A Christian Instruction Containing the Law and the Gospel, Exposition 1 · Dialogue 15
The fiftenth Dialogue is of the ſacramēts of baptiſme, and of the Lords Supper.
Of the Sacraments and of the number of them.
MATHEVV.
Rom. 4. b,SEing that we are come vppon the matter of Sacraments, ſhewe me now for ye firſt, what thou meaneſt by Sacrament.
P.
A viſible ſigne ordeyned of Ieſus Chriſt as a ſeale, to confirme vsus the better in the ſaith of the promiſes, the which god hath made vsus, of our ſaluatiō in him.
M.
How many Sacraments hath he ordeyned?
P.
There are but two which may be called properly by that name, and that may be accoumpted for common Sacramentes, generally of the whole Churche, as the true nature of the Sacramentes of the ſame requireth.
M.
Whiche be theſe two ſacramentes?
P.
That of baptiſme and the ſupper.
M.
For what cauſe did Ieſus Chriſte ordeyne neyther moe nor fewer?
P.
Thou muſt vnderſtande that if Ieſus Chriſt had ordeyned ſo many Sacramēts as we receiue benefits and graces of him, to repreſente the ſame vntounto vsus by them, their number ſhoulde be infinite, and in that ſorte ſhould he engender confuſion in mens vnderſtanding, which are rude and groſſe. And therefore he was contented to ordeyne a ſmall number, by the which it hath pleaſed him to repreſent vntounto vsus his principall benefites, vnderunder the which mē may comprehende and bring all the reſt.
M.
Seing there is ſuche daunger in it as thou haſt ſayde, coulde not he well hauehave comprehended in onelyonly Sacrament that which he hath cōprehended in two?
P.
He could well hauehave done it, if it had ſo pleaſed him. But as he woulde on the one ſide prouide for the rudeneſſe of our vnderſtandings, in ſparing them in that that he would not lode them with great numbers of Sacramentes, euen ſo woulde he ſuccoure our infirmitie by the ſmall nū ber which he hath ordeyned for vsus, to the end that we mought more ſpecially know in two Sacramēts yt which we could not ſo eaſilie & ſo properly cōprehend in one.
Of that vvhichwhich is generall and common to all Sacraments.
M.
SHew me thē which be thoſe diuers benefits and the ſacraments which repreſent them.
P.
For more plaine vnderſtanding of that whiche thou demaundeſt, we hauehave firſt to conſider that whiche is commō and generall to all the Sacraments: and then we will come to that whiche is proper and ſpeciall to eueryevery of them.
M.
What is that then which they hauehave common to them both?
P.
There be chiefly three points.
M.
Which is ye firſt?
P.
It is that God on his part doth declare and teſtifie the good will which he hathe toward his faithfull, & the fauoure which he wil ſhew thē in his ſōne Ieſus Chriſt.
M.
Which is the ſecond?
P.
It is the confeſſion of faith and the homage whiche he alſo requireth of the faithful, by the which they confeſſe and acknowledge him to be theyr God, and Ieſus Chriſt to be theyr true ſauioure & redéemer, by this meane declaring the faith that they hauehave in hys promiſes, as though they made a ſolemne oth to Ieſus Chriſte, as to their king and true Lord and ſauioure.
M.
Which is the thirde?
P.
It is an aduertiſement whiche we hauehave in all the ſacraments of the dutie of Chriſtians, and of the life that they ſhould lead, folowing the profeſſiō which they make when they do receiue thē.
M.
Declare vntounto me nowe by examples all theſe points, and thē ſhew me foorthwith what it is of eueryevery ſacramēte in his particuler, and what eueryevery one of them hath proper and ſpeciall.
P.
For the firſte, ſéeing that all the Sacraments do ſend vsus to Ieſus Chriſte and to his deathe, they are witneſſes and ſeales of the forgiueneſſe of our ſinnes & of the agremēt & cōmuniō which we hauehave with god by Ieſus Chriſt.
M.
They ſerue vsus then as an acquittance of that wherevnto we are bounde at the iudgemente of God, and as a letter of fauoure authoriſed, and well ſigned and ſealed with ye ſeale of ye ſoueraine prince.
P.
It is euen ſo. And as God on his parte dothe aſſure vsus of his pardon and of oure ſaluation, we alſo on our parte doe owe vntounto him that honour, that we hold him true in his promiſſes, and that wée acknowledge him for oure onelyonly God, and Ieſus Chryſt his ſonne for our only ſauiour: and that wée renounce all other gods and idoles, and all falſe religions, and that we will followe none other but his only, ſuche as he hath ſet foorth vntounto vsus in his worde.
Of Baptiſme, and of the ſignification of it.
M.
SEing that all Sacramentes hauehave that in common, declare to me now in ſpeciall what baptiſme is, and what is propre vntounto it, and wherein it differeth from the Supper?
Peter.
Baptiſme is a Sacramente of repentance, in the which GOD dothe aſſure vsus by hys promiſſe of our regeneration, which hath the ſign of the water as his ſeale for the confirmation of the ſame.
Ma.
I doe not here aſke thée what Regeneration is, bycauſe that thou haſt ſufficiētly declared it heretofore: but I doe aſke thée if the Supper be not alſo a Sacrament of repentance, and of our regeneration?
Pe.
Thou haſte here to conſider, that forſomuche as thys benefit of regeneration the which we obtaine by Ieſus Chryſt, is one of the moſt excellente fauours that God ſheweth vsus, it hathe pleaſed Ieſus Chryſte to declare the ſame vntounto vsus by certaine ſignes, and by a ſpeciall Sacramente among others. For hée comprehendeth alſo the benefite of iuſtification and ſanctification, of whiche we hauehave ſufficiently and fully heretofore ſpoken.
Of the agreement and difference that is betwene baptiſme and the ſupper.
M.
ANd what ſayſt thou of the ſupper?
Pet.
Thou canſte not well vnderſtande what the Supper is, if thou doe not firſt know what baptiſme is.
M.
Haſt thou any thing then yet to ſay concerning baptiſme?
P.
For ſo muche as regeneration emporteth renewing of lyfe, as if we were borne again in the houſe of GOD, thou knoweſt well that a man muſt firſt be borne, and then nouriſhed after that hée is borne.
M.
Wilte thou then ſaye that Baptiſme is to vsus a Sacramente of oure newe and ſpirituall birthe, by the whiche we are borne againe children of God in his Church, and that the Supper is to vsus an other Sacrament of the ſpirituall nouriture, whiche is neceſſarie for vsus, to entertayne vsus in this new and ſpirituall lyfe, of the whiche baptiſme is to vsus a ſacrament?
Pet.
Thou haſte herein to note, that God will firſt aſſure vsus, that hée accompteth vsus for hys children, begotten by the incorruptible ſéede of hys woorde, in the vertue of the holy Ghoſt into his Churche, whiche is the eſpouſe of his ſonne Ieſus Chryſte: and therfore hée will witneſſe vntounto vsus by thys Sacramente of Baptiſme that he receyueth vsus into his houſe, and dothe aduowe vsus for his lawfull children, whiche he hath adopted to hym ſelfe in his ſonne Ieſus Chryſte, whiche he will as it were enroll in the booke of his houſholde, as his true children and enheritours.
Of the proprietie of the water of Baptiſme to repreſent the graces of god whiche are communicated vntounto vsus by the ſame.
M.
FOr ſomuche as it is ſo,1. Cor. 5. b Heb. 9. d Apocal. 1. a Eſay. 12. b Ezech. 34. c Zach. 13. a Iohn. 3. a. 7. f 1. Cor. 15. e Ephe. 4. c. Colloſs. 3. b Rom. 6. a what proprietie hath the water to repreſent vntounto vsus all that thou ſayeſt?
P.
It hathe great proprietie.
M.
Whiche is the firſt?
P.
Forſomuch as ye nature of it is to waſh and to clenſe, it is verie proper to repreſente howe we are waſhed and clenſed in the bloud of Ieſus Chryſte, and by the water of lyfe, which is the holy ghoſt wherewith wée are watered and waſhed by the vertue of the ſame: and therfore the holy Ghoſt is often ſignified in the holy Scriptures by water.
M.
Are there yet any other proprieties?
P.
Wée can not vnderſtād our regeneration into a new creature to be made new men, except wée vnderſtād alſo the mortificatiō of our old nature, which is our old Adam, and our old man: And therfore S. Paule ſayth: That by baptiſme we ar dead and buried, & riſen agayn with Ieſus Chryſt.
M.
Is the water propre to ſignifie ye deth & burial of the old mā, & ye reſurrectiō and duplicate page duplicate page renewing of the newe?
P.
The water alone doth not repreſēt vntounto vsus only theſe things, but alſo the maner in the whiche it is adminiſtred in baptiſme.
M.
Howe may that be?
P.
Thou ſéeſt that cōmonly it is poured vponupon him that is baptiſed, in token that our old Adam is drowned and dead in Ieſus Chriſt,Exod. 14. f. g 1. Cor. 10. a as the olde Pharao and the Egyptians were drowned in the redde ſea. And therfore Saint Paul compareth baptiſme to the paſſage thorowe the red ſea.
M.
And what ſignifieth thys that they doe but poure this water vponupon him that is baptized?
P.
The ſame ſignifieth vntounto vsus, howe that of ye death of the olde man the newe riſeth: as if our olde Adam after that he were drowned were riſen againe a newe man, and that all his olde filthines were drowned by the water of grace in the which he was plunged: which is the bloode of Ieſus Chriſte, the true waſher of regeneration.
M.
I doe nowe vnderſtand all this very well: but is there any other proprietie to conſider touching the water?
P.
If we ſhuld make compariſō of all the other properties that it hath with the holy Ghoſt, which it doth figure in Baptiſme, I could giuegive thée manie others, from which I doe abſtaine at this preſent, ſeing that that which I hauehave ſaid, may ſuffice thée for the vnderſtāding of the matter of Baptiſme.
Of the admonition and figure that the faithfull hauehave of a Chriſtian life in Baptiſme.
M.
HAſt thou yet any thing to ſay touching this Sacrament?
P.
I hauehave nowe to ſhewe thée what pattern and example wée hauehave there of a Chriſtian life, and of the dutie of a Chriſtian, and of true repentance, which ought to be in him all the time of his life.
M.
Expound all theſe to me.
P.
Séeing that baptiſme is to vsus ye Sacrament of regeneration of penaunce and of mortification, wée are admoniſhed by the ſame of the perpetuall penance that ought to be in vsus,Tite. 3. b Luk. 3. c Colloſſ. 3. a Rom. 6. d & of the mortification where by we ought to mortifie our earthly mēbers, to the end that wée being dead to ſinne, may liue to God in iuſtice.
Of the Supper, and why Ieſus Chriſte did ordaine two ſignes for the ſame.
M.
Matth 26. c Mark. 14. c Luke. 22. b 1. Cor. 11. c. f.IT ſéemeth to mée nowe that I doe ſufficiently vnderſtand that matter of Baptiſme, and therfore lette vsus procéede to the Supper.
P.
The Supper is a Sacrament in the which Ieſus Chriſt repreſenteth to vsus by the ſigne of breade and wine, howe he hath giuen his bodie and his bloud to the deathe, that hauyng reconciled vsus vntounto God, he moughte bee our ſpirituall nouriture, and mought cō firme vsus in the faith of the promiſſe whiche he had made vntounto vsus.
M.
For what cauſe hathe he repreſented his bodie and bloud by the bread and by the wyne?
P.
To ſignifie vntounto vsus, that euen as breade and wine are giuen to vsus by God for our corporall nouriture, euen ſo the bodye and bloud of Ieſus Chryſte is giuen vntounto vsus for ſpiritual foode.
M.
And for what cauſe did Ieſus Chryſte ordeyne two ſignes in the ſupper, & but one in baptiſm? Mought not the bread or the wine onelyonly hauehave ben ſufficient to repreſent this ſpirituall life, without adding both of them?
P.
As he hath ordeined the ſigne of ye water whiche is very méete to repreſente that whiche in Baptiſme he woulde repreſent vntounto vsus, euen ſo he hath choſen for the Supper thoſe ſignes that were moſt méet to ſignifie that which he wold hauehave ſignifyed in the ſame.
M.
I doubte not at all of that.
P.
And therfore albeit that by one onelyonly ſigne as in Baptiſme he coulde hauehave done all that whiche hath pleaſed him to do by two, yet he woulde giuegive two for the better expreſſing of that whiche it pleaſed him to giuegive.
Of that whiche is ſpeciall in the Supper, wherein it differeth from baptiſme, and howe that all that is verye well repreſented in the bread and the wyne.
M.
DEclare vntounto mée then the properties whiche the breade and wine hauehave agréeable to the things, the whiche they repreſent in the ſupper.
P.
For the firſt, thou muſt note and remember that whiche I hauehave alreadie touched, that the ſupper hathe this proper vntounto it, yt euen as baptiſme is to vsus a teſtimonie of our ſpiritual birth & life, which we obtayn by Ieſus Chriſte, euen ſo is the ſupper a ſacrament and teſtimonie, howe that God wil continue in vsus that benefite whereof baptiſme is to vsus a Sacrament, and will nouriſhe and entertayne vsus in the ſame ſpirituall lyfe, the which he ſignifieth vntounto vsus therin, vntounto the tyme that we hauehave the full enioying in heauen with Ieſus Chryſt.
M.
I thinke than that to be the cauſe why Ieſus Chryſte would ſignifie thoſe things to vsus by the eating and drinking, and by thoſe things which are propre to nouriture.
P.
It is euen ſo: and for ſomuche as man can not lyue by meate only or drinke only, except he hauehave them bothe togither, no more is Ieſus Chryſt contented to ordeyne only the breade, or only the wine, for ſignes of the ſpirituall nouriture, whiche wée hauehave in his Supper, but would ordeine thoſe two, to giuegive vsus to vnderſtande, that euen as he which hathe meate and drinke, hath his whole nouriture, euen ſo the faithefull hauehave in Ieſus Chryſt fully all that whiche is neceſſarie for the ſpiritual lyfe.
M.
Is there yet none other reaſon why Ieſus Chryſt did ordeyn thoſe two ſignes?
M.
Yes, for Ieſus Chriſte hathe alſo by theſe two ſignes better expreſſed, howe that he hath giuen his bodie and his lyfe to the deathe for vsus, thā if he had ordeined but one only, in ſo much as he hath giuen one particuler ſigne to ſignifie his body and an other to ſignifye his bloude.
M.
What further ſignification hath it?
P.
To ſet the better before our eyes, howe that he is in déede dead for vsus,Iohn. 3. b. Rom. 5. a. b. in ſo much as his bloude was ſeparated from his body, and conſequentlye his life, and that he hath ſo loued vsus that he hath not ſpared it for vsus.
How we muſt eate the body and fleshe of Ieſus Chriſt, and drinke his bloud in the Supper.
M.
BVt ſéeing that the breade repreſenteth vntounto vsus in the Supper ye fleſhe and bodie of Ieſus Chriſt, which is there gyuen vsus for meate, and that the wine repreſenteth the bloude which is there gyuen vsus for drink, muſt wée there alſo eate the body of Ieſus Chriſt and drinke hys bloude, in the ſame ſorte as wée eate the breade and drinke the wine which repreſent them vntounto vsus?
P.
If there were none other reaſon, but that which may be gathered of that which I hauehave euē now ſpoken, it mought ſuffice vsus to diſcharge our heads of all ſuch imaginations.
M.
I doe not well vnderſtand yet what thou meaneſt herein.
P.
Seing that Ieſus Chriſte hath ordeyned one ſeuerall ſigne to ſignifie his body, and an other ſeuerall ſigne to ſignifie his bloud, and that it hath pleaſed him ſo to diſcerne them the one from the other, ye better to repreſent to vsus how his bloud was ſeparated from his body for vsus, in ſuch ſorte as his life and ſoule was ſeparated likewiſe, it ſhould alſo followe, that his body muſt be eatē a parte, as we there eate the breade, and there drink the bloud a parte as we there drinke ye wine.
M.
If it were ſo, we ſhoulde not hauehave in the Supper the liuing body of Chriſt, but dead and other thā he is raigning in heauen, where his bloud is not ſeparated frō his body.
P.
Thou ſayeſt truth. But thou haſt yet to note, that if the body and bloud of Ieſus Chriſt were giuen vsus to nouriſh and mainteyne vsus in this corporall life, as is bread and wine, we ſhoulde then alſo eate the body and drinke the bloude of Chriſte corporally, as we doe eate and drinke the corporall breade and wine. But forſomuche as they are giuen vsus for ſpirituall nouriture, we muſt eate and drinke them ſpiritually.
M.
What doeſt thou call to eate and drinke ſpiritually?
Peter.
To ſpeake properly, to eate and drinke is vnderſtoode of the body and of the bodily meate and drinke, but when we ſpeake of ſpirituall thinges, we take thoſe wordes for a figure, by the whiche we declare the ſpirituall thinges by the bodily thinges, bycauſe of the ſimilitude and agremente that they hauehave togither.
M.
Why is that done?
P.
To the ende that by the ſimilitude and compariſon of corporall thinges, we moughte the better vnderſtande the ſpirituall things.
Of the true ſpirituall eating and drinking.
M.
DEclare this to me yet ſomewhat more plainely.
Peter.
Thou mayeſt well vnderſtande that the ſoule and the Spirite do neyther eate nor drinke corporally and materially as dothe the bodye.
Mathevve.
I doe well vnderſtande at the leaſte, that they hauehave neither mouth, nor téeth, nor ſtomackes, nor bellies corporall whereby they may do ye ſame.
P.
And therefore it muſt néeds be that if the ſoule and the ſpirite do eate and drinke, they eate and drinke in an other ſorte than doth the body, the whiche is proper and agreable to their nature.
M.
There is reaſon in that whiche thou ſayeſt.
P.
And on the other ſide thou mayeſt well knowe alſo, that the fleſh of Ieſus Chriſt is neyther eaten nor chawed, neyther is ſwalowed downe into the ſtomacke and bellie, neyther is it digeſted, as is the corporall and materiall meate.
M.
For what cauſe is it then that Ieſus Chriſt hath vſed that manner of ſpéeche, ſaying, he that eateth my fleſh and drinketh my bloud,Iohn. 6. f. hath eternall life?
P.
It is to giuegive vsus the better to vnderſtande the communion and coniunction whiche we hauehave with him, and how that his fleſh and his bloud do the very ſame towarde the ſoule, and alſo toward the body touching the ſpirituall life, being receiued with a true and liuing faith, as do the bread and wine towards ye body touching the bodily life, whē they are bodily eaten & dronken.