A briefe institution of the common places of sacred divinitie. Wherein, the truth of every place is proved, and the sophismes of Bellarmine are reprooved. Written in Latine, by Lucas Trelcatius, and Englished by Iohn Gawen, minister of Gods word.

The parte confirming. CHAP. XI.

THe Second ordinary meane of the execution, on Gods behalfe, are the seales of the Covenant, or the Sacramentes.

Of these wee vsually, and duely holde and expound a two-fold manner; the one Generall, concerning all; the other, Speciall, concerning each one of the Sa∣craments. Now by the Name of Sacra∣ment (which is translated from military affaires, to Christian vses) wee doe not in the largest signification, by a Meta∣lepsis, vnderstand every mystery, or hid∣den secret of a holy and divine thing, in

which sence the Gospell, the Incarna∣tion of Christ, the calling of the Gen∣tiles, are wont to bee expounded in Scriptures: Neyther in a lesse generall signification, by a Catechresis, doe wee vnderstand a divine mystery, and vn∣knowne Symbolicall secret, or every such thing, as signifieth somewhat else, beside the shew, which is offered vnto the senses; such as are Ceremonies, Types, Parables, Signes, and Figures: all which, because they pertaine to di∣vine matters, were called of the old Fa∣thers, Sacraments: but in a more re∣strained, and most proper signification, by the name of Sacrament, wee vnder∣stand a Signe of Grace, ordayned of God, that hee might both seale vp his benefits in vs, and consecrate vs to him∣selfe for ever; for in the signification of Sacrament, there is a mutuall respect: the one on Gods behalfe offering grace; the other on mans behalfe, promising thankefulnesse.

And in this sence, is the word Sa∣crament wont to bee vsed two manner

of wayes: eyther for the signe onely, & the thing signified Synecdochically: or properly, for both; or for that whole holy action, which commeth together, for the full participation of a Sacra∣ment.

Now Sacraments are called Myste∣ries, not for that they bee the working of miracles, but the ceremonies of a se∣cret and spirituall thing: or (as Au∣gustine speaketh) because they are the Signes of thinges, being one thing, sig∣nifying another thing; whence it is, that they were also calleda 1.1 badges and stampes.

Now a Sacrament is a holy action, or∣dayned of God; whereby God, as tou∣ching his promise; sealeth vp his grace in Christ, with a fitte agreement of the signes, and the things signifiedb 1.2 and wee testifie our mutuall faith, and god∣linesse towards him.

The Efficient Cause is God, and Christ the onely Mediatour of God, and men;c 1.3 because the Institution of the Sacra∣ments belongeth to the excellent, and

divine majesty, which onely hath right to promise the thing signified, and po∣wer to apply the same: whence sprung that immoueable, and golden rule; that nothing hath the Nature of a Sacrament,* 1.4 without the vse ordayned of God.

Now God effecteth a Sacrament by the word of Institution, which added vnto the Element, it becommeth, a sa∣crament not by infusion of a new quali∣ty, but by changing of the vse.

Of this Word called Sacramentall, there are two partes, a commaunde∣ment and a promise: whereof the one sheweth the authority of the sacrament; the other, the vse and efficacy of the same.

The Commaundement, is that where∣by God commaundeth, both that the Sacraments should be administred, by prescribing the forme of them; as also, that they be receyved, by giving charge for the vse thereof: so in the Supper, the forme of Institution is prescribed, and the vse of the Supper is given in charge: the same in Baptisme also.d 1.5

The Promise annexed to the comman∣dement is, as it were, the power, and life of the Sacrament, which the Effect necessarily followethe 1.6: so in the Sup∣per, there is promise made of the eternal and spirituall nourishment of the soule; in Baptisme, of the salvation of the souls, and the washing away of sinnes.

And the consideration of this Effi∣cient cause, doth circumscribe the whole dignity of a Sacrament: wherefore it cannot be, that the same is eytherf 1.7 a∣bated through the faultes of the Mini∣sters; org 1.8 that any thing is detracted from it, because of their vnbeliefe, which receiue but the signes onely.

The Matter of the Sacraments, is two-fold: the one sensible, and out∣ward, the other intelligible, and in∣ward: of these, the one is common∣ly called the Signe; the other, the thing signified, or the thing of the signe.

Now, by the name of Signe in ge∣nerall, we vnderstand every thing, the vse whereof is put in signifying: in which signification, there are two sorts

of signes; some by Augustine, called Naturall, and some Given: Naturall are those, which without will, or de∣sire to signifie, doe cause somewhat else, beside themselues, by themselues to be knowne, as the dawning, is a sign of the Sunne to be neare at hand, and the smoake of the fire. Given are those, which depend on the Will of the Insti∣tutor, whether God or Man: for the signes, which are of force, by the ap∣pointment of the Will, are eyther of hu∣mane, or divine Institution.

Those, which are of divine Instituti∣on, (of which onely our speech is in this place,) are some miraculous; some without miracle: those haue respect vnto the extraordinary, and vnusuall works of God, at which, the minds of men are greatly astonished; of which sort, very many signes, eyther of di∣vine Doctrine, or wrath, or grace, doe occurre in Scriptures: these are fami∣liar, and favourable signes of Gods grace, whether they be monuments of things past, or whether pointing out or

signing a thing present, or to come: or witnessing the certainty of a thing, as it were, with a sealed stampe thereon; or lastly, yeelding that thing, which is signified, and that by the verity of Gods institution, and the hidden vertue of the Spirite.

And such are these Sacramentall Signes, not naturall, but given; that is of God instituted, that they might sig∣nifie, seale, and exhibite. Of these signes, two partes ought to be conside∣red, and declared: the one Elemental, the other, Ceremoniall: whereof the one respecteth the Substantiall matter, the other, the action, and the Rite.

The Substantiall matter, is all that in the Sacrament, which is set a part from common vse, by Gods ordinance, and appointed for the signifying, sea∣ling, and exhibiting of inward and spi∣rituall things; such as in Baptisme, i•• the Water; in the Supper, the wine and bread. And these Signes remaine in themselues, and their owne Essence both as touching the substance, and a••

touching the Essentiall, and adherent qualitiesh 1.9.

The Action is a Ceremony, both of the Minister, supplying Gods roome, & of the faithfull receyving, as in body, ••he outward thing, so also, in faith, the ••nward, or signified thingi 1.10.

For, of the actions by God in eve∣••y Sacrament prescribed, some agree with them, of whome they are admini∣••••red, doing what they doe, in the ••ame of Christ; and some with the rest ••hat receiue the Sacrament; such as are 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Baptisme, the sprinkling, and dip∣••ing of the Water; in the Supper, the ••reaking, the distributing, and recey∣••ing of the bread, & wine: both signes, ••omming vnto our outward senses, pro∣••ose to our mindes, other things altoge∣••her spirituall, and heavenly, that they ••ight bee vnderstood, and by faith sea∣••d vp.

Those other Things (that we may ex∣••ound that other part of the matter of ••••e Sacrament,) are generally all, that ••••ing, which Faith applyeth to it

selfe, vnto salvation. Now it doth pro∣perly, and most neerely apply Christ himselfe, who wholy is and ought to be called the matter of the Sacramentk 1.11, in respect both of his person, merit, and benefites.

Of his Person, because whole Christ is given in every Sacrament, both by reason of his Divinity, and Humanity, although especially mention bee made, and respect had of his Humanity, in the Institution of the Sacrament: both be∣cause, according to it, he is of the same Essence with vs, and our brother; as also, for that in it, Christ merited that, for vs, which the Sacrament sealeth: and lastly in that, an entrance is given medi∣ately by it, vnto this Divinity and Gods Grace.

Of his Merite, because both the truth and profite of Christs death, wher∣by hee purchased life for vs, is chiefly offered, and confirmed: wherevpon the signes both of his bloud shed, are givē in Baptisme, and of his body crucifyed in the Supper. For the passion of Christ,

is, as it were, the materiall, and merito∣rious cause of our salvationl 1.12.

Of his Benefites: because, looke what things Christ hath, and did, hee testifiethm 1.13 by visible signes, in every Sacrament, that hee had them to our good, and did them for vs. Now the Scripture proposeth foure things, which in very deed, are the benefits of Christs person, and the fruites of his meriten 1.14: Righteousnesse, which is the remission of sinnes, and the absolution of the sinner before God: Wisedome, which is the perfect and true knowledge of Gods wil, which no man hath without Christ. Sanctification, which is the denying of our selues, joyned together, with repen∣tance, and new life. Redemption, which is both a full deliverance from all evils, yea, even from our last enemy Death; as also a small glorification.

And these are those things, which are sealed in all Sacraments, which of the Divines, are otherwise wonte to bee expressed by the name of an invisi∣ble Grace, as the signe it selfe, by the

name of a visible Forme.

From this consideration of the signe, and the thing signified, the agreement, and difference of both may bee conclu∣ded: The Difference, because they are divers, both in nature, (for the Signe is visible; the thing signified is invisible) and in the Obiect: for the signe goeth but into the body, the thing signified into the soule: and in the Manner of communication: for in respect of the signe, the manner is corporall, but of the thing signified, it is spirituall: the A∣greement, because those things, which were otherwise really, and very farre separated, are joyned together by a Sa∣cramentall vnion.

The inward and proper forme of a Sacrament, is that excellent agreemēt of the Signe, with the thing signifi∣ed, and the mutuall relation of the one vnto the other; whereof that, properly consisteth in the comparison and simili∣tude of the Effects, & this in the orday∣ning of the signe to the thing signified.

Now this conjunction of the Signes,

and the thing signified in the Sacramēts is not naturall, by a substantiall contra∣ction, or knitting together, or by the v∣niting of the accidents, and substances:* 1.15 nor locall, by the neerenesse, and beeing of the one in the other: nor yet spiritu∣all, as immediately quickning the very signes themselues: but it is wholy Re∣latiue, and Sacramentall, consisting specially in three thinges: in the sig∣nifying, in the sealing,* 1.16 and in the exhi∣biting of the thing signified.

In the signifying, because the signes by a most agreeable similitude, and proportion, as it were by a certaine introduction, doe represent theo 1.17 spiri∣tuall mysteries; that is, the things invisi∣ble, by things visible.

In Sealing; because the Signes are, and are called the Seales, or stampes of the thinges signified, both for that they confirme the truth of the similitude, be∣tweene the signe, and the thing signi∣fied, and that also they necessarily, and most surely seale the efficacy of both conjunctions, in the lawfull vse there∣of.

p 1.18 And this is called a coupling of the Sealing.

In Exhibiting: because that, in ve∣ry deede is exhibited, which is figured by the signes: for God mocketh not by instituting Signes, whereof there should be no truth: but as in the audible word; so also in the signe, that is, in the visible word, he in very deed performeth what he promiseth and shewethq 1.19.

And yet the exhibiting, or recey∣ving of the the thing signified, are not referred to the Instruments of the bo∣dy, but to the heart of the beleever: be∣cause it is spirituall, according as the exhibiting and receyving of the Signes is corporall: wee say spirituall, for a double respect, both by reason of the Efficient, that is, the hidden operation of the holy Ghost, which is done in ve∣ry marvailous maner, that by the means of Christs flesh mystically communica∣ted to vs, the bloud and vertue of Christ-merite, pearceth even vnto our soules:s 1.20 and by reason of the Instru••ent; be, cause faith, by which we rece ue them,

is a spirituall instrument, by the bond whereof, the spirit most straitly conjoy∣neth those things together,* 1.21 which other∣wise are very faire distant each from the othert 1.22.

From this inward forme of a Sacra∣ment, and the mutuall disposition of the signe, and the thing signified, doe arise two speciall kinds of Sacramentall Pre∣dications, vsed in the Scriptures; the first, when the signe is pronounced of the thing signified; that is, when the signe is sayde to be the very thing signi∣fied, as when Christ is called our Cir∣cumcision, our Covenant, our Paschall Lambeu 1.23: the other, when the thing signified, is pronounced of the signe; that is, when the very thing signified, is sayde to be the signe; as when the bread is called the body of Christ, & the wine the bloud of Christx 1.24.

And these Predications are wont to bee called Relatiue, Analogicall, and Metonymycall: Relatiue, because, when the one separated thing, is pronounced of the other; a mutuall relation, and re∣spect

of things like the one to the other, is necessarily presupposed. Analogical, because the changing of the names is made, in regard of the Analogy, and exceeding great agreement betweene themselues. Metonymycall, because the signe is put for the thing signified, & so contrariwise. The reason of these Pre∣dications in the mater of a Sacrament, is the vnion, which as it cōsisteth in three, in the signifying, sealing, and spirituall exhibiting; so it maketh these Sacra∣mental Predications true, because of the signifying, sealing, and exhibiting.

The End of a Sacrament is two-fold; Proper and Accidentall: The Proper, is eyther Primary, or Secondary: That, is the visible sealing of Gods invisible grace, and our conjunction with Christ:y 1.25 This, is a testifying of godlinesse to∣wards God, of loue towards our neigh∣bour, and of open profession, whereby, as by a marke, wee are severed from o∣ther Synagogues of Sathanz 1.26. The Ac∣cidentall, is the condemation of them, that vnworthily communicate: for al∣beit

the vnfaithfull receiue the Sacra∣mēts, yet, for the abuse of the signes, & reproachful contempt against the thing signified, they are made guilty of the contempt of Christ, and therefore also of everlasting death and condemnati∣on.

By thisa 1.27 opening of the definition through all the causes, it may easily be cōcluded, what those things are, which most properly may hold the name, and nature of a Sacrament; to witte, those wherein there may be a concurrence of all these causes and of the conditions, that issue out of these.

Such Sacraments as these, are some of the Old, & some of the New Testamēt.

Those, which are of the olde Testa∣ment, are of two sorts: for some were Temporary, Accidentall, and Extraor∣dinary, which God vsed but once or for a certaine time: and of these, some re∣semble our Baptisme, as the passage through the red sea, the deluge, the a∣biding vnder the Cloude; some the Lords supper, as the Manna given from

heaven, the water out of the rock: some were firme, and ordinary, the vse wher∣of, was vnto the time of the New Co∣venant, which specially were two, Cir∣cumcisionb 1.28, and the Passeoverc 1.29: the one, a token, & Sacrament of entrance, and receyving into the Covenant: the other, of continuance in the Covenant: which are called speciall; partly, be∣cause they were the Presidents of the New Testament; and partly, be∣cause they sealed vppe the promise o•• Grace, and the application thereof, made to every one: for which two re∣spects, they are distinguished from all other Sacraments, which were many in the old Testament.

The Sacraments of the New Testa∣ment are two; the one of entrance, to witte Baptisme, which succeeded Cir∣cumcisiond 1.30: the other of Nourishment, or food; namely, the Lords supper, which the Paschall Lambe shadowed forthe 1.31

And as all the causes doe most e∣vidently declare the verity of these two sacraments: so they manifestly convince

the vanity of the rest, which common∣ly are wont to bee counterfeyted.

For of these two Sacraments, God is the Cause Efficient, by the worde of Institution, that is, of commaundement, and promise: which Efficient Cause the other fiue ambiguously called Sacra∣ments, haue notf 1.32.

The Matter, that is, the signe and the thing signified, is exhibited in these two Sacraments: the former whereof notwithstanding, Penance hath not sim∣ply; but Matrimony, Order, Confir∣mation, and Extreame Vnction, haue it not by Divine Institution: the latter of these, none of them hath most neere∣ly, whether you respect Christ himself, or his merite, or his benefites.

The Forme of a Sacrament, is only found in Baptisme, and the Supper: but the others haue indeede some signi∣fication, but no sealing, or presenting at all.

The Principall, and Secondary end, these two Sacraments haue joyntly to∣gether: the other fiue eyther haue not,

or haue it severally, (or dividedly.)

To these are added two conditions annexed to the institution of sacramēts; whereof the first requireth, that a sacra∣ment be ordinary, and perpetuall: the second, that the vse of a Sacrament, bee common to all, which professe the same Covenant, and the same faith: which two conditions doe concur in Baptisme, and the Supper: but in the others, ey∣ther the first of them is wāting, as in the Extreame Vnction, which onely in the time of the Apostles, was as a Signe v∣sed not in sickenes, past hope of recove∣ry, but likely to be recovered: or the se∣cond is wanting; as in Matrimony, and Order; or both, as in Confirmation.

These Sacraments of the old, and new Testament, in divers respects, doe both agree and differ.

They agree first in the Efficient, that is God, or the word of Institution: Se∣condly, in theg 1.33 Naturall parts, the Signe, and the thing signified. Thirdly, in the Relation, to the thing signified; which, in both places, is the sameh 1.34.

Fourthly, in the End, to witte, that they bee visible signes of Gods invisibe grace.

But they differ, first in the outwarde Adiunctes, & the circumstance of timei 1.35: Secondly, in the Manner of Signifi∣ing. Thirdly, in the Quality of the Signs. Fourthly, in the Number, Measure, Po∣er, and Easinesse: For ours are for num∣ber fewer, for profite better, for the vn∣derstanding of heauenly things play∣ner, for vertue greater, and for action easier.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Symbola. Gen 17.10 11. Mat. 28.19
• b 1.2

  Rom. 4.11. 1. Cor. 10.17.
• c 1.3

  1 Cor. 11.23.
• * 1.4

  Nihil habe∣re rationē Sacramen∣ti extra v∣sum a Deo institutum
• d 1.5

  Mat. 28 19. Mar. 16.15
• e 1.6

  Mat. 26.26 1. Cor. 11.24. Rom. 6. 2. Pet. 3.
• f 1.7

  Tit. 1.25 Eph. 3 17
• g 1.8

  Rom. 3.3.4
• h 1.9

  Ioh. 1.26. 1. Cor. 10.16. & 11 26. &c. Luc. 22.19
• i 1.10

  1. Cor. 11.3.
• k 1.11

  Rom. 6.3 1. Cor. 10.16. Gal. 3.27.
• l 1.12

  1. Pet. 1.7 2. Pet. 1.19. Mat. 20.28.
• m 1.13

  Ioh. 6.53. Ioh. 15.4. Rom. 8.32
• n 1.14

  1. Cor. 1.30.
• * 1.15

  Indistantiā Inexisten∣tiam.
• * 1.16

  Praebitione.
• o 1.17

  Gen. 17 10.11. 1. Cor. 11.15.16. Ioh. 6.33.
• p 1.18

  1. Ioh. 1.7.
• q 1.19

  1 Pet. 3.2. Rom. 4.11 Eph. 3.7.
• s 1.20

  Col. 6.7. Ioh. 1.26.
• * 1.21

  Col. 26.7. Ioh. 1.26.
• t 1.22

  Eph. 3.17
• u 1.23

  1. Cor. 5.7. Gen. 17.10. Act. 7.8.
• x 1.24

  1. Cor. 11.24. Mat. 26.28
• y 1.25

  Rom. 6.4. 1. Cor. 10.16. Gal. 3.27.
• z 1.26

  1 Cor. 10.17. Eph. 4.5 1. Cor. 11.29.
• a 1.27

  An alysi.
• b 1.28

  Gen. 17 10. Leu. 12.
• c 1.29

  Exod. 12 3. 2. Chr. 3 5
• d 1.30

  Col. 2.11.12. Act. 22.16 1 Pet. 13 21.
• e 1.31

  Luc 21.15. 1. Cor. 5.8 1. Cor. 11.24.
• f 1.32

  Mat. 28 19.
• g 1.33

  Genericis
• h 1.34

  1. Cor. 10.3. 2. Cor. 5.
• i 1.35

  Gal. 23 & 5.6.