The Badges of Christianity, Book 1 · Chapter 6
Chap. 6. Of the third outward part of a sacrament.
THe third outward part of a Sacrament is the aThe signe is an outward part of the Sacrament.element or outwarde signe. For whersoeuer there is a Sacrament, there must of necessity bee a signe, such as water is in Baptisme, and bread and Wine in the Lordes Supper, not of their owne nature, but by the ordinance of God, which are sanctified by the especiall worde and praier. Therefore, Iohn the baptist baptized with water: and Christ when he instituted his last Supper, tooke bread and brake it, and gaue it to his Disciples: Likewise hee tooke the cup, wherein was the fruit of the Vine, as appeareth when he bMar. 14. 25.said, I will drinke no more of the fruit of the Vine, vntill that day that I drinke it newe in the kingdome of God.
Seeing then it is cleare, there must in eueryevery Sacrament be a visible sign that may be seen & handled, let vsus see how Vse. 1.we may profitably apply this to our instruction. First, seeing the signes and Sacramentall rites are outwarde partes: we must take heede wee ascribe not too much to the outward signe, and so commit idolatry cWe must not make the signe an Idol.to the creature. For the Water in Baptisme hath not power in it selfe and force to wash away sin, but by the ordinance of God it is made a signe and seale of regeneration. Euen as the Water of Iordan where Iohn baptized, was no better then the waters of other places and countries, neither had any strengthe and vertue to clense the Lepers that washed in it: yet by the bleising of God, Naaman the Syrian d2. King. 5. 12. 14.washing himselfe 7. times therein, according to the direction of the Prophet, was clensed and healed of his leprocie: so the water vsed in the Sacrament of Baptisme, is in nature and substance the same with ordinary and common Water, neither hath it vig our and vertue to clense the soule, yet by the institution of God it is appointed to seale vp the asturance of remission of sinnes.
Not with standing, this confidence in the outward signe, which in it selfe is as nothing, hath since the fall of man rested and remained in his corrupt nature, flattering himselfe and deceiuing his owne soule. This fond and salse opinion was in Adam immediately after his transgression, hee did attribute too much to the tree of life (which hadde in it selfe no more life then the rest of the trees in the garden) and therefore God would thrust him out of the garden, eGen. 3. 22.least he should beguile himselfe with that conceite and immagination.
Thus did the Israelites trust too much in the Arke, a signe of Gods comfortable presence and protection, attributing saluation thereunto, sayeinge, fy. Sam. 4. 3.It maye saue vsus out of the handes of our Enemyes, therefore God ouerthrew them, and gaue them into the hands of the Philistims.
Againe, we are taught heereby, that the Sacraments that Vse. 2.hauehave no signe, no seale, no element to signisie, to strengthen, and to seale vp the promises of saluation. For as we shewed before, that eueryevery Sacrament must hauehave gods word to warrant it: so must it hauehave an outward signe to approue the receiuing of it, and to signifie the spirituall grace offered by it. Herby we learn what to hold of transubstantiation, a doctrin teching that the bread and wine is turned into the very body & blood of Christ, namely, that it is a very fable to mock fooles withal. For gTransubstantiation ouerthrown.whatsoeuer ouerthroweth the nature and vse of a sacrament, is not to be admitted but omitted, neither to be receiued but reiected. But transubstantiation ouerthroweth and ouerturneth both the nature and vse of a sacrament: and therefore not to be admitted and receiued into the Church. For touching the nature of a Sacrament it is confessed, hIren. lib. 4. contr. haer. c. 34.that it consisteth of two parts, the one earthly and the other heauenly: but if after the words of consecration, the bread and wine are transubstantiated into the body and blood of Christ, then the signe is taken away, the element is ouerthrowne, the materiall part is abolished, and consequently the nature of a Sacrament is ouerturned. And touching the vse of a Sacrament, there must be an analogy and propoition betweene the signe and the thing signified. As in Baptisme, the element of water washeth and purgeth the body, so the Holy-ghost through the blood of Christ clenseth and sanctifieth the soule. Like wise in the Lords Supper, as the substance of bread & wine receiued, strengthneth and comforteth the body: so Christ iIoh. 6. 33.receiued by faith norisheth & feedeth the soule. The very true principall vse of this sacrament is to cōfirme our faith, that as surely as those earthly creatures taken and aplyed, feed our bodies to a bodily life: so the body and blood of Christ receiued and applyed by saith, feede our souls to eternal life. And do not al the faithful seel a swect comfort, so often as they come to the Lords table by this similitude and agreement, to cōsider and know assuredly, that as the substance of bread serueth to nourish and doth feed our bodies, so Christ doth feede our soules? But if we must beleeue, that the substance of bread and Wine is changed and cleane gone, that nothing remaineth but accidents: where is this comfort and consolation? How can we be assured and strengthned, that as our bodies are nourished with the materiall elements, so in like manner our soules by feeding on Christ? Wherefore, while they take away the substance of bread which should nourish the body, the nature and vse of the Sacrament is destroyed, and we are spoyled of the comfort of our hearts and strengthning of our faith, which we should hauehave by this notable comparison and resemblance of the partes. So then, if wee woulde receiue comfort in comming to this Communion, we must retaine the substance of the sign, as a staffe to stay vp our faith that it do no faile. And thus much of the third outward part, to wit, the signe.