The summe of Christian religion: deliuered by Zacharias Vrsinus in his lectures vpon the Catechism autorised by the noble Prince Frederick, throughout his dominions: wherein are debated and resolued the questions of whatsoeuer points of moment, which haue beene or are controuersed in diuinitie. Translated into English by Henrie Parrie, out of the last & best Latin editions, together with some supplie of wa[n]ts out of his discourses of diuinitie, and with correction of sundrie faults & imperfections, which ar [sic] as yet remaining in the best corrected Latine.

3 Jn what Sacraments differ from sacrifices.

WE must hold and obserue a difference betweene Sa∣crifices and Sacraments,* 1.1 that we may knowe what to do, when we come vnto them. Now they differ in the prin∣cipal & chiefe end. For sacraments are only ceremonies. Sacrifices may be ceremonies & moral works also, as the sacrifices of thanks∣giuing are our works towards God, whereby wee yeeld due obedience and honour vnto God; such are the sacrifices of praise and thankfulnesse. A sacrament, is gods work toward vs, wherein he giueth some thing, to wit, the signes and the things signed; & wherein he testifieth of his offering & be∣stowing his benefits vpon vs. Or the distinction betweene them may be giuen thus: A sacrifice is a woork, in which we yeeld some obedience and worship vnto God. But a sacra∣ment is a work, in which GOD giueth somewhat vnto vs: First, outward signes; Secondly, Thinges signified by them.* 1.2 A sa∣crament and a sacrifice may be sometimes together in one and the selfe-same thing: but they are sacramentes in res∣pect of God, in respect of vs sacrifices, and those onely eu∣charistical and of thanks-giuing. For there is but one on∣ly sacrifice propitiatorie by the raunsome of Christ offe∣red for vs on the crosse. Obiection. The Passouer and other ceremonies of the oulde testament were both sacrifices and sacra∣mentes. Therefore sacramentes doe nothing differ from sacrifices. Aunswere. More is in the conclusion, than in the premisses. Because this onely followeth; That the same thing may be a sacrament & a sacrifice. So Baptism, & the Lords Supper are sacraments, & sacrifices: They are sacraments and that principally; because they are the worke of god, who giueth vs some thing in them, and dooth therein testifie his gift vnto vs. For in them he reacheth vnto vs certaine Symbols and tokens by his ministers, as also by his ministers hee speaketh by his mouth vnto vs: according as it is said, Luk. 10.16. He that heareth you, heareth mee. So therefore euerie minister reacheth with his hand the sacramentes vnto vs, and wee receiue them at their handes, as at the handes of

God, if so wee take them with reuerence: but much more God giueth, and as it were reacheth with his hande vnto vs, in the lawful and right vse of the sacramentes, the things themselues which are signified by the sacramentes. Fur∣thermore, Baptisme and the Lordes Supper are sacrifices, not indeede principally, but as they are our woork, which we perform to God; that is, as we receiue these signes, as it were from the hand of God, and so declare our obedience towards God.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Sacraments & sa∣crifices differ in their chiefe end
• * 1.2

  The same thinges may bee sacrifices and sacramentes.