The Lambs Spouse, Appendix
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 eueryevery 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 louelove 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 merciemercy. 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 vntounto vsus the graces and benefits that …lowe thence. Gen. 17. 11. Rom. 4.
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 vntounto vsus. 1 Cor. 10. 16. Rom. 6. 3. Gal. 3. 2. 6.
Secondly to distinguish vsus from all Infidells and Atheists whatsoeuer.
Thirdly to preserue the remembrance and memory of Christ his benefits. Exod. 12. 14. Luk. 22. ver. 19.
Lastly to bind & vnite vsus 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 hauehave 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 40. yeares, but were not therefore condemned, & the theife vponupon the Crosse was saued, albeit neuer baptized Luke. 23. Lastly damnation is denounced to the vnbeleeuer and impenitent person, and not to hauehave 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 vsus faith is all in all Heb. 4 ver. 2.
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. 12. 11. 1. Cor. 5. 7. Math. 26. 28. 1. Cor. 11. 24.
Ans. They are often times thus named, onelyonly 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. 8. Corn. Act. 10. ve. 2. 3. and 44. 45. 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. 7. ver. 11. & 12. Rom. 4. 11.
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, 1. Pe. 3. 3. & 20. Such like Sacraments were the baptisme of the cloud & of the sea 1. Cor. 10. 1. 2. likewise the eating of Manna & the drinking of the water flowing out of the rocke, ibid vers. 3. and 4.
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. OnelyOnly 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. 13. 8. Collo. 2. ver. 11. 1. Cor. 5. 11.
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 onelyonly vntounto the comming of the Messias, but the Sacraments of the new Testament are common both to Iewes, Gentiles & doe continue vntounto 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. 4. 11. Math. 28. 19.
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. 16, 15. 1 Cor. 1. 16, 1 & 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 4. Lastly circumsition was but once administred & therefore baptisme in like manner.
Qu. What is the outward signe or element in Baptisme?
Answ. Water onelyonly, 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 3, 5. Rom. 3. verse 25.
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. 28, 29.
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 vsus.
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 vntounto 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 vntounto vsus, 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 vsus.
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 vntounto vntounto vsus 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 vntounto me the order, analogie and proportion betweene the signes and the thing signified?
An. Thus it appeareth, as the bread and wine hauehave 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 vntounto 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▪ 1. Cor. 1. 26. 27. 28.
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 sacramē tal 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 vntounto 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 vntounto it as vntounto 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 vponupon 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 vponupon 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. 7, verse 55.
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 hauehave 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. 8. 1. Ioh. 10. 27▪ 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 vntounto 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. 1. Cor. 11. 26.
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 hauehave a care and resolution to do those things that please God, Math 3. 17.
Lastly in charity, whether hee louelove good men, and wis… well euen to his enimies, and seeke daily to reconcile himselfe vntounto his neighbour, whom he hath wronged or offended. Mat. 5. 25.
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, 1. Corinth. 11. 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 giuegive 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 louelove his children and seruants.
FINIS. Deo Tri-vno laus & gloria. Si Christum bene scis satis est si caetera nescis.
End of the text · Thomas Draxe, The Lambs Spouse (1608)