The New Covenant, Book 1 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III. That the parts of a Sacrament are partly outward and partly inward.
WE hauehave ſeene what a Sacrament is: now we are to conſider in it two thinges, firſt his parts, then his vſes: for in handling theſe two points, wee ſhall ſee what is the nature of a Sacrament. The parts of a Sacrament are of two ſortes, ſome outward, open, ſenſible, earthly, viſible, and ſignifying: ſome are inward, hidden, ſpirituall, heauenly, inuiſible, and ſignified. For the nature of a Sacrament is partly earthly, and partly heauenly. If wee had beene wholy a ſpirite without body, hee would giuegive vsus his guifts ſpiritually without a bodye: but ſeeing wee are ſoule and bodye, he giueth vsus his Sacraments, that ſo wee may apprehend ſpirituall guifts by ſenſible thinges. The outward part is one thing, and the inward part is another thing: the outward is applyed to the bodye, the inward is applyed to the ſoule and conſcience. This diuiſion and diſtinction of partsaRom. 2▪ 28.29. appeareth plainely in ſundry places of holy Scripture, as Rom. 2. Hee is not a Iew which is one outward, ne…ther is that circumc…ſion which is outward in the fleſh: but he is a Iew which is one within, and the circumciſion is of the heart, in the Spirite, not in the letter: where wee ſee, hee maketh circumciſion to ſtand of two parts, part in the fleſh, and part in the heart, partly in the ſpirite, and partly in the letter. Heereunto commethbCol. 2, 11. that ſaying, Ye are circumciſed with circumciſion made without hands: ſo that there is a circumciſion without, and there is another within by the vertue 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 bloud of our ſauiour Chriſt, which is the hidden and myſticall part of the Sacrament. This appeareth by many examples recorded in Scripture. Simon the ſorcerer, though he were baptized with water, yet his heart was not right in the ſight of God, he remainedcActs 8, 13, 21, 23. in the gall of bitterneſſe and in the bond of iniquity, ſo that albeit hee were baptized, yet he was not regenerated. The Iſraelites were partakers of thed1. Cor. 10, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. outward ſignes, not of the inuiſible grace. They were all baptized vntounto Moyſes in that cloud and in that ſea: they did all eate the ſame ſpirituall meate, they all dranke the ſame ſpirituall drinke, yet with many of them God was not pleaſed. The like may be ſaide of Iudas one of the twelue, he did eate the Paſcall lambe as wel as the reſt of the Apoſtles, but he did not eate Chriſt (who is the lambe vndefiled and without ſpot) as the other did. This is that alſo which Iohn theeMat. 3, 11. Baptiſt teacheth, Indeed I baptize you with water to amendment of life, but hee that commeth after mee is mightier then I, whoſe ſhooes I am not worthy to beare, hee ſhall baptize you with the Holy Ghoſt and with fire: where, as the Baptiſt maketh two baptizers, himſelfe and Chriſt, ſo hee diſtinguiſheth their actions, his owne to waſh with water, and the action of Chriſt to waſh with the Holye Ghoſt. Neither neede wee to ſeeke farre for reaſon, to perſwade any to beleeue this truth, that the nature of a ſacrament, is neither wholy outward or wholy inward, but taketh part of both; ſeeing nothing can bee a ſigne of it ſelfe, but a ſigne is a ſigne of another thing, and ſeeing they are myſteries, they hauehave an hidden meaning and ſpirituall vnderſtanding. If the water in Baptiſme had not grace annexed vntounto it, it could not be a myſtery. We ſee the ſigne, we ſee not the grace which is inuiſible. Now let vsus come to the vſes.
Theſe parts though diſtinguiſhed really one from another, Vſe 1 that the outward parts cannot bee the inward, the earthly cannot be the heauenly, the ſeale can not bee the thing ſealed, the token cannot bee the thing betokened, nor contrariwiſe: (for this were to alter nature and mingle heauen and earth together) yot in reſpect of the proportion betweene the ſigne and the thing ſignified, and of the coniunction of them to the faithfull, which receiue both the one and the other, one part is affirmed of the other. For wee muſt vnderſtand that the Scripture in regard of this vnion, ſpeaketh of the Sacraments two waies, to wit, properly and figuratiuely. Properly, when that which belongeth to the ſigne is giuen to the ſigne, and when the thing ſignified is giuen and applyed to the thing it ſelfe; and thus each part hath his owne, as Circumciſion is callediGen. 17, 11. the ſigne of the Couenant. And the blood of the Lambe is calledkExod. 12, 13 a ſigne: theſe are plaine and proper ſpeeches, and without figure. Againe, when it ſaith,lLu. 21, 19, 20. My body which is giuen for you, my bloud m1 Cor. 5, 7.which is ſhedde for many for remiſsion of ſinnes, we muſt vnderſtand the wordes literally as they lye. Figuratiuely, when the ſigne is giuen to the thing ſignified, and called by the name of it, as Chriſt is calledn1 Cor. 5, 7. the Paſſeouer: & theoIoh. 1, 29. Lambe of God: his fleſh is alſo ſaide to bee meate indeede, and his blood drinke indeede: the holy Spirite is calledpEze. 36, 25. water, or elſe the name of the thing ſignified is giuen to the ſigne, as bread is called theqMat. 26, 28. body of Chriſt, the cup is called the new Teſtament. Theſe ſpeaches muſt bee taken figuratiuely, and vnderſtood by a change of name according to the intention and meaning of the Holy-Ghoſt: ſo that we muſt beware that we doe 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 bee 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 wee muſt conceiue and conſider, that theſe outward & inward parts remaine diſtinct and vnconfounded, and therefore we muſt take heed we take not one for another: we muſt not aſcribe too much to the outward parts, and ſo take them for the inward, which hath beene the occaſion of ſundry errors from time to time. Some attribute too little to the out-ward ſigne, and ſome aſcribe too much: both waies the Sacrament is abuſed and the parts are miſapplyed. Hence ſprang as a ranke weede in the Lords corne, the doctrine of tranſubſtantiation or carnall turning of the ſubſtance of bread into the bodye, whereby the ſigne is ſwallowed vp, & 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 and too little regarded. Others on the other ſide, cleaue too much to the outward ſigne, and reſt in the externall worke, placing holineſſe and remiſsion of ſinnes in the deede done: and thus the thing ſignified is little regarded and wholy aboliſhed,rGen. 41, 4. as the euill fauoured and leane-fleſhed Kine did eate vp the fat & well-fauored: this was Pharaohs dream, and the other is mans deuiſe. For theſe men giuegive all to the outward receiuing, placing holineſſe 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 doe: 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 & blood of Chriſt; which is to make an Idoll of the ſigne, and to flatter themſelues in their euils to their owne deſtruction. For albeit a man hauehave beene baptized and hauehave receiued the Lords Supper, yet if hee liue wickedly and walke after his owne luſts, the Sacraments ſhall auaile and aduantage him nothing at all, but further his condemnation. Vſe 3
Laſtly, hath the Sacrament ſome partes outward and ſome inward, ſome ſeene and ſome not ſeene with bodilye eyes? Then it giueth occaſion, both to parents to teach their children the meaning of theſe myſteries, and to declare vntounto them the ordinances of God, as likewiſe to children and the yonger 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 appearethſExod. 12, 26.27. & chap. 13 14, 15. directly, where the fathers are forewarned to teach their children the hidden myſtery of the Paſſeouer, When your children aske you what ſeruice is this yee keepe? then yee ſhall ſay, It is the ſacrifice of the Lords Paſſeouer, which paſſed ouer the houſes of the children of Iſrael in Egypt, when he ſmote the Egyptians, and preſerued our houſes. So likewiſe Ch. 13, 14. ſpeaking of ſeparating and ſanctifying the firſt borne for the ſeruice of God, hee 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,tIoſh. 4, 6, 7.8, 21, 22, 23. wee ſee when the Lord had parted the waters of Iordan that the people might paſſe, he commanded Ioſhua to ſet vp 12. 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 meant by thoſe ſtones, they ſhould anſwere that the waters of Iordan were cut off before the Arke of the couenant of the Lord. Hee would not onelyonly hauehave themſelues to profite by his wonderfull workes, but to retaine the remembrance of them, he would hauehave their poſterity to know the cauſe & occaſion thereof, and ſo glorifie his name for euer. Heereunto we may fitly ioyneuPſal. 78, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. what the Pſalmiſt ſaith, I will open my mouth in a parable, I will declare high ſentences of olde which wee hauehave heard and knowne, and our fathers hauehave told vsus; 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, cannot forget the workes of God, but keepe his commandements. All theſe things ſerue to this purpoſe, to ſhew that it is a duty and burden laide on the ſhoulders of all parents, to acquaint their children with the workes 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, wee muſt make plaine vntounto them the meaning of that myſtery. Wee muſt ſay vntounto them, My children,aHow to teach our child…en the meaning of the Sacraments. this is a ſigne of the Couenant of Gods mercy to vsus, and our duty to God: it is a myſtery of our ſaluation, and teacheth that beeing in our ſelues vncleane, vnrighteous, vnholy, and ſinfull, our ſoules are waſhed by the blood of Chriſt, euen as the water in baptiſme waſheth our bodyes: wherein the mercy of God is ſo much the more maruailous in our eyes, inſomuch as the Iewes were entred into the couenant by cutting, lancing, and effuſion of bloud in circumciſion.
Againe, before they come to yeares ro receiue the holy Supper of the Lord, we muſt informe them at home, and declare the inſtitution of that Sacrament and the comfortable vſes thereof to them, ſo they may afterward come to this Communion with better warrant of their worke, with greater comfort to themſelues, and with leſſe danger to their ſoules. Wee muſt teach them, that as the bread is broken and the Wine powred 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 ſoules to eternal life by the paſsion of Chriſt our Sauiour, as certainly as our bodies are nouriſhed with the creatures of bread & wine. Notwithſtanding there is a generall defect of this duty in many parents, neither are children ready to inquire & learn at home, neither are parents able to anſwere any thing in theſe matters of God: waywardnes in the one, & worldlines in the other, & ignorance in them both, hath taken away all care and conſcience from them, touching theſe holye and heauenlye myſteries, ſo that neyther the one teacheth, nor the other learneth, neyther the Childe enquireth, nor the father anſwereth.