A37049:397
A37049:397
London: printed for Dorman Newman, 1675
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Before we enter to speak of the faults we are here guilty of we may in general propose some things concerning the Sacraments: As 1. For what ends God hath appointed them, that so we may know what is to be expected in them. 2. How they effectuate the ends, that we may know how we should go about them; and we shall speak to these two jointly, because we cannot speak to the one, but we must speak to the other.
Before we enter to speak of the faults we are here guilty of we may in general propose some things concerning the Sacraments: As 1. For what ends God hath appointed them, that so we may know what is to be expected in them. 2. How they effectuate the ends, that we may know how we should go about them; and we shall speak to these two joyntly, because we cannot speak to the one, but we must speak to the other.
But before we speak to these, some things are to be p •aemitted: As 1. That God hath thought good always to add Sacraments to his Covenants; thus the Covenant of Works had its Sacraments: Adam had the Tree of Life for a Sacrament to confirm him in the Faith of that Covenant; so the Covenant of Grace in all its administrations had its Sacraments also for confirmation thereof, as before Christs incarnation it had, Circumcision, the Passover, and divers Sacrifices eff actual for that end; and the Fathers before Abraham had their Sacrifices for Sacraments: and since his Incarnation, it hath Baptism and the Lords Supper; for as the Lord has for mans sake condescended to deal with him after the manner of men, by Covenants and mutual Engagements, so he keepeth the manner of men in Swearing, Sealing, and confirming these Covenants for their greater consolation, who are within t •e same, H •b. 6.18.
But before we speak to these, some things are to be p •aemitted: As 1. That God hath thought good always to add Sacraments to his Covenants; thus the Covenant of Works had its Sacraments: Adam had the Tree of Life for a Sacrament to confirm him in the Faith of that Covenant; so the Covenant of Grace in all its administrations had its Sacraments also for confirmation thereof, as before Christs incarnation it had, Circumcision, the Passover, and divers Sacrifices eff •ctual for that end; and the Fathers before Abraham had their Sacrifices for Sacraments: and since his Incarnation, it hath Baptism and the Lords Supper; for as the Lord has for mans sake condescended to deal with him after the manner of men, by Covenants and mutual Engagements, so he keepeth the manner of men in Swearing, Sealing, and confirming these Covenants for their greater consolation, who are within t •e same, H •b. 6.18.
2dly. Although the nature of the Covenant alter the Sacrament in respect of our use-making of it; yet, as all Covenants have some essentials in which they agree, to wit, a Promise and a Restipulation; so all Sacraments have something common, to wit, that they Signify, Seal, and Strengthen the Covenanters in assurance of enjoying what is promised according to the terms of the Covenant to which they are as Seals appended, the Tree of Life confirmed the promise of Life to Adam upon condition of perfect Obedience; Circumcision confirmed it to Abraham upon condition of Faith, Rom. 4.11.
2dly. Although the nature of the Covenant alter the Sacrament in respect of our use-making of it; yet, as all Covenants have some essentials in which they agree, to wit, a Promise and a Restipulation; so all Sacraments have something common, to wit, that they Signifie, Seal, and Strengthen the Covenanters in assurance of enjoying what is promised according to the terms of the Covenant to which they are as Seals appended, the Tree of Life confirmed the promise of Life to Adam upon condition of perfect Obedience; Circumcision confirmed it to Abraham upon condition of Faith, Rom. 4.11.
3dly. The Sacraments of the Covenant of Grace before and after Christ, differ in circumstantials, as the Covenant it self under the Old and New Testament doth; but in essentials they agree, for they seal one and the same thing, and after one and the same manner.
4thly. There are some chief things common to all Sacraments of the Covenant under one administration; As for example, Baptism and the Lords Supper, they agree both in this that they seal the Covenant, and represent Christ and his benefits, &c. yet in either of them there are some peculiar promises and benefits especially looked unto; and also they have their peculiar manner of sealing these things which are common to both; Believers are also confirmed in the same things by the Word, but the Sacraments confirm them in another way, more clearly, and sensibly, and proportionally to our weakness and necessity.
4thly. There are some chief things common to all Sacraments of the Covenant under one administration; As for example, Baptisme and the Lords Supper, they agree both in this that they seal the Covenant, and represent Christ and his benefits, &c. yet in either of them there are some peculiar promises and benefits especially looked unto; and also they have their peculiar manner of sealing these things which are common to both; Believers are also confirmed in the same things by the Word, but the Sacraments confirm them in another way, more clearly, and sensibly, and proportionally to our weakness and necessity.
5thly. No Sacrament is of, and from it self valid, but its validity and efficacy is from the Covenant and Promise, whereof it is a Sacrament; and so it is a seal to none but to such as are in the Covenant, and keep the condition of it, to them it sealeth the benefits promised, though absolutely and simply it seal the truth of the conditional promises; and so it may be said conditionally to seal, to all the Members of the Church, the truth of what is promised upon such a condition; as for example, The Tree of Life sealed this Truth, that who stood in perfect Obedience should have Life, but it did not seal to Adam, that he should have Life, except upon condition of his perfect Obedience; the like may be said of Circumcision, Baptism, &c.
6thly. Hence every Sacrament doth suppose a Covenant, and the Receivers entry into the Covenant, to which the Sacrament that he receiveth relateth: so that we come not to the Sacrament properly to enter into Covenant with God, but first the Covenant is entered, and then the Seal is added, as Gen. 17. First, God entered into Covenant with Abraham, and then the Seal of Circumcision is added as a confirmation thereof.
7thly. No Sacrament giveth any new right which the Receiver had not before; only it confirmeth the right he had before; he hath access to the Sacraments upon the account of his external right.
8thly. Sacraments confirm still something that is future, and to come, they being instituted for the confirmation of our Faith and Hope in those things, of which we are most apt to doubt; as the Passover strengthened the Israelites again •t the fear of being destroyed; the Tree of Life confirmed what was promised to Adam and not performed; and so all Sacraments help us to believe the making good of some promise not performed, for they serve as the Oath and Seal; and indeed when we Preach the Gospel, we offer a Sealed Covenant and a Sworn Covenant.
These things being premised, we come to speak to the things proposed; and we say, The Sacraments of the New Testament (of which only we speak purposely) have in God's appointment and our use, these three ends especially;
The 1. is, to represent clearly the nature of the Covenant, and the things promised therein, as, the washing away of sin, Christ himself, his death and benefits, and the way how we come to the application of all these, to wit, by Faith freely, putting on Jesus Christ for taking away guilt, and strengthening us to an holy walk; in all these the Sacraments (that is, the signs and word of Institution added) do fully and clearly, 1. To the Ears: 2. To the Eyes: 3. To our other senses of feeling, &c. not only hold forth what is offered, but our way of closing with and accepting of that Offer; as if God, who by Preaching letteth us hear him speak (inviting us to be reconciled to him) were in the Sacraments, letting us see him tryst and close that bargain with us by his Ambassadors; in which respect, the Sacrament may be called the Symbol and Token of the Covenant, as ⟨p. 88⟩it is, Gen. 17. and this way the Sacraments have a teaching use to bring to our remembrance Christ, his sufferings and benefits, as well as our estate, what it was without him, and before our closing with him; all this by the word and elements with the actions concurring, is represented to us, as if it were acted before our eyes, for making the way of the Gospel the more clear to our judgments and memories, who either senselessly take it up, or sluggishly forget these spiritual things; the Lord, who sometimes maketh use of Parables and figurative expressions or similitudes, to set forth spiritual things to make them take with us the more, hath chosen this way to make use of external signs and actions for the same ends also.
The 1. is, to represent clearly the nature of the Covenant, and the things promised therein, as, the washing away of sin, Christ himself, his death and benefits, and the way how we come to the application of all these, to wit, by Faith freely, putting on Jesus Christ for taking away guilt, and strengthening us to an holy walk; in all these the Sacraments (that is, the signs and word of Institution added) do fully and clearly, 1. To the Ears: 2. To the Eyes: 3. To our other senses of feeling, &c. not only hold forth what is offered, but our way of closing with and accepting of that Offer; as if God, who by Preaching letteth us hear him speak (inviting us to be reconciled to him) were in the Sacraments, letting us see him tryst and close that bargain with us by his Ambassadors; in which respect, the Sacrament may be called the Symbol and Token of the Covenant, as
2. The second end of Sacraments is to seal and confirm Gods mind and revealed will to man, and to put him out of question of the truth of his promises, that so he may have a further prop •o his Faith, and may draw more strong consolation from the promises of the Covenant upon this ground. In this respect they are called Seals (Rom. 4.11.) of the Righteousness by Faith, that is, not the Righteousness of Abraham's Faith, but of his obtaining Righteousness by IT, and not by works, that is, They are seals of that Covenant which offereth and promiseth Righteousness to such as believe: So was the Tree of Life a confirmation to Adam of the promise of Life; so was Circumcision to Abraham a Seal and Confirmation of the promises of the Gospel, as Gods Oath was, Heb. 6.18: And so are the Sacraments to us.
2. The second end of Sacraments is to seal and confirm Gods mind and revealed will to man, and to put him out of question of the truth of his promises, that so he may have a further prop •o his Faith, and may draw more strong consolation from the promises of the Covenant upon this ground. In this respect they are called Seals (Rom. 4.11.) of the Righteousness by Faith, that is, not the Righteousness of Abrahams Faith, but of his obtaining Righteousness by IT, and not by works, that is, They are seals of that Covenant which offereth and promiseth Righteousness to such as believe: So was the Tree of Life a confirmation to Adam of the promise of Life; so was Circumcision to Abraham a Seal and Confirmation of the promises of the Gospel, as Gods Oath was, Heb. 6.18: And so are the Sacraments to us.
This Confirmation may be three ways looked on: 1. As that which confirmeth the Proposition, 2. the Assumption, 3. the Conclusion of a practical Syllogism, whereby the Believer concludeth from the Gospel that he shall be saved.
The Proposition is this, He that B •li •veth shall be saved; this by the Sacrament is simply confirmed as a truth that one may lean unto: Then the Believer's Conscience in the Faith of that, subsumeth, I will then take me by Faith to Christ; seeing that is a sure truth, I will rest on him and hold me there; or more clearly, I do believe in him.
Now 2 This assumption that I, or such a man hath Faith is not confirmed simply by the Seal, for the Sacrament is to be extern •lly applied by men, who can say no more, but, They charitably ⟨p. 89⟩judge such a one to have Faith; yet it may be said to be so far con firmed as one whose •aith doubteth may by this be encouraged to rest on Chri •t, and quiet himself on him; thus Faith is confirmed while it is helped to Assume, though the man be not clear that he hath assumed; as also one having according, to Gods command, cast himself on Christ, and according to his institution, taken the Seal, I say such a man may conclude from the Seal, as w •ll as from the Promise that he is accepted, even as one having prayed may conclude he hath been heard, having done it according to Gods will in the name of Christ.
Now 2 This assumption that I, or such a man hath Faith is not confirmed simply by the Seal, for the Sacrament is to be extern •lly applyed by men, who can say no more, but, They charitably ⟨p. 89⟩judge such a one to have Faith; yet it may be said to be so far con •irmed as one whose •aith doubteth may by this be encouraged to rest on Chri •t, and quiet himself on him; thus Faith is confirmed while it is helped to Assume, though the man be not clear that he hath assumed; as also one having according, to Gods command, cast himself on Christ, and according to his institution, taken the Seal, I say such a man may conclude from the Seal, as w •ll as from the Promise that he is accepted, even as one having prayed may conclude he hath been heard, having done it according to Gods will in the name of Christ.
3dly When the Conclusion is drawn, Therefore I shall be saved, the Sacrament doth not confirm that simply to us, more than it did to Adam (who afterward brake the Covenant of Works, and so attained not the thing Promised) but it sealeth it conditionally. If thou Believe, thou shalt be saved, and so the Assumption must be made out by the search of the conscience before the conclusion receive any confirmation by the Sacrament; yet by strengthening the major proposition; Such as Believe shall be saved; it strengtheneth the Conclusion also: for if that were not true, my having Faith, or flying to Christ were no great comfort; and so consequently it has influence on the Believers comfort in the Conclusion, as God's Oath and Seal did confirm the Promise made to Abraham, and also strengthened his Faith in believing it should be made out to him, Rom. 4.11.