The Badges of Christianity, Book 1 · Chapter 1
CHAP. I. Of the agreement and difference betweene the word and Sacraments.
GOD euen from the beginning added vntounto the preaching of the word aGod alway gaue his sacraments to his Church.his Sacramentes in the Church (as the Scripture teacheth) outwardly representing & vifiblie offering to our sight, those things that inwardly hee performeth to vsus: as bGen. 2, 9.the tree oflife, and the tree of the knowledge of good and euill in the Garden. After mans fall, when a new necessity was added, in regard of mans want and weaknesse: he testified his louelove and ratified his Couenant by sacrifices and Ceremonies to our first Parents. He gaue the cGen. 6, 14.Arke to Noah and his sonnes, to confirm them in the promise which he made to them, that they should not be drowned with the rest of the world. He added to Abraham (dGen. 17. 11.) the signe of Circumcision, as a seale (eRom. 4, 11) of the … of faith: and to the Israelites he gaue the Passeouer, Manna, oblations, purifications, the brazen Serpent, the Rock, and such like spirituall tipes, whereby he assured them of the promise, that God for the onelyonly sacrifice of Christ vvrought vponupon the Crosse, would giuegive to all that beleeue forgiuenesse of sinnes and euerlasting life.
Now the world of God may fitly be resembled to writtings and euidences: and the bThe agreemēt between the Word & sacraments.Sacraments to seales, which the Lord alone setteth to his owne letters. They are as a visible Sermon preaching vntounto vsus most liuely the promises of God: that as the vvord we hear doth edifie and instruct the minde by the outward eares, so doth the Sacraments by the eyes & other senses. First then, that we may vnderstand the doctrine and nature os the Sacraments: we are to consider, what the word & Sacraments hauehave in common, and how they agree one with another: then, what they hauehave peculiar and proper each to other, and how they differ one from an other. The agreement betweene them standeth in these points. First, both are ofGod, and instruments which the holy ghost vseth to this end, to make vsus more and more one with Christ, and partakers of saluation: … that God needeth them, or that he is tyed vntounto them (for as he can nourish without meate and drinke, so he can saue without word or Sacraments:) but because we neede them, he vseth them when he will, and as often as it pleaseth him. The same which is published and promised by the word of God, is signified and sealed by the Sacraments. For they are not a deliuering of new promises and articles of faith, but seale vp such as are offered in the word. Secondly, although god vse them as instruments of his grace, yet the especiall working and forcible power of them, is not in them, but dependeth on God alone: so that we must not thinke that whosoeuer partaketh them is partaker of grace, saluation, for giuenesse of sinnes, and euerlasting glorie, but the vertue of them floweth from him onelyonly as from a fountaine. A man may heare the word and receiue the Sacraments al the daies of his life and be neuer the better, except God change the minde, open the heart, enlighten the vnderstanding, clense the conscience, and sanctifie the affections to his glory. Thirdly, as the preaching of the word profiteth nothing, vnlesse it be vnderstood, applyed, and receiued, but (gHeb. 4. 1.) tendeth to iudgement: so the Sacraments, except we bring the hand of faith with vsus, cannot giuegive vsus faith nor grace, but tend to our condemnation. Yet, as the Gospel is alwaies the sauour of life vntounto life of it own nature, and the (hHeb. 4, …) word liuely and of comfortable operation, howsoeuer the vnfaithfull turne it to be the sauour of death vntounto death: So the Sacramentes cease not in themselues to be true Sacraments, although they be administred by vnworthy ministers, and receiued by vnsaithfull people. For mans wickednesse cannot peruert, much lesse euert the nature of Gods ordinance. Lastly, as the best seede springeth not vp and bringeth not fruite so soone as it is sowne, but lieth a time couered in the earth to take rooting: so the fruite reaped by the word, and benifit receiued by the Sacraments presently appeareth not, but groweth and increaseth at the time appointed of God, who will blesse them in his elect, at what season himselfe hath ordained.
Thus we see what the word and Sacraments hauehave in common, both are instruments of the same grace, both hauehave their benifit, blessing, and force depending on God, both require faith to be mingled with them, without which they are vnprofitable, and lastly they profit not by and by at the same moment they are published, administred, heard, or receiued: but God afterward worketh often-times by them in his children to their great comfort, when all fruite to come by them seemed to be buried. The disciples at the first vnderstood no more of Christs resurrection then the vnbeleeuing Iewes, when he sayde, (3) Destroy Ioh. 2, 19this Temple, and I will build it againe in three daies: but they lay it vp in their hearts, and long afterward remember the wordes hee spake vntounto them. So when they saw Christ ryding to Hcirusalem, the multitude spreading their garments in the way, and cutting downe branches (kMat. 21, 8) from the trees, the … moued, and Children crying in the Temple, Hosanna the Sonne of Dauid: they (lIoh. 12, 16 vnderstood none of those thinges at the first: But when Iesus was glorified, then remembred they that these thinges were written of him, and that they had done such thinges vntounto him. If then at the present time of our hearing or receuing, we finde not nor feel the fruit and comfort we desire: let vsus not doubt & dispaire, but waite on God, who in his owne appointed times will make his owne ordinances auaileable to all his seruants. Thus much of the things that are common to the word and Sacraments.
In the next place let vsus see mDifference betvveen the word and sacraments.what they hauehave proper and peculiar, and so differ one from another. First, forasmuch as the Sacraments are appurtenances and dependances to the word, and are applyed to this end to seale vp our communion with Christ, and our fellowship one with another: it appeareth that in men of riper yeares the teaching and hearing of the word preached, and the open confession and profession of faith did go before participation of the Sacraments, as Math. 28. (nMath. 28, 19) Go, teach all Nations, that is, make them disciples of Christ, gaue them to the faith (as the o worde signifieth) and then Baptize them. Thus Phillip Matheteusate.taught the Eunuch before he baptized him, Act. 8. to whom when the Eunuch said, (Acts 8, 36) What letteth me to be baptized? Phillip answered, If thou beleeuest with all thine hart, thou maiest: and he said I beleeue that Iesus Christ is the sonne of God. And act. 10 Can any forbid water (qActs. 10, 47.) that these should not be baptized, which hauehave receiued the holy ghost as wel as we? In deede touching childrens baptizme, there is another especiall respect to be had, of which we shal speake rBooke. 2 Chap. 6, and 7.afterward. But touching others, this is in difference between them, that where as the worde was offered euen to such as were out of the Church not hauing heard of the name of Christ, and none excluded or debarred from the hearing of it, whether beleeuers or (s1. Cor 20, 24) vnbeleeuers, holy, or prophane. 1 Cor. 14. No person being an vnbeleeuer or infidell, was euer admitted to the Sacraments, although he shuld offer himselfe (for that had bin to giuegive (tMat. 7, 6) that which is holy to Dogs, and to cast pearles before Swine) but such onelyonly as were instructed in the faith, & had made publike confession therof as members of the church. An other difference is in the necessity, end, and vse of the one and of the other. The preaching of the word is the ordinarye meanes and instrument of the holy ghost to beget and beginne faith in vsus (except God doe deale extraordinaryly, which of vsus is not to bee looked for) and none hath entrance to Christ but by faith: so that men, if they will be saued, must heare it. But the Sacramentes are of another nature, they cannot ingender faith in vsus: we must bring faith with vsus, least wee partake them vnworthyly, so that hee which beleeueth, and could not come to the Sacramentes, is yet partaker of saluation. Wherefore the necessity of them is not simply and absolutely so great, that without exception a man cannot be saued without them: for it is the contempt, not the want of them that bringeth danger and damnation. Thirdly, it may sometimes fall out, that in a visible Church, the worde preached may bee founde (as an essentiall note of the Church) without the Sacraments, and yet be a true Church of God: so that the worde may bee without the Sacramentes, but the Sacramentes cannot be without the worde, as a writinge may be without a seale, but not the seale without the writing. Set a seale to a blanke, and is it not vaine, voyde, and vnprofitable? Last of all, the Preaching of the word rouseth and affecteth onelye one of the senses, to witte, the eares, wee fee it not, wee touch it not, wee handle it not, onelyonly wee heare the sound thereof: but the Sacramentes are offered to the eyes as wel as to the eares, so that we do euen behold Iesus Christ as it wer crucified before vsus, nay they moue & stir vp the rest of the senses, wherby we may vnderstand what they bring & how they auaile vntounto our faith, making vsus after a sort to handle christ with our hāds, to see him with our eies, to tast him and touch him with our whole body. Wherefore, they do 4How the sacraments are more effectuall then the Word.more seale vp then the word, not that God is more true of his promise when hee worketh by signes, then when he speaketh by his word: but in respect of the manner of teaching and receiuing, because by his Sacraments he representeth his promises as it were painted in a Table, aHorat. lib. de arte poeti. Segnius irritant animos, demissa per aures, quam quae sut oculis subiecta fidelibus, &c.and setteth them forth liuely as in a picture before our eies, that we may not only heare, but see, handle, touch, tast, and euen digest them. Again, the promise of the Gospel is more effectually declared and sealed vp by the Sacraments then by the bare worde, not for the substance and matter it selfe, but for the manner of working, which is heedfull, perfect, and more effectuall: so as that which we perceiue and receiue by many senses as hearing and seeing, is more sure and certaine then that which is … by hearing onelyonly.
Hitherto of the agreements and differences betweene the word & sacraments, and we hauehave shewed that so soon as god gaue his word, immediately he seconded the same with his Sacraments. The vses which wee are to make heereof are Vse. 1.these. First, seeing God contenteth not himselfe with the worde onelyonly, but addeth the Sacraments in all Ages and times of the Church, which proceedeth partly through his owne goodnesse, and partly from mans weakenesse: we ought to be so farre from d…spising the Sacramentes, that contrary-wise vve must confesse the benifit, vse, and worthynesse of them can neuer be sufficiently magnified, and commended, nor they with sufficient reuerence be receiued. We are dull to conceiue his promises and slovv to remember them, we are full of doubting and vnbeleefe: we are like to Thomas (bIohn 20. 25.) one of the disciples, we will not beleeue them vntill in some sort vve see them, and in some measure feele them in our hearts. Wherefore God hath ordained these misteries and holy actions, to keepe in continuall memory his great benifits bestovved vponupon man, to seale vp his promises, and as it were to offer vntounto our sight those things which inwardly he performeth to vsus, and therby by strengtheneth and increaseth our faith through the working of his spirit in our soules. Seing then the word is not sufficient, but the Sacraments were added for further assurance: we must in this behalfe consider the great goodnesse of God toward vsus, who doth not onelyonly giuegive vsus faith by his word as by his sauing instrument, but hath also added to his word, Sacraments or seales of his promise and grace, that by the lawfull vse of them he might vphold and strengthen our faith through his blessed spirit. For in asmuch as the Lord not only sent the blessed seede, for the redemption of mankind, for the remission of our sinnes, and for the brusing of the Serpents head, but ordained for vsus Sacramentes to be pledges of his promises, testimonies of his faithfulnesse, and remedies of our distrust: wee must confesse and thankfullye acknowledge the bottomlesse depth of gods endlesse mercy toward vsus, who vouchsafeth to be our God, to be reconciled to vsus being vile and miserable sinners, to make a league and couenant with dust and ashes, and delyuers his onelyonly sonne to suffer the shamefull death of the Crosse for vsus. And withall we must labour more and more to feele our own blindnesse, distrust, infidelity, and peruerse nature, we would easily forget this mercy of God, vnlesse it had beene continually represented before our eies.
Againe, seeing nothing is offered and giuen in the Sacraments Vse. 2.which is not published in the Gospell, seeing they cannot bee where there is no worde, and seeing the same Christ with all his benifits is propounded in both: it meeteth with a common corruption and lamentable practise among many professors, that desire and craue, especially in sicknesse and extremety, often to come to the Lords table, but esteeme little of the preaching of the word, and that seeme to languish with a longing after the Sacrament, but neuer mourne and lament for want of the word: which is as great an errour and madnesse, as if one should euer looke vponupon the seale of his writings, but neuer regard the conueiance of his estate. Is there not one God, the author of both? Is there not one spirit, that sealeth vp his promises by both? Is Christ diuided; that speaketh euidently vntounto vsus in both? How is it then, that many desire the Sacrament of the Lords supper and seeme to pine away through want therof, who neuer wish or regard the preaching of the Gospell, which is the foode of the soule, the keye of the kingdome, the immortall seede of regeneration, and the high ordinance of God to saue those (cRom. 1, 16 and 10, 14.) that beleeue? And whence proceedeth it, but from palpable ignorance in the matters of God and their owne saluation, to be much troubled that the Sacrament is not brought vntounto them, and yet neuer conet to hauehave a word of comfort spoken to them in due season. Let all such persons vnderstand, that as the minister (dAct. 15, 21 and 19. 4. and 2. 42, 46.) is charged from God to teach eueryevery saboth day, and to preach the word in season and out of season: to deale the bread to the hungry, and to gie vntounto eueryevery one in the family his portion: so is it required of all the people to desire the sincere milke of the word of God that they may grow thereby, which, howsoeuer it be to them that perish, foolishnesse; yet to such as are called (e1 Cor. 1, 24.) it is the wisedome of God and the power of God. Wherefore, we must not make account that there is lesse danger in neglecting the word of God, then in neglecting the Sacrament of his last supper: but we must take heede, that while we willingly desire the one, we doe not willingly despise the other. For we must carefully consider, that as the Sacrament is a visible word, so the word is a speaking Sacrament: and as God lifteth vp his voice vntounto vsus in the one, so he reacheth out his hand vntounto vsus in the other. We must as well heare when he calleth, as receiue when he offereth. Now, by his word preached, he calleth: by his Sacraments administred, he offereth his graces vntounto vsus: and, as wee must hauehave eares for the one, so must we hauehave hands for the other.