vvit nor learning vvere vvorthy to cary their bookes after them But least our aduersarie triuÌ„phe that vvee can not proue our sacraments out of scripture I vvill bringe Scriptures for euery one of theÌ„ But first I muste aggree vvith them vppon certaine conditions for first of all they muste not exacte of mee to pro ue that these seuen are expressely called by the name of SacrameÌ„t for soe they can not proue their tvvo or three sacraments Ephes 5. bicause matrimonie only vvhich they deny to be a sacrament is expressely called a sacrament Secondly they muste not demaund of me any place of Scripture vv ch sayeth that there are seuen Sacraments bicause they can alleage noe such place vvhich sayeth that ther are not seuen or that there are but tvvoe or three And the reason is bicause scripture vseth to treate of many thinges but not allvvayes to nuÌ„ber them For Scripture relateth Christes miracles and yet numbers them not and it settes dovvne many articles of faithe as the Trinitie Incarnation Passion Resurrection Ascension and many others yet neuer setteth dovvne any certaine number They muste bee content then that I deduce by as good consequence out of Scripture that there are seuen Sacramentes as they can gather their tvvoe or three Sacramentes And this I can doe and if this I doe I shall refute all their opinions of vv ch some hold one some tvvoe some three some fovvre only and all conspire in the deniall of seuen But before I doe this I must suppose vvhich they vvill graunte caÌ„not deny vnless they vvill deny all sacraments that to proue seuen sacramentes out of Scripture shal be sufficient if I can fynde in scripture ether in expresse termes or by good deductioÌ„ an externall rite commaundemeÌ„t or Institution and a promise of grace in euery one of the seueÌ„ SacrameÌ„ts afore-named for thus our aduersaries proue their Sacramentes and bicause they imagin that some of these conditions requisite to a sacrament are deficient in some of the seueÌ„ they deny them to be sacramentes â— 18 Vvherfore in the Apologie of their coÌ„fession these vvordes are to bee seene If vve calle Sacramentes rites vvhich haue a commaundement from God and to vvhich is annexed a promise of grace it is easie to iudge vvhich are properly sacramentes And a litle after by this rule they gather that Baptisme the supper and Penaunce are sacraments To begin therfore vvith baptisme the externall rite vve gather out of the third of sainct Ihon and the last of sainct Matthevve vvhich is vvater and vvashing the commaundement and Institution is proued out of these vvordes vnlesse a man be regenerated of vvater and the holy spirit Io. 3. The promise of grace vvhich is annexed to this Sacrament the last chapter of saint Matthevve proposeth in those vvords he vvho beleeueth and shal be baptized Mar. 16. shal be saued And to goe on vvith the Sacrament of the Altare the externall rite of this sacrament is bread and vvine or the formes of bread vvine The institution and commaundement is conteined in those vvords Mat. 26.1 Cor. 15. d ee this in commemoratâ—n of mee The promise of grace vvee gather out of sainct Ihon he vvhoe eateth this bread shall liue for euer Io. â— In CoÌ„firmation also vvee finde an externall rite vvhich is imposition of handes by vvhich the Apostles and Apostles and Bishops only vsed after Baptisme to giue the holy ghoste Act â— 19. Dionis l. 〈◊〉 Hierâ—p 3. c. 2 Tert l. de res â—arnis lib de baptis Cip lâ— ep 12â— Aug. l 2. coÌ„t lit Pre. ◠〈◊〉 The promise of grace appearethe by the performaunce bicause all they vppon vvhome the Apostles layed their handes receued the holy ghost and consequently grace The institution and commaundemeÌ„t vve may vvel presume to haue proceeded from Christe bicause Apostles can not institute SacrameÌ„tes nor cause any externall ceremonie to giue the holy ghoste infallibly and they vvould neuer haue presumed such a thinge vvithout a coÌ„maundement froÌ„ Christe their master Vvherfore sainct Austine speaking of this sacrament sayeth in plaine termes Suprâ—â— that the Sacrament of Chrisme is to be numbered amongest the sacred signes euen as Baptisme is The same conditions of a sacrament are easily to be found also in the sacrament of Confession Io. â—â— for Christe sayeth vnto his Apostles and in them to all their successours Vvhose sinnes you shall forgiue are forgiuen them and vvhose sinnes you shall reteine are reteined In vvhich vvordes he giues authoritie to Preests as his vnder Iudges to absolue from sinnes and to deteine sinnes and bicause the Preest can not absolue vnlesse the penitente confesse his sinnes Amb l. 1. de pâ—n ca 7. Aug l. 5 de Bapt c. 20. and the penitent can not knovv that hee is absolued vnlesse the Preest pronounce some audible sentence vvee gather that the externall rite of this sacrament is an audible absolution and confession the promise of grace is found also in this Sacrament most euideÌ„tly bicause Christe promiseth that vvhose sinnes the Preest forgiueth shal be forgiuen and seing that sinnes can not be forgiuen vvithout grace if the preest can forgiue sinnes he can also giue grace by this sacrament The institution and commaundemeÌ„t is conteined in the same vvords bicause Preestes haue commissioÌ„ from Christe to absolue froÌ„ sinnes to holde and deteine our sinnes consequeÌ„tly sinners vvho must recoÌ„cile them selues to God muste doe it by confessioÌ„ to the Preest else can not he absolue for noe iudge can giue sentence vvithout knovvledg of the cause othervvise he can not be sayed to deteine our sinnes for if he de teine our sinnes vve caÌ„ not be loosed but by his absolution and seing that all sinners must seeke to free theÌ„ selues froÌ„ the bandes and bondage of sinne they must come to the Preest vvhoe only vnder God bindeth and looseth In the Sacrament of Order vve finde also an external rite to vvit impositioÌ„ of handes 1 Tim. 4 2. Tim. 1. vvhich in Greeke is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vvhich as sainct Hierome sayeth sigâ—â—neth ordination of Clerkes in c â—8 Isa The commaundement and institution vve gather thus Supra saint Paule bids Timothee not to neglecte the grace vvhich he had receiued by imposition of hands vvherfore sainct Paule Knevve that infallibly that externall rite gaue grace but it could not giue grace if Christ had not instituted it to that ende and S. Paule vvould not haue praesumed to haue vsed it to that end if Christe had not commaunded and instituted it Aug l. â— coÌ„t ep Parn c 13. l â— de bap c. 1. ergo this externall rite vvas instituted and commaunded The promise of grace vve gatther by the performaunce bicause sainct Paule sayeth that Timothie had receiued grace by imposition of hands Ephes 5. That matrimonie also is a Sacrament sainct Paule vvill vvitnesse vvho bicause this seemed most
sacrifice as they confesse that they haue not and in deed they haue not if sacrifice as being the principall office of religion and proper vnto God as is proued is so necessarily required that vvithout it regilgioÌ„ can in no vvise bee supported the coÌ„clusion to vvâ—hich my former discourse driueth must needs follovve to vvit that tâ—e reformers haue noe religion bicause noe sacrifice noe reilgioÌ„ And seing that in the Catholike and Romain Churche only is founde a sacrifice like to Melchisedechs and correspondent to that of vvhich Daniel and Malachie haue fortold as the Sacrifice of the nevv lavve and the same vvhich Christe offered at his laste supper and commaunded to bee offered by his Apostles and their successours it follovvethe that the Catholike Churche is the true Church of Christe and that in it only is practised true faithe and true religion The third Chapter shevveth hovv the reformers amongest them haue reiected all the SacrameÌ„ts and so can haue noe religion bicause SacrameÌ„ts and religion euer goe to together IT is a common opinion amongest the holy fathers and diuines that since the falle of Adam SacrameÌ„tes vvere alvvayes necessary partely to declare mans dutye tovvards God and partely for maÌ„s ovvne instruction For first man being composed of soule and body vvas to serue God not only vvith invvard affectioÌ„s but allso by outvvard and visible signes Secondly bicause he vvas to receiue grace from Christe against the maladie of sinne into vvhich he vvas fallen he vvas also to professe his faythe in Christe from vvhome this grace proceedeth and to acknovvledge it as desceÌ„ding from his passion by visible signes and figures such as Abels sacrifice and Circumcision vvere in the lavv of nature and such as the Paschal lambe and other sacraments vvere in the lavve of Moyses and such as baptisme and the sacrament of the Altare are in the lavve of grace Thirdly bicause he had offeÌ„ded God by vse of corporall thinges it vvas conuenient that by corporall and sensible Sacramentes and by the religious vse of the same he should restore God his honour vvhich sinne had taken from him and make him satisfaction by such thinges as he had done him iniurie For mans behalfe also Sacraments since Adames sinne vvere alvvayes requisite Gen. 3. For first bicause mannes sinne proceeded of pride and a desire to bee like to God in knovvledge of good and euill it vvas conuenient for mans humiliation that hee should be set to Schole Prou. 6. to learne not only of the Ante diligence and of other brute beastes other vertues but also of these senseles creatures such as SacrameÌ„ts are his faithe and religion Vvherfore as the Paschall lambe brought the Ievves into a gratefull remeÌ„braunce of their deliuerie and passage from Egipte and Circumcision did put theÌ„ in mynde of a spirituall Circumcision Rom. 6. So Baptisme setteth before our eyes the buriall and Resurrection of Christe For vvhen the infante is dipped into the vvater vvee thinke of Christes buriall and vvhen hee is lifted vp a nevv creature regenerated to a nevve life vvee call to mynde the resurrection by vvhich Christe is risen to a nevv and an immortall life And in the Sacred Euchariste vvhich by the formes of bread representeth the body of Christe and by the accidentes of vvine the bloud of Christe aparte Mat. 26. vve commemorate the deathe and Passion of Christe Secondly as man by sinne had preferred the creature before the Creatour so vvas it meet and conuenient that he should as it vvere begge grace and seeke his saluation by the meanes of these sensibles signes and Sacraments vvhich are farre inferiour vnto him in nature Lastly as by abuse of corporall creatures he had vvounded his soule by sinne so vvas it expediente that by vse of the same his diseases and spirituall sores should be recured And so it vvas moste requisite that Christe in the nevv lavve should institute seÌ„sible signes and Sacraments â—i 19. cont â—eust c. 10. And therfore sainct Austine sayeth that as yet neuer any societie could ioyne in one religion and vvorship of God but by the vse of the same Sacramentes In vvhich pointe the reformers aggree vvhith vs for they all avouch Suenkfeldius only excepted and some other Libertines that Sacramentes are necessarie but in the number they vary not only from the Catholikes but also from one another The Catholike Churche hathe euer vsed seauen sacramentes vvhich are Baptisme Confirmation the Sacramen-of the Altare Penaunce Order Mariadge and Extreme vnction â— p q. 65. a. â— Vvhich number sainct Thomas the diuine proueth by a very pregnaunte reason or rather similitude vvhich is betvvixte the corporall spirituall life of man For in our corporall life seuen thinges are required to vvhich are correspoÌ„dent seuen sacraments in the spirituall life of man In a corporall life first is necessary generatioÌ„ vvhich giueth the first being and essence and to this is ansvverable Baptisme vvhich regenerateth vs again vnto a nevv life and spirituall being of a Christian by vvhich vvee are nevv creatures borne of vvater the Spirit vnto a nevv life Io 1. l. de Bapt. Vvherfore Tertulian callethe Christians spirituall fishes bicause though they haue their corporal life from earthe by carnall generation yet their spirituall life and being like fishes they receiue from the vvater by spirituall regeneration Secondly in a corporall life is necessarie augmentation by vvhich the litle infante for all beginnings are litle vvaxeth grovveth and gaineth devv proportion quantitie and strengh by vvhich he is able to exercise operations and actions belonging to corporall life as to eate drinke talke vvalke laboure to defend him selfe and to assaulte his enemie And to this is correspondent the Sacrament of Confirmation vvhich perfiteth vs in the spirituall life receiued in Baptisme vv ch is the cause vvhy some fathers say that before this Sacrament vve are not perfecte Christians and giues vs force to defende this our spirituall life by confessing our faythe before the persequutor vvhich faithe is the ground of spirituall life Thirdly bicause this corporall life of ours fadeth diminishethe continuaily for euery hovver vve lose some parte of our substauÌ„ce partely by reason of the conflicte of the contrarie elements vvhich consume vs vvhilest in vs they striue one against another partely by reason of the continuall combate vvhich is betvvixte naturall heate and moysture vvhich is as it vvere the tallovve of our light and life vve stand in need of nurriture and nutrition vvhich restores that substaunce vvhich is dayly loste and so prolongeth our life And to this in our spirituall life ansvvereth the Sacrament of the Altare Ioh 6. vvhich conteining in it the body and bloud of Christe vvhoe calles him selfe liuing bread and sayeth that his flesh his truly meate his blood truly driÌ„ke nourishethe the soule spiritually and conserueth our spirituall life here Io. 6. and prepareth vs to an immortall life in heauen Fourthly man hauing
calle the Supper for though some of them allovve vs also Order and some Penaunce yet in these Sacramentes as is before declared they do not aggree But yet if vve consider the estimation vvhich they make of these tvvoe Sacramentes vvhich all of them allovve vs vve shall see that herin vve are not much beholding vnto them And as concerning baptisme in Synop. Col. c. 17. Luther is of opinion that no forme of vvords is necessary yea he thinketh it sufficient if you baptize the child in the name of the lorde And being demaunded once vvhether it vvas lavvfull to baptise in milke or beare he ansvvered that any liquour that is apte to bathe or vvashe is sufficient And so you see hovv hee taketh a vvay the matter and forme of baptisme or at least bringeth them bothe in doubte And as touchiÌ„g the vsual forme of vvords Caluin iumpeth vvith him in the same opinion l. 4. Inst c. 17. and addeth that such formes of vvords are meare magicall charmes and enchauntementes Brentius sayeth that if the minister after that the Creed is read saye only In this fayth I vvas he thee departe in peace it vvill serue vvel enough in c. 26. Mat. And Bucere denyeth that vvords are necessarie in the Eucharistie and vvould say no doubte the same in baptisme The same Luther as is before related is of opinion that actuall faythe euen in children is necessarie and that Sacramentes haue no other effecte then to stirre vp this faithe vvherfore seing that Baptisme ca not stirre vp childrens faithe bicause they haue no knovvledge of the signification of such mysteries it must needs follovv that to Baptise children is but laterem lauare to vvash a tile and to loose labour Caluin also is nether a frayed nor a shamed to saye l. 4. Inst c. 17. § 17. that sainct Ihon Baptistes vvashing vvas as good as Christes baptisme Act. 19. And yet sainct Paule rebaptized them vvith Christes baptisme vvhom saincte Ihon before had baptized vvhich argued his baptisme of insufficiencie and proueth Christes baptisme to be of more perfection vvhich suplyed that vvhich vvas vvanting in sainct Ihons baptisme The same Caluin sayeth that in necessitie vvomeÌ„ may not baptise § 22. and that if the childe dy vvithout baptisme he may be saued if ether he be predestinated or be the childe of faithfull parentes yea he sayeth that fevv do mark hovv much harme that doctrine hathe doone vvhich teacheth that Baptisme is necessary vnto saluation And if you vrge him vvith those vvordes of our Sauiour vnless a maÌ„ be borne agame of vvater and the holy ghoste c. Io 3. he vvill father glosse the texte moste grossely then yeeld vnto you that baptisme is necessary to saluation l. â— Inst c. 16 § 17.18 The meaning is not sayeth he that materiall vvater is necessary but this is the sense vnless a man be borne againe of the holy ghoste vvhich like vvater vvasheth he can not enter into heauen And so by this exposition vvater is not necessary only the regeneration and vvashing of the spirit is necessary and this Baptisme according to Caluins opinioÌ„ children may haue vvithout vvater euen in their mothers vvoÌ„be if they be predestinate or childreÌ„ of faithfull parentes This is Caluins doctrine I saye Caluins for it is his singuler opinion contrarie to the opinion of the Churche and all the ancient fathers and councells yea contrarie to scripture it selfe For scripture telles vs plainly that vvee are all borne children of vvrathe Ephes 2. Rom. 5. and that vvee all sinned in Adam and consequently are conceued and borne in orignall sinne Iob. 3. vvherfore Iob vvho vvas predestinate curseth the day of his natiuitie and night of his conception Psal â—â— and Dauid not only prede stinate but borne also of saithfull parentes confessethe that hee is conceiued in sinnes that is in original sinne for the he brevve vvorde signifieth sinne in the singuler number vvhich not vvith standing the Translatour translated sinnes bicause originall sinne is the roote of all sinnes Gen. 13. And vvher as Caluin alleageth the blessing of God to Abrahame and all his seed and posteritie that serueth only to bevvraye his ignoraunce For first after that God had made that promise yet hee commaunded Circumcision and threatened that those that had it not should peris he And so althoughe Caluin vvere of Abrahams seed and his parentes also yet do the it not follovve that hee shal be partaker of that benediction vvithout baptisme secoÌ„dly that promise and benediction is novv to bee vnderstoode carnally or spiritually if carnally theÌ„ are none but levves capable of the benediction bicause they enly are the carnall children of Abrahame and so Caluin hathe noe parte in it at all If spiritually then they only are partakers of the benediction vvho as sainct Paule sayetâ—e Rem â— do imitate the faithe vvorkes of Abrahame Gal â—â— vvherfore seing that children euen of faithfull parentes doe in no vvise imitate ether Abrahames faithe or vvorkes they can not bee pertakers of his benediction vntill they bee baptised and so by receuing the Sacrament of fay the do in some sorte imitate Abrahames faithe And if Caluin say that at least by predestination children may bee saued vvithout baptisme hee shall but discouer herin hovv blockishe a diuine he is For none are predestinare but by the passion and merites of Christe Io. â— vvhich first are applyed by baptisme and not vvithout baptisme at leaste in desire therfore Christe threateneth damnation to all that are not baptised Vvherfore althoughe all children that are predestinate shal be saued yet not vvithout baptisme and they vvhich dye vvithout baptisme as by Christes ovvne sentence they are excluded from heauen so are they not predestinate But let vs see more of Caluins doctrine not tofollow it but to bevvare of it not to imbrace Suprae 16. it but to detest it The same man affirmethe that the reprobate or the children of infidels not predestinate are not to bee baptized least baptisme bee contaminated and bee made a false seale bicause sayeth he baptisme is a seale of former iustice and therfore if defiled infidels bee baptised the vvater is contaminated Ibid. and the seale is falsified He addeth that the children of the faithfull or the predestinate need not baptisme as a necessarie meanes vnto saluation and therfore if they dye vvithout it they may bee saued Yet sayeth hee baptisme is not to be contemned bicause it is commaunded as a ceremonie to incorporate vs meÌ„bers of the Church Novve put all this together to vvit that Baptisme is noe better then sainct Ihons vvashing that it is not necessarie for the predestinate oâ— children of faithfull parentes bicause they may be saued vvithout it and that it can not bee ministred vnto the children of infidelles least it bee contaminated it follovveth euidently that Baptisme is not necessarie yea that it is superfluouse bicause