[A short treatise of the sacraments generally, and in speciall of baptisme, and of the Supper] [written by Iohn Prime ...].

Of the Sacraments in generall.

* 1.1A Sacrament is a sen∣sible signe to the eye, instituted of God to be continued in his Church, for the further assu∣rance and increase of spirituall graces in the faithful. Of which sort is Baptisme and the Sup∣per,* 1.2 and onely these two, euen as they are ioyntly specified by the Apostle to the Corinthians.* 1.3

In the generall may bee ob∣serued these foure notes chiefe∣ly. The institution to bee of God. [ 1] The signe visible in sense and resemblance conuenient. [ 2] The graces secret and mystical, but singular benefites to the faithfull man. [ 3] The continu∣ance is the Churches duetie, [ 4] rightly to vse and to enioy his ordinaunces as beseemeth the Church of God.

* 1.41 Concerning the institution, as God onely is to be hearkened vnto in his sayings, so must hee alone he followed in his wayes wheresoever he goeth before vs, and leadeth vs after him with the least thread. Reason not di∣rected by faith, is a disputing and a busie mistresse in the forge of mans braine, and she will be leader in all things. Zeale like∣wise without knowledge, is a rashe fire that licketh vp euery fonde deuise, feedeth and glut∣teth her selfe on superstitious fancies, whereupon ambition in the man of pride,* 1.5 taking her aduantage of the former two, hath stollen away the peoples heartes from their God vnder pretence of deuocion, but in deede superstition, enthronised her selfe in the consciences of men, and exerciseth a proude do∣minion ouer the Lordes inheri∣tance

in his holy Temple. Not∣withstanding of the Apostle we haue learned a contrary lesson,* 1.6 that the onely Lawgiuer in Is∣rael is the Lorde, because he a∣lone seeth the heart, whereunto the Lawe is principally propo∣sed, searcheth the reines, and be∣holdeth the inwarde parts, may commaunde, and will rewarde the good conscience, will and is able to discerne right, and iudge uprightly, and hath denounced to take vengeance of the very soules of sinners, wherein they closely, but chiefly offende. Nei∣ther may mortall men adde to, take from, or alter at pleasure his wordes: and what are his Sacraments, but his wordes made visible, and inuested with signes of his owne ordayning?* 1.7 The examination of Iohns Baptisme was on this maner: Whence is it?* 1.8 from aboue, or

from beneath? of God, or of mā? Yf from heauen, it was to be re∣ceiued: if from the earth, they might reiect it. For what is earth to heauen? man to God? our dreames to his worde? our dregges to his wine? Is there any taste in y^e white of an egge? What is chaffe to wheate, or glasse to a diamonde?* 1.9 Verily obedience is better then the sa∣crifice of good ententes, as they be termed. For will we honour him with the fattest cattell out of the stall, or worshippe him in the calfe of purest golde? the one is but a beast that eateth hay, the other the workmanshippe of the engrauers hands. By obeying, we offer vp our bodyes & soules a reasonable sacrifice, wherein he is well pleased. Thereby we reuerence his maiesty, adore his wisedome, subiect our willes to his will, rest in his worde, ma∣king

no reckoning at all of any institutions that merely touche the conscience, but of his. Wher∣upon with the blessed virgin we saye,* 1.10 What euer he commandeth, doe, and also what he hath not commaunded, we feare not to transgresse & breake asunder, as Samson did those greene withes and newe cordes.* 1.11 Wee knowe all such witchecraftes the Lorde doeth vtterly abhorre. As for his Sacraments, they are his owne institutions, hee marketh his sheepe with his owne markes, writeth all with his own singer, sealeth his wri∣ting with his owne signet. Nei∣ther shoulde any presume so much as to set to these his seales, but one ly such as are called to so hye a calling, to be as it were the keepers of them to that ende ap∣pointed: much lesse may men make newe seales of their owne

deuising.

When it pleased GOD to seale his promise made to Abra∣ham with the sacrament of cir∣cumcision,* 1.12 he calleth it his own couenant, and saide, It is I the Lorde, the author thereof. A par∣ticular rule generally to bee ob∣serued in euery Sacrament of either Testamēt: It is I the Lord.

* 1.132 In the second place we are to take viewe of these seales, for they are visible to the eye, as his voyce is audible to the eare.

The drane water flie gazeth on euery faire flower, but ga∣thereth no honye as doth the Bee. The wandring sight cōside∣reth litle of the excellencie of the seales. Before it was true to say, No institution, no Sacrament: here we may as truely auouch, No signe, no Sacrament. For y^e whole is made of all his partes, and e∣uery Sacrament hath euer

these two members, the out∣warde signe, and the inwarde grace, and without the signe is no grace sacramentally signifi∣ed at any time, neyther is the shew of a signe sufficient, it must be material and able in a conue∣nient proportion, to demōstrate and declare to mans frayle capa∣citie, the grace implied and sig∣nified, as shall better appeare in the specials afterwarde.

The signes barely looked vpō in thēselues, they are base mat∣ters, earthly elements, common & ordinarie: but put once y^e prin∣ces stampe to y^e mettall, the seale to the waxe, the waxe and seale to the Lordes promise, the case is altered. For earthly, common and vsual elementes,* 1.14 that a litle before were, doe put nowe vpon them, and are endued with di∣uine considerations: yet stil in substāce remaining y^e same, but

in efficacy, vertue, seruice, ends, signification and representation of graces, base thinges become beautifull and marueilous, be∣ing thus sequestred by God him∣selfe to so high and holy purpo∣ses, and therefore are vsualy ter∣med by the very names that the graces themselues are called by. And this is also a common rule amongst y^e Fathers. See it so in examples out of the Scriptures. Circumcision is the couenant, the Lambe the Passeouer, the Arke the Lorde, Baptisme our buriall, Christ the rocke, the Bread his bodye, the Cup his blood, because the analogie of these thinges is liuely, the pro∣portion plaine, the signes signi∣ficantly ordeyned of God: and be∣ing thus vttered, they more af∣fect our fayth, and touch our af∣fections.

* 1.153 Thirdly, the graces, (that is,

(the inward parte of the Sacra∣ments) are, though singular in consolation, yet secret in the my∣sterye of their operation. God worketh howe he listeth, and on whom he pleaseth. The Iay fee∣deth belowe, the carnall eye se∣eth nothing but the barke and ryne of these things, bare water and bakers bread. Fayth flyeth higher, as the Eagle soareth vp∣warde, and mounteth to heauē it selfe, where Christ sitteth at the right hande of the father, the onely grounde worke, life and soule of all the Sacraments that euer were, or are in vse. The song of Salomon is called the song of songes for his excel∣lencie,* 1.16 and God the God of gods for his puissāce. In like maner, the graces we reape & receiue by Christ in y^e sacraments, (so great & gracious are they) they may be termed graces of graces: as

namely, remission of sinnes, im∣putation of righteousnesse, sanc∣tification of life, & a speciall ap∣plication of our sauiour Iesus. Neither yet for all this (which is diligently to be noted) doe we tye or binde his goodnes so here∣by that he must needes worke with, or can not worke without these meanes by his spirit, the saluation of them whom he had chosen and destinated to eternal life before all worldes. Many Israelites that died in the desert when they could not trauaile if they had bene sore and cut, were saued without circūcision. The thiefe that from the crosse went straight to heauen, was neuer otherwise baptized then in his owne confession, faith, and peti∣tion to Christ. Saluation is nei∣ther kneaded into y^e dough, nor mingled w^e water, no more then with the word, which is as Hie∣rom

sayeth more truely Christ,* 1.17 but proceedeth from God, and is conueyed by ordinary meanes of eyther word or outward signes, where they are not contemned, but may conueniently he had, & are reuerētly vsed as they ought.

* 1.184 And this is the fourth and last point, the right vse and con∣tinuance of the Sacraments. Phisicke is not prepared, but to be receiued. As in the Reuelati∣on, no man receiueth the white stone,* 1.19 but to whome it is giuen: so no man readeth the writing, but who receiueth it. The au∣thour of the Sacraments, is God, the signes holy, the grace most holy. This Manna would be kept in a golden pot, and these iewels set in y^e purest golde. The gifte that is bestowed, is most syncere, the stone white that is deliuered. And ought not then the hande to be a cleane hande,

or rather the heart a pure heart, that receiueth such pearles? GOD couenanteth to bee our God, shoulde we not accept the offer, & reioyce in his couenant? Achaz in hypocrisie pretended he woulde beleeue God without a signe.* 1.20 Certainely so must we doe in deede many times. Balaam,* 1.21 that saw lesse thē his asse, saw so much, y^e Gods worde is ynough. Shall he speake, and not doe? Yet when he offereth signes withal, to helpe forth our infirmities in faith according to his worde, ey∣ther naturall as the rainebow, or artificiall as the brasen ser∣pent, or miraculous, or Sacra∣mental, or whateuer, if we then refuse them, in steade of shun∣ning the fault of tempting him, we runne vpon the contempt of his heauenly wisedome. Goe preach, baptize all nations.* 1.22 This is a generall commaundement,

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and must be obserued.* 1.23 As often as ye eate this bread, and drinke this cuppe, ye shewe the Lordes death vntill his comming againe. As often, therefore often and v∣sually: vntill his comming againe, therefore perperually must this Sacrament be continued in a godly remembrance of y^e Lordes death.* 1.24 The olde ceremonies were weake sighted like Leah, and therefore could not last euer. Moses eyes were not dimme, vntill his dying day: so the force of Christian Sacraments re∣maine in their full vse vntill the ende of the worlde.

Their sacraments, some were speciall for place and person. In Paradise the tree of life was for the place,* 1.25 the wette & dryed fleece, the going backe of the dial, were personally to Gedeon and Eze∣chias. And their chiefest Sacra∣ments, either extraordinary, as

Manna and the rocke, ceased in the wildernesse: or ordinary, as circumcision and the Passeouer, these also haue had their ende in the fulnesse of time, when their wombe (as Cirill speaketh) was deliuered of Christ, as a woman of her childe into the worlde. For Christ is come, and their cere∣monies were of Christ to come, and when he came, they as sha∣dowes yeelded place at the pre∣sence of the body. The difference of their Sacraments and ours consisteth in cleerenes of know∣ledge, and continuance of tynte. They caryed the former parte of the staffe, & we the hinder ende. Christ is borne betwixt vs both, but we that come after, haue the fuller viewe, and see directly be∣fore our face, they respectiuely and looking backe to that which they caryed and came after: and therefore more obscurely then

we. And nowe because Christ is borne no more, liueth no more, dieth no more, & because all these thinges are plainely to the eye painted, & poynted to with y^e fin∣ger in our Sacraments, ours are not henceforth to be changed any more, but are constant and perpetuall, and continually in all duety to be vsed and enioyed till his comming again to iudge the quicke and the dead in the last day.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The na∣ture of a Sacramēt.
• * 1.2

  August. e∣pist. 118.
• * 1.3

  1. Cor. 10.
• * 1.4

  The insti∣tution.
• * 1.5

  The Papa∣cie.
• * 1.6

  Iam. 4.12.
• * 1.7

  August. 80. tract. in Ioh.
• * 1.8

  Matt. 11.15.
• * 1.9

  1. Sam. 15.22.
• * 1.10

  Iohn 2.5.
• * 1.11

  Iudg. 16 9.
• * 1.12

  Gene. 17.
• * 1.13

  The signes.
• * 1.14

  Iren. lib. 4. cap. 34.
• * 1.15

  The inuisi∣ble grace.
• * 1.16

  Nazianz. de Sacro. Bapt.
• * 1.17

  Hierom. in Psal. 147.3. cap. eccle.
• * 1.18

  The vse & cōtinuance.
• * 1.19

  Reuel. 2.17.
• * 1.20

  Esai. 7.12.
• * 1.21

  Nom. 23.19.
• * 1.22

  Mat. 28.19.
• * 1.23

  1. Cor. 10.24
• * 1.24

  Gen. 29.17. Deut. 34.7.
• * 1.25

  Gen. 2.9. Iudg. 6.37. Esa. 28.8.