died for all sinners . surely this is not the way ( as is pretended ) to ease and encourage the troubled and terrified conscience : neither can they by their principles minister solid comfort to a sinner , tempted to despair of mércy . all the scrupulosity and unsatisfaction of conscience which they object against our doctrine ( that christ died not for all , but for the elect only whom the father gave him ) followeth as much yea more ( as i shall shew afterwards ) upon their own way . first of all when they give comfort and encouragement to sinners upon this ground , that christ hath dyed for all upon condition of faith , t is to be remembred that conditio nihil ponit in re , the generality of men can draw no result from the death of christ ( as it is set forth by their doctrine ) but that christ hath by his death made sure this proposition , that whoever believes on him shall be saved , or that all men shall be saved , if all men believe : now a conditionall proposition is true in the connexion of one thing to another , ( if this be that shall be ) although neither the one nor the other shall ever have an actuall existence . if sathan and wicked men get their will , christ shall have no church on earth , if the elect fall away from faith and obedience they shall perish , if the damned in hell had place and grace to repent and to believe in christ , they should be saved , or the like . so what solid comfort can the soul have from that conditionall proposition ( which is all the encouragement they do or dare give from the death of christ , to all men ) all men shall be saved by christ if they believe on him . is it not as true and as certain , ( may a sinner think with himself ) that no man on earth shall be saved , if no man on earth believe , and for my part , if i believe not i shall be damned ? if all this hang upon the condition of my believing ( saith the troubled conscience ) why then , hath not christ merited to m●…e , and will hee not give me the grace of believing ? that new doctrine answereth that christ hath merited faith and gives the grace of believing not to all , but to the elect only , that god hath in his eternall decree , in●…ended to passe by in the dispensation of his grace the greatest part of mankinde , and to keep back from them that grace without which he knowes they cannot believe on jesus christ : that though christ meant that all men should have some sort of call to believe on him , and should be saved upon condition of their believing ; yet he had no thought nor intention by his death to procure unto all men that grace without which they cannot believe . this doctrine of theirs while it undertaketh to comfort all men and to encourage all to believe , it tels them withall upon the matter that all cannot be saved because all cannot believe , that god will not give faith , and so not salvation either , unto millions of sinners . what comfort is it then to know that all shall be saved , if all believe , when men are told withall , that all shall not , cannot believe , and so shall not be saved ? this latter they hold as well as we , therefore their universall comfort taken from christs dying for all men upon condition of faith , amounts to as much as nothing . the true and safe grounds of encouragement to faith in christ are these . first , christs all-sufficiency , if he will he can , he is able to save to the uttermost , heb : . . art thou a sinner to the uttermost , his plaister is broad enough to cover the broadest sore . as gods mercy , so christs merit is infinite , and the reason is , because the blood is the blood of god as well as of man , act : . . this is a good strong foundation of comfort , if a soule convinced of its own sinfull estate , and of the vanity of creature comforts , doth so farre settle its thoughts upon christ that as he is the only saviour so an alsufficient saviour . then is the sinner so far encouraged ( which is no smal encouragement ) as to resolve there is vertue enough in the blood of christ to cleanse my crimson sins , even mine . there is no help for me out of christ , but in him there is help for all that come unto god by him . t is a great part of true faith to believe that christ is able and all-sufficient . therefore he himself said to the blind men , mat. . , . believe ye that i am able to do this ? they said unto him , ye a lord , then touched he their eyes saying according to your faith , be it unto you . he that said , lord if thou wil●… thou canst make me clean , was not rejected by christ as an unbeliever , but he got from him a good answer , i will , be thou clean , mat : . , . so every poor sinner that comes unto christ alsufficient , and believing that christ and christ only can purge him from all sin and save his soul , hath a true , though imperfect faith , and is in a faire way for salvation there is many a true believer , whose faith cannot as yet rise so high as to stay and rest upon the good will and love of jesus christ to him in particular : but the soul believes the alsufficiency of christ , and that he only is the saviour , and so cometh and draweth near unto god by and in christ , as the summum bonum which he values above all things ; and this his faith , although it hath not yet attained to a particular recumbency on the love of christ to him is a true faith , which christ will not despise . secondly , christs intention to die for all men and for the whole world , that is for all sorts of sinners in the world , and so for sinners of my kind , may every poor sinner in particular think with himself . here is an universall encouragement unto all from a true and real ground , and drawn from the will and intention , as well as from the power and alsufficiency of christ , which i shall make good from scripture , for he hath died for all sorts of persons , there is no condition excluded . for this i take the tim : . . who gave himself a ransome for all ; so ver . . who will have all men to be saved . the meaning must needs be of all sorts , not of all persons . for besides that the apostles all can be no more then christs many . mat. . . the sonne of man came to give his life a ransome for many , this very text hath aboundance of light to give it self , if we look to the context either before or behind ; before there is an exhortation to pray for all men , vers . . which although the arminians make an argument that all men is meant of all persons and not only of all sorts , both in that verse and vers : . & . because say they we ought to pray for all men universally pro singulis generū , & not only for all sorts ; yet t is indeed an argument for the contrary . for to pray for all men without exception of any person is not commanded , but we find the contrarie commanded . ieremiah was forbidden to pray or make intercession for the obstinat , incorrigible jews , ier : . . & . . & . . god would not have samuel to mourn for saul , after he was rejected of the lord , sam : . . and we ought not to pray for such as sinne unto death , i. e. the sin of bl●…sphemy against the holy ghost , io : . . paul is so far from praying for alexander the copper-smith , that he imprecats the vengeance of god upon him , tim : . . wee may not pray for the pope who is the great antichrist and sonne of perdition ; neither may we pray for , but against babylon , especially after the people of god are out of her . we are bidden pray for our enemies , but not for the malicious incorrigible enemies of christ. wh●…refore when the apostle bids us pray for all men . his meaning is , that we should exclud no degree nor kind of ●…en great o●… smal , jew or gentile , bound or free , &c. and so he doth upon the mater explain himself in the very next words , for kings and for all that are in authority , he saith , not for all kings , but he will not have us exclude kings nor queens as such from our prayers , nor any other subordinat rulers : when he saith all that are in authority , he means any kind of lawfull authority ; for we may not pray for those who are in any unlawfull or usurped authority in the church , archbishops , bishops , deans , archdeacons , &c. which prayer were an approbation of their unlawfull callings in the church . i doe not say that we may not pray for the persons of any archbishops , bishops , &c. but we may not pray for them as clothed with such an office or authority , as we are there bid pray for kings quatenus kings , that we may live under them a quiet and peaceable life in all godlines and honesty : so that a king or emperour as he is clothed with such authority may not be excluded from our prayers : but if we look upon all kings and emperours personally , individually or num●…cally , so it cannot hold true that we ought to pray for all that are in authority , otherwise the ancient church had been bound to pray for iulian the apostate . again , if we look to that which ( there ) followes after we find vers : . i will therefore that men pray every where ( or in every place ) lifting up holy hands . what means he by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ? he means not in every individuall place without excepti●…n , for this were neither possible ( because there are many places in which there are not , neither can be any to pray ) nor fit , because we ought not to pray with lifted up hands in the streets or in the mercat places , there are fit places both for publick and privat prayer , and there are also unfit places either for privat or publick prayer . the meaning therefore is , that the worship of god is not restricted to jerusalem , now under the new testament . ●…o : . . . but that any place being otherwise convenient and fit for prayer , is sanctified for prayer , and that prayer made in any such place is no lesse acceptable to god then the prayer which was made in the ●…emple of jerusalem . and now why should we not understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , vers : . and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , v : . even as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , vers : . and the rather if we consider what is interlaced , for the text runs thus , who gave himself a ransome for all to be testified in due time , whereunto i am ordained a teacher of the gentil●…s in ●…aith and verity . i will therefore that men may pray every where . whereby it appears that the apostles plain scope is to take away that difference between jew & gentile , and to intimate that we must pray for all sorts of persons , b●…ause christ died for all sorts of persons , and will bee worshipped in every nation under the heaven . so that beza did fitly expresse the sense when he rendered vers : , . . pro quibusvis , vers . . quosvis , and vers . . in quovis loco , to note an universality of kinds , not of individualls . grotius also on mark ▪ . . noteth the same thing , that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is used for quivis , not only in the new testament , but by aristophanes and sophocles . lastly , i know no reason but our translatours should have rendered , tim : . . who will have all manner of men to be saved , and vers : who gave himself a ransome for all manner of men , as well as mat : . . they render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , all manner of sickness , mat ▪ . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , all maner of sin , and acts . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , all maner of foure-footed beasts . in the same sense i understand heb. . . that he by the grace of god should taste death for every man , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : which phrase the apostle rather useth to the hebrews , to wear out that common opinion of the jews , that the messias was only to be a saviour to them , as under the law the sacrifices were offered only for the sins of the congregation of israel . howbeit i may further adde for clearing this text. . seeing the text hath no more but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , ( as the tigurine rightly rendereth the letter of the text ) pro omni , we may well supply it thus , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , pro omni filio , not for every man , ( which though it be the expres●…on of the english translators cannot be necessarily drawn from the originall ) but for every son , whether jew or gentile , i. e. for every one predestinated to the adoption of children , which i confirme from the two next verses ( both of them having a manifest connexion with v : ) ●…or these all for whom christ tasted death are called many sons v : . and they who are sanctified , also brethren , vers . see the like phrase mark . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for every one shall be salted with fire , i. e. every one who shall enter into life : for this sense is to be gathered from the v. , . . and when it is said , epist : iohn v. . demetrius hath good report of all men , we must either understand all the brethren , or make some such restriction of that universall expression , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for most men in the world knew not demetrius . so luke . . from that time the kingdome of god is preached , and every man presseth unto it , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . now therefore there can be no further of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in that text to the hebrews , then in these other texts here cited . . it may be also supplyed thus , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and t is in it self true that christ tasted death for every nation , or for every people , for in him are all the nations and kind●…eds of the earth blessed , act : . . gal. . . that is , the elect of all the nations , which upon the matter comes to one and the same thing with the ●…ormer sense , although the former expression suteth better to the context : yea although it had been said that christ tasted death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for every man , ( which is not said ) yet every man could be here no more then all men , rom. . . as by the offence of one , judgement came upon all men to condemnation ; ev●…n so by the righteousnesse of one , the free gift came upon all men unto iustification of life . wherein the second branch , all men , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is no more , and can be no more , but all who are in christ , or all regenerat and justified persons . for . by these all men the apostle understands ( as is manifest by comparing this with the precedent verse ) they which receive aboundance of grace and of the gift of righteousnesse , and he addeth concerning them , that they shall reigne in life by one iesus christ. . the comparison between christ and adam clears it , for they are both set forth as publick persons , all who are in adam a●…e actually involved into the sentence of condemnation , and all who are in christ are actually translated from the state of condemnation into the state of justification . but i proceed . another scripture which hath been understood for christs dying for all men , being indeed meant of all sorts , is io. . . and he is the propitiation for our sins , and not for ours only , but also for the sins of the whole world : which is to be expounded by that promise made to abraham , that in his seed all the families or kinreds of the earth should be blessed , act. . . gal : . . and by rev. . . thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to god by by thy blood , out of every kindred , & tongue , and people , and nation . so rev. . . after the sealing of a hundreth fourty and four thousand out of all the tribs of israel , 't is added , after this ibeheld and lo , a great multitud which no man could number of all nations , and kindreds , and people and tongues stood before the throne and before the lamb , clothed in white robs , and palms in their hands . for which cause also the news of a saviour are called good tydings to all people , or to every people , luke . . so the apostle iohn who was of the jews , tells us there that christ is a propitiation , not only for the sinnes of himself , and of others of his nation , who were then believers , but likewise for the elect of all nations and all the world over . to the same purpose t is said , ioh. . for god so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son : that whosoever believeth in him should not perish , but have everlasting life . where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of no larger extent then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which the tigurine rendereth , omnis qui credit , not quisquis , that every one who believeth in him should not perish , so that every one who believeth is an exegesis or explanation of the word world. howbeit if any like better the ordinary reading , that whosoever believeth , it comes in the issue to the same thing . for t is a great mistake to think that the world here is a genus , which is divided in believers and unbelievers , and that the word whosoever is added in reference not to the world before mentioned , but only to one kinde or sort of the world . which ( by the way ) is also inconsistent with their principles who hold that christ dyed for all , to purchase life to all , upon condition of believing ; for if so , there can be no partition here of the world but the latter branch as large as the first . but if there be any partition here of the world , ( i say if there be , for the text may be understood , exegetice , not partitive , as i have shewed already , it is not partitio generis in species , but totius in partes , that is , the world which god loved is not divided into believers and unbelievers , but by the world is meant the elect of all nations , and this whole world is subdivided into its parts by the word whosoever , that is , whether jew or gentile , whether barbarian or scythian , whether bound or fre●… &c. for this , the apostle explaineth the very same words , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rom. . , . whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed , for there is no difference between the iew and the greek : for the same lord over a●…l is rich unto all that call upon him . so gal. . . col : . . act. . , . and though some have with much scorn set at nought that expression , the world of the elect , i. e th●… elect of all the world , yet it will puzle them to give any other sense to io : . . where t is said , that christ giveth life unto the world , or to io. ●… . . where the spirit is said to convince the world of sin , of righteousnes & judgement , or io : . . where christ prayeth , that the world may believe , and the father hear●…th him alwayes as in other petitions , so in this . the third incouragement to believing is , that jesus christ hath died , as for persons of all sorts and conditions , so for the expiation of all so●…ts , and all manner of sins , and hath plainly assured us , that all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men . mat : . . he excepteth only one kinde , but the blasphemy against the holy ghost shall not be forgiven unto men . where exceptio firmat regulā in non exceptis ; this being the sole exception , maketh the general promise the surer , that not some sorts only , but all sort of sins , yea of blasphemies , not only may , but shal be forgiven unto men . now to be clear concerning that one sin excepted . . t is not properly any sin of the second table , but of the first , & is therefore called blasphemy , . t is not every blasphemy , for any other blasphemie is declared in that text to be pardonable . . t is a wilfull blasphemy contrary to the illumination of the holy ghost and knowledge of the truth once received , heb : . . & . . fo●… which reason pauls sinne when he blasphemed the name of christ and was exceedingly mad against it , was not the blasphemy against the holy ghost , because he did it ignorantly . if p●…ter had at that time sinned pauls sin , it had been the blasphemy against the holy ghost and so unpardonable , for it wanted nothing , but knowledge and illumination to make it that unpardonable sin , which the apostle himself , tim. . . doth intimat . . neither is it every blasphemy against knowledge , but such as is joyned with a hatred of christ , so farre that if they could they would pull him down from heaven and crucifie him again . there was mercy for these who crucified christ ignorantly , but no mercy to those who would do it knowingly . moreover , although they cannot get christ himself again crucified , yet they revile , reproach , disgrace and p●…rsecute him in his members , ministers , ord●…nances , and all the wayes they can put him to shame and dishonour . now there are two sorts of these who sin by blasphemy against the holy ghost . some do not professe christ and the truth of the gospell , yet maliciously and against their knowledge reproach or persecut it . so the pharisees mark : . , , . in saying that christ had an unclean spirit , did blaspheme against the holy ghost . others do professe christ and his gospell , and truth , yet fall away to be malicious enemies thereunto , against their knowledge . such a one was iudas , neither is there any thing to move us to think that iudas did not blaspheme the holy ghost , except that he repented himself afterward : but there is nothing in scripture against the possibility of a desperat repentance in these who blaspheme the holy ghost , but only that they can never so r●…pent as to be renewed againe , h●…b : . . that all sin , ioh. . . i , e. all manner of sin is purged away by the blood of christ , and atonement made for all sorts of sinners , was also signified , both by christs healing all maner of diseases among the people , mat : . . and by peters vision of all manner of four footed beasts , and creeping things , and fowls of the aire , let down as it were in a sheet from heaven to be killed , and eaten , act ▪ . , . so that as the promise of mercy and free grace comes home not only to thy nation and to persons of thy condition , state and degree , yea and to thy kindred and familie , but also to thy case in respect of sinne , it comes fully home to sinners of thy kind or case , it tendereth christ even to such a sinner as thou art . fourthly christ receiveth all who come unto him , and excludeth none but such as by their unbelief exclude themselves . joh : . . fifthly it is an incouragement to believing , that we are commanded to believe ▪ john. . . and this is his commandement , that we should believe in the name of his son iesus christ , and love one another as he gave us commandement observe the sa●…e authoritie that commands us to love one another , injoynes also that we believe on christ. but if any shall say , i cannot believe , i have no strength nor grace to believe , i answer , ( and let this be the sixt incouragement to believing ) that god sets foorth himself to be the giver of faith eph. . . phil. . . and his son to be the author and finisher of our faith . heb. . . if it be objected , i know it is so indeed . but god works faith only in the elect , and i know not whether i be elected or not . i answer , thou art discharged ( in this case ) to run back to election ( which is gods secret ) and art commanded to obey the revea●…ed command , according to that of deut : . . the secret things belong un●…o the lord our god , but these things which are revealed , belong unto us and to our children , that we may d●…e all the words of this law. and therefore seeing ye are commanded to believe in god , and hears that he is the author and finisher of faith ; say with augustine , da domine quod jubes & jube quod vis . and with the disciples , lord increase our faith , luk : . . or with that man in the gospell , i believe , lord help my unbelief , mark . . and request him who hath promised to give the spirit of grace and supplication , that yee may look on him whom you have pierced , zech ▪ . . to lighten your eyes , lest yee sleep unto death , psal. . . for this looking on christ ( promised in zecharie ) is nothing else then believing on him . as the looking on the brazen serpent which was the tipe of christ , is accomplished when we believe in christ who was typified thereby , as is to be gathered by comparing iohn . . . with numb : . . errata . page , . for spegmen , read specimen . pag. . for autoris , read aut oris . pag. . for is ever blinde , read is not ever blinde . p. . for object . . read object . . p. . for ecclesiae and canonca , read ecclesia and canonica . p. . for improblable , read improbable . p. . for but a preacher , read but by a preacher . p. , for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p . ●…or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. . for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. . for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e isa. . ●… . mich. . ●… cor. . zech. . . notes for div a -e refut . ract . de ●…issione sinistroum , cap. . non um eiam sen. 〈◊〉 esse ●…emini liere , do . 〈◊〉 nisi ●…ittatur , 〈◊〉 nemiem ulla 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prae●…care , hoc 〈◊〉 , rem ●…vam an●…ntiare 〈◊〉 mitta●…r , hoc 〈◊〉 , nisi à 〈◊〉 dei unus im●…natur . notes for div a -e loc. com . class . . cap. . sed in primitiva ecclesia cum prophetia vigeret , quid discriminis erat inter prophetam & doctorem ? respondeo , quamvis idem fuerit utriusque munus , tamen doctores instituebantur a praeceptoribus : prophetae verò , ●…ine omni ope humana , repente afflatu spiritus sancti concitatiloquebantur , probl : theol : loc : . prophetae ampliora habebant dona ideo scripturae obstrusiora loca illustrabant eodem spititu , quo scripta fuerunt — ideo de scripturis rectius praedicabant . so calvin . instit : loc : . cap. . § . opening that text , ephes. . . understands by prophets , such as had extraorinarie revelations . justin martyr , dial . cum . tryph. iud. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. for even to this present time , there are propheticall gifts , so that we ought to understand that the gifts which were of old in your nation are transferred unto us . notes for div a -e tertull. de praescript . advers : haeret . cum ideo credidisse se dicat ( apostolus ) de schismalibus & dissensionibus quia scilicet etiam haereses op●…orteret esse . ostendit enim gravioris mali respectu , de levioribus se facile credidisse . tertul de praescrip : advers : haeret . haereses dictae graeca voce ex interpretatione electionis , quia quis sive ad instituendas siv ad suscip●…endas ●…as utitur . ideo & sibi ●…amnatum dixit haereticum : quia & in quo damnatu●… sibi elegit august . tom. . lib de vera relig . cap. . sunt enim innumerabiles in ecclesia sancta , deo probati vi●…i , sed ma nifesti non fiunt inter nos , quam diu imperitiae nostrae tenebris delectatidormire malumus , quam lucē veritatis ●…ntueri . vin. lirin . advers . haer . cap. tunc quisquis verus christi amator & cultor exstitit antiquam fidem novellae perfidiae praeferendo , nulla contagii ipsius peste maculatus est . notes for div a -e de verbis apost . ser. . ●…rat . de ●…ompon . ●…elig : dissilio . vide ora●… ▪ in au abrah : calov●…i . anno. . mr. j. goodwi●… hagioma stix sect : . ▪ notes for div a -e zeperus . de pol. mos. lib ▪ . cap. ▪ pelargus in deut. . , , par●…us i●… gen. . ●…ivetus in exod. . . tarnovi us tract . de foede●… bus . see vict●… srigel . in paralip ●… . ▪ also zep●…erus , 〈◊〉 , tarnovi●… , ubi su●… . lava●… in paralip . ▪ ●… . & in ezek. . . p ▪ martyr loc. com. clas . . cap . num. . & comment . in reg. . ●… . &c. the same ●…hing is ●…olden by tostatus in . reg. . quest . corn. 〈◊〉 lat pide in . pag. . . socrat. hist : lib. cap. . sleid. com . lib. . pag. . ibid : lib : pag. , de helvetiis infoedus recipiendis ▪ quod civitates valde cupiebant , sáxo per legatos respondet , quoniam de coena dom. diversum sequantur dogma non sibi licere societatem cum ipsis ullam coire : quanti sit ipsorum conjunctio , propter vires atque potentiam , non se quidem latere , sed eo sibi minime respiciendum esse , ne tristis inde sequatur exitus , quod iis accidisse scriptura testetur , qui muniendi sui causa , cujusque modi praesidiis usi fuissent . vide etiam pag. . quod si zuingliani faterentur errorem atque desisterent , comprehendi etiam in hac pace sin minus , tum deserendos , nec auxilii quicquam cis communicandum , neque foedus ullum cum ipsis faciendum esse . et infra lib. . pag. . et recipiendos esse placet in hoc foedus ( smalcaldicum ) qui velint atque cupiant modo , doctrina augustae propositam in comitiis profiteantur , & sortem communem subeant . polit. christ. lib . cap. . keckermde repub. spart . disp . . lib. . cap. . sanctius & corn. a lapide in sam. . antiq. jud. lib. . cap. . ●… see mr. fox . acts and monuments , vol. pag. . . . edit . . see the estates principalities and empires of the world , translated by grimston , pag : . to . acts and moun . ments , ubi supra pag. . sleid. com. lib. . pag. ▪ . notes for div a -e mentes humanae mirifice c piuntur & fascinātur ceremo nialium splendore & p●…mpa hospin : epist : ante lib de orig : monacho . notes for div a -e hier. in ezech. . & in aqua non es lota in salutem . cruenta infantium corpora , statim ut emittuntur ex utero lavari solent . ita ut generatio spiritualis , lavacro indiget salutari . nullus enim mundus à sorde nec si unius quidem diei fuerit vita ejus , & in psalmis legitur : in iniquitatibus conceptus sum , & in delictis concepit me mater mea . secunda nativitas solvit primam nativitatem . scriptum est enim . nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua & spiritu sancto , non potest intrare in regnum dei . multaque sunt lavacra quae ethnici in mysteriis suis , & haeretici pollicentur , qui omnes lavant , sed non lavant in salutem . propterea additum est , & aqua non es lota in salutem . quod quidem non solum de haereticis , sed de ecclesiasticis intelligi potest ; qui non plena fide accipiunt baptismum salutare . synops. purior . theol. disp. . thes. . item exempla infantium israeliticorum , qui non minus quam israelitae adulti , sub nube & in mari rubro fuerunt baptizati , teste apostolo cor. . gualther . archetyp . in cor. . , . confutantur anabaptistarum errores . negant infantibus baptismum , quia nuspiā legatur esse baptizatos , & quia mysterium non intelligant . at baptizati sunt omnes qui mare transierunt , inter quos infantes quoque fuerunt . exod. . deinde neque isti intellexer unt mysteria , nec ideo symbola prophanata sunt . buzt . lex . chald. rabb . & talumd . pag. . proselyto minorem ; conferunt baptisrum ex decreto domus judicii , hoc est , senatus . m. selden de jure nat . & gent. lib. . cap. . ut gentiles majores ad hunc modum exanimi sui sententia proselyti fiebant , ita minores ( masculi ante annum decimum tertium praeter diem unicum , foeminae ante annum duodecimum & diem insuper expletum ) ex sententia sive patris sive fori cui suberant in judaismum pariter cooptati . atque actus tam forensis quam paternus assensum eorum tum in circumcisione & baptismo , tum in sacrificio offerendo quod sequebatur , supplebat . si verò minor , simulac aetatem compieverat , judaismo renunciasser , nec eum omnino postquam major erat , fuisset amplexus , ita dem evanuit , quicquid per initiamenta quibus ex assensu sive paterno , sive forensi cooptatus est , ut in gentilis plane conditionem rediret . filius ex quo natus est , dum fuerit tredecim annorum vocatur minor et puer . notes for div a -e vide. h. grotii annot . in matth. . . notes for div a -e loc. thè : de eccl. num . . distinguēdum igitur est inter rationem sibirelictā ac solutam quae sine froeno discurrit , ac suis fertur logismis , quae judicat ac statuit ex suis principiis , quae sunt communes notiones , sensus , experientia , &c. & inter rationem per verbum dei refrenatam & sub obseqnium christi redactam , quae judicat an statuit ex proprio theologiae principio , viz. ex verbo dei in scripturis sacris proposito . notes for div a -e isi. d. hispal . de differ . spirit . diff . . dilectio in deum origo est dilectionis in proximum ; & dilectio in proximū , cognitio est dilectionis in deum . quest. answ. h. steph. in thes . ling. gr. tom . . pag. . mr. i. goodwi●…l in his haglomastix . dr. crispes sermons , the . volum , serm : . iohn eaton his honey combe of free ▪ justification . cap. . dr. crisp. in the . volume of his sermons . ser. . ibid. pag . ●… ibid. se●… . . pag. . dr. crisps ibid. serm . . pag. . . . . dt. crisp. ibid. serm . . pag. . ibid. pag. . ▪ . ibid. pag . . i. eaton in the hony combe , chap. . honey combe . chap. . p ▪ , ▪ honey ●…ombe chap. . p. . rob. lansaster praef ●…efore dr. crisp. sermons . honey combe , chap . pag. notes for div a -e this chapter was left by the author not perfected . yet so much as is in the copie is printed for the readers aedification , and to stirre up others to pros●…cnte the like purpose , and in the meantime to make the best use of these . an ansvver to a book set forth by sir edward peyton, knight and baronet carrying this title a discourse concerning the fitnesse of the posture necessary to be used in taking the bread and wine at the sacrament / by rodger cocks ... cocks, roger, fl. - . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing c ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing c estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; :e , no ) an ansvver to a book set forth by sir edward peyton, knight and baronet carrying this title a discourse concerning the fitnesse of the posture necessary to be used in taking the bread and wine at the sacrament / by rodger cocks ... cocks, roger, fl. - . [ ], p. printed for nath. butter, london : . reproduction of original in thomason collection, british library. eng peyton, edward, -- sir, ?- . -- discourse concerning the fitnesse of the posture necessary to be used in taking bread and wine at the sacrament. sacraments -- early works to . a r (wing c ). civilwar no an ansvver to a book set forth by sir edward peyton, knight and baronet, carrying this title, a discourse concerning the fitnesse of the pos cocks, roger c the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the c category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - celeste ng sampled and proofread - celeste ng text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion an answer to a book set forth by sir edward peyton , knight and baronet , carrying this title , a discourse concerning the fitnesse of the posture , necessary to be used , in taking the bread and wine at the sacrament . by roger cocks , preacher of gods word . quàm diu per hanc lineam serram reciprocabimus , habentes observationem inveteratam , quae praeveniendo statum fecit ? hanc si nulla scriptura determinavit , certè consuetudo corroboravit . tertul. de coron . militis , cap. . ad quam fortè ecclesiam veneris , eius morem serva , si cuiquam non vis esse scandalo , nec quenquam tibi . sententia ambros. in aug. ut ipse refert , epist. . cap. . london , printed for nath. butter . . scribimus indocti , doctique . pamphlets , like wild geese , fly up and downe in flocks about the countrey . never was more writing , or lesse matter . that of the preacher , if ever it did reflect on any , may fitly suit with our times . there is no end of making many books . a for in many , in most , there is no end indeed ; nay , there is neither beginning nor ending ; that is , neither head nor foot , as it is in the proverb . i will not absolutely rank yours in the number of these , yet i conceive ( and many , i presume , will be of my opinion ) you should have shewne more wisdome , if you had taken lesse paines , and spared your discourse . for though i commend your moderation , in not being affected with the epidemicall disease of the times , railing , yet i cannot approve your discretion , in acting that upon the publique stage of printing , which might have passed better by private intercourse of writing . i was once about to have answered your discourse with nothing but silence , ( if so be that might have been reputed an answer ) and to this the perswasion of some friends had almost induced me , as well because the sleighting of some wrong , is the best way to overcome them , as because it is not an easie matrer for a practicall divine on the sudden to turne polemicall . but i was diverted from these ( to my thinking ) by stronger considerations : as first , the giving of occasion unto the adverse side , to insult and triumph ; and next to ours , the scandall of deserting my selfe ; and which is more , the publique cause of the church , at which ( it is plain ) you strike , though through the sides of me , an unworthy member of it . over-swaid by these , i thought it better to shew my selfe ( is the times now are ) a foole in print among the rest , then that the truth should suffer by my default , or that your pretending to invincible , unanswerable arguments , should conduce to the offending of others . before i enter upon your book , i cannot passe by the title ; as a man that is to survey some new building , ere he enter the house , will cast his eye upon the portal . now this ( me thinks ) is not given with that advisednesse of judgement that should have been , for you call it a discourse concerning the fitnesse of the posture , necessary to be used , in taking the bread and wine at the sacrament . had you left out [ necessary , ] it would have been a great deale better ; for you change a matter of indifferencie , into a matter of necessity . you cannot ( or at least , writing of that subject , ought not to ) be ignorant , that ceremonies , in their owne nature are but {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , indifferent things ; your postures therefore being not yet enjoyned by authority , cannot be necessary . but a rough outside may have a smooth inside , and a jewell is not alwayes knowne by the case or casket that doth enclose it ; i will therefore come to the discourse it selfe . and this is composed in the forme of a letter , i must therefore shape my answer accordingly ; onely i will adde a superscription , lest i should not seeme to deale with a man of your fashion as i ought to doe . to sir edward peyton , knight and baronet . but i pray give me leave to close it up with that wish of philip , a king of macedon , to menecrates , an over-weening physitian , health of mind . the reason that induceth me to this , is , because the elapsed time you speak of , hath brought forth the foule issue of a collapsed disposition , which ( as you would seeme to pretend ) my rudenesse hath made abortive , and caused it to come into the world before the time : but the truth is , ( for so much i have heard you affirme your selfe ) it was conceived many yeares before , though perhaps not altogether in the same shape it is produced . who advisedly considering this will not argue you of much weaknesse , for being grounded in your opinion ? why did you so often before take the sacrament kneeling without question or scruple , if it were a matter against conscience so to doe ? if it were not , why doe you now refuse it ? i refer my selfe to the indifferent reader , if in this you doe not render your selfe suspected to side more with the times then with the truth . but to proceed . in the first place ( though an easie apprehension may conceive it an impertinent introduction ) you taxe my defect of manners : indeed i was never bred in the schoole of complements , and may therefore haply commit a solecisme against ceremonious forme , but here ( i presume ) i may justly acquit my selfe . the irreverence was on your part , the affront on mine , i did but my duty , which you answered with indignity , and for my beseeching , returned a threatning . as for the satisfaction which you would seeme to have desired , you know well that i was not chiefe in the place , but ( as you acknowledge me your self ) subordinate , curate . therefore you should rather have sought it at his hands who was chiefe , especially being there resident , then at mine , and i make no doubt , he would upon the least intimation of this desire from you ( so well i know his willingnesse and sufficiencie ) have given you ( if any thing could have done it ) satisfaction . howbeit , had you requested as much of me ( for it hath never been my custome to obtrude my labours upon another , especially where i had just cause to suspect the party possest with a prejudicate opinion , and so the matter in all likelyhood , to meete with derision instead of acceptation ) i should as far as my meane ability , and my many occasions and interruptions would have given me leave , have done what i could . let the discreet reader now judge , whether there were more want of manners in me for not writing , or of civility in you , for taxing me in this kind . next , you affirme , that being to receive the sacrament , you did stand , with just ground , and therefore i should not have denyed it unto you in that posture . i answer , you are no pythagoras , or if you were , i am none of your disciples , to be satisfied with an ipse dixit . who of sound judgment will not think that i was tyed in duty to comply rather with publique authority , then with your private , singular , irregular opinion : and whereas you say , i ought not to urge an imposed kneeling , though backt by the authority of the ordinary , the bishop , the canon , because it is not confirmed by act of parliament ; i answer , first , that your inference is not good : are all things unlawfull , that are not confirmed by act of parliament ? surely then many indifferent actions must needs be unlawfully performed ; hath the king , hath the church no authority in these things ? what then shall become of government , if there be no parliament ? but it may be you desire such a time as the israelites had when there was no king in israel , but every man did that which was right in his own eyes . b secondly , i answer , that your assertion is not true , there is an act of parliament for that and other ceremonies , entituled , an act for the uniformity of common prayer , and prefixt as an introduction to the service booke ; but i beleeve you have taken little notice of it , because you are not much affected to the booke it selfe . againe , whereas you say , kneeling is not commanded in the rubrique : surely you doe but take the matter upon trust , and that hath deceived you ; for the words are plaine , that the receiver must take the sacrament kneeling . i will repeat them , that the truth may the better appeare : then shall the minister first receive in both kindes himselfe , and next deliver it to other ministers , if any be present , and after to the people in their hands , kneeling . what can be more plaine ? certainly , if you did not take the matter upon trust ( as i said before ) it must needs be , that either you did not looke so far , or over-looke it . your disallowing of the canon cannot make it of no validity ; for it is confirmed by the king , whom we acknowledge supreame , in causes as well ecclesiasticall as civill ; yea the power thereof is further ratified by a clause mentioned in the latter part of the act made for the uniformity of common prayer ; this three-fold cord then cannot be broken by you , strain a hard as you can . and yet let me advise you as a friend , not to strain too far , lest by this means you doe not onely forfeit your judgment , but your estate ; for the act being still in force , may lay hold upon you . but to follow you , ( as you proceed ) you urge us next ( as if we did we know not what ) with many demands , concerning the object you should kneel unto , and some of them very poore and ridiculous ; you cannot ( without much prejudice to your own judgment ) conceive us to be so simple as to require you to kneele to the creature , whether it be the minister or the sacrament ; but what that should be which may hinder you from kneeling unto god , i am not ( i confesse ) quick sighted enough to perceive ; yes , say you , for if that be required , why did not the disciples kneele ? i answer , first , it is not of absolute necessity that wee should in all things imitate the disciples ; next i affirme , that with all the skill you have , you cannot clearly and fully determine whether they did kneele or no . touching the forme of administration , what if we shall affirme ( for all your negative ) that part of it is a prayer ? i doubt not we shall make it good well enough , doe you your selfe examine it a little better , and you cannot ( if you will confesse a truth ) but conclude it to be so ; i will repeat the former part ( for that only is materiall to the purpurpose ) the body of our lord iesus christ which was given for thee , preserve thy body and soule into everlasting life . the later part is by you vainly added , for who did ever conceive that to be a prayer ? but if it be a prayer , say you , the words should run thus , i pray god to preserve thy body and soule to eternall life . why so ? i see no such necessity . is not that of the apostle paul to timothy , c the lord give thee understanding in all things , a prayer for timothy ? because he doth not say , i pray the lord to give thee understanding in all things . consider what i say , and the lord give you a better understanding . nor is it convenient ( for all your cavill ) that the minister should kneele at the time of administration , though the receiver doe , seeing the former subordinately under christ our saviour , imparts the blessing ; the latter takes it ministerially from him . suppose the king ( nay , let it be some vice-gerent , or generall under him ) be to bestow the order of knight-hood , because he must kneele that takes the honour , must he doe so that gives it ? or , to come neerer to the present question , consider this in matter of ordination , for though it be no sacrament , it is a holy action : because he must kneele who receives orders , must he doe so that doth ordaine him ? who sees not the manifest absurdity of this consequence ? it is sufficient that the minister himselfe receiving first , according to appointment , doe take the sacrament upon his knees . and why ( i pray you ) may you not kneele to christ , when you receive ? what necessity is there that your kneeling to him should make him to be corporally present in the sacrament , when you take the holy communion , more then he is at other times , when you pray unto him ? my lord of yorke ( and it is much that you should vouchsafe to give him that title ) confesseth no such thing as you quote him for ; yea , in the page following , he is directly against you : for he affirmes out of approved authors , that it is a matter of conveniencie for every countrey to use such ceremonies as they shal think fit . d your proposition that we ought to follow christ in all things , is too generall ; s. augustine will tell you otherwise , and so will all other orthodoxe divines ; they will affirme we ought not to imitate him in his miracles , but in his morals ; for though the one may entitle us to obedience , the other cannot acquit us from presumption . in the next place you come upon me like a fencer : but ( venia tua ) give me leave to tell you in a friendly manner , your venies are but triflings in a cause so serious ; i feare your sharp as little as your foils , for unlesse your weapons be ( and i hope they are not ) tincta lycambaeo sanguine , i see no great danger in them , an indifferent judgment may easily blunt their point , and turn their edge . howbeit , i thanke you for your friendly advertisement , for praemonitus praemunitus , forewarn'd forearm'd ; and however you may seeme to your selfe an iuvincible goliah , yet i a little david dare enter the lists with you . first , you make a flourish , not with a two-handed , but with a two-edged sword ; nay with that which is sharper then any two-edged sword , e the word of god : such a weapon , i grant , as being well handled , is not to be resisted ; but you doe onely flourish it , and make a shew of striking that which you doe not come neere . your argument runs thus , that gesture is best which was used by the apostles ; but the apostles used this gesture , therefore it is the best gesture . and here you fall into an error , for you doe not stand to your tackling , but goe from standing to sitting ; nay , you use the demonstrative this , before you mention sitting at all . for the confirmation of that which you would prove , you cite many texts of scripture ; among which , some are meerly impertinent , as belonging nothing to the discourse in hand , because they imply an imitation , not in ceremoniall , but morall duties : such are ephes. . . cor. . . tim. . you meane ( i conceive ) tim. . . thes. . . the other conduce not rightly to your purpose , though they seeme to come nearer . for however you make much adoe with the greek text , and latine translation , where ( by the way ) you have occubuit , for accubuit , which i am willing to passe by , because but a literall error , and conclude that the posture used was sitting , ( howbeit no direct sitting neither , but such an one as did encline to leaning ) yet i may say all this will not help you a jot : for we have two bucklers to oppose against this sharp of yours , ( as you call it ; ) the one , that all this proves nothing , but that our saviour christ and his apostles sate at the celebration of the passeover , not at the institution of the sacrament ; nor can you by direct and evident text of scripture urge it further , as some of the learned have judiciously observed , however others for want of a due consideration , have given too much way to your assertion . and surely if i among these should doe so too , yet it would fare with you , but as with him , qui suo se jugulat gladio , who striking fiercely at his adversary , wounds , yea kils his owne cause . your pretence is to plead for standing at the communion ; nay your offence was , ( howbeit scandalum acceptum non datum ) because you might not receive it in that posture ; and now you plead for sitting , nay affirme it is unlawfull to use other ; concluding it to be , not indifferent , but necessary . risum teneatis amici . surely when you wrote this discourse , you were either forgetfull of your former position , or irresolute in your present opinion ; so that if one proverb will not hit you , you are a man sitting duabus sellis , yet another may fit you , aliud stans , aliud sedens judicas , and thus you quite overthrow , what you seeke to establish ; for if sitting onely be necessary , i do not see how you can stand more for standing , then we for kneeling . your bringing in of calvin , makes nothing to the purpose ; he writes against adoring the host in the sacrament ; and what is that to our kneeling at the communion ? you might as well say , the papists kneel to images , and worship them , therefore we may not kneele to worship god . you presse further the sayings of bullinger and keckerman , who ( if you cite them rightly ) take that for granted , which remaines to be proved , namely , that sitting was the posture used at the sacramentall supper . indeed i should side with chemnitius in his opinion , that the reverence of the sacrament is to be taken from the word of god , if there were any prescript forme , or certaine direction to be found in it . as for that which you quote out of the centuries , namely , that kneeling was never used in three hundred yeares after christ ; were it true , ( which i shall hardly be induced to beleeve , without more pregnant testimony ) yet it is not of sufficient force to infringe the lawfull use of this ceremonie , no not though you could directly prove the apostles did receive sitting . for against this we lift up our second buckler of defence , which ( i conceive ) will be able to ward off the blow that you would give us , and that is this : in circumstantiall things which are indifferent , there is no absolute tye of necessity that we should follow our saviour christ and his apostles , much lesse the practise of the primitive church ; if there were any such necessity , why doe you not plead as well against the change of time and place , as that of gesture ? seeing you cannot be ignorant , that what the apostles took in the evening , we take in the morning ; what they received in a chamber , we receive in a church ; if the church had power to alter these , why should it not have as much to doe the other ? the instances which you produce for standing , ( were they to the purpose , as they are not ) would confirme as much . for if the church in those times had power to varie from the order of sitting , and make use of standing in the place of it , why had not the church afterward as much power to change that standing into kneeling ? but the truth is , the words of tertullian , as s. ierome f notes , have no reference to the sacrament , but to the resurrection : we stand then , saith the father , ( and it is not at the lords supper , but every lords day ) because it is tempus laetitiae , quo nec genua flectuntur , nec curvamur , sed cum domino ad coelorum alta sustollimur : a time of joy , in which we neither bow nor bend our knees , but are with the lord lifted up ( as it were ) to the highest heavens . so s. augustine , propter hoc jejunia relaxantur , & orantes stamus , quod est signum resurrectionis : g for this we give over fasting , and pray standing , which is a signe of the resurrection . the canon of the nicene councel is grounded meerly on the same reason , and so is also that which you cite out of s. basil . howbeit did all these make to your purpose , they would yet but make good what i said before , that the change of things indifferent is in the power of the church ; and if so , why should not that power be obeyed now as well as in former ages ? s. augustine is firme for it ; that is ( saith he ) to be accounted indifferent , and to be observed , in respect of the society of those among whom we live , quod neque contra fidem , neque contra bonos mores injungitur h : which being enjoyned , makes neither against faith , nor good manners . this truth the reformed churches in the low-countries doe acknowledge , i and beza likewise in his . epist. indeed if men should be suffered to doe what they list in this case , what would become of that which the apostle requires , k decencie and order ? surely it would breed in the church horribilem {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , saith paraeus l , a horrible confusion ; and from this confusion would arise no small seeds of contention , saith calvin in his institut . m i have cited these , because i conceive this testimony to be of more validity with you , then that of the fathers . but you goe about to make kneeling no matter of indifferencie , because it tends ( as you say ) to idolatry . what conformation hath kneeling , ( say you ) unlesse to conforme us to transubstantiation ? since you doe not know , i will tell you ; it serves to conforme you to reverence , to obedience , to order ; and i hope these are not transubstantiation . indeed could you prove what you pretend , that kneeling at the sacrament is idolatry , ( though that would not necessarily bring in standing ) you should doe something ; but the instances you produce for that purpose , are sleight and triviall . that which you alledge concerning a reason before the rubrique in the beginning of queene elizabeth is nothing probable ; we have but your bare word for it : i may therefore say as s. ierome doth in another case , pari facilitate rejicitur qua recipitur n : i may as easily reject it , as you obtrude it . the rest i omit , as not worth the answeriug ; and the rather , because you knit up afterward the full strength of all in an argument . onely i cannot passe by that speech of yours , it is an absurdity to kneele to christs humanity . it should seeme you doe not either remember or regard what the apostle saith , in him dwelleth all the fulnesse of the god head bodily , o and shall we not worship that wherein dwels the fulnesse of the godhead ? doubtlesse we are to worship the humane nature with the divine , for our blessed saviour is not divided , p and we are to adore whole christ . i come now to your argument , which you frame in this manner : to bend the knee to a creature in divine worship , is idolatry ; but to bend the knee at the sacrament , is to bend the knee to a creature : ergo , to bend the knee at the sacrament is idolatry . in seeking to prove the major or proposition , you spend more time , more paine then needs . for as when one would have made , or did make a long oration in the praise of hercules , another did put him off with this short answer , what needs all this ? who ever went about to dispraise him ? so i may say to you , who among us did ever bend the knee in divine adoration to a meere creature ? therefore you might have omitted this as granted , and have prosecuted the proof of your minor or assumption , which how weakly & poorly you doe , when you come at it , will easily appeare upon a due examination of it . in the meane time , you urge some things by the way , at which we may take just exception ; as the definition of will-worship , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , which you would fasten upon perkins , but unjustly ; for who of sound judgement would say , that will-worship is a worshipping of god , with the intention of the heart , and goes no farther ; how doth this distinguish it from true worship ? no , he affirms it to be when god is worshipped with a naked and bare good intention , not warranted by the word of god . againe , you seeke an utter extirpation of all tradition that is humane , wherein you deale with too much inhumanity against it : for it may no doubt in some kind be lawfull , usefull , so long as it doth not oppose gods word : nor doe any of the learned ( as far as i could ever reade ) deny it in this respect : even perkins himselfe doth in the place where you cite him , affirme as much : nor is it any pollution of gods worship , no addition or diminution of scripture , ( as you pretend ) to make use of an indifferent ceremonie . lastly , your implicite conclusion from the perfect example of our saviour christ , ( as you say ) doth make explicitely against your selfe ; for standing hath as little relation to sitting , as kneeling hath . you proceed now to the assumption , and seek to make good the proofe of it , because ( as you affirme , but you doe not , indeed you cannot confirme , it ) we reverence the actions , and the things in the sacrament more then we ought . in this you are quite mistaken , and cannot be thought to write well , ( though you applaud your self never so much in this worke ) because you distinguish no better : q for you confound using reverence in the actions , and of the actions , bowing the knee at the sacrament , and to the sacrament . your argument then is of no force , unlesse you can prove we worship the actions , or the bread and wine , which i am sure you will never be able to doe . but lest all this should not availe to take away kneeling , you urge an argument of bellarmines to doe that for you , which you cannot doe for your selfe : it should seeme the sword of the scriture failing you , you are glad to borrow a weapon from your adversarie , and it is brandisht by you in this manner : if kneeling at the sacrament may be as the calvinists say , without sin , then it is not idolatry to kneele before images . to this i answer , first , that the case is not alike ; for the sacrament , though it be a representation , is not properly an image . besides , we may be without images , we must not be without the sacrament ; the one is peremtorily commanded , the other onely in some sense permitted . again , i answer , that to kneele before images is not simply in it selfe unlawfull , that is , as the act hath no relation to the image , no more then it is to kneele before a pewe , or a pillar ; for the command is not , that we should not bow before them , but bow to them . r as little availeable is your following reason , that we ought not to kneele , because the sacrament is {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , a giving of thanks , and kneeling no fit gesture for thanksgiving . certainly you have little ground for this opinion ; for if thanksvc : \balbir\cptx\print\print\ing be a part of prayer , ( as who almost save your selfe will deny ? ) what fitter posture can there be for it then kneeling ? your instance of solomon makes little to the purpose ; for first , it is said , he made an end of praying ; secondly , that he stood to blesse the congregation : s so that it was not onely a thanksgiving unto god . and how unseemly it were in our publique prayers , when we are upon our knees , as soone as we come to a passage of thanksgiving , to start up suddenly upon our feet , let the reader judge . howbeit , if examples in this point may be availeable , it will be a matter of no great difficulty to produce some , who have kneeled in their giving of thanks . the apostle tels the philippians , that he thanks god upon every remembrance of them alwayes , in every prayer that he makes for them . t now it is not to be doubted , but in some of those prayers he was upon his knees . the samaritane leper when he was cured did expresse greater reverence ; he fell downe on his face at the feet of christ , and gave him thanks . u but what should i speak of these ? doe not the angels and the saints in heaven expresse their giving of thanks with all submission and reverence ? we know they doe , for so we read , w and if kneeling be fit to be used in prayer , it is so also in thanksgiving , for that is to be joyned with prayer . x continue in prayer , and watch in the same with thanksgiving , saith the apostle . besides , who will not confesse the gesture of kneeling in this action to be most becomming ? for if the israelites receiving onely a message of their corporall deliverance , by the ministery of moses , bowed their head and worshipped , y surely we have greater reason when we receive an undoubted pledge of our spirituall deliverance by the death and passion of our blessed saviour , to humble our selves to almighty god , and upon our knees to offer up the sacrifice of praise & thanksgiving . we know that men doe many times upon their knees receive temporall favours from the hands of mortall princes : without doubt then it will become us to receive with all submission and reverence , this spirituall favour from the hands of immortall god , the great king of kings . that epistle of s. aug. by you cited for the abolition of indifferent ceremonies , helps you little , unlesse you will say he doth ( which he doth not ) contradict what he had delivered in the epistle immediately going before : for there he gives this rule to ianuarius , nulla disciplina est in his melior gravi prudentique christiano , quàm ut eo modo agat , quo agere viderit ecclesiam , ad quamcunque forte devenerit . z in these things no discipline can be better for a grave and wise christian , then to demeane himself in that manner the church doth , to which it is his hap to come : and he confesses he tooke this rule from s. ambrose , tanquam à coelesti oraculo , as from some heavenly oracle . therefore if you would be indeed , as you desire to be accounted , a grave and wise christian , you must observe that discipline which is enjoyned by the church wherein you live . and indeed in that epistle you cite , he is so far from disallowing the rule before mentioned , that he doth highly commend it , affirming of it , that it is una & saluberrima regula retinenda , a the onely wholsome rule to be observed . your last argument to take away kneeling at the sacrament , is drawn from the avoiding of an inconvenience : it is ( say you ) an occasion of scandall and offence . i answer , the best actions may be so ; but then the offence is in those that take it , not in those that give it . but i would fain know of you , if sitting or standing should be substituted in the place of kneeling , ( for you seeme to be indifferent for either of these , and i think would not care what the posture were , so it were any other ) how these could be used without scandall . for i perswade my selfe , that as they would give more occasion of offence , so they would give occasion of offence to more then kneeling doth . in this the greater number sure will side with us . to say nothing , that whereas you can pretend onely the bond of charity , we have besides this the bond of duty , even the command of authority , which ( as beza observes ) doth impose a kind of necessity . b calvin also affirmes , that where the doctrine is sound and pure , and the ceremonies tend to a civill decencie and honesty , it is fit rather to submit unto them , then to dissent about them , c especially if the greater number carry it . now suppose all the congregations in the kingdome were united into one , and the matter were to goe by votes , i presume i may safely affirm , that where you have ten for sitting or standing severally , nay for both joyntly , we for kneeling shall have an hundred . this reason therefore of yours is of no validity , seeing scandall would not be lessened , but encreased by this meanes . you draw now to a conclusion ; and so would i too , for i am even wearied with following you in such a confused course , but that i meet with one thing which will detain me a while . indeede a good christian , nay a good subject , though a heathen , could not passe by it without offence : are the names of kings ( thinke you ) fit things to be plaid upon , or to be stigmatized by the pens of private persons ? if not , what meanes your new coind word carolicall ? minutius records of mercurius tresmegistus , that even the heathen , because he was a great philosopher , would not use his name without great reverence : is there not as much respect due to kings , as to philosophers ? suetonius reports of augustus caesar , he wrote to the senate of rome , to take order that his name might not absole fieri , be worn thread bare among the common people , by their frequent and triviall using of it ; and can our king then take it wel at your hands you should abuse his name , and that in so serious and weighty a matter as religion ? surely when i consider this , i cannot a little wonder at your inconsiderate boldnesse , nay , irreligious impietie . for if a subject may not revile his prince , no not in his thoughts , d much lesse is he to doe it in his words , especially in such as proceede not from suddain passion , but from mature deliberation , and being committed to the presse , are exposed to a publique view . i could never heare that his majesty is any way tainted in religion , you may justly be suspected , therefore i shall rether follow that church , which is ( if i may lawfully repeat the terme you use ) carolical , then that which is peytonicall , that is , rather the doctrine , and the discipline of the church of england , then the fancies and factions of some few sectaries , and schismaticks . and now i will shut up all with an inversion of your conclusion . seeing kneeling at the receiving of the sacrament , is in it selfe a ceremony that is indifferent ; seeing it is as judicious hooker terms it , the gesture of pietie ; e nay , as beza himselfe acknowledgeth , doth carry a shew of pious reverence ; f seeing it is enjoyned by authority , and that of the king , of the church , of the state ; seeing it is practised by the generality ; seeing it is refused only by some few out of singnlarity , qui nisi quod ipsi faciunt nihil rectum existimant , as saint aug. speaks , g who thinke nothing to be right but what they doe themselves , you ought not to require at my hands an administration of the sacramen unto you standing , or to be offended with me or any other , who ( rebus sic stantibus ) shall refuse to satisfie your desire , that he may comply with the authority of the church . mart. . . imprimatur , tho : wykes . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- a eccles. . b judg. . . c tim. . . d pag. . e heb. . . f in epist ad ephes. g epist. . cap. . h . epist. cap. . i thes. belg. . art . . k cor. . . l in rom. . m li. . cap. sect. . n cent. helvid . o colos. . . p cor. . . q qui bene distinguit , bene direct . r exod. . . s kings . . t philip . . . u luke . . w revel. . . & . . x colos. . . y exod. . . z epist. . cap. . a aug. epist. . cap. . b epist. . c epist. . d eccles. . . e ecclesiast . polit. lib. . f epist. . g epist. . cap. . a brief exposition of the lord's prayer and the decalogue to which is added the doctrine of the sacraments / by isaac barrow ... barrow, isaac, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing b estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a brief exposition of the lord's prayer and the decalogue to which is added the doctrine of the sacraments / by isaac barrow ... barrow, isaac, - . [ ], - , [ ] p. : port. printed by m. flesher for brabazon aylmer ..., london : . advertisement on p. 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ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng lord's prayer -- early works to . ten commandments -- early works to . sacraments. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a brief exposition of the lord's prayer and the decalogue . to which is added the doctrine of the sacraments . by isaac barrow , d. d. and late master of trinity college in cambridge . london , printed by m. flesher , for brabazon aylmer , at the three pigeons , over against the royal exchange in cornhill . . isaacus barrow s.t.p. reg. ma. a sacris coll s. s. trini . cantab praefec . nec non acad . eiusdem procanc : portrait to the right honourable heneage earl of nottingham , lord high chancellour of england , and one of the lords of his majesty's most honourable privy council ; thomas barrow , the authour's father , humbly dedicateth these discourses . the publisher to the reader . among the remains of this pious and learned authour , fit to be communicated to the publick , none more likely to be of general use and advantage than this explication of the lord's prayer , the decalogue , and the doctrine of the sacraments ; whether we regard the brevity and plainness , or the admirable weight and fulness of it . and therefore i thought fit to publish it in a small manual by it self , and not to join it with other discourses of the authour , that so this little treatise , which is so necessary and usefull to all , might be had upon the easiest terms . it were to be wish'd , that the creed also had been explain'd by him in the same manner ; but that he hath handled in a larger way , in a great many excellent sermons upon the several articles of it , wherein he hath not onely explain'd and confirm'd the great doctrines of our religion , but likewise shewn what influence every article of our faith ought to have upon our practice . these discourses will make a very considerable treatise , which will in due time be made publick . in the mean time enjoy and make use of this . jo. tillotson . an exposition of the lord's prayer . orat. domin . si per omnia precationum sanctarum verba discurras , quantum existimo nihil invenies , quod non ista dominica contineat & concludat oratio : unde liberum est aliis atque aliis verbis , eadem tamen in orando dicere , sed non debet esse liberum alia dicere . aug. ad probam epist. cxxi . an exposition of the lord's prayer . among all the duties , prescribed to us by our religion , the rendring due worship to god is in nature , and for consequence the principal ; god thereby being most directly honoured , and served , we from it immediately deriving most ample , and high benefits ; to the performance of which duty we are furnished with excellent direction , and assistance from that prayer , which our lord ( at several times , and upon several occasions ) dictated , and recommended to his disciples , both as a pattern , according to which they should regulate their devotions ( pray thus , or in this manner , saith he in saint matthew ) and as a form , in which they should express them ( when you pray , say ; that is , say this or in these words ; so he injoins them in saint luke ) : unto it therefore we should carefully attend as to our best rule ; and we should frequently use it as our best matter of devotion ; to the well performing of both which duties , it is requisite that we should distinctly understand the particulars contained therein , in order to which purpose we shall endeavour to explain them ; but first let us premise a few words in general about prayer . prayer in its latitude of acception doth comprehend all devotion , or worship immediately addressed unto almighty god ; consisting of praise , which we render to god in regard to his most excellent perfections , and glorious works ; of submissive gratulation , declaring our satisfaction in all the dispensations of his most wise and just providence ; of thanksgiving , for the numberless great benefits we have received from him ; of acknowledging our total dependence on him , and our subjection to him ; of professing faith in him , and vowing service to him ; of confessing the sins we have committed against him , with the guilt and aggravation of them ; of deprecating the wrath and punishment due to us for our offences ; of petition for all things needfull and convenient for us ; of intercession for others , whose good we according to duty or charity are concerned to desire and promote : prayer , i say ( although according to its most restrained sense it onely doth signifie one of these particulars , namely the petition of what is needfull or expedient for us , yet ) in its larger acception , as it commonly is used , it doth comprize them all ; and so we may well take it here ; this form , although so very brief , being with so admirable wisedom contrived , as without straining the words beyond their natural importance , we may , applying a moderate attention , discern them all , as to their main substance , couched therein ; so that we may indeed reasonably regard this prayer as a compleat directory , and a full exercise of all our devotion toward god : of devotion , i say , the which ( to engage , excite , and encourage us to the carefull and constant practise thereof ) we may consider injoin'd us as a necessary duty , commended to us as a requisite means of good , and a special instrument of all piety , and as a high privilege granted to us by god. . it is a natural duty and debt we owe to god ( both in correspondence to the design of our being made and endowed with rational capacities agreeable to our relations ; and in requital for our being , and for all the good we have , and do continually receive from him ) as most highly to love and reverence him in our hearts ; so to declare our esteem of his excellencies , and our sense of his bounty toward us : to avow the dependence we have upon his will and providence ; the obligations we are under to his mercy and goodness ; to yield our due homage of respect , submission and obedience to him : if we do acknowledge a god , our maker , our lord , our continual benefactour to be , we must consequently acknowledge these performances in reason , justice and gratitude due to him ; and god accordingly requires , and positively injoins them : he is the lord our god , whom we must worship and serve ; the god , whom praise waiteth for ; who heareth prayers , and to whom therefore all flesh must come : the scripture is very frequent in commanding the duty . . it is a most usefull means , or a condition requisite for the procurement of benefits , and blessings upon us . god hath declared that he doth accept , he hath promised that he will reward all devotions with an honest intention , and pure mind offered up unto him ; that he is nigh unto all them that call upon him in truth ; that he will be found of them who seek him with all their heart ; that he will fulfill the desire of them that fear him ; he will hear their cry , and will save them ; that they who seek him shall not want any good thing ; that , whatever we ask in prayer believing we shall receive ; that if we ask , it shall be given us , if we seek , we shall find ; if we knock , it shall be opened to us . prayer is also a means of procuring a blessing upon all our undertakings ; it sanctifieth every performance , &c. there is no good thing so great and precious , so high above the reach of common power ; so strange to expect or difficult to compass , which we may not easily and surely by this means obtain ; relief in all distresses both of our outward and inward estate ; supplies of all our needs both corporal and spiritual ; comfort in all our sorrows and sadnesses ; satisfaction in all our doubts and darknesses of mind ; help and strength against all our temptations we may be confident to obtain , if we duly seek them from the almighty dispenser of all good gifts : sure promises there are , and obvious examples hereof , too many to be now recited : as on the other hand ; they that will neglect this duty , that will not vouchsafe to seek help and remedy of god , may be sure to want it ; shall certainly suffer for their proud contempt , profane diffidence , or foolish sloth : you will not ( saith our saviour ) come to me , that ye may have life ; no wonder then if they do not receive it , if they will not go thither for it , where onely it is to be had . all good things are in god's hand , and we shall never by any force or policy get them thence without his will , moved by intreaty ; all good gifts come from heaven , and thence we shall never fetch them down , without ascending thither in our hearts and affections , spiritual goods especially are so high above us , that we can never reach them otherwise , than by god's help by humble supplication obtained . . it is not onely a means by impetration acquiring for us , but it is an effectual instrument working in us all true good ; it is the channel , by which god conveyeth spiritual light into our minds , and spiritual vigour into our hearts . it is both the seed and the food of spiritual life ; by which all holy dispositions of soul , and all honest resolutions of practice are bred , are nourished , are augmented and strengthened in us . it exciteth , it quickneth , it maintaineth all pious affections ; the love of god can no otherwise than by it be kindled , fomented or kept in life ( without it we certainly shall have an enstrangement , and an aversation from him ) it alone can maintain a constant reverence and awe of god , keeping him in our thoughts , and making us to live as in his presence ; it chiefly enliveneth and exerciseth our faith and our hope in god : it is that which begetteth in our hearts a savoury relish of divine things ; which sweetneth and endeareth to our souls the practice of piety ; which onely can enable us with delight and alacrity to obey god's commandments : it alone can raise our minds from the cares and concernments of this world to a sense and desire of heavenly things . by it god imparteth strength to subdue bad inclinations , to restrain sensual appetites , to compress irregular passions ; to evade the allurements to evil , and the discouragements from good , which this world always presenteth ; to support also with patience and equanimity the many crosses and troubles we must surely meet with therein . it is , in short , the onely strong bulwark against temptation and sin ; the onely sure guard of piety and a good conscience : no man indeed can be a faithfull servant to god , a real friend to goodness , a serious practicer of duty without a constant tenour of devotion . . it is a most high privilege and advantage to us , that we are allowed to pray and address our devotions to god. to have a free access to the presence and audience of an earthly prince ( to the effect of receiving from him all that we could desire ) would be deemed a matter of great honour , and much advantage ; how much more is it so to us , that we are admitted to the presence and ear of the great king of all the world ; so mighty in power , so large in bounty , so full of goodness and pity ; so thoroughly able , so exceedingly willing to grant and perform our requests ? how sweet a thing , of what comfort and benefit is it , to have the liberty of pouring out our souls and our hearts ( as the psalmist speaks ) before god ; of disburthening our minds of all their cares , their desires , their doubts , their griefs and anxieties into the breast of so kind a friend , so wise a counseller , so able a helper ; who alone indeed can afford relief , ease , satisfaction and comfort to us ? considering which things we shall appear not onely very disobedient to god , and highly ingratefull toward him ( who so infinitely condescends in vouchsafing to us dust and ashes ( vile and unworthy creatures ) leave to speak and converse with him ) but very injurious and unfaithfull to our selves , and to our own good ; if we neglect this duty commanded , or slight this privilege indulged to us : in the due performance of which we are directed and assisted by this form of prayer , composed and dictated for that purpose by him , who best knew what we ought to pray for , and how we ought to pray ; what matter of desire , what manner of address ; what disposition of mind would be most pleasing and acceptable to his father , would most become and befit us in our approaches to him . we might consequently observe many things concerning those particulars , discernible in this form : the sublimity , the gravity , the necessity , the singular choiceness of the matter ; together with the fit order , and just disposition thereof ; according to the natural precedence of things in dignity or necessity ; the full brevity , the deep plainness , the comely simplicity of expression ; the lowly reverence signified therein accompanied with due faith and confidence : these , and the like vertues directive of our devotion we might observe running generally through the whole contexture of this venerable form ; but we shall rather chuse to take notice of them as they shall offer themselves in their particular places , to the consideration of which in order we now do apply our selves . our father which art in heaven . our father ; upon this title , or manner of compellation , we may first observe , that although our saviour prescribeth this form as a pattern , and an exercise of private prayer to be performed in the closet ( and alone in secret as is expressed in the gospel ) yet he directeth us to make our addresses to god in a style of plurality , saying , not my father , but our father ; thereby , it seems , implying ; . that we should in our prayers consider and acknowledge the universality of god's power and goodness . . that we should not in our conceit proudly and vainly appropriate or engross the regard of god unto our selves ; but remember that our brethren have an equal share with us therein . . that in all our devotions we should be mindfull of those common bands which knit us together as men and as christians ( the band of nature and humanity ; the more strict tyes of common faith and hope ; of manifold relations unto god that made us , and our saviour that redeemed us , and the holy spirit who animateth and quickneth us , and combineth us in spiritual union . ) . that we should bear such hearty good-will , and charitable affection toward others , as not onely to seek and desire our own particular and private good , but that of all men ; especially of all good christians ; who in a peculiar manner are god's children and our brethren ; he did not bid us say my father , but our father , who art in heaven ; that being taught that we have a common father , we might shew a brotherly good-will one toward another , saith s. chrysostome . as for the appellation father ; it doth mind us of our relation to god , who upon many grounds , and in divers high respects is our father ( by nature , for that he gave us our being , and made us after his own image ; by providence , for that he continually preserveth and maintaineth us ; by grace , for that he reneweth us to his image in righteousness and holiness ; by adoption , for that he alloweth us the benefit and privilege of his children , assigning an eternal inheritance to us ) of this relation , which as creatures , as men , as christians , we bear to god it mindeth us , and consequently how we ought in correspondence thereto to behave our selves ; yielding to him all respect , affection and observance ; demeaning our selves in all things as becomes such a relation , and rank : this indeed of all god's names , titles and attributes is chosen as most sutable to the nature of the present duty ; as most encouraging to the performance thereof , as most fully implying the dispositions required in us , when we apply our selves thereto . our saviour used to compare prayer to a son 's asking nourishment of his father ; arguing thence what success , and benefit we may expect from it : we come therein to god , not ( directly ) as to a lord or master , to receive commands ; but rather as to a father to request from him the sustenance of our life , and supply of our needs ; to render withall unto him our thankfull acknowledgments , for having continuedly done those things for us ; and to demonstrate our dutifull respect , and affection toward him . it is natural for children in any danger , streight , or want to fly to their parents for shelter , relief and succour ; and it is so likewise for us to have recourse unto god , in all those cases , wherein no visible means of help appear from elsewhere : and to doe so the title of father doth encourage us , signifying not onely power and authority over us , but affection and dearness toward us : the name god , importing his excellent perfections ; the name lord , minding us of his power , and empire over us , with the like titles declarative of his supereminent majesty , might deter us , being conscious of our meanness and unworthiness , from approaching to him ; but the word father is attractive and emboldning ; thinking on that we shall be apt to conceive hope , that how mean , how unworthy soever , yet being his children , he will not reject , or refuse us : if men being evil do give good gifts unto their children ; how much more will our father , which is in heaven , give good things to them that ask him ? it also plainly intimates how qualified and disposed in mind we should come to god ; namely , with high reverence , with humble affection , with hearty gratitude ; as to the authour of our being , to him that hath continually preserved and brought us up ; from whose care and providence we have received all the good we have ever enjoyed ; from whose mercy and favour we can onely expect any good for the future . by calling god father , we avow our selves obliged to honour and love him incomparably beyond all things ; we also declare our faith , and hope in god ; that we believe him well affected toward us , and willing to doe us good ; and that we thence hope to receive the good desirable from him ( the which are dispositions necessary to the due performance of this duty . ) it also implyeth , that we should come thereto with purity of mind and good conscience , which is also requisite to the same intent : for if we are conscious of undutifull and disobedient carriage toward god , how can we call him father ? with what heart , or face can we assume to our selves the title of children ? if ( saith s. peter ) ye call upon him as father , who impartially judges according to every man's work , ( that is , who onely esteemeth them for his children , who truly behave themselves as becometh children ) pass the time of your pilgrimage in fear ( or in reverence toward god ) . we may add , that we also hereby may be supposed to express our charity toward our brethren ; who bear unto god , the father of all men , the same common relation . but i proceed : which art in heaven . god almighty is substantially present every where ; but he doth not every where in effects discover himself alike , nor with equal splendour in all places display the beams of his glorious majesty . the scripture frequently mentioneth a place of his special residence ( seated in regions of inaccessible light , above the reach not onely of our sense , but of our fancy and conception ) where his royal court , his presence chamber , his imperial throne are ; where he is more immediately attended upon by the glorious angels , and blessed saints ; which place is called heaven , the highest heavens ; the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the highest places ; by his presence wherein god is described here , as for distinction from all other parents here on earth , so to encrease reverence in us toward him ( while we reflect upon his supereminent glory and majesty ) and to raise our hearts from these inferiour things unto desire , and hope , and love of heavenly things ; withdrawing ( saith s. chrysostome ) him that prays from earth , and fastning him to the places on high , and to the mansions above . but so much for the title . the first sentence of our prayer is , hallowed ( or sanctified ) be thy name . let us first ( with s. chrysostome ) observe the direction we hence receive in all our prayers to have a prime , and principal regard to the glory of god ; not seeking any thing concerning our own good before his praise ; that for the order . as to the substance of this particular we may consider , that sanctity implying a discrimination , a distance , an exaltment in nature or use of the thing , which is denominated thereby ; and god's name signifying himself with all that we can know of him ; himself , as however discovered or declared , with all that relates to him , and bears his inscription ; we do here accordingly express our due acknowledgments and desires ; for by a rare complication this sentence doth involve both praise and petition ; doth express both our acknowledgment of what is , and our desire of what should be : we do i say hereby partly acknowledge , and praise the supereminent perfections of god above all things , in all kind of excellency , joining in that seraphical doxology ( which to utter is the continual employment of the blessed spirits above ) who incessantly day and night cry out , holy , holy , holy ; confessing with the heavenly host in the apocalypse , that he is worthy of all honour , glory and power ; we do also partly declare our hearty wishes , that god may be every where had in highest veneration ; that all things relating to him may receive their due regard ; that all honour and praise , all duty and service may in a peculiar manner be rendred unto him by all men , by all creatures , by our selves especially : that all minds may entertain good and worthy opinions of him ; all tongues speak well of him , celebrate and bless him ; all creatures yield adoration to his name , and obedience to his will : that he be worshipped in truth and sincerity , with zeal and fervency ; this particularly in the prophet esay , and by s. peter is called sanctifying god's name in opposition to idolatrous and profane religion ( sanctifie the lord of hosts himself , and let him be your fear , let him be your dread , saith the prophet ; and , fear not their fear , nor be troubled ; but sanctifie the lord god in your hearts , saith the apostle . ) thus do we here pray and wish in respect to all men , and to all creatures capable of thus sanctifying god's name ; but more particularly we pray for our selves , that god would grant to us , that we by our religious and righteous conversation may bring honour to his name ; so that men seeing our good works may glorifie our father , which is in heaven . ( vouchsafe , saith he , that we may live so purely , that all men by us may glorifie thee : so descants s. chrysostome . ) thy kingdom come . this petition , or devout wish , being subordinate to the former , as expressing a main particular of that , which is there generally desired ( we here to the glory of god desiring a successfull and speedy propagation of true religion ) seems in its direct , and immediate sense to respect the state of things in that time , more especially befitting our lord's disciples then , when the kingdom of god ( that is , the state of religion under the evangelical dispensation ) was coming and approaching ; ( according to that of our saviour in s. luke : i say unto you of a truth , there be some of you standing here that shall not taste death , till they see the kingdom of god ) whence it did become them in zeal to god's glory , and charity for mens salvation , to desire that christianity might soon effectually be propagated over the world , being generally entertained by men with due faith and obedience : that is , that all men willingly might acknowledge god as their lord and maker , worshipping and serving him in truth ; that they might receive his blessed son jesus christ as their king and saviour , heartily embracing his doctrine , and humbly submitting to his laws ; to which purpose our lord injoins his disciples to pray , that the lord of the harvest would send labourers into his harvest ; and s. paul exhorts the thessalonians to pray , that the word of the lord may run and be glorified . and in parity of reason , upon the same grounds , we are concerned , and obliged to desire , that christian religion may be settled and confirmed ; may grow and be encreased ; may prosper and flourish in the world ; that god's authority may to the largest extension of place , to the highest intention of degree , universally and perfectly , be maintained and promoted , both in external profession and real effect ; the minds of all men being subdued to the obedience of faith ; and avowing the subjection due to him ; and truly yielding obedience to all his most just and holy laws . thus should we pray that god's kingdom may come ; particularly desiring that it may so come into our own hearts ; humbli●● imploring his grace , that he thereby would rule in our hearts , quelling in them all exorbitant passions , and vicious desires ; protecting them from all spiritual enemies , disposing them to an entire subjection to his will , and a willing compliance with all his commandments : for this is the kingdom of god , which ( as our lord telleth us ) is within us ; the which doth not ( as s. paul teacheth us ) consist in meat and drink ( in any outward formal performances ) but in righteousness , and peace , and joy in the holy ghost ; that is , in obedience to god's will , and in the comfortable consequences thereof : this is the kingdome of god , which we are enjoined , before any worldly accommodations , first to seek . thy will be done in earth , as it is in heaven . this sentence is likewise complicated of praise , good desire , and petition : for we thereby first do acknowledge the wisedom , justice , and goodness of god in all resolutions of his will , and dispensations of his providence : . we profess our approbation of all god's counsels , our complacence and satisfaction in all his proceedings ; our cheerfull submission and consent to all his pleasure ; joining our suffrage , and saying in harmony with that blessed choire in the revelation : great , and wonderfull are thy works , o lord god almighty ; just and true are thy ways , o thou king of saints . we disclaim our own judgments and conceits ; we renounce our own desires and designs , so far as they appear inconsistent with the determinations of gods wisedom , or discordant with his pleasure ; saying after our lord , let not my will , but thine be done . . we do also express our desire , that as in heaven all things with a free , and undisturbed course do pass according to god's will , and good liking ; every intimation of his pleasure finding there a most entire and ready compliance , from those perfectly loyal and pious spirits ( those ministers of his , that do his pleasure , as the psalmist calls them ) so that here on earth the gracious designs of god may be accomplished without opposition or rub ; that none should presume , as the pharisees and lawyers are said to doe , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to disappoint or defeat god's counsel ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to thrust away or repulse god's word , as the jews did in the acts ; to resist , provoke , or defie god by obstinate disobedience ; as many are said to do in the scriptures ; but that every where a free , humble , hearty , and full obedience be rendred to his commands . . we do also pray , that god would grant us the grace willingly to perform , whatever he requires of us , ( perfecting us , as the apostle speaketh , in every good work to do his will , and working in us that which is well-pleasing in his sight ) contentedly to bear whatever he layeth upon us ; that god would bestow upon us a perfect resignation of our wills unto his will ; a cheerfull acquiescence in that state and station wherein he hath placed us ; a submiss patience in all adversities , whereinto he disposeth us to fall ; a constant readiness with satisfaction and thankfulness ( without reluctancy or repining ) to receive whatever cometh from his will , whether gratefull or distastefull to our present sense ; acknowledging his wisedom , his goodness , his justice in all his dealings toward us ; heartily saying with good eli , it is the lord , let him do what seemeth him good ; with hezekiah ; good is the word of the lord , which thou hast spoken , with david ; behold here i am , let him do to me , as seemeth good to him ; with job ; shall we receive good at the hand of god , and shall we not receive evil ? and , the lord gave , and the lord hath taken away , blessed be the name of the lord : yea it were well , if we could after the heathen philosopher , upon all occasions with our hearts say , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if god will have it so , so let be : if we could observe those rules and precepts , which even the philosophers so much inculcate ; to commit all our affairs to god , to love and embrace ( hugg ) all events ; to follow , and to accompany god ; to yield , deliver , and resign our selves up to him . ( deo se praebere , dedere , tradere , &c. ) and the like . give us this day our daily bread . i shall not stand to criticise upon the hard word here used , translated daily ; i onely say , that of two senses offering themselves , both are probable , and by good authority countenanced ; both are proper and sutable to the matter , or nature of the thing : according to one we pray for the bread 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , of the time to come , or of that future life , which it shall please god to allow us ; according to the other , we request bread 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is necessary for our being , and the preservation of our lives ; joining both together ( which is more sure and safe ) we pray for a competent provision toward the maintenance of our life hereafter , during our appointed time : that for the sense ; upon the petition it self we observe : . that after we have rendred our due tribute of praise , and respect unto god , we are allowed , and directed to request of him good things for our selves ; beginning , as nature prompteth , with the preservation of our beings , and lives ; whereby we become capable of receiving and enjoying other good things ; . by doing which we also do imply the sense we have of our total dependence upon god ; avowing our selves to subsist by his care and bounty ; disclaiming consequently all confidence in any other means to maintain or support us ; in any store we have laid up , or estate we pretend to ; in any contrivance or industry we can use ; in any succour of friends or relations ; for that notwithstanding all these , we do need our daily bread to be dealt to us by god , and must continually beg it as a gift from his hands . . we are by that word , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , this day , taught our duty ( signifying withall our performance thereof ) of being willing continually to rely upon god ; not affecting to ever be so much before hand , as not to need god's constant assistance : we ask not , that god would give us at once , what may serve us for ever , and may put us out of any fear to want hereafter ; we ask not for that which may suffice for a long time , for many years , many months , many days ; but that god would give us to day , or rather day by day ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as it is expressed in s. luke ) that is , that he would continually dispense to us , what is needfull for us : we should not therefore desire to have an estate settled upon us ; to live by our selves , or on our own incomes ; to be set out of god's house , or immediate protection and care ; this in it self cannot be ( for god cannot alienate his goods from himself , nor can we subsist out of his hand ) nor must we desire it should be ; 't is a part of atheism , of infidelity , of heathenish profaneness and folly to desire it ( these things , saith our lord , do the gentiles seek ; that is , they are covetous of wealth , and carefull for provisions to live without dependence upon god ) but we must esteem god's providence our surest estate , god's bounty our best treasure , god's fatherly care our most certain , and most comfortable support ; casting all our care on him , as being assured that he careth for us ; will not leave nor forsake us ; will not withhold , what is necessary for our comfortable sustenance . . it is here intimated , how sober , and moderate our appetites should be , in regard both to the quality and quantity of the things we use : we are directed to ask 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( as s. chrysostome says ) necessary food , not luxurious plenty , or delicacy : it is bread ( the most simple , homely , and common diet ) that is , such accommodations as are necessary to maintain our lives , and satisfie our natural desires ; not superfluities , serving to please our wanton appetites , or humour our curious fancies ; 't is not variety , daintiness , elegancy , or splendour we should affect to enjoy , but be content to have our necessities supplied , with the coursest diet , and the meanest apparel , if our condition requireth it , or god's providence in an honest way allotteth no other to us : we may soberly and thankfully enjoy what god sends ; but we should not presume to ask for , or desire other than this . and for the measure , we learn to ask onely for so much as shall be fit to maintain us ; not for rich , or plentifull store ; not for full barns , or for heaps of treasure ; not for wherewith to glut , or pamper our selves ; but for daily bread , a moderate provision then to be dealt to us , when we need it . it follows , and forgive us our trespasses , as we forgive them that trespass against us ( our trespasses , 't is our debts ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) in s. matthew ; our sins ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) in s. luke ; and they who trespass against us are in both evangelists called our debtors : for he that injures another is obnoxious and in debt to him ; owing him satisfaction , either by making reparation , or undergoing punishment . ) after the preservation of our beings ( the foundation of enjoying other good things ) our first care , we see , ought to be concerning the welfare of our better part , and state ; which chiefly consists in the terms , whereon we stand , toward god , upon whose favour all our happiness dependeth , and from whose displeasure all our misery must proceed : since therefore we all do stand obnoxious to god's wrath and justice ; having omitted many duties , which we own to him , having committed manifold offences against him ; it is therefore most expedient , that we first endeavour to get him reconciled to us , by the forgiveness of our debts and offences ; concerning which remission , upon what account it is necessary , upon what terms it is granted , by what means it is obtained , in what manner it is dispensed by god , i have otherwhere touched , and it is not seasonable now farther to insist thereon : onely it may be pertinent here to observe , . that this being the first of petitions ( formally such , and ) purely spiritual ; we are hereby admonished to lay the foundation of our devotions in humility ; that we are obliged , before we presume to ask any thing of god concerning our chief happiness , and well-being , to reflect upon , acknowledge , and confess our unworthiness ( not coming to our prayers as the pharisee did , doting upon our worthy qualities , and good deeds ; but like the poor publican , with a sense of our infirmities and miscarriages ; so as to be ready to acknowledge our selves , as indeed we all are , guilty of many , and great sins ) this is here implyed ; for in requesting pardon for our sins , we confess our selves to be sinners , and to need god's mercy . . we may hence learn the necessity , and the excellency of that benefit we here beg . when the psalmist applied himself to praise god for his benefits , this he set in the first place , as most needfull and considerable to him : bless the lord , o my soul ( said he ) and forget not all his benefits ( or rather , not any of his benefits ) who forgiveth all thine iniquities , who healeth all thy diseases ; and answerably , it is the first particular benefit we pray for . . we must take notice , that we are obliged to go to our devotions with universal charity , and good-will toward others ; to lift up ( as s. paul injoineth ) holy hands without wrath , and doubting ( or without wrath , and dissension ) to depose all enmity ( as our lord adviseth ) before we bring our oblation to the altar of god ; reserving no spight , or grudge toward any man , but having a heart clear of all ill-will , and desire of revenge ; being in affection of mind toward others as we do wish , and hope , and pray that god would be toward us : such in all reason , equity , and ingenuity should our disposition be ; and such god requires it to be ; and such we do assert , and promise it to be ; implying also a compact with god , no otherwise to desire , or expect his favour , and mercy toward us , than as we resemble him in kind and mercifull intentions toward our brethren : it is implyed on god's part , that he vouchsafes pardon onely upon these terms ; yea more , that he doth truly promise pardon upon our performing this condition ; so our saviour , purposely reflecting on this petition , doth afterward expound it : for , saith he , if you forgive to men their trespasses , your heavenly father will also forgive you ; it also implies a consent on our parts , and submission to this condition , as most equal and reasonable ; so that if we break it , if we do retain any uncharitable inclinations , we deal , falsely with god ; we forfeit all pretence to favour , and mercy from him ; we are neither qualified for mercy , nor shall obtain it from god. lead us not into temptation . temptation is sometime taken in a middle , and indifferent sense for any occasion , by which the moral quality of persons ( their vertue , or vice ) is examined , and discovered : so god is said to have tempted abraham , when he propounded to him the offering up of his son ; so he tempted the israelites , by leading them in that long journey through the wilderness , that he might know what was in their heart , whether they would keep his commandments , or no : so he likewise tempted them by permitting seducers to do wonderfull things , that he might know , whether they did love the lord with all their heart , and with all their soul : and because affliction is of such a nature , as to try the temper , disposition , and intentions of men , therefore temptation often is used for affliction . it seemeth also sometimes put in a good sense , for an occasion designed to exercise , or to improve , or to declare the vertues of a person ; so the inconveniencies , and crosses incident to our nature , and condition here , the which our lord did undergo , are by s. luke , and others of the apostles styled temptations ; so the fiery trial in s. peter was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to exercise and refine them , that ( saith he ) the trial of their faith might be to praise , and honour , and glory ; so s. james biddeth christians to rejoice , when they fall into divers temptations ; that is when they meet with opportunities of exercising their faith , and patience ; and so we may understand that place in deuteronomy : who ( 't is said ) sed thee with manna , that he might humble , and prove thee ( or tempt thee , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , say the lxx . ) to do thee good at the latter end ; that he might tempt thee , that is , that he might render thee approved ; might exercise , and improve thy dependence on god , thy patience , thy obedience . but the word is commonly taken in a worse sense , for an occasion presented with ill purpose , or naturally tending and not easily avoided , of falling into sin ; a stumbling block , a snare ; as when s. paul saith , that they who will be rich , do fall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , into temptation , and a snare ; thus s. james assureth us , that god tempteth no man ; that is , doth not intend to seduce , or inveagle any man into sin . yet because nothing in the world , either good or bad , doth happen without god's permission , and governance ; and the devil himself must obtain licence from god , before he can tempt any man , or do any mischief ( as we see in job's case , and in the history of ahab ) since god seeth whatever is done , and with greatest ease could hinder it ; and doth not otherwise than for some good end suffer any evill to be designed , or atchieved , it is the style of scripture to attribute such things in some sense to him ; as when god is said to send joseph into egypt to preserve life ; when as in truth his brethren out of envy , and ill-will did sell him thither ; and , god is said to move david to number the people ; when as indeed satan ( as it is otherwhere affirmed ) provoked him to number them ; and that horrid tragedy acted by the jews upon our blessed saviour is said to be brought to pass by the hand and definite counsel of god ; because god foreseeing the temptations , which those men should incurr of committing such acts , and their inclinations to perform them , did resolve not to interpose his power in hindrance of them , but suffering them to proceed , would turn their mischievous practices to an excellently good end , and use them as instruments of his just , holy , and gracious purposes : thus then whereas by temptation here is meant any occasion alluring , or provoking to sin , or withdrawing from duty , with a violence , all things considered , exceeding our strength to resist or avoid ; ( or however such an one , that is apt to overthrow us ) god may be said to bring them into it , whom in justice he permits to be exposed thereto ; although he do no otherwise intermeddle , or concur therein , than by not affording , or by withdrawing his especial direction , and assistance ; leaving them without check blindly or wilfully to follow the sway of their own tempers , the instinct of their vain minds , the bent of their corrupt wills ; the violence of their unruly passions , and appetites ; letting them to fall into the manifold snares of false opinion , evil custom , and contagious example , which the world sets before them ; ( the world , which by its fair promises , and pleasing flatteries enticeth to sin , or by its angry frowns , & fierce threats discourageth from goodness ) permitting the devil , without controll or impediment , by his wiles to delude and seduce them ; which kind of proceeding of god with men is clearly represented in the psalm ; where , of the israelites god says , that having signally declared his pleasure to them , and by promise of great benefits invited them to observe it ; upon their wilfull neglect , he dealth thus with them : but ( says god there ) my people would not hearken to my voice , and israel would none of me ; so i gave them up unto their own hearts lusts ; and they walked in their own counsels . in such manner , if god , provoked thereto by our heinous miscarriages , doth justly bring us into , or doth let us enter into temptation ( as our lord otherwhere expresseth it , pray , saith he , that ye enter not into temptation ) we shall infallibly run into many grievous sins , and desperate mischiefs ; no less surely , than we shall wander , and stumble in the dark , than we shall slide , and fall in the most slippery places ; and sometimes be entangled , when we do walk in the midst of snares , surrounded with traps innumerable , most cunningly laid to catch us : it is not ( saith the prophet ) in man to direct his steps ; so as to go streight , and upright ; 't is not in him to see his duty , to bend his inclinations to compliance therewith ; to restrain his appetites , when sensible objects forcibly press on them ; to govern his passions , when they are vehemently stirr'd to disorderly motion : we do continually need god's instruction to guide us , god's hand to uphold us , god's care , and help to guard us : when therefore , i say , our condition and circumstances do minister dangerous occasions of sin ; when our vain and weak tempers do incline , or betray us thereto ; when the world would smile , or frown us into it ; when the devil violently solicits , or thrusts on toward it ; thus to be destitute of god's grace , thus to be left to our selves , is the most horrible judgment , that can be . in such cases and seasons god's interposal is necessary either to remove those temptations , or to support , and defend us from the prevalence of them , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , keeping us from stumbling and falling ( as s. jude speaks ) not suffering us ( as s. paul expresseth it ) to be tempted above what we are able , but making with the temptation also a way to escape , so that we shall be able to sustain it . that god would please to do this for us , we do here pray ; and in pursuance of this petition we subjoin that , which in part may pass for an illustration thereof ; ( implying an antithesis serving to that purpose : for delivering from evil importeth the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , being rescued from temptation , in s. peter ; the lord , saith he , knoweth how to rescue the godly out of temptation , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to preserve from the time of temptation , in the revelation ; which are opposed to bringing into temptation ) partly it may be supposed an improvement thereof ; delivering from evil signifying perhaps somewhat more , than not permitting us to incur occasions strongly inviting us to evil ; even the effectual keeping us from being overborn , or complying with it ; but let us consider that petition it self . but deliver us from evil . from evil , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; s. chrysostome takes it for the devil ; who is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the evil one , the tempter ; who seduceth us to evil : but we shall take it , according to the more common acception : from evil , that is principally from sin , or evil moral and spiritual ; the onely evil , simply and in its own nature such ; and the root of all other evil ; from that , and consequently from all mischief ( evil natural , and temporal ; or evil penal , and afflictive ) which may grow upon , or sprout from thence . as for such evils as these , the want of things necessary , or convenient for us , bodily disease , and pain , disappointment in our designs and ill success in our undertakings , disgrace and reproach upon our good names , dangers , difficulties and distresses concerning our outward estate , distractions , vexations , and troubles of mind about temporal matters , with the like evils , ( in some sense , in some degree evils , or appearing such to our natural sense and fancy ) we may indeed deprecate them ( as even our lord himself did ) with submission ( as he did ) to the wisedom and will of god , in case it pleaseth him , and he thinketh fit to remove them ; but all these things , being but names and empty sounds in comparison to spiritual and eternal evils ( such as are vicious distempers of mind , indispositions to serve god , ill progress in our spiritual affairs , dissatisfaction concerning our state in respect to god ; actual transgression of god's holy will and law ; incurring god's displeasure and disfavour ; being deprived of his grace and assistence ; wanting the communion and comfort of his holy spirit ; remorse of conscience , and anguish of spirit for having violated or neglected our duty ; blindness of mind , hardness of heart ; want of love , reverence , devotion toward god , of charity and good-will toward our neighbour ; of sobriety , humility , regularity of passion , and calmness of temper in respect to our selves and the inward frame of our souls ; these , i say , and such like evils ) we should absolutely request of god , that he in mercy would deliver and free us from them ; they being irreconcileably repugnant to his will and glory ; and inconsistent with our eternal welfare . yet even these , and all other things we do request onely in general terms , leaving the distinct matter , and manner and measure , according to which they should be dispensed , to the wisedom , and goodness of god ; who doth ( as our lord telleth us ) know what things we need before we ask him ; and is not onely able ( as s. paul says , but willing also ) to do for us superabundantly above what we can ask , or think . we are hereby ( it seems ) taught this point of good manners in our devotion , not to be tediously punctual and particular in our prayers , as if god needed our information , or were apt to neglect the particulars concerning our good . we shut up all with a doxology , most sutable to the nature of devotion , signifying our due faith , our affection , and our reverence toward god : for thine is the kingdom , the power , and the glory , for ever , and ever . amen . that is , for thou hast a perpetual and unmoveable authority whereby justly to dispose of all things ; thou hast an indefectible , and irresistible power , whereby thou canst effect whatever seems just and good to thee ; wherefore we profess onely to rely upon , and seek help from thee ; with hope and confidence we address our selves to thee for the supply of our needs ; thine is the glory ; all honour and reverence , all love and thankfulness are due unto thee , therefore we render our adorations and acknowledgments to thee . even so to thee , god the father , god the son , and god the holy ghost be for ever ascribed all glory and praise . amen . an exposition of the decalogue . although this systeme of precepts may seem to have been in its design rather political , than moral ; to regard publick , and external , rather than private , and interiour action ; that great branch of morality , which respecteth our selves in our private retirements , or in our particular conversation , sobriety of mind and manners , being scarce touched herein , at least not openly and plainly expressed ; as also devotion toward god ( in any of its kinds , of praise , thanksgiving , confession of sin , prayer and intercession ) that great part of natural religion , being not explicitly , and positively injoined : although also ( as by the introduction thereto , and some passages therein , especially as it is delivered in deuteronomy , may appear ) it seemeth particularly to concern the jewish nation ; a people called , and chosen by god out of all nations , to be governed in a more special , and immediate manner by god himself , obliged to him by peculiar benefits and favours , designed by him to a separate manner of living ; being also perhaps in temper and disposition as well as in condition and circumstances of life different from other people ; whence laws convenient , ( or in a manner necessary ) for them , might not so well sute to all others ; upon which accompts as other of their laws , so perchance some passages in this notable part of them may not unreasonably be deemed peculiarly to concern them ; although however this systeme doth more directly and immediately oblige that people , all being formally , and in style of law directed onely to them , promulged in their ears , expressed in their language , inserted into the body of their laws as a principal member of them ; it being also expresly called a covenant with that people ( he declared unto you , says the text , his covenant , which he commanded you to perform , even ten commandments ) and accordingly was reposed in the ark , hence it seems named the ark of the covenant , the which , when all nations should be converted to god , and admitted into the church , was ( as the prophet jeremy foretold ) to be utterly discarded and laid aside . ( in those days , saith god in him , they shall say no more the ark of the covenant of the lord ; neither shall it come to mind , neither shall they remember it , neither shall they visit it ; neither shall that be done any more . ) hence although some passages herein , according to their primary , strict , and literal meaning might never have been intended universally and perpetually to oblige ; yet notwithstanding these exceptions , if we consider , . the manner of its delivery ; with what extraordinary solemnity it was proclaimed ; how it was dictated immediately from god's own mouth ; and written with his finger ; on . the matter of it , containing the prime dictates of natural reason , the chief rules of piety toward god , and equity toward our neighbour ( whence those elogies conferr'd on it , in nehemiah : thou camest also down upon mount sinai , and gavest them right judgments , and true laws , good statutes and commandments ; and by saint paul : the law is holy ; the commandment holy , just and good ; ( for that commendation doth i suppose especially respect this part of the jewish law ; out of which he takes his instance , thou shalt not covet ) if we also consider , . the end and design of these precepts , which was to ground them in true notions of religion , and to dispose them to the practice of righteousness ; to render them loyal and acceptable subjects to god ; to promote god's glory , and their own good ; which being expressed in general concerning their law , doth more especially agree to this systeme ; being as the base and platform , the heart and quintessence of all their other laws ; the which seem added as superstructures on it , or fences thereof : . if we also consider , that our saviour did not derogate from this law , but declared his intention onely to expound it , or to ampliate , and extend it ( they are the words of tertullian and irenaeus ) and how the apostles do sometimes allege some passages in it , as retaining some authority , and force to oblige . . considering also farther , that there is no commandment herein ( howsoever , according to its immediate and direct sense seeming peculiar to that people ) which may not in a larger , or in a mysterious and spiritual meaning ; which at least may not according to good analogy , or parity of reason concern us ; obliging us , if not by direct authority in punctual manner to the very same thing , yet , as a signification of god's pleasure and approbation , to somewhat answerable and like thereto ; . lastly , if we consider that all , or the greatest part of , the main duties concerning us are either plainly expressed , or closely insinuated in them ; or may at least be conveniently reduced to them ; our saviour himself having gone before , directing us in the matter and manner of doing it ; considering , i say , these things , we have no small reason to yield great veneration to this ancient systeme of precepts ; and to acknowledge the great use thereof in order to the guidance of our life , and practice : we accordingly shall so descant thereon , as by considering the main drift , intrinsick reason , and spiritual intention of each particular , to reduce the chief precepts of christian doctrine , which oblige us , thereto . premising thus much i address my discourse to the particulars ; omitting all controverted niceties concerning the division thereof ; and all circumstantial questions ; touching onely such things , as shall appear substantial , and usefull . god spake all these words , saying : this is a title , or superscription like the par de le roy , ( by the king ) at the head of a proclamation declaring from whom , and in what manner , that which follows doth come ; and therefore implying what it is , and how it should be received . god spake ; it comes from god as authour ; and that most immediately , as it were from his own mouth ; and hath consequently the nature and force of a law , obliging to highest regard and obedience ; as that which proceedeth from the most sovereign , unquestionable , and uncontrollable authority ; which is promulged in a way most evident , and most direct : every signification of god's purpose , or pleasure is usually called god's word ; for god ( as the apostle says ) in divers kinds , and manners did speak unto the fathers ; and to every such word our ear should be attentive , our heart should be submissive , our hand should be obedient ; but especially they should be so , when god himself immediately declares his mind and will ; as he did notoriously in this case , by a great voice , distinctly audible and intelligible , miraculously formed by himself : behold , say the people , the lord our god hath shewed us his glory , and his greatness , and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire ; we have seen this day , that god doth talk with man , and he liveth : and if whatever is in god's name ( by message of angels , by inspiration of men , or by any other ways ) revealed must be entertained with all submiss respect , what regard is due to that word , which god is pleased , not by his ministers and instruments , but himself in person , as it were , to pronounce ? these words : that is these speeches , or sentences ; ( for so a word in scripture style signifieth ) or these things , and matters ( for the hebrew word debarim , as the greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , signifieth both words and things : they are several times in the pentateuch called the ten words , or ten things ; whence the systeme of them is named the decalogue . all these words : all , without distinction or exception , did proceed from the same authority , and in the same manner ; and all therefore do require the like regard , and observance to be yielded to them : i am the lord ; or , i am jehovah , thy god , which brought thee out of the land of egypt : these words are by some taken for a precept ; injoining the acknowledgment , and acceptance of god , answerable to what is here implyed ; and consequently all the positive duties of religion , deducible hence ; but we see the style is declarative , and assertive , not directly imperative ; and so it may pass rather as a preface farther enforcing obligation to obedience ; wherein are expressed , or intimated the chief reasons , upon which it is grounded ; every word containing in it somewhat of remarkable emphasis : i am jehovah ; or that very same god , who under this appellation discovered my self to thy forefathers ; who enacted a special covenant with them ; who received homage , worship , and engagements to service from them ; who promised especial protection and favour to them , and to their seed ; that jehovah , who indeed am , what this name importeth , the onely true and real god ; eternal , independent , and indefectible in essence ; true and infallible in word ; constant and immutable in purpose ; firm and faithfull in performance of whatever i promise , or threaten : that same jehovah i am ; to whose words therefore , upon all accompts of reason , of duty , of interest thou particularly dost owe most submissive attention , and obedience . thy god : that supereminent being , and power , to whom thou peculiarly dost owe worship and honour , love and affection , duty , and service : who although he be indeed the lord of all the world , yet beareth a special relation unto thee ; as having chosen , and avouched thee to be a special people to himself , above all the people , that are upon the face of the earth ; having promised thee to make thee high above all nations , which he hath made , in praise , and in name , and in honour ; and having by many signal demonstrations of favour and mercy confirmed to thee the performance of his covenant , and promise ; thou also reciprocally having avowed me to be thy god , to walk in my ways , to keep my statutes , my commandments , my judgments , and to hearken to my voice . who brought thee out of the land of egypt ; out of the house of bondage : this is a particular , and most remarkable instance , by which it appeareth what god it is , that doth thus impose law upon them ; and how they are obliged to entertain it : that god it is , who in pursuance of his singular favour toward thee , and of his covenant made with thee , hath particularly obliged thee by so eminent a benefit , in a manner so full of wonder in it self , so full of grace toward thee , delivering thee from saddest oppression and slavery , bringing thee into a desirable state of present liberty , and of sure tendency ( not otherwise than by thy fault to be frustrated ) toward enjoyment of rest , of plenty , of all joy and comfort in the promised land ; declaring hereby , as his glorious and divine perfections of wisedom , and power , so his exceeding goodness toward thee , his faithfull care over thee , his readiness and sufficiency in all thy needs and exigencies to protect , preserve , and deliver thee : i then being such , jehovah , the onely true god ; thy god , by particular engagement , and endearment ; thy gracious and bountifull benefactour not in will onely , but in deed ; do thus propound my will unto thee ; and upon all accompts of general and special duty ; of reason , of justice , of gratitude require thy regard , and observance of what follows . now what god in a direct , and literal sense thus speaketh to the jewish people , may according to likeness of case , and parity of reason ( especially in a mystical and spiritual way ) upon more considerable , and effectual accompts be applied unto us : the lord jehovah is such no less to us than to them : he is the same yesterday , to day , and for ever ; to him , as to the onely , true , eternal , and almighty god , the essential authour , lord , and governour of all things , our highest respect , and observance are due ; he also , in a stricter relation , founded on higher grounds , is our god , having chosen us , and consecrated us more especially to himself ; having received us into a closer confederacy ( a new and better covenant , as the apostle calls it , established upon better promises ) having obliged us by granting nobler privileges , and dispensing more excellent benefits to us : who likewise hath brought us up out of a spiritual egypt , and state of infinitely more wretched bondage ; hath rescued us from the tyrannical dominion of satan ( a far more intolerably cruel and hard master , than any pharaoh ) hath freed us from serving sin in our souls and bodies , a far harder service , than making bricks , or any bodily toil can be ; who hath conducted us in the way , and conferr'd on us an assured hope ( if we be not wanting to our selves , and our duty ) of entring into the heavenly canaan , a place of perfect rest , and unconceivable bliss : who ( as s. paul expresseth it ) hath delivered us from the power of darkness , and translated us into the kingdom of his most beloved son : who therefore here , according to spiritual intent , may be understood to speak in a higher strain to us ; justly exacting a more punctual and accurate obedience to his commandments . but so much for that part , which seems introductory . i. commandment . thou shalt have no other god's before me . 't is in the hebrew ; there shall be to thee no other gods ( or no strange gods ; for alii some render it , some alieni ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( al-panai ) to my face , or at my face ; that is in comparison , or competition with me ; so as to be confronted to me ; or together and in consort with me : i am he ( saith god otherwhere ) and there is no god 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( immadhi ) with me ; or beside me ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the lxx render it ; and so the phrase commonly importeth ; as in that saying of the scribe , answering to this : there is one god , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and there is no other god beside him : but we need not criticize on the words , the sense being plain ; as containing a prohibition of assuming any other into partnership with the one true god ; acknowledging in mind , or in outward expression any other for god. the precept , as most of the rest , is in form negative , and prohibitive , but supposeth and implyeth somewhat affirmative and positive ; as the rest also may be conceived to do . it implies this affirmative precept , thou shalt have me for thy god : now to have for our god , signifies as to internal disposition of mind a most high esteem , honour , dread , and love of that being , as endued with attributes , and perfections superlatively excellent ; the admiring all his works , approving all his actions , acquiescing in all his proceedings and dealings with us ; the reposing our hope and trust in him as most able and willing to help us , and do us good ; in outward expression to acknowledge , praise , and bless him as such ; to yield all sitting demonstrations of respect to his name , and to whatever is specially related to him ; patiently to submit to his will , and readily to obey his commandments : these principally and the like acts of internal devotion , and external piety are comprized in the words , having him for our god ; and we are to understand them here injoined to us ; the same , which is in scripture called the fearing , the serving , the worshipping , the loving god with all our heart , and all our soul , and all our mind , and all our might . this is implied ; and it is expresly prohibited us to yield to any other , beside him , the like esteem , acknowledgment , or service : that there is in truth but one such being , to whom eminently those acts are due , nature , ancient tradition , general consent , and especially divine revelation do assure us ; whereupon is consequent , that yielding them ( yielding , i say , those opinions , estimations , and affections of our mind , or those acknowledgments and expressions in word , or those performances in deed or work , which we before specified ) to any other being whatever , whether really existent in the world , or meerly formed by our imagination , is highly unreasonable , unbeseeming us , and unjust toward him . . it is highly unreasonable , as false and groundless in it self ; as vain and unprofitable to us ; as productive of many bad effects . it is from errour in a matter of the highest nature , and mainest consequence ; and so beyond any other mistake hurtfull to us , as reasonable and intelligent creatures ; the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; the transmuting the truth of god into a lye , s. paul calls it ; reckoning it for a grievous folly , and crime . it is a vanity of all most lamentable ; a pursuance of shadows , an embracing of clouds ; a building in air , or meer vacuity ; a leaning upon that , which hath no substance , or no strength to support us ; a dreaming and doting upon meer nothing ; whence those false deities well in scripture are termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , vanities , for that as they have no truth , or substance , or efficacy considerable in them , so all our thoughts , affections , expectations , and labours are idly misemployed , and unprofitably mispent upon them . . it is also a thing most unbeseeming us men , ( whom god hath placed in so high a rank of worth and dignity , among his creatures ; who are in our original so near of kin , so like in nature , so dear in relation , and regard unto god himself ) to admire , and worship , to place our choice affections upon , to afford lowly submissions unto , to rest our hope and confidence in any other , but him , who alone truly so far excels us , and can worthily challenge such respects from us ; all flattery is base and unworthy , but this of all is the worst and most unbecoming . . to do so , is also most unjust and injurious to god ; to whom as to the authour of our being , and of all our good received since , we do ow all that our mind can yield of reverence , all that our heart can hold of affection , all that our tongue can utter of praise , all that our utmost might can perform of service ; and since the exhibiting to any other thing part of these must needs not onely by that communication debase , and derogate from their worth , but also withdraw them in great measure from him , so diminishing and embezilling his due ( for we cannot , as our saviour teacheth us , together adhere unto , or serve divers masters ) therefore having any other god , but the true one , is a high indignity , and a heinous injury to him . this command therefore is most reasonable upon many accompts ; which as it hath been in grossest manner violated by those , who have not acknowledged , or worshipped any god at all , and by those who have acknowledged and adored many gods ( by all atheists and polytheists ) from which transgressions thereof we christians may seem totally exempt , who in formal profession and practice have but one god ( the maker and lord of all things , infinitely perfect , and glorious ) yet there are many subtle , and perchance no less mischievous transgressions thereof , of which even we may be very guilty , and to which we are very obnoxious . if we do not with all our hearts reverence , and love the most wise and powerfull , the most just and holy , the most good and gracious god ; if we do not trust and hope in him as the fountain of all our good ; if we do not diligently worship and praise him ; if we do not humbly submit to his will , and obey his laws , we break the positive intent of this law , not having him for our god ; being indeed like those , of whom s. paul speaketh , who profess to know god ( that is , who in words and outward pretence acknowledge him ) but in works deny him , being abominable , and disobedient , and to every good work reprobate . likewise if we frame in our fancy an idea untrue , disagreeable unto , or unworthy of that one most excellent being , and to such a phantasm of our own creation do yield our highest respects , and best affections , we break this law , and have another god to our selves . if upon any creature ( whether our selves , or any other thing ) we impart our chief esteem , or affection ; or employ our most earnest care and endeavour ; or chiefly rely upon it , or most delight in it , that thing we make a god unto us , and are guilty of breaking this law ; hence saint paul more than once calls the covetous ( or wrongfull ) person an idolater ; and our lord calls the ●mmoderate pursuit of riches , the serving ( or worshipping ) of mammon ; and saint paul speaketh of some persons , who were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , lovers of pleasures , rather than lovers of god ; of whom otherwhere he says , that their god was their belly : we meet with those in the scripture , who put their trusts in their horses , and their chariots ; with those , who sacrifice to their net , and burn incense to their drag ; with them who trust in man , and make flesh their arm ( men of mezentius his faith ; ready to say with him , dextra mihi deus est , & telum quod missile libro ) with those , whose heart is lifted up ( as the prince of tyre in ezekiel ) and who say they are gods ; these , and whoever practise in like manner , are so many transgressours of this covenant : in short , whoever chiefly regards and affects , seeks and pursues , confides and delights in wealth , or honour , or pleasure ; wit , wisedom , strength , or beauty ; himself , friends , or any other creature , he hath another god , against the design , and meaning of this holy law. ii. commandment . thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image , &c. the first commandment determined the final object of our religion ; this doth limit the manner of exercising and expressing it ; as to the chief intent of it , interdicting that mode , which in the practice of ancient times had so generally prevailed , of representing the deities ( apprehended so ) in some corporeal shape , and thereto yielding such expressions of respect , as they conceived sutable and acceptable to such deities . i cannot stand to declare the rise , and progress of such a practice ; how the devil's malice , and some mens fraud conspiring with other mens superstitious ignorance and fondness , prevailed so far to impose upon mankind ; i shall onely observe , that men naturally are very prone to comply with suggestions to such guises of religion : for as the sense of want , and pain , and manifold inconvenience , not to be removed or remedied by any present sensible means , doth prompt men to wish , and seek for help from otherwhere ; and this disposes them to entertain any hopes propounded to them ( with how little soever ground of probability ) of receiving it from any absent , or invisible power ; as it also consequently engageth them to undertake any conditions required by those , who propound such hopes , as needfull for obtaining thereof ; whence the ordinary sort of men are very apt to embrace any way of religion suggested to them , especially by persons of credit , and authority for knowledge ; so also , when the proposition thereof doth come attended with circumstantial appearances , and shews gratifying their senses , or humouring their passions , or delightfully amusing their fancies , it most easily allures , and takes them ; as likewise on the other side , when abstraction of mind , and restraint of passion are required , and sense or fancy are little entertained thereby , men are somewhat averse from such proposals of religion , and are not so easily brought heartily to like , or earnestly to embrace them ; wherefore since the propounding of images and sensible representations ( relating to somewhat not immediately discerned , from whence men are promised the supply of their needs , or relief from the inconveniencies , which they endure ) by their magnificency , beauty , curiosity , strangeness , or even by their sensibility it self , do make so facile , and pleasant impressions upon the dull and low conceits of men , it is the less wonderfull , that men commonly have been so easily inveagled into such idolatrous superstitions ; so unreasonable in themselves , and of so mischievous consequence . for what can be more senseless , than to imagine , that that being , which in wisedom and power is sufficient to over-rule nature , and thereby to afford us the assistance we need may be resembled by any of these corporeal things , the best of which we cannot , without debasing our selves , esteem superiour to our selves ? how unreasonable is it to conceit thus , how unworthy is it , and unsutable to the dignity of our nature , derived from heaven , to crouch unto such mean representations ? it is s. paul's discourse : being ( saith he ) the off-spring of god , we ought not to think , that the godhead is like unto gold , or silver , or stone graven by art , and man's device . how injurious also to that most excellent nature must it be to frame , and expose to view such not onely homely and mean , but in respect of the divine nature , most foul and ugly portaictures of him , which cannot but tend to vilifie him in men's conceit ? * he that should form the image of a serpent , or a toad , and exhibit it as the similitude of a king , would surely derogate much from his majesty , and beget very mean and unbeseeming conceits of his person in their minds , whom he should perswade to take it for such ; and infinitely more must he detract from the dignity , and diminish the reverence due to that immense , almighty , alwise , most pure and perfect being , who shall presume to present any sensible , any finite , any corruptible thing as a resemblance of him ; changing ( as s. paul expresseth it ) the glory of the incorruptible god into an image made like to corruptible man , and to birds , and fourfooted beasts , and creeping things ; as the israelites are said to have changed their glory ( that is , their glorious god ) into the similitude of an ox , that eateth grass : no wonder it was , that they , who used such expressions of their religion , had so low opinions concerning those supposed deities whom they worshipped ; that they supposed them liable to such passions , fathered such actions upon them , described them as vile in their dispositions and their doings , as they represented them in their shape : most reasonable therefore is this prohibition of making any resemblance of what kind soever ( by picture , sculpture , or fusion ) in order to religious adoration ; and yielding to them any such signification of respect , which the custom or consent of men hath appropriated to religion ; as bowing , falling down , lying prostrate before them , or the like : most reasonable i say , for since there is but one proper , and allowable object of our worship , as the first commandment declares and enacts , the making an image of any other existent in nature , or devised by our own fancy in order to the worship thereof , is but a pursuance of that unreasonable , unhandsome , and unjust superstition there forbidden ; adding some absurdity in the manner to the pravity in the substance of such worship . and as for that one true object of our devotion , the eternal , immense , and all perfect god ; the glorious excellency of whose nature doth infinitely transcend our comprehension , and consequently of whom we cannot devise any resemblance not infinitely beneath him , unlike to him , unworthy of him ( whereby we shall not disparage him , and expose him to irreverent apprehensions , especially with the gross vulgar ; whereby indeed we shall not cloud his true inimitable perfections , and affix imperfections to him ; blending inexpressible truth with apparent falshood ) it must be therefore a profane folly to pretend the representing him by any image ; and the doing of it is upon such accompts in many places of scripture forbidden ; and that it is so here , according to the intent of this precept is plain by that place in deuteronomy , where moses reports the ground of this prohibition : take ye therefore ( saith he ) good heed unto your selves ; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day , that the lord spake unto you in horeb , out of the midst of the fire , lest you corrupt , and make you a graven image : no shape representing god did appear at his utterance of these laws , to prevent their framing any resemblance of god , and taking occasion to practise this sort of worship ; thereby implyed to be unreasonable . and the prophet esay having in sublime language and discourse set out the incomparable greatness , power , and majesty of god ( who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand , and meted out heaven with a span , and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure , and weighed the mountains in scales , and the hills in a ballance ; before whom the nations are as a drop of a bucket , and are counted as the small dust of a balance — yea before whom all nations are as nothing , and are counted to him less than nothing and vanity : who sitteth upon the circle of the earth ; and the inhabitants thereof are as grashoppers ; who stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain , and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in ) having , i say , in this , and more such language endeavoured to describe the might , and majesty of god , he infers : to whom then will ye liken god ; or what likeness will ye compare unto him ? and thereupon he proceeds to discourse against making images for religious use . like whereto is the discourse of s. paul to the athenians : god ( saith he ) who made the world , and all things that are therein , being lord of heaven and earth , dwelleth not in temples made with hands ; nor is worshipped by the hands of men , — we therefore being the off-spring of god , ought not to think that the godhead is like unto gold , or silver , or stone , the engravement of art , and man's device ; in which place , as the forming any image to represent divine things is manifestly prohibited ; so the reasons which we touched against such practice , are discernibly enough insinuated . neither should we omit , that this law is confirmed in the new testament , and there made a part of god's new law : for we are therein often commanded to flee idols , not to be idolaters , to shun idolatry as a most heinous crime , of the highest rank , proceeding from fleshly pravity , inconsistent with good conscience , and exposing to damnation : for the meaning and notion of idolatry in which places , why should we understand it otherwise , than according to the plain sense of the word , which is the worship of images , or resemblances ? why should we take it otherwise , than as opposite to god's law , then in force ? why shold we otherwise expound it , than according to the common notion and acceptance of god's people at that time ? the word idolatry was unknown to other people than the jews ; among the jews it signified the violation of the second commandment ; wherefore the observance of that commandment is established and enforced by the apostles . the jews detested the worshipping any images ; their detestation was grounded on this law ; they therefore , who earnestly exhort them to continue in detestation thereof , do confirm , and enforce the obligation of this law ; nor can we reasonably suppose any distinction , or reservation for any idolatry ( or any worshipping of images ) as lawfull , or allowable to christians ; since the apostles as they found it universally prohibited to the jews , so they continued to charge christians against it . this discourse hath more force , considering that the same reason , upon which this law was enacted , doth still apparently continue ; men still unmeasurably affecting this fancifull way of religion , being apt in the exercise thereof ( if not curb'd by a law ) to dote upon sensible representations ; being averse from raising up their minds to the onely true object of worship , as endued with intelligible , and spiritual perfections : this the experience of mens wild eagerness for images , reliques , and other such foolish trinkets , which had almost quite oppressed our religion ( as in many ages the best and wisest men did observe and complain ) doth plainly evince . we may add , that if the common tradition and consent of the ancient church is in any case a ground of perswasion , or rule of practice to us , we are thence obliged to disapprove , and decline the worshipping images ; for nothing can be more evident than that all such worship was not onely carefully eschewed , but zealously detested by the primitive christians : this is manifest from most express words of the fathers generally impugning and condemning all worship of images ; which are as applicable to that worship , which hath been practised among christians , as to that of the heathens ; their expressions do not signifie , nor their arguments prove any thing , if any worship of images be allowable , if they do not as well condemn and confute the modern , as the ancient romans ; they could not with any reason , or modesty have used such words , or urged such reasons , if their practice had been like that , which afterward crept into the church ; their darts then against pagan idolatry easily might , surely would have been , retorted on themselves ; which is so far from having been done , that the pagans accused them for having no images * ( celsus objecteth , † saith origen , that we shun making altars , statues , and shrines , thinking this to be a faithfull pledge ( or mark ) of our secret communion together : this origen answers by confessing the matter of fact ; but defending the right ; not for your reason , saith he , we shun these things , but * because we , by the doctrine of jesus , having found the true manner of piety toward god , do eschew those things , which in conceit or appearance of piety do make men impious — and the images of christians are ( saith he ) their vertues , whereby they resemble god ; and truly worship him ; and every good christian , carefully imitating god , is his best statue . yea the fathers were so far from practising worship of images that some of them condemn the simple making of them ; calling the art of doing it a fallacious art , introduced by the devil and forbidden by god ; expounding this commandment so , as that in it not onely the worshipping , but the forming any similitude is forbidden : * ( moses , saith clem ▪ alex . did of old expresly give law , that no carved , or fusile , or plaistered , or painted portraicture , or imagery should be made ; that we should not attend to sensible things , but pass to things intelligible : and † tertullian in several places saith the same . whether their exposition ( concurring it seems with the common opinion of the jews in their time ) were true , i shall not now discuss ; that making any similitudes in order to worship is prohibited , is most evident . in fine , divers of the fathers say , that all the commands in the decalogue , excepting the sabbath , do continue in force , as naturally obligatory , and as confirmed by the christian law : for instance s. augustin in his epistle speaketh thus : the other precepts ( excepting the sabbath ) there ( in the decalogue ) we do observe properly as they are commanded without any figurate observation ; for we have manifestly learnt , not to worship idols , and not to take the name of the lord our god in vain , to honour father and mother , &c. do not figurately pretend one thing and mystically signifie another thing , but are so observed as they sound . but so much for the prohibition : i shall add , that we may conceive this positive precept implied , and intended here , that in our devotions and religious services of god we should raise our mind above gross sense and fancy ; that we should entertain high and worthy conceptions of god ; that we should apprehend him incomparably superiour to all things , which we do see or know ; that we direct our minds unto him as to a being transcendently perfect in goodness , justice , wisedom and power , above what we can comprehend and think ; that which our saviour calls worshipping god in spirit and truth ; which is ( as i take it ) the special positive duty of this commandment . i need not farther to urge , how presumptuous and dangerous the practices of those men are , who ( to the great danger , and scandal of christianity among jews , and mahometans , and men of other religions ) notwithstanding these commandments of god , backed with others , of the same import , frequently occurring in the holy scripture , ( never that we find any intimation of , repealed or relaxed ) particularly against that signal one made use or by our saviour , thou shalt worship the lord , thy god , and him onely shalt thou serve ; without any ancient good authority , or example , without any necessity or good reason inducing , do not onely yield themselves , but violently force others to yield unto angels , and unto the souls of dead men ( men of dubious state in reference to god , not having past the last trial and judgment , the result whereof 't is a profane temerity in us peremptorily to anticipate ) all kinds of worship , both internal ( reposing trust and hope in them of obtaining benefits from them ; attributing unto them in their esteem the knowledge and power , which for all that we can know are incommunicably proper unto god himself ) and external , of prayer and invocation , of praise and thanksgiving ; and not onely thus as to the substance imparting a kind of divine worship to them , but as to the manner , erecting images of them , even in the places devoted to god's own service , and affording to them the same expressions of reverence and respect , that we do or can present unto god himself ( with great solemnity dedicating such images to them , with huge care and cost decking them , with great semblance of devotion saluting them ; and casting themselves down before them ; carrying them in procession , exposing them to the people , and making long pilgrimages to them ; ) so that instead of the spiritual worship of god himself , peculiarly required of christians , and to which our religion is perfectly suted , a religion chiefly employing sense , and fancy , and for the greatest part directed unto the representations of creatures is substituted , in despight , as it were , and in defiance of these commandments : the plain force of which they endeavour to elude and evade by slender pretences , and subtle distinctions , by the like to which there is no law , which may not as easily be rendred insignificant , and invalid ; never in the mean time considering , that these laws were not given to employ the wits of sophisters and schoolmen ; but to direct the practice of rude and plain people ; to which purpose no law , after such artists have had the handling of it , can signifie any thing : nothing being so clear which by their cavillations and quirks they cannot confound ; nothing so smooth wherein they cannot find or make knots . there is subjoined to these two commandments ( as we reckon them ; others * have accounted them but one ; and their opinion is somewhat countenanced , by what is added here seeming to bear a common respect to both , there is i say subjoined ) a reason , or rather a contexture of reasons strongly pressing and encouraging to obedience , deterring and discouraging from disobedience to them ; or indeed generally to all god's commandments , but especially unto these , most immediately relating to him : for i the lord thy god am a jealous god. ( am el kanah , fortis zelotes , as the vulg. latine reads it : it may seem to have been a name of god , implying , as all the other names of god do , some attribute of god ; for it is in the th . of exodus , said : thou shalt worship no other god , for the lord , whose name is jealous , or kana , is a jealous god ; ) i am a jealous god , that is , a god very tender of my honour , and of my right ; who am impatient of any mate , or competitour in respect to those duties , which properly and incommunicably belong unto me ; i am ( saith god in the prophet esay ) the lord , that is my name , and my glory i will not give to another , nor my praise to graven images : this jealousie doth contain in it not onely a strong dislike , but a fierce displeasure , against the infringers of these laws : for the lord thy god ( saith moses in deuteronomy , pressing the observance of this same precept , concerning the worship of images ) is a consuming fire , he is a jealous god : and if god be thus jealous , so easily provoked to indignation by our detracting his due honour , and imparting it to any other , we have great reason to be afraid of incurring the guilt of either ; for who can stand in his sight , when he is angry ? who can support the effects of his displeasure ? uisiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children , unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me . visiting the iniquities of fathers upon the children ; god doth not onely punish those persons themselves , who commit notorious and heinous sins ( such as these of idolatry and profaneness , whereby he is publickly wrong'd and dishonoured ) but the more to deter men ( who naturally bear much regard to their posterity , and are afraid to be , ashamed to appear the causes of ruine and calamity to their family ) he declareth that in respect to their doings it shall go ill with their posterity ; they shall therefore be more strictly and severely dealt with ; they shall upon this score be capable of less favour and mercy from god , than otherwise they might have been : for we must not hereby understand , that god will arbitrarily inflict undeserved pains upon the children of bad men for the faults of their ancestours ( god doth expresly disclaim such kind of proceeding ; the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father ; the soul that sinneth it shall die ; saith he in the prophet : and , every one shall die for his own iniquity ; every man that eateth the sowre grape , his teeth shall be set on edge ) but that he will upon that accompt withdraw his free favours from them 〈…〉 that measure of grace and indulgence , which otherwise the son of such a person ( had he not been a great traitour against god ) might according to the general course of god's goodness have received , the which might have more effectually restrained him from sin , and consequently have prevented his guilt and his punishment , god may well ( in consistence with his justice and goodness , to manifest his detestation of heinous wickedness ) withhold from him . such a son , if he do fall into personal offences ( for that also is to be understood ; otherwise such is the goodness of god , that he hath declared , if a son seeing his fathers sins , and considering doth not the like , he shall not die for the iniquity of his father , but shall surely live ; if i say he falleth into personal sins ) god will visit ; that is , will use a close inspection and animadversion upon him , will severely punish and avenge his sin ; not onely upon his own , but on his father's accompt ; examples of which proceeding do in the divine histories frequently occurr ; in solomon , in jeroboam , in baasha , in ahab , in jehu , and in others . of them that hate me . we may observe that in the scripture style the transgressours of god's laws are termed haters , and enemies of god ; because their actions signifie a disposition of mind in them repugnant to the mind of god ; and because by them they resist , and oppose god's will ; no wonder then if god deal thus severely with them . but god not onely deters from disobedience by threatning a train of punishments , but he encourageth to obedience by a declaration of his intention ( or promise ) graciously to reward not onely upon the obedient persons themselves , but upon their posterity for ever ( in a manner ) unto thousands , that is unto a thousand descents : shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me , and keep my commandments . shewing mercy ; god doth not absolutely promise , that he will forbear to punish the posterity of good men , in case they offend , but that he will shew mercy , and deal the more favourably with them in that respect : his meaning and method in these cases are plainly represented in those words concerning david : if his children forsake my law , and walk not in my judgments , if they break my statutes , and keep not my commandments ; then will i visit their transgression with the rod , and their iniquity with stripes ; nevertheless my loving kindness will i not utterly take from him — : god declares he will punish the offending children of very good men , yet so that their misdeeds shall not interrupt his kindness toward the rest of their posterity , or abolish his remembrance of their goodness : so we may see god dealt with abraham , and the patriarchs , passing by ( in memory of their love and reverence to him ; and their faithfull obedience to his will ) the manifold provocations of their posterity ; so that he did not for a long tract of time , and after many generations past suffer them ( according as their personal demeanour highly deserved ) to incurr ruine ; upon this consideration he brought them out of egypt , he settled them in canaan , he frequently delivered them from their enemies , he restored them from oppressions , and captivities ; as is often expressed , and insinuated in scripture . so also it is frequently mentioned , that for david's sake , his posterity , although highly provoking god by their miscarriages , was protected and preserved ; i cannot stand to mention places : i shall onely farther note that which is very obvious , and most remarkable here ; the difference between god's proceeding in way of severity , and in way of favour ; by a vast proportion the expressions of god's mercy do exceed those of justice , although both insisting upon like , or correspondent grounds : he visiteth the iniquities of disobedient fathers unto the third or fourth generation , but he sheweth mercy to a thousand generations of those that love and obey him ; he soon forgetteth the wrongs done , but he long retaineth in memory the services performed to him ; which consideration should work upon our ingenuity , and engage us willingly to obey so gracious a lord. it is also observable , that as disobedience is styled hatred of god , so loving god and keeping his commandments are conjoined as terms equivalent : they are indeed inseparably connected , love being a certain cause of obedience , obedience an infallible sign of love : he that hath my commandments , and observeth them , he it is ( saith our saviour ) that loveth me : and , if any man loveth me , he will keep my word . but i pass forward to the next , iii. commandment . thou shalt not take the name of the lord thy god in vain , for the lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain . it consisteth we see of a precept , and of a reason deterring from disobedience thereto , by declaring or threatning the mischief ensuing thereon . the precept is : thou shalt not take the name of the lord thy god in vain : it might be rendred , thou shalt not bring the name of the lord thy god to a vanity ( or to a lye , for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , shaveh , frequently importeth ) that is ( as it seems interpreted in a parallel place , where most of these laws are repeated , inculcated , and fenced by additional injunctions ) thou shalt not swear in my name to a falshood ; and in the th . psalm , to lift up one's soul to vanity , is explained by swearing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( lemirmah ) to deceit , or falshood . josephus expresseth it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to adjure god to no bad matter ( or to no false matter , as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commonly in good writers is taken . ) and our lord himself in his sermon on the mount seemeth to respect this law , when he says ; ye have heard that it was said to the ancients , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ye shall not forswear , but shall render to the lord your oaths ; for he doth immediately before cite other passages out of the decalogue ( thou shalt not kill , thou shalt not commit adultery ) with intention to explain or extend them ; and therefore probably he proceeds respecting this law , the most conspicuous of all those , which relate to this matter ; and if this law be ( as some conceive ) supposed to signifie more strictly , it had been more sutable to his purpose to cite it , than any other of more lax importance ; his drift being plainly to extend in matter ; and to streighten in obligation even the fullest , and strictest of ancient laws , at least as they were then commonly expounded , and understood ; yea even in this case our lord seemeth to affirm that the ancients had no law strict and perfect enough for evangelical practice : considering which things , it is probable , that the prime intent of this law is to prohibit that great sin of perjury , that is of invoking god's attestation to a lie ; thereupon appealing to him as witness , and judge , that what we assert is true ; as a surety , that what we promise we do stedfastly resolve and shall faithfully endeavour to perform ; implying also , that we do expect a curse , and vengeance from him upon us , if we be found knowingly to falsifie in our affirmation , or wilfully to violate our promise . swearing is in its own nature immediately an act of religion , and as such was injoined by god ( thou shalt fear the lord thy god , and serve him , and shalt swear by his name ; ) it expresseth the pious persuasion we have concerning god's chief attributes and prerogatives ; of his omnipresence and omniscience ( extending to the knowledge of our most inward thoughts , and secret purposes ) of his watchfull providence over what we do , of his justice , and fidelity in maintaining truth and right ; in avenging iniquity and falshood : the reason of using it , was derived from , or grounded upon a persuasion , about god , which hath ever been common among men , that god the governour and judge of the world , the protectour and patron of right , is always ready upon our invocation and reference unto him to undertake the cognizance of matters in debate and controversie between men , for the protection of truth , the maintenance of right , and preservation of peace among them ( an oath , saith the apostle , for confirmation is to men an end of all strife ) so that the use thereof becometh a main instrument of promoting those purposes , the strongest tye of fidelity , the surest ground to proceed upon in administration of justice , the most sacred band of all society ; which therefore he that shall presume to violate , doth not onely most unworthily wrong this or that person , this or that society of men , but doth what in him lies to subvert the foundations of all publick justice and peace ; withall most impiously abusing , and affronting god almighty himself ; profaning his most sacred ordinance , making his name instrumental to the compassing his deceitfull and base purposes , despising his judgment , and defying his vengeance . this seems to be the first , and direct meaning of this law ; but it may by parity of reason well be extended farther , so as we may hereby understand all light and vain swearing , all wanton and irreverent use of god's holy name : and hitherto our lord hath plainly extended it , forbidding us to swear at all , and charging us in our conversation to use onely the simple and plain manner of assertion , or promise , saying onely yea , yea , or nay , nay ; without presuming upon any slight occasion to introduce the holy name of god ; which indeed we should not without extreme awe of spirit ever think upon , nor without high veneration dare to mention : 't is an instance of the most sottish folly , 't is an argument of most horrible impiety that can be thus ( without any cause , or temptation thereto , without any profit or pleasure thence ) to trifle with the divine majesty ; to abuse his glorious name , and provoke his dreadfull vengeance ; who will no wise hold him guiltless , that taketh his name in vain . iv. commandment . remember the sabbath day to keep it holy , &c. the decalogue is in several places of scripture ( as we before noted ) called a covenant with the jewish people , and the observation of this law is likewise so called in a particular and special manner : it is expressed to have been appointed as a sign , or characteristical note , whereby their peculiar relation to god might be discerned , and they distinguished from all other people . as circumcision was a seal of the covenant made with abraham and his posterity ; so keeping the sabbath did obsignate the covenant made with the children of israel after their delivery out of egypt : the children of israel ( saith the text ) shall keep the sabbath to observe the sabbath , throughout their generations for a perpetual covenant , it is a sign between me , and the children of israel for ever : and , i gave them ( saith god in ezekiel ) my statutes , and shewed them my judgments , which if a man do , he shall live in them ; moreover i gave them my sabbaths to be a sign between me , and them , that they might know , that i am the lord , who sanctifies them : and , thou camest down from mount sinai ( say the levites in nehemiah ) and spakest with them from heaven , and gavest them right judgments , and true laws , good statutes , and commandments ; and madest known unto them thy holy sabbaths : where making known to them the sabbaths , as also otherwhere giving them the sabbath are expressions ( together with the special ends of the sabbath's appointment , which are mentioned in those places ) confirming the judgment of the ancient christians , justin m. irenaeus , tertullian , &c. who refer the first institution of the sabbath to moses , affirming ( that which indeed the history by its total silence concerning the sabbath before him sufficiently doth seem to confirm ) that the patriarchs were not obliged thereto , nor did practise it . and we may observe , that the law concerning the sabbath , is mentioned and insisted upon separately from the body of their laws , as being in nature different from the rest , and enacted upon a special design ; as from the forecited passages appeareth ; and farther may appear from considering how the condition of proselytes ( those of the stricter sort , called proselytes of righteousness ) is described in esay the sons of the strangers , ( saith god in that prophet ) that join themselves to the lord , to serve him , and to love the name of the lord , to be his servants , every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it , and taketh hold of my covenant ; even them will i bring to my holy mountain , and make them joyfull in my house of prayer : where to undertake the observance of the sabbath , and to lay hold of the jewish covenant are signified to be coincident , or especially coherent . all the other precepts indeed ( one passage in the second commandment as it may be understood to prohibit absolutely the making of any similitude , being liable to exception ) are immediately grounded in the reason of the thing , and have a necessary obligation even visible to natural light ; they consequently have been acknowledged as reasonable , and obliging by the general consent of men ; or might be so propounded and asserted by argument , as easily to extort such consent : but this command , ( although as to its general and remote matter it is most evidently reasonable , and requireth that , which no man can deny to be matter of necessary duty , yet ) as to the more immediate matter , as to the determinate measure , and manner of performing those general duties , no reason can discern an obligation distinct from , or antecedent to the law givers will , to practise according thereto : that we should frequently with gratefull and joyfull sense reflect upon the glorious works of god ( especially that grand and fundamental one , wherein god's wonderfull excellencies of goodness , wisedom , and power were so illustriously displayed ; the creation of the world , wherein so great accommodations , and benefits were generally dispensed to all the creatures , and to us eminently among them ; remembring with deepest respect , and most hearty thankfulness our bountifull maker ; ) that we should be unmindfull of the special favours by god's gracious providence vouchsafed to our country , our relations , our selves ( especially such very signal ones , as was that of the delivery from egyptian slavery in a manner so remarkable and miraculous ) ; that we should not spend our selves , and our time in perpetually carking and labouring about affairs touching our body , and this present life , but should assign some competent time both for the relaxation of our mind , and for attendance to the concernments of our soul : that also we should allow fitting time of respite , and refreshment to those of our brethren , whom divine providence hath disposed into a meaner condition , and relation of servants to us ; that their lives may not by incessant care , and toil be rendred over burthensome , and grievous to them ; but so that they may with some comfort serve us ; that also they be not destituted of leasure and opportunity to serve god , our common master ; and to regard the welfare of their souls , no less precious than our own : that also we should shew some kindness , and mercy even toward our beasts , allowing them some ease from their painfull drudgeries in our behalf ; these are all of them things , which reason evidently dictates ; which common sense must needs admit , as duties of piety , justice , and humanity : and to secure the performance of them both as to the substance , due measure , and fit manner of them , common prudence would suggest , that set times should be appointed ; in which they should be solemnly and notoriously discharged , under the publick testimony and cognizance : and accordingly we find , that in all wise and civil societies some provision ever hath been made , by appointing festival times , for the practice of such duties , in some kind or degree : the founders of laws ( saith seneca ) did institute festival days , that men should publickly be constrained to cheerfulness ; interposing as necessary a temperament of their pains ; plato with a more admirable sagacity refers the invention , or first institution of such times unto god himself ; the gods ( saith he ; that is , the divine providence administring affairs here by the ministery of inferiour invisible powers , according to his notion and manner of speaking ) pitying mankind , born to painfull labour , appointed for an ease and cessation from their toils the recourses of festival seasons observed to the gods. thus ( i say ) reason acknowledges the substance of these duties , and approves the securing their performance , as a good end , or fit matter of law both divine and humane . but as to the circumstantial determination of measure and manner ; that a seventh day precisely should be assigned , that a total cessation from labour for man and beast should be prescribed ; this is above reason to discern a necessity of ; or a conveniency in comparison with other limitations in those respects deviseable and practicable : nor can we assuredly resolve the obligation thereto into any other ground , than the pleasure of 〈◊〉 most wise author of this law ; who did see what was most fit to be prescribed to those , whom this law concerned . here is indeed mentioned a reason , why god specially did choose this day to bless , and sanctifie it in this manner to such purposes ; namely , his resting upon the seventh day from his works of creation ; the which yet doth not certainly import a natural conveniency , toward accomplishing those purposes , of this precise quantity of time , or in this way of observing it , in preference to any other , that might have been appointed ; it onely seemeth to imply a fitness of these determinations , as containing somewhat of profitable significancy ; that such a correspondency in circumstance of time , and manner of practice might admonish us concerning the substance of our duty , or a principal part thereof peculiarly designed in the sanction of this law , the gratefull commemoration of god's most glorious work ( the foundation as it were of all other his acts of beneficence ) the creation of the world : for thus in all ceremonial institutions we may observe , that some significant circumstance is selected , on purpose to instruct or excite us to practice , by representing to our fancy the nature and intention of the main duty required , as in circumcision , in the passover , in baptism , and other ritual constitutions it is not hard to perceive : so it being god's design to enforce the performance of that excellent duty , by appropriating a time thereto , we may conceive that he therefore especially selected that day , as most apt to mind them , to whom this law was given , of the history of the creation ; the reflecting upon and celebrating which was the main duty intended : seeing therefore the observation of the sabbath is expressed to have a peculiar respect to the children of israel , as a sign of the covenant made with them , when he led them out of egypt ; seeing in its own nature it differeth from the rest of the ten laws , the obligation thereto being not , discernibly to natural light , grounded in the reason of the thing , we can no wise be assured , that an universal and perpetual obligation thereto was intended , or that its obligation did extend farther than to the jews , to whom it was as a formal law delivered , and upon special considerations severely inculcated ; to whose humour , condition , and circumstances it might also perhaps be particularly suted : justin m. was of opinion that this law , as many others was given to the jews , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for their iniquity , and hardness of heart , by way of concession and indulgence ; for , because they by their natural disposition were apt to forget their maker ; to neglect the state of their soul , being wholly intent on worldly affairs ; to exact intolerable pains from their brethren , who served them ; to use cruelly the poor beasts , employed in tilling their ground , or bearing their burthens ; therefore god ( considering this incorrigible temper of theirs ) did indulge six days to them for the prosecution of those affairs , to which they were so devoted , contenting himself to exact from them no more , than this part of time for his own service , for the benefit of servants , and ease of beasts ; if he had required more of them they could it seems or would hardly have endured it ; the command would perhaps not onely have been disobeyed it self , but the dislike thereof might have rendred them averse from all religion , and service of god ; as it happeneth , when commands very rigorous , and exceeding mens strength are enjoined ; for we see the prophets complain of them , that they could hardly be induced to go thus far , or to afford god this so moderate share of time ; but were impatient even for this one day in seven to abstain from their secular business , to relax themselves , or their servants , or their cattel from their daily labours : they impeach them for polluting , profaning , hiding their eyes from ( that is , wholly overlooking , neglecting and disregarding ) the sabbath ; for doing their own pleasure , and exacting their own labours upon it , for not delighting therein , or not willingly observing it : hear this ( saith the prophet amos ) o ye that swallow up the needy , even to make the poor of the land to fail , saying , when will the new-moon be gone , that we may sell corn , and the sabbath that we may set forth wheat ? this being the disposition of that people , not bearing a greater strictness , they not being able to preserve within their hearts a perpetual remembrance of god's works and favours ; not to moderate their pursuits of temporal good things ; not to bear a due regard and tenderness toward their brethren , and their fellow-creatures ( the performing which things in a constant uninterrupted tenour the said holy father , and blessed martyr supposeth to be the sabbatism , which christians are bound to observe ) therefore god considering their infirmity and incapacity to comply with higher injunctions , did use ( as in the cases of divorce , revenge , and the like ) an indulgence toward them , permitting them on the other days to do their pleasure ( as the prophet speaks ) , reserving onely this day for a punctual and solemn performance of the duties specified : thus discourses that good ancient in his dialogue with the jew . however , that this law ( as to its circumstantial parts ) was not intended to oblige generally and perpetually , we have a most forcible ground to suppose ; s. paul himself his express discharging christians from the observation thereof ; yea his earnest reprehension of some persons for rigorously insisting thereon , deeming themselves and urging it upon others as a necessary duty to observe it ; his conjoining it with other ceremonial observances , whose nature was meerly symbolical , and whose design was to continue no longer , than till the real substance of that , which they represented , came into full force and practice : let no man ( saith he to the colossians ) judge you for meat , or drink , or upon account of a festival day , or new moon , * or sabbath , which things are the shadow of future things , but the body is of christ ( that is , they did onely prefigure , and presignifie ; the real substance intended , and represented by them is somewhat in the law , and doctrine of christ ; which coming immediately to appear , and to oblige , that shadow vanisheth , and ceaseth to have any regard due thereto ) again more sharply to the galatians , whom some judaizing dogmatists had reduced , or were reducing to the practice of legal rites , under conceit of needfull obligation to them ; how saith he , do ye return again to those weak , and beggerly elements , to which back again you are pleased to be enslaved : ye observe days , and months , and years ; which words , that they relate generally to the jewish festivals , the context doth plainly enough shew , and there is good reason to think , that they chiefly respect the sabbath we treat on , for which probably these men had the greatest respect , and zeal ; again in the th . to the romans the same great patron and champion of christian liberty , not obscurely declareth his mind , that christians of strength in judgment did regard no day above another , but esteemed all days ( he excepteth none ) alike , as to any special obligation , grounded upon divine law and right ; in subordination to which doctrine we may add , that this appears with great evidence to have been the common opinion of the wisest , and most orthodox christians in the primitive church ; the most constant and strict adherents to catholick tradition ( who from the apostles instruction best understood the purport and limits of the liberty purchased by christ ) that this law , † as it was not known or practised before moses , so it ceased to oblige after christ ; being one of the shadows which the evangelical light dispelled ; one of the burthens , which this law of liberty did take off us † now although upon these accompts we cannot press the strict observation of this law in all its parts , according to its literal , and direct intention , yet we may learn much of our duty , much of god's will from it : all god's laws , spiritually and wisely , understood did tend to the promoting of piety and vertue ; and abstracting from the special circumstances of that people , to whom they were consigned , may ( so far as our case is like theirs , and wherein a common reason doth appear ) pass for fit patterns for us to imitate , suggesting proper means of exercising , nourishing , encreasing those qualities in us ; and so from this law we may learn these duties : . that we should frequently call to mind , and consider the great and glorious works of god , performed for the general good of his creatures , and specially for mankind : the creation of the world , the redemption of mankind ; the nativity , passion , resurrection , and exaltation of our lord and saviour , and the like , no less now considerable to us , both in respect of glory due to god , and of benefit accruing to us , then was the creation formerly to the jews . . that we are bound to restrain our selves in the prosecution of worldly business ; not distracting our minds with care , not exhausting our bodies with toil about them , but allowing our mind convenient and seasonable freedom , affording our soul sufficient leisure with vigour and alacrity to enjoy its nobler entertainments , and to pursue its higher interests . . that we are obliged to use the same indulgence toward those , whom divine providence hath disposed to be under our power , care , or governance : to allow our children , our subjects , our servants a competent measure of rest , and refreshment from their ordinary labours , sufficient time and leisure undistractedly to serve god , and quietly to mind their spiritual welfare : we must so charitably tender their good , as to permit and procure , that their life may be easie and comfortable here ; and that also they may have means to obtain for themselves a happy immortality hereafter ; not being in these respects either harsh to their outward man , or uncharitable to their souls . . that we must no be unmercifull to any creature , not onely abstaining from inflicting , in wantonness of humour , needless vexation upon them , but also from wearying and grieving them too much for our emolument or convenience : the advantage and preeminency bestowed upon us by god over them should be managed with moderation , and clemency ; we should be gentle masters to them , not cruel tyrants over them : we should consider , that god did make them , as to help and serve us , so to enjoy somewhat themselves of delight and satisfaction in their being ; which if we go to deprive them of , rendring their condition intolerable and worse than if they had no being , as we do abuse and injure them , transgressing the bounds of our right over them , so we encroach upon , disappoint , and wrong their maker , and cannot therein but displease him ; doing thus is a point of injustice not enough considered by them , who commit it : they consider not how beastly they are themselves , when they misuse poor beasts . . we may hence farther learn , that it is fit certain times should be allotted for the publick , and solemn performance of the forenamed duties : common reason prompteth , that god ( upon whose protection , and disposal the publick good depends ) should be publickly honoured , and his benefits frequently acknowledged ; also that care should be taken in every society , that all states of men should lead their lives in some competent degree of content ; that all objects of grievous pity should be removed from publick view ; also common sense will inform us , that these things cannot effectually be executed , without constituting definite periods of time , and limiting circumstances , according to which they shall be practised under publick inspection , and censure : and these dictates of ordinary prudence the divine wisedom hath ratified by his exemplary order ; the which in cases , wherein he hath not interposed his direct authority by way of precept may serve for a good direction to governours , what they may with safety , what they should in wisedom establish ; what provision they should make for the promotion of piety and vertue : such a precedent requires greatest veneration , and respect , cannot but appear of high moment in consultation about matters of this nature . it is indeed particularly observable , that in this command there is not an express order concerning the natural or moral service of god ( by prayer , or hearing god's law ) to be publickly performed on this day ; but the jews were themselves so wise as to understand these duties couched in the sanctification of the day prescribed to them ; and accordingly they practised ; they in all places of their habitation did settle synagogues , and oratories ; to them upon this day they resorted ; in them then they did offer devotions to god ; ( as the names 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did import ) the scribes did reade the law , and expound it to the people : moses ( saith josephus ) did command the people to assemble for hearing of the law , not once or twice , or many times , but every seventh day , laying aside their works ; and exactly to learn it ; whence , addeth he , the people became so skilfull in the laws , that if one asked any of them concerning them , he would more easily tell them all than his own name ; whence also an admirable concord in mind , and uniformity in practice did ( as he farther observes ) arise : and the custom ( saith philo ) was always as occasion gave leave , especially upon the seventh days , to philosophate , &c. in consideration of which practice it was , that jews so highly valued this precept , that it was a saying among them , the sabbath weigheth against all the commandments ; as procuring them all to be known , and observed : and if that blind people could pick these duties out of this law , much more should we see our selves obliged , according to analogy thereof , to appoint set times for ensuring the practice of them . . again , we may hence also learn our obligation to submit obediently to the constitution of governours relating to this matter ; that we readily should observe all solemn times of festivity and rest , which the rulers of church , or state do appoint for the securing or the promoting those purposes of piety , or charity , according to the measure and manner prescribed by them : for reason approving the thing as good and usefull ; and divine order more clearly and fully confirming it to be so , and it not appearing that god hath made express determinations about it , it remains , that it is left wholly to them , to whose care god hath entrusted the publick welfare , and hath committed to their judgments the providing means conducible thereto ; having also consequently injoined us in all lawfull things to follow their guidance and appointment in order thereto . god decreed death to be inflicted on those , who violated his command concerning the sabbath ; which sheweth how great a fault it is to offend in this particular ; and we may reasonably esteem that command to be his , which proceedeth from his ministers by authority from himself , and in conformity to his own pattern . . we add , that whereas god required of the jews such a portion of time to be solemnly dedicated to religion , and mercy , we to whom he hath vouchsafed higher benefits , and proposed greater encouragements , cannot reasonably but deem our selves obliged to sequester and consecrate as much or more time to the same intents : we should indeed be content to withdraw our selves more frequently from pursuance of our own profits and pleasures to the service of god , to the remembrance and celebration of his favours : we should willingly allow greater relaxation to our dependents : and should the publick be deficient in exacting a performance of such duties from us , it would become us to supply such defects by our private devoting fit and frequent seasons thereto : that in some proportion we may exceed the jews in gratefull piety , as we surpass them in the matter , and causes thereof ; that we may appear in some degree more charitable than they , as we have much greater reason and obligation to be so then they . so much for this ; i proceed briefly to consider the remaining commandments , the which immediately concern another object : those foregoing did chiefly serve to regulate our religious practice in yielding due reverence toward god ; these following ( which are supposed to have made up the second of those tables , which written by god's hand were delivered to moses , and preserved in the ark of the testimony ) do guide our conversation and carriage toward our neighbour ; in the front of which worthily is placed that which obligeth to dutifulness toward our parents ; unto whom after god , and his supreme vice-gerents we owe the highest respect , gratitude and duty . v. commandment . honour thy father , and thy mother . honour ; the word signifies to have in weighty regard , and aptly serves to denote those particular acts of duty , which are otherwhere expressed in scripture ; fear and reverence ( ye shall fear every man his father and his mother ) observance and obedience ( children obey your parents in all things , for this is well pleasing to god ) gratitude and retribution ( let children learn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to be pious toward their own family ; and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to render sutable returns , or to requite their parents , for this is good , and acceptable before god. ) regarding their instruction and advice ( my son hear the instruction of thy father , and forsake not the law of thy mother ) it also comprehendeth a prohibition of the contrary acts , contemning , cursing , offering violence or contumely unto , disobedience and contumacy toward parents , the which are forbidden under capital penalties , and dreadfull comminations : cursed be he that setteth light by his father or mother : and , the eye that mocketh at his father , and despiseth to obey his mother , the ravens of the valley shall pick it out , and the young eagles shall eat it ( that is , god in a fearfull and strange manner will avenge that wickedness upon him ) and in the law it is ordained that the rebellious and stubborn son , who will not obey the voice of his father , or the voice of his mother ; and that when they have chastned him , will not hearken unto them , shall be stoned by all the men of his city , and put to death in that manner . whence we may learn the nature of the duty here enjoined , and what rank it beareth among other duties ; what high obligation belongs thereto , of what consideration it is with god , and how grievous a crime the violation thereof is ; that , briefly , we are obliged to yield our parents high affection of heart , great expressions of respect and observance in word and deed ; that the neglect of these duties is , next to that of profaneness and undutifulness toward god himself , the greatest disorder we can be guilty of : this all civil nations have consented to be our duty ; and if we consider the grounds , upon which it is built , we shall find that reason , justice , and necessity do require it : s. paul presseth his precept of observance to parents with , a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for this is just and equal : for if we look upon the disposition of parents in their mind toward children , we may presume them always full of tender affection , and good will toward them , full of desire , and care for their good , full of pity and compassion toward them ; in the highest and most especial degree beyond what they bear to others ; which dispositions in reason and equity do require answerable dispositions in those , upon whom they are placed , and who from them do receive inestimable benefits : for if we do regard the effects proceeding from them we shall discern , that . from parents children do receive being and life ; that good which nature inclineth so highly to value and tender , as the foundation of all the good , happiness , and comfort we are capable of . . they are obliged to their parents for the preservation , maintenance , and protection of their life : it is a long time before we came to be able ( such is the particular condition of man among all living creatures , so ordered on purpose , as it were , to beget this obligation and endearment ) any-wise to provide for , or to defend our selves ; and the doing thereof , in that senseless and helpless state , relies upon the care , pain , and solicitous vigilance of our parents ; the which they are not onely always obliged , but are commonly disposed with admirable willingness to spend on their children . . parents not onely thus at first undergo such care and trouble to maintain their children , but by expensive education ( often with much inconvenience and incommodity to themselves ) they provide means for their future support , and subsistence , during life . . children are so strictly tied to their parents , as by their willing concession to partake in all the comforts of their state , and ornaments of their fortune . . the goods acquired by the parents industry do usually devolve upon their children by inheritance and succession ; whence that children live handsomely and comfortably , is the reward of their parents merit , comes from the store , that they have carefully provided , and laid up for them . . to which we may add , that not onely the provision for our temporal necessities and conveniencies dependeth upon our parents , but the care of our souls , and our spiritual welfare is incumbent on them : they are obliged to instruct us in the fear of god , and to set us in the way toward eternal happiness . . we may consider also , that all this they do most frankly and out of pure kindness ; without regard to any merit antecedent , or benefit consequent to themselves : as they received nothing to oblige and move them to such performances , so they can seldom hope for answerable returns : it is abundant satisfaction to them if they see their children do well ; their chief delight and contentment is in their childrens good absolutely and abstractedly , without indirect regards to their own advantage . upon these , and the like accompts it appeareth , that as parents have the affections most resembling those of god toward us , as they perform toward us the actions most like to his , as they are the principal instruments of divine providence and bounty ( by which god's blessings are conveyed and conferred upon us ) so they may be deemed in a sort to represent god , and as his most lively images have an especial veneration due to them . god himself , to endear and render himself amiable , or in the most kindly way venerable to us , to engage us to a more ready obedience of him , to declare the nature of our duty toward him , assumes the title of father ; and all nations have agreed to style him so ; reciprocally also , whereas the duties toward other men are termed justice , or charity , or courtesie , or liberality , or gratitude , those toward parents in every language ( i suppose ) are styled piety , implying somewhat divine in the object of those duties ; 't is more than injustice to wrong a parent ; 't is more than uncharitableness to refuse them succour , or relief ; 't is more than discourtesie to be unkind to them ; 't is more than sordid avarice to be in their need illiberal to them ; 't is rather high impiety to offend in any of these kinds . he that returns not love in answer to their tender affection ; that doth not ( as occasion requires , and his ability permits ) requite the benefits received from them , doth not defer to them an especial reverence , in regard to that sacred name and character they bear , thereby intimates , that he would in like manner be unjust , ungratefull , and disingenuous toward god , from whom he hath received the like benefits ; the beginning and continuance of his being ; the preservation , maintenance , and protection of his life : if he will not honour his earthly parents , whom he hath seen , how will he reverence his heavenly father , whom he hath not seen ? so we may according to s. john argue . i might subjoin , that as justice , and ingenuity do enforce this duty , so for the good of the world there is a necessity that it should be observed : if parents are not onely by natural instinct disposed , but by divine command obliged , and by humane law ( the preservation of the world so requiring ) constrained to undergo such hardships for the maintenance , and education of their children , it is fit and necessary they should be supported and encouraged in the bearing them by reciprocal obligations in children to return them dutifull respect , observance , and requital ; the world could not well subsist without children being engaged to these duties : there were no reason to exact , there were no ground to expect , that parents should cheerfully and faithfully discharge their part , upon other terms . to this precept there is added a promise ( and it is , as s. paul observeth , the first precept , that hath a promise formally annexed ; whereby he enforceth his exhortation to the observance thereof . ) that thy days may be long upon the land , which the lord thy god giveth thee . so god expresly promiseth to bless dutifull children with a long life in the comfortable possession of those good things , which he should bestow upon them ; this was the most of reward , explicitly covenanted to the jews , in regard to their obedience : there is also implyed a commination of a contrary curse from god upon the infringers of this law , that they should either be immaturely cut off from life ( as abimelech and absalom were upon this score ) or should draw on a wretched life in banishment from the contents thereof ; by which things respectively are intimated to us the rewards of piety in this kind , or the punishments of impiety in the future state , whereof the land here mentioned was a shadow , or figure : what length of days in canaan was to them , that to us is immortal life in heaven ; what being excluded thence was then , that now is everlasting death , or banishment into the regions of misery . i might also note the congruity of the reward propounded , that they who are gratefull to those from whom , in subordination to god , they received life , shall by god's dispensation enjoy that life long and well ; and that they who neglect the authours of their life , shall soon be deprived of it , or of its comforts . but i find the same reward assigned to the diligent observers of other duties ; particularly to them , who are just in their dealings ; to them who are charitable to the poor ; to them who are meek and patient ; to them who confide in god ; and to all good men that obey god's commandments . i shall onely add farther , that we may , according to analogy and like ground of reason , reduce unto this commandment the obligation we have to honour all those , who perform toward us beneficial offices like unto those , which we receive from our parents ; those who preserve our life by relief , protection or defence ; those who afford us maintenance , or education ; those who watch over us for the good of our body , or of our soul ; those who instruct us , or advise us : such are our governours and magistrates either political or ecclesiastical ; our benefactours and patrons ; our schoolmasters , and tutours ; our especial faithfull friends ; and the like ; but i pass forward . in the subsequent precepts are contained the prime rules of justice toward our neighbour ; the observation of which is not onely most equal and reasonable in it self , but necessary for the preservation of civil society , and publick peace among men ; for the procurement of our safe , and pleasant living and conversing in the world ; men thereby being secured in the quiet enjoyment of god's gifts , and the fruits of their industry , and of whatever is dear and precious to them ; of their lives first ; then of the comforts of their conjugal state ; of their possessions ; of their reputations ; the laws respecting these being here disposed in order , according to the value of their respective objects , in the nature of things , or in the opinion of men , or in regard to the consequences arising from them . vi. commandment . thou shalt not kill . of all good gifts conferr'd upon us none ( according to the natural and common esteem of men ) is more precious than life it self , the foundation of enjoying the rest . god hath therefore reserved the disposal of it entirely to himself , as his special prerogative : neither he that hath it , nor any other person having absolutely any just power or right over it ; no man can take away any man's life , but by commission or licence from god , reasonably presumed to be granted by him : so may god ( the absolute king of the world ) be supposed to have committed to lawfull magistrates , as his vice-gerents and officers , in his name and behalf , upon reasonable cause , for preservation of publick justice , peace , and order , in a lawfull course of justice , to dispose of mens lives , who have forfeited them to the law : ( the magistrate , as s. paul saith , beareth not the sword in vain ; for he is the minister of god ; an avenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil . ) he hath not forbidden sovereigns ( in case of necessity , and when amicable means will not prevail ) to maintain the safety or welfare of the societies entrusted to their care , even by armed violence , against such as wrongfully invade them , or any wise harm them , and will not otherwise be induced to forbear doing so ; in which case the resolution of such differences ( insomuch as they cannot be tried at any other bar , or composed by other means ) is referred to god's arbitrement ; who is the lord of hosts , the sovereign protectour of right , and dispenser of success ; the souldier in a just cause being then his minister , and carrying a tacit commission from him . god also may be supposed together with life , with a natural love to it , with means to preserve it , to have imparted to every man a right to defend his life , with its necessary supports , against unjust , extreme , and inevitable violence upon it , or them : the slaughter therefore , which may happen in these cases ( or in the like , wherein god hath plainly by a general order , or by special command , or by permission reasonably supposed , conferred on any person a power over his neighbour's lise , in the maintenance of god's own honour , or in subserviency to publick good ) is not concerned in the design , or meaning of this precept : for he that kills another , in a way not irregular , as a minister of justice , or in a lawfull war as a souldier authorized by a sovereign power here under god , or for his own just and necessary defence , doth not , according to the intent of this law , kill ; but rather god himself , the lord of life and death , doth then kill ; the authority of killing so being derived from him , and his work being done thereby : vengeance is his , and he so ( by his instruments ) repays it . but here is forbidden all other voluntary taking away our neighbour's life , when a man acts as a private person ; without just and necessary cause , in any illegal or irregular way ; upon what motive , principle , or end soever ( whether it be out of hatred , spight , envy , revenge ; for our presumed safety , or pretended reparation of honour ; for promoting what interest , or procuring what satisfaction soever to our selves ) by what means soever , either by direct violence , or by fraudulent contrivance ; in an open , or clandestine manner ; immediately by our selves , or by means of others ; by advising , encouraging , any wise becoming instrumental , or accessory thereto . this is the crime expresly prohibited ; but a positive duty should also be understood ; that we are obliged , so far as we are able , to preserve our neighbour's life ; by relieving him in extreme need , by succouring him in extreme danger ; by admonishing him of any destructive mischief , when he appears tending unawares thereinto ; the neglect of which things argueth a murtherous disposition toward our neighbour , is in reasonable esteem , and in god's sight a killing of him ; for we mistake , if we think with cain , that we are not our brother's keepers , or are not bound when we are able to preserve his life . the violation of which commandment is certainly the most heinous sin , that can be committed of all those ▪ which are not immediately directed against god himself , or the persons which peculiarly represent him ; and a sin which never can escape vengeance and due punishment from him . it is the greatest wrong to god ; it is the extremest injury to our neighbour ; it is the highest sort of uncharitableness ; it is a principal offence against publick society . . it is an exceeding wrong and affront done unto god ; in assuming the disposal of his gifts ; in dispossessing him of his rights , by robbing him of a creature , of his child , his servant , his subject ( one whose life is precious to him , and toward whom he beareth a tender regard ) an usurping in a high way his sovereign authority , his throne of majesty , his tribunal of justice , his sword of vengeance ; to omit the sacrilege ( as philo speaks ) committed herein by violating god's own image , which every man doth bear . . it is also an extreme injury to the person , who is thereby deprived of an unvaluable good , which can no wise be repaired , or compensated : he that loses his life , doth therewith lose all the good he possesseth , or is capable of here , without any possibility of recovering it again : the taking therefore of life can be no sutable revenge , no reasonable satisfaction for any injury or damage received ; it infinitely , in a manner , surpasseth all the evil , which any man can sustain from another in his estate , or fame , or welfare of any kind ; for those things have their measure , and may be capable of some reparation , but this is altogether extreme and irreparable ; and therefore doth include greatest iniquity : add hereto , that not onely all temporal good is hereby at once ravished from a man , but the soul also of the person may incur the greatest damage or hazard in respect to its future estate by being thus snatched away : the slayer not onely robbeth his brother of his temporal life , but of his time of repentance , and opportunity of making peace with god. . it is also the highest uncharitableness to deal thus with our neighbour ; arguing that nothing of good will , of pity , of humanity toward him is left in us : to hate his brother to the death is the utmost pitch of hatred . if in imitation of our saviour , and out of respect to him we ought ( as s. john instructeth us ) to be willing to lay down our lives for our brethren ; how enormous a crime , how opposite to christian charity is it to take away our brother's life ? . it is likewise a main offence against the publick ; not onely by unlawfully bereaving it of a member and subject , but to its prejudice and dishonour ( yea so far as lies in us to its subversion and dissolution ) assuming to our selves , pulling away from it its rights , and prerogatives of judgment . such briefly is the direct intent , and importance of this law ; but our saviour in his comment hereon hath explained and extended it farther , so as to interdict all , that any wise approaches in nature , or in effect tends unto this heinous evil : he means to obstruct all the springs , and extirpate all the roots thereof ; such as are rash , causeless , outragious , inveterate anger , contumelious and despightfull language , reserving grudges , or spight in our heart , not endeavouring speedily to reconcile our selves to them , who have done us injury or displeasure ; for these things as they commonly do produce the act of murther , so they argue inclinations thereto ( which if fear and self-respect did not restrain , would produce it ) , and consequently in moral accompt , which regardeth not so much the act as the will , are of the same quality therewith ; however they arise from the same bitter root of great uncharitableness ; upon which score s. john telleth us , that he that hateth his brother is a murtherer ; and consequently in effect all malice , and spight , envy , hatred , malignity , rancour , immoderate , and pertinacious anger , and animosity are here prohibited . vii . commandment . thou shalt not commit adultery . after life ( if after that , for this command in the greek translation of exodus ( though not in deuteronomy ) in some places of the new testament , and in sundry ancient writers is placed before that against murther ) nothing commonly is more dear to men , than the comforts of their conjugal estate ; the enjoyment of that special affection , and friendship , together with those instances of benevolence , which by divine institution and mutual contract , ratified by most sacred and solemn promises of fidelity , are reserved peculiar to that state : which enclosures therefore of his neighbour whoever shall invade , or trespass upon , who shall any wise loose or slacken those holy bands , who shall attempt the affection , or chastity of his neighbour's wife , doth most grievously offend god , and committeth ( as joseph , when he was tempted thereto , did call it ) a great evil against god , against his neighbour , against himself , against the common society of men . he violateth an institution , to which god hath affixed especial marks of respect , and sanctity ; he wounds his neighbour's honour , and interest in the most tender part , wherein the content of his mind and comfort of his life are most deeply concerned : he as much ( or rather more ) dishonoureth and abuseth himself , not onely by committing a fact of so high injustice , but by making himself accessory to the basest perfidiousness that can be . [ whoso committeth adultery , lacketh understanding ; he that doth it , destroyeth his own soul ; a wound and dishonour shall he get , and his reproach shall not be wiped away ; for jealousie is the rage of a man , therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance ; he will not regard any ransome , neither will he rest content though thou givest many gifts . ] he also offendeth against the publick quiet , and welfare , breeding inextricable confusions , and implacable dissensions in families , so that hardly from any other cause such tragical events have issued as from this : in fine this crime is , as philo calls it , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a loathsome unrighteousness , most odious to god ; and a fire ( as job representeth it ) that consurneth to destruction . but we must further also consider , that acts of this kind contain also in them another evil ; that persons committing them do not onely so highly wrong their neighbour , but defile themselves also by the foulest turpitude ; in which respect the prohibition of all unlawfull and irregular satisfactions to lustfull appetite ; all compliance with that great enemy of our souls , the flesh ; all kinds of impurity and lasciviousness , not in act onely , but in thought , in speech , in gesture may be reduced to this law : our lord himself doth so interpret it , as to make it include a forbidding of all unchast desires ; and christianity doth in a most strict and special manner oblige us to all kinds of sobriety and modesty , of chastity and purity in body and spirit ; injoining us to abstain from all fleshly lusts , as enemies to our souls , to mortifie our fleshly members ; to possess our vessels ( or bodies ) in sanctity and honour ; not to have any impurity , or filthiness so much as named among us ; nor to suffer a foul word to proceed out of our mouth ; not to defile our bodies , consecrated unto to god , and made temples of the holy spirit ; excluding persons guilty of such things from any title , or capacity of entring into god's kingdom ; in fine representing all such practices as most dishonourable to us , most displeasing to god , most grievous to god's holy spirit ( the fountain of all vertue and goodness ) most contrary to the nature and design of our religion , and most destructive of our souls . viii . commandment . thou shalt not steal . that every man should quietly enjoy those supports and those conveniencies of life , which in any honest manner ( by god's bounty immediately dispensing it , or by god's blessing upon his industry ) he hath acquired the possession of , or right unto , as all reason and equity do require , so it must be acknowledged absolutely necessary for the preservation of common peace , and the maintenance of civil society among men : to secure which purposes , and to encourage honest industry , this law prohibiteth all invasion , or usurpation by any means whatever ( either by open violence , and extortion ; or by clandestine fraud , and surreption ) of our neighbour's proper goods and rights : he that in any way , against his neighbour's knowledge or will , getteth into his power , or detaineth therein what doth in equity belong to his neighbour , and which he can restore to him , doth transgress against the intent of this law ; as we see it interpreted in leviticus ; where it is thus expressed : thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour , nor rob him : defrauding by cunning practice , is no less forbidden , than robbing by violent force . any wise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( that is , to deprive our neighbour of his due ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to purloin , or ( by subtle and sly conveyance ) to separate any part of our neighbour's substance from him ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to exact , or extort any thing more than ones due , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to go beyond , or over-reach our neighbour in dealing ; to delude and cozen him by false speeches , or fallacious pretences , are acts in s. paul's expression , to be referred hither ; as so many special acts of theft . i cannot stand to reckon up all the sorts of unrighteousness included here , or reducible to this matter ( such as , beside down-right rapine and cheating , are , fould dealing in bargains and contracts ; using false weights , and measures , withholding the pledge , detaining the labourer's wages from him ; the exercising vexatious , biting , and devouring usuries ; removing bounds of possession , oppressing by undue , or rigorous exaction , corrupting justice for reward or favour , raising gain by unlawfull and shamefull arts , or practices ; consenting , or sharing with , advising , or instigating to these , and the like acts ; these i shall not particularly insist upon ) but shall onely say , that god expresseth great indignation against , and threatneth most severely to punish all acts of this kind : for all ( saith he ) that do such things ( such as use deceitfull measures in trade ) , and all that do unrighteousness are an abomination unto the lord , thy god : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , god ( saith s. paul , speaking against the circumventing , and defrauding our neighbour ) is an avenger for all these kinds of things : nor indeed is the gospel more severe in denunciation of punishment against any crime than this : know ye not , that unjust persons ( saith s. paul , meaning this sort of unjust persons , so most properly and strictly called ) shall not inherit the kingdom of god ; and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , thieves , exactors ( or cheaters ) and rapacious persons make a good party in the catalogue of those , who shall be excluded from eternal bliss . i should add the positive duties , here to be understood , and referr'd to this matter , the which are commended to us in scripture ; such are , diligence and industry in our calling , whereby with god's blessing we may support our selves , preventing the need , and escaping the temptation of encroachment upon our neighbour's property ; ( whereby we may , as saint paul speaketh , have need of nothing , may eat our own bread , may even have wherewith to impart to the needs of others ) contentment in that estate , wherein god hath placed us , how mean soever ; trusting in god , and relying upon his providence ; casting our burthen and care upon him ; who hath promised to sustain us ; who hath said , that he will never leave , or forsake us ; lastly , charitable relief of our neighbour in his need ; for in such a case our neighbour hath a title to the goods we possess ; derived from the appointment and donation of god , who is the absolute proprietor of all we have , we being onely his stewards , and dispensers thereof according to the rules he hath declared ; so that if we do not according to his order , supply our poor neighbour , we are in just estimation , we shall in god's judgment appear to be thieves , both in respect to god himself , and to our neighbour ; for that we thereby detain from god what by original right is his , and bereave our neighbour of what god hath bestowed on him . ix . commandment . thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour . 't is in the hebrew , thou shalt not answer ( to wit being examined , or adjured in judgment ) against thy neighbour as a false witness ; so that primarily , it seems , bearing false testimony against our neighbour ( especially in matters of capital , or of high concernment to him ) is prohibited : yet that not onely this great crime , but that all injurious ( even extrajudicial ) prejudicing our neighbour's reputation , and consequently of his safety , or his welfare in any sort , is forbidden , we may collect from that explication of this law , or that parallel law , which we have in leviticus : thou shalt not ( 't is there said ) go up and down as a talebearer among thy people ; neither shalt thou stand against the bloud of thy neighbour : as a talebearer , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , a merchant , or trader in ill reports and stories concerning our neighbour , to his prejudice ; defaming him , or detracting from him , or breeding in the minds of men an ill opinion of him ; which vile and mischievous practice is otherwhere under several names condemned and reproved ; such are muttering : ( the words of a mutterer , saith the wise man , are as wounds , going into the innermost parts of the belly ) : whispering , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we have often in the son of sirach , and in s. paul mentioned with a bad character , or with prohibition , and reproof : supplanting ; ( so in the good man's description , psal. . 't is said , he supplants not with his tongue , so the word signifies ) detraction or backbiting ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is so often in the apostolical writings forbidden , and reprehended ; slander , or calumny , and sycophantry ; that is , oppressing , abusing , or any way harming men by false tales , suggestions , or pretences ; which sort of practices how base they are in themselves ( nothing being more unworthy of an honest and ingenuous mind , nothing more ugly to the judgment of them , who have any sense of goodness ) how contrary they are to justice , which doth not permit us to wrong our neighbour , as well in his credit and good name , as in his other goods ( for they perhaps may be as much valued by him , may really be of as much consequence to him , as any thing that he hath ) which bindeth us to abstain from hurting him as well in word , as in deed ; how opposite they are to charity , which obligeth us to think the best of our neighbour , and to endeavour that others also may do so ; to conceal his real faults and blemishes ; much more not to devise , and affix false ones to him ; not to gather and disperse ill reports to his prejudice ; of how mischievous consequence also they are , breeding ill will , and sowing strife in all societies both publick , and private ( even separating chief friends , as the wise man telleth us ) common sense , and experience do shew : they consequently must be very odious in the sight of god , who loveth the peace and welfare of men ; and very offensive to men , who do the mischiefs springing from them . to this law may be reduced our obligations to be candid in our opinions , and discourses concerning others ( according to saint paul's excellent description of charity : ) to forbear all rash and harsh censure , as you know our saviour in his most divine sermon on the mount chargeth us ; to be veracious , sincere and faithfull in all our conversation ; which duties are so often taught and pressed in both testaments : ye shall not ( saith the law ) steal , nor deal falsely , nor lye one to another ; and , to walk uprightly , and work righteousness , and speak the truth from his heart , are the first lineaments in the good man's character drawn by the psalmist : and , these are the things ye shall do ( saith god in the prophet ) speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour ; execute the judgment of truth , and peace in your gates : and in the new testament , to lay aside lying , to speak the truth every man with his neighbour ; to lay aside all malice , all guile , all hypocrisies , envyings and backbitings are apostolical commands . x. commandment . thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house ; thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife ; nor his man-servant , nor his maid-servant , nor his oxe , nor his ass , nor any thing that is thy neighbour's . this law is comprehensive , and recapitulatory ( as it were ) of the rest concerning our neighbour , prescribing universal justice toward him ( whence s. mark it seems meaneth to render it in one word , by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , deprive not , or bereave not your neighbour of any thing ) and this not onely in outward deed , and dealing , but in inward thought , and desire , the spring , whence they do issue forth ( for , from the heart , as our saviour teacheth , do proceed evil thoughts , murthers , adulteries , fornications , thefts , false witness , blasphemies ) we are obliged to be so far from depriving our neighbour of any good thing belonging to him ; that we are not so much as to wish , or desire it ; not onely to abstain from injurious action , but to repress covetous inclinations : wherein is also implyed , that we should have a delight and complacence in our neighbour's good ; not envying him any enjoyment ; being in our minds content with the portion god pleaseth to vouchsafe us ; and entirely trusting in him , that he will supply us with what is needfull or befitting to us , without the damage of our neighbour . thus god's law is as saint paul observed ) spiritual ; not onely restraining exteriour acts , but regulating our inmost thoughts , quelling all inordinate appetites and affections of heart within us ; the which may be extended so as to respect not onely matters of justice toward our neighbour , but all objects whatever of our practice ; so as to import that , which in the christian law is so frequently injoined us , as the life of our religion , circumcising our hearts , crucifying the flesh with its passions and desires , mortifying our earthly members , putting to death by the spirit the deeds of the body , putting off the old man , which is corrupted according to deceitfull lusts : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , thou shalt not unlawfully or irregularly desire doth , according to the spiritual intent , import all this . i have done ; and shall onely add , that the sum and end of these , and all other good laws , of all religion , and all our duty is ( as we often are taught in the new testament ) comprized in those two rules , of loving god with all our heart , and , loving our neighbour as our selves ; seriously and honestly attending unto which we can hardly fail of knowing what in any case our duty is ; it remains that we employ our best care and endeavour on the conscientious practice thereof ; imploring therewith the assistance of god's grace , and that good spirit , which god hath most graciously promised to those , who duly ask it , by which alone we can be enabled to keep god's commandments : to him be all glory and praise . amen . the doctrine of the sacraments . the doctrine of the sacraments . it is a peculiar excellency of our religion , that it doth not much employ mens care , pains , and time , about matters of ceremonial observance ; but doth chiefly ( and in a manner wholly ) exercise them in works of substantial duty , agreeable to reason , perfective of man's nature , productive of true glory to god , and solid benefit to men . it s design is not to amuse our fancies with empty shews , nor to take up our endeavours in fruitless performances , but to render us truly good , and like unto god ; first in interior disposition of mind , then in exterior practice ; full of hearty love and reverence to god , of tender charity and good will toward men , of moderation and purity in the enjoyment of these things ; of all true piety and vertue ; whereby we may become qualified for that life of bliss which it tendereth and promiseth ; for conversation in that holy society above , to which it designeth and calleth us . yet because fancy is naturally a medium , and an effectual instrument of action ; and because sensible objects are apt strongly to affect our minds ; it hath pleased the divine wisdom to apply them , in fit measure , and to sanctify them to those good purposes , by appointing some few solemn and significant rites to be observed by us , being in their own nature proper and useful , and by god designed to declare his mind , and gracious intents to us ; to consign and convey his grace into our souls , to confirm our faith in him , to raise our devotion toward him , to quicken our resolutions of obeying his will ; to enable and excite us to the practice of those great duties which he requireth of us : * our lord jesus christ , saith s. austin , hath subjected us to his gentle yoke , and light burthen ; whence with sacraments most few in number , most easy for observance , most excellent in signification he bound together the society of new people . and , the mercy of god ( saith he again ) would have religion free , by the celebration of a most few , and most clear sacraments . of these there appear two ( and s. austin in the place cited could instance in no more ) of general and principal use , instituted by our lord hismelf ; which , because they represent to us somewhat not subject to sense , and have a secret influence upon us ; because what is intended by them , is not immediately discernible by what is done , without some explication , ( their significancy being not wholly grounded in the nature , but depending upon arbitrary institution , as that of words , which is of kin to them ; whence s. austin calls a sacrament , verbum visibile ) have usually been called mysteries , ( that is , actions of a close and occult importance , of deeper meaning and design , than is obvious to ordinary perception ) and thence are also called sacraments , for no other reason , i conceive , then because the ancientest translators of the bible into latin , did usually render the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the word sacramentum ; whence every thing containing under it somewhat of abstruse meaning , is by ancient writers termed a sacrament . ( so tertullian calls all christianity the sacrament of christian religion ; and * elisha's ax he calls the sacrament of wood ; and s. austin speaks of the sacrament of bread , of fish , of numbers , of the rock , &c. in short , he says of all signs , that when they belong to divine things , they are called sacraments † ; which shews to how small purpose the disputes are , yea on what small grounds the decrees are , concerning the number , general nature , and efficacy of sacraments ; for where a name or form of a sacrament is of so large , ambiguous , and indeterminate signification , there can be nothing but confusion in the disputes about it ) but those which chiefly at least , and in way of eminency have obtained this name , are those two instituted by our lord , baptism , and the lord's supper ; of which i shall in order discourse ; and so of each , as very briefly to consider the occasion of their institution , the actions injoined in them ; the nature of them , or wherein their mystery doth consist , the ends for which they were intended , and the effects they produce ; together with the dispositions and duties ( antecedent , concomitant , and consequent ) required of us in the use and practice of them . and first , of baptism . there were , ( as the apostle to the hebrews telleth us ) in sacred use among the jews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , several kinds of baptisms . the learned in their laws and customs teach , that they never did receive any person into their covenant , whether that which was more strict ( to which natural jews , and proselytes of righteousness were tyed ) or that which was more lax , with which strangers and proselytes of the gate did comply , without a baptism . and that priests and levites entring into their office , were to be sanctifyed by washing with water , we see plainly prescribed in their law ; likewise that all persons , who had contracted any kind of defilement , were purified by the like ceremony , particularly children new-born , is expressed there . moreover , that it was in use for persons , who were conscious to themselves of having trangressed god's law , being in god's name invited by some person of eminent authority ( a prophet , or like a prophet , one commissionated by god ) unto repentance , and amendment of life , to be washed by him , in testimony of their stedfast purpose to amend ; and in hope to obtain pardon from god of their past offences , and to be reinstated in his favour , appears probable by s. john the baptist his undertaking , and the success thereof . for if the manner of his proceeding had been altogether unusual , and unknown , so many it seems would not so readily ( without any stir or obstacle ) have complyed therewith ; especially among the scribes and pharisees , those zealous adherents to traditionary practice , who to maintain their credit and interest with the people , were so averse from all appearance of novelty . this practice then of washing in so many cases , and to so many purposes customary among god's people , to signify mens entring into a new state or course of life , being withal most apt and proper for his design , our blessed saviour , who never favoured needless innovations , was pleased to assume and impose upon the disciples and followers of his religion , accommodating it to those holy purposes , which we shall now endeavour to declare . what the action it self enjoined is , what the manner and form thereof , is apparent by the words of our lord's institution ; going forth therefore , ( saith he ) teach ( or disciple ) all nations , baptizing them in the name of the father , and of the son , and of the holy ghost , teaching them to observe all things which i have commanded you . the action is baptizing , or immersing in water ; the object thereof , those persons of any nation , whom his ministers can by their instruction and perswasion render disciples , that is , such as do sincerely believe the truth of his doctrine , and seriously resolve to obey his commandments . it is performed in the name ; that is , it is ministred by the authority , and bears special relation unto the persons of the blessed trinity , as the chief objects of the faith professed , and the sole objects of the obedience undertaken therein ; as exhibiting gracious favours unto the person baptized , and as receiving special obligations from him . such is the action it self declared to be ; the mystery thereof consists in its being a notable sign to represent , and an authentick seal to ratify the collation then made of certain great benefits to us ; and our undertaking correspondent duties toward god. the benefits which god then signifies , and ( upon due terms ) engageth to confer on us , are these : . the purgation or absolution of us from the guilt of past offences , by a free and full remission of them , ( the which washing by water , cleansing from all stains , doth most appositely represent ) and consequently god's being reconciled unto us , his receiving us into a state of grace and favour , his freely justifying us , ( that is , looking upon us , or treating us as just and innocent persons , although before we stood guilty of heinous sins , and thereupon lyable to grievous punishments ) that these benefits are conferred in baptism , many places of scripture plainly shew ; [ and the primitive church , with most firm and unanimous consent , did believe * . ] and now ( said ananias to s. paul ) why dost thou tarry ? arise and be baptized , and wash away thy sins . and , repent ( saith s. peter , preaching to the jews ) and let every one of you be baptized for the remission of sins . and , christ ( saith s. paul again to the ephesians ) loved his church , and delivered himself for it , that he might sanctify it , purging it by the washing of water , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ( that is , he effectually in baptism consigned to the members of his church , that mercy and remission of sins , which he purchased and merited by his passion ) . and again , such ( saith he to the corinthians ) were some of you , ( that is , ye were persons guilty of heinous sins ) but ye have been washed , ye have been sanctifyed , ye have been justified in the name of our lord , and by the spirit of our god ; where , having been washed in christ's name , doth ( in congruity with what is said in other places ) denote baptism in his name ; being sanctified and justified , do express the first benefits accompanying that baptism . and indeed , where-ever a general remission of sins , or a full sanctification , or consecration , and justification , or consecration , and justification of mens persons in god's sight , are mentioned ; that remission of sins , that separation , or dedication unto god's service , that reception into grace , which are consigned in baptism , are ( i conceive ) understood ; there being no other season or occasion , wherein ordinarily and visibly god doth exhibit those benefits . it may be demanded , how children , by reason of their innocent age , are capable of these benefits ; how they can be pardoned , who never had offended , how they can be justified , who never were capable of being unjust ? i briefly answer , that because they come from that race , which by sin had forfeited god's favour , and had alienated it self from him ; because also they have in them those seeds of pravity from which afterward certainly , life continuing , ( without god's restraining grace ) will sprout forth innumerable evil actions ; therefore that god overlooking all the defects of their nature , both relative , and absolute , or personal , doth assume them into his special favour , is no small benefit to them , answerable to the remission of actual sin , and restitution from the state consequent thereon in others . . in baptism , the gift of god's holy spirit is conferred , qualifying us for the state into which we then come , and enabling us to perform the duties we then undertake , which otherwise we should be unable to perform ; for purification of our hearts from vitious inclinations , and desires ; for begetting holy dispositions , and affections in our souls ; for to guide and instruct us , to sustain and strengthen us , to encourage and comfort us in all the course of christian piety : the which effects are well also figured by water , which purifieth things both from inherent and adherent filth . that this benefit is annexed to baptism , the scripture also teacheth us : be baptized ( saith s. peter ) in the name of christ to the remission of sins , and ye shall receive the gift of the holy ghost : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , we being baptized in one body , are made to drink of one spirit , saith s. paul : and with the * laver of regeneration , s. paul again joineth the renovation of the holy ghost : and it is represented as an advantage of our saviour's baptism above that of john , that our lord not only baptized with water to repentance , but with the holy ghost , and fire . some preventing operations of the holy ghost ( whereby god freely draweth men to christianity , persuading their minds to assent thereto , inspiring their hearts with resolutions to comply with it ) do precede baptism ; but a more full communication thereof ( due by compact , assured by promise ) for the confirming , and maintaining us in the firm belief , and constant practice of christianity , is consequent thereon ; after ye had believed , ye were sealed by the holy spirit of promise , saith s. paul : to signify which benefit then conferr'd , the ancient christians did to baptism annex the chrism , or holy unction , signifying the collation of that healing and chearing spirit to the baptized person ; that which s. paul may seem to respect , when he saith , he that establisheth ( or confirmeth ) us with you into christ , and who hath anointed us , is god ; who also hath sealed us , and hath given us the earnest of the spirit in our hearts . . with those gifts is connected the benefit of regeneration , implying our entrance into a new state and course of life ; being endowed with new faculties , dispositions , and capacities of souls , becoming new creatures , and new men , as it were , renewed after the likeness of god in righteousness and true holiness , our being sanctified in our hearts and lives ; being mortified to fleshly lusts , and worldly affections ; being quickned to a spiritual life , and heavenly conversation : in short , becoming in relation and in disposition of mind , the children of god. this the matter , and the action of baptism doth set out ; for as children new born , ( for cleansing them from impurities adherent from the womb ) both among the jews and other people , were wont to be washed ; so are we in baptism , signifying our purification from natural and worldly defilements : the mersion also in water , and the emersion thence , doth figure our death to the former , and receiving to a new life . whence baptism is by s. paul called the laver of regeneration ; and our lord saith , that , if a man be not born again of water and the spirit , he cannot enter into the kingdom of god ; that is , every one becoming a christian , is by baptism regenerated , or put into a new state of life , getteth new dispositions of soul , and new relations to god. ye are all ( saith s. paul ) the children of god by faith in christ jesus ; that is , by embracing his doctrine , and submitting to his law professedly in baptism . and , we ( saith s. paul again ) are buried with christ through baptism unto death ; that as christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the father , so also we should walk in newness of life . . with these benefits is conjoined that of being inserted into god's church , his family , the number of his chosen people , the mystical body of christ , whereby we become entitled to the privileges and immunities of that heavenly corporation . we ( saith s. paul ) have been all baptized in one spirit into one body , the mystical body of christ : and , so many of you ( saith he again ) as have been baptized into christ , ( into christ mystical , or the church ) have put on christ , and ye are ( adds he ) all one in christ jesus . as proselytes among the jews by baptism were admitted unto the communion , and privileges of the jewish ; so thereby are we received into the like communion and privileges of the christian , far more excellent , society . . in consequence of these things , there is with baptism conferred a capacity of , a title unto , an assurance ( under condition of persevering in faith and obedience to our lord ) of eternal life and salvation . we are therein , in s. peter's words , regenerated unto a lively hope of an incorruptible inheritance , by that resurrection of christ , which is represented to us in this action ; and so therein applied , as to beget in us a title and a hope to rise again in like manner to a blissful life ; whence we are said therein to rise with him : being , saith s. paul , buried with him in baptism , wherein also we were raised again : whence by the two great apostles , baptism is said to save us : baptism ( saith s. peter ) the antitype of the delivery in the flood , doth save us , that is , admitteth us into the ark , putteth us into the sure way of salvation ; and , god ( saith s. paul ) according to his mercy saved us , by the laver of regeneration ; and , he that shall believe , and shall be baptized , shall be saved , is our saviour's own word and promise ; shall be saved , that is , shall be put into a state and way of salvation , continuing in which state , proceeding in which way he assuredly shall be saved : for faith there denoteth perseverance in faith , and baptism implyeth performance of the conditions therein undertaken ; which next is to be considered . for as this holy rite signifieth , and sealeth god's collation of so many great benefits on us ; so it also implyeth , and on our part ratifieth our obligation , then in an especial manner commencing , to several most important duties toward him . it implyeth , that we are in mind fully persuaded concerning the truth of that doctrine , which god the father revealed by his blessed son , and confirmed by the miraculous operation of the holy ghost ; we therein profess our humble and thankful embracing the overtures of mercy and grace , purchased for us by our saviour's meritorious undertaking and performances , the which are then exhibited and tendred to us ; we therein declare our hearty resolution to forsake all wicked courses of life , repugnant to the doctrine and law of christ ; fully to conform our lives to his will , living thereafter in all piety , righteousness , and sobriety , as loyal subjects , faithful servants , and dutiful children to god ; in brief , we therein are bound , renouncing all erroneous principles , all vitious inclinations , and all other engagements whatever , entirely to devote our selves to the faith and obedience of god the father , our glorious and good maker ; of god the son our gracious redeemer ; of god the holy ghost our blessed guide , assistant , advocate , and comforter : these are the duties antecedent unto , and concomitant of our baptism ( immediately and formally required of those , who are capable of performing them , mediately and virtually of them who are not ) the which are signified by our being baptized in the name of the holy trinity . these duties the scripture commonly expresseth by the word , faith and repentance ; sometimes singly , sometimes conjunctly : if ( said philip to the eunuch ) thou believest with thy heart it is lawful ( for thee to be baptized ) ; faith was an indispensible condition prerequisite thereto ; and , repent ( saith s. peter ) and let every of you be baptized ; repentance also was necessary to precede it ; indeed both these ( as they are meant in this case ) do in effect signify the same ; each importeth a being renewed in mind , in judgment , in will , in affection ; a serious embracing of christ's doctrine , and a stedfast resolution to adhere thereto in practice . hence are those effects , or consequences attributed to faith ; justifying us , reconciling and bringing us near to god , saying us ; because it is the necessary condition required by god , and by him accepted , that we may be capable of these benefits conferred in baptism ; the same being also referr'd to that repentance , or change of mind , which must accompany our entrance into christianity ; that good conscience , with which we stipulate a perpetual devotion and obedience to god , the which therefore doth ( as s. peter telleth us ) save us ; it contributing to our salvation , as a duty necessarily required in order thereto . this is that death to sin , and resurrection to righteousness , that being buried with christ , and rising again with him , so as to walk in newness of life , which the baptismal action signifies , and which we then really undertake to perform . and as such are the duties preceding or accompanying baptism ; so making good the engagements they contain , constantly persisting in them , maintaining and improving them , are duties necessarily consequent thereupon . having ( saith the apostle ) had our bodies washed with pure water , let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering . we should indeed continually remember , frequently and seriously consider , what in so solemn a manner we ( upon so valuable considerations ) did then undertake , promise , and vow to god , diligently striving to perform it ; for violating our part of the covenant , and stipulation then made , by apostacy in profession or practice from god and goodness , we certainly must forfeit those inestimable benefits , which god otherwise hath tied himself to bestow ; the pardon of our sins , the favour of god , the being members of christ , the grace , guidance , assistance , and comfort of the holy spirit ; the right unto , and hope of salvation . we so doing , shall not only simply disobey , and offend god ; but add the highest breach of fidelity to our disobedience , together with the most heinous ingratitude , abusing the greatest grace that could be vouchsafed us : if we wilfully sin , after we have taken the acknowledgment of the truth , ( saith the apostle , meaning that solmen profession of our faith in baptism ) we trample under foot the son of god ; we profane the blood of the covenant ; we do despite unto the spirit of grace ; and incurring so deep guilt , we must expect sutable punishment . but i proceed to the other sacrament , the eucharist . among the wonderful works of power , and grace performed by god almighty , in favour of the children of israel , and in order to their delivery from the egyptian slavery , a most signal one , was the smiting the first-born in every house of the egyptians , and passing over the houses of the children of israel ; wherein god declared his just wrath against their cruel oppressors , depriving them in a sudden and dreadful manner of what was nearest and dearest to them ; and his gracious mercy toward them , in preserving what was alike dear to them from so woful a calamity ; thus ( as the text expresseth it ) putting a difference between the egyptians and the children of israel . now that the memory of so remarkable a mercy might be preserved , that their affections might be raised to a strong sense of god's goodness , and their faith in them confirmed , so as in the like need to hope for the same favourable help and protection , by the consideration of so notable an experiment , it pleased god to appoint a sacrament , or mysterious rite to be annually celebrated , representing and recalling to mind , that act of god , wherein his special kindness was so eminently demonstrated toward his people : the same also ( as did other rites and sacrifices , instituted by god among that people ) looking directly forward upon that other great delivery from sin and hell , which god in mercy designed toward mankind , to be atchieved by our saviour ; prefiguring , that the souls of them who should be willing to forsake the spiritual bondage of sin , should be saved from the ruin coming upon them who would abide therein ; god regarding the blood of our saviour ( that immaculate lamb , sacrificed for them ) sprinkled upon the doors of their houses , that is , by hearty faith and repentance , applyed to their consciences . the occasion of celebrating which holy rite , our saviour we see did improve to the institution of this sacrament , most agreeing therewith in design , as representative and commemorative of the greatest blessing and mercy that we are capable of having vouchsafed to us ; some part of that ancient rite , or sacrifice ( which was most suitable to the special purposes of this institution , and most conformable to the general constitution of the christian religion , whereby all bloody sacrifices are abolished ) being retained in this . the action it self ( or rather the whole rite , consisting of divers actions ) we see plainly described in the gospels , and in the first epistle of s. paul to the corinthians ; distinguishable into these chief parts . . the benediction and consecration ( by prayer and thanksgiving ) of bread and wine . . the breaking of bread , and handling the cup. . the delivery and distribution of them to the persons present . . the declaration accompanying that delivery , that those symbolical things and actions did represent our saviour's body given and broken , our saviour's blood shed and poured out for us , in sanction of the new covenant . . the actual partaking of those symbols , by eating the bread , and drinking the wine , done by all present . these things we find done at the first institution and exemplary practice of this holy ceremony ; the which our saviour obliged us to imitate , saying , do this in remembrance of me . there followeth , in s. matthew and s. mark , presently after the narration concerning these particulars , — 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and having sung a hymn , they went to the mount of olives : which action was indeed in it self proper to conclude the practice of this holy rite , yet what reference it hath thereto , cannot thence be determined ; however with these the church hath always joined several acts of devotion ( confessions , prayers , praises , thanksgivings , intercessions , vows ) suitable to the nature and design of the sacrament , apt to glorify god , and edify the faithful in the celebration thereof . such is the practice it self instituted and injoined by our saviour ; the mysterious importance thereof , as we find it explained in holy scripture , ( the only solid and sure ground , upon which we can build the explication of supernatural mysteries ) consisteth chiefly in these particulars : . it was intended for a commemorative representation of our saviour's passion for us ; fit to mind us of it , to move us to consider it , to beget affections in us , suitable to the memory and consideration thereof : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do this ( saith our lord ) for my remembrance , or in commemoration of me ; that is so , as thereby to have raised in you a reflection of mind and heart upon those grievous pains , which i shall have endured for your sake , to procure for you a remission of sins , and reconciliation to god : and , so often ( saith s. paul ) as you eat this bread , and drink this cup , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ye tell forth ( or significantly express ) the death of our lord till he come , or during his absence from us . the suffering of our saviour ( the most wonderful act of goodness and charity , that ever was performed in the world , which produced effects of highest consequence to our benefit , the consideration whereof is apt to work the best dispositions of piety in us ) should very frequently be present to our thoughts and affections ; and that it may be so with advantage , such a solemn and sensible representation thereof is very conducible ; wherein we behold him crucified , as it were in effigie , his body broken , his blood poured out for us ; it being in a sort a putting us into the circumstances of those , who did behold our saviour for us hanging upon the cross. our lord being absent in body from us , ( sitting in heaven at god's right hand ) to supply that absence , that we should not be apt to forget him , and thereby become wholly estranged from him , is pleased to order this occasion of being present , and conversing with us , in such a manner , as may retain in our memories his gracious performances for us ; may impress in our hearts a kindly sense of them ; may raise us up in mind and affection to him . . the benefits consequent upon our saviour's passion , rightly apprehended , heartily believed , seriously considered by us , are hereby lively represented , and effectually conveyed ; to the sustenance and nourishment of our spiritual life , to the refreshment and comfort of our souls . it is a holy feast , a spiritual repast , a divine entertainment , to which god in kindness invites us ; to which if we come with well-disposed minds , he there feeds us with most holy and delicious viands , with heavenly manna , with most reviving and cherishing liquor . bread is the staff of life , the most common , most necessary , and most wholsome , and most savory meat ; wine is the most pleasant and wholsome also , the most sprightly and cordial drink ; by them therefore our lord chose to represent that body and blood , by the oblation of which a capacity of life and health was procured to mankind ; the taking in which by right apprehension , tasting it by hearty faith , digesting it by careful attention and meditation , converting it into our substance by devout , grateful , and holy affections , joined with serious and steady resolutions of living answerable thereto , will certainly support and maintain our spiritual life in a vigorous health , and happy growth of grace ; refreshing our hearts with comfort and satisfaction unspeakable ; he that doth thus , eats our saviour's flesh , and drinks his blood , ( that is , who as our saviour interpreteth it , doth believe in him ; that belief importing all other acts of mind and will , connected with right persuasions concerning him ) hath eternal life , and shall live for ever , as himself declares and promises : which benefits therefore in the due performance of this holy duty , are conveyed unto us . . this sacrament declares that union , which good christians partaking thereof have with christ ; their mystical insertion into him , by a close dependence upon him for spiritual life , mercy , grace , and salvation ; a constant adherence to him by faith and obedience , a near conformity to him in mind and affection ; an inseparable conjunction with him , by the strictest bands of fidelity , and by the most endearing relations : which things could not more fitly be set out , than by the partaking our best and most necessary food ; which being taken in , soon becomes united to us , assimilated and converted into our substance ; thereby renewing our strength , and repairing the decays of our nature : wherefore , he ( saith our saviour ) that eateth my flesh , and drinketh my blood , abides in me , and i in him ; and , the cup of blessing ( saith s. paul ) 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 ? we in the outward action , partake of the symbols representing our saviour's body and blood ; we in the spiritual intention , communicate of his very person , being ( according to the manner insinuated ) intimately united to him . . by this sacrament consequently is signified and sealed that union , which is among our saviour's true disciples communicating therein ; their being together united in consent of mind , and unity of faith ; in mutual good will and affection , in hope and tendency to the same blessed end , in spiritual brotherhood and society ; especially upon account of their communion with christ , which most closely ties them one to another ; they partaking of this one individual food , become translated , as it were , into one body and substance : seeing ( saith s. paul ) we being many , are one bread , one body ; for all of us do partake of one bread. in the representing , produceing , and promoting these things , we are taught the mystery of this sacrament doth consist ; it was designed as a proper and efficacious instrument , to raise in us pious affections toward our good god , and gracious redeemer ; to dispose us to all holy practice ; to confirm our faith , to nourish our hope , to quicken our resolutions of walking carefully in the ways of duty ; to unite us more fastly to our saviour , and to combine us in charity one toward another ; the accomplishing of which intents thereof , doth suppose our faithful and diligent concurrence in the use thereof ; whence arise many duties incumbent upon us in respect thereto , some antecedent , some concomitant , some consequent to the use thereof . . before we address our selves to the partaking of this venerable mystery , we should consider whither we are going , what is the nature and importance of the action we set our selves about ; that we are approaching to our lord's table , ( so s. paul calleth it ) to come into his more especial presence , to be entertained by him with the dearest welcome , and the best chear that can be ; to receive the fullest testimonies of his mercy , and the surest pledges of his favour toward us ; that we are going to behold our lord in tenderest love , offering up himself a sacrifice to god , therein undergoing the sorest pains , and foulest disgraces for our good and salvation ; that we ought therefore to bring with us dispositions of soul , suitable to such an access unto , such an entercourse with our gracious lord. had we the honour and favour to be invited to the table of a great prince , what especial care should we have to dress our bodies in a clean and decent garb , to compose our minds in order to expression of all due respect to him ; to bring nothing about us noisome or ugly , that might offend his sight , or displease his mind ? the like surely , and greater care we should apply , when we thus being called , do go into god's presence and communion . we should , in preparation thereto , with all our power , endeavour to cleanse our souls from all impurity of thought and desire ; from all iniquity and perverseness ; from all malice , envy , hatred , anger , and all such evil dispositions , which are most offensive to god's all-piercing sight , and unbeseeming his glorious presence ; we should dress our souls with all those comely ornaments of grace ( with purity , humility , meekness , and charity ) which will render us acceptable and well-pleasing to him : we should compose our minds into a frame of reverence and awful regard to the majesty of god , into a lowly , calm , and tender disposition of heart , apt to express all respect due to his presence , fit to admit the gracious illapses of his holy spirit ; very susceptive of all holy and heavenly affections , which are sutable to such a communion , or may spring from it . we should therefore remove and abandon from us , not only all vitious inclinations , and evil purposes ; but even all worldly cares , desires , and passions , which may distract , or discompose us , that may dull or deject us , that may cause us to behave our selves indecently or unworthily before god , that may bereave us of the excellent fruits from so blessed an entertainment . to these purposes we should , according to s. paul's advice , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , examine and approve our selves ; considering our past actions , and our present inclinations , and accordingly , by serious meditation , and fervent prayer to god for his gracious assistance therein , working our souls into a hearty remorse for our past miscarriages , and a sincere resolution to amend for the future ; forsaking all sin , endeavouring in all our actions to serve and please god ; purging out ( as s. paul again injoineth us ) the old leaven of vice and wickedness ; so that we may feast , and celebrate this passeover , in which christ is mystically sacrificed for us , in the unleavened dispositions of sincerity and truth . such are the duties previous to our partaking this sacrament . . those duties which accompany it , are a reverent and devout affection of heart , with a suitable behaviour therein ; an awful sense of mind befitting the majesty of that presence wherein we do appear , answerable to the greatness , and goodness , and holiness of him , with whom we converse ; becoming the sacredness of those mysteries , which are exhibited to us , ( that which s. paul seemeth to call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to discern or distinguish our lord's body ; that is , yielding a peculiar reverence of mind and behaviour in regard thereto ) a devotion of heart , consisting in hearty contrition for our sins , which did expose our saviour to the enduring such pains , then remembred ; in firm resolution to forsake the like thereafter , as injurious , dishonourable , and displeasing to him ; in fervent love of him , as full of so wonderful goodness and charity toward us ; in most hearty thankfulness for those unconceivably great expressions of kindness toward us ; in deepest humility , upon sense of our unworthiness , to receive such testimonies of grace and favour from him , ( our unworthiness to eat the crumbs that fall from his table , how much more to be admitted into such degrees of honourable communion , and familiarity , of close conjunction and union with him ? ) of pious joy in consideration of the excellent privileges herein imparted , and of the blessed fruits accruing to us from his gracious performances ; in a comfortable hope of obtaining and enjoying the benefits of his obedience and passion , by the assistance of his grace ; in steady faith , and full persuasion of mind , that he is ( supposing our dutiful compliance ) ready to bestow upon us all the blessings then exhibited ; in attentively fixing the eyes of our mind , and all the powers of our soul ( our understanding , will , memory , fancy , affection ) upon him , as willingly pouring forth his life for our salvation ; lastly , in motions of enlarged good-will and charity toward all our brethren for his sake , in obedience to his will , and in imitation of him ; such-like duties should attend our participation of this holy sacrament . . the effects of having duly performed which , should appear in the practice of those duties , which are consequent thereon ; being such as these ; an increase of all pious inclinations and affections , expressing themselves in a real amendment of our lives , and producing more goodly fruits of obedience ; the thorough digestion of that spiritual nourishment by our becoming more fastly knit to our saviour by higher degrees of faith and love ; the maintaining a more lively sense of his superabundant goodness ; the cherishing those influences of grace , which descend upon our hearts in this communion , and improving them to nearer degrees of perfection in all piety and vertue ; a watchful care , and endeavour in our lives to approve our selves in some measure worthy of that great honour and favour , which god hath vouchsafed us in admitting us to so near approaches to himself ; an earnest pursuance of the resolutions , performance of the vows , making good the engagements , which in so solemn a manner , upon so great an occasion we made , and offered up unto our god and saviour ; finally , the considering , that by the breach of such resolutions , by the violation of such engagements , our sins receiving so mighty aggravation of vain inconstancy and wicked perfidiousness , our guilt will hugely be increased ; our souls relapsing into so grievous distemper , our spiritual strength will be exceedingly impaired ; consequently hence our true comforts will be abated , our best hopes will be shaken ; our eternal state will be desperately endangered . there is one duty which i should not forbear to touch , concerning this sacrament , that is , our gladly embracing any opportunity presented of communicating therein ; the doing so , being not only our duty , but a great aid and instrument of piety ; the neglecting it a grievous sin , and productive of great mischiefs to us . the primitive christians did very frequently use it , partaking therein , as it seems at every time of their meeting for god's service ; it is said of them , by s. luke , that they continued stedfastly in the apostles doctrine , and communion , and in breaking of bread , and in prayers ; and , when you meet together , it is not ( as according to the intent and duty of meeting it should be ) to eat the lord's supper , saith s. paul : and just. martyr in his second apologie , describing the religious service of god in their assemblies , mentioneth it as a constant part thereof ; and epiphanius reporteth it as a custom in the church , derived from apostolical institution , to celebrate the eucharist thrice every week , that is , so often as they did meet to pray and praise god ; which practice may well be conceived , a great means of kindling and preserving in them that holy fervour of piety , which they so illustriously expressed in their conversation , and in their gladsome suffering for christ's sake : and the remitting of that frequency , as it is certainly a sign and an effect , so in part it may possibly be reckoned a cause of the degeneracy of christian practice , into that great coldness and slackness which afterward did seize upon it , and now doth apparently keep it in a languishing and half-dying state . the rarer occasions therefore we now have of performing this duty , ( the which indeed was always esteemed the principal office of god's service ) of enjoying this benefit , ( the being deprived whereof , was also deemed the greatest punishment and infelicity that could arrive to a christian ) the more ready we should be to embrace them . if we dread god's displeasure , if we value our lord and his benefits , if we tender the life , health , and welfare of our souls , we shall not neglect it ; for how can we but extreamly offend god by so extream rudeness , that when he kindly invites us to his table , we are averse from coming thither , or utterly refuse it ? that when he calleth us into his presence , we run from him ; that when he , with his own hand , offereth us inestimable mercies and blessings , we reject them ? it is not only the breach of god's command , who enjoined us to do this , but a direct contempt of his favour and goodness , most clearly and largely exhibited in this office. and how can we bear any regard to our lord , or be any wise sensible of his gracious performances in our behalf , if we are unwilling to join in thankful and joyful commemoration of them ? how little do we love our own souls , if we suffer them to pine and starve for want of that food , which god here dispenseth for its sustenance and comfort ; if we bereave them of enjoying so high a privilege , so inestimable a benefit , so incomparable pleasures as are to be found and felt in this service , or do spring and flow from it ? what reasonable excuse can we frame for such neglect ? are we otherwise employed ? what business can there be more important , than serving god , and saying our own souls ? is it wisdom , in pursuance of any the greatest affair here , to disregard the principal concern of our souls ? do we think our selves unfit and unworthy to appear in god's presence ? but is any man unworthy to obey god's commands ? is any man unfit to implore and partake of god's mercy , if he be not unwilling to do it ? what unworthiness should hinder us from remembring our lord's excessive charity towards us , and thanking him for it ? from praying for his grace ; from resolving to amend our lives ? must we , because we are unworthy , continue so still , by shunning the means of correcting and curing us ? must we encrease our unworthiness , by transgressing our duty ? if we esteem things well , the conscience of our sinfulness should rather drive us to it , as to our medicine , than detain us from it . there is no man indeed , who must not conceive and confess himself unworthy ; therefore must no man come thither at god's call ? if we have a sense of our sins , and a mind to leave them ; if we have a sense of god's goodness , and a heart to thank him for it ; we are so worthy , that we shall be kindly received there , and graciously rewarded . if we will not take a little care to work these dispositions in us , we are indeed unworthy ; but the being so , from our own perverse negligence , is a bad excuse for the neglect of our duty . in fine , i dare say , that he , who with an honest meaning ( altho with an imperfect devotion ) doth address himself to the performance of this duty , is far more excusable , than he that upon whatever score declineth it ; no scrupulous shiness can ward us from blame ; what then shall we say , if supine sloth , or prophane contempt , are the causes of such neglect ? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . chrys. in cor. or. . thus having briefly dispatched the considerations that offered themselves upon these subjects , i shall conclude all with prayer to almighty god , that we by his grace and help believing rightly , strongly , constantly , and finally ; being frequent and fervent in prayer , and all pious devotion , sincerely obeying all god's commandments ; continuing orderly , dutiful , and worthy members of christ's church , growing continually in grace , by the worthy participation of the holy sacraments , may obtain the end of our faith , the success of our prayers , the reward of our obedience , the continuance in that holy society , the perfect consummation of grace in the possession of eternal joy , glory , and bliss ; which god in his infinite mercy grant to us , for our blessed saviour's sake ; to whom be all glory and praise for ever and ever . amen . finis . books writ by the learned dr. isaac barrow , and printed for brabazon aylmer , at the three pigeons over against the royal exchange in cornhill . twelve sermons preached upon several occasions : in octavo , being the first volume . ten sermons against evil speaking , in octavo , being the second volume . eight sermons of the love of god and our neighbour : in octavo , being the third volume . the duty and reward of bounty to the poor : in a sermon , much enlarged , preached at the spittal upon wednesday in easter week , anno dom. . in octavo . a sermon upon the passion of our blessed saviour : preached at guild-hall chappel , on good-friday , the th day of april , . in octavo . a learned treatise of the pope's supremacy . to which is added a discourse concerning the unity of the church . in quarto . the said discourse concerning the unity of the church , is also printed alone : in octavo . an exposition of the lord's prayer ; of the ten commandments . and the doctrine of the sacraments : in octavo . all the said books of the learned dr. isaac barrow , ( except the sermon of bounty to the poor ) are since the author's death published by dr. tillotson dean of canterbury . the true and lively effigies of dr. isaac barrow , in a large print ; ingraven ( from the life ) by the excellent artist d. loggan : price without frame six pence . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e matt. . . luk. . . quamlibet alia verba dicamus , quae affectus orantis vel praecedendo format ut clareat , vel consequendo attendit ut crescat , nihil aliud dicimus , quàm quod in ista dominica oratione positum est , si rectè & congruenter oramus . aug. epist. . vide illum . tim. . . — 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . chrys. tom. v. p. . totius evangelii breviarium ; tert. de orat. , . deut. . . matt. . . psal. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . psal. . . . , . . . jer. . . john . . matt. . . . . luk. . . joh. . . . . . . joh. . . difficillimum est opus orare . luth. fervour of spirit . rom. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . psal. . . ● . . gen. . . deus solus docere potuit , ut se vellet orari . tert. de orat. cap. . matt. . , . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . tom. v. p. . matt. . . luk. . . matt. . . matt. . . jam. . . tim. . . pet. . . luk. . . . . matt. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . apoc. . . apoc. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . chrys. tem. v. p. . esa. . . . . pet. . , . matt. . . pet. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. chrys. in matt. . luk. . . matt. . . . . matt. . . thess. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. chrys. luk. . . rom. . . matt. . . apoc. . . luk. . . psal. . . luk. . . acts . . heb. . . phil. . . sam. . . king. . . sam. . . job . . . . psal. . . . . epict. ench. . plat. criton . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. ant. iv. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ant. iii. ; . ii. . x. . xii . . ant. vii . . x. . sen. de or. sap. . ego secundum naturam vivo , si totum me illi dedo . optimum est deum , quo auctore cuncta proveniunt sine murmuratione comitari , &c. — hic est magnus animus , qui se deo tradidit — sen. ep. , , , &c. de prov. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . chrys. tom. v. . luk. . . matt. . . matt. . . pet. . . heb. . . phil. . . psal. . , . tim. . . matt. . . matt. . . gen. . . deut. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deut. . . luk. . . heb. . . . . pet. . . . , . jam. . . deut. . . tim. . . jam. . . job . . king. . . gen. . . sam. . . chron. . . act. . . . . psal. . . luk. . , . jer. . . psal. . , . jud. . cor. . . pet. . . apoc. . . matt. . . eph. . . notes for div a -e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. just. m. dial. cum tryph. p. ● . deut. . . . . exod. . , . jer. . , . neh. . . rom. . . rom. . . deut. . . rom. . . eph. . . heb. . . deut. . . exod. . . deut. . . . . jam. . , . matt. . . deut. . . . ● deut. . . heb. . . heb. . . . . colos. . . matt. . deut. ● . . mark . . matt. ● . . luk. . . deut. . . rom. . . jer. . ● . jer. . . &c. act. . . &c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . orig. l. . p. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . clem. alex. strom. v. p. . id. de numa . p. . strom. i. vid. aug. de c. d. . . tit. . . eph. . . coloss. . . tim. . . phil. . . psal. . . hab. . . jer. . . virgil aen. . ezek. . . isa. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ma● . tyr. diss . . where he defendeth idolatry . act. . . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . clem. strom. v. p. . the being ordinarily exposed to view doth ( saith clem. alex. ) extenuate the venerability of god ; and to worship the intelligible nature by matter doth vilifie it through the sense . rom. . . psal. . . deut. . . esa. . . — . act. . . — . joh. . . cor. . , . cor. . , . . . gal. . . apoc. . . . . . . * cur nullas aras habent , templa nulla , nulla noia simulacra ? minut. consuestis crimen nobis maximum impietatis aff●gere , quòd neque aedes sacras venerationis ad officia construomus , non deorum alicujus simulacrum constituamus , aut formam , &c. arnob. . † 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . . p. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . philo de gig. * — 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. vid. tertul. de idol . . . p. . p. ● . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. clem. strom. v. p. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. . † tertul. de spectac . cap. . de idol . , , , &c. contra marc. . . vid. iren. . , . tertul. de id. per tot . aug. contra faust. . , . & . . contra epist. pet. . . joh. . , . * s. austin , bede , &c. exod. . . isa. . . deut. . ▪ psal. . . ezek. . . deut. . . jer. . . ezek. . , . kings . . kings . . . . . . . . . . kings . . . . . . job . . vid. deut. . . psal. . . chron. . . isa. . . psal. . . deut. . . levit. . . exod. . . king. . , . . . psal. . . isa. . . joh. ● . . 〈◊〉 . joh. , . 〈◊〉 . ● . . psal. ●● . . jos. ar●h . . . matt. . ● . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . deut. . . . . heb. . . matt. . . exod. . . ezek. . , , . neh. . , . exod. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. just. p. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. . abraham sine circumcisione , & sine observatione sabbatorum credidit deo , &c. iren. iv. . tertul. adv . jud. , . isa. . . ( . ) psal. . . . . . . . . . . legum conditores festos instituerunt dies , ut ad hilaritatem homines publicè cogerentur , tanquam necessarium laboribus interponentes temperamentum . sen. de tranq . an . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . plat. de leg. ii. p. . just. dial. cum tryph. p. . &c. isa. . , ● . ezek. . , , . . . . amos . ▪ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . pag. . isa. . . coloss. . , . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , are both read ; both equivalent . gal. ● . . rom. . , &c. † inter omnia deem praecepta solùm ibi quod de sabbato positum est figuratè observandum praecipitur . aug. ep. . † vid. cit. patres . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . joseph . adv . app. . p. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ib. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. philo de vit. mos. midrash . exod. . levit. . . coloss. . . tim. . . prov. . . . . deut. . . exod. . ▪ . eph. . . deut. . , . eph. . . deut. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . tim. . . colere parentes . eph. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . deut. . . psal. . . psal. . , . psal. ● . , , . prov. . deut. . . rom. . . pet. . . matt. . . joh. . , . prov. . . job . . matt. . . pet. . . coloss. . . thess. . . eph. . . eph. . . cor. . . . , . eph. . , &c. levit. . . ● cor. . . tit. . . thess. . . prov. . . . . . . ezek. . . . , . hos. . . amos . . deut. . . levit. . . deut. . . psal. . . isa. . . jam. . . deut. . . tess. . . cor. . . eph. . . thess. . . thess. . . phil. . . tim. . . prov. . . psal. . . pet. . . heb. . . levit. . . lxx 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . prov. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sirac . . . . . . . cor. . . rom. . . ps. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cor. . . jam. . . rom. . . pet. . . luk. . . . . lev. . . psal. . . . . prov. . . cor. . ▪ . prov. . . cor. . levit. . . psal. . . zech. . ▪ eph. . . col. . . pet. . . mark . . matt. . . rom. . , . rom. . . phil. . . coloss. . . gal. . . rom. . . col. . . . . eph. . . rom. . . tim. . . notes for div a -e cyp. epist. . it hath especially upon vulgar , and weaker minds a strong efficacy . * dominus noster leni jugo suo nos subdidit , & sarcinae levi ; unde sacramentis numero paucissimis , observatione facillimis , significatione praestantissimis societatem novi populi colligavit : sicut est baptismus trinitatis nomine consecratus , communicatio corporis & sanguinis ipsius ; & siquid aliud in scripturis canonicis commendatur , &c. ep. . religionem paucissimis , & manifestissimis clebrationum sacramentis misericordia dei liberam esse voluit . id. ep. . * exod . . sacramenti natura disertè & planè exprimitur . † nimis autem longum est convenienter disputare de varietate signorum , quae , cum ad res divinas pertinent , sacramenta appellantur . aug. ep. . in cunctis christi actionibus sacramentorum mysteria coruscarunt . leo i. ep. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . heb. . , . heb. . . seld. de synedriis . exod. . . numb . . . levit. . , , , . & . . numb . . , &c. ezek. . . joh. . , . mat. . . mark . . * vid. just. apol . . tertul. de bapt. &c. acts . . acts . . ephes. . . cor. . . quid festinat innocens aetas ad remissionem peccatorum ? tertull. — impletur apud nos spiritu sancto puerorum innocens aetas , &c. cypr. ep. . acts . . cor. . . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . tit. . . mat. . . ephes. . . cor. . . ephes. . , , . colos. . . cor. . . ezek. . . — 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . theocr. tit. . . john . . gal. . . rom. . . col. . . cor. . . gal. . . pet. . . colos. . . pet. . . tit. . . mat. . . acts . . acts . . acts . . . . & . . & . . & . . & . . rom. . , . & . . & . . gal. . . & . . heb. . . ephes. . . & . . thess. . . tim. . . pet. . . mat. . . luke . . mark . . pet. . . rom. . , , &c heb. . . pet. . . heb. . . cyp. epist. . exod. . . heb. . . pet. . . tim. . . luk. . , . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . cor. . , . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . luke . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . mark . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . mat. . . mark . . luke . . cor. . . cor. . . joh . , . & . . joh. . . john . . cor. . . vid. cyp. ep. . p. . ep. . p. . cor. . . cor. . . cor. . . cor. . . cor. . . acts . . cor. . . mens deficit , quam non recepta eucharistia erigit & accendit . cyp. ep. . a legal resolution of two important quæres of general present concernment clearly demonstrating from our statute, common and canon laws, the bounden duty of ministers, & vicars of parish-churches, to administer the sacraments, as well as preach to their parishioners; with the legal remedies to reclaim them from, or punish and remove them for their wilfull obstinacy in denying the sacraments to them. by william prynne esq; a bencher of lincolns inne; to whom these quæres were newly propounded by some clients. prynne, william, - . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing p ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing p estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a legal resolution of two important quæres of general present concernment clearly demonstrating from our statute, common and canon laws, the bounden duty of ministers, & vicars of parish-churches, to administer the sacraments, as well as preach to their parishioners; with the legal remedies to reclaim them from, or punish and remove them for their wilfull obstinacy in denying the sacraments to them. by william prynne esq; a bencher of lincolns inne; to whom these quæres were newly propounded by some clients. prynne, william, - . [ ], , [ ] p. printed by f.l., london : in the year, . caption title on p. reads: a legal resolution of two important quæres of general present concernment, &c. running title reads: a legal resolution of two important quæres. reproduction of the original in the british library. eng church of england -- clergy -- early works to . church of england -- government -- early works to . sacraments -- church of england -- early works to . a r (wing p ). civilwar no a legal resolution of two important quæres of general present concernment. clearly demonstrating from our statute, common, and canon laws, t prynne, william d the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the d category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a legal resolution of two important quaeres of general present concernment . clearly demonstrating from our statute , common , and canon laws , the bounden duty of ministers , & vicars of parish-churches , to administer the sacraments , as well as to preach to their parishioners ; with the legal remedies to reclaim them from , or punish and remove them for their wilfull obstinacy in denying the sacraments to them . by william prynne esq a bencher of lincolns inne ; to whom these quaeres were newly propounded by some clyents . august . contr ▪ cresconium grammaticum , l. . c. . christiana sane in vobis sacramenta cognosco , et in his illud quoque diversum improbo ac respuo , quod cum eadem etiam in schismate habea●● , eadem catholicis ex●fflatis . prorsus agnoscit in vobis ecclesia cuncta quae sua sunt , nec ideo non sunt ejus quia apud vos inveniuntur . apud vos quippe aliena sunt , sed cum vos correctos recipit cujus sunt , fiunt etiam salubriter vestra , quae perniciose habebatis aliena ▪ discordia vos possedit sub titulo pacis ; ergo , discordia pellatur , pax introducatur . london , printed by f. l. in the year , . a legal resolution of two important quaeres of general present concernment , &c. the case and quaeres propounded . a. is presented , instituted , inducted to the vicaridge and parish church of b. having immediate and sole cure of souls ( the rectory being impropriate ) and receives the whole profits therof from the parishioners , to whom he usuall preacheth ; but yet ( after many freindly sollicitations and meetings ) peremtorily denieth publikely to administer the sacraments of the lords supper and baptism to the major part of the parishioners ; or to any of them , as his parishoners ; but only to some few in private , as members of his new-gathered congregation ; to the great discontent , grief , injury of the generality of the parishioners . who thereupon desire to be resolved , . whether a. their vicar , by the laws of england , accepting of this parochial vicaridge and cure , and receiving the profits thereof , be not in ●oint of right , justice , law , equity , ex officio mero , obliged duly to administer the sacraments publikely to the parishioners in the church , as fitting and formerly accustomed times , as well as to preach unto them , and that in proper person , if in health and required ? . whether the parishioners may not now legally prosecute a. for his obstinate peremptory refusal to administer the sacraments publikely , personally , and duly to them ? to what penalties a is lyable for this contemptuous neglect of h●s duty towards them ? and what legal course is best for the parishioners to prosecute for their just relief herein , in these distracted times ? the resolution returned to the propounded case , and quaeres . these quaeres being of great moment and universal concernment to all ministers , vicars , and parishioners throughout the nation ; & not debated to my knowledg in any printed law-books or reports , i shall be more copious in the resolution of them for my own satisfaction , as well as your resolution , whom they so much concern ; this being like to prove a leading case to many others in like condition . to your first question , i return this answer . . that it is the general received opinion , resolution of all * councils , fathers , canonists , casuists , schoolmen , divinis , antient or modern , papists or protestants , ( whether lutherans , calvinists , presbyterians , or independents ) i have seen ▪ and the expresse resolution of the church of england , both in antient & modern councils , synods , canons , injunctions , the book of ordination , common prayer , articles of religion , a. . . homilies , and late directory ; that all ministers , presbyters , priests , whatsoever , lawfully called and ordained , are by christs one gospel institution , specially ordained , injoyned , as well to administer the sacraments of baptism and the lords supper to the people , and parishioners committed to their charge , as to preach the gospel to , or catechise them , and that as an essential part of their ministerial function . which they at large evince from mat. . , . mar. . , &c c. . , . luke . to . . c. . . . ● . c. . , john . , . c. . ▪ . acts . , , . c. . c. . , , , . c. . . c. . . . c. . . c. . , . c. . . . luke . . . cor. . , , . c. . ▪ to . c. . , . c. . . ●● . c. . , . rom. . , , . ephes. . ▪ , . tit. . , , . phil. , , gal. . , . and * other texts . hence all the protestant princes , states , cities , and divines in germany , in their concordia pia , & confessio fidei & doctrinae , under all their hands and seals , printed lipsiae p. . define the ministers office ( commonly called sacerdotium by the papists ) to be ministerium verbi , of sacramentorum aliis porrigendorum : evangelical bishops and presbyters to be such , p. . quibussecundum evangelium , sou ut loqunntur de jure divin● , est commissum ministerium verbi et sacramentorum . and p. . artic. . de ordine ecclesiastico , docent quod nemo debeat in ecclesia publice docere aut sacramenta administrare , nisi ritè vocatus : who when thus duly called to the ministry , ought as well to administer the sacraments , as to preach to the people , as they there resolve , p. . and elswhere : with whom all other protestant churches accord , as you may read at large in the harmonie of confessions , sect. , , , ▪ &c. this likewise is the resolution of our statutes of e. c. . rich . c. . h. . c. . . h. . c. . h. . c. . mariae ▪ c. . made in times of popery ; and of the statutes of ed. . c. . & e. . c. . & e. . c. . eliz. c. . eliz. c. . eliz. c. . ( made in times of reformation . ) that preists and ministers ought ex officio mero , to administer the sacraments , as well as preach to their people ; and thereupon these later statutes expresly stile all and every of them in particular , a priest or minister of gods holy word and sacraments , in the copulative ; because they are obliged to minister both of them unto their flocks upon all occasions , both by the laws of god , and the land , as they are ministers . ly , as they are parochial ministers , vicars , or incumbents of parish-churches , they are precisely , personally and indispensably obliged , * ex officio , of meer duty and right to administer the sacraments of the lords supper and baptism to all their parishioners ( who are legally qualified and desire the same ) publ●kely in the church at convenient seasons . this i shall clear , first from the very definition of a parish , and parish-church , to which they are presented , and then by direct statu tes and authorities . cardinal hostiensis in his summa , l. . tit. de parrochiis , panormitan in rubrica de parrochiis , petrus rebuffus de collationibus , p. willielmus lyndewoode provinc . constit . l. . tit. de parrochiis , duarenus de beneficiis , & disputat . anniversaria , l. . c. . franciscus zerula praxis episcopalis , pars . tit. parochia . goffriàus abbas , tit. parrochi● , with sundry others , define a parish to be locus in quo degit populus certis finibus limitatus , et alicui ecclesiae deputatus . and a parish church to be , ecclesia quae habet parochiam ad ejus curam deputatam , ad quam convenit populus * ad recipienda sacramenta , et ad audienda sacra , et verbum dei , et rudimenta fidei , diebus sacris . which dr. iohn cowel in his interpreter , and iohn minshaw , in his guide unto tongues , in the word parish , thus second & english ; a parish in our common law , is the particular charge of a secular priest : and then subjoyn , a parochial church is that which is instituted for the saying of divine service , and ministring of the holy sacraments to the people dwelling within such a compass of ground near unto it . with them accords the book of mich. e : . fitz. quare impedit . where they prove a church to be no chapel , but a parish church , because it had sepulture , baptism , and sacraments administred in it . and the statute of h. . c. . for the church of whitegate to be made a parish of it self , and no part of the parish of over ; proves it to be a parish church antiently , from this very reason , because the inhabitants and tenants within such places and precincts , time out of mind , came and resorted to the said parish-church of whitegate , within which times they have continually received sacraments and sacramentals at and in the said church , and have continually used to marry , bury , and christen within the same . and the statute of h. . c. . reduced the town of royston , belonging to remote parish-churches , to one parish church new built i nt , because it was over-painfull ( especially to the impotent , sickly , and aged inhabitants ( to travel to those churches so remote , or any of them , to hear their divine service , and they could not have the sacraments and sacramentals to be ministred to them , according to the laudable custom of holy church , to their great perils and jeopardies , through the remoteness of these churches , and absence of their parsons and curates in such cases of necessity , when their presence o the comfort and consoliation of their parishioners , is most requisite and ●ehovefull . so that parish churches ( so stiled , because originally built by the patrons and parishioners for their ease , use , benefit , and the use of , and ast; seats in them are still in the patron & parish , who repair them ) were originally built and ast; consecrated , as well for the administration of sacraments in them , by their parish priests , parsons , and vicars , as for divine service , prayers and preaching ; of which the people cannot be deprived , without their great disconsolation , perils and jeopardies , as this paliament and statute resolve : to which the statute of jacobi , ch. . for errecting a new church in melcombe regis , to be the parish church of radipol , &c ▪ might be added , to the like effect . this will be most apparent and irrefragable , by considering the office and duty of every parish-priest parson and vicar , and why he is stiled par●chial : he his stiled a parish-priest or minister , as duarenus and others forecited resolve , because he is specially obliged to preach , administer the sacraments , and perform all other duties belonging to a minister , to all and every inhabitant of that parish to whose church he is presented , instituted inducted ; and not to any others , but only voluntarily when he pleaseth , being married and espoused to that peculiar parish ; whence he is stiled * parochus , and the people parochia , by the canonists and lawyer ; a angelus de clavasio , and b franciscus zerula , thus describe the office of a parish-priest , or vicar . parochi officium est , primo praedicare : pueros rudimenta fidei et obedientian docere : vim , et usum sacramentorum exarare populo : oves sass agnoscere , et bono exemplo pascere ; sacramenta administrare , &c. c rebuffus thus seconds them . ecclesia parochialis dicitur beneficium saeculare et cum administratione , quia curatus tenetur ministrare sacramenta ecclesiastica , &c. aliaque opera parochianos tangentia , facere tenetur . and he is called an d incumbent , both by the common , and canon law , from the word incumbo , because he ought diligently and wholly to apply him self to discharge these his pastoral duties him●elf , tim. . , . acts . . this duty of administring the sacraments , as well as preaching , is so inseparably annexed to every parochial minister , vicar and incumbent , that e jacobus de graffiis , f jo. andreas , and other casuists , question , whether parochus potest assumere alium sacerdotem in adjutorem pro administranda eucharistia , vel in officio praedicandi , vel aliis ? resolving affirmatively , that he may , only for a season , when himself by reason of sickness , or multitude of the communicants , or other necessary occasions , is unable to discharge those duties in person , quia tunc necessitas legem non habet . non tamen possit per viam delegationis generalis committere alicui omnem suam curam , quia videretur se exonerare , cum tamen debeat per se exercere . with these canonists , the book of the consecration of our english ministers ; the homilies touching the use and administration of the sacraments ; the book of common prayer and administration of the sacraments , with the rubricks therein ; the articles of the church of england , artic. , . confirmed by several protestant parliaments , the english * injunctions of h. & qu. eliz. reformatio legum ecclesiasticarum , in king edward the . his reign , and the canons of k●ng james , and the convocation under him , can. , , , . fully accord , injoyning all parsons , vicars , incumbents whatsoever , to administer baptism and the eucharist to their parishioners , at least * thrice every year in person ( which they used to administer ever● lords day to the people in the primitive church , as i have elsewhere prov'd at large ) as well as to preach , catechise , and read divine service to them . memorable is that passage in that pathetical exhortation prescribed by the church of england , in the b●ok of common prayer , to be used by all ministers when they shall see the people negligent to come to the ho●y communion , viz. when god calleth you , be you not ashamed to say , i will not come ? &c. i for my part am here pesent , and according to mine office , i bid you in the name of god , i call you in christs behalf , i exhort you as you love your own salvation , that ye will be partakers of this holy communion , &c. and whereas you offend god so sore in refusing this holy banquet , i admonish , exhort , and beseech you , that unto this unkindnesse you will not adde any more , which thing ye shall do , if ye stand by as gazers and lookers on them that do communicate , and be not partake●s of the same your self , &c. how many ministers now a days preach direct dehortations from the sacrament , pointblank against this exhortation and their t●●s , prescribed by god and christ himself , cor. . , . this do , as oft ( as ye do eat and drink ●t ) ●n remembrance of me , and no lesse than acts of parliament , which thus back the premises . the statute of e. c. . in the very beginning of reformation , and yet in force , enacts , that the blessed sacrament be hereafter commonly delivered and ministred unto the people within the church of england and ireland , & other the kings dominions , under both the kinds of bread and wine ; that the people present shall receive the same with the priest which shall administer the sam● , who shall , at least one day before , exhort , all persons which shall be present , likewise to resort , and prepare themselves to receive the same : and when the day prefixed commeth , after a godly exhortation by the minister made , the said minister shall not without a lawfull cause deny the same to any person that will devoutly and humbly desire it ; any law , statute , ordinance , or custom to the contrary hereunto in any wise notwithst●nding . the statutes of and ed. . c. . . and e. . c. . and eliz. c. . enact and ordain ▪ that all and singular ministers in any cathedral or parish-church shall be bound to say and use the celebration of the lords supper , and administration of the sacrament of baptism , and of the lords supper , in such order and form as is mentioned in the book of common prayer ; and if any manner of parson , vicar , or other whatsoever minister that ought to mi●ister the sacraments shall refuse to minister the sacraments , in such cathedral or parish-church , or other places , as he should use to minister the same , in such order and form as they be mentioned and set forth in the said book : or shall wilfully and obstinately standing in the same , use any other rite , ceremony , order , form , or manner of administration of the sacraments , than is mentioned and set forth in the same book : that upon his lawfull conviction thereof , by verdict of men , or by his own confession , or by notorious evidence of the fact , he shall lose and forfeit to the king , his heirs and successors , for his first offence , one whole years profit of his benefice , or spiritual promotion , and also suffer imprisonment for months without bayl or main●rise ; and for his second offence , be ipso facto deprived of all his spiritual promotions , and likewise suffer one whole years imprisonment , and for his third offence , suffer imprisonment during life . the statute of eliz. c. . enacts , that none shall be made minister , or admitted to preach or minister the sacraments , being under the age of years . that every person admitted to any benefice with cure , shall publickly read the articles of religion in the same church whereof he shall have the cure , in the time of the common prayer there , with declaration of his unfeigned assent thereto , and be admitted to minister the sacraments within one year after his induction ; or else upon every such default , he shall be ipso facto immediately deprived , and there upon the patron prese●t a new incumbent . by all which * acts it is clearly resolved , that every parson , viccar , minister of a parochial church is admitted thereunto , as well to administer the sacraments as to preach , and peremptorily obliged , frequently , constantly to do it in person , as a principal duty of his function and pastoral cure , under pain of forfeiting of the profits of his benefice , imprisonment , and deprivation , for his contempt and neglect thereof , by these expresse statutes of our protestant parliaments , as well as by our canons , convocations , divines and the whole church of england . if any object , that these statutes are now abrogated , repealed by the ordinance of both houses , prescribing the use of the directory , in place of the book of common prayer and administration of the sacraments ; therfore ministers are not now obliged by them to administer the sacraments to their parishioners . to this i answer . . that no ordinance of parliament whatsoever ( especially to repeal and alter former acts of parliament ) can be made without the three fold consent of king , lords , and commons in parliament , an act and ordinance of parliament being all●ne , and requiring the self same treble consent in law , as i have irrefragably proved at large in my i●enarches redivivus printed anno . against sir edward cooks and other mistakes in this point ; which threefold assent the objected ordinances wanting , are meer nullities in law , and can no waies repeal these forecited statutes , remaining still in their legal power . ly . admit these statutes repealed , or suspended by these ordinances , ( which i deny in point of law ) yet these very objected ordinances , and the directory it self , positively enjoyn all ministers and vicars , duly to administer the sacraments of the lords supper and baptism to all their parishioners ( duly prepared and qualified according to these ordinances ) as well as these statutes and the books of common prayer . therefore if these ordinances or the directory be still in force , they are bound by them to administer the sacraments to their parishioners ; but if they be grown out of date , and absolete , ( as the objectors and those of the congregational way believe , who will not submit unto them ) then the statutes pretended to be repealed by them , are again revived by their expiration , and so oblige them as firmly now as heretofore . . the administration of the sacrament being an * essential inseparable part of every ministers duty , who hath a parochial cure , or charge of souls , both by the law of god , and constitutions of our own and all other christian churches , as i have proved , admit these statutes all repealed , yet they are still obliged by their very office , and pastoral function , to administer the sacraments to their parishioners , and therefore liable to divine and humane punishments for contempt or neglect thereof . if any object in the second place , that they are now admitted to parochial cures , only to preach the gospel in their parish churches , but not to administer the sacraments to their parishioners , as formerly . i answer , . that if there be any such new forms of admissions and institutions used , they are meerly void in law by the expresse resolution of the statute of . eliz. c. . and the other forcited acts : and ministers thus admitted are but only bare lecturers , not parsons , vicars or incumbents by our laws , & so the church still void notwithstanding such admissions , which are only to one part of their ministerial function , not to all their spiritual cure ▪ ly . such admissions to cures are strange monstrous impostures , hypocritical delusions , yea grosse absurdities , execrable to god and all honest christian men ; enabling ministers to receive the whole tithes , dues of their parishioners , yet exempting them from the moity at least of their pastoral duties , to which the laws of god and the land oblige them . we lately decryed it as an impious solecism & excuse in our old lazy non-preaching parsons and vicars ; that they alleged , they were instituted only to read common p●ayers , homilies , and administer the sacraments ; but not to preach to their parishioners . in the bishop of * dunkelden , and other lordly prelats , that they were ordained bishops only to govern the church , confirm and ordain ministers , but not to preach or administer the sacraments : and shall we now after all our late pretences of reforming their abuses , and declamations against their idlenesse , admit our new parochial incumbents to plead they are only half-ministers ; bound solely to preach , but not to baptise , administer the lords supper , catechise , visit the sick marry , bury , as all their predecessors did ? if any gentlemans hired shepherd should neglect to fold his sheep , or look them out when stray'd , and then plead he was only bound by his office to feed , keep them in their pasture ; or if his hired cook should tell him , that as his cook , he is bound only to boyl , but not to rost his meat , or bake his venison ; or should his laundress affirm , she was hired only to m●ke his bed , and sweep his chamber , but not to wash his linnen , or starch his bands or cuffs ; or his groom maintain , he was by his place obliged only to dress his horses , & give them hay , but not to water or carry them their provender ; would not all deride these their absurd , irrational allegations , and their master cudgell them to the performance of all the parts of their respective duties , or else turn them presently out of service ? and will god or men then indure , that their ministers of the gospel ( especially when pretending extraordinary eminency , diligence and saintship above other of their brethren ) should thus juggle with them to their faces , as openly to affirm , they took the ●ole cure of their souls only to reap all their dues , tithes , and to feed them with gods word in the pulpit , ( of which the * unconverted , unbaptized heathens , are capable as well as christians : ) but not with christs sacramental body or bloud at the lords table ; whereto professed christians only have a right , cor. . . to . c. . . to the end ? to instruct their aged ▪ but not baptize their infant , or catechize their younger parishioners ? yea , that they took upon them their pastoral cure only to shear their fleeces , but not to own them as any part of their church or ●lock , or discharge the duty of a pastor towards them , unlesse they will unmodel themselves from a parochial church , into a private congregational conventicle ? those who have hearts of * adamant , or faces of brasse , publikely to make such an untheological , irrational , illegal , unministerial plea as this , so diametrically contrary to the very essence of their pastoral function , duty , and to their painfull predecessors practices in all ages , churches ; to our blessed * saviours own prastice , precepts ; and his description of a true and good shepard : john ( yea to the definition of a true * visible church , wherein the word of god is truly preeched , and the sacraments duly administred , ) may justly fear they are no true shepards , but rather theeves , robbers , hirelings ; because they withhold from their flocks the sacrament of their spiritual regeneration ; yea the body , bloud , cup of our lord jesus christ , the g chief shepard of the sheep , who bequeathed it to them as their chiefest legacy , at his death , though themselves stile and confesse them to be , the very * seals of the covenant of grace , which they hold forth unto them only as a blank without a seal , refusing to set these seals unto it , when importuned by their people , upon any terms , but conformity to their own new church-wayes , thereby making the very * sacrament of christian love and union , a meer seminary of schism , contention , division , separation . and because they entred not by the door into the sheepfold , that is by any legal form of admission to their whole pastoral cure , but climbed up some other new way , only to preach unto their people , rather as to a company of unconverted heathens , than a christian church , till new minted into a segregated congregation , ( collected out of sundry parishes though never so remote ) but not to give the sacraments to them upon any terms ; h which they ought to do , yet not to leave their preaching undone , which though it be the first and chiefest part of their ministry , yet it is not the quarter part of their pastoral function , as scriptures and our laws resolve . if a. object , that he hires another to baptize and give the lords supper sometimes to his parishioners , though he do it not himself , his judgement and conscience being to the contrary . i answer , . this is a clear confession , that it is a part of his own duty , else why should he hire another to discharge it in his stead ? . this proves the former objection ( that he was admitted only to preach ) a meer fiction . . if he refuse to do it himself , out of conscience , as a thing utterly unlawfull in his iudgement for him to administer unto his parishioners , whilest in a parochial way ; with what conscience can he hire another to do that in his behalf and right , which himself holds sinfull , unlawfull for himself to do ? doubtlesse a sincere purely tender conscience will never hire or authorize any other to discharge that office for him , which himself holds utterly unlawfull , unevangelicall , nor dare accept or retain a parochial cure upon any terms to gain the fleece so long as he disclaims the constitution as antichristian , and the flock as none of his pasture sheep . ly . such a poor tender conscience would rather resign its parochial charge , to avoid all appearance of evill , of scandal , and still the checks arising in it , that grieve the spirits , wound the consciences , or disquiet the peace of the generality of his parishioners , by the personal neglect of his duty , in not communicating with them at the font and lords table as his real flock , or as one speritual bread and body with them , as he ought to do . . cor. . , . and that only upon this ground , because they will not conform to the new independent guarb against our lawes , for which they can produce no text , no colour of authority from scripture , antiquity , or reason , to warrant the seclusion of any from the sacraments that are under their parochial cure . ly . the discharge of this part of his duty by such a person , or in such a manner as gives no satisfaction to our lawes , nor his parishioners , is no satisfactory plea before gods or mans tribunal , since he can no more conscientiously or duly administer the sacraments , than the parishioners receive them , only by a substitute . yea , if it were no good excuse for our pluralists , or non-resident prelatical clergy-men heretofore , that they preached and discharged their ministerial function by their curates , their office being i personal and untransferrable to another , then by the selfsame reason , it can be no plea in law or conscience for this vicar , that be administers the sacraments to them only by another vicar ; especially when he doth it to his separate congregation by himself alone , and never by a proxy . ly . it it a strange plea to plead conscience against doing that expresse duty , which his very place and calling oblige him both in * conscience and justice to perform . such is the free admission of his parishioners to the lords supper . which christ himself , his apostles , christian ministers in all ages till this present , made conscience duly and diligently to administer to the people , exhorting them frequently to receive the same . i suppose mr. john humfrey his treatises of free admission unto the lords supper , his rejoinder to dr. drake , and john timson his bar removed , will rectifie his conscience , and remove this bar , if perused by him . to your quaere i answer , . it is a principle in divine , civil , canon , and common law , & in the gospel too , beneficium propter officium ; that every minister or person who enters into , & reaps the benefit of any office or function , ouhght coscentiously to perform all the duties of his ministry and function , and addict himself fully and personally to discharge them , as luk. . , . rom. . . cor. . , . cor. . , . & . , , . cor. . , to . eph. . , . col. . . tim. . . c. . , , . tim. . , , . tit. . . pet. . , . compared with luk. . . tim. . , . rom. . . gal. . . thes. . . resolve . ly . that it is a maxime in law , k that the grant of every office to any person for life or in fee , hath this tacit condition annexed to it by the very law it self , without any special words or condition of the grantor , that the grantee shall well and truly perform his office , execute that which to such office belongeth to be done , and attend upon it ; or otherwise , that he shall forfeit the same : and that it shall be lawful for the grantor or his heirs , to out him of his office , and grant it to another who will more faithfully discharge it . littleton puts the case of a parker , steward , constable , bedelary , baylywick ; and he adds other offices , &c. which extend to ecclesiastical , as well as temporal offices . i shall illustrate it by some few unprinted records . claus. . e. . m. . earl waren camerarius scaccarii ( which office he had leave to execute by deputy ) forfeited his office by the default and negligence of his deputy . claus. . e. . dors. . the marshal's office of england was seised as forfeited by the judges of the king's bench , because he had not one to attend there for him : after which , he was fined at l. and upon promise of better attendance , restored . clause . e. . m. . the king sends a writ to the high-sheriff of cambridge , de subvicecomite amovendo , & aliena substituendo , because he misdemeaned himself in his office , was a person of ill fame , a cozener , one that had two names . claus. . e. . m. . claus. . e. . m. , , . claus. . e. . m. . claus. . e. . m. , . claus. . e. . dors. . claus. . e. . m. . i finde l several writs to remove coroners from their offices , and to elect new in their places , because they could not , or did not attend upon their offices , or were sick , deaf , or unable to discharge them , though elected onely by the county in their couny-court . and if temporal offices have such a condition in law annexed to them , and are forfeited by the non-performance of them , and all the duties belonging to them ; much more then spiritual , which concern mens souls . . every person who sustains any considerable prejudice or damage by the wilful negligence , non-performance or mis-performance of any m sheriffs , bayliffs , escheators , guardian , attorny , viteler , hostler , smith , physitian , chirurgion , carpenter , mason , or other officer , or person intrusted by , or set over him ; may have a legal action or remedy against them at the common law , by an action of the case , or otherwise , wherein he shall recover damages : which law holds in spiritual and ecclesiastical offices . littleton is express , sect. , . that if a man give lands in frankalmoigne to an abbot , prior , or any other man of religion , or holy church ; or to a parson of a church and his successors , to have onely divine and spiritual services done for him ; if they afterwards will not do , or fail to do such divine services ; if the services be not put in certainty , the lord may complain thereof to their lord or visitor , praying him that he will lay some punishment or correction for this , and also provide that such negligence be no more done ; and the ordinary or visitor of right are to do this : but if the divine service be in certain to be done , as to sing a mass , placebo , or dirge , &c. on some set-day of the week or year ; the lord , if such divine service be not done , may enter and distrain them to do it ; or else detain the lands , as forfeited , and n escheated to him by the non-performance of the divine service . these generals premised , i conceive the grieved parishioners may relieve themselves , and either reclaim or remove their vicar , if obstinate , by these legal proceedings , at the common law , ( which must be as just and equal to right the parishioners against their vicar for detaining their spiritual food and duties from them , as to help the vicar to recover his tythes and duties from them , when injuriously detained ; else it should be either very partial or defective ) there being now no ecclesiastical court , jurisdiction or commission extant , wherein or whereby to right them . . they may once more in a christian friendly manner ( for i would have no violent courses used , if christian intercessions may prevail ) repair to their vicar before the first lord's day of the next month ( and so in succeeding months ) and importune him to deliver the sacrament to such of them publickly in the parish-church , as he cannot charge with any scandal or ignorance , and to baptize their children at cording to his duty , else to resign his place to such a godly minister as will constantly do it : and if he peremptorily and frowardly deny to do either , or to allow such other able minister as the parishioners shall make choice of to perform these duties to them , they may then o publickly indict him for it upon the statutes of e. . c. . and eliz. c. . and upon the second conviction , he is ipso facto deprived of all his spiritual promotions , and his vicaredge , and the patron may present another . . they may all , after such refusal , joyntly detain their tythes and duties demanded by him as their vicar , because by his own confession he was never legally instituted to discharge all the duties of an incumbent , according to eliz. c. . and disclaims to own them as his proper flock and cure , owning onely his segregated congregation for such , in opposition and contradistinction to his parish ; which they may plead in bar of any legal action to recover his dues : this p disclaiming of them , being a kinde of resignation of his vicaredge , and bar unto his dues ; quia beneficium , propter officium : and if he be not their true , real parochial vicar , and do not his duty to them , he hath no right to their parochial dues , nor yet unto the glebe . if he will muzzle their mouths , * not tread out the corn to them at the lord's table ; they may also muzzle his mouth , that he shall not eat of their corn , at his own or their tables , by way of retaliation . our * law-books resolve , that if an annuity be granted to a lawyer , attorny or physitian , pro consilio suo impenso & impendendo ; if they stop or refuse to give the grantors their counsel when required ; or if a. grants an annuity to b. for the use of a way , and b. stops the way , that hereupon the grantors may justly stop and detain the annuities , being forfeited by their stoppage , and refusal of their counsel , advice or way granted ; and may plead the same in bar of any action at law for these annuities : much more then may the parishioners do it , when their vicar or incumbent not only peremptorily refuseth to give them the sacraments , but disclaims to be their vicar or pastor in a parochial and legal way . if they will reap all their temporal things and duties , it is just they should sow and administer to them all their spiritual things and nutriments ; if the parishioners must not muzzle their mouths , much less must they muzzle their parishioners , by keeping them back from the lord's table , cor. . , . rom. . . . every particular parishioner grieved , may by the statutes of e. . c. , , . have a special action upon the case against him at the common law , ( as i conceive ) since he can now have no remedy in any spiritual courts , as formerly , being all suppressed : by the self-same reason , as executors and legatees , now sue at the common law , and in chancery , for such things , such legacies , and ministers for such tythes and duties , as formerly they had no suit nor remedy for , but in ecclesiastical courts alone ; else there should be a great failer of justice : and because no ecclesiastical q jurisdiction is now either wronged by , nor can be claimed , pleaded against such actions , there being none to take present conusans of them : or at least , they way have a * special action against him , upon the statutes of ed. . c. . & eliz. c. . as well as upon the statutes of magna charta , c. . of merton , c. . and other acts . . i conceive the patron himself ( from the forecited reasons of littleton's cases of frankalmoigne , sect. , . and of conditions in law , sect. , . ) upon the vicars refusal to own the parishioners , and administer the sacraments to them , as his flock ; ( for which end , the glebe and duties thereunto belonging , were first given by the patron and his tenants to the vicar and his successors , as well as to preach ) may justly enter upon him for breach of this condition in law , out him of the glebe and vicaredge , and bestow them on some other by his immediate deed of collation , and livery of seisin , without any presentation , as * free chappels used to be , and are still collated ; and that upon this legal ground ; r because patrons originally had the sole right of collating , inducting , instituting clerks and incumbents to their churches , without the bishops special license , ( as they conferred other freeholds to their tenants , by their own immediate grants and liveries ) till bishops and ordinaries , by sundry canons extorted by degrees this jurisdiction from them , ingrossing the power of approving , admitting , instituting , and inducting clerks into parochial churches by degrees into their own hands . which bishops with their canons , ordinances , being now suspended or abrogated in england , and their ancient jurisdiction , by no express act of any real parliament legally transferred to any other ecclesiastical or civil jurisdiction ; thereupon the patron 's original right of collating benefices by immediate grant and livery , and outing the incumbent thereof , ( as patron s and visitor of the church ) for not administring the sacrament and discharging his pastoral office , is * revived , resetled in him by law : so as he may now justly enter , put out , or deprive the vicar , as the bishop and ecclesiastical courts might formerly have done , there being no other legal ecclesiastical powers here extant to depose him : which the marginal law-books , with other authorities will cleer , compared with e. . . e. . , . br. extinguishment and reviver . . . cooks instit. f. , . . e. . . bro. escheat , , and e. . c. , . . i conceive a special writ may be framed and directed to the vicar , commanding him to administer the sacraments to his parishioners , according to his pastoral duty , and the laws and customes of england ; and if then he refuse to do it , thereupon he may be fined , attached , ejected for this contempt , and that upon this ground . our king heretofore , being * supreme governours in and over all ecclesiastical and temporal causes , and persons , had by the very common law of england a soveraign power , without any act of parliament , by their remedial writs upon all occasions , to enjoyn all officers , prelates , priests , ministers , persons under them , to discharge those offices , duties , which the laws themselves and their offices engaged them to perform . this is evident , not only from the examples of solomon , jehosaphat , hezekiah , josiah , ezra , and other godly kings and governours in scripture , who appointed the courses of the priests and levites to be in the temple , commanded them to wait upon , and execute their offices in every particular , according to their charges ; to offer sacrifices , praise , and minister before the lord , as the duty of every day required , to kill and prepare the passeover for the people : but likewise , by special proclamations & edicts , commanded both levites , priests , people , to keep , celebrate and eat the passeover ( a type of the lords supper which succeeds it ) when they had neglected it sundry years , chron. . . chron. . , . c. . , , . c. . , to . & . , , . c. . , to . ezek. . , to . but also , . from the elegant t oration of king edgar to his prelates and clergy , et mea quidem interest laicos , cum aequitatis jure tractare , inter virum & proximum suum justum judicium facere , &c. sed & meae sollicitudinis est ecclesiarum ministris , gregibus monachorum , choris virginum & necessaria administrare , & paci corum ac quieti consulere . de quorum omnium moribus ad nos spectat examen , si vivunt continenter , si honeste so habent ad eos qui foris sunt , si in divinis officiis solliciti , ●● in docendo populo as●●dui si victu sobrii , si moderati habitu , s in iudiciis sunt discreti , &c. ego constantini , vos petri gladium habetis in manibus ; jungamus dextras , gladium gladio copulemus , ut projiciantur extra crastra leprosi , &c. . from the statute of magna charta , c. . we shall deny nor defer to no man justice or right ; to wit , neither in civil nor ecclesiastical things or causes , the words being general , and extending equally to both , as this charter doth , both to all ecclesiastical and temporal persons , freemen of the realm of england , c. , & . . from this usual recital in our kings writs : u nos qui singulis de regno nostro in exhibitione justitiae sumus debitores : nos volentes quibuscunque legis nostris in curits nostris plenam , & celerem iustitiam exhiberi . precipimus , &c. justiciae complementum sibi fieri & nullatenus differri , &c. secundum legem & consuetudinem regni nostri . . by the statute of west . . an. e. . c. , , . which enacts , that where a writ is granted out of the chancery for a thing done to the noysance of another , the plaintiffs from henceforth shall not depart out of the kings courts without remedy , because in the register of the chancery there is no special writ found in his case ; but from henceforth , where in one case a vvrit is granted , in like case when like remedy faileth , the writ shall be made as hath been used before : and from henceforth , as often as it shall fortune in the chancery , that in one case a vvrit is found , and in like case , falling under like law , and requiring like remedy , there is found none ; the clerks of chancery shall agree in making the writ , or the plaintiffs may adjourn it till the next parliament ; and by consent of men learned in the law , a ( new ) writ shall be made ( according to his special new case ) lest it should happen afterwards , that the kings court should fail to minister iustice unto complainants . and lest suiters coming to the kings court should depart from thence without remedy , they shall have writs provided in their cases : by vertue of which statutes , the subjects grieved , have usually had , not only a vvrit grounded thereon , particulatly stiled x in consimili casu , but many other writs , as appeareth in our books , though they bear not that name . and by vertue thereof , i am cleer of opinion , the parishioners may have a special writ against their vicar in this very case , to enjoyn him to administer the sacrament of baptism and the lords supper to them and their children , to admit them thereunto , as well as a vvrit de clerico admittendo , to the bishop , and de attornato recipiendo , to the sheriff , upon the statute of merton , c. . when they refuse to admit them contrary to our laws . . from the ancient vvrit of william the conqueror to y remigius bishop of lincolu , and all other bishops and archdeacons : willielmus dei gratia , &c. propterea mando & regia auctoritate praecipio , ut nullus episcopus , vel archidiaconus de legibus episcopalibus amplius in hundret , placita , teneant , &c. and from his jurisdiction over all ecclesiastical persons and causes thus recorded by eadmerus , hist. novorum , l. . p. . cuncta ergo divina simul & humana ejue nutum expectabant . non ergo pati volebat quenquam in omni dominati●ne sua constitutum , romanae urbis pontificem , pro apostolico , nisi se jubente recipere , aut ejus literas si primitu● sibi oftensae non fuissent ullo pacto suscipere . primatum quoque regni sui , archiepiscopum dico centuariensem , si coacto generali episcoporum concilio praesideret , non sinebat quicquam statuere vel prohibere , nisi quae suae voluntati accommodata , & à se primo essent ordinata . nulli nihilominus episcoporum concessum iri permittebat , ut aliquem de baronibus suis , seu ministris , sive incesto , sive adulterio , sive aliquo capitali crimine denotatum , publicè nisi ejus praecepto implacitaret , aut excommunicaret , aut ulla ecclesiastici rigoris poena constringeret : therefore much less would he permit any bishop or minister under him to suspend or seclude them from the sacraments , ( especially those no wayes guilty of such scandalous sins or other crimes ) as now our ministers do their parishioners , without any divine , regal , or legal authority , but their own papal usurpation , pride or peevishness . . this is most apparent by the usual known printed writs of our kings to relieve their grieved subjects both in civil and ecclesiastical courts and things ; as namely , the vvrits b de procedendo ad judicium , when any judge or court of justice delayes the plaintiff or defendant of his right , in not giving judgement for them , when , and so speedily as they might . c de libertatibus allocandis , when the justices of the king , eyre or forest , deny or delay to grant any burrough or person the ancient liberties they formerly enjoyed by charter or prescription . the vvrit d de leproso amovendo to the major of london , and other officers , to remove lepers which infect the people ; and , de villi● & venellis mundandis , when they neglect to remove the one , & cleanse the other , as they ought . the several e writs to sheriffs and others , to repair highways , bridges , walls , sea-banks , and the like , extant in the clause and patent rolls , before any statutes made for their repair : the writs f de reparatione facienda , de curia claudenda , & quod permittat , to particular persons to repair houses and fences , when they neglect to do it , and are bound thereto by law , and to enjoy their commons , rights , &c. the vvrits de attornato recipiendo , de moderata misericordia , de secta ad molendinum & curiam , de ne injusta vexos , de non ponendo in assisis & juratis , quod clerico non eligantur in officium ballivi , &c. de corrodio habendo , quo jure , vilaica removenda : vvith many other vvrits of this nature to temporal officers , persons : by these ensuing vvrits to ecclesiastical persons ; as namely , the usual writs to bishops g ad admittendum clericum , & de cautione admittenda ; to enforce them to admit clerks , and absolve , excommunicate persons upon caution tendered , when they refused to do it against right and law . to which i shall add , claus. . e. . dors . . & . claus. . e. . dors . . claus. . e. . dors . . claus. e. . dors . . claus. . e. . m. . claus. . e. . dors . , . claus. . e. . pars . m. . where several writs are directed to the bishops and clergy-men , to make special prayers and supplications for the king and his children , the nobles and state of the realm , upon several occasions , in times of war and danger ; to make special thanksgivings for victories , and intercessions for eminent persons souls departed , as they were then obliged to do in those times of superstition . cart. . joan. dors . . a vvrit to the chapter of york , not to elect s. de c. for their archbishop , quia esset contra honorem nostrum & oommodum regni nostri , pat. . h. . m. . claus. . h. . m. . pat. . h. . dors . . pat. . e. . m. . pat. . e. . pars . m. , . pat. . joan. m. . where king john , henry , and eward . by their special writs , prohibited the archbishops , bishops , and clergy in their counsels and synods to do , act , enact , or assent to any thing concerning their crowns , person , state , counsel , or against their royal crown , dignity , or the rights of the realm of england ; and to revoke , suspend the counsels and convocations summoned by the archbishop , under pain of forseiting all their goods , and seisure of their baronies , claus. . h. . pars . dors . . a vvrit to walter bishop of duresm , reciting , that none ought to judge the laws of the realm , but the king , and his nobles and judges ; that if he presuming on his royal liberties , did otherwise , ipsas libertates regales , ad nos per vestrum abusum censemus devolvendas , claus. . e. . dors . . a vvrit to the bishop of london injoyning him no longer to permit any persons to come and worship quandam tabulam , ( having divers pictures in it , and the earl of lancansters amongstothers ) which they worshipped and adored , tanquam rem sine sanctum , absque authoritate ecclesiae romanae : with sundry such-like writs to bishops and clergy-men in our records , the grounds whereof extend to our present case . and claus. . h. . m. . a vvrit of prohibition to the archbishop of york , not to excommunicate some who hurt and molested the cruce-signati , because the cruce-signati had no title to the lands . but that which comes neerest to our case , and is the same in substance , ( confirmation and chrism being formerly reputed * sacraments amongst us in time of popery ) is this memorable case , recorded in rot. claus. an. . e. . the bishop of exeter would have visited the church of st. burian in cornwal , founded by king arthur , and exempted from episcopal jurisdiction : whereupon , they opposing his visitation , the bishop interdicted the parish , and refused to give them oyl and chrism to baptize their infants , or to confirm their children : upon complaint whereof to the king , there issued a writ out of the chancery to the bishop , commanding him to absolve them , confirmare parvulos , & chrisma mittere , to confirm their children , & send them chrism to baptize their infants . this record was vouched and shewed to the judges of the king ; bench , mich. jacobi , upon this occasion : the parishioners of a village in kent , elected a church-warden according to their ancient custom , but the bishops official refused to admit him ; whereupon the parishioners , by m. noy their counsel , moved in the kings bench for a writ and mandamus to the official , to admit the churchwarden , or if he did not , to shew good cause to the court why he refused to do it ; which the court upon view of this president granted them , and upon it the churchwarden was admitted to his office : if then our kings , and their courts of chancery and kings bench might enjoyn this bishop and this official by special writs and mandates to absolve these interdicted parishioners , confirm their children , & send them chrism to baptise their infants , and to admit the churchwarden the others had chosen according to their duties , by the statutes of e. . c. , , . forecited , or by their own inherent jurisdiction without any special act of parliament , being things to which they were obliged by our laws & their very offices , duties to perform ; then by the self-same law and reason , may our kings , and courts of justice upon all occasions , by vertue of these statutes , whereon these writs were principally grounded , issue forth the like writs and mandates to all ministers and vicars , who refuse personally to baptize or deliver the lords supper to their parishioners at due & accustomed seasons , or to admit them freely to those sacraments , according to their bounden duties , to which their very office with the laws of god & the realm oblige them , unless they can shew a legal cause to the contrary , ( as none of them can do ) and in case they refuse to do it , they may thereupon be attached , fined , imprisoned , till they do conform and assent to do it ; as well as in the case of a * quid juris clamat , or per qua servicia , by which any tenant where he is bound and adjudged by law to attorn , & refuseth to do it , shall be imprisoned till he actually attorn in proper person ; ( not by deputy , which the law will not admit ) it being a personal duty , not performable by any other . i shall conclude this with that memorable record of pa● . . e. . m. . where the king by his writs , commanded all his sheriffs , bayliffs , and lieges , effectually to summon , admonish and induce all the jews within their bayliwicks , diligently to meet together to hear god's word preached to them by the friers predicants without tumult , contention or blasphemy , and not to hinder any jews from conversion whose hearts god should please to convert , as you may read at large in the part of my short domurrer to the jews long discontinued remitter into england , p. , . and if our kings by their writs might lay such injunctions on the unbelieving english jews , much more may they enjoyn all english ministers to administer the sacraments to their people , and not to hinder any of them from this * means of their spiritual conversion , as well as confirmation ; and likewise command the people diligently to frequent and receive them , especially when so long discontinued , neglected , slighted , denied , to gods dishonor , religions scandal , our chuches insamy , good christians greatest grief , the grand encrease of impiety , prophaness , schism , and decrease of christian amity , unity , zeal , that cordial brotherly love and sweet communion which was between ministers and their people , and between private christians heretofore when sacraments were more frequent . finally , if any parson or vicar for yeers space refuse and cease to administer the sacrament to his parishioners , ( as many of late times have done ) i conceive a writ of cessavit will lie against him by the patron upon the stat. of west . . e. . c. . as fitzh. natt . brev. f. l. . e. . . b. register f. . fit . ●essavit , , , . h. . . e. . . ploud . f. . cook . rep. f. . . rep. f. . & . instit. f. . more then intimate , if not fully resolve . these legal remedies , if pursued in a just and christian way , may through gods blessing reduce many refractory parochical ministers and vicars , to the due administration of the sacraments to their parishioners , which too many of them have of late , totally , & divers in a deplorable measure cast off ▪ restore the comfortable , frequent enjoyment of them to those parishioners who have a long time earnestly thirsted after them , and prevent the anabaptistical , jesuitical design of g john canne with his fraternity , and others of late yeers crept into parochial cures , of purpose to subvert them , with all other parochial congregations , and all patrons rights to present unto them : a design most eagerly prosecuted , publikely allowed , and much advanced of late yeers by unchristian and illegal practices , gilded over with religious pretences : this is the opinion and judgement ( in answer to your case and quaeres ) of your friend and counsellor , will : prynne . lincolns inne , junii , . an appendix . our vicars and ministers refusal to administer the sacraments to their parishioners , is in truth an actual penal suspension and excommunication of them and their infants from the lords supper and baptism , without any precedent citation , articles , legal proceeding , hearing , or sentence denounced against them in any ecclesiastical classis or judicature , against all rules of religion , conscience , law , justice , and the express letter of magna charta , c. . wherefore , as king edw. , , & . did issue forth several writs and mandates to their bishops and clergy , * not to convent , question , censure , excommunicate any of their officers or subjects within their dominions , for discharging their duties , & duly obeying their mandates , and to absolve all those they had excommunited upon this account ; and likewise issue out writs to their sheriffs . de promulgantibus sententiam excommunicationis in ministros regis capiendis & imprisonandis , for obeying their commands : so by like justice , reason , may writs be issued to all those vicars and ministers who deny the sacraments to their parishioners , without any legal cause or sentence of suspension or excommunication first denounced against them , commanding them peremptorily to admit them to , and administer the sacraments duly to them ; yea , writs to the sheriffs to attach and imprison them in case of their wilful neglect or contempt herein , claus. . e. . m. . the archbishop of york and his ministers , oppressed , vexed the people of his diocess in his courts and visitations , by malicious citations for pretended adulteries , and other ecclesiastical crimes , before they were publickly defamed of , or presented for them , and for which they could not aid themselves by the kings prohibition , they having legal conns●●s of these crimes : upon petition to the king and his counsel against these malicious citations , by the people , there issued a special writ to the bishop , reciting and prohibiting such citations and proceedings for the future ; de oppressionibus populo per citationes non inferendis . by like reason and equity may special writs now be granted to ministers , not to oppress , vex , injure their parishioners , ( especially such as are neither scandalous , ignorant , nor actually excommunicated ) by depriving them of the sacraments at due and accustomed seasons , far worse then those malicious citations , which were but ecclesiastical process , when as these amount at least to ecclesiastical censures , suspensions , excommunications from the sacraments , & that for sundry months , may , yeers , of many whole cities and parishes , without any legal accusation , conviction , hearing . in times of popery , if any religious person or monk professed , departed from his house , and wandred abroad in the country , against the rules of his religion or order , upon a certificate thereof in chancery by the abbot , there issued a writ de * apostata capiendo ( of which i finde * many presidents in our records ) for the sheriffs to apprehend and deliver him to his abbot or his attorney , to be chastised according to the rules of his order . and if any priests wore long hair ( against the canons and rules of their order in the kings court , where the ordinaries had no power to reform them , the king himself granted a special writ and commission to certain persons , giving them plenam potestatem scindendi capillos clericorum qui sunt in hospitio no●●ro , & familia nostra longos crines habentium , & capillos nutrientium , &c. pat. . h. . dor . . by the like and better reason then may special writs be issued , to reduce ministers off●ending in , and apostatizing from the very essential duties of their function , ( not in circumstantials only , as these in former times ) to the due execution of the duties of their function , and administration of the sacraments to their parishioners , according to the rules of their order , the statutes of the realm , the doctrine , custom of the church of england so much now slighted , contemned by them , to gods dishonor , the vilipending of their ministery , function , yea , the sacraments themselves , and their peoples grief , offence and spiritual prejudice , who may doubtless have a * special action at law against them on the stat. of ed. . & eliz. c. . for their relief herein . the sacraments of baptism and the lords supper are bequeathed by christ to all visible members of every visible church , as visible , ( who are known to their ministers ) not to the elect , invisible , regenerated members only , infallibly a known to god alone , but not to any mortals : every member of a visible church , hath an equal right to , and b in all sacraments , ordinances , priviledges of the visible church , as he is a member of it , by vertue of his membership ; as c all freemen of england have an equal interest in all the laws , rights , liberties , franchises of the realm of england , as they are native freemen of the body politick of england . as therefore no english freeman may or can by law be debarred from the use and benefit of the common laws , liberties and franchises of england , or any pretended or real crimes , but by and upon a legal conviction , and judgement according to the laws of england ; so no member of the church of england ( of ripe yeers , and in his right senses ) may or can be debarred from the lords table , or any other publick ordinances , priviledges of the church of england , for any pretended scandal , but by a judicial legal sentence of excommunication , whereby he is actually suspended or cut off from being a member of the church for the present : his very membership , whiles he is a member , entituling him of right to whatever ordinances any other members enjoy , and to participate with them therein . it is therefore as great , as high an injury , injustice , tyranny , for any ministers whatsoever , to deny , seclude , all or any of their parishioners from receiving the lords supper , upon any pretext of scandal , ignorance , unpreparedness , or for fear those who are scandalous and unregenerate , should participate with such who are regenerated , if they should permit the eucharist to be frequently celebrated , without or beside any real accusation , conviction , and excommunication of them by any legal ecclesiastical jurisdiction ; as for any judge or temporal officer to outlaw , imprison , banish , dis-inherit all or any of them of their hereditary franchises , liberties , free-holds , without the least legal indictment , trial , or judgement by their peers for any real or pretended crimes , or misdemeanors surmised or suggested against them : and therefore not patiently to be tolerated any longer , but suddenly reformed , reduced by all legal means and lawful civil power , without partiality or connivance ; who ought to be as careful of the peoples spiritual food and priviledges , as of their ministers tythes and duties ; and to do equal right to both . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- * in their canons , titles , discourses , treatises de clericis , pastoribus , sacerdotio , parochia , sacramentis , ordinatione , ministris , et ministerio verbi dei , baptismo , divinis officiis , &c. * heb. . , c. . to . c. . . &c. . . ▪ pe● . . c. . . . g●n . . . . * see pontifical● rom. de ordinatione presbyteri , p. , , , , & p. . degrada●io ab ordine presbyteratus . fox acts and monuments , vol. . p. , . . . * see pontificale roman●● p. , . de ecctesiae dedicatione . ast; pas● . car. b. r. carlton and huttons case resolved . ast; pontificale roma●um , de dedica●ione eccle siae . p . &c. * see calvinii l●x 〈◊〉 〈…〉 cum . tit. parochia & parochus . a summa angelica , tit. parochia . b praxis episcopalis , pars . tit. parochia , sect. . f. . c praxis ben●eficiorum , aps p. . sect. . d littleton , sect. . h. . , cooks instit. f. . e appendicis aurei , l. . c. . sect. . . p. . f ind. cap. omnis in glos. executionem . * f●x acts and 〈◊〉 vol. . p. . , ▪ * see sp●lmani concil. p. . . . and my suspo siat suspended p. , , . giving & receiving being relata ; all those texts , laws , that prove it the peoples duty to receive the sacraments ▪ de eo nomine oblige the minister to admit and del●ver to them . posito 〈◊〉 relatosum ponitur alterum . mr. iohn humfrey . a second vindication of free-admission to the lords supper . p. , &c. nota. * see also jac. c. , . jac. c. . object . . answer , * see fox acts and monuments , vol. p. , , . the books of ordination ●f ministers . object . . answer . * fox acts and monument . vol. . p. . see re●ves and shelfords treatises to the same purpose . * mat. . , . acts . . c. . c. . . tim. . . * eze. . . zech. . . * mat. . . to . mark . . . to . lu. . . . . . cor. . . : . * see dr. john white , and dr. feild of the church . g pet. . . hebr. . . * see my sustension suspended . * cor. . . to . cor . , . h mat. . lu. . object . . answer . i cor. . , . tim. . , , . . tim. . . col. . . heb. . . * see my suspension suspended , and answer to serious questions . quaere . . k li●●leton sect. , . l. qu. e. . ● . , . h. . , . h. . , . br. office . forfeiture . plouden . f. , . e. . . cook . rep. f. . . rep. f. , , , & inst. f. , . l see fit . nat. brevium ▪ f. , . & the regist. de coronatore ox●nerand . m see ashes tables , tit. action sur le case , sect. , , , , , , , , . brook and fitz. actoin sur le case . n see cooks instit. f. , . o mr. burroughs did so accolchester by my advice , only for denying him the sacrament , because he would not receive it at the new rail : see my quenchcole at the end . p see cooks instit. f. , , , . and brooks and fitz. tit. disclaimer . * cor. . , , ▪ thes. . . * e. . . e. . , . h. . . h. . . e. , . e. . . . e. . , . brook annuity , , , , , . condition dyer . h. . . e. . f. . sir john davis reports , f. . b. q see brooks and fitz. tit. conusance & jurisdiction . * see fitz. brook & ash . actions sur le statute . * sir john davis reports , f. . b. jacob fa●rchelas case cooks instit. f. . ● . west's presidents . grants . , . r see m. seld●ns history of tythes , ch. . sect. . ch. . sect. . my ju● patronatus , p. , . s e. . , . ass . , cooks instit. f. . a. fit . natur . brev. . a . a. b. h. . . a. dyer . b. co. . rep. . b. fit . breif . . . e. . a. . e. . . a. * sir john davis reports , f. . b. * . h. . c. . h. . c. . el. c. . el. c. . el. c. . sir joh. davis reports , f. . t ethelredus abbas , de genealogia regum angliae , col. . isaac causabon , in epistola exercitationibus praefix● . fox acts and monuments , vol. . p. . jo. seldeni ad eadmerum notae , p. , . mat. parker , antiq. eccles. brit. in dunstano . spe●manni concil. p. . u register of writs pars . f. , , , , . fitz. nar. bre. f. , , &c. see the d part of my soveraign power of parlaments p. , . x fitz. brief , , , , , , . & entree , , , , . nat. br. f. , , h. . , , . cook l. . f. . instit. . f. , , . y cart. . r. . m. . n. . fox acts & mon. l. . p. . john seldeni ad eadmerum notae , p. . b fitz. nat. bre. f. , . regist of writs . c fit . nat. bre. f. . register of writs . d register of writs fil. n. br. f. . claus. e . part . m. . . e pat. e. . pars . dors . . pat. . e. . m , . & dors . , . claus. . e. m. . claus. . e. . pars . m. . claus. . e. . m. . claus. . e . m. . f fit . nat. er. f. , , , . g fit . nat. br. f. , , , . and the register of writs . * see lindewood , summa angelica , rosella , & thomas zerula praxis episcopal . . tit. chrisma & confirmatio sacramentum . * h : . brook , quid juris clamat . imprisonment . e. . per quae servitia , fitzh. . ash attornment . & . * see my answer to serious questions , my suspension suspended , mr. humfrey his reply to dr. drake his second vindication of ortodox free admission , p. , . mr. blake , his covenants sealed , ch. . sect. , . g his voice from the temple . see my jus patronatus . notes for div a e- * pat. . e. . pars . m. , , . pars a. m. . claus. . e. . dors . . claus. . e. . dors . . claus. . e. . m. . claus. . e. . pars . dors . , . * the register , tir. nat. bre. f. , . * pat. . h. . dori . . pat. . h. . m. ●o . pat. . h. . pars . m. . pat. . h. . m. . pat. . h. . m. . pat. . h. . m . pat. ● . e. . m. . pat. . e. . m. . pat. . e. . m. . claus. . e. . dors . . claus. . e. . pars● . dors . . * see brook , fitzh. ash . action sur le statute . a tim. . . king. . . chron. . . b eph. . , . . c. . , , . col. . . cor. . , , , . c. . , . c. . , , . c magna charta , c. . the petition of rights caroli e. . c. . e. . c. . e. . c. . e. . c. . e. . c. . a second admonition to the dissenting inhabitants of the diocess of derry concerning mr. j. boyse's vindication of his remarks on a discourse concerning the inventions of men in the worship of god : with an appendix containing an answer to mr. b's objections against the sign of the cross / by william, lord bishop of derry. king, william, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing k estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a second admonition to the dissenting inhabitants of the diocess of derry concerning mr. j. boyse's vindication of his remarks on a discourse concerning the inventions of men in the worship of god : with an appendix containing an answer to mr. b's objections against the sign of the cross / by william, lord bishop of derry. king, william, - . [ ], , [ ] p. printed for r. clavel ..., london : . advertisement: p. [ ] at end. reproduction of original in huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng boyse, j. -- (joseph), - . -- vindication of the remarks on the bishop of derry's discourse about human inventions. sacraments. public worship -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a second admonition to the dissenting inhabitants of the diocess of derry , concerning , mr. j. boyse's vindication of his remarks on a discourse concerning the inventions of men in the worship of god. with an appendix containing an answer to mr. b's objections against the sign of the cross. by william lord bishop of derry . london , printed for r. clavel at the peacock in st. paul's church-yard . . heads of the discourse . chap. i. matters of fact. sect. i. the numbers of those that neglect all publick worship on the lord's day . p. . ii. the frequency of sacraments . p. iii. the number of communicants . p. iv. the directory a hindrance to communions . p. v. mr. b's excuses for few communions examined . p. vi. the reading the scriptures . p. vii . the mysteries of religion . p. viii . the catechism . p. ix . bodily worship . p. x. the practice of reverence by dissenters . p. xi . the praises of god. p. xii . the rule of human prudence . p. xiii . the d , th and th canons . p. xiv . mr. b's demands . p. xv. mr. sq. p. xvi . personal vindication . p. chap. ii. of the reasoning part of mr. b's book . sect. i. mr. b's stating the case as to purity of worship and discipline . p. ii. mr. b's partiality p. appendix . containing an answer to mr. b's objections against the sign of the cross. sect. i. the proper method to discover the true nature of sacraments as signs . p. ii. that sacraments are primarily signs of god's grace , & not of our duty . iii. that the scriptures warrant us to use other signs that are not sacraments for the several uses assigned by mr. b. to sacraments . iv. of representing signs . v. of obliging signs . vi. of distinguishing signs . vii . that the cross is such a sign as the scriptures warrant . conclusion . a second admonition to the dissenting inhabitants of the diocess of derry , concerning mr. j. boyse his vindication of his remarks on a late discourse of william lord bishop of derry , concerning the inventions of men , in the worship of god. chap. i. concerning matters of fact. i. i thought it necessary in a former admonition to give you some account of my design in my book concerning the inventions of men in the worship of god , in order to enable you to pass a judgment on mr. boyse's remarks on it : he has thought himself concerned to write a vindication of them ; and tho' i do not suppose it very necessary , i shall give you a few reflections on it . it consists of matters of fact and reasonings . i shall say a little to each of them , and leave you to judge of it . and i pray most heartily to god that it would please him to direct you . the matter is of great moment , since it concerns the worship of god ; and ( whatever mr. boyse would suggest ) the true point is , whether about nine in ten of you shall worship god publickly any where on the lord's day , or stay at home ? if i can prevail with you to come to the established worship , you may easily and conveniently worship god in your parish churches every lords ▪ day , or oftner ; and receive the lords-supper four times every year , at least , and oftener if you desire it . but if i cannot perswade you to this , about nine in ten of you must stay at home , as you have done for many years , and perhaps not have a fit opportunity of communicating afforded you once in seven years . sect. i. concerning the numbers of those that neglect all publick worship on the lord's day . this then shall be the first matter of fact , of which i shall endeavour to make you sensible , since mr. boyse questions it , and jests at my concern about it , vind. p. . the account he opposes to it is in these words , that in the parish of templemore , alias derry , there are two meetings , in which there will be found above who ordinarily worship god every lord's day — the least congregation amongst you are ordinarily , and some above a thousand that do worship god every lord's day , so that where ministers are settled you do not know of one in twenty that do not ordinarily attend publick worship . this account he says he has from your ministers : you will easily be judges of the truth of it ; and therefore i desire you to consider , ii. first , that even in derry there are congregations much less than , and seldom in burt above or ; and that those two meeting-houses , tho the largest , will not hold to hear . i sent to count , and am assured both have not a thousand ordinarily . dly , i desire you to remember , that tho' these meeting-houses are both in the parish of derry , yet the inhabitants of parishes depend on them , who have no nearer , or more convenient meetings to go to : that is to say , fanthen , desertegny , clonmany , coldagh , clonca , donagh , movill , clandermot , part of faughanvale , part of cumber , and part of donaghedey ; a district in length from malin to donaghedey church , about miles ; and in breadth , from the church of faughanvale to the lower end of inch , about miles : in which there are churches and chappels ; and in which conformable clergy-men continually officiate , preaching in the morning , and catechizing , for about one half of the year , in the afternoons , with an explanation of some heads of the catechism : this scope of ground is well inhabited ; and if i mistake not , is near as big as the county of dublin , and contains , at least , one fourth part of the whole diocess ; and if there be in the parish of templemore of your perswasion as mr. boyse intimates , and i do believe there are , there can hardly be less in the other parishes than times as many , and then in all about depend on these two meeting-houses ; of which i doubt , if a thousand attend publick worship on one lord's day with another : and if we allow as mr boyse suggests , yet it doth not mend the matter ; for it is still but a tenth part of the whole . iii. your next meeting is yet in a worse condition , for there depends on it tamlaghfinlagan alias ballykilly , drumchose , aughanlow , balteagh , dongevin , banagher , part of cumber , part of faughanvale , and of tamlanghard ; a district containing some of the richest and best planted parishes in the county of londonderry , and in length , from the point of magilligan to the further part of banagher , at least miles , and in breadth from the church of faughanvale to the utmost part of balteagh or drumchose about . yet here the meeting-house will not contain , as i am informed , above . the like may be said of the meeting of aghadowy ; upon which there depend the parishes of aghadowy , kilrea , desertoghill , erregill , part of macosquin , part of tamlaghocrielly , and the chappel of fagevy in length from the old church of camus , to the most distant parts of tamlaghocrielly or miles ; and from the ban river to the most distant parts of desertoghill , about or . the like might be shewed of magh●ra , ardstra and donaghmore ; and there needs no more to prove the truth of this than to consult the maps of the counties . iv let me add , that even these are not constantly supplyed ; for the ministers , what on account of assisting their neighbour ministers at sacraments , what on account of their visiting other parts of the kingdom ; and what on account of their private affairs , do frequently miss and disappoint their people ; insomuch that in ardstra , for example , their minister has been absent at least or months . if then we lay these things together , and take one meeting and one sunday with another , i think my computation was very modest , when i conjectured , that hardly one in ten of you worshiped god any where on the lords-day . v. but because i would have as little dispute with mr. boyse as possible , i will take his own computation , and allow , st , that there are meeting-houses in the diocess ; tho really for the last years there has been only , and for the last or months , only dly , i will allow that there are at each meeting ( mr. boyse sayes ordinarily , and some above ) tho' really take one sunday , and one meeting with another , there are not . dly , i will allow that there are but thousand dissenters in the diocess ; tho really there are more . and now let us see how many worship god on the lords day ; and how many prophane it by staying at home , according to mr. boyse's own account : and it is thus ; nine times make , the number of worshipers ; which taken out of , there remains that stay at home and attend no worship at all . perhaps half as many as worship god in all the dissenters meetings in ireland . a thing that deserves a serious consideration and concern ; and tho mr. b. seemes to make light of it , ( vind. p. . ) yet sure to use my endeavours to perswade these to attend their parish churches , rather than to stay at home on the lords day , was my duty as a christian bishop and pastour ; and how mr. b. will answer to god , that he has contributed to hinder my endeavours , tho he professes he did not design it , i leave it to our common judge and master . vi. neither mr. boyse nor your ministers could be ignorant of this , since it arises clearly from their own compuration . and i leave you to judge , whether it looks not like amusing the world , and serving a party to publish such an account as he and they have done : for to tell us of two meeting-houses in one parish , when indeed there are only those two in one quarter of the diocess , i am sure looks like such a design . yet this has been your case for many years past , and is like to be in a great measure for many to come : for when can you expect ten ministers more than you have in the district of derry and burt ? and yet these would be rather of the fewest to accommodate each place with a meeting at a due distance : vvhen can you expect seven instead of one in the district of ballykelly ; or six in the district of aghadowy , and proportionally in the rest ? vii . i desire you to observe , that mr. b. p. . declares , that it was not his design to hinder you from joyning with the established church in our ordinary lords-day service , and expresly declares his own opinion for the lawfulness of it : i hope your own ministers are of the same opinion , since he professes p. . that he had a just call to write his remarks , and that from the dissenting ministers of this diocess : and three of them , by their certificates , seem to approve of his performances . if then it be their opinion , that it is lawful for you to joyn in our publick worship , at least when you cannot go to your own meetings , and that you had better do so than stay at home , especially where the established ministers are sober , able , orthodox and diligent , as those of this diocess i presume generally are ; i desire you to call to mind whether your ministers have declared their opinion to you in this point or no. if they have , consider how you will answer your neglect of god's publick worship so long , at the last day , when it shall appear you might lawfully have joyned in it . but if your ministers have not made any such declaration of their opinion in this point , tho they know it to be lawful , judge with your selves , whether they have discharged the office of faithful guides to you , in revealing to you the whole will of god , as they ought to have done ; since they have suffered for many years , and yet do suffer about nine in ten of you to stay at home on the lord's day , and joyn in no publick service of god , rather than joyn in the worship , praises , prayers and sacraments celebrated in your own parish churches , or hear the scriptures read , and the great mysteries of the kingdom of heaven opened to you by such ministers as you cannot but in your conscience acknowledge , and many of you have acknowledged , to be equal to your own in piety , learning , diligence and industry , and who would have been eminent amongst you , if they had been of your party . i conceive the resolution of this question to be of great moment to you , and a great step to our peace and union ; and therefore you ought every one of you to require your ministers direct and positive resolution in it : by which you will perceive , whether your guides are of one mind in this weighty affair ; and if they be , you 'l consider how you came to be ignorant of it , as your practice and profession declare you are , and where the fault is to be laid . i the rather press this , because i know that several are willing and desirous to frequent the publick worship , but dare not , fearing the malice and hatred of their neghbours , who treat them as apostates that do so , and contrive their ruine . the truth is , your ministers have preached you into a dislike of the established worship , they have represented it as * idolatrous , and by these means they have entirely separated you from us , as to all publick worship , and have got you to depend on themselves : and now when they have you , they are not able to supply you , but have dealt with you as the false mother did with the child before sol●mon , they would rather you should not worship god at all , than with us . but whether this looks like zeal for god's worship , i must leave it with you to judge : as for my self , i hope i shall not be reputed ( i am sure i shall not become ) your enemy , because i tell you the truth ; and shall apply the words of st. paul , gal. . . to you and your teachers , they zealously affect you , but not well , they would exclude you , or rather us , ( as in the margine of your bibles ) that you may affect their . sect. ii. concerning frequency of sacraments . i. but , secondly , because the frequency of your sacraments ( which is the next greatest matter of fact ) has a great dependance on this last ; i shall consider it next , and compare my assertions with mr. boyse's , and engage you to judge who comes nearest the truth . my words at which mr. boyse takes so great exception are these , dis. chap. . sect. . n. . when people were relaxed from the particular and certain rules of our church by the first breaking off of those of your perswasion from us , the lord's supper was laid aside wholly for several years by some congregations . i appeal to you , whether it is not yet reckoned a great thing among you , if once in a year or two a communion be celebrated in one of your meetings , nay , among some of you it is omitted for several years — by the best enquiry i could make , i could not compute that one in ten that go to your meetings ever receive thro' the whole course of their lives — i should be glad to find that i were mistaken in this computation . mr. b. denies every one of these , with many hard words ; and asserts , p. . that it is universally usual in every meeting where an ordained minister is , to have the lord's supper administred once a year , and twice in the larger towns. to convince the world of the truth of what i said , and of mr. boyse's mistake , i laid down the account i received of this matter , and found that the sacrament was administred but about nine times in seven years in all the meeting-houses of the diocess before the writing of my admonition , which was may , as appears from the date of it : mr. b. is very ill pleased with my computation , and alledges , that a very particular enquiry has been made . ( vind. p. . ) the account of which he sums up in these words , the year falling within the compass of the seven years mentioned by the bishop , you had it in that seven years or times . if it had been thus , it is very little to the purpose , since even so it doth not amount to once a year in every meeting where there was an ordained minister . but mr. boyse might have observed that eight of these were celebrated amongst you last summer , since my admonition ; that is , at burt , strabane , donaghmore , ardstra , ballykelly , aughadowy , maghera , and derry . this last appears by the derry certificate it self to have been july , , near three months after my admonition was written ; which shews , that he includes the sacraments of summer . there remains then confessedly but about ; and i do not think it material to contend about five sacraments in a whole diocess in seven years . ii. but secondly , mr. b. is so far from shewing any mistake in what i asserted , that i think he has furnished me with a sufficient proof of it , for he affirms , p. . that after a very particular enquiry , he finds in the years and . the sacrament was administred in derry twice , in donagheede twice , in drumrah twice , in ardstra twice , in urny twice , in donaghmore twice , in lifford once , in clandermot once . these then are all the sacraments , that your ministers on a particular enquiry could find administred in these two years in this diocess : and indeed , i perceive they took great pains in the enquiry , sending quaeries about to this purpose ; it appears then , that in other meetings in this diocess there was none administred in those two years ; and of such as had ordained ministers , there was these following : burt. mr. ferguson their present minister . no sacrament in or . they had before , mr. grahms , mr. haunton , mr. haliday ; these officiated about years , and had but three sacraments that i can find . ballykelly . mr. crooke their present minister , has served above years . no sacrament in or . when or how often before , not known . aughadowy . mr. boyd their present minister , for above years . no sacrament in or . nor can i find when , or how often before . tamlaghocricly . mr. gilchrest for many years before the troubles . no sacrament in or . nor any before , that i can find . macosquin . mr. lowry before the troubles . no sacrament in or . before him , they had mr. boyd , mr. wilson , mr. eliot ; but no sacrament for years that i can find . maghera . mr. kilpatrick who officiated above years . no sacrament in or . the sacrament administred seven or eight times , and no more in those years that i can find . dumboe . mr. wilson , till the troubles and four years before . no sacrament in his time . mr. blair before , no sacrament two years before he died ; i cannot find how many before . strabane . mr. wilson before the troubles for years . no sacrament in or . but one or two at the most in his time , as i can find . here you may observe , that eight meetings in this diocess for the years and , had no sacrament at all ; of the rest some had one , some had two , as is alledged ; which to shorten the dispute , i will take for granted ; since this is sufficient to prove , that it is a great matter if a sacrament be administred in one of your meetings in a year or two , which was my assertion . and i have been so far from wronging you in it , that it appears , after the most strict enquiry , that none had above one in a year ; in which number , mr. b. reckons six ; two had but one in two years , and eight meetings had none at all in these two years . but secondly , how they behaved themselves before those two years , appears sufficiently from the account i have added ; and if there should happen to have been twice more sacraments than i have an account of , yet it would not excuse your ministers from a very criminal neglect , and fully justifies my assertion , that the sacrament is often omitted for several years together in some of your meetings , and in some places for ten years or more : in which number , are tamlaugh o crilly , macosquin and strabane , the second best town in the diocess . thirdly , it shews what you are to judge of mr. b's assertion , p. . that it is universally usual in every meeting where an ordained minister is settled , to have the lords-supper administred constantly once a year ; here are eight had none in two years , and i doubt whether it has been a constant custom in any one meeting to have it once a year ; at least i have seen no voucher for it . iii. as to his asserting your having the lord's supper administred constantly twice a year in the larger towns , i have told you in my admonition , p. , that i can call only three such in this part of the country , that is londonderry and strabane , in this diocess , and colrain in the border of it . now , as to londonderry , it has had this sacrament administred but twice in six or seven years , and colrain but once in that time . and as to strabane , tho' it , as well as the other , had a setled minister in it , before , and some time since the troubles , yet i am informed from good hands , that in six and twenty years the lord's supper has been administred but twice in it . the point then here is , whether the holy sacrament was administred twice yearly in larger towns , in which number these three are ; and if it was not , then mr. b. is mistaken . as to what i asserted of colraine and strabane , i find no doubt made ; but he produces a certificate from derry , in which it is said , that the sacrament was administred may , april , july , july , july , and july . and the certifiers desire , that this may be compar'd with the passage i have above cited out of the admonition , p. . and mr. b. adds , p. . that he hopes i will either yield this point , or produce as credible vouchers as these . but i take this to be a full voucher for what i there asserted , and a demonstration that mr. boyse was mistaken , when he affirmed , that the sacrament was constantly administred twice a year in larger towns , rem . p. . this was the point in question , and mr. boyse's voucher is positive against him in it . i say , that in six or seven years ( that is from may , till may , when my admonition was written ) the sacrament was administred twice at derry , ( in which the certificate says three times ) twice in six and twenty years in strabane , and once in colraine in seven . all the contradiction then between this passage and the certificate is concerning one time in derry , that is , the account of the other towns being unquestionable . now , supposing my informers mistaken in this one time , i think it is very little to the purpose : here is an account of about forty years , and the informers , as is pretended , miss'd one sacrament ; whereas mr. boyse's informers mistook about fifty in sixty , to make the whole come up to two a year , as appears from this certificate . but after all , i am not satisfied that there is any mistake at all in my account in this one sacrament in dispute , and can produce good reasons for my believing so , if it were worth the while . however , i desire the oath that the certifiers offer about the truth of their certificate in all the parts of it , since it carries a manifest sign of some tampering in it , being dated sept. . . and signed by alexander lecky , mayor elect , who yet , as every body may know , was not elected mayor till november following . upon the whole , if mr. b. had produced a voucher , that the sacrament was administred twice a year in each of these towns , it had been something to the purpose ; but as it is now , it makes directly against him . i am sorry that i am forced to take notice of these little things that are not to the cause ; for if instead of five communions in seven years ( according to mr. b's account ) you had had fourteen in such a congregation as derry , i should still reckon you very negligent , and to have violated the scripture-rule in an unexcusable manner . sect. iii. concerning the number of communicants . i. the second thing i affirmed concerning this sacrament was , that by the best enquiry i could make i could not compute that one in ten that go to your meetings ever receive thro' the whole course of their lives : in opposition to this , he affirms , that by the best computation your ministers can make , there is not one in ten , rather in twenty or thirty , that do not receive , except such as are with ▪ held for want of competent knowledge , or on the account of scandal ; rem . p. . there is a great difference between these two assertions : i say one in ten , mr. boyse and your ministers say nine in ten , nay , nineteen in twenty , or nine and twenty in thirty . either they or i must be widely mistaken , and which of us come nearest the truth will appear on examination of the proofs which mr. b. himself produces . in his vindication , p. . he asserts , that the ordinary hearers in the two meetings of derry and burt are about — that we may compute about communicants in both . now , tho' me allow a considerable deduction out of this number for strangers , that may be supposed to have received , yet the number of communicants belonging to those two congregations , compared with that part of their hearers that are of age to receive , will sufficiently demonstrate , that the bishop's computation , that not one in ten receive , must be very wide from truth . ii. now , to this i reply , first , that mr. b. has produc'd no voucher of the number of communicants in your meetings before my book and admonition , these two sacraments of which he speaks being last summer , one of them after the writing of my admonition , and the other after it was publish'd ; and i hope i contributed to the numerousness of them . but secondly , now your ministers have used their utmost endeavours , and brought as many as they cou'd to communicate , let us examine whether mr. b. or i come nearest truth , in order to discover it . i desire you to remember two assertions of mr. b's ; the first , remarks , p. . where-ever the sacrament is administred , 't is usual for two thirds of the congregation to be strangers . — and it is usual for most of the members of the neighbouring parishes to frequent it . secondly , p. . that those that communicate once , do it ordinarily on all following occasions . if then we take away two thirds from , there remains ; the proportion of belonging to these two meetings that ever communicated at once ; which is not one in four ; and is much nearer my computation than that of mr. b's or your ministers : and which is alone sufficient to shew that i consider'd the matter better than they . but thirdly , i desire you to observe , that the are supposed to be of the parish of derry , and there is no account of the other eleven parishes that depend on these two meeting-houses ; the not mentioning of which gives the matter a quite different face from what it really ought to have ; and being consider'd , after all , i see no reason to alter my conjecture of one in ten . and this will appear from the following suppositions , which i think much nearer truth than mr. b's . first , i suppose that one fourth of those that received at derry received also at burt ; and on the other hand , one fourth of those at burt came to derry , other wise it could not be true what he now asserts , vind. p. . that the most devout and serious of you communicate four or five times a year . secondly , i suppose , that those made up another fourth , who came out of 〈◊〉 and ray meetings , nearer burt than derry , tho' in rapho diocess , and out of letterkenny , strabane , lifford , donaghmore , ballikelly , rapho , and colraine , and other remote parts , from every one of which there came some to derry , and i believe to burt ; and then there remains communicants belonging to the twelve parishes that i have shew'd depend on these two meeting-houses , which is not a tenth part of them . fourthly , let me observe , that most other meeting-houses are in worse circumstances than these , as i have already shew'd ; in ballikelly there was no sacrament confessedly from summer till , that is for seven years , and then , as i was informed , there were not communicants : nor do i see any thing yet to oblige me to a ter my account ; but let it be , if we allow two thirds of these to be strangers , according to mr. b's assertion , there remain communicants in that district , in which there are five or six thousand people . the like may be shewed of aghadowy , maghera , and others ; all which consider'd , i think i spake modestly , when i said one in ten . iii. but to comply with mr. b. as much as i can , i will take his own informations , and examine this matter by them . he mentions only one sacrament celebrated in each meeting-house amongst you this year ; there are but eight in the diocess , but i will allow ten sacraments . secondly , he pleads for at two sacraments in derry and burt ; i will allow proportionally for each of the rest ; tho' really some had not . the number then of communicants in the diocess were this year , and those in effect are all that ever communicated : for he affirms ( as i already observed ) that those that communicate once , do it ordinarily on all following occasions . of these two thirds were strangers by his own confession ; that is , such as came from other parishes or diocesses , where they were likewise communicants : from whence it follows , that only distinct persons communicated ; which is not one in ten of thirty thousand , ( the number of those of your perswasion in this diocess . ) sect. iv. the directory a hindrance to communions . i. there remains now my third assertion to be examined , that after the establishing your government , the lord's supper was laid aside wholly for several years : this indeed i reckoned as an effect of your directory , as you may see in my book , chap. . sect. . . n. . and to make it good , i will put you in mind that it orders , that how often the lord's supper shall be celebrated , may be determined by the ministers and other church-governours . by other church-governours , the assembly tells us in their humble advice , &c. are meant officers commonly called elders . from which it follows , that where there are no such elders , the people must want the comfort of this sacrament ; and the parliament refusing the erection of such elders in every parish , the body of the people of england were kept from the lord's supper for many years ; insomuch , that in the year , i find ministers meeting together to determine this question , whether there were any course warranted by the word of god , wherein ministers might proceed to the administration of this sacrament , as their case then stood . i find ten of these ministers met at taunton , and wrote a letter , dated june . , on this subject , to mr. henry jeanes of chedzoy , desiring him , that he would be pleased to take the question into serious consideration , and give his thoughts of it : and say they , we are the rather enclined to desire your particular resolution therein , because we understand that you have administred that sacrament , and therefore doubt not but you have some way satisfied your self therein . upon this mr. jeans wrote a piece , publish'd , entituled , the want of church-government no warrant for a total omission of the lord's supper : or , a debate of that question which hath so wonderfully perplexed many , both ministers and people , whether or no — the lord's supper may be lawfully administred in — a church destitute of ruling elders . he intimates , p. . that they had omitted it five , six , or seven years together , and might for the whole space of the remainder of their days : for , saith he , to suppose that we shall never live to see the church of god here in england setled in a presbyterian way , is a supposition of that which is neither impossible nor improbable . ii. from this you may observe to what a miserable condition your directory had brought the people of england , as to the participation of this institution of christ. i do believe mr. jeans's book might do good , and bring some ●o do what it seems he alone had ventur'd to do in those parts , even to administer the lord's supper ; yet many continued in the omission of it , as appears by the testimony of dr. causabon , who lived at that time , and has this passage in his vindication of the lord's prayer , published , ( p. . ) publick catechising so necessary to uphold christianity among men , tho' not so pleasing to itching ears , as ordinary preaching is : the use of the sacraments , which in divers parishes were formerly duly administred , are now scarce known or named . mr. boyse may give him hard words for this , as he gives me , but the thing is too notorious to be denied and when it was thus in oxford , where dr. owen had the government , and in dublin till the restauration , you may imagine how it fared with country parishes ; whereas therefore mr. b. would throw this practice of rare or no communions peculiarly on you ; 't is manifest , that you have only followed the president set you in england and ireland , by the body of dissenters in their prosperity ; and they are concerned in it as well as you , tho' i did not address my self to them . sect. v. mr. boyse's excuses for few communions examined . i. it remains to consider some things that mr. b. offers , that seem to extenuate or excuse your ministers , us to their rare communions . the first is , rem . p. . that ministers of particular congregations prepare their own people for it , by visiting ●em round , examining every particular member anew , about their spiritual estate , and making due enquiry about their conversation ; all which takes up a considerable time . now to this i answer , that it is the duty of ministers to enquire concerning the spiritual estate of their people , when it may be conveniently done ; but there is no obligation on them to examine men anew before every sacrament : the scripture says , let a man examine himself , and so let him eat . your directory requires no such examination ; nor is it agreeable to the sence of your own party ; as appears from the vindication of the presbyterial government , by the london ministers , who own ( p. . ) this examination or profession is not required every time a man comes to the sacrament , but only at their first admission ; and a compleat member is , by vertue of his first admission , freed from all after-examination , except in case of scandal . for your ministers therefore , on pretence of their extraordinary pains in examining , to celebrate the lord's supper but once in the year , is , plainly to prefer their own tradition to the command of god , that requires frequent celebration of this sacrament . ii. but secondly , mr. b. alledges , that you were persecuted , and that made you have the sacrament so seldom : this he alledges for strabane ( vind. p. . ) but i answer , first , that persecution is no reason for omitting the lord's supper , any more than for omitting sermons ; whilst your ministers could not get opportunity to preach , they might be excused for omission of this sacrament ; but it is full as easie to draw people together to receive the sacrament , as to hear a sermon ; and to administer it to them , as to preach twice or once a day . if we will be content with the plainness and simplicity with which christ instituted it ; and accordingly we find the first christians , in the deepest persecutions , were as constant in the one as in the other , and thought the receiving it then most necessary to fortifie their members with resolution to endure torments and martyrdom . from whence it is manifest your ministers have a notion of this sacrament different from the primitive martyrs . but secondly , i desire you to consider your manner of administring this sacrament , concerning which mr. b. tells us , ( remarks , p. . ) that amongst you every parish having usually but one minister , 't is requisite the ministers of neighbouring parishes should assist them on that occasion ; and consequently they usually bring their people along with them . i may add , that there are often four or five ministers at your sacraments , and sometimes or people , when only receive : you have likewise usually a sermon some day before , and the day after . i confess , persecution is an effectual means to hinder the celebration of the lord's supper in this fashion ; for no government that is jealous of a people , will suffer them to meet or continue together in this manner . but i desire you to remember , that christ never required these things at your hands , and therefore your omitting the lord's supper , because you were not permitted thus to celebrate it , is another instance of your ministers making void the commands of god by their own tradition . lastly , i believe some of your ministers might be hinder'd from publick preaching and sacraments , for some short time , that is , whilst some of your brethren were in arms against the government at pentland-hills and bothwell-bridge , against whom they never made any publick declaration or address that i can learn ; but that this continued for any considerable time , or that the inspection was so strict that they might not have administred the lord's supper as our saviour instituted it , doth not appear , nor is pretended . and it is manifest , that this is only a pretence , since they were no less negligent in the year & , when they had their full liberty . iii. a third thing offered by mr. b. is , vind. p. , that i know well enough , that for two years of the seven , at least , both the ministers and people were scattered , and had no opportunity of celebrating the institution . i must profess , that i neither know , nor have heard of any such dispersion of the people or ministers , as to hinder you from an opportunity of celebrating this sacrament for two years . the irish army came into this diocess about april , and left it in august following ; during which time some of your ministers were in derry , and some in scotland . the people in the country were then , and for a considerable time after , in a miserable condition , and plunder'd of what they had ; but there were still great numbers of them , and in their circumstances being depriv'd of worldly comforts , they needed , and i hope were prepared for spiritual : but your ministers did not afford it to them as they ought to have done ; and this i do still make an aggravation of their negligence , tho' mr. b. makes it an argument of imprudence in me to do so : but i desire you to consider the case , and judge . mr. crooke returned after the siege to ballikelly , where there was still a large congregation ; yet as he had been negligent for two years or longer before , so he continued unawakened by god's judgments in the same negligence , till summer . mr. boyd had the same opportunity at aghadowy , and yet shared in the same guilt . mr. ferguson returned soon after the siege , to his congregation at burt , yet had no sacrament till summer . mr. craghead returned soon likewise to his congregation at donaghmore , and after removed to derry , and yet had no sacrament till summer , as is confessed at large in the derry certificate ; so far were these from going about and administring to their afflicted and desolate neighbours , that they starved their own flocks , and kept them from this food of life . and this they did not only after the siege , till i came to this place , but in it at that time when continual deaths before their eyes ought to have awaken'd them to more devotion . iii. mr. b. alledges , vind. p. . that the conformists there ought to have a share in this reproof : for those that he has desired to enquire upon the place could not learn that they administred it more than the other . i have enquired of this matter , and am assured by those that received at that time , that this holy sacrament was administred monthly in the cathedral , as was usual , that eleven clergy-men received it together , and that towards the latter end , when wine grew scarce , dr. walker reserved a proportion for the sacrament , and when he apprehended it would not hold out , he declared , that rather than not celebrate he would mix it . a practice much more allowable than omitting it : besides the publick administration , it was frequently administred to the sick ; and as to the clergy that remained in the diocess they behaved themselves worthy of their character , travelling on foot many miles to visit the sick , baptise and preach ; and as soon as they could procure wine ( which was not to be had till after the siege was rais'd ) administred the lord's supper , which so many as were not chas'd by the enemy from their cures , had done the easter before , and did again christmas after . iv. but now i must tell you that recrimination , if true , is a plain confession of guilt , and a sign of a desperate cause ; it may be very proper for a man that has authority , and is called to it by his duty , as i take my self to be , to reprove what he finds amiss amongst those that he conceives to belong to his inspection . but for any one to go about to defend the guilty by recriminating , is to harden and encourage them in their sins , by finding them out examples and presidents for their wickedness , and is in effect to tell them , what they are too apt of themselves to offer as an excuse for the worst of practices , that others are as ill as they . surely examples fortify most of the world in sin , and i am heartily sorry that any one of credit should point out this way of recrimination to harden them by it . he is very guilty that has no way to clear himself but by blackening another ; and when that is done , without truth , as the case is here , it is a grief to a good man to think that serving a party should influence any to do it . v. but mr. b. gives me very hard words ( vind. p. . ) for looking back no further than my own time in my account of sacraments administred in the establish'd church ; whereas i give an account of yours for seven years . if i had for , i do not see any harm in it ; but the truth was , that many ministers were dead , and i could not meet with any that readily could inform me . but to satisfy you , that i had no design in this , i will not give you the best account i can get for these three years that are omitted . tho' i suppose all are not come yet to my knowledge . in the year the sacrament of the lord's supper was administred in the cathedral , times . in the parish churches , times . in the cathedral , in the year , times . in the parish churches , times . in the year , in the cathedral , times . in the parish churches , times . in all , and now i do not see what advantage it was to me to have omitted this , or why mr. b. should express such resentment at it . st paul cautions us against evil surmisings , tim. . . and whether the imputing this to disingenuity in me be of that sort , i leave you to judge , if you compare the two years of the troubles , there is of ours to none among you . vi. the last excuse mr. b. makes for your ministers , is their sickness ; this he alledges in behalf of mr. wilson for strabane , mr. rowat for l●fford , and mr. crooke for ballykelly ; but this is no excuse : these were as negligent when well , as sick ; and none of them was a year without preaching several sundays twice . and it is full as easy to administer the sacrament to two or three hundred , as to preach a sermon . it is usual for or of your ministers to assist at neighbouring sacraments , and one assistant would have prevented any disappointment of the people , which mr. b. says ( vin. p. . ) hapned twice at balindret . ministers that are infirm may very lawfully omit one of their sermons on the lords day , and administer the sacrament in lieu of it ; in which case there is no hardship on them , since the people give it to one another amongst you , without any blessing at the delivery to each : neither doth your directory require the minister to make any exhortation whilst the people are receiving , nor after they have received , only says , he may in a few words put them in mind , &c. and therefore whilst your ministers make two sermons a-day , and yet pretend disability for administring the lords-supper , we must reckon this another instance of your making void the commands of god by your own tradition . a sermon that justles out the sacrament , is a human invention , as much as alms that hinder a man from relieving his parent , mark . . vii . these are all the excuses that mr. b. seem to have made for you , and i doubt they will appear very slender in the eyes of god , when he calls your teachers to an account for their stewardship in dispersing the misteries of god. it had been much more proper methinks for a christian minister to have reproved you for your negligence , than to have denied plain matter of fact , and pleaded such excuses . mr. b. doth both in his remarks and vindication , object to us the diocess of down and conor ; i think he has little reason to do it to me : but i must now tell you , that the neglects there were neither so universal , nor unexcusable as these of your ministers have been in this particular ; and had you been in chancery , michaelmas term last , you would have heard as much said for the most negligent there , as mr. b. has written for your ministers : which only shews , that money and interest will find colours for every thing . but the negligence of your ministers sufficiently shews the want of discipline amongst them ; and that the inspection of a bishop would do them no harm : and i hope this admonition will not hurt you , nor them . i shall think i have done a good work , and thank god for it , if i can awaken you to more care for the future ; and reckon that the nearer you come to the scripture-rule , the nearer you will come to us , and there will be the more hopes of an union , which i shall always heartily endeavour . sect. vi. concerning the reading the scriptures . i. the third matter of fact in dispute between mr. b. and me , is concerning your reading the holy scriptures . the words he excepts against are these ( disc. chap. . s. . n. . ) but the most sad and deplorable defect of your performances of this duty is your casting out the word of god from most of your publick assemblies , directly contrary to god's institution and ordinance for the instruction of his church , insomuch that in many of your meetings , setting aside a verse or two for a text or quotation , at the discretion of the minister , the voice of god is never publickly heard amongst them — and in all the meetings in the north of ireland in a whole year perhaps there is not so much scripture read , as in one day in our church — and 't is a sad thing that a man may go to most meetings , many years , and never hear one entire chapter read in them . the things asserted here , are , first , that the reading of the word of god , as god instituted and ordained it for the instruction of his church , is cast out of most of your meetings . i shewed , that god ordered his word to be read regularly and in order ▪ and that this reading of it is cast out not only of most of your meetings , but out of all of them , there not being one of them that yet appears to have read either testament through in years before the writing of my discourse , or indeed ever that i can learn : and therefore till i see good vouchers that the word of god has been thus read , i think there can be no question of the truth of this fact. it is not only the manner of reading is here in dispute , and denied by me , but the thing it self , of which we can never be sure without the manner be settled ; for when there is a certain method for reading the word of god , as in our church , we can be sure that it is read : but this is so far otherwise with you , that no man that ever i yet met with , or could have an account of , could vouch that he heard so much of the bible read in your meetings in his whole life as is read in the cathedral of derry every year , and in many other churches ; and ought by our rules to be in all . now when a man has been a hearer years in your meetings , and cannot affirm , that ever he heard two intire books of the bible read in them , i reckon that the word of god , as god requires it for the instruction of his church is cast out of those meetings , and that they act directly contrary to his command . therefore except mr. b. produce vouchers , that in most of your meetings , the whole word of god , or the most material parts of it , have been read in a competent time , he will never acquit them before god or impartial men , of this fault : if the books that have been read , and the time be specified , the truth will then appear ; but without this i shall look on any general assertion as a subterfuge , and a declining the light . ii. the second thing asserted by me , is , that in many of your meetings , seting aside a verse or two for a text or quotation , at the discretion of the minister , the voice of god is never heard . this is owned by mr. b. to be true , in effect , as to the winter-quarter in most of your meetings ( rem . p. . ) but how far this winter-quarter is stretched , wants being cleared ; for some have stretched it very far : and as to those that he affirms now to lecture in winter in this diocess , i desire to know how long they have thus lectured . last winter i believe they did , but i must see a good voucher before i believe that either all of them lectured any part of every year before , or all but one , constantly in the winter . secondly , you have meetings in the afternoons , as well as in the mornings , and the scriptures ought to be read in them , but in these you have only a text and quotations ; and therefore what i affirmed , is true , not only of many of your meetings , but of one half of them all . iii. the third thing opposed by mr. b. is , that perhaps in all the meetings in the north there is not so much scripture read as in our church in one day . to prove this , i took mr. b's own concessions ( rem . p. . ) and according to them , shew'd , that there was really four times more scripture read in our church in one day than in all the meetings in the north in a year . but he seems not willing to stand to these concessions , and farther excepts ( vind. p. . ) that eleven psalms which i reckon as chapters read for instruction , were forms of thanksgiving . but i answer , that these agree very well together ; the apostle having commanded us to teach and admonish one another in them at the same time we speak or sing them ; as appears from ephes. . . and col. . . and indeed it is manifest that the psalms were written for publick instruction , as well as for publick thanksgivings and prayers : twelve of them bear the title for instruction before them , as most of them are called prayers , psal. . . &c. thirdly , he will have two chapters allowed for quotations in your sermons every day ; but i particularly excepted quotations from the account . and quoting scripture is not reading it , nor is that the way god appointed his word to be read , deut. . . nor did the people of god so read it : nor doth your directory prescribe this as reading but preaching . lastly , no body knows what or how many these are , or how they are applied ; all these depending on the discretion of your ministers : but after all , he makes his computation , and concludes , that in a whole year there is near as much read in your meetings as in two days in our church ; for saith he ( vind. p. . ) in the nine meetings of this diocess there are read in a year chapters ; of which are quotations : and in one day in our church but which is a little more than half what is read in those nine meetings in the whole year . this is truly his conclusion ; and i value your time more , than to dispute about it , and therefore let it stand so . iv. the last thing i asserted in this matter was , that a man might go to most meetings many years , and never hear one intire chapter read in them : what has been done may be done ; and i have met with several that have thus frequented meetings several years , and could not say they had heard an intire chapter read at a time : i sent one to enquire , and he returned an account only of six verses read for a text to the lecture ; and i have been informed , that usually no more were read . and therefore whereas mr. b. asserts ( rem . p. . ) that usually a whole chapter was read ; this may be true , since my book ; but that it was otherwise before , is notorious . but when it appears what books have been read in each meeting every year before , 't will be easy to judge how much has been read each lords-day ; and without this , it is impossible to judge exactly of it ; and till i see particular evidence to the contrary , i must suppose that what hapned in these times when i sent to enquire , was what was usual . upon the whole , the slight you put on the word of god , by throwing it out of your meetings , when you cannot have time to put your own glosses on it , your allowing two hours to your sermons , and not ten minuits to the reading god's word , are faults that mr. b. may endeavour to palliate , but will never solidly justify . the true way to answer them is to mend them , and i am heartily glad to hear that you have made some progress that way , tho' far from what is requisite . sect. vii . concerning the mysteries of religion . i. a fourth matter of fact denied by mr. b. is , that a man may frequent your meetings all his life , and yet have no security , or hardly possibility of learning from your publick teaching , all the great mysteries of his religion . i laid before you in my former admonition , p. . the excellent method our church had taken to secure the publick teaching of all the great mysteries of christianity to all her members , by appointing a certain time in the year for each of them ; whereas there is no such rule or order for your ministers : and whereas mr. b. asserted there was an obligation put on you by the directory to teach all those mysteries , i shewed he was mistaken ; and he now contends ( vind. p. . ) that you need none besides the scriptures : which is ( as i shewed in my admon . p. . ) a very great defect since the scriptures require we should have such a rule besides . ii. secondly , i shewed , that i had examined and put it to many of your perswasion , whether they ever heard any of your ministers that professedly made a whole discourse on the trinity , conception , nativity , resurrection or ascension of our saviour ; or on his sending down the holy ghost : and i did , and do profess , that i never met one man that could satisfy me in it , or assure me , that his minister had done it : and i concluded from hence , that it was a most dangerous matter to leave these things to mens choice . iii ▪ to this mr. b. replies , vind. . that i overlooked the plain evidence , nay , the demonstration he produced against the truth of this charge in these words , that your people are in publick teachings yearly catechised , in which exercise all the mysteries of the christian religion are explained to them . but i answer , first , that i did not overlook this , but particularly answered it , where i thought most proper , admon . p. . and shewed that there is no rule in your directory , that requires your ministers to examine either privately or publickly ; so that their performances in this point are meerly voluntary , and therefore their hearers can have no security by this . secondly , i added , that your directory doth exclude catechising from being any part of god's publick worship ; either ordinary or extraordinary ; as appears from the preface to it , which proposes it as rules for all parts of publick worship ; and likewise from the title , which pretends the same : and yet the book says not one word concerning catechising , but excludes it by excluding our common-prayer book , that requires it as a part of publick worship : so that amongst you , whatever mr. b. pretends , catechising is no publick teaching , nor are your people , by any rule that i know amongst you , obliged to attend it in publick ; and this i reckon as another inexcusable defect of your directory . thirdly , your way of catechising is not sufficient for this purpose . mr. b. describes your manner of catechising thus , rem . p. . they divide their parishes into so many districts , and accordingly for every district once a year , they publickly appoint the time and place when they intend to catechise them , and accordingly go thro' the whole catechism with ' em . i will add the account i had of this matter from good hands . the dissenters practice in instructing and examining the younger sort , is in this manner . the minister has a meeting for this purpose in six several places in this parish , and examins once a year in each place . his method is to take four or five heads of their catechism , and to ask questions concerning them , and expound them ; according to which method , if they took the catechism in order , which yet i do not find they do , the minister would be at least ten years in going over the whole of it in one place . let us suppose then a man constantly to attend catechising in his district , once a year , yet it is impossible the minister should teach him all the mysteries of our religion sufficiently , at one time ; and if he take one mystery at once , which is as much as he can do , if he explain it as he ought , you see what it comes to : he has no security of hearing them all explained at any time , your ministers not being bound to any method ; and if they should bind themselves to one , yet so many years are required to go thorow them , that a man has no security to live so long . but further , i find that catechising is generaly amongst you only in order to a sacrament , and whilst there are no sacraments administered , there is usually no publick catechising ; and then judge in what condition those places were that wanted sacraments , for seven , ten , or more years . and perhaps to avoid the trouble of examining , was the very reason that there were none celebrated , as mr. b. himself partly confesses . the truth is , this seems to me a meer pretence set up to excuse your ministers for their negligence in preaching the gospel ; that is , the greatest , the highest , and most necessary parts of it ; it being plain , that a man may remain ignorant of them all his life , notwithstanding your publick teaching , whatever mr. b. pretends to the contrary . iv. but secondly , he objects , that your ministers most frequently insist on the particular mysteries of the christian religion ( vind. p. ) and quotes a passage from one of them , affirming it and taxing me most severely for asserting the contrary . but i answer , these are but general affirmations of the persons accused , without any particular proof . i told you in my admonition , p. . that the greatest mysteries of the gospel , are the conception , birth , passion , resurrection , ascention , and final coming of our saviour to judge the quick and dead ; the doctrine of the trinity , in whose name we are baptized , and the descent of the holy ghost . let me add to these , tho' they are included in them , the manifestation of our saviour to the gentile world , which the scriptures reckon a great mystery , the communion of saints in one catholick church , and the doctrine of repentance and forgiveness of sins . each of these are , and ought to be at least once , or twice a year solemnly and professedly taught in our church , at their proper and appointed times , and in the explanation of our catechism : so that we are sure that at least we shall hear them so often . now to know whether your ministers or ours preach the gospel most diligently , faithfully and expresly : it is not sufficient to say in general that you do it often , but we must know how often each minister has solemnly , professedly , and in a full discourse explained and enforced each of these mysteries . v. for secondly , it is not sufficient for one to pretend that by the by , and on occasion they have touched these mysteries ; for they are of that nature and moment , that people ought to be taught , that these , and none else , are the peculiar mysteries of the gospel ; that all other knowledge or preaching is of little value in respect of teaching these ; and the ministers that teach them plainly , diligently , and solidly , are the true preachers of the gospel ; and those that preach them slightly and seldom , are unfaithful stewards . that each of them is of that consequence , that to explain them , prove them from scripture , enforce them , and press and shew the benefits and effects of them , requires frequent and particular sett discourses upon them ; and the least that can be expected is , that they be handled once every year solemnly , fully , and professedly . and here let me desire you to recollect your memory , and consider , whether you have heard each of these treated thus before my book appeared : if you did , you have reason to think your ministers preached in earnest the gospel to you ; but if they omitted any of these , if they did not give you at least one sermon on each of these great articles in a competent time , they omitted so much of the gospel , and were unfaithful stewards of the mysteries committed to them , and must be judged so if they continue in this neglect . i shall be glad if they amend it , but am sure the order in our church provides better against it . vi. we hear complaints every day as if the gospel were not preached in our church ; we are reproached as if we taught little but morality ; and mr. b. talks of desolate congregations amongst us . now , while these mysteries are solemnly , constantly , solidly , and professedly taught at least once a year in every one of our churches , bating accidents of sickness , &c. judge with your selves how unjustly we are accused , and what ill terms i should have received , if i had charged you with such a crime , when your innocency was so demonstrable : but till you produce as plain , certain , and obligatory a rule for the teaching of them , as i have done amongst us , you can never be so secure of learning them from your ministers publick teaching as we are . i must profess again that i have put it to many of you my self , and have got others to do the same , and could never be assured that they heard one discourse professedly on the trinity , conception , nativity , resurrection , or ascension of our saviour , or his sending down the holy ghost ; much less one or two every year , as it is with us . and till mr. b. produce vouchers of the times and places , i shall believe those that have been thus put to it , would have told a thing so remarkable , and in which the honour of their ministers is so much concerned , if they could have done it with truth . vii . fifthly , those people that have for many years complained , that christ and the gospel was not preached amongst us , may justly be suspected not to understand what the gospel is : and whilst they accused us of preaching nothing but morality , i am afraid that they reckon these mysteries , and our pressing the necessity of a good life from them , only dead and moral preaching , and that they expect some greater and more spiritual mysteries from us : but if any pretend to such , they are unfaithful teachers , and fall under the apostle's censure , gal. . . viii . lastly , let me say one word to you of our own communion . you see ( my brethren ) what an excellent order our church has establish'd to secure your being taught all the mysteries of the gospel , by appointing a peculiar time of the year for teaching each of the principal of them : this way of keeping the great works and mercies of god in memory , is what nature teaches us as the most effectual method , and it is also approved by presidents in both the old and new testament , and is of such force , that experience shews us that this one rule , well observed , has been the principal means of preserving christianity in the worst of times , and under the most barbarous tyranny and persecution of the * turks ; and therefore let me entreat you , as you love your saviour , and expect a share in the happiness of his kingdom , that you would diligently observe those times appointed by the church for the instructing you in the mysteries of his kingdom ; whilst you do so , you are sure that you will be fed with the true bread of life , the old and substantial articles of your faith , that are able to save your souls , and will not be led away with every wind of doctrin , or new coined mysteries of great pretenders : therefore let neither the abuses or arguments of your adversaries discourage you , nor much less covetousness or laziness divert your attendance : and remember , if at any time your ministers do not teach them , it is contrary to the order of our church , and proceeds generally from your non-attendance , and then you only are guilty of the neglect . sect. viii . concerning the catechism . i. a fifth matter of fact denied by mr. b. is , that hardly one in ten get your catechism by heart , nor one in five hundred retain it . this i proved by my own experience , and can by the testimony of many witnesses that were present at the tryals , to which mr. b. replies , vind. p. . that this is to be imputed to the sullenness , or the bashfulness of those i examined . but i found no such thing as bashfulness in them ; and as to sullenness , many of them were under obligations to me , being my tenants , or otherwise obnoxious ; and they generally endeavour'd to answer , but could not remember either the words or matter . i got several to make the same experiment , and they returned me the like account . ii. mr. b. alledges that there are in the parish of derry two meetings , and in those two congregations can give a good account of , and repeat the assembly's catechism . to this i reply , first , that this tryal is since my book , and doth not come home to the time of which i speak : i am glad if so many can do this , and believe my book contributed to it . secondly , there are in those meetings hearers in their rolls , and then after all their labour and pains , only one in four has gotten it . thirdly , there are many in this parish that do not enter themselves in your books , and yet go to your meetings and no where else ; there is no account of these , who are the most ignorant . fourthly , here is no account of the whole district that depends on these meetings , of which is not the tenth , if the twentieth part . fifthly , a catechism is chiefly designed for the ignorant , and such as cannot read ; and here is no voucher that one such has it , and they generally speaking are never like to get it ; so that your catechism is useless to those to whom it is most necessary . sixthly , here is no assurance how many of these will retain it for any considerable time : an experiment has been made of this , and a man of good natural parts has not been able to retain it a month after examination : i am sure some eminent persons of your perswasion could not give an account of it sometime before i published my book . i accidentally discoursed four or five of them about repairing a burying place , and prov'd to them , that it was a duty so to do , from that question in your catechism , what benefits do believers receive from christ at death ? to which the answer is , that the souls of believers are at their death made perfect in holiness , and do immediately pass into glory , and their bodies being still united to christ do rest in their graves till the resurrection . therefore to expose their bodies to doggs or swine , or any other indignity , is to affront christ to whom they are united . they seemed surprized at this ; and as i understood afterward , did not believe me till they went and consulted the catechism : from whence i concluded , that they did not know , or believe the doctrine thereof ; much less remember the words , which indeed i did not expect from them . lastly , i do not believe your ministers can certainly tell who have the catechism , and who have not . the questions they ask are so few of each , and so confin'd to one head ( as i am informed ) that perhaps there are very few for whom they could vouch on such examinations : and often the persons guess before-hand in what place of the catechism they shall be examined , and prepare for it . upon the whole , i am afraid my conclusion is too near a truth ; and i am confirmed in it by experiments every day : in which i do not expect the repeating the catechism , but the lords-prayer and ten commandments and belief , which many either never learned , or have forgotten . these then are not rash or mistaken accusations , as mr. b. alledges ( p. . ) but the effect of tryal and certainty . i can very well distinguish between silence and ignorance , whatever mr. b. suggests . all that he alledges to justify his pretences , is ( vind. p. ) that any one that considers the genius of that people , and their particular dissatisfaction with his lordship , will be easily inclined to believe this to be the genuin account of the matter . i do believe your ministers whom i have reproved , are angry at me ; and some ( i am informed ) in this country pray against me by name in their pulpits ; and those joyn with them that are deep in your interests , as it is a faction , rather than a religion . but i thank god , i do not find any such dissatisfaction as mr. b. would have the world believe . on the contrary , i find great respect from the pious and humble ; and many have been so far from sullenness , when i have discoursed them , that they have even with tears bewailed their ignorance . so that i do not find all the endeavours that have been used , or the misrepresentations spread either by mr. b. or your leading men have been able to hinder , in a great measure , the effect of my book ; and even they that are most angry at it , are forced for very shame to mend several things ; and some have had their eyes opened by it ; and do not only frequent their parish churches , but communicate in them . these are all the matters of fact of which i took notice in my admonition , and you see ( without troubling my self with any other informations than those mr. b. has published ) the truth sufficiently appears in every particular : yet he is not content with these , but renews several others which i passed over , either as not material , or so apparently true on my part , that they needed no justification : yet since he has insisted on them again , i will take notice of the most material . sect. ix . concerning bodily worship . i. sixthly , therefore he reckons it as a mistake in matter of fact , that i affirm , that the directory excludes all bodily worship ; these he quotes as my words , dis. p. . and vind. p. . tho' these are not the very words i used , yet i will shew there is no mistake in them . first , then the composers of the dirictory own no worship of the body , as requisite in the service of god ; nor do they require any either in general , or particular ; and for this , i urge not only their omitting it in general , but their leaving it out in these particular places ; where if they had believed it a duty , they could not without the greatest unfaithfulness have passed it over . if any place of scripture require bodily worship , certainly the first or second commandment must do it ; and mr. b. owns ( r●m . p. . ) that in the second command , these external marks of our inward reverence , when we offer up our prayers and thanksgivings , are required by god. but if you look into your larger or shorter catechism , the assembly owns no such duties to be required in those mandments , or so much as hints at them : nay , in the particular and large catalogue of sins forbidden in them , there is not so much as irreverence in publick worship mentioned . look likewise into the confession of faith , chap. . where religious worship is handled , and there is not the least mention made of bodily adoration , tho' that only be called worship in scripture ; as i shewed dis. chap. . sect. . n. . and i do not find that it is denied : therefore if the assembly thought it still to be a christian duty to worship god with the body , it was great unfaithfulness in them to omit it in all the places they treat of religious worship in their directory , catechism and confession of faith. ii. secondly , they positively forbid it in one place where it was most proper , that is , in our first appearance in gods peculiar presence in the publick assemblies . to this mr. b. answers ( rem . p. . ) that this order was only levelled against the custom of bowing towards the altar : which is a plain mistake , for it forbids all adoration or bowing themselves towards one place or other ; therefore not only towards the altar . he alledges secondly , rem . p. . that the assembly forbid bowing should be used by the people as they entered the church , because they supposed such external adoration should be only used , when some part of publick worship was to be performed . but i answer , they supposed in this , that which neither they or mr. b. have proved from scripture , or i believe ever will be proved ; since adoration is to be used in the congregation , not only to signify our joyning with them in publick prayers or praises , but likewise to declare that we come into the assembly as worshipers , not spectators , and to stirr up and prepare our hearts to meet our god : every good man comes there with a design to appear in god's presence , and with expectation to receive a blessing from him in the answer of his prayers ; and ought to have his heart affected with this , when he enters especially . and tho' no publick worship is performed by the minister at that time ; yet he that enters ought to acknowledge by adoration his belief of god's presence amongst a people met to worship him , and exert an act of submission in his mind , and certify it with his body , and joyn some short prayer or ejaculation with it : and when i see a man who comes into an assembly thus prostrating his body , and lifting up his hands and eyes to heaven , to suppose that this is separated from a mental act of worship , is as uncharitable as eli's censure of hanna , when she thus prayed privately in the tabernacle . and therefore 't is very unreasonable which mr. b. requires ( re. p. . ) that i should prove meer bowing the knee , &c. when there is no other part of worship offered , neither vocal nor mental , is yet made in scripture a part of worship . since i suppose bowing our knees in a publick assembly is a sign of our sence of god's presence , and our inward submission to him , which it signifies and testifies to all present , tho' no other part of publick worship is at that time performed by the minister . without this inward sense , it is hypocrisy , not worship ; and so are all our praises and prayers when separated from this mental devotion , being only parts of worship as they signify our sense of god's excellency , and our desires to be assisted by him : and if bowing the knee , &c. signify our submission and sense of god's sovereignty , as universally , certainly , and explicitely , as praises do our sense of his excellencies ; the one is as proper a part of external worship as the other . and indeed only bending the body is called worship in scripture , as i shewed in my book ; and it would seem to me , by mr. b's denying it to be a proper part of worship , that he will not allow the scripture to call things by their proper names , but will set up his reasons against the letter of it ; as i have observed him often to do . to conclude , that the assemblies of christians are places for secret prayers of each apart ( when they do not interfere with any publick office , as well as for publick ) appears from the whole tenour of the scripture , and the constant practice of the churches of god antient and reformed . and that those secret prayers ought to be offered with adoration , as well as the publick , is likewise manifest . and therefore the directory , by forbidding adoration at our first coming into church , has excluded it where it was most proper . iii. but thirdly , i take it for granted , that when an old law or rule is laid aside , and a new substituted in the place of it , all things contained in the old repealed law or order are laid aside , which are not contained and again injoyned in the new. by which rule the directory doth plainly exclude all bodily worship : for in the preface to it , we are told : that they resolve to lay aside the former liturgy , with the many rites and ceremonies formerly used in the worship of god , and have agreed on this following directory for all the parts of publick worship at ordinary and extraordinary times . here then the liturgy , with all the rites and ceremonies used formerly in the worship of god are laid aside ; not only our praises , prayers , &c. are excluded , but all the rites and ceremonies with which they were performed , such as kneeling , standing , &c. and instead of these , we are oblig'd to no more than is ordered in the directory . prayers , praises , &c. are there indeed ordered , and the way of performing them prescribed , but not a word of bodily worship ; and therefore it is plainly excluded among the other rites and ceremonies that are laid aside . iv. all that mr. b. alledges , to prove that this bodily adoration is required by the directory , is , ( rem . p. . ) that it requires such as come into the congregation after publick worship is begun , not to betake themselves to their private devotions , but reverently to compose themselves to joyn with the assembly in that ordinance of god that is then in hand ; which can import no less than putting themselves into a bodily posture , most suitable to that ordinance . but i answer , this passage imports no such thing ; the assembly has no where explained reverence in this sence , or given the least reason to believe that they thought one posture more suitable to one ordinance than another , except sitting at the lords supper ; which posture they seem to approve thro' the whole service ; for they require those that come in to take their seats or places ; which in common acceptation is to sit down , and they never require them to rise . it was therefore incumbent on mr. b. to prove that by joyning reverently in prayers or thanksgiving ( for example ) is meant standing or kneeling at them , or else this is no vindication of the directory . but secondly , we are not left to guess what is meant by joyning reverently in the ordinance then in hand ; the sentence immediately going before explains it , where the assembly tells how the people are to joyn in publick worship , even by forbearing to read any thing — abstaining from private whisperings , conferences , salutations , or doing reverence to any persons — from all gazing , sleeping , and other indecent behaviour which may disturb the minister or people — . this is the way they are to joyn in the service of god. but not one word of putting themselves into a bodily posture most suitable to the ordinance that is in hand . it is plain therefore , as i said before , that they excluded these when they laid aside the many rites and ceremonies used formerly in the worship of god , and never restored them . v. let me add further , that reverence and worship are very different things : we ought to behave our selves reverently to all our betters , and at all times : but worship is peculiarly to our superiours , who have power over us . and as the things are different , so there are different outward acts that express them , and neither your directory , confession of faith , or catechism , or any other authentick rule that i know of amongst you , require any one visible act peculiar to worship in your assemblies . nor do i see by what authority your ministers can exact it from their people , where they pretend to conform to the directory ; nor can it be pretended that the composers of it forgot this : for it is manifest that they remembred it so far as to forbid all adoration , where it was most proper , that is at our coming into the assembly , and never require nor allow it any where after . vi. thirdly , what i have said concerning the sense of the assembly that composed your directory , is agreeable to the notion dr. twiss their chairman had of this matter ; as appears from his letter directed to mr. mede , dated july . . 't is the in the collection : in which he gives this censure of bodily worship , the lord requires the true worshippers should worship him in spirit and truth in distinction from worshipping him either at jerusalem , or in the mount the woman spake of ; but as to the outward gestures , i doubt i shall prove a novice as long as i breath , and we affect not to make ostentation of our devotion in the face of the world ; the rather because thereby we draw upon our selves the censure of hypocrisy : and sometimes if a man lift up his eyes he is censured as a p. i confess there is no outward gesture of devotion which may not be as handsomly performed by as carnal a heart as breaths . and in his thirteenth letter , being the seventieth in the forementioned collection , he adds , and as for outward complements , nothing more pleases a natural man in religious worship , and he finds himself apt enough in it , yea , far more apt than he who knowing and considering that god is a spirit , and they that worship him must worship him in spirit , are most carefull for the performance thereof ; whereupon while their minds are intent they find themselves not so free for outward complements ; the care whereof is apt to cause avocation and disturbance in that unum necessarium . hence in the same letter he blames himself for being prevailed with to rise up at the solemn glory given to the father , son , and holy ghost , and commends one that could never be perswaded to it . thus you see how the prolocutor of the assembly ridicules outward worship , under the names of outward postures and complements . you find himself likewise alledging , in opposition to it , our saviours command of worshipping in spirit , jo. . ▪ and the very same arguments that i mentioned , and answered in my discourse , chap. . sect. . plainly intimating withal , that it is a piece of ostentation to use these acts of bodily worship , a sign of a carnal heart to be pleased with them ; and to neglect them , a sign of an heart intent on god's spiritual service . yet mr. b. gives me very hard words for answering these arguments , alledging ( rem . p. . ) that he never heard any dissenter alledge such trifling reasons , — — that i framed them my self ; and intimates , that few can be of so sottish an opinion : and yet you see the chairman of your assembly offered these reasons , and mr. mede answered them sixty years ago , as trifling and sottish as they are in mr. b's account : and perhaps his declaring himself of these , and other as odd opinions , was one reason made the parliament name him for chairman . i wish he had not influenced them to lay aside all bodily worship in the service of god. vii . fourthly , the directory excludes bodily worship by imposing sitting at the whole office of the administration of the holy sacrament , even at those prayers and thanksgivings that are most properly christian , and peculiar to the compleat members of christ's church . the words of the directory are these ; the table being decently covered , and so conveniently placed , that the communicants may sit about it , or at it , the minister is to begin the action , with sanctifying and blessing the elements . here you see the communicants are to sit about the table , or at it , whilst the minister begins the blessing and thanksgiving . mr. b. replies two things to this ( rem . p. . ) first , that sitting during the time of receiving the elements , is supposed , tho' not enjoyned by the directory . but supposing in this case is enjoyning ; otherwise our liturgy doth not enjoyn kneeling in the act of receiving : for the words of it are , that the minister shall deliver the elements to the people , into their hands , all meekly kneeling . this ( according to mr. b. ) only supposes the people to kneel , but doth not enjoyn it ; but it is manifest , that in these cases to suppose that people sit or stand , is equivalent to imposing , because if they do not sit or stand , they do not conform to the order . but secondly , he alledges , that this imports no more , than that the table must be placed , that the communicants may sit about it , but that they must actually sit during the blessing or thanksgiving , is no where affirmed , much less imposed . but i answer , it is as much supposed , and consequently enjoyned , that they should sit during the whole action , as during the receiving : that they must sit sometime is plain ; the question is , when ? all indifferent persons will understand it to be at that time where it is mentioned ; that is , before the minister begin the action . and the whole directory supposes both minister and people in the same posture throughout , and gives no order for altering it when they come to distribution or receiving ; which they would in all reason have done , if they had meant that they should bless and give thanks in one posture , and receive in another . let me add , that the president and practice they had before them was contrary to mr. b's interpretation ; i mean the church of scotland : the doctrine , worship , discipline , and government of which they had sworn to preserve in their covenant . now , in the liturgy of that church , which is plainly their precedent in this part of the directory , ( as any one will see by comparing them ) the order is conceived thus ; the exhortation ended , the minister cometh down from the pulpit , and sitteth at the table , every man and woman likewise taking their places as occasion best serveth ; then he taketh bread , and giveth thanks ; and after all , the action thus ended , the people sing the psalm , or some other of thanksgiving ; which ended , one of the blessings before ▪ mentioned is recited , and so they rise from the table . here is sitting enjoyned throughout . thus you have understood the directory hitherto ; and thus your people have practised to this day : and in this the assembly were sworn to preserve you . and this i did say , and must say , hardens you against reverence in the other parts of the worship of god. for if sitting be a suitable posture for offering up the most solemn prayers , thanksgiving , and praises to god , and such as are peculiar to our religion , as christians , they certainly are suitable to all others . and yet this the church of scotland and assembly have determined to be suitable . and therefore mr. b. is very unreasonable , when he asserts , ( vind. p. . ) that he is no more obliged to defend any particular persons in that posture , that indulge it out of sloth , than i am to defend the toying or laughing that is too often used in our church . this he repeats out of his remarks , but the case is not parallel . for first , we have particular canons against all such behaviour , namely , the seventh , that forbids any person to be otherwise at such times busied , than in quiet attendance to hear , mark , and understand that which is read , &c. and the th , which requires the church-wardens , &c. to see , that none walk , talk , or stand idle in the church-yord , or porch ; much more in the church . and the st has these words ; they shall also see , that in every meeting of the congregation peace be well kept ; and that none behave themselves rudely , or disorderly in the church . and to that end they shall warn the people , that they bring not with them to the church , dogs , hawks with bells , or children which are not so nurtured , as they can be kept quiet in their seats , without running up and down . neither shall they suffer any person to disturb the service or sermon , either by untimely ringing of bells , or by walking , talking , laughing , or any other noise , which may hinder the minister , or offend the people . and the names of all such as offend in this kind , they shall truly and personally present in the ordinary's visitations . till he shew as express a rule against sitting at prayers in the directory , he and all that own that directory are concerned in this charge . but secondly , it is very uncharitable , and without ground , to insinuate , that toying or luighing is as universally practis'd with us , as sitting with you . i have been in more churches than mr. b. and i must profess , that i have generally observed the people behave themselves with reverence and devotion ; and i do not believe that any church in the kingdom can be justly charged with irreverence of this kind , any more than your meetings , except perhaps one ; and that is not because those that do it there are not admonished of their duty , but because they are too big to be corrected . i have not said this to encourage you in your irreverence , but to shew you the unreasonableness of it , and to convince you of the weakness or unfaithfulness of the guides your party followed when they left our church , of whom your advocate is ashamed , and whom he would fain excuse by denying plain matters of fact : as for me , i do assure you i should be much better pleased to find i was mistaken in your principles and practices , then that the whole body of you should be guilty of such an irregularity ; and therefore , if i had observed that you had reformed effectually these abuses , i should not have troubled my self with a vindication ; for my design was not to accuse , but reform you : yet i thank god my endeavours have not altogether proved unsuccessful upon you , even in this point . viii . mr. b. affirms ( rem . p. . ) that your ministers frequently in their discourses to their people recommend standing or kneeling in their publick prayers ; and p. , that they have faithfully declared to their people their dislike of sitting . now , pray let me give you this easie test to distinguish your faithful ministers from the unfaithful ; those of them that have frequently and heartily reproved you for sitting at your publick prayers , before my book appeared , count them in this point faithful ministers of the gospel ; and those that have not done so , reckon them , as they truly are , unfaithful and conniving shepherds . and take heed how you trust them in other cases . i thank god for it , that by all i can learn , my book has done more to reform this unseemly practice , as mr. b. himself calls it , ( rem . p. . ) amongst you than all your ministers these years ; and plainly shews , that they need some inspection to mind them of their duty . sect. x. concerning the practise of bodily reverence by dissenters . . a seventh matter of fact with which mr. b. anew charges me , ( vind. p. . ) is , that i affirm , that the dissenters are taught , that external postures of bodily worship may in no case be practised : for which he quotes my discourse , p. . i wish that mr. b. while he taxes me for accusing you unjustly , and misrepresenting you , were careful of avoiding such dealings toward others . if you look into the place quoted , you will neither find the words nor sence of what he alledges against me ; my words are , that in case of necessity we think our outward performances may be lawfully omitted ; but you are taught , that in no case they may be lawfully practised : you are taught rather to stay at home , and not to worship god at all publickly , than to conform in outward gestures or circumstances . in which words it is plain , first , that i address my self to you in particular , and not to dissenters in general , as he represents me . secondly , it is evident i spake here of the outward gestures and circumstances to which our church requires you to conform , in order to joyn in her publick worship ; and not of all external postures of bodily worship : and it is too sad a truth , that above twenty thousand of you in this diocess refrain , and have refrained every lord's day from all publick worship for many years , rather than joyn in these ; and that you have counted our standing , kneeling , &c. idolatrous heretofore , appears not only from your practice and profession , but from your authors . witness the reasons for which the service-book urged upon scotland , ought to be refused , printed , in which — the third reason is , because it hath a number of popish , superstitious , and idolatrous ceremonies ; amongst which are reckoned , the priest's standing , kneeling , turning to the people , and the peoples standing at gospels , at gloria patri , &c. creeds , their answering the minister , and many such-like , in number above fifty . these unchristian and unjust censures are still in many of your minds , and for ought i find , they are the chief objections you have against our service ; and i beseech god in his mercy to grant , that either my reasons , or mr. b's concessions , may remove them , so that we may hear no more from you of the idolatry , superstition or popery of our ministers kneeling at their prayers , or standing at their blessings ; or of our peoples kneeling at their confessions of sins , at their prayers and communions , or standing at their praises , thanksgivings , professions of faith , and other parts of our service , that require a more solemn attention and concern . sect. xi . concerning the praises of god. . i shall add an eighth matter of fact , that has relation to the same affair , and that is concerning your praising god ; mr. b. alledges ( vind. p. . ) these as my words , and puts them , as such , in italian characters , that you have no other way of praising god , but by singing a verse or two of a psalm . and quotes my discourse , p. , for them ; but if you look into the place , you will find that these are neither my words nor sense : i am there only comparing your use of psalms and hymns in the praises of god , with ours ; and i observed that our church praises god every day with five or six psalms , besides other hymns — — whereas you only praise him in a piece of a psalm of a few verses . a thing so notoriously true , that without perverting the words , 't is impossible to find any exception against them . he objects indeed , that your directory prescribes extemporary thanksgivings , and spends many pages in his remarks about them . but i answer , thanksgivings and praises are different things , tho' they commonly go together ; and your extempory thanksgivings are reckoned in your directory under the head of prayers : the title under which they are prescribed , is that of publick prayer after sermon : the rule is , the sermon being ended , the minister shall give thanks , &c. and then the prayer ended , let a psalm be sung . i had no intention to deny these , but reckoned them , as your directory doth , with your prayers : which gives no other rule for the praises of god , but under the head of singing psalms ; the words there are , it is the duty of christians to praise god by singing of psalms ; the only rule for the praises of god in the whole directory . properly speaking , psalms and hymns are the scripture way of praising god , tho' in a large sense we praise him by our confessions of sins and faith ; and by our prayers , as well as by our thanksgivings . sect. xii . concerning the rule of human prudence . . a ninth matter of fact is , concerning the rule of human prudence , that we find , rem . p. , & , he charges me , vind. p. , with mistaking that rule , and supposing that he denied that god had given us any particular directions at all in reference to the modes of worship . but i must declare i neither did , nor intended to ascribe any such opinion to him ; i knew very well , that he owned many such , but he positively affirmed , rem . p. . that tho' god has commanded publick prayer , praise , hearing , celebration of the lords-supper , &c. yet at what time or place we shall assemble in , in what order these parts of worship shall be performed , what particular devout posture we shall use among several equally expressive of our religious reverence , what translation of the bible , or version of the psalms we shall chuse , what portion of the scripture shall be read , explained , and applied , what utensils shall be employed in the celebration of the sacraments ; and a multitude of such circumstances , and modes of that kind , are left to human determination ; only therein the general rules of scripture must be regarded . now , tho' mr. b. in other matters allows particular directions for the modes of worship , as he calls them ; yet it is plain in these of time , place , postures , translations , order and circumstances , he allows no particular directions in scripture , by which we are obliged , but only general rules . against this i argued in my admonition , and shewed that god had not only given us general rules for these matters , but likewise many particular directions and examples concerning each of them ; indeed so many , that if we diligently attend , and mind the consequences of them , and apply them to like cases , we may have sufficient direction from scripture to order our worship in each of these respects , and that it is a great presumption to lay aside these particular directions and examples , and to substitute other in their stead , because our own prudence judges them more for edification . ii. as for example , the new testament shews us , that there was a translation of the psalms in prose , and it doth not appear that either our saviour or his apostles used any other translation , or the church of god for years : but mr. b. tells us , vind. p. . that the command which obliges christian churches to sing psalms , necessarily obliges us to turn 'em in such sort of metre and verse as will best accommodate them to be sung by the people . now , this i say , is directly to set up the determination of our own prudence against scripture-precedent , and to accuse christ , his apostles and the church of god , of not having done that which the command of god obliged them necessarily to do ; since it doth not appear that they ever translated the psalms into any sort of verse to accommodate the people ; but plainly supposed they might sing them very well in prose , as they found them translated to their hands by the seventy interpreters . they are in no better metre in the greek , latin , syriack , or in any other antient translation used by the church of god , than in the common-prayer-book . yet the generality of those that used these translations were not excluded from singing them according to god's command , nor are they with us : and indeed if people were not prejudiced against them by such false reasonings as mr. b. offers , it is easier to sing them , and understand them when sung by others , in our way ( which is the antient christian method ) than when sung according to the new metre tunes . as to the original hebrew psalms , i knew very well that learned men had disputed much about them : that some have endeavoured to find measure in them , others rhime ; but after all , they come generally to that result which gave you , dis. chap. . sect. . n. . that it is evident they are poetical , but the poetry of them consists rather in the stile or manner of expression than in any certain measures or verses . and the same is observed in the hymns and songs of the new testament ; such as those of zacharias , and the blessed virgin : which are plainly poetical composures , and as much hymns as any of david's psalms , and as fit to be sung . and more particularly those two songs which the church is represented singing in the rev. chap. . and chap. . which are as much verse in the english as in the original . he alledges indeed , vind. p. . that the psalms of david were wrote in such ▪ sort of metre and verse as was then used . but this is more than any one knows , and no ways concern us , since the translation of them , which we find under the new testament , and the hymns and songs recorded in it , are not in that sort of verse or metre , or poetry that was then used in the world , but in such as we find in the old testament ; and such as our church still retains in our hymns and psalms : nor has she ever allowed by any publick act the metre psalms ; much less that they should justle out the scripture-way of using them in prose . iii. secondly , the scripture directs us to use all the ways of offering up psalms to god that were then common . first , by singing them together ; so did moses and the children of israel , ex. . secondly , by courses ; so did the priests and levites , ezra . . thirdly , by a select choire ; so was the custom in the temple . fourthly , by one's singing , and the rest joyning with him in their minds , and attending for their edification and comfort . so the prophets did that had inspired psalms , cor. . . for it is not conceiveable how the congregation could joyn their voices in a psalm that was either inspired in the place , or brought prepared by the prophet , since we all agree that there was no reading a line , as with us , and then singing it . fifthly , by speaking or reciting psalms , hymns and spiritual songs . sixthly , by plain singing them . and seventhly , by playing to them ; so eph. . . speaking to your selves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs ▪ singing and making melody in your heart to the lord. the word we render making melody , is literally ( as i have formerly observ'd ) singing or playing to an instrument : and these three , speaking , singing , and playing , are literally the ways men used their hymns , poems , and songs : and the apostle directs us to use our psalms all these ways , as we have occasion ; adding , that we must use them to the lord only , and with grace in our hearts . these are the precedents and directions the scriptures give us for the use of our psalms ; and our church retains them all on occasions . and to pretend that all or any of these are impractical , disorderly , or contrary to edification , i take to be a great presumption ; and this i suppose to be your case , and mr. b's . he asserts , rem . p. . that the new testament recommends no other use of psalms but singing , and quotes , eph. . . to prove it ; whereas the very letter of the place recommends speaking them , and playing to them , as well as singing them . and so protestant interpreters , both our own and strangers , understand it . thirdly , you and he have laid aside all these ways precedented in scripture , and substituted instead of them one that is not yet a hundred year old , peculiar to these countries , and not commonly used in other singing ; i mean reading a line , and the people singing it after ; which mr. b. confesses , remarks p. . to be indeed a defect , but such as we must be forced to condescend to , unless we could prevail with all our people to get psalm books , and learn to read , or to commit 'em to memory : as if all the poor christians in the apostles time had had psalm-books ; or cou'd have read ; or had the psalms by heart ; or as if our neighbour reformed churches were in a better case in this point than we : but this is plainly to suppose that the apostles and and the church of god were ignorant of this necessary means of edifying the people till a few years ago ; and that the scripture failed to give us direction what we are to do with the psalms when the people want books , cannot read , or have them not by heart : which has ever been the case of many since they were first sung. but the same scripture that commands us to do all things for edification , commands us likewise to use the psalms as i have shewed , and never prescribes or mentions the defective way used by you ; and therefore we may be sure singing the psalms by a choir , reading them by courses , and playing to them are not contrary to edification : and to oppose the determinations of human prudence to these particular precedents , is to make the word of god of none effect by your tradition : and is what i blame in you and mr. b. as teaching your own inventions . i positively declared that i did not condemn singing metre - psalms as unlawful , but only your casting out the prose intirely in your publick praises of god , and preferring the metre meerly on the strength of our own prudential determinations ; as more edifying and fitter for a congregation . this i took to be a preferring your own reason , or tradition , to the word of god. iv. the same i say concerning extemporary prayer : i never denied but extemporary prayers may be lawful , nay , necessary on extraordinary occasions , when a man has not a form ready , or time to compose one . i granted , that in this case , we may depend on the assistance of god's spirit , as in all other cases of necessity ; or at least hope for pardon , of course , to our infirmities . but i shewed , dis. chap. . sect. . n. . that god had commanded forms of prayer , both to priests and people , in the old and new testament : that the church of the jews use a form of prayer in their publick ordinary service ; that the psalms of david are a collection of such forms , and so are called , psal. . . and it doth not appear , that any other publick prayers were ordinarily used in the temple ; and that we have many precedents of such . i add now , that such prayers are sufficient to express all our desires to god on ordinary publick occasions , which are constantly the same ; and if any thing extraordinary happen , the church may provide a form for it , it being unreasonable that it should be left to every private minister to impose what confession or petitions he pleases on the people ; or at least in such a solemn affair as uttering to god the sense of a nation , or even of a congregation , a minister ought to reduce what he intends to say into form , and consider it well beforehand , that he may be sure that the words are fit and proper for the publick , as well as the matter . i shewed further , that there is no promise in scripture to furnish us with words without this care ; and , that the spirit of prayer promised in scripture doth not include any such gift either to minister or people : and therefore to lay aside prayers by a form , in our ordinary publick occasions ( which are still the same ) is plainly to prefer our own inventions to scripture-precedents , and our prudential application of a general rule , to the method prescribed in several particular cases under that general rule by god himself . i grant , praying extemporarily , and prayer by a form , are different ways of worshipping god , or modes , to use mr. b's phrase , ( who commonly , in these cases , shelters himself in some new difficult word , which many of you do not understand . ) but , i say , we have only precedents for one of these ways in scripture , in performing of publick prayers in an ordinary setled congregation ; and therefore for you to lay aside this way ( as you do in your most publick and ordinary addresses ) for extemporary prayers , is to prefer your own wisdom to god's . if the thing it self had been feasible , the method of answering this argument against extemporary prayer was easie ; nor was there any need of that long discourse you find in mr. b's remarks , or the hard words he gives me about it . the whole difficulty incumbent on him , was to shew some command of god in scripture , requiring us to worship or pray to him in a conceived , or unpremeditated , or free-prayer , as he calls it ; or some example in a setled ordinary congregation , where it was practised . till he do this , his arguments for the usefulness of such prayers , and for their necessity , drawn from their being more moving and more edifying than forms , are only opposing his own experience to the precedents of holy scripture ; and it seems to me , that only the itching ears of people who love novelty and variety give ground for such surmises : but these are vices against which they ought to be cautioned , not to be cherished and encouraged in them , as mr. b. does , rem . p. . since they are apt to cheat men with a false devotion , and are not necessary to a true one ; of which , had mr. b. been throughly sensible , i conceive he would not have given me such very hard words for interpreting an itching ear , to be an ear that loves them ; or affirmed ( as he does , rem . p. . ) that no expositor before me ever dream'd of such a sence of them . i wish he would consult a few more expositors before he peremptorily determine concerning the sence of scriptures : he might have found estius , al●pide , and galvin , noted commentators , concurr in this sence with me , and the context , as well as the words , where they are used , enforce it , tim. . for the time will come , when they will not endure sound doctrine ; but after their own lusts , heap up to themselves teachers having itching ears . which words plainly give two reasons that move people to heap up teachers to themselves , their lusts and their itching ears ; but mr. b. would perswade us , that the apostle meant only one of them ; whereas the experience of all ages has found , that the desire ▪ of novelty and variety has made men ready to entertain fables and false doctrines , as well as their wanton fancies , or various inolinations , as he alledges : if by wanton fancies he meant any thing else than a fancy that loves novelty and variety , and if the same be meant by it , then he had no reason to abuse me for a whole page together , for interpreting the words in that sence , since he himself doth the same . m. b. i confess , offers some scripture precedents for extemporary prayer in publick , rem . p. . namely solomon's , king ▪ s . . asa's , chron. . . jehosophat's , chron. . . hezekia's , isa. . , . ezra's , chap. . . nehemiah's , chap. . . but these are not to the purpose ; they are all of them on extraordinary occasions , and in extraordinary assemblies , in which 't is granted , that extemporary prayers may be necessary . secondly , they are generally the particular prayers of the men that offered them , and not of the assembly ; such is solomon's , hezekiah's , and ezra's . thirdly , it doth not appear but they were all forms written and prepared beforehand . i take it for granted , that the confession in neh. . was so , for eight levites repeated it , the people standing ; as appears by the fifth verse , then the levites , jeshua and cadmiel , bani , hashabniah , sherebijah , hodijah , shebaniah , said , stand up and bless the lord your god for ever and ever . and so they go on with the confession , and it is like the people joyned their voices also , for they used to joyn in the blessings and praises of god ; to do which , the levites now invite them : and in the latter end of the confession it is said , v. . because of all this , we make a sure covenant , and write it . this confession is then plainly the preface to that covenant , and therefore these are no clear instances ( as he alledges ) or precedents for extemporary prayers in an ordinary setled congregation ; much less is there any command for such : whereas the precedents for forms of prayer are express , and the command to use the lord's prayer in particular , literal , luk. . . when you pray , say , our father ; to which mr. b's interpretation is a contradiction ; when you pray you need not say our father , &c. either in ordinary publick addresses to god , or occasional . v. let me observe further , that tho' mr. b. gives me such hard words for not distinguishing between the spirit of prayer and the grift , rem . p. . yet he doth not bring one place of scripture where they are distinguished : it was directly my business , to shew , that there was no such ordinary gift , without the help of forms , necessary or promised , either to the children of god , or ( which is the same thing , as mr. b. now states it , rem . p. . ) to all ministers or private christians , in the diligent use of such helps as they are furnished with , and frequent exercising themselves in this excellent duty . this is a point so material , that we ought to have plain scripture for it , and a clear promise that god will give this gift to us on all occasions ordinary and extraordinary , without the help of forms , if we use the means , endeavour it heartily , and exercise our selves in it . but mr. b. has not produced one particular , much less clear promise to this purpose ; only he argues the conveniences of it from general rules , which signifie nothing when duly examined ; neither ought to be put in the balance with our saviour's command and scripture ▪ precedents : and therefore i had good reason to suppose that mr. b. set up his rule of human prudence to the exclusion of any particular rule or precedent in scripture in these duties he mentioned : nay , i had good warrant to believe , that he allows a dispensing power even against express scripture-rules and precedents , when his human prudence judges them contrary to edification : he asserts this positively in the matter of ordination , and i had reason to believe the same as to matter of worship . saith he , reflect . p. . positive precepts must always yield to moral , and matters of meer order to the end of the duty ordered : and the former must never be pleaded against the latter . this i take to be a dangerous position ; for it is in effect to say , that all the particular rules in scripture about the worship of god , and discipline of his church , cease to be obligatory on any party of men that think them contrary to edification : whereas we ought to suppose , that they never are contrary to it , and therefore are never to be laid aside ; and that tho' they seem to us to be contrary , yet they are not , but are some way misapplied ; which is to be amended without dispensing with them . thus i may be assured , that praying to god by a form is very edifying , because i find precedents for doing so in scripture ; and i ought to look on it as a very corrupt human prudence , that suggests the contrary . and herein , as i take it , lies the principal difference between mr. b. and me , concerning this rule ; i argue , that forms of prayer , singing prose-psalms , &c. are edifying , because i find them used in scripture ; he argues , that they ought not to be generally used , because his human prudence and observation finds them contrary to edification . i must leave you to judge which of us pay the greatest deference to the holy scripture , or have the greatest opinion of our own prudence . vi. to conclude this head , i will deal easily with mr. b. and allow him the interpretation of his rule which he now gives ; and tho' he says , that only the general rules must be regarded , yet i will allow he did not intend to exclude particular directions ; and i will take the rule as mr. baxter has it , from whence i suppose mr. b. took it , in these words ; ( conformity stated , p. . ) we never held , that the scripture is a particular rule , commanding every accident and circumstance about god's worship ( but only a general rule requiring all to be done in love and peace , and to edification , and decently , &c. ) in those circumstances which must be some way determined , and god hath left to variable human determinations , such as are time , place , utensils , translations , sections , metres , tunes , methods and words in preaching and prayer , habits , gestures , and many such-like . this rule is laid down in the name of all your party , and i hope you will stand by it ; for it not only justifies our holy-days ▪ communion-table , rails , habits , desks , pulpit and fonts , as i shewed in my admonitton , but also our office for the dead ; for we have a general rule in scripture to pray always , more especially when we meet with any loss , or cause of sorrow : and i suppose our human prudence doth determine , that the death of a friend is a very sensible loss ; that the time of his burial is a very proper time for prayer ; and his grave , where we take our last farewell of him , is a very proper place to express our hope of his resurrection , and to thank god for that hope ; which is the sum of that office of our church . the same may be said for the thanksgiving of women after child-birth , and indeed for every other office appointed by our church ; and every practice even of our reading the apocrypha , and standing at the gospel ; the one being a gesture within the very letter of the rule , and as the prudence of the church has judged for many ages , very edifying ; and the other full as warrantable as your ministers reading the covenant and acknowledgment of sins , which they were ordered to do two lord's days , octob. . . nay , it justifies that which we are no ways obliged to justifie , tho' mr. b. often objects it to us , that is , bowing towards the east , or altar , it being no rule of our church , or universal practice ; for god has in general commanded us to worship him with our bodies ; and it is very convenient , decent , and solemn , that the whole congregation should bow one way , without meeting each others faces . if therefore human prudence determine , that this gesture shall be used at certain times , and that it shall be towards the east or communion-table , it only does what the rule impowers , and it fully justifies it . the same may be said of bowing the head at the name of jesus , which yet is not required of you , there being no rule for it in the church of ireland ; and the same is obvious of all these other things mr. b. excepts against , vind. p. . sect. xiii . concerning the third , fourth , and fifth canons . . atenth matter of fact is his adding and taking away from our third , fourth , and fifth canons . he professes that he cannot imagine wherein he has added to them , vind. p. . for the determination of this i desire you to consult the remarks , p. . and there you will find him affirming that our fifth and third canon excommunicate ipso facto all that are guilty of the crimes mentioned in them ; and intimates the same concerning the fourth : but he has added these words ipso facto out of his own head , or by inconsiderately transcribing mr. baxter , who indeed quotes the third , fourth and fifth english canons ; but the irish canons which mr. b. here quotes , treat of different matters , and have no such words in them ; and yet these words are so material , that he founds his principal arguments against these canons on them ; alledging it ( rem . p. . ) as a great absurdity that they excommunicate without any other admonition than what the canons themselves give ; and that they peremptorily cut off from christ without presonal warning ; and p. . that all are denounced excommunicated who affirm or maintain the doctrines condemned in those canons . whereas those canons neither denounce any excommunicated , nor excommunicate any ipso facto ; and tho' the crimes be very grievous , such as preaching against the established worship in the common-prayer-book ; condemning our orders , unchurching our congregations ; separating from us as profane ; and setting up altar against altar ; yet the canons do not impower the bishops to excommunicate persons so guilty till they be cited , admonished , the fact proved , and they persist impenitently in their errors : whereas if they were excommunicated ipso facto ( as mr. b. alledges ) there needed only citation and a proof of the fact , and a declaration of the sentence . sect. xiv . concerning his demands . . but eleventhly , as mr. b. denies , that he has added to our canons , so he likewise asserts , vind. p. . that he has reviewed all the demands he has made in his remarks , and can see no unjust representation in them . i do not think it proper to trouble you with an examination of all those . i will only put you in mind that i hinted at some of them in my admonition , p . as in the fifth , where he represents us absolving the uncensured ; which is a very unjust representation : for the absolution of the sick is not the absolving of the uncensured , but of one that by , a special confession of some weighty ▪ matter that troubles his conscience has submitted himself to the censure and judgment of a minister . secondly , in the seventh demand he censures our canons in the matter of such as are to be ordained as very desective ; which is a very unjust representation , they being as strict as the apostles , tim. . and in such a degree , that if duly observed , no insufficient person can be admitted into orders . i will add two or three more , for i cannot go thro' all . ii. thirdly , therefore in his second demand , p. . he represents the authority of bishops to be so devolved on their chancellours , as to be out of their one hands ; and humbly desires they would endeavour to recover the spiritual part of it . this is an unjust representation , and shews he does not understand our constitution , or practice ; for , first , in many cases the bishop cannot devolve his power on his chancellour , but must act himself . secondly , the chancellour's power doth not exclude the bishops in any case . on the contrary , he is only his substitute when absent , and his assistant when present : the bishop may when he pleases sit in his own courts , and when he pleases admit what clergy-men he thinks proper to assist him , and dispose of all things according to the canons ; he may reserve a cause to his own hearing ; pass sentence in it according to his own judgment ; and dismiss or suspend it ; and in every step act independently of his chancellour . it is true , he cannot in some cases dispose of the chancellour , or registers fees ; to which ( being a lay-perquisite ) the common law intitles them ; and it is not the churches fault that we cannot reform it . but from this it sufficiently appears that to represent our jurisdiction as out of our hands is very unjust . and here let me take notice of a most unjust reflection mr. b. has cast on the jurisdiction of this diocess , in particular : he asserts , p . that you have very little hopes of reformation of manners , from either the persons that compose those c●urts , or from the manner of their proceedings ; and hopes that i should not expect that you should turn informers , to bring grist to our mills . and intimates , that we only draw people in there to make a prey of them . these are every one most unjust representations ; and i dare appeal to the several hundreds i have had in my court , since i came to this diocess , for the truth of what i assert : i can answer for my self and all the officers of the court , and dare affirm that none of them ever made a prey of any . i shall only give the chancellours account of this matter , and desire mr. b. to try if he can produce one instance to the contrary . my lord , after all the tenderness of your lordships ecclesiastical courts , i am surpriz'd to find that mr. b. ( in his book against you ) speaks to your lordship of such courts as bring contempt on the censures of the church , decreeing 'em on frivolous causes , in a rash and precipitant manner , making 'em an engine to squeeze the purses of men , rather than reform their manners , p. . as hunting for prey , and on that score drawing men into their clutches , p. . as scandalously managed : the censures of the church prostituted to so vile a purpose as that of filthy lucre , and that thereby the temple of god is turned into a house of merchandize , p. . this , in a book so full of harsh innuendo's may make some readers believe that the accounts he has from hence ( of which he sometimes speaks ) give him ground to talk at this rate . and seeing these things are said to the bishop of derry , and the reformation of them desir'd , those who are strangers to your lordships courts , and your diocess , may be inclin'd to believe that the jurisdiction here is managed by such harpy's as he has described ; for what courts can your lordship reform but your own ? and why is this objected to your lordship unless you are supposed to be guilty ? therefore as far as this may be understood to relate to your lordships diocess ( concerning which , properly , all the dispute is ) i shall beg leave of your lordship to offer this short answer to it . i have never heard that any judge of the consistory of derry since june , when i came first into this diocess , receiv'd any fees but what came through my hands ; for i attended constantly on the courts since that time ( as surrogate the first year , and chancellor the two last ) to your lordships knowledge , who was duly present at them when you were in town . now during these three years there are , or have been , about persons ( reputed of that perswasion that mr. b. seems to vindicate ) proceeded against in the ecclesiastical courts of derry , presented by the church-wardens , for fornication , adultery , incest , &c. from all which , there has not been taken for the judges fees to the value of ten pounds . the last fifteen months i resided in my parish , seven miles distant from the court , yet attended without any surrogate , lest i should be obliged to grant the full fees to others which i remit often my self ; so that my many necessary journeys , my neglect of my own private concerns , my staying many nights and weeks from my own dwelling , being considered , any reasonable person may compute my gains . i shall not enter into any invidious comparison between this management and the times of presbitery or independency ; but supposing that my brethren may justify their courts in the same manner , if the scene of the present dispute were not laid in this see : i shall content my self with this , that all men may hence discern , whether our courts have deserved the severe intimations before-mentioned , or whether mr. b's . friends here , have been devoured as a prey , &c. — — ballychelaghan june . my lord , your lordships , &c. robert gourney . to conclude , i dare affirm , that all the officers of the court of derry , have not had forty pound fees from all the several hundred criminals that have been in it since i came into the diocess ; so far have they been from oppressing or squeezing any : and yet i am not satisfied that this mildness is commendable , for i find the greater part so lost to all sense of goodness , and so exceedingly sordid in their temper , that they had rather do penance both at meeting and church than pay a few shilings ; and perhaps on such people , the fear of paying a little money , would work a greater reformation , and awaken them more than all other endeavours . iii. fourthly , he represents ministers in his sixth demand , p. . as depriv'd of their pastoral power that belongs to them , and wishes that bishops would exercise their authority in concurrence with their presbyters ; and another of your ministers represents bishops as the sole pastours of the whole diocess , mr. craghead p. . now all these are misrepresentations . for first . there are many acts of episcopal power and authority which a bishop connot exercise without the concurrence of his presbyters . secondly , there is not one act belonging to a congregation , except confirming the baptised ( which has ever been peculiar to bishops ) but a presbyter , with the consent of his bishop , may exercise it . thirdly , a presbyter has as much power in the matter of excommunication as any presbyterian minister , since he can reprove , rebuke , exhort and suspend from the sacrament ; which is all that any of them can do . and whereas mr. b. alledges that he must turn informer against such as he suspends , in the spiritual courts , where they are sure to be put to great charges . this is another misrepresentation ; for there is no such necessity of putting into the court such offenders , except their sins be publick ; or if they should be put into it , that they should be put to much charges , except they continue impenitent , and then it is necessary they should pay the fees of the office , which are very small , whatever mr. b. suggests , and 't is the offenders own fault , if they be otherwise who make them so by their obstinacy : to conclude , a presbyter must act in dependance and with consent of his bishop in many things , but this doth not hinder him from being a pastour , joyntly with his bishop of the whole diocess , and particularly in his own cure. iv. let me observe further , that neither presbyterians or independents can with any reason object this to our presbyters ; for every presbyterian minister depends on his brethren in these acts . and can neither excommunicate or perform any other proper act of government , that concerns the whole church , without consent of a synod ; and if his depending on a synod in these acts , doth not hinder him from esteeming himself a pastour , why shou'd a presbyter with us not count himself a pastour , since he has as much power alone as your ministers , and as much in conjunction with his bishop , as yours have with a synod ? and especially when it is considered that the presence and consent of a bishop is easier had than that of a synod ; and the bishop is obliged by known rules and laws to concur in those things that are reasonable , whereas generally your matters are arbitrary and depend on the major votes . as to the congregational ministers , they in these acts depend on the consent of their own congregations , in whom ( according to them ) the power of the keys is originally seated ; and they cannot excommunicate any without consent of their people , which is more opposite to the nature of a pastour , than acting with the consent of a bishop , and in subordination to him ; and indeed such ministers are rather meer servants , than pastours of their people : in this point therefore , mr. b. has made a very unjust representation of our principles and practice . sect. xv. concerning mr. sq. . the last matter of fact , of which i shall take notice , concerns a person rejected from orders in our church , and now a preacher of your party . mr. b. affirms , that your ministers declare , that they know of no such person , and says , that if i mean mr. sq. he declares he was never examined , as to his learning , by us ; and that most that know him , think , that if i reject all those , of my clergy , that are not mr. sq ' s. superiors in learning , i must exclude a great many of those that are now in this diocess . you see how he necessitates me to give an account of this affair . this gentleman whom i did not name , out of the great respect i had to his relations , soon after the troubles , procur'd mr. robert gage , of this diocess , to present him to the then bishop of rapho , for the order of a deacon ; the bishop , according to the st canon , demanded a certificate of his degree , good life and conversation under the colledge seal ; but that he neither had , nor could procure ; whereupon , the bishop refus'd him . after i came to this place he applied himself to me , both in person and by his friends ; but i refused him and them , till such time as he was publickly examined according to the canons : in the mean while i discours'd him several times , and found him unfit as to his learning , yet wou'd not discourage him , but advised him to such books as i thought most fit and necessary for him : when the time drew near , that i intended to have an ordination , he petitioned to be admitted to the publick examination which was to precede it ; i read the petition written in his own hand , but the latin so false and improper , that it appeared by it , he was not master of the grammar , much less of the latin tongue . i consulted some of the clergy about him , and came to a resolution not to admit him ; but to do it in the softest way i cou'd ; i discours'd him again , shewed him his defects , and that it wou'd expose him to be examined publickly , especially at the same time , when others were to be examined of parts and learning , and therefore advised him to delay till some other time , and till he cou'd get a certificate from the colledge , without which i could not regularly ordain him : he seemed discontented , and the next thing i heard , was , that the sunday after he went to the meeting , and declared against the church . this is the truth of the matter , and i must declare , that i never admitted any , to any order , benefice or curacy , in this diocess , who were not by many degrees his superiors in learning , parts and steadiness of thoughts ; and as to those that were preferred in the diocess before my coming to it , i suppose that mr. sq. himself will have more modesty than to compare himself with them : i must add , that he is not the only person has served me at this rate . ii. and from this you may observe . first , that no people are more impatient of discipline , than such as would perswade the world that they are the great patrons of it , and most zealous for it . this gentleman , that is now joyned with you , for purer ordinances and discipline , was so disgusted by the strictness of ours , that he left our church . secondly , you may observe , that some people are resolved to be ministers at any rate , and when those that have the keys of the church will not admit them , they leap over the wall. thirdly , you see by this how much men advance their reputation and interest , by being of a party . here is a gentleman that had so little reputation amongst us , for learning and sufficiency , that he was not thought fit to be a deacon , by two bishops , and several clergy men ; and yet by joyning with you , most of your party that knew him in dublin , where they are best able to judge , prefer him to many of the clergy of this diocess . so unjust and partial are men in their judgments where their party is concerned ; and thus it has been since divisions were first in the church : st. paul hints at it , cor. . . and tertullian speaks to it in point , above years ago , in his book de prescriptionibus , where he observes of those that divided from the church , that they ordained , apost at as nostros ut gloria eos obligent , quia veritate non possunt . nus● quam facilius proficitur quam in castris rebellium . 't were too severe to translate these words ; but the meaning is , that so a man left the church , he might have reputation and orders easily amongst the divided parties . fourthly , you may observe , that it is not always conviction of conscience brings men to your party ; here in the beginning of the week a gentleman gave in a petition in his own hand writing , and was earnest to be admitted into orders ; and being put off , next sunday he declares himself of your party against the church . he must have great charity , that will suppose this to proceed from meer conviction of conscience . fifthly , you may observe , how unfit judges the people are of the ability and qualifications of men for the ministery , and how easy it is to deceive and impose on them , in which i have had experience in three or four other cases . sixthly , this shews the misery , and mischief of parties in the church , and how impracticable they render discipline . i have taken what care i cou'd to obviate this ; and have refus'd to admit some that were driven out of scotland by the fury of the rabble , till they brought a certificate from their adversaries , of their lives and conversations ; and that they had no other exception against them , except their not complying with the church government there established . whether your party take the same measures , they know best that admitted mr. sq. to preach . sect. xvi . personal vindication . i. there is one thing further that i am obliged to take notice of , rather indeed to comply with the suggestions of my friends , than that i judge it necessary , or so much as convenient . it concerns my own person , and not the cause ; and i reckon where ▪ ever a man that pretends to answer a book meddles with the person or personal affairs of his adversary , it is a plain confession that he has the worst of the argument , and that he is forced to make up with slight and art what is wanting in point of reason . yet this mr. b. has done in several places of his remarks , and has employ'd most of those arts that popular lawyers make use of to carry their clients cause at the barr , but are very improper to be used by the advocates of truth , who ought to have no view but the glory of god , the advancement of his true worship , and the peace and unity of his church . i am conscious to my self , that i had no other aim in the writing my book ; and i hope i may say that the deep concern i had for the due observation of the worship of god , and the danger of such as neglect it , did influence every sentence in it . i had before me the great obligation that lay on me as a pastour and father in the church ; even the great and solemn oath of god , made in my ordination . i remembred that the truest evidences of the presence of the spirit of christ , and hardest to be counterfeited , are gentleness , goodness and meekness ; and i called to mind that a tender father wou'd not reprove his erring children , nor a man treat his friend with bitterness , pride , scoffing or lightness . that a pastour has no less reason for bowels of compassion towards his straying sheep , than a father towards his children : that a christian was as deeply obliged to meekness towards his erring brother , as any man towards his dearest friend . and tho' that brother be mistaken in his judgment , and alienated in his affections to the highest degree , even to railing and madness , yet the injured person ought still to treat him with the same gentleness and tenderness , and look on all those extravagancies as the effects of a spiritual feaver , which to a mind truly affected with the love of christ , are as little provoking as the ravings occasioned by a natural one , and much more to be pitied . ii. these were the considerations i had before me , and the measures i took in writing my book , and i hope in god they shall always remain with me , and influence my words and actions ; and , i thank god , they yield me a comfort and satisfaction above all that the world can afford me . but this was very different from what many of your party expected ; they measured me not from what i am , or from what i do and say , but from the representations some of themselves had made of me . 't was from these that a rumour went abroad whilst my book was in the press , that i was publishing a most furious book full of bitterness and railing ; and that i wou'd now discover what a passionate angry man i was : this went current ; but when my book appeared i thank god it was of a different sort , and and very much surprised those whose interest it was to represent me and it otherwise ; and by all i can learn , nothing displeased them more than the seriousness , charity and civility with which it was written . iii. mr. b. seems to be sensible that this gives my book some advantage , and takes great care to prevent it ; sometimes he makes slight of it , sometimes endeavours to expose it as ridiculous : but his greatest endeavour is to perswade you that it is not real and sincere in me . to make this appear probable he produces several arguments both in his preface , and in his remarks . in the last he insists on one , p. . on which he thinks fit to enlarge again in his vindication ( p. ) 't is taken from a clause in the leases of the see of derry , whereby the tenants are obliged not to sett to mass-priests , or dissenting ministers : this he thinks will excuse all the hard words he gives me , and prove me guilty of unfair dealing ; but this is to censure actions before he knows the reason of them , as i suppose every body may observe ; and since it concerns only my own person , i did not think it necessary to make any apology for it ; and i assure you my tenderness to you , and indeed to our common christianity , obliged me rather to suffer the reproach , as i have done in many other cases , than to publish those things of which i apprehended the common enemies of our religion might make advantage . and had not the importunity and perswasions of my friends , to whose judgments i have a deference , required it now from me , no provocations of my answerers shou'd have done it . however i shall endeavour to give an account of this matter in the least offensive way i can ; and if any thing seem hard in it , the blame must be justly theirs who gave the occasion . iv. i find this clause verbatim ( so far as relates to popish priests ) in the oldest leases of this see of derry ; in which there has been , since the reformation , a succession of wise , learned , and pious men , my predecessors . dr. montgomery , dr. babington , dr. downam , dr. bramhall , dr. wild , dr. mossom , dr. ward , and dr. hopkins , were men generally famous for their works yet remaining , and for their eminent service they did to the church of god. these found it necessary to put this clause into their leases ( at the first making of them ) or to continue it , in as many as were renew'd . so far therefore this is no new clause ; it being ( as i have said ) in the oldest leases of the see , and put in by wise and good men , for good reasons . i found the same reasons not only to continue it , but to extend it to all teachers dissenting from the church ; and should have thought my self answerable to my successors , if whilst the reasons were as good , i had departed from the wise conduct of my predecessors . that the reasons are as good , will appear from what follows . my predecessors found that their tenants liv'd easily as to rents , and freest of any from exactions or oppressions , and that this made , as it still makes , those that are averse to the office and revenues of a protestant bishop , yet desirous to be their tenants : that the popish priests especially found their advantage in living under them , both to their temporal and spiritual interest ; for they had such influence on their own party , that none of them durst come in competition with them , in taking their farms ; and so they had them at what rate they pleas'd , and ( where they had such influence ) the protestants durst not take them ; by which means they were able to keep them waste , if they could not get them to themselves ; which i have effectually found in a farm where one of them had crept in . and as to their spiritual interest , it was no ill policy to secure those places where the bishop had greatest influence . i am sure these things are true of your ministers ; and these , or the like motives , so far prevail'd on them , that before the troubles they had at least one half of their meetings on the church lands . again , no one would willingly have a tenant that looks on him as an usurper , or is sworn to extirpate him as soon as he can ; this was a good reason to refuse popish priests for tenants , and holds no less against such of your teachers as adhere to the solemn league and covenant . i must mind you also , that coshering and exacting on tenants by way of meat and lodging , is against the laws of this kingdom ; and the popish priests lived by such ways , but were not near so oppressive to their neighbours as your meetings are : your sacraments especially are attended with a most oppressive coshering ; and so it is , and must be , where four or five thousand meet together from distant places , and stay several days . and indeed , none that live near the meeting house can call their meat or drink , or grass , or houses their own , during these times ; or dare refuse them to those cosherers , if they would live quietly . and here i must declare , that i had private information from several of my tenants of this oppression ; and they were heartily glad when they found i had contrived a way to ease them , tho' they durst not publickly own it . there is a further reason , and that is , that men whose avowed principle it is to tolerate no body , when they have power , ought not to pretend to the same favour with other people that are moderate . this is a just exception against popish priests ; and for ought yet appears , it is no less against your teachers , some of which seem to be of as persecuting a spirit as they ; and have so far influenced the most zealous of their hearers , that they already persecute , as far as they have power , those that dissent from them ; insomuch that ( as i observed before ) some that are heartily desirous to come to church , dare not , for fear of being undone by their neighbours . and no wonder it should be so , since you are taught in your very catechism to oppose all false worship ; and , according to each ones place and calling , to remove it . and tolerating a false religion is reckoned , in express terms , a breach of the second commandment . a clause very unfit for a catechism , that ought to contain only the principles of our holy and meek religion , and which i do not find in the catechism of the council of trent , notwithstanding the persecuting spirit of that church ; and indeed , it is not only a wicked , but an imprudent thing to impose on all christians the necessity of either persecuting all their neighbours that are mistaken in matters of religion , or violating their own consciences ; which sufficiently shews the spirit of those that compos'd your catechism , and discovers the principle that makes you so uneasie to your neighbours ; which principle your teachers still refuse to renounce . these , i suppose , are sufficient to shew , that there is neither rashness nor uncharitableness in this clause of my leases , which has now been three times objected to me in print , twice by mr. b. and once by mr. craghead ; as if it were indeed of moment , or any thing to the subject of my book . but this makes it plain , that the business of the answerers was , to answer my book by prejudicing people against my person ; a certain sign , that they wrote for a party rather than truth . after all , i must profess to you , and have always declared , that it never was my intention by that clause to hinder any one to live under me that was peaceable , and of whose honesty , as a tenant , i could have any reasonable security , of what perswasion soever he was ; but i thought it but reasonable to reserve to my self and my successors a liberty to make a difference between moderate honest men , whom one may suppose to be lead by conscience , and others that appear to be acted by other motives ; which shall always be the rule of my proceedings . there is a further matter under this head which mr. b. objects to me ( vind. p. . ) in these words , we like not the gentle language of writs de excom . cap. by which he would insinuate some very hard or unfair dealing in me . a few words will clear it ; i never procur'd more than one or two of these writs to be executed , and that against a person who refus'd to stand for sidesman ( being duly elected by his parish ) or to find another for it , which the very act of toleration in england requireth to be done ; and the government on full consideration of the matter , found i had reason in it ; and the person confess'd , that he would never have contended it ( as indeed he neither had , nor could have any scruple ) had not his minister , mr. crook , engag'd to bring him off , if he stood it out ; which i am able to prove . but mr. b. makes no scruple to censure his governours , before whom this matter was adjudged , and pronounce concerning things of which it is manifest he had no due information . having thus examin'd the principal matters of fact , i must observe , that mr. b. ( who makes himself your advocate ) in the end of his vindication ( p. . ) takes it for granted , that the matters of fact with which i charged you , and for the truth of which i appealed to your own knowledge and consciences , were false ; and alledges it as the greatest provocation given you , that i appealed to your selves as evidences for what you certainly know to be untrue . i do not find any sufficient ground for his asserting this in your behalf ; i have conversed with many of you since the writing of my book and admonition , before many witnesses , and could never meet with any of you that could deny any one matter of fact in them . and as to the vouchers that mr. b. has produc'd to disprove what i said , they are so far from justifying what he asserted , as to your practice , or contradicting what i charged on you , that the truth of his assertions depends still on his own credit . but whatever effect his endeavours to palliate the matters with which i tax you may have on strangers , they can never make you think otherwise of them than what you know . and i am sure you cannot but know , ( what i have been now necessitated to prove in the foregoing chapter ) that the main and most considerable matters which i charg'd on you were true ; that your communions have been scandalously infrequent ; that your publick worship of god was generally performed by you sitting , which i reckon irreverent ; that you had no orderly publick reading of the scriptures , nor any practicē that could properly be called reading them ; that you have no order or rule of teaching the great mysteries of our religion in your sermons or set discourses ; which certainly do deserve such set discourses , if any thing can deserve them . i am conscious to my self , and have god for my witness , that i had no design in what i have publish'd of your faults in the worship of god , but to endeavour , according to my duty , your amendment of them , ( of which could i have made you sensible in a private way , you should not have been told so publickly . ) and it had been a very ridiculous undertaking for me , as i often have observ'd before , to put the stress of your reforming them ( which i most seriously coveted and desired ) upon your knowledge of the truth of them , if i had not been sure that you did sufficiently know it ; nay , had i not understood it from the mouths and confession of many of you . but the truth is , these things are so notorious , ev'n from the defence which your advocate and his certifiers would make for you , that i had , and still have , all reason to appeal to your own consciences for the truth of them , and to hope for the desired success of my writings in your amendment of them ▪ from the undeniable evidence of this truth in your selves ; which success , i thank god , i have already in some measure found , and do beseech him still to encrease . chap. ii. of the reasoning part of mr. b's book . sect. i. mr. b's stating the case between you and us , as to purity of worship and discipline . i. i proceed now to some observations on the reasoning part of mr. b's book ; and the first thing i shall take notice of , is his stating the difference between you and us. vindic. p. . we have these words ; where there are in a kingdom two parties , or bodies of protestants , in one of which both the worship and discipline of christ is more fully restor'd to its primitive simplicity and purity ; in the other , there are some defects and corruptions left in their worship , and discipline almost entirely neglected , or perverted and abused ; i think every considerate christian should prefer the stated communion of that party , in which necessary reformation has made a happier progress . i confess , i am partly of mr. b's opinion ; and think , for this very reason you ought to embrace the communion of our church , as of that in which both worship and disciplin is more fully restor'd to its primitive simplicity and purity ; for i do not know one thing in which you have the advantage of us ; as will appear on examination of these particulars . ii. first , in discipline you have nothing to boast of , since you have no authentick rule concerning it at all ; as i shew'd in my admonition . and when proposals were made concerning it , they were rejected by a parliament of your own party with great abhorrence ; we cannot , say they in their declaration , consent to the granting of an arbitrary and unlimited , power and jurisdiction to near ten thousand judicatories to be erected within this kingdom , and this demanded in a way inconsistent with the fundamentals of government , excluding the power of parliaments . the question then between your discipline and ours , is , whether it is better to have no rules , but meer arbitrary power in ten thousand judicatories , to exercise a discipline inconsistent with the fundamental laws of the kingdom , and the power of parliaments ; or to have certain and determinate rules for the exercise of it ; such as our canons and rubricks , which are very consistent with the constitution of the kingdom , and would certainly reform the world if executed ; and nothing hinders their execution ( that i know ) but your separation . i cannot reckon it a happy progress in reformation , as mr. b. does , to throw down a well-establish'd discipline founded on good authority , and with good rules , and establish nothing in the place of it . 't is not purity of discipline to make it arbitrary , and have no rules at all . and yet i am afraid many are for reforming faith as you have reformed discipline . iii. secondly , in your church ▪ constitution , you are not yet agreed ; and we do not know what you would have . i observed that mr. b's sense of these things is much different from yours ; both as to the rules and manner of proceeding in your judicatories insomuch as you are not yet agreed who shall have the power of the keys , whether a single congregation , or a presbytery ( adm. p. . ) to make you a little sensible of this , i will compare mr. b. and his parties sentiments with yours . first then , you own generally , that a national church is of divine institution ; but mr. b. and his party declare , ( reflect . p. . ) that such a national church is not of divine institution , and is indeed only a combination of churches , as united under one civil soveraign ; its true notion lies not in any combination purely ecclesiastical and intrinsical , but civil and extrinsical . secondly , you hold , that many particular congregations may be under one presbyterial government . mr. b. and his party , that no particular church shall be subordinate to another , — and , that none of them , their officer or officers shall exercise any power , or have any superiority over any other church , or their officers . heads of agreement , p. . you hold , that it is agreeable to the word of god , that there be a subordination of congregational . classical , provincial , and national assemblies , for the government of the church . mr. b. and his party , that church-councils are not for government , but for unity ; not as being in order of government over the several bishops . reflect . p. . and heads of agreement , p. . thirdly , you hold that excommunication is a shutting the kingdom of heaven against impenitent sinners . but with mr ▪ b. and his party , excommunication it self , in their respective churches is no other than a declaring such scandalous members as are irreconcilable , to be incapable of communion with them in things peculiar to the visible relievers . ( pref. to the heads of agreement ) in which sense any two men may excommunicate a third . it requires no power at all to declare a man incapable of communion with me , but only judgment ; and so there is an end of church governors and censures . fourthly , you hold , that those that are ordained ought not to be ordained again ; but mr. b. and his party teach , that if any hold , in case of the removal of one formerly ordained , to a new station or pastoral charge , there ought to be a like solemn recommending him and his labours to the grace and blessing of god : no different sentiments or practice herein , shall be any occasion of contention or breach of communion amongst you . fifthly , you hold , that ruling elders are of divine right , and your constitution , so far as appears to us , is founded on them ; but mr. b. and his party declare , that whereas divers are of opinion , that there is also the office of ruling elders — and others think otherwise : they agree that this makes no breach among them . heads of agreement , p. . sixthly , you hold , that the ruling officers of a particular congregation , have only power to suspend from the lord's table , and that casting out belongs to the presbytery . but mr. b. and his party hold , that each particular church hath authority from christ , for exercising government , and of enjoying all the ordinances of worship within it self . heads of agreement , p. . all these are material differences , and concern the being of a government , and in all of them you differ from mr. b. and his party , and only in one of them from us , that is , in the fifth , and then judge what progress it is in reformation , to separate from a national constitution , to joyn with such that do not so much as pretend to it . iv. thirdly , your purity , that should invite men to joyn with you , doth not consist in doctrine ; for in this , confessedly , you have no advantage of us ; for these very heads of agreement acknowledge it sufficient , as to soundness of judgment in matters of faith , to own the doctrinal part of those commonly called , the articles of the church of england ; which we all subscribe . you then have made no progress in this point . fourthly , as to preaching the gospel , which is a necessary mark of the purity of a church , it is manifest , you come short of us ▪ the great mysteries thereof being neither so diligently , so constantly , so regularly , or so universally taught by your ministers , as in our church , nor so good and obliging rules for doing so : so that men that would hear them taught in this manner , ought to joyn with us ; as i have already shew'd . fifthly , as to the administring the sacraments , which is another necessary mark of the purity of a church : your ministers have been notoriously defective ; they have let many dye without baptism , that had a title to it ; and have been no less negligent in administring the lord's supper , insomuch , that not one of them have done their duty this thirty years , in administring it often , as christ requires . therefore those of you that would partake frequently of this sacrament , must joyn with our church . sixthly , as to holiness of life , you have no advantage over us , being no better than your neighbours ; and if you take away such as are not of us , as a church , but as we are the governing party , and who will always joyn themselves to that which is so , i doubt whether you be so good . there needs no more to convince you of this , than to consider , that mercy , justice and truth are counted by our saviour to be the great things of the law ; and you will not find that the protestants in the north of ireland , of which you are the greatest part , are more noted for these than the protestants in other parts of the kingdom ; which sufficiently shews , that whatever you pretend , your discipline has no great effect ; of which other demonstrations might be given ; it may seem in speculation an advantage , as the auricular confession of the papists , but has hitherto produced as little effect . seventhly , as to the lives and conversations of your ministers , you have no reason to boast , till we see their interest separated from their engagements to sobriety ; and till they have undergone such a scrutiny as the clergy of down and connor did ; that is , till they be try'd by above oaths , as the clergy there were , if we reckon the church-wardens and other witnesses . and as to their tempers , i do not find that they are more mortified , more humble , have a less opinion of themselves , or command their passions better than other people ; and for the proof of this , i appeal not only to those of this diocess , but to the most eminent , most celebrated , and leading men that have been of your party : consult their writings , and you will not find more meekness , humility , or charity in them , nor less passion , bitterness , and gall , than in their adversaries : witness the first and second admonition in queen elizabeth's time , mr. cartwright's writings , mr. rutherford , mr. baxter , mr. alsop , and if you please , mr. boyse's . now , we are told by st. james , chap. . . if any man among you seem to be religious , and bridle not his tongue , but deceiveth his own heart , that man's religion is vain ; much more if he bridle not his pen. there will be peevish , passionate , and railing writers of all parties ; but men that are truly holy will hardly be provoked to any degree of these vices , and ought never to be trusted as guides , if they are . iv. lastly , as to your worship , you have no perfect rule for it ; for mr. b. has given up your directory as imperfect in several particulars of great moment , and left it to your own discretion to mend it , vind. p. . i think i have proved it to be not only imperfect , but in one particular , that it confessedly teaches contrary to scripture , and believe i have shewed , and can shew , that it does the same in several others . this seems to me to be the state of the case between you and us ; and i have as good reason to suppose it thus , as mr. b. has to suppose that the worship and discipline of christ is more fully restored to its primitive purity and simplicity amongst you than us : for which , i think , there is no pretence . v. mr. b. alledges , ( vind. p. . ) that the abuses contained in his thirteen demands , rem . p. , are the chief obstacles to a happy union among us , which has been so long the earnest desire of all good men . but this doth no ways appear to be true , since no men labour'd more earnestly to remove some of them than papists , and those of no religion , who are willing to destroy our national constitution , as being a curb and barrier against them ; and when they can once effect that , they know well enough how to hinder the settlement of any other . as appear'd fully by the long parliament , that took down our government , but never establish'd another ; and as to their being the chief obstacle to our union , consider whether we were nearer an union when they were removed ; on the contrary , sects and divisions grew more in four years , than in fourscore before ; witness mr. edwards gangrena , p. , . and throughout : and this amongst persons counted religious ; and therefore mr. b. before we take his word , must give us good assurance , that the removal of them will not open a door to all heresies , strange opinions , fearful divisions , looseness of life and manners , as it did then ; and as the weakening of them has done of late . some of those he calls abuses , when truly represented , rather seem to us the barriers against division , than obstacles of union . what is really amiss is not in our constitution , but in some restraints the common-law puts on us ; and it is a question whether it be safer to remove them . the lawyers and the parliament say no , when we have labour'd for it . and none more fierce to press their continuance than those of your party . however , these are no more to be imputed to us , than the great grievance of impropriations ; or your ministers not having the tythes and churches , is to be imputed to them . but , to deal ingenuously , all this is not to the matter ; the great task incumbent on mr. b. is , to shew a precedent in scripture of two parties , such as he describes , where , on pretence of purer discipline , one of them gathered a congregation of christians in the same place , distinct and separate from others , who worshipped god in true faith and holiness . this i did put to him in my admonition , p. , and he has given it no answer , tho' the most material thing in it , and decisive of the question ; and without which you will never justifie your selves by scripture , for absenting your selves from our assemblies for worship , much less your sending out emissaries to draw off others . there was the same reason for forming such parties in the apostle's time as now ; some indeed did it upon mighty pretences to the spirit , and to purity , speaking great swelling words of vanity , and having mens persons in admiration . but st. jude tells us , that those who separated themselves were sensual , having not the spirit . and mr. edwards observes the same of many of your great professors , that first formed the separation . there is nothing more easie or more deceitful than great pretences to purity , and men truly humble and good seldom insist on them , as being deeply sensible of their own imperfections , and ready to believe better of others than themselves : 't were much more to the purpose for us to joyn in the common worship of god , and in joynt and continual prayers together , that god would give us mortified , humble , and pure hearts , than to pretend purity of parties , and to stand by our selves , and with those in isa. chap. . . cry , come not near me , for i am holier than thou . divisions are a work of the flesh , cor. . . and the great insuperable obstacle to discipline . i pray god to make you sensible of this , and to send down a spirit of unity , peace , and purity upon us . sect. ii. mr. b's partiality . i. in the second place , let me put you in mind , that mr b. doth not observe that golden rule of doing as he wou'd be done unto ; for he takes the liberty to put the most favourable construction he pleases on his own words , and expects we should admit them : but on ours , he puts the worst he can , and is dissatisfied that we will not own them . of which i will only give you a few instances . ii. first , he affirms , rem . p. . that the generality of you , as he is assured , do communicate four or five times a year . this he interpreteth ( vind. p. . ) only of the most devout and serious ; which is very different from the generality ; since if one do it , the words may be true in the sense he gives of them ; but i have allowed ( as you see before ) one in four , of your communicants to be thus devout and serious . iii. secondly , he affirmed , 〈◊〉 . that all of you have the opportunity of communicating , , or times a year , if you will take the advantage of receiving it , as often as it is administred within a few miles of your respective habitations : this he interprets , vind. p. . to be estimated from those parts , where the main body of dissenters are to be found — and p. . that he is not obliged to prove it concerning every particular one in the remotest parts of the province of ulster . as if the diocess of ardmagh , clogher , rapho , derry , drummore , with a considerable part of the diocess of down and connor , were more in the remote parts of ulster than antrim , carrickfergus , glenarm , and the other places he mentions : but i fully shewed in my admonition that there is no congregation in the diocess of derry , nor , i believe , in any of the other places named , in which the people may communicate ten times a year without riding miles : which is very unreasonable to expect , let them take what advantage they will. nor had i any intention to consine you to one diocess , as mr. b. wou'd insinuate , vind. p. . i mean honestly and plainly in what i say , and never designed to help out a cause by equivocations . and as to those places mr. b. has mentioned , they are all in a nook or corner ; as may be seen by the mapp ; and yet by his own confession it requires miles riding to attend them , and sometimes ; which are not a few miles for the generality of country people ; being an unreasonable charge , and impracticable by many , especially by women and servants , who have as good a title to the lord's supper , and are often as serious and devout as the masters of families . this contrivance therefore of sending people from their parish churches , no ways answers , either in point of conveniency or order , to the frequent administration of that sacrament in every parish , nor is equivalent to it , as he suggests p. . iv. thirdly , whereas he asserts ( rem . p. . ) that it is universally usual in every meeting where an ordained minister is settled , to have the lords supper administred — twice in the larger towns , every year . he now tell us vind. p. , that the twice a year in the larger towns was intended , and is true of belfast , carrickfergus and antrim : as if lisburn , colerain and londonderry were not larger towns then antrim ; and as if strabane , newry , ballymenagh , ballymony , ardmagh , dungannon , downpatrick , and many others were not in an equal rank with it . and yet he has not produced any voucher , that this practice has been constant in these very three towns , or how long . these , and many such , are the favourable interpretations he allows himself . v. but then , as to us he is resolved to put what sence on our words he pleases , and oblige us to stand by it . thus he will needs know my design in publishing my book better than my self , and oblige me to design it for the generality of dissenters in england , as well as in ireland ( vind. p. . ) tho' the whole scope of it , the addresses in it , my management of the impression , and the very title i sent with it to the press [ for the use of this diocess ] ( tho' lost there , as the printer must acknowledge , and another substituted in place of it , without my knowledge ) sufficiently declare the contrary . vi. secondly , he will pretend to know the design of our church's using the cross in baptism , better than all her sons from the learned hooker to this day ; as you may see , vind. p. . vii . thirdly , our church in her catechism in answer to that question , what is required of persons to be baptised ? determines , that repentance and faith are required . mr. b. ( after mr. baxter ) puts a very absurd sense on these words , and then disputes against them ; alledging that by repentance and faith is meant present faith and repentance , vind p. . directly against the catechism , which requires only present faith and repentance in those that are capable of them . but of children who have a right to baptism , and are not capable at present of actual faith , &c. she accepts a rational presumption , that they will believe , when capable , and an engagement made by the parents and congregation , under whose power they are , solemnly declared by their proxies and vouchers , the godfathers and godmothers ; it shews a mighty prejudice against the established church , and a delight to find fault in those that insist on such forced and disowned construction of our words ; if we should deal thus with the holy scripture , it wou'd expose even them . viii . fourthly , whereas i quote your directory ▪ for a certain position , chap. . sect. . n. . meaning thereby , that book which commonly goes under that name among you , and whose words one of your own ministers , mr. craghead , quotes as the express words of the directory , p. . mr. b. will oblige me to mean the directory made by the assembly of divines , for publick worship : whereas i meant not that part of the book , but the directions , which are your directory for private worship , as the other for the publick ; and which being bound together with the other , and with the directory for ordination of ministers , and other pieces , do all commonly pass under the name of the directory , and are so quoted by one of your own ministers , as i have already shewed : yet this he imputes to me as a very unpardonable mistake , and repeats it again in his vind. p. . i suppose every body sees this is nothing to the matter , whether that position i quoted was in the directory for publick worship , or in the directions for private ; since both are owned and received by you to whom i wrote : therefore for mr. b. to insist on it a second time , plainly shews that his business is with the person , not the cause ; and that he writes for a party , not the truth ; otherwise he would not offer a matter the second time that is nothing to the purpose , and for which there was no ground , besides his being unacquainted with the terms used among you . ix . fifthly , whereas i laid it down as a thing that wou'd be granted me by you , that all ways of worship are displeasing to god , that are not expresly contained in scripture , or warranted by examples of holy men mentioned therein : mr. b. misrepresents my sense ( vind. p. . ) as if i had intended by this rule to exclude such things as may be deduced by clear consequence or parity of reason from them . now i desire you to compare this rule with your catechism , and you will find it expressed there in these words , the second commandment forbiddeth the worshiping of god by images , or any other way not appointed in his word . and in your confession of faith ( chap. . n. . ) thus : the acceptable way of worshiping the true god is instituted by himself , and so limited to his own revealed will , that he may not be worshiped according to the imaginations and devises of men , or the suggestions of satan , under any visible representations , or any other way not prescribed in the holy scripture . this rule is stricter , and needs greater limitations than the words of my book . for , first , here is no allowance for things warranted by scripture , tho' not prescribed , as many things are . secondly , there is no authority given to the examples of holy men in scripture , which are sufficient to warrant a religious practice in gods worship , tho' they do not amount to an appointment or prescription , and are not alwayes obligatory . in short , your catechism and confession of faith , if we take them according to the letter , make all wayes of worship unacceptable and unlawful that are not prescribed and appointed in scripture . whereas my rule allows examples and precedents of holy men to be a sufficient warrant . i supposed ( and i think with reason ) that you understood this rule in your own catechism and confession of faith , with due limitations ; and therefore had no reason to suspect , but you would understand it with the same limitations in my book , it being a manifest partiality to except against it when used by me , and yet allow of it ( tho' expressed with less caution ) in your catechism and confession of faith , which yet ought to be more exact in wording a rule , than is necessary in a private man's writings . of this partiality mr. b. is guilty , and plainly discovers by it , that he has one rule for interpreting the words of his own party , and another for interpreting those of his adversary . but secondly , i desire you to observe , that in my whole book i never used this rule , otherwise than with those limitations that i have now expressed ; nor has mr. b. produced one instance wherein i did otherwise : as for example , i tax you with bringing in the inventions of men into the service of god , in your use of the psalms ; not for singing the meetre psalms , for that i allow lawful ; but for introducing them without necessity , to the exclusion of the prose psalms , for singing of which we have scripture-warrant and example . i taxed you likewise with introducing a human invention into the worship of god , in your expounding scripture ; not that expositions of scripture are unlawful , but to make them necessary every time the scripture is read , is literally such an invention ; and so is likewise your excluding the regular and orderly reading the word of god , as he has appointed for the edification of his church , to make room for your lectures ; of both which , you have been guilty these fifty years last past . i past the same censure on your extemporary prayers ; not that i condemned them in all cases , but because on the account of them , you had turned the lord's prayer , prescribed in god's word , and the use of forms in the ordinary prayers of the assembly ( which is the scripture way of praying on such occasions ) out of your meetings : whereas it is manifestly a teaching for doctrine the commandments of men , to teach , as you do , that praying extemporary is more acceptable to god , or more edifying , than praying by a form ; there not being the least colour in scripture for such a doctrine . i might shew the like in every place of my book , where i used this rule , either in proving the orders of our church , or in disproving yours ; so that mr. b. had no reason to find fault with it . but thirdly , the rule needs not these limitations , it being agreed by all sober interpreters , that whatever can be deduced from scriptures by clear consequence or parity of reason , is sufficiently warranted by them , though not expresly contained in them ; so there was no necessity to explain the rule , though i was willing to avoid the exceptions even of the captious ; and there fore put in the explication you find in my second edition . fourthly ; mr. b. excepts against my using the phrase of ways of worship , and alledges i used it frequently to signifie circumstanti●● modes of it , vind. p. . but i answer ▪ that i used the phrase with which you were acquainted , whereas i believe few of you ever heard of circumstantial modes of worship before ; and i used it in the sense you generally do , when you ask for scripture to warrant our using the psalms by way of answering , our using forms of prayer , our singing with instrumental musick , our joyning our voices in some prayers , our receiving the sacrament in a worshiping posture , and the other particulars against which you except in our publick service ▪ and i shewed these ways are not only warranted , but prescribed for the most part in scripture : whereas those ways you have introduced in the place of them , have neither command or precedent in scripture . if these that i have named in our service and yours , be circumstantial modes , they are the chief and greatest exceptions that i ever found any of you make against joyning with us ; and they are the great matter of reformation set forth in your directory , tho' mr. b. seems to make light of them . from the whole , i think it appears , that mr. b. has both perverted and misapplyed my rule ; and yet on this perverted sense of my words , are founded most of his arguments against our publick worship . x. lastly , this method of sixing principles upon me , and then writing a book to confute them , is not new with mr. b. he did it once before at a very unseasonable time , and still persists in taxing me with his own consequences , as if i indeed owned them . thus , vind. p. . he charges me with passing a vertual sentence of damnation publickly upon you , by denying you to be a part of the catholick church ; and this he puts in italian letters , as if they were my words ; but there are no such words in any book i have yet written , nor any just ground to fix such a sentence on me ; the whole mystery of this , so far as i know it , is thus . mr. man●y , formerly dean of derry , on his turning papist , published his motives which prevailed with him to do so : to these i wrote an answer , in the year , by which , i thank god , the protestant cause lost nothing , and it was so well approved , that it was twice reprinted in england : but mr. b. cou'd not digest it , and therefore wrote reflections on it ; and the greatest exception he has against it , is , that i say in it , that i meant by the catholick church , the whole body of men professing the religion of christ , and living under their lawful governours . from which words , mr. b. draws many strange and absurd consequences , alledging that they un-church all dissenters , all foreign churches , and render the relation of all true christians to our blessed lord ( as his members ) as questionable as the title of the pastor under whom they live ; with many other absurd inferences contrary to the literal assertions of my book ; which therefore he would perswade us contradicts it self : but the world knew me too well , to need being troubled with a justification ; and tho' i had prepared one , my friends assured me it was unnecessary to publish it , and i still am of the same opinion . xi . for i must let you know , that i said no more in those words than the generality of protestants said before me . some in the same words , and the rest in effect and meaning , even those of your party not excepted : for i take it for a general principle of protestants , that the preaching of the word of god , and due administration of the sacraments are the true marks of the catholick church ; and that a lawful ministry is necessary to these , insomuch , that your own confession of faith tells us , that neither sacrament may be dispensed by any , but by a minister lawfully ordained , chap. . & chap. . that the outward element in baptism , is water , wherewith the party is to be baptized , in t●e name , &c. by a minister of the gospel lawfully called thereunto : and the confession of the church of scotland has declared , chap. . that sacraments be rightly ministrate we judge two things requisite , the one , that they be ministrate by lawful ministers . — the other , that they be ministrate in such elements , and in such sort as god hath appointed , or else we affirm that they cease to be the right sacraments of christ. you see then from the declaration of your own party , that a lawful ministry is required to the due administration of the sacraments , and without such administration there can be no true church ; and a man that is not duly baptized , is not yet a visible member of the catholick church , though he may belong to it . from these it were easie ( if one would imitate mr. b's way of reasoning ) to draw the same consequences as he doth from my words , indeed worse ; and to argue that these positions make every man's baptism as uncertain , as the ordination of the minister that baptized him ; and that every church is as uncertain of her being a true church , as of the lawful calling of her ministers : and all those questions mr. b. starts concerning the lawful calling of ministers and governors , will come in here as properly as he brings them against me ; but whoever should draw such consequences from these principles , which are common to most reformed churches , would be as unjust to them as mr. b. is to me . for in this , the sincere will and endeavour is accepted , both by god and man , for the deed ; and therefore neither the assembly of divines , nor the church of scotland intended to make void the baptism of those , who out of the sincerity and simplicity of their hearts received it from such as they supposed lawfully called ministers , but were not ; neither did i ever intend to exclude from the catholick church , such as either out of weakness of judgment , submitted themselves to pastors whom they believed lawful ; or out of necessity ( when they could not get others to officiate to them ) submitted to such as they found settled . and this i shewed to be my sense from st. augustint's words , quoted at large in the sixth page of my answer to mr. manby , of which mr. b. never took any notice when he made all his consequences for me , tho' there needed no more to destroy them all . xii . but i must now tell you , that this is no comfort to such , as out of interest or passion , divide the church , and heap up to themselves teachers according to their own lusts ; nor to such as knowingly , or out of wilful negligence joyn themselves to such : these i take to be the hereticks st. paul commands us to reject after the first and second admonition , and they are self-condemned ; for the church can condemn them no otherwise , but by casting them out by excommunication , and they have thus condemned themselves already by their separation ; and i see no reason any one has to be displeased at these principles , except he be conscious , that out of interest or passion he has divided the church , as i am afraid many are , or think it a small matter to make such divisions : or lastly , is indifferent whether his minister is lawfully called or no , as indeed too many are , who are not much concerned how a man came by his ordination , so he preach to their mind . but i suppose the best way to deal with a papist , will be to assert not only the lawfulness , but regularity of our ministry , and i thank god , we have done it effectually ; if mr. b. could have done as much for his party , he needed not have gratified papists ( tho' his party at that time were caress'd by them ) in endeavouring to answer a book , grounded on principles , which they could not reply to , as appeared by the event . but this has always been the method of those that separated from the church ; so tertullian tells us , de prescriptionibus . cum hoc sit negotium illis , non ethnicos convertendi , sed nostros evertendi ; hanc magis gloriam captant , si stantibus ruinam , non si jacentibus elevationem operantur , &c. the sense of which is , that those separatists made it their business to oppose and draw off the members of the church , and set up their petty sects , but did not joyn against the common enemy . xiii . i must put you in mind , that there are some men espouse a party , and resolve to make themselves the champions of it ; and when they want direct proofs against their adversaries , they draw strange and absurd consequences from their opinions : and though they know very well , that those to whom they ascribe them , detest these consequences as much as themselves , yet they set them up , as if they were really held by those to whom they impute them ; and endeavour by strains of rhetorick , and vehement interrogations , to render them odious : this may take with such as are heated with faction , and love books for ill language and violence ; but understanding men know such treatment to be only an artifice to keep up the spirit of a party , and make a shew of reason where direct proofs are wanting : and that it is really a giving up a cause to fly to these arts , and therefore they deserve no consideration . neither should i have troubled the world or my self , to tell you , that i hold none of the absurd consequences mr. b. fixes on me , or that they do not follow from any principle of mine , had not one of your ministers , that ought to have had more integrity and justice , improved this calumny on mr. b's authority so far as to affirm , that i held , and published , that such as you belong not to the catholick church — being without christ , having no hope , and without god in the world : all which he puts in the italian letters , as if they were my words , ( mr. craighead p. . ) whereas i never either in words or writings used such barbarous expressions , or past such an unchristian censure on any man , much less on any body of men that professed to believe in christ. but i can heartily forgive him , and wish him no more harm than that he may be sensible he has wronged me in at least an hundred particulars besides this . i do not think it necessary , at present , to take any further notice of his book : this is sufficient to shew how truly he has represented matter of fact , so far as he concurs with mr. b. and as to his reasoning part i am content any one that reads my book should read his ; and judge whether he has either truly represented my sense , or answered my arguments . i am well pleased that you have it in print , since by comparing it with mr. b's , you may plainly see that your advocates are not yet agreed on what principles to defend your cause ; there hardly being greater difference in principles between the answers and my book , than between the two answers themselves . but the greatest advantage that i expect by it , is , that it will be a means to discover to posterity how far the learning and sincerity of your teachers were agreeable to their reputation and profession ; and what sort of men have been followed by those that separate from our church . the appendix . containing an answer to mr. b's objections against the sign of the cross. sect. i. of the proper method to discover the true nature of sacraments as signs . i. mr. b. in his remarks on my discourse to you concerning the inventions of men in the worship of god , has given me many hard words , for not treating of the cross in baptism ( as i have observed in my admonition , where also i have given my reasons for not doing it , since it did not belong to the ordinary part of worship , which i only engaged to handle , p. . ) imputing it to want of candour and ingenuity . and tho' i had given him no occasion for it , yet he resolv'd to bring in this dispute about it ; because ( as he alledges ) it most directly concerns this charge of human inventions in the worship of god , rem . p. . and that here the dissenters particularly us'd to fix their charge of human inventions against us . this then seem'd to me the most direct and strongest objection you had to prove your charge against us ; and in which mr. b. put most confidence ; so that if this failed , and had no force , the rest must fall in course . and therefore i consider'd it only , and i believe in such a way as is fully satisfactory to all that impartially read what i have said , and what mr. b. has answer'd : and tho' i might well let it rest on that foot , yet there being several things in mr. b's answer that tend to mislead your judgments in greater matters than the sign of the cross , i have thought it requisite to give it a new and distinct consideration . the sign of the cross indeed i allow to be of no great weight in it self ; but if we consider that the condemning the use of it is in effect to condemn the universal church , that has used it from the apostles time , that to make such signs unlawful , when god has not made them so by any command , is to add a doctrine of our own to the gospel , a great superstition , and a breach , on our christian liberty . and lastly , that the false reasonings brought to oppose it are of such ill consequence , that if they are not detected and exposed , there is hardly any thing in a church can be safe from such cavils , but the same sort of arguments will reach to the most approved practices . if these things , i say , be consider'd , this dispute about the cross will not appear of so little moment as some may imagine ; nor will it be safe for the governours of our church to comply with the teachers of such doctrines , lest they betray the purity of the gospel , by allowing the doctrines of men , that would make that unlawful in it self which god has left indifferent . we can very well join in communion with a church that does not use the sign of the cross , as the apostles did with such as kept the jewish ceremonies , and abstained from certain meats : but when any come to impose this on our consciences , as forbidden by god , we must in such cases imitate st. paul , who refus'd to give place by subjection , no , not for an hour , gal. . . we reckon it a liberty and privilege of the church of god , and of all her members , to signifie the sense and devotion of their minds towards god in such becoming actions and words as universal custom has made significant of our thoughts and passions in such cases ; as i have already proved in my former admonition , p. . and shall further prove in this . and for any one to teach this to be unlawful , is to deprive us of a privilege god has vouchsafed to us , to impose on our liberty , and to teach such doctrines as st. paul condemn'd for doctrines of devils , tim. . . for forbidding to marry , and to abstain from meats , are there reckon'd such doctrines , because they make that unlawful in it self that god has allow'd ; and he has no less allowed us to express the devotions of our minds by significant actions , than he has allow'd us to feed our selves by all kind of wholesome meats . and therefore they that condemn the one as unlawful , are equally superstitious with those that then condemned the other . ii. to proceed then , i desire you to remember that i undertook two things in my admonition : first , to shew that mr. b's arguments against the use of the cross were of no force : and secondly , that it was warranted by holy scripture . i shew'd you , that his great objection against it was , that we make it a new human sacrament , and that then it must be a human invention . but , in order to satisfie you that we ascribed nothing of a sacramental nature to it , i observ'd , that three things were necessary to make up a sacrament : first , an outward visible sign instituted by god , signifying some spiritual grace or benefit which we expect from him . secondly , an obligation on god by some promise of this to grant us that spiritual grace or benefit when we duly use the visible sign . thirdly , a penalty on us when we do not use it . i shew'd you , that we ascribed none of these to the cross in baptism , and consequently , that it hath nothing of a sacrament in it . for it must be consider'd , that the word sacrament is no scripture-word , but the church has taken it up to express some peculiar institutions , rites , or signs which we find appointed by god ; and the true way to know whether we ascribe any thing of a sacramental nature to any sign , is to consider the nature of those signs which we all agree to call sacraments , and to observe diligently and impartially wherein they agree amongst themselves , and differ from all other signs . i examin'd this as carefully as i could , and found that they all agreed in those three things which i have before mentioned ; and that they differ'd from all other signs peculiarly in this one thing , that they obliged god , by his promise upon the due use of these signs , to give us the grace or spiritual benefit signified by them . it is this promise annexed to these sacraments that makes them so valuable and precious to us , above all other signs , and without it they would be meer ceremonies , and might be omitted or supply'd on very ordinary terms : whereas now nothing but necessity can excuse us from the use of them , if we would enjoy the promises of god annexed to them . mr. b. in his vindication doth not deny the three things which i have named to be necessary to a sacrament , nor doth he think himself oblig'd to prove that we ascribe any of them to the cross ; but he alledges , that the account i have given of sacraments , is very lame and defective , omitting several considerable uses of them , which were the chief strength of his arguments against the cross , ( vind. p. . ) and ( p. . ) he adds , that these sacred rites that are appointed by god , both in our first publick entrance into the covenant , and our publick renewal of it at the lord's table , are design'd for several uses , and principally for the three following . . as representing signs for instruction concerning the privileges and duties of the covenant , and our guilt and polution , &c. . as obliging signs to confirm and ratifie the covenant entered into , and this both on god's part , p. . and from us to god , p. . . as distinguishing signs or badges of our profession , and the relations we thereby are invested in ; which afterwards he explains by baptism , being a mark and character of those that belong to that one visible body or church , of which christ is the lord and head ; and opposeth it to that one internal baptism , which he calls the certain mark of belonging to one invisible church , p. . the meaning of which words is not easily comprehended , since he doth not explain whether he means by a certain mark of belonging to an invisible church , an outward and visible mark , or how internal baptism can be such a mark ; whereas i think the generality of such as have written considerately of these matters , have made the external baptism a sign and a mean of the internal , and of our union not only to the visible , but likewise to the invisible church when duly received ; and only such as have in some measure imbibed the socinian doctrines have explained baptism as a mark of union to the visible church , in exclusion to the invisible . these are the uses for which he tells us sacraments are design'd . and , p. . adds , that the cross is set up for several sacramental uses , even the like as baptism and the lord's supper are appointed for ( except that one use of their being obliging signs on god's part to ratifie his promises . ) and from thence infers , ( p. . ) that the cross is hereby made as much a sacrament as men can make a sign of their own . iii. this would indeed have been a good inference , if he had prov'd , that the uses he has nam'd ( so far as they differ from the three parts of a sacrament before laid down by me ) do not belong to any other signs warranted in scripture , but only to the sacraments . but he has not in the least attempted it ; and it would be in vain , for i shall shew , beyond exception , that all the uses which he has named of sacraments ( so far as they can be applied to the cross ) are common to many other signs warranted by scripture ; and not at all peculiar to sacraments ; for the cross cannot be made a sacrament ( not a human sacrament it self , which is indeed no sacrament , but a noise of words to amuse common people with , and affright them ) but by being set up for such uses as are so peculiar to the sacraments , that they belong to them only , and not to any other scriptural signs whatsoever . that which has led mr. b. into this mistaken way of reasoning , is , that he consider'd what he conceives the two sacraments agree with another in , and in what they differ from one another ; vind. p. . but then quite forgot to consider wherein they differ from all other scriptural signs , which if he had done , he would have found that they do not differ from other signs in any of the uses which he has named , except that of obliging god by his promise to confer some spiritual grace . he that would know what a man is , must not only consider wherein all men agree , but likewise wherein they differ from other creatures . all men agree in life and motion , but if any one would conclude from thence , that whatever has life ( as for example , all beasts have ) is a man , would be looked on as a very ill reasoner ; and yet this is mr. b's method . he found both the sacraments agree in being designed for representing , obliging and distinguishing signs of the duties , privileges , and relations of the new covenant , whence he calls them federal rites , and spends several pages to prove them designed for these uses , and from thence would conclude , that every sign that represents , obliges , and distinguishes , must be a sacrament , from the instance of the sign of the cross ; but with as little reason as it would be concluded in the former case , that whatever had life and motion is a man. iv. before i proceed further to the consideration of these uses , i must caution you , first , that i do not pretend to understand all the designs of god in instituting sacraments ; for they are mysteries , and god has no where told us , that he has discover'd all his purposes in them . if we reflect on the passover , the great sacrament of the old testament , we shall not find that god did explicitly discover the main design of it to the jews , which was to signifie and apply the death of christ to such as celebrated it ; and , who can be sure that there is not a hidden and mystical design in baptism and the lord's supper , of which we are not aware , and of which , at least , we have not a clear and explicit notion ? this consideration ought to make us diligent in the use of them , and modestly cautious in our discourses and explanations of them . secondly , 't is easie to observe , that mr. b. has not expressed the uses of sacraments in the language of scripture , but in that of the late systems of divinity and interested writers ; and seems rather to have regard in them to some late notions and prejudices , particularly of the socinians , than to the ancient doctrine of the church , collected from the word of god. and indeed , if it were not that i hope i may contribute something to clear the notions of sacraments to vulgar capacities , and convince them of the necessity of frequenting them , which i find the socinian notions ( too much encourag'd by some ) have very much shaken , i should think what i have before said alone sufficient to answer mr. b's whole discourse concerning them , and to shew it to be of no force . but whilst men are made to look on sacraments as primarily designed to bind us to our duty to god , and not rather as pledges and conveyances of his grace to us , they are apt to be deterr'd , by having their duty set before them in so strong , and the grace to perform it in so weak a light ; whereas if men look on them principally , as tenders of grace and assistance to perform their duty better and more easily than they did before , and consider this as the proper and peculiar effect of them , as sacraments , and that which distinguishes them from all other signs ( as i have and shall prove it is ) this will encourage them to come to them cheerfully , and bind themselves readily to that duty which they here hope for grace to discharge ; in which hopes god will not deceive them . but mr. b. has so order'd the matter , that he has perverted most of those scriptures that give us this hope and assurance , to a quite different purpose ; so that in the relation i stand towards you , i am obliged to instruct you in the orthodox sence of them , and vindicate them from the socinian glosses he thus puts on them . i proceed therefore , first , to shew you , that the sacraments are primarily signs of god's grace , and not properly of our duty , tho' they imply it . this i think necessary to do , to make you understand the true nature of sacraments ; for otherwise i must let you know it is not necessary to the point in dispute about the sign of the cross ; for whether the sacraments are immediately signs of our duty or no , it is plain ( as i shall shew you in the second place ) that the scripture warrants us to use other signs of our duty besides them . and ( in the third place ) that the cross is such a sign as the scriptures warrant . sect. ii. that the sacraments are primarily signs from god to us of his grace ; and not properly of our duty , either as required by god , or profest by us , tho' they imply it . i. this is plainly the doctrine of our church in her catechism and articles : in the first she teaches , that a sacrament is an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace given unto us by god , restraining the sign to this grace of god. and in her articles she declares , that sacraments be not only badges or tokens of christians profession , but rather they be certain sure witnesses and effectual signs of grace and god's good-will towards us , by which he doth work invisible in us , art. . and again , baptism is not only a sign of profession and mark of difference whereby christian men are discerned from others that be not christened , but it is also a sign of regeneration or new birth , whereby as by an instrument , they that receive baptism rightly are grafted into the church , &c. art. . and further , the supper of the lord is not only a sign of the love that christians ought to have amengst themselves one to another , but rather it is a sacrament of our redemption by christ's death ; insomuch that to such as rightly , worthily , and with faith receive the same : the bread which we break is a partaking of the body of christ , &c. art. . in all which places , our church makes the grace of god ( effectually communicated to us in the due use of the sacraments ) to be properly and principally signified by them . to these articles i suppose you do assent , they being approved by the heads of agreement , which mr. b. asserts to be the common principles wherein both the presbyterian and congregational divines are agreed , rem . p. . ii. besides this authority of our church , i think most divines that have written to purpose on this subject , distinguish between the things signified by a sacramental sign : the things pre ▪ required in us to the use of it , and the benefits , consequents , and effects of it . thus in the lord's supper the things properly and immediately signified are the body and blood of christ , which are therein communicated to us . the things pre-required in us are , to examin our selves , to have a lively sense of god's mercy in christ ; to have a thankful remembrance of his death , and be in charity with all men . these are the wedding garments to make us acceptable guests at this feast . lastly , the benefit or effect of this sacrament is , the refreshing our souls by the body and blood of christ , as our bodies are by the bread and wine . i might instance the same in the other sacrament of baptism , but an example will make it plainer for both . we will suppose then a king grants a pardon to a rebel under the great seal . now , the great seal , in this case , signifies ( as every body knows ) the king's favour and grace to the person to whom it is granted ; this is the direct proper and immediate signification of it . but it is supposed or pre-required that the person so favoured is willing to accept of the pardon granted by it , and that he is resolved to be a faithful subject for the future . the consequent of this pardon is , that he who has it shall enjoy his liberty , estate and life , as formerly . now , if any should argue from this , that the great seal is a sign of our submission and allegiance , and of the enjoyment of our liberty , property , &c. it would be in effect the same as if they should say , that a red sky at evening in harvest ( which properly signifies a fair day to follow ) is a sign of the obligations which husbandmen lye under to imploy their diligence in the season offer'd , to preserve the fruits of the earth , and of full barns and encrease of wealth ; because these are all antecedents or consequents of the fair day , which such a sky properly and immediately signifies . iii. mr. b. in opposition to this doctrin , takes some pains to prove the sacraments designed to represent our duty to us , and to signifie our obligation to perform it , and applies several places of scripture to this intent . but i desire you to observe , that the thing mr. b. ought to prove , is , that they are signs from us to god : for tho' they represent our duty to us , they may still be signs from god to us , signifying his will requiring us to perform such duties , and not from us to god , signifying our intention and resolution to perform them : for it is necessary carefully to distinguish between god's signifying his will to us by certain signs , which require or represent our duty , and our professing obedience to him in such significant actions as are proper to express it . the former , god doth in many types and signs in the old and new testament , besides the sacraments , which signifie them only by consequence and implication not directly ; and the latter we do in every act of outward devotion such as bowing , kneeling , standing , putting on sackcloth , &c. all which represent our duty , and are professions of our intentions to perform it . tho' therefore mr. b. should prove by scripture that the sacraments represent our duty as required by god , yet it were nothing against me , except he prove it to be proper and peculiar to sacraments to represent our duty as profest by us , to the exclusion of all other signs . however , tho' i need not take notice of the scriptures he produces to this purpose , they not being to the point in hand , yet because they are all perverted from their true and genuine sense i think my self obliged to vindicate them from his false glosses , and shall with them likewise consider his other arguments on this head. the first is , john . . except a man be born of the water and the holy ghost he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven . this he produces , vind. . to prove that washing with water is by its resemblance instructive to us concerning the priviledges and duties of the covenant we enter into . but here is nothing concerning instruction ; but the plain and litteral meaning of the place is , that baptism represents to us the will of god to give us a new birth by water and the holy ghost . the water doth not only instruct us in the necessity of the regenerating and purifying vertue of the holy spirit , as he seems to suggest , but when duly used , it carries that vertue along with it . the second place produced by him , to prove the water in baptism to be an instructing sign concerning our duty and priviledges , is , tit. . . he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy ghost . this fully proves that it is god's institution , that we shou'd be saved by water and the holy ghost in baptism : if mr. b. thinks that we are only instructed in that priviledge by the water in baptism , as he seems to do , he contradicts the very letter of the holy scripture , which says we are saved by it , and he seems to be influenced in this point with socinian notions . the third place is acts . . arise , be baptised , and wash away thy sins . this he produces to prove that baptism is designed to instruct us concerning our guilt as well as pollution , and the necessity of our being cleansed from it by the laver of our mediators blood. but sure the place proves quite another thing ; not only that we are instructed by baptism concerning the necessity of being cleansed , but that we are actually cleansed and washed in our mediator's blood by it , and have our sins then , and not before , forgiven us : so the scriptures frequently teach us , and so the church has ever understood it : it is not for any merit of our faith or repentance that our sins are forgiven us , and therefore god may as justly , and has as positively made baptism a condition of our pardon when it may be had , as either of them . christ may apply the vertue of his blood to us on what terms he pleases , and since he has made baptism a condition , the meaness of the thing ought to be no exception , any more than the washing in jordan was a just exception to naaman the syrian . we are therefore as much regenerated by baptism , cleansed , saved and pardoned by it , as naaman was cured of his leprosy by washing in jordan : and can no more be partakers of these benefits without it , when we may have it , then he cou'd without the other . it is therefore of very ill consequence to interpret these places of bare instruction , and i hope mr. b. will not say he meant so to interpret them as to exclude the real force and efficacy . the fourth place is , john . . . who so eats my flesh , and drinks my blood hath eternal life — for my flesh is meat indeed ▪ and my blood is drink indeed . this he produces to prove , that in the lords supper there is not only a commemorative representation of the death of christ , but also an instructive representation of our spiritual communion with him in his body and blood. and of those duties — by which we are said 〈◊〉 eat his flesh and drink his blood , vind. p. . but there is no colour for such a gloss . the place speaks of feeding by faith on the flesh and blood of christ ▪ either in or out of the sacrament . 't is certain and confessed by the church of god , that there is a peculiar feeding on the body and blood of christ by worthy receivers in the sacrament of the lord's-supper ; and that there is not only a commemorative and instructive representation of them as mr. b. alledges , but a real and true communion of them ; your confession of faith uses the words really and indeed , chap. . and therefore i● is great perverting of those words of st john to interpret them of such commemorative and instructive representation only , and a ready way to bring in the socinian notions of sacraments . the fifth place , vind. p. . is , rom. . , , . so many of us as were baptised into christ , were baptised into his death , therefore we are buried with him by baptism unto death : that like as christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the father , even so we also shou'd wàlk in newness of life . he alledges ( vind. p. . ) that dying unto sin , and walking in newness of life is not signifyed as the benefit conferred by god ( as i suppose ) but rather as the duty required from us . and to the same purpose he quotes coloss . . buried with him in baptism , wherein also you are risen with him — and you being dead in your sins , and the uncircomcision of your flesh hath he quickned together with him , having forgiven you all trespasses . it is manifest from the plain words of these places , that the apostle here shews what god has done for us , and from thence infers what we owe to him : he has mortified sin in us by baptism , he has buried us with christ , he has forgiven us all trespasses , he has quickened us together with him as he raised christ , and given us a new life by his holy spirit ; let any one judge whether these are benefits we receive from god , as i affirm , or rather duties required from us , as mr. b. alledges . every one of these ( as the church of god has ever taught , and as the generality of christians , except pelagians of old , and socinians of late , have professed to believe ) are acts of god's efficacion spirit upon us , and not duties required of us , tho' they infer duties to be perform'd by us . we cannot quicken our selves , or kill sin in us till the spirit of god deliver us from the body of death ▪ and quicken us by a new principle , and then , when he has given us a new life it is ( as the apostle infers ) our duty to walk in the newness of that life this is plainly the apostles reasoning ▪ rom. . for after he hath shewed wh●● god has done for us , in giving us h●● grace to mortify our lusts , and to enliven us with christ , he concludes , v. let not therefore sin reign in your morta● body , that you should obey it in the lu●● thereof . the sixth place he produces is , cor . . but ye are washed , but ye are sanctified , but ye are justified , in the name of the lord jesus . he alledges , th●● that these expressions refer to baptism which is true : but , that it is our duty to wash , to sanctify , to justify our selves rather than receive them as benefits from god , is not to be allowed . these are acts of god's spirit upon us ; in baptism we expect and receive them from him , and when we have received them , it is then our duty to imploy the grace he has bestowed on us , lest we receive it in vain ; and this obligation to improve the talent god has given us in baptism , is a clear consequence from his having so freely given it to us . the seventh place mr. b. urges to prove , that baptism is a sign from us to god , of our obligations to the duties of his covenant , is , . pet. . . baptism doth also now save us ( not the putting away of the filth of the flesh , but the answer of a good conscience towards god. ) i think this is so far from proving what mr. b. produces it for , that it proves the direct contrary . our saviour tells us , that he who believes and is baptised shall be saved ; that is , faith and baptism are the means or conditions of our salvation ; baptism is god's act by his ministers , and faith is ours ( that is , the act of it , tho the gift and grace be his ) but except we perform our part , baptism will do us no service ; nor ought the ministers , who are the dispensers of god's favours , to admit us to it , till we satisfy them some other way of our sincerity , than meerly by our demanding baptism ▪ therefore the apostles requir'd a solemn profession of faith , repentance and obedience from such as were to be baptised , and obliged them to answer such questions as the church has ever put to those that came to baptism , till your directory threw them out . now , this clearly proves , that baptism doth not directly and immediatly signify our duty or obligation to god , since another rite was added to signify , that even a solemn profession of our faith and resolution , that we would forsake the devil and his works , believe in god , and keep his commandments , expressed by solemn answers to several questions . these answers bind and oblige us to our duty to god , before we can be baptised ; and then comes baptism , which is god's act , by which he pardons our sins and adopts us as sons ; or as our church expresses it , grants us a death unto sin , and a new birth unto righteousness . and the not observing this , seems to me the reason of that great omission in your directory , of which i took notice , admonition , p. . that no express covenant is ordered to be made in the name of the child baptized , either by the parent or any else . for the authors of the directory having determined , that sacraments are instituted solemnly to engage church-members into the service of god in christ ( confession of faith , chap. . ) it will follow on mr. b's principles ( which seem in this point to be the same with theirs ) that it is unlawful to demand another engagement of those that are to be baptized , or , that they shou'd by another rite , that is , by solemnly answering certain questions , dedicate themselves to the service of christ ; because as he argues ( vind. p. . ) it is a needless doing that over again by a rite of our own devising , which is sufficiently done by a rite of christ's institution . and therefore the directory only orders the minister , before baptism , to use some words of instruction touching the institution , nature and ends of this sacrament ; but doth not require any profession or engagement from those that are to be baptised , or in their name , or any answer signifying their consent , vow or resolution to believe and serve christ , quite contrary to st. peter , who tells us in effect , that baptism will not save us without this answer of a good conscience . i think this one place is sufficient to shew us , that we are obliged by other means than meer accepting the sign of baptism , and that the thing that directly binds our duty on us , is , our solemn profession of our faith and duty , which we must signify by such signs and means as are proper to signify our sincerity in other cases ; and , that baptism doth not signify those , but supposeth them ; the whole design of that being to entitle us to god's grace and favours , upon supposition that we are qualified for them . mr. b. indeed objects , that baptism is the solemnizing a mutual covenant between the blessed god on the one part , and us on the other ; and therefore it is first a sign from us to god , of our consent to the proper terms of his covenant , before it can be a sign from him to us of our interest in those benefits . if this were so , then there needed no other sign of our consent besides the use of baptism ▪ 〈◊〉 st. peter shews us the contrary , that we are to signify our consent by other means , even by a solemn profession , and taking on us expresly those obligations that are the proposed conditions of the covenant ; and when we have bound our selves by this rite and solemn profession , and declared our consent to those terms , then , and not before , we are admitted to baptism for the remission of sins . thly . he further argues from st. mark . . where baptism is called the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins : that it is , first , a sign of our repentance towards god , before it can be a sign from him of the remission of sins , p. . but the meaning is plainly , that john preached remission of sins by baptism on condition men repented : and the question is here , whether baptism signified that the men repented , or that god wou'd forgive the penitent when baptized ; if the last be the meaning , then it is a sign altogether from god to us ; but if the first , then it is indeed a sign from men to god. but that it cannot be so , is clear , because repentance was first to be signified by other signs , such as confession of sins , promise of amendment , &c. before the persons were to be baptised , and therefore baptism did not signify , but suppose repentance . i do own there is a covenant made between us and god in baptism : we promise faith and obedience , and signify them by a solemn profession , and other signs : god gives us his spirit for remission of sins , and a new birth ; and this is signified by baptism , which is the sign and means that conveys them . thly . he produces , gal. . . every man that is circumcised is a debtor to the whole law , vind. p. . i answer , that every man that accepts the king's pardon and protection under the great seal , is obliged to be a good subject , and keep the laws ; yet it doth not follow , as i have already shewed , that the king 's great seal is a sign from us to the king , but solely from him to us . thly . he argues ( vind p. . ) that baptism was called a sacrament because it was reckoned ( like the military oath of the roman soldiers ) as a solemn listing of the person baptized into the service and warfare of christ. to this i answer , first , that the same persons that call baptism and the lords-supper sacraments on this account , do likewise call several other rites sacraments ; and therefore , in their opinion , to bind and oblige our selves to our duty was not peculiar to those signs , which we now only call sacraments . secondly , i own there is such an oath made at baptism , which binds and obliges us to be faithful ; and thereupon we are admitted by baptism into the number and priviledges of christ's soldiers : but baptism signifies god's act admitting us , not ours , any other way than by consequence and supposition : and therefore we may make many such vows beside what we make at baptism , and signify them by such signs as are proper , without any offence ; if we should do it by writing and sealing it were no harm ; which ▪ wou'd both be binding and obliging signs on our parts , yet no sacraments , or sinfull human inventions , any more than the cross. thly , he argues , p. . that sacrifices were covenanting rites , and quotes , psal. . . gather my saints together , those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice . to which i answer , there were two things in sacrifices : first , the offering of them to god as a sign of our homage and duty , which we owe him , as we pay tribute to the king ; and this was the offerers act , and fully signified his duty . and then there was god's admitting the offerer to feed on them after they were made his ; and this was god's act and a sign of his favour and reconciliation to the person . therefore sacrifices were signs of our duty to god , as well as of his favour to us ; but the case is otherwise in baptism and the lord's-supper ; the offering that reconciles us to god , was made by christ , not by us ; and we are reconcil'd by vertue of that : and the sacraments do only apply to us the washing or propitiation of christ's blood , and feed us as reconcil'd guests on his body ; and therefore are wholly signs from god to us , and other signs are necessary on our part to signify our duty . and therefore the primitive christians brought meat and drink for a common feast at the lord's supper , to signify the sincerity of their love , and testify it to the world ; and we do yet offer part of our substance , for the relief of god's servants at this sacrament : both which are signs as well as instances of our duty ; and plainly shew , that our duty is not so signified in the sacraments , but other signs are necessary on our part . and if a man who came to demand baptism , shou'd , as a sign and token of his resolution to renounce the devil , the world and flesh , give a large portion of his substance to some charitable use , it were very lawful for him to use this sign , and no affront to baptism , as if it were not sufficient to signify our duty and obligation to god : and such an act would be a very acceptable sacrifice to him . thly , he urges , acts . . then peter said unto them , repent , and be baptised every one of you in the name of christ , for the remission of sins , and ye shall receive the holy ghost , for the promise is unto you and to your children . whence he infers , that they were by baptism first to profess their repentance towards god , and faith in our lord jesus , and then receive the promised benefit , remission of sins , vind. p. . but here is not one word of professing repentance by baptism , nor can any such thing be inferred from the words ; but on the contrary , they prove that the sins of the penitents are remitted by baptism , and they intitled to the promise of the holy ghost ; the granting both which are acts of god's favour bestowed on us in baptism . if baptism were designed to profess or signify our repentance directly , there needed no other profession or signs of repentance , according to mr. b. because the sign appointed by god wou'd be sufficient ; but no minister ought to baptize any , till by a solemn profession before , and other signs and tokens , they satisfy him in some measure of the sincerity of their faith and repentance , as i have already shewed . thly , he alledges our saviours command to baptize , mat. . v. . go ye therefore and teach all nations , baptising them , &c. this command he says ( vind. p. . ) plainly implies that one great use of baptism , was to be a solemn bond upon them , to the duty of that christan profession they had imbraced , and the baptising them , in the name of the father , &c. has been always supposed to imply a solemn dedication of them by this sacred rite to the faith , worship and service of the blessed trinity . but i answer , that the plain meaning of these words is , that christ gives his apostles power to admit disciples by baptism , into the priviledge of being taught by the father , son and holy ghost , as their master and law-giver . the question is , whether baptism signifies god's admitting us to this priviledge , or our chusing him for our lord and master : that is , whether it signifies god's act or ours . i think it easy to determine this question , since it is manifest , that faith and repentance , which include our submitting our selves to god , are qualifications required to baptism , and the person that demands it must satisfy the ministers of the sacraments , that he is sincere in his submission by such signs and profession of repentance , and of faith , as are proper to signify them , before they ought to admit him . i own baptism is a bond , and dedicates us to god's service ; but it is a bond laid on us by god , who requires faith and repentance of those that are baptised , and sets them apart and consecrates them to his peculiar service , and to the priviledges that attend and are promised to such . thly , he produces , . tim. . . nevertheless the foundation ( or covenant ) of god stands sure , having this seal , ( on god's part ) the lord knows them that are his , and ( this seal on our part , as he alledges ) let him that names the name of christ depart from iniquity . from whence he infers , as the covenant is mutual , so the external rite is intended to ratify our restipulation as well as gods promise . but i answer , this place proves , that the covenant of god requires , on our part , a duty , to depart from iniquity , as well as it includes a promise that god knows who are his ( that is , will own , protect and reward them ) but that the sacraments are our seals to this covenant , cannot be inferred from thence : the covenant it self is a meer favour and grace vouchsafed us by god , and we must take it in nature of a grant from him , on what conditions and under what seal he pleases ; and accordingly he has put the sacraments ( the seals thereof ) into the hands of his ministers , who are his officers ( or as we may call them , his chancellors ) to dispence his pardon and favours to those that are qualified for them . our business is therefore , to qualify our selves , and then apply to his officers , that are duly appointed by him for the seals of our pardon ; and we are to satisfy them by proper signs of our sincerity , before they ought to seal this pardon to us . the sacraments therefore are god's seals , not ours , dispensed by his lawful appointed officers , not by our deputies or ministers , which do indeed imply and suppose a duty from us , but are not immediately appointed to signify that duty , or that we resolve or ingage to perform it , but that god will accept of us if we do , and to do which accordingly , they lay the strictest obligations on us , by way of consequence . lastly , he urges my own words against me . that i allow in my discourse , p. . that in the sacraments we not only express our dependance on god for his grace , but likewise oblige and bind our selves to serve him . now ( saith he ) how this can be true without making the sacramental rite a sign from us to god , of that obligation to his service , i cannot comprehend . in answer to this , when i say , that we express our dependance on god for his grace in the sacraments , and oblige our selves to serve him , i mean that our coming to the sacraments is an effect of our faith and dependance on god , and a declaration to the world that we resolve to serve him , as he has required those to do who expect he shou'd fulfil the promises that he has made to worthy receivers : but that therefore the sacraments are properly or purposely or principally instituted to signify these acts of ours , doth no ways follow ; or that it is proper to sacraments as such to do so : and there needs no more to convince any reasonable man of this , but to remember that we do express this dependance on god , and obligation to serve him by every act of worship , as well as by the sacraments ; and therefore this use can be no ways peculiar to them : and for any to confound the things pre-required on our part to our use of the sacraments , or the effects and benefits of them , with what is directly and properly signified by the signs , is very unreasonable , and a sign that the person , who doth so , either doth not understand their nature , or has a mind to keep up a dispute . mr. b. may alledge this is new , but it is plainly the doctrine of our church , as i have shewed , and is founded on reason and scripture . suppose from the instance i have before given , any shou'd argue that the great seal is a sign from us of submitting to the king , and of obedience to him ; and that therefore to shew our obedience or gratitude to the king by any other sign , were treason and a taking on us to counterfeit the kings seal ; wou'd not such a man be looked on as a very unreasonable disputant ? and yet this i take to be exactly the case between mr. b. and me : we both agree ( i suppose ) that sacraments are signs of some inward and spiritual grace , which only god can give us ; and that he has promised these to us in the due use of the sacraments . but then it is pre-supposed and required , that we use them duly , and be qualified as god requireth ; from whence mr. b. infers , that the sacraments signify those qualifications and dispositions in us that they pre-suppose and require : and therefore to signify them by any other signs , is to make a new human sacrament , which is in effect to counterfeit the broad seal of heaven . but i say , that to do this is no more to make a human sacrament , than to signify by such other signs as are usual and proper to express such dispositions of mind in other cases , my acceptance of the kings pardon , and my resolution to acknowledge his mercy to me in granting it , is to make a new pardon for my self , or to counterfeit the king's seal . from whence you may see how we express our dependance on god for his grace , and oblige our selves to serve him in the sacraments , without making the sacramental rite properly or primarily a sign from us to god , much less principally or peculiarly ; which is the only thing wou'd do mr. b's cause any service in this case . for if other signs signify these , as well as the sacraments , it is plain they do not belong to the sacraments , as such ; and i have already shewed , that the sacraments were not designed properly or principally for this end ; nor are they sufficient for it , since god has thought fit to appoint other signs for this purpose , and warranted us to use such words and actions beside them as by general custom are proper . and i can see no more harm in using other signs , besides the sacramental , to express our duty and acknowledgments to god when we celebrate them , than in using other words than christ appointed in the institution . the argument is full as strong against the use of the one as of the other ; for if the sacramental signs be sufficient to this purpose , the words are likewise sufficient . and then to add new words of our own to the same purpose for which god appointed the words of institution , is as much to accuse his institution of imperfection , as to add new signs . yet i suppose it is no harm to add such words as may make receivers understand the nature and uses of these mysteries ; or express their faith and sense of god's favour , and the gratitude they have for it . and then , i suppose , there is as little harm in expressing the same by such signs as common custom has made significant thereof as by words ; both being warranted by god in scripture . and whereas mr. b. alledges ( vind. p. . ) that it belongs to god alone to appoint the religious rites , whereby we bind our selves to his service as to the supreme magistrate to appoint the ceremonies used in our taking the oath of allegiance : i answer , that it belongs much more to the supreme magistrate to prescribe the words of the oath , than the ceremonies : and it is much more penal to add or take away from the words of the oath , or to change them , than to add to the ceremonies prescribed in taking it ; for that is often no fault at all , and therefore to add to the words of institution any of our own , will be more penal than to add to the ceremonies . this whole objection therefore about a human sacrament , is a meer amusement of words : for if a human sacrament signify any thing that is criminal , it must signify our pretending a divine institution for a rite of our own contriveing , and assigning a divine effect to it : this is indeed to counterfeit god's seal , and a great sin. but to signify our duty to god by a rite that properly expresses it , is no more to be called a human sacrament than writing a profession of loyalty to the king , or entering into a recognizance for our good behaviour , and sealing it with our own seal , is a counterfeiting of his. and whereas mr. b. alledges , vind. p. . that to make a sign a seal on our part , is to make it a part of religious worship and a sinful human invention . i answer , that we ought to distinguish between the proper acts or parts of divine worship , and the manner or means of expressing those acts : only god can appoint a proper act or part of worship , but the manner or means of expressing it , is often left to us , and is to be determined by our present circumstances . thus appearing in god's presence with reverence , humility and submission is an act of worship directly required by the holy scriptures , but to express this humility and submission by uncovering our heads , is not particularly there required : but inasmuch as universal custom amongst us ( for it is otherwise in other places of the world ) has made this an expression of this disposition of our minds , when we appear before our superiors , therefore we use it in our appearance before god , without making it a proper part of worship or a human sacrament . and so on the same account , god requires that women shou'd appear before him with modesty , and a due sense of their inferiority to men , as i shewed in my discourse , chap. . sect . . p. . and inasmuch as universal custom had , in the apostles time , made a veil a mark of womens subjection to men , and it was immodest for them to appear unveiled in publick places , therefore the apostle , cor. . requires , that they be veiled in the christian assemblies ; which yet did not make this veiling themselves a part of divine worship , nor a sacrament ; and therefore , amongst us , where this custom doth not obtain , the veiling of women in the church is laid aside : and by parity of reason , confessing christ crucified , and glorying in his suffering on the cross , is a part of worship , which universal custom of all churches and ages has taught us to express by making the sign of the cross : but expressing this act of worship by this means , and in this manner , doth no more make it a part of divine worship , or a human sacrament , or a sealing the covenant on our part , than expressing our reverence and submission , by uncovering the head ( or feet where that is customary ) makes those parts of divine worship , or veiling women , to signifie their modesty and subjection , makes it a human sacrament . i might add many other like instances from scripture , but shall content my self with one , which we find , kin. . v. . where hezekiah receives a letter full of blasphemies against god ; upon the receit of this letter he went up into the house of god , and spread it before the lord. and with this significant action offers up his prayer to god. it is the custom for persons that have received a threatning letter , that reflecteth on their lord or friend , to carry it to him who is concerned , and lay it before him , as an effectual means to stir him up to justifie himself , and to protect those that depend on him ; and doing so is a sign of fidelity and dependance in the person that thus makes the application : therefore hezekiah spread the letter before the lord , thereby expressing his faith , trust , and resignation to god , which are proper acts of worship , and particularly required at our hands , but to do this by spreading a letter , is no where particularly commanded , yet it was accepted by god. hezekiah's doing it , was no introduction of any invention of men into god's worship ; nor was it a human sacrament ; yet it was used to the same purpose that we use the sign of the cross , which signifies no more than our faith , trust and dependance on a crucified saviour , and a resignation to his service ; which is all that is meant in the th canon of the church of england , by our dedication to god. hezekiah therefore did as much dedicate himself to god's service by spreading the letter before god , as we do by making the sign of the cross : and the one is as well warranted as the other , and is as far from being a sacrament . sect. iii. that the scriptures warrant us to use other signs that are not sacraments , for the several uses ascribed to sacraments by mr. b. so far as the sign of the cross is concerned in those uses . i. before i proceed to the direct proof of this , i must observe , that the words wherein mr. b. expresses the uses and ends of sacraments , are not clear or certain , but admit of several senses ; in some of which they express indeed the proper uses of sacraments ; but in others , only those uses that belong to other signs , as well as to sacraments : and therefore it will be necessary to consider apart each of these uses laid down by him , which he reduces to three general heads , namely , representing , obliging , and distinguishing , and to explain to you the several senses of which they are capable . after this , i shall prove , that the sign of the cross is not a representing , obliging , or distinguishing sign , in any of those senses which express the proper uses of sacraments , and that in those senses in which the cross is a representing , obliging , or distinguishing sign the scriptures warrant other signs , that are not sacraments , for the same uses . signs then , i say , may be called representing , obliging , and distinguishing upon several accounts , and in several senses , particularly in these following . first , a sign may be called a representing sign , because it signifies to us god's conferring on us , and conveying to us , certain graces , favours , or privileges , represented to us in and by the sign . so the king's charter to a corporation , signifies the king's pleasure , that they should enjoy certain privileges and immunities . mr. b. owns this sense of representing signs , when he says , that sacraments are representing signs for instruction in the privileges of the new covenant . that is , ( as i suppose the words are intended to mean ) that sacraments represent to us , or instruct us , that it is the will and pleasure of god that we should enjoy those privileges . dly , a sign may be called representing , because it signifies god's pleasure and command concerning some duties set forth and represented by the sign , which god would have us perform . thus the king's charter doth not only signifie the privileges and immunities granted to a city , but likewise the offices and duties the king requires from such as enjoy those privileges . and this sense of representing signs is owned by mr. b. in ( what i suppose he means by ) sacraments being instructive in the duties of the new covenant ; which duties imply our natural guilt , pollution , and weakness , and the necessity of being cleansed from them . dly , a sign may be called representing , because it signifies our desire , purpose , and resolution to accept the grace , favour , and privileges god has promised us , and to perform the duties he has imposed upon us , together with our gratitude and sense of his favours . thus a city honoured with a charter may declare its acceptance and sense of its prince's favours , by putting that charter in a rich case , carrying it in procession when they receive it ; likewise by addresses , bonefires , ringing of bells , illuminations , and such other actions as usually represent the grateful affections and resolutions of our minds : and it is to be observed , that tho' these signs representing the duty and gratitude of the persons thus favoured , be not required in the charter , nay , tho' oaths or other declarations of their acceptance be particularly specified in it , yet no prince ever takes ill at their subjects hands these voluntary signs , representing the duty , gratitude , and acceptance of his favours . i do not find mr. b. takes notice of this sense of representing signs , but it is a sense very obvious , and must be allowed of by all . thly , signs may be called obliging , because they oblige god by his promise to give us , when we duly use them , the grace , benefit or privileges signified by them ; and such signs as represent god's will to confer grace on us in the first sense of representing signs , are obliging signs in this sense ; that is , they oblige god to give the grace represented in them : so that obliging and representing signs in this sence are in effect the same , and run into one another ; and in this sence sacraments , as is owned both by mr. b. and me , are peculiarly representing and obliging signs . thly , a sign may be called obliging , because it declares god's will to us , by signifying , that he requires certain duties and returns from us ; which declaration of god's will by words or signs , obliges us to perform those duties . and signs that represent in the second sense the duties required by god , are obliging from god to us in this sense ; for whatever sign instructs us by representing any thing to us as our duty , doth likewise oblige us to perform it ; so that obliging signs , in this sense , are the same with representing , and need not be distinguished . thly , a sign may be called obliging , because it declares our intention , resolution , and promise to perform what is required of us in our covenant with god ; and signs that represent , in the third sense , our acceptance of god's grace , and resolution to perform our duty , are also thus obliging , and are properly signs from us to god ; the same are likewise ratifying and dedicating on our part ; which is owned by mr. b. p. . where he tells us , that to oblige and bind our selves to serve god , is the same thing as to dedicate our selves to his service : and indeed , a sign can be no otherwise ratifying and dedicating on our part , than as it signifies and declares our resolution and promise to perform the duties we owe to god. thly , a sign may be called distinguishing , because it signifies and conveys to us some privilege and benefit which effectually distinguisheth us from the rest of the world , and obliges others to own us as so privileged . thus the king's patent to a nobleman distinguisheth him , and obliges others to take notice of him . and thus the regenerating principle of grace , conveyed to us in baptism , makes an effectual distinction of christians from other men ; and the privileges convey'd to us thereby , oblige all other christians to own us as fellow-members and heirs of the same hope with themselves . hence signs representing graces conferred by god ( in the first sense ) or obliging on god's part ( in the fourth sense ) are likewise peculiarly distinguishing badges and signs of our christianity in this last sense . thly , lastly , a sign may be called distinguishing , because we thereby testifie , profess , and declare to the world , that we claim and own the privileges and chararacters that god has bestow'd on us : and thus every christian duty we perform , every profession we make of our faith , either by words or actions , are distinguishing badges and signs of our christianity , peculiarly such signs as represent our duty , or gratitude in the third sense , or obliges us to perform it , in the fifth sense are thus likewise distinguishing . from all which it is manifest , first , that mr. b. has expressed the uses and ends of sacraments in a very confused and uncertain manner ; to represent , oblige , and distinguish being in effect the same , and running into one another ; and yet each of them containing very different uses under them that ought carefully to be distinguish'd ; so that he has made a distinction where there was no necessity for it , and omitted to distinguish where it was necessary . secondly , you must observe , that representing signs in the first and second sense ( that is , as they represent either benefits conferred on us by god , or duties imposed on us by him ) obliging signs in the fourth and fifth sense ( that is , as they signifie god's obliging himself by his promise , or us by his command ) and lastly , distinguishing signs in the seventh sense ( as they signifie privileges bestow'd on us by god ) are all of them signs from god to us , not from us to god. thirdly , only representing signs in the third sense , obliging in the sixth , and distinguishing in the eighth , ( that is , as they represent our resolutions , promises , and professions , and as they bind and distinguish us by them ) are signs from us to god ; and it will appear on examination , that the sign of the cross is only concerned in these last uses , and that the scriptures warrant other signs , that are not sacraments , for them . sect. iv. of representing signs . as to the first sence of representing signs , that is , as they signifie to us god's conferring on us and conveying to us certain graces or priviledges represented to us in and by them . i desire you to take notice that this is the first thing that i shewed in my admonition , ( p. ) to be necessary to a sacrament ; that is , an outward and visible sign , instituted by god , of some inward and spiritual grace or benefit which we expect from him . i shewed you likewise ( p. . ) that the cross is not used by us to signify any grace or benefit communicated to us from god : and this is the universal sense of all that have undertaken the defence of it in our church ; but mr. b. from some conjectures of his own , undertakes to prove , that we mean by it , that which we profess and declare not to mean. thus , vind. p. . he thinks there is just ground to conclude the contrary from the words of the thirtieth canon of england , which acknowledges , that the holy ghost by the mouth of the apostles did honour the name of the cross so far , that under it he comprehended not only christ crucified , but the force , effect and merit of his death and passion , with all comforts , fruits , and promises we receive or expect thereby . from whence he concludes , that with us the cross must be an external sign to signify the same things which the holy ghost had honoured the name of the cross to signify . but i answer , that none of the expounders of our canons , or defenders of the sign of the cross have thus interpreted this canon ; nay , on the contrary , they have given it a quite different sense , as he himself owns in this very place , where he quotes the author of the case relating to the cross in baptism , explaining the canon in another sense . now for mr. b. to put a sense on the words of our canon , and make an inference from them which none of us own , but protest against , is to set up an adversary purposely that he may confute him ; and such proceedings are looked on by all impartial men as the effects of prejudice and engagement to a party . nay , not only the divines of our church protest against his inference from this canon , but the very canon it self makes a quite contrary inference , concluding from the scriptures signifying by the name of the cross , christ and his benefits ; that the primitive christians used the sign of it , not to signify these benefits as communicated to us by god , but to testify thereby that they were not ashamed of it , but owned him for their god and saviour , who suffered the death of the cross for them , and signed their children with it , when christened , to dedicate them by that badge to his service whose benefits bestowed on them in baptism , the name of the cross did represent . the use then of the cross according to the canon is not , as mr. b. wou'd infer , to signify an act of god towards us , to confer any benefit on us , or require any duty of us , but to signify and represent our own act , whereby we resolve , promise and bind our selves not to be ashamed of a crucified saviour , or his benefits purchased by his cross , and signified to us under that name in scripture ; and not only our church but all other christians from the apostles time , have for this reason looked on making the sign of the cross , as a very fit instance and declaration of their glorying in christ's sufferings , and readiness to follow him in them ; which is an effectual dedication of our selves to his service , tho' we do not think it a fit external sign to signify god's communicating to us the graces or benefits of the new covenant , because that being an act of god , ought only to be represented and conveyed to us by signs particularly instituted by him , whereas our glorying in his sufferings , and dedicating our selves to follow him in them , being acts of ours , may lawfully be signified by such signs as universal custom has made proper ; as will appear more at large in this discourse ; what i have said being sufficient to shew , that the cross is no representing sign in this sense . ii. dly , as to the second sort of representing signs , which signify and discover to us god's pleasure and command concerning some duties set forth and represented by them , which duties god wou'd have us perform . let me observe , that the cross is no more a representing sign with us in this sense than the former , since we do not use it to signify or declare god's will to us , that we shou'd perform any duty , but only our own resolution , and purpose to perform those duties , that god himself has signified under the name of the cross in scripture , and that we shall not be ashamed to confess him , that was crucified on it : this is manifest from the very words of our office , in which the sign of the cross is used only as a token that hereafter the baptised person shall not be ashamed to confess the faith of christ crucified , and manfully to fight under his banner against sin , the world and the devil , and to continue christ's faithful soldier and servant unto his lives end , this is the only use our church makes of the sign of the cross ; and you see plainly that it is here made only a token of our owning a crucified saviour , and an instance that we are not ashamed of his cross and sufferings : and indeed it is as plain an instance of our not being thus ashamed , and of our resolution to follow him , in taking up our cross and engaging in his warfare and service , as giving an alms is an instance of charity . but here is nothing of god's declaring or signifying his will to us by this sign , that we shou'd perform these duties , or any intimation that we use it to this purpose . and yet if we did use it , it wou'd not give it any thing of a sacramental nature , much less make it a human sacrament , for it is no peculiar , much less principal use of sacraments to represent gods pleasure to us , that we shou'd perform certain duties , since we find many signs used in scripture to this purpose that are no sacraments . i shall content my self with two instances , amongst many , the first is that of the sabbath day , ezek. . . moreover i gave them my sabbaths to be a sign between me and them , that they might know me , that i am the lord that sanctifies them . here the sabbath day is described as a covenanting sign between god and his people , representing to them , and instructing them from god in their duty to know the lord that sanctified them . we have another example , exod. . . go unto the people , and sanctify them to day , and to morrow , and let them wash their cloaths . this washing their cloaths was certainly a rite or sign representing to them from the lord , the inward purity required of them , and instructing them that it was god's will that they should approach him with holiness , and yet i suppose neither this nor the former were properly sacraments ; and indeed mr. b. owns , p. . that all barely instructive signs are not sacramental or federal ones . i add , that from these instances it appears , that all instructive signs , tho' federal or covenanting are not sacramental , and therefore mr. b. had no reason to tax me as he doth in the same place , for omitting this use in my account of sacraments , since my design was only to mention those uses that are peculiar to sacraments ; and it is manifest by his own confession , that this is not so peculiar to them . iii. dly , the same must be said concerning signs that represent and signify our desire , purpose and resolution , to accept the grace , favour and priviledges god has promised us , and to perform the duties he has imposed on us , together with our gratitude and sense of his favours . to represent in this sense is not peculiar to sacraments , much less a principal use of them , nor has mr. b. produced one place of scripture to prove this to be such a peculiar use. on the contrary , we have many example , in scripture , where other signs are recommended to us for this purpose : thus we find the reubenites and gadites and half tribe of manasses building an altar , josh. . . without any particular command from god , as sufficiently appears from the whole affair . the design of this altar was not for sacrifices ; but v. . that it might be ( say they ) a witness between us and you , and our generations after us , that we may do the service of the lord before him , with our burnt-offerings , and with our sacrifices , and with our peace-offerings , that your children may not say to our children in time to come , ye have no part in the lord. here we have an altar set up as a sign , testimony and memorial , representing and testifying that these people did desire , resolve and purpose to serve god according to his commands , and that they claimed a share and interest in his favours and service : yet this declarative sign of their stedfast intentions to serve god and perform the duties he required of them , was not sacramental ; tho' it was not for burnt-offerings , yet it was the pattern of the altar of the lord , v. . and represented their claim to that altar , together with their resolution to perform their duty at it ; and surely this is more like a sacrament than using the sign of the cross to testify , that we claim an interest in it , and are not ashamed of it : for the cross was the altar on which our sacrifice was offered , and we may as lawfully make the pattern of it to testify and claim our right in the sacrifice that was offered on it , as the reubenites made the pattern of the altar of the lord to testify and claim their right to the sacrifices offered on it . every impartial considerer will see that the case is exactly parallel as to this point . i might instance in many other such signs in the old testament if it were necessary ; but i shall add one or two out of the new. first , it was a duty required of all men to acknowledge and recognize our saviour as the messias and king of israel . if we look into the st chapter of st. matthew , we may observe that the multitude did acknowledge him as such , and expressed their acceptance of him , their resolution to submit to him , and thankfulness for his favours , by such signs as were usual on such occasions . it was the custom to receive great kings and princes with solemn acclamations , to strew the way when they entered into any place with branches and garments : therefore the multitude did thus own our saviour to be the messias and king of israel , and their desire to submit to him . and that not only by acclamations and joyning their voices in their praises and thanksgivings , but likewise ( in the eighth verse ) they spread their garments in the way , and others cut down branches from the trees , and strewed them in the way ; which tho' not required by our saviour , that we can find , were accepted , as well as their hosanna's ; yet these representing signs , tho' direct acknowledgments and declarations of their accepting our saviour as their king , and of their submitting to him , had nothing of sacraments in them : and therefore the sign of the cross , tho' it represent to the world that we own a crucified christ , and that we resolve not to be ashamed of him , has nothing in it of a sacramental nature , any more than the branches and garments strewed in his way . a second instance in the new testament shall be the kiss of charity . i shew'd you in my admonition , p. . that 't is a special duty to lay aside all hatred , and to be in charity with one another when we come to the lord's supper ; and that this duty was signified by a holy kiss , whereby the communicants represented their desire , purpose and resolution to perform this duty : this is home to the point , and exactly parallel to the cross in baptism ; and if the one be a sacrament , the other is likewise . the same may be said of the feast of charity . mr. b. answered three things to this , vind. p. . first , that he doth not see that this was a religious rite at all : but this is directly contrary to scripture ; the word religious is never applied to rites or places in it , but that which we call religious is there called holy , and the scripture gives this title to the kiss , here mentioned in three places , calling it a holy kiss , to distinguish it as well from the civil as prophane , rom. . . cor. . . . cor. . . and in the fourth place where it is used , pet. . . it is called a kiss of charity . i suppose the difference between civil and religious signs consists in this ; that one sort of these signifies civil matters , and the other religious : now this sign was used in the christian assemblies to signify , declare and testify the grace of charity , which is the sum and perfection of our religion , there are not clearer proofs that baptism is a religious sign , than these ; and you may judge with your selves what it is that hinders mr. b. from seeing it . but dly , he objects ( vind. p. . ) that this was a real expression of their mutual charity ; this i own to be true , and do believe that every sign made significant by general custom , when used as it should be , is a real expression and instance of the thing it signifies ; so making the sign of the cross is a real expression and instance of our glorying in christ , as much as kissing one another is of our mutual charity ; the same thing that made the one so , made likewise the other , that is , universal custom . dly , he objects , that it is reasonable to suppose that it had a temporary institution . i own , it is not only reasonable to suppose this , but certain that it had , since it is four times commanded in scripture ; but this is so far from preventing the holy kiss from being a sacrament , that it shou'd the rather be one because it had this institution . this i look on as a demonstration , that a sign that meerly represents our desire , resolution and purpose , to perform a certain duty , tho' commanded in scripture , hath nothing of a sacramental nature in it ; and therefore the cross is not a sacrament , nor has it any thing of a sacramental use by representing our duty to confess christ crucified . let me further observe , that the church of god has laid aside this teaching and representing sign , tho' instutited in scripture , and practised for many years ; and therefore must be supposed to have authority to institute others of the like nature in the celebration of the sacraments , since the same authority is necessary to abrogate as to institute any religious action or representing sign . and this is no more , in effect , than i find owned by some of the most eminent men of your party ; so mr. bowles , in his pastor evangelicus , lib. . cap. . potest ecclesia sive signa sive media statuere , &c. the church has power to appoint both signs and means , by which men may testifie their pious affections before others , whilst they celebrate divine worship . provided these signs be such as the instinct of nature doth suggest , or be taken from what is customary in life , according to the difference of nations , and have nothing of scandal in them , for these signs are only declarative , which , so far as i know are granted to be lawful by all . amongst these he reckons rending the garments , covering the head with ashes , powring out waters , sam. . . for a token of repentance , writing and sealing the covenant when renewed , the feasts of charity , the holy kiss and veiling women ; and he might as well have reckon'd the sign of the cross , as a token of our not being ashamed of christ crucified , for this is a declarative sign of our pious affections , as well as any of the other ; it is warranted by general custom , as well as they are , and it is only declarative , for we ascribe no virtue or efficacy to it , but declare against its having any such virtue in express terms , in the thirtieth canon , which enjoins it . and whereas mr. b. alledges , that we use it to bind and dedicate our selves to god's service , and as a distinguishing badge of our christian profession , p. . i doubt not but it will appear in the next sections , that every one of those declarative signs mentioned by mr. bowles , do bind and dedicate to god's service those that use them , as much as the sign of the cross , and are purposely designed to distinguish the pious and devout worshipers of god , as well as to express their devout affections before men ; and that therefore mr. b's insisting on the crosses being a dedicating sign , or a distinguishing badge , to prove it a sacrament , is no more than a playing with words , and amusing the reader , by endeavouring to fix that doctrine on us under equivocal terms which we utterly deny . and the only question here will be , whether we or mr. b. know our doctrine best ; if our church , if our divines may be believed , the cross is only a declarative sign of our pious affections , not to be ashamed of christ crucified , &c. but if you believe mr. b. it is something more that makes it a sacrament . but this belongs more properly to the next section of obliging signs ; and i shall proceed to consider those . sect. v. concerning obliging signs . i. but fourthly , a sign may be called obliging , because it obliges god by his promise to give us the spiritual grace or benefit signified by it , when we duly use it : this was the second thing i observed necessary to make up a sacrament . i told you in my admonition , p. . that this is the very thing that constitutes a sign to be a sacrament , and distinguishes it from all other signs ; and this being wanting , tho' a sign had all other things like a sacrament , yet it would no more be a sacrament , than an image that in every thing resembled a man , but wanted a soul , would be a man. mr. b. owns , that this is necessary to a sacrament , and doth not pretend , that we ascribe this use to the sign of the cross ; and therefore i may dismiss this point as agreed . however , i think it necessary here to observe , that when god has given a man power to confer any favour or benefit on another , tho' he has not appointed any sign by which that person is to confer it , yet the scripture warrants him to use such signs as are proper in the conveying it . thus our saviour , mark . . gave his disciples power to heal sickness , but did not , that appears , order them to use any sign in the performance of it ; yet mark . . we find they used oyl , a symbol of joy and health . they anointed with oyl many that were sick , and healed them . they used also the signs of sending handkerchiefs and aprons to the same purpose : so likewise our saviour gave his disciples power to bestow the holy ghost , but ordered no sign ; yet we find the apostles used the common sign of blessing : so act. . . then laid they their hands on them , and they received the holy ghost . lastly , our saviour gave his apostles power to ordain governours in the church , but appointed no sign for it ; yet they used the common sign employ'd in these cases , acts . . when they had fasted and prayed , they laid their hands on them , and sent them away . there are several other such signs in scripture , which are not sacraments ; because , tho' a spiritual benefit or gift be conferred with the use of them , yet it is not by vertue of any promise annex'd to the use of the signs themselves , as it is in baptism and the lord's supper , but by vertue of the general command to those authoriz'd persons to confer those benefits or graces , in the conferring of which , these signs are no means or conditions , nor have they any other part besides that of being solemnities of the action , and signifying the persons intention to exercise the power that god has given him , at the time when he uses them ; and this is carefully to be observed , otherwise we shall easily be mistaken in the nature of sacraments , and imagine things to be so that really are not . ii. fifthly , a sign may be called obliging , because it is a declaration from god of his will , that he requires certain duties and returns from us , which are signified and represented to us in the sign , which declaration obliges us to perform those duties , and make those returns . i have shewed already in the second particular , that only god can appoint these signs , and that such declarative signs of god's will , where they have no promise annexed of some spiritual grace or benefit , are not sacraments , tho' they are obligations on us from god. i must add , that the sign of the cross is not used by our church to any such purpose ; as appears sufficiently from what i have said before on the second particular use of signs as representative . iii. sixthly , a sign may be called obliging , because it declares our intention , resolution , and promise to perform the duties god requires of us in our covenant with him ; a sign that is thus obliging , is likewise a ratifying and dedicating sign on our part , and is owned to be the same by mr. b's vind. p. . for we cannot be said to ratifie our covenant with god , or dedicate our selves to him by a sign , for any other reason , but because it declares and signifies our resolution and promise to perform our covenant with him . we do own , that the sign of the cross is an obliging , ratifying , and dedicating sign in this sense ; that is , it declares and signifies our resolution and promise to perform all the duties god requires of us in our covenant , not to be ashamed of christ crucified , but manfully to sight under his banner against sin , the devil , and the world. the great stress of mr. b's argument to prove the cross an human sacrament , seems to consist in this ; as appears from what he says p. . where the whole force of his argument against the cross depends on our making it a rite , whereby we oblige and bind our selves to serve god : but , in order to clear the matter , i will shew , that an obliging , ratifying , dedicating sign in this sense , has nothing of a sacramental nature in it ; but that we may make use of such signs to this purpose as common universal custom has made proper . this i will shew , first , from scripture ; and , secondly , from your own practice , and then shall make appear , that the use of the sign of the cross is altogether of this sort . iv. . for the proof of this from scripture , i appeal to the jewish church after the captivity . the jews had been guilty of many breaches of god's covenant made with their fathers ; and there was great necessity to renew it on their part , and accordingly we find they applied themselves to do it , with fasting , with sackcloaths and earth upon them . neh. . . and after a solemn humiliation and confession they renew their covenant with god , and declare their resolution and promise to keep it , by such methods as were usual to oblige men in other cases ; that is , first by an oath , neh. chap. . . they entred into a curse and into an oath to walk in god's law , which was given by moses . . they bind , engage , and oblige themselves by certain usual signs ; never , that we can find prescribed by god , that is , by writing and sealing the covenant , neh. . , . we make a sure covenant , and write it , and our princes , levites , and priests seal unto it . now , to make a covenant with god , the same that circumcision entered them into , even to walk in god's law which was given by moses , was certainly to oblige , engage and dedicate themselves to god's service . mr. b. himself alledges , vind. p. . that circumcision was an external bond on those that received it , to observe that law ; yet notwithstanding this bond of circumcision and their renewing the same obligation in the passover , these jews added new bonds to their covenant , and made use of new signs to engage and oblige themselves to keep it , and to ratifie and confirm it on their part . it cannot be deny'd but signing and sealing are outward signs , and their use is to ratifie and confirm that to which the name and seal is put , and to oblige the persons to perform what they promise in it ; if therefore these be peculiar and principal uses of sacraments , it clearly follows that these jews , by using these signs , made two sacraments ( for ought appears , out of their own head ) : but if god commanded them , then here are two signs , obliging , confirming , and ratifying the covenant they entred into , of divine institution , and then they must be divine sacraments , which no body ever yet pretended that i have heard of . the truth then is , that to renew our covenant with god , to declare our resolution , purpose and promise to obey god's laws , and keep his covenant , either by such words or signs as universal custom has made expressive of such a promise , &c. are alike lawful , and the one has no more of a sacramental nature in it than the other . v. i shall add one instance more out of the new testament , and that is , laying on of hands , a sign used in blessing , from the patriarchs to this day : fathers used it in blessing their children , priests in blessing not only the people , but likewise in blessing persons and offerings dedicated to god , but more particularly it is used in that solemn blessing to which our church directs us in our catechism , under the title of being confirmed by the bishop . for the understanding of which you must observe ▪ . that the apostles , who had commission to teach and baptize , did , upon their converts declaring their conviction of our saviour's being the messias or christ , immediately baptize them , tho' they were not particularly instructed in all the parts and duties of the religion they embraced ; as appears sufficiently from the second of the acts , where in one day were converted , and the same day baptized : as appears v. . then they that gladly received his words were baptized ; and the same day there were added to them about souls . it is not to be supposed thot all these could be fully instructed in all the necessary articles of their faith , but it was sufficient that in general they believed in christ , and were willing to learn his doctrine as opportunity offer'd : the same appears in baptizing the jaylor and his family , acts . and on several other occasions . this is one ground of baptizing the children of the faithful with us , because it is supposed that god , according to his promise , will in baptism give a principle of faith to such : which , together with the influence of their parents on them , and of the society whereof they are members , will dispose them to learn the principles of their religion as soon as they are capable ; so that there is a radical faith , and presumed willingness , tho' not an actual . . at the beginning of christianity the converts were many , and the teachers few ; and it would have too much confined them , if they had been obliged to teach every convert in the ordinary methods of learning ; and therefore god gave the apostles an extraordinary power to confer the holy ghost not only led those that received it into all truth , but likewise enabled them to teach others ; which appears from several places of scripture , particularly from acts . & . . when paul had laid his hands on them , the holy ghost came up in them , and they spake with tongues and prophesied . . when the number of teachers were sufficiently multiplyed , this extraordinary manner of teaching converts , and enabling them to teach others was not necessary ; not but the holy ghost is still the true teacher of his church , insomuch , as without his influence , no man can attain such a degree of knowledge as to save his own soul , or instruct others ; all true knowledge then is still from him , but it is not without our own industry , or study , or the assistance of those that christ has commissioned to teach us in an ordinary way . . such as were baptized immediately after their conversion before full instruction , or in their infancy , when particularly and explicitly instructed , were brought before the church , and there made a solemn recognition of their faith , and declared their resolution to adhere to it ; whereupon the bishop , or chief governour of the church laid his hands on them , blessed them , prayed for their continuance in grace and knowledge , and admitted them as competently instructed members ; by this they were taught and assured , that the grace and knowledge they had , was from the holy spirit ; and that the encrease and continuance of it must be expected from him . . this laying on of hands is reckoned a principle of our religion , heb. . . and joyned with baptism . that this is the true meaning of the place , will appear , not only from the practice of the church of god , that has continued the use of this sign from the apostles time to this day , but likewise from the best interpreters of all sorts and ages ; amongst the ancients , st. chrysostome , st. augustine , and theophylact , thus interpret it ; amongst the romanists , the ordinary gloss , lyra , and many others ; amongst the reformers , calvin , beza , and di●dati ; and the assemblies notes , which i hope will weigh somewhat with you ; amongst the socinians crellius ; so that , one would think that all parties were agreed in it . mr. b. indeed gives me very hard words for reckoning this a principle of christianity , tho' i have the express letter of scripture for doing so ; and in his remark , p. . interprets baptisms , and laying on of hands of the jewish washings and sacrifices , directly contrary to the apostles profession , who in the first verse declares , that he intends to leave these principles here named , and to pass on to perfection ; whereas he is so far from leaving , those jewish washings and sacrifices , that he passes on to them , and spends a good part of his discourse on them , as may be seen in the . and . chapters ; and indeed , the applying jewish types to the passages in the new testament which they prefigured , was a doctrine not for beginners , but as in chap. . . for those that by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil : when the lords supper was thought too great a mistery to teach such beginners , and therefore is not mentioned amongst these elements , no wonder if the types of the law which were much more obscure were thought improper . but to proceed , we have here laying on of hands reckoned a principle of christianity , and judged by all parties a proper sign to be used , when persons baptised in their infancy , or before full instruction , come to ratify and confirm with their own mouths their baptismal covenant , and to promise a faithful observance of it to the end ; in which sense it is plainly an obliging sign on our part , as much as a seal is to a bond ; and hence it has been called a seal from the very apostles time , as may be seen in clemens alex. that lived near them , and many others of the ancients , yet it is no sacrament ; neither hath it any more of a sacramental nature in it , than laying on hands in ordination . besides this ratification and obligation on our part , it is used by our church to certify those that ratifie and renew their covenant , of gods favour and gracious goodness to them , yet this doth not make it a sacrament , since the ministers of god by vertue of the keys , have power to certifie all such as in earnest consent to gods covenant at all times , of gods favour and gracious acceptance of them , and may especially on such solemn occasions as this of their publick recognition of their baptismal covenant , or on their publick reconciliation after penance , certifie them of it by proper signs , ( suppose by a kiss as well ) as by words , and such signs signifie only their intention at that time , to exert the general power god has given them , as i shewed before in anointing the sick , laying on hands for the extraordinary gifts of the holy ghost , and for ordination ; which have nothing of a sacramental nature in them , because no promise obliging god is annexed to them . vi. having thus shewed from scripture , that we may make use of such signs to oblige our selves to ratifie and confirm our covenant with god , as general custom has made proper ; i come in the second place , to shew the same from your own practice . and this i shall make appear from two instances ; the first , is that of the solemn league and covenant , the precedent which your party took for this , was the jews renewing their covenant with god , neh. . and the general assembly of scotland in their acknowledgement of publick sins , call it the oath and covenant which they made with god , and the covenant and cause of god ; and indeed it obliged them to all the duties we owe to god and man ; which is as large as our baptismal covenant . into this covenant with god they entred , not only by words but signs also , and bound themselves to the performance of it ; first by subscribing it which is one sign , as in the act of the general assembly ; act . . secondly by standing up at it ; thirdly by lifting up their hands ; so the house of commons took it , sep. . . and by swearing thereunto , did worship the great name of god , and testify so much outwardly by lifting up their hands , and subscribed their names to it . lastly , the parliament ordered , feb. . . that the whole kingdom should take it standing , their right hand bare , and lift up ; all these were plainly federal rites , and did declare and signifie the intention , purpose , and vow of the takers to perform this covenant with god , and consequently were obliging , ratifying , and confirming signs on their part , and i doubt not but many thought they did therein dedicate themselves anew to gods service ; for as i have already shewed , a sign , that signifies our vow and promise to serve god is a dedicating sign ; if therefore the sign of the cross be a sacrament , because it is a token that we shall not be ashamed to confess christ crucified , and that we resolve to serve him to our lives end , then all these were plainly sacraments , for they were tokens of the same thing in the estimation of those that used them . i shall add one instance more , and that is , giving persons names in baptism ; this as i observed in my admonition , p. , , signifies our giving up our names to christ and engaging to be his servants ; and therefore these names are a lasting badge and token to us through our whole lives , of our dedication to christs service , and an obligation on us to behave our selves accordingly . to this mr. b. replies two things ; first , vind. p. . that all this is suggested by my own fancy , without any ground , for you know of no other use of this practice in baptism , than that the persons baptized may be notifyed to the congregation . to this i answer ; first , that it doth not come home to the point , since it doth not determine whether it be lawful to use this sign of giving a name to the purposes i have mentioned ; if it be lawful so to use it , no matter whether you use it so or no ; for it is still an unanswerable argument that an obliging sign as such has nothing of a sacrament in it . . it is plain the scriptures direct us to this use of giving names , as well as the general custom of the world ; for we plainly find names given to signifie that those who receive them , were either admitted as servants , sons , or priviledged persons ; and in all these cases their names were obligatory badges . to this purpose a name was constantly given by the jewish church at circumcision , and by the christian at baptism ; and that name in the primitive church was entred in the diptycks or church roll ; they were called by it to receive the holy communion , and when cut off from the church , their names were blotted out of these sacred tables or rolls ; and therefore their names given them in baptism , were effectual obligations and badges of their profession . . i do not find any authentick declaration of your party against this use of names , nor any authority mr. b. has to declare your sense in the matter : your directory orders a name to be given at baptism , which shews the authors thought it material , and not meerly a civil thing ; for the design of the directory is to order the worship of god , and there was no reason for them to appoint a civil ceremony in so material a part of gods worship as baptism is ; mr. b. says , that it is , that the person may be notifyed to the congregation ; that is , that they may distinguish him to be the person that was baptised : now that which distinguishes and makes it known through his whole life , that he is a member of christ , is surely a badge of his profession , and obliges him to do nothing unworthy of it . you call the name you receive at baptism your christian name ▪ and as your surnames shew your family , so your christian names shew your profession . i may add to this , that some of your party have been very nice in giving names , and have called their children by such names as they thought wou'd most likely put them in mind of their duty to god , and oblige them to perform it ; thus some called their children , grace , charity , prudence , faithfull , praise god : to what purpose , but to be a badge , token , memorial , and obligation to them to practise these graces ? lastly , the notes of the assembly on gen. . . observe on god's giving abraham a name , that some take the giving of a new name to note a sacramental renovation in the new sence of circumcision , which now was first added to the covenant , and thence hath it been the practice of such as profess religion , to give names to their children at their circumcision ; upon which they pass no censure . and mr. ainsworth ( for whom i suppose you likewise have a value ) has this observation on it : abraham is the first man in the world whose name is changed of god : and it signified a change of estate , and a renewing with increase of grace from god ; therefore this is after mentioned , as one of his favours ; neh. . . so jacob's name is made new , gen. . . and all true christians , esay . . rev. . . so that what i said concerning giving of a name to your children , and particularly god's giving one to abraham , is not suggested by my own fancy , as mr. b. alledgeth : i wish he would adhere to the literal sence of scripture , and the best commentators , as i am assured i endeavour to do . but secondly he objects , that if this were true , then this is a scriptural warrant for giving names to children at baptism , as a token of their admission into gods family , vind. p. . and then it is a ceremony of gods own appointment . to which i answer , that this is a full proof that a sign appointed by god to signifie our admission into his family , of giving up our names to him , and engaging to be his servants , is no sacrament ; and then it follows , that it is so far from being a principal use of a sacrament to be a binding sign only , that on the contrary it is no proper or peculiar use of it at all ; but common to other signs ; and then our using the sign of the cross for an obliging sign on our parts is not to ascribe any thing of a sacramental nature to it . from the whole , i suppose it fully appears both from scripture and your own practice , that we may use some other signs besides the sacraments to oblige , ratify , and confirm our covenant with god , and bind our selves to his service , and that our doing so doth not make those signs humane sacraments . and i desire you to remember that the whole design of our using the sign of the cross is , onely to declare and testify to the world , that we look on our selves as persons thus bound , obliged and dedicated to gods service , and that we are resolved not to decline that service , or be ashamed of it , for any danger or infamy that may attend it ; tho' it should expose us , as it did our saviour , to the painful and shameful death of the cross. to bind , oblige and dedicate our selves to gods service are properly acts of our minds : all that outward signs can do , is to declare and express these inward acts ; and surely there cannot be any outward action that more properly or naturally doth declare our resolution and purpose to dedicate our selves to the service of a crucifyed saviour than making the sign of the cross : if then it be lawful , as i have proved both from scripture and your own practice , to express and declare these acts of our minds by other signs than the sacraments , our using the sign of the cross to this purpose can never make it a new sacrament , or unlawful . sect. vi. concerning distinguishing signs . i. i shall now proceed to the third sort of signs which mr. b. mentions , which he calls distinguishing . i have shew'd you , that these may be of two sorts , and come under the seventh and eighth considerations of signs , as i have laid them down , sect. . of this appendix . the seventh is , that a sign may be called distinguishing , because it signifies and conveys to us some privilege or benefit which effectually distinguisheth us from the rest of the world , and obliges others to own us as so privileged . thus the king's patent to a noble-man distinguisheth him , and obliges others to take notice of him . and thus the regenerating principle of grace , convey'd to us in baptism , makes an effectual distinction of christians from other men ; and the privileges convey'd to us thereby oblige all other christians to own us as fellow-members and heirs of the same hope with themselves : and thus the lords supper doth likewise distinguish us , by communicating to us the body and blood of our saviour , by which our union with christ is preserved and encreased , and the graces and privileges received in baptism are renew'd , strengthen'd and confirmed to us . i grant therefore , that the sacraments are distinguishing signs in this sense , and this use of them is plainly contained under the first thing that i shewed to be necessary to make them up , that is , an outward and visible sign instituted by god , signifying some spiritual grace or benefit which we expect from him. such an inward and spiritual grace or benefit granted to us in the sacraments doth indeed distinguish us from all others , and entitle us to the privileges of children ; and the sacraments are conveyances and badges of that grace or privilege , as much as the king's patent is of nobility , or laying on his sword is of knighthood . to make a distinguishing sign in this sense were indeed to make a sacrament ; and we readily own , that god only can appoint signs to make one man thus differ from another , or bestow such badges on them : but our church has fully declared , that the sign of the cross is not any such badge : and therefore mr. b. is very unjust to us , when he affirms ( vind. p. . ) that being cross'd , we as truly ( according to the establish'd church ) wear the livery of christ as by being baptiz'd : a calumny without ground or pretence . in baptism our church , according to the scriptures , teaches us , that we put on christ ; that is , lay aside our sins and lusts , and become partakers of the divine nature , pet. . whereby we are privileged as sons of god ; this is the true badge and distinction of christians ; but our church never said any such thing of the cross , and therefore to say that we as truly wear the livery of christ by being cross'd , as by baptism ; or that the cross is as effectually made the common symbol or tessera of our discipleship , as baptism ; are most grievous calumnies . i beseech god to pardon those that endeavour to keep up a party against us by such accusations , and to turn their hearts . ii. but then , eighthly , a sign may be called distinguishing , because we thereby declare , testifie and profess to the world that we claim and own the privileges and characters that god has been pleased to bestow on us as christians . and thus indeed the sign of the cross is a badge and token of our christianity . but then , this is no proper or peculiar , much less principal use of the sacraments ; our keeping the lords day , our appearing in a christian assembly , our kneeling , uncovering our head , our fasting on publick occasions , our standing at our confession of faith , are all of them badges , and tokens in this sense of our being christians , as well as the sign of the cross ; and are all of them warranted by the scripture . the same may be said , as i have already shew'd , of our christian names , and of many other signs used among us , and precedented in scripture . particularly , that of your giving tickets to those that are to communicate , concerning which i shewed you , ( admon . p. . ) that it was an outward and visible sign : and secondly , that it signified your right and claim to the lord's supper and communion of saints ; which is a spiritual grace or privilege . thirdly , that it was a badge and token , whereby privileged members were distinguished : and fourthly , a sort of necessary term of communion . to this mr. b. replies , ( vind. p. . ) . that a ticket with you is a sign of nothing more , than that the person that brought it was allowed to communicate at that time . to which i answer , that to be allowed to communicate at any time is a great grace and privilege ; and therefore this ticket is plainly a badge of a man's aptitude , privilege , and title to the membership of christ ; and a declaration from the minister who gave it to him , that he thinks him entitl'd to it at that time ; and to declare who is fit and unfit , who shall be admitted or not admitted , is a spiritual act , and belongs to the power of the keys : and this is a clear proof that we may signifie our sense of spiritual things , even in particular duties , by signs as well as words when they are proper . secondly , he objects , that this is no badge ; because many may be members that have no tickets at present , because they do not at present receive ; but even to distinguish persons at present fit to receive from others that are not , is to make it a badge in a very weighty matter . thirdly , he argues , that a mans having a ticket would not secure his admission , if he were not known to be a member of that , or some other congregation . this indeed shews , that it is no infallible mark ; a man may steal this badge , or come dishonestly by it , and when that is discovered , he shall be secluded ; but in the mean time it is a badge that gains a man admittance without any question , if it be not discover'd to be counterfeit : it is therefore a livery of christ's privileged members at that time ; tho' if it be known , that any has stolen this livery , he shall not be owned or admitted to christ's table by it . it cannot therefore be denied , but it is a sort of external wedding garment fourthly , he argues , that it is no necessary term of communion , since no man that is a noted member of that or any other congregation , shall be refused , tho' he have no ticket ; but many are not noted members , and it is a necessary term of communion to them . but suppose a man refused and condemned it as an human invention , and human sacrament , and all those that used it as idolaters , and superstitious , and would set up another communion if you did not lay it aside , would you disuse it to gratifie such a man ? this is really the case between you and us ; i leave you to judge what you would think of such an unreasonable person . but , fifthly , mr. b. alledges ( vind. p. ) in such multitudes as receive , this or some such expedient is necessary to distinguish communicants from meer spectators ; to which i answer , that then some other badges and distinguishing signs may be necessary besides the sacraments , and therefore it is no use peculiar or proper to them to be badges or signs of our profession , and the relations we thereby are invested in , as he contends ; for sure to be admitted as communicants , is a relation wherein we are invested by our profession ; yet you see we may invent a sign to distinguish this relation and those that have a title to it . but i must put you in mind , that there is no necessity for this badge , except what is criminal , and of your own making : if every minister would administer the holy sacrament frequently in his own congregation , ( as he ought to do ) there needed none of these multitudes or crowdings that are at your sacraments , to which people come thirty or forty miles , as the papists go on pilgrimages at certain times to their jubilees or celebrated saints , and which are the occasion ( as it generally happens in such crowds ) of looseness and intemperance , and a great hinderance to devotion , by crowding such families as live near the place where the celebration is , whereby both the guests and families are hinder'd from that quiet and retirement , which seem very necessary to true devotion at such times . lastly , he objects , that this can be no badge , or like to the cross , except this perilous ticket had a cross on it , or the persons that brought it were ordered to wear it on their breasts or foreheads , as a sign whereby they publickly profess their remembrance of and renewed dedication of themselves to the service of a crucified saviour , as the adult members of his church ; vind. p. . i cannot believe mr. b. means here , that the adult members of our church are order'd to wear crosses on their breasts or forehead , to profess their remembrance of , and renewed dedication to the service of christ , there being no such order or practice amongst us . but , when all is done , i see no great difference between bringing a ticket in my hand to profess , that i intend , and have a title , to participate of the body and blood of a crucified saviour : which is your use of a ticket : and carrying a cross on my forehead ( if there were any such custom or order ) to profess and shew , that i am not ashamed of him , and intend to persevere in his service . nor do i see that a king , who carries it in his banner when he fights for the preservation of his religion and subjects against infidels , makes it a sacrament , more than you do your ticket ; which is another name for a badge . to conclude this point , it is very observable in what manner mr. b. treats it , and me in effect , for producing it . 't is , i confess ( says he ) a very dangerous ceremony , in which he has found out abundance of very strange and mysterious significations . — if all these wonderful spiritual significations assigned to this poor ticket , &c. p. , & . if indeed this perilous ticket had had a cross upon it , &c. by these and several other scoffing expressions he endeavours to expose the mention of this thing , and my argument from it for the use of the cross , as matters too slight and inconsiderable to be offer'd , or to have any words made about them ; and yet doth not consider how momentous he thinks it , to make so many words about the sign of the cross , which in it self , and in our use and application of it , is not of greater moment , or so like a sacrament as your ticket ; this seems to me a very great instance of the power of partiality and prejudice ; for the wonderful spiritual significations ( as mr. b. is pleased to call them ) assigned by me to your ticket , are in effect no more than upon examination he owns to belong to it , and pleads to be necessary for the decent and orderly celebration of the lord's supper ; and therefore are more justly assigned to it by me than those which he assigns to our use of the cross. and there is this difference , that we disown those significations which he would affix to the cross , whereas he cannot deny those that i assign to your use of a ticket ; as i have already shew'd . and this gives me occasion to put you in mind of a book printed ▪ written by one parker , with great seriousness , and a great shew of learning , with several thousand quotations ; and in it he charges the cross with the breach of all the commandments , and has chapters under these several titles ; the murther of the cross , the adultery of the cross , the wrong of the cross , the slander of the cross , the concupiscence of the cross. i think every one of them is as well founded as mr. b's charge of its being a human sacrament ; and i doubt not , but when faction is a little cooled , and men allow themselves to think , it will appear full as unreasonable as mr. parker's charges do to all impartial men. and were men so disposed , they might make as great a stir about this ticket , and pretend as just cause for a schism from you , on account of it , as you do from us , on account of the sign of the cross ; for a very little thing has always served factious men for an opportunity of disturbing the peace of the church . upon the whole , i think it fully appears , that both scripture and your own practice warrant us to use other signs , which are not sacraments , for the uses ascribed to sacraments by mr. b. so far as the sign of the cross is concern'd in those uses : and i hope , that what i have said concerning representing , obliging , and distinguishing signs , may help to give you a clear notion of the true uses of sacraments , which mr. b. has rather obscured than explained , by expressing them in such words as are no way proper or clear , but of a very uncertain and ambiguous signification . sect. vii . concerning the crosses being warranted by scripture . i. having thus justified the use of the cross from mr. b's charge of being a humane sacrament , i shall now consider what he hath said against its being warranted by scripture . i shew'd in my admonition , that st , we are obliged to express the inward reverence and sense of our minds concerning god , by some outward means . dly , that the scriptures command us to express those inward thoughts and sense of our minds , by actions as well as words , where it may properly be done . dly , that the scriptures teach us to express our thoughts and sense concerning religious matters in such words and actions , as on other serious occasions serve to express the like sense and disposition of our minds . thly , that glorying in the sufferings of christ , and professing our selves ready to follow him , even to the most ignominious death on the cross , is a duty incumbent on us by scripture . thly , that it is very proper at baptism to make this profession . thly , that we are not only warranted to do it by words , but likewise by actions . thly , that making the sign of the cross is an action which universal custom in all ages and churches since the apostle's time has apply'd to this purpose . these i proved by scripture and reason , and he that would confute me , must prove it unlawful to express the particular duties we undertake in the sacraments , by actions that are by general custom expressive of these duties . ii. to all these mr. b. makes several replies . i shall first consider his replies , and then proceed further to confirm my own proofs . first then , he argues , this doth not reach the main uses of the cross , which i was concerned to defend ; that is , its being a dedicating and distinguishing badge ; for this , says he , pretends to prove no more , than that it is an instructive sign , to signifie or express this particular duty of glorying in the sufferings of christ , vind. p. . i have observed , that when mr. b. is to answer an argument of force , he often puts it off with an unscriptural hard word or a jest. thus , when i shewed the reasonableness of directing all our praises expresly to the father , son , and holy ghost , whom we equally are oblig'd to glorifie , he turns it off with a jest , rem . p. . calling it a wonderful knack of turning the psalms of david into christian hymns . and yet it doth so effectually answer that end , that no iew or socinian will joyn in them when so used . so when i urged a plain and literal proof of scripture , to shew that the people may joyn their voices in the publick prayers of the church , as plain as any is for their joyning in singing psalms , acts . . they lift up their voice with one accord , and said , &c. this he tells us , rem . p. . proves no more than a consent of their minds , contrary to the letter of scripture , which assures us , that they lift up their voices and said , as well as consented in their minds . yet he offers only a scoff for his contradicting scripture , alledging , rem . p. . that it brings in a confused noise in a christian assembly , too like a dover-court , where 't is said all speak and none hear . the like might be shew'd of his use of difficult unscriptural expressions . thus when i prov'd beyond contradiction , that only bowing the body , or such-like gestures , are called worship in scripture , he puts it off , by telling us , that these devout postures are more properly an adjunct of worship , than a part of it ; and that they are not a distinct duty from prayer and praises , &c. rem . p. . directly contrary to scripture that enjoyns them severally . thus , to prove the cross unlawful in baptism , he tells us , rem . p. . that it is a stated appendage ▪ of a part of divine worship , and all such rites are unlawful : which are very fit words to amuse ignorant people , but of no use to determine the controversie . and i take this before us to be of the same nature ; for it is not easie to understand what ▪ is meant by an instructive sign . signs as well as words are designed to express the thoughts , the intentions , the dispositions and passions of our minds ; and when we kneel , for example , at our prayers , it doth not only instruct and teach us , that it is our duty to submit to god , but it declares , that we actually do it , and our resolution to continue in it , and is a motive and means to humble our own minds , and invite others to do the like ; and so it is an obliging , distinguishing , and moving sign , as well as an instructive . the like may be said of our standing at the profession of our faith , which doth not only instruct us in our duty , that we are to believe those articles , but likewise declares , that we do actually consent to them , and oblige our selves to continue in them , and wou'd have all others to do the like ; and so is not only an instructing sign , but likewise a distinguishing , professing , dedicating and moving sign : for it answers plainly all these purposes , and yet is commended by mr. baxter in his infant-baptism , chap. . obj. . the like may be said of the cross ; it doth not only instruct us , that it is our duty to confess christ crucified , and to become his servants , but it signifies , that we actually do so , and consequently signifies our obliging our selves to it ; and distinguisheth those that do it : all which my arguments plainly reach . iii. but secondly , mr. b. objects , vind. p. . that he cannot grant , that the scriptures warrant our expressing the sense of our minds in all religious things or matters by significant actions ; because the particular duties we owe to god are almost numberless ; neither do the scriptures warrant us to contrive distinct significant actions , to express each distinct part of our inward worship . to this i answer , st , that i expresly declared ( admon . p. . ) that we are not to invent new words or actions , to signifie our submission and thankfulness to god , but are to use such as the general custom of our country has made significant in the like cases : and therefore , if any distinct parts of our duty to god have no particular actions to express them made significant by general custom , we need not to invent new ones , but content our selves with words , or the application of such general significant actions as may infer the particular duty we are about to express . dly , the general heads of our duty are few , and most of them have such grave and solemn actions appropriated to them , as not only instruct us in the nature of them , but likewise move and influence our minds to perform them with seriousness , engage us to that performance , and distinguish the serious from the negligent and irreverent . and that it is lawful , not only to use such to express inward worship in general , but likewise the particular duties of it , i have sufficiently proved in my admonition p. . , . tho' mr. b. alledges the contrary without answering my arguments ; and i shall now further enforce them . st . expressing our submission and subjection to god is a particular duty , and this is expressed by kneeling , which by universal custom signifies it ; for we kneel only to our superiors , and to those to whom we owe submission : kneeling doth not signifie reverence , or humility in general , but that particular reverence and humility that is accompanied with subjection . dly , to profess our faith and acknowledgments to god , is a particular duty , therefore at our confession of faith and praises we stand ; for standing at the reading and declaring any thing does peculiarly signifie an assent to it ; and therefore it was prescribed at your taking your covenant . dly , subscribing and sealing a thing , is by universal custom a sign of ratifying and confirming what is so sealed , and of our binding our selves by it ; therefore as i have already shewed , the iews after the captivity writ and sealed their covenant with god. thly , deep sorrow and contrition for sin is a particular duty , and this we find in scripture signified by rending the garments and beating the body . thly , acknowledgment of our own vileness , corruption , and unworthiness , is a particular duty ; and this we find in scripture signified , neh. . . with fasting , with sackcloth , and earth upon them ; these did not express inward worship in general , nor were they meer bodily gestures , as mr. b. alledges , but were signs of particular duties . thly , rejoycing in the great deliverances and mercies vouchsafed us by god , is a particular religious duty ; and this we find signified by singing , feasting , dancing , sending portions to friends , and white-garments ; which do not signifie meerly inward worship in general , nor are they bodily gestures only ; but affecting , moving , and distinguishing signs . thly , condescention to serve one another in the meanest offices of charity , is a particular duty ; and this our saviour signified to us by washing his disciples feet ; which was not only an instance of our saviours humility , as mr. b. alledges , but a sign to teach and move his disciples to do the like . thly , to lay aside all hatred and malice , and to be in perfect charity with one another , when we come to the holy sacrament , is a particular duty : and this is signified by a holy kiss in scripture , as i have already shewed ; the same is true of the feast of charity , tho mr. b. excepts against it as well as against the kiss of charity , alledging that it is no religious rite at all , but rather a real expression of their mutual charity ; vind. p. . . but i answer , that its being performed publickly in the congregation and in the midst of divine offices sufficiently shews that it was religious ; and its being a real expression of charity is so far from hindering it from being a sign , that it proves it to be one ; there is no surer sign of charity than real expressions and instances of it ; effects are the surest signs of causes ; if we should appoint such a feast now to be celebrated in church with the sacrament , none wou'd doubt its being a religious rite , and perhaps some wou'd call it an imposition . thly , to be buryed to sin is a particular priviledge of baptism , and infers , a duty , which was signified by dipping under water ; to this mr. b. answers , first , that it is not certain the apostles words , rom. . . refer to the dipping under water ; but to this i reply , it is certain , that generally the primitive christians used this way , tho' in particular cases they dispensed with it ; as we do with the use of the cross : secondly , it is certain the best interpreters do thus understand this place , with which concur your assemblys notes , who tell us that in this phrase the apostles seems to allude to the ancient manner of baptism , which was to dip the parties baptized , and as it were to bury them under the water for a while , and then to draw them out and lift them up , to represent the burial of the old-man and our resurrection to newness of life ; nor is there any other just reason of the phrase to be given , and therefore mr. b's doubt concerning the certainty of it without any reason ( for he gives none for his doubting ) is in all probability to be attributed to his prejudice : for if this be true , it intirely ruins his notion of humane sacraments ; since here is a representing , obliging , and distinguishing sign added to baptism : which is all the exception he has against the cross. but secondly , he alledges that i ought to prove , that the christians of that age had arbitrarily and without warrant from christ or his apostles set it up ; but i think it sufficient for me to shew that it was set up , and that it is a rite distinct from baptism ; both which are apparent ; it is incumbent on mr. b. to shew where christ or his apostles instituted it . 't is manifest , that it is not in the first institution by our saviour , for that requires only washing with water , which may be performed either by dipping or pouring on water ; this then is a rite superadded to baptism of a representing and obliging nature , and so interpreted by st. paul himself : therefore all such rites are not sacraments , or unlawful : it is manifest st. paul approved the rite , but there is no evidence of its divine institution ; and therefore the church has made no scruple to lay it aside , and that without any absolute necessity ; for the warming water for baptism used in some places to this day , might prevent the inconveniency of a cold country ; which is all mr. b. alledges for disusing it ; vind. p. . but cou'd not excuse us , if this were part of the institution . thly , to change our condition in baptism , from the power of sin to holiness , from sons of wrath to sons of god , is a special privilege ; and to live accordingly , a duty . now , this was signified by the change of cloaths , when persons were baptised ; and to this , as i shewed in my admonition , the apostle alludes , gal. . . for as many of you as have been baptized into christ , have put on christ ; to this mr. b. answers as to the former , that it is not certain , the apostle alludes to this custom ; but here again , i have the best interpreters thus expounding it ; i have the practice of the church of god using this rite from the apostles time , i have the necessity of the thing to prove it was done in their time , for dipping in water cou'd not be without putting off , or change of cloaths , and there is no other reason given of the phrase ; and therefore mr. b's doubt without reason , is of no moment in such a case ; he may justly be suspected to doubt out of prejudice that must lose his cause , if the thing prove true that he doubts of . but dly , he argues , that if the apostles expression refers to these two rites as used to these purposes , it will be more reasonable to conclude that they are part of the ordinance of baptism , and consequently to be still retained and used by us , vind. p. . i think it much more reasonable to suppose that mr. b. is mistaken in his account of sacraments , than to suppose either of these rites were part of the ordinance of baptism , or that we are obliged to retain or use them ; we have the ordinance delivered to us twice in scripture , and neither of these rites are mentioned in it , and therefore they are no part of it ; they were certainly used in baptism in the apostles time , and to those purposes i have mentioned ; and the consequence is , that mr. b's . charge is groundless that wou'd make such rites humane sacraments and unlawful ; and approaches near to the doctrine that makes that unlawful which god has not made so , tim. . , , . thly , to reject a person from the means of grace is a religious act , and belongs to the power of the keys ; now the scriptures warrant us to do this , by shaking off the dust of our feet , which doth not signify our duty in general , but in particular , our detestation and abhorrence of the obstinacy of the persons , against whom we use it , or rather indeed , gods rejecting them ; and it no more makes confirmation a sacrament , because in it we assure the persons confirmed of gods favour by laying on of hands , than it made shaking off the dust from the feet a sacrament , because it was used to assure the persons against whom it was done of gods rejecting them from his grace , and the like may be said of the sign of the cross. thly , to receive a penitent member into the society of a church is a particular and religious duty ; now this the church of scotland orders to be done not only by words , but signs also ; so in the first book of discipline in the order for publick offenders , the minister ought to exhort the kirk to receive that penitent brother in their favours — and in sign of their consent , the elders and chief men in the kirk shall take the penitent by the hand , and one or two in the name of the rest shall kiss and embrace him with reverence and gravity , as a member of christ jesus : from which it appears , that this church ( for which i suppose you have a value ) thinks that it is lawful to express our thoughts about religious things by signs as well as words ; and i do not see but taking by the hand , kissing and embracing a man in token that he is admitted as a reconciled member of jesus christ , is every whit as much a sacrament as signing him with the sign of the cross , in token that he shall not be ashamed to confess christ crucified . thly , to confess and acknowledge our scandalous sins to god and his church , is a particular religious duty and a part of worship ; now the church of scotland in the form of excommunication in knoxes liturgy , orders a murtherer to confess his crime thus , he shall stand three several sundays in a place before the church-door , bare footed and bare headed , cloathed in base and abjected apparel , having the same weapon which he used in the murther , or the like , bloody in his hand , and in conceived words shall say , &c. undoubtedly , they that ordered this , made no question , but we might express the sense of our minds in religious matters , by signs as well as words . these were not to express inward worship in general , nor are they meer bodily gestures , but symbolick signs and badges of repentance . mr. b. may think himself unconcerned in these two last instances , but i believe you will not . iv. his third objection against my proof of scriptures warranting the use of the sign of the cross , is , that the same argument will serve as well to justifie many other rites which the romish church has added to baptism , and the other parts of god's worship ; vind. p. . now , to this i answer , st , that it was incumbent on mr. b. in this point ( as i told you in my admonition ) to prove by scripture , that it is unlawful to signifie or express the particular duties we undertake in the sacraments , by actions that are by general custom expressive of those duties , and to answer the scriptures i produced ; but he has not produced one single instance from scripture , where such signs or expressions of a particular duty are condemned , meerly because they thus signified or expressed it : which i take to be a plain consession that he wants direct proofs , and till he produce some such scripture-proof , he cannot acquit himself of teaching that to be unlawful which god has not made so , the sin of those that forbad meats and marriage , tim. . dly , to condemn a thing for imagined consequences , without direct proof , is a very uncertain and ( which is worse ) a very dangerous method : for it lays a snare in the way of the weak : a man that knows that the church of god has used the sign of the cross since the apostle's time universally ; that the church of england and ireland approve of it , together with the protestant churches of sweden , denmark , and the lutheran churches of germany , and sees what can be said for it , will not easily be perswaded that it is unlawful ; and when he hears protestants affirm , that the many rites which the romish church has added , may as well be justified , and that the first reformers seem to be unreasonable in rejecting them ( as mr. b. alledges , vind. p. . ) he will be apt to conclude , that there is no great harm in them ; and i doubt not but the imprudent drawing such consequences has actually reconcil'd many to popery , and some to atheism ; and therefore a man that loves his religion will be very sparing of drawing them ; for he will consider , if he have direct or scripture proof for a thing , they are needless ; and if he have no direct or scripture proof for his tenent , he has reason to suspect the truth of it : for , i suppose , every ill thing is forbidden in scripture , and may be condemned from thence : as for the drawing consequences , they may serve to render a tenent odious , but rarely serve to satisfie a reasonable man without direct proof . dly , the advocates of the church of rome are deeply concerned to defend their own worship , and have produced all the arguments they could against us ; and yet i think , i may say , have failed in them all ; and i do not believe mr. b. will pretend to manage them better than they have done ; tho' this be not the first time he has lent them his assistance , with what design i will not judge : but this consideration alone were sufficient to excuse me from answering this argument . yet , lest it should really have that influence on weak minds , that such arguments sometimes have in the mouths of pretended friends or professed enemies , to make them have a better opinion of the roman rites than they deserve , i will endeavour to give you a true account of this matter , that you may see what rites we condemn in the romish church . i think this due to the justification of our reformers , reflected on by mr. b. as unreasonable . st then , we condemn such rites and ceremonies as signifie any peculiar presence or power of god to be in any place or thing where he has not promised it ; because it is not in the power of man to dispose of god's influence or presence , or to tye them to any action , thing or place without his own act : upon this account the heathen images , temples and altars were all unlawful ; and so are those of the papists , if we take them as they pass in the estimation of the vulgar . dly , we condemn all representations of any glorious being , in order to worship it , as being against the second commandment expresly . dly , we reject all such signs as pretend to carry any supernatural efficacy or vertue with them ; because all such efficacy and vertue must proceed from god , and we ought not to presume that he will communicate them to signs or rites , except we have his promise for it ; and on this account we judge the popish holy water , oyl , spittle , crossing , &c. to be superstitious . thly , such rites as by their number or quality engage the thoughts , and divert them from attention on god's service , such are the many crossings ( two hundred , if i remember right , in one office ) bowings , kneelings , kissings , and frequent motions from one place to another in the mass. thly , such signs as are not easily understood , dark and dumb ceremonies , as our church calls them ; whose design and signification are not easily comprehended by the people : such are the many vestments of the popish priests , the furniture of their altars , the lights , oyl , and salt in their baptism , &c. thly , such as neither present universal custom or nature have made proper and significant of the things they are designed to express ; or if formerly they have been significant , are now antiquated , having lost their signification by time , as words do , ( the custom that made them significant being changed ) as it has happen'd to putting off the shooes at our coming into the house of god , covering the head , the kiss and feasts of charity , the dipping in baptism , and changing the cloathing , the continuance of which we count burthensome and superfluous . thly , such as are not proper to influence mens minds , and engage them to perform the office they are about with more seriousness and attention ; or , as our church expresses it , that are not apt to stir up the dull minds of men by some notable signification : such are many gestures of the priests in the mass , and many other ceremonies of the roman church . thly , such as pretend to propitiate or reconcile us unto god , because that can only be done by means of his own appointment ; on this account we reject agnus dei , the pilgrimages , processions , whippings , and fasts of the papists , that are performed with opinion of merit . thly , such as have been abused and perverted to superstitious uses , and cannot be separated from them ; on this account chiefly we have laid aside the common use of crossing : not but we believe it was piously and prudently used by the primitive christians , as an instance , expression , and badge of their profession amongst heathens and infidels ; but it was so abused , and the opinion of efficacy and vertue in it to drive away devils , and to produce other spiritual effects , so rooted in the minds of men concerning it , that there was no probability of taking away the abuse of it whilst the thing remained : and besides , the common use of it doth now no more amongst us signifie our common christianity , but is become the peculiar badge of a papist , and so has lost its primitive signification . to conclude , we condemn only those rites of the roman church against which we have these exceptions , or the like , ( as where they want gravity or decency ) and we are able to justifie our exceptions by reason and scripture ; but we never condemn'd any rite of that church , as mr. b. doth the sign of the cross in baptism , either first , because it represented to us our duty , and instructed us in it . or , dly , because it signified our purpose , resolution , or vows to serve god , that is our obligation or dedication to his service . or , dly , because it distinguished christians from heathens , worshippers from spectators , or the devout worshippers from the negligent . on the contrary , we think these to be proper ▪ and allowed scripture uses of outward signs in gods worship ; and it were a just exception against any of them , if they did not serve to some of these purposes . mr. b. may call such signs foolish inventions , &c. as he seems to do , vind , p. . and charge the church of god for using them ; but we ought to be modest in such censures , and remember the danger of calling our brother fool , as we are taught by our saviour , matt. . . we never used such objections against popery , from our first controvertists to this day ; and this alone may convince you that mr. b's . principles are not the common principles of protestants . and it is a great disservice to our cause ( which we have maintained , thanks be to god , with success , without the assistance of mr. b. his party or principles ) to tell the world that we used such arguments as these . vi. lastly , he objects that the multiplicity of these rites ( or in the bp's language significant actions ) had almost eaten out the vitals of religion , vind. p. . but i answer , st , that we do not plead for the multiplicity of them , but for such as are decent , proper and edifying , and which universal custom has made significant , not such as mens fancies can invent ; to admit some of the first sort in religion , doth no more open a door to our fancies , than admitting such words as general custom has made significant to express our desires , gives us liberty to invent new ones never heard of before , or to introduce the artisices of mens wisdom into our divine discourse ; which have done as much mischief as significant actions , and are expressly forbidden . dly , the significant actions our church uses are far from a multiplicity , they are indeed fewer than we find used in the new testament , and if we have err'd on either hand , which i hope we have not , it is not in the multiplicity , but rather in the fewness of them . dly , they are with us so far from eating out the bowels of religion , that on the contrary , the little care men have of using such , has destroyed the sense of religion in a great many , and induced them to make no distinction between good and evil , sacred and profane , in many cases . thly , the multiplicity of words which are signs to the ear , are as apt to eat out the bowels of religion , as the multiplicity of significant actions , and our saviour gives us an express caution against them , matt. . . the like we have eccles . . so that the whole dispute seems to me , to be between the eye and the ear , which shall be gratified ; and excess in either , have had too much the same effect . too many visible signs are apt to eat out the heart of religion , and make it degenerate into shew ; and too many words which are audible signs , are apt to have the like effect , and make religion degenerate into talk ; of both which , the church of god has had equal experience , and are both equally to be avoided . conclusion . thus i have examin'd all that mr. b. has objected against our worship , from the instance of the sign of the cross ; and prov'd it to be no human invention , but warranted by scripture , according to the rules laid down in my first discourse to you , for the determining what are human inventions in the worship of god. mr. b. indeed wou'd perswade you , that by those rules he has retorted upon me my own arguments against your worship ; and alledges ( vind. p. . ) 't is strange , that ( except that of crossing ) i have not so much as endeavoured to vindicate any one practice of the establish't church , from my own arguments retorted on me . but i answer , first , that to retort arguments is generally , only a shift of disputants when the arguments pinch them , and they want fair and direct answers , and seldom are either justly or convincingly apply'd : and therefore weigh little with such as seek only truth , and not the service of a party . and indeed mr. b's . were of such a nature that i durst well trust them with indifferent readers , the meaning of them being only this ; if the dissenters worship be mixed with human inventions , that of the establish't church is guilty of the same fault , which is a method to blacken both , but to defend neither ; and may help to open your eyes , and let you see that the arguments formerly brought by your advocates against our worship , are equally conclusive against your own in this point ; and therefore you are as much obliged to answer them as we are . and i desire you to observe that mr. b. has no way answered them on your part , but by flying to his rule of humane prudence , which i do not find you do generally approve , and therefore , even according to your own opinion , he has not cleared you from the charge of humane invention which i brought against your worship . but dly , i have shew'd you plainly ( in the d chap. sect. . n. . of this d . admonition ) that he has perverted the sense of that rule i laid down concerning things contain'd in and warranted by the word of god ; and on that perverted sense , he has founded all those retorted arguments which he alledges , i did not answer . but having explain'd that rule in my d edition , so as he can find no exception to it , it was a sufficient answer to all his arguments . dly , i knew that the sense of my words , before i so explain'd them , cou'd not but be manifest to every indifferent , and understanding reader ; and therefore , while with reason and justice , i disown'd the sense he wou'd put upon my words in that rule , i thought , and still think , that i needed not trouble you any farther with answering particularly the arguments which he has retorted on that perverted sense . mens thoughts are generally coherent , tho' their words do not always seem to be so ; hence it happens sometimes that they may be wrested , and in these disputes a man who endeavours to make a shew of reasoning for his party , catches at some ambiguous or doubtful expression of his adversary , and by putting an ill sense on it , which he knows will not be owned , he fills a book in shewing that the arguments make against him who produceth them ; and this is what mr. b. calls retortion , and is another artifice of those that write for a party to amuse the world , and which i take mr. b. to have practised very much in all that he has yet written ; but whilst a man takes this course , there is nothing written with such accuracy , but he may make it contradict it self ; ev'n the holy scriptures not excepted . i therefore thought it sufficient for me to answer your great and principal objection , which is this of our using the sign of the cross ; since this is the most direct and strongest proof you pretend to bring of humane invention in our worship . in it mr. b. tells us , that all dissenters agree , that it doth directly concern the charge of humane inventions ; and that here dissenters used to fix their charge : to examine all your other arguments , in which you do not agree as in this , were both endless and needless ; for if this , where you used to fix your charge , fail you , 't is plain you are on an ill foundation . i have insisted on that objection , which is your strength against our worship , and am sure , from what i have said , you have good reason , st , to suspect mr. b's surmises concerning me in other things , who supposes that i did not mention the cross , because i cou'd not defend it . dly , to doubt the firmness of this ground , where , mr. b. says , you all fix your charge . and now i must earnestly admonish and warn you to look into your own hearts , and put it home to your consciences , whether these pretences will bear you up at the last and great day , when you shall be call'd to account for your neglect of the publick worship of god , while you might have had opportunity of frequenting ours : and if , upon enquiry , you find faction or carnalness to be at the bottom , and idolatry or humane sacraments to be only pretences ( as i think they can be no more than pretences , to those that impartially read these papers ) you may conclude they will sink at that day from being pleas before the great searcher of hearts . you and i must come to this tryal , and ▪ 't will then appear , whether i that have used my utmost endeavours to bring you to the publick worship of god , or mr. b. who scoffs at my concern , and zeal for that worship , and for your attendance at it , have approved our selves most to our great master . mr. b. as i observed before , owns it lawful for you to come to our ordinary lords day service when you have none else to go to ; and he had acted both an ingenuous and christian part , had he endeavour'd as diligently and zealously to perswade you to do this , as he has been eager to put this stumbling-block of the cross in your way against our worship , ( at least from thence to confirm and encrease your prejudice against it ) but as he has managed it , he has given ground to suspect , that his zeal is answerable to his endeavours , which are apparently much greater for his party , than our common christianity . i entreat you therefore seriously to consider of these things , as of what you must one day give an account . and to believe , that i have not made all these words about the sign of the cross for its own sake , but rather to remove , if possible , that principle out of your minds , by which you are obliged to look on all such signs as unlawful ; for this principle duly pursued , must prove a stumbling-block , and occasion of perpetual divisions to the end of the world , in all societies of men where it is embraced . i have endeavoured to shew you , that it is a principle unwarranted by scripture ; it is the spring and seed-plot , at least the precence of our present divisions ; and is sufficient , if allowed , to justifie a separation from any church , that either is , or has been in the world , since there is not one party of men , that pretend to be a church , but have signs , that are as much representing , obliging , and distinguishing , as we desire to make the sign of the cross. even the quakers keeping on their hats , as a matter of conscience , and using thou and thee in conversation , are to them as much instructive , obliging and distinguishing signs as the cross is to us ; nor can it secure you to refrain from such signs as others use , for even that abstinence is also an instructive , obliging and distinguishing sign , especially to such as make it a matter of conscience ; and so it is impossible to avoid using such badges . if therefore people shou'd quarrel against all signs on the same score as mr. b. does against the sign of the cross , they may quarrel on to the end of the world , and there can never be any setled union : and unless such principles be removed from the minds of well-meaning people , 't will be impossible to unite them in any establish'd church or order , or to hinder divisions from springing up , if they were so united , since evil-minded men would never want as plausible matter to amuse and dissettle them , as the sign of the cross is pretended to be . and i was the more willing to take some pains in this affair , because i have some hope that what i have said may help to perswade you to put a greater value on sacraments , and to understand their nature , efficacy and necessity when they may be had , better than , i am afraid , many of you do . i have no more to add , but to assure you , that what i write is with a design to do you good , and to satisfie my own mind in the conscientious discharge of my duty and office as a pastor amongst you ; i have endeavoured to do this both by words and writing , and all other means in my power ; i shall by god's help persevere in them , and leave the success to him. i beseech him , of his great mercy , to take away all obstinacy , partiality , error , and prejudice from all men , especially from those under my care ; and to endow us all with a spirit of meekness , charity , patience and humility , that we may love one another , and unite in the praises and worship of our common lord and saviour , the lord jesus christ. this is , and ever shall be , the prayer of londonderry , march . . your loving pastour , will. derry . books printed for and sold by r. clavel , at the peacock in st. paul's church-yard . the church history clear'd from the roman forgeries and corruptions found in the councils and baronius : in four parts . from the beginning of christianity to the end of the fifth general council , . by tho. comber d. d. dean of durham . aristophanis comaediae duae plutus & nubes , cum scholis graecis antiquis . quibus adjiciuntur noctae quaedam simul cum gemino indice . in usum studiosa juventutis . a daily office for the sick ; compil'd out of the holy scriptures and the liturgy of our church ; with occasional prayers , meditations & directions . the catechisms of the church , with proofs from the new testament , and some additional questions and answers , divided into twelve sections , by z. i ▪ d. d. author of the book lately publish'd , entituled , a daily office for the sick , with directions , &c. a church catechism , with a brief and easie explanation thereof , for the help of the meanest capacities and weakest memories , in order to the establishing them in the religion of the church of england . by t. c. dean of durham . the pantheon , representing the fabulous histories of the heathen gods , and most illustrious heroes ; in a short , plain , and familiar method , by way of dialogue , for the use of schools . written by fra. pomey , of the society of jesus , author of the french and latin dictionary , for the use of the dauphin . q. horatii flacci opera ; interpretatione & notis illustravit ludovicus desprez cardinalitius socius ac rhetor emeritus , jussu christianissimi regis , in usum serenissimi delphini , ac serenissimorum principum burgundiae , andium , biturigum . huic editioni accessere vita horatii , cum dacerii notis ejusdem chronolegia horatiana , & praefatio de satira romana . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e * mr. craighead proves the kneeling at the sacrament a breach of the second commandment , because the signs have coadoration with christ , partaking of the same worship ; p. . and , the second commandment stands in our way , discharging religious worship designedly before any creature ; p. . * dr. smith , in his present state of the greek church , owns , that he admir'd whence it came that so few of the eastern christians were proselited to mahometism , considering their circumstances , and concludes , p. . praesens satis edoctus tandem dedici , &c. at last being on the place , i learnt that the solemn observation of festivals and fasts , by god's assistance , prevented the whole east from falling entirely from the christian faith ; chiefly , if not only by means of these the christian religion triumphs over so many most cruel contrivances ▪ being secured and fenced by this as by a holy charm against the poyson of mahometism ; for by the return of these feasts , which are celebrated with great crowds , with an holy emulation , the history of the birth , death , and resurrection of christ , and the rest of the mysteries that make up the sum of our religion , are brought to their memory , &c. and he observes , that the history of the apostles and martyrs , with the courage and patience represented in the days of their commemoration is that which arms them with courage to endure all the cruelties and persecutions of the turks . sir paul ricaut speaking of the constancy of the greeks in the christian religion , has these words , p. . if any art or policy can be said to have place over the affections of the people , none seems more efficacious than the strict observation of their fasts and feasts of their church , by which the people are taught , as in a visible catechism , the history of christianity , more ( i dare say ) than by their ill-composed sermons , or repetition of the scriptures in the vulgar tongue ; for being severely imposed , and observed with much solemnity , they affect the vulgar with an air of something divine . see larger catechism , q ▪ what is required , and what is forbidden in the d commandment an endeavovr of making the principles of christian religion, namely the creed, the ten commandements, the lords prayer, and the sacraments, plaine and easie tending to the more speedy instruction of the meanest capacities, and weakest memories, and for the making triall also of their understandings, who though they have attained some measure of saving knowledge, yet through the weaknesse of their abilities cannot expresse even that which they doe conceive. palmer, herbert, - . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing p a). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing p a estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : or : ) an endeavovr of making the principles of christian religion, namely the creed, the ten commandements, the lords prayer, and the sacraments, plaine and easie tending to the more speedy instruction of the meanest capacities, and weakest memories, and for the making triall also of their understandings, who though they have attained some measure of saving knowledge, yet through the weaknesse of their abilities cannot expresse even that which they doe conceive. palmer, herbert, - . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing p a). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread [ ], p. printed for thomas vnderhill ..., london : . reproduction of original in huntington library. this item appears at reels : and : . eng ten commandments -- early works to . lord's prayer -- early works to . apostles' creed -- early works to . sacraments -- early works to . a r (wing p a). civilwar no an endeavour of making the principles of christian religion, namely the creed, the ten commandements, the lords prayer, and the sacraments, palmer, herbert f the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the f category of texts with or more defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - john latta sampled and proofread - john latta text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion an endeavovr of making the principles of christian religion , namely the creed , the ten commandements , the lords prayer , and the sacraments , plaine and easie : tending to the more speedy instruction of the meanest capacities , and weakest memories . and for the making triall also of their understandings , who though they have attained some measure of saving knowledge , yet through the weaknesse of their abilities cannot expresse even that which they doe conceive . the third impression . the preface is specially to be heeded . hos. . ver. . my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge . iohn . ver. . this is life eternall , to know thee the only true god , and him whom thou hast sent , iesus christ . london : printed for thomas vnderhill at the bible in woodstreete . . a direction to the christian reader , concerning the reason and use of this way of questions and answers . christian reader , thou hast here an endeavour of making the principles of our christian religion plaine and familiar , even to very weak capacities , and easie to be remembred , even by very weak memories . how fit it is to perform this , though thy own expe●●ce will best inform thee , if thou be pleased to make triall of it toward any thou hast care of , yet thou maist partly conceive , if thou wilt take along with thee the reason of the composition of it in this forme , and the drift aimed at by the author , which will also direct thee to make right use of it . vvhereas thou canst not but observe at the first view , both a double sort of answers and a double sort of questions ; that is done , because the author conceives that neither sort alone will suffice to drop in knowledge into narrow mouth'd vessels , for whose sake this labour hath been undertaken . experience hath taught him this , and he is willing to teach it thee better cheape . for the answers ( to speak of them first ) observe in them first their brevity : secondly , their compleatnesse : thirdly , their 〈◊〉 . one sort of them are undeniably as breef as may be ; only yes , or no : and yet even they will be of good use for instruction , but especially for triall . . of the other sort also speciall ●are hath been had , to make them all as short as may be ( considering their compleatnesse ) that the weakest memory may not justly complaine of burthen . . then for the compleatnesse of these answers , take notice , . that they are all framed into entire sentences of themselves , without depending for their sense upon the f●regoing questions . hereby the learner shall have a stock of divine truth in his head , even though he should forget the questions . and withall , this may help to prevent a common error observable in divers learners ; who when the sense is shared between the question and the answer ( as for brevities sake it is usuall ) forgetting the question , oft give the answer , which they have learned by rote , to a wrong question , to the great confounding of their understandings : which cannot so easily be here , where the answer carries ever a full sense in it selfe ; besides that for the most part it repeats part of the question . . these answers , though suiting directly to the first or head-question of every division , yet also agree fully to every one of the under-questions , by joyning but the brief answer yes , or no , which is placed at the end of the question , & making it the beginning of the larger answer . these answers are also remarkable easie , by reason that there is not a word in any of them , but hath been before in some of the questions of that division . and so after the learner is but little used to them , he will soon get the answer ; as having it altogether or in parcels , put into his mouth before in the questions , and after he hath once learned them , hee will the easier both understand and remember them upon the rehearsall of the questions again , or even of some of them . now concerning the questions . first , as there is ever more then one question belonging to the same division and full answer ; so ordinarily and as oft as could be with convenience , the first question is generall , and therefore printed in a different character , as the answers also are : and then the following questions are sub-divisions of that into more particulars , so to help to make the meaning of it more plain . secondly , where ever the nature of the generall question would fairly beare it , and that it could be without multiplying too many questions under one head , the under-questions are by way of disjunction one crosse to the other , is it so ? or so ? directing to own the truth by answering yes , & deny the falshood or falshoods ( for oftentime they are more then one ) by saying no . yet now and then it could not well be avoided but they must be all of one sort , & so the brief answers of that division , all yes , or all no . but these are but few if compared with the rest . thirdly to every question there is a proper answer fitted . to the head-question the larger answer suits fully ; to the rest , the brief , yes , or no over against it , besides the light it hath from the larger answer , as was noted before . so that in teaching or examining any one question may be asked alone , or at the most borrowing but a word or two out of the foregoing question ( which is sometimes left out to spare the trouble of repeating too often the same common and plain words ) and even the answering so any one question of a division ( if done with understanding & discretion ) wil be cleerly so much progresse in the knowledge of divine and saving truth , and lead on fairly to more . fourthly , the totall number of the head questions and larger answers amounts not to any great proportion , and so will be the sooner learned and easilyer remembred : and the under-questions and brief answers , though making the volume swell , yet diminish the difficulty both of understanding and memory : and by the advantage of them , the author hopes that nothing necessary to be known by way of foundation or principle is omitted , or left without some clearing . after all , the method and way of teaching these questions & answers to yong beginners may be this : first , read over to them all the questions of a division together , without expecting any answer at all from them at the first . secondly , then go over the severals , and see what answer they can now make to the head-question by having heard the under-questions , containing among them the full answer . thirdly , if they cannot doe this , then try whether they can discerne the truth from falshood , by answering yes or no to the under-questions severally . . if this yet be too much for them , then reach them those brief answers in order . . being perfect in the briefe answers of that division ( and not before ) teach them the larger answer . . in examining when they have once learned all the answers of a division , ask the head-question twice , namely first and last , that so the larger answer may ever be made to the head-question , and so proceed to another question in due season . now the god of all wisdome & grace , who hath graciously promised , that under the kingdom of christ the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the ●●ord , ●s the waters cover the sea , and particularly that all our children shall be taught of him : von ●safe for iesus christs sake , and through him our great prophet his blessing , as upon all other means used by any , so upon these weak indeavours of his 〈◊〉 thiest servant , that by them , thou ( whoever thou art ) that thinkest good to attempt the making use of them , maist for thyselfe and thine , si●de some help toward the more easie overcoming the conceited inseparable difficulty of making those that are not book learn'd ( as the phrase is ) attain to any measure of understanding in matters of religion , so as both thou and they may be both the more willing and able to teach and to learn , untill we all com● to the blessed persection promised , when there shall be no more need of teaching every man hi , neighbour , and every man his brother , saying , know the lord , because all shall know him from the least to the greatest : comming all in the unity of 〈◊〉 , and of the knowledge of the son of god , unto a perfect man , unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of christ . i end with a double suit to thee-one , that according to thy knowledge , thou be carefull to walke humbly , holidy and justly : the other , that receiving any good by this little work , thou pay the author ( though unknown to thee ) by affording him a share in thy prayers : in which latter he promiseth againe to requite thee whether known or unknown ; as being ever thine in the lord iosia christ , herbert palmer questions and answers tending to explaine the articles of the creed . question . what is a mans greatest businesse in this world ?   a. a mans greatest businesse in this world is to a glorifie god , & b save his own soule , a cor. . . cor. . . b mat. . . is it to follow the world , and live as hee list ? no .   or , is it to glorifie god , and save his own soule ? yes .   q. how shall a man come to glorifie god and save his own soule ?   a. they that will glorifie god , and save their owne souls , must needs learn to c know god , and d beleeve in him , and e serve him . c chro. . . thes. . , . d rom. . . heb. . . e deu. . . rom . . can they do so that are ignorant ? no   or , they that do not believe in god ? no .   or , do not serve him ? no .   or , must they not needs learn to know god ? and believe in him , and serve him ? yes .   q. say the articles of the beliefe .   a. i beleeve in god , &c. q. what is it to beleeve in god ?   a. to beleeve in god , is f to be perswaded that there is a god , and g to trust in him h as my god , i at all times , k according to his word , f heb. . is it not first to be perswaded that there is a god ? yes .   and , is that enough without trusting in him as my god ? no .   or , is it enough to trust in him at some time only ? no .   or , to trust in him , and not   according to his vvord , no . . g ps. . . h dan. . . i ps. . . k psa. . . . . or , is it to trust in him as my god , at all times , according to his word ? yes .   q. what is god ?   . a. god is l a being , m infinite in all perfection . l exod. . . m job . , , . is he a being , infinite in all perfection ? yes .   or , is he finite and imperfect as all other things are ? no .   q. are there many gods ? no . a. there is but n one god . n tim. . . cor. . , , . or , is there but one god ? yes .   q. how many persons are there in the godhead ?   a. there are o three persons in the godhead , the father , the sonne , and the holy ghost ; yet still there is but one god . o joh. . . are there not three , the father , the sonne , and the holy ghost ? yes .   or , are there more then three ? no .   or , fewer ? no   and , is there still but one god ? yes .   q. is iesus christ god ? yes . a. p jesus christ is god , rom. . . or , is he not ? yes .   . q. which person is iesus christ ?   a. jesus christ is q god the son , r the onely begotten of the father . q john . . r john . , . is he god the father ? no .   or , god the son ? yes .   or , god the holy ghost ? no .   and , is he the onely begotten of the father ? yes .   q. is the holy ghost god ? yes . a. the holy ghost is s god , t equall with the father and the sonne . s act. . , . t mat. . . and , is he equall with the father , and the son ? yes   or , is he not ? yes .   . q. from whom hath god his being ?   . a. god hath his u being onely from himselfe . u exod. . . from himselfe onely ? yes .   or , hath he it from any other ? no .   q. what manner of being hath god ?   a. god is a x spirit and y hath no body . x iohn . . y iob . . is god a spirit ? yes .   or , hath he any body or bodily parts , as men and other creatures have ? no .   q. where is gods dwelling ?   a. god is z every where , and in all places . z ierem. . , . psal. . . &c. doth god dwell onely in heaven ? no .   or , is hee every where in all places ? yes .   or , onely in one place at once ? no .   q. if god be every where , how is it we do not see him ?   a. god is a invisible . a tim. . . tim. . . iohn . . is god to be seen with a mans bodily eyes ? no .   or , is he invisible ? yes .   q. what , or who is god likeunto ?   a. god is not b like a man , or any thing to bee seene in the world . b isai. . , . cannot a man make a picture that may be like god , as of an old man sit●ing in heaven ? no .   or , is he like any thing to be seen in the world ? no .   q. what perfection of power , or strength is there in god ?   a. god is c almighty , and d can doe all things . c exod. . . d iob. . . is he almighty ? and can he do all things ? yes .   or , is there any thing too hard for him ? no .   q. what perfection of wisdome or knowledge is there in god ?   a. god is e most wise , f knowing all things , and g doth all is any thing hid from god , which he doth not know ? no . things most wisely . e tim. . . f heb. . . g psal. . . or , is he most wise , and knoweth all things ? yes .   and , doth he all things most wisely ? yes .   q. what perfection of holinesse is there in god ?   a. god is most perfect h holy , and i alloweth not any to sin . is he most perfectly holy ? yes .   or , hath he any sin in himself ? no .   or , doth he cause any to sin ? no .   or , allow any to sin ? no .   q. what perfection of justice , or righteousnesse in there god ?   a. god is always most k just , and in all things ; l whether he punish or spare good or bad , m punishing all sin either in the sinner , n or in christ the surety . k psa. . . l job . , , , . m mal. . . n esa. . . rom. . , , . is he alwayes most just in all things ? yes .   and , that whether he punisheth or spareth good or bad ? yes .   or , is there any unjustice or unrighteousnesse in him at any time ? no .   and doth he punish all sin , either in the sinner , or in christ the surety ? yes .   q. what perfection of mercie is there in god ?   a. god is most o mercifull , both in giving and p forgiving beyond desert . o psal. . , . p ex. . , . is he most mercifull both in giving and forgiving beyond desert ? yes .   or , doth he no more for any of his creatures then they deserve ? yes .   q. to whom of mankinde ●oth god show such mercie as to forgive them ?   a. gods mercy onely forgiveth those that q repent of their sins , and r beleeve in christ . q prov. . . r john . . doth he shew a like mercy to all ? no .   or , doth hee forgive onely those that repent of their sins , and beleeve in christ ? yes .   or , every one that crieth , lord   have mercy upon me , whether they repent and beleeve , or not ? no .   q. what perfection is there in god in regard of time or continuance ?   . a. god is seternall , t from everlasting to everlasting , u having no beginning not end . s tim. . . c psal. . . u rev. . . is god eternall from everlasting to everlasting ? yes .   or , had he any beginning ? no .   or , shall he ever have any end ? no .   q. what perfection is there in god , in regard of sted fastnesse or mutability ?   a. god is x unchangeably y the same for ever . notwithstanding the changes he makes in all other things . x mal. . . ja. . . y psalm . . , &c. is there any change or changeablenesse in god ? no .   or , in any of his perfections ? no .   or , is he unchangeably the same for ever ? yes .   and , that notwithstanding the changes he makes in all other things ? yes .   q. what perfection of truth or faithfulnes is there in god ?   a. god is most ● true , and it is not * possible for him to lie . z rom. . . * tit. . . heb. . . nu●●●● . . . is god most true in all his words ? yes .   and , particularly in his promises and threatnings ? yes .   or , is it possible for him to lie ? no .   q. what perfection of blessednesse doth god enjoy ?   a. god is in himselfe most x blessed every way and y for ever , x tim. . . act. . . y rom. . . doth god want any happinesse in himselfe ? no .   needing the service of any creature ? no .   or , can any creature make him unhappy ? no .   or , is he in himselfe most blessed every way and for ever ? yes .   q. what certaine proofe have you that there is a god , such an one as you have acknowledged him to bee ?   a. i am sure there is a god : because neither of my self nor any thing in the world could z make me , or a preserve me , or b order things that befall mee without god . z psal. . . psal. . , , , . a psal. . , . b iob . . doth not your own very being give you assurance of it ? yes .   or , could you your self , or any thing in the world have made you without god ? no .   and , doth not your preservation make you also sure that there is a god ? yes .   or , could you your selfe , or any thing in the world , preserve you without god ? no .   and , doth not the ordering of things that befall you also prove assuredly there is a god ? yes .   or , could you your self , or any thing in the world , so order those things that befall you , without god ? no .   q. who made the world and all things in it ?   a. god is the c maker of the world , and of all things in it . c gen. . . acts . . is god the maker of all ? yes .   or , were any of them from everlasting , and without a beginning ? no .   or , did any of them make the rest ? no .   q. how are things preserved in the world ?   a. the power of god is that that d preserveth all things in the world . d neh. . . heb. . . hath any of them , without god , power enough of themselves to preserve themselves ? no .   or , one another ? no .   or , is it the power of god that preserveth them all ? yes .   q. how is the world governed , & how come things to passe ?   . a. gods providence is that that e ruleth all things . e psal. . . iam. . . amos . . is it gods providence that ruleth all things ? yes .   or , doe chance and fortune rule some things ? no .   or , destiny and the course of nature meerly ? no .   or , doth any creature rule any thing at its own pleasure ? no .   q. from whence must wee learn to know god and serve him rightly ?   a. to f know god , and to g serve him rightly , wee must be taught out of gods word . f psal. . . &c. with , . g esay . . can it be of our selves only ? no .   or , by beholding gods works of creation , preservation , and providence onely ? no .   or , must we be taught it out of gods word ? yes .   q. which book is gods word ?   a. the bible or the h scripture of the old and new testament is the very word of god . h tim. . . pet. . . is the bible the scripture of the old and new testament the very word of god ? yes .   or , is it meerly the invention of man ? no .   or , is any other book besides the bible the word of god ?     q. how may it be proved that the scriptures are the very word of god ?   a. the scriptures are sufficiently proved to be gods word , by their being wholly to gods i glory & their k perfection , & l power upon consciences , i iohn . . k psal. . . l heb. . . psal. . . is their being wholly to gods glory and their perfection , and their power upon consciences a sufficient proof of it ? yes .   or , may all this be , & yet they be but the word of a meer man ? no .   or , doe these things agree to any other word or booke not   taken out of the scriptures ? no .   q in what condition was man created by god at first ?   a. man was created at the first in a very happy condition , in the m image of god . m gen. . . vvas he made miserable ? no .   or , very happy ? yes .   in the image of god ? yes .   or , no better then other earthly creatures ? yes .   q. what was the image of god in man ?   a. gods n image in man stood in the perfection of his immortall soule , and dominion over the creatures . n gen. . , , . did it stand in the shape and frame of mans body ? no .   or , in the perfection of his immortall soule ? yes .   and , had he dominion given him over the creatures ? yes .   or , vvas any of them , as they are now , rebellious against man ? no .   or , hurtfull to him ? no .   q. in what specially did gods image in mans so●●e stand ?   a. gods image in mans soule was specially in a knowledge , p righteousnesse and holinesse . o col. . . p e●hes . . . vvas he created in knowledge ? yes .   or , ignorant ? no .   in righteousnesse ? yes .   or , sinfull ? no .   in holinesse ? yes .   or , vnholy ? no .   q. what condition is mankinde now naturally in ?   a. mankinde is now naturally in a very q miserable condition . q ephes. . , , . still happy ? no .   or , very miserable ? yes .   q. wherein is mankinds condition now so miserable ?   . a. mans misery is , that they are now r all sinners , and subject to s punishment for sin ; and that is not mankind still righteous ? no .   or , are they all sinners ? yes .   and , are you a sinner as well as others ? yes .   and , are they all subject to punishment ? yes .     is t my condition as well as others . r rom. . . to . s r● . . ● . t. ephes. . , . and , is that your condition is well as others ? yes .   or , are any free from punishment , you or others ? no .   or , out of danger of it ? no .   q. what is sin ?   a. sinne is any u transgressiō of gods law , bee it but in x words or y thoughts u ioh. . . x mat. . , . y ier. . . is it onely a transgression of gods law in deeds ? no .   or , any transgression , be it in words or thoughts ? yes .   q. how came mankind to be miserable ?     was it without their owne fault ? no . a. mankind became miserable by sinning z all with our first parents adam & eve , in * eating the forbidden fruit : and i sinned among them . ●rom . ● . , . * gen. . . or , because they all sinned with our first parents adam and eve in eateng the forbidden fruit ? yes .   and , did you sinne among them ? yes .   q. why should children ●e charged with their parents faults ?     is it not unjust ? no . a. men confess it just to charge children sometimes with the parents faults , doing so to bastards and traitours children . or , do● men conf●sse it just , sometimes doing so to bastards and traitors children ? yes .   q. how farre are all mankinde corrupted with sin ?     are they onely guilty of that first sin of adam ? no . a. all mankinde are a altogether corrupted with sin , and that in every part both of soul and body ; and b so am ● . a gen. . . or , are they all in themselves corrupted with sin ? yes .   and , ●●e you so too ? yes .   and , that altogether in every part both of soule and body ? yes .   or , onely in some part ? no .   q. what doe you meane by saying all men are altogether corrupted with sin ?   rom. . . to . b rom. . . prov. . . are they all inclined to all sins ? yes a. c all men are inclined to all sns , and d untoward to any good : and e i as much as any other by nature . c rom. . . to . . d ier. . . e tit. . . or , only to some ? no .   and , are they all untoward to any good ? yes .   or , inclined at least to some good ? no   and , are you as much inclined to fin , and as untoward to good , as any other by nature ? yes   q. what say you of children new borne ?   . a. f all children that are conceived a naturall way , are conceived and borne in sin ; and so was g i too . f ephef. . . ●g psal. . . are they not altogether innocents ? no   and , free from all taint of sinfulness and corruption ? no   or , are they all that are conceived a naturall way , conceived and borne in sin ? yes .   and , were you your self conceived and born so too ? yes .   or , without any sin or sinfulness ? no   . q. you say all mankinde are altogether corrupted : how then came any to be of a better minde or behaviour then others ?   a. gods h grace is onely that that makes one man better then another . h cor. . . cor. . . doth not that shew they are of a better nature ? no .   or , is it only gods grace that makes one man better then another ? yes .   . q. what is the punishment due to sin , which even the least sinne deserveth ?   a. the punishment due to sin , even the least , is i death , and k eternall damnation , is it death and eternall damnation ? yes .   and , all curses and crosses in the meane time besides ? yes and , all l curses and crosses in the meane time . i rom. . . k thess. . , . psal. . . l deut. . . or , is that too great a punishment ? no .   specially for some sins ? no .   q. what punishment do● your sins deserue ?   a. even m my sins deserve damnation and all punishments besides . m ephes. . . doe you acknowledge that even they deserve damnation ? yes .   and , all punishments besides ? yes .   or , is any of that too much ? no .   or , all that too much ? no .   q. if the least sin deserves damnation , and all punishments besides● what matter is it what sins a man commits that is guilty of any ?   a. they that have n more and greaters sins , shall have more punishment in hell , if they o repent not . n luke . , . mat. . . to . o rom. . , . do men make their condition no worse by living in the world and multiplying sins ? yes .   or , shall all be punished alike in hell , whether their sinnes bee more or fewer , greater or smaller ? no .   or , shall they that have more and greater sins , have more punishment in hell if they repent not ? yes .   q. but what if men be punished in this world ?   a. they that are punished here and yet will not repent p deserve more punishment for that , and so shall be q sure also not to escape damnation . p levit. . , , , , , . q deut. . , , , . shall not they escape all punishment in hell , though they never repent of their sins ? no .   or , doe not they deserve more punishment in hell , because they would not amend for any punishment here ? yes .   and , so shall be sure also not to escape damnation ? yes .   q. what is repentance ?   a. repentance is to r confesse our sins to s god , with t shame and sorrow , and u to forsake them . r prov. . . s psal. . . ●●er . . , . u esay . . doth a man repent that covers his sins ? no .   and , will not confesse them to god ? no .   or , that is not ashamed of them when hee doth confesse them ? no .   or , not sorrowfull for them ? no .   or , however doth not forsake them ? no .   or , is it to confesse our sins to god with shame and sorrow , and to forsake them ? yes .   q. whereby may repentance be knowne to be true ?   a. then a ma●●● repentance is true whe● he turnes from x al● knowne sins , and doth not willingly fall to y new ones . x ezek . , . y ezek. . acts . ● . is that true when it is only for some sins ● and not for all known sins ? no .   or , when a man turns from his former sins , and willingly fals to new ones ? no .   or , may not a man be sure of his repentance if he be sure hee doth not cleave to any knowne sinne ? yes .   q. how far is it possible for a man that truly repents to forsake all sin in the world ?   a. those that truly repent have some sin in them still but none have 〈…〉 dominion over ● the● z rom. . . & c. jo● . * rom. . . . jo● . . hath any sinne dominion over him still ? no .   or , can they bee perfectly without all sin here ? no .   or , is there sin still in the best upon the earth ? yes .   q. when is it that sin reigneth or hath dominion over man ?   a. sin hath the a dominion over man , when he b yei●… is it in those that offend● in many     things , but yet unwillingly ? no . eth himselfe to obey the lust of it , and c commit sinne d freely . a rom. . , . b rom. . . c iohn . . d rom. . . or , alwaies when one sinne th●● some hainouser matter with some willingnesse ? no .   or , only when he yeilds himself to obey the lusts of sin and commit ●●●ely yes .   . q. since you say that no●e ●an so perfectly repent as to ●● without all sin in this world ● how shall any man be saved ?   a. even those that e repent have need to be f saved by iesus christ , and his g satisfaction e acts . . f tit. . , , . g phil. . . can a ●ans owne works of righte on 〈…〉 save him ? no .   or , can he make satisfaction ●o god for his sins by them ? no .   or , by any other meane● of ●●s procuring ? no .   or , have even those that repent need to be saved by iesus christ and his satisfaction yes .   q. why must all ●●a● are saved , be saved by iesus christ ?   a. iesus christ is the h only saviour of mankind . h tim. . . acts. . . is he the only saviour of mankinde ? yes .   and , cannot some creature , ●aint , or angell , save by their ●●ents ? no .   q. what is iesus christ ?   a. iesus christ is i god and man in one person . i rom. . . iohn . . you 〈…〉 god : ● but is he ●nely so ? no   is he not man too ? true man ? yes   and , so god and man in one ●erson ? yes   q. why was the saviour of mankind both god and man ?   a. the saviour of mankind must needs be both god and man , to k suffer and satisfie must it needs be so that hee ●ight suffer and satisfie for the ●…n of man ? yes .   and , because god alone could not suffer , and man alone could not satisfie for sin ? yes . for the sinne of man k heb. . , , . heb. . . q. vnto what offices was our saviour iesus christ ordained of god , that he might compleatly save us ?   a. christ was anointed , that is , ordained of god , the great m prophet , priest , & o king of his church , & p lord q of all . l act. . . m act . . n heb. . . o luk. . , . p act. ● . q acts . . doth not his name christ , signifie anointed , shew him to bee the great prophet , priest , and king of his church and people , and lord of all ? yes   and , was he sufficiently furnished with abilities for every one of these offices . yes .   or , did he fail in fulfilling any of them ? no .   q. how did iesus christ become man ?   a. iesus christ was r conceived by the holy ghost , and born of the virgin mary r mat. . . . had he a naturall father as hee was man , as all others since our first parents have ? no   or , was he conceived by the holy ghost , and born of the virgin mary ? yes .   q. seeing you say iesus christ was conceived by the holy ghost , and borne of a virgin ; what perfection of nature had he as he was man ?   a. iesus christ was s conceived and born t without sin and u never sinned in all his life time , but * else was like othe● men . s luk. . . t he● . . u pet. . corinth . . . * he● . . heb. . do you reckon him in the number of sinners and guilty persons ? no .   or , was he conceived and born without sinne , though no other children be so ? yes .   or , did he ever sin all his life time ? no .   and , was he not else like other men , even in naturall infirmities and temptations ? yes .   q. since christ was without sin , how came he to suffer ?   a. christ suffered under x pontius pilate the iudge , who y knew him innocent , and yet z condemned him . x mat. . . y iohn . . iohn . . z luke . , . was it by a tumult of people falling upon him ? no .   or , by any sicknesse ? no .   or , outward accident of mischiefe lighting on him . no .   or , was he condemned by any iudge ? yes .   and , namely pontius pilate the governour for the roman emperour ? yes .   and , did he believe him to be a guilty person deserving punishment ? no .   or , did he know and proclaim him innocent , and yet condemn him ? yes .   q. what speciall suffering did christ undergoe ?   a. christ was a crucified , that is , b hanged c naked and alive upon a crosse of wood , by d nailing his hands and feet to it . a cor. . . ioh. . , . b gal. . . c iohn . . d iohn . . was it onely some small paine or shame ? no .   or , was he crucified , that is , hanged naked and alive upon a crosse of wood , by nailing his hands and feet to it ? yes .   q. what necessity was there ●hat christ should undergoe such a punishment as to be hanged on a crosse of wood ?   a. christ , to redeeme us from the ● curse of the law and our sins , was to endure a cursed punishment , as hanging was by f gods law . e gal. . , . f deut. . . was not hanging a cursed punishment by gods law ? yes .   and , was it fit that to redeem ●…s from the curse of the law and our sins , christ should endure ● cursed punishment ? yes .   or , was not that too much for him to endure ? no .   q. how long did christ continue on the crosse ?   a. christ hung ●pon the crosse till he g died , and gave his very h life a ransome for us . g iohn . . phil. . . h mat. . . vvas hee taken down alive after he had hanged a while upon it ? no .   or , did he hang upon the cross till he died , and gave his very life a ransome for us ? yes .   q. why would christ dye ?   a. christ to deliver us from i death , was to undergo death it selfe for us . i heb. . , . might he not have spared himself in that and yet we have been redeemed ? no .   or , was it necessary to deliver us from death , that christ should undergoe death it selfe for us ? yes .   q. what became of christs body and soule after death ?   a. christs body was k buried and he descended into l hel to shew him to be truly dead , and to make his resurrection m more glorious . k cor. . . ●acts . , . m luk. . . was not his body buried ? yes .   and , did he not descend into hell ? yes .   and , was not this fit to shew him to be truly dead , and to make his resurrection more glorious ? yes .   or , was it unfit he should tarry at all in the state of death ? no .   q. how long did christ continue dead ?   a. christ n rose againe the third day from the dead . n luke . . cor. . . did he rise againe the third day from the dead ? yes .   or , is he dead still ? no .   or , did he rise sooner ? no .   or , later ? no .   q. how came christ out of the prison of the grave , since he wa● the surety to pay the debt of our sins ?   a. christ rising and comming out of the prison of the grave sheweth that he , as our doth his rising from the dead shew that he hath fully paid the d●bt● yes .   or , might he have beene raised , and yet the debt of our sins still remaine to be paid by our selves ? no . o surety , hath p fully payed all the debt of our sins . o heb. . . p rom. . , . or , by some other ? no .   q. how long did christ continue on the earth after his rising from the dead ?   . a. q forty daies after his rising from the dead christ ascended into r heaven body and soule . q acts . , . r acts . ● . is he still upon earth ? no .   or , did he forty dayes after ascend into heaven body and soule ? yes .   or , is he anywhere else ? no .   or , stayed he longer on earth ? no .   or , lesse while ? no .   q. what honour and happinesse hath christ in heaven ?   a. christ s sits at the right hand of god in the highest t happinesse and u glory that can be . s mark . . . t psal. . . u ephes. . , , . doth he sit at the right hand of god in the highest happinesse and glory that can be ? yes .   or , doth he want either happinesse and glory now ? no .   or hath any of the saints or angels any higher honour then hee ? no .   or , equall to him ? no .   q. what power and authority hath christ by being a gods right hand ?   a. christ at gods right hand * ruleth gods kingdome with all power and x authority . * heb. . . x pet. . . ephes. , , . doth his sitting at gods right hand signifie that he is upon a seat there ? no .   or , that god hath any hand properly right or left ? no .   or , doth it signifie that hee ruleth gods kingdome with all power and authority ? yes .   q. what is the greatest proofe of christs authority ?   a. christ shall come to y judge the quick and the dead , even z all mankinde none excepted . y acts . . z cor. . . shall hee come with glory to judge both the quicke and the dead ? yes .   or , shall his authority bee at an end before the last day ? no .   or , some other be iudge ? no .   or , shall not some or other of mankinde be excepted from being judged by him ? no .   q. what is the meanes of partaking of christ , and making him and all his benefits ours ?   a. faith is the only means wherby we a partake of christ & make him and b all his benefits ours . a ioh. . . b acts . . is faith the onely meanes ? yes .   or , is there any other meanes wherby we can partake of him ? no .   q. what is faith ? i meane true , justifying , ●●●ing faith ?   a. true faith in christ is to c rest in him alone for d pardon through his death , e according to gods offer , and then for all f grace and g salvation . c phil. . , , . d ro. . , , e luke . . esay . . f iohn . . g acts . . is it not to rest on christ alone for pardon through his death according to gods offer ? and then for all grace and salvation ? yes .   or , do they truly and throughly believe the doctrine of christ who rest not on him ? no .   or , who rest on any thing or person besides him ? no .   or , together with him ? no .   or , who think of resting on him otherwise then god offers him ? no .   q. what warrant have you to believe in christ , and rest so on him ?   a. god in his h word offers christ to me as well as to any other man ; and i commands me to is it not presumption for such a sinner to offer to rest on him ? no .   or , doth god in his word   ●ffer christ to you as well as ●o any other man ? yes . believe in him as well as to believe , or obey any other thing in his word . h iohn . , . . i iohn . . iohn . . and , doth he command you ●o beleeve in him , as well as to beleeve or obey any other thing in his word ? yes .   and , do all the promises , which are of all sorts , to second the commandment to beleeve , concerne you as well as any other man ? yes .   and , do the threatnings against unbeliefe also concerne you in like sort ? yes .   and , likewise the examples of grace ? yes .   and , as well as any other thing in the word doth ? yes .   q. how do you call the generall company of those that do truly beleeve in christ ?   a. the generall company of those that truly believe in christ is called the holy catholick k church . k . cor. . . thess. . . is it not that which you mean by the holy catholike church ? yes .   or , doth the holy catholike church signifie any other sort or company of men ? no .   q. why is the church said to be holy ?   a. every true l believer and member of the m church is a saint and holy , truly sanctified , though not n fully in this world . ●acts . . in ephe. . , , . n iames . . is it for that every true beleever and member of the church ●● a saint and holy , truly sancti●●ed , though not fully in this world ? yes .   or , is any one a true beleever and member of the church that is not sanctified and holy ? no .   or , are any of them fully sanctified in this world ? no .   q. what is it to be truly sanctified or holy ?   a. to be truly holy , one is to o hat● all sin , and p forsake all creatures so far , as to strive to q serve god according to r all his will . o psalm . . p luke . , q heb. . . r col. . heb. . . pe●. . , . are they so , who allow themselves in any one sin , how smal● so ever they judge it to be ? no .   or , how necessary soever ? no .   or , that are so fond of any creature , as that they cannot be content if they enjoy it not at their owne desire ? no .   or , who serve god after their own will ? no .   or , who will do his will ●n some things , but not in all no .   or , do they hate all sin , and forsake all creatures so far , as to strive to serve god according to all his will ? yes .   q. why is the church called catholicke , that is , universall , or generall ?   a. the church is called catholicke , because in s all ages christ hath had church , and he gathereth it out of all t countrys , & u ranks of people . s heb. . . mat. . . t rom . , . act. . , . u gal. . . col. . . is it because in all ages god hath had a church ? yes .   and , because he gathers it out of all countreys and ranks of people ? yes .   or , was there never no time since christ was first preached unto mankinde , when there was no church at all ? no .   or , are there some nations or conditions of men , out of which god never takes any to be of his church ? no .   q. what generall benefit do all true beleevers and members of the church enjoy from christ together ?   a. all true beleevers and member● of the church enjoy together a * communion of saints , that is a fellowship , with x christ and y one with another . * iohn . . . x cor. . . y iohn . . do they not enjoy together a communion of saints , that is , ● fellowship with christ and one with another ? yes .   or , is any of them being poor , o● the like , denied fellowship with christ in his grace , in any respect ? no .   or , denied a right to any good their fellow members might do for them ? no .   q. what speciall benefit hath every true beleever from christ in this life ?   a. z every true believer hath from christ in this life forgivenesse of sinnes . z acts . . john . acts . . have they not forgivenesse of sins ? yes .   or , are they not forgiven till after this life ? yes .   and , so any of them die without forgivenesse ? no .   q. what do you meane by forgivenesse of sins ?   a. forgivenesse of sins is a gods not requiring of us ourselves to satisfie for our sinnes , because christ hath done that already . a rom. . , , . is it not that god requireth not of us ourselves to satisfie for our sins , because christ hath done that already ? yes .   or , must we , notwithstanding our pardon , make god satisfaction by doing somewhat ourselves in this world ? no .   or , by suffering in this life ? no .   or , afterward ? no .   q. but why then are the faithfull afflicted in this life ?   a. the afflictions that the faithfull endure in this life are onely b fatherly corrections for their amendment , is it not to make , at least , part of the satisfaction to god for their sins ? no .   or , is it not a wrong that they   should be afflicted when christ hath made satisfaction for their sins ? no . and c trials of gods grace in them , and to make them d like christ . b heb. , . , . c jam. . , , . d rom. . . john . . . or , is it onely fatherly correction for their amendment , and triall of gods grace in them , and to make them like christ ? yes .   . q. but what say you to death , which the faithfull en●ure as well as others ?   a. e death it self to the faithfull is but a temporall chastisement at the worst and withall a passage to a better condition , e cor. . , . is not that at least laid on them to satisfie god in part for their sins ? no .   or , is death it selfe a temporall chastisement at the worst to the faithfull ? yes .   and , withall a passage to a better condition ? yes .   . q. what benefit or better condition can there be to the body after death ?   a. there shall be to every faithfull soul f resurrection of the body from death . f cor. . . . cor. . . shall there be to every faithfull soule , a resurrection of the body from death ? yes .   or , shall not the bodies ( even of the faithfull ) remaine for ever in their graves dead and rotten ? no .   . q what bodies shall be raised againe ?   a. the g very same body shall be raised again that died ● but the bodies of the faithfull shall ●ow be made strong and h glorious . g cor. . . . . h phil. . . shall they be the very same bodies that died ? yes .   or , others like them , new created and joyned to the soules ? no .   and , shall the bodies of the faithfull be now made strong and glorious ? yes .   or , be raised weak and imperfect as they were before ? no .   . q. what shall become of the bodies of the wicked at the last day ?   a. the bodies of the ● wicked shall be raised also at the last day , that being con●emned , both body & soule may be cast into k hell fire for ever . ●john . . k matth. . , and . shall they be raised also ? yes   or , shall they continue in the grave still ? no   and , shall they be raised with any honour , or for their good ? no   or , that being condemned , both body and soule may be cast into hell fire for ever ? yes .   q. what benefit shall be to the faithfull after the generall resurrection ?   a. after the generall resurrection the faithfull shall l die no more , but enjoy m life everlasting , & all happines and glory o with christ p in heaven . l luke . , . m mat. . . n eph. . . o john . . p pet. . . shall they die any more ? no .   or , enjoy life everlasting ? yes .   and , shall they live upon earth any more ? no .   or , endure any more misery pain , or sorrow ? no .   or , enjoy all happinesse and glory with christ in heaven ? yes .   questions and answers tending to explaine the ten commandments . question . how do they live here , who partake of christ and all his benefits ?   a. they that partake of christ and all his benefits , do a serve god and b keepe his commandments . a heb. . . rom. . . b joh. . v. , , . do they live in sin as they list ? no .   or , do they serve god and keep his commandments ? yes .   q. how many commandments are there ?   . a. there are ten commandments wch are the sum and substance of all gods perpetuall law . c deut. . . exod. . . are there not ten ? yes .   and , are they not the summe and substance of all gods perpetuall law ? yes .   and , hath not every one of them a gener●ll meaning and ●●pe , and so ●●●●a●●th whatsoever tendeth to that ? yes .   and , do they not among them forbid all evill ? yes   and , command all good ? yes .   and , that in words & thoughts as well as deeds ? yes .   q. what is the first commandment ?   a. i am the lord , &c. q. what is the generall meaning and scope of the first commandment ?   a. the generall meaning and scope of the first commandment , is the giving all possible d glory and is it not the giving of all possible glory and worship to one onely god , without any equal or partner ? yes .   or , may ●e worship more ●●ds then one ? no . e worship to one onely god , without any equall or f partner . d psal. , . mat. . . john . . or , faile , to love , trust , feare , praise or obey god sometimes without sin ? no .   or , love , trust , feare , praise or ●●ey some creature , at least ●ometimes , more then god ? no .   or , as much as god in any ●espect whatsoever ? no .   or , set up our owne selves by ●●●de , or trusting to our selves , without regard of god ? no .   q. what is the second commandment ?   a. thou shalt not make , &c. q. what is the generall mean●ing of the second commandment ?   a. the generall meaning of the second commandment , is the worshipping of god with those things and actions which g himselfe onely hath appointed . g deut. . . matth. . . is it not the worshipping of god with those things and action● which himself onely hath appointed ? yes .   or , may we not use as parts of worship , and matters of religion and holinesse , something or o●her , meerly invented by man ? no .   or , be carelesse of those duties which god hath appointed for his worship ? no .   q. why are images forbidden by name in the . commandment ? ●●● how far are they forbidden ?   a. all h images and pictures to represent god are ● abomi●●ble to be made ; and so is all k worship of them , though with pretence of ● worshipping god by them , are all images and pictures to represent god , abominable to be made ? yes .   and , are all pictures of a man ( as of ones friend , and the like ) also unlawfull and abominable ? no .   but is not all worshipping of   any image or picture , and bowing own to them also abominable ? yes . h deut. . , , ● . i deut. . ● k esay . . . i exod. . . . un the . and , is it any way excusable though it be with pretence of worshipping god by them ? no .   what is the third commandment ?   thou shalt not tak● &c. q. what is the generall meaning of the third commandment ?   a. the genera meaning of the thi●… commandment , is t●… reverent using whatsoever belonget to god , and to tho●… ends onely which 〈…〉 hath allowed . is it not the reverend using of whatsoever belongeth to god , and to those ends onely which he hath alloweth ? yes .   or , may we profane any of them ? no .   or , abuse them to ill ends ? no .   or , neg●●● gods ends in the using of them ? no .   q. what is the fourth commandment ?   a. remember , & ● ● q. what is the generall meaning of the . commandment ?   a. the genera meaning of the four●… commandment , is th●… solemn times of wo●…ship , necessary to religion at gods one● appointment , an chiefly a standing d●… in the weeke , of re from worldly busin●… to attend on god . is it not the solemne times of worship , necessary to religion , at gods one y appointment , and chiefly , a standing day in the week , of rest from worldly businesse to attend on god ? yes .   or , may men of themselves appoint any dayes or times , as necessary to religion ? no .   or , may we unnecessarily spend gods day upon - our selves ? no .   or , vpon any worldly mattes ? no .   q. what is the fifth commandment ?   a. honour thy f●…ther , &c. ● q. what is the generall meaning of the fifth commandment ?   a. the generall meaning of the fifth commandment , is the giving all due m honour and respect to all men , specially n superiours . m pet. . . n rom. . . is it not the giving all due honour , and respect to all men , specially superiours ? yes .   or , may we disobey the lawfull commands of superiours when they please us not ? no .   or , carry our selves proudly toward any , even the meanest under●ing ? no .   q. what is the sixth commandment ?   a. thou shalt not kill . q. what is the generall meaning of the sixth commandment ?   a. the generall meaning of the sixth commandment , is the preserving of mens o persons and p lives , q and fouls in all safety . o math. . , . ●proverbs . , . q jude , . levit : . . 〈…〉 not the preserving of 〈…〉 and lives and souls ●n all safety ? yes .   or , may we , though we are ●…oked , do them the least ●urt ? no .   or , give them any despight ●ull words ? no .   or , harbour hatred or maice against them ? no .   or , may we be angry with ●hem without cause ? no .   or , more then there is cause ? no .   or , forbeare to have a tender are of any to the utmost of our ●ower ? no .   q. what is the seventh commandment ?   a. thou shalt not commit adultery . q. what is the generall meaning of the seventh commandment ?   a. the generall meaning of the seventh commandment is the is it not the maintaining of ha●tity in all , married and un   married , and in the heart , and words , as well as behaviour ? yes . maintaining r chastity in all , married or unmarried , and in s heart and t words , as well as u behaviour , r thess. . , . s mat. . . . t ephes. . . . rom. . . or , may not any , the unmarried at least , especially young people , take liberty to use some light and wanton carriage sometimes ? no .   or , wanton speethes ? no .   or , wanton looks ? no .   or , at least have lustfull , and wanton thoughts ? no .   and , are not unnaturall lusts specially forbidden ? yes .   q. what is the eighth commandment ?   a. thou shalt no●… steale . q. what is the generall meaning of the eighth commandment ?   a. the general● meaning of the eighth commandment is the preserving of m●… * goods and estates 〈…〉 x all safety . * ●thess . . x exod. . . . is it not the preserving of mens goods and estates in all safety ? yes .   or , may we never wrong them in their estates any way , though they be able to beare it , and we are poor ? no .   or , oppresse them in any thing , having the law of men on our side ? no .   or , defraud them in any kind , when we find them unskilfull , or heedlesse ; even though they pretend great skill or care ? no .   or , may we forbeare to help them or further their good when we may without speciall wrong to our selves ? no .   q what is the ninth commandment ?   a. thou shalt not bear , &c. q. what is the generall meaning of the ninth commandment ?   a. the general is it not the maintaining of truth ? yes . meaning of the ninth commandment is y the maintaining of a truth z and the preserving of mens a good names . y prov. . . z ephes. . . ●●james . . levit. . . and , preserving mens good names ? yes .   or , may we ●t any time ●ie ? no .   though it be for our advan●… no .   or , for our safety no .   or , for any other a sak● ? no .   or , even for gods glory ? no .   or , 〈…〉 just cause speake 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 no .   or , though the thing wee ●peak be true ? no .   or , forbear to speak good of 〈…〉 when we might speake with truth and wisdome ? no .   or , forbear to maintaine the 〈…〉 when it is seasonable and ●● are called to maintain it ? no .   q. what is the tenth commandment ?   a. thou shalt not covet , &c. q. what is the generall meaning of the tenth commandment ?   a. the generall meaning of the tenth commandement is b contentednesse with what is our own , and c rejoycing in anothers good d as in our own , e forbidding the least motions and inclinations to the contrary . b heb. . . c rom. . . d phil. . . e rom. . . is it not contentednesse with ●hat is our own ? yes .   and , rojoycing in anothers ●ood , as our owne yes .   or , may we at any time grudge 〈…〉 good others enjoy ? no .   though we our selves did exect as much and have it not ? no .   or , may we envy them at any ●●e for any thing ? no .   though we think they deserve or what they have ? no .   or , that they ●ouse it ? no .   or , will abu●e it ? no . 〈…〉 may ●…e 〈…〉 for our selves , and regardlesse of others ? no .   and , are not the least motions and inclinations to the contrary forbidden ? yes .   . q. how perfectly ●●● the faithfull keep gods commandments while they are upon earth ?   a. the faithfull do not f attain to perfection in gods sight 〈…〉 , g yet they str●… for it , and may be ●…blameable before men f phil. . , . gal. ●… . g joh. . . h the . . phil. . . is there a just man upon the earth that doth good and sinneth not ? no .   or , do any attaine to perfection in gods sight here ? no .   yet , do not the faithfull strive for perfection . yes .   and , may they not be unblameable before men ? yes .   q. how then are any justified and counted righteous before god ?   a. i none can ever be justified by thei● workes and obedience to the law : but onely by gods free grac● through faith 〈…〉 christs righteousnesse i gal. . . rom. . , , , . ephes. . , . can they ever be justified by their works and obedience to the law ? no .   or , onely by gods free grace , through faith in christs righteousnesse ? yes .   q. what must a faithfull man do , when he hath again sinned and broken gods commandment after god hath justified him ?   a. when a faithful man hath sinned h● must k returne to god by renewing his l repentance , and m faith in christ . k hosea ● . l john . . he● . , , . may hee go on carelesly in sinne , and presume god will justifie him still though he repent not ? no .   or , must he not returne to   god by renewing his repentance ●nd faith in christ ? yes .   q. but how can a man ●ave pardon that sinneth againe and againe ?   a. christ is still our n advocate and surety procuring us pardon o when we repent , and come to him by faith . ● . john● . ● . . o heb. . , . is it not impossible there ●…ould be any pardon for such ? no .   or , ●● christ still our advocate and surety procuring ● pardon when we repent and come to 〈…〉 by faith ? yes .   questions and answers tending to explain the lords prayer . question . wh●… that we repent and beleeue , and keep● gods commandements .   a. it is onely from gods grace 〈…〉 christ that we a repent , and b believe , and c keep gods commandments . a tim. . . acts . . b ephes. . . heb. . . e heb. . . john . . phil. . . is it altogether from our selves ? no .   or , onely from gods grace through christ ? yes .   or , partly from god , and partly from our selves ? no .   or , from god , through any mediator besides christ ? no .   q. how doth god use to work repentance and faith in us ?   a. god workes d repentance , and e faith in us by his word , with which his f spirit conveyeth his grace unto us . d tim. . . e rom. . 〈…〉 cor. . . ●pet. . . is it not by his word , with which his spirit conveyeth his grace unto us ? yes .   or , vseth he to worke by his spirit without his word ? no .   or , would the word doe us any good without the spirit ? no .   q. how may we obtain grace from god when we finde our selves to want it ?   a. god will have us to g pray to him for grace , as h also for all other good things , when we want them . g ezek. . , & . with . h jer. . . . luke . , . . will ●e not have us to pray to him for it ? yes .   or , may we expect it without praying for it ? no .   or , may we expect any other good thing without prayer ? no .   or , will god ●●ve us to pray to him also for all other good things when we want them ? yes .   q. what is prayer ?   . a. prayer is the i making of our requests to god , by k powring out our hearts before him . i phi. . . k psa. . . is it not the making our requests to god , by pouring out our hearts before him ? yes .   or , is the repeating of the beliefe a prayer ? no .   or , is the repeating of the ten commandments a prayer ? no .   or , do we pray when we say over the words of any prayer without understanding ? no .   or , without our hearts go a long with our tongues and lips ? no .   q. to whom must we pray or may we pray ?   . a. we must pray to l god alone , and none else . l psal. . . must we pray to god alone ? yes .   and , may we pray to none else ? no .   or , may we pray to angels ? no .   or , to saints in heaven ? no .   or , to the blessed virgin ? no .   q. in whose name must we pray , or may we pray ?   a. we must pray in the m name of christ alone , and n of none else , trusting only upon him , for making our prayers accepted . m john . . . n iohn . . . tim. . . may we pray in our owne names , that is , trusting in our own righteousnesse ? no .   or , in the name of any saint ? no .   or , angel ? no .   or , of the blessed virgin ? no .   trusting in any of them , or any other meere creature , for accepta●●on of our prayers ? no .   or , must we pray in the name of christ alone ? yes .   trusting upon him and none else , for making our prayers accepted ? yes .   q. what rule or direction have we for the making of our prayers ? with what affections we should pray , and for what things ?   a. the rule of our prayers is o gods word , p specially the lords prayer , o esa. . . p mat. . , &c. luke . , &c. q. what is that you call the lords prayer ? repeat it .   a. our father , &c. is not gods word to be our rule and direction ? yes .   and , specially the lords prayer , which christ himselfe hath taught us ? yes .   or , may we pray as we list ? no .   or , for what we list ? no .   q. with what affections must we alwayes pray , according to the direction of the lords prayer ?   a. the lords prayer directeth us to pray in faith , and humility , and charity , & thankfulnesse . must we not alwayes pray in faith , as coming to a father , and one who hath all power ? yes .   and , in humility , as to our heavenly father , and the king of the whole world ? yes .   and , in charity for others , as for ourselves ? yes .   and , forgiving , as we expect forgivenesse ? yes .   and , in thankfulnesse , as to him that ruleth all , and doth all for us ? yes .   or , may any of these be altogether wanting , and yet our prayer acceptable ? no .   q. what are we taught to pray for in the lords prayer , saying , hallowed be thy name ?   a. when we say hallowed be thy name , we pray , that god may be infinitely honoured q above us and all creatures , and everlastingly glorified ● by us and all creatures . q psal. . , . &c. psal. . . it is not that god may be infinitely honoured above us and ●ll creatures ? yes .   and , everlastingly glorified by us and all creatures ? yes .   or , may we at any time take the honour of any thing wholly ●o ourselves ? no .   or , match ourselves with god ●n any respect ? no .   or , ascribe like honour in any respect to any creature that wee do to god ? no .   or , be carelesse of glorifying god in some thing or other , at ●ome time or other ? no .   and , need wee trouble ourselves , if others neglect to glorifie god any way ? yes .   or , when any thing is spoken or done to his dishonour , may we be carelesse of it ? no .   q. what are wee taught to pray for , saying . thy kingdome come ?   a. when we say , thy kingdome come , we pray , that s christ may reign throughout the world t by his word in despite of satan and all other rebellious enemies . s ps. . , . t ●thes . . . is it not that christ may reign throughout the vvorld by his word ? yes .   and , that in despite of satan , and all other rebellious enemies ? yes .   and , is gods kingdome and christs kingdome all one ? yes .   doth christs kingdome anywhere take place , where his word beareth not the sway ? no .   or , need we trouble ourselves , 〈…〉 christ and his word doe not   prevaile anywhere so long 〈…〉 o●● ourselves a●● 〈…〉 by it ? yes .   or , when satans kingdome prevaileth , and any other rebellious enemies of christ , may wee 〈…〉 to see or hear● it ? no .   . q. wh●● are wee 〈…〉 to pray for , saying , thy will b●● done ?   a. when 〈…〉 say , thy will be done we pray that 〈…〉 god will may be fully ye●ded to , x not our ow● wils , y nor the lusts 〈…〉 men . ●psal . . ● x matth. . . . y psal. . . pet . , . is it not that gods will may bee fully yeilded to a● all times ? yes .   or , may wee not sometime● stand upon having our own● wils ? no .   or , grudge that we are forced to endure gods will ? no .   or , give way sometimes to the lusts of men contrarying gods will ? no .   and , need wee trouble ourselves if gods will be not done by 〈…〉 as we do it● ourselves ? yes .   or , if others grudge to be forced to endure gods will , may wee bee carelesse to see or heare it ? no .   q. w●●●●●● w●●●●●ght to pray for , saying give ●●●●is ●●y o●● daily bread ?   a. when wee say , give us this day our daily bread , we begge all y needfull things for our bodily life and outward condition , with a 〈…〉 doe wee not beg of god all needfull things for our bodily life and outward condition ? yes .   and , a blessing withall upon the things that are given us ? yes .   and , freedome also from all   〈…〉 ●● our ●●●ward 〈…〉 ? yes . sing o● them , and a freedome from all 〈…〉 y prov. . . ●psal . ● . . a ps● . . or , i●●●re ●●ead the onely 〈…〉 we are ●llowed to 〈…〉 no .   q. what are we taught to 〈…〉 saying 〈…〉 .   a. when wee say , forgive us our ●rrespasses , wee beg or god ● never to require of us ourselves to suffer and satisfie for our c sins past , and to d assure us that hee will not . b psal. . . c psal. . . psal. . . d psal. . . doe wee not beg of god , never to require of us ourselves ●o suffer o● satisfie for our sinne● 〈…〉 ? yes .   and , wi●… that ●…e will not ? yes .   or , are wee forgiven if god ●oe require of us ourselves , to suffer or satisfie for our sinnes ●ast ? no .   or , vnlesse he accept the suffering and satisfaction of another , namely of christ ? no .   q. what are wee taught ●o pray for , saying , lead us not into ●emptation ?   a. when wee say , lead us not into temptation , we beg of god that we may not meet with any e provocation to sin , and may have f a●● helps to grace . e prov. . , . psal . . f psal. . . psal. . . psal. . . doe we not beg of god that we may not meet with any pro●ocation to sin ? yes .   and , may also have all helps ●o grace ? yes .   or , may we be so confident of ourselves as wee need not aske these things . no .   q. what are we taught 〈…〉 pray for , saying , deliver us from 〈…〉 ?   a. when we say , deliver us from evill , wee beg of god to be kept from g sin , specially doe we not beg that we may ●e kept from sin ? yes .   and , specially from living in sinne ? yes . from the living in it ; and so from satan and k hell , having all things blessed to ou●l grace , and m salvation . g ioh. . . psal . , . ●psal . ▪ . i zach. . . ● . ●tim . . . l ioh. . . m iohn● . . and , to have all things bles●… to our grace and salvation ? yes .   and , so kept from satan and hell ? yes .   or , is any of this needlesse to be asked ? no .   or , may wee presume to live in sin , and yet thinke to escape satan and hell , and be saved ? no .   questions and answers tending to explaine the sacraments . question . what other meanes , besides prayer , hath god appointed i● to use , to confirm● and increase our faith and grace ?   a. to confirme and increase our faith and grace , god , besides prayer , hath appointed us to use his a word & b sacraments . a col. . . b marke . luke . , . hath he not appointed us to ●se his word and sacraments ? yes .   or , may we at any time wilingly forbeare the use of them without offence to god , and hurt ●o our selves ? no .   q. how will god have us ●se his word , that it may doe us further good ?   a. we are both to c read gods word , & d heare it e preached and f read , with g delight , h meeknesse , i faith , and a faithfull k desire to grow thereby . e iohn . . acts . , . d thes. . . e tim. . , . f acts . . g psal. . . h iam. . . ●heb . . k pet. . . is it enough onely to reade it , without hearing of it preached ? no .   or , to heare it onely preached , without reading of it ? no .   or , without hearing it read ? no .   or , will it doe us any good ●…ther way , unlesse wee use it with delight , meeknesse , faith , and ● faithfull desire to grow thereby ? no .   q. how many sacraments are ●…re appointed by christ ?   a. there are two sacraments appointed by christ , namely , are there onely two , namely   baptisme and the lords supper ? yes . baptisme , and the lords 〈…〉 more . l matth. . ● m ●cor. . , , or , are to ●re more then two ? no .   o , ●●●ter ? no .   q. what is a sacrament ?   . a. sacrament the applying an outward visible creature to our bodies as 〈…〉 signe , seal , and pledge from god of a ● like inward and spiritual grace to our soules n gen. ●●●● . rom. ● . ●●cor . . . is it not the applying of an outward visible creature to our bodies , as a signe , seale , or pledge from god of a like inward and spirituall grace to ou● soules ? yes .   or , is there a sacrament where there is no outward visible signe ? no .   or , where the outward creatures are not applyed to our bodies , but onely gazed on ? no .   or , are the sacraments bar● signes , without any spirituall grace to our soules offered by them ? no   ● q. who hath authority and power to ordaine a sacrament ?   . a. p christ ●●on● hath authority to command the use of any creature for a sacrament , and q alone power to assure any r grace with i● . p ma● . . . q. col. . , , r john . , . hath not christ alone authority to command any such use of any creature for a sacrament ? yes .   or , hath any man , or company of man any such authority ? no .   and , hath christ alone power to assure any such grace with it ? yes .   or , can any man , or men of themselves promise it ? no .   . q. what is baptisme outwardly in regard of the vi●●l● signe , or creature commanded to be a pli●●t to our bodies ?   . a. baptisme outwardly is washing the body with s water b● dipping or sprinkling is it washing the body with   water by dipping , or sprinkling the name of the father ? ●● . yes . ●n the t name of the father , and of the son , and of the holy ghost . iohn . . t mat. , . or , may not any other creature 〈…〉 for it 〈…〉 water ? no .   and , will sprinkling the 〈…〉 d●● it without dipping 〈…〉 it ? yes .   and , will not other words do as well , where there is not all the three persons of the blessed trinity named ? no .   q. what is the inward and 〈…〉 grace sealed to the faithfull , ●…li●… ?   a. the inward grace sealed to the faithfull in baptisme , is the u vertue of christs blood and of his spirit , to the x was●ing away of sin , and y new birth to the life of grace . u rom. . , . x acts . . y titus . . 〈…〉 of christe 〈…〉 and of 〈…〉 to the washing awa● of sin and new ●…rth to the life of grace ? yes .   or , do any of the faithfull ●●o are baptized , mi●●e of this 〈…〉 ? no .   or , do hypocri●es , though outwardly baptized , partake of his grace ? no .   . q. how often is baptisme to 〈…〉 administred to any one party ? no . . a. baptisme is to be administred to any one onely once , and no more , because as we can be borne but once naturally , so but once spiritually . must it be often administred 〈…〉 the same party ? no .   or , may it be if any desire it ? no .   or , must it be to any one o●…●●ce and no more ? yes .   and , 〈…〉 it so because as we ●…n ●…t once naturally b●● once spiritually ? yes .   q. . how is it proved , th●… within the ch●… ?   . a. children born within the church are to be baptised because 〈…〉 a just proofe of it , th●…   children were wont to be circumcised by gods command ? yes . they were y wont be circumcised , a● because 〈…〉 they 〈…〉 within gods . gov●…nant , and ●●●●ve 〈…〉 to the seal of it . y g●● . . ● . gen. . ● cor. . . or , is there any such difference between circumcision and baptisme , as for children to be admitted to the one and not to the other ? no .   and , is it not also a just proofe of it , because such children are within gods covenant , and so have right to the seale of it ? yes .   . q. since nothing can be required of children when they are brought to ba●●isme ; what is required of them afterward when they come to yeeres of discretion , in consideration that they have been baptized ?   a. children ba●…tized are ●ound wh●● they come to yeers 〈…〉 discretion , to practi●…a faith , 〈…〉 and obed●ence , and then th●● shall feel , the bene●… of their baptism● a gal. . . b. ro● : , . are they not then bound to practise faith and obedience ? yes .   or , are they free from any such engagements , although their sureties that required baptisme for them did promise and vow it in their names ? no .   and , shall they feele any benefit of their baptisme , when they come to yeares , without this ? no .   or , faile , to feele it if they practise this ? no .   q. what is the lords supper outwardly , in regard of the visible g●e or crea●●●● commanded to be applied to our bodies ?   a. the lor● supper outwardly c both eating brea● and drinking wit● in remembrance 〈…〉 christ and his de●… is it both eating bread , and drinking wine , in remembrance of christ , and his death for us ? yes .   or , may we not onely eat   〈…〉 bread , and for beare to drink 〈…〉 wine ? no . for us . c . cor. . . , , . 〈…〉 , after the ●…tration for 〈…〉 sacrame●… it still bread ●hich we 〈…〉 and eate ? yes .   and , wine which we drink ? yes .   or , is it substantially changed into the very body and blood of christ ? no .   and , do● wee receive a right 〈…〉 receive the bread and wine ●nd forget christ ? no .   or , 〈…〉 person , and 〈…〉 his death for us ? no .   . q. what is the lords sup●… towardly in regard of the reward ●nd spirituall grace there offered 〈…〉 i● ?   a. the spirituall grace in the lords supper is d christs body & blood , e nourishing our souls by renewing pardon for sin past , and grace against sinne hereafter . d cor. . . e ioh. . , , , . is it not christs body and blood nourishing our soules by renewing pardon for sin past , and grace against sin hereafter ? yes .   or , is there onely a bare remembrance of christs body and blood , without an effectuall par●aking of them by those that ●ome aright to receive them ? no .   or , can the body and blood of christ bee received by any without benefit to their soules ? no .   and , they missing pardon for 〈…〉 past ? no .   or , missing of some renewed grace against sin hereafter ? no .   . q. who doe partake of the ●…y and blood of christ in the 〈…〉 supper , and how is it re●… ?   a. the body & blood of christ in the lords supper is f only is it onely received by the faithful , and onely by thei● faith ? yes . received by the faithfull , and only b● their g faith . f 〈…〉 . . g 〈◊〉 . 〈…〉 . . or , doe any else receive it though they eate the bread , and drink the wine ? no .   or , doe the faithfull them selves receive it with their hands and mouthes ? no .   q. how often is the lord supper to bee administred and received ?   a. the lords supper is to be often administred , and received often by ever● christian . h cor. ● , , , . is it often to be administred ? yes .   or , seldome ? no .   and , must it be received often ? yes .   or , seldome ? no .   or , may any keepe away at their owne pleasure , and come onely when they lift ? no .   or , are they excusable that refuse to come , because they have no leisure for worldly businesses ? no .   or , because they have not repented of their sins ? no .   or , because they are not in charity ? no .   or , any such like excuse ? no .   q. how must a man come to the lords supper ?   . a. he that commeth to the lord● supper must i i exami● himself , or else he ea●eth and drinketh unworthily ; and so 〈◊〉 ignorant person 〈◊〉 come . i cor. . ●● , . may a man come carelesly ; without preparing himselfe ? no .   or , can a man prepare himself sufficiently unless he examin himself ? no .   and , doth not a man else eate and drink unworthily ? yes .   and , may any ignorant persons ,   whether children , or grown 〈…〉 come to the lords supper , 〈…〉 they ●n●●●ot how to examine them●… ? no .   q. what is the sinne , ●nd danger of these t●●● eate and drinke ●● the lords supper unworthily ?   . a. ● they that eate and drink unworthily at the lords supper , are guilty of christs body & blood , and eate and drinke damnation to themselves , if they repent not of it . k cor. . , , , . are● they ●●● guilty of the body and blood of christ ? yes .   and , do they not eat and drink damnation to themselves if they repent not of it . yes .   or , 〈…〉 to accuse them of such a sin●● no .   or is that too sort a punish them for such an offence ? no . a. when a man commeth to the lords supper , the things he must examine himself about , are l repentance and m faith , & n thankfulnesse , and o charity : for a man is no christian that is altogether without these . l luke . , . m iohn . . n col. . , . o mat. . . cor. . . q. what are the things 〈…〉 man must examine himselfe about , 〈…〉 to the lords supper ?     are they not repentance and faith , and thankfulnesse , and charity ? yes .   or , may a man come in his 〈◊〉 unrepented of ? no .   or , without faith in christ ? no .   or , without thankfulnesse ●o christ ? no .   or , without charity to men ? no .   or , is any man a christian that 〈◊〉 altogether without these ? no .   q. h●… a man examine himselfe about his repentance ●o , as hee may know hee doth ●…pent ?   a. a man may know that he truly repenteth , when he seeth sin p so odious , and so q mischievous , as he is it when he seeth sin so odious ●●● mis●●ievous as he resolveth   nothing shall make him willing to sin againe ? yes . r resolveth nothing shall make him willing to sin again p. ezek. , . q ro. . r esay . . ioh. , . hos. . . or , doth a man truly repent unlesse he see sin to be most odious and most mischievous ? no .   or , vnlesse he resolve against all sin ? no .   q. how may a man examine himselfe about his faith so , as to know he hath true faith in christ ?   〈…〉 man may know hee hath tru●… faith in christ , when s onely from his dea●… he looketh for pardon , and all good to h●… soule , and looking at that keepeth his soule from fainting utterly s phil. . , , , . is it not when he looketh for pardon and all good , to his soule onely from christs death , and looking at that , keepeth his soule from fainting utterly ? yes .   or , doth he truly beleeve that ioyneth any creature with christ in expectation of pardon and good to his soule ? no .   or , whose spirit so fainteth as he looketh not at all for any good from christ ? no .   q how may a man examine himselfe about his thankfulnes to christ so , as he may know he is truly thankfull .   a. a man may know he is truly thankfull to christ when he esteemeth christs love and u benefits above all others , and so desireth to x please christ in all things . t eph. , , . ●phil . . x cor. , , . is it when he esteemeth christs love and benefits above al others , and so desireth to please him in al things ? yes .   or , is he truly thankful that esteemeth the love of men or their benefits , more then christs ? no .   or , equall to them ? no .   or , any benefits in temporall respects , equall to christs ? no .   or , that is not moved by   christs love and benefits to de●… please him in all things ? no .   q. how may a man examine ●…selfe about his charity so , as he 〈…〉 know he hath true charity to●…d all men ?   a. a man may know he hath true charity toward all men , when he loveth x every one , y even those that have wronged him , as he desires z god or * men should love him . x james . , . y mat. . , , . z math. . * mat. . . ioh. . , . is it when he loveth every one , ●…en those that have wronged ●● , as he desireth god and men ●…uld love him ? yes .   or , hath he true charity that ●…ly loveth his friends who are ●…de to him ? no .   or , at the most those onely it wrong him not ? no .   or , pretending to love even ●●e that wrong him , yet his ●●art , and words , and dealings , 〈◊〉 otherwise towards them , ●…en he desireth from god and ●●th men as love him ? no .   finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- i ii iii. iv esay . esay . . ier. . heb. . ephes. . . the originall of idolatries: or, the birth of heresies a true, sincere, and exact description of all such sacred signes, sacrifices, and sacraments as haue been instituted and ordained of god since adam; with the true source and liuely anatomy of the sacrifice of the masse. first faithfully gathered out of sundry greeke and latine authors, as also out of diuers learned fathers; by that famous and learned isaac casaubon, and by him published in french, for the good of gods church: and now translated into english for the benefit of this monarchy; by abraham darcie. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the originall of idolatries: or, the birth of heresies a true, sincere, and exact description of all such sacred signes, sacrifices, and sacraments as haue been instituted and ordained of god since adam; with the true source and liuely anatomy of the sacrifice of the masse. first faithfully gathered out of sundry greeke and latine authors, as also out of diuers learned fathers; by that famous and learned isaac casaubon, and by him published in french, for the good of gods church: and now translated into english for the benefit of this monarchy; by abraham darcie. darcie, abraham, fl. . casaubon, isaac, - , attributed name. [ ], p. printed by authoritie [by george purslowe and miles flesher], for nathaniel butter, london : anno dom. mdcxxiv. [ ] not in fact by casaubon. original french title not traced. 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any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng catholic church -- controversial literature -- early works to . sacraments -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - andrew kuster sampled and proofread - andrew kuster text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the originall of idolatries : or , the birth of heresies : a true , sincere , and exact description of all such sacred signes , sacrifices , and sacraments as haue been instituted and ordained of god since adam ; with the true source and liuely anatomy of the sacrifice of the masse . first faithfully gathered out of sundry greeke and latine authors , as also out of diuers learned fathers ; by that famous and learned isaac casavbon , and by him published in french , for the good of gods church : and now translated into english for the benefit of this monarchy ; by abraham darcie . london printed by authoritie , for nathaniel bvtter . anno dom. mdcxxiv . to the high and mighty charles prince of vvales , &c. heire apparant to the incomparable monarchies of great britaine , &c. most mighty prince , heaven turning all the eminent dangers and perils , of your highnes famous travell to a strengthening and confirmation of your heroicall and magnanimous spirit , happily returned your highnes to your owne proper soyle with all true hearts , ioyfull cries , and inexpressible acclamations of your loyall subiects , who ( with the rest of gods people ) are euer bound to yeeld thankes vnto the lord ; in solemnizing that blest svnday whereon your highnes landed : i am bold at this your ioyfull returne , to present to your princely view , this excellent , sincere , and most learned worke , which may serue for a true and bright mirror , wherein cleerely to discerne the liuely portraiture of the true chvrch , by the foule and odious deformities of her opposite . a treatise so faithfull and rare , that it will absolutely resolue many doubts which vndoubtedly haue beene discussed in your highnes hearing ; and poynt out , as it were , with a diuine finger , the vncleane puddle and sinke , from which all moderne impurities in gods service tooke apparant originall . it was first published in french , and now by my willing indeauors exprest in english , out of a poore strangers zeale , and desire herein to make knowne to your highnes the inward loyall affection of my heart , wholly douoted to the humble obseruance of your high , and most deseruing titles , and illustrious dignities : resoluing euer both in life and death , constantly to perseuer your highnes most humble and deuoted prostitute , ab . darcie . a tres-pvissant prince charles prince de galles dvc de cornvall , yorke , et albani , marqvis d'ormont , conte de chester , &c. filz vniqve dv roy . charles stvart anagram . chast star rvle long , on your illustr'ous name , heav'n pleasing prince , accept this anagrame . at home , in forreigne parts , at sea , on land safe you haue stood ; so may you euer stand , to fright pale danger , checke sinnes surging seas , sinne that doth hourely seeke the sovles diseas ; the various changes of your fames bright story ; angels protect for that immortal glory : rich glittering star-light , ( sempiternall sence rauisht at sight ) of gods omnipotence : vnder whose sacred sempitern defence , long liue chast star , on earth , to rvle and shine eternally in heav'n , a star divine . in perpetvall honor and immortall fame of the right honourable , most pious , religious , and truly noble , the lords of the magnificent court of the most gracious and noble prince of great brittaine . sir thomas howard viscount andiver master of the horse to our gracious prince . robert lord carie baron of lepinton , chamberlaine to the prince's highnes . spencer lord compton master of the robes to his highnesse . iohn lord vaghan , controler of his highnes , illustrious and honourable houshold . and to the right generous , and most vertuous sir robert carr master of his highnes priuie purse , one of the gentlemen of the prince his bed-chamber . sir francis cottington , his highnes secretary , sir edmond varney . sir william howard . sir richard winn . sir william crofts . sir iohn north . mr. iohn sandelans . mr. francis carie . gentlemen of his highnes priuie chamber . mr. thomas carie . mr. george kirke . mr. archibald pitcarne . mr. endimion porter . mr. william mvrray . mr. iames leviston groomes of his highnes bed-chamber . mr. robert tervvit , and mr. iames bvy . quary to the prince . mr. peter yong . mr. peter nevvton . gentlemen vshers dayly wayter . mr. hvmphrey deticke , gentleman vsher quarter wayter . mr. iames eliot , mr. philip proger , mr. iohn portvis , groomes of the priuy chamber . mr. thomas german , page to his highnes . and to the most learned and pious , mr. doctor mavve , and mr. doctor wren , chaplaines to the highnes of prince charles . most worthy patrons of honovr , patternes of vertve , and noble louers of learning and good endeuours . abraham darcie presents to their iudicious viewes , this excellent worke by him translated for their honorable vse . wishing to their religious selues , with the rest of the nobles and worthy seruants of his highnesse that were in spaine with our prince , all externall , internall , and eternall happines in the holy trinity . to the honor and vse of the most illvstriovs , george , duke of buckingham , his grace : and to the right honourable the earle of arran , son to the marquis hamilton . william earle of denbigh , &c. henry viscount rochford , &c. sir henry rich , baron of kenzington . sir dvdly north . sir george goring . iames earle of carlile viscount doncoster &c. thomas viscount andeuer , &c. spencer lord compton . robert lord digbigh . sir robert carr . sir iohn north . sir william croft . sir francis cottington . sir edward varney . with the rest of the noble peeres and worthy gentlemen of great britaine , that were in spaine , to attend on the most mighty and gracious prince charles , our incomparable prince . abraham darcie humbly presents the translation of this excellent and rare worke to their honorable censure ; wishing to their noble , religious and vertuous persons all increase of true honor in this world , and in heaven infinity of those incomprehensible felicities , and eternall ioyes allotted to christs elect. most illvstriovs , right honorable , right worthy , no honors can bee comparable to those , which god most graciously returnes vpon them , who constantly in this world , aduance the true honor of his name , and confidently maintaine , against all oppositions , his sacred verity and truth . this famous monarchy hath alwayes , as vpon so many firme and noble pillars , committed the earthly foundation of gods church and flocke , to the religious care and honourable supportations of her noble peeres , out of which number , you are such patrons , as haue euer manifested a rare and confident protection of gods vnspotted religion and worship : but in your late honovrable employments in forraine parts , vnder our illustrious prince , they haue receiued a more apparent testimony of your true hearts religion and zeale , when soiourning for a time , ( as one may say ) in the very tents of kedar , and beholding with your bodily eyes , many superstitious idolatries , you yet retained firme and vnshaken , the treasure of a sincere faith , and inuiolable conscience , hauing conueniently — l'oevil av gvet , the eye at his sight-hole , ( as our french prouerbe termes it ) the better to discerne of all obiects , and with the surer ayme , to leuell all your honourable actions , and worthy designes . there is no doubt but your noble selues mette with many oppositions and encounters , by way of discussion and argument : but the scripture being a test & quadrant , by which they are not willing to trie , or square their proceedings , learned casavbon hath made a diligent search & inquisition of their owne registers , and records , and chiefly out of the volumes of the commentaries of elasopolitan , whereas by the direction of a diuine hand , may bee found out the birth and originall of all adulterous and strange adoration , from the first adam , to these our later times , but especially the sacrifice of the romane masse , is here most learnedly delineated to true life , from the cradle and infancie thereof , till now that it hath made so great and perillous a progression . the avthors are nominated the seuerall parcels set downe , as they were in seuerall ages annexed , the perspicuous difference betwixt it , and the infallible forme of the apostolicall , and primitiue christian worship is explained , with whatsoeuer else that meere hvmane tradition & invention hath vniustly vsurped , ouer orthodoxall , and vnspoated true seruice in the chvrch of god. so as clearely discerning the scandals , the scandalizers likewise are as plainely reuealed , and this christian domus deuisa in se : out of my humble and dutifull affection , i could not but commend this excellent treatise , to your honourable viewes , and learned censure , the which i haue studiously expressed in the english tongue , principally to manifest vnto all your lorships , my seruiceable and grateful heart , both to euery one of your honours in particular , as also to this happy kingdome in generall , to whose bounties and protection i stand deepely oblieged ; and as he , whose thoughts haue no higher scopes nor ayme , then iustly to bee reputed . yovr grace , yovr honors , and yovr worthines , most faithfull , and humbly deuoted , abraham darcie . the avthors epistle to the reader . most courteous reader , considering the controuersies and bloudy hatred grown betwixt those ( who professe themselues christians ) about religion , for they aspiring to retaine these vaine superstitions proceeding from their predecessors : and many also not contented , do inuent new sects , schismes and heresies : others ( least in number ) diuinely inspired , and of god elocted , desire to extirpate the darknesse of ignorance , thereby to cause resplendently to shine , the light , and claritie of truth : but it seemes , that the most dangerous poyson that satan vseth to entoxicate men with the venym of sedition , and cruell contention and hatred , deriues chiefly from the masse , desguised with some good meaning , masked and couered ( peraduenture ) with a good intention . and although that many heretofore haue by sundry faithfull descriptions endeueured to discouer to the world the deceitfulnes , error , and blindnesse thereof , yet could they not preuailc , nor giue light to their duskish and heauy sight . therefore now , without any passion , i haue faithfully extracted , and liuely drawne out , from the volumes of elasopolitan's comment aries : ( it is a large & faithfull description ; whereof the second volume treates of the constitutions of great pontiss , soueraigne priests , and sacrificers , as haue been ordained since the beginning of the world , and their true number power , riches and authority ; ( all for thy only benefit ) this sincere summary of the sacrifice , called the masse . in this treatise ( though little in appearance ) are designed and set downe all such sacred signes , sacrifices , and sacraments ordained of god from time to time : as also the corruptions that haue grown successiuely in the church of god : whereby i doe euidently shew the birth of all heresies and idolatries , and especially the true originall of the masse ; for the which the world is in great strifes , bloudy contentions , cruell diuisions , hatred , and lamentable ciuile warres : for some do inuectiuate & inueigh against it , alleaging that it is newly deuised and inueuted ; others defend it by prescription , and long possession ; and thus by such like altercations the christian church is sore afflicted with the yoke and terror of sedition . but if thou art a christian ( beloued reader ) of what sect soeuer , papist , or euangelicall ; i pray thee heartily , for thy owne good , to haue patience to reade this worke ; for by it thou mayest euidently know , and plainely discouer the very trueth of what soeuer thou standest in doubt of , what sacrifices , sacraments , and sacred signes haue beene instituted of god since adam ; what is the masse and originall thereof ; who were her founders , augmenters , and inuenters ; and to the end thou mayest firmely beleeue with assurance , all the contents herein mentioned , haue recourse to those authors out of whose bookes and workes i haue drawne and deriued it : their names and bookes are quoted in the margent . so ayming at gods glory and thy owne benefit , i rest with my prayers to god. to inspire thee with his holy spirit , by the intercession of our onely sauiour , redeemer , and mediatour iesvs christ . amen . the translator to the courteous reader , wisheth all sauing health in iesvs christ . wise politicians ( fauourable reader ) in their institutions , and gouernnement of common-wealths , doe hold for an infallible maxime , that to reforme corruptions and abuses in states , better course cannot be taken , then often to reduce things to their primitiue original ; because lawes at first enacted with good and profitable intention , in the reuolution of few yeeres , by mens instability and inconstancie of minde , or the peculiar interest of auarice by iniustice , are abrogated and neglected . the venetians beeing a people at this day celebrous , and famous for their gouernement , have a supreame magistracie , which they call a syndicate , that once in a few yeeres , suruey all the offices and dignities in their common-wealth , the duke himselfe not there excepted , to looke into abuses , and preuent their deepe roo●e and plantation ; that so all things may continue and stand entire , according to the rules and precepts of their first constitutions and ordinances . also a garden-plot , though neuer so curiously drawne or distinguished into borders , and set with all manner of odoriferous flowers , and wholesome herbes , yet euery showre of raine brings foorth new weedes , the which if they be not carefully , and dayly supplanted , will soone ouergrow the good plants , and bring the same to a wilde and sauage plot of ground . and though the ineuitable deprauation and corruption of mans nature carry so strong a hand in things transitory and mutable , yet one would thinke they should be more stable and prouident in those courses tending to eternall saluation , and soules reprobation , in obseruing those lawes and commandements , vttered by god himselfe , and recommended to all posterities for a square rule , whereby to measure our faith and actions . notwithstanding men are more prone to declination and corruption , in that from the very beginning , and first institution of the law mosaicall , till these present times , that for many ages haue receiued the cleere and manifest truth , and doctrine euangelicall , heresies haue euer crept in and caried too powerful an hand , as verity it selfe , like gold in the bowels and entrals of the earth , is encombred with a wonderfull deale of oare and drosse , which is not like to be separated till the last fire of tryall , which shall prooue euery mans worke , and cast out the drosse to be trampled and troden vnder foote ; wherefore ( christian reader ) for the better satisfaction and generall good of all gods church , i haue laboured to translate this curious and admirable master peece , most worthy and necessary to be obserued and read : for thou mayest , as in a miner , cleerely see and discouer the birth and the originall of this soule monster heresie , in the church , euen from the first ages before the written law , as also during the force and efficacie of the mosoicall sacrifices , and now in these later times more pertinent vnder the law and precepts of christs holy gospel , wherein are deduced the authors and founders of the romane masse . and what conformity it holds with the ethnicke-rites and ceremonies , and how farre a digression it hath made from the doctrine , life , and practise apostolicall , and the ages of the primitiue church , wherein the author euer hath abandoned all passion & partiality , and in ful proofes , cited none but either approued and authentike authors , as the ancient doctors and writers of the church , that liued before the present inundations of superstitious traditions . bring them to the text of gods word , compare them with the example of the prophets and apostles , obserue the customes of the primitiue churches and thus , by reducing them to their beginnings it will be , easie to iudge whether they stand still in that v● spotted integrit●e , or haue not adulterously prophaned the sincere worship of god , with many , and meere humane int●emions . if thou doest but vouchsafe the diligent and carefull reading hereof , i make no doubt but it will yeeld great comfort to thy conscience , & confirmation to thy faith , as that which will cleerely delucidate many hidden passages that haue not hitherto been reuealed : and if it may take this happy effect , i shall thinke my paines sufficiently requited and recompen●ed in all things , ayming at gods glory , and not mine owne . and thus i rest thine affectionate , and humbly deuoted , abr . darcie . a table of the contents of this booke . chap. . of sacred signes . fol. . chap. . of sacrifices . . chap. . of corruptions . chap. . corruptions punished . chap. . the ceremoniall law accomplished by iesvs christ . chap. . of sacraments ordained by iesvs christ himselfe . chap. . of the corruption of the sacrament of baptisme . chap. . of the corruption of the sacrament of the lords supper . chap. . the ancient religion of the romane empire . chap. . how the bishops of rome began their corruptions . chap. . the first greatnesse of popes , proouing antichrists , and bringing in the sacrifice of the masse . chap. . of the masse in particular , with her true original . chap. . the masse diuided , with the true nature of holy water . fol. chap. . the procession of the masse . chap. . the third part of the masse , that is , the altars and candles lighted . chap. . of incense and offertories , with other parts of the masse . chap. . of the round hoste , with the consecration of the same . chap. . of diuers parts and sundry ceremonies belonging to the masse . chap. . against idolaters antiquity , and long possession of the masse . chap. . against the idolatry of the round hoste . chap. . the inuention of transubstantiation , with confutation of that labyrinth of idolatry . chap. . comparison betweene the two holy sacraments . the birth of heresies : or , a true and faithfull description of all such sacred signes , sacrifices , and sacraments , as haue been instituted of god since the worlds creation ; together with the originall and true anatomie of the masse : as also the corruptions and abuses of all those holy things from the beginning . chap. i. of sacred signes . in the time preordained of god by his inscrutable and incomprehensible wisedome , ( when hee had created man to his true image and likenesse , the better to moue and incite him to feare and obedience , as also to make him partaker of his blessings , he gaue him some exercise of vertue whereby hee might acknowledge him his almighty god , and omnipotent creatour ) were ordained many signes , sacrifices , and sacraments : first , to our first father adam , to whom with his successors , corporall men , god allotted corporall signes , to approue the better of their obedience , to wit , trees planted in the middest of the orchard , and earthly paradise , which although they were not of any other qualitie then the other plants : yet notwithstanding being dedicated and consecrated of god for sacraments , or sacred signes , their qualitie was then for to serue as seales for the testimonie and approbation of his diuine wil and pleasure , which was effected by the infinite goodnesse and bounty of god , to make appeare and knowne , that the association , confederation and alliance contracted with man his creature , was ordained from time to time , yea , from the beginning of all times : thus , i say , were exteriour and corporall signes , which man could see and contemplate with his corporall eyes , constituted to serue for an assurance , pledge , and hostage of the diuine couenant . these trees and substantiall fruits ordained for our first and common father , were committed and giuen vnto him to keepe , without diminishing , eating , or wasting of them , vpon paine of eternal death . wherefore wee must in faith beleeue , that they were not vaine signes and sacraments , or as a meere and simple picture , but whereas life or death depended on them : they comprehended both the signes and thing signified ; wherein consisted the knowledge and wisedom to feare god , and obey him . and therefore they were called the fruits of the knowledge of good and ill , & the trees of life ; for in the careful keeping of these sacred fruits , and obeying god , there was promised etetnall life ; whereas on the contrary , by abusing the sacrraments , and opposing the will of god , there was intimated to vs by exteriour signes , that eternall death and damnation was purchased . for other exercises required of man towards god , concerning the reuerence , honor & adoration of him , many and diuers sacrifices were celebrated , euen before the law , written by moses . and though god almighty , creatour of heauen and earth , needs not any humane workes , or to bee nourished with the bloud of beasts , or with terrestriall fruits , yet hee had alwayes a desire to draw man vnto him , in an externall obedience and feare , by signes , sacrifices , and sacraments : so as the sacrifice of lambes , offered by abel , were agreeable and pleasing to god. noah in like manner , after the inundation of waters past , in signe of his recognition and obedience towards god , erected an altar , immolated an offered sacrifices of vnspotted sheepe and birds , whereof hee made a reall holocaust acceptable to the lord. by which examples we may easily discerne , that sacrifices tooke not their beginning in moses time , but that innocent and iust lambe was prefigured in abels sacrifice , as a type of iesus christ , slaine and offered from the beginning of the world . after the rigor & iustice of the deluge was appeased , that hapned for a punishment of tyrants offences on earth , in signe of a reconciliation , & couenant renewed , our good god ordained the signe of the rainbow , for a pledge and assurance of his diuine mercie . this signe and celestiall bowe , though it formerly appeared in thicke cloudes , beeing a notice of raine to ensue , notwithstanding it was not as yet constituted nor appointed to serue man for a signe or sacrament , vntill the time that it was by god ordained for an assurance of the couenant contracted with the good father noah , and his successors . after this , with the faithfull patriarch abraham , there was another confederation and alliance contracted by the wisedome of god , who , for a pledge and assurance to him and his posterity , constituted the externall signe of circumcision , to serue him for a sacrament , and a perpetuall notice of gods holy will and pleasure : and so he was enioyned to circumcise the male infants within the eighth day of their natiuitie , vpon paine of being reiected from the number of those people whom god had adopted . then followed to his posterity afterward , called the people of israel , the sacrifice of the immaculate lambe , which was ordain'd by the shedding of bloud , to preserue them from the appointed slaughter in egypt : as also the flesh thereof was appointed to bee eaten , and celebrated festiually euery yeere , on the day called the pascha , or easter ; for a signe and commemoration of their deliuerance from pharaohs seruitude : and to the participation of the flesh of this paschall lambe , was annexed the vnleauened bread for seuen dayes , on paine of death . other sacred signes were sent by god to his elect people , to winne them continually to his feare and obedience : as the signe of the cloud , to conduct the people by day ; and the flaming and fierie pillar , for their guide and direction by night ; and all to deliuer them out of the hands of the tyrant pharaoh . then followed the signe of the diuision of the arabicke red sea , ouer which the elect people of god passed . by all which admirable signes , it pleased god to prefigure the holy sacrament of baptisme , instituted afterwards by the elementall signe of water , which is the washing of regeneration , and the renouation of the holy ghost . now during the time that this elect people of god were detained in the arabian desarts , and barren wildernes , they had prouision of heauenly bread , wherewith they were nourished for fortie yeeres , which was also holy a sacrament , instituted by the power and will of god , and held in so high an admimiration , that each one amongst the people said , man-hu , what a wonderfull thing is this ? they saw celestiall manna exhibited to them without trauell , a figure of the bread of life , which came downe from heauen , giuing life to all the faithfull . another wonderfull signe there was ordained by god , of the rocke gushing out with cleere water in mount horeb , to quench the peoples thirst , who were very dry , and almost stifled with heat . this was a signe and figure of the true rocke iesus christ , out of whom came bloud & water , to quench perpetually the thirst of sinners , and refresh our soules . chap. ii. of sacrifices . besides these signes and sacraments aboue-mentioned , which were onely by god ordain'd : there was also a law enacted & published for sacrificers by moses , as signes , figures , and shadowes of that absolute sacrifice , consummated by iesus christ ; so that sacrifices were either publike , or priuate ; generall , or particular . some were holocausts , being sacrifices that were wholly consumed with fire : others consisted of beasts slaine and immolated to eate , there were earthly and ayerie creatures . amongst those terrestriall , were the most obedient and obsequious beasts ; as the oxe and the calfe , the hee , and shee goat : and so likewise amongst fowle , the most mild and gentle ; as the pidgeon , and turtle . of sacrifices againe , some were publike , and others priuate or particular : those publike were either quotidian or euery seuenth day , either at new moones , or in times of fasting : but they were chiefely celebrated at three festiuall times of the yeere ; which were : first , the dayes of vnleauened bread , when the paschall lambe was offered , and eaten . secondly , the time of haruest , and first fruits . and thirdly , at the feast of vines , and oliues , towards the end of the yeere . they were commanded to immolate euery day two lambes ; one in the morning , another in the euening , after the altar was first perfumed , with incense and odours . some of the sacrifices also were ordain'd , for corporall things , which were celebrated with shedding of bloud , other sacrifices were without bloud for things incorporate . sacrifices named holocausts concerned onely the honour of god , because the whole oblation was consum'd in the fire . for which holocausts , the male , and not the female was receiued as an oblation , that is to say , the oxe , the lamb , or goat of a yeere old . in the sacrifice for health , it was a matter indifferent , whether the oblation were male or female : but of the victime offered , three parts were reserued for the priest , which was the fat , the two rumnions , and the kidney , or fillet of the kidneys . there was another difference betweene the sacrifice for health , and that celebrated for sinne : for in the one , they were inioyn'd to eate vp all the oblation in two dayes ; and in the other for sinne , the priest was commanded to eate it vp in one day : and by this meanes some sacrifices were termed holocausts : some were ordained for health , other some for sinnes . sacrifices for sinne were diuers , both in respect of the persons , and of the oblations . for he that offended out of ignorance , his expiation was celebrated with a female sheepe or goat : but the expiation for voluntary and wilfull sinne , was with a male sheepe . the high priests sinne was expiated by the sacrifice of an immolated calfe : that of the prince with an hee goat , or bull : that of a magistrate , with an hee goat ; and the sinne of a particular man , with a female oblation . the sacrifice for expiation of offences towards god , was with a ramme . the sacrifice of a man polluted , was also with a female sheepe or goat : and for a womans expiation after child-bed , was a lambe of yeere old , a yong pidgeon , and a turtle . for the clensing of the leprous were appointed two liuing fowles , pure and cleane , cedar-wood , and hysop , two whole lambes , and a female sheepe of a yeere old , with meale and oyle . another sacrifice was celebrated , for a man or woman polluted , by shedding his seed , or her menstruall bloud ; with two turtles , and two yong pigeons . if the great oblations failed , they had recourse to doues , pigeons , or turtles , or for holocausts : others , maintenance . in all sacrifices there was pure flowre , vvithout leauen , salt , incense , and oyle : and nothing was permitted to be offered vpon the altar , with leauen or honey . notwithstanding in the sacrifice constituted for the purification of a woman suspected of adulterie , there was neither incense , nor oyle , as in other sacrifices ; but it was offered with water , mingled with the dust , or ashes , gathered vp from the floore of the temple . there was also another sacrifice , celebrated for those that had made some great vow , called nazareans , when the time of their deuotion was expired , wherein they were appointed to offer three victimes , a lambe of a yeere old , a sheepe , and a ramme : the one , that is , the lambe , to serue for a holocaust : the other , of a female sheepe , for saluation , and the third oblation for health . furthermore , his haires that made the oblation , were to be cast into the fire , to be burned together with the holocaust . i was willing particularly to discourse of the diuersitie of sacrifices , that hereby i might make knowne the great goodnesse , and bounty of our god : who in the law of sacrifices , publisht by moses , meant to curbe and reyne in the rude people of israel , as it were with a bridle , who could not forget the aegyptian idolatries , wherein they had beene nourished and bred , for foure hundred and thirty yeeres , vnder the tyranny of the pharaohs . but what rigorous lawes soeuer enacted : what ceremonies or sacrifices soeuer he did ordaine them : this people euer made a relapse into their idolatry , abusing the law of god , and corrupting the holy sacraments , and sacrifices , as hereafter shall be expressed . but if any man desire to know more at large , the multitude and varietie of sacrifices : let him reade the bookes of philo the iew ● ; and of iosephus in his antiquities of the iewes , according as moses hath expressely written in the bookes of leuiticus , and numbers . there was another signe and sacrament instituted of god , by the arke of couenant , described in exodus , being a sacred signe , and dedicated to receiue celestiall diuine oracles , to the end to induce the people to a remembrance , feare , and obedience of god to accompany and honour the arke of couenant , many other externall signes were constituted by god , as the ornaments and consecrations of the priests ; especially that ornament called the ephod : both which and the sacrifices , the israelites abused and prophaned with their idolatries . another sacred signe there was , of cleansing water , or water of expiation , instituted by god , for moses and aaron the high priest . this cleansing or purifying water was consecrated , with ashes taken vp by an vnpolluted man , of the oblation offered in the holocaust , that is to say , of the whole red cow , without spot , not hauing euer bin exposed to labour . the fire ; for the burnt-offering was ordained to be of cedar-wood , hysop , and of purple-crymosine . polluted men were sprinkled ouer with this water , for an expiation and purgation of their corporall blemishes . at the entry of the tabernacle , or temple , there was a kinde of lauer like a font of brasse , forged at first of seeing glasses , of the israelitish women . in this lauer or holy-water font , was put this water of purification , where with the priests besprinkled themselues , before they celebrated their sacrifices , to the end they might be purified , and obtaine grace and remission of sinnes . after the death of the high priest aaron , the israelitish people , ingratefull towards god , for the benefit he sent them , murmuring when they were wearie of the heauenly manna , which hee gaue them bountifully for their sustentation , they were punished with the stingings of venemous serpents . but god being mercifull , gaue them a sacred signe , to bee preserued and restored to health , that is to say , the signe of the brazen serpent erected vp on high , which was a figure of iesus christ crucified . this in briefe is the greatest part of the signes , sacrifices , and sacraments , instituted by god , in the first church of the israelites , being figures of the true and perfect sacrifice , accomplished and immolated by iesus christ , the true messias , the eternall priest , who sits at the right hand of god his father . chap. iii. of corruptions . now wee must succinctly produce how man by his owne fault falling into obliuion and disobedience against god his creator , abused herein diuine fauour and grace , and corrupted the sacred signes , sacrifices & sacraments , by him ordain'd and instituted . for else what perswaded our first father and his wife eue to hide themselues , when they heard and were set in the way of god , but that they had abused his sacred signes , and violated the law of those fruits prohibited and forbidden them ? this holy signe which our first parents so alienated and abused , was the originall of other vices and corruptions hereafter described , wherein two men are falne , hauing a rellish of the corrupt masse in adam . omitting the particular corruptions of signes , sacrifices , and sacraments , before the law written by moses , we will begin in setting downe briefely , the most notable errors committed by the greatest sacrificers , kings and priests , with others , that had the gouernment and charge of the people . when moses remained in mount sinai , to receiue the commandements from god , his brother aaron the high priest caused a golden calfe to be framed , of the earings deliuered vnto him by the people of israel , hee built an altar , offered incense , and celebrated sacrifice , causing the common people to adore this image . was not this an abusing of the sacrifices ordained by god , and a corrupting of their true vse , procuring the same to be ador'd , which before was it selfe offered , and immolated , according as the custome was ? his sonnes also , nadab , and abihu , were they not consum'd with fire , because they adulterated the true vse of sacrifices , and tooke vnconsecrated wood , by corrupting the instituted law ? the people of israel ingratefull for the benefit receiued , in being deliuered from pharaohs captiuitie ; did they not murmure against the holy sacrament of celestiall manna , when they contemned and despised this bread of life , crying out for flesh to eate ? achan the sonne of charmes , did not hee violate the law of sacred signes , when hee committed sacriledge , by detaining the spoiles of iericho , which were vowed and consecrated for sacrifices to god ? if any man more curious , desires to see the abuses and corruptions continued by the same people , let him reade the histories of the iudges of israel , and he shall perceiue , that in all ages men haue neuer been content with the true adoration instituted by god ; but in stead of externall signes constituted by god , to drawe the people to his feare , and obedience , they haue forged and brought in their owne inuentions : and in stead of reuerencing the altars , and the arke of couenant , in the name of the lonely one god , which were externall sacred signes , the israelites mis-led by the idolatries of their neighbours , the syrians , sidonians , moabites , ammonites , and palestines , erected altars to strange gods , to baal and astaroth . iephta iudge , and conductor of the israelites , did not he corrupt the law of sacrifices , when he offered vp his owne daughter , excusing himselfe by a vow he made , which was not so enioyned him by god ? the sacred signe ordain'd for the high priest , and sacrificer , in celebrating of sacrifice , called the ephod , seruing for an externall ornament , was it not abused by gideon , captaine of israel , when of the spoiles of the madianites , and their earerings , hee forged an ephod of gold ; by meanes whereof , the people fell to great idolatrie ? how long was this externall signe of the ephod abused , when an image was thereof erected in siloe , by the mother of michas : so that priests were expressely instituted to sacrifice thereunto , and an altar edified ; and thus was the true vse of holy sacrifices corrupted ? while the temple continued in siloe , into what depraued and adulterate rites did the priests and sacrificers fall , who were appointed , and ordained for the celebration and ministerie of holy sacrifices , and sacraments , when by long custome , they vsurped this priuiledge ouer the people , that when the sacrifice was solemnized , and the flesh of the oblations was a boiling , their sonne or seruant hauing a trident or iron hooke in his hand , he had the libertie to rake out of the pot or cauldron , whatsoeuer he could bring vp with his hooke ? moreouer , with more extreme leuiticall tyrannie , this seruant of the priests had the priuiledge , to demand of the celebrater some flesh to roast for the priest , or else he might violently take whatsoeuer he listed . were not these wonderfull abuses , and detestable corruptious practised by the sacrificers and high priests , vnder the pretext and colour of sacrifice ? what groffer corruption can be mentioned , then that of the children of eli the high priest , nam'd ophni , and phinees ; who , vnder the colour of deuotion , committed infamous whoredoms , with the women that watcht neere to the holy oraculous signe , instituted by god. for which sinne , they were lamentably slaine , and the arke of couenant violently taken away by the philistims , who erected it in the temple of their idol dagon . but god not permitting this sacred signe to the thus prophaned , he caused the image of dagon to fall downe , and sent grieuous punishments vpon the philistims , so as they were constrained to re-deliuer vp againe the arke of gods couenant . this sacred signe was so precious and estimable , that being but abused and prophaned by the bethsamites , that were not of the order of the leuites , fiftie thousand of the common people , and seuenty of the most apparant and remarkeable amongst them , were by diuine reuenge cut off by sodaine death . this example may make them tremble , that presume to profane the fignes and sacraments instituted by god , vzza also , for abusing the same sacred signe , though it were with a good intention , to ease the arke of the couenant , that leaned too much of one side , was he not punished with death ? for other prophanations committed by the israelites , there are examples of osias punished with leprosie ; for adulterating the sacrifices , and assuming the ministerie of incensing , allotted onely to the priests . saul the first elected king of the israelites , was put to the sword , and his kingdom succeeded to another , as was foretold him by samnel , in that he prophaned the sacrifices , and permitted his subiects to commit the like abuses . his successors to the kingdomes of the lewes , and israelites , did they not perseuer in their abuses and corruptions of the sacrifices and sacraments ordained by god , when they celebrated sacrifices to the gods , astaroth the god of the sidonians ; chamos , of the moabites ; and melcom , or moloch of the ammonites : building temples and oratories for them , offering incense , and solemnizing sacrifices to them ? ieroboam king of the israelites , did not onely erect a golden calfe , as the high priest aaron formerly did ; but hee set vp two golden cowes in the two temples of bethel , and of dan : he instituted strange priests , corrupted the law of god , and caused sacrifices to be celebrated after the manner and forme of aarons . this idolatrie and corruption of sacrifices was continued by the israelites for more then foure hundred yeeres , during the reignes of their kings , who had taught them to adulterate the true manner and forme of sacrifices , in particular chappels and oratories , edified on the tops of hilles , and consecrated in shadie forrests , violating the law of sacrifices ordained for the holy temple , in the sacred citie of god : for particualr examples of abuses committed against the true vse of sacrifices , we reade an historie of maacha , the mother of king asa , who caused an image to bee erected to god pan : she consecrated and dedicated vnto him a shadie forrest , and celebrated to him sacrifices . achab another king of the israelites erected an altar , and procured sacrifices to bee solemnized to god mars , otherwise called baal ; to whom hee dedicated and vmbragious groue , to please herein his wicked wife iezabel . hee also built another temple and altar to the god of the tyrians , ordained sacrificing priests , and instituted about . false prophets . his sonne & successor ochosias , instructed by his father in corrupting the true vse of the sacrifices , caused men not onely to immolate to baal , who signified mars , but perseuering still in farre greater corruptions , he built another temple to the god of the acaronites , called by iosephus , myos ; and by the grecians priapus , to which god hee offered sacrifice . and to bee short , what more abominable corruption can bee imagined , then the inuention of purgatory fire , which the israelites abused , causing their children to passe through the middest of the fire , in tophet , a valley belonging to the sonnes of ennon , sacrificing to god moloch ? this corruption of sacrifice , though it had been practised since moses time , notwithstanding the idole of moloch , in the valley of ennon , was not demolished till the reigne of good king josias , more then nine hundred yeeres after moses . neuerthelesse , this abuse hath been continued by the arabians and africans , euen to this present day ; for the alcaronists and mahumetans are of this beliefe , that the soules of the dead shall passe through fire , to bee purged and purified of their offences . by this briefe collection wee may cleerely discerne , how from the beginning of the world man hath fallen by his owne defect into this gulph of the error and corruption of sacred signes , sacrifices , and sacraments instituted for him , by god. but the most capitall abuses ; from whence the original of all idolatry deriues , haue proceeded from this , in that , carnall and fleshly men haue bin alwayes more addicted to visible signes and externall ceremonies , then to things signified and intimated in sacraments ; for in stead of circumcising their hearts , and casting off the old skinne of sinne , to bee regenerated , and purified by the bloud of the heauenly oblation offered vp before all ages , they haue taken and vnderstood the circumcision carnally , for nothing but the corporall foreskin circumcised . for did they follow the interpretation of god hereof by moses , which was to circumcise the prepuce of their hearts ? did the people of israel giue credit to the good prophet ieremias , who admonished them of the spirituall circumcision , and to circumcise the foreskin of their hearts , in casting off the old skinne of their corrupt nature ? the like hath hapned in sacrifices and sacred signes instituted by god , for signes of that sacrifice consummated in the sacred person of iesus christ : for carnall man had reference to the corporall bloud of the terrestriall beasts , whereas man should haue raised vp his spirit to heauen , to haue apprehended what was presigured and signified , by the immolation and oblation of beasts . and therefore diuine iustice is denounced by the prophets ; what neede haue i , saith the lord god , of your sacrifices ? i am angry with the oblation of your sheep ; i take no more delight in the bloud of oxen , nor of lambes , and sacrificed goats . why labour you to erect altars to mee ? i le none of your vaine offerings and oblations ; i abhorre your incenses ; i cannot endure your new moones , your sabbaths , your assemblies , nor your feasts : all this is but vanity . i haue conceiued an hatred against your feasts of new moones , o you israelites , and your solemne celebrations . i am weary with hauing endured so much : you are ready to addresse vnto mee your prayers , but i will no more heare you , for the abuses you haue committed , by your hands full of blood : i will accept of no bull hereafter , from the house of israel , because sacrifices are not pleasing to mee . i take as much delight in the sacrifice of an immolated oxe , as in the murder of a man slaine : and in the oblation of incense , as in the adoration of an idoll : wherefore then , saith god , take you so much paines to hunt after incense from saba , and for odours out of a farre countrey to mee , to celebrate sacrifices that are not pleasing to mee ? who incited you , o israelites , to erect images to the god moloch , and to the starre of romphan , during the time you were in the desarts , where i fed you with my heauenly manna ? your feastes are odious to mee , your holocausts , oblatio ns , and sacrifices for safetie i will reiect ; your offerings displease mee . by what meanes therefore must wee present our selues before god ? must it bee by oblations of heifers of a yeere old ? doth god take pleasure in the great number of sheepe sacrificed to him , or in the abundance of consecrated oyles ? shal i offer vnto him , saith the prophet , the first born , for remission of sinnes ? our good god herein clearely expresseth what he would haue vs to follow ; which is equity , to loue mercie , and to humble themselues before him with a contrite heart : obedience is better then sacrifice , or the fat of sacrificed sheepe . what mooued god to refuse the sacraments and sacrifices by himselfe ordayned , but onely the abuses and corruptions the israelites had committed , vnderstanding too carnally , the signes and ceremonies therein concurring to drawe them onely to true feare and obedince ? for , in stead of comprehending what was figured in the signes and corporall sacrifices , they relyed on the flesh of immolated beasts : whereas they should haue circumcized the prepuce of their hearts , they depended meerely in carnall circumcision , and in the meane while strayed from the true adoration of god , in repairing to the creatures , as to the starres , and the queene of heauen , and to other strange gods , offering incense to them , building of temples , instituting of priests , chaplaines , and sacrificers , making oblations , and celebrating sacrifices to them . and then further , to heape vp all corruptions , they offered sacrifice with the bloud of innocents , offering , and causing them to passe thorow the purgatory fire , in the valley of tophet . for the abuses also committed in the holy sacrifices , sacred signes , and oblations constituted for god , it was said to the people of israel by the prophets , that god would haue no more of their feasts , of their new moones , nor of their celebrated sacrifices , by bloudy and idolatrous people . chap. iiii. corruptions punished . after that the inscrutable wisedome of god knew the obstinacie and infidelity of the israelitish people , which perseuered still in committing idolatrie , by corrupting the sacred signes , sacraments , and sacrifices ; and in stead of acknowledging gods infinite goodnesse , that had freed them from the tyranny of pharaoh , and fedde them in the desart ; who had brought them into a promised fertile land , and had so many times assisted them in the warres , against their neighbours , the canaanites , moabites , madianites , philistines , ammonites , syrians , sydonians , and other enuious people , and enemies : this rude and ingratefull people continued still in their idolatry , instructed by their priests , sacrificers , princes , and kings , without returning to the true adoration of one onely god : for this cause , after great mercies shewed , and long expectation of a iust & rigorous iudge , who by all courses of correction was desirous to reduce his people by diuine particular inflictions ; which was , by excited wars , by captiuities , & seruitudes , by diuisions of the kingdom , distributed between roboam and ieroboam , successours to salomon , who fell to extreme idolatry , by intestine and ciuill warres , growing betweene the same people , diuided in themselues , and by other vsuall scourges , to chastize those whom god meant to fauour , for the reducing of them vnder his feare and obedience . at last , this people beeing too much obdurate , and inueterated in their idolatries , were brought into miserable seruitude vnder the tyranny of the vnbeleeuing assyrians , the idolatrous babylonians , and their kingdomes wholly extirpated . but some pretty while after , when the same people by the speciall mercy of god , were deliuered out of the hands of these infidell tyrants , restored to their liberty , and countrey of promise , they againe fell to idolatry more then before , vnder the gouernement of their sacrificers and high priests , which confounded the spirituall and temporall together , so farre as to inuest themselues with the royall scepter , and diadem . then came in the heresies of the pharisees , the sadducees , the esseans , galileans , masbutheans hermerobaptists , and samaritanes , corrupted through the diuersity of strange nations , hauing subdued , and inhabited the countrey of samaria next to iudea . for the babylonians worshipped succobenoth for their god . the cutheans of persia had for their god , nergal , or nergel . the hamathensians called vpon their god asima . the ananoys worshipped nebahaze , and thartace . the sepharuamensians , held for their gods , adramelech , and anamelech ; to which gods they sacrificed their childrē , causing them to passe through the fire . wherefore , when all kind of idolatry was thus spred among the israelites , when the sacrifices were absolutely corrupted , the sacrificers became mercenary , auaricious , tyrants and idolatrous . the people made tributary to the tyrants of rome ; the countrey of judeae reduced to a prouince , next to that of syria , vnder the subiection and power of the romanes ; as also the order and law of electing high priests adulterated , and their dignity quite bastardized , so as without any respect made of the race leuiticall ; the sacrificers were constituted by the consuls , and deputies of rome at their pleasure , and whereas before they were permanent during life , they now became annuall . when the royall scepter was alienated from the progenie of judea , their kingdome wholly subuerted , as before was prophecied : the incomprehensible power of god was reuealed by his sonne , begotten before all ages , who humbled himselfe to take vpon him humane flesh , in the wombe of the virgin , to redeeme his people , and to restore them to grace and fauour with god. chap. v. the ceremoniall law accomplished by iesus christ . now , as in adam , through his preuarication and sinne , and in abusing the sacred signes committed to his guard and custodie , as the whole masse of humane flesh was tainted with the leauen of sinne ; so by the second adam iesus christ , wee were againe by grace purged from all our offences . to our first and generall father adam , was giuen the sacred signe for an exercise of obedience , and other sacred signes to his successors , sacrifices , and sacraments instituted by god , the tree of life , the fruits of the knowledge of good and ill ; the rainbowe ; circumcision ; the vnspotted lambe ; the vnleauened bread ; the cloude ; the pillar of fire ; the red sea diuided ; heauenly manna ; water out of the rocke ; the oblations & holocausts of beasts for sacrifice ; the arke of couenant ; the brazen serpent ; the temple edified in the holy citie : all which sacred signes , sacrifices and sacraments , were figures of that which was accomplished in iesus christ . for first hee was the true tree of life , planted in the middest of the paradise of god , in and by whom , wee that were bastard slips , haue been engraffed , to obtaine eternall life : hee committed to our keeping the fruits of the tree of wisedome , by his holy gospel commanding vs to preserue it entirely , without adulterating or corrupting the same , without adding or dimishing there-from , vpon pain of eternall death . hee was as the rain-bow , extended all ouer the aire , to assure vs of the league and couenant contracted between god and vs , that we should no more be drowned in the deluge of sinne : he was circumcised , that the law in him might be accomplished , that so the prepuce of our hearts might be circumcised , and to make vs cast off our old corrupted skinne in adam . hee was like the flaming bush , incarnate in the wombe of the virgin , conceiued by the holy ghost , without the seed of man ; the sacred virgin , like the bush , remaining notwithstanding entire , and not consumed . he was sacrificed , like the iust & innocent lambe , and his blood shed , to preserue vs from the tyranny of satan , and to open vnto vs a passage , whereby we may enter into the land of promise , the heauenly kingdome . hee is that true vnleauened bread which came downe from heauen , incorrupt and vnspotted ; of whom we must eate for our spirituall nourishment ; that we may celebrate the feast of that miraculous passage from pharaoh , in the land of true liberty . hee was the cloud , the firie pillar , the diuided red sea , which conducted and deliuered vs out of the hands of our enemies ; out of whose opened side , came water and bloud for our saluation . he was the heauenly manna , sent from heauen , to feed vs for euer ; and the true rocke , out of which issued water , to quench their thirst for euer , which beleeue in him . it was he , that onely offered vp the sauing sacrifice for the expiation of our sinnes ; both priest and sacrifice , both the offerer , and the oblation ; remaining an eternall high-priest , at the right hand of god , his father ; beeing entred into the holy and heauenly sanctuarie , not built with mens hands , but by the hand of god. he was the true arke of alliance and couenant , by which god reuealed and manifested his oracles ; and in him he did reside , to accomplish his diuine and incomprehensible mysteries . he was like to the brazen serpent , fastened to the crosse , to giue health vnto the sicke , which returne to him , and contemplate on him by faith. he was the true temple of god , wherein the holy ghost dwels , one god in trinity ; in , and by whom god is onely adored . he was the true and sacred oblation , of whom the reall water purgatorie was made , for the purgation of euery blemish . himselfe , with his owne ashes , that is , with his immolated body , besprinkled and wet with water issuing out of his side , all people and nations that beleeue in him . chap. vi. of sacraments ordained by iesus christ himselfe . the law ceremoniall beeing by this meanes accomplished , not in figures , but really executed , by the incarnation , death , and resurrection of jesus christ , our sauiour , our mediator , our eternall priest and propitiator ; the infinite goodnesse of god was yet further reuealed , by the new couenant , new alliance , and new comming of the sonne of god , incarnate : for , by his new testament , ratified and confirmed in the death of the testator ▪ he hath constituted vs as heires and coheires to god , in his heauenly kingdome . for assurance of this celestiall succession , purchased for vs by grace , after the consummation of the law ceremoniall , and the same abolished ( as we haue formerly declared ) through that perfect sacrifice of the priest eternall ; there were left vnto vs two sacred signes or sacraments , wherein god bestowed greater fauour , and more speciall grace , then he had done before his incarnation : for hee hath freed vs from the seruile law of circumcision , from the difference of meates , and diuers sacrifices ordained in the first church of the israelites : and by easing vs of this waighty burthen , hee further conferred vpon vs a greater comfort ; in constituting , for a memoriall and remembrance of our regeneration and eternall life , two holy sacraments , vnder two sacred signes ; which are , the water of baptisme , and the bread and wine in the communion of his body . now , that his grace might be extended to all nations , god thought good to make choice of the most familiar and ordinary signes and symboles : for circumcision was a speciall marke for abraham and his posterity ; to which circumcision , other nations were not accustomed ; though herodotus , a grecian borne , in an history he wrote of the aegyptian manners , specifies their manner and custome of beeing circumcised , but especially the priests : and we may easily coniecture , that he had heard of it , at the time when the iewes dwelt in aegypt for the space of yeeres , and obserued circumcision . moreouer , circumcision was appointed onely for the males , and not for females : there was a limited time appointed for circumcision ; which was , within eight dayes after the natiuity ; and the cutting of the fore-skin , was with griefe and paine . but the grace of god , by his incarnation and plenary sacrifice , hauing abolished the rigor of the law ceremoniall , as well for difference of meates , as of daies ; he left vnto vs by his new testament , and new alliance , the sacred signe of water , common to all , both male and female , without any distinstion of dayes ; and the infant , by the sacrament of baptisme , feeling no paine , as it did by the circumcision of the fore-skinne . this signe of water , intimating vnto vs the purgation and expiation of our sinnes , through the bloud of iesus christ , was common , not onely among the iewes , who vsed ordinarily , water purgatorie , and of expiation ; but the gentiles also , and all other nations , were accustomed to a lotion and purgation of cleansing , and purgatorie water , as we may perceiue in reading ancient histories . wherefore , to the end that gods grace in iesus christ , might generally bee spred oner all the earth ; to all nations , regions , and prouinces ; both to the circumcised and vncircumcised ; to the iewes , and to the gentiles ; god made election of the most common signe of water , the more freely to expose himselfe vnto man , and to win him to his feere and obedience . by which signe , he hath instituted his holy sacrament of baptisme , for an assured note and marke of our regeneration and purification , sacramentally conferred by the power of the holy ghost : in which sacrament , god doth warrant vs his helpe and assistance , so ingrafted and regenerate in iesus christ , to be made and renewed the members of his members ; and to receiue vs , as clothed anew , and reincorporated by and through him . the like reasons may be produced , for the other holy sacrament instituted by god in his new testament , which is that of bread and wine : which signes symboles , and externall elements , all nations were accustomed to vse , in their sacrifices , oblations , and ceremonies belonging to their religions ; both circumcised and vncircumcised , both iewes and gentiles : as also , the two specificall refections for the nourishment and sustentation of men , are comprehended vnder these signes of bread and wine . our good god therefore , for these reasons , desiring to draw all nations to himselfe ; to nourish , and minister vnto them most necessarie prouisions , he instituted the communion of the body and bloud of our sauiour iesus christ , vnder the symboles , sacred signes , and sacraments of bread and wine : and looke how we are assured by the outward marke and character of water in baptisme , to bee regenerate and incorporated into the body and blood of iesus christ , represented in this sacrament of consecrated water , by the power of the holy ghost ; so are wee nourished by the communion of his body and bloud really presented to vs , in the consecrated bread and wine , for our spirituall foode , liuing and eternall , by the vertue and power of the holy ghost : wherein god hath shewed vs this speciall fauour , to discharge vs of all bloudie sacrifices , ordained in the first church of the israelites , who were charged with sundry and diuers sacrifices , celebrated with the bloud of many earthly beasts shed , according to the diuersitie of sinnes and offences , and of persons that had offended . all which sacrifices were consummated and abolished , by shedding of the bloud of that iust and innocent lambe , iesvs christ ; who , by his perfect sacrifice , hath absolutely abolished all other sacrifices , reseruing to himselfe , the dignity of high and eternall priest , placed at the right hand of god the father . but so much hee hath fauoured vs , that in stead of abolished sacrifices , hee hath instituted two holy sacraments heretofore mentioned , for an infallible assurance of our regeneration , purgation , adoption , and of our nourishment and eternall life bestowed vpon vs by the blood of our sauiour iesus christ . chap. vii . of the corruption of the sacrament of baptisme . as the israelites being too grosse and carnall , relyed too much on externall signes , hauing corrupted the true vse of sacrifices , and sacraments appointed for them by god ; so such like abuses , yea , farre greater corruptions haue happened in the two holy sacraments , left vnto vs by the new testament of iesus christ . for in the sacrament of baptisme , which succeeded in the place of circumcision , man conceiued of a foule and wicked masse , could not bee contented with the holy institution from god , but quickly depraued and defiled the vse of the holy sacrament of baptisme , by coniurations , exorcismes , mixtures of salt and oyle , waxe candles , extreme vnctiōs , breathings , babies , or puppets , with a thousand cruzadoes in the forehead , in the eyes , on the backe , on the stomacke , on the shoulders , and at the mouth , and all to driue away deuils . for the messalian heretikes , authors of exorcismes of cruzadoes , affirmed , that euery borne infant , was borne with his peculiar daemon , or deuill , which cannot bee driuen away , but by coniurations and exorcismes . by this meanes the holy sacrament of baptisme came to bee corrupted , euen to the adding and annexing of syriacke words of driuell , and purgatory-spittle . what greater corruption can bee imagined , then such abominable inuentions ; as if the bloud of christ iesus were not sufficient for our regeneration and purgation ; and that god of himselfe were not powerfull enough to engraft and regenerate vs , by the sacred signe of water , representing the bloud of iesus christ , but that there must bee exorcised spittle , and driuell , oyle , salt , puppet-images , creames , torches , waxe-candles , milke , or honie , inuented and deuised by other heretikes ? some also there bee more subtill magicians , pithagoreans , instructed in the messalian heresie , haue added to all this , the pronouncing of the deuils name twenty times , to exorcise and coniure him , as ●e that associates the male infant when hee comes to be baptized ; and thirty times they vtter it , at the baptizing of a daughter . was there euer so detestable a corruption in the sacrament of circumcision ? wherefore , o you messalians , haue you foysted in oyles , into the holy sacrament of baptisme ; imitating herein the heresie of marcus , and marcosus , who commanded that infants to be baptized , should bee anointed ? the sacred signe of water , instituted by the hand of god , was it not sufficient to signifie the precious blood of iesus christ , for our regeneration and purification , without intruding of fattes , oiles , spittle , and other mixtures inuented by the corrupters of sacraments ? the body and bloud of iesus christ , wherewith wee are clothed anew by the sacred water of baptisme , was it not powerfull enough , and efficacious , to preserue vs from all tempests , without borrowing of your exorcismes and vnctions ? and yet , for a further corruption and abuse , women were permitted to baptize , conformable to the errour of the marcionists , quintilians , cataphrigians , montanists , pepuzians , priscilians , and artotirites . were women euer admitted by the law of god to minister the holy sacraments , or sacrifices instituted in the first church of the israelites ? or in the new testament of iesus christ ? in the historie of moses it is reported , that his wife sephora excited with feminine furie , tooke the stone or knife wherewith shee circumcised her sonne : but it is not written , that shee , or any other like her , were euer permitted to administer the holy sacraments . out of these corruptions in the holy sacrament of baptisme , many heresies were raised by the catabaptists , anabaptists , antipedobaptists , with other heretikes , and schismatikes , who were not satisfied with gods pure and sincere institution , but regarded more exteriour signes , then that which in them was spiritually represented . whosoeuer desires to vnderstand more particularly , the abuses and corruptions , inuented and deuised in diuers ages , out of the variable humours of men , let them read our ecclesiasticall commentaries . wee must now at this present descend to the corruptions in the other holy sacrament of the supper , and communion of the body and bloud of iesus christ . chap. viii . of the corruption of the sacrament of the lords supper . wee may euidently discerne by this succinct discourse , how weake and mutable man is , euer abusing and alienating the graces of god. for as the people of israel , from the beginning of the law and institution to them recommended , corrupted the true vse of sacrifices , sacred signes , and sacraments ordained of god , so hath it falne out to the law of god by iesus christ , hauing constituted a forme of communicating his body ●and bloud , vnder the symboles and sacred signes of bread and wine : which holy sacrament began to bee alienated , euen in the very times of the apostles , by the corinthians ; against whom saint paul wrote epistles , to reduce them to the sincere and true obseruation of this holy sacrament . wherefore , let no man hereafter thinke it strange , if the apostles successors haue from time to time adulterated the true vse and rite of this holy sacrament ; and the further off they were in the present age of their liuing , from the reigne of the apostles of iesus christ , the more easily they fell into corruptions ; yea , such as were most abominable ; hauing conuerted the sincere vse of this sacrament , into a gulph and precipice of all idolatry . first of all , what an alteration happened in the church , next and immediatly succeeding the apostles , touching a comprimission of dayes , when this holy sacrament was to be celebrated . sabatius the heretike instituted the celebration of the passeouer , with vnleauened bread , after the manner of the iewes . some of his sect ordained , that this holy sacrament should bee solemnized the fourteenth moneth , as the iewes did . policrates , bishop of the ephesians , was said to bee of this sect ; philip hiropolitan , policarpus , truscas , melitus , and narcissus bishop of ierusalem ; victor bishop of rome , eleutherius his predecessor , and theophilus bishop of palestina were of a contrary opinion . this difference continued for more then three hundred yeeres after the apostles time . others celebrated the passeouer after the aequinoctiall season , when the sunne entred into the signe of aries : and others obserued the moneth xanthicke , called by the romanes , aprill . some affirmed for example the quartodocumans , how they were informed by s. iohn , to celebrate it in the fourteenth moneth . the romanes vaunted that they were taught by s. peter and s. paul , whereof notwithstanding no manifest proofe appeared . the phrygian montanists condemne the quartodecumans , which obserued the fourteenth moneth ; and that they ought herein to bee gouerned by the course of the sunne , and so to begin it at the springs aequinoctiall : and for this reason they celebrated it the eight of the ides of aprill , which was the fourteenth of the said moneth , though it fell vpon a sunday . and there was not a contention onely touching the administration of this holy sacrament , on the seuerall dayes assigned for celebrating thereof : but there was likewise a notable deuision among the christians , about the ceremonies inuented , whereby worthily to receyue the same . for some , as in particular , the romanes , obserued the fast , or euen , three weekes before the day it selfe of easter . the illyrians , and all greece , as likewise the alexandrians , instituted a quadragesima , to fast for sixe weekes . some others ordained a seuen weekes abstinence , with an intermission from fiue to fiue dayes . then was another iewish ceremonie restored , the more to corrupt the holy sacrament of the supper , through diffrence and distinction of meats . for some prohibited during the feast , the eating either of fish , or flesh : others forbade the vse of flesh onely , permitting men to eate fish , or fowle ; which they said , according to moses , did participate of the substance of the water . some in like manner ordained , that men should only eate bread and water : others fasted till noone , without any distinction of meates . and to resolue briefly : there was in the beginning , an infinite number of corruptions and customes , in the communion of the holy sacrament of the supper , by meanes of the ceremonies renewed , about difference of daies and meates , abrogated by the grace and law of iesus christ . but was there any holy apostle of god , that euer left in writing any law or cōmandement , for distinction of daies and meates , in celebrating the holy supper of iesus christ ? their intention was not to institute a religion of feasts , a distinction of dayes and meates : their doctrine onely aimed to instruct men how to liue well ; and that one onely god was to be adored and worshipped . wherefore , we must necessarily hereupon inferre , that the ceremony and festiuity of the pascha , or easter , proceeded from a custome ; for none of the apostles left any thing thereof in writing . to qualifie such dissentions and corruptions , many councels were assembled ; one , at sangariae in bithinia ; by which , to auoid all contentions , euery man was apermitted to celebrate the passeouer , when he would . another councell was held in cesarea , by theophilus , bishop of that place , and by narcissus , bishop of ierusalem . another councell there was in achaia . and another councell was conuented at rome , by victor , bishop of the same place . after these petty corruptions , there succeeded greater from time to time , according to the humors and affections of the bishops of rome . alexander , . of that name , being raised to the superintendencie of the romane church ; one of the first successors to the apostles of iesus christ , and one of the first corruptors also of the holy sacrament of the supper ; inuented the mingling of water with wine , before the communion : wherein , hee went about to reforme the holy gospell of iesus christ , which instituted the communion of his body and bloud , vnder the two kindes of bread and wine ; but alexander added thereunto a third kind , which was water . he also renewed the iewish ceremony of vnleauened bread , wherewith to celebrate the passeouer , as the iewes did ; following herein the opinion of the ebionites , who taught , that the ceremoniall law of moses was necessary for saluation : as also , symmachus the hereticke in palestine , taught the like . if iesus christ was circumcised to fulfill the lawe of moses , must it therefore be requisite to vse circum●nmcision ? as also , if it were his pleasure , for accomplishing the law of ceremonies , to vse one daies appointed vnleauened bread , must wee needs therefore returne to the rigour of this ceremonie , abrogated by the complete sacrifice of iesus christ ? in what place of scripture did alexander learne to mingle water with wine ? and to restraine christians to vnleauened bread ; as also his other inuention , of driuing away diuels with salt water exorcized ? as for the purgatory water by him ordained , wee will hereafter deriue the originall thereof from numa pompilius , that great magician , and romane idolater . but touching the mixture of water with wine , he might peraduenture be instructed by the ancient idolaters ; who , in celebrating their sacrifices , were wont , in a chalice , to consecrate water with bread : especially vpon the festiuals dedicated to the sunne , which the persians worshipped , called by them , mythros . and in the feast of the nephalies , they also vsed water for sacrifice . with this comparison , iustine martyr relates the custome obserued amongst idolaters , and by christians , in the consecration of bread , wine , and water : by the one , which is to say by the idolaters , in the name of their idols ; and by christians , in the name of their true god. and yet this first corruption in the administration of the holy sacrament , by the mixture of water with wine , perseuered not without contradiction : for the greekes were of a contrary opinion ; and that it was not requisite to brew water with wine , neither would they herein follow the alexandrian corruptions . amarcanus was of the same opinion as alexander ; affirming , that the mixture of water with wine was necessary . scotus the subtile sophister , absolutely denied , that it was necessary to mingle the water with the wine : because , saith he , it cannot then be changed , nor transubstantiated into bloud , except the same were first changed into wine . some others , more ingenious , laboured to interpret this institution of alexander , by alleadging , that the wine was conuerted into blood : but as for the water , it was transubstantiated into the water that came out of christs side . this first corruption of alexanders , gaue occasion of many other succeeding abuses : for some other more profound impostors deuised to mingle with the wine , bloud , that was taken from yong infants , wherewith to besmeare the bread of the holy supper of iesus christ as the cataphrigians , who brought in a kinde of transubstantiation of wine into bloud , really and corporlly . some others added cheese thereunto , called artotirites ; which is to say , cheese-bread-mongers . certaine also abusing this holy sacrament , in stead of wine , put in water , vnder pretext of the greater abstinence . others had an institution of steeping bread in the wine , the which custome the messalians also retained in their missall sacrifices . for another detestable corruption of this holy sacrament , some popes of rome forbade their messalian sacrificers , not to administer to christian people , whom they call lay-men , the body of iesus christ in both kindes , but onely vnder the sacred signe of bread , and not of wine ; which they reserued for their messalian sacrificing priests . is not this corruption directly against the holy gospel , and institution of the supper of iesus christ , ordained and commaunded , that all faithfull men should eate his body , and drinke of his blood ? when he tooke the cup , did he not vse these proper words ? drinke all of this wine , in memoriall of my bloud shed ? vsed hee any other words for the eating of his bodie in the symbole of bread , then hee did of his blond , vnder the signe of wine ? for if wee compare the sacred signe , ordained by god in the church of the israelites , being a figure of the communion of the body of iesus christ , which was the true paschal lambe , whose flesh was ordained to bee eaten without exception of persons , so they were circumcised ; was there euer any difference in the eating of the paschall lambe , and the celebration of the passeouer among the iewes ; betweene the leuites being of the race of sacrificing priests , and others of the common people ? to bring in another odious corruption , the messalians instituted in their missall-idolatries , to sacrifice and offer the body and bloud of iesus christ , reiterating by this means the sacrifice fully consummated by iesus christ , which cannot bee reiterated , because it was , not according to the forme of aaron , but of melchizedec , the eternall sacrifizer and priest , without leauing any successor . as also when the apostle admonished the corinthians to celebrate sacredly the supper of iesus christ , were they commanded to sacrifice ? no ; but to eate , and communicate together of the body , & to drinke of the blood of iesus christ . the beginning of the supper , was not to kill or immolate , or to sacrifice any beast , or oblation to god ; but onely to eate and drinke at his holy banquet , prepared for vs by iesus christ , the eternall sacrifice , and sacrificer ; who reserued onely for himselfe this eternall priesthood ; yet neuerthelesse , hee left vnto vs a sacred institution of a banquet , set before vs in the bread and wine , which represent his body and bloud . after these aboue-named corruptions , satan , a diligent babylonian architect , employed all his power and means , to rayse an inexpugnable fort of idolatry ; to the end that hee might wholly demolish and subuert the kingdome of iesus christ , when hee vndertooke to suborne the masse , in stead of the holy sacrament of the supper , as wee will briefly produce , and so clearely , that the most hard-hearted pharaohs inueterated in their ancient idolatries , shall by the trueth of histories acknowledge their errours , and abominable heresies . chap. ix . the ancient religion of the romane empire . before my deciphering of this labyrinth of errour , wherein the messalians did so lose themselues , i thinke it verie requisite succinctly to lay open the ancient religion of the romanes , during the reigne of the occidentall empire : and of the emperours vsurping both the temporall scepter , and the dignitie of high priests , superintendents ouer the romane church and religion . all of them , as well as my selfe , will confesse , that the ancient romane religion was either wholly , or for the greatest part instituted by numa pompilius , the second king of the romanes , about seuen hundred yeeres before the incarnation of iesus christ . then were your high priests inuested , which afterwards were reduced to a certaine number , euen to foure : then the number was augmented to eight : and afterwards by silla to fifteene . in the colledge of priests , there was one pontifex maximus , who was chosen by the other inferiour priests , of their order and dignitie ; euen as the pettie priest purple-cardinals make the election of their great romane pope , out of their place , order , and dignitie . this pompilian religion was so religiously obserued by the romanes from father to sonne , as it was neuer possible to irradicate , or supplant it : but it continues euen to this day , as euery one shall manifestly discerne by this succinct narration . to confirme this point , no man can be ignorant , if euer he read the romane histories ; but that , before the incarnation of christ , there was not so much as one king , consull , dictator , or romane emperour , instructed in the law of god , but all were idolaters and infidels , obseruing the religion of that magician , numa pompilius . for since the incarnation of iesus christ , for the space of three hundred yeeres , or thereabouts , there was not likewise any emperour , or romane consull , that changed his religion , to embrace the law of iesus christ : but , on the contrary , they strayn'd all their might and power , to put in practice what cruelties soeuer against the church of iesus christ ; which may bee iustified by the ecclesiasticall histories : wherein are explained , about eleuen seuerall great persequutions , vnder the romane pontifes ; which were , claudius , tiber. nero , claud. domitian . nero , flau. . domitian . traian . elia. adrian . antonine the philosopher , septimius seuerus , jul. maximin . mar. quint. traian . decius , licinus , valerianus , valerius aurelianus , and dioclesian . all which emperours gouerned both the empire , and the superintendents ouer the romane religion for three hundred yeeres after the incarnation of iesus christ ; and in their coynes , sepulchres , monuments , titles , and letters patents , they retained the stile of great pontifes , and high priests : as is most diligently collected in a booke of the antiquities of rome , wherein are specified the medails , coynes , and monuments of the ancient romane emperours , all which were enstil'd pontifes , vnder these titles : iul. caesar . pont. max. tiber. nero pont. max. vesp . caesar pont. max. marc. aurel. antonine . aug. ponti . max. heliogabalus high priest : aug. adrianus jmp. pontif. max. tit. caes . pontif. max. commod . jmpe . pontif . max. galerius maximianus pontif. max. elauianus constantinus , aug. pontif. max. beeing therefore in this manner emperours , and romane pontifes , they neuer would permit any other head aboue themselues , in the church and religion of rome , which in all ages was an enemie to iesus christ . for when the apostles preached christ to bee the high and soueraigne priest , the eternall and great sacrificer , without successour , after the order of melchizedec , the romane tyrants tooke occasion , or at least their lieutenants , to condemne iesus christ , for feare of impayring the authority of the caesars high romane pontifes . with what fury for the space of three hundred yeeres , were they excited against christians , and the religion of iesus christ , to maintaine their ancient pompilian religion ? what answere was giuen to the emperour theodosius , by the senate and senators of rome , when they were mooued to change their religion , and imbrace that of iesus christ ? they shewed how they had bin in possession of their pompilian religion for more then a thousand yeeres , and that the alteration of religion , was the ruine of common-wealths . for these reasons persisting in their old romane religion , they forbare to receiue the law of iesus christ . chap. x. how the bishops of rome began their corruptions . by these histories we may easily resolue , that during foure hundred yeeres and more , the bishops of rome , who tearmed themselues christians , could neuer draw the senate nor senators of rome , to entertaine the holy gospel . as also they could hardly conuert the romane idolaters from their old and inueterate idolatries . for the bishops of rome were too busie in restoring the iewish and heathen ceremonies , about difference of meats , touching ordinances not to fast on sundayes or thursdayes ; to inuent table-●lothes , vailes , vessels of gold and siluer , on hangings , tapistries , and other ornaments of the altar , worne out with old age , and to be burned , and the ashes to be laid vp in fonts . some also were mightily busied to renew the iewish ceremonies of vnleauened bread , hauing their mindes greatly turmoyled to corrupt the true vse of the holy sacraments instituted by god , by the mingling of water with winae , nd seasoning water with salt , to make it purgatory , and exorciz'd for the repelling of deuils . othersome in like maner tooke great paines to ordaine ephods of fine linnen , wherin to wrap the sacred host : also to constitute aubes , and other vestiments for the priests in their sacrifices , of white , & no died colours . some had their braines troubled to deuise feasts of dedication , and consecration with exorcismes , to driue away deuills with salt : and othersome to inuent oyles and vnctions , wherewith to corrupt the holy sacrament of baptisme . then afterwards during the time of these tyrant emperours , and great pontifes , the bishops of rome , desiring to perpetuate their names , they wore out their braines in building of temples , not to the honour of god , but to the names of men , and women , saints by them cannonized , at their owne pleasure . others were occupied in ordaining and decreeing , that the consecrated bread or wine falling to the ground , should be licked vp by the priests ▪ and the rest remaining to be burnd in the fire : and the ashes to be reserud in a reliquarie . some looke out for chalices , that they should be of glasse , and not of wood. others instituted solemne ceremonies for the foure seuerall seasons of the yeare , to bring christians by this meanes vnder the seruitude of destinction of daies . others were studiously employed in ordaining the oblation , and consecration of beanes : to solemnize funeralls with purple habites , after the forme of a vestment called trabea , which idolaters vsed in their triumphs celebrated to the honour of their gods. the like purple ornament is in vse at this day amongst the cardinals . others were occupied in deuising confirmation for little infants , and to consecrate the creame for bishops only , also to honour extraordinarily the bishop of hostia , by whose hands the bishop of rome is to be consecrated , with a kinde of mantle called pallium : and to inuent a number of other vnecessary ceremonies , yea such as were opposite to the euangelicall libertie , ginen vnto vs by iesus christ . how was it possible therefore , for the first bishops of rome to drawe the princes and romane senators , to the law of the gospell , for three or foure hundred yeares after the incarnation of christ , when they laboured nothing else but to corrupt the vse of the holy sacraments , to restore the iewish ceremonies , and the idolatries of the ancient heathen romanes ? they may here obiect one philip , which some vaunt , was conuerted to holy baptism , whose depraued māners gaue occasion to the most authentick historiographers , to esteeme him vnworthy of the name of a christian ; whereunto they adde constantine the great , that assembled the counsell of nice , but his residence was in greece , called the empire of the east , and yet he would neuer embrace the character of baptisme , to be regenerate by the blood of christ , till he was threescore and fiue yeares old , when he was baptised by an arian bishop of nicomedia , named eusebius : when the same constantine was at the point of death . wherefore syluester bishop of rome need not vaunt of conuerting this emperour to the faith. for the same siluester likewise would not be present in the assembly of the counsell held at nice , in the yeare of iesus christ . howsoeuer the matter stands , we must euer haue recourse to the truth of histories , wherein is recited the answer which the senate , and senators of rome made to the emperour theodofius more then threescore yeares after the death of the said constantine the great : to wit , that they would not receiue the law of iesus christ , but rather obserue their ancient pompilian law , to auoid the ruine of their common-wealth through a change , and alteration of religion : wherefore it must needes bee inferred , that the law of god was not receiued nor approued at rome , by the senate and senators . now we must come to the subsequent times . after the decease of theodosius , the romane westerne empire began so much to decline , that in a short space , it was cleane extirpated by the vandales and alands , who were the first that sacked rome , in part burned it , and carryed away the emperour theodosius owne daughter , whom they married to atolphus king of the gothes . not long after succeeded the hunnes , and then attila king of the gothes , which vsurped italie . about this time the occidentall romane empire was stript of all germany , dacia , sarmatia , and all other tributarie prouinces euen to dannbius . spaine also , aquitane , gascoyne , burgundie , and all the gaules reuolted from the romane tyrannie . then came the astrogothes with their kings , valamir , and theodemir , theodoric , with other barbarians and infidels , as likewise the visigothes , all vsurpers successiuely in italie . after this raigned totilas , who entred , sackt and burnt rome , and all sicilia . at last the lombardes came to raigne , conducted by their king alb●im , who vsurped ouer all italie . these barberous , idolatrous , and infidell nations were as gods scourges , ordained to punish the romaine idolaters committed by them , who had receiued the knowledge of the holy gospell : and yet ranne astray from the true adoration and worship of god , violated and corrupted the holy sacraments by their humane inuentions and fictions : in like manner to punish the obstinacie , and infidelity of the emperours and senators of rome , who first by their officers , and lieuetenants deputies , had caused iesus christ , and his holy apostles to bee crucified : daily persecuted the christians , and euer opposed the law euangelicall , to maintaine their pompilian religion . we may therefore resolue , and conclude , that for the space of foure hundred yeares , the romane church of emperours and senators were alwaies opposites and enemies to the law of iesus christ . afterwards when the vvesterne empire was extinguished for three hundred yeares or thereabouts , that rome , and all italie was rulde and gouerned by kings , princes , and dukes , that were infidels , and idolaters , which was by the vuandales , by the gothes , by the hunnes , ostrogothes , visigothes , and lumbards , for the space of seauen hundred yeares or thereabouts after the iucarnation of iesus christ there was no emperours , kings nor princes at rome , that would embrace the law of iesus christ . the which i desired briefly to produce , to the end the reader ▪ might not thinke it strange , though i here set downe how the sacrifice of the masse tooke originall , from the auncient ethnicke religion , instituted by numa , more then seauen hundred yeares before the incarnation of iesus christ : and that since also the same sacrifice hath beene continued by the romane idolaters , hardened and inuerated in their pompilian religion , which they would neuer abandon nor giue ouer . chap. xi . the first greatnesse of popes ; prouing antichrists , and bringing in the sacrifice of the masse . now , to the end nothing might be concealed out of the romane histories , to obscure the clearenesse and sun-shine of truth , during the tyranny and vsurpation of the aboue mentioned nations , there was erected in italie a petty exarcate at rauenna , which stood for an hundred eighty three yeares , till it was supprest by a pope , who was inuested in the same , & encroacht vpon st. peters chaire , by a donation or dismission wrought by pepyn in the yeare . in requitall of the tyrannie vsed by zacharias , a greeke romane pope , who depriu'd ▪ the true heires of the crowne of france , which were chilperio , or childeric , whom hee shut vp in a monasterie , to conferre the kingdome vpon the said pepyn , sonne to charles martell the bastard . this donation of pepyns bestowed on the great romane pontife , was the first originall of the exaltation and eminencie of the romane popes , who to this day remaine the exarcate of rauenna , since about eight hundred yeares , with many townes along the coast of the adriatick , assign'd ouer to them by pepyn , against the expresse prohibitions of constantine , then raigning emperour of the east in greece . while this pettie exarcate continued at rauenna a long time before pepyns donation , the bishop of the place seeing that there were no more experors at rome , tyranniz'd and gouern'd by barbarous and miscreant nations , began to lift vp his hornes , so as hee would be preferred before the bishop of rome , and stile himselfe head of the church , both he and his successours bishops of rauenna , while the exarcate lasted . this was the first petty antichrist that assum'd a tyrannie in the church , pursuing the terrestriall tyrannie of his exarcate . after him rose another great antichrist in constantinople , named iohn , bishop of the place : who perceiuing the occidentall empire of rome cleane extinguished , and that of constantinople risen to a great heigth , he grew also affected to worldly tyrannie , and conformable therevnto erected one spirituall in the church of iesus christ . by a councell held for the purpose , hee denounced himselfe to be oecumenicall bishop , which signifies generall , and head of all the church . but presently after , the great romane pontifes tooke so good a course herein , that by treason the emperor mauricius was cruelly slaine in constantinople , himselfe , his wife , and family , by that wicked phocas : who , for recompence of this abominable murther committed , by the notice and intelligence of their church of rome , alwayes contrary to iesus christ , caused boniface the third of that name , to be declar'd head , and generall of the church of god , vsurping the authority of the great and eternall sacrificing high priest , the onely spouse , and head of his church iesus christ . who could better resemble antichrist then he that assumes a tyrannie in the church of god , a poligamie in the church , the spouse of iesus christ : ascribing to himselfe that power , which iesus christ reseru'd for himselfe , to reside perpetually with his church , by the power and vertue of the holy ghost , for the conduct and gouernement of the same . may not he rightly be term'd antichrist , that labours directly to oppose the holy gospell of iesus christ , who forbad his apostles , when hee sent them to preach the word , that they should not constitute a monarchie in the church , as the princes , kings , and tyrants of the earth are wont to doe ? that none of them should presume to bee called head , or greater then the rest ; but that they should all be humbled as brethren : being assured that they had one onely head , and one heauenly father , who would dwell and continue with them for euer , to conduct and inspire them in his holy will ? is not he truly an antichrist , that will terme himselfe to be iesus christs successour to the chiefe pontificacie , and to the soueraignty of priesthood by him administred , which dignity he reseru'd onely to himselfe , he remaining eternall and high priest for euer : who left no successour in his dignity , as aaron and his successours did , to the dignity of the iewes high priesthood ; but according to the order of melchisedeck , king , and high priest , without any successour in his dignity . wherefore o you romane antichrists , why haue you assum'd the dignity of high priests , as heads and soueraignes of the church of god , and vsurpe the authority of iesus christ , causing your selues to be entituled , most happy , and most re●erend fathers , and popes , hauing founded a colledge of petty purple pontifes , to elect a great pontife or high priest : but to the end to renew the auncient ethnick romane religion of numa pompilius , the first founder and erecter of your pontificall dignities . about the same time that this cruell murtherer phocas set vp antichrist in the romane church , mahomet rose vp in the church of arabia , instructed by sergius a monke , about the yeare . for this apostaticall heritick perceiuing the whole law of god to be corrupted by humane traditions , and the holy gospell contemn'd : also the sects , and diuers heresies , planted as well by the iewish pharisies , esseans , saduces , masbuthians , galileans , hemerobaptists , and samaritanes : as also by christians , the symoniackes , nicolaitans , cerinthians , menandrians , and ebionites , the valentinians , cerdonians , marcionists , montanists , cataphrigians , tatians , eucratites , seuerians , artemonists , porphirians , helchefaites , nouatians , sabellians , chiliasts , paulianists , manechees , antomousiastes , arrians , eunomians , macedonians , eunomiotheophroniens , eunomeoeutichians , aetians , donatists , luciferians , patripassians , or theopachites , photinians , marcellians , paulosomosetans , apolinarists , iouianists , pelagians , platirians , anthropomorphites , nestorians , sabbatians , acephalians , acarians , olympians , quaternians , monothelites , and other hereticks , hauing corrupted the true vse of the sacraments ordayned of god. and seeing also , that the sect of the messalians , especially prospered in their ceremonies , taken partly out of the iewish law , and partly from the panyme idolatries , hee inuented the high decrees of the alcoran , wherein hee employed many chapters and articles called azoares , which are like canons and rules of the mahumetan religion . this briefe and compendious discourse of the romane history , i thought requisite to recite , before i began to discribe the originall of the sacrifice of the masse , : that thereby i might induce the reader no vnderstand the truth of the matter : how the romane empire was gouern'd till the declination of the same , which was about the yeare of christ . and how the barbarous idolaters vsurpt it since , for the space of . yeares : as also the antichrists haue beene rais'd , which still enioy it at this day , and haue done for some fiue hundred yeares past . chap. xii . of the masse in particular , with her true originall . for beginning to this our briefe missall treatise , we must first expresse this terme of masse , called by the ancient romanes missa . some haue preferr'd this missall sacrifice , to take originall from the hebrewes : alleadging that place of daniell , when he speakes of maozin , as if by maozin they would signifie the masse . but this word in sence , stands farre from the missa or masse : and there are some hebrew words which come farre nearer to it , as messa ; which by enterpretation is conculcation : of which word mention is made in the historie of the kings of israell . there is also an other hebrew word very conformable to the vulgar terme of messel , which is missal , and that is hell , or the graue . but i suppose the great romane pontifes would not deriue the originall of the sacrifice of their masse , from the hebrewes , because then they must acknowledge the masse , or their missell , to be a conculcation or extortion , and hell , or a graue . and to speake but truth , the author of the romane religion numa pompilius , neuer thought of the hebrewes , when he first instituted the masse : neither can this word missa , or messe , take originall from the greekes . because there is no sacrifice of this name or title , though some haue brought in a colourable reason from this greeke word myzein , which is to say in french ; to hide or keepe in secret : as if the messalian sacrificers receiued from the auncient idolatrous greekes , to mumble secretly the principall words of their masses , that the auditors might not heare them : but they vsed to murmur and whisper betwixt the teeth , the canons , and some speciall words , which neither themselues , nor they that looke on vnderstand . neuerthelesse , neither the hebrew nor greeke words cannot properly be applyed to the missall sacrifice . and therefore we must repaire to the true etimologie of the word missa , or messe , drawne from the ancient latine romanes , who vsed these words , missus , missa , missilis , and missio : euen as in french we have messager , message , and messiues , for letters sent . wherefore , when the ancient romane idolaters meant to dismisse the assistants at the sacrifices celebrated , they pronounced in the end these words . i. licet missa est : depart , t is permitted , and so the assembly was dismist to goe home . but in time , because this note signified a pleasing release of the people , to goe home to their houses , being a chearefull , and acceptable sound , it was supprest , and the sacrifice honoured with this terme of missa . to confirme this point , two thousand yeares being now come and gone , these words are pronounced at this present day . ite , missa est , which signifies a leaue giuen to the company or assembly , to depart : so as they themselues , which frequent these temples , so soone as they heare this pleasing note , ite , missa est , commonly they skip and leape for ioy , being assured that they are then licenced to goe to dinner . the arabians , and mahumetists , instructed for a long time by the monke sergius , as formerly we cited , hold this word of messa in great esteeme . by which word they haue nominated three townes or cities called messa , scituated vpon the ocean shore , vpon the cape , where mount atlas takes his beginning . neere to the same townes , in the suburbs , there is a temple much reuerenced by the turkish idolaters , because they beleeue , that from messa should come the righteous pontife , promised and prophefied of by mahomet : they also thinke , that about that quarter or shore of messa , ionas was cast vp againe , after his being swallowed vp by the whale . furthermore , they so highly esteeme this name of messelmans , as we doe the name and title of christians . intimating by this word messelman , as much as saued . moreouer , the mahumetists honoured their priests with the name of messe , calling them messen , and their temples messites , or meschites : wherefore , they that publisht the anatomie of the masse , the centons , the foundation , augmentation , and embellishing thereof , could not but write with speciall reuerence , in respect of the ancient pompilian religion and the alcaron , institutions of mahumet . after we haue thus decided the word of messe , or of in the romane tongue , to be deriued from the auncient romane idolaters , and not from the hebrewes not the greekes : we must now discend to the vestments of these missalian sacrificers . but by the way , we must not omit the name of pontife , or pontifex , taking also it 's originall from the romanes , as we declared in our commentaries . the stile also of pope proceeding from the ancient idolaters , who vsed to ●nstile their god iupiter , calling him pope iupiter , but especially the bithinians and scithians . which word papa , comes from the greeke word papus : which is to say , great father . as also the true title subscribed to any sutes presented to the great romane pontife , is : most blessed father . the next purple pontifes are termed , most reuerend fathers , and petty bishops , reuerend fathers : all of them retayning this word father , or pope , great father , which was wont to be a common name to all bishops : but afterwards the great romane pontifes reserued it onely to themselues . another title is also retayned for the demie bishops termed curates , who are superintendants in euery parish , borrowing this nomination , from the ancient romane curates : which is to say , a rasing , or shauing , because the ancient curions and sacrificers were cut , and shauen in their heads , after the babilonian manner , or of the herculean pontifes , called for this reason stephanophores , as wearing a crowne vpon their heads . neuerthelesse , by the reason that all the members of the missall sacrifice , deriue from the pompilian religion● , wee should wrong the ancient romane idolaters , to take from them the originall of these names masse , pontife , and curate , as may be iustified by the romane histories . as for the vestment of missall sacrificers , numa ordained that it should be white , called by the latine word alba , an aube : which name of aube continues to this day , for the vestment of him that sacrificeth and celebrates masse . moreouer , aboue his aube , the priest was appointed to weare a tunickle painted , and aboue that the ornament of a pectorall of copper or brasse , afterwards changed into gold or siluer , which the missalists terme a chasuble . they also vsed a vaile to couer their heads , when they sacrificed called amictus , first instituted by aeneas . these are the principall vestments , instituted by numa more then . yeares before the incarnation of iesus christ . t is true , that since , there haue beene many iewish ornamens added , as the stole , ephod , zone , or centure , the myter or theare , and some other decorations , the better to pownce , and set forth the great babilonish whore . but the missalians desirous to alter the original of their missall vestments , pretend that the aube is a figure of iesus christs conuersation in the flesh , or the purity of his body incarnate in the wombe of the virgine . others interprete the white colour , to signifie chastity and continencie . some minding to mocke , and make playes sophistically of the passion of iesus christ , say , that by the aube , the white robe is represented , which was offered by herod to christ , when he was sent back againe , like a foole to pylat . philo the iew , a more worthy philosopher , in his treatise of dreames , subtilly deuiseth , that the aube signifies the solidity of the most resplendant light of the dyetie , which he calls ens. the linnen also whereof the aube is made , they expresse for the subtilty of the scriptures . as for the amict inuented by aeneas , they adulterate it , for the vayle wherewith christ was couered , when the iewes mocking him in caiphas house , did smite him . titilman one of the subtilest missalians , deuiseth , that in the amict , christs deuinity , concealed in his humanity , was intimated . some likewise confesse , that the amict was subrogated in stead of the iewish ephod , by the zone , maniple , and stole , which are three ligaments , they vnderstand the three cordes wherewith christ was bound ▪ and drawne before the high priests : and after that , before the romane lieutenants in iudea . biel another pregnant missalian , by the zone , conceiues the rods wherwith christ was scourged : by the stole , extended in forme of a crosse , there was signified the gibbet or crosse , which christ bare vpon his shoulders . the maniple also which he weares on his left arme , to figure the band of loue , wherewith christ was bound . another mummerie they haue for the zone , wherewith the aube is trussed , and this signifies the band of gods charity . the stole put ouer the amict , at the missalians necke ▪ in forme of a crosse , deciphers christs obedience , euen to the death of the crosse . the maniple worne on the left hand , signifies the reward of christs eternall felicitie . other sophistries there are vpon the amict , as that it represents faith : the stole humility and obedience : the maniple , the vigilancie and hearty deuotion of the missalian priest . tittilman hath another subtle deuise for the maniple worne on the priests left hand ; which as he saies , doth expresse the battaile and power of christ , against all visible and inuisible dominations , being as a buckler against all temptations : and the buttons of the maniple , portend finall perseuerance . he also further sophisticates , that by the left hand is vnderstood the humane infirmity of christ , which being tyed with the maniple , that christ is tyed and bound by his diuinitie , like a mad man. brunus another missalian doctor , fantasticates , that by the maniple is inferred the missalian priests speciall care to driue away bad affections : or else that it figures the cord , wherewith christ was bound by the iewes ; and that the stole is a figure of the lords yoake , which the masse-priest must weare garnished with the armes of iustice on the right and on the left hand . the other painted ornament instituted formerly by the magitian numa , they disguise by the name of a planet , as an errant vestment ; otherwise called a cap , or chasuble , which they say resembles the purple robe presented to christ , in pilates hall , when they mocked and called him king of the iewes . there is another sophistrie , how this vestment implies the nature of christ , wherein the deity was couched . philo the iew immitating plato , interprets this vestment so adorned with colours , to be a figure of the signes , and coelestiall starres . now the masse-priest being roabed , with his aube , amict , zone , maniple , stole , and his chasuble , or cap of diuers colours ; he must stretch out his armes , to play two parts at an instant , represented by the chasuble , whose quarter before , is lesse then that behinde , figuring herein the primatiue church , from abel till christ , and by the after part more ample , and enricht with the signe of the crosse christian people are signified . this chasuble must be ioyned to the amict , which was in the beginning in the head , to represent the coniunction of christ with his church . the aube also must be correspondent to the chasuble : to intimate how christ applied himselfe to our infirmities . besides , the aboue mentioned vestments , philo the iew addes a myter , to declare the messalians royall diadem , who must haue their heads annointed with creame , or sacred oyle , to signifie the priests dignitie : which mytrall ornament , is only preserued for eminent and higher priests . chap. xiii . the masse diuided , with the true nature of holy water . now we must discend to the description of seuerall parts of the masse , whose head and originall we will particularly set down according to the truth . first of all in those which are called high masses , celebrated on sundayes , the missalian priests , retaine somewhat of the pompilian religion , as to exercise a lustrall water , called holy water , wherewith to besprinckle the assistants or beholders at the sacrifice . the coniuration and exorcisme instituted by numa , was of sea or salt water , because ( said he ) salt did participate of the fierie nature , or of fire , very proper to purifie . for this reason , the ancient romane idolaters , besprinckled this salt exorcised water , as a mercuriall expiatorie and purgatory water for popular offences , especially for periurie and lying . to preserue this consecrated , and exorcizd salt water , they had two sorts of holy water fonts : one was large not moueable , but placed at the entrie of their temples , where they adored their images , that so they might sprinckle those which entred into the same temples . the other was a portable font , to conueigh therein lustrall water into any part of their temples or houses , that they might be watered with it , for their expiations , and purifications . they that were to celebrate masse , if it were to the inferiour gods , it was enough for the sacrificing priest to sprinckle himselfe with that lustrall water . but if the priest celabrated masse , to the superiour gods , hee must bathe his whole body , and wash all his members therewith . furthermore , he was prohibited , not to vse this lustrall water for any other purpose , but for expiations , & purgations . conformable to which pompilian constitution ; alexander the first of that name , next successor to the apostles of iesus christ , and one of the first corrupters of the holy sacraments ordained by god , continued this idolatrie , of consecrating and exercising lustrall water with salt , to repell deuils . neuerthelesse , the better to maske pompilian magicke , he framed this comparison : so it is , said alexander , that the ashes of an inuiolated red cow for sacrifice , mingled with fountaine water , purified the people of the iewes , and therefore by a more preualent reason , water exorcizd with salt , must needs purifie christians , and driue away deuils . was not this a violating , and corrupting of the holy law of god , to content and please the romaines , tainted with the auncient religion of numa pompilius the magician ? if alexander had not yeelded to the vse of salt , instituted by the auncient idolaters for lustrall water , he would rather haue followed the iewish ceremonie , and ordained ashes to consecrate the water of expiation . for if he thought to disguise it by the miracle of elizeus , that purified the water with salt , moyses also did the like , with the wood which was brought him , when the people of israel were distressed for sweet water to drinke . but in these miracles no mention is made , that elizens or moyses instituted any lustrall water to purifie the people of the iewes . and we cannot finde , that there was euer any lustrall water amongst the iewish ceremonies , but only with ashes of the victime offered for sacrifice . and therefore alexander and his followers must needs acknowledge , that the inuention of salt water exorcizd for the remission of sinnes , tooke originall from numa pompilius more then . yeares before the incarnation of christ . this lustrall water was so religiously obserud by the romane idolaters , that more then . yeares after the incarnation of christ , it is related how valentinian the emperour entring into the temple of the goddesse fortune , a priest who was guardian of the same temple , sprinckled some of this holy lustrall and salt water vpon him , which he tooke out of a font at the going into the temple : wherewith the emperour being angred , strooke the priest with his asperges in his hand , alleaging how t was rather defiled then purified . by these true histories the missalians may boast , that the first part of their missall sacrifice is very auncient indeed ; and that their holy-water fonts , and their lustrall salt waters of expiation , proceed from the auncient doctrine of numa pompilius , but not from the euangelicall doctrine of iesus christ , which they tearme a new doctrine , and the new testament differing from the ancient iewish ceremonies , and heathen idolatries . and though i cannot sufficiently wonder , wherefore alexander presumed to renew the pompilian idolatrie , considering he had meanes to restore the water ceremoniall after the manner of the iewes ; and in this doing , to follow rather the law of god , then that of numa pompilins : for he had easie meanes to get ashes wherewith to compound a lustrall water after the iewish forme : nay , pretious and sacred ashes : which is to say , ashes reserud in reliquaries , comming from vailes , napkins , and consecrated vessels , which pope clement , alexanders predecessor , forbid to be applied to any prophane vse , but when they were consumed with time to burne them in the fire , and the ashes to be preserued in the baptisterie . yet were these sacred ashes , to incite alexander to restore cinderal & lustral water after the manner of the iewes , if he had not bin so addicted to salt , & found a better relish to maintaine the ancient idolatrous romane religion . alexanders successors , might haue gotten other ashes , that is , from the round azimall consecrated hostes , which the high pontife higinus appointed to be burnt , if falling to the ground , they could not be lickt vp by the masse-priest , & the ashes of the said hostes to be laid vp in a reliquarie . he might also haue had other ashes of ratts or mice , or other creatures , when they deuoured the said hostes , ordaind to be burned , & reserued in a reliquary . wherfore seeing alexander would not follow the cerimoniall law of god , to institute a salt holy & ex●rcise water , at least why did he not emplore the salt with the host of the masse priest , which they say they offer to god as a sauing sacrifice ? in doing so , he had imitated the moysaicall ceremonie , wherein they were commanded to offer salt in all sacrifices , and to sprinckle therewith the sacrifices that were emmolated for safetie . but if alexander & other his successors had followed the law of god , they could haue added nothing of their owne braine , they could haue no memoriall nor renowne of their owne institution . and therefore in this respect they would in nothing follow the law of god , but contrariwise , they prohibited the vse of salt with their round consecrated hostes , to celebrate their missall sacrifices . they also forbid the mingling of ashes in their lustrall waters , that in all their institutions , they may not be thought to haue taken any thing from gods pr●scription , neither from the law of moyses , as also much lesse , from the law euangelicall of iesus christ : they thought to attribute these inuentions meerely to themselues , though they had their originall from the ancient heathen romane idolaters . yeares before the incarnation of christ . to resolue this first missall part , it were much more expedient ; o you missalians , in stead of your sacrifices and exorcismes of salt water , wherewith you sprinckle the people , to preach purely , and cincerely the holy gospell , and to teach christian people , that the true purification & washing away of sins , depends on the blood of iesus christ , which is powerfull enough to repell deuils , to deliuer vs from hell , to preserue vs from eternall death , and to wipe out in vs euery spot and blemish of sin : without vsing exorcismes , or coniurations with salt , to driue away deuils conformable to pompilian magicke , & the herefie of the samaritans , who thought themselues purified by those , and washing with the same euery day . chap. . the procession of the masse . after the asperges is sung , the lustral exercizde water sprinckled vpon the altars , the images , and all the assistants at a masse , then followes ▪ procession , which is attributed to agapet the romane pope : but this was instituted aboue a thousand yeares before him ; for the ancient romane idolaters called it supplication . a forme instituted by numa to goe on procession , either to appease the wrath of the godds , to obtaine peace , or to pray vnto god for the fruits of the earth ; the order was in the manner : first before the procession walkt certaine young children , then the sacrificing priests clad in white surplesses , singing hymnes , paeans , and canticles to the honour of their gods . then marched the high priest , or curio : then marched the romane senators , with their wiues and children : and sometimes the common people assisted . there was commonly carried about in procession , the shrine or reliquarie of god iupiter , or of anubis , by some priests clad in white surpleses , with shauen heads , and thereon wearing crownes . this crowne was of such reuerence and esteeme , that the emperour himselfe commodus antonius high pontifex , caused his head to be shauen & cut round , expressely to carry the cabinet of god anubis . before the cabinet or reliquarie , went a cierger , carrying a light taper in his hand . when the procession went along through the streets , there were seats erected , to serue for stations or places , where the priests , which caried the relicks were apointed to rest & take breath . when the procession was ended , the temples were opened , the altars & images perfumd with insence , and the reliques of their gods shewed . on those dayes , when the procession went abroad , a feast was celebrated , the shops were closde vp , the hall of iustice shut in , and the prisoners vnshackled : who can better discipher the order of processions obserued euen at this day , by the missalians instructed from father to sonne in the pompilian religion . what other author can be alleadged touching the ceremonies performed in procession , except numa pompilius himselfe ? if the missalians sought not out further , for their crowned shauen crownes , and white surplesses which the ancient aegiptian idolaters were wont to vse : the priests of the goddesse isis , or the babilonian sacrificers , wearing their heads and beards shauen . as for the law of god , the contrary therein was obserued , and the sacrificing priests were forbidden , to cut their heads or haire round , and to shaue their heads . and as for the law of the gospel , there is no such like ceremony commanded by iesus christ , nor by his apostles : they must therefore needs proceed from the ancient pompilian religion : for other things in the procession , they haue added the carrying of the crosse or banner : this banner was tearmed by the ancient romane idolaters labarum : which was reputed a sacred ensigne , so much reueerd by the dictators and emperours , as also by the souldiers that went to the wars . antenor first pictured in that banner a sow , by reason of the name troia , which in the vulgar italian tongue signifies a sow : which ensigne antenor vowed and dedicated in the temple of iuno , queen of the heauens : because the sow , was the consecrated victime to the same goddesse . the old romans afterwards caused a mercurius caduce to be drawn vpon the banner whereon was painted the picture of two serpents coupyed together ▪ then was an eagle portraced for the ensigne of the romain empire : but constantine the great , emperour in greece , made to be drawne therein a figure of greek letters , a x interlaced with an ę , & on the two sides α & ω in this signe , α ☧ ω signifying thereby this word christos , or christ . this banner was spread vpon a pole or staffe of wood , made in forme of a crosse , the bāner being foure square , in the fashion of an ensigne of crymosine violet silke , edgd about with fringe of gold or siluer , & pretious stones . in imitation of this , the missalian priests haue adornd their pompilian processions , in which they carry banners , as if they meant to goe to the wars , or conduct a martiall army : but in stead of portraying therin the name of iesus christ , they paint the effigies & images of diuers gods and goddesses , saints , men & women , the patrons of each parish . this in somme is the originall of the missall procession , standing for the second part of the masse . was there euer such palpable idolatry vsed by the israelites , when they would celebrate the feast of vnleauened bread , to eate the paschall lambe , a figure of the holy sacrament of the supper , which the missalians haue adulterated by their missall sacrifices ? did they euer carry about in procession the flesh , or the bloud of the immaculate lambe ? did they euer lay it vp in a reliquarie to be carried in procession about the streets ? the serpent of brasse , though they much prophaned and abused it , yet did they at any time carry any part of it in a reliquarie vpon the shoulders of their priests , wearing their heads and beards shauen , as the greek pontife vrban ordained , that the round consecrated hoste should be carried in procession by the missalians , & instituted a solemn feast euery yeare on holy thursday , that so he might conuert the vse of the holy sacrament , to a more detestable idolitrie then all his predecessors ? chap. xv. the third part of the masse , that is , the altar and candels lighted . after the sprinkling of holy-water , & procession performed , numa instituted that the masse priest , to celebrate sacrifice , being clad with his aube , and chasible , or painted coate , his head crown'd , & beard shauen , that he should approach to the altar , prepared for sacrifice , set forth with a lamp or light taper , which ordinarily was of tede or pine. for without an altar & fire , no sacrifice could be celebrated . he also ordained that the masse priest should turne himselfe neere to the altar , towards the east . porphirius the heretick did not only continue this pompilean magick , but further he constituted , that the entry into the temple , and the images shold be turned towards the east , to the end that those which went into the temples , prostituting themselues before the images , might adore & make their prayers towards the east : euen as the persians did , who worshipped the sunne in the east . are not these missalian & pompilian institutions contrary to the auncient ceremoniall law of the iewes , wherein they were prohibited to pray towards the east , that so they might be different from the ancient idolaters ? and therefore acknowledge , o you missalians , that your erection of altars towards the east , your lamps and light tapers , the pictures and images worshipped in your sacrifices , to haue had their originall from one to another . for those images and pictures wherewith your altars are enritched and adorned , cannot be deriued from the law of god : which doth not only prohibite the permission of any images in temples , but the very hewing of them out , and that they should not be renewed . to what can god be resembled ? what image , picture , or pourtrature can be deuised to his similitude ? and yet neuerthelesse , out of most detestable & abhominable heresie , you ( o missalians ) draw the image & forme of the trinity , of one god in . persons , in your round hostel , which you cause to be ador'd . neuerthelesse , two missalian doctors , titelman & biel , expresse the altar otherwise , when the masse priest approacheth with the golden chalice in his hand , they alle adging , how this doth figure christ , bearing his crosse to mount caluary . and then the priests kissing of the altar , to signifie the nuptials and nuptiaell signe of christ , with his church . the right side of the altar to figure the people of the iewes , and the left the gentiles . for this reason , durand a subtill missalian , writes , that the missall mummery must begin at the right side of the altar , and conclude in the same : neuerthelesse , all the principall monkeries are celebrated on the left side of the altar . as for the fire & light taper , they apply them to christ , as being the fire which purifies the rust of our sinnes : or otherwise , the fire of charity enuironing all christian poople : and the light taper portends the light of faith , and the ioyfull comming of christs incarnation . and not these abhominable sophistications , which numa the magitian neuer dreamt vpon , when he instituted the altar , the fire , and light taper wherewith to sacrifice . to continue the order of the missall sacrifice , when the masse priest hath made his approach to the altar , the taper lighted , and he adorned with his aube , and chasible , turning his face towards the east , and contemplating the guilded , and beautified images , he must say his confiteor , & confesse himselfe , acknowledging his owne proper offences , and crauing pardon of the gods and goddesses , men and women saints , requesting iust and reasonable things , as pythagor as said in his golden charmes , and orpheus in his hymnes . it seemes that numa the magitian thought the masse priests conscience cleared by confession , and without the confiteor , that the sacrifice could not be worthily celebrated : wherefore damasus and pontiam romane pontifes , cannot iustly take vnto themselues the glory , of being the first institutors of the confiteor , for the masse priest . for aboue a thousand yeares before their time , it was forged by the ancient romane idolaters : being also vpheld to this present day : for when priests celebrate their missall sacrifice , they pronounce or murmur a confiteor in a language not vnderstood by themselues , nor the standers by , addressing their prayers and supplications to the gods and goddesses , men or women saints : in stead of reuerencing , honouring , adoring , and praying to the onely true and omnipotent god , creator of all good things . neuerthelesse titelmans alcoran applies the masse priests confiteor to the confession of christ for the sinnes of the people . after the confiteor mutterd ; for better obseruance of the pompilian religion and ceremonies , the masse priest must wheele and rewheele about , turne and returne along the side of the altar , first lifting vp , then abasing his hands , with prayers and meditations towards the east . for numa the magitian held opinion , that there was great sanctity , in these wheelings , wreathings , and turning about of the sacrificer : as may be coniectured , it was an occasion of adding this pleasant song to the missall introduction , when the priest begins to make his wheelings & turnings , i will goe vp saith he , to the altar of god , which reioyceth my youth . hath he not iust cause to reioyce , when he sees the cloath laid , the table set , the banquet prepared , the musick of organs & other instruments to sound , odours & incenses , the chalice full of wine , the collation prepared , and chink offertories ready to fill his purse ? are not all these meanes to exhilerate the sacrificers youth , when he goes vp to the altar to say masse , to dance and turne about , in forme to him prescribed by the magician numa pompilius ? and not only the romanes but other idolaters , also in celebrating their sacrifices , were wont to turne and wheele about , lifting vp the hand to their mouth , and then turning the whole body round about , which windings and wreathings were reputed sacred . titilman in his alcoran makes mention , that the masse priest in making his vagaries along the altar , dischargeth . reuerences or salutations to the assistants in his sacrifice : that h● may repell the . mortall sins , by the seuen-fold grace of the holy ghost . but in performing the . reuerences in his missall dance , he must turne about to the standers by except before the preface , and the kisse pixe , he being then employd in the fraction of his round host , to conuert it transubstantiate into an accident without substance . when these wheelings , windings , wreathings , & gesticulations , are perfor'md by the missalian priest , numa cōstituted the sound of organs , flutes , & viols , to sing hymnes , peans , and canticles , to the honor of the gods , in whose name the missall sacrifices was celebrated . this part of the masse hath bin enritched with diuers antems & songs , by many roman pontifes . some , as flaman , and diodorus , instituted antems , prelesphorus collects . leo , or gelasius graduals . gregory , or gelasius tractes . gottigerus abbot of sandal sequences : which are sundry musicall notes , to serue for decoration and ornament to the sacrifice of the masse . but if the ancient cōmentaries of the romane pontifes , instituted by numa were reuealed , wee might finde great variety of songs , peans , hymnes , canticles , & odes , dedicated & consecrated to sundry gods & goddesses , euen as much diuersity of musicall songs haue bin annexed , by reason of different missall sacrifices ordained for diuers gods & goddesses , men and women saints . for as the old idolaters celebrated their sacrifices to sundry gods & goddesses , the missalians also perseuer to celebrate their masses to diuers men and women saints : some in the name of our lady , others of st. sebastian : some of the holy ghost , and others of requiem , putting a distinction euen betweene dry , and common masses , wherein the sop is steept in wine : so as an infinite company of missall sacrifices haue sprowted out to diuers saints of both sexes , wherein are sung sundry canticles and sequences . were not these horrible and abhominable corruptions of the holy sacrament of christs supper , to make an idolatry of it , after the manner of the ancient sacrifices instituted by numa the magitian ? wherefore vitellianus the pontife cannot glory for hauing enrich'd the sacrifice of the masse , with the sound of the organs . for aboue . yeares before his dayes , this institution was published by the magitian numa . chap. xvi . of incense and offertories , with other parts of the masse . bvt to varnish this babylonian sacrifice , the alcoranist missalians interpret the variety of their musicall songs by pythagoricall philosophy . as for the collects , that is to say , pieced or annexed prayers ; they co●mand them to besung in vneauen numbers : that is , three , fiue , or seuen : three , to intimate the trinity ; fiue , to represent the fiue wounds of christ ; and seuen , to symbolize the seuen words of christ which he vttered vpon the crosse ; or else the seuen gifts of the holy-ghost . furthermore , for the more subtill pythagoricall philosophy , the masse-priest must not passe the number of seuen , by the ordinance of pope innocent the third of that name . the sophister biel in his alcoran of the interpretation of the masse , addes , that the number of the collects are equall to that of the secrets ; which is to say , to prayers secretly mumbled by the masse-priest , that they might not be contemned of the people . after the collects , the graduall song more sharpe and graue , is a figure of the confession of publicans , when they heard the preaching of saint iohn baptist : notwithstanding , this graduall note is not sung in the missall sacrifices from easter till the feast of pentecost , to decypher the happy estate of the time to come . besides the sound of the organs , and musicall songs , the ancient romane idolaters were wont to vse in their sacrifices , the perfume of incense which they preserued in a little vessell called acerra . in this little thurall coffer lay the odors which the priest tooke to incense the altars , images , hoste or victime , especially in masses celebrared to god ianus , and to the goddesse vest● , who reioyced in the wine and incense offered to them . for in the troians time , in stead of incense they vsed cedar or pomecytron wood for perfume . wherefore it was not leo the romane pontifex that first instituted the vse of incense , and to smoake inc●nse at the missall sacrifice : for more then seuen hundred yeares before the incarnation of iesus christ , the ancient romane idolaters practised incense in their sacrifices . as also the romanes retained the latine word which significes incense , thus , from the old greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is to say , i sacrifice : because the idolaters in all their sacrifices vsed incense , as likewise they had a portable incenser , wherewith to incense : although some haue written , that the ancient romane idolaters celebrated sacrifices to the goddesse ceres , and vsed the gum of the pinetree called tede , in stead of incense : for which cause ceres was termed by the poets tedi●era . in titlemans alcoran , the incense is interpreted for the prayer of the masse-priest , that it may mount vp into heauen with the odour of swauity : euen as the fume of incense steames up on high . he sophisticates also with biel his companion , auerring that the incense signified the grace of the holy spirit . these subtill alcoranists alledge the passage of tobia , who draue away the deuill by the perfume of a burnt liuer . the same biel makes another interpretation of the incense , as that it figures the vnction of christ by mary magdalen , because christ was anointed twice , the incense is also twice offered in the missall sacrifice . for another part of the missall sacrifice celebrated by the ancient idolaters , the offerto●y of the first-fruits comes in , which were offered to the honour of the gods , in whose name the sacrifice was solemnized . this offering belonged to the masse-priest , and hee might freely cary it home vnto his house , for the nourishment of himselfe and his family . notwithstanding there were other offerings distributed to such as were indigent . afterwards through the missalians auarice , this vse was conuerted into an offertory , or offering of gold or siluer to line the purse , which some attribute to leo the romane pontifex ; though this offertory had beene practised more then a thousand yeares before his time . and for a iustification hereof by the romane stories , when numa had instituted all the ministers of his religion , as pontifes , augures , saliens , fecials , curioes , and others , he also constituted meanes to nourish and maintaine them . he caused a fundamentall allowance to be raised out of the publike reuennues for the maintenance and entertainment of religious vestals . after his example , many particular men did the like , so as their benefices grew rich by these foundations or annuities : and these benefices were of two kinds ; one at the presentation and inauguration of a prince , of the common-wealth , or of the colledge of pontifes : the other were at the presentation of some particulars , patrons of the same benefices by them founded , and endued with great richesse . ouer which ben●fices the high romane pontifes had vsurped a power to giue dispensation for the holding of two together , as in titus liuius it is related of fabius maximius , who by a dispensation held two benefices when he was created pontifex , more then two hundred yeares before the incarnation of iesus christ . this was therefore the first reuennne of missalian sacrificers to haue benefices richly founded . their second reuennue or emolument , grew by offertories , offerings or oblations . the third reuennue confisted of annuall meanes and contributions , as the first yeares fruits , which the idolatrous romane pontifes were wont to take , for the vacancy of benefices in their gift , or that they sold and dispensed with . the fourth reuennue grew from obsequies , anniuersaries , legacies , and donatiues conferred , to pray to their gods for the soules of the deceased . all which is verified likewise at this day , by the monuments and sepulchres of the ancient idolaters . the fift reuennue came in by amercements , condemnations , and confiscations , which were adiudged by the romane pontifes : as ciceroes house and palace when he was banished , were confiscated to the colledge pontificall : & specially allotted for sacrifices to be celebrated in the temple consecrated to the goddesse liberty . i was desirous by the way , briefly to recite the reuennues and supportations of the ancient romane sacrificers , to the end that men might more and more discerne that all abuses and idolatries succeeding in the church of iesus christ , are not new ▪ but originally deriued or reuiued from the ancient romane idolaters , as the foundation of masses , obits , anniuersaries , dispensations for holding sundry benefices , pensions , vacancies , first-fruits , offerings , and the missalian treasure , all amercements , and confiscations adiudged within the demeans of the romane pontife , with other ordinances reuiued by new romane popes , which haue descended from one to another . to this purpose reade in the romane stories , that during the reigne of the emperour valentinian the second of this name , there hapned a dangerous sedition at rome , betweene the christian and idolatrous priests , which stroue who should amasse or heape vp together most wealth in the church by grants , testamentary legacies , oblations and other inuentions : so as the heathen and infidell idolaters , who retained yet a temple to themselues , called at this day the church of saint peter ad vincula , fought with the christians at rome , who would haue dedicated it to their deuotion . after the offertory , titlemans alcoran sets downe how the masse-priest should bee silent for a time , to figure the flight of christ , or his disciples feare to confesse him before the iewes . then this being performed , the priest sings aloud , per omnia secula seculorum : because after christ had hidden himselfe , he publikely came forth in lazarus house : then he sings sanctus , sanctus , sanctus ; to allude to the iewes song , when christ entred into ierusalem . when this musicke ends , the priest must murmur in secret , and betweene his teeth , counterfeiting sorrow , without any turne-abouts , but then he must expresse a kind of mute mummery , by the making of many reiterated croysadoes , as shall hereafter be mentioned . chap. xvii . of the round host , with the consecration of the same . next to the offertory , we must come to the ninth part of the masse , the most rich and most pleasing for the missalians . this is the host or victime , which comprehends the end of all this missall sacrifice . in the dayes of numa the magician , the romanes were not yet accustomed to kill , and immolate with the blood of beasts : but men were appointed to eate and communicate within the temple , after the end of the missall sacrifice , small round loaues consecrated to the honour of the gods , in whose name the sacrifice was celebrated . these little round hosts of fine meale , were eaten by the priest , & by the assistants , standing vpright , and not sitting . the flower whereof they were made , was called mola , and from thence came this word immolare . there were diuers hosts , that is to say , little round loaues dedicated to diuers gods , as there were likewise sundry missall sacrifices . with the said round hosts they also offered wine : the altars seruing for tables . while the priests & the assistants in the sacrifice , eate and communicated together of the said little round loaues consecrated to the honor of their gods , hymnes and thanksgiuings were sung , and some vsed the sound of the organs and cymbals . before the swallowing of this round host , printed with imagery , the missalian doctors ordained the priest , to vtter certaine exorcismes , and coniurations , with many signes of the crosse . first , hee must make three crosses vpon this round host , to figure the trinall tradition of christ ; that is to say , by the father , by himselfe christ , and by the holy ghost , in pronouncing these words ; haec dona , haec munera , haec sancta sacrificia illibata . some other doctors alcoranists and missalians interpret the third crossing for iudas treason , who deliuered his master into the hands of the iewes . besides the aboue mentioned three croisadoes , fiue other follow : to intimate the fiue dayes space from the day of palmes , to the day of the passion , or otherwise to represent the fiue wounds of christ ; two in the hands , two in the feet , and one in the right side . of which fiue croysadoes , the three first must be made ouer the chalice , and the round host ; to figure the deliuery of christ to the priests , scribes and pharisies , or to signifie the price of christs sale , that is to say , three times ten , which import the thirty pence . the two other crossi●gs are made distinctly ; on which is the fourth ouer the host , and the other ouer the chalice distinctly , to manifest vnto vs the two persons , of christ and iudas : when this is done , the masse-priest continuing in his fooleries and monckeries , stretcheth out his armes , to delineate christ spred vpon the crosse : then , he lifts the round host printed with imagery on high , that it may be adored : afterwards , he returnes to make three crosses ; one ouer the host , another ouer the chalice , and a third ouer himselfe : to play herein the part of three estates or conditions : of those that are in heauen , in purgatory , and in the earth . then he thumps vpon his brest , to play the penitent theefe that was hanged vpon the crosse . this thumping of his stomacke must bee performed with the three last fingers of his hand , because the thumbe and the next finger are reserued to consecrate and transubstantiate the round host . moreouer , he must beat his brest three times , to figure a triple offence , of the heart , of the mouth , and of reall act ; exalting his voice , to represent the theefe or the centurion which confessed god in the passion . sixe other croisadoes are afterwards reiterated , three ouer the cou●red chalice , to commemorate the three houres that christ hung aliue vpon the crosse ; and three other crosses are made ouer the open chalice , and the round host , being once more eleuated , to decypher the three houres , that christ hung dead vpon the crosse . then does he adde two other crosses , after the masse-monger hath kist his chalice , to describe the mystery of blood and water issuing out of christs sides . besides all the aboue mentioned mute mummeries , the priest must lift the vaile ouer the chalice , and release it from the plataine , to represent the rent vaile in the midst , at christs death . this being done , the round host is laid vpon the chalice , and couched in the corporall , to figure the burial of christ . when the masse priest hath plaia the part of the hang'd theefe , of the traitor iudas , of christ , of the publicanes , hee afterwards comoediates the centurion , singing the pater noster . but durandus alcoran , by the seuen petitions in the pater noster , expresseth the seuen teares of the virgin mary , the seuen vertues ; or the seuen mortall sinnes . when this song is ended , the priest remaines silent for a while , to represent the silence and repose of christ in the graue . another apery or monckery is plaid by the masse-priest , with the round host , which he layes vpon the pix , to decypher the vnion of his diuinity with his humanity : but when hee plaies the secret mystery , the host is hidden out of sight . chap. xviii . of diuers parts and sundry ceremonies belonging to the masse . when the sacrifice was ended , & the little round hosts eaten , numa appointed these words to be sung , i , licet , or , ite , missa est : which is to say , go , you are permitted , the assembly is dismist , to repaire home to their houses . are not these all the parts of the missall sacrifice , most of which were ordained by numa the magician aboue years before the incarnation of iesus christ : that is , the vestments of the aube , chasible , lustrall holy exorcis'd water , with salt , to repell deuils : the altar , the light taper , the sweepings and glancings along the altar , with prayers and meditations towards the east : procession , with the reliques and shrines caried on mens shoulders by the priests clothed in white surplices ; & crowns vpon their heads : the confiteor addressed to men and women saints ; the sound of the organs , canticles , peans , hymnes , and odes : the incenser and incense : the offetory , the communication of little round loaues consecrated to the name of their gods ; and at last the note , ite , missa est ? will you now at last acknowledge , o missalians , that you borrowed all these parts and members in your masses from the pompilian religion ? why retaine you the name of masse , which iesus christ called a supper , or the communion of his body ? why haue you made choice of the peculiar vestments of an aube , and painted chasible , from the ancient romane idolaters ; which habits were neuer appointed you by iesus christ ? why haue you giuen more credit to pompilians migicke , for the driuing away of deuils with salt , exorcis'd water , termed holy water , then to the sacred word and gospell of iesus christ , who inabled you in his name , to repell deuils , and not with the magicke of salt ? who inspired you but the spirit of numa , to shaue your heads round , to put on white surplices , to cary about shrines in procession with a banner ? when iesus christ celebrated his holy supper , and instructed his apostles in the communion of his body and blood , did hee command them to follow the rites of the ancient romane idolaters ? to haue altars set forth with images , to vse windings , and wreathings along the altar , to be cut round , to haue aubes and chasibles ; addressing your confessions to men and women saints , to sound the organs , to perfume the altars and images with incense , to gape after the offertory , to bring money to the coquille for the priest , to eate little round hosts consecrated and adorned with imagery , and then after all to sing , ite , missa est . but you missalists , i fore-see your cautels , wherein ( missalians ) you wil readily confesse that the main body , and principall parts of the masse , were digested and brought in by numa pompilius : the further additions notwithstanding and ornaments were inuented by other romane pontifes ; and especially by a monck called gregory , the first of that name , who attained to the papacy : who being instructed in pythagoricall magicke and philosophy , hauing also studied the lawes of king tullus hostilius , successor to numa , to the end to perpetuate his name by some new addition to the sacrifice of the masse , instituted the singing nine times these greeke words kyrie eleyson . gregory held this ninth number in great reuerence , euen as the ancient romane idolaters had recourse likewise to the nouemdiall masse , vpon any monstrous prodigies or sights . he also ordained , that at the missall sacrifice , there should bee sung two hebrew words to accompany the two greeke words : and on some dayes these words to be sung , alleluia : being on other dayes forbidden . instead of which alleluia is sung another song called a tract , with a loud voice , and a protracted note , in a graue kind of musicke , to decypher the miseries of this age . now , hee that sings the alleluia must sing with a higher voice then he that howles the graduall , as titlemans alcoran makes mention . was there not m●gicke enough in the missalians sacrifice without adding these greeke and hebrew words ? and foisting in pithagoricall numbers , and the song nouemdiall ; instituting a distinction of daies , where on to sing the hebrew words , on other dayes prohibiting them ? and to inuent croysadoes and mute mummeries ? are not these corruptions of the holy sacrament of the supper ordained by god ? some others augumented this missal sacrifice , as damasus the romane pontifice , with a gloria patri : sergius with the agnus dei song thrice : which titleman interprets to be a figure of christs ascension . innocent with a kissing of the pix by the priest . which pix of gold signifies the diuinity of christ , by the doctrine of the alcoran : the gloria in excelsis by symmachus , which must be sung with a low and mild voice , and it represents as titlemans alcoran relates , the weak and infantine voice of christ while he was yet in the cradle . o blasphemous and detestable mummeries of the sonne of god! leo the second instituted the kissing of the pix , which titlemans alcoran sayes doth signifie the vnion of christians , and that the kissing of the pix was subrogated in stead of the holy communion obserued in the first and next primatiue church to the apostles . this kisse-pix is sung by the masse-priest in saying ; pax domini : and making three crosses vpon the chalice , when the third part of the host , is put into the wine , to intimate the incarnation of christ , or to signifie the triple peace , of the time , of the spirit , and of future eternity . furthermore , there is added the forging of the missall canon to alexander , gelasius , syricius , leo , and pelagius . these be peeces patcht together , according to the humour of the romane pontifes , authors , restorers , endowers , and augmenters of the missall sacrifice . we must not omit the greatest enrichment instituted in this missall sacrifice , which is , to say some passages of the old and new testament , called epistles and gospels : which the missalians haue cut out , and mixed with pompilian idolatry , and therein prophane the law of god , as sergiu● the apostate mahomets doctor did , who adorn'd the alcoran with many passages of the holy bible , and forged a gallomawfry of fables and heresies , to bee of equall authority with the sacred law of god. the missalians for the song after the epistles and gospels , constituted two persons , to solemnize their missall dance , which is to say , the subdeacon who marcheth afore , to play the part of the first law of the iewes ; and the deacon who comes after in greater dignity , to represent the law euangelicall . which deacon caries a pillow against his stomacke , to figure an humbled heart : the subdeacon receiues no benediction from the masse-priest , as the deacon doth : because , say the missalian doctors , god sent his prophets inuisibly : but the deacon representing the euangelicall law receiues benediction , as being sent among wolues , in that christ sent his apostles visibly like men . the deacon is enioyned to we are a crost stole hanging downe his shoulders crosse the reines of the backe , to figure force and continencie ioyned together in the masse-priest . the deacon playing his part , and singing some abstracted passage of the gospell , in a language not vnderstood either by himselfe , or the assistants , must wheele about toward the north , standing vpright : because saith titleman , the northerne parts are cold and abnoxious : for this reason he must make a crosse , to repell northerne deuills . are not these more blasphemous i●glings and incantations , then all the commentaries of the ancient idolatrous romane pontifes . chap. xix . against the idolaters antiquity , and long possession of the masse . is not this long possession , to confirme the mahumetan alcoran , which the turks at this day haue enioyed , for aboue nine hundred yeares ; hauing conquered countries , kingdomes , and empires , prospered in their enterprizes , and alwaies obserued that abominable law prescribed in their alcoran . was the people of israel excusable before god , when they offered sacrifice of the blood of innocents in the valley of tophet to moloch , by alledging the long possession thereof and inueterate vse , for aboue years before this idolatry was wholly abolished by good king iosias ? did the israelites murmure aginst the vertuous king ezechias when he demolished the brazen serpent , which was instituted by gods expresse commandement , aboue yeares before ? were the people themselues excused of their idolatry committed in the two temples erected in dan and bethel , wherein were the images of two young heifers of gold , vnder the pretext and allegation of long possession , for they had continued this idolatry for the space of three or foure hundred yeares ? the iewes that are at this day vagabonds , shall they be excused before the maiestie of god , by presenting the long possession of their ceremoniall law , instituted euen by god himselfe aboue three thousand yeares agoe ? as likewise your selues , o missalians , can you alledge against god a long possession and prescription of hauing celebrated pompilian masses for a long time , that you and your predecessors vsed it , sold and set to sale your missall sacrifices ? is long possession a sufficient and well grounded reason , as your predecessors the romane senators alledged to the emperour theodosius , that their pompilian religion had beene obserued for aboue a thousand yeares ? the inducing of long possession , and vse obserued of long time , will not be a sufficient reason to approue your idolatries . for if god out of his vnspeakable mercy and patience , hath tolerated the iewes in their infidelity , the turkes in their alcoran law , and christians in their missalian idolatries , we must not argue nor dispute of gods incomprehensible secrets . but in humility re-enter the way of verity , when he is pleased to point it out vnto vs , after long and palpable darknesse , whereinto people in all ages haue fallen by straying from gods true institution and worship , as wee briefly before declared of the israelites an elect people of god , who though they had moses and the prophets , which admonished them by many miracles and comminations how they ought to honour god , and obserue his law , yet would they neuer cease idolatrizing with their owne fond and humane inuentions . if therefore during the reignes of princes , iudges of israel , when this people was gouerned as in an aristocracy , then yeelding to the yoake of kings , as by a monarchy : and at last reduced vnder the gouernment of priests , embracing the spirituall and temporall , the law of god was corrupted , the sacrifices and sacraments adulterated and violated , and idolatry erected and propagated , for more then sixteeene hundred years from the written law , publisht by moses , till the incarnation of iesus christ ; what may be hoped of the people of rome , instructed and nourished in all idolatry , like a withered tree , like a bastard and heathen people ? notwithstanding that the missalian heretikes may not vaunt of long possession , in their missall sacrifices , except it be by the restauration of the nine parts formerly described , borrowed from numa pompilius : the other members of the masse , were inuented at diuers times by sundry antichrists , corrupters of the holy sacraments ordained by god. and to vnderstand the peculiar times and ages of these famous architects ; agapit romane pope , reigning in the yeare of christ , added to the procession instituted after the prescript forme of numa , the confiteor , restored by damasus , reigning in the yeare : the kyrie-eleyson was annexed by gregory , reigning in the yeare : the collects and tracts by gelasius , reigning in the yeare : and the sequences by gotherus abbot of sandale : the gloria in excelsis by symmachus , reigning in the yeare : the incense and offertory , renewed out of the ancient pompilian doctrine by leo the third of that name , in the yeare : the kisse-pix by innocent the first of that name , reigning in the yeare : the agnus dei instituted by sergius in the yeare : dirges for the dead , were inuented by pelagius in the yeare : the canon forged by gelasius , syricius , leo and pelagius , reigning in the yeare : transubstantiation was instituted by the romane pontifes , about the yeare of christ . and therefore what an impudency is it in the messalian alcoranist doctors falsely to auerre , that the holy apostles of iesus christ celebrated the missall sacrifice ? considering that this sacrifice was not restored to its integrity since the dayes of numa pompilius , but aboue yeares after iesus christ . what approued history makes mention that such an idolatry was committed by the holy apostles of god ? how can we possibly beleeue or imagine it , when this great babylonish whore was not restored to her maske and vizard of sanctity but long time after the incarnation of iesus christ . chap. xx. against the idolatry of the round host . bvt we must returne to our romane history , that wee may more and more discouer the true originall of the masse . in discoursing of the parts and principal members of the missall sacrifice , wee related how the ancient romanes , before they were accustomed to sacrifice with the blood of beasts , vsed little round loaues consecrated to the honor of their gods , which they eate standing within the temples , at the end of the sacrifice . these little round hosts of wheat floure were taken by the missalian sacrificers , but they haue augmented the magicke and idolatry of numa pompilius , in that they beautify their little round hosts with pictures and images printed within the rotundity of the said hosts , to make them the more sacred , yea that they may bee adored , out of honorius inuention a romane antichrist , reigning in the yeare of christs incarnation , which numa the magician neuer practised before , neither grew to this abominable idolatry : what more detestable heresie can be laid open , then to paint the maiestie of god in the forme of humane similitude as the anthropomorphites did ? who taught you , o missalians , to corrupt the holy sacrament of the supper of iesus christ , in deuising these little round loaues and hosts , but the magician numa ? when iesus christ celebrated the holy supper with the apostles , did he appoint them to haue little loaues or round hosts , to print them with humane characters and effigies , to coniure and exorcise them with crosses and croysadoes in equall or vnequall numbers , and cause them to bee adored ? confesse therefore , o missalians , that the principall part of your masse , that is , your little round hosts , to be originall from the ancient pompilian religion , more then seuen hundred years before the incarnation of iesus christ ; who did not institute for you these rotundall hosts , or that they should bee rather round then square , tryangle or octangle : so farre hee was from ordaining the round figure correspondent to numaes forme , that on the contrary , when he instituted the sacrament of the communion of his body , he vsed a fraction of bread by morsels , which he distributed to his apostles , for a symbole , signe , and figure , signifying really and sacramentally his body by the power of the holy ghost . and the missalians haue not onely made choice of the round forme in their consecrated hosts , printed with images , to make them be adored after the manner of the ancient romans : but moreouer they haue exceeded all other idolaters . for in the daies of numa and his successors , those that were present at the missall sacrifice , eate standing together the said little round consecrated hosts , they vsing no charity towards them that assist in their missall sacrifices ? is this to follow the ordinance of iesus christ , who brake the bread and distributed it to his apostles ? iesus christ the eternall priest , stood he alone neere to an altar , munching a little round host , printed with images , when he celebrated the holy cōmunion of his body . o you missalians , more detestable , and lesse charitable idolaters , then all the other ancient romanes ; can you so sophisticate and iuggle , as to procure your missall sacrifice ( wherein the priest alone deuoures the little round printed host with images , giuing no share of it to others ) to be taken and receiued as a communion , causing them that are present at your masse by an admirable magicke to beleeue , that they haue communicated together with the priest , though they neither eate , nor receiue any portion of the round host . and yet further , for a more extreame idolatry , the missalian doctors interpreters informe , that the round host must be diuided into three parts , one for those that are in paradise , another for those that are in purgatory , to obtaine remission of their sinnes , and a third steept in wine , for those that are liuing in the world . but durands alcoran sets downe , that the three broken portions of the host , represents the triple forme of christs body , sleeping in the graue , lying on the earth , and afterwards raised vp from the dead . biel another subtil doctor , not to confesse the body of christ to be broken or bruised in the round host , deuiseth the fraction of the host to be made of an accident without substance . are not these abhominable heresies , to make soules that are in paradise , or purgatory communicate : instituted by sergius a mahumetan doctor , by the meanes of a round host deuoured by the masse-priest ? but peraduenture ( missalians ) you may obiect vnto me , the vse of the primatiue church obserued in the communion of the holy supper , where euery one of the assembly in the temple , tooke a portion of the broken bread ; being also consecrated to eate , and communicate together : which custome was retained till this present day , in your missall sacrifices , celebrated on sundayes , which you cause to bee distributed of morsels of holy bread to those present within the temple . but this ancient commandement , was maintained onely in picture ; because the missalians abusing the holy sacrament , ha●e reserued the round little consecrated host to be eaten by themselues , distributing no portion of it to the assistants : for whom they leaue morsels of holy bread , which for the most part were foure square . the round host is azimall , and the holy bread made with leuen : the round host is without salt , and the holy bread seasoned : the round host is printed with images , & the holy bread is without characters or effigies : the round host is adored , and the holy bread receiued with thanksgiuing : the round host is deuoured by the priest , and the holy bread distributed to euery one of the assembly , to communicate and eate thereof : the round host is in part steeped in wine , and the holy bread is eaten dry without wine . to conclude , there is so great a difference betweene these two seuerall communions , as there is betweene the law of the ancient idolaters , and the law euangelicall : but that they iumpe in one point : which is that both in the one , and the other , there is a corruption of the holy sacrament of the supper ordained by god. chap. xxi . the inuention of transubstantiation , with confutation of that labyrinth of idolatry . we must now descend to the very bottome of this idolatrous labyrinth : we did recite the history of the people of israel , who were not content with the celestiall bread , and manna giuen vnto them by god , while they remained in the desart , but murmured against god , and moses his seruant , they demanding to eate flesh : the people also of pagan and infidell rome , were not content with the pompilian institution in the communion of little round loaues ; but that the romane idolatrous pontifes must needs further ordaine the killing and immolating of beasts , that they might eate , and communicate of the flesh of victimes in their sacrifices , especially the sheepe , the sow , the goate , and the oxe : which was first instituted by euander king of arcadia . wherefore , that the missalians might not degenerate from the idolatry of their predecessors , they must needs follow this communion of flesh : and they are not content with their little round azimall hosts , consecrated , and printed with images ; but with time they haue inuented a new magicke to transubstantiate their little hosts of flower , into flesh and bones , the bread being no more bread , but an accident without substance : and by this means to conuert the round host of flower into a carnall and sanguinolent host . the wine also offred in their missall chalices to bee transubstantiated into blood , the wine being no more wine , but an accident without substance . was there euer a more abominable magicke , or a more detestable heresie then this missaline transubstantiation ? when the people of israel murmured against god , because they were weary of eating manna and celestiall bread , calling for flesh , was the manna transubstantiated into flesh , bones , and blood ? when the ancient romane idolaters , meant to change their round hosts of flower , or meale , and grew to eate flesh in their sacrifices , did they vse this magicke of transubstantiation ? wherefore i freely auerre , that this missall addition was lately inuented by the missalians , more then a thousand yeares after the incarnation of iesus christ . this heresie began to spread very much of a nicholaitan antichrist climbing vp to the romane pontificacie , by the monopoly and suggestions of hildebrand , expelling by force the other elected pope , which was benedict the second of that name , in the yeare of iesus christ . afterwards by a monopoly held in saint iohn lateran in rome , it was aduanced during the ecclesiasticall tyranny of innocent the third of that name , about two hundred yeares after the palinodie canonized by berengarius deane of s. maurice in angiers . against which abominable magick and heresie we must briefly by forme of a recapitulation compare the institutions of the sacraments ordained by god. first of all , the fruits of the knowledge of good and ill , forbidden to our first father adam , as sacred signes and sacraments of feare and obedience , whereon depended life or death , were they transubstantiated or conuerted into knowledge or into death , to leaue their nature of being trees or fruits , reduced to an accident without substance ? the celestiall manna , and the rocke gushing out liuely water , sacraments that had reference to the holy sacrament of the supper , were they transubstantiated into an accident without substance ? the vnspotted lambs immolated by abel , in his acceptable sacrifice to god , were they transubstantiated into any other nature ? the fore-skinne circumcised for a note and marke of couenant to the good patriarche abraham and his posterity , was it conuerted into an accident without substance ? the blood of the paschall lamb , for an assurance of israels saluation , was that conuerted into any other substance ? the flesh of the immaculate lambe , to bee eaten on the day of the passeouer , a true figure of the holy sacrament of the supper , was it transubstantiated into an accident without substance ? the brazen serpent , which being only beheld , health was granted to the sicke , did it not continue a serpent of brasse ? was that transubstantiated , being ordained for a sacrament and sacred signe to the people of israel ? victimes offered in sacrifice , both of beasts of the earth , and azimall loaues , with other sacred signes ordained by god , for holy signes and sacraments of expiation and saluation for the people of israel , were they euer transubstantiated into accidents without substance ? all sacred signes ordained by god in the israelitish church , though they really and sacramently represented that which was by them figured , and not as a simple picture without reall effect , yet did there neuer liue so detestable an heretique , which inuented or added thereunto this magicke of transubstantiation . and neuerthelesse , o missalians , you must needs confesse that the good and holy fathers of israel were adopted , engrafted , and regenerated by faith in iesus christ , begotten before all ages : that they were nourished , and purchased eternall life by iesus christ : that they and we haue but one god , and one onely iesus christ , one mediator and redeeme● : that by faith , they sacramentally communicated , and participated spiritually of the blood of iesus christ , for their saluation and eternall life : that there is no difference touching god , betweene them who did precede the incarnation of iesus christ , and vs that were since his incarnation : but both they and wee are equally the church of god redeemed by the blood of the iust and vnspotted lambe christ iesus . for the rest , they had a faith of the future promise , and obserued the holy sacraments and sacred symboles of the sacrifice which should be consummated by iesus christ : and wee in the new law celebrate the memoriall and remembrance of the sacrifice now finished by iesus christ , hauing a fruition of the promise accomplished . if then the israelites eate the same celestiall bread , and drunke the same sauing drinke , which we doe by faith in one onely iesus christ : if they had sacred signes to represent actually and really the future death of iesus christ , euen as we retaine sacred signes of his present , or past death : they for the future , and we for that which is past ; why did the missalians inuent this new magicke , to conuert an holy sacrament ordained by god , into a magicke of transubstantiation , and into an accident without substance ? i god to approue his power , and to manifest the hardnesse and obstinacy of pharaoh was pleased to performe wonderfull things by moses and aaron , by conuerting a rod into a serpent , water of the riuer into blood , and into frogs : the dust of the earth into lice : and then to make the nauigable sea d●y , performing many other miracles : can we by this infer a transubstantiation of the little round azimall host , printed with images , into an accident without a substance ? in what place of the holy scriptures , when mention is made of sacred signes , and sacraments , or sacrifices ordained by god , is it said that the signe or sacrament was transubstantiated ? but on the contrary , gods will accommodating it selfe to mans infirmity , he ordained from time to time cōmon signes , for notes & marks of assurance of the thing signified : wherein gods power is the more renowned and exalted , in really giuing vs , what by the sacred signe is represented by the vertue of faith , and of the holy ghost , as if the signe it selfe had beene really transubstantiated by some occular miracle . for the sacraments comprehend in them , more spirituall then carnall sense . for this reason god by his prophets euer blamed his people of israel , for vnderstanding the sacraments too carnally , as succinctly we haue before declared . but tell me o missalians , when iesus christ made it knowne how himselfe was the true bread of life descended from heauen , to conferre life eternall ; and how these sacramentall words of eating his flesh , and drinking his blood , were to be vnderstood , wherewith the capernaits your predecessors were scandalized ; did he teach vs in this interpretation , that to eate his flesh should be meant , by a little round transubstantiated host ? that the round host of flower , and the wine , is no more bread or wine , but accidents without substance ? is this your abhominable magicke , the doctrine of iesus christ . nothing lesse . but iesus christ like a true and heauenly lawgiuer , who can onely sincerely interpret his owne law , made answer to the capernait doctors , how they were grosse and carnall minded , minding onely the flesh , as you missalians doe , though the flesh alone profits nothing : alleaging how his sacramental words were spirituall : the flesh saith he , profits nothing : but the spirit quickens . as also , o missalians , how can you religiously accord your transubstantiation with the doctrine of iesus christ , which promiseth and assureth eternall life to those , that shall eate his flesh , and drinke his blood , if you conceiue these words carnally ? for you cannot be ignorant , but that your owne bodies when they haue deuoured these round transubstantiated hosts into flesh and bones , drunke and taken downe the transubstantiated wine into blood , notwithstanding liue & are mortal through the necessity of the law . wherefore eternall life promised by this communion , cannot be vnderstood by a mortall body , or flesh . and therefore of necessity you must needs acknowledge , for the most sacred interpretation , that to eate the body and drinke the blood of iesus christ , must haue reference to a spirituall and heauenly life : and that the flesh profits nothing , but the spirituall words ; and the communion of the body and blood of iesus christ , by faith and spirit giue eternall life . this interpretation is many times recited by the holy apost●e st. iohn , when iesus christ himselfe vseth these words , hee that comes to mee , shall neuer hunger ; he that beleeues in me shall neuer feele thirst , but haue eternall life . are not these termes intelligible enough , to expresse this holy sacrament of the communion of the body and blood of iesus christ , without running to your magick of transubstantiation ? another interpretation of the holy doctor and author of the sacramentall law is described , when iesus christ was interrogated by nicodemus , of the meanes how a man might be regenerated , and borne anew . is it possible saith nicodemus , that a man can returne again into his mothers wombe ? did iesus christ answer this demand , by affirming that in the holy sacrament of baptisme , the water was conuerted into the body , into flesh & blood , and transubstantiated in a carnall womb , to be there againe ingendered and regenerate ? was there not also as great reason , according to your magicke , to haue returned this answer , as well as in the holy sacrament of the supper ? for by the one of these two sacraments , we are regenerated , and by the other nourisht . now regeneration is as admirable to humane wisdome , as nourishment ; for conformable to humane and carnall iudgement it may seeme vnpossible , that we can be twice engendered and begotten . but our good god vseth the like interpretation of regeneration , as of the communion of his flesh and blood : which is , that these sacramentall termes must bee spiritually conceiued , and not carnally : for the flesh profits not ; but the spirit quickens . what is of the flesh is carnall , what of the spirit , spirituall . the holy apostle , relating to the corinthians what he had receiued from gods hand , admonished them of the comming of iesus christ : during the expectation whereof , hee commands them to communicate of the body , and blood of iesus christ , by the fraction of bread , and the cup of benediction called the new testament , and new couenant contracted by the blood of iesus christ : wherefore seeing wee are assured of the second comming of iesus christ , being ascended vp into heauen , and set at the right hand of god his father : till the day predestinate that hee shall returne to iudge both the quicke and the dead : how will you reconcile this passage , o missalians , when by the magicke you vtter , you make him descend , and returne the body of iesus christ in flesh and bone , before the time preordained for his second comming . this magicke was by you restored , since the first author of your missall sacrifice numa pompilius : who by his magicke diuulged , that he made his nymph and goddesse egeria come downe from heauen , as also his iupiter elicius , by whose meanes there were celestiall secrets and mysteries reuealed vnto him . if by your magicke the round consecrated host , was transubstantiated into the true and reall body of iesus christ , the bread being no more bread , but the true body , how came you to be so presumptuous , to breake and teare in peeces the body of iesus christ , according to the inuention of sergius the second of that name your predecessor romane pontife ? are not you farre more execrable executioners then your predecessors , lieutenants of the romane church , which crucified iesus christ , and yet they neuer tare , nor rent his body in peeces , as he prophesied ? and notwithstanding you are not contented to haue broken it into three peeces , but in your missall sacrifices you presume to drowne and steepe one portion in wine , transubstantiated into blood , to be swallowed , and drunke . to confirme your magick of transubstantiation : why tooke you no order to preserue from corruption your little round printed hosts , which you keepe and lay vp so curiously in reliquaries and boxes , after they are transubstantiated into flesh and bone , and into the reall bodie of iesus christ ? is it not an abominable heresie to beleeue , that the bodie of iesus christ is capable of corruption ? nay , and oftentimes is eaten , by wormes , weasels , rats , and mice ? can you interpret this , to be an accident without substance ? when your hosts become many times stinking and corrupted in your cybaries ? many times likewise deuoured by bruite beasts of the earth , which you cause to be burned , and their ashes laid vp in reliquaries ? when victor the third of that name , pope of rome , receiued poison by your transubstantiated wine into blood : was this an accident without substance ? or when the emperour henry the seuenth of that name , was poysoned , by eating of a little round , consecrated , and transubstantiated host , was it without substance , when it procured death ? there was much more apparance for the celestiall manna , giuen to the people of israel , the which though it corrupted , when it was kept ; yet that which was reserued in secret , within the arke of the lords couenant , was preserued without corruption : but yet for all this was it transubstantiated into flesh , and bones , to bee called celestiall bread ▪ bread descending from heauen , the bread of life , or the bread of angels ? now it remaines for vs to contest with the subtill reasons of the missalians , who to make a foundation for their magicke , insist carnally vpon the word est , saying , that these words were expressely written : this is my body , this is my blood , when iesus christ instituted the holy sacrament of his body and of his blood ▪ vnder the symboles of bread and wine . but i desire all those that are zealous of the honour of god , exactly to weigh the sacred institution of this sacrament , by which god meant to symbolize and signifie the communion of his body by the bread , and the drinking of his bloud by the wine and cup. all will confesse , that the true and principall nourishment of mans body , is comprehended vnder the kinds of bread and wine : so that the terme of bread is often taken in the holy scriptures for the nourishment and life of man. let vs enter into an examination of the passages of the bible . was not the first man , created after gods similitude , for the penalty of his offence , told , that hee should eate his bread with the sweat and labour of his body ? can any man be so ignorant as not to confesse , that this was vnderstood by the liuing and life of man ? when iacob prayed vnto god to giue him bread and raiment : did hee not vnderstand by bread , whatsoeuer was requisite for his whole nourishment ? when wee heare recited , that god rained bread vpon the people of israel being in the desart , and that the israelites were replenished with this celestiall bread : this terme of bread , was it not conceiued by the celestiall manna , sent by god to sustaine the people of israel ? is this manna called the bread of heauen , and the bread of angels , giuen to the people without labour or trauaile ? when mel●hisedech meant to furnish good father abrahams armie , did hee not present him with bread and wine ? when abraham was to gratifie and refresh three angels that appeared vnto him : did he not expose vnto them bread baked vpon the embers ? did hee not giue agar bread for her nourishment ? isaacs mother to fauour her best beloued sonne , gaue him bread . ioseph in egypt offered bread to his brethren for their nourishment . when we goe about to describe a famine and scarcitie of victuall , doe we not say there wants bread ? when god promised any mercy or fauour to his people that did keepe his commandements ; did he not giue them assurance of bread in sufficiencie ? when hee recommends vnto vs the poore , as his members , commands hee vs not to giue them bread ? it is bread therefore , which nourisheth and sustaines the heart and life of man. when satan enterprized to tempt iesus christ , to testifie that he was true man : did hee not make choice of bread , when hee incited him to make the stones bread ? when iesus christ celebrated his banquets to giue bodily nourishment , once to fiue thousand men , and then againe to foure thousand persons : did he not shew his power vnder the symbole of bread ? when hee taught vs to addresse our prayers to god : did he not expressely ordaine in the lords prayer that we should request of god to giue vs our dayly bread ? and bread is not onely mentioned in the holy scriptures for vulgar and corporall nourishment : but also in sacrifices celebrated by the hebrew priests , and the prescript law of sacred bread ordained by god : that was azimall bread without leauen . other bread was tearmed the bread of proposition , which the priests euery weeke renued and eate , which dauid vsed , presented to him by achimelech the high priest . contrariwise the tearme of bread , is appropriated to the bread of iniquitie , of lyes , of sorrow , to polluted bread of idolaters , to bread of coinquination offered vpon the altar ; to bread of mourning , and to bread of trembling . the ephraimites also called ashy and vnturned loaues : that is to say , halfe hak't , halfe circumcised , and idolaters . and therefore , o you missalian capernaites , you must not be so obdurate , and inueterate in your carnalities , as not to obserue the phrases of the holy scripture , in which bread is oftentimes taken for terrestriall and corporall bread ; as when it was said , that man did not liue onely by bread , but also by whatsoeuer proceeded out of the mouth of god. sometimes also bread is taken for the word of god , and doctrine . when iesus christ commanded his apostles to keepe themselues from eating leauened bread with the pharises : these tearmes of bread and leauen , are they not expressed by the doctrine of the hereticall pharises ? when the cananitish woman demanded grace and mercy for her daughters health , detained in in a long malady of sicknesse : did not iesus christ answer her , how it was not lawfull to take the childrens bread , and cast it to doggs ? was not the bread in this answer , taken for life and health , and not onely for corporall nourishment ? wherefore if bread bee taken for the life of man , which depends principally of bread and of wine , and that gods goodnesse , accommodating it selfe to our infirmities , made choise of these two signes and symboles , or notable markes , to signifie his body and his blood ; that is to say , the bread , the wine , these two prouisions being common to all nations , was this any reason , to build vpon it a carnall transubstantiation , as if god without it were not mighty enough , really to figure , and represent vnto vs sacramentally , that life was giuen vs : yea , life eternall , by the communion of consecrated bread , and wine of benediction ; these being figures and symboles of his body , and of his blood ? iesus christ produced these words , that the bread is his body , and the wine is his blood : he also said , that himselfe was the bread of life , the liuing bread , and that he was the liuing bread come down from heauen . furher hee sayes , that hee who eates of that bread , shall liue eternally . doth this inferre by the word est , that iesus christ is conuerted and transubstantiated into bread , and that hee is no more christ , but an accident without substance . o abominable heresies ! haue you any more reason , o you missalians , to interpret these words carnally , this is my body , to transubstantiate the bread into the body , then when hee testifies , that himselfe was the bread , to transubstantiate him into bread , considering that it is written , how the communion of this bread giues eternall life ? iesus christ said , hoc est corpus meum : he also sayes of himselfe , hic est panis qui de coelo descendit : in both these places , is not this word est vsed ? and yet must we needs hereupon inferre a transubstantiation , in stead of orthodoxally interpreting the same by a metonimy and familiar comparison of bread to iesus christ , that we might apprehend , how eternall life was giuen vs by him , and likewise by him our spirituall food is ministred , euen as by bread , a nourishment corporall ? howsoeuer , wee must alwayes haue recourse to the true expression of iesus christ , the absolute law-giuer , and author of this holy sacrament , who expounding his owne institution , saith in the first place , that hee is the bread of life , then afterwards hee sayes , that this bread is his flesh and his body , which must be offered for the saluation of the world : he saith , his flesh is true meate , and his blood true drinke ; he sayes , that whosoeuer eates of his flesh , and drinkes of his blood , he will remaine in him . how doth hee himselfe expound this manducation ? iesus christ by his owne words expresseth himselfe : whosoeuer comes to me , shall neuer hunger ; and hee that beleues in me , shall neuer thirst . is not this a true eating , and a true drinking , neuer againe to be hungry , nor neuer to thirst ? must wee not in this haue faith , which consists in spirit ? to addresse our selues to iesus christ , our celestiall bread , our spirituall drinke , wherewith to bee satisfied for euer , to quench our thirst of sinne perpetually , must we runne to the magicke of transubstantiation , and forge an accident without substance ? wherefore , o missalians , doe you presume to inuent any other interpretation , then that of iesus christ , who witnesseth that the flesh profits nothing ; but the spirit quickens ? and that his words are not carnall , but spirituall , giuing spirit and life , by faith and confidence , that hee is the sauiour of the world , incarnate , dead , and crucified , to purchase for vs eternall life : and then raised vp againe , he ascended into heauen , sits at the right hand of god his father , remaining an eternall priest , propitiator , mediator , and redeemer . to returne to this terme , est , that does so molest the missalians braines , that they dreame out of it a transubstantiation . if iesus christ vttered how he was the true vine , that god his father was the keeper , and that we are the branches ; can wee hereupon conclude by this word , est , a magick of the transubstantiation of god , into the keeper of a vine , of iesus christ into a vine , and of our selues into branches ? if iesus christ was said to be the immaculate lambe that wipes out the sinnes of the world ; can wee herevpon induce a transubstantiation ? if iesus christ said that he was the doore of the sheepe-fold , by whom we must enter to be saued : and that hee is the good pastor , and wee his sheepe ; must we needs so straine and wrest these places of the holy scripture , as to thinke it necessary , because the word est is mentioned , to beleeue a transubstantiation ? when iesus christ admonished his apostles , saying , that they were the salt of the earth ; did hee therefore transubstantiate or conuert them into statues of pillars of salt , as he did lots wife ? if iesus christ said by his apostles , that we are the temples of god , in which the holy ghost inhabits ; must wee therefore imagine , that we are transubstantiated into a masse of stone ? if the holy apostle writ , that iesus christ is the rocke , out of whom came liuing water , to wash and purge vs from our sinnes : must we wrest out of this a transmutation , and transubstantiation of iesus christ into a rocke , or a materiall stone ? if the holy apostle testifieth , that we are the bodie of christ : may wee by this inferre , that we are translated , and now no more men , but transubstantiated into an accident without substance ? i readily foresee , o you obdurate missalians , that you will obiect all these pre-alleadged places : wherein this word est , is , and make no mention of the sacraments , which must the more exactly bee obserued , in that these be sacred mysteries ordained of god : which is most true . and this word est , is not onely found in the holy scriptures formerly cited : but when we speake of holy sacraments first instituted by god for his people of israel ; is it written , that circumcision is gods alliance and couenant ? in the other holy sacrament of the communion of the paschall lambe ; was it said that the lambe was the passeouer , which is to say the passage ? but shall we induce hereupon a magicke of transubstantiation ? will you not confesse , o missalian transubstantiators , that in these passages of the holy scriptures , speaking of holy sacraments , that this word est , can not be otherwise interpreted , then to signifie some reall performance : and that circumcision was a signe and a marke of the couenant and alliance contracted by god with abraham . the paschall lambe was also a sacred signe of the passage , for a remembrance of their deliuerie out of egypt ? the arke of alliance for another sacrament , of which it is written , that it is the truth and power of the lord : must wee vnderstand by this , that it was transubstantiated into the reall maiestie of god ? wee must , wee must i say , interpret the holy scriptures with discretion , and in humilitie without sophistication , and without magicke , soundly to apprehend the conception of words , and not sticke so close to the letter , which kils : but receiue the word of god in liuely spirit . if then the sacred arke is called the lord , and nominated god , because in it he exercised his omnipotent power , and declared his oracles and mysteries , by exteriour signes , to draw the israelitish people to bee mindfull of god , and to feare and obey him : if iesus christ also said that hee was bread which came downe from heauen , the bread of life ; and that the wine was his bloud : that the cup is the new testament , by the externall signes of bread and wine , to giue vs to vnderstand , that our life and sauing nutriment depended onely on iesus christ , and that by his death & bloodshed , we haue assurance of eternall life ; euen as bread and wine serue for corporall nourishment , and that he meant and ordained these sacred signes , to bee to vs for sacraments , to approue and confirme our faith : did he determin we should hereby capernize , & nicodemize , to enquire , or make doubt of gods power how it is possible to eate the body , or drinke the blood of iesus christ : how we can possibly be regenerated and borne anew ? seeing the promise was made vnto vs by the word , wherefore , haue you , o missalians , conceiued a carnall transubstantiation , distrusting in the incomprehensible power of god ? may it not suffice you simply to beleeue , that the body and blood of iesus christ was really and sacramentally offered , to communicate thereof for our spirituall nourishment , and to grant vs eternall life , through the bread and wine consecrated , with giuing of thankes ; the bread being truely his bodie , and the wine his blood , which we must worthily receiue by faith , and puritie of conscience , as sacred signes and markes of the diuine character , without searching too subtilly after the meanes , other then the plaine interpretation of iesus christ , that the flesh profits not , but the spirit quickens , and that his words are spirit and life ? should wee doubt whether god hath power , by the symboles of bread and wine consecrated to make vs communicate of the bodie and blood of iesus christ , though the bread remaine bread , and the wine wine ? if it were otherwise , this could be no sacrament , but rather called a miracle . as when iesus christ conuerted the water into wine , hee then vsed the miracle of transubstantiation , changing the water into wine : but hee ordained not this for a sacrament , as he did the communion of his body & blood by the sacred figures of bread and wine . was it not also as easie for god to change the wine into blood , or the bread into flesh , as for moses and aaron , to change the water of the riuer into blood , to confirme the hardnes of pharaohs heart ; or when the clouds were turned into the flesh of quailes , that rained vpon the people of israel ? neuerthelesse , god did not ordaine , that these miracles should serue for ordinarie sacraments : but herein he applyed himselfe to our infirmitie , exhibiting to vs sacred , but not transubstantiated signes , and yet are not vaine nor fantasticall : but signes externall that we may behold ▪ touch , eate ▪ and taste , remaining still in their substance : and neuerthelesse they represent sacramentally what is by them comprehended , and intimated , wherein consists the approbation of our faith , to manifest by a sacramentall worke and ministration , that wee are in the number of the regenerate , and sustained by the holy sacraments of baptisme , and the supper . chap. xxii . comparison betweene the two holy sacraments . if wee may presume to make comparison of the two holy sacraments of baptisme , and of the supper , though there bee a difference betweene it , and regeneration , which is not reiterated : for it sufficeth that we be once regenerate , and begotten anew ; but this spirituall nutriment is often renued , according to the course of nature , and other differences , very amply described by the holy apostles , and ministers of gods word . notwithstanding the same end , the same iesus christ is represented as well in baptisme , as in the supper . by the blood of iesus christ wee are regenerated , and by the same blood nourished . by the blood of iesus christ we are renued , sett , and engraffed ; and by the same blood we are entertained and preserued from hungring or thirsting for euer . by the blood of iesus christ , wee cast off our old corrupt skin , and put on his body , from which likewise wee receiue nourishment , and eternall life . by the blood of iesus christ , we haue accesse and entry into the kingdome of heauen : and by the same blood , we haue fruition of the same kingdome . in this sense the holy apostle testifieth , that wee were all baptized by the vertue of the holy spirit , and we are likewise drunke of the same spirituall drinke , giuen vnto vs by iesus christ . be not these comparisons drawne out of the holy scriptures ? to witnesse that iesus christ is the onely aime and scope , whereto we must tend both in baptisme and the holy supper ? if therefore that the signes of sacramentall water in baptisme , and of bread and wine in the supper of iesus christ , are sacred signes , earnests , gages , hostages , symboles , seales , and sacraments , instituted by god for an assurance , and approbation of our faith : wherefore , o missalians , seeing you haue inuented a magicke of transubstantiation for the sacrament of the supper : why did you not likewise with the same magicke sophisticate the sacrament of baptisme ? why haue you not constituted that sacramentall water , after it is by you exorcis'd and coniur'd with salt , to repell diuels , to be transubstantiated into the blood of iesus christ ; the water being no more water , but an accident without substance , as you haue forged by the bread and wine ? what difference doe you assigne , but sophistries , sophismes , and missalian subtilties ? if you perseuere in your heresie , by reason of this word est : this word is also vsed in the water of baptisme , which is termed renouation , and regeneration ; it is named the holy spirit , and the vestment , by , and with which wee are reuested , renued , and regenerated in the blood of iesus christ . seeing therefore you acknowledge , o missalians , that you could neuer yet meet with a second berengarius , to institute another decree of a palinody , for the extending of your magicall transubstantiation , to the sacred water of baptisme , and by the same meanes likewise to transubstantiate your lustrall plegme & spittle ; your oyle , your creames , your salt , & other drugges , wherewith you haue corrupted the holy sacrament of baptisme ; why are you so inueterate , and obdurate in your pompilian religion , as to hale iesus christ from the right hand of his father , to make him in body and blood to descend by your muttered magick , like another iupiter elicius , before the day preordained for his second comming ? i may well propound vnto you the similitude of the sunne , called by some apostles the sunne of righteousnes iesus christ , because light comes from heauen , by this luminous and glorious sphericall planet : and so spirituall light is exhibited to vs by iesus christ , who out of the night and darknesse of sinne hath brought vs into the brightnesse , and cleare sun-shine of his grace . you may now therefore vnderstand , carnall & grosse capernaites , this sufficient and euident comparison , to intimate that the infinite power of god , is much more compleat and perfect , then your abominable inuention of transubstantiation . will you not acknowledge , except your eyes be blinded , and obfu●cated with the palpable darknes of obstinacie , that the sunne giues vs his light , his force , his heat and vigour , and yet neuerthelesse , the body it self of the planetall sunne remaines and continues in his sphericall orbe ? doe you not vse to say ordinarily in common language when the window of an house is open on that part where the sunne shines , that the sunne is come into the house , although the sunne remaines still in the firmament ? must wee therefore violently hale and pull the body of the sun , to make it descend , and bee transubstantiated into this earthly substance , before it can affoord its heat , beames , light and nourishment , to plants , trees , herbes , and beasts of the earth ? are you so brutish , o capernaits , as not to recognize that the true sunne of righteousnes iesus christ , hath more power then this astrall sunne , being but mortall , and created ? if then a mortall creature hath this power to infuse into vs the vertue and efficacie of his body , by his beames , light , and heate , extended really and effectually ouer the whole earth , the body remaining still in its heauen : and shall wee not beleeue that god an immortall creator hath much more power to grant vs the true sunne of righteousnesse iesus christ : to giue vs the vertue and power of his body and bloodshed for vs by the beames , light , and heate of his holy spirit , except hee be by your magicke pluckt from the right hand of god , and his body drawne out of heauen , to be transubstantiated vpon earth ? why should not iesus christ haue this power to affoord vs his light , and to offer his body and blood to enter into vs , if by faith and a pure conscience wee be ready to receiue him , by the efficacy of his holy spirit , as well and better , then the sphericall sunne can enter into our houses , with his force and power , and neuer be drawne out of his heauen , to bee transubstantiated ? the sunne is an entire body created , residing in heauen : the cause of the generation of plants , trees , and herbes , which by his force and calidity , giues sustentation to whatsoeuer liues vpon the earth , and in one and the same moment , hath power to quicken , heat , and nourish , an infinit number of plants , trees , herbes , and beasts of the earth ; and yet his body is neuer separated , diuided , drawne out of his spheare , nor transubstantiated . the body also of iesus christ which he assumed vp into heauen , set at the right hand of god : hath not that more force , more vertue , more power , to regenerate , nourish and sustaine vs ; to giue vs his vertue , light and beames ; to inspire , quicken , illuminate and nourish vs , and in a moment to make vs all by faith partakers of his body and bloud : to make vs members of his members , vnited in , and by him , through his true promise , comprehended vnder the symboles & sacred signes commended vnto vs , till the second cōming of his humanity be reuealed vpon earth ? wherefore then o missalians , haue you deuised this magicke of transubstantiation , to blaspheme against god , to impaire his omnipotency , and disable his vertue more then you do that of the sphericall sun , but his creature ? why should you hale the body of iesus christ out of heauen , before the preordained time , to transubstantiate it into your little round azimall hosts printed with image●y , which you cause to bee ador●d , seeing christ as god , there assists his church perpetually , and hath the power to regenerate , feed , and sustaine vs : yea , with an eternall life and nourishment , by his most assured promise , testified by the holy sacraments of baptisme and the sacred supper . for other more familiar and domesticall comparisons , consider o missalians , how earthly and mo●tall princes are reputed , reuerenced and honoured by such sacred signes as they ordaine ; i will onely propound vnto you two , which is to say , waxe and mettals : of one the princes seale is composed , with which grants , pardons , and remissions are sealed , charters , and priuiledges by the prince conferred . he that falsifies this seale is he not punisht as in case of high treason , euen as if hee had outraged the person of the prince ? does not this seale represent his owne person , euen as if himselfe were present ? neuerthelesse the seale though it bee called the seale of the prince , is not transubstantiated , but still remaines waxe : but otherwise hauing receiued the sacred character of the prince , being then no more called waxe , but the princes seale . also the mettals of gold or siluer coyned with the princes stampe , doe serue for mony , although they are no more called gold nor siluer ; but hauing once exchanged their names at the princes wil , they are either crownes , angels or pistols , or else shillings , groats or penies , or other such like names ; they are yet notwithstanding mettals of the very substance as they were before , there is but that difference , that they haue the princes impression vpon them by and in which hee is represented really : so that whosoeuer clips or falsifies that money , is sorely punisht by death as a fellon and a traitor his prince , for it is in a manner as bad , and as if he had offended and conspired against the princes owne person ; by farre greater reason the bread and the wine consecrated and ordained to bee sacraments of the pretious body and blood of christ iesus , represents them really , and not by picture . wherefore whosoeuer receiues it vnworthily , commits a haynous crime against the supreame and diuine maiesty of him , to his eternall damnation ; but t is not to conclude a transubstantiation by a most abhominable coniuration or witchcraft . but if you massalians or masse-priests , nicholaits and transubstantiators , be not sufficiently satisfied with iesus christ & his apostles interpretations , as likewise with those similitudes and familiar comparisons , to reduce and bring you to the sincere way , and certaine forme ordained of god for to celebrate his holy sacraments , in abolishing your pompilian and missafique idolatries , eiecting from you your abhominable witchcraft of transubstantiation . at the least will ye not beleeue at all the interpretations of the anci●et authors of the church : hearken but to the sayings of st. augustin against adamantine that notable hereticke : euen as the blood , saith hee , in many parts and places of the holy scripture is said to be the water , the stone also to bee christ ; euen so the bread is said to be his body : which three places must be vnderstood and interpreted to bee sacred signes and figures , then when this very author said christ iesus vttered these words ; hoc est corpus meum , this is my body , in presenting and breaking bread to his disciples , hee gaue them the signe of his body : for otherwise it should seeme to bee a thing both inhumane and vnlawfull , to deuoure the pretious flesh and blood of iesus christ ; if there were not the figure of the bread and wine for to keepe in memory his flesh and blood , the body of christ hauing beene sacrificed to god his father for our life and eternal nourishment . againe the same author vseth this interpretation , the sacrament visible is the new testament , that is to say , the sacred signe of the inuisible sacrifice : the like interpretations are described by tertullian against that hereticke marcion , christus acceptum panem corpus suum fecit , dicendo , hoc est corpus meum : id est , figura corporis mei . wherefore then o missalians , haue you not followed the authority of these holy doctors , of the church which would not blasphem against god by the magick of transubstantiation , but haue freely and vertuously acknowledged the sacrament to be a visible signe or sacred figure , signifying by faith & spirit that which is inuisible ? wherefore do you prepare the mouth and the belly for to deuoure the body and blood of christ corporally , really and carnally ? why offer you not your selues by true & liuely faith for to eate worthily christ iesus ? why haue you not vnderstood the manducation of the body of christ , by the notable distinction of that learned doctor s. ierome , saying , the flesh of christ iesus is to be vnderstood carnally , when it is spoken of the shedding his blood , and crucifying of his body for our saluation ; but spiritually , when it is said that his flesh is the true meat for vs to eate . for another proofe , i will alledge that learned prelate gelase bishop of rome , the which disputing against the heretickes eutichines and nestorians , doth affirme the bread & wine consecrated and made sacraments are neuerthelesse in substance bread and wine , but to be signes of the body and blood of christ iesus by the mystery of the sacrament . and if ye desire larger testimonies , saint ambrosius vpon the epistle of saint paul to the corinthians hath explicated and made manifest , that the eating of the bread and the drinking of the wine doth signifie the flesh and the blood of christ iesus offered for vs. origen likewise in his homilies teacheth the sacraments to be figures , which we ought to examine really , and not carnally : because saith he , that those words , hoc est corpus meum , not vnderstood spiritually kils the soule , when he writes to eate the flesh of christ . wherefore s. chrysostome admonished the people to honour that holy sacrament in offring himselfe his soule to god , for the which christ iesus was crucified ; & that by that holy sacament of bread & wine , is signified to vs the similitude of the body and blood of iesus christ . for resolution , we must follow and be ruled , according to the instruction and interpretation of our holy sauiour christ iesus and his apostles , to honor and reuerence his holy sacraments instituted of him by exterior signes , to lift vp our hearts and raise our spirits and minds to heauen , for to comprehend that which by those signes is represented to vs , and not to esteeme , hold , & account them as vaine pictures or apparitions ; but endeuour to receiue them worthily by liuely faith and vertue of the holy ghost , to the end to be fed and nourished with celestiall bread , to the saluation of our soules thereby to attaine life eternall . let vs then be assured in christ iesus as members of his body that we may be reduced and brought all into one vnity , for to communicate and eate the same bread and drink the same wine compounded of many graines vnited together , to the end that wee may say with the holy apostle , all wee faithfull are the body of christ iesus , saued and redeemed by his holy body crucified , and pretious blood shed for vs , and so remaining permanent in faith in christ iesus , in eating his body and drinking his blood , to beleeue firmely to haue beene crucified and risen from the dead , ascended into heauen , and sitteth at the right hand of god his father , vntill that he returnes as he is ascended with his humanity , and neuerthelesse his almighty power and diuinity to be distributed to vs and diffused in earth , and in all places , especially in his holy sacraments , which he hath left vs for a pledge , and exteriour approbation of our faith , for memory and recordation of the death and passion of our sauiour iesus christ . finis . to my noble and most learned author , on his worthy name . i n the circumference of all natures frame , s o honor'd is ( learn'd casaubon ) thy name , a s so much need my encomiasticke lines , a s a small taper when that phaebus shines c leare at noone day : c an this so litterate age afford a brest , a closet where such profound wit doth rest , s vch abstruce learning ? these he did combine a peerlesse graecian , and vnmatcht diuine : v nder the wounds of his polemicke pen b led the idolatrous whore : rarest of men , o ver all nations flies thy far-spred name , n o angle but resounds thy datelesse fame . the admirer of his works , abraham darcie . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e prou . , . sacrifices before the written law. psal . genes . . hebr. . genes . . , . apoc. . the rainbow . genes . . circumcision in the yeere of the world . genes . . exodus . exodus . the cloud . the pillar of fire , exod. . the diuision of the arabick red sea , in the yeere of the world , . . cor. . titus . heauenly manna . exod. . . cor. . iohn . diuers sacrifices ordained by god , in the yeere of the world . holocausts . diuision of sacrifices , extracted out of exodus , leuiticus , & numbers . beasts appointed for sacrifice . daies appointed for sacrifices . exod. . see the books of philo the iew , and of iosephus . holocaust : philo the iew in his treatise of beasts , appointed for sacrifice . ioseph lib. c. . de antiq. iudaic. leu. . , , . sacrifice for health . sacrifices for sinne . sacrifices for sinne out of ignorance . sacrifices for the high priests sinne , for the princes , for the magistrate , and for particular men . leu. . , . sacrifice for a polluted man. sacrifice for a deliuered woman . leuit. . sacrifice for the leprous . leuit. . sacrifice for manstruall polution . leauen and honey forbidden in all sacrifices . sacrifice for a woman suspected of adulterie . numb . . sacrifice of nazareans . numb . . philo the iew in his treatise abouenamed . exod. . arke of couenant . exod. . , , . ephod . water of purification consecrated . numb . . exod. . brazen serpent . numb . . iohn . . corruption began first in adam . corruption of the sacrifices by aaron . exod. . deut. . corruption of sacrifices by nadab and abihu . leuit. . numb . . iosh . . iud. . . . , . iud. . judg. . inhumane sacrifice of iephta . iudg. . idolatry by the golden ephod . . sam. . ophni and phinees corrupters of sacrifices . . sam. . . sam. . . sam. . . arke of sacred . couenant . against the corruption of sacred signes . . sams . osias . chron. . saul . . sam. . ioseph . lib. ● . cap. . de . antiq. ludae . . kings . ieroboam . . kings . . . kings . . kings . achab. . kings . ioseph . lib. . cap. . ochosias . . kings . ioseph . li. . cap. . purgatory fire . . kings . in the booke alcoran . asoar . . lib. . and asoar . . ignem gehennae , non nisi numero dierum praeterminato . animas sentire docet alcoranliber , & ad diem veritatis omnes accedere operum suorum mercedem accepturos , asoar . . the cause of corruption in sacraments . apo● . . deut. . . ierem. . esay . psal . . esay . ierem. . amos . psal . ● . . sam. . . esdras . . kings . . ioseph . lib. . ca. . de ant. iud. ioseph . lib. de antiq. iud. ioseph . lib. . cap. . ioseph . li. . cap. . entros . . cap. . genes . . comparison between adam and iesus christ . iesus christ the tree of life . apoc. . rom. . the rain-bow . circumcision . galat. . the flaming bush . pascall lambe . iohn . heb. . the bread of life . . cor. . the cloud , the pillar of fire , the red sea. . cor. . job . . heauenly manna . the flowing rocke . liuing water . . cor. . sacrifice . heb. . , , . heb. . arke of couenant . brazen serpent . ioh. . temple of god. ioh. . holocaust , and water purgatorie . joh. . heb. . rom. . st. augustine lib. . de doct . christ . cap. . sacraments of the new testament . distribution of the sacraments to all conuerts . herod . lib. . gen. . numb . . tit. . gal. . corruptions of the holy sacraments . sacrament of baptisme corrupted . theod. in the booke of the fables of heretikes . ca●sine , & ca●posiquam de conerat . distinct . . epheta . per. satyr . . galat. . ●phes . . . corinth . . epiphan . lib. . tom . . haeres . . epipha . lib. . tom . . haeres . . and lib. . tom . . haeres . . exod. . sacrament of the supper corrupted . . corinth . . hist. eccle. hist . tripart it . lib. . cap. . & lib. . cap. . euseb . lib. . cap. . hist . tripart . lib. cap. . & . euseb . lib. . cap. . hist . tripar . chap . col. . galat. . heb. . hist. tripar . lib. . cap. . euseb . lib. . cap. in the yeere of christ , . tlatina sabelli . euseb . lib. . cap. . & lib. . cap. . cel. li. . cap. . iustin . in apolo . . inno lib. . cap. . de officio disial . august . lib. de haereti . cap. . & . epiphan . lib. . tom . . haeret . . matth. . marc. . luc. . . corint . . . cor. , the romane emperors and their priests . titiuill . lib. . deca . . fenestell . lib. de magist . rom. euseb . in his bookes of the eccl. hist . anno dom. . & . anno dom. . . & . . . . . . . . pontifex maximus . in a booke intituled , a discourse of the ancient religion of the romanes , by william de choue bayly of dolphinois . catalogue of the caesars , at the end of nicephorus historie . anno dom. . in the canons collected by clement bishop of rome , . . . & . anno dom. . alexander the first , bishop of rome , in the yeere of our lord . sixtus bishop of rome in the yeere of our lord . syluester bishop of rome . higinus bishop of rome the yeere . fabian bishop of rome in the yeare . pius bishop of rome , in the yeare , . z●pherin : bishop of rome , in the yeare . calixtus bishop of rome , in the yeare , . eutiches bishop of rome , in the yeare , . red roabes of cardinals . siluest : bishop of rome , in the yeare . cronic . of iohn baptista ignatius . hist●tripartit : lib. . cap. . paul : aenul . lib. . in the yeare . in the yeare . blon . lib. . d●cad , . procop. lib. . of the wars of the vuandales in the yeare . in the yeare . . paul acmil . lib. . in the yeare . in the yeare , . platine blond : volaterad . paul : aemil : lib. . blond : lib. . blond . lib. . decad. . paul. enul . lib. . the first apparant antichrist . in the yeare . sabellic . in the yeare . blond . lib. . greg. lib. . of epist . cha . . in the yeare . platin. sabellic . in the yeare . math. . math. . luc. . marc. . the cause of mahomets originall . looke the ecclesiasticall history . hereticks in the church . originall of the masse : with exposition of the word . dan. . . kings . messa . messell . hell. masse drawne from the ancient latine romanes . amongst the greekes the priest hauing discharged his function , spake aloud in this manner . laiois aphesis , as if he discharged the people . apule . lib. . de asm . aur . in the booke of the description of affrick , by iohn leo affricanus . messa of the turkes . messelmans , in the booke of the great turks court , by frier antonie geffrie . in the booke of the aboue said , messen , messi . pontife lib. . of commenta . a curate . curio , a priest , or curat , who in his cure , that is , in his parish had the care of sacred celebrations . tit. liui. lib. . decad. tit. lini . fenest . pompo . l●tt . aube . alex. ab alex. lib. . chap. . super tunicam aeneam pectori regumen . . decad . . virg. lib. a●neid . . purpureovel are comas ad opertus maictu , ca●ite ante aras phrigius velamus amict● . titilman . in tractat . de expo . myster . missae . et gab. e●el . in lib. de exposit . missae . philo : in lib. de profug . apul. lib. . de lasno auri . proclus in lib. de sacrafic . & gag . procl . platoni . catul. eius aquae aspersione , peccata , presertim per iuria , mendati aque dilui credebant . blond . lib. de rom. trium . ouid lib. fast fonts of two sorts . dijs supcris sacra facturus , corporis ablutione purgabatur : cum vero inferis lijamdum erat , sola aspersio sufficiebat . blond . lib. . de rom. trium . ma●r . lib. . satu. chap. . in delij apolinis templo praecipua erat aqua sacrificantium vsui accommoda , quam ad alios vsus hausisse magni criminis instar erat . alex . ab alex : lib. . ca. . platine . si ciuis vitula aspersus populum iudaeorum mundabat , multo magis aqua sale conspersa populum sanctificat , & insidias diaboli auertit ea , a quam , de consecrat . distinct . . the law of god corrupted . numb . . . king. . exod. . numb . . hysto . trip . lib. . cap. . valentinian the emperor against holy water sprinckle . salt holy water very auncient . against the salt lustrall water of alexander pope of rome . ca : omnes de consecrat : distinct . . & cap. altaria & cap. vestimenta : distinct . . cap. altar●s : de confecra : distinct . . in lib. cantel : miss : leuit. . . . the reason why new idolatries were inuented . true holy water for christians . heb. . epiph. lib. . tom . . sec . . & . cont. haer . . part of the masse , procession . platina . tit : liu : in his decades . supplicationes , quit ▪ nos processiones vocamus , fiebant circa delubra fanaque & puluinaria , in quibus honos dijs dabatur , praecedentibus pueris ingenuis ac sacer dotibus cora●atis , ac laurean● tenentibus manum , voce ●odulata ca●entibu● . c●●men , subsequent maximo pontifice vel curione : dein . de sequentibus patritijs ac senatoribus cum coniugibus & liberis plaerunque coronatis . apul. lib. . de asi . aur . blond . lib. . de rom. trium . alex . ab alex. lib. . chap. . in the booke of the discourse of the ancient romaines religion . lamprid. apul. lib. . de asm . aur . alex. ab alex. lib. . chap. . herodote in his histories . ierem. in his epist . ad iudeos in babylonem abducendos . neverticem deraditore , noue barbam vollitote . leuit. . nec in gyrum ac rotundum attondebitis comam vestram , nec radetis barbam . ezech : . ex libris messaae ad octauianum augustum : apul. lib. . de asin . aur . in the said booke of the religion of the ancient romaines . a● : christ . ● the third part of the masse . altar , and tapers light . omil. lib. . de fast . apul. lib. . de asm . aur . plut. in numa . alex. ab alex. lib. . cap. . exod. . leuit. . deut. . esay . abhominable idolatry . durand : lib. . rub . de mutat . . part of the masse . confiteor . r●m diuinam facturus , ad suā leuandam culpam , semi primis reum dicere debebat , & noxae poenitere ac fateri admissum , vultumque submittere . alex. ab alex. lib. . cap. . bl●nd . lib. . de rom. triumph . chap. . fift part of the masse . turnings and wheelings about . hae sunt vertegines in sacris , à numae institutae , dextram ad osculam ferre , et se in orbem circum agere . blond . lib. . do rom. triumph . macro in saturnali . introduction to the masse . plin. lib. . the sixt part of the masse . the second of the organes . antems . collects . gradualls . tracts . sequences . hymnorum plures species ●r a●t , hyping●s , dianam , apollini , p●an , sit prosaedia . dionisio dithirambus . ceteri , iulus , vencri , cr●tyetus , praeter quos fuere , prosaeduri , hypacthema , et stasimon . alex. ab alex. lib. . cap. . diuers masses . dry masses . seuenth part of the masse . perfume of incense . blond . lib. i. de rom. trium . alex. ab alex. lib. . cap. . iliacus temporibus veteres non thure sed ced●i , & 〈◊〉 i fu●●o , deos adolebant . alex ab alex. lib. . cap. . platina . tit. liu. . decad . . tit. liu. lib. . d●cad . . o●id . l●b . . f●st the eight part of the mas●e . plin. lib. . cap. blond . lib. . de rom. trium . sacerdotiorum siue beneficiorum duo eraat genera : vnum , quorum colla●io adremp : aut principem , aut ad pontificum collegiū spectabat : alterum , quorum collatio ad aliquam f●mil●am , eiusque successores pertineb ●t : quae benefi●ia 〈◊〉 is patronatus censebantur . blond . lib . de rom. triumph . disp●ns●tion to hold many benefices . tit. liu. lib. . foundation of benefices . offertories . first-fruits and vacancies . tertia , sacer dotiorum opulentia , à solutionibꝰ proueniebat , quas inferiores , superioribus pontificibusim pendebant , quale apud nos est , cum pontifici romano fructus primos , antisiites & his minores sacerdotes ad obtinenda beneficia pecuniam dissol●unt . blond . lib . de rom triumph . viuentes 〈◊〉 deos haberent propitios , multa sacerdotibꝰ largi●bantur faelici●ati animarum consul turi . blond lib. . de rom trium . cicero in oratione pro demo sua ad pontisi 〈◊〉 . blond . lib. . de rom. trium . chap. . ninth part of the masse . round host of flower . plutarch . in numa . pollux . in onom . lib mysteriis peractis , qui sacris intererant rotundis panibus quos in honorem deorum abbibebant stan●es vescebantur , nec nisi sacrificio persecto vesci licebat alex. ab alex l. . cap. ▪ re diuina & ceremoniis celebraetis , sacerdos tunc , i , licet , succlamabat : qua voce illos qui interfuerant , missos faciebat . alex ab alex. lib. gen . dic . . cap. . masse instituted by numa more then yeares before the incarnation of christ . mat. . luk. . mark. . . cor. . mark. . platina , volaterra . kyrie eleyson . quoties prodigium nunciabatur , sacrum nouemdiale per nouem dies agebatur . tit. liu. lib. . decad . alleluia . platina . sabell . gloria patri , agnus dei , kisse-pix , instituted . chap. . chap. . & . kisse-pix . canon of the masse . platina . sabell . epistles and gospels cut out in the masse . against the long possession and prescription of idolatries . against the turkes . against the israelites sacrificing to moloch . king. . and . against the idolatry of the brazen serpent . num. . against the iewes infidelity . against the missalians . prescription takes no place against god. continuation of histories . abominable idolatrie . against the idolatry of round hosts . communion of holy bread . a notable difference betweene round consecrated hosts and holy bread . transubstantiation instituted . blond lib. . de rom. triump . hosts made of flower transubstantiated into flesh , and the wine into blood . detestable heresie . an. christ . , in chronolog . . volateran . lanfrac : de sac . against transubstantiation . tree of life . celestiall manna . the rocke flowing out water . lambs immolated by abel . circumcision . paschall lamb . brazen serpent victimes sacrificed . comparison of the faith of the ancient fathers of israel with ours . d. aug. contra faust . . ca. . & cap. . l. . & contra petilian . lib. . ca. , . ● cor. . august . in psal . against miracles alleaged by the missalians . exod. . exod. . exod. . the interpretation of iesus christ touching the eating of his body . iohn . comparison of baptisme with the sacraments of the supper . iohn . . corinth . . numa pompilius , vt populum romanorum sacris obligaret , volebat videri sibi cum dea aegeria congressus esse nocturnos , eiusque monituse , quae accepta diis immortalibus sacra forent , insti●uere valer. max. lib. . cap. . iohn . exod. . numb . . corruption of the holy sacrament . against transubstantiation . herman . cont. blond . platin. nehem. . psal . . . psal . . iohn . genes . . genes . . exod. . nehem . psal . . . sap. . iohn . gen. . gen . gen. . gen. . gen. . gen. . numb . . tobit . . psal . . mar. . luk. . mat. . luke . exod. . leuit. . math. . . king. . ose . deut. . mar. . luke . math. . math . mar. . math. . mar. . iohn . math. . iohn . iohn . iohn . iohn . iohn . iohn . math. . genes . . . cor. . . cor. . . cor. . . cor. . gen. . exod. . . gen. . numb . . psal . . . mat. . iohn . iohn . exod. . , . exod. . comparison of the two holy sacraments . t it . ioh. . rom. . iohn . gal. . ephes . . . cor. . . cor. . against the missalians . iohn . , . tit. . gal. . against the corrupters of baptisme . luke . mal. . comparison of the sun of iesus christ , which iustine the martyr vseth in his treatise of the exposition of faith , chap. . a notable comparison of the sunne , to vtterly confute the erroneous doctrine of transubstantiation . iesus christ as god assists all . familiar comparisons of princes seales and coynings , which if they be conterfeited or falsified , the counterfeiters therof are executed as offenders to the princes person . . cor , . . here is proued by the doctors the words of christ concerning the sacrament of his body and blood , to be spiritually taken and not carnally , and so vtterly transubstantiation is confuted . l. . aug. ch . . the authority of ancient doctors . st. augustines interpretation . lib. . de doctr . christ . & in praefat . psa . l. . lib. . de cant. des . cha . . ca. sacrificium de consecr . distinct . . tertullian . lib. . & . . vt quid paras dentem & ventrem ? crede & manducasti , ea . vt quid , de consecrat . distin . . aug. in lib. de remed . paeniten . & in ioan. tra . . cap. . s hiero in epist ad ephef . ca. dupliciter ead . distinct . s. gel●se against eutychius and nestorieus . s. ambr●se in the booke of sacraments , cap. . & . origen . in leu. ho●● . . s. chrysostom . hom . . ch . . com . . psal . . . corinth . . . corinth . . d. august . in ioan. tra●● . . ●rt . . & . the lambes spouse or the heauenly bride a theologicall discourse, wherin the contract betwixt christ and the church; the preparation against the mariage; and the solemnization it selfe, and the exclusion of hypocrites and temporizers, is plainly and profitably, with the partucular vses, set forth. whereunto is annexed an exact preparatiue to the lords supper. by t.d. minister of the word of god. draxe, thomas, d. . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the lambes spouse or the heauenly bride a theologicall discourse, wherin the contract betwixt christ and the church; the preparation against the mariage; and the solemnization it selfe, and the exclusion of hypocrites and temporizers, is plainly and profitably, with the partucular vses, set forth. whereunto is annexed an exact preparatiue to the lords supper. by t.d. minister of the word of god. draxe, thomas, d. . [ ] p. by g. eld, dwelling in fleete-lane, at the signe of the printers presse, imprinted at london : . t.d. = thomas draxe. the "an exact preparative to the lords supper" has a caption title that reads: an appendix or necessary addition, touching the docrtine, nature and vse of the sacraments, propounded in plaine and profitable questions, and answeres, very requisite and comfortable for euery christian to know. signatures: a-m. imperfect; lacking all after l (title page and leaves k -m supplied from bodleian library copy filmed at end). reproduction of the original in the princeton theological seminary. library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the 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accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng church of england -- catechisms -- early works to . sacraments -- church of england -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - olivia bottum sampled and proofread - olivia bottum text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the lambes spovse or the heauenly bride . a theologicall discourse , wherin the contract betwixt christ and the church ; the preparation against the mariage ; and the solemnization it selfe , and the exclusion of hypocrites and temporizers , is plainly and profitably , with the particular vses , set forth . wherevnto is annexed an exact preparatiue to the lords supper . by t. d. minister of the word of god imprinted at london by g. eld , dwelling in fleete - lane , at the signe of the printers presse , . to the worshipfull company of drapers in couentry , his very good benefactors , peace and prosperitie . if wee duly and diligently as we ought ( men , brethren & fathers , ) consider & obserue , gods vnspeakeable mercy & goodnesse towards our english nation ; not onely in the fruition and continuance of such vncomparable peace and prosperitie aboue other countries and king domes , and in the exquisite and excellent knowledge of liberall artes and the learned languages : but also ( and that most eminently ) in the pure and publike preaching of christ his blessed gospell , in so many places and parishes . wee cannot but iudge and acknowledge our selues to be highly beloued , and admirably blessed of almighty god. but contrariwise , if wee marke and take notice of the merueilous abuses of our peace and prosperitie , the exceeding contempt of artes and good learning , and ( that , which most aggrauateth our iudgement ) the generall neglect of piety , and the horrible hypocrisie of many in the profession of sincere religion , and withall call to remembrance the sundrie and fearefull ( if not ominous , ) warnings and iudgements that god hath inflicted vpon vs in these few last yeares , wee then haue iust cause to feare , that god hath reserued vs to some more dangerous plagues , and that hee will by degrees strip and depriue vs of all his mercies . wherefore least wee should take ouer-much offence at the prophanesse and hypocrisie of the mvltitude , and hereby faile and shrinke in our holy courses and exercises of godlinesse , or else should deceiue our owne soules , because wee reteine an outward forme and profession of holinesse , and because our outward tranquillitie & happinesse yet continueth : two points and conclusions must heedfully be considered of vs. first , that the number of sincere christians and vndissembling gospellers , is very rare : they are in comparison of them that perish , but a remnant , a gleaning after the haruest or vintage , a small flock , one of a tribe , and two of a citie . the truth of this assertion most euidently appeareth in the time of any generall apostacie and persecution , . reg. . . apoc. . ver . . and . and chapt . . ver . . and . and shall be made manifest to all the world , at christ his second comming , when he shal scarcely finde sauing faith vpon the earth . luke . . ver . . . therfore we may not define and measure the truth of religion by the esteeme and practise of the erring multitude , but wee must make gods word the onely rule and touchstone of our faith and life . secondly , for the auoiding and preuenting of hypocrisie , which maketh vs odious both to god and men , wee must not so much ( in a curious humor ) desire to know strange mysteries , as to know that which most concerneth vs , and to make a good vse and apply of our knowledge . againe , wee must in all our actions and profession of religion , propound to our selues no sinister ends . as for example , wee must not intend gaine but godlinesse , not credit amongst men ( onely ) but the glorie of god ; not policie , but piety , and not the aduancing of our outward state , but the amendment of our liues , and the saluation of our soules ; and hereby we shall notably and vnfallibly distinguish our selues from all hypocrites whatsoeuer . lastly , we must with the woman in the apocalips , cloath our selues with the sunne of righteousnesse , and tread the moone , that is , all changeable and transitorie things vnder our feete , and wee must with the wise virgins , whiles it is the time of grace , and the day of saluation , prouide our selues of the oyle of true saith , get the garment of true holinesse and keepe it vndefiled ; and in hope and patience waite long , and wish for , the second comming of christ , when the mariage shall be eternally solemnized betweene the bridegroome and vs in the highest heauens . this doing we shall be happy and blessed here in hope and beginning , and after this mortall life ended , in act and perfection . and because , next vnto the sacred ministery of the word , and the spirituall exercises of christians , the publishing of sound and elaborate treatises , are a singular helpe and furtherance herevnto , i , ( in the mediocritie of my skill ) for the direction of those that be well disposed , haue compiled and framed this small worke . moreouer , because the argument of it so fitteth your affections , being ( generally ) men of religion and conscience , & instrumēts of good , & because your liberal kindnesse & long continued beneficence hath bin so amply extended to me , i doe most humbly and deuoutly dedicate it vnto you all ; most submissiuely , beseeching you courteoussy to accept of it , and to vse it for your edification and comfort . in assured expectation whereof , i here take my leaue . the god of heauen , and father of our lord iesus christ , remember in goodnesse all your kindnesses shewed to his house , and vnto so many of his seruants , fill you with all wisedome and spirituall vnderstanding , make you fruitefull in all good workes , prosper you in this world , and make you euerlastingly blessed in the world to come . amen . couentry . ianu. . your worships in all duty to command , thomas drâx . venerabili & doctissimo viro domino hintono sacrae theologiae doctori , couentriae archidiacono & michaelis ecclesiae pastori vigilantissimo , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . cvm totum & beneficentissimū maecenatum meorum ordinem , iustissimis de causis , compellare & salutare ausus sim ; non committendum putaui , vt te ( vir verè obseruande ) meum ●ingularem patronum & perueterem amicum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praeterirem . malo igitur importunus quàm ingratus videri , & libelluli vestibulo ( licet menùs decorè ) aliquid adiicere , quaém de officio meo tantillum imminuere . huc addatur etiam , quòd argumenti vsus & praestantia , tua magna in ecclesia , existimatio & authoritas , & tui iudicii non tam exquisiti quàm candidi expectatio , me ( alioqui ●b invitum ) ad te alloqu●●dum , a●●iciunt ● inu●tant . quocirca 〈◊〉 etiam digni●●ti , idque , meritissimo ▪ has meas qualescunque comn●e tationes , consecrodedicoque . ●e ideo subiectissimè & demisissimè ●ro , vt eas in optimam partem interpreteris , tuamque erga me beneuolenti●m retineas & confirmes . sed de tuae propitiae voluntatis propensione nequaquam dubitans & quia molestus esse nolim , h●c sanè dicendi , at te diligendi finem numquam fac●o . christus opt : max : pastorum princeps , te quàm diutissimè valentem & vigentem conserue● , 〈◊〉 sacrum mi●isterium prosperet , tuam ecclesiasticam praefecturam dirigat , teque tandem summa & sancta senectute confectum , in sempiternae be●titudinis portum & paradisum perducat . couentriae , ian. . . tuae dignitatis studiosissimus thomas drâx . the lambes spouse , or the heauenly bride . math. . . and they that were ready went with him to the wedding , and the gate was shut . ovr sauiour christ the onely head & br●de-groome of the church , hauing in the former part of this allegorie , vnder the metaphoricall & borrowed termes of wise virgins , that were inwardly called , furnished with sauing faith and godlinesse , and watchfully expected his comming : and vnder the appellation of fool●sh virgins , that were hypocrites and temporizers , called onely outwardly , and contenting themselues with the outward profession and blaze of faith and godlinesse , the pith and substance whereof they wanted , described and depainted vnto vs the estate and condition of the visible church , ( wherein amongst the beleeuers are intermingled hypocrits , and onely seeming christians ) he doth in this tenth verse set downe their contrary euents and iudgements : for the wise virgins , the sincere and vndissembling christians went with christ to the wedding , that is , they were receiued into heaven , & vnto the immediate fellowship & presence of christ , but the foolish virgins , voide and destitute of iustifying faith and inward holinesse , were shut out , that is , debarred from entring into the kingdome of heauen , and consequently adiudged and cast into hell . wherevpon our sauiour exhorteth all men to watch , and carefully to waite for his comming to iudgement : least being vnready at his comming , they be shut out from the heauenly marriage : vnto which dutie they are so much more to attend , because that they know not the day , nor the houre wherein hee will come ; thus much of the dependance and order of the text . now according to the difference and diuersity of persons , viz. the wise virgins , and the foolish , their diuers and different euents and iudgements , are to be obserued and handled . in the wise virgins , three heads or points are to be considered first their contract with christ ( in these words ) wise virgins . secondly , their readinesse and fitnesse therevnto in these termes , they that were ready . lastly , the consummation of the marriage in these words , went with him to the wedding . of all these points i will speake in order , and afterwards ( god assisting ) proceed to propound and handle the most different estate & iudgment of the foolish virgins . in the cōtract diuers points are contained . as first , that there is such a contract betwixt christ and his church . secondly , the forme & nature of it . thirdly the benefits & prerogatiues of it : lastly the vses of the doctrin . touching the contract , that there is such a contract betweene christ and the church , it is plaine and demonstrable by sundry places of scripture . the lord by the ministery of esaias the prophet , whom he sent vnto ezechies to comfort him and his people against the blasphemies and threatning speeches of railing rabsaketh , the seruant of the king of assur thus stileth and saluteth the church . this is the word that the lord hath against him . the virgin , the daughter of syon hath despised thee , and laughed thee to scorne ; the daughter of ierusalem hath shaken her head at thee , isay. . . the church is distinguished and adorned with the title of virgin. because shee was consecrated and espoused to god alone , and his true worship ; as a virgin to her onely bridegroome or husband . likewise psal. . . hearken o daughter and consider & incline thine eare , &c. so shall the king haue pleasure in thy beauty for hee is thy lord and worship thou him . heere solomon representeth christ , and king pharaoes daughter that was married to him , the church of the gentiles espoused and affianced to christ. thirdly the lord by hosea speaketh ; i will marry thee vnto me for euer , i will marry thee vnto mee in faithfulnesse . hos. . . . in the canticl●s , the church by force of this contract maketh claime to christ , saying ; my beloued is mine , and i am his , &c. cant. . . paul shewing his vnfeigned affection to the corinthians , who in part ( missed by false apostles ) began without cause to distaste him , maketh this protestation . i am iealous ouer you with a godly iealousie , for i haue prepared you for one husband to present you as a pure virgin to christ. . cor. . . in the apocalyps the church is called virgins that are not defiled with women , apoc. . . and the lambes wife or brid● . chap. . . and chap. . ▪ all these places euince and demo●strate a spirituall coniunction and contract betweene christ and the elect . lastly , not to dwell long vpon authorities , saint iohn most notably & manifestly in the allegorie of the vine and the branches , iohn . . . . . . shadoweth and setteth out vnto vs , the nature of the coniunction , for as the vine doth yeeld and communicate life and nourishment to the branches , and the branches receiue and partake it from the vine : so christ the noble vine , that hath life in himselfe , and of himselfe , and that is full of grace and truth , doth infuse and communicate spirituall life , comfort and grace vnto his seuerall members ; and the church being ingrafted into him , draweth and receiueth the same from him by the hand and instrument of faith . whereas therefore the true church of god , consisting aswell of marryed persons as vnmarried , yea for the greatest part in all times and ages of those that bee marryed ; thus the holye scriptures , and experience and practise of all pure and holye churches doe testifie ; is in respect of their sound faith onely , and firme hope in christ , and sincere loue ; stiled by the name of virgins : it serueth to check and condemne the error of the church of rome , who from these and like places of scripture taketh occasion , and would needs prooue , that virginitie and single life , is a state in it selfe farre more holy and acceptable before god thē mariage , yea that it is meritorious and a type of the perfection of eternall life ▪ and here-vpon they forbid their bishoppes , ptiests , deacons , monkes , iesuits , &c. to marry , tollerating notwithstanding and allowing the stewes , concubines , hatlots , and all manner of vncleannesse . they vrge and commend virginity , with as much conscience and equity , as the theefe doth truth , the drunken man sobriety , and the glutton abstinence . for it is notoriously knowne to the world , not onely what vnchaste hearts they carry , and in what lusts they burne ; but how filthily they liue , that amongst the rest would be accounted the most holy & exquisite . but briefly to refute their error , wee thus prooue , that virginity is not a state more holy in it selfe before god then marriage , much lesse meritorious . first god in the old testament , and christ in the new , allowed and permitted marriage to priests , prophets , patria●kes , apostles , euangelists and ministers ▪ aswell as any others . if there had beene any vnholinesse in their marriage , or virginity estate for them , so incomparably better or more necessary , god in his wisedome would haue otherwise ordered it . secondly , marriage is honorable in all men , it hath his chastity , it is for the comfort of man , the medicine of incontinence , the meane to preserue the world , and the seminary of the faithfull , therefore in it selfe not inferiour to a single life . thirdly , if single life were so holy and meritorious a state before god , as they would make it , then all vnmarried persons should be so . but the examples of absolon , adoniah , & iudas , &c. euince the contrarye . secondly , it should bee without the least taint of concupiscence . thirdly , the scriptures would auerre and auouch it . fourthly , albeit virginity and single life in times of generall persecution be more to be wished , and more conuenient then marriage ; yet then paul rather wisheth that all men in respect of the time present were such , then commandeth and inioyneth them . . cor. . . for he leauerh them to their liberties ▪ and this occurrence of affliction and trouble , seemeth to bee a principall cause why bishops & ministers so sparingly were married in the primitiue church , for some yeares after the apostles decease . lastly , i conclude with saint augustine ; melius est humile coniugium , quàm superba virginitas . secondly , in that the true church is called by the name of virgin , in respect of her sound faith , and pure affection to christ : wee are first admonished hereby to beware of , and to shunne , as the very plague or poison of our soules , the dangerous and damnable errous and heresies of al papists , turkes anabaptists , schismatikes , p●gans & ● . for these like a gangrene & cankar eate into & corrupt our soules , they put out the light of our vnderstanding and wound the vitall parts of spirituall life . mathew . . . pet. . vers . . . apoc. . verse . and . . thessa . vers . and . secondly wee must entirely and vnfainedly loue christ. ioh . hee must be our loue as ignatius saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is that christ his loue was crucified : he alone must haue our hearts . pro. . ver . . we must account al things but losse and dung in comparison of gayning him phil. . . hee is the pretious margarite or pearle , wee must sell all that we haue to purchase it . mat. . . finally our loue or affection to christ , his word and sacraments must bee so feruent , so fi●y and so vehement that no water should quench it , nor the floudes drowne it , and we should greatly contemne al substāce in respect of it . cant. , , . this meeteth with those that haue a forme and shew of godlines ; yet they would serue god and mammon , two cōtrary maisters if they be worldlings , or if they be licentious , they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . . louers of pleasures more then god. wherfore let vs auoide all hipocrisie and loue christ sincerely , for as christ himselfe is simple & sincere in his nature , and in his promises , loue and workes , towards vs , so let vs labor in some good conformity to behaue and carry our selues to him . and thus much touching the first branch viz. that there is such a contract and of the vses of it . . the second point to be considered in this spiritual cōtract or vnion , is the definition , nature and forme of it . this contract therfore is that mistical & spiritual , yet real & substantial vnion & coniunction between christ and the church , whereby they are made one flesh , and by special compact & consent haue right & interest one in another , yea & abide and dwel one in an other . in the clearing and manifestation hereof ▪ three particulars are to bee handled , first that this coniunction is onely spirituall , not naturall , or carnall . secondly , that it is reall and substantiall , and lastly the order and manner of it is to be touched . it is mysticall and spirituall , first because the persons betweene whom it is made , viz. christ ( as man ) and the church militant , are farre distant in place , and therefore it cannot bee any naturall or carnall coniunction . secondly , because the meanes and manner of working it are spirituall , it needs must be spirituall also . now it is wrought & effected not by nerues , bonds , ●inews , as this naturall coniunction betweene the body and the soule is caused , but by the spirit of christ , which he sendeth from heauen into vs ; and by our faith , stirred vp by his spirit , whereby we send it vp againe to him : so that this coniunction must needs bee as spirituall , so relatiue and mutuall . first therefore that christ sendeth his spirit into vs , and that the same spirit that dwelleth in his manhood , and filleth it with all graces aboue measure , is deriued thence and dwelleth in all the true members , raising vp and working in vs faith and strength whereby we apprehend him ▪ loue whereby wee affect him , and all other graces needfull for euery mans saluation , it is pregnantly prooued by these places of scripture following ▪ and the like . hee giueth vs of his spirit and hereby wee know that he dwelleth in vs and we in him , iohn . . god hath sent forth the spirit of his sonne into our hearts which crieth abba father gal. . lastly the church is the habitation of god. eph. . . and the temple of god. . cor. . . secondly our faith ascendeth vp to christ. acts. . . doth incorporate vs into him . ephes. . . . and hereby wee both liue and dwell in him , galath . . . but this our faith is spirituall and inuisible , for wee walke by faith and not by sight , . cor. . . and faith is the ground of things that are hoped for , and the euidence of things which are not seene . heb. . . . obiect . but some perhaps will obiect , that wee feed vpon christ in the sacrament , we indeed eate his flesh & drinke his bloud . iohn . . . . ergo our vnion is not spirituall . &c. ans. albeit , wee really , corporally and substantially receiue , partake of , and eare the elements and outward signes , namely the bread & the wine , according to christs institution in memory and representation of his body broken and his bloud shed , and yet wee receiue and feede vpon christ by faith . for not euery one that eateth the bread and drinketh the wine in the lords supper doth feede vpon christ , but onely the true beleeuers ; who feed of him both in the sacramēt and also out the sacrament as may appeare . ioh. . . . secondly as the fathers in the time of the law did all eate the same spiritual meate ( that we do ) and drinke the same spirituall drinke , but they did it onely by faith , which apprehendeth things to come as present , ( for christ was not then incarnate , much lesse was he dead , ) euen so we receiue and partake of christ , that is spiritually by faith and not carnally and substantiallye , as the papists imagine . . cor. . . . thirdly christ is now in heauen & there contayned , and his body there glorified , therfore cannot he be eaten carnally , corporally , substantially , for hee is many millions of miles distant hence . secondly his body is impassible & not subiect to any such indignities . thirdly then iudas and all reprobate and wicked men who receiue the sacrament of christs body and bloud , should bee saued , for they that eate of the bread of life liue for euer . ioh. . . they that eate his flesh & drinke his bloud dwell in him & he in them . vers . . but they doe not feede vpon the bodie and bloud of christ because they want the mouth and stomack of faith , to receiue and digest it . iohn . . . lastly , the elements of bread and wine retaine both their names and natures , euen after the words of consecration , as is perspicuous and euident by the scripture . . cor. . . . . . and herevnto accord the ancient fathers , as augustine , theodoret , tertullian , cyprian , chrysostome , yea and some of later times among the papists , as gela●ius and bertram . ergo. christ is not there bodily present , neither is the bread and wine conuerted substantially and really into his body and bloud , therefore as the absurd doctrine of transubstantiation is an inuention of later times , and here ouerthrowne : so must it needs also follow that our coniunction with him in this mortalitie must needs bee altother spirituall . the second thing to be considered in the diffinition , is , that albeit this contract and vnion is not feigned , supposed , imagined , or by touching and commixion : yet it is a true , a reall and a substantiall vnion , for wee are substantially vnited to him ; our body , to his body , our soule to his soule , and our whole person to his whole person , so that we are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones . eph. . . and as adams whole person was really and substantially coupled with the whole person of eue. so is it betwixt christ and the church . he is the head and we the members , hee is the husband , and we the wife . now in that this contract and vnion is reall and substantiall , it is also indissoluble and eternall . for first the lord saith by hosea ( as i haue before mentioned , ) i will marry thee vnto mee for euer . secondly christ his power is infinite , and none can take any out of his hands , iohn . . . thirdly , his loue is constant , whom hee loueth hee loueth to the end . iohn . . fourthly the sauing graces of his spirit , the proper endowments of his elect , are without repentance and irreuocable . rom. . . fiftly christ is an effectual and continuall mediator vnto god his heauenly father for them . luke . . . heb. . . lastly if any true and liuely member of christs body should bee lost , then either christ should want either power , loue , or wisdome , to preserue and saue it , but hee wanteth none of them : or els his body should be maymed and vnperfect , which can neuer bee , for it is his fulnesse . ephesians . . . and hee will in the life to come make it vnto himselfe a glorious church without spot or wrinkle , or any such thing . eph. . . vse . therefore let euery man trie by the touch-stone of gods word , whether he feele the spirit of god in lightning and renuing him , and faith purging his heart , and firmely apprehending and applying christ withall his benefits vnto himselfe , if hee finde himselfe in this estate let him thanke god and by the continuall and serious vse of the worde , sacraments , prayer and practise of good workes , maintaine and confirme it , for doubtlesse hee is a true member of iesvs christ , ingrafted into him , and shall thus continue for euer . for these are not the workes of flesh and bloud , and meere nature , but of the spirit of god and grace . the third thing in the deffinition to be explained is the order of the vnion , touching which wee are to note that the church is first vnited vnto the body and flesh of christ . secondly to his soule , and lastly to his god-head , and so to his whole person : and therefore the scriptures commonly speake of first , & propound christs humanity vnto vs and afterward his deity . rom. . verse . and . chap. . ver . . and . the reason herof is , because we cannot bee vnited vnto his deity but by his flesh , wherin hee wrought our redemption , for the humane nature of christ is as it were a doore to let vs into the communion of his deitie , and the conduict pipe of deity to conuey and deriue it vnto vs. and as in the sacraments , the true-beleeuers doe by the outward signes and symboles as by instruments receiue the thing signified viz , christ and his merits : so they also by the meanes of his humanity , are made partakers of his god-head , and so are vnited vnto him . the third thing to be considered in this : contract , is the rare and royall benefits and prerogatiues , that hereby flowe and redound vnto vs. first wee haue from christ , and from his merits and sufferings , the foundation and beginning of our new birth and being : he is the roote , and wee are the plants , he the vine and wee the branches : of his fulnesse we all receiue grace for grace : finally , we are in him , who is made vnto vs of god , wisedome and righteousnesse , sanctification and redemption , ioh. . . iohn . . . . cor. . . ier. ● . . . secondly , we being contracted vnto christ our head and husband , are interessed in and partakers of all his royalties and benefits so far forth as may be , ( the proportion and difference beweene the husband and the wife beting retained ) for from the fountaine of his god-head and conduit of his humanity , are deriued vnto us , his righteousnes ; santification , triumph , glory . from christ wee haue , redemption through his blood , euen remission of our sinnes according to his rich grace , by his sufferings we are ●reed and deliuered from the guilt of our sinnes and the feare of condemnation , & by his obedie●ce to the law imputed to vs we are accepted as iust before god and fit for eternall life . . cor. . . . apoc. . , now what an vnspeakable benefit is remission of sinnes , which sinne draweth vpon vs all temporall and eternall plagues & can be by noe other meanes obtained then by our coniunction with him psal. . . . thirdly communicating with christ in the vnion of nature , we also ( in some proportion and similitude are partakers of his propheticall , priestly , and kingly office. we are made prophets to confesse him and to teach and comfort others , priests to mortyfie sinne , to suffer for christ , to offer sacrifices of praise & thankesgiuing vnto him , and to consecrate our selues , soules and bodies wholy vnto him . rom . . apo. . . . peter . . . wee are kings to fight against the world , the flesh , and the deuill , and by faith in him to ouercome them . . iohn . . . and here wee receiue that right in whole , and dominion in part which we wholy lost in adam . math. . . . cor. . . . tim. . . . fourthly all plagues , aduersities , crosses , punishments , are made but only temporary and fatherly corrections vnto vs , tending to our correction , and not our destruction , and they are medicines to cure our infirmities and not meanes to increase our miseries . heb. . . . . pro. . . apoc. . . fiftly wee haue all the angells of god in this life for our good to attend vpon vs and to defend vs. heb. . . . kings . . . . psal. . and in the life to come , especially by reason of this neere and admirable coniunction with christ our head and husband , and because we are made kings to rule with him , we are & shal be superior to the angels , for there is no such coniunction betwixt his nature and theirs as betweene his and ours , neither shall they raigne as kings with him in the life to come as the saints shall ; apoca. verse . . and chap. . verse . . sixtly satan cannot indite and condemne vs , for as no man can sue the wife in the lawe , the husband liuing and not giuing his consent ▪ soe christ our husband liuing and alwaies iustifying vs , who shall condemne vs ? romans . . . or who shall seperate vs from his loue ? verse . . lastly when the husband , especially being a mighty monarch is highly offended , the wife may and hath free accesse vnto him when none other can or may haue the like liberty ; so may and hath the true church free acces●e vnto christ by praier when the wicked are debarred from him , and cannot or dare not approch neere to him . thus much of the benefits and priuileges . now in the last place follow the manifold vses of this contract and vnion . . vse . first seeing our vnion with christ is reall and substantiall and continueth for euer , ( for we are made one flesh with him , bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh ) heb. . . eph. . . ergo he still ( albeit he be glorified ) reteineth the essentiall parts of a true humaine body , the quality is onely altered , but the substance and dimentions remaine , for otherwise we could haue no fellowshippe with him , and so the foundation of all our comfort should be rased and ruinated . and therefore here is condemned the absurd and grosse errour of them that defie christs humanity by making it infinite , omnipotent & knowing al things , and ours only finite and circumscribed in power place and knowledge , whereas betweene that which is finite , and that which is infinite there can be no such vnion and substantiall coniunction . secondly we must labour & endeuor alwaies to continue in this vnion and communion with christ , and not departe an haires breadth from him ; for remayning and abiding in christ wee finde all comfort , refreshment and peace ; and being out of him we runne head-long into all euill ; for euen the godly themselues , being out of it , and the efficacy of it but alittle , feele themselues as it were tormented with a flame of fire . psalm . . . . iob. . verse . . . . wherefore we must beware of and shunne all idolatry , errour , atheisme , fornication , vncleanesse , drunkenesse , schisme , and all other raigning sinnes whereby we dissolue and cut in sunder this vnion . thirdly by reason of this misticall and straite coniunction betwixt christ and the church , hee hath a simpathy and feeling of all their wants and miseries , & though now he be exalted to the highest degree of glory in heauen yet doth he in nothing ( as worldly men in their exaltation vsually forget & neglect their old & poore friends & acquaintance ) remit and abate of his care and compassion towardes his poore and afflicted members in earth , but hee succoureth them in all their extremities , imputeth and rewardeth any good done vnto them as done to himselfe , and censureth and reuengeth the wrongs and indignities offered them as done to his owne person . hence wee learne diuers lessons and duties . first we in all our afflictions and necessities must flee vnto him and to the throne of grace , in confidence and assurance of faith , and wee shall find rest vnto our soules and helpe in time of need . math. . . heb. . . for as philo said to the iewes his country men , when he could find no fauour with caius the romaine emperour ) vbi deficit humanum praesidium , ibi necesse est inciperem diuinū auxilium , that is , where mans helpe fayleth , there gods must needs begin . secondly wee must doe all possible good to gods saints , wee must comfort his bowells , shew them all kindnesse , and supply their wants , for then are we liuely and feeling members , and christ will take notice of all the comfort wee yeeld them , and reward and regard it both in this life & in the life to come , bee the offices of charity neuer so meane so they be vnfained , mat. . . . . luk. . thirdly me must take heed that we neuer grieue , wrong , vexe , and persecute gods deere seruants and saints ; for then wee doe but fight against god , kick against the pricks , touch the apple of gods owne eye . zacha. . . grieue hi : spirit , and procure to our selues many iudgments , and if we are and continue in the number of open & professed enemies we besides temporall plagues most iustly , draw vpon our selues eternall vengeance . the last vse is , that being ioynd and united to christ the fountaine of all good workes , we wust contend and endeuour to conforme our selues to his example and bring forth timely and plentifull fruits of piety , charity , and iustice . phil. . . tit. . psal. . the second section . they that were ready . now ( as order requireth ) we are to treat and dispute of the fitnesse & preparation that ought to be in the true church of christ and is required of ●hem against his second comming : for as these wise virgins were before-hand prepared in faith , grounded only vpon the scriptures and relying vpon christs only merits , in feruent loue and sincere affection to christ , and in hearty desire and earnest expectation of his comming : so must we also , if we would be assured of our contract and vnion which christ in this life , and enioy his glorious presence and haue perfect fellowshippe with him in the world to come ; trimme prepare and make ready our selues against the solemnization of the marriage : and therefore it is said in the apocalyps ; the marriage of the lambe is come and the bride hath made her selfe ready . apo. . . and so they are presented as a chast virgin vnto one husband iesus christ. the truth and necessity of this preparation is plainely and plentifully set forth in the scriptures , whether we r●spect christ as the princypall and inward trimmer of the bride , or the ministers of the word as his agents and instruments , or the b●ide her selfe , as the proper subiect of it . first christ trimmeth his spouse the church , and therfore the holy company of his elect are sayd to come downe from heauen , prepared as a bride trimmed for her husband . apoc. . . that is , purged from all corruption , god through christ doth make vs meete to bee partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light . col. . . christ sanctifieth & clenseth his church by the washing of water through the word , that he may make it vnto himselfe a glorious church , without spot or wrinckle &c. eph. , , and . the graces that christ bestoweth vpon her are as chaines to adorne her , as myrrh , incense and the spices of the merchants to persume her , as purple and skarletto clothe her , & as pretious iewels to beautifie & enrich her , finally shee as queene standeth , at his right hand in a vesture of the gold of ophir , psalme , vers . . more particularly christ trimmeth and prepareth his spouse . first by offering and affording vnto her the means and ministery of grace and saluation , as the preaching of the worde , ephesians , , , . the seale of the sacraments . mathew , . . corinthi . , , , , . herevnto may be added troubles , crosses , and afflictions , which albeit in their owne nature they bee euils and plagues for sinne , yet the quality and property being altered by christ his death ; they are made meanes to humble vs , medicines to purge vs , sowre sauce to make vs to relish better the heauenly foode of our soules , bridles to curbe and restraine vs from sinne , and spirituall directers to guide vs to the kingdome of heauen . secondly christ trimmeth his spouse by the continual and effectual in working and efficacy of his blessed spirit . for without this all the outward meanes should bee onelie for conuictment of men , and for their more iust condemnation , and not for conuersion or consolation ) for by it hee alone giueth the encrease . . cor. . hereby he epeneth mēs vnderstanding to vnderstād the scriptures , lu. . ve . . he openeth their hearts ( as hee did lydias ) to attend vnto good doctrine . acts . ver , , he cōuerteth their hearts as he did the heart of cornelius : & all that heard the words with him . ac. . ve . , hereby he leadeth them into all truth . iohn . , he dwelleth in them . . cor. . , he regenerateth them . ioh. . . & . finally he comforteth & strengtheneth them . ioh. . , in that he is the principall in trimming and preparing the church his spouse , and that vnlesse hee giue grace and successe al other meanes ( albeit neuer so good & holy ) be vaine and frustrate , it must teach ernestly and continually by praier , to desire and entreat the lord , to prepare vs : to make vs meet for his kindome , and to make the ministery of his word and sacraments , and all other good means profitable and effectual vnto vs , & herein wee must say with the church in the cantikles , arise o north and come o south , and blowe on my garden , that the spices thereof may flow out : and ( then ) let my beloued come to his garden , and eate his pleasat fruite . cātickles . v. the . the instrumentall trimmers , adorners of the bride are specially and most singularly , the ministers and preachers of the word . for these doe with paul labour to present their congregation as a chast virgin vnto one hul band lesus christ . cor . vers . . they haue the ministery and embassie of reconciliation committed vnto them . . cor . . ver . . they are the preachers of faith & repentance mark. . ver . . math. . act. . . they haue the keyes and authority subordinatly vnder christ to binde and to loose , to remit and to retaine . mat. . . ioh. . ver . . finally they are the outward organes & meanes of illumination , conuersion and saluation as may appeare . act. . . . tim. . . . cor . . . hence it is that philip must teach and conuert the enuch . act. . . ananias , paul : paul lidia ; and peter cornelius . act. . . . act. . . act. . ver . . and . the vse hereof is to teach in no wise to neglect , despise or distast the preaching of the worde , and other holie meanes of our saluation ( as many and most do vpon the perill of their owne saluation ) but vse them with all care , reuerence diligence and constancy . and therefore what a shame is it for most men , yea what an occasion to aggrauate their condemnation that they will for supplie and obteyning of earthlie foode , prouision and aduancement , trudge , and trauaile farre and neere , almost to euetie market and faire , and in the meane time neglect the foode of their soule : suffer it to pine , and to perrish , they are more churlish to it then nabal was to dauid : more without compassion then the rich glutton was to lazarus , and more hard hearted and mercilesse then the iayler to innocent paul and sylas , who put them into the dungeon or inner prison , and locked their feete fast in the stocks . act. . . and thus much of the principall preparer of the bride , and also of the instrumentall . thirdly the subiect or person that is thus prepared of christ and his ministers , that is also as a voluntary and vnderstanding creature , by remouing the bar and incumbrances of infidelity , idolatry and impenitency : and by vsing and frequenting all the holie meanes of begetting , confirming and increasing the sauing graces and gifts of god : is this spouse of christ , the church , the elect , the beleeuers , and ( in a worde ) all that desire and seeke to be saued . for these are often and continually warned and perswaded in the scriptures : to watch , marke . verse , . to bee sober , and to watch vnto prayer , . peter , . and to haue feruent charity amongst themselues . verse . to repent . act. . ver . . to purge themselues . . iohn . . . to put on the brest-plate of faith and loue . theff . . . and hope of saluation for an helmet , ibidem . to beware of surfeting , dronkennes and the cares of the world luke . . . to waile yea sigh & mourne for the redemption of their bodies . rom. . vers . . . . to vse the world and all things thereof , as though they vsed them not , . cor. . . to feare god and giue glory to him apo. . vers . . to make an eccho and cry with the bride in the apocalyps , come euen , so come lord iesus apoc. . vers . . & . and lastly at the discerning of the neere approch of christ by the accomplishment of the last signes such as are the ruine of romish babilon , the conuersion of the nation of the iewes in the kingdome and countries into which they are dispersed , the roaring of the seas and waters &c. reioysingly to looke and li●t vp our heads because our ( full ) redemption draweth neare luke . . verse . . apoc. . . this espoused virgin or bride therefore , must of necessity being stirred vp and assisted by the spirit of god , and hauing the meanes of grace so abundantly ministred vnto her , get the wedding garment ( of faith and holines ) math. . vers . . . , make her selfe ready apoc. . verse . . to desire to bee dis●olued and to be with christ phil. . . and to endeuour to be acceptable to him . . cor. . reasons and arguments further to induce and perswade her hereunto are these first the transceudent and incomparable dignity and maiesty of the person , to whom she is contracted , and to whome , she is to bee married , and that is iesus christ , the kings sonne , the king of kings : and lord of lords : the naturall heire of heauen and earth ; the mighty iehoua : the euerlasting father he that hath all power in heauen and earth ; and god hath so he ighly exalted him at his right hand and giuuen him a name aboue all names , that at the name of iesvs should euery knee bow of things in heauen , of things in earth , and things vnder the earth , philip. . vers . . . wherefore if king pharaoes daughter being wedded to earthlye salomon , must hearken vnto him , consider and incline her eare . yea forget her own people , & her fathers house ; psa. . verse . how much more must euery good christian , espoused & affianced to the heauenlye salomon iesvs christ our sauiour , performe these duties . and if the maides and virgins that went in by course and appointment to great king ahashuerash , that raigned from india vnto aethiopia , ouer a hundred and twenty seauen prouinces , hester . . verse . . were before hand sixe moneths , purified with oyle of myrrhe , and sixe moneths with sweete odours , hester . . vers . . so much more must the members of the church , before they shall or can enioy christ iesvs his presence in glorye ; not for a fewe dayes or moneths ; but all the dayes of their life , they must purge , sweeten , and prepare them-selues ; for hee alone is king of kings , and lord of lords , and no power or ma●estie in earth can compare with him . and by our coniunction and marriage with him , wee shall bee exempted and freed from all euills what-so-euer , and possessed with all good things vnspeakably for euer-more . secondly , by the strange iudgements of almighty god , especially in the foure or fiue yeares last past , whether generall , or more particular , wee ought , as by so many voyces and signes of our omnipotent god preaching from heauen vnto vs ( and almost at the end of the world ) teaching and exhorting men to seious repentance , and to bee mooued and stirred vp more speedily , and specially to prepare our selues to meete god in the waye , wee must submit and humble our selues before him , forsake our sinnes , giue glory to him ; and entreateth him by prayer and by repentance , to quench the fire of his begun wrath and indignation . for it is an vndoubted truth , that if to all our other sinnes there be adioyned security and deadnesse of heart , that punishments from god are both hastned and doubled : and the remouall and ceasing of one plague , is nothing else but the occasioning and beginning of another , as we may read in exod. against pharao and the aegyptians , in the . of amos against the israelites , and in the . . . chapters of iohns apocalips against ▪ antichrist , and the experience of former and later times in many countries doth verifie it . herevpon gods destroying angell ; and his killing arrowe , the consuming pestilence hath ( not long sithence ) destroyed so many thousands in this iland , and yet is not ceased . all the foure elements which otherwise would fight for vs , haue beene armed against vs ; first the ayre , partly by his often eclipses portending perhapps the eclipting and darkning of the glory and soundnesse of the truth , and other temporall euils , partly by prodigious and vnvsuall stormes and tempests , giuing warning of the wrath to come . secondly the fire by consuming and burning so many houses and habitations within these few yeares : seemeth to presage eyther the fire of the last iudgement , or else some fearefull and strange euent . thirdly the seas and waters in diuers parts of the kingdome , haue most horribly roared , swelled , broken their banckes ; and encroached vpon the maine land , and firme continent , so terrified the people the beholders , and done so much harme . adde herevnto the vnwonted , sudden , and wonderfull invndations of riuers and brookes , as though like vnto the men of the olde world wee all deserued to bee drowned . lastly the earth by his moouing and shaking sensibly perceiued in many places , hath declared the lord to bee angrie , and seemeth to proclaime against vs that wee are vnworthy to liue vpon it , wee must generally and particularly returne vnto him , by vnfained repentance ; and then they shall bee but fatherly corrections , and gentle warnings vnto vs. but if wee persist and insist in our sinne and securitie , then let vs beware and feare least they bee but the beginning of ( further ) euills . and euen herodotus an heathen historian diuinely speaketh : cùm deus puniturus est gentem vel vrbens , prodigiis id priùs solet significare . that is , when god will punish a nation or cittie , he vseth to giue significatiō of it by prodigies ▪ & this doth the destructiō of icrusalem and the dispersion of the nation of the iewes , witnesse and warrant plainely vnto vs. thirdly , the approaching and neernesse of the day of the lord , must bee a trumpet to fore-warne and waken vs , and as the voyce of thunder to terrifie vs from our securitie , and to compell vs to watch and pray , that wee may bee accompted worthy to escape all these things that shall come , and that wee may stand before the sonne of man. luk. . verse . signes and fore-runners of our sauiour iesvs christs second comming already fulfilled , are these , not onely the destruction of ierusalem , and the temple of god manye hundred yeares agoe accomplished , but more specially , the discouerie , reuealing , and the decaye of the romish antichrist , that false prophet , and king of the locusts , within this foure score and sixteene yeares last expired . . thessalon . . verse . . apoc. . verse . . and his ruine and the ouerthrowe and vtter desolation of his babylon and metropolis surelie is at hand , as the scriptures foreshew it to come to passe . apoc. . verse . . for their sinnes of idolatry , of filthy and abhominable liuing , of the bloud-shed of so many millions of gods elected saints , of most horrible and vnmatchable conspiracies and treasons against christian kings and states , as their most execrable and damnable plot of powder treason , wherein they purposed at one blowe to haue blowne vp and destroied , both our most excellent and mightie soueraigne , the most hopefull prince henry , together with all the honorable personages , and the state of the kingdome there assembled , doe to their publike and eternall shame , ( amongst infinite other their villanies ) demonstrate , are ( as it were ) come to the full : and god hath ( in part ) and will remember their iniquitye . adde herevnto their shamelesse corrupting and mangling of the writings and volumes , both of the ancient fathers , and also later writers , yea those of their owne faction , as iansenius , ferus , bertram , &c. togither with the burning of so many olde copies : both of the ancient and also of the later writers of their owne , that in ought made against them . lastly , their late , yet most lewd , lying , sophisticall and hellish doctrine of aequiuocation , shifting euasions , and mentall reseruations , when they are called into question before ciuill magistrates , doth by their bookes and practise euince . a third signe , already in great measure fulfilled , is the aboundance and shamelesse defence of sinne , deadnesse , & dulnesse of heart , whereby men are neither sensitiue of their sinnes , nor aware of gods iudgements ; and want of true faith on the earth ; as may bee discerned by so much atheisme and hypocrisie , so little inuocation of gods name , so horrible and vsuall blasphemie , and such vile practises of iniustice and oppression : wherefore christ that sitteth on the ●lowde , must needes shortly thrust in his sickle and reape : for the grapes of sinne , and the har●est of iniquitie is ripe . a fourth and dreadfull signe and fore-runner of the last iudgement : are strange meteors , comets , new , or blazing starres which haue beene euidently seene and noted , as anno christi , . and anno . many countries and kingdomes , beyond the seas anno and . about the beginning of october in . degrees of sagittarius shinyng forth gloriously after the sunne setting ; in figure and colour not vnlike vnto that which thirtie and two yeares agoe was seene in cassiopeia , without beard our tayle , rounde , pure and bright , so that manie of the learned thought it to bee venus starre and the most excellent astronomers , in the beginning of it , tooke it also for the euening starre : keckermanus , disp. philos. extraord . pag. . and . adde herevnto a late comet appearing northwest , . vse . . the noting , seeing and contemplation of these and the like fearefull and ominous signes and occurrences , should driue and drawe to feare almightie god , and stand in awe of him , that causeth and sendeth them ; as lodowicke the first emperour the father of charles the great answered one edmund and astrologer , that abusing wordes of scripture , exhorted him not to feare the comete which hee then sawe : let vs not feare the comete sayth hee , but the creator of it , and let vs praise his clemencie , who doth vouchsafe by such iudgements to remember vs of , and to reprooue vs , for out dulnesse and sluggishnesse . secondly let vs ( taking also as à praesagium and forerunner of the last daie ) bee aduertised and induced heereby to prepare our lampes , to furnish the oyle and to make readie for our lord iesvs christ at his comming , that we may goe with him vnto the marriage and enter into his ioye . amen . thirdly the consideration of infinite losse , detriment and torment that will follow ( if wee doe not in this life , the time of grace and reconciliation prepare our selues ) must driue and compell vs herevnto , for they shal be excluded out of heauen , and bee punnished with euerlasting perdition , form the presence of the lord , and from the glorie of his power . . thess. . . and the shall haue their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone . apoc. , ver . , and the smoke of their torment shal ascende euermore and they shall haue no rest day nor night , apoc. . vers . . wherefore if the former argument cannot like an heauenly adamant and loadstone drawe vs to preparation , ( as this argument is most effectuall & preualent with the regenerate , ) yet let the threatning of damnation , like a terrible thunderclap , or a great peale of ordinance rowse & awake vs from sinne , and driue and enforce vs to make our selues ready . and if the feare hereof in very reprobates , can worke so far forth as to compel simon magus to desire peter , and iohn to pray to the lord for him , that none of the things that they had spoken might come vpon him , act. . . and when paule disputed of iudgment , it could make faelax to tremble . act. . . much more must it preuaile with those that make a better profession , and waite for eternall redemption . lastly our sauiour christ , and paul &c. by this argument endeuoured to awaken the secure . mathew . . . cor . . . and thus much in generall of the person that is to be prepared and to pr●pare her selfe . now that we may proceede more orderly in this point , and the reader may take the more benefite , and profit by it . we are first to propound the principall heads of this preparation , and secondly the proper and set time of it . the principall heads are these foure , faith in christ ; secondly purity and innocency of life . thirdly the duties of charity and good workes , and lastly a feruent desire , and huely hope in the patient expectation of the consumation of the marriage . the first head is faith , which is nothing els but a perswasion of the fauour of god towardes vs in christ , or as saint paul to the hebrewes defineth it , the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or substance of things hoped for , it is called a substance , not for that in very deede it doth subsist , and hath abeeing , but because it doth present , and as it were set before our eyes that which is promised by god. hebrewes . . apoc. , . and it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a demonstration of things not seene ; the worde signifieth properly a conuincing of the conscience , for faith doth so conuince him that doubteth hee can doubt no more , not otherwise then if hee sawe them with his bodily eyes , and herevnto is to bee referred that saying of christ. thomas because thou hast seene thou hast ●eleeued , but blessed are they that haue not seene , and ( yet ) haue beleeued . ioh. . . therfore sayth that giueth vs an assurance of the accomplishment of gods promises , whether corporall , or spirituall , temporall , and eternall , must needs bee the first , and the principall part of this preparation : this is the entry dore whereby wee are admitted vnto god , and into his house . ephe. , . without this it is impossible to please god for hee that commeth vnto god must beleeue hebre. , . and what soeuer is not of faith ( that is done in a conscionable knowledge of gods will ) is sinne ro. . . faith is the eye of the body , if the eye be single id est the faith sincere , thēal the body shal be light : but if the eye be darke id est the faith corrupt , & vnsound , then the whole body is dark , so that neither hand , foote &c. can execute and performe his function . this faith is the stomach of the soule to attract , digest , and conuert into good bloud , and norishment , the heauenly food of gods word , & if it either want appetite , to desire , power to digest , or strength to retaine &c. the whole body must needes by degrees languish , and decay : finally it is the roote , foundation , and the instrumentall cause of our iustification , regeneration , victory ouer sinne , and satan , peace of conscience , and eternall saluation . col . . . . ephe. . . act. , . . iohn . . . rom. . . mar . . ioe . . . . thus wee see by the properties , effects , and vses of faith it is necessary , & there can bee no preparation acceptable to god without it ; wherefore if we want it , wee must vse the meanes to get , and obtai●e it : and if wee finde our selues possessed with it , wee must then preserue , cherish and norish this holy flame with the knowledg● of gods word , with the vse of the sacraments , by conference , by meditation , by prayer , by practise of good workes , and by hope , expecting , and waiting for the ende of it , euen the saluation of our soules . for first our faith through the frequency and violence of temptations , is often fore assaulted and weakened , and therefore it had neede be repayred and confirmed . secondly onely that faith that vsually doth growe and encrease , is the sauing , and liuely faith , and shall neuer be extinct , for defect of oile ; nor pine away by any spirituall consumption , but continueth firme , and vnmoueable , and obtaineth the promises eph. . . . . lastly if faith haue not ( as before specified ) his continuall supply of food , it will faile as the wine did at the mariage in cana of galil , if it be not norished , and preserued , it will wither like the corne sowen in the stony ground for want of moisture , and it wil be lost as we see how it was in the foolish virgins at the bride groomes comming , and that argued that it was not true faith in existence ; but onely in apparence , and that it was rather an opinion then a deepe impression : for otherwise the faith of peter , and so of gods elect , shall not faile , and the gifts of god ( namely that directly concerne saluation ) are without repentance . luk . . rom. . . neuer extinct , or taken away . but that neither with the ignorant , nor with the hypocrites , nor yet with the papists and other heretikes wee content , and deceiue our selues with a mocke faith ▪ an historicall and temporary faith , or with a crackt , and erronious faith , insteed of that which is sauing , and iustifying , we must found and search our soules , whether wee bee orthodoxe , and vncorrupt in the principles of faith , whether we rest wholy vpon the right obiect , whether it be ioyned with particuler application , and lastly whether we discerne and find in our selues the inward & outward signes , and euidences of it , for then vndoubtedly wee haue that faith that iustifieth the sinner , purgeth the heart , engrafteth vs into christ , and saueth our soules . but of these , and the like particulers briefely , and in order . principles and foundations of faith are these , preaching of the word of god , is the ordinary and principall meanes of saluation . rom. . christ is both god and man in one person , perfect god and perfect man : man to suffer and dye , and satisfie for sinne in our nature that had offended , and god to support his humanitie , to giue efficacie and power to his doctrine and miracles , and to adde infinite merite and desert to all his actions , and sufferings . thirdly , onely faith is the hand and instrument to apprehend , and apply christ vnto vs with all his blessing● , and so to iustifie vs. faith is like the eye , which albeit in the acte , and vertue of seeing , it is alone : yet not solitarye and alone in the bodye , but ioyned to other parts : so faith , albeit it alone iustifieth vs before god , yet it is not solitarie , and alone , but alwayes according to the proportion of it accompanied with holy life and good workes . gal. . verse . . there are onely two sacraments which christ instituted , and left vnto the church , baptisme the sacrament of our new birth , and entrance into christianity , the outward signe whereof is water : and the lords supper , the sacrament of our growth and perfect nourishment , and encrease in christianity , the outward signes and matter whereof are bread and wine , remaining both bread and wine for substance , both in the sacramentall vse of them , and afterwards as paul maketh it manifest . . cor. . . . that no man performe and fulfill the lawe , and therfore no man is to hope and looke for righteousnesse and saluation by that obedience which hee sheweth to the lawe , rom. . . gal. . . . that we cannot make satisfaction to god for the least of our sinnes , but that christ alone hath most fully , and onely performed it . . pet. . . apoc. . . . that the saluation , of all that beleeue is certaine and infallible , not onely in gods decree , but also to themselues , rom. . . heb. . . and therefore that the opinion of the papists is wicked , which make faith vncertaine , and so holde our saluation to bee doubtfull . that all doctrine necessary to saluation is contained in the scriptures , so that nothing is either to be added to it , or detracted from it , deut. . . apoc. . . . gal. . . that the knowledge of the scriptures are necessary for all sorts of people for their saluation , and therefore that they ought to read them , that they may thereby learne and vnderstand , what god would haue them to beleeue , and doe , iohn . . . mar. . . math , . . that god alone is to be adored of vs , and that no part of diuine worship is to bee giuen vnto any creature , math. . . that holinesse of life , & good workes as effects , and consequents of faith , and the way wherein wee should walke , ephes. . . is necessarily required of all that will be saued , hebr. . that the sacraments are onelye signes and seales of righteousnesse , and not causes of saluation , and therefore our saluation doth not so depend vpon them , that they that want them must needs bee damned , whereas our saluation consisteth onely in christ his merits , marc. . . which none can dispoile and dismantle vs of . that christ his body was but once conceiued of the substance of the virgin mary , and cannot bee made of any other matter , and that christ hath onely one body , and therefore it is not made of wheate bread ( as the papists say it is dayly ) for it is not the seede of dauid , and bread is not the flesh of the virgin. that the humaine nature of christ is now onely resident , and contained in heauen , and therefore it is not to be adored in earth , acts. . that the whole force , vertue , and efficacie of our saluation , and redemption , is in the onely , and once offered sacrifice of christ , heb. . . . and that this sacrifice could bee offered of none but christ , who was to be a priest for euer . lastly ( to omit diuers other articles , which bee more plaine , and confessed ) it is a foundation of faith , to know , beleeue , and hold , that then immediatly after the dissolution from the body , the soules of the righteous are carryed by the angels into heauen , and the soules of the wicked and impenitent , are carryed by the diuill into hell : and that the same bodyes with all their perfect partes , and demensions shall for substance bee raised vp by christ at the day of iudgment , iob. . . . of this maine and principall article many are ignorant , or at least not iuditiously and soundly perswaded , as may appeare by the examinatiō of the ignorant people both in their sicknesse , and otherwise . these heads , & foundations viz. they that shall either with atheists deny al , or with the church of rome deny , or by consequence ouerthrowe most of them , or with the common , or vulgar protestant bee ignorant of them ; cannot possibly ( for the time present ) haue true faith , for faith can no more then a temple , a house , or any other edifice bee without his many grounds , and foundation . wherefore if we erre , or bee ignorant in these , or in the like principles of faith , let vs by diligent hearing of the word , reading of the scriptures , and orthodoxe bookes , by consulting the godly learned , and by earnest prayer to god for illumination and vnderstanding , seeke to bee better informed , and resolued . the second point to bee considered , is whether christ with his onely merites , and obedience bee the onely obiect of our faith , so that in matter of saluation wee vtterly disclame , and renounce all other feined merites , satisfactions , intercessions of men , and angells , for christ alone is our perfect redeemer , and mediator . act. . . heb. , . phi. . the third point , whether our faith doe not onely rest in abare and naked knowledge , and history of christ , ( as the fayth of the deuills , and reprobates doth ) but also apply , and appropriate christ , yea and enclose ( as it were ) him , and all his merits vnto themselues , and their owne saluation : for as without vse , and application of the weapon there is no defence , or anoyance : without vse , and application of medicine no cure , without vse , and applie of meate and drinke , no continuance of life , without putting on of apparell no warmth , or hiding of our vnseemly partes , without acceptance , and perticuler acknowledgement of the kings generall pardon , there is no forgiuenesse : so vnlesse we apply and appropriate christ with all his obedience , and merites vnto our selues wee haue no comfort ; helpe , and benefit by him wee do ebut beate the ayre , run at randome , and shoote at the rouers . wherefore to conclude this point , wee must say with dauid , o lord my strength and my redeemer , and with thomas the apostle , my lord and my god , and with the church in the canticles my welbeloued is mine , and i am his . cant. . . fourthly we are a little to consider , & take a view of some pregnant , & remarkable signes , and effectes of true faith , whereby ( as by certaine trusty intelligencers ) we may be informed , and certified whether we haue true fayth , or not . first it is one signe of a beleeuer to ioyne , and associate himselfe to those assemblies and those people wherein , and amongst whom the true , & sincere worship of god is professed , and established : for in the . of the acts of the apostles it is sayd the lord added to the church from day to day such as should be saued . act. . . and it is a note of perdition for a man to forsake the holy assemblys , & so to withdraw himselfe and his faith from god. hebrewes . . . and . thomas absenting himselfe from the apostles and their fellowship but some eight daies , or there abouts was so hardned in vnbeleife that he would not beleeue the testimony , and asseueration of the rest of the apostles that told him that christ was risen , except hee might see the print of the nailes , and put his finger into the print of them , and put his hand into his side , and had not christ beene so mercifull vnto him , as to condescend to his infirmitie , and withall to molli●ie his heart hee had perished in his obstinacie . what then is to bee sayd of them that seldome , that negligently , yea that neuer come into gods chamber of presence to heare the blessed preaching of his word , and to pertake of the heau●nly manna of the sacraments , surely they are in a most dangerous and desperate case . a second note of faith is , constantly , wisely , and boldly to confesse and maintaine the doctrine of saluation , and all the foundations of fayth when we are therevnto called : for we must beleeue with the heart , and confesse with the mouth . rom. . . we must haue christ his name written in our forheads . apoc. . . wee though we liue wheresathan hath his throne , must keepe christs name and not deny the faith . apoc. . . whereso ● it standeth vs vpon to looke to our selues , and to beeware that wee bee not daunted with scoffes , and slaunders , terrified with feare of trouble , and persecution , seduced with flattery , ouercome , with false perswasions , and corrupted with offer of profit , and preferment . for if wee bee ashamed of christ our good lord , maister , and redeemer , he wil be ashamed of vs , if wee deny him , hee will deny vs before his heauenly father , and all the holy angells : and contrarywise if wee confesse , and honour him before men , hee wil confesse and honour vs. finally wee are ( then onely ) made partakers of christ if wee keepe sure vnto the end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , id est , the beginning of our assurance , ( or wherby we are vpholden . ) heb. . . a third euidence of fayth is to shew and make knowne our dislike , and hatred of errour , and false doctrine , yea to set , and oppose our selues against it , so farre forth as our calling will warrant . thus dauid professeth that hee hateth all false waies . psal. . . and . thus paul being at athens , and seeing the citty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est that is addicted to idolatry , it is sayd that the spirit in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was prouoked to indignation . acts. . . and thus the angell of the church of ephesus is commended , because hee could not forbeare them that were euill , because hee did examine the ●alse apostles & found them out . apoc. . . a 〈◊〉 , and that a more inward , and in●allible note of faith is with ezechias , dauid , iob , anna , gedeon , and others to beleeue , and depend vpon god , euen then when wee haue ( for the present ) no feeling , and when in trouble we see no meane of deliuerance , for this is a demonstration that we rely wholy , and only on his helpe , and therefore is most acceptable to his maiesty , yea , if god in our seeming , and apprehension should wound vs , bee an enemy vnto vs , write bitter things against vs , yea , and kill vs , yet must wee trust in him . . chro. . . . isay. . ver . . . psalm . . . . iob. . vers . . . sam. ver . . ●udg . . . . sam. . . for god many times leaueth his children without sense , and feeling of present comfort , & that partly to bring them to repentance for sinnes past . iob. . . partly to make them knowe themselues for the time present . deut. . . . partly to preuēt sinnes in time to come . . cor. . . . a fourth , note is the gift , & practise of prayer , or the inuocation of gods name in the only mediation of christ , for this is a speciall character , and note of an elect of god , whereby he is discerned from an infidell , or reprobate , and is knowne to bee one of gods children . rom. . . . cer. . , . tim. . . and contrariwise it is a brand of an infidell , or an atheist neuer to pray . ieremy , . psalme , . but that wee bee not deceiued herein , for ignorant people may mutter ouer , and say by rote certayne prayers , and the hipocrite , may make a goodly shew , certaine rules must bee obserued and heeded . first that our praiers bee made in knowledge of gods will , otherwise they are not made in ●ayth , and so cannot please god. rom. , ver . . secondly that in priuate we pray not so much by prescript for me , as according to the present sense , & feeling of our owne wants , & imperfections crauing the supply of them . thirdly , that it doe not consist in a few words of course , but bee enlarged as time , and our present necessities occasion vs. . sam. . vers . . fourthly , that the matter and subiect of our prayers bee chiefely , and in the first place , the aduancement of gods gospell and kingdome , the remission of our owne sinnes , and the saluation of our soules , and then in the second place to pray for temporalls , and outward things , but alwayes conditionally , and with subiecting our wills to gods will. math. . ver . . fistly , it must not be only for a brunt vpon a sudden motion , or onely in time of great trouble , but daily , and continually , for thus are wee taught to pray incessantly , and neuer to giue ouer vntill god grant our requests . . thes. ▪ luke . sixtly , wee must pray in humilitie , and in vnfained loue to god and men , for the proud mans prayer god reiecteth , luke . vers . . and the malitious mans prayer , and sacrifice is abhominable . lastly , ( not to be tedious , ) wee must not pray onely for our selues , and kindred as carnall men ( in their manner ) sometimes doe , but for the whole church of god vpon earth , and for euery state and condition of christians , as kings , counsellers , rulers , iudges , magistrates , the reuerend prelates , pastors , preachers , ministers , commons , and most earnestly and compassionately , for those whom wee know afflicted , hated , persecuted for the truth , and gospels sake , or for any good cause whatsoeuer , or where-soeuer . if thou finde all these signes of faith , or most of them in thy selfc , be thankfull to god for them , and which of them thou feelest , and perceiuest thy selfe to bee destitute of , in part , or whole , seeke for the obtaining of it , and if thou bee wholy voyde of them , then it is high time , whiles opportunitie serueth , to labour to procure them by all holy meanes . looke therefore to the maine chance , get and nourish faith , and thou canst ▪ not perish : but want , or neglect thou it , and thou canst not bee saued , i am horum mauis accipe . to the former notes , and testimonies of faith , may very well be added puritie , and innocencie of life , and a liuely hope of eternall glory , for these are certaine and infallible notes of faith , and peculiar effects of it , but of these i purpose to treate distinctly , and more at large in the two next points of preparation , wherof these are branches . and thus much of faith , the foundations obiect , application , and notes of it . the second principall head in this preparation , is puritie , and innocencie of life and conuersation . this is a notable and peculier worke , and declaration of faith , and it proceedeth , as naturally from it , as the beames from the sunne , the waters from the fountaine , and the fruites in their season from the fruitfull tree , herevpon fai●h is said to purifie the heart , acts. . . faith , and repentance are both preached together , and so ought to bee practised , mark. . . the necessitie of this holinesse , and innocencie appeareth plainely : without holinesse , no man shall see god. heb. . ● . except christ washe vs wee haue no part with him , ●ohn . . . except a man bee borne of water , and the holye ghost , hee shall neuer enter into the kingdome of heauen . iohn . . . finally no vncleane thing shall enter into the heauenly cittie , neither whatsoeuer worketh abhomination , or lyes , apoc. . . likewise innocencie and harmlesse simplicitie is a cognizance and badge of them that are prepared for gods kingdome ; for they must bee innocent as doues , math. . . harmelesse as yong children , mat. . . without guile in their mouthes , psalm . . ▪ suffering wrong rather then offering it , and dooing no man iniurye , but labouring to doe good to all men ; and no maruaile , for beeing borne a new and cast into a new molde , wee must operari secundum formam renouatam , according to our new nature , so must be our actions ; and if wee bee rightly regenerate , the effects that doe retaine the similitude of the cause , must needs entertaine some correspondencie with it . secondly , christ iesus the vnspotted lambe of god , will neuer marry with the church , vntill shee bee first washed and sanctified , ephes. . . . and they onely that haue not defiled their garments , idest , corrupted their conscience with grosse and grieuous sinnes , shall walke with christ in white , apoc. . vers . . thirdly , being contracted , and ingrafted into christ , that is , holinesse it selfe , we must not walke after the flesh , but after the spirit , rom. . , wee must be conformable vnto christ his death by mortification , and to his resurrection , by newnesse of life , or else wee are no liuely members of his body , but dead and rotren flesh . it is an axiome in philosophy , quo quid propinquius bono●eo melius , aristo . . top. wherefore if we be in christ , and contracted to him , wee must needs be better , for wee are not onely neere him , but of him , and he in vs , and we in him . and that our holinesse and innocencie of life bee not rather in the flowre , then in the fruite , and in pompe more then in proofe , we must sce that it be constant , and encrease ; 〈◊〉 as wee continually , partly by ordinary slips , and infirmities , and partly by spirituall conflicts , & combates , receiue some losse , foiles , decayes ; so must we dayly endeuour to strengthen our selues , to repaire our decayes , and to mend our garments , and to regaine , and recouer our losses , and as generatio vnius est corruptio alterius , so wee must see how by the engendering of holynesse , sinne doth decrease ; for as one kingdome cannot endure two kings , so the kingdome of christ cannot consort with the dominion of satan . wherefore we must not please , and content ourselues with the out-ward shew of holinesse , or deceiue our selues with the opinion that men may conceiue of vs , out-ward shewes are like sodome apples , goodly in colour , and appearance , but if a man crush , and open them , they are nothing but powder , or ashes , and as for mens opinion of vs , it is no certaine euidence of our inward holines , for hipocrisie is spunne with so fine a 〈◊〉 , that it can deceiue the most godly , and iudicious ( at least for a long time ) in the world , thus dauid was deceiued in achitophell his ●amiliar and counsellor , the apostles in iudas , and the whole church in nicolas , one of the seauen deacons . secondly wee must not onely bee innocent our selues , and holy , and here-vpon thinke wee may endure filthy speach , horrible blasphemye of gods sacred name , false imputations laide vppon iust men , open drunckennesse , and notorious profanesse in others ; but we must ( if wee haue any dramme , or sparke of grace in vs , or any partickle of zeale for god , ) rebuke them , and shew our hatred , offence , and opposition against them . eph. . . herein our loue to god , our hatred of euill , our strength , and resolution in godlines is euidently discryed , and discouered luke . . . act. . ver . . . thirdly wee must beware , and shunne ill company and fellowship ; for if wee bee not armed with speciall grace , and also most chary how wee come into their company , they will soone infect , coole , and corrupt vs. they are as the pestilent vapor to the apt and open body , as fire to the tynder , as pitch to the hands , as dalila to sampson , and as iesabel to achab ; they are so ready and forcyble by their ill president , and perswasions to infect , and our nature soe weake , and impotent to resist if it bee not alwayes assisted with speciall grace , and the spirir of god , that the holiest , the wisest , the strongest haue hereby soone beene defiled , and polluted , how much more those that either haue very little grace , or none at all , and that make no conscience , and choise of their company . the third head , or principall part in preparation is charity , and the fruites , and effects of it , charity , or loue is the fulfilling of the lawe . rom. . . it is the bond of perfection . colo. . . for it knitteth , and bindeth all other vertues together , that they be not dissolued , and it prefereth them ; this charitie dependeth vpon the loue of god , and cannot bee in any hethen , the shadow of all other vertues ( besides this ) may bee in pagans , as pi●ty , bountie , modestie , patience &c. but not this , & this doth vnite , and ioyne all the members of the church together . finally without this , if wee haue all other rare perfections yet before god wee are nothing . cor. . . charity is in respect of the eternity of it greater , yea preferred before sayth , and hope . . cor. , . for sayth , and hope determine with this life , but loue abideth for euer . againe in respect of the obiect , and the visibility of it , it is greater then either sayth , or hope , for fayth , and hope haue for their obiect only god , and christ , but loue extendeth it selfe to god , and man. rom. . . fayth is in it selfe inuisible , but loue , and charity perspicuous , and apparant . iac. . . . this charity , and loue is not onely in tongue , in promises , and in affection , and welwishing to men , but also in truth and indeede , as . iohn . . . charity is bountifull and seeketh not her owne . . cor. , , . it is communicatiuum sui , that is , imparteth that which she hath to others , and here that principle of philosophy is verified , bonum quo communius eo melius ; the more common it is the more comfortable . it doth not ( as many of our inclosers ) impale , imparke , and hedge in the common groundes , and fields to her priuate vse , to the weakening of the state , and the ruinating of the communalty , but like a fountaine , sendeth , and streameth forth her waters vnto others , shee is so farre ( as it is to be feared many practise ) from appropriating to her selfe in part , or in whole the poore mens stocke , and collection-mony gathered , and giuen for building , or repaireing of churches , or townes , that haue beene consumed by fire , that she liberally giueth of her owne . but ( to ende this point ) the practise whereof should neuer ende . as faith worketh by charity , so there are certaine particulers wherin her offices are most conspicuous , and obseruable . first we must bee lights , and lamps to others by our examples , and not looke who will begin first , as mathew . . . cor. . . secondly when our brother offendeth , we must in charity , and discretion admonish him , and not to suffer him to perish in his sinne ( as many do ) rather deridyng him , then directing him , mat. . . thirdly , wee must exhort , and perswade others to godlines , and good workes , heb. , . fourthly we must by simpathy , and fellow-feeling , & especially by words of scripture rightly vnderstood ▪ and well applied , comfort , and cheere the afflicted . . thessa. , , and therefore wee must not post , and put off , all to the minister , as though it cōcerned not vs at all . fiftly we must pray for others , and especially for their conuersion , and saluation . . timot. . . and that both publikly , and priuately . and lastly euery man must according to his ability , & other mens wants and necessities willingly & seasonably impart of his worldly goodes for their releife , acts. . . . corinthi . . galla. . . iohn . , . this is the touchstone of many , and most mens religion in these last and worst dayes , for herein they are most fauty and defectiue , but let them that will not doe good with their temporalls , beware least they for omission heereof , iustly bee condemned with the two rich worldling , in luke chapter . . . and chapter . , and with infinite others at the day of iudgement . mathew . . . . the last point , and branch of the preparation is hope , desire , and expectation of the marriage , and the glorie , and ioye of it , and herevpon it is that hope is called the anker of the soule , sure , and steadfast , to stay , and sustaine vs in all stormes , and tempestes of temptations , hebre. . . yea the kingdome of heauen , which wee waite for , is called , a blessed hope . titus . , . this hope of eternall glorie ) , is a notable meanes to stirre vp men to purge , and reforme themselues . . iohn . . with the expectation of which blisse , wee must comfort one another . . thesalonians , . and wee must both in temporall , and spiritually tryalls not growe impatient , as the rebellious iewes that could not expect , and stay for moyses fortie daies , but would needes in the meane time play the idolators ; but with the woman of canaan , after a first , second , and third repulse hope still mat. . . , we must with the creeple , in iohn sometime before wee be cured waite thirty eight yeares . ioh. . . . wee must with abraham against hope , beleeue vnder hope , romans , . and as the iewes patiently ( many of them ) waited in hope of the accomplishment of gods promises many yeares , both their deliuerance out of egipts tirranny , and afterwards out of babilons captiuitie , yea and expected , and desired many hundred yeares the incarnation of christ before that they in their posterity enioyed it : so must we also tarry the lords leasure , in patience , and in hope fustaine our soules . psal. , and waite all the daies of our pilgrimage vntill christ come vnto vs by death , or the last iudgement , for our full , and finall redemption . shall the husbandman waite for the pretious fruite of the earth , and haue long patience vntill hee receiue the first , and the latter raine , and shall not wee bee much more patient , and settle our hearts , seeing the comming of the lord i● so neere . iam. , . to this hope wee must annexe , and adioyne an earnest desire , and ardent prayer ; as for the accomplishment of other promises , so specially for the second comming of our lord and sauiour iesvs christ . hence it is that wee are tought to pray thy kingdome come , mathew , to hasten vnto the day of the comming of god , peter , . to desire to bee cloathed with immortalitie , yea , to si●h for it . . co●inthi . . we must say come lord iesvs , come quicklie , apoc. . . . how long lord iesvs , how long ? apoc. . . . wee must with the creatures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is carefully , and desirously looke for . romans . . as hee that out of a prison grate , or casement , putteth forth his head to behold a farre off him that is expected . reasons in briefe to kindle and encrease this hope , and desire of this solemnization , and per●ect coniunction with christ , are especially foure : first the example , and feruent desire of the creatures , who albeit they be sin-lesse , yet because mans sinne hath corrupted them , and doth continually peruert and abuse them ; they in their kinde feruently desire to bee freed from this bondage , and to bee restored into the glorious lib●rtie of gods children ; much more wee that haue receiued the first fruites of the spirit must long and looke for a farre more glorious estate . roman . . . . . . secondly , the infinite miseries , troubles , persecutions of the world , and the vanitie , ticklish and sickle estate , and mortality of all things herein contained , must stirre vp our hearts desire , and expectation of full redemption , and glorification , phil. . . heb. . . . cor. . . , . collos. . . . . to this purpose doth the triumphant church in heauen , ( in a generall sort ) desire the end of the world , that the lord may iudge , and auenge their bloud that was shed vpon the earth , apoc. . vers . . a third reason , and that more principall , is that an end may bee put to all sinne , and wee may haue perfect victorie ouer it , yea , and treade downe satan vnder our feete ; for then we shall be deliuered frō all the relicks , stumps , root●s , and remainders of sinne . . cor. . . . rom. . . apoc. . . and . . whereas in this mortalitie , wee dayly , and euery moment , sinne against , and offend our god , breake all his commandements , and prouoke his anger , and pull downe many iudgements vpon vs. rom. . . . . and . gala. . . yea all our obedience , and our best actions , are tainted with sinne , and so vnperfect , isa. . tit. . . . cor. . . , lastly , the fruition and enioyment of christ his glorious presence , and perfect fellowship , must be a forcible , and effectuall meanes to confirme our hope & enflame our desire , phil. . . hebr. . . . for here is the banquet that neuer endeth , the mariage that lasteth for euer , the triumph that is perpetuall , the absence and remouall of all euill , and the presence and possession of all good ; but hereof wee must speake more at large in the third generall section . here , by this doctrine are condemned all sadduces , athe●sts , nulli-fidians , and scorners of christs comming , who because they walke by sense , and not by faith , by reason , and not by scripture , and follow their owne lusts ; and will not bee ruled by the line of gods word , deny , and deride the doctrine of the resurrection , christs second comming , heauen , and hell , as . pet. . . . . tim. . . . secondly , here are reproued , and conuinced all epicures , libertines , loose-liuers , and all worldlings , and voluptuous persons , who albeit they in worde deny not any article of faith , as the former did , and doe ; yet they denie the power of all religion in their hearts , and so liue as though there were neither god nor diuell , heauen or hell , louing riches more then religion , and pleasures more then pietie . . timot. . . vse . . thirdly wee shall by obseruing and noting the measure & quantitie of our hope , and desire of christs comming , &c. iudge of , and discerne the quantitie of our faith ; for these being necessary effects of faith , if they be great and liuely so is our faith , and if they bee weake or dead , so is our faith ; for the tree is knowne by the fruites , and the cause by the vndoubted and proper effects of it ; and thus much of preparation , and the principall parts of it . now we are to come to treat of the speciall opportunitie , and time when , both this generall , and particuler preparation is to be made , & that is onely the present time , and this present life , whiles the day , the light , and the truth lasteth , and while the meanes , and ministery of grace , reconciliation , and saluation are offered , and continue , titus . . gal. . . ioh. . . ioh. . . . . cor. . before our hearts be hardened with the long custome of sinne , and so they become vncurable , hebr. . . acts. . . whilest c●rist knocketh at the doore of our hearts . . . before the night commeth . iohn . . . and the doore bee shut , luke . . . for in the graue , in death , and hell , noe praysing of god , and no time of repentance , and reconciliation , as isay. . luke . . . . the bride must trimme her selfe in this life . apo. . now must the wedding garment bee prouided , math. . . this life is the time of grace , for the ministerie of reconeiliation is onely here . . cor. . . . cor. . . and . ephes. . . . . for at the daye of iudgement it shall wholy cease . lastly , christ forgiueth sinnes ( onely ) in earth , luk. . . and the apostles , and so the ministers of the word in al ages succeeding them , binde and loose , retaine , and remit sinnes in earth , math. . . iohn . . . wherefore we must seeke the lord ●hiles he may be found , and in the sixe dayes of this life , prouide vs of the heauenly manna , that wee may keepe with him an euerlasting sabboth in the highest heauens . here is ouer-throwne that vile and damn●ble doctrine of the popish purgatorie , who imagine , and teach that the soules of many are temporallye tormented in purgatorie flames , and that they may bee eased and released of their torments , by the prayers and intercessions and satisfactions of the liuing , and specially by the pardons of the beast , i meane not nebuchadnezar transformed for seauen yeares into a beast , but the pope eternized for one ; whereas first , this late coyned doct●ine is iniurious and derogatorie to christ his all-sufficient satisfaction , who dyed ( onely ) once to put away sinne , heb. . . hebr. . . and in all places of scripture , merite , satisfaction , and redemption , is onely ascribed to his bloud , to his stripes , to his sufferings , both in soule immediatly , and also in body ioyntly and apart , &c. secondly , he that beleeueth is saued , and he that beleeueth not is cōndemned already , viz. in the decree , and by the word of god ▪ iohn . . . thirdly , who-so-euer repenteth not , and beleeueth not , dyeth in his sinnes , and so vndoubtedly perisheth , iohn . . . ezechi . , . luke . . . fourthly , the rich glutton making intercession to abraham in behalfe of his fiue bretheren found no fauour , but receiued a iust repulse & reproofe , luke . . . . fiftly , dauid whiles the child borne in adultery liued , prayed for his life , but as soone as it was dead , then hee ceased p●aying , and fasting for it , for hee knew it would not auayle . . sam. . verse . . . lastly , the penitent thee●e that suffered with christ , and neuer had done good , vpon his serious repentance , and firme faith , albeit wrought miraculously at the last houre , had a promise made him to bee that same daye with christ in paradice , luke . . which saint paul enterpreteth to be the third heauen . . cor. . . . beeing compared together . now if any man had gone to purgatorie fire , and should there be further p●rged and prepared , no doubt he had beene one , sed haec hactenus de questuosissima papistarum fabula . vse . . secondly , seeing that there is no libertie , and peace of conscience vntill men repent , prou. . and no actuall pardon , and that the time to repent , a●d prepare our selues , is onely this life , which is short , momentary , & transitory , and wherein , the children dye as well as the ancient , yong-men as well as the olde , the strong and lustie , as soone , and as sodenly , as the weake , it must learne , and schoole vs in no wise to deferre our repentance , and time of preparing our selues , but to begin betimes , and to hold on to the last breath . for first we are bound , and commanded to serue god in spirit , and trueth , and that all the dayes of our life , luk. . . ergo , we must not put and post of all to old age , not knowing whether we shall euer liue to it , or not . secondly our iourney to heauen being long , the preparation great , and the time very short and vncertaine , we must bee wise , and redeeme it , and repent when we may . thirdly , we must with salomon , iosias , timothy , ioseph , and others , serue god in the dayes of youth , and in the floure of our age , when our memory is most apt and firme , our vnderstanding most sharpe , our sences most liuely , & we may best lay the foundation of an holy and comfortable old age , thus are we commanded and exhorted , eccles. , . psal. . . psal. . . . and it is their greate commendation . tit. . . . tim. . . . epist. ioh. . . ioh. . . , . whereas otherwise they that neglect , and omit to reconcile themselues vnto god in their best time , & in the daies of their child-hood , and youth grow in time senceles , and brutish , and hard hearted , and are iustly forsaken of god in their old , and impotent age , that had no care , and conscience to feare , obey , and serue him in their youth . thirdly it is seldome , and rarely seene , that men that haue liued all their life , and spent all their golden dayes ( as they call them ) in superstition , sinne , and vanity , should vndoubtedly turne vnto god in their old age . it is more wonderous then vsuall , and there are onely some examples of it in scriptures to keepe the aged from dispaire , but they are very fewe and rare , that we should not ( as most doe ) presume to much of it . lastly of all ages , olde age ( if it bee not before rooted , and grounded in fayth , in loue , and in the practise of godlinesse ) is of all ages the most vnapt , and vntoward , to performe these duties , to begin , and lay the foundation of repentance , and to make it ready for christ. wee may in this case in some sorte say , can a man bee ( new ) borne when he is old , can he enter into his mothers wombe againe , and bee borne , iohn . . not being ignorant , and misvnderstanding the doctrine of regeneration , as nicodemus ; but onely in another sense affirming that time to be the most vnfit . and there is sufficient reason for it ; for in olde age the memory decayeth , the strength fayleth , the senses are infeebled and wast , then are the euill daies of sorrow , and labour , of payne , and aches , then the daies , and yeares approch , when men shal say that they haue no pleasure in them . ecclesi . , , . then sathan is most egar , and busie , knowing right well , that then he must loose all , or gaine all , wherefore let vs with the wise virgins prepare our selues whiles wee haue time , let vs walke in the light whiles the light shineth , and seeke the lord whilst wee may finde him . isay ▪ . . . which god grant . a men . the third section . then , they that were ready &c. in these wordes the solemnization , and consumation of the mariage betwixt christ , and the wise virgins , ( or true church ) is contrayned , and it doth deuide it selfe into foure partes , viz. first what this solemnization is . secondly the place where ; thirdly , the priui●●dges and prerogatiues of it . lastly , the vse , and application of it . the so●emnization , or consummation of the marriage is the glorious , and perfect state of the elect after the resurrection , when they in the highest heaues shall with their eyes behold christ , haue fellowshippe and liue with him , and raigne with him for euermore , being perfectly conformable vnto him , and to his will , both in body , and soule . phil. . . mat. . . . thess. . . apo. . . . . . . . iohn . . . in this description two points are to be explained and expoūded , first the dignity , and comfort of this communion , and coniunction with christ in glory . secōdly the perfestion , and glorification of the bride , and virgin both in soule , and body . first touching the coniunction , and marriage , and the excellency of it , the continuall sight ▪ & company of christ , the sonne of right cousnesse and fountaine , of all fellici●●e , shall minister perpetuall , and vnspeakeable ioy and comfort to all gods saints , for they shal no more walke by faith , ( as in this life ) but by sight : they shall no more darkely behold god in the glasse , and ministery of the worde● , or in the spectakle of the creatures , but see him face , to face , they shall in the imperiall , and maiestica●l court , and pallace of heauen see god , as he is . . ioh. , . . cor. , namely they shall so farre forth behold gods maiesty , and the perfection of his glory , as a finite creature , albeit glorified , is capable off ; they shall see him as hee is , but not how infinite hee is ▪ . timo. . . and as for christ iesus their redeemer , husband , and head , they shall ( as iob speaketh , ) see him with these same , and no other eyes , iob. . . . they shall follow him wheresoeuer hee goeth . apoc. . ▪ they shall see his face , and his name shal be in their for-head , apoc. . . finally the tabernacle of god shal be with them , and hee will dwell with them , and they shal be his people , and god himselfe shal be their god with them , apoc. . . now if the sight , salutation , and company of man , and wife , father , and children , kinsfolke , and acquaintance , friends and welwil●ers , that are farre distant , and haue beene long absent one from another , bee so admirably gratefull and so wonderfully delightsome , how much more desirable , maruelous , and vneffable will the continuall sight , and fruition of god the father , christ the sonne our redeemer , and the holy ghost our comforter bee vnto vs in the parliament , and throne of heauen ? and if moyses that onely talked , and had conference with god in the mount but fortie dayes , was so glorious in his face , at his discent , and returne , that the children of israell could not , or durst not behold it , how much more vnspeakably maiesticall , and glorious shall they bee that haue fellowish , ( not as sinners with god on earth for a fewe dayes ) but as perfectly sanctified in the pallace of heauen for euermore ? herevnto in the second place , i may well adioyne the mutuall , ioyfull , and vnutterable communion with all angells , archangels , patriarks , prophets , fathers , apostles , euangelists , confessors , martirs , and all the true saintes of god , of all degrees for euermore , who , by how many degrees , and in how many properties , especially in knowledge , in holinesse , and loue , they exceede , and excell all mortall creatures : so much more rare , and incredible comfort shal they by their mutuall fellowshippe , communicate one to another . they shall not be ignorant one of another , nor strange , and suspected one to another , much lesse , false , and hollow ; as in this worlde , partly by reason of ignorance , partly by reason of hypocrisie , and partly by reason of humane infirmities it commeth oftentimes to passe , but they shal be all one , in will , and consent , liuing , and louing together in perfect harmony of concorde , and charity . vse . the consideration hereof must cause vs to shun , decline , and abhor ill , and contagious company , ( what in vs lyeth ) and to haue our hearts , and mindes inflamed , and possessed with a longing desire to bee dissolued , in the time appointed , and to enioy the most blessed fellowshippe of god , of the lambe , and of all the saints , and angels in glory for euermore . the second partickle to bee made lightsome , and vnfolded is , the perfection , of the glorified soule , and the body . touching the soules iust and perfect men , they now after their dissolution from the body , are replenished with infinite ioye , and triumph in the heauenly ierusalem . luke . . . hebre. , , . math. . . . but their ioye shal be much more encreased , when the soules shal be reunited to their bodies , phil. . . and when the whole number of gods elect saints are accomplished , and come in , apoc. . . . heere they shall in quires , and companies , mutually , and eternally magnifie , and praise the lord ( as afterwards i will more fully shew ( when i come to speake of the rest of their prerogatiues . secondly in the minde , & vnderstāding their shal be no error , ignorance , dulnes , but cleere iudgemēt & perfect wisedome , . cor. . . for wee shall be in perfect light , and the wisdome of god shall manifest it selfe vnto vs : secondly in the will and affections , there shall bee no extasie or distemper , but perfect righteousnesse , integritie , perfect loue of god , and his saints , a●d angels , and absolute conformity to gods will. lastly the body it shall be a bright , glorious , beautifull , strong , nimble , perfect , and in●orrupt instrument , habitation , and receptacle of the glorified soule . it shall be so bright and glorious , that it shall shine forth as the sunne , and shall send forth beames of light , math. . . it shall rise a glorious bodie , . cor. . . it shall bee like to christ his body , ergo , no doubt most glorious , phil ▪ . . some glimpse , taste , and representation hereof , wee haue in the transfiguration of christ , whose garment was white and glist●red ▪ luke . . . it was very white as snowe , so white as no fuller can make vpon the earth , marke , . . in moses and elias that appeared to our sauiour in glory , luke . . and in the sundry and glorious apparitions of angels in the old , and in the beginning of the new testament . it shall bee a strong body , for it shall rise againe in power , and not in weakenesse , as . cor. . . it shall be a nimble body , as well able by the proper forme of it , to ascend , as to descend , as may be collected out of . thes . . math. . . phil. . . compared together ; it shall bee a beautifull and goodly body , because it is and shall be a vessell of honour , as rom . lastly , it shall bee perfect , and incorrupt , because as there is no fault , defect and deformitie in it , so it shall be a spirituall body , . cor. . . spirituall , not because the substance shall bee changed , for glorification taketh nor away the trueth , and demensions of a naturall body , but because it needeth none of these outward and earthly supplyes , and helpes of meate , drinke , apparell , sleepe , rest , mariage , phisick , light , &c. for christ shall bee in steed of all these vnto it , and supply all . . cor. . vse . . the first vse that ariseth from the consideration and meditation of the body and soule ioyntly glorified is , a notable comfort for gods children , that for the time present , liue obscurely , and in great contempt , in no regarde and reputation , traduced and troubled in euery place , for they shall see the lord , & haue immediate fellowship with him , and shall shine as the sunne in a cleare skie . vse . . in any bodily defect , weakenesse , sicknesse , ache , paine , vlcers , deformitie , lamenesse , and maimednesse , we are not to be discontent , and offended , but endure them patiently ; for first they are but fatherly corrections , and trials , heb. . . and . secondly they are but temporary . thirdly , the dearest and holyest of gods children , are as well subiect to them , and beare their portion in them as much as any , yea much more then other , psal. . vers . . & . lastly , they shall be taken all away , and eternall glory , and perfection shall succeed in their place . and thus much of the explanation , and description of the mariage : what it is . the fourth section . the priuiledges and prerogatiues of this mariage , remaine to bee considered , and they are principally foure : first a perpetuall and solemne sabboth , which the saints of god shall inuiolably obserue in singing the new song of their redemption , apoc. . . they with one voyce and heart shall singe , and acknowledge that christ hath redeemed them to god by his bloud out of euery kindered , and tongue , and people , and nation , apoc. . . and hath made them vnto their god , kings , and priests , and in the . chap. . . . they shall found forth this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or thankesgiuing : and they cried saying , saluation commeth of our god that sitteth vpon the throne , and the lambe , and they shall fall before the throne on their faces , and worship god saying , amen , praise , and glory , and wisdome , and thankes , and honour , and power , and might , be vnto our god for euermore , amen . finally their voice shal be like the voice of great ●aters and as the vyoce of strong thunder , saying halleluia , our lord god all mighty hath raigned , apoc. . . more-heareof 〈◊〉 may read , isai. . . apo. . . apoc. . . but this sabboth shal be without peculier preist , for all shal be preists vnto god , it shal be without temple , or ceremonies , for god , and the lambe are the temple of it , and shall supply these occasious . wherefore seeing that there is an eternall rest in heauen , and that our sabboth , which according to christ his institution , the apostles practise , & the custome of the vinuersal church , we keepe the first day of the weeke in memory , and honour of christs resurrection , is a tipe , and representation of it , it must reach vs to obserue it , both incorruptly touching the out-ward forme , and spiritually touching the the inward disposition of our mindes , and hearts , or els we shall neuer keepe it in heauen , for god will neuer honour vs in heauen luke . . . vnles we honour him in earth , and neuer perfect vs in heauen , vnlesse by the workes of sanctification wee begin it heare , apoc. . . . the second priuiledge , and prerogatiue is the actuall , and eternall inheritance , and possessing of the new heauen and the new earth , part of the dowry , & ioynter of the saints . . pet. . . apo. . . . pet. . . rom. . . . math. . now whether they shall sometimes by locall motion , and bodily presence , ( albeit some new , and learned writers out of the. apoc. . . and apo. . . . pet. . . before named , and from the nature of a glorified body that can both , ascend , and discend at his pleasure , doe collect , and would conclud it ) or which is more probable , and likely by vision , and heauenly contemplation , and noe absurdite , for if saint steuen being on earth and hauing noe doubt his eyes , for the present clarified , looked vp into heauen , and saw christ sitting on the right hand of god. act. . ver . . why may not a glorified body by his glorified eyes , and the aire , and skye , being also purified looke downe from heauen , and contemplate the earth &c. but because this poynt is difficult , and the knowledg of it , is rather coniecturall then certaine , wee must bee content to bee ignorant of it , vntell the day , when all secrets shal be made manifest ; and let vs in the meane time make some vse of the point as most may concerne vs ; here is matter of consolatiō for poore christians , that either neuer actually possessed any worldly goods , lands , or liuings , as lazarus , and others , or haue beene with the religious hebrewes , by the enimies of the truth dispoiled , and depriued of them , heb. . . or els by the men of the earth , whose portion is ( as it is to be feared ) in most , or many of them ( only ) in this life , and that enclose , and hedge in , al to themselues and their proper vses , vnmercifully turning men out of home , house , and liuing ; well let them possesse , their soules in patience , and in faith , and hope , apprehend and waite for it , for they shall one day inherite the new heauen , and the new earth , they shall haue roome enough , and larg demaines when their enimies repining at it , shall remaine foreuer excluded , and excomunicated from them , and it . the third preuiledge is that the godly then compleatly , and perfectly , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shal be all kings , preists , prophets , apoc. . . and so partake of christ his dignity , and offices , as kings they shall raigne with christ , and triumph ouer satan , and all the wicked , yea , and treade them vnder their feete rom . . mal. . . as preists they shall eternally praise god , and the lambe for the redemption of his people . &c. and perfectly obey his will apoc. . . and as prophets they shal ( as far forth as is possible for a finite , and circumscriptible creature ) knowe god , and see him , and exquisitely vnderstand all things that shall concerne their felicitie . . ioh. . . . cor. . vse . wherefore if euer wee looke , and hope to be kings , priests , and prophets in heauen , let vs as spiritually , so conscionably practise these offices in earth : for the practise of them in this life , and in the life to come differ not in essence , and substance , but onely in place , and degrees , let vs then as kings rule , and raigne ouer ●ur affections , and desires , and gouerne our familyes ( like so many little churches ) in the feare of god. let vs as priests consecrate our selues , soules , and bodies to christ , and his worship , and seruice , and pray continually to god in behalfe of our selues , and our domestiques . lastly , let vs as prophets , labour to bee rich in the knowledge , and vnderstanding of gods will , and so ( to our vtmost power , and skill ) impart , it ( as occasion , and our calling shall require ) vnto others , especially to those of our owne family . gen. , ver . . . the fourth priuiledge of the saints in glory is their glorious , and perpetuall triumph , and perfect victory ouer sinne , death , hell , satan , and his angels , and all the reprobate whatsoeuer . sinne , and death , and hell shal be a bolished , and cease foreuer . . cor. . . . . & in respect of the godly bee destroied , as apoc. . . antichrist , and his members shall no more assaulte , and persecute vs , for the beast , and the false prophet shall be cast aliue into the lake of fire burning with brimstone , apoc. . . and all the members , and worshippers of the beast shall drinke of the pure wrath , and ●ee tormented in fire , and brimstone before the holy angels , and before the lambe . apoc. . , . they shall goe forth , and looke vpon the carcases of the men that haue transgressed , isa. . . finally the saints shall treade downe sathan , and all their enemies vnder their feete , rom. . . and shall stand before the throne , and before the lambe cloathed with long white robes , ( uiz. of purity , and inocency , ) and hauing palmes , ( in signification of victory ) in their hands . apoc. . . vse . wherefore the due consideration of this last prerogatiue , as also of the former must kindle , and worke in vs , an earnest , and continuall expectation , and longing after our full , and finall redemption , and perfect glorification . the dutifull wife should not so long , and looke for the returne of her husband , farre , and long time absent , the husbandman so hope , and waite for the haruest ; the mariner the hauen , the wayfaring-man , his iorneyes ende , the woman in trauell her deliuerance , the captiue his liberty , as wee should wish , and waite for , pray for , and expect the time of the marriage , and our consumation . vse . if wee would bee perfect conquerers , and raigne , and triumph with christ in heauen , we must in earth take his part against the mighty . iudg. . . we must vnder the condu●t of our generall christ iesus our heauenly michaell , as his angels , and souldiers , fight against the dragon , and his angells , and wee shall ouercome by the bloud of the lambe , and by the worde of his testimony , and by not louing our liues vnto death . apoc. . . . finally wee must put on the whole armour of god ; fayth , hope , conscience , confession , and profession of the truth , righteousnesse , and the sworde of the spirit which is the worde of god , ephesi . . . and wee must pray constantly with all manner of prayer , and supplications in the spirit for our selues , and for all saints . &c. and by the right vse , and continuall handling of these , wee shall crucifie the flesh with the affectons , and lustes thereof . gallathians . . , wee shal be able to resist in the euill day , and hauing finished all things to stand fast , and wee shall ouercome sathan ▪ and all his batteries , and temptations ; and then after all our fight , contention and victory ended , wee shall in the life to come , eate of the tree of life , which is in the midst of the paradice of god , apoc. . . we shall eate of the hidden manna , apoc. . . wee shall haue power ouer nations , vers . . wee shall bee cloathed with white araye , and our name neuer put out of the booke of life , chap. . wee shall be pillers in gods house , and goe out no more , , . and to conclude , we shall sit with christ in his throne , euen as he sitteth with his father in his throne , apoc. . . which god at length fulfill , and accomplish in vs , for his most deerely beloued sonnes sake , iesus christ our onely , and all-sufficient redeemer , and mediator , amen . now we are briefly to consider the place where this marriage shal be solemnized , and all this glory , ioy , and priuileges eternally possessed , & communicated vnto vs. the place therfore is the highest heauens , the throne of god , and the lambe , the heauenly hierusalem , the cittie of the liuing god , paradise , the seates , and habitations of the saints , & angels , the wedding chamber : and finally , the new heauen & the new earth . this blessed heauen is a place in respect of substance subiect to no change , and corruption , in respect of quantity , and extent farre exceeding other places , and of sufficient capacitie to receiue all the elect of god ; in respect of qualities , it is of all places most bright , most glorious , most pleasant : finally it is such a place wherin no euill can be feared , and no good can be wanting , and in which god doth offer himselfe to bee seene of men and angels face to face ; and the humanitie of christ more glorious then the sunne ▪ shall bee seene , and bee beheld with vs , euen with our bodily eyes . apoc. . the whole chapter , and chapter from the first verse to the sixt verse , hebrew . . iohn . . wherfore fat be it from vs ; that vainly looking for a visible church heere without all spot , or wrinckle in order , and maner , and seeing , and finding it not , proudly , vnthankfully , rashly , and without cause to deuide , and seperate our selues ( as is the maner of schismatickes ) frō the church of god , which notwithstāding al other defects , whether in doctrine that is not fundamental or policy . yet firmely and purely retaineth the scūd preaching of apostolicall doctrine , pure inuocation of gods name in christ , and right vse of the two sacraments , baptisme , and the lords supper , for these notes are essentiall , substantiall , and of the life of the church , other things are outward , accidentall , and circumstantial , and rather of the comelinesse , well beeing , and ornament , then , of the simple necessity , and essence of the church , yet it were to be much wished that the defects were supplied , abuses remoued , & corruptions taken away , but it must bee done by thē who haue lawfull authority ▪ & in order without tumult , and rashnes , and repugnance , cause , and sound ground , in the meane time , it is the dutie of priuate persons to take the benefit of the word , and sacramēts with thankesgiuing , least god for their vnthākefulnes in time take it away , and to pray for the amendment of that which is amisse , and patiently expecting it , in the interim to walke in their seuerall callings with diligence , and conscience . vse . . seeing all blisse , felicitie , and euer-during happinesse is onely in heauen , and not in earth ▪ wee must not rest in these temporall and transitorie things of honour , wealth , preferment , beauty , buildings , credit pleasure , delights , recreations , outward peace , and prosperitie , neither must wee thinke that true felicitie and happinesse consisteth herein ; for first all these are vncertaine , and transitorie , as the grasse , vapor , flower , shaddow , they are like ionas his gourde of one dayes continuance , and are like reeds , or rotten posts fayling , and causing them to fall that leane vpon them . secondly they are rather ( by reason of our corrupt nature ) fnares , baits , and traps to deceiue , and hurt vs ( as infinite , examples euince ) thē simply meanes , and instruments of our selicity , and faluation . thirdly they cannot saue our soules , and make vs blessed before god , as solomon acknowledged when hee called them all vanity of vanities , but this worke is proper onely to grace , and gods speciall mercy in christ. fourthly , they are no especiall , and proper endowments of gods , church , and children , ( though sometimes they in good sort enioy them , and pertake of them ) for the wicked commonly possesse them in farre greater measure then the godly who are rather rich in minde , and in grace , then in these externall , and perishable profits , honours , and pleasures . wherefore wee must eleuate our hearts , and mindes farre aboue these earthly , and momentary things , and seeke the things aboue ; wee must get vs vp into the mountaine of deuine contemplation , and by the eyes of true fayth , behold ▪ and view our country the heauenly canaan : we haue no abiding citie here , wherefore we must seeke one to come hauing a foundation , whose builder , and maker is god. and as for these worldly , and outward things wee must onely vse them so farre forth as they are lawfull , and are helpes vnto vs for the furthering of of our iorney , & the aduancement of godlinesse , and no otherwise ; for els it is better that they should perish then wee ; and it is farre better that wee should alienate ▪ and withdrawe our mindes , and affections from them , then that they should seperate vs from god ( as they doe the most ) and depriue vs of the kingdome of heauen ; and in this case if they were as deere , and necessary vnto vs , as our eyes , handes , feete , yea fathers , and mothers , yet we must cut them off , and hate them . and thus much touching the place . the fourth and the last branche , is the manifold vses and applications of this doctrine of the heauenly mariage ; first by consideration hereof , wee must be stirred vp , and doe our vtmost endeuour to mortifie , and ouercome all worldly desires , and earthly pleasures ; for otherwise we cannot addict and wedde our selues to these , and withall truely prepare our selues for the comming of christ : for touching riches , and worldly cares , there is such an antipathy , an opposition betweene them and grace , that the one cannot consist without the other : for as the eye cannot at one instant , beholde heauen and earth , euen so a man cannot serue god and the world together , they are so aduerse and contrarie ; and as those places where gold and siluer growe , are in all other respects most barraine , and fruitlesse , so where the loue of money , riches , and the world doe beare swaye , and preuaile , there true zeale , and sincere godlinesse can neuer ▪ bee found ; and as touching pleasures , they are the matter , and fewell of euill desires , they are honey mixt with poyson , and they are as haw-thornes , and bryers , which albeit some-times they beare goodly leaues , and flowers ; yet if a man gripe them hard , they will pricke and wound him ; wherefore it standeth vs vpon to be wary of them , and when wee vse them , to vse them charily and moderately . vse . . secondly , wee must learne hence to bee forward , and constant in well-doing , and still to repaire our ruines , and prepare our selues vntill the last breath ; for hee onely that continueth ( in godlinesse , and patience ) to the end , hee shall bee saued , hee that is found watching and wakefull at his maisters comming , shall be blessed , luk. . . . and he that fainteth not in weldoing shall in due time reape math. . . luke . . . gal. . . otherwise we , if we faile neuer so prosperously , and sinke at the hauen mouth ; if we trauell directly to heauen , and turne backe almost at our iorneyes end ; if wee doe god good and faithfull seruice in our youth , and afterwards proue faithles , and prefidious in our elder yeares ; and finally if we begin in the spirit , and end in the flesh all our former endeuours labours , and sufferings are to noe purpose , all our righteousnes shal be forgotten , and we shall die in the sinnes and transgress●●ns that we haue committed , eze. . . wherefore if the hope of ransomming worke patience in the captiue , assurance of liberty , and freedome constant labour , and faithfulnes in the prenrise ▪ and seruant ; and expectation of victory , and spoile , constant resolution , and valowrous courage in the souldier : why should not much more the certaine , and vndoub●ed hope , and assurance of this happines , and eternall coniunction with christ make , & moue vs to be constant , & vnmoueable in all duty of piety , charity , & iustice , knowing that our workes are not in vaine in the lord . cor. . . vse . thirdly the assured expectation of this heauenly , and glorious vnion must teach vs with the patriarks , prophets , apostles , martirs , confessors and with all the saints of god both of former , and also of later time to endure and vnder goe all sicknesses , trials , afflictions , losses , contempts , and persecutions ioyfully , and patiently , heb. . . . cor. . . . . and heb. . . . for first they are but momentary , and neuer beyond the date , and terme of this life , secondly christs yoake is easie and his bu● then light ▪ mat. . . & he wil lay vpon his no greater burden , then he will make them able to beare . . cor. . . but will giue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 idest an issue , and euasion with the temptation . lastly god will recompence , and reward these temporary , and transitory euills , and sufferings with an infinite waight of glory in all his saints . . cor. . . . vse . fourthly the vse of this doctrine serueth notably to mollifie , and mitigate the sorrowes of death , and all the paines , and pangs of it , for the stinge of it , ( viz. eternall condemnation , ) is taken away . . cor. . ver . . . secondly it is not a plague vnto vs , but onely a temporary correction , nay a narrow wicket , or gate to intromit , and send vs forthwith into the possession of eternall life . apoc. . . for if wee bee loosed then we goe straitly to the lord. phil. . . if wee remoue hence wee dwell with the lord , & are married vnto him . . cor. . . and ( to end the poynt ) wee rest from all the labours of this life ; and our workes ( first the rewarde of them in mercy , and fauour ) follow , and attend vpon vs as an honourable guard . apoc. . . wherfore let vs not feare death & dānation , but let vs arme our selues with faith , & hope , & let vs often , & seriously meditate vpon the life to come , & the glory of it , and wee shall ( when the time is come ) be willing to die , & die with much comfort , and assurance . lastly ( amongst many other vses ) wee must not mourne vnmeasurably for our friends , and kinsfolkes , or any other that liue , and die in the lord , for they are with god , & in perfect blisse . and as any man will rather reioyce , then sorrow , if his sonne , daughter , friend , kinsman bee happely , worshipfully , honourably , preferred in marriage , albeit hee is otherwise to want their ordinary company , and presence , so should wee rather reioyce that they now are perfited , and most honourably , and gloriously wedded to iesus christ , their king , and head , then mourne as they that haue no hope . it is indeede lawfull , and fit to mourne , for nature , and religion warranteth it , but it must bee in measure , and for our sinnes that haue depriued vs of them , & for that the church feeleth and findeth the losse of them , then for any priuate and carnall respect , and herein notwithstanding wee must submit our wills to gods will , and rather labour to im●sitate their excellent and manifold vertues , then to lament immoderately , or ouer-long for their departure ; but alas the world knoweth not , nor acknowledgeth good , and godly men . the righteous , and mercifull men , ( as wee haue had lamentable experience within these few yeares ) of all rancks and callings , dye , they are taken away from the euill , and rest in peace , and no man considereth it in heart , or vnderstandeth it . isa. . . and therefore because the world maketh no more account of them , and is not worthy of them , god most iustly depriueth them of their presence and comfort . and thus much of the solemnization , and the priuiledges and vses of it . the fourth part of the deuision . and the gate was shut . now wee are come to speake and treate of the last branche , and part of the distribution , namely the contrary euent ▪ in respect of the foolish virgins ; for they hauing onely common graces , and a temporall faith , which failes in time of necessitie , and temptation , and seeking for supply when the time was past , were by the bridegroome christ repelled , and put by from entring into the wedding chamber , and kingdome of heauen . in the vnfolding and explication whereof , diuerse particulers are to bee discussed ; as first , who shutteth the gate ▪ secondly , when it is shut ; thirdlye , who are shut out : fourthly , the condition , and miserable estate of them thus excluded . lastly , the ●enerall application and vse of the doctrine . the person that excludeth them , that indeed first excluded him , because they did not , nor would not receiue him into their heart , is christ , the bridegroome , the sonne of god , and the iudge of the world : he is the porter by whom , and through faith in whom all the beleeuers enter in , and finde pasture , iohn . . . hee is the prince of shepheards , as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the bishop of our soules , that properly , and by his owne power , bindeth and looseth , retaineth , and remitteth . for that which his ministers doe subordinately , and ministerially , that doth hee absolutely and as cause and principall . iohn . . . math. . . hee alone hath the keye of dauid which openeth , and no man shutteth , and shutteth , and no man openeth , so that hee hath right power , and authoritie , to receiue in , or put out whome hee will , apoc. . . they that kisse him , beleeue in and obey him , shall bee saued and glorified , psalm ▪ . . marke . . . hebr. . . and they that sinne against him , hurt their owne soule , they that hate him loue death . prou. . . they that will not haue him to raigne ouer them , are his enimies , and shal be slaine before his face , luke . . verse . . and they that eyther by open persecution : or else by infidelitie , and by contempt , scorne , or impenitencie fall on this stone shall bee broken , and on whom soeuer of them it shall fall , it will grinde him to powder . luke . . . the vse of this doctrine is two-fold , first it condemneth and ouer-throweth the vsurped , false , and forged authoritie of the romish antichrist , who will needes bee christs vicar generall on earth , and blasphemouslie assumeth vnto himselfe the keyes of heauen and hell , as though it were in his power to saue , pardon , or to retaine , and condemne whome hee would : whereas first hee cannot bee christs vicar , for christ in the spirituall regiment , and gouernment of the church , is with it to the ende of the world . math. . ver . . . and is present by his power , aud deitie in euery place , math. . . . and therefore needeth no substitute to supplie his roome . secondly , the holy ghost is christs deputy , and vice●erent , for hee is in euery place , and enlighteneth , guideth , sanctif●eth , and gouerneth the church , and so neither doth , nor can the man of rome , saue himselfe from death , diseases , much lesse , from the bottomlesse pit , from whence hee came , and whether hee must needes goe ( withall our consents ) as ●udas to his place . thirdly in respect of order , and publicke administration the christian magistrate may with much better right , and equity bee called the vicar of christ in gouerning the people according to the worde of god. and in this sense , eleutherius bishoppe of rome writing to lucius king of the brittaines calleth him christs vicar : for by christ kings raigne , and princes decree iustice . and as for the authoritie of binding , and loosing , the ministers of the true church , ( wherein the pope hath no more right , then the pirate in the true ownershippe ) haue onely a ministery of reconciliation and a ministery of binding , and loosing , but the inwarde operation , and working of the holie ghost in the heart , is principall , and belongeth to christ iesvs alone . luke . . . act. . . so in censuring , admonishing , suspending , excommunicating , exhorting , threatning , and in all other ecclesiasticall offices christ hath no deputie , but onely instruments that doe witnesse , and testifie his will according to the rule of scriptures , but the whole entire action is personall , and proper to him alone , and vtterly ouerthroweth , the feigned , and counterfaite supremacie of the romish pirate , and prelate . vse . if wee would not haue christ at the day of iudgement to disclaime , and exclude vs as hee did the foolish virgins , wee must not by infidelitie , and impenitencie debar●e him out of our hearts , but by a liuely fayth let , and receiue him into them , and entertaine , and feast him with loue , reuerence , amendment of life , obedience , and the like graces of the spirit ; for christ dwelleth in our hearts , if we beleeue , he knocketh at our hearts often by his worde , by his spirit , by his mercies , and by his iudgementes , and if wee assent vnto him , and by fayth admit into the chamber of our hearts , he will dwell with vs , yea dine , and suppe with vs , and supply all our wants . apoc. . . wherefore let vs not ( as the church in the cantikles ) suffer christ our beloued to remaine without , hauing his head full of dewe , and his lockes with the drops of the night , because forthwith wee would not arise , and dresse vs , nor defile our feete . cantickels . . and . or put our selues to any payne , or trouble , but let vs let open vnto him by yeelding vnto the truth , and by beeing amended by his admonitions , so shall wee bee christ iesvs his possession , his peculier people , and a temple for him , and his spirit to dwell in ; otherwise if wee suffer any one sinne , whether of idolatrie or of infidelitie , or of worldlinesse , or of filtie liuing , or of grosse ignorance , or any raigning , and dominering sinne that is vnfelt , and vnresisted , to sway vs , and tyrannizc ouer vs , wee driue , and bannish iesvs christ not so much out of our coastes , as the gergesites did . mathew . . . as out of the castle , and pallace of our heartes , and admit sathan our deadly enemie in his roome , and steade . thus much of the first part , name●y the person who shutteth . the second branch , is the time when the gate is shut , viz ▪ when all meanes , and occasions of comming vnto saluation are taken away ▪ and when the time of grace , repentance , and reconciliation is past , which is , when this life is ended , luke . . . . . . . . 〈◊〉 the ●iche glutton in hell , desiring and seeking vnto abraham , that hee would send lazarus , whom hee had neglected and contemned , to yeelde him the least comfort , hee could not obtaine it , and when he desired that lazarus might bee sent to his fathers ho●se , to aduise and warne his fiue brethren that they should not come into that place of torment , hee speedeth not in his preposterous and vnlawfull suite , but his brethren are referred , and rem●tted vnto the interpreters of moses and the prophets . againe , the dead do not praise the lord , neither doth the dust giue thankes vnto him , or declare his trueth , isay. . . secondly , at the day of the lord ( for as death leaueth men , whether penitent , or impenitent , so the last iudgement findeth , and iudgeth them , and no otherwise ) it is no time of reconciliation , and of obtaining mercy , as the example of the fiue foolish . virgins , and of those that luke , . . cryed , lord , open vnto vs , when the doore was shut , and could not be admitted , and intromitted , doth plainly proue , and demonstrate . the reason hereof is , because the lord in his mercie and grace , doth in this life , to those especially that be in , and of the visible church offer , and tender the meanes of faith , repentance , grace , mercy , and forgiuenesse of all their sinnes , by the holy ministery of the worde , and sacraments , as . cor. . . titus . , . . . iohn . . iohn . . isay. . . gala. . . prouer. . . . . and because the wicked are temporizers , eyther vtterlye and totally dispise , and contemne it , as luke . . . . or else they come onely in shew , and content themselues with a naked profession , and some outward reformation , wanting the hand , and firme grapple of true faith , that firmeth , apprehendeth , claspeth , and applyeth christ to their eternall saluation , hebr. . . and also destitute of inward reformation and holinesse , comming ( i say ) without the wedding garment of faith , and sanctification , they are found detected by christ , conuinced of hypocrisie , bound hand and foote , and cast into vtter darkenesse , where is weeping and gnashing of teeth , math. . . . . vse . the vse hereof is first to shew the vilenesse , and vanitie of the doctrine of popish purgatory ( whereof i spake at large before ( and therefore a word now shall suffice ) it is a vile doctrine , because it detracteth from , yea and maketh frustrate the all-sufficient death , and purgation of iesus christ. hebrew . . . it is vaine and false , for as there are but two sorts of persons , elect , or reprobate , sheepe , or goates , good or euill , and as men dye eyther in the estate of grace ( as all the elect doe ) or else in ●he estate of damnation ( as doe all the reprobate and impenitent ) so are there but two places in the scriptures appointed for them , after this life , viz. heauen , and hell , therefore no purgatory , or third place , iohn . . . apoc. . . wherefore seeing there is no such purgatorie after this life , nor no meanes left to relieue , or release them : therefore all prayer of the liuing for the dead , is simplye vnlawfull , for first it is against the rule of faith , videliz . the worde of god , and therefore must of necessitie be sinne . secondlie , it is against the rule of charitie , that should alwayes iudge the best of the dead , and not perswade themseues the dead , are in torments where-of they haue noe certaine ground , or knowledge . vse . the second , and last vse is to teach vs not to stay for companions in the way to eternall life , iohn . . . for so wee may perish together , nor to deferre , or put of our conuersion from day to day math. . . . . least either by death , or the last iudgement we be suddenly surprised , and ouertaken , and accordingly iudged , and condemned , . the. . . thus much of the time . the third branch , and member of the diuision , is the persons , and parties that are shut out : viz. the foolish virgins , idest , those that did not prouide for the time to come , because they did carelessely please them-selues in their wants , and so passed by the time of mutuall communication and they contemned the helps that were offered vnto them , and therefore they are deseruedly derided for their folly , and doe suffer the iust punishment of their negligence , and brutishnes . hence wee learne that it sufficeth not to carry onely the shining lamps of externall profession , to haue asight , or tast of gods mercies ( without sound feeling of them , and norishment by them ) hebr. . . mat. . . or to haue onely an externall holines amongst men , as these foolish virgins ( noe doubt ) had , for if a man haue noe more then this , hee cannot goe beyond a reprobate in christianity , and all these temporall , and common graces will faile a man in the time of temptation , in the day of death , and at the last iudgement as hebre. . . . iohn . . . but true fayth whereby wee are iustified , and sanctified before god neuer faileth , luke . . . and all the ( sauing ) guifts of god are without repentance . rom. . . and god will remember their sinnes , and iniquities noe more , heb. . . therfore hee will neuer take his grace wholly from them ; wherefore let vs not content our selues with a bare knowledge , and historicall faith , but turne this temporary faith into a true , and sauing faith ; and let not the strangnes , or rarenes of diuine misteryes onely , or principally moue , and enduce vs to the profession of religion , for so may simon magus , and the athenians bee christians , neither let gaining , or retaining of worldly wealth , peace , prosperity , friendship , and dignity , or credit bee our inducements , or perswations to christianity , for these things are vncertaine , and when these ends faile ( as they doe oft ) then their profession , religion , and temporary fayth and obedience determineth , wherefore let the ends of our fayth , profession , and religion be only the loue of god and the zeale of his glory , the delight in the truth , the obedience of his will , and a carefull , and constant desire of saluation ; and that wee may know that our faith is not temporary , and historicall , but sound , and sauing , let vs try and examine it by these rules following , first that wee bee humbled in our hearts for our sinnes , isai. . . and that wee haue a godly sorrow for them . cor. . . secondly that wee bee perswaded that our sinnes be pardonable , for otherwise wee shall dispaire as caine did gen. . . thirdly wee must sincerely desire the meanes of saluation , such as faith , repentance , mortification , and reconciliation are : fourthly wee must pray for nothing in the earth so much , so earnestly , and so continually as for the forgiuenesse of our knowne and vnknowne sinnes : fiftly wee must labour , and endeuour in all our actions to approue and commend our selues rather vnto god , then vnto men : lastly whether by experience , and continuall obseruation , of gods fauour , goodnesse , and mercifull prouidence towardes vs , wee attayne vnto the strength , ripenesse , and full measure of fayth . rom. . . , psal. . . . sam. . . , . if wee finde these things in our selues , wee haue true fayth , and shall neuer perish , but if wee want them either in part , or in whole let vs seeke betimes to procure , and so to encrease them . and thus much of the persons . the fourth branch , and part is the state , and condition of the foolish virgins at the comming of the bride-grome , and that is contayned in these wordes viz. and the gate was shut , and heere two principall poynts are to bee marked , and attended . first from what they are excluded , viz. from the fauourable , and comfortable presence of christ , and from the glory of heauen . secondly into what place and companie they are remitted , and reserued , viz. to hell , where they shal be tormented with the diuill , and his angells in the lake that burneth with fire , and brimstone foreuermore . touching their exclusion from the glorious and blessed fellowshippe of christ , what a torment is this , and how doth it greeue , and gall them to thinke , and consider of it ? surely it cannot bee imagined , much lesse liuely expressed ; it is at this day a great part of the diuills torment to remember from how great glorie , and excellency hee is irrecouerably fallen . now that they , and all the reprobate are eternally seperate from the company of christ it is apparent , . thess. . . math. . . luk. . . apo● . . . what a greuious , and vnspeakable torment this is , we may by the helpes , and occurrences of outward things , and examples in the world consider . of a wife for her offences excluded , and deuorced from her louing , and honorable husband , and so from all maintenance , and comfort ; of a seruant imprysoned as onesimus for playing the theefe against his good , and gratious master : of absolon two whole yeares banished from his fathers sight , and presence : and of a subiect in great grace , fauour , place , and familiaritie with his ●●ghtie , and gratious soueraigne , and afterward exiled , degraded , imprisoned , and disgraced foreuer . how much more fearefull , horrible , and vncomfortable is it to bee excommunicated and seperated not for a small time , but for euer , and euer from the presence , and fauour of christ who is the summe of all grace , and fauour , and the fountaine of all happinesse , and felicity . thus much of the first point ▪ namely from what they are excluded . secondly touching the proper , and peculier place of vnspeakable torment , which from the foundation of the worlde is appointed for them , it is hell , or a place of eternall , and vnvtterable payne farre remote , and distant from the highest heauen ; and as sundrie both ancient , and latter deuines probablie thinke , and collect out of the scriptures as . deutronomy . . isay ▪ . . nomber . . . prouerbes . psalme . . psalme . . philip . . luke . . . and ( though this poynt is more curious then profitable , and more con●ecturall then certainely knowne where it is ) that it is in some place vnder the earth . and to signifie , and set forth the nature , and terror of it , it 's called hell , the bottomlesse pit . apoc. . , the lake that burneth with fire , and brimstone , a prison . . pet. . . a place of darknesse . . pet. . . euerlasting destruction . . thessalo . . . a place without , apoc. . . vnquenchable fire . marke . . , mathew , . verse . the vse of the place is to conuince all atheistes that denie it , and all that say there is no other hell , but a mans conscience , but they one day ( if they continue their errors and madnesse ) shall finde and feele that there is an hell ; and if their conscience sometime terrifie them for their wickednesse here , let them assure themselues that this is to them but the flashings , and beginnings of hell fire . thirdly , if they will not beleeue the scriptures and word of god , yet in that they beleeue , and are conuinced by many meanes , that there are diuels , let them beware that they bee not lead blindfolded by sathan into hell , and there feele the eternall torment of that which here they neither feele , nor acknowledge , and bee most deseruedly depriued of that glory and ioy , whereof they neuer in this life would take notice . now touching the paines , and punishments , tortures , and torments of the damned , wee are to consider , and handle them first generally , and then more specially , and seuerally . first in generall they are vnspeakeable and intollerable ; secondly , endlesse , and eternall . that they are intollerable and vnsufferable , these scriptures following doe aboundantly testifie and affirme ; the great day of his wrath is come , and who can withstand it , apoc. . . there is said to be wailing and gnashing of teeth , math. . there torment is shadowed forth vnder the borrowed and metaphoricall termes ( of such things as be most subiect to our sence , and fearefull in our apprehension ) of fire , brimstone , the worme of conscience that neuer dieth , vtter darknesse ; and if the enimies of the truth in this life vpon the sence , and apprehension of the heauy waight of gods iudgement against them , shall seeke death , and shall not finde it , and shall desire to dye , and death shall flee from them ; how much more shall this come to passe , when the full vyoles of gods ▪ wrath shall bee finally powred out vppon them , and when they shall drinke the pure wine of his wrath apoc. . . apoc. . . rom. . psal. . . luke . ▪ . . touching the eternitie , and euer-lastingnesse of their paynes , and tortures both in soule , and bodie , both playne places of scripture ▪ and sound arguments thence collected aboundantly euince and testifie . first the paynes and punnishments are called euerlasting fire , mathew . . the worme that neuer dieth . isa . . the smoake of their torments doth ascend euermore , they haue no rest day , nor night . apoc. . . and they shal be punnished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the lord , and from the glorie of his power , as . thessal . . . so that when as many millions of yeares bee expired , as there bee motes in the sunne , droppes of water in the ocean sea ▪ sands vpon the sea shoare , creatures vpon the earth : and when so many yeares shall be accomplished , as all arithmetitians can number all their life long ; yet their torments shall haue no end , nor ease , but begin againe a fresh . now the reasons why their tormēts shal be eternal are these : first the ioyes of heauen are eternall , math. . ▪ and therefore the paines of the damned are eternall also , for contrariorum contraria sunt consequenta : secondly god whom the reprobates haue offended , and contemned is an euerlasting maiestie , and the chiefe and eternall good ▪ and therefore the punishment of the sinne committed against him is eternall , for sinne committed against the infinite maiestie , is infinite . thirdly , if the reprobates liued here for euer , they would sinne for euer , and being in hell they cannot praise god. psal. . . but hate , repine , and murmur against him . but god is merciful , and therefore hee will at length end their torments ▪ or at least ease them . first they dispised gods mercy in this life when it was offered them , and therby haue made thēselues altogither vnworthy of it . secondly they shal be punished more gently then they haue des●●ued . mathew . . . for god could much more haue aggrauated , and encreased the quantity of their torments . and thus much in generall of the paines of the damned . now let vs come to some particulers . first in their faces , and countenances there shal be shame , and confusion for euermore , dan. . . , and for this cause the reprobates are called the vessels of dishonour . . tim. . . rom. . . for then all their secrete sinnes shal be layd open , and discouered . . cor. . . and their conscience bringing them alwayes fresh into their rememberance shall alwaies v●xe , and torment them . isa. . . mark. . . and wee gather this punnishment by the contrary estate of the godly at christ his comming . . ioh. . . for they shal be bold , and not ashamed . now if many men in this life for auoyding and preuenting of open shame , and punishment , doe not onely hide , but also make away themselues , in what horror , & vexation thinke we they shal be in , when they shall suffer full and euerlasting shame , and punishment ? secondly , they vpon the perfect sense of their infinite sinnes , and vpon the full apprehension of gods infinite indignation , shall euerlastingly dispaire , and shall alwayes desire to dye , and shall not dye , apoc. . . thirdly , in their minds and wils being vnspeakeably infected , and possessed with enuie , and malice , they on the one part seeing themselues depriued of so infinite glory , and plunged into so endlesse miseries , by reason of their sinnes and offences , and on the other side , either by present sight and view , as some diuines collect out of luk. . . luke . . . apoc. . . or else ( which is an vndoubted truth ) by keeping in fresh and perpetuall memory , the absolute and glorious estate , & glorification of the godly at the last day , obseruing and perceiuing the godly whom they in their life time so scorned , abused , wronged , persecuted to be so vnconceaueably blessed , shall be tormented and vexed with an vncredible enuie , isa. . . . psal. . . . luk. . . we haue some instance hereof in proud hamon that cursed agagite that could in no wise endure the exaltation of mordocheus , but it was a sword to his heart , and a vexation to his conscience . and if the enuious in this life repine , yea , and pine away at the felicitie and fauours of others , how much more will they then enuy , when they themselues shal be incomparably more miserable , and the godly vnspeakably more blessed . fourthly , the reprobate shal be as wel tormented in their bodies , which haue bin the vessels & instruments of sinne , and iniquity , as in their soules , for as their bodies shal be darke , ●inglorious , and deformed , contrary vnto the glory of the elect : so shall they be tormented not with any materiall fire , for thē the worme of conscience , the carcases of the slaine , and the metaphoricall speeches , especially in the apoc. . that describe and delineate vnto vs the ioy and glory of heauen should be litterally vnderstood , which is very absurd to thinke , but with that which is equiualent , yea farre more extreame , namely the full , and finall wrath of god ceazing and inuading the soule and body , as appeareth , apoc. . . they shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of god , yea of the p●re wine that is powred into the cup of his wrath , and shal be tormented in fire & brimston before the holy angels , and before the lambe for euermore , they shall drinke vp the dregs of gods wrath , which is their portion to drinke , psal. . . & psal. . . lastly because they must in soule & body suffer the vnsupportable indignation of the lord , are called , and so indeed are , vessels of wrath prepared to destruction . now if the anger of a lion , of a beare robbed of her whelps , much more of a mighty monarch be so pernicious● and dāgerous , how much more incōparable then is the wrath and indignation of the almighty and the most iust lord , who is to his enimies a consuming fire , hebr. . . and whose wrath burneth vnto the bottome of hell . deut. . . god giue vs grace by our godly feare , true repentance , and sound obedience in this life , to preuent it , amen . thus much of the generall and particuler punishment of those that are excluded . the last point , and part to be handled , and wherewith we will conclude the whole treatise , is the manifold , and wholsome vses that we are to make of this doctrine : first therfore the serious consideration , and meditation of the state , & paines of the damned , must be a forcible motiue to diswade and reclaime vs from committing sinne , and iniquitie for feare , of falling into the same condemnation . chrysostome in his . homilie , or sermon vpon the romaines , saith well to this purpose ; vtinam ( inquit ) vbique de gehenna dissereretur , non enim sinet in gehennam incidere , gehennae meminisse , &c. that is , would to god euery man would speake of hel ; for to remember hell , will not suffer a man to fall into hell ; for if the due consideration of seuere humane lawes that shall be duly executed , doe keepe the most vnruly from offending , much more will the serious consideration of the paines of hell ( if men haue grace to thinke on them ) reforme & amend men , i●de . . secondly the preachers & ministers of the word of god , when they see & perceiue the deadnesse , dulnesse , ●and impenitencie of the hearers ▪ must labour by laying open the multitude , and torments of the damned , to draw men to feare god , and to repent their sinnes . math ▪ . . heb. . . apoc. . . . . the third vse is to teach vs not to be enuious against the wicked , nor to repine at their temporall dominion , and prosperitie : for first , neither they , nor their pompe nor prosperity shall continue long , but perish suddainly . psal. . . . . psal. . . secondly , they haue ( for the most part ) their portion in this life , psal. . . lastly , their damnation is iust , & sleepeth not , . p●t . . . wherefore wee must rather commisserate and pitty them , yea , and pray god to conuert them , for in so doing we shall please god , discharge our owne duties , & perhaps in the end , be a meanes to win , and reclaime them . fourthly & lastly , finding in our selues by due examination , that god hath deliuered vs from so great condemnation and made vs heires , in hope of eternall life , we must continually , and from our hearts giue all glory & praise vnto god , apoc. . . . col. . . . . and hereby bee stirred vp to be stedfast , vnmoueable , aboundant alwayes in the worke of the lord , . cor. . . . now the lord god , the fountaine of mercies , and the father of our lord iesus christ , grant wee may performe these duties , and continue constant like pillars in his loue , and seruice to the end , for his beloued sonnes sake iesus christ our onely redeemer , and mediator , amen . an appendix or necessary addition , touching the doctrine , nature and vse of the sacraments , propounded in plaine and profitable questions , and answeres , very requisite and comfortable for euery christian to know . to the vvor shipfull , learned and religious gentleman , maister thomas gibbs of watergaull esquier : thomas draxe wisheth encrease of grace and of all prosperity , and for a monument of his loue and duetifull affection , consecrateth this small adioynder following . the doctrine , nature and vse of the sacraments . qu. what signi●ieth this word s●ments ? an. a ●ouldiers oath made to his captaine whereby he is sworne to be true to and consecrated to the ●eruice of the generall , and from that original signification it is drawne by the common consent of the church , to signifie the holy s●ales of gods mercie . for as the souldier by his oth administred and taken , bindeth himselfe to the seruice of his generall ▪ so wee by the vse of the sacraments binde our selues to god and to his worship . qu ▪ what is a sacrament ? ans. an outward ●igne or ●eale ordayned of god , to confirme our fayth in the c●rtenty of our redemption , and to signifie and seale vnto vs the graces and benefits that ●lowe thence . gen. . . rom. . qu. what are the endes of sacraments in generall ? an. first and princially to confirme our faith in the promises of grace , and to be seales and pledges thereof vnto vs. cor. . . rom. . . gal. . . . secondly to distinguish vs from all infidells and atheists whatsoeuer . thirdly to preserue the remembrance and memory of christ his benefits . exod. . . luk. . ver . . lastly to bind & vnite vs more firmly to god , and his seruice , and to one another . qu. are the sacraments necessary to saluation ? ans. yes , for first god in his wisedome and mercy hath instituted them to that end , and hath also commaunded them to be vsed . secondly by the refusall and contempt of them , we declare our selues to bee none of christs desciples , of whome these sacraments are badges . thirdly ( during this mortality ) we are weake infaith & ful of infirmities & therfore haue need of thē . qu. but are the sacraments so simply and absolutely needfull to sal●ation that hee that wanteth them cannot bee saued ? an. no , for first , not the want but the contempt of them damneth . secondly the israelits in the wildernesse wanted them . yeares , but were not therefore condemned , & the theife vpon the crosse was saued , albeit neuer baptized luke . . lastly damnation is denounced to the vnbeleeuer and impenitent person , and not to haue that ( without his owne defaute ) is depriued of the sacraments . qu. then grace and remission of sinnes is not inherent , in , annexed and tied so to the sacraments , that whosoeuer vseth them should by his very act of receiuing , be partaker of it ? an. no , for first , it is the proper worke of god to confer grace , albeit ( ordinarily ) by the means . secondly the sacraments are signes & seales of grace , but not causes therof . thirdly their nature and substance is not changed ; therfore they cannot of themselues conferre grace . lastly , achit●phell , simon magus , iudas , were partakers of the sacraments , yet because they wanted faith , they receued no good by them , for here , in regard of vs faith is all in all heb. ver . . qu. if there be no grace contained and inherent in the sacraments , why are the signes and the things signified called so often in scripture by one and the same name ? exo. . . . cor. . . math. . . . cor. . . ans. they are often times thus named , onely to shew the straite vnion and neere coniunction , that is betwixt the signes and the things signified in the beleeuers , for at what time they in faith receiue the signes , god by his spirit conferreth the things signified . qu. what difference is there betwixt the word preached and the sacraments ? ans. frst the word preached is only audible and propounded to the eares , but the sacraments are sensible , and offered & subiect to the sense of seeing , fasting , handling . secondly , grace is offered in the word more generally , but in the sacrament more particularly . thirdly the word is preached both to beleeuers and vnbeleeuers , but the sacraments , ( especialy that of the lords supper ) are communicated to those that beleeue , or ( at least ) thus probably iudged . forthly , the word is of force towards faith and saluation without , or before that the sacraments bee receiued ; as may appeare in abraham , gen. the enuch act. . corn. act. . ve . . . and . . but the sacrament without the word is of no validity , i meane the words of institution . qu. how are sacraments deuided ? a. into sacraments of the old testament & sacraments of the new. qu. what is a sacrament of the old testament ? a. that which was instituted & ordaned of god for the faithfull before christs in carnation . qu. of how many sortes was it ? ans. of two sortes , ordinary and extraordinary . q what were their ordinary sacramēts . an. circumcision and the passouer . qu. what is circumcision ? an. an ordinary sacrament of the old testament whereby by reason of the cutting off & circumcizing of the foreskin the premise of grace , that is , of redemption & sanctification in the messias to come was signified and sealed . gen. . ver . . & . rom. . . qu ▪ what is the passeouer ? an. an ordinary sacrament of the old testament , whereby , by the eating of a lambe , the beleeuers were put in mind of their deliuerance out of egypt and especially were confirmed concerning their redemption from the power of satan sinne and death , to be performed by christ that was then to come . qu. what were the extraordinary sacraments of the old testament . an. those that were not so solemly repeated , of this sort was the arke , wherein noe and his family were preserued in the time of the deluge ; and hereby was signified & sealed our preseruation from eternall damnation , by christ , . pe. . . & . such like sacraments were the baptisme of the cloud & of the sea . cor. . . . likewise the eating of manna & the drinking of the water flowing out of the rocke , ibid vers . . and . q. what are the sacraments of the new testament ? a. those which christ the mediator of mankind being now exhibited did institute & ordaine for his that be●eeued q ▪ what & how many are these sacramēts ? ans. onely two , baptisme and the lords supper . q. what difference is there betweene the sacraments of the old testament and of the new that succeede them . ans. they are both the same altogether in substance , or in respect of the thing signified ; for as the substance of the word was the same in the time of the old testament and of the new , so also the substance of the sacraments , & this is made plaine by diuers places of scripture . ●ebr . . . collo . . ver . . . cor. . . qu. how then do they differ ? ans. only in certaine circumstances and accidents , as for example . first they differ in the externall signe or element . secondly in number , for they were more in number , but these few . thirdly in manner of signification , for they signified christ to come , and therfore were more darke , but these christ presented and exhibited , and therefore more plaine and easie . lastly they differ in time and person , for the sacraments of the old testament were proper to the iewes , and lasted onely vnto the comming of the messias , but the sacraments of the new testament are common both to iewes , gentiles & doe continue vnto the worlds end . qu. how many things are wee to consider in a sacrament ? answ. three , first the outwarde signe or matter . secondly the thing signified . thirdly the forme , order and analogy between the signe & the thing signified . qu. vvhat is the signe ? an. the outward or sensible matter which is the substance , & the externall act●ons cōuersant about the sacramēt , which is the accidentall circumstance . q ▪ what are the things signifyed by thē ? ans. christ with all his mercies and sauing graces . q ▪ vvhat is the forme of a sacrament ? an. the relation , order or proportion that is betwixt the signe and the thing signified ? q what is baptisme ? a. the sacrament of our new birth , or of our first admittance , or entrance into the church , or christianity ▪ rom. . . math. . . qu. to whom doth baptisme belong ? a. to al beleeuers , & to their childrē . qu. are in●ants then to be baptised , especially seeing that the scripture maketh no expresse mention thereof ? a. yes vndoubtedly , for first there is such an affinity betweene circumcision & baptisme that succeedeth it ; that by what reason the children of the iewes were circumcized , by the same may the children of christians be baptized . secondly the commission that christ graue to his apostles , commanding them to baptisze all nations , was general and made no exception of infants . thirdly the apostles baptized whole families . ac. , . cor. . , & therfore in al likelihood infants that are a part of thē . lastly the grace , promise , & the thing signified belong to infāts , therfore the outward signe also . q. how often is a man to be baptized ? an. only once . for as it is sufficient to be once ingrafted into the church & once borne , so it sufficeth to bee but once baptized . secondly there is but one baptisme . ephe . lastly circumsition was but once administred & therefore baptisme in like manner . qu. what is the outward signe or element in baptisme ? answ. water onely , and no signes or matter els . que. vvhat is the thing signifyed by baptisme ? answ. first the purging and washing away of our sinnes by the sprinkling of the bloud of christ. secondly our regeneration or sanctification to eternall life . titus , . rom. . verse . q. vvhat is the forme of baptisme ? an. the diuing , dipping or baptizing of the infant & with water by the minister into the name of the father , the sonne & the holy ghost . mat. , . qu. vvhat gather you hence ? ans. a double & solemne couenant , first in regard of god the father to receiue the party baptized into his fauor , of god the sonne to redeeme him , & of god the holy ghost to regenerate him . secondly of the party baptized who here solemnely promiseth to acknowledge , inuocate & worship god alone , and withall to renounce the world , the flesh and the diuell . q. what vse are we to make of baptisme ? an. first when we are tēpted to commit any sin , we must for the preueting of it , call to our●remembrance , our solemne vow made in baptisme . seco●dly we must dayly labour to feele and discerne in our selues the proper effect & frute of baptisme , namely the power of christs death mortifying sinne , and the power of his resurrection quickning and renewing vs. and thus much of sacraments in generall , and of baptisme , in particuler . qu. vvhat is the lords supper ? an. a sacrament of our spirituall norrishment growth and preseruation in christianity . qu. who instituted it ? ans. the lord iesus . qu. when ? ans. at supper time . qu. why at that time ? an. because at that euening began the day of the passouer , and christ being forthwith to be apprehēded , could not defer it to the next morning . qu. why did the church change the time of the administration of it ? ans. the time is but an externall accident , which is in the churches liberty to reteine or alter . secondly the reason why they changed it vnto the morning was the preuention of drunkennesse , gluttony or the like abuses that in processe of time crept in . qu. what are the outward signes or elements in the sacrament ? ans. bread and wine . qu. why are there two signes in the lords supper ? answ. for two endes . first more liuely and fully to set forth christ his passion . secondly to signifie and seale vnto vs , our full and perfect norrishment and saluation in christ. que. what doth the breaking of the bread signifie ? an. the body of christ bruized and crucified for vs. qu. vvhat doth the powring out of tht wine signifie ? an. the bloud of christ shed for the remission of our sinnes . qu. then we neede no popish images pictures , crucifixes and to represent vnto vnto vs christs passion ? an. no , for the death and passion of christs holy scriptures , and also in this sacrament ( especially ) is described , set forth and depainted liuely before our eyes . and as for the papists ▪ lying vanities , they are flat idolatrous and we abho● and detest them . qu. what is the thing signfied b● this sacrament ? an. christ iesus and all his merits and blessings . q. what is the forme of this sacramēt ? an. the order & relation betweene bread & the wine & the thing signified , in the administration and vse of this sacrament ? qu. explaine and shew vnto me the order , analogie and proportion betweene the signes and the thing signified ? an. thus it appeareth , as the bread and wine haue force and efficacy to norish and strenthen the body : so the body & blood of christ , together with al the benifits that flow frō his death & passion , doe inwardly norish & strengthen a beleeuer vnto eternall life . qu. are the bread and wine in the vse of the sacrament things really existing , or but only outward shewes & apparēts ( as the church of rome imagineth ? ) an. they doe really exist and retaine their former substance & nature : for first ( according to the infallible rule in philosophy ) no accidents can subsist without their subiects to whome they are tyed . secondly the apostle paul in the whole discourse of the sacrament , mentioneth the expresse words of bread and wine ▪ . cor. . . . . qu. how then and wherein differeth the bread and wine in the sacrament from common bread and wine ? a. not in nature & substance , but only in end vse & significatiō . for in common vse they serue only to the nourishment of the body , but in the sacramētal vse to the norishing of the soule , secondly before they were without signification & relation , but in the sacrament they signifie christs body ▪ and blood . q. then the elemenss of bread & wine are not transsubstantiated or turned into the very body and bloud of christ ? a. no , for first it is a spiritual foode & therfore spiritually to be eaten and receiued by ●aith . secondly the holding of this absurd opinion ouerthroweth the articles of christs incarnation & ascension , for if he was borne of the virgin mary , then not made of bread , & if he be ascended into heauen and there contained vnto the ende of the world , then he is not corporally presēt & much lesse made of bread . thirdly it destroyeth the very nature and forme of a sacrament , which consisteth in the relation & respect that is betwixt the signe and the thing signified . fourthly the bread in time will mould , and the wine turne into vinegar , ergo there is no such conuersion . lastly ( to omit many other arguments ) if there were any such transubstantiation , the very reprobates as iudas should truly feede on the body & bloud of christ and so should bee saued but this is flat against scripture . qu. if there be no such reall conuersion of the bread & wine into christ his body & bloud , why thē are the vnworthy receiuers guilty of the body & bloud of christ ? ans. first , because they wanting faith , which is the eie , mouth , an● stomack of the soule ; discerne not this mysticall bread and wine from common bread and wine , but come vnto it as vnto a prophane banquet . secondly , because they by their infidelity and wicked hearts abuse and prophane these holy seales and pictures ; and therefore are guilty of high treason before god , euē as he that rendeth , abuseth and trampleth vpon the kings image or broad ●eale , is guilty of treason before men . qu. how then is the bread and wine to be receiued ? ans. reuerently and by faith . qu. how by faith ? ans. by beleeuing that , as verily as i receiue the bread and wine , so spiritually i receiue and feed vpon christ his body and bloud for faith maketh that present to the ●oule , that is in place far distant . and as the eye of a man doth by his sight touch the starres though many thousands of miles distant : so doth faith mount vp into heauen & so apprehend and feede on christ. act. , verse . q. what is fayth ? answ. a perswasion of gods fauour and mercy in christ. que. who are worthy communicants or receiuers ? an. they only that firmly beleeue in christ ▪ hunger and thirst after him , truly repent them of their sinnes , and are thankfull for the great worke of their redemption . qu. but the faithfull themselues , ( as we haue the apostles themselues for instances ) labour of many doubts , wants , infirmities , relesses , ergo no man is worthy to comm●nicate ? ans. first the lords supper is a medicine to the weake & fainting soule , & therfore wee are as well to purifie our hearts in it , as to bring pure hearts to it . secondly al ( notwithstāding al their other ignorances and infirmities ) in whom sinne raigneth not , and that come to the lords supper without guile and hypocrisie , are worthy in gods acceptation . q. vvho then are vnworthy receiuers ? ans. all that are grosely ignorant , all infidels , atheists , hypocrites , hereticks , schismatiques , and ( in a word ) all impenitent and prophane persons . qu. vvhat danger do these incurre ? ans. if they repent ●ot , besides temporall plagues , they incurre eternall condemnation . q. may not an elect and a true beleeuer , sometime receiue vnworthy ? ans. yes . qu. how then doth ●e escape eternall condemnation ? ans. first , his person is accepted with god , & therefore being once in christ he cāneuer perish . rom. . . ioh. . ▪ secōdly he is temporally chastised for his vnworthy receiuing , as the corinthians were , but all his sinnes are pardoned & the gilt of them taken away . q may not a true christian with a safe conscience communicate there where is know●e to bee present some open and vile offenders . ans. yes , if he do not consent vnto their sinne or approoue of it , for it is not his fault , and another mans badnes must not make him to refuse the manna of his soule . secondly , the prophets themselues and others , obserued the sacrifices and feasts with those that were most wicked ; yea christ himselfe kept the pasouer amongst the wicked ●ewes . qu. what benefit and comfort hath a right receiuer by the lords supper ? ans. first , a confirmation of faith in the promise of grace , and in his communion with christ ▪ secondly a reuiuing of the death and passion of christ and the benefits that proceed thence , in his memory . thirdly , a more firme and neere vnion with the members of christ. lastly , a most certaine hope of the life to come . . cor. . . qu. what must a man do that h● may be a worthy receiuer ? ans. he is to performe three seuerall duties . first before he communice : secondly in the time of communicating ; and thirdly after that hee hath communicated . qu. vvhat must a man doe before he communicate ? ans. hee must trie and examine himselfe . qu. is it not sufficient that his pastor or minister examine him and approue of him ? ans. no for albeit it be a good and necessary duty , yet it sufficeth not , for first hee may deceiue the minister , but he is better knowne to himselfe . secondly hee must liue by his owne faith , and answer for his owne sinnes , wherefore it concerneth him neerely to looke to himselfe . qu. vvherein must a man examine himselfe ? ans. in foure things . first whether hee know god , know the fall of man , and the maner of his restitution by christ. secondly in his faith , namely whether hee desire , apprehend and receiue christ , as he is described in the scriptures , and exhibited in the sacraments . thirdly in repentance , viz. whether he repent of all his knowne sinnes , and haue a care and resolution to do those things that please god , math . . lastly in charity , whether hee loue good men , and wis● well euen to his enimies , and seeke daily to reconcile himselfe vnto his neighbour , whom he hath wronged or offended . mat. . . q. vvhat is the duty of a worthy receiuer in the very art and time of the receiuing of the sacrament ? ans. he must reuerently behaue himselfe , ponder the great mercies of god vouchsafed him , & by the eyes of faith so behold and contemplate all the storie of christ his passion , as if with his eyes he saw him hanging on the crosse and crucified , and his bloud dropping out of his vaines . qu. how oft must a man receiue the sacrament ? ans. very often , for so the apostle willeth , . corinth . . so the primitiue church practised , and euer neede the often vse of it . q. vvhat duty must a man performe after the receiuing of the sacrament ? ans. hee must praise the lord , and giue him thankes for the wonderfull worke of his redemption , and for all the meanes therevnto belonging . secondly , hee must bee occasioned hence , more constantlye to prosesse christ , and more entirely to loue his children and seruants . finis . deo tri-vno laus & gloria . si christum bene scis satis est si caetera nescis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e . obser. vse . ioh , . . obs. psa. . . chap. . . . . psal. . . luk. . . luke . ver . . math. . . isa. . and . luke . . vers . . psal. . . iob. . ve . . ioh. . ver . . vse . . vse . . vse . . . reason . . reason . . cor. exo. . . ver . . . heb. . verse . act. . . pro. . ver . . and . apoc. . apoc. . . obiect . ans. rom. . the badges of christianity. or, a treatise of the sacraments fully declared out of the word of god wherein the truth it selfe is proued, the doctrine of the reformed churches maintained, and the errors of the churches of rome are euidently conuinced: by pervsing wherof the discreet reader may easily perceiue, the weak and vnstable grounds of the roman religion, and the iust causes of our lawfull separation. diuided into three bookes: . of the sacraments in generall. . of baptisme. . of the lords supper. hereunto is annexed a corollarie or necessary aduertisement, shewing the intention of this present worke, opening the differences among vs about the question of the supper, discouering the idolatry and diuisions of the popish clergy, ... by william attersoll, minister of the word of god. attersoll, william, d. . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the badges of christianity. or, a treatise of the sacraments fully declared out of the word of god wherein the truth it selfe is proued, the doctrine of the reformed churches maintained, and the errors of the churches of rome are euidently conuinced: by pervsing wherof the discreet reader may easily perceiue, the weak and vnstable grounds of the roman religion, and the iust causes of our lawfull separation. diuided into three bookes: . of the sacraments in generall. . of baptisme. . of the lords supper. hereunto is annexed a corollarie or necessary aduertisement, shewing the intention of this present worke, opening the differences among vs about the question of the supper, discouering the idolatry and diuisions of the popish clergy, ... by william attersoll, minister of the word of god. attersoll, william, d. . attersoll, william, d. . principles of christian religion. aut [ ], [i.e. ], [ ] p. printed by w. iaggard, dwelling in barbican, [london] : . in three books, each with caption title. includes, with caption title: "the principles of christian religion, set downe in questions and answers, shortly for the remembrance, and plainely for the vnderstanding of all persons, requisite to be learned and knowne before they be admitted to the lords supper", also published separately as stc . page , final numbered page, misnumbered . some print show-through; some pages marked and stained. reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities 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and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng parsons, robert, - . -- temperate warn-word, to the turbulent and seditious watch-word of sir francis hastings. sacraments -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - tcp staff (michigan) sampled and proofread - rachel losh text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the badges of christianity . or , a treatise of the sacraments fully declared out of the word of god : wherein the truth it selfe is proued , the doctrine of the reformed churches maintained , and the errors of the church of rome are euidently conuinced : by pervsing wherof the discreet reader may easily perceiue , the weake and vnstable grounds of the roman religion , and the iust causes of our lawfull separation . diuided into three bookes : . of the sacraments in generall . . of baptisme . of the lords supper . shewing the intention of this present worke , opening the differences among vs about the question of the supper , discouering the idolatry and diuisions of the popish cleargy , and vnmasking the insolent bragging of the late warn-word , touching the supposed and pretended vnity thereof . by william attersoll , minister of the word of god. . cor. , . for by one spirit we are all baptized into one body , whether we be iewes or graecians , whether bond or free , and haue bin al made to drinke into one spirit . august . tract . in iohan. . accedat verbum ad elementum , et fit sacramentum ; that is , ioine the word of christs institution with the outward sign , and thereof is made a sacrament . printed by w. iaggard , dwelling in barbican , . to the right worshipfull sir iohn shurley , knight , one of his maiesties iustices of the peace in the county of sussex : grace and peace in iesus christ. right woorshipfull , it is not vnknowne , that fundry means haue from time to time been offered and vsed , for the reclaiming and recouering of such as dangerously follow the spirit of errour , and dayly reuoult to the romish religion , which hath beene aduanced by tyrany , defended by lyes , and is now sought to be restored againe by trecheries and rebellions . but notwithstanding the many meanes which heretofore haue beene wisely practised , we see of late the aduersaries of the grace of god as a pestilent brood of vipers mightily to increase and multiply , sending abroad swarmes of their iesuites and seminary priestes , not onely to infect the people of the land with the leauen of false doctrine , and to sow their darnel in the lords field , but to seduce them from their alleageance and to stir vp sedition : for the lessening of whose number and suppressing of their power , nothing is more necessary then to establish a godly and learned ministery in euery congregation . and howsoeuer wholsome lawes haue beene enacted , penalties increased , conferences with them vsed , disputations offered , their books answered , and sundry other wayes taken by magistrates and ministers : yet we shall neuer attaine the ende of our desired hopes , vntill euery church haue a learned and painefull pastor to be resident and remaining among them . for albeit antichrist in this noble kingdome hath long since receiued a notable foyle and fall , and the purple whore beene dismounted from her vsurped dignity : yet this monster , hauing taken this deadly wound , will be alwayes looking backe , and seeking to sette his footing againe in this realme , if good corne be pulled vp and the weeds suffered to growe , or if the strongest pillars bearing vp the house be remooued , and rotten postes set to vnder prop it , and vnlesse he be quelled and conquered by the preaching & publishing a of the gospell of christ. therefore christ our sauiour , hauing sent out the . disciples into euery b citty and place , whether hee himselfe shoulde come , to prepare the hearts of the people , after their return said vnto them , i saw satan like lightning fall down from heauen . and the apostle declareth , that when the lord iesus led captiuity captiue c he gaue gifts to men , and ordained pastors and teachers for the gathering together of the saintes , for the woorke of the ministery , and for the edification of the body of christ. and vntill this holy order and ordinance of christ , d which is the power of god to saluation vnto all that beleeue , be set vp : we can conceiue no hope how the ignorant shoulde be instructed , & the seduced be regained out of the hands of such deceitfull woorkmen , as vnder a colour of conuersion of the land , doe seek the vtter subuersion of the church and common wealth . hence it is that the iesuits who haue gotten the dominion ouer the rest of that generation , spare no labour , refuse no paines , let passe no practise by word or writing , to effect their purposes . in regard of whose vnweariable diligence , it cannot be denied , but many of vs haue been too slack & slothfull in resisting the approach of these violent intruders . for whiles we preach the word of e reconciliation , euen christ crucified , & build vp our people in the doctrin which is according f to godlines , we doe not bende our forces ( as we ought ) to surprise and suppresse the common aduersary . whiles wee sowe the lordes fielde with good corne , we suffer g the enuious man to scatter his tares : accounting it sufficient to teach the trueth to the h flock dedending vpon vs , and esteeming it better seruice to god to saue one soule , then to ouerthrow and destroy many aduersaries . not much vnlike to scipio african the romane captain , who ( as plutarke witnesseth ) was oftentimes wont to say , that he had rather saue the life of one romane citizen , then to kill and conquer a thousand enimies . but it is the duty of a i good builder , not onely to reare vp the worke in hand , but to remoue the rubbadge and reliques that hinder the building . it is the duty of a good husbandman , not onely to sowe his field with good seede , but to plucke vp the weedes and gtub vp the thornes that choake the corne . it is the duty of a good k watchman , not onely to see to them in the citty , but to descry and discouer the enimy . it is the duty of a painfull shepheard , not only to feed the sheep but to follow and finde out the foote steps of the wolfe . here vpon the apostle paul exhorteth the elders of ephesus l to take heed to themselues and to all the flocke , whereof the holy ghost had made them ouerseers , to feede the church of god which he hath purchased with his owne bloude , because after his departure , grieuous woolues shoulde enter in , not sparing the flock , but speaking peruerse things , to draw desciples after them . if then the enimies of god and his people be vigilant and watchfull , to seduce the simple and to subuert religion : how carefull and cheerefull ought we to be , not onely to teach the people committed to our charge , but to resist with hād and hearte all those that vndermine the good estate of the church among vs. like vnto the people of god after the returne from captiuity , who did m build the wal with one hand , and held their swordes and weapons in the other . for this cause i haue put in writing this treatise following , containing the doctrine of the sacraments , being the ordinances of god and the badges of christians , whereby all discreet and indifferent men may perceiue the trueth of them cleerly opened out of the woord of god , as also the grosse errours and palpable heresies maintained by antichrist and his adherents , with sundrie other pointes of doctrine seruing to teach , to conuince , to correct , and to instruct in the sacraments as are seuerally discussed and largely handled in the treatise following : all which , for special causes and considerations , i heere offer vnto your worship , and puplish vnder the shield and shadow of your patronage , in respect of your wor , in respect of my selfe , and in respect of others ; of which three , somewhat i will say briefly . first , because it being the summe and substance of 〈◊〉 sermons deliuered vpon the beginning of the tenth chap. of the former epistle to the corinthians , you vouchsafed to be an hearer thereof for as god hath giuen me my calling , where your wor. haue your dwelling : so by your . owne presence and good example attending to the work of the ministery , as to the word of god , you haue countenanced and encouraged many others , whose praise is in the church , to come into the holy assemblies of the saints with reuerence , and with the affection of iacoh , who feared and said howe fearefull is this place , this is none other but the house of god , this is the gate of heauen . this is the way to true worship , to attēd to his word which he hath magnified o aboue all names . this is the path that leadeth to true honour , to follow the footsteps of vertue , as the heathen 〈◊〉 in one of his satyres , tota licet veteres exornent undique cerae atria , nobilit as sola est , at que vnica virtus . this the gentiles by the diuine spirit and light of nature saw : & hereunto giueth witnesse the word of god , which the prophet declareth to eli , p them that honour me i will honour , and they that despise me shal bee despised . vouchsafe therefore now to heare me writing , whome before you heard speaking . and it is mine earnest desire , that all those , which were the daily auditors of this doctrine , would now afresh examine themselues , and take an account of their memories , to see what was long agoe forgotten , which heere again is newly published . whereby we shall learne , how easily good thinges ( especially such things as accompany saluation ) doe slip from vs , and by the tentations of satan become fruitlesse . besides , the doctrine heer deliuered is after a sort a plant of your owne setting , and fruit of your owne labouring : so that it acknowledgeth it selfe due of right vnto your selfe , flying vnto you as to a sanctuarye and city of refuge , and seeking harbour against the barkings and bitings of the malicious and enuyous , of whom the wise phylosopher speaketh male de te loquuntur , bene nesciunt loqui : faciunt non quod mereor , sed quod solent . quibusdam enim canibus sicinnatum est , vt 〈◊〉 pro feritate , sed pro consuetudine latrent : that is , such speake their pleasure of thee , as haue not learned to speakwell : they do , not what i do deserue , but what themselues are wont . for this is the property of many curs , they baul and barke rather of custome , then of any curstnesse . secondly , i offer it vnto you , to testifie a thankfull hart for your kindnesse and curtesey receiued at your hands , not only such as is in the open view of the world and as it were publikely recorded in the minds and memories of many men liuing , but such as i haue priuatly enioyed , and which without the most heynous and horrible kind of vnthankfulnes i cannot forget or pretermit . for albeit , he that either denieth , or disembleth , or requiteth not a benifite , be accounted worthily vnthankfull , according to the opinion of * the same seneca . multa sunt genera ingratorum , vt furum , homicidarum : quorum vna culpa est , coeterum in partibus variet as magna . ingratus est , qui benificium accepisse se negat , quod accepit . ingratus est , qui dissimulat . ingratus , qui non reddit . ingratissimus omnium qui oblitus est . ileaue therefore this testimony to posterity of my remembrance of your manifolde fauours , and cannot bury in forgetfulnes either your desire to place me in the charge , whereby the mercy of god i yet abide , or your worthy trauell and labour to effect it before i did affect it , or your approbation of me before others , making the way easie to obtaine my purpose , & finding me out when i sought not after any profit or promotion . thirdly , i presume to dedicate these my simple labours to your worship , in respect of others into whose hands they may hereafrer come . for albeit this treatise be no great booke for your woorships selfe , who , hauing your sences expert and excercised in the thinges of god , haue not need to be taught the principles of religion : yet shrowding it selfe vnder your countenance , and comming foorth vnder the sasegarde of your protection , many which otherwise would neuer vouchsafe to look into it , shall therby be imboldned and encouraged to read the same , whereby god may more and more be glorified , his people instructed , his trueth and sauing health enlarged and spread abroad . we see in these last and worst times of the world , wherin iniquity aboundeth and getteth the vpper hand , how this present age on the one side surfetteth with the trash and rubbish of folish and filthy writings , such as blot , not only paper , but heauen and earth with their vanity : and on the other side scorneth and scoffeth at all treatises of religion and deuotion . the very heathen in all their consultations and deliberations * were not woont to prefer profite before pleasure : but now such as mask vnder the name of christians , delight rather to read legends of lies , then books that may build vs vp in faith and loue , so that we may iustly renew the old complaint * of the poet persius . o cur as hominam ! o quantum est in rebus inane ! quis leget haec ? min'tu istud ais ? nemo hercule , nemo . vel duo , velnemo , turpe , & miserabile . quare ? ne mihi polydamas , et troiades labeonem praetulerint . nugae . accept therefore , i most humbly beseech you , this small testimony of my dutifull goodwill toward your woorship , rather considering the simple minde and meaning of the giuer , then weighing the woorth and value of the guifte , especially seeing that i haue giuen it in charge not to come vnto you vncalled , nor to interrupt your more necessarye affaires . the god of heauen and earth multiply the graces of his spirit vpon you and all yours , adding many good and happy daies vnto you , and enritching your heart with true pietye , which hath the promise of the life present , and that life which is to come . thus commending and committing your wor : to god and to the word of his grace , which is able to build further , and to giue an inheritaunce immortall and incorruptible , among all them that are sanctified , i most humbly take my leaue of you . from isfield the . of iune , an. . your worships in all christian duties to be commanded , william attersoll . ad authorem , in libellum suum de sacramentis g. s. carmen encomiasticum . situa scripta recepta domiretinebis amice , publica nec facies ; dic mthi , qualis er is ? imprimit illa pius quae supprimit impius omni : ille bonum patriae respicit , iste suum . ecce , bonique malique tibi datur optio : sponte impius anne velis , vel velis esse pius . sis bonus o faelixque tuis ; fac publica multis sacramenta : deus iussit , et ipse doces . nonne doces iussisse deum dare bina duobus sexibus ; ad caenam lotus vt omnis eat ? carnifices merito condemn as sacrificantes , quod christum comedunt , & sine plebe , bibunt . ergo age , facta , 〈◊〉 , ne sint contraria dict is , vt , cum signa probes publica , scripta neges . scriptum de sanct is fieret commune sigillis , conuenit vt cunctis fons sacer atque cibus da triadi tua scripta deo tria : publica sunto . publica priuatis sunt meliora bonis . vale. others in english. though feare of shame false-harted men do curbe with bit of sinnes : from pressing to the printers presse , where fame or shame begins : yet let not vndeserued shame an harmelesse writer fright from hardest stamp that man can make , to bring the truth to light . the sonne of god , which once , on earth for mans saluation dyed , imprinted had , with iron printes , his hands , his feete , his side . looke how he , looking on the crowne of glorie , from the skies , endur'd the crosse , despised the shame , with constant setled eies : so looke to looke for io yes to come , for present paines and spites , if his example followed be on earth by earthly wightes , both bloody iewes and gentels to , this bloody booke of life did looke vpon , with scornefull lookes , as people full of strife . but glad was thomas , when he had this holy booke in hand : and saw , and felt the print thereof , though red and rough , as sand . there might he reade his name in print when opened was the booke : therefore he cryed , my lord , my god , when he on it did looke . did not the booke which moses wrote , and sprinkled all with blood , betoken this most worthy booke , containing all our good ? did not the prophet meane this booke , when in our maisters name he spake of grauing in his hands the people of the same ? if this be thus ; if any then a commentary write of all this booke , from point , to point , as truth doth it indite : who will backbite ( but dogged iewes ) the writer , with their chaps ? who , ( but the gentiles woluish brood ) will giue him any snaps ? if any do , no more ado , but call him by his name a dog , a wolfe , or some such be ast : as he deserueth blame . wherefore , my friend , which hast describd this book of life and truth , with treatise on the sacraments , fit for both age and youth : direct it to the trinity , as three and yet but one : thus much thou maist with reuerence , though he compare with none . past all compar his nature is , his worke is , and his worde : yet doth his scripture , with himselfe comparison affoord . the sacraments in generall , do like wise giue vs light , the euerlasting light to see , deuoide of any night . but specially the special two , of water , and of blood , the gospels sacramental twinnes , and our celestial food . as for the fiue , which many make , and match with these amisse , they want some parts substantial : as wel declared is . he that with euen hand and hart wil vndertake the view of seuen sacraments shal find , that onely two are true . these three books are , like three topt ship , ful fraught with truth , great store : the catechisme , like boat doth serue , to bring the load to shore . let searcher search thy marchandize , let printer print , and sel , let al men make the best of al : and so , in christ , farewell . w. s. ad lectorem libri , g : atters : de sacramentis t. h. carmen protrepticum . atri dum tenebras praebent sine lumine soles , at-ter-sol radios sparsit vbique suos . nec mirum : 〈◊〉 caelest is luminis author , misit in atratum lumina sacra solum . alba manet sterilis plerunque , & languidatellus , dum pingue est atrum , frugiferumque solum . hortulus est , liber hic qui dulces fragrat odores sacra dei multa fertilitate ferens . ergo leg as ( bone lector ) et hic , pastor que fidelis quisque , dei sacro gramine pascat oues . flores ac fructus , fluuios , herbasque salubres , quicquid et expect as , hie paradisus hahet . sacramenta ( precor modo ) sacra mente feruntor : dilige scriptorem : perlege , scripta : vale . a sonnet by the same , containing the subiect of the booke following . what needs an iuy bush where wine is good ? to paint this booke with praise were vainereci - come hungry faithful soules , without inuiting , ( ting , vnto a supper of celestiall foode . looke looke what costly cheere is here addressed to feede 〈◊〉 soule . what 's that ? my sauiour slaine ? o dismall 〈◊〉 o dolefull bitter paine ! be not dismaid 〈◊〉 onely are we blessed . the painfull passion , and the bitter griefe which christ sustaind ( who all the paine indured ) is sweet to vs , because we sinde reliefe in that pure bloud which hath our lines secured . who 's ableto expresse that soueraigne good , got by the purple tincture of his blood ? o sucke apace ( poore soule ) that cordiall veine by which christis infusd into thy spirit , cling , cling , to him by faith : no popish merit , can to thy soule this precious putchase gaine . then as the outward signes of bread and wine ( ordain'd by christ as signes , his loue to seale ) thy body cheeres : so christ thy soule shall heale and hoise it vp , at length to blisse deuine . lo heer 's the subiect of this golden booke , full fraught with matter , method , doctrine , vses , all well apply'd : which shewes what paines he tooke in the vnmasking of the popes abuses . forward ( sweet friend ) such feasts make many more , that men may eate , and surfet in thy store . t. harison . a generall table of the contents of these three bookes . in these . bookes the doctrine of the sacramentes is handled : in generall : what a sacrament is . wherin consider two points : 〈◊〉 partes . set downe outward inwarde applied vses . in particular concerning babtisme , booke the lords supper , booke . a table of the principall points contained in the first booke . the first booke teacheth , that god in all ages hath giuen sacraments to his church , chap. what a sacrament is . , a visible sign of an inuisible & spirituall gra . a herein consider things . the nature of thē the parts are twoefold . ch . outward parts are foure . minist . chap. he is to so sanctifie the outward 〈◊〉 : deliuer thē to the receiuers . worde chap. 〈◊〉 . i 〈◊〉 to warrant thē . a promise 〈◊〉 to them . signe or outward element , chap , . receiuer c. who must . 〈◊〉 the outward signe apply the same . inwarde parts are foure . god the father c who offereth christ to al giueth christ to the beleeuer the spirit , chap. hee sealeth vp the promise , & maketh it eff 〈◊〉 . christ iesus , chap. who is the truth and 〈◊〉 of all sacraments . the faithful receiuer , c. xii 〈◊〉 christ apylieth him to himselfe . the vses : see this letterb. the vses of a sacrament are three , to strengthen and confirme faith , chap. 〈◊〉 god is true in his promises . many of the faithfull first beleeued , before they didde partake the sacraments . to be a seale of the 〈◊〉 chap. these are the articles of agreement , between god : who promiseth forgiuenesse of sinnes . adoption of son nes . possession of heauen . man 〈◊〉 hoe promiseth , to beleeue the promises . to loue his brethren enimies to performe obedsence . to be badges of our christian profession , chap. the number of them . see the letter a a that baptisme and the lords supper are the two onely sacramentes of the new testament , chap. that 〈◊〉 is no sacrament , chap that popish pennance is no sacrament chap. that matrimony is no sacrament chap that orders are no sacrament chap that extreame unction is no sacrament , chap , a table of the contents of the second booke . baptism is the first sacramēt wherin by outward washing of the bodie once , in the name of the father , the son and of the holy ghost , the inward cleansing of the soule is represented chap. in baptisme consider , the partes are twofold chap. outwarde partes . minister chap. whose dutie it is to sanctifie the water wash the party . word of institution , baptise in the name of the father , of the sonne , and of the holy ghost , chapt , element of water , chap , receiuers are all such as are in the couenant , chap. . men and women in yeares , that are in the faith . infantes of them , chap , inward partes god the father chap , . who offereth the bloud of his sonne . giueth christ to the beleeuers . holy spirit chap , , who perfourmeth that which is promised in the word . christ iesus , chap , ratifieng our regeneration remission of sinnes soule clensed , represented by the body washed , cha , the vses of baptisme , are these to shew our planting and ingrafting into the body of christ , cha , to assure vs of the remission of sinnes , cha , original . actual . to teach to die to sinne , and liue to righteousnesse , cha , . a table of the principall points contained in the last booke . the lordes supper called by 〈◊〉 names ch . , is the second sacrament , wherein by visible receiuing of bread and wine is represented 〈◊〉 spiritual communion 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 , ch . in this sacra , obserue the work it selfe where in obserue the parts outward minist . chap. whose duty is to take the bread and mine into his hands . to blesse and 〈◊〉 the words of institution . to breake the bread , and poure out then ine . to distribute the bread and wine . the word of institution and promise contained therein , chap. the outward signes chap. which are bread wine the cōmunicāts chap , . whose actions are to take the bread and cupinto their handes to eate the bread & drink the wine inwarde god the father ch . who offereth christ to al commers giueth christ for the redemtion of the fat . spirit : who assureth vs of the truth of gods promises ch the body and bloud of christ , prepared to be the liuely food of our soules , ch . x the faithfull receiuer chap. 〈◊〉 hose duties are , to apprehend & receiue christ & his benefits . to appropriate and apply him to the soule . the vses : see this letter c c to shew forth with thankesgiuing the sufferings of christ , chap , to teach our communion and growth in christ , chap. to declare our communion and growth with our brethren , chap. preparation to the worke see the letter d d the necessitie in respect of gods presence , with whom we haue to do and to deale . our owne profit , being rightlie prepared . our owne practise , in preparing and taking our ordinarie meates . the sacrament it selfe defiled , by vnreuerent receiuing . the punishment procured , by want of this care . the partes . the knowledg of god and our selues : especially of the whole doctrine of the sacraments chap , faith in christ : seeing euerie one receiueth so mnch , as he beleeueth he receiueth , chap. repentance from dead workes ; daily renewed for daily sinnes . reconciliation to our brethren . chap , . the first booke of the sacraments in generall , containing the true doctrine therof , ouerthrowing the errors ofthe of the church of rome , and deliuering the comfortable vse ofthem to all the people of god. chap. i. of the agreement and difference betweene the word and sacraments . god euen from the beginning added vnto the preaching of the word a his sacramentes in the church ( as the scripture teacheth ) outwardly representing & vifiblie offering to our sight , those things that inwardly hee performeth to vs : as b the tree oflife , and the tree of the knowledge of good and euill in the garden . after mans fall , when a new necessity was added , in regard of mans want and weaknesse : he testified his loue and ratified his couenant by sacrifices and ceremonies to our first parents . he gaue the c arke to noah and his sonnes , 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 ) the signe of circumcision , as a seale ( e ) of the 〈◊〉 of faith : and to the israelites he gaue the passeouer , manna , oblations , purifications , the brazen serpent , the rock , and such like spirituall tipes , whereby he assured them of the promise , that god for the onely sacrifice of christ vvrought vpon the crosse , would giue to all that beleeue forgiuenesse of sinnes and euerlasting life . now the world of god may fitly be resembled to writtings and euidences : and the b sacraments to seales , which the lord alone setteth to his owne letters . they are as a visible sermon preaching vnto vs most liuely the promises of god : that as the vvord we hear doth edifie and instruct the minde by the outward eares , so doth the sacraments by the eyes & other senses . first then , that we may vnderstand the doctrine and nature os the sacraments : we are to consider , what the word & sacraments haue in common , and how they agree one with another : then , what they haue peculiar and proper each to other , and how they differ one from an other . the agreement betweene them standeth in these points . first , both are ofgod , and instruments which the holy ghost vseth to this end , to make vs more and more one with christ , and partakers of saluation : 〈◊〉 that god needeth them , or that he is tyed vnto them ( for as he can nourish without meate and drinke , so he can saue without word or sacraments : ) but because we neede them , he vseth 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 deliuering of new promises and articles of faith , but seale vp such as are offered in the word . secondly , although god vse them as instruments of his grace , yet the especiall working and forcible power of them , is not in them , but dependeth on god alone : so that we must not thinke that whosoeuer partaketh them is partaker of grace , saluation , for giuenesse of sinnes , and euerlasting glorie , but the vertue of them floweth from him onely as from a fountaine . a man may heare the word and receiue the sacraments al the daies of his life and be neuer the better , except god change the minde , open the heart , enlighten the vnderstanding , clense the conscience , and sanctifie the affections to his glory . thirdly , as the preaching of the word profiteth nothing , vnlesse it be vnderstood , applyed , and receiued , but ( g ) tendeth to iudgement : so the sacraments , except we bring the hand of faith with vs , cannot giue vs faith nor grace , but tend to our condemnation . yet , as the gospel is alwaies the sauour of life vnto life of it own nature , and the ( h ) word liuely and of comfortable operation , howsoeuer the vnfaithfull turne it to be the sauour of death vnto death : so the sacramentes cease not in themselues to be true sacraments , although they be administred by vnworthy ministers , and receiued by vnsaithfull people . for mans wickednesse cannot peruert , much lesse euert the nature of gods ordinance . lastly , as the best seede springeth not vp and bringeth not fruite so soone as it is sowne , but lieth a time couered in the earth to take rooting : so the fruite reaped by the word , and benifit receiued by the sacraments presently appeareth not , but groweth and increaseth at the time appointed of god , who will blesse them in his elect , at what season himselfe hath ordained . thus we see what the word and sacraments haue in common , both are instruments of the same grace , both haue their benifit , blessing , and force depending on god , both require faith to be mingled with them , without which they are vnprofitable , and lastly they profit not by and by at the same moment they are published , administred , heard , or receiued : but god afterward worketh often-times by them in his children to their great comfort , when all fruite to come by them seemed to be buried . the disciples at the first vnderstood no more of christs resurrection then the vnbeleeuing iewes , when he sayde , ( ) destroy this temple , and i will build it againe in three daies : but they lay it vp in their hearts , and long afterward remember the wordes hee spake vnto them . so when they saw christ ryding to hcirusalem , the multitude spreading their garments in the way , and cutting downe branches ( k ) from the trees , the 〈◊〉 moued , and children crying in the temple , hosanna the sonne of dauid : they ( l vnderstood none of those thinges at the first : but when iesus was glorified , then remembred they that these thinges were written of him , and that they had done such thinges vnto him . if then at the present time of our hearing or receuing , we finde not nor feel the fruit and comfort we desire : let vs not doubt & dispaire , but waite on god , who in his owne appointed times will make his owne ordinances auaileable to all his seruants . thus much of the things that are common to the word and sacraments . in the next place let vs see m what they haue proper and peculiar , and so differ one from another . first , forasmuch as the sacraments are appurtenances and dependances to the word , and are applyed to this end to seale vp our communion with christ , and our fellowship one with another : it appeareth that in men of riper yeares 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. . ( n ) go , teach all nations , that is , make them disciples of christ , gaue them to the faith ( as the o worde signifieth ) and then baptize them . thus phillip taught the eunuch before he baptized him , act. . to whom when the eunuch said , ( ) what letteth me to be baptized ? phillip answered , if thou beleeuest with all thine hart , thou maiest : and he said i beleeue that iesus christ is the sonne of god. and act . can any forbid water ( q ) that these should not be baptized , which haue receiued the holy ghost as wel as we ? in deede touching childrens baptizme , there is another especiall respect to be had , of which we shal speake r afterward . but touching others , this is in difference between them , that where as the worde was offered euen to such as were out of the church not hauing heard of the name of christ , and none excluded or debarred from the hearing of it , whether beleeuers or ( s ) vnbeleeuers , holy , or prophane . cor. . no person being an vnbeleeuer or infidell , was euer admitted to the sacraments , although he shuld offer himselfe ( for that had bin to giue ( t ) that which is holy to dogs , and to cast pearles before swine ) but such onely as were instructed in the faith , & had made publike confession therof as members of the church . an other difference is in the necessity , end , and vse of the one and of the other . the preaching of the word is the ordinarye meanes and instrument of the holy ghost to beget and beginne faith in vs ( except god doe deale extraordinaryly , which of vs is not to bee looked for ) and none hath entrance to christ but by faith : so that men , if they will be saued , must heare it . but the sacramentes are of another nature , they cannot ingender faith in vs : we must bring faith with vs , least wee partake them vnworthyly , so that hee which beleeueth , and could not come to the sacramentes , is yet partaker of saluation . wherefore the necessity of them is not simply and absolutely so great , that without exception a man cannot be saued 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 worde preached may bee founde ( as an essentiall note of the church ) without the sacraments , and yet be a true church of god : so that the worde may bee without the sacramentes , but the sacramentes cannot be without the worde , as a writinge may be without a seale , but not the seale without the writing . set a seale to a blanke , and is it not vaine , voyde , and vnprofitable ? last of all , the preaching of the word rouseth and affecteth onelye one of the senses , to witte , the eares , wee fee it not , wee touch it not , wee handle it not , onely wee heare the sound thereof : but the sacramentes are offered to the eyes as wel as to the eares , so that we do euen behold iesus christ as it wer crucified before vs , nay they moue & stir vp the rest of the senses , wherby we may vnderstand what they bring & how they auaile vnto our faith , making vs after a sort to handle christ with our hāds , to see him with our eies , to tast him and touch him with our whole body . wherefore , they do more seale vp then the word , not that god is more true of his promise when hee worketh by signes , then when he speaketh by his word : but in respect of the manner of teaching and receiuing , because by his sacraments he representeth his promises as it were painted in a table , a and setteth them forth liuely as in a picture before our eies , that we may not only heare , but see , handle , touch , tast , and euen digest them . again , the promise of the gospel is more effectually declared and sealed vp by the sacraments then by the bare worde , not for the substance and matter it selfe , but for the manner of working , which is heedfull , perfect , and more effectuall : so as that which we perceiue and receiue by many senses as hearing and seeing , is more sure and certaine then that which is 〈◊〉 by hearing onely . hitherto of the agreements and differences betweene the word & sacraments , and we haue shewed that so soon as god gaue his word , immediately he seconded the same with his sacraments . the vses which wee are to make heereof are these . first , seeing god contenteth not himselfe with the worde onely , but addeth the sacraments in all ages and times of the church , which proceedeth partly through his owne goodnesse , and partly from mans weakenesse : we ought to be so farre from d●spising the sacramentes , that contrary-wise vve must confesse the benifit , vse , and worthynesse of them can neuer be sufficiently magnified , and commended , nor they with sufficient reuerence be receiued . we are dull to conceiue his promises and slovv to remember them , we are full of doubting and vnbeleefe : we are like to thomas ( b ) one of the disciples , we will not beleeue them vntill in some sort vve see them , and in some measure feele them in our hearts . wherefore god hath ordained these misteries and holy actions , to keepe in continuall memory his great benifits bestovved vpon man , to seale vp his promises , and as it were to offer vnto our sight those things which inwardly he performeth to vs , and therby by strengtheneth and increaseth our faith through the working of his spirit in our soules . seing then the word is not sufficient , but the sacraments were added for further assurance : we must in this behalfe consider the great goodnesse of god toward vs , who doth not onely giue vs faith by his word as by his sauing instrument , but hath also added to his word , sacraments or seales of his promise and grace , that by the lawfull vse of them he might vphold and strengthen our faith through his blessed spirit . for in asmuch as the lord not only sent the blessed seede , for the redemption of mankind , for the remission of our sinnes , and for the brusing of the serpents head , but ordained for vs sacramentes to be pledges of his promises , testimonies of his faithfulnesse , and remedies of our distrust : wee must confesse and thankfullye acknowledge the bottomlesse depth of gods endlesse mercy toward vs , who vouchsafeth to be our god , to be reconciled to vs being vile and miserable sinners , to make a league and couenant with dust and ashes , and delyuers his onely sonne to suffer the shamefull death of the crosse for vs. and withall we must labour more and more to feele our own blindnesse , distrust , infidelity , and peruerse nature , we would easily forget this mercy of god , vnlesse it had beene continually represented before our eies . againe , seeing nothing is offered and giuen in the sacraments which is not published in the gospell , seeing they cannot bee where there is no worde , and seeing the same christ with all his benifits is propounded in both : it meeteth with a common corruption and lamentable practise among many professors , that desire and craue , especially in sicknesse and extremety , often to come to the lords table , but esteeme little of the preaching of the word , and that seeme to languish with a longing after the sacrament , but neuer mourne and lament for want of the word : which is as great an errour and madnesse , as if one should euer looke vpon the seale of his writings , but neuer regard the conueiance of his estate . is there not one god , the author of both ? is there not one spirit , that sealeth vp his promises by both ? is christ diuided ; that speaketh euidently vnto vs in both ? how is it then , that many desire the sacrament of the lords supper and seeme to pine away through want therof , who neuer wish or regard the preaching of the gospell , which is the foode of the soule , the keye of the kingdome , the immortall seede of regeneration , and the high ordinance of god to saue those ( c ) that beleeue ? and whence proceedeth it , but from palpable ignorance in the matters of god and their owne saluation , to be much troubled that the sacrament is not brought vnto them , and yet neuer conet to haue a word of comfort spoken to them in due season . let all such persons vnderstand , that as the minister ( d ) is charged from god to teach euery saboth day , and to preach the word in season and out of season : to deale the bread to the hungry , and to gie vnto euery one in the family his portion : so is it required of all the people to desire the sincere milke of the word of god that they may grow thereby , which , howsoeuer it be to them that perish , foolishnesse ; yet to such as are called ( e ) it is the wisedome of god and the power of god. wherefore , we must not make account that there is lesse danger in neglecting the word of god , then in neglecting the sacrament of his last supper : but we must take heede , that while we willingly desire the one , we doe not willingly 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 vp his voice vnto vs in the one , so he reacheth out his hand vnto vs in the other . we must as well heare when he calleth , as receiue when he offereth . now , by his word preached , he calleth : by his sacraments administred , he offereth his graces vnto vs : and , as wee must haue eares for the one , so must we haue hands for the other . chap. . what a sacrament is . in euery treatise and discourse , it is necessary first to know a whether a thing be , before we consider what it is . we haue heard before , that there are sacraments and euer haue beene in the church of god. now then let vs consider what they are , that b first the matter handled , may be defined . for in vaine we shall reason and speake of the sacraments , vnlesse we vnderstand what a sacrament is . but besore we set downe any discription of it , it shall not be amisse to speake some what of the word . the name in so many letters and sillables , is c not indeede in the scripture , no more then the word trinity , catholike , consubstantiall , and such like : which being generally receiued are not to be reiected , seing the doctrine contained vnder them agreeth with the scripture , and nothing by them is added to the scripture . now as the fathers of the greeke church called these holy rites by name of misteries , because the substance of them was onely knowne to the members of the church , and hidden from others : so the ancient teachers of the latine church , called them sacraments , in respect of the affinity and neerenesse betweene them and a sacrament . for a sacrament properly is that solemne othe in warre , by which souldiers , bound themselues to their chiefe captaine . such a regard had the old romaines in the discipline of their warres , that it was d not lawfull for any to kill an enemy , or enter into the battell to fight , vnlesse he were sworne a souldier . so when we are partakers of these holy signes which god hath appointed in his church , by which he bestoweth vpon vs spirituall gifts , e we do bind our selues to him , wee professe openly his true religion , we vowe to fight vnder his banner against our enimies : so that they are testimonies and tokens of the couenant betweene god and vs , that he is our god , and we bind our selues to be his people , to serue him and no other god . so circumcision was a seale of gods promise to abraham , and a seal of abrahams faith and obedience toward god . by them man is bound to god , and god vouchsafeth to bind himselfe to man. wherfore , the word sacrament , being translated from the campe to the church , from the soldiour to a christian , from a ciuill vse to an holy , let vs see in this sence and signification what it is . now , the word being borrowed from warres , is f taken two waies : first in a generall signification , and may comprehend al maner of signes , whether naturall , or myraculous , or voluntary , which god commanded men to vse , to assure them of the vndoubted truth of his promise : as when he gaue to adam in the garden , the tree of life to be a pledge of his immortality , the rain-bow to noah and his posterity ; sometimes he gaue them miraculous signes , as light in a smoaking furnace to abraham ; the fleece wet , the earth being dry , and the earth wet , the fleece being dry , to gideon : to promise and performe victory to gedeon . in this large acception of the worde , we do not intreat of the sacraments : we speak properly of those , which god hath left to be ordinary in his church , to bee seales of our communion with christ , and of the righteousnes which is by faith . a sacrament g thus considered is a visible signe and seale ordained of god , whereby christ and all his sauing graces by certaine outward rites are signified , exhibited , and sealed vp vnto vs. in this description , we are to consider these . things . first the whole kind or general : secondly , the cause or author thereof : and lastly the vse of this doctrine deliuered . touching the first , wheras it is said that a sacrament is a visible signe and seale , this is prooued and confirmed in sundry places of the scripture as gen. . speaking of circumcision , ( he saith ) h it shall be a signe , of the 〈◊〉 betweene me and thee . and rom. . speaking of abraham ( he saith ) i he receyued the signe of circvmcision as a seale of the righteousnesse of faith . indeed a signe and a seale differ one from another , as the generall from the especiall : for euery seale is a signe , but euery signe is not a seale . a seale certifieth , assureth , and confirmeth a thing : a signe only sheweth it : but a sacrament doth both . it is a signe to signifie and represent : a seale to ratifie and assure : an instrument to confer and conueigh christ with al his benifits to them that truely beleeue in him : a pledge vnto vs of gods promises : a visible word , and as a notable glasse wherein we may behold k assured testimonies of gods eternall fauour , & of the riches of his grace which he bestoweth vpon vs. this teacheth vs to acknowlege , there is more inthe sacraments then is seen with the eies , or felt with the hands : & therfore we must not conceiue vnreueretly of them , nor come negligenly vnto them , making them meere carnal and outward things : but we must thinke reuerently , speake soberly , receiue humbly and penitently these holy misteries . againe , heereby we are brought to beleeue the promises of god : for if the sacraments be not only signes of his fauour but seales of our faith , can we doubt of his mercy and good meaning toward vs , hauing left such pawnes and pledges thereof with vs , that we might haue assured comfort and comfortable assurance of saluation and eternall life . is it not among men matter of assurance , and a note of true dealing , to haue a pledge left with vs ? but behold god hath left vnto vs two pawnes of his promises , as it were an earnest-penny that our faith should not wauer . if then his alone word be al suffycient , hauing a noble addition of the sacramentes , as of his seales , let vs beleeue his promises , and in all tentations rest vpon them with all confidence and consolation . secondly , it is saide l a sacrament is a diuine ordinance . not any angell or arch-angell , not any prince or prelat , but onely god himselfe is the author and ordainer of the sacramentes . this appeareth by many witnesses out of the worde of god , m i haue set my bow in the cloud , and is shall be for a signe of the couenant betweene me and the earth : and when i shall couer the earth with a cloud , and the bow shall be seene in the cloud , then wil i remember my couenant which is between me and you . where we see , that when god determined to be mercyfull vnto the world , and neuer to drowne the same with water againe as he had drowned it , he gaue them a signe of his promise , to wit , his bow in the cloudes . when god would witnesse and stablish to abraham and his seede after him the promise of his mercy , he ordained a sacrament to confirme the same gen. . this is my couenant which ye shall keepe betweene me and you , n let euery man child among you be circumcised . and the apostle saith , i haue receiued o of the lord that which i haue deliuered vnto you . and christ himselfe instituted p baptisme , & sent forth his disciples to preach the gospell . all these testimonies as a cloud of witnesses do confirm vs in this truth , that non hath power & autority in the church to institute a sacrament , but god only . and the reasons are apparant . first , the sacraments belong to the seruice & worship of god : now it resteth not in man to appoint & prescribe a seruice of god , but to retaine and embrace that which is taught by him , for q in vain they worship him , teaching for doctrines mens precepts . againe ; the sacramentall signes haue gods promises annexed vnto them , confirming vs in the same , which they could not doe , but by the blessyng and benefit of him that promiseth : so that god onely is able to bestow grace , and he alone can appoint true signes of grace . for as he only hath authority to seal the charter & pardon , in whose iurisdiction it is to grant it : so likewise god giueth the pledges and tokens of his grace which sheadeth the graces of the spirit into our harts . wherefore , the reuerent sacraments of the church , none can institute by his authority , but onely god : and hence it is , that the signes haue the names of the things signified . none but christ himselfe 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 , receiue the holy ghost : none but he could make the water in baptisme to be the lauer of regeneration . let vs see what good and profitable vses arise from this doctrine . first , if the sacramentes be the ordinances of god , then they depend not one the worthynesse or vnworthynesse , fitnesse or vnfitnesse , vices or vertues of the minister : but al the efficacy and force hangeth on the holy institution of christ iesus . the ministers impiety & wickednes maketh not a nullity of the sacrament , neither hindreth the fruite of the worthy receiuer , no more then the piety and godlynesse of a faithfull minister can profit an vnworthy receiuer . indeede , the church must indeuour , that the ministers thereof may be holy and vnblamable , according to the apostles r rule , but we must not mesure the profit of the receiuer , by the person of the minister . if a theefe doe steale a sack of corne , we see if he sow it , it groweth vp and bringeth forth increase , because the fault resteth not in the seede which is good , but in the sower which is euill : so doth the sacrament profit the faithfull , howsoeuer he be vnfaithfull that doth administer it . we see if the seede-man haue foule , filthy , and vncleane hands that soweth , yet if the seede be cleane , sweete , and faire , it prospereth : so the holy things of god s cannot be defiled by the corrupt and sinful life of the minister , who deliuereth nothing of his owne , but dispenseth the ordinances of god. thus we see , that whether the minister be good or euill , godly or without godlynesse , an heretike or a catholike , an idolater or a true worshipper of god , the effect is all one , the worthinesse of the sacrament dependeth not on man , but proceedeth from god , and therefore all such as contemne the sacraments of god for the sacraledge of man , shall beare their condemnation whosoeuer they are . the two sonnes of eli , hophni and phinehas , were t exceeding sinners against the lord , yet because the people of israell abhorted the sacrifices of god , and trode his worship vnder their feete , the wrath of the lord was kindled against the whole land , and hee denounced such iudgement to come vpon them , as whosoeuer shall heare thereof , both his eares should tingle . so then , the offence of the priest , was no defence of the people : but as the priests gaue the offence , and the people tooke it , so god bound them together in the same iudgement . so we must know , god will not beare the contempt of his ordinances vnder any pretence whatsoeuer of the ministers wickednesse and vnworthynesse , if his hand be corrupt , let thy heart be vncorrupt ; though his sinnes be his owne , yet the sacramentes be gods : he may minister comfort to thee , though he bring none to himselfe , as the workmen that builded the arke prepared a meanes to saue other but were drowned themselues , or as the belles though they moue not thēselues yet serue to bring others to the exercises of religion , or as the scribes that pointed the way to the wise-men , but themselues vonchsafed not to step out of doores to enquire after christ. the eares of corn do carry the corne with the chaffe to be purged and clensed in the barne , & though the chaffe be vnprofitable , yet it profiteth the corne , as the lanterne holdeth the candle to giue light vnto others that are the passengers . this appeareth by the words of christ our sauiour math. . the scribes and pharises sit in moises seate : a all therefore whatsoeuer they bid you obserue , that obserue and doe : but after their workes do not , for they say and do not . albeit then , the scripture condemneth such as giue offences , yet such as take offence are not thereby iustified ; let vs magnifie the ordinances of god , and then we may expect a blessing at his hands . this is that which the b apostle teacheth cor. . i haue planted , apollos watered , but god gaue the increase : so then , neither is he that planteth any thinge , neither he that watreth , but god that giueth the increase . secondly , is god the true and onely author and appointer of sacramentes ? then none must adde vnto , or take from the sacramentes instituted by him in the church , no more then vnto the c worde it selfe , deut . ye shall put nothing to the worde which i commaund you , neither shall ye take ought there from , that ye may keepe the commandements of the lord your god which i commaund you . and reuel . . . . if any man shall d adde vnto these thinges , god shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this booke : and if any man shall diminish of the wordes of the booke of this prophesie , god shall take away his part out of the booke of life . if the sacraments were the inuentions of men , they might also fitly receiue the additions and subtractions of men : but seeing they are the ordinances of god , we must be content to haue them ordered by god. all ceremonies therefore and rites 〈◊〉 by men , as parts of gods worship , are so many abominations , and innouations of his seruice . as god onely can gratiously promise , so hee can onely effectually performe what hee hath promised . wherefore , we must condemne those as guilty of rebellion against god , that bouldly breake out either to deuise new sacramentes , or to adde and detract from them that god hath ordained . wee are commaunded to rest in those that he hath appointed to the church in his worde : for as well wee may deuise a new word , as deliuer a new sacrament . thirdly , wee learne heereby , that they which condemne the sacramentes , and will not suffer them to be of any force with themselues : and making small account of them doe esteeme them as 〈◊〉 , or otherwise abuse them contrary to the institution , will , and commaundement of christ : all these do grieuously sinne , not against man , but against the author of them , that is god who hath ordained them , and greatly indanger their owne saluation , e as . cor . he that eateth and drinketh vnworthilye , eateth and drinketh his owne iudgement , becavse he discerneth not the lords body . if a man contemne or any way contumeliously abuse the seale of a prince , he is punished : and therefore such as scorne and make a mock of the sacraments , which are the seales of god , cannot go scot-free , but shall be indighted of high treason against his maiesty . the last point to be considedered in the discrption of a sacrament is the end of thē , where it is added , whereby christ & all his sauing graces by certain outward rites are signified , exhibited , & sealed vp to us . this is proued directly , the f cup of blessing which we blesse , is it not the cōmunion of the blood of christ ? the bread which we break , is it not the cōmunion of the body of christ ? so the g of the other sacrament . amend your liues and be baptized euerie one of you in the name of iesus christ for the remission of sins , and ve shall receiue the gifts of the holy-ghost . and all yee h that are baptized into christ haue put on christ. our soules are washed in the blood of christ : his 〈◊〉 , his resurrection , his sanctification , his wisdome , his righteousnes , his redemption is made ours , all his benefits are ours , as christ is ours . let vs make vse of this point , and apply it to our selues . first , is christ the sum and substance of all sacramentes ? then the church of rome is heere condemned , that say we make the sacraments bare and naked signes . god forbid that we shold say so , or make them to be so : they are the sure seales of gods promises , heauenly tokens , spirituall sigues , vnd autentike pledges of the grace , and righteousnes of christ giuen and imputed vnto vs. the sacraments and sacrifices of the olde testament were not bare signes . circumcision was not i a bare signe , as rom. . this is not circumcision which is outwarde in the flesh but the circumcision of the hart . and in christ k ye are circumcised with circumcision made without hands , by putting off the sinfull bodie of the flesh , through the circumcision of christ. euen so baptisme is no bare signe , it were great blasphemy so to speake : it were verie great iniquity so to thinke . the grace of god doth worke with his sacraments , and therefore the signes are neuer receiued in vaine of the faithfull and worthy receiuer . the water washeth not from sinne , the bread and wine feed not to eternall life : but it is the precious blood of christ , that doth clense vs from all sin , & purchaseth for vs all grace , which is the life and the truth of the outward signes . againe , is christ iesus offered by god the father in the right vse of the sacraments ? then god doth not deceiue or delude those that come vnto them . if anye that come to the sacraments , depart without grace , without christ , without fruite , the cause is in themselues , the fault is not in god , for l hee offereth christ to all , euen to the vnfaithfull , but they haue not hands to receiue him . if a prince should offer a rich present , and he , to whom it is offered , haue no hand to receiue it , he goeth away empty . when the sunne giueth light vpon the earth , if men shut their eies and be wilfully blinde , they receiue no profit by it . when god offereth himselfe & his graces to vs by his word and gospell , it we stop our eares and harden our harts , it turneth to be the sauour of death to death : so is it in the sacramentes when we come to them , god doth not feede our eies with naked , vaine , & idle shewes , but ioyneth 〈◊〉 truth with the outward token , and giueth the grace signified with the signe . if we bring the hand of faith with vs , which openeth the gate of the kingdome of heauen for vs , christ is both offered and giuen to vs. but howsoeuer the signe be alwaie , inseperably ioyned with the grace , that is signified , in respect of god : yet hence it followeth not that both of them are of all receiued . for the outward signe 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 signe , is offered to the soule and faith of the receiuer , m which bycause many want , they lose the fruit of their worke . thirdly , if the right receiuers , receiue christ , and with him all sauing graces needefull to eternall life : then the presence of vngodly men , that come to the same sacram. with vs and meete vs at the same table , cannot hinder and hurt vs in our worthy receiuing . the vnbeleeuers and vnrepentant persons come indeede into the assembly of the faithfull , to heare the word of god read , preached , and expounded , and as they come without faith , so they depart without fruite : yet their company defileth not the sauing hearer . so is it in the sacraments i confesse it were to be wished , that the church were pure without spot , and perfect without blemish , n and they euen cut off that trouble the same : yet sometimes it o wanteth that good and godly seuerity which is required , to seperate such as may infect with the leauen of their life and doctrine . againe , as the faith of the wise and worthy receiuer , cannot sanctifie the conscience of the hypocrite and offensiue 〈◊〉 : so the infidelity or iniquity of another , shall not bar the faithfull soule from fruitfull receiuing to his saluation , according to that p saying , thorighteousnes of the righteous shall be vpon him , and the wickednes of the wicked shall be vpon himselfe . euery one is to prooue and examine himselfe , not to enter into the consciences and conuersations of other men : we shall giue an account to our owne waies and workes , not of the deformities of others which we cannot reforme and redresse . furthermore , as in an army euery man hath his standing , so in the church euery man hath his calling : it is not in the q power of priuate persons , but of the gouernors of the church to draw out the censures of the church against notorious offendors , and therefore in their slacking and negligence , the people must tolerate that which they cannot amend , or make a seperation or rent in the church , as the maner of some is , disturbing the peace and quietuesse thereof . fourthly , if christ be offered , giuen , and sealed vp to vs in the sacraments : then the sacraments must be holden of vs in great price and estimation , for their profites sake , not lightly to be regarded , but reuerently to be esteemed . they that respect christ in whom the tresures of algraces are laid vp , must regard the sacramentes of christ : and such as reiect them , reiect christ with all his benefites , which who so doth , sinneth against his own soule . lastly , if they be signes and seales of grace offered : then the sacraments make not a christian , no more then the seal giueth the purchase or possession . the faithfull and the children of the faithful are true christians , differing from pagans and heathen before they be baptized . and whosoeuer is not a christian before hereceiue baptisme , baptisme can make him none , which is only the seale of the graces of god and his priuiledges before receiued . 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 sauor r of death to death , therfore also the sacraments of themselus do not confer and bestow grace , hauing it tyed vnto them , or shut vp in them . for if the sacraments did actually and effectually giue grace , by inherent power and vertue in themselues : it would follow from hence , that euery person baptized is certainely saued and hath his sinnes remitted , or else that his sinnes remitted may returne and remaine and be againe imputed . but when god gratiously pardoneth sin , s he remembreth it no more . againe we see abraham was not iustified by his circumcision , he was iustified by his faith , for t abraham beleeued god , and it was imputed to him for righteousnes : and afterward he receiued u circumcision , to be the signe and seale of his iustification . not withstanding , the sacraments may be saide to confer the grace of regeneration and remission of sins , a as they are instrumentes vsed of god , and as they are pledges and tokens to vs. they are means to offer and exhibit to the beleeuer , christ with all his benefits , wherby the conscience is assured of comfort and saluation , as the princes letters are said to saue the life of a malefactor , wheras they only signifie to him and others , that it is the princes pleasure to shew fauor . again , they may not fitly be said to giue vs grace , because the signe exhibiteth the thing signified : the outward washing of the body is a pledg & token of the grace of god so that whosoeuer vseth the sign aright , shall receiue forgiuenes and life euerlasting . chap. . that the parts of a sacrament are partly outward and partly inward . we haue seene what a sacrament is : nowe wee are to consider in it two things , first his parts , then his vses : for in handlinge these two pointes , wee shall see what is the nature of a sacrament . the partes of sacrament 〈◊〉 are of two sortes , some outwarde , open , sencible , earthly , visible , and signifying : some are inward , hidden , spirituall , heauenly , inuisible , and signified . for the nature of a sacrament is b partely earthly and partly heauenly . if we had been wholly c a spirit without body , he would giue vs his gifts 〈◊〉 without a body : but seeing we are soule and body he giueth v , his sacraments , that so we may apprehend 〈◊〉 gifts by sensible things . the outward part is one thing 〈◊〉 the inward part is another thing : the outward is applyed to the body , the inward is applyed to the soule & conscience . this diuision and 〈◊〉 on of parts d appeareth plainely , he is not a iew which is one outward , neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh : but he is a iew which is one within , and the circumcision is of the hart , in the spirit , not in the letter : where we see , he maketh circumcision to stand of . parts , part in the flesh and part in the heart , partly in the spirit and partly in the letter . heereunto commeth e that saying . 〈◊〉 are circumcised with circumcision made without hands : so that there is a circumcision without , and there is an other within by the virtue of christ. the same we may say of baptisme there is a baptizing of the body , and there is a baptizing of the soule : the body is washed with water , the soule is clensed by the precious blood of our sauiour christ , which is the hidden and misticall part of the sacrament . this appeareth by many examples recorded in scripture . simon the sorcerer , though 〈◊〉 were baptized with water , yet his hart was not right in the sight of god , he remained f in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity , so that albeit hee were baptized , yet he was not regenerated . the 〈◊〉 were 〈◊〉 of the g outward signes , not of the 〈◊〉 grace they were all baptized vnto moyses in that cloud and in that sea : they did 〈◊〉 the same spirituall meate , they all drank the same spirituall drinke , yet with many of them god was not pleased . the 〈◊〉 may be saide of iudas one of the 〈◊〉 , he did eate the paschall lambe as well as the rest of the apostles but he did not eate christ ( who is the 〈◊〉 filed and without spot ) is the other did . this is that also which iohn the h baptist teacheth , indeede i baptize you with water to amendment of life , but he that commeth after me is mightier then i , whoseshooes i am not worthy to beare , he shall baptize you with the holy ghost and with fire : where , as the 〈◊〉 maketh two baptizers , himfelfe and christ , so he 〈◊〉 their actions , his own to wash with water , and the action of christ to wash with the holy ghost . neither neede we to seeke farre for reason , to perswade any to beleeue this truth , that the nature of a sacrament , is neither wholly outward nor wholly inward , but taketh part of 〈◊〉 , seeing nothing can be a signe of itselfe , but a signe is a signe of an other thing , and seeing they are mysteries , they haue an hidden meaning and spirituall vnderstanding . if the 〈◊〉 in baptisme had not grace annexed vnto it , it could not be a mistery . we see the signe , we see not the grace which is inuisible . now let vs come to the vses . these parts though distinguished really one 〈◊〉 another , that the outward parts cannot be the inward , the earthly cannot be the heauenly , the seale cannot be the thing sealed , the token cannot be the thing betokened , nor contrarywise : ( for this were to alter nature and to mingle heauen and earth together ) yet in respect of the propoition betweene the signe and the thing signified , and of the coniunction of them to the faithful , which receiu both the one & thother , one part is affirmed of the other . for we must vnderstand that the scriptur in regard of this vnion , speketh of the sacraments two waies , to wit , properly and figuratiuely . properly , 〈◊〉 that which belongeth to the signe is given to the signe , and when the thinge 〈◊〉 is giuen and applyed to the thing itselfe , and thus each part hath his owne , as circumcision is called i the signe of the couenant . and the blood of the lambe is called k a signe : these are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proper speaches , and without figure . againe vvhen 〈◊〉 saith , l my body which is giuen for you , my blood 〈◊〉 which is shed for many for remission of sinnes , vve must vnderstand the words literally as they lye , figuratiuely , vvhen the signe is giuen to the thing signified , and called by the name of it , as christ is called n the passeouer : and the o lambe of god : his flesh is also saide to be meate indeede , and his blood drinke indeede : the holy spirit is called p water , or else the name of the thing signified is giuen to the signe , as bread is called the q body of christ , the cup is called the new testament . these speaches must be taken figuratiuely , and vnderstood by a chang of name according to the intention and meaning of the holy-ghost : so that wee must beware that we do not take or mistake the signe for the thing , nor the thing for the signe , seeing the parts are distinguished in nature , though ioyned in the person . againe , albeit by gods ordinance these parts be so vnited , that by taking of the signe the faithfull are made partakers of the thing signified , no lesse truely then the outward signes are receiued of our bodily senses : yet we must conceiue & consider , that these outward and inward parts remaine , distinct and vnconfounded , and therefore wee must take heede we take not one for another : we must not ascribe to much to the outward parts , and so take them for the inward , which hath beene the occasion of sundry errors from time to time . some attribut too little to the outward sign , and some ascribe too much : both waies the sacrament is abused and the partes are misapplied . hence sprang as a ranke weed in the lords corne , the doctrine of transubstantiation or carnall turning of the substance of bread into the body , whereby the signe is swallowed vp and the outward substance with them quite abolished , for their fained christ hath consumed the outward signe , as the rich deuoureth and eateth the poore . thus the signe is consumed & to little regarded . others on the other side , cleaue to much too the outward signe , and rest in the externall worke , placing holinesse and remission of sinnes in the deed done : and thus the thing signified is little regarded and wholly abolished , r as the euill fauored and lean-fleshed kine did eat vp the fat and wel-fauored : this was 〈◊〉 dreame , and the other is mans deuise . for these men giue all to the outward receiuing , placing holynesse and remission of sinnes therein , and thinking themselues sure and secure when the bread and wine is taken at the lords table . thus all hypocrites , libertines , and carnall gospellers do : for all the religion , deuotion , and godlinesse of these idle and ignorant professors , standeth in outward resorting to the church , and in an outward taking of the communion of the body and blood of christ , which is to make an idol of the signe , and to flatter themselues in their euils to their own destruction . for albeit a man haue been baptized and haue receiued the lords supper , yet if he liue wickedly and walke after his owne lusts , the sacramentes shall auaile and aduantage him nothing at all , but further his condemnation . lastly , hath the sacrament some parts outward and some inward , some seene and some not seene with bodily eies ? then it giueth occasion , both to parents to teach their children the meaning of these misteries and to declare vnto them the ordinances of god , as likewise to children and the younger sort to aske and inquire of their parents , to heare and learne of them the doctrine of the sacraments , thereby to know the mercifull promises that god hath made to his people . this appeareth s directly , where the the fathers are forewarned ro teach their childrē the hidden mistery of the passeouer , when your children aske you , what seruice is this ye keepe , then ye shal say , it is the sacrifice of the lords passeouer , which passed ouer the houses of the children of israell in egypt , when he smote the egyptians and preserued our houses . so likewise ch. . . speaking of separating & sanctifiing the firste borne for the seruice of god , he chargeth parents to whet this doctrine on their children and to instruct them , how god with a mighty hand and outstretched arme brought them out of egypt , out of the house of bondage . againe , t we see when the lord had parted the waters of iordan that the people might passe , hee commaunded ioshua to set vppe . stones , in memoriall of the mighty and miraculous worke of god for his people against their enemies : and when their children should aske them in time to come , what was 〈◊〉 by those stones , they should answer that the waters of iordan were cut off before the arke of the couenant of the lord. he would not onely haue themselues to profit by 〈◊〉 wonderfull workes , but to retaine the remembrance of them , he wold haue their posterity to know the cause and 〈◊〉 thereof , and so g'orifie 〈◊〉 name for euer . heereunto we may fitly ioyne u what the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i will open my mouth in a parable , i will declare high sentences of old which we haue heard and knowne , and our fathers haue told us , we will not hide them from their children , but to the generation to come we will shew the praises of the lord , his power also and his wonderfull workes that he hath done : that the posterity might know it , and the children which should be borne should stand vp and declare it to their children , that they might set their hope on god and not forget the workes of god , but keepe his commaundements . all these things serue to this purpose , to shew that it is a duty and burden laid on the shoulders of all parents , to acquaint their children 〈◊〉 the works of god , especially with the benefits of our redemption wrought by christ for our saluation . if they aske the question , why infants are baptized and washed with water into the name of the holy trinity , we must make plaine vnto them the meaning of that mistery . we must say vnto them , my children , a this is a signe of the couenant of gods mercy to vs , and our 〈◊〉 to god : it is a mistery of our saluation , and teacheth that being in our selues vncleane , vnrighteous , 〈◊〉 , y , and sinful , our soules are washed by the blood of christ euen as the water in baptisme washeth our bodyes : 〈◊〉 in the mercy of god is so much the more marueilous in our cies , insomuch as the 〈◊〉 were entred into the couenant by cutting , lancing , and effusion of blood in circumcision againe , before they come to yeares to receiue the holy supper of the lord , we must informe them at home , and declare the institution of that sacrament and the comfortable vses therof to them , so they may afterward come to this communion with better warrant of their worke , with greater comfort to themselues , & with lesse danger to their souls . we must teach them , that as the bread is broken and the wine poured out , so the body of christ was crucified and his blood shed for the remission of our sins : and that if we beleeue in the lord iesus , we are nourished in our souls to eternal life by the passion of christ our sauior , as certainly as our bodies are norished with the creaturs of bred 〈◊〉 wine notwithstanding , there is a generall defect of this duty in many parents , neither are children readye to enquire and learne at home , neither are parentes able to answere anye thing in these matters of god : way wardnesse in the one , and wordlines in the other , and ignoraunce in them both , hath taken away all care and conscience from them , touching these holy duties and heauenly misteries , so that neither the one teacheth nor the other learneth , neyther the child enquireth nor the father answereth . chap. . of the first outward part of a sacrament . the outward parts of a sacrament are such things , as a vnder a certain similitude & likenes do represent and signifie heauenly things , to assure vs they are as truely present and offred vs , as we beholde with our cies , and receiue with our hands the earthly things giuen vnto vs. the outward parts of a sacrament are in number b foure . first the minister : secondly , the word of institution . thirdly the element . fourthly , the receiuer . all these and euery one of them are needfull 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 ther be no minister , no word , no element , no receiuer : there is no sacrament . if there be wanting either minister to deliuer it , or word to 〈◊〉 it , or element to represent it , or receiuer to take it : we cannot assure our selues to haue any sacrament of god , but rather a tradition and inuention of our owne . first then , c there is required a minister lawfully called , chosen , and ordained , hauing at the least the approbation and alowance of the church to pronounce the words of institution , and to deliuer the outward signs to the receiuers . they are not makers of the sacrament , but ministers : not autors , but administators : not deuisors , but deliuerers . earthly princes haue their letters patents , & their great seals , & keepers of the same : if another shal set to the seal that is not appointed the keeper thereof , is it not made an heinons crime worthy of heauy punishment ? so the lord is a mightye prince , king of kings , and lord of lords : he hath appointed his seales , to seale vp his promises of forgiuenes of sinnes and eternal life : and he hath ordained his officers as it were keepers of his great seals . god publisheth saluation and pardon to all beleeuers by his word as by his letters pattents , and he addeth baptisme and the lords supper as two broad seales for greater assurance and confirmation , and appointeth the ministers to be keepers thereof . whosoeuer therfore shall presume to 〈◊〉 to any of these seals without warrant , without a caling , without a function and direction from god , himselfe being no officer , no minister , no keeper of them , prophaneth these seales , and setteth to a counterfet stampe . for as no man may preach d except he be sent : so no man may administer the sacrament , except he be called . this is it the e apostle teacheth . no man taketh this honor vnto himself but he that is called of god as was aron : and christ tooke not to himselfe this honor to be made the high priest but he that 〈◊〉 vnto him , thou art my sonne , this day begat i thee , gaue it to him . now , to minister the sacraments , is an honour in the church , which none can take to himselfe at his owne pleasure , but god must giue it . they should haue in their owne consciences a witnesse of gods calling them to this office and honour . wherefore the sacred functions ordained of god must not be prophaned by voluntary officers and vsurped offices : no man must take vpon him without a lawful calling to teach hese holy misteries . of these f the lord complaineh , i haue not sent these prophets , yet they ranne : i haue not spoken to them , and yet they prophesied . thus these intruders did thrust their sickle into other mens corne . the reasons , g why the ministers and no others are to intermedle with the sacraments , are very apparant . first , because euery part and member of the church hath his especiall office and his proper guifts to execute his 〈◊〉 : we see in a campe , the souldiers in warre haue their standing-place in sight of their captaine who hath chosen them to be warriors : so in the church 〈◊〉 euery one keepe his seuerall calling in the presence of god , who hath in wisdome and mercy called him thereunto . we see in the natural dispositiō of the body , h euery member hath his speciall vse , the eye to see , the hand to handle , the foote to walke , the eare to heare , and if one member should incroch vpon the office of another , it must needes tend to the destruction of the body . we see in the gouernment of an house and famely , the husband and wife , the father and sonne , the master and seruant know and acknowledge their places to rule , to obey , to commaund , to be commaunded , without intruding themselues , and incroching vpon the function , as it were vpon the free-hold , of an other . if we would ascend a step higher , we obserue in the affaires of state i and matters of the cōmon-wealth , euery man doth keepe within his owne listes and limits , and no man dare presume to charge any man or enterprise any thing in the princes name and authority , without a sufficient warrant , from the prince himselfe : so may no man take vpon him any functions in the church , vnlesse hee haue a commission and commaundement from the lord. for , as the prince appointeth by what officers he will be serued : so is it in the offices and officers of the church , god hath placed and ordained the apostle to plant , the euangelist to second and assist , the prophet to prophesie , the pastor to feede , and hath set euery one k in his proper place and standing as i were in his watch-tower , out of which he must not wander and depart , let euery man abide in the same vocation wherein he was called : and afterward , let euery man wherein he was called , therein abide with god. whosoeuer therefore medleth without a lawfull vocation , as it were violently inuadeth another mans possession , and cannot do it without the check and controlment of christ iesu , who is the l captaine of his own host , the m head of his own body , the n lord of his own house , and the o great king of his owne church . againe , 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 gospell : therefore if any other 〈◊〉 set to the seale , it is no true seale but a counterfait stamp . the truth of this appeareth indeede i haptize p with water , that is , i that am apointed a techer in the church , to make ready a people prepard for the lord. and paule being conuerted and called to preach , & to beare the name of god to the gentiles , did without further word , warrant , or commaundement , minister the sacraments . now then as we haue seene the truth of the doctrine , let vs consider the vses thereof . first , is the minister of the substance of the sacrament , and a principall part of christs institution ? then he must consider , it is his duty , being authorised from god and by his church , to sanctifie the outward elementes and administer the same , to deliuer the outward signes and offer them to the receiuers . his workes therefore are to put a part and consecrate the signes to an holy vse , to open and declare the couenaut of god , to pray for his blessing promised vpon his owne ordinance , to giue thankes for the blessed worke of our redemption , to offer , giue and deliuer a right the creatures so sanctified , in baptisme to sprinkle with water and washe the body to be baptized , and in the lords supper to deliuer the bread to be eaten and the wine to be drunke to the spirituall nourishment of the church . so then the minister ought not to refuse to baptize such as are brought vnto him . shall the seruant refuse to do the worke of his maister ? or if the lord keeper of the kings broad seale should proudly and presumpteously disdame to set the seale to the princes letters patents , were he not well worthy to be displaced and remoued ? so if the minister , through enuy , or hatred , or any other sinister affection , shall refuse to put the seale to the lords couenant , and hinder little children from comming to christ , he deserueth iustly to be displaced and to beare office no longer in the citty of god , but to be remoued for his contempt , q as salomon put downe abiathar . secondly , is it a necessary point of the sacrament that it be ministred by a minister ? then , it condemneth 〈◊〉 those that put these seales into a wrong hand , and all 〈◊〉 persons that violently rush vpon this calling , and take vp on them to meddle with the administration of the sacraments with vnwashen hands seeing the dispensation of the word and sacraments is so linked , annexed , and ioyned together by god , that a deniall of licence to do the one is a deniall to do the other , and contrary wise the license to one is license to the other . christ neuer gaue to priuate persons any such commaundement , he neuer committed to them any such ossice , hee neuer commended to their care these holy actions , he neuer called them to this honor , he neuer laid vpon them this charge , and therefore they haue no parte nor fellowship in this businesse . if , notwithstanding these restrainings of authority from them , they wil runne and rush forward , where they should hang backward , their sinne lieth at the doore , their punishment hastneth and their iudgement sleepeth not . lastly , if the minister be an outward part of the sacrament , 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 vnto his name . the minister may offer the signe , he cannot bestow the thing signified : he may baptize the body , he cannot clense the soule : he may deliuer the bread and wine , he cannot giue the body and blood of christ : iohn may wash with water , he cannot giue the spirit . man indeede pronounceth the word , but god sealeth vp his grace in the heart : man sprinkleth the body with water , but god maketh cleane the soule by the blood of christ : man may take away the filth of the flesh , but christ must purge the conscience from dead workes , who is that blessed lambe of god that r taketh away the sinnes of the world . for as paule s planteth and apollos watereth , but god 〈◊〉 the increase : so the minister offereth the element and outward signe , but god giueth the heauenly grace . it belongeth to the minister to handle the external part : it belongeth as a peculiar dignity to christ to bestow grace , to giue saith , regeneration , t and forgiuenesse of sinnes , and to baptize with the holy-ghost . this truth iohn 〈◊〉 , i baptize with water , but one commeth after me , who is mightier then i , he shall baptize you with the holy-ghost . where we see he maketh a flat opposition betweene himselfe and christ , betweene his baptisme and the baptisme of christ. as on the one side we must take heede , of the contempt of him that teacheth and ministreth the sacramentes , because the contempt of the word and sacraments doth necessarily follow the contempt of his person : so we must beware we attribute or giue not to him more then his right , least the power of the word and force of the sacramentes be attributed to his person , wherby men spoile themselues of the fruite of them both . this was it wherein the u corinthians offended , when they said , i am pauls , i am apollos , i am cephas , i am christs . wherefore , to keepe a golden meane between too much and too little , we must do as if a prince should send vs some present by one of the meanest messengers of his house , we would receiue him fauorably and entertaine him honorably for the gifts sake which he bringeth vnto vs : but the guift it selfe we would receiue for the kings sake , from whom it was sent . so it becommeth euery one of vs to do , god hath committed to his messengers and ministers the word of reconciliation , we must haue them in singular loue for a their workes sake that labour among vs , but the word and sacramentes we must receiue for the lords sake from whom they come . thus much of the first outward part , to wit , theminister . chap. . of the second outward part of a sacrament . the second outward part of a sacrament a is the word , necessarily required to the substance of a sacrament : for b the word is added and ioyned to the element , and there is made a sacrament . this sacramentall word , is the word of institution , which god in each sacrament hath after a speciall manner set downe ; consisting partly of a commaundement by which christ appointeth the administration of sacramēts , and partly of a promise annexed , whereby god ordaineth that the outward elements shal be instruments and seales of his graces , as for example , when christ saith , c go , teach al nations & baptize them , there is a commaundement to warrant the vse and practise of baptisme : the promise likewise is in the next words , into the name of the father , and of the sonne , and of the holy-ghost . so touching the other sacrament of his supper , when he saith , d take ye , eate ye , drinke ye , do this in remembrance of me , ioe there is the commaundement , cōmaunding the continual vse therof vntil the second comming of christ . the promise is , this is my body which is giuē for you , this is my blood of the new testament shed for you & for many for remission of sins . whatsoeuer signs of holy things god gaue to strengthen the faith of his childrē , we may see and descern that god alwaies added the worde to the seale , the voice to the signe , and doctrine to the sight , so that when the signe was seene , the word was heard . when one of the seraphims , beating an hot coale in his hand which he had taken from the alter , e touched the mouth of the prophet , he said , lo , this hath touched thy lips , and thine iniquity shall be taken away , and thy sinnes shall be purged . now , we know a coale hath not power and force to take away sinne , but the word vttered by the angell did assure him that he should be purged by the holy ghost , which was signified by , the 〈◊〉 . againe , when christ gaue to his disciples the holy-ghost , he breathed on them and said , f receiue the holy-ghost . the corporal blast and breathing was not the holy-ghost , but he added his word and promise with the outward signe , to assure them that with the breathing , he bestowed a blessing . thus wee see , that the sacramentes haue the word alwaies ioyned with them : and without the word , whereby their institution and vse is declared , they are as a dead body without life , as a dumbe shew without voice , as an empty cloud without water , and as a barren tree without fruit . let vs apply this doctrine to our selues , first it teacheth , that they partake not the sacraments aright , that haue 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 neuer labour to know what he hath appointed and commaunded them to do . if they do as others of the church do , therein they rest and seeke no further to be able to warrant their owne worke . if they heare the word spoken , if they see the body washed , the bread broken and the wine poured out and receiue the outward signes , they regatd no more , they go no higher , they imagine they haue done enough g they neuer desire to vnderstand the meaning of the words which are necessary to be knowne , comfortable to be vnderstood , and profitable to be marked . if a man haue goods befallen , or legacies bequeathed vnto him by any wil or testament , wil he not resort to his learned counsel , to be careful to vnderstand the testament , and know the meaning of the testator ? christ iesus before his death made his wil , he hath made his children heires of his promise , he promiseth to them forgiuenesse of sinnes in this life , and eternall life in the world to come . doth it not now behooue euery faithfull christian to search into it , and know what is promised and bequeathed vnto him ? men of this world for the most part make their eldest and first borne heire of all , and leaue little to the other : but h euery child of god is as the eldest and as the i first borne most deare to him , he shal receiue his double portion , the second shal haue no lesse then the first , nor the third lesse then the second , nor the younger then the elder , the first shall be as the last , and the last as the first , for he may do with his owne as he list . againe , if a man doe leaue all his sonnes heyres and rich inheritors , for the most part lesse is 〈◊〉 on the daughters : but all the childrē of god , both his sonnes and daughters k shal be heyres , euen the heires of god , and heyres annexed with christ iesus , their share shal be as great as the portion of sonnes . moreouer , when a man hath passed all the daies of his life in carke and care , what can he giue to his pofterity but earthly riches , & transitory possession , a fading inheritance , leauing them inheritours as well of his sorrow as of his substance ? it is not so with the children of god. christ by his last wil and testament hath promised to make his people sound in faith , rich in hope , blessed in the pardon of their sinnes , and heires of the kingdome which hee hath promised to them that loue him . this is a great and vnspeakable comfort to al gods children , whether high or low , whether rich or poore . so then we ought to be much more careful and earnest to know throughly and vnderstand perfectly the will of christ , then any naturall child is to search the meaning of the will of his naturall father . and if men were not wholly carnall , they would be thus farre fpiritually minded . againe , is the word an outward part of the sacrament ? then the sacraments must neuer be separated and set a part from the word . they are not dombe shewes and idle signes , but haue alwaies the doctrine of god adioyning vnto them , to shew the end , vse , & profit of them , and the purpose of god in them . this appeareth in all places , wher god gaue signes to confirme and assure the truth of his promises . when he gaue in mercy to noah and all his posterity the l rain-bow imediately after the flood as a signe of his couenant , he addeth his word vnto the signe , my couenant will i establish with you , that from hencefoorth all flesh shall not bee rooted out by the waters of the flood , neither shall there be a floode to destroy the earth any more . this is it the apostle m meaneth , . cor . . ye shew the lords death till he come . where he teacheth , that the lordes supper cannot be truely deliuered and rightly administred , vnlesse there be a declaration & shewing forth of the death of christ . wherefore it is no sacrament , except the word and doctrine be ioyned vnto it , by way of explication and exposition of the outward signe . lastly , those sacraments are proued heereby to bee no 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 signe ? what is the water in baptisme but common water ? what is the bread in the lords supper but common bred ? what is the wine but common wine , such as men vse , and all men may take at their ordinary tables ? seeing therfore such signs & sacraments as haue not gods commandement for their institution : nor promise of grace and saluation annexed vnto the vsing of them , are voide and nothing worth : heerby the imagined & deuised sacraments of the church of rome are condemned , which deliuereth that it hath not receiued of the lord , and imposeth that to be beleeued which it neuer learned in the word . heereby the last anoyling or extream vnction is excluded , wanting the word to warrant the continuall practise of it . also their confirmation hath neither word to institut the practise , nor elemēt to assure any grace , nor promise to approue any vse . true it is , they haue words to administer it , but they are words of men , not of god ; vnwriten , not written : of tradition , not of scripture . the like might be saide of mariage , though we confesse and acknowledge it to be an holy ordinance and m honourable institution of god , yet was it made no sacrament , hauing no word of institution , no promise of sanctification and saluation annexed vnto all the faithfull vsers thereof : neither is it an instrument , whereby god applyeth christ and his sauing benefits to the comfort and consolation of his children . wherefore to conclude this point , we affirme , that neither the sonnes of romulus at rome , nor of remus at rhemes shall euer be able to shew and proue , that they are to be acknowledged and receiued as sacraments of the church , which haue no warrant of the word to commaund them , nor promise annexed to assure the sauing graces of christ to the worthy receiuers . but such are their fiue pretended sacraments of confirmation , penance , orders , matrimony , and extreame vnction , wanting either the word , or promise , or both : and therefor we cannot receiue , we cannot acknowledge , we cannot beleeue them . thus much of the second outward parte , namely , the word of institution . chap. . of the third outward part of a sacrament . the third outward part of a sacrament is the a element or outwarde signe . for whersoeuer there is a sacrament , there must of necessity bee a signe , such as water is in baptisme , and bread and wine in the lordes supper , not of their owne nature , but by the ordinance of god , which are sanctified by the especiall worde and praier . therefore , iohn the baptist baptized with water : and christ when he instituted his last supper , tooke bread and brake it , and gaue it to his disciples : likewise hee tooke the cup , wherein was the fruit of the vine , as appeareth when he b said , i will drinke no more of the fruit of the vine , vntill that day that i drinke it newe in the kingdome of god. seeing then it is cleare , there must in euery sacrament be a visible sign that may be seen & handled , let vs see how we may profitably apply this to our instruction . first , seeing the signes and sacramentall rites are outwarde partes : we must take heede wee ascribe not too much to the outward signe , and so commit idolatry c to the creature . for the water in baptisme hath not power in it selfe and force to wash away sin , but by the ordinance of god it is made a signe and seale of regeneration . euen as the water of iordan where iohn baptized , was no better then the waters of other places and countries , neither had any strengthe and vertue to clense the lepers that washed in it : yet by the bleising of god , naaman the syrian d washing himselfe . times therein , according to the direction of the prophet , was clensed and healed of his leprocie : so the water vsed in the sacrament of baptisme , is in nature and substance the same with ordinary and common water , neither hath it vig our and vertue to clense the soule , yet by the institution of god it is appointed to seale vp the asturance of remission of sinnes . not with standing , this confidence in the outward signe , which in it selfe is as nothing , hath since the fall of man rested and remained in his corrupt nature , flattering himselfe and deceiuing his owne soule . this fond and salse opinion was in adam immediately after his transgression , hee did attribute too much to the tree of life ( which hadde in it selfe no more life then the rest of the trees in the garden ) and therefore god would thrust him out of the garden , e least he should beguile himselfe with that conceite and immagination . thus did the israelites trust too much in the arke , a signe of gods comfortable presence and protection , attributing saluation thereunto , sayeinge , f it maye saue vs out of the handes of our enemyes , therefore god ouerthrew them , and gaue them into the hands of the philistims . againe , we are taught heereby , that the sacraments that haue no signe , no seale , no element to signisie , to strengthen , and to seale vp the promises of saluation . for as we shewed before , that euery sacrament must haue gods word to warrant it : so must it haue an outward signe to approue the receiuing of it , and to signifie the spirituall grace offered by it . herby we learn what to hold of transubstantiation , a doctrin teching that the bread and wine is turned into the very body & blood of christ , namely , that it is a very fable to mock fooles withal . for g whatsoeuer ouerthroweth the nature and vse of a sacrament , is not to be admitted but omitted , neither to be receiued but reiected . but transubstantiation ouerthroweth and ouerturneth both the nature and vse of a sacrament : and therefore not to be admitted and receiued into the church . for touching the nature of a sacrament it is confessed , h that it consisteth of two parts , the one earthly and the other heauenly : but if after the words of consecration , the bread and wine are transubstantiated into the body and blood of christ , then the signe is taken away , the element is ouerthrowne , the materiall part is abolished , and consequently the nature of a sacrament is ouerturned . and touching the vse of a sacrament , there must be an analogy and propoition betweene the signe and the thing signified . as in baptisme , the element of water washeth and purgeth the body , so the holy-ghost through the blood of christ clenseth and sanctifieth the soule . like wise in the lords supper , as the substance of bread & wine receiued , strengthneth and comforteth the body : so christ i receiued by faith norisheth & feedeth the soule . the very true principall vse of this sacrament is to cōfirme our faith , that as surely as those earthly creatures taken and aplyed , feed our bodies to a bodily life : so the body and blood of christ receiued and applyed by saith , feede our souls to eternal life . and do not al the faithful seel a swect comfort , so often as they come to the lords table by this similitude and agreement , to cōsider and know assuredly , that as the substance of bread serueth to nourish and doth feed our bodies , so christ doth feede our soules ? but if we must beleeue , that the substance of bread and wine is changed and cleane gone , that nothing remaineth but accidents : where is this comfort and consolation ? how can we be assured and strengthned , that as our bodies are nourished with the materiall elements , so in like manner our soules by feeding on christ ? wherefore , while they take away the substance of bread which should nourish the body , the nature and vse of the sacrament is destroyed , and we are spoyled of the comfort of our hearts and strengthning of our faith , which we should haue by this notable comparison and resemblance of the partes . so then , if wee woulde receiue comfort in comming to this communion , we must retaine the substance of the sign , as a staffe to stay vp our faith that it do no faile . and thus much of the third outward part , to wit , the signe . chap. . of the outward part of a sacrament . the last outward part of a sacrament is the a receiuer , which is as needfull as the outward sign . we vnderstand and take heere a receiuer in generall , for euery one that commeth to the sacrament , whether good or eu●ll , godly or vngodly , faithfull or vnfaithfull . such a receiuer is likewise a necessary part of the sacrament . for no signe hath the substance and essence of a sacrament , vnlesse it be receiued . though ther be a minister to administer it , a word to warrant it , a signe to represent it , yet vnlosse there be a fit person to receiue it ther can be no sacrament . if the minister should sprinkle water , and alledge the words of institution wher ther is no party to be baptized , this were a prophaning , not a solemnizing of baptisme : or if he should take bread and wine with prayer and thanksgiuing , where none are present to communicate and receiue , this were to commit sacriledge , not to deliuer a sacrament . wherefore , vnlesse there be a body to be washed , & except there be communicants to partake the supper , there can be no sacrament . this appeareth by the words of god to abraham b giuing vnto him circumcision , saying , euery male-child of eight daies old shall be circumcised . this also appeareth in the c words of christ speaking of baptisme , and charging the apostles to baptize the nations in the name of the father and of the son , & 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 he saith , take ye , eate ye , drinke ye : so that there must not only be bread , but giuing , taking , and eating : there must not onely bee wine , but giuing , taking , and drinking thereof . this truth being euidently deliuered , let vs see how it may be profitably applied . first of all , must the sacraments necessarily be receiued ? then it teacheth that the sacraments without their lawfull vse are no sacraments at all : they are no signes of grace , if they be not vsed . this condemneth the keeping , reseruing , holding vp , and carying about with pompe and ostentation the lords supper , offering vp , kneeling downe vnto , and adoring a piece of bread : all which are horrible prophanations of that comfortable sacrament , whereby the people isrobbed and depriued of a precious part of their peace in christ. the bread feedeth not the body , reuiueth not the spirits , strengthneth not the heart , by looking and gazing vpon it , by touching and handling it , but by eating , digesting , and feeding vpon it : so doth the sacrament strengthen faith , not by reseruing and keeping it , but by vsing and receiuing of it . for sacramentes are actions not dumbe shewes . christ saide not , heare ye , see ye , gaze re on , but baptize ye , eate ye , drinke ye , doe ye this in remembrance of me . secondly , are the receiuers an outward part of the sacrament ? then the persons that are to receiue must know , that diuers duties are to bee done and performed of them . the persons then that are to receiue , must ioyne with the minister in prayer , in quickning their faith in the couenant and promises ofgod , beholding the former works of the minister , blessing , breaking , pouring out , and distributing , ratifieng them in their harts , and lastly by receiuing and applying to themselues the visible signes . for as we haue shewed , if the words of baptisme should be rehearsed ouer the water , and no person to be present to be baptized , it is no baptisme : so if the words of institution in the supper should be spoken and repeated without eating , without drinking , without receiuing , it were no sacrament . wherefore , we must all learne to detest the e absurd opinion of bellarmine and other procters of the romish religion , which teache that the breade and wine being once consecrate , whither they be receiued or reserued , whither they bee distributed to be eaten and drunke , or whether they be kept in boxes and vessels of the church , for daies , moneths , and long times , and carried solemnly in procession : are notwithstanding still the sacrament of the body and bloode of christ. against which dotage wee spake in the former vse , and shall speake f more in the third booke following . lastly , if the receiuing be an outward part then we are not to rest in the outward participation , for so farre went iudas in the passeouer : so farre went simon that sorcerer in baptisme : and so farre went g the israelites , as the apostle sheweth . they were all baptized vnto moses in the cloud and in the sea : they did all eat the same spirituall meat , and did al drink the same spirituall drinke , &c , yet with many of them was not god pleased , but they were ouerthrowne in the wildernesse . and therefore iohn baptist said to the pharisees and saduces , when he saw them come to his baptisme , h o generation of vipers , who hath forewarned you to flee from the anger to come , bring foorthe therefore fruit worthy amendment of life . now our righteousnes must exceede the righteousnes of the scribes and pharisees , if wee woulde enter into the kingdome of heauen . let vs all therefore haue this profitable meditatiō , so often as we deale with the sacraments and come vnto them : we must looke further then to the outward sight , we must consider more then the externall signe , otherwise as we approch without preparation , so we depart without edification . and thus much of the foure outward parts of a sacrament , to wit , the minister , the word , the signe , and the receiuer . chap. . of consecration . before we proceede to the inward parts of a sacrament , answerable to the outward by a fit proportition : it shall not be amisse in this place to speake somewhat of the consecration of a sacrament . first wee must consider what it is : for the truth being knowne , it will cast downe errour , as the light scattereth the darknesse . to consecrate then a is to take a thing from the ordinary and common vse , and to appoint it to some holy vse . this therefore is consecration , sanctification , and dedication of the outward signes , to apply them to 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 baptisme , which signifieth the blood of christ , and he poureth it on the person of the baptized : he taketh the bread in the lords supper , and breaketh it , he taketh the wine and poureth it out , he deliuereth them both : the people take and receiue , they eate and drinke in remembrance of christ : and both minister and people ioynein praier and thanksgiuing vnto god the father for the mistery of our redemption accomplished by christ our sauiour , so that the sacrament is consecrated by the whole action of the minister and people together . this maketh the difference betweene common water and the water in baptisme : this maketh the difference betweene that bread and wine of the supper , and the bread and wine which is vsed for ordinary meate and drinke . true it is , in nature , in essence , in substance there is none : but in the ende and vse . common water we vse for the washing of our bodies : but the water in baptisme is sanctified by prayer to an other vse , to be a signe of the clonsing of the soule . bread and wine at mens tables in their houses are set before them for the nourishment of their bodies : but at the lords l'able they are ordained of god to an higher and holier vse , euen to be signes of the bodye and blood of christ. this is noted by the euangelistes and by the apostle paule , that b the lord iesus before he brake the bread and gaue it , he blessed and gaue thankes to his father , that he had appointed him to be the redeemer of the world , and giuen him authority to institute this sacrament in remembrance of his death and passion . for wheras the euangelist mathew saith , he blessed : the other by way of exposition say hegaue thanks : so that the blessing heere spoken of , is giuing of thanks , c which also appeareth compared d with ioh. , . and the apostle saith . e euery creature of god is good , if it be receiued with thank sgiuing , for it is sanctified by the worde of god and prayer . we see then that consecration is , when a thing is separated from a common and ciuil vse to a more special vse , which is done by f the authority of the worde , and by the vertue of prayer , whereby it hath his full force , power , and vertue . the knowledge of this point , serueth to cleere our doctrine , and to ouerthrow sundry errors of the church of rome . first , it sheweth that we hold & teach a consecration , that is , a sanctifieng of the water in baptisme , and of the bread and wine in the lords supper , by the word , by prayer , and by thanksgiuing . the bread & wine are changed , not in nature , but in quality : not in substance , but in vse : not in essence but in the end : not by force of certaine words , but by christs institution . we acknowledge and confesse a consecration , not a conuersion : a sanctification of the signes , not a transubstantiation of the substance into the body and blood of christ. he blessed and praised his father as mediatour of the church , for the mistery of the redemption of mankind : and hee g blessed the creatures , that they might be effectual signes , and serue for the confirmation and increase of our faith . secondly , we are taught , that consecration is not a magical charme and incantation by force of certaine wordes , as though these word , this is my body , being murmured and spoken ouer the bread , and this cup is the new testament in my bloud whispered ouer the wine , did fully finish a consecration , and made the elements to be immediatly changed into the body and blood of christ , without any other obseruing of the institution . and hence it is , that the forme of christs giuing of thanks is not set down by any euangelist , because our corrupution and superstition is so great , that if we had the words , we would ascribe power & force to the words , sillables , and letters , and therefore the manner of his thanksgiuing is pretermitted . this inclination of the hart is apparently seene in the romish church , who ascribe efficacy & operation to the pronouncing of certain words , which is a part of sorcery and a part of witch craft . wheras we auouch , that the whole action of taking , breaking , pouring out , distributing , eating , drinking , praysing & rehearsing the institution of christ , are the consecration , that is , the separation of these creatures to this vse . thirdly , if after the sacramentall actions , if after thanksgiuing to god , if after prayer , that we may vse the creatures to the confirmation of our faith , there do follow consecration , sanctification , and change of the elements to another vse : then the power , effect , and working of the sacrament dependeth not vpon the intention of the minister , & therfore the h popish opinion is to be refused and reprooued , that holdeth it to be no sacrament , if the minister haue not an i intent and purpose in the ministration 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 , & his hart on his busines in hand , they hold it can be no sacrament . for otherwise saith bellarmine . if a priest should read the gospell at the table of prelates and religious men , and in reading should pronounce these words , this is my body , this is my blood , then all the bread and wine vpon the the table should be consecrate and changed into christs body and blood : which is not so , because his intent is wanting . againe , if a father should lead his sonne to the bath , and there dip him in the water , and say i wash thee in the name of the father , and though he thinke nothing of baptizing him , yet it should bee baptisme , if an intent of baptizing were not required . but i would gladly haue him answere this question : what if a father should intend baptisme by dipping his child in the bath , whether that were baptisme or not ? or suppose the priest we spake off , reading at the prelates table , should haue a mind and meaning to consecrate all the bread and wine vpon the table must 〈◊〉 of necessity be a sacrament , and reall change of all ? or admit the former priest being in the saide prelats wine seller , supposing himselfe to be in the church and to stand at the alter , should pronounce there words of consecration with a purpose and intent to make a sacrament , should all the wine in that 〈◊〉 be turned into the blood of christ ? or if he being in a bakers shoppe should there solemnely say , this is my body with the foresaide resolution , should all that bread be changed into the body of christ ? let them speake plainely , let them tel vs directly what they hold . i thinke they will not say so : i am sure it is not so . for other things are wanting , that are needefull in this matter . we haue shewed , that a sacrament is not made by bare pronouncing of certaine wordes , ascribing force to them after the manner of enchanters , but the whole institution of christ must be obserued , k there must be distributing and receiuing , there must be praier and thankesgiuing , and from the vse of these followeth consecration : all which are wanting in the former examples & suppositions , there is no taking , no breaking , no distributing , no pouring out , no receiuing , no praying , no thanksgiuing . we see touching the word of god , with what intent and vnder what pretence soeuer l it be preached , if the minister teach christ crucified , howsoeuer he be affected , it may haue his effect in the heart , and worke saith in 〈◊〉 hearer : so is it in the sacramentes , they haue their efficacy and operation howsoeuer the hart of the minister be disposed . and as isaac intended not to blesse iacob but esau , m yet it hindered not the purpose and determination of god : so the corrupt intent , the wandering imagination , and rouing conceite of the minister , cannot hinder the blessing of god in the sacramēts , being his own ordinaces . for the force of the sacrament dependeth no more vpon the intention of the giuer , then it doth vpon the intention of the receiuer . againe , if the right receiuing of the sacrament depend vpon the intent of the minister : what assurance can any man haue , that hee hath euer receiued or shall euer receiue a sacrament ? what perswasion can we haue in our hearts that we euer were baptized ? what knowledge that we were euer partakers of the body and blood of christ in the supper of the lord ? doth not this leaue vs vncertaine and vnsetled , without comfort , without fruite , without benefit by comming to the sacraments , and setteth the poore distressed consciences of men vpon the rack ? alas , we cannot kno n the hart and vnderstand the intentes thereof , for what man knoweth the thinges of a man , saue the spirit of man which is within him ? furthermor , were not this harde dealing and extream cruelty in god , to hang the saluation of men vpon the pleasure of the minister , whereby our faith and saluation shall alwaies be doubtfull ? and should it not be vniust in god , to make the euill of the minister to hurt the receiuer ? to draw to an end of this question , o the aduersaries themselues confesse , that the church cannot iudge of thinges that are inward : whereupon we fiame this reason , if the church cannot iudge of things inward , then it cannot iudge of the intent of the minister : but they confesse it cannot iudge of inward things , therefore not of the intent of the minister , and consequently although they be present at the action , they remained doubtful of consecration . wherefore , bellarmine foreseeing the inconuenience and absurdity of this vnreasonable and vncomfortable assertion , confesseth that if one of their masse-priests in his ministration , p intend to do as the church of geneua doth , it suffic eth to make a sacrament effectuall and of sorce . this is the confession of a knowne and sworne enemy : whereby we see , that howsoeuer they say we haue no ministers , no ordination , no consecration , no church , that our sacraments are no better then the feasts of ceres and bacchus , and lay many false accusations to our charge , that the supper of the lord with vs is no sacrament , but a bare signe without grace , without effect , without vertue : yet they are constrained to confesse and yeald thus farre , that if a masse-munger purpose to do as the reformed churches do , his doing is effectuall , and the sacrament is good . the effect of this point is this , that if we desire to be comforted and assured of gods fauour when we come to his supper , wee must not hang the profit of his ordinances vpon the weake and vnstable foundation of popish intentions . thus q much of consecration . chap. . of the first inward part of a sacrament . the outward parts of a sacrament haue hitherto beene declared , by a diligent perfourmance whereof consecration is performed : now the inward parts follow to bee considered , and handled of vs , in which the very soule and life of the sacraments consisteth . for the outward partes profit nothing without these , as the word profiteth nothing , except the inward and true husbandman giue the increase according to the apostles words , a he that planteth and he that watereth is nothing ; but god that giueth the increase : so the force of the sacramentes is to be looked for , from the creator that did institute them . peter saith , b baptisme doth saue vs , but he addeth , not whereby the filth of the flesh is washed away , but in that a good conscience maketh request to god. so the apostle paule teacheth , that c bodily exercise profiteth little , but godlinesse is profitable to all thinges : so the outward signes profiteth little , but the inward parts being applyed and receiued , are profitable to all things . behold the creatures which god vseth , as instruments of his mercy toward vs , the sunne , the moone , the starres , fire , water , herbes , and such like : wee ought not to put any confidence in them , nor admire them as first and chiefe causes of any benefits . so our trust ought not to be in the outward signes though ordained of god as holy helps vnto vs ( which were to conucie his glory to them ) but our faith must be lifted vp to god being the author of the sacramentes , and the creator of all thinges . the inward parts of a sacrament are such inuisible and heauenly thinges as are signified vnder the earthly and outward parts . we heard before , the outward partes of a sacrament to be these , the minister , the word , the signe , and the receiuer : so the inward are d foure in number , answerable to the outward , to wit , . god the father second the spirit . . christ. . the faithfull . now there is a notable proportion and worthy agreement betweene the outward and the inwarrd partes , e these resembling each other , as one face answeareth another in the waters . for euen as the minister by the word , offereth and applyeth visibly the outward element and signe to the body of the receiuer : so god the father , by the spirit , offereth and applyeth iesvs christ inuisibly to the faithfull receiuer . this is the resemblance and likenesse betweene the externall 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 receiuer by the outward receiuing . the first inward part is god the f father , osfering and applying christ and his sauing graces to the faithfull . the minister offereth and deliuereth the outward signes to the receiuers , and can go no further : herein he representeth god the father , who offereth christ to all , albeit the reprobate receiue him not . he doth not dally and deale falsly with vs , but truely offereth in the sacramentes christ with all his giftes and benefits , if we haue handes to receiue him , he is giuen to vs. the vse of this doctrin is , first of al to distinguish between god and the minister : the outward signes are giuen by the hands of the minister , whether he be good or euill , but the truth and substance of the sacraments is giuen by god the father . whosoeuer confoundeth these partes and workes , robbeth god of his glory , depriueth himselfe of the grace of christ offered , and maketh flesh his arme . wherefore , as the workes of god and of the minister are distinct , so must these parts remaine distinguished , howsoeuer to the faithfull they are not separated and sundred , as in the publishing and preaching of the gospel , the minister speaketh vnto the outward man , and the sound thereof entreth into the care , g but it is god that openeth the hart and speaketh to the conscience of the faithfull hearer . secondly , it serueth to strengthen our faith and help our weakenes when we come to the sacrament . so often as we see the ministers of god appointed by him , deliuering the signes and setting them a part to their ends for which they were ordaind : we must behold with the eye of faith , god the father offering his sonne to those that can receiue him . for if wee come aright , we may assure our owne heartes , that what the minister doth outwardly , the same the sather performeth inwardely , then which there cannot be a greater comfort . let vs therefore behold with our eyes , the sacramentall rites : let vs heare the promises that god maketh vnto vs : god the father wil verifie them , who hath h sealed vp his sonne vnto vs. my father giueth you that bread from 〈◊〉 . he will as surely giue christ , as the minister deliuereth the bread and wine . albeit the sacraments should be ministred by some hypocrite and wicked man : yet they haue as much force and as a great efficacy , as if they were ministred by faithfull and godly men . the vertue of the sacramentes hangeth vpon the minister no more , then the goodnesse of seed dependeth vppon the sower : which if it light in good ground , will bring forth plentifull fruit , 〈◊〉 it be 〈◊〉 of an vngodly and vnskilfull man. chap. . of the second inward part of a sacrament . hitherto of the first in ward part : a the second part of a sacrament is the holy spirit , as math. . hee shall baptize you b with the holy ghest and fire . so in christes baptisme , when he was baptized and prayed , the c holy-ghost discended in a visible shape like a doue vppon him . and by d one spirit we are al baptizd into one body , whether we be iewes or greacians , whether we bee bond or free , and haue bene all made to drinke into one spirit and the apostle layeth down the circumcision of the hart by the spirit : he is a iew which is one within , and the circumcision is of the heart in the spirit . so the same a postle tit. . . , according to the mercy of god he saued vs by the washing of the new birth , and the renewing e of the holy-ghost which he shed on vs aboundantly through iesus christ our sauiour . nothing can be fruitfull and profitable without his gratious worke in vs , he worketh and setteth the word of promise in our hearts , and therefore we must necessarily hold the blessed spirit to an inward part of the sacrament . now let vs proceed to the vses of this point , being the second inward part . is the spirit of god the sealer vp of the promises after that we beleeue according to the doctrine of the apostle . after that ye beleeued , f ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise ? then as often as we heare the promise vttered by the minister , it confirmeth vs that the father by his spirit woorketh the same in our harts . the water in baptisme , cannot by any force and vertue inherent in it , wash our consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing god , as it hath power to wash away the filth and corruption of our bodies . the bread and wine in the lords supper haue no inherent strength to nourish the soule to eternall life , as they haue to strengthen the body : they are instruments of the holy-ghost , who worketh by them to the great comfort of the faithfull . grace is not contained and shut vp in them , as water in a vessell , or as a medicine in a boxe : the spirit helpeth our infirmities , sealing vppe to our consciences the fruite of the word that is heard and of the sacrament all signes that are seene . againe , is the spirit of god an inward part of the sacramentes ? then we must learne and remember , that wee can neuer heare the worde or receiue the sacraments with fruite and comfort , without the speciall assistance and inward operation of the spirit of god. therefore the prophet ioyneth the spirit & word together . i will make this my couenant with thee ( saith the lord ) g my spirit that is vpon thee , and my words which i haue put in thy mouth , shall not depart 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 euer . a man indeed hath power to heare the word and to receiue the sacramentes , his will is free in these outwarde workes : but he hath no power or strength to do them with profitte and comfott , except it be giuen him from aboue . though we heare neuer somuch , though wee communicate neuer so osten , the spirit must open our hearts , as he opened the hart of lydia . so ioh. . that 〈◊〉 h which ye receiued of him dwelleth in you , and ye neede not that any man teach you , but as that same annointing teacheth you of all thinges , and it is true and is not lying . likewise act . peter preached the gospell to cornelius and his houshold , and while he yet spake to them , the i holy-ghost fell on them all which heard the word . so also the apost . being sent out with their commission , and commanded to preach the gospell to euery k creature , it is noted that they went forth , and preached euery where , and the lord wrought with them , and confirmed the worde with signes that followed . and ioh. . the l comforter , which is the holy-ghost , whom the father wil send in my name , he shal teach you all thinges and bring all thinges to your remembrance which i haue told you . pharaoh often heard moses and aaron , but he harkened not , but hardned his heart , because there was no inward touching or teaching of the spirit . the israelites had hearde and seene the wonderfull things of god , yet they profited not in faith , in repentance , in regeneration : and the reason is rendered , 〈◊〉 . . yee haue seene all m that the lord did before your eies in the lands of egypt vnto pharoah and vnto all his seruants and vnto al his land , the great tentations which thine cies haue seene , those great mycacles and wonders : yet the lord hath not giuen you an hart to perceiue , and eyes to see , and eares to heare vnto this day . when we come to heare the word , which is a word of power , of life , and of saluation , when wee come to receiue the sacramentes , which are signes of gods graces , and seales of his promises , we see many returne as ignorant , peruers , corrupt , froward , rebellious , hard-harted , and disobedient as they came to these ordinances of god : and whence commeth this ? how falleth it out ? and what may be the reason heereof ? surely it is not in him that n willeth , nor in him that runneth , but in god that sheweth mercy , who giueth eies to see , eares to heare , and heart to vnderstand , to whom he thinketh good in heauenly pleasure . wherefore our duty is , seeing the naturall man perceiueth not the things that are of the spirit of god , to pray vnto him to giue vs wisedome to see our corruptions , blindnes , ignorance , and hardnesse of hart . thirdly , doth the spirit worke in vs by the word ? are the word and spirit ioyned together ? and doth he teach vs by means of the word and sacra . then we must not separate the spirit from the worde and sacraments , as the anabaptistes do , o which depend vpon reuelations , and inward inspirations , vpon priuate motions and diuine illuminations without the word . they will not be taught by the word , they will not be strengthned by the sacramentes : but take away the vse of both , following their owne foolish fansies and deuilish dreames . they boast of the spirit of god , and are led by the spirit of the deuill . wee must for our direction and practise learne , that as to rest vpon the spirit without the word is phantasticall and heriticall , and the mother of all errors : so the word and sacraments without the spirit are no 〈◊〉 then a dead carcasse without life , an empty sound without substance , a naked shew without truth , an empty casket without the 〈◊〉 and there sore we must knit them together , and assure our selues that the spirite speaketh euidently in the scriptures , the spirit worketh effectually by the sacramentes , and the spirit helpeth our 〈◊〉 to profit by them . chap. ii. of the third inward part of a sacrament . thus much we haue spoken touching the holy spirit , being the . inward part : the 〈◊〉 inward part a is iesus christ crucified , the very subiect & substance of all sacraments . he was represented by 〈◊〉 meision and the pascall lambe : and he is represented in baptisme and in the lords supper . when we receiue the outward signes , god the father offereth his sonne and all his graces with him , to confirme our 〈◊〉 therby . the signe is but a figure and token : christ is the truth and substance . this we shewed before , ch. . in the discription of a sacrament , that therein christ and all his sauing graces are truely offered , sealed vp , and giuen to the faithfull that 〈◊〉 in his name . heereunto commeth the doctrine of the apostle , where hee teacheth that the iewish sacramentes being in the truth of them the same with ours , did signifie b christ , for they dranke of the spirituall rocke that followed them , and that rocke was christ. so he doth teach 〈◊〉 , that by baptisme we c put on christ , we are buried into his death , and are planted d into the similitude of his resurrection . wherefore , this is the vse and end of the sacraments , to lead our saith to the onely sacrifice of christ once offered vpon the crosse , as to the onely ground-worke and 〈◊〉 of our saluation : as touching the other sacrament , the same apostle sheweth , that the breaking of the bread sealeth vp the e communion of his body , and the pouring out the wine the communion of his blood . so then , this is an euident , plaine & manifest truth , confirmed by testimonies of the scripture , that christ is the matter and substance of a sacrament . heereby , we gather great strength of faith . if christ be offered withal his merits , then let vs lay hold vpon him and not let him go : let vs stretch forth the hand of faith , and receiue him into our harts . wherefore , when satan assaulteth vs , touching our faith in christ and assiance in his promises , perswading vs we are not elected , iustified , and indued with faith , & therby seeketh to cut off our hand from aplying , or to blind our eie from looking vpon the brasen serpent , that is , christ sitting at the right hand of his father : let vs run vnto him , let vs hunger and thirst after his righteousnes , let vs acknowledge him to be our wisdom , our rightiousnes , our sanctification , and redemption , and let vs looke for our saluation from him and in him . what though our faith be frail and weak ? what though it be as a graine of a mustard seede , which is very little and small ? what if it be but as the groth & strength of a child , which is ready to fal except he be staied vp ? yet this weak , this smal , this little , this fraile , this feeble faith , is able and sufficient to ingraft vs into christ . a childe taking a staffe in his hand , is able to hold it , as truely though not as strongly as a man : so if we lay hold vpon christ by faith , though we doe it with many wantes , and much weaknes , yet it shal serue and suffice vs to saluation . for god looketh not so much to the perfection as to the truth of faith , neither so much to the measure as to the maner of our beleeuing . euen as f the blinde man in the gospell , when he beganne to perceiue the mouing of men , and saw them walking as trees , when yet hee could not discerne their bodies , did as truely and certainely see them as other did , though not so cleerely , plainely , and distinctly : so when we haue the least sparke of faith , it will as truely assure vs of our saluation as a stronger . the poore prisoner that 〈◊〉 in a deepe and darke dungeou , may as wel discerne the light of the sunne at a little hole and creuisse , as he that walketh in the open ayre , so albeit wee bee compassed about with ignorance , doubtinges , weaknes , and manyfolde fraylties of the fleshe , yet by a dimme light and sighte of faithe , wee may certainely apply vnto vs the mercies of god and the merits of christ , as well as if we had a strong and perfect perswasion of our election & saluation before the foundations of the world . thus we see , howsoeuer the faithfull may be afflicted , yet g they are not distressed : though tempted , yet not ouerwhelmed : though cast down , yet they perish not , for h this is their victory that hath ouercome this world , euen their faith , wherby they apprehend iesus christ , who is offered of god the father in the sacramentes to all the faithfull . againe , if christ be giuen vs , how should not the father with him giue vs all things else ? as the i apostle concludeth . if god spared not his owne sonne , but gaue him for vs all to death : how shal he not with him giue vs al things also ? when we inioy him we inioy al things : if we want him it is nothing , though we abound in all things else . wherefore , when the father gaue him for vs , it is more then if he had giuen to us heauen and earth for hauing right and interest in him , we haue possession of al things , his righteousnes , his sanctification , his obedience , his innocency , and whatsoeuer he hath is made ours . he that hath christ who is the lord of al , cannot doubt but he is made partaker of that which is his . he that hath christ who is heir k of all things , may assure himselfe to be made fellow heire with him . this is it the l apostle saith . let no man reioyce in men : for al things are yours , whether it be paule or apollos , or cephas , or the the world , or life , or death , whether they be things present , or things to come , euen all are yours , and ye christs , and 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 of god the father is giuen vnto vs , his righteousnes and obedience becommeth wholy ours togither with him . he then that hath christ , hath all thinges : he that hath not christ , hath nothing , howsoeuer he thinke himselfe to be something . chap. . of the fourth inward part of a sacrament . the a last inwarde part of a sacrament is the faithfull receiuer , desiring , apprehending , receiuing , hungring and thirsting after christ. there is required a faithfull receiuer , if wee woulde receiue iesus christ , faith must of necessity goe before , without this there is no iustification , without this , there is no saluation , as rom. . whatsoeuer b is not of faith , is sunne . and heb. . without faith it is vnpossible to please god. iudas executed the function of an apostle , he was partaker of the passeouer : yet he ceased not to remaine an hypocrite , a deuill , and the child of perdition , c that the scripture might be fulfilled . neither was he bettered or sanctified by that sacrament , or by the vse therof ananias and sapphira his wife , d being in the number of disciples , wer no doubt baptized of the apostles , and had also receiued ofttimes the lordes supper , yet they continued in their wickednes , lyinge , and hypocrisie , the sacrament did not take away their wickednes , nor giue them a iustifying and sauing faithe , e which purifieth the hart by repentance and woorketh newe obedience in the soule . the like we haue said of simon the sorcerer , f who albeit he were baptized , yet remained in the gall of bitternes , and in the bond of iniquity . wherefore , the apostle teacheth , that the worde profited not , g because it was not mingled with faith in those that heard it . if the signes be receiued without faith , they hurt : not that gods giftes and ordinances hurt of themselues , but not being receiued aright , they hurt through our sin and default . as the worde not receiued by faith is an empty sound without force : so the sacrament is an vnprofitable and a naked shew without substance . wherefore , the sacraments in regard of the vnbeleeuers and vngodly are no sacraments to them , because to them they are not seales of the righteousnesse of faith . true it is , they remaine sacraments , in respect of god who offereth his owne sonne , but they lose their strength and force toward the vnfaithfull , that do abuse and contemne them , h as the apostle expresly teacheth , circumcision verilyts profitable if thou keepe the law : but if thou be a transgressor of the law , thy circumcision is become vncircumcision , the same apostle speaketh of such i as vsed the lords supper without true godlinesse and due preparation , saith , this is not to eate the lords supper , denying that to be , which was not done as it ought to be . wherefore , seeing the right vse of the sacraments is , when such as are truely conuerted vse them aright , we learne diuerse instructions that flow & follow from hence . first , that the reprobate ( though god offer the whole sacrament to them ) doe receiue the signes alone without the things signified : they haue the bare title without the thing , the vanishing shadow without the body , the outward letter without the spirit , the empty box without the oyntment , and the creature without the creator . they are washed with the element of water , but not with the grace of regeneration . they eate the bread and drink the wine : but they are not partakers of the body and blood of christ iesus to saluation . they eate k the bread of the lord , but they eate not the bread and the lord : because the signe , without the right and holy vse thereof , is not an auailable sacrament to the receiuer of it . wee see therefore the wicked partake not christ , although they partake the signes of christ , l as they that found his clothes , but missed his body . secondly , we see heereby , that the elect ordained to eternall life , but not yet called and conuerted to the lord , & to the obedience of his will , though they come often to the sacraments : yet do in like manner receiue the bare signes 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 . not with standing , that receiuing of the sacrament which for the time present was vnfruitfull and vnprofitable , shall after in them haue his good effect , as the corne that lieth long couered in the earth , at the length doth come vp and florish . for the sacrament receiued before a mans conuersion , is afterward to the beleeuer and penitent sinner ratified , and so becommeth profitable : wherby the vse of the sacrament , which before was vtterly voide and vnlawfull , doth then become lawfull and comfortable , as we see in the word heard without fruit & faith by an vnbeleeuer , is made a word of saluation afterward when he is conuerted . lastly , the elect already conuerted and sanctified by the spirit of god , do to their profit , comfort , and saluation receiue both the signe and the thing signified together : yet so , as that for their vnworthy receiuing thereof ( which hapneth through their manifold infirmities and often relapses into sin ) they are subiect to temporall punishments for the destruction of the flesh , that the spirit may be saued in the day of the lord iesus , m for this cause many are licke and weak among you , and many sleeps : for if we would iudge our selues , we should not be iudged of the lord. where the apostle teacheth , that god brought a iudgement vpon his owne house , and punished this church with weakenes , sicknesse , and death it selfe , for their vnreuerent , vnworthy , and disordered receiuing of the lords supper . although , many among them ( no doubt ) were elected , and all of them professed the gospel of the kingdome : yet god visited their want of preparation & reuerence with diuerse diseases and great mortality , n according to the threatning annexed to the law , if ye will not obey me , nor do all these comcaundements , if ye shall dispise mine ordinances , or your soule abhor my lawes , then wil i do this vnto you , i wil appoint ouer youfearfulnes , a consumption , and the burning ague to consume the eies and to make the heart heauy . and if ye walke stubbornly against me and will not obey me , i wil then bring seauen times moe plagues vpon you , according to your sinnes . wherefore , when we haue receiued grace to beleeue , and haue tasted the first-fruites of the spirit to the comfort of our soules , we must not be puffed vp in our knowledge , we must not grow secure , but stir vp the giftes of god in vs when they begin to wax faint : let vs seek to preuent his iudgments before they com , which we may do , by iudging our selus , by making inquiry into our own waies , and by searching the reines of our hartes , with purpose to condemne all ignorance , error , security , and vngodlinesse , and as it were to take punishment of our selues : then this would follow thereupon , we should not be iudged and punished of the lord. this then is the remedy to avoid the sin of vnworthy receiuing . a man thus visited with sicknes , weakenesse , and diuerse kinds of diseases , and smitten with the stroke of gods own hand , cannot possibly be restored by any creature in heauen or earth : & yet behold the lord hath not left vs without meanes to remoue them and take them away , to wit , by taking away the cause , that we may remoue the effects . the cause of these punishmentes is taken away by iudging our selues . now a man in iudging of himselfe o must performe foure things . he must examine himselfe of his sinnes . he must confesse them , and himselfe to be guilty , as the poore prisoner that standeth at the bar . no denying of the fact , no defending of the fault , no hiding of the offence , no iustifieng of our person can procure our pardon : the way to haue for giuenes , is to acknowledge our own wickednes . he must condemn himselfe , and giue sentence against himself without partiality , . he must plead pardon for the remission of his sins , and neuer rest , vntil he giue him peace of conscience , and restore him to the ioyof his saluation . chap , . of the fir st v se ofa sacrament . hitherto of the parts of a sacra . both outward and inward : now we come to the vses therof . for vnlesse we know the vse , and vnderstand the end why they were ordained , it shal not profit vs to know the parts . every thing must be referred to his right vses and propper endes : so must the sacramentes be . the endes are especially a these three . first , to strengthen faith . secondly , to seale the couenant betweene god and vs. thirdly , to bee a badge of our profession . touching the first end , the sacraments serue for the better confirmation of our faith , as appeareth . where the apostle hauing set down the drowning of the world , and the preseruing of noah by the arke , he saith our baptisme b directly answereth that tipe , which is a taking to witnesse of a good conscience , and sauing vs by the resurrection of christ. so then , by faith confirmed in baptisme , we haue an infallible assurance in the death of christ of our saluation . many indeed come to the sacraments , are present at baptisme , are partakers of the lords supper , that feele no strength of faith , no increase of gods graces , no spiritual groth in the body of christ , so that they worke not saluation in them , but further their condemnation . for the sacramentes ( as we haue shewed ) giue not grace , but more firmely , surely , and comfortably confirme faith , they apply and seale vp christ crucified . the sacraments cannot giue faith to the faithlesse , neither were they instituted to the end men should beleeue but because they do beleeue : as meat was not giuen that men should learne to eate , but that the eating might be nourished . faith indeede receiueth them , c and then they serue to nourish it . and they confirme not faith by any inherent power included in them , but the holy spirit applyeth christ to vs , and frameth this comfortable conclusion in our hearts , all such as are conuerted and do rightly vse the sacraments , shal receiue christ , and al his sauing graces : but i am conuerted & do rightly vse the sacraments : therfore i shal receiue christ & his graces . thus doth the cōforter comfort al those that come rightly & religiously to the lords table . now , if we would enquire and search after the reasons of this first end , we should find that one cause why they confirme 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 promises of god in christ are yea and are in him amen , vnto the glory of god through vs. for 〈◊〉 princes seales confirme their charters , assure their grantes , and make certaine their pardons : so do gods sacraments witnesse to our hearts and consciences , that his words and promises are true and are established to continue for euer . for as he declareth his mercies by his word , so he sealeth and assureth them by his sacraments . againe , this appeareth by the example of abraham , who first beleeued the promise , and it was imputed to him for righteousnes being yet vncircumcised , and afterward receiued the signe of circumcision as the seale of the righteousnes of faith , as the apostle e teacheth we say that faith was imputed vnto abraham for righteousnes : how was it then imputed ? when he was circumcised , or vncircumcised ? not when he was circumcised , but when hee was vncircumcised , &c. where he sheweth that abraham was iustified in vncircumcision , but yet was afterwarde circumcised , that the gifte of righteousnes might be confirmed in him . the f eunuche likewise beleeued before hee receiued baptisme , and therefore it sealed vp the increase of his faith and of gods graces . and act . they that gladlie receiued the wordes of peter , g were baptized . and. as peter preached to cornelius and others of the gentlies , the holy-ghost fel on them all which heard the word , and he said , can any forbid water that these shoulde not bee baptized , which haue receiued the holy-ghost as wel as we ? so he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the lord. wherefore , when the minister washeth with water , it representeth our buriall with christ , into his death , and our rising again with him into newnes of life . as bread norisheth and strengthneth man : so the body of christ taken by faith , feedeth the soule . 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 , and whose bloud is drink indeed , and we are comforted . let vs nowe come to the vses , as we haue seene the reasons . and first of all , do the sacraments serue to strengthen our faith ? then let vs all acknowledge our failings and infirmities : let vs labor more and more to feele the weakenes and wantes of our owne faith . true it is , if our faith were perfect and entire lacking nothing , h we should not neede the sacraments . we must not therefore abstaine from them for the weakenes of our faith , but for that cause come to god and to the sacramēts of god , praying for strength and confirmation thereof , i as that father did , whose sonne was possessed with a dumbe spirit when christ saide to him , if thou canst beleeue , all things are possible to him that beleeueth he answered crying with teares lord i beleeue , help mine vnbeleese . and luk. . the apostles k say to the lord , increase our faith . vndoubtedly he that neuer doubted , neuer beleeued : for whosoeuer in truth beleeueth , feeleth sometimes doubrings and wauerings of his faith . even as the sound body feeleth oftentimes the grudginges of a feuer and distemperature of the body , which if he had not health he could neuer finde and feele : so the faithfull soule findeth sundry doubtings , which if his faith were not sound , he covld not diseerne . for , we feele not corruption by corruption , nor sinne by finne , l because when the strong man possesseth the house , all things are in peace : but we feele sinne and perceiue corruption in vs by a contrary grace of gods spirit . the lesser and smaller measure of grace we haue , the lesser is our feeling : and the more grace we haue the more quick we are in feeling of corruption . what is the reason , that many haue no light of sinne , no feeling of their corruption , no tentations , no trembling , no terror , no feare of gods wrath , but wholly liue , lie , and dye in their lustes ? surely , because they are without grace , without gods spirit , and without his inward worke in them . but the faithfull , who are not led by the slesh but liue by the spirit , are often tempted , assailed , tormoyled , tryed , and prouoked to many euils , according to the m words of our blessed sauiour , simon , simon , behold satan hath desired to winnow you as wheat , but i haue prayed for thee that thy faith faile not , therefore when thou art conuerted , strengthen thy bretheren . asa man carried vp and set vpon an high to wer or on the pinicle of a temple , and ther fast bound in chaines of iron that he cannot fall although he would , when he looketh down , feareth , and al his ioynts tremble , because he is not acquainted and accustomed to mount vp so high in the aire , and to behold the earth so farre beneath : but when he remembreth himselfe and perceiueth himselfe fast bound and out of all danger , then he conceiueth constant hope of continuing , and casteth away all feare of falling : so when we looke down-ward vpō our selues and our owne waies , we haue doubtings , wauerings , astomshments , horrors , terrors , tremblings , and feares : but when we looke vpwards , to be hold the sweet consolation which god hath promised , christ hath purchased , the word hath published , the holy-ghost hath sealed , and euery beleeuer hath tasted , wee feele our selues sure , and cease to doubt any more . for faith though assaulted with doub tings , may be certain . the sunne alwaies shineth in the firmament , though the clouds haue couered it , and the light appeare not . the tree hath life in it , though it be not in winter discerned . so faith hath his assurance and perswasion , though it bee shaken with doubtings and assaulted with tentations . wherfore , so often as we feele these doubtings and imperfections , let vs set against them the certainty of gods truth : let vs set before vs the vnchangablenes of his promises : let vs draw neere to the holy sacraments , and therby seeke strength and increase offaith . moreouer , was this one end of the sacramentes to strengthen faith ? then god refuseth and 〈◊〉 none for weakenes of faith . for a weak 〈◊〉 his a true faith , as well as a strong faith . a leprous hand can hold that which is offered vnto it , as wel as a sound and strong hand , albe it not so strongly : so is it with faith , though it be feeble & as a grain of mustard seed , yet if it be vnfained , it wil aply christ effectually , which weaknes leaueth god in vs as a meanes to stir vs vp to go to the sacraments . we read that dauid called lame n 〈◊〉 to his table , therby honoring the son for the fathers sake : so doth god receiue vs al deformed and defiled to his heauenly supper . and as mephibosheth professed himselfe vnworthy to eat bread at the kings table , saying , what is thy seruant , that thou shouldst looke on such a dead dog as i am ? so must we confes our vnworthines , and be o contented with the crums of his grace , that fal from his heauenly table . and thus acknowledging our selues to be blind , he will restore vs : to bee poor , he wil inrich vs : to be wounded , he wil cure vs : to be captiues , he wil deliuer vs : to besick , he wil heale vs : to be weake , he will strengthen vs : to be lost , he will saue vs : to be hungry and thirsty , he will resresh vs : to be broken-hearted , he wil binde vs vp : to be sold vnder sinne , he wil ransome and 〈◊〉 vs. thirdly , it reacheth vs to abhor the absurdity of bellarmine , a factour and at turney of the church of rome , p who denieth that the sactamentes are seales of the promises , or serue to 〈◊〉 and confirme our faith , and to assure vs of free remission of sinnes by the death of christ. contrary to that we heard before , in the example of abraham , who receiued circumcision to seale vp & assure his iustification , by faith , whose example is set forth to shew how all men are 〈◊〉 before god , q and what is the vse of the sacraments in all that are partakers of them . so doth baptisme seale vp to vs gods promises in christ , and assureth the remission of sinnes , r as peter teacheth . lastly , if the chiefe end of the sacramentes , and of the ordinance of god in the institution of them , be to confirme faith , and to assure vs of regeneration , mortification , sanctification , iustification , remission , and saluation : then how say so me , we cannot be assured in this life of our standing in the estate of grace , of the forgiunesse of sinnes , and of our adoption in christ ? doth not the s holy ghost testifie vnto vs particularly the adoption of children , the remission of sinnes , and saluation of our soules ? as rom. . we haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare , but the spirit of adoption , whereby we cry abba father : the spirit beareth witnesse with our spirits , that we are the children of god. in these words , gods sanctifieng spirit , and our sanctified spirit , are made the two witnesses of our adoption . this we must certainly beleeue by faith . and this made the apostle t most confident in the end of the same ch. saying , i am perswaded , that neither death , nor life , nor angels , nor principalities , nor powers , nor things present , nor things to come , nor height , nor depth , nor any other creature , shal be able to separate us from the loue of god which is christ iesus our lord. if any obiect , we may hope well for forgiuenesse of sinnes , but we cannot beleeue the same . i answer , faith and hope cannot be separated , they do 〈◊〉 as louing frends accompany each other , they are neuer sundered and diuided , so that if we may be assured of our saluation by hope , it followeth we may be certainely perswaded . true hope followeth true faith , as the effect doth the cause , and no man can truely hope , that is not truely assured . besides , this is the property of hope , u it neuer maketh any ashamed , they shall not be confounded and disappointed , they shall attaine vnto the thing hoped for , according to the doctrine of the apostle , experience bringeth forth hope , and hope maketh not ashamed , because the loue of god is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy-ghost , which is giuen vnto us . hitherto of the first end of a sacrament . chap. . of the second vse of a sacrament the second end of a sacrament is this , a it serueth to be a seale of the couenant betweene god and vs , that he will be our god , and we will be his people , as gen. . i am god b all susficient , walke before me , and be vpright . the sacramentes are assured testimonies and confirmations of the fauour and goodwil of god , who is wel pleased toward vs in christ his sonne . by them as by certaine pledges giuen and receiued , god of great mercy doth as it were binde himselfe to vs , and we binde our selues to him to remaine his people & to walke in obedience before him . 〈◊〉 was a seale of gods promise to abraham , & a seale of abrahams faith and obedience toward god. but let vs see what c this couenant is , what are the articles of agreement betweene god and vs , and what things each part interchangably couenanteth and contracteth each toward other . the couenant of god in respect of himselse , hath . parts . he promiseth , d first of all , forgiuenesse of our sinnes . the deliuerer shall come out of sion , and shal turne away the vngodlinesse from iacob , and this is my couenant to them , when i shall take away their sinnes . secondly the adoption c of sonnes and acceptation of vs to be his children , ioyned with the promise of his continuall fauor , loue , grace , and protection , as ier. . behold , the dayes come , ( saith the lord , ) that i will make a newe couenant with the house of israell and with the house of iudah , not according to the couenant that i made with their fathers , when i took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of egipt , the which my couenant they brake , although i was an husband vnto them , saith the lorde : but this shall be the couenaunt that i will make with the house of israell , after those dates saith the lord , i will put my lawe in their inward parts , and write it in their hearts , and i will be their god , and they shall be my people . be hold , the indenture of couenants written by the finger of god , wherein for better assurance he hath bound himselfe to forgiue our sinnes , and promised to be our mercifull god. and to the ende there might be a paire of these indentures , interchangeably giuen each to other party ; the lord by the hand of the apostle , hath drawne as it wer the counterpane of the former word for word , expressed as it is in the prophet , f so that we haue a pair of indentures of couenants , to shew the stablenes of gods counsel . the , part of the couenant in respect of god is , g the promise of the full possession of the heauenly inheritaunce and of eternall glory after this life . god shall wipe away all teares from their eies , and there shall bee no more death , neither sorrow , neither crying , neither shall there be any more paine , for the first things are passed : he that ouercommeth , shal inherit al things : again to him that h ouercommeth will i giue to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paraolice of god , he shall not be hurt of the second death : he shall haue power giuen him ouer the nations , and rule them with a rod of iron : he shall be cloaethed with white array , and i will not put his name out of the booke of life : he shal be a pillar in the temple of god , and shall go no more out . i will grant to him to sit with me in my throne , euen as i ouercam , & sit with my father in his throne . thus we see , how god on his part , by writinges and euidences promiseth to giue to his people remission of sins , adoption of sons , and possession of heauen , he hath couenanted by word and by oth to perform these things : neither is he as man that he should lie , nor as the son of man that he shold deceiue . these are great grāts , of great blessings by our great god , to the great good and comfort of his children . for what greter blessings can ther be , then being miserable sinners , to be gratiously pardond ? being 〈◊〉 enimies , to be freely accepted as sonnes ? being bondslaues and prisoners of hel , we are made heirs of heauen and saluation ? againe , the couenant on our part requireth . conditions . first , faith to god , l to beleeue his promises . god so loued the worlde , that hee hath giuen his onely begotten sonne , that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish , hut haue euerlastiug life . again let not your hart bee troubled , ye beleeue in god , beleeue also in me . and with the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnes , and with the mouth man confesseth vnto saluation : for the scripture saith , whosoeuer beleeueth in him , shall not be ashamed . secondly , god requireth of vs loue towarde our brethren : for seeing he hath shewed so great loue toward vs , k he exacteth loue of us again , as io. exhorteth , beloued , let vs loue one another , for loue commeth of god , and euery one that loueth is borne of god , and knoweth god : heerein was the loue of god made in unfest among vs , because god sent his onely begotten son into this world , that we might liue through him : beloued , if god so loued vs , we ought also to loue one another . thirdly , he requireth as a necessary couenant to be kept on our part , holines and true obedience throughout the whole course l of our life and conuersation . this is repeated and vrged in many places of the word of god , when they said they would serue the l. their god and obey his voice , ioshua made a couenant with them the same day , ioyning god and the people togither . so also 〈◊〉 stood by the pillar and made a couenant before the l. that they shold walk after the l. and keep his commandements and his testimonies and his statutes , withal their hart & withal their soul. likewse , to the same purpose we read , , chron. . they made 〈◊〉 to seek the l. god of their fathers : and whosoeuer wil not seek the l , god of israel , shal be 〈◊〉 , whether he be sinal or great , man or woman . thus we see the conditions of the couenaunt , both what hee promiseth to doe , and what hee looketh for at our hands . hee requireth of vs faith , loue , and obedience to become his people , if we will haue him to be our god. all these three parts of the couenant , l are mentiioned and expressed , this is his commandement , that we heleeue its the name of his sonne iesus christ , and loue one another as he gaue commaundement : for he that keepeth his commaundements , 〈◊〉 in him , and he in him : and hcereby we know that he adideth in vs , euen by the spirit that he hath giuen vs. the vses of the seconde end of a sacrament are , first to beholde the exceeding loue of god to ward his people vnworthy of his fauour . can there be a greater loue then this ? certainely such as know the great rigour of the law , the infinit iustice of god , and the heauy burthen of sin : and feele god to arraigne them , the law to endite them , their consciences to accuse them , and their hearts to condemne them , do finde nothing sweeter then to be eased of that burden , to be acquitted of that iudge , and to be freed from that condemnation . for of all burdens sinne is the heauiest , of all afslictions it is the greatest : of all paines it is the sharpest , and often presseth downe to the gates of hell . wherefore , such as feele gods mercy in their misery , m may cry out with the prophet in the reioysing of their spirit , blessed is he , whose wickednes is lightned , and u hose sinne is couered , blessed is the man , vnto whom the lord imputeth not iniquitse . againe , let euery one be carefull to keepe the former conditions of the couenant , which are , to loue him againe , and our brethren for his sake , n and to walke in holines and righ eousnes before him all the daies of our life . our sauiour christ directing our loue to our brethren , and teaching that the ftreames there of shoulde slow vnto our enemies , she weth that if we loue them which loue vs , o the publicans doe the same : and if we be friendly to our brethren onely , this is no singular thing . behold p what loue the father hath giuen vnto vs , that we should be called the sonnes of god : he loued us gratiously and free'y : he loued vs when we were enemics nvto him , and spared not his owne sonne but gaue him to death for vs all : doe not these thinges deserue loue againe ? are we not bound to shew duty for these mercies , and loue to our brethren for this loue of our god ? and yet many regard , neither these blessings of god , neither to walke in vprightnes of hart before him . chap. . of the third vse of a sacrament . thus much of the second vse : the third vse of the sacraments , a is to be badges and markes of our christian profession , that therby one of vs should acknowledge an other to be of one houshold and of one family , of one society and as it were birds of one feather . for heereby we doe manifest whose we are , whom weserue , to what house we belong , and to what people and church : we are thereby gathered into one religion , and distinguished from other sects : b we are gathered into one church , and knit together in one , as eph. . remember that ye being in times past gentiles in the flesh , c and called vncircumcision of them which are caled circumcision in the flesh made with hands , ye were at that time without christ , without god , without hope , but now in christ iesus ye which once were farre off , are made neare by the blood of christ. the iewes by circumcision were distinguished from other people , d and the name of vncircumcifed was reprochfull , they were accounted vncleane & vnholy persons , for the vncircum cised males wer to be e cut off from the number of the people of god . so by baptisme we are seperated from all other religions , and are consecrated only to christian religion : and such as continue vnbapti sed with contempt of that sacrament , we take them not for our brethren , nor for the people of god , nor for members of his church , because they refuse to take the sacrament of baptisme , as the badge and cognizance by which they shoulde be known : such as are athiests , infidels , sarazens , turkes , persians , moores , iewes , and other nations that want this mark to be discerned to belong to the family of christ . christ iesus sending out his apostles bad them teach and baptize the gentiles , f to whom he directed them : therefore where the word and sacraments are , there is a church and congregation of the people of god . and he that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued . and hereunto commeth that saying when the apostles had exhorted the people to amend their liues , and to saue themselues from that froward generation , then they that gladly receiued the word were baptized : and they continued in the apostles doctrin , and fellowship , and breaking of bread , and prayers , and the same day there was added to the church three thou sand soules . thus we see that by the sacraments as by certaine bandes and chains , god knitteth and bindeth his people to himselfe , and keepeth them in his couenant , least they shold fall away to infidelity . and the people are warned , that by these outward signes they differ from the barbarous and vnbeleeuing gentiles , and consequently should indeuour and prouide that they likewise differ from them in those thinges that are signified by those signes . this osfereth to our considerations very good vses . first , heereby we are put in mind of our dignity and excellencie . such is our priuiledge and prerogatiue , that we do bear the badges of christ our lord. how do men in this world desire to weare the cloath and shroud themselues vnder the badges of great persons of countenance to protect them ? how much greater preferment is it to be the seruants of christ , to be gathered vnder his wings , and to be his disciples , whose seruice is perfect g freedome and protection from all euils ? and whose badges are instrumentes of his sauing graces ? if this be the glory of the faithfull , let vs seeke to maintain our dignity and freedom , h according as iohn teacheth , beholde what loue the father hath giuen to vs , that we shoulde be called the sonnes of god , for this cause the world knoweth you not , because it knoweth not him . and againe in his gospell , as manie as receiued christ , to them he gaue prerogatiue to be sonnes of god , euen to them that beleeue in his name , which are borne not of blood , nor of the flesh , nor of the wil of man , but of god . whereas on the other side , the estate and condition of vngodly men is base , vile , miserable , and contemptible , they liue to themselues and to sinne , they die to iudgement and condemnation . what can be more fearfull ? what can be more wretched ? secondly , if we weare the cloath and badge of christ , then we must be bold in the faith , and holde out our profession notwithstanding dangers and fear of death . for we serue one that is able to beare vs out . we see how men belonging to those that are of high place , are many times imboldned ther by in lewd practises : how much more ought we that haue learned christ , to be incoraged in the faith , and not to shrink back for fear of offence ? this was the commendation of the church of i pergamus . i know thy works , and where thou dwellest , euen where satans throne is and thou keepest my name , and hast not denied my faith , euen in those daies , when antipas my faithful martir was slaine among you , where satan dwelleth . so christ our sauiour k taught his disciples . whosoeuer shal confesse me before men , him 〈◊〉 i confesse also before my father which is in heauen : but who soeuer shal deny me before men , him wil i also denie before my father which is in heauen . wherefore , this condemneth those that say , i will keepe my conscience to my selfe , none shall know my religion but god and my selfe , i will not be to forward for feare of after reckonings , nor any way countenance such as be forward . these men , while they suppose to keep their religion to themselues , do indeed proclaime openly that they are of no religion . for if they did truly beleeue in their harts , they would likewise confesse with their tongues , according to the saying of the l apostle , if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the lord iesus , & shalt beleeue in thine hart that god him raised from the dead , thou shalt be saued : for with the hart man beleeueth vnto righteousnes , and with the mouth man confesseth vnto saluation . and m the apostle iames teacheth vs to trye faith by workes , as gold by the touchstone , chap , . shew me thy faith by thy works , and i wil snew thee my faith by my works . so then , let vs not be ashamed of the n gospell of christ , which is the power of god to saluation to euerie one that beleeueth , and not shrink for troble as deceitfull cloath in the wetting , least our maister be ashamed of vs before his father and the holy angels . th'rdly , if the sacraments be as badges to shew foorth our profession : then it condemneth those that speake euill of men as too precise , too nise , too pure for , their profession , because they run not into the same excesse of ryot with others . these are not too precise but such as scoffe at al profession are too prophane . it is good to be earnest in the matters of god , prouided that our zeale be tempered with discretion , and all newtets be odious to god , o as it is said to the church of the laodiceans , i knowe thy workes , that thou art neither cold nor hot : i woulde thou werest colde or hotte : therefore because thou art luke warme and neither colde nor hot , it shall come to passe ; that i shall spew thee out of my mouth . wherefore , let vs not be discouraged in wel-doing , but walking through good report and euill report , let vs remember that as christ is our lord and master , so our profession and the sacraments are our badges . lastly , we see what our estate and condition is , that we are not our owne , but are subiect to christ to serue him . for we do beare his badge ? then he is our maister . if he bee our maister , p where is the feare and reuerence due vnto him ? is it not meet we shoulde shewe our selues thankefull for so great mercies and gifts ? were it not intollerable vnthankefulnes and vnsufferable pride , for any man to wear the cognizance of another , and yet to scorne his seruice , and deny him duty ? might not one worthily check and controul him as christ did the 〈◊〉 , who vnwillingly paid such taxes and tributes as were laid vpon them ? hee called for a penny , q & said unto them , whose image and superscription is this ? they said vnto him , caesars . he ansuered , giue therefore to caesar the things that are caesars , and giue to god the thinges that are gods. so likewise might one say fitly , whose badge wearest thou ? whose armes bearest thou on thysleeue ? doth not this put thee in mind of thy state and condition , and of the seruice and honor thou owest thy maister ? in like manner may it be said to vs , whose badge bearest thou ? is it not christes ? we are not therefore our owne men , r as the apostle reasoneth and concludeth , . cor. . know yee not that your bodie is the temple of the holy-ghost , which is in you , whome ye haue of god ? and ye are not your owne . for you are bought with a price , therfore , glorifie god in your body & in your spirit , for they are gods. so many therefore as come without knowledge and true repentance : break their faith giuen to christ , and betray the body of christ as much as in them lyeth wherefore to the right vse and partaking of the sacraments , there is required the knowledge of god in three persons , especialy of the persō of christ , perfect god and perfect man , and of his three offices to saue his people : to be their priest , perfectly by his sacrifice to reconcile and iustifie them : to be their king , by the gouernement of his church , to kill sin in them & to sanctifie them , to be their teacher , to instruct them in the wil of his heauēly father . after these is required true faith , and earnest repentance , otherwise we , cannot receiue s christ in the sacraments . put food into the mouth of a dead man , it cannot nourish him : so if one that is vnworthy and vnfit , lying dead & rotting in his sin do come to the sacramēts , certainly they do not giue him life and worthines , t but such a one doth lade himselfe with a greater burden of sin and punishment . whosoeuer shall eat this bread and drinke the cup of the lord vnworthily , shall be guiltie of the bodie and blood of the lorde , he eateth and drinketh his 〈◊〉 iudgement , because he discerneth not the lords bodie . chap . of the number of sacraments . hitherto we haue spoken of the chiefe vses of the sacraments : now we are come to speake a of the number of sacraments , according as we take the name and haue declared the nature of them . let vs see then howe manie such visible signes and seales of spirituall grace in the new testament , were iustituted of god to set forth the benefits of christ , for the continuall vse of the church . many liue in the bosom of the church , hear the word , come to publick praier , take themselus to be goodly christians , offer themselues to the lordes table , and are made partakers of the sacrament , who yet are ignorant how many sacraments ther are , & what they are . none almost so simple but can number his sheep and cattel : he knoweth their marks . he knoweth their differences : but aske him how many commaundements 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 answere nothing . such haue their wits wholly exercised on the world , and on wordly things which iustle out religion & the knoledge of heauenly things . if we haue eares to heare let vs heare what is the faith os the church in this point , grounded vpon the infallible rule and rocke of the word of god. the sacraments of the church ordained by christ , to assure our communion with him are onely two : b baptisme , whereby we are receiued into the couenant of god in steed of circumcision : and the lordes supper , whereby we are nourished , maintained , and retained therein , insteed of the passeouer . for albeit the couenant be but one , yet the seales there of are two , to assure vs that by vnion with christ , we are regenerated and shall be nourished to eternall life . he hath deliuered vs a few sacraments insteade of many , he coulde haue instituted moe if he had thought it good for the benefit of the church these are as it were the two eies wherby we see and behold the promises of god. these are as the two hands , whereby we after a sort do handle christ crucified and lay hold on the graces of saluation . christ hath appointed no mo sacraments , he hath laide on vs an easie yoke and a light burden . that these two , are the onely sacraments of the new testament , may appear by these few reasons c following . first christ taught no more to his apostles , the apostles deliuered no mo to the churches , the churches embraced no moe for many yeares . when the lord iesus liued on the earth , d he instituted baptisme by the ministery of iohn baptist , who as he was sent to prepare the harts of the people , so he preached the baptisme of repentance : afterward the lord iesus established it with his owne mouth , in the commission giuen to his disciples , he appointed and himself first administred his last supper in remembrance of his deth , vntil his . comming againe with power and great glory . these two true sacraments of the church , to wit , baptisme and the lords supper were instituted and warranted by the mouth of christ himselfe , and none other beside these . these we receiue because christ ordained them : other we receiue not , because he ordained them not . secondly , the apostle paule admonisheth the corinthians to beware of idolatry , not to slatter themselues , or to think themselues the members of christ , and therefore should escape the iudgment of god , because they had the sacraments : for the church of the israelites had as great priuiledges as they , they had the same sacramentes , 〈◊〉 e the same baptisme , the same supper in substaunce and effect , yet god was not pleased with them , but ouerthrew them in the wildernes . if then the corinthians had any moe then these two , they might haue iustly replied , we grant indeed , in respect of these they are equall with vs , but we haue other which they had not , wherein they are inferiour to vs , and we superiour to them , and therefore are preferred before them . if then the apostles reason conclude strongly , we may hence gather directly , that there are onely two and no other sacraments , because the apostle mentioneth no moe , where hee purposeth to set forth the priuiledges of the iewes , and to make them equall with the gentiles . wherefore we must receyue two sacraments onely , or else the apostle hath reasoned weakely . furthermore , the same apostle , , corinthians . purposinge to shewe that manie members of the church are one bodie in christ coupled by him as by ioyntes , prooueth this pointe by a full enumeration of the sacramentes , being pledges of our settinge into the body of christ and continuall nourishment in the same , when he saieth , f as by one spirit we are all baptized into one body , whether iewes or gentiles , so we haue al 〈◊〉 made to drink into one spirit . where the apostle sheweth , that al the faithfull by the effectuall woorking of the holy-ghoast are made one body in christ , which hee confirmeth by the two sacraments of baptisme and the lords supper , without mention of any moe . moreouer , another reason may be framed , by comparing the church of the iewes with the churches of the christians in regard of their ordinary sacraments . there are no mo sacraments deliuered in the gospel , then were prefigured vnder the law : for their sacraments were g types answering to our sacramenst , as . pet. . our baptisme answereth the figure of the waters , representing the same that our baptisme doth . true it is , the sacramentes of the olde testament were not h figures of the sacraments of the new testament , for then their sacraments should be the sign , and ours shuld be the thing signified : and so there should be sacraments of sacraments , which were foolish and absurd . againe , the iewish sacramentes should be signes of things altogither vnknowne vnto them and not giuen them of god , for they were vtterly ignorant of baptisme and the lordes supper . besides , that auncient people should be saued by beleeuing baptisme and the lords supper to come : for doubtlesse they were saued by beleeuing that which their sacraments did signifie : but they were not saued by beleeuing baptisme and the lords supper , but by beleeuing in christ to come . lastly , the old sacramentes should haue one signification , and the new another ; for the old should signifie the new , and the new shold signifie christ and his benefits . notwithstanding , the sacraments of the new testament succeede in the room of those of the old , and signifie the same thinges that they doe , baptisme k came in place of circumcision , and the lords supper is come in place of the paschall lamb , as appeareth in that it was administred presently after it , l to declare the abrogating of the one and establishing of the other . as then ther was the same faith and the same way of saluation by christ , m who was the lambe slame from the beginning of the worlde , n he was yesterday and to day , and the same for euer : so had the iewish rites respect to o christ , and all of them are reduced to our two sacraments . wherefore , as the iewes had onely two ordinary p sacramentes , circumcision and the passeouer , as appeareth . if a straunger dwell with thee , and will obseiue the passeouer of the lord , let him circumcise all the males that belong vnto him : so the ordinary sacramentes of christes church are baptisme and the lords supper agreeing to the same . now the . other sacraments newly inuented , were not prefigured in the law , they succeed not in the place of their ceremonies , they are not an swerable to any types of iewish rudiments , therefore they are no sacraments . fiftly , these two sacraments , baptisme and the lords supper , are altogither perfect and sufficient , not onely to enter and plant a christian into the church , but also to retaine him in it : and therefore all other are friuolous , vaine , and superstitious , as superfluous braunches to be pared away . now , that they are sufficient to these purposes , appeareth by the effects and vses of them . what other grace can we haue , then to be borne againe in christ , to haue iustification , forgiuenes of sinnes , and all priuiledges of eternall life ; and then afterward to be norished and kept continually in him . al these are fullie represented and sealed vp to vs in these two : wherup on it followeth , that christ , who ordained the fewest and best sacramentes vnder the gospell , appointed these and no moe . thus then we may gather , that by the institution of christ , by the argument of the apostle , by comparison of the iewish ceremonies , and by the sufficiency of the two sacraments of baptisme and the lords supper , that these are the onely two sacraments , the rest are forged and counterfait sacraments , they seale not vppe christ , q they neuer flowed out of his side , r from whence yssued onely water and bloud . lastly , this number of . sacraments appeareth , not only by the testimony of ancient fathers , but by the confession of the aduersaries . for howsoeuer in many other controuersies , their wordes are many , and their argumentes probable and very specious : yet for the auouching of . sacramentes , they are dumbe and silent , and are not able to produce the reuerent witnesses of the elder time . bellarmine proueth the word s sacrament , sometimes to be giuen to al the 〈◊〉 : but this is when the word is taken in a large and generall signification , for any misticall signe and token , t which may signifie some other thing , and may more properly be called a signe then a sacrament , as the couering of the head in the woman was a signe of subiection : laying on of hands in ordination of the ministry is a signe of 〈◊〉 separation to that worke , and of gods presence to assist them with his grace and blessing : the saboth day was a signe of the heauenly rest . in this sense augustine calleth the u mistery of the trinity a sacrament ; and fire a sacrament , because by the heat , light , and shining brightnesse thereof , the trinity may be shadowed out . besids , a the late warn-word , pag. . handling this controuersie of the number of sacraments , doth not proue the number of . sacraments out of the scripture , neither goeth about it , neither is able to deriue it further then the counsell of florence holden in the yeare . and from peter lumbard , b who was indeede the father and first finder and founder of this number ofseuen . augustine , when he speaketh of sacraments in the strict and proper signification , & taketh them for holy signes and seales , not only signifieng , but representing and exhibiting spiritual graces , commaunded by christ , succeeding in the roome of the iewish two ordinary sacraments , and offering christ to all faithful receiuers , reckneth them as we do , c haec sunt ecclesiae gemina sacramenta . . these be two sacraments of the church . and in one other place , d christ and his apostles haue deleuered vnto vs a few sacraments in stead of many , as baptisme and the lords supper . so s. ambrose intreating purposely e of the sacraments , speaketh but of two , as the reformed churches hold at this day . innocentius the third speaking also of them , f onely maketh mention of those two which we receiue , not of the rest which we refuse . yea thomas of aquine the chiefe doctour of the papistes holdeth heerein the truth , g teaching that the forme of bapt. and of the lords supper is found in the scripture , but not of the other pretended sacraments , and namely of extreame vnction . to conclude , h cardinall bessarion confesseth this , haec duo sola sacramenta in euangelijs manifestè tradita legimus , that is , we read that these two onely sacraments were deliuered vs manifestly and plainly in the gospell . now let vs come to the vses of this diuision . in that christ hath appointed so few sacraments in number : hereby appeareth the great loue of god toward vs : he hath not laid a burden vpon vs which neither we nor our fathers were able to beare , but charged vs with two sacramentes onely : whereas he might haue deliuered other moe vnto vs. the ceremoniall law was a very heauy burden pressing downe the fathers of the olde testament , and keeping them i in great bondage : now the yoke is broken and we are deliuered . as we see the like mercy of god , in teaching a short for me of prayer , as a perpetuall direction to the church , and in deliuering the ten commaundements diuided into two tables : so he hath not troubled vs with many sacraments : whereby also our nature prone to idolatry is respected , and the grace of the new testament is wonderfully amplyfied . we see how superstition & grosse idolatry haue preuailed in the church of rome , and infected with deadly poison one of the sacramentes : how much greater danger were it , if moe sacraments had beene commaunded and commended vnto vs. againe , heereby we may perceiue and conceiue the difference betweene the old and new testament , between the sacramentes vnder the law and these vnder the gospell , k betweene those giuen to the iewes and these retained among christians . for ours are few in number , theirs were many in number , the arke , circumcision , the passeouer , manna , the cloud , the sea , the rock , many purifications & oblations which are not easie to be numbred . but the gospell acknowledgeth onely two , as two twins of the same father . hee reunto wee may adde not vnprofitably , other material differences to be acknowledged . they 〈◊〉 in time : ours shew forth our communion with christ already come and so are more firme and durable as those l which are not to be chāged , to the end of the world , ye shew the lords death til he come . their sacraments were ordained onely vntill the comming of christ , because they shewed and pointed out christ to come , so that the worke of grace was more obscure to them . again , they differ in variety of sacramentall signes and rites , as the cutting of the foreskin , the lambe of the passeouer , iournying through the sea , sauing by the arke , drinking of the rock , lifting vp the brasent serpent , raining downe of manna , washing of their body , they had calues , sheep , gotes , doues , bread , wine , oyle , and such like : we haue onely water in baptisme , and bread and wine in the lords supper . thus the signes do greatly vary . fourthly , they differ in easinesse . for the ceremonies committed to the people of the iewes were hard , combersome , painefull to the slesh , and some of them were administred with effusion & sheding of blood , partly of man and partly of beastes . of man , as in circumcision : of beasts , as in the paschall lam be and in the sacrifices . but our sacramentes , though sacramentes of christs blood shed for vs , yet of themselues be voide of blood . fiftly , they differ in measure of signification . for our sacramentes haue a more plentifull and full representation of grace offered , and stir vp a greater measure of saith then the sacramentes of the old testament ( which were more darke and obscure ) the lord reseruing a fuller measure of knowledge vnto the blessed times of the gospe'l . for as the exhibiting of christ iesus in the flesh and fulnesse of time , and as it were in the old age of the world , is of more efficacy to moue vs then the expectation of him to come : so we haue better helpes and an holy aduantage to raise and rouse vp our faith to a greater assurance of grace and mercy , by how much the accomplishment is more then the promise , and the fulfilling greater then the foretelling . lastly , they differ in respect of the people to whom they were giuen , and for whom they were ordained : ours belong to all people dispersed ouer the face of the whole earth ( that are ingrafted into the church ) wheras theirs wer tied to one nation , to one people , to one place , to the posterity of abraham . notwithstanding these differences which are in signes and circumstances : touching the chiefe thing euen the matter and substance of the sacramentes they are equall , m hauing the same end and the same signification , and being of one esficacy , as also the word of the prophets and apostles is . one and the same god is author of them . one and the same mediator betweene god and man , euen the man iesus christ is represented in both , being the lambe slaine from the foundation of the worlde . they signifie and shew forth the same communion of christ , by which all the clect are saued , and seale vp saluation and remission of sinnes to all that do receiue them by faith . for they were giuen to bee signes and seales of grace and of the promises of god , to distinguish the faithfull from all other sectes and religions in the world , and that they should be receiued with profit onely of the faithfull . in these and such like things , the sacramentes of the iewish and christian church are not vnequall : although in the outward signes and circumstances they be diuers , yet in the substance and in the thing signified there is no difference . thirdly , we are bound to beleeue his promises , and to haue strong consolation , seeing he hath giuen vs . signes . if we had onely had one signe as a seale of the mercies of god in christ , it had beene a great sinne not to haue beleeued the promise , and not to haue rested therein as in a thing vnchangable . for he is not as man that he should ly , or deceiue : n his onely promise is assured paiment : yea all the promises of god in him are yea , and are in him amen , vnto the glory of god. but seeing the goodnesse of god hath abounded , in granting vnto vs two sacraments , that where doubting aboundeth , there faith might abound much more : our sinne is the greater , if now we wauer like o a waue of the sea tossed of the wind and carried away . one tree of life serued adam to assure him life : one raine-bowe sufficed noah : one returne of the fun back ward was inough to hezekiah , and they beleeued . if then we seeke a signe , behold we haue two giuen vnto vs , that hauing two vnchangeable sacraments as it were two witnesses of his worde , wee might haue strong consolation . the vnbeleeuing iewes said to christ , p shew vs a signe and we will beleeue thee . beholde the lord sheweth vs two visible signes , of his spirituall and inuisible graces , and shal not we beleeue , being stedfast in faith ? we desire forgiuenesse of sins and assurance therof : by these two , the lorde promiseth , couenanteth , and indenteth to giue the same vnto vs , setting the seales to his owne writing . lastly , this diuision and numbring vp of the sacramentes serueth to teach , that there are not seuen sacraments of the church , and so do condemne the fiue supposed and falsely named sacraments q maintained of the church of rome , to wit , confirmation , pennance , matrimony , orders , and extreame vnction . baptisme we embrace : the lordes supper we acknowledge : of these two we moue no question , we make no controuersie : the other fiue , whole father is vnknowne : we refuse as bastards , and cannot admit them into the number of sacraments , the reasons whereof we will render in the chapters following . chap. . that confirmation is not a sacrament , the apostles as the maister-builders of the churches , planted the gospell where the name of christ had not bin heard . nowe because many seducers arose that trobled the peace of the church , and the faith of many beleeuers began to wauer : the apostles agreede together to goe againe to the churches wher they had laid a a golden foundation ( howsoeuer other had builded hay and stubble thereon : ) to see how they b increased or decreased , as act. . and they confirmed theyr heartes and established them in the faith which they hadde taught . and chap . paule said vnto barnabas , let vs returne and visit our brethren in euery citty where we haue preached the word of the lord , and see how they do . and we doubt not , but when the gospell was reueiled , the apostles by laying on hands gaue the giftes of the holy-ghost to the beleeuers in christ. this practise of the apostles we finde , this we confesse , this we approue and allow . but of any sacrament of confirmation we read not , and therefore allow not . againe , it was a laudable custome ( in the primitiue church ) of christian parents , to bring their children to the bishop , who examined them in the principles and fundamentall points of religion , c he asked them a reason of their faith , he instructed them farther in the misteries of godlines : and that this action might haue the more reuerence and dignity , they laid their hands vpon them , and prayed vnto god for them , that he would increase and continue the good things that he had begun in them . this d imposition of handes , with prayer to be strengthened in the holy-ghost , and to haue increase of grace , corrupted with annointings , depraued with crossings , and defiled with sundry superstitions , is no sacrament . first , euery sacrament should haue warant and appointment from christ : but this hath none . secondly , it hath no word of institution in the scripture , nor commaundement to continue the vse of it vntill the comming of christ and end of the world , and therfore no sacrament . for the word must be added to the element , and so it is made a sacrament . true it is , they vse a forged and counterfeit forme in their confirmation , i signe thee with the signe of the holie crosse , and i confirme thee with the oile of saluation , in the name of the father , and the son , and of the holi-ghost . these indeed are wordes , but no worde of god : they shew an intollerable presumption , and not to be excused . but indeed a counterfeit sacrament , and there is a good agreement when both writing and seale are sutable , that is , both forged . thirdly , it wanteth an outward signe instituted by christ. we read oftentimes that the apostles vsed laying on of hands , but we read of no oyle or chrisme . besides , we know they gaue thereby , the miraculous gifts of the holy ghost which now are ceased , as act. . where we see , when samaria was conuerted to the faith by preaching of phillip , and baptized in the name of the lord iesus , the apostles sent thither peter & iohn , who praied for them , e that they might receiu the holy-ghost ( for as yet he was fallen down on none of thē ) then laid they their hands on them , and they receiued the holy-ghost . this confirmation thus vsed , had then a profitable vse in the church of god. but as the brasen serpent commaunded by f god , and set vp by moyses for good purpose , was afterward abused and g incense offered vnto it , and lastly was by that good king hezekiah destroyed and demolished : so popish confirmation hith many intolerable abuses mingled with it , it is ministred in a strange tongue that none vnderstand what is spoken and ment : they call the oyle , the oyle of saluation : they acount him no perfect christian that is not anointed by the bishop : they prefer it before baptisme , because h any of their piiests may baptize , nay priuate men , nay women in their supposed time of necessity , but confirmation may be giuen among them onely by the hands of a byshop : and lastly , they blow and halow their oyle , that it may be made a spirituall oyntment to purifie soule and body . these errors are so grosse , that of euery one they may be seene : they are so palpable , that they may bee felt . wherfore , seeing their confirmation is wrought by anoynting , seeing it hath no word of god but a word of their own , seeing they haue no commaundement for it , nor promise of the presence of the holy-ghost , and last of all seeing it hath many abuses ioyned with it ; wee haue very iust causes to thrust it out of this place and ranke of the sacraments , and throw it downe from that high seate which 〈◊〉 hath long vsurped . chap. . that popish penance is no sacrament . the doctrine of repentance and turning from all our sinnes to god , to bring forth fruits of amendment of life , is taught in the sacraments a and commended vnto all , ioel. . turne you vnto me withall your heart , and rent your heart , not your garments . there is none that liueth and sinneth not , we are corrupt and become abhominable , the imaginations of our hart are only euill , and that continually : in vs , that is in our flesh or vnregenerate part there dwelleth no good thing : we were conceiued and borne in sin , and therfore whosoeuer saith , he is without sinne , deceiueth himselfe , 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 & regenerate by the holy ghost must be quickned . repentance therefore consisteth in an b inward sorrow for our sins , in an hatred of thē , in suppressing the corruptiōs of nature in a purpose to obey god , in a care to sorsake our sins , in confessing the greatnesse of them , in condemning our our selues for them , in acknowledging the desart of them , in an holy indignation & anger against our selues , that we haue beene so carelesse in looking to our owne waies , in fearing least we runne into the same sins againe , in desiring euer heereafter to please god , and to walke more carefully before him in zeale touching the seruice of god , and in taking reuenge sometimes and punishment vpon our selus for former offences . for wee confesse plainely and deny not , but some outward penalties and chastisements of the body may be vsed & do please god , not of themselues , but because they are profitable meanes and good helpes to further and forward true repentance . as for example , he that hath offended grieuously in surfetting & drunkenes , and hath great heauines of hart & sorrow of mind that he hath sinned against so gratious a god and mercifull father : may prescribe & appoint to himselfe without appearance of superstition , or error of satisfaction , or opinion of 〈◊〉 , some fasting or abstinence for a certaine time , that he may be better fitted to gods seruice , and further strengthned against those sinnes into which he is fallen . this doctrine we receiue as the doctrine of christ , and agreeable to the prophets and apostles , as appeareth , cor. . where paule setteth downe the effects or fruites of true repentance . now the question c ariseth betweene the church of rome and vs , whether this repentance which is a dying to sinne , and a walking in newnesse of life , and whether reconciliation to the church and absolution from sinne be a sacrament of the new testament , institvted by christ to assure his sauing graces to vs ? wee answere , it is not . first , it was in time of the old testament from the beginning of mans fall and transgression : it was continually preached and published by the prophets , and therefore before christes comming in the flesh , and cannot be a sacrament of the new testament . secondly , it wanteth an outward signe such as water in baptisme , such as bread and wine in the lords supper : now euery sacrament must haue an outward element and signe to represent the spirituall grace : therefore penance can be no sacrament . thirdly , it hath no word to commaund it , no particuler promise of god which is the chiese stay and staffe of a sacrament . bellarmine affirmeth , that d christ instituted the sacrament of penance when he breathed vpon his apostles after his resurrection , and said vnto them , e receiue the holy ghost , whose sinnes ye remit they are remitted , and whose sinnes ye retaine they are retained . and he saith , the words of absolution are the signe , and that remission of sins is the the promise of grace which is signified . for answer to this assertion , i would gladly aske this question , whether the apostles had this ministeriall power to forgiue sinnes to repentant sinnets , when they baptized to remission of sins ? if this power were heere first instituted and giuen vnto them ? do they not by tying the authority of remitting finnes to this time , make their baptisme of none effect ? besides , we haue shewed , that it is not sufficient to haue a sound of wordes that may be heard , to make an outward signe : there must be a visible signe that may be seene , to warrant a sacrament . now , to make a sacrament without such a signe , were to make a sacrament without a sacrament . lastly , as they take and vnderstand penance , it is neither sacrament , nor sacred : it is neither holy signe nor holy thing : it is neither an institution of god , nor any way of god. for they mean not thereby , amendment of life or inward sorrow & griefe of minde for the life past , which is sometimes testified by weeping and mourning , by sackcloth and ashes , by fasting and humiliation : but they vnderstād by penance 〈◊〉 external discipline , satisfaction for our sinnes to god by our owne sufferings : & that wearing of sackcloth , sprinkling of ashes , chastising of the body , whipping of the flesh , putting on rough apparel , lying on bourds and hard places , abstaining from flesh , and aflicting our selues by such outward exercises , are a paying of the paines due to sinne , part of amendes made to gods iustice , and meritorious before him . this punishment , this penance , these penalties we abhorr , as an horrible blasphemy against the blood of christ , which is the onely satisfaction to god for sinne . for if we satisfie for our selues , then hath not christ satisfied for vs , nor payed the price due vnto our sinnes . besides , they charge god the father with iniustice , in that hauing laid the guiltinesse of our sinnes vpon his owne sonne , and punished them in him , they make him not satisfied with that punishment , but to exact the debt of vs againe , f for which his sonne as our surety hath fully and sufficiently answered , as esa. . he is punished for our transgressions , he is bruised for our iniquities , the chastisement of our peace is lated vpon him , and by his stripes we are healed : the lord maketh the punishment of vs all to light upon him . likewise g the apostle iohn saith . the blood of iesvs christ doth purge us from all sinne . and in the reuelation he addeth , christ hath washed vs from our sinnes in his blood . whereby we see we are taught to beleeue , that we are pardoned and reconciled to god , not through our owne satisfaction , not for our owne workes , not by our owne sufferings , but onely through the death and blood sheading of christ. wherefore , their penance is to be acknowledged to be sacriledge , and accepted as a sacrament . chap. . that matrimony is not a sacrament . the counsell of trent vnder pius . sess. decreeth , a if any shall say , that matrimony is not truely and properly one of the . sacramentes instituted by christ , but was brought in by men into the church , and doth not conferre grace let him be accursed . heereby , they would seeme to set forth the dignity of marriage aboue vs , seeing they lift it vp into the number of the sacraments of the church . yet ( as a lyar seldome agreeth with himselfe ) they complaine that we too highly magnifie the married estate , and themselues cannot abide it in their clergy , because for sooth it is written , be ye holy for i am holy : they which are in the flesh cannot please god. marriage therefore is too holy an ordinance for their vnholy cleargy , inasmvch as they teach in this point b the doctrin of deuils , and are led by the spirit of error , that forbid marriage which god hath left free . we confesse touching mariage , somuch as the word of god teacheth vs , that it is an ordinance of god , instituted before the fall of man while he was without sinne , c and blessed of god , who saide , it is not good for man to be alone , let us make him an helper meete for him . this estate christ did not abrogate and disanull , but repeated and confirmed , d not onely by word , but by his owne presence , and hath left it as a lawfull remedy against fornication and vncleannesse . we account it an honorable estate of life among all , and the bedde vndefiled , but whoremongers and adulterers god will iudge , and cast into vtter darkenesse , where their worme shall neuer dy , and their fire shall not be quenched , as the apostle teacheth , cor. , know ye not that the vnrighteous shal not inherit the kingdome of god ? be not deceiued : neither fornicators , nor idolaters , nor adulterers , nor wantons , nor buggerers , nor drunkards , shal inher it the kingdome of god. notwithstanding , e we cannot cal and account it a sacrament , for diuerse waighty reasons , & euident causes . first , it was not instituted by christ , but was from the beginning of the world , and therefore it was before the law and vnder the law , how can it be a sacrament of the new testament ? againe , matrimony may be among infidels and vnbeleeuers , out of the church and society of the faithfull . for the matrimony of infidels is lawfull . god did institute it for all mankind . the commaundement is generall , increase and multiply . the apole teacheth , that if the vnbeleeuing woman will dwell with the beleeuing husband , f he must not put her away for her infidelity : and mariage is honourable amonge all persons . seing therefore it was before the fall of man , before the giuing of the lawe , vnder the gouernement of the lawe , and made honorable among all , it cannot be a sacrament of the church of christ and for the members onely of the church . thirdly , it is not common and commaunded to all the faithfull , for it is not needfull and necessary that all in the church should be married . g euery one hath his proper gift , some one way some another . and albeit god haue not tyed grace to the sacramentes , yet they in some sort h are necessary for the church , and to be partaked of the children of the church , whether we respect the commaundement of god , who requireth them : or whether we regard our owne weakenesse , who stand in neede of all holy meanes and profitable helpes that tend to the confirmation of our faith . seeing then matrimony is not commanded to al , neither serueth to confirme faith , it cannot be receiued as a sacrament . fourthly , the sacramentes are ordinances of god aplying christ and his merits to al the faithful : but matrymony is not an instrument whereby god applyeth christ and al his benifits : much lesse is it a common instrument of the common saluation and benefites that all haue in christ iesus . furthermore , we haue showd how the roman church is contrary to itselfe in this point : for ou : aduersaries call matrimony a prophanation i of holy orders . and k another saieth , it is more tollerable for a priest to keepe many concubins , then to marry . if matrimony be an holy sa . how should the sacred order of your priesthood be prophaned , polluted , and defiled therby ? lastly , it 〈◊〉 no promise of saluation ioyned to it ( as it ought to haue ) thogh it be lawfull and vsed lawfully : in euery sacra . there must be likewise an outward sign or element , as water in baptism , and bred and wine in the lords supper , togither with a san ctisieng word to warant it : but in this supposed sacra . there is neither matter , nor word , therfore no sacra . the answer that belarmin maketh to this last reason is as absurd as their doctrin it selfe , namely , that the word of iustitution is , l take thce , which are the words expressing their mutual consent : and that the matter or sign are the parties maried . for , not euery word can consecrate & sanctifie m but the word of god. again , the maried persons are receiuers of this pretended and supposed sa. so that they cannot be the matter or signe : for the signe and the receiuer are two distinct outward parts of a sa , so that they cannot be consounded or mingled together , as besore we declared , chap . the matter cannot be the receiuer : the receiuer cannot be the matter . the thing receiued , cannot be the receiuer : the receiuer canot be the thing receiued . if then the persons matied be the receiuers , they cannot be the signe receiued . if any farther obiect and say , marriage is the signe of an holy thing , to wit , of the spirituall coniunction 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 al signs of holy things sacraments : we should treble the number of . for so many comparisons as we find in scripture , we should haue sacraments , & then the stars , a grain of mustard seed , leauen , a draw-net , a shepherd a vine , a dore , nay a theese , a murtherer , and infinite other , things should be sacramentes ; which sometimes are made signes of holy things . this were not so much to increase the number of sacraments , as to multiply absurdities . lastly , the sabbaoth was ordayned to the iewes to be a signe between god and his people in their generations , n and signified the spirituall rest in christ , yet was it no ordinary sacrament , albeit it were blessed and sanctified of god. wherefore al mysticall and signifieng signes are not sacraments . but the greatest reason wher of they are most confident is , where the vulgar translation and the rhemish interpretation o readeth , this is a great sacrament . i answer , first the worde signisieth a mystery or secret : but not euery mystery or secret is a sacrament : neyther will they admitte a sacrament , wheresoeuer a mystery is named . secondly the apost speaketh not of matrimony , but of the spiritual coniunction betweene christ and his church , as the wordes following doe declare , this is a great mystery : but i speake of christ and of the church . where the appostle preuenteth this verie obiection , and sheweth in what respect he spake of a mystery . for wher one might happilie obiect and say , doest thou call marriage this mystery ? he answereth , i speake not this of marriage , i speake 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 coniunction of man and wife is sensible , not secret , much lesse a great secret . nowe the sacramentes are called mysteries , p in respect of the sacramentall vnion between the signe 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 handes , the mouth , and euery part and member of the bodie , the other by the power and working of gods spirit is as present in a wonderfull , mystical , and secret manner to the faith , beeing the eyes and hands of the soule . wherefore cardinall caietan not so grosse as many among them , q confesseth that these wordes proue not matrimony to be a sacra . further , it is euident to al that consider the circumstance of the text , that the apostle not forth marriage in this place as a similitude to represent the neere coniunction between christ and his church , r but 〈◊〉 he bringeth forth the exceeding and eminent loue of christ as a 〈◊〉 to declare and enforce what should be the loue of the husband toward the wife . for the mayne point of exhortation is set downe , verse . husbands loue your wiues this is argued and enforced by the example of christ , as christ loued the church and gaue himselfe for it . againe , the man is the head of the woman , as christ is the head of the church . and afterward , he that loueth his wife , loueth himselfe , for no man euer yet hated his owne flesh , but nourisheth and cherisheth it , euen as the lord doth the church . by all these things it is plaine and manifest , that if they wil needes in this place dreame of a sacrament , consisting of a signe and thing signisied : christ and the church must be the signe , representation , and consecrated mistery to represent man and his wife , and their mutuall loue each to other , and not marriage a consecrated sign of him . last of al , i would know of them , whether so often as the old translator vseth the word sacrament , they wil haue it taken strictly , properly , and particularly for the sacraments of their church ? i thinke if they be sober minded and well aduised , they dare not say so : for s then godlines shal be a sacrament , gods wil shall be a sacrament , the calling of the gentiles shal be a sacrament , yea iniquity shal be a sacrament . for in al these places the word sacrament is vsed , as wel as in this place to the ephesians by the old interpretor , & sometimes in the good part , and sometimes in the euil : t to whom notwithstanding they cleaue , and must cleaue vnder paine of the censur and curse of the councell of trent . chap. . that orders are no sccrament . by orders we must vnderstand the offices and ministry of the church , a as also peter lumbard doth . we confesse , when christ led captiuity captiue , he gaue giftes vnto men , b and ordained some to be apostles , some prophets , & some euangelists , and some pastors and teachers for the repairing of the saint , for the worke of the ministry and for the edification of the bodie of christ. by these he declareth his will vnto vs , he gathereth togither his scattered sheep , and publisheth the glad tydings of saluation , as ier. . i haue sent vnto you all my seruants the prophets , rising up earlie euerie date . and christ our sauiour saith , luc , . he that heareth you , heareth me : and he that despiseth you , aespiseth me and he that despiseth me , despiseth him that sent me . and the apostle paule , . cor , , teacheth , god was in christ and reconciled the world to himselfe , not imputing their sins vnto them , and hath committed to vs the word of reconciliation : now then are we ambassadors for christ , as though god did beseech you through vs we pray you in christs stead to be reconciled to god. this we hold , this we beleeue , this we teach touching the degrees , orders , and offices of the ministry of the gospell . but the popish orders of the popish churches , b they say are seuen , whereof some are greater and higher offices , some are lower , lesser , and inferiour . the greater are three , the office of priest-hood to offer vp the sacrifice of the bodye and blood of christ vpon the altar : of deaconship , to assist the priests in all things which are done in the sacramentes , to bring in the oblations , to set them vpon the altar , to couer it with cloathes , to beare the crosse , and to read the gospell and epistle to the people : of the subdeacons , to bringe the chalice and patten , to bring the cruet with water and the towell to the altar , and to pour out water to wash their hands . these are their higher offices aboue the rest , as the higher trees among the lower shrubs . the lesser orders are foure in number . first of dore-keepers , these receiue the keyes of the church doore to open the same . secondly of readers , to reade the bible to the people . thirdly of exorcistes , to call vppon the name of the lorde , ouer such as haue vncleane spirites , adiuring and coniuring them to come out in the name of god : which power of commaunding euill spirites is ceased in the church . lastly , a colythes , to prepare and carry torches and tapers when the gospell is read to the people , or the sacrifice is to be offered . these seuen popish orders , or rather plaine disorders and consusions , we cannot receiue d into the number of sacraments of the church . for 〈◊〉 , orders are so fruitefull , that this bird hath hatched seauen young ones . this sacrament is so rich , so rank , so riotous , that it hath ingendered and brought forth seauen petty and pretty sacraments , and therefore these being numbred and patched vp to the sormer , we should haue . sacraments . a goodly brood of a gallant egge . for if euery one of these orders of doore-keepers , readers , exorsistes , acolithes , subdeacons , deacons , and priests be sacraments : we should multiply the number of sacramentes according to the number of these orders , and so indeede of seauen , we should haue . sacraments , which were a very disorderly order , or if you list to cal it , an orderly disorder . and so peter lumbard maister of the sentences , e calleth not orders a sacrament as speaking of one , but sacraments as speaking of many , saying , orders are called sacraments , because in receiuing of them grace is conferred , which is represented by those things that are there performed . neither can they say they al make but one sacrament , sceing they are distinct offices one from another , diuerse in offices , in institution , in calling , in ordinatiō , in ceremonies , and in forme of consecration : so that they may by as good right and as great reason make baptisme and the lords supper one sacrament , as all these orders so diuerse and distinct the one from the other . secondly , sacraments haue their institution from christ : orders haue not their institution from christ to be sacraments of the church : therefore orders are no sacraments . nay as they are retained & vsed in the church of rome , they are no ordinances or institutions of christ at all . for touching the osfices of priest-hood to offer vp the body of christ for the quick and dead : of deacons to serue these baals priests at their idolatrous alters : of subdeacōs , of readers , and of the rest , they are not found in scripture , neither were ordained by the apostles , neither were they receiued into the church for many yeares 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 priest-hood , but spitituall priests and a spirituall priest-hood to offer vp spirituall sacrifices of praise and thanksgiuing vnto god , f as appeareth reuel . . . christ hath washed vs from our sinnes in his blood , and made vs kinges and priests vnto god euen his father . and the apostle peter in his first epiftle chap. . saith , ye also as liuely stones be made a spirituall house , an holy priest-hood , to offer vp spiritual sacrisices acceptable to god by iesus christ. and again afterward , ye are a chosen generation , a royal priest-hood , an holy nation , a people set at liberty , that ye should shew forth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darkenesse into his marueilous light . whosoeuer bringeth in another priest-hood then this , & maketh new priests , abolisheth as much as in him lyeth the priest-hood of christ. againe , what will they say , of offices and dignities in the church greater then these , the office of pope , of cardinall , of patryarch , and the rest of that vnholy hierarchy ? will they discharge and cut off these from being sacraments , & aduance the baser orders of hedge priests and dombe deacons to so high a dignity ? what ? do they abase and disgrace those greater places , and thinke their popes and cardinals not worthy of that honor and authority ? or do they thinke this sacrament to vile and base to agree to those princelike dignities of the church ? or dare they preferre their priest-hood , their readers , their decons , there doore-keepers , their dog-keepers , and the rest of that rabble before the pope dome , the cardinalship , the patryarchship ? is not this high treson against their holy father , & petty treason against the cardinals and other of that generation ? lastly , sacraments must haue an outward element and word of institutiō , as hath been often declared & proued : but their orders haue neither outward element , nor word of institution : therfore orders are no sacra . seeing therfore they can shew no materiall signe added to the promise , nor gratious promise added to the signe : there can be no sacrament of orders to seale vp and assure any mercy of god granted vnto vs. to omit that reason , which we might 〈◊〉 vpon them , namely , that orders are peculiar & proper to the ministry , and are no sanctified instrument aply any general and common grace of the church . wherefore , asmuch as orders haue neither outward signe , nor promise of grace , nor institution from christ , but disgrace the higher dignities of their church , and ouerthrow their owne chosen number of seauen sacramentes : we conclude necessarily from these premises that orders are no sacrament . chap. . that extreame vnction is no sacrament . the last faigned sacrament is the last annoynting ( as they call it ) performed by the priest in extreamety , where by they teach that a god assureth forgiuenesse of sinnes , and promiseth ease of bodily disease , if it be so exped ent : if not , the saluation of the soule in the life to come . they vse this forme of words , by this holy anoynting and his most holy mercy , god doth forgiue thee whatsoeuer that hast offended , by seeing , hearing , smelling , tasting , and touching . this vnction cannot be a sacrament for b sundry causes . first , themselues confesse , that it hath not his institution from christ. for the rhem'stes in their heretical , c annotations vpon mar. confesse , that there is onely a preparation vnto it . and peter lumbard saith , d it was instituted by the apostle iames. by this doctrine , christ should onely be a preparer of sacraments , not an appointer : a beginner , not a finisher of them . now , these men are all accursed by the conuenticle of trent , e if any man shad say that the sacraments of the new law were not all instituted by iesus christ , let him be accursed . again , the place of the apostle iames , maketh nothing for this sorged sacrament : for there is a great difference & contrariety betweene the anoynting that iames speaketh off , and the popish anealing . their priestes haue not the miraculous guist of healing , whereof this 〈◊〉 was an outward signe in the primitiue church , which custome afterward ceased when the 〈◊〉 of healing ceased : being for a time granted to the church for the credit of the gospell . as then the guist was temporall and for a reason , so must the signe bee of the same standing and continuance : and the gift being taken from the church , if the signe should remaine in vse and practise , it should be but a lieng signe . for by the same reason , f the brooke of siloam , the poole bethesda , the clay and 〈◊〉 which were sometimes vsed in healing the diseased , might be accounted sacramēts as wel as this , being all signes of healing for a certaine season , as also annoynting with oyle was for the first times of the church while it was in planting . thirdly , the apostle would haue al sick persons anoynted : these do anoynt with their greazy oile , onely such bodies as are in manner halfe dead , euen while they lie in extremity , and the life is striuing to come forth . the apostle would haue all the elders called : but one masle-priest only with them bringeth the box , and annoynteth the sickman . the apostle assureth health to g all that are thus annoynted , as i am . . the prayer of faith shall saue him that is suke , and the lord shal raise him vp . so also mark. . they cast out many deuels , and they anointed many that were sicke with oyle , and healed them : whereby we see , that restoring and recouering of health was certainely promised to folow the anointing . but not one among many receiueth health after their popish anealing . the apostle speaketh of bodily health , of the guift of miracles , and of common oyle : they prattle of forgiuenes of sins , of a common and continuall gift , of charmed and consecrate oyle , and balme ( whereof notwithstanding can none be found ) of bowing their knees and saluting it , saving , hailholy oyle , haile holie oyntment , haile holy balme , nay which is more blasphemous , their oyle they call the oyle of saluation , which is to renounce saluation by christ , and to deny the holy spirit to sanctifie the people of god. furthermore , euery sacrament must haue a word of institution : but the wordes which they vse in anealing are a strange saluation of a dumbe and deafe creature , not warranted nor founde in scripture , as the words of consecration in the true sacraments are : and therefore we cannot receiue it for a sacrament , but must account it an apish imitation and a popish tradition . moreouer , we haue proued before chap. . that the element is consecrated when the sacrament is ministred , by praying , thanksgiuing , eating and drinking , deliuering and receiuing , breaking and pouring out , blessing and reciting the institution : therfore the oyle halowed long before by the byshop , heated with breathing vpon 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 vertue of a sacrament is spirituall grace in christ : but extreame vnction hath no spirituall grace in christ sealed vp : for the apostle ascribeth h not the forgiuenes of 〈◊〉 , to the annointing with oyle , but to the prayer of faith . acknoledge ( saith he ) your faults one to another , and pray one for another that ye may be healed , for the prayer of a righteous man auaileth much if it be feruent . and again , the praier of faith shal saue the sick , and the lord shal raise him vp , and if he haue committed sins , they shal be forgiuen him . wher we see , that the effect of pardon is ascribed to the force of prayer : therfore extream vnction is no sacra . and so this greazing , houseling , & annointing is to be abandoned of the people of god. what then , wil some say , do you leaue the sick without al comfort and consolation ? no , i we visit the sick among vs : and although we do not housse and annoint them with material oyle , wee annoint them with the precious oyle of the mercy of god , we instruct them how to prepare themselues to leaue the world , to depart this mortall life , and to strengthen themselues in the assured hope of euerlasting life . wee say , dear brother , god sendeth his messenger death to summon , and arrest you to come into his presence . k al 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 downe , he vanisheth also as a shadow and continueth not . death is common l to all flesh , it is appointed to all men once to 〈◊〉 . it is the gate throgh which we must enter into heauen . if we would liue for euer , we must die : for the way to liue eternally , is 〈◊〉 to die . though the time be vncettaine , where , or how we shall dy : yet nothing so certain as that we must dy , we know not how soone . this must not seeme strange vnto 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 euery day of our life as if it wer the instant day of our death you must consider that nothing befalleth vs by chance or fortune , al things are ruled and guided by the soueraigne prouidence of almighty god : all the hairs of our head are numbred : not one sparrow falleth to the grounde without the wil of your heauenly father : humble your selfe therfore vnder his mighty hand , m he conecteth euery child whom he loueth , my son , despise not the chastening of the lorde , neither faint when thou art rebuked of him ; for whom the l. loueth . he chasteneth : and he scourgeth euery son whom he receiueth . heerby then god tryeth and proueth your obedience , patience , and faith n as we see in the example of iob , who praised the name of god in all his miseries : and if the lord woulde kill him , he would not cease to put his trust in him . we exhort them to set their houses in order before they dy , thereby to cutte off hatred and contention , and to staye quarrels and suites 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 giue themselues to the meditation of the life to come , where this corruptible shall put on incorruption , and this mortal shal put on imortality , o according to the exhortation of christ and his apostles in many places , as mat. . seeke ye first the kingdome of god and his righteousnesse , and all thinges shall be ministred vnto you . and , cor , . this i say brethren because the time is snort , heereafter that both they which haue wiues be as though they had none : and they which weep , as thogh they wept not : & they that reioyce as tho they reioysed not , and they that buy , as though they possessed not : and they that vse this world , as though they vsed it not : for the fashion of this world goeth away . and p the same apostle . our conuersation is in heauen , from whence also we looke for a sauiour , euen the lords iesus christ , who shall change our vile 〈◊〉 , that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious body , according to the working , whereby he is able to subdue all things vnto himselfe . so . cor . &c. therefore we faint not , but though our outward man perish , yet the inward man is renewed daily . for our light affiction which is but for a moment , causeth vnto us a farre more excellent and an eternall weight of glorie : while we looke not on the things which are seen , but on the things which are not 〈◊〉 for the thinges which are seene are temporall , but the things which are not seene are eternall . for we know that if our earthlie house of this tabernacle be destroyed , we haue a building giuen of god , that is , an house not made with hands , but eternall in the heauens : for therefore wee sigh , desiring to be cloathed with our house which is from heauen , because if we be cloathed , we shal not be found naked . and the q wiseman eccle. . vanitie of vanities saith the preacher , vanitie of vanities , all is vanitie : i haue considered al the works that are don vnder the sun , & behold al is vanitie and vexation of spirit . so . ioh. . loue not this world , r neither the things that are in this world . if any man loue this worlde , the loue of the father is not in him : for al that is in this world ( as the lust of the flesh , the lust of the eies , 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 wil of god , abideth euer . and the same in his reue lations , i heard a voice from heauen , saying , write the dead which die in the lord are fully blessed : euen so saith the spirit , for they rest from their labors , and their workes follow them . they shal hunger no more , neither thirst anie more , 〈◊〉 shal the sunne light on them , neither anie heat , for the lambe which is in the midst of the throne shal gouern them , and shal lead them vnto the liuelie fountaines of waters , and god shal wipe awaie al teares from their eies . moreouer , we put them in minde to examine themselues and their liues passed , how they haue offended god and their brethren , and admonish them to make an humble and harty confession of their sinnes to god , that that they haue not liued as they ought to doe , to be sorry and greeued for the same , and to promise ammendement of life if they recouer . thus the faithfull s haue done , as we see in dauid . psalm , . haue mercie vpon me o god according to thy louing kindnes , according to the multitude of thy compassions putte away mine iniquities . i know mine iniquities and my sinne is euer before me : against thee , against thee haue i sinned and done euill in thy sight , that thou maiest be iust when thou speakest , and pure when thou iudgest . behold , i was borne in iniquity , and in sinne hath my mother conceiued mee . and psal , . there is nothing sound in my flesh , because of thine anger , neither is there rest in my bones because of my sinne : for mine iniquities are gone ouer mine head , and as a weighty burden they are too heauy for me . this practise we see also in daniell , in nehemia , in ezra , in manasses , and in many others . we mooue t them to labour to be at one with god , to be reconciled to their brethren , and to remember the poore . especially we stirre them vp to prayer , in regard of their present necessities , and of the mercifull promises of god , resting themselues on the perfect and all-sufficient sacrifice of christ. gratious u and precious are the promises that god hath made to al that come to the throne of his mercy , as p. al. . the lorde is neere to all that call vpon him , yea to all that call vpon him in truth : he will fulfill the desire of them that feare him , he will also heare their cry , and wil saue them . and psal , . call vpon me in the daye of trouble , so wil i deliuer thee , and thou shalt glorifie me . and our sauiour math , . aske and it shall be giuen you : seeke , and ye shall find : knocke , and it shal be opened vnto you : for whosoeuer asketh , receiueth : and he that seeketh , findeth : and to him that knocketh , it shal be opened , so the apo. iames. the praier of faith shal saue the sicke , and the lorde shall raise him vp : and if he haue committed sinnes , they shall bee forgiuen him : acknowledge your faults one to another , that ye may be healed : for the praier of a righteous man auaileth much if it be feruent now when they are sufficiently humbled for their sinnes , wee moue them to hunger and thirst after the merits of christ , a who of god is made vnto vs wisedome , righteousnes , sanctification , and redemption . we alledge vnto them b these and such like comfortable places of scripture , come vnto me all ye that are wearie and heauie laden , and i will ease yon . this is a a true saying , and by all meanes woorthy to be receiued , that christ iesus came into the world to saue sinners , of whom i am chiefe . these things write i vnto you that ye sinne not : if any man sinne , we haue an aduocate with the father , iesus christ the iust , whose blood clenseth vs from all sinne : he is the 〈◊〉 for our sinnes , and not for ours onely , but also for the sinnes of the whole world . he is euermore about those that are his , he maketh their bed in all their sicknesse , d his left hand vnder their heads , and with his right hand he doth imbrace them : so that whether they liue , they liue vnto the lord , or whether they die , they dye vnto the lord : whether they liue or dye they are the lords . this is true happines . furthermore , we raise them vp with sweet comforts and consolations of the word of god against c alterror and feare of death , death is swallowed vp in victory . ô death where is thy sting ? ô graue , where is thy victory ? the sting of death is sinne , and the strength of sinne is the law : but thankes be vnto god which hath giuen vs victory through our lord iesus christ. and rom. . ther is no condemnation to them that are in christ iesus , which walke not after the flesh , but after the spirit : i am perswaded that neither death nor life , nor angels , principalities , powers , nor things present , nor things to come , neither any creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of god which is in christ iesus our lord. christ is to vs aduantage , whether in life or in death . such as beleeue in him , yea though they were dead , shall liue . death is to vs as a sleepe , and the graue as a bed of rest . a crowne of righteousnesse is laid vp for vs , which the righteous iudge shall giue vnto vs : so that an euill death can neuer follow , where a good life hath gone before , forasmuch as he cannot possible die ill , who hath liued wel . death indeede is a scorpion or serpent : but his sting is pulled out , he may wel hisse , but he cannot hurt : he may wel threaten , but he cannot destroy , for christ hath quelled and conquered him . now , f to put away the griefe and tediousnes of sicknes , we wil and wish them to meditate on the things they haue heard and learned by the ministry of the word from time to time in their health : to consider with themselues how god sometimes suffereth the wicked to prosper for a time , and florish like a greene g bay tree , and how he punisheth them in the 〈◊〉 wrath and iudgement for them : how he blesseth or correcteth his children in this life : how he hath prepared eternall torments for the wicked , and vnspeakeable glory for the godly : but aboue all the workes of god , h we teach them deepely to thinke vpon the glorious and gratious work of our redemption , ( wherein the infinite mercy and iustice of god do meete together and kisse each other ) taking delight and comfort therein withall thanksgiuing . wherefore , we perswade them to beare the paines and griefes of sicknes with patience & constant perseuerance , because all sicknes is gods hand , who being the god of the spirits of al flesh , i killeth & maketh aliue , bringeth down to the graue , and raiseth vp again . there by we are indeed chastened for our sins , but they are nothing in comparison of that anguish and agony which christ suffered for vs , neither are they worthy of the exceeding glory which shal be shewed vnto vs. god hath predestinated vs k to be like the image of his son : so that the deeper we sinke downe in sorrowes , the more perfectly we resemble christ : it is the great mercy of god we are not vtterly consumed , and that his louing kindnes is not at an end toward vs. the sicknes of the body is physick for the soule , for the striking of the one is the healing of the other : by the crosse wee must enter the kingdome of heauen , and learne to loath the pleasures and profits of this present life . if they fall to dispaire and doubting l of gods fauour and loue toward them in christ , m we labour to strengthen the weake , and bind vp the broken hearted ; we are ready to leaue ninety and nine in the wildernes , and seeke that lost one . we bring them to god that hath striken them and made the wound , considering that the sonne of man is come to seeke and to saue that which is lost . god is mercifull and his mercy endureth for euer , hee desireth not the death of a sinner , but that hee turne vnto him . his mercy is ouer all the workes of his hands , it is like the ocean-sea , wher no bottom can be found or founded . it is the expresse commaundement of god , n that we should beleeue in christ who hath tryumphed gloriously against sinne , against satan , against hel , against death , against damnation , against desperation . the promises of the gospell exclude no man , o vnlesse we exclude our selues . infidelity , doubtfulnes , and despaire are very grieuous sinnes , and strike at the very hart of god. we must vnder hope beleeue aboue hope with faithfull abraham . the mercies of god and the merits of christs obedience are infinite , p higher then the heauens , deeper then the earth , broader then the sea , stronger then the lawe , mightier then the deuill , and greater then all the sinnes of the world . besides , god doth measure the obedience due to him , q rather by the affection then by the action , rather by the desire to obey , then by the outwarde performance of it . moreouer , when one sinne is forgiuen , all the rest are likewise forgiuen : euen as 〈◊〉 of one sinne , bringeth with it repentance of all knowne sinnes , r for the giftes and calling of god are without repontance . last of al , we admonish them to consider , that grace and faith ( howsoeuer they may be smothered ) are neuer wholly taken away by sinnes of infirmity , but thereby are manifested and magnified . touching their families , we say vnto them , call them before you , exhort them to cleaue t vnto god with full purpose of heart , to loue him , to walke before him in feare and reuerence , and to serue him in righteousnes all the daies of their life : gyue them charge to learne , beleeue , and obey the true religion and doctrine of saluation set downe in the writinges of the prophets and apostles . god commended abraham for this , sayinge , u i knowe him that he will commaund his sonnes and houshold after him , that they keepe the way of the lorde to doe righteousnes and iudgement , that the lord may bring vpon abraham that he hath spoken vnto him . dauid gaue salomon his sonne a notable and right noble charge before he died , a speaking thus to him standing before him and before the princes and peeres of the kingdome , thou salomon my sonne , know thou the god of thy fathers , and serue him with a willing mind : for the lord searcheth al harts , and 〈◊〉 al the imaginations of boughts , if thou seeke him , he will be found of thee , but if thou for 〈◊〉 him he will cast thee off for euer . i each them that child-hoode and youth are vanity , b teach them to remember 〈◊〉 creator in the daies of their youth : teach them to read the scripture , and to practile in their liues and conuersations what they haue read and learned . instruct them to auoide idlenes , to eschew euill company , to giue themselues to prayer , and hearing the preaching of the word . warne thy children to loue god , to reuerence their mother , and to loue one another . warn them to speake euill of no man , and beware of taking gods name in vaine . put them in minde that god is their father , their creator , their preseruer , their redeemer , their sanctiher , yea , their iudge that shall come to iudge the quick and the dead , and reward euery man according to his workes we must all appeare before the iudgement seat c of christ , that euery one may receiue the things which are done in his bodye , whether good or euill . put them in remembraunce , not to oppresse or defraud any man , d for the lorde is an auenger of all such thinges , who will not blesse euil-gotten goodes , but send his cursse vpon them , and they shall not prosper . admonish them to shew forth their faith by good workes , and to shew mercy accordinge to their powers : lastly , to honour their princes , parents , maisters , and all superiors . thus we instruct men to liue and to die , that dying they may liue with god in his kingdome . thus we annoint the sicke with precious balme that e shall not breake their head , and with the inward and inuisible oyle of gods grace and mercy . thus we warne them to prepare the oyle of faith in their lampes , and to keepe a good conscience toward god and man , that they may with ioy and comfort depart in peace , render vp their soules into the hands of god , cheerefullie meeting the bride-groome , and entring with him into his kingdome . so then the people loose nothing by 〈◊〉 of the materiall oyle , the want thereof being supplyed with exhortations , admonitions , reproofes , consolations , prayers and supplications , more desired of the sicke , and more auaileable for the sicke . and thus much of extream vnction and the other forged sacraments , whereof some wanting the outward signe , some the spirituall grace signified , some the word of institution , some the promise annexed , and all of them the commandement of christ , and testimony of the scripture : we cannot admit them for any sacramentes ; and so we conclude , that there are only two sacraments of the church vnder the gospell , which are , baptisme , and the supper of the lorde . the ende of the first booke . the second booke of the sacrament of baptilme , being an honorable badge of our dedication to christ , containing the true doctrine therof , overthrowing the errots of the church of rome , and deliuering the comfortable vse of this sacrament to all the people of god. chap. . of the word baptisme , and what it is . hitherto we haue spoken of the sacraments in general ; togither with the partes , vses , and number of them : now we come to the first sacrament , which is baptisme , being an honourable badge whereby we are dedicated vnto iesus christ a this word in scripture hath many significations . first , in the natiue and proper signification , it signifieth to dippe , to diue , and plunge vnder water , as mat. , . iohn , , act , . , . secondly , to cleanse and wash any thing with water , euen when this sacrament is not administred , as mark. wher it is said , the pharisies did not eat , except first they washed . so heb. , x , the old tabernacle did consist in washings . thirdly , it signifi th the crosse , afflictions , myseries , persecutions , and inward vexations of the spirite , as luk , , . where christ saith , i must be baptized , and how am i grieued 〈◊〉 i be baptized ? and 〈◊〉 . . are ye able to drinke of the cuppe that i must drinke of , and be baptized with the baptisme that i shal be baptized withall ? fourthly , it is taken for a liberall and plentifull distribution of the graces and gifts of god , as act. . iohn baptized with water , but ye shal be baptized with the holy-ghost within these few dates , that is , ye shall receiue a greater measure of the gifts of god then ye haue done before . fiftly , the word is taken for the doctrine of iohn , which he deliuered before he administred the sacrament of baptisme , as act. . . where apollos is said to be an eloquent man , and mighty in the scripture , knowing nothing but the baptisme of iohn . lastly , it is taken for the whole worke and action of the sacrament of baptisme , as math , , . go vnto all nations , teach and baptize them : and in this last sence we are now to speake of it . let vs therefore see b what this sacrament is . baptisme is the first sacrament , whereby , by the outward 〈◊〉 of the body with water once into the name of the father , of the sonne , and of the holy ghost the inward clensing of the sonle by the blood of christ is represented . this description of baptisme is to be opened and farther expounded vnto vs : c wherein fiue pointes are to be considered of vs. first , it is called the first sacrament , both in respect of the other sacrament of the lords supper : and because when the nations were conuerted to the saith , and beleeued in the name of christ , they were immediatly baptized , as we see the practise of the church , act. . . and chap. . . and ch , , . where after embracing the faith , we see the partaking of baptisme , and the sealing vp of their conuersion . againe , it is said there must be an outward washing of the body with water , because the d apostle declareth therby the nature of a sacrament of baptism , eph , . calling it the washing of water through the word : and it hath a iust proportion or relation to the spirituall washing of our newe birth , tit. , . being also called the baptisme 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 materiall , but left indifferent to the church to decree and determine , what shal be thought fittest to be receiued and practised . thirdly , it is added in the former description , that baptisme is once onely to be administred . for as in naturall generation , man is once onely borne : so it is in spirituall regeneration . and as circumcision was once only receiued in the flesh , whereby the fore-skin was circumcised : so is baptisme once onely to be administred , not oftentimes to be repeated . wherefore , the apostle eph. . saith , there is one f baptisme , one faith . againe , christ willed the apostles to minister baptisme , not baptismes . lastly , in baptisme the death of christ is represented , and he died but once : so that as his death was not to be repeated , no more is baptisme to be reiterated . fourthly , the forme and manner of doing , is said to be into the name of the father , and of the sonne , and of the holy-ghost . wherby is ment , that we haue fellowship with god in three persons ( as a wife hath with her husband , who passeth into her husbands name ) to be subiect to him , to obey him , to acknowledge and call vpon him , to worship no other god but the true iehoua . this therfore is not to be vnderstood onely of vsing the name of the trinity in baptizing , but by it also is ment , that the persons baptized are receiued into the grace and fellowship of god , to become his people , and to be pertakers of his couenant to their spirituall comfort . lastly in the description before remembred , it is affirmed that the outward washing of the body , representeth the inward clensing of the soule by the blood of iesus christ. this g appeareth expresly gal. . all that are baptized into christ , haue put on christ. and titus . . . according to his mercy he saued vs , by the washing of the new birth , and the renewing of the holy-ghost , which he shed on vs aboundaintly through iesus christ our sauiour . so also the same apostle , we are 〈◊〉 with him by baptisme into his death . these testimonies out of the word of truth do euidently teach , that this is the principall scope and end of baptisme , to assure our consciences by externall washing , of the inward clensing of our soules by the blood of christ for remission of sins . this being the discription of baptisme , let vs see what good vses may be made therof , and euery part in order , as they haue beene laid before vs. and first , touching the h first point mentioned before in the description , that baptisme is the first sacrament . this teacheth that such as are gained to the faith , & children of such as are in the profession i are immediately to he baptized . so was the eunuch when he was instructed : so was paule when he was conuerted : so were the iewes when they repented . and indeede this is a true saying , that k men cannot be incorporate into any religion ( whether it be true or false ) vnlesse they be combined together by some communion and fellowship of visible sacraments . again , is baptisme 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 receiued the first sacrament , is not to bee made partaker of the second . as in the old testament , circumcision was the sacrament of entrance and admission , and none was admitted to eate the passouer but such as wer circumcised , l as we see exod. so none hath this right and priuiledge to come to the supper of the lord , vnlesse first they be entred , and the doore opened to them by baptisme . for a man must be knowne to belong to our family and houshold , before he presume to eat of the childrens bread , that belongeth not to strangers . touching the vse of the . point , to wit , m that there must be washing with waters we learne that washing with water is of the necessity of baptisme . indeed ther may be a washing without baptisme , but ther can be no baptisme without washing the n 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 clense vs & leaueth no silah behind : so is our iustification 〈◊〉 sanctification repressented by the blood of christ , as shal be cōsidered . therfore such as vsed sand , or blood , or such like matter not fit for washing , did not indeed baptize , but horribly prophane the sacra . of baptisme . the third point in the description is , o that baptisme is once onely to be administred which affordeth vnto vs these three vses . first , it sheweth a difference between it and the lords supper . the apostle paule speaking of the supper of the lord saith , p as oft as ye shal eat this bread and drinke of this cup : and christ our sauiour , do this as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me , therfore it must be often receiued of the church . but baptisme once ministred , is not againe to be repeated . as we are once onely borne into the world , but after our birth are dayly nourished : so we are but once baptized , but there is continuall vse of the lords supper , where at we are fed to eternall life . secondly , this teacheth , that all rebaptizing is vnlawful , as we see by the examples of the apostles , q who baptized not the beleeuers and members of the church the second time . for act. . it is noted , that such as beleeued the gospel , continued in the apostles doctrine , in fellowship , in breaking of bread & prayer : but not in baptizing againe , or being baptized againe . and ch . . . . the disciples which were baptized , and had not receiued the gifts of the holy-ghost , paule instructed further in the doctrine of christ , and doth not rebaptize them , but laieth his hands vpon them , and they receiue the visible gifts of the holy ghost . the reason is plain against rebaptization , because it signifieth and sealeth vp our once being born again , our once setting and setling into the body of christ , r and our spiritual mariage once with him , who is the spirituall husband of his church . wherby we see , that such as haue beene baptized f by heretikers or other wicked ministers , are not to be rebaptized . it came in place of circumcision : but none wer twice circumcised , therfore none to be twice baptized . again , it is a sacra . that representeth our spiritual incorporatiō into the church : but it is sufficiēt once to be ingrasted , & cōsequently sufficient haue it once administred . this error of rebaptizing , arose vpon a corrupt vnderstanding and interpretation of the place . act. . when they heard it , t they were baptized in the name of the lord iesus . the difficulty of this place is taken away , if wee consider they be the words of paule continuing his speech of iohns baptisme , not of luke declaring what paule did . but of this place we shall haue better and fitter occasion to speake farther in the chapter following , where it is at large expounded . furthermore , if baptisme be administred once for euer , it sheweth that he which commeth to christ once truely and indeed , shall neuer be cast away , u whom christ iesus loueth once , he loueth for euer , because his graces and giftes are without repentance . what shall seperate vs from christ , when we are by his working adioyned vnto him ? wherefore , this outwarde washing , being not often repeated , but once onely vsed , doth effectually seale vp our once ioyning to god , who hath made an euer lasting couenant with vs , he shall neuer turne away from vs , to do vs good , we shall bee his people and he will be our god for euer . indeede if we could cleane fall away , from the grace of god , we shoulde haue another regeneration and another baptizing to be the seale thereof : but because we are built vpon the brazen pillar of gods election , the gates of hell shall not preualle against vs , for this foundation remaineth sure , a and hath this seale , the lord knoweth who are his . this b appeareth in dauid , psal. . he desireth to haue a cleane hart , be prayeth that the holy spirit be not taken from him : thereby declaring that the spirit was within him , and that hee had a sensible feeling thereof , howsoeuer the flesh for a season had gotten the vpperhande . heere then is a great comfort sealed to all christians , in all tentations , against al the tetrours and feares of conscience , where with they are ready to be swalowed vp and ouerwhelmed . this must strengthen and stay vs vp , that although we may fall greevously , yet we shall not fall finally from the state of grace . he that is once a sound and liuely member of christ , can neuer be wholly cut off . true it is , sinne may lesson our coniunction and weaken our comunion with christ : but if we be truely in him , the band shall neuer be dissolued , c we shall neuer be wholly seuered and fall from him , as , . . they went out from vs , but they wer not of vs , for if they had bin of vs , they should haue continued with vs , but this commeth to passe , that it might appeare , that they are not all of vs. now if any man by falling into sinne , were totally seperated from christ for a time , surely in his recouery and rising from sinne he were to be baptized the second time : for baptisme is the sacrament , initiation and ingrafting into christ , and an vniuersall falling would require a new ingrafting . but it were most absurd to say , we should be as often baptized as we fall into sin : and therefore howsoeuer satan may buffet , molest , tempt , and wound vs greeuously , yet he can neuer ouermaister vs wholy and ouercome vs finally , d as the apostle declareth , ioh. . whosoeuer is borne of god committeth not sinne , for his seed remaineth in him , neither can he sinne , because he is borne of god. this assurance of our standing for euer in the couenant , is the roote of all courage and comfort in trials and tentations , it helpeth vs to fight manfully against sinne , it preserueth vs from securitie , it nourisheth vs in good works , it increaseth in vs a care to please god , and lastly it confuteth the popish fancie of the forged sacrament of penance , wherby ( they say ) a christian being cleane fallen from grace is restored , finding no comfort in his baptisme : wheras the true beleeuer neuer falleth finally from faith , neither needeth an outwarde seale to assure his pertaining to gods fauour and loue . indeed euery christian that is fallen through infirmity , must rise vp , repent vnfainedly , and shew foorth the fruites thereof : yet the force and strength of his baptism is not lost , the fruit and comfort thereof remaineth for euer , and is extended as well to the time to come as to the time that is past . so many therefore as asfirme , that the faithfull in thoir falles , haue remedie in penance , but no comfort by their baptism , do set vp themselues , magnifieng their owne dreames and deuises aboue the holy ordinances of god. the fourth part of the former description of baptisme , is the forme of baptizing into the name of the father , of the son , and of the holi-ghost . e this teacheth that whosoeuer is baptized , hath made a solemn promise to confesse and professe the christian religion , to be the seruaunt of christ , to fight his battelles vnder his banner , against all the enemies of his faith and saluation , against sinne , against satan , against the world : he hath vowed to renounce the workes of the flesh , and to serue the true god. so often then as we are present at the administration thereof , we must consider the couenant into which wee are entred , which we made in the presence of men and angels , which we are bound to keepe for euer . wherefore , let vs learne daily to die vnto sin , and follow a new life by the grace of sanctification . secondly , this form of administration teacheth vs , to assure our own harts of god protection and defence , t as a wife doth of her husbands tuition and preseruation of her from al daungers . let vs looke for life , saluation , gouernment , and nourishment from him alone in christ for as he calleth vs from the fellowship of satan , of sin , and of the worldto haue felowship with himselfe : so he promiseth to be our aide and defence in time of neede , on whom we are in euery estate and condition to depend . the last part of the description , g sheweth , the inward clensing of the soule by the blood of christ. this teacheth that they abuse baptism , that in the outward work seeke remission of sins , as though the force of washing away sins were found in the element of water . baptisme therfore is not the washing away of sins : onely the bloud of christ clenseth vs from al sin , . iohn , . againe this declareth the perpetuall vse of it in the church , seeing it hath this effect to assure remission and forgiuenes of sins : vnto this let vs bring our children : of this let vs make them partakers : from this let vs by no means keepe them : and in this let vs continually renew our couenant with god. chap . that the parts of baptisme are partly outward and partly inward , hitherto wee haue shewed how baptisme is taken and what it is . in baptism we are to consider things , a his parts and his vses . for as in the former book , when we spake of the sacraments in generall , hauing shewed what a sacrament is , we discended to his parts and vses , wherein the perfect knowledge thereof consisteth : so wee wiil obserue the same in handling the doctrine of the sacraments in particular . the parts of baptisme are first to be opened : the vses are to be reserued to their proper place . the parts are . b the outward and the inward parts . this appeareth , pet where of the baptisme 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 saueth vs by the resurrection of iesus christ. where the a postle teacheth , that sinne cannot be washed awaye by that outwarde water , but by christs inward working which the outward baptisme doth shaddow . in like manner mar. . truth it is , i haue baptized you ' with water , but hee will baptize you with the holy-ghost , where the baptise sheweth that hee baptized outwardly , but the force of it proceedeth from christ who baptizeth inwardly . so act , , peter saide vnto them , amend your liues and be baptized euerie one of you in the name of iesus christ for the remission of sinnes , and ye shall receiue the gift of the holy-ghost : where the a postle declareth , that in such as repent and beleeue , the vertue of the holy-ghost is ioyned with outwarde baptisme . the outwarde partes therefore are one thinge , and the inwarde partes are another : that which is seene is one thing , and that which is vnderstood is another thing . this diuision of the partes of baptisme , affoordeth diuers good vses , and putteth vs in minde of sundrye holy duties . and first of all , are there outwarde and inwarde partes of baptisme ? then we learne hereby , that the outwarde partes are no vaine ceremonies , no fruitlesse rites , no vnprofitable actions that may be neglected or contemned , but auaileable signes , and effectuall seales of the sprinkling of christs blood for the forgiuenes of all our sinnes . againe , seeing there is such an vnion of the partes betweene themselues , we must not contemue , or dispise , or deferre baptisme . wherefore the faithfull , all delaies , reasons , and pretences set aparte , haue speedily prepared themselues to do that which god commaundeth . wee haue a worthy example in abraham , c when god required him to circumcise himselfe , his sonne , and all the males of his house , and thereby to vncouer all their shames : hee doth not inquire why god required this at his hands , hee doth not complaine or consult with flesh and blood : ouer all doubts faith got the victory , and subdued reason vnder her , and caused him with diligence , readines , and expedition to submit himselfe to fulfill the lords will , and performe it the same day that he commaunded it . of this duty likewise we see paule was d admonished by ananias immediately after his conuersion act. . saying , why tariest thou ? arise and be baptized , and wash away thy sinnes in calling on the name of the lord. whereby he sheweth , that this tarying and delay in the matters of god maketh vs culpable in his sight . true it is , it is not e the want of baptisme simply that is demnable ( as is shewed afterward ) but the contempt of the sacraments is dangerous , and without repentance damnable , f as it appeareth . the pharisies and expounders of the law despised the counsell of god against themselues , and were not baptized of him . we know all neglect and contempt in heauenly duties g is euill , and bringeth with it a certain curse as the prophet saith , cursed is he that doth the worke of the lord negligently . we see in humaine and wordly thinges , wise-men will not deferre the sealing of their writings and calling of witnesses , when they haue giuen a promise to other or made a bargaine with other ( knowing that vnnecessary delay may breede vnrecouerable danger ) as wee see by the example of ieremy , when he had h bought a field of his vncles sonne , presently he weighed him the siluer , & enrolled it in a booke of remembrance , hee signed it , he tooke witnesses , and left it written in roles or records , hauing an instrument or euidence fairely drawne and sealed with the common seale , if any thing should be called in question in time to come . 〈◊〉 he like we see in abraham long before , when he had bought a possession of the hittites for the buriall of his dead , he weighed out and paied 〈◊〉 money among marchants : so the field and the caue that was 〈◊〉 withal the trees and appurteuances that were therin , 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 vnnecessary putting off the time from sabboath to saboath , from meeting to meeting , ought to be fhunned of vs : otherwise , thogh we should be free from contempt , we cannot excuse ourselues of the neglect of au high and holy duty to god and our children . indeede , i we are not pricisely tyed to a certaine day in baptisme , as the iewes were to the . day in their circumcision : but that which the . day was to them , a conuenient and orderly time is to vs. now , what time can be more conuenient , more comely , more fitte , then the sabboath day following , when the church is assembled ? that so it may be administred rightly , reuerently , religiously , and conueniently in the publike meetings of the faithfull ? againe , the needelesse and carelesse deferring of this worke hath a grieuous threatning k annexed of assured punishment and iudgement , as it is set down , the vncircumcised male , in whose flesh the foreskin is not circumcised , euen that person snalbe cut off from his people , because he hath broken my couenant . whereby we see , that whosoeuer shal neglect circumcision , & not fuffer himself be circumcised , or shal approue the negligence committed by his parents , shall bee none of the peop'e of god , but shall be shut out from the society and barred from the fellowship of the faithful , both in this world and in the world to come , vnlesse hee repent of this sin . and that the l neglect of gods ordinance draweth his wrath , appeareth in the example of moyses , the lord met him and would haue killed him , because his son was not circumcised . he had dwelt int h : land of midian an idolatrous country . years , he began to sauour of the manners thereof : but hauing called him to be a gouernor of people , would not be appeased toward him , vntill he had reformed his owne house . for if any cannot m rule 〈◊〉 owne house , how shall he care for the church of god ? nowe whereas he had two sonnes borne vnto him in midian , the elder no doubt was circumcised the eight day , according to the order and ordinance of god : why then did he deferre the circumcising of the younger ? no doubt he was scorned and derided among them for circumcising his first borne , and his enemies were those of his owne house , euen the wife that lay in his bosome : yea he being then weake in faith , loued the praise of men more then the praise of god , and therefore the lord would haue slaine him . albeit the signe of circumcision seemed base and contemptible in outward shew , and to sauour of great cruelty toward little children : yet god woulde not suffer the deferring and neglecting thereof to goe without punishment . although grace be not tyed to the sacraments , and that we may bee saued without them : yet it is not left to the disposition of men , whether they will come to them or not , god will not haue the outward signes contemned of vs : for if we will be in the couenant , we must not despise the seal of the couenāt . furthermore , are the outward parts vnited to the inward ? then this serueth as a speciall meanes to comfort the verie lowest estate of men and the poorest degree in the church , that they doubt not of the fatherly fauor of god towarde them , but bee assured of their acceptation with god , who will make them partakers of his eternall blessinges in his kingdome , as well as other whose condition is greater and higher in the world . when god gaue circumcision to abraham , he commaunded him circumcise n all his seruants 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 albert they were abrahams bond-men , o yet they were the lords free men . so vnto baptisme wee admit and receiue the poore as well as the rich , the seruant as well as the maister , the low as well as the high , without respect of persons . when the lord instituted the passeouer , p the lambe was eaten of all the congregation . so touching the lords supper , it is an holy banket for all degrees and conditions whatsoeuer , and therefore q the apostle checketh the corinthians for this abuse , that wheras the poorest soule eating of the bread and drinking of the cup , is as welcome to christ the gouernor of the seast as the richest , they did despise the poore and shamed them that had not . all these things duly considered , serue to assure the very meanest , lowest , and simplest in the church , that they are made heires of eternall life as well as other , as they are partakers of the signe with other , if they beleeue with faithfull abraham . this the apostle r teacheth , there is netther iew nor graecian , there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female : for ye are al one in christ. and col. . there is neither graecian nor iew , circumcision nor vncircumcision , barbarian , scithian , bond , free : but christ is all and in all things . fourthly , are there outward rites , signes , and persons as externall parts of baptisme ? and are their likewise inward parts whereby we are consecrated to god , teaching that we haue vowed to renounce the lusts of the world , and to forsake the workes of the deuill ? then this s condemneth those that depart out of the church before this holy and publike action be taken in hand . baptisme belongeth not onely to the wittnesses and parties that bring the child , but to all the members of the church , that we may learne by our presence therat , to renew our faith and repentance vnto god. these men do too much disgrace and deface the dignity of this sacrament , not vouchsafing to remain at the administration therof , as if it were not worthy to be solemnized before thē : wheras they should quicken their faith in the couenant of god , by beholding the works of the minister , and ratifieng them in their harts , t as we read . luk. . wher they are said to circumcise , because they were al present at the work , consenting to prayers and thanks giuings , of the church : u as also the apostle saith , women pray and prophesie in the church , when they sit stil and are partakers of the praiers and preaching vsed in the publike assemblies . and as no member is cut off by excommunication , a but in presence of al , to be witnesses therof & to ratifie their grief for the losse of a member of their body : so in b baptisme it is required , to witnesse and approoue the publike worke by their presence , and to 〈◊〉 themselues thereby 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and comfort , hata fellow-heire is made partaker with them in the communion of saintes . moreouer , the excellency of this sacrament is as great as of the other : they are of like worthynes in themselues , and to be had equal and indifferently in like price and estimation : they are both commaunded and instituted by the 〈◊〉 authoritye of christ : there is the same matter and substance of both , to wit , christ with all his benifits : there is 〈◊〉 one and the same end of both , the increase and strengthning of our faith : therfore why should one sacrament be so much extolled aboue the other , and preferred before the other ? so that whereas many come to the lords supper , few remaine and abide in the church at the administration of baptisme . the whole assembly heareth the word preached and deliuered by the minister : the sacramentes are instruments of our iustification by faith c as well as the worde preached , sauing that the word worketh by hearing only , the sacraments serue by the senses of seeing , handling , and tasting as well as hearing , to strengthen and encrease faith in our hearts : and therefore it is requisite that we ioyne in the one as well as in the other . furthermore , the excellency , and worthynesse of baptisme appeareth heerein , in that it was instituted of god sealing vp his gratious couenant , in that it was sanctified by christ being baptized of iohn , and in that it was beautified by the heauenly reuelation of the blessed trinity appearing thereat : so great honour , so great dignity and preheminence was neuer giuen to any ceremony ? did god institute it , and shall we contemne it ? did iesus christ come to iohns baptisme , and shal we disdaine to be at the baptisme of christ ? was the holy trinity present , & will we be absent ? true it is , som of the sacrifices and burnt offerings were d miraculously consumed by fire from heauen : but what is this to the glorious presence of the maiesty of god , the blessed trinity : declaring to vs thereby , that god the father , god the son , and god the holy-ghost are alwaies present at the administration of baptisme , and truely performe that which is out-wardly figured and represented . heere heauen was open , which for our sinnes was shut against vs : heere the spirit descended in the visible forme of a doue vpon christ , to signifie vnto vs that being deliuered from the terrors of sin and iudgement , we are at peace with god : e the voice of the father is heard from heauen , saying , this is my sonne , in whom i am well pleased . all these things note out the speciall force and dignity of this sacrament . it is not therefore to bee administred in a corner of the church with three or foure persons present to witnesse the baptisme , the rest of the body of the congregation being departed , but in the face and open view thereof : forasmuch as god , to deliuer it from contempt , hath giuen it visible markes of greater honor . the apostle f saith cor. , our vncomelie partes haue more comlinesse on : for our comely partes neede it not , but god hath tempered the body together , and hath giuen more honor to that part which lacked . as god hath delt with our bodies , so hath he done in this sacrament . that which is most subiect to contempt , dishonour , and disgrace , god hath lifted vp with sundry excelent preheminences and prerogatiues as we haue seene in christs baptisme . and albeit there be a difference in the person baptized , yet there is none in the substance of the baptisme . seeing then god so highly esteemeth of this ordinance : it serueth to conuince , to accuse , and to condemne their carelesnesse and negligence , that refuse to be present at baptisme , or if they vouchsafe to bee present for a while , departe before the end of the whole action , and rushe out of the church before the name of god be praysed , and the whole worke finished g and concluded with prayer , as it was luk. . it came to passe as all the people were baptized , and that iesus was baptized , and did pray , the heauen was opened . and act. , arise and be baptized , and wash away thy sinnes in calling on the name of the lord. wherefore we are not to departe , before god hath be ene prayed vnto , and praysed for his benefits . the apostle chargeth , that h all things in the church be done in order and comelinesse . now , what can be more comely and conuenient , i 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 . lastly , if in euery true baptisme , there be outward and inward parts vnited each to other : then the baptisme of lohn and of christ are in nature and substance all one . contrary to the doctrine of the k trent-councel that teacheth , if any shal say , that the baptisme of iohn hath the same force with christs baptisme , let him be accursed . although it be no matter of faith , nor greatly necessary in the●e daies to despute of iohns baptisme ; seeing no man or woman is now baptized the rewith : yet we will shew the truth of this point out of the scriptures l that they are al one in substance and effect , not of any other kind & nature . for first , iohn preached the baptisme of repentance to remission of sins , they haue therfore the same doctrine , the same word , the same promise , m the same repentance , the same forgiuenesle of sinnes , as they had the same outward element of water . and the apostle n teacheth , that there is one body , one spirit , one hopeof the calling , one lord , one father , one faith , and one baptisme . . the baptisme of iohn was consecrated and sanctified in the person of christ , for christ was baptised with the baptisme of iohn . . it may appeare ( as we wil proue ch. , that iohn 〈◊〉 in the name of the blessed trinity . fourthly , neither christ nor his ap. rebaptized any that wer baptized by the ministry of iohn . apollos did know onely the baptisme of iohn , o he is taken & instructed farder in the faith and waies of the lord , but we read not that he was baptized again . if iohns . baptisme were not the same with our baptisme , it would follow that christ was baptized with another baptisme then we are , and that our baptisme was not sanctified in the person of christ : which taketh away our comfort and consolation , that we which are the members of christ haue one and the same baptisme with our head . sixtly , if the baptisme of iohn were not one with the baptisme of christ , heere by the errour of the anabaptistes should be confirmed , for such as were baptized of iohn , should be rebaptized . seuenthly , the apostles themselues should not be truely baptized : for they ( no doubt ) were baptized of iohn , some of them being first his disciples , otherwise they should be vnbaptized . for christ with his owne hands baptized none , p as ap peareth ioh. , , , and it is not likely that one of them baptized another : yea they should baptize other into another baptisme then themselus had receiued . last of all , christ himselfe testi fieth , q that the baptisme ministred by iohn , pertained to the fulfilling of righteousnesse math. , , and luke testifieth , that the publicans and people being baptized of him , iustified god ; but the pharises dispised the counsell of god against themselues & were not baptised . wherfore seeing iohn bpatised with water in the name of the trinity to remission of sins and that the blessed trinity was present thereat , we conclude his baptisme was the same with ours : r onely heerin lyeth the difference , in the circumstance of time , iohn baptised in christ that should suffer death and rise againe , we baptise in the name of christ already dead and risen againe to life . against this euident s truth directly confirmed , bellarmine the iesuite taketh diuers , exceptions , and maketh many obiections : all which stumbling blocks lying in the way ( wherat many stumble ) are to be remoued , before we conclude this chapter . for he reasoneth thus , t the baptisme of iohn was instituted by iohn himselfe not by christ , he was , not the minister onely , but the author thereof : therefore it was no sacrament at all , especially of the new testament , and consequently not the same with the baptisme of christ . i answer , we must consider in this reason , the base and vile account that the iesuites make of iohns baptisme , they make it an idle and vaine ceremony without fruite or force , and no sacrament or seale of heauenly grace . againe , if iohns baptisme were no sacrament , then christ which receiued no other outward baptisme , receiued no sacrament : and we should be baptised with an other 〈◊〉 then christ was . furthermore , shal we heare with patience and hold our peace , when these iesuites or 〈◊〉 iebusites 〈◊〉 enemies of the people of god , belch out their 〈◊〉 , and blot iohns baptisme out of the 〈◊〉 of sacraments : and admit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 false and 〈◊〉 sacraments of 〈◊〉 , penance , orders , matrimony , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ? lastly , what intolerable boldnes or blindenesse is there in these bayards , that make iohn and not god , to be the appointer , author , and ordainer of his baptisme : contrary to expresse euidence of holy 〈◊〉 ? for seeing no man u taketh this honor vpon him but he that is called of god as aaron was : shall we thinke hee would vsurp this office without gods word & warrant ? and doth not christ himfelfe propound the question to the 〈◊〉 priests and elders of the people touching iohns baptisme , a and teach that he baptized and preached by the authority and commaundement of god ? besides , do not the euangelists say , b he was sent of god , ioh. , , and that the word of god came to iohn in the wildernesse , and he came into all the coastes about iordan preaching and baptizing ? luk : , , . yea , iohn himselfe testifieth that he was sent to baptize , ioh. . , i knew him not , but he that sent me to baptize with water , said vnto me , vpon whom thou shalt see that spirit come 〈◊〉 , and tarry still vpon him , that is he which baptizeth with the holy-ghost , where by appeareth , that iohns baptisme was 〈◊〉 of god no : of iohn : and iohn was not the author , but onely the minister thereof . againe , c he obiecteth and allegeth math. , , where iohn himselfe saith , i baptize with water , but christ shall baptize with the holy-ghost . whence he d gathereth that christs baptisme gaue the holy-ghost , iohns baptisme gaue not the holy ghost : therefore their baptismes are not all one . i answer , these words were spoken to inform e the people that he was not that christ , luk. , , . so that they make a difference , not betweene the baptisme of christ and of iohn , but between the persons of christ and of iohn , betweene the minister of the sacrament , and the 〈◊〉 thereof . for this is true of all the ministers of baptisme to the end of the world , that baptize in the name of the holy trinity : they poure on the water , they can do no more , they can go no further , christ must giue the grace of regeneration and sanctification . moreouer , f another obiection he taketh out of act. , , . where luke speaketh of certaine disciples at ephesus , to whom paule said , haue ye receiued the holy-ghost , since ye beleeued ? and they saide vnto him , we haue not so much as heard whether there be an holy ghost . g and he said vnto them , vnto what were ye then baptized ? and they said , vnto iohns baptisme . then paule saide , iohn verily baptized with the baptisme of repentance , saying vnto the people , that they should beleeu in him , which shal come after him , that is , in christ iesus . and when they heard it , they were baptized in the name of the lord iesus . so paule laid his hands on them , and the holy-ghost came on him , and they spake the tongues and prophesied , and all the men were about twelue . in these words it should seeme at the first sight , that paule baptized the disciples of ephesus with the baptisme of christ , which had before receiued the baptisme of iohn . if then he baptized them againe in the name of christ whom iohn baptized , it followeth necessarily that the baptisme of iohn was one , and the baptisme of christ another , otherwise it should bee a needelesse and fruitelesse repetition . besides this , the place seemeth to fauour rebaptization , and is alleaged by dangerous heretikes to that purpose . wherefore , the place being difficult , the doubts diuers , and the errors many that are gathered and sucked from hence : let vs assay by the assistance of god to open the true and naturall meaning thereof . if we shall weigh and consider the wordes aright according to the true interpretation thereof , h agreeable to the drift of the place , to the circumstances of the text , to the propriety of the words , to other testimonies of scriptures & to the proportion of faith : we shal see they fauour and further neither rebaptization maintained by the anabaptistes , neither reall difference betweenee iohns baptisme and christs , defended by the papists . true it is , ther is in this scripture a double history and narration inserted , intermingled , and 〈◊〉 the one within the other , which causeth some doubt and 〈◊〉 , but may easily be clcered and 〈◊〉 . for first of all . the wordes verse , and they which heard it were baptized : are not the wordes of luke the writer , but of paule the speaker , continuing his speach of iohns disciples and hearers , and are not to be vnderstood of the , 〈◊〉 , as appeareth by the two i greeke coniunctions , which are vsed by the maiders of that tongue to ioyne and to disioyne , hauing relation one to the other , and knitting together the parts of the sentence answering fitly each to other , k as may be seene in many places , wherefore , luke speaketh not heere of paules baptisme , but paule speaketh of iohns baptisme . he setteth downe the office of iohn verse , then he prose cuteth both the partes of it , mentioning his preaching verse . & his baptizing verse . again , these . abiding at ephesus dwelling far from the land of iudea wher iohn preached and baptized 〈◊〉 liuing about . or , years after the death of iohn , could not hear his doctrin from his own mouth , or receiue baptisme at his hands . now , whereas they are said to be baptized to iohns baptisme , the meaning is , l they embraced & professed the same doctrin which iohn preached by word , & sealed with his baptisme . thirdly , we haue a like example , touching the samaritans baptized by phillip , m the holyghost was yet come down vpon none of them , but they were onely baptized in the name of the lord iesus : then laid they their hands on them , and they receiued the holy hgost . heer we are to obseiue this order , phillip preached , the people beleeued , and were baptized : afterward the apostles hands were imposed and so the holy ghost is receiued . they gaue the gifts of the holy ghost by laying on of hands without baptisme , act. , neither do we read , that laying on of hands was vsed in baptisme , neither were these baptized againe , but onely confirmed and strengthened by imposition of the apostles hands . so in this place , the twelue ephesian disciples had embraced and receiued the doctrine that iohn preached , and were baptized in the name of christ : then the apostle layeth his hands vpon them , and they receiue the holy-ghost , they are no more rebaptized then wer the disciples at samaria . fourthly , if the & , verses were to be sundred and dismembred contrary to the vse of the greeke particles , which serue to comoyne the whole , and to 〈◊〉 the partes of the sentence ( as though the one were spoken of paule , the other of luke ) why doth luke afterward verse , repeate and assume the name of paule ? what neede was there to make mentiō of him again ? doth not this shew , that in the 〈◊〉 speach before , he had spoken of iohn and his hearers that heard him preaching in the wildernes ? furthermore , the apostle neither accuseth nor condemneth the baptisme of these ephesians , neither enquireth whether they were baptized or no , seing they wer in the number of the professors of the faith & beleeuers of the gospel ( for they are called disciples ) but whether they had receiued the gifts of the holy ghost ? sixily , if such as haue beene once baptized were to be repaptized , because they are somtimes grosly ignorant , and know not some necessary fundamentall point of religion concerning the trinity , concerning the offices or person of christ , and such like holy principles : he apostles themselues should haue been baptized again , who conuersing with christ , hearing his doctrine , seeing his miracles , knowing his behauior , had yet tafled little of his spirituall and heauenly kingdome , n but dreamed that the messiah should haue a temporal and earthly kingdome . the samaritans also should be baptized anew , because being baptized they did not immediatly receiue the holy ghost . likewise , apollos should be baptized againe , who was weake in knowledge , vnderstanding only the baptisme of iohn , yet he was not rebaptized , but aquillia and priscilla tooke him , and instructed him farther in the faith of christ and in the waies of god. and if baptisme were so often to be repeated , as god of his mercy sheweth vs the errours of our minde and laultes of our life : howe often should wee bee baptized ? should not the faithfull many times , not onelye in a yeare but sometimes in a daye require baptisme ? besides , we must consider , that these . 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 clouen tongues on the apostles , a as the words are taken , act. , , , , and chap. , , , and chap. , . for it were vnreasonable and absurd to imagine , that such as are said to be disciples , schollers of christ , professors of the faith , and members of the church , could be ignorant wholly of the holy-ghost , which iohn saw come downe b vpon christ in a visible shape , without the knowledge of which spirit , none can be said to be a beleeuer and to be faithfull : such are so farre from being admitted into the church , that they deserue not to sit in the porch . neither may we thinke without intollerable iniury done vnto iohn , who was filled with the holy-ghost from his mothers wombe , that hee would euer haue receiued to his baptism such rude & grosse disciples as had neuer heard whether there were an holy-ghost . last of al , if paul had baptized these . disciples of ephesus , why are they passed ouer in silence and not rehearsed , where , of set purpose he q reckoneth vp such as were baptized by him ? he declareth how he baptized 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 , and the houshould of stephanas , he maketh no mention at al of this history . nay , if he baptized these , might not the corinthians haue taken exception against him , and accused him of falshood and forgetfulnes ? and albeit the speak properly and particularly of the corinthians , yet after warde hee extendeth his doctrin farther , and concludeth generally that he knew not whether he had baptised any other ; which he wold neuer haue spoken , if he had baptised the xii . togither : especially seeing he addeth , christ sent me not to baptize , but to preach the gospell . and seeing the former 〈◊〉 was written after this history , and as some suppose from ephesus where these disciples dwelled , r as it may in part be gatheredout of chap . when paulesaith , i 〈◊〉 tary at ephesus vntill pentecost : how can it be that the apostle baptising , these ephesians and writing his epistle from ephesus shoulde not remember them among the rest , being many and also present with him before his face ? thus we haue opened the meaning of this place , which the vnlearned and vnstable haue wrested ( as they doe also s other scriptures ) to their own destruction : and we haue proued the baptism of iohn to be one and the same in substance with the baptisme of christ , and therefore to be neither vnperfect nor vnprofitable . thus we see , that the vnion of the outward and inwarde parts togither teacheth , t that in baptisme the outwarde rites are no needles ceremonies : that it must be ministred with all conuenient speede , against those that deferre the same many weekes and monethes : that it requireth our presence to the end of the administration therof , that praiers may be offered vp by the church for infants to be baptized and our selues learne what we haue vowed to god. we haue also learned that god testifieth his loue euen 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 aske it of god ? or , how shall we better know , what our selues haue vowed and promised in our baptisme to god , and how we haue bene answerable 〈◊〉 : then by our continuall ptesence when it is administred . lastly , this diuision of the parts teacheth , that the baptisme of iohn and of christ differ not in the truth and substance thereof . thus farre we haue shewed that the parts of baptisme are partly outward and partly inward now let vs see what these outward parts are : and afterwarde proceede in order to the inward . chap. . of the first outward part of baptisme . as we declared before in the former booke chap. . the number of outward parts of a sacrament : a so the out warde partes of baptisme are , namely , the minister , the word of institution , the element , and the receiuer . all these though outward partes , yet are substantiall and necessarie parts the first is the minister , as the ambassador of god sent out by him with 〈◊〉 to meddle in the matter of the sacraments , as appeareth by the ministerie of iohn . by the commandement of christ , and by the examples of the apostles . the baptist , b when all men 〈◊〉 in their harts , if he were not that christ , said to them , indeede i baptise you with water , but one stronger then i cōmeth , whose shoos latchet , i am not woorthy to vnloose . and iohn . . he saith , i am come baptising with water , i knew him not , but he that sent me to baptise with water , said to me , vpon whom thou shalt see the spirit come downe and tary still on him , that is he which 〈◊〉 with the holy-ghost . and math. . teach all nations baptising them now according to this commaundement and commission , the apostles went forth teaching and preaching to the people , and ministring the sacraments to such as were conuerted to the faith , c as we see act , . . notwithstanding , whereas paule saith , christ sent me not to baptise , d but to preach the gospell , cor , , . it is not to be vnderstood hystorically but comparatiuely . for his meaning is not simplie to relate and set downe his office wherunto he was called , but by conferring it with his preaching : as if he should say , this is not the chiefe and principall ende of my calling and function to baptize , the high worke of my ministery 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 giftes required , and of the fruite that floweth and followeth from thence to their hearers , it being the high ordinance of god to saue such as beleeue . that this is the apostles mind and meaning , appeareth by the words immediately ensuing , where he reckoneth vp some whom he had baptized , which he would neuer haue done or attempted without a calling . true it is , the dignity & force of baptism dependeth not vpon the worthines or excellency of the ministers thereof , but on the authoritie and institution of god , who onelie remitteth sinnes , and baptizeth with the holy-ghost . this appeareth by the example of such as cast out deuils in christs name , of whom christ saith , he knew them not . so iudu was sent out with the rest of the apostles to teach and to preach the gospell of the kingdome , and to heale euery sicknes and euery disease among the people , yet he was the sonne of perdition that the scripture might be fulfilled . the scribes and pharises sit in moses his chaire . for this cause christ himselfe would baptize no man ioh. , least any should esteem of baptisme by the worthines or vnworthines of the ministers . neuerthelesse , f it is required that baptisme be done and deliuered by a minister of the church , and one reputed so to be of the church , as may be confirmed by sundry reasons . first , baptisme is a part of the ministry , which none may vndertake but such as are thereunto lawfully called . god hath ioyned the g ministry of the worde and sacramentes together : and what god hath coupled togither , let no man separate , math . . but women or priuate persons may not be admitted to teach in the publicke assemblies h in a true and well ordered chutch , , cor , . let your women keepe silence in the churches , for it is not permitted vnto them to speake , but they ought to bee subtect , as also the lawe saith : and if they will learne any thing , let them aske their husbandes at home , for it is a shame for women to speake in the churcb . and tim , , let your women learne in silence with all subiection , i permit not a woman to teach , neither to vsurpe authority ouer the man , but to be in silence . likewise , i the apostle reproueth the church of thyatira , that it suffered a woman to teach among them , and to exercise the publicke ministry of the word , contrary to gods commaundement and the practise of gods people . i confesse , k there haue bene prophettesses in the church , as deborab , huldah , hannah , the foure daughters of phillip , with some others : but the examples are extraordinary , and therefore cannot make an ordinary 〈◊〉 for imitation . the causes heereof are direct and euident . for to teach publikely , is a token of authority and rule ouer others , in-asmuch as the teacher is higher in place and authority then he that is taught , as paule was brought vp at the feete of l gamaliell , and as the lesse is blessed of m the greater . therefore , the woman should not be admitted to be a maister in israell , a teacher and instructer of men , as tim. , where the apostle forbiddeth them to teach publikely , and to vsurpe authority ouer the man , but requireth of them to be in subiection , not to chalenge dominion . again , such is the n frailenes and weakenesse of that sexe , that they are easier to be seduced and deceiued , and so fitter to be authors of much mischiefe being the weaker vessels : therefore paule hauing set down the doctrine that women should not take vpon them to teach in the church , and so preach in the assembly of men , presently alledgeth this reason , o that the woman was first deceiued of the deuil and was in the transgression : he made choise of her , and made her an instrument to be guile her busband . furthermore , the minister representeth gods person in this holy worke , and theresore he onely can offer and deliuer with power and authority the outward signe , which answeareth fitly to the inward matter . shall priuate persons vsurp to be the lords messengers , to bring his letters and seales , not called , not alowed , not authorised ? it cannot be without intruding of themselues and dishonour to god. as none can wash vs from our sinnes but christ onely : so none can beare his person in the outward sacrament of the inward washing , but he whom christ himselfe hath appointed , if we will receiue the benifit of the holy seale of baptisme , for the assurance of our conscience p that we are washed from our sinnes . and if the will and pleasure of a prince , doe make that onely to be his seale , which he hath set aparte to seale his grauntes withall , so that albeit another bee made right of the same matter , iust of the same forme and fashion , and in all pointes like vnto it , no difference being to bee seene betweene them , yet the same is none of the princes seale , but a counterfcit stampe : then now much more ought the knowne will of the eternall god ( which is , that they onely should minister the sacraments , that haue a publicke calling and allowance therunto ) to haue that authority , that no sacraments can be warranted to be his 〈◊〉 , but such as are signed by his officers . againe , q suppose the princes seales shoulde be stollen away , which he hath appointed to seale his grantes withall , 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 applyed to his writinges : so if it were possible to bee the seale of god which a woman shoulde set to , yet for that she hath stolen her patent , and vsed it contrary to gods commandement , i see not how any man can perswade his owne hart by it to be partaker of a sacrament : but his comfort is weakened and impaired , and his conscience left in doubt and perplexity . moreouer , this may yet farther appeare by a comparison ( a forme of reasoning often vsed in the scripture ) comparing different actions of thinges done by a calling , with such as are done without a calling , wherby we shall see that to haue a lawfull calling to do a thing , giueth life , likinge , and allowance vnto the doing for we must , not onely consider what is done ; but also who is the doer . what is the reason that ioab captaine of the hoast , r killing abner and amasa two more righteous then himselfe , was reserued to iudgement : s whereas phinchas killing zimri and cosbi , it was imputed vnto him for right cousnes ? what is the reason that peter is reproued for drawing his sworde , and smiting the high priests seruant , being commaunded to put vp the sword , because so many as 〈◊〉 with the sword shall perish with the sword : whereas the higher power which is god is said to be the minister of god , to take vengeance on him that doth euill , and not to beare the sword in vaine ? was it not , that phinehas was stirred vp and called of god to do execution : but ioah was stirred vp by the diuel , to see and to seeke his owne reuenge ? was it not , that peter was a priuate man to whome god had saide , a thou shalt not kill : but the magistrate is ordained of god , to whom he hath saide , b thine eye shall not pitty him , whom i haue appointed to die ? wherfore there is more to be marked of vs then the deede that is done seeing the same deed performed by a person that hath a calling is liked and lawfull , the which done without a calling is vngodly and vnlawful . this truth is so plaine and apparent , that the heathen c poet doth acknowledge it . duo cumidem faciunt saepe vt 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 befal , yet one we oft as lawfull like , th' other vnlawfull call : not that the deed is differing , the doer is all in all . so then , to say that a woman may minister baptisme in cases of necessity , is all one , as if a man should say , that if ther be no iudge or magistrate at hande that will do his duty in executing iustice against murtherers and malefactors : that then a priuate man may take vpon him to draw the sword out of the sheath to strike osfendors . but as a priuate man , flaying a murtherer , hath himselfe committed murther , and not executed iudgement , because he had no calling or commission thereunto , so such as without any warrant haue taken in hande to baptise , haue made a prophane washing ; and not administred any sacrament of the lord. lastly , if it be not materiall who baptise ; then if the friends or neighbours meeting together after the birth of a child , should carry the childe to the church ro be baptised and solemnely dedicated to christ that died on the crosse , if a priuate person preuenting their purpose cast water on the infant and with all vse the wordes of institution ; the childe should by this imagination be baptised and be carried no further to the minister . or , if no man of purpose poure on water , but it dash at vnwares vpon the face of the child , or if a shower of raine fall from heauen , and a priuate person speake the words of institution , it should likewise be baptisme . nay , which is more vnreasonable and absurd , d if it were ministred by a boy playing and in sport , if it were ministred by a foole or a mad man , if it were ministred by one that were not himselfe baptized , if it were by a turke or infidell that is a sworne enimy by profession to baptisme and to them that are baptised , yea if it were ministred by an athiest that holdeth there is no god ; yet it should be by this opinion a good , lawfull , and perfect baptisme . but seeing this cannot be so , we are not onely to obserue what is the deed done , but to consider who is the doer , and to prouide it be done by the minister warranted by the church and called of god thereunto . before we come to the vses heereof , we will answere an obiection from the example of zipporah the wife of moses , who in case of necessity circumcised her sonne , and god departed from pursuinge her husbande to the death for omitting thereof . to this we may answer , that we must liue by lawes , not by examples which haue no warrant . the question is not of the fact , but of the lawfulnes of the fact . againe , there is a difference betweene circumcision and baptisme . for this falling out before the law , was more lawfull , when circumcision was left more at liberty : yea vnder the law there was no speciall commaundement giuen to the priestes to circumcise , which should tye it to the priesthood . but christ in the gospell hath apointed the same persons to be preachers of the gospell and ministers of the sacramentes . moreouer , inasmuch as shee did it , e not in the absence but in the presence of her husband , and inasmuch as her hart was not vpright , but filled with anger against god , with indignation against her husband , with murmaringe and frettinge againste the institution of circumcision , castinge the fore-skin with great disdaine vpon the earth , regarding nothing lesse then to performe a good duty to god , railing vpon and reuiling moses , the act cannot be lawfull or aproued . furthermore it doth not appeare out of the scripture that moses was sick ( as some pretend ) but it is most probaple and likely , that zipporah wanting discretion but not presumption , through her boldnes and hastines preuented moses , and aduentured on the worke , before the prophet coulde prepare himselfe vnto it . neither may we by the sequell and successe conclude the lawfulnes of her deed , f as bellarmine doth , because the angell ceased from vexing him , that therefore god was pacified , pleased , and appealed towarde him . for the heathen man condemneth such as measure actions g by the euent , as by a false rule and deceitfull measure . we see oftentimes euill workes prosper , and euill workes speede well in this world ; the assyrians that halted in the worship of god , and mingled his honor with idols , were deliuered frow the h lyons that deuoured them : yet their corrupt and consused religion pleased not god. wherefore , we conclude , that whereas this woman administred circumcision , her example must not be drawn into imitation . now , as the truth is plaine and euident : so the vse is profitable and comfortable . first , if the minister be one outward part of baptisme , then he must be ready and carefull to performe his duty , which is , to wash the vncleane body with water in the name of the father , of the sonne , and of the holy-ghost , to call vpon 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 baptisme as the matter of the sacrament , if ther be a party to be baptized which is the receiuer , and if there he a minister to administer it : yet vnlesse he performe his duty , there can be no baptisme . so then we must knowe that the actions of the minister i are dubble : first , there is required of him a sanctifying of the water : sccondly , a washing of the partie . the sanctifying of the water , is the seperation and appointing of it by the word and praier to this vse to signifie the bloud of christ. the outward washing is a certaine pledge vnto vs of our inward washing by the blood and spirit of christ . secondly , if it be the ossice of the minister to baptize : then this giueth direction and instruction to the people to whom to repaire and resorte when they haue any children to be baptized . it is required of them to haue recourse to the ministers as to the officers of god . we see in the asfiairs of the common-wealth , and in passing conueyances of houses , of lands , and of inhritances , how carefull and circumspect men are to passe them where they ought to be passed , and in such courts , and vnder such officers as are authorised for such purpose , that there may be no error committed in the conueiance . for whatsoeuer is done and passed before him that hath not his patent to warrant his practise , is held to be void and frustrate by maisters of that profession . in like manner it standeth vs all vppon , when a matter of an higher nature and of greater importance is in hand , then the sealing and assuring of temporall possessions , to looke carefully to the diligent performance of this speciall duty , that the signing of our infants and sealing them in the couenant , be made by the hands of such officers as are appointed by god for that purpose , and by no other . thirdly , this condemneth the abuse and prophanation of the sactament of baptisme in the church of rome , where women , midwiues , and priuate persons without any commaundement of god , nay contrary to his word , take vpon them this part of the ministers office to baptize children , which they haue receiued from the 〈◊〉 marcion i who gaue women power to baptize , which epiphanius k teacheth , the holy mother of christ was not permitted to do . such then as vsurp this calling and approue thereof , neuer knew the force of our adoption in christ , nor the strength of the couenant , nor that the elect are saued by the good pleasure and will of god. therfore , there is not that absolute necessity of baptisme to saluation which many suppose , that for this supposed necessity , the ordinance of god should be broken and prophaned . and a man may maruell , why at such times , they did not rather commit the mater to priuate men to baptize then to woman ( whose sexe is surther remoued from execution of this office ) not onely because they be vncalled and priuate men , l but euen because they' are women , and thereby are wholly vncapable ( though otherwise qualified ) of any publike charge or function in the church , they are commaunded to sit stil , and to be quiet . besides , if in time of this extreamety and necessity which is imagened , it be permitted them to minister baptisme : why should it not be suffered in like necessity and danger of death , that they minister the lords supper , and preach the gospell , ( in case they be able and men vnable or vnwilling ) the dignity of the one sacrament being no lesse then the other , and the excellency of the word being as great as of them both ? if then women may iustly be condemned , when they shal presume to sit down in the chaire of moses , or to minister the supper of the lord : they cannot be iustified if they vsurp to minister baptisme . for , shall we make a shamefull and double diuorcement of those things that god hath coupled , betweene the word and sacraments , and likewise betweene the one sacrament and the other ? this is to great contumely and contempt offered to baptisme , to allow it in those , that may neither publikely preach , nor lawfully minister the lords supper : seeing their warrant to practise the one , is no greater then to do the other . wherefore , let all priuate persous and midwiues consider with the mselues the fearefull examples recorded in the scipture , of such as haue rashly presumed to prophane the holy offices of the church , and how god hath often visited this great sin with grieuous iudgments , sometimes with fire from heauen , sometimes the earth opening her mouth , sometimes with suddaine death , and sometimes with the most filthy disease of the leprosie , whereby as by his voice from heauen , he thundered downe vpon mens disobedience , and so ratifieth this law of the necessity of a vocation 〈◊〉 calling for euer . m corah , dathan , and abiram taking vpon them the priest-hood without a calling , fire from heauen came downe consuming corah and his company : the earth also opened and couered dathan and abiram , that they were swallowed vp aliue : none of them died the common visitation of other men , but god wroght a strange worke vpon them , and altered the course of nature : which ought to be a parpetuall instruction and direction vnto vs , to teach vs not to peruert or euert that order , which god hath established to continue in his church . hitherto belongeth that which is writen of vzzah , n who was smitten with suddaine and vnexpected death , only for that beyond the bounds of his calling he put forth his hand to hold vp the arke which did shake and was ready to fal , which was lawfull for the leuites onely to meddle withal , although his intent and purpose wer neuer so good : so that if the vnlawful intruders vpon baptisme pretend cases of necessity , heere seemed as great a necessity , yea his mind and meaning was as good as theirs , yet it displeased god , because it was done without his word and warrant . so azariah was striken with leprosie , that he was a leaper to the day of his death , for that not being content with his kingly office , he would take vpon him the priests office o to burn incense vnto the lord. these worthy examples of gods most feuere iudgements executed vpon the breakers of this ordinance , ought to strike such a fear into our harts , that we suffer not the sacred functions and offices of the church to be prophaned , and to teach vs that euery one meddle only with the approued duties of his own calling . and although god do not now thus execute iudgement from heauen , and work strange things in the earth in extraordinary manner , when his ordinances are broken : yet the sin is not therby lessened , nor the punishmēt mitagated , nor the hand of god shortned , but stretched out still , though iudgement according to desert be deferred : my rather the p greater wrath is reserued for his aduersaries , to the great day of account , when al flesh shal appear before the throne of his glorious presence . for if the prophaners of the sign 〈◊〉 sacraments of the old testament did not escape , but were thus sharpely and seuerely punished : our sacraments established by the lord iesus are not of lesse value 〈◊〉 worthines , so that the contempt of thē shal be visited with sorer iudgments . and if god did strike with his reuenging hand priuatemen when they sinned in a abusing the sacramentes , and spared not kings in the pride of their hearts : how should women standing a degree 〈◊〉 off , and barred from the office by a stronger bolt , enter into the house q at a window , and not be accounted as theeues and robbers ? so that we conclude , that the necessity of a calling is as great as the necessity of baptisme . and thus much of the first outward part of baptisme , namely the minister . chap. . of the second outward part of baptisme . the second outward part of baptisme is the word of institution , a which is as the forme of the sacrament , as eph. , . christ loued the church and gaue himselfe for it , that he might sanctifie it and clense it by the washing of water b through the word . this also is expresly set downe math. . go , teach all nations , baptizing them into the name of the father , and of the sonne , and of the holy-ghost . this both declareth the vse of the sacrament , and promiseth christ with all his benefits . for to be baptized into the name of the blessed trinity , is to be made one of gods family which is his church , and to be partaker of the priuiledges thereof . i his promise is contained vnder the commaundement , c as we may see by sundry testimonies of the scripture as gen. . iacob saith , the angell that hath deliuered me from all euil , blesse the children , and let my name be named vpon them , and the names of my fathers abraham and isaac : whereby he meaneth , they should be ioyned to his family & accounted in the number of them . now the vses remaine to be considered . first , heereby it is manifest , what a solemne couenant and contract , and what a neere coniunction is made by the washing in baptisme betweene god and the persons baptized : for god the father vouchsafeth to receiue them as his children into fauour , the sonne to redeeme 〈◊〉 , the holy-ghost to purifie and preserue them , to comfort and regenerate them , to protect and defend them from all euil . this is the staffe and stay of our hope and comfort . secondly , consider on the other side , that the parties thus baptised , do promise and vow , to acknowledge , beleeue , serue , worship and call vpon the name of no other gods but of the true god , which is the father , the sonne , and the holy-ghost , and consequently to renounce the works of the deuil , the fashions of the world & the lustes of the flesh . baptisme is as it were a solemne othe taken in the sight of god and in the face of the congregation , whereby the person baptized bindeth himselfe wholly to god , three in persons , but one in substance . indeede we deserue to be cast out of the fauour and family of god , yet he vouchsafeth to entertaine vs , to receiue vs , and to acknowledge vs for his children : therefore we must in euery estate depend vpon him , honor him as our god , serue him as our maister , obey him as our lord , and looke for saluation from him as from our redeemer . againe , as we haue beene 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 , & of the holy-ghost : so we must all beleeue 〈◊〉 confesse as an article of our faith , that the trinity in vnity , and vnity in trinity is to be worshipped . for albeit here are three reckoned vp as speaking of many : yet heere 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 iustly to be condemned of falsehood and heresie . such is the religion of the iewes , greekes , turkes , persians , and in some sort the papists , albeit in words these last acknowledge one god in three persons . the greeke church at this day denyeth the god-head of the holy ghost : the turks and iews deny the deity both of the sonne and of the holy-ghost : the present church of rome more glorious in shew , but not much more sound in saith , hath defiled the whole trinity with their imagerie , and set vp a false christ , partly denying him to be god of himselfe , and partly repealing all his offices : so that howsoeuer they professe him in wordes , and leaue him the name of a sauiour : yet they make a mocke of his sacrifice and haue turned christian religion into antichristian 〈◊〉 . wherefore , as we are baptized into the most worthy name of the blessed trinity , let vs hold fast the true profession thereof , and renounce al errors and heresies oppugning our holy 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 vs of the sweete comfort we haue therein . thirdly , are these words of institution baptizing them into the name of the father , and of the son & of the holy-ghost , the outward forme of baptisme ? then we hold that manner of baptizing must bee retained , this ought not to be changed , no other ought to be vsed then this , prescribed by christ our sauiour . we must not therefore let passe or leaue out , any of the three persons in trinity ( as some heretiks haue done ) though we shall vnderstand the other by naming and speaking of one . if any say , that the apostles baptized in the name of christ , as act. , , and ch. , , and , . to this 〈◊〉 i answere , the apostles do not set downe in those places the forme of baptisme , or the words of institution : but the substance and end , which is , to assure remission of sinnes in the name of christ. they shew not the forme , but the fruite : not how it should be ministred , but what spirituall grace is signified thereby . for why should the disciples change the ordinance of their maister , who deliuered nothing to the churches , but what d they receiued of the lord ? againe , it cannot be denyed , but that the apostles e baptized in this forme , in the name of the father , and of the sonne , and of the holy ghost , as act. , . can any forbid water that these should not be baptized , which haue receiued the holy-ghost as well as we ? as if he should say , these haue receiued the gifts of the holy-ghost , therefore they may be baptized in the name of the holy-ghost . and more plainely act. , when the diseiples had answered paule that they knew not whether there were an holy ghost , he saith , vnto what were ye then baptized ? whereby he sheweth , it was the manner and custome to baptize in the name of the holy-ghost , and consequently of the whole trinity . the euangelists also teach , that at the baptisme of iohn , the father , sonne and holy-ghost were present . and as hee baptized with the same matter , why should we imagine he obserued not the same forme , that christ eommaunded expresly to his apostles ? nay seeing in the baptisme of iohn we haue proued , there was the same promise , the same grace , the same vertue , the same signe , the same signification , which was in the baptisme of the apostles ( as we haue proued before ) why should we onely doubt of the wordes of institution ? wherefore , we conclude , that the apostles would not alter any thing of the direct-and expresse wordes of their lord and maister , f prescribed math. , where he chargeth them both what to preach and how to baptize . for as hee enioyneth them to teach the nations , to obserue whatsoeuer he commaunded them : so he willeth them to baptize in the name of the father , of the sonne , 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 deliuered were the sacraments of god , and they had no more leaue in the one , then liberty in the other . if then , any should baptize otherwise then in the name of the trinity , or should name the sonne to be vnequall to the father , or should deny the proceeding of the holy-ghost , or should baptize in the name of the virgin mary and the saints , this cannot be the sacrament of baptisme instituted by christ , but a ceremony made voide and frustrate by our owne inuentions . chap. . of the third outward part of baptisme . the third outward part of baptisme a is the element of water , which is the matter whereof baptisme consisteth . this truth is taught in diuerse places of the new b testament . indeeds i baptize with water . and ioh. , because he should bee declared to israell , therefore am i come baptizing with water : knew him not , but he that sent me to baptize with water , he saide vnto me , vpon whom thou shalt see the spirit come 〈◊〉 and tarrie still on him , that is he which baptizeth with the holy-ghost . so act. , . as they went on their way , they came vnto a 〈◊〉 ater , and the enuruch said , see heere is water , what doth let me to be baptized ? then he commaunded the chariot to stand stil , and they went downe both vnto the water , both phillip and the eunuch , and he baptized him . and chap. . can anie man forbidde water , that these should not be baptized , which haue receiued the holy-ghost as well as we ? nothing is so apt to set sorth the blood of christ and his merits , as water which is sit to clense and wash , and leaueth no filth behind vpon the body : by which outwarde worke , christ would haue vs feele the inward purging and purifying of the soule . the vse of this outward part , is three-fold . first , it teacheth , that the minister may not baptize with any other liquor and element , then with naturall , common , and ordinarie water : whereunto answere the flood , the red sea , and the iewish purifyings , vnder the law . the curious questions , whether wanting water we may baptise with sande , or water distilled and compounded , came at the first from the dangerous and bloody opinion that they are damned which die vnbaptised . if any demaund whether sweet waters and distilled may be taken and vsed , or mingled with common water , especially when children of such as are in high place are to be baptised & sealed into the couenant , therby to note a difference betweene person and person , forasmuch as god hath listed vp the head of one aboue another : i answere , c all power is indeede of god , and we with hart and tongue do giue honour to whome honour pertaineth , and feare to whome feare belongeth . notwithstanding , all mixture of the water is mans inuention and an human tradition which in gods woorshippe is not to be admitted . whatsoeuer is mingled with common water , is a corruption , whatsoeuer the partie be that is baptised . the apostle teacheth , d that the church hath all one baptisme : not one manner of baptizinge the poore , and another of baptizing the rich . besides , why might wee not allowe mixture of water with wine in the lordes supper , as well as the mixture of compound water with common water in the sacrament of baptisme ? furthermore , if there might lawfully bee admitted a different manner of baptising the children of rich-men and the children of poore men : then in the other sacrament the like distinction might be receiued , and so a finer kinde of breade be prouided for the richer sort by themselues , and a courser sort for the poore by themselues , e which seperation the apostle reproueth in the church of 〈◊〉 , and calleth it a despising of the church and a shaming of the poore . for in the exercises of religion there ought to be no difference of persons , f for all are one in christ iesus , and therefore the noble eunuch mentioned act , . was baptised by phillip with ordinary water . now if no composition may be mingled : g then much lesse may any other signe be vsed , and so the element clean chaunged , and the ordinance of god altred : for the church of god hath no liberty to bring any other signe in place of water . if a man were baptised with sande , with bloude , with wine , with milke , with snowe , with oyle , and such lickor , it is no baptisme at all , but a meere voide and ydle action : such a person must afterwarde be sprinkled or washed with water , not that any should be rebaptized , but because all persons should be once baptised , the former action being meerely frustrate . although the forme of words be retained in the administration which our sauiour commandeth , and the body be washed in the name of the three persons , the father , the sonne , and the holy-ghost : yet if such an errour be committed in the matter that the signe be changed , and another foysted in , contrary to the precept of christ and practise of the apostles , ther is a nullitie of the whole work , the partie be-sanded , or be-bloodied , or oyled , is erroneously and vnlawfully , not truely and effectuallye baptised . nadab and abihu are smitten with lightning from heauen h for bringing strange fire into the tabernacle , whereas they should haue taken of that fire which god had appointed , though other fire would as well haue consumed the offering . and are not all other elementes as strange fire that are brought into this sacrament , beside water ? or , haue we greater liberty to change gods ordinaunces in the gospell , then the iewes had vnder the law ? when god appointed the i burnt offering to be offered , and commanded the people to bring either bullocks out of the heard , either sheepe or goates out of the folde , either turtle-doues or young pigeons from amonge the birds : being thus limited and restrained , might they bring an asse , or an elephant , or a camell unto him ? might they cut osf a dogges necke , or offer swines flesh before the lord ? so , whereas god hath ordained the sacrament of baptisme to be administred , and hath willed it to bee done with water , most common , most vsuall , most plentifull , most fit , most significant : shall we take sand , or saw-dust , oyle , or other element then god hath allowed ? the lorde likewise threatning a generall dearth of corne , wine , and oyle ( of which things many of their offeringes and oblations consisted ) sheweth that the priestes shoulde weepe and waile , because the k meat-offerings and drinke-offeringes should cease . but what neede was there , either that the priests shoulde haue lamented , or the offeringes haue ceased , if they might haue vsed other elementes , other signes , or other matter then god approoued ? if they might haue taken water in steed of wine , or milke in stead of oyle ? or if they might haue taken vncleane beastes in stead of cleane , or the fishes of the sea in steade of the beastes of the fielde ? or creeping thinges for their offerings in steed of such as chewe the cudde and diuide the hoofe ? nowe howe can it bee better warraunted to vs to take oyle for water , then it was for them to take water for oyle . againe , heereby all popish corruptions and mixtures brought into this sacrament are confuted and condemned , as their creame , their tapers , their crosses , their censors , their salt , their spittle , their holy-water , their exorcisinges and conjurations , hauing also an opinion of saluation and worshippe annexed vnto them . these men ( as if it were a base and contemptible thing to baptize with water onely , according to christes commaundement ) haue brought in a new word and new elements , 〈◊〉 that is , new drosse and new filth into the church , and into the sacraments of the church : as salt , that we may bee seasoned with wisedome , and bee kept from purrifying in sinne : oyle , that we may bee safe from euill suggestions : spittle , that our eares may be opeto heare the word , and our nostrils to discerne the smell of good and euill : crosses , that all our sences may bee defended against the euill spirit . true it is , if all the other partes and actions be obserued , these inuentions and additions , which are so many abuses make not baptisme void , neither bring a nullity therof : notwithstanding these beggerly ceremonies , as they are destitute of the testimony and aprobation of the first and auncient churches , so they corrupt the pure , simple , and sincere institution of christ none were vsed when christe was baptised , neither gaue he any such thinge in charge to his apostles , neither were they in vse in the apostles times , neither did they deliuer them to the pastors and teachers which they ordained in euery citty . for peter saith , l can anie man forbidde water , that these should not be baptized ? hee calleth not for oyle , salt , spittle , creame or any such thinge , but only for plaine , common , and ordinary water . thus in one sacra . they find many sacraments , and inuent tipes , shadows , similitudes , and significations in the immediate seruice of god , wheras we haue the body itselfe , that is , christ alredy . they make these outward things able to giue grace , power , and strength against the deuill . but the apostle teacheth , that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal , m they are spiritual that must defend vs from euill . if they refer al this trash and trumpery , not to the substance of the sacram . but n to order and comelinesse : do they not thereby blasphemously accuse the baptisme of iohn and of the apostles of christ of vncomlinesse and disorder ? whereas the comlinesse 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 〈◊〉 of the apostles . nothing is more comely , decent , and orderly then that which christ commaundeth and aloweth : nothing is more vncomly or vnseemely , then that which man inuenteth in the seruice of god , and in the celebration of the sacraments , thereby inuerting and peruerting the holy ordinances of god. thirdly , if washing with water be an outward part of baptisme which pertaineth to the flesh ; but teacheth not to the conscience , which toucheth the body , but clenseth not the soule : then the bare want of externall purification , cannot bring the danger of eternal condemnation . wherefore children dying without baptisme are not reiected because they want baptisme : for children that are elected are saued , though they dy before baptisme : and they that are not elected are condemned , though they be baptized . for it is not the want , but the continual contempt thereof that is damnable . circumcision was as necessary to the iewes , as baptisme is vnto vs. but all did not perish o that died vncircumcised : therefore all perish not that dy vnbaptized . and if the saluation of the child did depend vpon the outward sacrament , it had beene an hard thing in the lord ( who wil p not the death of a sinner ) to haue required the deferring of it one weeke , one day , one houre , one minute ? we see in ioshuae , q it was omitted . yeares , while they were in the wildernesse , through their continuall iournies and vncertaine abode in euery place : yet it were an hard , cruell , and bloody conclusion to determine thereupon , that whosoeuer among them during that time dying before he was circumcised , was damned , when dauids child died the seuenth day , which was before he could be circumcised , ( circumcision being limited r to the . day ) he did not cry out pittifully , it is damned , it is damned : but arose from the earth , washed himselfe , anointed his bodie , chaunged his apparrell , refreshed himselfe , cheared his wife , came into the house of the lord , worshipped god , praised him for al his doings , s made his seruants that attended on him wonder at his comfortable behauiour , and said , he should go to his child , but not his child return to him againe . but if he had thought all condemned that die vncircumcised , his lamentation would haue exceeded , for he had cause to haue sorrowed more after his death , then he did in the childes sicknes : and if circumcision had bene of such absolute necessity , he might haue said , the child being now dead , why should i not fast ? why should i not weepe ? why shoulde i not afflict my soule ? seeing i cannot bring him againe , or restore him to life to be circumcised ? but because he sorrowed not as one without hope and hee 〈◊〉 not on this or any like manner : it appeareth that his faith apprehended the saluation of the childe , and feared not his damnation through vntimely want of the outward sacrament . now , god is not streighter and harder to vs vnder the gospell , then he was to the israelites vnder the law : he is no lesse able and willing to saue now without baptisme , then in those dayes he was without circumcision . againe , how foolish , vaine , and vnreasonable a thing is it , to put life and death , saluation and damnation into the hands and libertie of mortall men , as of the parents that shoulde bring them , or of the minister that shoulde baptize them , or of others that performe other duties vnto them : whereas eternall life and saluation standeth sure and setled vpon the brazen pillar of gods election ( who knoweth t who are his ) and vpon his mercifull promise in his couenant , and not vppon the lust and pleasure of any man , as we see in the example of iacob , of whom god saide , i haue loued him , before he was circumcised , nay before he was u born , or had done either good or euill . furthermore , we haue shewed before , a that many beleeued , repented , and had the holy-ghost before they were baptized . yea the theefe vppon the crosse repented of his sins and beleeued in christ , yet was neuer baptised : notwithstanding he was receiued to mercy and certainely saued , as christ saith , b this day shalt thou be with me in paradice . besides , there is no greater necessity of baptisme then of the lordes supper : but we maie be saued without the lords supper : therefore also without baptisme . lastly , if al persons dying without baptism bee condemned : then infinite multitudes of children shold or may perish and be damnd without their owne fault , through the carelesnes of others : but none perish without their owne fault : therefore all dying without baptisme are not condemnd . to these we might 〈◊〉 the testimony and confession of the aduersaries , which is strong against themselues , to whome we may say as christ sometimes did to that sloathfull person , c thou euill seruaunt out of thine own mouth wil i iudge thee . these make three sorts of baptisme , of water , of blood , of the spirit : whereby they consesle that the want of baptising with water is not damnable in all , seeing that want may be supplyed , either with shedding of their blood for the testimony of the truth , or by spiritual regeneration and ingrafting into the body of christ to conclude , do we desire the custome and practise of the church ? it is well knowne , that in thessalia d the sacrament of baptisme was celebrated but once in the yeare , namely , at easter . in other places thrice in the yeare , and sometimes not vntill the houre of their death , when they were going the way of al slesh . constantine the great was the first christian emperour , yet was he not baptised till e the time of his death . and valentinianus a christian emperor died without baptism : yet doth ambrose giue him his due commendation , f and doubted nothing of his saluation . shal we do these good men , these worthy emperors , these godly christians this wronge , as to thinke they were damned , who were the chiefe pillers and protectors of the catholick religion ? or if the churches aboue mentioned had holden this hard opinion , that the want of baptisme was a signe of reprobation : would they haue deferred it in the houre of death ( whereby sometimes they were 〈◊〉 ) or administred it at certaine times onely of the yeare ? true it is , that custome is not to be followed , neither the negligence of those byshops to be allowed : but it teacheth thus much that in de ferring baptism they differed in iudgement from the new church of rome , and concurred in opinion with the reformed churches , for which causes their practise is aledged . the reasons vsed to maintain the absolute necessity of this sacrament to saluation , are weak and not worth the answering . first they obiect g the threatning annexed to circumcision . the vncircumcised male shall be cut off from his people . to this i answere , first god commandeth infants to be circumcised the eight day , before which time they were forbidden to circumcise . wherfore , infants that dy before the . day , were not bound and obliged by this law . and seeing there h can be no transgression where there is no law , they are not damnd because they are vncircumcifed , seeing god calleth many out of this life before they were capable of this sacrament . againe the commination and threatning is not to be vnderstoode generally of all , but of such as are growne vp : not of children , but of men , as appeareth by the reason , for he hath broke my couenant . this cannot be applied to infantes , i who albeit they haue not actuall faith , yet cannot be said to contemne grace , to refuse the couenant , to reiect the promises , or to lie in infidelity & hardnes of hart . wherfore , it belongeth vnto those onely that being grown vp and come to yeares shall approue the negligence of their parents , and will not suffer themselues to be circumcised . now as to peter , saiyng , thou shalt k neuer wash my feet , christ answered , if i wash thee not , thou hast no part in me : so to the israelite that should haue said , i will neuer be circumcised , this threatning might fitly be applyed , if thou wilt not be circumcised , thou hast no part in god , no portion in his blessing , no assurance of his promises in this life , or of his kingdome in the life to come . lastly , to be cut off from the people , doth not signifie to be condemned , for euen the negligence and contempt of the sacrament is pardonable wher repentance followeth : as we see of such as cam vnuerently and vnworthily to the lordes supper among the corinthians , l who were punished with diseases and death it selfe , yet the soule no doubt was saued in the day of the lord. sometime therefore , that phrase of speaking signifieth temporall iudgements of god on men and their families m for their wickednes . sometimes it signifieth the magistrates iustice inflicted on malefactors , n who beareth not the sword in vain , which is expounded afterward , thou shalt surely kill him . sometimes , it signifyeth to bee cut off from the bosome of the church , o which is done by the high and dreadfull censure or excommunication . whosoeuer eateth leauened bread from the first day vntill the seuenth day , that person shal be out off from israell : the interpretation of which wordes is added verse , . that person shall be cut off from the congregation of israell . so the apostle speaketh , cor. . hee which hath done this thing should be p put from among you , that is , from your company and fellowship as verse . put away from among your selues that wicked man. thus we are to vnderstande the threatning in this place , that such as contemne circumcision , either themselues , or allow the same contempt and negligence of others , shall no longer be reckoned and reputed among the people of god , but be seperated from them . againe , q they obiect iohn , . vnlesse a man be borne of water and the spirit , he cannot enter into the kingdome of god : therefore say they , it is necessary to saluation to be baptized . this is the reason of r bellarmine , and s of others . i answere first , it is not necessary in this place by water to vnderstande materiall water , but the grace of christ purging and clensinge as water doth ; which interpretation may be gathred by conference of a like place math , . he shall baptise t 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 loue , and purging them from euill affections . so when we are said to be borne againe by water and the spirit , he meaneth , by the spirit shewing forth in vs the force power , and property of water , as if hee should say , we are borne of water which is the spirit , u as ioh. , , . again , if it were ment of water in baptisme , it must be vnderstood according to alike a sentence ioh. . vnlesse you eate the flesh of the sonne of man , and drinke his blood , ye shall not haue life in you : which must be vnderstood of such as are of yeares and growne in age . and thus innocentius the . in the b decrees expoundeth it : so doth peter lumbard c maister of the 〈◊〉 . so then , if they will be tryed , either by their owne pope , which is their holy father : or by peter lumbard , which is their grand-maister : this place cannot be enforced against infants , that die before they bee baptised , but must be referred to men of greater yeares . we reason not thus farre , to iustifie and alow the sluggishnesse and neglect of carelesse parents , vnder colour and pretence of this , that the saluation of the child dependeth not vpon the participation of the sacrament : but to shew , that if it cannot be obtained as it ought to be desired , or if by godlesse parents it be deferred and neglected : yet saluation is not tyed and glued to the outward water . away then with he doctrine of the church of rome touching the absolute necessity of baptisme , and touching children that dye without it : a beastly and bloody d doctrine ioyned with rigour and cruelty , full of error and feare , vncharitable in it selfe , presumptuous by entring into gods secret iudgments , impious by binding him to second causes & ordinary means , iniurious to thousands of poore infants , discomfortable to al good parents , & blasphemous against the bottomlesse mercy of a gratious god , who hath saide e i will be thy god , and the god of thy seede : where he maketh a coueuant of saluation with vs and our children , not adding any condicion of baptisme , if it cannot be had , as it ought to be . if it cannot be had by the infant , the spirit of god doth worke the effectuall knitting of them to the body of christ by a secret working ( as pleaseth him ) instead of ordinary meanes . for when our sauiour had saide mar. he that shall beleeue , and be baptized shall be saued : 〈◊〉 doth not adde contrariwise , hee that is not baptized shall be damned , f but annexeth only , he that beleeueth not , shal be condemned . thus we haue shewed the malice and madnesse of satan against poore insants , and how he hath vsed proud and pestilent instruments to effect his purpose : partly the anabaptistes , who deny baptisme to their bodies : and partly the papistes , who deny saluation to their soules for want of baptisme . chap. . of the forth outward part of baptisme . the last outvvard part of baptisme is a the body that is washed . for we haue shewed before , that the sacramentes without their vse are no sacramentes . and albeit the word ioyned to the signe make a sacrament , yet this presupposeth a minister to administer it , & receiuer to take it : and then the rule is most certainely to be admitted . now whether the whole body should be washed , or a part of the body : whether it should be washed once , or oftner : whether it should be dipped , or sprinkled : we are neither curiously to enquire , nor seriously to contend , nor rashly to determine : but rest in practise of the church , and in the custome os the countrey , as in a thing in it owne nature indifferent . the dipping and plunging into the water vsed by iohn baptist and the apostles in iudea and such hote regions , are not a necessary rule to bee drawne into imitation , especially in these cold quarters and countries . but let vs see who they are that haue right and interest in baptisme , and who are capable of this sacrament . for not euery one without respect , without difference , without distinction , is to be admitted to this priuiledge , because they are not fit receiuers thereof . if a minister should take the outward element , and vse the word of institution , baptizing in the name of the father , of the sonne , and of the holy-ghost : yet it can bee no sacrament , vnlesse the receiuer haue warrant and authority to receiue it . if he should baptize a stone , or an image , or a bruit beast without reason and vnderstanding , these are no fit receiuers , heere is an apparant and flat nullity : where by appeareth farther , the truth of the former rule , that besides the ioyning of the worde to the outward signe , their is necessarily required a fitted person to be partaker of the sacrament , as is more at large expressed , book . . chap. . to proceed , b wee must know that the receiuers are such as are within the couenant and such as professe the truth , whether in truth or not , wee leaue to god , that searcheth the heartes and raines : c let vs not iudge another mans seruant , he standeth or falleth to his owne maister . againe , such as are borne in the couenant are of two sortes . first , men and women of yeares : secondly , infants that are the seede of the faithfull . for the faithfull do beleeue for themselues and for others : as in bargaines they 〈◊〉 and contract for themselues and their heires after them for euer . although children cannot be saide to be saued by their fathers faith , no more then to liue by the fathers soule , inasmuch as the prophet d teacheth that the iust shall liue by his owne faith : yet the faith of the parents maketh their children to be counted in the couenant , who by reason of their age cannot yet actually beleeue , as they that want all knowledge and vnderstanding , e not discerning the right hand from the left . euery man liueth this temporall life by his owne soule : so euery man liueth the eternall life by his own faith . true it is , baptis me is a common seale . but as all haue not interest to the pasture , herbage , and priuiledges of a commons , but onely such as are tenantes according to the custome of the mannor : so all haue not title to baptize a sacrament of the church , but onely such as are the lords people according to the tenor of the couenant . touching the first sort of such as are to be baptized , they are men and women of riper yeares , who adioyne themselues to the church , testifie their repentance , hold the foundation of religion , f and confesse their faith , as act. , if thou beleeuest , thou 〈◊〉 be baptized . the second sort , are infants within the couenant , g which haue both theit parents , or one at the least faithfull , as cor. , . the vnbeleeuing husband is sanctified to the wife , and the vnbeleeuing wife is sanctified to the husband , else were your children 〈◊〉 , but now they are holy . where the apostle she weth , that albe it a beleeuer be vnequally yoaked and matched with an vnbeleeuer : yet hee is not to be forsaken , nor the marriage bedde to be accounted polluted , inasmuch as their children are sanctified to god and the church , as well as if they were borne of both parents faithfull . for so the children of the isralites being of the posterity of abraham , are included in the couenant of god. we are not curiously to enquire into the secret counsel & election of god : we must h hold all the seede of the faithfull holy , vntill they cut off themselues , & in processe of time openly declare themselus to be strangers from the promises of saluation . againe , the same apostle i saith rom. . if the first fruits be holy , so is the whole lump : if the roote be holy , so are the branches . so likewise god testifieth gen. . i will establish my couenant between me and thee , and thy seed after thee in their generations for an euerlasting couenant , to be a god to thee , and to thy seede after thee . such onely were circumcised as were within the couenaunt . notwithstanding , they which were borne of vnbeleeuing parents and were strangers of the common-wealth of israel , and aliants from the promises of saluation : if they acknowledged the errors in which they liued , and sought forgiuenes of their former sins , wer accounted the children of faithful abraham , were admitted into the church , and receiued circumcision , as the apostles said to the iailer , k humb'ed vnder the mighty hand of god , and desiring to be instructed in the way of saluation , beleeue in the lord iesvs christ , and thou shalt bee saued , and thy whole houshold . so the 〈◊〉 testifieth the like of zacheus , when hee had once receiued christ into his house , nay which is more , into his heart : l then iesus said vnto him , this day is saluation come vnto this bouse , for-asmuch as he is also become the sonne of abraham . thus when the sunne of rightcousnesse shineth vpon the head and maister of the family , the beames thereof by a gratious influence beginne to comforr and concerue m all the rest in the house : like the precious oyntment vpon the head of aaron , that ranne downe vpon the beard , and descended vpon the borders of his garmentes : or like the dew that falleth from heauen vpon hermon and the mountaines of sion , n which goeth downe into the vallies , and maketh all the plaine countrey fertill . the knowledge of this point offereth diuerse profitable vses to our consideration and consolation . first , it is the duty of all those that are within the couenant to giue their bodies to be washed , and to receiue that washing in the face and presence of the congregation . let such as are of yeares desire and craue this sacrament : let them claime this priuiledge : o let them demaund to be baptized , according to the example of the eunuch act. , so soone as he was instructed in the faith of christ by the preaching of phillip , as he came to a certaine water , he saide of his owne accord , see heere is water , what doth let me to be baptized ? and to the same purpose act. , ananias stirreth vp paule to this duty , saying , why 〈◊〉 thou ? arise and be baptised , and wash away thy sinnes . secondly , this condemneth the blinde , ignorant , and superstitious practise of baptizing belles p practised in the church of rome , whereof now they begin to be ashamed , and seeking fig-leaues to couer their shame , they say they were not baptized , but onely hallowed and consecrated to holy vses , as bellarmine betaketh himselfe to this shift , as to a place of refuge , lib. , de pon . rom. cap. . where the cardinall confesseth , that the people call their solemne blessing and sprinkling with holy-water , the baptisme of belles . and indeede what can it else be called and accounted . they giue names vnto them as to their children : they haue god-fathers appointed vnto them as children haue when they are baptized and confirmed : q they haue new garments put vpon them , as the persons baptized among them like wise haue : it is also permitted onely to the by shops suffragan , who exacteth great summes of money for the baptizing of belles : they ascribe to them a spiritual power against stormes and tempests , against thunder and lightning , against windes and euill spirits : lastly , they sprinkle them with holy-water , blesse them , crosse them , and so horribly corrupt this sacrament of baptisme . yea durand a principall schooleman , not in the schooles of the prophets but of the papists ( a fit teacher of such schollers ) setteth out solemnly r the praises of belles , making them publike preachers and driuers away of deuils . but the deuils are not feared and fraied away by fight of crosses , by sprinkling of water , by sound of belles and babies : s this kinde goeth not out but by fasting and prayer , as our sauiour teacheth . and the apostle willeth euery christian to take vnto him the whole armour of god , that he may be able to resist in the euill day . stand therefore hauing your loynes grided about with verity , and hauing on the brest plate of righteousnesse , the shield of faith , the sword of the spirit , the preparation of the gospell of peace , and the grace of prayer in the spirit . heere is the vniuersall armour of god : heere is the compleat furnishing of a christian souldier : heer is perfect direction giuen to vnderstand , and to withstand the assaultes of the deuill : but among these , wee haue neither the signe of the crosse , nor the hallowing of belles , nor the sound of such preachers , and therefore they are no part nor parcel of spitituall armour , to surnish vs to goe into the fielde against the enemies of our saluation . for euill spirits which fightagainst the soule are not driuen away by hallowing of belles . if then , there were euer prophanation of baptisme , this may iustly bee iudged to bee one of the most vile and miserable corruptions thereof , to bee detested of all true hearted christians / that grone vnder the burden of them . thirdly , we may see the great loue of god to all beleeuers , seeing he vouchsafeth not onely to bee their god , but the god of their seede after them , as god himselfe t promiseth to abraham , gen. . i will make my couenant betweene me and thee , and thy seede after thee in their generations , i will be their god : walke before mee , and be thou vpright . and ought we not to walke in the vprightnesse of our heart before this mercifull and all sufficient god , who thus aboundesh in kindenesse toward vs , and the fruite of our body ? let vs returne vnto him loue for his loue , who loued vs first . lastly , this teacheth that infants are to be baptized , and haue as great right and interest in this sacrament , as they which be in yeares , able to make confession of their faith , of which we will intreate in the chapter following , where we will proue this truth by testimonies of the scriptures , and maintaine it against the anabaptistes and other heretiks that condemne the same . chap. . that infants are to be baptized . although it cannot appeare vnto vs , that infantes and new borne babes brought to be baptized , haue actuall faith , but rather is like they want the habit of faith which haue a not the vse of vnderstanding , vnlesse god extraordinarily work it , which lieth not in vs to iudge of : yet wee baptize them and admit them to this sacrament , which we doe vpon very good grounds and susficient reasons . first therefore , we wil proue by euident demonstration out of the scriptures , the doctrin of childrēs baptisme to be conformable to the iewes circumcisiō , agreeable to the practise the apostles , allowable by the wordes of christ , answerable to the custome of the primitiue church , reasonable in it selfe , profitable to the infants , auaileable by the ordinance of god , and very comfortable to all christian parents . secondly , we will maintaine this assertion against the obiections and arguments of the anabaptists and other aduersaries that haue crossed and contradicted this truth . lastly , we will shew what euident and necessary vses may be gathred from hence , for the strength of faith , and the increase of our obedience . touching the first , that the baptising of infants is waranted by the word b of god , i will make it appeare by sundry reasons . we see in the old testament , that all males by expresse commaundement were willed to be circumcised the c eight day . if god made infants partakers of cirumcision : why should we not holde the same of baptisme , being instituted for vs in steed of circumcision , d there being the same promises in both , and there being the same ends of both ? if then the couenant made with abraham remaine stable and stedfast , it dooth no lesse belong to the children of christians at this day , then it did appertaine to the children of the iewes vnder the old testament : vnlesse peraduenture wee will say , that our sauiour christ by his comming hath restraind or diminished the grace and loue of his father , which were detestable blasphemy against the father , and an horrible reproach against the sonne of god. from hence then , we reason thus , if the infantes of the iewes were circumcised , then the children of christians are to be baptized : but the infantes of the iewes were circumcised : therefore also the children of christians are to be baptized . against this reason , sundry exceptions are taken by the aduersaries of this doctrin , which are not vnworthy the consideration . they say , circumcision was a signe of mortification , it was tyed to be administred the eight day , and that women ought not to be baptised , if baptisme were like to circumcision , in asmuch as they were not circumcised . i answere , these obiections will easily appeare to be verye cauils and meere dreames of idle and addle braines , if we diligently obserue , both wherein circumcision and baptism agree , and in what points they differ . they e agree , first , in one author of them both , that is , god himselfe , who firste appointed the minister of circumcision , which was abraham , and iohn the minister of baptisme , whereof hee was called the baptist . secondly , in the chiefe and principall ends for which they were instituted , namely , to seale vp the promises of grace by christ. thirdly , by both of them is wrought our visible receiuing into the church : the iewes were receiued by circumcision , the christians are entred by baptisme . lastly , by both of them our mortification , regeneration , newnes of life , and iustification are signified . so then they fullie agree in the ends which they respect , and in the things which they signifie , to wit , in the substance and nature of the things themselues . againe circumcision and baptisme differ f onely in certaine circumstances : first , in the forme and maner of doing , as circumcision was administred by cutting awaye of the foreskinne and effusiou of blood , but baptisme by washing and sprinkling with water . secondly , in the outwarde signe , which is different in both . thirdly , in the circumstaunce of time : for circumcision promised from god grace and mercy in the messias to come , baptisme in the messias already exhibited . fourthly , in the subiects or persons that are partakers of them : circumcision belongeth onely to the male children , but baptisme is common to male and female . notwithstanding , g howsoeuer 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 onely the males to haue this signe in their flesh , yet the females were not excluded from being members of the church , nor accounted straungers from the couenants of promise . for as the man is the h head of the woman , so they were accounted as circumcised in the man , yea they were reckoned and numbred with the men , namely , the vnmarried with their father , and the married with their husbands . now , their circumcision was thus comprehended in the men , so that it was vnto them in stead of circumcision to be borne of the circumcised , may be gathered by many places , as luke , , where the woman which christ healed of a spirit of infirmity bounde togither , is called i the daughter of abraham , to signifie that the priuiledge of his posterity belonged no lesse to her and all women that were faithfull , then to the males ; and that she was as well his daughter , as they his sonnes . likewise gen. , the sonnes of iacob , communing with hamor after their sister was humbled and abused , said vnto them , k we cannot do this thing , to giue our sister to an vncircumcised man , for that were a reproofe vnto vs : but in this we will consent vnto you , if ye will be as we are , that euery man-child among you be circumcised , then we will giue our daughters to you , &c. where these two are set as contrary one to another , our sister , and the vncircumsed , which teacheth that they were accounted as circumcised in the males , so that it was enough to them to be borne of parents that were circumcised . fiftly , they differ in the setled time which is limitted for circumcision , being precisely and necessarily tied to the . day : but in baptisme it is not so , there is greater liberty left to the church : yet the sabbaoth following would not without vrgent cause be omitted . sixtly , circumcision was instituted for the israelites that were the seede of abraham : but baptisme was instituted for all nations that are willinge to ioyne themselues to the fellowshippe of the churches of christ that professe his name , of whatsoeuer lande and language they be . lastly , circumcision was to endure onely till the comming of the messias , but the body being come , the figure must cease , whereas baptisme is to continue vnto the end of the world l as our sauiour teacheth math , teach and baptise , and loe i am with you vntill the end of the world . wherefore , the circumcision of the turkes which liue in infidelity , and of the moores which professe christianitye vsed at this day is nothing worth , albeit they retaine the outward sign and ceremonie : because the institution of it was onely to indure the blessed times of the gospell . thus we see , that notwithstanding the differences betweene circumcision and baptism in circumstances of time and maner of doing : yet being in substance and effect the same , the argument standeth strōg and inuinsible , prouing the baptizing of infants in the time of the gospell , from the commaundement of circumcising infantes in the time of the law. againe , m let vs consider the practise of the apostles and ages succeeding in this point . for albeit it be not expressed , that any infant was baptized by the hands of the apostles : yet we find in diuers places , that whole families and housholds haue bin baptized , in which no doubt were many infants and sucklings n as act. . . lidia being conuerted to the faith was baptized , and all her houshold . and againe verse . , of the same chapter , the iaylor was baptised and all that were with him . so was crispus the chiefe ruler of the synagogue and his houshold baptised , and the houshold of stephanas . furthermore , when peter commaunded the iewes , newly conuerted to the faith of christ , and hungring after saluation in him whome 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 farre off , euen as many as the lorde our god shall call . neuerthelesse will some say , we read not directly that any infants were heer baptized in these piaces ? but do we read that any wer excluded ? and seeing the scripture expresseth al the houshold , who shal dare to debar infants ? are not they a principall part of the house ? besides , if the baptisme of children bee not to bee beleeued , because it is not named and expressed : wee might with as good reason shut out women from the lords supper ( if any were as great an enimie to the communicating of women as to the baptisinge of children ) seeinge wee do not expressely read , that they were not admitted to the lords table in the apostles times . wherfore , childrens baptisme is no humaine tradition , no apishimitation , no ancient corruption of this sacrament : but is grounded on the vnblamable practise of the apostles , which hath the force and strength of a commaundement . thirdly , christ by his owne example aloweth and approueth their baptisme as we see , mar. , when the disciples rebuked those that brought little chilren to christ that he might touch them , he said , o suffer little children to come vnto me , & forbid them not , for of such is the kingdome of god : verily i say vnto you , who soeuer shal not receiue the kingdome of god as a little child , he shal not enter therein . wher we are to obserue , that he saith not , of these onely is the kingdome of heauen , 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 vnto him and sharply rebuking his disciples thatforbad them : we are to consider that he commaundeth children to be brought vnto him , and addeth a reason , to such belongeth the kingdome of heauen . if any obiect , it is said , he embraced them , it is not said , he baptized them : or if any reply and say that there is no agreement and resemblance betweene baptizing and embracing : i answer , he layeth his hands vpon them , he prayeth for them , he commendeth them to his father , and saith the kingdome of heauen is theirs . all this is a great deale more then to giue them the outward signe . for if reason require , they should be brought to christ : why should they not bee receiued to baptisme , which is a signe of our vnion with christ ? if the kingdome of heauen belong to them : why should the signe be denied vnto them , wherby the doore of entrance into the church is opened ? why should we driue them away from christ : whom christ calleth vnto himselfe ? neither let any say , these children were of yeares and growne vp in age , able of themselues to come and repaire to christ : for the euangeliste vseth such words as signifie such young infants as are babes and hang vpon their mothers brestes , p therefore , by comming in this place he meaneth to draw neere or to haue excesse . againe they were such as were brought to christ by q others , luk. , , they were caried in their armes , they walked not on their feet , and christ also tooke them in his owne armes . besides , heerto agreeth the practise and custome of the primitiue church : for no teacher so profound , no docter so learned , no writer so ancient , which doth not refer the beginning heereof to the r precise times of the apostles . let the anabaptists and aduersaries of this truth tell vs , who was the first author and inuenter of childrens baptisme , if they refer it not to christ ? who first administred it ? what was his name , if they cancel , let them not hide it ? let them declare the time when it began ? let them shew the place where it was deuised ? let them name the child first baptised , and in what assembly or church it was ? if they cannot doe these or any of them , let them acknowledge the baptisme of children to bee the ordinaunce of god , and not of man : warranted both by doctrine of the scripture and practise of the church . moreouer if there were no writer to auouch this ancient truth , yet is it in it selfe very right and reasonable . for doe we not see and behold daily verie babes and 〈◊〉 , s oftentimes among men admitted to their inheritance , haue they not liuery and season of lande , and haue they not the wand or turfe taken in their hands , according to the vse of the 〈◊〉 , or custome of the manour of which they holde ? they knowe not what is done : they perceiue nothing what the lord of the manour or stewarde speaketh vnto 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 afterwarde instructed what they haue done , what they haue vndertak n and taken vpon them , what seruices and duties they owe , what their lord requireth of them . thus they are admitted in their infancy to a temporal inheritance and possession this they holde to the end of their life : and of the validity of such entrance no tenant maketh doubt . why then shoulde it seeme vnreasonable to giue them baptisme , the signe of the couenant , being born heirs of the promise , that after they come to discretion they may make vse of it as the rest of the members of the church ? they shall understand afterward that which they vnderstand not for the present : and yet if it please god to take them in mercy to himselfe from the miseries of the worlde , before they know the mistery of their baptisme , he worketh extraordinatily by wayes best knowne to himselfe the force of their baptisme in their harts , and sealeth vp their engrafting into christ i esus . if then children haue the white wande deliuered vnto them to assure them of the inheritance which they holde : let none deny vnto them the partakinge of this sacrament , wherby they are assured of an eternal inheritance howsoeuer for the present time they are not capable of the knowledge thereof . lastly , the priuiledges and prerogatiues of children are no lesse then those of elder yeares . for infantes are a parte of the church of god , t they are the sheep of christ , they are the children of the heauenly father , they are inheritors of the kingdome of heauen , they are redeemed with the blood of christ , and engrafted into his body : why then should they not beare the marke of christ , seeing they are a principall part of his possession ? if they be a part of the houshold , they ought to haue entrance into the house : if they belong to the citty of god , who shall dare to shut the gates against them ? or if they be in the number of the sheepe of christ , who shall presume to keepe them from the sheepe-folde ? or if they be sound members of the bodie of christ , who shall cut them off as rotten members ? wherefore then , u should they not receiue the seale whereby the promise is confirmed vnto them , seeing they haue the promise it selfe of saluation ? why shoulde they not be pattakers of the outward signe , a seeing they are partakers of the thinge signified ? why should they be put back from the figure , seeing they haue the truth itselfe ? why shoulde they not be partakers of the sacrament with the faithfull , seeing they are enrolled in the fellowship of the faithfull ? and who shall depriue them of the seale of the couenant , seeing they are partakers of regeneration and remission of sinnes . heereupon thus we reason , whosoeuer are in the couenant and church of god , to them belongeth baptisme , which is the seale of the couenant : but infants are in the couenant and of the church : therefore to them belongeth baptisme which is the seale of the couenant . againe , to whome the promise appertaineth , they may and ought to bee baptized : but the promise was made euen to infants : therefore they may and ought to be baptised . furthermore , to whome forgiuenes of sinnes and the holy-ghost are promised and giuen , they ought by no meanes to bee denied the outwarde signe : but forgiuenesse of sinnes and the holy-ghost are promised to infantes and giuen vnto them : therefore infantes ought not to bee kept from the element of water , no more then such as are of yeares of discretion . thus much of the first point , putting children into the right and possession of baptisme , as if it were the right heires into their inheritance , from which they haue bene wrongfully and vniuftly dispossessed . hauing now sufficiently prooued by the scripture , that children are to bee baptized : it remaineth that wee shoulde maintaine this assertion against b the cauils of the anabaptists . for as the former reasons , grounded vppon the euident demonstration of the worde , as vppon a pillar that cannot be shaken , may perswade vs to embrace the truth : so the weakenes and sophistry which appeareth in the obiections of the aduersaries , ferueth to confirme vs in this perswasion . but let vs examine what is the strength of them . first they obiect it was neuer cōmanded that infants shold be baptized . i answer , vnblamable examples and practises not contradicted , are in the nature of precepts . againe , the will of god approuing and appointing childrens baptisme appeareth , c in that it came in place of vncircumcision , baptisme is our circumcision . besides we haue d a generall commaundement , go teach all nations and baptize them . and the apostle saith , all were baptized in the cloud and in the sea . christ saith , al nations , the apostles saith all the israelites : let them shew , where infants are excepted and exempted : for wee hold this as a certaine principle , that a generall commaundement includeth the particular , and comprehendeth the same vnder it , as well as if it were by name expresled . secondly , they obiect , if infants may be baptised , then they may be admitted to the lords supper : for why should not the supper be giuen to the whole church as well as baptisine ? i answere there is not the like reason and respect of both . there is great difference betweene these two sacraments . for baptisme is a signe of our entrance and receiuing into the church , so that the supper is to be granted to none but to such as are baptised , and are fit to beare strong meat , being instituted for our confirmation and sealing vnto vs , that god hauing once receiued vs into the church , will also euermore preserue vs in it , that we neuer fall from it , nor forsake it , and will nourish and cherish vs by the body and blood of christ. wherefore , the lord iesus , to shew that his supper was not for children but for men , would not administer it in the element of milke , which is for infants and for new borne babes : but in bread and wine which are for stronge men that are of age . againe , sundry conditions and considerations are required in the supper which debar young infants , that although they are to be baptized , yet they ought not to be admitted to the lords supper , seeing by their young yeares they are excluded . for it is required of all those that come to this supper , e to shew foorth the lords death , to discerne the body and blood of christ , and try themselues whether they haue faith and repentance . but infants cannot doe these thinges , they cannot shew foorth the lordes death they are not apt to discerne his body and blood , they are not able to examine themselues , and therefore infants for good causes are excluded from this supper . thirdly they obiect , f that it is said teach and baptize : and again , he that shall beleeue and be baptized shall be saued : where vpon they conclude , that such as beleeue not , are not to be baptized ; inasmuch as christ before baptisme commaundeth teaching , and afterward ioyneth baptizing with beleeuing . but infants are not capable of doctrine , neither do they actually beleeue : therefore they are not to be baptized . again , g if repentance be necessarily ioyned as act. amend your liues and be baptized : then infants must be separated and secluded , who cannot repent . but repentance is necessarily required : therefore infants are to be barred from the sacrament of baptisme . i answere , first , those sentences are not generall to all , but belong onely to men of sufficient yeares and discretion to discerne betweene good and euill . by this fraud of extending , stretching , and falsely applying generall sentences of scripture , a man might reare and raise many monstrous conclusions . if a mā would go about to proue that children are not to be nourished and sed with coporall foode , because the aposte would haue none to eate h 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 certaine age ? so must we not rack and rent asunder the i generall sentences of scripture , except ye repent , ye shall al perish : faith commeth by hearing , & hearing by the word of god : he that beleeueth and is baptized , shal be saued . these belong onely to men of discretion , and are not to be applyed to infants , whom they do not concerne . againe , christ in those words instructeth his apostles , what order they should obserue in the conuersion of the gentiles : first , they must instruct them in faith , then baptize them being instrued , and lastly guide them in true obedience being instructed , when he addeth . k teaching them to obserue what soeuer i haue commaunded you . besides , if they strictly vrge and stifly stand vpon the wordes , as they literally lye in order : why may we not first baptize them before wee teach them , because it is said , baptizing them in the name of the trinity , and teaching them to obserue what i commannd . but hee intreateth in this place of such as are growne vppe , which must first haue knowledge in the gospell , faith in christ , and repentance from dead workes before they bee baptized : but infants are baptized by reason of the promise made to their parentes . moreouer , we might oppose vnto these , the example of circumcision , which we know and they are not ignorant was giuen to infantes , who could not yet beleeue : so that such as bar them from baptisme , because they are not capable of faith and repentance , might in like manner exclude the infants of the isralites from circumcision . baptisme is the sacra . 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 formed in them , yet by the fruites afterward they shal appeare to be in them . lastly , if baptisme should be giuen only to those that truely beleeue , it should likewise be denied to such as are of vnderstanding : for wee are able to pronounce of these that they do truely beleeue , and certainely apprehend the promises of the gospel . wherfore , if infants are not to be baptized , because they haue not faith and want repentance : neither are they of sufficient age to be baptized , of whom it cannot be directly and vndoubtedly said , they do beleeue . simon the sorcerer mentioned l in the actes of the apostles was baptized , and yet remained an hypocrite . if they say , profession of faith is sufficient to make members of the visible church : i answer , our sauiour speaketh not of a bare profession of faith , when he saith he that beleeueth and is baptized shal be saued , for then al that professe faith should receiue m the reward of their faith , which is the saluationof their soules . againe , profession of faith is for such as are capable of it , which agreeth not to the age of infants : as they cannot deny the faith before men , which they haue not acknowledged : no more can they confesse the truth of doctrin , which they neuer learned . now , to be borne in the church and in the couenant , is infants in place and stead of an actuall confession and reall profession . such as are growne vp must beleeue with the heart , n and confesse with the mouth the gospel of saluation : it is sufficient for others to bee the children of such as haue confessed the faith . fourthly they obiect in this manner , baptisme is giuen for remission of sinnes : but infants haue not sinned : they therefor cannot be baptized : i answer , infants commit not actuall sinne , yet are guilty of originall sinne , they want inherent righteousnesse , they haue a pronenesse to all euill , their whole nature is corrupted being in the seede of adam . albeit therefore infants haue not finned after the similitude of adams transgression , in their owne persons , yet they haue sinned in him , and in his loynes , in whom al are dead . this the holy man o teacheth , iob. . who can bring a cleane thing out of filthinesse ? there is not one . likewise , the prophet p dauid confesseth this truth , psal. . behold , i was borne in iniquity , and in sinne my mother conceiued me . so the apostle paule , rom. . death reigned from adam to moyses , euen ouer them also that sinned not after the manner of the transgression of adam , which was the figure of him that was to oome : for as by one mans disobedience , many were made sinners , so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous . wherefore , such as holde infants without all guilt of sinne , neuer knewe the greatenesse of adams fall , of gods iustice , of mans misery , and of christes endlesse mercy . lastly , they obiect , that christ himselfe was not baptized vntill , yeares of age . i 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 , hee that desireth that worthye office must bee no new plant , no younger scholler , none lately come to the profession and gathered immediately from heathenish religion to the fellowship of the gospel : yet the office of teaching is not tyed to , yeares , the age may be lesse if the gifts be great , and fit for that calling . againe , christ stood not in neede to be baptized in respect of himselfe , being without originall or actuall sinne to he washed away , and therefore iohn at the first put him back : r yet he would be baptized for our sakes , to fulfill all righteousnesse , to sanctifie our baptisme in himselfe , and that thereby we might know he was installed into his osfice . but we stand in neede to be baptized , to seale vp the washing away of our sinnes , and therfore there is a great difference in this respect betweene chrift and vs. besides , the euangelist doth testifie , that albeit our sauiour were baptized at thirty years of age , yet he was circumcised at . daies old . now wee haue proued before , that the same which circumcision was to the iewes , baptisme is to al christians . if then he in his infancy wer circumcised , then children in their in fancy may be baptized , and are not commaunded to waite thirty yeares : for baptisme is our circumcision as the apostle teacheth : but christ in his infancy was circumcised , s when the eight dayes were accomplished : therfore children in their infancy may be baptized . furthermore , baptisme was not hitherto as yet in vse , it was not commanded to be vsed when he was a child , and therefore he could not possibly be baptized , vnlesse we will imagin he might be baptized , before baptisme was . so that wee see , as he would not haue his circumcision deferred one day beyond the time appoynted : so hee was presently baptized , so soone as baptisme was instituted of god , and administred by iohn . fiftly , we are no more tied to this circumstance of time in christs baptisme , then we are to other circumstances of time , place , and persons in the supper : he ministred it in an vpper chamber , and before his passion : we in churches , before dinner , & after his resurrection . lastly , when the time appointed came , that the promised sauior and redeemer of mankinde should manifest himselfe to the world , then he shewed himselfe openly , then he came to the preaching & baptisme of iohn , & began to publish the glad tidings of saluation , t and to exhort men to repent & beleeue the gospel . these are the chiefest obiections against childrens baptisme , that carry any shew and probability of reason , which hitherto wee haue dissolued and discussed . and this is the second point before propounded . now as we haue seene the truth proued by the scripture , and maintained it against all the ignorant cauils of the anabaptistes and other arrians of transiluania , that haue u oppugned this truth : so let vs come to see the benifit of this doctrine , and what profit commeth by baptisme of children that are without knowledge , without vnderstanding , without faith , and without repentance . what vse can there be of this ? much euery way , as well as by circumcising an infant of eight daies old . first , consider from hence , a plaine and palpable errour of the church of rome , a that teach that the baptisme of children is by tradition , not by deuine institution , from their word vnwritten , not in the word of god written . but we haue confuted the anabaptistes by the scriptures , and conuinced them by the institution of circumcision , by the tenor of the couenant , by the holinesse of their birth , by their redemption through the blood of christ , and by the practise of the apostles . this is better armour , these are stronger weapons , this is a sharper sword to cut in sunder the corrupt heresie of the anabaptistes , then the wooden dagger of humaine tradition which the church of rome draweth out against them . the scripture is all sufficient b to proue all truth , and to beate downe all false doctrin that lifteth vp it selfe against god. wherefore , we hold their traditions , to be superstitions : & their vnwritten 〈◊〉 are written lies . as we retaine the baptisme of children , so wee haue alwaies beene ready to maintaine it by the old and new testament , as by the sword of the spirit against all the aduersaries thereof . secondly , let vs learne from hence 〈◊〉 acknowledge a difference betweene 〈◊〉 and the lords supper . for in baptizing of children , 〈◊〉 faith , not 〈◊〉 , not regeneration is required , but onely to bee borne in the couenant : but the supper of the lord requireth knowledge , discerning , trying , and examining of our selues : which are not required , neither can be performed of young children , who know not light from darkenesse , nor good from euill . thirdly , if infants haue interest in baptisme , then hence it floweth that all are conceiued and borne in originall sin , c and whatsoeuer is of the flesh is flesh . so the apostle saith , as in adam all dy , euen so in christ shall all be made aliue . there is no difference , all haue sinned , and are depriued of the glorious kingdome of god : we must be iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in christ iesus : by nature all are the children of wrath , and borne dead in sins and trespasses , infants not excepted . we learne therfore that whatsoeuer is begotten of man is sinfull and corrupt , it must be cut and pared away , we must be renewed and borne again by the spirit of god , clensing vs from our sins : yea the children of the faithfull parents , whose corruptions are mortified , whose lustes are subdued , whose flesh is tamed and brought vnder the obedience of the will of god , are notwithstanding brought forth in sin , because they are born by carnall generation , and not by spirituall regeneration : as corne winnowed from the chaffe d yet groweth vp againe with it , and as the foreskin cut off from the parents recurneth in the child . again , haue infants of the faithful right to be baptized ? then acknowledge heereby the difference betweene them and the children of infidels , iewes , pagans , and turkes . as the children of the iewes , being heires of the couenant , were separated & 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 are called holy , borne of either party and parent being faithful and a beleeuer , and do differ from the prophane seede of idolatrous people . indeede whosoeuer 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 seede 〈◊〉 child of the faithful , yet is to bee baptized , though hee came of the race of turks , or pagan●s , as f appeareth by the speach of phillip to the eunuch , if thou beleeuest , thou maiest . thus we see , that the childrē of those that professe the faith , belong to the church of god : the children of pagans belong not to the church of god : loe how great a difference there is betweene them . heerby then , the children of the faithfull are discerned and distinguished from the prophane multitude of atheists , epicures , libertines , arrians , anabaptistes , turkes , sarazens , persians , and other barbarous nations , g which are without christ , without hope , without god in the world : wheras the holy seede of all the faithfull belong to the church of god , and are reckoned in the company of the church . for this h cause , the apostle calleth the whole posterity of abraham , holy , that is , consecrated and halowed to god , if the roote be holy , the branches are also holy . not that the children of the faithfull do want originall sinne , or that they gather any actuall holinesse or inherent righteousnesse by carnall generation and propagation from their parents , but because by benefit of the couenant of god , and by force of his gratious promise , they are separated from prophane infidels , and brought into the bosome of the church , as noah was into the arke . ? fiftly , this doctrine setteth forth the honor and glory of god. for is not god greatly glorified , when he sheweth himselfe true in his promises and hath mercy vpon the faithfull i for a thousand generations ? and is not occasion offered to vs continually to glorifie him ? can we deserue that god should be our god ? nay do we not deserue , that hee should not be our god ? and yet behold he will be the god of our children also ? let vs therfore neuer forget his mercies : let vs fil our mouthes or rather our heartes with his praises : let vs confesse before the lorde his louing kindnesse , and his wonderfull workes before the sonnes of men . sixtly , all parents are heereby wonderfully comforted , they haue their faith strengthened , and are confirmed in the loue of god , when they see themselues so beloued of god , that it descendeth and floweth euen to their children , as they are assured by this visible signe . this is that worthye and wonderfull promise which wee must receiue by faith , k i will be thy god , and the god of thy seed after thee , i will establish my couenant betweene me and thee , and thy seed after thee . a sentence to be written , not onely in golde , but in the tables of our hearts to dwell with vs for euer . when we must leaue the worlde and our families in poore estate behind vs , and go vnto the father : let vs not be dismayed , discoraged , or discomfited : this is the stay of our hope , this is the staffe of our cófort , this is our anker-hold , that he wil not shut vp his mercy towarde our children , but be a gracious god to them as he hath bene to ourselues : so that wee may assuredly say vnto them with faithfull abraham , l my sonne god will prouide . let vs be content with those things that we haue , for he hath saide , m i will not 〈◊〉 thee neither for sake thee , so that we may boldly say , the lord is my helper , neither will i feare what man can do vnto me . godlines is great gaine , and he that is truely godly , is truely rich . he that hath christ , , hath all things : he that wanteth him , wanteth all things . heauen and earth are the lords : all the gold and siluer are his , who hath promised to be an husbande to the widdow , eyes to the blind , a couering to the naked , a father to the fatherlesse , and he will not forget his kindenesse towards vs for euer . wherefore , let vs lift vp n our hands and our harts which hang downe , let vs strengthen our weake knees , and make straight steps vnto our feet , god is able to worke contentednes in all his seruants , whose power is best seene in our weakenes 〈◊〉 whose glorie shineth brightest in our greatest wants , remember o what the prophet saith psal , i am young and now am olde , yet i saw neuer the righteous for saken , nor his feed begging bread . and againe , tast ye and see , how 〈◊〉 the lord is , blessed is the 〈◊〉 that trusteth in him feare the lord ye his saints : for nothing wanteth to them that feare him . the lyons do lacke and suffer hunger , but they which seeke the lorde , shall want nothing that is good . loe , how the man shal be blessed that feareth god , not onely in his owne person , but in his children : p inasmuch as our seed is no lesse dear to him then we are , as psal , . he will blesse them that feare the lord , both small and great : the lord will encrease his graces towarde you and toward your children . and to the same purpose the prophet 〈◊〉 , chap , . saith . they shal be my people , and i will be their god , and i will giue them one heart , and one way , that they may feare me for euer for the wealth of them and of their children after them . let vs all rest in his words , and rely vppon his mercifull promises . he is not as man that he should lie , nor as the sonne of man that he should deceiue . he hath said , he will be our god , and the god of our seed that we leaue behind vs. behold , o lord , the words of thine own lips , consider the promises that are gone out of thine owne mouth . we know thou art true and faithfull in all thy sayings , thou wilt not alter the things which thou hast written with thine owne finger : on thee we wait and in thee we put our trust , let it be vnto thy seruantes according to thy free promise , and according to thy gratious couenant , that we may feele the accomplishment thereof in our soules . seuenthly , all parents are heereby to be warned and admonished , that seeing the promise of forgiuenes of sinnes and the kingdome of heauen belongeth to their seede , and consequently the signe and seale therof : they must be carefull to bring them vp q in the true knowledge and feare of god , as eph , . fathers prouoke not your chrildren to wrath , but bring them vp in instruction and information of the lord so moses teacheth exod , , , . when their children should aske them touching the paschall lambe , that then it is their duty to declare and deliuer to them the true cause and occasion thereof . likewise so often as we consider how our children are by grace accepted , by baptisme consecrated vnto god , and 〈◊〉 made heires of life and saluation : it standeth vs vppon , to plant and water the sauing knowledge of christ iesus in them . for what should it profit vs to leaue them great riches and large possessions , and make them for want of instruction and information in the waies of god the children of hel ? if we do no more but feed them , and giue them meat and drinke : what do we for them , which we do not 〈◊〉 the oxe and asse ? or if our chiefest care be to cloth them wel , and to apparrell them warme : what doe we r which the turkes and infidels do not , as wel as we ? haue not they as great a portion in this , as we ? but our obedience to the wil of god , and duty to our children must exceede theirs , if we will enter s into the kingdome of heauen . whereby we see , that they are greatly deceiued , who when , they haue made honest prouision for the sustenance and sustentation of their children in this world , wil say they haue done their part , although they haue not taught them to know god , these haue the greatest and chiefest account to make for their soules . now if this be a greeuous sinne , to neglect the teaching of our children the feare of god : then they increase and double their iniquity , who by their corrupt example do lead them into euil , and so murther their soules . for children in steade of godly and religious instruction , do oftentimes heare their fathers sweare , swagger , lie , raile , and slaunder : see them deale deceitfully and vniustly , and marke their walking in euery euill way , making their houses as it were any mage and representation of hell it selfe , by practise of all manner of abhominations leading therevnto . lastly , this doctrine is very comfortable to children themselus . for howsoeuer they cannot know or remember their owne baptisme : yet they are to consider that they liue in a church and among a people , where infants are ordinarily baptized , and sealed with the signe of the couenant of god. besides , it is and euer hath bin t of auncient time a laudable custome in the church to haue speciall witnesses ( men of credit and estimation ) of euery childes and infants baptisme , whome commonly wee call god-fathers and god-mothers . the steps of this truth may be traced out , if we consider u what the pprophet esay saith , chap , where he declareth that so soone as his wife had borne him a son , he gaue him his name ( which was done at circumcision ) and tooke two a faithfull witnesses uriah and zechariah to testifie the circumcision of his sonne , and the solemne giuing to him of that name in the presence of the congregation . and howsoeuer uriah walked not with a right foot , but turned aside from the pure worshippe of god to set vp the idolatrous alter after the fashion of damascus to seede the fancy of ahaz : yet he was a man of reputation , whose testimony was sufficient to assure the naming of the prophets sonne : because the times to come woulde be troublesome and full of many calamities . for their children were named , when they were b circumcised : as now our children are named , when they are baptized . so likewise the church oftentimes lyeth vnder the crosse , and is subiect to persecution , as c the woman driuen into the wildernesse , reuelations , , and so the baptisme of many members might many times be doubted of and called into question , ( forasmuch as no impressionabideth in the flesh , as there did in circumcision ) the churches haue thought it conuenient to require certaine men to bee as speciall witnesses of infantes their bringing to christ and to the church by baptisme , and of their names giuen them in their baptisme . seeing therefore children are baptized , and haue by this meanes no assurance giuen them of their baptisme : they haue a marueilous benefit bestowed vpon them , that they so soone obtaine the partaking of christ and all his benefits . god worketh in the children of the faithfull belonging to his couenant by waies vnknowne to vs , as d iohn baptist is saide to be filled with the holy-ghost from his mothers 〈◊〉 : and they are called e holy by the apostle , insomuch that they cannot perish : whom god calleth , some sooner and some later , all in his owne appointed time , as seemeth good to his heauenly pleasure . the remembrance whereof , when children come to age , greatly comforteth them in the loue and feare of god , when they call to mind that they are so greatly esteemed and highly regarded of god , from the first comming into the worlde , before they had the vse of speech , of reason , and of vnderstanding . christ iesus shed his blood for them , he dyed for all the children of god , f he redeemed them whether they be old or young , smal or great , as ioh. . he must die , not for that nation onely , but should gather together in one the children of god which are scattered . and the same apostle reuel . . saith , i saw the dead both great and small stand before god , and the bookes were opened , and another booke was opened which is the booke of life , and the dead were iudged of those things written in those bookes according to their workes . wherefore , when children shall come to yeares of discretion and vnderstanding , they must heereby be pricked forward to an earnest care and indeuour to walke in the feare of god , and to serue him in holynesse and righteousnesse all the daies of their life , by whom they were receiued for sonnes and adopted for his children by a solemne pledge of their adoption , before they were able through their age , to know and acknowledge him for their father . let them giue the g first fruites of their life to god : let them learne to beare the yoake of obedyence from their youth let them redresse and reforme their waies by taking heede to the word of truth : and seeing god hath remembred them in their baptisme , let them also remember their creator in the daies of their youth and begin to be wise betimes , least death come suddainely and cut them off , as the sluggard that for-sloweth the seasons of plowing and reaping , wisheth for them in vaine at another time of the yeare . thus we haue shewed the baptisme of children : the certaine truth thereof hath beene euidently proued : the obiections against this truth aledged , haue been susficiently answered : and the vses of it to the great comfort of all faithfull parentes and children haue beene particularly remembred . chap. . of the first inward part of baptisme . hitherto we haue handled al the outward parts of baptisme now we are orderly to proceede to the inwarde partes . the inward parts of baptisme are such as are represented by the outward . those are a foure in number : first , god the father : secondly , the spirit : thirdly , christ : fourthly , the soule clensed , as we see math. , . teach all nations , baptizing them in the name of the father , of the sonne , and of the holy-ghost : he that beleeueth and is baptized , shall be saued . heer we see these foure inward parts b are named and expressed . this is also euidently proued math , , in the baptisme of christ , where the trinity c of persons was manifested . these inward parts do directly and fitly answeare to the outward . the father is represented by the minister : the spirit worketh by the worde : christ is sealed by the water : and the soule clensed is signified by the body that is washed . now , d there is a notable agreement , a singular vnion , and fit proportion betweene these partes , 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 faithfull clensed . for euen as the minister by the word of institution , taketh and applyeth the water to the washing of the bodye : so god the father , through the working of the spirite offereth and applyeth the blood of christ , to the clensing of the faithfull . hauing seene the proportion of the parts between themselues , let vs consider of them particularly and in order . the e first inward part is god the father , represented by the minister . the minister calling vpon the name of god , vseth the water to wash , and washeth the party baptized with the element of water , which sealeth vp gods incorporating and ingrafting f of the baptized into christ , and our spirituall regeneration . hence it is , that when iohn baptized , the father was present , as president of the worke , when loe , his voice came from heauen , saying , this is my beloued sonne in whome i am well pleased . now let vs come to the vses . this 〈◊〉 first of all , to strengthen our faith in the remission of our fins , in imputation of christs righteousnes , in mortification of sinne by the force of christs death , and in sanctification through christs resurrection . wherefore , although the minister doth nothing , touching or towarde the clensing of the soule : yet in regard of gods ordinance and our benefit , the ministery of man is somewhat , which whosoeuer despiseth , doth despise god the author of it . for whensoeuer the eye of the body seeth the minister powring on the water , and washing the body : we must behold by saith god the father , offering the blood of his own son , to be water of life to our soules . and let vs all make this vse of the churches baptism to the comfort of our own harts , so often as we see it administred : let vs not rest in it , as in a work done to another , and nothing concerning our selues , but euermore helpe our inward affection by the outwarde action : and alwaies as the eye of the body beholdeth the minister , let the eye of the faith , be fastned firmely vppon the father , who maketh the sacramentall rites auaileable , which are openly done before vs for our edification . again , it teacheth , that we must not rest in the outward washing , nor in the externall actions of the minister : but euer consider what is offered to our considerations therin , and when the father offereth to vs his sonne , let vs not refuse him . for , he that satisfieth himselfe with the outwarde 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 it self , which ought to be had in greatest price and estimation . lastly , is god the father an inward part of baptism ? then we must take heed , we giue not that to the minister which is proper to god the father , whereby hee is robbed of the honor and glory due to his great name . the minister may wash the body and clense the flesh , but can goe no further : he medleth not with sanctification of the conscience from dead workes , which is not in the power of mortall man to do : so that god giueth the thing , and men giue the signe , yea while the minister offereth the one , god the father giueth the other . chap. of the second inward part of baptisme . the second inwarde part of baptisme a is the spirit of god , hauing relation to the word and promise of god. this b appeareth math , , he baptizeth with the holy-ghost and with fire : and verse , when christ was baptized , the heauens were opened vnto him , and he saw the spirit discending like a doue , and lighting vpon him . so the apostle , cor , saith , ye are washed , ye are sanctified , ye are iustified in the name of the lord iesus , and by the spirit of our god. and chap. , of the same epistle , by oke spirit we are all baptized into one body , whether we be iewes or graecians , whether we be bonde or free , and haue beene all made to drinke into one spirit . and tit , . according to his mercy he saued vs , by washing of the new-birth , and the renewing of the holy-ghost , which he shedde on vs aboundantly , through iesus christ our sauiour . all these testimonies teach vs , that the holy spirit of god is a necessary inward part of this sacrament , and that the baptisme of the spirit ioyned to the word , giueth force vnto it , who worketh in our soules that which water doth in our bodies , so that without the spirit it is nothing . from hence we learne , that it is not the dipping of vs into , or the sprinkling of vs with water , by the minister that maketh vs partakers of christ , but it commeth from the vertue of the spirit , who in time performeth what is represented by outwarde signes , and promised by the worde . againe we learne heereby , that the spirit is true god , equall with the father and the sonne . for who is able to make the worde and sacramentes auaileable , but onely god ? seeing then this is the proper worke of the holy-ghost , to open the heart , to teach the conscience , to seale vppe to the daye of redemption , and to helpe our infirmities in heating , in praying , and receiuing the sacraments : he must needs be acknowledged to bee true god the c giuer of these graces . so we see , that in the forme of the administration of this sacrament , the blessed spirit is named and rehearsed , d and hath his order togither with the father and the sonne . this therefore is a principle of our faith , to be learned , confessed , and beleeued . thirdly , we are heerby to take heed and beware , that we giue not to the word that which is proper to the spirit , he ingrafteth vs into christ , he keepeth vs that we fal not from christ , he maketh the word and promise of the institution profitable vnto vs , without whome it shoulde be vnto vs as sounding brasse or a tinckeling cymball . wherefore , as god the father in mercy maketh the promise , so his spirite must assure it to the consciences of all the faithfull . lastly , let vs learne whensoeuer we come to the worde or sacramentes , to craue the gracious assistance of the blessed spirit , to guide direct , and regenerate vs to eternal life , to sanctifie vs , e and to assure vs of gods endlesse fauour in christs iesus , as ioh . there be three which beare witnesse in heauen , the father , the word , and the holy spirit : and these three are one . the holy-ghost by his grace and vertue worketh in vs steadfastly to beleeue the truth of gods worde , and the gratious promises of saluation : as he is the author , beginner , and begetter of faith in vs , so he increaseth it , and maketh vs fit to receiue christ , and to apply him with all his gifts vnto our selues , and sendeth vs into the full fruition and possession of christ. he is our comforter to certifie vs of our reconciliation to god , and to make vs reioyce vnder the crosse , knowing that f tribulation bringeth foorth patience , and patience experience , and experience hope , and hope maketh not ashamed , because the loue of god is shed abroade in our harts by the holy-ghost which is giuen vnto vs. he is the earnest and seale of our inheritance , by whom we are sealed vp to euerlasting life . thus we see , that howsoeuer the increase and 〈◊〉 of faith is assigned to the sacramentes : yet this grace proceedeth from the holy-ghost , who is vnto our faith as marow vnto the bones , as moysture vnto the tree , and as a comfortable raine vnto the fruites of the earth . if this inward maister and teacher be wanting , the sacraments g can worke no more in our mindes , then if the bright sunne should shine to the blind eies , or a loud voice sound in deafe eares , or fruitefull corne fall into the barren wildernesse . wherefore , least the word of saluation should sound in our eares in vaine , and sacraments ioyned to the word should be present before our eies in vaine ; the spirit worketh in vs whensoeuer we come vnto them aright , he mollifieth the hardnesse of our heartes , he frameth vs to new obedience , and assureth vs that god offereth to vs his owne sonne for our iustification and saluation . for euen as the seede that falleth into a barren soile dyeth and rotteth , yet if it be so wen in fruiteful grownd wel tilled & manured , it bringeth 〈◊〉 good increase with gain & aduantage : so likewise the word and the sacramentes , if they hit vpon an heard neck , and fall into a barren heart , bcome vnprofitable and vnfruiteful : but if the effectual work of the spirit accompanieth the hearing of the one , and receiuing of the other , they are profitable , auaileable , and comfortable . thus much of the second part . chap . of the third inward part of baptisme . the third inward part of baptisme a is christ , represented and signified by the water . for as the a postle teacheth b that the blood of bulles and calues cannot take away sinne : so the water in baptisme cannot wash away sinnes . it toucheth the body , washeth it , clenseth and purgeth it , but it can proceed no further . for this c cause the beleeuers are said to be baptized in the name of christ , as act , , . he baptized euery one of you in the name of christ . so chap. , , they were baptized in the name of the lord iesus . not meaning heerby the forme and manner of baptizing , but the fruite foundation , and end of baptisme . likewise , d the apostle sheweth the same , pet , . baptisme answering to the figure of the arke , saueth vs by the resurrection of iesus christ. there is no more force in outward baptisme to saue , the whole vertue and force floweth from the streame of christs blood , as the true materiall cause thereof , wherein the power of in ward baptisme doth consist . the truth being euident , that the pouring out of the blood of christ is one of the inward partes of baptisme , let vs see the vses . the vse of this part teacheth diuerse pointes . first , that the outward washing with water , is not the washing away of sins : for then whosoeuer were dipped in it should receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes , repentance from dead workes , and sanctification of the spirit , whether he beleeued or not : e which is otherwise , as we see act. , . also , they should not , and could not be christians , and eternally saued , which are not outwardly washed , but departing this life without baptisme , they should perish in the next world without redresse or redemption , and so our condicion were worse then the iewes their condition in times past , and the grace of god more restrained vnder the gospell , then it was vnder the law , moyses offering more mercy then christ himselfe . so then , the washing with water serueth to ratifie the shedding of christs blood for the remission of our sinnes , and the imputation of his righteousnesse to our instification , f as ioh. , . the blood of iesus christ his sonne doth clense vs from all sinne . so reuel . , . he hath loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his blood , and made vs kings and priestes vnto god euen his father . and col. , the a postle saith , in him wee haue redemption by his bloode , that is , forgiuenesse of sinnes . againe , when wee see with our bodily eyes the water poured vpon the body of the baptized : we must behold and consider with the eyes of faith the blotting out of all our sinnes , as well originall as actuall , as well after baptisme as before baptisme , by the pretious blood of christ , that wee may assure our selues it is no idle action . for wee must not behold the sacramentall rites , as certaine dombe gestures or stage-like shewes without substance and signification but wee must make them serue to further our faith and edification . lastly , it teacheth vs , not to be led by the outward senses to measure the truth or to iudge of the substance of baptilme by the outward signe and visible partes : but to haue our faith fixed on christ , crucified on the crosse , and signified in baptisme . the infidell seeing children solemnely baptized in the name of the father , of the sonne , and of the holy-ghost , will rashly and ignorantly coniesture nothing to bee there , but naked rites , and bare water : but the faithfull and true christian doth beholde the washing of the soule and clensing of the heart by the dearest blood of christ. so in the lordes supper , to the vnbeleeuer appeareth nothing but bread and wine , because we see with our eies , wee receiue 〈◊〉 our handes , wee tast with our mouth no more : but the beleeuer knoweth , that together with these signes , god the father offereth the body and blood of his sonne to bee spiritually receiued and digested . euen as he that is vnlettered and vnlearned , if hee looke g vpon the face of a booke , beholdeth onely blacke coulours , and spottes vppon the paper , seeth certaine figures and charusters of letters differing each from other , but cannot read the writing or comprehende the meaning : but hee that hath learned his letters and is able to reade them , reapeth greate profit and instruction thereby : so is it in the 〈◊〉 . hee that resteth in the outward signe , deceiueth himselfe : but hee that respecteth the thinge signified receiueth the profit and aduantage . the crosse of christ , and preaching of the gospell , h are a stumbling blocke to the iewes , and foolishnesse to the gracians . for the infidell hearing that christ was crucified and nailed vpon the crosse , is offended at him , accounting it a foolish & weak means to saue mankind , that life should spring out of death , glory come out of shame , power proceed out of weakenesse , and triumphant victory arise out of his contemptible sufferings : but the faithfull soule acknowledgeth in this mystery of godlinesle , the high hand and vnsearchable wisedome of god. it may seeme ridiculous vnto some men , i that god should require circumcision of abraham and of his houshold , young and old , bond and free , maister and seruants to vncouer all their shames , and to open the hidden partes of nature : yet abraham submitttd himselfe to the ordinance of god. naamaen the syrian thought it a toyish precept & prescript , when he was bidden to wash himselfe . times in iordin , hauing many riuers in his owne countrey as good as that : yet by k obeying the prophet , he was clensed of his leprosie . the inhabitants of iericho scorned ioshua and the men of israell , when they saw them compasse their citty strong and walled , l and to blow with their rammes hornes : yet by this weake meanes the wall fel downe , the enemies were destroyed , the citty was sacked , and the people of god 〈◊〉 . christ seeing a blinde man and willing to heale him , he spat on the ground , m and made clay of spittle , and annoynted the eies of the blinde with the clay , and said vnto him , go , wash in the poole of siloam : he obeyed , he went , he washed , he returned seeing . thus doth god by simple , base , and weake things , oftentimes confound the mighty , strong , and wise of the world , that no flesh should reioyce in his presence , and crosseth all the high conceites and proud imaginations of mans wil and wit. wherefore we must not follow our owne vnderstanding , nor measure the matters of god by the crooked rule of our carnall reason . whosoeuer will yeald obedience to god must deny himselfe , and renounce his own wisedome , n and become a foole that he may be wise in god , as cor . , let no man deceiue himselfe , if any man among you seeme to bec wise in this world , let him be a foole that he may be wise , for the wisedome of this world is foolishnesse with god. thus we see , that in the sacramentes we must vnderstand more then we see , and beleeue more then we can behold . such 〈◊〉 are without knowledge and faith , 〈◊〉 no more of baptisme then the bodily eie directeth them vnto : but the faithfull conceiue the blood of christ to be offered , to 〈◊〉 the soule and conscience from all sinn , o as the riuer watered the garden of eden . chap. . of the foruth inward part of baptisme . the last inward part of baptisme is the soule a clensed ; most liuely represented by the body that is washed . for as the outward receiuer giueth his body to be washed : so the saithfull receiuer doth consecrate himselfe to god with ioy , and forsake the flesh , the world , and the diuill , and feeleth the inward washing of the spirit , as tit. , , according to his b mercy he saued vs , by the washing of the new birth , and the renewing of the holy-ghost . and the same apostle , eph. . christ gaue himselfe for the church , that he might sanctifie it , and clense it by washing of water through the word , that he might make it vnto himselfe a glorious church , not hauing spot or wrinkle . wherefore , this outward washing of the body commaunded by christ , fignifieth vnto me , that i am no lesse assuredly clensed in his blood by the working of his spirit from the spottes of my soule , that is , from all my sinnes , then i am outwardlie washed by water , whereby the staines of the body vse to be washed away : and it bindeth vs that we ought euer afterward by our workes and deeds to declare newnes of life and fruites of repentance . let vs now come to the vses of this last part of baptisme . doth the washing of the body represent the clensing of the soule ? and doth the soking vp of the filthines of the flesh signifie the remouing of the remnants of rebellion ? then we are all by nature vnwise , vncleane , 〈◊〉 , vnregerate , vnholy , disobedient , disordered , deceiuing and being deceiued : we are the vessels of wrath , the children of death , the bond-slaues of sathan , the heires of damnation , we haue our part and portion in the offence of adam , c as rom. . by one man sinne entred into the world : and ch . . i see another law in my members , rebelling against the law of my minde , and leading me captiue vnto the law of sinne , which is in my members . o wretched man that i am , who shall deliuer me from the body of this death . heereunto also commeth that which the d euangelist setteth downe in the conference betweene christ and nicodemes , ioh. that which is borne of flesh is flesh , and that which is borne of the spirit is spirit : marueil not that i said vnto thee , ye must be borne againe . for this cause are infants baptized , because they are conceiued in sinne and borne in iniquity , and cannot become spirituall , but by a new birth wrought by the spirit , which is sealed vp by the water in baptisme . againe , this serueth to strengthen our faith when we behold the outward washing , pouring out of the water , and baptizing of the body , it assureth the inward clensing of the soule by the blood of christ offered to all , and receiued of those that are elected to eternall saluation . this then is the right and holy vse of baptisme . doest thou feele inwardly in thine heart , that through the corruption of thy nature and strength of concupiscence thou art moued , tempted , and prouoked to commit sinne ? and doest thou feele thy selfe ready to yeald to satan , and so to fall from god into euill ? beginne to haue some holy meditation , of that solemne vow which thou madest to god in baptisme , when thou didest consecrate and giue vp thy selfe wholly to his seruice , and didest renounce obedience to the suggestions of satan , to the allurements of the world , and to the corruptions of the flesh . for baptisme is the e christian mans ensigne giuen of god to vs , that we should fight as it were vnder it against all the enemies of our saluation and ouercome . it is the badge and bannerofour captaine , that wee shrouding our selues vnder his colours , should not cowardly turne our back in the skirmish , but coragiously looke the enemy in the face , nay tread him vnder our feete for euer . moreouer , hast thou through weakenes and infinnity , 〈◊〉 once or twice 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 offence of thy weak brother ? haue recourse to thy baptisme as vnto a board after shipwracke , as vnto a medicine after sicknesse , as vnto a plaister after wounding , or as vnto a staffe after falling , that thou maiest receiue strength , courage , and comfort to thy soule . for albeit baptisme be once only administred for the reasons before alleged , chap , . of this present booke ; yet it being once deliuered and receiued , testifieth that all our sinnes past , present , and to come are washed away and shal be forgiuen . the fruite or efficacy of the sacraments is not to be restrained and tyed to the present time of receiuing , but extendeth it selfe to the whole course of our life afterward . and thus much of the fourth part of baptisme . chap. . of the first vse of baptisme . hitherto we haue handled the parts of baptisme both outward and inward : now let vs proceed to the vses , the last point to be obserued in this sacrament . the vses of baptisme are in number a three : first to shew our planting , ingrafting , and incorporating into the body of christ : secondly , to seale vp the remission and forgiuenesse of all our sinnes : thirdly , to teach vs to dye vnto sinne and liue vnto righteousnesse and true sanctification . these endes b appeare euidently by the wordes of the apostle , rom. . know ye not that al we which haue been baptized into iesvs christ , haue beene baptized into his death ? we are buried then with him by baptisme into his death , that like as christ was raised vppe from the dead to the glory of the father , so wee also should walke in newnesse of life . for if we be planted with him to the similitude of his death , euen so shall wee be to the similitude of his resurrection , knowing this , that our olde man is crucified with him , that the body of sin might be destroyed , that henceforth we should not serue sinne . in this place the apostle setteth before vs the former ends of baptisme expressely . touching the first vse , c he sheweth that by it is signified and sealed our vniting , setting , d and inserting into the body of christ , to remaine in him soreuer , as braunches in the vine , as cor , . by one spirit we are all baptized into one body , whether we be bonde or free : where he teacheth that by baptisme wee become one body with christ. and gal. , all ye that are baptized into christ , haue put on christ. this coniunction with christ is not bodily or naturall , it is not by bāds in the flesh , it is not by neernes of blood , sor such as we see may be seprated , as the father from the son , the husband from the wife , the brother from the sister : but this is wholy mysticall and spirituall , aboue reason and aboue sence , because it is wrought , not by natural waies as by ioynts , sinnews , arteries , ligamentes , and such like , but by spirituall meanes , to wit , by the power of the spirit , and by vertue of faith : he sendeth downe his spirit , we send vp our faith . first , he must send downe his spirit , because all goodnes is of him . indeed , we loue him , but it is because he loued vs first , giuing vs e the spirit of adoption to cry abba father : indeed , we come vnto christ to be eased and refreshed as he commandeth , but it is because f the father draweth vs. indeed , we perseuer in faith and loue , but this is , because he perseuereth in louing of us . indeed , we repent and turn vnto god , but this is because he g taketh away our stonye hart , and giueth vnto vs an hart of flesh . secondly , as he putteth his spirit within vs , so the faith mounteth vp to the heauens , and apprehendeth christ sitting at the right hand of the father . and thus , his spirit discending , our faith ascending , and both of them ioyninge the members to the heade , the braunches to the vine , vs to christ , being once engrafted , h wee are neuer sepetated , as ioh. . he that abideth in mee and i in him , the same bringeth foorth much fruite : for without me ye can doe nothing . if a man abide not in mee , he is cast foorth as a braunch and withereth , and men gather them , and cast them into the fire and they burne . no man can be partaker of christs benefits to saluation , which is i not made one with him . as a woman cannot be partaker of the riches and honor of some great man , and haue interest in his person , except she be ioyned to him in mariage , that they become one body and one flesh : and as the members cannot draw life from the head , except they be ioyned with it : so there is no partaking of christ , except thete be an vnion and communion with him , k as himselfe teacheth vs , ioh. . verily , verily i say vnto you , except ye eat the flesh of the sonne of man , and drinke his blood , ye haue no life in you . if christ be present to vs , life and all things accompanying saluation are present to vs. if christ be absent from vs , death is present , wrathlyeth at the doore , life and saluation are absent : so that we are neuer partakers of his graces , except webe as neerly coupled to his humanity , as meat and drink are coupled with our body , which of al other is a most neer vnion and inward coniunction . thus we see , we are seuered from the world to haue fellowshippe with christ , and are set once in him for euer , l because he that commeth to christ once , he casteth him not away , hee shall neuer hunger , he shall neuer thirst , he shall not be lost but hue for euer , as the apostle saith , if they had been of vs , doubtles they had continued with vs , and paule to this purpose saith , rom. , who shal lay any thing to the charg of gods chosen ? it is god that instifieth , who shall condemne ? who shal seperate vs from the loue of christ ? shal tribulation , or anguish , or persecution , or famine , or nakednes , or perill , or sword ? in all the se we are more then conquerours through him that loued vs : for i am perswaded , that neither death , nor life , nor angels , nor principalities , nor powers , nor things present , nor thinges to come , nor height , nor depth , nor any other creature shall be able to seperate vs , from the loue of god which is in christ iesvs our lorde . if once wee bee ioyned to him in spirituall marriage , notwithstanding the difference and disparagement between him and vs , nothing shall bee able to worke our deuorcement from him . true it is , god 〈◊〉 vs wallowing m in our owne filthines , polluted in our owne bloode , defiled by our owne vncleannes , he hath made an eternall couenant with vs , he hath spoken peace vnto oursoules , saying , thou shalt liue , euen when wee were sunke downe in sinne to death , hee saide vnto vs thou shalt liue : so that he will neuer turne from vs to do vs good , but we shall be his people , and he will be our god , he will giue vs one hart and one way , that wee may feare him for euer , and that it may be well with vs and with our children . this made the apostle to write , ephe. . . . wee are members of his bodie , of his flesh , and of his bones : this is a great misterie , but i speake concerning christ and concerning the church : where he seemeth to allude to the n first creation of the woman made of one of the ribs of the man , shadowing and 〈◊〉 our knitting and coniunction with christe , which we haue by faith , not by nature : by vertue of the spirit , not of the flesh . now as we haue shewed that this coniunction made by gods spirit and by our faith which he hath giuen : so the meanes and instruments to worke it , are the word and sacraments . this is a dignity peculiar and proper , to the elect , to haue perpetuall fellowshippe with christ , and to growe vp into one body with him , as he teacheth iohn , . . i pray for all them which shall beleeue in me through theyr word , that they all may be one as thou o father art in me and i in thee , euen that they may be one with vs , that the world may beleeue that thou hast sent me . if then there be not an vnion betweene christ and vs , we haue no accesse to god the father , being quite cutte off from all hope of life and sa'uation . as then all the substaunce and nourishment of the tree commeth from the roote , and all the vitall powers of a true naturall body , come from the head : so it is betweene the sonne of god and vs , we haue not so much as one drop of the heauenly life in vs of our selves , o christ is the waye , the truth , and the life , no man commeth vnto the father but by him . to conclude this first vse , seeing such as come to this sacrament p must be christians before , it appeareth to be a very corrupt custome of the people , when they require baptisme of the pastor for their children , to say , god hath giuen me a pagan , i desire you to make him a christian. for baptisme cannot make a christian , but signifie : the sacraments cannot make that which is not , but assure that which is already made , as seales do not giue the right , but confirme it . thus much of the first vse of baptisme : the second followeth . chap. . of the second vse of baptisme . being made one with christ , we are partakers of the 〈◊〉 of his death , to wit , a of forgiuenes of sinnes , and of regeneration or new birth . so then the second vse of baptisme is , to assure vs of the remission and pardon of our sinnes , that we may be vnblamable and acceptable to god . this is signified by the outward ceremony of washing and sprinkling , to wit , the sprinkling of our soules with the blood of christ for the forgiuenes of all sinnes , b as appeareth , act. , , then peter said vnto them , amend your liues and be baptized euerie one of you in the name of iesus christ , for remission of sins . and act. , ananias said vnto paul immediately after his conuersion , arise and be baptized , and wash away thy sinnes in calling on the name of the lorde . so the euangelist witnesses marke . , . that iohn did baptize in the wildernesse , and preach the baptisme of amendment of life for the remission of sinnes . and the apostle maketh this vse , col . , , . ye are buried with him through baptisme , in whome ye are also raised vppe together through the faith of the operation of god , which raised him vp from the dead : and you which are deade in sinnes , and in the vncircumcision of your flesh , hath hee quickned together with him , forgiuing you all your trespasses . the meaning of these places is not that , baptisme c bestoweth or giueth forgiuenesse , but onely signeth , sealeth , and assureth our pardon : euen as remistion of sins and the righte ousnesse of faith were not in the old testament by circumcision conferred , but confirmed vnto the faithfull . the grace of pardon and forgiuenesse of sinnes , is not attained but by faith in christ , so that the worke of baptisme will not effect it . moreouer we haue proued , that it is not lawfull to baptize such as are in yeares , vnlesse they make open profession of their faith in christ , and repentance from the workes of the olde man : wherefore , they obtaine them not by the outward washing with water in baptisme . so then we are no lesse assuredly washed by the blood of christ from the spots of our soules , then outwardly we are washed with water from the filth of the body . for the force of his death hath that effectuall working in clensing our soules from the corruption and filthines of sinne , which naturall water hath in washing our bodies . by the merit of his death we haue full forgiueneste of all our sinnes , not onely originall but actuall , not onely past but present and to come , whose blood is neuer drawne dry , but is euer fresh and full of efficacy . therefore , the wordes deliuered by the minister in baptisme at the commaundement of christ , namely , c i baptize thee in the name , of the father , and of the sonne , and of the holy ghost , should alwaies be in our eares , euen vntill the last gasp , and by them we ought to be assured of the ful forgiuensse of our offences against god. for the blood of christ , by which we are once washed , can neuer be drawne dry , but is euer fresh , full of force and strength , to the continuall clensing of our filthinesse and iniquities , so that they neuer come into the sight of god , neither are imputed vnto vs. wherefore , it is like vnto a sealed charter , whereby is confirmed that all our sinnes are blotted out . we are all taught by our baptisme , that none of the enemies of our saluation shall be able to lay any sinne to our charge art thou tempted to thinke , that christs blood was not shed for thee ? that thy transgressions are not pardoned ? that thou shalt be brought to iudgement for them ? doth sathan 〈◊〉 thy tender conscience with them ? thou maist as well doubt , that thou wast not baptized and washed with water , as doubt thy sinnes are not blotted out : thou maist as well surnize thou perishedst in the water , as suppose thou shalt perish in thy wickednesse , the floods where of howsoeuer they go ouer thy head : yet shall not be able to preuaile against thee sully , and ouercome thee sinally . this ouer throweth the false d doctrin of the false church of rome , the mother of abhominations , which teacheth that by the grace of christ receiued in baptisme , all our sins going before it , are rased and blotted out , and leaueth nothing in the party baptized e that hath the name and nature of sinne . but albeit our sinnes be freely and fully forgiuen for christs sake , pardoned and not imputed , coucred and remembred no more : yet the stain , blot , and remnants of sinne remaine ( though not raigne ) in our flesh , so long as we liue in this world , which in the end of our daies togither with the mortality and corruptions of our bodies shall be taken away and abolished . indeede the scripture teacheth , that christs blood clenseth , washeth , f and taketh away sinne , ioh. . . behold the lambe of god which taketh away the sin of the world : but this is not by an actuall purging of vs from all corruption , but in freely acquiting and truely discharing vs from the guilt , offence , and punishment before god , as psal. , blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen , and whose sins are lightned , blessed is the man to whom the lord imputeth not sinne . i herefore , though they be forgiuen , yet they remaine , g as appeareth , if we say 〈◊〉 haue no fin , we deceiue our selues and there is no truth in vs. and solomon in his worthy prayer saith , if any sinne against thee , for there is no man that sinneth not . so the apostle teacheth & toucheth this truth by his owne experience , rom. , i see another lawe in my members , rebelling against the law of my minde , and leading me captiue vnto the law of sinne which is in my members . we are all as a filthy cloth , the fsesh rebelleth against the spirit , and in nothing we can do the things we woulde , so that if god enter into iudgement with vs , we 〈◊〉 stand in his sight . and if originall sinne were extinguished and vtrerly abolished in baptisme , then they which are baptized , shoulde sin no more : but we see they sin again after their baptism . to conclude baptisme is auailable not only for sins before , but it is a seale for confirmation of faith touching the remission of those sinnes that are committed after baptisme , as well as done before , as our 〈◊〉 sauiour teacheth , mark , , . he that shall beleeue and be baptized , shall be saued , but he that will not beleeue , shal be damnd . faith then beleeueth the forgiuenes of all sins past and to come , inasmuch as the bood of christ clenseth from al sins . and the apostle accordeth heereunto , titus , , . according to his mercie hee saued vs by the washing of the new birth and the 〈◊〉 of the holy ghost : that we being iustified by his grace should be made heirs according to the hope of euerlasting life . where we see that the promise of iustification 〈◊〉 generall against all sins . thus much of the second vse . chap . of the third vse of baptisme . the third vse of baptisme is to kill and bury a our naturall corruption by the power of christs death and buriall , and to raise vs againe to sanctification of our nature and newnes of life by his resurrection . hence it is , that sin hath his deaths wounde and is stricken to the hatt , so that it cannot liue and raigne in the children of god. hence it is , that baptisme is often b called the sacrament of repentance , 〈◊〉 luke , , iohn came into all the parts and coasts about iordan , preaching the baptisme of repentance for the remission of sinnes . so likewise marke , . iohn did baptise in the wildernes and preach the baptisme of amendment of life , and the apostle affirmeth as much , col , , xii , xiii , declaring that the 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 liuely types answering our baptisme , to wit , the flood that drownd the old world , while noah and his family were preserued in the arke . also the red sea in which pharaoh and his host perished , but the people of god. were deliuered . for as god destroyed in the waters and as it were buried in the flood the world , but saued a remnant of grace : so doth god , through christ , mortifie the old man , raise againe the new man , and seale them both in our baptisme . likewise , as god deliuered his people out of the hands of pharaoh , and opened them a way through the red sea , and drowned their enimies that they saw them no more aliue : so by baptisme , he assureth our deliuerance from the thral dome and bondage of sinne ( which bringeth greater slauery and captiuity then any slaue is in , vnder his earthly maister ) and the destruction of the flesh , that it shall not hurt or condemn vs. we are al d born in sins and trespasses : we haue need of repentance and regeneration . we see then what vse we are to make of our baptisme , euen labor to attaine to the efficacy and fruit of it , that it may not be a bare and barren signe . moses and the prophets earnestly exhort the people of israell , to shewe forth the force and effect of their circumcision , e to cut away the fore-skin of their harts , and harden their necks no more , as we see , deut , . . the lorde did set his delight in thy fathers , to loue them , and did chuse their seed after them , euen you aboue all people , circumcise therefore the foreskin of your hearts , and harden your neckes no more , and in another place , the lord thy god will circumcise thine heart , and the hearte of thy seede , that thou maiest loue the lord thy god with all thine heart and with all thy soule , that thou maiest liue . so the prophet f ieremy saith , breake vppe your fallowe grounde , and sowe not among thornes : be circumcised to the lorde , and take away the fore-skinnes of yonr heartes , ye men of iudah , and inhabitantes of hierusalem , least my wrath come foorthe like fire , and burne , but none can quench it , because of the wickednes of your inuentions . circumcision was the thing wherin they bosted aboue althings : it was their glory wheros they bragged , to be a cirpeople , peculiar to god. now the prophets recall and reclaime them from trusting in outwarde signes and lying words , g that shall not profit : and stirre them vp to confider the power and effect therof , not to rest in cutting off a thin peece of skinne , but to cut off quite and cleane their lusts and corruptions which rebell against the spirit . this the apostle teacheth h euidently . he is not a iew which is one outward neither is that circumcision vvhich is outvvard in the flesh : but he is a ievv vvhich is one vvithin , and the circumciston is of the hart in the spirit , not in the letter , vvhose 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 woulde haue god to take vs for his people and heritage , i we must be all baptized in our hearts and our soules . what , will some say , baptized in soule , and in heart ? what is that ? or how can this be ? can the water wash the soule ? surely , the water cast vppon our bodies is nothing , if we haue not the truth of it . as then the apostle paule maketh a difference between inward circumcision of the spirit , and outward circumcision of the letter , insomuch that if they would haue the true circumcision indeed , they must haue 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 , betweene that which is outwarde , and that which is inward . whosoeuer would haue the true baptism indeed , he must be clensed within , repent of his wickednesse , mortifie his imaginations , deny himselfe , renounce his affections , and offer vp his soule and body in sacrifice to god , that he may renew and regenerate vs : otherwise , it is a certaine thinge , we were neuer indeede and in truth baptized . for as the iewes were charged to be vncircumcised , though the fore-skin of the flesh were cut off , and so they were circumcised in body : so , we may in like maner be charged to be vnbaptized , albeit we haue bin outwardly washed with water . the iewes chosen aboue all nations to be the people of god , were oftentimes condemned of forgery and fasehood for breaking the couenant of god , and not answering to the truth thereof , k and were 〈◊〉 with the vncircumcisednesse of their heartes , that they were worse then the heathen themselues , a bastard broode , witches children , and vnworthy to be accounted abrahams seede , to the end they should bragge no more of their circumcision , as act. . stephen , a faithfull witnesse of god , obiecteth against them , ye stiffe-necked and of vncircumcised heartes and eares , ye haue alwaies resisted the holy ghost , as your fathers did , so do you : they shew the prophets which shewed before of the comming of that iust , of whom ye are now the betrayers and murtherers : where we see , he discouereth their hypocrysie , and setteth their sinnes before their faces , telling them , that as their fathers rebelled against god so the children followed their fathers footesteppes . do not these things concerne vs ? though we haue not circumcision in action and practise , belong they not to vs now a daies ? yes euen to vs for we shall bee condemned for our vnclensed and vnsanctified heartes , not answering to the truth of our baptisme . for so much we profit by baptisme , as we profit in mortification . if then we be once baptized and washed with water : we shall pay dearely for our desiling that sacred water , which god hath appointed to so holy an vse . true it is , the water of it selfe is as nothing , no other in substance and nature then that wherewith wee washe our hands : but when once it is ioyned to the word , and applyed to an holy end , it is as it were an authenticall seale which god hath engrauen in it . now , he that counterfaiteth the seale of a prince , shall hee not bee punished ? behold , baptisme is the seale of god , which serueth , not to seale conueyances of earthly possessions as house and landes : but to assure vs , that wee are called to the heauenly life : and bringeth good assurance and warrant with it , that we be washed from our sinnes , by the blood of our lorde i esus christ , and borne again by his holy spirit . shall we break al , and escape punished ? let vs not then boast of our baptisme , and christianity , to say , oh , we are baptized : wee are christened : we weare the badge of god : these things , these things i say , will cost vs deere , if we make not our baptisme auaileable to our selues and our owne soules by killing our corruptions : for thereby l we shew our selues like vnto the foole that maketh a vow , and immediately after breaketh it . now , although we professe the gospell , yet you shall finde a great number that knowe not this vse of baptisme , neither wherto it auaileth , nor to what endes it was ordained . they cal it indeed their christend ome , but are altogether ignorant of the nature therof , & are vnacquainted with the effect of it . this will cost them decrely , for abusing such a pledge-token at gods hands , seeing it is a meanes whereby we are vnited to our lord iesus christ , and ingrafted into his death and resurrection . wherefore , whereas many haue receiued baptisme in their infancy , and haue liued . or . yeares in the world , without knowing to what end they were baptized : it had been better for them that they had beene borne dead , or perished in their mothers wombe as as vntimely fruite , then to haue vnhalowed so holy and precious a thing . thus of the third and last vse of baptisme , as also of the parts thereof , and generally touching this whole sacrament . the end of the second booke . the thirde booke of the lords supper , being christs farwel-token to his church , and a sweet pledge of his woonderfull kindnesse toward mankinde : where in the truth of this sacrament is manifested , the parts are deliuered , the vses are shewed , the doctrine of the reformed churches is cleered , the errors of the church of rome are euidently conuinced , and the meanes set downe , how euery one is to be prepared to the worthy receiuing thereof with fruite and comfort . chap. . of the names and titles of this sacrament , together with the reasons and vses thereof . in the former booke we haue spoken of baptisme , the first sacrament of the church , together with the partes and vses thereof . now we are to set downe the doctrine of the lordes supper , which is the second sacrament . for after that god hath brought vs into his church by baptisme , and made vs as it were of his houshold seruants : then , as a good father of the family , he feedeth vs spiritually with the flesh of his sonne , applying vnto vs the merit of his death and passion . this a sacrament of the body and blood of christ , is declared in the scripture by diuerse names , to deliuer the nature thereof vnto vs. sometimes it is called the communion , as cor . the cup of blessing which we blesse , is it not the b communion of the blood of christ ? the bread which wee breake , is it not the communion of the body of christ ? sometimes , it is called the lords supper , as cor. , . when ye come together into one place , this is not to eate c the lords supper . thirdly , sometimes , it is called the breaking of bread , as act. . . they continued in the apostles doctrine , and fellowship , d and breaking of bread and prayers : and chap. , . the first day of the weeke , the disciples being come together to breake bread , paule preached vnto them ready to depart on the morrow . fourthly , sometimes it is called the table of the lord , as we see cor. , . ye cannot drinke the cup of the lord , and the cup of diuels : ye cannot be partakers of the lords e table , and of the table of deuils . moreouer , we shall nothing offend , if we cal . it the testament or will of christ , this cup is the f new testament in my blood , this do as oft as ye drinke it in remembrance of me : and our sauiour thus speaketh math. , this is my blood of the new testament , that is shed for many , for the remission of sinnes . these are the chiefe and principal names giuen to this sacrament in the scriptures . i am not ignorant that the ancient fathers and times succeeding , haue giuen vnto it other names , and not vnfitly : but my purpose being not so much to alle age the councels or doctors of the church , as to instruct the simple and vnlearned , i wil content my selfe with expounding such termes and titles , as are penned in the word of god , and pointed out by the spirit of god. now then , let vs render g the reasons of such names , as this sacrament is entituled withall . it is called the communion because we haue a communion & fellowship with christ , and h he with vs : both which are sealed vp the in this sacrament . it is called the lords supper , both because it was instituted by the lord iesus at is last supper , ( which circumstance of time the church hath changed ) & because therin is offered to vs a spiritual banket in which the faithful are spiritually fed and nourished . it is called the breaking of bread , both because this is a necessary action vsed of christ , not to be omitted , and because it representeth the crucifieng of christ and tormenting of his body : so that we should neuer be present at this significant ceremony , but wee must call to remembrance the sorrowes and sufferings of christ : now if christ were thus tormented for vs , surely wee ought greatly to bee griped and grieued for our owne sinnes , which was also shewed by the i sower herbes of the passeouer , exod. , . it is called the table of the lord , because he doth feede vs at it , as this we know is the end and vse of tables in our houses , to set our meates and drinkes vpon them prepared for our nourishment , and this is the scope and end of the lords table : onely heere lyeth a plaine and maine difference , our tables serue for bodily nourishment , but the lordes is prepared for the spirituall nourishment of our soules . lastly , it may be called the testament or will of christ , because it setteth forth vnto vs asolemne couenant betweene god and vs , touching forgiuenesse of sinnes and eternall life : which couenant is racified & established by the k death of the son of god : so that heerin we find all things belonging to a full and perfect testament , as we shall see after ward . out of these seuerall names and titles thus interpreted , arise most aptly and fitly sundry vses , which , in order , as they haue beene propounded wee will consider . the first title is the communion : from whence wee deduct l 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 faithfull openly testifie , that they be all one body coupled together in christ iesus , we professe him and all his benefits , we receiue him , we enioy him , we reioyce in him . god the father doth giue him , the holy-ghost doth assure him , faith doth receiue him : by this hand we are ioyned to him , and haue spirituall fellowship with him . wherefore , al beleeuers are made one by christ : and this is not an vnion in imagination , but in truth and in deed : neither by transsusion of the properties of the god-head or manhood into vs , m but by one and the same spirit dwelling in christ and in all the members of christ , as cor. , he that 〈◊〉 , to the lord , is one spirit . and the apostle iohn testifieth , that christ dwelleth in vs and we in christ by the spirit , he that keepeth his commaundements , dwelleth in him , and he in him : and heereby we know that he abideth in vs , euen by the spirit which he hath giuen vs : so that the spirits of iust and perfect men in heauen , and all beleeuers vpon the earth ( how farre socuer sundred in place ) hauing one and the same spirit of christ dwelling in them , are al one in christ their head . god hath giuen his owne sonne vnto vs freely and fully : our faith receiueth christ n by beleeuing him and all his gratious benefits to be ours , as ioh. , , as many as receiued him , to them he gaue prerogatiue to be the soxnes of god , euen to them that beleeue in his name . thus we see we are one with christ , and christ with vs. secondly , as this sacrament being a communion admonisheth that we are all one in christ : so it teaeheth that it is to be receiued of many together in the church , not of one alone , and therefore it ouerthroweth the priuate masses of the church of rome , where one partaketh all and the rest of the church nothing at all . there is a flat opposition betweene these two : so that the communion cannot be a priuate masse , and priuate masse cannot be a communion . that which is ordained and prepared for many , deliuered vnto many , and receiued of many , cannot stand with the masse , where the priest prepareth for himselfe , not for the people : hee speaketh to himselfe , not to the church : hee receiueth himselfe alone , not with his bretheren : all which are directly contrary to the apostles o rule , tary one for another . lastly , if it be a communion , it teacheth that this is a sacrament of vnity and concord , and wee are there by put in mind to avoid discord and dislention . for christ neuer communicateth himselfe to the malicious man , p as the apostle teachech cor. , , . when ye come together in the church , i heare that there are dissentions among you , this is not to eate the lordes supper . wherefore , in that the people communicate of one and the same bread , of one and the same wine , it signifieth the vnion and agreement betweene all the faithfull in one body , where of christ icsns is the head : who loued vs decrely , and spared not his life for vs. let vs ioyne our selues together in loue , according to the exhortation q of the apostle , rom , , , . the god of patience and consolation giue you that ye 〈◊〉 like minded one toward another , according to christ iesus , that yee with one minde and with one mouth may praise god , euen the father of our lord iesus christ. all beleeuers must bee of one heart and minde , the wolfe and the lambe , the lyon and the calfe must dwell together in the kingdome of christ , for all are one in christ iesus . for the apostle hauing taught that the cup which we blesse , and the bread which we breake 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 , cor . . when ye come together to eate , tary one for another . the second title giuen to this sacrament is , r the lords supper : by which name it is nowe most vsually and commonly called , both because it was so instituted by christ after his last supper , and is celebrated in the remembrance of christ . heereby we learne , first who is the author of this sacrament , not peter , not paule , not any of the apostles , not any man , not any angell but christ iesus god and man : and therefore it is not called the supper of the apostles or of any man , but of christ himselfe , as the apostle speaketh of baptisme , s was paule crucified for you ? either were yee baptized into the name of paule ? i baptized none into mine oxne name . wherefore , this title serueth to teach vs and to put vs in minde of the author of this sacrament . secondly , seeing this sacrament is not a common supper , but an holy and heauenly banket , fully furnished , not to fill the body , but to feede the soule : we must come with an earnest desire and longing after christ , hungring and thirsting after his righteousnesse and merites , as after our life , to bee made pattakers thereof . for neuer did the body more stand in neede of corporall foode , then doth the soule of this t bread of life which came downe from heauen , which the father hath promited to giue vnto vs lastly , it condemneth our english rhemistes , and other a romish readers of popish diuinity , that wholly condemne this name and title as vnproper and vnfit for this sacrament , and vnderstande the apostle to speake of the loue-feastes , when he speaketh of the lords supper . indeed , in the apostles times they vsed to meete to gither in one common place , not onely for the hearing of the worde , for the receiuing of the sacraments , and for prayer to god , but to keep certaine feasts , which of their end or vse were called b feasts of charity , as iude speaketh . but of these the apostle speaketh not , when he named the lordes supper . for first , let them shew vs the place , where euer these loue-feasts are called the lords supper , and then they may warrant their exposition by some colour ? otherwise wee cannot receiue their interpretation , being of priuate motion . secondly , if this title were ment of loue-feastes , to what purpose should the apostle bring in the institution of the sacrament of the body and blood of christ , and largely handle the doctrin therof ? wher as their abuses in their loue-feasts might be reformed and 〈◊〉 without this mention and remembraunce of the supper . thirdly , to what end should these solemn feasts and bankets be called the lordes supper , which were not instituted in the honour of christ , but to testifie the mutuall loue of those that were members of the same body , hauing god for their mercifull 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 lorde , being feasts of charity , not of piety . fourthly , the apostles drift and purpose in this place is to teach , that such as norish discention and diuision partake the lords supper vnworthily , and therefore willeth them when they come to communicate with the lord , to shake out of their minds all vncharitable affections , as chaffe from good corn , that so they may assemble togither with profit and not with hurt . last of al , to call this sacrament by the name of the lords supper is vsuall among the ancient fathers c of the church , grounding themselues from the authority of the scripture , and example of the apostle : 〈◊〉 some of their owne writers d call this sacrament , and expound the words of saint paule to the corinthians . if therefore they will rest themselues , either in the true interpretation of the scripture , or in the exposition of the auncient fathers , or in the confession of their owne writers : we cannot doubt , but the apostle meaning the lords supper , vnderstandeth the sacrament of the bodye and blood of christ. the next title giuen to this sacrament is the breaking of bread : which offereth to our considerations , these vses not e to be passed ouer . first , it she weth that the substance of bred remaineth after the words of consecration , and is not altered by any strange transubstantiation . for when the apostle saith , this is my body f which is broken for you , properly it cannot be vnderstood of the body of christ which was g not broken , but of his crucifying and death , by a figuratiue speech taken from the substance of the bread , which christ brake to distribute it among his disciples , and to represent effectually his suffering for vs. the accidents of bread cannot be broken , as we shal see afterward , no more then they can feed and nourish . besides , we learne heerby that tropes and figures are vsed in the sacrament , contrary to the opinion and assertion of the church of rome , as wee make plaine by the institution , and as we constraine the aduersaries themselues to confesse , as when it is said , his body was broken , where the lyterall sence cannot be retained , seeing a bone of him could not be broken . likewise when it is saide , the cup is the newe 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 as appeareth in many places , act ii , . and xx , . and cor , xi , xxiiii , we must hold , that as the apostles and other ministers of the church were wont in the administration of the supper to breake the bread : so must we follow their example , as they also followed the example of christ. neither must this be accounted and accepted an as indifferent ceremony , to be admitted or omitted at our own choise and pleasure , seeing christ iesus the lorde of this sacrament commaunded , the scripture hath commended , the apostles haue practised , and the ministers afterward obserued the same , i as the apostle witnesseth . the bread which we breake , is it not the communion of the body of christ ? speaking of himselfe and the rest of the ministers of the church . besides , it is an essentiall expressing and tepresentation of the passion and crucifieng of christ , as also the pouring out of the wine into the cup of the lorde . wherefore , they are to be accused and conuinced as heynous breakers of the high ordinance of christ , as we see in the church of rome , who omit this breaking of the breade as impertinent and vnnecessary , and as not significant . for christ iesus commaunded his disciples to eat that breade which he had broken , and this breaking pertaineth to the end of the sacrament : so that it cannot be passed ouer , without neglect of the institution of christ , and of the essence of the supper . the next title giuen to this sacrament , is , the table of the lord : and it is rightly so called , as by a verye fit name . for seeing it is a supper , and a most heauenly banket , it is requisite there should be a table answereable vnto 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 diuers good vses k for our further instruction . first of al , it she weth that christ and his apostles in the celebration of the supper vsed a table , not an altar . for albeit the apostle paule speaketh vnproperly of the table , and thereby vnderstand the heauenly meat and drinke which was set vpon the table for all the lords ghuests : yet withal he insinuateth and signifieth the place where on they were put , to wit , vpon a table . in like manner our fauiour christ at the sirst institution of this sacra . sate downe 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 practise of al churches , inasmuch as christ shedding his blood on the crosse , had abolished al altars : and therefore the infidels did oftentimes reprooue and reproach the christians l because they had no altars , who on the other side desended themselues , that their altars are the congregations of such as bow themselues in prayers , and the spirites of iust men , which smell as sweet incense in the nostrils of god , other altars then these , they acknowledge none . furthermore , inasmuch as the sacrament of the body & blood of christ was accustomably administred on a table , not an altar : of woode , not of stone : made mouable , not immouable : we learne from hence , that it is a sacrament , not a sacrifice : an altar doth inferre and presuppose a sacrifice : and a sacrifice is referred to the altar whereon it is offered . but we haue not now properly and sacrifice , for that were to account the al-sufficient sacrifice of christ as vnsufficient and vnperfect : therefore wee are not to bring altars againe into the church . there is no vse of altars in the new testament , seeing the making of them togither with other types and ceremonies of the olde testament through the death of christ is abolished , m as the apostles teacheth , cor . . 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 , xiii , x. we haue an altar , wher of they haue no right to eat , which serue in the tabernacle , that is , such as retain the necessary vse of the ceremonies m begerly rudiments of the iews , are fallen frō christ. whereby we see plainly and apparently , that sacrifices and altars stood togither , and sell togither : and therefore whereas they would conclude the sacrifice of masse from the vse of the 〈◊〉 , wee may inuert the reason , and make it serue to eueit and ouerthrowe the sacrifice of their masse , seeing it is certaine there were no altars . lastly , we must obsorue that it is not barely called a table , but the table of the lord : to teach vs to draw neare vnto it with all reuerence and regard . if we measure and mark our affection in earthly things , we see what care and curiosity is ofttimes vsed , when men come to the table and presence of noble men : howe much greater care and conscience should bee vsed of euery one of vs , when wee come to this table , where the king of kings and the lord of heauen and earth is present . wherefore , to stirre vs vppe to this duty and deuotion , let euery one consider and meditate thus with himselfe , i am this day to be the lords ghuest : i am inuited to his table : i am to eate of his bread and to drinke of his cuppe : i haue not in this businesse to do with man whose breath is in his nostrils , but to deale with god in whose presence i do abide , who is both a beholder and iudge of all my actions , to whom i shall either stand or fall . if i come in hypocrisie , he will find me out , o before whom all things are naked and open : if i come fitted by faith and sanctified by repentance , i shall receiue christ and all his merits to my endlesse comfort thus much sufficeth to bee 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 from whence wee may gather diuerse vses as good conclusions from this doctrine . for first it teacheth , that there is a double testament and couenant of god made to his people , one of workes , the other of grace : one of the law , the other of the gospell : as ioh. , , the law was giuen by moyses , but grace and truth by iesus christ. and ier , , , , i will make a new couenant with the house of israell , and the house of iudah , not according to the new couenant that i made with their fathers , when i tooke them by the hand to bring them out of the land of egypt , the which my couenant they brake , although i was an husband vnto them . but this shall be the couenant that i will make with the house of israell , after those dates saith the lord , i will put my law in their inward partes , and write it in their heartes , and will be their god , and they shall be my people . the couenant of the law is a couenant , where in god hath promised to his people all blessings corporall and spirituall , temporall and eternall , q vnder the condition of perfect obedience , leuit. . deut. . and hath threatned all curses and death it selfe , to all that continue not in all parts and points of the law to do them . the couenant of grace ratisied by the death and blood of christ , is a couenaunt , wherin god promiseth his loue and 〈◊〉 for euer to come vpon all that beleeue in his son , r assuring them of remission of sinnes and eternall life , requiring of them onely faith in him , as iohn , . god so loued the worlde , that be gaue his onely begotten sonne , that such as beleeue in him should not perish but liue for euer . againe , if this sacrament sealing vppe the new couenant between god and man , haue the name and nature of a wil or testament : then it serueth to condemne the church of rome , that adde and alter , mingle and mangle this sacrament at their owne pleasure . for the apostle teacheth , gal , , though it be but a mans s couenant , yet when it is confirmed , no man doth abrogate it , or addeth any thing thereto . and heb , . hee is the mediatour of the new testament , that through his death they which are called , might receiue the promise of eternall inheritaunce : for where a testament is , there must be the death of the testator : for the testament is cōfirmed , when men are dead , for it is yet of no force , as long as he that made it , is aliue . if then the testament of man may not be abrogated or altered , much lesse the testament of god confirmed by the death of the mediator . notwithstanding such is the sacriledge and presumption of that antichristian church , that the idolatrous 〈◊〉 as a bottomlesse gulfe , hath ouerturned and swallowed vp the lordes supper , turning the sacrament into a sacrifice , administring it in a strange tongue , taking away the cup from the people of god , making prayers for the deade , bringing in their carnall presence , 〈◊〉 a monstrous 〈◊〉 , setting vp a new priest-hood , a new sacrifice , a newe altar , and lastly feigning vses and ends thereof , which christ neuer appointed , the apostles neuer acknowledged , the churches succeeding neuer confessed or practised . now masses t are mumbled in memory of the saintes : they are helde auaileable , not onely for the liuing , but for the deade : they are iudged profitable against stormes and tempests : they are thought a soueraigne remedy against euery sore and sicknes of the body : heathfull and helpefull for such as are going to warre to couer their heades in the day of battell , as a shielde of brasse , and to preserue them from the sword of the enimy : good against 〈◊〉 and sorceries , and fit to be applied to make tryal and proof , whether a man be guilty of the crime and accusation laide to his charge . but what are all these strange vses , but strange abuses , yea strong fancies and delusions of the man of sin , burying in perpetuall forgetfulnes the true endes for the which christ iesus ordained his last supper . all these , being pestilent corruptions of the sacrament of the supper , and fraudulent additions to the last wil and testament of christ , do lay open to the full , the 〈◊〉 abhominations of the church of rome , the mother of 〈◊〉 . lastly , the name of christs last will and testament giuen to this sacrament , serueth for the great comfort of gods 〈◊〉 . for heerin we shal find al things belonging to a ful and perfect testament . for christ iesus is the testator : all faithfull christians u are appointed heires : the angels are as the ouerseers : the apostles are the witnesses : the legacies bequeathed are , not lands and possessions , or great summes a of mony , for the sonne of man had not where to lay his heade : nor the kingdomes and gouernementes of this world , for his kindome is not of b this world : but the forgiuenes of sinnes and euerlasting life , obtained by the body of christ giuen , and his blood shed for vs and our 〈◊〉 . wherefore , if god haue so loued vs , if christ haue not spared his owne life to giue vs life and saluation ; how bitter ought our sinnes to be vnto vs , and how ought we to striue against them ? if we will hate enimies , heere are enimies for vs to hate : if we will 〈◊〉 reuenge against enimies , let vs fight against them that seeke our ouerthrowe and the destruction of our soule and body . there is no reconciliation and attonment to be made with these enimies , if thou kill not them , they will kill and condemne thee for euer . hitherto of the names giuen to this sacrament . chap what the lords supper 〈◊〉 as we haue in the former chapt. considred the names and titles attributed to this sacrament : so now wee will see what the lordes supper is . for we shall neuer vnderstand the nature thereof , except wee be able to define or describe it . therefore , a the lords supper is the second sacrament , wherein , by visible receiuing of bread and wine , our spirituall communion with the body and blood of christ is represented . this description is plainly proued by the b institution of christ , by the first celebration of it , and by other apparent testimonies of holy scripture . first i say , it is the seconde sacrament , because such as haue interest in the lordes supper , must be first partakers of the other sacrament : for christ and his apostles ministred it to those that were before 〈◊〉 . and howe shoulde they be continually 〈◊〉 and fed at his table , who are not knowne to be of his house , nor admitted members of his family ? we must be receiued into his protection and lurisdiction , before we sit downe at his table for our refection . they then that are in the house must be 〈◊〉 and fostered in the house : the seuerall partes of the family , haue the priuiledges of the family : it is not lawfull to take the childrens bread , and giue it vnto strangers . now , baptisme is the true bath of our soules to clense our sores , and an honourable badge whereby we are dedicated to the seruice of christ , and haue interest in the priuiledges of the church sealed vppe : being partakers heereof , wee come with comfort to the lords supper . vnder the lawe none 〈◊〉 c were admitted to the passeouer , if astraunger will obserue the 〈◊〉 , let him circumcise all the males that belong vnto him . if then the vncircumsed had bene admitted , the passeouer had bin prophaned . wherfore , it is not enough for vs once to be baptized and admitted into the number of the people of god : we must also be partakers of christs supper . when as by baptisme we are brought into the church of god , we are afterwarde nourished by this heauenly banquet to eternall life . again , i say in the former description , that by the bred and wine the bodie and blood of christ are represented . heerein consisteth the substance of this sacrament : he was 〈◊〉 giuen for vs , and his blood was shed for the remission of sinnes , least our faith should wander , least our hope should wauer . therefore , he saith to his disciples , d this is my bodie , which was giuen for you : this is the cup of the new testament , which was shedde for you and for many for the remission of sinnes . now that the description of the lords supper is prooued , let the vses there of in the next place be declared . heereby we learn , first , that god doth not lie nor dally with vs , when we come to his heauenly table , but doth truely offer those benefits in christ , which are represented , to al that are admitted thereunto : and therefore the apostle said , e they did all eat the same spirituall meat , and did all drinke the same spirituall drinke . indeede , many of them did receiue onely the outwarde signes , and did refuse or neglect the spirituall grace so liuely represented and truely offered vnto them , but the greater was their sinne , who laboured for the meat that perisheth , f but reiected the meat that endureth to euerlasting life . likewise , christ in the administration of his . supper 〈◊〉 , g take , eat , this is my body . when he biddeth vs take , doth he not giue ? when he chargeth vs to eat and drinke , doth he not offer ? when he commau ndeth vs to doe this , doth he not apply the thing signified ? if then we come to this supper , and depart awaye without christ and without comfort , the cause is in our selues , hee is come neere vnto vs , he standeth as it were at the doore knocking being reaready to enter : hee mercifully offereth himselfe vnto vs , but we refuse him , we will none of him , we bid him depart from vs , and shutte the entrance of our heartes against him . againe , wee see heere the excellent price and prehemenence of the lordes supper , howsoeuer to those , whose faith it doth not nourish , whose assurance it doth not confirme , and whose saluation it doth not further , it is turned into most hurtefull and deadly poyson : yet it is an holy banket for the lordes ghuestes , an instrument of grace , a medicine for the sicke , a pledge of saluation , a comfort for the sinner , an assurance of gods promises , a seale of our faith , an helpe for the weake , meate for the hungry , drinke for the thirsty , and a refuge for the distressed in time of tentation . is not this a worthy dignity ? is not this a great priuiledge ? is not this an high prerogatiue ? so that wee must highly regard and reuerently esteeme this mistery of our religion , and badge of our profession , to the glory of god and our owne comfort . he that is not moued heerby to a reuerent regard thereof hath no sparke of gods spirit in hun , but lyeth in darknesse and discomfit . thirdly , heerby the aduersaries mouths are stopped , and they are put to silence and shame , who accuse vs , to deny the blessed presence of christ in the 〈◊〉 . we confesse and beleeue , that we receiue the body of christ verily , truely and indeede , not a naked figure , not a bare signe , not an empty shaddow , but euen that body which suffered death vpon the crosse , and that blood which was shed aud poured out for the remission of our sinnes . this christ h himselfe teacheh , ioh. , myflesh is meate indeede , and my bloode is drinke indeede : hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood , du elleth in me and i in him . and againe ver . , verily , verily , i sar vnto you except ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man , and drinke his blood , yee 〈◊〉 no life in you 〈◊〉 eateth me , euen he shall liue by me . so then , we teach , we preach , we publish , we professe , that there is no other substantiall foode of our soules , and that whosoeuer is not partaker of his body and blood , is voide of life , of saluation , of grace and of christ himselfe . wherefore , we shall shew i afterward , that the difference betweene the church of rome and vs is , not whether christ be present in his supper , but about the manner of his presence ; for we say , and will neuer fly from it , that as the outward signes , of bread and wine are deliuered and receiued , so they represent and seale vp to euery true beleeuer , god the father offering and giuing , the church also taking , receiuing and applying christ crucified , with all the promises of his couenant ratified in him vnto eternall life . 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 wee hunger after christ ) to sit downe at his table , to come to his banket : to feede of his delicates , and to be present at his dainties . and why should any be absent that haue faith and repentance ? why should they not shew that they are one body k by eating all of one bread ? why should not such apply christ to their iustification ? we know the apostles oftentimes prepared , offered & deliuered the outward signs of the lords supper , exhibiting christ to all the faithful , euen euery lords day , or first day of the weeke , and the people receiued oftentimes the same , l as we see act. . there he addeth to the church about three thousand soules , and they continued in the apostles doctrine , and fellowship , and breaking of bread and prayers : and chap. . . the first day of the weeke the disciples came together to breake bread . and this was the order and ordinance of the church many yeares after the apostles times . in some places it was receiued m euery day : in many places n euery sabbaoth daye : o in all places often in the yeare : vntill , through the negligence of the pastors in administring , and the slacknesse of the people in communicating , these vses were growne out of vsage , and a frozen coldenesse in the practise of religion stepped in . for , it cannot be denyed , but it proceedeth from the shop and inuention of the deuell ( whosoeuer were the instrument ) to bring in this corrupt custome of once communicating in the yeare , and that for the most parte for fashions sake . now , to the end we might returne neerer to the ordinance of the apostles , that the often vse of the communnion might be retained and maintained , and that the backwardnesse of the people might in part be redressed : it was ordained by the canons of many churches , that euery one should communicate at the least three times in the yeare , not that men should do it no oftner , but least otherwise they would not do it so often , or peraduenture do it not at all . and if a suruey and examination wer made , i feare it would be found to our great shame and beastly slouthfulnesse , that scarce the tenth person hath satisfied the law in this respect in many places , regarding no time of the yeare but easter . but seeing it is so necessary a sacrament , let euery one consider of this holy mystery , how fruitefull , profitable , and comfortable it is to be partaker thereof , and how dangerous to neglect and contemne the same . is it not an vnkinde and churlish part amonge men , when one hath prepared with great coastes and charges a rich banket , killed his oxen and his fatlings , furnished his table with all prouision , bidden his ghuests , and set all things in order and readinesse to entertaine them : were it not , i say , an vnkind and vncurteous parte for those that are called and bidden , vnthankefully and churlishly to refuse to come ? which of vs in such a case would not be moued , disquieted , and discontented ? who would not thinke hee had wrong and iniury done vnto him ? wherefore , let vs take heed , least by with-holding and withdrawing our selues , wee prouoke gods wrath and indignation . when he calleth , are ye not ashamed to say , ye will not come ? when he saith , p eate of my meate and drinke the wine that i haue drawne , wilt thou desperately and dispitefully answere , thou wilt not eate , thou wilt not drinke , thou wilt not doe it ? or wilt thou saye , thou 〈◊〉 a greeuous sinner , thou 〈◊〉 vnworthye ? i would aske thee , when thou wilt be worthy ? wilt thou lye still in thy sinne , as a man in a deepe pit , and neuer striue to come forth ? why doest thou not returne to god , and amend thy waies ? why doest thou continue in thy hordnesse , and heart that q cannot repent , and so heapest vppe as a treasure to thy selfe , wrath against the daye of wrath , and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of god. moreouer , if thou bee vnfit and vnworthy to receiue this supper , thou art r vnworthy to pray , thou art vnworthy to heare : vnlesse thou pray as a parrat , and heare as an hypocrite . consider therefore seriously , and weigh earnestlye with your selues , s how little such fond , fained , and friuolous excuses shall preuaile with god. when moyses called corah and his company to come vppe vnto the lord , they answered presumpteously , t we will not come . when the king in the gospell had inuited his ghuests , they began all with one minde , to excuse themselues , and some refused , saying , u i cannot come . so in these daies of sinne , albeit the supper be prepared , the ghuests called and the table couered : many men make light account of it : and what , with some that reply carelesly , we cannot come ; and what with others that answer desperately , we will not come , the feast is vnfurnished , god is dishonored , the people are vnprepared , and all the exercises of religion are lightly and slightly regarded . i say vnto you , that none of these men which were bidden shall tast of his supper . againe , another sort are as prophane as these , which stand by as gazers and lookers on vpon them that do communicate , & yet communicate not themselues . what is this else , then a further contempt of god ? truely , it is great vnthankfulnes to depart away : for these depart away from the lords table , they depart from their bretheren , they depart from the heauenly 〈◊〉 of their soules : but their fault is much greater , when they stand by in contempt , and wil not be partakers of this communion : what can this bee else but to haue the minister of christ in derision ? it is saide to all that are present , take ye , eate ye , drinke ye , doe this in remembrance of mee : with what face then , with what countenance , or rather conscience , can ye heare these words sound in your eares , and not bee touched ? let vs therefore bee drawne and perswaded to this duty , by the benefit that redoundeth to the worthy receiuers , and fruitefull partakers thereof : and on the other side feare to offend , by staying and standing 〈◊〉 , while the faithfull are partakers of this sacrament of the lords supper . chap . of the first outward part of the lords supper hitherto we haue shewed what the lordes supper is , and how to apply it to our instruction : now we are to consider in this sacrament two things , his 〈◊〉 and his vses : as we haue shewed in the former bookes . the parts are partly outwarde , and partly inwarde . the outward part is one thing , the inward parte 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 vs to eternall life : the outward is taken by some to their destruction , but the inward alwaies to saluation . this appeareth euidently by the wordes of the apostle , deliuering to the church what hee had receiued of the lord , and declaring howe the same night he was betrayed he tooke bread , and a when he had giuen thankes , he brake it , and said , take ye , eate ye , this is my body , which is broken for you : this do ye in remembrance of me . after the same manner also , he tooke the cup , when he had 〈◊〉 , saying , this cup is the new testament in my blood , this do as oft as ye drinke it in remembrance of me . in these wordes wee see , both the outward partes propounded , and the number of them defined and determined . for heere are b foure outward parts handled , to wit , the minister , the wordes of institution , the 〈◊〉 and wine , and the communicants . the first minister thereof was christ : the wordes of institution are , this is my body , giuen for you , this is the cuppe of the new testament in my blood : the signes are bread and wine : the first communicants were the apostles . so then the ministers must doe 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 . let vs then see the actions of christ. he tooke bread , he blessed , he brake the bread , he poured out the wine , he distributed and deliuered them both . wherefore , the actions and workes of the minister are c foure-fould . first , to take the bread and wine into his hands after the example of christ , who did it to shewe that himselfe willingly giueth himselfe for his church , which serueth to strengthen our faith and perswasion of his loue toward vs : in whose imitation the minister dothit , to represent the action of god the father giuing his son vnto vs for our full redemption the second action is blessing and giuing of thankes , that is , by prayer , by thankes giuing , 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 vse to an holy vse whereby we are giuen to vnderstand , that the outward creatures are reuerently to be vsed , calling vpon the name of god , and crauing his assistance to vse his ordinance as we ought to do : and that we should ioyfully praise god , for the gratious worke of our redemption by christ. the third action , is breaking the bread & pouring out the wine , which are necessary rites , to be obserued , hauing respect and and relation to the vnspeakable torments of christ for vs , who was pierced , crucified , and made a curse for vs vpon the crosse , d as the prophet teacheth , he was wounded for our transgressions , he was broken for our iniquities , the chastisement of our peace was vpon him , and with his stripes we are healed . wherefore , these sacramental rites of breaking & pouring out are no : to be reiected & omitted , being vsed by e christ , practised by his apostles , and retained by the churches . not as in the church of rome , where they breake not to distribute to the people , neither poure out the wine to giue vnto them . so then , we see that whole bread is not to be deliuered , but that the bread is to be broken , and the wine to be poured out , to be distributed among sundry communicantes . the last action of the minister is , to distribute the bread and wine , and giue them into the handes of the people 〈◊〉 . christ did not offer them vp to god , 〈◊〉 deliuered them to his discipies . all these , being workes to bee done and performed by the minister in the administration of this sacrament , do note out the actions of god the father , sealing vppe his sonne vnto vs , as wee shall see afterwarde when wee come to the inward parts now , let vs enter into the consideration of the vses of this parte . are these the actions commaunded in the word , executed by christ , and to be performed by the minister ? then we see , that such as are set apart to deliuer this sacrament , are not consecrated and appointed priestes of the new testament , to offer vp an vnbloody sactifice for the quicke and dead , as the church of rome teacheth and practiseth . they are commaunded as ministers of god to deliuer the outward signes to the people , not as priestes to offer them to god the father : they are appointed preachers of the gospell , not priests of the law : which were to abolish the priesthood of christ. wherefore , we must detest the blasphemy of these shamelesse shauelings , f that teach the priest to bee the maker of his maker , and that he which made them , g gaue them power and authority to make him , 〈◊〉 so after a sort preser themselues being the sacrificers , before christ who is the sacrifice : thēselues being the creators , before christ the creature : themselues the makers , before christ being made of them . thus these sacrificing priests are not ashamed to speake , and to bray aloud . secondly , if the minister be an outward part of this sacrament , then it belongeth not h to priuate persons to deliuer it to others , nor to take it to themselues , and deliuer it to themselues , when or where there is no minister . they may indeede apply to themselues the outward signes , they may eat the bread and drinke the wine , and in respect of the sacramentall rites doe as the minister doth : yet for that they do it without a calling , it is not a due administration , but a true prophanation of this sacrament of the supper . for let vs a little insist vpon the similitude beforestood vpon : if the keeper of the princes broad seale be not in the way , or for the present bee not to bee gotten , shall any man presume to take it where it lyeth , without direction , and without commaundement ? sucha one woorthily beareth his punishment , whosoeuer he be . in like manner , 〈◊〉 one should earnestly desire the sacrament of the body and blood of christ , and euen faint in soul for the fruition of it , finding himselfe in his longing affection able to take it himselfe , 〈◊〉 the assistance of another : yet euery one must consider his gifts , his standing , his calling , and place wherin god hath set him , he hath not committed to priuate persons the administration of the sacraments : they may not baptize their children , they may not meddle with the lordes supper , no more then common subiects may take the 〈◊〉 seale , if the keeper be not in the way . against this 〈◊〉 truth , i two thinges of importance may be obiected , which i purpose to preuent before i proceed any farther . for first , this doctrine seemeth not to agree with that maxime and principle , which 〈◊〉 we haue resolued vpon , namely , accedat verbum ad elementum , & fit 〈◊〉 , that is , ioyne the word of institution to the outward signe , and there is made a sacrament : secondly , it seemeth to leaue sicke persous without comfort in their harts and peace to themselues , if for want of a publicke minister , themselues may not supply that want , and giue vnto themselues this supper . these are the two obiections , pretending and intending that priuate persons , may at some times , vpon some occasions , haue some right and interest in despensation of the sacraments . touching the former poynt , being a ruled case of saint augustine , k that if the signe be 〈◊〉 to the word , a sacrament is ordained , we doubt not to 〈◊〉 the rule vndoubtedly to be true , being truely and rightly vnderstoode . for the meaning is , if there be an outwarde signe which is the matter , and a worde of institution which is the forme of the sacraments , l the essence of them is fully finished , as if there bee the matter and forme of an house , we conclude rightly there is an house . howbeit , we presuppose ther was a builder of the house to prepare the matter and to order the forme . so the former principle doth presuppose , a minister to deliuer , and a receiuer to receiue the sacrament : otherwise we shall also warre vnder the ensigne of our enimies vnawares , who hold it to be the supper of the lord , m albeit there be no eating , no drinking , no receiuing thereof . if therefore , in the constitution of a sacrament , the institution of christ touching taking , eating , and drinking must be obserued : then wee see that more is required then the signe and the word in the work of the sacrament . againe , touching the obiection of the sicke , who seeme to be wholy left in distresse and discomfort , if they may not lawfully administer the supper to themselues : i answere , it was an auncient practise of the n church to carry the sacrament vnto the sick : besides , albeit in extremity of sicknes the minister be wanting we leaue not the sick without counsell and comfort . for this we teach , this we are readye to maintaine , this we would haue all beleeuers in health and in sicknesse to recall and remember , that if they 〈◊〉 beleeue that the lord iesus had suffered death vpon the crosse for them , if they 〈◊〉 apply vnto themselues his precious merits for their redemption , if they 〈◊〉 remember the benefits of his 〈◊〉 passion with all thanksgiuing , and if they truely repent them from the bottome of their harts of all their sins : they do eat and drinke effectually , o and to their soules health profitably the body and blood of christ our sauiour , p although they doe not receiue the sacrament with their mouth . this serueth to comfort the weak , and to keep them within the lifts and limits of their proper calling . lastly , seeing the former actions of the minister are done plainely in the sight of all , it is the duty of euery one to giue diligent heede , and to haue weighty consideration of these outward ceremonies , by the meditation thereof to confirme their faith and to make the outward workes to further the inward graces . for they are offered to our sences , not that we shoulde rest in them , but that our weaknes by them shoulde be helped , and we by them lift vp in our harts to thinke vpon greater things . chap , of the second outward part of the lords supper . hitherto of the first outward part of the lords supper , to wit , the minister : now we come to the word of institution a and promise annexed or contained therin , which are the second part of this sacrament , expressed in these words , this is my body which is giuen for you , or , which is broken for you , where the name of the thing signified is giuen to the sign it self , as if it should be said , this bread which i haue in mine hands , is b a sign of my body , which shortly after shall be crucfied for you , and deliuered vnto death for your saluation . christ tooke nothing but bread : he gaue into his disciples handes nothing but bread to eat , he brake nothing but bread : and paul saith expressely of this sacrament , c the bread which we breake is it not the 〈◊〉 of the body of 〈◊〉 ? if any obiect , that christes body neither is , d nor was broken , as iohu , , . not a bone of him shall be broken that the scripture should be fulfilled : i answere the apostle hath respect to the sence and signification which the breaking of the bread importeth , being taken for the tearing and tormenting , the paines and renting of the body of christ , and the violent sundring of his 〈◊〉 and body one from the other . for as the bread is patted and diuided into diuers parts : so the soule and body of christ were sundred and seperated each from other . againe , it is saide , this is my blood of the new testament which is shed for many for the remission of sinnes , 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 aduersaries themselues , where the thing containing , which is the cup , hath the name of the thinge contained , which is the wine the fruit of the vine . so then , they which cannot abide figures in the sacrament , must be constrained to confesse a figure , and therefore cannot blame vs , when we say the words are figuratiuely to be vnderstood . but before we come to handle the vses of this part , let vs directly consider the words of christ deliuered at the institution and administration of this sacrament , that so we may see the true and naturall meaning thereof . these words e are not recorded and reported in so many wordes in the scriptute , or in so many sillables , but the sence being one , the sentence varieth and is not one . mathew deliuereth the words thus , f take , eat this is my body , whereunto g mark also accordeth . luke is some what more ample by way of interpretation , h this is my body which is giuen for you , doe this in remembrance of me . and i paule to the like purpose , but in vnlike sound of words , take , eat , this is my body which is broken for you , doe this in remembrance of me . likewise , touching the other signe of this supper , mathew saith , k this is my bloode of the new-testament , that is shedde for many , for the remission of sinnes . marke is somewhat more short then the rest , l this my blood of the new testament , which is shedde for many : but he addeth this more then the rest , they 〈◊〉 dranke of it . luke saith , m this cup is the newe testament in my bloode , which is 〈◊〉 for you . but paule declareth the same more at large , this cuppe n is the newe testament in my blood , this doe 〈◊〉 oft as ye drinke is in 〈◊〉 of mee . thus wee see expressely , a difference in words by adding , by detracting , by changing : yet in asmuch as nothing is added , or detracted , or changed in regarde of the true meaning , let vs come to the interpretation and exposition of the words , seeing the gospell standeth not i in the wordes of the scripture , but in the mind and meaning of them . let vs therefore come to the right vnderstanding of the wordes of christ . k take , to wit , not onely into your mouthes , but into your hands , representing the soule and faith of the receiuer . eate , that is , not reserue , not adore , not offer it , but diuide by chewing and preparing to concoction . this , that is to say , not the shewes of bread , but this very bread . is my body , that is , a true signe of my true body , and signifieth vnto you my selse , withal that is mine , or belonging either to my person , or office , or merits . which is broken for you , that is , which shortly shall bee crucified for you , and immediately giuen to death for you . do this in remembrance of me , that is , practise these daties , and call to remembrance christ and his merits oftentimes . so that , it is not in our choyce and liberty to doe these , or not to doe them : if wee bee not fit , we must presently prepare to make our selues fit : and we must doe them often , so that howsoeuer there be no set time , yet the oftner the better , due reuerence and regard being had thereunto . moreouer , touching the other signe , obserue thus much for interpretation , this cup , that is , this wine is the cup : is the new testament in my blood , that is , this wine is a true signe of shedding my bloode , which confirmeth and ratifieth the newe testament , and gods agreement with mankinde for their saluation . this is briefely the minde of christ , and meaning of the wordes of institution . from hence wee learne , first , that christs wordes are not properly , but figuratiuely to bee taken . true it is , the words are plaine , easie , and manifest : for tropes & figures were found out , l not to darken , but to open : not to hide , but to helpe the vnderstanding : howbeit they must haue a right construction and a sound interpretation , otherwise the playnest sentence may breede errour and mistaking . wee may not take the letter in all places : for , as we shewed , the scripture standeth not in wordes , m but in the meaning of the wordes : not in the reading , but in the vnderstanding : not in the outward shew , but in the inward substance . christ in the new testament is called a lambe , a lyon , a way , a bride-groome , an head , a dore , a vine , a garment , a rock , bread , water , light , and such like : these words are easie and euident , yet must they be vnderstood metaphorically , not properly : spiritually , not litterally . so , to come to the wordes 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 bodye ? was it anie other thing then the same bread which he had taken , which he hadde broken , which he had giuen vnto them ? neither is there any other antecedent going before , whereunto it can be referred . now , the bread and body of christ are in nature m sundry and diuers 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 christes 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 and seale of his true body . neither is this figure strange or new , but common and vsual , when mention is made of the facraments : as gen. , this is my couenant , o speaking of circumcision : yet circumcision was not the couenant it self , but a sign and token of the couenant , as also it is afterward expounded , it shall be a signe of the couenant betweene me and you . the aduersaries cannot denie a figure in this speech . now , what difference is there betweene these two speeches , this is my couenant , and , this is my body ? are they not alike , and in like manner to be vnderstood ? so exodus , . it is the lordes p passeouer , properly the lambe was not the passeouer , but serued to , put them in remembrance of that benefit , and it is expounded aster , the blood shall be a token for you vpon the houses where ye are , this day shall be vnto vou a remembrance . likewise , the apostle sayeth , cor. . that rocke was q christ , whereas properly the rocke was not christ , but the water flowing from it did represent him . thus then we must vnderstand the words plainely , truely , and briefely , r as if christ had saide in this manner , this bread which ye haue seene me take , breake , deliuer , and distribute , and which i bid you take and cate , is a signe or sacrament of my true body , signifying and sealing vp vnto you , that my body , shal be broken , crushed , and crucified for you , to purchase to you eternal life , let these sacramental rites and actions now performed by me and you , be heerafter put in practise by you and all faithfull ministers and professors , for the strengthning of your faith , by the remembrance of my death and by the applying of the benefit thereof , euery one to your owne selues . likewise , hauing finished his supper , when he did eate the passeouer with his disciples , hauing taken the cup and giuen thanks , he gaue it , being filied with wine , to his disciples , and saide , drinke ye al of this , for this wine in this cup , is a signe and sacrament of my blood , by the shedding whereof , togither with my death following , the full forgiuenes of sins and perfect saluation ( which i by my vnchangable wil & decree do giue vnto you and al that beleeue in me ) are assured to you and all beleeuers . thus , hauing opened and cleared the interpretation of the words , we shal heerafter need to spend the lesse time in confuting the contrary doctrin : darkenes shal flie before the light , error before truth , & cloudy mists before the sun-shine of the day . again , seeing the words of institution are variably and diuersly set down by the euangelists and the apostle paul : we learne that euery change of the words , where the sence is nothing altered or diminished , is not to be condemned , as 〈◊〉 or vnlawfull : so that the alteration being in the forme and frame of words , not in the substance and sence of the matter , the sacrament is not destroyed . for if it had bene an heinous sinne to haue made any change or alteration , or to haue missed of the tearmes or sillables of the institution : no doubt the euangelists would haue consented in the words , and not haue swarued one from another , as we see they haue done . we see how the apostles in the allegation of sundry places of scripture borrowed out of the olde testament , do not euermore strictly binde themselues to the s very wordes , as mathew . hebrewes . . and in sundry other : but onely to the sence , and therefore t sometimes they adde as mathew , . sometimes , they leaue out as occasion serueth . true it is , to alter any substantiall part , or to wrest the wordes to a wrong and contrary meaning , or not at all to expresse the sence of the wordes , maketh the sacrament voide : but an alteration onely of certaine circumstaunces , u as of number , or person , of letters or sillables , cannot make frustrate the whole sacrament : albeit we allow not any priuate and particular man to make any chaunge of his owne heade in such circumstaunces , or to bring in a new frame of wordes . so in baptisme , the greeke church saith , let the seruant of christ be baptized in this water , & c. and heereby nothing is detracted from the truth of the sacrament , because christ iesus hath not precisely appointed , how many wordes the apostles and pastours of the church shoulde vse in the execution of their ministry . not withstanding , the obseruation of the words i baptize thee , obserued in our churches , seemeth to drawe neerer to the commaundement of christ , and to confirme more fitly and fully the faith of the baptized , and to answere vnto the words of iohn the baptist , i baptize with water . likewise , in the lordes supper , whereas christ saide , take ye , eate ye , doe ye this , as speaking to many : the sacrament is not destroyed , when the words are particularly rehearsed , and specially applyed in our churches , saying , take thou , eat thou , drinke thou . lastly , seeing the wordes of institution are an outwarde part of the sacrament , necessary to be knowne , read , marked and vnderstood , wherein the substance and comfortatable vse of the lordes supper consisteth : it followeth that they are to be published and pronounced openly , distinctly , plainely , not in a strange language , but in a knowne tongue , that the church of 〈◊〉 and people of god may be edified . for , wherefore serueth the commaundement and promise set foorth in the supper , if they be not vnderstood ? whether we doe read the scriptures , sing psalmes , poure out supplications , receiue the sacraments , or whatsoeuer 〈◊〉 we performe to god , that he may be 〈◊〉 , and the congregation instructed , we must doe all in a knowne tongue to be vnderstood . this god commandeth , this the apostle prescribeth , this the true church of god practiseth , this reason teacheth , this the heathen acknowledgeth . 〈◊〉 , a the sinagogue of rome , that it might take away all fruit and comfort from the faithfull , and that it might broch horrible errors 〈◊〉 and securely , and not be 〈◊〉 , hath not onely commanded to pronounce the words of consecration closely and 〈◊〉 , but forbidden to vse the common mother tongue of all the people . the people of god must not be like parrots , or 〈◊〉 , or rauens , or such birds that chatter with voice , record mens words , and sounde a sentence , but vnderstande not the meaning thereof . as plmy b maketh mention of a certaine 〈◊〉 that had learnd to say , aue caesar imperator , all haile , or good morrow emperor caesar , saluting 〈◊〉 and the two young princes 〈◊〉 and drusus . and celius rhodiginus writeth , c that cardinall ascanius had a popiniay , that coulde pronounce distinctly and 〈◊〉 all the articles of the creede . such birds or rather beasts , woulde they haue christian men to be , that would haue them 〈◊〉 , and not d vnderstand what they pray : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the reading of the scriptures , but not know what is reade : 〈◊〉 the sacraments , but not know the meaning of the institution . things without life which giue a sounde , whether pipe or 〈◊〉 , except they make a distinction in the soundes , howe shall it bee knowne what is piped or harped ? or if the 〈◊〉 pet giue an 〈◊〉 sound , who shall prepare himselfe to battell ? all things in the church must tend to the instruct on 〈◊〉 edification of all the partes and people : but reading and praying in a strange tongue , doe not edifie and profit the hearers , as cor. , , let allthings be f done to edisieng : and verse . i speake languages more then ye all , yet had i rather in the church to speake fiue words with mine vnderstanding , that i might also instruct others , then ten thousand words in a strange tongue : for how then should he that occupieth the roome of the vnlearned , say , amen , at thy giuing of thankes , seeing he knoweth not what thou sayest ? wherfore , except we know the meaning of the words , we shall be to him that speaketh barbarians , and 〈◊〉 that speaketh shall be a barbarian vnto vs. euen the learned languages of greeke and latine , not in themselues , but in regard of the hearers that vnderstand them not , are barbarous . for the apostle doth not heere like an orator distinguish the tongues , and shew which are 〈◊〉 and rhetoricall in themselues and which rude : but holdeth euery tongue barbarous , 〈◊〉 , syriack , caldy , arabick , 〈◊〉 , and latine , to him that knoweth not the force and signification thereof . and this to be most true , g the scriptures teath , h the fathers auouch , i the 〈◊〉 writers warrant , k the very poets declare , yea their owne doctors l do determine . wherfore 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 red or preached , when supplycations are offered , when the sacramentes are administred , to vse a knowne tongue vnderstood of all : and without this , the scriptures are vaine , the prayers are barbarous , the sacraments are fruitlesse , to such as know . not what is read , what is asked , what is promised , what is receiued . and 〈◊〉 far of the second outward part of the lordes supper , to wit , the worde of institution : for a sacrament without the word , is as a picture without sence , or an image without life . chap. of the third outward part of the lords supper the third outward part of the lords supper followeth , a which are the elementes of bread and wine , fittest signes for this purpose , to signifie the spirituall nourishment of the soule , by eating the body and drinking the blood of christ . that these are appoynted as the substance and matter of the supper , it appeareth by the wordes of christ , and his apostles deliuering this sacrament . for the euangelists expresse , b that christ tooke bread , gaue it , and said , takeye , and eate ye . so like wise , it is said of the church newly planted by the apostles , that such as gladly receiued the word , and were baptized , continued in the apostles doctrine , and fellowship , and breaking of bread . and chap. it is recorded , that the first day of the weeke , the disciples came together to breake bread . and paule saith cor. . the bread which we breake , is it not the communion of the body of christ ? and in the chapter c following , the same apostle often mentioneth and remembreth the bread of this sacrament . in like manner christ tooke the cup , d wherein was the fruite of the vine . by these , christ is truely exhibited vnto vs : he is truely offered vnto all : he is effectually giuen to the faithfull , as hath beene oftentimes remembred vnto vs. this being the plaine and euident truth , let vs see the vses , first such as concerne both the signes ioyntly and in generall , then such as belong to each of them in seueral and in particular . to begin , we learne from hence to acknowledge a difference between baptisme and the lords supper : in baptisme we haue one signe as the materiall part , in the supper we haue two signes , e partly to note out our whole , ful , and perfect nourishment in christ , hauing whatsocuer is requisite for our saluation , and partly to shew , a fuller remembrance of his death , for the wine which is a figure of his blood , doth as it were present it and represent it before our eyes . so then , albeit the same participation of christ and the same washing away of sinnes by his blood , are sealed vp in baptisme and in the supper : yet the manner f of sealing them in each is diuerse . againe , baptisme is a signe of our entrance into gods couenant : the supper is a signe of our abiding , and continuing in that couenant . touching baptisme , it is sufficient for infants if they bee borne in the church : in the supper , the condicion of examȳning our selues , and remembring the lords death is required . they differ also in often celebration of them : baptisme is to be receiued but once onely in all our life , because the promise once made , is alwaies firme and forcible to such as beleeue and repent : but the supper is oftentimes to be receiued , because an often renewing of that couenant , and calling it to our remembrance is necessary , to increase and strengthen faith . they differ also in the order which is to be obserued in the vse of them : for baptisme is to be giuen before the supper , and the supper may not be giuen to any , except to such as haue beene first baptized , or reputed so to be . as first a child is borne , before he bee fed : so must baptisme go before , whereby our new-birth is sealed : then the supper must follow after , whereby our dayly nourishment is declared and confirmed . lastly , they differ in the signes , there is onely one signe in baptisme , which is the water : but there are two signes in the lords supper , to wit , the bread and the wine . the second general vse is , that if christ tooke , gaue , and deliuered the substance of bread and wine : then they must needes retain their former nature & their proper substance , as well as their qualities , as fight , tast , smell , bignesse , whitenesse , sweetenesse , rednesle , roundnesse , and such like properties . but the papistes turne all thinges g vpside downe , matter into forme , substance into accidents , creatures into shewes , and subiects into things adioyned : they bring in new shifts and fables against all diuinity , phylosophy , reason , sense , and experience , setting vp their own inuentions , and building castles in the aire . let them proue the annihilation and remouing of the substance of bread & wine away , and the h consisting of accidents without subiect , which they are neuer able to doe . for as the water in baptisme remaineth in his nature and substance : so do the bread & wine in the lords supper . and albeit in both the sacraments , the signs be chāged to a special vse : yet are they corrupted into shewes , and turned into shadowes . the heauens i shal be changed at the end of the world : yet hence it followeth not , that they shall bee cleane abolished and consumed to nothing . all young schollers are taught in the schooles , k that an accident hath no being without a subiect : yet heere these sophisters , against all the rules of logick , l and groundes of reason , 〈◊〉 haue accidents and shewes of bread and wine to be in no subiect . thus , whereas in all places of learning we are taught , that accidents may 〈◊〉 , not the substance of things : they 〈◊〉 haue the matter and substance to perish , not the 〈◊〉 . we see whitenes , roundnes , 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 : we cast the sweetnes : we touch al these qualuies : 〈◊〉 ( behold a popish wonder , where at marueil and be 〈◊〉 ) 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 , roūd , or red . so we shall haue a 〈◊〉 thing , yet nothing white : a round thing , yet nothing round : a smel , yet nothing that smelleth : a tast of bread , yet nothing that tasteth , a breaking , and yet nothing that is broken : so that heere we haue some what made of nothing , and nothing made of somewhat . for if any should aske them , what round or white thing is this , shewing the bread ? or what sweete thing is that , pointing out the wine in the cup ? they cannot say , it is bread and wine ( for they hold that none are lest ) they are not able to shape any answer : for they will not say , the body of christ is white , round , sweete , red , or such like , wherefore , these accidents of bread and wine rouing without subiects , are shewes of reason without substance , colours without truth , and fancies without settled iudgement : and as well might they imagine , walking without feete , an house without a foundation , a vessell without bortom , or a body without space or place . againe , what is it that 〈◊〉 nourish ? what is it that doth 〈◊〉 and refresh ? for wee feele our bodyes strengthned by the creatures taken and receiued . and we read in their owne histories that king lewes the gentle for the m space of . daies did eate nothing else . what is it then whereby we feele our selues to be fed ? can their accidents do it , hanging in the aire by miraculous geometry ? can whitnesse , or rednes , or roundnesse nourish vs where no substance is to be found or felt ? can drinesse , or moysture , can smelling or seeing nourish without some materiall body ? they cannot . it must be substance that is turned into our substance : for neuer was it heard , that accidents were turned into substance . but whereas we haue beene taught , that accidents are in their subiect , now we must hold for our new learning , that substances are in their accedents . wherefore , let vs leaue these doubtfull and deceitfull builders that go about to build without ground or foundation , which cannot stand . the third generall vse , arising from both the signes , is this : if christ deliuered his last supper in bread and wine , then these signes may not be altered , but must be n retained for the perpetual vse and comfort of the church . and howsoeuer it be left to the choyse and liberty of the church , what bread or what wine they will vse : yet that it ought necessarily ( as i take it ) to be bread and the fruite of the vine , may appeare by diuerse good considerations . i will propound the reasons that draw me to this opinion , let the church iudge of them , seeing the o spirits of the prophets are subiect to the prophets . first , the institution of the supper and the example of christ himselfe , whom the church is to imitate and follow , who said , do p this in remembrance of me . he said not , doe the like , or do what pleaseth you , and swarue from my example where you will , but do this which ye haue seene me do . whosoeuer therefore change either the bread or wine , do not that which christ commaundeth , but another thing then he appointeth . againe , no other signes are so significant & effectual as these are for this purpose , to strengthen and to comfort them that are in trouble , and almost in the present q estate of death , as psal. . he bringeth forth bread out of the earth , and wine that maketh glad the heart of man , and oyle to make the face to shine , and bread that strengthneth mans heart . likewise the wise-man saith pro. . giue ye strong drinke vnto him that is ready to perish , and 〈◊〉 to them that haue griefe of heart . so that we are heerby effectually and significantly put in mind , to haue a most sweet feeling of christ , to seeke strength in him , and that it is he which aboundantly cleereth our hearts . thirdly , the matter and forme of euery thing , r are holden to be of the nature of it , and to constitute the essence : so it is in the sacramentes , where the signes are the matter , and the words of institution are the forme . true it is , circumstances may vary and be changed , as time , place , sitting , standing kneeling , and such like : but the essentiall parts may not be changed . if 〈◊〉 , both of them be of the essence of the sacrament , such 〈◊〉 take either of them away , destroy the sacrament , and bring in a nullity therof . wherfore , if the signs , which are the matter , might be changed : then the words also of institution which are the forme might be altered , and a new word brought into the church : but a new word cannot be brought in , therfore no new outward signe or matter . fourthly , if the bread & wine in the supper might be changed , and yet the sacrament in substance remaine : then in like manner , water in baptisme might be changed , & yet be 〈◊〉 baptisme ; for of things that are like , there is a like respect , and like conclusion to be inferred . but this cannot be , as we haue shewed before in . booke , chap. . where we haue proued that the minister cannot baptize with any other liquor or element , then with water , as the matter of that sacrament . neither let any obiect the case of necessity : for no necessity can make that lawfull which simply and in it selfe is vnlawfull . fiftly , if we admit and grant a 〈◊〉 in the signes 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 appoynted of god and called 〈◊〉 the church , admit pryuate persons , and receiue other 〈◊〉 inforced vpon the church by the papistes ? do we not heereby open a gappe for them , to 〈◊〉 in all their trash and trumpery besides the written and reueiled worde of god ? sixtly , we haue shewed in the 〈◊〉 booke , that nadab and abihu the two sonnes aaron were smitten by the immediate hand of god s for offering the oblation with strange fire . but all signes brought into the sacraments beside the scripture , are strange signes and consequently procure strange iudgements . and we see how the prophet ioell threatning from god a dearth of corne , and wine , and of oyle , declareth also that the offerings shall cease , where he t saith , the field is wasted , the corne is destroyed , the oyle is 〈◊〉 , the new wine is dryed vp , the meate offering and the drinke offering is cut off from the house of the lord , the priestes the lords ministers shall mourne : shewing heereby , that they were restrayned from changing the out ward signes . if any pretend greater freedome and liberty in the time of the gospell : let them shew their 〈◊〉 , and wee will beleeue them . lastly , it is confessed on all sides , that without consecration and sanctification , there can be no sacrament : for without this halowing , the matter in 〈◊〉 is bare water , the bread in the supper is bare bread , the wine is common wine . now euery creature u is sanctified by the word of god and by prayer , as the apostle teacheth tim. . and therefore we cannot assure our hearts , that god wil blesse any other creatures , as fish or flesh in stead of bread , water or beere in stead of wine , seeing the word hath not sanctified these elementes for this purpose . they are sanctified by the worde for the ordinary nourishment of our bodyes , but they are not by any speciall worde sanctified for the vse of the sacramentes . if then it be simply vnlawfull , to change any thing in the matter of the 〈◊〉 , no pretence or necessity can 〈◊〉 make it lawsull . and as when a lawfull minister is wanting , a pryuate person may not be taken : so when the matter appoynted for the administration of this sacrament is missing , an other may not bee assumed . for as well may wee change the minister of the sacrament into a pryuate man , as the bread and wine ( being the signes ) 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 wee haue declared before ) so long as we are free from the contempt of them . the fourth generall vse , arising ioyntly from both the signes is , if christ deliuered , and the disciples receiued bread and wine as the outwarde signes of this sacrament : then we learne that the doctrine of transubstantiation is a dotage a of mans inuention . though this deuise be now receiued in the roman church , as a matter of saluation , as an article of faith , and a maine point of religion , b that by vertue of these words . this is my body , this is the cup of the new testament , the substaunce of breade and wine is gone , and nothing remaineth but onely the shewes , likenes , and appearance of them : yet , if we examine the matter by the words of institucion , by the nature of a sacrament , by the proportion of faith , by the true properties of a true humain body , by force of reason , by iudgement of the sences , by confession of the aduersaries themselues , and by the manifold contradictions among themselues : we shall find it to be a late deuise & inuention of the papists , first decreed and determined in the counsel of laterane , vnder pope innocentius the . in the raigne of king iohn of england , c not yet . years ago . there it was hatched at that time , and made d a main matter of faith , aproued in the church of rome , but yet not then receiud ouer al the world . this error is a spice of the error of marcus , who went about to make his fellows and followers beleeue , e that he did trāsubstantiate wine into blood , in the sacrament . thus do the church of rome at this day , he was he noted for an heretick by the fathers . i wil not , for shortnes sake , bring all the reasons that might be broght to ouerthrow and ouerturn f the turning of the bread into the body of christ , and the wine into his blood ; but alleage some few among many , wherunto we require them to answer if they can . neither let thē pretend , that they haue bin answerd already , inasmuch as no sound and certain answer can be brought vnto them , to satisfie vs or themselues . our reasons for the present shal be these . first , that which christ took in his hands , he brake : that which he brake , he gaue : that which he gaue his disciples , he commanded them to eat , that which hee commaunded them to eate , hee calleth his bodye . this appeareth by the testimony g of the euangelistes , and coherence of the words . but he tooke bread and brake it : therefore he gaue bread , he commanded to eat bread , he saide of the bread , this is my body . now if he tooke bread , but brake it not : or if he brake bread , but gaue it not : or if he gaue bread to his disciples to eat , but told them , not this which he gaue them , but some other thing beside that , was his body : the latter part of the 〈◊〉 starteth from the beginning , and the middle swarueth from them both . secondly , the apostle after the words of consecration , doth oftentimes call it bread , as cor. . as often as ye shall eat this h bread , and drinke this cup , ye shew the lords doath til he come . and againe , whosoeuer shall eat this bread , and drinke the cup of the lord vnworthily , shall be guiltie of the bodie and blood of the lord. and againe , let a man examme himselfe , and so let him eat of this bread , and drinke of this cup. these men say , it is not bread : the apostle saith , it is bread : whether of these we shall beleeue , iudge you . so in the former chapter hee saith , the bread which we breake , is it not the commanion of the body of christ ? likewise , touching the other signe , i our sauiour expressely calleth it wine after the thanks giuing , mat. . i will not drinke hencefoorth of this fruit of the vine vntill that day , when i shall drinke it new with you in my fathers kingdome . this fruit of the vine is wine , therfore the substance of it remaineth . now if the bread had bene turned into the body , or the wine into the blood of christ , and if the apostle would haue spoken properly , he should haue said , as often as ye shall eat , not this bread , but this body of christ vnder the forme of breade , the blood of christ vnder the forme of wine . and againe , he that eateth the body and drinketh the blood of christ vnworthily . and againe , let a man examine himselfe , and so let him eat and take in his mouth the very body of christ his creator . but thus the apostle hath not spoken , neither could he so speake truely , properly , and fitly : therefore we do truely , properly and fitly conclude , that there is no 〈◊〉 . thirdly , christ speaking of the cup saith , take , k diuide it among you , and of the bread he saith , he tooke it , and brake it . but if the substance of bread be abolished , or 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 deuided into parts , neither is his body broken . fourthly , if the strength or force of transubstantiation depend vpon these words of institution , this is my body , this is my blood : then there can be no reall change before these words be fully finished , and pronounced to the end . i herefore , when they begin to say 〈◊〉 is : what is it ? what mean they , i say , it is ? is it any other then bread and wine by their owne confession till the wordes bee ended ? so then , these sentences shall not be true , when they say , 〈◊〉 is my body , this is my blood , except they meane , this bread is the body of christ , this wine is his blood : wherefore , bread and wine remaine , their nature is not changed and altered . fiftly , these wordes , this is my body , must be vnderstood , as the words following , this cup is the new testament : but the cup is not turned into the new testament , nor into the blood of christ : therefore the other wordes must be figuratiuely vnderstood , not 〈◊〉 : for there is one respect of them both : neither can any reason be rendred , why a figure should be admitted in the one part , rather then in the other . the sixt reason : christ is said to giue to his disciples that which he saide 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 gaue , and another body which was giuen . but it is most absurde , that he should giue and be giuen , hold himselfe and beholden , offer and be offered : which differeth litle from the c heresie of the helcesaits , who held ther were sundry christs , two at the least , one dwelling in heauen aboue , the other in the world heere beneath : so these make christ to haue a double body , visible and inuisible ; a visible body sitting at the table , and an 〈◊〉 body made of the substance of bread , which ( as the papists hold ) 〈◊〉 giuen to the disciples , as likewise they teach of the headship of the church that one head is inuisible to vs m the heauens , another visible to vs vpon the earth . the . reason : it destroyeth the nature of a sacrament , which standeth m of an earthly & heauenly part : one out ward , the other inward : one seene , the other vnderstood : one a signe , the other a thing signified : of which we haue spoken before , book . . chap , . but if there be an actuall transubstantiation , then the outward part is abolished , and disanulled . the . reason : in baptisme the substance of water remaineth , though it haue words of consecration , and be made a sacrament of our regeneration : and therefore in the lords supper , the bread and wine are not changed and don away vtterly . the scripture speaketh as highly n 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 〈◊〉 , for the words are seuerally pronounced , first of the bread , then of the wine : yea the soule of christ should be separated from his body , for the bread is turned onely into his body , and not into his soule . but his soule , his body , and his blood are not really separated . the . reason : if the bread be turned into his body indeede by force of a few words vttered by a priest : then the priest should be the maker of his maker , and so euery masse-monger should be preferred before christ , as much as the creitor hath 〈◊〉 honnour then the creature , the builder then 〈◊〉 house , the work-man then the worke . but they are not 〈◊〉 to publish it in their owne words and writings , o that the priest is the creator of his creator , he that created you , hath giuen you power , to create him : he that hath created you without your selues , p is created by you , by the meanes of you . these are the speeches of their wise-men , if they be not ashamed of their owne words . the . reason : the bread in the sacrament after the words of consecration , is subiect to as many changes and chances as it was before : the bread may mould , putrifie , and breede wormes , q and was accustomably in many places burned : the wine may ( being immoderately taken ) make drunken , it may wax sharpe and turne into vineger : yea both of them may be boyled and made hot : both of them may be vomited vp , as certaine lepers did ; both of them may be mingled with rank poyson , as a certaine r monk gaue the poysoned host to henry the . a noble emperour of famous memory , which when he had taken , he dyed . the like may be said of victor the . a pope of rome , who was poysoned 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 poyson , but is an excellent counterpoison against the biting of the old serpent and all infection ofsinne whatsoeuer ; the body cannot mould or putrifie , the blood of christ cannot become sharp or sowre , as the outward signes may , therefore the substance of bread and wine remaineth . the . reason : there is something in the sacrament , materiall and substantiall , which goeth the way of all meates , according to that saying of our sauiour , t perceiue ye not yet , that what soeuer entreth into the mouth , goeth into the belly , and is cast out into the draught ? but none of the accidents , as shape , colour , quality , tast , & such like are auoyded , because they are altered in the stomacke , before they come to the place of auoydance : u and it were blasphemy to thinke that the body of christ either entreth into the mouth , or goeth downe into the belly , or is cast out into the draught , howsomany of them haue also maintained this monstrous impiety : therefore , the substance of the bread and the wine remaine in their owne nature in the sacrament . the . 〈◊〉 : if there were a miraculous conuersion of the bread and wine , it would appeare to the outward senses . as ioh. , the multitude a saw his miracles . there was neuer miracle wrought by any bodyly creature , but sense iudged it to be so : but seeing our eyes see , and our tast discerneth that it is bread , we cannot imagine , there is any miracle . the miracles that moyses did in egypt , when he turned water into blood , and his rod into a serpent : the miracles b that christ did , when he turned water into wine , the eye saw , the tast discerned , heere was no deceit , no fraud , no collusion . and thus euery hedge-priest should be a worker of miracles , that onely can read his portuise , and say ouer his pater noster with an aue mary . this is an honor that may be chalenged , but cannot be granted vnto them . the reason : if there were any transubstantiation there shold be an actuall conuersion of the bread into the body of christ ; but this cannot stand . for when one thing is changed into another , the matter remainetin , the forme is altered : but heere they make the forme to abide , and the matter to be changed . a strange metamorphosis , and fitting the fable of this counterfeit turning . now the matter of 〈◊〉 is not in the body of christ , because it is perfect in it selfe , and so glorified , that it can receiue no accesse . besides , nothing can be conuerted or changed into a thing before being and pre-existing , which was really before the change or conuersion ; as christ turned the water into that wine which was not before , c & moses turned his rod into that serpēt which was not before : and lots wife was turned into that pillar which was not before . but the body of christ is before their transubstanriation , wherupon it follow weth , that the bread cannot be changed into his body . the . reason : if christ did 〈◊〉 the bread into his body when he saud this is my body : then in like manner , the apostle did 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of the corinthians into the body of christ , when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , now ve are d the bodie of christ , and members for your 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 can they alleage , why 〈◊〉 should be in the one sentence more thē in the other ? for the whole colledge and company of diuines of rome and rhemes , and all the multitude of papistes through out the world shall neuer be better able to proue their transubstantiation out of these words this is my body : then out of the other 〈◊〉 are the body of christ. the . reason : if the bread were turned into the body of christ and receiued in the mouth : it should go farre better with our bodies then with our soules , because our bodyes should really receiue the body of christ , but our soules should not , being spirits : and bodies cannot be mingled and intermedled with spirits . wherefore , we cannot beleeue and receiue this real conuersion of one substance into another . the . reason : if the bread be transubstantiated into the body of christ , and so receiued by vs : then either it is turned into our bodies , or vanisheth away into nothing , or returneth and departeth back into heauen . but it is not turned into our bodily substance , for then we should grow bodily and not spiritually , carnally not mistically , into one person with him : neither doth it vanish to nothing , for this were horrible blasphemy once to imagine and conceiue of the body of christ : neither doth it depart into heauen , for he was there before , and the heauens containe him to the end of all things . therefore , the bread cannot be said to be turned into the body of christ , except one of these be granted . and thus also we may reason of the wine . if it be turned into the blood of christ , it must necessarily passe into our substance , or vanish away , or returne to the heauens : for no fourth way can be imagined . but none of these can stand either with diuinity or phylosophy , either with faith or reason , either with scripture or nature , and therfore consequently transubstantiation must fall . the . reason : if the disciples had not vnderstood christ to call the bread his body sacramentally : they would haue beene greatly troubled ( who often doubted of the least things ) and demaunded the vnderstanding of them . as the hearers of christ ioh. , supposing he had spoken of a carnal manner of eating his e flesh , were troubled and offended , saying , how can this man giue vs his flesh to eate ? and vers . , this is an heard saying , who can heare it ? wherefore , who seeth not , that they would haue marueiled and required farther , if they had vnderstood christ to haue changed the bread into his body , and the wine into his blood ? but they doubt not , they demand not , they maruaile not , they murmur not , and therfore beleeue not this iugling of transubstantiation , or turning of one substance into another . and if they beleeued it not , how should we receiue it . the . argument : it ouerturneth sundry articles of our christian faith . wee beleeue that christ iesus was begotten of the father before all worldes , and borne in time of the virgin mary : this the scripture teacheth , this the creed deliuereth : this euery true christian professeth and beleeueth . 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 vnto vs , and newly made . againe , we beleeue that christ was crucified and died for our sins , that he was buried , rose againe , ascended , and sitteth at the right hand of god the father almighty . but if the body of christ bee made of bread as often as the eucharist is celebrated , then christ being on the crosse might be elsewhere then on the crosse : when he died , he might be where he suffered nothing : lying in the graue , he might bee out of the graue : yea hee might be in the graue after his resurrection and rising out of the graue : wherof notwithstanding the angels said , f he is not heere . lastly , we beleeue that christ shall come from heauen to iudge the quick and dead , and that in the same manner he ascended , g whom we doubt not but men shall see , as reuel . . . euery eye shall see him , yea euen they which pierced him through . but if christes body be made of bread , he shall stare and start out of the pixe , and not come from heauen , and that in another shape then when he ascended : nay , thus he shold come daily vnto vs , & yet no man can see him , nor perceiue his cōming . al these deuises , ouerthrow foundation of faith , sauour of nouelty , and bring in heresie against all certaine grounds of true religion . the . argument : if by vertue of christs words , transubftantiation were brought to passe , 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 indued with his magnitude , quantity , quality , colour , and all his dimensions . for christ said not at his supper , this is the substance of my body without accidents : but h this is my body which is giuen for you , and which is broken for you . therefore , the body was visible and seene of them all , it was felt , it had all accidents agreeable thereunto , and the substance of christs body alone without his qualities was not crucified on the crosse , neither yet could be crucified . not withstanding , we see not christs body vpon the earth , nor any adioy nt thereof is perceiued or discerned . where are they then ? are they in substance of christs body which is in heauen ? and not in the substance of his body which is on the earth ? then they make christ to haue two distinct bodies : for one and the same body cannot haue his properties and dimensions , and yet bee without them , which necessarily implyeth a contradiction , and consequently falsehood : especially considering how great a difference they make betweene the body of christ in heauen , and this body that lieth and lurketh vnder the accidents and shewes of bread in their box . the . reason : it destroyeth the nature of a true body , it taketh away the defence vsed against heretickes , and bringeth in the heresies of marcion , of eutiches , and the manichics , which i denied christ to haue a solid , and true humane body , & held that he had only a phantastical body without any materiall flesh , blood , or bone , in appearance and sight some what , but in deed and substance nothing . for they teach that his body is in infinite places at once , & those discontinued , voyd of quantity and quality , not circumscribed , not visible , nor any way sensible : that being in heauē , he is really and corporally on earth , though not in the distance betweene heauen and earth , nor in those places where the host is not : which is to assigne innumerable bodies to our sauiour christ , and consequently to make him no body , which is in esfect as much as to deny he is come in the flesh , k which is the very doctrine of antichrist himselfe , as iohn speaketh , euery spirit that confesseth not , that iesus christ is come in the flesh , is not of god : but this is the spirit of antichrist , of whom we haue 〈◊〉 . and in his . epistle , many 〈◊〉 are entred into this world , which confesse not , that iesus christ is come in the flesh : he that is such a one , is a deceiuer and an antichrist . but orcam propoundeth this as the doctrine of the schooles , that l the body of christ is euery where , as god is euery where , and that if there were an host that filled all the world , the body of christ might be with euery part thereof when it should be consecrated . and holcot treading in the same stepes of the schooles , not of the scriptures , saith , if there had beene a thousand hostes in a thousand places at the same time , that christ did hang vpon the crosse , m christ had beene crucified in a thousand places . but it is an vnseparable property of bodies , to be locall and contained in place : n 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 christs body becavse , o he might be seene and handled , and because he had flesh and bones , according to the 〈◊〉 , behold , my hāds and my feete , for it is i my selfe : handle me and see : for a spirit hath not flesh and bones , as ye see me haue . but if he be neither seene nor handled in the sacrament , nor discerned to haue flesh and bones : how shall his humanity be 〈◊〉 and maintained against heretikes impugning the same ? the . reason : it taketh away iudgement from the senses , and maketh the sacrament of truth to be a sacrament of forgery and falsehood : for the senses of seeing , of tasting , of touching , of handling and smelling , do iudge bread and wine to be in the sacrament , and not mans flesh truely and properly : neither can p all the senses be 〈◊〉 in their proper obiects , as euen the phylosophers themselues do teach , and that truely , the . reason : it is an horible act and vnnaturall cruelty for man to eate mans flesh , and for man to drinke mans blood : and therefore the papists are as humane as the cyclops , canibals , and other barbarous people . it is more brutish and barbarous q to eate mans flesh , then to kill a man : and to drink mans blood then to shed it . thus they make christian people eaters of mans flesh and bloode suckers , which is beastly and horrible wickednesse . the . reason : the apostle maketh an opposition between the table of the lord , and the table of deuils , saying , r ye cannot drinke the cup of the lord , and the cup of deuils : ye cannot be partakers of the lords table , and of the table of deuils : where he sheweth , that to eate the flesh offered to idols is to bee partakers of the idols . as the bread which we breake , is the participation and communion of the body of the lord. hence he concludeth , that they should not eate of those thinges which the gentiles sacrifice to idols , because they haue fellowship with the diuils that eate of them , euen as they are vnited to christ which partake of the bread in the supper . if then the flesh offered to idols be not transubstantiated : why fhold the sacramental bread be turned into the body of christ , seeing it sufficeth to make vs partakers of the lords body to eat of the bread , as it was sufficient to make them partakers of the idols , to eate of the thinges offered vnto them ? the . reason : if the institution of christ be a sufficient direction vnto the church what to hold in this questiō , we shal easily giue this transubstantiation a fall . we see in the cases of matrimony that did befall , our sauiour bringeth them to the first institution , and therby dissolueth the doubts and difficulties that arose , saying , s frō the beginning it was not so . so when any controuersie ariseth about the lords supper , the ordinance of christ is able to take it vp , how great or grieuous soeuer it grow . now , there is no sentence , no word , no sillable , no iot , no title in the discription of the supper , that fauoreth or sauoreth of transubstantiation , or signifieth and insinuateth any such matter . true it is , christ saith t this is my body , but to be doth not signifie to transubstantiate : for then when he saith , u i am the true vine , i am the dore , the way , and such like , he shall be turned and transubstantiated into a natural vine , into a materal doore , into an high way , from whence would follow infinite abuses and absurdities . besides , if the word ( is ) in the institution fignifie , is transubstantiated , that is , changed from one substance into an 〈◊〉 , from bread into flesh , from wine into blood : then the change shold be made before all the words be vttered , so that hence it would follow , that it cannot be done by vertue of the words , which goeth before the pronouncing of the words . last of al , the maintainers of transubstantiation , as the builders of babel , haue their tongs diuided , and their languages confounded : they cannot accord together , but vary and dissent one from another , a like the false witnesses that arose against christ . first , they knew not certainely , whether the bread bee turned into his body , or come in place thereof , the substance departing . secondly , some alow not these speaches , b bread is christes body , or bread is made christs body : but wil haue it said , christs body is made of bread : c others condemne this speach also , that bread is made christs 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 chalyce mingled with wine , be transubstantiated : some say it is , other say it is not : some more sober then the rest , are afraid what to say , d and aske who is able to decide the questiō ? others say it is turned into the humors of his body : others virknit the knot thus , that the water is turned into the wine , and then the wine into his blood , and therefore are circumspect to giue this cautel that a litle water be mingled , being afraid , least , if more water were put in then the wine , the wine should be transubstantiated into water . fiftly , they cannot agree with what words their consecratiō is wrought , whether accidents be without their subiect , whether the accidents norish no lesse then the substance of bread & wine : likwise what the rats & mise do eat : how & srō whence the worms are oftentims in gendred eucharist , and so consume it : whether the shewes of bread be the body without the blood , and the shews of wine the blood without the body . it were infinite e to note out all their contentions and contradictions : these may suffice to shew how the enimies of god fight one against another , and all of them with their own shadwoes . and thus much of the late doting deuise of transubstantiation , which is the soule and life of their popish religion : the deniers or doubters wherof , they pursue with fire and sword more eagerly , then such as are enemies to the blessed trinity . the last generall vse is this : if christ deliuered both these signes , not onely the bread , but the wine also to his disciples : then both kinds by the minister are to be deliuered , f and both kinds by the people are to be receiued , not bread alone , nor wine alone , but bread and wine : the bread in token of his body giuen for vs , and the wine in token of his blood shed for vs. this is the ordinance of christ : this is a greeable to the scripture . notwithstanding , the church of rome hath decreed , that it is not necessary for the people to cómunicate in both kinds , and holdeth them g accursed that hold it necessary for the people , to receiue the cup , cósecraced by the priest . thus it appeareth , they labor nothing more , then to take from the faithful the sweete comfort of the lords supper . this is a sacrilegious corruption of christs institution , deuised by sathan , broached by antichrist , published by his adherentes in the corrupt times of most palpable darknesse , as may appeare by these reasons . frist , if none may drinke of the consecrate wine but the priest , then 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 take and eate , to those gaue he the cup and said , drinke ye . wherefore , the signes being both equal , all communicants must drinke of the one , as wel as eate of the other , there being the same warrant for the one , that there is for the other , and the let that would barre the one , will hinder the other : so as i the thinges which god in his goodnesse hath ioyned together , man without sinne cannot separate . secondly , when christ instituted this sacrament , he said , k drinke ye all of this : and by all he vnderstood of the communicants . and the euangelist marke addeth , they al 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 , cor. . they haue beene all made to drinke into one spirit . this commaundement of christ being generall , imposeth a necessity vpon the people , when he saith , take ye , eate ye , drinke ye , do ye this . these commaundements are perpetuall , vnchangable , and alwaies in force : not arbitrary , not temporall , not repealed , but bind the conscience to the end of the world , against which no limitation , or dispensation can be alowed , being the commaundementes l of god , not of man. thirdly , the cup is a part of christes will and testament . now touching the nature of a testament or will , the saying of the apostle is knowne , m if it be but a mans testament , when it is confirmed , no man doth abrogate it , or addeth any thing therto : where he sheweth , that the dead mans wil may not be changed , nothing can be put to , nothing taken out without forgery and salsehood . this is the law of nature and nations . but the lordes supper is a sacrament proper to the new testament , as christ saith , n this cup is the new testament in my blood which is shed for you . this testament the lord iesus made the night before he was betrayed , he sealed it by shedding his most precious blood , - he hath giuen legacies , not of earthly and temporall , but of heauenly and eternall goods . and seeing he hath appointed the cup of this his testament to be deliuered and drunke of all those for whom his blood was shed : it is intollerable boldnes and presumption to take away the vse thereof from the greater part of the church , and an infallible token of an vnshamefast and shamelesse harlot , to alter her husbands will , to defraud and defeat his children of that worthy portion which their father alotted 〈◊〉 and so to keepe backe part of their inhetitance and 〈◊〉 . fourthly , the blood of christ shed vpon the crosse belongeth not onely to the pastors and teachers , but to all the faithfull that come to the table of the lord , as appeareth by the wordes of christ , o this is my blood which is shed for you and for many : why then should the blood of christ be denyed , 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 wel as to the other . if the people haue the greater , who shall keepe them from the lesse ? if they haue their part in the thing signified , who shall deny them of the outward signe ? for as the fruite 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 redemptionof the peoples sinnes , be diuided indifferently betweene the pastor and the people . fiftly , the p apostle deliuered that to the church which he had receiued from the lord iesus : now the church ought diligently to obserue the written traditions and verities of the apostles , which are committed to posterity to be kept inuiolably . but he hath deliuered , how the lord , after taking , blessing , breaking , and distributing of the bread , likewise tooke the cuppe , blessed , and distributed it among them , so saith the apostle must the churches do . if then he receiued this from the lorde , to deliuer both kinds to the people ; let the church of rome consider with her selfe , from whence she hath receiued the contrarye , to withhold one of the kinds from the people : for both cannot proceed from one and the same spirit of truth , which is neuer contrary to it selfe . sixtly , if all the faithfull that come to the lordes table , must shew forth the lords death vntill he come , and this be done by them as wel by drinking of the cup , as by eating of the bread : then all the communicants must receiue the sacrament vnder both kinds , q vntill the second comming of christ . but the faithfull must shew forth the lordes death by eating of that bread and drinking of that cup , as the apostle teacheth , as often as ye shall eate this bread , and drinke of this cup , ye shew the lordes death vntill he come . therefore , all communicants must partake the sacrament vnder both kinds . seuenthly , the apostle giueth an expresse commaundemēt to 〈◊〉 whole church , which al must obey that come worthily to this holy table , let a man examine himselfe , r and so let him eate of this bread , and drinke of this cup. where he giueth a double commaundement , first to appeare reuerently , then to receiue worthily . now , al that must proue and try themselues , are commaunded not only to eate bread , but to drink of the cup : but al must try and examine themselues : therfore al are commanded both to eat and drink at the lords table . if this be a commaundement to examine : then the wordes following of eating and drinking , are likewise commandements . there is no halting in these , let them admit both , or let them deny both . eightly , if the faithfull take not the cup in the supper of the lord , the condicion of christians vnder the gospel , shal be worse then of the isralites vnder the law . for the people of israell in the wildernesse hauing the same sacrament in effect with vs , s did all drinke of the spiritual rock that followed them , and that rock was christ , as the apostle affirmeth . but out condicion is not worser and weaker then theirs : therefore all the faithful are to drink of the cup of the lord . bellarmine , the souldan of the romish synagogue , t answereth thus , they drunke not water out of the rock when they did eate of the spirituall meate , but in another place , and at an other time . but this is an answearlesse answer which cannot satisfie . for albeit the sacraments of the isralites as figures and types did represent the same graces that our sacraments do : yet it is not necessary they should in all pointes answer each other , and in all respectes agree together . besides , the church of rome at no time aloweth the people to drinke of the wine , a seale of the blood of christ : they keepe them from the cup of the lord , both when they giue them the bread , and at all other times , and thereby make their estate worse then the estate of the iewes . indeed , if they did at any time permit al the people to drink of the cup , they might pretend this example of the israelites : but inasmuch as they vtterly deny them this part of the cup , they ouerthrow themselues in their malice , and yet in their blindnes they do not see it . lastly , many of the fathers , did both eate manna and 〈◊〉 water out of the rock , if not in the same place , yet at one & the same time , u inasmuch as they gathered thereof euery morning , and it ceased not , a vntill they entred the frontiers and confines of the land of promise . but they neuer alow without a toleration and dispensation , the people in any place , at any time , vpon any occasion , and in any respect to tast of the cup in the lords supper . ninthly , if the cup of the new testament may be taken from the lordes people : in like manner the water in baptisme may be taken away frō them . for the blood of christ , whereby remission of sins is purchased and procured , is represented by the wine of the lordes supper , as well as by the water in baptisme . but the water in baptisme , without great sacriledge , cannot be omitted or neglected : wherefore then should the cup be taken away . lastly , if any part of the supper might be taken away from the people : then like wise 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 vp of the word : and the offence semeth to be the same , whether a man break the seale , or rent the writing . but the word cannot be withdrawen frō christian people , it being the instrument of faith , and the life of the church . wherefore it is the greatest wrong and iniury done to the people of god to take from them the cup of saluation . the answer to this reason must be , to confesse the parts and yeeld the conclusion : forasmuch as by forbidding the people the reading of the scriptures , they haue robbed them of the word of god , and taken from them b the key of knowledge , neither entring themselues into the kingdom of heauen , nor suffering those that would enter . no marueile then , if they take the cup of blessing from the people , who haue taken from them the free vse of the word of god. to conclude these reasons , it is antichrist , who , contrary to the doctrine of christ , contrary to the institution of the supper , contrary to the practise of the apostles , and contrary to the vse of the former churches , hath excluded the people languishing and th●●sting after the blood of christ , as the dry earth for the sweete shewers of raine , from taking the cup of the lord , and left them a dry cōmunion to eat the bread of the sacrament alone . hauing considered the truth of god by sundry reasons , grounded in the scripture , that the people haue good interest and title in the cup , denied vnto them : let vs answer the c obiections of the aduersaries , made against the former doctrine . first , they pretend , that christ administred it to the apostles only , and not to any of the people : & consequently the institution for taking the cup can be no general cōmaundement for al men : thus d the rhemistes reason . i answer , first it may be doubted and disputed , whether onely the apostles were present at his last supper . for seeing diuerse were added vnto the church , and professed the faith of christ , seeing he had other disciples beside the twelue , seeing many godly men and women followed him to see his miracles , and to hear the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth : why should we think that none of them were admi●ted to his table , who had often heard his preaching , and depended vpon him in their liuing . again , the passeouer was celebrated in that house , e of a faithful man , as may be collected by sundry circumstances : now thē , either the lord iesus annexed that famely vnto his , as the law in one case appointed , or else we shall haue two passe-ouers 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 & celebration of the passe-ouer of ioyning house to house , f and taking his neighbor next vnto him in case of the insufficiency of one houshold to eate the lambe : but we neuer read of killing two , lambes , and keeping two passeouers vnder one roofe . besides , the smal remnant of the faithful among the iewes , would no-doubt rightly and religiously obserue the passe-ouer after the example of their lord and maister , rather according to the g precept of moses ' then aceording to the practise of the iewes : in imitation of christ , h rather then according to the tradition of the elders . furthermore , we are to consider , that in eating the passeouer , they sorted thēselues together according to the number of the persons able to eate vp the lambe : for they commanded to take i a lambe without blemish , a male of a yeare old : & if the houshold be to little for the lambe , he shal take his neighbour which is next vnto his house . now christ with his twelue disciples alone , were not sufficient to eat vp this lambe of a yeare old , being great & large according to the sirian kind , as may be supposed by the k discription of aristotle , pliny , & others . neither doth it appeare that any remained , or was burned with fire , l according to the institution of god , because the euangelists declare , that so soone as the supper was administred and a psalme sung of thanksgiuing , m they went out into the mount of oliues . why then should we not thinke , that christ added and annexed other to his family , seing his own disciples sufficed not , especially the blessed virgin his mother who was not long from him , n whom afterward after his departure , he commended and committed to iohn , to be protected and prouided for , who from that time took her home to his house as his own mother . but to leaue these consideratiōs as coniectures , we answer the former obiection , that in asmuch as christ deliuered both signs to the same , persons , they might bar the people frō the bread as wel 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 . besids , if other heretiks should arise , as great enemies to the peoples partaking of the bread , as the church of rome is to their cōmunicating of the cup of the lord : how might they better be repressed and refelled , then by alleaging the first institution of christ , and shewing the practise of the apostles : so that the reasons brought to confute the one , wil serue directly to ouerthrow the other . moreouer , 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 therof , he took the bread , he blessed , he brake , he gaue the bread , saiing , this is my body . likewise he tooke the cup , blessed , & gaue the same , saying this cup is the new testament in my blood . on the other side , the disciples took it , did eat and drinke , which are the proper duties of all the people : lastly , the apostle saith not in the first person , we ate and drink , as speaking of himselfe & other teachers of the church : but directing his speach to all o that are called and sanctified in christ in euery place ( according to the inscription of the epistle ) he saith , as often as ye shal eate this bread p & drinke this cup ye shew the lords death til he come . now these corinthians , to whō he specially wrote , could not liue vntill the second comming of christ to iudgement : therefore this eating and this drinking belongeth to al that cal vpon the name of god to the end of the world . secondly , they object against the former truth , this out of act. , they continued in the apostles doctrine , and in breaking of bread : and ch. , they came together to break bread . it is not said , to deliuer the cup vnto the people q but to breake bread : wherby they gather , it was ministred vnto the people in one kind onely , and not in both . i answer , by a cōmon synecdoche , one part is put for the whole . for among the hebrewes , this phrase in scripture to eate bread , is to receiue whole nourishment & ful refreshing by eating and drinking : as appeareth by r many places , wher mentioning only bread for food , it were madnes to imagine and gather that they drunk not . besides , the apostle putteth the other part , to wit , drinking of the s cup , for the whole celebration of the supper , when he saith , by one spirit we are al baptized into one body , and haue been al made to drink into one spirit : where we see , as our sauiour added the vniuersal note drink ye al of this : and as the euangelist mark accordeth , saying they al dranke of it : so the apostle doth not pretermit it , but saith , al were made to drink : as if the lord iesus , the euangelists and the apostles would preuent before hād , the corruption & followed in the church of rome . wherfore , seeing drinking of the cup , doth not properly note out the whole action , because no man was euer so grosly blinded , to suppose that the cup might be alone administred : it followeth , that by this member expressed , we must vnderstand the other , and by one part the whole . furthermore , it is a ruled case among themselues , that it is flat sacriledge , if a priest consecrate not this sacrament in both kindes , but do it in bread onely . if then the former scriptures , act. . and ch . . proue the receiuing vnder one kind because bread onely is expressed , & so the cup to be excluded : it wil likewise follow , they consecrated in one kinde , 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 discribeth not , what the apostles consecrated or receiued , but what they deliuered to the people : for the euangelist declareth act. . . not onely that the apostle brake the bread , but t did eate thereof himselfe : so that they must confesse , that paule also receiued in one kind , and consecrated in one kind , or else necessarily grant one part put for the whole : as likewise we say cor. , where he doth expresly touch and teach both kindes , u to the eating of the bread ioyning the drinking of this cup : yet sometimes a he expresseth onely the one signe for shortnes sake , & the church had receiued this vsual manner of speaking to call the lordes supperthe breaking of bread , as verse . when ye come together into one place , this is not to eate the lords supper : and verse . when ye come together to eate , tary one for another : likewise verse . he discerneth not the lords body : and yet in the sentence going before , hee saith that such as eate and drinke vnworthily , do eate and drinke their owne iudgement . wherefore , as the apostles alwaies celebrated the supper by conseeration both of the bread and of the cup : so the people alwaies receiued in both these kinds , to their great comfort and consolation . thirdly they alleage , that there is an vnion and coniunction of each signe , that the body is in the blood , and the blood in the body : that christ is wholly and perfectly vnder each kind , because now in his glorious body , b there is no separation of the body from the blood , or blood from the body . i answer , surely if this were so , it were a fault and friuolous thing to do that by more , which may be c done by fewer , to vse two kindes , which may as well be done and is done vnder one , as a wise philosopher teacheth . besides , if one may reason in that soit , the whole supper might be abrogated , for we are made partakers of christ in d baptisme , and he dwelleth in our hearts by e faith which commeth by the word ofgod . again , were not christ and his apostles as wise as they ? were they ignorant of this vnion ? did they not knowe this accompanying of the body with the blood , and blood with the body ? is the present church of rome wiser then he , in whom al the f treasures of wisedom and knowledge are hid ? if they thinke so , let them tell vs plainly : if not , let them lay their hands vpon their mouth , and submit themselues vnto him who administred it in both kinds , and commaunded his apostles to do the like . moreouer , christ would haue vs in his supper consider his blood separated from his body , and set his death before our eies , and his precious blood shed out of his side : so that , deliuering the cup , he said , g drinke ye all of this , for this is my blood of the new testament , which is shed for many , without which sheading , there is h no forgiuenesse 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 sor vs and not to be shed , and that the sacrament leadeth vs to the consideration of the death , and especially of the piercing and pouring out of the blood of christ : we may conclude , that this i vnion of the body with the blood , and blood with the body , flatly crosseth and ouerthroweth the institution of christ. and why i pray you , do their sacrificing priests receiue the blood twice , and the body twice , drinking first the blood in the body , and againe eating the body in the blood ? nay , doth not this vnion deuised , alter the 〈◊〉 of christ , and confound the seuerall parts of it , making him to speake otherwise then the euangelistes expresse ? for when he said , this is my body , they will haue him meane , this is my body and blood : againe , when he said this is my blood , they will haue him meane , this is my blood and my body . last of all , this late inuention , turneth and ouerturneth the nature of the partes , distinguished one from the other : while we eate the flesh they make vs drink the blood , and while we drinke the blood , they imagine we eat the body . thus , to eat and to drinke shall be all one with them : for wee shal eate liquid and moift thinges , and we shall drinke dry and hard things . and is not this drinking of flesh , and eating of blood , and inuerting & euerting of the nature of things ? but thus god striketh his enemies with giddines of spirit . for after they haue broken the pure institution of christ , and brought in a carnal presence of his body ( one absurdity being granted , k a thousand follow ) infinite abuses haue ensued vpon heapes , the flood-gats being set open , wherof there is no end or measure . let thē therfore repent themselues of this sacriledge against god , and iniury against his people , restoring vnto thē the cōmunion vnder both kinds , according ro the ordinance of christ , and directō of the apostles . and thus much of the general vses , arising from both the signs ioyntly considered . now , let vs come to the particular vses offered vnto vs , in each of the signes . and first , touching the bread . is bread simply considered , the first signe in the lords supper ? then it is not necessarily required , that it be administred in vnleauened bread . for bread is oftentimes named and repeated : but the word ( vnleauened ) is neuer added . wherfore as it is in selfe indifferent , whether the wine be red or white , & whatsoeuer the kind or colour be ( if it be wine : ) so is it not greatly materiall , whether the bread be leauened or vnleauened , so it bee bread . which ouerthroweth the error of the church of rome & her fauorites , who hold it l neeessary , that the bread vsed in the sacra . be vnleauened . they pretend the institution of christ , who ( say they ) made the sacra . of vnleauened bread , instituting it after he had eaten the passeouer , which was to be eaten with vnleauened bread m according to the law of moses , neither was there any leauen to be found in israel . daies together . thus they charge vs to breake the institution of christ. but see heere the 〈◊〉 and partiality , of these proud spirits , who fly to the institution , and sticke precisely to circumstances of 〈◊〉 , when it serueth any way to their purpose : but when the question is of matters of substance not of circumstance , as touching communicating vnder both kinds , touching the necessity of eating & drinking , and of many receiuing together against their halfe communions , priuate masses , and reseruations , they cannot abide to be tyed and yoked to the institution . indeed we deny not , but christ might vse vnleauened bread at his last supper , hauing immediately before eaten the paschal lambe . this peraduenture is truely coniectured : yet no such thing is expressed in the gospell , nor prescribed as a rule necessarily to bee followed . the euangelists teach , he tooke bread : but make no mētion or distinction what bread he took , nor determine what bread we should take , no more then limit what wine we shal vse , but leaue it at liberty to take leauened bread or vnleuened , as occasion of time , place , persons , and other circumstances serue , so we take bread , as their own n prophets haue confessed , 〈◊〉 their own o coūsels haue concluded . wherfore , to consecrate in vnleuened bread is not of the substance of the supper , no more then to eat it at night or after supper , as christ administred and the apostles first receiued it . for if any would bring in a 〈◊〉 of that time , as wel as of that bread which christ vsed , we see as faire a warrant for the one as for the other : nay we haue 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 vsed vnleuened bread : it was , because it was vsual , common , and ordinary bread at that time , as we also should vse that bread , which is vsual and common . so the apostle speaketh of that bread which was daily vsed among the gentiles , saying , p the bread which we breake : he addeth , neither leuened nor vnleuened , but vnderstandeth that in common and continuall vse . thus then we conclude , it is no breach of christs ordinance , nor a transgression of the first originall institution of the lords supper , to eate either the one or the other . againe , touching the other signe , which is the wine , the church of rome may iustly be charged with transgressing the ordinance of christ , who by her sole authority would type vs to mingle water with wine for r great mistery & signification , especially , for that water gushed with blood out of our lords side . so , they condemne all those churches as doing impudently and damnably , that do not mixe 〈◊〉 with wine in the sacrament , and say it cannot be omitted without 〈◊〉 sinne . true it is , the church in former times , where the wine , prouided for the lordes table , was of it selfe , heady , strong , hot , fiery , and fuming , was wont to allay it with water , that it might be mild and temporate : least that which was taken 〈◊〉 helpe and further the soule , should 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 the body . this began for conueniency , not for 〈◊〉 : for fitnesse , not for signification : for sobriety , not for any mistery . but the water is no part of christs institution , neither can it be proued , that christ or his apostles vsed water with their wine , or commaunded others to mingle wine and water in this mistery , or that christs apostles euer receiued it as a matter of faith , or taught it to be a necessary parte of this sacrament . for alexander the . byshop of rome , was the first that s mingled water 〈◊〉 wine at consecration , and ordained that the oblation should be of vnleauened t bread , and not of leauened , as till that time had beene vsed . wherefore , let vs retaine and maintaine the plaine and simple institution of christ , who in his last supper gaue wine , not water to be drunk , for he calleth it the fruit u of the vine , which is wine and not water . againe , they may be pressed and hampered with their own dreames and deuises . for , whereas they hold that the wine must be mingled with water , and that the elementes after the words of consecration are transubstantiated , and remaine in their owne nature no more : i would aske this question of these watermen , rowing in the troubled sea of their owne decrees ( who are neere of kinne a to the old hereticks called aquarij ) whether the water mixed with the wine be turned into blood ? if they say it is not , then they deny transubstantiation of all that is within the cup , and so shake the vertue of their consecration in pieces : if they say it is , then will they make christ a watery body and elementall : besides , it cannot be by vertue os christes institution , where water is neither expresled nor included . so then , their best defence is to answer with the pharisies , b we cannot tell . to conclude , let vs not seeke to be wiser then christ , nor to mingle together more mysteries then we haue learned of him , as paule saith of his own practise , c that which i receiued of the lord , i haue deliuered vnto you . neither prophet , nor apostle , nor angell from heauen is to teach otherwise then christ himselfe hath taught , as he charged his disiples , teach them to obserue all things whatsoeuer i haue commaunded you . he hath supreme authority in the church , his doctrine alone should be heard , as the father himselfe witnesseth from heauen , d this is my beloued sonne , in whom i haue delight , heare him . we are not to regard , what other before vs haue thought meete to doe , but what christ did , who is before all other , and called himselfe the truth , e and not custome . thus much of the third outward part of the lordes supper , to wit , the two signes of bread and wine . chap. . of the fourth outward part of the lords supper . the last outward part remaineth , which are the a communicantes : whose actions are outward , to take the bread and wine into their hands : then to eate the bread and drinke the wine to the nourishment of their bodies , b as is directly proued by the institution of this sacrament , where christ gaue the bread and cup into their hands , the disciples receiued the one and the other , they did eate the bread and all dranke of the cup. these being the necessary actions of euery receiuer , to take , to eate , to drinke : it beateth down many falfe doctrines of the church of rome , as their reseruation , ostentation , eleuation , adoration , circumgestation , procession , and pryuate communion : it teacheth also many necessary truths to direct our knowledge and increase our obedience , which we will consider in order . first of all , did christ commaund his disciples to eat and. drinke that he deliuered , and posted them not ouer to eate thereof when they were departed , neither willed them to defer their eating vntill afterward : then all keeping and reseruing of bread in boxes , pixes , and other vessels of the church for daies , weekes , and months , all shewing it to the people , c lifting it ouer the priests head , and going with it in procession , is vtterly vnlawfull . for , it is no sacrament vnlesse it be vsed according to christs institution and cómandement : but , to the institution it belongeth , as one the behalfe of the minister to take , to blesse , to poure out , and to distribute : so on the behalfe of the communicants to take , to eate , and to drink , in them al , to shew thereby the lords death , and to do it in remembrance of him : which cannot be performed , but by obseruing the whole action . for , how can they shew the lords death , or do it in remembrance of christ , vnlesse they take and eate ? and as the paschallambe was not that passeouer , vnlesse it were killed and eaten : no more is the bread and wine a sacrament , except they be receiued and digested . the passeouer was the same in effect with the lords supper , d who was the lambe slaine from the beginning of the world . now god commaunded , that none of it should remaine vnto the morning , but the remnant e should be consumed with fire . the like may be said of manne , the same in substance with this sacrament : it was not to be kept & caried about , let no man f reserue thereof til morning . besids , there is the same reason of the cup and of the bread : but they reserue not the wine , they carry it not about to shew the people : why then should they keepe the other part ? likewise , when christ said to his apostles , g go baptize the nations : it was no baptisme by the h confession of the aduersaries themselues , vnlesse there were some person baptized : so , when christ said take and eat , there is no sacrament , vnlesse there be a receiuing and eating . for , as the one standeth in washing , so doth the other in eating and drinking , not in keeping and reseruing , not in carying in procession on a white horse , not in hanging it vp vnder a canopy , nor in bearing it to the sicke with bell and candle . christ tooke bread and gaue it to his disciples , saying , i eate ye : he tooke the cup , and when he had giuen thanks he said , drinke ye all of this , do this in remembrance of me : as often as ye shall eate this bread and drinke of this cup , ye shew the lordes death till hee come . but , they hang in it the pixe , beare it in boxes , and carry it about in publike tryumphes , and in common calamities , when any iudgement and war , plague , pestilence , and famine , and like visitation is among them : then iack in the boxe goeth abroad in solemne k processions to be seene , which is the way to increase , not to slack : to kindle , not to quench : to prouoke , not to reuoke the iudgementes of god gone out against them . besides , they shew this sacrament to the simple people , to fall downe to it as to a god , they put it vpon the breastes of the dead , and sometimes lay it in the graue with them , i thinke to declare it to all the world , they wish christ dead , buried , and forgotten for euer , that the byshop of rome might with his shauelings rule and raign as a god vpon the earth . can light and darkenesse , can heauen and earth , fire and water , sweete and sower be more contrary , then these vaine things , to the institution of christ ? who neuer said , keep it in vessels , hang it vnder canopies , carry it in processions , l giue it to the dead , lay it vp in their tombes bring it abroad in common iudgements : but take ye , eat ye , drinke ye , and by receiving , eating , and drinking shew yee forth the lordes death vntill hee come to iudgement to iudge the quicke and the dead . this sacrament is an holy feast , an heauenly banket , and therefore not to be hidden in a box , as a light put vnder a bushell , but to be set on the lords table for all his ghuests to feede thereon . againe , if the substance and essence of this sacrament stād in the lawful vse of eating and drinking : then al eleuation & holding vp of the sacrament ouer the priests head , all adoration , falling downe , honoring it with diuine worship , and calling the sacrament m their lord and god , as it is destitute of all antiquity , so it is full of grosse and palpable idolatry . for wheras it was accustomed , to hold vp the almes & offerings consecrated to god for the poore , thereby imitating the heaue-offering of the iewes , and stirring vp the people to the like charity and deuotion , degenerated to the lifting vp of the host and bread in the sacrament . so that , where christ saith take ye , eate ye : these bread-worshippers haue changed it into , looke ye , gaze ye , worship ye , giuing his glory to dumbe and senselesse creatures . true it is , we confesse that the sacramentes , as mysteries sanctified to an holy vse , as vessels of gods grace , and as instrumentes fitted to worke great things , are not to be contemned or refused , but to be receiued with due regard and to be vsed with all sobriety 〈◊〉 yea we confesse that christ god & man is to be worshipped euery where : we honor his word , we reuerence his sacraments . notwithstanding , n we put a difference between god and the sacrament of god , the same honor is not due to the one that is due to other , and therefore we cannot adore the elemēts with diuine worship , for many reasons . first , because christ in the institution of his supper said , take , eate , drink : he said not , worship , fal down , bow the knees before the sacra . and call vpon it in time of need . we heard before in the case of vnleuened bread , they appealed to the institutiō of cstrist : why do they now fly from it , turning eating and drinking into worshipping and adoring ? wherefore , is it not a great iniquity and wickednes , to omit what christ commaundeth , and do what he commaundeth not ? secondly , god only is to be worshipped with diuine honor , as math. , thou shalt worship the lord thy god , and him o only thou shalt serue . and exod. . thou shalt not bow down to them , nor worship them . now the sacrament 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 sacra . is visible , that al may know it , and see it with their eies : the sacrament is eaten , but god cannot be eaten and swallowed vp of vs , p whom the heauens and the heauens of heauens cannot contain or cōprehend . thirdly , christ reproueth the samaritans , because they worshipped that q they knew not : but the papistes know not the body of christ to be contained vnder the accidentes ofbread and wine , for the scriptures haue not taught it , christ hath not deliuered it , the apostles haue not shewed it . besides , they knew not the priests intent , whereon they say the essence of the sacrament dependeth , so as if he had no purpose of consecration , they cannot deny themselues to be idolaters and bread-worshippers . fourthly , r the true worshippers must worship god in spirit and in truth , as christ setteth downe , ioh. , , that is , not according to our owne imaginations and diuises , but as god hath prescribed : but , to fall downe to the sacrament , is a bodily sernice , a new-forged worship , and an humane inuention . fistly , without faith no man can please god : but saith commeth by hearing , s and hearing by the word of god , which yet they could neuer shew vnto vs : therefore , they can haue no assurance of pleasing god in their wil-worship . sixtly , if this sacrament be to be worshipped , then it is vnited personally to christ , because adoration should not be due to christ as man , except god and man in the vnion of person were one christ : but there is no personall vnion betweene 〈◊〉 and the sacrament of christ : therefore not to be worshipped . seuenthly , no man in his wits and right mind wil honor that with diuine worship , which himselfe may take in his hand , and eate with his mouth , and which may be deuouied by mise , rattes , dogs , wormes , or other venime : for how shall that be adored as god , that cannot defend it selfe from the teeth of men and beastes ? as ioash answeared , t will ye plead baals cause ? if he be god , let him plead for himselfe against him that hath cast downe his altar . lastly , seeing they adore christ in the pixe , where the bread is ; and in the chalyce wher the wine is , why do they not likewise worship him in the priest and in the faithfull people , and euery man in his brother , when they haue created and eaten him vp ? the same christ that was surely inclosed in the pixe , is by their doctrine , really contained in the body of priest and people , when they haue eaten and drunken their supposed sacrifice : why then adore they not the flesh of christ , after that it is entred into the mouth of man , as well as in the golden boxe , or in the gilden chalice ? nay , why may he not be adored in the bodies of mise and vermin by them , if it fall out that they eate vp their god ? shall he be any where without honor ? or wil they worship him wher they list , and ouerskip him where they please ? howsoeuer 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 grosse and 〈◊〉 idolatry . moreouer , if christ command the bread to be eaten and the wine to be drunk then they are not to be offered vp to god the father , as is vsually wont to be done in the pageant of the masse . this is a deep dungeō of iniquity , and a monster of many heads , turning the holy sacrament into an vnbloody sacrifice for the quicke and the dead , abolishing the fruite and remembrance of the death of christ , disanulling his priesthood , giuing him to his father , wheras the father hath giuen him to vs , and imagining thereby to pay a price to god , which he should receiue as a fatisfaction for our sins . true it is , the lords supper may after a sorte be called a sacrifice , not as the church of rome meaneth , a but bycause therin we offer vp praises & thanks giuings to god , for that sacrifice of attonement once made vpon the crosse , which is most acceptable to god : and because such as come aright thereunto , offer vp themselues wholly to god , a reasonable , holy , and liuing sacrifice : and lastly , because thereby we cal to our remembrance 〈◊〉 bloody sacrifice of christ withal 〈◊〉 circumstances therof , the shame of the crosse , the darkenes of the heauen , the shaking of the earth , the renting of the aire , the cleauing of the rocks , the reproches of the iewes , the taunts of the soldiers , the opening of the graues , & the conquering of the deuil . for the christians in former times , b perceiuing that many both iewes and gentiles , refused to embrace the faith of christ , and to ioyne themselues to the church , because they pretend the want of sacrifices among them , ( and nature engrafted in all nations this principle , that we haue no free accesse to god , no true peace to our selus , without a sacrifice ) the fathers to win such as were without , affirmed that the church had also a sacrifice and thereupon entituled the sacrament of the supper with the name of a sacrifice , c for the causes before remembred . but for a mortall man , whose breath is in his nostrils , to presume in the prid of his hart , vnder the formes of bread and wine to offer vp christ the son of god in the sacrifice to his father , and to dare to desire the father fauourably to behold and accept his owne sonne , is idolatry , blasphemy , and horrible impiety , to be detested of all true hearted christians . touching the originall of d the word masse , it seemeth to come from an ancient custome of the church , sending away such as communicated not . for the deacon was accustomed to bid them depart , that were nouices in the faith , and such as by church-discipline e were remoued from the communion . this dimission of them was noted by the word missa , signifieng a sending away and licensing to depart : and thus some of f the heathen vsed it . the name then being in it selfe not euill , is turned into an euill practise , and therfore as it is vsed and vnderstood of our aduersaries , we reiect both the name and thing it selfe , for these causes . first , no angell , no man , no creature is of that dignity and worthinesse , that he may offer vp and sacrifice the sonne of god : for the priest is aboue the sacrifice : they therefore that will be the priests to offer christ , aduance and lift vp themselues aboue christ . secondly , if christ be really offered in the masse , then he is killed truely and indeed : for a reall sacrifice proueth a reall death , and when christ was sacrificed really , he dyed really , as when the beasts were sacrificed , they wer killed . and holcot one of the schoolemen saith , if there had been a thousand hostes in a thousand places , at the same time that christ did hang vpon the crosse , g christ had beene crucified in a thousand places . wherfore , they that really sacrificed our sauiour christ , did in that act really and wickedly kill him : so that the prieste s of baal , if they wil be sacrificers of christ , must acknowledge themselues therein the reall murtherers of christ. thirdly , new sacrifices are not to bee instituted by men , without commaundement of god , as moses teacheth . deut. . we must not do h what seemeth good in our owne eyes , but take heede and heare all these words which he commaundeth vs. now , christ neuer saide , sacrifice ye my bodie and blood to god. fourthly , christ tooke the bread and gaue it to his disciples , he did not offer it vp to god the father , he tooke the cup and bad them all drinke of it : he did not turne himfelfe to god , and desire him then to accept the sacrifice of his body and blood . fiftly , if the bread and wine remaine in their former substance in the lords supper : then bread and wine onely are offered , not the body and blood of christ , but they remaine : for christ deliuered i bread to his disciples , and paule teacheth that it is the bread which is broken , & that as ofren asthe 〈◊〉 eat this bread and drinke of this cup , they shew the lords death : therefore their reall sacrifice is reall idolatry . sixtly , it appeareth in the institution of the supper , that christ consecrated the bread apart , and the wine 〈◊〉 , and afterwarde deliuered them both apart , but the bodye of christ was neuer sacrificed without the blood , nor the blood without the flesh : for christ offered vppon the altar of the crosse the sacrifice of his bodie and blood together , this is the cause that he saide , take ye , eat ye , drinke ye , not take ye to offer and to sacrifice . seuenthly , the scripture teacheth vs one offering and sacrifice for sin once performed and offered . heb. . wee are sanctified by the offering of iesus christ k once made : and ver . . this man after he had offered one saerifice for sinnes , sitteth at the right hnnd of god , and the apostle tim. . there is one mediator betweene god and man , the man iesus christ , who gaue himselfe a ransome for all men . so iohn . if any man sinne , we haue an aduocate with the father , iesus christ the righteous , and hee is the propitiation for our sinnes . likewise heb , . by his owne blood he entred in once vnto the holy place , and obtained eternall redemption for vs : not that he should offer himselfe l often , as the high priest entered into the holy place euerie yeare , with other blood ( for then must he haue often suffered since the foundation of the worlde ) but now in the end of the worlde hath he bene made manifest once to put away sinne by the sacrifice of himselfe . we haue plentifull testimonies of this truth in this epistle , as chap. x. where remission of these things is , there is no m more offering for sinne . if then we haue remission by the sacrifice of christ , all other sacrifices are superfluous and abrogat his al-sufficient sacrifice . so rom , . in that he died , he died for sinne n once . and . pet. . christ also hath once suffered for sinnes , the iust for the vninst . if then this perfect offering were once onely to be offered , then he is not offered , neither can be offered againe in the masse . and , if the onely oblation of christ once offered by himselfe be sufficient : all other oblations and sacrifices are vaine and superfluous . for how is that perfect , which is often repeated ? eightly , to make a lawfull sacrifice , there is required necessarily a fit minister lawfully called of god , for o no man taketh his honor to himselfe but he that is called of god , as was aaron : so likewise christ took not to himselfe this honour to be made the high-priest , but he that saide to him , thou art my sonne , this day i begat thee , gaue it him . but christ is the onely priest of the new testament , his priesthood is immortall and eternall , he liueth for euer therefore the popish priesthood is a plant neuer planted by the heauenly father the p true husbandman , and the popish priests were neuer called of god , to sacrifice the body and blood of christ , he gaue vnto them no such authority , q & therefore , in time shall be rooted vp . if they pretend the precept and planting of god , let them shew their commission that we may see it , and let them bring forth their charter that we may trie it , otherwise wee must take them for vsurpers , and counterfait officers in the cittie of god. ninthlie , the apostle teacheth , that without shedding of blood is no r remission : but in the vnblodie sacrifice of the masse , 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 masse is no remission of any sins . tenthly , if christ be daily offered in the masse , then hee doth dailie satisfie for sinne , for the end of his offering is s to make satisfaction , as romaines , . . he was deliuered to death for our sinnes , and is risen againe for our instification . and gal , , . he gaue himselfe for our sinnes that he might deliuer vs from this present euill world ; but he doth not make satisfaction , for our sinnes , no more then now he dieth and riseth again , for then christ would not haue said , t it is finished : nor the apostle , u he entered once into the holy place . wherefore , no more sacrifice for sinne remaineth to be offered by such as iniuriously vsurpe the priesthood of christ . last of all , all true christians are priestes to offer vp their bodies an acceptable sacrifice to god , which is their reasonable seruice of god , and to offer vp a broken contrite spirit , as pet , , . ye are a chosen generation , u a royall priesthood and an holy nation . and reuel , . he hath loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his blood , and made vs kings and priestes vnto god his father . these are the priests that now remaine , this is the priesthood which we professe . whosoeuer maketh himselfe any priest of another order in the new testament , abrogateth and abolisheth the priesthood of christ , being after the order a of melchizedech , who was both king and priest . now then , as they commit sacriledge against christ , that presume to offer him vp an vnbloody sacrifice to god the father , to make peace and attonement betweene god and man : so they adde another iniquity as drunkennesse to thirst , making their oblation not onely profitable to take away the sinnes of the liuing , but auaileable to clense b the sinnes of the deade , that are come to the ende of theyr daies . indeede we deny not , but the masse may be beneficiall to the rabble of friers and sacrificing priestes that make it gainefull to themselues , who through their sale and merchandize of masses , dwell stately , goe sumptuously , fare delicately , drinke wine in siluer and gold , abound in pleasures , and heape vp great aboundaunce of all riches : shall we not now say , the masse is profitable ? but other profit of the masses , then these to the masse-mungers , we know none . we know , we find , we feelethem otherwise many waies pernicious in themselues , dishonourable to god , and hurtfull to the people . for first the sacrament was instituted to no such end and purpose , as to helpe the deade , and to be a propitiation for their sinnes . for christ sayde take and eat , this is my body : drinke ye , this is my blood : but the deade cannot take any thing offered vnto them : they can neither eate , nor drinke : wherefore , this supper being spirituall meat and nourishment for the soule , cannot auaile the deade , who are neither fed nor nourished . secondly , it profiteth as much to be baptized for the dead , as to receiue the supper of the lorde for the deade : for both sacraments were instituted of christ , and there is the same respect of both . but it can doe no good to baptize one for another , the liuing for the dead , therefore the living , comming to receiue the sacrament of the supper , cannot releeue the dead . thirdly , there is no forgiuenesse of sinnes after this life , we haue forgiuenes in this life or neuer . whatsoeuer is bounde on earth , is bound in heauen . heere is the time , heere is the place , heere is the occasion offered to worke , as the wiseman teacheth , ec , , all that thine hand shall find to do , do it with all thy power : for there is c neither worke , nor inuention , nor knowledge , nor wisedome in the graue whither thou goest . and heb , . to day , if ye wil heare his voice , harden not your harts . wherfore then is a sacrifice offred for the dead , for whom there is no releefe , no redresse , no remission ? fourthly , it is vaine to offer for those that haue ended their daies , and are already come to the ende of their race , d whose estate can neuer be changed . the night commeth , when no man can worke , and chapt , , are there not twelue houres in the day ? if a man walke in the day , he stumbleth not , because he seeth the light of this world . if a man walke in the night , he stumbleth , because there is no light in him . and paule , tim , . i haue fought a good fight , i haue finished my race , i haue kept the faith , from henceforth is laid vp for 〈◊〉 the crowne of righteousnes . but this is the state of all the dead , they are entred into iudgment , they are not subiect to any chang . lastly , if the sacrifice of the masse could wash away the sinnes of the dead , then the sacrifice of the masse should surmount and exceede the sacrifice offered by christ himselfe vpon the crosse. for this helpeth the liuing , it auaileth not the dead : and so we should haue other meanes to take away sinne then his oblation and there should be another propitiation for the sinnes of the world . and thus much of the popish idoll of the blasphemous masse . furthermore , did christ deliuer his last supper to all his disciples that were present ? did none stand by , and gaze on while other receiued ? then heereby fall to the ground the priuate communions of the popish church , where al is deuoured by the priest , nothing deliuered to the people . for whereas the ordinance of christ and ancient order of the church was , for the minister and people to receiue the sacrament together : among them the priest accompanied with his boy to make answer , receiueth the sacrament himselfe alone , without distribution made to others , yea although the whole congregation be present and looke vpon him , whereby god is dishonoured , the communion is abolished , the people of god are there by depryued and robbed of al comfort . how is this a feast which the priest prepareth for himselfe , not for others : receiueth by himselfe , not with his bretheren : he speaketh to himselfe , and not to the assembly : he vseth a strange tongue , and no man knoweth what he meaneth : the people is taught nothing , they vnderstand nothing , they heare nothing , they receiue nothing ; and a few childish , apish , foolish , and vnseemely gestures excepted , they see nothing : they tast 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 eate vp all alone , but after the disciples hadde supped as mathew g setteth it downe , he tooke bread and blessed he brake and gaue it to them , saying , take ye , eate ye : neither did he drinke alone of the fruite of the vine , but taking the cup he gaue thanks , and gaue to them all , saying , drink ye all of this . so then , albeit a certain number of communicants are not limited and determined : yet christ in these wordes apoin 〈◊〉 eth a company to be present , as apeareth by the number take ye , eate ye , drinke ye all , deuide ye it among your selues , doe ye this in my remembrance , ye set foorth the lordes death , when yee come together to eat , tarrie ye one for another , as often as ye shal eat this bread . these words cannot be vnderstood of one perticular man , but necessarily import a greater number of men : nay , the philosopher teacheth that the word ( all ) must be verified at the least h 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 administred this sacrament to him , much lesse would they minister to themselues alone , when none were conuerted in a nation or cittie . secondly , christ expressely commandeth vs to doe as himselfe did , when he left this fare-well token and pledge of his 〈◊〉 to his disciples , saying , i do this in remembrance of me . but he , after the wordes of consecration , did not offer a sacrifice to his father vnder shewes of bread and wine , but gaue the bread and cup to his disciples , and left his owne example as a direction for vs to followe : so that the distribution and deliuerance of the signes 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 lawfull in any sort to change the testament of christ , or to corrupt the meaning of the testator . thirdly , the apostle teacheth how he receiued from the lorde that which he deliuered to the churches , that the people should eate of this bread and drinke of this cup : k and proueth that the faithfull 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 drinke , but by drinking . as cor. x. wee that are l many are one breade and one body , because we are all partakers of one bread . fourthly , the same apostle reprooueth the corinthians , which presumed to the supper of the lorde besore others , and did not tarry for their brethren when they came togither to be partakers of the sacrament , as we see , cor , . euery man a hen they should eate , m taketh his owne supper afore , this is not to eat the lords snpper . and afterward , wherefore my brethren , when ye come together to eate , tarry one for another . now because the corinthians brake this order and ordinance , he chargeth them to come vnreuerently , to receiue vnworthily , to eat and drink iudgment vnto themselues . shall they then that are faithfull christians , patiently beare the iniury done them by these sacrificing masse-mungers , who neuer bid the lordes ghuestes , nor call them to his table , nor tarry for them till they come to this heauenly banket , but like the priests of bell , do eate and drinke vp all themselues . fistly , the same apostle willeth and warneth all persons which come to this communion , diligently to proue and examine n themselues , and then to come to this supper , as we see , cor . . let a man examine himselfe , and so let him eat of this bread and drinke of this cup : so that he would not haue any excluded from receiuing , which haue tryed their harts by examining , and are thereby rightly propared to this great worke . lastly , the names giuen to this sacrament , noting the nature thereof , doe affoord vs a good consideration to strike through the heart of this priuate masse , being called sometimes the supper of the lord , and sometimes a communion among our selues . if it be an holy supper and spirituall banket , why are none bidden and called thereunto ? if it be a communion , why doth the priest vncharitably swallow all alone ? whereby they make it a communion , but without company : a supper , but without ghuests : meat , but without eating : drinke , but without drinking : a table , but without sitting downe : a participation , but without any that are partakers : a banket , but without seeding thereat , the people departing as hungery and thirsty as they came . wherefore , as no man celebrated the passeouer aright , or receiued 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 looke vpon others , except he eate of the bread and drinke of the cup , according to the commaundement of christ , the author thereof . and thus much of the sole communions and priuate masses brought into the church against the example of christ against the vse of the apostles , and against the name and nature of the sacrament it selfe . hitherto we haue pulled downe the heresies of the church of rome , and haue raked in the dirt and dungh ill of their deuises , the sauour whereof hath annoyed heauen and earth : now let us obserue out of this last outward part of the sacrament , how we are directed and instructed therby to further our knowledge and obedience . did christ commaunde the faithfull of his family to eate and drinke that which he deliuereth without laying any furder burthen or bondage vpon them ? then we must vnderstand , o it is no precept of christ to receiue the lordes supper fasting before any other meats and drinkes . true it is , the people , whose zeale goeth beyond their knowledge , make a great scruple of conscience in this point to come fasting p which custom we do not condemn , but commend , so it be without superstition in themselues , and iudging of others . but howsoeuer many make as great a matter to communicate fasting , as to come in faith : yet this is no necessary rule or commaundement binding the conscience to the obseruation thereof . for , the worde 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 practise . and our blessed sauiour teacheth his disciples what they should do , the euangelists deliuer what they did , and among all their doctrine we find not this precept of fasting . againe , christ administred it not fasting , the apostles receiued it not fasting : not that we are bounde to celebrate the supper at that time : but to shew that christ would neuer haue chosen to do it after supper , if that time had bin simply vnlawful . besides , the apostle cor . . reproouing 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 that he cannot tarrie , he must before hand 〈◊〉 at home , that so he may better wait for the rest of the congregation . now he would neuer haue giuen counsell and commandement , if it had bin vnlawfull or vngodly to take some little repast and short refreshing before , in regarde of the present infirmity and weakenes of the body . lastly , he teacheth in another place , that the kingdome of heauen is not r meat nor drinke , but righteousnes and peace , and ioy in the holy-ghost . to conclude , as hee willeth that he which eateth , despise not him that eateth not , and he which eateth not condemne not him that eateth : s so must it be in this indifferent practise , he that can take it , let him take it : but let not him that receiueth fasting , iudge him that fasteth not : and let not him which fasteth not , condemne him that receiueth fasting , he standeth or falleth to his owne maister . who art thou then that iudgest an other mans seruant ? let euery one be perswaded in his owne mind , and looke to the warrant of his own worke . let vs follow those things which concerne peace , and where with one may edisie another . if any list to bee contentious , we haue no such custome , neither the 〈◊〉 of god. and thus much of the communicants of this sacrament , and likewise of the rest of the outward parts of the lords supper . chap. of the words of 〈◊〉 in the sacrament of the lords supper . although we haue spoken before sufficiently of consecration , a what it is , and how it is wrought , to satisfie all such as are sober minded and simple louers of the truth : yet be cause special points are heere to be obserued , and that the aduersaries turn the true consecration into a taine magicall incantation , to worke a miraculous or rather a monstrous transubstantiation : it shall not be amisse to assure and handle this point againe , that therby the truth of god may be cleered , the ignorant instructed , the aduersaties satisfied , and consequently their mouthes stopped . consecration is b a change or conuerting of the outward elementes into another vse , by obseruing the whole institution of christ , which giueth it his effect . we confesse a turning and changing , not of one substance into another , not by abolishing of natures , not by close pronouncing of certaine wordes : but in the vse and in respect of vs , c and in regard of the promise of god. 〈◊〉 he water which floweth out of the rock in the wildernesse , signified the same to the fathers , which the wine 〈◊〉 to vs in the supper . notwithstanding , it was a common watering to the beasts of the fielde , and to the people of god , the cattell dranke thereof as well as the people , and therefore there could be made no change there in but in respect of men , d to whom god gaue his gratious promise ; which teacheth vs to account of the outward signes otherwise then of common meats and common drinks . the stones hammered in the quarrey , the timber hewed in the forrest , the gold tryed in the furnace , were common stuff , before they were layd in the building of the temple , e and so made holy and sanctified to god and man. the sayings and sentences f of the heathenish poets were prophane , before they had passed through the pen of god , and were taken vp by the holy ghost . so wee teach of the bread and wine , before the institution of christ is vsed and obserued , they are common : but afterward they are holy . we confesse and 〈◊〉 not , but say plainely , there is a change in the sacramentes : the elements which before were ordinary meates , now become spiritual in respect of the vse : before they serued only to feede the belly , now they serue to seale vp the nourishment of our soules . the discussing of this question , g together with the foundation of this consecration and sanctification of the creatures , is taken out of tim. . . euery creature of god is good , and nothing ought to be refused , if it be receiued with thanks giuing : for it is sanctified h by the word of god and prayer . these are the two meanes , the word and prayer , whereby the elementes are changed , though not transubstantiated , yet they haue a dignity and preheminence , which they had not before , they are no i more common bread , common wine , common meate , but a sacrament of christes body , a warrant of gods promises , an holy mystery , and seale of the couenant between god and vs. the first meanes of this consecration , and setting a part of the creatures to our vse , is by the word of god. if we haue the euident and expresse word to warrant our vse of the creatures of god , we may vse them for our necessity and comfort : if we haue no word to beare out the practise , they are not sanctified vnto vs. the tree of knowledge of good and euil , was not sanctified vnto . adam , though it were good in it selfe ( as all k creatures are ) because he had a word of commaundement not to eate of it , l of the tree of the knowledge of good and euill , thou shalt not eate of it , for in the day that thou eatest thereof , thou shalt dye the death . after the fall and after the flood , all creatures were not sanctified , some were accounted m vncleane , all might not be eaten , all might not be offered : as vnder the law , n among the beastes , onely they were cleane that did chew the cud and diuide the hoofe : and among the fishes of the sea , onely such as had skales and finnes were called cleane , the rest were vncleane vnto them , because the word did not allow but restraine the vse of them . so likewise for this sacrament of the lords supper , not euery creature is sanctified , not a 〈◊〉 , not any flesh , not any fish , not oyle : but onely bread and wine . these two are consecrated , all the rest are cancelled by the word . the second meanes , whereby the creatures are sanctified , is by prayer . for albeit that god by the comming of his sonne into the world hath sanctified all meates and drinkes , that nothing of it selfe is vncleane , o but to him that counteth it vncleane : yet something must necessarily be done on our partes , otherwise that which is holy , we may prophane : and that which is good , we may turne into euill : and therefore the apostle addeth praier , which is both a thanksgiuing to the lord that he hath sanctified and prepared them for vs , and likewise a petition that they may bee healthfull for vs , and we thankefull for them , whereby our foode , our apparell , and all the succours of this life are sanctified to his glory and our comfort . these be the two meanes 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 haue eaten swines flesh , which indeed p part the 〈◊〉 , but chew not the cud : they should haue sinned , because it was not sanctified : and therefore albeit they had prayed for a blessing all the day longe , and giuen thankes neuer so much , yet could it not make their practise lawfull , which the word of god had made vnlawfull . or , if they had offered a cleane and holy sacrifice , and not made humble and earnest prayers to god to accept them and their oblations , it could not haue due effect , but the worde of god had beene hindred by their vnworthynesse . so , in the administration of the lordes sacred supper , we vse the word of god which warranteth vs to take the bread and wine , out of this word wee alledge the promises of god to the true beleeuer : and heerevnto wee ioyne prayers and thankesgiuing , that god would 〈◊〉 vs and 〈◊〉 vs in the participation of his owne ordinance . thus , albeit we haue no forged transubstantiation , wee haue a true consecration : if the word of god and prayer of the church can worke it , which are the meanes left vnto vs for this purpose : if wee be q any way deceiued , it is the scripture which hath deceiued vs. it remaineth now , to marke the vses of this point for our farther instruction . if by vsing the whole 〈◊〉 of christ according to his commaundement , we confesse a change and conuersion wrought in the vse of the signes : then we are falsely charged and slandered , to haue no consecration . we pronounce the same wordes of consecration that christ pronounced : we obserue the same thinges that christ obserued , and charged vs to do : we shew forth plainly the death of christ as it r he were described in our sight and among vs crucified : we speak openly in a known tongue and the people vnderstand vs : we pray vnto god to accept vs , and render him thankes for the worke of our redemption : lastly , we take the outward elementes and ioyne the word vnto them , and thus they are made to vs a sacrament . nay , if to offer vp to god , our selues , our soules , our bodies , our almes for the poore , our prayers and thanksgiuinges vnto god the father for our redemption , be an oblatiou and a sacrifice : we haue both a sacrament and a sacrifice in our churchés , though we offer not vp christs body , to be a propitiatory sacrifice for the quicke and dead , vnto his father . we offer vp as much as s christ commaunded vs to offer : but that sacrifice was once offered vp vpon the crosse : he wasthe priest , hee was the altar , he was the sacrifice , there is no other sacrifice left to be offered for sinne : and he which presumeth to offer him againe , is an enemy to the crosse of christ , treadeth the sonne of god vnder his foote , counteth the blood of the new testament vnholy , and hath renounced saluation by iesus christ. now if we , cleaning precisely to the institution of christ , doe not consecrate : what may be thought of the popish priestes , who whisper their wordes closely , that no man heareth : vse a strange tongue , that no man vnderstandeth : bring in pryuate masses , whereat none communicate : deliuer dry communions , wherein no man drinketh : exhorte no man , speake to no man : and if they doe consecrate , they consecrate onelye for themselues , and not for others . wherefore we detest the opprobrious and blasphemous speaches of the prophane pistes , who in t the spirit of shemei and of kahshaketh , raile falsely , vilely , and slanderously against our communions , affirming that they are no other then common bread and wine , without grace , without vertue , without sanctification , bare signes of christ absent , no better then our common breakfasts , dinners and suppers . thus they speak basely , proudly , and scornefully of our communions , but all the world knoweth they speake vntruely . we hold an effectuall consecration in both the sacramentes , though we deny a reall conuersion into the body and blood of christ : the water in baptisme is no more common water , u it is not void of a spirituall effect , it is not without grace and sanctification . so the bread and wine are changed , not from one substance into another , but from one vse to another ; not in themselues , but to vs : not in their owne nature , but in their end ; and thus they are not the same they were before . againe , are these signes sanctified and consecrated , that are deliuered and receiued : then heereby wee learne , what is to be thought of the remnants and leauings remaining after the lordes supper . for who seeth not heereby , that the bread and wine of the holy vse and lawfull participation appointed , are not a sacrament ? they differ nothing from common bread and wine sold in other places , and taken in our houses . therfore , a among diuerse , the remainder was accustomably vsed to be burned ; b among some it was giuen to little children that were in the schooles ; among others , they did eate in the c common assembly at their feastes of loue : so that out of the sacred vse of the sacrament they did eate it as common bread , they did drinke it as common wine . we see in baptisme , the water remaining and not vsed , is no part of the sacrament , but may be applyed to common vses . so it is in the lords supper ( for the sacramentes of the new testament are alike and of the same worthinesse ) no more is consecrated then is receiued and applied . this also is euident by d the rock in the wildernesse : where the waters flowing from thence , represented the blood of christ to the isralites that dranke thereof , not to the beastes and cattell that were 〈◊〉 by it . so much was consecrated water as they receiued , not all the rest . so when iohn e baptized in iordan , not all the rvuer , but all that which was applyed was sanctified . so when he baptized in f enon , because there was much water 〈◊〉 , not the whole streame was hallowed , but so much as he vsed . wherefore , whatsoeuer remaineth after the celebration of the sacraments , may be 〈◊〉 lawful y to common and ordinary vses . moreouer , if the sanctification of euery creature , whether in the sacraments or out of the sacramentes , 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 receiued , no gift to be vsed , no blessing to be enioyed , tending to the health of the body , or comfort of the soule without this duty of prayer and thankesgiuing to the lord. indeede euery creature of god in it seife is good , and euery gift is holy : yet if we partake them without praysing the name of the giuer and creator , to vs they become vnholy , vncleane , and vnpure . now , if this be needefull in vsing the common creatures and guiftes of god : much more is it necessary in receiuing these pledges and 〈◊〉 of feeding our soules to eternall life . beholde heere , the cause that moued christ when he had taken the bread , to giue thanks to his father : wherin he sheweth what belongeth to the duty of the minister and of the communicantes , to wit , that we ought to lift vp our hearts to god , to praise him fo giuing his onely begotten sonne to bee our redeemer , and humbly to pray vnto him that our vnworthynesse hinder not the effectuall working of his sacrametnes , but that through his goodnesse and mercy they may haue their full force in our heartes , for the pardoning of our sinnes , for the increase of his graces , for the confirming of our faith , for the quickning of our obedience , and for the preseruing of body and soule to eternall life . thus wee blesse god when we praise him , and giue him the honour due vnto his name , we blesse the meates we eate , the drinkes we drinke , the thinges wee receiue , as paule saith , g the cup of blessing which wee blesse : h when prayer is made to god , that they may be healthfull to vs , and we thankefull for them . lastly , if in the sacrament there bee a consecration and separation of the outward elementes to so holy an end : it warneth vs to be carefull to vse and receiue i oftentimes this sacrament of the lordes supper . for heere are not bare signes , bare tokens , bare figures without fiuite and without grace : they are consecrated signes , and hallowed elements , effectually sealing vppe remission of sinnes . and what is more plaine then that which the apostle teacheth , cor. . as k often as ye shall eate of this bread , and drinke of this cup , ye shew the lordes death till he come . thus the lord iesus speaketh , doe this , as oft as ye shall drinks it in remembrance of me . and haue we not many worthy and effectuall l considerations , to moue such as professe the same doctrine , to resorte oftentimes to the same table of the lorde ? it is the commaundement of christ , so that we ought to make some conscience of this duty , as of other commaundementes prescribed vnto vs. it is a commaundement of god m thou shalt not steale . few , but to make some conscience thereof , because it is gods commaundement . so is this heere , often to come to the lordes table : yet what little account is made heereof all the yeare long , euery one seeth , and the faithfull soule agreeueth . the high god possessor n of heauen and earth hath required and commaunded it : yet who regardeth ? the lorde hath spoken , and yet who obeyeth ? if a father should command a duty of his son , or a maister of his seruant , he could not patiently endure to be disobeyed : o and shal we not thinke that god will require his lawes at our hands ? againe , to his commaundement he hath annexed a promise , which maketh our sin and vnthankfulnes the greater , if we shew not our selues ready in yeelding to this duty . besides , seeing this sacra , is a speciall prop to stay vp our faith , and geth with it christ and all his merits and heauenly treasurs : we are vtter enemies to our owne selues , to our own souls , and to our owne saluation , if we neglect ●o great mercy offe●e● vnto vs. wherefore , it is not left free vnto vs , and committed to our discretion to receiue or not receiue this were no lawfull liberty , but vnlawfull lycentiousnesse . heere in the faithfull find very great comfort , and an effectuall meanes to strengthen their faith . euen as the sicke man that feeleth his sickenes , and knoweth his own weaknes , shoulde haue a speciall care to looke to his stomacke , that therby he may receiue norishment & gather strength : so we are all spiritually diseased , assaulted of satan , tempted of the flesh , ouercome after●imes of sin , and must seeke strength of saith from this heauenly nourishment . god of his compassion hath set vp his sacrament , as a signe vpon an high hill , whence it may be seene farre and neere on euery side , to raise vp such as are fallen , to strengthen such as stand , to comfort such as are weak , and to call vnto him such as run away from him , whereby hee gathereth them vnder his winges . it is as the brazen sepent , p that comming vnto it with a faith to be healed , we might liue and not perish . it is a banner displayed , that euery ch●●stian souldi●r should resort vnto it as vnto his owne comfortable supper , to be had in often vse and continuall remembrance , to put vs in mind of his continuall mercy laid vp for vs in the blood of christ , and to ratifie and seale vp the same farre more liuely , then the ba●e word onely . when the words of christs institution are spoken , q this is my body which is broken for you : this is my blood which was shed for you : when these words i say , are reade vnto vs our of the scriptures , they confirme our faith : but much more when the sacrament is seene with our eyes , that we behold the bred broken , and looke vpon the wine poured out : but most of all when we tast and handle , when we eate and drinke the outwarde signes . we see , when one maketh a bare promise to another , with wordes onely betweene themselues , he beginneth to doubt ( to whome the promise is made ) of the performance thereof : if he adde an oath for confirmation , the promise is more assuredly ratified : but if he giue his hande writing , and seale it to the party , the matter is made out of doubt . thus we doe reason and helpe our faith . we haue the promises of god , wee haue the oath of god , we haue the wordes and writinges of god , we haue the seales and sacramentes of god , these are not reserued in the lords keeping , but are put into our owne handes to see them , to keepe them , to vse them for our comfort and assurance . i speake after the manner of men , if wee haue a free promise from an honest man , penned fairely in writing , ratified vnder his owne hand and seale , and all giuen vnto vs to locke and lay vp , we doubt not of the possession . now , let vs consider the lords doing , and see what hee hath done for vs : who is not as man , that r he shoulde lie , nor as the sonne of man that he should deceiue . god sent his sonne s into the world to take our nature vpon him , to be like vs , t euen in his infirmities , hee named himselfe u iesus , that is , a sauiour , because he shoulde saue his people from their sinnes : after his death he sent his apostles to preach the glad tidings of remission of sinnes and euerlasting saluation : he ordained his last supper immediately before his death to testifie and assure them vnto vs , not onely by sounding them in our eares , but by beholding , tasting , smelling , feeling , and feeding to seale them in our hearts , and also daily to be repeated and ministred vnto vs. seeing then , we haue both his promises and oath , his worde and writings , his seales and sacramentes in our keeping , what would we haue more ? he would not make halfe so much adoin assuring his promises , if he loued vs not : he would not set such authentike seals to his deede and obligations , vnlesse he ment good earnest . his bare worde and naked promise is verie good paiment : but he respecteth our weakenes , whose mercifull kindnesse must not be neglected through our vnthankefulnes . thus much of consecration , and the vses thereof . chap. . of the first inward part of the lords supper . hitherto we haue spoken of the outward parts of this sacrament , by doing whereof confirmation is performed : a now follow the inward parts to be considered . for in sa. we must consider not what they be of themselues , but what b they signifie vnto vs , these inward partes are foure in number , to wit , the father , the spirit , the body & blood of christ , and the faithfull . all these haue a sacramentall relation to the outwarde partes , and declare the inwarde truth of them . the actions of the minister , are notes of the actions of god the father : the word of institution is made effectuall by the holy spirit : the breade and wine are signes and seales , representing the bodye and blood of christ : the outward actions of euery receiuer , do note out the inwarde actions and spirituall workes of the faithfull . thus then the agreement answeareth aptly , and the proportion falleth fully betweene the parts , c as the minister by the words of institution , offereth vnto the communicants the bread and wine to feed thereupon corporally and bodily : so god the father , by the spirit offereth and giueth the body and blood of christ , to the faithfull receiuers to feede vppon them spiritually . now then , let vs remember the sencible and externall actions of the minister , that thereby we may consider the spirituall and inward actions of god the father . and first of all , the taking of the bread and wine into his hands , and the consecrating or blessing of them by reapeating the promise , by 〈◊〉 , and thanksgiuings , doth seale vp these holie actions of god the father , by which he from all eternity euen before the foundation of the world , did seperate , elect , ordaine , chuse , and call his son to performe the osfice of a mediator between god and man : and when the fulnes of time came did send him into the worlde , to performe that osfice , whereunto he was appointed . this we see proued vnto vs in many places , as iohn , . labour not for the meat which 〈◊〉 , but for the meat that endureth vnto euerlasting life , which the sonne of man shall giue vnto you : for him d hath god the father sealed , that is , hath installed him into his office , to reconcile men vnto god , and to bring them to euerlasting life . and ch. iesus gaue himself , that he might deliuer vs from this present euill world , e according to the will of god euen our father : so that whatsoeuer christ did , he did it by the will and appoinment of his father . according to the testimony of the apostle , heb , , christ took not to himself 〈◊〉 honor , to be made the high priest , f but he that saide vnto him , 〈◊〉 art my sonne , this day i begat thee , gaue it him . and as the father ordained him to that office , so in time he sent him , as the euangelist 〈◊〉 . g the spirit of the l. is vpon me , because he hath annointed me , that i should preach the 〈◊〉 to the poore , bind vp the broken hearted , preach liberty to the captiues , &c. so likewise iohn . heerein is that loue , not that we loued god , but that he loued vs , and h sent his sonne to be areconciliation for our sinnes . and gal. , when the fulnesse of time was come , god sent 〈◊〉 his sonne made of a 〈◊〉 , and made vnder the lawe , that hee might redeeme them that are vnder the lawe . thus we see the inwarde actions of god the father , aunswearing to the outwarde actions of the minister . now , let vs come to the vses of this part . first of all , this sealing and sending of his sonne , serueth to confirme and assure vs of our saluation in christ. for seeing god hath 〈◊〉 and appointed him into this office , our faith cannot faile , our confidence cannot fall , our hope cannot make ashamd , i seeing the loue of god is thus shed abroad in our harts through the holyghost , k who beareth witnes with our spirit , that we are the children of god , and by whom we l are sealed vnto the day 〈◊〉 redemption . againe , let vs seeke saluation no where else then in him alone , whome god the father hath sealed , and set apart to that end . for euen as the body is norished by no other meates and drinkes then by such as m god hath appointed to this purpose , n as a staffe to sustaine vs : so is the soule fed by no other meanes then god hath before ordained . the cause of our saluation is in the loue of god toward vs , which is notably represented by the taking & blessing of the outward elements . he might haue left vs to our selues , to work out our own destruction : but his mercy is greater then his iustice . thirdly , by these outward actions of the minister , wee must seeke confirmation and strength of our faith , being assured that god the father tooke his sonne , and appointed him to these endes . we must not wander and gaze about , and thinke we haue nothing to do , but when we take and receiue the bread and the cup into our hands : we must in euery sacramentall rite consider the thinges signified , and ponder in our hearts the fitnesse and agreement betweene them both . so then , as we behold with our bodily eies the minister ( representing the person of the father ) taking , blessing , and separating the bread and wine to that bodily vse : so surely and certainely we must learne that god the father hath ordained and sent his only begotten sonne , o in whom he is well pleased , to bee the meditator for the pardon of our sinnes . hence we see the infinite loue of god toward vs : and let vs labor to comprehend p the length , bredth , height , and depth therof , that spared not q his owne sonne , but gaue him for vs all vnto the death : hence we see , that exceeding compassion of the sonne , that loued his enemies more then himselfe , and accounted not his owne life precious to himselfe : hence we see the gratious and glorious worke of our redemption , wherin the mercy and iustice of god r meete together , and kisse each other , teaching vs to take sweete delight and comfort in the meditation thereof day and night withal thanksgiuing : hence wee haue assurance of saluation and consolation in all troubles and tentations : hence we see the greatnesse of our owne sinnes that could not be pardoned , but by the death of the son of god , and therefore we must hate them with an vnfained hatred as our greatest , most dangerous and deadly enemies : and lastly , hence wee see , that if god the father thus loued vs , we ought earnestly to loue him againe , and to serue him in all duties of holynesse and true righteousnes : neyther ought we to loue him onely , but for him all our brethren , as the apostle reasoneth , s brethren , if god so loued vs , wee ought to loue one another . thus we haue shewed , how the taking of the bread by the minister , signifyeth the fathers appointing of his sonne : the ministers blessing , the fathers separating and setting a part his sonne to his office : the minsters deliuering of the bread , the fathers giuing of his sonne . if then wee drawe neere to the lords table with faith , reuerence , and repentance , nothing can be more sure & certain to vs , then the taking & receiuing of christ , for when we receiue the bred from the minister , we with all receiue the body of christ offered by the hand of god the father . lastly , the breaking of the breade , pouring out of the wine , and deliuering of them both into the handes of the communicants , 〈◊〉 these actions of god , his chastising of his sonne , and breaking him with sorrowes vppon the crosse for our redemption , offering him vnto all , euen vnto hypocrites , and giuing him truely to the faithfull with all the benefits of his passion . indeed , the minister giueth the outwarde signes to all receiuers ; but god giueth and applyeth onely to the faithfull , the shedding of christes blood for their daily increase of their faith and repentance . but heere it may be obiected , that not a bone of him was broken . t as it was figured by the passeouer , and performed at his passion : the verifieng and accomplishment whereof we read iohn , . . i answere , there is a dubble breaking of christ : one corporall , whereof the places before do speak : the other figuratiuely , wherby is vnderstood , u he was tormented and euen torne with paines , as esa. . he was wounded for our transgressions , and broken for our iniquities : the chastisement of our peace was vppon him , and with his stripes we are healed . lo what is ment by the breaking of the bread , his soule was tormented , his spirit was crushed , his hands and feet were pierced , he sweat drops of water and blood , and cryed out aloud vpon the crosse , a my god my god why hast thou for saken me . wherefore let these rights be rightly marked and obserued of vs for our comfort and consolation : let vs , when we see the breade broken and wine poured out , meditat on the passion of christ howe hee was wounded and torne for our transgressions . although not a bone of his body was broken in pieces , yet he was broken with afflictions , brused with sorrowes , and tormented with bitter anguish of his soule , by whose stripes we are healed , by whose condemnation we are iustified , by whose agonies we are comforted , by whose death we are quickned . whosoeuer resteth in the outward works done before his eies , neuer attaineth to the substāce of the sacrament . thus much of the first inward part . chap. . of the second inward part of the lords supper . the second inward part is the a holy spirit , who assureth vs of the truth of gods promises . as we haue in the word of truth , the forgiuenes of sins , increase of faith , groweth in sanctification , a great measure of dying to sin , and a greater care to liue in newnes of life , promised 〈◊〉 vs : so doth the spirit worke these things b in the hearts of all the 〈◊〉 . this appeareth in many places . rom. . rehaue receiued the spirit of adoption , whereby we cry abba father : the same spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit , that we are the children of god. to one is giuen by the spirit , the word of wisdome , and to 〈◊〉 the word of knowledge , by the same spirit : to another is giuen faith , by the same spirit : all these thinges woorketh one and the selfe same spirite , distributing to euery man seuerally , as hee will so then as wee are weake in faith and slowe to beleeue : so we haue the spirit giuen vnto vs to helpe our infirmities and to open our heartes to receiue the promises . this truth being cleared , the vses offer themselues to be considered . and first of all , inasmuch as the spirite worketh these things in the harts of all the faithfull , from hence we gather , that such as neuer finde any chaunge or renewing of the mind , or reformation of life after the receiuing of the sacramentes , may iustly suspect themselues , whether euer they had faith or not , and whether ever they repented or not : and therefore ought to vse the means to come by faith and repentance . for , the worke of the spirit accompanieth the outward worke in the elect of god , as also we see in the hearing of faith preached , hee must open the hart that is closed vppe , before wee can receiue with meekenes c the worde that is grafted in vs which is able to saue our soules . indeed , euery person present may heare the wordes of institution , may see the wine poured out , may eate of that bread and drinke of that cuppe , as they may also hear the sound of the voice that commeth vnto them : but the whole force , effect , and power resteth onely in the spirite of god , sealinge vppe the truth and substance of those things in the harts of all the children of god. againe seeing these thinges are done and performed by the working of the spirit : they are confuted and cōuinced , that thinke they cannot be made partakers of the bodye and blood of christ , and be vnited to his flesh , vnlesse his body be shut vp vnder the accidentes of bread and shewes of wine , and so his flesh be giuen vnto vs carnally , that we may eate him with our mouthes , and conuey him into our stomackes . but we see heere , the holy-ghost is the bonde of this vnion , hee worketh in vs faith , which pierceth the heauens , and layeth hold on christ. it is saide of abraham the father of the faithfull , that d he reioiced to see the day of christ , he sawe it and was gladde . for as we cannot see him with our bodily eies , nor hear him with our bodily ears nor touch him with our bodily hands : no more can we tast or eat him with our bodily mouths . by the hand of faith , we reach and apply him : by the mouth of faith we receiue and eate him . let vs beleeue in christ , and we e haue eaten christ : let vs not prepare our teeth and our belly , but a liuely faith working by loue . wherefore , albeit the humane nature of christ goe not out of the highest heauens : yet we that liue vpon the earth are partakers of his bodye contained in the heauens , and his flesh and blood are communicated to vs as truely and effectually , as if he were there on the present with vs. if any say , how can this bee ? can that which is absent from vs , be present with vs ? can heauen be in earth , or earth bee in heauen ? he ere vnto i may moste iustlye aunsweare , although this bee a great mistery and marueilous in our eyes , yet we must confesse and consider , that the holy-ghost is the author of this vnion , and as it were the conduit-pipe of this coniunction , who by his diuine power ioyneth togither things that are seuered in place , and begetteth faith in vs , which is the instrumenr and hande , f whereby we receiue and applye christ with all his gifts vnto our selues , as iohn . . father , i pray thee for such as shall beleeue in mee , that they may be one , as thou o father art in me , and i in thee , that they also may be one in vs. he ereunto commeth the saying of paule , ephe , . christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith . like wise act , . byhim euery one that beleeueth , is iustified , that is , absolued and discharged , and iohn . so many as beleeue in him , shall not perish , but haue euerlasting life . thus we see our fellowship with christ , is from the spirit , and by our 〈◊〉 . the spirit is the principall worker : faith is the meanes and the instrument . neither must this comunction seem vnto vs impossible , throgh the great distance and distinction of place . we see the sun daily with oureies , which though it be scituate in the heauens , and seperated from vs in place , communicateth his effect and power vnto vs , that dwell vppon the earth , neither doe we maruell thereat , and yet is the sunne but a creature subiect vnto vs , and distributed to all the people vnder the whole heauen to serue their vse . shall not christ then the sonne of righteousnesse make vs truely partakers of his flesh by the vnsearchable power of his spirit , and the supernaturall gift of a liuely faith , who can as easily ioyne together things farre off , as those that are nigh ? are not the faithfull , seuered in place , and scattered through the world , ioyned as neerely together as the members are , h to become one body where of christ is the head ? as the apostle teacheth , that which we haue seene & heard , declare we vnto you , that ye may also haue fellowship with vs , and that our fellowship also may be with the father & with his son iesus christ. we see this like wise lively laid out before vs in the estate of 〈◊〉 , though the husband and wife be sundred for a time and separated one farre from another , yet the band of matrimony doth so ioyne and vnite them , that the wife is one flesh with her 〈◊〉 , albeit he be a thousand miles distant from her : so is it betweene christ and the faithfull , he loued the church and gaue himselfe for it , and they are members of his body , of his flesh , and of his bones , which coupling and combining together with christ is wrought ( as we haue shewed ) by the spirit , principally , by faith instrumentally , by both most effectually . we need not therfore any carnall and bodily presence of christ to ioyne vs to him , seeing it is truely and certainely perfourmed by these meanes , whereby we grow to a perfect man in him . for , as the sunne is more comfortable to the world by his refreshing beames and sweete influence being absent , then if his naturall body and compasle lay vpon the earth : so the flesh of christ being in the glory of his father , much more comforteth and refresheth our soules and bodies by his heauenly grace and spirituall influence , then 〈◊〉 he were present fleshly before our eyes . and as the sunne , not discending from heauen nor leauing his place , is not withstanding present with vs in our chambers , in our houses , in our hands , and in our bosomes : so christ being in the highest heauens , not comming downe , nor forsaking his glorious habitation , yet i neuerthelesse is present with vs in our congregations , in our heartes , in our praiers , in our meditations , and in the sacraments . but of this we shall haue occasion to speake more in the chapter following , and we haue already spoken of it in the former bookes . chap. . of the third inward part of the lords supper . the third inward part is a the body and blood of christ , that is , the body of our lord deliuered vnto death for vs , and his blood shed for the remission of sinnes , and consequently whole christ . this is the chiefest part of this sacrament . for the bodie and blood of christ are thus made and separated to be the liuelie meat of our soules , and haue that force and efficacy of 〈◊〉 in our soules , which bread and wine haue in our bodies . this is the cause why b christ often calleth himselfe the bread of life , ioh. . i am that bread of life : this is that bread of life vvhich commeth dovvn from heauen , that he vvhich eateth of it shold not dye ; i am that liuing bread , if any man eate of this bread , he shall liue for euer . thus euery receiuer is giuen to vnderstand , that as god doth blesse the bread and wine in his supper , to preserue , strengthen , and comfort the body of the receiuer : so christ apprehended and receiued by faith doth nourish vs , and preserueth body and soule vnto eternall life . hee died in the flesh , that he might quicken vs : and he poured out his blood , 〈◊〉 hee might clense vs from our sinnes . wherefore , c whensoeuer as the lordes ghests we see the bread on the lordes table , we must set our mindes on the body of christ : when we behold the cup of the lord , we must thinke vpon the blood of christ : when we looke vpon the bread broken , and the wine poured out , we must consider how the body of chirst was pierced , punished , crushed , crucified , torne , tormented , and his blood poured out for our sakes : when we feele , that by bread our bodies are nourished and strengthned , and by the wine our vitall spirits are comforted and refreshed , we beleeue that by the body of christ deliuered to death for vs , we are fed to euerlasting life , and that by his blood poured out vpon the crosse , our consciences are sāctified , and we fele his quickning power , which doth confirme vs in our communion with him . thus is this part of the supper spiritually to bee applyed : thus are the bread and wine made a sacrament to vs , and not bare signes : thus the memorall of christs death is repeated , whichalbeit it were once finished on the crosse , and now his passion is past long ago : yet to the faithfull in regard of the force , it is stil fresh and alwaies present . now , it is not without cause and good consideration , that christ would haue the bread first deliuered as a signe of his body , and then afterward the wine as a signe of his blood , seuerally and apart administred , because his body and blood are not represented to vs , as his humanity now dwelleth glorious in the heauens , but as he was offered vp a sacrifice on the crosse , his blood being 〈◊〉 out of his body . for to the end it may be nourishment to vs , it must be crucified . for , as corne of it selfe is not fit foode for vs , vnlesse it bee threshed , winnowed , ground and baked for vs : so is it touching christ , he must suffer , be crucified , and dy , that we may liue by him , and raigne with him . this is the truth which in this point is to be considered . now let vs lay open the vses which of vs are to be learned . is christ the inward part of the lordes supper represented by the bread and wine , offered to all , but rcceiued onely of such as are faithfull : then his body is not inclosed in the bread or in the accidents ofbread , nor his blood included in the wine or vnder the shewes of wine : d he is not personally , locally , carnally , corporally , naturally , really , substantially , and sensually present in the sacrament . the question is not , e whether the wordes of christ be true , for they are knowne , confessed , and beleeued , so that as he is the truth , so all his wordes are wordes of truth : neither is the question , whether the sacrament bee a bare signe or bare figure , we say christ is truely represented , sealed , and exhibited : neither is the question whether god'bo omnipotent and almighty , this is a part of our faith and an article of christian beleefe : neither is the question simplye of the presence of christ , whether he be truely and vndoubtedly present in the sacrament of his last supper , we acknowledge and receiue as much . but the whole question is of the meaning and vnderstanding of the words of institution , and of the manner of his presence . wee confesse and teach the people committed vnto vs , that f christs body and blood are truely , verilie , and indeede giuen vnto vs , that we truely eat and drinke them , that we are releeued and liue by them , that we are made bone of his bone , that christ dwelleth in vs , and we in him : yet we say not , that the substance of bread and wine is abolished , or that christs bodie discendeth from heauen , or is groslie and corporally present in the sacrament : we are taught to lift vp out hearts to heauen , g where christ sitteth at the right hand of god the father , and there to feede vpon him . but he ere is the state of the question and controuersie betweene vs. the church of rome teacheth , that after h the wordes of consecration the bread and wine are abolished , and the body and blood of christ come in place , so that they make them corporally 〈◊〉 , not onely in the sacrament to bee eaten with the mouth but in the pixe , in the masse , and in their solemne processions where is neither eating nor drinking . yet berengarius in his recantation was taught to saie , and forced to subscribe , that l christ is in the sacrament sensible ( or sensually ) is touched with the singers , diuided , broken , & rent with the teeth , and not onely the accidents . more ouer , they make it to be eaten , not onely of euill men , but of beasts , and to fill vp the measure of blasphemy , to be cast out into the draught , as some of them haue taught and affirmed . thus then the difference standeth betweene vs , they hold that christs body and blood are carnally eaten of wicked men without faith , of brute beastes without reason : but wee denye , that christ : is thus present in the sacrament , for his body cannot bee vnder so little a quantity of bread and wine : besides it is impietie to 〈◊〉 that the person of christ or his bodye and bloode can bee truelie receiued of dogges , 〈◊〉 , and mise , be chewed with the teeth , swallowed downe the throat , digested in the stomacke , and be cast out into vncleane places . this we deny , this we doe not beleeue , this wee abhorre and detest from the bottom of our hearts . what is it then we teach and professe ? we deny that the body and blood of christ are carnally contained vnder the shews and shadowes of bread and wine : we deny them to be eaten and drunken ofwicked men or vnreasonable creatures : we deny that they are truely and properly both in heauen and on the earth , in pixes , and on the 〈◊〉 . these are k meate for the mind , not for the mouth : for faith , not for the teeth : for our beleefe , not for the belly . this carnall eating of christ is l confuted and conuinced by many reasons . first , christ sate downe at the table and the disciples with him , afterward he tooke bread , gaue thankes , brake it , gaue it , and said . this is my body : likewise he tooke and gaue the cup , and sayd , drinke ye all of this : whereby we see , when the apostles receiued m the sacrament , christ sate at the table with his true body : but the body which they tooke , sate not at the table , therefore they tooke the signe of his body . likewise , the blood which they receiued was not in the body which sate at the table , therefore it vvas not properly christes blood , vvhich was not as yet really and actually shed . the same body could not sit at the table , & not sit at the table : the same body could not be in their handes , and out of their handes : the blood of christ could not be out of his veines in the cup , and in his vines within his body : hee could not sit visible at the table , and bee inuisible in the mouthes and bellies of the 〈◊〉 . wherefore the reall presence bringeth with it real contradictions which cannot stand together . secondly , the end of the lords supper is , to call his death to a continuall remembrance , as luk. . do this in n remembrance of me : and the apostle , cor. . ye shew the lords death vntill he come . now to what end should we neede 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 〈◊〉 ? and to to what purpose should we shevv the lordes death till he come , if he come 〈◊〉 and be present bodily in the sacrament . besides , the wisest a nong the phylosophers teach vs that o sence is of thinges present , but remembrance is of such thinges as are absent : as hope is of such thinges as are to come , not seene , p and this the apostle teacheth . thirdly , christ receiued a true body withall the naturall properties of an 〈◊〉 body , like to vs in all thinges sinne q onely exc pted , and is therefore called the sonne of 〈◊〉 , the sonne of 〈◊〉 , the sonne of man , our brother partaker of flesh and blood , hee is said to haue taken vpon him the seede of abraham , and not the angels nature r to be visible luk. , , behold my hands and my feete for it is i my selfe , 〈◊〉 me and see , for a spirit hath not flesh and bones , as ye see me haue . for if he may be in many places together , in some place visible , and in some inuisible : in some to be handled , in others nor to be handled , hee can haue no true body of a true man. and if this were not a strong reason , it is not felt and seene , therefore no humaine body : the disciples might haue answered vnto christ , why doest thou bid vs behold thy hands , and see thy feete , and handle thy body , and thereby to try thy humanity , seeing thou hast a body which cannot be seene , touched , or handled ? fourthly , christ hath left the earth with his bodily presence , and is 〈◊〉 vp into he 〈◊〉 , farre aboue all principalities and powers , and is sit do vne s on the right hand of his father , as act. . while they beheld , he was taken vp . and mar. . after the lord had spoken vnto them he was receiued into heauen , and sate at the right hand of god. so act. . whom the heauens must containe , vntil the time that all things are restored . likewise phil. . our conuersation is in heauen from a hence we looke for a sauior . and again , luk , . 〈◊〉 he blessed them , he departed from them , and was carried vp into heauen . so ioh. . the poor alwaies ye haue with you , but me ye shall not haue alwais . i am come out from the father , and came into the world : againe i leaue the vvorld and goe to my father . if these thinges be true , that christ is t departed from vs , if he be no longer among vs , if he be taken vp into heauen , if he must be contained there vntill the restoring of all thinges , if we must looke for a sauiour from heauen to change our vile bodies , if hee be carryed vp to his father and haue left the world : then he is not now present with vs , his body is not in euery altar , he doth not lurke and lie vnder the shewes of bread and wine . for , to be departed from vs , and not to be departed from vs ; to be contained in heauen , and not to be contained in heauen ; to leaue the world , and yet to remaine in the world ; to sit at the right hand of god , and to lie hid vnder euery altar , cannot stand together any more , then to be a man and no man , to be christ and not christ , to be a sauiour and no sauiour , to be god and not god. fiftly , christ reproueth the caparnaits , because they thought his body was to be eaten infleshly manner with the mouth of the body , and shold descend into the stomck , which is the way that all other meates do passe : when they heard him preach of eating his flesh and drinking his blood , they saide , u this is an heard saying , who can heare it ? they murmured and departed from him , because they thought they must eate him with the mouth and teeth , chew him , and swallow him vp . but christ expoundeth himselfe , and declareth that 〈◊〉 ment not carnally , but spiritually . it is the spirit that quickneth , the flesh profiteth nothing : the words that i speake vnto you are spirit and life , that is , the flesh of christ thus eaten , thus chewed , thus digested bodily , carnally , and grosly , cannot profit : but truely and spiritually taken it is meat indeede . now , to shew a what it is to eate spiritually , and to pull off the garment of this similitude that the truth may more plainely appeare , by spirituall eating we doe not vnderstand , that which is fained , standing in a conceit , opinion , or imagination ; neither that the body & blood of christ are turned into a spirit , but we meane by spirituall eating sucha communion & participation of christ , as is wrought by the powerfull working of the holi-ghoast , inasmuch also as it is attained by faith onelie , and pertaineth to a spirituall and eternall life . and howsoeuer the benefit of this coniunction reach vnto the body , which thereby is mortified , and sanctified , and afterward shall be glorified : yet this fruition of christ is not called corporall but spirituall , because this food doth not pertaine to the maintaining of this present life , but it is referred to the life which is eternall . now , this 〈◊〉 euerlasting is called spirituall , 〈◊〉 the bodies themselues shall bee partakers thereof , which therefore b by the apostle are called spirituall bodies . thus then standeth the comparison , as there is a present life that is bodily , c so there is another life to be thought vpon which is spirituall and eternall : as we are borne to this present life , so are we borne againe to life eternall : as this bodily life is sustained by bodily meat and drinke , so christ with al his merits and mercies is the food of the spirituall life : d as the bodye hath his mouth , whereby the meat and drinke is receiued , and so passeth into the bodye by bodily feeding : so the soule hath her mouth , namely , faith which apprehendeth the most holy nourishment of the body and blood of christ : and lastly as the meat by a naturall force is concocted and digested , that it may passe and disperse it self into the whole body , so the efficacy of the spirit beginning faith in vs , doeth so powerfully and mightily worke in our soules , that it quickneth vs throgh christ , to whom we are nearely vnited . thus we see , wee haue no carnall communion with christ , nor bodily eating of christ . wherefore , let the capernaiticall papists , or popipish 〈◊〉 , prepare their faith , not their teeth , their soules , not their bellie ; , to eat the flesh of christ , and drink his blood . and if they be ashamed of the name of the capernaites , let them also be ashamed of the error of the capernaits : but if they cleane to their errour , they must bee content to borrowe their name , for the name and opinion must go together . sixtly , christ exhorteth the people to beware of false prophets , that come in sheepes cloathes , e but indeede haue wolues harts , saying , if any shall say vnto you , lo , hoere is christ , or there , f beleeue it not : behold he is in the 〈◊〉 , go not forth : behold he is in the secret places , beleeue it not . and the apostle paule exhorteth , col , , to seeke those things that are aboue , where christ sitteth at the right hand of god. but if christ lurke and ly hid vnder the accidents of breade and wine , then we might beleeue such as say , loe , heere is christ , there is christ , he might be pointed out with the finger on euery altar , and so often as the priest lifteth vp his idoll , he might say to the people , behold heere is christ whom we haue newly made , looke vpon him whom we haue newly fashioned . seuenthly , the fathers vnder the lawe , did eat the same spirituall meate and drinke the same spirituall drinke that the g 〈◊〉 and other christians did , though they had differing signes , they had the same christ . but they did not eate the flesh of christ and drinke his bloode bodily , for as yet he was not come in the flesh , therefore he is not present in his naturall body in our sacramentes . this paule setteth downe cor . . they did all eat the same spirituall meat , they did all drinke the same spiritual drinke : for they dranke of that spiritual rocke that followed them , and that rocke was christ . where the apostles 〈◊〉 is to proue , h that the israelites were not inferiour to the corinthians , in respect of the sacramentes of gods fauour , and therefore had no more to boast of , then the israelites had : whereuppon he satith , they had the same drinke , the same christ. now if they did not eat the same in substance which the corinthians did eate , then the israelites were farre inferior to them touching their sacramentes , and so the apostles reason should be of no force . eightly , christ is in such sort in heauen in his humanity , as that he is not on the earth i with his bodie , and consequently not in the sactament , as we see , math. . can the children of the bride-chamber mourne , as long as the bride-groome is with them ? but the daies will come , when the bridegroome shall be taken from them , and then they shal fast . but if he were remainning on the earth and contained in the pixe , the bridegroome could not , nor would not be taken away and the same euangehst , chap. . saith . ye haue the poore alwaies with you , but me ye shal not haue alwaies . like wise iohn , . when iesus knew that hie houre was come , that he should depart out of this world vnto the father , heeriseth from supper , and chap. . i goe to prepare a place for you , but i wil come againe : if i go away to prepare a place for you , i will receiue you vnto my selfe , that where i am , there may ye be also : and verse . ye haue heard how i said vnto you , i go awaie and will come vnto you . and chap. . now i am no more in the world , but these are in the world , and i come to thee . againe act , . ye men of galile , why stand re gazing into heauen ? this iesus which is taken vp from you into heauen , shal so come as ye haue seene him go into heauen . if then , christ according to his humane nature be not on earth , how can his 〈◊〉 body be on euerie altar ? how can they eat him with their 〈◊〉 ? how can they swallow him downe their throat ? ninthlie , such an eating and 〈◊〉 of the bodie and blood of christ must be holden as is profitable and comfortable to the receiuers : for nothing is more 〈◊〉 and fruitfull then these , being rightlie receiued , l 〈◊〉 thereby remission of sinnes assured , and eternall glory sealed vp vnto vs. but no fruite to our faith can come vnto vs by this kind of bodilie eating the bodie , carnall drinking the blood of christ : for wicked men haue as great a portion in this as the godly . nay , by their owne doctrin , it may be eaten of birds , of beasts , of mice , of dogs , of hogs , of vermine : to whom no profit , no comfort , no benefit can come : whereas god woulde haue the flesh m of the sonne of man to be eaten of those , to whom it shal be auailable to life and saluation , i am the liuing bread , which came downe from heauen , if any man eat of this bread , he shall liue for euer : and the bread that i will giue is my flesh , which i wil giue for the life of the world . tenthly nothing can be more grosse , barbarous , or inhumane , then to deuour mans flesh , and to drinke mans blood . what doth more transforme men into sauage and 〈◊〉 beasts ? nay worse then beastes , which deuour not their owne kind ? what is more contrarie to the purenes & holines of gods law n then this ? the words of the lord are pure words , as the siluer tryed in a furnace of earth fined seuen fold . the feare of the lord is clean : the law of god is spirituall , holy , iust , and good . and the gospell bringeth saluation to all degrees , and teacheth vs , that we should deny all vngodlines , and worldly iustes , and that we should liue soberly , righteously , and godly in this present world . but what can be more repugnant to godlines , sobernes , and righteousnes , then to teare wirh the teeth o and iawes mans flesh , and to drink his blood , from which the capernaits abhorred ? what more crosseth the religion of christ , the law of god , and the light of nature , then mā to deuour man and the bowels of one to be in the bowels of another ? and are not their stomackes strong to digest this meat ? did not god in the law command p to abstain frō eating the blood of beasts and from strangled ? did not the apostles for a time renue it q amōg the christiās , in respect of the weaknes of the iews , because moses was read in their sinagogue euer saboth day ? to what 〈◊〉 should this be done , if the church had tasted the blood of ch . with their mouth , or swallowed his body in their bellies ? and do not the scythians and al the gentiles that are not vtterly voide of 〈◊〉 , abstain from mans blood , and 〈◊〉 deuouring his flesh ? wherefore , these men are worse r then the scithians , barbariās , and gentiles , yea worse then the canibals & indies that eat their enimies . but these deuour ch . whom they cal their l. and maist , like actcons houndes ( to compare one fable with another ) onely heer ly the differences , they deuourd their lord vnder the shape of a stag or hart , they eat their maist , vnder the formes of bread and wine : these fastned their mouth , vpon their maister because they thoght him absent and not present vnder that shape , they openly confesse their maister to be present , and yet 〈◊〉 professe to deuour him with their iawes , and swallow him in their stomacks , wherefore , these men are more cruell . eleuenthly , if christ be present in the sacramant bodily and carnally : in what body shall he be present ? whether in his glorified body as he is in the heauens , or in his mortall body as he was vpon the earth ? in one of these he must be present necessarily , if he be present fleshly . whatsoeuer they answer , they are taken onboth hands , & are stroken downe as with a sword that hath two edges . dare they saie he is thus present in his mortall bodie ? this cannot be . for it is certaine , he hath not now a mortall bodie , but a glorified bodie : this corruptible hath put on in corruption , t this mortall hath put on immortality , and death is swallowed vp in victory . this the u apostle confirmeth , this the scripture teacheth , this christian faith beleeueh . christ being raised from the dead , dieth no more : death hath no more dominion ouer him : for in that he dyed , he dyed once to sinne , but in that he liueth , he liueth to god like wise heb. . this man because he endureth euer , hath a priesthood which cannot passe from one to another , seeing he euer hueth to make intercession for them . and chapter . of the same epistle , he is entred into heauen , not that he should offer himselfe 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 nowe be present in the sacrament of the supper , as he was present to the apostles , sitting at the table with them , and preaching vnto them of his death : he cannot be present in the same body that he did deliuer to his disciples in the institution of his last supper . for the body of christ was then mortall and not glorified , then he had not suffered death vpon the crosle , he was not risen and ascended into the heauens , to sit at the right hand of his father : so that they must seeke another place then these wordes of christ , a this is my body , this is my blood , to build their reall presence and transubstantiation , for they pointed out his mortall body , because his body was not yet glorified , when the sacrament was instituted . besides , what a uniserable glorified body should this be , to be subiect to the pleasure of euery priest , to come at his call , to stay till he commandeth , nay to suffer himselfe to be torne with the teeth of euery receiuer ? wherefore , the presence of his glorified body , cannot be grounded vpon these words of christ touching the sacrament , this is my body . neither let them say as campion , that boasting champion like an other goliah , b challenging the hoaste of god , sometimes said in the tower-conference , that this is a fallation , c inasmuch as his glorification 〈◊〉 it not a diuerse bodye , and that a man whole , and a man sicke , at sundry times make not a seuerall man. this lesuitical denise hath no colour of reason , but a tricke of euasion . for we speak not of the difference betweene christs glorified and mortall body , but of the meaning of the wordes this is my body : whether christ vnderstand his naturall and mortall bodie wherein shortly he was to be glorified , or whether he vnderstand it of his body glorified ? either it must bee vnderstood of the one , or of the other , or of both : or rather indeed of neither , except they wil haue the words taken and spoken one way to the disciples , and another way to vs. thus , the meaning of them when they were first vttered , shoulde be , this is my mortall body : but nowe spoken to vs , taken in another sence of vs to the end of the worlde , this is my glorified body . so then , the same words spoken to the disciples should be false as we are to vnderstand them : and the disciples shoulde be deceiued , vnderstanding them as we do take them . what is this , but to bring vs back againe to the reproachfull comparisons and blasphemous assertions d of sundry popish writers , to compare the scripturs to a nose of wax , and a rule of lead , that they may be expounded diuersely , and framed to times , so as at one time they may be vnderstood one way , & at another time they may be interpreted another way . these things before being duly considred , we may safely conclude , that christ is not present in his naturall body . lastly , the presence of christ in his naturall body , abolisheth the light of reason , and confoundeth the nature of thinges . for what is more repugnant to reason , then for a man to bear himselfe in his own hands ? that a man should 〈◊〉 vp himselfe ? that another shoulde eate him , yet he remaine vntouched , vntasted , and vncorrupted ? that one and the same man should be visible and inuisible , present & absent , in the teeth of the disciples , and at the table with the disciples , bee a man of stature , and yet bee contained and comprehended in a little cake and cantle of bread ? now , as by these reasons and sundry other that might be alledged , the reall presence is sufficiently convinced : so the arguments brought to maintaine and vphold it , are easily e answeared . for as the doctrine is false : so the reasons are weake and foolish . first they obiect the wordes of institution , for the defence of this cause . for as in the questions of the supremacy , of peters pretended , of the popes vsurped ( which are many ) they alwaies alledge the wordes of christs to peter , pasce oues meas , f feede by sheepe : so doe they deale in controuersies of the supper , where we misse not long hoc est 〈◊〉 meum , this is my body . his wordes ( say they ) are true , therefore we must beleeue them : hee is a man of his worde , therefore wee must credit him : if then we be deceiued holding his body to be present , hee hath deceiued vs. i answere , the question is not of the truth of the wordes whether they be true or false , but of the interpretation and meaning thereof , which we say is figuratiue , and yet no other then is vsuall when the scripture speaketh of other sacraments to the church , g as circumcision is the couenant : the lambe is the passeouer : the cup is the new testament ; the breaking of the bread is the communion of the body of christ : the rocke is christ : baptisme is the washing of our new-birth . are not all these places like to the words of christs institution ? or can they deny them to be vnderstood 〈◊〉 and not properly ? so the meaning of those words is , that the bread which he had taken , broken , and giuen , is a sign and figure of his body : it is now no longer common bread , but are presentation of his body truely offered to all , and truely giuen to all the faithfull . our sauiour christ spake many thinges to his disciples figura●ively , not litterally to be taken : he said , h they were the salt of the earth , the light of the world , a citty set on a hill : he speaketh of cutting off the hand and pulling out the eye : he calleth himselfe i a door , k a vine , l a way : are not these figuratiue and metaphorical speeches ? againe , the circumstaunces of the text , the nature of a sacrament , and the articles of our faith , will not suffer vs to take them properly : besides this , that they shoulde commaund vs an horrible and wicked thing , to eat mans flesh and drinke his blood . moreouer , the euangelists neuer 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 vnder the bread , or with the bread : all the circumstances teach , that the breade is a sacrament of his body , the wine is a sacrament of his blood , as circumcision was a signe of the couenaunt , the lambe a signe of the passeouer , the rocke a figure of christ. lastly , as christ speaketh to the euill seruant , m out of thine own mouth will i iudge thee : so the aduersaries themselus giue sentence on our side , and one arch-papist condemneth another . bishop fisher writing against luther affirmeth , that k no man can proue by the wordes of the gospell , that any priest in these daies doth consecrate the verie bodie and blood of christ , and therefore n lindanus , among the rablement of traditions which he reckoneth , rehearseth the real presence . likewise , tonstall another byshop of the same birth holdeth , that it wer o better to leaue euery man to his owne coniecture , as they were before the counsell of lateran , then to bring in such questions . and biel a man of the same stampe , not inferiour to the rest , p confesseth that it is not found in the canonical scripturs , that christs body is in the sacrament . and let them tell vs their opinion , whether that hildebrand helde this bodily presence , q when hee cast the sacrament into the fire , contrary to the liking of certaine cardinals present with him ? thus we see , counsels , sathers , reasons , doctors , schoolemen , byshops , cardinals , popes , and others of the aduersaries themselus fight against the 〈◊〉 prefence of christ : and the scriptures themselue ouerthrow it . secondly , they obiect the words of christ , except ye eat p the flesh of the sonne of man , and drinke his blood , ye haue no life in you . i answere , these words are not vnderstood of the sacrament , they were vttered long before the institution of the supper , and therefore coulde not be referred vnto that which as yet was not : so that christ speaketh of spirituall eating , not of carnall : by faith , not by the mouth , whereby wee abide in him and he in vs : but many eate the sacrament of his bodie that haue not him abiding in them , not themselues in him . againe , without this eating of his 〈◊〉 heere spoken of , q no man can attain eternal life : but manie haue eternall life , that neuer are partakers of the lords supper . besides , how absurd is it for those to imagine that christ naming bread , speaketh of the sacrament of the altar ? for they would haue no 〈◊〉 of bread to remain , but one lie the figure , shew , and likenesse of bread : so that according to the deuise of their new-found doctrine , hee might more 〈◊〉 say , i am no breude , or , i am the sher es of bread , then as he doth , r i am the true bread . moreouer , it christ promising to giue bread for the redemption of the world , had pointed out the sacrament of his supper : then he shuld haue giuen his flesh for the saluation of mankind , not vpon the crosse , but in his last supper . wherefore then serued his death ? what neede was there to shed his blood on the crosse ? furthermore , if these words be referd to his supper , then the svpper maie bee celebrated without materiall breade and wine without giuing of thankes , without blessinge , without consecration , without breaking and distributing of the bread , without pouring our , and deliuering of the wine , and without remembrance of the death of christ . for in this place we haue no mention of these things . and shal we imagine that the sacrament is spoken off , where neither the matter , nor forme , nor word of institution , nor minister , nor externall rite is once remembred ? lastly , to eate the flesh of christ and to drinke his bloode , is nothing else but to come to christ , and to beleeue in christ , as appeareth in the text , s i am that bread of life , he that commeth to me shall not hunger , and he that beleeueth , in me shall neuer thirst . and speaking of faith hee faith . no man can come to me , except the father which hath sent me draw him . this his truth t is so cleere and euident that manye of the aduersaries are driuen to confesse it , howsoeuer som of thē seeke to cast mistes before the eies of men , that they may not espy it , among the which are sanders and bellarmine . and as we haue shewed before , how the schoolemen and doctors of the church of rome are together by the eares in sundry controuersies about the supper : so are they about the true interpretation of ioh. . some vnderstanding it of the sacramentall eating , some of the spirituall eating , u and some of both . thirdly , they obiect the omnipotency , of god : that he is able to turne the bread into the body , and the wine into his blood : he is able to make it really present in heauen and earth , and wheresoeuer masse is said : he is able to make a body to be in many places at once , and yet not occupy a place . i answer , when all other reasons faile , they flye to gods omnipotency as vnto a sanctuary and place of refuge . but this will not proue a reall presence . for albeit god be omnipotent and almighty : must he therefore do al things , yea offer violence to his owne body , to maintaine their absurd and hereticall opinions of the reall presence and of transubstantiation ? must his power attend vpon their fansies and dreames ? cannot he be omnipotent , except their positions and assertions be graunted ? there is no feare of gods power , albeit we withstand their carnall presence . for touching the omnipotency of god , a we must obserue these two rules and conclusions . first , gods power is neuer to be opposed and set against his expresse wil , plainly and certainly known : for god is not contrary to himselfe . now then , it is not enough to proue that god can turne bread and wine into the body and blood of christ , vnlesse they proue he will turne them into his flesh and blood . we our selues can do many things , which we do not , and which we will not do : so we must know , it is with god , he could haue added winges to man , he might haue made many worlds , if it had pleased him . christ of b the stones could haue raysed vp children vnto abraham . christ covld haue praied to his father in his afliction , to send him c more then . legions of angels , but how then should the scriptures be fulfilled ? wherefore , we are not to reason of his power , vnlesse wee bee assured of his wil reueiled in his word , as we see christ 〈◊〉 against the saduces saith , ye are deceiued , not d knowing the scriptures , nor the power of god. where we see , he ioyneth the scriptures and the power of god together : so 〈◊〉 he is truely said to be omnipotent , e because he can bring to passe whatsoeuer he will : neither can the effect of his will be hindered or resisted . now , it is the knowne will of god , that christ should haue a true body , that he might be a true man with his quantity and dimensions . the second rule to be remembred , is , f that in god there is no contradiction : & that whatsoere necessarily implieth a contradiction , is an argument not of power , but of weakenesse . this the scripture ; decree , this the fathers deliuer , this their own schoolmen determine . for , g in god is not yea and nay : he abideth faithful , he cannot deny himselfe : he cannot dye , hee cannot lie , he cannot deny his word , he cannot sin , he cannot deceiue , he cannot be deceiued . these and such like 〈◊〉 cannot do : which if he should doe , he were not omnipotent . for this h were a token of impotency , not of omnipotency : of debility , not of ability : of want and weakenesse , not of strength and power . for , in euery contradiction i there is falsehood and a lie which cannot agree to god , who is truth it selfe , and therfore hee cannot make affirmation and negation , truth and falsehood , yea and nay to be true together , which things are imposible . yea the popish schoolmen k confute this popish fansie of the real presence , when they teach that god cannot doe any thing wherein a contradiction is implyed , and that all other things he can do , and therefore is omnipotent . now , who seeth not , that herein is a manifest and notable contradiction , that christs body is made visible and inuisible together ; finite and infinite ; circumscribed and vncircumscribed ; to haue dimension and to want dimension ; to be compassed in one certaine place and to be in a great number of sacramentes in many places ; to be included in a little bread on earth , which is contrary to that nature of a mans true body , & not to be contained therin ; as 〈◊〉 in heauen , and there hauing the naturall properties of a true body , which cannot 〈◊〉 brought within so narrow a compasse as the wafer cake . wherfore , the absurd conceit of the reall presence cannot be maintained without many contradictions . for , if christs body be visible , how can it be inuisible ? if it haue al the properties of a naturalbody , 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 & necessary adioynt to a true body to be contained in one certaine place : how then can it be true , that his body is in ten thousand places without any circumscription ? so then , gods omnipotency cannot build vp the monstrous worke of the reall presence : inasmuch as the body of christ cannot be brought within the slender compasse of a mathematicall cake , without falsehood and destruction of all the properties incident vnto a true and naturall body . lastly , as an esfect of gods omnipotent power , they obiect , the bread and wine are turned into the flesh and bloode of christ ( appearing bread and wine still ) by a wonderfull myracle which is wrought by the wordes of consecration and by a mighty worke of god. this obiection hath beene sufficiently answered already . wee haue proued , that euerye myracle may bee seene and discerned by the outward sence , as the myracles of moses , of the prophets , of christ , and the apostles : and therefore the iewes said vnto christ , l shew vs a miracle , teaching that miracles are to be iudged by sight and sense . when moses turned m the waters of the egyptians into blood , the sight perceiued , the tast discerned it . the myracles n of christ appeare euidently , and were apprehended by the senses of the body . hee turned water into wine : the tast iudged there of : the dombe spake , the eare heard them speake . the lame walked , the deade were raised : the eies perceiued the motion , all 〈◊〉 , and were astonied . in like manner , if the bread and wine were chaunged , eyther the eye or tast should perceiue it , and all the disciples would be astonied . againe , after the gospell was plentifully confirmed and had taken roote , and the apostles were dead , such myracles ceased , as experience teacheth . besides , the holy supper is an ordinary sacrament of the church : but euery miracle is extraordinary , or else it is no myracle : so that vnlesse we will turne ordinary into extraordinary , and make miracles as common as sacramentes , o we must remoue miracles from the supper . furthermore , if the real presence were wrought by a miracle , euery priest should be a worker of miracles and wonders , and an ordinary calling shold alwaies be accompanied with extraordinary gifts . but their office of priesthood hath not this gift ( in their owne iudgement ) generally giuen vnto it . wherefore , miracles being p now ceased , are not found in the supper . lastly , augustine gathering all the myracles written in the scripture , q yet speaketh not of this : nay he not onely omitted it , but slatly denyeth any myracle to bee in the sacrament , when he saith , it may haue honour or reuerence as an holy thing , but cannot be wondered at as a strange or myraculous thing . if then it be a myracle , it must be in the number of lying myracles spoken off by the r apostle : so that transubstantiatyon and the reall presence are reall contraryes or contradictions , repugnant to the scripture , to fayth , to reason , to lerning , to sense , to natur , to gods ordinance , absurd and impossible ; and therfore of all gods people to be abhored & abiured , being a renewing of the old heresie of s eutiches , who held that christs body after his 〈◊〉 , was made equall with his diuinity . to conclude this vse , we do not exclude all presence of christ out of the sacrament : but distinguish the manner of his presence : which we haue shewed to be in the supper truely , not grosly : effectually , not fleshly : spiritually , not bodily : sacramentally , not carnally : mistically , not naturally . the former vse was touching knowledge and faith , instructing what to hold of the reall presence . the next vse is touching our obedience and dutye . for , is christ the chiefe substance of this sacrament , and his body and blood giuen vs for the foode of our soules : a gift farre aboue heauen and earth ? then we are bound to hunger after him , to desire him with an earnest appetite and desire , as wee come to our meate and drinke . hunger is a great thing , and we say it maketh men leape ouer a stone wall : he that is hunger bitten , will eate his owne flesh from his armes . in this corporall hunger then are two thinges that pine and pinch men : first , a paine in the lower part of the belly , arising from emptinesse : secondly , an exceeding appetite to be filled and satisfied : such haue t killed , dressed , and deuourd their own childen , rather thē they would starue : this paine hath beene so great , this longing hath beene so extraordinary . so must it be with vs in the spirituall hunger after christ : we must be inwardly pained in soule for 〈◊〉 , and for the wrath of god kindled for our sinne : and then haue an hungring 〈◊〉 and longing appetite , that we may possesse christ , and lay hold on him to our saluation . whosoeuer commeth to his ordinary meate without hunger , it were better not to eate : it ingendreh grosse and euill humours , aud bringeth a surfet to the body . so , whosoeuer desireth not christ with an hungry soule , earnestly longing after him , and crauing nourishment from him , cannot be filled with good thinges . the want of this hunger , is a cause why so few receiue christ , and profit not by the meanes ordained to that end , as the word and sacraments : these come to them of custome rather then with conscience , and for fashion rather then with faith : these men are not fit to be christes ghuests , that hunger not after him . wherefore , u the prophet 〈◊〉 all such as faint in their soules through hunger and thirst of this foode , ho , euery one that thirsteth , come to the 〈◊〉 , and ye that haue no siluer , come , buy , and eate : come , i say , buy wine and 〈◊〉 without siluer and without money . and the apostle reuel . . , let him that is a thirst come , and let whosoeuer will , take of the water of life freely . likewise the euangelist , luk , , . 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 heauenly foode ? where is the thirst after the waters of life ? truely , of all gifts this is the greatest : yet the greatest number care nothing for christ nor for his gifts . as the israelites in the wildernesse loathed a manna , and desired to returne into egypt : such are there among vs , no desire , no affection , no zeale this way : they spend their cogitations and indeuoures to gaine honour , they thirst after siluer and gold , they delight in earthly pleasures , they couet houses , landes , and wealth of the world : these things they abound in these thinges they make their happinesse and their heauen . such as these , there are thousands in the bosome of the church , that hunger more after these transitory things , then after heauenly : such are b prophane persons as 〈◊〉 , who preferred a messe of pottage before the blessing : and as the gadarens , who preferred theirswine before christ , & therfore besought him to depart out of their coastes . but let vs learne better thinges : for all these shall vanish and come to nothing . and what shall it profit c a man if he win the whole world , and lose his owne soule ? let vs not labour for the meate that d perisheth , but for the meate that endureth to euerlasting life , which the sonne of man shall giue vnto vs. therefore , let vs remember , whensoeuer we come to his table to be partakers of this supper , to come with a great longing after life , and saluation from him , as we desire bodily meate when we are hungry , and drinke when we are thirsty : then shall we by him be satisfied and saued , otherwise we cannot lay hold on him : we may receiue the outward signe , but we cannot receiue the graces of christ offered vnto vs. thus much of the third inward part of this sacrament . chap. ii. of the fourth inward part of the lords supper . the last inward part of this sacrament of the supper remaineth , which is the a faithfull and christian receiuer . as euery communicant sensibly and outwardly taketh the bread and wine giuen vnto him : eating the bread and drinking the wine for the nourishment of his body : so the faithful receiuer apprehendeth and layeth hold on christ by the hand of faith , and applyeth him particulally , that the feeling of his true vnion with christ may daily be increased , b according to that saying ioh. . as many as receiued him , to them he gaue prerogatiue to be the sonnes of god , euen to them that beleeue in his name . and cor. . the cup of blessing which we blesse , is it not the communion of the blood of christ ? the bread which we breake , is it not the communion of the body of christ ? wherefore , when we do faithfully and worthily take the bread and the cup into our hands , we must consider that withall we take and receiue iesus christ himselfe offered vnto vs. when we eate the bread and drinke of the cup , and so apply them to our bodily vses : we must consider , that we apply christ iesus to our selues , euen to our soules , particularly , that he is meate indeede , and that he is drink indeed vnto vs , if we bring with vs the hand of saith . for faith is like c the mouth of a vessell : if you poure lyquor vppon it all the daye longe , vnlesse the mouth of the vessell bee open to receiue it , the water is spilt on the ground , & the vesselremaineth empty : so may a man come to the lords table euery month , receiuing the bread & wine that represent whole christ , yet except he bring with him faith , which is the mouth of the soule , hee receiueth not christ vnto a spirituall life , to be his righteousnes and sanctification . and this is the reason , why we receiue a little portion and a small quantity as well of bread as wine , d because the end of our eating and drinking serueth for the sanctification of the spirit , not for the silling of the body . now let vs see what vses are offred to our consideration , in the meditation of this truth . first , seeing onely the faithfull are partakers of the things signifyed in this sacrament : we see all doe not receiue alike , there is a difference to be made among receiuers . but as you snatch after the leaues of the tree , and let go the fruit , want the profit of their labour : so is it among many men in this worlde , who take the signe of christ , but let goe christ. nowe , as moses intreating of thinges e cleane and vncleane , noteth out foure sorts of beasts , some onely chew the cud , and some onely diuide the hoofe , some neither chew the cudde nor diuide the hoofe , and some both chew the cud & diuide the hoofe : or , as in the dayes of the gospell , some were circumcised in heart not in flesh , f as titus : some were circumcised in the flesh not in the hart , as iudas : some were circumcised neither in flesh nor in the spirit , g as the gentiles : and some were circumcised both in the flesh and in the spirit , h as timothy : so is there a difference among receiuers , i some receiue christ onely spiritually , not sacramentally : some onely sacramentally , not spiritually : some neither receiue him spiritually , nor sacramentally : and some receiue him both spiritually and sacramentally . of these we will speake 〈◊〉 and in order , as they haue bin propounded . the spirituall eating is by faith , whereby we are made one with christ and partakers of his benefits without the sacramentes , k where of christ speaketh , he that eateth my 〈◊〉 , and drinketh my blood , dwelleth in me , and i in him . thus to eat him , is to beleeue in him : and therfore he vseth these words , l as being of one force , to beleeue in him and to eat him : to drinke him , and to come vnto him , this is the 〈◊〉 of god , that ye beleeue in him vvhom he hath sent : i am that bread of life , hee that commeth to mee shall not hunger , and he that beleeueth in me shall neuer thrist . againe , m christ attributeth the same fruit and effect to them that beleeue in him , that hee doth to them which eat his body & drink his blood : therefore by eating and drinking hee meaneth nothing but beleeuing . he that eateth my flesh , and drinketh my blood , hath eternal life : and in the . verse of the same chapter , he saith , this is the will of my father , that euerie one that beleeueth in the sonne , should haue cternall life , and i vvill raise him vp at the last day . heerby we may see that christ attributeth the same to beleeuing , which in the other place hee did to eating and 〈◊〉 : so that the meaning of christ is , that to beleeue in him is to eat him . and thus many receiue christ , eating and drinking his body and bloode , that neuer came to the sacramentes . heere 〈◊〉 some will obiect , if this doctrine be true , then are the sacraments needlesse . for if we may 〈◊〉 christ by faith spiritually without any vse or comming to the lordes supper , to what ende serueth the supper ? it seemeth by this , to be made void and superfluous . god forbid : for the sacraments are the holy ordinances of christ by his blessing appointed for our help and benefitte , so that the most perfect christians of the strongest faith , haue need to seeke the strength ofsaith against weaknes and wauering in the promises of god. notwithstanding , we must confesse to the glorie of god and the great comfort of manie persons , that the faithfull soule maie and doth often feed vpon christ to saluation , beside the vse of the sacrament . for the spirituall grace is not of necessitie tied to the outward signes , as if without them god cannot or doth not sometimes bestow the same . we see in the acts of the apostles , n cornelius and his company was sealed with the spirit of god before the receiuing of the outwarde sacrament . abraham beleeued the promise being stronge in faith , o and vnder hope beleeued aboue hope before circumcision was giuen vnto him . thus also the beleeuing theefe vpon the crosse , though he did nener receyue the sacrament of christ , yet he did eat the body and drinke the blood of christ to eternal life : so that he beleeued in him , p 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 beleeued , q but he beleeued while he suffered . he was not baptized , he receiued not the lords supper , yet his r saith saued him , spiritually eatinge the true food of euerlasting life . rom , . with the hart man beleeueth vnto rightcousnesse , and with the mouth man confesseth vnto saluation : for the scripture saith , whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not be ashamed . according to that in the prophet , the iust shall liue s by faith , and iohn . i am the resurrection and the life he that beleeueth in me , though he were deade , yet he shall liue , and whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth in me , t shall neuer dy . this ministreth great comfort in trials , and tribulations , to consider that howsoeuer by sickenes , by persecution , by imprisonment , we may be seperated from the supper of christ , u yet we cannot be seperated from christ : though we may bee hindered from eating him sacramentally , yet we cannot be hindred from eating him spiritually : though we may bee 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 instrumentes , be kept from feeding vppon christ by faith to saluation . againe , other receiue christ onely sacramentally and not spiritually , who are partakers of the outwarde elements of bread and wine , and so receiue the bare signes of the body and blood of christ. for , as they are said to eat the true body of christ spiritually , which receiue christ with the mouth of the soul , that is , by a true faith , and are truely ioyned to him : so they eat him sacramentally , that handle , eate , and drinke the signes and seales of his true body ; but because they want faith , they want the means to receiue christ himselfe . thus many haue bin baptized , that were neuer regenerated and inwardly purged , a as appeareth in simon the sorcerer whose hart was not vpright , so that albeit he were partaker of the sacrament of regeneration and repentance , yet he remayned in the gall of bitternes and in the bond of iniquity . so , many haue resorted to the lords supper , that neuer drew nourishment or strength of faith from him to life and saluation : and thus many thousands in the worlde come to the sacraments . 〈◊〉 , some neither receiue christ spiritually nor sacramentally : and such are they , that neuer come to christ nor receiue the sacraments of christ : such are they that liue out of the bosome of the church , as it were out of the arke of noah , as infidels , iewes , turks , saracens , persians , and such like , these mast needes perish in the deepe floodes of gods endles iudgements . for , as christ is the fountaine of life , and the wel-spring of all b heauenly treasures that accompany saluation , and the sacraments his instrumentes whereby these graces are conueyd vnto vs , and the church the parties to whome both these belong : so such as are without christ : without the sacramentes , without grace , without the church , and consequently without the priuiledges that pertaine to the heires of his eternall kingdom , lye in darkenes , and in the shaddowe of death , c and are as dogges to whome the childrens bread doth not belong . lastly , other receiue christ both spiritually by faith , and sacramentally with the mouth , who are partakers both of the signes and of the things signified , who eat of the bread of the l. d & the bread which is 〈◊〉 l. and thus the apostles thatsat at the table with christ at his last supper , did receiue him , applying the outward part to their bodies , and the inward part to their souls . also , thus al the faithful that come to the table of ch . to the end of the worlde , do receiue him spiritually and sacramentally to the great comfort of their own souls : & thus must euery one of vs seek to come to ch . whensouer we come to the sa . of ch . wherfore , we see what difference and distinction is to be made between those that receiue christ , that we be not deceiued in the manner of the receiuing of him . againe , seeing onely the faithfull are the inward part of this sacrament , it is not to bee administred to such as shew themselues vnfaithfull and vnrepentant , so farre as they may be known so to be . such as are without faith , without repentance , without sanctification haue no right and interest in this blessed communion . for , if euery one should without difference be admitted and receiued : the church of god , which is a blessed fellowship of saintes , should be turned into a stye of vncleane swine , a stable of vncleane beastes , a cage of 〈◊〉 birdes , and as christ speaketh , the e house of god should bee made a 〈◊〉 of theeues . god did shut out of his f sanctuary euery stranger vncircum cised in heart and in the 〈◊〉 : he commaunded also the priestes to put a difference between the holy and prophane , betweene the cleane and vnclean . 〈◊〉 her to belongeth that saying of christ math. . giue ye not that which is holy to dogs , neither cast ye your pearles before svvine , least they tread you vnder their 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 againe all to rent you . if therefore such as remaine in grosse and open sinnes of blasphemy , swearing contempt of gods worde , adultery , 〈◊〉 , vncleanesse , wantonnesse , drunkennesse , maliciousnesse , and such like , offer themselues at any time with the rest of the members of the church to partake this supper , and as it wer insectious leapers come into the lords host g to be admitted to the sacrifices : it is the pastors duty to vse the power of the keies , and barre them from this sacrament , vntill there appeare in them the testimonies of repentance , and the confession of their offences . should not the shepheard feuer the rotten and 〈◊〉 sheepe from the fold ? doth not h a little leauen sower the whole lump ? wil an housholder admit into his house euery one that vanteth himselfe to be of the houshold ? the idothers , by the light of nature , i would not suffer all to approch to their sacrifices , their heathnish sacrifices , but cryed out that prophane persons should be packing and get them thence , and not presume to offer with vnwashen hands . such as haue a very cleere 〈◊〉 aine and spring of waters committed vnto them , if they see 〈◊〉 swine come to warde it , k must not suffer them to trouble the spring and annoy the water . shall they then , that haue the sacred and hallowed spring , not common water , but of the precious blood of christ springing vp to eternallife committed vnto them , l suffer such as are notoriously 〈◊〉 with sinne , to prophane the bloode of christ , and make a mocke of him to their owne destruction ? wherefore such as are open wicked persons are not , without open repentance , to bee admitted to the sacrament of the supper , but to be seperated from the church , as dead members from the body , and as rotten sheep from the flocke , m that the rest may be preserued in sound doctrine , and in innocency of life and conuersation . moreouer , if onely the faithfull receiue christ , let euery one prepare a true and liuely faith in his heart . it is not enough to haue the bodily hand to receiue , the mouth to tast , and stomack to digest : but we must bring with vs the hand of faith . for this holy supper , albeit by gods ordinance it be a spirituall thing , yet throgh the vnworthines of the receiuers , it becometh a meer corporal & earthlything . the passeouer was a liuely figure of christ , o representing the lambe slaine from the beginning of the worlde : but such as did eate thereof vnworthily , it was to them an instrument of destruction , and as the messenger of death . iudu was one of the twelue and did eate the paschall lambe with the rest , but he did not eat christ with the rest : he did receiue damnation to himselfe , p satan entering into him , and procuring the confusion of soule and body . it seemeth he receiued the supper of the lord , q forasmuch as ioh. the euangelist noteth , that as soone as he had receiued the soppe , he went immediately out . wherefore r that which luke affirmeth , cha , . behold the hand of him that betraieth me is with me at the table , albeit it be set downe after the supper , yet , was vttered before the supper , according to the vsuall manner s of the scripture . and this is the iudgement of sundry writers s both old and new . but inasmuch as he was present at the passeouer , which was a figure of the passion of christ , god by this one fearful example teacheth , that he neuer suffereth the abuse of his sacramentes to goe vnpunished . the apostle saith . cor . . he that eateth and drinketh vnworthily , eateth and drinketh his own iudgment : t for this cause many are sick , and weake among you , and many sleepe . vngodly persons that he and liue in sinne , togither with all impenitent persons , attribute to much to the outward signe , and rest therein as in the comfort of their soules . adam thought after his fal , if he could reach out his hand & take the fruit of the tree of life and eat thereof , u he should liue for euer . for these words vsed in that place , least he put forth his hand to the tree of life , & eat and liue for euer : do respect the purpose and intent of the man , not the euent and yssue of the matter : inasmuch as the eating of that fruit al the daies of his life could not giue grace , or restore him to that life he had lost , and to that high estate from whence hee was fallen . now , as he imagind , if he could but tast of the tree of life again , it should go wel with him : so his posterity in al ages , dream of a secret power inherent in the sacraments , wheras by taking the same vnworthily , and by iudging of them corruptly , sin is increased , god is offended , and the punishment is dubled . the ark was a testimony of gods presence , a witnes of his loue and leag with man , and an assured sign that god woulde make his dwelling place among them , that he would abide with them , that he would walk before them , that he would be their gratious god , and that they should be his people : but the priests , elders and people attributed ouermuch vnto it , and far greater things thē they ought , they said , wherefore hath the lord smitten vs this day before the philistims ? let vs bring the arke of the couenant of the lord ovt of shiloh vnto vs , that when it commeth among us , it may saue us out of the hanàs of our enemies . euē as the church of rome , whē any iudgement or calamity is vpon them , carry forth their breaden-god on procession , hold him vp to be seen , and adored , and thereby think to haue themselues deliuerd , and gods wrath to be appeased . these neuer thoght of turning to god with all their harts , and of changing their liues : but ascribe saluation and deliuerance to the arke it selfe , and attribute power to the outward signe , which of it selfe and in it selfe was no better then a few boards ioyned togither , and therefore through their vaine confidence c they were destroyed , the arke was taken , the two sonnes of eli were slaine , and the whole hoast was discomfited . thus is it with the sacrament , & 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 receiued of persons that are prophane and vnholy , they make the sacramentes to themselues vnholy , so farre are they from conferring grace and holines to all receiuers of them . for can the sacraments make him holy that is vnholy ? or a godly man , that is vngodly ? or make him to fear an oth , that is a blasphemer ? they cannot : nay to such the sacraments become vnholy , and the receiuers grow more vnholy , as iudas did after the partaking of the passeouer . wherefore , god as a iust iudge would driue adam out of the garden of eden , least putting forth his hand to the tree of life , he should take and receiue it vnworthily , e thereby prophaning d the sacrament , and so eat to himselfe iudgement . the sacrifices were holie ordinances of god , yet when men that liued vngodly came vnto them , they turned to bee sinne to them : so is it with all those that come without faith and feeling to the supper of the lorde , let vs not therefore be faithlesse but faithfull . lastly , if the faithfull onelie receiue with profit : then such as are hypocrites and wicked liuers cannot be partakers of the bodie and blood of christ , no more then god and satan can be ioined together . true it is , such maie receiue the bare signes , but they receiue them to their condemnation , because , f through want of faith and repentaunce they offend god , repell christ from them and all his benefites , and drawe vnto themselues temporall and eternall punishments . for , no man can eat christ , and withall eat his own damnation . againe , whosoeuer eateth the flesh of christ and drinketh his blood , shall liue for euer , and hath christ d welling in him to saluation ( for christ can neuer be seperated from his sauing graces ) but the vngodly shall not liue for euer by christ with god. for christ is not eaten with the teeth or mouth , as the gospell directly determineth . iohn , . whosoeuer eateth my flesh , and drinketh my blood , hath eternal life : my flesh is meat indeed , my blood is drink indeede , g he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood , dwelleth in me and i in him . but infidels and wicked persons haue not eternall life , neither abide in christ , therefore by the doctrine of christ our sauiour , h they neither eate his flesh , nor drinke his blood . wee must open the eyes of our faith to beholde him , and the mouth of our soule to receiue him : for by faith onely we are made partakers of him , which the vngodly want i he that drinketh of the blood of christ shal neuer be more a thirst . thirdly , we know that satan the prince of darknes , ruleth in all the harts of the children of disobedience , & sitteth in their consciences k as the god of this worlde , and filleth them full of iniquity , as wee see in the example of iudas . now , if these receive the body of christ : then christ and the deuill shoulde dwell in one subiect togither , and bee ioynt-possessors of one and the same house : l but this cannot be : these cannot be at one : these can neuer be friends reconciled : there is no m fellowship between righteousnes and vnrighteousnes , ther is no communion between light and darkenesse , there is no concord betweene christ and beliall . fourthly , the apostle teacheth , that where christ is n he worketh mortification and dying to sinne , rom. , if any haue not the spirit of christ , the same is not his : and if christ be in you , the body is dead because of sin , but the spirit is life for righteousnes sake . but the wicked are not dead to sin , they are dead in their sinnes and trespasses : and they haue sinne not onelie remaining but raigning in them , therfore christ cannot be in them . fiftly , where christ is , there are all things necessary to saluation : and to whom god giueth his sonne , o to him he giueth iustification , sanctification , redemption , repentance , remission of sinnes , and eternall life , as rom. . if god be on our side , who shall be against vs ? who spared not his owne sonne , but gaue him for vs all to death , how should he not with him giue vs all things also ? but the wicked haue not these gifts accompaning saluation , they are not iustified , they are not sanctified , they are not regenerated : therefore they cannot haue christ from whom these flow . sixtly , we are charged to try and p proue our owne hartes , whether christ be in vs or not , that thereby we may discerne of our estate and standing in the faith , cor. 〈◊〉 . proue your selues whether ye are in faith : examine your selues , know ye not your owne selues , how that iesus christ is in you , except ye be reprobates ? to what purpose serueth this tryall and examination , if christ may bee in vs , and yet remaine reiected ? wherefore , christ cannot be in vs , if we bee not approued , but refused of god. lastly , the apostle chargeth the church of the corinthians , not to eate things sacrificed to idols in q the idols temple , because they cannot be partakers of christ and the dinels , nor drinke of the cvp of christ and of the cup of dyuels , cor. . . . these thinges which the gentiles sacrifice , they sacrifice them to diuels and not vnto god , and i would not that ye should haue fellowship with the diuels , ye cannot be partakers of the lords table , and of the table of diuels . where hee sheweth that a man may come polluted with idoll sacrifices to the lords supper , but then he cannot be partaker of christ indeede and in truth . thus we see the doctrine of the church of rome striken to the ground , which hold it as a principle of their faith and teach it to others , that wicked men do receiue and eate r christ himselfe in the supper , making christ indeede to be no christ. for whereas wee haue shewed , that this sacrament consisteth of the outward signs which are bread and wine , and the inward truth represented by them which is christes body and blood , according to the doctrine of the holy scripture , and the common consent of all antiquity : the romanists haue turned this trueth topsie turuie , and haue laid a new plat-forme of the 〈◊〉 of the supper . hence it is , that they haue abolished the signes of bread and wine , g and make christ iesus an outward parte , as it were thrusting him out of the dores to be receiued of all both good and bad , and the grace of christ to be the inward part taken only of the faithfull . thus they make a deuorcement and a separation between christ and his sauing graces , which can neuer be parted and deuided . for whosoeuer receiueth christ , pertaketh the merits and graces of christe : and whosoeuer enioyeth the graces of christ , imbraceth withall christ himselfe . besides , if christ be the signe , and the sanctifying graces of christ the thing fignified according to the rule of the church of rome : what shall we say of the accidents and shewes of bread and wine , whereunto shall they be reduced ? what parte shall they act and play in this comedy ? wherefore we hold it as a strong trueth , which we haue euinced by sundrie reasons , that wicked men are not made partakers of christ . chap. . of the first vse of the lords supper . hitherto we haue spoken of all the partes of this sacrament , as well outwatde as inwarde , which is the first 〈◊〉 to be considered in the doctrine of them as we shewed before : now we are to handle the vses or endes of the lordes supper , which are a principally these three : first , to shew forth with thanksgiuing , the death , crosse , and sufferings of christ . secondly , to teach vs 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 greate benifites which are bestowed vponall worthy communicants , which haue sactified and prepared their heartes for this holy action . these thinges being duely considered , b doe directly condemne the church of rome , who burying these true ends of the lords supper , the commemoration of his passion , the merit of his crosse , our communion with christ , and our fellowship one with another , haue altered it like the ship-mans hose into all forms and fashions , and make it profitable for all purposes , for peace and war , for tempestes and calme weather , for the fruites of the earth , and distemperature of the ayre , for the whole and sick , for men and beasts , for the liuing 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 therin is made for the liuing , c so the remembrance of the dead is to be made in all masses . it is adiudged an excellent remedy against storms and tempests of the sea , and therefore al sea-men are warned in times of danger to call to their mindes and remember to sing the masses d which are accustomed to be sung for tēpests . and as they make it good in storms : so they make it serue turn in the day of battell to saue them from the sword of the enemy ; for the priests are charged to say the masses vsed for them that go to wars . besides , these abuses , they make it auaileable to purge and cleer offendors suspected of any crime , e like the bitter and cursed waters , making tryall of the suspected wife , wherupon the counsell of wormes determineth , that if any monasterie be suspected of theft , let him bee purged by the taking of the sacrament . thus sybicon byshop of spire in the counsell of mentz did by it purge himselfe of adultery , about the yeare , an vse neuer intended by the spirite of god , nor practised by anie of the apostles , to institute it to discouer secretes . likewise , somtimes it is taken to be good against inchanters and inchantments : sometimes to bee good for the remedy and recouery of sickenes , to deliuer soules out of purgatory , to preserue from the plague , to saue cattell , to cure the feuer , to recouer again things lost , to take away tooth-ache , to cleere the eyes , and what not ? all these fancies and supposed ends of this sacrament agree not with the institution of christ , nor with the former vses set down , which now we come to handle and to proue out of the doctrine of the apostles themselues . touching the first and principall end , that is , the remembrance , meditation , and shewing forth the death of christ with all thanksgiuing : this he commaunded to vs at his last 〈◊〉 from vs , which ought much to stick in our minds because the last words of a deare friend ready to part from vs , do often times leaue behind both deepe impressions and deuout affections in vs. indeede , when we read of the passion and death of christ , it doth not much moue vs : to heare it opened and expounded , it moueth in a farther degree : but more then these , to haue before our eies a visible representation of the crucifieng of christ in his last supper , doth moue vs most of all . the institution of this sacrament hee did in wisedome reserue , till the approaching of his death , that we might not forget him when he is gone from vs. so god the father , after the vniuersal flood drawning the whole world , for a remembrance of his mercy , in deliuering noah and his family from the waters , and of his promise made , f neuer to destroy it so againe : left to them and al posterity the 〈◊〉 bow . when he had iustly smitten the first borne of the egyptians , and gratiously saued the first borne of israel : he commaunded moses g to sanctifie to 〈◊〉 al the first born , that first openeth the womb , to remember the day in which they came out of the land of egypt . when he had miraculously fed the israelites with manna from heauen , that men did eate angels food , h he would haue a golden pot ful of it to be reserued in the arke of remembrance , for the better remembrance of so great a work . so likewise , being deliuered by the precious bloode of christ from the floods of sin 〈◊〉 haue gone ouer our heads , and eased of the heauy burthen that pressed downe our hearts : we haue receiued baptisme to keepe vs in remembrance thereof , that wee are ciensed from the filthynes of sin . again , being nourished with christs body crucyfied , & his blood shed for vs , we are cōmanded to vse this mistery , to continue an holy remembrance of his death and passion to our endlesse comfort . this end , to wit , to be to vs a remembrance of christes sacrifice on the crosse , is taught by the apostle , so often as ye shall eate of this bread and drinke of this cup , ye shew the lords death till he come . in like manner , the euangelist luk , of the bread he saith , do this in remembrance of me : and of the cup , do this as oft as ye shall drinke it , in remembrance of me , by declaring his death . and we declare the lords death , when we publikely confesse with our mouth and beleeue with the heart , that our whole hope and affiance for life and saluation , is surely set in the lords death , that we may glorifie him by our confession , and exhort others by our example to glorifie him , because his death is our life , his passion is our saluation , his suffering is our reioycing . we our selues are the principall and proper causes that he was torne and tormented : our sinnes wounded him , we our selues crucified him : we , euen we were the causes , for he was chastised for vs , that by death he might deliuer vs from death , and from k him that had the power of death . our euill motions , our vile thoughtes , our corrupt wordes , and our sinfull works , did set on worke pontius pilate , herod , annas , caiphas , iudas , the gentiles and the iewes , who were but instruments , as the crosse , nailes , the hammer , and spear : these were , as our seruants and workemen , in the euill action of his crucifieng . wherefore , to speake the truth , not sathan the tempter , not iudas the traytor , not caiphas the highpriest , not pilate the chiefe iudge , not the iewes that conspired against him , not the false witnesses that accused him , not the band of men that scorned him , not the passengers that nodded their heads at him , not the souldier that pierced him , not the executioners that railed and nailed him on the crosse , are so much to be accused and reproued for his sufferings , as we , we i say our selues and our owne sinnes . not that we can excuse those cursed instrumentes that crucified the lorde of glory , who shall receiue according to their workes , l when they shall see him whom they haue pierced , but to teach vs chifely to accuse and condemne our selues . we bound him with cords , we beate him with rods , we buffeted him with fistes , we crowned him with thornes , wee reuiled him with our mouthes , we railed at him with reproches , we nodded at him with our heads , we thrust him through with 〈◊〉 , we berraied him with a kisse , we pierced his hands and feet with nailes , we crucified him betweene two theeues , wee condemned him through false witnesses , we poured shame and contempt vpon his person , we iudged him as plagued and smitten of god. for , inasmuch as our f●lts and offences procured these things to be done vnto him , we were the doers of them , and the dea'ers in them . and surely , then we are profitably grounded in the doctrine of the m passion of christ , when our haits cease to sinne , and we are pricked with an inward griefe of those great and grieuous transgressions , n whereby , as with speares , we pierced the side and wounded the very soule of the immaculate lambe of god , as ioh , , who so sinneth , neither hath seene him , nor knowne him . and the prophet 〈◊〉 . teacheth , chap. . he was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities : the chastssement of our peace was vpon him , and with his stripes 〈◊〉 are healed : the lord haih layd vpon him the iniquity of vs all . seeing then , christ was slaine for our sins , let vs kill sin in our selues ; seeing he dyed for vs , let vs labour that sin may be dead in vs : seeing he was crucified for vs and our saluation , let vs crucifie our owne instes that they raigne not in our mortall bodies : seeing his hart was pierced with a speare , let vs haue our hearts thrust through , pierced , and pricked , with vnfained sorrow for all our iniquities . this is the right vse , the true end , and the sound comfort following and flowing from the death of christ . to conclude we must learne and hold for euer , that we haue the beg nning and chiefe cause in our selues , which did crucifie christ and crush him with most bitter sorrows : let vs then be reuenged of our sins , and do al despite we can vnto them : let vs endite them , arraigne them , accuse them , condemne them and naile them to his crosse : let vs kil thē , mortifie them , and bury them in his graue for euer . this is the first end of the supper , which is sanctified by the breaking of the bread and pouring out of the wine , declaring vnto vs , that as the body of our lord was broken , and by violent meanes afflicted , so his blood gushed out and flowed plentifully out of his gaping and bleeding wounds . this must be our meditation , whensoeuer we come to the lords table . chap. . of the second vse of the lords supper . the second vse of the lords supper is our spirituall vnion and communion with christ . this the apostle declareth , the cup of blessing which we blesse , is it not the communion of the blood of christ ? the bread which we breake , is it not the communion of the body of christ ? whereby he meaneth , that the faithfull which come conscionably & worthily to the lords table , are ioyned and vnited to whole christ , by the bread sacramentally , by faith instrumentally , by the holy ghost spiritually , and by them all most effectually . for , we take the bread into our hands , and likewise we take the cup into our hands as christ commaunded , saying , b take ye , eate ye , drinke ye , diuide ye . neither do we lay them apart , or hide them aside , or reserue them in a boxe , or abstaiue from them : but when we haue taken them , we eate , we digest them , we are nourished by them , and they are turned into our substance . so christ , being eaten of the godly by faith , is vnited to them by his spirit ( as we haue shewed before ) whereby they are made one with christ and he one with them . and as meate plentifully prepared , daintily dressed , and only seene vpon the table , doth not nourish the body , or take away hunger : so , if the gospell be preached and the sacraments administred , except we apply the promises of the gospel , and beleeue that christ withal his gifts is ours , they prosit nothing towards our saluation . such therefore as lawfully and worthily come to the lords supper , as to a table richly furnished and to a banket liberally prouided , must not onely generally beleeue that christ suffered in the flesh and dyed for sinners , but c particularly for themselus , yea communicateth himselfe and al his gifts to them aboundantly , as certainly as themselues eate of the bread and drinke of the cup. this vnion and communion is neere , and wonderfull great : and therefore the apostle fitly calleth it a mistery , euen d a great mistery , speaking of christ and of the church . for , what vnion can bee greater , then that which is betweene the thing nourishing , and the thing ' nourished ? we haue nothing in adam , but that which conueyeth death vnto vs : so that is is needefull to be ioyned to one which maie giue life to vs , that as we die in adam , so wee may liue in him . this vnion cannot by reason be expressed , or fully vnderstood . as christ , in the daies of his flesh , had a dubble kindred , one earthly and carnal kindred , the other spirituall , that by faith receiued his worde , and beleeued in his name , of whom he said , f behold my mother and my brethren ; for whosoeuer shall do my fathers will , which is in heauen , the same is my brother , sister , and mother : so is it in this vnió and felloship with him , one is outward and bodily , which al mankinde hath with him , in that he is partaker of our flesh and blood , the other inward and spirituall , whereby we are made partakers of him and of al his sauing graces to euerlasting life . as christ was borne of the virgin mary , and vnited our nature to him , taking vpon him , g not the angels nature , but the seed of abraham , euery reprobate hath this vnion with him , in that he tooke vpon him the shape of a man : but there is a mysticall and marueilous vnion , whereby he dwelleth in vs by faith , whereby we are truely coupled to him , made partakers of him , deliuered from sin , and made heires of euerlasting life , quickning and sustaining vs , as food which preserueth the life of the bodie . if the arme ioined to the body haue no life , no sence , no benefit of vitall spirits , it is no part of the bodie , though it be vnited to it : so the wicked liuing without faith , are as it were sencelesse , they haue no forgiuenes of sinnes , no sanctification , no saluation , and therefore are no true members of christ. if he poure not life and grace into them , they are not his members : if he kill not sinne in them , they are not vnited spirituallie vnto him , the bodily vnion with him , shall profit nothing : it is the spirit that giueth life . seeing then the receiuing of the bread and wine which turne into our substaunce , teacheth the misticall vnion between christ and his members : we learne first from hence , that all the faithfull and godly are truly made partakers of christ and his graces , as the members receiue life from the head , and the tree moisture from the root . for , euen as the wife ioyned to her husband in marriage , is thereby made partaker of his body and goods , hath interrest with him in the commodities of this life , g and loketh for norishment , food , fellowship , protection , and gouernement from him : so , being made one with christ , we are indued with his he auenly gifts and blessings . this must be our comfort in all dangers and tentations , in all tryals and assaults , to consider that we are one with christ , we are not only dear vnto him , but nearely ioyned with him , as members to the head , as the wife to the husband , and as the braunches to the vine , and therefore can neuer be seperated from him in life or death . secondly , this streight vniting of the faithfull to christ , sheweth that the vngodly haue no part nor fellowship in him and with his graces : though they be ioyned to a communion of the same nature , and haue many common gifts of knowledge , and vnderstanding , yet christ neuer dwelleth in them with his sauing graces and with his spirite of sanctification , he possesseth not their harts , he worketh not in them a particular perswasion of their reconciltation to god , neither an hungring desire , aboue all things to bee at vnity and peace with him , neyther a distaste and dislike of sinne , neyther the comfortable spirite of grace and prayer : all which are in some measure in all the saithful . wherfore , although they may bee cloathed with the flesh of christ , they cannot be said to be couered with the grace of christ : although they be like vnto him in regarde of this naturall body : yet they are not indued with his heauenly spirit , they haue many 〈◊〉 through him , but they want such as accompanie saluation . chap. . of the third vse of the lordes supper . the third vse of the lordes supper is a spirituall communion aud growth with our a brethren , to bee one bodye with them , flowing from the communion which we haue with christ. for as the vnion betweene brethren and sisters of the same bloode and of the same flesh , springeth from the neer coniunction they haue from father and mothers as from a fountaine : and as the vnity and concord among seruants of the same society , ariseth by meanes of the same maister : so the faithfull that haue communion with christ , haue likewise communion one with another . this paul testifieth euidently , writing to the corinthians , b we that are many are one breade and one body , because we all are partakers of one bread . this is to be vnderstood of that communion and fellowshippe which the members haue one with another , who receiue food and norishment from the same table , therby professing themselues to be of the selfe same family and houshold . besides , by the vniting together of many graines is made one bread : of many clusters of grapes one wine is pressed out : so , out of many members groweth vp one body of the church , which is the body of christ . this maketh much to the reconciling , renueing , and maintayning of friendship , that we are all partakers of one bread made of many cornes , and 〈◊〉 of the same cup of wine made of many clusters , c as the apostle setteth downe , . cor . . wee are all made to drinke into one spirit . wherfore we are not onely to look to our vnion with christ , but also our ioyning our selues with them who are of the same misticall body , be they neuer so many that receiue with vs this holy supper : in respect whereof , this sacrament hath bin called a communion . now , let vs consider what vse may be made heereof to our selues . is this one end of the institution of christs last supper , to lay before vs our communion one with another ? then , what gifts soeuer we haue receiued from christ , wee must imploy them to the benefit and good of others . if god haue giuen vs knowledge , we must vse it io instruct the ignorant : if the gift of zeale , we must applie it to kindle and stir vp 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 thinges of this life , and this worlds good , we must communicate them to others , according 〈◊〉 their want and out wealth , their pouerty and our plenty . the candle hath receiued light , not for it selfe , but for others . the trees bring forth fruite , the clouds drop downe raine , the fountaines send downe water , the sun shiaeth , the earth flourisheth , the bee gathereth , the beast laboureth , to profit others : and wherefore haue we all receiued moysture from the root , light from the sun , fruit from the tree , water from the fountain , euen life from christ , but to impart it to others as freely as we receiued ? this is taughtvs in many placs : c let euery man as he hath receiued the gift , minister the same one to another . and in another place , the manifestation of the spirit is giuen to euerie man to profit withal : god hath tempred the body together , least there should be anie diuision in the body , that the members might haue the same careone for another . so then , the gifts that we haue receiued of vnderstanding , wisedome , zeale , exhortation , reprehension , and whatsoeuer gifts externall , internall , or eternall : let vs consider that we are stewards not maisters of them , and therefore must render and giue an account vnto the author and giuer of them , when he shall say , d giue an account of thy stewardshippe , for thou mayest bee no longer steward . againe is the lordes supper the bond of charity ? and doth it put vs in mind of our communion with the saints & fellowship which one hath with another ? then all such as receyue the same doctrine , imbrace the same religion , and 〈◊〉 at the same table , e must be vnited in christian loue , gentlenes , meeknes , and patience one towarde another , supporting one another , bearinge the burthan one of another , being alike affected and disposed , guided by one spirit , nourished by the milke of the same word , acknowledging one 〈◊〉 , professising one faith liuing in one bodye , walking in one callinge , looking for one kingedome worshipping one lorde , meeting at one supper , and washed with one babtisme for our ' regeneration and sanctification , p according to the saying of the apostle , eph . walke worthy of the vocation whereunto ye are called , endeuouring to keeepe the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace , there is one body , and one spirit , euen as ye are called in one hope of your vocation , there is one lord , one faith , one baptisme , one god , and father of all , which is a boue all , and through all , and in you all . and in the same g epistle to the philippians , if there be any consolation in christ , if any comfort of loue , if any fellowship of the spirit , if any compassion and mercy : fulfill my ioy , that ye be like minded , hauing the same loue , being of one accord and of one iudgement , that nothing be done through contention . and luke , act. . describing the h notes of the church of christ , saith , the whole multitude of them that beleeued were of one heart , and one soule , neither any of them said , that any thing of that which he possessed was his owne , but they had all things common . let vs acknowledge our selues to bee fellowes of one houshold , and members of one body : and euermore bring with vs this fruite of loue to the lords supper , otherwise we shall neuer be the lords ghuests . if bretheren that are the children of the same father , malice and maligne one another , will not the father be angry ? and if one fellow-seruantes brought vp in one family , fall together by the eares , will not their maister be displeased and offended ? seeing then , god hath vouchsafed to call vs his children , to admitte vs into his house , to nourish vs at his owne table , and to preserue and reserue vs to his heaueuly kingdome : hee will take from vs all these priuiledges and 〈◊〉 : if wee be hatefull and hating one another , and deale with vs , not as with his own children , but as with his vtter enemies . thus much of the third and last end of the lords supper . chap. . of examination before the lords supper . what the supper of the lord is , what are the parts and vses thereof , and what an heauenly banket it is for al worthy receiuers , hath hitherto bene sufficiently declared now it followeth to set downe a the way and means how we may come 〈◊〉 . for the whole fruit of this sacrament standeth in the right partaking thereof . the right manner standeth in preparing ourselues to come , and in examining ourselues before we come . no great thing can bee done well , without good care and endeuour . in all humane b things of any importance , nothing is attempted or atchiued without some preparation more or lesse going before , according to the nature of the matter . before men sit downe to eat or drinke their ordinary food , before they sleepe , before they wash , before they walke , before they work , some preparation goeth before . before c the ground is tilled , it is prpared . before the d law was deliuered , before the saboth was sanctified , before the sacrifice was offered , before the passeouer was killed , before the worde was receiued , before prayers were vttered , the heart was in some sort prepard . one of the greatest duties required of vs , is to dy well : whereunto all our life should be a preparation , and euery day should be a meditation of death , that we may not be found vnready and vnprepared e when the bridegroome shall come . so the supper of the lord being an excellent misterie and the food of our soules , whereby we receiue christs body and blood : there is required of euery one , a trying , prouing , and examining themselues , least , seeking comfort by their comming , they bring vpon themselues iudgement through want of preparing . this trueth deliuered , hath the witnesse and consent p of many scriptures for the confirmation thereof . the prophet . chron. . saith , kill the passeouer , and sanctifie your selues , and prepare your brethren , that they may do according to the word of the lord by the hand of moses . and the holy man iob , when the daies of the banketting of his children were gone about , sent and sanctified them , and rose vp earely in the morning , and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all . also the wiseman 〈◊〉 . . take heede to thy foote when thou enterest into the house of god , and be more neare to heare , then to giue the sacrifice of fooles , for they know not that they do euill . likewise the prophet ieremy , lament . . wherefore is the liuing man sorrowfull ? man suffereth for his sinne : let vs search and try our waies , and turne againe to the lord. to the same purpose the prophet dauid saith , psal. . tremble and sinne not , examine your owne heart vpon your bed and be still : and psal. . i haue considered my waies , and turned my feete into thy testimonies . the apostle paule is very direct in this point , as gal. . . let euery man proue his owne worke : and then shall he haue reioycing in himselfe onely , and not in any other . also cor . let a man examine himselfe , and so let him eate of this bread , and drinke of this cup : where he speaketh of purpose of the lordes supper . so then , it is a duty required of all persons that come to the lordes table , or any other exercise of religion , to search their owne heartes and consciences narrowly , how they bee affected and disposed touching the discharge of this duty . and if wee would farther consider the necessity of this examination : we fhould finde it standeth vpon many sufficient g reasons and causes as vpon certaine foundations that cannot be remoued . doe we not see men when they come into the presence of some honourable and noble person , h to addresse themselues to doe it with all renerence ? ioseph being sent for , to come before pharaoh king of egypt , shaued his hed , and changed his raiment : and pro , . when thou sittest downe with a ruler at meate , consider diligently what is before thee . therefore , when wee sit at the lordes table to sup with him , and are admitted to be his welcome ghuests : we ought much more to be caresul to sanctifie our soules with al solemnity . consider with me a little our own practise . we will not put our ordinary meates in a dish vnwashed , nor our common drinks into a cup vnclensed : and shall we put the signes of bread and wine which are chosen instruments to conueigh christ vnto vs , into vnsanctisied soules , vnprepared heartes , and 〈◊〉 consciences ? doth not our sauiour christ reproue such hy pocrisie , when he saith , i ye can discerne the face of the skie ; and 〈◊〉 you not discerne the signes of the times ? and if that vpper chamber , wher the supper was first administred , were trimmed and garnished : should not our hearts be prepared , into the which it is receiued ? shall christ himselfe offer to come into our houses : and shal not we sanctifie our harts to entertain such a ghest ? this were to great carelesnesse and contempt . moreouer , waigh with me the profit that commeth to our selues to moue vs to this examination . the comfort is great , the fruite is excellent , the benifit is vnspeakeable to those that partake the mystery of the supper worthily , they receiue christ , they receiue remission of sinnes , they receiue saluation , they receiue assurance of eternall life . for , if the woman diseased k with an yssue of blood , loe twelue yeare , comming behind christ and touched onely the hemme of his garment , was made whole : then assuredly the spirituall receiuing of the body and blood of christ shal not bring lesse profit , if the faith be equall , which notwithstanding is wholly lost without preparation . ponder with me also how by neglect of this triall of our selues , not onely this profit is lost , but the sacrament it selfe is after a sort defiled . for , howsoeuer it be in it selfe by the ordinance of god an holy and heauenly banket , yet to the vngodly , vnregenerate , and vnsanctified , it becommeth vnholy and wholly earthly , l as the prophet haggai teacheth , chapter . if a polluted person touch an holy thing , it shall be vncleane . the person must be holy that will haue sound profit by the holy thinges of god : the man that is vnholy , defileth every thing he toucheth , the polluted person polluteth all thinges . for as , to m the pure all thinges are pure , but vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure , but euen their mindes and consciences are corrupted : so the prophane person defileth all thinges , and turneth wholesome meate into noysome poyson . we must therefore vse sanctifyed thinges with sanctfyed hearts : and for spirituall meate we haue spirituall vessels . furthermore , marke the great danger & punishment that is procured and purchased by this want of preparation . for , the vn worthie receiuer is guilty n of the body and blood of christ as the apostle specifieth , cor , xi . whosoeuer shall eate this bread , and drinke the cup of the lord vnworthily , shall be guiltie of the body and blood of the lord. and againe , he that eateth and drinketh vnworthily , eateth and drinketh his own iudgement , because he 〈◊〉 not the lords body : for this cause many are sick and weak among you , and manie sleepe . where he teacheth , that such as come vnworthily , vnreuerently , and otherwise then such misteries should be handled , doe despise and treade vnder their feet iesus christ himselfe , prouoke the lords 〈◊〉 , and bring on themselues swift damnation . not that he is carnally and bodily present , but because the reproache which is vsed in the signes , toucheth the bodie and bloode of christ signified by them . euen as if a man shoulde rent , disgrace , deface , spit vppon , tread and trample vnder his feet , and villanouslie abuse the image , seale , and letters patents of a prince , he should be adiudged o guilty of a grieuous crime against the person of the prince himselfe , not which hee receiueth but despiteth : so , such as come vnthankefully and vnworthily to this supper , are guilty of his body , not which they haue eaten , but which they haue refused and reiected being offered vnto them , and therefore are guilty of their owne death , inasmuch as god with the signes offereth his owne sonne . wherefore seeing the presence of god moueth , seeing our owne profit perswadeth , seeing our owne practise furthereth , seeing the defiling of the sacrament and the danger of vnworthy receiving teacheth , and lastly seeing our owne iudgement in humane affaires ( when the daunger is not so great , nor the losse so certaine ) cryeth out for this necessary preparation : it standeth vs vpon , before we enter into this holy worke ( whereunto of our selues wee are more vnfit and vnto warde , and which in it owne nature is most profitable ) to set our selus before the lord , who shal examine and iudge the quicke and the dead : to search into our owne wayes and to keepe a sessions in our own soules : to looke into our secret and hidden corruptions , how wee haue gone forward or backward in golinesse : to try whether we haue a knowledge , feeling , and disliking of our sinnes , and whether we haue any feare of gods iudgments , or faith in his promises , or hope in his mercie : to iudge our selues , that we may not be iudged of the lord : to labour to find out our speciall sinnes , striuing against them by earnest praier to god , and condemning them for euer in our selues . if we would thus iudge our selues , wee should not be condemned with the world . let vs be grieued for our naturall blindnes . let vs acknoledge confusion of faces to be due vnto vs. let vs deepely imprint in our owne harts the horror of our sins past and present . the more wee perceiue and discerne our own vnworthinesse , the greater shal be our fitnes to come to this sacrament : and the lesse we espy our owne imperfections , the more we incuire the danger of gods iudgements . so then , to touch vs with true 〈◊〉 , and to break our stony hearts in pieces with remembrance of our daily offences , let vs often meditate on the death and passion of christ , who was forsaken , scorned , buffeted , and crucified for vs : he was led as a lambe to the slaughter and shunned not the shame of the crosse : then the powers of heauen & 〈◊〉 wer moued , p iudea was darkned , the earth quaked , the stones claue in sunder , the the graues opened , the sunne was in the ful-moone eclipsed , the vaile of the temple was rent , the dead were raysed , the theese repented , the centurion glorified god , and the whole order of nature was changed . all these thinges 〈◊〉 set before vs the he inousnesse of our sins , and the greatnesse of gods wrath , which could not be appeased , but by crucifieng of the body and by shedding of the blood of christ , which is represented to vs , as in a glasse , in this supper . thus wee haue shewed by testimonies and effectuall reasons , that , as in the passe-ouer they were commanded to chuse them a lambe q on the tenth day , but to kill him on the fourteenth , so that they had . daies liberty betweene the separating and the killing of him , for preparation and sanctification of themselues : in like manner , in the supper , which is the same to vs that the passe-ouer was to the 〈◊〉 , the spirit of god chargeth this duty vpon vs , that we prepare our harts reuerently thereunto . now , as we haue seene the necessity of this examination : let vs consider what vses are to be made thereof . is it required of all communicants that come to the lords table , 〈◊〉 to examine themselues ? then from hence it follo weth , that all men are bound to know the word of god , and to be skilfull in the scripture , that thereby they 〈◊〉 be able to try their owne hearts , and examine themselues by that rule . but if the rule be vnknowne , the tryall spoken off cannot be made , the examination commaunded cannot be practised . especially there is required of vs the knowledge in the doctrine of the law , not onely to be able to rchearse the words , but to know the end and mcaning of them , the speciall branches of them , what are the duties commaunded , what are the sinnes condemned : for by r the law commeth the knowledge of sinne , and the apostle had not knowne sinne , s but by the law : for hee had not knowne last , except the law had sayd , thou shait not lust . as then , he that will try golde from copper , must haue his touch stone : so he that will rightly examine his obedience , must familiarly be acquainted with the canon of the scriptures . this our sauiour teacheth ioh. . search the scriptures , for in them ye thinke to haue eternalllife , and they are they which testisie of me . 〈◊〉 then we search them , they will giue vs light to search our 〈◊〉 . and the apostle requireth the colossians , t to haue the word of god dwell plentifully in them in al wisedome . wherefore , he that said , examine your selues , ment we should also know the scriptures , and especially the law of god , which must be the glasse of our u liues to behold our offences : and the very ground-worke of this examination . againe , we are charged to try out our waies , and examine our selues ? then we learne from hence , to acknowledge a difference between baptisme and the lords supper . for baptisme is due to the whole church , and euery member thereof , whether old or young , to all infants , who are the children of faithful parents , that haue giuen their names to christ , and are entred into the profession of the gospell . and howsoeuer confession of faith & fruits of repentance , are required of the elder sorte , ( as wee haue shewed ) yet touching infants it is susficiēt 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 themselues , to try their owne harts , and to remember his death , which things cannot agree with children . as we see in the passe-ouer , not all the children of the faithfull were admitted thereunto : but onely such as could enquire and require a reason thereof , b and did desire to be instructed of their parents , and such as had learned to make the law a frontlet before their eies , and a signe vpon their hands , that so the doctrine of god might not depait out of their mouths . besides , if we consider the outward workes in both the sacraments aright , c we shall plainely see the truth of this diuersity . for , in baptisme the action of the minister is to wash the body with water , which requireth not discretion in him that is to be baptized , fo rasmuch as we can clense and wash the things that are without reason , without vnderstanding , without sense , and without life . but in the sacrament of the supper , a reuerent giuing , an attentiue hearing , a certaine vnderstanding of that which is spoken , a wise receiuing and eating , and a carefull considering of whom to take , and what to take is required into the outward work : how much greater iudgement is required , to know that god the father giueth the body and blood of his sonne to be receiued by faith ? thus then , this examination maketh a distinction betweene both the sacramentes of the new testament , and sheweth , that it is not necessary to the saluation of infants , that they com to the lords table . thirdly , seeing no man must presume to come thither without a serious examination of himselfe : it d debarreth from the lords supper fiue sorts of persons , to wit , children , furious and mad men , ignorant persons , prophane persons , and all sorts of insidels . first of all , if there be a necessity of searching and trying our selues , it excludeth all infants and children in age , who vnderstand not what the holy spirit speaketh in this sacrament , what god the father offereth , what the sonne performeth , and what faith receiueth , they know not what it is to eate christ spiritually , and to be nourished by him effectually . secondly , all foolish , furious , and mad men , being such as want the vse of naturally gifts of reason , wit , descretion and iudgement , the defect whereof , whatsoeuer they are in age and yeares , maketh them as children in gifts , not being able to examine themselues , are to be separated . thirdlyly , howsoeuer many haue yeares of discretion , and the common vse of naturall gifts of vnderstanding : yet , if they neither haue the knowledge of god , nor the knowledge of themselues , nor the knowledge of the doctrine of the sacramentes , and other fundamentall points of religion , they are not to be admitted but refused . fourthly , if they haue all these things , and want neither ripenesse of age , nor yeares of discretion , nor vse of reason , nor knowledge of the doctrine which is according to godlinesse : yet if they remaine prophane , vngodly , vnrepentant , stubborne , malicious , reuenging , open contemners of god , of godlinesse , and of his word , idolaters , adulterers , blasphemers , drunkards , and such in whom appeareth no amendment of life , these and such like are not interessed in this sacrament . lastly , it excludeth and shutteth out all such as are without god in the world , all atheists , insidels , turkes , iewes , and heretikes , all such as haue not yealded themselues to the church of god , and haue not made profession , of their faith , and such as are worthily excommunicated from the church by the power of the keies : whereby we see , that al infants and children that want years , all furious and foolish persons that want the vse of reason , all blind and ignorant persons , that want the knowledge of god and of themselues , all vnrepentant persons that bring not with them faith and repentance , all infidels and vnbeleeuers with others that are out of the bosome of the church , are to bee kept backe from this supper , being such as either cannot or will not submit themselues to this holy necessary duty of examination , thereby hauing no right or title to come to his table . for such as haue not the church to be their mother , cannot be nourished with this meate of the church , to wit , the supper of the lord. fourthly , if all persons are to prepare themselues to this sacrament : then none are willingly and wilfully to abstain and refraine from comming vnto it . for as such sinne grieuously , who present themselues vnworthily to this blessed communion : so do they greatly offend on the other side , that ofset purpose absent themselues from this spirituall banket prouided for them . god is dishonored both these waies , as well by receiuing vnreuerently , as by abstayning carelesly from this sacrament . for he lyeth vnder an heauy e curse deseruedly , that doth any of the lords works negligently . euen as the patient , which being sicke maketh no account of the dyet which the physition hath prescribed , is no lesse blame worthy , then he that abuseth it disorderly , in as much as both sorts do it oftentimes to their danger and destruction : so is he no lesse faulty , that maketh that reckoning of the receit which the chiefe physition of our soules the lord iesus hath appointed , then he that misuseth and misapplyeth the same , because both do it with great perill and hazzard to themselues . we know that such , as , being bidden f by the king to the wedding of his sonne , made light of it and refused to come , were destroyed as wel as he that , came without his wedding garment . we know when the word of god is preached , which is g the power of god to saluation to all that beleeue , such as absent themselues from the hearing of it , perish iustly , as wel as they that come without faith and repentance . we know when the passeouer was celebrated , such persons as were negligent to obserue and keepe the same according to all that the lord had commanded moses , were to be cut off from his people , h because they brought not the offering of the lord in his due season , they shal be are their sin . in like manner such as neglect to come to this communion , and abstaine from it , for feare of communicating vnworthily , depriue themselues of great comfort . and this is the very cut-throat of al godlines and religion . for why doe they not , by like proportion of reason , refrain from inuocation and calling vpon the name of god , for feare of praying amisse ? and why may they not absent themselues from hearing the word of god , fearing to hear amisse ? so that if this pretence were a lawful warrant to abstaine from the lords supper for feare of vnworthy receiuing , we might bid all godlines farewel , in asmuch as it openeth a gap for men to abstaine from performing all duties of piety and godlines . wherfore , let not such persons flatter themselues with vaine excuses and lying words that cannot profit , neither daube with vntempered morter , saying , we are vnworthy , we cannot come : rather let them labor to shake off their vnworthines , and to cast away i euerything that presseth down , and the sin that hangethso fast on , that so they may be worthy receiuers . let them not contemne the commaundement of christ which saith , take ye , eate ye , do this in remembrance of me . christ hath commanded , we must obey : he saith , come : shall we be so vnthankfull to say , we will not come ? he calleth , shall we not answer ? he biddeth his ghests , shall we make excuses ? he sendeth his messengers and prepareth his feast , shall we not prouide and prepare to eate thereof ? he offereth himselfe vnto vs , shall we contemne the blessed remembrance of his death and passion , euen the price of our redemption , and shut our selues from the communion which the faithfull haue with him and one with another ? so that wee are to perswade our owne hearts , that god is prouoked to anger , as well by negligence in abstaining , as by vnworthinesse in receiuing the supper . chap. . of the knowledge of god : the first part of examination . as we haue waighed the necessity of preparing and examining our selues : so let vs consider the manner how it is to be performed . such as will in an holy manner prepare themselues a to celebrate the lords supper to the glory of god and comfort of their owne soules , must diligently acquaint themselues with these . pointes , with knowledge , faith , repentance , and reconciliation to those whom they haue offended . it is required of all persons that come to this sacrament , to know the grounds of religion , and vnderstande the doctrine of the sacramentes . secondly , to beleeue in christ , and to looke for saluation in him alone , inasmuch as there is no other name vnder heauen by which we must be saued . so then we must come with faith , which is the hand to apprehend christ . thirdly , to abhorre and detest our sins , to hate them with an vnfained hatred as our deadly and most dangerous enemies , and to haue godly sorrow for them which may cause repentance not to be repented off . lastly , to loue our bretheren truely and sincerly , yea euen our enemies . if we find not these things in our selues , we must carefully vse al holy meanes appointed for this purpose , to begin them in vs : otherwise our estate will proue to be fearefull and dangerous . we must with al sincerity , conscience , and zcale , vse prayer , the word read and preached , conference , meditation , and such like helpes as may further them in vs. if we do find them in vs , though feeble and in great want and weakenesse , we are not to abstaine from the sacrment , but to come thereunto to seeke strength of faith & encrease of obedience . wherfore , b our sauiour calleth such vnto him , come to me all ye that are weary and sore laden , and i will ease you : take my yoke on you , and ye shall find rest vpon your soules : for my yoake is easie , and my burden is light . and chap , . a brused c reede shall he not breake , and smoking flaxe shall he not quench , till he bring forth iudgment vnto victory . touching the first , we are to obserue , d that such as wil come aright to the lords supper , must haue the knowledge of gods word , which is the foundation and ground-work of faith . we must know what to beleeue , and must learne the doctrine of saluation out of the scripture . our sauiour christ , in that heauenly prayer which he made a little before his passion , vseth these words to his father , e this is eternall life to know thee to be the onely very god and whom thou hast sent iesus christ. we must know how miserable all men are of themselues , that we are seperated from god , the children of wrath by nature as wel as others , and the very firebrands of hel . they that want this knoledge , cannot iudge aright of the partes and vses of this sacrament , nor desire this heavenly meate which nourisheth to eternall life . so then , knowledge must necessarily go before faith : for it is the nature of faith to beleeue that which it knoweth , and therefore where there is small knowledge , there is a little faith : and where there is no knowledg , ther can be no faith : according f to the doctrine of the apostle roman . . faith commeth by hearing , and hearing by the word of god. the knowledge required of vs when we approach to this sacrament , standeth in these two g pointes : first in the knowledge of god , secondly in the knowledge of our selues . in these two braunches standeth the first part of examinarion . and these two pointes are so neerely ioyned and knit together , that no man can throroughly know god , vnlesse he know himselfe : and no man can haue the perfect knowledge of himselfe , except he know god in whom h he liueth , moueth , and hath his being . vnder these two heads , many particular points are containd , necessary to be known of those that offer themselues to bee partakers of this sacrament . first , that there is onely one god , that hath made himselfe knowne in three persons , i the father , the sonne , and the holy-ghost : secondly , that god made man and all other creatures good , and gouerneth all thinges well : thirdly , man did fall through the entisement of the deuill , and his own wilful disobedience in breaking the commandements of god : fourthly there are ten commaundements diuided into two tables : where of the foure first commaundements concern our duties to god , the sixe last our dutyes toward our neighbour : fiftly , we cannot keepe these commandements , nor any one of them , but we breake them daily , in motion , in thought , in worde , and in deede : the breache where of deserueth k the cursse of god , that is , all miseries in this life , death in the ende of this life , and hell fire after this life : sixtly , there is no meanes or remedy in ourselues or in any creature , but onely in iesus christ the eternal son of god , l who is god & man : god , that he might ouercom death : and man , that he might die for our sins . he hath pacified gods wrath , fulfild the righteousnes of that law , sanctified our nature , adopted vs to be the children of god , and maketh our duties ( though weake ) acceptable to his father . seuenthly , all haue not deliuerance by him , but onely such as beleue in christ , m whose obedience and righteousnes is made ours by a liuely faith , whereby we are perswaded that through him our sinnes are forgiuen , and wee made the children of god : eightly , faith is a gifte of god applying christ and al his merits particularly to our selues , and teaching that he is a sauiour vnto vs. ninthly , beeing saued by christ thrugh faith , n we may not liue as we list : this vnspeakeable mercy teacheth vs to deny all vngodlinesse , and all worldly and sinfulllusts , to to liue soberly , righteously , and godly in this present euill world , and to walk in newnes of life , o because no vnrighteous person shal enter into the kingdome of heauen . tenthly this faith which bringeth forth a reformed life , is wrought in our heartes by the holy-ghoaste through the preaching of the word , being truely expounded , and profitably applyed with doctrin , confutation , exhortation , correction , reformation , and consolation : and it is encreased besides , by reading , praying , and receiuing of the sacraments . eleuenthly touching prayer , we haue a perfect platforme left vs q by christ in the gospell , which containeth sixe petitions , the three firste concerning the glorie of god , and the three last concerning the necessities of our owne bodies and soules , . the sacraments are another help to strengthen and increase faith , which are outward signes and seales ordained of god , to assure vs that christ& all his sauing graces are giuen vnto vs. these are two in number . baptisme , the sacrament of our regeneration and new birth , assureth vs by the washing of water , that our sins are for giuen by the blood of christ , and wee borne a new to god . the lords supper assureth vs , that by bread and wine giuen and receiued according to gods ordinance , christ is giuen vs to be our spirituall norishment to euerlasting life . these grounds of religion must be knowne and vnderstood , that we may learne how wretched and miserable we are by nature , and what remedy god hath ordained for our deliuerance . we shall neuer feel the sweetnes of gods mercy , vntill we find the greatnes of our owne misery . we cannot perceiue how greatly we stand in neede of christ , vntil we knowe our owne woful and wretched estate by reason of sin . such then as are ignorant in these necessary points of christian religion , and especially in the doctrin of both the sacraments , can neuer come aright vnto them , can neuer shew forth the lords death , can neuer discerne his body , but blindly run on to the daunger of their owne soules . wherefore it standeth all men vpon , to desire the sincere milke of the word r that they may grow thereby , to seeke after knowledge , as for siluer , and after vnderstanding as precious stones . a loathing stomack neuer wol digesteth the meat that is put into it : and he that is ful , despiseth the hony combe . what is the reason , that they remaine blind in the matters of god and their owne saluation , and as bruit beastes in vnderstanding ? surely , because they desire not the waies of god , they regard not his fear , they contemne knowledge , as esau did the blessing , and the israelites did their manna . for no man truely desired the knowledge of god and of godlines vn sainedly , but he had the meanes offred vnto him at one time or other . cornelius , desiring to be throughly instructed in the way of saluation , was directed by the angel to sende for peter , f who should speake words vnto him , whereby he and his houshold should be 〈◊〉 . thus dauid , going the way of all fleshe , instructeth his sonne salomon , t thou salomon know thou the god of thy fathers , and serue him with a perfect hart and with a willing mind : if thou seeke him , he will be found of thee , but if thou for sake him , he wil cast thee off for euer . this is it also which the prophet proclamed . chron , . o asa and all 〈◊〉 and beniamin , hear ye me : the lord is with you , while ye be with him : and if ye seeke him , he will be found ofyou : but ifye for sake him , he will for 〈◊〉 you . likewise , the euangelist teacheth , that when zacheus sought to see i esus , he shewed himselfe vnto him , he entered into his house , and that which is more into his heart , u and that day saluation was begun in him and 〈◊〉 his family , being made the chi'de of abraham . heerby is fulfild that which the prophet speketh . psal. . the lord is neere a vnto al that cal vpon him , euen to all that cal vpon him in truth : he wil fulfil the desire of them , that fear him , he wil also heare their cry , and wil saue them where he teacheth , that if we truely desire knowledge , we shal effectualy obtain it . god wil not be wanting to vs , if we be not wanting to our selus . when the eunuch came to ierusalem , and exercised himselfe in the scriptures in reading the prophet for increase of knowledge , as he sat in his chariot : did not the lorde direct phillip to goe to him , and ioyne himselfe to his chariot , by whom he was farther instructed and baptized ? so shall it bee with al that hunger and thirst after the doctrine of godlines , they shall not bee lest destitute , but be filled with the knowledge thereof to their endlesse comfort . the hand of god is not shortned , he is as ready to help vs as euer he was , c according to the promise of christ our sauior . math. . blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnes , for they shal be filled . heereunto tēdeth the general promise , deliuerd in the general words of him that is the author of grace , d ask and ye snalreceiue , seek and ye shal find : knock and it shal be opened vnto you : for whosoeuer asketh , receiueth : and he that seeketh , findeth : and to him that knocketh , it shal be opened . heer we haue an excellent comfort and encouragement , to consider that our holy indeuours shall not be in vaine in the lord. chap. . of faith in christ , the second part of examination . hitherto we haue spoken of knowledge which is the first part of this examination . now a man may haue knowledge , and yet want faith . wherfore the a next point which we are to try and proue , is our faith in christ . for euery man receiueth so much as he beleeueth he receiueth , according as our sauiour speaketh to the woman of canaan , math. , o woman , great is thy faith , be it vnto thee b as thou desirest . and the apostle saith , to the same effect , c vnto vs was the gospell preached as also vnto them , but the worde that they heard , prositted them not , because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it . al those are worthy receiuers , that ground themselues on the free fauor of god in christ iesus , beleeue themselues to be deliuered by him from eternall damnation , and desire daily to go forward in godlinesse . heereunto commeth the exhortation of paule , cor , , proue your selues , d whether ye be in the faith : examine your selues : know ye 〈◊〉 your owne selues , how that iesus christ is in you , except ye be refused ? this true faith is the mouth of the soule , wherby we receiue christ crucified to our saluation . wherefore , it is required of vs , not onely to haue knowledge and vnderstandding in the mistery of our redemption : but likewise a iustifieng faith , e which is a wonderfull gift of god , whereby the elect doe apply christ and the sauing promises of the gospell to themselues particularly . we must know f the purpose and ordinance of god , appointing and setting apart iesus christ to be the person in g whom and by whom he hath decreed and determined the saluation of al the elect . againe , we must haue a perswasion of gods true meaning toward vs , in offering saluation through christ , and that all sufficiency and ability is in him to saue vs , whereuppon we shall feele a sweet and comfortable resting vpon him , in whom god meaneth to saue vs. these are the handes whereby we apply christ to our selues both by knowinge himselfe for our sins according to the will of god euen our father , and by relying on his al-sufficiency to perform that high worke of redemption , whereunto he was sealed and ordained . this faith is not borne and bred with vs , but is wrought in vs by the holy-ghost , h who is therefore called the spirit of faith . except he giue it , no man can haue it : it is natural to vs to presume on the one side , and to dispaire on the other side : but to beleeue ( which is seated in the middest ) is supernaturall . to haue a dead faith commeth of our selues : but to haue a liuely faith , proceedeth from god , to whom we ascribe all praise and glory . now the proper office and function of this iustifying faith standeth in apprehending , receiuing , and laying hold vppon christ and all his benefits . euen as the hand stretched forth , layeth hold vpon a thing , and pulleth the same vnto it : so doth saith apply the sauing promises of the gospell to the soule , as the apostle teacheth , gal. . that the blessing of abraham might come to the gentiles through iesus christ , i that wee might receiue the promise of the spirit through faith . where he teacheth , that we embrace and receiue the precious promises of saluation and forgiuenesse of our sinnes by faith , beleeuinge the same to belong vnto our selues . the scripture calleth christ a redeemer indefinitely ? iob calleth him his redeemer k particularly , iob , . i knowe that my redeemer lyueth . the scriptur setteth out the lord as the god of his church : thomas vpon a special feeling of christs fauor toward him , l acknowledgeth him to be his lord and his god . iohn . thou art my lord and my god . the scripture propoundeth christ as the sauiour of his people : the blessed virgin taketh this as spoken to her selfe , m an accounteth him her sauiour . luke . my spirit reioyceth in god my sauiour . the scriptur maketh christ the l. and protector of his church : elizabeth maketh a speciall n application thereof , calling him her lord luk. , whence commeth this to me , that the mother of my lord should come vnto me . it is an article of our holy and christian faith to beleeue the forgiuenes of sinnes : this must euery one beleeue , this must euery one hold , this must euery one apply , o as christ did to the sick man of the palsey , mathew . . sonne be of good comfort , thy sinnes are forgiuen thee . it is the hardest thing in the worlde thus to beleeue , whether we respect christ or our selues . it is an easie matter for a man , when he neither knoweth nor feeleth the burden of sin , to say he hath faith , and beleeueth in gods mercy : but when satan shall fift him , when his owne hart shall accuse him , when sinne shall he heauy vpon his soule , when the vnsupportable and vnsufferable anger of god shall presse his conscience to the nethermost hell , and the flame thereof consume his bones and turne his moisture p into the drought of summer : if then he can stand vpright , and build himselfe q vpon the rock , when the floods come , when the winds blow and beat vpon his house , and when the ground shaketh vnder his feet , this man with boldnesse and confidence may truely say , and seale it vppe for an euerlasting truth , my sinnes are forgiuen me . for if then he can comfort himselfe in his god , and apply his gratious mercies to his owne fainting hart , and cry out r though the lorde would kill me , yet still i wil trust in him : this is the property of a sounde faith , against which the strongest gates of hel shal not preuaile . this appeareth euidently vnto vs in the example of abraham , s who beleeued that of his old , weake , withered , and as it were dead body , should spring children t like the sande on the sea-shore , and like the starres of heauen for multitude , and that he should haue a seede in whom himselfe and all the nations of the world should be blessed . if hee had consulted with flesh and blood , what discourses might a naturall man alledge to 〈◊〉 the crediting of this promise ? yet hee doubted not , hee disputeth not the matter , but beleeued that the weake shoulde bee made strong , that the barren should be made fruitfull and a ioyfull mother of children , that the dead should be made aliue to dwell with a family , springing out of his owne body , which was to reason as vnlikely and vnpossible , as for a dry and dead tree pulled vp by the rootes , to bud , bear , and bring foorth plentifull 〈◊〉 . so , what can bee more difficult and hard then for vs to beleeue and be perswaded , that by the death of christ , we shall haue euerlastinge life ? by his shame and dishonour we shall haue glory and praise ? that by his wounds and reproaches we shall haue the curing and healing of our 〈◊〉 ? that by his agonies and bloody sweate , wee shall haue peace and rest ? by his condemnation we shall haue saluation ? is not this after a sort , in hell to see heauen ? in cursing , to see blessing ? in humiliation , to see exaltation ? in death , to see life ? in condemnation , to lay holde of saluation ? in feeling of sin , to beleeue the pardon of sinnes ? lastly in out vnrighteousnes and misery , to bee both righteous and accepted to eternall life : and in the breach of the lawe , to beleeue the fulfilling of the law ? this is indeede to haue the sauing faith u of gods elect . and to say that this is an easie matter , or a small thinge , is plainely to betray and difcouer , that wee never knew what true faith meaneth . for this faith , let euery one of vs labour , that we may a specially and particularly apprehend the promises , as the apostle declareth . galatians , i am crucified with christ , but i liue ; yet not i any more , but christdiueth in me : and in that that i nowe liue in the flesh , i liue by the faith in the sonne of god , who hath loued mee , and giuen himselfe for me . and againe , b i haue fought a good fight , i haue finished my course , i haue kept the faith , hencefoorth is 〈◊〉 vppe for me a crowne of righteousnesse , which the lorde the righteous iudge , shall giue vnto me at that day . where wee see a speciall application to himselfe of the benefits of christ , and therefore it is not sufficient to beleeue that christ came into the world , that he was crucified , died , was buried , rose againe from the dead , and ascended into heauen : for this is a general faith , this is the faith of the reprobates , yea the deuils know it , and haue as great a part and portion therein as we , yet they tremble at the remembrance of their iudgement to come , as iames sheweth , c thou beleeuest there is one god , thou doest well : the deuils also beleeue and tremble . there is more required of vs , then to beleeue the histories and doctrine of the scriptures to be true , and to make an outward profession of it , to vnderstand and assent vnto the couenant of grace made by christ that it is certain and shal be verified in the members of the church : we must , besides this generall and confused faith , apply and appropriate vnto our selues the promises of saluation : we must not onely see them a farre off , but feele them in our harts : we must beleeue , not onely that christ is a sauior , but that he is our sauior and our redeemer . thus we must euery one of vs for his owne part make proper to himselfe all the riches and graces that are in chist iesus , because in giuing himselfe to vs , he giueth al his benefits : in that he is god , he maketh vs after a sort d partakers of the diuine nature : being heir of al things , in heauen and earth , and lord of the world , he maketh al things ours , whether life or death , whether things present or things to come , recouering in him the possession of those thinges which wee lost in adam : being the beloued sonne of the father , hee maketh vs acceptable and wel pleasing vnto him : leading captiuity captiue and giuing gifts f to men , hauing dominion ouer the deuil , sin , hell , the world , the flesh , and all our enemies , hee protecteth vs that they cannot ouerthrow vs , and hath g made vs kings and priests to god euen his father : in that he is happy and immortal , he maketh vs partakers of his blessednes and immortality . when we shall seuerally and particularly apply al the actions and benefits of christ our lorde vnto our selues , we may boldely come to the lordes table , where wee shall fiude christ , and enioy him to our endlesse comfort . neither are we to abstaine and hang backe from comming to the supper , nor to dispaire of our selues , nor to be to much cast downe , when wee feele sundry defectes and wantes in our faith . for h there is a weake and feeble faith , which is yet a true faith as well as the stronge faith . there are two degrees offaith profitable to be knowne , and comfortable to be considered . the weake faith , i is an earnest and vnfained desire to be reconciled vnto god in christ , which willing desire in vs god accepteth as the deede it selfe : hee accounteth the defire of faith as faith it selfe : the desire of reconciliation and forgiuenesse of sinnes by the death of christ , shall be auaileable to worke out our attonement and redemption . the stronge faith is a full perswasion and assurance k of the mercyes of god , when the faithful can truely say with the apostle . l rom. . . i am perswaded that neither life nor death , nor thinges present nor thinges to come , neither angels , nor principalities , nor powers , neither height , nor depth , nor any other creature shall separate vs from the loue of god which is in christ iesus our lord. this is the greatest measure and highest degree of faith : this is the top , strength , and full ripenesse of faith : heereunto wee are to striue and indeuour , and neuer to giue rest vnto our soules , vntill wee bee resouled and setled in our consciences , that all our sinnes are assuredly pardoned , and wee accepted to euerlasting life . this greatenesse of faith was in abraham , m who was not weak , but strengthened in faith , being fully perswaded he that had promised was also able to doe it . all that liue in the bosome of the church doe not attaine to this full measure of a perfect faith : but euen as it is in the estate of the body , we are babes before we come to be men of ripe yeares , first we be weake before we be strong , n first we are fed with milke before we can digest strong meat . we see o corne first is in the grasse then in the blade , before it come to the stalke , and to haue ripe corne in the eare . there must be in all thinges a beginning , before there can be a proceeding to perfection . the tree sendeth forth his tender braunches , and putteth forth his leaues , before the fruit commeth . so is it with euery christian man and woman , first they are babes in christ , and haue certaine seedes and beginnings of faith springing in them to eternall life : afterward they grow from strength to strength , from grace to grace , from degree to degree , p and from faith to faith , vntill they come to a full perswasion and assurance without wauering , q which ariseth after many experiences of gods ' manifold mercies and fauours in the course of our liues , as we see psal. . doubtlesse kindnesse and mercy shall follow me all the daies of my life , and i shall remaine a long season in the house of the lord. wherefore , let vs not be 〈◊〉 ed and discouraged when our faith is feeble , for a feeble faith wil apply christ as well as a strong faith : it wil draw christ home to dwell in our hartes , r through whom we shall not perish , but haue euerlasting life . hee that had but a weake eie and a dimme sight , to behold the brasen serpent in the wildernesse , s was healed from the deadly stinging of the fiery serpents , as wel as he that saw cleerly and perfectly a farre off . he that hath but a leprous and sickly hand is able to hold that which is offered vnto it , as well as a sound and strong hand . so hee that hath a little faith in the sonne of god , shall neuer haue his saluation denied , nor forgiuenesse of his sinnes kept from him , if with an humble heart he pray to god to haue them pardoned . the apostles beleeued , that christ was the sauiour of the world : yet they were ignorant t of his death and resurrection , which are the chiefe meanes of saluation , and they are saide to be men of little faith . so our sauiour , when the u disciples had asked increase of their faith , declareth that if our faith be in quantity but as a graine of mustard-seede , it should be powerfull and effectuall , seeing he will not a quench the smooking flaxe , nor breake the bruised reede , but cherish the least sparke and measure of grace giuen vnto vs from aboue . this likewise was the faith of that father , whose child was possessed with a dumbe and deafe spirit , when christ said to him , b if thou canst beleau , all things are possible to him that beleeueth : straight way he cryed with teares , saying . lord , i beleeue , help mine vnbeleefe . christ doth not reiect him for his weaknes of knowledge and faith , to teach that we should not dispaire , or be dismaid , when we finde wauering , wantes , distrust , and imperfection in our selues : but rather confessing our frailty with that father in this place , pray to be strengthned , and to haue our faith increased . for , whosoeuer vnfainedly desireth any grace of god tending to saluation , shal receiue it : if he continue c knocking at the gate of his mercy , it shall bee opened , and his prayer shal be granted , as christ hath promised , d i wilgiue to him that is a thirst of the wel of the water of life . thus , if wee long after the graces wanting vnto vs , as the earth after a great drouth for the comfortable shewers of refreshing rain , vsing the meanes appointed of god to attaine them , as , earnest praier , reuerent attending on the continuall hearing of his word , diligent receiung of the sacraments , being carefull to giue honor and glory to him for his gifts we haue already of his onely mercy obtained and enioyed , wee shall be satisfied and replenished : for then c he that hath 〈◊〉 his good worke in vs , will perfect the same in our harts vntill the day of iesus christ. thus much of faith , the sec. part of true examination , which is the instrument whereby wee lay hold vpon christ , and are made liuely members of him : withont which whosoeuer come to the lords supper , depart away without fruit and comfort . chap. . of repentance , the third part of examination . the next thing in this tryall to be considered is a repētance , which is , a renewing of the minde , a change of the heart , a turning of the soule , and a reformation of our life and affections . as knowledge is the beginning and as it were the forerunner of faith , like a messenger going before his maister to prepare for his comming : so repentance is an especiall fruit of faith , without which , whosoeuer draweth neere to the lordes table , prophaneth the sacrament , and departeth without comfort . for , it is an altering of our liues and conuersations to god , ioyned with a godly sorrow and detestation of all sinne , together with an vnfained loue and desire of righteousnesse . this appeareth in the change of the whole man , of our thoughtes , affections , meditations , and delightes : in al these the old man with his deceitful lusts must be put off , and the new man must be put on , b which after god is created vnto righteousnesse and true holinesse . this duty is taught in diuers places of the scripture . herunto come the wordes of the prophet esaiah , when c ye come to appeare before me , who required this at your hands , to tread in my courtes ? bring no mo oblations in vaine : 〈◊〉 is an abhomination vnto me : i cannot suffer your new moones , nor sabbaths , nor solemne 〈◊〉 ( it is iniquity ) nor assemblies . and when ye shall stretch out your handes , i will hide mine eies from you : and though ye make manie praiers , i will not heare , for your handes are ful of blood wash you , make you cleane , take awaie the euil of your workes from before mine 〈◊〉 to do euel , learne to do wel , &c. and ch. . he that killeth a bullock , d is as if he 〈◊〉 a man : he that sacrificeth a sheep , is as if he cut off a dogges necke : he that offereth an oblation , as if he fered swines fleshe : he that burneth incense , as if he blessed an idoll : yea they haue chosen their owne waies , and their soule delighteth 〈◊〉 their abhominations . whereby the prophet meaneth , that god accepteth no sacrifices without faith and repentance . this also was figured and shaddowed out , by washing the garments and changing the attire of such as came with e their oblations vnto god , and prepared themselues to his seruice . this iacob commaunded , when he reformed his houshold , and went vp with them to bethell the house of god , thus moses prepared the people , before the law was deliuered in mount sinas . and heereunto the prophet dauid alludeth , psal. . i will wash mine handes in innocency , o lord , and compasse thine alter : as if he should say , i will indeauour to liue most vprightly toward thee and toward men , and so come and offer sacrifices at thine alter . wherefore , such as feele not themselues to haue penytent heartes , to be humbled and grieued for their sinnes , to sigh and grone vnder the burden of them , to tremble at gods iudgementes , cannot come aright to this holy supper , but eate and drinke certaine iudgement to themselues . the broken and contrite heart is the path way to heauen , f and an vnspeakeable companion of repentance . this the apostle teacheth , cor. . godly sorrow causeth repentance vnto saluation , not to be repented off , but worldly sorrowe causeth death : but behold , this thing , that ye haue beene godly sory , what great care it hath wrought in you : yea , what cleering of your selues : yea , what indignation : yea , what feare : yea , what desire : yea , what zeale : yea , what punishment . heere be the g notes and tokens whereby we may try our repentance , whether it be sincere or not . it hath these signes to discerne it , a care to leaue that sinne into which wee are fallen , otherwise we haue not repented , as act. . they which had crucified the lord of life , and deliuered him into the handes of sinners , were pricked in their heartes , and sayed to peter and to the other h apostles , men and bretheren , what shall wee doe ? and peter sayde vnto them , amend your liues , and saue your selues from this froward generation . the other signes of repentance are a confession of our sins to god , and a condemning our selues for them : an holy and inward anger against our selues for our carelesnesse in looking to our owne waies : a feare not so much of gods iudgements , as least we fall into the same sins againe , and so offend our mercifull father : a desire , euer after to please god with all our hearts : and last of all a renewing and punishing of our owne soules for our offences cōmitted against him . now to the end we may repent aright , and sit in iudgement of our selues , according to the forme of gods iustice : it shal be needful for vs i to examine our selues by the ten words of the law , and out of the same to frame ten seueral enditements against our selues , whereby we shal find a great defect of righteousnes , a great spoile of obedience , a great accesse of disobedience , and a great heape of all kind of corruptions . this then may serue and suffice for the true examination of our selus . we must consider and confesse that we haue not loued and feared god , we haue not beleeued and depended vpon him in al estates as we ought , but haue oftentimes feared and loued the creature aboue him , we haue preferred a filthy pleasure before him : we haue doubted of his promises through vnbeleefe , and relyed vpon an arme of flesh and blood , wee haue beene carelesse in the worship of god , we haue not prayed to him with stedfast assurance to be heard , we haue not serued him in spirit and in truth as he requireth of vs , but hypocrisie hath crept into our best actions and meditations , we haue more laboured after the outward shewes and appearances of religion , then to expresse the power of godlinesse : and haue more esteemed to seeme to others to bee true christians then to bee such indeede . wee haue not reuerenced the eternall maiesty of god as is meete to doe , who is infinite , inuisible , vnchangeable ; we haue not blessed and praysed his name with thankes-giuing for all thinges , and at all times , as well for aduersity as prosperity : wee haue not heard , reade , and meditated in his word with such affection , reuerence and zeale as is requisite : when occasion hath beene offered to speake of the workes of gods prouidence , we haue not acknowledged in them the greatnes of his wisedome , power , and goodnesse as we ought : nay rather the glorious and dredful name of god ( which ought to be more deare vnto vs then our own liues ) hath beene blasphemed , dishonored , and abused by vs. touching the sabboth , wee must consider and confesse how we haue prophaned it : we haue bene more careful to follow our worldly workes and affaires , then to seeke the kingdome of god and his righteousnes , hauing had more care of the body then of the soule : we haue sent out our seruants to dispatch our busines on that day , and haue not suffered them to attend on the 〈◊〉 of the lord for the saluation of their soules : and our soules haue neglected the ministery of the word of god , haue defiled his sanctuary , and haue polluted that holy day with feasting , playing , sporting , drinking , idelnes , and other vanities . wee haue not yealded reuerence to superiors for conscience sake , nor bin affraid to offend them as god hath commaunded : we haue not alwaies spoken of them and their gouernment as wee should : wee haue not had such a reuerent opinon and perswasion of our pastors & teachers as we ought , which haue the charge of our soules , and labor among vs in the lord . againe we haue not beene careful to teach and instruct such as are vnder vs , as our children , seruantes , and whole famylie as wee are bound , praying with them in our houses , exorting them in all wisedome , conferring with them in all gentlenesse , and furthering them in all the waies of godlynesse . touching the sixt commaundement , we haue not loued our neighbours as our selues , procuring their good as our own , we haue broken out through debate , contention , chiding , reuiling , brauling , quarrelling , and reuenging : we haue not reioyced at the good and prosperity of our brethren , but when gods eie hath beene good towarde them in blessing them , we haue repined and grudged at it . we haue not possessed the vessels of our bodies in holines and honour , as the temples of the holyeghost , knowing we are bought with a price : we haue not tamed and brought into subiection this flesh as we should , to make it in all respectes subiecte and obedient vnto the spirit : wee haue not made a couenant with our eies , with our eares , with our tongues , to turne them from all vncleane sights , wanton words , and filthy communication , but haue suffered them to wander after vnlawful lust and concupisence : neither haue we vsed such sobriety , abstinence , and temperancy , as hath bene fit to keepe vnder our affections , but riotousnes , excesse in apparrell , surfetting , slouthfulnes , idlenes , pride , and fulnesse of breade ( which were the sinnes of sodome . ezek. ) are vsed in many places : as for drunkennes , it hath taken away the hearts , and euen washed a way the braines of many . wee must confesse , that our dealinges with our neighbours in buying , selling , bargaining , and contracting , haue not bin with such vprightnes , soundenes , iustice , sincerity , and truth as god requireth : we haue bene giuen to oppreffion , couetousnes and hard dealing one toward another , & not considered that godlines is great gaine , if a man be contented with that he hath , that if we haue food and raiment we must be content , and can carry nothing with vs out of this world , we haue not at all times beene giuen to mercy and compassion to ward the poor , for the maintenance of them and their families , especially in times of famine , dearth , pestilence , sickenesse , and other mortalities and necessities . wee must acknowledge , that we haue not loued the truth in the inward partes , neither maintained the credire and good name of men as wee ought , but haue beene addicted to lying , enuying , backebiting , flattering , or defaming one of another , and to heare others with comforte and delight to do the like : we haue not bene couragious and constant to confesse and defend the truth against the enimies thereof , but haue bene ashamed to set our selues against lies , errours , and slaunders : we haue kindled the coales of contention by false surmises , carrying of tales , and publishing of infirmities to the hurt and hinderance of our brethren . lastly , we must remember to shut vppe this confession , that our whole narure is vile and wretched , the heart of man is deceitfull aboue all things and past finding out : we are sinfull as an euill tree which can bring foorth nothinge but euil fruit , our thoughts are vaine and corrupt , our first motions and immaginations are euill against the lawe of god that saith , k thou shalt not lust , requiring a pure heart to ward our neighbors , holy cogitations of the spirit , and a continuall conflict against euil affections and lusts of the flesh . thus must euery one of vs arraigne and endite our selus . thus we must accuse our selues , and condemne our owne workes . thus we must search our owne waies , confessinge that if l our owne heartes accuse vs , god is greater then our hearts and knoweth all things . then let vs appeale to the throne of grace , let vs desire saluation in christ for his mercies sake , let vs cast al out comfort vpon him , couering our faces through shame of our sinnes that are past , humbling our selues through greefe of them that are present , and working out our saluation with a feare of that which may come heereafter . if thus we iudge our selues , god will acquite vs : if thus we condemne our selues , god wil iustifie vs : if we accuse our selues , hee wil discharge vs : if we be displeased with our selues for our sinnes , god wil be wel pleased with vs , and cloath vs with the righteousnes of christ. but if we stande vpon our owne righteousnesse and worthines , if we say we haue need of nothing , if we flatter and deceiue our selus , comparing our selues with our selues or with others , and not with the rule of gods word : god wil examin vs , and sit in iudgement vppon vs. if hee enter into m iudgement with vs , no flesh shall bee iustified in his sight : for if thou , o lorde , streightly markest iniquities , o lorde who shal stande ? he wil bee reuenged of our sinnes , and 〈◊〉 many plagues vpon vs : he will send sundry diseases vpon our bodies , and a troubled spirit vpon our soules , he will adde one punishment to another , vntill we repent , as he teacheth by many examples in the scriptures . the apostle cor , saith , he that eateth and drinketh vnworthily , eateth and drinketh n iudgement to himselfe . for this cause many are weak , and sick among you , and many sleep : for if we would iudge our selues , we should not be iudged . but when we are iudged , we are chastned of the lord , because we should not be condemned with the world . so the israelites , being myraculously fed by the lords own hand , lusted and became vnthankeful , and therefore while the meat was yet in their mouths , o the wrath of god fell dovvne vppon them , and sle vv the strongest of them and smote dovvne the chosen men of israel . iudas , chosen to be one of the twelue , p comming vnworthily to the passeouer , satan entered further into him , wrought in him his owne confusion , and brought vpon him swift damnation . the ghest in the gospell , q that pressed vnto the supper without his weddinge garment , was taken speechlesse , bound hand and foot , and cast in to vtter darkenes , where shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth . let no man therefore put off , and deferre his repentance from day to day , least he draw vppon himselfe finall destruction of soule and body , and find his hart exceedly hardned through continuance in sinne : but while r the acceptable time is , let vs both purpose and endeuour to forsake our euil waies , our wicked works , and all knowne sinnes reueled vnto vs by the sacred oracle of the word of god. and , because we haue daily wants , and do commit dayly and new sinnes through infirmity of the flesh , s we must haue renewed faith and renewed repentance , t because euery new sinne requireth a new act of repentanee , and appealing to christ by faith . then we are aright disposed to the lords table , when we are liuely touched with a sence and feeling of our corrupt dispositions and daily failings in our faith and obedience . for the repentance of euery faithfull man must be doble , first general , repenting of original and actuall sinnes generally , receiuing power of god to change ourminds , wils , and affections , u whereof ioh. bap t ist saith , repent , for the kingdome of heauen is at hand . this is giuen and granted vnto vs at that time , when firste we receiue to beleeue , it maketh an alteration in vs , slayth the old man , quickneth the life of the new man beginneth in weaknes , continueth in greater strength , and groweth more and more vnto perfection . secondly speciall , for speciall sinnes and continuall failings into which we fall , which we must practise to the end of our dayes . now , as we said in the former chapter , that no man for the feeblenes of his faith is to absent himself from this supper , so must we remember touching our repentance , thogh it be in great weakenes and frailty : yet if it be a sound and sincere hatred of all sinne not a for saking of some sinnes onely , as saul , herod , and iudus did , keeping other in themselues to their owne confusion our imperfections shal be couered , our wants shall be supplied , our weaknes shal be remitted by the death of christ , who was annointed and sent to preach a the gospell to the poore , to heale the broken hearted , to publish deliuerance to the captiues , recouering of sight to the blind , and to set at liberty them that are brused . and hepronounceth such b blessed as are poor in spirit , for theirs is the kingdome of heauen . wherfore , if thou feele in thy selfe great defectes of faith , of 〈◊〉 , of sanctification , pray to god earnestly that hee will vouchsafe to increase his giftes , let vs confesse with dauid , c wee haue find ; let vs weep with pet. d and the sinful woman : let vs acknowledge our vnworthines , and say with the centurion , lord , e we are not worthy that thou shouldst come vnder our roofe , let vs cry out with the publican , f o god , be merciful to me a sinner . this is the way to make vs worthy : this is the means to fit vs to the lords table : this is to be practised of such as will be his ghuests . chap. . of reconciliation to our brethren : the last part of examination . hitherto , in examination of our selues , we hane shewd what wee are to doe in respect of god , the roote whereof is knowledge , the body is faith , the fruite is repentance . now to conclude , wee are to handle the last part , which is a loue toward men , and reconciliation of our selues to our neighbors , for iniuries , wronges , and offences done vnto them , which are as poyson to this banket . for , in vaine we shall pretend knowledge , boast of faith , glory of repentance , if we faile in duties toward our bretheren . for , heere is the touchstone and tryall of all the rest , euen our obedience to the second table , which concerneth the duties of loue toward our bretheren . heerevnto commeth b the doctrine of christ set downe in the euangelist math. . if thou bring thy gift to the alter , and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee , leaue there thy gift before the altar , and goe first be reconciled to thy brother , then come and offer thy gift . where he teacheth , that he so approproueth this duty , that hee will haue his owne immediat seruice cease , and giue place for a time , till it be performed . so , in the sermon which he made to his apostles , before he was betrayed to death , he did diligently beate vpon this point , saying , c by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples , if ye loue one another . this is my 〈◊〉 , that ye loue one another , as i haue loued you : greater loue then this hath no man , that a man bestow his life for his frends : ye are my friends , if ye doe whatsoeuer i commaund you . this likewise the d apostle teacheth , that we may know him to be the scoller of the same maister , coloss. , as the elect of god , holie and beloued , put on tender mercy , kindnesse , humblenesse of minde , meekenesse , long-suffering , forbearing one another , and forgiuing one another , if any man haue a quarell vnto another , euen as christ forgaue you , euen so doe ye : and aboue all these things , put on loue , which is the bound of perfectnesse . as euery one hath a comfortable experience in his own hart of gods mercy toward him in the pardon of his sinnes which are many and great ; so let him shew mercy againe , as he hath receiued mercy , and deale vnto others kindly , as god hath delt gratiously toward him . our sauiour christ auoucheth this math. . in the parable of the lender that had many debters : he called them to e take an account of them , and forgiueth the debt hauing compassion on him that was not able to pay : but when he was departed , and had found one of his fellow-seruants which ought him an hundred pence , he laid hand on him , thratled him , and cast him in prison till he should pay the debt . then the lord called him and said , o euil seruant , i forgaue thee all that debt , because thou prayedst me : oughtest thou not also to haue pittie on thy fellow-seruant , euen as i had pittie on thee ? so his lord was wroth , and deliuered him to the tormenters , till he should pay all that was due to him . then followeth the application of the whole , so likewise shall mine heauenly father do vnto you , except ye forgiue from your harts each one his brother their trespasses . now , the lordes supper was ordained of god for this end , that it might be a band of loue , and a chaine to vnite and ioyne vs togither among our selues , that if it wer possible we should not breake from him : as paule teacheth . cor. we that are manie , f are one bread , and one bodie , because we al are partakers of one bread . wherefore this supper may fitly be called , a sacrament of vnity , and a seale of our agreement one with another . behold heere , a chaine consisting of many linkes to knit vs together , that wee breake not from god and our brethren . do we not al come to the table ? do we not all eat of the same bread ? do we not al drinke of the same cup ? is not the same loafe compact of many cornes ? is not the same wine pressed out of many clusters ? do we not all ioyne together in the same receiuing ? were we not baptized into the same baptism ? what a shameful thing is this , full of infamy and reproach , to see the branches of the same vine , the sheepe of the same shepheard , the children of the same father , the seruants of the same maister , the fellowes of the same houshould , the heirs of the same kingdome , the ghuests of the same banket , the obtainers of the same promise , the partakers of the same hope , the members of the same bodye , and the professors of the same faith , to contend and striue one against another , to delight in brauling , fighting , quarrelling , and to norish hatred , malice , rancour , spite , enuy , biting , and backbiting one of another . if ephraim be set against g manasses , and manasses against ephraim , if brother be diuided against brother , if we bite one at another , let vs take heed least we be consumed one of another . the sonnes of god are renewed into the image ofgod , to resemble their heauenly father in true holines , and doe all weare the same cognizance and liuery . for the sacraments are the marks of ch. sheepe , whereby they are knowne and discerned : so that all our discentions , diuisions , railings , reuilings disgracings and defacings one of another , tend to the reproch and dishonour of our common father , and do giue an heauy testimony against our souls with god and his elect angels . for how do we approach vnto god ? how do we come into his presence ? with what harts do we pray before him and vnto him ? are we not taught h to aske forgiuenes of our sins , as we forgiue the trespasses done vnto vs ? it then we be malicious and enuious , and carry the fresh remembrance of wronges in our hearts , to pursue them with reuenge : do we not pray against our selues ? do we not beseech god to poure out vengance vpon vs ? do we not open our mouths to our owne destruction ? for when wee vse our tongues to say , i lord , forgiue vs , for euen we forgiue : is it not asmuch as if we should pray , forgiue vs not lord , for we do not , we will not forgiue others ? therefore , after the forme of prayer giuen to the disciples , christ addeth , if ye do forgiue men their trespasses , your heauenly father will also forgiue you : but if ye do not forgiue men their trepasses , no more will your father forgiue you your trespasses . and as he exhorteth , that when they stand and appeare before the altar , k they must forgiue : so when we appeare at the lords table , we must forgiue , if we haue any thing against any man , that our father also which is in heauen may forgiue vs our trespasses . now , if we woulde be directed to knowe whether this loue be is vs or not , wee may try our owne hearts by these l holy properties and blessed effectes described by the apostle , , cor , xiii , loue ( saith he ) suffereth long , it is bountifull , loue enuieth not , loue doth not boast itselfe , it is not puffed vp : it disdaineth not , it seeketh not her owne things , it is not prouoked to anger , it thinketh not euill : it reioyceth not in iniquity , but reioyceth in the truth : it suffereth all things , it beleeueth al thinges , it hopeth al things , it endureth al things . heere we may see , what manner of loue ought to be in vs. euery one of vs must indeuour , that all the parts of this description may rightly agree to euery one of vs , and truely be found in vs toward all men , euen our enimies , as we see iesus christ hath left vs an example of his loue , m when he praied for his enimies , that crucified and cruelly entreated him , father forgiue them : for they know what they do and this did stephen to those that stoned him , lord , lay not this sin to their charge . this is the way , let vs walke in it : this was their practise , let vs follow it . thus we haue shewed the necessity of examination of ourselues before we come to the lordes 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 sauing knoledg , with iustifieng faith , with vnfained repentance , with a louing and longing reconciliation towarde our brethren among whom we liue , hauing as much n as is possible , peace with all men , yea euen our enimies : let vs not abstaine from the lordes table by reason of some frailties and infirmities in vs : for god couereth them , o and will not bring them into remembrance , as we see . chron , . a multitude of people had not clensed themselues , yet did eate the passeouer , but not as it was writen : wherfore hezekiah praied for them , saying , the good god be merciful toward him that prepareth his whole hart to seeke the lord god , the god of his fathers , though he be not clensed according to the purification of the sanctuarie : and the lord heard hezekiah , and healed the people . where we see , that because their hart was vpright and sincere , their wants and imperfections were not imputed vnto them . for god respecteth the truth of the inward partes , and pard oneth their sinnes that thus prepare their harts to seeke him . so then , p they were greatly deceiued , that thoght they honoured the sacrament by abstaining from it : it is not honoured , but dishonoured : not hallowed , but prophaned : not regarded reuerently , but reproched greeuously by our wilfull abstinence , q as the apostle teacheth , cor , . let a man examin himself , and so let him eat of this bread and drink of this cup. he doth not say , let him proue himselfe and so let him abstaine . for the sacrament is abused , as well by forbearing , hauing examined our selues , as by not examining our selues , and receiuing vnworthily . and thus much of examination , and the manner to be obserued therein . chap. . the conclusion , containing an abridgement of the whole treatise . the effect of that which hath bene deliuered hitherto in these books , may thus be gathred into a short sum and abridgement . we haue a declared that god , in al times and ages of the church from the first being of our first parents , hath to his word and promises anexed sacraments as seales of assurance b for the confirmation of them : therby magnifieng his owne mercy toward his people , shewing our weaknes and vnworthines , and condemning such as oftentimes desire to come to the lordes table , but esteeme little of the preaching of the word : whereas the word and sacraments haue one and the same author , they are instruments of the same grace , their whole force and effect dependeth on god , they require faith c to be mingled with them , & they profit not alway at the very moment of hearing and receiuing . notwithstanding some differences wee find betweene them , as namely in the greater necessity of the worde , then of the sacramentes : infidels were neuer barred from hearing the word when they would become d hearers thereof : and whereas the word affecteth one only of the sences , to wit , the hearing , the sacraments 〈◊〉 offered to the eies as well as to the eares , and so in some sort become more effectuall then the word . touching the worde sacrament , it is drawne from martiall discipline , and properly signifieth the souldiers othe , whereby hee bindeth himselfe to his captaine : which worde being vsed by the olde latine interpreter , is now become ordinary and common in the church , which is not mentioned in so many sillables in the scriptures . and howsoeuer the word be often taken in a large and generall signification : yet as we take it in these bookes , e a sacrament is a visible signe and seale ordained of god , whereby christ and all his sauing graces by certaine outward rites are signified , exhybited and sealed vppe vnto vs. this discription being 〈◊〉 , teacheth vs these pointes , first that the force of the sacramentes dependeth not on the worthynesse or vnworthynesse of the minister , but vpon the ordinance of god , f so that an euill minister may deliuer the good thinges of god. and this was the cause that g christ iesus baptized none , but his disciples baptized , that he might learne not to esteeme of the effect of the sacraments by the fitnesse or vnsitnesse of the mynisters . againe , h none must adde vnto them , none must take ought from them , none must any way abuse them contrary to the institution and ordinance of god. lastly , we learne from hence , that the sacramentes are not bare and naked signes of christ absent i but sure seales of gods promises , and of the righteousnesse of christ who is offered to all , but receyued onely of the faithfull : so that the presence of vngodlye men meeting vs at the same table , cannot hurte vs in our worthye receiuing . in a k sacrament we are to consider two thinges , his partes and his vses . the partes of a sacrament , l are partly outward and partly inward . the outward partes are m these foure . first , the mynister lawfully called , is necessarily required . 〈◊〉 then the mynister 〈◊〉 not administer them , or if pryuate persons wil administer them , n they sinne against god , the one for not perfourming the dutyes of his calling , the other because he runneth beyond the boundes of his calling . the second outward parte o is the word of institution , consisting of a commaundement and a promise : so that it is required of vs , to vnderstand the wordes of insti●ution , to ioyne the word with the sacramentes , and to discharge those from the number of sacramentes , which want the warrant of the word . the third outward part of a sacrament is p the signe : for wheresoeuer there is a sacrament , there must of necessity bee an outward element , so that neither must wee make an idoll of the signe by aduancing it to high , nor cleane abolish it as the church of rome doth by their doctrine of transubstantiation . the last outward part is the q receiuer : so that the sacraments without their lawfull vse are no sacraments at all , so long as the signes are reserued and not applyed . the inward partes also are r foure : first , god the father , offering and applying christ iesus , as s surely as the minyster doth the outward signe which is a great comfort to such as come to the sacraments . the second inward parte of a sacrament is t the holy spirit , working by the worde : so that wee can neuer heare the worde , or receiue the sacramentes aright without the speciall direction and inspiration of the spirit of god : neyther must wee hang vpon extraordinary reuelations , which openeth a wide doore vnto all disorders , inasmuch as the spir●t is not separated from the word . the third inward part is iesus u christ , who is the truth and the life of all sacramentes : now if god the father haue giuen him vnto vs , a how shall hee not with him giue vs all thinges else ? let vs therefore laye hold vpon him especially in all discomfits and troubles , when our faith is assaulted by the enemies of our saluation . the last inward parte , is the faithfull receiuer : for except wee b send out saith to bring christ home to dwell with vs in our heartes , wee shall in vaine looke to receiue profit by the sacraments : so that the reprobate , who are vessels of wrath , and the children of perdytion , cannot receiue christ , albeit they partake the signes of christ. as for the elect , who are the lordes , sealed vp to the day of redemption , before their conuersion and gathering into the sheepefold of christ , they also onely receiue the outward signe without christ , inasmuch as they are without faith : but after they are called with an holy calling effectually , and haue receiued to beleeue vnfainedly , they are partakers both of the signe and of the thing signified . these are the outward and inward parces . now there c is a fit proportion and agreement betweene these partes , each very aptly answering the other . for euen as the minister by the word of institution , offereth and applyeth 〈◊〉 the outward element to the body of the receiuer : so the father , by the spirit , offereth and applyeth iesus christ inuisibly to the faithfull receiuer . we shewed before , that in a sacrament wee are to obserue two pointes , his partes and his vses . hitherto wee haue spoken of all the partes , both such as are outward , and such as are inward . now it remaineth to handle his vses . the vses of a sacrament d are chiefely three : first , e to strengthen faith : secondly , f to scale the couenant between god and vs : thirdly , g to be a badge of our profession , and as a banner displayed to witnesse our warfare vnder our chiefe captaine christ 〈◊〉 . if these be the true vses and endes of a sacrament , then wee learne to take notice of h our owne failinges and infirmities of faith ; that god refuseth none for weakenesse and wauering of faith ; i that there is an assurance of faith to be attained vnto , in this life ; that as god euermore keepeth his promise with his people , k who is not as man that he should lie , nor as the son of man that he should deceiue , so must we be careful to keep the articles of l agreement betweene god & vs , namely , to beleeue his word , to loue our bretheren , to obey his will : lastly as our priuiledges are great , to beare the badges of christ our lord , so it teacheth that we are not our owne , m but are bought at a great price , not with n corruptible thinges as syluer and gold , but with the precious blood of christ as of a lambe vnspotted and vndefiled . hitherto of the nature of the sacramentes : now of the number of them , as we vnderstand the word for such as are seales of our communion with christ . the sacraments o of the new testament are two , baptisme , and the lords supper , neither are there any moe left vnto the church . for christ taught no moe p sacraments to the apostles , the apostles deliuered no moe to the churches , who yet were faithfull witnesses , and reueiled the whole counsell of god , q without concealing and keeping backe of anye doctrine which themselues had receiued . besides , these two sacramentes are altogether perfect and sufficient , both to enter a christian 〈◊〉 the church , and to retaine him continually in the same . from this number of two sacramentes we learne 〈◊〉 to acknowledge the great loue of god toward vs , who hath eased vs of the r heauy burden of infinite cerimonies , prescribed in the law , and deliuered vs s a few sacramentes in stead of many . secondly , wee see heereby the difference betweene the olde testament and the new , and betweene the sacramentes of the olde testament and the new : they had sundry significant signes and ceremonies , whose interpretation was not easily knowne vnto them . thirdly , seeing god hath giuen vnto vs two signes , and added two seals to his word and writings , we ought to haue the stronger faith in his mircyfull promises . for , wherefore hath he doubled the signes , but that wee should encrease in faith , and as it were double our assurance of his graces ? lastly , this number of two , ouerthroweth the number of seauen sacramentes , maintained in the church of rome , which iust number was t first broched by peter lumbard , afterwarde ratysied in the counsell of florence , and lastlye established in the counsell of trent , and is now become the common doctrine of that counterfect church . for , besides baptisme and the lords supper , which wee receiue , they u haue instaled into the number of sacraments confirmation , penance , matrimony , orders , and extreame vnction , contrary to the doctrine of the scriptures , contrary to the nature of sacramentes , and contrary to the euidence of sundry reasons . and firist of all , a confirmation cannot bee lifted vppe into the seate of the sacramentes , or sit downe in this chaire of honour , because it wanteth the institution of christ , it wanteth an outward signe , it hath no word to warrant it , or promise of blessing : for howsoeuer b the apostles by imposition of hands gaue the holy ghost , those miraculous gifts are now withdrawne from the church of god. lastly , they haue aduanced it aboue baptisme , they administer it in a strange tongue , and halow the greazy oyle to purifie soule and body . secondly , c their popish penance , instituted by bodily chastisements to make satisfaction for sinne to god , is no sacrament of the new testament , nor any sacred thing being thus vnderstood . for we acknowledge no other satifaction d for sinne , wherein god delighteth , and the conscience of man 〈◊〉 , but only the death and obedience of christ . besides , true repentance hath beene preached and practised from the beginning of the world , after that sinne entred into the world . furthermore their penance hath no visible signe as baptisme and the supper of the lord haue . thirdly , e matrimony , albeit it be a diuine ordinance , honourable f among all estates , yet can be no sacrament of the church of christ , because it was instituted before g the law , it is ratified among the infidels which are no members of the church , it hath no promise of grace and saluation ioyned to it , and albeit it be honorable in all , h yet it is not necessary in all . lastly , the roman church esteemeth it as an vnclean thing , a prophanation of holy orders , a liuing in the flesh : so that as with one hand they aduance it to a great dignity , with the other hand they cast it downe with great disgrace and contempt , as vnworthy of the high and holy priesthood . fourthly , orders come in the next i place , which are the offices 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 haue they any outward element and visible signe . lastly , we are come to extream vnction , which we suffer not to maske vnder the name of sacraments , but pul off the vizard thereof , because the church had the vse of anoynting l so long as it retained the miraculous gift of healing . besides , it hath no word ofinstitution to warrant the continual practise of it , vntill the second comming of christ . wherefore , seeing the word of god teacheth the number of two sacraments onely , and the church of rome instructeth her children in the number of . sacraments , neither moe nor lesse : they must pardon vs , if we harken rather to the scriptures , then to their traditions , rather to god then to man , rather to the truth then to the spirit of error . hitherto we haue spoken of the sacramentes in generall , of their parts , their vses , their number : now we m come to speake of them in particular , first of baptisme , then of the lords supper . and howsoeuer baptisme hath sundry significations , yet as it signifieth that washing with water which serueth to seale the couenant of the new testament , n 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 clensing of the soule , by the blood of christ , is represented . this descrption teacheth , that such as are not yet baptized , o are not to be admitted to the lords table : that albeit dipping be not necessary to the being of baptisme , yet washing with water p is of the essence of this sacrament : that such as are once baptized , are not to be rebaptized , albeit they haue beene baptized by heretickes : and that whosoeuer is baptized , hath made a solemne couenant to professe the christian religion . now , q wee are to consider in baptisme ( as wee did before generally in a sacrament ) these two thinges , his partes , and his vses . the partes of baptisme are outward and inward . the outward partes r are these foure : the first outward part is the minister , as the messenger of god. for baptisme is a part of the s minystry , and god hath ioyned the ministry of the word & sacraments togither . wherfore , the minister must be carefull and not carelesse in the execution of his osfice , who is to sanctifie the water , and to wash the party : moreouer , the people are directed , to whom to resort , when they haue children to be baptized . lastly , the church of rome prophane baptisme , when they appoint mid-wiues and priuate persons to baptize children . the second outward part , t is the word of institution , which is as the forme of this sacrament . the third part is the u element of water , which is the matter whereof baptisme consisteth . whosoeuer therefore baptiseth with any other liquorthen with water , as with blood , with sand , with snow with milk , or such like matter , doth frustrate baptisme , and maketh it an idell ceremony . againe , all popish corruptions added and annexed to this sacrament contrary to the simplicity of the gospel , as creame , crosses , censors , tapers , spettle , salt , a and such like vnsauory trumpery , are 〈◊〉 : hauing also a superstitious opinion of holinesse and worship ioyned with them . also , if water be an outward part , the want of washing with water cannot hinder the saluation of such as dye without baptisme . all perished not vnder the law , that died without b circumcision : god is not more rigorous vnder the gospell . this therefore is a bloody and discomfortable doctrine , to be abandoned and abiured of all parents , of all childeren , of all christians . the fourth outward parte of baptisme is the body that is washed . novv , such as are to be baptized , must be within the couenant : these are , c eyther men and women of riper yeares , or else the infantes of such , vvho haue interest in baptisme as vvell as their parentes . this condemneth the romyshe practise of baptizing bels : and serueth to set forth the great loue of god to all beleeuers , who vouchsafeth to be their god & the god of their seed . hence likewise it appeareth , d that infants are to be baptized . for baptisme succeedeth in place of circumcision , the apostles baptized e whole houses , christ calleth infants and sucklings f vnto himselfe , and 〈◊〉 that to such belongeth the kingdome of heauen : they are christ sheepe and members of his body : hence we learne , that the baptisme of infantes is no vnwritten tradition , but a written and diuine institution taught in the scriptures . consider also heereby , the difference betweene baptisme and the lords supper , g and that all are conceiued in originall sinne . acknowledge also a difference between them and the children os infidels , and let parents be incoraged , h to bring vp their children in the instruction and reformation of the lord. hitherto of the outward parts : now follow i the inward parts , which also are four in number . first , k god the father represented by the mi. wherby our faith is gretly strengthned . for whensoeuer the eie seeth the minister 〈◊〉 water on the body , faith beholdeth god the father clensing the soule with the precious blood of his sonne christ. the seconde part is the spirit l of god , hauing relation to the word and promise of god : and therefore whensoeuer wee come to heare the word or to receiue the sacramentes , we must craue the assistance of the spirit to open our harts , m as he opened the hart of lydia . if this in ward teacher be wanting , the eare heareth and the hand handleth , but the hart is hardned . the third in ward part of baptism n is christrepresented by the water . this serueth greatly to confirme our faith , to consider with our selues , when we behold with our bodily eies the water poured vpon the bodie baptizd , o the blotting out of all our sinnes by the blood of christ iesus . the . inward part is the soul clensed , p most liuely and effectualy represented by the body washed . for the washing of the body representeth the clensing of the soul. this teacheth , that by nature we are corrupt and abhominable , q so that god must worke in vs both the will and the deede . these are the foure in ward parts of baptisme . the agreement betweene these outward and inward parts r is very euident . for as the minister , by the word of institution , applyeth water to the washing of the body : so the father , through the working of the spirit , applyeth the bloode of christ , to the clensing of the soule . thus farre of the parts of baptisme , both the outward and the inward parts : now we come to the vses thereof , s which are principally three . first , to shew our placing and planting into the blood of christ , to remaine in him for euer . this coniunction with christ is not bodily or naturall , but misticall and marueilous in our eyes : for we are made one with christ , t by the same spirit dwelling in christ , and in all the members of christ. so then , the saints triumphing in heauen , and al the beleeuers fighting vpon earth as souldiers in warfar , haue one and the same spirit of christ dwelling in them , and therfore are one with him . secondly , to assure vs of the remission of our fins , that we may bee able to stand in the presence of god , v hauing put on the garments of christ , as iacob receiued the blessing clad in the garments of his elder brother . this ouerthroweth the doctrin or rather doting of the church of rome , which teacheth that baptism abolisheth al sins going before it , and leaueth nothing that hath the name or nature of sinne . if this were a truth of god not a dreame of men , it is not only decent , but greatly to be desired , to haue baptisme deferred vntil old age , nay vnto the hower of death , that so we may depart hence in peace with greater assurance of gods fauor in the pardon of our sins . thirdly , a to slay the old man , and to kil our natural corruption by the power of the death and burial of christ : besides , to raise vs vp againeto holines and newnes of life by his resurection . hence it is , that the euangelists call it the sacrament of repentance : admonishing euery one of vs to expresse the strength and power of baptisme , as the prophets of tentimes exhort the lews to b circumcise the forskin of their harts , and to harden their necks no more . so we ought not to content our selus to be baptized in body , but must labour to be baptized in soul , by a daily proceeding in regeneration , by bringing foorth the fruites of sanctification , and applying christ iesus to our full iustification . thus much of baptisme , the honourable badge of our profession and dedication to christ that dyed vppon the crosse , what it is , what are the 〈◊〉 and vses thereof . now , wee come to d the sacrament of the body and bloode of christ , e which is called by sundrye names in the new testament . sometimes , it is called the f communion , teaching that we are one body coupled togither in christ , shewing that it is to bee receiued of many togither , and admonishing vs of vnity and concorde among our selues . sometimes , it is g called the lords supper , hence we see , who is the author of it , no man , no angell , but the lord iesus , leauing it for a fare-well token of his loue toward vs. we must also come with an earnest desire hungring after christ , that we may be satisfied with his righteousnesse . sometimes , it is called the h breaking of breade : this sheweth , that the substance of breaderemayneth after the wordes of consecration , that figuratiue speeches are vsed in the sacrament , and that this externall rite of breaking the bread , vsed by christ , practised by the apostles , obserued by the pastors of the church , ought not to be omitted and ouerpassed . sometimes , it is called the i table of the lord : this teacheth , that christ and his apostles , at the celebration of it , vsed a table not an altar ; that it is a sacrament , not a sacrifice , and that we ought to draw neere vnto it with all regard aud reuerence . lastly , it is called the new testament or will of christ. this title teacheth that there is a double couenant betweene god and man , the one old , the other new : the one of the law , the other of the gospell : the firste of workes , the seconde of grace . againe , it serueth to condemne the cursed sacriledge of the church of rome , which addeth and detracteth , altereth and mangleth this sacrament at her own pleasure , and mingleth it with the leauen of her owne inuentions . this is a great comfort to all gods children , to consider that all faithfull christians are the heires of christ , to whom he hath promised saluation of their soules , and forgiuenesse of their sinnes . as we haue seene the seueral names of this sacrament , which shew the nature there of vnto vs : so now we will set downe k what the lords supper is . the supper of the lord is the second sacrament , wherein by visible receiuing of bread and wine , is represented our spirituall communion with the body and blood of christ . heere god is present , and sitteth as president at this table , he offereth vnto vs his owne sonne for our iustification , and therefore this supper must be reuerently regarded , and diligently frequented of vs. in this sacrament , l we are in like manner to consider , the partes and the vses thereof . the parts are partly outwarde , and partly inwarde . the outwarde partes are m foure : first , the minister , who is to take the breade and wine into his hands n after the example of christ , to seperate the breade and wine , so taken , from their common vse to an holy , to breake the breade , to poure out the wine , and deliuer them both into the hands of all the people present . so then , they are not consecrated to be priestes of the new testament , but preachers of the gospel , and ministers of the sacraments : and therefore priuate persons may not take this supper to themselues or deliuer it to others . the second part is the word of institution , o this is my body , that is , this bread is p a signe of my body which shortly shall be crucified for you : this cuppe is the new testament in my blood , that is , this wine in the cup is a true sign of my blood presently to be shed to confirme the new couenant of god touching forgiuenes of sinnes and eternal life . these words are not properly , but figuratiuely to be vnderstood , being sacramentall speeches , thus the scripture speaketh of q circumcision and of the paschall lambe . the third outward part are bread and wine , fit signes to signifie our spirituall nourishment by eating the body and drinking the blod of christ in baptisme we haue one onely signe , but in this supper r we haue two , to note out our ful and perfect nourishment by christ. nether did christ deliuer the deceiueable shewes of bread and wine , or cast a mist before the eyes of his desciples to make them thinke it breade which was no bread , or wine which was no wine : but he gaue them true breade , and the true fruit of the vine , s as the apostle calleth them , after the blessing , breaking , consecration . hereby falleth to the ground the mystery of transubstantiation , the most misshapen monster that euer liued or was deuised . it bringeth in a false christ , and turneth him into an idoll : it maketh sacraments without signes : it maketh christ to haue an infinite body , who is like to vs in all things t sinne onely excepted : lastly , it confoundeth heauen and earth together . neither let any obiect that christ hath now a glorified body , sitting at the right hand of his father , and therefore his body hath a great priuiledge aboue ours , to be in diuers places at the same time . for first , when the holy supper was instituted , the body of christ was not glorified . againe , glorification doth not take away the nature of a true body , but taketh away the infirmity and weaknes thereof . take away space of place from a body , and it remaineth no longer a true body , but the essence of it is abolished , u as austine hath well determined . againe , if christ deliuered both signes , the people ought to receiue vnder both kindes , so that they may be iustly called church-robbers , who haue taken from the people the vse of the cup , and a wretched depriuers of christes testament , depriuing the right heires of their inheritance , and ingrossing into their hands the goods of others . they make it of the essence of the sacrament , to vse 〈◊〉 bread , and to mingle water with wine , which christe neuer ordained or commanded : but that which is necessary , they esteeme as needlesse and superfluous , b thus transgressing the commaundement of god by their owne traditions . the fourth outward part are the communicantes , whose duty it is , c to take the breade and wine into their hands , to eate the bread and to drinke the wine to the norishment of their bodies . he did not bid them to reserue the outward signes , to holde them and adore them , or call the sacrament their lord and their god , he did not command them to offer thē vp to god the father as a propitiatory sacrifice for the quicke and dead , as is vsed in their vnbloody or rather most bloody masse , which hath caused so much innocent blood of the blessed martyrs to be shed , d who being kild for theword of god , and the testimony which they maintaind , their souls vnder the altar cry day & night with a loud voice vnto the l. holy and true , to iudg and auenge their blood on them that dwell on the earth . lastly , hereby are ouerthrown the priuat masses of the church of rome , which now grow to be too common , e & canot stand with the communion of christe , who deliuered the signes of bread and wine to all the disciples that were present , they did not stand by , and gaze one vpon another , but receiued the supper of the lord 〈◊〉 . the outward parts haue bin hitherto handled , which being rightly perfourmed , f there followeth consecration , which is , a seperation of the outward signes from their ordinarie vse to an holy and spirituall vse , that whereas before they serued for the body , now they are made instrumentes of grace , and seales of the righteousnes by faith . the inward parts follow , g which are foure : first , god the father who appointed his sonne to performe the gratious work of our redemption , and in the fulnes of time sent him into the world , h who died for our sins , and rose againe for our iustification . secondly , the holyghost , who assureth vs of the truth of gods promises . this sheweth , that he is true i god equall with the father and the son , proceeding from the father and the son . this 〈◊〉 such as suppose no partaking of the body and blood of christ , except he be giuen vs in a carnall and fleshy manner : whereas the spirite worketh faith in our hearts , k which is the ground of thinges which are hoped for , and the euidence of thinges which are not seene . the thirde inwarde part of the lordes supper , l is the body and blood of christ , deliuered for vs vnto death . this conuinceth such of a spirit of errour , who make vnbeleeuers and reprob . partakers of chr. body and blood : thus his body should be prophaned , m and his sauing graces seperated from his person . but euen as , where satan dwelleth and possesseth the heart , there alwaies raigne the workes of darkenes and damnation : so the gifts of christ accompanying saluation , are inseperably ioyned with the person of christ. this also condemneth the reall presence and carnall eating of christ , which forgeth many christs , and reuiueth the haeresie of eutiches : it crosseth sundry articles of the christian faith , and maketh faithfull men like the vnfaithfull barbarians , that deuoured mans flesh and drunke his blood . true it is , christ is truely present in the sacrament , howbeit not carnally , and corporally , but spiritually and mistically . he hath giuen himselfe to be the foode of our soules , let vs hunger and thirst after him and lay hold on him to our saluation : for n he that hath the sonne , hath life : he that hath not the sonne of god , hath not life . the last inward part is the faith full receiuer , who stretcheth forth the hand of faith , and so layeth hold on christ and all his sauing graces . for no man can communicat with his body , but the same is made partaker of his benefits . let vs all prepare the true and liuely faith o of gods elect , and assure our selues that hypocrites and vnbeleeuers cannot possibly be partakers of the bodye and blood of christ. these are the foure inward partes also of the lord supper . the similitude and relation p of the outward and inward parts one to another standeth in this manner , euen as the minister , by the words of institution , offereth and giueth bread and wine to the communicants , to feede the reupon bodily : so the father , by the spirit , offereth and exhibiteth the body and blood of christ iesus , to the souls of the faithful , to feed vppon them spiritually . thus much of al the parts of the lords supper : now folow the vses to be vnfolded . the q vses & profit which we reap by the lords sup . are special three . first , to shew forth with praise and thanks giuing , the death and the suffrings of chri . who his own selfe bare our sins in his body on the tree , by whose stripes r we are healed : so that we haue the chiefe cause in our selus , which did crucifie christ secōdly to teach our comunion wich christ , being made flesh s of his flesh & bone of his bones . hence we learn , that al the godly and be leeuers are made partakers of christ and his graces . this is matter of great comfort in our manifold trials and tentations , that we are ioynd to ch. as members to the head , t and therfore , neither life , nor deth , nor angels , nor principalities , nor powers , nor things presēt , nor things to com , nor hight , nor depth , nor any other creatur shal be able to seperate vs from the loue of god , which is in christ iesus our l. but on the other side , the vngodly and vnbeleeuers haue no part or portion in chri . and his graces , they are as branches u cut off which wither , and men gather them to cast them into the fire and to burn them . , to declare and testifie our communion , fellowship , and a agreement with our brethren , meeting together at the same table , and partaking togither of the same supper . wherfore , seeing we haue not onely an vnion with christ , but a comunion among our selus , we are the seruants of the church , to serue one another in al duties of loue , to instruct them that are ignorāt , to raise them that are fallen , and to bind vp the broken hearted , to reconcile our selues one to warde another , and to keepe the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace . hitherto we haue handled the doctrin of the lords supper , declaring what it is , what are the parts and vses thereof ; the preparation to this work followeth , b consisting in the examination of our selues , and trying our owne harts by the touchstone of the lawe of god . this duty is very necessary to be performd of vs , c for the hart of man is deceitful aboue all things , and the secret corners of it past finding out . we haue to deal with god in this busines . great is the profit which we reap & receiue , if we come rightly and 〈◊〉 prepared . great is the punishment procured , by want of this try all and examination . and the d sacrament it self is defiled , by vnworthy receiuing . this preparation principally standeth in these . points : in the e knowledge of god and of ourselues , especially of the whole doctrine of the sacraments : in a f liuely faith in christ , seeing euery one receiueth so much as he beleeueth he receiueth : in repentance g from dead works : and lastly in h reconciliation towarde our brethren , hauing peace i with all men , and loue towarde our enemies . thus i haue opened plainly , yet truely , the doctrine of the sacramentes , deliuered in the scriptures , and taught in the reformed churches . i haue disclosed some part of the mistery of iniquity and discouered and laid open the skirts of that great idoll of the masse , the reproach of christians , the scorne of the gentiles , the offence of the weak , and the occasion of ruine to many that stumble therat to their own confusion . the lord god , high possessor of heauen & earth , and preseruer of his people that call vpon him , put it into the heart of all christian princes and rulers of the earth , to pull downe this abhominable idoll , that hath aduanced itselfe against the kingdome of christ , and to deface this filthy monster that hath deceiued many , who trusted in it . the same lord vouchsafe , to reueale his truth to the ignorant , to establish them that are weake , and to confound all obstinate enemies to his truth , to their prince , and to their country , for iesus christs sake , amen amen . finis . a corollary . the apostle paule ( christian reader ) prophesieng of these last times in which antichrist should be reueiled , a declareth that his comming shal be by the effectual working of satan withall power , signes , lying wonders , & in al deceiuablenes of vnrighteousnes , that so they might be damned which beleeue not the truth , but haue pleasure in vnrighteousnesse . in this discription the effectual working of this 〈◊〉 is set down , but it is in those which 〈◊〉 . for as god imparteth his b power to his ministers , and indueth them with his spirit to saue such as beleeue : so doth satan after an apish imitation giue power to his instruments , and breath his spirit vpon them to condemne such 〈◊〉 receiue not the truth . the manner and meanes of antichrists preuailing in the children of disobedience is double , to wit , by worke and by worde . his working is with great power , which is seene by signes and lying wonders . now , who it is in our daies that boasteth of wonders , and i wot not what miracles ? who maketh the power of working signes and miracles c a note of the church ? who glory that they can euery day , nay euery houre of the day miraculously transubstantiate the bread & wine into the blood of christ ? who pretendeth that their real presence their d images , their priuate e masses , & other like superstitions haue been confirmed by miracles frō heauen ? is not this the church of rome which hath the pope for her head , f her spouse , and her foundation ? and is he not discerned by this note among other to be that very antichrist described in scripture , prophesied to com in the world , 〈◊〉 now to the church , and felt of euery christian ? wherfore , let vs carefully beware , 〈◊〉 such signes and wonders carry away our eies , and steale away our harts from the simplicity and sincerity of the gospell . the second meanes of his proceeding and preuailing is by word , to wit , by deceiuablenes of vnrighteousnes . he is indeede an enemy to christ , and to his church : how beit not open , but secret : not shewing himselfe as he is , but disguised : not oppugning the truth with manifest violence as an open enemy , but masked vnder the cloke of godlines , pretending the fairest frendship , but intending the greatest & deepest mischiefe against god and his truth . who is it therfore that propoundeth false doctrine to the people coloured with the name of christ and shew of christian 〈◊〉 ? who condemneth marriage vnder the cloke of 〈◊〉 ? 〈◊〉 vse of the creatures vnder the vizard of fasting ? lawfull possessions vnder the pretence of voluntary pouerty ? who , vnder a false shew of counterfeit deuotion , zeale , and 〈◊〉 , to bleare the eies of the simple , and to carry away the hearts of the vnstable , hath nourished 〈◊〉 , rebellions , and machiauillian practises against lawful princes , but he ? i hese are the marks of antichrist , and these haue been his cunning baits to allure men to his superstition , and their owne confusion . moreouer , marke the order of their proceeding . first , they haue gon about to erect the kingdom of babilon , and as it wer to put life into the beast , by handling the questions of religion betweene them and vs , and to this purpose haue published controuersies , dictates , narrations , lectures disputations , demands , motiues , principles , apologies , chalenges , demonstrations , and 〈◊〉 of popish doctrine but being beaten from his bulwark , and out of all their sophistry by the sword of gods spirit , which is g the word of god , they haue sought to gaine & get ground of vs another way . for wheras they saw 〈◊〉 ouermatched in matters of doctrin , they indeuored to excel or at least to equall vs in life and conuersation , and 〈◊〉 partly at home and partly abroad , they haue penned sundry treatises of directions , deuotions , reuclations , imitations , memorials , meditations , and christian exercises tending to reformation of manners , thereby thinking through hipocrisie to win estimation among the simple , and to incite men to alow their religion it selfe . but finding themselues in processe of time far inferior vnto vs , both in purity of doctrine and sincerity of life : they haue last of al inuented another shift ( wherin is lesse honor , and more dishonesty ) to wit , by setting downe the debates , and disagreements that haue been among our churches and gathering an heape of testimonies out of our own wtiters , bitterly inueighing one against another , thereby to raise vp h 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 the minds of many from vs , and to work a deepe dislike of our religion . among other , ther is a notable example of a crafty enimy both nameles and shameles , who writing against a worthy knight in the common-wealth , and a learned docter in the church , entituleth himselfe , first the warder , and now lately the warner ( though he shew neither skill in the one , nor wisedome in the other ) and through their sides seeketh to giue a wound to the 〈◊〉 . this man , pretending nothing against vs but braulings , and 〈◊〉 inuectiues ione against another , as wel at home as abroad , not being able to handle the controuerfies of religiō , hath filled his warn-word with continual allegations of authorities and speaches out of our owne writers , as luther , zwinglius , oecolampadius , caluin , beza , and diuerse others , together with most bitter raylings , and calumniations of his own inuention against vs : al which if they were taken out of his booke , as euil humors out of a body , it could not be esteemed worth so many counters , as now it is k diuided into encounters . there is nothing so hard as to do wel : there is nothing so easy as to speak euil . let it therfore of al persons be called for euer , not the warn-word , but the scorn-word , being a confuted masse of slanders & euil practises , to be scorned rather then confuted . and albeit it be the deepe subtility and wretched pollicy of our aduersaries , to aledge luther against zuingilus , and one of our writers against another , to the end that while they striue about mens words and writings , maters of greatest substance may lye buried in silence : yet they shall neuer bring vs from the holy defence of gods eternall truth , to skirmish with them about mens sayings . we wil not leaue the great keies and questions of religion , and fall to dispute of matters of inferior nature & condicion : this wer to wrāgle about nothing , and to fill the world with friuolous & fruitles writings . let them know , we are no more bound to defend and iustyfie luther and his followers in all their sayings , then they will be bound to defend bellarmine , hofius , harding , and other harsh maintainers both of popish opinions , and their owne priuate assertions . if they will take vpon them to allow whatsoeuer positions and propositions caietan , durand , canisius , gregorius de valentia , or any of their side , hath published , let them professe it and giue out so much : otherwise they take paines in vaine , and offer vs great iniury , obiecting against vs , words neither vtterd by vs , nor aproued of vs. and howsoeuer we agree together better then the aduersaries wish or desire , as appeareth by the harmony of the churches set forth to be read and vnderstood of all , declaring to the world how falsly we are charged with disunion and diuision , and shewing the peace and concord betweene the churches of britaine , france , germany , swizerland , denmarke , and other places in matters of faith : yet i will not deny ( the gifts of god being diuerse ) some difference and dissention betweene vs about the sacrament of the lordes sup . which notwithstanding is not so great as hath beene in former times , nor so bloody as the aduersaries surmise , neither so dangerous and grosse as hath been and is at this day in the church of rome . no age and generation hath seene all churches following all together one another in all points , but some l difference hath appeared in doctrine , or in discipline , or ceremonies , or manners , or in all : yea byshops haue beene against byshops , doctors against doctors , fathers against fathers , saints against saints , churches against churches : yet were they not heerby rent one from another , but ioyned together with hand and hart in the common faith . cyprian dissented from cornelius , and augustine from ierome , as lot did from abraham . was there not a violent and troublesome contention betweene theophilus of alexandria , and chrysostome of constantinople : between cyrill and theodoritus , as great as euer was between luther and zuinglius ? yet were they godly , learned , zelous , and excellent pillars of the church of god in their times . neither is the contention so great , or warre so hote and bloody betweene the reformed churches about the sacrament , as is imagined . for touching the matter it selfe , there is no strife : the difference is onely in certaine circumstances . first , we all acknowledge , that the holy signes haue not a bare signification but assure our consciences through the ordinance of god , that the things themselues are as truely and certainely giuen of god to all the faithful that come to his supper , as the outward signes are deliuered by the minister of god. againe , we professe that the supper consisteth of two parts , the earthly , externall , and visible , which are bread and wine : and besides , the heauenly , internal , and inuisible , the true body and blood of iesus christ , together with al his gifts , benefits , and treasures , according to m the doctrine of ireneus . thirdly , we agree , that in the supper of the lord , we are made partakers , not onely of the vertue and operation of christ , but of the very essence and substance of his true body and blood , which was giuen for vs to death vpon the crosse and was shed for vs , so that we are most cōfortably nourished with the same vnto eternal life . fourthly we beleeue , that the bread & wine are not changed or transubstantiated into the flesh and blood of christ , but remaine true and natural bread and wine in substance as before : so that the bread is called his body and the wine his blood , not only because his body and blood are signified by these , and set before vs , but because so often as we eate and drinke them worthily , christ himselfe giueth vs his body & blood truely to euerlasting life . lastly , we al hold the vse of the supper in both kinds , and that without the right vse of the outward signes it is no sacrament , vnlesse the bread be eaten and 〈◊〉 wine drunk , and therefore we condemne al 〈◊〉 and adoration of the bread , al carying it about and lifting it vp by the priest to the people , vsed in the church of rome . the disagreements and diuersities in opinion among vs , are in certaine adioynts and in the manner of receiuing : for seeing we all reach and confesse the true communication of the true body and the true blood of our lord iesus christ , the controuersie must needes stand in the manner of communicating , and therefore the vnity of the churches is not therby plucked 〈◊〉 . the difference standeth in these particulars . first , one part contendeth that these wordes of christ , this is my body , must be vnderstood literally and as the words found ( which yet that side doth not so vnderstand : ) the other part holdeth that they are to be vnderstood sacramentally and figuratiuely , according to the declaration of christ , the interpretation of paule , and the infallible rules of our christian faith . secondly , one part wil haue the body & blood of christ essentially and bodily in , with , and vnder the bread and wine , and so to be eaten , as that together with the bread and wine they enter into the mouth and body of the receiuers : but the other part holdeth , that the body of christ which at the first supper sat at table with his disciples ; doth not now continue with vs vpon the earth , but abideth in the heauens , and shal remaine there , vntil he break the heauens , and discend thence to iudgement . lastly , one part will haue al communicants that come to the lords table , and partake the outward signs , whether they come worthily or vnworthily , whether they be beleeuers or insidels , whether godly or vngodly , tó eat the body and drinke the blood of christ corporally and with the mouth of the body , so as the beleeuers doe eate him to life and saluation , the vnbeleeuers to death and damnation : the other side holdeth that the vnbe leeuers abuse the outward signs of bread and wine to their destruction , and that only the faithful can eat the body and drinke the blood of christ by a true faith , & by the working of the holy ghost : wherby they are made flesh of his flesh , and bone of his bone , being more neerely and firmely knit vnto him , then the members of our body are vnited to our head , and thereby drawing from him life euerlasting . these are briefely the pointes of difference , faithfuly not partially , particularly not confusedly , set downe : in discussing the truth wherof , howsoeuer great bitternes hath 〈◊〉 broken out betweene bretheren , as likewise did betweene paule and barnabas : yet setting the 〈◊〉 of disputation aside , they were worthy members of the church , zealous defenders of the faith , learned teachers of the truth , earnest destroiers of heresie , and rare examples of golines , notwithstanding the infirmities , imperfections , and intemperate stile of th one part . and howsoere this odious mak-bate n. d. boldly auoucheth pag. . that these men neuer met 〈◊〉 to compound their controuersies , but they haue alwaies departed more disagreeing & more enimies theu euer they were before their meeting : yet al men know , he doth either ignorantly or maliciously conceale the seueral points of their vnion and agreement , concluded and subscribed at marpurge anno . cha . . which was in this sort , credimns & 〈◊〉 omnes , &c. we all beleeue and professe concerning the supper of the lord iesus christ that the vse there of in both kinds according to the inctitution of christ , is to be obserued . and that the masse is not any such worke , wherby one man may obtaine grace for another whether he be dead or aliue . also that the sacrament of the altar is the sacrament of the true body and blood of iesus christ. and that the spirituall eating of the same his body and blood is very necessary for euerie christian man. moreouer that the vse of this sacrament , euen as the word it selfe , is instituted of almighty god , to stir vp vnto faith the weake consciences of men by his holy spirit . and although it could not hither to be altogether agreed amòg vs whether the true body & blood of ch . be in the bread and wine corporallie : yet neuertheles both parties ought to declare christian charity one toward the other , so far as conscience can beare . and both parts shal diligently pray vnto god , that he by his spirit may vouchsafe to establish vnto vs , the true vnderstàding of that matter , a men in this act , which was subscribed with the hands of luther , melanthou , brentius , 〈◊〉 , oecolampadius bucer , and others , we see they professe christian charity , and promise earnestly to pray vnto god to reueile his truth vnto them , bring them to be of one hart in the truth , and confirme them to discerne of things that differ : so 〈◊〉 the enimies of our church haue cause , rather to enuy our agreement , then to in ueigh against our disagreement . it is not the custome of the true church tò delight in contention : it is the fashion of the church of rome , to command , to compel , to enforce , to presse , to oppresse , to ban , to throw out cursings and to thunder out excommunations against those that dissent frō thē : but our churches , not withstanding this variance haue not so proceeded one against another as enemies , we curse not , but blesse : we hate not , but loue : we parsecure not , but pray one for another : keeping the groūdwork of faith , 〈◊〉 ioyning harts and hands , we seeke to repaire the ruine of syon , and pull down the fortresses of the enemies therof . moreouer , albeit it were to be presumed in men of iudgment and discretion , that such , as haue leysure with delight and pleasure to paint out the iars and quarels abroad , either are or doubtlesse shoulde be in league and loue at home : yet if we would enter into the infinite dissentions , debates , diuisions , contradictions , wranglings , hart-burnings , grudgings , sects , and rentings into diuers partesamong the papists themselues ( who indeed neither haue vnity in truth , nor vnity in falsehood ) it should be harder to finde an ending then a beginning . they could neuer yet be reconciled . their owne schoole men are at deadly feud and defiance one against another : scotus is against thomas : ockam against scotus : petrus de alliaco against ockam : the nominales against the reales : the dominicans againste the franciscans : scotistes against scotistes : thomistes against thomistes : canonist against canonist : sect against sect : order against order : cloyster against cloyster : priests against iesuites , and iesuits against priests , repugnant one to another , and at ciuill and domesticall warre amonge themselues , proclaiming their owne shame as with the blast of a trumpet : and therfore hauing fought so many fields at home , they shoulde not reproach vs with matter of dissention . we may reply vnto them , as one sometimes fitly answeared phillip k. of macedon intreating a peace amonge the graecians , and yet hauing his wife olimpias and his son alexander , known to liue at mortall dissention within his owne doores , goe first , and conclude a peace in thine owne house at home . so should our aduersaries remember , that the chiefe procters and protectors of their new religion , haue euer contentiously wrangled with others and with themselues , and the contentions cannot yet be taken vp i dare confidently auouch and auerre , that in the greatest conu ouersies and in the greatest number , if not in all ( which are now multiplyed to many hundred ) some one or other of their highest popes , chiefest cardinals , reuerent bishoppes , famous doctours , learned schoolmen , holy fathers , & other aproued writers among them , are slatly and fully on our side , ioyne with vs hand in hand , and giue testimony directly to our doctrine , not in the smallest points , but in the greatest : not in few , but in many : yea not the meanest among them , but as we haue said , the strongest pillars of their church are reuolted to vs , are come into our campe , haue pitched their tents with vs , and some one or moe of them fight our battels in all our doctrins . this were easie to be shewed particularly touching the apochryphall booke , touching iustification by imputation , touching images , touching praiers in a strange tongue , touching the notes of the churche , touching the sacraments and such like , among which many haue written since the late trent-counsell . thus while we are in peace , the enemies possessed with a spirit of diuision , and stricken with giddines by the iust hand of god , wound one another , and the swords of the midianites o are drawn out against the midianites . therfore the truth resteth among vs , our p enemies being iudges . but lest we might peraduenture be thought to offer them wrong , whilst insisting vpon general terms we charg them to be diuided among themselues , and in their writings to gaul one another : i wil presse them with particulars , and only stand vpon the matter in hand , to wit , the sacraments , the doctrin whereof i haue plainly opened in these books . whosoeuer shal read the writers of the roman church touching the sacraments , shal find almost so many mindes as men among them , they furiously fight and make daily combats against each other , moouing sundry questions , which they cannot with al their shifts remoue or determine . first of al , the schoolmen make a question , whether the body of christ in the eucharist be eaten with the mouth of the body , and passe into the belly , or onely by faith ? some of them hold he is onely eaten spiritually , and receiued by faith , as cardinal q cajetan a pillar of their church , a peere of the court of rome , the popes legate in germany , and luthers hott aduersarye holdeth this , falsissimnm est corpus christi corporaliter sumi , quoniam , &c , it is very false that christe● body is receiued bodily , for the diuines teach that he is taken spiritually , not by handling but by beleeuing . and bellarmine a man of the same note and of the same coat , saith , dicemus christum efse , &c. r we will hold that christ is in the eucharist truly , substantially , really , not corporally : nay contrariwise it may be said to be ther spiritually . others thinke , he is taken bodily into the mouth , but goes not into the belly . this the glosse s holds in gratian , quám cito species dentibus atteritur , tam citó in coelum rapitur corpus christi : that is , so soone as the accidents of bread begin to be chewed by the teeth , presently christs body is conueyed into heauen . but durand goeth farther , and saith , t corpus christs de ore transit ad cor , & tum desinit corporis presentia , remanente spirituali , that is : the body of christ passeth srom the mouth to the hart , and then the bodily presence ceaseth , and the spiritual remaineth . lastly , others say , it passeth into the belly , and remaineth there as long as any shew of the bread abideth . lo , what they hold in this one question , and they varry being constant in nothing but inconstancy . some of them resist the beginning of inconueniences that may ensue , and hold he neuer commeth u into the mouth : some , that he commeth into the mouth , but not into the stomack : some , into the stomack , but not into the belly : and others sticking at nothing , do hold he goeth into the belly . and to fil vp the measure of iniquity , a antoninus arch. of florence writes , that the body of christ may he vomited vpward by the mouth , and purged downward by a draught : igitur corpus christi & sanguis tam diu manent in ventre , & stomacho , vel 〈◊〉 , &c. therfore ( saith he ) the body and blood of christ remaine in the belly and stomacke , or in vomit , and in whatsoeuer course of nature , so long as the shewes of bred and wine remaine . and if they be vomited or purged before they be altered , ( as sometimes in those that are b trobled with the flux ) euen there is the true body of christ . if this be true , i would gladly learn of the profoundest doctor , and learnedst iesuit , what is to be done to the body of christ thus purged or vomited ? whether it shall be eaten againe , or burned , or what they would haue done with it ? robert smith a martir of blessed memory , reasoning with a popish priest of the real presēce , compelled the doctor by force of reason at length to confesse , that c the body of christ being eaten in the sacrament goeth downe into the belly , and so is cast into the dr aught , saying farther that d it was no greater derogation to christ , then to be spit vppon . but wisely and worthily did the martyr reply , if the iews , being his sworne enemies , did only spit in his face , and we being his friends do cast him into the draught , which of vs deserue the greater damnation ? thus the doctor was put to present silence . o yee cardinals and byshops , o yee priests and iesuites , are ye not ashamed of this blasphemy , and of these blasphemers ? haue not all your seminaries cause to blush at this vilany ? be hold ( christian reader ) how the lo. dealeth in iustice with such as giue ouer the known truth , striking them with blindnes of hart and giddines of spirit , which is the iust reward of errour and superstition . leaue therefore your grosse and carnall presence : for sake this barbarous and beastly diuinity : renounce this sluttish and vnsauory dung , and returne for shame to truth , to antiquity , to grauity , to sobriety , & to the institution of christ . secondly , they handle this question , whether the body of christ be broken & chewd with the teeth , or not ? some , hold not , c non quando manducamus , &c , that is , when we eat , we do not make parts of him . againe , other thinke , nothing is broken truely , f but in shew , somewhat seemeth to be broken , but nothing is broken : so that we haue a myraculous breaking , where nothing is broken . contrariwise , pope nicholas in a counsell holden at rome , caused berengarius to recant in this wife , g credo corpus domini nostri iesu christi sensualiter et in veritate , manibus sacerdotum tractari , et frangi , et fidelium dentibus atteri , that is , i beleeue that the body of our lord iesus christ sensibly and in very deed is touched with the hands of the priests , broken , and ground with the teeth of the faithful . this was the consent , iudgment , and determination of that counsel , and yet the rude glosse reprouing the same giueth warning to the reader , nisi sané intelligas verba . &c. except you wartly vnderstand the words of berengarius , you wil fal into a greater heresie then euer he held . lastly notwithstanding this synode , the receiued opinion in their schools is , h that onely the accidents of bred are broken and chewd . thus they wander vp and down in discussing this second question , as men that are in a maze and cannot find the end of their iourney . thirdly , they dispute whether the substance of bread remaine in the sacrament or not ? scotus holdeth , that i the substance of bread better resembleth the body of christ , then onely accidents : seeing there is a fitter proportion betweene substance and substance , then betweene a substance and an accident . so occam secondeth this opinion , saying , that k to hold that the substance of bread abideth , is most probable , and least subiect to inconueniences , not repugnant to reason , nor to the authority of the bible . and petrus de alliaco , l ille modus qui ponit substantiam panis remanore , &c. that opinion which holdeth the substance of bread to remaine , is contrary neither to reason , nor to the authority of the scripture , nay it hath better reason in it , and is more easie to be vnderstood . and durand the resolute doctor deliuereth , that , m it is rashnesse to say that the body of christ by the diuine power cannot be in the sacrament in any other manner , then by turning of the bread into him . furthemore he affirmeth this , if it be graunted that the substance of bread and wine do remain , one dissioulty ariseth that two bodies are together , which may be answered : but the contrary being holden , many follow , namely , how accidsnts can nourish , how be corrupted , and how any thing can be ingendred in them , seeing there is nothing made but there is presupposed or thought to be a matter , &c. contrarywise commonly they hold , that the substance of bread is turned into the body of christ : but about the manner how it is changed , they cannot agree . some think the bread is consumed to nothing , and the body of christ brought in place of it . but thomas their chiefe schoolman holdeth , that it is n not brought to nothing , whom scotus crosseth : and againe scotus is crossed and coufuted by caietan . and in the counsell of trent , it is made an article of faith , and all such cursed as heretikes , which say , that the substance of bread and wine doth still continue : yet pope innocentius in a counsell before , did not curse those that held the contrary opinion , that the substances of bread and wine do remaine . besides this , there is a great variety among thē , whether the water mingled with the wine in the chalice bee transubstantiated into the blood of christ. some bring and wast it to nothing . others holde it to be transubstantiated into blood . some say it is turned into the vitall humor of christ. al these are resolute gamsters : but durand being fearefull saith , quis audeat desinire ? that is , who should be so bold as to determine this question ? thomas their saint had rather holde a double transubstantiation , first of the water into wine , and then of wine into the blood of christ , and there upon wisely and warily giueth a caueat , that little water must be mingled with the wine . fourthly , they are greatly trobled and perplexed , whether mice eating the sacrament , doe also eate the body of christ ? bellarmine , o seeing the iars of the schoolmen , and the vnsetled iudgments of their profoundest doctors , hath thought it best in his iesuiticall wisedome to pasie it ouer , and say nothing : either because he was not resolued , or because he would not lay open the shame , and discouer the nakednes of his fauorites . peter lumbard maister of the sentences , and teacher no doubt of catholicke conclusions among them , when he commeth to this question , standeth in a mammering , and cannot teach himselfe , saying , p quidigitur sumit mus ? vel quid manducat ? deus nouit , that is , what is it therfore that the mouse receiueth , or what doth the mouse eate ? god knoweth . as if the should say , the question is too hard , for my part i confesse plainely mine owne ignorance , i cannot tel . notwithstanding , he taketh hart and giueth his resolution thus , it may be saide very well , that bruit beasts receiue not the body of christ . but the doctors of paris haue censured and corrected his iudgement , and say , hic magister non tenetur , that is , heere in the maister is not to be followed . and harding q holdeth it for an errour , that a mouse may eate the body of christ , and calleth the contrary doctrine a vtle asseueration . now thomas of aqume saith thus , quidam dixerunt , that is some haue said that as soon as the sacrament is touched of a mouse or a dog , the body and blood of christ doth straight way depart from it : but this is a derogation to the truth of this sacrament . and yet this is that worthy doctor , to whom they say christ appeared in a vision , saying , o thomas , thou hast written wel of me . so iohannes de burgo saith r the mouse eating the sacrament , receiueth the body of crist. 〈◊〉 whome wee named before , though he will haue christ to take vp his lodging as well in the stomacke as in the mouth of mau , yet he liketh not , vt aut mus in ventre 〈◊〉 , aut in cloacam discenderet , that is ; either that the body of christ should go into the belly of a mouse , or be cast foorth into the draught , because the eares of well disposed persons woulde abhorre that , and if we should defend it , the haeretickes and infidels woulde 〈◊〉 at vs , and laugh vs to scorne . againe hee saith euidently , the mouse cannot eate it , god forbidde we should euer come to that , neuertheles alexander as bold as blind bayard , in despight of all heretickes and infidels aduentureth vpon that opinion , s if a hogge or a dogge should eat the whole consecrated hoast , i see no cause but the lords body should go 〈◊〉 into the body of that hog or dog . and that we may see the blaspemous school diuinity or 〈◊〉 villany of those 〈◊〉 men , hearken once more to antoninus that beastly byshop of florence , t if a mouse or any other creature or beaste happen to eate the sacrament through negligence of keeping : let the keeper be inioyned penance . daies : and if it be possible let the mouse be taken and burnt , and let his ashes be buried neere the altar . heereunto another addeth , that u the mouses entrals must be drawne out , and the portion of the sacrament that there remaineth ( if the priest be 〈◊〉 to receiue it ) must 〈◊〉 belaid vp , vntill it may naturally be consumed . but the hoast so found in the mouses bowels , may in no wise be thrown into the water , as a certaine priest sometimes vsed a fly that he sound in the chalice after consecration . but if a man had such a feruent zeale a ( saith he ) that his stomake would serue him to eat the same without horror , this were the best course of all , as god 〈◊〉 did who is much commended for swallowing and receiuing the host which a leaper had vomited and cast vp . and heereunto , the goodly and ghostly canons of the counsell holden at colen vnder the 〈◊〉 radulph , b if there fall any small thing of the bodye or blood vpon the pall of the altar , let the stone be cut and burned , and the ashes put into the holy place , or cast into the fish-poole . if any fall vppon the stone , or vppon the grounde , let the priest licke it vp : if a spider or fly be fallen into it , let them be taken out warily , and burnt ouer the fish-poole : if a man shall vomit it vp again , let the peeces be gathered vp and be giuen to a faithfull man to take and eate , and let the rest of the vomit be burnt , and set neere vnto the altar . can any religious hart repeate , or any christian eares abide this loathsome diuinity ? we will therefore cease to stirre this dunghill any farther , for the ; due reuerence which wee ought to bear to the glorious body of christ iesus our blessed sauiour . but to return back to the former question , what shall we say that the beasts eate ? bread it cannot be : for that they say is gone by consecration . some , not so grosse as the former , hold , they eat the shewes of bread . others say , the bread c returneth again : and thus god must wnrke myracles to feed mise . so likewise innocentius , more subtiliy then soundly , saith , the bread passeth away myraculously when the body commeth ; and the body passeth and getteth it selfe away when the mouse draweth 〈◊〉 , and the bread commeth into his place again : so that he holdeth , that it 〈◊〉 to be a sacrament , so soone as any mouse or beast toucheth it . but guidmundus and thomas walden affirme , that d when mise gnaw the sacrament , there is deceptio visus , that is , an errour in our fight . we simply iudge they be eating and nibling , but our sight is deceiued , the mise be otherwise occupied . and might they not as well say our eie-sight faileth in thinking them to be mise or birds : whereas they may peraduenture be angels in their shapes ? other hold , some new matter is created in place of christs body : but i would gladly knowe , whether it be by vertue of these words , this is my body . and touching the wormes that are ingendred in the 〈◊〉 , a 〈◊〉 diuersity is among them . some say they are ingendred of the aire , others of the substance of bread , and 〈◊〉 of the quality and shewes thereof : and so we shall haue substance made of accidentes , in despight of all 〈◊〉 and reason . thus they are carried hither and thither , vppe and downe , too and fro , to reconcile matters they knowe not howe , and to beleeue thinges they know not what . for how shall the people haue a direction and path-way what to followe , when their teachers are not setled and perswaded what is the truth ? against al these confusions , vncertainties , contrarieties , blasphemies , and crossing one another , we teach the people what to hold and instruct them to make a diffe . between ch . body & the sacrament of his body . the sacrament is corruptible , christs body is glorious and free from all corruption : the sacrament is beneath , christes body is aboue : the sacrament is on earth vpon the table , the body is in heauen the sacrament feedeth the body and outwarde man , the body of christ feedeth the soule and inward man : the sacrament is eaten as well of the wicked as of the godly , the body is only eaten of the faithful : the sacrament may be eaten to death , but the body of christ is euer eaten to saluation . wherefore , howsoeuer beastes may touch or eate the substance of the bread , which is the outwarde and corruptible element of the sacrament : they cannot eat the body of christ which is in heauen , and sitteth at the right hande of god the father , which is receiued onely by a liuely faith . fiftly , they argue the case , whether the shew of breade be a signe of the bodie without the bloode , or whether it include the soule , humours , spirits , and the blood it selfe ? scotus saith e nonest certum , that is , it is vncertaine , both may be defended , but neither can be proued . notwithstanding , f thomas of aquin auoucheth , that the blood is in the body , & the body in the blood by a connecting of them togither , which they cal concomit antia or accompanying each other . so then whereas christ said this is my body , they vnderstand him to say this is my bodie and my blood . againe , when christ said this is my blood , they make his meaning to be this is my bloode and my body . this is a new fancie , well agreeing and answering to their newe doctrine , whereby they are constrained to build vp one idle conceit with another . this is a very wonderfull shiste , and a marueylous sigure , passing all figures , whereby one thing is made two , and two are made one . lastly , to draw to an end ( where almost no end is ) they eagerly contend with what wordes their consecration or rather coniuration is wrought . some say , christ consecrated when hee blessed . others denying this , dispute how many words are precisely required to the forme of consecration . scotus shrowdeth himself vnder his own ignorāce , & flyeth to it as to a place of refuge , saying , g it is a lawfull ignorance not to know how many wordes are necessarily required in the forme of consecration , & therefore he which thinketh he knoweth is deceiued : the greekes vse not the same forme that we do , yet we deny not , but that they consecrate . thus hee concludeth the whole matter with an ignoramus . vnto these heads before remembred , we might also adde many foolish , friuolous , and ridiculous questions disputed among them , as whether in the sacrament the foote of christ bee confounded with his face , his hand with his head , and whether one part be distinguished from another ? whether h the host falling , the body of christ falleth : and whether it be moued to and fro , as oft as the host is moued ? whethe it be fittest for the host to be eaten after a 〈◊〉 hath vomited it vp , or a drunken man in his drunkennes ? whether christ leaue heauen to come into the place of bread ? whether in comming he passe through the aire ? whether he forsake the earth againe so soone as the shewes of bread are touched with the teeth , or whether he go downe into the stomacke ? how long he stayeth in the stomack ? whether he tarry and waite his attendance there till the forme of bread be disgested , and whether he change himselfe at such time into the foule or body of the communicant , or whether he vanish into nothing , or else returne to heauen ? they make a quaere likewise , when the sacrament beginneth to be god , how long it continueth god , when it is god , and when it is no god ? when we may adore and how long we may adore it without danger , and so safely cease and leaue off ? whether the body of christ i haue dimension of quantities , proportion of body , and distance of parts one from another , as between eie and eie , eare and eare , head and foote , as it is in other naturell bodies ? whether christ speake of the eucharist , ioh. . gabriel , biell , cusanus , caietan , lyra , and others deny it : but sanders and bellarmine k hold otherwise , & go about to confute the former . againe , whether the matter of the sacrament may be bread of any kind of graine and corne , or only of wheaten bread ? some hold the signe of the sacrament must onely be made of wheat , as scotus : some of wheate or barly , as albertus , and thomas de argentina . others holde consecration rightly to bee made l in any vsuall and common bread whatsoeuer it bee , as caietan . they cannot agree likewise , whether the priest may be saide to be the creator of his creator ? with a thousand such questions or rather fooleryes they blot paper , wast time , and weary the reader , neuer knowne , nor heard off in auncient writers , no not . yeares after christ , which argueth that they neuer dreamed of any carnall presence . but not to stand vpon all the the contradictions among them ( which were without end , and without 〈◊〉 ) wee will come to the m wordes of institution : which albeit they be short and easie , cleere and euident in themselues , yet they haue corrupted them with many glozes , and crossed one another in their peruerse interpretations . christ saith of his last supper , when hee had taken , blessed , and broken the bread , this is my body which is broken , or giuen for you , do this in remembrance of me . in like manner he tooke the cup , saying , this cup is the new testament in my blood , this doe as oft as ye drinke it in remembrance of me . as if hee should say , this bread is a signe or sacrament of my body , which is deliuered to death for you and for your saluation . christ tooke nothing but bread : he brake that which he tooke : he deliuered that which he brake as the apostle saith n the bread which we breake , is it not the communion of the body of christ ? so touching the other part , when he saith , this cup , hee meaneth , this wine in the cup is a sacrament of the new testament , of our reconciliation with god now to bee fulfilled , of our communion and participation of christ with all his benifits . this interpretation is agreeable to the circumstances of the text , to the proportion of faith , and to the exposition of the ancient fathers , who call the sacrament a representation , a remembrance , an image , a token , a signe , a figure and such like . but because our aduersaries can abide no figures , let vs heare what the doctours of the church teach , who thought it no heresie to expound the wordes of christ by a figure . tertullian one of the most auncient saith , o christ receiuing the bread , and the same being diuided vnto his disciples , made it his body , saying , this is my body , that is to say , a figure of my body . and chrysostome p if christ died not , whose token & signe is this sacrifice . ambrose also hath these words , q after consecration the body of christ is signisied . adde vnto these the testimony of augustine , , r who taught the people thus , christ at his last supper commended and gaue the figure of his body & blood . and epist . ad bonifac. the sacramēt of the body of christ is after a sort the body of christ . and in another place , the lord doubted not to say , this is my body , when he gaue a token of his bodie . lastly , the glose vpon the canons , dissenteth not heerin frō the fathers , s dicitur corpus christi , sed improprie , vt sit sensus . it is the body of christ , but vnproperlie : the meaning is , it is called christes body , that is , it signifieth christs body . gelasius saith in the same māner , t there remaineth still in the sacra . the nature or substance of bread and wine . to conclude , augustin saith else where , u quod videtis , panis est , that is , the thing that ye see , is bread . he doth not say , it seemeth bread and is none , or it is the shew and forme of bread , but he speaketh euidently , it is indeede bread . now our aduersaries , that can abide no tokens , no figures , no signes , no significations in the wordes of the supper , are notwithstanding driuen to make so diuerse , so doubtfull , so many , so monstrous , so mad and senseles expositions of the word of institution , as al the tropes , figures , metaphors , allusions , allegories , and rhetoricke in the world , wil not serue them to salue vp the braunches of their interpretations of these short and few words . first , they finde in the word , bread , a whole swarme of figures . they say the sacrament is called bread , sometimes , because it was bread before : sometimes , because an infidell taketh it to be bread : sometimes because the accidents and shewes of bread remaine : sometimes , because the same accidentes nourish the body by a miracle , as if it were bread : sometimes , because it is that spirituall bread which came from heauen : and lastly , because the bread sometimes returneth againe after consecration . againe , these words lying together , he tooke , hee blessed , he brake , going before the words which christ spake , are strangely expounded on this manner , he tooke the bread : hee blessed , that is , he turned and changed the bread : he brake , that is , the accidents or shewes of bread : and sometimes they vnderstand , it seemeth to be broken : so that when the euangelists saith he brake , they say the meaning is , hee did not breake but seemed so to do . touching the next word this : the pronoune demonstratiue they say sometimes pointeth out the bread , as bonauenture deliuereth : sometimes they say it demonstrates not the bread but indiuidum vagum , that is , neither bread , nor any certaine determined thing else , but a thing left at randome , and at large in generality , but what thing particularly they cannot tell . sometimes , they say , it demonstrates nothing , as a iosephus angles : and durand misseth not much of that marke , when he saith that by ( this ) nothing is signified . other say it demonstrateth the body , & so they make christ to speake foolishly , this body is my body : and besides , by this interpretation , it shold be his body before the words of cōsecration . bellarmine , as he confesseth the papists his good bretheren agree not in the sense of this word , so he inuenteth a new and strange exposition neuer hard off before in the church or out of the church , in iest or in earnest , among the learned or vnlearned , that is , b hoc edulium , that is , this food is my body , this drinke is my blood , and yet what foode it was , and what drinke it was , when that word was vttered , he dareth not to determine . thomas of aquine leaueth it more at large , with whom ( this ) is as much as c hoc contentum , that is , that which is contained vnder these shewes . gregorius de valentia after his fashion saith , christ ment that which he tooke into his hands : yet he holdeth , he ment not bread : so that by this reason without reason , christ tooke not bread into his hands . scotus vnderstandeth hoc ens , that is , this generall thing that hath a being : but what it is when they should declare , they stick fast in the mire of their owne deuises . moreouer , touching the interpretation of the next word ( is : ) they likewise muster an army of many figures . sometimes they expound it , this shall be , as occam . sometimes they vnderstand therby is made , as bonouenture blundereth at al aduentures . but bellarmine refelleth both these . sometimes they meane , this shall be transubstantiated and changed into the substance of his body . furthermore , the words following ( is giuen ) they vnderstand shal be giuen : is broken , they expound shal be broken : do this in remembrance of me , they expound , sacrifice me in remembrance of me . thus they roue and wander vp and downe as men that haue lost the right way , and yet will be going rather then stand still . wherefore by these collections we see , that these words which stand in construction and order together , he tooke , blessed , brake , and gaue , they expound on this maner , he tooke the bread : he blessed it quite and cleane away , and in place therof put an other substance : hee brake the shewes , appearances , and accidents of bread , & then he gaue them his body . behold in these words of christ , how many shapes , formes , figures , nay falsehoods they haue inuented , and so inuerted them ? and yet they say , they must be taken properly without any manner of figure . to conclude this point , i wilgiue a short , but most sweet tast of the popish diuinity , taught in schooles , in churches , in monasteries , in seminaries , and in al their meetings , by their schoolemen , canonists , doctors , preachers , and byshops . when the euange lists report , that christ hauing taken bread , brake it , blessed , and gaue it , saying , this is my body giuen for you do this in remembrance of me : the meaning of christ according to their interpretation must bee this , christ after his last supper tooke bread into his handes , but blessed it to nothing : hee brake onely certaine shexes of bread , and gaue them his naturall body , saying vnto them , this which i haue in my handes , whether it be bread or not you cannot tel , surely foode it is , but be it what it may be , it is transubstantiated and turned into my body , and therefore take it and offer it vp an vnbloody sacrifice for quick and dead , and so sacrifice me in remembrance of me . neuer were there such fond and fantasticall figures heard off in the church of god : neuer was such vanity inuented : neuer was there so great confusion of tongues at the building of babell : how much better were it for them to forsake these fables and deuises of their owne , and to say plainely , euidently , simply , directly , and distinctly with d the greeke scoliast , zumbola tauta , alla ouk aletheia , that is , these be tokens , but not the truth it selfe . and with tertullian , e this is my body , that is , this is a figure of my body . the like wee finde in chrysostome in many places speaking as cleerely , as when the sun shineth at noone dayes , f the bread before it be sanctified is called by vs bread : but after that it is sanctified by the grace of god it is thought worthy to be called by the name of the body of our lord , notwithstanding that the nature of bread doe still abide in it . and in an other place he saith , g if it be dangerous to conuert sanctified vessels to priuate vses , there not being in them the very body of christ , but the mystery of his body , &c. these things haue so clere euidence of truth taught in those times that bellarmine hath no way to answere but to inuent this shift , that h a certaine disciple of berengarius did insert and interlace it . but who it was , or when it was , or how it was disclosed and detected , he cannot tell , and therfore it may iustly be denyed , seeing ofhim it cannot be confirmed . besides , this were an easie way to answere all allegations and authorities , to say they are corrupted by heretikes , if such counterfeit coine might go for good payment . thus far of this matter . now if so great variety and dissention bee among them in this one controuersie of the sacrament of the supper , to which we might adde infinite moe : what an huge heape of differences should wee finde among them , if wee should run ouer al the controuersies lying between vs. let them therefore neuer obiect against vs our diuisions , or tell vs of the motes they espy in vs : let them rather reconcile themselues one to another , and pul out the beames out of their owne eies , or else for shame hold their peace : doubtles among vs they shal neuer finde greater doubts and differences , then haue been among the children and churches of god. now for our further direction touching this point ofdissentionsin the church , lately & largely debated by this enimy as the cheef obiect and subiect of his warn-word , and dilated through many chap. as welbecame a man of his leisure and learning : i wil insist a while vpon this point , wherin obserue with me these . things . first , that vnity is oftentimes out of the church . secondly , that dissention is sometimes in the church . thirdly , that the church of rome hath been and is at this present ful of contentions . lastly , that this discourse of diuisions in our church may bee taken vp of the turkes , and vsed against christ and christian religion , so that while they seeke to giue vs a blow , they reach a sword into the enimies hand to cut the hart-strings of their owne cause . touching the first thing , all agreement among men , is no sufficient proofe of the goodnesse of the matter wherin they agree , inasmuch as all malefactors and enemies of the gospell haue a kind of agreement . there are agreements in idolatry , in adultery , in robbery , in conspiracy , in murthers , in mutinies , and in all mannet of impieties , which are al odious to god , and hateful to men . when al the earth was of one tongue and language , i they all conspired in building the tower of babel . they that worshipped the golden calfe , saide k all with one consent , these are thy gods ô israell , that brought thee out of the land of egypt . so the apostles out of psal. . declare , l that the iewes and romaines , the state ciuell and ecclesiastical confederated together , did al consent and conspire against god and against his anoynted . there was an agreement m betweene corah , dathan , and abiram with their rebellious companies and consorts , ioyned and combined together against moses and aaron . the ten tribes agreed in worshipping the golden calues in dan and bethell . the priestes of baall consented n together against michaiah the true prophet ofgod . al the people with o one mind and with one mouth cried against christ , let him bee crucified . and iohn 〈◊〉 that great p and smal , rich and poor , bond and free should agree in following and worshipping antichrist the enemy of christ. secondly , as vnity is oftentimes out of the church , so sometime q dissention is in the church . the true members of the church haue not alwaies in outwarde thinges , nor in matters of faith one mind and meaning . abraham and lot louing god and beloued of god , r dissented in the things of this life , iosephes bretheren hated him without a cause , and persecuted him almost vnto the death . the priests and princes of the people did dissent from the prophettes of god. moreouer , in the houshould and family of christ , s ambition , enuy , and dissention raigned and remained , as luk. xxii . there arose a strife among them which should he the greatest . and math. , . when the other ten t hearde of the ambitious desire of these sonnes of zebede , they disdained at the two brethren . so paule withstood peter to his face , u because he was to be reprooued , as miriam and aaron did to moses who was not to be reproued . likwise , luke , act , xv , speaking of pavle and 〈◊〉 , saith , a they were so stirred , that they departed asunder one from another : which albeit it fell out to the good of the church , to the gaine of the gospel , and to the glory of god ( who is able to bring good out of euill , as he did light out of darkenes ) yet it sheweth their weakenes and wantes , especially of barnabas , seeing the spirit of god assigneth the reason whereon paul grounded himselfe touching his determination , but deliuereth not the reason of barnabas his resolution . besides , we see act , xi , they of the circumcision contended against b peter , because he did eat with the vncircumcised . as touching the corinthians who were a true church , and sanctified in iesus christ , the apostle saith , c it hath bin declared to me of you by them that are of the house of cloe , that there are contentions among you : and chap , xi in this that i declare i praise you not , that ye come togither , not with profit but with hurt : for i hear that there are dissentions among you , and i beleeue it to be true in some part , for there must be euen haeresies among you , that they which are approued among you may be knowne . thirdly the church of rome is so farre from the unity and agreement which they boaste of , that contrarywise it hath bene & is full of contentions and bitter controuersies . if we would search the histories of former times , we shall finde the contentions and quarrels between them to haue bin infinit and innumerable . popes haue bin against popes , nay antipope againste antipope , when there were two popes , nay three popes among them at once : which condemned , cursed , and banned each other to the pit of hell. onuphrius a popish chronicler , d reckoneth vp thirty schisms among them , and those not of short dutance , but of long continuance , so many as no church can boaste of besides . their variety was such about formosus , that for some yeares euery pope cancelled and 〈◊〉 his predecessors acts , what one instituted , the other repealed : they condemned one another , and followed their priuate factions and affections with such intestine malice & barbarous cruelty , that e formosus was taken vp after his death , being taken vp was burned , being burned his ashes were cast into the riuer . for pope stephen the sixt took vp his carcas f out of the graue , brought it into iudgement spoiled it 〈◊〉 his robes , cut off . fingers of it , and cast it into the streame tiber . thus were the pretended successors of peter 〈◊〉 about with giddines , es krantzius speaketh of them g and the heade of the romish and popish church was long without braine , though not without brauling . this schisme of two or three popes at onetime shall witnes , 〈◊〉 all posterity , in all ages , to the end of the world , the perpetual infamy of their deadly discordes , howe farre their church is from that perfect vnity they brag and boast of . what should i speake of their infinite 〈◊〉 and differences in cleauing to this saint and that saint , which they haue multiplied h according to the number of their citties : likewise of their diuers missales , 〈◊〉 , and ceremonies vsed among them ? of their sundry 〈◊〉 of monkes and nunnes , which they haue so increased of late , whereas not many hundred yeare ago , they mangled and mingled them with the leauen of their owne inuentions . now , as there is no part of the word of god in common and continual vse among al christians more comfortable , then the doctrine of the sacraments : so no point of religion is at this day more corrupted and depraued with the gesses , glozes , errors , heresies , wrestings , wranglings , and idolatries of the church of rome , then the same . i haue therefore vnfolded and vnmasked their false doctrine touching the sacraments in generall in the first booke , which sheweth whence the word is borrowed , what thinges are common to the word and sacramentes , as also what they haue proper and peculiar : what a sacrament is : by whom the sacraments ought to bee administred ; that they were ordained of god , and commaunded to be vsed and frequented of all persons in the church : what are the signes and sacramentall rites : what is the 〈◊〉 part and spirituall signification of them , together with the fit and ful analogy and agreement that is betweene them . i haue also intreated of their force and effect , of the ends and vses of them : of the difference between the sacraments of the old testament and of the new : of the number of sacraments , & namely of the falsely named sacraments . touching baptisme in the second booke , how many waies the word is taken : what baptism is , who haue authority to baptize , who haue right and interest to be baptized , wherefore it is not repeated : that it commeth in place of circumcision : how it a greeth with circumcision , and 〈◊〉 it differeth from it : whether there be an absolute necessity of baptisme ; whether the baptisin of iohn be one and the same with the baptisme of christ : what sins are put away in baptisme : what are the true partes and right vses therof : what is the duty of the minister in the administration , and of the people in the celebration of it , and what foolish ceremonies the church of rome vseth , of which trumpery the sacrament is to be purged , that the simplicity of the institution may be retained . touching the lords supper , by which god witnesseth that his couenant is most certaine toward vs , the . booke intimateth what it is , why there is a dubble sign in the suppet , and one onely in baptisine : by what names it is called in the scripture : what is the duty of such as come to the lords table , and what are the parts and vses of it . againe , the words of christs institution are truely and plainely expounded , and the right maner of preparing our selus to this heauenly banket is propounded . this truth is wholy depraued , and the church vtterly depriued of the comfortable vse of this sacrament vnder antichrist , where the corruptions 〈◊〉 all mean and measure , and where it is not only peruerted , but quite abrogated and abolished . for they haue turned the supper into l a sacrifice : they haue poisoned the church with the error of the reall presence , with the monster of transubstantiation , with robbing the people of the cuppe , with administring it in a strange tongue , with the magicall inchantment of consecration , with working miracles to feede rats and mise , with disanulling a right vse of the communion by their priuate masses , with establishing a sacrament without eating and drinking , with the corrupt custome of carrying about in processions , a cake to bee worshipped and adored as god , mounting it m on horsebaeke and carrying it before the pope with lanterns and torches , in 〈◊〉 as the persians n carryed their god before the king of persia. and as the church of rome hath bin sundry waies detected of many superstitions and much silthinesse of idolatry , by appointing images to be had in churches for the instructions or rather destruction of the people , which are teachers o of lies and vanity ) and by commaunding saintes , angels , relickes ; and consecrated things to be worshipped : so is this false church deepely defiled with the sinke and sinne of idolatry , in adoring and falling downe before their breaden god , prostrating and prostituting themselues before a piece a bread . behold heer the god of the papists . and if we should yeeld vnto them their carnall presence , and their miraculous transubstantiation , which is a monster of many heads : yet can they neuer assure and secure themselues from committing grosse & palpable idolatry . . because al their consecratiō standeth vppon the intention of the ptiest , which they cannot thoroughly vnderstand : for c who can know the heart of man , saue the spirit of man which is within him ? as the apostle teacheth . besides , innocentius holdeth , that it ceaseth to be a sacrament , so soon as any mouse , bird , beast , or vermin toucheth it . it his rule of their holy father the pope holde as a firme foundation & sound conclusion : i wold know how they cā certainly know , whether any of them haue touched it , especially considering their doctrin of reseruation , and keeping it in vessels of the church many daies . . sundry cases ordinarily concur , wherin the priest according to their own canons and rules do not d consecrate at al , which things notwith stāding are not within the knoledg of the people , andtherfore how shal they assure their faith of consecration , and warant their consciences against idolatry ? as for example , if he forget to mingle water with wine : if there be more water then wine : if the bread be made of any other then wheat flour : if the wine be sharp and soure : if of . loaus mo or lesse he did think but of . if he haue omitted but one word of consecration ; al these being beyond the compas of the peoples knoledg , must needs be 〈◊〉 to the conscience and leaue mē in dout of comitting idolatry . lastly , many of thē hold , that priests defiled with adultery , simony and such like crims , cānot ( as they speak ) make the body of christ : wherunto peter lumb . and the canons r incline which say , siquis episcopus perpecuniam ordinauer it , &c. if any byshop shall ordain a priest for mony , he shal be degraded ; and the priest so ordaind shal be no better then a lay-man : for whosoeuer buy or sel orders , can be no priests : how then shal they that are not themselus in the body of christ , be able to deliuer or receiue the body of christ ? out of these canons i obserue three things . first , such as ly in mortal sin canot consecrate . . such as buy or sel orders , are no priests . lastly , mark the miserable estate of the roman laity , who canot assure themselus they haue , any baptisme , any eucharist , any penance , any matrimony , any absolution , any sa . any priests : seeing that as it is certain thousands of them ly in deadly sin , buy and sel orders and wer appointed by symoniacal bishops , so the people must alwaies be vncertaine , how they obtaind their office of priesthood , whether it were rightly obtained , or vnlawfully purchased . wherfore , tho. salisburiensis vpon these vncertainties giueth this friendly counsel to worship vpon condition , that euerie dutie and things required to the astion , be wel and truly done . seeing then , by 〈◊〉 owne doctrine , deliuered by their own doctors , the force of consecration hangeth vpon a slender thred of the priests intention : seeing a beast touching the host , the body of christ departeth : seeing sundry cases fall out about the matter of the bread , about the mingling of the cup , about the ouerplus of water , about the omitting of a word , and such like not known at 〈◊〉 of the people : & lastly seeing a priest simoniacaly ordaind is no priest : it followeth by these propound principles of their popish diuinity , defended by their owne prophets , that papists in their adoration and worshipping of the sacrament may be idolaters , and cannot secure themselues from committing idolatry . for whatsoeuer is not of faith is sin , as that apo . teacheth . but they cannot directly know , whether the priest intended consecration , and hath performd his rules & directions requisite in consecration , or whether a mouse hath touched the host , or whether the priest were ordaind for mony : and therfore for any thing they can assure themselus to the contrary , the substance of the bread stil remaineth , and consequently they fal down to a piece of bread , and commit detestable idolatry in the grossest kind , whereof the gentiles wold be ashamd . o misrable people led by such blind guids ! o miserable guides of such blind people ! what a wofull condition is this , that a man shal liue al the daies of his life in the bosom of their holy mother the church , & yet her sons and daughters can neuer assure themselus to haue bin baptized ( thogh they make the want therof u a mark of reprobation ) or euer to haue receiued the lords supper , or euer to haue bin 〈◊〉 , or absolued , seeing al hangeth vpō the priests intention ; obseruation , ordination . this is the lamen table condition of all those that liue vnder the heauy yoake and greeuous bondage of superstition . ther is no peace , no comfort , no ioy of hart in such a doubtful and doleful religion . wherfore , as the holy ghost saith , u go out of her my people , that ye be not partakers of her sinnes , and that ye receiue not of her plagues . now , among all other abuses of the church of rome , and prophanations of the blessed sacrament of the bodye and blood of christ , none is more notable and notorious , then that great idoll of the masse , being indeede a masse of many abominations . and howsoeuer it be greatly liked of those that are enamored of it ( as the things that are not a faire , yet seeme faire to them that are in loue ) it is knowne to the true church to be an heape of errors , a lumpe of confusions , a bottomlesse gulfe of all blasphemies , and an engine b that ouerturneth the foundatiō of religion . they make the lordes supper to bee a sacrifice : not a sacrifice of praise and thansgiuing , but propitiatory to be offered by a masse-priest for the quicke and the dead to saue man : and not onely to saue man , but sometimes their pigs and their swine from diseases . for they haue a masse commonly called the masse of saint antony . yea if a poore womans hen be sicke , and ready to be lost , shee may procure a masse to be said for it . and heereby , although no good redounde to the party , yet some gaine shall returne to the priest , who , c if he see no money , wil say no masse . and are not these more beastly and vncleane then swine , yea more mad then mad men , thus to abuse the holy ordinance of christ ? and to turne that to their owne profit which was instituted for the peoples comfort ? do they not by this means make the death of christ of none effect , d while they offer vp a new that only sacrifice , which being once offered hath sanctified vs for euer ? and yet behold more abhominations then these . the right ends of the institution are basely esteemed , they make it of speclall force against tempests , against sicknes , against warres : auaileable to saue cattell , to cure the feauer , to restore lost things : yea profitable for the deade , and that e ex opere operato , sine bono motu vtentis , that is , onely being present at the worke done , though there be neuer a good motion brought thereunto by him that is present . thus they make the masse deuised by antichrist , more precious then the holy supper instituted by christ. touching the word masse , we must vnderstand , that neither the name , nor thing ment by the name by the church of rome is found in the scripture , nor in any 〈◊〉 and approued writer for foure hundered yeares after christ , to call the sacrament or sacrifice by that name . tertullian , cyprian , ierome , augustine , lactantius , knew it not , these lataine fathers vsed it not . againe , the fathers of the greeke church , chrisostome , basill , nazianzene , gregory nissene , and other , were neuer acquainted with it , they passe by it as a stranger vnto them . but as there go many forged and 〈◊〉 writings vnder the names of the fathers : so i deny not but the word masse may be found in such base and bastard bookes , as in augustines f sermons de tempore , & ierom on g the prouerbs : which books were neuer made by them , but are of another style , and of a later stampe . and howsoeuer some would deriue it from the h haebrew word missath , which signifieth an oblation : yet it seemeth rather to be all one i with missio , which importeth a sending away , and a licensing to depart : and therefore saint cyprian saith remissa peccatorum in stead of remssio . for this was the order and custome of the church in former times . nouices and such as were k newly planted in the church , being conuerted srom paganisme to christianity , and from infidelity to the faith of christ , and not yet baptized till they were able l to giue an answere to such as asked of them a reason of their profession , were not suffered to come to the lords table . likewise such as m denying the faith by sinking and shrinking vnder the heate of persecution , or committing some other heinous offence , were enjoyned to make satisfaction to the church whom they had greeuously offended : no withstanding they might be present at the publike praiers the church , and at the preaching of the word , yet might not be present at the administration of baptism , nor receiue the sacrament of the lords supper . wherefore , after the prayers were finished , and the sermon ended , the deaconsaid to such as wer barred either by age or want of susficient knowledge , or their owne offence from the sacraments , ite missa est , that is , go ye hence , ye may depart . moreouer , such as would not communicate with their bretheren , were willed to depart , & not n to trouble the rest of the church that staied to communicate . of this dismissing and sending away al nouices , 〈◊〉 , and carelesse persons , which either might not or 〈◊〉 not communicate : and of this proclamation of the deacon , the whole action of the holy communion in processe of time was called the masse , that is , a dismissing of all such persons as wer not to communicate . but whē through negligence of the people , or couetousnes of the priests , this order was altered : yet the name was retained , and now it is vsed for another thing , to wit , for that solemne action o whereby the sacrament is made a sacrifice , and offered vp to god to take away the sins of the quick and dead . and in this sense we haue iustly abolished both the name , and the nature of the masse , inasmuch as it hath frustrated the death of christ , and taken from vs the comforte of the lordes supper . and albeit we deny not , but the lords supper may truely be called a p sacrifice , being a memoriall of the real sacrifice of christ offered vpon the crosse , being a thaks-giuing to god for the worke of our redemption , being a presenting and giuing vppe our selues , our soules , and bodies to god a liuing , holy , and acceptable sacrifice , and being ioyned with almes and releefe to the poore according to euery mans ability , which is a testimony of our thankfulnesse to god : yet as they vnderstād it to be a real , external , bodily , and vnbloody sacrifice in the natiue and proper signification , and themselues to be truely and propely priests ( according to the order of melchisedech ) to offer vp the very body and blood of christ to god the father for the sinnes of the liuing & of the dead , we receiue it not , but condemne it to the pit of hell from whence it came . for christ offered vp himself q but once . and if they be priests properly to offer him , they must likewise be the murtherers of him : forasmuch as when he was offered , he was killed . moreouer , they make his al-susficient sacrifice to bee vnperfect , which notwithstanding maketh vs perfect , and themselues to be after a sort mediators betweene god and man , and so depriue themselus of the sweet mediation of christ. thus much of the gainefull marchandize of masses vsed in the church of rome , and of the oblation or rather abhomination thereof . these and many other errors are discouered and opened in this treatise which i commend vnto thee ( good christian reader ) desiring thy farther instruction in the truth . i know it cannot but grieue thee to hear of contentions and dissentions , especially in the matters of god , wherein wee should al think and speak one thing . wherefore thou must remember , that it cannot be auoided but offences wil com , but r wo be to him by whom they come . the apostle saith , there must be euen s haeresies among you , that they which are among you may be knowne . for my part , i haue labored to doe no more , then to quench the fire which other haue kindled , and to plucke vp the weeds which other haue planted . the successe of this worke i commit to the lord : the examination and fruit thereof to thee , read it with iudgement . try al things t and hold fast that which is good . lay al partialy aside , and weigh the doctrine set before thee with the ballance of the sanctuary . the lord of heauen and earth bring vs all to be of one mind and of one hart in the truth : and giue vs the spirit of vnderstanding , that we may be able to discerne light from darkenes , and truth from errour : and that we may not be caried away u with euery 〈◊〉 of false doctrine , but that we may knowe what is the good and acceptable wil of god , and may grow vnto a perfect man in christ iesus , to whose mercifull direction and protection i commend thee , amen . finis . the principles of christian religion , set downe in questions and answers , shortly for the remembrance , and plainely for the vnderstanding of all persons , requisite to be learned and knowne before they be admitted to the lords supper . q. what is true religion ? a. it is the knowledge of gods wil , to the end we may serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse , ioh , , , eph , , . q. how many parts are there of religion ? a. two : repentance , and faith . mar , , , act. , , q. what is repentance ? a repentance is a turning from al sin vnto righteousnes , act , , , ezek. , q how many things haue we to consider in repentance ? a two thinges : the parts of it , and the meanes whereby to attaine it , esa , , xvii , xx . q what are the parts of repentance ? a two partes : first , a for faking of sin , with an hatred and sorrow for it , secondly , a betaking of ourselues vnto righteousnes , with a loue and liking of it , , cor. , x , xi . q what are the meanes to come to repentance ? a two meanes : first the knowledge of our sins by the law : secondly , the consideration of the punishments due to sin , reuel , , q how many commaundements are there in the law ? a ten : exod. , , deut. . xiii , & x , q 〈◊〉 how many tables are the 〈◊〉 deuided ? a into two tables , mar , xii , , xxxi , exod , xxxi , xviii , , q what 〈◊〉 the first table concerne ? a our duties toward god , contained in the , first commaundements , math xxii , , . q what is the 〈◊〉 commaundemant ? a thou shalt have none other gods but me , deut , , exod , , q what is the summe of this law ? a we must not account that as god , which by nature is no god : but haue and chuse the true god onely for our god , mar. , q what is the second commaundement ? a thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen image , exod , , q what is forbidden and commaunded in this law ? a we must not worship the true god falsely : but worship god , as he hath appointed in his word , ioh. , , iosh , , , esa. , q what is the third commaundement ? a thou shalt not take the name of the lord thy god in vaine , exod. xx . q what is forbidden and commaunded in this law ? a we must not bereaue god of the honor due to him : but vse his titles , word and works with al reuerence , math. , , , , , q what is the fourth commaundement ? a remember the sabbath day to keepe it holy , exod , xx , q what is commaunded and forbidden in this law ? a we must 〈◊〉 the sabbath with the works of the sabbath : and not 〈◊〉 it with our owne works , esa. , , neh , , xv , xvi , &c. q what are the workes of the 〈◊〉 ? a 〈◊〉 as are holy , and of present necessity . luk , , , , , act. xx , q 〈◊〉 must keepe the sabbath ? a 〈◊〉 , thy son , thy daughter , thy man , thy maid , and thy stranger , exod xx , x q 〈◊〉 of the first table : what doth the second table concerne ? a 〈◊〉 duties toward our neighbors , in the sixe last commaundementes , rom. , , q who is our neighbour ? a our neighbor is euery one of our owne flesh , yea our enemies , esa , , , luk. x , , , , math , , q what is the first commaundement ? a honor thy father and thy mother , exod , xx , q who is our father and mother ? a al superiors set ouer vs of god for our good , rom , , , , eph. , , . q what doth the word honor 〈◊〉 ? a it 〈◊〉 reuerence , obedience , and maintenance , whether they be worthy or vnworthy , that are our superiors , math xxii , xxi q what is the first commaundement ? a thou shalt not kil . exod. xx , q what is forbidden and commaunded in this law ? a we are charged not to hurt our owne life , or our neighbors : but to preserue and tender it as our owne , ioh. , , math , , xxii , xxiii . q what is the seuenth commaundement ? a thou shalt not commit a dultery . exod , q what is required in this law ? a we must kepe our bodies and soules chast from consenting to vnclean lustes , math , , , 〈◊〉 . col. , q what is the eight commaundement ? a thou shalt not steale , exod , , q what is forbidden and commaunded in this law ? a we must not 〈◊〉 or hurt our neighbors goods : but maintaine and preserue them , eph , , , thess. . q what is the ninth commaundement ? a thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbor , exod , . q what is forbidden and commaunded in this law ? a we must not diminish or hurt the good name of our neighbor : but 〈◊〉 his credit and estimation exod , , , psal , , q what is the tenth commaundement ? a thou shalt not couet . q what is forbidden and commaunded in this law ? a the first motions and lustes to sin before consent are forbidden : and loue out of a pure heart and a good conscience is required rom. , q 〈◊〉 any man able to 〈◊〉 these commaundementes ? a no man is able to 〈◊〉 them , rom , iii. xxiii , i ioh , i , , galath , iii q in what estate stand we by meanes of the breach of the law ? a we are the children of wrath and euerlasting damnation , gal , , x q what is the second part of religion ? a faith , to beleeue whatsoeuer god hath set down in his word , the sum whereof is contained in the apostles creed , consisting of twelu articles q what is the first article ? a i beleeue in god , the father almighty , maker of heauen and earth . q what is the second article ? a and in iesus christ , his onely sonne our lord. q what is the third article ? a which was conceiued by the holy ghost , borne of the virgin marȳ . q what is the fourth article ? a suffered vnder pontius pilate , was crucified , dead , and buried , he descended into hell . q what is the 〈◊〉 article ? a he rose a gaiue the third day from the dead . q what is the 〈◊〉 article ? a he ascended into heauen , and sitteth on the right hand of god the father almighty . q what is the seuenth article ? a from thence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead . q what is the eight article ? a i beleeue in the holi-ghost . q what is the ninth article ? a i beleeue the holy catholick church , the communion of saints . q what is the tenth article ? a i beleeue the forgiuenes of sinnes . q what is the eleuenth article ? a i beleeue the resurrection of the body . q what is the twelfth article ? a i beleeue the life euerlasting . q what are the 〈◊〉 points of this creed ? a two : concerning god , or concerning the church . q what consider you in god ? a the vnity and the trinity . , iohn , , . q what beleeue you of the vnity ? a i beleeue , that in substance , there is one only true and almighty god. cor , . , deut. , q what beleeue you of the trinity ? a i beleeue that in one god , there are three distinct persons , the father , the sonne , and the holyghost , math. , . and , . q what beleeue you of god the father ? a i beleeue that he is almightie , and therefore hath made all creatures good , and gouerneth all things wel . gen. , , nehem. . , act , . , q what beleeue you of the 〈◊〉 ? a i beleeue that we being borne dead in finnes , he came into the world to be a mediatour betweene god and man. tim , , q what meane you by a mediator ? a i beleeue , that he was sent to reconcile vs to his father , and his father vnto vs : and so to make peace between god and man. esa : . , eph , q what is required of a mediatour ? a two natures . iohn , , heb. . q what are they ? a the diuine nature , and the human nature . heb , , q what beleeue you of 〈◊〉 diuine nature ? a i beleeue , that he onely is the naturall sonne of god , and therefore god , and our lord , heb. , q what beleeue you of his humane nature ? a i beleeue two things : his entrance into the world , and the things that followed the same , luke , xxiiii , xxv . xxvi . q what haue we to consider in his entrance into the world ? a two things : his conception , and his birth . q what 〈◊〉 you of his conception ? a i beleeue he was begotten by the myraculous power and working of the holi-ghost . luke i , math i. xviii , q what 〈◊〉 you of his birth ? a i beleeue that he tooke flesh and was borne of a virgine whose name was mary , math. ; xx . esa , , xiiii q what be the things that followed his entrance and comming into the world . a two : his fufferings and his glorie . luke xxiii . xxv . xxvi . , q what were his sufferings ? a of two sorts : in bodie or soule , q what were his sufferings in body ? a i beleeue , that pontius pilate the iudge giuing sentence , his hands and feet were nailed to a crosse , and thereby dying , his body was buried in manner as others were , and lay for a time vnder the dominion of death , iohn xix . xviii . cor xv . , , actes xiii . xxviii , , psal. xxii , xvi q what 〈◊〉 you of his sufferings in soule ? a i beleeue , that he suffered in his soule , the fierce wrath of his father , kindled for our sinnes , to deliuer vs from the curse of the law , luke , xxii , , gal , , xiii . q what things are to be considered touching his glory ? a three things : eyther his glory which is past , or present , or to come , pet . xxi , xxii , act i. xi q what beleeue you touching his glorie past ? a his resurrection , and his assention , act , , , q what beleeue you touching his resurrection ? a i beleeue , that although for a space his bodie laie dead in graue , yet after three dayes he raised it vp , and gaue it life againe , math , , , cor , , , ioh , x , . xviii q what beleeue you of his ascending into heauen ? a i beleeue , that his body being vnited againe to his soule , he was personallie taken vp into the heauens , after that he had bene conuersant vpon the earth , dayes , acts . , q what is his glory present ? a he sitteth at the right hand of the father , marke . , q what meane you thereby ? a i beleeue , that his father hath aduanced him into the highest honour , and hath committed vnto him the gouernement of all things in heauen and earth , heb. , , psal. . q what is his glory to come ? a he shal come from heauen to iudge the quick and the dead . math. , act , , xi , q what meane you thereby ? a i beleeue , that in the end of the worlde , all flesh shall appeare before him , both of those that haue bene deade from the beginning of the world , and of those also that then shall be liuing : and that then as an vpright iudge he shall throw the wicked into perpetuall cursednesse , and aduance the righteous to euerlasting blessednes . math , , thes. . . . reuel , . , xiii . x iii. q what beleeue you of the holy-ghost ? a i beleeue that he is god , proceeding from the father and the sonne : and 〈◊〉 all the children of god. rom , , xi . q what beleeue you of the church ? a two things : first , that there is one holy catholicke church , secondly , that there are 〈◊〉 giuen vnto it , math , xvi , , q what meane'you by a chruch ? a the whole company of the faithfull seruants of god , which euer wer from the beginning , which also be now , and shal be to the end of the 〈◊〉 , of which number i beleeue that i am one , iohn , . , q why do you call it holy ? a because none can be 〈◊〉 to god , vnlesse he be holy and seperated from the prophane of the world , cor , , xvi , xvii , q what meane you by calling it catholicke ? a i beleeue that the church is not tyed to one time or place : but spreadeth it selfe throughall nations vnder heauen , whomesoeuer god shall cal . act . x , xxxiiii . reuel . . q what are the gifts giuen to the church ? a two fold : first in this 〈◊〉 : secondly , after this life , act , , , , q what be the gifts in this life ? a two : the communion of saints : and forgiuenes of sins , iohn , q what means you by communion of saints ? a i beleeue , that howsoeuer the faithfull by distance of place are far seperated one from another ; yet there is such a mutual compassion and fellow-feeling each of others condition , that they are a like both greeued and ioyfull at each others aduersity and prosperity , act. , cor . x. i. , . rom. xii , xv . xvi , q what meane you by forgiuenes of sinnes ? a i beleeue that iesus christ hath already suffred for my sins , and therefore they shall be freely pardoned , and the punishment of them forgiuen vnto me , i. iohn . . i. , psal. xxxii , q what be the gifts bestowed on the church after this life ? a two : the resurrection of the body , and life euerlasting . i. cor . xv . . i. thess. , xvi . xvii . q what beleeue you of the resurrection of the flesh ? a i beleeue that the dead bodies of al such as haue dyed from the beginning of the world , shall in the end be raised again , and be vnited to their soules . i , cor . xv , xxii . li , q what beleeue you of euerlasting life ? a i beleeue that after the body and soule bee ioyned together againe in one person , the godly shal go into euerlasting ioy and felicity , and the vngodly shal be cast into endles 〈◊〉 and misery . dan , xii , ii . q is it sufficient to haue that faith , which beleeueth these articles to be true ? a no : we must haue a iustifieng faith to apply them to our selues , phil. , : q what is that faith ? a faith is a gift of god , whereby we apply to our selues particularly the promises made to vs in christ . gal , , xx , act , xv , x , xi q what be the meanes whereby this faith is attained ? a they are two : the be getting , and the continual nourishing of it , eph , xi . xii , xiii , q what are the meanes , whereby faith is first begun and hegotten , in vs ? a the word 〈◊〉 , rom. x , xiiii q how is this faith nourished in vs and increased ? a by the same preaching of the word , by praier , and by the sacraments , act , q what is prayer ? a prayer is a calling vpon god alone , in the name of his son iesus christ ioh , 〈◊〉 , q how many kinds of praier be there ? a two : petition , and thanks-giuing . psal , , , tim , , , q haue we no rule prescribed , to direct our praiers by it ? a yes : we haue a forme of praier , which christ taught his disciples commonly called the lords prayer . math , , luk , xi , , q what haue we to consider in this prayer ? a three things : the entrance , the petitions , and the conclusion of the prayer . q what is the entrance of the praier ? a our father which art in heauen . q what meane you when you say , our father ? a heereby i beleeue , he tendreth vs , as a louing father doth tender his owne children : and therefore is most ready and willing to heare and to help vs , math , , xi , esa. , xv q what meane you by this , that he is said to be in heauen ? a i learne , that because he is in heauen , his power is almighty , and therfore he is fully able to do vs all good . luk , , , rom , , dan , , xvii . q what consider you in the petitions ? a two things . first , they are set downe secondly , they are considered by reason . q how many petitions are there set downe ? a sixe q how are these petitions divided ? a the three first concerne gods glory : the three last petitions concerne our owne selues . q what is the first petition ? a hallowed be thy name . psal , , , dan , , q what do we desire in this first petition ? a we pray , that the name of god may continually be vsed of vs , in thought , word , and deed , with all reuerence , psal , , xi q what is the second petition ? a thy kingdome come . q what do we desire in this second petition ? a we pray , that god throwing downe the kingdome of sin and satan , would raigne in vs by his word and spirit , and hasten vnto perfection his kingdome of glory . reuel , xxii , q what is the third petition ? a thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen ? psal. . . , mar. , q what do we desire in this third petition ? a we pray , that the reueiled wil of god may be done willingly , sincerely , and readily by vs men on earth , as the angels and saints in heauen do it , deut. . , psal , , . q what is the fourth petition ? a giue vs this day our daily bread . gen , . xx . . q what do we desire in this fourth petition ? a we pray , not onely for a competent measure of all commodities seruing both for necessity and christian delight : but also thar god wold blesse them to our seuerall vses , psal. , leuit , xxvi , xxvi q what is the fift petition ? a forgiue vs our trespasses , dan. : , . . x , xi q what do we desire god in this petition ? a we pray , that god would freely pardon our sinues committed against him , and the punishments due vnto them , giuing vs peace of conscience , and iustifieng vs in his son. psal , , , , q why are these wordes added , as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs ? a for two causes . first , as a reason to perswade god to forgiue vs , seeing euen we , which haue not a drop of his infinite mercy in vs , are ready to forgiue such offences as are committed against vs. luke , xi , secondly , to assure our owne harts of forgiuenes at the handes of god , if we from our harts forgiue our brethren . math , i am , . xiii , mat . xviii . . . q what is the sirt and last petition ? a lead vs not into tentation , but deliuer vs from euil . , cor , . , , , math . q what do we desire in this last petition ? a we pray , not onely to be deliuerd from the power of satan , sinne , and the world : but also to be directed by the spirit of god in the wayes of true obedience . i. cor . x , xiii q how are these petitions strengthned and confirmed by reason ? a for thine is the king dome , and the power , and glory for euer . q what is the meaning of this strength of the reason ? a it containeth a thanksgiuing : wherin the gouernment and ordering of al things to gither with the power and glory of the same is ascribd wholly and onely vnto the lord , , chron , , xi , q what signifieth this word , amen , in the conclusion of the prayer ? a it signifieth , so be it , deut , , xv , xvi q what vse is there of it ? a it sheweth both our feruent desire to obtaine : and an assuraunce to our hearts that we shall obtaine that which wee aske , . cor. . . q what is a sacrament ? a it is a visible signe and seale that christ and all his benefits are giuen vnto vs. rom , , xi q what is to be considered in a sacrament ? a two things : his parts , and his vses , math. , xi q what are the parts of a sacrament ? a two : the outward parts and the inward , rom. . xi . xii . gen , , xi , cor , x , , , q how many are the outward parts ? a foure : the minister , the word , the signe , and the receiuer . math. , , . q how many are the inward parts ? a foure : god the father , the spirit , christ , and the faithfull , math. s q what proportion is there betweene these parts ? a euen as the minister by the worde , offereth and applyeth visibly the element vnto the body of the receiuer : so the father by the spirit , offereth and applyeth iesus christ , inuisibly vnto the faithfull receiuer . act. , . q what be the vses of a sacrament ? a three : first , to norish faith , rom. . x , xi secondly , to be a seale of the couenant between god , and vs , gen , thirdly , to be a badge of our christian profession . eph : ii . xi . xii , xiii , a how many sacraments are there ? a two : baptisme , and the lords supper , cor . xii : xiii , and chap , x , , , . q what is baptisme ? a baptisme is the first sacrament , wherein by the outwarde washing of the body with water once , in the name of the father , of the sonne , andof the holy-ghost , the inward clensing of the soule , by the blood of christ , is represented , math , , q what is to be cosidered in baptisme ? a two things : his parts and his vses . q what are the parts of baptisme ? a outward and inward parts . act , , q how many are the outward parts of baptisme ? a foure : the minister , the word of institution , the element of water , and the body washed , math. , q how many are the inward parts ? a foure : god the father , the holy spirit , christ , and the soule clensed , math , . , , mar , , q what is the proportion betweene these parts ? a euen as the minister , by the word of institution , applyeth the water to the washing of the bodye : so the 〈◊〉 , through the working of the spirit , applyeth the blood of christ to the clensing of the soule , luk , , , ioh , , q what are the vses of baptisme ? a three : first to seale vp the remission and forgiuenesse of sinnes , act , xxii , secondly , to shew our setting and engrafting into the body of christ . gal. , thirdly , to teach vs to dy to sin , and rise againe to righte ousnes . rom. . , , , q what is the lords supper ? a the lords supper is the second sacrament , wherein by visible receiuing of the bread and wine , is represented our spirituall communion with the body and bloode of christ , , cor. . , q what things are to be be considered in the lords supper ? a two things : his parts and his vses . math , . xxvi . xxvii , xxviii q what are the parts of the lords supper ? a two : outward and inward , cor , x , xvi q how many are the outward parts ? a foure : the minister , the word of institution , bread and wine , and the communicant , luk , xxii , , xx q how many are the inward parts ? a foure : the father , the spirit , the body and blood of christ , and the saithfull . i cor , xii , xiii , ioh. xxvii q what is the proportion betweene these parts ? a euen as the minister , by the word of institution , offereth bread and wine vnto the communicants , to feede thereupou bodily and corporally : so the father , by the spirit offereth & giueth the body and blood of christ vnto the soule of the faithfull to feede vpon them spiritually i cor , xi , xxiii , xxiiii , xxv , xxvi , &c. q what be the vses of the lords supper ? a three : first to shew forth the death , and sufferinges of christ with all thanks giuing . i cor , xi , xxvi , luk. xxii , xix secondly , to teach vs our communion and groweth in christ , cor , x , thirdly , to declare our communion and agreement with our bretheren , cor , x. , &c. ch , xii . . q how may wee come aright to the lords table ? a by preparing and examining ourselues , i cor , xi , q what is the right manner of preparing our selues ? a first , we must haue a knowledge of god , of mans fall , and his restoring againe into the couenant by christ. ioh , xvii , iii. secondly , true faith in christ , ii cor . xiii . thirdly , repentance from al dead workes daily renued for our daily sinnes . psal. xxvi , . lastly , reconciliation to our brethren yea euen our enemies , math , , , xxiiii . now to him that is able to keepe you that ye fall not , and to present you faultlesse , before the presence of his glory with you : to god , onelie wise , our sauior , be glorie , and maiestie , and dominion and power , both now and for euer , amen . iude verse , , gentle reader , i am to desire thee to amende these escapes with thy pen , either altering the sence or hindering the vnderstanding . the rest i remit to thy fauourable construction and correction . page . line . read is heere full . p. . l , . and not make . p. , l. xxi , vnfitly , p : . l , . that they are no. p. . l. . a connterfect word is fit enough for a counterfect sacrament . p , , l , . and not accepted , p. 〈◊〉 , l , , dele which is good , p : . l , xv , and euil workers speed , p , l , , by the practise and xiijj but reach eth not , p , , l , , to baptisme , p , , lin , 〈◊〉 , they were admitted . p , . l. accesse , p , , l , xxi , are not able , p , . l , , an assurance . p , , l , , escape vnpunished , and xxii , as an , and , thus much . p , l , , naming the , p , , l , : and , change . p , , l , , yet was he . : l. iii , inhumane , p , , l , . all the. p. , l , , in the cup. p , , l. . out of the holy vse . p : l. . consecration . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e a thes : b luke . x , c ephe : , ` d ro. , e 〈◊〉 , f titus , g mat , h 〈◊〉 pet , , i plutar. in vita 〈◊〉 . k cor . , 〈◊〉 l ezeck m 〈◊〉 , , gen , o psa. , iuuenal . li. . saty. p sam . senecade remed for 〈◊〉 . senec. de benef. lib cap cicero de offic . lib. persi , sati . tim . , act. xx , notes for div a -e a the number of them c vses are three . d preparation to the worke : consisting in examination of our selues , chap. wher in weigh two things , notes for div a -e a god alway gaue his sacraments to his church . b gen. , . c gen. , . d gen. . . e rom. , b the agreemēt between the word & sacraments . g heb. . . h heb. , 〈◊〉 ioh. , k mat. , l ioh. , m difference betvveen the word and sacraments . n math. , matheteusate . acts , q acts. , . r booke . chap. , and . s . cor , t mat. , how the sacraments are more effectuall then the word . a horat. lib. de arte poeti . segnius irritant animos , demissa per aures , quam quae sut oculis subiecta fidelibus , &c. vse . . b iohn . . vse . . c rom. , and , . d act. , and . . and . , . e cor. , . a arist. poster . lib. . cap. . b cicero de offic . lib. . c the word sacrament is not in the scriptures . d cicer . de of fic . lib. . e a sacramēt properly is the souldiers oth : metapherically the churches bād binding them to god. f a sacramēt considered . vvaies . g what a sacrament is h gen. . i rom. . . k agust . de . doct . christ . lib. . cap. . l sacraments were instituted of god alone . m gen. . . . . n gen. . . o . cor. p mat. . . q mat. . . vse . . r . tim. . . . s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may deliuer the good thinges of god. t . sam. . . . sam. . a math. . . phil. . . b . cor. , . vse . . c deut. . . d reuel . . . . vse . . e cor. . f cor. . g act. . . h gal. . . vse . . i rom. . . . k col. . . vse . . l christ is offered to all : but receiued onely of the faithfull . m . thes. . . vse . . n gal. . . o reuel . . . . p ezek. . q priuat men are not to medle vvith the censures of the church vse . . vse . . r cor. . . s ezek. . . t gen. . . u rom. . . . a how the sacramentes may be said to conferre grace . what are the parts of a sacraments . b iren. lib. . cont . haeres . cap . c chrisost . hom . . in math . d rom. . . . e col. . . f act . . . g . cor. . . . . . h math. . . gen. . ex. 〈◊〉 vse . . i gen. . . k exod. . . l luc . . . cor. . . n cor. . . o ioh. . . p ezek. . . q math. . cor. . . vse . . r gen. . . vse . . s exod. . . . & ch . . . . t iosh. . . . . . . u psal. . . . . . . . a how to teach our children the meaning of the sacramentes . a what 〈◊〉 parts are . b foure outward parts of a sacrament . c the minister is the first outward part of a sacram . d rom . . e heb . . . f ier. . . g reasons why the ministers onely are to administer the sacraments . h see book . . cap. . i cicer . philip. . est asinius quidam senator voluntarius , lectus 〈◊〉 . k cor. . . . rom. . . . l iosh. . . m eph. . . n heb. . . . o reuel . . p math. . . vse . . q . king . . . vse . . vse . . r ioh. . . s cor. . . t math. . . u cor. . . a thess. . a the word of institutiō , a necessary part of the sacrament . b august . in ioh. . tract . . c math. . d math. . . e esa. . . . f ioh. . . vse . . g vnderstanding of the institution , required of al h a great comfort to all gods childrē , whether rich or poore . i exod. . . k rom. . . gal. . . vse . . l gen. . . m heb. . vse . . m heb. . a the signe is an outward part of the sacrament . b mar. . . vse . . c we must not make the signe an idol . d . king. . . . e gen. . . f y. sam. . . vse . . g transubstantiation ouerthrown . h iren. lib. . contr . haer . c. . i ioh. . . a the receiuer is an outward part of the sacrament . b gen. . . c math. . . d math. . . . vse . . vse . . e bellar. de sacram . euchar . lib. . cap. . f book . . ch . vse . . g cor. . . . . . h math. . . . a what consecration is . b math. . . mar. . . luc. . . cor . . . c luc. , , d ioh , , . e , tim. , f iustin . in apoll . , vse . . g cor . , , vse . . vse . . h concil . trident. sess , , can . . i 〈◊〉 faciendi quod facit ecclesia , bellar , de sacra lib. , cap , . k the sacrament dependeth not vpon the intention of the minister . l phil . . math . . . m gen. . . . . n cor . . . o bellar. lib. . de sacra . c. . p bellar , lib. , de sacra , c. , q see more book . . c. . a cor. . , b . pet. . . c tim. . . d what are the inward & inuisible parts of a sacrament . e the proportion between the parts . f the first inward part of a sacrament is god the father . vse . . g act . . . vse . . h iohn . . . a the second part of a sament is the holy 〈◊〉 . b math . . c luc. . . d . cor. e tit. . 〈◊〉 vse . . f eph. . . vse g esa. . 〈◊〉 . ioh. . . i act . . . k mar. . . l ioh. . . m deut. . . . . n luc. . . rom. . . vse . . o against ana baptists depending on reuelations . a christ is 〈◊〉 . inward part of a sacrament . b . cor . . . . . . c gal. . . d rom. . . . e cor . . . vse . . f mar. . . g . cor . . . 〈◊〉 h . iohn . . . i rom , . . vse 〈◊〉 k heb. . . l cor. . . . a the last invvard part of a sacrament is the faithful receiuer . b rom. . heb. . . c iohn . . d act . . . . e act . . . f act . . . g heb. . . h rom. , 〈◊〉 i cor. , vse . . k panem domini , non panem dominum . august , hom , in ioh. , l ioh , , , , vse . . vse . . m cor . , n leuit , , , deut , , , o what we are to do in iudging our selues . a three chief vses of the sacraments , b pet. , , c august . 〈◊〉 , dei , lib. , cap. , d . cor , , , e rom , , , , , f act , , , g act , , , & , , , and , . vse . . h chrisost in math. hom , . i mar. , , k luk. , l luk. , , m luk. , , vse . . n sam. , , o math , , , . p bellar. de sacram . lib. . cap. . vse . . q rom. . . r pet. . . vse . . s rom. . . t rom. . . . u rom. , 〈◊〉 a the vse of a sacrament is to be a seale of the couenant . b gen. , i , ii. c what the couenant is , betweene god & man. d rom , , , ier. , , esa. , , c ier. , , . . cor. . . zach. . . f iieb. . . g reuel . , . . h reuel . , . . . and ch . . . . . l ioh. . . & . . rom. . . . k . ioh , , , l iosh. , , king. , . chro , , luk , , . l . roh . . . . vse . . m psal , , , . vse . . n luc , , , o math , , , , . p . h . . a the thirde vse of a sacrament is to be a marke and badge of our profession . b august cont faust , lib. . cap. . c eph. . . . . d . sam. . . e gen. . . f math. . mar. . . act. . . . vse . . g . cor. . , ioh. . . h ioh. , . . ioh. . , vse . . i reu. , , k math . , . l rom . . . m iam . . n rom. , . vse . . o reuel . . . vse . . p mat. . q mat. . . . . r . cor . . . s without faith and repentance vve cānot receine christ. t . cor . . . . a the number of sacraments . b christ instituted onely two sacramentes . c reasons why ther are only two sament . d luke . , . and . . e . cor . , . . , . f . cor . . , g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . . h iewish sacraments not figures of christian sacraments . k col . . . l luk. . . . m reuel . . . n heb. . . o . cor. . p exod. . q august , in psal. . r ioh. . . s bellar. de effect , sacr . lib. cap , . t 〈◊〉 . coloni dial . , pag , u aug , de sim , lib. , cap , . a 〈◊〉 , encount . , 〈◊〉 , . b sentent , lib , , dict , . c august . de simb , ad catechu . d august , de doctr . christ . lib . cap. . e ambros , lib. de sacram , cap. , f c. firmiter , g in lib. . sent dist . qu , h bessar , de sacra . , 〈◊〉 vse . . i act . . . vse . . k difference betweene the sacraments of the old testament & the new . l cor . , . m wherein the sacraments of the old and new testament agree . vse . . n cor . , o i am . . . p math , . . and , . . vse . . q concil . trid. sess . . de sacra in gen can . , and . a . cor . . . b act , . . . and . . c heb. . . d confirmation is no sacrament . e act . , , . , , . f numb . g king . . h censur . colon dial . . pag. . . a ioel. , , gen. , . rom. . . psal. . . ioh. . . b esa. , , psal. , . math. , act. , , cor . , , c penance no sacrament . d bellar. lib. . de poenit . cap. . e ioh. . . f esa. . . g ioh. . reu. . . a concil . trid. sess . . can . . b tim. . . , . c gen. , d math. , , ioh. , , heb. . . cor . , , . e reasons vvhy mariage is no sacrament . f grati. in dec . c. . qu. . lumb . lib. dist . . g cor. , mat. , h how the sacramentes are necessary for the church i greg. mart. d : s. chap. . k pigghius . l bellvr . lib. . de matrim . c. m . tim. , n hob. . o eph. . 〈◊〉 p why sacraments are called 〈◊〉 . q 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 cap. . r eph. , , , s tim. , eph. , , and ch . , reuel . , t conc . trid. ses . . decret . melch. canus . lib. . cap. . andrad . lib. defens . trid. a lumb . sent . lib. , dist . cap. b eph. , ier. . . luc. . cor . . . b sentent . lib. dict . . cap. . d reasons ren dred why orders are no sacraments . e sent . lib. 〈◊〉 . . cap. f reuel . . . pet. . . a bollar . lib. , de extr . vnct . cap. . b extreame vnction can be no sacrament c rhem. testam . d sentent . lib. . 〈◊〉 . . cap. e concil . trid. sess . can . & . f ioh. . , & , g iam. . . mar. , h iam. , i how the sick are to be annointed . k gen. , iob. , , l psal. , , heb , m heb. , , n iam. , iob . . o cor . , 〈◊〉 p phil . ; q eccl. . . r iohn . . . . s psa . . , & , , . & , , , t dan. , ezr , nehe. , u psa. , a cor. , . b mat. , . tim. , d 〈◊〉 . , rom. , , c cor . . , , rom. , , . phil. , iob. , tim. , , f how sicke persons may put away the tediousnes & paines of sicknes . g psal. , , , h cor . , , psal. , i sam. , , k tim. , , . l 〈◊〉 against doubting and dispaire . m 〈◊〉 . , luk. . n ioh. . o esay , . matth. , p esay , q rom. , r rom. , rom. , t how sicke persons are to behaue them selues in respect of their families . u gen. , a chr . b eccl. , c cor. , 〈◊〉 d psal. . 〈◊〉 e thes. . 〈◊〉 notes for div a -e a the word baptisme is taken many vvaies . b what baptisme is . c the description of baptisme proued . d eph. , tit. , mar , , . f eph. , , g gal. , tit. , , rom. , h the vse of the first part of the description . i act . k august . cont . faust. lib. . cap. l exod. m vse of the second part of the description . n eph , o vses of the . part of the description of baptisme . p cor . . . q act . , , & , . r ezek. , hos. . . f such as haue beene baptized by heretikes , are not to be rebaptized . t act . , u ioh , . rom. , a tim , b psal. , , 〈◊〉 c . ioh. . 〈◊〉 d ioh. . e the vse of the fourth part of the description of baptisme . t 〈◊〉 . . g the vse of the last parte of the description of baptisme . a in batism things are to be considered , his parts and his vses . b pet. , mar , , act. , vse . . c gen. , 〈◊〉 d act . . & . e bernard . epist. f luk. , g 〈◊〉 . , h 〈◊〉 . . . gen. . . . i baptisme not pricisely tyed to a certaine day . k gen. 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 l exod . 〈◊〉 m tim. , vse . . n gen. , , o cor. , p exod. , q 〈◊〉 . . . . r gal. . 〈◊〉 col. . vse . . s they are to be reproued that depart out of the church before baptisme be solemnized . t luk. . . . u cor. . 〈◊〉 a cor . . . b reasons rendred why the 〈◊〉 should remaine altogether , 〈◊〉 baptisme be 〈◊〉 . c christ is after a sort preached in 〈◊〉 . d gen. , compared with heb. 〈◊〉 . iudg. , . king. . 〈◊〉 chr . , 〈◊〉 e math . . . . f cor . . g luk. . 〈◊〉 . act. . h coi . . i ezek. . k concil . trid. sess . . can . . l the baptisme of iohn and of christ are in substance one & the same . m mar. , n eph , . . o act , . , p ioh. . , q math. , luk. , r difference betweene iohns baptisme and christs wherin ? s obiections answered . t bellar. lib. de bapt. cap. u heb , , a math. , b ioh. , c math. , d bellar . lib. 〈◊〉 bapt . cap. e luk , , . f bellar. lib. . de bapt . c. . g act. , , , , , , h august . de doct . christ . i men , de k math. , mar. . act. . . l act , math. , mar. , m act . , , , n act . . math. , luk. , a act , , , & , , , and . b ioh . . . q cor . , . . r cor . . . s pet. , t the sum of this chapt . set downe . a foure outward parts of baptisme . b lu. , . . c act . , . & , , , & . . & , & , d cor. , math. . & math . . . math , , , , ioh , , i , ii f reasons rendred why the minister onely may baptize g mat , , xix heb , , math , xix , , h , i , cor , xiiii , . tim . , xi , xii . i reuel . 〈◊〉 k iudg. , . sam. . king , , xiiii . act xxi . . l act . , m heb , , n pet. , eccle. . . o tim , . gen. . p the people cannot with comfort assure themselues to 〈◊〉 sacrament at the hands of priuate persons . q beza . lib , de quest. in sacre . 〈◊〉 , . r sam. , , and , , king , , , s numb , . math . . rom. , a exod. . b deut. , c terent. in adesp . ast . . sce. d calu . lib , epistot , pag. e exod. . . , . f bellar. de sacra . bap , cap . g ouid. etist . , careat successibus opto , quisquis ab euentu fact a notanda putat . h king. . . vse . . i what are the actions of the minister . vse . . vse . . i epiph here , k epiph. cont . her . 〈◊〉 . l tim. , xi , cor . xiiii , , m num. , , 〈◊〉 , , . n sam. . o king . p nah. , eccl. , , . q ioh. , a word of institution is the forme of baptisme b eph. , math. , c gen. , vse . . vse . . vse . . obiection answer . d cor . , e act . , and . f math. , a water another outward part of bapt . b math. , xi , vse . . obiection c rom , , , answere d eph , . e cor . f gal. , g no other signe ought to be vsed in baptism then water . h lent. x. i. i leuit , i. , x xiiii k iocl . i. vse . l act , , m cor , , , eph , , . n hosii confes . de ritib. bapt . cap. o al perished not vnder the law that died before circumcision . p ezek. , , q iosh. , r leuit. , , gen. . . & . s sam. . , , . 〈◊〉 . t tim. . u rom. . . mal . a act , , 〈◊〉 b luk. , c luk. , d socra . lib. cap. bellar. de sacra bap , . c. e tripart , hist lib , , cap. f orat. de obit . 〈◊〉 . g cen. , obiection answere h rom , , i caletan . 〈◊〉 cap. , genes . k iohn , xiii , 〈◊〉 l cor , . . m psa , , n deut. . o exod. , p cor , , 〈◊〉 q ioh , , obiect . r bellar. lib , de bapt . c. , s hosij confess . cap. answere . t ioh. , u ioh. , , & , a ioh. . b decret . gregor . lib. . tit . . c. c lumb . sent . lib. . dist d let none obiect the opinion of augustine , for he thought it necessary to saluation , that children should receiue the lords supper , as well as baptisme , de peccator . mer't . lib. cap. . e gen. , f mar , , . a the last outvvard part of bapt . is the body washed . b who are in the couenant c rom , . d heb. . rom. i , xvii gal. xi heb. x , e ionah , . xi . f act . , g cor . . , h we must hope well of the seed osthe faithfull , and therefore we batize them . i rom. xi gen . k act , , l luk. . m act . , , cor. , ioh. , ioh verse , n psal. , . vse . . o act . & . vse . . p church of rome propha neth bapt , by baptizing bellcs . q bellar. de sacra . bapt . lib. , cap. r durand . lib. enchirid cap. s math. , eph. , , xv , xvi vse . . t gcn. , , , , vse . . a deut. , luk. . . iohn . , b reasons waranting the baptizing of children . c gen , , leuit , phil. , d col . . obiect . 〈◊〉 . e wherein circumcision & baptisme agree . f wherein circumcision & baptisme differ . g how women were after a sort h cor . xi , i luk , , k gen. , . l math. 〈◊〉 , m the practise of the apostles . n act . , cor . . , act , , & . , , obiect . answ . o mar. . , obiect . ansvver . p luk. , , & ch . , q luk. . 〈◊〉 r orig. lib , comment . ad rom. hieron in fine lib. , contra pelag. august . de bap 〈◊〉 & . cap libri . de origine animae . s children admitted to coppi-holdes by custome of the manour amoug men . t children are christs sheepe and members of his body u gen. . act , cor , . . a math xix b obiections of anabaptists , impugning childrens baptisme , answered . obiection answere c col . , d math. , xix i. cor x , , obiection answere e . 〈◊〉 , xi , , f mar. , . math. , obiect . . g act , . answer h thess . x. i luk. xiii . . rom x. xvii . mar , xvi , xvi heb. xi , k math , l act , . . m pet. . n rom , . 〈◊〉 obiect . . answer . o iob. p psal , , rom. , obiect . . answer , r math , , s luk. , t mar. , u ministri . transiluan . contra trinit & in carnationem domini . vse . . a lindan . lib. . panopl. bellar. de verbo dei . lib. cap. b tim. . vse . . vse , . c ioh , , cor. . , rom , , , eph , , d august . de poenit . merit & ●emiss . l. . c. . e cor , , f act . , g eph. , h rom. , , vse . . i deut , , esa. , exod. , vse . . k gen. . , l gen. . . m heb. , , , , iosh , , hag , , n heb , , o psal , . , , p psal , , 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 , , vse . q eph. , r tim. . s math . vse . t a laudable custome of the church to haue godfathers and godmothers . u esa. . , , a parents no. fit witnesles of their own childrens bap tisme . b gen. , , luk. . & c reuel . . d luk. , xv , e cor , . xiiii f ioh , reuel . , g pro. , , lam. , psal. , eccl. , a math. . . b foure inward parts of baptisme c math , , xi d the agreement betweene the outward and inward parts . e the first in vvard part of baptisme is god the father . f gal. . . vse . . vse . . vse . . a the second inward part of baptisme is the holy spirit . b math , , vse . vse . c icot . . , . , x , xi reuel . , d mat , xix vse . . vse . . e iohn . v , f rom , , , g the sacraments profit not without the spirit . a the third inward part of baptisme is christ iesus . b heb. , c act , . & , , & , d pet. . . vse . . e act . . , f ioh. , vse . vse . . g esa , , , . h cor. . , . i gen , k king . , , l iosh. , m ioh. , n cor. . o gen. , x a the soule clensed is the last inward part of baptisme . b tie , , eph. . , 〈◊〉 vse . . c rom. , & , , d ioh. , , . vse . . e baptisme is a christian mans ensigne to fight vnder it the battels of the lord . a three vses of baptisme . b rom. , , , c the first vse of bapt . i. to shew our ingrafting in to christ. d cor . , cal. , e rom. , xv f iohn , , g 〈◊〉 , , h ioh. xv. . i we are ioyned to christ in spititual mariage k ioh. , l ioh. , rom , , . , , , m ezek. . , . n gen , , o iohn , 〈◊〉 p mark. . a the , vse of baptism 〈◊〉 to assure forgiuenes of sinne . b act. . , 〈◊〉 , c baptisme doth not of it selfe conferre grace c math , . , d concil . trid. sess . e bellar , lib. . de bapt . cap. f ioh. , psal. . . g ioh. , a the thirde vse of baptisme is to teach vs our dying to sin , and rising to newnesse of life . b luk , , c pet . . , d psal. . rom. , e deut. , & . f ier , , g ier , . h rom. , i we must all be baptized in hart k esa , . & , 〈◊〉 l eccles. , notes for div a -e a the sacrament of the body and blood of christ called by diuerse names b cor . , c cor xi . . d act. . & . e cor . , f cor , , math , , g reasons rendred of the former names h cor , i exod. , , k heb. , l the vses of calling this sacrament the communion . vse . m cor , . ioh. , n ioh. vse . o cor . xi vse . . p cor . xi , q rom , xv , , r the vses of calling this sacrament the 〈◊〉 vse . s cor , . , vse . . vse . . t ioh. . rhem. test. annot . in cor . xi a bellar. dc 〈◊〉 lib. cap. b iude verse . 〈◊〉 . pet. . c cypri . in sacram . de caen . domin . d 〈◊〉 . ioh : gagn. in , cor hosij confess . cathol , tom . , cap. & 〈◊〉 . . cap , e the vses of calling this sacrament the breaking of bread f cor , xi . vse . g ioh. xix , vse . . h act . . . & i cor. . k the vses of calling this sacrament the table of the lord l clem. alex , lib. . 〈◊〉 origen . lib. contra . celsum . arnob , lib. , & vse . m cor . , m gal. . vse . . o heb . . p the vses of calling this sacrament the testament or will of christ . vse . i. q leuit. , math , , gal. , deut. . r iohn , vse . s gal. , t concil . cabilon . can . vse . u rom. . pet . xii . & . a math. . b 〈◊〉 , . a what the lords supper is . b mat. . cot , , . cor , c exod , , d luke . . marke . vse . . e cor. x , , f iohn . , g mat. , vse . vse . h ioh , , , i chap , vse . . k cor . . l act , , , m august . in ioh tract n chrysost , in eph. . hom . o august . ad 〈◊〉 . epist. p pro , , . q rom. , r cbrysost , in eph. hom . s numb . , t numb , , u luk , , a cor . xi , , math. . 〈◊〉 , , b foure outward parts of the lords supper . c foure actions of the minister , d psal. , 〈◊〉 . . e math , act , , cor , , vse . f stella clericorum . serdisc serm . g creatur a vobis mediantibus vobis . vse . . h numb , , 〈◊〉 , heb. , i two obiections answeared , pretending that 〈◊〉 men may deliuer the supper . k august . tract 〈◊〉 . in iohan 〈◊〉 ; l aristot. metaphis . lib. cap. m bellar. lib. de euch , cap , concil . trid. sess , . can . . n beza 〈◊〉 . & vesp . de sacr . o ioh , , , , , p if they do not thus , the sacrament receiud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them a the words of institution are the outvvard part of the supper b 〈◊〉 . cont . marie . lib. august . contr . adimant c , c cor . , xvi d iohn xix , obiection ansvvere e the words of institution are variably set dovvne , f math. . g mark , , h luk. . i cor , . k math , , l mark , m luk , xx n cor , xi , i ierem. in cap. ad galat. k the words of institution expounded briefely , truely , plainely . vse . . l arist. rhetor . ad 〈◊〉 . lib , cap. cicer. de . 〈◊〉 . lib. m hieron , contra lucifer . & in cap. ad gal. m disparata . o gen , , p exod. 〈◊〉 , q cor . . r a paraphrase vpon the words of institution . vse . s math , , t math. , u al change in the words of institution makes not the sacraments void . vse . . a concil . trid. sess . , c. b plin . natur . 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 . , cap. c celius rhodiginus d bellar lib. de 〈◊〉 . cap. cor . . f cor , , xi , xii , , xiiii xviii , psal , , , & , , & . esa , , act . , xi rom. xiiii , xi g psal , . rom. i xiiii h chrysost . in cor , xiiii hom . i strabo geograph . lib. k 〈◊〉 . in prolog : asinar 〈◊〉 . de tristib . lib. eleg. l iohan. beleth . paris theol. explice . diuin : offi . in proaemio . nicol. lyra in cor . xiiii . ad verb. vers . xvi 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 . tom . tractat . xv . a bread and wine are the outward signes of the lords 〈◊〉 b math. , mar. , luk. , act . , , . & , cor . , c cor . , , , d math. , mar , , luk. , gener. vse . e why we haue tvvo signes in the lords supper and only one in baptisme ? f difference betweene baptisme and the lords supper . gener. vlc . g against the bare shewes of bread and wine : and accidentes without subiect . h arist. phis . lib. , cap. i psal. . k accidentis esse est 〈◊〉 l porphyr . cap , de accidente . m aimoin . exadem . lib. . cap . gener. vse . . n the bread and wine be-the matter of the sacramēt may not be changed in the lords supper . o cor , , p cor , , q psal , pro , , iudg. , 〈◊〉 , , r arist . metaph lib. . cap plato in 〈◊〉 . s leuit . . t ioel , , , u tim. , genera . vse . a aagainst transubstantiation . b concil . trid . sess . , cap. . c anno. . d barth carenza . summa concil . e iren. lib. . cap. . epiphan . haeres . . f the bread and wine remain in their proper nature g math , , mar , , luk , , h cor , xi . , cor . x. i math , , k luk , , c 〈◊〉 . de fabul . 〈◊〉 . lib. august . de 〈◊〉 . cap. m iren. lib contr . 〈◊〉 . cap n math. , pet. . . o stella clericorum . p creatura vobis mediantibus vobis . q hesych in leuit. l. . c. humbert . cont . nicet . r bernard de monte polotiano de domcastro . platin . in vita clem . s hermannus contractus . t math , u origen . in math . cap. a ioh. , b august . de trinit , lib. cap. c exod. , ioh. . gen , , d cor , , e ioh. , f mat , , g reuel . , h luk. cor . , i august , de quod vuit de . k ioh , , , & ioh. l occam . in cen tilo . theol . conclus . , m holcot . in lib. sentent . quest n august . epist , ad dardan . o luk. , p arist . lib , de anim . cap. q august . de doctr christ . lib. . cap. , cyril . anat . , r cor , , , s math , , , , t math. , u ioh. , , & , & . . a mark. , b thom. p qu , art . c canon . conuertantur d durand . lib. e see d. sutl . de miss . lib. . cap gener. vse . f christs people must receiue the supper vnder both kinds . g cone . trident sess . , cap h math , , i math. , k math. , mar. , cor . , l cor . . m gal. , heb. . , n luk , , o math , , luk. , . p cor . , q cor . . . r cor , , s cor . , t bellar . lib. de euchar . c. u exod . , a iosh. . b luk. xi , c obiections for taking the cup from the people of god d rhem . test . vpon math. xxvi , & mar. e math , xvvi● , f exod , xii , g exod , . h ioh. , cum , . i exod. xii . k arist , bistor animal , lib , cap , xxvii plini . hist. natur , lib. cap l exod. xii . x m math , xxvi n ioh. xxvi . o cor , , p cor . xi , obiect . q act , , , & xx , answer . r esa , , lam , , math , . luk. . act . . xi s cor . , t act. , u cor . , , , a cor . . , obiect . b concomitantia . answer . d gal. , e heb. , . eph. , f col , . , & . , g math. , , h heb. , i concil . trid sess . , can . k arist . 〈◊〉 . lib , 〈◊〉 , cap. . & partic . vse . l bellar. lib. de eucha . cap. v , m exod. xii . , xviii . n gregor . i , in registr . o concil . florent . sess . vlt p cor , x , xvi part . vse . r rhem. test. fol. nu . s barthol . caranza sum . concil . florent 〈◊〉 . t polid . virg. de inuentor . rerum lib. , cap , u math , . a papists are neere of kin to the old hereticks called 〈◊〉 . b matt. , c cor . xi , d math. . e cyprian epist. a the outward part are the communicants . b math. , c con , trid 〈◊〉 , can , d reu. , e exod. , x , f exod. , g math. , h hosij consess , de eutharift , cap. i math. , cor . xi , k concil . trid sess . . cap. l origem . in leuit . homil . vse . m guil. alan . de sacrific . euchar cap , bristo . 〈◊〉 . n the sacrament is not to be adored . o math. , p king . , acts. , , q ioh , r iohn . , s heb : xi , t iud , , vse . conc. triden sess . , c a in what sense christs supper , may be called a sacrifice . b the fathers of the church liuing among the gentiles , called the supper a sacrifice c see more in the end of the booke . d the originall of the word masse . e polid . virgil de inuent . rerum lib. . cap f sueton . in caling . cap. g holcot in lib. sent . 〈◊〉 . i cor . x , heb. x , x , hebru . , m heb. x , n rom. , o hebr. , , p ioh. . , q math , r heb. , s roma . , t iohn . u 〈◊〉 . , a hebr , . . psal. , b the masse is no propitiatory sacrifice for the dead . c eccle. . d iohn , . & , . vse . against priuate mastes in the church of rome . conc. trid. ses . . cap. g math. , h arist. li. . de coel . cap. i luke , k cor . xi , m cor . xi . , xxi n , cor . , vse , o it is no precept of christ to receiue the lords supper fasting . p august . epist . . q cor. xi , r rom. . s rom. , , a book . . ca. b consecration , what . c the vse of the elements is changed : the substance is not changed . d num. , 〈◊〉 e matt. , f act. , g two meās of consecration , to wit the word and praier . h tim , , i iust in . in apol. k gene. , l genes . , m gene , , n leuit. . o rom. , p leuit. xi , q ierem. , vse . r gal. . s we offer vp as much as christ coman ded vs t sam , 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 king. 〈◊〉 u gal. , 〈◊〉 vse . a hosich . in leuit . lib. , c. b euagri , lib. cap. niceph. lib. , cap c hieron . com . in , , cor. xi d numb , 〈◊〉 cor , x. e matth. . f iohn , vse . g cori . x , h hovv the signes in the sacrament are blessed vse . i we ought often to receiue the lords supper . k cor . xi , l reasons rédred to moue vs to frequét the lo. table m exo. , n gene. , o mal. , p num. . q math , . . r num , . s gai. , t heb . u math , a what are the inwarde partes of the lo. supper b august . cont . maximin . li. . c the agreemēt between the outward and inward partes d iohn , 〈◊〉 e galath . , f hebru . , g luke . , h iohn , vse . 〈◊〉 i rom , , k rom. 〈◊〉 , l eph. , m deut , , math , n ezek , , lenit , , vse . o math. . & . xvii p eph , . xvi : i xix . q rom. . r psal. , s iohn . xi vse . . obiection t exod. xii . answere u esay . . . a math. , a the second inward part of the lords supper , is the holy spirit . b roma . , galat. , , vse . . c iam. , vse . d iohn , e aug . tract . in iohn . & obiection answer . f ioh. , deut. , h iohn r , i math. , a the third inward part of the lords supper , is the body and blood of 〈◊〉 . b ioh. , . c how the sacramentall rites do serue to strengthē our faith . vse . d against the real presence e the true state of the question set downe . f confess . gal lic . art . . confel . anglic . art . cal instit lib . cap. g col. , , , h conc . trid. 〈◊〉 , cap. l de con dist ego bereng k aug . tract . in iohan l sundry reasons rendred to 〈◊〉 the real presence m luk. , n luk. , o arist lib de memoria . p rom. , q heb. , r luk. , s act . , , & t catechism . trident. in exposit . simbo . apostol . u ioh , , a what it is to eate the body of christ spiritually . b cor . xv , c sadeel . de spirit . mand . cap. . d comparisō between the bodily & spiritual eating . e matth. , xv f matt. , g cor . x , , 〈◊〉 h aug. tom . tract . in ioh. . & in psal . gratian can . inquit . . i math. , iohn , & a acts , xi l matt. 〈◊〉 , m iohn , n psalm . , & , o cyril . 〈◊〉 , xi . p leuit. , 〈◊〉 q acts , 〈◊〉 r hom. odis . lib x virg. aeneid . lib. plin. nat . hist lib. y , cap 〈◊〉 ouid met. lib. . t cor . xv , u rom. , , x a math. , b sam , , x c conference day . d pighi . hierar . li , . cap. censur , colon dial . p , cusan , epist. . & . e obiections alledged to maintain the real presence are answered f bellar , tomo . primo . obiection answer . g 〈◊〉 , , h math. , i iohn x , k iohn , l iohn . m l●k xix , k iohn , n fish , cont . capti . babilō o lindan . panopl . lib , . p tonst lib de sacr p. . q gab biel. in 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 p iohn , obiection answere q ioh. , r iohn , s ioh . . t biel. sect super cā . niis , u hos , conses de euchar , a two rules to be obserued concerning gods omnipotēcy . b math. , c math. , d matt. , e aug. de tēpo . serin . f no contradiction is in god. g cor . , h aug. de trincap , lib. confes lib. cap. xv i arist. de interp . li. , ca. k thom. contra gent. lib. 〈◊〉 cap . & . cap obiect answer . l iohn . xviii m exo , &c. n iohn : o no miracle in the lordes supper p 〈◊〉 , in cor . cap , 〈◊〉 q 〈◊〉 , de 〈◊〉 . . c x r thes. . s the error of eutiches 〈◊〉 . t deut , , king . lam. . u esay , a num. , &c. b heb. xii , c mat. , d iohn , a the fourth inward part of the supper is the faithful receiuer b iohn , xii c faith is like the mouth of a vessel d concil . nicean ex biblio . vatican . vse e leuit. , f gal , . g bph , , h act. . i 〈◊〉 sortes of receiuers k iohn , , , l ioh. . m ioh. . . obiect answer . n act. , . o rom. . , , p luk. , q lumb . sent . lib . dist . c. r rom. , s habac. , t . xi . , u rom , a act. , b colos. , & , c mat. , d aug. tract . in iohan. e 〈◊〉 , , luk , , f ezek , , leuit , , math , , g leuit , , , numb , , , king , h cor , , i hesiod , 〈◊〉 oper 〈◊〉 dier . eustath in 〈◊〉 . lib. k chris. hom . . in mat. cap , l zeph. , m cor. , vse . . o reue , xiii , p iohn , q ioh. xiii . r luk. , 〈◊〉 s hil. in mat. c , . & lib. de trinitate s hil. in matt c. , & lib , de trinitate . clem. rom. const , l , , c. t zanch , de redemp , lib , cap , xix & beza in . & tractat . de excom . u gen , , sam. , c sam , , x e mercer in cap. genes , analys , frāci iunij in gen d gen , , vse . . f wicked mē do not receiue christ. g iohn , h aug. tract in iohan xxv i iohn , 〈◊〉 k cor. , l luk , xi . m cor , . n rom. . o rom. . p cor . , q cor . x , xx r bel. de sacr . euch. li. . c. lumb lib. sen. dist . . c g bellar. de sacr . euch . lib , cap. a three ends of the iordes supper . b the false ends of this sacrament rehearsed and refelled . c conc . cabil . can . e num. , f gen , g exo. , , h exod. , luke , . k heb. , l zach. , x iohn xix , m who they are that profit 〈◊〉 by christs pastiō n iohn . , esay , , cor . x , b mat. , c galat. , d ephes , rom. , f math. xii , g heb. , vse . g gen. , vse . a the lordes supper is the band of charity . b cor. x , c cor . . vse . c pet. , cor , , d 〈◊〉 . , vse . . e aug. tract . in iohan. p eph. , , ruth , , , g phil. , . . h act. , a examination necessarie before wee come to the lords table . b cicer. de offic . lib. c ierem. , d exod. , e math. , p chr. . g reasons of this duty of examination h gen. , i matth. , k math , l hag. , m tit. , i n cor. 〈◊〉 , o rens iae sae maiestatis . p math. , q exod. , vse . . r rom. , s roman , t iohn , u colo , iam , , vse . b exod , c this ouerthroweth the opinion of innocentius , augustine , musculus . & others , who teach it to be 〈◊〉 and needfull that children be admitted to the supper , innocent . . epift . ad patr . concil . mile . august . epist. ad vitalem . muscul. loc . 〈◊〉 de euchar. d fiue sorts of persons barred from the lords supper vse . e ier. , f matth. , g rom. , h num. , i heb. , a four points required in examination of our selues . b mat. , c matt. , d the . part of examination is knowledge of gods word . e iohn , f rom. , g what particular pointes are necessary to be known of al that cōe to the communion . h act. , i iohn , k deut , l luk. , m cor . , n luk. , o ephe. , q matth , r pet. , , f act. , t chr . , u luk. xix , , &c. a psa. , , &c. act. , , c matth. , d matth. , , a the part of examination . b mat. , c hebr. , d cor . , e what a true faith is f gal. . g the hands of faith what they are . h thes. . i gal. , k iob. , l iohn . , m luk. , n luke , o matth. , p psal. , q math. , r iob. , s roma , &c. t genes . , u titus . , 〈◊〉 a gal. , b tim. , c iam. , d pet. , cor. , f eph. , g reuel . , h there are degrees of true faith . i what a weak faith is k what a strōg faith is . l roma . , m roma . , n cor , , o mar. , p rom , q psal. , r ephe. , s num. , t luk. , u luke . , , a mark , b math. , , c reuel . , & .c d phil. . c reuel . , & .c a repentance from dead works required of al that come to the 〈◊〉 , table b ephe. , c esay , d esay , e gen. , , f cor . , x , xi g signs wher by to examin our repentance . h act , , i in examining our selues , we must follow the order of the cōmaundementes . command . command . command . command . commaund . commaund . commaund . command . command . command command . 〈◊〉 k exod. xx , l ioh. , m psal. , n cor , . , . o psa. . p iohn , q mat. . , r cor , . s renewed faith , and renewed repentance required of vs. t luke . u mat. . a luke , . b math. . , c sam. d luk. . & , . e math , , f luk. , xiii a loue toward their brethren is required of al that come to the table . b math. , c iohn , d colos. , e matt. , f corin . x. g esay , h math. , i luke , k mark. , l cor. , m luk. , n rom , o chr . p the sacrament is not honoured by abstaining from it q cor . xi , a the summ of the . book b genes . , &c. c hebru . , d cor . , e what a sacrament is . f math , . . g ioh. . , h dcut. , i cor , x , xvi k in a sacrament consider hisparts and his vses . l the partes are outward and and inward . m the outward partes of a 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 , the 〈◊〉 , the 〈◊〉 , the signe the 〈◊〉 n mat. , o esay , , p mark. , q gen. . xii s cor. , t tit. , u cor . x , a rom , , b rom. , c actes 〈◊〉 , d cheef vses of a sacram. e roma . , xi f gen , , . xi g ephes. , 〈◊〉 h mark. , i rom , xv k num , l iohn , m cor , , xix xx n pet . , , o the sacraments 〈◊〉 the new testament are only two . p cor. x , i. q act , , r act . xv x. s au. ust . de 〈◊〉 ch 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 . , cap , . t pet , lumb , lib , 〈◊〉 . , dict , . u the number of seauen sacramentes is false and forged a confirmation no sacrament b act , , , xiiii xv , xvi , xvii c penance is . sacramēt , d i ioh , i , e matrimony is no sacrament f heb , xiii , g gen , , xviii h i cor , . . , i orders no sacrament extreame vnction no sacrament l iames , m the summ of the book n what b ap . o exod. xii , p ephe. , r the outwa . parts of bapt are s math. , t math. , u act . , a bellar. de sa bapt cap b iosh , , c act . , d infantes haue interest in baptisme as wel as their parents e col. . xi f act. . . g cor . , i , mar. x. xiii , xiiii , xv . h psal , , i eph. , k the inward parts of bap . are foure . l math. . m icor . xii . xii . n act xvi . xiiii . o act . . . i pet. xxi q eph , , r the propovtion betwixt the outward and inwarde parts of bapc . s three vses of baptisme t cor : xvii v gal : xvii a marke : b deut x , xvi d the summe of the . book f cor . , g cor , xi , xx h actes , i cor x , cor . xi , k what the lo : supper is , l in the 〈◊〉 : supper consider his partes and his vses m the outvv . parts are four n cor . xi , o luke , p tertul. li , cont 〈◊〉 august . cont . adimaut . c , q gen. , x r mar. xiiii , s cor . x , xvi t heb. , obiect answer . u aug epist. ad dardā . a gal. , xv c mat. , 〈◊〉 d reuel , , , x e cor . . f what consecration is . g the inward parts of this supper are , h rom , : i reuel . i , : k hebr. xi , l luke , m iohn , n iioh . , xii o titus i , i p the proportion betvvixt the outvvarde and invvard partes of the supper q the vseso the lords sup . are three r pet. , s ephe. , xxx t rom. , u iohn xv , a cor. x. b cor xi , c ierem. , d hag. : e ioh : xvii : f cor : xiii : g psa . : : h math , : , i rom xii : notes for div a -e a thes , . b cor , , . the meanes of antichri . preuailing 〈◊〉 the world c bellar , lib , de notis eccles , cap , d bellar , de imagin , sanctor . li , , c , 〈◊〉 e bel , de euch lib , cap. f bel , de pont rom , l , c , antichrist is a disguised enimy , playing the wolfe in sheeps clothing . the subtile practises of the aduersar . to restore their kingd . greatly decaied . g eph. , h prou. , n d. alias noddy . warn-word counter . . c. pag. the warn-word is deuided into two encuonters . harmony of churches l euseb. lib. hystor . cap , , the agreemēt betwixt the reformed churches about the sa. m iren. 〈◊〉 . haeves . lib. . . the disagreemēt betwixt the reformed churches about the sup . warr. vvord encount . c. acts of agreement printed in latine the dissentions of the papists among themselues popish writers ioinvvith vs in the greatest controuersies o iudg. , p deut. , popish qvarrels one with another . quest wherin the school men are at variance q tom. , tra . , cap r bel. de euch lib. , cap. s gloss in can trious in ver . miscere . t durand . iniration dium . offic . lib , . u bonauen . in . sent , dist . art . quest . a antor pa tit . c . sect de defect 〈◊〉 . b non corrupta emittuntur 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 bus sluxum the saying of a popish doctor . d acts & mon. page de consecrat dist . f caietan tit . . tr . , cap , g de consecr . dist , can , ego 〈◊〉 h lumb , lib , sent dist , . i in . sent. dist . xi . que . k occam lib. , quest . l in . sent . quest . m durand . in lib. . sen. dist . n thom. , quest , o bel. de enchar . li. , ca. p sent. lib . dist . q ansvv . to art . , diuis . r ioh de burg de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . cap. x s alex. de hales part . , qu. 〈◊〉 , memb . 〈◊〉 t anton . de defect , 〈◊〉 , part sum . u 〈◊〉 de palude . a s. hugh of clunice . b conc , col. c de consecr . dist , sect , qui bene . d th , walden tom . qui de sacram , est cap , diuersity how 〈◊〉 are ingendered in the eucharist . difference betvvixt chri . body & the sacrament . e in repor , d. x , quest . f opus , c. g in repor , di quest foolish quest disputed by 〈◊〉 the papistes . h bel , de euch lib cap , x i tho. aquin , in qu , ar k bel. lib de sac . euch . ca , l gab. biel. in lect , in cā . cajetan in par . tho , qu. , art . the institution of christ expounded n cor , x , o tert , cont . marcion li , p chrysost. in mat. hom q am , de illis qui mit . myst cap r aug , in psal , & epi , ad bon. & cō adam cap s de consecr , dist . t gel as cont . eutich u aug. in ser , ad infant . popish expositions of ch . institution how the papistes vnderstand the breking in the supper what the papists vnderstand by the pronovn this a ios , angl , de mist , mis , c durand lib. b bel , de euch lib cap , c thom lib sent di , ar , a briefe collection of popish interpretations . d scholiast maximus . e tertul. con . marciō . lib. f chrysost , in epist , ad caesar . monach , g chrysost in oper , imperf . homil , xi in iohannem . h bellar , de sacr , euchar lib. , cap , foure profitable obseruations . vnity often-times out of the church . i gen , xi , k exod , , l psal. , , cum act . , m num. , xi n king. , o mat. . p reue , , r gene. , s luke , t math. , u galat. , xi a actes , b actes , c cor. , d onuphr . in chro. rom. pontif e platina f sigon . de regn . ital. li. g metrop . lib , cap. h ierem. . the sum of the . booke the sum of the . booke . popish corruptions in the supper . l conc. trid , sess , cap. m cerem . rom eccle . lib. sect , , , n xeno . grop lib. o quin. curti , de rep gest alex. lib ieremy . x , the pa. god c cor , , xi d tho. part quest gerson cont flor , extran , de colobrat missae . r qu. can quis . qve . can . qoicun venalia 〈◊〉 templa , sacer dotes , altaria , sacra coronae , ignis , thura , preces , coelumest venale deusque mātu . calam lib. rom. , u see book . cap. u reuel , , a theocrit . in bvcol . b conc , trid , 〈◊〉 . , cap can , & . the masse of s. anthony . c alan , desac , euch , cap. d gab. biel e hebr , , f sermon . & . & 〈◊〉 g ierom. in prou . cap , h deut , , i suetō . in ca lig . cap , , breui missam fecit k catechume ni . l pet , . m cyprian . lib , , cpistol . n gregor . dialog , 〈◊〉 , cap , o what the masse is . p how this sacrament may be called a sacrifice . q heb. . , ch . x , x r luk , . s cor , xi . t thess. , u heb. . certain disputations of right to sacraments, and the true nature of visible christianity defending them against several sorts of opponents, especially against the second assault of that pious, reverend and dear brother mr. thomas blake / by richard baxter ... baxter, richard, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing b estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) certain disputations of right to sacraments, and the true nature of visible christianity defending them against several sorts of opponents, especially against the second assault of that pious, reverend and dear brother mr. thomas blake / by richard baxter ... baxter, richard, - . the second edition corrected and amended. [ ], [i.e. ] p. printed by r.w. for nevil simmons ... and are to be sold by him ... and by nathaniel ekins ..., london : . imperfect: print show-through. numerous errors in paging. reproduction of the original in the st. john's college library, cambridge university. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng blake, thomas. sacraments -- church of england. baptism -- church of england. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - rina kor sampled and proofread - rina kor text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion certain disputations of right to sacraments , and the true nature of visible christianity ; defending them against several sorts of opponents , especially against the second assault of that pious , reverend and dear brother mr. thomas blake . by richard baxter , teacher of the church in kederminster . the second edition corrected and amended . mark . . he that believeth , and is baptized shall be saved , and he that believeth not shall be damned . luke . . whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath , he cannot be my disciple . acts . . every soul which will not hear that prophet , shall be destroyed from among the people . london , printed by r. w. for nevil simmons book seller in kederminster , and are to be sold by him there and by nathaniel ekins , at the gun in pauls church-yard . . disput. . whether ministers may admit persons into the church of christ by baptism , upon the bare verbal profession of the true christian saving faith without staying for , or requiring any further evidences of sincerity ? disput. . whether ministers must or may baptize the children of those that profess not saving faith , upon the profession of any other faith that comes short of it ? disput. . whether the infants of notoriusly-ungodly baptized parents have right to be baptized ? disput. . whether any besides regenerate believers have a right to the sacraments given them by god , and may thereupon require them and receive them ? disput. . de nomine , whether hypocrites and other vnregenerate persons , be called church-members , christians , believers , saints , adopted , iustified , &c. vnivocally , analogically or equivocally ? some reasons fetcht from the rest of m ● blake's assaults , and from doctor owen's and m ● robertson's writings against me , which acquit me from returning them a more particular answer . to the faithful servants of christ , the associated ministers of worcestershire . reverend and dear brethren . as i ow you an account of my doctrine , when you require it , so do i also in some regards , when it is accused by others : which accordingly i here give you ; and with you , to the rest of the church of god. i take my self also to have a right to your brotherly admonitions ; which i earnestly crave of you , when you see me go aside . and that i may begin to you in the exercise of that faithfulness which i crave from you , i humbly exhort you , that in the study and practice of such points as are here disputed ( yea and of all the doctrine of christ , ) you would still most carefully watch against self , and suffer it not once to come in and plead its interest , lest it entice you to be man-pleasers , when it hath first made you self-pleasers , and so no longer the servants of christ. you are deservedly honored for your agreements and undertakings : but it is a faithful performance that must prepare you for the reward , and prevent the doom of the slothfull and unfaithful , mat. . , . but this will not be done , if you consult with flesh and blood , self-denial and the love of god in christ , do constitute the new-man ; the exercise of these must be the daily work of your hearts and lives ; and the preaching of these the summ of your doctrine . where love doth constrain you , and self-denial clense your way , you will finde alacrity and delight in those works , which to the carnal seem thorny and grievous , and not to be attempted . this will make you to be up and doing , when others are loytering , and wishing and pleasing the flesh , and contenting themselves with plausible sermons , and the repute of being able pious men . if these two graces be but living in your hearts , they will run through your thoughts , and words and waies , and give them a spirituall and heavenly tincture ; they will appear in your sermons and exemplary lives , and give you a special fertility in good works ; they will have so fruitful an influence upon all your flock , that none of them shall pass into another world , and take possession of their everlasting state , till you have done your best for their conversion and salvation ; and therefore that we may daily live in the love of god , in self-denial and christian unity , is the summ of the praiers of your unworthy brother , richard baxter . kederminster , jan. . . the preface . it is not long ago since it was exceeding far from my thoughts , that ever i should have been so much imployed in controversies with dear and reverend brethren , as since that time i have been . i repent of any temerity , unskilfulness or other sin of my own which might occasion it , and i am much grieved that it hath occasioned offense to some of the brethren whom i contradict : but yet i foresee that some light is like to arise by this collision , and the church will receive more good then hurt by it . we are united in christ , and in hearty love to one another , ( which as my soul is certainly conscious of ; so i have not the least doubt of it in most of my brethren with whom i have these debates ) we are so far agreed , that we do without scruple profess our selves of the same faith , and church : and where the consequences of our differences may seem to import any great distance , which we are fain to manifest in our disputes , we lay that more upon the opinion then the persons , as knowing that they discern not and own not such consequences . and if any salt be mingled in our writings ( which is usual in disputes that are not lifeless ) or it is intended rather to season then to fret , or to bite that which each one takes to be an error , rather then the man that holdeth it ; ( if there be two or three toothed contenders that have more to do with persons then with doctrines , that 's nothing to the rest ) and thus on both sides those that erre , and those that have the truth , do shew that error is the thing which they detest , and would disclaim it , if they saw it ; and that truth is it which they love , and are zealous for it so far as they know it ▪ and doubtless the comparing of our several evidences , will be some help to the unprejudiced , to the attainment of a clearer discovery of the truth . the greatest thing that troubleth me , is to hear that there are some men , yea ( which is the wonder ) some orthodox godly ministers ( though i hope but few ) that fetch an argument from our disputes against the motions to peace and unity and unquestionable duties , which on other occasions are made to them ; and if any arguments of mine be used to move them , they presently reply , [ if he would promote peace , he should not break it , by dissenting from or writing against his brethren . ] but what if i were as bad as you can imagine , will you therefore refuse any evidence that shall be brought you , or neglect any duty that god shall call you to ? will my unpeaceableness excuse yours ? but stay brethren ; do you build the churches peace on such terms as these ? will you have union and communion with none but your own party , that are in all things of your own opinions ? if these be your grounds , you are utterly schismatical in your foundations , though you should actually get all the christians in europe to be of your minde . o! me thinks men that are humble ( as all are that shall be saved ) should be so far acquainted with the weakness of their understandings , as to have meaner thoughts of them , and not to make them the standard of the churches judgement , or the center of its peace . there 's no two men of you all , of one minde in all things among your selves . but i confess your faults excuse not mine ; and i am much too blame , if i be not willing to hear of them & reform them . but i can do nothing against the truth ; it is not in my power to be of all mens minds , when they are of so many and inconsistent . if i agree with some reverend brethren , it must displease the rest by disagreeing from them . and therefore i have long resolved to study to please god , ( who may be pleased ) instead of men , and do my best to find out the truth , and entertain it and obey it , as far as i can understand it , and to propound it to others , and leave it to god and them whether it shall be received or not . and for my self to be heartily thankful to any , that will help me to know more , and deliver me from any error that i am in . the differences that these brethren have blamed me for are in these three points or four : . about the interest of faith , repentance , and other graces in our justification . of this i have not heard from any brother , that yet he is unsatisfied , since i published my confession ; save what is in an epistle to the sermons on iohn . to which i have long ago prepared an answer ( and the by-exceptions answered in this book . ) . about proving christianity by argument ; of which i have heard from none since i published my papers against infidelity . . about the universality of redemption : and . about the controversies of this book . for the former of these last , i find a reverend , learned man endeavouring to load me with some note of singularity , i mean d. ludovicus molinaeus , in his preface to his paraenesis ad aedificatores imperii in imperio ( a book that hath much learning , and more truth then is fairly used , the face of it being writhen to frown upon them that own it , and parties wronged even where truth is defended , though through the unhappiness of the distinction oft clouded when it seems explicated , and through — i know not what , the controversie seldom truly stated . ) this learned man hath thought it meet , for the disgracing amyraldus , by the smalness of his success to mention me thus , as his only proselyte in england , [ forsan eo consilio amyraldus cudit suam methodum , ut lutheranis subpalparet , & gratiam apud eos iniret , sperans per eam lutheranos reconciliatum iri calvinistis : sed reverâ dum falsam studet inire gratiam , nulli parti eo nomine gratus est , nec ulla parte haeret apud lutheranos , ut censet calovius clarissimus wittemberge theologus ; nec de vincit sibi anglos aut belgas : in belgio enim nulli nisi arminiano ; in anglia uni baxtero , apprime placet ejus methodus . ] and three leaves after , [ sed in solatium dallęo , ut amyraldus baxterum anglum , sic dallę is woodbrigium itidem anglum , peperit proselytam & admiratorem ] it is an ungrateful task to answer a writing , whose error is a multiplication of palpable u●truths in matter of fact ; for they are usually more unwillingly heard of then committed . but i shall lay these following considerations in the way of this learned man , where his conscience may find them . if in england amyraldus method do please uni baxtero , and yet dallaeus have proselyted woodbridge also , and amyraldus and dallaeus method be the same , quaer . whether baxter and woodbridge are not the same man ? . qu. whether this learned man know the judgement of all england ? . i meet with so many of amyraldus mind in the point of universal redemption , that if i might judge of all the rest by those of my acquaintance , i should conjecture that half the divines in england are of that opinion . . is it not a thing famously known in england , that this middle way of universal redemption hath been by writing and disputing and preaching maintained by as excellent divines for learning , judgement , holiness , and powerful preaching ( as far as we can judge ) as ever england bred ? it s famously known that b p vsher was for it , that b p davenant , b p carleton , b p hall , dr ward , dr goad , mr balcanquall , being all the divines that were sent to the synod of dort from brittain , were for it : and davenant , hall , and ward , have wrote for it : that those holy , renowned preachers , dr preston ( of which read mr tho. ball in his life ) , dr stoughton , mr wil. whately , mr wil. fenner , m iohn ball , mr ezek. culverw●ll , mr rich. vines , &c. were for it : and many yet living do ordinarily declare their judgment that way . and are not these more then unus baxterus ? an excellent writing of ioannes be●gius to that end , was lately translated here into english , and published by mr mauritius bohemus , a divine residing in leicestershire . . is it not famously known that the divines of breme go this way , and the duke of brandenburg's divines , & that wendeline complaineth to spanhemius of it : and that ludovicus crocius , mat martinius , and iselburge ( besides the brittish divines gave it in as their judgement at the synod of dort ; so that the synod hath nothing against it ; and nothing but what this unus baxterus , and all of his mind do readily subscribe to herein . nay , is it not manifested that dr twiss himself hath frequently written for it ? . can he that knows the lutherane and arminian doctrine believe both these , that the arminians in belgia are pleased with amyraldus method , and yet that nullâ parte haeret apud lutheranos ? . can he that hath read what davenant , camero , amyraldus , lud. crocius , &c. have written against the arminians , and what grotius , tilenus , and others of them have written against them , be yet perswaded that the arminians are pleased with amyraldus method , any further then to be less dispeased with it then with some others ? . when mr woodbridge doth profess but that he is for universal redemption in davenant's sense , [ especially since he read daile , &c. ] doth this learned man well infer thence , that he was daile's proselyte , when the contrary is intimated , yea is the [ fatetur se nondum concoquentem amyraldi methodum . ] true or false ? . when this unus baxterus did write a book for universal redemption in this middle sense , before he ever saw either amyraldus , davenant , or any writer ( except dr twiss ) for that way , and was ready to publish it , and stopt it on the coming forth of amyraldus , and was himself brought to this judgement , by reading dr twiss , and meditating of it and had in print so long ago professed these things , whether this learned man should after all this publish to the world , that i am amyraldus proselyte ? i speak but as to the truth of the report ; for as to the reputation of the thing , i should think it a great benefit if i had the opportunity of sitting at the feet of so judicious a man as i perceive amyraldus to be . whether is calovius a competent witness of the judgement of the lutherans in general , or a witness capable of dishonouring amyraldus , when he so unpeaceably and voluminously poureth out his fiery indignation against the moderate lutherans themselves , that are but willing of peace , under the name of calixtians , seeking to make them odious from the honorable name of georgius calixtus , who went with them in that peaceable way ? . if it be david blondell that he means , when he saith of daile's book [ obstetricante magno illìc viro , sed armimianorum cultore ] ( and blondell only prefaceth to it ) whether any that hath read the writings of blondell , and heard of his fame , should believe this accusation ? or rather — . is it a certain truth or a calumny that is thus expressed of dallaeus , [ certum est tamen hâc apologiâ maluisse arminianorum ordinibus inseri , quàm sedem inter contrà-remonstrantes tenere ] ? and is it certain , that dr molin knows the mind of dallaeus better then he doth his own , or is sooner then himself to be believed in the report of it ? . whether the desire which he expresseth that camero had been expelled , and the words that he poureth forth against him , do more dishonour camero or himself ? and if that article of justification were sufficient ground of his condemnation and expulsion , and consequently olevian , scultetus , vrsinus , paraeus , piscator , alstedius , wendeline , gataker , and abundance more should have tasted of the same sauce , whether these persecuting principles savour not of too high an esteem of their own judgements , and tend not either to force an implicite faith in the ministery , or to depopulate the church , and break all in pieces ? and whether more credit is to be given to the judgement of this learned man , against camero , or to the general applause of the learned , pious and peaceable divines of most protestant churches ? for instance , such as b p hall's , who in his peace-maker , p. . saith of him , that he was [ the learnedst divine , be it spoken without envy , that the church of scotland hath afforded in this last age . ] . whether this learned man had not forgotten his former triumph in the supposed unsuccessfulness of amyralds method , and the paucity of his partakers or approvers , when he wrote this in deep sorrow for the churches of france , [ seriò ingemisco patriae & ecclesiis in ea reformatis , quod jam totos viginti annos methodus amyraldi impunè regna verit : nemine intrà galliam hiscere audente , aut ullo vindice veritatis ibi exurgente ] & do these words shew his desire of peace or contention in the church ? . whether it be truth that he saith , that all the divines of the assembly at westminster were against amyraldus method , when mr vines hath often and openly owned davenant's way of universal redemption ; and others yet living are known to be for it ? . whether it be proved from the cited words of their confession , c. . § . . that such was their judgement , when they express no such thing ? and i have spoken with an eminent divine , yet living , that was of the assembly , who assured me that they purposely avoided determining that controversie , and some of them profest themselves for the middle way of universal redemption . . is there one man in oxford or cambridge ( besides himself ) that believes his next words , [ pari obelo confodiunt hanc methodum quotquot sunt bodie doctores & professores oxoniae & cantabrigiae ] except on supposition that the foregoing words be untrue which pari relateth to ? . is it probable that dr twiss was an enemy to that doctrine of redemption which he hath so often asserted , viz [ that christ dyed for all men , so far as to purchase them pardon and salvation on condition they would repent and believe ; and for the elect , so far further as to procure them faith and repentance it self : ] which he hath oft in many writings as to mr cranford's charge concerning his severe accusation of dallaeus , and judging his very heart to be guilty of such dissimulation , as [ that he wrote not seriously , but contrary to what he thought , and that nothing could be more illiterate . i shall not put the question , whether it be probable that these words could pass from such a man , because he is alive to vindicate himself , if the report be false , or to own it , if true . . do all the contemptuous expressions of a dissenter so much dishonour the judgement of dallaeus , as this dissenters own praise of his former writings doth honour it , when he saith of him , [ a quo nihil hactenus prodii● quod non esset judicii acerrimi , eruditionis reconditissimae , & dostrinae sanctissimae , aut candidissimum pectus non referret ; in quo nulla suspicio malignitatis insideret ; multò minùs eâ aetate seriâ & serâ erupturae , cùm lenit albescens animos capillus ] this is enough to make a stranger conjecture , that the man is not grown either such a fool as to err so grosly as is pretended , or such a knave as to write in the matters of god against his own judgement . and indeed he that will prove himself a wiser , a much wiser man in these matters then dallaeus , blondel , amyrald . &c. must bring another kind of evidence for the honor of his wisdom , then dr molin's preface or paraenesis is . . is it not an indignity to the dead , which the living should hear with a pious indignation , for this learned man to feign that b p vsher thought so contemptuously of amyraldus method ? whatever he might say of him in any other respect , it s well known that he owned the substance of his doctrine of redemption . the high praises therefore which dr molin doth give to this reverend bishop , do dishonour his own judgement , that makes the bishops doctrine so contemptible and gross . the like dealing i understand , some arminian divines ( i am loath to name them ) have used against this reverend man : one of them of great note hath given out , that he heard him preach for universal redemption , and afterwards spoke to him , and found him owning it ; therefore he was an arminian : and i hear a northamptonshire arminian hath so published him in print . o the unfaithfulness of men seeming pious ! the good bishop must be what every one will say of him . though one feigneth him to be of one extream , and the other of the other extream , when ( alas ! ) his judgement hath been commonly known in the world about this years to be neither for the one , nor the other , but for the middle way . do you call for proof ? if i give you not better then either dr molin , or the two arminian divines give , let me be branded for a factious calumniator of the dead , whose name is so honourable , that the forgery is the greater sin . first there is a manuscript of his own in many mens hands , dated march. . . at dublin , ( which i intend to print , if no one else do it first ) which asserteth this doctrine in the same middle way as davenant and camero do . and i askt him whether he yet owned it , ( not long before his death ) , and he said , he did , and was firm in that judgment ; i asked him to whom he wrote it , and he told me ( as i remember ) to mr culverwell ( i am certain it was to him , or to mr eyr , who , he told me , was the man that fell so foul on mr culverwell . ) . if my own word be not sufficient , dr kendal can bear witness that he was present , once when he heard him own this judgement of universal redemption in the middle way , and intimated that dr davenant and dr preston were minded of it by him ; ( as reioycing that he sooner owned it ; ) and that we cannot rationally offer christ to sinners on other grounds . now because the bishop went this middle way , when he speaks against the arminians , some feign him to speak against his own doctrine . and when he spoke for universal satisfaction , the arminians say he was turned to them . this is the faithfulness of the world ! it shames and grieves me to say , of siding divines ; and as much almost to say , of a publick professor of history in oxford : for the principal honour of a historian , is his veracity , and impartial fidelity ; and how much of that this preface to the paraenesis is guilty of , i leave to consideration upon the taste that is here given . but enough of this . the fourth and last particular in which i offend some few brethren by my judgement , is that which is the subject of these ensuing disputations . but i can truly say of this as of the rest , . that if i should change my judgement and please these brethren , its like i should displease many more . for . i take it for granted , that i go in the common rode that the church of christ hath gone in from the beginning to this day ; so far am i from singularity . . i am most certain that my thoughts were so far from intending singularity or the disturbance of the church , by these or other points in controversie , that i apprehended them strongly to be the truths that must be instrumental to the churches peace when ever god seeth us meet to attain it . and though i never took a point for true eo nomine , because it was in the middle , or tended to peace , yet i purposely chose out these truths rather then other to vindicate , because they tend to peace . and to the praise of god i speak it , that in those antient common disturbing controversies between the arminian and antiarminian , lutheran and calvinist , iesuite and dominican , i have discerned those principles which quiet my own mind , and which i am confident , were they received according to their evidence , would quiet the now-contending christian world : but i am past doubt , to be derided as arrogant for this confidence ; and should the principles in a method with evidence be propounded , though purposely to heal the divisions of the church , many of the several parties would but rage at the reconciler , and pour out their impotent accusations and reproaches against him , because he would attempt the healing of their divisions , and would feign him to be the author of some new sect , for seeking to put an end to sects . but let any man make good my just demand , that the principles propounded shall have an impartial reception according to their evidence , and i will give you security to make good my confidence , that they shall quiet the chrstian world hereabouts . but i know this is to be expected from none but god ; nor at all on earth in any perfection . as to the present controversie , it seemed good to mr blake to begin it with me ; and to my defense he hath opposed an angry reply ; not to my whole book ( as i did to that part of his which concerned me ) but to here and there a scrap , disordered , and maimed , and parcelled as he thought good . i was in doubt whether to make any rejoinder or further defense ; but while i doubted , divers reverend brethren from several parts wrote to me , to move me neither to be silent , nor to answer all his words , which would be tedious to the reader , but to handle the controversies by way of disputation , and to bring in mr blake's arguments under them , so far as shall be thought necessary . though at first i scarce liked this way , as seeming not a full answer , but such a course as he took with me , yet i did acquiesce in the judgement of my brethren . but yet indeed , i think i had never printed a word at all in defense of my self against mr blake , but for another providence . the third disputation , as here printed , was written before mr blake's book against me was printed , or in the press ( as i have reason to think . ) a copie of this i lent about two years ago to a friend : but by what means i know not , about three quarters of a year ago i received tidings from a pious learned minister in the west ( writing to a friend of his not far from me ) that there were such abundance of copies of that disputation in those parts , and some were so purposed , that it would be printed if i did not do it my self . i confess i was much offended at the news , because the disputation was imperfectly written , and on such a subject ( as to the later part , which shews what sins may consist with godliness ) that i would have been loath it should have been by them made publike , as knowing how unfit it was for the eyes of the profane : but when there was no remedy , the best i could do , was to add some cautions , and annex the other disputations here adjoyned , which were hastily written , that the former might not go alone without that company that seemed necessary . and this is the occasion of this present writing . for the matter of it , i have manifested that i hold the common doctrine of the church . and many another could i mention as consenting in it , besides those particularly there cited . mr wil. fenner in the second part of christs alarm , p. , . saith [ another inseparable mark of a true church , is a sincere profession of the word of god and true christian religion , either in truth and uprightness of heart , or else so far as man can judge : for though the preaching of the word come to a place , yet it doth not follow presently that there is a church of god — but when divers of them embraced the word either sincerely , or else to see to , as far as paul and others could judge , then they were a church : there must be a congregation of people that do profess the pure religion , and make it appear ( at least to the judgment of man ) that they are godly in christ iesus : this is an inseparable mark of a true church , as we may see cor. . . ] see further . mr vines in his treatise of the sacrament , p. , . saith , that the separatists [ laid the foundation , viz. that only visible saints are fit communicants , which is true as to the churches admission : that real saints only are worthy communicants , which is true too , as to the inward grace or benefit ] — and . there is a great difference between christs real members and guests at this table , and as i may say , the visible churches members or guests . if he be a visible professor of faith , unshipwrakt , of capacity to discern the lords body , of life without scandal , he is a guest of the church . — ] and p. . though i should rest in serious professsion of faith and repentance , which is not pulled down again by a wicked life , or scandalous sin , — yet when a man lieth under the charge of our censure for some scandalous sin , the case is otherwise , &c. ] read the rest . and p. , . [ the covenant of god with us is , that all that believe in christ that died , and receive him for their lord and saviour , shall have remission of sins , &c. answerable to this act of god , the believer accepts of , and submits to this covenant and the conditions of it , viz. to believe , and to have god for our god , and thereof makes a solemn profession in this sacrament , giving up himself to christ as lord and saviour , restipulating and striking hands with him to be his , and so binds himself , and doth as it were seal a counterpart to god again ; and not only so , but comes into a claim of all the riches and legacies of the will or covenant , because he hath accepted and here declares his acceptance of the covenant . the seal is indeed properly of that which is gods part of the covenant to perform and give , and is no more but offered , until we subscribe and set our hands to it , and then its compleat , and the benefits may be claimed , as the benefit of any conditional promise may be , when the condition is performed . and lest you should stumble at that word , i must let you know , that the will accepting and submitting to the conditions , is the performance of the conditions required ( nb. ) — and pag. , , &c. though as to admittance ( which is the churches part ) to the outward ordinance , he make profession ( as i do , ) sufficient , yet to the question whether the sacrament be a converting ordinance , he concludes that [ it is not an ordinance appointed for conversion ] his arguments are ; . because no effect can be ascribed to this ordinance which fals not under the signification of it , &c. as vasquez . . this sacrament by the institution of it appears to praesuppose those that reap the sweet and benefit of it , to be converts and in grace , namely to have faith in christ , and to be living members ; and if this be presupposed by this ordinance , then it is not first wrought by it . . the word is the only instrument of god to beget faith or work conversion , &c. and he answereth the objections of the contrary minded : and to them that argue that the lords supper is a converting ordinance , because its possible a man may be then converted ; he saith , they may as well make ordination or marriage converting ordinances , because by the words then uttered a man may be converted . he citeth the words of learned rich. hooker eccles. pol. l. . pag. ● . [ the grace which we have by it doth not begin but continue grace or life ; no man therefore receives this sacrament before baptism , because no dead thing is capable of nourishment ; that which groweth , must of necessity first live . ] — and for further authority he addeth , [ and to this purpose all our learned divines have given their suffrage . and the papists though they differ from us in denying remission of sins in this sacrament , in favour to their sacrament of penance , yet they hold it to be an ordinance of nutrition , and so do all their schoolmen ; and so doth the church of england [ the strengthening and refreshing of our souls , &c ] i need not number authors or churches . it is so plain a case , that i wonder they that have stood up in defence of it , as a converting ordinance , have not taken notice of it . there is an army to a man against them ; and the antient christian churches are so clear in it — so far mr vines ( & hooker in him . ) concerning the distinction of forum dei & ecclesiae , and its sense , see that judicious agreement of the associated ministers of cumberlan● and westmerland , pag. . where they take notice of mr. blakes questioning it . since these papers were in the press , i was told by a reverend brother , that mr blake professeth to hold the necessity of the profession of a saving faith , as well as i ; and by one of his special acquaintance , in the ministry , who heard me express my mind , that mr blake's was the same . i durst not omit the mention of this , lest it should be injurious to him : and yet how far the reporters are in the right , and understand his meaning , i am no further able to tell you , but that they are credible persons . for my part , i defended my own doctrine against the charge which in two volumes he brought against it . and i supposed he would not write so much of two volumes against a doctrine which he judged the same with his own . and i medled only with his books , and not his secret thoughts . whether i have been guilty of feigning an adversary , that took himself for none , i am contented to stand to the judgment of any impartial man on earth that will read our books . surely i found it over each page , that a faith short of iustifying entitleth to baptism : and i never met with any such explication in him , as that by [ a faith short of iustifying , ] he meant [ a profession of iustifying faith . ] and sure [ faith ] and [ profession ] be not all one ; nor [ iustifying ] and [ short of justifying ] all one . nor do others that read his books understand him any otherwise then i do , so far as i can learn ; sure the ministers that were authors of the propositions for reformation of parish congregations , printed for the norwich bookseller , understood him as i do , p. . where they say thus ; [ obj. . but a dogmatical faith may entitle to baptism , as mr blake , treat . on con. speaks , though there be no profession of a justifying faith & repentance . answ. we cannot think so , seeing the faith required to be professed before baptism , is such a faith as hath salvation annexed to it . mar. . . it is a faith of the whole heart , acts . . repentance is also required to baptism as well as faith , acts . . and the church in the usual form of baptism , enjoyned the baptized person not only to profess the doctrine of faith , but to give up his name to christ as his servant and souldier , and to fight manfully against the world , the flesh and the devil , &c. we need add no more . mr blake 's mistake lies in this , that the ground of baptism is either a dogmatical faith , or a true justifying faith ; which because no minister can certainly know , he must only require a dogmatical faith . but we conceive neither of them to be the ground of baptism , but the profession of a true justifying faith , or acceptance of the covenant ] so far these brethren . and whether it be not the promise of a justifying faith that mr blake takes up with , besides his faith short of justifying , read his books , and censure as you find cause . but yet if mr blake , be really of my mind , i have no mind to perswade the world that he is not , nor reason so to do ; but when i know it from himself , i shall heartily rejoyce in the closure . for i am confident it is in love of truth that both of us do dispute ; and therefore if truth get by it , we have our ends . for my part , i must still say , that if i took [ a dogmatical faith it self , or any short of justifying ] for the title and necessary qualifications of them that i must admit , i would baptize none , because i cannot know who hath that dogmatical faith , and who not . and i still find that even wise and pious men are oft as far to seek for the truth of their assent as of their consent , and would give a world that they were but certain that they truly believe the truth of the gospel . and i am sure that i am as far to seek for assurance of the one as of the other in those that i examine , in order to the baptizing of their infants . there is newly come forth a book of william morrice esquire , which seems by the title page to plead for the sufficiency of this dogmatical faith . when i saw the book , made up of so much reading and expressing so much industry and learning , i much rejoyced that england had such a gentleman ; and i look on the book , as a shaming reprehension of the idleness and ignorance of the multitude of the gentry , that spend that time in hawking , and hunting , and complementing , which if better spent , might make a blessing , and not a burden to the land. but out of that learned volume i am not able to find any clear discovery , what the author means by a dogmatical faith . but i conjecture that it is somewhat that must be conjunct with the profession of a saving faith . for pag. . he saith , [ because it is not only probable to charity they may have found faith , but — ] and pag. ● . [ he that receives the seals of the covenant , seals back a counter-part to god , accepts of the terms , and assents to the condition , ( which as mr vines before shews , is justifying faith . ) — ] and i desire it may be observed what he saith , p. . to prove baptism and the lords supper to be administred on the like grounds : and what he saith in p. , . against baptizing the children of the excommunicate , and what he citeth out of rich. hooker , eccl. pol. l. . p. . to that end ; and that the child 's right is rooted in the immediate parents : and that which he citeth out of goodwins mos. & aar . l. . c. . p. . that [ among the iews the male-children of those that were but under niddui were not circumcised . ] and if any think that this learned gentleman would have ministers feed the humors of the carnal unruly multitude by giving them the lords supper , while they obstinately refuse to be ruled or to live a godly life , let them observe , that it is only church-members , not living scandalously and still professing the christian faith , that he pleads for . and no doubt but he will confess , that our parishioners cannot by us be made church-members against their wils ; & he distinguisheth between the universal and a particular church , and well knows that all the christian world belongs not to my pastoral charge ; and that i am not bound to deliver the sacraments to all that have a right to them . and therefore if upon just reasons i desire of the whole parish , to know whether they own their membership in that particular church or not , and take me for their pastor , and consent to the duty of members ; and some deny it , and others will give me no answer by word or writing , no not after i have waited a year or two ; and i told them , that i must take their silence for a denial ; but they will continue silently to hear , and will not once say they own the relation , nor will submit to the unquestionable acts of discipline ; i am confident that it is not in the thoughts of this learned gentleman , that i must needs take these persons for part of my charge , that will not tell me , they take themselves for such , or take me for their pastor ; no more then he will think himself bound to take a woman for his wife , and estate her in his lands , and perform conjugal offices to her , that will not once say , she consenteth that he shall be her husband . and this is the case of most of our people : the most godly ministers about us that gather not new churches , but ( on sufficient reasons and joint agreement ) do only call the whole parish to know whether they own their membership , and them for their pastors , do find almost none but a few godly that will own it , for fear of being troubled by discipline . if all the parish therefore be our church , it must be against their wils . and if any think that several passages in that learned volumn do make against the power , and consequently the labor of the ministry and the edification of the church , i propound to their consideration , . that all the applicatory passages of the discourse must be expounded as they relate to that controversie which occasioned them , which must be understood by the help of former writings . . it s not unusual with wise men in length and heat of disputation , to make the face of truth it self to seem sometimes to look awry in the application . . and other passages in the same book may help you to a fair exposition of the offensive . as , e.g. p. . he saith , [ were a pastor so familiarly conversant with his flock as he ought to be , and is some think implyed not only in paul 's preaching from house to house , but also by those alike used idioms , [ the church in , or among you , and you in the church , ] or did not deem , the feeding of the lambs by catechizing to be beneath his magistery and greatness , he would need no other marks or signs to know his sheep by , then such as he might take from common conversation ] and you need not question but this learned author would reckon them among the scandalous , that would not speak with a minister if he desire it , but get away when they know he will come to their house , yea , or will not come to him , considering he is made the ruler over them in order to their spiritual good , and they commanded to obey him , heb. . . especially when a ministers weakness , or the multitude of his parishioners and business will not permit him to seek after them . i may conclude therefore that for all the word [ dogmatical faith ] in the title page , this gentleman is not like to be my adversary . to conclude , the jesuits themselves do witness that the doctrin which i have in this book maintained , is the ordinary protestant doctrine , while they concurr in opposing part of it , under that title without our disowning it , and tell the iansenians , that their doctrine , by which they make the church to consist only of those that have charity and true grace , is the doctrine of the protestants ; as petavius de lege & gratia passim ; & p. . [ au●●enim unà cum charitate ac justitiâ necessario fidem amittebant , quicunque lethale aliquod crimen incurrerant , dut si fides in illis haerebat adhuc , ea minimè suffi●iebat , ut in ecclesiae parte aliqua numerarentur . horum utrùm díxerint , nihil ad haeresim & catholicae fidei ●abem interest : nam utrumque pro haeretico damnatum , & inter caetera lutheri calvinique , & ante hos wiclefi nefaria dogmata , jampridem ecclesiasticâ censurâ notatum est . ] vid. & p. . de gratia initiali . but it s in regard of the catholick church as invisible , and in the properest acception , that we own this to be our doctrine . as to the rest of mr blake's book , and also dr owen's & mr roberts . i have said as much as i now intend in the conclusion of these disputations . if any papists or other adversaries shall conclude that we are not of the true church or religion , because we thus differ , and are of so many minds ; they may as well prove a man to be no member of an hospital , or no patient to a physitian , because he is not in perfect health ; or none of the scholars of such a master , because he knows not as much as his teacher , or as those of the highest form : or that paul and barnabas were not both of the true church , because they fell out even to a parting asunder : or that peter & paul were not both of the true religion , because one of them was to be blamed , and the other withstood him to the face , because he walked not uprightly , and according to the truth of the gospel , ( an high charge , gal. . , , , . ) yea , they may as well conclude that no man is of the church while he liveth on earth , because while we are here , we know but in part , and see but darkly or enigmatically as in a glass , cor. . , , . and because we account not our selves perfect , or to have attained , but follow after , and reach forth to the things which are before us , and press toward the mark ; and where any is otherwise minded , we wait till god reveal this to us , phil. . , , , . or as if they would make us believe , that there are not more differences among the papists then with us . but of these things i purposely speak in some disputations against popery , which with this are in the press . and lastly , for those that will convert the truths which i here maintain , into the nourishment of divisions , ( when their nature is to heal ) either making men notoriously ungodly , that are not , and so rejecting them and their children , or withdrawing into separated churches , because such are baptized or admitted to communion , of whose qualifications they are unsatisfied , their guilt is upon themselves . the doctrine is not made guilty by their abuse : as the ignorant and unlearned have still wrested the scripture to their own destruction , so have the self-conceited and erroneous always misused the truth it self to the disturbance of the church . it s matter of double lamentation , that yet there should be such divisions , and parties , and distances ; when b p hall's peace-maker , and mr burrough's irenicum have been extant so long . were there but those two books on that subject extant in england , they will heal , or inexcusably condemn our distances . and indeed they are volumns of accusation against us , & proclaim the shame ( let me speak what must be spoken ) even of the godly , yea , of the most of the godly ministers of these nations , that have yet done no more in this healing work . and i intreat all those ministers & people ( that have time , and any regard to my advice ) that they would diligently read over and over again those two books , though they cast by twenty such as this for it . and for those that will censure the following disputations , as being not levelled to the in●erest of their several parties , i shall be no further solicitous to remove their offence . and of the foresaid abusers of these reforming , reconciling verities , i now only crave the sober perusal & conscionable practice of mr burrough's d , d , th and th propotion in in his irenic . ch. p . had there been but that one healing leaf or page in england , our wounds would be our shame , as truly as they are our hurt and danger . mr meade on eccl. . . pag , , . offer not the sacrifice of fools ; for they know not that they do evil . my third proposition was this : that when sacrifice was to be offered in case of sin ; yet even then , god accepted not thereof primariò , primarily and for it self ; as though any refreshment or emolument accrewed to him thereby ( as the gentiles fondly supposed of their gods ) ; but secondarily , only as a testimony of the conscience of the offerer , desiring with humble repentance to glorifie him with a present , & by that rite to renew a covenant with him . for sacrifice was oblatio foederalis ▪ now almighty god renews a covenant with , or receiveth again into his favour , none but the repentant sinner , and therefore accepts of sacrifice in no other regard , but as a token and effect of this . otherwise its is an abomination to him , as whereby men professed a desire of being reconciled unto god when they had offended him , and yet had no such meaning . hence god rejects all sacrifices , wherein there is no contrition , nor purpose to forsake sin , and keep his commandments , which are the parts of repentance : so is to be taken that isa. . to what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices ? — bring no more vain oblations : incense is an abomination to me . and isa. . , . — and surely he that blesseth an idol is so far from renewing a covenant with the lord his god , that he breaks it : so did they who without conscience of repentance , presumed to come before him with a sacrifice ; not procure atonement , but aggravate their breach . according to one of these three senses are all passages in the old testament , disparaging and rejecting all sacrifices literally to be understood ; namely , when men preferred them before the greater things of the law ; valued them out of their degree , as an antecedent duty : or placed their efficacy in the naked rite , as if ought accrewed to god thereby : god would no longer own them for any ordinance of his : nor indeed , in that disguize put upon them , were they . and in the christ. sacrif . p. , . psal. . god saith , [ gather my saints together unto me , which make covenant with me by sacrifice . ] — [ but unto the wicked god saith , what hast thou to do to declare my statutes , and take my covenant in thy mouth , seeing thou hatest instruction , and castest my words behind thee ? ] statutes here are rites and ordinances , and particularly those of sacrifice , which who so bringeth unto god , and thereby supplicates and calls upon his name , is said to take the covenant of god in his mouth . forasmuch as to invocate god with this rite , was to do it by way of commemoration of his covenant ; and to say , remember lord thy covenant ; and for thy covenant's sake lord hear my prayer . ] the contents of the first disputation . quest. whether ministers may admit persons into the church of christ by baptism , upon the bare verbal profession of the true christian saving faith , without staying for , or requiring any further evidences of sincerity ? aff. the question explained , pag. , what profession is , pag. , whether profession be required for it self , or as a sign of the thing professed ? the later maintained , against mr. blake , p. , , what profession it must be that we must take , pag. , , . objection . this will make ministers lords of the church . answered , p. what profession in specie we must require , pag. of the essentials of our faith , p. , , the thesis laid down , and proved from scripture and nature , p. , &c. mr. wood's words considered , p. reasons why profession must be taken as a sign of the thing professed , p. , more arguments , p. objections answered , p. an observation for the healing of unjust rigor , and scruples herein , p. two causes of mistakes , and dividing among some good people , p. the contents of the second disputation . quest. whether ministers must or may baptize the children of those that profess saving faith , upon the profession of any other faith that come's short of it ? neg. the question opened , pag the iudgement of some late romanists , p. , argument . pag. argument . pag. argument . pag. argument . pag. argument . pag. argument . pag. argument . pag. argument . pag. argument . pag. argument . pag. in what sense whole churches are called saints , dead with christ , risen with him , sons by adoption , abraham's seed , heirs according to promise , iustified . argument . pag. none may be admitted to the lord's supper without profession of saving faith , p. — mr. gilespie's arguments against unregenerate mens right to the lord's supper , defended against mr. blake , pag. how far that sacrament is a converting ordinance , p. ● mr. blake's arguments considered , p. argum. , & . pag. , argum. , . pag. argum. . from scripture-example , p. mr blake's exceptions answered , p. argument . pag. argument . pag. argument . pag. mr blake leaves us at an utter loss , p. answers to mr blake's arguments , whereby he would prove that a faith short of justifying gives right to baptism , p. , to argument . from the constant practice of the church , p. the judgment of above protestant divines in the case , p. , to mr blake's confessions , pag. , &c. mr blake's conceits of my self-contradictions , ground less , p. the contents of the third disputation . quest. whether the infants of notoriously ungodly baptized parents have right to be baptized ? neg. the terms explained : specially [ right ] p. the question divided into three , p. quest. . whether such subjects have right by any gift or grant of god to themselves ? neg. . they have no such title for their own sake , p. . nor for the immediate parents , p. . nor for their ancestors , p. . whether they have any on the account of vndertakers , pag. . whether on the magistrates power to dispose of them , p. whether as they are members of a discipled nation , or born in the church , pag. , qu. . whether providence give them right , p. qu. . whether ministers ought to baptize such , pag. . negative proved . such are not credible professors , p. , , &c. the notoriously ungodly are ipso jure excommunicated ; which is explained , confirmed and defended , p. , &c. — more arguments , pag. , , &c. arguments answered which would prove that the infants of the notoriously ungodly have right to baptism , p. , &c. and first that from circumcision . argum. . of the nullity of baptism supposed to follow , p. , &c. quest. whom we must take for notoriously vngodly , p. , &c. cautions against the abuse of answers , p. the positive answer in ten characters , p. , quest. is it not our duty to refuse the children of more than the notoriously vngodly ? affirm . p. violenta praesumptio must cause us to forbear ; proved , p. , &c. quest. what is such violent presumption , or ground to take men for no credible professors , p. . shewed in ten characters . the contents of the fourth disputation . quest. whether any besides regenerate believers ( and their seed ) have a right to sacraments given them by god , and may thereupon require them and receive them ? neg. pag . the terms explained : specially [ right ] , p. concessions in six propositions , pag. the negative proved , pag. mr. blake's judgement about investiture , p. , , &c. — receiving sacraments as a duty must come after saving faith , and god warranteth none to do it before , p. , , &c. objections answered , p. whether this confine sacraments to them that have assurance , p. , , &c. more objections answered , ad p. the distinction of forum dei & ecclesiae , vindicated against mr. blake's opposition , p. , &c. mr. rutherford's iudgement of that , and the main cause , ad p. mr. blake's further assaults repelled , p. , &c. more of his objections answered , to p. an answer to many arguments of mr. j. h. in his second vindication of free admission , p. , to some sad considerations about mr. prin's counsel for forcing ministers to deliver the sacrament , pag. , the contents of the fifth disputation . quest. whether hypocrites and other unregerate persons be called christians , believers , saints , church-members , &c. univocally , analogically or equivocally ? the judgement of philosophers about the terms , to pag. that the terms are used equivocally , proved by argument , to p. and by authority : thirty three protestant divines cited . mr. blake's objections answered , to pag. an appendix fetching reasons out of doctor owen , mr. blake and mr. robertson , against a particular answer of them , p. the little reason for doctor owen's indignation , and less for his gross mis-reports , and socinian parallel , to pag. the causlesness of mr. blake's tears and trembling , pag. his untrue reports of my self , & of the profaneness of the worcestershire combinations , p. his untrue and dis-ingenuous report of my abusing mr. ball , p. the complexion of the rest of his dispute not yet answered , p. a brief discussion of his doctrine of the faith that entituleth to baptism , pag. , to the impotency of more of his accusations , pag. , the substance and quality of mr. robertson's epistolary disputation , pag. , his implacable kindeness , and dreadful protestation , pag. of punishment and mental remisson , pag. , of a creeping ms. p. of the triumphing dream of dr owen ; and mr blake of the terrible conditions which i impose on my answerers in the preface of my confession . p. the first disputation . quest. whether ministers may admit persons into the church of christ by baptism , upon the bare verbal profession of the true christian saving faith , without staying for , or requiring any further evidences of sincerity ? aff. in almost all our controverted cases , the church still findeth the mischief of extremes : and among the rest , in this about the due qualification of those whom we must admit to the sacraments . some will not look after saving faith at all ; but have found out a faith of another species , which they call dogmatical , which they take to be the title to both the sacraments . others , while they look after saving faith , will not take up with that evidence of it ( a bare profession ) which god in scripture hath directed them to accept ; but they must either pretend to search the heart , or stay for some better evidences of regeneration . the confuting of these last , shall be the business of this disputation ; and the confuting of the former , shall be the matter of the rest . we here suppose that baptism is a standing ordinance of christ , and that the use of it is to be the sign of our entrance into the church of christ ; not only solemnizing our covenant with god , in which upon our consent we were before secretly entred , but also investing us in our church honours and priviledges . for as the prince doth by a sword conferr the order and honour of knighthood ( which he might do before by private grant ) or as a man doth by a key deliver to a tenant the possession of a house ; or by a twig and turf , the possession of lands : so doth god by baptism deliver to the true believer the honorable order of christianity , and power to be a member of christ and his church , and a son of god , and therewith he delivereth him the pardon of his sins , and other priviledges of his people : though to them that come without this saving faith , there is only an offer of the internal benefits from god , and no delivery of possession ; and only a ministerial delivery of the possession of the external priviledges , without that title which before god will warrant their claim anh reception ; though there be enough in the ministers commission to warrant his delivery upon that claim . it is here also supposed , that it belongeth to the ministerial office to baptize , and by baptizing to admit persons into the visible church . and this is not the smallest part of their trust , and duty , and honour , nor the least of the keyes of the kingdom of heaven , which is committed to their care . ordinarily none can be admitted into the visible church , or made a visible christian as thus listed among such , but by the office of the ministry : and therefore the minister is made the judge of mens aptitude to this honour : for no man must act against , or without the conduct of his own judgement . and therefore to whomsoever it belongeth to baptize , ordinarily to them it doth belong to judge who is fit to be baptized . it may be thought that it is a very great power that christ hath herein conferred on his officers ; and that it may be easily abused to tyranny , while every minister shall have power to refuse persons their visible christianity , or the badge of it , and so to make christians as they please . but first , they are tyed up themselves by certain rules , as we are further to shew in this dispute : and second●y , if one should tyrannize , there are enow more to relieve us ; thirdly , there is no power but may be abused ; but yet it must be trusted somewhere ; and into what hands should christ have fitlier put it , than into theirs that are by gifts and offices fitted for the trust ? i have marvelled sometime , when i have heard secular rulers on one side , and the people on the other side , cry down the ministerial power of excommunicating , or so much as keeping from the sacrament of the lords supper , that they did not as much or more contend against their power of baptizing and judging who should be admitted into the church . but i think the reason is , because ministers admitted all so generally , that they were not awakened to the observation of their power herein , nor to any jealousie of them , left they should ( as they call it ) tyrannize . but undoubtedly they might as fairly say , that it belongeth either to the magistrate , or to the bishop alone , or to the major vote of the congregation , to baptize , or judge who shall or shall not be baptized , and so admitted into the honour of visible christianity and church-membership , as to say that it belongeth to the magistrate or the bishop alone , or the people to excommunicate , or to judge who shall be excommunicated . for the power of taking into the church universal , is as great as that of putting out of a particular congregation . and christ gave the keyes conjunctly and not dividedly ; and therefore he that hath the admitting key , hath the excluding key . had our people but well considered , what interest the ministerial office hath in their very baptism and christianity , and that they cannot be new-born into the kingdom of god , without the help of these midwives , at least , ( and scripture gives them also the title of parentage ) they would then have discerned that by their very baptism they are engaged to the ministery subserviently , to god the father , son , and holy ghost , to whom they are principally engaged : for , as the liturgie speaks , they are dedicated to god by our office and ministery , and they have their visible state in the christian church and possession of its priviledges , delivered to them by our office and ministery ; and therefore , me thinks , they should well bethink themselves before they renounce it and despise it , till they dare renounce and despise their baptism : and those that do that , i do not much wonder if they renounce our ministery . furthermore , it is here supposed that a profession is necessary , before we may admit men to baptism ; and that this must be a profession of the true christian saving faith , and not only of some other sort of faith . and we take it for granted , that the aged are admitted upon their own profession , and the infants upon the profession of the parent , by whom he hath his title to the covenant , even as he is the seed of a believer . the question then that we have now to discuss , is only concerning the sufficiency of this profession , as to the satisfaction of the baptizer , without any further evidences of sincerity . for the explaining and resolving whereof , i shall first shew you what that profession is which we require , and shall be satisfied in : and secondly i shall prove the affirmative of the question . and for the first , i shall first shew you what profession is in general , and the formal nature of the thing , and the requisites thereto . secondly , i shall shew you what this profession must be in specie , as it is specified from the subject matter of it . and first profiteor , is but palam fateor , in the common acception of the word . in civil cases , prositeri est publice & apud acta aliquid ultro denunciate , ut calv. more especially , professio is sometimes , ad interrogata responsio , and sometimes sponsio ; and in military affairs , it is nomen dare . ours in question hath something of all these conjunct . it is a solemn voluntary declaration ( expression or confession ) of our faith in god the father , son , and holy ghost ; ( in answer , usually , to the interrogation of the minister ) with a giving up our name to god , by solemn sponsion , and renouncing the flesh , the world , and the devil ( or in general , all inconsistent wayes ) profession is a relative action , and hath in it somewhat material , viz. the action ; and somewhat formal , viz. the relation , which must be distinctly considered of . for profession is a signification of a mans mind concerning the thing professed . the action , which is the matter of the sign , is not necessarily one and the same thing in all and at all times . the common action is by word of mouth : where that cannot be had , ( as from the dumb ) it sufficeth that they express by writing : where that cannot be had , the lifting up of the hand , or motion of other part of the body , or any thing that is apt to signifie what is in the mind , may be a just profession . and if word , writing , and corporal motion be all joyned together , it is but the matter of the same profession . god hath tyed us to no one particular sign as necessary , nor restrained us from any , by his word ; but only as the general directions , ( of doing all things orderly , decently , to edification , &c. ) may be an obligation or restraint : but the more particular direction must be fetcht by christian prudence from the light and law of nature it self . the nature of the thing , with concurrent circumstances , will teach us which is the fittest sign : and sometime the commands of our teachers or governours may determine that case , it being a matter within their power to determine ( according to gods general rules . ) the formal reason of a profession , is , that it be signum mentis , aut verum , aut ( et si ementitum , tamen ) apparens : if it be only a seeming sign , or counterfeit , it is truly a profession , but not a true profession . i mean , it hath a metaphysical verity , inasmuch as it is an action apt to signifie the mind , and doth signifie that which the man would have you think to be his mind : but it is not morally true , but false ; because it doth not signifie that which is his mind indeed . all words are to be signa mentis ; but when a man lyeth , his words are truly words , though not true words ; and he doth speak that which he would have you take to be his mind , though not that which is so , &c. he useth a sign that is apt and appointed for the expression of the mind , though he abuse it to the concealing of his mind , and the deceiving of the hearer . yet if any will insist upon it , that it hath not the formal reason of a profession , unless it be true , and agreeable to the mind ; let such know , that we take the word in a larger , and commoner , and ( i think ) fitter sense , even for that which a pretended to be a true sign of the mind , whether it be indeed true or not . yet still pretended it must be to be a true discovery of the mind , and to that use it is that the minister must receive it : and thence it comes to pass , that there are besides the bare words , writings , and some modifications , which are of necessity to the very cons●i●ution of a real profession , and without which it cannot properly be called a profession , or may not by a minister be taken for such . concerning which , . i shall enqure further , whether this be so or not ? . what those modes or concomitant acts must be ? . and for the first ; the reason of the doubt is , because some conceive that profession is so far required for it self , ( or for some other end , i know not what ) as that it is not to be lookt at or required as a seeming or probable evidence of the thing professed . mr. blake treat of sacr. p. . saith of me : his grand rule is , that a serious professor of the faith is to be taken for a true believer . — if this proposition were a scripture maxime , then it would have born a further superstruction ; but being neither found there , nor any proof made that it is any way deduced thence , mother and daughters may all justly be called into question . — i do yield , that charity is to hope the best ; but that we should put our charity to it , or our reason either , for probability or certainty when we are nowhere so taught , and have a more sure rule for our proceeding , i see no reason . i can scarce meet with a minister that saith ( and i have put the question to many of the most eminent that i know ) that he baptizeth any infant upon this ground of hope , that the parent is regenerate , but still with earnest vehemence professeth the contrary . answ. . that serious profession of true faith is to be taken by us as a probable evidence of the thing profest , till men forfeit their credit , i shall ( god willing ) prove anon from scripture . and if i did not before stand to prove it from scripture , i desire mr. blake , as he findeth cause , by the following evidence , to impute it either to my disability , or my modesty ; if he find that i now prove it not , let him tell the world that i could not ; ( but let him not thence conclude that it is not true ; for another may prove it , if i cannot ) : but if i now prove it , let him impute the former omission to my charity , which provoked me to hope , that with such as he ( and so many as he here intimateth ) it had not been necessary : nay , i thought it had been out of controversie with us . . if he yield that charity is to hope the best , why not then to be put to it ? is it not put to it , when it must hope the best ? or is not this a contradiction ? . what kind of holy ordinance is this , wherein neither charity nor reason must be put to it , when the state of another is presented to our consideration ? . what is the more sure rule for our proceeding , which is here mentioned ? i must profess , that upon my most diligent search , with a willingness to discover it , i am not yet able to know what mr. blakes rule is , ( sure or not sure : ) i mean , what that qualification is , which he saith doth entitle to baptism . though he call it a dogmatical faith , yet he requireth the will's consent ; but to what , i am not able to discern , he doth so vary his phrase and contradict himself . onle by his title on the top of the leaf , i know that it is [ a faith short of justifying ] which he meaneth , which telleth me what faith it is not , though not what it is . . either he will require a profession of true faith , or not : if not , then we are not yet fit to dispute about the ends to which that profession is requisite , seeing we are not agreed whether the profession it self be requisite in those whom we must admit . if the profession it self be acknowledged necessary , then either for it self , or for another thing . not for it self ; for , . there is nothing in the thing . . nor in scripture , to intimate any such thing . but on the contrary . . it is signum mentis , and therefore is required to signifie what is in the mind . . else a false profession should be requisite and acceptable as well as a true , if it were profession , quâ talis , and propter se , that were requisite . if it be not for the signification of what is in the mind ; then though it signifie not the mind , it is acceptable : but that cannot be : for god hath forbidden lying , and never accepteth it , nor maketh it a condition of our title to his benefits , as given to us by him . . it is not any one sign that god tyeth us to : not speaking , for then the dumb could not profess : not writing ; for then none could be professors that cannot write : but it s any thing that may signifie the mind ; which plainly shews , that it is required to this end , that it may signifie the mind . god never encouraged any to speak the bare words , be they true or false ; but only to speak the truth . . suppose it were only another species of faith which is necessary to be professed in order to baptism , would not mr. blake put either his charity or reason to it , to judge whether the person do in probability mean as he speaks ? if not : . then he will not sanctifie god in his ordinances ▪ but abuse them , and wrong his neighbour , by laying by charity and reason so much in the administration . . and then , if he knew that they came in scorn , or learn the word as a parrot , he would accept them , which i will not imagine . but if he will put his charity and reason to it , to judge of the truth of a common profession ; let him shew us his warrant , and it shall serve us to prove that we must do so also in case of a special profession . what ever the faith professed be , if you say your profession is required propter se , for the matter of the sign , and not for the formality and use of signifying , it were not only groundless , but a reproachful ascribing that to god , which we would not ascribe to the silliest man or woman about us , that hath the free use of reason . and if the profession be given , and taken ( and so required ) not propter se materially , but ut signum mentis , for the signifying of our minds ; then sure i need not dig deep into scripture or reason , to prove that both the reason and charity of the minister is here to be imployed , to judge whether indeed it do signifie the mans mind according to his pretences , or not . it grieveth me for the churches sake , to read mr. blake's words of the ministers he meets with : for if they do scarce any of them so much regard the probability of the parents regeneration in the administration of that sacrament , then they either baptize upon an apparent lye ( if the parent profess saving faith , when he hath not the least probability of it ) ; or else they take up with the profession of another species of faith ( as mr. blake doth . ) and i crave their patient sober enquiry , whether that be not to make another species of baptism and of visible christianity ? and also , whether they have yet well discerned and determined what that faith is that must be profest , and whether the world have ever yet seen an exact or satisfactory definition or description of it ? and where ? and in what words ? and also whether they have not the same uncertainty of the sincerity of that lower faith in the professors , as of true saving faith ? and consequently , whether mr. blakes doctrine have delivered them from difficulties , or ensnared them ? i crave of all those reverend brethren whom mr. black meets with , and are guilty of what he chargeth them with , that they would once more consider the matter . . having thus shewed that a profession is necessary and that in its formal nature , and to its proper end , as it is a signification of a man's mind , and in order to the discovery of the mind , and not barely for the very terms or signs of profession ; i am next to shew what things are necessary ( besides the bare words or other signs ) to the being of a profession , or what properties or requisites are , sine quibus non , to the validity of it to its end , that it may be indeed taken by us to be signum mentis , and not be accounted null and vain . and in general it is necessary that the profession seem true : for a profession that is notoriously fals , is uncapable of the ends atd use that it is required for : for such a one will not signifie a mans mind , but the contrary . more particularly , . the professon which we must take as valid , must seem to be made in a competent understanding of the matter which is professed . it 's a known rule in law that consensus non est ignorantis . if a parrot be taugh to repeat the creed , it is not to be called a profession of faith. the same we may say of any such ideot or child , or persons at age , who are notoriously ignorant of the matter which they speak : therefore it is the duty of those that require such professions , to endeavor to discern whether the person understand what he professeth , before he do it : and therefore in the ancient churches their catechists or other teachers did first see to their understanding the sum of the christian faith , before they baptized any at age : and so should the parents themselves be examined , before we baptize their children upon the account of their profession , except it be when we have just cause to presume that the person understandeth the matter professed . yet if any shall grounldesly so presume , and be mistaken this makes not the profession null , as to the use which the church makes of it , though it be null as to the real internal covenant of man with god , or to the benefits of such a profession by any grant or gift from god ; for in in foro dei , it is no profession or worse . . we must take nothing for a profession , but that which hath a seeming seriousness . for if it be notoriously or apparently ludicrous , or in a scorn , or not meant as it is spoken , it is then apparently false : and we are not to believe apparent falshoods . . it must seem to be voluntary or free : i deny not but some force may stand with a valid profession : but that is only such a force as is supposed to prevail with the heart it self , and not only with the tongue when the heart is against it . if any should say to a jew , [ if thou wilt not profess thy self a christian , i will presently run thee through with my sword , the words that should be forced by this threat are not to be taken for a true profession , when it is apparent , that they are meerly forced by fear . so that which done in a passion of anger or the like , contrary to the ordinary prevailing bent and resolution of the heart , is not to be taken as a voluntary and valid profession . . it must be a profession not prevalently contradicted by word or deed : otherwise , still it is an apparent or notorious lie , which no man can be bound to believe . if a man say in one breath , [ that he believeth in christ ] and in the next will say [ that he doth not believe in him , ] he nulleth his own profession by a revocation : and if he revoke it in the direct sense , it is all one as if he did it in the same terms : as if he say that he believeth in christ , but withall , that he believeth him to be but a man , or a prophet , or not to have died to ransom us from our sins , &c. so if he should say [ i am a christian [ but yet ] i love the world and the flesh more then christ ] the same must be said of a practical contradiction , which is effectual to invalidate a verbal profession . if a man should profess to the prince , that he honoureth him , and when he hath done , should spurn at him , or spit in his face : or if a man should profess that he loveth you , and desireth your safety , and withall shall discharge a pistol at you , or run at you with his sword ; i leave it to your selves whether he be to be believed . yet some contradiction there may be , which may not nullifie a profession : as when the terms of contradiction seem not to be understood by him that useth them , or not to be meant in the contradicting sense ; or when he seem's not to discern the contradiction , but thinks both may consist , and seems to hold the truth practically , and so contradicts it speculatively or ignorantly : or when the contradiction is more weak , and not seemingly prevalent , as [ i believe , lord help my unbelief . ] . when a man hath utterly forfeited the credit of his word ; the profession of that man must not be meerly verbal , but practicall . this is all clear in the laws of nature . when a man may be justly said to have forfeited the credit of his bare word , is a matter of consideration . the common reason and practice of men , is against trusting a perjur'd mans bare word , till he give sufficient evidence of his repentance for that perjury : and the like may be said of one that hath often violated promise , and given no evidence of any effectual change upon his heart , but that still he hath the same disposition . the novatians thought that those who lapsed hainously after the baptismal profession , were not again to be absolved , and admitted into the communion of the church , but they did not exclude them from gods pardon , as is commonly believed to them . clemens alexandrinus , and others of those ancient churches , do seem to exclude all from pardon of sin , after twice or thrice offending : but i suppose , they meant it only of hainous sin , and of pardon in foro ecclesiae , and not of pardon in foro dei ( a distinction that was not then detested . ) the truth is , the temper and quality of persons , and the nature of the fault , and many circumstances may so vary the case , that it is not the same number of promise-breakings , or sins after promises , that will prove the forfeiture of each sinners credit . ordinarily , in case of gross hainous sin , if a man have oft broke his promise , his bare word is no more to be taken , but an actual reformation must prove the validity of it . but there are some cases , in which once or twice breach of promise may forfeit credit , as to the church , and some cases wherein more then three or four brecahes may not do it . but as for an infidel that newly comes to the profession of the faith , or a notorious ungodly man that newly comes to the profession of godliness , we must take their first profession , though their lives were never so vicious before ; because though they have oft committed other sins , yet not this of covenant-breaking with god , and they seem to be recovered from their former unconscionableness . perhaps some one will say , that , if all this be to be look'd after before the validity of a profession can be discerned , then this is an uncertain rule for us to proceed by , in administring the sacraments : for ministers will be uncertain when all these qualifications are found in mens professions . besides that , it puts tyrannizing power into ministers hands , which you tell mr. ●ombes of in your book of infant-baptism . answ. i have there shewed that the danger is greater in the anabaptists way of using this power than of ours . . this objection is as much against them that are for the title of a dogmatical faith , as for us that require the profession of a saving faith . for they cannot be certain of their lower faith it self , and therefore must take up with the profession of it : and if they will not require all these qualifications forenamed of that profession , then they may as well admit professed jews and heathens , and they will openly subject gods ordinances to profanation . . because it is a variable case , and requireth judgement in the administrators ; therefore hath god made it a considerable part of the office and work of his ministers , to judge rightly of mens profession , that they may discern the meet from the unmeet : and therefore hath he required so much prudence and piety in ministers , that they might be meet to judge in such cases . to bear these keyes , and wisely and faithfully to discern who are to be admitted , and who to be excluded , is no small part of their trust , and power , and work. the great necessity of church officers , and the nature of its government , would be the better understood , if this were well considered . it is not a possibility of mens erring in such cases as are committed to humane determination , that will warrant us to condemn that way , or to cast about for some more infallible or easie course : such contrivances will have but the popish success , and will lose us the credit of our honest just authoritative decision , while we will needs pretend to an infallibility , that the world may discern that indeed we never had it . the common-course of quarrelling with all government where there is a possibility or danger of any great abuse , and evils thereby , doth directly conclude in the simple rejection of all government by man and almost any thing else that man must be the agent in : for as long as such vile imperfect wretches are the governors , how can you think , the actual administration will be perfect ? get angels to govern immediately , or stay till men be as angels of god , and then you shall have a cure for all these inconveniences : but till then expect not good without evil , nor that so bad a creature as man ▪ even the best of men , should govern any society , or do any considerable work , without leaving upon it the impression of his sinfulness , and many imperfections . . having shewed what this profession must be in the general ; and the nature of the act , i must next shew what it must be materially , and in specie , ( as it is morally specified from the subject matter , ) and in general , the thing to be professed , is : [ that the professor is a christian ; ] or , that he is a true penitent believer in christ. object . it is not his own belief , qua creditur , which he is to make profession of , but the christian belief , quae creditur , that is , the doctrine of the gospel . answ. . this is a contradiction : he that professeth the gospel to be true , doth eo nomine , profess his own belief of the truth of it . for will he profess it to be true , when he takes it not to be true ? otherwise he either speaks but the words , while he takes it himself to be false which he speaks , or else he only meaneth or saith that , ( other men think it to be true ) though he do not . . we need not to ask any man for a profession to evidence the gospel to be true , but only to evidence his own belief of it . the gospel needs not their testimony , much less a testimony which they beleeve not themselves , which is as none . . infidels are meet to be admitted to baptism , if there be no profession of their own faith required . but i suppose i need not to use more words against this objection . more part●cularly as christianity , in sensu famosiori is the saving entertainment of christ in the soul ; and faith , in sensu famosiori , is that which is called iustifying saving faith ; and a church member , in sensu famosiori , is such a true christian ; so it is true faith and christianity whose profession is thus necessary : and if there be but a bare profession without the thing professed , these are called christians or believers but analogically or ( as our divines commonly tell the papists ) equivocally . the faith thus to be professed must be considered , in its acts , and in its objects . the first act is the understandings assent to the truth of the revelation , upon the credit of the revealer , which implyeth , yea formally containeth a crediting of his veracity , and so an affiance therein . . a consent or willingness that christ be ours on the gospel terms ; or an accepting christ and life , as offered : which scripture calleth the receiving of christ jesus the lord , joh. . , . col. . which is stil implyed in the affiance or recumbency by which the act of faith is so oft entitled in scripture , and which must be added . as the act of faith must needs be both of the intellect and the will , so the object must be answerably , the truth of the gospel , and the goodness of the benefits there revealed and offered . the church is more agreed about the particulars of the latter , then of the former : for as the papists would make us believe that the fundamentals and essentials of the christian faith cannot be known as distinct from the rest , but that all which the pope saith , is de fide , is of neces●ity to salvation : so among our selves we are not well agreed , whether fundamentals ( that is , essentials ) can be enumerated . there is no doubt but we may easily enumerate them in general terms ; and so our whole christian faith is contained in our common profession at baptism , [ i believe in god the father , the son , and the holy ghost . ] if we yet descend to some particulars the case is clear : that to believe in god the father , is to believe , that he is the most wise , and great , and good , and our maker and ruler , and our chiefest good : to believe in god the son , is to believe that he is god and man , the redeemer and saviour , ransoming us by his blood , and overcoming death by his death and resurrection , and procuring us pardon and everlasting life by his merits : to believe in god the holy ghost , is to believe that he is the sanctifier of the people of god that shall be saved . thus much is evidently essential to the christian faith , and nothing but what is contained in this . but then the great difficulty lyeth here , whether a more particlar belief of some truths contained under these comprehensive terms be not essential to christianity . to which i only say in general , . that the belief of the truth of the promise , or other verities , being necessary in order to the determination of the will , to the acceptance of the good revealed therein , there is therefore so much of the doctrine of necessity to be believed , as is of necessity to the determination of the will , to accept god for our god , by creation ; and jesus christ for our saviour by redemption , and the holy ghost for our sanctifier . . all that is essentially contained in these relative tit●es [ our god , our saviour , and our sanctifier ] must be particularly conceived of and believed . . the foresaid explicatory terms well understood , seem to contain all such essentials . . he therefore , that upon a true understanding of ●hem , doth believe all these , doth believe all that is essential to the christian faith. . some persons can understand the matter contained in these words without any more words ( having first the grammatical and scriptural explication of them ) : others have not yet had such explications , or at least understood them not , and so must have more particular express , expository terms , that they may understand . . it is matter that is primarily essential , and fundamental , and that propter se : words are to be called essential , or fundamental , but secundarily , and propter aliud , viz. so far as they are means , without which the matter cannot be received , but no further : and therefore no particular words are properly fundamental , or essential to our religion ; seeing that he that never heard those words , and yet believeth the matter by equiplloent terms , or any signs , is truly a ●hristian . . the essentials primary in the matter are to all the same , but the terms of necessity for expressing them are not the same to all , either for number of words , or sentences ; seeing one can receive that in ten words , ano●her cannot in twenty . and hence is it , that if twenty men be set to draw up the essentials of christianity , they may do it in twenty several forms of words , and yet all express the same ess●ntial matter : and one confession may be in ten lines , and another in more pages , and yet both speak the same fundamental tru●hs ; one more concisely or generally , and the other more copiously and plainly . . whatever other words may be necessary to some , besides those that directly express the above-said matter of belief , in god the father , son , and ghost , they are not to this end necessary , that we may have more matter of faith than is there contained , as if it were not all that is essential , but that this may by the ignorant be better understood : so that those other particular articles , which some call fundamentals , are but expositions of those three fundamentals , that indeed we may receive them . . in point of duty , a minister must require a more full and large expression of his faith from one man than from another , viz. from those that he hath apparent cause to suspect of not understanding , or not believing what the more comprehensive concise terms do express : but yet , if either he neglect that duty , ( or his previous inquiry and examination ) though sinfully , or if the party that gave no cause of suspition , be yet ignorant , or an unbeliever , it doth not follow , that the concise profession was a nullity for want of larger explication . he that professeth to believe in god the father , son , and holy ghost , hath made a profession of saving faith in all the essentials , as to the sense of the words , and it is to be taken as valid , in foro ecclesiastico , in the judgement of the church if there be not some of the above-named particulars apparent to invalidate it , ( as contradiction , apparent ignorance , derision , &c. ) may it not be the safest way to imitate the scripture examples in such cases , where we alway find profession in order to baptism , made but in few comprehensive terms ? for , as by this way we follow the surest guid , so are we most likely to comprehend all the essentials , and leave none out ; when spinning out a profession to a volumn in more particular explicatory termes , if these same generals be not among them , may leave out much of the essence of religion , which these do comprehend . not that i would have the people hear no longer discourses for explication ; but it is one thing , to put them into a sermon , or discourse ; and another thing , to put them into the profession of faith. if , notwithstanding all that is said , any shall still be prejuced against the requiring of a professon of saving faith , because of the difficulty of discerning when it is that all the fundamentals are professed ; let such consider , that it doth as much concern those that differ from us , to untye this knot , if they can , as us . we have long shewed the papists , that themselves must be forced to distinguish between those points of faith which some may be saved without , and those which none can be saved without : and so indeed bellarmine and others of them confess . and those that say , it is a dogmatical faith that must be professed , must needs comprehend all the aforesaid essentials in their dogmatical faith , or else they cannot call it the christian faith. so that , as to the object of assent , they are equally concerned in the difficulties . . and then , for the second part of faith , which is , the wills consent , or affiance , or entertainment , receiving , acceptance , embracing ( or what other term to that purpose you will use ) of the good proposed in the gospel , the same forementioned words do also comprehend all that is essential to the object of this act : for the will as well as the intellect , to believe in god the father , son , and holy ghost , is all our faith : that is , [ to receive god as our god , our creator , our soveveraign and felicity , and jesus christ our saviour , from the guilt and power of sin , and to bring us to everlasting glory , and this by ransoming us by his death and merits , by rising , interceding , teaching , ruling us , and at last raising and judging us ; and to receive the holy ghost as the witness of christ , the inspirer of the writers of his word , and as our sanct●fier . ] thus is the object of true christian faith expressed , as containing the objects of the will. to conclude , in a doubtfull case , it is safe to be as express and particular as we can , in our instructions and examinations , and not barely to keep to the meer essentials : because there are many of the adjacent truths , or superstructures , which are of so great use , as that the fundamentals are hardly and seldom well entertained without them . and yet when we play not the part of instructors , and preparers , but of administrators of gods ordinances , then we must take heed of exacting more as necessary , then is indeed necessary ; and in difficult cases , when the difficulty lyeth in the darkness of the persons heart , and you doubt , by reason of the scantness of his expressions , whether he believe as he speaketh , we must give credit to his own words , as far as reason will permit , and to judge the best , though we may fear the worst : and this will be our duty ; and if we should be deceived , it will not prove our sin , but his that makes the false profession : and this leadeth me up to the next part of my task ; which is , having thus explained the nature of the requisite profession , to prove the affi●mative of the question thesis mi●isters m●y admit pers●ns into the visible church of christ , by b●ptism , upon the bare verbal profession of the true christian saving faith ( such as before described ) without staying for or searching after any further evidences of sincerity , ( ordinarily , and as of necessity to this end . ) this proposition i prove ( in short ) by these arguments following . argum. . we have the warrant of their approved example in scripture whom we are to eye as our pattern in administrations for the administring of baptism upon a bare verbal profession : therefore we may so administer it . i here suppose the practice of the church before christs incarnation ; which is out of all doubt : moses took the verbal profession of all israel , to be a covenant between god and them ; wherein they avouched the lord to be their god , and god avouched them to be his people . on the like terms did joshua , asa , and others renew the covenant of god with that people ; and on the same terms was circumcision administred . on these terms did john baptize multitudes , whose lives he knew not before , and of whom he required no further evidence than these present professions to sati●fie him of their capacity . on the same ground did peters converts receive their baptism , acts . . for they baptized them suddenly , and the scripture mentioneth no further search that was made by the apostles after their sincerity ; nor is it probable , it could be done upon three thousand souls . the same may be said of the eunuch , acts . and the jaylor , acts . and other scripture examples . it is past question , that they then took up with a present profession , and therefore so must we . for if any will be so overwise , as to give reasons why they may swerve from these presidents , let them consider , whether they teach not the licentious a way as effectually to avoid other examples of the apostles , and so to destroy the order and discipline of the church . object . in those times profession did hazard mens lives ; and therefore it was then a greater evidence of sincerity , then it is in prosperous times . — answ. it 's true , that often it was hazardous : yet . when were converted at a time and when the rulers durst not persecute for fear of the people , and when the churches had rest and were so ed●fied , walking in the fear of the lord , act. . . then it was not so dangerous . . this difference is but gradual and altereth not the case : for as still they that will live godly , shall suffer persecution , so profession is taken in scripture for a satisfactory evidence . arg. . the law of nature , which is the ground of humane converse , requireth that we believe men , till they have apparently forfeited their credit ; therefore so we must do here : and therefore must take their profession as a sign of the thing professed ; and consequently valid . deny the antecedent , and you must overthrow all communities and societies , which is contrary to gods will revealed in scripture , and in nature : they that will not believe others , must not expect that others should believe them ; and so humane converse will be overthrown , and all men must live by themselves , or live as enemies , in constant diffidence of each other . obj but wicked men have forfeited their credit ; and therefore their word is not to be taken . answ. they have not made such a total forfeiture ( quâ wicked ) as to warrant our unbelief for . there are such remnants of common honesty in mans nature , that commonly makes a lye to be odious , and a matter apparently evil among unconverted men . . they profess themselves to be turned from their wickedness ; and therefore you cannot refuse credit to them upon the supposition of their wickedness which they disclaim , without proof . . the apostles took their profession who within a few hours before had been persecutors , and guilty of the murther of the lord of life : therefore a mans wickedness before , is not enough to invalidate his following profession of true faith , repentance , and reformation . argum. . we must not censure our brother to be a lier without clear evidence that he is so indeed : therefore we must take his profession to be true , and consequently , to be valid . the antecedent is plain in scripture . no man may judge ( that is , ungroundedly , or without a call ) that would not be judged . who art thou that judgest another mans servant ? rom. . . therefore we may not judge them to tell a lye , when we cannot prove it , till they have quite forfeited their credit : no more then we may lawfully judge a man to be a thief , or murderer , or adulterer , or heretick , when we cannot prove it . if the slander of the tongue be a sin , so is the slander of the heart . and for the consequence , it is most clear , that either the minister must believe the mans profession , or take him for a lyer ; there is no third way that can be pretended , save one , and that is , that we must suspend our belief , and neither judge his profession to be true or false . but this cannot be here pretended , with any tolerable appearance of reason . for , . god would never make mens profession necessary to their admittance , and put the minister in the power of baptizing upon such a profession , and consequently , of requiring , receiving and judgeing of that profession , if we might wholly suspend our judgement of it whether it be true or false . it cannot be that i can be required , as an officer of christ to require , and receive a mans profession , without any respect of the truth of it : for it is therefore required that it may declare the mind : or else , why may not an infidel be received without profession : . and if i be not to judge of the truth of a profes●ion , or of the falshood ; then a profess●on apparently false , may be received : but that may not be , as hath been manifested . . it is denyed by learned philosophers , that the mind can possibly hang in equilibrio , in such cases . . it s one half the uncharitable sin of rash censures to suspend the judgement of charity , and not to judge the person to speak truth , when he hath not forfeited h●s credit , as it is the other half to judge him positively to speak falsly . . a pari , we must not suspend our judgement of the truth of mens profession of penitence , that they may be absolved and re-admitted to communion ; but must discern whether probably their profession be true or false : nor may we suspend our judgement of the truth of that profession , which we may have occasion to require , in order to the lords supper ; or , to the private comforting of an afflicted conscience &c. therefore not here neither ; seeing the profession is the same ; and the reasons , at least , as urgent : in this point , i find a learned sober divine , mr. james wood , professor of theologie at aberdeen in scotland ▪ hath with much christian moderation manifested his d●ssent from me by name , in a book against mr. lokier concerning the matter of the visible church , pag. . , , &c. ( a book that i never saw till a day or two before the writing of these words , june . . ) this reverend man agreeth with me in the main points wherein i differ from mr. blake . he owneth fully he necessity of the profession of a saving faith , and alloweth of no lower profession , as a tittle to baptism : he frequently owneth the distinction between forum dei vel interius , & forum ecclesiasticum & exterius ; and consenteth too , to the application that i make of it : but he thinketh , that though the profession of true faith is necessary to baptism ; yet , not as an evidence of regeneration , but that we are to abstract the profession wholly from conversion , or non conversion . pag. . he saith [ . when he saith , hypocrites have no right to be in the church , or , as afterward , should not be there , if the meaning were , that men , though they make a profession of religion , yet continuing hypocrites , and graceless in their hearts , do sin in adjoyning themselves to the visible church ; and that they have no right in foro interiori , this we should not deny ▪ but if his meaning be , that no hypocrites have a jus ecclesiasti●um and in foro exteriori , to be in the visible church , we deny it and he shall never be able to prove it . ] and pag. . he hath the like . and pag. and . & passi●o , the like . and pag . . he saith [ concl. . a serious sober outward profession of the faith , and true christian religion , together with a serious profession of former sinfull courses — a serious consideration of these things , as such , considered abstract●vely ( abstractions simplici ) from the work 〈◊〉 saving grace , and heart-conversion , by true repentance , & faith , is sufficient qualification in the ecclesiastick court to constitute a person sit matter to be received as a member of the visible church , accounted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i. e. among these that are within . if i be asked , what i mean by a serious profession ? i answ. such a profession as hath in it , at least , a moral sincerity ( as divines are wont to distinguish ) though happily , not alwaies a ●upernatural sincerity , i. e. ( that i may speak more plainly ) which is not openly discernably simulate , histrionick , scenical , and hypocritical , in that hypocrisie which is gross : but all circumstances being considered , by which ingenuity is estimate among men , giving credit one to another , there appears no reason , why the man may not , and ought not to be esteemed , as to the matter , to think and purpose as he speaketh , from whatsoever habitual principle it proceedeth , whether of saving grace or faith , or of faith historical , and conviction wrought by some common operation of the spirit . a man that hath such a profession as this , and desireth church-communion , the church ought to receive him as a member . and all be it i deny not , but where there is just or probable ground of suspition , that the profession hath simulation and fraudulent dealing under it , as in one new come from an heretical religion , or who hath been before a persecutor of the faith and professors thereof : there may be a delay in prudence , and time taken to try and prove if he dealeth seriously and ingenuously — &c. and in page , speaking of my self he saith , [ . the learned author and i , are fully agreed upon the mater concerning the outward ground , upon which persons are to be admitted and acknowledged members of the visible church ; viz , a serious profession of the faith , including a profession of subjection to the commands and ordinances of christ , is sufficient for this , and that persons , making this profession are without delay , or searching for tryal and discoveries of their heart-conversion to be admitted . — i do heartily approve his weighty exhortation subjoyned . but i cannot yet agree with him in this , that men are not to be received into the visible church but under the notion of true believers , and positively judged to be such , though but probably . ] and pag. . [ i confess also , that were a mans outward carriage and way such , as did discover him to be an unregenerate man — he were not to be received into the fellowship of the visible church : but wi●hall i say , he were not to be debarred , or not received , not upon the account of non-regeneration ; or upon that carriage , considered under this formality and reduplication , as a ●●gn and discovery of non regeneration , but materially , as being contrary to the very outward profession of faith : — my reason is , because i conceive it is gods revealed will in his word , that men be received into the visible church , that they may be regenerate and converted , and that the ministerial dispensation of the ordinances are by gods revealed will set up in the church to be means of regeneration and conversion , as well as edification of such as are regenerate . ] [ . i conceive , that between such as are in a course discovering certainly non-regeneration — there are a middle sort , of whom there is no sufficient ground probably to judge them regenerate . — ] my reason is , because to g●ound a positive act of judgement that a man is regenerate in foro exteriori , there is requisite some seemingness of a spiri●ual sincerity in a mans profession : i. e , that he doth it from a spiritual principle , upon spiritual motives , to a spiritual end : but a meer sober , not mocking serious profession , without more , is not a positive appearance of spiritual supernatural sincerity . — i humbly conceive , there cannot be had positive probable evidences of this ordinarily without observation of a mans way after profession for a time , wherein notice may be taken of his walking equally in the latitude of duties and constantly in variety of cases and conditions . ] [ to conclude ; mr. baxter and ] are at agreem●nt upon the matter , concerning the qu●lification that is sufficient for admitting persons into the visible church , viz. serious profession , without delay to enquire for more : and so we are agreed , in the main ▪ about the matter of the visible church . we differ in this , that he thinks persons are not to be admitted , but under consideration of persons judged ▪ at least , probably converted and regenerated : my mind is , that they are to be admitted , under the name of serious , sober outward professors , abstracting from conversion or non-conversion . i have thus at large recited the words of this reverend brother , that the reader may perceive the true state of the controversie , and how we are agreed in the main , and on what grounds he proceedeth ; and that if there be any that consent not with me , in the point wherein he and i differ , they may yet be perswaded to take up in his way , and not remove so far from the truth as i conceive mr. blake hath done . and , as to the difference it self , . the main thing wherein i perceive that ▪ i differ from this reverend man and some other about such matters , is , that my judgement of charity is much more extensive then theirs seems to be . i confess , that when it comes to a confident perswasion of another mans sincerity , i am apt to be jealous as well as they ; and also when we speak of the profession of men collectively considered , i am forced to some harder thoughts of many , then some have : but when i have to do with individuals , i am apt to extend this charitable judgment further then i see many do : not by making the way to heaven any broader than they : for when we are upon the point in thesi , what is the proper qualification of a saint , i think there is no difference among us : but when we speak of it in hypothesi , and of the actual qualification of this individual person , whether he have the foresaid life or not ; i am apt to think it my duty , to judge the best till i know the worst ; and to hope well ( though with much fear ) where some think they see no ground of hopes . i confess it seems to me but cold charity , that can afford men our good thoughts so far , as to take them for visible church members ; but can find no room for a hope of their being in a state of salvation . i have hopes of the salvation of many thousands , that i perceive some others have no such thoughts of . . more particularly , i cannot yet see , that i can be excused or disobliged from having a positive hope ( taking hope in the vulgar sense ) of the saving estate of that man that professeth seriously and soberly , that he truly repenteth , and believeth in christ , and hath not yet utterly forfeited the credit of his word . charity thinketh no evil , believeth all things , hopeth al things : cor. . , . i think , the very maxims of nature , cleared , and enforced by christ in the gospel , do teach me to believe , that my brother is not a lyar , till i see convincing evidence of the contrary . i confess , i judge my self to owe this charitable construction and judgement of his serious profession , especially in so so great a cause , to my neighbour who hath not evidently disobliged me , even as much as i owe my bread to the hungry , and clothes to the naked , yea , or the liberty of the common ayr or earth , if it were in my power to restrain it . . and i do not find myself ( at least ordinarily and easily ) capable of suspending my judgement of the truth or falshood of a mans profession , and being wholly neutral in it . . yea , i perceive , that it is the judgement of this reverend brother , that we should no● be neutral , nor suspend our judgement about the truth of the profession which we require ; but that we should seek after that which he calleth a moral sincerity herein , yea , and sometime delay and try them further , who offer a suspicious profession . . and i must confess , that i take it for a great sin , to censure my brother positively to be a lyar , and to be a child of the devil , ●nd in a state of damnation , without clear convincing evidence . . and it seems to me a thing utterly improbable , if not certainly un●rue , that god should require any man as sine qua non , to his church-entrance or admittance , that he profess true faith and repentance to the minister and church , ( as before them , ) and yet that both minister and people are bound to receive this profession abstractively as to the faith and repentance so professed . god knoweth the heart without prof●ssion : it is therefore because of us that know not mens hearts , that profession is required : and must we then receive such a profession abstractively from the thing profess●d ? every word i● ordain●d to be a sign of the mind : and a profession is formally a relative being . the matter of the sign , viz. the word , or the like , a bruit , a parrot may possibl● have : and if the very essence of a profession , qua talis , contein its rel●tion to the thing professed , and the mind of the professor , then is it destructive to the very ends and use of a profes●ion , to abstract the material sign from the thing professed . if you s●y that it is not regeneration which they are supposed to profess : i answer , it is true repentance , and faith in christ which they are supposed to profess ; and that is regeneration , or the principal part of it , in sensu passivo . to what purpose should we imagine , that men should be obliged by god to make so solemn a profession , which none of the hearers are in the least obliged to believe to be true ? . we are certainly bound to believe a sober , credible person of proved fidelity in other things , when he solemnly professeth to repent and believe ; ( else we must deny credit to that which beareth plain evidence of credibility : ) therefore we must believe all others according to the proportion of their credibility , and not deny them credit without just cause . . i never yet heard any assign any other cause why god should require an open profession , than the revealing of the thing professed , and the consequents thereof : therefore , till we hear a proof of some other reason , we have cause to adhere to this . . all men are bound to judge , that god would have no man to tell a lye : therefore they are bound to judge that god would have no man to profess that he repenteth , when he doth not : therefore , he that is to judge my profession to be by gods commanding and approving will , is also to judge it to be a true profession : but the ministers and the church are ( judicio charitatis , & fide humana ) to judge , that the profession of the person is such as god doth require and accept ( as to the main substance , ) before they baptize him , and receive him into communion , upon the account of that profession . . i conceive , that this reverend brother granteth in effect the thing which i dispute for , while he affirmeth , that such a moral sincerity may be lookt after , as that [ all circumstances considered by which ingenuity is estimate among men , there appears no reason why the man may not , and ought not to be esteemed , as to the matter to think and purpose as he speaketh . ] for i plead for no more then this . object . but this is nothing to the principle that it proceedeth from ; special or common grace . answ. a true repentance , and saving faith , can come from none but a supernatural principle of special grace : and therefore he that professeth this repentance and faith , doth thereby profess that supernatural principle : therefore , if am bound to believe , that he speaks as he thinks , then i am bound to believe that he is a truly penitent believer , if he know his own heart : and he is liker to know it better then i. moreover he saith , that [ to ground a positive act of judgement , that a man is regenerate , in foro exteriori , there is requisite some seemingness of spiritual sincerity that is , that he doth it from a spiritual principle , motives , &c. ] to which i say , that a serious profession of faith and repentance , is a credible seemingness of faith and repentance . and he that professeth true faith and repentance , must needs profess them as from a spiritual principle , and motives , and to a spiritual end : for they cannot be from any other principle or motives ( principally ) nor to any other ultimate end. i am therefore forced to dissent from the main reason of this reverend brothers judgement herein , viz. [ that there cannot be had a p●sit●ve p●ob●ble evidence of this , ordinarily , without observation of a m●ns way after profession , for a time , &c. ] for though c●nf●ss , this is fuller evidence which he pleadeth for ▪ yet still i judge , that a sober ▪ s●rious profession is a credible evidence of the thing professed , till the person have quite forfeited the credit of his word . and ou●ward reformation may be forced or counterfeit , as well ( though not easily ) a● words . 〈◊〉 it was a saving faith and repentance which peter invited the i●ws to , act. and paul the ja●lor , act . &c. so doubt not , but they took the following profession of these men as a credible ev●dence of the same saving faith which they profest . argum. . that which hath evidence of credibili●y , ought to be believed . but the profession of men , or their bare words who have not forfeited the credit of their word● , hath evidence of credibility : therefore they ought to be believed . the major is undeniable , taking the measure of belief to be according to the measure of that evidence . the m●nor i prove . . from the ordination of nature . . from the consent of the world , and certain experience . nature hath not given one man an inspection into the breast of another ; nor hath god made any minister a searcher of hearts , and beholder of mens thoughts . . god hath made man capable of knowing in his own thoughts : though its true , that the heart is so deceitful , that there is a great difficulty of knowing them of our selves ; yet the meaning of that text , jer. , , . is concerning others , [ who can know it ? ] that is , [ who can know anothers heart ? ] but yet for all the deceitfulness , a certain measure of knowledge may be had . for , . man hath a certain knowledge of the evil of lying , and so a certain credibility naturally , or by the light of nature : as the examples of the very heathens can witness . . the tongue was created to be the index of the mind . though mans actual language be acquired , yet his tongue was made for that use . all this set together , shews , ex natura rei , that though the evidence be imperfect , yet an evidence it is . moreover , if there be such a thing as fides humana due among men , then there is such a thing as evidence of credibility . but the antecedent is true : therefore so is the consequent . he that denyeth the antecedent , . i suppose will consent that no man believes him . . and would not sure have any more converse used in the world . . and i would put it to the consideration of the contrary-minded , whether , if ordinarily there be no evidence of credibility in mens word , and professions be not to be taken as signs of the thing professed , it were not best , either to cut out mens tongues , or else forbear teaching our children to speak , and so let language perish from the earth . for , if it be ordinarily understood as meer lying , it would seem the best way to extirpate it by this means . . and i have also the consent and experience of the world on my side , of the credibility of the words even of common men in general . . all societies are established on the credit of mens words . princes and people enter their covenants upon the credit and confidence in each others words . . all affairs are managed on this supposition . the freest men in england do hold all their estates and lives upon the credit of the words , and common fidelity , that it is even in unregenerate men . they are sufficient witnesses at any bar. two of these by a false oath , might put a man to death ; and yet how seldom are such things done ? moreover , how much doth all history depend upon the word of of man ? yea , how much of humane credit do we make use of , to assure us , that these which we now have are the same scriptures that the apostles writ ; and that they are uncorrupted ? and how far ? and that these only are cannonical , &c. argum. . it is most suitable to the end of baptism , that the adult should be baptized upon a bare profession . for baptism is to be the sign and means of their solemn entrance into the church , and reception of a sealed pardon of sin , &c. now , if you would stay till men prove their sincerity by their holy lives , you will have them grow before they are well planted ; and give you full evidence of church membership , before they are rightly entred members : and sure this is not like to be a regular course . argum. . my last argument is , from the continued custom of the church of god ( which with paul was somewhat . ) i confess , the churches after the apostles daies did for divers ages prepare men long before they baptized them : true , they were catechumeni before they were fideles , or baptized , but . that was not that they might have experience of the sanctity of their lives , as the necessary qualification of the persons to be baptized , but it was that they might instruct them in the christian faith , that they might know what they did , and be fit to make an acceptable profession : and then , when they were prepared for such a profession , they took the bare profession it self as the evidence of the truth of the thing professed ; still supposing , that it was such a profession as is before described , and were not invalidate by contradiction , or the like : and therefore they did indeed expect , that those that lived in notorious scandalous sins should stop their course , and forbear the committing of them , as well as profess repentance for them : because that it would have nullified their profession , if they had commited the sin , even when they professed to repent of it . therefore austin in his tractate de fide & operibus , on that subject , would have none baptized that were guilty of living with concubines in fornication , unless they would actually put them away : and then promise to forsake them for the time to come : but he did not advise , that they should after all this , delay yet longer , to see whether they would make good that promise by their performance . i conclude therefore , that the apostles , and all the church having so long accepted of a bare verbal profession , we must do so too . objection . if we shall believe the professions of all or most men , we shall believe that to be true which is not true ; and we shall believe more lyes than truths ; for there are more that make false profession then a true and moreover , we shall administer the ordinances of god upon the credit of a lye , which seemeth a prophaning them . answ. . a known lye you may not , you cannot believe : and should you administer the ordinances upon a profession which is notorious false , you should prophane them . but if i believe a lyer when i cannot prove him such , that 's none of my sin , nay its m● duty . god made mens tongues to shew their minds : and so i am to take their words : but if they will abuse them to lying , that 's their own sin , and not mine . . if you would believe no man , till you are sure that he saith true , then you must believe no man in the world : for though you may know the thing to be true by other evidence , yet bel●eving him can give you no certainly of th● truth : for belief dependeth on the credit of the speaker . your argument therefore tendeth to the destroying of all humane faith , which is not to be endured . . it is but with a humane faith that we believe them : and therefore , we believe them but as deceitful fallible men who may possibly deceive us . it is not with such a faith as we owe to god , wherein we conclude the thing revealed to be so unquestionably true , as that it cannot possibly be false , because god cannot lye : yea it is with a divers degree of faith , that we believe divers persons , who are to us of divers degrees of credibility . and if after all this , we be deceived in the most , the sin is only in the deceiver . and as for us ; . we proceeded upon that evidence which nature it self directeth us to take : even a mans words , as the sign of his mind . . and upon that evidence which the holy examples of the apostles of christ have directed us to take ; who were not rashly venturous nor prophaners of gods ordinances . . and if we be indeed deceived in the most , or in many , it s rather a sign that we are in gods way , than out of it ; for as charity believeth all things ( credible ) so christ hath told us , that the tares and wheat must grow together , and that many are called and few chosen : and that in the end he will take out of his kingdom all things that offend , and them that work iniquity : therefore such there will be . object . . but it is now the custom of the countrey , and a matter of credit , to be christians in name ; and therefore all will be so ; and if you ask them whether they repent or believe , they will say , yea : therefore this is no credible profession ; though theirs was in the dayes of the apostles , when it hazarded their lives . answ. . the hazard that attendeth a mans words is not necessary to make them simply credible , though , as to the degrees , it makes them more credible : else we must believe no man but he that speaks to the hazard of his life . . the prosperity of the gospel will not warrant us to alter the rule of nature and scripture ; else the church must incurre greater difficulties in prosperity than in adversity , if prosperity forfeit all mens credit : and so men should be kept out in prosperity who may be admi●ted in adversity : when the church had peace and were edified , act . the apostles altered not their practice . . we have great cause to rejoyce when christianity is in so good credit , as that all profess it ; and so , respectively , we may be glad when there are so many hypocrites ; that is , when persecutors befriend the truth which they persecuted , and when the gospel is in so much honour . and though i am not of their mind that think it the first prescribed end of the institution , that sacraments and church-state should be the means of conversion ; yet i doubt not but god , foreknowing that many hypocrites would unjustly intrude , hath so fitted his ordinances as to be advantagious to their conversion when they have intruded . he calleth not any to come into his church without saving faith and repentance , nor is he consenting to any mans lying profession , nor unworthy approach to baptism or the lords supper ; but yet they that do come unworthily and unwarrantably , do find that there , which tendeth to their conversion , and frequently effecteth it : and this , i think , is the true mean between their doctrine who maintain , that the sacrament is prescribed as a converting ordinance , and the unconverted are called to it ; and theirs that say simply , it is not a converting ordinance . object . . this is the way to fill the church with hypocrites , and ungodly ones ; and that breeds all our stir , while they scandadalize their profession , and will not be ruled . answ. . it is gods way , and then no inconvenience will disgrace it . . we are foretold ( as is said ) that many are called , and few chosen , and the church will have many unfound professors to the end of the world . . when they are in the church , they are under teaching , and discipline to inform them : or if they be o●stinate in gross evil , to reject them . . god will have a wide difference between the church in heaven , and on earth . object . . then we must admit a drunkard or whoremonger that still lyeth in his sin , if a bare verbal profession will serve the turn . answ. no. you must see , that with his profession of repentance , he do forsake the sin repented of : or else he contradicteth and invalidateth his profession . if a man in his drunkenness come to be baptized , and profess to hate drunkenness , he actually giveth his tongue the lye. if a man swear that he hateth swearing , he contradicteth himself ; and we have no reason to believe him . if a whoremonger keep his concubine while he professeth to repent , he doth one thing , and saith another : so that this doth not follow . object . . it was believing with all the heart that philip required of the eunuch ; and such a believing a● had the promise of salvation , as paul and silas required of the jaylor . answ. true : and it s such that we require . but philip and paul took a bare present profession as the evidence of that faith which they must accept : and so must we . object . . but then we shall apply the seal to a blank . answ. by a blank , if you mean , one that you ought not to apply it to , and that hath no right in foro ecclesiae , i deny it : but , if you mean , one that is not actually the subject of gods promise , and to whom god is not actually obliged , ( but conditionally , as he is to heathens , ) and one that hath no proper right coram deo , or deo judice , as shall justifie his claim and receiving before god , so i grant that we set the seal to a blank . but that 's not our sin , but his . and here i desire the objectors carefully to note , that it is gods design in the gospel , so to order things , that the actual application shall first be the act of the sinner himself . god by his ministers indeed will be the first offerer ; and the spirit in the elect shall be the first exciter : but the first actual apprehender must be the sinner , and then the ministers application , by the seals , is in order to come after mens own application . for man is to be the chooser or refuser of his own salvation , ( which clemens alexandrinus giveth as a reason , why in those times of the church , [ when some , as the custom is , have divided the eucharist , they permit every one of the people to take his own part : for every mans own conscience is best fitted to the act of choosing or refusing . ] stromat . lib , . pag. . ) so that we are but to follow them with the seal ; and therefore the applying or refusing act must be first theirs : and theirs as professed , is the director of ours . and therefore as it is their sin , and not ours , if they reject christ ; and their faith , and not ours , by which he is chosen to be theirs ; so it is their sin , and not ours , if a misapplication be made of the external ordinance by them ; and so we take not an invalid profession , we are bound to follow their profession ; for god never appointed heart searchers to administer his seals . object . . but wicked men know not their own hearts , and therefore are uncapable of making a credible profession . answ. they may know them better them i can . the intellect hath naturally a power of knowing it self & the will : though its true that the wicked have many difficulties in the way . . they profess now that they are not wicked , but converted : therefore you must not take it for granted that they are wicked , because they were so unless you can prove it ; and if you prove them wicked , when they profess the contrary , then indeed you invalidate their profession , but not by proving that they were formerly wicked . object . . but though all this hold of heathens or infidels newly pretending to be converted , and so coming for baptism , yet it will not hold of professing parents that bring their children to baptism , or of such as come to the lords supper . for such have been long in the church already , and therefore must follow the truth of their profession by a holy conversation . answ. i grant this : and withall that the pastor should be as diligent as he can to know the conversations of his people . but withall i still say , . that , as it was sufficient at his first admittance that he made a verbal profession ; so the same obligation lyeth on the minister and people to believe his word still , till he forfeit his credit , as it did at the first . a verbal profession is still as obligatory to us for belief , though more be required in him to second it . . and therefore i say , that if a minister through the numero usness of his flock , or want of ability , or opportunity , or other causes ( yea culpable in himself ) shall be ignorant of the lives of his people , he is to credit their profession , and not on that account to deny them gods ordinances . . they therefore that will exclude any , for want of a holy life , must bring a certain proof of his unholiness of life ; for they can require no more proof from him of his holiness , but that he professeth it : and so i grant that as he professed repentance and faith at first entrance , so he is now to profess that he continueth therein , and walketh holy before god. and if he do but say that he doth this , no man can reject him till he first disprove him , supposing him to be a member of his pastoral charge , or otherwise obliged to administer it to him , if fit . those therefore that will have any mans children kept from baptism , for their parents unholiness , or persons kept from the supper , must not expect that men bring proof to them of their holiness beyond their profession of it , but must deal by them as by other notorious offenders , even admonish them of their unholy carriages ; and if he hear not , take witness , and then call the church ; and if he hear not the church , then he must he rejected ; and not denyed the communion of the church upon every mans uncharitable presumptions , or so heavily punished before he be judged or heard . . and they must know that it is hainous evils indeed that will prove a professor certainly ungodly ; and therefore they must look well to the validity of their proof . obj. . but they have forfeited the credit of their words , by their covenant-breaking and wicked lives . answ. it must be a breach of the covenant as owned by themselves at age , that must be sufficient to prove that . . and that more then once . for once failing doth not forfeit the credit of a man's word . . and these violations must be proved , and not barely affirmed . . yea it must be proved that he doth at the present , or hath of late lived in violation of former covenants . otherwise repentance manifested by reformation repaireth his reputation . obj. . the text cited in the following disputation proveth that the apostles took all the members of the church to be saints , adopted , justified , &c. but we cannot think thus of all that now profess themselves christians , without being unreasonable . answ. sometimes the apostles denominate the whole church from the better part , as we call that a corn-field which hath many tares . and sometimes , being not heart-searchers , nor knowing the falshood of particular men's professions , they speak of them according to their profession , which the law of nature and of christ commandeth us to believe , though only with such a humane faith , as may be mixt with much jealousie and fear of the contrary , concerning many of them , which the same apostles also frequently manifested . but yet as they must believe charitably , so must they speak charitably , of the professors of true christianity . besides those objections , many particular texts are urged by some to prove that it is only the regenerate and such as shall be saved , that are to be added to the church ; which i shall not now stand to answer particularly ; but only give this general answer to them all : if they mean only such as are really sanctified and sincere , or elect , then we must admit none , because we know not one man to be such ; but if they mean only those that seem to be such i have proved already , that their own profession of what is in their hearts , out of our sight , is to be taken for such a seeming , and doth qualifie them to be visible members of the church for as the matter of the church as invisible , is true beleivers and saints ; so the matter of the church as visible , is the professors of that faith and holiness and their seed . besides what hath been said in general arguments to prove the proposition , i had thought to have gone over many particular arguments from several texts of scripture , partly giving us examples of such as by gods approbation have taken professions as credible evidences of the things professed ; and partly in precepts requiring a charitable credulity towards our brethren ; but because i conceive the last so plan as to need no more , i w●ll forbear this till i hear that it seemeth necessary . but yet there 's one other objection to be met with . those that feel this proposition pull down the principles of schism or unjust separation , which they are engaged in , or inclined to , do object , that if a bare profession may admit to baptism , then it may admit to the lords supper , and to the priviledges of ●hurch-members ; and so church-ordinances , and priviledges shall be dispensed upon bare words and formalities , and so made nothing of . to which i answer ; are you able to search and know the heart ? can you discern sincerity by an infall●ble judgment ? i know none but mr. trask that pretended to it . and if you cannot , and know you cannot , then you must be found to take up with fallible signs your selves . and those signs you may as well call meer formalities , as you do this in question . . and if we must needs take up with fallible signs , is it not better to follow the scripture examples proposed to our imitation ▪ then to frame a new way of our own : especially when the law of nature and nations doth consent with scripture , and the contrary opinion proceedeth from a dividing principle , and tendeth to division . . make as diligent search as you can after the sincerity of your flock , as to their more profitable use of ordinances , but make no other conditions of their right , then god hath made . . it is onely a profession that 's serious , voluntrary , not contradicted prevalently by word or life , which you must take , as is before described . and do you take it to be so unreasonable a matter to believe a man fide humana , who speak's of his own heart which another cannot see , when you can bring no evidence to disprove his words ? if you know any thing by his life that certainly proves his profession false , admonish him of it in the order that christ hath directed you to , till he either hear the church , or be rejected by the church , or at least , by not hearing the church , do give you cause to take him as a heathen or publican : but be not so much against the scripture , and . all discipline that ever the church hath used . and against common justice and reason as to do this by men on your own private judgement , without evidence , and a just tryal , and once hearing them speak for themselves , and many do that will unchurch a whole parish , and gather a new one , on supposition of the invalidity of a bare profession , and on supposition that most are ignorant and ungodly , before they have ever once accused them particularly , or dealt with , or excluded any of them in the way that christ appointeth . if i certainly knew that in this parish there were unregenerate persons , and not or truly regenerate , and yet knew not particularly which the unregenerate persons were , i ought not to cast out one man from the church upon any such account . object . but with what comfort can the godly have communion with the societies that are so mixt with multitudes of the ungodly ? answ. if they do not their duty in admoishing the offenders , and labouring to heal the diseased members , and to reform the church in christs appointed way , mat. . . then you may well ask [ with what comfort can such professors live in the sinful neglect of their own duty ? ] but if they faithfully do their own part , how should the sins of others ●e their burden , unless by way of common compassion ? and how have gods servant in all ages of the church to this day received comfort in such mixt communion ? these objectors shew that they seek more of their comfort in men then is meet ; or that they discomfort themselves with their own fancies , when they have no cause of discomfort given them from without , but what must be born to the end of the world by al that wil walk in the waies of christ. object . but it is the communion of saints , that we believe and must endeavour . answ. true internal spiritual communion with hearty saints ; and external communion with professed saints for real saints in heart are unknown to us . ob. but the greater part do not so much as profess to be saints . answ. they that profess to believe in god the father , son and holy ghost , and to renounce the world , the flesh and the devil , do profess to be saints : so do they that profess to repent of all sin , and to be willing to live according to the word of god : but i meet but with very few that will not profess all this . object . they will say these words indeed , but in the mean time they will scorn at godliness , or disclaim it by their lives . answ. those that do so , must be dealt with in christs way as church-members , till either they hear the church , or be rejected for their impenitency ; but you must not dare upon this account to unchurch whole parishes , nor ordinarily any one person that hath not been dealt with in the order that christ hath appointed . to conclude this disputation : i find that the two things before mentioned , are great occasions of the proneness of many godly people to schism . the one is , because they do not understand that christ hath so contrived in it the gospel , that every man shall be either the introducter of himself by profession , or the excluder of himself by the rejection of christianity . and so that all church admissions or rejections shall be but the consequents of his own choice that the chief comfort , or the blame may be upon himself : and this is partly from the admirable freedom and extensiveness of gospel grace , which the sons of grace should glorifie and rejoyce in , and not murmur at , and dishonour ; and partly from the wise dispensations of our legislator , that he may deal with men on clear grounds in their absolution , or condemnation , before all the world . . the other cause of the schismatical inclination of some godly people , is , the great mistake of too many in confining all the fruits of christs death , and the mercies or graces of god to the elect ; and so not considering the difference that there ever was and will be between the visible church of professors , and the invisible church of true believers . alas brethren , ( in the name of christ let me speak it to your hearts ) do you grudge a few common priviledges , to common professors , when you have the best and choysest part your selves ! you have christ himself , and do you grudg them the name of christians , or the bare symbole or signs of his body and blood ? you have sincerity of faith and repentance , and answerably you have true remission and reconciliation : they have the profession of faith and repentance , and do you grudg them the empty signs of a remission which they have lost by their hypocrisie and unbelief ? you have inward communion with christ in the spirit , as you have inward faith : do you grudg an extern●l communion with the church to them that have the external profession of faith ? o remember that the net of the gospel bringeth good and bad to the shore , and the tares must grow with the wheat till harvest , and then is the time that you shall have your desire . the second disputation . quest. whether ministers must or may baptize the children of those that profess not saving faith , upon the profession of any other faith that comes short of it ? it may seem strange that after . years use of christian baptism , the ministers of the gospel should be yet unresolved to whom it doth belong ; yet so it is . and i observe that it is a question that they are now very solicitous about . and i cannot blame them ; it being not only about a matter of divine appointment : but a practical of such concernment to the church . i shall upon this present occasion , give you my thoughts of it , as briefly as i can ; which contain nothing that i know of which is new or singular , but the explication and vindication of the commonly received truth . we here suppose that baptism is still a needfull ordinance of christ , and that infants are to be baptized , and that ministers are the persons that should baptize them : so that it is none of our work at this time either to defend the ordinance it self against the seekers , nor the subjects [ as to their age ] against the anabaptists : nor the agents against the papists or others . nor are we now to enquire who are those ministers that are authorized hereto , or what is necessary to their calling and authority . but supposing these matters already determined , our present business is to enquire what that faith is that qualifieth persons to be the just subjects of baptism , or to be such , whose children may receive it upon the account of their faith or profession ? i shall not needlesly spend time in seeking to make plain those terms that are already as plain as i can make them . . what professing is , i have shewed in another determination of the like nature , and i think all understand that it is as much as palam vel publicè fateor . . by [ faith ] we mean not the object of faith , the doctrine believed only or primarily , but the persons own belief of the doctrine , and reception o● christ. . by [ saving ] faith , we mean not to intimate that any faith of its own nature can procure our salvation : nor that it doth of its own nature ( in specie ) as the nearest reason , justifie a sinner , nor is any way a proper efficient cause , natural , or political , instrumental , or meritorious , or any other , of a sinners justification , but that it is that which the donor of christ and life , hath made the condition of our participation of his free-gift , and so doth morally qualifie the subject to be an apt recipient . . because there are many other competitors : we comprehend them all under the next words [ upon the profession of any other faith that comes short of it ] . . we enquire whether we either [ must ] or [ may ] baptize such , and suppose that the [ licet ] and the [ oportet ] do here go together , so that what we may do , we must do , supposing our own call : as no doubt what we must do , we may do . but yet that i be not mistaken ( which is a danger not easily escaped when i have done the best i can to be understood ) i shall further tell you what i mean by saving faith , that is , what i take it to be . . what i mean by profession , and what i take that to be . . what are those other sorts that stand up in competition with this , as a sufficient qualification . . and then i shall adjoyn some necessary distinctions . . and so lay down my thoughts in some propositions . . and then prove that which determineth the question . . and lastly i shall answer the arguments that are brought against it , and for the contrary claim . and note through the whole , that if i do at any time call this profession a ttile , it is in compliance with other mens language , it being my own sence , that neither the ●aith nor the profession is properly a title , which is fundamentum juris , and so an efficient cause , but only a condition of a title . . that if i say it [ giveth ] right or title , i mean not efficiently , as if we could give a right to our selves , but only that it is the condition which performed by us , doth morally qualifie us to receive it as freely given . . by saving faith , i mean , an unfeigned belief of the truth of the gospel , with an unfeigned acceptance of christ , who is there of●ered to be our sufficient and only saviour , from the guilt of sin by his blood and merits , and from the power of it by his spirit also , and to bring us to glory in the fruition of god. or it is a sinners assent to the truth of the gospel in the essentials , and a sincere consent that god be immediately our only god , and christ our only saviour , and the holy ghost our only sanctifier , and we his people in these relations . i say immediately , that is , at present because if it be only a consent to be such hereafter , it is not saving . or as the assembly say , it is the embracing of jesus christ freely offered to us in the gospel ; or it is a saving grace , whereby we receive and rest upon jesus christ alone for salvation , as he is offered to us in the gospel . it is in those respects that are essential to the office o the redeemer and saviour . . by profession i mean in the proper sense that which hath something present for its object or subject professed ; and difference it from a promise which is onely of something future for it is a present assent and consent that is to be professed though withal the object of this professed consent must be both the present and future relation to christ ; viz , that he be our saviour and we his saved people from this time forth and for ever . so that a certain promise de futuro ( in the strength of grace ) may be said to be made , in that a man must profess his consent both de presente et de futuro . but still though it be to a future relation to christ as well as a presen● , yet is it ever to a preesent as well as a future : it is a present consent , that christ be presently my only saviour , or a present acceptance of him to be presently my only saviour that i must profess . note also that it is not a profession that this faith of mine is indeed sincere justifying or saving faith , that i speak of : but it is a profession of such a faith as indeed is justifying : for many a thousand profess that faith which is justifying , and yet know it not to be justifying while they profess it , nor know not that they do with a saving sincerity believe . not one godly person i think of ten thousand , would deny consent that christ shall be presently their saviour , and yet most of them know not that this consent is saving . if you ask them , [ are you heartily willing to have christ to save you both from the guilt and reign of sin , and to glorifie you ? ] and they will say yea withal their hearts ? or at least , [ yea , if i know my own heart . ] and yet at the same time may doubt whether they be true believers . but as it is the having of saving faith that is necessary to salvation , and not the knowledge that we have it ; so a man may profess that faith which is saving , and yet not profess that he knows it to be saving : and it is not the latter , but the former that the minister must expect from people in baptism . . we are next to consider , what are the competitors which we now exclude ? there are divers qualifications that are pleadded as necessary to those that must be baptized : and our question is , which of all these is it indeed that may warrant a claim , or warrant our practice ? . the condition that some require in all that must be baptized , is assurance or firm perswasion that they are true believers , or have their sins pardoned by christ , by his promise , which they now come to have sealed . . another condition pretended as necessary is not such assurance it self , because we know it not , but a profession of such assurance to the chu●ch . these are both so groundlesly pleaded , and by so few ( that are neer us ) that i think it not meet to trouble you with them any more . . a condition pretended to be necessary , is , a true justifying faith . this also is a mistake : but yet how far it is necessary to a true right , i shall open anon ; none of these three are meant by us in the question : for these are not short of saving faith , though we exclude the necessity of these , as is said . . another qualification pleaded necessary and sufficient to the ends expressed in the question , is , [ a profession of a saving faith ] which is it that we are to defend . . a fifth claim is laid upon the pretended sufficiency of a faith short of justifying . but you will perhaps say , what faith is that ? those words tell us what faith it is not , viz. it is not justifying faith , but they tel us not what faith ●t is . ] to which i must say , i know not my self , nor can i learn of all the writings of those that go that way , so perplexed and confounded , or uncertain are they , saying sometime one thing , and sometime another . but i shall have a fitter opportunity to enquire further into their mind or words anon . . another claim is laid upon the pretended sufficiency of the profession of a faith short of that by which we are ju●●ified . i say , the profession as distinct from that faith it self , which the former claim made mention of . some other there are , that yet go lower , and think we may baptize any that consent to be baptized , though they profess no faith at all , nor their parents , nor pro-parents neither . and there have been so some foolish as to think that it is a work of charity to catch them and bap●ize them , whether they will or not . but it is not our present business to deal with these . the great adversary that we have here to deal with , is the papists : and i shall in few words shew you part of their doctrine which we are now to oppose . their great fundamental error on which they build their tottering babel and tyrannical usurpation , is this : that the catholike ●hurch is one political society , united in one visible head , and governed by those that hold their power from him , or at least are ruled by him , and are conjoyned under these overseers in one profession of faith and use of sacraments . bellarmines words are these ( de eccles. lib. . ) nostra autem sententia est ecclesiam unam tantum esse , non duas ; et illam unam et veram esse coetum hominum ejusdem christianae fidei professione , et eorundem sacramentorum communione colligatum , sub regimine legitimorum pastorum , ao praecipue unius christi in terris vicarii , romani pontificis . and he addeth afterward [ hoc interest inter sententiam nostram et alias omnes , quod omnes aliae requirunt internas virtutes ad constituendum aliquem in ecclesia , et propterea ecclesiam veram invisibilem faciunt : nos autem et credimus in ecclesia inv●niri omnes virtutes , fidem , spem , charitatem , et caeteras : tamen ut aliquis aliquo modo dicipossit pars verae ecclesiae , de qua scripturae loquuntur , non putamus requiri ullam internam virtutem , sed tantum externam professionem fidei et sacramentorū communionem , quae sensu ipso percipitur . ecclesia enim est coetus hominum ita visibilis , palpabilis , ut est coetus populi romani , vel regnum galliae , aut respublica venetorum . ] yet other papists be not so strict with us , but that they will distinguish between the professing church and the true believing church . and bellarmine in the next words citeth a passage as austins , which he commendeth ; which maketh faith , hope and charity to be the soul of the church ; and the external profession of faith and use of sacraments to be the body of it ; and some persons to be in it in one respect only , some in the other only , and some in both . they confess indeed that of duty , men should be found believers at the first ; but ordinarily they say , that is not to be expected and therefore they are first to be entered into the church ( this visible church ) by baptism , that this may be a means to bring them higher : and by this entrance they are put under right guides , and into the true body , and so are fed with true ordinances , yea , with christs body and blood ; and so are in the way to a true spiritual state . the terms on which they must be admitted they say , into this political church ( which is not the holiest of all ) is a profession of faith , and a consent to be a member of the society , and to be under those pastors , and use those ordinances in order to further growth : so that these they suppose to have a true faith , and to be such as have right to this church state ; but yet to be but in the way to a special saving faith . for theirs is but fides informis , or meer faith , which is onely assent ( say they ) joyned with the foresaid consent to live in a church state : but when love is added , then it is fides charitate formata ; and then they are become of the true spiritual society , and have part in the soul as well as in the body of the church , so that though they desire fidem formatam in all , yet it is not to be expected that so much as a profession of it be exacted of those that enter into the first order by baptism ; but when they enter into a retired monastical life , then it must be expected ; and it is found in all that are fully justified . for , say they , baptism which entreth men into the visible church , doth put away their original sin , and justifie them ( that is , change them ) in tantum , viz. from heathenism , or infidelity , if they lay in it before ; but it doth not justifie them from their more spiritual latent sins , such as lie in the heart , and keep out the power of grace , but it is the work of special grace ( which is given upon the good use of their church state and ordinances ) that doth this by giving them fidem formatam , with charity and hope . among all this there is some truth and some error : we confess that the church is one political society or republ●ck ; but not headed by men , but only by christ , the several particular churches being as so many distinct corporations that all make up this one republick ; and are conjoyned internally by faith , love and obedience to the same lord and laws , and externally by the use of the same confession , worship . &c. and holding correspondency and brotherly communion as far as occasion and natural capacity shall enable them : but not united in one visible frame of policy , so as to be under the same governors , some as subordinate , and one person or a general council being the supream . no more then all the schools in england or in the world must have such a political constitution , and government by combinations of schoolmasters . we confess also that the church is but one as well as they , & that they are to make the same profession and use the same worship , in regard of which they are called visible members , and the church a visible church ; as by reason of their faith and the spirit within them , it is called invisible : as if we should distinguish a man into visible and invisible in respect to his body and soul ; which make not two men : we confess also that there is an ineffectual faith of assent that goeth without a hearty consent : and that many are to be admitted by us into the visible church by baptism ( by solemnization ) upon a bare profession , who have not faith either of one sort or other . and we confess that such as so remain in the church , do live under those benefits and means which have a special tendence to their true conversion . but yet we very much d●ffer in this . the papists make the primary sense of the word church , to be of the visible church as the samosius significatum , and therefore they say that to be entred by baptism , . into a profession of assent , . into communion in ordinances , and . under one and the same government , or external policy , is all that is requisite to make a church-member . but we say that the first and famosius significatum is the whole multitude of true believers that have the spirit of god , and his saving grace ; and that it is one and the same church that is called first mystical , as being called out of the world to christ by true faith : and then visible , because of their profession of that same faith : and therefore if any profess that faith who are without it , these are members but secundum quid , or equivocally , as the hair and the nails are members of the body , which indeed are no members in the proper and first sense : or as a wooden leg is a member , or as a body without a soul is a man : or as the peas or chaff and straw are corn : the body may be said to be part of the man , when it is animated : but a corps or body that never was animated is not properly a part : the straw and chaff are called part of the corn-field ( though indeed but appurtenances to the corn ) but if there were no corn , they should have no such title , and when they are separable they shall lose it . moreover , t is not a profession of the same faith that the papists and we maintain to be necessary to church entrance . for they require as necessary , only a profession of the dogmatical or historical faith of assent aforesaid , with a consent to subjection and use of ordinances : but we require a profession of that faith which hath the promise of pardon and salvation : they take their church-entrance to be a step towards saving conversion , and formed faith : we take it quoad primam intention●m christi ordinantis , to be an entrance among the number of the converted true believers : and that it is accidental through their failing and hypocrisie , that any ungodly are in the church and so enjoy it's external priviledges : and that if we could know them to be such , they should not be there , it being the work of the gathering ministry to bring men to true faith and repentance , and of the edifying perfecting ministry to build them up and bring them on . and the papists themselves having received by tradition a form of words to be used in baptism which are sounder then their doctrine , and which in the true sence do hold forth all that we say , are put to their shifts by palpable mis-interpretation to deprave their own form . they do themselves require of the baptized a profession that he believe in the father , son , and holy ghost : and when we prove that this is justifying faith and that to [ believe in ] doth signifie affiance ; the papists say it is but a naked assent or historical faith : and when themselves require the ●aptized to ●enounce the devil , the world and the flesh , they say that this sign●fieth no more but that at present they profess so far to renou●ce them as to enter into the visible church , as the way to a future saving ab●enunciation . and when themselves do dedicate the person to christ , they say it is but directly to his church ( that is , to leave the world of infidels , and be numbred with the visible church ) as the means to a saving sanctification . and these notions they have filed and formed more exactly of late than heretofore , to make the snare more apt to catch the simple ; still magnifying to the uttermost the visible church-state as the only way to a state of justification and salvation . but yet as our divines have observed against him , bellarmine himself , when he hath superficially pleaded his own cause , doth frequently , in the pleading it , let fall such words at unawares that do destroy it , and grant what we say . as lib , . de eccles. cap. . he saith [ verissime etiam dici potuisse ecclesiam fidelium , id est , eorum qui veram fidem habent in corde , unam esse : ecclesia enim praecipuè & ex intentione sideles tantum colligit ; cum autem adm●scentur aliqui ficti , & qui vere non credunt , id accidit praeter intentionem ecclesiae . si enim eos nôsse posset , nunquam admitteret , aut casu admissos continuò excluderet . ] yet i confess it is but his nudus ascensus or fides informis that he seemeth here too mean. i pray you read over especially his . chap. ibid. there ( pag. ) he answereth one of our objections thus [ ad ultimum dico , malos non esse membra viva corporis christi ; & hoc significari illis scripturis . ad id quod addebatur igitur sunt aequivocè membra &c. ] a multis solet concedi , malos non esse membra vera , nec simpliciter corporis ecclesiae sed tantum secundum quid & aequivocè . ita johan . turrecremata , l. . . ubi id probat ex alex. de ales , hugone , & d. thoma : idem etiam docent petrus à soto , melchior canus , & alii●qui tamen etsi dicant malos non esse mēbra vera , dicūt nihilominus verè esse in eeclesia , sive in corpore ecclesiae , & esse simpliciter sideles sen christianos : neque enim solae mēbra sunt in corpore sed etiam humores , dentes , pili , & alia quae non sunt membra . neque sideles aut christiani dicuntur tales à charitate , sed à side sive ù fidei profes●ione . ] it appeareth then that the papists are put of late to refine this fundamental doctrine of theirs , from the soundness that it formerly had among themselves and to fit it more to their own turns . and i blame them not , because their whole kingdom lyeth on it ; and would be subverted utterly , if the foresaid exposition hold ( which is so much like to ours . ) it s a cutting objection which turned bellarmine out of his rode . [ at si ita est , sequitur pontificem malum non esse c●put ecclesiae ; & alios episcopos , si m●li sunt , non esse capita suarum ecclesiarum : caput enim non est humor , aut pilus , sed membrum & quidem praecipuum . ] this put him on distinguishing : and yet at last he could bring it but to this , [ dico episcopum malum , presbyterum malum , doctorem malum , esse mēbra mortua , & perinde non vera corporis christi , quantū attinet ad rationem mēbri , ut est pars quaedam vivi corporis , tamen esse verissima membra in ratione instrumenti , id est , pap●m & episcopos esse vera capita , &c. & ratio est , quia membra viva constituuntur per charitatē ; qua imp●i carent : at instrumenta operativa constituuntur per potestatem sive ordinis sive jurisdictionis . ] and what is this more then the wooden leg , or silver teeth , which our divines compare them to ? but the new papists , since bellarmine , do see a necessity of a further distinguishing the church as a visible political society , from the church as truly sanctified : but that which we and all the ancients do make to be but the profession distinct from the thing professed , the body distinct from the soul ; the chaff distinct from the wheat ; the shell distinct from the kernel ; they make to be as the lower order which is the way to a higher , as the alphabet or lower rudiments , which are the way to grammar ; as an apprentiship to a trade ; i mean as a state of preparation , to a state of infallible salvation . and because it favoureth their main design , they seem to draw near to the same conceit which they were wont falsly to fasten on the protestants , viz. that there are two ●hurches , one political and visible , the other regenerate & invisible . and bellarmine confesseth that some of them were of this mind in his time . and all this stir is , that they may advance their visible church in the estimation of men , & thereby the more easily keep the rule in their own hands , and exalt themselves above scripture , and draw as many as may be into their society : and therefore they drive the poor ignorant americans by hundreds to be baptized , as we drive our beasts to watering , or our sheep to be washed ; and in stead of staying till they make profession of a saving faith with any seeming seriousness , they make baptism an entrance into the state of the catechumeni , which was wont to be the passage thence into the state of christians : that per fas aut nefas they may engage people to themselves under pretence of engaging them to christ ; therefore it is that they so over extoll the visible political state of the church , as dr. prideaux saith , lect. de visibil . eccles . pag. . [ experti demum perciperunt , externam ecclesiae pompam , & speciosos titulos apud instabiles , plus lucrari , quam non lectam , vel saltem non intellectam scripturae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . hinc ecclesiam ad ravint usque crepant catholicam ; quam admissam , statim restringunt ad romae synagogam , suco quidem veteratorio , sed conspicuo satis , & ridiculo , ut ex conficta ecclesia formeiur doctrina , & non ex veritate doctrinae reformetur & firmetur ecclesia ] the chief adversaries therefore we have here to deal with , are the papists , who over-magnifie the visible face of the church , & make the faith of men unjustified , to be true faith , though not formatacharitate , and make hypocrites , and and wicked professors , to be truly and properly fideles and members of the church , whom the protestants affirm to be but secundum quid , materially , analogically , yea equivocally called members or fideles ; and therefore they make baptism to be an appointed means to admit men into this visible political church , as into the ordinary way and passage to the state of saving grace , or justification ; but not ordinarily into the present possession of it : and therefore in conformity to all this they maintain that we must admit persons to baptism , upon the bare profession of faith , that is , assent , with consent to be under the government of the church and the use of ordinances in order to be a better state . for saith bellarmine , it is not charity but faith which makes a christian : which our divines admit as true in our sense of the word faith which includeth the will , and is proper to the truly regenerate ; but they deny it in his sense of it , who maketh faith to be the only assent of the intellect . against this adversary therefore i shall principally bend the force of my arguments , though to my great trouble , i must be forced to deal also with a reverend brother of our own ; especially in answering his many fallacious arguments which he hath lately heaped up for that part which i must oppose . . before i can positively answer the question in hand , i must premise these few necessary distinctions . . we must distinguish between a profession of faith according to the ministers sense of the words ; and a profession according to the speakers sense . . between the children of those that profess not saving faith , as theirs , and claiming baptism on the account of some lower profession ; and the same children as owned by some other that do profess saving faith . . between the unlawfulness of baptizing , and the nullity of the baptism . those distinctions that are necessary for the answering of the objections , will come in their places . upon these few i answer the question negatively , explained in the following propositions . . it is not a profession of saving faith in the real intention of the professor that we affi●m necessary ; but in the apprehension of the minister judging of the words according to their common use and acception : for we know not the heart of the professor , and therefore know not certainly whether he intend those words as a profession or not . i do not mean , whether he be sincere in his profession , and intend the thing professed ▪ for that 's no part of the profession it self : but i mean whether he use the words which he speaks in the sense which they seem to us to import , and which they are used in by those that best understand their common signification . for example : a papist presenteth a child to be baptized , professing to believe in god the father , son and holy ghost : i know that these words according to the scripture use of them ▪ signifie a true saving fa●th ; but i am not sure whether the speaker do understand any more by them then a lower faith of meer assent . if i knew he meant no more , i would require him to express a saving faith , before i would baptize his child , on his account : but if i know it not , nor have just reason to question it , i must take the words as they are commonly used , and seem to be intended by him and so if it appear to me to be a profession of saving faith , though i err and my errour be innocent , it is my duty to baptize the child . i have known a man of eighty years of age that took god the son , to be the sun in the firmament : if , before i had understood him , this man had professed to believe in god the father , son and holy ghost , and presented his child to baptism with this profession ( and i had no ground before to suspect his error , or to examine him about his faith ) it had been my duty to baptize his child . for though in the intended sense of the speaker , here was not so much as the profession of an historical faith , much less of a saving faith , yet i know not his heart , and the common use of those words as to another signification than he intended ; and therefore i was innocent in being deceived . . i meddle not here with the claim that is laid upon the account of the ancestors , adopters , or undertakers that profess saving faith ; but only with the claim laid on the account of parents , or any others that profess not saving faith . . when i assert the unlawfulness , i do not intend thereby to assert the nullity of all such baptism , when performed , though unlawfully : for though it may be null or vain as to the special uses and benefits , yet it followeth not that therefore it is null as to the true form and being of the externall ordinance ; nor that this is to be re-iterated . and with these explications i affirm that ministers may not baptize the children of those that profess not saving faith , upon the profession of any other faith that comes short of it . and here you must remember that our question supposeth the determination of the controversie [ whether the same faith that is necessary in the aged themselves if they were to be baptized , be necessary to their childrens baptism on their account ] for it seems strange to me , that any should imagine that a lower belief in the parent will help his child to a title , than that which is necessary to his own baptism . but if any will insist on such a conceit , because we will not now make more controversies , then that in hand , let such all along suppose our dispute to be about the aged themselves , whether we might baptize the aged upon the profession of any faith short of saving . and i thus prove the contrary . argum. . if we must not baptize any who profess not true repentance , then must we not baptize any that profess not saving faith . but the antecedent is true ( speaking of the adult . concerning whom as the more noble subject we shall carry on the argumentation for brevity : still implying the l●ke necessity of their professing saving faith , for their childrens baptism as for their own ) therefore &c. the consequence of the major , i prove thus . . true repentance and saving faith are inseparable ; therefore if one be of necessity , so is the other , and the profession of true repentance cannot be separated from the profession of saving faith ; therefore if one be necessary , so is the other . some learned divines take repentance and faith to be all one ; some take repentance to be part of faith : but all take it to be as inseparable from it . it were easie by describing the requisite professions of both to shew that they are so interwoven , that no man can profess the one w●thout the other : but i think it is needless , because few will deny it . by repentance here i mean that true evangelical repentance which is a special grace of god accompanying salvation ; and not any common preparatory repentance . the antecedent is easily proved from scripture : and i know not whether any protestant deny it : many papists indeed distinguish of repentance and faith , and say , that it is only a profession of a preparatory repentance and sides informis , a faith without love , that is necessarily to be expected from them . ( before baptism ) . but i prove the contrary . . that repentance . . and such as is proper to the effectually called , is necessary to be professed by all that we may baptize . i will joyn the proof of both together . argum. . if john baptist required the profession of true repentance in men before he would baptize them , then so must we . but john did so : therefore . the consequence is clear . . for either johns baptism and christs were the same , as most of our divines against the papists do maintain ; ( though zanchy and some few more follow the judgement of the ancient doctors in this ) or as calvin institut . saith , the difference seems to be but this , that john baptized them into the messiah to come , and the apostles into the name of the messiah already come . . or if the difference be greater , we may argue à fortiori ; if johns baptism required a profession of repentance , then much more christs : for certainly christ required not less then john , nor did he take the impenitent into his kingdom whom john excluded . the antecedent i prove . . from mark , . he preached 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] and doubtless that repentance which is in remissionem peccatorum , is true special repentance . one of our divines , and many of the papists have found out another evasion : that is , that john did engage them to repent , but not requiring a profession or repentance as foregoing baptism . but . this is against the whole current of expositors , ancient and modern , and . against the plain scope of the text . the words in mat. . . are , [ they were baptized of him in jordan , confessing their sins ] this confession was with , yea before their baptism : and this confession was the profession of the repentance that john required . maldonate on the text , having first railed at calvin and slandered him , as turning baptism into preaching ( as if he had expounded johns baptizing , not of water-baptism but preaching , when he only shews that both should go together ) doth tell the protestants that they cannot prove by this text that confession went before baptism , because it is named after : but that he might not seem utterly impudent , he confesseth that the thing is true , and that it is the sense of the text and that this he confesseth because he must rather be a faithfull expositor , then a subtile adversary . and if any should say that it 's only confession that 's required , which is no certain sign of true repentance : i answer : when john saith [ if we confess our sins , he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins ] he took that confession to be a sign of true repentance . and our expositors and the ancients before them agree ; that it was such a confession as was conjunct with a detestation and renouncing of the sin . and it is expounded by that of acts . . as grotius noteth , to have a special detestation of the sin accompaneing it , where to the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and it may sufficy that the baptism to which this confession was required , is the baptisme of repentance . but it is objected that in the . vers . of mat. . it is said by iohn [ i baptize you with water to repentance ] therefore it is but an engagement of them to it for the future . answ. our expositors have fully shewed that this signifieth no more , but [ i baptize you upon your present profession of repentance , to newness of life . ] for that this profession did go before , is proved already , and then the rest can be no more then the continuance of repentance and exercise of it in newness of life , which they are engaged to for the future . only if any falsly profess it at present , his own confession is an engagement to it as a duty . grotiu● saith that [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 potest non incommode exponi hoc modo , b●ptizo vos super professione poenitentiae quam facitis ] the plain meaning it is in a word [ i do by baptism initiate you into the state of repentance , or of penitents ; but christ shall give the holy-ghost ( as it was poured forth . ) and so ( as pelargus speaks on mat. . against salmeron ) we maintain johns baptisme to be ●ffectual , being the baptism of repentance to remission of sin . and that it was true repentance that he required , appeareth further by the fruits of it tha● he calle●h for from the pharisees , mat. . , , , lastly , i shall prove anon that god hath not appointed us to baptize any upon a promise of repentance or faith , before they profess actual faith and repentance , nor are they fit for such a covenant . argum. , for the proof of the necessity of a profession of repentance before baptism , is this : if jesus christ hath by scripture precept and example directed us to baptize those that profess true repentance , and no other ; then we must baptize them , and no other : but the antecedent it true : therefore so is the consequent . all that requireth proof is the antecedent ; which i prove from an enumeration of those texts that do afford us this direction ( besides the forementioned . ) . jesus christ himself did by preaching repentance prepare men for baptism , and for his kingdom , as john before began to do , matth. . . so mar. . . the kingdom of god is at hand ; repent ye and believe the gospel . and to that end he sent his apostles and other preachers , mar. . . acts , . luke . . repentance and remission is to be preached to all nations in his name : and baptism which is for the obsignation of remission of sin according to the appointed order , comes after repentance . and when it is said by john [ i baptize you with water to repentance , but he shall baptize you with the holy ghost ] mat. . . mar. . . luk. . . it implyeth that christs baptism comprehended johns and somewhat more in act. . , . when the jews were pricked in their heart ( which was a preparatory repentance ) and said to peter and the rest of the apostles , [ men and brethren what shall we do ? ] peter saith to them , repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of jesus christ for the remission of sins ] so that we must require and expect true evangelical repentance to be professed before baptism ; for ver . . it s added , [ then they that gladly received his word were baptized ] so that he baptized none that to outward appearance did not gladly receive that word which could not be without a profession of that repentance . and he that here perswadeth them to repent and be baptized for remission , doth in the next chapter , ver . . require them to repent , and be converted , that their sins may be blotted out , shewing what kind of repentance it is that he meaneth . and as the work of general preachers to the unbelieving world is sometime called a discipling of nations , which goeth before baptizing them , mat. . , . so is it in other places called a preaching of repentance , and commanding all men everywhere to repent , acts . . an opening of mens eyes and turning them from darkness to light , and from the power of satan unto god , that they may receive remission ( obsigned in baptism ) act. . . to repent and turn to god , ver . . and it was the sum of pauls preaching to the unbaptized [ repentance towards god , and faith towards the lord jesus christ ] act. . . so that it is apparent that they took the profession or appearance of both faith and repentance , as pre-requisite to baptism . and still this same repentance is it that hath the remission of sin connexed , act. . . luk. . it s repentance unto life . act. . . and when the apostles compare johns baptism with christs , they still acknowledge johns to be the baptism of repentance , act. . and . . and when the apostle doth purposely recite the principles of our religion , he doth it in this order , heb. . , . [ the foundation of repentance from dead works , and faith towards god , the doctrine of baptism &c. argum. . they that before they are baptized must renounce the world , the flesh and the devil , must profess true evangelical repentance ( i mean still such as hath a promise of pardon and salvation ) but all that are baptized , must ( by themselves or others ) renounce the world , flesh and devil , of which we shall have occasion to say more anon . argum. . they that profess to be buried with christ in baptism and to rise again , do profess true repentance : but all that are baptized , must profess to be buried with him , and rise again ; therefore &c. the major is proved , in that to be buried and risen with christ , signifieth . a being dead to sin , and alive to god and newness of life : and it is not only ( as is feigned by the opposers ) an engagment to th●s for the future , but a profession of it also at the present . this with the rest we thus prove , col. . , . . in whom ye are circumcised with the 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 , wherein also you are risen with him through the faith of the operation of god , who hath raised him from the dead , and you being dead in your sins & the uncircumcision of your flesh , hath he quickened together with him , having forgiven you all trespasses , ] where note . that this is spoken to al the church of the colossians ; & therefore they are presumed to be what they profess and appear to be . . that the putting of the body under the water did signifie our burial with christ , and the death or putting off of our sins : and although we now use a less quantity of water , yet it is to signifie the same thing , or else we should destroy the being of the sacrament : so also our rising out of the water , signifieth our rising and being quickened together with him . . note also that it is not only an engagement to this hereafter , but a thing presently done . they were in baptism buried with christ ; and put off the body of sin , and were quickened with him : and this doth also suppose their own present profession to put off the body of sin , and their consent to be baptized on these terms . the like we have in rom. . chap. . . know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into jesus christ , were baptized into his death ? therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death , that like as christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the father , even so we also should walk in newness of life : for if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death , we shall be also into the likeness of his resurrection . here also it is evident , . that all the members of the visible church are supposed to be baptized into christ and into his death , and so to be buried with him by baptism into death , and planted together into the likeness of his death . . and that this is not supposed to be only an engagement for the future , but a present entrance into the state of mortification and vivification , wherein they were to proceed by newness of life : and therefore ver . . , , , . they are supposed to have the old man crucified with christ , that the body of sin might be destroyed ; and that henceforth they should not serve sin : and that they are so dead as to be freed from sin , as to the servitude thereof : and that they must reckon themselves dead to sin , but alive to god ; he that readeth the whole chapter with judgement and impartiality , will soon discern that true repentance and abrenunciation of the service of sin , was to be professed by all that would be baptized ; and that hereupon they sealed their own profession and covenant by the reception of baptism , as christ sealed his part by the actual baptizing them ; and that hereupon they are by the apostle all called and supposed such as they professed themselves to be . argum. . if it be the very nature and use of baptism to signifie and seal both the present putting off the body of sin , and present putting on christ , then the profession of true repentance must needs precede or concur with baptism : but the former is certain : of which more anon . i conclude then that both scripture , and the very signs themselves , and the common consent of the church ( of which more after ) do shew that true repentance , and present repentance must be professed by all those that we may baptize , or whose children we may baptize on their account : and consequently that true saving faith which is inseparable from it ( and some think is the same thing ) must needs be professed too ; and not only promised . we should before we leave this argument hear what the opposers say against it : but they are all in pieces ( the papists i mean ) among themselves about it , some of them confessing what we plead for , and others of them ( especially the new ones ) contradicting it , but by such reasons as i think not worth the while now to discuss . there are two reverend men of our own , whose unhappy owning the cause that we argue against , doth call us to a more respectful consideration of their answers ; viz. dr. sam ▪ ward , and mr. thomas blake . the former saith , concedo neminem adultorum ad baptismum admitti debere absque professione fidei & poenitentiae : concedo iterum solidam poenitentiam conjunctam cum vera & vivâ fide in mediatorem obtinere praesentaneam peccatorum remissionem apud deum ( you see how much of my argument is here yielded . sed nego poenitentiam aut fidem initialem , qua judicio apostolorum sufficiebat ad dandum baptisma desiderantibus semper eorum judicio aut praesumptione suffecisse ad tales ponendos in statu adeptae reconciliationis , remissionis peccatorum , regenerationis , aut salutis , &c. the sum is , that there are two sorts of repentance and faith ; one initial , which the apostles thought a sufficient title to baptism ; and the other saving or connexed to justification ; and this they did not expect a profession of , or suppose , but put them in the way to it . answ. to this i shall return mr. gatakers answer , contra wardum , pag. . [ ego quaenam sit sides illa ac poenitentia initialis , non intelligo , qua prae●itum quis ausit ad baptismum admittere , quem tamen vera vivaque in mediatorem fide imbu●um nondum credat . philippus certè aethiopi baptismum poscenti ] si credas , inquit , ex toto corde , licet , act. . . quasi non baptizaturus , nisi id ille profiteretur , ipseque charitatis saltem judicio , ità credere credat . [ non vult ●um baptizare nifi credat ] inquit lutherus in gen. . nec fidem tantùm initialem illam volebat , qui ex toto corde poscit ut credat . et de an●nia calvinus ad . act. . [ verae fidei expertem non baptizasset ] ea nempe imbutum praesumpsisse vult : et ex christo ipso id didicisse videtur , act. . . see the rest . i add only the saying of peter martyr which be concludeth with , ( in rom. . vnam esse verae poenitentiae rationem , quae à baptizandis adultis exigatur ] it is ( mil●i impress . tigur . . pag. . where he reprehendeth some papists , quòd sibi singunt in baptismo poenitentiam non requiri , and confuteth them : so he doth also in c. . . and the repentance that he requireth is described p. . sed quicquid illi ( colonienses ) dicunt , una est ratio verae poenitentiae , ut ex animo doleamus admissa peccatae , quae deum à nobis abalienaverunt : cui dolori adjungitur desiderium condonationis , & preces , ut eam obtineamus , cum certo proposito non amplius incurrendi in eadem peccata , & voluntate mortificandi veterem , & induendi novum ; quae omnia fide niti oportet , quae sine illa constare non possunt ; much out of this author we shall produce anon . but i have spoke to this of dr. wards already in the appendix to my treatise of baptism . . to which of mine mr. blake taking exceptions , and publishing them , i published my defence , and among many more used this argument from the necessity of repentance : but mr. blake found it easier to say that of almost forty arguments few were to the question , and so to pass them by , than to give us a satisfactory answer to them . but yet i find him upon the point against another pag. , . and there i find this question , did they ( the apostles ) so require it ( repentance ) as in reality to precede baptism , or were satisfied with a profession of it ? i answer ; if that you yield the last , it is enough to the main point of difference . pag. . he saith [ faith takes christ to give repentance ] answ. only saving faith is properly called a taking christ : and that takes christ to give more repentance , but not to give the first repentance : for christ gives the first faith and repentance , ( ut amesius in medulla . l●b . . de vocat . ) before faith take him . but if it were otherwise , yet both are to go before baptism according to the intention of the institutor , or the profession of both . to that mat. . [ they confessed their sins , . he saith , some will have it to imply no verbal confession but virtual , &c. which gloss carrieth a strong probability , &c. ] answ. . such presumptuous glossing contradicting the text upon such inconsiderable reasons ( as is the multitude of the baptized ) deserves no answer . . it is so much the stronger against him , if baptism be in the very reception a virtual confession : then no man can be baptized without it . . he addeth , [ i require more , an engagement to leave sin , which their taking on them the name of christ doth imply ] answ. if the engagement be only for some distance of time , it is such as god accepteth not , nor must we : if it be an engagement to forsake sin from that present time forward , it is withall a plain profession of present true repentance or conversion , and consent to leave it , yea renunciation of it , & resolution to take it up no more . more to this purpose followeth , which i think contains nothing that requireth any more than what is said already to disable it . argum. . my first argument was from the necessity of a profession of true repentance . the second shall be from the equipollent terms , or description to the thing described : thus. we must baptize no man that first professeth not to believe in god the father , son and holy ghost : to believe in god the father , son , and holy ghost , is saving faith ( if sincerely done ) therefore we must baptize no man that first professeth not saving faith . the major is proved from mat. . . where this is made the form of the words in baptism , or at least the end , and that which we must insist on . calvin on the words yields the anabaptists that faith is put justly before baptism , nam alioqui mendax esset , figuraque remissionem peccatorum & spiritûs donum offeret incredulis , qui nondum essent christi membra . and that non abs re patris , filii & spiritûs expressa hic fit mentio , quia aliter baptismi vis apprehendi non potest quàm si à gratuita patris misericordia initium fiat , qui nos per filium sibi reconciliat , deinde in medium prodeat christus ipse cum mortis suae sacrificio : et tandem accedat etiā spiritus sanctus , per quem nos abluit & regenerat ; denique suorū omnium bonorum consortes faciat . it appeareth by comparing mat. . . with rom. . and cor. . , , & . . that to be baptized into the name of the father , son and holy ghost , is not only to be baptized by their authority , but also to be thus initiated into the relation which the church standeth in to them , and to be consecrated to the father , son and holy ghost , as musculus , diodate , the assembly of divines annotations , and the generality of expositors do express . see dr. hammond pract. catech. l. . § . . and especially on mat. . . grotius at large ; and that it comprehendeth or presupposeth a profession of believing in the father , son & holy ghost . for no man can devote himself solemnly by our ministry to the holy trinity that doth not first profess to believe in them . therefore the church ever taught the c●techu●●eni the creed first in which they profess to believe in god the father , son & holy ghost . and before they actually baptized them , they asked them whether they believed in god the father , son and holy ghost ? to which they must answer affirmatively , or not be baptized . and for the minor , that this believing in the father , son and holy ghost , is saving faith , if sincerity done as it is professed , is proved , . in that to believe in god , in christ , in the holy ghost , signifyeth not only the act of the understanding barely assenting , but also the consent and assiance of the will. . true saving faith is so expressed in scripture : and the promise of eternal life is added to it , joh. . . ye believe in god , believe also in me . joh. . . to as many as received him , he gave power to become the sons of god , even to them that believe in his name : where believing in his name is made equivalent with receiving him , and hath adoption immediately annexed to it : and all that are baptized must first profess to believe in his name , and so receive him , and not only promise to do it hereafter , joh. . , . whosoever believeth in him shall not perish , but have eterna● life . but all that are baptized , must profess to believe in him , joh. . . he that believeth on the son hath everlasting life ; and he that believeth not the son , shall not see life , but the wrath of god abideth on him . he that will distinguish now , and say , that it is not this believing on the son here mentioned which must be professed by all that will be baptized , but another believing on him , which leaveth him among those that shall not see life , but the wrath of god abideth on him , must prove and explain his distinction better then those that have undertaken it have done . joh. . . [ verily , verily i say unto you , he that heareth my words , and believeth on him that sent me , hath everlasting life , and shall not come into condemnation , but is passed from death to life . ] if any words of christ can put us out of doubt , that believing in the father and son is saving faith , these asseverations and plain expressions may do it , especially , being a thing so oft rehearsed . so joh . . he that cometh to me shall never hunger ; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst , verse . and this is the will of him that sent me , that every one that seeth the son and believeth on him , may have everlasting life , and i will raise him up at the last day . ver. . verily verily i say unto you , he that believeth on me hath everlasting life . so john . . and . , . and . , , and . . acts . . to him give all the prophets witness , that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins , rom. . . that he might be just , and the justifier of him that believeth on jesus , [ rom. . to him that work●th not , but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly , his faith is counted for righteousness . ] rom. . whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed . so , . pet. . . joh. . . tit. . with many the like . from all which it is evident , that believing on or in god , the father , son , and holy ghost , is saving faith , having more frequent and as express promises of life , as anything whatsoever . and it is believing in god , the father ▪ son and holy ghost : that we must profess in baptism . to this i suppose it will be answered ( for i know not what else can ) , that there are two sorts of believing in or on god the father , son and holy ghost : and the texts mentioned speak of one sort , which is saving , and that which we must necessarily profess in baptism is another sort , that is , a faith not joyned with charity , or a meer dogmatical faith . to which i answer , . let them that thus distinguish , first clearly explain to us the branches of the distinction , and shew us the difference between the two faiths , and prove it from scripture , and then prove that it is the last only that must needs be professed in baptism ; and then they have done somewhat . . it will be found no ordinary thing for scripture , to call any common faith , a believing on or in christ. . that faith which is said to be in the ungodly , though in respect of sides in genere , it be really faith , yet in respect of sides evangelica in christum mediatorem , in specie , required in the gospel , it is but equivocally called faith , or because that term to mr. blake is so abominable , let it be analogically a while , till i come to the proof , that it is but equivocally such . the faith that god requireth and maketh his promises on , is only the faith called justifying , or saving ; and the other is as a mole to a child , or a monster to a man , which is so far defective ex errore naturae , non ex intentione generantis , that it doth differ tota specie from a true man : and so doth this faith differ in sp●cie morali from evangelical faith. . when faith is mentioned in a preceptive or promising way , the nature of the thing and the course of scripture sheweth , that we must understand it of that faith which god owneth by precept or promise , and not of that which is but analogically called faith , and ex errore credentis is so monstrous that god never owned such by precept or promise : i can find where this monster is ascribed to many , as to simon magus , and others ; but let any shew us where it is in hac specie commanded by god , or hath any promise made to it , in his word . . however , it will not i hope be denied , but that saving faith is the famosius analogatum vel significatum , and therefore the analogum per se positum , must be understood of it , and not of the analogical monstrous faith . and therefore when in baptism we must profess ●o believe in the father , son and holy-ghost it must be understood of saving belief , till we have a limiting exposition proved . . yea further , the nature of the ordinance commandeth us this exposition : for when god hath so frequently promised pardon to believers in or on christ , and then ordained baptism to be the seal of this promise , and required that the person to be baptized , profess to believe in christ , it plainly followeth , that we must understand him to speak of the same faith in the promise , and about the seal , and not of divers sorts , unless he had so declared himself , which he no where hath done . . for the further proof of the minor , i add that the same faith that is mentioned in the ordinary creed of the church , i● meant in the baptismal profession , and to be required before baptism : this will be confessed , . because the creed it self hath been this years at least profess'd before baptism . . because the creed it self is but the . fundamental baptismal articles mentioned mat. . . enlarged and explained on subsequent occasions ( as sandford & parker de descenju , have learnedly and largely proved , and grotius in mat. . . proves out of tertullian , &c. that the creed was not then in the form of words as now , though the same doctrine was used in other words to the same uses . but ( i assume ) it is saving faith that is meant in the common creed by the phrases of believing in god the father & in jesus christ , & in the holy ghost . this our divines do so copiously prove against the papists , that with most protestants i may take it for granted . saith mr. perkins on the creed , pag. . [ to believe is one thing , and to believe in this or that , is another thing , and is contains in it three points or actions of a believer . . to know a thing . . to acknowledge the same . . to put trust and confidence in it . and in this order must these three actions of faith be applied to every article following , which concerns any of the persons in the trinity . and this must be marked as a matter of speceal moment . for alwayes by adding them to the words following , we do apply the article to our selves , in a very comfortable manner . as , i believe in the father ; and do believe that he is my father , and therefore i put my whole trust in him : and so of the rest . ] so far perkins . and it 's worthy to be observed which peter martyr saith loc. commun . ch. . in expofit . symboli , pag. . ] age , sigillatim videamus , quid propriè hoc sibi velit , credo in deū — eū esse agnoscendum uti deū i. e. deum esse aeternū — bonū ex quo bonū aliud quodvis oritur : vnde , patet eum , qui quippiam tanti aut pluris faciat quàm deum ipsum , dicere verè non posse , credo in deum . si enim eum ut summum bonū agnoscat , nihil ei unquam anteposueris . neque etiam is hoc rectè credat , qui usquam alibi spem suam collocet : quum spes non sit nisi boni cujusdam ; si ergò deus sit bonum unde quodvis bonum defluat , quicunque aliunde boni quidp●am expectârit , in eum verè non crediderit . praeterea qui bona quibus fruuntur , suae justitiae , industriae , factis ▪ sibi denique ipsis accepta ferunt , sensum verúmque ( ut sic dicam ) gustum hujus primae nostrae sidei capitis non habent — proculdubio ejusmodi homines non deum propriè , sed dei loco phantasmata & sui cerebri inventa colunt . res ( mihi crede ) maximi momenti est verum deum modo suo habere . ] ursine ( & paraeus ) chatech . q. ● . p. , . [ diff●runt credo deum , & credo in deum : illud declarat fidem historiae , hoc fiduciam . nam credo deum est credo quòd sit deus , & quòd sit talis , qualē se in verbo patefecit , viz &c. credo in deū , est credo quòd mihi sit deus ; hoc est , quod quicquid est & habet , sit & habeat ad meam salutem . et p. . credere in deū , non est tantū deum agnoscere , sed etiam in deo fiduciam habere . alinqui etiam diabolus habet notitiam dei & promissionum ejus : sed non habet fiduciam : ideò notitia ejus non est fides justificans , sed historica . and p. . quid est credo in jesum silium dei unigenitum ? resp. credo jesū esse silium dei — sed hoc non est satìs , nam etiam di●boli hoc credunt — itaque addendū . . credo mihi , hoc est , in meam salutē eum esse filiū dei. p. credere in christū dominū nostrū ; hoc est ita crede christū dominū nostrum , ut in eo fiduciam collocemus . cum igitur dicimus nos credere in dominum nostrum , credimus — filium dei mihi quoque esse dominum , & me quoque esse ejus subditum h. e. me quoque ejus sanguine esse redemptum & servari perpetuò , ac proinde me obligatum ei esse ad gratitudinem ; dominium ejus mihi esse salutare ; me servari ab eo tanquam possessionem charissimam — pag. . quid est credere in christum crucifixum ? est credere christum pro me factum esse maledictioni obnoxium , ut me ab ea liberaret . so pag. . to the question , quid est credere in christum mortuum● he gives more largely the like answer . and pag . he gives the like answer to the question , quid est credere in jesum cristum , qui ascendit in coelum ? ] i am loth to weary my self & others with citing testimonies in a known case . it s well known that this or to this purpose is the common exposition of the protestants of the creed and baptismal profession , and that they maintain it against the papists , to be true saving faith that is meant in the words , ( i believe in god the father , in jesus christ , in the holy ghost ) i doubt not to cite forty & forty more to prove this ▪ when any shall shew me that it will be worth the labor . yet i must say , that i approve not fully of some of their descriptions of justifying or saving faith which they hereupon give in : but yet they truly maintain that it meaneth saving faith i believe ; and if they had but put the wills consent to the severall articles and relations and works of god the father , son and holy ghost , and our affiance instead of a perswasion that they are ours &c. i should have yielded to their descriptions . i conclude then , that believing in or on god the father , son and holy ghost , is an act of the will , as well as of the understanding , and is saving faith : and therefore all that profess this , profess saving faith : but all that will be baptized , must profess this , therefore . . it is agreed by all divines that i know , protestants and papists , that to believe in the trinity , is not only to believe in gods essence , or the three persons , but also the relations and great operations of each person for us : as to believe in god the father , is to believe in him as our creator and soveraign lord and chief good. to believe in jesus christ , is to believe in him as redeemer and saviour . to believe in the holy ghost , is to believe in him as a sanctifier ( and as the great witness and agent of christ. ) now it is most certain , that to profess , assent and consent that god be my god , christ my saviour , the holy ghost my sanctifier , is to profess saving faith. and bare assent is not meant in the words [ believing in or on god ] as is proved by our divines at large . and if present consent be exprest , saving faith is exprest ; for no wicked man can truly consent that god shall be his god and chief good , and christ his saviour to save him from sin it self , as well as from punishment , and the holy ghost his sanctifier . i may truly say ( according to that of peter martyr , before cited ) that never any but a true believer that had justifying faith , did truly say , i believe in god ; but speak falsly in so saying . to take god for his god , is a thing that no man can truly do , but those that are called effectually by his saving grace . argum. . the foregoing argument was taken from the prerequisite profession ; the next shall be taken from the very work it self , viz. the presenting and offering our selves to be baptized , and willingly receiving baptism : thus , if it be the very nature or appointed vse of the external part of baptism it self ( yea , essential to it ) to signifie and profes● ( among other things ) the saving faith and repentance of the baptized ( being at age ; ) then true baptism cannot go without such a profession . but the former is true : ergo , so is the later . the antecedent ( which only requireth proof ) i prove thus : . it is of the instituted nature of baptism to be in general , a professing sign , as well as an engaging sign de futuro : this i promise , as granted by all christians that i know of , that have written of baptism . and then let us consider of the several parts of the sign or external ordinance , with the signification of each . that it is essential to it to be significant , and obligatory on our part , as well as on gods part , is commonly confessed . and . the minister doth baptize him into the name of the father , son , and holy ghost ; and the party doth ( by himself or parent ) consent thereto ; . voluntarily offering himself to be so baptized ; and then . voluntarily receiving that baptism . and his offer of himself hereto , goeth before the ministers baptizing him ; and his reception of that baptism is essential to it : so that baptism essentially containeth on his part a signal profession of consent to that which is meant in the form used by the minister [ i baptize thee into the name of the father , son , and holy ghost : ] and that is , that god the father , son , and holy ghost be mine , and i be theirs , in the relations in which they are offered in the gospel to mankind : for all confess that it is a covenant that is here sealed , and so a mutual consent which the signs are instituted by christ to signifie . christ offereth himself to be related to me , as my jesus christ ; and by offering my self to baptism . and by voluntarily receiving it , i do actually profess my acceptance of his offer , that is , of himself so offered . god the father offereth himself to be my god reconciled in christ , and so my chief good ; and by voluntary receiving baptism , i do signally profess my acceptance of him so offered . the holy ghost is offered to be my sanctifier and guide ; and by voluntary reception of baptism into his name , i do signally profess my acceptance of him so offered ( of all which i shall say more anon : ) and if this be not the faith which is justifying and saving , then i know not what is ; yea , i may boldly say , then there is none such : so that it it a most clear case , that baptism as baptism , according to it s instituted nature and use , doth contain the persons actual signal profession of present assent to the truth of the gospel , and acceptance of god the father , son and holy ghost as therein offered . and it containeth ( as our divines commonly maintain ) an actual signal profession that we there presently consecrate , or devote , or dedicate our selves to god , the father , son , and holy ghost , in the foresaid relations . . another part of baptism , is , the ministers washing the person , and the person first offering himself to be washed , and after actually receiving it , doth thereby signally profess his consent . now this washing doth essentially signifie our washing from our former filth of sin , together with the guilt ; our putting off the old man which is corrupt , accord●ng to the deceitful lusts of the flesh . he that signally professeth his present consent to be washed by the blood of christ from his former filthiness and guilt , and to lay by the filthiness of flesh and spirit , doth eo nomine profess saving faith and repentance ; but all that are baptized with the baptism of christs institution , do by the very voluntary reception of baptism , so profess ; therefore they do thereby profess saving faith and repentance . . quo ad modum ; it s commonly confessed by us to the anabaptists ( as our commentators declare ) that in the apostles times the baptized were dipped over head in the water , and that this signified their profession , both of believing the burial and resurrection of christ ; and of their own present renouncing the world and flesh , or dying to sin and living to christ , or rising again to newness of life , or being buried and risen again with christ , as the apostle expoundeth in the fore-cited texts , of col. . & rom. . and though ( as is before said ) we have thought it lawful to disuse the manner of dipping , and to use less water , yet we presume not to change the use and signification of it ; so then , he that signally professeth to dye and rise again in baptism with christ , doth signally profess saving faith and repentance . but this do all that are baptized according to the apostolical practice : therefore , &c. object . about nullity . but it will be objected , that this argument goeth so high , that it will prove that all mens baptism is a nullity , who do not profess saving faith and repentance , and so that they must be baptized again . answ. . this concerneth the opponents to answer , more than me . . there are no such persons , that i know of , and therefore they are not to be re-baptized . we distinguish between the secret intention of professing and the signal interpretative professing , which the church is bound to take as really intended : and so i say , that when christ hath instituted baptism for such a signification , if any man seek and receive that baptism , he doth thereby interpretatively profess to seek and receive it as such , to the use and ends to which it was instituted : seeing then all the baptized do apparently ( as far as the church can judge ) profess saving faith and repentance , even by receiving baptism , there is no room for the conclusion of this objection . when they bring us forth one baptized person , who did not make such a signal profession then we shall give them a further answer . . if they did by word of mouth say , that they believe with a saving faith , these words are but signs of their minds ; and whether counterfeit or not , the church cannot tell . and the same may be said of the baptismal action and reception . . therefore the church must not take the external sacrament for a nullity , every time a mans secret intentions agree not with his signal profession ; for then we should not know whether ever we baptize any one . but when it is discovered after , that he had other intentions , that which was wanting must be yet done , ( viz. his sincere intentions , or saving faith ) and not that which was not wanting be done again , viz. the external administration and reception of baptism . . it is confessed to be essential to the sacrament , that the receiving of the washing by water , doth signifie the receiving of the souls washing by the blood of christ. now suppose i can prove it of abundance of parents , that when they presented their children to baptism , they did not understand that the water signified the blood of christ , or the washing our cleansing by it from sin , and therefore had no such intention in baptism ; would the opponents baptize all these again ? let them answer this for themselves , and they shall answer for us ? or if the case of infant-baptism be quarrelled at , let them suppose that it were the person himself that had been so baptized ; though i am satisfied , that its all one . argum. . if we must baptize none that profess not their consent to enter themselves presently into the covenant of grace , with god in christ , then we must baptize none that profess not saving faith . but the former is true ; therefore &c. also , if the very reception of baptism be a profession of present entering into the gospel-covenant with christ , then is it a profession of saving faith . but so it is ; therefore , &c. this argument was implyed in the former : but the medium that i now use , is , the identity of this covenanting and the profession of saving faith , supposing the identity of heart-covenanting and saving faith it self . the antecedent i think will be granted by many of the papists , and it is the common doctrine of the protestants ; and therefore , as to them , i need not prove it ; i confess , some of the anabaptists , and some few others , do question whether baptism be a seal of the covenant of grace : but the quarrel is mostly , if not only , about the bare word [ seal ] ; for they confess that in sense , which we mean by sealing , and particularly , they confess that we do in baptism enter into the covenant of god , and that it is a professing and engaging sign on our part , as well as an exhibiting , notifying , confirming sign on gods part . the consequence is thus proved : he that doth ore tenus , or by profession , enter into the covenant of god , doth profess saving faith ; therefore if we must not baptize them without a professed entering into covenant , then nether must we baptize them without a profession of saving faith. only the antecedent requireth proof : and if i prove either the identity of profest covenanting and profest true believing , or else the inseparableness of them , i prove the antecedent . but i shall prove the identity or the inseparability ; yea , i doubt not of the first , which is the most full proof . and here we must first consider what the covenant is we are to enter . . and it is confest it is the covenant of grace , and that there is but one covenant of grace : this mr. blake aknowledgeth , for all the mention of an outward covenant . . it is also a confessed thing on all hands , that it is god that is the first author and offerer of the covenant ; that it is he that redeemed us , who made the promise or covenant of grace upon the ground of redemption : and that this is frequently called a covenant in scripture , as it is a divine law or constitution , without respect to mans consent , ( as grotius hath proved in the preface to his annotations on the evangelists ) . much more ( out of doubt ) it is , that it is called a covenant before man consenteth , as it is a covenant offered , and not yet mutually entered . in the former sense the word is taken properly , but in another sense , and for another thing then in the later . but in the later it is taken tropically , viz. synecdochically , it being but a covenant drawn up and consented to by god conditionally , and offered to us for our consent . . it is this same covenant that is offered to us , and not another , that we are called to consent to or enter in . and we cannot be truly said to enter into the covenant of god , if we make a new one of our own , and lay by his ; for that 's none of the covenant of god : he never offered it , nor will he ever enter it . . it is confessed by all , that there is an internal covenanting with god by the heart , and an external covenanting , or engaging our selves by words or other outward signs ; and that this last is the profession of the former . . and it is confessed by all the world , that internal covenanting is an act of the will , and never of the understanding only or chiefly . . and this act of the will is commonly by the custom of nations called [ consent ] : so that consenting to gods offered covenant , is the very formal act or our internal covenanting with him ; and professing this consent , is the signal or external covenanting with him . . we are i hope agreed what the covenant of grace is , as offered on gods part ( or else its great pity ) viz. that on the title of creation first , and redemption after , we being absolutely his own , it is offered to us , that god will be our god ( our chief good and reconciled father in christ , ) that christ will be our saviour , ( by propitiation , teaching and ruling us , ) even from the guilt and filth or power of sin ; that the holy ghost will be our indwelling sanctifier ; if we heartily , or sincerely accept the gift and offer , that god will consent to be our god , christ to be our jesus christ , and the holy ghost to be our indwelling sanctifier , if we will but consent . this is no doubt , the gift or covenant as offered . these things being premised , i come to prove not only the inseparability , ( which is enough to my purpose ) but even the identity of heart-covenanting and saving faith , and of signal external covenanting , and the profession of saving faith . to enter the covenant of god unfeignedly in heart , is to accept god for my god , jesus christ for my saviour , and the holy ghost for my sanctifier , upon the gospel offer : to believe savingly , is to accept of god for my god , jesus christ for my saviour , and the holy ghost for my sanctifier upon the gospel offer : therefore to enter the covenant of god heartily , and to believe savingly , are the same . moreover , to covenant with god externally , is to profess our consent , that god be our god , christ our saviour , and the holy ghost our sanctifier , on the gospel offer . to profess saving faith is to profess the same consent : therefore external entering into the covenant , and profession of saving faith , are the same thing . that this is the only true covenant-entrance with god , is proved thus . it is only this covenant of grace that god calleth us to consent to , and offereth himself to enter with us : therefore it is only this covenant of grace , whose acceptance or consent to it , is our entrance into the covenant of god. there can be no covenanting in the present sense , but by two parties : but god doth not offer himself to us in any other covenant but this , nor offer his consent to any other . and it s confessed , that god is the leading party , prescribing to man and imposing on him the terms of the covenant , or conditions which he must perform . there is no possibility therefore of our entering into gods covenant , when it is none of his covenant , or when it is against his will , or without his consent . and that this is the nature of saving faith , is manifest : for . it is not a meer act of the intellect . though assent be the initial act ( from which it hath oft its name ) yet it is not the whole , nor the perfecting act : our divines most commonly consent ( except camero and some few more ) that faith is in the will as well as the understanding : and its first act in the will must needs be velle christum oblatum or a consent to the gospel-offer of god , christ , and the holy ghost : or an acceptance of the redeeming trinity in the relation as they are offered to to be ours in the gospel : after which followeth affiance , as assent precedes it . our assembly of divines in their catechisms say , that faith in jesus christ is a saving grace , whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for salvation , as he is offered to us in the gospel . or , as elswhere [ to embrace jesus christ freely offered to us in the gospel ] and the wills receiving is by accepting or consenting . dr. preston hath at large shewed in many of his writings ( as i have elswhere shewed ) that faith and heart-covenanting with christ is all one . the scripture calleth saving faith a receiving christ jesus the lord , john . . col. . , this therefore with almost all protestant writers is past controversie . but if any will yet be stiff in it , that faith is only in the intellect , ( upon that common poor reason , that one grace cannot be in two faculties ) it may suffice to them , that i prove the inseparability of saving faith and sincere heart-covenanting , and so of the profession of each , though i had not proved the identity . and these same men do most earnestly plead for the inseparability themselves , maintaining at large , that assent ( which only they call faith ) if true , is inseparable from true consent , which is the heart-covenanting . of which you may see dr. downame in his treatise of justification , and in his appendix against mr. pemble , at large . but here we are quite off with the papists ; for they stifly maintain , that faith is only the understandings assent ; only the schoolmen and others of them confess , that it is a willing assent : but it is one thing to will the assent , and another thing to will or accept the good that is contained in the promise which we assent to . this last is the thing in question : and they tell us , that this is not faith , but love. to which maccovius and chamier answer them , that faith and love to christ are all one ; though faith and love to a distinct object , be not so . . hereupon we proceed to a further difference , which is , that the papists say , that faith may be separated from love ; that faith without love doth not justifie ; but only that faith which is informed by love. how far this supposed great disagreement is meerly verball , or reall , i leave to the judicious reader to judge , when he hath considered , that what we call faith simply , they call fides formata charitate : that the act of faith which is in the will , the papists call by the name of love , and not of faith , yet both agree de re ipsa , that this is the thing which is necessary to justification ; and we confess as well as they , that meer assent ( of some sort ) is separable from love. but then the mischief is , that the papists by false wording or naming these graces , are carried to the misinterpreting of many scriptures , if not to many erroneous doctrines also . and when they read of faith simply , they commonly take it for meer assent . and so they are led into error in the present controversie . for when they find that he that believeth must be baptized ; they conclude presently with bellarmine , that sides , non charitas facit christianum : he that assenteth is a believer , & therefore may be baptized . but our divines have so frequently and so voluminously confuted this conceit , and proved against them that faith is in the will as well as the understanding , and that [ to believe in ] signifieth to accept , or rest upon , or have affiance in , and that faith and love are inseparable , ( yea true and through assent , ) that i shall not needlesly stand to do again a work so oft and fully done . and themselves confess , that when faith is mentioned as justifying , it includeth the act of the will , ( which they call charity : ) and sure we have oft proved against them , that this is the faith that is meant in gods covenant , and in our baptismal profession and covenant with him , and in the creed . in a word , that faith which is meant by god in the covenant offered , must be meant by us in our profession of accepting this offer . but it is a true saving faith , which hath a promise of remission , which is meant by god in the covenant offered ; therefore this must be meant by us , &c. the major is clear ; because else we do but equivocate with god , and we do not accept the same thing that he offereth . the minor is clear : in that the covenant of grace is but one , and that one covenant offereth christ and life to all that will accept him : so that the acceptance puts us into a participation of christ and life , the covenant offereth pardon of sin to all that believe or receive christ ; therefore it is a saving faith that it means , because it annexeth saving special benefits . to these i add another argument : which is this : the hearty acceptance of the gift , is the first and principal part of our heart-covenanting with god : the hearty acceptance of that same gift , is saving faith ; therefore the first and principal part of our heart-covenanting with god , is the same thing as saving faith. the like i say of the professions of each . or thus : our heart-covenanting is the principal condition of the promise ( or gods part of the covenant : ) our saving faith is the principal condition of the promise ; therefore our heart-covenanting and our saving faith are the same . the major i prove by the medium of the fore-going argument . our hearty acceptance of the gift , is the principal condition of the promise . but this hearty acceptance of the gift , is the first and principal part of our heart-covenanting : therefore our heart-covenanting is the principal condition of the promise ( or the first and chief part of that covenating at least ) . the major is proved , . in that it is a free gift : and our divines , against the doctrine of justification by works , or merit , have fully proved , that it s so free , that acceptance is the condition of our interest . . and the free offers of the gospel fully confirm it , isa. , . . rev. . . &c. the main point that is necessary for me to insist on , is the proof of the minor , which yet is so plain from what is said , and the very nature of the gospel offer , that one would think it should need no more to be said to it : but that i perceive some few do misapprehend the nature of our covenanting with god , as if it were only an agreement or covenant to do somewhat for the future , that god may do somewhat for us for the future : and this gross mistake ( gross indeed , in the very point of the gospel promise , which is our only tenure of our title to life ) , doth animate abundance of dark confused quarrelsom contradictions and oppositions , which i have had on this point . it is a matter of very sad consideration , that any preacher of the gospel had need to be perswaded , that the first and great part of the covenant of grace offered by god , and accepted by us , doth consist in present giving and receiving , not only in mutual promises for hereafter . the gospel is a most free deed of gift : some of its benefits it actually giveth , on condition of meer acceptance to be presently possest ; and some of them , on condition too , but in a waiting obediential way , to be hereafter possest . in respect to the presently given benefi●s , the gospel is a deed of gift presently entitling us to them , and our present acceptance is the condition . but in regard of the future benefits , the gospel is also a deed of gift , but giveth not present title , or at least not so full , and therefore requireth future conditions , as it gives future benefits . at the present in the new covenant , god giveth himself to be our god , christ to be our saviour , head and husband , the holy ghost to be our sanctifier ; and also the present actual pardon of our sins ; the justification of our persons ; the adoption of sons ; the indwelling spirit ; a right to a beneficial use of the creature ; and a right to the inheritance of everlasting life , so far , that if we should die that hour , we should be saved . all these god offered us at the present on condition of our accptance , or consent . this consent is our heart-covenanting ; so that this first and great part of the covenant consisteth but in the present giving and taking of all these benefits : which in a word the apostle expresseth john . , , by the words [ christ and eternal life ] god hath given us eternal life , and this life is in his son : he that hath the son hath life , and he that hath not the son hath not life ] . the remaining part of the benefits are our future helps of grace , pardons , protections , final absolution at judgement , and eternal glory . all these we have a right to at our first justification , but it is a right to be continued only on some future conditions , that is , on the condition of our continuance in the faith which we begun , and of our renewed faith and repentance , and sincere gospel-obedience , which is to be performed in a receiving way . now its true , that as to these future conditions , we do not actually perform them in our covenating , but promise them : as god doth not then actually give us the very blessings now mentioned , but promise them . but as to all the first expressed great benefits , as god did before our consents but promise and offer them , but in our covenanting or consent doth actually give them ; so we do by our covenanting in heart ( which is nothing but our consenting or accepting ) perform the conditions of gods promise ; and thus our very covenanting with god is the same thing as our fulfiling the conditions of the covenant , that is , of gods conditional deed of gift , which before gave us christ and life if we would accept them , and now giveth them actually upon our acceptance . and i should hope that few protestants think that our actual justification and adoption , our interest in god , christ , and the holy ghost , are suspended upon any future condition , which in our covenanting with god we must promise to perform . i think i have made it plain now that our heart covenanting with god is principally our present consent that christ and life shall be ours ; god , christ , and the holy ghost ours ; and that this is nothing else but justifying faith ; and therefore that they are all one ; and therefore the profession of each of them is all one : and so that where one is required , the other is so , being indeed not another . argum. . we must not baptize any without the profession of that faith and repentance which are made the condition of remission of sins . but only the faith called justifying or saving , and the concomitant true repentance , are made the condition of remission of sins : therefore we must baptize none without the profession of that justifying faith , &c. the minor needeth no proof . and the major i prove thus . if we must not baptize any but intentionally for present remission of sin , then must we not baptize any without a profession of that faith and repentance which is the condition of remission . but the former is true : therefore so is the later . the consequence is past all doubt : for else we should imagine that men may have present actual pardon without that faith and repentance which are the condition of it ; which subverteth much of the gospel . the antecedent i prove thus ; if god hath instituted no baptism but what is intentionally for the present remission of sin , then we must not baptize any but intentionally for the present remission of sin : but the former is true ; therefore so is the later . i say [ intentionally ] in contradistinction from [ eventually , or certainly and infallibly attaining that end . ] where further note , that i speak not of gods absolute decrees , as if his intention in that sense could be frustrate ; but of his ends as legislator , speaking of him after the manner of men . but principally of the instituted ends of his ordinances ; that is , the ends which he requireth the minister and people to use them for ; and so it is our intention principally that i mention . as the gospel it self is said to be intentionally to save men ; and though it condemn most , that is besides the first intention , and but by accident . and though this be principally to be spoken of the prescribed , imposed intentions of their conversion and salvation ; yet christ is pleased in the word to ascribe such intentions to himself as attain not their ends : as professing that he came not into the world to condemn the world , but that the world through him might be saved : that is , to condemn them is not his direct principal intent , but only on supposition of their willfull final rejecting of him : and this he speakes partly in the habit of a rector or promiser , and partly as man , or after the manner of men : and of the intention imposed on us , there is no doubt . now i shall prove the antecedent ( for the consequence is past doubt ) and first we are confirmed in this truth , because the opponent ( whom it concerneth ) hath not proved any other baptism instituted by god , but what is for present remission of sins . if they can shew us one text of scripture that speaketh of any other , we shall give up all the cause ; but yet they have not done it that i know of . in the mean time we shall prove the contrary . god hath instituted but one baptism : that one baptism is for the present remission of sins ; therefore god hath instituted no baptism but what is for present remission . the major is proved from eph. . . there is one baptism . in the minor we take the words [ for remission ] not to speak of somewhat accidental , or to be intended only by the administrator , uncertainly , or but sometime . and i prove it from scripture , acts . . repent and be baptized every one of you in in the name of jesus christ for the remission of sins , and ye shall receive the gift of the holy ghost . ] as remission is here made the end of baptism , so it is present remission : for. . it is such as is the consequent of the repentance which peter exhorteth them to ; but that was present remission . . it was to precede the giving of the holy ghost , in the sense there mentioned ; therefore it was present remission . the great reasons that are brought to the contrary i shall answer afterwards , and more fully then prove the vanity and foul consequents of their opinion , that make a future remission to be the intended end of our administration of baptism : and therefore i must desire the reader to suspend his expectations of my further reasons à natura rei , till their due place . beza in loc . saith [ in nomen christi ] id est , dans christo nomen , cujus mortis , sepulturae ac resurrectionis simus in baptismo participes , cum peccatorum remissione . nec enim hoc declarat formulam baptismi , sed finem & scopum : ] so deodate , [ in the name ] viz. not only for a mark of our profession of the gospel , but also to participate of his spiritual vertue in the washing away of your sins , with which he accompanieth and ratifyeth the external ceremony in those who are his : ] bullinger in loc . saith , [ baptizari in nomine domini jesu christi , est baptismatis signo testari se christo credere ad remissionem peccatorum . . mark , it is not only an engagement to believe hereafter , but the profession of a present faith. . and that not a common faith , but that which hath remission of sin . . and this was not an accidental separable use of baptism : but he makes this the very exposition of baptizari in nomine jesu christi . and next addeth , [ vel est in baptismo per christum recipi in gratiam . ] mark then , that even baptism into the name of christ it self doth signifie that we are received into gods favor by christ : and thus he expoundeth the covenant in the next words : [ est enim baptismus pactum seu foedus gratiae , quod init inter baptizandum nobiscum christus . ] and that it is a professing sign of our true repentance , he shews before [ et rectissimè conjungitur poenitentia & baptismus , quia baptismus poenitentiae signum est : ] marlorate in loc . goes further , and shews that remission doth in order go before baptism , and multitudes of our divines say the like , as may be seen in the abundant citations of them by mr. gataker against doctor ward and bishop davenant [ tametsi in contexu verborum baptismus remissionem hìc praecedit , ordine tamen sequitur : quia nihil aliud est ( mark nihil aliud ) quàm bonorum quae per christum consequimur obsignatio , ut in conscientiis nostris data sint . ] the words are calvins in loc . owned by marlorate . the same cal. in loc . to shew that remission of sin goeth before baptism , addeth caeterùm longa expositione non indiget , quòd baptizari jubet in remissionem ●eccatorum : tametsi enim semel homines sibi reconciliav●t deus in christo , non imputando illis peccata , cor. . & nunc hujus reconciliationis fidē cordibus nostris per spiritū suum imprimit ; quia tamen baptismus sigillū est , quo hoc benefic●ū nobis confirmat , adeoque arrka & pignus adoptionis nost●ae , meritò dari nobis in remissionem peccatorum dicitur . nam quia fide percipimus christi dona , fidei autem confirmandae & augendae baptismus adminiculum est , illi tanqua inferiori medio remissio pecc●t●●ū , quae fidei est effectus , annectitur . ] i hope i need not stand to shew what calvin here supposeth the use of christs baptism to be or what faith it presupposeth . and that you may see what he takes to enter the very definition of baptism he addeth , [ porrò non est sumenda ex hoc loco definitio baptismi , quia ejus partem duntaxat petrus attingit . per baptismum ( ut paulus docet ) crucifigitur vetus homo noster , ut in vitae novitatem resurgamus , rom . , . item induimus christum ipsum , gal. . . cor. . & passim docet scriptura esse poenitentiae quoque symbolum . ] indeed calvin doth often fall upon the papists , that make baptism to have no force against any sin but those before baptism : but . he makes actual baptism ever to be first for washing away our past & present sin & not then to pardon future sin , but to put the person into an estate wherein he hath a remedie for future sin , at hand , and certain : . and he intendeth , that baptism ( as reviewed by faith ) afterward may be usefull to confirm our belief of forgiveness of renewed sin : which made bellarmine fall upon him and other protestants , as holding that the very remembrance of baptism is effectual for pardon of sin . also , on the same . verse calvin takes special notice of the order of peters words , and gives it us as the summ of christianity [ primò hortatus fuerit judaeos ad poenitentiam : deinde eroxerit eos veniae fiducia : nam peccatorum remissionem illis remisit . . quia non reconciliamur deo , nisi intercedente christi morte , nec aliter quàm ejus sanguine peccata nostra expiantur & delentur , ideò neminatim petrus ad ipsum nos revocat . quarto loco , baptismum ponit tanquam figillum quo gratiae promissio confirmatur . quare in his paucis verbis totam ferè habemus christianismi summam . nempe , ut homo sibi renuncians & mundo , totum se deo addicat : deinde ut gratuita peccatorum remissione à reatu mortis liberetur , adeóque adoptetur inter filios dei. piscator in loc . saith , [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] id est in testimonium remissionis peccatorum : ut habentes scilicét testimonium divinum quòd deus vobis remiserit peccata vestra propter jesum christum in quē creditis : non autem ad consequendam remissionē peccatorum per hoc mediū sive instrumentū . [ baptismus est medium sen instrumentū quo spiritus sanctus utitur , ad fidem confimandū . ] vid. ultr . the next text we shall cite is act. . : [ arise and be baptized , and wash away thy sins , calling on the name of the lord. ] though the papists vainly would hence gather , that baptism doth wash away sin ex opere operato ; yet we may well gather , . that it washeth it away by confirmation and obsignation . . and this is the instituted use of baptism , and not to signifie what may or will be done hereafter . calvin on this text saith , [ non dubium est , quin fideliter rudimentis pietatis paulum imbuerit ananias : neque enim verae fidei expertem baptizasset . ] after he shews , that it was a confirmation of the pardon that paul had before . joh. . exce●t a man be born of water and of the spirit , he shal not enter into the kingdom of god. though we are agreed against the papists , that christ intendeth not here to place the same necessity in baptism , as there is in or of the new birth by the spirit ; yet it is by most acknowledged , that christ doth here speak of the new birth , as signified by baptism ; and so hath respect to baptism as the ordinary confirming sign . and so the text fully sheweth us , that baptism is instituted to be the sign of our present regeneration ; or else it could not be said , that we must be born [ of water and the spirit . ] and that remission of sin is here included , i have said somewhat to prove in a treat . against infidelity , part. . initio . calvin saith , most are of chrysostoms mind , who took it to be meant of baptism . ( and so did the generality of antient expositors ) and though himself and some more think otherwise ; yet as long as they take it to be a metonymical expression , the sign being put for the thing signified , it doth as well acquant us with the use of baptism , as if it were a proper speech . bullinger in loc . saith [ h●nc christi sententiam omnes penè de baptismo interpretantur . ] beza believeth , that the text speaks of baptism , either christs , or some other , but rather christs . piscator on the text hath these words . [ nam ipsa baptismi perceptione salutē consequimur : quū non sit institutus nisi ad remissionem peccatorum sanguine christi partam , itemque regenerationem spiritus testandam . — baptismus additur fidei , non quòd parem rationem ac vim hab●at , sed quòd ad fidem testandam & confirmandam adhibeatur . ita hìc baptismus additur spiritui , quod forès testetur id quod spiritus intus peragit ] though he rather interpret the text as calvin . i have shewed before from mar. . . and other places , that johns baptism was for remission of sins ; that is , ( saith gataker ) to seal us the pardon which we have received . and if the very scripture description of it was [ the baptism of repentance for remission of sins ] then it was not an accidental or separable use , as to the intention which the administrator and receiver are bound to . and justly doth beza in mat. . . fall upon erasmus sharply , for saying [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . [ in praepositio praeparationem significat non effectum ; because repentance and remission ( saith beza ) cannot be separated ; so that he took it not to be a common preparatory repentance , or baptism . piscator on mar. . . saith , it s called the baptism of repentance for remission of sin , because john preached remission of sin to the penitent and believers ; praecipiebatque ut in hujus rei testimonium atque professionem baptizarentur . and that it s called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , id est , qui resipiscentiae testificandae atque profitendae adhibebatur . neque enim baptizabat nisi eos qui confessione pecatorum edita , resipiscentiam suam testatam reddebant : ] caeterum nomine resipiscentiae per synecdochë membri simul intelligenda est fides in christum ; ] and he expounds the words [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] thus , id est , praed cabat baptisma resipiscentiae quod ad remissionem peccatorum pertinet , seu destinatum est , ut act. . . sed hoc est rectè intelligendū : viz ad remissionem peccatorū testificandam sive obsignandam : non autem ad illam consequendam hoc opere . [ and on mal. . . observe he shews that christs baptism and johns are the same , in that both have the same end and use , viz. obsignatio remissionis peccatorum & resipiscentiae , that is , as already extant , as his judgement is oft delivered . as in his schol. on ver . . he expresly saith [ in resipiscenti●m , id est , in testimonium resipiscentiae , ut nimirum susceptione baptismi testatum faciatis vos resipuisse , & indies magis ac magis resipiscere velle : sed simul hìc intelligendum , joannem baptizasse quoque in remissionem peccatorum , hoc est , in remissionem peccatorum , ut nimirum nomine dei testatum faceret resipiscentibus & in christum credentibus peccata ipsis remissa esse propter christum agnum dei. — ] and i pray mark his observation on mat. . , , . concluding our present question : [ baptismus nulli adulto conferendus est , nisi prius ediderit confessionem peccatorū & fidei in christū , ac praeterea promissionem sanctae vitae ; ] which he proves . and as he shews that it is saving faith and repentance that he means , which hath the promise of remission ; so the promise of a holy life cannot be sincerely made by any till he have a regenerate heart . see doctor hammond on mark . . calvin on mat. . . saith , ergò ut se ritè ad baptismum offerant homines , peccatorum [ confessio ab illis requiritur ; alioqui enim quàm inane esset ludicrum tota actio ! ] if i had charged the guilty so , of making the whole work of baptism ludicrous , they would have been highly offended : calvin shews his judgement , that it is a true special repentance which he would require this confession to manifest : and he addeth , [ notandum est de adultis hic verba fieri , quos scimus non promiscuè in ecclesiam esse admittendos , nec baptismo initiandos esse in corpus christi nisi examine prius habito , ] viz. about the said repentance and faith. paraeus on mat. . . shews that the order was that confession as a testimony of true repentance go first , and then baptism for remission of sins [ confessio post ponitur ; sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 constructionis — confesii baptizabantur : pro , cum confessi essent peccata , baptismum accipiebant sacramentum remissionis peccatorum . non prius baptizabantur , postea confitebantur — auditores igitur primò in testimonium resip●scentiae confitebantur sua peccata , deinde baptizabātur : tertiò , fide baptismi fructum suscipiebant remissionē peccatorum . docet hic locus varia . . quod baptismus sit sacramentū remissionis peccatorum , ex parte dei ; spondet enim deus ceu jurejurando , baptizatis remissionem gratuitam peccatorum propter christum . . quod sit etiam sacramentum resipiscentiae , ex parte nostra . restipulamur enim deo fidem & poenitentiam pro tanto beneficio . ( that is , both profess it at present , and engage to continue in it ; answering the interrogation credis ? with a credo , and not only a credam . ) . ad sacramenta non esse admittendos impoenitentes ; ( he speaks of the repentance which had the promise of remission ) — hoc enim damus ( anabaptistis ) in ecclesiam suscipiendos & baptizandos non esse , nisi praevia confessione fidei & poenitentiae ( by the adult : ) quem morem & vetus servavit ecclesia & nostrae hodie observant , si vel judaeus vel turca adultus baptismo sit ini●i indus . and on verse . he saith ( which will be harsh to our opponents ) ex concione ipsa datur intelligi , multos illerum simulata poenitentia etiam baptismū petivisse : horum hypocrisin cùm non ignoraret , non passus eos latere in turba , nec ad baptismum indignos admisit sed acri objurgatione , hortatione , & comminatione ad seriam resipiscentiam extimulat & ad baptismum praeparat . ( where he goeth three steps beyond our opposers ; who . will not have us require as necessary so much as a shew of this repentance . . much less the sincerity of it ; . nor to deny them baptism as unworthy till they are prepared . ) after he shews , that hypocrits will creep in among the good : partly such as we cannot discern , and those are to be left to the judgement of god ; partim manifesti , quos pastores admittere non debent sine examine , nè sacramenta prost●tuant , sibi & ecclesiae reatum attrahant , ( how little do our confident opposers fear this ! ) — facite fructus dignos poenitentiae . pro , cavete , mihi , vel deo hypocrisi illudere , sed videte ut veram poenitentiam agatis , ab erroribus & peccatis vestris , & si● baptismum novae ecclesiae sacramentum suscipiatis . fructus poenitentiae vocat , ut palam erroribus , sectis & vitiis suis renuncient , & emendatione vitae se novos homines deinceps testentur . non enim satis est foris poenitētiā simulare , quod etiā hypocritae solent , &c. [ and p. . against maldonate , he proveth the baptism of christ and john all one ; and when maldonate saith that john baptized [ in poenitentium baptismus praecedebat , & poenitentia sequebatur ] ( confessing , that in christs baptism repentance precedes , ) he answereth , [ that it is false ; nam etiam in joannis baptismo praecedebat poenitentia , sequebatur baptismus . ] if then it be certain that johns baptism was for present remission of sins , even the obsignation of a remission already conferred by the promise , it will be at least as evident that christs baptism is so to , and accordingly to be administred . hence it is , that the faith which the apostles before they baptized men did perswade them to , was still a justifying faith , ( as act. . , . & passim ) as that which they were to annex the seal of baptism to , ( or to gods promise on mens believing . ) pet. . it is said of the barren ungodly professor , [ that he hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins ; ] where i take it for a clear case that it is the baptismal washing which the apostle there intendeth , wherein all profess to put off the old man , and to be washed from their former filthiness . for i suppose we shall be loth to yield that it was an actual cleansing , either of remission or mortification , which the apostle meaneth , left we grant that men may fall from such a state : and therefore it must be a sacramental washing or cleansing , wherein the matter was appearingly and sacramentally transacted . from whence it is plain , that the apostle took it for granted , that as all the baptized were visibly church-members , so were they all visibly washed from their old sins ; which sheweth both what was their own profession , and what was the stated end and use of the ordinance . the apostle saith not that [ he hath forgotten that he promised or engaged to be purged from his old sins , ] but that [ he was purged ] from them . pareus in loc . saith , [ a veteribus peccatis purgatum , h. e. se esse baptizatum : seu se accepisse in baptismo purgationis signaculum . omnes enim baptizati debent purgari à peccatis , sicut dicuntur induere christum , gal. . mori cum christo , rom. . sensus est : qui se volutant in sceleribus , non recordantur se baptizatos esse : abnegant ergo baptismum suum . ] cor. . the apostle saith of the visible church of corinth , [ such were some of you ; but ye are washed , but ye are sanctified , but ye are justified , &c. ] where it is evident , that all the visible members of the church are visibly washed , sanctified , justified , ( of which text i shall speak more anon . ) and i thik it is clear , that by washing here he hath some respect to their baptism . i shall not stand now to add any more texts , because we shall have occasion anon to do it ; but may hence conclude , that till one text of scripture be produced from whence it may be proved , that christ did institute such a thing as baptism , which was not for the present signal remission of sin , we must take the contrary for granted , because we have so many texts that tell us that his baptism was for remission of sin . i shall only here add , that the very sign it self which is the washing of the body by water , doth plainly shew that the washing of the soul by the blood of christ , is the thing signified ; and the present actual use of the sign is to signifie the presence and actuality of the thing signified . so that i conclude , that there is no baptism to be administred without a profession of saving faith and repentance fore-going , because there is no baptism that ever christ appointed but what is for the obsignation of remission of sin which is the consequent . mr. blake page . reciteth some words of mine containing this argument , thus : that faith to which the promise of remission and justification is made , must also be sealed to : or that faith which is the condition of the promise , is the condition in foro dei of the title to the seal : but it is only solid true faith that is the condition of the promise of remission : therefore it is that which gives right in foro dei to the seal ] who would think now but mr. blake had given some substantial answer to this and other arguments , when himself and some others are so confident of the sufficiency of them ? his answer is this [ to this i have answered , faith is not sealed to but remis●ion of sins or salvation upon condition of faith ; and when i come to speake of the sealing of sacraments , i shall god willing make this more evident , that the sacrament , quâ seal , immediately respects our priviledges not duties ] reply . . is here one word of answer to any real part of the argument ? is not this answer as little to the matter as if he had talk't of another subject . i think it my duty to say that ministers of the gospel do but proclaim to the church the matter of our common lamentation , and the enemies joy , when some confidently publish such kind of disputations , and others are satisfied with them . and i must say , if all were such , they should never more be angred with one word of mine , in opposition to their assertions , though they would maintain that the crow is white . . to that useless touch that he hath on a word ( whose following explication might have spared him his labour ) i may say that our divines have ordinarily maintained hitherto that there is a mutual covenanting between god and us ( and no man more then mr. blake ) and that in the sacrament there is a mutual sealing ; the receiving being our seal , as the act is gods. arg . if baptism be instituted to be a seal of the righteousness of that faith which we have being yet unbaptized , then must we baptize none that profess not a justifying faith ( and their seed ) but the antecedent is true ; therefore so is the consequent . the reason of the consequence is evident in that we must use baptism only according to its nature , and to it s instituted ends . the antecedent is proved thus : circumcision was instituted to be a seal of the righteousness of that faith which they had being yet uncircumcised : therefore baptism is instituted to be a seal of the righteousness of that faith which we have yet unbaptized ; the consequence will not be denyed by them whom we now deal with : because they confess that baptism succeedeth circumcision . the antecedent is evident in rom. . . it being so expresly said of abraham , to whom circumcision was first given . i cannot imagine what they will say , unless it be by recourse to the anabaptists shift , to say , that circumcision was instituted to this end indeed , to abraham himself , and others that were sincere , but not to all that had right to it . but god here tels us , the established use and end of his ordinance ; and in such relations , the end is inseparable . and as god hath not made many sorts of baptisms or circumcisions , so neither many neerer inconsistent ends , ( or separable . ) and we are likest to know the true end of the institution , where the institution and first example are reported to us . calvin in loc saith [ hic porrò habemus insignem locum de commum sacramentorum usu : sunt enim ( teste paulo ) sigilla , quibus & dei promissiones cordibus nostris quodammodo imprimuntur , & sancitur gratiae certitudo , — quare maneat hoc fixum , sacra symbola esse ●l est monia quibus gratiam suam deus cordibus nostris — obsignat . gratuita reconciliatio in deo in signo illo inclusa fuit — duae deniq●e ut baptismi hodie sunt , ità olim circumcisionis erant partes ; nempe tam vitae novitatem quàm peccatorum remissionem testari : ] but he shews next , that all the circumcised had not justice ; ( that is actual faith and sanctity ) first giving instance in isaac an infant . saith aritius in loc . hanc justitiam obsignavit hoc est , illū certum reddidit de faedere inito & acceptatione gratuita . saith piscator in loc . sicut olim circumcisio signum fuit federis gratiae , & sigillum quo credentibus obsignata fuit justitia fidei , hoc est quo illi certiores sunt redditi , sibi rem●ss● esse peccata prepter futuram satisfactionem christi , ac proinde se habere deū prepitū ac saventeē ; it●●ctera quoque sacramēta , &c. similiter & finis seu scopus omnium sacramentorum unus idemque est , viz. obsignatio justitiae fidei , quae vulgo dicitur fidei confirmatio . ] paraeus in loc . saith , [ ita signum fuit dantis & accipientis respectu , &c. ] et [ justitia fid●i est remissio peccatorum fide accepta propter redemptionem christi ] et [ sic sacramenta non sunt instituta justificandis , sed justificatis , h. e. non infidelibus , sed conversis . non igitur nisi conversione & fide sumi debent ; secus sigilla justitiae esse cessant . quid enim non hathentibus fidem & justitiam obsignarem ? ] yet following calvin , he next sheweth , that sometime righteousness doth follow after and not precede , instancing in isaac , which none denieth . for infants are baptized on the account of their parents faith , and not their own ; and the adult oft profess the faith which they have not . note also here , besides paraeus his express decision of the main controversie , how he takes the converted justified and believers for the same ; and the unconverted , unjustified , and infidels , for the same . ragerus a little quarrels with paraeus , and ( as many lutherans do ) would make abrahams example no standing rule ; that the sacrament begets not the first grace ; [ sed non sequitur , in hoc subjecto circumcisio non habuit virtutem operativam gratiae primitus conferendae : ergò in nullo habuit : imò vero aliis gratiae divinae adhuc destitutis medium esse potuit gratiae primitus conferendae . ] so others of that way . but as we distinguish between what god may do by baptism , and what he hath instituted it to do ; so the very judgement of these lutherans and many papists , who will have sacraments to confer grace where it is not , is against the opinion that we now resist . for it is not any lower effect only , but saving justification or remission , which these make to be the present effect of it . dr. willet in loc . saith [ circumcision then did not confer upon him that grace which he had not , but did confirm and stablish him in the grace and faith received , the sacraments then non instituta sunt justificandis , sed justificatis , are not instituted for those which are to be justified , but for them which are already justifyed . parae . ] peter martyr is larger , and makes these words of paul to be the definition of a sacrament , to be a seal of the righteousness of faith . much out of them might be cited for the cause in hand , but that i must avoid prolixity . so much shall serve for that argument . argum. . we must baptize none but those that are first professed disciples of christ ( and their children , who are also disciples ) but none are professed disciples of christ that profess not saving faith in christ ; therefore we may not baptize any that profess not saving faith in christ. the major is proved from matth . . go disciple me all nations , batizing them . ] as for those that say , they are discipled by baptizing , and not before baptizing . . they speak not the sense of that text. . nor that which is true or rational , if they mean it absolutely as so spoken ; else why should one be baptized more then another . . but if they mean that by heart-covenant , or gods accep●ance and promise they are disciples before , but not so compleatly till the covenant be sealed and solemnized , as a souldier is not so signally a souldier till he be listed , nor a king till he be crowned so fully a king , or a man or woman so fully married till it be solemnized in the congregation ; in this sense they say the same that i am proving : men must be first disciples by the professed consent , before they are declared such by the seals or publike sacramental solemnization . and that only the professors of saving faith and their infants are disciples , may appear by a perusal of the texts of scripture that use this word ; and it w●ll not only be found that this which i maintain is the ordinary use of the word ( which should make it so also with us ) but that no text can be cited where any others are called the disciples of christ. for the major and minor both observe piscators definition of baptism ( on mat. . . ) baptismus est sacramentum novi testamenti , quo homines ad ecclesiam pertinentes ex mandato christi cultui veri dei , qui est pater , filius & spiritus sanctus , per ministros verbi consecrantur , & in fide remissionis peccatorum , & spe vitae aeternae confirmantur . ] and he proveth this description per partes : . that its a sacrament . . that it belongeth to those that pertain to that church , and that they only must be baptized qui ecclesiam fuerint ingressi , ac fidem evangelii professi , which he proveth from mark . . he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved . vult ergò ( saith he ) ut prius constet de alicuius fide quam baptizetur ] vnde acts . philippus evangelista non prius baptizare voluit eunuchum illum aethiopem quam is professus esset fidem christi ] and by the proof from mar. . . it is apparent that he speaks of saving faith . then he proves the last part of his description [ postremo per baptismum homines in fide & spe confirmari liquet ex verbis , qui crediderit & baptizatus fuerit salvabitur ; & sic petrus , act . . resipiscentes judaeos jubet baptizari in remissionem pe●catorum , hoc est , ad confirmandam fidem remissionie peccatorum . item , act. . . ananias dicit paulo recens converso , baptizare & ablue peccata tua , hoc est , baptizare ad confirmandam fidem remissionis peccatorum , quod abluta sint peccata tua sanguine christi . ] calvin in loc . saith [ baptizari jubet christus eos qui nomen evangelio dederint , seque professi fuerint discipulos , p●rtim ut illis baptismus sit vitae aeternae tessera coram deo ; partim apud homines externum fidei signum . scimus enim deum nobis testari adoptionis suae gratiam hoc signo ; quia nos inserit in corpus filii sui , ut nos in grege suo censeat : ideo & spirituale nostrum lavacrum , quo nos sibi reconciliat , ut nova justitia illic representatur . sed quemadmodum gratiam suam deus hoc sigillo nobis confirmat , ita quicunque se ad baptismum offerunt , vicissim , quasi data syngrapha , obstringunt suam fidem . ] and after [ verum quia docere prius jubet christus quam baptizare , & tantum credentes ad baptismum vult recipi , videtur non ritè administrari baptismus , nisi fides precesserit . ] on this pretence he shews that the anabaptists oppose infant-baptism ; to which he answers , not by receding from what is said before but by shewing that [ eos qui fide in ecclesiam dei ingressi sunt , videmus cum sua sobole censeri in christi membris , & in salutis haereditatem simul vocari . nec vero separatur hoc modo baptismus à fide vel doctrina ; quia licèt pueri infantes nondam per aetatem side percipiant dei gratiam , deus tamen eorum parentes compellans ipsus etiam complectitur . ] so that it is calvins judgement , that this very text which is the most notable copy of the apostolical commission for the baptizing of the discipled nations , doth appoint that saving faith be professed , before men be baptized ; and lie makes these to be the disciples with their infants ; and that it is reconciliation , adoption , and the inheritance of salvation that are sealed up to parents and children by baptism . paraeus in loc . saith [ cum baptismus sit signum faederis testificans baptizatos recipi a deo in gratiam , haud dubiè pater , filius & spiritus sanctus sunt unus verus deus , baptizatos in gratiam & foedus recipiens . ] and he expoundeth this from mar. . . shewing that as the order is credere & baptizari ; so that this is a true saving faith . [ l●st autem credere evangelio non solum assentiri doctrinae quod vera sit , sed fiducia certa sibi applicare promissionem gratiae ; nos recipi in gratiam : nobis remissa esse peccata propter christum . commendat vero nobis fidem & baptismum duabus rationibus : una ab utili : salvabitur , h. e. vitam aeternam consequetur . ] for my own part , i have before entered my dissent to such descriptions of justifying faith as make it to be a believing that our sins are pardoned ; but yet i agree with him and the rest in the main that it must be an act of the will ( embracing or accepting an offered christ ) as well as of the understanding , and that the profession of it must go before baptism . but i shall further prove the minor from some other texts of scripture , viz. that they are not christs disciples that profess not saving faith ( or are not the infants of such . ) luke . , , . if any man come to me and hate not his father and mother , and wife and children , and brothers and sisters , yea and his own life also , he cannot be my disciple : and whosoever doth not bear his cross and come after me , cannot be my disciple : whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath , cannot be my disciple . this is spoken of true disciples in heart ( the first significatum ) by him that knew the heart : from whence i argue thus , ( if none are christs disciples in heart , nor can be , but those that value him above all , and will forsake all for him if he require it : then none can be his disciples by external profession , but those that profess to esteem him above all , and to be willing to forsake all rather then forsake him : but the former is proved by the text : the consequence is clear , in that the world hath hitherto been acquainted but with two sorts of christians , or disciples of christ : the one such sincerely in heart ; and the other such by profession : and the latter are so called because they profess to be what the other are indeed , and what themselves are if they sincerely so profess . and it is the same thing professed which makes a man a professed christian , which being found in the heart doth make a man a hearty christian. of these two sorts of disciples & people of god , i spake as plain as i could speak , pag. . of the saints rest : but mr. blake never sticks when he meets with such passages to perswade the world that they are my self-contradictions , and that they make for him : as if it were all one to profess a saving faith , even the acceptance of christ , and to profess a faith short of saving . but i perceive by this how he is like to use other authors that cannot speak for themselves , that would perswade men that i speak for him , even where i expresly speak for the same cause which i now maintain against him . john . . [ by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples , if ye love one another . ] here christ giveth a certain badg by which his true disciples may be known . if only those that love one another , are true disciples in heart ; then only those that profess to love one another , are disciples by profession : but , &c. and that this love is a special grace , and inseparable concomitant of saving faith , is manifest in that [ by this we know that we are translated from death to life , because we love the brethren , joh. . . joh. . . if ye continue in my word , then are ye ( that is , you will approve your selves ) my disciples indeed ] if only those are christs disciples indeed , as to the heart , that have the resolution of perseverance ( and those only his practical conquering disciples who actually persevere ) then only those are his professed disciples that profess a resolution to persevere . but ; &c. ergo , &c. all this that i have said , is no more then we have ever practised , when in baptism we renounced the world , flesh , and devil , and promised to fight under christs banner , to our lives end . saith piscator on john . . si pro christianis , id est , christs discipulis haberi volumus , oportet ut nos mutuò quàm ardentissimè diligamus , &c. object . joh. . ● , , . those are called his disciples that were offended at his word and went back . answ. . that 's none of our question , whether professed disciples may not forsake christ : we easily acknowledge it : but let it be proved that these did not before profess a saving faith . . this makes as much against the opponent as me : for it was the very want of a dogmatical faith that they here manifested ; being offended that christ should tell them that they must eat his flesh . object . act. . . they are called disciples that had not heard whether there be a holy ghost or not . answ. if they had not heard , then it was not an article of necessity to their justification . they had been baptized , and professed that faith which was saving when john baptized . . this is spoken only of that extraordinary gift of the holy ghost . obj. any one is a disciple that is willing to learn of christ. answ. no such matter : in an improper sence you may so call them , but not in scripture sense ; where . a disciple and a christian are all one , acts . . but every one that is willing to learn of christ is not a christian ; therefore not a disciple . . a disciple of christ is one that will take him for the great prophet of the church ( which whosoever heareth not shall be cut off from gods people ) and will learn of him as of the christ. but so wil not all that will learn of him : for a man that taketh christ but for a common wise man as socrates or plato , may be willing to learn of him : and so may be his disciple in another sense , but not in the christian sense , as a christian. . he that is sincerely a disciple of christ in heart , doth take him for one that by redemption also hath propitiated the offended majesty , and as king hath authority to rule him ; and submitteth to him in his whole office as he is the christ : for he cannot be truly a christian that taketh not christ as christ , and believeth not in him in all that is essential to his office , and so to the object of our faith . as he that believeth that christ is god only , or man only , is no christian , so he that believeth in him as a teacher only ; for that is no more then to believe in him as in moses or elias : . he that is sincerely a disciple in heart , must take christ for his only teacher in the way to everlasting life , renouncing all other except as they stand under him ; and must be willing to be taught and guided by him in all things : therefore he that is a professed disciple , must profess all this : and that is to profess saving faith. for without saving faith no man can so believe in him , or be heartily willing to be taught by him . the lessons that they are to learn of him are self-denial , and the contempt of this world , and the love of one another , and to be meek and lowly in heart that they may find rest to their souls , mat. . , . and these he proclaimeth when he inviteth men to his school . but no ungodly man is willing to learn any of these : and therefore unwilling are they to be his disciples . argum. . we ought not to baptize those persons ( or their infants as theirs ) who are visible members of the kingdom of the devil ( and his children ) or that do not so much as profess their forsaking of the child-hood and kingdom of the devil , but such are all that profess not a saving faith ; ergo. the major is proved thus . if we must baptize none but for present admission into the kingdom of christ , then we must baptize none but those that profess a present departure from the kingdom of the devil . but the former is true : therefore so is the latter . the antecedent is granted by those that i have to do with . the reason of the consequence is evident , in that all the world is divided into these two kingdoms , and they are so opposite that there is no passing into one but from the other . the minor of the first argument i prove thus . all they are visibly in the kingdom of the devil , or not so much as by profession removed out of it who profess not a removal from that condition● in which the wrath of god abideth on them , and they are excluded by the gospel from everlasting life . but such are all that profess not a justifying faith . therefore i express the major two waies disjunctively , lest any should run to instances of men that are converted & have not yet had a cal or opportunity to profess it . if such are not visibly in the kingdom of the devil , at least they are not visibly out of it . the major is proved , in that it is the condition of the covenant of grace performed that differenceth the members of christs kingdom from satans : and so it is that condition profest to be performed that visibly differenceth them before men . it is the promise of grace that bringeth them out of satans kingdom : therefore it is only done invisibly to those that profess the performance of the condition . moreover to be out of satans kingdom visibly , is to be visibly from under his government ; but those that profess not saving faith , are not visibly from under his government . lastly to be visibly out of satans kingdom , is to be visibly freed from his power as the executioner of gods eternal vengeance : but so are none that profess not saving faith . the minor is proved from john . . he that believeth on the son , hath everlasting life ; and he that believeth not the son , ( or obeyeth not ) shall not see life ; but the wrath of god abideth on him ; where it is plain . . that the unbelief spoken of , is that which is opposed to saving faith , even to that faith which hath here the promise of everlasting life . . and that this leaves them visibly under the wrath of god. so in mar. . . compared with mat. . . in the later christ bids them make him disciples ; and in the former he describeth those that are such , and those that remain still in the kingdom of satan [ he that blieveth and is baptized shall be saved , and he that believeth not shall be damned ] here it is evident that the unbelief threatned is that which is contrary to ( and even the privation of ) the faith that salvation is expresly promised to : and that all that profess not this saving fa●th , are not so much as professedly escaped a state of damnation : and that this is the differencing character of christs disciples to be baptized ( of which yet more afterward ) , so acts . . it is the opening of mens eyes and the turning them from darkness to light , and the power of satan to god , that they may receive remission of sins , &c. which is the true state of them that are christians in heart : and the profession of this that proveth them professed christians : and they that do not profess to be thus enlightned and converted , do not profess to be brought from under the power of satan ; for that is here made the terminus à quo . so col. . . who hath delivered us from the power of darkness , and translated us into the kingdom of his dear son. ] here the passing into the kingdom of christ is by passing from the kingdom of darkness , so that he is not cordially in one that is cordially in the other ; and consequently he is not by profession in the one , who is not by profession past from the other : he that professeth not such a faith as proveth men in christs kingdom , professeth not so much as may prove him out of satans . and expresly it is said , john . . he that committeth sin , is of the devil . in this the children of god are manifest & the children of the devil ; he that doth not righteousness is not of god , &c. ] these passages will be further touched when we come to the argument from the true visible church . argum. . if it be the appointed use of all christian baptism to solemnize our marriage with christ , or to seal or confirm our union with him , or ingraffing into him then must we baptize none that profess not justifying faith . ( because this is necessarily prerequisite , and no others can protend to union , marriage or ingraffing into christ ) but the antecedent is true . both antecedent and consequence are evident in gal. . , , . for as many of you as have been baptized into chr●st , have put on chr●st — ye are all one in christ jesus . and if ye be chr●sts , then are ye abrahams seed , and heirs acccoding to promise . ] here we see that it is not an accidental or separable thing for baptism to be our visible entrance into christ our putting him on , our admittance ( by solemnization ) into the state of gods children , and heirs acording to promise ] for this is affirmed of all he baptized with true christian baptism ; if we be truely baptized , we are baptized into christ. if we we are baptized into christ , then are we christ's and have put on christ , and are all one in christ , and are abrahams seed , and heirs according to promise . if any object that the apostle speaks this but of some of them , even of the regenerate , because he saith [ as many of you ] i answer , it is manifest that he speaks of all , because it was all of them that were baptized into christ. . he expresly saith as much in the next foregoing words [ vers . . for ye are all the children of god by faith in christ jesus . ] to which the words following are annexed as the proof . [ for as many of you as have been baptized into christ , have put on christ. ] the assumption is implied [ but you have all bin baptized into christ ] therefore ye have all put on christ , and so in him are all the children of god. . note that they are the special gifts of saving grace that are here ascribed to all the baptized . . note also that all this is said and proved to be by faith . . note also that it is expresly said to be a ●ustifying faith : before vers . [ that we we might be justifyed by faith . ] indeed this text affordeth us divers arguments . . the apostle supposeth all the baptized to profess a justifying faith , among the galathians : therefore so must we suppose of others , and expect that they do it . the antecedent is proved from vers . , . and . compared . . all the baptized are said to have put on christ , therefore they are supposed to profess that faith by which christ is put on : but that is only justifying faith . . all that are duly baptized are baptized into christ : therefore they are supposed to profess that faith by which men are united or ingraffed into christ ; but that is only justifying faith . but the rest of the arguments here will be further touched on anon . mr. blake saith p. . [ whether all union with christ imply regeneration , let john . . be consulted , where an union with christ is clearly held out : yet mr. baxter brings that text among , others to prove that there are some saints that shall never be saved ] answ. . but i told you that by saints i meant only those that profess an acceptance of christ , and not your saints that only profess a lower faith . in this you do by me as you use . . union with christ in the primary and proper sense is proper to the sound believer ; or else no title or benefit on earth is proper to him . but as those are believers in profession that are not so in heart , so those are united to or ingraffed into the church , and so to christ , by an outward profession , who are not so in heart . and this is called a union , because they profess that inward union which they have not , which is the famosius significatum . whether these be only equivocally said to be united to christ , we shall enquire in season . but tell me where any man was ever said in scripture to be united to christ without saving faith , or the profession of it ? . i suppose you know how many of our divines do expound iohn , of a saving union , and take the cautions about unfruitfulness and apostacy to be de rebus nunquam futuris , purposely given that they might not be future : but this i stick not on . next he citeth mr. cobbet , mr. hudson , and mr. ames , to shew that * christ is the head of the visible church , and hath many unfruitful members , &c. answ. as pertinent as most citations that i there have met with , that is , utterly impertinent . it 's yielded that as they have a profession of saving faith , so by profession they are members of the visible church . but prove if you can that ever any are such visible members , but the professors of a saving faith , and their children . i conclude then ▪ that christ hath appointed no baptism but what is for a visible marriage of the soul to himself ( as the protestants ordinarily confess ) therefore he hath appointed no baptism but for those that profess to take jesus christ for their husband , and to give up themselves to him as his espouse . but this is a profession of justifying faith . for heartily to take christ for our head and husband , is true saving faith , and proper to his own regenerate people , if any thing in the world be so . and no man can profess to be married to christ that doth no● profess to take him for a husband . therefore for my part , i never intend to baptize any without profession of saving faith . as for mr. blakes answer that [ we are oftener said here to be espoused to christ , then married ] i think that this and many hundred such passages , do need no answer : but yet i shall say , . either will serve my turn . no unregenerate man is truly espoused to christ. . though the whole church in one , be solemnly to be married to christ at judgement , that is , presented perfect , justified and glorified ; yet that particular believers are married to christ here , i am resolved by gods assistance to believe while i believe isa. . . eph. . and many other texts of scripture . arg. . if paul account all the baptized , saints , or sanctified men , dead with christ and risen with him , such as have put on christ , sons of god by adoption , abraham seed , heirs according to promise , and justified , then did they all profess a true justifying faith . but the antecedent is certain , ergò so is the consequent . the antecedent mr. blake confesseth . and i shall prove it by parts . the consequence is that which lieth chiefly on me to prove ; and i shall do both together . the apostle in the beginning of his epistle to the corinthians and in may other places calls the whole church saints , cor . . he saith to them , [ but ye are washed , ye are sanctified , &c , ] that part of the antecedent then is certain . the consequence i prove thus . there are none called saints in all the new testament , but only such as where in heart devoted to christ by a saving faith ; or professed so much : therefore the word saints in this case must signifie only such . if any will prove a third sort of saints , viz. such as profess a faith not saving , they must do that which i never yet saw done . . the first and most famous signification of the word saints or sanctified in the new testament , is only of them that are in heart devoted to christ by true faith : therefore the borrowed or analogical , or less proper signification ( call it what you list ) must be of that which hath the likeness or appearance of this ; and that is only the profession of it , and not the profession of another thing . . let us peruse the texts , and see whether it be not a special saint-ship which paul ascribeth to these , and therefore as to appearance and profession , they had ! cor. . . [ such were some of you ; but ye are washed , ye are sanctified , ye are justified in the name of the lord jesus and by the spirit of our god ] and that sanctification wh●ch is joyned with justification , which is wrought by the spirit of god cleansing men from their former reigning sins , which else would have kept them out of the kingdom of god , and which was in them that must judge angels . ver . . was a special saving sanctification . but such did this seem to paul which he speaketh of , as is exprest in the text : therefore there must needs be at least a profession of this . and because mr. blake tells me pag. ● . how well i know that he hath proved his assertion , i shall peruse all those texts which he citeth to that end , in his book of the covenants , p●g . . and first we must observe , that the persons that he there himself speaketh of , are [ visible professors ] as distinct from the [ elect and regenerate , ] yea from those that [ are really saints , and shall be for heaven : ] and he calleth them [ men separate for god and dedicated to him . ] but this is unedifying slippery dealing to confound two distinct causes to●●ther . he that is professedly dedicated to god , is a professor of saving faith. he that is really and heartily dedicated to ●od , shall certainly be saved . here mr. blake pleadeth the cause that i do maintain , and not that which he hath undertaken against me and the common truth . i confess as well as he , that profession maketh saints visible , or by profession , as hearty dedication to god by faith maketh real or heart-saints . but how angry is he himself afterwards at this distinction of [ real and professed saints ] as if that none but the justified were real saints . but what is all this to a saint-ship consisting in the profession of a faith short of that which is justifying ? i shall take these last to be mr. blake's saints , and no scripture saints , ( i mean saints of his denomination . ) till he have better proved that ever scripture so calleth them . the texts cited by him are these : frst , psal. . . [ saints on earth . ] and i yield to him that there are saints on earth . then cor. . . & heb. . . where we read of [ collections for the saints , ] and [ administration to the saints ] by these ( i doubt not ) but he may prove that more than the heart-saints are called saints ▪ but that is because they profess and seem to be heart-saints . these texts are far from proving that there are any saints that profess not saving sanctity . i shall anon tell mr. blake who they were that calvin and other protestants do expound the word [ saints ] of , in such passages as these ; though he hath already told us , that he [ abhorreth ] the doctrine which they maintain . but this is a practical case that mr. blake hath here put us upon ; the communion of saints doth not only consist in conjunction in god's worship , but also in mutual relief , and free communication of outward things , as the text which he here citeth doth declare . those therefore that are of his mind must communicate as well to the professors of a common faith , as of a saving faith. but hear who they be that pareus supposeth paul to mean [ in loc . docemur vero ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sanctorum quam credimus , etiam huc pertinere , ut necessitatibus fratrum mutuò tangamur , & pro virili succurramus prompte & fideliter ; sumus enim unius corporis membra , &c. nam fidei & charitatis unitas omnes in christo capite conjungit ] it is then the members of christ united in him and joyned in faith and love : and those that profess to be such , are so to us . acts . . acts . . [ when paul shut up many of the saints in prison , and did much evil against them , he knew no other way of distinction than an outward profession , &c. ] saith mr blake . answ. nor do we know means hearts ; nor think that paul knew them . but the question is , what they professed ? whether saving sanctity or a common sanctity and faith short of it ? he addeth , [ we read of churches of the saints , cor. . . and they were taken in to be church-members as soon as they made profession , as they ceased to be jews or pagans , and took them to the way of christianity , as we see act. . act. . , , . ] ans. . they renounced the way of ungodliness and wickedness in general by a profession of repentance , as well as the way of paganism and judaiism , in particular . there were no christians that professed not repentance towards god ; from dead works . . we believe that there were churches of the saints ; and therefore that none should be of the church that profess not to be true saints . but prove if you can that there was ever either church or church-member called saints in scripture , that had no either special sanctity or a profession of it . you say nothing to prove that any were called saints upon the profession of a faith short of saving faith. emphaticum est ( saith calvin in loc . ) quod exprimit sanctorum acsi ecclesias rite compositas à sinistra nota subduceret . ] of which see him fully on cor. . . and as for those acts . you cannot prove that any of them were either called saints or baptized without a profession of a justifying faith : as shall further be shewed afterward . m. blake addeth [ the epistles wrote to particular visible churches are inscribed to saints ; among which , what some are , read both the epistles to the corinthians ; yea , what almost all are in some churches , read the epistle to the church of sardis . answ. . no man in any of these churches is called a saint upon the profession of any lower kind of faith , but only on the presence or profession of saving faith . . i have not heard a proof that the worst of these church●s had many members , ( if any ) that were impenitent and obstin●te in any error or sin after admonition , and so that were visibly destitute of the saving sanctity which they did profess . . if such there were , the churches are commanded to cast them out , and then they will be no longer numbred with the saints . . the apostles may well call the whole society saints when part are really so in heart , and the rest profess it . we commonly tell both papists and separatists , that the scripture thus denominateth the whole from the better part ; as a field is called a corn-field , though theree be more tares then corn ; and yet you will not call the tares corn : no more will i call the ungodly saints , when i know them though i will call the church saints where they are , and them , while they profess themselves saints , and i know not but they are so . . if you can with patience but read what clavin saith on cor. . . and peter martyr ( to name no more now ) you will see that doctrine which you abhor maintained by the protestants , and in what current it is that your opinion floweth . mr. blake adds [ the apostle tells us of the faith once delivered to the saints : jude . the doctrine of faith as is agreed on all hands , all that profess that doctrine are saints . ] answ. all that cordially entertain that doctrine are saints in heart ; all that profess so to entertain it are saints by profession . ( while that profession hath any validity . ) but all that barely profess to assent to the truth of that doctrine , and no mo●e , ( unless as that assent may imply the consent of the will ) are not saints . but let us peruse some other texts besides these that mr. blake citeth . the congregations of the saints are mentioned in the old testament , as psal. , . and . but what saints these were , may appear by the promises made to them . ps. . , , & . . & . . & . & . , . & . the children of israel , a people neer unto him are called saints , psal. . . but it is because they are a part of them , his people in heart , and the rest profess themselves to be his people in a saving sense . and if there were any that did not so , he was not an israelite by religion , nor to be of that common-wealth , but to be cut off from his people . acts . . the saints at jerusalem that paul persecuted , were such as not only professed saving faith , but also had the witness of martyrdom and persecutions to testifie their sincerity . they that continued stedfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship , and breaking bread , and prayers , having all things common , selling their possessions and goods , and parting them to all men as every man had need , praising god &c. did profess more then a faith and repentance short of that by which we are saved : but so did the church at jerusalem , act. . , . to the end ; yea , the multitude of them that believed were of one heart , & one soul , and great grace was upon them all , &c. acts . . to . so that we may see what saints the church at jerusalem were . and if all were not such , we see evidently that the whole was denominated from such . the church of rome were all called saints , rom. . . true : but what was meant by that word , and what saints did they appear to paul by their profession to be ? even such as were [ beloved of god , whose faith was spoken of throughout the world , that were dead to sin , but alive to god , that had obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine delivered to them , and being made free from sin became the servants of righteousness and of god , having their fruit to holiness , and the end everlasting life , rom. . , . and , , , , . whose obedience was come abroad to all men . rom. . . here is more then the profession of a common faith. the corinthians are called saints ; true : but what is meant by saints ? such as [ called on the name of the lord iesus christ , having much of his grace , enriched by him in all things , coming behind in no gift , waiting for the coming ●f our lord iesus christ , who shall confirm them to the end , that they may be blameless at his coming , cor. . . to ver . . all was theirs , . cor. . , . they were such saints as were washed , and sanctified , and justified in the name of the lord iesus , and by the spirit of god ; and such as were to ●udge the world , and the angels , chap. . , . delivered from that unrighteousness that would have kept from heaven , ver . . , . such as had no temptation but what was common to man , whom the faithful god would not suffer to be tempted above their strength , &c. chap. . . such as were not so much as to eat with the notoriously wicked , chap. . and therefore doubtless professed godliness themselves ; in whom godly sorrow had wrought carefulness , clearing of themselves , zeal , &c. cor. . . in whom the apostle had confidence in all things , ver . . object . but paul saith , they were carnal , and taxeth them with some gross errors and sins . answ. . so are all the regenerate carnal in part , and guilty of too many sins : and it is not impenitency after admonition that he chargeth them with . their sin was no worse to our eye than david's or solomon's . . if any were so bad as to be notoriously ungodly , those are not of that number whom he calleth saints , as they are not of them that have the following descriptions of saints which i have cited ; but only were among them , but not of them . the galathians i find not called saints ; but to call them a church of christ , or believers , is equipollent . and what saints were they ? why they were [ all the sons of god by faith in christ jesus , having been baptized into christ , and put him on , and were all one in him , and were abraham's seed , and heirs according to the promise . ] gal. . , , . and [ because they were sons , god sent the spirit of his son into their hearts , by which they cryed abba father , and therefore were no more servants but sons , and if sons , then heirs of god through christ. ] object . but paul was afraid of them , lest he bestowed upon them labour in vain . answ. . it appeareth by what is said , that it was not such a fear as made him take them for ungodly . . this confirmeth what i maintain ; that the apostles judgement of them proceeded according to the evidences of probability : he took himself bound to believe their profession so far as they contradicted it not ; and according to the prevalency of their errors which were against it , he was jealous of their condition : and if they had proceeded so far as to have declared themselves certainly ungodly , paul would have denominated them a church no more . the church of ephesus are called saints , eph. . . but what saints ? such as were [ blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in christ , chosen before the foundation of the world to be holy and without blemish before him in love , p●edestinated to the adoption of children by jesus christ , according to the good pleasure of his will , to the praise of the glory of his grace , wherein he made them accepted in the beloved , in whom they had redemption through his blood , the remission of sins , and have obtained an inheritance , being predestinated , &c. who trusted in christ , and were sealed with the holy spirit of promise , which is the earnest of their inheritance : they were such as believed in the lord jesus , and loved all the saints , and were quickened , who had been dead in trespasses and sins , & were raised up together , and made to sit in heavenly places . ] if mr. blake , while he abhorreth the name of a saint or church equivocally so called , would not make all words equivocal that in scripture are used to denominate or describe a church or saint , we might easily be resolved by such passages as these , what paul meaneth by a church or saint . see further eph. . . all saints comprehend what is the breadth , and length , & depth , & height ; and christ dwelleth in their hearts by faith , and they rooted and grounded in love ] eph. . , . but mr. blakes saints do none of this ; therefore they are no saints in scripture sense . with this text compare eph. . . and see what a church is and what it is to be fellow-citizens with the saints , and of the houshold of god : and eph. . . what saints they were that were to be perfected : and . what saints they were that must not so much as name coveteousness , filthiness , &c. and . . paul professeth himself less then the least of all saints : but paul never did nor would profess himself less then the least of mr. blakes saints , who are not as much as by profession in a state of salvation , nor from under the curse and wrath of god. he that pronounceth them accursed with anathema maranatha , that loved not the lord jesus , & bids grace be with them that love him in sincerity , ( cor. . . eph. . . ) would not have pronounced himself less than the least of these excommunicate accursed ones . and were i worthy to be heard , i would advise my reverend brother to better consideration before he make such accursed saints , or churches , or believers , at least that are visibly so : and that he would be cautelous of canonizing those on whom paul pronounceth anathema maranatha . to proceed , the church of philippi are called saints ; true , but what saints ? such on whom paul was [ confident that he which had begun a good work in them , would perform it till the day of jesus christ : to whom it was given on behalf of christ not only to believe but to suffer for his sake : who alwaies obeyed in presence & absence : for god wrought in them to will and to do : they only communicated to paul in giving & receiving : and they were such as bad cause alway to rejoyce , phil. . , . and . , . and . , . the church of the colossians are called saints : but what saints ? such as [ had faith in christ jesus , and love to all saints , and had hope laid up for them in heaven , who were made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light , being delivered from the power of darkness , and translated into the kingdom of his dear son ( that is the church ) in whom they had redemption through his blood , even the forgiveness of sins , being reconciled by the body of his flesh through death to be presented holy , and unblameable , and unreprovable in his sight , if they continued in the faith , grounded and setled , and were not moved away from the hope of the gospel , whose ardor and stedfastness of faith in christ , paul beheld in the spirit with joy : who were buried with christ in baptism , and risen with him through faith ; and being before dead , were quickened with him , and had the forgiveness of all trespasses , having put off the body of the sins of the flesh ; who were dead , and their life was hid with christ in god , and who shall appear with christ in glory when he appeareth . ] col. . and . and . if it shall be replyed , that paul spake all this of them in the judgement of charity , or denominated the whole from the better part , and the profession of the rest ; i say even so also it is that he calleth them all saints : the denomination is on the same ground as the description is . i cannot imagine what reasonable evasion can be made from this evidence . the thessalonians are consequentially called saints , in being called a church of christ. and what a church ? and what saints ? such as [ had the work of faith , labour of love , and patience of hope in our lord jesus christ , whose election paul knew , who turned to god from idols , to serve the true and living god , and to wait for his son from heaven , who delivered them from the wrath to come , & they received the word as the word of god , which effectually worked in them that believed , who followed the churches in suffering ; who were pauls joy and glory in the presence of christ at his coming , whose faith and charity was so reported to paul , that he tells them be liveth , if they stand fast : for god had not appointed them to wrath , but to obtain salvation by jesus christ. ] thess. & . & . & . they were such saints whom christ would come at last to be glorified in , and such believers in whom he will then be admired , even because the gospel was believed among them . ] ( therefore say not , to believe the gospel is a common thing , short of saving faith. ) thess. . we see then what the church and saints at thessalonica was . the hebrews ( to whom the apostle wrote ) are called saints , heb. . . and he doth not groundlesly call them saints ; for they were such as [ were made a gazing-stock by reproaches & afflictions , and became companions of them that were so used , & took joyfully the spoiling of their goods , knowing in themselves that they have in heaven a better and more enduring substance . ] vid. ult . heb. . , , . they were such indeed as he saw cause to exhort to perseverance , and warn of the danger of apostacie ( and the best have need of that ) but yet [ though he so spake , he was perswaded better things of them , and such as accompany salvation . ] and he gives his reason of it , heb. . , , . and having said so much of the several churches under the name of saints , i shall proceed and shew you what they are as churches , though this will after fall in , in another argument , because it will be fittes● for all to lie together , and then i shall refer you hither , when this afterward falls in . you may see by what is said , what churches all these were that are already mentioned ; and consequently what a church is in scripture-sense ; not a society of men professing a faith short of justifying ; but a society of men professing true saving faith ; yea , so far professing it , as to induce the apostles to denominate them such , as supposing them such indeed : for as they knew some were such , so did they not know the contrary by any particulars , except those whom they commanded them to cast out , as none of them . the apostle peter writes to the scattered jews that professed christianity : and what kind of christians or believers did he take them for ? why , for such as were [ elect according to the fore-knowledge of god the father , through sanctification of the spirit , unto obedience , and sprinkling of the blood of jesus christ. ] and mr. blake cannot say that this was a common election , or common sanctification , and obedience , and sprinkling of christs blood : for it is added , that [ god of his abundant mercy had begotten them again to a lively hope , by the resurrection of jesus christ from the dead , to an inheritance incorruptible , and undefiled , that fadeth not away , reserved in heaven for them , and that they are kept by the power of god through faith unto salvation , ready to be revealed in the last times , wherein they greatly re●oyced , suffering the trial of their precious faith : and [ having not seen christ loved him , and believeing in him rejoyced with joy unspeakable and full of glory , receiving the end of their faith , the salvation of their souls . ] if all these people had not , or professed and seemed not to have a saving faith , i know not what words can express a saving faith , nor what persons have such a thing . the like testimonies the apostle john gives of them , as may quickly be seen . but all the doubt is , whether the seven reproved churches in rev. . and . were such or not ? to which i say , . all of them professed the foresaid saving faith. . there is no sin charged on them that was visible and inconsistent with true saving faith. . for the church of ephesus , we heard what they were esteemed by paul a little before ; and here their grace is mentioned ; and the faults expressed are consistent with true grace . . the same i say of the churches of pergamus and thyatyra . and for the nicolaitans and other hereticks , whom they are blamed for suffering ( as the former is commended for hating them ) they are such as were to be cut off from the church ; and while they were in it were not of it : nor are they any where called believers , saints , disciples , or church-members . but it is the church of sardis that mr. blake takes special notice of . and it is said of her indeed , that she had a name to live and was dead . but , . in that they had a name to live , it seems it was a living faith which they professed , and not only one short of it . . their death was not a death in reigning sin , such as is the death of the unsanctified : but a declining condition , comparatively called death , as the children of god do oft complain of deadness . and therefore its next said , [ be watchful and strengthen the things that remain , that are ready to dye . ] and it s exprest , that their deadness was in that their works were not found perfect before god ; that is , that many or most of them had defiled their garments , ( with some heresie or vice ) which the rest had not done . . how far this was notorious to others , is of further enquiry . . if they had gone on so far , as by obstinate impenitency after admonition to shew themselves void of saving faith , they had been unchurched , as appeareth by the threatning . the church of philadelphia is so far commended , as that the case is put out of doubt . and the church of laodicea , though discommended , hath nothing visible charged upon it inconsistent with sincerity ; and the luke-warmness which is charged on them , they are threatned to be spewed out for , and so to be unchurched . and thus we see what a church was , and what saints were , and what believers and disciples were supposed to be by the apostles , and what is the signification of these words in scripture : for they are all of the same extent . mr. blake saith [ he is a believer in scripture , that is a visible professor , that puts himself in the number of those that expect salvation by jesus christ. ] answ. . a professor of what ? of true saving faith . . not that puts himself among them locally only , for so may an infidel ; but that becomes one of them as far as to a profession of it . and if they expect salvation by christ , either they profess that faith which salvation is annexed to , or else they give god the lye , and contradict both scripture and themselves even in their very profession : as if they should say , [ i look to be saved by christ , but i will not take him for my saviour , nor be saved from sin by him ] and sure such a profession makes no m●n a saint , believer or church-member . thus much i have said to prove that all the baptized are accounted saints ; and therefore professed a saving sanctity . the second title which i mentioned follows , ( of which i shall be more brief . ) all the baptized are accounted to be dead and risen with christ , even dead to sin , and risen to newness of life ; therefore they all profess a saving faith . the proof of this is full in the two texts already cited , rom. . and col. . , . rom. . &c. [ how shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein ? know ye not , that so many of us as were baptized into jesus christ , were baptized into his death ? therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death , that like as christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the father , so we also should walk in newness of life . for if we have been planted together into the likeness of his death , we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection . knowing this , that our old man is crucified with him , that the body of sin might be destroyed , that hence forth we should not serve sin ; for he that is dead is freed from sin . now if we be dead with christ , we believe that we shall also live with him . — likewise , reckon ye also your selves to be dead indeed unto sin , but alive unto god through iesus christ our lord. here is a full report of the use of baptism and the profession of all that are baptized , and the state that they are supposed to be in : so that i cannot speak it plainlier than the words themselves do . calv. on the text saith , [ extra controversiam est induere nos christum in baptismo , & hâc lege nos baptizari , ut unum cum ipso simus . — imò docet hanc mortis societatem praecipuè in baptismo spectandam esse . neque enim ablutio sola illic , sed mortificatio quoque & veteris hominis interitus proponitur : vnde palàm fit , ex quo recipimur in christi gratiam , mortis ejus efficaciam statim emergere . porro quid valeat hae● cum morte christi societas , continuo sequitur ; — ut scilicet nobis emortui si amus novi homines : nam à mortis societate transitum merito facit ad vitae participationem : quia haec duo inter se individuo nexu cohaerent , veterem hominem christi morte aboleri , ut ejus resurrectio justitiam instauret , nosque efficiat novas creaturas . — haec autem est doctrina ; quod mors christi efficax est ad nequitiam carnis nostrae extinguendam ac prostigandam : resurrectio vero ad suscitandam melioris naturae novitatem : quódque per baptismum in istius gratiae participationem cooptamur . — in summa ; qualis sit baptismi ritè suscepti veritas docet . so col. . , . which i shall not stay to recite , because it is to the same purpose and before cited . the third title mentioned in the argument , is this : all that are baptized have professedly put on christ : therefore they have professed saving faith. the antecedent is expressed , gal. . . [ for as many as have been baptized into christ , have put on christ. ] the consequence is proved , in that , to put on christ heartily , is , to be made true partakers of him , and living members of him : therefore to profess this is inseparable from the profession of saving faith ; yea , by that faith is he truly put on . putting on christ is the same with [ putting on the new man , which after god is created in righteousness and true holiness , being renewed in the spirit of our minds ephes. . , , , , . col. . . it is putting on the new man which is renewed in knowledge according to the image of him that created him . ] so that this is no common work , if any be proper to the saved . and putting on the lord iesus christ , is put for the state of sanctity , in opposition to a fleshly life , rom. . , . saith calvin on this text [ induere christum hic significat virtute spiritus ejus undique nos muniri , qua idonei ad omnes sanctitatis partes reddamur : sic enim instauratur in nobis imago dei quae unicum est animae ornamentum . respicit enim paulus ad vocationis nostrae sinem , quia deus nos adoptans , in corpus unigeniti silii sui inserit , & quidem hac lege , ut nos abdicantes priore vita , siamus in ipso novi homines . quare etiam alibi fideles dicit christum in●uere in baptismum , gal. . . ] and upon galat. . . he saith [ quum dicit , christum induisse , intelligit christo sic esse insitos , ut coram deo nomen ac personam christi gerant , ac in ipso magis quàm in seipsis censeantur . ] and he comes to the objection , how all that are baptized can be said to put on christ , when baptism is not effectual with all ? and he answereth in sum , that to hypocrites it is uneffectual , qui nudis signis superbiunt . but then he saith , that the apostle speaking of these [ non respicit dei institutionem , sed impiorum corruptelam . ( but doubtless it is gods institution that we must look to for direction in our administration . ) quum autem fideles alloquitur , qui rite utuntur , illa tunc conjungit cum sua veritate , quam figurant . quare ? neque enim fallacem pompam ostentat in sacramentis , sed quae externa ceremonia figurat , exhibit simul reipsa . hinc sit , ut veritas , secundum dei institutum , conjuncta sit cum signis . ] to the same purpose say other protestants . the next title mentioned in the argument was , sons of god. all that are baptized are the visible or esteemed sons of god by faith in christ : therefore they all profess that justifying faith to which the real or special son-ship is promised . the antecedent is experssed in gal. . , . [ for ye are all the sons of god by faith in christ jesus ; ] which he proveth in the next words , [ for as many as have been baptized into christ , have put on christ. ] what sons of god are in scripture sense , may be seen joh. . . rom . , . phil. . . joh. . , . gal. , , , . and rom. . . [ if sons , then heirs , heirs of god , and joint heirs with christ ] was a good consequence in pauls judgement . [ in this ( saith john ) the children of god are manifest from the children of the devil : whosoever doth not righteousness is not of god , neither he that loveth not his brother , john . . therefore mr blake's saints are not the children of god , but of the devil . see also john . . rom. , . . but mr. blake objecteth rom . . to them pertained the adoption ] and gomarus his comment . answ. . gomarus saith not , that any were in either sense sons of god , without a profession of saving faith. . it was not after their unchurching for unbelief , that the adoption is said to pertain to them , but before : and then let mr. blake prove if he can , that any israelites were adopted without profession of that faith which was then saving . i doubt not to prove the contrary anon . and . if he could prove that such there were among the israelites , yet he will never prove that they are called sons though the nation were , because the denomination was principally from the true sons , and next from the professed ones , but never from or to them that professed only a common faith . none are visibly sons , that be not visibly true believers . the next title mentioned in the argument is [ abraham's seed ] all that are baptized , are called abrahams seed . gal. . , , . therefore they all profess a justifying faith. the consequence is proved , in that none are abraham's seed in scripture gospel sense , but those cordially that are true believers , and those appearingly that profess true faith. this is proved rom. . , , , . rom. . . [ that he might be the father of all them that believe , that righteousness might be imputed to them also . ] this therefore is a justifying faith , and the priviledge of the justified that is here mentioned . it s added ver . , . [ and the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision , but also walk in the steps of the faith of our father abraham yet uncircmucised : for the promise that he should be heir of the world was not to abraham or his seed by the law , but by the righteousness of faith . — therefore it is of faith that it might be by grace , to the end the prom●se might be sure to all the seed — even to that also which is of the faith of abraham , the father of us all . ] so gal. . . , , . [ even as abraham believed god , and it was accounted to him for righteousness : know ye therefore that they which are of faith , the same are the children of abraham : and the scripture fore-seeing that god would justifie th● heathen by faith preached before the gospel to abraham : in thee shall all n●tions be blessed . so then , they which be of faith are blessed with faithful abraham . ] so ver . . . [ that the blessing of abraham might come on the gentiles , through jesus christ , that we might receive the promise of the spirit through faith . now to abraham and his seed were the promises made : he saith not , and to seeds , as of many , but as of one ; and to thy seed , which is christ : and so to those that are in him . it is hence most undeniable , that all abrahams true seed are justified and have a justifying faith ; and all his professing seed do profess this faith . the next title mentioned in the argument is , [ heirs according to the promise . ] all the baptized were heirs according to the promise : none that profess not a justifying faith are heirs according to the promise ( either really or appearingly ; ) therefore none that profess not a justifying faith ( or their children ) should be baptized . the major is expressed in gal. . , , . the minor ( of which is all the doubt ) is proved from rom. . where there is an express concatenation of [ children , heirs of god , co-heirs with christ , that suffering with him shall be glorified with him ] gal. . , , . the heir is lord of all , and a son , & therefore hath the spirit of the son , by which they cry abba father . so tit. . , , . [ according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration , and renewing of the holy ghost , which he shed on us , &c. that being justified by his grace , we should he made heirs according to the hope of eternal life . ] the heirs then are regenerate , justified , and have the hope of eternal life . so eph. . . the gentiles being made fellow-heirs , and of the same body , are partakers of the promise in christ by the gospel , even the unsearchable riches of christ. heb. . . the heirs of promise have their salvation confirmed by gods oath . and heb. . . they are all called the heirs of salvation . and heb. . , . it is true justified believers that have that title . and jam. . [ they are called heirs of the promised kingdoms . ] and pet. . . they are called [ co-heirs of the same grace of life . ] so that to be heirs in the first and proper notion . is to be sons that have title to the inheritance of glory : and therefore to be heirs in the second analogical notion , ( for i will not yet anger mr. blake with the term equivocal ) is to be such as seem such , by profession of that faith which hath the promise of that glory : but the professors of any other faith are none of them . the last title that i mentioned in the argument was [ justified ] paul calleth all the baptized church of corinth justified : none that profess not a justifying faith are called justified ; therefore none such should be baptized . the major i proved to mr. blake out of cor. . . [ ye are washed , ye are sanctified , ye are justified in the name of the lord jesus , and by the spirit of our god. ] mr. blake doth not at all deny the major or the sense of the text alledged to prove it . but darkly in generals intimateth a denial of the minor , silently passing over that particular title [ justified , ] as if he durst not be seen to take notice of it . i confess , its sad that good men should be so unfaithfull to the truth , which is so precious and is not their own , and which they should do nothing against , but all they can for it . but in general he saith , pag. . of sacrament , [ other phrases are there brought , or titles as proper to the regenerate , which are well known in scripture , to be applyed to such as have apostatized , and are brought by arminians to prove falling away , and are censured by their adversaries . ] answ. those other titles which i proved to be given to the generality of the baptized , were no other than what we ascribe to them , [ to be heirs , and justified , quickened and have all trespasses forgiven them , and to be saved . ] and if indeed these titles be so promiscuously used , it will be harder to understand scripture , than interpreters have hitherto thought . why did not mr. blake shew but one text ( for this one in hand ) where any are said to be justified upon a faith short of justifying ? i think he was loath to name this title , lest he should have seemed to contradict himself in the terms , or be put to the searching out for a distinction of justification , which we have not yet heard of ▪ that he may tell us in what sense the unregenerate are justified . if he should say , it is a conditional justification , so infidels are justified without any faith at all : but that is no justification , because not actual . mr. hudsons words and ames ( which he annexeth ) mention not justification , much less that any not professing justifying faith are justified . and here i must needs again say , i know no man that hath made scripture terms so equivoc●l as mr. blake hath done , while he pretendeth to abhor it . two senses of the word [ sanctified , believers , disciples , &c. ] we yield him , viz. as they signifie those that are such in heart , and those that profess to be such in heart . but these will not serve his turn , but he must moreover have a third sort , even such as only profess another faith short of justifying ? yea and a faith which is specificially distinct from justifying faith , yea and that by a physical specification ( if he will be understood , for he falls upon me for making but a gradual difference , who yet ever affirmed a moral specifick difference . ) so that we have not onely many sorts of sanctification , faith , &c. but also of justification too . whether we shall have as many salvations , and as many heavens or not , in his sense , i yet find him not express . but i would know why he doth so usually say that [ a faith short of justifying entitleth to b●●tism : and disciples , saints , &c. are titles that belong to more then the justified . if indeed he take his own short faith to be really justifying , and his own new made saints to be really justified ; doth not his own ordinary appropriating the titles of regenerate and justified to ( i know not how to call them ; for he hath left me no one proper name for them that i can remember , ) — to those that are the heirs of glory , shew plainly that in the primary signification they speak only of such , even in h●s own apprehension : and that therefore the words simply expressed signifie no other ; bare professors of justifying faith being but seemingly , analogically , secundum quid , — such ; and his professors of another kind of faith , being not such in either sense . having gone thus far about titles , let me add another , because i find mr. blake so oft apply it to the — justified ( i shall crave leave to use that term as proper to them , or else i confess i shall be at some loss for a name for them because he hath taken them all out of my hand that i can think off . ) and this is the title [ regenerate ] christ hath instituted no baptism , but what is to be a sign of present regeneration ( at least to men at age . ) but to men that profess not a justifying faith it cannot be adminstired as a sign of present regeneration : therefore he hath instituted no baptism to be administred to such . the major i have proved already in the first argument . and its plain in joh. . . except a man be born of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of god. ] and so in tit. ● . . where it is called the laver of regeneration . ] in both which though i am of their mind that think that the sign is put for the thing signified ; yet it may thence plainly appear what is the thing signified ; even regeneration , or the new birth ! yea so commonly was this acknowledged by all the church of christ that there 's nothing more common in the writings of the fathers , than to take the terms regenerate , illuminate &c. and b●ptized ] as signifying the same thing or at least spoken of the same person : which occasioned one of our late antiquaries so stifly to plead that regeneration in scripture signifieth meer baptism , and that all the baptized are regenerate . i grant that it oft falls out that baptism being misapplyed sealeth not regeneration at present , and that the sam● person may afterward be regenerate , and his remembred baptism may then be of use to him for the confirmation of his faith . but this is not the institutors commanded use of it , to be so administred at first , if the party profess not saving faith , though this review of it is a duty , where it was so abused at first ( of which none afterward . ) the minor i shall take for granted , while regeneration stands in scripture so connexed to salvation ; i know no regenerate ones but the justified , or those that profess to have a justifying faith : nor hath he proved any more . argum. . all that are meet subjects for baptism , are ( after their baptism , without any further inward qualification , at least without another species of faith ) meet subjects for the lords supper ( having natural capacity by age ) but no one that professeth only a faith short of justifying is meet to receive the lords supper , therefore no such a one is a meet subject for baptism . or thus : those at age whom we may baptize , we may also admit to the lords supper ( without any other species of faith ) but the professors of a meer common faith short of justifying , we may not admit to the lords supper , ergo , &c. the duty of a particular examination before the lords supper is nothing to our purpose , because . that makes a man fitter than he was , but the want of it is not in the cognizance of the minister alwaies , nor will not justifie our refusal of a godly man excepting some apparent gross evils . . and it is the necessity of another faith and state that we are enquiring after , which will not be proved by the necessity of an actual examination or excitation of our present grace . the major mr. blake will easily grant me ; and if any other deny it , i prove it thus . . it is the same covenant that both sacraments seal ; one for initiation , the other for confirmation and growth in grace : therefore the same faith that qualifieth for the one , doth sufficiently qualifie for the other . for the same covenant hath the some condition . . they are the same heresies that are conferred in baptism and the lords supper to the worthy receiver . therefore the same qualification ( for kind ) is necessary for the reception . the antecedent is commonly granted . baptism uniteth to christ and giveth us himself first , and with himself the pardon of all past sins , &c. the lords supper by confirmation giveth us the same things : it is the giving of christ himself , who faith by his minister , take , eat , dr●nk ; offering himself to us under the signs , and commanding us to take himself by faith , as we take the signs by the outward parts . he giveth us the pardon of sin , sealed , as procured by his body broken , and blood shed . . a member of christs church , against whom no accusation must be brought from some contradiction of his first profession , must be admitted to the lords supper : but the new baptized may be ordinarily such ( at age ) ; therefore if he can but say , i am a baptized person , he hath a sufficient principal title to baptism coram ecclesia ( i mean such as we must admit ) though some actual preparation be necessary ) unless he be proved to have disabled his claim on that account either by nulling and reversing that profession , or by giving just cause of questioning it . . the church hath ever from the apostles daies till now , without question , admitted the new baptized , at age , to the lords supper , without requiring any new species of faith to entitle them to it . i take the major therefore as past denial . all the controversie between mr. blake and me is like to be about the minor , whether the profession of his common faith short of justifying , make people fit for , or capable of the lords supper . . no man should be admitted to the signal profession of receiving christ as he is offered , who will not orally profess to receive him as he is offered . but all that are admitted to the lords supper , are admitted to the signal profession of receiving christ as he is offered . therefore no man that will not orally so profess to receive christ should be admitted to the lords supper . the major is plain , because . else we cannot know who is fit , if he will not make profession of it . . his refusal shews that he either understandeth not what he doth in the sacrament , or is wilfully uncapable , by infidelity , or impenitency . . the minor is evident in the nature of the sacrament . the offer of the bread and wine with the command , tade , eat , drink , is signally the o●fer of the lord jesus himself , with a command to take him . he that pu●s forth his hand to take the bread , professeth thereby to accept of christ as offered . if it be said , that mr. blakes professor of a lower sort of faith , doth profess to take christ as offered , i say , no : this proposition i here suppose as evident in it self , that no man but the sound believer doth take christ as offered , no not as christ. he is offered as a saviour from the guilt and reign of sin ; and so mr. blakes professor doth not so much as profess to accept him . for i hope we are agreed , that so to accept him heartily is saving faith . . no man should be admitted to receive a sealed pardon of sin ( or have it delivered to him ) that doth not profess that faith which is of necessity to make him capable of a sealed pardon : but he that only professeth a faith short of justifying , professeth not that faith which is of necessity to make him capable of a sealed pardon . therefore he is not to be admitted to the lords supper . it is a present sealed pardon that they profess there to receive by the very actual receiving : god presently offereth ; and they presently profess to accept it signally , and therefore must do so verbally . . no man is to be admitted to the lords supper that professeth not true repentance for sin . but mr. blake's professor doth not so : for that is inseparable from saving faith . therefore mr. blake must deny the major , or say nothing that i can imagine , but what is to no purpose . and if he do deny it , . i would desire him once to give us a just description of that repentance , short of saving , which he will be satisfied with the profession of , in his communicants . . i must confess as much as i am against separation , i never intend to have communion with mr. blakes congregation , if they profess not saving repentance and faith . and if he exact not such a profession , i say still he makes soul work in the church . and when such soul work shall be voluntarily maintained , and the word of god abused for the defilement of the church , and ordinances of god , it is a greater scandal to the weak , and to the schismaticks , and a greater reproach to the church , and sadder case to considerate men , than the too common pollutions of others , which are meerly through negligence , but not justified and defended . and if mr. blake be angry at my speaking these things , i cannot help it . i am bound to tell him of it as a faithful brother , that i doubt not but god is angry at his doctrine , and the great wrong that he doth the church of god , while he is so angry at his brother for resisting it . for my part , i would not have done his work , no nor justified it as some of his neer learned friends have done , for more than i will speak of . it s like he will hardly exact a profession of saving repentance from the lapsed for their restoration to the communion of the church , if he will not do it of the church themselves in their sacramental communion . argum. . furthermore they that will not profess true love to christ as a redeemer , are not to be admitted to the lords supper . but no man can profess true love that will not profess true faith : ergo , &c. the major is proved , in that it is a sacrament of communion in love : we receive the highest expressions of christs love , and are to receive them with gratitude , which hath alwaies love in it . argum. . they that profess not true pope of christs coming in glory are not to be admitted to the lords supper . but none can do that but the professors of a saving faith . therefore the major is proved , because it is the very end and use of the sacrament to exercise hope of christs coming [ do this in remembrance of me till i come ] which implyeth expectation , or hope . argum. . no man is to be admitted to the lords supper that professeth not a sincere love to the saints as saints : but so can none do that profess not a saving faith ( without contradicting himself ) ergo. the major is proved in that the very business of that church there , next their communion with christ , is to have communion with the saints in love : and if they be at variance but with one , they must leave their gift at the altar , and go first and be reconciled to their brother , and then come and offer their gift . but mr. blake is so far from excluding the ungodly , that he would not have us so much as disswade them from coming . pag. . he saith to that [ . it is as i suppose , without all scripture precedent to warn men upon account of want of a new life by the spirit , wholly to keep off from this or any other ordinances of christ — that we should warn men upon this account , upon this very ground , to hold off from all address to ordinances , i have not learnt . ] answ. that we should disswade them to come till they have that faith and repentance and love to the brethren which is the fruit of a new life , i have proved , and more have done it than you will ever well answer . and it will not follow , as you pretend , that then none must come that have not the certainty of their sincerity in the faith , as i shall further shew when i come purposely to your objections . and where you talk of unregenerate mens being incapable of examining themselves , it s a great mistake ; else no wicked man could despair , if he be not able to find himself to be wicked ; and then it would be a sufficient evidence of grace for a man to find himself graceless , which is a contradiction . and it s an unhappy confusion that mr. blake is guilty of almost all along , while he pleadeth against the interest of the regenerate only in the sacraments , that he confoundeth most commonly the professors of justifying faith and holiness , with his professors of a faith short of justifying ; and thus in his arguing against mr. hooker and galaspie , and others , carrieth on the matter in the dark ; as if these were all one , or the arguments will serve for the one that will serve for the other ; which is meerly to lose his own and his readers labour , or leave him deceived , which is worse : how many leaves of that volumn , and his former of the covenants , are guilty of this dark misleading work ? i could willingly here answer his arguments for unregenerate mens right to this sacrament ; but . i shall meet with much more about their pretended right to baptism anon , and the answer of those will serve for both . . and he hath so mixt the two cases ( of professors of saving faith and of not saving ) together , that if i deal with him on the later , he may say , he speaks of the former . the first argument of galaspies , which he answereth , is from [ the nature of sacraments , which are to signifie that we have already faith in christ , remission of sin by him , and union with him ] the sense of the argument is , that seeing sacraments ( according to christs institution ) are confirming signs , presupposing the thing signified both on our part and on gods ; therefore none should use them that have not first the thing signified by them ( at least those at age ) to this master blake answereth , this to me is as strange as new , that sacramental signs declare & shew that we have faith & remission of sins . the sacrament now in question is a sign of the body & blood of christ , in whom by faith remission of sins may be obtained i know ; but that it is a sign either that we do believe , or that we have remission of sin otherwise than upon believing ( to which this engages , but not presupposes ) i know not , repl. though i undertake not to defend all the arguments that other men use in this case ; yet this doth so much concern the cause of baptism which i am now debating , that i shall give you this reply to it : . the sacramental actions are signs as well as the substance of bread and wine . the offer with take , eat , signifieth the offer of christ to us , to be received and applyed : the taking , and eating , and drinking signifieth our acceptance , & application of him . with himself is offered the pardon of sin , and given to all that accept him , which by taking , eating and drinking we profess to do . it is my duty to tell you , that it is sad that a treatise of sacraments should profess not to know , that our believing and remission is here signified . it s pity but this had been known before you had written of them , at least controversally . what divines are there that deny the sacraments to be mutual signs and seals , signifying and sealing our part as well as gods ? and how ill do you to wrong the church of god by seeking to make men believe that these things are new and strange ? if it be so to you , its pity that it is so : but sure you have seen mr. gatakers books against doct. word and davenant wherein you have multitudes of sentences recited of our protestant divines , that affirm this which you call new . it is indeed their most common doctrine , that the sacrament doth pre-suppose remission of sin , and our faith , and that they are instituted to signifie these as in being ; ( though through infancy or error some may not have some benefits of them till after , ) it is the common protestant doctrine , that sacraments do solemnize and publikely own and confirm the mutual covenant already entered in heart ; as a king is crowned , a souldier listed , a man and woman married , after professed consent : so that the sign is causal as to the consummation and delivery ( as a key , a twig and turff in giving possession ) , but consequential to the contract as privately made , and the right given thereby : so that the soul is supposed to consent to have christ as offered first ( which is saving faith ) and then by receiving him sacramentally delivered to make publike profession of that consent , and publikely to receive his sealed remission . mr. corbet ( cited by you ) might well say , that primarily the sacrament is gods seal ; but did he say that it is only his , and not secondarily ours ? and in the next words , you do in effect own part of the doctrine your self , which you have thus wondered at as new and strange , saying [ i confess it is a symbole of our profession of faith ; but this is not the faith spoken to , neither is remission of sins annext unto it . ] answ. if you put ( profession ) for the thing professed , you speak obscurely , when you might have spoken plainly : but if you mean as you speak , ( taking profession properly ) then . you yield that the sacarment is our symbole , and so declareth or signifieth our action as well as gods. . and it is not only a sign of our profession , but a professing sign and therefore a sign of the thing professed : for the external sign is to declare the internal acts of the mind , which without signs others cannot know : and therefore the actions of taking , eating , drinking , do signifie the same internal acts which a verbal profession doth signifie . as therefore the words , and outward actions are two distinct signs of the same internal acts , so are they two wayes of profession . my signal actions do not signifie my words , ( which are plainer signs themselves , and therefore need not darker to express them ) but they both express my mind : so that they are not only symbols of our profession , as you speak , but professing symbols . . and if so , then they must be signs and professions of those internal acts which correspond with them ; which is the inward taking christ , and eating his flesh , and drinking his blood by faith , which ( no doubt ) are the proper acts of saving faith . . and therfore this is the faith spoken of , and remission of sins is annext unto it , ( which you deny ) though it seems you will speak of the profession of a common faith , to which remission is not annext . the second argument was from some scriptures , proving that the sacrament necessarily supposeth conversion and saith , and therefore is not to work it . to this mr. blake answers ; . by referring to what he hath said in another book about some of these texts ; and thither i shall follow him : . about mark. . . he speaks , treat . of cov. pag. . because he confesseth that these texts are spoken of baptism ( and so are more to my principal end , and will hold as to the lords supper only : ) i shall here peruse his answers , having used the same texts my self before . but ( now i peruse the place ) i find that his words of mark . . are those that i have already answered in my former reply to him : and you may peruse his rejoinder , if worth the labor . the same i say of his words on act. . , . on act. . ● . in pag. . i find nothing to our purpose worth a reply ; but his contest with mr. tombes , let mr. i — regard . to act. . he now answers , [ it speaks no more than ready acceptation of the tender of the gospel ; and whether this necessarily imply saving faith , let ezek. . . mat . , . gal. . . be consulted . ] to which i reply , . if by [ the tender of the gospel ] you mean [ the gospel tendred ] , then either it is [ the gospel as the gospel ] , declaring the work of redemption , and offering us a saviour to deliver us from sin and wrath : and this no unregenerate man did ever gladly or heartily ●ccept . or else it is [ the gospel as a novel doctrine ; or only ●hat part of it which offereth them pardon without the other part which offereth salvation from sin it self . and this is mentioned in the texts ( or some of them ) that you refer us to : but that this is not meant in the text , act. . . is plain ; because it was the doctrine of redemption , faith and repentance which they gladly received , and in prosecution of it sold all , and lived in the communion of saints in the praises of god. . or else by [ the tender of the gospel ] you mean , that which the gospel tendereth : and that is , christ as christ with his full salvation , which no unregenerate man doth heartily accept though pardon alone they would willingly have : but that 's not the tender of the gospel . if [ the glad acceptation of the tender of the gospel ] that is , of christ as christ , and his full salvation , be not justifying or saving faith , i despair of ever knowing what it is : and if this acceptation or faith be common , all 's common . i still believe that justifying faith [ is the assent to the truth of the gospel , and hearty acceptance of christ as he is there offered , or of christ as christ ] and having distinguished of the object , so must we of the act. it s one thing to accept indeed by hearty consent , and another thing to accept ore tenus , or to say i accept it . the former only the godly have , as to [ christ as christ ] : the unregenerate may ore tenus , verbally accept christ as christ , and heartily be willing to have pardon by him , and submit to some common reformation , least they should miss of that pardon : but christ as christ , they will not accept . now to the texts : and its hard that you should alledge ezek. . . for [ ready accepting the tender of the gospel , ] when the text saith plainly , that their hearts went after their coveteousness , and they hear the word and would not do it , though they took pleasure to hear the prophet , as a minstrel to tickle their ears and not as a minister to save them from sin : when as these in acts . sold all and lived in community with the saints . those mat. . , . received the external message , and christ himself ore tenus , by verbal acceptance , and internally they would have had christ ad hoc for their own ends , as a subject or servant to their worldly interests ; but they never received christ as christ , to save them from the world , and self , and sin ; for these were still preferred before him ; nor did they ever accept of god as their god , that is , their chief good and chief lord. i am bold therefore ( by your patience ) to say , that as to the acceptance of christ as christ , or god as their god , or the holy ghost as their sanctifier , they cannot be said to have done it , but equivocally : and no otherwise did they receive the tender of the gospel . as for the galathians , chap. . . . all were not in love with paul on the same account : and all love to the preacher signifieth not an acceptance of the tender of the gospel . . and you cannot prove but that these galathians did it sincerely , and were sincere when this was spoken , for all their yielding so far to the temptation of false teachers . ( of which i have spoken before . ) of acts . . hereafter . the sense of the third argument , is , that the sacrament of the lords supper giveth us new food , viz. the flesh and blood of christ. therefore it supposeth the new birth and life . ] to this mr. blake saith [ . metaphors are ill materials , to make up into syllogisms . ] repl. . they are such as christ used john . and frequently in reasoning ; and therefore i am resolved to believe they are good materials . . we must use metaphors , or no words in some of the greatest points in divinity ( about god ) . we cannot easily find fitter terms here then [ new b●rth , life and food . ] and if you had rather have many words then one , change [ food into special means of continuing or encreasing our new life . ] but this is a long term for a syllogism . [ . saith mr. blake , a difference may be put between ordinary and quickening food ] repl. you should have told us your difference , & how it concerneth our case , if you would have had us taken notice of it . [ . he saith , the word gives new food , and yet supposeth not new life , pet. . ● . ] rep. the clean contrary is the scope of the text you cite . as new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word , that ye may grow thereby . the word therefore as food , doth suppose new birth , and life . christ as our first life is given in the word to those that had not life before ; but christ as our food is given after both in the word and sacrament . but you say , [ there is a sacramental work preceding our eating , and there christ is set forth to the aggravation of sin , to carry on the work of contrition and compunction . ] rep. it s a sorry arguing , that because there is that in the sacrament which may benefit an ungodly man to see , that therefore he hath right to receive it , yea or is like to have benefit by it . he that will not consent that christ shall be his full saviour , may be moved to consent by seeing a sacrament true , though it is not appointed to such ends , yet its possible . but how should he be moved to consent by receiving it , and so signa●ly professing to consent when he doth not ? that is , by lying ? the fourth argument is from rom . . circumcision was a seal of the righteousness of faith therefore so is baptism ; therefore so is the lords supper ; therefore it belongeth only to justified believers . to this mr. blake answereth , . then ismael and each male were justified . rep. . he whom you answer spoke only of the adult : and then you should have said only then ismael and all the males that had true right to circumcision , were either justified believers , or the children of such , or ( as to church right ) of those that professed themselves such . and that is true . and it is lis sub judice yet , whether the synod of dort , davenant , &c. or mr. gataker were in the right , and so whether all the seed of justified persons have an infant justification with them , or not ? you add that , [ abrahams circumcision there is not made a proof of h●s justification . ] repl. he that maketh it the instituted nature or use of circumcision to be a seal of a righteousness of faith which the person had before , doth make his circumcision a proof of his foregoing righteousness of faith . but so did paul concerning abraham : therefore , &c. . paul may give us a full proof of it , though he spake those words to another intent . the fif●h argument is to the same purpose with the former , as mr. blake reciteth it , and therefore i shall say no more to it , his answer requiring no more . the sixth argument he passeth by himself . the . argument is from the necessity of a wedding garment : i confess i do not think that it is the sacrament only that is meant by tha● feast : but it is christ as offered in the gospel with his benefits , which in the sacrament is spec●ally represented : and coming in , is their coming into the visible church by profession ; and the scope of the parable is to shew these two things . . that he tha● invited them to come in , did intend that they must come in that case , and with that preparation as is answerable to the nature of the feast , and is for the honor of the bridgegroom or master of the feast : and therefore they should so have come . . that because they so came not , they shall only suffer as those that came not , but also be cast out into a greater degree of misery , that is , because they come not with an upright , penitent , true believing heart , disposed to obedience . now the thing that mr blake should answer , is , whether it be not hence proved that men should have the wedding garment of sincere faith before they come into the visible church ( they or their parents ) and much more before the lords supper ? god saith , friend , how camest thou in hither not having on a wedding garment ? but of this more anon . where mr. blake sai●h [ the world may lay as fair a claim to this wedding fe●st as the supper . i reply . neither one nor the other is it , simply considered in it self , but as a church priviledge or a sign of our church-membership . and so the word of promise claimed , or other parts and uses of it proper to church-members , are included with the sacraments ; but not the word as preparing , and common to those without . the lord of that feast saith not , [ friend , why wast thou invited h●ther ? ] for it was done by his own appointment : but [ friend how camest thou in hither ? ] that is , i invited thee not to come without the wedding garment to disgrace my house , but to bring it with thee ? this therefore of mr. blakes is no answer . the ●h . argument is [ that ordinance which is not appointed to work faith , is no coverting ordinance : but &c. ] faith comes by hearing , ] &c. to which mr. blake answers that reading and seeing miracles may also convert , and so may sacraments as not being opposite but subordinate . ] i reply . hearing as the chiefest way of reception , is put for all the rest : it is the word heard or read , or some way received , that is the appointed means of conversion . it s possible the sacrament may be a means too : but give us as good proof that it was appointed to that use , or may be used to that end purposely by the unconverted , as we shall prove the same of the word , and you shall carry the cause . the ninth argument is , [ that ordinance which hath neither the promise of the grace of conversion annexed to it , or any example in the word of god of any converted by it , is no converting ordinance : but &c. ergo. ] to this . mr. blake answers ad hominē , which is not worth repeating ( that examples will not satisfie his adversary ) . . that we have as many examples of mens conversion by the sacrament , at we have of their receiving strength and nourishment . ] repl. a wonderful confidence ! if mr. blake will bring as good proof of any converted by it , as we can , that the eleven apostles , that the church at jerusalem , acts . and . and the rest of the churches were strengthened by it , he will make good that assertion . . what he saith of our ( not having precedents by name ) is nothing to the purpose . if he can prove it of any named or unnamed , specially of societies , it will suffice . . he tels us that [ the examples of conversion by the word perhaps well examined would prove short of such conversion as is here intended . the conversion in gospel-narratives is to a christian profession . ] repl. . this is too unkind dealing for any preacher of the gospel to use with that word which converted him , and hath brought in so many thousands to christ , and which he himself preacheth for the conversion of others . i should offend the patience of the reader to stand to confute this , by proving that the word hath been a means of true saving conversion , yea the ordinary means . i refer mr. blake to what i have said before of the state of the churches that paul wrote to : was there not one sort of ground that received the seed in depth of earth and brought forth fruit ? was not paul sent by preaching to open mens eies and turn them from the power of satan to god ? act. v. . doth not paul in all his epistles speak of the saints , as converted savingly by the word of the gospel ? what heaps of clear testimonies might we bring out of his epistles ? how contrary is this new doctrine to the word , and all the ancient churches , and all approved protestants judgements ? i would we had such evidence of true conversion now among our professors as the multitude of converts gave , act. . and . and as the jaylor gave , act. . . and the eunuch , act. . and as lydia , and many other . . but what if the word had not truly converted them ? its somewhat to be brought to an outward profession of true faith , which the rest were that were then church-members : but the profession of your faith of another species , is not [ the profession of a christian faith , ] though you call it so . if you will give me but as good proof of any one baptized person that was brought but to the profession of this lower faith , as i will give you of multitudes that were brought to true saving faith by the word , and more to the profession of it , i will say that you have done that which never man did before you . i pray make tryal for the proof of some one . well! but the main strength of the argument which you had to answer , was concerning the promise . to which you say , [ . when the adversary shall bring a promise made to the sacrament for spiritual strength it will happily be found of equal force to the giving of a new life . ] repl. you next say , implicite promises may serve : shew but one such . you say , [ every promise made to the word is made to the sacrament . ] repl. prove that , and take all . though we have no promise particularly of converting this or that man by the word , yet we have that it shall convert many in general . shew where is a word of promise that the sacraments shall convert any one ? sure , if paul had but had such a promise of converting men by baptizing them as he had of converting them by preaching , act. . , . and elswhere , he would never have said , i thank god that i baptized none of you , but crispus , &c. for i am not sent to baptize but to preach the gospel . . we find where in that sacrament , men have communion of the blood of christ , and of his body , and are partakers of the one bread , and have communion with one another , and are helped by it , in calling to remembrance christ death ( in hope of that coming : ) all which are undoubtedly strengthening , cor. , , . & . , . act. , &c. but you cannot shew where ever any was either united first to christ , or his mystical body by the lords supper , or where it was appointed to be used to any such end , or where ever any generaral or implicite promise of such a thing is made . the tenth argument was from the expresse danger of unworthy receiving , cor. . . the summ of the answer is , that [ this argument would take off every ordinance from the honor of conversion . ] repl. but i conceive that the strength of the argument ( or that which ought to be its strength ) is wholly overlookt ; which is not from the necessity of a preparation in general , but of a special preparation , or worthiness , which is not so pre-requisite to the fruitful use of converting ordinances . there is a saying by the superfluity of naughtiness , malice , &c. requisite , before a man can in reason expect that the word should convert him : and yet it may convert thousands that are not so far prepared , by doing that and the rest . but the worthiness of a partaker of the lords supper must be more than this . for . that which the church is judge of , must be that the receiver be a church-member , professing true faith , and not contradicting that profession by a scandalous life . . himself is required to examine himself for more , that is , whether he be sincerely what he professeth , and christ be in him ( or else he is a reprobate , and not to take the childrens bread , ) cor. . . and also that he have a particular preparation , according to the nature of the ordinance . it s expresly necessary , . that he discern the lords body . . that he do this in remembrance of christs death , and with a hope of his coming : and . for communion with christ , and his church , and to be partakers of the one bread : . and with a heart to take christ and eat ; that is , to feed on him by faith , when he takes the bread . but all this cannot be done by the unregenerate ; nor is this prerequisite before a man come to the word , that it may convert him that preparation which is pre-requisite in a meet receiver of the lords supper , it was not instituted to effect ( unless as it may do it when god sees good , in an unworthy or prohibited use : ) but true faith and repentance are preparations pre-requisite : ergo &c. you cannot say , that to the hearing of the word as a means of conversion , true faith and repentance is so requisite . the text you mention pet. . . . i say again , speaks of the confirming and edifying use of the word , and not of the converting use . the converted must bring true saith to the word if they will expect encrease of it : but the unconverted must not needs bring true faith , if they will be brought to believe by it . . yet remember that we say not that men ought to forbear coming that are unconverted ; but that they ought to come ; but how ? to believe and repent , and so to come , and to do it in this order and no other , and they ever lye under all this obligation . you next instance in prayer , and conclude that [ as for prayer there is no more ground or colour to make it a converting ordinance than the supper , &c. ] repl. . a man that hath but common desires may be perswaded to ask for what he so desires : though he have no promise of acceptance , you do not find him threatned with judgement for such a prayer ( so it be not grosl● hypocritical or wicked ) as he is for unworthy receiving the supper , without a discerning the lords body . . when we exhort any man to pray for christs pardon , the spirit , &c. we therein exhort him to desire them ; for desire is the soul of prayer , and the chief part of its essence : now the first of these desires which we exhort them to , is conversion it self , even that they would turn to god by a change of their wills , and express them in prayer . . i can shew you where the wicked are commanded to seek the lord , that is , by prayer to express their returning hearts , which implyeth their returning it self ; but you cannot shew where ever they are commanded to communicate with the church in the sacrament , but in this order , first to be converted and repent , and so baptized , and so communicate : or if baptized already ▪ to be penitents first , and communicants next . but if you would have all exhorted to the lords supper for conversion , whom we are bound to exhort to prayer for conversion , you would do that which i confess i dare not do . the . argument was , that ordinance which is eucharistical and consolatory , supposeth such as partake of it to have part and portion in that thing for which thanks is given , &c. but &c. to this it s answered , that [ the assumption might as well have bin of the word and prayer , which are eucharistical and consolatory . ] repl. . to hear a sermon is not to give thanks . . the application of the word must be according to mens various states . an unregenerate man may take this for consolation , if i be converted and repent and believe , i shall be saved . ] a true believer may apply it to another measure of consolation , [ because i am a believer , this promise is mine , that is , secureth me of the benefit . ] now if the impenitent and unbeliever shall do the later , he sins such another sin as if he received the sacrament , which is an ordinance instituted for personal assumption and application of the general promise . . as for prayer . . to petition is not to give thanks . . and for thanksgiving it self , an impenitent man may not give thanks for true saving faith , repentance , part in christ , and hope of glory , though he may for the mercy that he hath , because he may not lye . now in the lords supper we must give thanks for our part in christ , and pardon , and life through him : or at least , for the present gift of christ to us which we consent to accept . it s added , [ this ordinance is not wholly eucharistical , &c. it is for humbling as well as for comforting . ] repl. but if the other use be common to it with other ordinances , and here inseparable from the eucharistical , then other ordinances may be used to that end ; but this may not by him that may not do both ; because if he receive the sacrament ; he signally professeth both . the substance of the twelfth argument , with its answer , is spoke to before : where mr. blake saith , that [ the unregenerate may so far be suitably worthy for this work , that he may know himself called to it , and that it would be his sin to hold back from it , and he may hopefully expect a blessing in it . ] i reply : . that he is called to it remotely : that is , first to repent and believe , and to communicate , we yield ; and that it is every mans sin that keeps off , that is , that comes not in this order . but that he may lawfully come before this repentance , you never proved , nor shall do , i think . . i would you could shew us on what ground he may hopefully expect a blessing in it . true hope goeth not beyond the promise : but the unregenerate have no promise ( unless the arminians be in the right ) of a blessing on any ordinance ; much less on that which they cannot prove that they may use till they are converted . yet hope in a larger sense they may have , where they can prove that god hath set them a work though they have no promise . but that 's not here . the th . argument is , that ordinance which was instituted for communion of saints , is intended only for saints , &c. it s answered by distinguishing of sants as ( such by calling and separation for god ( or regeneration : and that the lords supper is the priviledge of the church as visible . ) repl. its one thing to ask , who may demand it and come there ? and another to ask , to whom may we give it ? we may give it to all professedly separated for god. none may ask or take it but those that are heartily separated to god. but your professor of a lower faith is neither of these , and therefore may neither seek it , nor may we give it him , if he do seek it . whoever professeth himself separated for god , doth profess saving sanctification , which consisteth therein . self and earth is highest in all the unregenerate : therefore they are not separated heartily to god. the th . argument was , [ if baptism it self ( to the adult ) is not regenerating or converting , then not the lords supper : but &c. ] this argument mr. blake hath no more to say to , but that this seemeth to suppose an opinion of conversion by the very work done , which he disclaimeth . but here is no such supposition at all intimated ; and he should have dealt with it as he found it , and not so have bawkt it , especially when mr. gilaspie had so explained and confirmed it . and because mr. blake thought best to silence mr. gilaspie's proof of his assumption ; and i think it worthy the readers observation , at least , that he may see how far mr. blake is from truth in his affirmations of the singularity of my opinion , i shal here transcribe them . [ aaron 's rod blossoming , pag. . . the assumption ) ( that baptism it self is not a regenerating ordinance ) i prove thus : . because we read of no persons of age baptized by the apostles , except such as did profess faith in christ gladly received the word , and in whom some begun work of the spirit of grace did appear ( i say not that it really was in all , but somewhat of it did appear in all ) . . if the baptism of those who are of age be a regerating ordinance , then you suppose the person to be baptized to be an unregenerate person ( even as when a minister first preacheth the gospel to pagans , he cannot but suppose them to be unregenerate ) but i believe no conscientious minister ( n. b. ) would adventure to baptize one who hath manifest and infallible signs of unregeneration . sure we cannot be answerable to god if we should minister baptism to a man whose works and words do manifestly declare him to be an unregenerated unconverted person . and if we may not initiate such a one , how shall we bring him to the lords table ? ] the fifteenth argument is [ if baptism even of the aged must necessarily precede the lords supper ▪ then this is not a converting ordinance : but &c. ] the reason of the consequence is , because true repentance and faith are professed , and remission of sin sealed in baptism . mr. blake denieth the consequence , because all the baptized are not regenerate . rep. but all the adult baptized according to christs institution are regenerate : ( of infants it s yet under debate ) and if any be not so , it is they that erroneously seek that which they should not have sought . the last argument there mentioned by mr. blake , is from the parable of the prodigal , who returned before he had the robe , ring , shoos fatted-calf , &c. mr. blake answereth that [ all ordinances are to bring a prodigal to such a returning posture ] which is a meer begging the question , and not answering the text , which interpreters usually thus expound . the next argument is pag. . recited [ from the directory , where the ignorant , scandalous , and prophane , that live in any sin or offence against their conscience , are warned not to presume to come nigh that holy table . he answers [ it is meant of those that purposely resolve to hold their sin ; and doubtless that purpose standing , here is no comfort to be put into their hands . as mat. . , . sacraments will not be accepted from that hand where malice is seated in the heart , and implacably continued : but it follows n●t , but that where the soul is startled and such resolutions for sin do not appear , this may be a means , &c. ] repl. . you add your own corrupting gloss to the directory : they say [ warn them to forbear that live in sin against conscience , ] you add , [ the meaning is , if they resolve to continue in it , ] and i pray you why will you turn us to mens resolutions , which is a secret of their hearts for a discovery of those whom we must refuse ? is there the vilest murtherer , or adulterer , that is not purposed to leave it before he dies ? . but what if he resolve not to continue it ? is it not bad enough if he will not resolve to leave it ? doubtles this shews impenitency , and the other can do no more . but yet you have here destroyed all your cause in a word . for you have here excluded all unregenerate men : for all the unregenerate are habitually resolved in most heinous sin , and that against conscience . they all will confess that god is better then the world , and yet they all esteem the world before god , and love it better than god ; they are a habitually resolved to please their flesh before god , and look to their worldly felicity before his glory . i have your consent therefore on this ground to conclude , that [ a sacrament will not be accepted at their hands . ] . but do you not contradict this , when you add [ yet if such resolutions do not appear &c. ] what if they appear not ? i hats something to the minister , but that 's nothing to prove gods acceptance , or the mans title to claim the sacrament . should not secret sin deterr aswell as open ? god and himself know them , though we do not . the th argument [ mr. blake overpassing , answers the th which is , it is not communicable to any but the penitent : therefore not a converting ordinance ] or , [ that ordinance that is not communicable to any but the penitent , is not converting : but , &c. mr. blake denieth the major to be true , unless limited , and giveth an instance ; reproof is for conversion : yet not to all : all converting ordinances are not promiscuously to be applyed to all . ] repl. an unanswerable argument , and a meer impertinent answer . is it not a wonder how the major could be denied ? without distinguishing of penitence , and saying that the sacrament is communicable to the impenitent as to saving repentance , but not as to common repentance , and therefore may convert to saving repentance . but he answer as if the major had been this . [ that ord●nance which is for conversion , is for all ] : when it 's contrarily , [ that which is for the converted only is not to convert ] * so that mr. blake saith nothing at all to the argument , when he pretendeth to deny the major , which taken of sound repentance is as undeniable as that [ the medicine that is only for the living , is not to make the dead alive ] : so ( the ordinance which is only for the penitents is not to convert men to repentance . ] to which he answers , by saying that [ converting ordinances are not to be promiscuously applyed . ] what 's that to the major , or argument ? the pope dwelleth not at rome , because the turk dwelleth at constantinople . so much for these arguments and their answers : the rest i shall pass over which mr. blake hath about sacraments being converting ordinances ; only telling him , that i confidently deny his great assertion , pag. . [ the unconverted have a fundamental proper right to the lords supper ] and yet do not find my self in any [ inext●icable snares : ] nor will by difficulties be frighted to that opniion . i shall only here add in a word , what i yeild about the sacrament being a converting ordina●ce ; viz. . some that have no right to partake of it , may possibly be converted by looking on and hearing the adjoined word . . it s not impossible that he that sinfully and without title comes to receive it , may occasionally receive good by it . there is that there declared that hath a tendency to do good . . but whatever it may be a means of beyond divine appointment through his meer good pleasure , yet it is not appointed to be demanded or taken by any impenitent unconverted man for his conversion . , yet if a minister know them not to be impenitent , but yet suspecteth it , as he must give it them upon their profession , so he may desire in the managing of the work , that it may be converting to them if they are not converted ; that is , that god will bring that truth to the heart which the signs represent to the eyes ; and make it an occasion of good to them that are out of their way in demanding it . . yet it is rather the hearing and seeing , than the taking , eating and drinking , that we may with any encouragement pray for this blessing on . . i never know or heard of any converted by the receiving of the sacrament : but divers i have know converted by the occasion of it . as some that ( by other kind of doctrine than mr. blakes ) having been brought to apprehend the danger of unworthy receiving , have been awakened so in their preparations for fear of eating damnation to themselves , that it was a means of their conversion ; and some that by after-fears , least then did eat unworthily ; and perhaps some by the serious speeches of the minister in prayer and instruction before and after : but none by receiving it self . it is therefore little to his main purpose or cause , that mr. blake sect . . prop. . pag. . attempts to prove that ( the lords supper with the word as appendant to it , may be serviceable to bring up those of covenant-interest to the terms and propositions of the covenant , may serve to work a man of profession of faith unto faith saving and justifying : a man in the name the lord's , to turn unfeignedly and sincerely to the lord. ) for x. his half professor is not in the mutual covenant ( which its like he means by covenant-interest . ) . the distinction between a nominal christian and a sincere ; a profession of justifying faith , and that faith it self , leavs out the persons that he hath to defend ; that is , the professors of another species of faith. . it s one thing to prove that the sacrament may convert the unconverted , that is , that its possible , and that it is a thing that eventually hath come to pass ; and another thing to prove , that it is commanded to the unconverted or allowed them to be used to that end . the later is the thing that should be proved by him , and not the former only . but because his proposition is somewhat more bashfull than some of the arguments brought as to prove it . ( which have the face to look further ) i shall briefly examine them . pag. . . argum. . men of that interest ( saith he ) that baptism receiveth , as the intention of the work in order to salvation , these the lords supper serves to carry on by sanctification to salvation : but baptism receives men of visible profession only , &c. ] answ. . i distinguish between the secret intention of god de eventu when he instituted his ordinances . . and the appointed end or use of them , and the intention which he commandeth men . and as to the last , i distinguish between the appointed end and use of them as to the minister and as to the receiver : and so here are three distinct questions before us . quest. . whether god , who appointed this sacrament , did intend that it should eventually be used to the conversion of any souls ? to this i answer . no man can tell but by the event . but i will not deny it , that which a man sinfully doth , may be the means of his conversion . if a professed pagan may be admitted to the lords supper , no man can be sure that this ( with the annexed word ) may not be the occasion or means of his conversion . the same i say of the excommunicate : yet must we not therefore admit such . what god decreeth to do by his ordinances , is one thing ; and how and to what ends we must use them , is another . the second question is , whether the minister may or must deliver the sacrament to the unconverted , with this intention that he may be converted by it ? to this i answer , that the unconverted are of two sorts : . such as profess not to be converted , or savingly to repent and believe ; and to these he may not administer it at all , and therefore not to such ends. such as do profess saving faith and repentance ; and to these he may administer it , with this disjunctive end ; that if the person be truly converted , it may confirm him ; if not , that if god so please , it may be a means of his conversion . the third question is , whether the unconverted may demand and receive that sacrament as a means of conversion ? to which i answer flatly , no : whether it be a saving faith or another sort of faith which he professeth , if he have not saving faith it self , he may not demand or receive the sacrament at all , and therefore not to any such ends . now to come closer to mr. blake's argument ; . i grant the major , ( as far as through the lanthorn of his dark ambiguous phrases i can discern the sense of it , ) viz that we may admit those to the lords supper , that are justly admitted to baptism , if naturally capable , and have not since given cause to suspend them . and here mr. blake shews , that it is the lower species of faith that entitles men ( in his judgement ) to the lords supper , because he maintaineth that this lower species entitleth them to baptism . his minor i grant of the professors of saving faith ; and deny it of all others that profess only another faith : nor hath he proved that such have a visible interest , or profession , it being not christianity , but only part of its essence , which they profess . his . argument is ( it is the mind of god they be admitted : therefore to this end . ] answ. . it is not the mind of god that they should demand and receive it : therefore not to this end . . it may not be the admitters principal end , but a secondary , only on supposition that the receiver be not what he seems to be , and so be not a lawful demander of it . . it is not the will of god that your professor of another kind of faith only be admitted . in the end he sums up his argument thus [ ministers must give the sacrament so as it may be to edification , and not certainly to destruction : but they must give it to some not yet throughly sanctified : therefore some not throughly sanctified may receive it to edification , and not to destruction . ] answ. . plus est in conclusione , quàm in praemissis . you should only have concluded , [ therefore ministers may give it . &c. ) and not [ therefore some may receive it . ) for . the word ( certainly ) which you put in the major ( and leave out in the conclusion ) refers either to the certainty of the object . or gods subjective certainty : or the receivers subjective certainty ; and in all these respects its false . for if god or the receiver were certain that it would prove destructive , yet the minister may give it , if demanded ; but not if he be certain of it himself . but . no minister is required to be certain of the demanders state , or whether the sacrament will prove to his edification or destruction , nor whether the person intend rightly in it , but he is bound to give it to a professor of saving faith that demandeth it , and to intend his good in it , which yet he cannot effect , if the receiver be unmeet . to the minor i say , its true : but not of those that profess not true sanctification . the conclusion as is said , is aliene : for though there can be no giving without receiving , yet may there be lawful giving when it is unlawfully demanded and received : therefore from lawful giving upon an unlawful demand , to a lawful receiving , is no just consequence . ad hominem , i would frame the like argument on mr. blake's principles thus [ we must give the sacrament to edification , and not certainly to destruction . but we must give it to some that have not a dogmatical faith : therefore some that have not a dogmatical faith , must receive it to edification , &c. ] the major is his own : the minor he dare not deny on his grounds : for we must give it to men that profess a dogmatical faith , whether they have it or not : or else we must give it to no man , because we know not the heart . the conclusion therefore is unavoidable , that according to mr. blake's principles , it is the end of the lords supper to convert heathens to christ by receiving it , so they will but lye , and say they are christians first . i profess i see no way of mr. blake's avoiding this , but by renouncing his dangerous doctrine . the . argument is , [ the law and the gospel in their joynt strength may convert , &c. but in the lords supper there is law and gospel , &c. ergo. ] answ. . what may possibly fall out is nothing to the question of lawful demanding or giving . . there 's neither law nor gospel in a wicked mans unjust demand and reception , and lying signal professing to take christ when he doth not : but law and gospel is against it . . the law and gospel which you mention as annexed to the reception are separable : and all you can thence prove , is , that a wicked man may be converted by seeing and hearing , and therefore may see and hear : but that 's nothing to receiving . . nor will it prove that he may see and hear , because its possible he may be converted by it , because the same gospel is in its season with due application to himself to be preached to that end ; and christ hath not appointed his beholding the application to another to be the commanded means for such ends . the . argument is from the heart breaking use of the sacrament by aggravating sin , &c. where the london ministers are cited , &c. ) answ. the same answer as to the last may serve . and . a wicked mans demand and reception hath no humbling use , ( but as any lye or other sin hath ) though his beholding may . . it s an exalting use that this humbling use prepareth for , to the receiver : seeing therefore the wicked are uncapable at present of the exalting use , they must have that humbling word delivered by it self which they are capable of , and not conjunct with that which they are uncapable of . . the london ministers speak not of the first humiliation in the passage of the new birth , but of subsequential , at least , as to the first intention of the work ; and if of conversion , it is but upon supposition that unjust demanders do intrude . . by the like argument from the signification of the signs connext with the word , ( which declare christ crucified and risen again ) you might prove as well that it is for converting heathens . the argument is [ that which is annexed to the word to second it in that very thing which works the soul to conversion to god , may bring &c. ] answ. . to the major , if it may convert , it followeth not that it may be demanded to that end . . to be added [ in that very thing ] is not to be added [ to that very use . ] for the same word which confirmeth doth convert ; but the sacrament is not added to it for the converting use ( as commanded ) but for the confirming use . to the minor i answer by denying it as to the end . the sacrament is not annexed to that use or end , though to that th●ng : because this is a use which the word hath without the sacrament , and the sacrament added to the same word is added for higher in●eparable uses which the unconverted are uncapable of . it s added to be a professing sign on our part that we take christ and remission of sin by him ; and a seal applicatory on ●hrists part : and because the wicked are uncapable of these special uses , they are uncapable of a lawful receiving of the sacrament . you may as well by this argument too , prove that it is for conversion of infidels jews , turks : for the sacrament is annexed to the word in those very things that are for their conversion . the . argument is from experience : to which i answer ; all the experiences which mr. blake mentioneth , are not only nothing for his cause , but abundantly destructive to it . many have been unwakened by fears of receiving unworthily to their condemnation , as wicked men do : will it follow , that therefore they may receive it who are wicked and unworthy ? or that there is no such danger to them if they do : or rather that they should not receive while they are such , and that there is danger if they do ; sure it is some danger that is the matter of their fear , & some threatning which is the ground : if it be their du●y to receive it even while they know themselves to be wicked , because it is an appointed means to their conversion , what need they so to fear it , unless they fear the means of their own good ? if they say , it is the unworthy receiving which they fear ; it s true , but that is to receive it in state of wickedness , impenitence and unbelief , as all the unregenerate do : surely it is the wrath of god and eternal damnation which they fear , therefore they fear least it should fix them in that state . but your worthy communicant is in state of damnation , when only our unworthy communicant is such . moreover will it follow , that because other mens doctrine which are against you doth put men into these fears which occasion their conversion , that therefore your doctrine which abateth such fears is sound ? . or will it follow that receiving converteth , because the fears of unworthy receiving do convert or conduce thereto ? surely preparations and fears of unworthy receiving are one thing , and the wicked mans unworthy receiving it self is another thing : the former may do much good , when the later is like to do much hurt . the thing that such fear , is , least they should have no saving part in christ , or pardon , or eternal life , which you confess your pretended worthy receiver hath not at all . the . argument is from the confession of eminent divines of an opposite judgement , who will have all admitted present at the consecration , to see the bread broken and divided . ] ans . had you named those divines , you had been the more capable of an answer . i know some that have told men of your judgement , that all their reasonings do prove no more than thus , that the seeing and hearing , and not the taking may be fit to convert . ] but i never knew any that said they [ will have all admitted present to see &c. ] . but what if they had or did say so ? what 's your consequence . how prove you that therefore they should be admitted to receive ? or that receiving is a means ordained and enjoyned for conversion , because seeing and hearing is ? so much for that argument . my . argument is from mat . . [ friend , how camest thou in hither not having on a wedding garment , and he was speechless . ] to [ come in hither ] is [ to come into the church of christ. ] by the wedding garment is undoubtedly meant , sincerity of true faith and repentance ; so that i may hence argue ; if god will accuse and condemn men for coming into his church or the communion of saints , without sincere faith and repentance , then it is not the appointed use of baptism to initiate those that profess not sincere faith and repentance . but the former is plain in the text ; ergo , &c. the th . argument is this : we must baptize none at age that profess not themselves christians ; ( nor any infants but on such a profession of the parents or pro-parents ) but they that profess only a species of faith short of justifying faith , profess not themselves christians . ergo. &c. the major is certain ; because it is the use of baptism to be our solemn listing sign into christs army ; our initiating sign , and the solemnization of our marriage to christ , and professing sign that we are christians , and we do in it dedicate and deliver up our selves to him in this relation as his own . so that in baptism we do not only promise to be christians , but profess that we are so already in heart , and now would be solemnly admitted among the number of christians . the minor i prove thus : . no man is truly a christian that is not truly a disciple of christ ( that 's plain , acts . . ) no man is truly a disciple of christ that doth not profess a saving faith and repentance ( save the children of such ) : therefore no man that doth not so profess is truly a christian. the minor i prove thus . no man is truly a disciple of christ that doth not profess to forsake all contrary masters or teachers , and to take christ for his chief teacher , consenting to learn of him the way to salvation . but no man maketh this profession that professeth not saving faith and repentance : therefore no man that professeth not saving faith and repentance is truly a disciple of christ. the major is evident , in the nature of the relation . the minor is as evident , in that it is an act of saving faith and repentance , to forsake other teachers , and take christ for our sole or chief teacher in order to salvation . . no man is truely a christian that professeth not to take christ for his lord and king , forsaking his enemies : but no man doth this but the professors of a saving faith : ergo. &c. . no man is a true christian that professeth not to take christ for his redeemer , who hath made propitiation for sin by his blood , and to esteem his blood as the ransom for sinners , and to trust therein : but none do this but the professors of saving faith : therefore none else are christians . the major of all these three arguments is further proved , thus : no man is professedly a christian that professeth not to accept of christ as christ ( or to believe in christ as christ ) but no man doth profess to take christ as christ that professeth not to take or accept him as a priest , teacher and king : ergo. &c. the major is plain in it self , the minor is as plain , it being essential to christ to be the priest , prophet and king. and from these essentials related to us and accepted by us , doth our own denomination of christians arise . and that a bare assent without acceptance doth not make any one a christian , is past doubt , and shall be further spoke to anon . if baptism then be commonly called our christening and so be our entrance solemnly into the christian state , then it is not to be given to them that are not christians so much as by profession : but that mr. blake's professor of another species of faith is no christian so much as by profession , i doubt not is here proved . and furthermore , if a faith defective in the assenting part , about the essentials of its object , serve not to denominate a man justly a christian ; then a faith defective in the consenting or accepting part about the essentials of the object , serveth not to denominate a man a christian : but the antecedent is true : therefore so is the consequent . by [ defective ] i mean not only in the matter of perfection of degree , but that wanteth the very act it self . the antecedent is proved , because else the turks are christians ; because they believe so many and great things of christ ; and else a man might be a christian that denyed christs death , or resurrection , or other essentials of christianity . the consequence is good : for christianity is as truly and necessarily in the will as in the understanding ; consent is as essential an act of covenanting as any . so that i may conclude , that as he is no christian that professeth not to believe that christ is the priest , prophet and king ; so he is no christian that professeth not to consent and accept him for his priest , prophet and king : but so doth not mr. blake's professor of another faith : therefore he is no christian , nor to be baptized . the th . argument is this : if we must baptize men that profess not saving faith and repentance , then is it no aggravation of such mens sins , that they either plaid the hypocrites in such professions , or fell from them , or walkt contrary to them . ( for no man can walk contrary to a profession which was never made : ) but the consequent is false , therefore so is the antecedent . our divines ordinarily charge wicked men with contradicting of profession which they made with god , either in baptism or the lords supper . and they expound many places of scripture which the arminians take as favouring their cause , to be meant according to the profession of wicked men . now it seems to me , that mr. blake by his doctrine doth undertake to justifie all these wicked men , from this aggravation of their sin , and to take them off from repentance and humiliation for it : for if they made no such profession in baptism ( if at age ) or in the lords supper , then it can be no aggravation of their sin that they walk contrary to it : but i dare not undertake to secure them from the punishment . argum. . if all ( at age ) that are baptized ( and all that receive the lords supper ) must engage themselves to believe presently ( in the next instant ) yea or at any time hereafter , with a saving faith , then must they profess at present a saving faith . or , if we must baptize none that will not engage to believe savingly , then must we baptize none that will not profess a saving faith . but the antecedent is true : therefore so is the consequent . the antecedent is mr. blake's doctrine , who affirmeth that it is not necessary that they that come to baptism or the lords supper , do profess a present saving faith , but its sufficient that they engage themselves to believe by such a faith . the consequence is proved thus . . it is not the beginning of saving faith which we are to engage our selves to in the sacraments , but the continuance : therefore the beginning is presupposed in that engagement : and so we must no more baptize without a profession of faith in present , than without an engagement to believe hereafter . the antecedent is proved thus : there is no one word in scripture , either of precept or example , where any person in baptism or the lords supper doth engage , or is required to engage ▪ to begin to believe with a saving faith , or to believe with a faith which at the present he hath not : shew but one word of scripture to prove this , if you can ; if you cannot , i may conclude that therefore we must not require that which we have no scripture ground to require . . this engagement to believe savingly , is either for a remote distant time , or for the next instant : ●ut no unbeliever ( as to that faith ) is called to promise in baptism such a saving faith , either at a distant time , or the next instant : therefore not at all . . not at a distant time : for first , that were to resolve to serve the devil , and be an unbeliever till that time . . and no man is sure to live any longer time . . not at the next instant : for first , that instant cometh as soon as the word of promise is out of his mouth , even before baptism ; and therefore by that rule he must believe savingly before . . we may as well stay one minute or instant to see whether he will perform his promise , as to baptize him upon that bare promise of believing the next minute . . it is a ridiculous unreasonable conceit , that any man should say , [ i believe not savingly yet , but within a minute of an hour i will ; ] and that this should be required in baptism and the lords supper . . god makes it not the condition or qualification of them that are to be admitted to baptism or the lords supper , that they should promise to do that which they have no moral power to do , ( i mean , such as the seed or habit of grace containeth , as to the act : ) but the unregenerate have no moral power to believe with a saving faith : ergo , &c. the major is proved thus : . to promise to believe savingly , is to profess that they are truly willing to believe savingly ; but no wicked men are truly willing so to believe : therefore they are not called to promise it ; for that were to be called to profess an untruth , and so to lye ; unless as they are called to be really willing and promise both ; and that is but to be sincerely faithful and to promise to continue so . . it is not found any where in scripture that i know of , that god doth call any wicked man to promise to be a godly man or true believer before he is so ; but only commandeth him to be so . and if god never call such men to such a promise at all , then is it not the condition or qualification of persons to be admitted to the sacraments . ( we still speak of the aged . ) the minor is proved from many scriptures , and is the common doctrine of all antipelagians , at least ; we are dead in trespasses and sins : and must we baptize and give the lords supper to such dead men upon a promise that they will be alive ? out of christ we can do nothing : without faith it is impossible to please god. it is god that giveth to will and to do of his good pleasure . and no wicked man can tell whether god will give him the grace of saving faith : therefore he cannot promise to have it . but i shall speak more to this under the last argument . argum. . if there can be no example given in scripture of any one that was baptized without the profession of a saving faith , nor any precept for so doing , then must not we baptize any without it . but the antecedent is true : therefore so is the consequent . what is pretended this way we shall examine anon among the objections . in the mean time let us review the scripture examples of baptism , which might afford us so many several arguments , but that i shall put them together for brevity . . i have already shewed that john required the profession of true repentance , and that his baptism was for remission of sin . . when christ layeth down , in the apostolical commission , the nature and order of his apostles work , it is first to make disciples , and then to baptize them into the name of the father , son , and holy ghost ; and as it is a making d●sciples , which is first expressed in matthew , so mark expoundeth who these disciples are ( as to the aged ) by pu●ting believing before baptism : and that we may know that it is justifying faith that he meaneth , he annexeth first baptism , and then the promise of salvation , matth. . . mar. . . [ he that believeth and is baptized , shall be saved . ] this is not like some occasional historical mention of baptism , but it s the very commission of christ to his apostles for preaching and baptism , and purposely expresseth their several works in their several places and order . their first task is by teaching to make disciples , which are by mark called believers . the second work is to baptize them , whereto is annexed the promise of their salvation . the third work is to teach them all other things which are afterward to be learnt in the school of christ. to contemn this order , is to renounce all rules of order . for where can we expect to find it , if not here ? i profess my conscience is fully satisfied from this text , that it is one sort of faith , even saving , that must go before baptism , and the profession whereof the minister must expect . of which see what is before cited out of calvin and piscator . that it was saving faith that was required of the jews , and professed by them , acts . , , . is shewed already , and is plain in the text. acts . the samaritans believed , and had great joy , and were baptized into the name of jesus christ ver . , . whereby it appeareth that it was both the understanding and will that were changed , and that it was not a meer dogmatical faith : and that they had the profession of a saving faith ( even simon himself ) we shall shew anon when we answer their objections . acts . . the condition on which the eunuch must be baptized was [ if he believe with all his heart ; ] which he professed to do ; and that was the evidence that philip did expect . paul was baptized after true conversion , act. . . the holy ghost fell on the gentiles , acts . . before they were baptized , and they magnified god. and this holy ghost was the like gift as was given to the apostles who believed on the lord iesus , and it was accompanied with repentance unto life , act. . , . acts . . . lydia's heart was opened before she was baptized , and she was one that the apostles [ judged faithful to the lord ] and offered to them the evidence of her faith . acts . , , , . the example of the jaylor is very full to the resolution of the question in hand . he first asketh what he should do to be saved . the apostle answereth him , [ believe in the lord jesus , and thou shalt be saved and thy house : ] so that it was a saving faith that here is mentioned : he rejoyced and believed with all his house , and was baptized that same hour of the night or straight way . it is here evident that he professed the same faith which paul required , or else the equivocation would make the text not intelligible . and that which was required was a saving faith . acts . [ crispus the chief ruler of the synagouge , believed on the lord with all his house , and many of the corinthians hearing , believed and were baptized . ] here we have two proofs that it is saving faith that is mentioned . one , in that it is called [ a believing on the lord , ] which expresseth saving faith . another , in that it is the faith which related to the doctrine preached to them , as is expressed in the word [ hearing ] that which they heard they believed : but they heard the promise as well as the history of the gospel ; and they heard of the goodness as well as the truth ; and they heard christ offered to them as their only saviour ; for paul never preached christ but in this manner , and to these ends , even as might tend to their justification , and salvation ; and it was a saving faith that he still exhorted men to . those in acts . . were baptized as [ believers in jesus christ ] which is saving faith ; whether it were by john's baptism , or by paul , or others , i now enquire not . and what all the churches were supposed to be to whom the apostles wrote , i have shewed before . in a word , i know of no one word in scripture that giveth us the least intimation that ever man was baptized without the profession of a saving faith , or that giveth the least encouragement to baptize any upon another faith . but before we proceed , mr. blake's exceptions against some of these ●rguments from the forecited texts must come under consideration , how little soever they deserve it , pag. . to what i said from mat. . . [ i am very sory to hear the constitution of visible churches to suffer the brand of making of counterfeit and half christians ] answ. for all that i will not be moved with pity to err because you are sorry to hear the truth . . church constitutions make not christians , of one sort or other but contain them when made . . and my arguing was to prove that every faithful pastor must intend the making of sincere christians , and not only counterfeit or half-christians . this is a truth that so good a man should not have been sorry to hear . . if you mean that visible churches contain not counterfeit and half-christians , you might have been sorry long before this to hear both protestants and papists say the contrary . you add [ its well known whose language it is , that all charging duty on unregenerate persons is only to bring them to hypocrisie . ] answ. and if the end of that duty were no higher than to bring men to be counterfeit christians , they had not said amiss . when we hear that charge , it is for perswading men to hear , pray , &c. for sincere faith : but if i perswade men to become christians , and mean only the professors of faith without the thing professed , or the believing with another sort of faith , then i might well be charged with perswading some to hypocrisie , and the other to be half-christians . . you have not yet proved that baptizing the professors of a lower faith , is the appointed means to bring them to saving faith . you say [ in order to make men sincere disciples they must be made visible professing disciples ] answ. if there be not a palpable equivocation , you must mean , that it is the same discipleship which some have sincerely , and others but visibly by profession : and then it must be the same faith . and then you say to this effect that [ in order to make men sincere , they must profess & seem to be so before , they are so , that is , a lie is the appointed means to make the thing spoken become true ] but if according to the current of your doctrine you mean in the later branch of your distinction , those only that profess another sort of faith , and so equivocate in the word disciples , then i answ . . your disciples are no disciples , nor so called once in scripture . . nor is that any thing to baptism , till you have proved that baptism also annexed to your discipleship , is a means appointed to bring them to a higher saving faith . you tell us that [ men may be half christians in order to be whole christians ] answ. but not baptized to that end , nor must the preacher intend the making of any half-christians and no more . what you mention out of ames of taking stones out of the quarry , to polish , &c. is nothing to the purpose . baptizing them is not polishing them , that is , preparing them for conversion , according to the institution ; but it s the placing polished stones in the building : to polish them for the building , is to make them true disciples , and not professors of another kind of faith . p●g . when i say that to be christs disciples is to be one that unfeignedly takes him for his master , &c. you answer , that [ this is true as to the inheritance of heaven , but not as to the ininheritance of ordinances : the jew outwardly was not thus qualified . ] repl. . our question is , what is a disciple ? and what 's your answer to that , unless you distinguish of two sorts , and mean that another sort there are that inherite ordinances ? . and then i say further , some ordinances are without the church , and those may have them that are no disciples ; and f●r those proper to the church , none have right to them but who at least profess the foresaid discipleship i wonder what your three sorts of disciples will prove , that do not profess to take christ for their master . next , where mr. blake would have proved the text not to be meant of sound believers , because they are such disciples as a whole nation is capable to be ; i answered , that whole nations are capable of saving faith , and proved it : to which he mentioneth the capacity of stones to be made children ; as if men had no more then stones ; and as if god could not make all in a nation believers , by the same means us he makes some such . he turns to the question , what a nation is capable of to [ what may be expected ] ●nd argueth as if they were capable of no more than we may eventually expect , and saith [ this that is a doctrine so clear that proof needs not ; where there never shal be any futurity , we may well and safely speak of an incapacity ] ans. as if omne possib●le esset futurum : and men should have every thing good or bad which they are capable of . a sad world ! when among learned divines such sayings are : truths that need no proofs , as if the contradictories of our principles were become principles . it s added [ capacity is vain , when it is known , & co●fest that existence shall never follow . ] answ. hath such an assertion bin usually heard among the worshippers of the creator & the admirers of his works ? if one of those that are suspected of heresie had said such words , what should we make of them ! doth all passive or objective power , natural , violent or neutral , come into act ? doubtless no man that hath one thought of these things will say so ; if he do , he must say that god can do no more then he doth : nor any creature do more then it doth ! but if there be such a power or capacity of a thing that shall not exist , then it is sad to hear god charged with making all such powers or capacities in vain . he knows why he doth many things which he tells us not the reason of ; but here there is reason enough apparent , to cause us to give god better words . i ask't whether preachers be not bound to endeavour the saving conversion of whole nations ? he answereth [ i think they are to bring them , if heathen , to a visible profession , and as many as they can to thorow-conversion . ] repl. . this is no answer to my question ; unless it import a concession of what was denyed . must men endeavour to convert a whole nation , or not ? . if we must endeavour to convert no more than we can convert , then we must know the success before we endeavour which cannot be ; and must endeavour to convert no more then will be converted , which is worse then false . i will not endeavour to perswade any man to profess to be what he is not , or to have what he hath not , or to do what he doth not . he next noteth it as a remarkable contradiction in adjecto , that i say , ( vocation uneffectual is common to pagans ) saying , that [ calling in scripture phrase is not a bar● tender , but accompanyed with a professed answer . ] repl. this is like much of the rest . let these texts be judge , prov. . . ( because i have called and ye refused , i have stretched out my hand and no man regarded , but ye have set at nought all my counsel , &c. ) so isa. . when i called ye did not answer , when i spake ye did not hear , &c. so isa. . & . . and jer. . . & . . mat. . , . he sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden , &c. but they made light of it , &c. ] i shall recite no more . it hath not been thought a contradiction by protestants or papists that i know of , till now , to talk of [ uneffectual calling ] so much of mat. . . to what i said from mar. . . litle that needs a reply is answered . he saith [ if i will contend for an exact order , then he must say that faith always preceds and never follows after baptism ] repl. in reason we must distinguish between a precedency of prescribed duty , and of event , and not seek to blind the reader ( as you speak ) by confusion . there is constantly this order in the prescribed duty that no man should seek baptism but a true believer , for himself and his seed ; and no man should baptize any but those that profess this true belief , and their seed . this is the fixed order of duty . but what then ? will it follow that eventually faith never followeth baptism , nor baptism never goeth before faith ? yes , when you can prove that man never sinneth , by omitting his duty , and that god never recovereth a sinner by his grace . you add [ and then he may preach in england to build up converts , but not to convert ] repl. true , if there be none in england that neglected that faith which god commanded before , nor received baptism in a case which is unmeet for it , nor any that were baptized in infancy when they were uncapable of believing . as to your frequent objection of the nullity of such baptism , i shall null it anon , in its proper place . his concession in terms from pet. . . he retracteth by an exposition of his words as spoken rhetorically , and thinks that ony one that ever read rhetorick may know his sense ; when there is such a wood of tropes and schems that such novices may sooner be lost in them , then hunt on t the sense of every rhetorician . the proper sense , he takes to be [ an egregious peice of affected non-sense ] for then it were true that [ justifying faith is a promise ] repl. it only follows that justifying faith is not only an assent , but the wills consent to the covenant of grace , or that christ be ours and we his ; and this is heart-covenanting ; and that the external verbal promising or covenanting with god , is the profession of this faith . and it is not my fault if i be put to tell you , that as long as you are such a stranger to the nature of justifying faith , as many such dark , though confident passages in your books do import , your arguings will want salt , if not sense . i know this is like to displease : but what remedy ? to the text. act. . . he answereth pag. [ that indeed he never met with any thing either in scripture or reason produced , th●t carries with him so much as any color for it , this excepted . ] repl. this is not my first observation , that confidence is not alwaies a sign of a true judgement ; and the seeing of no difficulties before us , proves us not to know more than other men . his particular answers are , [ . philip. may call for that de bene esse when the eunuch was to be admitted , which was not yet essential to his admittance . ] repl. . it s strange that when we are disputing what is of a necessity to a just admittance , that we must turn to dispute of the essentials of an admittance . i never thought that any thing but admittance was essential to admittance : but there are many things si●c quibus non licet . . philip is determining a question , and giveth this in as the decision , [ if thou believe with all thy heart thou mayest . ] and to say that this is but de bene esse , meaning that it includeth not the negative , [ otherwise thou mayest not , ] is to make philip to have deluded and not decided or resolved . use the like liberty in expounding all other scripture , and you 'l make it what you please . the second answer is , that [ dogmatical faith is truly a divine faith . ] repl. but not the christian faith , nor anywhere alone denominateth men believers in scripture : i remember but one text , john . . where it is called believing on christ ; and but few more where it is simply called believing : but none where such are called believers , disciples , or christians , or any thing that intimateth them admitted into the visible church , without the profession of saving faith added to this assent . the rest which he here addeth , we shall take in , when we come purposely to speak of that subject . i conclude , that all examples of baptism in scripture do mention only the administration of it to the professors of saving faith : and the precepts give us no other direction . and i provoke mr. blake ( as far as is seemly for me to do ) to name one precept or example for baptizing any other , and make it good , if he can . argum. . is from . pet. . . [ i be like figure whereto even baptism doth also now save us : not the putting away the filth of the flesh , but the answer of a good conscience toward god. [ whence i thus argue ; if baptism be appointed for out solemn admission into a state of salvation , as noahs ark received men into a state of safety from the deluge , then none should be baptized but those that profess that saith which entereth them into a state of salvation . but the former is true : therefore so is the later . . here it is implyed plainly that this is quoad finem instituentis , the common appointed use of baptism , which the text mentioneth , though eventually it prove not the common effect , through the error of the receivers . and this appeareth , . in that it was spoken plainly in the text of the very nature and appointed use of baptism , and so of baptism as baptism , without any exception , limitation or distinction . therefore it is not spoken of any d●fferent use that it is appointed for , to the elect , as distinct from its common use to others . it s spoken of that signification and common use to which baptism is appointed ; viz. to save : else we shall never be able to understand the use of it or any ordinance from scripture , if we shall take liberty to say , [ it is this to one , but not to another ; ] when the scripture saith no such thing , but speaks of the nature and use of it without distinction . else when it saith , [ c●rcumcision is a seal of the righteousness of faith. ] we may lay with the anabaptists , it was so to abraham , but not to all others . ] and when the lords supper is said to be appointed for the remembrance of christ , ] we may say , that 's but to some , and not to others , when as the text plainly speaks of the stated use of the ordinances to all . . and in the type its clear : for it was not some only but all that entered noahs ark that entered into a state of salvation from the deluge : therefore so it is here , as to the commanded use . . when baptism is said to save us , it s plainly meant of the state of salvation that baptism entereth us into ; and not of baptism ex ●pere operato , effecting our salvation : and so baptism comprehendeth the state into which we are solemnly by it initiated . as a woman that is married to an honourable man , or a sou●dier listed under an honourable commander , is said to be honoured , the one by marriage the other by listing : where antecedent consent is the great foundation on both sides of the honorable relations , and the subsequent state is the condition or state it self which is honourable : but the solemn signification is but the expression of the former , and passage to the latter . . hereby its apparent , that though the answer of a good conscience be the principal thing intended and that saveth , yet the external baptism is here included as the sign and solemnization ; so that when the apostle saith , ( not the putting away the filth of the flesh , ) he means ( not the bare outward act of washing alone or as such , ) but baptism as it is entire , having the thing professed on our part , together with the professing sign . . it is therefore but by way of signification , obsignation , and complemental exhibition , that baptism saveth , it being neither the first or principal efficient or condition of it ; but is valid as it is conjunct with the principal causes and condition , for the attainment of these ends . . it is not a meer remote means leading towards a state of salvation , that baptism is here affirmed to be : but an enterance , or means of entrance into that state of salvation it self . as the heart covenant or faith doth it principally , so baptism signally and complementally . this is plain ; . because it is not said to help us towards a state of salvation , but expresly to save . . because the type which is here mentioned , viz. the ark , was such a means , that all that entred into it for preservation from the flood , were actually saved from it . all this laid together , doth confirm both the antecedent and consequence of my argument . calvin on the text saith , [ hoc in baptismo liquidò apparet , ubi christo consepelimur , ut mundo & carni mortui , deo vivamus ; — ergo sicut noe vitam adeptus est per mortem quum in arcâ non secus atque in sepulcro inclusus fuit , & toto mundo pereunte , servatus fuit cum exigua familia : sic hodic mortificatio quae in baptismo figuratur nobis ingressus est in vitam ; nec salus speranda est , nisi à mundo simus segregati . — poterat quispiam objicere , baptismo noe nostrum esse longè dissimilem , quia plerosque hodie baptizari contingat . respondet autem , non sussicere externum symbolum , nisi verè & efficaciter baptismum suscipiant . ] ( mark verè ) atqui ejus veritas in paucis reperietur . — and least you should think that calvin takes it for a means towards a state of salvation , and not the solemn entrance into it , mark what follows , [ nec hic docere voluit petrus inane & inefficax esse christi institutum , ( that is , as to salvation ) sed tantum excludere hypocritas à spe salutis , qui baptismum quantum in se est dep●avant ac corrumpunt . ] mark here , that no baptized men are excluded from salvation but hypocrites . . that they that are excluded from salvation for all their baptism , are such as did deprave and corrupt it , and not justly use it . i conclude my sentence in his following words ; [ quid ergò agendum est ? nè separemus quae à domino conjuncta sunt . debemus in baptismo agnoscere spirituale lavacrum : debemus illìc testimonium remissi●nis peccatorum & renovationis nostrae pignus amplecti : sic tamen relinquere & christo & spiritui sancto suum honorem , &c. — his verbis docet baptismum praecipuâ sui parte spiritualem esse : deinde peccatorum remissionem & reformationem veteris hominis in se complecti . ] beza in loc . [ hoc loco b●ptismus dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ejus liberationis qua contigit ecclesiae in diluvio . nam & haec liberatio & baeptismus adumbrant ecclesiae sanct sicationem & emerfionem à peccati & mortis gurgite . ] yet another argument may hence be raised thus : argum. . if according to the institution the answer of a good conscience must be joyned with baptism for the attaining of its end , then must we admit none that profess not that answer of a good conscience . but the former is certain from the text : for baptism is said to save ; that 's its appointed use : yet not the external washing , but the answer of a good conscience doth it therefore this is of necessary conjunction ; and without it baptism cannot attain its end : but it is to be administred & received only in order to the attainment of its end , and therefore never in a way by which the end is apparently not attainable . what this answer of a good conscience is , we shall further enquire anon . both the common expositions fully confirm the point which i maintain . the assemblies annot. recite both thus ; [ hence by the answer of a good conscience we may understand that unfeigned faith , whereof they made confession at their baptism , and whereby their consciences were purified , and whereby they received the remission of their sins &c. some understand by the answer of a good conscience , that covenant whereinto they entered at their baptism , the embracing whereof they testified by their unfeigned confession of their faith ] viz. such a faith as is aforesaid : so that i conclude that this tex● doth plainly shew that baptm is for the saving of the baptized as to the instituted use , and may not be used meerly to any lower ends then to put them into a present state of salvation . a●gum . . no one may be admitted to baptism , who may not be admitted a member of the church of christ. no one may be admitted to be a member of the church of christ without the profession of a saving faith ( by himself or parents , or proparents ) therefore no one may be admitted to baptism without the profession of a saving faith . i speak of such admission to church-membership as is in the power of the ministers of christ , who have the keyes of his kingdom to open and let in , as well as to cast out . the major is past question , because baptism is our solemn entrance into the church , who were before entred by private consent , and accepted by the covenant of god. all the question is of the minor , which i shall therefore prove . . it is before proved that all the members of the church must be such as are visibly , solemnly , or by profession , sanctified from former sin , cleansed , justified persons of god , the heirs of the promise , &c. but this cannot be without the profession of a saving faith , ergo , &c. . this also is before proved , where it was shewed that no others are christians , or disciples . . in acts . , , &c. the many thousands were added to the church , were such as received gladly the doctrine of saving faith and repentance , and continued in the apostles doctrine , and fellowship , and breaking of bread and prayer : and so far contemned the world as to fell all , and make it common : and doubtless no man continued in those wayes , ( of doctrine , fellowship , prayer , &c. ) without the profession of saving faith & repentance ; for the very use of these is such a profession . of which saith calvin in act. . . [ quaerimus ergò veram christi ecclesiam : hìc nobis ad vivum depictum est ejus imago : ac initium quidem facit à doctrinâ quae veluti ecclesiae anima est ) not as barely heard , but as professed or received ) nec quamlibet doctrinam nominat , sed apostolorum ; hoc est quam per ipsorum manus filius dei tradiderat : ergo ubicunque personat pura vox evangelii , ubi in ejus professione manent homines , ubi in ordinario ejus auditu ad profectum se exercent , illic indubiè est ecclesia , &c. quare non temere haec quatuor rece●set lucas , quum describere vult nobis ritè constitutum ecclesiae statum . et nos ad hunc ordinem eniti convenit , si cupimus verè censeri ecclesia coram deo & angelis , non inane tantum ejus nomen apud homines jactare . ] and ver . . it is said that the lord added daily to the church such as should be saved . ] obj. it saith not that all shall be saved that are added to the church . answ. but it describeth them that were added to the church , viz. that were such as should be saved ; or as beza yielded to another reading ( and so grotius and many others , ) such as saved themselves from that untoward generation , [ quisese quotidie servandos recipiebant in ecclesiam . ] the church is the body of christ , col. . , . and none are members of his body , but such as either are united to him , and live by him , or at least seem to do so . the church is subject to christ , and beloved of christ , and cherished by him ; we are members of his body , of his flesh , and of his bones , ephe. . , . and those that are against the general redemption , me thinks should be moved with the consideration , that it is the church that christ gave himself for ; even the visible church which he purchased with his own blood , act. . . ephe. . . and he is the saviour of his body , ver . . but so he is not effectively the saviour of the professors of a faith that doth not justifie : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is the effective saviour of those that profess a justifying faith , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the sincere : but of others , neither way . hitherto divines have gathered from the plain texts of scripture , that there is but one church , one faith , and one baptism : and that those that had this faith really , were to be baptized , and were real members of the church ; and that those that professed this faith , and so seemed to have it when they have it not , are visible members of the church , and are so taken because their profession is sensible to us , and by that they seem to have the thing professed . but the opponents are fallen into a new conceit in all these . . they feign a new christian faith to themselves , viz. a faith that is short of justifying ; which scripture and the church of god have taken to be but a preparatory to the christian faith subjectively , or but a common part of it objectively considered : so that before there was but one christian faith , and now they have made two . . and so before , there was but one sort of real serious or sincere christians , consisting of such as had that real christian faith : and now they have found out another sort of them , that hold another sort of faith . . so have they feigned a new baptism ; for the old baptism was for remission of sin , and burial and resurrection wi●h jesus christ , and to engraff men into the church wich is the body of christ , upon the profession of a saving faith : but the new feigned ends of baptism are far different . . and they have feigned also a new kind of church : for the church of christs constitution is but one , which is called visible from mens profession , and invisible from the faith professed . but they have made a church which consisteth of a third sort of members : that is , of men that neither have saving faith , nor profess it , but only have or profess to have a faith of a lower orb . . to this end they have confounded the church and the porch , the vineyard and the adjacent part of the wilderness : those that heretofore were but catechumeni or men in preparation for the church , are now brought into it : and are annumerated to true christians , before they once profess themselves such , and that upon a lower profession . and hereby also the two sorts of teaching are confounded , which christ distinguisheth , mat. . , . that teaching which draweth men to christ , and maketh them disciples , and that which instructeth them when they are his disciples ; that which perswadeth them to receive christ jesus the lord , and that which perswadeth them accordingly to walk in him . for they take him for a disciple , that is but learning to be a disciple , meerly because he submitteth to learn , and hath learned before some preparatory truths ; though yet he be not made a disciple indeed , nor profess so to be . mr. blake is deeply offended with me , for saying that hypocrites that seem not only to be found believers , and profess a justifying faith , when they have it not , are only equivocally or analogically christians or members of the church , &c. but i shall say somewhat more concerning those believers that are described by him , who do not so much as profess a saving faith , viz. that they are no members of the church at all ( if notorious , ) and are not so much as to be named christians , nor to be admitted into the visible church . no man can prove that ever one man was admitted a church-member in all the new testament , upon the profession of any lower kind of faith , than that which is the condition of justification . otherwise we should have two distinct churches specifically different , or two sorts of christianity and christians differing totâ specie : because the faith which is here made their qualification , doth specifically differ by a moral specification . when the jaylor , act. , , , , . was admitted into the church by baptism , with his houshold , it was upon the professing of such a believing , by which both he and his houshold might be saved , as is before shewed . and so of all others in those times . argum. . if we once admit men to baptism or the lords supper upon the profession of any other than justifying faith , we shall be utterly confounded , and not be able to give any satisfactory description of that faith , and so never be able to practise our doctrine , as being utterly uncertain whom to baptize . that i may the better manifest this , i shall examine all the considerable descriptions of that faith which i can meet with . the papists themselves are not agreed in this business : sometime they speak as if a bare assent would serve the turn ; but commonly they add that there is a necessity also of consent , . to be subject to the church . . to live under the ordinances . and if they take the intention of the party or parents ; or their godfathers and godmothers to be necessary , as they do the intention of the priest , then a bare profession with them will not serve , nor can they tell when any one is baptized . mr. blake doth speak so much , and purposely of this point , that one would think we may expect an exact description of this faith from him , if from any man : especially in his last book , when i had so earnestly intreated him before to do it , because of the omission of it in his former book : and yet even in this hath he done nothing but involve and obscure his meaning more than before : though i had purposely urged him to a plain discovery of his sense , even somewhat beyond the bounds of modesty , as it is esteemed of in common cases : for i perceived that the stress of our differences did rest much in this ; because no wise man will leave his grounds till he see where he may have better ; unless he mean to be for nothing , or of no religion : there 's no reason a man should upon every opposed difficulty relinquish that he hath . and here , that i may do mr. blake no wrong , i shall cite his mind in his own words , and gather as many of his disclosures of it as i can find . for what he hath said in his book of the covenants , i have spoken to it already in my apologie . and i write nor for those lazy readers that had rather err than be at the pains of reading what is already written : i shall therefore suppose that , and gather what he saith in his treatise of the sacraments : pag. . he saith [ i confess as much of repentance in them as was required in any to the acceptation of baptism : namely , a renunciation of their false way , and a professed acceptation of the tender of the gospel . ] and after [ to renounce his way of paganism , judaism , and to profess and engage to a christian faith & conversation . ] here i understand not mr. blake's english , if he do not plainly renounce his cause , and say the same that i do , and so make vain his industrious opposition . the tender of the gospel is the tender of christ , and pardon and life to all true acceptors of it . if the professed accep●a●ion of this tender be not [ professed saving faith ] beyond all common faith , i must despair of knowing what faith is , and consequently being sure that i have it , and that i may be saved by it . and if professing a true christian faith and conversation , and engaging thereto ] be not a professing of that which is proper to the sanctified . ( i mean in the special sense ) then mr. blake hath made a new christian faith and conversation which scripture never prescribed nor described . pag. . he gives another , but the most express answer , which is likest to be his mind [ for a direct answer , i say , it it not profession to say we have this faith , but a profession of our assent to the necessity of it , with engagement to it that gives this little , so p. . [ i say & do profess of those that have those secret reservations wrapt up in their breasts , & not yet from under the power of lusts , yet convinced of their duty , and acknowledging the necessity , that it is the mind of god that they should be baptized and have admission to ordinances , in order to bring them more sincerely and unreservedly to god. and this being the will of god , as you seem to yield when you say , we are bound to baptize them : i say they have right in the sight of god to baptism . ] i shall begin my reply with his last passage ; and i must needs say that mr. blake doth unworthily abuse me and my words , in saying that [ i seem to yield that we are bound to baptize them . ] them ! what them ? my own words which he citeth to prove this by me , are these [ vocation , which is effectual only to bring men to an outward profession of saving faith , is larger then election , that makes men such whom we are bound to baptize ] forsooth in these words i contradict my self ; i seem to give mr. blake the cause . i cannot but say , that it is pity the church should be troubled with such an undigested undistinguishing management of controversies , for men to write so learnedly , and industriously , before they observe what they say . is the outward profession of a saving faith , ( which i say makes men such as we are bound to baptize ) the same thing with [ the profession of a common faith , short of saving , or with that common faith it self ? ] what should a man say to such a confuter , but advise him to joyn with us his weak brethren , in desiring god to pardon us for such troubling and abusing the church ? . as to his description of the persons to be baptized , i shall add , . that his last description , pag. . containeth nothing but what may stand with , first , an open refusal of god and christ. . and that which is commonly taken for the sin against the holy ghost . for its past doubt that men may both be convinced of duty , and confess the necessity of it , and yet may openly profess , that the world and their lusts are yet so dear to them that they will not yet have god to be their god , & christ to be their saviour , on the gospel terms . and i think a man that openly refuseth christ at the present , should not be baptized at the present , though [ he be convinced of duty , and acknowledge the necessity of it ] . as to his other description , pag. . the word [ engagement to it ] either signifieth [ an engagement savingly to believe from that very instant forward ] and this doth necessarily import a present profession of consent , and so of present saving faith : for man can so engage that doth not profess such consent and believe : and this destroyeth mr. blakes cause . or else it signifieth such an engagement to believe for some distant future time , which is consistent with a non-profession of present consent to have christ as offered . and this is the same with that before confuted ; if such may be baptized , then they may say [ we are convinced that we must savingly believe in christ , and we do engage our selves to do it , as soon as we can spare the world and forsake the flesh and the devil ; but yet we cannot , and will not do this . ] baptize such who dare for me . but for a further search of mr. blakes mind , observe his words , pag. . where he answers to what i now object . and first he citeth these words of mine [ where you say that an acknowledgement of the necessity of such faith , with engagement to it , is sufficient for a title to the state . i reply . then those that at present renounce christ , so it be against their knowledge and conscience , and will engage to own him sincerely for the future have a title to baptism ] to which he replyeth [ how comes i pray you that [ future in ? you manifest much reading in the law : and i have heard this as a maxim , in obligationibus ubi nullus certus statuitur dies , quovis die debetur ; there is no day overtaken , but engagement is for present , &c. ] to this i rejoine ; . it is the first time that ever i heard of an engagement that was not de futuro as to the performance . we are agreed that the engagement is present ; but the question is whether it be to a present or future performance . and it is by covenant or promise that mr. blake supposeth this engagement made . and is there any which is not de futuro ? if the church cannot hit the right way of baptizing till such elucidations as these direct them to it — if you promise to believe de praesenti , either you do at that present believe , or you do not . if you do , your promise as to that present act which you already perform , is vain : as if i promise to give you that which i have given you already , or in that instant give you ; which were no promise , but a donation or profession : if you do not then believe , then your promise ( as you call it ) is a falshood ▪ and to tell a lie , is no such a duty as can give right to baptism . no man should say , he believeth , when he doth not . . but if it may be he means not futurum remotius ] but [ futurum proximum . ] that cannot well be neither , because he saith [ the engagement is for present . ] but suppose he do mean by [ present ] the futurum proximum , either this importeth a profession of saving faith , as well as an engagement to believe the next instant , or it doth not . if it do , i have the thing i seek , and mr. blakes cause is given away . if not , then mr. blake doth feign god to require such a kind of promise or engagement as our titile to baptism , which i believe the common vote of reason will pronounce to be vain , ridiculous , if not impossible by most . vain it must needs be to make so solemn a promise of performing that in the next instant , which he may actually perform , & save all that ado . should i cause covenants to be solemnly drawn up , and witnesses called , and seals affixed , that i will give such a thing in the next minute after the sealing ; why then may i not as well give the thing it self ? the minister may stay one minute longer before he go to church to baptize the person , or he may use one word or two more in prayer and exhortation ; and by that time the instant would be come . and ridiculous it seems to me , that any man should be admitted upon such a promise as this [ i will not yet leave my sin for god , nor renounce the world the flesh and the devill for christ , or take him for my only lord and saviour : but i engage my self to do it , or i will do it as soon as the word is out of my mouth ] or [ i am not yet willing to have christ as he is offered : but i will be willing the next instant . ] if any say so to me , i will hold my hand from baptizing one minute , and ask him whether now he be willing ? for certainly the man must break his promise between the making and the sealing of it , if he be not a sound believer already . for there must go more then one instant between his promise and the act of baptizing ( unless we had greater velocity of action ) : if therefore mr. blake's professor shall say , i promise to believe savingly the next instant [ then if he do not , the promise is broke before it is sealed : if he do ; i know no reason but why i may require him to profess that which he hath . and is it not a kind of impossibility for any unregenerate man , rationally and soberly to promise to be regenerate the next minute or instant ? or for any that is destitute of saving faith , to promise to believe savingly the next instant : if he hath grace of such command and can believe the next moment , why not now ? and doth not that man shew his heart unfound , that can believe the next moment , and will not do it at the present ? if it be so in his power , let him not stand promising , but do it . but perhaps some will say that mr. blake meaneth not the next instant or hour , or day , or any determinate time , but only an indeterminate time : some time hereafter . to which i answer . he expresseth himself by the terms [ present ] and [ quovis die debetur : ] therefore it expresly includeth the next instant or day determinately . . and if it were otherwise , either there is some future determinate time of the debt and obligation , or none . if none , it s no covenant or promise : and then it cannot be said quovis die debetur . if any , what is it ? and when ? then a promise to be a christian , so long hence may give right to baptism : and who can tell how long it must be ? if any time before death , then thousands of infidels , or persecutors of christianity may say , [ we will be christians before we die , and therefore will be baptised , though now we hate them for crossing us in our courses . ] but this cannot be mr. blakes meaning , for he speaks of a determinate time de [ praesenti ] & [ quovis die debetur . ] and it is not debitum ex praecepto that he speaks of , ( for that lieth upon infidels , ) but ex promissione ; and therefore if quovis die debetur , then proximo die debetur ; and if proximo die , then also proximo instanti ; for none can shew a reason why its due to morrow and not to day , or the next moment : and if proximo instanti , vel hora vel die , then the promise was made for the next instant , hour or day , or else the obligation could not have arisen from that promise as to that time . but faith mr. blake [ bring me a man that in his heart is convinced that jesus is the christ , with his mouth professeth him , and engageth for him , and in the mean space actually renounceth him , and i will do what you would have me with him ; that is , a man that is falling headlong down a ladder , at the same instant he is climbing up it ] . to which i say , . if you mean an absolute renouncing him , or for the same time when he determineth to begin his accepting of him , i confess it were a contradiction : but of your own feigning , and nothing to our business . . and therefore if you suppose the man to promise to believe savingly the next minute , then i confess it will not stand with a future renouncing him : but then it is as true , that such a promise containeth , importeth , or supposeth a present profession of saving faith , or it is absurd and vain , as is aforesaid . . but if it be a promise to believe only at such a distance of futurity , then it not only may stand with a renouncing christ till that time come , but seemeth to imply that so it is , if you suppose faith to be so far in the unregenerate mans power that he can make such promises of it . i told you before ( which made you angry ) where a renouncing of christ did stand with your two first qualifications , conviction , and verbal acknowledgement , viz. mat. . . this is the heir ; come let us kill him , and seize on the inheritance . ] and for your lust of engaging to him ( such an engagement as you describe , to believe savingly ) as i have said , if it be to believe at present , it is inseparable from a profession of saving faith . if only to believe at such a distant time , it is possible to renounce all actuall union and special communion with him till that time , and to say , i will not have christ as offered til such a time , or till i can better spare my lusts ; can you shew us here such contradictory work as your tumbler is supposed to make . again , in pag. . he reciteth the like , [ our profession qualifying for baptism is not a profession that we have such faith ( which cannot be done without an eminence of faith to assurance ; ) but a profession of the necessity of it to salvation , & an engagement to it . ] to which i say , . for your reason in the parenthesis , we shall silence it anon . . again : one that openly refuseth christ at present , may profess that necessity of faith , and engage to it for the future at a distance , that is , to be a christian so long hence . but he that promiseth it the next instant , if soberly , doth profess it at this instant ; for he professeth his consent or willingness to have christ as offered , which is saving faith. for no man breathing can say ( with any such credibility as a sober man should regard ) i will be willing or consent the next moment or hour ; but he that is willing and doth consent or professeth so to do at this present when he saith so . again , p. . he saith to the citation of the foresaid text , [ i am sorry that such things should be mentioned where enquiry after truth is contended , and contention not studied . it is well known that i speak to a faith of profession , which is theirs that take so that party which is for that christ , and not with those that professedly go in a full opposition against him , and are in a high rode ( any such conviction of spirit supposed of sin , against the holy ghost . ] ans. it is your expressed opinion that i argue against , and not your heart , nor any thing that is well known , by other means and to other men . if the faith or profession which you make a sufficient title to baptism , be consistent with such persecution or sin against the holy ghost ( as you speak ) then it behooved me to manifest the consistency , though it make you sorry ; i do it to shew the face of your doctrine and not otherwise to contend & your sorrow is but a sorry defence . . what you do mean by [ a faith of profession ] ? this was not in the former descriptions which i examined or met with . do you put the wrong end forward , and indeed mean [ a profession of faith [ or ] a faith conjunct with a profession ] ? if not i know not what you mean. if you do , then what profession is it , and of what faith ? not of a saving faith ; for that you before disclaimed ; and if that were it that you mean must be professed , you yield the cause . it is therefore the profession of some common faith ; and that is it which you call dogmatical . and if it be indeed a profession of a meer dogmatical faith , or assent , it is consistent with that renouncing christ which i mentioned , and is no more than theirs [ this is the heir ; come let us kill him ] . but if it be more than dogmatical , and have the wills consent , why will no intreaty prevail with you to describe it , and tell us what it is that is consented to ? and so prove that to you to be the title to baptism and the lord's supper ? in part or in whole ; i know not whether , you tell me of their consent in the next words , [ they take to that party which is for christ and not with those that professedly go in a full opposition against him . ] but i dare not say that now i have all your sense . . where do you find in scripture that such a faith is the title to sacraments ? or that ever man was admitted to them upon such a profession ? . if they may be so admitted , then let us see the consequence . by [ taking to that party which is for christ , ] either you mean , . that they profess themselves to be of those that are sincerely christians : or . that they profess themselves willing to be under church rulers and ordinances ( as bellarmine speaks ; ) or . that they will take part with christians , in pleading , defending , &c. if the first be your meaning , then they profess themselves true christians , and so to have saving faith . for there is but two sorts of christians ; those that are really so , having saving faith : and those that are analogically christians , professing saving faith , when they have it not . . if you mean the second with the papists , then consider that it is not into the pope , nor church rulers , nor ordinances that we are baptized , but into the name of the father , son and holy ghost . and suppose that a man truly understand on what terms christ is offered in the gospel , that man may say [ i am content to be in the church under teaching , and to receive the sacraments , and to accompany christians and fight for them ; but yet i will not yet be a christian my self ; for i am not willing that christ should sanctifie me , and save me from my sins . [ and who that dependeth on the mouth of christ would baptize this man ? it is no more than belongeth to a seeker or a catechumne to be willing to hear . and god never made it a title to sacraments , meerly to bee willing to receive them . else all may receive them that will. at least , i must profess that i can hardly believe , but that all that will receive them , must profess that they receive them to the ends which they are appointed to . and that no man can do , that doth not eodem actu profess himself a true believer . if the third be your sense , then no doubt but many christians in the indies have had moors and indian serva●ts , who were willing to associate with christians , and loved them , and would live and die with them , that yet were no christians themselves . but the fullest declaration of mr. blake's mind i find pag. . upon my earnest provocation of him to describe that faith which entitleth to baptism . the words are these : [ seeing mr. baxter calls upon me to declare my self further in this thing , i do believe and profess to hold that he that upon hearing the gospel preacht , and the truth of it published and opened , shall professedly abjure all other opposite wayes whatsoever , and choose the christian way for salvation , promising to follow the rules of it , is to be baptized , and his seed , &c. ] to which i reply : if this be not a profession of saving faith , i despair of ever being saved . . no man but a sanctified man can truly desire salvation it self , as it is indeed consisting in the blessed fruition of god in intuition , love , praise ; and there is no other salvation . no man but the regenerate can truly renounce all opposite wayes . one opposite way is the way of the flesh and carnal reason , and the way of worldliness , &c. no man can live out of action ; nor out of moral action which tendeth to an end , and that end is his own felicity . he therefore that renounceth all other ways , must turn to christ the only way : or else cut his own throat , or some way murther himself that he may cease action : or else must attain to a perfect desperation . . no man but the regenerate doth heartily choose the christian way for salvation . for what is that but to choose christ for salvation ? and what is that but ( supposing assent ) the true description of saving faith ? . no man but the regenerate can sincerely follow , or resolve and promise to follow the rules of that way . for what is that but to follow the rules of christ and scripture ? and what is that but sincerely to obey ? so that he that professeth these four points , or any one of them , doth profess that which is proper to the regenerate . so that if mr. blake do not here give up his cause , and say as i do , understand english that can for me . if mr. blake dare adjudge all those to damnation that go not further than this faith which he here describeth to be professed , ( as he must if he suppose this to be the profession of a faith short of saving ) he shall never have my vote in approbation of his censure . if those who perform that which is here said to be professed , be not saved , i know not who will. therefore i doubt not but it is the profession of a saving faith . but what need we make any further enquiry , or dispute against a man that professedly yields the cause ? hear his foregoing words , pag. . [ his two first arguments drawn from authority , the first of the assembly of divines , and others of a number of fathers , are brought to prove that the profession of a just●fying faith is required to baptism : and what is that to me , who never denied it , but in plain words have often affirmed it ? it sufficiently implyed where i require a dogmatical faith to baptism . a dogmatical faith assents to that of apollo's , jesus is the christ ; and when i say that this entitles , i cannot mean concealed or denyed , but openly professed : ] reader canst thou tell what to make of this ? is not here a plain concession , that a profession of justifying faith is requisite to baptism ? and doth he not averr that he never denied it ? perhaps we have disputed all this while without an adversary ; as to mr. blake let it be so : and let us see the truth prevail , and i shall not be industrious to prove to mr. blake that he hath said the contrary . but yet me thinks its a marvellous thing that a man should so frequently express his mind against the necessity of the presence & profession of a justifying faith , as to baptism , and for the sufficiency of a faith short of justifying , and the profession thereof , as a title to that ordinance , and now say that he never denyed the profession of a justifying faith to baptism , but in plain words hath oft affirmed it . read the words that i before cited out of him : read both his books and see how much of the scope of them is this way . and let the reader when he hath done , tell us if he can , what mr. blake talk't for . by the words an english man would think that he had at large argued for the sufficiency of a faith short of justifying , in re & professione , as to entitle to baptism . but here he seems most expresly to deny it . i say , he seems : for i must profess that i dare not presume that i understand him here neither . for the rest of his book which i thought i understood , seemed as plain as this . i began once of think that a fraud lay under these words , and that it is here necessity of precept only which he means when he saith that [ a profession of saving faith is necessary to baptism ] and not a necessity to means , or that it is sine qua non . but though i know no other way to reconcile him here to his books , yet this cannot be his sense . for the man is not fradulent ; and besides his following arguing sheweth the contrary . but then i confess that arguing amazeth me again . he will prove that he is for the necessity of the profession of a justifying faith to baptism , because he is for the necessity of a dogmatical faith , and that faith must be profess . wonderful ! doth he make a justifying and a dogmatical faith all one ? no ; he constantly distinguisheth and opposeth them . how then doth he prove that he asserteth the necessity of the profession of a justifying faith because he asserteth the necessity of a professed dogmatical faith . reader i am at a loss : i dare not say mr. blake is so ; perhaps he understands himself , make thy best on 't : for i can make nothing on 't , or worse then nothing . but if really he will be of this mind that [ the reality of a dogmatical faith is necessary , and the profession of a justifying faith ] i shall not only thank him for giving quiet profession to the truth , but i will give him some back again , and will come my self a beg lower then he ; and will affirm that we must give them the sacraments that profess a saving faith , though they have not so much as the reality of a dogmatical faith . yet reader if thou think that there is any parcel of the cause which mr. blake doth not expresly give up , after all his labour , adjoin his words p. . and rest satisfied [ so that i conceit no promise of these ordinances made to such a faith ; but an actual investiture of every such believer in them . ] i have made the best enquiry i can into mr. blake's sense , and i cannot find any reasonable footing for a man to fix upon , if we once forsake our present hold ; and say that it is a profession of some other faith short of that which justifyeth , which is the title to the sacraments . for as no man can prove out of scripture then what faith it must be , but we shall there be at a loss ; so whatever he assert , we have evidence enough to prove it insufficient . a real dogmatical faith cannot be the title ; for then the baptizer must know the heart . the profession of a bare dogmatical faith or assent cannot be it : for then he that hath the faith of devils , persecutors of christ , and such as are supposed to sin against the holy ghost , should have title . some consent therefore of the will there must be . but to what , if not to have christ as he is offered , who can tell ? a consent to be externally baptized will not serve . a consent to baptism as baptism comprizeth saving faith . a consent to be a named christian , and to live among them , may be without any profession of christianity . no man can tell where to fix , nor what we must consent to , to procure a title , if once we forsake the present ground . if any man will give us yet a more exact description of a faith short of justifying , entitling to baptism and the lords supper , i shall be willing to examine it . for hitherto i cannot see where i should set my foot if i should leave the ground i stand on . i now come to examine the arguments that are brought for the contrary opinion . and i shall begin with mr. blake's , and then proceed to some which others insist upon . in his tre●t of sacr. pag. . mr. blake beginneth some as he calleth them [ additional arguments , that a faith short of that which justifieth gives title to baptism . ] argument i. mr. blake they that have right in the sight of god to many and great priviledges of his gift , have a right in his sight to the first and leading priviledges ; this i think cannot be denied : having a right to those that follow , they have right to those that lead . if any had in the time of the law right to the passeover , they had right to circumcision ; and if any now have right to the lords supper , they have right to baptism . but those of a faith that is short of that which ●ustifies , have right to many and great priviledges in the sight of god. this is clear from the apostle , rom. . . the jew outwardly where circumcision of heart was wanting , had every way much benefit and advantage ; he had therefore right to circumcision , and those with him that are short of a faith that justifies , have right in the sight of god to baptism . answer i. the question is not in the conclusion . if all be granted , it s nothing for mr. blake's cause or against mine . it is not all one to conclude [ those that are short of a faith that ●ustifies have right ] and [ such a faith gives right ] or is the qualification , condition , or evidence of right either . a man that is a burgess of such a corporation hath right to be major . but his burgesship gives him not that right , but his election . a frenchman hath right to the crown of france , but not because he is a frenchman . the jew outwardly , rom. . had not his right by a faith short of justifying ; but he had first an actual abode among ordinances , and the offers of grace and helps to salvation , by free providentiall disposal of mercy . . the claim that he made to church-priviledges before men , must be upon his professing of saving faith ; viz. that he took the lord only for his god , and believed in him according to the tenor of the promise : and not upon the having or professing of a faith of another species . this answer sufficeth as to the present controversie : but because mr. blake doth seem also to intend these arguments to the following controversie , i shall briefly enervate them as to both , that i may not be put to go over them again when i come to that controversie . . i deny that baptism is [ the first and leading priviledge of gods gifts . ] it is a great priviledge to have the gospel preached to them , to have pardon conditionally offered them , that is , if they will accept of christ to be converted , and made a true believer ; to be born of christian parents . &c. these and more are priviledges , and before baptism . . i distinguish at large of the term ( right ) in my apologie . here let it suffice to say : . right is properly so called , which in this case must arise from a promise or proper gift . . or it is analogically so called , which ariseth . indirectly from gods command to the parent , priest , pastor &c. to do this for all that require it , upon a profession of true faith . . or from bare permission or providential disposal . . i distinguish also the jews case from ours : they had some promise of a continuance of ordinances among them , though not for perpetuity , yet for a long time , which no church on earth hath now . . and now i answer to the minor : . an analogical improper right , resulting from permission , and a command to ministers to baptize all that upon such a profession require baptism , this i ever granted to all that profess saving faith . . but a proper right , from promise or proper gift , which may warrant them to claim or require the thing from god or man ; this i deny to any but true believers and their seed . they may not lawfully require it , though we must give it them if they do require it , upon such a profession . . but without a profession of saving faith , they may neither require it , nor we give it if they do require it , whatever other short faith they have , or profess . . thus also the case was with the jews , allowing the difference made by the foresaid peculiar promise to them . argument ii. mr , blake . those that are a people by gods gracious dispensation nigh to god , comparative to others , have right in the sight of god to visible admittance to this more near relation . this i think is clear ; men have right to be admitted to their right . but those that come short of justifying faith , are a people by gods gracious dispensations nigh unto god , comparative to others ; this is plain in the whole visible nation of the jews , as appears , deut. . psal. . . and . . those therefore that are short of justifying faith , have right in the sight of god to admission to this nearer relation . answer . the jews were nigher to god than other people . . in that they had the offers of grace which other people had not . . and many great deliverances and temporal priviledges , which others had not . both these infidels and heathens may now have ; and therefore they prove no right to baptism . . they were nigher by some promises peculiar to that nation , which is nothing to us . . they were nigher by their consent to the offers of grace , and the covenant of the lord ; which was proper ( in sincerity ) to the sanctified . . and by their profession of consent , and external engaging themselves to the lord ( whether they had inwardly faith or not . ) now to the major , i grant it : but add , that the three first sorts of nearness give not right to baptism : all admission to near relation , comparatively to others , is not by circumcision or baptism . but it is only a nearness in the two last senses that are questionable as to this . and i have before shewd , in what sense true consent to the covenant gives right , and in what sense an outward profession of consent gives right ; and that your common faith gives none in either sense . lastly , if your conclusion were granted , it s nothing to our question : for as is said , all admission to near relation is not by baptism : one infidel may be nearer god and the kingdom of heaven then another , and yet 〈◊〉 be baptizable for all that . argument iii. mr. blake . those that god ordinarily calls his people , and owns as his , openly avouching himself to be their god , have right in the sight of god to the signs and cognizance of his people , and are to have admission into the society and fellowship of his people . this is pla●n , if god in covenant will own servants , then his stewards may open the door to them ; if he will own sheep , his servants doubtless may mark them . but god owns all in visible communion , though short of faith that is justifying ▪ as his people , and openly avouches himself to be their god , as in abundant places of scriture is evident : see deut. . . these have therefore right to the signs and cognizances of his people , to admission into the society and fellowship of his people . answer . . to the major , with the fore-mentioned distinction of right , applyed as before , i grant it . . to the minor i say , god owneth them as his people by internal consent and covenanting , who indeed are so : and he owneth them as his people by outward covenanting , or expression or profession of consent , who are such : but those that have neither of these , but only profess some shorter faith , or consent to some other covenant , or but part of this , he will not own in either relation , nor would have them taken into the communion of his church . nor do you prove any such thing ; for deut. . . is so much against you , that i marvel you were not troubled at the citing of it : for that text alone is enough to confute all your pompous allegations out of the old testament from the church state of the jews . the words are [ thou hast avouched the lord this day to be thy god , and to walk in his waies , and to keep his statutes , and his commandments and his judgements , and to hearken to his voice : and the lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people , &c. ] do you think that they that in heart consent that the lord be their god , and to walk in his waies , &c. have not saving faith ? then there was no such thing then on the earth . and if they had such faith , who sincerely consented , then they professed such faith that professed such consent . and the word [ avouching sheweth that it was present profession , and not only a promise for some distant futurity . this argument therefore is but like the rest . argument iv. mr. blake . those whom the spirit of god ordinarily calls by the name of circumcision , they had a right in gods sight to circumcision ; and those of like condition have like right to baptism ; this i think is clear ; the spirit of god doth not mis-name , doth not nick-name , nor ordinarily at least give equivocal names . but men short of justifying faith are called by the spirit of god by the name of circumcision , as needs no proof . christ was a minister of the circumcision , rom . . and he was sent to the lost sheep of the house of israel . those then of a faith short of that which is justifying , have right in the sight of god to baptism . answer . . i have no need to deny the major ; but it is not sound : for they are called the circumcision , i. e. the circumcised ; because they were actually circumcised , and not because that all that were so had right to it . . to the minor , i grant it ; but with this note , that it is not because of their short faith that they were to be circumcised , but upon the parents or their own profession and sincere consent to the covenant . the conclusion again containeth not your thesis . there 's nothing in it about [ giving title ] or any thing of necessary connexion . argument . v. mr. blake . those that are the servant of god , whom god owns as his servants , have right in his sight to be received into his house , and to be entitled to the priviledges of his church . this we think should not be denyed , and that god will take it ill if any shall deny it . but men short of that faith which justifies , are owned of god as his servants , as is clear , lev. . , . there every israelite that was sold to any of the children of israel , and his children are called of god his servants , and that as israelites ; of which a great part were void of that faith which justifies . therefore those that are short of faith which justifies , have right in the sight of god to be thus received . this argument me thinks might be of force with mr. baxter . when he had urged it for proof , that infants are servants and ought to be baptized , he add● pag. . [ is not here direction enough to help us to judge of the mind of god , whether infants are his disciples and servants or no ? doth not god call them his servants himself ? what more should a man expect to warrant him to do so ? men call for plain scripture , and when they have it , they will not receive it : so hard is it to inform a forestalled mind . ] if god took such care upon that account , that they should not be held in bondage under any of his people , he takes like care that they should not be kept from the society of his people . answer . . the major is true . . distinguishing of right , as before ; . and of servants ; and taking the word servants in a peculiar sense , as lev. . . doth . the minor also and the conclusion is thus granted . but mr. blake's conclusions have a common unhappiness to be strangers to the question : doth it follow because i must baptize those that profess sincere covenanting or fai●h , though they have but a faith of another sort , that therefore i must baptize them on the account of that other faith ? by such an argument . i may as well prove that infidelity or heathenism gives right to baptism , thus : many infidels or heathens have right to baptism ( that is , those that in heart are such , have such a right as yours pleaded for , upon the account of an external profession of christianity . ) therefore infidelity or heathenism gives them right . if this consequence must be denyed , so must yours . argument vi. mr. blake . those that bring forth children to god , have a right in the sight of god to be of his houshold , and to be taken into it : this is plain ; especially to those that know the law of servants in families , that all the children in right were the masters , and had their relation to him : but those that are short of justifying faith , bring forth children to god , ezek. . , . answer . this argument is sick of the common disease of the rest ; the conclusion is a stranger to the question . quâ tales , they bring not forth children to god in any church sense . argument vii . mr. blake . children of the kingdom of god , or those that are subjects of his kingdom , have right in the sight of god to be received into his kingdom . this proposition mr. baxter hath proved , pag. . therefore i may save my pains . but those that are short of faith that justifies , are children or subjects of this kingdom , mat. . . the children of the kingdom shall be cast into outer darkness . those therefore that are short of justifying faith , have right in the sight of god to be thus received . answer . this argument also hath the same distemper : it s nothing to the que●●ion . they are children of the kingdom visibly , in regard of the profession of a saving faith , and not of any common faith tha● is short of it . prove that , or you say nothing . argument viii . mr. blake . the children of the covenant have right in the sight of god to the seal of the covenant . this is evident , the seal is an affix to the covenant : where a covenant is made , and a seal appointed , there it is not of right to be denied . but those that are short of faith that justifies , are the children of the covenant , act. . the apostle speaking to the people of the jews saith , ye are the children of the prophets , and of the covenant which god made with our fathers . answer . still the question is wanting in the conclusion . the same answer serves to all . it s a sad case that the church of god should be thus used by its friends : to have such gross mistakes presented to the unskilfull , which ( to use your own phrase to me , pa. . ) do serve only to blind the reader . argument ix . mr. blake . disciples of christ have right in the sight of god to baptism , as appears in christs commissiion , mat. . . but many are disciples of christ , that are short of a faith that justifies : therefore those that are short of a faith that justifies , have right in the sight of god to baptism . if all that i have said , pa. . of the treatise of the covenant to prove this assumption , be too weak , as i think it is not , mr. baxters proof pag. . of his treatise hath sure strength sufficient ; there he proves that infants are disciples , because they are subjects of christs kingdom ; and what kingdom he means , he there explains himself . [ i speak not here ( saith he ) of his kingdom in the largest sense , as it containeth all the world ; nor yet in the strictest , as it containeth only his elect : but in the middle sense , as it containeth the church visible , as it is most commonly used . ] and therefore by the way not equivocally used . those then of this middle posture , non-elect , are disciples . answer . still the same error . none are disciples upon the account of your other faith , but of either saving faith , or the profession of it . and as this and all the rest do look to the other controversies , the foresaid distinction of right applyed as is often done before , is all that need to be said in answer to them . argument x. mr. blake . christians have right in the sight of god to baptism ; this is mr. baxter's proposition in the page before quoted ; and in reason is plain ; christians must not be kept out of christian fellowship . this is mr. baxter's likewise in the place quoted ; he makes disciples christians , and subjects of christs visible kingdom to be one and the same . therefore those that are short of justifying faith have right , &c. answer . still the same disease . you should have concluded that your lower faith gives right . ] none are christians on the account of your lower kind of faith , but only of saving faith or the profession of it . argument xi . mr. blake . all that ought to be admitted visible church-m●mbers , ought to be admitted in the sight of god to baptism . this none can question unless they charge it as tautological , and it is mr. baxter's pa. . . and the medium of that argument which he makes the chief of all he useth . but those that are short of justifying faith are members of the church visible . therefore those that are short of justifying faith , are to be admitted to baptism . the assumption is his likewise , where he distinguisheth the visible kingdom from the elect , and no man can deny it that grants the distinction of a church into visible and invisible . answer . the same disease still . none short of saving faith ought to be admitted member , but on the profession of it . what if i distinguish the visible kingdom from the elect ? once for all i let you know , that i take saving faith to be the constitutive or necessary qualification of a real or mystical member : and profession of that faith to be the qualifying condition of visibility of member-ship : but your other kind of faith to be neither . argument xii . mr. blake . the children of god have right in the sight of god to be admitted to baptism ; this is clear enough : but men short of justifying faith are children of god , even those that drew down judgements on the old world , as gen . . the whole body of the children of israel . deut. . . answer . the same error continued , requireth the same answer . argument xiii . mr. blake . those whom god ingraff's by his power into the true olive , and makes partakers of the fatness of the olive , they have right in the sight of god to be admitted . this is plain : god ingraffing , right must not be denied : but he ingraff's by his power those that are short of that faith that justifies : even the whole body of the church of the gentiles , and we expect the like of the church of the jews , as appears from the apostle , rom. . therefore those that are short of a justifying faith , have right in the sight of god to baptism . answer . again the same error : therefore accept the same answer . argument xiv . mr. blake . all of those that professedly embrace a gospel-tender , in which there is a conditional promise of justification , adoption , glorification , have right in the sight of god to all ordinances , ordinarily necessary and requisite to bring them up to these conditions , and to the fruition of these glorious priviledges , and consequently to baptism the leading priviledge . this none can deny that know the readiness of christ , in imparting saving ordinances to a people . but those that are short of faith which is justifying , may embrace a gospel-tender , in which there is a conditional promise of justification , adoption , glorification . those therefore that are short of faith which is justifying , have right in the sight of god to all such ordinances , and consequently to baptism . answer . [ embracing ] is a metaphor , and can signifie nothing here but their wills , consent , and use. the words [ gospel tender ] signifie either the thing tendered , or the act of the tenderer . to consent to , and so embrace the latter , is no more than to be willing to hear , or to consent tha● god and his messengers shall make the render . this an hea●hen or infidel may do . to consent to , and embrace the thing tendered , upon the terms that it is tendered , is saving faith . in that sense therefore i deny the minor : and in the former the major , as extending to baptism . all that consent that christ shall be offered to them , ought not to be baptized nor any on that account . none that consent to have christ offered , ( christ as christ ) can be truly said to be short of saving faith . if by [ embracing ] you mean metonymically [ the profession of embracing christ ] then you say as i say , & give up your cause . it s that profession , and not his short faith , nay that without any faith , that will warrant us to baptize him . argument xv. mr. blake . if the apostle argue for a right to baptism from gifts that are common to the justified and unjustified , then faith which is short of justifying , gives right in the sight of god to baptism . this none can deny , unless they will call the apostles logick into question , and deny his consequence . but the apostle thus argues for a right to baptism , from those gifts that are common to the justified and unjustified : this is plain act. . . can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized , which have received the holy ghost as well as we ? the holy ghost there , is the gift of the holy ghost then poured out ; the gift of tongues , as in the , & . verses is held forth , which is a gift not only inferiour to charity , but such as may be served from it , cor. . . a gift of that kind , that men of a miraculous faith ordinarily did as in an instant conferr . they are therefore gifts common to the justified and unjustified . those therefore of faith short of that which is justifying have right to baptism , answer . this is the only argument of all the seventeen that doth so much as speak to the question . a strange way of arguing ▪ to the major . . i deny the consequence . the argument will not hold from one common gift , to any common gifts , nor to this common faith . prove this consequence . . i distinguish in the antecedent between arguing from gifts as a title , or the condition of a title , and arguing from them as satisfactory evidences of a title , such as profession it self is . to the proof from acts . . i say further : it followeth not [ he that hath received the holy ghost may be baptized ] therefore he that hath your common faith may be baptized . for that 's no evidence of receiving the holy ghost . . the holy ghost was promised only to be true believers , mark . . and not to any others : yet god did not hereby restrain his own power from giving it to others . seeing therefore god had promised it to true believers , though he did give it to some others , it followeth that it was a probable evidence of saving faith , though not a certain : and therefore it might warrant us to baptize them , as profession it self might do : especially when it accompanied that profession : seeing that both evidences are more full than one , and yet one is sufficient as to us . . you cannot prove that ever god gave the holy ghost to any that professed not saving faith : nor yet that any man was baptized upon any such gift of miracles without the profession of saving faith . those acts . confessed christ , and professed faith before they were baptized . . you cannot prove that it was only common gifts of the spirit that is meant in acts . . for ordinarily the holy ghost was given at once for sanctification and such extraordinary works . and anologum per se positum stat pro significato famosiori . and their praising god doth intimate their love to god , and honour of him , and sense of his goodness ; which proceed from the sanctifying spirit . argument xvi . mr. blake . if the promise be to others besides believers , then so is the seal ; for to whom god promiseth , to them he engageth himself to perform : but the promise is to others ; therefore the seal is to others . this will be evident , if it be once understood that it is only the conditional covenant , which god sealeth by the sacraments ; for this promise is made to unbelievers , though the good promised is not to be enjoyed by any but those that perform the condition . answer . the th . argument mr. blake fetcheth from my words to mr. tombs , that he may prove me a self-contradicter . but i do not contradict my self every time mr. blake understandeth me not . i confess still that the seal is to others besides believers ; but though the promise be conditional , we must not seal to any but those that profess consent to the conditions : and therefore not to any but those that profess to be true believers . argument . xvii . mr. blake . if god do no more in his actual sealing to believers than he doth when the sacrament is rightly applyed to hypocrites , then he actually sealeth to hypocrites : but god doth no more in his actual sealing to believers , than he doth when the sacrament is rightly administred to hypocrites . the minor is proved by the enumeration of the several acts . . god maketh a promise ; . he commandeth ministers to publish it ; . he hath instituted the sacraments as mutually engaging signs or seals ; he commands ministers to deliver or apply them to those that profess their consent and desi●e to enter or renew the covenant . th●se two last i confess i have borrowed , and that from mr. baxter pag. . of his inf●nt b●ptism , and whether they make for him or against him , to prove or disprove their right which he here calls hypocrites , and distinguishes from believers , i leave to the censure of the intelligent reader . answer . . i mean in that argument , that as to the natural extrinsick action , commanded or performed , god doth no more : but yet god hath before the sealing in the foregoing promise done so much more , as that he is actually thereby ( as it were ) obliged to the performers of the condition , when he is not so to others . for while it is but conditional , it is not actual : for the act is suspended on the condition . . is not mr. blake able to distinguish , between an hypocrite and a professor of another sort of faith ? i confess we may give the seals to hypocrites ; for they profess that saving faith which they have not : but it doth not follow that therefore we may give them to men that never so much as professed it , but only professed another kind of faith . and why will an ingenuous sober brother insinuate that these are they whom i call hypocrites , who never do so much as profess to be sincere christians ? and now i am as content as mr. blake that the intelligent reader do pass his censure upon my supposed contradictions , & mr. blake's arguments . when i had mentioned the uncertainty , and the certain vanity of the contrary opinion , i thought meet to examine the arguments that are brought for it , before i come to the last of my own : i have yet some more arguments to answer from other hands , which i shall adjoyn before i conclude my own : and some of the same i find scattered up and down also in mr. blakes . argument . xviii . the jews children were circumcised upon the title of a dogmatical faith , or of some faith short of justifying : therefore so may we and ours be baptized : for circumcision extended no futher then baptism . answer . . i will not stand now upon the question , whether such arguments from meer analogie will hold ; nor whether there were any special reason of a difference . i suppose in this i shall agree with mr. blake . but i utterly deny their antecedent ; and require them to prove it if they are able : yea , that ever one person was circumcised upon the account of any faith short of that which then was saving ? we are not now upon the question , what god lookt for : or what was necessary to warrant them before god to demand circumcision . but our question is , what the circumciser must look for ? and what was necessary to warrant them to circumcise them ? and that was the profession ( by the person if at age ; if not , by his parent or pro-parent ) of a true saving faith , and nothing lower . they professed to take the lord only for their god ; and if they did but that sincerely , they should be saved : for to be our god , is to be our chiefest good , and to take him for such , is to love him above all and prefer before all . to take him for our god , is to take him for the principal efficient of our being and well-being : and so to take him , conteineth the chief dependance on him . to take him for our only god , is to take him for our only soveraign ruler : and so to take him , containeth resolution to obey him . and moreover , the israelites did engage to obedience to gods law , and professed their consent to obey it . object . but many of them were wicked in their lives . answ. . but our question is , whether they they did not profess a saving faith ? or whether they were admitted on the profession of another kind of faith ? . the more impious were to be cut off by death , according to gods law : and dead men cannot beget children to be circumcised . argument xix . then we must re-baptize those whose ▪ parents had not saving faith , because their baptism is a nullity : and what work will that make among us ? answer . . there 's no shew of reason for the consequence . if any such thing would follow , it would be but this , [ that we must re-baptize them whose parents professed not saving faith ; ] and that 's not one that ever i saw present a child to baptism , if we speak of a verbal profession . . neither will this perhaps follow neither : but only that which was not done , should be done ; that is , profession ; and not that which was done , be done again ; that is , external baptizing . . i find by sad experience to my sorrow , that a considerable part of some parishes , or villages , are ignorant of the fundamentals : i have spoken with abundance that know not that christ is god or man , or either ( but they say , he is a spirit ; ) nor that the holy ghost is god ; nor why christ dyed ; nor that any satisfaction is made for our sins ; or any thing done or necessary to their pardon , but our own repentance and amendment : and with some that know not that the soul goes to heaven before the resurrection , nor that the body shall ever rise again . now i would know of mr. blake , whether all the children of these parents must be baptized again , or not ? for certainly these have not a dogmatical faith , which is the thing that he saith entitleth to baptism . and then what certainty have we that any of our ances●ors had a true dogmatical faith ? as mr. blake therefore will deal with his dissemblers that seem to have a dogmatical faith , and have it not , so me thinks he should allow us to do by ours , that seem to have a saving faith and have not : and so by their posterity . argument xx. by your rule , no man may come to the lords supper , nor offer his child to baptism that hath not assurance of the sincerity of his faith . for if it be gods will that they must profess saving faith , then they must know that they have it ; for no man must profess that which he is uncertain of : for he cannot do it in faith , and so will be condemned . answer . . mr. blake will require the profession of a dogmatical faith , and an engagement to believe savingly , as strictly ( i hope ) as i will require the profession of saving faith , and an engagement to actual obedience . and if a dogmatical faith and such an engagement must be profest , then it must be known by him the professeth it , as necessarily as the other . and i would fain know of him how meer dogmatical believers are sure that they have a dogmaticall faith . . many of them know not what that faith is , nor what the essentials of christianity are ; nor know not those essentials themselves , as i before said from sad experience . they might therefore be sure that they have not a true dogmatical faith , but not that they have it ; and yet they are as confident they have it as other men . . many that believe the same truths as others , believe them but side humanâ , and not divinâ : and therefore have no true dogmatical faith . . many do but half believe them , and think they may be true & they may be false , and cannot tell whether they may believe them or not , but indeed do not ; their unbelief being more predominant , and therefore from it must be denominated . . many true saving believers are sorely tempted about the truth of the gospel , and troubled with doubts , and their dogmatical or historical faith is but weak , and mixed with much unbelief : so that they cannot tell whether their belief or unbelief be predominant , and consequently whether they believe or not . and for my part i see no reason but that it should be as hard to a true christian to know whether he truly believe the dogmata christiana , the articles of faith , the truth of the gospel , as to know whether he truly rest upon christ , or love god above all . and i know many learned , wise , and godly men ( to all appearance ) that are in doubt , and long have been , of the truth of their assent to the gospel , and are troubled with no other doubtings of their sincerity ( in any great measure ) but only as the doubts of this doth cause them . some of the ablest men that ever i knew have groaned out many a complaint : o , i am afraid i am an infidel ! i cannot believe the word of god! i know not whether i believe it or not ! ] a turk may have some thoughts or motions that it may be true ; but if he be more perswaded of the falsness than of the truth , he is not to be denominated a believer . now if mr. blake will but tell us plainly , how he would deal with these that doubt of their very historical faith , and what he would have them do , then i will tell him the like by them that doubt of their saving faith . . nay see what a desperate plunge he puts his believers to . he requireth them to perform impossibilities . they must engage to believe savingly ; that is , they must profess a consent so to do . and this they must know that they do sincerely ; or else they cannot do it in faith as the objection saith : ) when as it is a thing that no unregenerate man can do sincerely . if he engage to believe savingly , he doth it not sincerely , but ignorantly or dissemblingly . at least , few of them know that they do it sincerely ( as themselves will here confess ; ) what then must these do in such a case ? at least , let the heart and light of a godly man and an ungodly be compared , and i will appeal to mr. blakes own judgement , whether a godly man be not as likely to know his sincerity in saving faith , as an ungodly man to know that he ha●h truly a dogmatical faith , and doth truly engage to believe savingly . i could soon shew such disadvantages that a wicked man hath to know his own heart , even in this point , that me thinks might easily determine this controversie , if it were needfull to stand upon it . . it is the duty of the godly to give god thanks for his saving grace ; for converting them , giving them the holy ghost , justifying , adopting them , &c. must none perform this duty but they that have attained assurance of their conversion , justification , adoption , & c ? then it is not many that must perform it . but if others may and must do this , on the same ground they may and must perform the other . it is the duty of every child of god to pray and praise god in the relation of a child , in a special sense , and to call god father in a special sense , and to plead those promises with him that are the proper portion of his children . and must all omit this that have no assurance or subjective certainty ? it it the duty of each member of the mystical body of christ to love the saints , and assist them as fellow-members : must none do this , that is not certain of his own member-ship ? if i should instance in all the particulars of christian duty that this case extendeth to , you would see that this your principle reduced to practice would make bu● unhappy work in the church and would do much to the extirpation of a very great part ( if not the far greatest ) of the service of god. . in all such cases our actions must follow the smallest prevalent perswasions of our judgement , though far short of full assurance . if a true believer do think himself to be such , he may profess himself such : when so far as he knoweth his own heart , he doth believe and repent , he may profess that he doth believe and repent , implying or expressing that he speaketh according to the knowledge he hath of his own heart . we are so strange to our selves , that if only certainty must move us to action , i think we should sleep out the most of our lives . he speaks sincerely that speaks according to his perswasion , and as he thinks , though he be not certain . . in such cases it condemneth not to act in doubting , but the same man that doubteth may act in faith . indeed if the doubting be so predominant , that a man is more perswaded that he doth not believe , than that he doth ( whether dogmatically , or savingly ) then he may not profess that he doth believe : that is , he may not think one thing , and speak another , and speak or do against his conscience : and also if it be in an indifferent thing , as about meats , or drinks , or indifferent daies , where he is certain to be innocent if he forbear , and uncertain to be innocent if he act , then he must take the safer side , and therefore forbear . and the apostles words will reach no further than to these two points . he that hath unbelief , and therefore doubing , may say , lord , i believe , help thou mine unbelief . . the thing that is necessarily required to the sacramental participation , is not an assurance that our faith is sincere and saving , but that it be really that faith which is sincere and saving , whether we know it so to be or not . many a man knoweth that he hath that faith which is saving , and yet knoweth not that it is saving . and many one knoweth that he performeth the saving act , but through vain scruples understandeth not whether he do it sincerely : and many think or hope they are sincere that yet doubt of it . i have met with many that have lived in deep distress for want of perceiving the truth of their faith ; that have cried out [ i have no true faith , i cannot believe ! faith is a perswasion of gods love to me , or a resting on him for salvation , and i cannot be perswaded of his love to me , nor can i rest upon him . ] and when i have convinced them that [ the gospel is . a narrative of what christ is , and what he hath done and suffered for us ; and . an offer of christ , and life to all that will accept the offer : and therefore that faith is . an assent to the truth of his report , and . a consent to be christs , and that he shall be ours . ] and when i have asked them whether they do these two things or not : whether they believe the gospel to be true , and are willing that christ and life be theirs , and that they be christs ? they profess very cheerfully both this assent and consent ; they are w●lling to have christ if they know their own hearts ; and yet they dare not say that they are true believers ; partly through general fears , and partly because they know not that this which they profess is saving faith . now in such a case we are to let them know that it is the thing , and not their certainty of the thing that god hath m●de necessary . and therefore we do not , nor must not ask them in sacramental administrations , whether they have saving faith by meer name , without description ? but whether they believe in god the father , son and the holy ghost ; and renounce the world , flesh , and devil ? and whether they are willing to have god for their only god , and christ for their only saviour , and the holy ghost their sanctifier ? and he that saith , yea , doth profess a saving faith , though he know it not so to be . and what would mr. blake do with him if he say neither yea , nor nay ? having thus vindicated the proposition against their objections and shewed the van●ty of all other waies , and that we can have no certainty what profession to expect , if we expect not a profession of saving faith , i may well sum up all , and still insist on the th argument , that we must expect the profession of a saving faith , seeing if we take up with any other we are utterly at a loss : mr. blake cannot agree with himself what faith to require , nor hath given any certain description of it , when he hath so voluminously talkt for it : and what he or others seem to require , as a thing distinct from saving faith , we see sufficient reason to reject , as being wholly unproved , and by us proved insufficient to this use . i shall now therefore proceed to my th . and last argument , for the proposition , which is drawn from the constant practice of the universal church of christ. it hath been the constant practice of the catholike church since the apostles daies till now , to require that profession of saving faith and repentance , as necessary before they would bapt●ze , and not to baptize any upon the profession of any lower kind of faith : therefore it must be our practice also . and here i must confess my self in as great an admiration at the words and dealings of mr. blake and some godly learned divines that go with him in this cause , as ever i was brought to by the groundless confidence of such men . he must shut his eyes against the fullest evidence of historie and church-practice , that will deny that it hath been the practice of the universal church of christ to baptize upon the profession of a saving faith , and not otherwise : insomuch that i must profess that i am not ( for my own part ) able to prove that ever any one person since the daies of the apostles , was baptized upon the profession of any other faith , by any save the gross hereticks , even those whose baptism was accounted invalid . i desire mr. blake , or his neighbours of his mind , to help me to an instance of any one approved baptism since christs time , or his apostles upon the account of a faith that was short of justifying , and not upon the profession of a justifying faith. hitherto this is not done by them , & the contrary is fully done by others : and yet ( to my admiration ) they as confidently affirm that all the church of christ hath gone their way , or that it hath been their constant practice , and that they should forsake the example of the church , if they should do otherwise : and they except against my opinion as novelty . i must confess that such experience hath brought me to lower thoughts of the credit even of good men than formerly i have had , and to resolve to try before i trust . one would think that the matter of fact in such a point as baptism , which we all pass through , should have been out of question before this day . for the proof of the churches practice , . i have already said enough about the apostles own practice and the church in their daies . even when they describe the faith which they require expresly by assent alone , yet they shew that it is a saving assent which they require ; and the promise of pardon and salvation is in the same or other scriptures affixed to that assent : but this i shall not recite now . . the constant practice of the church since the ●postles to this day , is undoubtedly known . . by the very form of words in baptism . and . be the historie of their proceedings therein . . it is certain that the church did ever baptize into the name of the father , son , and holy ghost : and as i have proved before , the voluntary seeking and reception of that baptism containeth the actual profession of a saving faith. . it is certain that the persons to be baptized if at age , did profess to believe in the father , son , and holy ghost , wh●ch as is shewed , is saving faith . . it is also certain , that they did profess to renounce the flesh , the world , and the devil ; which is a profession of saving repentance . . and it is certain , that they promised for the future to live in new obedience ; which is the consequent of saving faith : and thus they publikely entered the three stipulations ; credi● credo : abronuncias ? abrenuncio : spondes ? spondeo . and no man can do this that hath not saving faith ; therefore the professing of it is not without the professing of a saving faith ; nay indeed it containeth the profession of that faith . . moreover it is a known case that the ancient churches commonly took all those that were duly baptized to be in a state of salvation . that they supposed them to have the pardon of all their sins , i think none doubteth that ever read much of their writings . davenant in his epistle of baptism giveth many proofs , and many hundred more may be given , if any be so blind as to deny it . all the doubt is , whether they also ascribe regenerating , renewing grace to all the rightly baptized ? and though davenant deny that they ascribe the infusing of habits to it , as to infants ; yer . he denieth it not as to the adult ; nor . that they ascribed the gift of the holy ghost to it , as to infants . and yet as long as they put all duly baptized ( both infants and adult ) into a state of salvation , it matters not as to our question , whether infants had habitual grace . and yet mr. graker hath brought so many proofs out of the mounments of antiquity , even for this also ( that the fathers uno ore took all the baptized to be regenerate or renewed by inherent grace ) that when his amanuensis had transcribed them , he f●und them near four times as big as his whole book besides : and the very naming of the au●hors and books and pages takes up near ten or eleven pages ( st●i●tur , in davena●● . epist. pa. . to the end of . ) he begins with justin ●arry , irenaeu , &c. i will not so much as trouble the r●ader to name the authors , seeing he may there have them with the places together . and lest m● blake should say that it is but common sanctification which they assert , he may there see the place● q●o●ed where ●hey a●cribe to all the dul● baptized [ peccatorum remissionem , mentis illumi●ationem , v●ii sordiumque ablutionem & expurgationem animae purgationem , purificatinem , emaculationem , totius hominis verant integram ] ; circumcisionem , refectionem , renovationem , recreatio●ē●nnov●tionem , anim●tionem , emundationem , sanctificationem internam , reformationē , ad divinā imaginē & similitudinē , restitutionē , regenerationē , ge●erationis nativae correctio●ē ac●reparationē , veteri● hominis mortem & sepulturam , novi●nativitatem , vetustatis abstersionem , exutum , despoliatio●em , d●positionem , vitii omnis evomitionem , peccati interfectionem , criminum mortem & sepulturam , vi●tutis vitam , spiritus sancti infusionem , gratiae coelestis consecutionem , hominis , mentis immutationem , & in melius transformationem . hinc & baptismum appellant vndam genitalem , aquam salutarem , rorem purificum , & sanativum , vivificum , sanctificumq , lavacrum . et sacramentum hoc asserunt peccatis exuere , peccata expurgare , spiritualem lepram auferre gratiae ac virtutum spiritus sancti donis atque primitiis induere , vim generativam habere , dei siitos generare , corpus peccuti destruere , vertutem vitalem indere gratiam spiritualem conferre atque infundere ▪ divinam imaginem instaurare , novam facere , massam , condere creaturam , dealbare , & nive candidiorem facere purum , justum , sanctum , novum facere hominem ; peccatum radicitus evellere , justitiam sanctitamque tribuere animae sordes maculasque abluere , ulcera morbosque sanare , aestus sedare , febres extinguere , putredines exuere , vitia exinanire , oculos aperire , aures reserare , vigorem dare , vires addere , formam floremq , deo dignum conciliare , in vitam primordialem animam restituere , textum novum contexere , animas reparare , viventes spiritu informatas , utì aqua olim reptilia producere , esse baptiz● to quod matrix embryoni , eo modo effigiare quo infans in utero essingitur , pari modo ex aqua resingere , reficere , quo ex terra primó fingebatur ; refundere , refingere prout statua solet : tingere ut lanum purpurâ , purgare , emollire , fulgidum facere , ut ignis ferrum , characterē effigiemque impr●mere●ut cerae sigillum ; vitium solvere & absumere & peccata exurere , ut ignis ceram ; hominē terreum , ut terrā metallicā , in aurū transmutare ; crassos & animales in coelestes & spirituales transformare ; infantiam , juventutem revocare , puritati originali restituere ; vel eâ etiam praestantiorem , splendidiorem reddere . typos baptismatis affirmant fuisse naaminis purgationem , pharaonis submersionem , cataclysum noathicum , piscinā bethesdicā , aquatilium creationem , formationem protoplasti . i have recited all these terms ( mr. gataker telleth you where to find them all ) least mr. blake should not be able to find any one that certainly signifieth saving grace , if we named not all . for though he abhorreth to impute equivocation to the scripture as i do , yet he sticks not to do it much more where it serveth his turn : [ regeneration , renovation , adoption , sanctification , disciples and i doubt justification , ] and what not , are all equivocal terms with him in scripture , if i can understand him ; and so is the church , the body of christ , and many such like . perhaps therefore it will not move him that mr. gataker nexe addeth pag. . [ de baptismo denique exponunt illas sacras scripturea periochas , psal. . . ( juxta graec. ver. ) psal. . . isa. . . ezek. . , . psal. . . joh. . . & . , . rom. . , . cor. . . gal. . . ephe. . , . & . . col. . , . tit. . . heb. & . . quae loca illuminationē , purificationem , renascentiam , regenerationem , refectionem , sanctificationem , mortificationem , vivisicationem , cordis renovationem , imaginis restaurationem , spiritus infusionem , hominem veterem exutum , crucifixum , abolitum hominem novum , christum ipsum indutum , loquuntur : nec aut ad solam reatus amotionem possunt accommodari , aut de ea sola saltem , ab ullo ( opinor ) unquam interprete sunt exposita . constat itaque patres antiquos tam regenerationem propriè dictam , quae in hominis renovatione interná consistit , quàm peccati sive originalis , sive actualis remissionem sacramento isti tribuisse . constat & ex iis quae suprà indicavimus , aevi itidē inferioris scriptores plerosque cùm in eadem sententia fuisse , tum & in candē mentē patrū priscorum dicta cepisse : so far gataker . if all these terms be equivocal , and none of them signifying saving grace , we must even give up the use or certainty of language . but it may possibly be objected , that this was the fathers error , who ascribed too much to baptism . answ. what ever they did in that , it proveth the point in hand , and sheweth us what persons the baptized and the visible church were taken for by the fathers . object . but doth it not rather shew that saving faith was not presupposed , because they supposed that baptism did give the spirit , and sanctification , and therefore found not men sanctified before . answ. . it is undeniable that they took all that were duly baptized , to be presently in a state of salvation , without any delay : and therefore they did not take baptism as a common ordinance to lead men up to the use of other church ordinances , as the supper , &c. ( which is also common to the notoriously ungodly , ) and so to saving grace . . and if the ●atholike church hath in all ages thus annexed saving grace to baptism , and made any common faith the condition qualifying the person for this baptism , then it would be plain that they all affixed saving grace to the preparation of common grace , and so the catholike church hath been pelagian : which he that shall affirm , will do that for the pelagian cause which will better please the jesuites than any considerate reformed divines . it is therefore not to be doubted o● but that it was some antecedent special grace to which they thus confidently affixed other saving grace . which will the more appear , in that austine himself , and those that followed him against the pelagians , and the ●ouncils that opposed them , went all the same way ; which could not be the pelagian way . . it was the constant doctrine of these father●●nd the church , then , that faith and repentance ( given in 〈◊〉 ) did go first ; and that justification , adoption , and san●●i●i●a●ion followed after . ( and so hold all the reformed divine● that i know of , till mr. pemble lately contradicted it . ) and so they took this justifying faith and true repentance to be prerequisite to baptism ; and therefore note , . that all the forementioned terms describe only justification and sanctification . . that they never speak a word of justifying faith or repentance infused by baptism ; for these are supposed . . that therefore they ever enquired before hand whether they believed in god the father , son and holy ghost , and renounced the flesh , the world , and the devil ( as is aforesaid ; ) and caused them to profess this before they would baptized them . . the fathers erred not so much as many suppose in their ascribing to baptism . for . sometime by baptism they mean not only the external ordinance , but the whole work therein to be done ; viz. the accepting christ solemnly in covenant , and giving up our selves , as a sanctified people to him , renouncing the flesh , the world , and the devil , and so becoming fully christians . this is baptism with them , and not the outward sign alone . and what saith peter less , when he saith , [ baptism saveth us ] and thus expoundeth himself when he hath done ? and what say the fathers more ? . when they speak of these effects of baptism , they suppose a due recipient or subject , that is , a true believer , or the seed of such : and therefore they oft speak of the inefficacy of the outward baptism to hypocrites . . when they speak of the outward ordinance only , the collation which they ascribe to it , and all the great effects , are to be understood but by way of obsignation and solemnization , and not solely , excluding the internal faith and the covenant : as actual solemnized marriage gives a woman right to her husband and all that he hath , when yet she had a right by secret covenant and contract before . now common reason , and the nature of the thing and many of the contexts shewing that the fathers and councils must be thus expounded according to these rules , i would fain know how they deserve that heavy accusation that we commonly lay upon them for their judgement in this , or what ground the papists have to plead them generally for their efficay ex opere operato ? and yet i will not excuse each particular person of them thus . object . but it is the baptism of the adult that the church hath generally ascribed so much to ; and therefore though they took all the adult for regenerate and justified when baptized , yet they did not judg so of infants . answ. i will answer this in mr. gatakers words . ibid. pag. . [ . quae de bapt●smo in genere enunciantur , etiam paedobaptismo conveniant necesse est , quod sub isto comprehendatur . . baptismum unum eundemque agnoscere se profitentur veteres , adultorum parvulorumque ; nec diversum in his ab illis effectum ejusdem . . etiam parvulorum baptismi disertè meminerunt aliquoties , ubi baptismo ista tribuunt . . axioma illud quod ab adversa parte urgetur tantopere de sacramentorum effectis , ubi obex non ponitur , adversus ipsos cum primis valer . ] object . but the fathers sly to the parents or pro-parents faith , when they speak of infants right to baptism : therefore its plain that they supposed it not in themselves . answ. true : by which you may discern that faith was presupposed as the evidence of their right to baptism and its effects , that is , to justification and sanctification : and therefore it was such a faith as had the promise of these effects , viz. justification and sanctification ; and therefore not another kind of faith . and this faith was supposed to be in the parent for himself and his seed , because the condition or qualification of the infant is but this , that he be the seed of a believer . but then you must note , that though they supposed the condition of right ; viz. faith to be in the parent , and not in the infant himself , yet they alway affirmed the consequent fruits ; viz. regeneration , and justification and adoption to be in the infant himself and not in the parent for him . i may answer this therefore in mr gatakers words , ibid. pag. . [ resp. . aliud est fides ipsa , aliud regeneratio , seu mentis internae renovatio , quae sine fidei actu ullo consistere potest . . ad fidem patres alienam adeò confugiunt , ubi de parvulorum salute agunt ; quia fidei alienae beneficio foedere continentur , & ab baptismiritum suscipiendum jus obtinent . vid. bellarm . de bapt. lib. . c. . prop. . object . but is it a likely thing that the fathers and catholick church should be so blind as to take all for truly justified and regenerate that are baptized ? then either they must take all the members of the visible church to be such , and so be saved ; or else they must suppose them to fall away from saving grace . answ. . the supposition of falling away was too common with them , though a few words on the by have fallen from some few of them that seem inconsistent with it . . they did not take all collectively to be justified that were baptized and church-members , but all distributively , or each single person , . and that was onely by that judgement which is grounded on humane faith , because they are bound , fide humanâ , to believe that he is a true believer that professeth himself so to be , as all the baptized at age did . . but when they came . to speak of all collectively , . or of hypocrites in general , or of any that did after discover themselves to have dissembled in baptism particularly ; then they declare the uneffectualness of baptism to those hypocrites , and that they took not all the visible church to consist of justified ones ; but that the hypocrites , though baptized , were but the chaff , and the upright were the wheat . but it is but hypocrites that they say this of , and not men that never ( by themselves , or their parents , or pro-parents ) did so much as profess the christian justifying faith , but only a faith of another kind ; and as it is true of the ancient church that they never baptized any without the profession of saving faith and repentance , so it is true of all the christian churches in the world , that i can hear of to this day . the papists themselves do use the same words in baptism , as are afore expressed , and require a profession in the parents or pro-parents , or the person , if at age , that they believe in god the father , son , and holy ghost , and that they renounce the flesh , the world , and the devil . and though their false doctrine force them to mis-expound their own words , yet custom hinders them from changing them . and about the sense , they are not agreed among themselves . some of them , as is said , would have baptism only ( necessarily ) to admit infants into the visible church , and place them under government and ordinances and give them ex opere operato a certain preparatory grace . some of them will have it to imprint an indelible character ( they know not what ) and to give them true sanctification ( which they call justification ) by inherent grace . some of them affirm , that as to infant-baptism the council of trent hath not defined whether it justifie or not , and therefore it is not de fide . and accordingly , some of them make true faith pre-requisite in the parents ; and some of them make a certain congruous disposition ( meritum de congruo ) to be pre-requisite ; but wherein that congruous merit must consist , they know not , or are not yet agreed : commonly its thought to be in a fides informis , or bare assent . ( which mr. blake calls a dogmatical faith ) conjunct with a reverent esteem of the sacraments and a consent to become members of the catholike church , and to be under their government , and use the ordinances : or a consent in the parent that the child do these . and for the reformed churches , it is past all question by their constant practice that they require the profession of a saving christian faith , and take not up with any lower . the practice of the church of england , till the late change , may be seen in the common-prayer-book , wherein all that is forementioned is required . the judgement of the present guides of our churches ( as to the most ) is easie to be known by the conclusions of the late assembly at westminster . in the larger catechism they say [ baptism is not to be administred to any that are out of the visible church , and so strangers to the covenant of promise , till they profess their faith in christ , and obedience to him : but infants descending from parents , either both , or but one of them , professing faith in christ , & obedience to him , are in that respect within the covenant , and to be baptized . ] here you may see whom they take to be of the visible church , and in that respect within the covenant . . the words [ professing faith in christ ] if they were alone do signifie a justifying faith profest . for though [ to believe in christ ] may sometime signifie a lower kind of faith , yet analogum per se positum , stat pro famosiori significato . . but that there may be no doubt of their meaning , they add the necessity also of a profession of obedience to christ , to shew that it is the working faith which must be profest . and it is not only a promise of obedience for some distant futurity , but the profession of it , which they make necessary . and i conceive that he that professeth faith in christ , and obedience to him , professeth that which will prove saving , if he have but what he professeth . the same they say in their confes●ion of faith. cap , . and again in the shorter catechism : profession of faith in christ , and obedience to him , is the thing required . in the directory also they tell us that baptism is a seal of the covenant of grace , of our ingraffing into christ , and of our vnion with him , of remission of sin , regeneration , adoption , and eternal life : that the water in baptism representeth and signifieth both the blood of christ , which taketh away all guilt of sin original and actual , and the sanctifying vertue of the spirit of christ against the dominion of sin and corruption of our sinful nature that baptizing , or sprinkling and washing with water signifieth the cleansing from sin , &c. that the promise is made to believers and their seed , &c. and they mean , no doubt , the promise of the foresaid special mercies : for even mr. blake himself doth ( once ) deny any promise of baptism to be made to the infants that he pleadeth for . and the promise of justification , adoption , &c. is made to no believers , but those that have justifying faith , otherwise than as it is barely offered , and so it is to infidels also . they add also in the same place [ that all who are bap●ized in the name of christ do renounce , and by their baptism are bound to fight against the devil the world , and the flesh . ] all this is further manifest in our daily administration of baptism . i never heard any man baptize an infant but upon the parents , or susceptors , or offerers profession of a justifying faith . nor do i believe that mr. blake himself doth baptize any otherwise ; though he dispute against this , and for another baptism . the grounds of my conjecture are , . because i suppose he is loth to be so singular as to forsake the course of the church in all ages : and therefore i conjecture that he requireth them to profess that they believe in god the father , son , and holy ghost , and that they renounce the world , the flesh , and the devil . . because he so often professeth that he taketh the baptized to be in covenant with god , and that this covenant is by them entered in baptism & he saith that he knoweth but of one covenant , and that is the covenant of saving grace ; and that they are presently obliged ( debetur quovis tempore ) and therefore it is not only for a distant futurity that they engage themselves . and if this be so , it is past doubt that they profess a saving faith . for the gospel hath two parts , . the narrative , or historie of christs person , and sufferings , resurrection &c. . and the offer of christ and life to sinners ; accordingly faith hath two parts ; . the assent to the history , or to the truth of the christian doctrine , ( and this mr. blake maintaineth to be necessary ) and . consent to the offer : and this is called the receiving of christ : and this is our internal covenanting , which mr. blake confesseth necessary . for the covenanting of the heart is this very consent , with a resolution for future duty : and the covenanting of the mouth is the expression or profession of this consent , with a promise of the necessary consequent duty so that though mr blake do say pag. . that [ ●ustifying faith is with him the thing promised ] and do thrust from him the imputation [ of such an egregious piece of aff●cted non-sense ] as to say , that justifying faith is a promise : yet it is not only all the sense that i have of the nature of justifying faith , ( that i● is an assent to the truth of the gospel with a consent to the offer , or heart-promise to be christs ) but it must also be his own sense though disaffected , or else he must palpably contradict himself : there being no other internal entering or accepting the covenant or offer of grace , but by that consent and heart promise . . and i must also conjecture this , because we even now found mr. blake denying that ever he denied the necessity of the profession of a saving faith to baptism . but if in my conjectures i be mistaken in mr. blakes practice , i must say that i know not of any man else living , esteemed a christian pastor , that baptizeth upon any lower faith , without the profession of a justifying faith , and that repentance which is its constant concomitant . i had gathered a great many expressions of the antients which i had thought to have inserted to shew their judgement : but perceiving it wholly needless because of the forementioned evidence , i supersede that labour . and it seems not very necessary to mention the judgements of our reformed divines , as expressed in any of their particular sayings , when their publike confessions and practises are so satisfactory herein . i have recited many of their testimonies before , and more that conduce to this end , i shall reserve to the following disputation , and therefore shall here add the fewer . calvin . in act. . . saith , [ quòd non admittitur eunuchus ad baptismū nisi fidem professus , hinc sumenda est universalis regula , non ante recipiendos esse in ecclesiā qui ab ea prius fuerant alieni quam ubi testati fuerint christo se credere . est enim baptismus quasi sidei appendix : ideoque ordine posterior est . deinde si datur sine fide , cujus est figillū , & impia , & nimis crassa est prophanatio . ] here note , . that baptism ( as received ) is the seal of our faith , ( how much soever denied by mr. blake ) as it is the seal of gods promise , as administred . . that the constant order is that baptism follow faith . . and that it is no better than an impious profanation of it , if it go without faith ; that is , . if the party seek it without the presence of faith . . if the pastor administer it without the profession of faith. and that it is no other than true christian saving faith that he means , appears by his following words : [ sed scriptura totum cor saepe accipit pro sincero & non fucato , cui opponitur , cor duplex . ita non est quod perfectè credere imaginemur , qui ex toto corde credunt : quando infirma & pusilla sides in eo esse poterit , cui tamen integer erit animus & omni fictione purus . sic accipere convenit quod david juctat , se diligere dominum ex toto corde , &c. fides ergo totius cordis est , quae in corde vivas radices habens , ad quotidi●nos tamen profectus aspirat . ] the foresaid passage of calvin is lately cited by some ministers that put forth [ certain propositions tending to reformation of the parish congregations in england : p●inted for the norwich bookseller , . p. . who p. . answer mr. blakes opinion . calvin in act. . . [ tametsi in contextu verborum b●ptismus remissionem peccatorum hìc praece●it , ordine tamen sequitur ; quia nihil aliud est quam bonorum quae per christum consequimur obsignatio &c. ] see the rest there before cited . see him also at large . institut . lib. . cap. . where he shews that baptism is appointed to seal up the present pardon of sin , and to shew our mortification and newness of life , &c. and so that it is to be administred to them that believe . yet he maintaineth , that the use of it is also for the pardon of sin through all our life after ; but that is only to be given as the consolation of the truly penitent . beza confess . sid . cap. . § . , . pa. ( mihi ) , . knows no faith but one , and that the saving faith which all must bring to the sacrament that will have the thing signified ; and all that are without it he reckoneth hypocriets , and knows no other baptized ones but elect believers and hypocrites ; and saith , that upon the confession of true faith in baptism , we are to take them for faithfull , till they shew themselves hypocrites . [ affi●mamus signa exteriora naturali modo percipitū à fidelibus , tū ab infidelibus , sed cont●a●io pro●sus eventu . fid●les praeter signare● ipsas percipiunt , &c. res ipsa baptismi est aspersio sanguinis christi in missionem omnium peccatorum , mortificatio , regeneratio , &c. fides antem illud unum est per quod homines rem sacramenti sibi applicant &c. fides haec non oritur à nobis sed gratuito communicatur electis , &c. interea charitas jubet ut pro fidelibus agnoscamus quotquot ve●ae fi●ei confessionē edunt , tantis per dū hypocritae patefiant ] also in his absters . calum . heshusiit pag. . ad mam cal. he is more full , shewing that faith and adoption go before baptism ; yet that the church doth judge ex probabilibus conjecturis an aliquis ad christum pertineat , putà in infantibus , si quis ex infidelibus sit prognatus : in adultis , si quis christianam fidem se amplecti profiteatur , & ecclesiae per baptismum inseri roget . ] and by the next words he shews that he means by [ being in covenant , and belonging to christ , & believing ] that which is proper to the elect ; [ nam potest quidem esse ex reproborum numero qui ex fidelibus est prognatus , & potest aliquis simulare se christianū ; sed occulta haec deo , &c. ] et postea : [ meritò arbitramur infantes fideliū in peculio domini censeri , & spiritu sancto profundi , ( that is , before baptism . ) and yet more fully in his question : & respons . n. , &c. pag. . [ q. quid significat in nomen ? r. sic declaratur baptismus esse solenne jusjurandum quo baptizandus sese totum addicit uni deo & trino , &c. [ vid. reliq . now it is certain , that he that professeth [ se totum deo addicere , ] professeth no less than a saving faith , r else there is no profession of it . pag. . q. . [ sed multos etiam ex sanctissimis prognatos , ad foedus nihil pertinere declarat esavi exemplum & quotidiana experientia . ( mark that he makes ad foedus pertinere proper to the elect . ) r. multi quoque ex adultis fidem ore profitentibus hypocritae sunt ; ( he talks of none but sound believers and hypocrites ; ) sed occulta illa particularia judicia deo relinquenda sunt . benè autem sperare nos in●genere de iis omnibus qui ex fidelibus noscuntur , & foederis forma indefinita jubet , & charitas monet . ] and the next question and answer shews that he speaks of saving faith. and pag. . q. . [ ergò servantur omnes ex pio parente oriundi ? r. certè meritò praesumuntur servandi , ut qui in foedere comprehensi videantur probabili neque imaginariâ duntaxat conjecturâ . sed hoc interea nihil praejudicat occultis , & particularibus dei judiciite : & excipiendos esse liquet , qui cùm adoleverint , illam gratiam suâ incredulitate excutiunt . pag. . q. . [ sed quum is qui papista est , non sit verè christianus , non ejusmodi hominem adulium , nec dum baptizatum , ad baptismum admitteres ? r. nequaquam nisi priùs catechumenum factum , & papismo renunciantem . q ejusmodi verò parentibus natum infantem admitteres ? r. nè id quidem temere facerem . q. quibus ergo conditionibus ? r. nempe si vel ex parentibus aut cognatis aliquis , papismum ejurans , & infantem habens in potestate , hoc à me postularet : vel alioqui idoneus sponsor adesset , qui piam & rectam infantis institutionem polliceretur . ] see him also in 〈◊〉 anno. in act. . . & act. . . rom , &c. pet. martyr in rom. . pag. ( mihi ) . [ quodque isti sibi fingunt poenitentiam non requi●i●in b●ptismo , potissimum verò quando tinguntur adulti , & vanum est , & scripturis palam adversatur , &c. ] and that you may see that he meaneth saving repentance and faith , and oweth not mr. blake's lower sort , he faith before [ sed quicquid illi dicunt , una est ratio verae poenitentiae , ut ex animo doleamus admissa peccata , quae deum à nobis abalienaverunt : cui dolori adjungitur desiderium condona ionis , & preces ut eam obtineamus , cum certo proposi●o non ampliùs incurrendi in eadem peccata , & voluntate mortificandi veterem & induendi novum homin●m quae omnia side niti oportet , quia sine illa constare non possunt . ] leg. & in c. . pag. . & in c . p. . & in c. . p. . &c. & p. . &c. et loc . commun . cl. . c. p. . § . . . & § . . pag . [ non excludimus eos ( infantes ) ab ecclesia , sed ut ejus partes amplectimur , benè sperantes , quod ut sunt secundum carnem semen sanctorum , ità etiam sint electionis divinae participes , & spiritum sanctum & gratiam christi habeant ; atque hoc nomine illos bap●izamus . neque audiendi sunt qui hac de re movent scrupulum , ac dicunt , quid si minister fallatur ? quid sirevera puer neque est filius promissionis , divinae electionis atque misericordiae ? quia idem cavillus esse poterit de adultis . nam de illis quoque ignoramus sictè neone accedant , an verè credant ; an sint filii praedestinationis , an perditionis ? an christi gratiam habeant , an illà sint destituti , & mendaciter dicant se credere ? quid tu illos baptizat ? scio dices , idcirco id facio quòd sequor illorum externam professionem , quam si mentiaentur , meâ non refer● . ita nos dicimus , ecclesiam ideò complecti nostros pueros & baptizare , quòd ad nos pertineant . idque est illi divinae voluntatis tale indicium , quale est in adult●s externa professio : quia ut ibi falli potest , ita etiam hic . non est res adeò certa , quin aliter haberi possit , &c ] vid. & sect . . and of the sum of the covenant , sect . . he shews that it extendeth to salvation , [ ero deus tuus , & seminis tui : illi sanè quibus deus exhibetur , à morte , peccato , atque damnatione liberantur : quandoquidem hoc proprium deo convenit , ut suos liberet ac servet . ] et sect . pag. . [ putant ( adversarii ) vi & efficaciâ operit baptismi peccatum remitti ; neque agnoscunt sacramentis potiùs remissionem obsignari , quam adulti assequuntur credendo , & parvuli fidelium qui ad electionem pertinent , per spiritum sanctum & gratiam jam habent , &c. eph. . . sanè hoc loco vides , ecclesiam esse quae lavatur & baptizatur . idcirco dum parvuli tinguntur , constat ad ecclesiam pertinere : & ecclesiae partes verè esse non possunt , nisi spiritu christi sint ornati , quamobrom parvuli qui verè ad electionem dei pertinent , antequam baptizentur , spiritu domini sunt instructi . ] vid. sect . . . and on king. . fol. . the same peter martyr saith , [ justificatio ex baptismo non pendet , sed antecedit . object . quorsum ergò baptismus eis traditur , si ante rem baptismi habuerint ? resp. . quia deo paremus , &c. . promissionem & do●um quod accepimus obsignamus . . ibi à spiritu sancto per verbum & externa symbola fides confirmatur . ] piscator in mat. . . [ at nullum inquam sacramentum organum est fidei donandae , sed sacramenta sunt organa fidem jam donatam confirmandi ; ad hunc enim usum à deo sunt instituta , &c. ] vid. reliq . where he calleth simon magus an hypocrite , and in acts . . expoundeth simon 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by professus est fidem . in ver . ● . adulti antequam baptizentur , suam in christum fidem prositeri debent . ( which i before shewed , he takes to be that faith which is joyned with true repentance for remission of sins ) vid. & in acts . . schol. altingius loc. comm. par. . pag. . . vid. quae habet de forma & sine b●ptismi . et de subjecto inquit , [ subjectum baptismi est populus fidelis , sive verè sit , sive censeatur talis ob externam fidei professionem , &c. where he shews , that it must be true faith or the profession of true faith , and not of any other kind . et par. pag. . [ in adultis resipiscentia ac fide● , vel saltem utrusque professio praecedere debet baptismum . ] also more plainly in his problem . theol. part . . pr. . pag. . [ at quotquot adulti baptizantur secundùm institutionem christi , ii ante baptismum jam habent per fidem ablutionem peccatorum : ut abraham justitiam ante circumcisionem , rom. . , . est etim baptismus credentium , , mar. . . act. . , . act. . . ergò . ] vid. etiam explicat . cateche● . par. . q. . pag. . junius thes. theolog. vol. . col. . [ fides enim , vel saltem semen fidei , praecedat necesse est , quandoquidem quicquid absque fide peccatum est . mò tam necessaria fides , ut sacramentum damnet , &c. ] the words before and after shew that he speaks of justifying faith et col. . finis primarius est significare & designare in cordibus fidelium gratiam dei patris in filio suo , rom. . . cor. . &c. [ respectu hominis igitur necessum est ut p●aecedat fides , vel saltem foedus & semen fidei ( ut infantibus , quod coram deo idem cum actu valet ; ) nam sine fide nullus jesus , ep. . extra christum , nihil nisi mors est , joan. . . et sine christo nulla gratia , eph. . . imo quicquid sine fide sit peccatum est , rom. . . ideoque si vivere velimus , fide opus est . gal. . . si justificari propter christum , id fit solâ fide , gal. . . ] it is expresly justifying faith that then he speaks of . polanus syntagm . lib. . cap. . pag. . thus defineth baptism [ bapt●smus est primum sacramentum novi testamenti , in quo illi , ad q●os foedus gratiae dei pertinet , juxta mandatum christi , aquâ persunduntur seu abluuntur in nomen patris , filii , & spiritus sancti , id est , ut illis qui baptizantur significetur & obsignetur , eos in communionem foederis gratiae susceptos , christo & corpori ejus mystico ecclesiae ●nsertos , justificari à deo propte● effusum pro nobis sanguinem christi , & regenerari per spiritum christi : & vic●ssim obligentur ad colendum fide & bona conscientia & invocandum r●ligiosè solum hunc deum , patrem , filium , & spiritum sanctum . ] pag. . [ quemadmodum soli baptizandi sunt qui in foedere gratiae censentur : ita fidelis qui baptizatur , suscipit externum baptismum aquae , ut ei significetur & obsignetur , ipsum tam certò a peccatis sanguine & spiritu christi ablui , quàm certâ aquâ corpus ipsius persunditur & abluitur . [ baptizandi sunt non tantū adulti fidem in christum prositentes , sed etiam infantes christianorum . adultis , sed fidem in christū professi● baptismum posse & debere conferri extra controversiam est . ] and he still takes fides in christum for saving faith here . infantes baptizandi . ro. . quia ad ipsos pertinet promissio remissionis peccatorum per sanguinem christi . ] h●●herefore supposeth infants to have the special benefits of the promise . zanchius de sacr. scriptur . tract . integ . pag. ( mihi ) , . maketh baptizing into the name of christ to signifie such a professed devotedness to him , [ ut sciamus nos non esse nostros neque diaboli , neque mundi , sed patris , filii , & spiritus sancti , sicut cùm merces ab aliquo mercatore emptae obsignantur illius sigillo , cujus factae sunt , ut agnoscantur non ampliùs èsse illius à quo emptae sunt , sed illius qui emit : sic quoniam empti sumus sangnine christi , cùm hoc credimus , & nomen damus christo , professi nos omnino velle esse christi , & christo inservire . ] and if this can be done by a faith short of saving , heartily and truly , then i know nothing that is proper to the justified : to profess this therefore , is to profess true sanctification , and consequently a justifying faith . idem zanch. de christianâ relig. fid. de bapt. c. . pag. . [ baptismus est primum novi foederis sacramentum , quo cum omnes , qui vel poenitentiam peccatorum professi , fidem etiam in christum , adeóque in deum patrem , filium , & spiritum sanctum profitentur , vel saltem propter parentum piotatem ad foedus pertinent , christ● , tanquam et jam per spiritum sanctum incorporati , obsignantur ; ut non sint amplius fui juris , sedillius , per quem in foederis societatem , eóque in unum corpus cum eo , sanctisque omnibus , & in omnium spirituali●em coelestiúmque bonorum participationem asciti esse dicuntur , &c. ] and that you may know that it is no common repentance , which they must profess in his sense , he addeth . vnde & sacramentum poenitentiae in remissionem peccatorum , &c. appellatur . ] thess. . etsi verò hes omni● de baptismo praedicentur , veréque illi tanquam organo spiritus sancti ad hec efficienda attribuantur , eóque ut omnes qui baptizantur tales fieri & esse sacramentaliter verè dicantur , reipsâ tamen non nisi in electis , spiritu christi donatis , impleri credimus ; cùm ii etiam soli verè credant , veréque ad christum , & ad mysticum ejus corpus pertineant . ] see also thes. . of the necessity of professing repentance and faith. much more to the same purpose out of zanchius may be collected . ursinus ( and paraeus ) catech. qu. . p. . ●, ● . shews in the very definition of baptism , that in the lawful use there is certain remission of sin annexed . [ vsus legitimus baptismi est , quando baptizantur conversi●ritu & sine instituto . q●ando baptismus confertur iis quibus est institutus , nimirum conversis & ecclesiae membris , & quando ab his vera fides accipitur , juxta illud licet tibi baptiz iri si credis toto corde . ] and pag. he supposeth the infants of believers before baptism to have the holy ghost and to be regenerate . many other passages he hath this way . paraeus in rom. . pag. . [ neque circumcisione illis jus foederis tam conferebatur quàm obsignabatur : ità baptismo nobis idem jus non tam confertur demum quàm obsignatur . vid. tertul. obsignatioxem fidei , chrysost. signaculum fidei , basilius . segillum fidei , august . sacramentum fidei baptismum appellant ; quo fidem haberi ante baptismum testantur . at fide habetur adoptio : ergo ante baptismum etiam haberi adoptionem testantur . ] item in rom. . p. ● , . [ resp. praemissae sunt universaliter verae de baptismo legitimo , qui est cum fide suscipitur sacramentū : & de hoc u●ul quitur apostolus ; de baptizatis nimirum fidelibus : de his solis vera conclusio , omnes baptizatos regenerari . de simone mago & hypocritis sictè sacramentum sumentibus major est falsa ] pag. . object . qui non possunt promissiones oblatas fide percipere , nec mortificationem & vivificationem profiteri , non debent baptizari , &c. resp. major de adultis vera est , quibus baptismus conferri non debet , nisi fidem & poenitentiam professis . ] here it is evident by the description and the concomitants , that is a saving faith whose profession he makes thus necessary . if yet there be any doubt of his judgement , see in rom. . pag , . [ si sacramenta non sunt instituta justificandu sed justificatis , h. e. non infidelibus sed conversis ; non igitur nisi conversione & fide sumi debent : secus sigilla justitiae esse cessant . quid enim non habentibus fadem & justitiam obsignarent ? [ et antea [ justitia fidei est remissio peccatorum fide accepta propter redemptionem christi . ad hanc obsignandum deus dedit , & abraham accepit circumcisioni signum ] i pass much of the like . bucanus loc. ● ommu● q. . [ quid est b. pazari in nomine , patris & filii & spiritus sancti ? resp. hac phrasi significatur invocto patre● filio & spiritu sancto , eum qui baptizatur , remissis peccatis , in gratiam recipi à deo , qui est pater , filius , & spiritus sanctus , & acceptari , obsignari , initiari , in tugurari , recipi & consecrari in peculium , familiam , jus gratiam , religionem , fidem , communionem , &c. patris , filii , & spiritus sancti , &c. ] qu. . pag. . quinamsunt baptizandi ? omnes vivi qui probabiliter ù deo in faeius recepti sunt , vel recepti esse perhibentur . iique vel adulti , qui ad ecclesiam accedentes , doctrinae evangeli ●ssensum praebent , sidem in christum profitentur , peccatorum confessionem seu poenitentiā edunt , mat. . . & . . et christus dixit primùm qui crediderit ( thats with a saving faith ) postea & baptizatus fuerit , marc . . sic. simon magus admissus est , eunuchus , & ali● ] see more fully the answer to quest. . p● . synopsis leydensis disput. . pag . § . pugnat hoc cum omnibus scr●pturae locis , in quibus fides & resipiscontia , ac proinde ut regenerationis initium ac semen in b●pt●zandis praexigitur . causa autem efficiens effectu suo posterior esse non potest . nec valet quicquam quorundam inter eos excep●io quâ baptismum adultorum ità distinguunt à baptismo infant um , ut baptismum adultorum signū & signaculum regenerationis acceptae esse concedant , sed infantium baptismum instrumentum regenerationis inchoanaae esse velint . nam praeterquam quod illius d●fferentiae in tota scriptura nulium extet fundamentum , quae baptismum non nisi unius generis agnoscit , &c. ] . efficaciam ergo baptismi non alligamus ad momentum illud , quo aquà externà corpus tingitur , sed in omnibus b●ptizandis fidem & resipiscentium cum scriptura praerequirimus , saltem secundum charitatis judicium ●idque tam in infantibus foederatis , in quibus ex vi divinae benedictionis & foederis evangelici , semen & spiritum fidei ac resip●scentiae statuendum esse contendimus ; quam in adultis , in quibus actualis ●idei & resip●scentiae professio est necessaria . ] leg. thes. , , , . et . ] nec tamen omnes homines in mundo viventes baptismi capaces sunt , sed illi tantum qui profoederatis & novi testament● haeredibus haberi à nobis possunt , cujus hoc sacramentum sigillum & pignus est . . tales sunt primò omnes & soli adulti qui fidem in christum & resipiscentiam veram profitentur . &c. ] . siquis verò , licèt fidem professus , impiè vivat , baptismo initiandus non est ; quia baptismus non est tantùm sacramentum fides , sed etiam resipiscentiae ; ut nec ille , qui cum fides in christum & poenitentiae professione , errores aut haereses contra fidei verae fundamentum fovere , aut tueri velit : quia resipiscentia non tantum est à vitae urpitudine ad vitae sanctitatem , sed etiam ab erroribus ad agnitionem veritatis , . tim. . . imò verò tantum abest ut hae● etici a●t errorum talium fantores ad baptismum sint admittendi , ut ex praecepto apostoli , rom. . . & alibi , à fidelibus sint vitandi , & ab ecclesiae communione arcendi . ] i hope these are plaine enough . wendeline christ. theolog. l. . c. pag. . materia circa quam baptismus versatur , vel à qua recipitur , secundum institutionem sunt omne ▪ & soli is homines qui probabiliter censentur esse in foedere gratiae : quales sunt . adulti ex judaismo & ge●tilismo ad christian●smum conversi , doctrinâ christianâ imbuti , & in ecclesia fidem & poenitentiam professi &c. [ et pag. . apostoli olim non baptizarunt , nisi eos qui jam actu erant fideles , vel ex judicio charitatis pio verè fideles habebantur . ergò baptismus ipsorum non suit organon quo spiritus sanctus fidem & regenerationem in baptizatis inchoavit . et proi●de tale org●non nec jam est . ] this shews that he speaks of faith and repentance which accompany regeneration . the antecedent he proves , first by the example of lydia . cornelius , the eunuch &c. and act. . . & , . et post . [ sed quoad ipsam fidem eadem est ratio adultorum & infantum . nam ut illi baptizabantur , qui s●cundum confessionem ipsorum credebant , & per fidem in foedere d●t●erant : sic & hi baptizandi sunt , qui ex ●ffectus charitatus pr●●fidelibus & verè foederatis habentur . ] leg. arg. . et pag. . fuerunt enim baptizati fideles & renati . et pag. . [ gal. . . loquitur tantum de baptizatis fidelibus . tum enim adulti ex judaismo & gentilismo recèus conversi baptizabantur , & quidem postquam in christum professi , & ex judi●io charitatis renati erant , acts . . plerique tum adulti fuerunt bapt●zati , qui ante baptismum omnes induisse christum sunt professi : fuerunt dubio precul in iis quoque multi hypocritae , &c. pag. . ad arg. . b●ptizari in rem●ssionem peccatorum , est per baptismum confirma● 〈◊〉 rem●ssione pecc●torum . sic baptizabantur olimab apostoles adulti in rem●ssionem peccatorum , quam per fidem ante baptismum a●ceper●●t . sec & johannes praedic●bat baptismum resipiscent●ae , ●d remissionem peccatorum marc. . . qui tamen non baptizabat nisi ilios qu● resi●●scentiam priu●●ssent prof●ssi , & evangelio cred●d●ssent ver . . ] more such passages may be added . k●ckerman , system theolog. goes so far as to say , [ pag. , . qui sine fide utuntur sacris signis , non precipiunt ipsum formale male sacramentorum , sed nudum tantùm materiale ; quia formaleseu relatio addita materiali requirit fidem utentis . materiale autem etiam fine fide percipi potest ab indignis & hypocritis . ] et pag . terminus cui , hoc est , id cui est institutum sacramentum , sunt electi & fideles . ] these may be true of false , as the word [ sacrament ] is taken . festus hommius speaketh the same words as many of the rest , in his definition of baptism , dispu . pag. . and his supposition that infants to be baptized have faith in actu primo , in radice & semine , atque interna spiritus sancti virtute , thes. . i shall forbear reciting the words . sam maresius . colleg. theolog. loc . ult . pag. [ verbum inchoat sidem ; eam sacramentum confirmat : ideò hoc non nisi fidelibus suo sensu , corumve libe●is administratur ] see more § , . and § pag. . baptismus conferri debet , non sacriligè &c. sed . adultis omnibus qui● judiaesmo aut ethnicismo transeunt ad religionem christianam , nec antiquam in fide fuerint instituti , & eam profiteri queant , &c. qui crediderit , & baptizatus fuerit , servabitur , marc , . . ubi fides praecedit baptismum tanquam conditio praerequisita ; non illum per modum effectus consequitur . ita act. . , . nec philippus voluit conferre baptismum eunucho , nisi sub hac conditione , si credis ex toto corde , licet . his citing ( marc . . shews that he meant only saving faith . ) . etiam foederatorum seu qui probabiliter tales censentur , infantibus , &c. ] see his exeg . artic. . lud. crocius speaks as the rest , syntagm . theol. l. . cap. . de bap . pag. . &c. , &c. beumlerus theolog. lib. , fol. . baptismi objectum , cui is administrandus , sunt soli & omnes soederati dei. foederati sunt aut adulti , aut infantes . adulti sunt conversi ex judaeis & gentibus : quibus baptismus non conferendus , nisi peccata & fidem in christū consitentibus . ] and the reasons he gives next for infant baptism , shew he means a special faith , and his description of the covenant . pag. . foedius gratiae est , quo deus per fidem in christum nos pro justis reputat , ac proinde pro faciis foederis , quod in remissione peccatorum gratuitò & imputatione justitiae christi consistit , agnoscit . ] georg. solinius method , theolog. makes no other of the adult the subject of baptism , but the professors of faith , pag. . and that either verè credentes , or hypocritae , pag. . et in exeges . confes. august . pag. . [ si à deo instituta sunt sacramenta , ut generalis illa promissio gratiae de remissione pecoatorum , & vi●ae aeternae , singulis qui sacramentis legitimè utuntur peculialiter obsignetur , &c. ] at sacramenta in hunc sinem instituta sunt , rom. gal. . pet. ● . melancthon's judgement is the same as the rest , as is apparent in his common places ; and in sohnius , thes. theol. ex corpore doctr . phil. melancthonis . c. . pag. . , , . trelcatius instit. theol l. . p. . [ materia baptismum recipiens sunt omnes & soli qui probabiliter in foedere censentur . censentur autem tam adulti , qui principiis fidei initiati , ad ecclesiam accedentes , fidem suam & poenitentiam apud homines profitentur , tam infantes , &c. many passages before and after shew that he ( as others ) take to be foederatus or in foedere to be proper to the truly regenerate , and therefore they truly say , qui probabiliter censentur esse in foedere . jo. ger. vossius , thes. de sacram. essicac . th. . disp. . p. . . mentioning the answers of the reformed divines to an objection , divideth them into two parts , as not agreed in the point . the first is those , [ qui dicere solent , eum qui fidem habet praedicationi evangelicae , virtualiter quidem salutem habere , quia & dispositus est ad salutem consequendam , & instrumento instructus , quo gratiam s●lutarem attingere & consequi possit , &c. ] and thus they confess that faith goeth before baptism , ( even this justifying faith which they call the instrument ) but they think that justification and sanctification follow faith and baptism . the other sort are they , who think [ that the spirit by the word ( before baptism ) doth not only beget faith , but also offer to faith , and conferr the spiritual grace of regeneration : so that both sorts agree of the precedency of faith ( in the adult . ) and thes. . [ contrae haec objicitur à quibusdam , quòd abraham justitiam fidei habuerit ante circumcisionem , rom. . . quod item cornelius gratiam sanctificationis habuerit ante baptismum , act. . . verùm neque nos negamus , gratiam justificationis aut sanctificationis ab adultis ante sacramenti usum fide apprehendi : sed dicimus ordinariè ante usum sacramentorū tenuem tantùm gratiae gustum haberi : extraordinariè autem posse etiam tum auctiorem esse manifestiùsque sentiri . ] so that ordinarily some true saving grace antecedeth . wollebius defineth baptism thus ; [ baptismus est primum novi foederis sacramentum ; in quo , electis in dei familiam receptis , externâ aquae aspersione peccatorum remissio & regeneratio per sanguinem christi & spiritum sanctum obsignatur . ] and p. ● . he makes it ( as others do ) one difference between the word and sacraments , [ quod verbo ordinariè fides excitetur , sacramentis confirmetur . ] and therefore grace which may be confirmed , must be before expected . luther tom. . pag. . shews that baptism containeth the profession of saving faith ; [ in baptismo est promissio dei offerentis ; & nostrum vovere nihil aliud est quàm acceptare christvm qui offertur nobis . felix sanè votum quod non promittit dare , sed tantum bona accipere & acceptis adhaerere . ] alstedius definit . theolog. pag. . [ baptismus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consideratus , est sacramentum in quo homo electus tam certò abluitur sanguine christi , quàm certò corpus ipsius aquâ aspergitur , gal. . . baptizari in nomen patris , filii & spiritus sancti , est baptizari in cultum sanctae trinitatis , & quidem ità ut pater , filius & spiritus sanctus nobis promittant remissionem peccatorum & vitam aeternam , & nos vicissins illis promittamus obsequium . ] et distinct. c. . pag. . [ vsus baptismi est commu●it vel singularis . ille est respectu hypocritarum & credentium . ] there is no third sort acknowledged to have right to baptism . bishop vsh●r in his body of divinity , pag . [ the outward elements are dispensed to all , who make an outward profession of the gospel , ( for in infants their being born in the church , is instead of an outward profession ; ) because man is not able to distinguish corn from ch●ff : but the inward grace of the sacrament is not communicated to all , but to those only who are heirs of those promises whereof the sacraments are seals . for without a man have his name in the covenant , the seal set to it confirms nothing to him . . it is here apparent that it is the outward profession of no other then a saying faith that he meaneth . as also he shews afterward . . by opposing such professors as hypocrites , ( when have not the thing professed ) to the elect and justified , as here he doth the ( half to the corn ; and . by his description of the faith professed , [ the church doth not only baptize those that are grown and of years , if any such being bred pagans be brought up within the pale of the church , and testifie their competent understanding of christianity ; and profess their faith in the lord jesus , and gods pretious promises of remission of sins by his blood , and their earnest desire to be s●aled with baptism for the strengthening of their souls in this faith . ] quest doth the inward grace alway accompany the outward sign ? answ. no : but only when the profession of their faith is not outward only and counterfeit , but sincere and hearty , &c. ] here then is no third sort that are hearty professors of a lower kind of faith . amesius , bellarm. enervat . de necessit . bapt [ gen. . ero deus tuus & sem●nis tui● filii corum qui participes sunt benedictionis abrahae , sunt filii dei etiā quum primò nascuntur , &c. . regenerationem esse partem promissionum , & singulari modo ad fidelium filios pertinere , forderis ipsius formula manifestè declarat . . filii christi incipimus esse per fidem ante baptismum . . baptizantur propriè homines quia pro filiis dei habentur ; non ut incipiant esse filii . alioquin ratio nulla esset quare filii infidelium non aequè baptizarentur ac filii fidelium . et cap. . pag. ( mihi ) . [ repugnat haec distinctio ( of a faith before baptism which is but a disposition to justification , that is , to sanctification ; and a faith after baptism , wh●ch is an essential part of sanctification ; which was bellarmin's distinction ) . scripturae , quae fidem justificantem antecedere docet baptismum , acts . . . rationi & experientiae dictanti eâdem plane fide recipi baptismum , quâ recipitur fructus baptismi . . confessioni ipsius bellarmini , quae extat lib. . de effect . sacr. cap. . [ adulti per fidem & contritionem veram justificantur , antequam reipsa ad sacramentum accedant . ] dr. willet on rom. contr. pag. . saith , [ the sacraments then , non institut sunt justificandis , s●d justicatis ; are not instituted for those that are to be justified , but are for them which are already justified , ] as paraeus . musculus loc. commun . de baptis . artic. pag. ( mihi ) . [ propter hanc , nondum debet baptizari , qui gratiam christi praedicatam tam , sibi per incredulitatem aversatur , tantisper dum in eà tergiversatione & incredulitate perseverat & cor impoenitens retinet . ] hâc de causâ apostoli poenitentiam & sidei in christum confessionem requirebant ab adultis , priusquam eos baptizarent . sic petrus , act. . &c. his locis patet requiri ab adultis cor poenitens sermonem gratiae recipient , & in christum credens : ità ut impoenitentes sermonem gratiae recusantes , & increduli , baptismi hujus capaces nondum esse qutant , etianisi sint de electis , donec convertantur . scharpius curs . theolog. de baptis . loc . . col . . [ baptismus est primum novi testamenti sacramentum à deo institutum , quo & remissio peccatorum , regeneratio , & initiatio in ecclesiam significatur , & in fidelibus obsignatur , ut & obligatio nostr● ad obedientiam ] col. . . [ arg. . qui sunt in foedere gratiae , illi necessario servantur , licèt non habuerint signum foederis , quia foedus & ejus signum non sunt ejusdem necessitatis , &c. ] arg. . infantes sine baptismo dicuntur sancti , cor. . . quia baptismus infantes sidelium non facit filios dei , sed illis obsignat foedus gratiae , illósque in foedere contineri certos reddit . ] col. . [ quid recipiunt impii in sacramentis ? r. nuda tantùm signa , idque ad condemnationem . . qua beneficia in sacramentis oblata tantùm de fide percipiuntur : at impii non habent fidem ; ergo . . nihil spirituale conserunt aut obsignant sacramenta , nisi iis quibus in verbo hoc promissum extat . at in verbo nihil impis promittitur , sed solis fidelibus : quia omnes promissiones habent annexam conditionem fidei : ergò . . christi beneficia tantùm in legitimo sacramentorum usu percipiuntur : at nulli impii legitimè sacramentis utuntur , sed indignè participant , cor. . . ergò — ] lèg col. , . resp ad bellarm. object . . cartwright against the rhemists on mat. . . pag. saith [ so that we bring not our children to the end that they should thereby have remission of sins , but because we are by the promise induced to believe , that as being the elect of god , they have already received it . otherwise it were as much as to put the seal to a blank wherein nothing is written , nor nothing is given . dr. fulk against the rhemists on rom. . § . saith , [ the apostle by express words excludeth circumcision from being a cause of justification , because abraham was justified before he was circumcised , who is the form of justification of all men , as st. ambrose saith , com. on gal. cap. . and baptism succeeding in the place of circumcision , is a seal of justification by faith in all christians , as circumcision was in abraham ; not a cause thereof ] see him on pet. . . the divines of the assembly that wrote the anotat . on the bible , say on act. . . ( if thou believest , &c. ) with a sincere and perfect heart , without which ephraim cannot save ; he had here to do with a man of years , and yet an alien , and therefore might not admit him into the church of christ , untill he had made profession of his faith . ] you see here that it is a saving faith which they think necessary to admittance ; of which also they speak on , ver . . [ faith ought to precede baptism in men and women of years , when they who were aliens and strangers come to be baptized : for it is necessary that they should confess their faith , and testifie their conversion before they be admitted by baptism , ambrosi . de poenit. l. . c. . and the repentance that was to precede baptism in the jews , act. . . they expound thus : [ this repentance is not only in knowing , or acknowledging our sins , or saying , god be mercifull ; but in the change of our minds , purposes , and evil c●urses of our lives ; as austin de eccl. dogm . cap. . saith very well ; [ poenitentia vera est poenitenda non admittere , & admissa destere . see also tertul. advers . marc lib. . cap. . ] and on mat. . . [ confessing their sins ] in words professing their detestation of them and repentance for them . deodate on acts . . [ were baptized : renouncing by the same means all manner of impiety and superstition &c. ] verse . simon believed , ( made an outward profession of believing , or gave some assent to the doctrine , but hypocritically , and without giving way to the inward operation of the holy ghost , to a true conversion and lively regeneration . ) on mat. . . [ were baptized confessing , &c. ] viz. to god in the person of john his minister ; though not with a particular enumeration , but yet with a true feeling of compunction shame , & humble acknowledgement , and with hate and disturbance of sin , for to implore divine mercy . act. . . [ so on rom. . . ] namely , for a sacrament ; that we are christian , not only by profession , but l●kewise in spiritual truth , receiving the grace and spirit of god , and then co-operating thereto by faith , voluntary obedience , and newness of life ] many other passages to the same purpose i omit . rob. bodius in eph. . , pag. [ opus operatum ( papistarum ) in alio gravissimo errore fundatum est ; quo nempe statuunt illi baptizandos priusquā hoc signaculo obsignentur , christi membra non esse , &c. p. . . [ et sicut abrabamo jam per fidem justificato , impressus est des mandato novus ille circumcisionis character , non ad justiti●m primitus illi conferendam , sed ad eandem visibili illo signo obsignandam ; sic etiam in christum credentibus adultis , jámque per eam fidem coram deo justificatis , confertur ex christi mandato baptismi sigillum ; non ut per illud tum primùm justitiam accipiant , ut absurdè docent adversarii , sed ut illa fidei justitia quâ jam in christo doncti sunt , hoc externo baptismi sigillo eorum cordibus obsignetur . ] et pag. . col . . [ supponit quod falsum est , & à nobis constanter negatum & suprà refutatum , viz. baptismum esse solum nos justificandi & sanctificandi instrumentum , nec ante mentes & conscientias nostras à peccatis ablui , quàm externè baptizemur : atque nos hucusque docuimus non primúm baptismo nos justificari & sanctificari , sed hoc sigillo , remissionem peccatorum , christique justitiam jam per sidem nobis imputatam , ut & sanctificationem nostrā●am per spiritum sanctum in nobis inchoatā , in cordibus credentiū obsignari . et pag . col . . he expoundeth , cor. . . sanctitatem esse [ jus illud quod habent ad deifoedus gratuitum & bona spiritualia in foederis promissione comprehensa ; nempe , ut ecclesiae membra censeantur , & remissionem peccatorum & vitam aeternam in & per semen illud benedictū , nempe jesum christum mediatorem , unà cum-piis parentibus , vel saltem eorum altero , consequantur . jus ( inquam ) quod ex gratuita dei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dependet , qui non tanùum cum ipsis parentibus sed & cum ipsorū semine , foedus suum pacisci , & bona in eo promissa usque ad fidelium parentū posteros extendere dignatus est , ut norint se non sibi tantū credere , & ad deum converti , sed & instrumēta esse divinitùs ordinata , ad eandem foederis gratiā in liberos posteròsque suos derivandā , donec ipsi in eam aetatem adoleverint quâ possint actu ad deum toto corde converti , christum mediatorem vivâ veráque , fide amplecti , eáque ipsi praestare , quae parentes & susceptores pro ipssis & eorum nomine sposponderunt . nec tamen dei gratiā erga infantes fidelium sic parentū fidei alligamus , ut ullum liberae & arcanae ejus electioni praejudiciū faciamus , &c. sed hoc tantum asserimus , ex dei voluntate nobis in foe●ere suo gratiose patefactâ , nobis const●re , i●fantibus , ad hoc ut ad baptismum admittantur , & ecclesiae christi membra censcantur , donec in annos maturiores adoleverint , idem prorsus esse ac valere ( ad nostrum judicium quod attinet ) è piis p●rentibus nosci , vel natos esse , quod adultis fideique capacibus fidem hanc proficeri . nam sicut ex his , deus solus novit qui verâ & salutae●i in christum praediti sunt side , vel non sunt , ac proinde quinam ad suam electionem pertineant ; nostrum tantùm est charitatis judicium , secundum quod eos omnes qui christo fidem & obedientiam profitentur , pro sidelibus & electis habere debemus nisi sese factis & reapse alios ostenderi●t : ita etiam ex illis novit d●minus solus quosuam elegerit ; nostrum autem est ex eâdem charitatis regulâ eos omnes pro dei foederatis & christi membris habere , quos videmus esse piorū & fidelium semen & sobolem , sive baptismo fuerint obsignati , sive , &c. ] see more there . so that he takes it to be a profession of a saving faith that is necessary in the adult , which must give us ground in the judgement of charity to judge them true believers and elect ; and that we suppose the like of their infants in the same judgement : and therefore suppose them justified before we baptize them . perkins , order of causes of salv , pag. . c. . [ a sacrament is that whereby christ and his saving graces are by certain external rites signified exhibited , and sealed to a christian man. ] pag. . the holy use of a sacrament is , when such as are truly converted do use those rites which god hath prescribed to the true ends of the sacrament . therefore . the reprobate , though god offer the whole sacrament to them , yet they receive the signs alone without the things signified by the sign ; because the sign without the right use thereof is not a sacrament to the receiver of it , rom. . . . the sacrament received before a mans conversion , is afterward to the penitent both ratified & becometh profitable : and that use of the sacrament , which before was utterly unlawful , doth then become very lawful leg p . [ the action of the party to be baptized is twofold : the first is . to offer himself to be baptized before the minister , &c. this signifieth that he doth consecrate himself to the lord , and th●t he utterly renounceth the flesh , the world , and the devil , pet. . . ] and pag. . within the covenant are all the seed of abraham , or the seed of the faithful . these are either of riper years , or infants . those of riper years are all such as adjoyning themselves to the visible church , do both testifie their repentance of their sins , and hold the foundation of religion taught in the church . ] anton. fayus in rom . . pag. . saith , [ fides ergò praecedit sacramenta , quae absque side sunt tantùm inania signa ; & eandem sidem sacramenta fov●nt & augent . ] and he fully shews that he speaks of justifying faith. et in rom . . pag. ● [ baptismus non facit nos christianos , filios dei , peccato mortuos , sed tales nos esse indicat . ] lud. de dieu in rom . . saith , [ nisi abrahami praeputio praeextitisset sides , vanum fuisset signum circumcisionis . itaque vel eo quòd signum ei fuit datum , colligitur jam ante habuisse fidem . ] et in hebr. . pag. . [ adde quòd ablutio baptismi , repurgatae à tenebris peccati , adeòque illuminatae mentis sit indicium & obsignaculum , ut reipsâ illuminationem profiteatur qui baptismum suscipit : ] that is , such illumination as hath mentem à tenebris peccati repurgatam . michaël ragerus , ( though of that party that give too much to sacraments ) saith , in rom. . . pag. . obsignatio & confirmatio praesupponit gratiam , vel collatam jam , vel mediante sacramento conferendam : quibus verò gratia non confertur , illis non obsignatur per sacramentum . ità igitur gratia regenerationis hypocritae adulto per baptismum neque confertur , neque obsignatur . ] et in rom . . vide plura . hemmingius in rom. . . putteth true faith into the definition of a sacrament ; [ sacramentum est visible signum mandatum & institutum à deo , quo ut deus hominibus suam gratiam testatur & obsignat ; ità homines vicissim suam in deum sidem profitentur , càmque usu sacramentorum confirmat . ( the context shews that its justifying faith which he means ) hinc etiam apparet quis sit principalis finis sacramentorum , videlicet obsignare promissam gratiam , quae fide accipitur & possidetur . ] vide plura in rom. . . . ex ambrosio , pag. . yates model of divin . pag. , . [ christ in the sacrament profiteth not except he be eaten by faith . a reprobate may receive bread ; but the sign , seal , and thing signified are none of his : for he hath no experience of this mysterie , that wants the first part of divinity , without which the second cannot work . ] so christ with all his benefits being received , and the fruits thereof being truly received by faith is our happy communion with the body and blood of christ : otherwise we communicate no more with christ in the sacrament , than we do with the bread and wine , whilest they stand untouched upon the communion table . ] c●cceius in sacr. script . potent . pag. . ] quae est validitas baptismi nisi haec , quòd baptismus tum praedicatus tum collatus confirmat omni credenti remissionem peccatorum ? & est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sive firmamentum interrogationis & restipulationis bonae conscientiae ad deum : & qui cum professione nominis patris , filis & spiritus sancti , & sine contemptu sacramenti ad nos venit , cum possimus securè ut fratrem & foederatum recipere , &c. qui baptizatur , profitetur se christi discipulum : qui credit à christo didicit ; qui veritatem prositetur , oftendit se à christo didicisse & gratiae quae baptismo obsignatur , participem factum esse . quid igitur illi baptismus in nomine christi susceptus testatur minù , quàm omni discipulo christi ? [ vid rel . et in thesibus de foedere , thes. . [ ( sanctitas infantum ) est , . quòd qui illius seminis in infantia moriuntur , circumcisionis foedere initiati à parentibus foedus retinentibus , non exscinduntur ex populis suis , sed regnum coelorum adipiscuntur , sanctificati per spiritum promissionis sanctum . ] et thes. . [ et in adultis quidem ad foedur accedentibus requirit professionem fidei in christum , act . , . in infantibus nihil nisi genitum esse à parente saltem altero fidem professo , ( eccl●siâ ) in charitate quae omnia sperat , judicans , & illos sincerè professos , & hos jam verè sanctificatos . ] thes. . [ et quidem consilium gratiae patescit in omnibus fidelium liberis , qui in infantiae moriuntur , de quibus certam consolationem habent parentes , eos non exscindi . in iis verò qui adolescunt , singulis consolationis conditio subintelligitur si manserint in fide , & charitate , & sanctificatione cum modestiâ , tim. . . ] thes. . [ nam primo deus baptismum dans considerandus venit , ut is qui per ministrum stipuletur à nobis , five nos interroget de veritate & sinceri●ate resipiscent●ae & sidei ejus quam supra explicavimus . thes. . ( which is a special faith . ) ] et thes. , , . [ obsignatio communionis praesupponit sidem exploratam communicantis , ut thes. . quae sides se habet ad minimum ut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , confugientis , heb. . . inest igitur in oblatione symboli stipulatio fid●i quae & verbis ( hoc facite ad recordationem mei ) innuitur . quam stipulationem explicat paulus , cor. . , , , . additâ comminatione in eos qui indignè comedereni . illis enim incumbit is reatus quem , &c. mal. . . &c. et sic corporis & sanguinis christi , sive mortis christi , ut blasphemus , persecutor & latro sit reus . . inest fidei stipulatio etiam per consequens in illis , [ accipite , edite ; hoc est corpus meum ] — comeditur autem — side qua unum cum ipso fimus . — . stipulatio fidei per fidei obedientiam , attestanti post explorationem bonâ conscientiâ acceptata , parit jus accipiendi sacramentum sacrae co●nae , & eo ritu judicandi restipulationem atque interrogationem dei ut patris nostri de communione filii ipsius . ità testamentum in vim & effectum foederis transit . dr. prideaux fascicul . controvers . de sacr. quaest. . p. . [ . nulli adulti ad sacramenta sunt admittendi sine praeviâ fidei professione pro captu & modulo , mat. . , . marc. . . acts . & . . ergò hoc non expectandum ex insequente sacramentorum opere operato . ] it is unquestionable that he here speaks of saving faith. . by the texts cited to prove it : . because else it had been nothing to the question in hand , which he was to conclude . and pag. . speaking of circumcision and other sacraments of the old testament , he saith to the papists , [ symbola fuêre gratiae collatae , non causae conferentes ; ] which he repeats , pag. . sol . q. . dr. hammond in his practical catechism of baptism , pag. , . and so on through divers pages , is so full for the point , that i refer you to the perusal . the catechism appointed to be used in england , was then accounted the doctrine of the church of england , and it speaks full to the point : [ quest. what is required of persons to be baptized ? answ. repentance , whereby they forsake sin ; and faith , whereby they stedfastly believe the promises of god made to them in that sacrament . ] and this they say that infants themselves perform by their sureties ; and therefore judge it necessary . bullinger decad. . serm. . & . is full upon the point , and too long to be transcribed . he sums up his own doctrine , fol. . thus : [ veritas catholica in scripturis sanctis nobis tradita simpliciter pronunciat , omnes eos esse baptizandos quos deus agnoscit pro suo populo , particit ésque purgatior is vel sanctificationis , remissionisve peccatorum judicat . nam tota hác traltatione de sacramentis ostendi & demonstro , baptismum esse signum populi dei & symbolum purgationis nostrae per christum . ] — [ instituitur quidem disputatio acuta de eo , quinam sint populus dei & participes remissionis peccatorum per christum ? dicimut populum dei agnosci vel ex confessione hominum , vel ex liberalis promissione dei. ex confessione quidem hominum . nam cos pro filiis dei agnoscimus , qui jam adulti palûm profitentur , deum verum deum esse suum , & jesum christum salvatorem esse suum . caeterùm ea confessio vel verè , vel ficte fit : vere , ut petrus , eunuchus &c. ficte verò , ut cùm simon magus in actis apost . dicit se credere in jesum christum : sive verò verè , sive sicte quis credat , quando fidem in christum palàm confitetur , ( animi penetrali● solus deus inspicit &c. nostrûm non est rectè consitentem separare vel abjicere à populo dei. nam philippus simonem magum non repulit , sed pro fideli confitentem recepit , & pro fideli baptizavit ; licet is re verâ & coram deo esset hypocrita . ] dr. whitaker de sacram. is so oft and plain for this , that i need not stand to gather particular words . mr. gataker against dr. ward hath cited enough of them : as pag. . [ requirit fidem ante baptismum in adultis , mar. . . unde constat fidem esse quae servat , non baptismum ] but i will pass many more there cited . mr. gataker himself hath purposely opposed dr. ward in this point which mr. blake defendeth , and pag. . he saith , [ . ego quaenam sit fides illa ac poenitentia initialis non intelligo , quâ praeditum ausit quis ad baptismum admittere , quem tamen verâ vivàque fide in mediatorem imbutum nondum credat . philippus certe aethiopi baptismum poscenti , si credis ( inquit ) ex toto corde , licet : quasi non baptizaturus , nisi id ille porfiteretur , ipseque charitatis saltem judicio ita credere , credat . ] read the rest . and pag. . ad hos sines ( sacrationem , & remissionem peccatorum ) vel alterutrum horum , consequendos , baptisma mihi minimè institutum videtur , quum in institutione ipsa eis primariò administrandum ordinetur , qui ex praedicatione evangelii side in christum imbuti , & disciplinam christianam jam amplexifuerunt . mar. . , . matth. . . at hi & sanati ex parte , & reatu omni exoluti , ad baptismum suscipiendum accedebaent , aut ejusmo ii saltem esse praesumebantur antequam ad baptismum admitterentur . quin & johannis baptismae ejusdem fuisse efficaciae cum illo qui ab apostolis ex christi instituto administrabatur , adversus pontificios nostri omnes tuentur . at in joannis baptismo praevia exigebatur poenitentia quam peccatorum venia necessariò & inseparabiliter consequitur . ] see his defens . of this against dr. ward 's answ. pag. , . and as to the pretended different use to infants , pag. . [ . principali effecto , imò principalibus effectis caruisse baptismum , &c. . si quem in parvulis alium effectum statuere libuerit , quàm in adultis obtineat , id mirum valdè s.s. nusquam insinuâsse : nec de eo certi quicquam constare poterit , quo fides nostra nitatur , donec verbulo sal●em divino aliquo illud nobis innotescat . ] steph. tzegedinus loc. commun . de sacram. tab. . saith , [ sacramenta non conferre gratiam ; quia sancti priùs justificati receptique in gratiam , quàm initiati sint sacramentis . ] lamb. danaeus resp. ad tom. . bellarm. de sacram. pag. . [ bellarminus putat absurdè hic oportuisse baptismum praecedere fidem ; non autem fidem baptismum . promissio enim praecedit sigillum — ergo est mediatum & subsequent & fidem & verbum sacramenti , & utroque posterius . ] ( he speaks of justifying faith . ) leg. & pag. . many such passages he hath , too long to be cited . ravanellus biblioth . de baptism . pag. . [ in nomine , vel in nomen patris , filii , & spiritus sancti baptizari dicimur — quia per baptismum s.s. trinitas nor in gratiam recipere testificatur , & nos vicissim spondemus ac profitemur ei nos totos dicare & consecrare ] et col . . adulti ad baptismum admittendi sunt , modò fidem prositeantur , act. . . & . , , , . & , , , . & , , , , . & peccata publicè confiteantur , se agnoscentes , ex gratuita remissione salutem consequi , mat. . marc. . . ] et de sacram. pag. . col. . [ terminus vel finis sacramenti est vel cui , nempe , soli foederati ; inter foederatos autem dei censentur omnes illi qui sunt in external ecclesiae communione , & prositentur se in christum , credere ; & vero cum inter hoc quidam possint esse hypocritae & impii , ideo sacramenta in ecclesia communia sunt piis & impiis : ita tamen ut impii pro piis probabiliter habeantur . ] thus commonly speak protestants on this subject . the church of scotland in their heads of church policy , recited by spotswood in his history l. . pag. . thus begin ▪ [ . the church of god is sometime largely taken for all them that profess the evangel of jesus christ , and also it is a company not only of the godly but also hypocrites professing outwardly one true religion . . at other times it is taken for the elect only and the godly . ] so that here are none acknowledged church-members , but those only that are truly godly and elect , or seem to be so , and are hypocrites if they be not so . the helvetian confession , ( as in the harmony translated , p. . ) of bapt. faith , ] to be baptized in the name of christ , is to be enrolled , entered and received into the covenant and family , and so into the inheritance of the sons of god , and called the sons of god , and purged also from the filthiness of sins , and to be indued with the manifold grace of god , for to lead a new and innocent life . — we therefore by being baptized , do confess our faith , and are bound to give unto god obedience , mortification of the flesh , and newness of life ; yea , and we are listed souldiers for the warfare of christ ; that all our life long we should fight against the world , satan , and our own flesh . ] ( and none but sound believers truly consent to this : and therefore none but professors of sound belief do profess consent to it . ) i shall pass over the confessions of other churches containing the same doctrine . the professors of the protestant university of saumors in france , in their excellent thes. vol. . are full on the point . pag. . thes. . [ obsignat autem illam certè , ut quia nos profitentur habere per fidem communionem cum morte & resurrectione christi , fructum utriusque ad nos pertinere testificetur . fructus autem ille primùm in justificatione situs est . at quemadmodum professio illa habet in se inclusam promissionem de per severantiâ in eâ fide , sic obsignatio pariter habet stipul itionem quandam tacitam illius perseverantiae . ] thes. . pag. . sacramenta verò non conferuntur nisi it● qui vel fidem habent , vel saltem eum prae se ferunt , adeò ut nullis certis argumentis compertam esse p●ssit eam esse ementitam . ] pag. . thes. . [ est tamen inter ea notabile discrimen , quod penè in omnium sensus incurrit , scilicet , ut jam alibi animadvertimus , sacramenta quidem nemini tribuuntur , nisi qui censeatur implevisse conditionem quam deus ab hominibus foedere suo exigit ? ( this is the doctrine that mr. blake will not be entreated to understand ; viz. that the very covenanting on our parts , is the first and great condition imposed and required in the covenant or promise of god ; and so when we sincerely covenant , we perform the condition of his promise . heart-covenanting is by consenting , and consent joyned to assent is justifing faith . ) at conditionis impletio dupliciter considera●ur ; nimirum , vel in iis momentis quibus praestatur p●imùm ; vel in eo tempore quo conservatur & perseverat . conditi nis autem evangelicae ea natura est , ut praestari nequeat quin illico introducat eum à quo praestatur in christi cōmunionem & societatem ecclesiae , atque adeò quin ei acquirat adoptionem per quam numeratur in dei filiis . joan , . . cum vero conservatur atque persistit , nihil aliud facit nisi quòd easdem illas praerogativas retinet , ne iis excidamus . baptismus autem in eum finem comparatus est , ut ea omnia obsignet , quatenus communicantur primùm . coena verò — ut retineantur . ] thes. ● . [ sunt enim duo certè genera hominum , quae ad participationem foederis evangelici à deo admittuntur ; adultorum scilicet & infantium . at cuique istorum generum competit una tantummodo ratio introeundi in communionem foederis illius , & omnium rerum quae ex foedere pendent . adultis scilicet fides , per quam christi promissiones amplectuntur . infantibus , conditio nascendi ex parentibus fidelibus . thes. . pag. . [ ad vitam spiritualem quod attinet , adulti quidem non intrumittuntur in foederis evangelici communionem sui nescii . intromittuntur enim per fidem . fides autem est actus quidam intellectûs , tanto cum acriore sui sensu conjunctus , quantò intellectus ipse facultas est praestantissima , & cum acerrimo sensu praeditus . — ] thes. . baptismus autem propriè in eum finem destinatus est , ut vitam nobis esse indultam testificaretur . ] thes. . [ vno verbo , baptismo in nobis obsignatur adoptio nostra . ] thes. . [ primarius ejus & magìs proprius usus in eo consistit , ut ipsius peccati destructionem & abolitionem à christo factam , actu nobis communicari testetur . pag. . thes. . [ ideóque neque sacramentum , neque quodquam ejusmodi seu signum seu tessera seu pignus aut arrhabo ulli traditur , nisi qui sese verbo & promissioni fidem habere profiteretur ] ( which is their common description of saving faith. ) pag. . thes . [ nec vero minùs ex eo constat , cur infidelium liberi non baptizentur . nam evangelicum foedus quidem quatenus conditionatum est , ad omnes omnino homines spectat : est enim christus omnium redemptor , modò credant . at quatenus absolutum est , pertinet ad solos actu fideles ; est enim eorum christus redemptor tantùm , quia soli credidere . quod enim foedus conditionatum appellatur , propterea quod ex praestatione conditionis ejus executio pendet , id praestitâ conditione evadit absolutum . jam verò quamdius foedus conditionatum est , promissiones quae foedere continentur , non pertinent actu ad eos qui conditionem non praestiterunt . ideo eos aliter non alloquintur , quam dicendo , [ si credideris , salvus eris : si non credideris , manet ira dei super te : ] quoniam igitur baptismus institutus est tantùm atque comparatus obsignandis dei promissionibus in iis ad quos pertinent , nemo ex infidelibus baptizatur , qui non profiteatur sese actu credere & infidelitatem deposuisse . ] — et pag. . thes. . [ quemadmodum enim qui credit actu , jure baptizatur & postquam baptizatus est , jus habet indubitatum ad salutem , marc. . . sic etiam qui nascitur ex parentibus fidelibus itidem , jure baptismo tingitur , & postquam , &c. ] thes. . [ si deficiant illi ab ecclesiâ , aut vero ex eà , ob vitam turpiter actam , aut puritatem religionis ejuratam , atque adeo in eo malo pertinaciam invictam , ejiciantur ; tum quia non censentur ampliùs esse fideles , non potest quin eorum liberi eâ praerogativâ excidant . ] pet. molinaeus of tradition ( translat . engl. ) pag. . saith , [ it is essential to the sacrament to be taken for the remission of sins , as it was first instituted by the lord ) mr. crook in his guide to godliness , § , . page . and in his direct . to happiness , sect. , . pag. , . shews himself of the same mind . mr. liford of admission to sacr. saith , pag. . that , [ all carnal persons , that are conscious to themselves of living in any known sin , ought to keep themselves back from the partaking of the sacrament : and all that have not broken their league with their lusts , nor yet fully resolved to part with their darling sins , such persons are in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity : they have no part nor lot in this matter , because their heart is not right in the sight of god : they only cover iniquity with an outside holy profession . [ and p. . ] all that profess repentance towards god , and faith towards our lord jesus christ , ( should be admitted . ) all that having been baptized , and are able to examine themselves , and discern the lords body , cannot be charged to live scandalously in any sin contrary to their profession ; without giving further proof of real sanctification ] & p. . the profession that he requires is , [ that men must repent & lead new lives , and that themselves do so , and intend to do so . so others commonly . three of the most learned godly divines of scotland , i have in the following disputations cited . the . mr. galespie , whose twenty arguments mr. blake attempts a confutation of , and i have before vindicated them . the . mr. rutherford , whose words i have after cited at large . the . mr. james wood professor at aberdene , who declareth himself agreed with me in the qualification necessary to baptism , as i have afterwards cited his words . any one that would have more , may peruse our english divines that purposely write of preparation to the lords supper , such as bradshaw , hildersham , pemble , dike , bolton , and abundance more ; and they shall soon see that it is true repentance and faith that they require as necessary to a lawful receiving , and the profession of these to our lawful administring . but i will weary the reader no longer with citations ; but only shall add a few words of mr. blak● himself , and leave you to find out the sense . mr. blake of sacraments , pag. . [ so that i conceit no promise of these ordinances made to such a faith , but an actual investiture of every such believer in them . ] and if no promise , then no right to them by pr●mise , or any moral grant. and if only actual investiture , they can make no just claim to that investiture before hand ; for the actual investiture being not yet existent , can give no right to it self : nor doth that investiture justifie the seeking , or demanding , or possessing of it : for all possession is not lawful . pag. . [ seeing mr. baxter calls upon me to declare my self further in this thing , i do believe and profess to hold , that he that upon hearing the gospel preacht , and the truth of it published and opened , shall professedly abjure all other opposite wayes whatsoever , and choose the christian way for salvation , promising to follow the rules of it , is to be baptized , and his seed . ] pag. . how comes i pray you that future in ? in obligationibus ubi nullus certus statuitur dies , quovis die debetur . there is no day overtaken , but the engagement is , for present . and he that professeth to consent to be a true believer at present , or the next minute , doth in sense profess himself a true believer at present . pag. . [ " his two first arguments , drawn from authority , the first of the assembly of divines , and others of a number of fathers , are brought to prove that the profession of a justifying faith is required to baptism : and what is that to me who never denyed it , but in plain words have often affirmed it ? it is sufficiently implyed where i require a dogmatical faith to baptism . pag. . [ that therefore which he calls the great question between him and me , is no question at all . it were madness to affirm that which with these limits be thus denyes . ] and i have no mind to accuse mr. blake of madness . seeing therefore he must either be of my mind , or be mad , i will make no doubt to think that he is of my mind in that : and that his insinuating and oft affirming that i deny the thing there in question , simply or without those limits , proceedeth from that great injustice which temerity oft causeth in passionate men . pag. [ . in this case where the soul answers not to sacramental engagements , sacraments are but as outward shadows , and bare empty signs , and set out by the spirit of god in scripture with all their rites and ceremonies ( as other ordinances of like nature ) in the most low , despicable and undervaluing words that is possible . baptism in the letter is no better with the apostle than putting away the filth of the flesh ; the clensing of the hands , the feet , or face , from dirt or filth , is the same with it : the pharises washing of hands , yea their washing of cups , platters , ( as low as it is laid by our saviour ) was as efficacious and as acceptable . circumcision also when it led not to , but from christ , is called by the apostle by the name of concision , phil. . . any gash made in the flesh , or rent in the garment , as well pleaseth . ] pag. . [ sacraments in this case are only aggravations of sin , and heightning of judgements . in case of vncircumcision in time of the law , and non-baptism in these times , sins were no more than transgressions of the law , but now they are breaches of covenant . then they would have been meerly rebellion against soveraignty , but now they are apostacy and treachery . — ] [ . when conscience answers not to sacramental engagements , in participation of sacraments , men subscribe to the equity of their own condemnation , and give assent to the sentence of death pronounced against them . ] read also his sect . . throughout , shewing how many sorts of men do forfeit their covenant , and the mercies of it : and he concludes of them all [ pag. . these are the men which table , subscribe the equity of their own condemnation , and justifie the sentence of death pronounced against themselves . ] these and many the like passages of mr. blake's do seem to me to militate against his own opinions ( some of the former directly , and the later consequentially . ) yet do i not charge him with self-contradiction ; for its like he understandeth himself better than i do . but even from these last me thinks i have sufficient reason to demand , . whether it be not a mans duty to forbear baptism or the lords supper , while he gets a fitter capacity , rather than by the claim of them to subscribe his own condemnation ? or whether the necessary order of his duty be not first to believe and repent , and then to claim these ordinances ? . whether it be worth the while to write or preach to perswade men to offer such a service to god as doth but condemn themselves ? and is no more acceptable to god than the pharises washing cups , or than the cutting of their flesh , or the rent in the garment ? . seeing that saving faith is of another moral species than all other faith , and cannot be had without a supernatural work of the spirit , even a new creation ; qu. whether it be not cruelty in me to comply with that mans desires that would have baptism or the lords supper , without making a profession of saving faith , or giving any sign of it himself , and would engage himself to believe savingly the next minute , though he do not now , when i know before hand that he is most likely within one minute to break that engagement ; and so within a minute , even before he stir out of the room to become a perjured or treacherous man , that hath plunged himself into deeper misery , and subscribed to the justness of his condemnation ? were it not more wisdom and mercy to stay ( as was aforesaid ) one hour longer , or a day , and try whether he will believe savingly before hand , rather than engage him to do it the next hour , who doth not so much as pretend to any ability to perform his own promise , nor can shew any promise from god that he will give him that ability ; either absolute , or conditional . and thus i sh●uld have distmist mr. blake and his dispute , but that having toucht on this last testimony , it mindeth me to clear my self from some imputations of self-contradiction which mr. blake chargeth upon me ; and i shall briefly try whether ever i pleaded his cause , or have put my weapons into his hand to defend it with . mr. blakes charge of self-contradiction examined , and found groundless and abusive . the first pretended self-contradiction which i observe ( by intimation at least ) charged on me by mr. blake , is pag. . my words first cited defend a conditional covenant made to the non-elect ; and i say that this may be said to be sealed to some of them ; that is , those that hypocritically professing true fath , claim and receive the sacrament . well! and what have i said against this ? why this , [ if men be taught once that it is a faith short of justifying and saving faith , which admitteth men to baptism , as having true right in foro dei , it will make foul work in the church . ] but where the contradictions ? or what was it , i wonder , that occasioned the jealousie of it ? he that cannot , or is resolved he will not see any difference , . between a reprobates claiming that which he hath no proper right to claim , and a mans claiming that which he hath right to claim : . and between sealing to a meer conditional promise , where the condition is not performed , ( and sealing to a conditional promise , where the condition is performed or professed so to be ) as that there is an actual or absolute obligation on the promiser . . and between that sealing which is the end of the sacrament , and that sealing which is notoriously deficient through the incapacity of the subject ; contrary to the appointed end and use of that ordinance : . and between the profession of a saving faith , and the profession of another kind of faith : i say he that can or will see no difference between these , no nor any two of these , let him account me and call me a self-contradicter , and spare not ; and i shall answer him when i have nothing else to do . another confutation that i am supposed to give my self , is cited by him . p. . thus [ no minister can groundedly administer the sacraments to any man but himself , because he can be certain of no mans justification , being not certain of the sincerity of their faith . and if he should adventure upon probabilities or charitable conjectures , then should he be guilty of profaning the ordinance , and every time he mistaketh , he should set the seal of god to a lye . ] i confess there is nothing of mine that can be so plausibly objected to me as a contradiction to the present assertion , as these last words : but yet there is no just ground for that objection , if i be rightly understood . these words are plainly bent against their opinion that make election or saving grace to be the title to sacraments which the church must judge of , and that not by the profession of the claimer , but as distrusting his word upon other evidences of grace , as discoveries of the time and manner of conversion , or the practise of those duties wherein a stricter profession is manifested , or the like . the men that i oppose hold these assertions . . we must give the sacrament to none but the godly in sincerity . . we must not believe a mans verbal profession , though not contradicted . . but we must require the visible proofs of his godliness . . at least such as make it probable to us that he is godly . to these men i answer , . that it is false that we must give the sacraments to none but the truly godly : though its true that none else should require them . . that we must give them to those that profess saving faith , though they have it not : for it is the foundation of all humane converse that we give credit to mens words , when we have no just cause to dis-credit them , especially in matters out of our reach and within theirs , such as are the secrets of their own hearts : we must therefore take their profession , unless it be contradicted by such palpable evidences as nullifieth it or maketh it invalid . . that we have no other grounds to proceed on but this : and that on their grounds , they must profane gods ordinance every time they mistake in the judgement of charity , and apply it to ungodly men : but not so on ours , who must apply it to professors . and therefore they have no warrant to make any further scrutiny into the sincerity of a mans grace , as sine qua non to their administration of the sacrament ; seeing that a verbal profession not evidently contradicted and invalidated by words or life , is the means of discovery by which we must be satisfied . but yet i never dreamed that we must not require profession it self of saving faith , and that as a probable sign of the thing professed , but that we must look after another kind of faith . and if mr. blake will not take up with bare profession of his dogmatical faith , he will oft profane the ordinance too . for he knoweth not when it is in sincerity in any man. and we know by their ignorance that multitudes are without it . † he addeth my confession , [ that the ignorance of this point hindered me long from administring the lords supper . ] but he tels not what point it was . not that the ungodly might lawfully and rightfully claim it ; nor that i might lawfully give it to the professedly ungodly , or to any that profess not saving faith ; it was no such point . but that the sacrament sealed not as from god , that [ this or that man is a believer ] or [ that he is actually pardoned ] but only sealeth the conditional promise with such application to the person as is first to be made by his own receiving ; and therefore if there be an error and falshood , it is committed only by himself , and the minister is not guilty , nor the ordinance wholly in vain . and what 's this to the advantage of mr. blake's cause ? yet he addeth [ and i confess as ingeniously , that if he can work me to this opinion , i am resolved for present to baptize no infant , as being unable to know the parents faith to justification . ] answ. . but if you be brought to my opinion , this resolution will be changed . . are you resolved never to baptize more on the grounds that the church of christ hath alwayes baptized on ? . i here propound to you and the world the reasons of my opinion . and then i shall leave to the judgement of wiser men then my self whether your rejection of this opinion be a greater disgrace to it or to you . . what if you cannot know the parents justifying faith ? will it follow that you may not know a profession of it ? . you would do the world a curtesie to tell them , by what means you are more certain of the sincerity of a dogmatical faith , than we can be of a justifying faith ? or will you upon consideration resolve yet never to baptize any more , not administer the lords supper , because you can never be certain that your receivers have a dogmatical faith ? the next place where i am cited against my self , is pag. . because i speak of saints that shall not be saved . answ. and so i do still . but yet i still say that analogum per se positum stat pro famosiore significato . and therefore the words [ saints , believers , &c. ] must ordinarily be understood of such as are justified , where there is no limitation , or special reason to the contrary . the next place where i observe my self cited against my self , is , p. . because i maintain that it is an error in mr. tombes to say [ that the covenant whereof baptism is the seal , is only the the absolute covenant , made only to the elect : therefore mr. blake infers [ and if men in the state of nature be in that covenant that baptism sealeth , viz. the conditional covenant ; then men in the state of nature and short of justifying faith , have right to baptism . ] to which i reply ; . i have shewed you at large how far men unsanctified are or are not in covenant with god ; and in what sense they have or have not right to baptism : and yet must we still use the undistinguished terms , as if i simply denyed without distinction ? yea , before you confess that you tell it abroad in your discourse , that i say none have right to baptism but they that have saving faith , and that you can hardly gain credit to your words . the way to gain credit were to speak truer , and specially in your discourse of other men behind their backs . a right by any promise or mortal grant from god to them , i denied : but i affirmed hypocrites to be the rightfull objects of the ministers act , or that we may lawfully give it them , and that thus far they have such an ( improper ) right . and yet still you would make me believe that i simply deny them right . . your consequence here is wholly groundless . it is one thing to say as i do [ that the conditional covenant is made to the non-elect ] and another thing to say as you term it [ that they are in the covenant ] for that word is very ambiguous . if your consequence be good from my assertion , then you may as well prove that turks , jews , and heathen may have the sacraments given them . for i affirm that the conditional covenant is made to them . . the thing that i maintain against mr. tombes is , that the sacrament sealeth not only the absolute promise to the elect ; but the conditional promise ; and this in two sorts ; . to true believers who perform the condition , god sealeth effectually obliging himself actually and confirming their faith . . the same conditional promise he sealeth to intruding hypocrites , but not so as to oblige himself to them , but conditionally still as the promise it self doth : because the conditional promise giveth not actual right , or enduceth not on the promiser an actual obligation till the condition be performed ; which is with true believers and no others . i desire both mr. tombes and you to know my meaning when i so plainly express it , before you trouble your selves and others in contradicting it . another supposed contradiction is pag. . recited . he argued [ that faith on which simon magus was baptized , is that which admitteth to baptism . but simons faith fell short of saving and justifying . ] to this mr. blake sa●th i give a sudden answer , viz. [ concedo totum , sed de sideratur conclusio ] and he adds [ he is certainly much to seek both in syllogism and common reason , that could not infer , and could not know that i left the reader to infer that [ therefore ; a faith that is short of justifying entitles to baptism ] and so i have the whole in question yielded , and that which was once said would make foul work in the church if granted ] to this i reply . . i shall not presume to say that you are much to seek either in syllogism or common reason . ●ut i think it meet to say that i pity the world , and especially hasty inconsiderate readers that must be troubled and abused by their writtings that understand not what they speak to . i pray peruse your arment again , and see whether any more will follow than this [ therefore a faith short of saving or justifying admitteth to baptism . ] and this i granted , taking simons faith to be an assent conjunct with a profession of saving faith ( as most interpreters do that i have seen ; expounding [ he believed ] by [ be professed to believe , and had some conv●ction . ] ) but was the word [ entitled ] in your argument ? and might i not well say desideratur conclusio ? the question which you would have concluded was that which now you conclude [ it entitleth to baptism ] and then there is more in your conclusion than in your premisses . admitting is not entitling . i granted you oft before that we may admit an hypocrite ( yea a stark infidel ) if professing true faith , he require the sacrament : but i denyed that in strict or proper sense they had title to it , or might demand it . i may justly and necessarily give , if required , what another unjustly requireth ; yet upon this gross oversight of my obvious sense , mr. blake goes away as with a full concession of his cause : and no doubt in some mens eyes hath carried it . his two arguments against me from my own words , p. . i have answered before . the next touch of this nature i find pag. . [ profession being a good step in the way to sincerity , which a man would think mr. baxter would not dislike , who so far speaks the mind of christ towards men , that if they will come but only to a visible profession , he will not deny them admittance there , because they intend to go no further , but will let them come as near as they will. ] repl. and so i confidently say still : and what 's this to your cause at all ? the next that i observe are cited , pag. . and . in the latter , . he reciteth a passage of mine in the saints rest , where i say that [ the meer sober-professing to repent and believe in christ , is a sufficient evidence of their interest to church-membership , ( coram ecclesiâ ) and admittance thereto by baptism . ] upon which mr. blake assumeth [ what have i spoke more than here is said ? and did i ever speak with more and higher confidence ? i say , that a faith which is short of justifying gives title to baptism : ] and he saith , [ such gives sufficient interest to church-membership , and consequently admittance to baptism . ] repl. i must needs say , that it is to be lamented that passion or inconsiderateness should carry you to such evident untruths . did ever i say that [ such ] a faith gives evidence ? did i there once mention such a faith ? did i not expresly say , [ a sober professing to repent and believe in christ. ] and did you not set these words before your readers eyes ? and yet will you in the next words perswade him that i talk of a faith short of justifying ? did you think men would take no heed what they read ? it is the profession of true faith and repentance that i spake of , and not your faith that is short of it , which came not into my thoughts . this dealing is not like to edifie ; though with some it may be effectual to mislead . yet upon this abuse you ground a triumph , adding [ so that if my doctrine herein be loose , the reader will hardly find his to be fast : and it hears not well to play fast and loose . ] it was loose ground that these words were built on . pag. . another confutation of my self is thus expressed , [ i desire mr. baxter to tell us how he hath mended the matter , and provided for the honor and lustre of the christian name , or made up at all , the gap of which he speaks . he sayes the church is bound to baptize as largely , as i say men have right to baptism . ] repl. dear brother , it is not well that your pages should contain so many such untruths . i would we had never medled with controversie , if it cannot be managed without such guilt . you say that a dogmatical faith entitles to baptism . i say we ought not to baptize men without the profession of a saving faith . is this the same with yours , or as large ? is it all one to baptize them that will profess that they are willing to have christ as he is offered in the gospel , and them that will profess no such willingness at all ? why do you expect that your readers should believe your so frequent and evident mis-reports ? your next words also are untrue , that i [ refuse none that you receive ] if you did practise according to your doctrine ; and that where [ you say they have right , i say we are bound to baptize them without right . ] a double untruth . first , it is not the same persons that we speak of . secondly , i distinguished of right , and told you , that if you will call that right to another , which results from the command to me to baptize him if he demand it , such right he hath . you next add [ how will this make christianity look with any better face ? how much will worcester-shire congregations where this is received exceed other congregations where unanimously it is denyed ? ] repl. divers of your flings at the worcester-shire congregations might have been spared , without the least dishonor to your prudence , justice , charity , or piety . if you have a mind to be the accuser of any churches of christ , you should descend to particulars , and deal with such people and in such cases that you know , and not print untruths of such congregations , which the countrey knoweth to be such , as you have done , pag. , . upon the credit of your false reporters . if i have deserved such dealing from you the christian assemblies of worcestershire have not . restrain your indignation to me , and abuse not your brethren that meddle not with you . and what is it that is denyed unanimously by other congregations ? surely not the necessity of professing a faith that 's more than dogmatical ; at least i know no such congregations , and i hope i shall never know such ; for all your frequent and confident intimations that yours is the common opinion of divines , and mine is singular : if paper could blush , abundance of such passages would confute themselves , and prevent the delusion of your credulous reader , who will believe you to save the labor of a tryal . pag. . the words of mine that are cited as against my self are these [ vocation which is effectual only to bring men to an outward profession of faith , is larger then election , and makes men such whom we are bound to baptize . ] true : how unhappy am i , that must contradict my opinion in the very words which contain it ! but still will you perswade men , that an outward professing of true saving faith is all one with another kind of faith ( no man i think knows what ) which you are busily promoting to be the title to sacraments ? i shall not stand to search mr. blake's book for more of my self-contradictions , or trouble the reader with a further vindication : for in thus much he may see the face of the rest , and discern the judiciousness and equity of the charge . but as mr. blake dealeth by me , so doth he by the authors whom he alledgeth for his opinions , as pag. . , , . and elswhere : he sticks not to cite them as owning his cause , who in the very words recited by him , do condemn it . for in those words they make the church as visible to consist of professors as distinct from true believers , and know no members but true christians and hypocrites ( who therefore pretend to that faith which they have not : or else how are they hypocrites ? ) and what 's this to mr. blake's new visible members that profess only some other kind of faith ? or how will this warrant his new kind of baptism , which must be administred upon the profession of another sort of faith ? the lord illuminate us , and pardon all the wrong we have done to his church and truth , through our darkness and self-conceitedness . the third disputation . quest. whether the infants of notoriously-ungodly baptized parents have right to be baptized . tertullian . apologet. cap. . sed dices ; etiam de nostris excedere quosdam à regulâ disciplinae : desunt tum christiani haberi penès nos . philosophi verò illi cum talibus factis in nomine & honore sapientiae perseverant . thes. salmuriens . vol. . pag. . thes. . sacramenta non conferuntur nisi iis qui vel fidem habent , vel saltem eam prae se ferunt , adeò ut nullis certis argumentis compertum esse possit eam esse ementitam . aaron's rod blossoming . pag. . i believe , no conscientious minister would adventure to baptize one who hath manifest and infallible signs of unregeneration . sure , we cannot be answerable to god , if we should minister baptism to a man whose works and words do manifestly declare him to be an unregenerated unconverted person . and if we may not initiate such a one , how shall we bring him to the lords table ? rutherford , due right of presbyteries , pag. . n. . but , saith robinson , most of england are ignorant of the first rudiments and foundation of religion ; and therefore cannot be a church . answ. such are materially not the visible church , and have not a profession ; and are to be taught ; and if they wilfully remain in that darkness , are to be cast out . the third disputation . quest. whether the infants of notoriously ungodly baptized parents have right to be baptized ? the question is of the greater moment , because about matter of practice , and that in a point wherein the honor of god on one side , and the rights of mens souls on the other , are so much concerned . it supposeth first , that baptism is gods ordinance , of continued use , and that some are to be baptized . secondly , that it is a benefit , or else we could not , in the sense now used , be said to have right to it . thirdly . it supposeth that some infants have right to be baptized . this question therefore is not to be disputed with the anabaptists , who deny the presupposed . and they that are so indifferent in the former , as to take it for an inconsiderable matter . whether infants be baptized , or not , must needs judge this question of the infants of the ungodly , to be much more inconsiderable . fourthly , yet doth it not suppose that the infants of any ungodly persons have this right , as if it were only the right of notorious ones that were disputable : but the word [ notorious ] is added to limit our present dispute to that sort , for several reasons ; at this time passing by the other , but not taking it for granted . fifthly , nor doth the addition of the term [ baptized ] to [ parents ] take it for granted that no children of unbaptized parents have such right ; but it limits the question to that sort only , as fitter in several respects for our dispute . for the explication of the terms ; . by infant we mean children not yet come to the use of reason ; so that as they are not sui juris , but at anothers dispose ; so they are uncapable naturally in any contract to dispose of themselves , being unfit to give consent , through a natural defect of that understanding which is pre-requisite . by [ a natural defect ] i mean of nature in it self considered , and not as corrupted by sin , nor as neglected sinfully by our selves or others . so that i see not but that ideots are in the same condition as infant children . but of that let every one think as they see cause . in law homo primae aetatis is an infant , even after he can speak ; though as to the etymologie he be called an infant , quia fari nescit , i. e. loqui non potest , ut isidor . lib. . . . by parents we mean principally natural parents , those who begat those infants ; but secondarily also ( as i suppose ) those that have adopted them , or bought them , or received them as given or delivered to them , so that they any way become their own , and they have the dispose of them , and are enabled to enter them into covenant , so as to oblige them on the highest terms ; though i know it is not properly that these are called parents ; the word [ parent ] is primarily applicable to the mother only , as not being à parendo , but à pariendo , and thence to the father also , because of the relation between gigno & pario ; and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometime used for genero . and though the word [ parens ] be not usually applied to those that adopt , yet pater is : and not unfitly , if , as some suppose , the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 came from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , alo , to nourish ; for so men may do by children that are any way their own . but it is only the immediate parents that we here mean ; though festus saith , that juris prudentes avos & proavos , avias & proavias parentum nomine appellari dicunt . and though the word parens be sometime taken pro consanguineo : and hierom saith advers . ruffin . lib. . that militari vulgaríque consuetudine cognati & assines nominantur parentes . but of this more anon . the term [ ungodly ) is it that needeth the most wary and exact explication , as on which the greatest stress of the controversie doth depend . it is not one only sense in which the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , pius & impius , godly and ungodly , are used . some think that pius comes from an obsolete greek word , now difused , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do refer ; and so that the primary signification is of one that worships god wi●h the fat of sacrifice , as abel did , with the best of his service and not the refuse or lean . meliùs ad rem fuerit , saith mertinius [ pius derivare à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , quod cretensibus est deus , ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : quia pius est qui deo addictus est & devotus , eumque sequitur ; ut angli pium godly , tanquam divinum . ità objectum pii indicaretur . si ad actum respiciamus , idonra originatio erit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , quippe quae est vox religiosae operationis . ] vide plura ibid. our english word [ godly ] is the most clear for etymology and sense ; and for the right understanding of it , we must consider , . what god is , and in what relationn to man he stands . . what is required from man towards god. . as god is in himself most perfectly good , ( from whence some think in english he is called god ) , so is he to man ; . the principal efficient cause of all his good ; . and the chief objective matter , and ultimate end ; so that in him alone can we be happy . he is our α and ω , our very all. he stands related to man as his creator , governour , redeemer , and preserver . . from whence man is obliged to acknowledge god , in these relations , whether naturally or supernaturally made known ; and to consent to them ; and to love and honour him as god , ( though it be not perfectly , which is now above his strength , yet must it be ) sincerely , even comparatively and superlatively above any creature whatsoever . he that doth thus , is a godly man , that is , a man that doth sincerely believe in god , the father , son and holy ghost , and is devoted to god. besides this principal sense , there are some others common , both in the defect , and in the excess ; . among heathens he is called pious , . who is a devout honourer of their gods , though idols ; . or who is merciful to people in misery ; . or who is an honourer of parents and superiors , or who is conscientious according to their insufficient light . . among christians , . some call any man godly , that is , zealous in religious matters , though so unsound in the fundamentals , that he worshippeth he knows not what , or so ignorant about gods very nature and his relations to him , that it is not god indeed as god that he worshippeth : and though he be actually incapable of true love and devotedness to god , for want of right conceivings of him , even in those respects that are essential to the object of the christian faith . . some call a man godly that makes a sound confession , and knows the christian doctrine , and saith he believeth it , though he notoriously manifest that his will doth not consent , that the god whom he confesseth shall be his god , ( his ruler and felicity , ) nor the christ whom he confesseth , shall be his saviour on his own terms ; nor the holy ghost his guide and sanctifier . . on the other side , many will call no man godly , that is not noted for some eminent difference , in parts and zeal , from others that live about him . if they see him neglect some duties that he is bound to , as not to come to some private meetings that are used regularly and to edification , or not to read , or hear so frequently or diligently as he should , or not to pray in his family ( which in some cases its possible a godly man may neglect ) , or if he commit some sins , which yet its possible a godly man may commit , they account him ungodly , though possibly it may be otherwise in the main ▪ so that no man is by them esteemed godly , unless he go beyond the weakest sort of true christians . as for them that call none godly but their own parties , or sect-fellows , i will pass them , as not worthy our further mention . among all these senses , it is the first in which we here take the word [ godly ] so that it is only christian godliness that we mean , which is a sincere believing in god , the father , son and holy ghost , even with true intellectual assent , and hearty consent : from which heart-godliness , there follows that sincere obedience to the will of god ( to first and second table ) which is the proper fruit of it : and repentance after disobedience known . it is therefore such a godliness as is proper to them that have the promise of justification and salvation that we mean , comprehending repentance towards god , and faith towards our lord jesus christ. of the contrary to this only is the question . . by ( notoriously ) ungodly , we mean such as do evidently manifest their ungodly hearts , . either by verbal professing it ; . or by their rebellious ungodly lives , that they leave to those that converse with them , no just & reasonable ground to judge them in probability to be godly , but are certainly known by those that live about them , yea , by the church ( if they are members of any particular church , ) who have an ordinary competent ability to discern , to be ungodly persons , that is , not to believe in god as aforesaid , but to be indeed contemners of god , the father , son , and holy ghost , as all are that are not godly , though not all in a like degree . they that are notoriously known to be thus ungodly , or unholy , or unbelievers , are those here intended . . by ( baptized ) parents , we mean only such as have had the external sign joyned to a profession of the christian faith , and dedication to god ; and so have covenanted ore tenus with god by themselves , or parents : and not those that have been sincerely dedicated to him , and so have god re-engaged unto them : for it is a contradiction for to call such at the time of such devotedness [ notoriously ungodly : ] and to say that they fall from it , is contrary to the judgement of those whom we now deal with , and therefore not to be expected . some do so define baptism , as to make it essentially to be gods actual sealing and exhibiting , of an actual pardon to the person baptized . but we take it not thus : we speak only of those that have so formla●y performed and received the externals of that ordinance , as that the church doth justly take them for her baptized members , though yet they werr not truly united to christ , nor was god ever actually reconciled to them , as his people . so much for the subject : for the predicate , we must first explain the term right . concerning which , i must refer you mostly to what i have said to mr. blake , pag. sect . . more fully than here i may stay to express my self . . in the properest sense , right respecteth some good which we have right to ; and that good is the matter of some gift , or other civil action , which may confer right : so that a man may afterwards claim it as his own , or the use or profession of it as his due , according to the nature of the thing , and of the grant. . in a more diminute and less proper sense , a man is said to have right which is accidentially in his profession , without his unjust usurpation , though he know not whether he shall keep it a moment , nor hath any civil right given him thereto . . in a sense yet less proper , a man may be said to have right to that action , which it is another mans duty to perform to him , or that good which another man is bound to do to or for him , though properly he have no title to it himself . . in a sense , though proper , quoad relationis fundamentum , yet catachrestical as to the denomination of the thing ; a man is said to have right to an evil : as to that punishment which according to law and justice in his due , or which he is obliged to bear . according to the first of these senses , every man hath a right to or in gods benefits , to whom he hath given them by any promise , covenant , grant , or other moral act ; which may be the foundation of right , called a title . according to the second sense , all those have right to gods blessing that have them in possession , through a meer natural collation of providence , without their sinful seizure . as if you see a man by the way lie naked , and cast your cloak over him , and say nothing to him : though you may take it away again at your pleasure , and assure him not of the use of it for a moment , yet he hath right to possess it while you permit him . thus every pagan hath right to his life and time , and food and raiment , while god doth providentially vouchsafe them to him . according to the third sense , all those have a right to gods mercies , to whom we are bound as instruments to conser them , though it be but by accident that we are so obilged , and though god be in no covenant-engagement to the persons , nor give them any proper right or claim to the thing : so if god bid me give to him that needeth : and because i know not all that need , he bids me judge upon probable appearances : hereupon if a rich man go in rags and pretend necessity , it is my duty to give to him ; and so far this rich man hath a right to my alms , as that he is a rightfull object of it , as to the righteousness of my action . so if god bid me forgive him that wrongeth me , if he repent : and then direct me to judge whether he repent by the evidences ( there being no other way : ) and these evidences being only probable , and not demonstrastive : here it is my duty to forgive him that repenteth not , if he seem to repent , and so he may have such an improper right to my forgiveness . so if a heathen seem to be a true christian , and yet dissemble , i am bound to use him as a christian ; and and so far he may improperly be said to have right to any christian ordinance , which i am bound to dispense to him , if he claims this ordinance of me , he sins against god , and requireth that which properly , and before god , he hath no right to , and which he ought not to claim : but yet he clams nothing but what i am bound to give him upon such a claim . you may see then that here may be three distinct questions according to this three-fold sense [ of right ] for the fourth i will pass , as not concerning our present business . ) . whether such subjects have any right to baptism by any gift or grant of god to themselves ! . whether they have right from gods providence putting them into possession of it . . whether it be a ministers duty to baptize them ? and i think it necessary to handle all these , or at least the first and last distinctly , because that one dependeth on the other , and we know not which is ordinarily meant when this question is put . only to the explication of the last term , we must speak a word : viz. what is meant by that baptism , the right whereto we are now enquiring after ? it is one question whether they have right to the thing signified , viz. christ and his benefits ; the pardon of sin , and adoption , &c. it is another question , whether they have right to the bare sign , and the consequential priviledges with the church , arising from their reputing such a man to be a true christian. and another question , whether they have right to both these ? also it is one thing to ask , whether men have right to performance of their own part in baptism , in part ? or in whole ? and another , whether they have right to gods part ? we make no question but every man hath liberty given him to do his own part entirely , yea it is his duty : and so every infidel is bound to bring his child to baptism ; that is , to cease his infidelity , and to dedicate himself and child to christ , and seal it with being baptized . but this is nothing to prove that he hath right to gods part in baptism , that is , either to the washing as gods seal and sign ; or to the cleansing signified , and other benefits conveyed by it . . nor is it any thing to prove that he hath a liberty to do the latter and external part of his own duty , without the internal and former precedent ; that is , to be baptized before he consent to the terms of the covenant . as a man that is bound to consent in mind to any thing , and promise with the mouth , yet may not promise before he consent ; that is , dissemble or lye. i shall now briefly determine the question as to each of the three forementioned sorts of right distinctly : and as to the first i take the question to lie thus ( supposing it only the external baptism that 's meant . ) whether the infant children , especially natural , of men externally baptized , but now notoriously ungodly , have by any gift of covenant-grant from god , a right to external baptism ? which i determine negatively ; they have no such right . and herein the justest order , it belongeth to the affirmer to prove such a right . he that brings his claim , must shew his title . no more therefore can be required of me but this argument . if such infants can shew no good title to such baptism , ( nor any for them ) then have they no right to it . but they can shew no good title . ergo ▪ &c. the major is undeniable ; for titulus est fundamentum juris . for the minor i argue thus : if they can shew any good title , it is either some grant of god written in his word , or seeme not written . but neither written , nor not written : therefore none at all . those sober persons that we have to do with , will not plead an unwritten grant . if any do so , they must make it evident to a minister , before he can take it for currant . if there be any written grant , let them shew it ; for we know of none . but yet we shall attempt the proof of the negative , and then examine the arguments which are usually brought for the affirmative . if the children of such parents have such right to baptism , it is either for their own sake ( i.e. some title or ground in themselves . ) . or for their immediate parents , . or their ancestors , . or some undertakers , . or the church . these five grounds are pleaded by some : and though our question directly speaketh only of the second ; and therefore if any of the rest be proved , it nothing makes against our negative determination , because we take it reduplicativè ( of the children of such parents as theirs : ) yet we judge it most usefull to our main end , that we touch upon each of these several claims . and . if the infants of such parents have any such right from any thing in themselves , it is either from somewhat proper to themselves and some others such as they , or somewhat common to all infants : but neither of these ; ergo — . for the first member , i know nothing said but this : [ possibly they may have some seed of grace in them , we know not the contrary . ] answ. . as to us , it s all one , non esse , & non apparere : we must have some evidence of such a seed of grace , or else we cannot discern it . . else we must baptize the children of all or any heathen or infidel ; because for ought we know , they may have some seed of grace . for the second member , it is thus argued by some : god requireth nothing but consent on our parts , to our enterance into covenant with him , seeing it is a covenant of free grace : but all infants must by us be supposed to consent : therefore all must be supposed to have right to baptism . ] the major we grant . the minor they would thus prove : it is a rule in the civil law , that it is supp●sed that a man will be willing of his own good ; and another rule there is , that the law supposeth a man to be what he ought to be , till the contrary appear ; therefore infants , who make not the contrary appear , are by us to be judged virtual consenters or accepters of the covenant ; and consequently to be baptized . answ. these rules may hold in dealings between man and man , about such things as nature may both discern to be good , and desire ; but they cannot hold in the case in hand ; . because nature cannot sufficiently discern the desirableness of the blessings of the covenant , compared with those things that must be renounced . . nor can it truly desire them without grace . . and the common experience of the world telleth us , that the most of men , by far , do not truly consent , when they hear the terms of the covenant . this therefore may not be supposed : for natures inclination to our own good , is no sufficient ground of the supposition : nor yet any obligation that can lie on us to charitable thoughts of infant 's inclinations . for it is one of the principles of our religion , that nature is so depraved , as that every man is the great enemy of himself consequentially , as being inclined to the way of his own ruine ; till christ the physitian of nature do work a cure. . and if this argument would hold , it would prove that all the infants of the world have right to baptism ; which is not to be supposed . . yea it wou●d prove that they have equal right with christians , which is yet more evidently false . . infants in such covenants are reputed to be as their pa●●nt , who ●huse for them that cannot chuse for themselves . if therefore the parents consent not , it is supposed that the child consen●s not ; and no parent can truly consent for his childe that re useth for himself . . the covenant hath not only benefits on gods part to be conferred , but also duties on our part required ; and it cannot be supposed that all will faithfully perform such duties . so much for the first pretended title . the second pretended title of such infants to baptism , is upon the account of the interest of their immediate parents ; and because this is both the proper subject of our question , and also the great difficuly , and most insisted on , i shall say somewhat more to it : and i prove the negative thus . . if notoriously ungodly parents have no right themselves to the benefits of the covenant , nor to be baptized if it were now to do : then cannot their children have a right upon the account of any interest of theirs . but the antecedent is true : therefore the validity of the consequence is evident ; in that no man can give that he hath none to give , nor can we derive any interest from him that hath none himself . if any say , he may have an interest for his child that hath none for himself ; i reply . . then the childe hath not his interest in and with the parent , nor as reputed a member of him . . that interest must be produced and proved . i have not yet heard what it should be save what the next objection intimates . why then may not the same be said of an infidel , that he may have a right for his child , though none for himself ? it is objected , that being himself baptized , he once had right to church-membership for himself and his child ; and though he hath lost this by apostacy himself , yet there is no reason why his child should be a loser by his fall . answ. . according to this objection the children of all infidels , jews , turks , and heathens should have right for their parents sake , supposing those parents to have been once baptized , and now to be apostates . . but those children were either born before their parents apostacy , or after . if before , then i grant the parent loseth not the childs right by apostacy , because that right was fixed upon the child himself , upon the account of the parents interest . and we may suppose him baptized thereupon , and so there is no cause for a doubt : for as the case is rare for a man that before was rightfully a church-member to the outward appearance , to apostatize between the birth and baptism ; so i will purposely shun that controversie , whether the child by such apostacy loseth his right , or whether a baptized infant be supposed excommunicate in the fathers excommunication ? for my part , i affirm no such thing : but if the child be born after the parents apostacy from faith or a godly life , then no man can say the childe loseth any right by the parents sin ; for how can he los● that which he never had . if you say the parent had it for himself and his child ; i answer , true , had he been sincere on supposition he had children ; but not for those children he had not , though if he continue in the faith till he have them , he then hath ●hose priviledges for himself and them ; they can be no subjects of right that had no existence ; i grant he may have a grant of such right to him and his seed , as a prince may grant to a faithful subject to him and to his heirs : but . this is on supposition that he will have heirs . . that he forfei●s no● his right before he hath heirs : otherwise as he apparen●ly ●●s●th it to himself , so doth he to them : if he make an intercision , he stops the conveyance of the benefit by a prevention , so that it never comes to the heir : but because it is the antecedent that requires all the proof [ that notoriously ungodly parents have no interest themselves to be church-members , and to be baptized , if it were to be done again ] i shall prove it as followeth . . argu. they that have not that faith which is the condition of the covenant , and notoriously shew that they have it not , have no right to baptism . but such are all they who are notoriously ungodly . ergo. &c. or they that notoriously manifest that they consent not to the terms of the covenant , have no right to baptism . but , &c. ergo. the major is proved hence . . what else is there to hinder any heathen from the like right ? . because that the probable profession of such a further consent is necessary to justifie baptizing of them . . because mutual consent is necessary to a mutual covenant ; and the covenant must be mutual : no man hath right to gods part that refuseth his own . this is all so far past question , that i pass it over the more lightly . all the doubt then is of the minor , [ whether no man have the necessary condition of the baptismal covenant on gods part that is notoriously ungodly ] or [ whether all such ungodly men do notoriously manifest that they consent not to the terms of the covenant ] i speak not here of any subsequent condition which god imposeth upon the covenanter only for the future ; but only of the condition which god imposeth upon us that he may be in covenant with us , and that it may be a bargain ; and that this is a true inconsistent with notorious ungodliness , i was going about at large to prove it ; but i remember that i have done it already in . arguments , against mr. blake's , and therefore i think it better for you & me that i refer you thither , than to write them here over again , or needlesly to add any more to the same purpose : if any say that though god require as a duty such a faith as is inonsistent with notorious ungodliness , yet not as absolutely necessary that he may be engaged to us in covenant , or that we may have proper right to baptism ; i answer , god hath but one covenant of grace which baptism sealeth ; our sound believing is the condition of that one covenant ; that is , that it may be a mutual actual covenant : if then there be any other covenant having other conditions , we must wait till both covenant and conditions be made known . were it worth the while , or a thing necessary , i would stand to prove the negative , viz. that there is no covenant sealed by baptism which only promiseth baptism as the benefit , or any other meer externals ; but that the covenant which baptism sealeth is only that which promiseth remission , salvation , and outward mercies as appurtenances and means so far as necessary . arg. . they that have no right to remission of sin , have no right given them by god to baptism ; but the notoriously ungodly have no right to remission of sin . ergo. &c. the minor will not be denied . the major is proved thus : god hath appointed no baptism as his gift , but what is for remission of sin , as the thing sealed and exhibited by it . therefore , they that have no right to remission , have no right to baptism . the antecedent is undoubted ; the consequent is grounded on this truth , that god hath made no covenant to any man of the bare seals without the thing signified : shew such a promise if you affirm it . . what god hath joyned so nearly as the exhibiting sign and thing exhibited no man may lawfully put asunder : it s a mans sin to take the sign without the thing signified . it is not probable therefore that god hath made any promise of the naked sign without the thing signified : if god give right to such an ungodly man to be baptized , then he gives him right to be baptized for remission of sin ( for this is his express and affixed use and signification , ) but he doth not give him right to be baptized for the remission of sin . ergo. &c. the minor i prove thus . if he give him right to be baptized for the remission of sin , then either for actual remission ( to be sealed by baptism ) or for conditional future remission ; but for neither of these . ergo. not for actual remission ; for then notoriously ungodly persons are actually remitted ; which is not true : nor for condit●onal ; for then no more is given then all the world hath ( at least that hear the gospel ) even persecuting infidels ; and then all they may as well be baptized ; for god pardoneth all upon condition they repent and believe . argu. . if god be not at all actually obliged in covenant to any notorious ungodly man , then is he not obliged to give him baptism . but god is not obliged so to him . ergo. the minor is unquestionable ; the major is granted by most of our divines , who make the contrary doctrine pelagianism , that god should be obliged to man in the state of nature , in such a covenant : if god be obliged to give them baptism , then if he should not give it them , he breaks promise with them ; but the consequence is unsound ; ergo , &c. nor doth he give them power to claim it from the church-officers ; for they can shew no title . argum. . if god have given a covenant-right to a notorious ungodly man to be baptized , then either to baptism only , or other blessings with it ; but neither of these , ergo , &c. the first will not be affirmed : what then be the other blessings ? either they are special and spiritual , but that 's not defended ; or outward and common , which is like is meant ; for they call it an outward covenant . bu● as god hath given outward things but conditionally to believers ; so there is no such covenant of outward mercies alone that can be shewed in the word which is now in force to us . arg. . according to the definition of most of our divines , the outward washing alone without inward grace , is not baptism : therefore if god give them right to the washing without the grace , he gives them not right to baptism : but this is but ad hominem . i do but superficially touch these things . . because ( as i said ) the arguments to mr. blake are full . . because i am informed that all this is granted with those divines with whom i have debated this point , and that they confess that none but sound believers have engaged god in actual covenant to them , but only in the common conditional covenant , and consequently it is not by covenant grant that the notoriously ungodly have right to baptism , but by other waies which we are next to speak to . i am informed that this is all granted ; but then i must add , that they yield that such men have no true proper right at all : for such proper right is of the nature of the debitum , the dueness of the benefit . so that a man may thence lay claim to it as his due . and the right ( between god and man ) we receive only by gods moral gift , which is by some promise or grant by his word or revelation of his will de debito habendi ; for this dueness or right is a moral thing , and must come by his moral act , such as among men we call political or civil . but mark how the other two sorts of right differ from this : that which follows gods physical disposal by providence , gives a man no proper right of dueness , but only makes it non injustum , and i think not prope●l positively justum , that he should possess it : as if i see a man ready to dye for cold , and cast a garment on him : only these two things follow ; first that is is not unjust for him to possess it ; . that it is unjust for any other to deprive him of it ; but this is no dueness : or if he have any proper right , it is after the possession , and not before . and then the third sort of right which ariseth from a precept to others concerning the manner of their duty , is properly no right , as not giving a due or title to the benefit , but only it makes my act of application to be just , and him to be the object of a just act ; not just because of his title , from a gift of god ; but from a precept to me : so that as the three instruments differ , gift or covenant , natural disposal , and precept , so do these three sorts of right differ : the first only being debitum , the second non injustum , the third justum : and the subject of the third is but my act ▪ and not the person who is the object . it is just that i obey god , and so do such an act on him . having said thus much for preparation , i shall anon speak more particularly to the two later sorts of right : but first we shall touch briefly the third pretended title , which some insist on , of such infants proper right to baptism . the third was upon the account of their ancestors true faith , though the immediate parents weee notoriously ungodly they that plead this title , will not prove it good : . i thus disprove it . agrum . . if the promise to the faithfull and their seed to many generations , doth necessarily suppose an uninterrupted succession of faithful progenitors of that seed , then that promise gives no right to the infants of notoriously ungodly parents . but the antecedent is true : therefore so is the consequent . the consequent i suppose to be manifested before : the antecedent i prove by these following arguments : . if the promise suppose not an uninterrupted succession of faithful progenitors , then by virtue of the promise to noah all the world have right to baptism . but the consequent is false : therefore so is the antecedent . if they urge the words of the second commandment , it is certain that it is not a thousand generations since noah . this question is commonly put to our brethren in this case , [ where shall we stop , and on what grounds shall we stop , if it extend not to all the world ? ] and they answer variously : one reverend brother , mr. blake on the covenant , pag. . saith [ he knows few that say the predecessor gives right without the immediate parent . but all concur in a joint way to communicate a covenant interest . ] this yields the necessity of a non-intercision . others say , first out of calvin and ames , [ vbi non prorsus interciditur christianismi professio , & ubi praesumuntur esse christiani . ] to which i answer ; if it be a profession of christianity properly so called , then the right may come by the immediate parent , and there is no intercision . but if it be in a profession equivocally so called , that is , such as is not a probable sign of the thing professed , then i suppose i have proved that such a profession is indeed not a profession , gives no title , and such is that of every notorious ungodly parent . . it is answered by others , that it must be by some ancestors alive that will undertake their education . to which i reply ; then the ancestor gives him not a right as an ancestor , but as an vndertaker ( of which more anon ; ) though he be no fitter to be an undertaker than another . others say , that the children of christians known or presumed to be such , living or dead , may baptized . repl. then all the children under the turks , whose ancestors were known christians , may be baptized ; and why not all the world , when noah and adam were known to be in covenant ? or all this nation , if they had been heathens this hundred years , because their ancestors were justly presumed to be christians ? argum. . in the common sense of such a covenant amongst men , it would necessarily suppose an uninterrupted succession of faithfull progenitors , that make no forfeiture before any right can be conveyed to their issue : therefore it must be so interpreted in our present case , seeing we must not go from the known use or sense of words , without some apparent reason , whereof here is none that i see ; and the antecedent is a known case . if a prince do convey certain priviledges & honors to a man and his heirs and posterity for ever , this word certainly implies this supposition or condition , that neither he nor any after him do make a forfeiture : for if they turn traytors , the covenant is broke , the grant is void , and they cannot by that convey any such right to posterity . argum. . if the promise aforesaid did not imply a necessary non-interruption of faithfull progenitors , then the promise and threatning could not be verified : but the consequent is not to be admitted ; therefore the consequence is plain , in that as the promise is to many generations of those that love god and keep his commandments ; so the threatning is , that he will visit the sins of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of , &c. exod. . . where god proclaims it with his name ; and doubtless both the threatning and the promise is such , that it cannot be that the same persons are under both at once : being certainly therefore under the threatning , they are from under the promise . argum . the threatning to the third and fourth generation is necessary to be understood on supposition , that there be an uninterrupted succession of wicked progenitors : therefore by proportion so must the promise be understood , as to a necessary succession of faithful progenitors . argum. . the natural interest that ancestors have in such posterity is not immediate , but mediante parente proximo : therefore so is the covenant-interest ; because it proceedeth on supposition of the natural . we receive nothing from a grandfather but by a father , but what dependeth on his free will : an intercision therefore preventeth our priviledges . it is here objected , that it is harsh to affirm that the immediate parents sin depriveth posterity of the benefit , though the ancestors were never so godly ; for so the children should suffer for the parents sin . ans. . the children never had right , therefore never lost it . . it s just that they suffer for the parents sin : when parents have lost their right , they cannot convey it to others . object . paul saith of the jews , they are beloved for the fathers sake . answ. so far beloved , as that god will reclaim them in after-ages , and now convert a remnant : but not so far beloved , as that any child of an unbelieving jew had right to baptism for abraham or any ancestors sake , and that love was from a part of the covenant proper to abrahams seed . object . th●re could not be a higher evidence of ap●stacy , than to gi●e their children to a false god ; yet this did the children of israel , and yet their posterity had right to circumcision . answ. i will reserve the answer of this to the end , where we shall have further reason to consider it , and next proceed to the fourth pretended title of such infants . the fourth part of this question is , whether the infants of notorious ungodly parents may not have right to baptism , on the account of some vndertakers ? answ. if this be so , it s nothing against our negative determination of the main question , viz. whether they have right for their parents sake ? . we distinguish of undertakers ; some are such as will undertake that another man shall bring up his child well : . some will undertake to do it themselves , yet not to educate it as their own , but as another mans , and at his disposal : neither of these undertakings can give any right . . but if the child do either by the total resignation of the parent , or by adoption or the death of the parents , or by purchase , or any other just means , become his own that undertakes for him : so that the child is ejus juris , as his own children are , and at his dispose , then the question is much harder . and for my part , i encline to judge that such a child hath right upon that mans account : . because that in a law-sense this man is his father . . because all that god requireth in the free universal covenant of grace , to our participation of his benefits , is our consent : and children do consent bo those whose they are : for they that owe them , or whose they are , have the disposal of them , and so of their wills interpretatively ; and may among men make any covenant for them which is for their good ( at least , ) and oblige them to the performance of conditions . . because god so determined it with abraham , when he called him so solemnly to renew his covenant , and so to the israeliets after . of which for brevity , see what i have said in my book of baptism , chap. . pag. , . which i need not here recite . let every man see with his own eyes : but for my part , i resolve ( till i see better reasons for the contrary ) to admit no child to baptism , u●on the undertaking of any other susceptors , such as our godfathers and godmothers were , without a better title then their susception : but if any will say , this child is mine , and at my disposal , though not mine by natural generation , i will not dare to refuse to baptize it , if the person that presenteth it and devoteth it to god , be capable of so doing , as being himself a believer . and i think that it is a considerable work of charity to get the children of infidels or such among us are nominal christians and infidels indeed , that they may have that benefit by you which they cannot have from their natural parents . the th . title that is commonly pleaded for the right of the children of notoriously ungodly parents to baptism , is , upon the account of the churches faith , and the magistrates authority over them . for this , it is pleaded , . that the magistrate or soveraign ruler hath power to dispose of his subjects , and therefore to make covenants for them , and in their names , as much as a parent hath : for the power of a magistrate is greater than of a parent , in that the mag●strate may put children to death , and so may not a parent . answ. . the soveraign hath a governing power above a parent : but it is not on that the great contract or right is grounded . but the parent hath a greater propriety in the child than the governor ; and so hath more right to dispose of him in this case . the soveraigns power is in order to the good of the common-wealth ; the parents is for the good of the child directly . . bodin ( and some others ) think that the roman custom was good , that parents should have power of life and death as to their children : though few approve his judgement or reasons . . i doubt not but a soveraign may use his authority to procure the baptizing of children by the parents dedication of them to god. but still it must be modiante parente vel proparente , by procuring their consent , who have the nearest interest in the child , and greater than the magistrate can have ; though not greater ruling power . obje . but there are some rulers that are domini as well as rectores , and the people and all that they have are theirs ; so that there is no proprietary in the nation but themselves : and in such a case it seems that they may dispose of the consent of their subjects . an. . ye● it s lis sub judice , whether this be not meer unlawfull tyranny , or usurpation , and so the title null because against the law of god in nature . . or if any think that the example of joseph , or of the israelites buying children , will prove the contrary , yet . it can be but to their civils , as goods , lands , &c. their right wherein is adventitious and accidental ; and not to the fruit of their bodies , where their right is so natural that none can take it by violence from them : i say therefore that here it cannot be without the parents voluntary alienation and resignation of their children to the soveraign ; which they cannot do but upon weighty considerations . . the soveraign in this case hath the same right in adult subjects , as in infants , seeing they are all vassals to him as their lord. and yet it is manifest in scripture , that god will have the personal consent of the adult , before they shall have any interest in his covenant : because when their soveraign lord hath all the right that is possible , he leaveth them the power of their own wills : and so as they have still naturally a nearer right in themselves ( than he hath ) which they cannot alienate ; so it seems they have in their children . . at least this is nothing to almost all the world , where the rulers claim no such absolute dominion and propriety . . god in scripture requireth parents and not rulers to circumcise their children , and to educate them : and joshua would promise for no more but himself & his houshould to serve the lord , and bids the people choose whom they would serve . yet i will not deny but that a ruler may use some sharp means to procure the consent of parents , in some cases . and i also confess that this argument , though least insisted on , hath ( in my opinion ) much more plausible appearance of strength , and better deserves a further consideration , than the great and common argument of the parents . right by such a profession as consisteth with notorious ungodliness , upon which most build almost all t●eir cause . ●astly , i conceive that as a governors right is in the common-wealth and main body of the nation , enabling him to rule them in the fear of god , so i will not deny but that he may call together the chief part of them , or a representative body , and urging and procuring their consent , he may devote them by a national covenant to g●d and promise himself to rule them in his fear . and i would this duty and the scripture patterns for it were better laid to heart . but still this leaves the parent that nearer natural interest in his individual children , on which god hath pleased rather to ground his promises and threatenings to infants . the second argument is drawn from mat. . , . go and disciple me all nations , baptizing them : from whence it is argued , that the infants of notorious ungodly parents being members of a discipled nation , may therefore be baptized as such members . answ. . if the nearer interest of their parents be not supposed necessary , then this argument makes as much for the right of the child of any jew or heathen , as of a christian , for they may be members of that nation which is discipled . . but they must be members of it quà tales , as discipled ; and that they are not till they are themselves disciples . the apostles are first commanded to disciple nations , and then to baptize them on supposition that they be discipled : therefore they must baptize none but those that are discipled . they must endeavour the discipling of each individual ; but if they prevail but with the greater and ruling part , it may be called a discipled nation , and a kingdom that is become the kingdom of christ : but yet as it is but for the sake of the chief part that the whole is so denominated , so it is only that part that is to be baptized ; seeing a bare denomination of the whole , gives not right to any part that hath none of the ground of that denomination . nor did the antient churches so understand this text : for when constantine and theodosius and other christian emperors had the rule , they did not judge that all their subjects should be baptized . the d. argument is drawn from the interest of the church : they say , those that are born within the church , though of unworthy parents , the church may take them and present them to baptism . answ. how are those born within the church , whose parents are no members of the church ? ( of which more anon . ) if the parent be utterly unworthy , and the child can have no right upon his account , then certainly he is not to be reckoned in the church . and if you mean , that all those that are born among the members of the church , or where they have civil rule , may by them be presented to baptism ; then the argument must be the same with that before , or so vain as to need no confutation : unless the church will accept the children as their own , according to the sense of the fourth fore-mentioned title ; and then any one member may better do it than the whole church . having spoken to the five pretended titles distinctly , and shewed you how far they are any of them allowable , and how far not ; i shall proceed to the second question in the begining propounded , viz. [ whether that the eventual disposal of god by a physical act of providence , do give any right to the children of notoriously ungodly parents to be baptized ? ] and i need not say much to this : . because i know of none that plead this right . . because it is but a non-injustum , and i think scarcely so much as a justum much less a debitum , that is here grounded . . but especially , because it is unquestionably evident , that if this give any kind of right , it is but to a possession ad libitum donatoris , after the reception ; and not at all to the first reception . and therefore it cannot with the least shew of reason be pleaded before-hand to enable any mans claim to baptism , nor to enable a minister to baptize any , nor yet ex post facto to justifie the act of the baptizer or of the baptized . yet how far it may prohibite any man to dispossess them of the state or priviledges of the baptized , till god give them a clear warrant , is worthy consideration . . but it is the third question concerning the third sort of right that most of all concerneth us to discuss ; seeing as far as i can perceive , it is this that our brethren of the contrary judgement do intend to insist upon , as discerning some inconvenience in affirming , god to be any otherwise than conditionally engaged in covenant with any notorious ungodly men , yea or any that are unregenerate . to this therefore we must next speak . the question is [ whether it be gods command , that ministers should baptize children of notoriously ungodly men ? ] or [ whether it be their duty ? ] or [ whether such children be the objects of our just , and justifiable action of baptizing ? ] and i conclude the question negatively , supposing that we speak both of parents natural and civil , and so that they come in upon no better account than the title of such parents , as is before explained . here . i grant , that if the natural parents be ungodly , we may baptize on the the title of their civil parents , or pro-parents ; i mean any that truly own them as theirs . . much more if any one of the parents be godly , though the other be ungodly . . also , if there be a probable profession of godliness , though indeed there be not sincerity , it is our duty to baptize the children of such . because . we have no natural capacity of judging but according to evidence , and we have no evidence for a certain judgement concerning the estate of another mans heart . . i have elsewhere made it appear ( and more abundantly might easily do ) that when god mentioneth any person qualified with such a qualification which to us is uncertain to be the object of our act , his meaning is that we should rationally and charitably judge of men according to evidence whether they are such or no , and so take them , and use them accordingly , the apparere being here as the esse to us . so when he bids us , if a brother wrong us oft , and oft say it repenteth me , forgive him : it is all one with that other [ if he repent , forgive him . ] we know not certainly whether he repent or not ; but we must take him probably to repent , that giveth us the evidence of a probable profession . so if we are to baptize those that repent and believe , or their children , how can we judge of them but by a probable profession . . it is therefore granted , that though such a degree of ungodliness as is consistent with sincere godliness , be notorious , yet that 's not the subject of our question : for that doth not denominate a man ( ungodly ) seeing it is from the predominant part that he must be denominated . the doubt remaineth therefo●e abou● ungodliness in the proper sense notorious , as is before explained . and i shall now defend the negative as follow●th . arg. . we have no word of god commanding or authorizing us to baptize the children of the notoriously ungodly ( as theirs : ) therfore is it not our duty , or lawfull . what command or warrant is pretended from scripture , we shall examine anon . arg. . we may not bapt●ze them who are notoriously without true covenant right to baptism . but such are the children of notorious ungodly parents . ergo. the minor is proved before ; the major needs no proof , i think : we should give each his right . arg. . if it be the very reason why we must baptize the ungodly and the●r seed , who profess godliness , because that by professing it they seem probably to be godly ; then must we not baptize them who do not seem probably to be godly ( or , if you had rather , to be true believers : ) but the antecedent is true . therefore so is the consequent . for the antecedent , i have said enough for it to mr. blake . if it were not propter fidem significandam , that profession were required , but propter se as the condition of the covenant : then . god would not have said ( he that believeth and is baptized , &c. and , if thou believe with all thy heart thou mayst be baptized : and , repent and be baptized , &c. ) but rather ( if thou wilt but say thou believest thou mayst be baptized , &c. ) . and then all that profess should be justified : for all that be in the mutual covenant with god actually , are justified . . and then such profession would be of flat necessity to salvation , as well as faith , which it is not , but on supposition of opportunity , a call , &c. i think i may take it for granted , that profession is required sub ratione signi , as a sign of the thing professed : nor can any man , i think , give a better reason of its necessity , though another after this may be , because god will have the outward man to serve him , by thus signifying by its operations what are the elicite acts and dispositions of the will. the consequence of the foresaid major proposition is past doubt , i suppose . if any think otherwise , the next argument may rectifie them . argu. . he that is not to be judged a credible professed christian or the child of such is not the just object of our act of baptizing ( or , we ought to baptize none but those whom we should judge true professed christians , and their children ) but the notoriously ungodly are not to be judged true professed christians , nor their children the children of such : therefore not to be baptized . as the word [ profession ] signifieth a pretended discovering of the mind ( with an intention to deceive ) so i confess it may be called a profession physically or metaphysically true : but it is not this natural truth that we here mean : nor yet do i stretch the word so high as to comprehend the full gradual correspondency of the act to the object : but i plainly mean a [ moral truth ] opposed to [ a lye ] or falshood : ] and being speaking about moral-legal things , the terms must be necessarily understood according to the subject : so that it were proper in this case , if i simply maintained that such are [ not professors of christianity ] at all ; because in a moral law-sense they are not such . for no man is to give credit to a notorious lye ; so to speak , is equal to silence , as to any obligation that it can lay upon another , either to believe him , or to use him as one that is believed . my meaning therefore is , that we are not to baptize that man or his child , upon a profession which is notoriously false ; so that our selves and the congregation do certainly know , or have sufficient reasons to be confident , that the man doth lye . for the proof of the minor ( which i know will be denied ) thus i prove it : if either the profession be evidently but equivocally called a true profession , or the christianity professed be but equivocally called christian●ty , then the notoriously ungodly are not to be judged true professed christans . but the one of these is so with all notoriously ungodly persons . ergo. the major is past doubt , seing there must be the true profession of true christianity , that must justly denominate a man ( at age ) a true professor of christianity . if he notoriously want the first , he is morally no professor : if he want the later , he professeth not ●hristianity . to prove the minor , we will begin with the later . we speak not now of any accidentals that pertain not to the being , but tend only to the well-being of a christian. now i hope it is past controversie among us all , that it is essential to our christianity , that it be in the intellect and will , whatever we say of the outward man : and for the intellect , that we believe in god the father , son , and holy ghost : and it is essential to our believing in god , that we believe him to be our creator , chief ruler , and chief end and happiness . and to believe in the son essentially , containeth a believing that he is jesus christ our lord , that is , that he is the redeemer of the world , who shed his blood to save his people from their sins by pardon and sanctification , and who will raise them from the dead , and judge them to everlasting blessedness : and who is their lord and ruler on this ground , and to this end ; to believe in the holy ghost essentially , containeth a believing that his testimony of christ was true , and that he is the sanctifier of those that shall be saved . it is as much essential to christianity , to consent that god the father , son , and holy ghost be such to us as we profess them to be , as aforesaid : which is included in believing in god , and in jesus christ , and in the holy ghost : and therefore the sum of the covenant is [ i will be your god ( upon redempition by christ ) and you shall be my people ] now the notoriously vngodly do either profess to believe and consent to all this , or but to part : if to all , then they lye , of which more anon : if but to part ; then . it is not the christian faith , no more then a heart , or a l●ver is a man ; it is but part of it : . and our divines wil● say , that he that doth not believe and consent to the whole essence of christianity , doth not truly believe or consent to any essential ( though for that i determine it not ) but were their faith never so firm in any one part , it is not christianity , or the christian faith , without the whole . if it be the christian faith to believe in god the father only , then those that deny christ , are christians . if it be the christian faith to believe only in christ , though they deny the father , or the holy ghost , then men worse then infid●ls or most heathens , are christians . indeed there is so necessary a connexion , that it is not possible truly to believe in god the son , without believing in the father and the holy ghost , and believing the eternal glory to which he hath redeemed us and will lead us . if it be christianity to believe all the creed by meer assent ; then first , the devils are christians ; for they believe and tremble . secondly , and then it would be a profession of christianity to say , [ i do believe christ to be my lord , by right of redemption , but his laws are so strict , and cross to my pleasures , that i am resolved he shall not rule me , and i will venture all rather than i will take him for my ruler on such terms . ] or to say , [ i believe the holy ghost is the sanctifier of gods elect ; but i will not consent that he shall sanctifie me ] or to say , [ i believe that christ dyed to save his people from their sins , but he shall not save me from mine , because i cannot spare them . ] who dare say that any of these were a profession of christianity ? we must believe with the heart , if we be christians . christianity is not a bare opinion : it lyeth in the covenant of the soul with god , and it is the consent of the will that is that covenanting . it is therefore sometime expressed by loving christ above all . they that said , [ this is the heir ] believed in a sort with the assent of the brain : but when they add , [ come , let us kill him , that the inheritance may be ours ] i think they shewed that they professed not christianity . he that saith , [ i will not have this man to raign or rule over me . ] disclaimeth christianity . he that disclaimeth an essential part , disclaimeth the whole . it is not the being without these part . all this laid together , shews us that christianity , or the christian faith , truly and properly so called , which denominateth a man properly a christian , is specifically distinct ( as to a moral specification ) from the faith of the highest unregenerate man : ( when mr. k. wrote a digression against me on a mistake that , i had denyed this , i did not think that others would so call me out to the defence of it . ) and seeing that they differ by a moral specification , it is clear that they admit not of the same definition ; and that the term [ faith ] or [ christianity ] applyed to both these , cannot mean the same thing : but must here be an equivocal . thus i have cleared it , that to profess the belief of one part of the christian faith only , is not to profess the christian faith , or to profess to be a christian : and therefore such are not to be baptized , seeing we must baptize them into the name of the father , son and holy ghost , if we will baptize them with christian baptism . . next i shall shew that if any notorious ungodly person do say he believes the whole , even in god the father , son and holy ghost , such saying is not a true profession , nor valid to its uses . to this end let us enquire what it is to profess : profiteor is publicè fateor . fateor , inquit perottus , est à fando , quasi vehementer loquor & affirmo ; fateri enim est sponte aliquid affirmare : confiteri aliquo modo coactum ; profiteri , ad gloriam aliquid prae se ferre . martinius rather a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicendus , fandus : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fatenda , so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est sermo . now the natural use of speech is to signifie our mind to others . and the very essence of a profession lyeth in the open declaring of the mind , in the very signifying use of the words or actions . for it containeth ( as other signs do ) . the thing signifying , or the matter of the sign , and that is either words , writings or other actions capable of this use ( of which there are divers . ) . the thing signified ; which is our internal assent and consent . . the party to whom we signifie it . . the actual signification , or aptitudinal : that is , that it be a sign aptitudinal in it self , and actual , when rightly observed by others : in which aptitude lyeth the very formal nature of the sign . this being so , it is most evident that if it have not an aptitude to signifie our mind , it is not a sign . you may say , if he dissemble , yet he may make profession , yet profession is no sign of his mind . i answer , it is no true sign of the thing professed , but the end which he pretendeth to use it for is , to be a sign : and as a sign we expect and receive it ; and did we know the heart as god doth , we need not ask men whether they believe , but presently go to their hearts and see , and so baptize them or refuse them ( or their children . ) it being then the very use that the church makes of mens profession to signifie mens minds , it is clear . that where there is nothing that we can justly take as the signification of a mans mind , that he believeth as a christian , there is no moral profession of it : and where a man signifieth his mind that he doth not so believe , there he professeth not to believe : and if he make two contrary professions , one that he doth believe , and the other that he doth not , if we know one to be certain and undissembled , and the other to be false , the later is null , and the former to be received . all this being evident , it next followeth , that we shew , that no notorious ungodly man doth make true profession of christianity : for . if it be evident that he useth words not understood , as a parrat , then is it not a profession : for ignorantis non est consensus : and so nec professio : else a parrat may be a professor . . he maketh openly the contrary profession ; for he doth by words or deeds , or both , profess that he will not be ruled by christ , that he will not be sanctified or released from his sin : that he will not take god and glory to come for his chief good , but the things of this life , and will obey the flesh before god. it it be in plain known sins , which they can find no vain excuse for , some of them will say words of equal force to these : but though most will not do so ; yet their actions openly profess it . but because this is the thing that will be denyed , i add further . . actions are capable of signifying a mans mind as well as words : though not ordinarily so soon , or easily , yet some actions do ; yea , and much more certainly . . god plainly tels us of some , that profess that they know god , yet in works they deny him : so that works can speak as plain as words , and deny god , and unsay what a deceitful tongue hath said . . if these persons in question do not thus deny christ by their works , or do not profess , to be no christians , then either it is because ungodliness is consistent with christianity , or doth not comprehend or imply infidelity , or else because the [ notoriousness ] of this ungodliness is no profession . the first cannot be said : for . as godliness in a christian sense comprehendeth christianity , and even the true acknowledgement of the god-head it self ; so ungodliness containeth the disowning of god and the refusing of all true love of him , or seeking him as our end , and it comprizeth in it the refusal of christ to bring us back to god , and of the spirit to conform our souls and lives to his will. as therefore god is the ultimate end , and christ as mediator but the means or way ; and as loving god is a more excellent duty than believing in christ in it self considered , so ungodliness which is contrary to the love of god , is a greater sin than unbelief in it self , as to jesus christ the mediator : yea and ever containeth this unbelief as its second and lower part , though it be denominated from the opposition to god , as the greater part of the sin . . however no man will deny but that they are concomitant , and that every ungodly man is an unbeliever . . yea as ungodliness is contrary to our subjection to the lord redeemer , it is a real part of infidelity it self . i may well conclude therefore that to be notoriously ungodly , is to be notoriously no christian , but an unbeliever . . and that this notoriousness is a certain profession , is evident . for . the mind is declared by it : christ himself telleth us that out of the heart come murthers , adulteries , &c. and out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh . if you say , men may do such and such things against their will , i answer , . then they are not notoriously ungodly ; if they do not notoriously shew their wilfulness . . the will hath the command of the outward man. . and as it declareth the mind , so doth it certainly declare it . for first , else still it were not notorious ungodliness . . words may be easier counterfeited than deeds , especially the scope of a mans life . . and hence it is that the lord jesus himself when he comes to judgement , will try more by deeds than verbal profession , and will reject such professions when they are contradicted by evil actions , as mat. . not every one that saith unto one lord , lord , shall enter into the kingdom of heaven , but he that doth the will of my father . mat. . christ will convince those by their not feeding , cloathing , &c. his members , that they were no true believers , who still go about to justifie themselves . and they that shall say , lord have not we eat , drunk , &c. cast out devils , & preacht in thy name ; shall be answered with a depart from me ye workers of iniquity , i know you not . men shall all be judged according to their works . it is clear then that notorious ungodliness is a profession or signification of the very mind and will : yea and a profession most certain ; for it cannot be dissembled . he that is notoriously ungodly is most certainly no true christian : but the profession which this contradicteth , is not so certain ; nay it is most certainly false . so that as god doth , so man must take mens works and lives for a discovery of their mind , and judge them by it . i have stood the larger on this , because that profession of christianity is the common title that is pleaded for such persons ; and therefore i have shewed that they are not to be reputed for credible professors . if it be not a probable sign , it is not to be taken for a valid profession : but words contradicted by the notorious tenor of the life , are no probable sign , but these works are a certain sign of the contrary . ergo. if any man yet do think that any words , though not probably signifying the mind , are a valid profession , and to be taken for a title ; then it will follow , that if a man should laugh in your face , and foretel you that he will come and make a profession in scorn of christ , or if he tell you that though he speak such words , it is not from his heart , but through fear , or to get some honour with men ; or if when he baptized his child in the name of christ , he tell you that he intendeth not that he shall serve him ; or if he say of himself he will baptized in tht name of the father , son and holy ghost , and renounce the world , flesh and devil , but he intendeth not to stand to it , nor to do as he promiseth , &c. any of these must be taken for a profession , and this man for a christian : which no wise man i think will affirm . if an affirmation presently contradicted by words as express and certain , be not to be taken for a profession , then much less is an affirmation more certainly contradicted by the tenor of the life , yea and too oft by professed impenitency . the sum is this , we must not baptize him into the name of the father , son , and holy ghost ( or his children for his faith ) who we are sure doth not believe in the father , son , and holy ghost : but such is every notorious ungodly man , ergo . or we must not baptize him ( or his child ) as a christian , that certainly dec●areth himself to be none . but so doth , &c ergo. so much of the fourth argument . arg. . we must not baptize those that certainly declare to us that they repent not ( nor any for their sakes : ) but all notorious ungodly men do certain●y declare that they repent not , ( unless equivocally : ) ergo. the major is proved , in that repentance is a necessary condition in him that hath right to baptism before ●od ; and the profession of it necessary to him that we mu●● baptize . the apostles r●quired it . the minor needeth no proof i think . arg. . we must not bap●ize him ( or any for his sak● ) that will not renounce the world , flesh , and the d●vil ; o● that declareth certainly that he will not renounce th●m at that time . but such are all notorious ungodly men . therefore the church hath ever required this in baptism . arg. . we may not baptize those whom we notoriously know to be at present uncapable of receiving remission of sins : ( for that is the use of the ordinance according to gods institution . ) but such are all the notoriously ungodly . therefore i need not here , i suppose , with those i deal with , answ●r the antinomian's objection from rom. . of justifying the ungodly . i have said enough to that against lud. colvinus , and others . arg. . men that be notoriously unfit for marriage with christ , to be solemnized , are unfit by us to be baptized , ( or any for them : ) but such are all the notoriously ungodly , ergo , &c. arg. . we may not baptize those that we know do notoriously dissemble in making the baptismal covenant . but such are all notoriously ungodly , ergo , &c. arg. . we may not give him the seal of the righteousness of faith , who notoriously declareth that he hath not that righteousness . but such are all notoriously ungodly , ergo , &c. arg. . from matth. . , . before we baptize men , ( or any for their sakes ) we must see in probability that they are made disciple . but so are not the notoriously ungodly . ergo , &c. arg. . those that we must baptize ( or any for their sakes ) must seem to believe with all their hearts , acts . . and to receive the word gladly , acts . . , . and to believe with a saving faith , mark. . , . acts . , ● , . but so do not any that are notoriously ungodly . ergo. these texts and many such like are our directory whom to baptize . arg. . from cor. . . else were your children unclean ] if one of the immediate parents be not a believer , their children are unclean , and consequently not to be baptized . but notorious ungodly ones are not believers . ergo . as they must be believers , that they may have right , and be holy : so must they seem believers , that they may seem to have right , and so be baptized by us warrantably . but such seem not to have faith , who are notorio●sly ungodly . it is objected that this text determineth of one way of covenant-right to infants , but doth not thereby deny all other . answ. . it is peremptory in the negative [ else were your children unclean ] as well as in the affirmative [ but now are they holy. ] . it therefore excludeth expresly all other wayes of interest in the covenant by birth-priviledge : else how could that negative be true ? but i confess it doth not exclude all means else of an after acquisition or reception of covenant-right : for he that is born unclean , may become by purchase or contract the child of a believer ▪ or at age may believe himself ; and then he ceaseth to be unclean . . at least it seems yielded by th●m , that if both parents be unbelievers , the child can have no right a● theirs or on the●r account . it s objected that this was true of the corinthians , whose ancestors ●ere infidels ▪ and thems●lves the first converts , their children were unclean , if one of them were not a believer ▪ but it holdeth not of them that had pious ancestors . answ. . this yieldeth the point which is now in question , that is , that on their parents account , such children have no right . . it contradicteth the apostle's express affirmation , who saith that [ they are unclean : ] which can extend to no less than the denyal of holiness by b●rth-priviledge . . noah was the progenitor remote of those corinthians ; and he was not unclean . yet that makes not them holy : else no man shoul'd be unholy . arg. . rom. . the israelites and their children with them , are broken off because of unbelief . therefore notorious unbelievers , and their children , are to be judged as no church-members , nor to be baptized . and that all notorious ungodly ones , are notorious unbelievers , i have proved , and may yet refute the ordinary objections to the contrary . arg. . we may not lawfully baptize those children for their parents sake , whose parents are ipso jure excommunicated from the society of christians as such , or are justly to be pronounced no members of the universal church visible or invisible . but all notoriously ungodly are in one of these ranks . ergo. to explain my meaning in this argument , observe . that i take not the common doctrine for true , that a particular political or organized church , or incorporated society of christians , is a meer homogeneal part of the universal visible church : all the universal church doth not consist of such societies , no more than all this common-wealth doth consist of corporations . for a particular church , is as a particular body-corporate ; and all the members of the universal are not so : though all ought to be so that can attain it , yet all cannot attain it , and all do not what they ought : even in an army a souldier may be lifted by a general officer into the army in general , long before he is placed in any regiment or troop ; yea there are some that are messengers , and for other employments , that are not to be of any regiment . so sometime a man is baptized , as the eunuch , before he be entred into any particular church , perhaps long : and some were of churches which are dissolved , and stay long before they can joyn themselves to others ▪ and some live as merchants , in a moveable travelling , condition : and some are bound for the good of the common-wealth to be embassadors , or agents , or factors , &c. resident among infidels , where is no church : and some may be called to preach up and down among infidels for their conversion , as the apostles did , and fix themselves to no particular church : and some may be too ignorant or neglective of their duty in incorporating with any : and some upon infirmity and scrupulosity hold off . so that its apparent that all the visible church is not thus incorporated into particular churches . . i do firmly believe that baptism as baptism , doth list , enter , or admit us only into the universal church directly , and not into any particular church ; but yet consequentially it oft doth both : and as the parent is , so is it supposed that the infant is . if the parent live an itinerant life , and bring his child to baptism , that child is entered into the universal church only , except he leave the child resident in any particular church , and desire it may be a member of it : but if the parent be a member of a particular church , when we baptize his child , we receive it first into the universal church , and then into that particular ( as an imperfect member : ) for we justly suppose it is the parents desire , which is it that determineth this case . . i firmly believe that the common opinion is an error , that all that are cast out of a particular church , are cast out of the universal . . yea , or that he that is put out of one particular incorporated church , must be avoided by all other such churches . . yet do i believe that it is a worse error to say that all that are cast out of one such church , may be received into communion by other churches , or single christians . . i do therefore distinguish of such exclusion as we commonly call excommunication , or casting out of churches , or suspending from communion . . as to the ground and cause of the exclusion . . as to the terminus ad quem , or the in quantum , or intended effect of the exclusion . . it is one thing to be excluded on a cause that is supposed exclusive of christianity it self : and another thing to be excluded on a cause that supposeth him uncapable of the priviledge of all incorporated churches : and a third thing to be excluded on a cause that makes men uncapable of member-ship with that one church only , or some particulars , and not all . . so as to the effect , it is one thing to be excluded from the number of christians as such ; another thing to be excluded from all incorporated churches as such : and a third thing to be excluded from one particular church only , or some more on the like ground that are in the like case . besides all this , i distinguish between an exclusion upon the certain nullitie of the title ; and a suspension while the title is under tryall , upon a just occasion of questioning it . from hence i hold as followeth . . that there may be just reason to cast a man out of a particular church , who yet is not denied to joyn with other particular churches . for example , if a member of this particular church hold me to be no true minister , and that he may not communicate with me , supposing him to mistake ; or if he hold it his duty to contradict the doctrine and practice of infant-baptism , or the like , he may make himself utterly uncapable of communion with this church , who yet may be capable of communion with other churches . the like oft falls out where churches differ about lesser doctrines or ceremonies , or ordination of pastors ; a man that will in a troubling zeal suppose himself bound to be a continual disquiet to that church where the occasion is , may be cast out from that , and uncapable of joyning with any of that same opinion and way , and not with others that are of his own way and opinion . . a man may be cast out of a particular incorporated church as such , and consequently be at present uncapable of being a member of any such particular church on earth , and yet not be cast out of the universal visible church , or number of christians , much less of the invisible . as for example : if a man hold and maintain that there are no true ministers in office in any particular church on earth by reason of an interruption in the succession of ordination ; that man is become uncapable of being a member of any such church : and yet while he holdeth the whole doctrine of christianity besides , and openly professeth it , and supposeth that private gifted-men may teach and baptize , he may still be a vi●ible christian , and therefore not fit to be cut off from the universal church of christians . so in any the like case . quer. whether this be not the case of those that place all church-power in the major vote of the people , so that the church must be governed only by such vote , and the pastor is but the mouth of the people , to act according to their vote ? whether men of this judgement , declaring and professing it , be capable of being members of any true incorporated church on earth ( though they may be members of such societies as their own , of humane invention , contrary to the word , and to the very essence of a true political church . ) . i also distinguish between the excluding of a man from communion as no true christian , and excluding him as a scandalous or infectious christian. as it was one thing for the jews to remove the dead , and another to remove a leper from the camp . and i suppose that . ordinarily we are not to exclude any from our communion for a scandalous sin openly repented of . . yet it is possible that it may be of so hainous a nature , that for the credit of religion , and the avoiding of all occasion of reproach by those without , it is not meet to admit such an offender into our communion , till after some convenient time and larger manifestation of our disowning their crime , and of their extraordinary repentance of it . but this is but temporary . . it is possible also that a man may have such an itching zeal to propagate a false opinion , though consistent with christianity , that we may be bound to exclude him our actual communion , to avoid the infection of the church : as also that his crime may so induce others to imitation , that though it be consistent with christianity , we must exclude him as an infectious leper , because a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump . . i conceive that an open apostate needs no decisive sentential excommunication , but only declarative . we cut off no man from christ , but declare who they be that cut off themselves from that christianity which they seemed to have . . yet i conceive that an actual apostate , that is not totally an infidel , but renounceth only some parts of the essentials of christianity , and is loath to confess himself no christian , and will intrude into the communion of christians , whether to avoid shame , or disquiet of conscience , or danger , &c. i say , such a one is the fittest object for the sentence of highest excommunication , even from the number of christians , supposing him notoriously to be such . as if a man should call himself a christian , and thrust into their communion , and yet maintain , that christ is but a prophet , such as mahomet ; or as the arrians , that he is not god , or that there is no resurrection or life to come , or that there is no holy ghost ; or that christ is not to be obeyed when the flesh is against it ; and that every man may live the life that best pleaseth his flesh ; or that he himself will obey his flesh before christ , or not let go his sin for the hopes of glory , at the command of god. among these i reckon a notorious ungodly man , who will in words call himself a christian , but by a more certain discovery make known that indeed he is none . here the church is not only to declare him none , but to sentence him none : for a meer declaration supposeth not a controversie , but a sentence or decision doth : and his vain pretence and unjust intrusion made it a controversie , as between him and the church , though to the church the case be notorious . this man then is cast out as no-christian : when i conceive that such a man as david , solomon , &c. ( were they now with us ) while they lay in that sin , should be removed from actual communion , as lepers , or scandalous christians , or ( at most ) as such as have given us reason to question their godliness . . there is also a threefold suspension : the first is from some special act or part of communion only , ( as the sacrament of the lords supper ) during the time of a mans just tryal . a duty not being at all times a duty , it is meet that he forbear while he is under such tryal , who hath given just occasion of suspicion and accusation . i mean here , only the tryal whether they are guilty of the fault that they are accused of or not . this suspension is not penal , but the orderly doing of duties . another suspension is , when the crime is confest , or proved . and the only thing in doubt is , whether the person be penitent or impenitent ? supposing the crime an heinous scandal , the person may be excluded all special communion ; with this limitation , till they manifest repentance . and this is the most common censure , i think , that the church hath use for . the third sort of suspension is , that before-mentioned , when though we are satisfied of the persons repentance , yet the heinousness of the crime , or the scandalousness and occasion of reproach to the enemy , or the infectiousness , may necessitate us to delay his re-admission . in these two later there is somewhat of excommunication ▪ mixt with the suspension : in the former , not so . in these two later , we judge the person to have no right at that time to enjoy communion , because no aptitude to possess it ; but not that he hath lost all right to future communion . but yet his right will not be plenary for the future , unless he repent and get an aptitude for communion . bu● if we cast out a man as no true christian , then we deny him to have any right for the future ; that is , his chief title is null , and he must have a new title , as the foundation of his right , before he can have any right : whereas the scandalous christian hath his fundamental title still ; but only hath a barr put in his way from present possession . i have been the larger on this , that you may fully know the meaning of the argument ; and on what ground all objections are to be answered . and now you see that i speak not of every sort of excommunication here , but only that which justly excludeth from all christian communion , as christian : and not that which excludeth only from any or all particular churches ( though of this last i suspend my determination ) ; and i speak not of meer suspension at least , of the first or third sort . indeed my opinion is this ▪ . that all so excommunicated can give their children no right to baptism ( nor be fit mediums of the conveyance of it ) . that all justly suspended from communion of christians , till they manifest repentance , having given the church great cause strongly to suspect them of utterly graceless impenitency , should have their children , who are born while they are in that condition , suspended from baptism ( unless they have a better right than from them . ) lastly note that i mention , not only actual excommunication by sentence , but excommunication ipso jure : for if it be excommunication , all 's one ; and the later the most unquestionable . i now prove the major thus : if such infants cannot receive union and communion with the universal church , on the account of their parents interest , then neither can they receive baptism on that account . but the antecedent is certain ; which i prove thus : such parents cannot be the means of conveying that to their children , which they have not themselves . but they have no such union and communion themselves ; ergo. i know in some cases ( as in working grace on others ) a man may be a means of effecting that in another which he hath not himself . but that it is not so here , i think will be granted ; for the parents right is all the condition ( in question now ) of the childs right : and it is only this kind of conveyance that we mean. the consequence needs no proof : to be baptized , is to be put into union and communion with the visible church . ( this is one inseparable use of it : ) therefore he that cannot be a fit medium to convey one , cannot for the other . for the father and mother to be put out , or judged out , and yet the child taken into the same body as a branch of them , and on their account , is plainly to do and undo , and contradict our selves . to this it is said by some , that an excommunicate man loseth but his jus inre , and not adrem ; and retaineth still his fundamental right ; and therefore as to this , is still a church-member : he is but suspended from present benefit , and not cut off from all title . to which i answer ; . if this be true of all excommunicate persons , then is it impossible so much as by a declarative excommunication , to cut off any from the universal church : if a man maintain that christ is neither god , nor redeemer , but a prophet , second to moses or mahomet , and yet will call himself a christian , and usurp communion , if we cast him out , he hath still a fundamental right . can any man have a fundamentall righ● , that denyeth any fundamental truth ? but if any will say , that this is not excommunication , but declaring or judging a man to be an apostate : i reply , rather than we will differ about the name , call it what you please , as long as you know what we mean. he that notoriously sheweth that he hath not christ , hath no fundamental right . whether matth. . and thes. . . cor. . speak of this or that sort of excommunication , is little to our question . it is further objected , [ either the excommunicate persons sin divests the child , or the churches censure . but neither ; ergo , &c. not the former : for no sin but that of nature descends to posterity : man transmits not his personal vices , fault or guilt , no more than his graces . ] answ. as if the question had been about divesting a child of a right which he had before , and not rather of the conveying of a right which he had not . we suppose the child born after the parents are excommunicate : and had that child a right be●ore he had a be●ng ? and so before it could be any subject of right , you talk of uncloathing him that was born naked and never cloathed . we rather suppose that the new-born child must then receive a right from the excommunicate parent , or have none : and therefore conclude it hath none , unless on some other interest then theirs . it is further objected as to the censure , [ i never read that church-censures were like that plague laid on gehazi , to cleave to him and his seed : see deut. . ] answ. church censures deprive not the child of any right that it had ; for we suppose it unborn : but they shew the father to be in an incapacity of conveying it that right which it never had . i say therefore to your argument , the sin of the parent preventeth the childs right ; and the church censure declareth and judgeth it so prevented and on your grounds and arguing , why may not you say that the child of every turk and indian on earth hath right ? for their parents did no more divest them of it than these ; and their sins can no more be transmitted . but though it be not necessary to be asserted , to the upholding of the present cause , yet i must tell you that i believe that parents transmit more of their sin than of their graces to posterity ; and i am somewhat confident that you say what you can never prove , and deny a guilt which it better beseemed you to acknowledge and lament . next to the proof of the minor of the main argument , viz. [ that notoriously ungodly persons are excommunicated from the society of christians , as such , ipso jure ; or are to be pronounced no members of the universal church , ] to be excommunicate ipso jure , is when the law is so express , and so fully applyeth it self to the case of the offending person , that there may or must be an execution of it by the people , though there do no sentence of the judge intervene ; when the plainness of the law , and the notoriousness of the case may warrant an execution without judgement . and that it is so here , i prove thus . the case is supposed notorious , and the law is plain , and commandeth all men to execute it , whether there be any judgement or not : therefore such are ipso jure , excommunicate . . in a lower sort of excommunication , the meer law may require our execution without a sentence : therefore much more in a grosser and plainer case . we must not eat with the scandalous , . cor. . . we must avoid them that cause division , rom. . . we must note such men as are disobedient , and have no company with them , that they may be ashamed : yea , we are flatly commanded in the name of our lord jesus christ , that we withdraw our selves from every brother that walketh disorderly , thes. . , . all this we must do , though no ecclesiastical judge do sentence them , when the case is notorious . we must reject a known heretick after the first and second admonition : we must turn away from wicked livers , though they have a form of godliness , tim. : . . concerning those that are not christians : we are bid come out from among them , and separate our selves , and touch no unclean thing , cor. . , for what communion hath light with darkness , and christ with belial , or a believer with an infidel ? ver . . we have the estates of infidels , apostates and ungodly men described to us , and we must judge them to be as they undoubtedly appear to be , and use them accordingly . john bids a woman , that [ if any come to them and bring not this doctrine , receive him not into your house , neither bid him god speed : for he that bideth him god speed , is partaker of his evil deeds . ] here is an excommunication ipso jure : for he doth not name the persons , but leave them to discern them , and execute according to evidence . and these seem to be persons much in the case as now we have to do with : such as professed themselves christians in name , and yet denied the fundamentals , and lived wickedly : v. . , . of ep. . [ mary deceivers are entered into the world , who confess not that jesus christ is come in the flesh . this is a very deceiver , and antichrist ; whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of christ hath not god. ] whether this was written to a lady , or a church , whether of the gnosticks or other sect , it differs not much as to our case . also god calls all his people , whom it did concern , to come out of babylon , that they pertake not of her sins , & receive not of her plagues , rev. . . but i need not prove , i hope , that we are not of the same body with known unbelievers ; and that unbelieving expresseth as small , if not a smaller evil than ungodliness , and is comprehended in it , i have already manifested : and it s known that we are to shun the company of a wicked man , that will take on him the name of a christian brother , more then of an unbeliever that pretendeth not to be one of us : for with the later we may eat , cor. . though we may not communicate with him in his false worship ( ver . . , , , . ) but with the former we may not . and whether the ungodly be any more of our body , or fit for our communion than infidels that so profess themselves in words , let scripture judge . when god separateth his own people from others , it is not only as from unbelevers , but he most freqently giveth the reason from their pollutions ; so that it is from them as from the unclean . lev. . i am the lord your god which have separated you from other people : ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean , &c. which i have separated from you as unclean : and ye shall be holy unto me ; for i the lord am holy , and have severed you from other people , that ye should be mine ] so answerable hereunto all gods people under the gospel are called saints as well as believers : and paul tels all the corinthians , not only that they are changed from infidelity to faith , but [ such were some of you ( that is , wicked livers ) ; but ye are washed , ye are sanctified , ye are justified , in the name of the lord jesus , and by the spirit of our god , cor. . ] and he is blinde that seeth not how in all the ceremonial institutions of moses , which were types of christs cleansing his church , the lord doth most eminently declare his purity , and hatred of sin , and the necessity of holiness and purity in his people , as well as the necessity of pardon by christ : answerable whereunto in the gospel , christ is as eminently declared the sanctifier as the pardoner of men : he saveth his people from their sins , themselves ; and washeth , and sanctifieth , and cleanseth his church , that he may present it spotless to god. lev. . . & . , , , &c. neh. . . & . . & . . ezr. . . exod. . . lev. . . & . throughout . & . & . num. . isa. . . the gospel-church is accordingly described : put on thy beautiful garments , o jerusalem the holy city : for henceforth then shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and unclean ] ezek. . . [ her priests have violated my law , and profaned my holy things : they have put no difference between the holy and profane , neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean . ] ezek. . . jer. . . [ if thou wilt take forth the pretious from the vile , thou shalt be as my mouth ; let them return to thee , but return not thou to them . eph. . . cor. . . ezek. . . i think it is clear , that those whom paul describeth , tim. . are to be avoided by all christians , as not in the christian body : and he describeth them by their unholiness , and particular vices ; and saith of their teachers , that they are [ men of corrupt minds , reprobate concerning the faith ] ; yet have their disciples a form of godliness . and doubtless [ reprobates concerning the faith ] if so known , are not to be numbred with christians . those from whom we are to be separated here and hereafter , are stiled oft [ the vngodly ] psal. . and as in some places the distinction is between believers and vnbelievers , so in others , between the righteous and wicked or ungodly , pet. . , . where all these are descriptions of the same men , [ ungodly and sinners ] , such as are not of the house of god [ men that know not god ] and it was the world of the vngodly that god brought the flood upon ; and to be an example to those that after should live ungodly , was sodom and gomorrah destroyed , pet. . , . and john tell us , that in this the children of god are known from the children of the devil ; he that doth wickedness is not of god. note well the description of these , jude . on one side they pretended to be christians , for they are said to be [ crept in ] among them ; [ to turn the grace of god into lasciviousness ; ] they were [ spots in their feasts , clouds without water , carried about of winds , without fruit , twice dead ] vers . . it is apparent then that they were baptized ones . yet the apostle excludeth them from the very number of christians , calling them [ twice dead , plucked up by the roots , men that denyed the only lord god , and our lord jesus christ , ver . . . ] and the desciption of them , is , that they are ungodly hereticks , that taught and practised ungodliness : as you may see , ver . , , , , , , , . walking after their own ungodly lusts , sensual , having not the spirit , of whom enoch prophesied , saying . behold the lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints , to execute judgement on all , and to convince all that are ungodly , of all their ungodly deeds , which they have ungodly committed . ] and [ the wrath of god is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who imprison the truth in unrighteousness , rom. . . ] if rom. & . speak of baptized persons turned hereticks , as some expositors judge , then they are put in as vile a character , and as distant from christians , as heathens are . it is the world as distinct from the church that , lie in wickedness ▪ jo. . . psal. . . to the wicked saith god , what hast thou to do to declare my statutes , or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth , seeing thou hatest instruction , and castest my word behind thee ? ] the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the lord , prov. . . so then must his false promising in baptism . so prov. . . . whatever they may say with their mouths for god , and christ , and the faith , yet [ the transgression of the wicked saith within my heart , that there is no fear of god b●fore his e●s , ] ps. . . and david could see by the life of the fool , that he saith in his heart , there is no god : even when they do evil , and not good , and hate the people of god , and call not upon god , psa. . see mal. . . church censures are , as tertul. speaks , praejudiciū futuri judicii and therefore must go on the grounds of gods judgment ; which is [ to sever the wicked from the just , mat. . . ] and that according to works ▪ & not meer words , as was said before , eccl. . . prov. . . we are not to gather those into the church , whom we know to be far from god , and he putteth away : but such are wicked . psal. . . thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like dross , . ver . salvation is far from the wicked ; they are estranged from the womb , psal . . acts . . every soul that wil not hear that prophet shal be destroyed frō among the people . all these passages , with multitudes more , shew that the name of a christian unworthily usurped , maketh not a notorious ungodly man to be in any capacity of a better esteem with god or the church , or any good men therein , than are openly professed infidels , especially that want the means which they enjoy : for all this pretence of theirs can give us no probability of any more then a superficial assent , less then that of the devils , and this is but knowing their masters will , which prepareth these rebels to be beaten with many stripes . and should that which makes them the greater sinners , give them right of admittance into the church ? it is agustines argument . lib de fide & oper . . the case is yet more clear that such are excommunicated ipso jure , when we consider that it is far more usual for gods law to serve without a sentence , then mans : most of the matters of our lives are there determined to our hand , and we must obey the law , whether there be any judgement of man to intervene , or not : god hath not left so much to the judicial decision of man , as humane laws do . it is a great doubt whether there be any power , properly decisive-judicial in the church-guides or not ? but doubtless , it is more limitedly and imperfectly decisive than is the power of judges in the matters of the commonwealth . so that if all the rulers in the church should forbear to censure notorious apostates , hereticks , ungodly ones , yea if they all command us to hold communion with them , because they call themselves christians , we are nevertheless bound to disobey them , and to avoid such as to religious communion : for else we should obey man against god , who hath directed many of these precepts to all christians , and not only to the governours of the church . if the guides will suffer the woman jezabel to teach and seduce , and the nicolaitans to abide among them , whom for their filthiness god did hate , it is the peoples duty for all that to avoid them , if they will be guiltless . yea cyprian tels the people that it belongs to them to forsake and to reject an unworthy minister that is by others set over them , or doth intrude . i conclude therefore that as all christians must ( beyond dispute ) use an open infidel as such , though it belong not to the church to judge them that are without , because the law here serves turn without a judgement , the case being past controversie : so also a notorious ungodly man , though pretending to christianity , and entertained by the church , is to be avoided by every good christian , as being ipso jure excommunicated by god. most of the objections that i have heard against this , are from men that not understanding this phrase of excommunication ipso jure , through their unacquaintedness with law-terms , have supposed that we meant no more but de jure , or that they merited excommuication , or it was their due : but ipso jure means ex vi solius legis , sine sententia judicis : its common for legislators in several cases , either where judges or other officers are needless , or cannot be had , or may not be staid for , to enable the subject to do execution , without any more judgement . and so we are bound to avoid such notorious ungodly ones , as being as notoriously no christians . . but if all this were unproved , yet still it is sufficient to our purpose in hand , that the church-guides are at present bound to excommunicate them . and sure they cannot at one and the same time be bound to cast out him and take in his child upon his right into the number of christians . it s objected , the excommunicate are members under cure . ans. those that are but pro tempore suspended from some particular acts or parts of communion , are so ; and those that are only cast out of an incor●orated church , and not the universal , or from among christians as christians . but for the rest that are so cast out , the case is otherwise . many different acts of the church , and cases of the persons , are usually confounded under this one word [ excommunication . ] object . austin complains of one that had excommunicated one classicanus , and with him his whole family ; which he dislikes , because the son must not suffer for the fathers sin . answ. what is this to our business ? we plead not for excommunicating any child for the parents sin ; but for not admitting them at first into communion , when the parents have lost their right , and the child is born after . . what if by the law of the land a traitors estate be forfeit ? if his heir therefore receive not that which he could not give him because he had lost it , will you say that this is contrary to gods ordination , that the son shall not suffer for the parents sin ? the son may yet have some priviledge , from a father , which he could not have , were that father an infidel or excommunicate person ; and therefore all the world have not the same priviledges as the church . so much of that argument . arg. . those whom we may justly baptize ( supposing them of age and natural capacity ) we may justly admit to the lords supper while they are no worse than they were at baptism . but we may not admit a notorious ungodly person to the lords supper : therefore we may not justly baptize such : and consequently , not their children upon their account . the major is plain : no church-member ought to be kept from church-communion in the lords supper , but upon some just accusation of a crime which he is since guilty of , more than he was at his admittance . but the baptized are church members . ergo , &c. it is by one objected , that this is the anabaptists argument ( or one to this purpose ) to keep out infants , because they are not to be admitted to the lords supper . answ. that is for want of natural capacity to use the ordinance ; and not for want of a right , if they had such capacity . but for men at age , i suppose it past doubt that you may admit them to the supper on the same qualifications as to state worthiness , on which you may admit them to baptism . object . the baptized are incipientes ; the communicants proficientes ; therefore there must be more in all communicants then is requisite in the baptized . answ. there ought to be more , because they ought to grow in grace . but . it is not requisite that they be in any other state then the baptized : nor . is it absolutely necessary that they have any further degree of grace . for . the lords supper is the means of increasing grace , and doth not ever suppose it encreased . . the apostles admitted the new baptized into their communion , to breaking of bread and prayer presently , act. . and . indeed there is requisite in the receiving , and before , thoughts suitable to that ordinance , according to its difference from other ordinances ; and so there is in each ordinance according to its nature : and in that sense , as to some acts , it s as true that there is somewhat more required also in baptism , then in receiving the lord supper . but that 's nothing to the case . the minor is granted me by almost all , on supposition that we can have a classis to exclude the offender : and many grant that every minister may suspend one from the lords supper in this case , by forbearing his own act . i wonder how so palpable a mistake did come to be so common with wise men , as that a single pastor ( at least when he is the sole governor of that church ) may not exclude on just occasions ? doubtless they may without a classis take in men into the universal church ( for a classis was not called for every mans baptism : ) therefore if one man may be the sole ruler of a particular church ( of which there 's little reason to doubt ) why may he not do the office of a ruler ? but there 's much to be said for this on a fitter occasion . see gilesp . aarons rod. l. . c. . pag. . the last consequence i take for granted , on what is said before , and the meer nothing that is said against it ; viz. that if the parents be in such a state in which they may not be admitted to baptism , were it then to do , then may not the children be admitted on their right or interest , because they are to come in as theirs . argu. . those that are notoriously the children of the devil , may not be baptized , nor their infants on their account ; but the notoriously ungodly are notoriously the children of the devil : ergo. i prove the major : . baptism is ordained to admit all the baptized to be visible children of god : those that are notoriously the children of the devil , cannot be admitted to be ( at that time ) the visible children of god. therefore they may not be baptized . for the proof of the major , see gal , . , , . for ye are all the children of god by faith in christ jesus : for as many of you as have been b●ptized into christ , have put on christ : and if ye be christ's , then are ye abrahams seed , and heirs according to promist . the minor is plain . for the minor of the main argument , see john . , , , . let no man deceive you ; he that doth righteousness is righteous : he that committeth sin is of the devil . in this the children of god are manifest , and the children of the devil . whosoever doth not righteousness is not of god. — ] this text proves also the inconsistencie of these two estates . argu. . he that will not be christs servant , may not be baptized ( nor others on his account ) but notorious ungodly ones , while such will not be christs servants . ergo. &c. the major is proved , in that it is part of christianity in the essence of it : he is to be believed in , and accepted as lord and king : all his subjects are his servants . the minor is proved from rom. . . know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey , his servants ye are to whom ye obey ? whether of sin unto death , or of obedience unto righteousness . argu. . he that will not hear christ as the prophet of the church , may not be baptized : but notorious ungodly ones will not hear christ as the prophet of the church : therefore ought not to be baptized : ( nor any on their account . ) the major is proved , in that it is part of christianity : and to be baptized into his name , is to take him as our prophet . . such should be cut off , acts , . . ( mr. gilespie and others expound moses cutting off , of excommunication : ) therefore not admitted in such a condition . argu. . if notoriously ungodly baptized parents are notoriously uncapable of presenting and dedicating their children to christ , & covenanting with him on their behalf , then are they notoriously uncapable of interesting their children in the covenant or baptism ( or , then may we not baptize them on their account ) but the antecedent is true ; as i prove thus . . a man that notoriously refuseth to accept of christ himself , and to take him as he is offered , to covenant truly with him , is notoriously uncapable of doing the same on the behalf of another : for he that hath no true faith for himself , cannot have it for his child : ( though perhaps he may be content that his child let go some sins for christ , which he cannot spare himself . ) but , &c. ergo. . he that is , notoriously a perfidious breaker of his own verbal covenant , is while such , uncapable of covenanting with christ for another . for such a mans word is not to be taken ; he hath forfeited his credit , till he repent and return to his fidelity : but such are all the notorious ungodly . ergo. &c. the consequence of the main argument , is clearly good , because he that brings any child to be baptized , must covenant for it with christ ; for it is a mutual covenant that must be entered in baptism . the child cannot consent or covenant by it self , therefore it must do it by others , and that must be those that present it , as having right on their account : and he that is not willing for himself , cannot consent for another . argu. . from the second commandment , with all those other texts that express gods differencing the seed of the wicked and godly . if it be gods will that there shall be visible notes of his displeasure on the children of the notoriously ungodly , as theirs , in comparison of the children of the godly , then we ought not to baptize them . but the antecedent is true ; therefore so is the consequent . here note , . that we speak not of any children of ungodly men , who at age renounce their parents waies , and themselves fear god ( of whom ezek. . speaks : ) but only of them , while infants , and as theirs . . in the antecedent i mean that god hath so visibly noted out the children of the notoriously ungodly , as such , to lie under his displeasure , that he would have the church and all take notice of it , and esteem of them accordingly . the reason of the consequent is , because baptizing puts them among those that are visibly under gods favour , the church being called the body of christ , the house of the living god , &c. but those that be visibly from under his special favour , should not be put into such a body . the antecedent i prove . from the second commandment : where note . that the parties differenced are the posterity of them that hate god on one side , and on the other those that love him and keep his commandments : not only between professors of faith , or of infidelity , but between godly and ungodly : it being usual in scripture to call the ungodly haters of god , and justly ; and it is those that love him not , and keep not his commandments , that are called haters of him . . note , that it is a visible mark of his favour which he there putteth on the seed of the godly , from whence we may well gather their church-membership , as i have shewed elsewhere . therefore it is a visible note of his disfavour which he putteth on the notoriously ungodly ; from whence we may gather that they are not to be visible church-members . . note also that this is in the decalogue , and a standing determination of god , and not ceremonial or transitorie . note also how the scripture all along concurs . the seed of cain are called the children of men , though its like they acknowledged god to be their maker , who might have heard adam tell them of the creation . and indeed it is ungodliness and wickedness that god drowned the world for . yet are these children of cain as an excommun●cate brood , whom the children of god might not joyn with . the infants of all the wicked of the world are drowned with their parents in the flood : the infants of sodom and gomorrah are destroyed with their parents , who are said by jude to suffer the vengeance of eternal fire , as an example ( not of original sin ) but to those that after should live ungodly . the children of the egyptians are destroyed for their parents sins , while israels are preserved . the children of da●han and abiram , and their confederates were swallowed up with them for their rebellion : yet did their parents confess the true god , and were circumcised . achans children were all stoned to death and burned for his sin , josh. . . . it was gods command to israel , that if any city were reduced and drawn away to serve other gods , that city , infants and all should be destroyed , deut. . , . &c. god commanded israel to put to death all the infants of all the nations that were given them for inheritance , deut. . , . which was for the parents abomination . the amalekite's infants must all be slain : so are all the males among the little ones of the midianites , numb . . . the children of daniels accusers are cast into the den of lions , dan. . . and babylones little ones must be dash't against the stones , psal. . . the wicked are cursed in the fruit of their body , yea , it is cursed , deut. . . . . christ would have gathered the children of jerusalem great and small , but did not , because they would not . on that generation he brought all the righteous blood that was shed from abel ; and takes witness from their own mouths , that they were the children of them that killed the prophets . now i think , if the children of the notoriously ungodly lie under gods visible displeasure thus far , they should not by baptism ( as theirs ) be taken into that society that are visibly in his favour , and distinguished from all the world as a peculiar people , a holy priesthood , a royal nation , the children of god , the body and spouse of christ , and the temple of the holy ghost . argu. . that doctrine is not found which confoundeth the catechumeni , as to their description , which the rightfull members of the church . but such is the doctrine that we oppose ; yea worse . for the catechumeni might understand and believe the fundamentals ( which is all the title that these men can produce by their profession : but they were not to be admitted into the church till they had more , even resolutions ( expressed ) to obey : nay , many such without the church had some willingness to learn , and waited long on teaching to that end : but so will not many of these in question . i plead not for any error of the antients , in keeping men from baptism that were fit for it ; but only mention such as were but in preparation to such fitness . argum. . that doctrine is at least much to be suspected , which by contradicting the very natural principles of religion , doth tend strongly to disgrace jesus christ , and tempt the world to infidelity . but such is the doctrine which we oppose . ergo. for the proof of the minor , note , . that it is a natural certain verity , that the righteous lord loveth righteousness , and that he is a hater of sin in whomsoever , and delighteth in that holiness which is his very image ; and that god is no accepter of persons , but in every nation , he that feareth him , and worketh righteousness , is accepted of him . . note , that the doctrine which we oppose , holdeth , that jesus christ doth set so much by the bare believing that he is the son of god , yea the verbal profession of it , and so little by holiness , that if men will but make that profession , let them live how they will , let them be adulterers , murderers of fathers or mothers , perjured to god and man , &c. yet they lose not their right to this priviledge , that even the children of their bodies shall be of the family of christ upon their interest or account : yea though themselves will not so much as soberly promise to amend , yea though they be persecutors of any that would reform them , or any other way notoriously ungodly . doth not this strongly tempt men to imagine that jesus christ came not to cure souls , and bring men back to god , and save them from sin , but to seek himself and his own honor , and that he preferred the acknowledgement of his dignity before the interest of god , and mens souls ? doth it not tempt men to think that christianity is no better than the other religions of the world , when it owneth such monsters as the children of the church ? when we justly condemn a seneca , cicero , fabrit●us , socrates , &c. as miserable for not believing in christ , whom they never heard of ( most of them ; ) and priviledge the children of one worse than nero , surdanapalus , machiavel , and that for the sake of such a parent ▪ and as a member of him , to be in covenant with christ , and of the beloved society , and houshold of faith : in my opinion this will he a horrid stumbling block to those without , and give them such cause to blaspheme our holy profession , as our lord never gave them , who came purposely into the world to destroy the works of the devil , and to bring back revolted man to the holy image and obedience of his maker , and who professed himself but the way to the father , and therefore established and valued faith in himself , but in order to the acknowledgement and love of god , and so of godliness and holiness , as its end and a greater good ; yea that hath purchased us by his blood to a glory which doth consist in the fruition of god , in the perfection of holiness , and hath sent forth his spirit into the souls of men to be in office their sanctifier , and to make such wondrous changes on mens hearts , as shameth all the rest of the religions of the world : yea who hath made his kingdom to consist in righteousness , and peace , and joy in the holy ghost ; and the heavenly wisdom to be first pure , then peaceable , gentle , easie to be entreated , full of mercy and good fruits , and who hath sanctified to himself a peculiar people , zealous of good works , and makes so strict and holy a law to guide them as he hath done . in my opinion , so loose a doctrine should not be pinned on the sleeve of so holy a saviour . argum. . that doctrine and practice is not by good christians to be received , which ( besides the forementioned evidence of scripture ) contradicteth the doctrine and practice of all the primitive church . but such is this . ergo. i admire that grave men among us , and godly , who will stretch their wits to the uttermost to defend that which is the more common opinion of divines of best repute among whom they live , before they will differ from them , can yet make so small a matter of differing from the fathers , and universal consent of the primitive churches , ( as far as we have any means to disprove it . ) that it was their judgement and practice to refuse to baptize any notorious ungodly person , while such , appears past all doubt . . by their requiring a profession of repentance . . and a profession of believing in the father , son and holy ghost , and renouncing the world , the flesh and the devil , and promising a new life . . by their judging the baptized to be in a state of salvation , which was on supposition of their true sanctification . . by their too much care in delaying the catechumeni ( in later times ) lest they should be unmeet . let me recite the testimonies of one or two of our own , and one of those antients , each of the highest authority in the present case . . mr. gilespie , aarons rod. l. . ch . pag. . saith , [ it were a profanation of the sacrament of baptism , to baptize a catechumene , a jew , or a pagan , professing a resolution to turn christian , he being manifestly under the power of abominable reigning sins , and being still a prophane and wicked liver , although he were able to give a sound and orthodox confession of faith. ] from whence he argueth , that therefore the same men are not to be admitted to the lords supper . . spanhemius epist. ad d. buch. pa. . gives three reasons to prove that athrists , epicures , profane men , qui vitam inter flagitia traducunt , & aperte ostendunt se non habere fidem , quâ creditur , nec spiritum sanctificationis secundum ullum ejus gradum , quamdiu in ista impietate perstant , nec poenitentiam tum profitentur tum spondent , may not lawfully be baptized . and our divines commonly say , in baptism we engage our selves to a holy life : those therefore which live not holily are covenant-breakers , and herefore have not right to the benefits of the covenant . see piscat . in mat. . obser. ex v. . . & in mat. . v. . & davenane is col. . . peter martyr in rom. . . zanch. in ephes. . loc . de bapt. cap. thes. . many more i omit . . the doctrine of the antients i have given a touch of elsewhere , as to these points . all that i shall now say is to desire the learned reader ( that hath not done it ) to peruse all over that book of augustine de fide & operibus , which is wholly written on this subject . there were then some christians , whose opinion was , that if a heathen lived in whoredom , when he turned christian , he was not to be refused baptism till he would promise reformation , and would put away his whore ; but because that the apostles baptized upon believing , and required obedience afterward , and works are to be the consequent fruit of faith , therefore the pastor should first baptize them on their profession of faith , and then help them on to obedience afterward . yet were these men so far from imagining that it was not justifying faith that is required to baptism that upon that supposition , they run into another error , which augustine takes to be their worst and the root of the rest ; and that was , that this belief in christ was the foundation , ( meaning a dogmatical faith ) and that an evil life of such baptized believers was but hay and stubble built on the foundation , and such should be saved , though as by fire . against all this augustine wrote that book , and proves that such may neither be saved nor baptized , and that faith is another thing , and obedience of another necessity than they imagined . the reading of this book i expect will do more in this present argument , to perswade most dissenters , than the perusing of all my arguments , because of the authority of augustine , and especially of the church , whose practice he discovereth . if it be said that this concerneth not infants , i answer , i suppose it will be but few that will not by what is said , be perswaded , that no man in an estate unfit for baptism , can convey a right to his infants to be baptized . read also augustin . epist. . ad bonifac. where is much worthy observation . and ad laurent euchrid . c. we come next to answer the chief arguments of the dissenters , which are not already answered in what went before , in way of defence to the several arguments as we propounded them . argum. . the children of notorious ungodly parents had right to circumcision , before christs incarnation : therefore the children of such have right to baptism since . this is the great argument , besides which there is scarce any that hath a shew of difficulty . answ. . it is certain that the fabrick of the jewish politie , especially the grounds and reasons of all gods institutions of those times , are so imperfectly known by us , that it is utterly unfit to reduce so many clear gospel arguments to one dark one from those laws . for it is a most necessary rule , that in all our disquisitions , we must reduce uncertainties to certainties , and not certainties to uncertainties : our argument must be à notioribus ad mi●ùs nota . mr. blake confesseth it very dangerous to argue from meer analog●e , and professeth that he doth not so , but from the ground of the institution : and how dark are those grounds in some cases to us ? . i yet see no proof of the proposition , that then such infants of notoriously ungodly parents had ( on their account ) a right to circumcision . where first note , that we must first denominate men godly or ungodly , as principally in their respect to god himself , so next from their respect to the rule of godliness then in force ; which being not the same in many things then as now it is , godliness was not in the exercise , the same materially then in all things as it is now . the sum of it was , to take the lord that redeemed them from bondage to be their god , and to give themselves in consent to be his people , and obey his laws . now let us see where is their proof of the proposition . they say , all israelites whatsoever were to be circumcised , by right ; i answer , that 's no proof : let us look to the institution , gen. . , , , . and there we shall find , . that the covenant goes before the seal ; and this covenant is , that god will be a god to them , which they were on their parts to take him to be . . this covenant is with abraham and his seed after him . . next follows an injunction that he and his seed do keep gods covenant . . and then is circumcision instituted ( though called the covenant , yet but ) the token of the covenant , as it is called ver . . by all which it appeareth that the seal instituted supposeth the covenant instituted , and the seal applied supposeth the covenant entered , and then by that it is signed between god and them : as if the prince confer such lands and honors on a noble man and his seed in all generations , and require every heir to come , and upon taking the oath of allegiance , to receive the great seal for the confirming of his title : this supposeth that this noble man and all his seed , that expect that benefit , do continue their allegiance ; that for all this grant , if any of them turn traytor , his posterity can receive no right from him , but it is prevented . moreover , it is known that every israelite was oft to renew this covenant with god : yea all the body of the people often together did it in moses daies , and they owned god continually in sacrifices , and other holy worship . moreover consider , that the people at that time seem to be generally or mostly such as were not of the strain that now we are enquiring about , viz. notoriously ungodly . to evidence this , observ. . that they had holy , excellent teachers , moses , aaron , &c. and god among them in signs and wonders . . they were generally zealous in their way of religiousness , which was very costly and laborious in comparison of what is now commonly done . . that they had most strict laws , prohibiting all uncleanness ; yea even ceremonial , to teach them the evil of the greater moral uncleanness . . they are oft called a holy and peculiar people : and god frequently chargeth them to hold to it , and remember that he was a holy and jealous god. . there were more severe penalties then , and less indulgence to offenders then is under the gospel . . even balaam testifieth for them , that god saw not iniquity in jacob , nor transgression in israel ; that is no such idolatry or ungodliness as was among the heathen . . note that the visible sins which they are most at that time accused of , and destroyed for , seem to be but either some particular facts under temptation , or some sad discoveries of their mutabil●y and wavering not in the main ; whether they should renounce their god ( or at least they did not actually and visibly renounce him ) but about his power in a strait and difficult case , or some the like : from which a man could not conclude them notoriously ungodly , though their sin was very great , and god that knew their hearts might discern ungodliness in them , and men might suspect them , and fear the worst . . note also , that even for such particular sins before they could manifest fixed impeni●ency and obstinacy , or a course of ungodliness , god usually let loose against them his jealousie , and by some destroying calamities cut them off . . when the psalm●st doth aggravate their sin psal . and . it is particular sins , and unstedfastness of heart , but still with professions of repentance and returning under their frequent afflictions . . yet i must desire that none here mistake me , as if i would free the israelites from any charge that god layeth on them by his prophets : i speak not now of their times of greatest apostacy and rebellion : and i know that afterward , when the princes and rulers were evil or negligent , then the church must needs be defiled , and the laws of god unexecuted . and perhaps i may mis-interpret some texts of scripture to a more gentle sense then others do , or then is meet : of this let every man judge as he please : it s no time now to call all such texts to account . if any be offended at my charitable thoughts of the body of the jews ( gods only peculiar people on earth ) let them blot out these fore going considerations , or take them as non dicta ; for i lay not the stress of my cause upon them . but the principal thing which i would have observed is this . that by gods political law of this common-wealth , all notorious ungodly persons were to be put to death ; yea , and many far short of that degree . i know it is a controversie among divines , what is meant by all those places , that speak of [ cutting off from his people . ] mr. gilespie with others think it is meant of excommunication . others think it is meant of the magistrates punishing them with death , or gods doing it extraordinarily if the magistrate should be negligent . the main reason brought against this exposition , is , that it seems too bloody . but it must be considered how terrible the law was , and how god designed in it the manifestation of his jealousie , holiness and hatred of sin . if every man that did ought presumptuously might be cut off from the church , why not from the living ? the apostle in acts . . reciting that of moses , saith , [ he that will not hear that prophet shall be destroyed from the people . ] however let that phrase mean what it will , we have proof enough beside , that not only all notorious ungodly ones , but also many godly ones that fell into gross sin , were all to be put to death . from whence i argue thus : if it was the law of god that all such persons should be presently put to death , then was it not the will of god , that their infants should have right to circumcision for their sakes , no nor on any other account : but the antecedent is true , therefore the consequent . the reason of the consequence is this : either th●se mens children were born before the parents turned ungodly , or after . if before then were they circumcised the eighth day , as the children of the godly . if after , then it was against gods law , that they should be born , much less circumcised . for if gods law had been fulfilled , the parents had been put to death , ( we speak of both parents ) and then how could they have had a child ? all the doubt then lying in the antecedent , i shall from scripture put it is past doubt . let us look over all the commandments , and see whether death were not to be inflicted for the gross breach of them , except the last , which is secret in the heart . for the first commandment , see deut. . if a prophet wrought wonders to entice to worship strange gods , or if the nearest kinsman secretly enticed them to it [ to thrust them out of the way which the lord commanded them to walk in , ver . . ] he must be put to death . if a city be withdrawn by such , they are all to be put to death ; children , cattle , and goods were to be destroyed and consumed . deut. . . they were not to save alive any person , no not infants , of the cities that god delivered them to dwell in , lest they teach them to do according to their abominations . exod. . . he that sacrificeth to any god , save the lord only , shall utterly be destroyed . the breach of the second commandment is punished with death , exod. . . , . the priests of baal are slain , kin. . . kin. . . , to . & . , , . yea , in one word , he that would not be godly positively , was put to death , chron. . , . it is spoken in their commendations , that they entered into a covenant , to seek the lord god of their fathers with all their heart , and with all their soul ; that whosoever would not seek the lord god of israel , should be put to death , whether small or great , whether man or woman . ] lev. . , . whosoever blasphemeth the name of the lord , was to be put to death : so ver . . every one that did any work on the sabbath , or defiled it , was to be put to death , exod. . , . & . . he that smitteth or curseth his father or mother , must be put to death , exod , . . murderers , man-stealers , incestuous , sodomites , adulteres , wizards were to be put to death , exod. . lev. . yea and those that turn after wizards . any prophet that shall presume to speak a word in gods name , which he hath not commanded him to speak , or that speaketh in the name of other gods , must die , deut. . . in some cases fornicators must die , deut. . every man that forsook god and broke his covenant was to be stoned to death , deut. . , , , , . many the like passages might be cited ; but i will conclude with two or three of chief note for this purpose . deut. . , , , . if a man have a stubborn and rebellious son , which will not obey the voyce of his father , or the voyce of his mother , and that when they have chastened him will not hearken unto them , then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him , and bring him out unto the elders of his city , and to the gate of his place : and they shall say unto the elders of his city , this our son is stubborn and rebellious , he will not obey our voyce , he is a glutton and a drunkard : and all the men of his city shall stone him with stones that he die : so shall you put away evil from among you , and all israel shall hear and fear . ] here i suppose it will be granted , that it is the parents duty to restrain their children from all ungodliness ; and that gluttony and drunkenness are but instanced in , as part , in stead of all the rest . and if all children must be put to death that will not be ruled for good by their parents , then when they are dead they will beget no children who may claim right to circumcision for their sakes . but if any say , that this extendeth not to those that are from under their parents tutorage or government , i answer , first , sure the same sin deserveth the same punishment afterward from the magistrate , if they are obstinate against his pious precepts . secondly , but to put the case out of doubt , see deut. . . and the man that will do presumptuously , and will not hearken unto the priest , that standeth to minister there before the lord thy god , or unto the judge , even that man shall die , and thou shalt put away the evil from israel , and all the people shall hear and fear , and do no more p●esumptuously . ] to these deut. . , . from all which it is evident , that as impenitency or obstinacy in sin is the great cause of excommunication now , so was it then to be punished with death ; and consequently that the evident discoveries of a state of ungodliness ( and many more ) were then punished with death according to gods law. and then it must needs follow , that no child of a man notoriously ungodly , born of his procreation in that condition , had right to circumcision : for dead men do not procreate . and whether [ cutting off from his people ] be meant of capital punishment , such places as exod. . , . would make one doubt : [ ye shall keep the sabbath therefore , for it is holy unto you : every one that defileth it , shall surely be put to death : for whosoever doth any work therein , that soul shall be cut off from amongst his people . ] see also levit. . , . and if it be meant of excommunication , if the parent be [ cut off from his people , ] then cannot his son for any interest of his , be ●nnumerated to that people , and entred among them . the first observation and this last laid together , clear the whole cause , viz. that the magistrate was not to force any barely to be circumcised , but to enter into gods covenant , and so to be circumcised : and therefore was he not to force any out of the covenant to be circumcised : and then , that he was to cut off the covenant-breakers , or notoriously ungodly ones . . the next observation that i would give towards the answering of this objection , is , that it could not be expected that any magistrate , priest , or other in power , should hinder any israëlite from circumcising his children . for to circumcise them was every mans duty , and to baptize them is every mans duty in the world now : that is , to give up himself and his child in sincere covenant to god , and seal it , as he hath appointed : but not dissemblingly to use the sign , without the covenanting and resignation on his part . now if any israëlite were unfit for this ordinance , it being the magistrates duty to put him to death , or cut him off , he could not judge him unfit , and so forbid him the ordinance , without condemning himself . the first thing that lay upon him was , to cut him off for the sin which caused his unfitness . . note also that circumcision much differed from baptism in this , that it was not the priests work but parents to circumcise his children : this being so , no wonder if there were not the scruples about the persons fi●ness and worthiness , and the childrens right , as now there is in baptism . for what man is so prone to scruple or question his own right or his childrens , as another may be ? and the same reason that should move a parent to question his right , would move him also to repent and recover his right . no wonder therefore if the execution answered not gods institution . to all this it is objected , that we read not that any infants were kept back , or that god blamed them for it . answ. . i have given sufficient reasons . . god would rather blame them for that sin which caused their unfitness , it being not the circumcising then , in the baptism now , that he is against directly , but the ungodliness ; and therefore would not have the ordinances forborn , but on supposition that the sin will not be forborn : tha 's the disease that he would have them heal both then and now . obj. joshua is commanded by god to circumcise them , and accordingly he doth circumcise all the people : yet no doubt many of them were notoriously ungodly . josh. . answer . joshuah did but command it to be done . . i have given the reason why all should be circumcised . . it is unproved that any one of them were know to joshuah to be ungodly . to clear this further , i will add two more observations . . note that all those that were charged with murmuring , unbelief , &c. in the wilderness , were all destroyed there , and also that for years their children had been uncircumcised . only caleb and joshua were left . so that those of or or years of age must be circumcised on the account of their own covenanting , and not plead the right of their parents . . note also , that the very examples of gods judgements do intimate that notorious ungodliness was not so common among them as some imagine . multitudes are thought very godly now , that murmur in lesser straits than they were then in , and that are palpably guilty of much unbelief , or less temptations . all israel was put to the worse for the sake of one achan , that plundred no man unjustly , but only thought to rescue some desirable treasures from the flames : i wish that no soldiers would now do worse that are reputed extraordinarily godly , and are never blemished by such actions in their own eyes or any others . i will not stand to add more , because i have been so long . if any man judge that all this is no sufficient answer to their argument from circumcision , i further add . . though this be my own thoughts , yet it is not a few of those divines that are godly and learned , that give one of these two following answers . . that external and ceremonial purity was then most openly looked at , which was but a type of the spiritual purity under the gospel : and therefore no wonder if god that then permitted polygamie without reproof , permitted the circumcision of all jews , yea encouraged it , seeing that the body of that people were gods visible heritage , as a type of the catholick visible church now . the magistrates therefore might compell them as jews to be circumcised , but so may not ours compell us as englishmen . . that circumcision was not only appointed to be the seal of the covenant of grace , but also a peculiar covenant annexed to abraham and his seed : and that not all , but those only that were to possess the land of canaan : and therefore as it was not all the people that god had on earth that were promised to possess the land of canaan , but only the israelites , and those proselites that came over to inhabite among them ; so neither was circumcision commanded to all , nor was necessary to them : but to a jew it was necessary as a jew , how ungodly soever . though this be none of my answer , yet among many improbable opinions , i see not but the thesis which i deny , is much more improbable than this is ; and therefore if i needs must hold one , i see not but that i should rather hold this . nor will this weaken our argument for infant-baptism , fetcht from the infant church-membership of the jews ( which is the great objection ) as long as the whole species of infants are of distinct consideration from a jews infant , as such ; and as long as the grand covenant of grace , and the peculiar promise to the jews , are so distinct ; yea and church-membership , and circumcision so distinct as they are , let them leave us to make good our arguments in this . argu. . we may lawfully baptize the infants of any church-members . notoriously ungodly persons are church-members , therefore we may lawfully baptize their infants . ans. . i deny the major . because some church-members are in such a condition as that the first thing you are bound to do with them , is to cast them out , ( or suspend them till then ) when you are bound presently to cast him out , you are not at the same time to give him the sacrament of the lords supper , nor his infants on his account the sacrament of baptism . indeed if they had right to church-membership , their infants might have so too . i deny the minor. other ungodly persons are visible members : but notorious ungodly ones are not , they are pso jure excommunicate , not meerly as m●riting i● , but on the notoriousness of their incapacity , and the pleasure of the legislator , as is afore declared . obj. the notorious ungodly were church-members among the jews , therefore they may be s● now . answ. . prove the antecedent . . the question is not what men mis-judged them , but how god esteemed or pronounced them . . god would not have them to be church-members , while such , whom he commanded the magistrate to put to death . but , &c. ergo. obj they were not to be excommunicate or put away from the passover . answ. . he that is stoned to death is excommunicate and put away from the passover . he that is cut off from the living , is put out of the church on earth . . i will not waste time to prove jewish excommunication , till i know of some tolerable answer given to that which mr , gilespie ( beside many others ) hath written so largely already . argum. . infants in covenant have right to baptism the infants of notorious ungodly parents are in covenant . ergo. ans. i have in my account to mr. blake , told you so fully , how far they are in covenant , and how far not , that i must refer you thither , and not here recite it . i deny that god is actually engaged to them in the covenant of grace , which baptism sealeth ; but conditionally only , and so he is to infidels that persecute it . though they may be engaged more to god by their own verbal covenant to him ; but that altereth not the case . argu. . dogmatical faith giveth right to baptism . notoous ungodly parents have a dogmatical faith . ergo. &c. answ. i have said so much to mr. blake on this , that i need not now to add any more . obje . simon magus had a faith which gave him right to baptism . but simon magus was then a notorious ungodly man ; therefore a notorious ungodly man may have a faith that may entitle him and his to baptism . ans. see what is said to this in the place before cited . further . i yield that simon had a faith of superficial assent , such as the devils have in a greater measure : and that he professed more than he had ; and that hereupon the apostle was warranted to baptize him . . but i deny the minor that he was then notoriously ungodly . consider well of psalm . . . argu. . josiah was lawfully circumcised upon the right of manasseh and ammon ; but manasseh and ammon were notoriously ungodly : ergo. ans either josiah was born before his father ammon proved notoriously ungodly , or after . if before , then he received not his right from a notoriously ungodly parent . if after , . then was it contrary to gods laws , and so could be no true right . for by gods laws manasseh and ammon should have been put to death . and if it be said that these laws were not to be executed on the soveraign ; i answer , the want of a power of execution doth not hinder , but that they notoriously lost their right , though they kept possession , and therefore could convey no right . it follows therefore that either josiah was circumcised without right ( if it be first proved that his father was such at the time of his birth ) : or else that he had his right some other way , intimated in the general answer to the jews case . and to them that think the former a hard saying , i shall anon shew that the rule holds good in this case that quod fieri non debet , factum valet . argu. . deut. . the children shall not be put to death for the fathers sin ; and we read not that ecclesiastical censure should be more severe . the child of a thief is not committed with him to prison ; and i see no reason that he is committed with him to sathan : therefore there is right to baptism in the child of an excommunicate person . answ. the question is not of excommunicating a child , or committing him to satan , but of addmitting him into the church at first : the parent cannot convey to the child the right whith he hath lost ; we speak only of the children born after the parents are excommunicated vel sententiâ vel ipso jure . but of this enough ( i think ) before : the state of the question is by these arguers strangely over-lookt . argu. . those that the apostles baptized had been ungodly immediately before , only at the present they did profess repentance : and so do many of these that you call notoriously ungodly . ergo. answ. . if it be a probably serious and credible profession ( fit for that name ) then are they not notoriously ungodly . . according both to scripture , and reason , and common use , a mans first or second profession may be credited . but if he frequently break his word , his credit is lost : he is not capable at present of covenanting again , till he have by actual reformation recovered his credit . i have such neighbours as this twenty years together have been constant drunkards , and lament it , and promise reformation when they have done , and yet once a week or fortnight usually are still drunk . to take these mens oft breaking words were to delude scripture and all discipline , and cross common reason . yet here we must carefully distinguish between repentance for such gross sins , as continued in , are inconsistent with true grace ; and repentance for such infirmities as may stand with grace , not only to live in , but not to have , or manifest a particular repentance of : as those which are not convinced to be sins : &c. we speak now of the first . argum. . by denying them baptism , we may exasperate the wicked to engage themselves against christ , and us . answ. the primitive church under heathen princes had much more cause to fear this than we have : and yet it did not change their course . i take not such carnal reasons to be worthy to have place among the servants of such a master who fears not his enemies , and will make them bend and return to him , but will not himself bend and return to them . the truth is , had we magistrates that would so severely punish notorious ungodliness , as ( i think ) they should do according to gods laws ▪ that most of this controversie would be ended : and instead of driving men from gods ordinances , they should be driven from such ungodliness . but when magistrates are so tender of hurting mens bodies , that they let their souls perish , or are so much against formality and outside reformation , that they had rather men were heathens , and openly wicked , and sinned with body and soul too , than with the soul alone ; this puts us upon a necessity of doing the more in a separation by church power , than else we should do . arg. . if no children of notorious ungodly parents have right to baptism , . then is their baptism null . . and then ours is null which we received , on supposition of the right of such parents . and . then must many be baptized again ; for if ministers had no power to do it , it must needs be null . the determination of this question about the nullity of baptism , depends upon the true definition of baptism : some only put gods part and the ministers into the definition , and not the receivers act of profession , covenanting or self-resigning to christ ; taking him to be no agent in the essentials of the ordinance , but a recipient ; and that the acts on his part are only integrals , or duties necessary to his participation of the benefits of the covenant . if this definition hold ( most common with our divines ) then the resolution is most easie . for the minister performed all that was essentiall to baptism : and therefore that which is undone , is only the mans duty on his own or childs behalf : that which was well done ( as to the act ) is not to be done again , that is , the ministerial baptism ( though sinfully misapplyed ; ) but that which was undone ; that is ▪ . the persons duty ; . and thereupon gods grant ( actually ) of the benefits . according to this definition of baptism , if through error a pagan be baptized in the true form , it is not null as to that form of the ordinance , nor to be done again when he is converted ; but only his own duty was null , and to be done again for example ; if one that cannot speak our language should be thought to profess faith in christ by signs , and be baptized thereupon , and it after appear that it was no such profession , but contrary : so if we should mistake a pagans child for a christians . i pretend not to decide the question , whether this be the rightest definition of baptism , or best answer to the present doubt ; but if this hold ( as it is common ) all is clear against the pretended nullity or re-baptizing . . if it hold not , let the objectors answer themselves , who say that a dogmatical faith gives right to baptism : we have abundance of people that have not so much as a dogmatical faith ; that know not who christ is , nor what he hath done ; nor are they in most places ( since the directory was in use ) called to profess their faith when they offer their children to baptism ; are the children of these persons to be re-baptized ? or themselves , if it were their case ? or is the administration of the lords supper to such a nullity , or only unprofitable ? i have had the aged here , that have said , christ the son of god was the sun in the firmament : yet they have had both sacraments . answer this for your selves . . but suppose the persons covenanting be essential to baptism , let us so far advantage the objectors as to deal with them on that ground . answ. . i distinguish between [ the nullity of the external part , commonly called , baptism , containing the ministerial administration , and the persons reception of the water and washing , with his profession , or external covenant to god ; ] and [ the nullity of gods engagement or covenant to the sinner actually ; and so of the sinners reception of the benefits of baptism ] among which benefits i distinguish , [ the special and spiritual , as pardon , adoption , &c. ] from the more common and external , such as are [ the external priviledges of the visible church . ] whereupon i answer first to the matter in these following propositions : and then to the argument , as in form . pr●po . . if any essential part of the exterior ordinance be wanting , then it is null : as if the party he not ( more or less ) washed . if he be not baptized into the name of the father , son , and holy ghost , ( at least implicitely , if not by full verbal expression ) if the party use but the bare name of god , while he professeth , or openly discovereth that it is not indeed god the father , son or holy ghost that he meaneth . if he openly put in any exception against any essential part of the christian faith or covenant ; as to say , i will only be pardoned by christ , but not sanctified ; then , i conceive , it is no baptism . but if there be all the exterior essentials , there the exterior baptism is not null nor to be repeated . . the foresaid exterior baptism is effectual to the engaging or obliging of the person so baptized : and so his own part of the covenant is not null . a dissembling promise bindeth the promiser in law : for his dissimulation cannot hinder his own obligation , though it may anothers . nemini debetur commodum ex proprio delicto ; . but if there be not sincerity in the covenanter , beyond all this , his baptism is not available to the pardon of his sin , or to convey to him a r●ght from god in any of the covenant benefits ( directly as given to him ) common or special . . nor should the minister or people believe this man , if by notorious ungodliness he give them reason to take his present profession to be false , and himself now to dissemble . . but yet seeing a natural profession it is , though false ; and the falshood is not declared by him at that time in the ordinance , but disclaimed , but only is declared before he comes thither , therefore it seems to me , that there is the whole external essence of baptism , and therefore it is not null , nor to be repeated : but if that person do afterward come to the sense of his own dissimulation , and of the want of truth in his profession and covenanting , he is to do then that which he did omit before , that is , to covenant truly ; but not that which he did perform before , that is , to be externally baptized . such a person therefore should in the face of the congregation , when he comes to repentance , bewail ( with the rest of the sins of his life ) that falseness in the baptismal covenant , and there unfeignedly renew it : to which end , among others , in the antient churches , it was usual in confirmation to renew the covenant more solemnly , where any flaw was found in the baptism , which yet did not prove a nullity . . and for external church priviledges , i conceive , that as god doth not by covenant give this person a right to them , so it is the ministers and peoples duty to deny them to the parent himself , while he continueth notoriously ungodly : and the error of wrong baptizing him , ( or continuing him in the church till now ) will not oblige them to continue communion with him . but yet being admitted by baptism , he should be solemnly cast out . but if the guides of the church be faulty and will not cast him out , then must the people distingu●sh between communion with him as a christian in general , and as a member of that particular church ; as also between communion moral , and meerly natural ; and so , first , they must avoid ●hristian communion with him in ordinary wayes wherein they are free ; as all private or voluntary open familiarity : secondly , but if he intrude ( by the pastors approbation ) into publike communion , in prayer , prayses , or sacrament , they ought not to withdraw from the communion of the ●hurch , because of his presence first , because they have the liberty of esteeming him as they please ; secondly , because it is not their fault , but the pastors . thirdly , and therefore it is but a physical and not a moral communion that they have with him . fourthly , because they are bound to hold communion with the church in the use of ordinances . and as for the infant on that account baptized , i● is so few acts of communion that an infant is capable of , that the question seems to be of no great moment , how far we should have communion with them . but i conceive , we should take them as baptized persons externally , and so far members of the church , though wrongfully admitted . . to which purpose , it is not altogether inconsiderable , that the minister being by office the baptizer , and so the judge of his own actions , whom he ought to baptize , and whom not ; the action is not null , though he mistake in his judgement , and apply the ordinance to one that he should have refused . for he doth but an act belonging to his office , though he do it amiss , or on a wrong subject . as if a judge do pass sentence mistakingly , yet may it be valid , as to some execution ; for though he have no power given him directly to pass a wrong judgement , yet in order to passing a right judgement , he hath power to follow his own discretion , and to pass such a judgement as shall ( at least in tantum ) stand , though it prove wrong . i confess the ministerial power somewhat differeth from a strict decisive judicial power ; but yet there is so much resemblance as may serve to illustrate the matter in hand . object . then if a minister baptize a heathen , it is not null , because he is judge whom to baptize . answ. . on the grounds we now go on , it it a contradiction to baptize a heathen , that by a present profession is such . for baptizing essentially containeth the persons external covenant , or profession of believing in , and dedication to the father , son and holy ghost . if there be not by the person and minister such a dedication , it is not baptism : for if the bare external washing were baptism , then we were every day baptized . now he that is baptized into the name of the father , son and holy ghost , doth thereby renounce heathenism so far : though whether his profession shall be credited , dependeth on the probability of its verity or falsity . but on the first mentioned definition of baptism , it will be granted you , that baptizing a heathen is not a nullity , as to the outward baptism , though it be unprofitable and sinful . but to go on former grounds , i further answer , . it is one thing for a judge to mis-judge a cause that belongeth to his judgement ; and another to mis-judge a cause that is wholly exempted from his judgement , and belongeth not to him . in the former , his judgement may stand , in divers cases , because he was made judge . in the later it is wholly null , for he is but a private man , and hath nothing to do in the business : and therefore whether he judge right or wrong , it is null ; as if a judge go to another bench , or into another circuit , which is out of his commission : so here , where a man layeth claim to baptism , and professeth himself a christian the minister is to judge whether he do it truly , or falsly ; and therefore though he mistake , the baptism is not null ; for though the man be notoriously ungodly yet it is supposed that the notoriousness is not absolutely unquestionable , and that the person doth not profess it when he comes to baptism , but deny it , by professing faith and repentance ; and so though the church have sufficient ground to discredit that profession , by reason of h●s contradicting life , yet a controversie it is , while the person claims a right in baptism for his child ; and being a controversie , the pastor is judge . but if he baptize a heathen that makes no profession of christianity , true or false , then he medleth in a matter exempted from his power , and out of his commission , and contrary to it , and that which can be no controversie fit for his determination : and therefore it is null , and indeed no baptism . object . if the pastor be thus judge , how can you say as before , that the notoriously ungodly are ipso jure excommunicated ? answ. . ministers are limited in their judgement by the law of god , which telleth how far they may or may not judge , and how far it shall or shall not be effectual . the people are not absolutely tied to follow their judgement when they err . . god hath directed his precepts for the avoiding of notorious ungodly ones to every christian directly ; and not only to the pastors directly , and to the people only from them ; so that if a pastor command us to have communion and familiarity with such , we are yet to avoid them ( as far as was before expressed ) for all that , because gods command is contrary to the pastors . and the law openly declareth that such are not true christians ( or believers ; ) and therefore a pastors sentence cannot make them such : his erring judgement may do more to bring a man into the church than to keep him in ; and in keeping him in as to possession , it may do more to the conveyance of those priviledges which are to come meerly from his own hands and administration , than those wherein the people are to be instruments : because he is more the determiner of his own actions , such as are baptizing , administring the lords supper , &c. than of theirs : for his own erring judgement may ligare , etsi non obligare , entangle him in a kind of necessity of sinning , till that judgement be changed ; but it cannot tye them , nor so necessitate them to sin , though it may bring them under some inconveniences ; and for order and the peace of the church , they must quietly , peaceably , and submissively dissent . by the law of the land , the kings judges in his courts and assizes ; were the lawfull judges of a traitor that was brought before them ; and yet in some notorious cases i suppose he is condemned ipso jure , and any man that can come at him might lawfully stab him without judgement , yea is bound to do it : as if they had stood by and seen the kings person assaulted , as the lord major of london did by wat tyler : or if it were not in defence , but in avenging of the treason , if hainous ; and in several cases they might kill them in a forcible apprehension if they resist , as they did by the powder-traitors here neer us at holbetch house . but what need i mention these things , when it is so commonly known that in several cases the law enableth us for to execute without judgement , and yet this is no denial of the authority of a judge . so much to the matter of this argument . and now in sum to the argument as in form , . i deny the first consequence , if it speak of the nullity of the external baptism , and not only of the effect , and of gods engagement to them . . and consequently i deny the two later consequences . . yea if our parents infant-baptism were null , it followeth not that so is their childrens , which they had on their account . for our parents might get a personal right in christ and the covenant after their baptism , before they presented us in baptism , though themselves had not been baptized . . and i believe it will be no easie matter to prove that our parents ( any , or many at least ) were notoriously ungodly at our birth . . lastly , if all this satisfie not , but any man will yet needs believe , that it is an unavoidable consequence of our doctrine , that [ the baptism of the infants of notoriously ungodly parents is null ] though i am not of h●s minde , yet i think it is a less dangerous opinion , and less improbable then theirs whom we now oppose . i know no such great ill effects it would have , if a man that mistakingly did suppose his baptism null , to satisfie his conscience were baptized again , without denying the baptism of infants , or any unpeaceable disturbing of the church in the management thereof . i confess i never had any damning or excommunicating thoughts in my mind against cyprian , firmilian , and the rest of the african bishops and churches , who rebaptized those that were baptized by hereticks , and in council determined it necessary , and were so zealous for it . and , though while i captivated my judgement to a party and to admired persons , i embraced the new exposition of acts . which beza thankfully professeth to have received from marúixius , who as some say was the first inventer of it ; yet i must confess , that both before i knew what other men held , and since i better know who expound it otherwise , and on what grounds , i can no longer think that is the meaning of the text , especially when i impartially peruse the words themselves . calvin did not think that the th vers● was paul's words of john's hearers , but luke's words of paul's hearers : and had no way to avoid the exposition which admitted their rebaptizing , but by supposing that paul did not baptize them again with water , but with the holy ghost only . ( and that of that , the fifth verse is meant . ) i never read that john baptist did baptize in the name of the lord jesus expresly and denominatively , but only as paul here speaks , that they should believe on him that should come after , whom paul here expositorily denominateth the lord jesus . and the words [ when they heard this ] seem to me plainly to refer to paul's saying , as the thing which they heard . also the connexion of the fifth verse to the sixth shews it : for else there is no reason given of pauls proceeding to that imposition of hands , nor any satisfaction to the doubt at which he stuck , or which he propounded . and i confess , if i must be swayed by men , i had rather think well of the judgment of the fathers , and church of all ages , who , for ought i find , do all ( that have wrote of it ) with one consent place a greater difference then we do between john's baptism and christs , and did expound this text so as to assert that these disciples were baptized again by paul , or on his preaching . and for that great and unanswerable argument wherewith beza and others do seek to maintain the necessity of their sense , i confess it rather perswades me to the contrary : for whereas they imagine it intolerable for us to conclude or think that christ was not baptized with christian baptism , which himself did institute or command , i must needs say , i think it much more probable that he was not , seeing the christ an baptism is essentially a covenanting and sealing of our covenant with god the father , son , and holy ghost , as our creator , redeemer , and sanctifier , and appointed to be gods seal of his washing away our sins by christs blood ; all which i know christ was not capable of ; and i suppose it more credible that christ himself should be the instituter of such an evangelical ordinance than john ; and that he came to fulfill all legal righteousness , rather than that evangelical righteousness which consisteth in obeying himself , by doing those things which he hath appointed to redeemed sinners as such for their recovery . but of this let every man judge as he is illuminated . if i err , my danger and deserved reproach , i think , is no greater than the ancient fathers and the church for so many hundred years that were of the same mind : even they that were nearer to that age when these matters of fact were done . but for our case , its apparent there 's no need of re-baptizing ; for there is no nullity . i have done with the argument , but yet there is one question more that may not be passed over , though but on the by ; and that is , whether the baptism of all those persons be not null , and they to be re-baptized , who were baptized by such as were notoriously or secretly unordained men , and no true ministers ? to which i only say in brief , no : . if they were not known to be no ministers , it was no fault of ours : we waited in gods appointed way for his ordinances ; and therefore though they were sins to them , they are valid blessings to us , that were not guilty . . if they were notoriously no ministers , though it might be our parents sin that we were presented to such for baptism , yet it is not null : for in these relations these instruments are not essential to the relation , nor to the ordinance at all ; though i would be loth , as the fathers and papists did , to allow a lay person ( yea a woman saith tertullian ) to baptize in case of necessity : yet should i not be very hasty to re-baptize such , supposinig that they had all the substance of the ordinance , as being baptized into the name of the father , son , and holy ghost . argu. . whoever ought in duty to dedicate his child to god , in the holy covenant , ought also to baptize him . but all notorious ungodly men ought so to dedicate their children to god ergo , &c. answ. i grant the conclusion : it is every mans duty on earth that hears the gospel , to be baptized , and give up his children ( if he have any ) to christ in baptism : that is to believe and consent to the covenant of grace , and so to be baptized . but it followeth not that it is their duty to be externally baptized without faith and such consent . . note also that this argument as well proves that all the children of persecuting heathens should be baptized , as ungodly pretended christians : for it is their duty too . object . but when they present their children , they do their duty , though but part of their duty ; and we ought not to refuse any part of a mans duty . answ. . it is not a duty , but a sin to do the external later part without the former internal part . it is a duty to intend to relieve the poor , and perhaps to express it by promise , but to promise without any intent to perform it , is to lye , and so to sin . the tongue must not go before and without the heart , because the action of both is a duty . it were better say nothing at all . . the sacrament of baptism is not appointed to be affixed to every kind of duty , but to our dedication to god , and gods acceptance of us . object . if their profession may engage them , then may we seal it by baptism ; but it may engage them . ergo. &c. answ. i deny the consequence . a false dissembling may oblige the promiser : but baptism was not appointed to seal every notorious false promise . it is also gods seal as well as mans : circumcision is his sign , and called his covenant , gen. . and abraham received it as a seal , rom. . and it signifieth gods action of washing the soul by the blood of christ. therefore where we are sure god disclaimeth it , and withdraweth his action , there may we not apply the mutual seal and sign . object . we see in new england the sad effects of denying baptism to the children of the unregenerate , now they are all come to be obstinate infidels . answ. th●s is more than i have heard any good testimony of , and therefore am not bound to believe it , secondly , they in n. england , as we hear do refuse to baptize all that are not children of the members of their own churches ; but so do not we : they baptize not the members of the universal church , unless they be in a particular church ; but we do otherwise . and it s reported that they requ●red positive proof of conversion , beyond a profession of faith and repentance ; but so do not we . thirdly , mens obstinacy in sin , and proceeding worse , will not warrant us to take an unlawful course in pretence to do them good . fourthly , do you give us any reason to believe that a notorious ungodly person in your church is in any better a state than an infidel ? nay , that they are not in a state much worse ? it is they therefore that should chiefly move you to compassion . can you so lament the estate of the less miserable , and not of the more miserable ? object . but it is good that at least in words they confess christ. answ. either you speak of a good of duty , or a good of means : for the first , it is a duty , and so good to confess christ with heart and tongue ; but if with the tongue alone , it is a sin , and no duty ; indeed the tongue conjunct with the heart doth part of the duty ; but separated , it loseth the goodness . and as a means , first , to their own salvation , it is not good , but rather condemneth them . secondly , as to gods honor , if he make it a means in providence thereto , that 's no thanks to them . and if you did not now speak of the notoriously ungodly , but should suppose men to be near to the kingdom of god , it doth not follow that therefore they must be baptized , because they have some good in them , ( for some good must go before the nearest aptitude ) nor yet that this good is the effect of baptism in the unlawfully baptized ; or if it were occasioned by baptism , it followeth not that therefore unmeet persons should in hope of it be baptized . use gods means to his appointed ends , and do not frame a course of means of your own heads for gods ends . for it is the means of his appointment and blessing that must succeed . though i have done with the ques●ion it self , yet i suppose it is not the least matter ; in reference to our practice , that is yet behind , though i shall dispatch it in brief . what the better are we to know that we may not baptize the children of the notoriously ungodly , till we know who these are ; let us therefore answer this question , whom must we take for notoriously ungodly ? as in all that is gone before , i doubt not but i shall be thought too rigid ; so in this which followeth i as little question , but i shall be censured as too loose in my doctrine , and charitable beyond the warrant of reason . but truth is truth , which i will search after as well as i can . and first on the negative , i lay down these propositions . proposition . . in general , we are not certain of every mans ungodliness , whom we probably , strongly , and groundedly suspect to be ungodly . we may have more reason of fear than of hope concerning them , and yet not be able to conclude that they are certainly ungodly . secondly , in general , it is not easie judging of the certainty of mens ungodliness at a distance , nor by some actual gross sins , till we have spoke to them , and admonished them , and discern what degree of obstinacy , and impentency , and wilfulness they are guilty of , or till we understand this certainly by those that have admonished them , and heard their answers . thirdly , it is hard judging of the certainty of a mans ungodliness by one , or two , or a few actions , without knowing the course and scope of a mans life . fourthly , i think it is few among a thousand of the common people that we can say are certainly ungodly , though we have reason to think that the most by far are so . more particularly fifthly , a man must be guilty of more sin than noah was , than peter was in denying and forswearing christ , that is notoriously ungodly : yea than lot was , who was drunk two nights together , and committed incest with his own daughters twice , & that after the miraculous destruction of sodom , of his own wife & his own miraculous deliverance . the opinion of most of our divines , is , that a man that is notoriously ungodly ( in the sense in hand ) or unsanctified , must be a greater sinner than solomon was , king. . he loved many strange women of the nations which god forbad the israelites to joyn with ( such as ez●a caused them to put away after marriage : ) he kept three hundred concubines , besi●es seven hundred wives : when he was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods , and his heart was not perfect with the lord , as davids was . he went after ashtoreth the goddess of the sidonians , and after milcom the abomination of the amonites ; and he did evil in the sight of the lord. he built an high place for chemosh the abomination of moab in the hill that is before jerusalem , and for molech the abomination of the children of ammon . and likewise did he for all his strange wives , which burnt incense , and sacrificed to their gods . and the lord was a●gry with him , because his heart was turned from the lord god of israel , which appeared to him twice , and had commanded him that he should not go after other gods , but he kept not that which the lord commanded : he kept not the covenant nor statutes of the lord. perhaps you will object , if this be not notorious ungodliness , what is ? the sin was more hainous than drunkenness , fornication , yea or murder it self ; to be an idolater , and to set it up to defile the land : and it was a sin lived in who knows how long ? besides his fleshly life , in having three hundred concubines and seven hundred wives : if all this may stand with godliness , then we cannot know any man to be ungodly , & then you will harden all the wicked in their presumption . answ. . if i should but look on it as a thing uncertain whether solomon had true grace at that time , or whether any intercision were made in his justification and true sanctification , i should incur the heavy censure of many divines . if i question not the certainty of his grace and perseverance , then i am supposed to make every common scandalous sinner to be fit for the reputation of a saint , and to contradict the apostle , who saith , if ye live after the flesh ye shall die ; and neither whoremonger , nor idolater shall inherit the kingdom of god. what is to be done in this strait ? i will tell you plainly what i think safest , and let men think what they please . . it is not improbable that solomon committed much of this sin meerly under temptation to please his wives . . and that more of it lay in tolerating their idolatry , than in his own committing it . . and that he did in other things continue his worship of the true god. . and that he repented and wrote the book ecclesiastes on his repentance , though the historie make no mention of it . . yet because the holy ghost doth so expresly charge him with having his own heart turned after other gods , and going after them , and building high places to them , and his heart . turning from the lord ] and because the very setting up of so many idols for others ( his wives ) is it self so hainous , i think it is undeniable that he was an idolater , and lived in that sin , besides his living with concubines , and taking so fully the pleasure of his flesh , as in ecclesiastes he doth confess . we are certain that all these are hainous sins , and hazardous to a mans salvation . . if the devil tempt any wicked man upon the consideration of this example , to presume that he is in a state of grace , and to think with himself [ why may not i live in whoredom , or drunkenness , or worldliness , and yet be in a justified estate , as well as solomon , who did worse , ] he may do well to bethink himself that . it is certain that he that liveth after the flesh shall die , and that such gross sinners shall not enter into the kingdom of god. but we are not certain whether solomon were justified and in a state of salvation at that time : it is a controversie among wise godly learned men ; and many of the antient fathers thought that he was not . . and therefore any prudent man will take heed of venturing his salvation upon such uncertainty ; and will look more at the certainty which is on the other side , of perishing if he live in such sins . . and he may do well to consider , that though godliness be the same in all ages in the main , and equally necessary , yet some sins may be more damning at some time than other . in those daies of solomon god had for some just reasons permitted or connived at the multiplicity of wives , and little is said against concubines : he had in his promises to his people made the most full and express mention of temporal blessings , as children , long life , prosperity , &c. and in his threatnings most expresly mentioned temporal evils : spiritual and eternal things were mentioned more obscurely and sparingly . this honor was reserved to christ and the gospel , to bring life and immortalty ( more ) to light , and to promise spiritual and eternal blessings , and threaten spiritual and eternal misery , more expresly and fully : and consequently some sins of the flesh might not then be so certain marks of ungodliness as now : and as it is a greater measure of spiritual refining and purity that is promised and justly expected under the gospel , so a greater measure must be looked after , by every man in himself , and by the guides of the church in its members ; and we must go directly to jesus christ for our direction in such cases . so much to prevent the hurt of the wicked by this example . yet i thought it necessary to make mention of it , . because it is objected by the opposers of discipline , whose objections must be answered . . and because there is something in it ( at least ad hominem ) that the over-censorious have reason to consider of , as to the point in hand . how far we must take notice of such examples in discipline , we shall further shew anon . the rest of our propositions for the negative shall be introduced by way of answer to some questions . quest. . may we not take a man for notoriously ungodly , that hath been oft drunk , or oft committed fornication ? answ. the practice is ungodly , and his case sad ; but we cannot certainly say he is graceless on that account alone , unless he live in it impenitently . lot was twice drunk and incestuous : and it is not possible for us to say just how oft a man may commit such a sin , and yet have true grace . quest. . may we not be certain that he is graceless or ungodly , that is a frequent swearer ? answ. it is a very dangerous case ; but simply considered , no certain evidence of the point in question . for . we know many that we see great signs of grace in , and that are well reputed of as eminent for godliness , that do frequently commit as great sins as some kind of rash swearing seems to be : for example , it is too rare to meet with a person so conscionable that will not frequently backbite , and with some malice or envie speak evil of those that differ from them in judgement , or that they take to be against them , or that they are fallen out with : they will ordinarily censure them unjustly , and secretly endeavour to disgrace them , and take away their good name , and love those that joyn with them in it : so how many professors will rashly rail and lye in their passions ? how few will take well a reproof , but rather defend their sin ? how many in these times that we doubt not to be godly , have been guilty of disobedience to their guides , and of schism , and doing much to the hurt of the church : a very great sin . . peter , lot , and its like david , did oft commit greater sins . quest. . but what if they live many years in sweating , or the like sin , is not that a certain sign of ungodliness ? answ. it is very sinfull and dangerous . but. . we know not what information or conviction they have had of it , which much varies the case . in some countries , where some oaths are grown customarie , and of no great ill repute , it is possible for a godly man to be long guilty of them , as it is known that many well reputed of for godliness , are in scotland . reputation doth much with many even that are godly , to make sin seem great or small : with us now a swearer is reputed so great a sinner , that he is reckoned with adulterers , and drunkards ; but censoriousness , backbiting , church-division , disobeying those that rule over us in the lord , spiritual pride , &c. that are greater then some swearing , do not so brand a man , nor make him odious with us . but god judgeth not of sin thus by the custom of countries , but according to the nature of the thing . in england a sabbath-breaker is taken for a sin inconsistent with grace : in the low-countries , helvetia , france and most other of the reformed churches , much of it taken for no sin at all , but we are censured for superstitious herein . every one is not ungodly there that lives and dies in that sin , without particular repentance . men that have not heard much of the evil of some petty oaths , may not understand the evil of them ; and custom may do much . and it is not inconsiderable , as to the extenuation of some mens sin , that it s not a little doubtfull whether it be indeed swearing , if a man do use those words which are the ordinary matter of an oath , and doth not know it to be an oath , nor intend the form of an oath in it : as if one use the terms of an oath in latine or another language which he understandeth not , he is not formally a swearer : and if men do know it , and yet do not at that time intend any such thing as a calling any creature to witness , or appealing to them as sufficient to avenge a lye , but only use a customarie term inobservantly , it is a sin ; but whether formally swearing , may be questioned . but if it be the name of god that they abuse in swearing , or if they indeed put any creature in his stead , appealing to it as the avenger of a lye or perjurie , that is a hainous sin , and cannot easily be done in ignorance . . it is judged by divines that david lay a twelve moneth in his sin of adulterie and murder unrepented of : certain it is that he was long contriving and executing that horrid murder of vriah , that his own shame might be covered , and he might enjoy his wife ▪ how long asah or solomon , sinned we know not : nor can any man possibly determine just how long a man may live in the practice of such a sin , and yet have true special grace , and a state of justification . qu. . but what if they are neglecters of gods worship , as prayer in their families , or the keeping of the sabbath , or publike hearing the word , or godly discourse ; is it possible that in such there should be saving grace ? they that love god will seek him in his worship . answ. it is not enough for the certain knowledge of a mans ungodliness , or gracelesness , to know that he neglecteth this duty of outward worship , unless it be known with what mind , and on what reasons he neglecteth it . for example , many a man neglecteth prayer in his family , as supposing himself unable to perform it ; and that this alone is not a certain sign of gracelesness , appeareth thus . . god hath not said that all that neglect it are graceless , or shall perish : as for the text of jer. [ pour out thy wrath on the heathens tha● know thee not , and the families that call not on thy name ] it s past question that by families is meant tribes or nations , and calling on gods name , is put for [ owning and worshipping the true god ] without any mention of the special sort of prayer in a familie ( though i believe the dueness of that may be hence gathered . ) . many that we have reason to hope are godly , have of late years given over familie prayer , as supposing ( though very blindly ) that it is not a duty required by god. . many godly people do as much neglect teaching their families as some of these in question do praying in their families , and yet it is more expresly commanded , deut. & , &c. and for the observation of the sabbath , i answered before , that most of the godly in the reformed churches ( as far as i can learn by their writings , or by report ) are against it in strictness : and therfore i suppose that sin is consistent with godliness and for [ godly discourse ] i would no godly people were not so neglective of it , that their company becomes too unprofitable thereby . some are much disabled to good discourse by natural impediments , as bashfulness , &c. want of words through ill education , and disuse may hinder much . it is only those that privately live and converse with people , that will be able to judge of them certainly on this account , and not all such neither . and lastly , for hearing the word , it will not alone make a certain discovery : for . we know not what may keep a man away till we speak with him . . it s possible for a godly man to be of the opinion of the separatists , that think it unlawful to hear our ministers , or in our assemblies , and having , no other to joyn with , may hear none at all ; as i have known it the case of some in the bishops times . so that the certainty of ungodliness is not discernable by this alone . quest. . but there are some that will scorn and deride or revile the godly , yea and persecute them , where they have power : is not that a certain note of one graceless ? answ. it is one thing to scorn or persecute a godly man , and another to scorn at godliness : or , it is one thing to persecute and scorn a man as he is godly , directly on that account , and another thing to scorn and persecute him for something else ; as upon some personal falling out , or for some sin , or false opinion , or the like cause . the later can be no certain discovery of an ungodly man. quest. . but what if they deride and persecute godliness it self , or a man because he is godly ? answ. it is certainly a heinous sin : but we must distinguish between the deriding of a man for the essentials of christianity , or for godliness , as such ; and deriding him for some doctrine or practice of godliness , which is not essential : also between a known truth and duty , and an unknown . it is too possible for a godly man to persecute and deride the godly for some truths which he took to be errors , or some duties which he mistook to be sins , or to be no duties ; or for the manner of some duties which he took to be wrong . alas i how common is it for the separatists and anabaptists ( many of them ) to deride our ministry , assembles and duties : and many among us to deride theirs ? and they are the bitterest taunts and persecutions that come from blinde zeal . these times have by sad experience convinc't us , that men seeming otherwise godly may both scorn ( in press and pulpit ) persecute and kill each other . as one godly man may persecute another for some truths and duties , which he knows not to be such ; so in particular , it is possible that such may imagine that private meetings tend to schism or proud singularity , and so may deride them : or he may by strangeness to them entertain some false report of the stricter professors of religion , as if they were proud , humorous , schismaticks , disobedient , and differed only in these things , and not in true piety from others . and i believe i have known some in former times that were such ; who had such thoughts as these of all the godly that were not conformable , and of others that used any private meetings , living where they had little acquaintance with any of them , save two or three that by scandals increased their prejudice , and hearing no better language of them , these persons would reproach them as bitterly as most that ever i heard , and yet themselves lived not only uprightly to men , but so piously , that they seemed to hate all profaness , and spent more time in secret prayer and reading , then most i have known . it is not therefore all scorn or persecution of godly persons , doctrines , or duties that will prove a man to be notoriously graceless or ungodly . but again , left any ungodly person take occasion of presumption from all this , let me add this much more : . though another cannot know such to be certainly ungodly , yet they may know it by themselves ; who know their own ends and reasons better then we can do . and ( alas ! ) the souls of such are never the safer , because we are bound to judge charitably of them . this is but to prevent our wronging them , but it will not prevent their damnation . . though we know them not to be certainly ungodly , yet god doth : and it is he that must judge them . and therefore he will put many a thousand out of heaven , whom we may not put out of the church . when the tares and wheat are so mixed , that we cannot pluck up the tares without plucking up the wheat ( that is , in doubtfull inevident cases ) there we must let both grow till the time of harvest ( both in forbearing persecution by the sword , and excommunication : ) but then god will sever the wicked from the just , and gather out of his kingdom all things that offend , and them that work iniquity , and cast them out into the lake of fire . . and our selves may see cause enough to bewail the misery of many as too probable , whom yet we cannot certainly conclude to be miserable : yea , we have cause to call them out of our communion : of which more anon . i must therefore intreat two sorts of readers that they do not mis-interpret these foregoing passages . first , the vngodly are desired to beware that they pervert not this to their own delusion nor to the opening of their mouths against the teachings and censures of the church . i cannot but fore-see that such will be prone to draw venom out of necessary truths ; and to say , i may be godly and be saved , though i pray not in my family , though i swear , or be drunk , &c. but such must know , . that [ they cannot be saved , if in the bent of their lives they live after the flesh , and if god be not dearer to them than all the world , and if their hearts be not more on heaven than on earth , and if the main aim and business of their lives be not for god and the life to come ; nor can they be godly or saved unless they truly hate their sin , and long to be rid of it , and are willing to be at the cost and labour of using gods means by which they may be rid of it ; unless in the bent of their lives they overcome gross sin , and live not in it , and groan under their infirmities desiring to be rid of them feeling the need of a saviour , and flying to his blood for pardon , and to his word and spirit for cure . ] all this must be in every one at age , that will be saved . now though we may be uncertain of a mans ungodliness by one or more such fals as peters or davids were , when the bent of his life appeareth to be holy ; yet if the bent of your lives be carnal , and you have not all this that i have now mentioned , then you may be sure that you are graceless , though you never commit any scandalous sin ; much more when you live in them . . and remember that you may know your own hearts and secret lives , when we cannot . it s no comfort to you therefore that a minister is not certain of your gracelesness , if you be indeed graceless : what if we must hope the best , who know not the worst ? alas this will be no relief to your souls . nor should you be offended , if ministers in preaching and personal reproof , do speak terror to you for all this : for . they preach to you as described in a graceless state and not named . . they must tell you what every sin deserves , and whither it leads , and tell you of the sad probabilites of your damnable state , though they have not a certainty . . i foresee also that some godly people will think that these passages , though true , may accidentally harden the wicked in their sin , and therefore that this will do more harm than good . to whom i say , . that the wicked will draw evil from the most certain truths , and all must not be concealed which they will abuse . . yet i must confess , that my own heart made this objection ; which caused me to think this paper my self unfit to be published ; and so i did this two years lay it by : and had i not understood that from the coppy which i sent one friend , so many are communicated , and at such a distance into the hands of strangers , and that somewhat defective , and had i not been acquainted that they will print it , if i will not , it might have yielded still to this objection for ought i know : for had i been left to my own choice , i should have laid it in the dark . now for the affirmative , i will shew you , whom we may take for notoriously ungodly : and then i will shew you whom we must judge probably to be godly , and whether we must not exclude some persons , and refuse their infants , who yet are not notoriously ungodly . . a man that ( not inconsiderately , or in a temptation but ) deliberately and obstinately denieth any fundamental article of the christian faith , is notoriously ungodly : for he cannot have a godly heart , that excludeth the necessary principles of godliness from his head . i mean those truths without which there is no salvation ; for surely without them there can be no grace . he that denieth thus the god head , or the goodness , wisdom , or power of god ; or the incarnation , holiness , death , ransom of man thereby , resurrection , rule , or judgement of jesus christ , or the everlasting life that he giveth to believers , or the necessity of our holiness and obedience to him : he that denieth the holy ghost , the truth of his miracles by which he sealed christs doctrine , or the necessity of his sanctification : this man is notoriously ungodly , if he notoriously deny these : for he professeth ungodliness it self ; so doth he that denieth christ hath any church on earth , and that denieth to have communion with his church . . that man is notoriously ungodly , that is notoriously utterly ignorant of god and his son jesus christ , of the goodness , wisdom or power of god ; of the incarnation , death and resurection of christ , and his redemption of us hereby : of the necessity of faith and holiness , and of the evil of sin , and of the everlasting blessedness that is promised to the saints . i will now only say , ( excluding not the rest ) that the ignorance of any one of these is inconsistent with true godliness . but i must tell you anon , that there is need of much wariness in judgeing of such ignorance . . all those are notoriously ungodly , that do notoriously , upon deliberation , and with obstinacy , profess that they will not take god for their god and governour ; or that they will not take christ for their redeemer and lord , nor be ruled by him , nor trust in him for pardon and salvation ; or that they will not believe his word , nor will be sanctified by his spirit . . all those are notoriously ungodly , that deliberately , and ordinarily , when they are themselves , do notoriously profess that they set more by the pleasures , profits , or honors of this world , than by the promised blessedness in the life to come : and that they will not part with these for the hopes of that blessedness . . all those are such also , who , though in the general they will say , that they will be ruled by god , saved by christ , sanctified by the holy ghost , and guided by gods laws , yet when it come's to particulars , do deliberately in their ordinary frame profess that they will not part with their known sins , at the command of god , but resolve to displease him rather than obey . . such also are all those , that though in general they profess to prefer heaven before earth , yet when it comes to practice and trial , do notoriously , and deliberately in their habituated frame profess , that they will not let go particular known sins for the hopes of heaven . . such also are all they , who living in gross sin , and being convinced of it , will not promise a sincere endeavour to reform : nor will remove from or put away the removeable occasions which draw them to sin : nor will be perswaded to use those known means which god hath commanded for the curing of their sin ; as to hear the word , to change their company , to confess their sin , and take shame to themselves , and profess repentance . they that notoriously thus refuse reformation , when by ministers or discreet christians they are urged to it , or that refuse gods means which they are convinced he requireth of them , and this obstinately , are notoriously ungodly , though they do not profess it in words : for though it be exceeding hard to determine how great , many , or long , the sins of a true believer may be , yet we are certain that he cannot manifest such a love to them , or habituated unwillingness to be cured of them . for that will not stand with true repentance . . all those are notoriously ungodly , that profess or express notoriously a hatred of those that would draw them from their sins , ( not for their harsh or indiscreet management of a reproof , nor upon a meer mistaken conceit that the reprover oweth him ill will , but ) on that very account , because they would draw them from known sin . for this is notorious impenitency , and shews a love of sin , and the reign of it in the will. . all those are notoriously ungodly , who do by scorns , threatnings , persecutions , or otherwise notoriously express a deliberate , habituated hatred prevailing in their hearts , against god , christ , the spirit , the scripture , or godly men because they are godly , that is , because they do believe , love god , and live a holy life , and obey god in those things which they are convinced that he commandeth . for this shews that ungodliness prevaileth in the heart . . all those are notoriously ungodly , that being convinced that its a duty to pray , to hear the word , to mind the life to come , and prefer it before this , and to live a holy life , do yet so far dislike all this , or any of this , that they profess themselves resolved never to practice it , and that they will venture their souls , come on 't what will , rather than they will make so much ado , or live such a life ; yea , though they will not profess this , yet if they will not on the contrary be perswaded to profess that they resolve to live such a life , and will not be drawn actually to the practice of it in their endeavours ; thereby manifesting that it is not so much for want of ability , as from a predominant unwillingness to be holy in heart and life : i say , if this be notorious , then is it notorious that these people are ungodly : and accordingly to be judged and used by the church . though i understand that many think that it is too rigid to go so far as i have already done in maintaining the negative of the former question ; yet i think it necessary to go further , and to determine , that [ it is our duty to refuse to baptize the children of more th●n the notoriously vngodly . ] if you would know who else it is that we must exclude or refuse , remember that before i told you of excommunication from . a particular church ; for some reason proper thereto or to some more , but not common to all . . from all incorporated congregations , as such . . from the society of christians , as such : and that this last is either for a time because of the scandalousness of the sin , and the credit of the gospel with those without , though we may yet see signs of repentance in the sinner . . or for the infectiousness of the sin as a leprosie : as if a man take himself bound to perswade all men to some greater and dangerous error , which yet may stand with grace and salvation , but makes it very difficult and much hindereth it ; and if no means can convince this man of his error , nor take him off ; this is a kind of a heretick , who must be excluded from all christian communion ▪ but is not certainly and notoriously graceless . . there is also exclusion from the society of all christians , upon an evident proof that the man is no true christian ; that is , that he is notoriously an unbeliever or ungodly person : this i have spoke to all this while . . but then there is also an exclusion upon a violent presumption , or very strong probability , though short of a certainty that such a man is graceless or ungodly . hereupon i lay down what i take to be the truth , in the propositions following . proposition . i may not deny the right of the infant to baptism meerly because the parents are excluded from one or more particular churches : because baptism doth necessarily and directly enter them among the number of christians , but not into any one particular church . and therefore i will not forbid or disswade the baptizing of such . pr●position . yet do i take it to be no duty of mine to baptize any such more than any other ministers , further than i have a special call or reason : for example : here live some hundreds in this parish , that upon publike proposal , whether they take me for their pastor , and themselves for members of this church ? do disown it , or not own it , when they are told that their owning or declaring it shall be taken as the sign to know it ; i take my self no more bound to baptize their children than any strangers else : for i cannot be their pastor whether they will or not ; nor can i take them for any special charge of mine , that will not take themselves to be so , nor take me for their pastor . therefore they can no more blame me than any stranger , if i refuse to baptize their children : though yet i deny not their right to baptism . i am not bound to baptize all the children in the countrey ; and therefore not theirs . proposition . it ordinarily falls out that a minister hath more work to do in his own special charge than five men are able to do : so that he cannot bestow so much time as to baptize the children of others and to take an account of them concerning their faith or profession ( such as is more necessary from strangers , and refusers of discipline , than others ) without neglecting some duty to his own charge the while : while i am speaking to them , there are twenty poor souls of my own charge that call for my help . and i am more strictly tied to those of my special charge than to others . proposition . yet in case that , for the avoiding of offence , or for an advantage to win them to a better temper , or the like reason , i see any special cause for it , i doubt not but i must rather omit a lesser duty to my own charge , than a greater to others . proposition . if a man reject church-communion , or withdraw himself from one church upon a reason common to all churches as incorporated , ( as for example , because he will not be under any discipline ) he gives us reason to question his very christianity : and therefore we must call him to account on what grounds he doth this : and if the grounds are found such as are consistent with christianity , we may not deny the right of his infants to baptism : though our selves may have no call to baptize them . proposition . if the parents do either produce no title to the baptizing of their child , that is , do not seem christians or godly ; or if they give us grounds of a violent presumption that their profession is false and counterfeit , in either of these cases , as we are to exclude them from christian communion , so are we to refuse the baptizing of their children , that is , to suspend both , till such a title be shewed , or till the grounds of that strong presumption be removed : although we may not declare such persons to be no members of the universal church , nor absolutely deny their children to have any right in the covenant , or fundamentally and remotely to baptism ; as not being certain , that their parents are in a graceless ungodly state . this last proposition is it that i am now to give my reasons of . for indeed it is a matter of such exceeding difficulty , to conclude another man to be certainly graceless , that it is not one of multitudes , nay , it is but few of the commonly scandalous gross sinners that we should be able to prove it by ( which i desire the cesorious well to consider of . ) but yet a strong presumption we may have of more that they are graceless , and thereupon may suspend them and their children , as is said before . arg. . if the parent have given just cause for us to question his own christianity , and right to christian communion thereupon , then hath he given us sufficient cause to question his childs right to baptism : ( and so to suspend the baptizing it : ) but the antecedent is confessed : for our dissenting brethren in this case will suspend , yea excommunicate the parent . ergo . the reason of the consequence is clear , in that the right of the infant to baptism is meerly on the parents account , and on supposition of his right to membership of the universal church . if therefore his right be justly questioned , and ●e suspended , then the infants right must be questioned , and it suspended on the same ground . for baptism sealeth a right of union , and putteth into actual communion of the body catholick . argum. . we ought not to dispense gods seals and church-priviledges to any without a produced title : ( else we must give them to all , that we can . ) but for the baptism of such mens children , as are aforementioned , there can be , or is , no title produced ; ergo. the major , is further clear , in that non esse & non apparere , are to us all one : for it must be discernable to us by some evidence . or else it is naturally impossible for us to know it . for the minor , its clear that if the parents title to membership be questionable the infants is so too : because the ground is the same , and it is from the parent that the infant must derive it : and no man can give that which he hath not . argum . in civil administrations , and according to the rules of right reason , a very high probability , commonly called violenta praesumptio , sufficeth to sentence and execution : especially when it is but in the withdrawing or suspending of a priviledge . therefore it must be so here . because . here is no reason to put a difference . . because our distance from other mens hearts , doth in most cases make us uncapable of more . impenitency and ●nfidelity lie within : and we cannot know them but by their signs and fruits . and . it is their fault in giving occasion of such presumption , and in being so like the ungodly , if we deny them the priviledges of the godly ; and not our fault . the antecedent is clearly known . if a man be known to bear another malice , and be found standing by him with a bloody sword , the person being murdered , the judge will justly condemn him for the murder ; though yet it be not absolutely certain that he did it . if a man be found nudus in lecto cum nuda , he shall be judged a fornicator or adulterer , though it be uncertain . so in other cases . argum. . if such violent presumption must not stand for sufficient proof for such suspension of parent and child , then all discipline ( and all civil justice , if it be not so there ) will be eluded . for then , ( as no vice almost , or but few , will be punished among men , nor few men have right ) so , almost no ungodly or scandalous sinners , or few that ought , will be excluded or suspended : and the fruit of discipline , its like , will be judged scarce worth the trouble , so few causes will be brought , as will bring it to be strange . but discipline must not be so eluded . ergo. argum. . christ telleth us , that by their fruits we should know them : therefore by fruits of godliness or ungodliness we must judge of men as godly or ungodly , as to these acts of administration and communion . we must judge that to be a vine which hath grapes , and that to be no thistle that hath figgs . we judge not usually of the certainty of mens impenitency , or infidelity , but of the strong probability . it s possible a mans own words may be false . argum. . we must admit of a weak presumption , or probability for admitting men to priviledges : therefore we may admit of strong presumption for denying them . if we must take a probability in one , then in the other : only allowing the difference , as aforesaid , that we must have a stronger presumption for denying , than for granting is necessary . for we must be content with less evidence for a man , than against a man. quest. . but what is that we may take for a sufficient reason of a mans claim ? and. quest ▪ what must we take for a violent presumption , of the unsoundness of his claim ? to the first i say in brief ; . if a heathen that yesterday was guilty of the grossest sin , do come to me this day , and with seeming sorrow confess his fault , and with seeming seriousness profess to believe in god the father , son and holy ghost ; that is , to believe all the essential articles of christian religion , and profess his consent to take god for his only god , and portion ; christ for his only redeemer , and the holy ghost for his sanctifier , renouncing the world , flesh , and devil ; i shall take this verbal profession for a sufficient reason of his claim , unless any just bar of exception be put in against him to invalidate it . . the same title i shall take for valid for the baptism of his infants . . if a man have made the same profession , and after long continuance in the church doth offer his child to christ in baptism , and offer to renew that profession , and enter his child into the same covenant , i shall suppose his claim just , till some sufficient reason be brought to prove it unjust . . i find that the apostles took such a profession as a sufficient proof of the justice of the claim , at the parents own baptism : not as being it self the condition ( called by many , the title ) but as being such an evidence of the title to us , as we are bound to accept . . in equity and reason if the condition of a mans interest ( or his title , as they call it ) do lie in the heart , out of mans reach , we must take his own profession as evidence sufficient , unless he give himself the lye , and give us other reason to discredit him . if a man say he is a believer , and profess himself to be a godly man , that is , a lover and honorer of god ; i will take him for a believer , and a godly man , till i can disprove his profession . i am not not bound to believe an evident lye : but i am bound to believe a man till the falshood of his speeches be evident . charity believeth all ( such ) things ; and thinketh not evil without sufficient evidence . i need not go to a mans life for his evidence of his first title . and for his right to after-communion and priviledges ; though other mens testimony of a godly conversation be a good confirmation , yet i am not alwaies bound to seek or require that , nor yet to have a personal knowledge of it : but if any from his life will bring a cross evidence to disprove his own verbal profession of faith and obedience , i will take it into consideration . and i could wish that all christians would proceed according to this rule , and call no man ungodly when they cannot prove h●m to be such , at least , so far as to a strong presumption : but that they would take all for godly that say they are godly , till they can disprove them . i know they will say , then you will miscall men , and call those godly that are not , and then you must not difference the precious from the vile : this is large charity indeed . to which i answer . we call them but what they seem ; and . what god warranteth us to call them , the apostles telling such themselves , that they [ were all the sons of god by faith , heirs , saints , justified , &c. ] gal. . cor. . . & . . we difference as far as we have evidence to lead us ; and further we must not . as i said before , we must imitate god in this : where the mixture is such that the tares cannot be pulled up without pulling up the corn , both must grow together till the harvest : we must not think to difference so exactly , and search and sift so neer to the bran , as god will then do . if the case be so uncertain and inevident , that we may on such grounds condemn the righteous with the wicked , we must let righteous and wicked go together as if all were righteous , and call the whole field a corn field , for all the tares . obj. then must we judge falsly , for we must judge men to be what they are not . answ. . if it were so , it is no sin in you , but in them that profess falsly . when ever you judge the most glorious hypocrite to be godly , you judge falsly ; but not sinfully : for every mistake is not our sin . . but i say you are not to judg falsly neither . for you are not to judge that it is certain that these are godly men , but only that its probable . and note well , that there is a difference to be made within the church , between the better and worser members , as well as between the church and those without . and observe , that there are divers degrees of this probability of mens sincerity : some do so fully second their profession by a godly life , that we have a very strong confidence of their sincerity ( though not a certainty ) . some do give us some good hopes , but not so strong a perswasion . some are so dull and negligent , and faultie in their lives , that we have much fear of their perdition , though we are bound because of their profession , to keep up some hopes of them , as being not without some probability of their honesty . i doubt the common sort of christians are but such as these . and therefore we may even in the church preach for mens conversion and regeneration : because though we know not certainly who they be that are unregenerate , yet we know that many such there are that profess religion , and have great cause of fear and jealousie concerning many in particular . so that we must place a great difference between those whom we must permit in the same church-communion and must administer the same sacraments to : we rejoyce in our hopes of some : we have much fear of the condemnation of others . yet if it come not to a strong or violent presumption grounded on sufficient evidence , we may not suspend or cast them out . in a word , it is a verbal profession seemingly serious , and not again contradicted by a cross profession of word or action , that is the evidence of mens interest in church-priviledges , particularly of the baptism of their infants . quest. what take you for a sufficient disproof of a verbal profession ? or a ground for such a violent presumption that a man doth lye and dissemble , and is no christian ? answ. i mentioned you ten particulars before , on which we may judge men notoriously ungodly . look over those again , and ye may see what to take for a violent presumption . . a man that denyeth any essential part of christian religion , though we are uncertain whether he do it resolvedly and deliberately , yet if he will not upon sufficient invitation , reverse that denial , and profess repentance of it ; or if upon a just call a man refuse to profess his belief of the chr●stian faith ; it is ground of a violent presumption that he is no christian or godly man. . those that are not only unable to give any account of their knowledge of the essentials of religion , but also do by their contrary answers ( when we put them but to affirm or deny ) shew that they understand them not , and this often , though its possible they may be amazed , or oblivious , yet it s a violent presumption that they are utterly ignorant of the essentials . and here i advise all to be very tender how they exclude people on point of meer ignorance , if they . are but able in private , to those that they are familiar with , to give a tolerable account of essentials . . or if they answer truly with a [ yea ] or a [ nay ] when you contrive the matter into your question . . and if they be diligent in the use of means , and willing to learn and live uprightly . and to this purpose consider of these things following . fundamentals or essentials are but few . . many poor people are of such natural bashfulness , or hesitancy , that they cannot speak what they know . . specially when rustical education increaseth it . . and especially when it is in publike , or to a minister whom they reverence . . there are indigested ruder conceptions , which may be found , and yet not formed ready for expression , even in some that can speak well . we see some ministers in examinations too deficient : and the best find sometime a light which they cannot utter : and the force of a reason in their minds , which is no whit ready for the tongue . . scripture examples in this point observed would moderate us . what did the apostles require ? . he that gives a true [ yea ] or a [ nay ] shews that he believes the truth . . he that in his life seeks heaven before earth , shews that he knows it to be better than earth . i speak these things but to moderate some men . i add . it is commonly as much the ministers fault , that he hath not a satisfactory answer , as the persons . i have noted it , that most ministers , either speak roughly or indiscreetly , discouragingly , provokingly , or of things not essential ; and that it is a matter requiring greater wisdom than most have , to draw out the minds of the most ignorant sort of our people . . and if they know not the essentials , may we not help them to a tolerable knowledge of them at the present , before we part with them ? at least , we should trie . . while men do wilfully delay upon a sufficient call to profess their consent to the matters in the third article ( forementioned ) viz. to take god for their god , christ for their saviour , the spirit for their sanctifier , the word for their rule , we must delay our using them as godly . . he that professeth to esteem this world more than that to come , add reverseth it not , though we know not certainly whether he spoke it deliberately , must be presumed ungodly till he reverse it . . he that professeth not to leave his known sins , but rather to venture on gods displeasure , though its possible he may speak it hastily in a temptation , yet is to be presumed ungodly till he manifest repentance , that he is now of another mind . . so they that profess that they will venture or lose their interest in heaven , rather than forsake their sins , till they repent manifestly of this , are to be presumed to be ungodly . . so they that live constantly in the commission of gross sins , though they profess repentance , and promise reformation , yet have over and over broke their promises , and still continue in the sin , such mens words are not any more to be credited ( else all discipline may be eluded ) till they actually reform : and though we cannot certainly tell just how much gross sin may stand with grace : yet because we must judge by probable evidence , and the apostle telleth us that such shall not inherite the kingdom of god , and that if we live after the flesh we shall die , we must presume that men are what they appear to be . had we such a man as solomon in his sin to deal with , we ought to use him as an ungodl● man , i think . so those that have lately committed scandalous notorious sin , and will not on sufficient perswasion manifest any satisfactory repentance for it : we must presume them ungodly till they will manifest repentance : for we know , except they repent they shall perish ; and an undiscovered repentance is to us as none . and our divines at dort conclude , that though a godly man lose not his justification by gross sinning , yet he contracts such an incapacity of coming to heaven in that state that must be removed by repentance , or else he could not be saved . . those that will not hearken to them that would admonish them , but refuse to obey their counsel for the forsaking of known sin , and also despise and abuse them meerly for that : though its possible this may be as as● did in a temptation , yet we must presume till he repenteth , that he is ungodly ; for we know , that he that being oft reproved hardeneth his neck , shall be destroyed without remedy : specially when it is a minister of acknowledged sobriety and authority that doth reprove ; and the reproof hath nothing in it that should seem injurious . . those that do deride or slander or persecute the generality of godly men about them , for their apparent godly practices , in matters of weight in religion : though its possible in a temptation they may do it upon some mis-reports and mis-apprehensions , yet till they manifest repentance , we have sufficient reason to presume that they are ungodly men . so for those that evidently endeavour the disgracing or extirpation of godliness . . those that either profess to take a godly life as an unnecessary , or that being convinced , or having full evidence which might convince them , do yet refuse to hear the word , to pray at all , to seek heaven in the first place , to hold communion with any christian church , or to be guided by the ministers of christ according to his word , while they refuse to perform these necessary parts of christian duty , after due admonition , and give no tolerable reason of their refusal , are groundedly to be presumed to be persons ungodly . object . but ( i know some dissenting brethren will say ) what a labyrinth do you bring the church into on your grounds ? while we must judge of mens sincerity , we are left at uncertainty ; and who knows among al these difficulties whom to judge godly , and whom ungodly ? thus ministers are made lords of the consciences of men , or enabled to tyrannize . answ. . where the case is most notorious , there needeth no judge . where the probabilities are such as require a determiner , it is the ministers office : and a main part of his work , of necessity to the church , and not to be called or accounted tyranny . . but , it is an easie matter to cavil at large against almost any cause ; destructive arguing is the easiest . but incommodum non solvit argumentum . the thing i would see is a better way . do our brethrens grounds afford us any better footing ? quest. . will you take any verbal profession as a title , or not ? if any whatsoever ; then if a man tell you i will come such a day , and in scorn to christ profess christianity , or if he tell you when he hath done , i did but dissemble , for fear or favour , or if he deride while he doth it , or contradict it in other words , you will take it for good . or if a man come drunk to present his child in baptism ( as they have done to me to require it ) or if he fall a swearing and cursing at the ordinance : or say , i will never be ruled by christ or scripture : if any profession must serve , then these ; but i hope not so . if not any whatever ; then , . tell us how you will distinguish ; will you not reject all that is apparently lying ? how will you difference between truth and a lye ? what cross evidence will you take for currant ? tell us that we may also know . if only words , than what if a man worship actively the sun or moon , while verbally he makes the christian profession ? will it not disable and discredit his profession with you ? what if he have for twenty years ( o that i had none such neer me ) been drunk , once a week or fortnight , and sometime thrice a week , and still confess it and promise amendment ? is his word to be taken ? . if you were to baptize an aged man , that comes new into christianity would not you be the judges whether his profession seemed serious or not ? and proceed on meer probabilities , as well as we ? . do you not in admitting persons to the lords supper , make your selves judges whether his profession be serious , yea and take in his conversation for evidence ? and are you not put in all this upon the same uncertainties , and to the use of probabilities as we ? . so you do , i suppose in excommunication for impenitency : or at least , in case of absolution of the penitent , will not you be judges on probable grounds , whether his repentance seem serious ? and take a violent presumption as ground for some determinations ? yet i hope in all this you are no tyrants . there is a necessity of a standing ministry to decide such matters , and rule the church : therefore are such matters to be decided by them . the fourth disputation . whether any besides regenerate believers have a right to the sacraments given them by god , and may thereupon require them and receive them . we take it for granted , that the right of infants is upon the account of their parents faith , and dedication of themselves and theirs to god ; and that they are uncapable themselves of requiring the sacraments : and therefore we shall make but little mention of them in this dispute ; but manage it with special respect to the adult , seeing the case of infants will be that way best resolved . we mention [ regenerate believers ] to signifie those men who perform that faith which is the condition of the gospel-promise ; commonly called justifying or saving faith. by sacraments we mean baptism , or the lords supper . the principal thing that needeth explication , is the word [ right . ] and it signifieth divers things according to the several objects and acts to which it is related . . a man may give right to a benefit , and another receive it divers waies . either by a premiant law , if he be a superiour in rule ; or by a testament , promise , or other donation or deed of gift ; or by sale , exchange , or other contract by way of commutation . the last is nothing to our case , as the right is made over to us ; for we could not purchase it , though the right that christ hath to convey it , may be fitly said to be due in commutative justice , as being purchased by him . the right which we have to benefits from god , is alwayes by free donation ( for we are capable of no other ; ) and by a donation that partaketh of the natu●e of a law : this deed of gift is called a promise , testament , covenant , &c. in scripture ( for the single promise of god , is oft called a covenant ) the nature of this right to benefits consisteth in the debitum habendi , the dueness of them to the person from another . this right is said to be given , because it is it self a benefit , as being right to a benefit ; and the party is said to have it . . another kind of right to benefit , is that which accidentally and indirectly ariseth from another mans duty : as e. g. the physician of an hospital , commandeth his apothecary to give so much of such a precious cordial to every one of his patien●s who fainteth or falls into a lipothymie , but not to the rest : some of the patients that they may partake of the cordial , pretend to faint or swoun : the apothecary doth his best to discern whether they dissemble , and cannot discern it : hereupon it is his duty to give it these as well as to others , because he that commanded the administration intended not that he should know the heart , or be infallible , but should proceed according to his best skill and judgement , or else he must do nothing : so that esse & apparere , & non esse & non apparere , is all one to him . the dissembling of the patient doth accidentally occasion , or cause it to be his duty to give him the cordial : and when it is become his duty to give it , the patient may so far be said to have right to it , as that he may justifie his demand before any physitians that are unacquainted with his dissimulation , and the apothecary had truly a right or power to give it , and may justifie it before any . yet this is but improperly called a right to the cordial , and properly it is but to be the object of the just action of the administer . for though the apothecary had warrant to administer it upon a claim , though wrong , yet the patient had no right to warrant his claim ; and therefore his claim it self being unjust for want of antecedent right , it could not give him a proper subsequent right , though in the common judgement of undiscerning men , he had right . . a kind of right in a benefit may be conveyed by actual physical application , without moral conveyance of title : as if i cast a garment over a mad man that strips himself naked , while it is on him , he may ( but improperly ) be said to have right in it : which is but properly non inju●te uti ; it is no injustice in him to use it while you perm●t him . but this is nothing to our present case . . because it is not an antecedent right to the thing , but a subsequent right in the thing when they have it ; and is no ground of claim before hand , the partie having no antecedent title : but our case concerneth an antedent title ; or else the question would be only whether sacraments be null to such when they have them . . because this is not proper right . . because even this non injustè possidere , never falls out to be the case of the unsanctified unbelieving soul ; because it is not bare providential disposal that casteth sacraments upon him like the rain from heaven , but it is his own unjust claim and seeking that antecedeth and causeth his possession , so that we may dismiss this from our further enquiry . and there is ( that i remember ) no other way of conveying right to benefits which can possibly concern our case , than these above-mentioned : and therefore i may suppose that here is a sufficient enumeration . if any would make a contract or mutu●l covenant to be a different way , they are deceived : for as our covenanting act conferreth not the benefit , but is only a condition of gods collation , ( else a man should give it to himself . ) so the covenanting act on gods part is by the fore-described free donation ; and it is only by the standing promise , which is not altered when we consent , though only then it become effectual , because that consent is the condition of its efficacy . so much concerning the right to benefits , and the debitum habendi , or antecedent title . the next kind of r●ght is that which respecteth not benefits , but our own act●ons . and this right or justness of actions , is . of the actions of an officer or administrator , which is autoritas agendi , and proceedeth from a commission , or a command which is equivalent . . the actions of a subject as such in obeying ; which is officium , or debitum agendi , commonly called duty . this resulteth from the preceptive part of every law. and so every man hath a right to do his duty ; which strictly is but to say , it is right that he do it , or it is due from him to god , or he is obliged to it . . the third sort of actions are such as are neither commanded nor forbidden , but either the law medleth not with them , and so negatively permitteth them , or else it expresly maketh them indifferent , and so positively permitteth them , such we say a man may rightfully do ; which is indeed neither necessarily , nor sinfully ; but only the things are licita , such as may be done . to apply these to our present case ; it is evident that none of these are meant in our present question . for . the question is not , whether it be lawful to a minister to give the sacrament to any that is unregenerate : for , supposing that they require it , this is out of doubt ; and we may justly ( though with due limitations and conditions ) excite them to desire it , while we know them not to be unregenerate , or perswade them to do it with faith and repentance . . nor yet is it any of our question , whether the action of receiving be commanded to any that are unregenerate , and so be his duty ? though this question being as necessary to our end , as that propounded , i shall also speak anon to the decision of it . . nor is it any of our question , whether sacramental reception be meerly quid licitum , or an indifferent thing to them : for this is not pretended . our question is then . of the benefit directly , and of the duty but consequentially . and of the debitum habendi directly , and but consequently of the debitum agendi . . and of the title which is the foundation of right , or of an antecedent right to the benefit , even a right that may warrant before god a claim ; and not of a meer subsequent right in it ; much less of a possession without proper right , or of a being an object of the just action of another . . it is of a right given by god , and not of any thing which they may call a right that cometh another way . before i come to the negative of the question , which i shall maintain , i shall lay down what is easily granted the opponent in these few propositions following . prop. . god hath bestowed christ with his benefits , justification , adoption , sanctification , and right to sacraments ; conditionally upon all ( at least , that hear that word : ) even infidels , heathens , persecutors of christianity , that never had a thought of accepting christ. prop. . ministers may and must give the sacraments to many professors of saving faith and repentance , who have not the faith or repentance which they profess , supposing that these shall require the sacraments at their hands . prop. . these hypocrites may have right to the sacraments in foro ecclesiae ; that is , ecclesiâ judice : which is no more than this , that their pretence of a true right before god , is such as the church cannot judge to be false , and therefore is bound to administer the sacraments to them , as to men who seem to have that proper right , as far as they can judge . prop. . if it shall after be discovered that the party had no proper right , but that the church was mistaken in their judgement , it will not follow that therefore the external baptism was or is null , or to be re-administred , though it reacheth not its main ends . prop. . infidels , heathens , turks , are obliged to seek to be baptized , and to receive the lords supper ; that is , to become true believers , and then to seek and receive the sacraments . prop. . when the church administreth sacraments to hypocrites , as they do but their duty , so god approveth their action , as knowing they do their duty : and therefore so far as that comes to the improper right coram ecclesià , is also coram deo. as in the foresaid comparison : if the physitian knew his p●tient to dissemble , that he might have his cordial , and the apothecary did not know it , the physitian will justifie his apothecary in his administration . so will god justifie the foresaid administration of his sacraments , and acknowledge the hypocrite to be the object of our just tradition . for the negative ; prop. . god hath not given by promise , testament , or any other deed of gift , a proper title to sacraments to any that have not saving faith and repentance ( and their seed ) which coram deo , will warrant them to require and receive them . prop. . god hath not commanded or allowed any that have not saving faith , to seek or receive the sacraments , in that condition ; but hath made it the order of their duty , first to repent and believe , and then to seek and receive the sacraments . these two propositions i shall now briefly , but sufficiently prove . the first hath in it three parts , . that god hath not made any deed of gift of sacraments or right to sacraments to any that are short of saving faith , ( save the seed of the faithful ) . that therefore such have no title to sacraments coram deo , that can properly be so called . . that therefore they cannot lawfully claim and receive them ( though if they claim them we may lawfully administer them ) to avoid confusion , i shall take these distinctly . . that god hath made no promise or deed of gift of sacraments or right to them , to any that are short of saving faith , or on any lower condition than saving faith , i prove : arg. . there is none such to be found in scripture . therefore god hath made none such . we have long expected the production of any such gift or promise ; and yet none is produced : which is likely would have been if it could have been found . and if it be not in scripture , it is nowhere . arg. . if the promise or grant of right to sacraments be made on any condition besides saving faith , then . either on the condition of the profession of that faith ; . or on the condition of a real inferiour faith ; or . on condition of the profession of that inferiour faith . but none of these three . ergo . the enumeration will be acknowledged sufficient by them that we have now to deal with . and . that the bare profession of saving faith is never made the condition of any promise or deed of gift , by which a title to baptism is conveyed , appeareth , . in that none such are found in all the scripture : god nowhere saith , if thou wilt but profess or say th●t thou believest , thou shalt be baptized , or have right to sacraments ( though the church must administer them on that profession ) . else god should command a man to lye , or justifie him in it , and make a lye the condition of his mercies . though every duty be not the condition of justification , yet every such condition is a duty , and every duty is commanded ; and god doth not command any man to lye , or to profess to be what he is not , or do what he doth not , or have what he hath not . much less will he make this the condition of his promises . object . god commandeth both believing and profession ; therefore profession is part of their duty ; and their sin is not that they profess , but that they do not believe . answ. but god so connexeth these duties together , that the later is a sin , and no duty , if it keep not its place , and be performed without the former . if a man tell a lye by speaking any good which he never thought , its true that god would have had him both think it and speak it , and then it would have been no lye ; but he would not have him speak it before he think it ; for then its a lye : and you cannot say that his sin is only in not thinking it , and not in speaking it , which was part of his duty : for it was both his sin , not to think it , and to speak it when he did not think it ; and spe●king it was not his duty , save upon presupposal that he think it , or it was not in any other order to be performed . the same is here the case between believing and professing to believe . . god maketh nothing the matter of duty , or the condition of his gifts , but what hath some moral worth in it which may shew it fit to be well pleasing to him . but the bare verbal profession of that which is not in the heart , hath no such moral worth in it as may make it pleasing in his eyes . ergo . . and then for an inferiour faith , that this is not the condition of gods promise , i have fully proved in another disputation : moreover , . no such promise can be produced out of the word of god : if it could , its l●ke we should have had it ere now . . the promises are expresly made on the condition of saving faith ; therefore not of any other . of this more in the following arguments . only here i add , that as to the administration of seals , no man can know the sincerity or reality of an inferior kind of faith any more than of a saving faith. . and then for the third , viz. the profession of a dogmatical or other inferior faith , it can be no condition . . because the faith it self professed is none ; therefore the profession of it i● none . . the profession of a saving faith is none : much less of a lower faith . observe in all this , that when i mention a dogmatical faith , i take it in mr. blake's sense , and the sense that its commonly taken in , viz. for an assent that comes short of that which justifieth ; and not as some of the ancients did , who called justifying faith by the name of dogmatical faith , as dist not from miraculous faith , because they ordinarily placed justifying faith in assent : so cyril , and john hierosol . cateches . . pag. ( mihi ) . distinguisheth faith into d●gmatical , which is saving , and into that which is of grace , by which miracles are wrought . he means by grace the extraordinary gift of the spirit . and so some protestants too . leg● d. alard . vaek . comment . in symbol . apost . proleg . cap. . pag. . . argum. . it is one and the same covenant , testament , or deed of gift , by which god bestoweth christ , and right to sacraments , and that on the same conditions . but the covenant or testament bestoweth himself only on the condition of saving faith. therefore it bestoweth right to sacraments only on condition of saving faith. that there is any covenant distinct from that one covenant of grace , mr. blake disowneth as a fancy that never entred into his thoughts : pag. . that this one covenant or testament giveth right to christ and to sacraments upon the condition of one and the same faith , is evident : . because the word distinguisheth not ; therefore in this case we may not distinguish . it offereth christ and sacraments to men on these terms , if they will believe ; but it doth not give us the least hint that by believing is meant two several sorts of faith , whereof one is of necessity to right in christ , & the other to right to sacraments . mr. blake that so abhorreth the imputing of equivocal terms to the scripture , i hope will not feign them to speak so equivocally . if the word had ever said , it is such a kind of faith that is the condition of right to christ ; and such a different kind of faith that is the condition of right to sacraments ; then we might have warrantably so distinguished our selves ; but there is no such thing . yea , the scripture maketh it plain that it is saving faith which it meaneth , that is pre-requisite to baptism , as is already manifest from acts . , , , . & , . & , , . & . . . , , , , , mark . , &c. to which add mat. . , . go ye therefore and disciple me all nations , baptizing them in the name &c. those and only those that are discipled , must be baptized . but none are discipled internally but true believers , nor visibly but the professors of a true ( saving ) belief ( and their seed ) therefore no others should be baptized . the minor ( which only requireth proof ) is thus proved . none are disciples but those that take or profess to take christ for their chief teacher and saviour . but all that do so heartily , or profess to do so , have or profess to have saving faith : therefore none but those that have or profess to have saving faith , are disciples . the major is undeniable . the minor is clear . if he that heartily takes christ for his chief teacher and saviour , have not saving faith , there is no such thing . it is he that will not hear the prophet that shall be cut off ; and he that will hear him that shall live . and he that heartily takes him for his chief teacher , is willing to hear him and learn of him : and he will give rest to the souls of all that will come to him , and that learn of him , as matth. . , . argum. . god giveth right to sacraments to none but those to whom he giveth right to remission of sin . but he giveth right to remission of sin to none but true believers : therefore he giveth ( p●oper ) right to sacraments to none other . the major mr. blake wonders at , that all men should have right to the end or fruit of the ordinance , who have right to the ordinance ; when it is the right use and improvement of ordinances that must give right to the end. but . the form of a sacrament is relative , and the nearest end essential to it ; and therefore all ends are not separable , and at a distance . . god giveth no man right to use sacraments contrary to his institution : but the ends to which the sacraments are instituted , is to seal up remission of sin already given him by the promise : therefore he giveth right to sacraments to none but those to whom he giveth right to remission of sin . the major is proved in the former disputation . object . but our divines say that baptism is not only for the remission of sins past , but of future sins . answ. . true : but still including sins past . . it is the review or consideration of baptism which they say is for the strengthening of our faith concerning the remission of sin , daily as we commit it . . if any of them do make baptism to be effectual to the remission of sin hereafter , when present sin is not remitted , they suppose this to be by accident , when contrary to the intent and institution of god , it is misused at the present , but rightly considered of in believing reviews . he that hath not right to be baptized for the obsignation of remission of sin , hath no right given him by god to baptism . for god hath appointed no other baptism . there are indeed certain distant benefits of the sacraments which are suspended upon a distant improvement of them . but a saving participation in christ and pardon of sin is a present benefit , which the person must be qualified for the obsignation of before he have title by gods gift to that sacrament . ar. . ad hominē . it is but few protestants that i know of , that seem adversaries to our present assertion ; and those few also do grant it : mr. blake saith pa. of sacraments : [ so that i conceit no promise of these ordinances made to such a faith but an actual investiture of every such believer in them . ] and when i supposed that he had thought there was a distinct promise of church priviledges upon condition of a faith not justifying , or saving , he tels us of some body ( i know not who ) that said i rather feigned this of him , then found it in him , and himself addeth [ and i profess i know no man whose brain ever hatched or vented such a crotchet ] we are therefore here secure ( or should be one would think ) from mr. blakes opposition . if this much secure us not , see him p. . where ( having thrown by my distinctions as confusion , pag. . and my positions as not looking toward the business , ( i. e. for ought he could see ) and having confuted me by my own words , pag. . before he understood them ) he brings me in thus stating the question [ whether these men be in covenant with god , as to gods actual engagement to them ; so far as that gods promise is in force for conveying actual right to them as to the promised blessings ? and so whether it be a mutual covenant ; and both parties be actually obliged ? and thus i say , that wicked men are not in covenant with god ; that is , god is not in covenant with them , neither have they any right to the main blessings given by the covenant , viz. christ , pardon , justification , adoption , glory . ] to this i annexed , ( which he leaves out ) nor to the common blessings of this covenant ; for they are given by the same covenant , and on the same conditions as the special blessings : so that though they may have right to them at present on the ground of gods present collation , or trusting them with them ( as a servant hath in his masters stock , ) yet have they no right by covenant — ] mr. blake replyeth . . that he knoweth no man that hath spoke so much to prove the affirmative as i. but where ? he will tell us logically thus . [ so long as they break not the covenant engagement in which he confesseth they have obliged themselves , god stands engaged to them for the greatest spiritual blessings . but according to him they break not covenant till they arrive at final impenitency and unbelief . ] rep. . i said in another book , that as the new law of faith is called gods covenant , so no man but final unbelievers , doth so break that covenant , as to be the subject of its proper actual commination , i.e. penal censure ; or that its penalty should thereby become his due ( the penalty being a peremptory remediless exclusion from all hope ) . and what doth mr. bl. but make me say in an unexplained general , [ that they break not covenant till they arrive at final unbelief &c ] . i said over and over that they broke their own covenant engagements , though they did not so far violate gods covenant as to incur the foresaid curse : and what doth mr. blake but intimate that i teach [ that they break not the covenant engagement , in which they oblige themselves . ] yet he stops when he should have repeated these words in his minor , perceiving it a cleanlier way to let the reader infer them . ah sorry tempter that could procure such a volume of so worthy a man , to abound with so many passages of this nature , that are such strangers and enemies , not only to truth , and common equity , but even to that ingenuity that should be manifested to an enemy . but this on the by . his second answer is , [ that therefore before mentioned which he cals the great question between him and me , is no question at all ! it were madness to affirm that which with those limits he thus denies . ] see reader , though i was so mad as to prove the affirmative of this question which i deny , yet mr. blake is not . and may i not now venture to conclude that thus far we are agreed . well then , if mr. blake never dreamed of a promise of god , made to a dogmatical faith , giving them right to sacraments , nor thus actually engaging god to them , let us stay a little here to enquire what it is then that in his judgement gives them title and right . pag. . he brings me in saying , [ but if you speak only of covenant . right to baptism coram deo , by his gift of covenant , then i make them of the same extent . and he answereth , i cannot tell what other covenant-right to speak of , &c. ] so oft-times he saith that they have a right or title from god by his covenant . what should the sence of this mysterie be ? doth gods covenant give it them , and yet is there no promise of it to such as they ? nor is god actually obliged to give them the blessings of the covenant ? certainly this cannot be . for . god hath no covenant-act on his own part , but that which we commonly call his promise or testament . he saith [ he that believeth shall be saved , &c. ] and [ if thou believe thou shalt be saved : if thou receive christ thou shalt have power to be the son of god ] and when the soul consenteth it is a mutual covenant , without any further deed of gift from god : so that it is this same promise which is conditional , and whose condition is our acceptance of the gift , which gives right to the benefit when the condition ( our acceptance ) is performed ; that is , when our hearts consent . and so god hath no covenant act on his part to convey a title , but his promise : therefore if there be no promise of title to sacraments , there is sure no covenant-gift from god of such a title , when they are the same . can mr. blake shew a covenant of god ex parte sui distinct from this promise ? why then is it not done ? but p. . did ever a man speak of an absolute tie in a conditional covenant , whether the conditions are performed or no ] it seems then that it is but a conditional tie that he speaks of all this while . but what 's that to the conveying of right ? the efficacy is suspended while the condition is unperformed : or else it were not a condition . if god had conditionally by his covenant given title to sacraments , that covenant could give no title , till the condition were performed . so that it is not a conditional promise or covenant , till performance of the condition , that can give right . and yet mr. blake oft saith , that god giveth a covenant-right to such as ( he seems to maintain himself ) perform not the condition . . but for all this , i still say our very faith or acceptance of christ in the covenant of god is our performing the condition . and therefore ( which its sad should be an egregious affected piece of nonsence in the eyes of any divines ) our very heart covenanting , is our performance of the condition of the covenant of god , that is , god offereth to be our god , and christ our saviour , if we will accept him by consent . our hearts consent and say , lord i am willing . and this is our heart covenanting ; that ties the marriage knot : and this was the condition of gods promise , or part in the covenant . and therefore every true sincere covenanter or believer , as he performeth by consenting the condition of his first right and possession , so he hath immediately the said right and possession : a marriage covenant is such a performance also , as giveth present title and right . we are members of christ , pardoned , adopted , as soon as ever we consent to the terms of the covenant , that is , do believe . it s a poor put off for mr. blake to tell me , that [ we are ofter said to be espoused to christ , then married to him . ] for what although the solemnization of the nuptials with all the church in one body be reserved to the last day , doth it follow that each particular soul is not married to christ before ? doth not scripture expresly affirm it ? do any divines deny to question it ? what matter is it then which is oftner mentioned , wh●le both are mentioned , and both true ? but yet it cannot be his meaning that a conditional promise gives right to baptism : at least to men of his inferior faith for he expresly saith , that he [ conceits no promise of these ordinances made to such a faith ] . he doth therefore sure conceive ( for all the former words ) that there is some other way of giving title by gods covenant , or by god another way than by covenant . and pag. . he expresseth it thus . [ but an actual investiture of every such believer in them ] . surely if we can but understand these words , we have his sence . i would not fall a racking this word investiture , to make it confess its signification , if i knew where or which way else , besides in this one poor word , in all his two volums to find his meaning . but if it must lie in one word , and that not obvious to all understandings , it concerneth us to enquire what that word doth signifie . the word investiture applyed to meer physical subjects , signifieth but a meerly physical alteration , and that can give no title or right : and therefore no doubt , that is none of his meaning . when the word is taken in a civil sense , it is usually forma concedendi feudi , but sometime applied to other benefits , and it is commonly distinguished into that which is ceremonial , abusive , or improper , and that which is natural and proper . the former is preparatory to actual possession of the benefit : and is said by lawyers to be equal to , or much like to the judges decreeing a mans possession , which is not a corporal putting him into possession : and the form usually runs thus , investio te hoc annulo , ense , &c. here the thing that he is invested by , is the ring , sword , &c. but the thing that he is invested of , is not them , but the benefit which they signifie , and that but preparatorily , as to corporal possession of the thing it self : and this is used to be done in the face of a court , or some eminent witnesses . this is investiture , abusivè sic dicta . . the latter ( investitura vera & propriè dicta ) is the very delivery of possession of the benefit it self , which is done ( say the civilians ) many wayes . as . when the foresaid ceremonial investiture is not at a distance as before , but in ipso feudo , vel oculis subjecto . . si dominus propriè investiendo utatur verbo tradendi , potest vasallus propriâ autoritate ingredi possessionem vacuam . . si dominus coram paribus curiae , &c. juberet beneficiariam ingredi possessionem feudi . . si beneficiarius per dominum ipsum aut jussu ejus per alium introducatur in possessionem feudi . ] now which of these is it that master blake here meaneth ? . the sacrament of baptism delivered upon gods command upon the ground of his preceding promise , is his true , proper investiture of the believer in the pardon of sin , and membership of christ and his church . these therefore being quoad ipsam possessionem , delivered up by this sacred sign , it follows that it is only those that have antecedent title to these benefits ( christ and pardon ) that can receive the investing sign to that use and end , and to no other separated uses is it instituted by god. and as to the distant benefits ( the kingdom of glory , &c. ) the sacraments are a ceremonial investiture as to them , and therefore should be applyed to none that hath not a precedent title to those distant benefits , ecclesià judice ; or should be claimed and received by no other . nor is it proper to call that an investitu●● of the sign it self , which is it self an investiture of another thing . we use to say , by this ring , sword , &c. i invest thee of that benefit , but not by this ring i invest thee of this ring . . our question now in hand being not of an investiture of the signified benefit , but of a title to the sign it self , it is apparent that it cannot be the first sort of investiture , viz. ceremonial : for then it must be by some other ceremony that we are invested of this ceremony . and what that other ceremony is by which god doth invest men of baptism , no man can tell , nor i think hath gone about to tell . . it must be therefore the latter sort of investiture , or none , viz. the natural and true : but that presupposeth a title by some antecedent promise or gift : and is but the means of delivering possession of that which men had right to before ; or of giving the jus in re , to them that had the jus ad rem . now our question is not of possession , but of title , or the jus ad rem , which is antecedent to investiture , and may warrant a claim . . and if you should say that this investiture doth of it self confer title to it self , you would speak a contradiction , the title being antecedent to the right ( as being its foundation ) and the right ( ad rem ) antecedent to the proffession which the investiture gives . or if you feign an immediate donation to be concomitant with the investiture , or closely antecedent , you must prove it , and shew what it is . it is most certain that it must be somewhat , that is , signum voluntatis divinae de debito habendi , that must confer on us a title : a meer providential disposal is no such thing ; for that is no civil , but a physical investiture , and signifieth not the will of god de debito , but only de eventu , and therefore of it self is no title : ( of which see the lancashire ministers against the engagement , at large . ) it must then be a testament or some deed of gift , which in the gospel goeth under the name of the promise , which before this possession must give the title : but a promise in the present case , as made to the dogmatical believer , is denyed by the opponent . a new immediate donation concurrent with the investiture ( so called ) there is none . god doth neither then say , i give thee title to this sacrament , or i deliver it to thee absolutely ; but only hath long ago in his promise said , that which is equivalent , conditionally ; so that he hath no new donation but only the old one of his promise , newly applyed by his minister ; and the condition of that promise is a saving faith , and , not another sort of faith . there remaineth therefore but two acts or wayes of this proper investiture , which can be pretended : and that is . a command to them to take possession ( which is not pretended ) or to claim it of the minister . . and a command to the minister as gods agent to deliver it to such a man. and for the first , it will fall under our further consideration anon , where we shall shew that there is no such command . nor can any command give title to a benefit , but what hath the nature of gift , as well as a command . if then there be no promise or gift , there is no right to the benefit : commands as such do only oblige to duty . and as for the command to ministers to deliver the sacraments . . it is in scripture commanded them that they baptize them that repent and believe ( and their seed ) but no others : therefore whereas by reason and scripture-example and general rules , it is made their duty to baptize , or give the lords supper to professors , that is as they seem believers ; seeing god never intended to make us the searchers of hearts , therefore we must follow the common rule of humane converse , to take mens words about the secrets of their hearts , till they utterly forfeit the credit of their words . but to them that profess not truly to believe , we may not give them . . nor may we give them as from god to men under the bare notion of professors but as believers . i mean , that in our invitation and offer , we may not tell men [ all that profess to believe , come to this sacrament , for its gods will that you have title to it , ] nor may we manage the ordinance in the terms of our prayers or delivery , as to meer professors , but as to believers , and so must we call them , as in probability , and from their profession esteeming them such . . as it is only true believers that we must call to receive them , so if any other come they come contrary to our call , and so contrary to the word that god put into our mouths , and to his will ; and therefore they have hereby no title . it s true that it becomes our duty to deliver them the sacrament , but that is accidentally , on supposition of their unjust claim , and hyhocritical or false profession : & ex propria calpa nemini debetur commodum . god imployeth not heart searchers in his administrations ; but he offereth his ordinances only to heart-searchers and on heart-conditions : and therefore the pretenders of such conditions may warrant our delivery ; but they can never warrant or justifie their own claim , or false pretence in order thereto : and therefore they being not the people that god offered his benefits to , and called to receive them ( unless by turning true believers ) it follows that they have not gods consent to receive it ; and therefore there is no gift from him . as the minister doth in the word , so doth he in the sacraments : in the word we are to offer jesus christ to all that will accept him by a living faith , that is , to offer him to all that he may be so accepted , and on condition of such acceptance , may be theirs . but if some unsound professors shall in their way , lay hold of him , and say , he is theirs , it is they that make the false application , and not either god or we . so if we are to comfort any afflicted conscience , we are no heart-searchers , and therefore cannot say to any , thou art a believer , and therefore this comfort belongs to thee ; but we can only deliver them this major proposition [ this comfort belongeth to all true believers ] and this conditional conclusion [ if thou be a true believer , it belongs to thee : ] but it is the person himself that must affirm [ i am a true believer ] and so must make the conclusion absolute . and then if the assumption be untrue , it is his own , and not gods or ours . so we are to offer the sacraments ( and christ in the sacraments ) to all true penitent believers . this is our duty . if any now will step forth and take the lords supper among the faithful , it is himself that maketh the sinful application : and if any will say [ baptize me , for i do heartily repent and believe , ] if this be false , it is he that makes the false application . and therefore here is no divine donation can be proved ; nor any consent of god to his claim ; though we are justifiable for the actual giving it upon that claim . so that here is no such investiture that can be proved which conveyeth any title , or warranteth any claim : there is only a command to us to offer it to true believers , and to give it by actual delivery to such believers , and to believe them that say they are such believers , till we have just cause to discredit them , or can sufficiently disprove them . so that actual delivery upon such a false profession of theirs , is morally no gift , nor investiure , but only such as is meerly physical , as to any collation of right , the application being by themselves , who can give themselves no right , and not by god , who never gave consent to the claim . and thus i have proved and vindicated the first part of my first proposition , concerning the sacraments considered as benefits [ that god hath not made any gift of them to any but true believers . ] the two next i need to say less to , because enough is said on the by , in vindicating the former . the second was , that [ seeing god hath given no title , therefore they may not lawfully claim them . ] and this is clear from the common laws of propriety , that no man may lay claim to that which he hath no title to . he that would not be questioned as an usurper , must look to his right before he take possession or use . object . what another is commanded to give me , that i may lawfully claim as my right . answ. he is commanded to give it believers , and to you if you will profess that you are a believer ; but withall you are forbidden to profess it if it be false , and therefore that is a sufficient bar against your claim , coram deo in the judgement of god ; though its true that ecclesia judice , your claim is such even upon a false profession which they cannot deny . if they be commanded to give it you if you claim , and you not commanded and warranted to claim it , then their duty of giving it upon such claim , will prove no title in you before god. the next part of my proposition doth so clearly follow from what is said , that i need not say any more to prove it , it is your sin to claim and receive that sacrament , which the minister may deliver to you upon your claim without sin ; because you must judge by heart-evidence , but the minister cannot . but whereas mr. blake doth make it so strange that a minister may lawfully administer that sacraments to a man which coram deo , he hath no right to ( against which he is so confident ) i would demand of him whether coram deo , or deo judice , a man have true title to sacraments without any faith at all , i mean a downright infidel or heathen ? if he say , no ; then he yieldeth all the cause . for if this heathen will so far play the hypocrite as to profess a dogmatical faith ( as he saith ) or a saving faith ( as the church saith ) then he will confess that it is the ministers duty to give him the sacrament upon his claim ; and so he must give it to a man that deo judice hath no true right to it . but if he say that such an heathen hath right to it deo judice , i shall not stand now any further to confute him , then . to challenge him to prove his title : and . to advise him to be cautelous how he undertaketh to justifie his title and claim at the barr of god when the reckoning comes , and these matters must be reviewed . and thus i have done with the first proposition , which speaks of sacraments ut beneficia , and proved that god hath not given , by promise , testament , or any deed of gift , a proper title to sacraments to any but sound believers ( and their seed ) which will warrant them to claim and receive them . . the next thing to be done , is to speak of the receiving of sacraments as it is officium , a duty , constituted by some command of god ; and the proposition is that [ god hath not commanded or allowed any that have not saving faith to claim and receive the sacraments in that condition , but hath made it the necessary order of their duty , first to repent and believe , and then to claim and receive the sacraments . arg. . if no man is commanded or warranted to receive the sacraments without a profession of true faith and repentance , then not without that faith and repentance it self . but the antecedent is true ; therefore so is the consequent . the antecedent is proved in the other disputations . the consequence is plain : for no man is commanded or warranted to lye , or make a false profession : but to profess that faith and repentance which they have not , is to lye , or make a false profession ( at least if it be not a profession limited ) therefore , &c. i have proved before that such a profession is not only pre-requisite to sacraments , but also that the very reception of them doth contain it . arg. . no command can be produced in scripture , which will warrant a man to seek and receive the sacraments without a saving faith : therefore there is no such command . i shall pass by all other arguments ( because they may be gathered from what i have said already ) and shall only enquire into the commands which are pretended , because the proof lieth on them . obj. every jew and his children were commanded to be circumcised : therefore the impenitent , hypocrites , &c. are commanded to receive the sacraments . as gen. . . answ. . they were not commanded to be circumcised whether they consented to the covenant or not , but circumcision was the token of the covenant , and a seal of the righteousness of that faith which they had or professed to have , being yet uncircumcised , gen. . , . rom. . . that is , the parent for himself and his child professed a true consent to the covenant . and this consent i have before proved to be saving faith , or inseparable from it . and so covenanting was then as strictly required as circumcision . object . but every male was to be cut off that was not circumcised . answ. i shall not now stand to enquire into the meaning of that cutting off : but whatever it was , it is certain that there is as much threatned to them that did not covenant with the lord. obj. but that cannot import a sincere covenanting in saving faith ; for then how great a part of the people must be cut off ? answ. it plainly speaks of the profession of sincerity in covenanting , . chron. . . and they entred into a covenant to seek the lord god of their fathers with all their heart , and with all their soul , that whosoever would not seek the lord god of israel , should be put to death , whether small or great , whether man or woman . obj. but ( saith mr. blake ) though they covenant to believe savingly , yet they do not profess that they do so ; and it is not covenanting that proves men in a state of justification and salvation , but keeping the covenant . answ. he that covenanteth from that time forward to take the lord for his god sincerely , doth by that covenant at present express that he consenteth to have the lord for his god , ( upon the covenant terms : ) but he that professeth such a consent , doth eo nomine profess saving faith , which is nothing else but assent , and that consent producing affiance . there is no act proper to saving faith , if consent be not . . as therefore faith , which is ( or is inseparably joyned with , as others confess ) the hearts consent doth justifie a man before he express it in works of actual obedience , so it is but the same thing which we say , that heart-covenanting , or consent , doth justifie , or prove a man justified , before he do any further keep that covenant by any positive effects of it . for it is the performance of the conditions of gods promise that first prove us justified ; and god promiseth christ and justification with him to all that believe , or receive christ , or accept him as offered . and this receiving , or accepting , is the same thing with consent or heart-covenanting . so that all that we oblige our selves to for the future in our sincere covenanting with christ , are not any means of our justification as begun , but only of the continuance or not losing of it . . yet still we easily grant that or all covenanting without the hearts consent will save none . ob. is it credible that all israel must be forced to profess themselves true believers , when many were not ? answ. god required them first to be such , and upon pain of damnation , and then to profess themselves such , and seal it by his sacrament . he warranteth no man to profess a falshood , but that they truly consent and then profess it . though asa and the other rulers could search no deeper then an external profession or covenant and their practice in seeking god , because they did not know the heart . and that it was indeed no other then that which then was saving faith which was professed ( and so required ) in that covenant , doth appear in the terms of it . it was to take god , to be their only god , and to give up themselves to be his people ; and the mention of their deliverance from the egyptian bondage , and the nature of circumcision shew that it was in deum misericordem & redemptorem , they that professed to believe , with such respect to the blood of the messiah as those darker times required . the terms in deut. . , , . do plainly express that faith which then was proper to the saved [ the lord thy god hath commanded thee to do these statutes and judgements ; thou shalt therefore keep and do them with all thy heart , and with all thy soul : thou hast avouched the lord this day to be thy god , and to walk in his wayes , and keep his statutes , and his commandments , and his judgements , and to hearken to his voice : and the lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people , as he hath promised thee , &c. ] sincerely to take the lord for our god is the sum of all religion , and the very nature of sanctification . for it is not the bare name of god , but god himself that is here meant . and this can be no less in any tolerable sense , then to take him by assent and consent , for our absolute lord and soveraign , and chief good , or end. and that the jews themselves thus understood the covenant of circumcision , ainsworth on gen . sheweth out of their rabbies in these words . ex lib. zohar . at what time a man is sealed with this blessed seal of this sign , thenceforth he seeth the holy blessed god , properly , and the holy soul is united with him . if he be not worthy that he keepeth not this sign , what is written ? by the breath of god they perish , job . . for that this seal of the holy blessed god was not kept ; but if he be worthy and keep it , the holy ghost is not separated from him . ] and after v. . ex maimonid . " [ by three things did israel enter into the covenant , by circumcision , and baptism , and sacrifice , &c. and so in all ages when an ethnick is willing to enter into the covenant , and gather himself under the wing of the majesty of god , and take upon him the yoke of the law , he must be circumcised , and baptized , and bring a sacrifice , &c. when a man or woman cometh to joyn a proselite , they make diligent enquiry after such , lest they come to get themselves under the law , for some riches that they should receive , or for dignity that they should obtain , or for fear . if he be a man , they enquire whether he have not set his affection on some jewish woman ; or a woman her affection on some young man of israel . if no such like occasion be found in them , they make known unto them the weightiness of the yoke of the law , and the toil that is in the doing of it , above that which people of other lands have , to see if they will leave off . if they take them upon them , and withdraw not , and they see them that they come of love , then they receive them ; as it is written , when she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her , then she left speaking unto her , ruth . . therefore the judges received no proselites all the dayes of david and solomon . not in david's dayes , left they should have come of fear : nor in solomon's , lest they should have come because of the kingdom and great prosperity which israel then had . for who so cometh from the heathens , for any thing of the vanities of this world , he is no righteous proselite . notwithstanding there were many proselites , which in david's and solomon's days , joyned themselves in the presence of private persons , and the judges of the great synedron had a● care of them ; they drove them not away after they were baptized , out of any place , neither took they them neer unto them until their after-fruits appeared ob. . if none but the regenerate or sincere believers have title to baptism and the lords supper , then none can seek or receive them , till they have assurance of their sincerity , which would exclude abundance of upright christians . answ. . god layeth his commands upon us conjunctly , and our casting off one , will not authorize us to cast off another . upright christians are obliged both to judge themselves to be what they are , and to receive the seals of the covenant : and if they judge themselves not to be upright when they are , or question their integrity as a thing to be doubted of , this is their sin , and cannot be done inculpably . and this sin will not justifie them in forbearing the sacraments : for one sin will not excuse another . the thing therefore that such are bound to , is , first to use right means to know themselves , and then to judge of themselves as they are , and then to seek and receive the sacraments . and if he say , [ i have tried , and yet i cannot discern , or i fear i am unfound ] yet that will not free him from the blame of mis-judging , nor from the obligation of judging more justly of himself . . there is a true discerning of a man 's own faith and repentance , which is far below a strict assurance ; and he that truly discerneth that he repenteth and believeth , hath a clear ground to profess it , though he have much doubting and fear of the contrary . the judgement of few or none is in aequilibrio , but it swayeth and determineth either to judge that they are sincere , or that they are not . if it judge that they are not , when they are , their duty is to rectifie that judgement out of hand . if they judge that they are sincere , though they attain not a full certainty , they have reason to act according to that judgement . mans heart is a dark piece , and much unacquainted with it self ; and if mr blake , or any of his opinion , will prove that a man must suspend all his actions which are not guided by a certain assured judgement , he will evacuate most of gods service in the church . i doubt not but he will confess that it is only the penitent that should profess themselves penitent ( in that condition ) and only they that truly desire christ and grace , that should say they desire them ; and only they that have received saving grace that should give god thanks for it as a received benefit . and yet if no one should confess sin with profession of penitence but they that have full assurance that they are truly penitent ; if no one should beg grace with profession that he desireth it , till he have full assurance of the truth of those desires ; and if no one should give thanks to god for redemption ( in the special sense ) and effectual vocation , and conversion , and justification , adoption , reconciliation , sanctification , &c. but those that have a full assurance that they have received these , i doubt god would have little confession , prayer , or thanksgiving of this sort from his people . is it unlawfull to say [ lord i believe ] as long as we have any vnbelief to be removed ? when peter knew not but that he might shortly deny christ with cursing and swearing , yet might he lawfully confess his belief in him . a man may warrantably speak and profess the truth which he is not fully certain of , as long as he doth it bona fide , and really meaneth what he speaketh , and uttereth his very heart so far as he knoweth it . . and as long as he is not negligent in his endeavors to know it , but faithfully labors to be acquainted with it . all such ordinary professions do imply this limitation [ this is the truth , so far as i know my own heart . ] and if it were not lawful to go on this ground , i must give up almost all my duties . for i finde so great darkness in my own heart , and strangeness to my self , that it is few things that i say of my own heart , which i can speak with such assurance as this . when christ commanded me , matth. . . to [ leave my gift before the altar , and go my way , and first be reconciled to my brother , and then come and offer my gift ; ] as i am uncertain when my brother's minde is reconciled to me , so if i should never offer my gift till i had full assurance that my own minde is sincerely reconciled to him , perhaps i might sometime be put upon a long forberance . for many a one that can say , [ i know nothing by my self ] is yet so conscious of the falsness of his heart , that he is forced to add [ yet am i not thereby justified ] and [ i judge not my own self , &c. ] christ hath told us that god will not forgive us , unless we truly repent and believe , and from our heart forgive one another . if none may thank god for remitting their sins , till they have undoubting assurance of all this , god would have little thanks for forgiveness . then the scruples of those that reject singing psalms , would turn off almost all . who durst say or sing psal . . [ i love the lord , &c. ] psal. . . [ with my whole heart have i sought thee , &c. ] psal. . . & . & . . [ i will praise thee o lord with my whole heart , &c. ] unless so few as would make but small melody . many particulars might be instanced in , to shew that this ground would evacuate most duties . . as mr. blake is uncertain of every one of his hearers that seeketh sacraments , whether he have indeed a dogmatical faith or not , so i doubt he would baptize but few children in comparison of what he doth , if none should seek it but those parents which are undoubtingly certain that they do truly believe with that dogmatical faith . . certain i am upon much sad tryal that a great number of the parishioners that have long been our constant hearers , and have presented many children to baptism , have not a dogmatical faith it self as to the essentials of the christian religion ; for many tell me that they believe not that the son or the holy ghost is god , or that any one hath suffered for us , or made satisfaction for our sins , and that they trust only in gods mercy and their praying , and amendment for pardon . . i meet with the most humble , godly , learned and judicious men of my acquaintance , who manifest more doubtfulness about the dogmatical part , or assenting act of their faith , then any other , or at least , their doubt of the rest is most here grounded , because they doubt of their truth in this . and though they are comforted in this consideration , that even assent is imperfect in the saints on earth , and mixt with doubtings , and that they lament their infidelity and doubting , and have so much belief of the truth of scripture , as prevaileth with them to resolve to trust their everlasting happiness only on that bottom , though with the forsaking of all earthly things , yet are they far short of a full assurance or certainty of the truth of the gospel , and are principally in doubt of the sincerity of this act of their faith . now i would know what mr. blake would have these godly persons do that are not assured of their dogmatical faith , but are oft ready to say , [ i shall one day perish by this unbelief . ] if he would have them receive the sacraments without assurance of a dogmatical faith , we have reason to think that they may receive them without assurance of a justifying faith , though we make this the condition of their title as they do the other . . it is a great controversie among the reformed divines , whether an unconverted man can have that faith which we call dogmatical . i know but two or three divines to be of mr. blake's opinion ( though its like enough there may be more ) and one of them thinks that the nature of justifying faith lieth only in assent , another i have heard in conference maintain that wicked men ( or the unconverted ) do not indeed believe god ; nor that the word of god is true . and if this be so , then sure a dogmatical faith is a justifying faith , and he that must be sure of the one , must be sure of the other , when it is not really another but the same , or an essential part of the same . this also is the judgement of many protestant divines , as bishop downam , camero , and his followers , and many more , viz. that faith lieth in assent or a perswasion of the truth of the word ; and the common opinion of protestants is , that this assent is one essential part of justifying faith , and that it is in the understanding as well as the will , ( i remember scarce any of note besides amesius that placeth it in the will only , and make the act of the intellect to be but integral or preparatory . ) and if there be any such thing as grace , or holiness and rectitude in the intellect , i do not yet conceive wherein it can consist , if not in light , procuring knowledge of , and assent to the truth . and how much of this ( jure vel injuria ) mr. blake yields to the unregenerate , see him on sacr . pag. . as in these words . [ and therefore though the wicked match the regenerate in assent in their understandings , it will not follow that their understandings therefore are truly sanctified ] i am far from believing that the wicked do match the regenerate in assent in their understandings : but if he can prove this , i would fain know what the rectitude or sanctity of the understanding is , seeing he supposeth that this is not it . he that with a deep habitual assent doth believe that god is the chief good , and that for him , and that heaven is more desirable than earth , and that there is no salvation but by christ received as our priest , prophet , and king , &c. i think he hath a sanctified understanding , or else i know not who hath , nor what it is . but in such great points as this , if mr. blake have made any new discovery of the nature of sanctity or rectitude in the intellect as a thing differing from assent , he might have dealt charitably to have told us what it is , and not to have left the world at a loss . . and i still think , that ( at best ) if the wicked have a true dogmatical belief of the essentials of religion , it is as hard or harder for them to attain assurance of the truth of that dogmatical belief in its kinde , as it is for the regenerate to attain assurance of the truth of saving faith in its kind . therefore if the wicked may lawfully claim a right in both sacraments without assurance that they are sincere in their kind of faith , why may not the godly claim a right without assurance of sincerity in their kind of faith ? and if mr. blake will say that neither assurance nor perswasion , that we have either the one or the other , is necessary to a claim or right , but only a promise of them for the future , then heathens and infidels have right , and may lay a claim . for they can promise to be christians , and yet remain heathens . obj. . if you take none to have such a right as may warrant their claim and receiving but only sound believers , then you make election , and the covenant and seals to by commensurate : which is not to be done . answ. the terms are ambiguous , supposing that we understand each other as to the sence of the word [ election , ] i say of the word [ covenant ] that it may mean three differing things . . if you mean the conditional promise of christ and life to all that will believe , i say that this is not commensurate with election : for as to the tenor it belongs to all the world , and as to the promulgation , to all that hear it . this is sometime called a covenant in the sense as all divine constitutions be , about our life : and sometime as it is the offer of a mutual covenant ; and sometime as it is seemingly accepted : but still god is but conditionally obliged : and this is no sufficient title to the seal : for then it were due to open infidels , if not to all . . if by the word [ covenant ] you mean , mans own promise to god , or consent to his offer , so i say it is either sincere or not sincere . sincere consent to gods offer is commensurate with election ( unless you can prove that such fall away totally and finally . ) but unsincere consent ( as when it only to half ) the offer or unsincere promising ( with the tongue , without the sincere consent of the heart ) is not commensurate with election ; nor doth it warrant the hypocrite to claim the sacraments , though it may warrant me to give them if he claim them . . if by the [ covenant ] you mean. gods actual obligation , which followeth mans acceptance , which is the performance of the condition of gods promise ; then i say , it is commensurate with election ( unless you could prove the foresaid doctrine of apostacy ) for when god hath promised us christ and life on condition of our acceptance or consent , and we hereupon do sincerely consent , then gods promise doth induce on him ( as we may speak after our manner ) an actual obligation , and give us an actual right to the benefits , and is equivalent ( as to that present benefit ) to an absolute promise . and it is only this that will warrant our claim to any of the benefits . obj. . saith mr. blake , pag. . [ and whereas he so peremptorily determines , that though wicked men oblige themselves , yet god still remaineth disobliged , let him consider , whether god be not some way obliged to all that he voucheth to be his people ? if this be denyed , there will be found no great happiness to a people , to have the lord for their god ; but god avoucheth these to be his people , deut. . . who are yet in an unregenerate state . ] ans. by [ some way obliged ] you mean either conditionally ( and so he is obliged to all the present living infidels that ever heard the word , if not to all the world ) or absolutely , or actually : and for the later let mr. blake on the next page answer mr. blake on this page : his words are [ did ever man speak of an absolute tye in a conditional covenant , whether the conditions be kept or no ? that therefore before mentioned which he calls the great question , is no question at all . it were madness to affirm that which with these limits he thus denies . ] the condition suspendeth the actual obligation , or at least the right given beyond all controversie . indeed if the stipulation were only in diem , and not conditionally , then the thing promised were presently due , that is , to be hereafter received : and the promissary had jus ad rem , though not statim possidendi & statim crederet dies , etsi non statim veniret dies . for in a stipulation in diem crescit dies , quia statim debetur : sed nondum venit , quia non efficaciter peti potest . but in a promise conditional , there is no right , in the promissary , nor proper actual obligation on the promiser , till the condition be performed . and if mr. blake deny this , he should have told us what it is that god is actually obliged to do , on mens bare profession or common sort of believing . but this he could not do without contradicting himself and the truth . and for gods avouching israel to be his people ] i answer , . he avouched them all to be what they were , that is , a people that had actually made an open profession of consenting to his covenant , and had ore tenus taken him for their god. . he avouched them to be his people also , because that very many ( how many gods knows ) were sincere in this covenant ; and the whole may be denominated from the better part ( especially if also the greater ) ▪ as our divines use to tell the separatists , that as a field that hath much tares is called a corn-field , not from the tares , but the corn , which is the better and valued part ; so the church is so denominated ( say they ) from the sincere believers . . he avouched them to be his people , in regard of his peculiar choice of israels seed to those temporal mercies and priviledges , which they had a promise of above other nations of the earth ; as many such are known . what benefits the hypocrites had shall be enquired into anon . ob. . the jews had much advantage , and the circumcision much profit every way , rom. . , . answ. the great advantages of the whole nation , were principally for the sake of the elect , as the third verse following sheweth ; and many mercies the rest had by being among them , which were not by a moral donation given particularly to those professors , but to the nation , denominated from the better part . . the unbelievers or ungodly had much advantage by providential disposals ( planting the spiritual church among them , &c. ) of which they had themselves no proper grant by donation , and to which they could lay no claim that was justifiable before god. and they had much accidentally from the ministers commission , as is before explained . and thus the ungodly may have still , both word and sacraments , and outward communion with the church , and much of gods protection and blessing for the sake of the godly , to whom they joyn themselves by outward profession . but this is formerly answered , and so are all the rest of the material objections that i remember in my apologie to mr. blake ; and therefore i shall , to avoid further tediousness , refer the reader thither ; and if he have read that and this , i think he will not need more words ( if he read not in the dark ) to save himself from being deceived by any of the rest of mr. blake's replies . only one or two of his summaries i shall examine , as i finde them set together , pag , . and pag. . ob. . saith mr. blake , pag. . [ my third argument to prove that a faith short of justifying may give title to baptism , is , [ to make the visible seal of baptism which is the priviledge of the church visible to be of equal latitude with the seal of the spirit , which is peculiar to invisible members , is a paradox . ] when i put him to prove that this paradox is mine , in the generality here exprest , he proves it from my own words ; where i say , we give the seal of baptism to all that seem sound believers , and their seed ; and we say the seal of the sanctifying spirit is only theirs that are such believers . ] i am convinct beyond denial , viz. to seem believers , and to be believers , is all one and seeming believers and real believers are terms of equal latitude . and thus i am confuted , as mr. blake useth to confute me ; no doubt , to the full satisfaction of some of his readers . the visible seal may be said to be of equal latitude , . either in regard of a title by moral donation which coram deo will warrant a claim and reception ; and so i say that saving faith and such a title to sacraments ( with the adult ) are of equal latitude . . or in regard of the justifiableness of a ministers administration , and the persons claim ecclesia judice ; and so they are not of equal latitude . but saith mr. blake [ for his distinction which he hints here , and plainly delivers elsewhere , of right in foro dei , and in foro ecclesiae , both to covenant and baptism ; i suppose considerate men will pause upon it , before they receive it , especially in the sense which he puts upon it . ] i like considerate pausing readers . but le ts hear your reasons . . ( saith mr. blake ) they may press him with his own rule , ubi lex non distinguit , non est distinguendum ; such a right to visible ordinances before men never granted of god , i would fain learn. answ. but i know not what teacher you would fain learn of . far be it from me to imagine that i can teach you in any thing . but yet i may presume to tell you ( though not to teach you ) . that ( as is often manifested ) such an improper right may result from the precept or ministerial commission ( to give the sacrament to believers , or professors of faith that claim them ) without a donation of title to themselves to warrant that claim . . that the nature of things must be distinguished from those morals which the law must constitute . i am of opinion that we need not go to the distinctions of the law , to prove either that god , and the church are not all one , but are really distinct , or that the understanding and judgement of god and of the church are not all one ; or that gods approbation , justification , or condemnation , is really distinct from mans . . there are some necessary distinctions afforded us by that doctrine which treats de legibus in genere , which we may receive without recourse to the law of god in specie . without scripture it may be known that a precept is not the same thing with a promise or deed of gift ; and that a power of administring to one that demandeth , is different from a power to demand it , or any just title that may warrant a claim . . if this will not serve you , i add , lex distinguit , ergò distinguendum est . . you confess that a dogmatical faith is necessary to our title . and what is that equally coram deo & exclesiâ ? if a jew say , [ i will go and deride mr. blake ; i will tell him to day that i believe in christ , and i will be baptized by him , and tomorrow i will scorn christ to his face , ] will you say that this man hath equall right deo judice , as he hath ecclesia judice ? i will not be too confident of my understanding your minde , but upon consideration , i think you will not . . matth. . and luke . . the servants had power to bring in ( by perswasion ) that person that had not on the wedding garment ( though they were to perswade him to come as a meet guest , and so with that garment , yet the performance they left to himself : ) but yet he had no warrant for his access in that condition , and he meets there with a judgement of god , which was distinct from that of the church , which with a [ friend , how camest thou in hither ] &c. left him speechless ; nor would it have saved him to have said , [ lord i was taught by learned divines that there is no forum dei to judge of my right to sacraments , besides the forum ecclesiae : and i had right in the judgement of the church , and therefore so i have in thine . ] and thousands will finde this plea prove uneffectual , if they shall be encouraged to use and trust to it . . . cor. . , . i think there is a judgement of the lord mentioned against unworthy receivers , that is not the same with the judgement of the church : nor is it my opinion that it was the churches judgement which laid some of them in sickness , some in weakness , and some asleep . god took cognisance of mens not examining themselves , and eating , and drinking unworthily , which was an eating and drinking damnation to themselves ; and of their not discerning the lords body ; and that further then the church did . . it hath till now been taken for granted that there is a twofold forum or judgement exprest in mat. . . and mat. . . where binding on earth and binding in heaven are distinguished , and loosing on earth and loosing in heaven . the treatisers that have wrote of the power of the keyes , and the expositors upon this text , have not thought that these two were but one , nor did offer so injuriously ( that i say not reproachfully ) to expound christs words . if you say that [ though they be not the same yet they agree , for that shall be bound or loosed in heaven , which is bound or loosed on earth ] i answer ; that is , quando clavis non errat . when the church judgeth justly , as the truth is . for god will not judge erroneously or unjustly because man doth so . yea though the churches error be inculpable ( as if they absolve or excommunicate a man upon the full testimony of false witness , &c. ) yet god will not therefore judge as they . though he will justifie their act of judging , yet he will not censure the true title of the person to communion accordingly , nor binde or loose in heaven according to any mistaking sentence . many other texts do sufficiently evidence this distinction . but because mr. blake doth pag. . and often so peremptorily renounce this distinction in this controversie , i shall yet add one or two reasons to shew the necessity of it . arg. . if the judgment of god , & the judgment of the church concerning mens right and claim here be all one , then either the churches judgement is infallible in this matter , or gods judgement is fallible . but neither is the churches judgement infallible , nor gods judgement fallible . therefore they are not both one . the force of the consequence is evident . and for the minor , . to say gods judgement is fallible , even that which he doth himself immediately exercise ( of which we speak ) is to blaspheme . . to say that mans judgement here is infallible , is to speak , . that which cannot be proved . . more than the papists , yea more than the italian papists say of the popes : for bellarmine himself will confess him fallible about such personal causes as these ; whether such a mans cause be good or bad , &c. . if the judgement of man be in this case infallible , then no man was ever wrongfully admitted by the church , and so the argument would hold à facto ad jus , such a one was admitted : therefore he had right to claim and receive : but the consequent is intolerable . for . it hindereth all hypocrites in the world ( that should believe it ) from repenting of their unjust claim and receiving , and justifieth them all coram deo ; but sure it will prove an uneffectual justification . . the same it doth by all ministers that ever administred the sacraments : it teacheth them to justifie themselves as infallible , and to disclaim repentance for any mistake : he that dare tell all the ministers in the world that they never gave a man a sacrament without right coram deo , or all the receivers in the world , that they never received it without such right as will warrant their claim and receiving , will shew whether the weakness even of good mens arguings may seduce . moreover if the minister be infallible in this case , then either by an ordinary ability of discerning , or by extraordinary priviledge ; the latter is not pretended by any , protestants or papists , that i know of : the former cannot be said , unless it be also said , . that all other men as wise be infallible as well as they . . and that therefore the case hath such evidence that no minister can possibly be mistaken in it . but this cannot reasonably be said . for . if an infidel or pagan come in scorn to be baptized , and profess a dogmatical faith when he hath it not , the minister cannot know his heart . . and if mr. blake will say that the very scornful words of such a professing pagan , are a sufficient title coram deo , yet the minister may possibly mistake his words , and think he saith [ i do believe , ] when he saith [ i do not believe . ] . or the minister may easily mistake the extent and nature of mr. blakes dogmatical faith , and think that the infidel doth profess that dogmatical faith , when it is but some faith yet lower than it , or but part of it . furthermore , if ministers be thus infallible , then none of their acts can be nullities : but the contrary is true , and hath been the judgement of the church expressed in many councils ( de rebaptizandis non legitime baptizatis quoad essentiam baptismi . ) and this would put us hard to the enquiry , which is the church that hath this infallibility ? unless we say that all have it that call themselves the church ; against which many councils have judged , when they required the rebaptizing of all that were baptized by the paulianists , &c. in a word , all the arguments which we use against the papal infallibility , might be here taken up , and voluminously managed against this . and if mr. blake disown this infallibility , there is no way left , but either to say that god hath no judgement of this case but what is fallible ( which i hope he will not ) ; or that god hath one judgement of it , and the church another ; and then we have that we seek . if he say that god hath no immediate judgement at all of it , but only the churches , which is mediately his : i answer , . the churches is not mediately his , when it is sinfully erroneous . . if god have a knowledge and observance of it , then he hath a judgement of it . but to deny gods knowledge or observance of it , is intolerable : therefore . . and i must say , that since i have observed in scripture , both the use that god makes of good angels and of evil , about the sons of men , and what appearances they make before him , job . and how the faithful have their angels beholding gods face ; how they have charge of us , and bear us up , and are ministring spirits for our good , and how the excommunicate are delivered up to satan , with much more of the like , i easily believe that god may well be said to have a forum , and pass his sentences on the sons of men before his angels , were it but by committing his will to execution by them : for so far as they are executioners , they must have a commission for execution , which containeth or implieth the sentence . and so there is a justification and a condemnation now before them . argum. . if god have no other judgement about right to ordinances , but the churches judgement , then hypocrites have equal right before god and before the church , ( or judice deo & judice ecclesia ; ) yea it is the same right which is more than equal right . but the consequent is false : therefore so is the antecedent . a jew that would make a jest of christ and baptism by a feigned profession , hath such a right ecclesia judice , as that the church cannot contradict it : but god can contradict it . the church cannot find any imperfection in it but god can . ecclesia judice , his right is as good as the soundest believers : but god will not say so . he may charge the church with doing him wrong , if they deny him the sacrament : but so he cannot charge god , if he hinder or prohibit it . surely god will acknowledge a further title to sacraments in the saints , than such a jew or pagan hath . argum. . where there are different executions , there are different judgements : but god hath an execution different from the churches ( in this case ) as is apparent , cor. . [ for this cause many are sick and weak &c. if we would judge our selves , we should not be judged , &c. ] therefore god hath a judgement differing from the churches . argum. . if about all humane acts god have a judgement differing from mans , then about the present case . but the antecedent is so evident and so momentous , that i hope few christians will question it . instead of arguing such a cause any further , i shall lament the case of the church among us , that any should be found among its reverend , pious guides , that shall so confidently publish , or so easily entertain ( as some seem to do ) so strange a point as this which we oppose : for how far may they yet be led , that can so easily be led to this . compassion of the church of christ doth urge me to speak thus , though i know to the guilty its like to be offensive . but yet we may thank god that there be so few of such conceits : sure i am , it is ordinary with protestants and papists in such cases to distinguish between forum dei & ecclesiae , gods judgement and the churches . instead of citing many , i shall now take up with one only , whose cause ( against the separatists ) did lead him so much to have enterta●ned the helps that lie on that side , that if he had thought this notion of mr. blakes sound , he was very like to have received it . rutherford in his due right of presb. cap. . § . . p. . dist. . [ any who blamelesly professeth christ , is ecclesiastically , in foro ecclesiae a true and valid member of the church visible , having ecclesiastical power valid for that effect , but except he be a sincere believer , he is not morally , and in foro dei , a living member of the invisible church . dist. . the invisible church catholick is the principal , prime , and native subject of all the priviledges of christians , the covenant , promises , title of spouse , bride , redeemed , temple of the holy spirit , &c. and the church visible as she is such , is no waies such a subject ; the non-consideration whereof we take to be the ground of many errors in our reverend brethren in this matter , which also deceived papists , as our divines demonstrate . dist. . a seen profession is the ground of members admission to the visible church . hence there is a satisfaction of the conscience of the church in admitting of members , either in the judgement of charity , or in the judgement of verity . dist. . there is a satisfaction in the judgement of charity positive ; when we see signs which positively assure us that such an one is regenerate : and there is a satisfaction negative , when we know nothing on the contrary , which hath a latitude ; for i have a negative satisfaction of the regeneration of some , whose persons and behaviour i know neither by sight or report . this is not sufficient for the accepting of a church-membership , therefore somewhat more is required . pag. . concl. . the invisible , and not the visible church is the principal , prime , and only proper subject with whom the covenant of grace is made , to whom all the promises do belong , and to whom all titles , styles , properties , and priviledges of special note , in the mediator do belong . if our reverend brethren would be pleased to see this , they would forsake their doctrine of a visible constituted church , &c. . the church to whom the covenant and the promises of the covenant are made , is a church and a seed which shall endure as the daies of heaven , psal. . , . and such as can no more fall away from being gods people in an eternal covenant with him , then their god can alter what he hath spoken , or lie , psal. . , , . they can no more cease from being in gods favour , or be cast off of god , than the ordinances of heaven can depart from before god , &c. jer. . , , . isa. . . or then god can retract his oath and promises , heb. . , , . but the visible church of this or that parish , &c. ] pag. . . the church with whom the covenant is made , and to whom the promises of the covenant are made , is the spouse of christ , his mystical body , the sons and daughters of the lord god almighty , a royal priesthood , a chosen generation , kings & priests to god : but this is the invisible church of elect believers , not the visible church of visible professors . — ] pag. . [ the church whose gathering together , and whose unity of faith , &c. the lord intendeth by giving to them to that end some to be apostles , &c. must be the church to which all the promises of the covenant and priviledges do belong . but the lord intendeth the gathering , &c. only of the invisible elected and redeemed church , not of the visible professing or confessing church , &c. ] pag. . . the invisible church , and not the visible , as it is such , hath right to the sacraments : because these who have right to the covenant , have right to the seals of the covenant — but only the invisible church hath right to the covenant . for god faith only of and to the invisible church , and not of the visible , in his gracious purpose , jer. . . and i will be their god , and they shall be my people . jer. . . i will put my law , &c. now the visible church , as the visible , is not within the covenant . therefore the visible church as the visible church , and being no more than the visible church , hath not right to the seals of the covenant ; but in so far as they are within the covenant , and in so far as god is their god , and they his pardoned and sanctified people , as it is , jer. . , . . it is known here that our brethren joyn with the papists . for papists , ignorant of the doctrine of the visible church , labour to prove that , &c. just so our brethren take all the places for the priviledges , covenant , promises , stiles of sister , love , dove , spouse , &c. — ] . a church in covenant with god , and the spouse of christ , &c. — is a church whereof all the members without exception are taught of god , &c. — but so it is that no visible church on earth , that are visible professors of any competent number , is such a church , &c. — therefore no visible church as such is a people or church in covenant with god. see roger's catechis . part . . art. . pag. , . concl. . a visible profession of the truth and doctrine of godliness , is that which essentially constituteth a visible church . only our brethren and we differ much about the nature of this profession — our brethren will have none members of the visible church , but such as are satisfactory to the consciences of all the visible church , and give evidences so clear , as the judgement of discerning men can attain unto , that they are truly regenerated . — ] see further . this much i have cited specially as to the main cause : further ( as to the distinction in question ) see him after pag. . . § . . . dist. all believers , in foro dei , before god have right to the seals of the covenant : these to whom the covenant and body of the charter belongeth , to these the seal belongeth : but in foro ecclesiastico , in an orderly church way , the seals are not to be conferred by the church upon persons because they believe , but because they profess their believing . — ] see further . pag. . [ . the seals of the covenant are principally given to the invisible church , as the covenant it self , &c. — and the invisible church as such , as a number of believers , have only right before god to both covenant and seals . — . it 's true , the orderly and ecclesiastick way of dispensing the seals , is that they be dispensed only to the visible church . — ] pag. . [ these and many other places do strongly prove our point : and specially that the profession of simon magus , who before god deserved to be cast out of the church , act. . is sufficient to make one a member of a visible church . yea , but none deserve in foro ecclesiae , in the churches court , to be cast out , but such as either confess scandalous sins , or are contumacious , or convicted judicially of the same before witnesses , &c. ] the same author in his peaceable plea , pag. . [ we preach and invite in the gospel all the uncircumcised in heart , and all the wicked to come , and hear , and partake of the holy things of the gospel , and receive the promises thereof with faith : and when they come to this heavenly banquet without their wedding garment , math. . , . cor. . . mat. . , . it followeth not , because they profane the holy things of god , that ministers who baptize the infants of hypocrites and profane persons , are accessary to the profaning the holy things of christ — it is one thing , whom ministers should receive as members of the sanctuary and church : and another thing , who should come in — ] pag. . [ object . divine wrath is kindled for the profanation of holy things . answ. that this is the ministers or churches profanation of holy things , is not proved : it is not wrath procured by the ministers , or those who receive them into the church ; but wrath procured by the unworthy in comers . — ] so far rutherford . having said thus much to mr. blakes denyal of the distinction of gods judgement and the churches in this case , i proceed to that which followeth in his book . pag. . [ mr. blake . . they may tell him of the necessity that is put upon ministers to prophane this divine ordinance , in putting this seal ordinarily and unavoidably to meer blank paper : which is a most contumelious abuse of it . ] ans. they may sooner tell it , than prove it , to be any prophanation or contumelious abuse . big words , may be bad arguments . it s the claimer that is the prophaner , whom you encourage by telling him that he hath a title : but it is not the minister ; who was never made a searcher of hearts , no not to know the truth of a dogmatical faith : and therefore may justly set the seal to a blank paper , when the receiver is made judge whether it be blank or not , or at least , is to give us the evidence that we must proceed upon . i would you would before this have told us whether one that dissemblingly pretendeth your dogmatical faith , be a blank paper or not , or one that as a parrat is taught to say [ i believe in god , &c. [ when he understandeth not what he saith . if not , it seemes a dogmatical faith is not the title then in your account . if yea , then doth the minister prophane the ordinance in giving it such ; and hath not mr. blake sealed to many such blanks , and contumeliously abused the ordinance ? [ mr. blake . they may tell him that poor souls are thus miserably cheated , in bearing them in hand , that these great priviledges , and consequently all further church priviledges are theirs , when the conveyance is meer fraudulent that casts it upon them . answ. . alas poor souls ! alas miserable cheaters ! but who are they ? they that bear them in hand that these priviledges are theirs by conveyance : which is not . let mr. blake answer for himself . . it was a gentler passage than this , that caused mr. blake presently to inferr . [ it seems he hath met with a company of cheaters . ] . but to call his brethren cheaters , is nothing so dangerous as to call the conveyance fraudulent . that do not i do : for i say that there is no such conveyance , ( unless you take the word improperly . ) [ mr. blake they may yet tell him that a door is here opened to anabaptism , or multiplication of baptism . a new door , of which either nothing , or very little , hath ever been spoken . ] ans. . they may tell me so : but how will you prove that they tell me true ? i see by you , that telling is easier then proving , and commoner then truth . . your making this a door to anabaptism , doth give them that which you cannot warrant them , and advantage the anabaptists more under pretence of renouncing their advantages , than you desire : the common success of passionate oppositions . . your feigning this to be new , and never or little spoken of before , in my understanding , importeth one of these consequences ; either as if you had said [ all historie is false ; believe nothing that ever you read in them ; nay trust not your eyes and ears , that see and hear the contrary to what i say ; ] or else as if you had proclaimed . [ take heed how you credit even godly divines in the heat of their contention , even in the most palpable matters of fact . ] mr. blake . when discovery shall be made that the title when baptism was administred was barely seeming , then all was null ab initio in such proceedings : and as such persons alwaies were in the eyes of god , so now in the eye of men they are unbaptized persons . ] ans. what proof of all this ? but you say so ? . baptism is sometimes taken for the meer external ordinance : sometime for that conjunct with the grace signified , or with the effects . as to the actual conveyance of pardon and life , i affirm that sacraments are uneffectual to unbelievers ; and so do you ; if that be a nullity , call them null . but how prove you that the external ordinance is a nullity where there was no title ? the title indeed was null ab initio , but prove that the ordinance was so too ? well ! this must be proved from simon magus and from titius : [ if titius got possessions presumed to be his due inheritance , and afterwards it be made appear that it never pertained to him , but to sempronius , all is to be judged invalid . ] ans. but if this possession was delivered by a sealed instrument , as possession of pardon is to a traytor or malefactor ( where right and possession are co-incident , ) and the tenor of this instrument be , that only those that are returned to loyalty shall have the benefit , ( e. g. pardon ) and a messenger is sent to deliver these instruments to all that profess loyaltie ; here if any traytor shall profess that loyalty , and seek to kill his soveraign the next day , though all be null as to the effect of pardoning him , yet the external acts of sealing and delivery are not themselves nullities . and if it be the will of the prince that this act shall be effectual to its end , when the person shall return to his loyalty , without the sealing the instrument anew , it may even to the effect be valid afterward , that through his fault was not so before . but if the anabaptists must have this news that i am turned so far to them as to open them a new door , let them take altogether , and make merry that mr. blake and i are turned so far anabaptists together , and then there may be hope that while we two hold open the door , more may come in ere long . he oft tells us that it is a dogmatical faith , or a faith short of justifying , that entitleth to baptism : england swarms with people that have not a dogmatical faith , and yet they receive the sacrament of the lords supper , and their children are baptized ( and what faith their ancestors had , who knoweth ? ) there 's scarce a week but i hear one or other tell me , that christ is god and not man , or man and not god , or that they do not think any one hath been our surety , or made any satisfaction to god , or suffered for our sins . ] if all these baptisms and other administrations be nullities , and if mr. blake will but teach that all should be rebaptized , whose parents are now discovered to want the title of a dogmatical faith , i much fear , he will yet have more rebaptized persons in one county than now is in ten , at least . if the minister be commissioned to deliver the sacrament on an unjust claim , this justifieth his act , and as he did his duty , so he hath no scripture for the repeating it . i before instanced in the case of a scornful jew , that purposely comes to baptism to deride christ , or to be in a capacity to mischief his cause or people . hath this man a title by gods donation to church-membership , seals , and all the blessed priviledges of the visible church , which mr. blake sets forth ? if he have , then malicious wickedness is the condition of gods great mercies . and when shall we see the donation that conveyed this title to him ? mr. blake . [ . " they may tell you that that scripture distinction of circumcision in the flesh , and circumcision in the heart , is hereby overthrown . ] ans. . they may tell it me twice , before i will believe them once . . they may tell it you as well as me . was it not possible for a jew upon mistake to circumcise a man that had no right to it , and yet upon some kind of misunderstood profession ? resolve whether that were a nullity first for your self , and then i will study a further answer . mr. blake . [ . they may tell him that this principle standing , all persons dying unregenerate , die unbaptized ; yea all that were baptized in infancy and after converted remain still unbaptized . ] answ. . what! if i saw them baptized with mine eyes ? many such tales i know i may hear , and i will believe them as i see cause . . i suppose by this that you seem your self to judge , that all that are without a dogmatical faith are unbaptized . mr. blake . [ . that it is much to be feared , if not certainly to be concluded that the major part by far of worcestershire combination consists of unbaptized persons , there being i doubt no good evidence of true conversion in the most considerable part of them — i am sure it is voiced that the most prophane where the minister carrieth any authority , are as forward for subscription as any . ] answ. . as to your bold censure of so many persons whose faces you never saw , and whose names you never heard , it sheweth us what you dare do . you might more safely have learnt of christ [ judge not that ye be not judged , ] and have hearkened to paul [ who art thou that judgest another mans servant ? ] . especially when your censure is founded upon lying fame , as it is . this is the way to discredit all history , when godly men dare publish that of so many in a county , which the whole country almost , that are capable of understanding such marters , do know to be false . . have we groaned , and prayed , and suffered so long in hope of discipline , and yet are there godly ministers among us , that have the hearts to calumniate and reproach the attempts of it , where they never had the face to acquaint us with the least mistake or miscarriage in our way ? ah what wonder if the poor church consume away in its corruptions and divisions , when this is the friendship and assistance of its guides ! but of this before . the other summary of mr. blakes oppositions , is pag. , . in his introduction , where he thus declares his minde . mr. blake [ and truly ( sir ! ) if i should have a thought of changing my opinion , i know not how to look to the end of the danger that will follow . i must first necessarily engage my self in an everlasting schism , being not able to find out a church in the world of any interest , in which i shall dare in this account to hold communion . ] answ. o the power of prejudice ! what church in all the world was ever of your judgement ? and would you have separated from all the churches in the world ? but le ts hear the reasons of your fear . mr. blake . [ i shall see in many members too clear symptoms of non-regeneration and vnbelief . — ] answ. . do not those persons profess a justifying faith ? . or is it infallible symptoms of the contrary which you mean , or which are sufficient to nullifie or invalidate that profession ? if not , you say nothing : if so , then . dare you hold communion with no church that hath some members that in your own judgement are unfit to be there ? how oft hath this opinion been confuted in the separatists ? but you add your reason . mr. blake . [ though this will not bear a separation , yet this consideration of their non-baptism will necessarily enforce it . — ] answ. . the enemy of the church needs no hands to do a great part of his work , but our own . the anabaptists take us to be all unbaptized , and thence infer a necessity of separation . their separation troubleth the church much more than their opinion for re-baptizing . our endeavour is , at least to bring them to this , that being re-baptized they would rest satisfied , and live in peaceable communion with the church . mr. blake steps in and confirmeth them in their consequence , on supposition of the antecedent which we cannot satisfie them in ; and so frustrateth all our labour , and gives them the day , in that , and considereth not i fear the danger of promoting such a schism . but he would do well first to answer the many reasons that mr. john goodwin hath brought against that opinion , and take his work clean before him . if i knew a church or whole nation of men that thought verily they were truly baptized , and i thought that it was not so , if yet they profest true faith and holiness , i durst not separate from them . . but how irksom must it needs be to your judicious readers , to have such conclusions tost up and down with meer confidence , upon suppositions , which you disdain ( or deign not ) to prove ? one argument to have proved that our principles infer the nullity of the baptism of the unregenerate , had been more worth than all this kind of talk . i say that deo judice such men have no title by any grant or gift of god to claim or receive the sacraments , though the minister have commission to give it to some unjust claimers . this opinion professeth the nullity of the title which is denyed . do you prove that it also inferreth the nullity of the external baptism it self , which was justly administred , though unjustly demanded . it s tedious to read voluminous disputes , where that which requireth proof is still taken for granted . but if all this were so , i think you must still be a separatist on your own principles . for where would you find a church ( among us ) where there be not many that have not a dogmatical faith , which you say must give them title to baptism ? mr. blake . [ and if i be holpen out ( as indeed i utterly despair ) by any distinction of forum dei and forum ecclesiae , vnivocal and equivocal , what thought then shall i entertain of the holy scripture ? ] answ. i cannot tell what thoughts you will have of it , but i can partly tell what thoughts you should have of it . will you deny that the scripture most commonly speaks of god himself himself in equivocal terms ? i hope you will not : and how should it speak otherwise to mans understanding ? and yet what thoughts will you entertain of the scripture ? you will not i hope take on you to know no difference between jesuitical dissembling equivocation , which is to deceive , and the use of equivocal terms , either necessarily for want of other words in being , or rhetorically for ornament , or when custome of speech hath made them the most apt ? will you so far equivocate with equivocal terms , as to confound the culpable equivocation with the laudable , and then say , [ what thoughts shall i have of the holy scriptures ? ] this doth not beseem an expositor of the scriptures . and whereas you next add the many titles given to the unregenerate , i have answered it before , and more may do in the next dispute , besides what you had even now from mr. rutherford . these titles were never given to any of your professors of a faith short of that which justifyeth . and yet there is no passage in your book that amazeth me more than your frequent and confident assertions of the contrary , and pretenses of the common judgement of the church to be on your side . pag. , . when i had said that dr. ward would not have found a second to undertake his cause , you say , [ how this passage fell from his pen , may well be to very intelligent reader matter of admiration — that a man of such multiplicity of reading should think that dr. ward in this opinion would not have found a second , when if he had perused our approved authors about the question , especially since it came to a punctual just debate , he may soon see that he hath almost every one to appear for him , if this which he mentions be his opinion : unless perhaps he hath been so held in reading the fathers and other writers for the first thirteen or fourteen hundred years ( in which few will i think come out and vie with him , ) that he hath not regarded what hath been said this years in this corner of the world . ] answ. . your groundless insipid scorn , about reading the fathers of the first years , doth no whit clear the truth , nor strengthen your cause , nor ( i think ) tend to the pleasing of god. . one of us have certainly exposed our selves to the readers , — when we stand wondering thus at each other , and profess our understanding to be at so great a distance about a matter of open fact . i must still say , that i hoped dr. ward would not have found a second to undertake that cause . but this doth not intimate either that i never read that any was of his minde before , or that i expected not that any should be afterward : it s one thing to be of that opinion , and another thing as his second to undertake it . but i will now say more than that which you wonder at . i must profess that i do not know of any one protestant divine , reputed orthodox , of that judgement , before dr. ward and you : though some papists and arminians i knew of that minde : and since i finde sir hen. vane maintain it ; and one john timson , in his defence of m. humphrey ; and now newly m. humphrey , in his second vindication of free admission . let all readers now come and wonder at your wondering and mine , or at least the vast disagreement of our judgements , in such a point of fact . all that ever open the books of protestants , come and judge betwixt mr. blake and me . dr. ward and he do maitain [ that a certain kinde of faith which is short of justifying faith , giveth title to baptism even before god ] i say , [ that only true justifying faith is the condition of our title before god , as given by him , and warranting our claim ; but that the bare profession of that justifying faith ( but of no lower ) doth make us such whom the minister must give the sacraments to if we claim them , and so by it we have a right to them before the church , and so far before god as he is the approver of the churches act . ] mr. blake saith , almost every one of our late writers appear for him : i say , i remember none of the reformed divines for them . nor do i finde that mr. blake himself hath produced any to that end , but by meer abusing them , certain i am , that the common doctrine of reformed divines is , [ that sound believers are members of the mystical church , and that professors of that belief are members of the visible church , to whom we must give sacraments . ] but as for your third sort , who believe with another kinde of faith , or profess so to do , it is not their use to take these as members of either , or such as have right to sacraments . one more objection i finde much stood upon ( which i had almost forgot ) viz , the sacraments are appointed for the visible church : therefore all that are of the visible church have right to them . ] answ. the word [ appointed ] is ambiguous . if it mean only that ministers are appointed to deliver it to men upon an outward profession and claim , this we still grant . but if the meaning be , that hypocritical or unregenerate professors have any moral donation or promise of them , or any command to claim and receive them , in their present state , this is but a bare affirming of the thing in question ; and so their consequent is the same with the antecedent . what mr. galespie and mr. rutherford , and many other divines have said against it , you have seen before ; as also by what scripture-evidence it is destroyed . ob. but t is said of the jews , that to them pertained the adoption , and the glory , and the covenants , and the giving of the law , and the service of god , and the promises . ] rom. . . answ. . yet will it not follow that all these pertain to all the visible church , and therefore not to the church as visible . the glory , that is , the ark , and other signs of some glorious presence , and the giving of the law here mentioned , with other priviledges expressed in the next words , were proper to the jews . . the jewish nation contained some that were truly sanctified , and some that were not . to the later sort was given the law ▪ covenants , promises , &c. providentially , and by way of offer : god so ordered it , that among them these excellent mercies should abide , and to them they should be offered ; and if they had heartily accepted them , they might have had a proper title to the benefits of the covenant it self . and it fell out that the seals were actually applied to them upon their pretended acceptance of the offer , and upon their claim . but to the former belonged the covenants and promises as the instruments of gods donation , whereby he conveyed to them actuall right to the benefits : but so it did not to the latter ( unless we speak of some particular promise made to this or that indiviall person , or some temporal promises to the jews as jews , and not as a visible church ) yet may it well be said that to the jews in general the covenants , promises , &c. belonged ; not only because the regenerate were jews , and the whole nation was denominated from the better part sometime , but also ( which is pauls sence in that text ) because it is not the foresaid proper right that is here spoken of , but the actual sending of this light among them , and the tendering of it to them , and continuing it with them , together with the success of it so far as that some were sanctified by it , and others seemingly consented to it . and thus we may say of england now in the general , that it enjoyeth the gospel , and sacraments , &c. in that they are among us , and all men that are truly willing may have a saving title to them , and the rest that pretend to be willing and are not , do actually partake of the external ordinance , though to their own condemnation , through their own default . but this is no affirming that the unregenerate have a proper title given them , which may warrant their claim in that estate ; i mean , to the sacraments , which are special ordinances . the reverend vindicator of free admission , layeth down reasons to prove that [ the covenant in the general grace and external administration of the ordinances belongs to the whole church as visible , and to the several members alike ] to which i say , . that it [ belongs ] to them , is too large a word without distinction to use in a profitable discourse . i have elsewhere shewed that covenant and seals do belong to them in some sence , and in other not ; and how far such are in covenant . . note on the by , that if this were granted , it s nothing to mr. blake's main cause against me , that [ a faith short of justifying gives right ] for no man was ever a member for a faith short of justifying ; but only for a saving faith , or the profession of a saving faith . . note that the stress of the controversie is not [ whether it belong to them at all ? ] but whether ( as he affirmeth ) to all alike ? enough is said before for the solving of his arguments . more particularly . to the first . pag. . how the whole nation of the jews were in covenant , is before declared , ( more than which is yet unproved : ) and also how little this makes for his end. to the second : we easily grant that the gentiles are graffed into the same olive , and are as much in the covenant of grace as the jews were ( so many of the gentiles as profess christianitie . ) and because it is no more , it is nothing to their purpose . to the third : i answer : there 's no doubt but the promise belongs to all that god shall call ; that is , the bare offer belongs to all them that are called uneffectually , and still remain in unbelief : and the worst of them are invited to repent and believe , which when they do , they have title in that same promise to remission and the seals of it : and when they profess to repent and believe , and so require the seals , they have such a right coram ecclesiâ , as that ▪ we must admit of them . but more than this here is yet no proof of . to the fourth : the called some of them obey not at all : some of them obey ore tenus , and as to some faith short of justifying : and some of them obey the call sincerely . you mean the second : of whom i say , . prove if you can that any called ones may have the sacraments , that profess not saving faith. . and prove that they who barely profess it , have the title which is in controversie between us , which will justifie their claim , as well as our giving it on that claim . the saying that they are called is no proof . as for your phrase of [ an outward being in covenant ] you know i affirmed it long ago ex parte hominis , they outwardly covenant with god , and oblige themselves . but if you mean it ex parte dei , that he hath any such meer outside promises when he meaneth not as he speaks , or that he is actually obliged as a covenanter to them , yea but for outward things , i have long waited from others for the proof in vain . as to the phrase [ equivocal ] you shall have more of it , god willing , in due place . to the fifth : there 's difference between the jews then and the world : . in that one part of the jews were sincere in the covenant , and that in great numbers ; in whom , as it were , the life of the church did abide . . in that the rest of them ( as to the main body ) professed that true faith which others had . . and in that such bare professors were thereupon admitted into that societie , and into those ordinances , which tended to help them to that sinceritie which they wanted ; some of which ordinances they were immediately bound to use , and others of them but in order after their conversion : and though they used them unjustly before conversion , the thing was a mercy in it self , though mis-received by them . . and then they had many temporal promises which no other nation had : nor have we . i think here 's a difference from the gentile world . prove more , if you affirm it . to the sixth : i have answered it over and over before . they are commanded to be circumcised but as a sign and seal of the covenant : therefore they are bound first in order to consent in heart to the covenant : and if they do the former without the later , it may shew that they have by outward covenanting obliged themselves to god , and so are annumerated with his listed souldiers by the church : but it proveth not that god is in actual obligation to them , except only as to any of those mercies that were absolutely promised to the israelites , and belong not to us . to the seventh : the weak unworthy author of the book of infant baptism , whom you are pleased to load with a title which his conscience doth disown , doth heartily persist in believing that the conditional covenant is made to more than the elect , even to all , at least that hear it ; and that this is the effect of christs blood ; and that the entrance into covenant , and accepting the terms of it , ore tenus , or not sincerely and unreservedly , is common to elect and reprobate . ] but all this is nothing to the present business . to the eighth : it is a strange consequence that such [ must renounce their profession , and never come to ordinances , &c. ] must importeth duty . and their duty is sincerely to repent , and believe , and profess , and not to renounce profession , but only to lament the falshood and hypocrisie in professing what they did not do . nor is any bound to stay from ordinances simply , but to repent , believe , and so come ; as peter hid simon magus , repent and pray , &c. but if he will profess falsly , and come without repentance , let him do it at his peril , and not think god is obliged to bless him in it ; which would lead hard up to the papists opus operatum , though i know how much this is disclaimed by mr. blake . for when you liberally give such men a a title coram deo to the seals , what can be that title but the opus operatum of a verbal profession : for though a faith short of justifying be talkt of , none of you all can tell who hath it , and who hath it not ; and yet i find not so much openness as to speak out and tell us whether indeed all the hypocrites that have not so much as the dogmatical faith which they profess , have indeed a title before god to the seals , on the opus operatum of profession or not : though by consequence it appeareth that you must say so , or cast all your cause away . to the ninth i answer : if you know him not a dissembler , he is to you what he professeth to be : if therefore he profess that the foundation is laid , when it is not , you must endeavour to build him up . but if you know him to dissemble , i suppose you will rather help to lay the foundation before you go any further . but . if you can say as much to prove that i may not teach any but disciples the observable commands of christ ( in sensu activo ; that is , do my best to teach them ) as i have done to prove that wicked men have no title to the sacraments which will warrant them coram deo , to claim them , you will do much towards the changing of my minde . to the tenth i answer : this confusion marrs all . i have oft told you , unregenerate men are really in covenant as to their external engaging act ; and this they may break . but doth it follow that they cannot violate their own promise , unless god be actually obliged by promise to them . to the eleventh . i will not stand now to search whether judas was one of them that was bid eat , and drink : but supposing it granted , it is most certain that he was commanded as much to take and feed on christ by faith : and that he was offered the sacrament as a sacrament , that is , a sealing and professing sign , as i have before explained . now if he had so received it as it was offered , and in the nature of a sacrament , as christ bid him ; take , eat , drink , then certainly he had done it in faith . and if he did not so ( as he did not ) he did not what he was commanded . and therefore you cannot hence prove a right in judas by any grant , to the separated sign , while he was destitute of the faith which by his action was professed receiving the sacrament as a sacrament is an actual profession o● faith : and you can never prove that christ commanded juda to lye , by professing the faith which he had not ; but only that he commanded him at once to believe and thus profess it . he that will have men compelled to come in ( to the church ) intendeth that they must bring a wedding garment : or else they shall hear , how camest thou hither ? you apprehend john timpsons words to be apposite , which imply a contradiction , or touch not the point : if the right object be really believed ( even that which is the full object of saving faith ) that very belief is saving , and proveth the holiness of the person . to the twelfth i answer . general and special grace , i resolvedly maintain . but when will you prove that it is a part of general grace to have a proper title given by god to the sacraments which seal up the pardon of sin actually where there is such title ? to have the universal conditional promise ( or covenant ex parte dei ) enacted , and promulgate and offered the world , with many incitements to entertain it , is general grace : but so is not either our actual heart-covenanting , the remission of our sin , nor such a proper title to the sign of both . when you tell us of the worlds potential , and the visible churches actual interest in general grace , you give us ( pardon the truth ) a meer sound of words that signifie nothing , or nothing to purpose . you cannot call it general grace objectively ; as if the saints had a particular objective grace , the rest a general : for generals exist not but in the individuals . it is therefore the general conditional promise or gift , which you must mean by general grace : this is to the world ( without ) indeed but an offer : but is it any more to any of the unbelievers or unregenerate within ? what can be the meaning of [ an actual interest in a conditional promise ] which all the hearers have not , and yet is short of the true actual interest of them that perform the condition ? i feel no substance in this notion , nor see any light in it . i confess there is a certain possession that one such man may have more then others ; but as that is nothing to proper title , so it is not the thing that sacraments are to seal . i have not mr. hudsons book now by me : but your solution by the two sives had need of some sifting . it s one thing to ask what is the end of sacraments quoad intentionem praecepti : and another thing to tell what eventually they produce . i do not believe that the sive that brings men into a state of grace is in the hands of god only , so as if he used not ministers thereto . ministers are said in scripture to convert and heal , and deliver and save men . to your th and th and last , i answer . that we easily confess that the covenant under the new testament is better than the old : but this makes nothing for you , nor do you prove that it doth : the force of the first section of your book , as it may be the matter of an objection , i have answered before . as to your authorities i say , . mr. vines saith nothing which proveth any approbation of your opinion : whether mr. burgess do , i leave to himself , for i know not certainly . all that i know of , since dr. ward is mr. blake , mr. humphrey , and john timpson ; and john timpson , mr. humphrey and mr. blake . your d and th sections need no more answer i think than what is already given . you needed not these pillars to support that point which is the design of your treatise . to these i find you add another , the greatest of all , pag. . which you say sinks deep into you : but if reason will do it , i will pluck it up by the roots ; partly by desiring you to peruse what i have twice or thrice before answered to it , and partly by adding as followeth ; that . if a man by mistaken doubtings shall keep himself away from a sacrament , that doth not destroy his title to it or the grace signified , nor is it any ones fault but his own . i therefore deny your minor : it is not this doctrine that cuts off doubting christians from the sacrament , but themselves that do culpably withdraw . to your prosyllogism ; i deny the major : that doctrine which concludes it sin in the doubtful christian to receive , doth not cut him off : for it concludeth it not his sin to receive in it self , but to receive doubtingly : so that it is not receiving , but doubting , that is properly his sin : and withall we say , that it is his duty to receive , and his greater sin not to receive than to receive . and though an erring conscience doth alwaies ensnare , and so create a necessity of sinning which way soever we go , till it be rectified , yet it s a greater sin to trespass against a plain precept , than against an erring conscience in many cases . but the main stress lyeth on your proof , which is from rom. . . [ whatsoever is not of faith is sin . ] but i could wish you would consider it better , before you press home that text to the same sence against all other duties as you do against this , lest you leave god but little service from the church . . it is one thing to doubt about indifferent matters , such as paul speaks of , as eating , &c. for there he is condemned if he eat ; because he is sure it is lawful to forbear ; but not sure that it is lawful to eat . but press not this upon us in case of necessary duty . if god command me to pray , praise or communicate , my doubt will not justifie my forbearance ; and though it entangle me in sin , it cannot disoblige me from duty ; but i shall sin more if i forbear . you say [ if it be sin for the unregenerate to receive , then cannot the doubting christian be perswaded , and consequently sinneth . ] ans. true : but that 's not long of the doctrine , but of his error : and it is the case of all practical errors ; which will not therefore justifie you in blaming the doctrine : it s the unavoidable effect of an erring conscience . and again i say , he sinneth more in forbearing . whereas you conclude this argument to be convincing , i have told you before why it convinceth not me : but to your selves i would ask , whether it do not also convince you that your own doctrine is as unsufferable ? for i am past doubt that not only most christians , but even most doubting christians have more knowledge that they have true justifying faith , than the rest of the world have , that they have true dogmatical faith . though the wicked doubt less , because they believe and regard it less , yet indeed they have not only far more cause to doubt of the truth of their dogmatical faith , but have less true knowledge of it . at least many of them it s thus with , when so many true christians do as much doubt of their dogmatical faith , as of any . now what will you do with all these ? if you take their faith it self ( though common ) to be their title , then they must according to you , all keep a way , while they doubt of it : and if it be but the verbal profession of that dogmatical faith that is their title , before god , and their own conscience , then any infidel may make himself a title at pleasure by a lye , and the bare opus operatum of speaking the words which he never believed , but derideth the sence while he uttereth the terms . as you will save your own communicants from condemning themselves then for want of assurance of their lower faith , so shall you direct us to do by ours . i will only add this question , what description must that man give of the faith short of justifying , which entitles to baptism , who takes justifying faith it self to lie but in assent ? you know my meaning : it will be certainly another kinde of faith , than mr. blake describeth that such a man must require . i had thought i had done with you at this time : and this day i received a book of mr. prins writing , containing the fruit of your doctrine ; and therein i finde a passage of yours cited from pag. . which makes me think it may deserve further consideration than i thought to have taken of it . you say [ giving and receiving being relata , all those texts that prove it the duty of any to receive the sacrament , doth eo nomine oblige the minister to deliver it to them , or admit them ; because posito uno relatorum , ponitur alterum . ] answ. must logick do the deed at last ? if so , it will give us leave to distinguish between relata secundùm dici & secundùm esse ; simplices & duplices relationes , &c. ponitur autem hoc unum relatorum vel in esse , vel in debito : if you speak of the former , then you know . that our giving is not effectual giving , but offering , when it goes before receiving : and . that as scibile may be sine scientiâ , as existent ; so offering may be without receiving , though not receiving in our present sense without offering : therefore one of these may be put without the other . but i suppose it is debitum offerendi , & recipiendi , which you think are thus related . but . here the debitum offerendi goes first , and the debitum recipiendi comes after , and is but conditional and not actual , till the very act of oblation . you may be bound to offer your people the sacrament , and not perform your duty : they are not bound to receive it , when you are bound to offer it ; but only on condition or supposition that you actually do offer it : so that it is not your duty and theirs that are connexed as relata : else they should be bound to receive that which is not offered them ; for you may neglect your duty . nor is it your actual offering and their actual receiving that are inseparably connexed as perfect relates ; for you may offer it , when it shall be refused . but you 'l say , [ at least the thing intended stands good ; that posito recipiendi debito ponitur etiam debitum offerendi . ] i answer : not alwaies so neither , unless you take the duty of reception to be actual and absolute , and not conditional : for you may be bound to receive on supposition that i offer : both this and many other things which i am not bound to offer : much less am i eo nomine ( as you strongly say ) obliged to deliver it to you . you may be obliged to give me thanks , supposing i bestow a benefit on you : and your thanks hath relation to my benefit : and yet i do not yet understand that i am eo nomine obliged to give you that benefit , because you must be thankful if i do . your obligation to receive , is plainly consequential and hypothetical , supposing i actually offer it : and that cannot so necessarily infer the duty of offering . for i make little doubt to prove , that in many cases when the minister sinneth in his offer , it is yet the peoples duty to receive it if he do offer it . the scribes and pharisees might unjustly usurp the chair of moses , and yet it may be the peoples duty to hear them . the priests may usurp their place , and yet the cleansed leper may be bound to shew himself to them . nero may sin by asking tribute , when it may be my duty to give it him if he ask it . if mr. prin had thought that your argument would justifie a thief in taking his purse by the high way , i do not think he would have cited it . giving and taking here are relatives too : if a thief demand your purse , resolving to kill you if you deny it , it may be your duty to give it , to save your life ; when in my opinion it is not eo nomine his duty to demand or take it . well! but this is not the chief part of my answer to you . if you had laid better grounds for it , and well limited it , i might well grant you , that when the people are bound to receive , it implyeth the ministers duty to offer it them . but then you must take duty as you finde it entirely , at least essentially , and you must not cut off a piece of a duty ; yea , leave out the essentials , and turn it into a sin . god commandeth people first to repent and believe , and then to profess it by words and sacramental actions , and therewith receive the seals of his special grace . this is your duty : perform your duty so far as is antecedent to mine , and i shall confess that mine will follow , and i must offer you the sacraments . but if you will refuse to repent or believe , or to profess that you do so , in a credible sort , or will by word or life profess that you do not so , and yet will demand the sacrament , you do not your duty , and so i am not obliged . prove that it is a mans duty to receive the sacraments without faith and repentance ( yea or a credible profession of them , ) or to profess by that reception that he takes christ and believeth in him , when it is a lie , and then you say somewhat . all men are bound mediately to receive the sacrament ; that is , first to seek after the word , and then to hear it , and then to believe and repent , and then to seek the sacraments : but it followeth not that they may do the last first , and receive before they repent . moreover , as the receiver is bound ad ordinem & modum , and not simply and any how to receive : so i am bound ad ordinom & modum , and not any how to give . and therefore i must first know my call to it as a pastor , and i must do my best to help the people to a due preparation , and i must do it decently , in order , and to edification : and the miss of one of these may turn the duty into a sin . i am not therefore of your opinion , as you next express it , that [ there is as many scripture precepts and presidents to deliver the sacrament to all , as to any , supposing them within the church , and neither unintelligent or excommunicate . ] if this were true , then . if any of the parish will say , sir ! i am none of your flock ; i renounce your pastoral over sight ; but yet i will have the sacrament from you ; it seems i must be forced to do the office of that relation where it is disclaimed : and if all the anabaptists or separatists of some neighbour-church demand it of me , i must give them all the sacrament : or if all the parishes about stock in to me , or a thousand strangers , i must give it them all ; or if the parishioners will refuse to speak to me , and to be personally instructed , and one will have it leaping , and singing , and laughing ; and others will have me bring it them from house to house , i must give it to them all ; and why not , if they swear and curse when they demand it , or profess to take it meerly to ensnare me ? for none of these are supposed unintelligent or excommunicate . but i find you take up this reason before in another sort , sect . . pag. . having given a touch about arminius so doubly defective of ingenuity , as shews you to be but a man , ( of which more in due place ) you add [ this doctrine enforceth them to distinguish between what gives right , as to a mans own part , to church-membership and ordinances , and that which gives right to be admitted : whereas the truth is , these are relata , quorum posito & sublato uno ponitur & tollitur alterum . besides , there is this great inconvenience it runs down right into , that the minister shall be bound to administer the ordinances ( particularly the sacrament ) unto people , when they are bound upon pain of damnation not to take them . ] to all this i answer : . i do not think you ever read such a distinction as you here frame : at least not from him , whom ( you know ) i have reason to think you intend . doubtless , he that hath right to be admitted , hath also in eodem foro a right on his own part to ordinances . this is not fairly done : indeed a right of admission may be in the minister , ( who is another subject ) when yet the party hath no right ( of the same sort ) to be admitted , or to seek or receive . but we must once more consider your canon de relatis . and to what is said before , let me deal plainlier with you , and tell you that the things in question are not relata : for though actual giving and receiving have some kind of relation , yet several rights , viz. the jus dandi , & jus accipiendi , are not relates . shew us if you can , how jus ad jus refertur . moreover , the distinction which is used by those whom you here oppose , is ( not as you feign it , but ) between [ a right coram deo to claim and receive the sacraments ] and [ a right or duty of the minister to give it upon claim or demand . ] now the former right is actual and positive ; the later but suppositive : demanding or seeking is supposed to go before my giving , and my right and duty to give : and i think ( according to my small skill in logick ) demanding and giving are no inseparable relates ; and i am content that any beggar at your door be judge : this or nothing you must prove to your purpose . and if you prove it , i may the next time i see you demand all your estate and learning ; and what will you do then ? and ( with submission to the judgement of better lawyers , especially the learned citer of your words ) i conceive that [ a right of delivering on supposition of a demand or claim ] doth not so necessarily suppose a right to demand and claim , as one relate supposeth its correlate . if a man demand your coat ( upon terms of violence ) you may give him your cloak also ; and yet no more justifie his demand , than you justifie his smiting you by turning the other cheek . but if i should be mistaken in these law-matters , i must remember mr. prin , that when ever he delivereth to souldiers the key of his house to prevent the breaking open the doors , or delivereth them his arms or moneys to save his life , or a contribution to save the rest , he justifieth their right to claim all this . and by the same rule when ever he went to prison at their command , he justified their right of commanding him : for commanding and obeying are as much relates , as demanding and delivering are . by this time you may see what is become of the [ grievous inconvenience ] which you dreamed we were running downright into . i hope you would not perswade the world that ever we taught , that it is our duty to give effectively , which ever causeth a reception , nor yet to deliver the sacraments , but on supposition of their claim or seeking , to any such men ; nor yet to perswade them to claim or seek them in statu quo , in their present unbelief and impenitency , with a false profession of the contrary . and then do you indeed count it so grievous an inconvenience that we should be bound [ to give it to an unjust claimer on supposition he demand it , on a lying profession of faith and repentance , which yet is credible to me ] and yet that he deserveth damnation for his lying profession and unjust claim and receiving . if the iliaca passio were common in london , and this miserere provoked some rich physitian to so much compassion , as to deliver to his servant a gold bullet to swallow for the cure ( which is reputed so good a medicine ) and many come for them that are really sick , and swallow the bullet , and it saves their lives ; but many others counterfeit the disease through covetousness of the gold , and the servant believing them , dilivereth them the bullets ; do you think here the servant did more than his duty , when he is not able to judge who dissembleth , and the physitian thus leaveth it to him ? or do you think that the covetous dissemblers had coram donatore a just claim , supposing him to be able to discern their deceit ? or is here such a grievous inconvenience as you imagined ? i think not . and as for the inextricable difficulties which you think this leads into , another may see the way out of them , when you do not ; and he may as confidently conceive that the difficulties and inconveniences of your way are far more . as for that part of your book which owneth church-discipline , and the power of the keys , i give you thanks for it , and assure you if we could but see it practised , even less rigorously than the ancient churches have practised it , when there was no coersive power of violence to enforce it , but rather the sword of persecutors to discountenance it , we should not trouble you with contests for any other suspension , for my part i blame many of the suspenders as heartily as you do ; but it is not for doing too much , but for doing too little , and in disorder . and i hope you that are for excommunicating where others do but suspend , ( though mr. prin can tell you that even that is [ in truth an actual excommunication , without any precedent citation , articles , legal proceeding , hearing , sentence , &c. ] append . ) will do more than they , and not less , according to this principle . and if you will needs believe that you are not authorized to do it ( a ready way in this age to put off some troublesome work ) i hope you will seek to them that you think have authority : if it be in a meeting of ministers , make use of them : if in a bishop , use him if you have one , if not , procure one . for me thinks men that own the necessity of discipline , should do their best to procure the exercise of it . and as for that book of mr. prins , which occasioned me to say the more to you on these passages , though i highly honour the author's name , and disown the way of his vicar a. against whose way he principally intendeth it ; yet i must say that his writing shews me , as well as his icon , that all flesh is grass : the best men vanity — and what the church and world must suffer , if the best men had the ruling of it . that all ministers who will not give the sacraments to all their parishioners ( legally qualified and desiring the same ) p. . should be used as he directeth , viz. their tithes withheld by the people , themselves imprisoned , and ejected , i cannot wish ; especially if i consider what the legal qualification is , and if i believe him ( here ) that no ordinance can be made without the consent of king , lords , and commons , and that the ordinances wanting these are meer nullities in law. these evils which i foresee , go not down so easily with me as with that pious author : . that hereby the greatest part of the ablest godly ministers in england ( as far as i am able to learn ) must be turned out and imprisoned : . and then the churches either left destitute , or possessed by ignorant , drunken , scondalous men ; there being not worthy men of his judgement to supply them . . and how many thousand souls may perish everlastingly ? . and gods worship be abused , and his name dishonoured through the land. . and the great hopes of godly people frustrate concerning the prosperity of the church as to posterity ; and their joy turned into sorrow . . and the enemies have their ends . . and would be able to tell us that where the bishops cast out one able minister , they have cast out many . . that even the men whom mr. prin most intendeth , should have so much to say for their former resistance and usage of such men as he ; as to say [ you see now what men these are , and what desolating cruel works they would make , if it had fallen to their lot to govern . ] . that even the multitude of sober godly men , should have such a temptation , to rejoyce at that which once they lamented , even that such as mr. p. are kept from power , and that they have escaped so great a calamity as he here designeth them . . that indeed such a spirit of violence should be found in so good a man , that hath tasted of so much persecution himself , as to endeavour to imprison and eject all the ministers in england , that think the law of god is stricter then the laws of england , ( standing as heretofore ) in point of qualification of receivers whom we must admit . . that the quakers , who are now crying down tithes , should be so much furthered in their design , as to have the people taught to detain them by law ; and they that are crying down the ministry , should be so far directed to eject them . . and that the multitude of obstinate , rebellious people , that will scorn to come to a minister , or hear him speak to them personally , or will live in many notorious vices ( which the law enabled us not to use discipline against ) or the ignorant that know not who christ is , god or man , nor will be accountable to us of their understanding the essentials of religion , but watch all advantages to defame their ministers , and hinder their doctrine , and detain their maintenance , and get them out ; i say , that these should have now directions put into their hands , for non-payment of tithes , and for imprisoning and ejecting them : all these things i confess are grievous to me ; though i believe that the principal intention of the author was , to direct some better men , that might be wronged by the overmuch rigor of some minister , that was guilty of unwarrantable separation : but good meanings will not warrant such attempts . were i of mr. prin's judgement against suspension from sacraments , i think yet i should rather choose to be suspended in another sort my self , than be guilty of imprisoning and ejecting all the ministers in england , that gave not the sacraments to all their parishioners , according to the laws which never were repealed by the threefold consent of kings , lords , and commons . and herein i see what one bad opinion or principle in practicals will do , even in the best and most experienced men ; and what actions must be expected from the best man , if his judgement be mistaken : and i see also whether the doctrine of common admission leadeth . the fift disputation . de nomine . whether hypocrites and other unregenerate persons be called church-members , christians , believers , saints , adopted , iustified , &c. univocally analogically , or equivocally ? luke . . if any man come to me and hate not — his own life , he cannot be my disciple . and whosoever doth not bear his cross and come after me , cannot be my disciple . vers. . whosoever he be that forsaketh not all that he hath , he cannot be my disciple . gal. . . and they that are christs have crucified the flesh , with the affections and lusts. rom. . . now if any man have not the spirit of christ , he is none of his . pet. . , , , . he that believeth on him shall not be confounded — unto you which believe he is pretious — ye are a chosen generation , a royal priesthood , an holy nation , a peculiar people , that you should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light : which in times past were not a people , but are now the people of god. rom. . . his servants ye are , to whom you obey . john . . where i am , there shall also my servant be . ephes. . , , , , , , . — christ is the head of the church , and he is the saviour of the body . as the church is subject to christ , so let wives be to their own husbands in every thing . husbands love your wives as christ loved the church , and gave himself for it : that he might sanctifie it , and cleanse it with the washing of water , by the word ; that he might present it to himself a glorious church , not having spot , or wrinckle , or any such thing , but that it should be holy and without blemish . — no man ever yet hated his own flesh , but nourisheth and cherisheth it , even as the lord the church . for we are members of his body , and of his flesh , and of his bones . see also ephes. , , , , . cor. . , , , . for as the body is one , and hath many members , and all the members of that one body , being many , are one body : so also is christ. for by one spirit we are all baptized into one body — and whether one member suffer , all the members suffer with it ; or one member be honoured , all the members necessary to say somewhat to the point : which i shall do with as much brevity as i can , without injury to the cause . because here are several titles commonly given to unsound professors , which the question doth take in , and we cannot speak to them all at once , i shall begin at the first , and then the rest may easily be dispatcht : yea , the most that needs to be said concerning them , will fall in , in order to the handling of the first . but what shall we do for a judge or rule for the determining of our controversie ? custom is the master of language : and if any one will pretend to so much reason as to tell the signification of words from the bare etymologie , contrary to customs interpretation , the world will but laugh at him : for how well soever he plaies his part , he will but tell us how such words should be used , and not how they are used ; and therefore he will help us to the right understanding of no mans words or writings thereby . it s custom therefore , and not etymologie , that we must be judged by : but custom is here double-tongued . the world is not agreed of the sense of analoga , nor well of aequivocals and univocals . i must crave of the reader that he will suppose here what i have already written about these terms to dr. kendall ; that i need not to repeat what is there . the controversie , though but nominal , is old between the papists and the protestants ; and the protestants have commonly maintained all along since the reformation , that hypocrites or meer professors are but aequivocally called members of the church : the papists have resisted them in this : and yet been forced in the opposition to cut the throat of their own cause . though it be the defence of the old protestant cause here that is finally my business , yet it is the late opposition made against it by two protestant divines that is the occasion of my undertaking ; to wit , mr. blake , and ( since him ) mr. humphrey . and yet with them i need not have much ado : for , if we are not agreed , we know not well the state of our difference ; and therefore have happily made our selves uncapable of following it far by controversie , as being in the dark . in my writing to mr. blake , i use to say that such men are [ church-members , christians , saints , &c. but equivocally or analogically , ] as being willing to avoid all needless controversie about words ; but sometime ( supposing that assertion ) i use the common language of the protestants , and mention equivocally only . i do not remember that mr. blake doth affirm that such men and true believers are univocally called church-members , covenanters , christians , &c. nor yet that he denieth it : so that i know not what he is for ; but what he is against i partly know : for the term [ equivocal ] here , he tells us that he abhors : but he would take it as tolerable , if i had used the term [ analogical . ] and if that might reconcile us , it is but his more heedfull reading of my words , and he will finde that i do ordinarily use it . as pag. . lin . , . [ it is an imperfect consent , analogically or equivocally called covenanting , &c. ] and after at the bottom of the page , [ and therefore such are said , as to the faith , consent and covenant so required , but equivocally or analogically to consent covenant or believe , &c. ] and pag. . lin . , . [ these men in proper strict sense are no true christians , but analogically only . ] and pag. . [ as he is equivocally or analogically a beleiver , or christian , so i yeild he is a member of the visible church , &c. ] these and other such places may satisfie mr. blake , if the term [ analogical ] will satisfie him . well! but yet the term [ equivocal ] he abhors : if so ; then he must either judge that they are univocally called church-members , saints , &c. or else that there is a third , between univocal and equivocal . the former he speaks not out : the later ( i suppose ) he knoweth is denied by many philosophers with so much reason , as that it deserveth his pains for a better proof . it s like he hath read it inter leges aequivocorum , in the logicks commonly read in the schools , that omne analogum est aequivocum , ( as fascic . log. pag. . & alii . ) it s agreed on , that vnivoca vel synonyma are sometimes taken so strictly for paronyma , and sometime so largely as to comprehend the paronyma , si careant homonymia : and thus it is that we have to do with the term . burgersdicius divideth genus in synonymum sive univocum , & homonymum sive aequivocum , and makes all that is spoken inequaliter de speciebus suis to be genus aequivocum . but then he meaneth not by inaequaliter that meer inequality in the degree of excellency in the several species , ( on which some scotists affirm , that animal is genus analogum quoad hominem & brutum , because man is prastantius animal : ) but cùm una species ab alterâ pendet , and so the genus doth magis uni , alteri minus convenire , aut uni mediatè , alteri per alterum . and so he concludeth that ens , si genus sit , aequivocum genus est ; quia substantia magis est ens quam accidens ; imò accidens non est ens , nisi quia & quatenas pendet a substantia . yet this which is by the schoolmen called analogum attributionis , is as like to belong to univocals as any analogum is : as the same author saith pag. . omnium longissimè à synonymis absunt homonyma a casu , quaeque causam homonymiae habent in nobis : propiùs ad synonymorum naturam accedunt tropica , ac imprimis analoga : at omnium proximè quae ambigua sunt ob inaequalem attributionem : and yet these doth he there again reckon among the homonyma or aquivoca ; dividing homonymie into that which is á casu , and that which is à consilio , and into that whole reason is in nobis , and whose reason is in rebus ; among which this inaequalis attributionis is the highest , which the school-men call anologie . for which burgensdicius , keckerman , and other of our logicians , with some contempt reject the school-mens doctrine of analogae . scotus maintaineth , that inter vnivocat & aequivoca non datur medium , in dist. . q. . for denominatives ( as divers of the scotists shew at large , and its past doubt ) are not media between them . nam licet non praedicentur univocè de suis subjectis , quia de illis non praedicantur essentialiter , sed denominative , tamen sunt praedicata vnivoca , quia tributine candem rationem , licèt accidentariam , secundùm idem nomen , suis subjectis ; ut meurisse . for scotus makes this difference in . dist. . q. . & in . dist. . q. . between univocè praedicuri , and esse pradicatum univocum , quòd illud sit praedicari secundum candem rationem essentialem univocatis : hoc verò sit praedicari secundum candem rationem accidentariam inferioribus . and as paronyma , so analoga are not media inter univo●um & aequivocum . nam inter unum & multa nullum medium inveniri potest in rebus : ergo nec in vocibus inter , significare unum & multa , medium invenietur . at univoca & aequivoca opponuntur pones significare unum & multa : ergo inter ea nullum potest constitui medium . si igitur nomes aliquod significat quidpiam unum multis commune , univocum est : si verò plura , aequivocum . quare nullum est analogum quod sit simpliciter tale , sed vel est analogum univocum , vel analogum aequivocum : analogum quidem univocum , si ratio ejus una & eadē conveniat multis , cum ordine tamen ita ut priùs dicatur de uno quam de altero : v.g. ratio animalis respectu hominis & bruti , &c. ut meurisse metaphys . scot. l. . p. , . so guil. de rubione in d●st . . q. . saith , vnivocum opponi scli aequivoco , non verò analogo & denominativo : quia univocum se habet ad aequivocum , sicut unum ad multa : unum autem propriè solùm multis opponitur : se habet autem ad anal●gum & denominativum , sicut superius ad sua inferiora : quia univocum aliud est purum , aliud non purum : non purum est aut analogum aut denominativum : nullum superius autem opponitur suis inferioribus . itaque univocū non opponitur analogo & denominativo : sed ab analogo distinges tur tantùm univocum purum , & à denominativo univocum qui ●ditativum , seu illud quod est & praedicatū univocū , & univocè praedicatur . see also posnaniensis in . dist. . q. . act . . dub . . & ocham . in . dist. . q. . lit . e. denying tha● there is any analogical praedication contra-distinct from univocal and equivocal . lege meurisse metaph. l. . pag. , . &c. & pag. . , , &c. & ●hil . faventin . in philos. natural . scoti theo●em . pag. . usque ad . vid. & cajetani opuscul . de analog . nom . cap. . & . & . & fonsecam . metaphys . cap. . q. . sect . . &c. and so porphyre gives it as the sense of aristotle , that ens aequivocè dicitur de primis decem generibus , c. de specie : which suarez expounding , saith , [ dicendum est ab antiquis autoribus analoga sub aequivocis comprehendi , ut constat ex aristot. in anti●raed . c. . & ex aug. in categoriis , c. . & hoc significavit aristot. locis infrā citandis de anolog●a entis , & praesertim elench . c. . ubi agens de aequivocis exempla ponit in ente . ] so that if these be not mistaken , i may call the same term analogical and equivocal , yea and i must call it either univocal or equivocal when i have called it analogical . to the same purpose have written r●da , antonius andreas , francis. may●o , trombetta , pendasius , bonettus , joan. canonicus , scribonius in pantalit . raconisius and others . and guil. camerarius scotus in parte . disput. philosoph . select . maketh it his first question , and determineth it as all the scotists , nulla dari analoga media distincta ab univocis & aequivocis , pag. . , , . so irenaus brassavolus in scoti universalia , q. . & . so that if this hold , the opponents must prove that hypocrites are christians , saints , church-members , &c. univocally as well as analogically , or else they will prove to be such but equivocally . i know other schoolmen are of another minde ; and indeed they are of so many minds about the very sense of the word analogum , and the true nature of analogy , that it may well make us despair of a fair end of this controversie . they are not so much agreed wherein it is that analogy doth consist : some say that it consisteth in dependentia : and some ( as petr. hurtado de mendoza , disput. logic. . sect . . subject . . ) in transcendentia , &c. read but hurtado himself of this , disput. . from pag. . to . and see whether there be not opinions enough about analogy , to warrant us to despair of a determimination of this controversie , from the consent of the learned . should i but tell you out of tartaretus in . sent . dist . . qu. . and rada , and others , of the threefold univocation , logical , physical and metaphysical , and the description of each , and out of francis. de marchia of the four several degrees of univocation , and many more distinctions which must be taken in , if we would exactly discuss this point , you will think before we have done that the matter is not worth our pains . in a word , seeing our controversie ( as is said ) is de nomine ; and the custom of artists is the only judge that can determine such controversies , and they are here all in pieces among themselves , as much as about almost any one word in use with them , as far as i can remember , it followeth that mr. blake and i must stay for a decision till our judges are agreed , what analogy is . for my own part , i make so small account of the controversie , that where the term [ equivocal ] offendeth any , as it doth mr. blake , i am very willing to let it alone , and to use the term [ analogical ] which they can more patiently hear : i am loth we should quarrel about so small a matter . but because i am on the defense , i shall yet briefly tell you , what reasons i had to use the term [ equivocal ] as well as [ analogical . ] and first i shall argue from the definition to the name ; and secondly ▪ from authority . and . we may here suppose what is commonly acknowledged , viz. that vnivoca sunt quorum nomen est commune , & secundum nomen ratis sustantiae est cadem : aequivoca verò quorum nomen est commune , & secundùm nomen ratio substantiae diversa . [ vbi [ ratio substantiae ] denotat conceptvm objectivum , quisquis ille sit , vel substantialis , vel accidentalis : et conceptus objectivus semper accip●tur red●plicativè , in quantum significatur per nomen , & sic sumitur essentialiter : quia leoni ut albo essentialis est albedo . igitur aequivoca hoc differunt ab univocis , quia his communis est & vox , & conceptus formalis & object vus : univoca enim sunt ipsa universalia , atque ità eisdem omnino verbis ac conceptibus constant quibus & illa : aequivoca verò neque habent eundem conceptum formalem , neque objectivum , quia significata sunt omnino dissimilia in ratione significata per nomen , ut hurtad , de mendoz. log. d●sp . . § . . but as he further noteth , they that hold that we do uno actu plura ut dissimilia cognoscere , must say also that , praeter nomen conceptus formalis est idem aequivocis , & differt ab univocis , quòd univoca habent eundem conceptum objectivum similem ; secus verò aequivoca , quae habent plures dissimiles ; item differunt in conceptu formali , quia aequivocus aequivalet pluribus , &c. these things about the nature of equivocals being supposed , i must next consider of the several terms now in question , and examine them hereby , as applyed to the godly and the wicked . and first the word [ church ] in its general sense is not the thing that we have now in question : otherwise i should soon confess that in all assemblies there is something common : a congregation of materials is common to them all . and thus it may as well be said that the word ecclesia is univocally spoken of a mutinous confused tumult , act , . , , . or any other common assembly ; as of an assembly of meer professors . but it is a christian church than we are speaking of ; which being coetus fidelium , vel christianorum , is differenced from other societies by the matter , and by the end. and for the first : if bare professors are but equivocally called christians or believers in christ , then they are but equivocally church-members , nor a church as consisting of such , but equivocally a church . but the antecedent is true , therefore so is the consequent . the consequence is undeniable , because it is not a congregation or society in general , but the christian church thus specified by its matter and end , which we speak of , as is said . the antecedent i prove , reducing the paronyma into the abstracts ; and first of the term believers : if faith be but equivocally attributed to the bare professors and the true believers , then they are equivocally called believers . but the antecedent is true , as i prove thus : if the name of faith be the same , and the ratio substantiae secundum illud nomen , be divers , then faith ascribed to bare professors and to true believers is an aequivocum . but the antecedent is true , as is most apparent : for that its the same name [ faith , belief , believers ] we are agreed : and that it is not the thing in both that is thus named , i think we are also agreed . for in one sort , it is a true saving faith , that is called by the name of [ faith ] : and in the other , it is no faith at all , but the bare verbal profession of that faith which they have not . and i hope we are agreed , that faith , and the profession of faith , are not the same thing . object . but though this hold as to bare professors , or meer hypocrites that have no faith , yet it will not hold of these that have a faith short of justifying . answ. . it cannot be denied that bare professors of saving faith are visible members of the church , though they have no faith at all ; therefore it must be granted of all them , that they are but equivocally believers , and of them is our question . . i have before proved , that it is this profession of a saving faith , that constituteth a visible member ; and therefore all such and only such ( with their seed ) are visible members ; and that it is not the reality of any faith ( special or common , ) that constituteth a visible member . for that which makes visible , must it self be visible : but so is neither a special nor a common faith : for no man knoweth it in another . so that à quatenus ad omne , à forma ad nomen , it is plain that all professors and none but professors are visible members , and that if any have the faith professed ( special or common ) that makes them not visible members ; but the profession of faith whether they have it or not . so that it plainly followeth , that a visible member , qua talis , is denominated a believer only equivocally . . and if they be denominated believers ab ipsa fide , scil . that which is short of justifying , yet its plain that this faith it self is not the same with that of sound believers ; no not of the same species , mr. blake himself being judge , who so keenly girds me for making saving and common faith to differ but in degree , when in the very writings that he must fetch the slander from , i again and again profess that they differ morally in f●ecie . ) if then his lower faith and saving faith do so much differ , then there is not the same ratio substantiae secundum illud nomen : for i have not yet found that it is a generical nature common to both , which he supposeth signified by the word [ faith ] in our question ; much less that church-membership is constituted by such a thing ; but if he should come to that , i must first desire him to describe that generical nature , and no more to lay it upon the specifical nature either of dogmatical or justifying faith ; and when he hath so done , i doubt not to bring many more species that shall on as fair pretences put in for a place as participant in that generical nature , as his dogmatical faith hath done . so that by this it is evident , that not only the thing which constituteth men visible church-members , ( which is alwaies in the adult , a profession and not the faith professed ) is but equivocally called faith ; but also that the lower faith is equivocally called the christian faith. but the first alone sufficeth us to prove that visible members as visible , are but equivocally called church-members , because the ratio substantiae is divers , secundum illud nomen . . and it is as plain that bare professors are but equivocally called christians . for the ratio nominis in found christians is true faith in christ as christ : but in the other it is only the profession of such a faith : and these are certainly divers . and if you again carry the question to dogmatical believers , i answer as before ; both . that they are not the persons in our question ; . that as such , they are not members visible ( no nor mystical . ) . that even as to them the ratio substantiae is so divers , as makes the name apparently equivocal . . the same also may be said of the word [ saints ] holiness in the regenerate is the hearty devotedness and separation of the person to god as god. holiness in bare professors ( who are visible members , ) is but the verbal devotion and extrinsick separation ; and holiness in the common believer , is but a half devotedness and separation , and wanteth the essentials which the regenerate have so that it is not the same thing that is called holiness in these ●hree ▪ and therefore the word hol●ness as to them is equ●v●c●l ▪ . the same also i say of regeneration : the true believeer is called regenerate , because he is so changed by the spirit , as to be as it were born again , not of flesh , nor of the wiil of man , but of god , and is become a new creature : but the bare professor is called regenerate , only because he is baptized , and professeth regeneration , and is entered extrinsecally into a new society . and the lower sort of believers is said to be regenerate , but only because he hath some common work of another species : so that regeneration is equivocally spoken of these . . so also is justification : it s clear that it is not the same thing that is called justification in the one sort and in the other , as i suppose will be confessed . . the same also i may say of adoption as is undeniable . . and the same i may say of being in covenant with god. for . ex parte dei , with the regenerate god is actually in covenant , that is , as it were obliged to them : but to the rest it is but conditionally , which will induce no actual obligation , or debitum , till the condition be performed . . and on their own part , the regenerate are said to covenant with god , principally because they consent to his terms , and heartily accept his covenant , as it is ; which scripture calleth sometime their believing , ( if thou believe in thy heart , &c. ) and sometime their willing : ( whosoever will , let him drink of the waters of life freely ) : so that the regenerate mans covenating is alwaies with the heart , ) and comprehendeth all the essentials ) ; and sometime with the mouth also : but the bare professors covenanting is but with the mouth alone ; and the lower believers is wanting in the internal essentials : so that it is plain , that it is not the same thing that is called [ covenanting ] in them : and therefore the word is equivocal . and then by this it is put out of doubt that they are equivocally called church members : because the things forementioned that constitute their church-membership are not the same . if any papist should here set in , and with bellarmine plead , that it is profession and engagement to church politie that constituteth all members , and that the church in its first notion signifieth only the visible body , and that faith and holiness , or any thing intrinsick is not necessary to make a member , but only to ma●e a living member ; . i shou●d desire such to be at the pains to see what our d●vines , amesius , whitaker , and abundance more , have said already to shew the vanity of this , yea and its self-contradiction . . were it not done by so many already , i would shew such from many scriptures and fathers , that the word [ church ] in our christian sense doth principally signifie the number that are cordially congregate unto christ , and united to him . . but whomsoever the word is first applyed to , it is certain if it be applyed to both , that it is equivocal : unless you will say , that it signifieth some generical nature in common to both : which cannot be as is aforesaid ; and if it were granted , . it would exclude the spiritual aggregation to christ to be the ratio nominis , contrary to scripture ; and . it would exclude all saints that have not the opportunity of a visible profession and conjunction with the visible body , from being of the church , and so from salvation ; or . it would make two churches specifically distinct , which both papists and protestants do so vehemently disavow . having thus given my reasons from the common description of equivocals , and the nature of the things , why i say that meer professors , and consequently visible members as such , are but equivocally called believers , christians , saints , members , &c. i shall next come to authority , and enquire what is the custom of divines in this case , seeing that custom is so much the master of speech : and it is only protestant divines that i shall alledge , because it is for the sake of protestants that i write , to disswade them from siding with the papists in this point : for between them and us it is so antient and well known a controversie , that with men that are exercised in such writings , my allegations will be needless : but for the sake of some confident men , that have derided the common ●ssertions of protestant ; against papists , as if they were singularly mine i shall annex some of the words of our most esteemed writers by which these men may discern the minds of the rest ; wishing that such men would rather have been at the pains to have read the authors themselves , than to suffer their passions and tongues to over-run their understandings . . calvin in cor. . [ his interea duobus ep th●tis declarat quinam habendi sint inter vera ecclesiae membra , & qu● ad ejus communionem pr priè pertineant : nisi enim vitae sanctimoniâ christianum te ostendas , delitescere quidem in ecclesiâ poteris , sed ex eá tamen n●n eris . sanctificari ergò in christo o●ortet omnes qui in populo dei censeri volunt . porrò ●anctificationis verbum s●gregation in sign●ficat ; ea sit in nobis quum per spiritum in vitae novitatem regeneramur , ut serviamus deo & non mundo . — unà cum omnibus invoc . — et hoc commune est piorum omnium epitheton — quod exponunt quidam de solâ professione , mihi frig●dum videtur , & ab usu scripturae alienum est . ] idem institut . lib. cap. . sect . [ de eccl●siâ visibili & qué sub cognitionem nostram cadit , quale judicium facere conveniat , ex superioribus ●am l●quere existimo : diximus enim bifariam de ecclesiâ sacras literas loqui . interdum quum ecclesiam nominant , tam intelligunt quae reverâ est coram deo ; in quam nulli recipiuntur n●si qui adoptionis gratiâ filii dei sunt , & spiricûs sanctificatione vera christi membra . — saepe autem ecclesiae nomine universam hominum multitudinem in orbe diffusam designat , quae unum se deum & christum colere profitetur . — in hâc autem plurimi sunt permixti hypocritae , qui nihil christi habent praeter titulum & speciem , plurimi ambitiosi , avari , invidi , maledici , aliqui impurioris vitae , qui ad tempus tolerantur ; vel quia legitimo judicio convinci nequeunt , vel quia non semper ea viget disciplinae veritas quae debebat . ] . beza in confess . christ. fid . p. . c. . sect . . [ de veris ecclesiae membris . ] vera sunt ecclesia membra qui characterem illum habent christianorum proprium , id est , fidem . fidelis autem aliquis ex eo agnoscitur , quòd unicum servatorem jesum christum agnoscit , fugit peccatum , & studet justitiae , ídque ex praescripto verbi dei. — nam quod ad rel quos homines attinet , cujuscunque tandem sint statû● vel conditionis , non sunt numerandi inter ecclesiae membra , etiam si ut ità loquar ) apostolatu fungerētur . sed hîc cav●ndum est nè vel ulteriùs progrediamur quàm par sit , vel temerè judicemus : expectandum enim est dei judicium in detegendis hypocritis , & falsi fratibus . — et pag. . sect . . he shews [ unam duntaxat esse veram ecclesiam ; ] and therefore he speaks here of that one church . . junius in his most accurate tractate de ecclesiâ ( vol. . p. . ) saith , [ ecclesia absolutè dicta in divinis , appellatur coetus eorum quos deus evocat è natura & modulo naturali ipsorum per gratiam indignitatem filiorum dei ad gloriam ipsius . — justam ecclesiae formam adscripsimus — vecatur à deo quisquis ad ecclesiam pertinet è natura & modulo naturali suo : quá autem ? per gratiam supernaturalem , & viam illius gratiae ; & quo tandem ? in statum supernaturalem apud deum in coelis — ] et pag. . speaking of the matter of the political church , non videtur satis explicata definitio illa — nisi vocem illam [ fidelium ] aequivocè acceperis — non eos solum oportet intelligamus , qui verè sunt fideles , non eos solum qui professione externâ prae se ferunt , licet animo & corde non sint : sed utrosque communiter , loquutione planè aequivoâ , non tamen insolente planè , quia utrique saltem conveniunt in nomine , quamvis toto genere secundùm rem & veritatem differant . ] et pag. , . animadvers . in bellarm. he saith , [ . ibid. nomen fidelis accipi pro eo qui fidem publicè profitetur . ] nempe aequivocè & secundùm quid , putà rationem externam ipsius , ut pictura hominis dicitu● homo . . art. . [ vocari chatolicos qui fidem catholicam profitentur , quicquid sit de fide internâ . ] aequivocè igitur , ut proximè dictum . . art. . [ christianus enim nomen est professionis . ] negatur haec tota responsio : nam patres quum dicerent , verè christiannos , intelligebant secundùm formam internam christiani , quae per severa est , christianismus verus . nam qui solâ professione sunt christiani ; ii verè quidem de ecclesia sunt secundùm rationem externam illius : non autem secundum internam illam in quâ est christianismi veritas . christianum autem nomen professionis esse nullus homo negat : sed nomen esse negamus professionis solùm , nisi aequivocè : nam & clemens alex. definit strom . . nomen sensus , sidei , & cultus & prof●ssionis est . cap. . . art. . vera ecclesia non esset illa quae dicebatur ecclesia , sed pii quidam pauci . ] haec lutherus rectè de ecclesia justa secundùm partes essentiales ipsius considerata , id est , formam internam externámque ipsius simul formaliter & materialiter in membris ipsius . nam papa & qui sunt ipsius , in ecclesia sunt materialiter , ut ecclesiae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , non ecclesia sunt ; qui autem in ecclesi● sunt materialiter atque formaliter , ii vera ecclesia s●nt , essensi dísque . ecclesia autem vera quidem est quae utrosque quidem complectitu● , ut rete pices bonus & malos : sed quae membra sunt illius , non omnia vera sunt illius formaliter : sed quaedam vera materialiter , formaliter aequivoca . hoc itaque respectu ecclesia in membris suis considerata , dicitur ex parte vera , & ex parte non vera : quemadmodum meta aut strues messis dicitur triticum , quae considerata in suis partibus verum habet triticum & paleam , quae non est verum triticum , sed palea tritici & ipsum cont●gens . vtrumque simul ecclesia : sed illi materialiter atque formaliter , id est , essentialiter ; isti materialiter solum , id est , aequivocè . verum autem , figurato , & aequivocè dicto etiam opponitur . ] . ibid. [ distinguunt duas e●clesias . ] falsum . non duas ecclesias numero statuunt , sed unam numero ecclesiam duplicem esse modo & ratione dicunt pro conditione membrorum ipsius , cum alia sint vera formaliter , eoque essentialia ecclesiae membra : alia materialiter solū , ac proinde aequivocè dicta . atque hoc respectu postea membrorum contemplatione veram ecclesiam vocant , numerum eorum qui membra sunt ecclesiae verè & essentialiter ; falsam verò eorum , qui membra sunt ecclesiae materialiter solum atque aequivoce . hoc autem quisquis verum esse negat , solem meridie lucere negat , & bis duo esse quatuor . ( if i had spoken so confidently — ) so pag. . . art. . [ non essent membra corporis viva . ] id autem est , non esse membra ecclesiae secundùm partem rationémque formalem , sed secundū materialem ac cōmunem ipsius , ut ante . . art. . [ in nullo horum locorum distingui duas ecclesias . ] quasi verò cum ipsâ veritate , cum arte , cum ratione pugnet quisquis distinguit aequovocationes . so pag. . . art. . [ ex priore multi membra & sancti dicuntur aequivocè , quia membra sunt tantum materialiter : ex posteriore autem sancti propriè appellantur atque formaliter . ] i hope here 's enough to signifie junius his mind . . zanchius in tract . de eccles. vol. . cap. . p. . [ . si ecclesia latius accipiatur pro ecclesiâ militante , quatenus etiam reprobi multi & hypocritae ibi connumerantur licet non sint verè de ecclesia , nec ecclesia , nec partes ecclesi● — quae licet mixtos habeat reprobos & hypocritas multos , existentes quidem in ecclesia , cum tamen ( ut d xi ) sint neque ecclesia , neque partes ecclesiae , &c. — et pag. . [ hypocritae vero et si sint in ecclesia , non tamen sunt partes ecclesiae , neque verè ad eccl●siam pertinent . ecclesia enim est sponsa christi , corpus christi unde augustinus dicere solet roprobos in ecclesia multos esse , non tamen de ecclesia — sunt in ecclesia sicut palcae in frumento , quae ita sunt in frumento , ut non sint tamen frumentum , nec partes frumenti , sicut comparavit christus ecclesiam mat. . sunt sicut zizania inter frumentum ab hoste superseminata . zizaria autem non sunt frumentum , nec partes frumenti . videntur quidem reprobi hypocritae qui sunt in ecclesia , ad tempus esse etiam de ecclesia ; quamdiu scilicet ab ea non deficiunt , & cum aliis evangelium profitentur , &c. — cum ventilantur ventilabro irae diuinae , vel deficiunt — patefaciunt se nunquam fuisse membra ecclesiae , cum proprium membrorum ecclesiae sit , semper in ecclesia permanere — reprobi saepe videntur insiti , & tamen non sunt : vi lentur esse membra ecclesiae , & nihil minus sunt . ratio , quoniam soli electi , & vera christi membra , sunt ecclesia christi . read him to the same purpose , pag. . . et in de relig. christian. fid. cap , . thes. . p. . [ reprobos hypocritas , licèt sint in ecclesia , de ecclesia tamen non esse . — membra sunt satanae , non christi . read the rest there : so again , pag. , . . polanus syntagm . theol. l. . cap . , , . ha●h a long dispute against bellarmine , to prove that none but the elect and truly sanctified are members of the catholick or universal church : i shall refer you to the book , to save the labour of transcribing and pag . col . . he reckoneth this among bellarmine's errors as the sixth : [ quod impios quidem n●gat esse viva corporis christi membra , at intera statuit esse mortua membra corporis christi . at . embiguitate ludau● : nam membra corporis christi vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sunt vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . deinde si de membris christi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sermo sit , falsa est distributio quaedam membra christi-esse viva , quaedam mortua , vt enim in vivo corpore naturali — &c. ] so pag . col . . he saith , that only the justified are called the sons of god 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and others only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and col . . he saith the like of their saintship . [ et hic tertius est istius ratiocinationis error . sancti enim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicuntur : propriè quidem soli santificati spiritu adoptionis : impropriè vero & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ii qui sanctam fidem christi ore profitentur , licet non sint spi●itu s●ncto s●nct●ficati . . ravenellus bibliothec. pag. . . saith , [ vox ecclesiae ambiguè sumitur : propriè & strictè pro coetu illorum hominum quos deus ante jacta mundi fundamenta elegit , & in tempore efficaciter voc●t , &c. vel impropriè , &c. and having cited many texts to prove that electi & fideles sunt membra & corpus christi , he addeth [ quod nota contra pontificios , qui docent ipsos reprobos & sceleratos ad ecclesi●m propriè dictam etiam pertinere . . peter martyr in cor. . . p. . defineth the church thus ; [ esse dicemus , coetum credentium ac renatorum quos deus in christo colligit per verbum & spiritum sanctum , &c. — nam illi ( sancti ) solùm verè & coram deo sunt de ecclesia . quae alioquin habet admixtos permultos alienos a chr●st● : & hi specie tantum , no● reipsa pertinent ad ecclesiam . et paulus postquam dixisset , hoc loco [ ecclesi●e dei , per oppositionem adjunxit [ sanctificatis per christum jesum , vocatis sanctis ] ut intelligamus impios ad ecclesiam revera non pertinere , licet in ea perpetuo versentur . — scio commentum circumferri , quod impii membra christi sunt , verum mortua ; quae tamen vivificari possiat . at hoc ita est verum , at si mortuum hominem dixeris hominem esse — sed in praesentiâ id tantummodo contendimus , tales homines reipsa & quo ad deum , non esse partes ecclesiae . so on rom. & loc. commun . he hath much of the like . indeed loc. com. clas . c. . p. . he hath the very same words over again at large , which i have cited from him on cor. . . . musculus loc. com. de eccles. p. ( mihi ) . porro cum scripturâ docet esse ecclesiam corpus christi , an non satis manifestè significat , ecclesiam christi non esse eorum qui inter membra christi recenseri non p●ssunt ? sum quidem in externae professionis societate quamplurimi mali ; atque hactenus in ecclesia : verùm de ecclesia non sunt , quia verae ecclesiae membra non sunt : aliud est esse in externa christianorum societate ; & aliud pertinère ad internam , quae spiritus est & fidei , quâ caput & corpus & membra cum membris spiritualiter & veraciter communicant . aliud ( inquam ) est esse in ecclesia , & aliud esse de ecclesia . ] and he citeth that of austine ( as many other protestants do ) l. . contra . crescon . c. . [ at per hoc etiam nesciente ecclesia , propter malam pollutámquae conscientiam damnati a christo , jam in corpore christi non sunt , quod est ecclesia : quoniam non potest christus membra damnata habere . ] see him on mat. . p. . . rutherford 's pe●ceable plea , pag. . c. . [ . dist. if a true church and a visible church , as visible , may not for a time be opposed by way of contradiction , &c. ] pag. . [ separatists arguments must be weak , for they all conclude that which we deny not , and no other thing , to wit , that heretick , adu●terers , sorcerers , blasphemers , be no parts of christs visible church , as it is a church : yea , we may say that as the tree-leg , and the eie of glass , and the teeth of silver by art put in the body , are no members of the living body , so neither , are these members of the true church , and so much do all our divines , as calvin , beza , junius , whitaker , tilen , piscator , pareus , vrsine , trelcatius , sibrandus , amesius prove against papists . pag. . a church , and a visible church , may be opposed by way of contradiction , as a number of believers , and a number of non-believers . for a church essentially is a number of ●elievers , and christs mystical body , else it is not a church &c. pag. . the church visible as a church , is indeed christs body , a royal priest-hood , a chosen generation ; but as visible , it is sufficient that it be a royal priest-hood only by profession , &c. our adversaries give us no right description of the true natural and lively members of the true visible church : he that would give such a definition of a man , as agreeth both to a living man , and to a pictured or painted man , were but a painted logician . — pag. . — although the parents indeed , as concerning any real union of faith , be plain strangers to the covenant , and members of the church only , as an arm of wood is a member of the body . — see him also in his due right of presby●eries , chap. . sect . . pag. . . . . maccovius colledg . theolog. part. . disp. . thes. , . &c. [ haec ecclesia jam dicitur visibilis , jam invisibilis : quae distinctio non eo spectat , ut statuantur duae ecclesiae , &c. — sed est haec distinctio nominis , ut loquuntur in scholis — . et hinc jam liquere potest quomodo ecclesia visibilis sit & invisibilis : visibilis nempe confusè , dum in socictate illâ , quam definivimus , credimus esse electos aliquos , etiamsi qui illi sint non novimus scientia perfecta , sed conjecturali duntaxat . . notae ergo ecclesi●e ad hoc nobis ser viunt , non ut sciamus distinctè qui pertineant ad eccle siam , sed ut sciamus quibuscum nobis colenda sit communio , seu publica , seu privata ; nempe cum illi , quibus illa insunt , unde judicio charitatis colligi possit , eos veram esse ecclesiam , vel pertinere ad veram ecclesiam . . cocceïus de s. scriptur . potent . p. . [ quod attinet coetū sive multitudinem vocatorum , saltem verbisono , & christi fidem profitentium , eam vocamus ecclesiam , partim propter fideles , qui in eò sunt , partim propter spem . charitas en●m omnia sperat . eo modo sanctos etiam promiscuè appellamus qui se christianos nominant , & in quibus non deprehenditur a nobis hypocrisis , &c. — imoratione fidelium tota multitudo appellatur ecclesiae . et pag. . [ in majore ecclesiâ vniversalis visibilis significat , ( si vera est propositio ) omnes p●ofitentes nomen christi , & in coetus ubique locorum collectos : inter quos sine dubio sunt fideles : propter quos illa multitudo vocatur , ellclesia dei. pag. . [ ecclesiae statum in his comp●ehendi certum est sed bonos & malos simul ecclesiam a christo dici , atque adeo ecclesiam ex malis constare , quomodo fratres pergunt loqui num . . nentiquam admittimus . licet admittamus multitudinem illam profi●entium , in quâ & ziz●nia , vel zinecdochicè , vel prop●er spem fidelium , vel etiam propter gloriationem om●ium , di●i ecclesiam ; & zizania esse in ecclesia , quia bonis mali perm●xti sunt : ut & antichristus sessurus erat in templo dei , hoc est ecclesia , nempe inter fideles , & in congregationem justorum , ipse infidelis & injustus omnibus myriadibus suis stipatus , &c. vid. ultr . . luther . tom. . p. , . ut in loc commun . class . . cap. . pag. . [ hypocritae volunt ecclesia esse , & non sunt , quia non cognoscunt ecclesiae thesaurum , scilicet christum ; pii verò cognoscunt , & taemen non videntur esse ecclesia , sed manent absconditi coram mundo : ita stat illud argumentum a principio mundi ; ecclesia non est ecclesia : et , non ecclesia est ecclesia . ergo nihil nos moveat , si impii jactent se esse ecclesiam , & non possunt intelligere — see him also de conciliis towards the end , de ecclesia . . sutlive , contr . bellarm. de vera eccles. p. . . c. . [ non aliter coalescunt & augentur membra ecclesiae nisi per char●tatem , nec aliter vivunt quam per spiritum sanctum ; nec aliquis meritò in ecclesiae catalogo recensetur qui non studet sanctitati : est enim ecclesia non sceleratorū & improborum , sed sanctorum communio , &c. — in hâc tamen sanctorum societate , non negamus multos versari & hypocritas & sceleratos , qui nihil habent hominis christiani praeter nomen . — non tamen propterea censemus deserendam esse fratrum societatem quia inter eos sunt nonnulli homines scelerati & impii , qui non sunt verè ecclesiae membra . ] next he reprehendeth bellarmine for not admitting the various acceptions of the word ecclesia : and reciting his definition , he addeth , [ cujus d●finitionis tot sunt peccata quot vocabula . nam primò , ut quis sit membrum ecclesiae , non tantum requiritur fidei professio , sed etiam ipsa fides . non est enim ecclesia societas profitentium fidem , sed credentiū , nisi velit ille fideles mentiri , quando dicunt , credo in deum ; & sine fide nemo ad deum accedit , nemo fit mēbrum corporis christi . — his fift chapter is to prove that no reprobates belong to the catholike church , and he concludeth fol. . col . . [ sic neque reprobi , quantumvis videantur christiani , vera erunt ecclesiae membra . — his sixth chap. is to prove against bel. that wicked & unconscionable livers are not true members of the catholike church and communion of saints , fol. . he saith , [ aristoteles negat mortuum membrum , esse membrum . quae autem aequivocè dicuntur membra , non magis sunt membra , quam homo pictus est homo rationalis — and because he so effectually pleadeth this cause , i will recite the substance of his arguments . argum. . qui spiritum christi non habet , hic non est ejus : at qui sceleratò vivunt , non habent spiritum christi : meritò ergo tales existimamus non esse vera membra christi . . omnes pii ab hominibus impuris & sceleratis animo & moribu● recedere debent . — at a fratribus & membris veris ecclesiae discessionem facere nefas est — ergo . — . omnes christiani sunt velut unus panis & unum corpus : at panis non fit nisi ex uno frumento , non ex paleis , & corpus non consistit ex membris dissentientibus inter se. — . totum corpus christi incrementum ex eo capit per charitatem . at homines impuri & selerati non habent charitatem , &c. — non modo ecclesia dei , sed omnia ejus membra sunt templum dei , & in eis habitat spiritus sanctus . at ubi regnat peccatum , ibi non est templum dei , &c. — . christus est caput ecclesiae , & ipse est servator corporis sui : & tradidit se pro ea ut illam sanctificaret , &c. — at christus non est hominum impurorum aut sceleratorum caput . totum enim corpus ex christo capite per nexus & conjunctiones subministratum & constructum crescit in augmentum dei , non servat homines in peccatis stupidos , &c. . quiverè in ecclesiam tanquam membra in corpus inferuntur , coelestis vocationis fiunt participes , hebr. . justificantur , rom. . & spiritum dei habent . at homines isti , &c. — . ecclesia dicitur puteus aquarum viventium . at homines flagitiosi & magni peccatores in peccatis mortui sunt . — non sunt ergo ex ecclesia : quod august . ex loco colligit lib. . de bapt. contr . donatist cap. . — . in filios ecclesiae illa quadrant quae dicit apostolus , rom. . liberati à peccato , servi autem facti deo , fructum habetis vestrum in sanctificationem , finem vero vitam aeternam . at hominibus improbis , &c. . cives ecclesiae in scripturis vocantur sancti , cor. . . — quare nisi homines impuri & flagitio si possint vere dici sancti , non possunt homines ejusmodi propter externam suam professionem vera ecclesiae membra censeri . — . ecclesia christi tota est pulchra , cor. . virgo casta . at , &c. — . in symbolo dicitur ecclesia sancta , & sanctorum communio . at si homines scelerati & impuri vera essext ecclesiae membra , tum sanctitatis denominationem amitteret , & esset non sanctorum communio , sed sceleratorum colluvies , quod planè impium est vel dicere vel cogitare . ( see his replies to bellarmine's answers , ) — . ecclesia supra petram a dificata est , & porte inferorum aduersus eam non sunt praevaliturae . at contra peccatores portae inferorum praevalent . — . ecclesia dicitur plenitudo sen complementum corpor● christi . at — . ecclesia est columna & firmamentum veritatis . at improbi non pertinent ad hanc columnam , &c. — . disertè scripturae excludunt ex sancta civitate homines impuros & sceleratos ( here some texts are cited . — . qui ex patre diabolo sunt , non habent deum patrem , joan . at homicidae & scelerati . — at si ex deo non sunt , non possunt inter ecclesia membra numerari — . ab autoritate patrum : where he citeth cyprian , origen , hierom , ambrose , ruffinus , gregory , epiphanius , augustine , chrysostom , theophilact , bernard , &c. — . arg. a consensu & testimonio totius ecclesiae catholicae ducitur . recitantes enim symbolum apostolorum , omnes christiani profitentur se credere sanctam ecclesiam catholicam , sanctorum communionem . — . arg. ab adversariorum confessione ( of which more anon . ) and six reasons he addeth fol. . col . . and fol. . he refuteth bellarmines arguments for the contrary , ( the same that others since make use of ) from scripture and reason . where bellarmine saith , they cannot be cast out of the church by excommunication , if they be not in it ; he answereth , [ si fide & charitate & spiritu sancto careant , tum licet vel praelatorum sedes occupent , vel in ecclesiae catalogo censeantur , non tamen sunt vera membra ecclesiae . nec ad rem facit quod christus malis praelatis obaudiendum docet : hoc en●m sit , quia tales adhuc videntur esse in ecclesiae — of a councils testimony produced by bellarmine he saith , [ licet concilium quoddam et iscoporum in colloq . cum donatistis fateatur malos esse nonnunquam in ecclesia velut paleas in area , — non tamen asserit hujusmodi malos esse vera membra ecclesiae , sed ostendit quid vulgus existimat . i know the answer to all this must be , that dr. sutlive speaks all this only of the catholick mystical church , and not of the visible church . to which i reply , . he and other protestants profess , that they hold not that there is two churches , one visible and the other invisible ; but one church , only . . and that this one is called invisible from its essence , and visible from an adjunct , which is so . . and therefore that where there is profession without true faith , and so men that have only that which denominateth it visible , without that which denominateth it invisible , these are only equivocally and not truly members . hear further what sutlive saith of this , fol. . [ hinc ergo cadit calumnia illa adversarii , quasi nos faceremus duas ecclesias . vnā enim nos facimus ecclesiam catholicam , quae tantum bonos continet , licet mali in ea conseantur , quia non omnes certo norunt esse malos . at bellarminus revera duas facit ecclesias , unam ex bonis tantum , — alteram ex malis & bonis , & aliquando ex malis tantum . nam ad ecclesiae formam constituendam nullam putat requiri intornam virtutem . — and fol. . answering to bellarmines arguments from the fathers , he saith of nazienzen , [ nullus dixerit eum existimâsse hujusmodi homines vera esse membra ecclesiae . loquitur enim de ecclesiae militantis parte ; ( that is of the particular church of constantinople ) ídque secundùm vulgi sententiam , & non secundùm veritatem ; & ubi proprie loquitur moabitas & ammonitas licet in mysteria nostra irrumperent , distinguit à veris christianis ] cap. . he proves that infidels and hereticks ( though occult ) are not vera ecclesiae membra . and fol. . col . . he saith , [ vt agamus de forma ecclesiae , ubi potius essentialis ejus forma posita est , quàm in fide christi interna ? forma enim illa substantialis est , & non accidentalis ; ecclesiaeque dat esse , & vere demonstrat quis ad ecclesiam pertineat . at confessio fidei externa non magis demonstrat ecclesiam , ejusque partes , quam tabula picta hominis naturam . — licet ad ecclesiam admittantur qui profitentur fidem , ut dicit bellarm. non tamen sequitur eos fieri vera ecclesiae membra , nisi habeant etiam fidem quam profitentur . neque enim civis est qui pro cive se gerit , licet aliqui ita putent , sed qui revera jus habet civitatis . fol. . praeterea nos ostendimus , excludi omnes ex ecclesia catholica , tanquam membra non vera , sed ficte adnascentia , qui non habent charitatem ; & hoc catholicorum omnium testimonio confirmavimus ; adeo ut jam constet bellarminum esse monachum , à christi ecclesia extraneum , & non catholicum : ( i desire the contrary-minded of our brethren to mark what a heavy censure i must fall under , if i should turn to their opinion . ) fol. . nulli ferè haeretici non se christianos esse pro●●●ntur : eos tamen chrysostomus ex ecclesia excludit . nam non nomen , sed veritatem , facere christianum . ] many arguments he here useth , of which i will recite only the last , fol. . col . . [ si fides non minùs requiritur quam baptismus ut quis fiat membrum ecclesiae ; cur magis sit membrum ecclesiae qui profitetur se fidem tenere & non tenet , quam qui profitetur se baptismum habere & non habet ? ] they that will read the rest may see much more to the same sense : but i find i have staid long enough on one witness . . amesius medul . theol. lib. . cap. . . [ illi autem qui professione tantum sunt sideles , dum remanent in illa societate , sunt membra illius ecclesiae , sicut etiam ecc●esiae catholicae , quoad statum externum tantum , non quoad statum internum aut essentialem , joan. . ver . . ] et in bellarm. enervat tom. . lib. . c. . . confuting bellarmines calumny , that feigneth us to make two churches , a visible and an invisible , he saith we only affirm , vnam quoad essentiam internam , & alteram quoad modum existendi externum : and urgeth augustine saying , [ bonos sic esse in domo dei , quae est ecclesia , ut ipsi sint domus constructa ex vivis lapidibus : malos sic esse in domo , ut ipsi tamen non sint domus . ] § . . where bellarmine saith , reprobates belong to the church ; he answereth , [ hoc non potest negari si intelligatur secundum extrinsecam rationem ecclesiae militantis , prout capilli , ungues , aut mali humores pertinent ad corpus humanum : quam explicationem dedit nobis bellarm. cap. . aut quemadmodum civitas romana multos non cives dicitur complecti . ] § . . bellarm. magni & manifesti peccatores sunt in ecclesia . resp. at hoc etiam conceditur à nobis eodem sensu quo antecedens illud effatum — i. e. ita ut istius modi peccatores non sint membra vera , nec simpliciter corporis ecclesiae , sed tantum secundùm quid & aequivoce . . wendeline in christ. theol. lib. . cap. . is large upon it ; he makes spiritual union with christ to be the internal and essential form of the church ; and visible externals to be but an accidental external form . in all his definitions he makes only the elect-believers and justified to be the true members , and that both of the universal church and of particular churches . he hath nine arguments against the papists to prove hypocrites no true members of the church , concluding that then hereticks and notorious ungodly persons are much less members . he answereth the papists arguments at large , ( the same that are now taken up against us ) drawn from the parables of the tares , the net , the ten virgins , &c. and from the coruptions of the jewish and other churches : and concludeth pag. . [ hypocritas quod attinet , ex judicio charitatis habentur quidem pro veris ecclesiae membris ; sed non sunt . aliud est esse quoad externam professionem , & aliorum opinionem ; aliud vere esse . and shewing how the true church is visible , he doth it thus , pag. . deinde ex judicio charitatis pro veris ecclesiae membris habentur omnia coetus particularis membra , sive hypocritae , sive verè fideles sint , in quibus externae nostrae notae deprehenduntur . hoc igitur respectu quoque vera ecclesia , vera inquam , sive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sive secundum charitatis judicium , est visibilis . yea , having mentioned those notes wherein the external accidental form consisteth , he addeth , [ harum respectu ecclesia appellatur visibilis , cujus membra sunt verè fideles & hypocritae ; illi tamen ipsa rei veritate , hi ex judicio charitatis & hominum opinione . ] i desire the reader that needs it to peruse the chapter throughout , because the book is common , and it throughly handleth this point against the papists . . keckerman system . theolog. l. . c. . shews the equivocal use of the word ecclesia , and makes the consideration of that the ready way to decide the controversie between us and the papists . ecclesia latè accepta he makes to be that which containeth all professors , viz that profess christ to be their king , priest , and prophet : of which he layeth down these canons ; [ . ecclesia est quiddam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , quod una essentiali & generali definitione comprehendi nequit . ] and addeth , [ de ecclesia variae intercedunt controversiae ecclesiis pontificiis & reformatis , inter qua● prima est haec , vtrùm videlicet etiam reprobi ad ecclesiam pertineant ? affirmant omnes pontificii , & statuunt etiam reprobos ac damnandos homines ecclesiae membra esse , ídque hoc confilio , &c. — id interim concedunt , reprobos esse putrida ecclesiae membra : at verò considerare debebant , membrum putridum non esse amplius animae instrumentum in corpore , & idcirco nec membrum , nisi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dictum ; sicut aristoteles de manu dicit , manum resectam , aut it a mutilam ut resecanda sit , non esse manum , nisi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . sicut serra qua secare non possumus , aut culter ligneus , non est serra vel culter , nisi homonym●s : tota ergo questio facillime expeditur distinctione ecclesiae , quae vel late accipitur , & quidem cum homonymia quadam , vel stricte & proprie sine homonymia . priori modo reprobi profitentes christum , sunt membra ecclesi● ; posteriori nentiquam . ducatur argumentum à similitudine reipub. & regni alicujus , ubi quidem civis late & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitur etiam flagitiosissimus quisque , & qui preditario est in patriam animo , inque eâ seditiones movet — sed proprié ac sine homonymia , &c. — . gomarrus in loc. commun . eptom . per sibolium collect . loc. . pag. . [ materia ( ex qua ecclesiae est ) sunt omnes & soli electi , rom. , , . pet. , — ] pag. . speaking of the militant church , as joined in external communion , he saith . [ et reprobi velut hoedi cum ovibus permixti , math. . . propriè sunt in ecclesiâ , sed non ex ecclesiâ , joan. . . nisi secundùm quid , & metaphorice , ob similitudinem professionis fidei & obedientiae ; qui hircinum ingenium ovinâ hâc pelle contegunt , & oves christi fallaci specie simulant . — . dr. humfrey in jesuitismo part. . rat. . having in the index said [ ecclesiae vox aequivoca , ] doth pag. . and forward , labor to manifest it . and pag. [ quamvis enim ecclesiae nomen sit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & aquivocum , tamen si de verâ ecclesia proprie loquendum est , illo egregio nomine soli digni sunt fideles . donius est cujus lapides vivi : vinea & pomarium domini est , cujus arbores fructuosae & fructum ferunt , qui non peribit sed perdurabit . nam homo pictus non est homo sed statua , ita nec ecclesia nisi quae fide fundatur , charitate rigatur , spe sustentatur , spiritu animatur ac sanctificatur . . sharpius in curs . theolog. de corp. eccles. milit . is large against the papists , and neer twenty times mentions an homonymie in the word , ecclesia , and calls the members of the visible church only , sons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and the godly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and oft distinguisheth betwixt being in the church as the reprobates are , and being of the church as believers justified are . and that you may know what he takes the church as visible to be , note what he saith pag. . ad obj. . obj. quod est in parte est in toto : at reprobi sunt in parte ecclesiae catholicae , viz. visibili : ergò . — resp. non concludit quod est in questione , quia questio est , an sunt ex ecclesia , seu membra ecclesiae ; non an in ecclesia visibili ? deinde , sunt in parte , non ex parte , que est pars ecclesia catholicae . nam visibilis ecclesia tota qua talis , non est pars ecclesi● catholica . — pag. . confundit esse in ecclesia , & esse de ecclesia . — vid. caetera . . rob. bodius com. in ephes. cap. . vers . ult . pag. . [ quinimo ne membra quidem omnino nisi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & aequivoce dici possunt , ut docet philosophus ipse naturae lumen ductumque secutus , lib. . de anim . oculum visu destitutum . h. e. coecum non amplius oculum esse inquiens , nisi aequivoce , &c. — pag. . bellarminus spinam quae ipsum hac ex parte pungebat quasi digito nobis indicat . ( nempe , si mali sunt aequivoce tantum , & non vere membra ecclesiae , sequetur ( inquit ) inde malum pontificem non esse caput ecclesiae , & malum pastorem equivoce tantum esse pastorem : quod ( inquit ) inter errores joan. hussi . damnatum fuisse , sess. . concil . constant. — pag. . quare hoc saltem ex bellarmini distinctione consecuti sumus , males plebeios , qui tantum ut membra , non autem instrumenta , considerari possunt in ecclesia esse mortua , ac proinde non vera membra . . i. h. alstedius in encyclopaed . lib. . theol. sect . . loc. . pag. . cum ecclesia militans dicitur esse & invisibilis & visibilis , neque est distributio generis in suas species , neque integri in sua membra ; sed distinctio adjunctorum ejusdem subjecti ( therefore there must be the same subject of visible profession , as of invisible faith. ) non itaque hic est sensus , quasi ecclesia una sit invisibilis , altera visibilis : aut quasi una pars ecclesiae sit invisibili alia visibilis : sed invisibilitas est affectio , seu modus ecclesiae respectu for●ae essentialis , & internae ; visibilitas est affectio seu modus ecclesi● , quantum ad formam accidentalem , & ex●ernam , nam forma essentialis est invisibilis , quia est relatio & quidem spirtualis — forma accidentalis est visibilis . — . d. georg. sohnius ( one of the most learned accurate divines the reformed churches have possessed ) tom. . method . theol. pag. . itaque illi in quibus nihil agit christus , non sunt membra christi & ecclesiae : vel certe sunt ( ut quidam loquuntur ) mortua membra . nam vulgo sic dividunt membra ecclesiae ; ut alia viva , alia mortua esse dicant . pag. . ecclesia visibilis est coetus hominum ad tractandas res divinas convenientium , in quo coetu etiam sunt mali & hypocritae multi , sed tamen de doctrina con●entientes : qui quamvis in ecclesia versantes , tamen non sunt de ecclesia ; id est , non sunt ecclesiae vera & viva membra . visibilis dicitur ecclesia propter ordinem ecclesiasticum , & formam exteriorem ac visibilem : que quidem fecit ut ecclesia s●t & dicatur visibilis . etsi autaem hic fidelibus admixti sunt hypocritae , tamen non nisi propter fideles dicitur ecclesia . et in thes. marpurg . pag. . § . . quibus multi admixti sunt hypocritae , qui quamvis in ecclesia versantur , tamen non sunt de ecclesia , id est , non sunt ejus vera vivaque membra . . ph. melact . in apol. august . confess . impress . witteberg . . f. . concedimus quod hypocritae & mali in haec vita sint admixti ecclesiae , & sint membra ecclesiae secundum externam societatem signorum , &c. — at ecclesia non est tantum societas externarum rerum ac rituum , sicut aliae politiae , sed principaliter est societas fidei & spiritus sancti in cordibus , &c. — fol. . et in decretis inquit glossa , ecclesiam large dictam complecti bonos & malos . item malos , nomine tantum in ecclesia esse , non re : bonos vero re & nomine . et in hanc sententiam multa leguntur apud patres . hieronymus ait , [ qui pecator est aliqua sorde maculatus , de ecclesia christi non potest appellari , nec christo subjectum dici . ] quanquam igitur hypocritae & mali sint socii hujus verae ecclesiae secundum externos ritus , tamen cum definitur ecclesia , necesse est eam definiri , quae est vivum corpus christi : item quae est nomine & re ecclesia . et multae sunt causae : necesse est enim intelligi quae res principaliter efficiat nos membra , & viva membra ecclesiae ] leg. & fol. . & quae habet sohnius in thes. theolog. ex corpore doctr . melanct. c. . p. . . learned sadeel in respons●ad turriani sophism . is so large in proving the internal form of the church only to be essential , that instead of citing his words , i must refer the reader to the perusal of the book , contenting my self now to recite these few about the membership of reprobates . pag. . ( mihi ) sic igitur habeto : quia particulares habent ecclesiae electos , hinc fieri ut elogia totius electorum ecclesiae de singulis particularibus ecclesiis dicantur : nō quia sunt vifibiles ( ut tu existimas ) sed quia visibiles ecclesiae electos habēt propter , quos etiā ecclesiae dicūtur . sic dicūtur hebr. illi ad quos scripsit apostolus , accessisse ad hierusalem coelestem , & myriadas angelorum , conventum & concionem sive ecclesiam primogenitorum qui conscripti sunt in coelis , hoc est , ad ecclesiam electorum . ] sic dicuntur ephesii concives sanctorum , & domestic dei. sic corinthii , sanctificati . sic philippenses , colossenses thessalonicenses , dicuntur sancti . deinque sic illi ad quos scribebat petrus , dicuntur electi . quae omnia visibilibus ecclesiis tribuuntur , & nihilominus sunt electorum propria : ut enim de vite dici potst eam proferre vinum ad vitam hominis tuendam accommodatum , neque id tamen ad aridos & mortuos palmites , sed ad solos frugiferos erit referendum : ità quod hìc dicitur de ecclesia , & multa alia consimili ità dicuntur de ecclesiis visibilibus , ut ad solos electos , non autem ad reprobos & hypoeritas pertineant . rectè enim hieronymus , nihil interest ( inquit ) de corpore quid dicatur an de membris , cùm & corpus dividatur in membra , & membra sint corporis . [ quamobrem duo tibi fuerunt consideranda , turriane , quae te ab hoc inepto concludendi genere revocarent . vnum , hypocritas & reprobos propriè non esse partes conficientes , sed , ut ita dicam , deficientes , vel vel potius esse partes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quand ecclesiae visibles dicuntur constare ex electis & reprobis . ] sic pag. [ visibilis ecclesia constat etiam & imprimis ex electis , tanquam dignissimis , & propter quos ( ut ante diximus ecclesia vocatur . . sam. maresius colleg. theolog. loc. . pag. , . [ quum vox ecclesiae sit ità 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , non potest certa definitione ejus quidditas exprimi , nisi caetera significata tanquam analogata ad primarium aliquod caput revocentur . hoc vero statuimus esse ecclesiam electorum &c. — distinctio frequens ecclesiae in universalem & particularem non est generis in species , aut totius in partes , sed vocis ambiguae in sua significata . ratione professionis & vocationis christianae , quum in aliis sit duntaxat externa , in aliis vero interna quoque & seria , ecclesia membra sunt duum generum : qu● dam enim univoce , quaedam vero non nisi aequivoce talia dici debent . aequivoce tantum & solum secundum dici , ecclesiae membra sunt hypocritae , occulti infideles , & reprobi ; e nobis egressi sunt , sed non erant ex nobis : illi sunt in ecclesia , ut mali humores aut lumbrici in nostro corpore : univoce vero , proprie & secundum esse , soli electi & vere credentes . vos non creditis : non enim estis ex ovibus meis , &c. idem in exeg . confess . belgic . § . . art. . p. , . [ inde autem nonnulla magni momenti consectaria nascuntur ; . reverae dari ecclesiam praedestinatorum sive electorum : imo hanc proprie & univoce esse solam christi ecclesiam , &c. . solos electos post efficacem suam vocationem constituere in terris univece & proprie illam christi ecclesiam quam credimus ; alios vero non nisi aequivoce , secundum dici & putative ad illam pertinere . quae in contrarium disputantur a bellarmino , plane futilia & ficulnea sunt . . altingius loc. com. part. . loc. . pag. , . item part. . loc. . pag. . , . [ cum solis pontificiis certamen superest — . an ●raeter electos vocatos etiam reprobi , infideles , sive occulti sive manifesti peccatores , verae christi ecclesiae membra sint ? pontificii affirmant : nos negamus . rationes nostrae . ex natura subjecti . qui nec spiritum sanctum nec sidem habent , verae christi ecclesiae membra non sunt . reprobi , infideles nec spiritum , sanctum habent , nec fidem , &c. — . qui non sunt ex sive de ecclesia , non sunt vera ejus membra : reprobi , infideles non sunt ex sive de vera ecclesia : ergo — . qui sunt membra diaboli , non sunt membra verae ecclesi● , &c. ex natura praedicati . . omnia membra verae ecclesiae vocantur secundum propositum dei , &c. — . omnia membra verae ecclesiae sunt membra christi , &c. — . omnia membra verae ecclesiae sunt oves christi , agnoscunt , audiunt , sequuntur ipsum , &c. — ] see the proofs , and the confutation of the papists reasons , drawn from the parables of the field , the net , the wedding feast , from baptism , from the example of the apostolical churches , the uncertainty of members , &c. idem in explicat . cateches . palat. part. . pag. . [ item proprie & univoce competit veris & sinceris ejus membris , quae sunt vere sideles : improprie & aequivoce membris simulatis , qualia sunt omnes hypocritae ; qui ut paleae inter triticum , zizania inter bonum semen , pisces putridi inter bonos , versantur in ecclesia , & propter , externae confessionis gloriationem ejusdem membra censentur . . these salmuriens . vol. . de variis ecclesiae partibus , thes. . [ equidem mihi dici velim quid sibi voluerit subtilissimus disputator , qui partes veras appellavit membra arida atque mortua . illa autem forma quae in corporibus viventibus anima appellatur , semper vitam comitem habet , neque potest ab ea separari , haud magis quàm à seipsa : ideo neque rami in arbore demortui partes ejus censentur : neque in animantibus quae loco sunt excrementorum , quaeque vitam non participant , ut pili & ungues , ab ea parte qua sunt privati sensu , habentur pro corporis partibus : neque in corpore humano crus aut brachium quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 penitus occupavit , membrum ejus censetur ampliùs ; haud magis quàm homo pictus pro homine judicatur : ideoque extirpatur , tanquam nihil cum corpore commune habens . . lucas trelcatius senior in opuscul . theol. loc. com. de eccles , pag. . [ ob hoc enim ipsum ecclesiae nomen singulis coetibus fidem christi ex illius verbo profitentibus rectè tribuitur , quòd scilicet ecclesiae invisibilis ibi membra esse verè credantur ; nam propter electos propriè coetus aliquis vocatur ecclesia , etiamsi sint minima illius pars . a potiori enim , non autem saepè majori , fit hîc rei denominatio , scilicet ab eo quo res est quod est : ut acervus tritici , tritici tamen dicitur , non palearum . pag. . visibilis verò ecclesiae membra sunt hominibus nota , sed judicio charitatis , saepe non veritatis , propter vocationem & professionem externam , sed saepe hypocriticam . pag. . visibiles inquam , non ab illâ formâ internâ quae dat proprie esse rei , sed à formâ externâ , &c. — ] see more there . pag. . resp. neg. nec enim mortua membra corporis vivi sunt membra , nisi homonymôs : & vivae dei ecclesiae nullum est membrum mortuum . ] vid. & l. trelcat . jun. instit. lib. . page , . . th. cartwright contr . rhem. in joh. . . [ branch in me ] rotten branches , and dead members : branches and members in shew and not in truth . and therefore that which they have not indeed , and yet seem to have in their own and other mens opinion , shall be taken from them . . bucer , and marlorate citing him , on joh. . . quomodo ergo zizania sunt in regno dei , & putres pisces in reti evangelico , carens veste nuptiali in nuptiis christi ; ita in christo est qui non fert fructum ; nomine tenus scilicet , & secundùm externam speciem tantùm , non etiam verâ fide . . joan. camero praelect . de eccles. pag. . [ . negandum est posse sciri distinctè & certò qui sint verae ecclesiae membra ; quae sit vera ecclesia : at concedendum est tamen posse id sciri distinctè & probabiliter ; quae scientia vulgò dicitur judicium charitatis . — ergo ecclesiae dicitur quemadmodum homo . nam & homo pictus & coloratus à philosopho dicitur homo ; & verus homo dicitur homo : & homini picto & vero quedam sunt communia secundùm quae tam hic quàm ille homo dicitur : attamen nemo cavillabitur constitui sic duo genera hominum . et pag. . [ negamus in ullâ re externâ sitam esse ecclesiae essentiam , ideoque nulla vis est quae cogat ut fateamur essentiam ecclesie eandem notam esse , &c. — consequens est , ut quaecunque deus pollicetur ecclesiae suae , seu ea pertineant ad fidem , seu ad mores , intelligenda sint eâ de parte quae proprie sine tropo ecclesia dicitur , neque convenire ecclesiae illi quae synecdochicè ecclesia dicitur , nisi per accidens , respectu scilicet illius partis , quomodo vivere is dicitur , cujus aliqua pars computruit , quanquam pars putrida ( quod & aristoteles nos docuit ) non est proprie pars , sed homonymos propter similitudinem & figuram : nam reâpse non est pars quando non est formae totius particeps . ] were it not that i think the labour needless , i should add many testimonies collected , and at hand , from zuinglius , bullinger , piscator , paraeus , bucanus , rivet , with many more , yea many score i doubt not might be added : but i shall spare my self and the reader that labour , till i perceive it necessary , and shall only conclude with two of our own : one in a book not past a month old ; that it may appear that we yet hold to the old protestant doctrine , as easie as it is to turn some from it by specious pretences . mr. h. jeanes in scholast . & practic . divinity pag. . . saith thus . [ vse inform. is the church the outward fulness of christ , considered as head ? we may then be informed what is the nature and quality of the true members ; that they are effectually called , and truly sanctified , linkt unto christ with an internal union by the bond of the spirit on his part , and of faith on theirs . indeed as in the body natural there are hairs , nails , evil humors , and many other things , which yet belong not integrally thereunto as proper members : so if we regard not the inward and invisible essence , but the visible state , or outward manner of the churches being , there adhere unto her many uncalled , unjustified , and unsanctified persons , but it is only as excrements or ulcers : for every true member of the church is a part of christs fulness , and therefore must receive of his fulness grace for grace , must be endowed with all saving and sanctifying graces ; otherwise how can it concur to the making of christ full and compleat ? vse . refut . whence secondly may be inferred the gross error of the papists in avouching , that external profession and conformitie , outward subjection to the pope of rome , are sufficient to constitute one a true member of the catholick church , although he be a reprobate , an unbeliever , an hypocrite so gross as judas or simon magus , a professed and notorious impious wretch , that is utterly devoid of all spiritual life and grace whatsoever . if he take up a room in the church , it matters not with them , though he neither do nor can perform vital actions , yet he shall pass for a true part thereof . pag. . he confesseth that they are united to the church but by an outward conjunction : and was ever any man so deprived of common sense and understanding as to call a woodden leg a part of the body to which it was annexed , as to term wens , warts , and moles , sores and botches members of the body in which they were ? ] . the other is mr. perkins , in whom the judgement of other english protestants of his time may be discerned : expos. on the creed , in vol. . pag. . [ hence we learn , . that the church of rome erreth , in teaching that a wicked man , yea such a one as shall never be saved , may be a true member of the catholick church , &c. — ] but lest you should say that he speaks this only of the invisible church , ( though our divines say that there is but one church which is visible and invisible in several respects ) i shall desire you to consider what he saith of the visible chuhch expresly , pag. , . [ the visible church may be thus described : it is a mixt company of men professing the faith , assembled together by the preaching of the word . — it is called a church , of the better part , namely the elect whereof it consisteth , though they be in number few . as for the ungodly , though they be in the church , yet they are no more parts of it indeed than the superfluous humors in the veins are parts of the body . — again because the profession of faith is otherwhiles true and sincere , and otherwhiles only in shew , therefore there be also two sorts of members of the visible church . members before god , and members before men . a member of the church before god is he that beside the outward profession of the faith , hath inwardly a pure heart , good conscience and faith unfeigned , whereby he is indeed a true member of the church . members before men , whom we may call reputed members , are such as have nothing els but the outward . profession , wanting the good conscience , and the faith unfeigned ; the reason why they are to be esteemed members of us is because we are bound by the rule of charity to think of men as they appear unto us ; leaving secret judgement unto god. ] so far perkins . and so much for these testimonies . by what hath been said it is evident that it is the judgement of the protestants that reprobates and wicked men are not properly members of the church , but only equivocally , and that the church , is but one , which in some respect is visible , and some invisible , and that it is denominated invisible because its essential form is invisible ; and denominated visible only from an external accidental form ; and therefore that those members that are only visible , or have only the accidental form of members , or are only of the church as visible , are but equivocally members of the church properly so called , as from its essential form . this they commonly maintain against the papists . i confess i think that somewhat more should be said for the explication of this point ( which is fullyest done by the thes. salmuriens . vol. . ) but though i am not now delivering my own apprehensions , but the words of others , yet that the true [ church ] as also [ holynes , faith , christianity , adoption , ] are equivocal , as applied to the regenerate and unregenerate , i wholly agree with the common judgement , and am past doubt of it , though mr. blake contradict it with abhorence . bellarmine confesseth that many of their own ( as johan . de turre cremata , alexander hales , hugo , thomas , &c. did take the wicked to be but equivocally called members of the church : and our divines ( as dr. sutlive pag. . . mention also peter à soto , melchior canus , and divers others ( et . p. . ) and bellarmine himself saith they are but membra mortua . and for the judgement of the fathers , herein , other divines against the papists have produced them at large . see dr. sutlive de eccles . lib. . c. . fol. . &c. . fol. . . now let us hear mr. blake . mr. blake p. . [ then it seems there is no reality in such separations ! camero tells us otherwise , that there is a reality in this saintship by separation . ] ans. this is the first time that ever i heard that equivocal terms express not realityes . is there no reality in a picture or a corps ? it sufficeth that the reality is not the same that in a man , and a corps is expressed by the same word [ man ] camero's judgement of our controversie is declared before in his own words . mr. blake [ and it seems the scripture is still under the charge of equivocal speeches all over . ] ans. this anger flyes too high . i beseech you make not the undeniable equivocal terms which you finde in scripture the matter of [ a charge : ] it s is ill judging the law that must judge us . is there a divine on earth that will deny that there are equivocal terms in scripture ? or that there are hundreds , if not thousand numerical words that are such . and do you not fear to make these the grounds of [ a charge ? ] scripture shall not go uncharged except it speak so as to please us ! in the highest matters about the attributes and works of god , how common are equivocal terms ? but do you indeed think that all equivocal terms are culpable ? yea or unnecessary ? or not intelligible ? i pray you distinguish between jesuitical dissembling equivocation , and the laudable yea necessary use of equivocal words , when either the transcendencie of the matter , the incapacity of men , the paucity of terms , the custom of speech , &c. hath made them fit or needfull : let god have the forbearance and justice in your interpretations , as every writer and speaker is allowed without any accusation ; the scripture hath accusers enow already . mr. blake [ i would know for my learning what advantage or profit a dead corps is in capacity to enjoy . i think none at all : but these have much every way . ] ans. thus you argue , ( or you say nothing : ) [ if unregenerate saints , church-members &c , have much advantage , and a corps have no advantage , then they are not equivocally called saints , church-members , &c. as a corps is called a man : but &c. the consequence is not only false , but too gross . advantage or disadvantage are nothing to the nature of equivocals . . in its kinde a corps may have advantage ; it may be stuck with flowers , perfumed , emblamed , and kept from stinking , as ungodly men are by their common gifts , for the sake of those with whom they do converse . . an ape is capable of advantage , and yet if you call him a man it is a more catachresticall equivocation , than to call a corps so : an embryo or rude beginings of a mans body before it receive the soul , it is capable of advanatage , in order to manhood , and yet is but equivocally called a man. mr. blake . if such equivocation be found in the word [ saint ] then the like is to be affirmed of the word believer ; and believers having their denomination from their faith , that is equivocall in like manner , and so the common division of faith into dogmatical or historical , temporary , miraculous , and justifying is but a division of an aequivocum in sua aequivocata , which i should think no man should affirm , much less mr. baxter , who makes common and special grace to differ only gradually ; and then as cold in a remiss degree may grow to that which is intense ; so one aequivocatum may rise up to the nature of another : animal terrestre , may become sydus coeleste . ans. . it s no good consequence : because the word [ saint ] is equivocal , therefore the word [ believer ] is so . . our dispute is not about the sence of the word [ faith ] or [ believer ] in general : but about the [ christian faith ] in special , from whence a man is to be properly called a christian , and upon the profession whereof he is to be baptized ; for i told you once already , that as faith is taken in general , so your lower sort of faith is truly and properly faith ; and so is believing in mahomet : to distinguish faith into divine and humane , and into christian and mahometan &c , is not aequivoci in sua aequivocata divisio : but to distinguish the christian faith which entituleth to baptism , into saving faith , and that which is short of it , is aequivoci in sua aequivocata . . if you thought no man had been guilty of this conceit , whether that thought do more disparage the said assertion , or your self , i must not be judge ; but i take it as if you had said , [ i thought no man had written against bellarmines definition of the church ] . as to your [ no man ; much less mr. baxter ] as i know not the reason of your thought , unless you indeed take me not only to be no man , but to be somewhat distinct both from a man and no man ; so i am as little satisfied with the reason which you alledg : for . it is a gross untruth unworthy a divine and a brother , that i hold common and special grace to differ only gradually . and that this should be deliberately published , even after i had given the world in print so full an account of the mistake of this accusation from another , once and again , this is yet less ingenuous , and doth but tell us what we must expect from brethren when passion is predominant . i never affirmed any more than this , [ that there is a moral specifick difference , between special and common graces founded in a natural gradual difference . ] i manifested in print that dr. kendall who writeth against me on this occasion , doth not only say the same thing , but profess that others differ not from me , and resolveth his dispute into a reprehension of me for pretending a difference . yet after all these writings my reverend brother mr. blake sticks not to affirm to this and future ages in print that i hold [ only a gradual difference , ] without any more ado . and of such dealing i may say his book is too full . . your reason is no reason ; i hope you think not either that your animal terrest●e & sydus caeleste differ but gradually ; nor yet that there are no equivocals that differ only in natural degrees : who knows not that in many hundred cases a degree may vary the species ? mr. blake [ if juda's faith was only equivocal , then the unclean spirits were equivocal likewise . ans. a consequence as well fortified with proof of reason as much more of your book is . yet i take the boldness to deny it . mr. blake [ i shall never believe that an equivocal faith can cast out a reall devil . ] answ. . you are not able to make good your word : for you have not wholly the command of your own belief . i am as confident that you will believe it . . but if you will not that 's no good argument to us that the thing is false . . an equivocal faith is a real faith ; why then may it not cast out a real devil ( that is , be a causa sine qua non ? for no faith doth properly effect it . ) i hope you will believe that [ the finger of god ] can cast out a real devil ; and yet i hope you think that gods power is but equivocally called [ his finger . ] mr. blake [ the apostle tells us of faith to the removal of mountaines , void of charity : if this were equivocal faith , those must be equivocal mountaines . still the like proof ! you may as well say [ if it be equivocally called gods finger , then it must equivocally be called a devil that is ejected . we need better proof . mr. blake pag. . bringeth du-plessis , wollebius , gomarrus , hudson , paraeus , ames , saying that good and bad are in the visible church . ans. have you to do with any man that denyeth it ? but you know , they distinguish between in the church , and of the church , and . that they judge not of the visible as you do . and therefore you do but fraudenly pag. . make it my opinion as joyning with bellarmines unjust charge , that the visible church is no true church , but equivocally so called , and that there are two churches &c. do but you quit your self of the charge of making two churches as well as all , and we shall do well enough for that . and for the other part of your charge , our divines say that there are in the visible church , . those that belong to it as invisible . hypocrites and reprobates : the former say they are properly members of the church in its proper sense , the latter are only seeming members : and the church visible is called [ a church ] in respect to the former : and the visible is denominated but from an accidental and not the essential form . their words before cited shew this . mr. blake [ and whereas mr. baxter saith that other divines generally plead that hypocrites are not true members of the universal church , but as a wooden leg to the body : i am almost confident that in turning over all his bookes , he can produce but few such testimonies , ] had he said [ the catholick church ] instead of [ the universal ] i believe he might have found many — i think that scarce any man will deny that the universal church is visible — yet whitaker as largely makes good that the catholick church is invisible : if i be now sent to my dictionary , to see whether catholick and vniversal be both one — the one a greek word , the other a latine ; i confess it is so in grammer , but not in their use of it that handle the question of the church catholick in this manner — &c. answ. wonderful confidence● readers , take warning by mr. blake and me , and for our sakes be not over credulous , no not in the most palpable matters of fact . you hear mr. blakes confidence , and now you shall hear mine . whether i can cite many such testimonies is partly apparent already . melancthon , calvin , beza , vrsine , polanus , paraeus , piscator , zanchy , junius , and i think i may add an hundred more , do promiscuously use the terms [ catholick ] and [ vniversal ] here : and commonly joyn them thus [ ecclesia catholica seu vniversalis . ] i profess , i mention that which mine eyes have many a time punctually observed : and i further profess that i never to this day ( to my best remembrance ) did read one author ( nor hear of one till m. blake here speaks it ) that did distinguish between the [ catholick and universal church ; ] and though i may not say that no man ever did so , as having not read all , yet i will say , i do not believe that ever one reputed , wise and orthodox did so , and i think mr. blake would have proved it from some one if he could . i take this therefore to be a most injurious reproach to our divines . name us one man if you can that ever was guilty of this ridiculous distinction : yea or one papist that had the front to charge them with such a thing . it is well known that our elder reformers use to plead against the papist that particular churches are visible , but that ecclesia catholica seu vniversalis is invisible ( though you stick not to say that scarce any man will deny the universal church to be visible ; ) and that our latter divines do speak more cautelously , and say , that both particular and universal church are quoad formam externam visible : and yet both are well reconcileable in sence : but your dinstinction i never met with before . pag. . i must profess that in perusing all mr. blake's book , i found but one place , that at the first reading might seem to an impartial man ( of intellectuals no stronger than mine , ) to be a successful confutation of any one of my arguments , and that is the next , where repeating my argument ( that the distribution of the church into visible and invisible , is but of a subject into diverse adjuncts ; therefore the members that are meerly visible , are indeed no part &c , because adjuncts are no part of the essence : he answers [ the consequence might as fairly have bin that these members which are invisible , are no parts &c. ] i confess at the first view its a pausible answer , but open it , and the inside is no better than the rest . for my argument takes the adjunct as conjunct with the reason of the denomination , and invisible is not a real adjunct , but a negative denomination ; and so the argument is thus [ the church is called invisible from its internal essential form , which is invisible ; and it s called visible but from its external accidental form which is visible : therefore those members that are meerly visible ( note ; i said , meerly , ) are but equivocally called members of the church , because they participate only of the accidental form , and not at all of the essential . thus argue the protestants ordinarily against bellarmine . and now where is mr. blakes splendid answer , invisibility is but an adjunct , no more than visibility ; true ; and not so much neither . but the reason of the denomination , or the thing denominated invisible , is that which protestants call the essence , and that called visible is but an accident in their account . whereas pag. . you take the church to be an integrum , and that the meerly visible members are parts , yea and the visible to be the church most properly , it is notorious that you side with the papists therein against the stream of protestant divines : though the thing it self i shall not now debate , it being meerly a controversie de nomine that we have in hand , and i mention the words of divines , because that custom is the master of speech ; and therefore have no better meanes that i know of to decide such kind of controversies . as to what you say pag. . i reply again ; that which is real , may have an equivocal name ; and men will know this , yea and children too , when you have talkt your utmost . and as to what you say page . . about equivocal covenanting , i say as i did of faith : take covenanting in general , and so a wicked man doth properly covenant ex parte sui with his tongue : but take it for the christian covenanting which entitleth to baptism and denominateth us christians , which is [ a consent to gods terms on which he offers christ and life , ] and so all the covenantings , of the ungodly are but equivocally called [ covenanting with god in christ ] if you will not believe me ; at least regard dr. kendals long dispute on such a point in his second volume , on a mistake , intended against me ; and answer him before you persevere . and as for gods act of covenanting with them , i say , he is not actually in covenant with them or obliged to them ; but only still doth offer them his covenant . reader , i suppose i should do but an unnecessary and undesired work , if i should thus give a particular reply to all the rest of such passages as the forementioned in mr. blakes book . and therefore having enough of such work already , i shall forbear , and here dismiss thee . an account of my reasons why i make no answer to mr robertson , nor a more particular reply to mr. blake , or dr. owens appendix , as they were given heretofore in a letter to a reverend friend . though most of my reverend brethren that have written to me of that subject , do advise me to forbear particular replies to the words of others , because the matter is so much obscured or disadvantaged through the verbal quarrels , and they only desire me to handle the point of title to sacraments in some just disputations , and to take in that of mr. blakes which best deserveth a reply , ( whom i have obeyed in these disputations , ) yet because some few others are of a contrary minde , i shall lay down my reasons why i do not yield to their desires ; which is , not only because it is impossible to please men of contrary expectations , and because they are the fewer , but also because to me their reasons seem less weighty , and the work which they require is less grateful , and will be less profitable . and first for mr. robertson , he that thinks such a book doth need a reply , is like to profit little by any of mine , and so i leave him to be of what opinion the winde and tide shall drive him to . i have read over a m. s. book of mr. hotchkis which is his vindication against mr. robertson ; wherein he hath sufficiently and easily done a needless work . to reciprocate gain-sayings with that kinde of men , is an unprofitable and unpleasing thing : the sons of contention in their greatest darkness , are more zealous and unwearied in their generation and work , than the children of light and peace in theirs . it s not desirable to match them in violence , in selfconceitedness , in rashness , or false accusations , in scorns , or lowdness , or length of speech . and as peaceable readers are grieved with such disputes , so usually the antagonist is more hardened in his mistakes . if you have a friend that erreth , whose recovery you desire , be sure that you write not a confutation of his errors : for ordinarily that 's the way to fasten him in them , and make him worse . some will think this a hard censure , to pass on learned godly men , whose hearts should be devoted to truth , and who pretend to love the light that doth disclose it : but there 's no reasoning against common unquestionable experience . who will doubt whether it can be so , when he sees it is so ? of all the cart-loads of controversal writings that swarm in the world , how many can you name that convinced the antagonist , and brought him to a recantation ? bethink your selves how many you can name . nay how many that did not provoke and harden them ? by secret explications , and loving debate , the mindes of many have been changed ; and many by positive asserting and proving the truth ; and i confess some by controversal writings that were written against others ( els i would never meddle that way ) but how few by those that are written in confutation of themselves ? as soon as you speak to men in the hearing of the world , they presently apprehend their reputation to be so engaged , that they are excieted to defend it with all their might ; and instead of an impartial consideration of your arguments , and a ready entertainment of the truth , they bend their wits to study how to make good what once they have delivered , and to prove that true that once hath past their pens , that the world may not think them so weak as to have mistaken . nay when they do profess to love the truth as truth , and to be willing to receive it ; yet this self is so neer them , and so potent with them , that they cannot easily suspect that which is their own ; and especially if they have espoused it with any extraordinary endearment : it hath still a lovely aspect in their eyes , and they think so intentively what may be said for it , that they have scarce leisure or room or life to apprehend the force of that which is said against it . the first eyes which they cast on your writings , is with a desire to finde some such weaknesses in them , which may be matter of reproach , or insulting for them ; and their endeavours are suited to their first intentions ; and thus are they byassed in their reading from end to end . you therefore multiply their temptations to err , when you discover their error : for now you so involve the interest of their error with their own , that they see they cannot confess but with some disgrace , nor receive the truth without being so base as to confess themselves overcome : and therefore they muster up all their forces to maintain their opinions for the maintenance of their honour . it must be therefore for other mens sakes more then for their own , that you must enterprise such works : unless you meet with those eminently humble self-denying divines ( they say there are some such in the world ) that are most jealous of their own , through consciousness of their darkness , and take it for the greatest victory to be conquered by the truth . i doubt not but there are some such humble souls , where the window standeth open to the light , though pride and prejudice shut it with the most . of whom if you please to esteem me one , i shall not much contradict you , but shall thence suppose that you will rather permit me to speak plainly against the sin , because i have suffered by it my self . and as to those other reverend persons , dr. owen and mr. blake , whose displeasure hath been so much kindled against me , i shall give you a brief account of my reasons , from the quality of their writings , why i think that it is not to be done , at least by any particular examination of their words . by the effects of what hath been said to them already , you may strongly conjecture what good it would do them to be contradicted again . in the former writings there appeared so much calmness , that one would have thought they had been men that could have endured a reply : but for their second , they so much differ from the first as if the men were not the same . if you judged by the storms that arise in these writings , would you not think that i had somewhere reproached their persons , or done some hainous thing against them ? but whether it be so , i am content that the indifferent judge . for the former ( dr. owen ) i desire that any of his tenderest friends will peruse those few lines in which i contradicted him , and if they can finde a word that is uncivil or abusive , i shall be ready to disown it , and to profess that i was guilty of provoking him to such an impatient entertainment . if i can understand my self and him , and may judge by his complaints and by the complexion of his dispute , the hainous injury that i have done him is that i have gain-said him ; and i had thought that half the humility which some of his professions of himself do intimate that he is possessed of , would have caused a man to have judged this a pardonable fault . as long as his person is not once medled with , but onely his words examined , and cause set against cause , and reason against reason , what harm is done to him ? what bone is broken ? or what one feather is plucked from his plume ? nay rather it hath occasioned the reparation of his honor with some ; for some that before judged that he meant as he spoke , do now begin to believe that he meant better ; since he so earnestly contendeth that he meant as the orthodox , and seems to disclaim the absolution of unbelievers . and i must confess i do somwhat the less repent of those disputes that so much offend men , when they have so good an issue for the matter , though some accidental evils are occasioned by them . when a bad cause is disowned , i have the thing that i intended : and though it be very angrily that we agree , and close with somewhat a sharp collision , yet it s well that we agree : though i must say that it is so usual for men to love those of their own opinions , that i marvailed to finde a man with such high indignation endeavouring to prove himself of his opponents minde ; and that we should agree more passionately then we seemed to differ . as i little thought that dr. twisse had been of the same minde with my self and others in this point ; but mr. iessop hath peaceably and temperately proved it : and i therein rejoyce : so i less thought that dr. owen had been of the same minde ; but he hath hotly and haughtily proved it ; and therein also i rejoyce . as long as we come neerer , and error goeth away with the disgrace , we may the better bear the displeasure of the reconciled . as for the great pains he hath taken about my person ( for the cause found him not work enough ) to prove from my writings that i am so hypocritically proud , i know not well what return to make him that will be acceptable . should i as faithfully admonish him , it would seem but a recrimination ; and its like he hath those that are nearer him that do it , who need not take their ground from fame , and whose words may meet with less indignation : should i tell him that a minister is not to be prodigal of his reputation , because it is not his own , and that a man that is voluminously slandered , and that is calumniated by the off-spring which such reverend men as he hath midwived into the world , may possibly open his mouth against the calumniator , and clear his innocency and the truth without a predominant degree of pride , i should probably incurr the censure of being yet more proud , by denying any thing that is charged upon me ; though it were that heresie it self which his parallel doth seem to his readers to accuse me of . if i should tell him that i do unfeignedly confess the truth of his accusation , and that i was aware of pride and hypocrisie in my heart before he told me of them , and that the subduing of them is the business of my desires and care , it s ten to one but i shall be proud in seeming so humble as to confess my pride , and that these ( as he speaks ) are but good words to cover it . but yet confess it i must and will , how proud soever i be in the confession . one evidence of it which i have heard from the apprehension of others , viz. because i gave him not his due titles of honour , is no whit cogent with me that know the case : and i think my justification is unanswerable : viz. that when my papers were written he was not doctor , though he was when they came out of the press . whether it be not harder measure that i have met with at his hand , i desire you to judge by two or three particulars . . though i did purposely again and again profess that i reckoned not all to be antinomians that held only some one or few of their opinions , that are not the worst ▪ and in particular , not all that held the very same opinion against which i argued with him , and withall entitle him [ the most sober and learned man that i know of that writes that way ] even for that opinion ; yet doth he think meet to publish to the world that i [ enroll him into the troop of antinomians , ] when he is unable to produce a syllable of mine that hath such a signification . i think this dealing is not fair . . he untruly chargeth me with [ traducing him for maintaining and giving countenance to the propositions which i mentioned pag. . ] on his pag. . and . and thereupon groundeth his tragical exclamations . i mentioned him as the author of these particular words which i annexed to his name , which i judged indeed unsound ; but will it thence follow that i fasten on him all the errors that i mention in the precedent or subsequent pages ? having read my words inconsiderately , he exclaims against supposed injuries , which were caused by the mistakes of his own imagination , and are not to be found in any of my expressions . a stranger that reads his passionate scorns upon such occasions , and had not read the words which did offend him , would little think that so learned a man should make such a stir upon the pretence of a charge that was never brought against him , but only against others , a leaf before the mention of his name . if he ask , why then did i there mention his name ? i answer ; as he defendeth that particular opinion which his words express , and not as defending all that other men are charged with : and i mentioned his , because it is too like to theirs , and they are encouraged by it , as mr. eyres allegations may evince . . when in the close of my confession pag. . i called so large a recital of other mens words , [ a spending of much time to little purpose , ] even to satisfie those that look too much at the names of men , he feigneth me to speak this in reference to the matter and manner of the book . . his splendid fiction of the terrible conditions which i put upon my answerer , and his insultings thereupon , are only the effects of his inadvertency and mistakes ( pag. . ) as i shall shew anon . pag. . his pretended knowledge of me , as if it were upon much acquaintance and experience , doth argue much sagacity . i think i have seen him as oft as he hath seen me , and yet my knowledge of him is very small . in his anatomizing of my pride pag. he playes the after-game more plausibly than his brethren played the fore-game . they go before , ( and partly by his help ) and publish abundance of calumnies of me to the world , telling them not only that i am a papist , but what books they were that made me a papist , and what emissaries i have in all parts of the land , with much more of the like . when my discovery of their abuse did frustrate much of their design , this learned man comes after them , and at last will prove me proud for contradicting them ; forsooth for talking so much of my self . as if one of the doctors friends should accuse me of theft , or murder at the assize , and when i have justified my innocency , the doctor should come after him , and tell how much i had spoken for my self , and prove me thereby to be proud and selfish . the truth is , i am conscious of so much of these sins , and so far believe the odiousness and danger of them , that i take such books as this doctors for a great mercy ; as knowing that strong corruptions must have something that is strong to work the cure , and a hard knot must have a sharp wedge ; a shimei may be sent of god for good ; and how unrighteous soever the monitor may be , i am abundantly beholden to god that doth permit it ; i had rather have a messenger of satan to buffet me , than be exalted above measure . i confess my pride needs sharper reprehensions than friends have ever used about me ; and therefore they are better from any body than from no body . but i must say , that i despair of speaking , writing or doing any thing so exactly , but that ingenious malice may plausibly put it into as odious a dress as this reverend man ( i hope with a better mind ) hath there cloathed the passages with , which he refers to . pag. . his passion quite conquereth his ingenuity , while he is not contented to ease his spleen on me alone , but must fall upon the worcestershire profession of faith , and therein pick quarrels with the plainest passages , contrary to the sence that i had told him in my explication we took the words in ; and can find that [ in sundry particulars therein we give too great a countenance to the socinian abominations ] when we have professed that we believe in god the father , son and holy ghost , and then that we consent to take this god for our god and chief good , this christ for our only saviour , &c. he can find us directly answering mr. biddle , and distinguishing the lord jesus our redeemer as our lord from that one true god ] as if we did not include the three persons in the first article of our consent , and in the second respect the office of christ rather than the pure godhead considered in it self , whi●h was expressed before ! or as if we had not plainly prevented such exceptions ! as god is offered , so is he to be accepted ; and therefore our consent must respect the benefits and offices , and not only the persons in the trinity as such . and did this reverend man forget how oft paul hath given him the very same cause to suspect his words of countenancing socinianism ( excepting the difference of the authors ) as we have done ; i mean , how oft he doth as plainly distinguish as we here do ! but because such eyes will not look at an explication in the distant leaves , we have since tryed a further remedy against such calumniations , by putting our exposition in the margent , that he that will see the words themselves , may see them . but when all is done , you see what dealing you must expect . i look not to scape the fangs of such excepters , if i say that i believe in god the father , son and holy ghost ; for no doubt but some of them can find heresie or somewhat that countenanceth it in this . but the hardest measure of all that i have from him is in his socinian parallel in . articles , page . . &c. i never met with reader but understood without doubt , that he mentioned the words in the english letter as mine : but he was wiser than to say so , much more to quote the places where they are all found . indeed part of them are the common protestant doctrine ; and part of them never fell from my pen , nor came into my thoughts with any approbation . yet hath he so prudently managed the business , that his readers shall generally think he chargeth them on me ( and who will not believe him rather then search he knows not where to disprove him ? ) and yet he may deny it when ever he is blamed for it . having thus given you an account of the quality of that appendix , i hope you see sufficient reason why i should forbear a more particular reply . nor will i vie with him in poetical shreds and adages , though a polyanthea or erasmus apopthegms would furnish me without any further travel . and next as to mr. blake , i find more cause in his last writings to deter me from all disputations where pious men may think themselves concerned , than to encourage me to proceed in the justest defence . and i confess it repenteth me for his own sake that ever i defended my self against his accusations , and that i did not silently suffer him to say what he would : though yet i am willing that the equity of the reasons which i gave for my replying to him in that apologie , be censured by any impartial man : even those that i have expressed in my preface to that book . but i could not then see the consequents as to himself . i am heartily sorry that i have become by my defence , an occasion or temptation of so much offence , and of so much distemper and injustice to a man whom i so much love and honour ; should i speak any further for that which i am confident is the truth of god , how much more might i offend and tempt him ? i well hoped that he that made the assault on his brother would have patiently heard an answer ; and have been glad of such a collation of our several thoughts as might tend in any measure to beat out the truth . as he thought it was for god that he assaulted me , so i as verily think it was for god and his certain truth that i wrote my defence . and if i be mistaken , why should he be so angry at it ? when i know he takes not himself to be infallible . when i wrote 〈◊〉 the index the contents of one section , thus [ whether it be virtually written in scripture that mr. blake is justified ? and whether it is de fide , ] he saith ( pag. . ) that [ he did not without trembling of spirit read , nor without tears think upon this thus put to the question . ] and what 's the reason ? why saith he [ who would not believe that i had directly asserted it , or made some unsavooy vaunts about it ? ] truly , no man would believe it from these words , that knows what an index is ; but would understand that it tels him the matter that is contained in the page that it referreth him to , and not the matter directly asserted by another . and must we not dispute against that also which is indirectly asserted ? i profess it never came into my thoughts that the most render passionate man , that was not melancholy , could have so much matter of offence in those words as to tremble or weep at them . it is a case wherein i must speak of some individual , or i could not speake to the purpose . for it s granted that it is not every mans justification that is de fide , nor every justified mans , and yet some mens was . had i instanced in peter or paul , it had been nothing to out business : for i confess that scripture declareth them to be justified . titius and sompronius i knew not , and therefore could not instance in them . should i have instanced in my self , he might have taken it for sophistical : for the disproof of my own certainty of justification , is no disproof of another mans ; whom then could i more reasonably and fitly instance in than the opponent himself ? especially being a man of whose sincerity i am so confident . it never entered into my apprehension that this was any more wrong to him , than it would have been to have put this question , whether mr. blake's soul be in loco , if i had been disputing with him whether anima humana sit in loco ? i profess if it were to do again , i know not how more fitly to express it . but if i have not skill enough to draw the index of a section , without so great sin or offence as shall cast so reverend a man into trembling and tears ( no doubt , in compassion of me ) i think its time to lay by this kinde of work . i have been ( it seems ) also a temptation to him to tell the world such stories of my self , as i little thought such a man would have reported . as mr. robertson talks so confidently of his discourses with mr. hothkis who professes he never saw him or spoke a word to him ; so doth my dear friend mr. blake tell the world as truly , once on the credit of his informer , but again absolutely without such limitation , that i have given out that i have made some body my convert , who professeth now to be satisfied in his book : whereas he might as truly have told them , that i take my self to be king of france or spain . if he will bring his tale-carriers face to face , and prove by any faithful witness that i ever boasted of any man as my convert , or ever said of one man living that i had made him my convert , in any matter of such opinions , i will give you leave to spit in my face and call me lyar . as fairly doth he cast his censures on the credit of his informers at the wocestershire combination ( as he termeth it ) [ that the most prophane , where the minister carries any authority , are as forward as any ] with more of the like : whereas if he had been unsatisfied in their proceedings , there are many reverend brethren there that would have readily given him an account of them , and a better information : and he was publickly told by them and me , that we were not gathering churches or taking in members , and therefore not discerning who were meet ; but only discerning who did account themselves as such , and profess themselves such already . and as fairly doth he report that he hears i [ bring in the name of reverend mr. ball to give honor to this , that the doctrine of the church of rome and the reformed churches is one and the same , or inconsiderably differing in this of justification ; ] and then tels us that he heard it himself and told mr. ball of it , and that he disclaimed it . whereas . it was not half this much that i spake . . and do not know that ever i spake it to three men , or more . . and i must profess to the world that the man i had it from was mr. blake himself , and only him , and that at too several times , once mentioning the papists doctrine , and the other time the arminians about justification ; and that he reported the neerness of us to them , as mr. ball 's saying , but never told me with it one word of his disowning it . . and i never spake this my self , as approving the conceit , that the papists and we did so inconsiderably differ herein . and now let the equity of mr. blakes dealing be judged of , whether he were a fit man publickly to accuse me of this crime , who was my only author . i would never have mentioned these things , if he had not thus necessitated me . though i am in doubt that he will take it ill , that in all these things i deny his accusations , and do not by my silence interpretatively belye my self . and as to the main bulk of his disputes against me , i must needs say that there is such ordinary mistaking the sence , or quite overlooking the drift of my arguments and answers , and obscuring the matter with meer shifts and confusions , that if i should give a punctual answer to such a book , i think the perusal of it would be ungratefull to the reader . for what profit can it be to any man to be convinced at so dear a rate , how much mr. blake hath miscaried in his arguing ? i know my censures of his labors are like to be provoking : but who can help that ? had i thought him in the right , i had never contradicted him . or could i yet see that i have erred , i must needs approve that light which did reveal it : and if i be in the wrong , it is no news for an erring man to think that he doth not err ; and if he think not so , he doth not err in minde , but in word . but if i prove in the right , if it will not excuse me that i do but ward off the blow that he giveth me , not that i plead for gods truth , at least let it excuse me that some evidence is cogent , and some light so constraining that i cannot chuse but think as i do think , till i have better evidence to the contrary than doth appear in mr. blakes reply . and so little is my understanding at the disposal of my will , that if my life lay on it , i could not choose but be perswaded in my heart , that mr. blakes reply is so full of mistakes , and built upon such misunderstanding of the words that he replyeth to , that it tendeth more to darken the truth than to clear it , and to pervert the inconsiderate that will take things on trust , or think his cause best that hath the last word to colour it , and put a gloss upon it : and that there needs no more with the judicious reader that is willing to try before he trust , and thinks the truth is worth his labour , than impartially to read over the words that mr. blake doth reply to , for the manifesting of the insufficiency of his reply , as to the main of the cause . he will think this is great confidence ; but what remedy ? i think he is neer as confident : though both be not in the right . and i doubt not but dr. owen can see the height of my pride in this confidence . but certainly when ever i come to be so humble as to believe all that such reverend brethren say , i must needs be so proud as to disbelieve those that contradict them ; for i see it a matter not to hoped for , that ever they that are so offended with me , should come to an agreement among themselves . as dr. owen and mr. blake are against me ; so mr. blake and i are against dr. owen , and so its runs round . and if i should be so humible as to agree with one of them , what shall i do for another inconsistent humilitie , to make me of the others minde that is against him ? i must confess that there is one part of the contest between mr. blake and me at least , that i think well worthy a review , and that is the question about the nature of that faith which gives right to sacraments : for as it is a matter that comes so frequently into practice , and of such moment to particular persons , to ministers and to the welfare of the church , so i do not know of any that hath said so much for that cause which i yet account so bad , as mr. blake hath done ; and indeed he hath put a fairer gloss on this than on any of the rest . and yet in my judgement he hath left it so naked , that a little diligence and impartially may do much to discover his opinions to be inconsistent ( if reduced into practice ) with the purity of the church , and such as is unworthy the patronage of godly learned men . yet in this i perceive his writings have success : for i hear that some reverend godly men of his acquaintance are so confident that he is in the right , that they marvel that ever i should hold the contrary , and blame me as defending a principal point in the independent cause . the lord enlighten us , and pardon it to us , which soever of us it be that is mistaken , and doth wrong the church of god. there are four several titles that are or may be produced to baptism : the first is sincere saving faith : the second is the profession of such sincere faith : the third is a dogmatical faith , short of justifying faith : the fourth is a profession of that dogmatical faith. i say , that only they that have the justifying faith , have a promise-right to baptism , properly so called ; which i called a right coram deo : but that the professors of such a faith and their seed have an analogical consequential right which followeth on gods precept to a minister to baptize them . this i called right coram ecclesiâ , and is less properly a right . and that the bare word right might be no occasion of quarrel , i distinguished of right ; and shewed how far i affirmed or denyed it : but such distinctions and conclusions are nothing to the business with mr. blake ; but fittest to be passed by . i conclude in a word that every professor of a justifying faith ( that doth not invalidate his own profession ) hath such a claim to baptism for himself ( if unbaptized ) and his seed , as the church must admit : but only the sincere believer hath a right from the promise , and shall be taken by god for one to whom he is actually , as it were , obliged by his covenant . but for the two later pretended titles , viz. a dogmatical faith not justifying , and the profession of such a faith , i say , they are no just titles at all . not but that a man who hath meerly a dogmatical faith within , may have a title in foro ecclesiae ; but this faith is not his title , but the profession of a saving faith : so that if he profess only his dogmatical faith , and not a saving faith , the minister ought not to baptize him . this is the brief of the state of the controversie between master blake and me : and did i think that any such reverend brethren would ever have approved his judgement in such a cause ? yea and some of them plead from the same effectual mediums , which are alone sufficient to prove the contrary ; it s the course of hilary and others against the arrians ; hierome , augustine , and many more against the pelagians , and other hereticks , to call them to the constant practice of the church in baptizing , for the proving of the nature of that belief that we are baptized into , and the quality of the subject . i appeal to christs institution of baptism , and the uninterrupted practice of all churches that ever i read of on the face of the earth to this day , and to the continued practice of the churches in england , and all the reformed parties , and all the rest of the christian world , if they do not generally , ethiopians , greeks , papists , protestants with one consent require the profession of a justifying faith , i will quit this cause , and tell mr. blake that i have been mistaken , and cry him mercy . nay if mr. blake himself do not require the profession of a justifying faith in the parent of all that he admits to baptism , i shall think him the only singular man i know alive in this business : but if he practice contrary to all his confident argumentations , which shall we have respect to , his opinion or his practice ? where is the church on earth that doth not baptize into the name of the father , son and holy ghost , and require in the adult , or the parent of infants , that they profess themselves at present to believe in the father , son and holy ghost , and to renounce the world , the flesh and the devil ? and therefore they commonly cause them to profess the articles of the ancient creed before they do baptize them ( which though it hath been lately disused by some , i gladly heard some reverend ministers in london yet use ) which creed ( as parker de descensu , hath learnedly shewed ) is the exposition of the words of the baptismal institution ; and the sum of it is , i believe in the father , son and holy ghost i think not only perkins but our divines commonly against the papists have proved sufficiently that the words [ i believe in god the father , in jesus christ , in the holy ghost , do signifie affiance , as well as assent . and i should hope that i need not be put to maintain it , that [ to believe with assent and affiance , in god the father , christ the redeemer , the holy ghost , the witness and sanctifier , renouncing the devil , the world and the flesh ] is certainly justifying faith , at least . if they that say they thus believe , do so indeed , i dare not be he that shall tell them they are yet condemned , and deny them to be the justifyed members of christ. if they will not so much as profess thus to believe , ( yea and to repent ) i will never baptize them , or theirs upon the●r account . will mr. blake himself baptize them , that will not thus profess ? would ever the church of christ baptize any but such ? and yet some reverend brethren tell us , that the church universally hath gone mr. blakes way , against that which i insist on . now the lord have mercy upon all our infirmities , and pity his poor church , and bring his servants to so much unity , that the universal practice of the church in all ages and nations , even among our selves , which we daily hear , and see , and our own selves practise , may not be among us a matter of controversie ; for then , what are we likely to be agreed in ? again i must crave pardon of this confidence : but if it seem to them to come from self-conceitedness and pride of my own judgement , or a loathness to let go what i have once received ; as i willingly confess that i find such sins within me , and am no christian , if i blame them not and hate them not in my self ; so i will be bold to tell mr. blake and the world the very truth in this business , : which is , that the partiality that i have felt in the study of this point hath been for mr. blakes opinion against my own ; and i had rather a great while ( till the light convinced me ) have found his opinion true , than my own . as i knew i should be taken for a defender of the independants ( which is a censure that i little regard ) so i thought that i should the better comply with some texts of the old testament which mr. blake much urgeth , and some other reasons did cause mr. blakes opinion sometime so far to smile upon me , that i strove against the contrary truth , and studied all that i could to have confuted the arguments for it , and was very willing to have found the truth on mr. blakes side : but it was too hard for me , and overcame me after some such reluctancy . for besides many other reasons which i have mentioned , i find that there is no footing for a man in his way . he that will not take up with the bare name of a dogmatical faith , knows not ( for ought i can find ) what to take up with . i despair of ever prevailing with mr. blake , let him write never so much more on the subject , to give us a true definition or description of that faith short of justifying , which entitleth to baptism , and to prove it from gods word , or to agree with himself . commonly he calls it a dogmatical faith : one would think now you might know the truth by this plain name : but when i tell him that if it be meerly dogmatical , then it is only in the understandings assent , and importeth no consent of the will , and that this is in the devils , and may be in those that say , [ we will not have this man reign over us , nor be our saviour , because he will not let us have our lusts ] ( and would he baptize those that should say so ? ) hereupon mr. blake will take some consent of the will , or else it cannot become a covenanting : but sometime he only describes it negatively ( that it is not such as comes up to justifying faith ) : but who knows by this what it is ? though he tell us what it is not : sometime he makes the expression of it to contain those two parts : . confession of the necessity of justifying faith : . an engagement or promise to believe with a justifying faith. but when i interpret this promise to be [ that he will so believe de futuro ] he asketh me [ how comes de futuro in ? ] as if every promise were not de futuro ; is it de praesenti ? doth he promise that he doth at the present so believe ? why this is not to promise , but to profess : and is the thing that i plead for as necessary , which mr. blake resisteth : sure then it is de futuro , or it is not intelligible by common capacities . well , if it must be de futuro , either it s at the next moment , or some time at longer distance . to say , i consent not now , but i will the next moment , or tomorrow , is ridiculous : partly because as i have proved to him , such a person is not capable of making such a promise , so as should be rationally accepted in a covenant , and partly because we may end the controversie by forbearing his baptizing one moment longer , or one day till he do indeed believe and consent as he promiseth . but what time soever it be , as i told him , upon these terms , a man may say , [ i believe the creed and scripture to be true , but because i know that i cannot serve god and mammon , nor have christ to justifie me , and live in my sins , i will not yet have god for my god , or christ for my lord and saviour , nor the holy ghost for my sanctifier , because i will not yet leave my sins , but hereafter i will , ] would mr. blake baptize such a man as this ? in answer to such a question , he saith pag. . [ i think it will be nothing hard for any honest christian to say , that a man not justified may believe every fundamental article , as to assent , and that he may be convinced of the necessity of such repentance , and accordingly to make profession of it , as johns converts were baptized into &c. ] and pag. . he saith [ seeing mr. baxter calls upon me further to declare my self further in this thing , i do believe and profess to hold , that he that upon hearing the gospel preach't , and the truth of it published and opened , shall professedly abjure all other opposite waies whatsoever , and choose the christian way for salvation , promising to follow the rules of it , is to be baptized and his seed , &c. ] and are these descrptions of his dogmatical faith the same with the former ? is not repentance ever concomitant with faith ? john's baptism was the baptism of repentance for remission of sins ; and if our divines mistake not when they maintain to be the same with christs , sure faith was to go with that repentance , and that repentance which is for remission of sins is not common , but saving and special . if therefore saving repentance must not only be promised de futuro , but professed de praesenti , then doubtless so must that faith which is inseparable . . and would mr. blake have us so censorious as to say , that those men that [ abjure all other waies whatsoever , and choose the christian way for salvation , promising to follow the rules of it , ] if they do this sincerely , are not yet justified , or have not justifying faith ? and that if they do it not sincerely , that is not yet justifying faith which they profess ? for my part i am past doubt of it . if this be mr. blakes dogmatical faith , he and i are not much at distance about the qualification of the baptized , but about the nature of justifying faith. for that 's justifying in my judgement , which is but dogmatical in his . christ is the way to salvation ; the sanctifying work of the spirit , and the holy love and obedience of the saints in this way , in subserviency to christ , all these are the gospel way to salvation : the false belief of erroneous men , and the many by-paths of the unregenerate , are the contrary which satan perswades them to , and makes them believe may serve the turn . that man that abjureth all other waies than that are opposite to the christian way , and doth choose the christian way for salvation , is certainly a true penitent and believeth to justification : or else i can have no hopes of being saved . election is that term by which amesius will needs express the proper formal act of justifying faith. not one of all these acts that mr. blake mentions , either . to abjure all other opposite waies whatsoever . . to choose the christian way of salvation . . to promise to follow the rules thereof . i say , not one of these can be uprightly and unfeignedly done by the unregenerate ; by any that hath not true repentance and justifying saith : much less altogether . judge then whether the profession of this , be not the profession of saving faith ? and whether mr. blake know where to fix himself , and how to describe his dogmatical faith ? and whether he do not yield the cause that i am maintaining ? and whereas he takes it for [ an egregious piece of affected nonsence , to say that justifying faith is a promise ] and still saith [ that justifying faith with him is the thing promised , or the thing whereto we do restipulate ] pag. . i say , that he can never prove that the church of christ did know such a baptismal covenant , wherein the first justifying faith was the thing promised ( though the continuance may ) : and should i so baptize any person , at age , ( or an infant in respect of the parents faith , which is his condition of title ) i should think i made a new covenant and a new baptism ; i mean , if i baptized any without the present profession of justifying faith and repentance , upon a promise that they will begin to repent and believe savingly for the time to come . indeed the first faith and repentance unto life , are so much above corrupted nature , and so much the special gifts of god , ( which he hath given no man assurance of in particular , that hath them not already ) that we must stay till men have them , before they are meet to be admitted upon promise that they will perform them . it hath pleased some of the great calumniators agents , to censure me as an arminian , or half one , because i run not so far on the other hand as they . but it s a hard case that i am in , who must needs be an arminian , and yet must be forced to dissent from so dear a friend as mr. blake for fear of becoming one . i am confident that mr. blake in those points is orthodox ; but so could not i be , if i should entertain his opinion . for if i did believe that upon the acts of common grace men have covenant or promise-right given them by god to be baptized , i must needs believe that they had right to remission of sin in christs blood ; seeing god appointed no baptism but what is for the remission of sin ; upon which account i have mightily displeased some reverend friends that before over-valued me , who are favourers of the arminian way , meerly because i oppose mr. blake in this point . for my part , i still take faith to be the very internal covenanting with god in christ , and not a condition of our own covenant : though it be the condition of gods covenant or promise : and so that condition of gods covenant , and our own actual covenanting are one and the same thing : our very first covenanting with him , or consent to his terms , is that faith on which he promiseth us justification : though there be a further performance required to our salvation . it is all one , in my account , to believe in christ , and to become a christian : and baptism ( commonly called our christening ) is not to engage us to begin to be christians hereafter : but it is the solemnization of the christian contract or marriage between christ and the soul , which is supposed to be made in heart before : so that they are then actually christians inaugurated or publickly manifested . and ( for all that mr. blake hath said to the contrary ) he that professeth any faith only , that is short of justifying faith , is not a christian in the covenant-sence , but is only equivocally or analogically so called . and whereas mr. blake makes it more tolerable if i had used the word [ analogically ] then to use the word [ equivocally , ] if he had pleased to observe it , i frequently put them together as here , [ equivocally or analogically : ] so that if that will satisfie him , he might have been satisfied sooner . yet i take the scotists controversie to be yet undecided , whether some terms be not both analogical and univocal , and some both analogical and equivocal ; ( which they handle on the question , vtrum ens dicatur vnivocè de deo & creaturâ ) or rather that the later clause is past doubt ; and therefore in our ease it is both . nor am i yet perswaded that his old testament covenanters , ( which are the great moving instance ) did profess only such a faith as was short of justifying : and they that lived in such scandal as was inconsistent notoriously with their profession , were by the law to be put to death : and then they were past begetting children to plead a right in circumcision . and whereas he is so confident that according to my opinion , the baptism of the unjustifyed is a nullity , and that they must be baptized again , and saith , that [ its much to be feared , if not certainly to be concluded , that the major part by far of the worcestershire combination consists of unbaptized persons , &c. ] pag. , . i answer . it is a meer naked unproved assertion , that any such consequent doth follow on these grounds : nor can he ever prove it . if the outward ordinance were rightly administred , and the inward covenanting of the heart were not performed , it is not that which was well done that must be done again , but that must be done which was at first omitted , even sincere internal covenanting or believing . . but it is much more disputable according to his principles , whether all that he should so baptize , must not be rebaptized ? for as the ancient councils which were against cyprians and the rest of the carthaginians rebaptizing , did yet decree that all should be rebaptized that were baptized by the paulionists ( not that they allowed really of twice baptizing , but that the first was but baptism equivocally so called ) because they baptized not into the name of the trinity ; so if we should upon the new doctrine take up a new baptism , upon a meer dogmatical faith , which is not a believing in god the father , son and holy ghost , but only a believing that there is a father , son and holy ghost , ( and add , if you will , a promise to believe in them hereafter ) i should be hardly put to it to prove these persons truly baptized , and , that it being a nullity , all were not to be done again : and yet some brethren of mr. blakes minde think , that my judgement opens the way to rebaptizing ; when i doubt it will be hard to avoid it , as to every person , in the way that he disputeth for . not that i think that any one should be rebaptized that is baptized by mr. blake or any of them . for i am confident that neither he , nor they did ever practice their own doctrine , nor ever baptized one person but upon the profession of justifying faith it self . . but why do they not see , that on their own grounds many of their own baptizings would be nullities , and the persons be rebaptized . if a dogmatical faith it self be of necessity to the being of baptism , then what shall be done with those many hundred children among us , whose parents discover to us that they have not that dogmatical faith ? how many have we oft occasion to speak with , that marvail when we tell them what christ is , and hath done and suffered for us , as if they had never hard it before , when yet they sit under our teaching day by day ? like dr. john white 's catechumene , that being asked what jesus christ was ? answered that [ she did not know ; she was never taught so far ; but sure enough it is some good thing , or it should never have been put into the creed . ] would mr. blake have the children of all these rebaptized , or not ? if yea , then he is more than i for rebaptizing : if not , then how will it follow any more from my judgement that the children of the unjustifyed must be rebaptized ? i cannot conceive what he can say ( without going to the right of remote ancestors , or the church which is no more for him than for me , ) but only that it is the profession of a dogmatical faith , and not the faith it self that is necessary to give this right . but a man would think that if it be not enough for an evidence in our case of an analogical right coram ecclesiâ , that a man subscribe the covenant of god ( of which mr. blake pag. . ) then it can be no good evidence in his cause of a right coram deo & ecclesiâ , that a man subscribe or speak that which he never understood : or if his profession of dogmatical faith without the faith itself be a good title , then the profession of a justifying faith without the faith it self , may so far serve turn as to justifie the baptizing , and to prohibite rebaptizing . . and to mr. blakes censure ( which i will not censure as it deserves ) of the major part by far of the worcestershire combination ( as he speakes ) whether it be that he know them better than i ( which is unlikely when he professeth to conjecture on reports ) or whether i be more charitable , or less rigorous in judging of mens sincerity or what ever else makes the difference of our censures , i will be bold to say , that i know not one person of all the worcestershire combination ( as he calls them ) whom i know to be an unjustified unsanctified person , that i can remember : though i confess i have no small doubts and fears of many : nay more ; i have more hopes than fears , ( i mean i rather think that they are truly godly , than that they are not ) of the far greatest part of them that i know , even of many to one ; and more comparatively then i will now mention . and whereas mr. blake doth instead of answering cast aside above twenty of my arguments as not concerning him , and so put them off with a wet finger ; i say , that 's too easie a way of answering to satisfie me , how ever it may do by those that are more easily satisfied ? and with a word i shall restore and reenforce them , as with a word he puts them by . it is one thing to ask , whether the profession of justifying faith be a duty to all that come to be baptized ? another , whether it be so necessary , that they ought not to come nor we to admit them without it ? and a third , whether baptism without it be a nullity ? mr. blakes general assertion did in the proper sence express the first . and thereupon , because i took his words as he spoke them , he better expoundeth them , and confesseth that justifying faith is a duty prerequisite to baptism , but not such a duty , without which baptism is null , or we may not baptize : and therefore he puts off above twenty arguments at once , and saith that they make nothing against him . but i restore them all or most at once ( though one is enough ) by telling him , that they prove that the profession of a faith that is justifying , must be expected by the church and found in all that are admitted to baptism , and that none ought to be baptized upon the profession of any lower faith. this they prove : and this is the controversie . in conclusion i will add but these two things , ( and i should think such two might serve the turn . ) . consider when the right that i denyed is a promise-right , whether mr. blake , after all his pains do not yield up the cause , when he expresly saith , pag. . [ so that i conceit no promise of these ordinances made to such a faith , but an actual investiture of every such believer in them . ] what means this if it yield not the cause , and unsay not the rest : if no promise , then no right by promise , and i seek no more . what is the actual investiture , but actual baptizing and receiving the lords supper ; and he knows that i did not deny that they actually received it . . me thinks mr. blake and my reverend brethren of his minde , that marvail at my maintaining of this cause , should bear some reverence to augustine who so diligently defendeth it . besides what he saith in enchirid. ad laurent . cap. , . he hath a well known treatise purposely on this very subject , or on that doth not considerably differ . there were some voluptuous persons especially at rome , that kept concubines , and yet professed to be believers , and would have been baptized , but would not yet put away their concubines : whereupon when the ministers denyed them baptism , some lay-men that desired the increase of the church , and misunderstood the doctrine of justification by faith only , did plead that because by faith only we are justified , and works are to follow as the fruits of faith , therefore these persons upon their believing might be baptized , and afterward they should be dealt with for the reforming of their lives . whereupon augustine writes that treatise de fide & operibus , to prove the contrary , that they cannot be justified or saved by any faith but that which works by love , and that they must not be baptized , till they actually put away their concubines and other the like sins , and promise also to forsake them for the future ; so that as it was not any presbyters , but lay-men that , raised this doubt , so both they and agustine seem agreed , that the same faith that is saving is requisite to baptism ( or as to the church , the profession of it . ) and therefore austin thus repeats the occasion in his retractions , lib. . cap. . pag. ( edit . paris . ) [ missa sunt mihi nonnulla , quae ità distinguerent à bonis operibus christianorum fidem , ut sine hâc non posse , sine illis autem perveniri suaderetur ad aeternam vitam . quibus respondens librum scripsi , cujus nomen est , de fide & operibus , in quo disputavi , non solùm quemadmodum vivere debeant gratiâ dei regenerati , verùm etiam quales ad lavacrum regenerationis admitti . ] if i cited but a line or leaf you might say i dismembered it , and left behind me the sence , but when the whole book is to this very purpose ▪ no such thing can be said : see especially cap. . so that if i err , i have no worse a man then augustine to lead me the way . as for mr. blak's impotent accusations of my owning the cause of the papists , against the protestant cause in the matter of justification , because i misliked the by extream opinions of some men ; as if all had agreed in these opinions , or the protestant difference with the papists in the matter of justification did lye either only or principally in these , i look upon it as such dealing as must be expected from angry men , and as children of the same father do sometime use against one another when they fall out . it was doubtless my sin that i was no more cancelor● of provoking him , as it is his to be carryed to such injustice by his passions , as that and many other passages do contain . but i am confident he forgiveth me , and i am certain i forgive him , and i am perswaded the lord whom we most offend , in the abundance of his grace doth forgive us both . i must confess that when i think i have a call to dispute , i do withall think that i am called to lay open the nakedness of the cause which i oppose to the utmost ; and being perswaded that i speak against that which is against god , me thinks if i do not effectually manifest its falshood , i do nothing , whereupon i finde , that what is spoken against the cause is taken as a dishonour to the person , and he takes himself to be wounded or wronged by it , when i never touch the person at all : so that if i do but once name the imposture of a common distinction , mr. blake comes on , as if i had called all those learned men cheators or impostors that use that distinction ( between fides , qua , & quâ ) yea even those that condescended privately to write to me ; and so parrallels me with mr. craudon herein . mr. craudon spoke of persons , and i speak of distinctions and reasons : is not this a meer violence , as if it were to raise an odium , and set men together by the ears ? when i mention the weakness of his own arguing , he tells me , i must not answer a fool according to his folly , and marvails i will set my wit against such a ones . is not such dealing a sufficient prohibition to dispute ? if i shew not the weakness of an argument i do nothing : if i do , i make the author a fool . if i shew that an argument is unsound , or a conclusion false : i make him false ; if i shew that some common distinction hath unobservedly deceived many , i make all the learned that use it impostors , even my friends that privately vouchsafe me their writings . well i am satisfied , and take the prohibition . this book of mr. blakes i proclaim unanswerable . these are too hard and unjust terms for me to dispute upon : especially when the main issue of a large volume , must be but to reckon up a dear and reverend brothers mistakes . yet i must confess that the controversies about the object of justifying faith ( whether christ as lord ) and the object of baptism , do seem to me of so great weight and use to the church , to be well discust , that i will not peremptorily resolve against medling so far with his book , if any more judicious do convince me it is my duty . but i have run much beyond my first intention : i thought but to give you some reasons , why i should not write any rejoynder to these learned reverend men dr. owen , mr. robertson or mr. blake : and giving you my reasons , i find i have done some of that , which those reasons were brought against , and from which i intended to excuse myself . but having run so far with the other , i shall say the less of mr. robertson : his dealing with me is like others that have gone before him and do accompany him : and i am now so used to it , that i the less marvail at it . of this zealous brutus i must needs say . nescio quid juvenis iste vult ; sed quicquid vult , vehementer vult . it s enough to make us admire gods patience and mercy , that will forbear and pardon such things to the sons of men ; and it s a sad discovery of the lamentable case of the church on earth , that grace should have so much corruption with it , and that the church must make use of such sinful guides as we are , in the way to glory . for though the scripture saith that a false witness shall not be unpunished , and he that telleth lyes shall not escape ; and that railors shall not enter into the kingdom of god ; yet i hope they may have grace that do it in a mistaken zeal for god , though self may have too much hand in it . but we may see in our miscarriages that it is not for nothing that god hath let loose such judgements upon professors , and such floods of reproach upon us our selves that serve at his altar , as lately he hath done . i dare say that many a heathen would have scorned to have given out against his greatest enemy such volumes of notorious impudent falshoods and imprudent railings as mr. robertson , and other of his spirit have lately done against one that was none of their enemy . might i but have truth from them , i care not ( for my own part ) for the worst of their words . but who knows how to confute such volumes , whose very substance is compounded of gross falshoods and calumnies : either the reader of mr. robertsons book , and his associates , will also read mine , or they will not . if they will not , let them take their course , and believe what they list , and not what is true : for how can i help it , if i write again what likelyhood that they will read it , that will not read that which is written already . if they lose by it no more then i , what cause have i to care ? but if they will but read the book which mr. robertson opens his mouth against , i desire no more ; if that will not satisfie them , and make them lament over the spirit of this man , i have no more to say to them , they are none of the men for whom i write . but mr. robertson hath little cause to say that i am for justification by works , when i hope that such men as he are justified , whose works are such , as i once hoped no man had been so guilty of , that had the least fear of god before his eyes . i profess i marvail what 's the matter that the wasps of the nation are gathered about my ears , i cannot but hope yet , that there are few more such in england , as those that i have had to deal with . his first assault of me is about the inception of gods immanent acts . but never had i such a confuter before ; no not mr. craudon himself . he bestows a whole epistle , ( on part of his book ) to tell the reader how he detests my blasphemy : and that 's my confutation . not a line of my book doth he cite and confute . but in general tells me that i affirm new immanent acts in god : and then cryes out upon the blasphemy . must we write confutations of such men as these ? no : they that will believe them , let them take that they get by it ; it s nothing to me , that cannot remedy it . what if twenty men will swear that i have written there is no god ? must i write against them all ? i laid down my mind in the case that i am thus dealt with about , in several propositions as plain as i could speak : the sum of the chief part of them was this ; that the substance of the act ( as commonly called ) that is the essence of god , is neither multiplyed nor beginneth nor endeth ; but the relations and extrinsick denominations are many , and may begin and end . yet would i not presume to determine ( with pet. hertado . de mendoza and others ) that the relations are ex parte dei , but only took what the thomists grant that they are ex parte creatura , whence arise the denominations of god ; and doth not this brother know that the highest antiarminians on earth do grant this , and none that i know of did ever deny it . yet doth this judicious pedagogue , ( before he understandeth what i have said , and while dr. kendal himself contradicteth him in print ) fall on with such words as these , pag. . [ i never did abhor with greater detestation and indignation the principles of any man , and the defence of them than i did that one most blasphemous principle of yours and your defence of it about the immanent acts of god in his knowledge and will as if they were or could be de novo , &c. ] all the rest is but to prepare the way for this sentence ; and to attend it , and this is his epistle . and that you may see what impossibility there is of pleasing all men , see what he saith of my apologie against mr blake , which cost so much on the other side ; p. , . [ though in the first three or four hours reading that morning , of the first part , of your apologie to mr. blake , i was very much taken with so much of a profound , deep & rational judgement , with such a clear and solid understanding , & with so great a height of a piercing wit , as i did apprehend in some of your reasonings & explications of some points by you holden forth there , &c. ] and so he goes on to shew that in the afternoons reading against dr. kendall , i struck down all the milk that i had given in the morning . many men , many minds . even fair fall you sir , for i see you are a kind man when the fit comes on you ; and when i please you , your commendations swell over the banks of common discretion . but what shall i give you to make mr. blake of your opinion ? or to teach me how i may please you both , with the rest of the offended ? another part of mr. robertson's task , is to satisfie the world how ignorant mr. hotchkis and i are of the hebrew , and careless of it aswel as ignorant . and i may undo the man if i should confute him here : for he hath bound himself in a most solemn obligation , p. . that if he [ do not make it good what here is challenged , against all the four eyes of us both , ( that both of us have no eies at all to see with of our own , & therefore see nothing at all with our own eye in those points , but all the dim sight we have , it s only by seeing with other mens eyes , &c. ) then he promises to shut & turn away both his own eyes from ever looking upon a book again whilest he breaths , even the bible it self , which yet he would not do for a kingdom , or his life . ] and should i be so unmerciful now as to confute this man , if i could do it ? no , let mr. hotchkis consider what he hath done in doing it himself . he hath left him under little less then a solemn vow , never to read the bible or any book more . doth not this man think himself very wise in his zeal ? [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ] mr. hotchkis saith , he had read over the hebre● bible before mr. robertson was born . and is it not ( think you ) an honest and sober dispute upon which he brings out his hebrew , when i had so fully explained myself in my confession , of which he is pleased to take no notice ? i still maintain that punishment properly so called , hath ( at least ) two species , paradeigmatical and strictly vindictive , and nouthetical or castigatory : and so that chastisement is truly and properly called punishment ; but not of the same species , with the former vindictive or destructive punishment . now what doth this learned brother but over and over again , so far lay by the ninth commandement and the fear of god , as to face down me , and assure his reader , that i affirm and maintain the sufferings of the godly to be not only chastisements , but proper punishments , yea revenging punishments for the satisfaction of god as a judge ? and what should one say to such a man as this ? and how is he to be dealt with ? proper punishments ( i say ) they are ; because i maintain that castigations are proper paternal punishments . and are not all the philosophers that ever defined punishment , ( so far as i know ) agreed in it ? but is this to say , they are vindictive , satisfactory to justice , or more than chastisements ? if this good man would have made ostentation of his hebrew , or called for scholars to his school , let any indifferent man be judge , whether it had not been a more innocent and honest course to have done as the montebanks and lozenge-makers do , to have put it into some weekly news-book , that in such a street , at such a sign , there is a famous hebrew school-master , &c. than to do he knows not what ? for mr. hotchkis and me the matter 's not great : but he trode under foot modesty , conscience , truth , the credit of his profession , the famous translators of the bible ( egregiously befriending gregory martin and his rhemists ) : and i wish he have not degraded the far greater part of the godly ministers of england , for want of hebrew as well as us : nay how many can he name from the apostles daies , till a few hundred years ago , that are not degraded by him , in almost all the church . the origens and hieroms were so few , that wo to the church if it had no more : and something may be in it to cut the comb of a paedagogues insolency , that those that were best at translations , were so bad divines for all that , as to the sense . we had been sure all marrd if the degraded augustines that were ignorant of the hebrew , had not been better divines than origen and hierom were . but what ! hath god bid or permitted this man to speak all this for nought ? no : i hope that some will be stirred up by his language to a more diligent study of the hebrew text ; and that this good end may by the over-ruling providence be attained by it . but me thinks he should not trust so much to his great argument , that [ he is unworthy to be christs messenger that takes the signification of the words upon trust : ] for how doth mr. robertson with all his hebrew know the signification of one hebrew word , but upon trust ? how knows he it , but on the word of his master that tells him so ? and what other way is there of knowing the signification of any language whatsoever ? as for that about [ mental remission ] which he makes such a stir with , i shall add this to what is said . there are two things among men that are called by some mental remission : . a purpose to forgive a fault , ( even before it is committed ) when it is done . . the actual turning of the minde from anger and thoughts of punishing , to reconciliation and acceptance , and the remitting those former thoughts of punishment . the former is not properly pardon at all , and is in god from eternity . the latter is not properly in god at all : for he changeth not his minde , nor remitteth any punishing , purpose , or secret resolution , or thoughts which he had before : and if he did , that would not dissolve the guilt , that is , the obligation to punishment , without an outgoing word from god. but yet after the manner of weak man this last sort of mental pardon , may from the effect to the affect be ascribed denominatively , to god : but then as it is but denominatively , so that denomination must then begin , when the law of grace or promise doth pardon and absolve , for then only doth the ground of that denomination begin , though nothing real do begin in god. and it is worth the noting also , how angerly this man doth tell us , that neither dr. twiss nor any that ever was taught or catechized understandingly in the church , will deny , or is ignorant of this kinde of pardon or justification in law-sense which we maintain ? and yet that mr. blake will not be perswaded of any such thing to this day , but disputeth confidently against that , which we are so chidden by mr. robertson for imagining that any well catechized will deny . again tell me , what a man should do to be of every learned good mans minde , or to escape their censures ? and as these brethren deal in the press , so do some others privately by words and manuscripts . the last week i received a creeping paper , against my directions for peace of conscience , written by a minister about the midway between mr. blake and me ( though a neighbour ; i know not that i ever heard his name before , but once about years ago ; ) who with the spirit and pen of mr. robertson and his like , doth furiously fall on me , to conjure out of me the devil of pelagianism ; because i say to doubting souls , that , [ if christ be not yet theirs , he maybe when they will ] or [ they may have him when they will : ] whereupon to his councils and fathers he goes against free-will . this is a minister of the gospel : and yet knows not that this is a truth that almost all the world of christians are agreed on ; and that austine purposely defendeth ; and if it be not true , what a case is the world in ? and his reproaches are cast in the face of the scripture that saith the same , [ whoever will , let him take the water of life freely , rev. . . ] and dr. twiss maintains it at large , that velle credere is credere : but doubtless velle christum oblatum is a great act of saving faith. and this man might read that i add withall , as austine doth , that , though whoever will have christ as offered may have him , yet no man will so have him , but by the work of special grace . but is it not a sad case , when the preachers of the gospel shall defame and reproach the very substance of the gospel , as zealously as if mens salvation lay upon it ? i have given you now ( i think ) reasons enough to excuse me from wording it with such inconsiderate men . to which i will add one other : i am conscious of so much frailty in my self , that i am likely to be drawn also to injure some of them : and also , i am not able to speak so cautelously , but some words will be very liable to misunderstanding , on which they may plausibly fasten their accusations . to give you one instance : in the preface to my confession , i noted a sort of empty men that will not speak to men , nor give them any reasons to convince them , but only secretly behind their backs , will carry it abroad that such or such a man is erroneous , half an arminian , a dangerous man : and if they speak to us , we shall hear but these general charges of error : to these i said , i might expect they should be more judicious , studied , impartial , illuminate , sincere , or at lest the chief of these , before i should value their bare judgements and censures , without their reasons : professing withall that as i doubted not but there are multitudes of labourers in gods harvest , with whom in these respects i am unworthy to be named , so the judgement of these i would value ; that is , so far as to suspect anything which they are against , and silence it at least , till evidence be very cogent . so that i never mentioned the qualifications of men that write or dispute against me , but only of those that look i should be swayed by their censures without arguments . this was my very mind , of which i desire you to observe the words themselves . but no where doth dr. owen and mr. blake so take me up as here ; mistakingly supposing that i spoke of those that should write or argue against me ; and that i require all these qualifications in them . no , i will hear scripture and reason from a childe , but i will not be swayed by the judgement and censures of a childe . yet here the one of them talks of the terrible conditions that i impose upon my answerer ; and the other ( mr. blake ) comes on with intimations , as if my words implyed that i take my self for more judicious , experienced , holy , &c. than all those from whom i manifest my dissent , the assembly , and i know not how many , ( feigning me do dissent from men even contrary to my profession . ) these answers will seem as good to readers that will not by collation make trial , as if they were as good as any . so will his citations out of the fathers ; when among the several points in difference i desired one line from one ancient to prove that his opinion was ever known to the ancient church : and for one of them ( the instrumental efficacy of faith to justification ) he doth perform it at large : but how ? by a bare citation of passages from others gathered up , and that without the words , and that only affirming that we are justified by faith and not by works : so that if mr. blake bring testmonies of the ancients sense , that [ we are justified by faith and not by works , ] he will take these as testimonies that the ancients speak for the instrumental efficiency of faith in justification . and by such consequences he may make them say many things more , that they never said indeed . but we have shewed him a tertium , another sense in which a man may be said to be justified by faith without works . sure i am that if i should maintain [ such a justification by faith without works ] as many of those fathers whom he quote's do assert , ( in terms and sense , ) even in the words before and after and in the places cited , i should be more clamorously called a papist than yet i have been , at least there were more shew of reason for it . moreover , the very naming of untrue reports and affirmations , would be offensive to the guilty . as pag. . he saith that i say [ obedience is ( only ) the modification of faith in the first act of justification , ] when i never spoke or thought such a thing , but deny it to be existent ( as its distinct from faith ) in that first act of justification . so pag. . he affirmeth , that [ in my opinion ( an infant ) is uncapable of any real change by the spirit ] with many such assertions , which i never uttered , nor believed . and when i told him of such a passage in his former book , ( about making sincerity the rule ) rather then he will acknowledge the visible mistake , he again replyeth , as if i wronged him to charge it on him . and why so ? because he named me not ? when yet it is as plainly manifest that its me that he chargeth it on , as the rest before and after , which he denyeth not . but again i must recall my self , and draw to an end . upon all these considerations i must be excused from the foresaid unprofitable works : but if it appear necessary to vindicate any particular truth in another way , i shall not withdraw , while i am able to do it . as i find that the very answering of men doth provoke , so when the cause of god doth not require it , i can believe that i am among those that are to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , tit. . . not contradicting or answering again , as servants must be to their masters ; much less should i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but imitate that blessed pattern , pet. . . which o that i could more do ! yet would i not disswade any from a necessary defence of truth : for i know that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and that we must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , tit. . , , . but for my part , i see not yet any call to such a work : and if i err , i desire that no man by me may be drawn into error ; and if i be in the right , i know not how to importune men to my opinions , if they do not very nearly concern their salvations : if their stomacks be against them , i am not good at drenching or cramming . the lord pardon all our miscarriages , and direct you and succeed you in your labours for his church . i remain , your brother in the work of the gospel , rich baxter octob. . . tales meorum scriptorum judices velim , qui responsionem non semper desiderent ; quum his quae leguntur audierint aliquid contradici . augustin . the first postscript . on the review i observe that the mixture of some passages of some late papists , with the judgement of bellarmine and the most , doth make pag. , of the second disput. less clear . to remove the obscurity observe , that there are divers questions conjoyned : . what is necessary to make a man a true member of the catholick church ? and in that they mostly agree with bellarmine as cited , that no inward grace is necessary . d question is , what is the common effect of baptism on all that receive it ? and that they say , is the imprinting of a certain character on the mind . what this character is , they are not agreed : commonly they think either as aquinas , that it is a certain qualitative power reducible to the second species of quality , that is , a spiritual power ordinata ad ea quae sunt divini cultus , ut . qu. . ar . . c. or as durandus and many others of them , that it is but a relation ; or as estius and others , that it is such a moral power as is jus civitatis , and so is a power of receiving the common priviledges of the church . all the baptized : but if they should fictè recipere as to the sacrament it self , they receive not so much as the character ; nay , saith aquinas , are to be baptized again when they repent . but the grace of justification , and remission of sin , they say is not common to all that are baptized ; but only to those that are duely disposed for baptism . saith aquinas . . qu. . ar . . c. character propriè est signaculum quoddam quo aliquid insignitur , &c. homo autem fidelis ad deo deputatur : primò quidem & principaliter ad fruitionem gloriae & ad hoc insignitur signaculo gratiae . . autem deputatur quisque fidelis ad recipiendum vel tradendum aliis , ea quae pertinent ad cultum dei , & ad hoc proprié deputatur character sacramentalis . so that a man in mortal sin may receive the character , & the character doth dispose a man to sacramental grace . so that let them come never so sinfully to it , yet it puts them in a fair way to justification . ( vid viguerium cap. . ver . . fol. . ) and it hath this advantage that the grace is delible , but the character indelible . now those papists that i spoke of in the place i refer to ( pag. . . ) do think that all should come to baptism , that have but an historical belief of the points , absolutely necessary , that so they may receive this character , and then they have the church-priviledges , which being unbaptized they have not : and though yet they have not charity or justification , yet when by pennance they are brought to the disposition which they wanted the foregoing baptism will be effectual to do away all the sins that were at the time of baptism : & pennance will put away the rest that were since committed . though yet quoad officium they say that men ought to come to baptism with the due preparations . these requisites they say are , i. a right belief , say some , explicite of the essentials , and implicite of the rest : say others , it must be rectae fides saltem in communi , ut scilicet credant quod ecclesia credit ( viguer . just. c. . ver . . § . . ) . that he repent of his forepast life , and die to sin . . that he have an intention of receiving the sacrament as the church delivereth it , and christ hath appointed . and if this intention , and a right belief be wanting , the party is to be rebaptized ( viguerius ubi sup . ) but what this belief is , and what this repentance is , they are not all agreed . but though some few may require contrition , yet their commonest opinion is , that attrition is a sufficient disposition , together with a fides informis , a right belief without charity . but yet they require that the will must be towards that contrition and charity , or fides formata , which yet it hath not , for it must amplecti baptismum & baptismi effectum , saith thom. . qu. . a. . c. that 's the common measure : and charity and iustification are these effects . so that whoever comes with attrition and a right belief without charity , shall certainly there receive charity , justification , remission of guilt and punishment ( poenarum sed non poenalitatum ) both in foro dei & ecclesiae , sed non in foro mundano : and this because that this disposition doth . ex congruo merit justification in the use of baptism . and for all the rest that come without attrition or a purpose to leave sin , ( and saith aquin. without belief too . . qu. . a. . c. ) they receive the character which putteth them in so fair a way to iustification by pennance as aforesaid , recedente fictione de debitâ dispositione . but yet i must say , that it is but few that i hear of , or read of , that will say that wicked men may come to baptism for these advantages : but the most learned of them conclude that no man ought to come that hath not a purpose to forsake all his mortal sins , at least , and that they are not to be baptized that profess not this ; and that others get into the church praeter intentionem ecclesiae as bellarmine saith : so that in this , the chief of their doctors own the cause that i maintain . aquin. . qu. . ar . . doth purposely dispute it , vtrùm peccatores sint baptizandi ? and resolves it negatively , that though peccator , quoad reatum , may be baptized ; yet not peccator ex voluntate peccandi & proposito persistendi in peccato : & he gives three good reasons . . because such are unmeet to be incorporated into christ , which baptism doth . . because baptism with them cannot attain its end , to take away their sin : and in the works of god and the church nothing must be done in vain , or that cannot reach the appointed end . . because else there would be falshood in the sacramental signs , which must not be . and one would think by his answers ad m & m that he saith as much as i , & is for the necessity of a fides formata and conversion it self before baptism . saith he ad . . [ ideo sacramentum baptismi , non est exhibiendum , nisi ei in quo interioris conversionis aliquod signum apparet , sicut nec medicina corporalis adhibetur infirmo , nisi in eo aliquis motua vitalis nature appareat . and ad m answering those objectors that i intended p. . he saith [ dicendum quod baptismus est fidei sacramentum : fides autem informis non sufficit ad salutem , nec ipsa est fundamentum , sed sola fides formata , quae per dilectionem operatur ut aug. l. de sid . & oper . vnde nec sacramentum baptismi salutem conferre potest cum voluntate peccandi , quae fidei formam excludit . non est autem per impressionem characteris baptismalis aliquis disponendus ad gratiam quamdiu in eo apparet voluntas peccandi , — ] he here plainly speaks de fide formata ut afferendâ , and not ut recipiendâ per baptismum . so that he is here fully for me in the main cause of these disputations : and so must they all that do affirm a true death to sin to be one of the prerequisites ; if they will not contradict themselves ( and that 's common ) for it 's a vain conceit that preparatory grace kills sin , and special grace afterward giveth a new life : that which expelleth death , is life ; and that which expelleth darkness is nothing else but the light it self . add also what aquinas saith sup . qu. . a. . c. nullum peccatum dimittitur , nisi quis justificetur , sed ad justificationem requiritur contritio . ] and what he saith . qu. . a. . ad m per fidem applicatur nobis passio christi ad percipiendum fructum ipsius — fides autem per quam à peccato mundamur non est fides informis , quae potest esse etiam cum peccato ; sed est fides formata per charitatem , ut sic passio christi nobis applicetur , non solùm quantum ad intellectum sed etiam quantum ad effectum . ] yet i know they here confound themselves by their sophistry , telling us that contrition is before charity materially , and after it effectively , and that contritio se habet ut ultima dispositio ad gratiam consequendam ; and that poenitentia quae est sacramentum , is before poenitentia q●● est virtus , and is the instrument of effecting it ; as though a dissembling ceremony , or false profession would work grace ; so that there is no hold of them , at the best ; for they have lost themselves in contradictions . i know also that they make the sacrament of baptism to justifie and sanctifie infallibly all infants that are offered by the church , on their allowed titles , let the parent be never so bad ; because they think the churches faith may serve instead of the parents , as the churches intention may serve instead both of the ministers ( saith aquinas ) and the infants ; yea and the church it self need not lend an infant any contrition : for they are agreed , that neither other mens sins , nor our own original sin ( which is all that the infant hath ) are the object of contrition ; but only our own actual sin . yet one would think that the ordinary doctrine , that the votum vel propositum may save without baptism , should imply that before baptism the desires of it are supposed to have charity or special grace : the roman catechism saith , par. . pag. . baptismi suscipiendi propositum atque consilium , & malae acta vitae p●enitentia , satis futura sit ad gratiam & justitiam , si repentinus aliquis casus impediat , quò minùs solutari aquâ ablui possint . ] and they confess that none can be saved without charity ; therefore those that die before baptism must be supposed to have charity . but ordinarily they make attrition sufficient , and by the sacrament give to the attrite , justification ; and so charity is conferred : and thus by an outward act a man that hath but common grace may get special grace . yea if they counterfeit attrition it self , yet they receive the foresaid indelible character which gives them the jura ecclesiae , and as the roman catechism saith , par. . qu. . pag. . by this character , ad alia sacramenta percipienda redduntur idonei : and then the other sacraments , at least by the help of attrition , will sure justifie and save them . and thus they make a common grace sufficient to let them into the church by baptism , yea the meer baptism it self without any grace at all ; and so make their character and church-state the way to justification ; which is the thing i charge them with , pag. , . and those that do seem exceedingly to comfort and encourage their proselytes , by telling them of the certain efficacy of the sacraments , and that they surely put away all sin and guilt & open heaven to them , so that one would think there were assurance of salvation or exceeding comfort reached forth ; yet they take it all away again , and do but tantalize and delude the people . for they that ( with us ) require contrition before the sacrament , do withall tell us , that no man can know by any ordinary means ( but only by revelation ) whether he be contrite or not , and consequently , whether he shall be justified , pardoned , or saved ever the more for all the sacraments : and those that take up with attrition , do both confound themselves and their followers with their many degrees of attrition , and quarrels about it , and also assure them that they cannot know whether they have the necessary degree ; and so after all sacraments , they cannot tell whether they be justified . this much i thought meet to add , for further explication of the papists doctrine , and the state of our controversies with them herein . which i shall conclude in the words of bellarmine with amesius's answer to them , bellarm. enervat . to. . l. . c. . [ bellarm. fides duplex requiritur in baptismo : actualis una , quae praecedit baptismum , ut dispositio quaedam : quae quidem ut plurìmum , non est ex habitu fidei . altera est quae sequitur baptismum , quaeque est pars essentialis justificationis , & non est actus , sed habitus . ] this is the very doctrine which i oppose in this disputation . to which amesius answereth . [ protest . repugnat haec distinctio , . scripturae , quae fidem justificantem antecedere docet baptismum , act . . . rationi & experientiae , dictanti , eâdem planè fide recipi baptismum , quâ recipitur fructus baptismi . . confessioni ipsius bellarm , quae exstat . lib . de effect . sacram. cap. . [ adulti per fidem & contritionem veram justificantur , antequam reipsâ ad sacramentum accedant . ] observe here what the protestant doctrine is . the second postscript . since the foregoing disputations were printed off , i had occasion to observe , how much some lay the stress of their cause on the supposition of judas his receiving the lords supper ; and thereupon apprehended , that such would think my foregoing answer to the objection to be too short . i have thought meet therefore to add these few words for the enlargement of it . the example of judas is urged to several ends : . some urge it to prove that such as judas , yea known wicked men may not be kept away from the sacrament . . some urge it to prove that such may not be excommunicate . . also it may be urged , to prove that it is not as a sign of the thing professed , that we are to require profession , but simply for it self : because christ know that judas was an hypocrite . and it will be urged by others to prove that such as judas have a right coram deo to the sacrament which may warrant their demanding and receiving it . i shall first prove that if judas had received the sacrament , it would not warrant any one of these conclusions , and then i shall prove that judas did not receive the sacrament : or at least , that it is a thing that no man can prove , and that the contrary is much more probable . . and ( to begin with the last ) that it proveth not iudas right i prove thus . . if iudas had such a right to the sacrament , then christ could not have denyed it him , or excluded him : for he may not deny him his right : but that christ might nor haved denyed it him or excluded him , i have met with none that do affirm . . if iudas his right be hence proved , either it is from christs delivering the sacrament to him , or from his permitting him to take it ; but from neither of these : therefore . not from christs delivery : . because he only offered it , and that in its true sacramental nature , and to its proper ends , and propoundeth both internal and external duties to be performed in their order : he offereth himself to the soul , by the representation and under the signs of bread and wine . he offereth not bread and wine alone to any without himself as signified and represented by him . if he say to judas [ take me as thy saviour and a sacrifice for sin , and in token thereof , take , eat and drink this . ] he doth not hereby give him any true right before god , to take the bread and wine without taking christ. for christ is first to be taken by believing , and this duty is first in the command , and the bread and wine is not to be taken but in signification , that thus we take christ , and if we do not so , our taking the bread and wine is a lye . now if christ offer himself first , and the elements as signs , and require iudas to take himself first and the elements but as signs ; then if iudas will separate what god hath conjoyned , and will take the sign and not the thing signified , and will by this taking the sign profess that he taketh the thing signified when he doth not ; this giveth him no right before god to the sign alone , no more than it warranteth him to make a lying profession : nor is there any shew of such a thing . an offer is but a conditionall gift , and not an actuall ; and therefore giveth no actuall right till the condition be performed : the condition is acceptance . the acceptance must be according to the offer . . of the whole gift , ( christ and the signs ) and not of the shell only . of the thing signified first , and of the sign but consequentially . he therefore that takes the sign alone , takes that which this offer giveth him no right to . . moreover , christ did not offer it to iudas particularly ; but to the disciples in general ; not applying it to each one , but leaving it to themselves to make the application , as is granted and past doubt . . and as christs offer proved not iudas right , so neither did his permission of his reception . for permission gives no title . all the sins of the world are permitted physically , which makes them not to be no sin . and for a morall permission , iudas had none . to permit , is non impedire , not to hinder . hinderance is morall by prohibition . thus iudas was hindered : for god had a standing law against lying and dissembling . . or it is physical , by natural means : and thus iudas was not hindred , either from receiving what he received , or from betraying his master : but it justified neither . ob. but at least , iudas had right to that standing in the church , by which he was numbered with those to whom the sacrament was to be offered . answ. it will not prove that he had any proper right ( by promise or grant which might warrant his claim ) to church-membership , or apostleship it self . object . christ chose him , and called him , and sent him . answ. christs choosing him , was no more but his calling him out of many that were passed by . his calling him was not either to preach , . only . . or in the first place . but it was first to believe in him and so to preach that which he did believe . if he had answered christs call , he had done both : but if he will preach what he believeth not , he doth no more answer christs call , than if he should speak a lye , or dissemble . object . but when christ knew that he believed not , yet he sent him to preach . answ. never to preach before or without believing . though christ knew that he did not actually believe , yet he knew withall that he lay under the command and obligation to believe , and that in order before preaching . . and for the next conclusion , it cannot be proved by the example of iudas that we must take a profession simply for it self , and not respectively as a sign of the thing professed ; and so that we must admit a man upon a profession which is known to us to be false . for , if you argue from christs example and say , [ christ did so , therefore we must do so ] i deny both the antecedent and the consequence . . as to the antecedent : christ commanded and required iudas his profession as a sign of his mind and so of the thing professed ; that is , as true ▪ and he neither required nor accepted any other profession : but only he permitted him to remain in his famil● , though his profession was false , and not such as he required . . as to the consequence : no man therefore can hence argue , that we may require or accept a profession which is not a sign ( apparent ) of the thing professed ; for that christ did not ; nor yet that we must permit a known false professor because christ did . but this will be proved under the next points to which it leads us . the other two depending on the same grounds may be dispatcht together . and so i conclude , that it cannot be gathered from the example of judas , that we must not excommunicate , or keep from the lords table , such as we can prove to the church to be unregenerate , or to be such as judas was . for . there may be reasons to suspend the performance of that which ordinarily is to be done . and so christ had special reasons to forbear the excommunicating of judas , till the last , because he was to be the instrument of his suffering , that the scripture might be fulfilled . when we are sure that we have as good a reason to suspend an act of discipline , yet that will not be an excuse for our ordinary suspense , or a rule for our ordinary practice . . the lord jesus would have ministers lye under a double obligation , for their safe proceeding : the one is , to take seeming believers and penitent persons into the church and to the sacraments : the other is to take a credible profession for the evidence of that faith and repentance . and accordingly he would teach us no more by his example . and therefore no wonder if he did not excommunicate judas or keep him from the sacrament : for it was by his divine heart-searching power , and omniscience that christ knew judas to be an hypocrite : while he made a profession that was probable or credible to a meer man. all therefore that can hence be gathered is , that if by heart-searching omniscience we knew a man to be an hypocrite , we might not keep him back or excommunicate him : and yet that will not be proved from the text neither ; till you can prove that christ might not have cast out judas , as well as that he did not ; for , as is said , he might forbear him for some special cause ; though i grant that on other grounds it may possibly be proved , that we might not do it , because we cannot communicate our evidence to the church . but there is no place for this arguing , till men are omniscient . christ is our pattern as he acteth as a man , and not when he exerciseth divine omniscience . . christ knew what was in man , and need not that any man should tell him , john . . and yet he questioned with men in humane language ; he asketh some whether they believed , and peter , whether he loved him ? did he expect an answer from men , for the bare words sake ? or as a sign of their mind ? did he oblige them to a true answer , or to a false ? the case is not doubtfull . and if by his omniscience he knew that many of these answers were lyes , ( and yet he silently permitted the answerer to seem a disciple ) it will not hence follow , that we must accept a profession simply for it self , and when it is not credible , that is , that we must believe a known lye , or that we must use those that we have no cause to believe as if we did believe them . . and if their argument were of any strength , it would not only prove that we must keep in the church , and admit to the sacrament those that we know to have the devil in them , and to be traytors to christ , contriving the destruction of his church ( as judas did of his person ) and to be thieves and deceivers ( as christ knew judas to be , ) and so overthrow all church discipline , contrary to the scripture laws ; but also that it is not lawfull for a master to put a known thief and traytor out of his family , or to prohibit him familiarity with him at his table , and dipping his morsels with him in the same dish . for christ did this by judas as well as the other . but it is contrary to psalm . and . and mat. . . and cor. . . and many other texts that we should hold such familarity with such men . but that we may not lawfully do otherwise , is a doctrine that i hope no wise christian ruler of a family will believe . . the state of christs church being then but in gathering and ordering , was not so ripe for the execution of excommunication as after his resurrection , and the ordering of the churches . but though i have said all this on the supposition that christ did give the sacrament to judas ; yet i shall now proceed to shew , that [ it is either certain that judas did not receive it , or not probable that he did . ] my evidence is this , . there is the concurrent testimony of three evangelists , that may assure us that judas went out before the sacrament . matthew dispatcheth christs speeches to judas before the sacrament , and to those that remained and did partake of it , he saith , . that he will drink of the fruit of the vine with them new in the kingdom of his father ; which he neither did after his resurrection , nor will do with judas . . it s said , they went into the mount of olives : but so did not judas . . he saith , all ye shall be offended because of me this night : but judas was none of those all. and mark doth punctually agree with matthew . and joh. . doth clear both the other . for ver . . he saith that judas having received the sop , went immediately out . now it is utterly improbable that this sop was after the sacrament . though it be controverted whether the meat which they then eat besides the paschal lamb , were before it , or after it , yet there 's evidence enough that it was before the sacrament . i know a reverend divine of ours in his harmony of the evangelists , thinks that the supper ioh. . was not the same with that mat. . and mar. . when the sacrament was instituted . but his reasons seem not cogent to me , but may well be answered ; and there seems to be much evidence of the contrary in the text , ( to say nothing of the singularity of this exposition . ) and as for the coincident controversies , whether christ did eat a supper without the paschal lamb , at the institution of his sacrament , as grotius thought , or whether he did eat the paschal lamb a day before the jews , as causabone , scaliger , capellus , &c. think , or on the same day with the jews , as baronius , tolet , clopenburgius , and the said reverend doctor think , i shall not need on this occasion to enquire ; especially so much being written on it already . see paul burgens . in lyr. and what iansenius comment . hath ex euthymio and other greeks on that side : and the testimony of philo in cappellus , and his reasons are considerable . the ancient doctors were disagreed among themselves upon the question whether iudas did partake of the sacrament . it s commonly known that hilary was for the negative . and ( saith estius in differ . loc . in ioh. . ) clemens in constit . apostol . and dionysius arcopag . are of the same mind with others : and whoever were the authors of those writings , the antiquity in this case is considerable . and of the many doctors that are thought to be on the other side , some speak only de participatione coenae ; and shew not that they mean the sacrament , and some ground their opinion on a palpable error , viz. that the sop given to iudas was the sacramental bread : and pellargus ( in mat. . ) saith that theophylact mentioneth a tradition , that iudas took the bread with him to the priests , and said [ see here , my master saith , this is his body ] and innocent the third is express against iudas receiving , and ammonius , alexander , and tacianus in their harmonies seem to be against it ; and theophylact saith , divers were of that mind . rupertus tuitiensis is plain and large on it , as you may see in the author in ioh. . or in musculus loc. commun . pag. ( mihi ) . de coen . where his words are cited at large . the papists and lutherans indeed are most on the other side : but yet they are divided , especially the papist : many learned protestants of the reformed party have written large discourses to prove that iudas received not the sacrament : we have divers common in english : and the beyond sea divines are many of this mind . beza , grotius , piscator , musculus , deodat , ( five of the most judicious commentators , i think , that ever wrote on the sacred scriptures , ) are against iudas participation , ( and calvin thinks it uncertain : ) besides zanchius , danaeus , gomarus , tossanus , and many more that are against it : though i know that on the other side divers are for it . and what is there now on the other side to move us to think it probable that iudas did receive the sacrament ? the slight conjecture of a late learned annotator i think not fit to trouble you with . i know but one argument worth the mentioning or much regarding that is brought : and that is from the order of lukes words , who after the mention of the sacrament saith , [ but behold the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table . ] but to this i must say that i confess it moveth me not to doubt of the matter , considering , . that as grotius & other expositors truly note , it is so usual with luke to disregard the order of things spoken , and to repeat sayings together as one continued speech which were spoken at great distance ; and to put that before which was spoken after , and that after which was spoken before : not by mistake , but because it was the matter and not the order that he there purposed to deliver . . and because it is certain that he doth thus even in the matter in hand , for saith grotius in ver . . diversos christi s●rmones nullâ ordinis habita ratione connectit lucas . nam illud de proditore , in coenâ justâ contigit : admonitio de vitanda ambitione planè ut credibile est , in lotione inter coenam paschalem & coenam justam . ita 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saepe luce est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and as calvin concludes , we cannot from this order in luke gather that iudas received . and saith beza , apparet omnino ex aliis evangelistis ac praesertim , ioh. . . hunc sermonem habitum fuisse in secundis mensis caenae legalis , quibus demum sublatis suam sacram coenam instituit dominus , ut ipse lucas ver . praeced . expressit . ] . and the reason of luke's mentioning this after all , seems to be , because having begun to speak of christs communicatory action in the feast , he thought it meet to connex his communication of his sacrament and so dispatch the history of those communicatory acts together ; and then to mention the matter of iudas altogether , though the words were not then spoken . . and the reason that rupertus tuitiensis gives , is considerable , which you may read at large in musculus ubi sup . it s too long to transcribe . see also what sharpius symphon . pag. . saith ex augustino & aliis . see also what that learned judicious man frid. wendeline saith against iudas receiving , exercit . § . . . & . christ. theolog. li. . c. . p. . and it seems there are many of the same mind in the low countries now , or else maresius would not have so complained of their indignation against him for the contrary . see piscator at large in mat. . schol . and beza in ioh. . quum igitur non nisi mensis secundis sublatis dominus sacrosanctâ suâ mysteriâ instituerit , ut disertè ait , luk. . . & iohannes non contentus dixisse judam accepta offula exiisse , disertè etiam addat adverbium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; certa videtur esse eorum sententia , qui existimant judam institutioni sacrae coenae non inter fuisse ; & quod sic narrat luk. . . quasi demum peracta coenae , &c. esse ex aliis evangelistis explicandum ; ex quibus liquet habitum fuisse hunc sermonem ante coenae sacrae institutionem . &c. ] when i had gone thus far , i remembered that mr. gilespio hath said somewhat of this subject , and perusing him i find much of that which i have here spoken , and much more , so that i shall stop here , and desire the reader to read his chap. , , . of lib. . aarons rod. and as to the main controversie about unsanctified mens right to sacraments . see vrsin . catech. pag. . qu. . and . with the explic . throughout : and beza epist. . ad qu. propositas à studioso silesio . tract . theol. vol. . pag. , , &c. to whom we might add a multitude of consenters . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e [ non ] is put for [ nam ] in that exceeding false printed cople . * mr. rutheford saith if sc●ipture ●n where callet christ the ●ead of the visible chur●● as su●h , as after cited . of the covenant , pag. . . mr. galaspi●'s arguments defended against mr. blakes answ . argum. . galaspie's argum. . defended . galaspie's argum. . defended . galaspie's argum. . denfeded . galaspie's argum. . & . defended . argum. . defended . argum. . defended . argum. . defended . argum. . defended . argum . defended . argum. . defended . argum . defended . argum. . defended . argum . defended . argum. . defended . argum. . defended . argum. . defended . * mr. gilespies th . argument , which mr. blake passeth by , is that the contrary doctrine as it joineth with the papists , so it contradicteth the protestants and the antient churches and writers . mr. blake's arguments answered . read galespie's chap. . l. . and there you will see more arguments answered , and mr. blake's cause overthrown . bed● in cor. . inquit charitatem esse vestem nuptiaem . mat. . . vindicated . mar. . . vindicated . act. . . vindicated . and it is the title over the top of his leaves that a faith short of justifying entitles to baptism . . calvin . . beza . . p. martyr . piscator . . altingius . . iunius . . polanus . . zanchtus . . ursinus & paraeus . . paraeus . . bucanus . . nalaeus , pollander . riverus , thysius . . wendeline . . keckermin . . hommius . . maresius . . crocius . . beumlerus . . solinius . melancthon . . trelcatius . . vossiu● . . wollebius . . luther . . alstedius . . bishop vsher. . amesius . . dr. willet . . musculus . . soharplus . . cartwright . fulk . . the annotations of some divines of the assembly at westminster . deodate . . bodlus . . perkins . . fayus . . ludovicus de dieu . . ragerus . hemmingius . . yates . . coccelus . . prideaux . . dr. hammond . . english catechism . . bullinger . . whittaker . . gataker . . tzegedinus . . ravanellus . . the scottish church . . helvetian . confession . professores salmurlenses . . mollnaeus . . mr. crook . . mr. liford ▪ . three divines of scotland . † this is the passage mr. humphrey citeth , which i d●sire may be rightly understood . i have in my apology desired mr. tombs thus to understand me . notes for div a -e quid est pic. tas , nisi dei cultus ? & unde il●e colitur , nisi charitate ? aug. epist. notes for div a -e second vindication , pag. , , . notes for div a -e suarez . mer. disp. . sect . . pag. . calvin . . . beza . & in eccles. ●st hom. pag. , . & annotat. in tim. . . ●●●untur crede●e , ●●òd c●edere vl●●antur . . junius . . zanchius . . polanus . . ravannellus . . pet. martyr . . musculus . . rutherford . . maccovius . . cocceius . . luther . . d● . sutlive . . amesius . wendeline . . keckerman . . gomar●us . . d. humfrey . . sharpius . . rob. bodius troch . . alstedius . . geo●g . sohnius . . melancthon . certa & immota veritas decet , non esse membra ecclesiae eos qui scienter oppugnant verhatem , & stabiliunt idola & vitiosos cultu● . joan. manlius loc. commun . de eccles. pag. . ex melancth . . sideel . . maresius . . altingius . . thes. saimuriens . . luc. trelcatius senior . . th. cartwright . . bucer & marlorate . . camero . m. ieanes . mr. perkins some papists confessions . fathers . a doubt resolved, or, satisfaction for the seekers wherein the case touching an administrator of gospel ordinances, in these times, is handled : wherein also some other questions are more briefly touched, viz. i. whether water-baptism was to continue in force after the ministry of john the baptist ceased, ii. vvhether gospel ordinances are things spirituall, or carnall, iii. vvhether a power to preach by immediate revelation of the spirit, be necessary in every gospel minister?, iiii. what is is to be baptized with the spirit : well worthy the consideration of many who in these times are unsetled in their judgements touching these points / by william allen. allen, william, d. . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing a ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing a estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a doubt resolved, or, satisfaction for the seekers wherein the case touching an administrator of gospel ordinances, in these times, is handled : wherein also some other questions are more briefly touched, viz. i. whether water-baptism was to continue in force after the ministry of john the baptist ceased, ii. vvhether gospel ordinances are things spirituall, or carnall, iii. vvhether a power to preach by immediate revelation of the spirit, be necessary in every gospel minister?, iiii. what is is to be baptized with the spirit : well worthy the consideration of many who in these times are unsetled in their judgements touching these points / by william allen. allen, william, d. . [i.e. ] p. printed by j.m. for h. cripps, and l. lloyd ..., london : . reproduction of original in union theological seminary library, new york. eng sacraments -- early works to . baptism -- early works to . a r (wing a ). civilwar no a doubt resolved, or satisfaction for the seekers. wherein the case touching an administrator of gospel ordinances, in these times, is handl allen, william b the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the b category of texts with fewer than defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - taryn hakala sampled and proofread - taryn hakala text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a doubt resolved , or satisfaction for the seekers . wherein the case touching an administrator of gospel ordinances , in these times , is handled . wherein also some other questions are occasionally and more briefly touched . viz. i. whether water-baptism was to continue in force after the ministry of john the baptist ceased . ii. vvhether gospel ordinances are things spirituall , or but carnall ? iii. vvhether a power to preach by immediate revelation of the spirit , be necessary in every gospel minister ? iiii. what it is to be baptized with the spirit . well worthy the consideration of many who in these times are unsetled in their judgements touching these points . by william allen . thess. . . therefore bretheren , stand fast , and hold the ordinances which ye have been taught , whether by word or our epistle , london , printed by j. m. for h. cripps , and l. lloyd , and are to be sold at their shop in popes-head alley . . a doubt resolved , or satisfaction for the seekers . section . i. the great enemy of truth , the devil , perceiving that in these times of light and reformation , he could no longer detain men in the erronious and superstitious use of ordinances , as heretofore ; now labours by all means to perswade them , either that they have no need of ordinances at all , or else that there is now none to be found who are in a capacity to administer them . it is true , the devil for the most part deals more subtilly then at first dash to perswade men that they are above , or have no need of ordinances , but first hee labours to stumble them about an administrator , by which means he prevails with them , first to suspend the use of ordinances , and so gains a great advantage thereby , to perswade them after a while that there is no need for them now to live any longer under ordinances . a devise by which he hath brought them into a greater errour , they having recovered themselves out of that which was less : for by perswading men to cast off ordinances , he hath quickly drawn very many to cast off all religion ; these times furnishing us with too many instances , not only of such who having suspended the use of ordinances so long upon the scruple about an administrator as till they are grown from persons of an excellent savour in things of the gospel , to be as dry as a chip , but also of such who having first laid the foundation of their apostacy in their scrupeling an administrator , have proceeded by degrees so far as to lose all religion , and to fall into all loosness and prophanness . wherefore to check this growing evill , and out of tender compassion to those who i apparently perceive to be in this snare of the devill , i shall in the ensuing discourse offer that which i hope , through the blessing of god , may be found sufficient to role this great stumbling block out of the way of as many as shall impartialy weigh the same . sect. ii. and for a ground-work whereon to proceed , i shall lay down that prophesie of moses , deut. . . as applyed by peter unto the person of christ , acts . . moses truly said unto the fathers , a prophet shal the lord your god raise up unto you of your brethren , like unto me , him shal ye hear in all things whatsoever he shal say unto you . christ is said to be a prophet like unto moses , in that he is the prophet of the new testament , as moses was the prophet of the old. now moses was so a prophet of the old testament , as that by him the children of israel received from god , such standing laws , as by which they were to be steered both in matters of worship , and of conversation otherwise , throughout their generations , until the coming of christ in the flesh : therefore the law is said to be a schoolmaster untill christ , gal. . . luke . . in like manner , christ as the prophet of the new testament , hath delivered and given forth such doctrines , rules , and precepts , as by which all men , especially those of his houshold , are to be ordered in point of faith , worship , ordinances , and all manner of conversation , from the time of his leaving the world , unto the time of his return or visible appearance in the clouds of heaven . in which respect christ is said to be faithful in his house , as moses was in his , heb. . . and now all nations are to be taught to observe all things whatsoever he hath commanded , unto the end of the world , mat. . . sect. iii. if then christ be thus a prophet like unto moses , then it follows , that as those who lived under the ministration of moses , were to hear him in all things he delivered to them from god , so those that now live under the ministration of christ , are to hear and obey him in all his sayings , mat. . . and . . act. . . and if they escaped not who refused moses that spake on earth , how shal they escape which shall refuse christ which speaketh from heaven ? heb. . . & . , . act. . . sect. iiii. furthermore , if christ be a prophet of the new testament like unto moses the prophet of the old , then it follows , that as no man under the ministration of moses might add to or diminish from the law , by omiting any of the ordinances thereof , or by inventing any other way of worship then was by that appointed without provoking god against them , deut. . . levit. . , . chro. . . . with . . so in like manner , no man under the ministration of christ in the gospel , may presume to add to , or take from the word of the gospel , in omiting any the ordinances thereof , or teaching men so to do , or by inventing any other way of worship then what is by that established , without incuring a curse from god , gal. . , . rev. . , . a word which may well make both the ears of them to tingle , who either cry down all ordinances as fleshly , as some ; or water-baptism as a thing out of use , as others ; or else change the ordinances of jesus christ as they do , who only sprinkle in stead of burying in baptism , or else baptize persons presently after their naturall birth , in stead of baptizing them presently upon their new and spirituall birth , according to the way of the new testament : i pray god open their eyes to see , and awaken their consciences to consider their errour , least he rise up to smite them with a curse . sect. v. neither is that like to prove a shield and buckler to defend them here from , which yet some take hold on for that purpose , viz. that water baptism ( to touch that a little ) was legall , and continued in force but only under the ministery of john the baptist , and if used afterwards , it was but arbitrarily as circumcision was . for the ministry of john and so his baptism , was not legal but evangelicall , in which respect it is called the begining of the gospel of iesus christ the son of god , mark , , , . and the date of the ministration of the law and the prophets , was until iohns ministry began , not ended ; for when christ said , the law and the prophets were until iohn , and that since that time ( speaking of a time already past ) the kingdom of god is preached , and every man presseth into it , ( as they did to the baptisme of iohn ) luk. . . i say when christ spake these words , referring unto a time past , iohns ministry was not as yet finished , he being then alive , as you may perceive plainly if you read , mat. . from vers . . to vers . . and therefore those words vntil iohn , cannot refer unto the ending , but unto the beginning of iohns ministry : which is also yet more manifest , in that christ said , even while iohn and his ministry were yet in being , mat. . . from the days of iohn the baptist vntil now , the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence , and the violent take it by force : which words from the days of iohn the baptist until now , could not be spoken of the ending of iohns ministry , because when this was said his ministry was yet on foot as appears v. . so that cleerly , iohns preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins , was the preaching of the kingdom of god , to wit , the gospel of the kingdom , as that which is distinguished from the ministration of the law and prophets , and therefore not legal but evangelical . besides , ( to shew yet further that water baptism was not limited unto iohns ministry ) iohns ministry was confined within the territories of canaan ( or rather judea ) as was also that of the apostles , till after the resurrection of christ , mat. . . whereas , after the resurrection of the lord , and immediately before his ascention , christ gave commission to his apostles to teach and baptize all nations , in the doing of which as of other his commands ; he promiseth his presence with them to the end of the world , mat. . . . which clearly shews that baptism was not confined to iohns ministry . sect. vi . but if they say , that 's not water baptism , but the baptism of the spirit , of which christ speaks , mat. . . . ( which yet is too unreasonable to affirm ) yet the practice of the apostles acting upon this commission , will evince that they understood it otherwise . for surely when peter exhorted the iews to repent and be baptized , for the remission of sins , act. . . he did not perswade them to be baptized with the spirit for the remission of sins , because the baptism of which he there speaks , he perswades them to use in order to their receiving the spirit , as it there follows : repent and be baptized , &c. and ye shall receive the gift of the holy ghost . and those that will construe the baptism here spoken of , of the baptism of the spirit , take course to render the apostle to speak as little sence , as they do truth , as will appear if you read the words according to their interpretation , thus , repent and be baptized with the holy ghost , and ye shal receive the gift of the holy ghost . and whereas the eunuch desired philip to baptize him in water , act. . . will not every man conclude that philip , in preaching the gospel to him , had convinced him of it as a christian duty ? how , or why else should he desire baptism up on philips preaching ? besides , when philips answer to his desire of being baptized runs thus ; if thou beleevest withall thine heart , thou mayest , does it not cleerly imply , that water baptism is a priviledge peculiar to beleevers ? for if it had been then to be used only as a thing indifferent , as they suppose circumcission was , it might have been lawful for him to have been baptized , whether he had beleeved or no , unless we will suppose that his not beleeving would have made an indifferent and lawful thing to become unlawful to him . nor can it reasonably be thought that the men and women of samaria , deluded till then by symon the sorcerer , would have been baptized by philip ; but that they were by his preaching convinced that it was their duty so to be , act. . . . nor will any i hope be so unreasonable , as to say this was the baptism of the spirit , since in the . . verse , this baptism is cleerly distinguished from that of the spirit : for the spirit ( saith he ) was fallen upon none of them , only they were baptized in the name of the lord iesus . so that this baptism went before their receiving the spirit , and therefore could not be their being baptized with the spirit . and when peter said concerning cornelius and his company , can any man forbid water , that these should not be baptized who have received the holy ghost as well as we , acts . . and withall , commanded them to be baptized in the name of the lord iesus , verse . will any imagine that peters commanding them to be baptized , was beside the business for which he was sent thither of god , and not in direct pursuance of his commission ? or that mens having the spirit , though in an excellent degree , as they had , is any excuse from water baptism ? or that it was a thing indifferent to be baptized or not baptized ? especially considering that the angel had told cornelius , that peter should tell him what he ovght to do , act. . . and declare to him words , by which he and all his should be saved , acts . . and cornelius his expectation accordingly , was not to hear from him things which might be done , or let alone ; but such things as were commanded him of god , act. . . and doubtless when peter commanded cornelius to be baptized in the name of the lord , cornelius had reason to conclude , that this , as well as any thing else , was that which he ought to do , and that those words as well as others , were words by which he should be saved , according to the item before given him by the angel . or can it enter into the heart of any christian to think , that the holy apostle would be so prophane as to command and cause a thing to be acted and done in the name of the lord , which the lord had not commanded ? all which considered , what is more plain , then that water baptism was no indifferent thing ; but the express will of god , even after such time as the ministry of iohn baptist was at an end ? sect. vii . and whereas when we alledge the use and practise of water-baptism after the ministry of iohn ceased , they to counter ballance this , aleadge the use of circumcision at the same time , though circumcision was at that time de jure abolished , as they say : to this i answer likewise . . if circumcision was used as an indifferent thing ; yet it was not commanded and enjoyned by the apostles , to be used in the name of the lord , as baptism was , act. . . nor for remission of sins , and in order to mens receiving the holy ghost , as baptism was , acts. . . nor as a priviledge belonging onely to beleevers , as baptism was , acts . . therefore water-baptism was not practised upon the same terms as circumcision was in the apostles times . . if circumcision was allowed as lawful , and so practised by any , with consent of the apostles , yet this was onely among the iews . and therefore though timothy was circumcised , yet it was in that his mother was a iewesse , acts . . . whereas when the same thing was desired in the behalf of titus , the apostle would by no means consent unto it , for as much as he was a greek ; the apostle aleadging that as a reason of his refusal , gal. . . and further , tels the gentiles , that if they were circumcised , christ should profit them nothing , gal. . . and the decree of the apostles , was express herein , ( when some would have had the beleeving gentiles circumcised ) that those among the gentiles that were turned to god , should not be troubled with any the jewes customes , but onely that they should abstain from things strangled and from blood &c. acts . . with v. . but now water baptism was used among the beleeving gentiles , as well as the beleeving jews , all along , as well after this decree of the apostles , as before , act. . . . and . . which clearly evinceth the baptism we speak of , to be no jewish rite as is pretended , nor yet to be practised upon like terms as circumcision was in the apostles days . sect. viii . to those that lay aside not onely baptism , but other ordnances also as things fleshly , i shall in short say but this to convince them , that those notions which lead them to this , proceed not from the holy spirit , but from the foul spirit the devil . . the lord jesus himself , whose measure of the spirit was greater then any mans , and the apostles and other saints in their times , whose measure of the spirit were greater then any in these times can reasonably pretend to , in that they did such works then , as none now can do , yet they were guided by the holy spirit to use , and to enjoyn others to use water baptism , the word , breaking of bread and prayer as the history of the new testament doth abundantly witness . and therefore for those that have not so much of the spirit , yet to conceit themselves to be elivated higher in the spirit , and to be carryed above those forms which those that had more of the spirit were directed to use , is such an immagination , as may be sensibly felt to be a delusion of the devil , and not any inspiration of the spirit of god . those in the apostles days who separated themselves from the churches of christ , and communion with them in ordinances of the gospel , though probably upon the same pretences with men of like separation in our times , are charractorized by the apostle , to be sensual , not having the spirit , jud. . . therefore secondly , what ever is meant by mens knowing of christ not after the flesh , cor. . . or by other scriptures of like import : most certain it is that this is not the meaning of them , that men should not know christ in ordinances , because the apostles themselves knew christ in these , and had communion with him , and with his saints in these , yea and it was their business to perswade others hereunto : and i hope no man will think that the spirit inspired them to speak contradictions : for as god is true ( saith the apostle ) our word toward you was not yea and nay , . cor. . . . when the appostle opposeth the spirit unto the letter , in . cor. . . he doth no● mean by letter , gospel ordinances but the ministration of moses ; for that which he calls the letter in this verse , he also calls the ministration of death , written and engraven in stones ▪ verse . which can rightly be understood of nothing else but the ministration of moses . and therefore they bewray much ignorance , who from this scripture cry down gospel ordinances , as being but the letter , when as indeed the apostle doth oppose the whole gospel ministration ( which as to the external part , is made up of ordinances ) as being spiritual , unto that of the law which was but litteral . and the reason why the ordinances of the gospel are said to be spiritual , and those of the law but litteral , you may understand by the sequel of the apostles discourse , in this chapter , which is this , viz. because the end and spiritual meaning of the ordinances of the law , was little understood or discerned ; but was vailed and hid under those shaddows , so that as he says , verse . the children of israel could not stedfastly look to the end of those things , which now are abolished : whereas the end , scope , spirit , and meaning of gospel ordinances , is plainly revealed , and may cleerly be discerned ; and therefore the apostle by way of magnifying the ministration of the gospel above that of the law , saith , verse . . we use great plainness of speech , and not as moses , who put a vail over his face , &c. and again , vers. . we all with open face , behold as in a glasse , the glory of the lord . and therefore it is doubtless in respect of this difference , that the gospel ministration ( the outward part whereof consists in ordinances ) is in other scriptures , as spiritual , opposed to the ordinances of the law as things fleshly . gal. . are ye so foolish , having began in the spirit , are ye now made perfect by the flesh ? their folly was this , for which he chids them ; in that they having first embraced the doctrine and ordinance of the gospel , by which christ had before their eyes been evidently set forth , as crucified among them , verse . and by which they had received the spirit , vers. . yet were so weak as to think to better their condition at last , by taking up the ordinance of the law , which in comparison of those of the gospel which they had already received , were but weak and beggerly elements , chap. . . most evident it is , that those galatians began their christianity in the beleeving the gospel , and putting on christ in baptism chap. . . . which here in chap. . vers. . the apostle calls their having began in the spirit . if so , then certainly they are not of the apostles mind , who deem ▪ water baptism to be but fleshly . if then the ordinances of the gospel , as a great part of the gospel ministration , be spiritual , and in scripture opposed to carnal ordinances , as we see they are , then most manifest it is , that those poor souls , whom the devil hath so far beguild , as to conceit themselves so spiritual and subline , as to be above ordinances , are indeed , and in truth , so poor , low , as and carnal , to be grosly ignorant of the mind of god , thus plainly laid down in scripture . sect. ix . my next coralary from my first position shall be this . if christ be a prophet of the new testament , as moses was of the old , then it follows , that as the law first given by moses , was a standing rule , according to which the jews upon all back-slidings , were to reform themselves , in worship , and all other things ; until the coming of christ in the flesh ; so likewise the gospel in all the doctrines , precepts and ordinances thereof , first delivered to the saints , either immediately by christ , or immediately by his apostles , is to remain stedfastly as a standard , according to which all men are to reform , in point of faith , worship , discipline , and conversation , otherwise , until christ shall come again at the end of the world . sect. x. that the prophets themselves , though men of extraordinary inspiration , when they found the iews to have corrupted themselves and the worship of god , did still call upon them to reform , according to the written law of moses , and that good men did reform accordingly , will appear by these and the like scriptures , ier. . . isa. . . kings . . and . . and . . neh. . . and indeed whether they had prophets among them , or whether none , yet still the written law was their rule , mal. . . psal. . . . . in like manner ( the prophetical office of christ , answering the prophetical office of moses ) the doctrines , ordinances and commands which christ first gave forth , do remain stedfast , as that standing rule according to which all reformations in the church of god , ought to be managed . this appears further by heb. . . . . therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard lest at any time we let them slip , &c. the things which they had heard , and which they had first been taught , he lays down chap. . . . viz. repentance from dead works , faith towards god , doctrine of baptism , and laying on of hands , &c. these and the like things which they had heard , are so to be heeded , that they may not at anytime be let slip . again , thes. . . therefore brethren , stand fast , and hold the ordinances which ye have been taught , whether by word or our epistle . where note likewise , that the ordinances of the gospel , whether taught by word or by writing , as we have them , are to be held fast . and if it be demanded how long ? christ himself resolves the case , rev. . that which ye have already , hold fast till i come , which cannot be meant of his spiritual coming into the hearts of men ( to which sence some would pervert the words ) because thus he was come to his church of thyatira , and the rest of the seaven churches of asia , before he gave them this charge , for he walked in the midst of the seaven golden candlesticks ; to wit , those seaven churches , rev. . . . which notes his coming to them , and abiding amongst them . besides , can any be so weak as to think when paul , cor. . . directs the church of corinth , to shew forth the lords death till he come , by the breaking of bread , that he means it of christs spiritual coming by his spirit into their hearts ? since it is evident enough , that thus he was come to them already , in as much as the apostle stiles them sanctified ones in christ jesus , and called to be saints , and such as were by him inriched in every thing , waiting for the coming of our lord jesus christ , chap , . . . , again , the same command or law , according to which tymothy was to manage the affairs of the church then in his days , is to be kept without spot , unrebukeable , until the appearing of our lord jesus christ , tim. . . and when there is any degenerating , backsliding or falling off from the first pure ways of the gospel , there men in repenting and reforming , are to do the first works , rev. . . sect. xi . many there are indeed , upon whom the spirit of ranteterism hath not yet so far prevailed , but that they acknowledge water baptism in its proper subject , true beleevers , and all other gospel ordinances to be still in force , and agreeable enough to that spiritual worship required under the gospel , were it so that they had but oppertunity of enjoying them in a due way of administration : but that now they make a considerable obsticle in their way of coming into church-communion , gospel ordinances , viz. the want of a right administrator : for they suppose that since that general apostacy , from the purity of faith and gospel order , which befel the churches , upon the entring of the papacie into the world , there hath none appeared sufficiently authorized by god , to rally again what had been routed by hand of the enemy , or to gather churches , or administer ordinances ; all due admistrators in this kind , being perished from the earth : and that therefore we must be content to wait till god shall raise up some such , whose authority in this behalf he shall attest with visible signes of his presence , by gifts of the holy ghost ; and divers miracles , as at the first erection of gospel churches and ordinances . to the solving of which doubt , i shall now apply my self , as unto that which i principally intended . sect. xii . . therefore , suppose it were granted , that all right administration of gospel ordinances , did totally cease during the time that papal darknesse over spread the world ; yet this upon such a supposition , would put men but in like condition with the people of god the jews , during the time of their captivity in babylon , in which the temple lay waste , the dayly sacrifice ceased , and all use of publike worship was cut off , and yet when god gave them the oppertunity by bringing them out of babylon , they presently fell to restore the use of decayed ordinances , though prophets extraordinarily inspired by god to direct them , were altogether wanting . and though the temple at the first , might not be built but according to gods own direction , chron. . . . yet the jews , though now they had no such extraordinary directions ( ezra . . ) nor in conclusion did attain the perfection of the temple as at first , ( ezra . . hag. . . ) yet they by the light of that written law , set upon restoring of temple and worship , according to such opportunity as they then had . and that they did well in so doing , appears in that after they had begun , and did again desist from the work the lord raised up two prophets , haggai and zachary , to reprove them , for that they had let their hands slick from the work , hag. . . to . ezek. . . all which considered , together with this , that christ is a prophet in his time , like unto moses in his , may greatly encourage such who are but lately come out of the bondage of mistical babylon , to put to their hands to the restoring of the decayed ordinances of the gospel , to the uttermost of that opportunity they have , and according to that gospel pattern we finde in the writings of the new testament , do but parralel their case with ours , and see if we have not as great reason to be doing this way , as they . . have we no men extraordinarily inspired , to lead the way herein , neither had they till such were raised to reprove them for their negligence therein . . suppose we should in some things want opportunity of comming up to the utmost of the first gospel pattern : yet they were under the like disadvatage in their low reformation . hag. . . . was the written law a sufficient ground for them to proceed on in this case to restore decayed ordinances though upon terms of some disadvantage , in comparison of what they formerly enjoyed ? then why should not the written gospel in this case , as wel be a rule and ground to us ? . were they reproved for leaving off the work till they had prophets sent to quicken them ? and shall they think to escape rebuke from god who now neglect the restoration of gospel ordinances till god raise up men extraordinarily inspired to put them in the way ? . did the prophet assure them of the presence of god with them , in the work of reformation and restitution of temple and ordinances , as well as their forefathers enjoyed it , before any such decay fell out ? as we see he did , hag. . . then why may not we expect that presence of christ with us , in the restitution of his ordinances , which he promised to those that should observe his commands , even to the end of the world ? mat. . . . sect. . ii. whereas it is supposed by the persons whose scruple i am now labouring to satisfie , that all right administrators , and administration of gospel ordinances , perished from the earth , in times of papal darkness , to this i answer . . that so to say , is a meer presumption which cannot be made good . in that great apostacy of israel , eliah that great prophet thought indeed that he , even he alone was left , whereas god had in secret seven thousand which had not bowed the knee to baal , kings . . . rom. . . . so that we see it s no good argument to conclude , that because in times of great and general apostacy , there is no visible appearance of the faithful servants of god who have not defiled their garments , that therefore there is none . and who knows but that god might as well reserve unto himself in secrets , seven thousand in the time of papal apostacy , as he did in the baalish apostacy . sect. xiv . . if that promise of christ , mat. . . vpon this rock will i build my church , and the gates of hell shall not prevail , against it , be to be understood as commonly it hath been ( and i know no sufficient reason to depart from that received interpretation ) that maugre all the slight , policy and power of satan and his instruments ; yet christ will have a true church on earth to the end of the world , then we must conclude that christ had a true church in being , even all the time of the greatest antichristian apostacy , and popish darkness , though the footsteps thereof could not be discovered in history . a conclusion to which that of the apostle seems to add much strength , eph. . . . . for in that he saith , he gave some apostles , prophets , evangelists , pastors and teachers , for work of the ministry , perfecting of saints , and edifying of the body of christ , tell we all come in the unity of the faith , and of the knowledge of the son of god , unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of christ ; he cannot reasonably be understood to mean less , then that some of these officers should remain and continue unto the coming of christ at the end of the world , when , and not till when , this unity of faith , and knowledge , and the measure of the stature of the fulness of christ , shall be attained by all saints . for the apostle paul himself , who was a saint of the largest growth , and i think we may say came the nearest to the stature of the fulness of christ of all other ; yet he acknowledged , that whilest he was here in the flesh , that he had not as yet attained , or was already perfect , phil. . . and that he knew but in part , cor. . . and if not he much lesse the saints that have lived since him in times of degeneration . and if that estate be not yet attained for the compleating of which the lord jesus gave unto his church the officers aforesaid , then they remain in being unto this day , or else christ hath not given them to remain vntill we all come , viz. paul and all the rest of the saints unto a perfect man , which yet the apostle affirms that he hath . but those that will needs suppose all church officers and administrators to have been utterly extinct when once the popish apostacy took place , go about to make the contrary to what the apostle affirms , to be true , and do say in effect , that christ gave some apostles , prophets , evangelists , pastors and teachers , untill the churches and saints came to the measure of the stature of antichrist , and not to the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of christ . sect. xv . . but then thirdly , there is much to be said from history , and that in great part of the adversaries own penning , to prove that there hath been a continuance of a true church and a right administration of ordinances , even from the apostles days down to this very time in which we live . there was a people in the darkest times of popery , who opposed themselves against the corruptions of the times , sometimes distinguished by the names of waldenses , and albigenses , and lionists . for their qualifications , a certain frier saith thus of them : that men and woman little and great day and night cease not to learn and to teach , and that divers of them could perfectly deliver all the new testament : a man saith he , would not hurt his enemy , if he should meet him upon the way accompanied with one of these hereticks . they were said to be modest , simple , medling little with bargains , to avoid lying and deceit , living upon their labour , being content with a little chast , sober , and inviting others by their example to every good thing . for the time of their continuance , or being in the world , du plessit an approved author , in his history of the papacy , pag. . brings in one rainerius a frier , as writing about the year , . speaking thus of them . among all the sects that are ( saith he ) or ever will be , none can be more pernicious to the church of god then that of lyons , for three causes . first because it hath continued a longer time then any , some say it hath been ever since the time of sylvester , others say from the time of the apostles . the second because it is more general , for there is not almost any country where into this sect hath not crept . the third because all the other procure horrour by their blasphemies against god , this of the lyonists hath a great appearance of piety , in as much as they live uprightly before men , and put their trust in god in all things . sect. . though i will not say that all of this way , were such as were nick-named anabaptists , for possibly it may be made out that some of them were tainted with that errour of the times of baptizing their children , yet there is good reason to conceive that many of them did not . for first bernard , who is reported to have lived about the year . which was . years before the foresaid frier wrote , this bernard in his sermon on cant. pag. . as mr. blackwood in his storming of antichrist pag. . but as quoted by mr. tombs , in his sermon , hath this complaint against this people . they laugh at us , saith he , because we baptize infants , because we pray for the dead , because we require the prayers of saints , &c. by which it appears they held the baptizing of infants ridiculous . sect. . secondly , it may further appear that this people , or at least many among them , were called anabaptists , because when luther and calvin rise up in their times , they bitterly inveigh against the anabaptists , as well as the papists , as their writings do abundantly declare , by which it appears that they in their times found such a people in being as well as papists . and that these were of the same sort of people , of which bernard , and the frier had formerly complained , may well be conceived , inasmuch as the foresaid author du plessis , saith , they were so spread abroad in germany and france ( where luther and calvin had to do ) as that their prints and footsteps are to be discerned throughout the course of all histories , pag. . and that we see their churches out live so many miseries , and even untill these times consist and continue flourishing and largely propagated , pag. . and history also relates , how the anabaptists in germany spread themselves into the netherlands , and as it seems from thence into england . for as mr. fox relates in his acts and monuments , vol. . fol. . in king hen. . time , there were two and twenty dutchmen anabaptists apprehended , and about ten of them put to death , in the year . since which time there hath remained in the low countries or england , or both , of the same race unto this every day . if then this kind of people by adversaries own confession , did continue from the apostles days , and that their prints and footsteps are to be discerned throughout all histories till luther's time , and so downwards , why should any man be tender of being confident , ( especially having those scriptures of mat. . . epk. . , . to back him ) that there hath a successive line of true churches and true gospel administrators , run along throughout all ages , from the apostles times to this day ? sect. . thirdly , though it should be granted ( which yet may not ) that the line of succession both of duly constituted churches , and of all due administrators of gospel ordinances , had been cut off by the prevailings of apostacy in times of popery , yet it would not hence follow that there neither is nor can be now , true churches or right administrators of ordinances , because we have upon the matter , and in substance and effect , the same apostolical power now amongst us , to plant and settle churches , & to administer ordinances , as was injoied in the apostles days . the ground upon which i build this assertion is this , viz. because we have the same instructions and directions from the apostles in their writings , about things of this nature , as they had who lived in the apostles times . for though the beleevers then , were sometimes taught the use of ordinances by word of mouth from the apostles , yet other while they were taught the same , but in the same way as we also now are , that is to say , by their writings , or however , their writings were as authentique this waies as their preachings and instructions were , when they were present ▪ this is plain from thes. . . therefore brethren stand fast , and hold the traditions which ye have been taught , whether by word or our epistle . the word here translated traditions , would surely be better translated ordinances , as it is cor. . . as those that are well skild in greek do inform , and so mr. tindal hath translated it in this place . in this text there are two things chiefly to be observed to our purpose . . that the apostles instructed or taught men about the use of ordinances , as well by their epistles , as by word of mouth . . that men were to use , practice and keep those ordinances they had been taught by the apostles writings , as well as when they had been taught the same by word of mouth : their writings did as well authorise , yea oblige them to hold fast ( to wit in use and practise ) the ordinances they had been taught thereby , as any other way of teaching used by the apostles . sect. . neither did the epistles of the apostles ( if any should make a doubt of this . ( so appropriately belong to those to whom first and immediately they were directed , but that they also were intended for the good of all that call on the name of the lord jesus christ , for so the cor. . . . shews , being directed as well to all those which in every place cal on the name of jesus christ , as unto them . for so the words run : paul called to be an apostle of jesus christ through the will of god , and softhenes our brother , unto the church of god , which is at corinth , to them that are sanctified in christ jesus , called to be saints , with all that in every place call upon the name of our lord jesus christ both theirs and ours . so that if we or any others in any place of the world , call upon the name of jesus christ , this epistle as well belongs to us , as it did unto the corinthians in like cases . besides many of the epistles of the apostles are called general epistles , as being intended indefinitely to all whom they might concern : so the and epistle of peter , epist. john , and the epist. of jude : and the epist. to the churches in asia though immediately directed to them , yet even every one that hath an ear to hear is to hearken what the spirit saith unto the churches , as you have it in the close of every epistle , revel. . . . . . & . . . . seeing then that the apostles writings do as well concern us , as they did those to whose hands they first came , what being written aforetime , being written for our learning as the apostle teaches , to reason , rom. . . and since also these writings of theirs do sufficiently direct men about , and authorise them in the use of gospel ordinances , it thence follows , that we have in substance and effect the same apostolical power among us to direct and warrant us in the use of ordinances in church communion , as those beleevers had who lived in the apostles daies . sect. . and because the knowledge and beleef hereof is of soveraign use to cure that infirmity which troubles many , and keeps them out of the way of jesus christ , and to resolve the main doubt , therefore i shall yet make this further manifest by what follows . i. then since christ jesus is the prophet of the new-testament , as moses was of the old ( as hath been oft-minded ) it will not be amisse to shew , that moses by his writings was a minister to the jews , as well when he was dead , as while he was alive , john . . there is one that accuses you , even moses in whom ye trust , saith christ to the jews , in that the doctrine of moses which they had in writing did accuse them , moses himself is said to accuse them . again ver. , . for had ye beleeved moses , ye would have beleeved me , for he wrote of me , but if ye beleeve not his writings , how shall ye beleeve my words ? where we see . that to beleeve moses , and to beleeve the doctrine of moses in his writings is the same thing . and . that christ held it altogether unlikely , that those that would not beleeve and obey those matters of doctrine whilst commended to them in the writings of moses , should ever beleeve and obey christ himself teaching the same things . and by rule of proportion it holds well , that if those that would not beleeve moses writings , could not beleeve christs words , he speaking and moses writing the same thing , neither would they beleeve and obey the apostles themselves , or men of like qualifications , if they should come again amongst us , who now will not obey those doctrines rules and precepts , which they have left us in writing . and hereto agrees that also luke . . if they heare not moses and the prophets , neither will they be perswaded though one rose from the dead . again john . . . did not moses give you the laws , and yet none of you keepeth the law , ver. . moses therefore gave unto you circumcision , &c. how did moses give them the law and circumcision , when as he was dead many hundreds of years before they were born ? why in that they had the writings of moses , and were as well concerned in what they imported , as those were to whom moses first delivered the law , in that respect moses was said to give them the law , as well as to their fore-fathers . acts . . they are informed of thee , that thou teachest all the jews which are among the gentiles , to forsake moses saying , that they ought not to circumcise their children and to walk after the customes . where likewise we see , that to forsake the doctrine of moses , is to forsake moses and luke . . they are said to have moses and the prophets , when yet they had but their writings ; so that to forsake moses and to forsake his doctrine , and to have moses and the prophets , and to have their doctrine in writing , is in scripture language and account the same thing in effect and substance . and there is altogether the same reason , why to have the ministry of the apostles , and to have their doctrine in writing , to forsake the one , and to forsake the other , should be substantially the same thing . and let every man be sure of this , that if christ jesus at his first comming did interpret mens neglect of moses in his writings , to be an neglect of moses in his ministry , that he likewise at his second comming , will account mens neglect to observe his ordinances and wayes delivered us in the writings of his apostles , to be an neglect of the apostles ministry , yea of christ himself , whose embassadours they are to the world , and to the saints , as well by writing as speaking , as i shall shew further by and by . sect. . . the same thing is true also of the doctrines and writings of the prophets ; for they by their writings are as wel ministers to those under the new testament , as they were to those to whom they in their life time preached under the old , so far as their doctrine concerns men now ▪ pet. . , , . of which salvation the prophets have inquired & searched diligently , who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you — ver. . unto whom it was revealed , that not unto themselve - but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported to you , by them that have preached the gospel unto you where note . that the prophets are said to minister to us who now live under the new testament , the things of the gospel , the same things which those have reported who preached the gospel , and to minister to us , and to be ministers to us of the grace of the gospel , is in effect the same thing . but then . how or by what means are the prophets ministers to us of this grace , but by their writings ? and if they by their writings are ministers unto us , then much more are the apostles ministers to us upon the like account . again eph. . . and are built upon the foundation of the prophets and apostles , &c. if then the doctrine of the prophets transmitted in writing , was as wel the basis and foundation upon which the churches in the apostles times were built , as the doctrine of the apostles themselves , as by this text it clearly appears that it was then by the same rule , the doctrinal writings both of the prophets and apostles , are a sufficient foundation whereon to build churches now in these times . and therefore the apostle saith , rom. . . . that by the scriptures of the prophets , as well as by the preaching of the apostles christ jesus is made known to all nations for the obedience of faith . if then the scriptures of the prophets , be a sufficient ground for men in all nations , in faith to act upon , for so much of the gospel as is revealed in them , as you see by our apostle they are , then without doubt the scriptures of the apostles also are a sufficient ground for men in all nations , in faith to act upon , as touching all those doctrines , ordinances , rules , and precepts of the gospel contained in them , john . . but these are written that ye might beleeve , that jesus is the christ the son of god , and that beleeving ye might have life through his name . sect. . . i shall yet further strengthen my principal assertion touching the presence of an apostolical power now amongst us , directing and authorizing men in the gathering of churches , and administration of ordinances ; i say i shall further confirm this by several considerations , taken from the nature , manner , and extant of the apostolical ministration . sect. . . the apostles were and are apostles to men as well by their writings being absent from them , as by their preachings when present with them . for this , consider first rom. . . . neverthelesse brethren , i have written the more boldly to you in some sort , as putting you in mind , because of the grace that is given me of god , that i should be the minister of jesus christ unto the gentiles ministering the gospel of god . two things would be noted here touching our businesse in hand . . the act of paul , he wrote , and wrote boldly unto these romans . . the reason or ground why he did so write , and that was because by the grace of god he was made the minister of christ to the gentiles , such as they were , to minister to them the gospel of god . by which we gather , that in that he wrote this epistle to them , it was in direct pursuance of his office , as being the minister or apostle of the gentiles , and that he discharged his office and trust towards them , and that they were made partakers of his ministry , even by that epistle which he now wrote to them . which is also further manifest by rom. . . for i speak to you gentiles , in as much as i am the apostle of the gentiles i magnifie mine office . how did he speak to them but by his epistle ? and why , but because he being the apostle of the gentiles , he hereby magnified his office ; that is , laboured to make the most of it , or to improve it to the utmost . and therefore when he wanted opportunity otherwise , he discharged his office of an apostle by writing . if so what else is the consequence , but that men by the apostles writings , are partakers of the apostles ministry . sect. . and it is worth observing , and that which makes this scripture case the more applicable to us , viz. in that when the apostle wrote this epistle to these romans , he had not as yet been personally with them at rome , as may easily be made out , by comparing rom. . , , , . with acts . . together with the precedent history of paul's travels , in the book of the acts . for if paul were an apostle to those that had his mind and doctrine in writing , who otherwise never saw his face , then the apostle is an apostle to us also , who have his writings as well as they then had . to the former scriptures you may adde col. . . compared with chap. . ver. . it should seem that paul had never seen the faces of those colossians to whom he writes . i would ( saith he ) that ye knew what great conflict i have for you , and for them of laodicea , and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh . from which those that write upon this epistle gather , that paul had never seen the face of these colossians when he wrot this epistle to them . which opinion is much confirmed by the , , , . ver. of chap. . where it appears that they came to the knowledge of the gospel by the ministry , not of paul , but of epaphras , who having acquainted paul with the successe of his ministry , paul thereupon takes occasion to write this epistle to them . by the writing of which epistle he acted the part of a minister , or an apostle towards them , as you may see chap. . . whereof i am made a minister according to the dispensation of god , which is given to me for you to fulfill the word of god , or fully to preach the word of god as the marginal reading hath it . where note , that paul had received from god , such a dispensation ( or stewardship as it s rendred by some from the greek ) to them ward , or on their behalf , according to which he was made a minister of the church in general : and this stewardship he discharged towards them by writing , not having opportunity of discha●ging it otherwise . so that still we see that the apostles were ministers and apostles to men by their writings , as well as otherwise . and should the apostles come again personally amongst us , yet doubtlesse they would preach but the same thing for substance , which now we have in their writings , cor. . . let such an one think this ( saith he ) that such as we are in word by letters , when we are absent , such will we be also indeed when we are present . and it must needs be so , because the gospel is but one simple and unchangeable thing , whether preached or written , cor. . . but as god is true , our word toward you , was not yea and nay . sect. . . the ministry of the apostles reaches as far as their doctrine reaches rom. . . . how then shall they call on him in whom they have not beleeved ? and how shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard , and how shall they hear without a preacher ? and how shall they preach except they be sent ? here the apostle makes all mens beleeving the gospel to depend upon the apostles preaching of it ; i say , upon the apostles preaching of it . for when he saies , how can they preach except they be sent , he speaks of those that were first sent to preach the gospel , to wit the apostles , who indeed could never have found out nor have preached such a doctrine to the world , as the gospel is , had they not been sent on this errand , had they not been indued with power from on high wherwith to do it : the apostle denies any such sufficiency to be of themselves , and ascribes it wholly unto god , cor. . . that the sending here spoken of rom. . . is christs sending his apostles to preach the gospel , will further appear , if you compare the effects with their causes , as here set down in order by the apostle . how can they ( saith he ) beleeve in him of whom they have not heard ? that 's a principle in reason , that a man cannot beleeve that , of which he hath never heard . and how shall they hear without a preacher ? here 's another thing as manifest in reason , ( for which cause the apostle makes themselves judges in the case ) a man cannot hear that of which no report hath been given , or of which no declaration hath been made . and how shall they preach except they be sent ? that is how should any man at the first have divulged the gospel and doctrine of salvation ; had he not first been taught it of god , and impowered with knowledge and utterance from him , wherewith to preach it ? which was the apostles case . and that the preaching and sending here spoken of , is the preaching and sending of the apostles , appears yet further by the . verse of the same chap. where having continued his discourse of the hearers and preachers , of which he had spoken three verses before ; ver. . . he here saith of the same preachers , that their sound went into all the earth and their words unto the ends of the world ; which all acknowledge to be spoken of the apostles . if then every mans beleeving depends upon his hearing the gospel , and if his hearing of i● likewise depends upon their declaring or preaching it who first received it from god , viz. the apostles , ( for if they had not declared it , we had never heard it ) then it is a thing out of doubt that every mans beleeving the gospel , doth depend upon the preaching and ministery of the apostles . and if so , then the apostles by their doctrine are preachers to all those that in all places and ages where the gospel comes do beleeve . sect. . which thing viz , that the apostles ministry extends as far as their doctrine , may be further illustrated and confirmed thus . the apostles commission was to preach the gospel to every creature in all the world . mark . . . and the apostle paul whilest he was yet living , affirmed that accordingly it had been preached to every creature under heaven , col. . . but how did twelve apostles think we in their own persons carry the gospel to every man and woman under heaven ? why surely no , that is not lightly imaginable . they indeed first set it on broach in the nations , but there were many others who were instrumental to hand it up and down the world . many of whom the apostle upon that account calls fellow-labourers , fellow-helpers , and fellow-workers , together with them both of men and women , thes. . . phil. . . rom. . . . cor. . . col. . . philem. . . it was indeed the apostles sound that went into all the earth , and they were their words that went to the ends of the world , rom. . . they made the whole world to ring with their doctrine , but yet the beleevers which were also made such by their preaching , helped to carry this sound from one place to another , till it had filled the world . in which work the beleevers at rome had not the least share , they having a greater advantage and opportunity this way then many others , inasmuch as the place of their abode was , in the metropolitan city of the world , where the emperour thereof had his seat and residence , whither and from whence upon that account men had recourse from , and to all parts of the known world , whither the influence of the imperial government did extend , and by that means the same of the faith of the gospel professed at rome , went out into all the world , as the apostle informs us , rom. . . i thank my god through jesus christ for you all , that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world . but whoever were the immediate instruments , the apostles themselves were the original ministers , even to all that beleeved . in which respect all those that have beleeved the gospel , in what place or age of the world soever since the apostles , are all said to beleeve through their word , john . . for when christ saith ( speaking of his apostles ) neither pray i for these alone , but for them also which shall beleeve on me through their word , he plainly implies , that all that ever should thereafter beleeve , should beleeve through their word , unlesse we will suppose that christ did not pray for all beleevers . in which respect likewise i conceive christ promiseth his apostles to be present with them , to wit in their ministry , unto the end of the world mat. . . which also shews , that their ministry in their doctrine , should continue even unto the end of the world . if then the ministry of the apostles be of the same extent with their doctrine , and that the one is as broad and as long as the other , and that whomsoever the one reaches , the other reaches 〈◊〉 , the affirmative whereof i conceive hath been abundantly proved , then the case is clear and out of doubt , that the ministry of the apostles is now amongst us , to direct and authorise in what is to be done in the christian life , in matters of worship , ordinances , and otherwise , as well as it was among those churches which were planted in their days , because we have the same doctrine with us in the scriptures , by authority whereof churches were planted , and ordinances administred in the first times of the gospels publication . and that the different terms , upon which we now have , and the beleevers then had , the same doctrinal instructions and directions , from the apostles , the one by word of mouth , the other by writing , doth not alter the case so as to leave us out of that capacity of injoying gospel ordinances which they were in , i shall now come further to clear in the next head of this discourse , therefore sect. . . the weight , efficacy , authorizing and obliging vertue of the apostles doctrinal instructions about matters of salvation , worship , administration of ordinances and the like , did not depend upon the apostles themselves ; as they were such and such men , but upon the will , pleasure , and grace of god which was indeed made known by them . for which cause the apostles frequently labour to carry mens thoughts and expectations off from themselves , as touching the import , energie , operation and vertue of the things ministred by them , and to charge the same wholly upon god ; that is upon his will and appointment , and the influence of his power and grace , as concurrent with his own appointments , cor. . . so then , neither is he that planteth any thing , neither is he that watereth , but god that giveth the increase . though paul plant and apollo water , yet the effects which the gospel doth produce in men , depend no more upon paul or apollo , then the increase of the seed depends upon the hand of him that plants or waters it , which by the blessing of god is wont to grow and increase by what hand soever planted and watered . again cor. . . but we have this treasure in earthen vessels , that the excellency of the power may be of god , and not of us . where we see likewise , that the excellency of the power of this treasure , did not depend upon the vessels as such ( to wit the persons of the apostles ) in which it was brought but upon the will , grace , and power of god , how weak , or earthen soever the vessels are , in which it is carried unto men , see further for this cor. . . and cor. . , act. . . this being so , it follows that we having the same will of god now made known to us by the writings of the apostles , by which men were directed , authorized and warranted to beleeve be baptized , gather into churches , and to hold communion in all ordinances in the apostles days , that therefore we also are every whit as well authorized and required to repent beleeve , be baptized , unite in church bodies , hold communion in all ordinances of the gospel as they were , for the will of god which is the ground and foundation of all , is the same , whether it be expressed by speaking or writing . and i fear it will be found a slender excuse for men in the great day of reckokoning , to say , that therefore they had not kept his orninances , because he did not deliver his mind about them upon the same terms to all as he had done to some , when as notwithstanding he hath sufficiently enough discovered his mind & will herein . and why should any think either that god will more excuse men in these days from obeying him in his ordinances , then he did in the apostles times , or that men have lesse need now of the help and benefit of all the ordinances of the gospel , then they then had ? sect. . what hath been said already touching the presence of the apostolical ministry among us , and the validity of their writings as being equivolent with their personal speaking , to authorise men in the use and administration of ordinances , may i suppose abundantly satisfie any that are desirous of satisfaction , touching an administrator , and mens power of administring baptism now in these daies ; yet because men might in this kind have good measure , heaped up , pressed down , and running over into their bosoms , i shall speak yet something further to that particular case . the question is , what power any man hath in these days to administer baptism ? the answer is , even the very same that those men had , whom the apostles in their time did put upon this work . and the reason hereof is because the power of appointing men then to administer baptism , was not arbitrary , or in the liberty of the apostles own wills , for they were but instruments and ministers of jesus christ to declare , who and what manner of persons he would have imployed therein ; but it was the will of god ( when known ) whose work it is , that did impower men to administer baptism . this was proved above in section . not onely in relation to this particular administration , but all others also . and the very truth is , the whole power of administration of any of the things of the gospel , not onely by men of a lower rank and degree , but even by the apostles themselves , yea which is more , even by christ himself is charged upon the will of god , cor. . . and cor. . . gal. . , eph. . . col , . . tim. . . john . . and . . heb. . . now look then what manner of persons stand declared in the scriptures of the new testament , as allowed by god in the apostles dayes , as meet for this work of baptizing , the same manner or sort of men , are likewise in the same capacity of doing it now ; for the will of god herein , respects the qualifications of men and not their person . sect. . but now the scripture is expresse , that this work of baptizing , was not restrained or tied to the apostles as such , but might be done , as usually it was by the disciples , cor. . . for christ sent me not to baptize , but to preach the gospel . the meaning is not that christ did not in his commission appoint paul to preach baptism , to presse and perswade men upon their repentance to be baptized ( as peter did , whose commission was the same , acts . . ) for this being one of the beginning doctrines of christ , heb. . , . could not be left out of the commission , mat. . . nor is this the meaning as if christ had not impowered him to baptize when occasion was , for he confesses that he did baptize crispus and gaius , and the houshold of stephanus among these corinthians , ver . . but his meaning is , when he saies christ had not sent him to baptize , that christ had not imposed any such thing upon him , as that he should himself , and with his own hands baptize all those that he converted to the faith , but this was such a work as in which other common disciples might ease paul . so that though paul begot them all to the faith by the gospel , chap. . . and though they were all of them baptized , as appears chap. . . and . . yet as he declares he baptized but few of them himsel● , chap. . . . and it should seem by this of paul and that of peter , acts . . ( who is said to have commanded cornelius , and his , to be baptized that it was an usual thing with apostles to leave the administration of baptism to disciples . christ also who was never backward in any thing that was necessary for him to do , left this work of baptizing to his disciples and followers , john , . jesus made and baptized more disciples then john , though jesus himself baptized not , but his disciples , [ what a disciple is , see jon. . . ] by which it appears to be a work rather belonging to followers then to leaders . and philip at that time when he baptized the eunuch , acts . . was for ought appears but a deacon . ananius also , who it seems baptized paul , is described but as a disciple acts . . and whereas three thousand were baptized , and added unto the church in one day , yea in lesse then a day since it was the third hour , when peter began his sermon , acts . . it s no wise likely , but that many of the hundred and twenty disciples that till then had kept together , were imployed thereabout , otherwise it s not like , so much work could be done in so little time , but by many hands , acts . . if then beleevers or men-disciples as such , are sufficient administrators of water baptism in scripture account , as by what hath been said may appear , then for as much as that through the grace of god , there are many such among us now in these days , no man need to keep out of this gospel way , for want of a fit administrator . sect. . if any shall here object ( as its like there will ) that the apostles did never appoint those to baptize others , who were not first baptized themselves , as those are suspected to have done who first began the practise of baptizing among us , since reformation began . answ. . to this i answer , . i cannot say that the apostles did set any to baptize others , who were not first baptized themselves , neither is it likely they did , there being no such need , seeing there were other enough in that capacity to do it : yet this i may say , though we find baptism pressed on men as a duty , acts . . and . . yet we do not find that they were injoined to be baptized by men so and so qualified , but onely indefinitely to be baptized , by which , we may gather that the care of being baptized , is a matter of greater consequence , then what manner of administrator should do it . john the baptist questionlesse did administer baptism , while he himself was yet unbaptized , for if he were the first instrument of erecting that ordinance , then of necessity he must baptize somebody before he himself could be baptized , which shews , that under some circumstances it is not unlawful for one to be baptized , by one that is himself unbaptized , viz. where it appears to be the will of god that baptism should be received , and yet none willing to administer it , but he who is not baptized . and therefore should we suppose that the line of such administrators of baptism had been cut off , as had been duly baptized themselves , yet in the restitution of this ordinance unto its primitive use and purity , there would be the same necessity for some one to renew this administration who is not baptized , as was at the first to begin it . sect. . nor do i know any reason to make the weight and benefit of baptism received , to depend upon his personal baptism that does administer it , seeing neither is he that planteth any thing , nor he that watereth , but god that giveth the increase , cor. , . besides , though we find men in scripture injoined baptism , yet we do not find them injoined to receive it from such and such hands , as namely from such as are baptized , or else not at all ; but it rather seems to be injoined in this respect as circumcision was , which was indeed injoined to all the males among the jews , but not determinately appointing it to be administred by such or such hands . so that if there be no positure law in this case , there can be no transgression . sect , . . i might bring an argument ad hominem , from the practise of many of those men themselves , who keep off from baptism upon the scruple of an administrator ; for they themselves preach the gospel , which is a greater thing then to baptize , and therefore why should they scruple to baptize , or at least to receive baptism from one who is able to preach the gospel , for he that may do the greater , may do the lesse also . now that it is a greater matter to preach the gospel , then to administer baptism , is most evident by that of the apostle , cor. . . christ sent me not to baptize , but to preach the gospel : meaning that to preach the gospel was more apostolical , then to administer baptism ; the latter might better be done by inferiour hands then the former , as i shewed before . the true tendency therefore of this opinion , that none may receive baptism , because there is none duly qualified to administer it , is to eject and cast all preaching of the gospel out of the world , a● well as baptism , for if there be none qualified to administer baptism which is the lesse , there is none qualified to minister the word , which is the greater . sect. . but because some also are gone so far out of the way , as to think that none may preach the gospel ; except they were so indued with power from on high , as were the apostles , and could speak by immediate revelation of the spirit as they did , i shall here insert one word from the scriptures to prove the contrary . it doth sufficiently appear , that even in the apostles days , whilest yet extraordinary gifts were abroad , men might prophesie , who yet could not speak by any such immediate and infallible revelation of the spirit as the apostles did . therefore the apostle cautions those that prophesied in the church at rome , to prophesie according to the proportion of faith , rom. . that is , either according to the rule of faith , or according to that measure of faith and knowledge , which they had attained in the doctrine of the gospel , which caution were needlesse , if they had prophesied according to the immediate dictates of the spirit , as they did who speak as the spirit gave them utterance ; for then they could not be in danger of erring in their prophecying , because prophesie in this kind , came not at any time by , or according to the will of man , but holy men of god , spake as they were moved by the holy ghost , as the apostle peter hath it , pet. . . yea if any had the spirit of prophesie in this sence , they could not , though they had a desire to speak otherwise then the spirit moved them , as appears in the case of baalam , who said , if balak would give me his house full of silver and gold , i cannot go beyond the commandement of the lord , to do either good or bad of mine own mind ; but what the lord saith , that will i speak , num. . and it is not unlike but that the extraordinary prophets , sometimes spake things by the guidance of the spirit , which they themselves understood not ; i heard , saith daniel , but i understood not , dan. . . see pet. . . . . but these who are directed to prophesie according to the proportion of faith , are to keep within the bounds of their own knowledge , and not undertake to teach others , what they do not well understand themselves . besides the apostle describing the subject matter of those prophecyings , which were used in the churches saith , he that prophecieth speaketh unto men to edification , and exhortation and comfort , cor. . . which to do , were things not peculiar to extraordinary prophets , but common duties among christians , thes. . . wherefore comfort your selves together , and edifie one another , even as also ye do , and exhort one another daily , heb. . . and . . as every man hath received the gift , even so minister the same one to another , as good stewards of the manifold grace of god . pet. . . in which the apostle gives this caution , verse , if any man speak let him speak as the oracles of god , that is , according to , and as becomes the words of god ; of which caution there had been no use as i said before , if none had spoke in a way of prophecying , that is , to edification , exhortation and comfort , but onely such as spake by immediate revelation . and whatever the gift was which timothy received by the putting on of paul's hands , tim. . . or which afterward he received by prophesie , and the laying on of the hands of the presbytery , tim , . . i say what ever other gift it was , it seems it was not a gift of preaching the gospel by immediate revelation of the spirit , because in order to his teaching he is exhorted , to give attendance to reading , tim. . . and is admonished also , to take heed unto his doctrine , verse . and directed to hold fast the form of sound words , which he had heard of paul , tim. . . for all which there had been no place , if what he had taught , had been onely by the immediate dictates of the spirit : for he that speakes by immediate revelation and infallible guidance of the spirit , needs not give attendanc● to reading , in order thereunto , nor is in danger ( unlesse he take heed ) of miscarrying in his doctrine , or of expressing himself in unsound words . nor doth the apostle in his directions about the choice of elders , tim . where he insists at large on the qualifications requisite in such officers , speak one word of those extraordinary gifts . and as the apostle would not have the prophecying then used in the church to be despised , so he would not have ought delivered therein , to be received without examination and tryal , thes. . . . despise not prophecying , prove all things , &c. which shews , that those that did then prophesie , might possibly deliver errour as well as truth , which those who spake onely as the spirit gave them utterance could not do ; but of this onely by the way . i shall now return to add a word more towards their satisfaction who lay so great a stress upon a baptized administrator of baptism , as for the supposed want whereof they are content , that both baptism , and all those other ordinances in church communion which depend thereon , should lie desolate and wast . sect. . . that therefore which i shall say in the last place to such , is , that the want of a baptized administratour , can be no just plea for any among us to keep off from obeying jesus christ in submitting to the ordinance of baptism , because blessed be god , there are many amongst us meet to administer that ordinance , who have been themselves baptized by such as were baptized also . neither is it necessary , nor indeed reasonable , for any man to suspend his submitting to baptism , till he be able to make out by clear proof , not onely that he from whom he is about to receive baptism was baptized , but also that that third person , from whom the second received it , and a fourth from whom the third received it , and so on to john the baptist or the disciples of christ , who first administred the same ; for there would have been no end of scrupling , nor hardly a possibility of satisfaction in this case , no not in the apostles times , and that successive time in which this administration was not corrupted , if such a thing had been necessary . nor can it easily be imagined how the eunuch could have come at satisfaction in this point touching philips meetnesse to administer baptism to him , if such a lineal demonstration had been requisite hereunto . nor can it reasonably be thought that that mans baptism should be the lesse available to him , who in uprightnesse of heart , submits himself thereto , though he should be mistaken about the meetness of the administrator ; for paul doubtlesse would never have rejoiced as he did , that christ was preached , though but in pretence by some , as in truth by others , but that he knew that a benefit would redound even by their preaching of christ to those that with honest hearts received the word from them , their unmeetnesse to minister the gospel otherwise notwithstanding , phil. . . a postscript . in as much as there are too many in these times , who to render waterbaptism unnecessary , do construe most of those scriptures as meant of the baptism of the spirit , which speak of baptism , after the ministry of john the baptist ceased , and who also do interpret those words , cor. . . by one spirit we are all baptized into one body , to be meant of the baptism of the spirit ; and so do take themselves as having the spirit , to be duly incorporated visibly into this one body of christ which is his church , by vertue of their being baptized with the spirit , whether they have ever received water-baptism or no : therefore having this opportunity , i shall here adde a word to convince such from the scripture , of their delusion and mistake herein . in order hereunto , let such know , that for men to receive of the spirit of god , onely unto their own personal regeneration , and sanctification , is one thing , & to be baptized with the spirit , is another . those whom john baptized , at least many of them had received of the spirit to their own personal regeneration and sanctification , mat. . . luke . . and yet they were not then baptized with the holy ghost , but were directed to expect that from him that was to come after john , to wit christ jesus , mat. . . those eleven apostles of christ also , who being assembled together , and christ with them , a little before his ascension , had at that time certainly received , of the spirit to their own regeneration and sanctification , yea and to a good degree for the edification of others also ; and yet at that time they were not baptized with the holy spirit , but they then received a promise from christ that they should be baptized with the spirit not many days thence , acts . . the baptism of the spirit then , properly , is such a being filled with the holy spirit , as by which men are able to speak with other tongues , and to act and do things of like high and extraordinary import . this is evident , first , from the tenor of that saying of the baptist , mat. . . i indeed baptize you with water unto repentance , but he that commeth after me , is mightier then i , whose shooes i am not worthy to bear , he shall baptize you with the holy ghost and with fire . which accordingly was fulfilled to as many of the jews as were professedly the disciples of christ at the day of penticost following the ascention of christ . for speaking of the hundred and twenty disciples which were all with one accord in one place , it s said that there appeared unto them eleven tongues , like as of fire , and it sate upon each of them , and they were all filled with the holy ghost , and began to speak with other tongues as the spirit gave them utterance , acts . . . . . that such a being filled with the holy spirit , was meant by the promise of being baptized with the spirit , appears by the words of christ , acts . . compared with acts . . . . , and acts . . christ commanded the disciples that they should not depart from jerusalem , but wait for the promise of the father , which said he , ye have heard of me : for john truly baptized with water , but ye shall be baptized with the holy ghost , not many daies hence , acts . . . which accordingly they were as we had it before , acts . . . . which yet is more evident in acts . . . where peter rehearsing the effect of his preaching the gospel to cornelius and his company , saith , and as i began to speak the holy ghost fell on them , as on us at the beginning , then remembred i the word of the lord , how that he said , john indeed baptized with water , but ye shall be baptized with the holy ghost . where note , that the falling of the holy ghost upon cornelius and those with him , as on the apostles and disciples on the day of pentecost , causing them to speak with tongues as they did , acts . . this peter deems , to be a like act of grace vouchsaled the gentiles , as was that which christ promised his disciples when he told them that they should be baptized with the holy spirit not many days after . the reason why such a rich measure of the spirit is expressed by this metaphor of being baptized with it , is i conceive because of that analogy which is between this metaphorical baptism , and that which is literal and proper : for as no man is litterally and properly baptized without abundance of water , john . . so much as in which he is buried , col. . . so no man is metaphorically baptized with the spirit , but he that receives ▪ it in great abundance likewise . sufferings also which are another metaphorical baptism , a man is not said to be baptized herewith whilest they be but ordinary and common , but then onely when they are very great and many , such as that he may say concerning them , i am come into deep waters , where the floods overflow me , psal. . . and therefore christ when he speaks of his being baptized in this kind , doth appropriate it to his suffering the sorrows of death , luke . . and not to those lesser degrees of suffering which befell him in the former part of his life . if then to be so filled with the spirit , as by means thereof to be able to speak with other tongues , and the like , be in scripture sence to be baptized with the spirit , and not otherwise ; then those that will needs make a being baptized with the spirit , the condition of the injoyment of gospel priviledges , and the means of mens being made members of that one body of christ which is the church ( cor. . , ) as many now a daies do , on purpose to exclude water-baptism altogether here-from , do not onely thereby exclude themselves , but also all others now living ( so far as known to us ) from all part and fellowship in such gospel priviledges , in as much as neither they nor any other visible to us , are in a scripture account baptized with the spirit . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- note this . note this . note .