The Badges of Christianity, Book 1 · Chapter 15
Chap. 15. Of the third vse of a Sacrament.
THus much of the second vse: the third vse of the Sacraments, aThe thirde vse of a sacrament is to be a marke and badge of our profession.is to be badges and markes of our Christian profession, that therby 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 weserue, to what house we belong, 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 Eph. 2. Remember that ye being in times past Gentiles in the flesh, cEph. 2. 11. 12. 14.and called vncircumcision of them which are caled 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. 19. 36.and the name of vncircumcifed was reprochfull, they were accounted vncleane & vnholy persons, for the vncircum cised males wer to be eGen. 17. 14.cut off from the number of the people of god. So by baptisme we are seperated from all other religions, and are consecrated only to christian religion: and such as continue vnbapti sed 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 and cognizance by which they shoulde be known: such as are Athiests, Infidels, Sarazens, Turkes, Persians, Moores, Iewes, and other nations that want this mark to be discerned to belong to the family of christ. Christ Iesus sending out his Apostles bad them teach and baptize the Gentiles, fMath. 28. 19 Mar. 16. 16. Act. 2. 39 41. 42.to whom he directed them: therefore where the word and Sacraments are, there is a church and congregation of the people of god. And he that beleeueth and is baptized shallbe saued. And hereunto commeth that saying 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 baptized: and they continued in the Apostles doctrin, and fellowship, and breaking of bread, and prayers, and the same day there was added to the Church three thou sand soules. Thus we see that by the sacraments as by certaine bandes and chains, God knitteth and bindeth his people to himselfe, and keepeth them in his couenant, least they shold fall away to infidelity. And the people are warned, that by these outward signes they differ from the barbarous and vnbeleeuing gentiles, and consequently should indeuour and prouide that they likewise differ from them in those thinges that are signified by those signes.
This osfereth to our considerations very good vses. First, Vse. 1.heereby we are put in mind of our dignity and excellencie. Such is our priuiledge and prerogatiue, that we do bear the badges of christ our Lord. How do men in this world desire to weare the cloath 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 perfect g1. Cor. 7. 22, Ioh. 8. 36.freedome and protection from all euils? and whose badges are instrumentes of his sauing graces? If this be the glory of the faithfull, let vsus seeke to maintain our dignity and freedom, hIoh. 3, 1. 2. Ioh. 1. 12, 13according as Iohn teacheth, Beholde what louelove the father hath giuen to vsus, that we shoulde be called the sonnes of god, for this cause the world knoweth you not, because it knoweth not him. And againe in his gospell, As manie as receiued Christ, to them he gaue prerogatiue to be sonnes of God, euen to them that beleeue in his name, which are borne not of blood, nor of the flesh, nor of the wil 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 die to iudgement and condemnation. What can be more fearfull? what can be more wretched?
Secondly, if we weare the cloath and badge of Christ, then Vse. 2.we must be bold in the faith, and holde out our profession notwithstanding dangers and fear 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 imboldned ther by in lewd practises: How much more ought we that hauehave learned christ, to be incoraged in the faith, and not to shrink back for fear of offence? This was the commendation of the church of iReu. 2, 13,Pergamus. I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, euen where Satans throne is and thou keepest my name, and hast not denied my faith, euen in those daies, when Antipas my faithful martir was slaine among you, where Satan dwelleth. So Christ our sauiour kMath 10. 32, 33.taught his disciples. Whosoeuer shal confesse me before men, him … I confesse also before my father which is in heauen: But who soeuer shal deny me before men, him wil I also denie 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 to forward for feare of after reckonings, nor any way countenance such as be forward. These men, while they suppose to keep their religion to themselues, do indeed proclaime openly that they are of no religion. For if they did truly beleeue in their harts, they would likewise confesse with their tongues, according to the saying of the lRom 10. 9. 10.Apostle, If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the lord Iesus, & shalt beleeue in thine hart that god him raised from the dead, thou shalt be saued: for with the hart man beleeueth vntounto righteousnes, and with the mouth man confesseth vntounto saluation. And mIam 2. 18.the Apostle Iames teacheth vsus to trye faith by workes, as gold by the touchstone, Chap, 2. Shew me thy faith by thy works, and I wil snew thee my faith by my works. So then, let vsus not be ashamed of the nRom. 1, 16.Gospell of Christ, Which is the power of God to saluation to euerie one that beleeueth, and not shrink for troble as deceitfull cloath in the wetting, least our maister be ashamed of vsus before his father and the holy Angels.
Th'rdly, if the Sacraments be as badges to shew foorth our profession: then it condemneth those that speake euill Vse. 3.of men as too precise, too nise, too pure for, their profession, because they run not into the same excesse of ryot with others. These are not too precise but such as scoffe at al 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 Newtets be odious to God, oReuel. 3. 15 16.as it is said to the Church of the Laodiceans, I knowe thy workes, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I woulde thou werest colde or hotte: therefore because thou art Luke warme and neither colde nor hot, it shall come to passe; that I shall spew thee out of my mouth. Wherefore, let vsus not be discouraged in wel-doing, but walking through good report and euill report, let vsus remember that as christ is our Lord and master, so our profession and the sacraments are our badges.
Lastly, we see what our estate and condition is, that we vse. 4.are not our owne, but are subiect to Christ to serue him. For we do beare his badge? then he is our maister. If he bee our Maister, pMat. 1 6.where is the feare and reuerence due vntounto him? Is it not meet we shoulde shewe our selues thankefull for so great mercies and gifts? Were it not intollerable vnthankefulnes and vnsufferable pride, for any man to wear the cognizance of another, and yet to scorne his seruice, and deny him duty? Might not one worthily check and controul him as Christ did the …, who vnwillingly paid such taxes and tributes as were laid vponupon them? Hee called for a penny, qMat. 22. 19. 20. 21.& said unto them, Whose image and superscription is this? They said vntounto him, Caesars. He ansuered, GiueGive therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesars, and giuegive to God the thinges that are Gods. So likewise might one say fitly, whose badge wearest thou? whose Armes bearest thou on thysleeue? Doth not this put thee in mind of thy state and condition, and of the seruice and honor thou owest thy Maister? In like manner may it be said to vsus, whose badge bearest thou? Is it not Christes? we are not therefore our owne men, r1. Cor 6. 19. 20.as the Apostle reasoneth and concludeth, 1. Cor. 6. Know yee not that your bodie is the temple of the Holy-ghost, which is in you, whome ye hauehave of God? and ye are not your owne. For you are bought with a price, therfore, glorifie God in your body & in your spirit, for they are Gods. So many therefore as come without knowledge and true repentance: break 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, there is required the knowledge of god in three persons, especialy of the persō of christ, perfect God and perfect man, and of his three offices to saue his people: to be their Priest, perfectly by his sacrifice to reconcile and iustifie them: to be their king, by the gouernement of his church, to kill sin in them & to sanctifie them, to be their teacher, to instruct them in the wil of his heauēly father. After these is required true faith, and earnest repentance, otherwise we, cannot receiue sWithout faith and repentance vve cānot receine 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 & rotting in his sin do come to the sacramēts, certainly they do not giuegive him life and worthines, t1. cor. 11. 27. 29.but such a one doth lade himselfe with a greater burden of sin and punishment. Whosoeuer shall eat this bread and drinke the cup of the Lord vnworthily, shall be guiltie of the bodie and blood of the Lorde, he eateth and drinketh his … iudgement, because he discerneth not the Lords bodie.