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WE HAVE IN THE FORMER PRINCIPLES dealt, both with the word beeing one of the markes of the Church, and also with those things that depend thervpon: now we are to handle the other marke thereof, vz. the Sa∣craments, and first in generall.
1 VVHen as God of his infinit goodnes, would not haue his Church after the fall of man,
to remaine in that miserable estate: hee did not onelie in word and promises declare his goodnes thereunto, con∣cerning the sauing thereof by Christ: but also added cer∣taine rites and ceremonies, whereby hee might confirme the same in the assurance of his diuine goodnes towardes it.
2 These rites did the Grecians call Mysteries, because they signified secrete and hidden matters, which can bee known vnto none, saue vnto those only, that are instructed, that is, vnto the members of Gods Church. Now the La∣tines called them Sacraments, either because the woorde 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 was so interpreted, by the olde translatour of the new Testament, or because these rites, are the markes of the couenaunt betweene God and vs, that hee should bee our God, and we his people, and that by a Metaphore bor∣rowed from the Sacraments, that is, the solemne oathes, whereby souldiers bound themselues vnto their Captains, and the Captaines againe vnto them.
3 Now, although neither the word MYSTERIE, nor SA∣CRAMEMT, be found in the Scripture, in that sence whereof wee nowe speake: yet those godlie fathers haue added no∣thing vnto the worde, when as they vsed these tearmes for the expressing of the said rites.
4 Now because the word Sacrament is by the Latine fa∣thers, referred vnto al kind of signes, which are vsed to ex∣presse holie thinges; it is to bee obserued, that in this dis∣course, the same is particularlie referred vnto the signes of the grace of God in Christ, and that, two manner of waies: for a Sacrament dooth sometimes comprehend the externall signes onelie, and sometimes the things signified together with the signes, and a certain holie action also.
5 Sacraments taken in the former signification, we de∣fine to be certaine visible signes instituted by God vnto the vse of the Church, where by God doth seale in the harts of the faithfull, the promise of the grace of free saluation by Christ, and so dooth more and more confirme their fayth, and witnes the fellowship which the Saints haue amongst themselues, vnder Christ their head.
6 In the latter sense we define them to be a certain ho∣lie action, enjoined by God vnto the Church: wherein, as GOD in a kinde of agreeable proportion, betweene the signes and the things signified, offereth vnto the senses of our bodie, by the hand of the Minister, the things that ap∣pertaine vnto our saluation in Christ: so dooth hee giue vnto our soules the heauenlie thinges themselues, to the end that they should spirituallie by faith, be more & more sealed in them.
7 By signes in this place, we vnderstand not natural or miraculous, but voluntarie signes: because they are ordai∣ned by the will of God, to be signes of his grace in Christ, which by nature they are not: neither are they signes on∣lie, but partlie remembraunces of things past, and partly seales of things present, and also to come.
8 But nowe, wee will consider in order of the causes of the Sacramentes. The efficient is GOD onelie, be∣cause that as it appertaineth to him alone to promise grace; so dooth it also to add the seales thereof thereunto. Therefore also, there are neither anie other Sacramentes to be receiued into the Church, neither is the manner of the institution to be anie wise violated.
Whosoeuer therefore doe breake out into that boldnesse, that either they dare coyne new Sacraments, or add anie vnto those that were appointed by the lord, or detract anie title from them, they are guiltie of trea∣son against the Majestie of the highest.
9 The matter of the Sacraments are of two sorts, the one externall and corporall, which are perceaued by the senses of the bodie: the other inward and spirituall, offe∣red vnto the minde and the soule.
10 The forme of the Sacraments, is the ordinaunce of God, comprehended in his Word: for the Sacraments are that altogeather (and nothing else) which GOD by the word of his Diuine institution, dooth testifie that hee will haue them to bee: so that the word is as it were the soule of the Sacraments, in regarde that it testifieth what the di∣uine ordinaunce is.
They doe therefore abolish the Sacramentes, who ei∣ther altogether omit this word in the administration of them, or vse the same in a strange tongue.
11 The chiefe end of them in respect of vs, is the sal∣uation of the faithfull, by sealing their conjunction with Christ. For God, not contented with the generall preach∣ing of his promises, thinketh it meet to seale, and to offer them in speciall vnto euerie particular beleeuer, hauing a regarde thereby to their infirmitie.
12 Other ends also they haue, which are of great mo∣ment, as that by them we should be put in remembrance of the benefites of Christ, that the Church should bee di∣stinguished from other sects. For, as God will be discerned from Idols: so hee will haue his people seuered by these markes, from the Kingdome of the Deuill: that they shuld bee bandes of the mutuall loue of the faithfull. Brieflie, that they should bee a profession and a testification of the onelie true Religion, and of our duety towardes our God.
13 Nowe the instrument to vse the Sacraments aright, is Faith: whence it appeareth that the faithfull onelie doe receaue them, as it is meet, whereas all others doe parti∣cipate the outwarde signes onelie, and that to their con∣demnation.
They erre therefore, who hold that vnbeleuers do re∣ceaue the thing signified, that is Christ, together with the signes.
And they also doe ouer-wickedlie abuse the Sacra∣mentes, who administer them to thinges without life.
14 The change of the signes in the Sacramentes, is not naturall, but respectiue by vertue of the comman∣dement of GOD: for the signes are chaunged, not in respect of their nature, but onelie in regarde of their vse: namelie, whereas the things which before were common, are by Gods commandement become the signes of heuen∣lie thinges: and this is the consecration of the Sacra∣ment.
They erre therefore, and destroy the whole nature of the Sacramentes, who teach, that the substance of the signes, are, (as it were) by a kinde of magicall enchant∣ment, either chaunged, or abolished.
15 The conjunction of the signes and the thinges sig∣nified, is also respectiue, in regarde of the ordinaunce of God, whereby inuisible and incorporall things, are in a kinde of fit proportion, represented by corporall and vi∣sible elements: in such sort, as God doth giue both, by the hand of the Minister, and both are receaued in their lawful vse.
They erre therefore who holde that there is a reall joining together, and presence of the signes & the thing signified.
16 Vnto this sacramental change, and the conjuncti∣on of the things with the signes, there is no place left, but onelie in the administration of the Sacrament.
They are therefore to be condemned, who doo attri∣bute some holines vnto the signes: and as for those who worship them, them wee vtterlie detest as open Idola∣ters.
17 The Sacramentall speaches and phrases, are ey∣ther proper or figuratiue: proper, as when that which ap∣pertaineth vnto the signe, is attributed vnto the same: & that which is peculiar vnto the thing signified, is distinctly applied therevnto: and these do forbid vs to attribute vn∣to the signes anie more then is meete, namelie, that wee should not take them for the things signified.
They are no lesse impious therefore, then the for∣mer, who worship the signes, in the verie Sacramentall vse.
18 These are figuratiue speaches, wherein we see the names and effects of the things signified, attributed vnto the signes, and contrariwise, the names or the effectes of the signes, applied vnto the things signified: which is done to expresse that moste true, and moste neere sacramental conjunction of the signes with the thinges, and that wee should not attribute lesse vnto them then were meet.
They therefore doe attribute lesse then is meete vnto the Sacraments, who will haue them onelie to be signes of remembraunce, thereby excluding the true giuing & receauing of the things signified.
Yet are they in a lesse errour, who will haue them to be signes onelie of our outward profession.
19 Nowe, in asmuch as the Sacraments are supplies joined vnto the worde, it commeth to passe, that in some thinges they agree together, and differ in some other. For both are instruments which the holie Ghost vseth to make vs partakers of Christ and his benefites: yet so, as hee may worke without them both in the harts of the godlie, when, and as often as he will: and that he doth not anie wise giue vnto the signes, his owne force and efficacie, by vertue whereof the thinges signified are receaued.
They are blasphemous therefore, who will haue grace either in whole, or in part, to bee bestowed by the Sa∣craments. And they are no lesse blasphemous, who will haue this to be done, by the worke wrought.
20 The force of the Sacramentes doth in no wise de∣pend vpon the person of the Minister, who deliuereth thē, but vpon the ordinaunce of God onlie, so that the same be obserued: and that by a publick person, either rightly cal∣led; or at the least exercising a publick function by a com∣mon errour.
The Donatists therefore, and such like did erre, who taught that the Sacramentes administred by euill Mini∣sters, were of no force.
21 Euen as the Gospell, who of it owne nature is the word of life and saluation, is yet turned by the wicked vnto the sauor of death: so the Sacramentes also, which are in∣stituted by God vnto the saluation of men, are notwith∣standing, receaued by the faithlesse & the vnworthy com∣municants, vnto their condemnation and judgement: and yet do they not desist in respect of God, to bee true Sacra∣ments still.
22 As the seede of the woord preached, dooth not al∣waies bring forth fruit at the same moment that it is sow∣ed
in the heartes of the faithfull: so the fruit of the recea∣uing of the Sacraments dooth not presentlie shewe it selfe, in such sort as the faithfull haue receaued the same: For that is onelie done at the time appointed by God.
23 As the holie Ghost by meanes of the word, dooth beget and strengthen faith; so dooth he sturre vp and con∣firme the same by the Sacraments. And therefore regarde is to be had, that they who are of the age of discretion, en∣joy the effectuall preaching of the word, wherby faith may be wrought in them, before they receaue the Sacraments, that so they may worthelie participat them, which cannot be without faith.
24 The word is necessarie (saue when it pleaseth God to work extraordinarilie in the harts of his children) and sufficient vnto their saluation that are of age: but the Sa∣craments are not absolutelie and preciselie necessarie vnto all. For it is not the want of them, but their contempt that is damnable.
25 The word of promise is without respect to bee offe∣red, both vnto the beleeuing, and to the vnfaithfull, and that generallie. But the Sacraments are onelie to be admi∣nistred vnto those that are taken for the knowne members of the Church; and that, vnto euerie one of them seueral∣lie, whereby a particular full assurance may be wrought in them.
26 The preaching of the word may be offered alone vn¦to the Church, without the Sacramentes: but the Sacra∣mentes are neuer to bee administred, without the woord preached. To conclude, seeing the word dooth affect but one of our senses, whereas the Sacraments are object vnto manie of them, especiallie vnto the sight: therefore it is, that they are the more effectuall meanes to apprehend Christ, so that they be lawfullie administred.