The Covenant Sealed, Treatise · Chapter 12 · Section 2 – Section 3
SECT. II. Objections againſt the former doctrine.
1. IF Sacraments confirm our faith by way of ſeal or after the Object. 1 manner of miracles, then Sacraments muſt be better known, and more efficacious to perſwade to Faith, than the Word; But nothing can be more efficacious for perſwaſion than the Word of God: and experience tells us, that words are better underſtood than dumb ſignes, and Sacraments compared to the Word are as dumb ſignes.
Anſw. 1. The aſſumption here ſhould have been, Nohting is Anſw. 1 either more eaſily known, or more eminently efficacious than the Word. But the former is left out, leſt it ſhould give check to their doctrine of obſcurity of Scriptures; and inſtead of making the Word eaſily intelligible, he contents himſelf to ſay, that it is more intelligible than nods or dumb ſhews, when yet dumb ſigns or ſuch nods are better known, and more eaſily underſtood, (as we have experience ſufficient) than the Word of God, or any other word whatſoever, in an unknown language.
2. If this Argument be of force, then nothing elſe in the Anſw. 2 world but the bare Word of promiſe revealed in Scripture, is any way ſerviceable, for more full aſſurance of the thing given in promiſe: Not onelyonly Gideons, Ezekiah's and Ahaz his ſigns, but the oath alſo made to Abraham, was ſuperfluous. All theſe had the Word of God, and unleſſe the ſigns given them, and the oath made to them, were more efficacious then the Word, (which, as he ſayes, nothing is) according to him they are all ſuperfluous.
3. Compariſon is not to be made between the Word, and Anſw. 3 Sacraments, whether of thoſe conſidered apart, is more efficacious. Then the preheminence is to be given to the Word, as Bellarmine ſayes Luther acknowledgeth: but enquiry is to be made whether the Word together with Sacraments, annext to it, be not more efficacious by reaſon of our weakneſſe and inclinations to diffidence, than the Word without any ſuch viſible ratification. Nothing can be more firm than the promiſe of God, ſeeing God cannot lye, Tit. 1.2. His Oath is no more valid then his Word, yet God willing more abundantly to ſhew unto the heires of promiſe, the immutability of his counſel, confirm'd it by an oath, That by two immutable things in which it was impoſſible for God to lye, we might have ſtrong conſolation.
Object. 2 2. The nature of Sacraments cannot any where be better underſtood, than from his words that is the authour of them; But in the Holy Scriptures they are no where called ſeales of Promiſes, but inſtruments of Juſtification: Ergo.
Anſw. 1 Anſw. 1. If this Propoſition ſtand, then ſome at leaſt of the Sacraments of Rome, and moſt of their Sacramentals muſt fall, ſeeing, by Thomas Aquinas his acknowledgment they are not to be found in Scriptures.
Anſw. 2 2. There is nothing more falſe then this aſſumption, as abundantly hath been declared, and the Text in hand is a ſufficient witneſſe.
Object. 3 3. If Sacraments be onelyonly ſeales of the promiſe of grace, then either they are ſuperfluous, or elſe of very ſlender uſe and benefit, for we have more Teſtimonies far more efficacious. Good works are better ſignes and teſtimonies of righteouſneſſe obtained, then waſhing with water, or taking of the Euchariſt, which may be received Hypocritically.
Anſw. 1 Anſw. 1. If this Argument be of any force, then whereſoever there is one witneſſe, to ſpeak in any cauſe, all the other are vain and ſuperfluous; and ſo that of the Apoſtle will fall to the ground, At the mouth of two or three witneſſes every word ſhall be eſtabliſhed.
Anſw. 2 2. It is well that works are made a witneſſe of aſſurance, then this way at leaſt aſſurance may be had, which he and his party are wont to deny.
Anſw. 3 3. Works are not Teſtimonies inſtituted of God for this end, (as Ameſius obſerves) but of their own nature, they evidence our fitneſſe for glory, and as fruits of our faith, as Whitaker ſpeaks. And thoſe which Bellarmine uſes to make the beſt of works, Almes, Faſting and Prayer, may be hypocritically performed likewiſe.
Anſw. 4 4. This witneſſe or ſeal of Sacraments is not a diſtinct witneſſe or ſeal from that which the Jeſuit here produces, but ſtands in co-ordination with it, or rather in ſubordination to it. It is upon the anſwer of a good conſcience, not otherwiſe, that Sacraments give this witneſſe.
4. If Sacraments ſeal by way of particular application for ſupport Object. 4 Faith, then it is in vain to baptize Infants; But Lutherans are wholly for Infant-baptiſme.
Anſ. 1. We may learn of Bellarmine, that Proteſtants at leaſt Anſw. 1 think that this doctrine, and Infant-baptiſme, will well ſtand together.
2. The Apoſtle was certainly able to have given a ſatisfying Anſw. 2 anſwer to this Objection, ſeeing he tells us, that Circumciſion was a ſeal of the righteouſneſſe of Faith, and yet himſelf was circumciſed the eighth day, Phil. 3.5. It is of equal ſtrength againſt Infant-circumciſion as againſt baptiſme.
5. If Sacraments be ſeales of grace which in particular is conferred Object. 5 upon any, then oftentimes they are falſe, viz. when the Sacrament is given to a man, who pretends to believe, and indeed doth not believe; and ſo it were unlawful to baptize any, leſt we ſhould cauſe God to give witneſſe to a lye, for we certainly know of none, whether they believe truly, or onelyonly pretend it.
Anſ. Our Adverſary here prevents us, Anſw. and puts an anſwer into our mouthes. Perhaps, ſaith he, they will ſay, That the Sacrament is a ſeal or teſtimony of grace, not abſolutely, but, if he that doth receive the Sacrament, do believe the promiſe. And this indeed is their Anſwer, as out of Ameſius, Whitaker, Vorſtius, Pareus, Dr. Reynolds, Mr. Rutherford. I have ſhewn; to which may be added, that full Teſtimony out of Dr. Slater before mentioned. As for thoſe that will have the Covenant to be abſolute, and the ſeales to be put without any reſpect had to any condition: againſt the full ſtream of Proteſtant Writers, I ſhall deſire them to help us to any other ſatisfying anſwer to this Argument. I muſt confeſſe, that in caſe I be once convinced, that the work of Sacraments is to ratifie Gods promiſe in an abſolute way, as the Rainbowe do's, that God will no more deſtroy the World by water, without reſpect had to any condition at all. And that a ſeal is put to a blank, in caſe any unregenerate perſon be baptized or admitted to the Lords Table; I muſt either be holpen with further light, than I can yet ſee, or elſe I think I ſhall never more adventure upon Baptiſme, or the Lords Supper. And Bellarmine ſuppoſing that this will be our anſwer, can bring nothing more to avoid … then two ſpeeches of Luther, and one of Melancton, nothing at all to purpoſe.
SECT. III. A Corollary from the former Doctrine.
Circumciſion no carnall badge.THen it followes by way of neceſſary Corollary, that Circumciſion is no carnal badge, but a ſeal of ſpiritual mercies given in promiſe. The righteouſneſſe of faith is no carnal, but a ſpiritual priviledge. Circumciſion is a ſeal of the righteouſneſſe of faith, and therefore it is no carnal badge, but a ſeal of ſpiritual mercies. This might here fitly be enlarged to take off this ſhift which Anabaptiſts have borrowed from Jeſuites; But this is already done at large, Treatiſe of the Covenant, Chap. 26. And here nothing needs to be added.