The New Covenant, Book 1 · Chapter 15
CHAP. XV. Of the third vſe of a Sacrament.
THus much of the ſecond vſe: the third vſe of the Sacraments,aThe third vſe of a Sacrament is to be a marke & badge of our profeſsion. is to bee badges and markes of our Chriſtian profeſsion, that thereby one of vsus 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 wee ſerue, to what houſe we belong, is and to what people and, Church: we are thereby gathered into one religion, and diſtinguiſhed from other ſects:bAuguſt cont. Fauſt. lib. 19. cap. 11. we are gathered into one Church, and knit together in one, as Ephe. 2. Remember that ye that ye being in times paſt Gentiles in the fleſh,cEphe. 2, 11, 12, 13. and called vncircumciſion of thom which are called 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,d1 Sam. 17, 36. and the name of vncircumciſed was reprochfull, they were accounted vncleane and vnholy perſon, for the vncircumciſed males were to beeeGen. 17.14. cut off from the number of the people of God. So by baptiſme we are ſeparated from all other religions, and are conſecrated only to Chriſtian religion: and ſuch as continue vnbaptiſed 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 & cognizance by which they ſhould be knowne: ſuch as are Atheiſts, Infidels, Sarazens, Turkes, Perſians, Moores, Iewes, and other nations that want this marke to be diſcerned to belong to the family of Chriſt. Chriſt Ieſus ſending out his Apoſtles, bad them teach and baptiſe the Gentiles,fMat. 28, 19. Mar. 16, 16. Acts 2, 39, 41.42. to whom he directed them: therfore where the word and Sacraments are, there is a Church and Congregation of the people of God. And Mar. 16, 16. He that beleeueth and is baptiſed ſhalbe ſaued. And heereunto commeth that ſaying, Acts 2. 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 baptiſed: and they continued in the Apoſtles doctrine, and fellowſhip, and breaking of bread, and prayers, and the ſame day there was added to the Church three thouſand ſoules. Thus we ſee that by the Sacraments as by certaine bands and chaines, God knitteth and bindeth his people to himſelfe, and keepeth them in his couenant, leaſt they ſhould part aſunder and fall away to infidelity. And the people are warned, that by theſe outward ſignes they differ from the barbarous ſauages, and vnbeleeuing Gentiles, and conſequently ſhould indeuour & prouide that they likewiſe differ from them in thoſe things that are ſignified by thoſe ſignes.
This offereth to our conſiderations very good vſes. Vſe 1 Firſt, hereby we are put in minde of our dignity & excellency. Such is our priuiledge & prerogatiue that we doe beare the badges of Chriſt our Lord. How doe men in this world deſire to weare the cloth and ſhroud themſelues vnderunder 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 vnderunder his wings and to be his Diſciples, whoſe ſeruice is perfectg1. Cor. 7.22. Iohn 8,, 6. freedome and protection from all euils? and whoſe badges are inſtruments of his ſauing graces? If this be the glory of the faithfull, let vsus ſeeke to maintaine our dignity and freedome,hIoh. 3, 1, 2. Ioh. 1, 12.13. according as Ioh teacheth, Behold what louelove the Father hath giuen to vsus, that wee ſhould bee called the Sonnes of God: for this cauſe the world knoweth you not, becauſe it knoweth not him. And againe in his Goſpell, As many as receiued Chriſt, to them hee gaue prerogatiue to bee Sonnes of God, euen to them that beleeue in his name, which are borne not of bloud, nor of the fleſh, nor of the will 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 dye to iudgement and condemnation. What can bee more fearefull? what can be more wretched?
Vſe 2 Secondly, if we weare the cloth and badge of Chriſt, then we muſt be bold in the faith, and holde out our profeſsion, notwithſtanding dangers and feare of death. For we ſerue one that is able to beare vsus out. We ſee how men belonging to thoſe that are of high place, are many times imboldened thereby in leud practiſes: How much more ought we that hauehave learned Chriſt, to be encouraged in the faith, and not to ſhrinke backe for feare of offence? This was the commendation of the Church of Pergamus, Reuel. 2, 13. I know thy workes, and where thou dwellest, euen where Sathans throne is, and thou keepest my name, & haſt not denyed my faith, euen in thoſe dayes when Ant pas my faithfull Martyr was ſla…ne among you, where Sathan dwelleth. So Chriſt our Sauiour taught his Diſciples, Math. 10.32.33. Whoſoeuer ſhall confeſſe me before men, him will I confeſſe alſo before my Father which is in heauen: But whoſoeuer ſhall deny me before men, him will I alſo deny 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 too forward for feare of after reckonings, nor any way countenance ſuch as be forward. Theſe men, while they ſuppoſe to keepe their religion to themſelues, do indeede proclaime openly that they are of no religion. For if they did truely beleeue in their hearts, they would likewiſe confeſſe with their tongues, according to the ſaying of thelRom. 10, 9, 10. Apoſtle, If thou ſhalt confeſſe with thy mouth the Lord Ieſus, and ſhalt beleeue in thine heart that God raiſed him from the dead, thou ſhalt be ſaued: for with the heart man beleeueth vntounto righteouſneſſe, and with the mouth man confeſſeth vntounto ſaluation. AndmIam. 2, 18. the Apoſtle Iames teacheth vsus to try faith by workes, as gold by the touchſtone, and the tree by his fruites, Chap. 2. Shew me thy faith by thy workes, and I will ſhew thee my fa…th by my workes. So then, let vsus not be aſhamed of thenRom. 1, 16. Goſpel of Chriſt, Which is the power of God to ſaluation to eueryevery one that beleeueth, and not ſhrinke for trouble, as falſe cloth in the wetting, and a deceitfull bow in bending, leaſt our Maiſter be aſhamed of vsus before his Father and the holy Angels.
Thirdly, if the Sacraments be as badges to ſhew forth Vſe 3 our profeſsion: then it condemneth thoſe that ſpeake euill of men as too preciſe too nice, too pure for their profeſsion, becauſe they runne not into the ſame exceſſe of ryot with others. Theſe are not too preciſe, but ſuch as ſcoffe at all 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 Newters bee odious to God,oReuel. 3.15.16. as it is ſaid to the Church of the Laodiceans, I know thy workes, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wereſt cold or hot: therefore becauſe thou art lukewarme, and neither cold nor hot, it ſhall come to paſſe, that I ſhall ſpew thee out of my mouth. Wherefore, let vsus not bee diſcouraged in wel-doing, but walking through good report and euill report, let vsus remember that as Chriſt is our Lord and Maiſter, ſo our profeſsion and the Sacraments are our badges.
Vſe 4 Laſtly, we ſee what our eſtate and condition is, that we are not our owne, but are ſubiect to Chriſt to ſerue him. For do we beare his badge? Then he is our maiſter. If hee be our MaiſterMa…. 1, 6. where is the feare and reuerence due vntounto him? Is it not meete wee ſhould ſhew our ſelues thankefull for ſo great mercies and guifts? Were it not intollerable vnthankfulneſſe and vnſufferable pride, for any man to weare the cognizance of another, and yet to ſcorne his ſeruice, and deny him duty? Might not one worthily checke and controule him as Chriſt did the Iewes, who vnwillingly paide ſuch taxes and tributes as were laid vponupon them? He called for a penny,qMat. 22, 19.20, 21. and ſaid vntounto them? Whoſe image and ſuperſcription is this? They ſaid vntounto him, Caeſars. He anſwered, GiueGive therefore to Caeſar the things that are Caeſars, and giuegive to God the things that are Gods. So likewiſe might one ſay fitly, Whoſe badge weareſt thou? whoſe Armes beareſt thou on thy ſleeue? Doth not this put thee in minde of thy ſtate and condition, and of the ſeruice and honour thou oweſt thy Maiſter? In like manner may it be ſaid to vsus, Whoſe badge beareſt thou? Is it not Chriſts? we are not therefore our owne men, as the Apoſtle reaſoneth and concludeth, 1 Cor. 6, 19, 20. Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy-Ghoſt, which is in you, whom ye hauehave of God? and ye are not your owne. For you are bought with a pr…ce, therefore glorifie God in your body and in your ſpirite, for they are Gods. So many therefore as come without knowledge and true repentance, breake 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, ther is required the knowledge of God in three perſons, eſpecially of the perſon of Chriſt, perfect God and perfect man, and of his three offices to ſaue his people: to be their Prieſt, perfectly by ſacrifice to reconcile and iuſtifie them: to be their king, by the gouernment of his Church, to kill ſinne in them and to ſanctifie them; to be their teacher, to inſtruct them in the will of his heauenly Father. After theſe is required true faith, and earneſt repentance, otherwiſe we cannot receiuerWithout faith and repentance we cannot receiue Chriſt. 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 and rotting in his ſinne do come to the Sacraments, certainely they do not giuegive him life and worthineſſe,ſ1 Cor. 11, 27, 29. but ſuch a one doth lade himſelfe with a greater burden of ſin and puniſhment, as 1 Cor. 11. Whoſoeuer ſhall eate this bread and drinke the cup of the Lord vnworthily, ſhall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord, he eateth and drinketh his owne iudgment, becauſe he diſcerneth not the Lords body.