Propositions and Principles of Divinity Disputed, Section 55
PRINCIPLES CONCERNING THE SACRAMENTS. LV.
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 Sacraments, and firſt in generall.
1 VVHen as God of his infinit goodnes, would not hauehave 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, concerning the ſauing thereof by Chriſt: but alſo added certaine 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 vntounto none, ſaue vntounto thoſe only, that are inſtructed, that is, vntounto the members of Gods Church. Now the Latines called them Sacraments, either becauſe the woorde foreign was ſo interpreted, by the olde tranſlatour of the new Teſtament, or becauſe theſe rites, are the markes of the couenaunt betweene God and vsus, that hee ſhould bee our God, and we his people, and that by a Metaphore borrowed from the Sacraments, that is, the ſolemne oathes, whereby ſouldiers bound themſelues vntounto their Captains, and the Captaines againe vntounto them.
3 Now, although neither the word MYSTERIE, nor SACRAMEMT, be found in the Scripture, in that ſence whereof wee nowe ſpeake: yet thoſe godlie fathers hauehave added nothing vntounto 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 fathers, referred vntounto al kind of ſignes, which are vſed to expreſſe holie thinges; it is to bee obſerued, that in this diſcourſe, the ſame is particularlie referred vntounto 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 define to be certaine viſible ſignes inſtituted by God vntounto 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 hauehave amongſt themſelues, vnderunder Chriſt their head.
6 In the latter ſenſe we define them to be a certain holie action, enjoined by God vntounto the Church: wherein, as GOD in a kinde of agreeable proportion, betweene the ſignes and the things ſignified, offereth vntounto the ſenſes of our bodie, by the hand of the Miniſter, the things that appertaine vntounto our ſaluation in Chriſt: ſo dooth hee giuegive vntounto 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 ordained by the will of God, to be ſignes of his grace in Chriſt, which by nature they are not: neither are they ſignes onlie, 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, becauſe 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 vntounto thoſe that were appointed by the lord, or detract anie title from them, they are guiltie of treaſon 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, offered vntounto 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 hauehave them to bee: ſo that the word is as it were the ſoule of the Sacraments, in regarde that it teſtifieth what the diuine ordinaunce is.
They doe therefore aboliſh the Sacramentes, who either 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 vsus, is the ſaluation of the faithfull, by ſealing their conjunction with Chriſt. For God, not contented with the generall preaching of his promiſes, thinketh it meet to ſeale, and to offer them in ſpeciall vntounto euerie particular beleeuer, hauing a regarde thereby to their infirmitie.
12 Other ends alſo they hauehave, which are of great moment, as that by them we ſhould be put in remembrance of the benefites of Chriſt, that the Church ſhould bee diſtinguiſhed from other ſects. For, as God will be diſcerned from Idols: ſo hee will hauehave his people ſeuered by theſe markes, from the Kingdome of the Deuill: that they ſhuld bee bandes of the mutuall louelove 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 participate the outwarde ſignes onelie, and that to their condemnation.
They erre therefore, who hold that vnbeleuers do receaue the thing ſignified, that is Chriſt, together with the ſignes.
And they alſo doe ouer-wickedlie abuſe the Sacramentes, 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 commandement 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 heuenlie thinges: and this is the conſecration of the Sacrament.
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 enchantment, either chaunged, or aboliſhed.
15 The conjunction of the ſignes and the thinges ſignified, 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 viſible elements: in ſuch ſort, as God doth giuegive 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 VntoUnto this ſacramental change, and the conjunction 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 attribute ſome holines vntounto the ſignes: and as for thoſe who worſhip them, them wee vtterlie deteſt as open Idolaters.
17 The Sacramentall ſpeaches and phraſes, are eyther proper or figuratiue: proper, as when that which appertaineth vntounto the ſigne, is attributed vntounto the ſame: & that which is peculiar vntounto the thing ſignified, is diſtinctly applied therevnto: and theſe do forbid vsus to attribute vntounto 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 former, 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 vntounto the ſignes, and contrariwiſe, the names or the effectes of the ſignes, applied vntounto 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 vntounto them then were meet.
They therefore doe attribute leſſe then is meete vntounto the Sacraments, who will hauehave 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 hauehave them to be ſignes onelie of our outward profeſsion.
19 Nowe, in aſmuch as the Sacraments are ſupplies joined vntounto 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 vsus 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 giuegive vntounto the ſignes, his owne force and efficacie, by vertue whereof the thinges ſignified are receaued.
They are blaſphemous therefore, who will hauehave grace either in whole, or in part, to bee beſtowed by the Sacraments. And they are no leſſe blaſphemous, who will hauehave this to be done, by the worke wrought.
20 The force of the Sacramentes doth in no wiſe depend vponupon the perſon of the Miniſter, who deliuereth thē, but vponupon the ordinaunce of God onlie, ſo that the ſame be obſerued: and that by a publick perſon, either rightly called; or at the leaſt exerciſing a publick function by a common errour.
The Donatiſts therefore, and ſuch like did erre, who taught that the Sacramentes adminiſtred by euill Miniſters, 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 vntounto the ſauor of death: ſo the Sacramentes alſo, which are inſtituted by God vntounto the ſaluation of men, are notwithſtanding, receaued by the faithleſſe & the vnworthy communicants, vntounto their condemnation and judgement: and yet do they not deſiſt in reſpect of God, to bee true Sacraments ſtill.
22 As the ſeede of the woord preached, dooth not alwaies bring forth fruit at the ſame moment that it is ſowed in the heartes of the faithfull: ſo the fruit of the receauing of the Sacraments dooth not preſentlie ſhewe it ſelfe, in ſuch ſort as the faithfull hauehave 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 confirme the ſame by the Sacraments. And therefore regarde is to be had, that they who are of the age of diſcretion, enjoy 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 vntounto their ſaluation that are of age: but the Sacraments are not abſolutelie and preciſelie neceſſarie vntounto 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 offered, both vntounto the beleeuing, and to the vnfaithfull, and that generallie. But the Sacraments are onelie to be adminiſtred vntounto thoſe that are taken for the knowne members of the Church; and that, vntounto euerie one of them ſeuerallie, whereby a particular full aſſurance may be wrought in them.
26 The preaching of the word may be offered alone vntounto the Church, without the Sacramentes: but the Sacramentes 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 vntounto manie of them, eſpeciallie vntounto the ſight: therefore it is, that they are the more effectuall meanes to apprehend Chriſt, ſo that they be lawfullie adminiſtred.
Defended by PETER CARPENTER a low countrieman.