Abrahams Faith, Part 1 · Chapter 3 · Article 12
The twelfte article, of certaine ſpeciall exerciſes of religion, and markes of the church: that is the Sacraments.
12. A Sacrament is a ſigne and a ſeale ordained of God, to aſſure vsus, of the couenant of merciemercy, which is in Christ Ieſus.
And there be two, Baptiſme and the ſupper of the Lord. The first is a ſigne and a ſeale of our first entrie, into the fellowſhip of God and his church, and of our adoption and regeneration. The ſeconde is a ſigne and a ſeale, of the communion of the bodie and bloud of Christ, continually ſtrengthning vsus and confirming vsus, in all the graces of God vntounto eternall life?
IN handling of this article, if I declare two things, (Firſt that theſe three times of the fathers, of the law & of the goſpel, agree in the deſcription of the nature of a ſacrament: and herein that theſe two: Baptiſme and the Lords ſupper are only for the new Teſtament; and namely, according as they are here deſcribed & no otherwiſe: And ſecondly that herein the church of England agreeth with the holie ſcriptures of all theſe times, as a true obſeruer of Gods woord therein:) I ſhall ſufficiently prooue that the church of England holdeth the moſt auncient, true, and catholike faith. In the firſt there are three things to be ſhewed, the nature, the number, and the ſpecial difference of the ſacraments. In the nature wee ſee what is general and common to all Sacraments: and this is in two points: who made them, and whereof they conſiſt, the firſt is, they are ordained of God, and this is ſo farre off the nature of a ſacrament, that none can be ſo, without God be the author: for who can giuegive man a ſpecial ſigne and ſeale of Gods fauor &c. but God himſelfe? amongſt men he is guilty of treaſon that will make a ſeale of a princes letters patents in the kings name, except he hauehave the ſeale deliuered him by the prince for that purpoſe: So and much more, for ſo much as God is more excellent and honorable, then any prince of the earth, and his will more vnſearchable, and the freedom and glory therof, more hie and heauenlie; no man may or can, ordaine a ſacrament, to aſſure vsus of Gods good will, whereof he hath no warrant or authority from God. For if (as the Apoſtle ſaith) No man doth knowe the things of God, 1. Cor. 2.11.but the ſpirit of God? ſurely much leſſe can any man ordaine a Sacrament which is ſuch a thing, as by it we may be aſſured of Gods free grace and merciemercy in Ieſus Chriſt. Therefore you ſhall find that in all times, the church (ſo long as it was obedient and not idolatrous) neuer aduentured to make a Sacrament: as you may ſee in Abraham, who had ſacrifices and circumciſion, although we may be aſſured, that by the ſpirit of propheſie, he was inſtructed in theſe things, yet ſhall you alſo find that he had anaGen. 15.9. cap. 17.9. expreſſe commandement. So Moſes in all the foure bookes of Exodus, Leuiticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomie, ſheweth plainely, that he ordained, neither paſſouer, nor any ſacrifice, or other ordināce, but by expreſſe commandement of god. So the prophets when they ſhewed any ſigne of Gods good pleaſure, they gaue it by his authoritie and aſſignement, asbCap. 7.18. & 37.22.30. and 38.7. Eſaiah vntounto Ahaz and vntounto Ezekiah,c1. King. 18. Eliah before Ahab &c. And this is Iohns BaptiſmedMath. 3.3. & Ioh. 1.33. by the commandement of God. And for the ſame Baptiſme to be perpetuall in the church, and alſo the Lords ſupper,eLuk. 22.19. 1. Cor. 11.23. Matth. 28.19. euerie one that readeth the new Teſtament, muſt needs be verie negligent, if he do not perceiue, when and where they were commanded of God.
Nowe the ſecond thing in the nature of a Sacrament is whereof they conſiſt, and this all men know to be of an outward thing, which may be ſeene and diſcerned by the ſenſes: and of an heauenly and ſpirituall thing, which cannot be ſeene, but commended to the vnderſtanding. The firſt is called a ſigne, becauſe it is not there to ſerue according to his owne proper nature, but to an other ſpecial vſe appointed of God, that is, to repreſent an other thing which it ſelfe is not: and not onelyonly to be a bare ſigne, but alſo ſuch a ſigne as is a ſeale, which being ſet to a writing doth make it authenticall: ſo this is appointed to aſſure vsus, of the partaking or hauing of the verie thing it ſelfe, which this outwarde ſigne doth ſignifie. The thing ſignified or ſealed is the couenant of merciemercy, which is in Chriſt: which couenant is, that God promiſeth forgiueneſſe of ſinnes, righteouſnes and ſaluation, to all that beleeue in Ieſus Chriſt, as is taught out of the prophet Hieremie, in theaHeb. 10.12.16. Epiſtle to the Hebrewes, and I ſay: In Ieſus Chriſt, not onelyonly becauſe, that (as is taught to the Galathians) The bGal. 3.17.couenant was confirmed of God in reſpect of Christ: but alſo becauſe, that (as is taught in the Epiſtle to the Hebrewes)cHeb. 9.15. by the death of Ieſus Christ, wee receiue the promiſe of eternall inheritance, and ſo the Teſtament our couenant is confirmed, by the death of him that made the Teſtament. And therefore the ſacraments doo ſo repreſent and aſſure vntounto our ſoules, this couenant, as they doo applie vntounto vsus his verie death, his bodie broken, and his bloud ſhed, as the perfect ratifying and eſtabliſhing of the couenant: ſo that in receiuing the Sacraments, wee muſt by faith (as it were) waſh our ſelues with his bloud, and feede vponupon his bodie and bloud, to the ſealing vp of our euerlaſting ſaluation, in the aſſurance of the couenant. And here is to be obſerued, that theſe thinges are to bee vnderſtood diſtinctlie; the ſigne, the thing ſignified, and wherein the power and operation of the Sacrament conſiſteth. The ſigne is not changed into the thing ſignified, neither hath it the nature power or operation of the thing ſignified, but onelyonly repreſenteth, & as a ſeal applieth the thing ſignified: Secondly the thing ſignified is the verie matter of our happines, which is to be in couenant with God, engrafted, cleanſed, nouriſhed and ſtrengthened in Chriſt, vntounto eternall life: but the power commeth of the inſtitution, that as God hath ordained them to be ſignes and ſeales, ſo they are in deed: and the working is of the holy ghoſt, for he by his ſpirit doth make thē effectuall in all beleeuers, for the ſtrengthning of their faith in the holy couenant, and for the liuely applying and fruitfull feeling of the death, & bloudſhedding of Ieſus Chriſt the mediator thereof. And this is to be all and the onelyonly nature of Sacraments, may appeare in all times.
And firſt in Abrahams time, there isaGen. 17. circumciſion which is of the fathers, the ſigne whereof is the cutting of the foreskin of the fleſh, and the ſignification is the couenant of God with Abraham, to bee his God and the God of his ſeede: It is not onelyonly called abVerſ. 11. ſigne of the couenant, but alſocVerſ. 10.13. the couenant: thereby to ſhew that it is not only a bare ſigne or token, but alſo an aſſurance, as a firme ſeale. And ſo Saint Paule interpreteth it ſaying:dRom. 4.11. After he receiued the ſigne of circumciſion as a ſeale &c. Againe, here are three diſtinct things; the ſigne is not turned into the couenant, neither hath it the nature and power nor the operation thereof. For the couenant is in the promiſe, and the ſigne doth repreſent that promiſe, and that promiſe reſpecting Chriſt, is the matter of Abrahams happineſſe, by which hee was made andaEſai. 41.8. called the friend of God. Who before this couenant in his fathers houſe could not but worſhip other Gods, and ſo was an enemie to God and therefore miſerable. And this appeareth as the Apoſtle teacheth, becauſe hebRom. 4.9.10.11. was iuſtified by faith in Chriſt before he was circumciſed, and after receiued the ſigne of circumciſiō, as a ſeale of the righteouſneſſe of the faith, which he had when he was vncircumciſed. Now the power, it had thus to worke as a ſigne and a ſeale, was of Gods inſtitution, who ordained it to be ſuch a ſigne and a ſeale: yet the operation and effect, was onelyonly by the holy Ghoſt, for els all men circumciſed ſhould hauehave beene happie and ſaued: and therefore the Apoſtle teacheth vsus that he is not acCap. 2.28.29. Iew, which is one outward, neither is that circumciſion, which is outwarde in the fleſh, but he is one within, and the circumciſion is of the hart, in the ſpirit not in the letter, teaching thereby, that the outward worke of cutting the fore skin hath no effectuall working, but when God by his ſpirit doeth circumciſe the heart, according to that comfortable ſpeech of Moſes:dDeut. 30.6. The Lord thy God wil circumciſe thine heart, and the heart of thy ſeed, that thou mayeſt louelove the Lord thy God, with all thine heart, and with all thy ſoule, that thou maieſt liue.
Now concerning the time of the law, the moſt memorable ſacrament, is the Paſſeouer, whereof weeExod. 12.11.13. find the like deſcription. For the lambe is ſomtime called a ſigne of the paſſeouer, & ſometime the paſſeouer it ſelfe: to teach that it was both a ſigne and a ſeale. And this hauing his chiefe fulfilling in Chriſt, the Apoſtle callethf… Chriſt our paſſeouer: to ſhew that the ſacrament of the paſſeouer, did concerne the couenant of merciemercy in Chriſt. Now the inſtitution being ſet forth, and in all ſorts explaned by God, as the other ſacrament of circumciſion doth ſhew the diſtinction of the thing ſignified in regarde of the nature power & operatiō, euē as is before ſaid of the other; for if there were difference, the Lord would hauehave mentioned it by ſome word or other. The like teach the prophets of the ſacrifice, as in the pſalmes it is ſaid: that the people make agPſal. 50.5. couenant with God by ſacrifice. Where thou maieſt perceiue the ſolemne acknowledging and auowching of the couenant was by ſacrifice, as an outward ſigne teſtifying the agreement of both parties. And ſo God chargeth the people (in the time of Hieremie the prophet)hHier. 34.18. That they kept not the words of the couenant which they had made before him, when they cut the calfe in twain, & paſſed betweene the parts thereof. So then you ſee that the couenant & the wordes of the couenant is one thing, & the ſacrifice is an other, euen a ſigne: yet not a naked & bare ſigne but alſo a ſeale ratifying the couenant. And therforeiExod. 24.8. Moſes did ſprinkle the bloud of the ſacrifice on the people ſaying: Behold the bloud of the couenant, which the Lord hath made with you: which vſe or power ſo to be, commeth of inſtitution who ordained the ſacrifice to that end. But the operation & effect to be onelyonly of Gods ſpirit appeareth, becauſe that this people, though couenanting by ſacrifice, are found far frō the couenāt, as is plainly declared by the pſalme & place of Ieremy before alleadged, which yet is further opened bykCap. 36.27. Ezech. by whom God ſaith: I wil put my ſpirit within you, and cauſe you to walke in my ſtatutes, and yee ſhall keepe my iudgements and doe them.
And in this maner are the ſacraments deſcribed in the new teſtament: as namely where it is ſaid:a1. Cor. 12.13. By one ſpirit are we al baptiſed into one body, whether we be Iewes or Grecians, whether bond or free, and hauehave beene all made to drinke into one ſpirit. Where this phraſe into one bodie, into one ſpirit, noteth the couenant of grace in Chriſt, that as members of one bodie, ſo are wee vnited in fellowſhip together, with God through Chriſt, by his ſpirite working faith in our hearts. Baptized, noteth the one ſacrament; and drinke, noteth the other, which is the Lords ſupper; a part which is one ſigne, ſet for the whole which are two ſignes, bread and wine, eating and drinking. Now when he ſaith, baptiſed into one bodie: that ſheweth the vſe of baptiſme, is to be a ſeale to confirme the couenant vntounto vsus, and not onelyonly to bee a bare ſigne: and this phraſe, drinke into one ſpirite, doth argue the ſame thing of the Lords ſupper: but making mention of the ſpirit he ſheweth that the effect and operation is of the holy ghoſt. So thē there be ſigns, the thing ſignified, and the power and operation of them both. The ſignes, water waſhing, bread wine, eating and drinking: the thing ſignified, the fellowſhip of the couenant which is in Chriſt. The power is of this: that God ordained this baptiſme and ſupper of the Lord to bee ſignes of ſuch importance, as to ſeale and confirme vntounto vsus the couenant of grace, but the operation is of the ſpirite of God, which maketh vsus really, and in deede partakers of the things promiſed. So that there is no difference in our ſacraments, from the ſacramentes of the olde teſtament, and that you may perceiue it is euen ſo, examine with mee their inſtitution. Firſt Baptiſme is ordained by theſe wordes:bMath. 28.19. Go & teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the father and the ſonne and the holy ghoſt. And againe,cMark. 16.15.16. Go yee into all the world and preach the goſpell to euerie creature, hee that ſhall beleeue and be baptiſed ſhalbe ſaued. Here firſt the couenant is publiſhed by teaching and preaching: then the parties receiue the couenant by beliefe: and laſtly the ſame is confirmed by baptiſme. As in the practiſe may appeare. Peter preacheth Chriſt, the people are pricked in heart, asking what ſhall we do, and he teacheth them by theſe wordes:dAct. 2.22.37.38. Repent and be baptiſed euerie one of you in the name of Ieſus Chriſt for the remiſsion of ſins, and ye ſhall receiue the gift of the holy ghoſt. Where the wordeMetanoéſate. Repent noteth out the chaunge of the mind, not onelyonly vntounto amendment of life, but alſo by turning vntounto God by beliefe, and therefore to declare the ſame, ſometime beliefe is ioyned with it, as where it is ſaid,fMark. 1.15. Repent and beleeue the goſpell, ſo that hereby hee biddeth them ſo to repent and conuert, as by faith they may receiue the couenant of grace in Chriſt: and then adding that they ſhould bee baptiſed in the name of Chriſt for remiſſion of ſinnes, hee teacheth that baptiſme ſhould bee vntounto them an aſſurance of that couenant which contayneth remiſſion of ſinnes, which thing they ſhould perceiue by the gift of the holy ghoſt, accompanying the ſame. Hereupon PhilipgAct. 8.36.37. being demanded of baptiſme by the Eunuch before hee baptized him required the acceptation of the couenant, by theſe wordes: If thou beleeueſt, thou mayeſt? And leaſt wee ſhould thinke any power to bee in this ſacrament, otherwiſe then the inſtitution maketh it to bee a ſigne and a ſeale of the couenant, or that the worke wrought, that is the verie outwarde ſigne, being applyed by the miniſter, when he waſheth or dippeth the perſon baptized, did effect the thing ſignified. Saint Peter dotha1. Pet. 3.21. expound it ſaying; Baptiſme doth ſaue vsus. But howe? Not the putting away of the filth of the fleſh, but in that a good conſcience maketh requeſt vntounto God &c. That is, it is not the outward waſhing or worke of the miniſtrie, but Gods ſpirit working in our hearts faith, with a good conſcience receiuing the couenant, which ſaueth vsus. And in this ſorte alſo ChriſtbLuk. 22.19 1. Cor. 11.23. inſtituteth his ſupper, the holy cōmuniō. Firſt taking bread & after thankſgiuing breaking it he ſaith, this is my bodie and then taking the cup he ſaith: This cup is the new teſtament in my bloud. Then ſecondly, for a commandement to his Church he ſaith, doe this in remembrance of me, &c. where ordaining a ſacrament hee vſeth ſuch phraſes and maner of ſpeech, as God did in the ſame kind in the old teſtament: ſometime calling the ſigne ſignifying by the name of the thing ſignified, as when he ſaith, This is my bodie. And ſometime again, leaſt we might thinke it made a further change, then was of old in the ſacraments, he addeth, Do this in remembrance of me: by the latter making it a ſigne and holy memoriall of Chriſt and his couenant, and by the former making it more then a bare ſigne, euen a ſeale of aſſurance vntounto the faithfull beleeuers, with the ſame termes & order as the ſacraments were ordained and inſtituted in the olde teſtament, as wee hauehave ſeene before in circumciſion, the paſſeouer and the ſacrifices. So then the ſigne, the thing ſignified, and the power and working, ſhould remaine diſtinct in that verie manner and order, as is before declared in Baptiſme and all the other ſacraments.
Now if any man would here preſſe vponupon mee the change of times, that therfore the ſacraments of the new teſtament hauehave more power and vertue in the worke wrought, then they of the old: as though that now ſuch a grace were in the outward action of the miniſter, miniſtring the Sacraments in due forme, as was not in the ſacraments of the old teſtament. I anſwer that this can not be ſhewed by any wordes of the new teſtament. For if they alleadge that baptiſme is intituled, by the verie worke it ſignifyeth: as it is called:cTit. 3.5. The waſhing of the newe birth: and the bread in the Lordes ſupper is thus expreſſed by Chriſt: This is my bodie. Wee may anſwere that ſo and in the ſame ſence, circumciſion is called the couenant, and the lambe the paſſeouer. And as in the old teſtament God openeth his minde, when hee calleth the ſame circumciſion by the name of a ſigne. So here doth the new Teſtament expreſſe the ſame meaning, as where Chriſt is ſaid to ſanctifie & cleanſe his Church,dEpheſ. 5.26. By the waſhing of water through the word. Where the water is not vnderſtoode to doe any thing of it ſelfe, but as it is ioyned to the word as a ſigne and ſeale therof: for Chriſt teacheth directly that it is theaIoh. 15.3. word that cleanſeth vsus. And as I ſhewed before Saint Peter ſaith, It is not the putting away of the filth of the fleſh, (that is, the outwarde waſhing of water) that ſaueth vsus. And againe, Chriſt calling the cup the new teſtament in his bloud, doth alſo to open his mind, adde this, as oft as wee drinke it we ſhould doe it in remembrance of him. And leaſt we ſhould dreame of a further power in our ſacraments, then in them of the old, Saint Paule doth of purpoſe teach the contrarie to the Corinthians, ſhewing that the read ſea and the cloud was vntounto Iſrael that which baptiſme vntounto vsus: ſaying,b1 Cor. 10.1. They were all baptized vntounto Moſes in the cloud and in the ſea. And that Manna and the rock was that vntounto them, which the Lords ſupper is vntounto vsus, ſaying: And did all eate the ſame ſpirituall meate, and did all drinke the ſame ſpirituall drinke, for they dranke of the ſpirituall rock, which followed them, and the rocke was Chriſt. Which may further appeare by his reaſon: notwithſtanding theſe ſacramentes they were ouerthrowne in the wilderneſſe: therefore they were but outward ſignes and ſeales effectuall onelyonly in the beleeuers,Verſ. 6.11. as is expounded, Heb. 4.2. which being compared vntounto vsus by an equall compariſon, when he ſaith, Theſe are enſamples to vsus, &c. And againe, Now all theſe came vntounto them for enſamples, & were written to admoniſh vsus. It muſt needs bee, that he maketh the vertue of the ſacraments of both times equal, ſeeing that giuing the ſame termes to thoſe ſacraments which are giuen vntounto ours: he inferreth that if we doe as they did, wee ſhall hauehave the ſame puniſhment. And it ſoundeth that way that he ſaith a littlecVerſ. 16.17. after, that we by eating of our ſacrament of the Lords ſupper, are partakers of the bodie and blood of Chriſt and all members in one bodie. And that they whichbverſ. 18. eat of their ſacrifice, were alſo partakers of the alter: that is of the good graces of God in Ieſus Chriſt of whom thecHeb. 9. & 9. cap. 13.10.15. alter was a figure. Therefore it cannot be that a greater grace or vertue ſhould bee in the ſacraments of the new Teſtament, aboue the ſacraments of the old. And where as ſome thinke, that in the Lords ſupper the bread is changed into the bodie of Chriſt, and ſo conſequently there ſhould bee a great difference, from the old ſacraments: this may not onelie be ouerthrowne, by this, that Chriſt followeth the ſame order and termes, in inſtituting of theſe which were vſed, in the inſtitution of the other, as is alreadie ſufficiently declared: but alſo becauſe the holie ghoſt by diuers other arguments doth make this moſt apparant, namely that the ſigne remaineth diſtinct from the thing ſignified, and neuer changed into the ſame; Firſt hee ſaith:d1. Cor. 11.26 As often as yee eat this bread and drinke this cup, ye ſhew the Lords death till hee come. Where note, firſt: that in teaching vsus the meaning of this Sacrament, hee telleth vsus that it is a ſhewing of the Lordes death: a great oddes then from being his bodie. For it is one thing to ſhewe his death, and an other thing to make it his bodie: and leaſt it might bee taken, that both might concurre, hee openeth himſelfe ſaying: Till he come, thereby teaching that this is an outward teſtimonie of his death till hee returne from heauen where he now is, for it cannot be ſaid til he come, if he be there in preſence: & yet more fully when he ſaith by eating this bread &c. we ſhewe his death &c. which maketh it manifeſt that this eating and drinking is the Sacramental ſigne and this ſhewing of his death is the ſignification, and the reaſon till he come, that is, becauſe he is abſent in bodie, he hath left this ſacramēt, as a pledge and ſeale of his death till he come againe in his bodie: and therefore he calleth it breadaver. 26.27.28. three times in this place, and that euen then, when it is eating, after the woords (as they ſay) of conſecration. And laſt of all it is to be conſidered, that there is no ground or reaſon, reueiled by God in his woord, that the ſame maner of ſpeech, in the ſame kinde of thing; in the new Teſtament, ſhould differ from the old in ſignification and vſe. Secondly, when he ſaith This cup is the new Testament in my bloud, why may wee not as well take the cup to be changed into his bloud, as to ſay the bread is changed? ſeeing there is no more exception in the one then there is in the other. Thirdly if the heauens muſt containe him (as ſaintbAct. 3.21. Peter ſaith) vntil the time that al things be reſtored, and that no where it is reueiled, that the conſecrating of the bread and wine is accepted, how can there be his bodily preſence? And to conclude, if he ſhall ſo come, as he was ſeene goe into heauen, (as the AngellcAct. 1.11. taught the Apoſtles) and that wee muſtdMath. 24.26.27. not beleeue them which ſay He is in ſecret places, but as Chriſt teacheth, hee ſhall come as the lightning commeth out of the Eaſt, and ſhineth vntounto the Weſt: Then it muſt needs follow, that we cannot conſter or vnderſtand this any otherwiſe: but as the ſacraments of the old Teſtament, ſo our ſacraments of the new Teſtament, are onelyonly ſignes and ſeales of the couenant of merciemercy in Chriſt Ieſus: which the holie ghoſt doth vſe as holy miſteries, to ſtirre vp and quicken and encreaſe all good graces, and the worke of faith in vsus, according to Gods free promiſe in the couenant. Now for the number of ſacraments: That in the new Teſtament, there are and ſhould bee but two Sacraments of the couenant: This will appeare if it be ſhewed that the old teſtamēt did ſhadow out theſe two onelyonly, and that the new Teſtament commands no more. Firſt for Baptiſme; Saint Peter ſaith that thea1. Pe. 3.20.21 Arke of Noe was a figure of our Baptiſme: and Saint PaulebColoſ. 2.11.12. auowcheth that our Baptiſme is come in the roome and place of circumciſion. Secondly touching the Lords ſupper, Chriſt inſtituting it, after he had eat the paſſouer, did thereby declare, that the ſame ſucceeded the paſſouer, and that the paſſouer being fulfilled and finiſhed by his death ſhould giuegive place vntounto his ſupper, or holy communion; which is confirmed by the practiſe of the Apoſtles, who euer after inſtructed the church to receyue this and leaue out that: as in the conſtituting of the ſeueral churches it doth & may appeare. Againe that place 1. Cor. 10.1.2. comparing the cloud, going through the read ſea, the manna and rocke vntounto our two Sacraments; ſheweth plainely, that the equitie of Gods proceeding; which vnderunder the law was figured in theſe two ſacraments, ſhould bee preſerued. Namely one, for the firſt entrie into the couenant, and an other, for the confirmation of the ſame; that although there were many, yet they had no more but the ſubſtance of theſe two, and therefore theſe two were to remaine perpetuall, and be in as great value and vſe vntounto vsus, as if they were manie. And I am fully perſwaded, that no honeſt man, by any learning can shew any place pregnant, either in the olde or new Teſtament, for any other third, or fourth, or more to be ſhadowed out in like maner as theſe two. Now in the new Teſtament, it is apparant that theſe two are cōmāded: by that which is alreadie ſpoken. But that there bee no other, let a man examine whatſoeuer is or may bee pretended, by this diffinition of a Sacrament, and the holy ſcriptures wherein and whereby I hauehave declared and approoued the ſame, hee ſhal find they come ſhort and beſide the marke: for either, they lack a commandemēt from god, or els an outward ſigne, or els are not declared ſignes of the couenant: As for example if any would make penance a Sacrament, he ſhall find that God commanded not penance by ſatisfaction, but onelyonly the ſatiſfaction, which is made alreadie by the bloud of Chriſt, and there is no ſigne appointed by God thereunto, if any other will make orders a ſacrament, he ſhall finde their wants the couenant of merciemercy; for that impoſition of hands in orders is a ſigne of the grace of the miniſterie, and not of the couenant of ſaluation. If ſome other ſhould ſet foorth matrimonie for a ſacrament, there wants a commandement to make it a ſigne: ſecondly it is in no place any otherwiſe, but as (infinite other things) a compariſon, and ſimilitude or metaphore: And ſo it may be truely ſaid of any thing elſe, which is colourablie thruſt vponupon the church, by the name of a ſacrament.
Nowe laſtly the difference betweene Baptiſme and the Lords ſupper in ſealing of the couenant, is that Baptiſme is for the firſt ſanction of the couenant and entring into the church, A ſeale of our adoption & regeneration, this was circumciſion to Abraham and his ſeed: and the cloud and read ſea was this vntounto all Iſrael, who were led by the hand of Moſes. And that Baptiſme might be for the firſt ſanction of the couenant and entring into the church, the Apoſtles wereaMatth. 28. commanded to preach, and to receiue ſuch as beleeued, by Baptiſme into the church: and ſobAct. 2. & 8. & 10. & 13. & 14. &c. they by this marke ſeperated the chriſtians from others, whē they firſt wonne them to the goſpell, as all examples of their practiſe do ſhew, ſo well knowen, as I neede not to reherſe them. But for the other part, you hauehave for regeneration theſe woords:cTit. 3.5. The waſhing of the new birth and the renewing of the holie ghost: and for adoption theſe woords:dGal. 3.26.27. Ye are all the ſonnes of God by faith in Christ Ieſus: for all ye that are baptized into Christ hauehave put on Christ. Where the putting on of Chriſt by Baptiſme being alleaged to ſhew our being Gods ſons by faith, teacheth that Baptiſme is a ſeale of our adoption. And for this alſo, Baptiſme is but once miniſtred; becauſe we once enter into the church, and are but once borne againe and adopted to be Gods children. Then as for the Lords ſupper, that it is a ſeale of our communion in the couenant, theſe words directly shew:e1. Cor. 10.16.17. The cup of bleſsing which we bleſſe, is it not the communion of the bloud of Christ? the bread which we break is not the cōmunion of the body of Chriſt? for we that are many ar one bread & one body, becauſe we al are partakers of one bred: where it is called communion &c. becauſe by this ſacrament, we are confirmed in the participation of Chriſt, as by a true ſeale of the couenant, and aſſured to be of his myſticall bodie: As touching the continual ſtrength we hauehave hereby; the often receauing doth notifie the ſame, and the kindnes of creatures, the maner of applying and the nature of working. For we being dailie ſubiect to ſinne and weakenes, are here on, as on a banket to feede for our dailie inward ſtrengthning, and bread and wine familiarly ſhew vsus, that Chriſt is the bread from heauen, and his bloud is the ioyfull wine to glad mans hart; which when Chriſt biddeth vsus to vſe in remembrance of him, what is it elſe, but that, by the taking, eating, & drinking of theſe things for ſuch an end, we ſhould ſtirre vp our harts, in the aſſurance of the forgiuenes of ſinnes, and of the continuall grace and merciemercy of God,1. Cor. 11. which Paul confirmeth when he ſaith, we ſhew the Lords death &c. For by it we are confirmed, ſo that we thereby profeſſe before all the world,1. Cor. 10. that ſo we beleeue and are aſſured that our ſauiour will come againe to receiue vsus into glorie. And in that it is called (as before) a communion with Chriſt, what other woorking can it hauehave,1. Cor. 12. but to ſtrengthen our faith, and to encreaſe in vsus, euerie good gift by the ſpirit. And hereof the Apoſtle ſaith: we are made to drinke into one ſpirit: as if he ſhould ſay, as we drink wine to cheriſh our fleſhie hart; ſo here we hauehave a ſpirituall drinking of Chriſts blood, to cheriſh our ſoules vntounto eternal life.
Thus you ſee the ſweet conſent of the old & new Teſtament touching the holie Sacraments; what they are in nature, how many ought to be vnderunder the goſpell, and how theſe two differ in their ſpecial and particuler vſe. The confeſſion of the church of England is altogether ſo, and of the ſame conſent. For as touching the nature of a Sacrament we ſay the ſame in ſubſtance of truth: a Sacraments ordained of Christ are not onelyonly badges and tokens of Christian mens profeſsion: but rather they be certaine ſure witneſſes and effectuall ſignes of grace, and Gods good will towards vsus, by the which he doth worke inuiſibly in vsus, and doth not onelyonly quicken, but alſo ſtrengthen and confirme our faith in him: and againe,bArticl. 25. of the ſacramēts. bApolog. part. 2.10. diuiſ. 1.Wee allow the Sacraments of the Church, that is to ſay, certaine holie ſignes and ceremonies which Christ would we ſhould vſe that by them hee might ſet before our eies, the miſteries of our ſaluation, and might more ſtrongly confirme the faith, which wee hauehave in his blood, and might ſeale his grace in our hartes, and in the ſame places there are no more but two ſacraments acknowledged which properly ought to be called by that name, and as touching the ſpeciall difference. Firſt we ſay of Baptiſme:aArticl. 27. that It is a ſigne and a ſeale of our new birth, whereby as by an inſtrument they that receaue Baptiſme, are grafted into the church, the promiſes of forgiuenes of ſinnes, and our adoption to be the ſonnes of God, by the holie ghost are viſibly ſigned and ſealed &c. and of the Lords ſupper we ſay:bArticl. 28. The ſupper of the Lord, is not only a ſigne of the louelove that Chriſtians ought to hauehave among themſelues: but rather it is a Sacrament of our redemption: Inſomuch that to ſuch as rightly, woorthely and with faith receaue the ſame, the bread which wee breake, is a communion of the bodie of Christ, and likewiſe the cup of bleſsing is a communion of the blood of Chriſt. If all theſe things be compared together with the Scriptures, you ſhall ſee, that they doo verie fitly agree: ſo that in the doctrine of the Sacraments, we are of the auncient faith of Gods elect, and of the holie vniuerſall church.