Three Pillars and Arch-patriarchs of the Popish Synagogues, Treatise 1 · Book 3 · Part 2
Hesk.The second Chapter sheweth what these foure thinges done in the olde Law, did figure in the newe Lawe.
In this Chapter he laboureth to shewe, that these sacraments of theirs,Fulk. were not in deed the very same in substance, that ours are, but onelyonly figures of them. And for this purpose, he citeth diuers authorities of the fathers, especially Chrysostome, and Augustine, which cal them figures of our sacraments, whereof we will not striue with him. But he doth not consider, yt in so calling them, they compare not the substance, or thinges signified by these auncient sacramentes, with the substance or thinges signified by our sacraments, but the outward signes of theirs with the substance and things signified by ours. As it appeareth in sundrie places of S. Augustine, whose authorities in this Chapter he citeth: which affirmeth that the fathers also receiued, not only ye signes of our sacraments, as bare figures, but also the grace and substance of them, whereof they were no counterfet seales. Neither doeth Chrysostome or Origen say any thing to the contrarie, for Chrysostme saith, that as all sortes of men, riche and poore were vnderunder the cloude, passed through the sea, and were fedde with the same spirituall foode, so in our sacramentes of baptisme and the supper, there is no respect of persons, but all members of the Church are partakers of them alike.
And Origen saying that: Baptisme was then in a darke manner, in the clowde, and in the sea, but nowe in cleare manner regeneration is in water and the holie Ghoste: Doeth both affirme the same sacrament to hauehave beene then, which is nowe, namely baptisme, and also sheweth the onelyonly difference betweene this and that, when he sayeth, that was after a darke manner and this after a cleare manner. But Augustine is moste playne in many places, namely: Tract. in Ioan. 26. speaking of the bread of life, in the sixt of Ihon, he sayeth: Hunc panem significauit manna, hunc panem significauit altare Dei. Sacramenta illa fuerunt: in signis diuersa sunt, sed in re, quae significatur, paria sunt. Apostolum audi. Nolo enim (inquit) vos ignorare fratres, quia patres nostri omnes sub nube fuerunt, & omnes mare transierunt, & omnes per Mosen Baptizati sunt in nube & in mari: & omnes eandem escam spiritualem manducauerunt: spiritualem vtique eandem, nam corporalem alteram: quia illi manna, nos aliud: spiritualem verò, quam nos. This bread did manna signifie, this bread did the altar of God signifie. Those were sacramentes: in signes they are diuerse, but in the thing which is signified, they are equall. Heare what the Apostle saith. For I would not hauehave you ignorant brethren (sayeth he) that our fathers were all vnderunder the cloude, and all passed the sea, and were all baptised by Moses in the cloude and in the sea, and they did all eate the same spirituall meate: I say the same spirituall meate, for they did eate another corporall meate, for they did eate manna, and we another thing: but they did eate the same spirituall meate that we doe.
Likewise in his exposition of the 77: Psalme vponupon this very text in hand, he saith thus: Idem itaque in mysterio cibus & potus illorum, qui noster, Sed significatione idem non specie: quia idem ipse Christus illis in Petra figuratus: nobis in carne manifestatus. The same meate and drinke in mysterie was theirs, which is ours: but the same by signification, not in cleare manner: because the selfe same Christe was figured to them in the rocke, whiche is manifested in the flesh vntounto vsus.
The same S. Augustine also in his booke De vtililate poenitentiae Cap. 1. writeth thus, vponupon the same text. Eundem inquit cibum spiritualem manducauerunt: Quid est eundem? Nisi quia cundem quene nos. They did eate (saith he) the same spirituall meate, what is the same? but the same that we eate? and a little after. Eundem (inquit) cibum spiritualem manducauerunt. Suffeceras vt diceret: cibum spiritualem manducauerunt: Eundem inquit: eundem non inuenio quomodo intelligam, nisi eum quem manducamus & nos. Quid ergò, ait aliquis… Hoc erat manna illud quod ego nunc accipio? Ergo nihil modò venit si antè iam fuit. Ergo euacuatum est scandalum Crucis? Quomodo ergo eundem, nisi quod addidit spiritualem. They did eate (saith he) the same spirituall meate. It had suffised that he had said, they did eate a spirituall meate: he saith the same. I can not finde, how I should vnderstande the same, but the same whiche we doe eate. What then sayeth one? Was that Manna the same thing that I doe nowe receiue? Then is there nothing come nowe, if it were then before. Then is the slaunder of the crosse made voide? Therefore how should it be the same, but that he added spirituall? I coulde cite other places out of Augustine, but that I will not cloie the Reader, with two many at once.
"The last parte of the Chapter, would proue, that the baptisme of Iohn was not the baptisme of CHRIST, wherevppon I will not stande, because it is an other controuersie, out of the purpose of the booke, onelyonly I will note these grosse absurdities: that hee denyeth the baptisme of Iohn to be the very baptisme, and then it followeth, that CHRISTE was not baptised with the very baptisme, who was baptised of Iohn.
Secondly, he denieth, that sinnes were remitted in the Baptisme of Iohn, whiche is directly contrarie to the Scripture: Luke. 3. verse 3. He alledgeth Chrysostome for his proofe, but the blinde buzzarde can not see the difference betweene the ministerie of Iohn in his baptisme, and the worke of CHRISTE in the same, whiche maketh him with his fellowes to imagine a difference of baptismes, by as good reason as they might make a difference betweene the Supper whiche was celebrated by CHRISTE him selfe, and that whiche was ministered by his Apostles.
Finally, where the Apostle sayeth expressely, that the Fathers were baptised, hee is so bolde as to say, they were not baptised in deede, but onelyonly receyued a bare figure of baptisme, whiche is as muche for the Apostles purpose, as if hee hadde saide nothing at all.