The place out of which wee will drawe the generall doctrine of both the Sacra­mentes, is, 1. Cor. 12.13. For by one spirit wee haue bin all baptized into one body, whether Iewes, Greekes, or seruants, or free, and all haue bin made to drinke into one spirit.

The generall declaration of a Sacrament drawen hence: ‘A Sacrament of the eternall couenant, is a publike and faithfull worke of the whole Church, wherein by the Ministers putting apart by the worde and prayer, to an holie vse, a visible signe, ordeyned of God in the order prescribed, by his deliuerie & their receyuing of the same, the holy ghost doeth offer & represent liuely vnto all, but more surelie applie to the due receyuer thereof, the offring and giuing of God in three per­sons, & the Churches receyuing of Christ cru [...]ified, and the couenant concerning iu­stification, [Page] and sanctification vnto eternall life, fullie ratified and confirmed in him.’

Notes which shewe howe euery part is gathered out of this place with more full confirmation by conference of Scripture, whiche declareth the true vse of euery point.

[A Sacrament of the eternall Couenant] so called, to put a difference betweene other signes, as the Rayne-bowe, laying on of hādes in ordination, and other such signes, so cal­led of olde, Gene. 17.10. and doeth seale vp the same, Rom. 4.11. 1. Corint. 11.

[is a publike] that is, to shewe the nature and true reuerēce of those workes, because these are not at anie time for one, by one, or concerning the dignities of one, as ap­peareth by this it is saide here, all haue bin baptized into one body, all made to drinke in­to one cuppe. Whiche sheweth, that it is a worke of a publike nature, of publike fruit and priuiledges to all, of publike professi­on of the same, and therefore in regarde of the dignitie and reuerence of it, to bee pu­blikely ministred with the prayers of all, & for the profit of all: so for this ende Circū ­cision was ministred publikelie, and they came togither to it, Luke 1.59. and in the [Page] supper they continued togither, Act. 2.42. it should be in the Church, not at home in the house, 1. Cor. 11. therefore there were conuocations in the Passeouer, Exod. 12.6.47. Act. 2.42.20. chap.

[And faithfull] this is gathered, because it is saide, by one spirite wee are baptised into one body, and made to drinke into one spiritu­all drinke, all which is done by faith, by whi­che he doeth dwell in our hartes, Ephe. 3.17. John 6.36. so in Baptisme, Gal. 3. As manie as are baptised, haue put on Christe: by faith we are the sonnes of God. This is playne in those who receyue, being of discretiō, that make profession of their faith, Actes. 8.36.37. and Marke 16.16. Nowe in the bap­tisme of infantes, the Ministers ought to haue faith in this worke, the parentes who offer the childē, in regarde of the couenant of God made to them and their seede, Gene. 17.7. Act. 20.29. the Churche euen with their prayers to God, and witnessinge doe worke with faith: and last of all, the childe when he commeth to discretion, shal haue comfort by it: onely, if he dye, the spirit of God doeth worke the effectuall knittinge of him to the body of Christe, by a secret working, as pleaseth him, in steede of that faith which commeth by hearing. There­fore he sayeth, that by one spirit all the mem­bers [Page] of the Church, are baptised into one body, &c. which is so general, as it cōprehendeth infants, who haue not faith. Of the Supper of the L. ther is no doubt. This doth teach vs, First, that faith is not secure, but care­full to nourishe & vpholde it selfe by these meanes, when infidelitie neglecteth it, Act. 8.36. Rom. 4.11. Esai. 7.13.14. Se­condlie, that it is not the outwarde worke that will helpe, vnlesse faith and the holie Ghost worke inwardly, not the washing a­way of the filthe of the fleshe, but in that a good conscience maketh request vnto God through the resurrection of Christ, 1. Pet. 3. & so the Papistes are confuted, that say, that the worke wrought outwardlie in it selfe, doeth giue grace: for as the word pro­fiteth nothing vnlesse it be mixt with faith, Hebr. 4.2. so it is with the visible worde which speaketh to all the senses, as it were: [Worke] so it is called, bicause it is not on­ly a signe, as a Rayne-bowe, but a worke wherein the Minister hath his part in de­claring or preaching, praying, &c. and the people theirs in ioyning with him: not wa­ter onely, but washing: not bread onely, but giuing, taking, eating, &c. Which is be­cause the Lorde would haue the inwarde man more effectuallie moued, when not onely the eare, but the eyes, hande, feeling, [Page] and such like instrumentes of the outward man, are effectuall instrumentes of the ho­ly Ghost to worke withall.

[The whole Church] This is added, to shew that this appertayneth not to all, but to the Church onely, none to bee baptised, but those that are holy, 1. Cor. 7.14. and which are in the couenant: none meete for the Supper, but which knowe and beleeue ac­cording to Christian doctrine, 1. Cor. 5.11. and to such belongeth that saying onely, which are Citizens, and not straungers from God, Ephe. 4.11.12. and therefore, these holy things must not be giuen to papistes, prophane and wicked persons, 2. Chro. 35.6. Act. 8.36. nor to dogges, Mat. 7.6. Secondlie, it is added to shewe that not the Ministers alone must worke here, but the Church with him, in witnessing his work, in approuing the same by one consent of the spirit of grace, by consenting in prayer, and thankes-giuinge, for whiche they are saide to doe the workes of the Sacraments, Luke 1.59. 1. Cor. 11.5. In Baptisme they receyue not only comfort by remembring of the same worke in them selues, but also as no member is cut off by excommunica­tion, but in the presence of all, with pray­ers and consent of Christes spirit in all, 1. Corint. 5.4.5. so it behoueth, that by the [Page] proper consent of the Spirit of God in all, the partie to be baptised bee solemnely re­ceyued, and the whole Church to be assu­red by that worke that he is a fellow heyre to be partaker with them in the commu­nion of Saints, and to whom they ought to render the same: so that this is also one good & sure ground for which they ought to be present. In the Supper likewise, when God calleth all to a banquet, why shoulde any be absent which haue faith and repen­tance, Act. 2.38? Why should they not shewe that they are one body, because they eate all of one bread? 1 Cor. 10.17. Wher­fore the generall body of the Congregati­on, if they may, or as many as may, ought to be present, and in the Lordes supper to be partakers.

[Wherin by] In the whole Sacrament there are two partes: the one the outward work, set out by it selfe, the other the inward and spirituall worke set out by it self: and both these as they answere one to another, so are they set down in this place, in both there is the person authorised, to put apart to that vse, to offer, to giue and to receyue. In both there is the thing rightly put apart, offred, giuē, receiued, & applied to his proper vse. The persons without, is first God his Mini­ster, authorised frō him by his Church: his [Page] workes are to put apart, consecrate or dedi­cate to that holy vse, by opening the coue­nant of god, by praying for his blessing promised to these creatures, by giuing thankes for the blessed work of that action. Also to offer & deliuer aright the creatures, the wa­ter to washe with it, the breade to be eaten, the wine to bee dronke. Secondly, the per­sons without are the whole church, ioyning with the Minister in prayer, in quickninge their faith by the couenant of God, behol­ding the former workes of the Minister, & ratifying thē in their hartes: and last of all, by receyuing & applying, or hauing apply­ed aright the visible signes. The persons which are inward, is the giuer, one God in three persons, who by this visible worde in the Sacrament doe offer, giue & applie the inward matter set forth: and also the saide Church, being inwardly stronge by know­ledge, faith, and repentance, doe with ioye receyue that which is offred vnto them, ap­plying it to that fruit for which it was giuē. The outward matters are the creatures or­deyned of GOD, sanctified by the especiall worde and prayer, and so ordered in out­warde manner, as Water to washe, breade to be broken, wine to bee drunken, as is prescribed: their fruite is to represent to the eye, eare, feeling, &c. Secondlie, [Page] to seale vp and be an instrument more cer­tainely to applye, for although it doeth ap­plie no more thē the word preached doeth, neither by other inwarde giftes then the working of the holy ghost by faith, yet be­cause the instruments are more, and in the worke GOD hath sanctified more instru­mentes in his creatures to our seeing, fee­ling, receyuing, &c. they do more prouoke faith, kindle faith, strengthen faith, to the receyuing of Christe. The inwarde matter is Iesus Christ crucified, who was sealed vp and consecrated by the Father him self and the H. Ghost: yea by his owne prayer to the worke of our mediatiō, neyther is he here barelie offered, but offred, giuē & receiued as the ratifier of the whole couenāt of God by his death, especiallie to iustification, and so full redemption for euer: he must there­fore be so seene here, so receyued here by faith, being receyued, so applied, as we may feele these fruites conueyghed to vs from him, and this is the whole substanciall or­der of Sacramentes, set forth at large, and nowe followeth to be proued and applyed to vse.

First therefore that there are these two principall and substantiall thinges in the whole nature of the Sacramentes, it is most playne, when he sayeth, You haue bene bap­tised [Page] into one body, you haue bin made to drinke vnto one spirituall drinke: Lo then, not water but washinge: you haue bin wa­shed, and then so as ye came to be one bo­dy in Christ to communicate in all his be­nefits, and so you haue bin made to drinke outwardlie, but therewithall and thereby, as by an instrument, the spirituall drinke is deliuered out of Christ. Nowe to come to the particulars, that the Ministers of God must be the first outward person, here it is playne: for when the very nature of wa­shing or giuing drinke, doth require a per­son to washe, and to giue drinke: a holy washing doeth require a holy person, to put a difference betweene this washing & all other washings, and giuing drinke. By holy we meane that whiche is in a peculiar maner authorised and blessed from GOD,Mat. 23.25. though the Minister peraduenture be of an euill life. Secondlie, when as the being of this worke dependeth vppon the deliuerie of the word frō God hauing his authoritie, which is solemne, as Paule saith, Ephe. 5.6. by the washing of water through the word, the Minister being onely called of God, to be his Ambassador, to be in steede of Christ to beseeche vs to be reconciled vnto God, 2. Cor. 5.20. it remayneth that he of neces­sitie be required.

[Page]Thirdlie, seeing they only are the disposers of God his misteries, they onely can preach and minister the Sacramentes. Fourthlie, as the firmenesse of the seale stādeth not only in the print or forme it maketh, but espe­ciallie that it be set on by one that hath au­thoritie thervnto: it is therfore much more in this case. Lastlie, as there is inwardlie cō ­sidered, not onely the thinge giuen and re­ceyued, Christe, but also faith that eateth it giuen, and doeth receyue from him (vnto whom this honor properly belōgeth) euen one God in three persons, especially in Ie­sus Christ God and man, and to take this as offred from another, is to denie God: so in the outward worke which must fullie aun­swere to this, is required hee who beareth Gods person in this worke, and therefore can only consecrate, offer, and deliuer with authoritie, the outward thing which answereth to the inwarde matter: So that to re­ceyue it from another, is to denie Gods mi­nisterie, and to giue the glorie of it there, where he hath not giuen it, and to depriue our selues of this comfort, that our harte may say, Gods solemne voyce speaketh, his solemne hande offreth and giueth, whiche is here the liuelie staye of our faith. And this is that that Saint Iohn Baptist vrgeth, [Page] Matth. 3.11. I (Gods Minister) baptise you with water, but hee that commeth after mee, shall baptise you with the holy Ghost. Where we see, hee playnelie layeth togyther, and compareth sacramentallie him self as God his Minister, representinge Christ with the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghost, who doe inwardlie washe & baptise: and his outwarde washing with Christ his inwarde washing.

Nowe that his workes are to put apart or sanctifie by declaring Gods ordinance, by praying for his blessing, & by giuing than­kes, is playne, not onely because that is re­quired of euery one who giueth ordinarie foode to his, but especially because these creatures hauing no naturall properties gi­uen of God in them to worke such an hea­uenlie worke of representing and offringe vnto all truely, & applying to the faythfull Iesus Christ: it must needes haue this pro­pertie from the worde of God, it must bee receyued by prayer, acknowledged with thankesgiuing: otherwise howe shoulde it come, if the worde gaue it not? and howe giuen by the worde, if by him not asked and conueighed, and howe can the assu­rance of this bee witnessed to the glo­rie of GOD, but with thankes-giuinge, [Page] and who is here the common mouth of God and the Church, but the Minister? Therefore he sayth, the washing of the wa­ter by the worde, Ephe. 5.6. Therefore the bread of blessing which we breake, and the cup of thanksgiuing, which is it thus bles­sed, is the cōmunion of the body & blood of Christ, 1. Cor. 10. and not he that eateth that breade, but he that eateth this breade, that is, thus blessed and made holy, &c. eateth and drinketh his owne damnation. And here we must learne against the Pa­pistes, that it is no magical witchcraft, whi­che by the vertue of one worde murmured in an vnknowen tonge, cleane abolisheth the naturall substance of thinges, but it is the playne and fruitfull declaration of the promise of God and his institution, which (with their prayers) doeth giue these crea­tures another propertie then they had, al­though they keepe their former properties and substance stil, euen that they might be such instrumentes as haue bin spoken of before: So wee doe not (as they belye vs) put no difference betweene these creatures thus dedicated to God his seruice, & others: We doe not denie a chaunge, onely wee al­lowe that chaunge which is accordinge to Gods worde, and hath fruite and commo­ditie with it, that is, that it doeth not onely [Page] nowe nourish or washe the body, but is an effectuall instrument of farther and more excellent things vnto the soule. Here also we must further note, that although this dedicatinge of the creatures to their vse, onely bee required of the Minister, as that beinge of such necessitie, as if it be omit­ted, it destroyeth the Sacrament, yet the Lorde requireth a further thing of him in regarde of the greater glorie, beautie, pow­er, &c. of this whole worke, whiche is the liuelie preaching of his worde. For when the right order of the Lord hath bin kept, the Church hath not bin wont to shut vp her solemne prayers, without this worke: So that Solomon ▪ sayeth of his time, When thou goest into the Temple, looke vnto both thy feete, and be more readie to heare, then to offer the sacrifice of fooles, Act. 15. We see it hath bin a custome from olde generations, that euery Sabboth when they prayed and Moses was read, there should be preaching in their Synagogues: and the Apostles haue obserued this, Act. 2.42.46. Wee must not maruayle then if in this solemne worke, when the outwarde things are more effec­tuall, by the vnderstandinge of the worde, this be required very straightlie. As I sayde before, it hath bin the continuall order of Gods Church: therefore in the Passeouer, [Page] the firste day, and seuenth day, were dayes of holy conuocation or assemblies, where­in we haue shewed this worke was obser­ued, and may further appeare by Nehe. 8.14.15, 16. &c. Therfore when the Apostles celebrated Baptisme, Act. 8.12.38. & Act. 9.17. &. 10. & 16.15.32. and when they ce­lebrated the Supper instituted by Christe, Act. 20. this order was obserued. And S^t. Paule expreslie noteth it in Iohn Baptist, that he first preached that they should be­leeue in Iesus Christ that was to come, & they hearing it, were baptised, &c. Act. 19.4. Where wee may note also the duetie of the Churche, whiche ought to giue espe­ciall good eare and heede, to hunger and thirst for it, and to be quickned by it. And this playnely meeteth with a common er­ror, that many desire often to come to the Lordes Table, but care little for the prea­ching of the word of God, which is as great madnes, as if one should looke much vp­pon the sealer of certaine writings, but ne­uer care to know the conueighances of e­state, the couenantes and seuerall bondes conteyned in them, the way howe to come to the possession ratified and sealed vp by those seales.

The Ministers other workes are, that he must offer, deliuer, and applye accordinge [Page] as is prescribed the outwarde creatures, so that the water he must applie to washinge, the breade he must deliuer to be eaten, not to be worshipped, kneeled vnto, &c. so that herein they must keepe the order whi­che they haue receyued from the Apostles, as they receyued it from Christ: therefore we see the Apostle 1. Cor. 11. shutteth out all abuses in the Church of the Corinthes, with this reason, that whiche J receyued, J deliuered: and that whiche is grounded on our Sauiour his commandement, Doe this, teach them to obserue whatsoeuer I haue com­maunded, Mat. 28. in the ende. And there­fore here all additions of newe signes, espe­ciallie as crossing, spitle, milke, salte, oyle, of newe actions, as lifting vp, adoring, sa­crifyzing, &c. doe all abhominably pollute these holy Sacramentes of GOD, whose whole honour is, that they remayne vnto the Church of God in that simplicitie hee left them. And when no action here is worth any thinge,Mat. 15. Marke 7. 1. Cor. 12. but by reason of Gods worde, whiche is sanctified to a profitable vse, and made an instrument of the wor­king of the holy Ghoste: it followeth, that to bring in such additions of orders with their significations and vses, or to bring in other actions or vses of the outward partes [Page] of the Sacramentes, is to commaunde the holy Ghost to be at our becke, to blesse our instrumentes, &c. whiche is to make our selues at the least equall to him in wise­dome, cleane contrarie to that in Nomb. 9. We should not followe our owne wayes and eyes, after which we goe a whoring.

The other outwarde persons are the Mi­nister and the whole Church, who must ioyne in prayer, quicken their faith, by cō ­sideration of the couenant of God. For god hath not prescribed the former workes of the Minister that the Churche in them should be idle: which we may vnderstande euen by this, that the Scripture giueth the worke of prayer, prophecying, sacrifizing, and so nowe of administring the Sacra­mentes vnto the Church, because in the prayer their hartes ioyne, in the opening of the ordinance and couenaunt, they are taught: and in remembrance they are con­firmed, their hartes allowe the worke. In the action about the creatures, they make their vse: In the putting aparte the water, they beholde the blood of Christ crucified, yea him self and al, his deseruing put apart, as for a fellowe member, so for them sel­ues and their Baptisme receyued long ago, nowe commeth freshe, and quickeneth a [Page] freshe, for as the Scripture teacheth vs the fruite of that work, is not to be for a time, but daylie, Rō. 6.1.2.3. so no doubt when our hartes ioyne in this worke, one for another, it shalbe then verie fruitfull vnto our selues. In the parents this is yet more, who receyue after a sorte the couenaunt of God, especiallie concerning one parte, ra­tified in the fleshe of their children. In the Supper all this is more liuely to all, they ought to haue their faith stirred vp, prouo­ked, confirmed, &c. by the putting aparte of the creatures, by the breaking, notinge out the bruising (as Esay saith) of Christe for our sinnes. The vse of the deliuering, receyuing, &c. hath alreadie bin spoken of and shalbe further hereafter.

Here therefore especiallie we must take heede, that we account not our selues free to leane our mindes to other matters then are done of the Church, till it come to vs. And thus we haue seene the outwarde per­sons with the inwarde answering to them, as hath bin touched in the particulars: God to his Minister, and the inwarde matter to the outwarde in the Church: their workes also haue bin considered in parte. Now the matter followeth, which are the creatures of God put apart for that worke which hee [Page] hath ordeyned: as water put a part to wash, bread and wine put a part to nourishe, re­freshe and make gladde the hart of man. These hauing fitnes in them to that work, can euen prouoke vs to the right vse of them, as in the Eunuch to desire to be bapt. as soone as he came to the water: in those to whō Salomō speaketh, Pro. 7. who ought to be prouoked whē wisdome hath made readie her wine, and furnished her table. Nowe these instrumēts are outward signes being so put apart by the Minister, as is afore de­clared, & being prepared, offred, deliuered, & receiued, doe liuely represent & offer to all, and seale vp the true beleeuer by faith, God offring & giuing, & the church recey­uing of Christ crucified, & the couenant of God & al the promises of the same ratified in him vnto eternal life. Here first we must cōsider the proportiō & relatiō of the out­ward matter, & the applicatiō of the same. The signes or outward things haue relatiō vnto Christ crucified, & the couenaunt of God ratified in him: so the water which is a matter apt to wash vs, doth hold proportiō with Christ, who is apt to wash and cleanse vs, 1, Cor. 6.11. so the bread & wine being matter fit to nourish vs, haue respect to the flesh & blood of christ crucified, spiritually [Page] & fullie to nourish vs, as the wordes of the institution declare: This is my body, this is my blood, and the bread which we breake is it not the cōmunion of the body of Christ? Wee are made to be bapt. into one body, & made to drinke into one spirituall drinke. Then the offring and deliuering of these signes, hath respect to the offring and deliuring of the things signified & noted before by one god in three persons. For as we are in bapt. bap­tised vnto the name of the Father, Sōne, & H. Ghost, so to be (as shall appeare) in & by Christ the spouse, childrē, & houshold ser­uants of God: so this one God in three persons must offer & giue Iesus Christ God & man vnto vs, which is set forth by the Mi­nister who beareth their authoritie, & doth performe this outward worke, which hath relation to the inward. So the Sōne is said, Mat. 3. to baptise with the H. Ghost, whē he by the H. ghost doeth applie him self as he is god & man crucified to wash, &c. neither can the Father possibly be shutte out, who by the Sōne through the H. ghost worketh as they are one, & as his work is especiallie noted, Col. 2. & all 3. iointly, Tit. 3. are cō ­prehēded for that work in bapt. the like is to be said of the supper of the Lorde: for the Father hath sealed vppe the Sonne, [Page] the true bread from heauen, & doeth teach vs, drawe vs, and giue vs it, and power to receyue it both in the worde and Sacra­mentes. And the Sonne also giueth his fleshe to be meate in deede, and his blood to be drinke in deede, both in the worde a­lone, and also in the Sacramentes, Iohn 6.27.32.37.40.45.46.57. Whiche place is not proper to that giuen of Christ in the worde alone, or in the Sacramentes also, but common and generall to both. Nowe as the outwarde offring and giuinge hath relation to his inward, so also the outward receyuing or hauing applyed, hath relati­on vnto the inwarde. So in being Baptised, we are saide to put on Christ, to be washed with him, Gal. 3.27. So in taking and ea­ting the breade, we are to receyue & turne vnto spirituall nourishment Iesus Christe, and therefore it is here saide, that we are all made to drinke into one spirite, that is into spirituall nourishment out of Christ. And this is the true relation betweene the in­warde and outwarde matter, with the ap­plying of the same.

Nowe we must consider the effectes or working of the holy Ghoste, by outwarde signes in regarde of the inwarde matter, to which they haue relation. Where first it is [Page] to be noted we speake of the holy Ghost to declare that God hath not giuen the effec­tes and workings following to these instrumentes, as faculties or properties whiche are naturally in them, as that water should as well by force inherent in it washe our consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God, as it hath vertue to washe our bodily filthe away, and to cleanse vs, but onely that God hath chosen them as his instrumentes to worke by, not by any pro­pertie in them, but by vertue whiche the holy Ghost doeth worke by them, so that as Paule sayth of the ministerie of man ge­nerallie, Paul is nothing in planting, nor A­pollo in watering, but God which giueth the increase: the same must likewise be vnder­stoode, especiallie of the Sacramentes. And therefore it is saide, Wee are baptised into one body by one spirit: so that in deede the whole cause that in Baptisme we are set in the body of Christ, is from the H. Ghost. Therefore it is sayde, Iohn doeth baptise as the Minister with water: but Christ as the Lorde with the holy Ghost, Mat. 3. there­fore all this working of the inward graces is giuen to the holy Ghost, 1. Cor. 6. Tit. 5.5.6. and so Paule sheweth he was exhor­ted to washe away his sinnes in baptisme [Page] with calling on the Name of God, who on­ly should worke that worke.

This being learned against the papistes, we may knowe that the worke of the Sacra­mentes, commeth not from the very work wrought, but from God his spirit working in and by the same, and that working is by the worke of faith in Gods children.

Nowe the effectes of working as they are seales: both whiche are distinctlie noted of the Apostle as signes,Rom. 4.12. in that by their relatiō with the spiritual matter, they do liuely set forth to the vndestanding by many senses, as feeling, seeing, &c. the inward spirituall matter, to which they haue relation, the do­ctrine of the word of God being anexed: so the Passeouer was a signe vpō their hands, a frōtlet betwene their eyes,Exod. 13.9. that the doctrine of GOD might be in their mouth. Whereby we see it is become a schoolemaister by the word, more excellent then the word alone, that euen the doctrine of god may be more liuelie spoken of. Now, it is not a signe on­ly to set forth and liuelie represent vnto vs these things by outward meanes: but also to offer frō God in trueth, all those benefits in Christe which are represented: for God doeth not dallie, but doeth truely offer in his Sacramentes, to all that are admitted vnto them all that whiche is there signi­fied. [Page] And therefore it is sayde of Sainte Paule, That all did eate of that spirituall meate, and all did drinke of that spirituall Rocke, whiche was Christe, 1. Corint. 10.23. &c. Because all did eate that spirituall meate which did offer vnto them the spi­rituall Manna: all did drinke of that Rocke whiche did followe them, and was in shewe and representation a true and ve­rie offering in deede of Christ. But some of them receiuing only the outward signes, did neglect or refuse the spirituall grace so liuelie represented, & truelie offered them.

The seconde effect and working, whi­che is onely in the children of GOD, and those which are of discretion by faith a­lone, doeth seale vppe, that is, more sure­lie, firmelie, certainlie and comfortablie applie Christ vnto vs, and all his giftes ne­cessarie for vs, accordinge to the couenant and promise of God in him. So that this vse of the Sacramentes is playne, that al­though Christ be bodily absent, yet hee is truly & in deed by faith present with all his benefits trulie receyued, & so his cōmuniō & fellowship applied vnto the true recey­uers. Only this is the difference, that in the worde and by the worde alone our faith is wrought, wee truely receyue Christe [Page] by faith, but in these Sacraments our faith is quickened, confirmed, and increased, & so doeth more fullie, liuelie, and comfor­tablie applie Christ and his benefites. Both these are very manifest in the Scriptures. The first, that in deede Christ with his be­nefites is in and by these signes as by instrumentes receyued. For wee are saide to bee baptised here into one body, that is by bap­tisme to be engrafted into one body: and haue bin made to drinke into one spirite, that is, one spirituall drinke of the blood of Christ: so truelie and in deed Christ is put on, we are truely planted into him, his death, resurrection, &c. Gal. 3.27. Rom. 6 3. We are washed, we are saued, not by the outwarde worke done, as the papistes ima­gine, not by the putting away of the filthi­nes of the fleshe, but by the aunswere of a good conscience, through the resurrection of Christ, 1. Pet. 3.21. So in the Supper it is most apparent, the bread which we breake is the communion of the body of Christe, so that we which receyue, cōmunicate Christ in and by these signes, as the whole order and institution shall make this more ma­nifest afterwarde.

Nowe the other pointes, that these are seales, not first to giue, but more firmelie, [Page] surelie & comfortablie, to giue and to ap­plie, is playne, because in those of discreti­on, in Baptisme faith to apprehende Christ and all his benefites, is first required, as ap­peareth by the Eunuche: onely in children remayneth some shewe of doubt, but see­ing the Apostle sayeth, they are holy, that is within the couenant of God, J am thy God and the God of thy seede. Christ and his benefites in this couenant of grace doeth belong vnto them, that liuing, by faith it may be applyed, or dying, the spirit of the grace of GOD may worke in them as hee knoweth howe, and hath not reuealed. And this they haue before baptisme, euen being aliue, but not by any vertue of birth which bringeth death, and that onely in respect of originall corruption: but by the grace of Gods couenant, that if the tree be holy, so should the branches also. So then this is the proper worke of the Sacraments, more surelie and stronglie and comforta­blie to applie and seale vp Christ crucified, and the couenaunt of God ratified in him to saluation. And thus much generallie of a Sacrament: nowe followeth that whiche is gathered out of this generall, which eue­rie one must doe concerninge the Sacra­mentes. First before this worke is requi­red [Page] examination,Act. 8.37, Act. 19.4.5. 1. Cor. 11. after the feeling of sinne: Then our acceptable knowledge of GOD in three persons, as of Christe his person, perfect God, and perfect man, his office to saue his people, to be their Priest by his sa­crifice, perfectlie to reconcile and iustifie, to make also continuall intercession, that our obedience, prayers, &c. may be accep­ted, to be their King by the gouernement of his Church, to kill sinne in them, to sanctifie them, and to applie the whole matter of saluation, wrought in his Priesthoode. After, of a true faith & repentance, that be­ing in one body with him, he come aright to the Sacraments, and the imperfections, weaknesses, &c. may be supplied. In the worke it selfe by a right knowledge of the doctrine of the Sacramentes, faith muste worke in euery point, as hath bin decla­red aboue.

The vse and ende must finallie be appli­ed, that all the doctrine of Gods good-will here in Christ sealed vp, may bee in our hartes, and so in our mouthes, to confirme and strengthen our selues and others, in all temptations, both against iustification and sanctification, Exod. 13. Psal. 50.7.