and doth not teach that faith which beleeveth that grace is freely given us for Christs sake is necessarie in the use of the Sacraments but imagineth that men are just for the very use of the Sacraments even by the worke done and that without any good affection of him that useth it This Article we finde thus in another Edition COncerning the use of the Sacraments they teach that they were ordained not so much to be markes and badges of profession amongst men as that they should be signes or testimonies of the will of God towards us set forth unto us to stirre up and confirme faith in such as use them Whereupon they condemne those that teach that the Sacraments do justifie by the worke done and doe not teach that faith to beleeve remission of sinnes is requisite in the use of Sacraments Out of the Confession of SAXONIE Of the Sacraments THe Church also is discerned from other Gentiles by certaine Artic. 12. rites and ceremonies instituted of God and usually called Sacraments as are Baptisme and the Lords Supper which notwithstanding are not onely signes of a profession but much more as the ancient Fathers said signes of grace that is they be ceremonies added to the promise of the Gospel touching grace that is touching the free remission of sinnes and touching reconciliation and the whole benefit of our redemption the which are so instituted that every man may use them because they be pledges and testimonies which declare that the benefits promised in the Gospel doe appertaine to every one For the voice of the Gospel is generall this use doth beare witnesse that this voyce doth appertaine to every one which useth the Sacraments Out of the Confession of WIRTEMBERGE Of the Sacraments THe word Sacrament as also the word Mysterie which interpreters Artic. 9. doe expound Sacrament is very large But because some have thought it good to restraine it to the number of seven Sacraments we will briefly runne over every one that we may shew what we finde wanting in the doctrine that some have broached and what may seeme to be repugnant to the meaning of that Church which is indeed Catholique or Orthodoxe Out of the Confession of SUEVELAND Of the Sacraments SEeing that the Church of Christ doth live here in the flesh Artic. 16. howbeit not according to the flesh it pleased the Lord also to teach admonish and exhort it by the outward word And that this might be done the more commodiously he would also have his to make much of an externall societie among themselves For which cause he gave unto them holy signes among which these are the chiefest Baptisme and the Lords Supper the which we doe not onely thinke therefore to have had the name of Sacraments among the Fathers because they are visible signes of invisible grace as Saint Augustine doth define them but also for that purpose because that by them we doe consecrate our selves unto Christ and doe binde our selves as it were by the oath or Sacrament of faith THE THIRTEENTH SECTION OF THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY BAPTISME The latter Confession of HELVETIA Of holy Baptisme CHAP. 20. BAptisme was instituted and consecrated by God and the first that baptized was John who dipped Christ in the water in Jorden From him it came to the Apostles who also did baptize with water The Lord in plaine words commanded them To Matth. 28. preach the Gospel and to baptize in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost And Peter also when divers demanded of him what they ought to doe said to them in the Acts Act. 8. Let every one of you be baptized in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes and you shall receive the gift of the holy Ghost Whereupon Baptisme is called of some a signe of initiation of Gods people as that whereby the elected of God are consecrated unto God There is but one Baptisme in the Church of God for it is sufficient to be once baptized or consecrated unto God For baptisme once received doth continue all a mans life and is a perpetuall fealing of our adoption unto us For to be baptized in the name of Christ is to be enrolled entered and received into the covenant and family and so into the inheritance of the sonnes of God yea and in this life to be called after the name of God that is to say to be called the sonne of God to be purged also from the flchinesse of sinnes and to be indued with the manifold grace of God for to leade a new and innocent life Baptisme therefore doth call to minde and keepe in remembrance the great benefit of God performed to mankinde for we are all borne in the pollution of sinne and are the sonnes of wrath But God who is rich in mercy doth freely purge us from our sinnes by the bloud of his Sonne and in him doth adopt us to be his sonnes and by an holy covenant doth joyne us to himselfe and doth inrich us with divers gifts that we might live a new life All these things are sealed up unto us in Baptisme For inwardly we are regenerated purified and renewed of God through the holy Spirit and outwardly we receive the sealing of most notable gifts by the water by which also those great benefits are represented and as it were set before our eyes to be looked upon And therefore are we baptized that is washed and sprinckled with visible water For the water maketh cleane that which is filthy refresheth things that faile and faint and cooleth the bodies And the grace of God dealeth in like manner with the soule and that invisibly and spiritually Moreover by the Sacrament of Baptisme God doth separate us from all other Religions of people and doth consecrate us a peculiar people to himselfe We therefore by being baptized doe confesse our faith and are bound to give unto God obedience mortification of the flesh and newnesse of life yea and we are billed souldiers for the holy warfare of Christ that all our life long wee should fight against the world Satan and our owne flesh Moreover we are baptized into one body of the Church that we might well agree with all the members of the Church in the same religion and mutuall duties We beleeve that * Looke the 1. observation upon this confession that of all other is the most perfect manner of baptisme where in Christ was baptised and which the rest of the Apostles did use in baptisme Those things therefore which by mans device were added afterwards and used in the Church * 2. Observation we thinke them nothing necessary to the perfection of Baptisme Of which kind is exorcisme and the use of lights oyle salt spattle and such other things as namely that baptisme is twise every yeer consecrated with divers ceremonies For we beleeve that the baptisme of the Church which is but one was sanctified in Gods first institution of it
signe is bread and wine taken from things commonly used for meate and drinke The thing signified is the body of Christ which was given and his bloud which was shed for us and the communion of the body and bloud of the Lord wherefore the water bread and wine considered in their owne nature and out of this holy use and institution of the Lord they are onely that which they are called and which they were said then to be But let the word of God be once added to them together with invocation upon his holy name and the renewing of their first institution and sanctification and then these signes are consecrated and declared to be sanctified by Christ For Christs first institution and consecration of the Sacraments standeth yet in force in the Church of God in such sort that they which celebrate the sacraments no otherwise then the Lord himselfe from the beginning hath appointed have still even to this day the use and benefit of that first and most excellent consecration And for this cause in the administration of the Sacraments the very words of Christ are repeated And forasmuch as we learne out of the word of God that these signes were appointed unto an other end and use then commonly they are used unto therefore we teach that they now in this their holy use doe take upon them the names of things signified and are not still called bare water bread or wine but water is called regeneration and washing of the new birth and the bread and wine the body and bloud of the Lord or the pledges and Sacraments of his body and bloud not that the signes are turned into the things signified or cease to be that which in their owne nature they are for then they could not be Sacraments which should consist onely of the thing signified and have no signes but therefore doe the signes beare the names of the things because they be mysticall tokens of holy things and because that the signes and the things signified are sacramentally joyned together joyned together I say or united by a mysticall signification and by the purpose and will of him who first instituted them For the water bread and wine are not common but holy signes And he that instituted water in Baptisme did not institute it with that minde and purpose that the faithfull should onely be dipped in the water of baptisme and he which in the Supper commanded the bread to be eaten and the wine to be drunke did not meane that the faithfull should onely receive bread and wine without any further mystery as they eate bread at home in their owne houses but that they should spiritually be partakers of the things signified and by faith be truely purged from their sinne and be partakers of Christ also And therefore we cannot allow of them which attribute the consecration of the Sacraments to I know not what syllables to the rehearfall of certaine words pronounced by him that is consecrated and that hath an intent of consecrating or to some other accidentall things which are not left unto us either by the word of by the example of Christ or his Apostles We doe also mislike the doctrine of those that speake no other wise of the Sacraments then of common signes not sanctified nor effectuall We condemne them also who because of the invisible things doe despist the visible signes and thinke them superfluous because they doe alreadie enjoy the things themselves such were the Messalians as it is recorded We doe disallow their doctrine also who teach that grace and the things signified are to be so tied and included in the signes that whosoever doe outwardly receive the signes must needs inwardly participate the grace and the things signified what manner of men soever they be Notwithstanding as we esteeme not the goodnesse of the Sacraments by the worthinesse or unworthinesse of the Ministers so likewise we doe not weigh them by the condition of the receivers For we know that the goodnesse of the Sacraments doth depend upon the faithfulnesse or truth and the meere goodnesse of God For even as Gods word remaineth the true word of God wherein not onely bare words are uttered when it is preached but there withall the things signified by the words are offered of God although the wicked and unbeleevers heare and understand the words yet they enjoy not the things signified because they receive them not by a true faith Even so the Sacraments consisting of the word the signes and the things signified continue true and perfect Sacraments not onely because they be holy things but also for that God also offereth the things signified howsoever the unbeleevers receive not the things which are offered This cernmeth to passe not by any fault in God the author and offerer of them but by the fault of men who doe receive them without faith and unlawfully whose unbeliefe cannot make Rom. 3. the truth of God of none effect Now forasmuch as in the beginning where we shewed what the Sacraments were we did also by the way set downe to what end they were ordained it shall not be necessary to trouble our selves with repeating any thing which hath beene already handled Next therefore in order it remaineth to speake severally of the Sacraments of the new Testament Out of the former Confession of HELVETIA Of the force and efficacie of the Sacraments THe signes which in the Church of Christ be called Sacraments Artic. 20. are two Baptisme and the Lords Supper These being tokens of secret things doe not consist of bare signes but of signes and things also For in Baptisme water is the signe and * the thing it selfe is regeneration and to be taken by adoption to be the people of God In the Lords Supper bread and wine be the signes * Looke the 1. 2. Obser upon this confession but the thing is the communication of the body of Christ salvation purchased for us and the remission of sinnes These things are received by faith as the signes be received with the corporall mouth and the whole fruit of the Sacraments is in the thing it selfe Whereupon we affirme that Sacraments are not onely tokens of humane societie but also pledges of the grace of God by which the Ministers doe worke together with the Lord to that end which he doth promise offer and bring to passe yet so as we said before of the ministerie of the word that all the saving power is to be ascribed to the Lord alone Out of the declaration of the same Confession Of holy signes SAcraments are visible paterns instituted of God of the grace good will and promises of God towards us sure testimonies and holy remembrances the which under earthly signes doe represent unto us and set before our eyes heavenly gifts and doe withdraw the minde from earthly to heavenly things moreover they be tokens of Christian brotherhood and fellowship Therefore a Sacrament is not onely a signe but it is
of that thing which by Christs owne words is assigned to this age and is imparted unto it For so Christ in generall and without exception giveth in charge not touching some but touching all Teach ye all nations and baptize them in the name Matth. 28. Act. 4. of the Father the Son and the holy Ghost And so over children this most holy name is called upon in which alone there is salvation This is further also taught that they who are once lawfully and truely baptized when they come to yeeres ought to do their endeavour that they may learn to acknowledge and know what holy Baptisme is and therewithall the Catholike and Christian faith without which Baptisme availeth nothing to the end that afterward when they doe desire to be partakers of the Lord his Supper they may with their owne mouthes and of their owne accord make profession of their faith and may renew their sanctification by which they were consecrated to the Lord. And such that is which are thus instructed our ministers receive unto this covenant of holy baptisme and * Looke the 1. Observation upon this confession by the laying on of hands do testifie to them that grace is conteined in baptisme to strengthen them to the warfare of faith and so after a convenient and godly manner with use of pure ceremonies and such as are profitable to edifying they bring them to the sacrament of the L. Supper without any reiteration of baptisme as there are evident tokens and examples to be seen of this matter in the Primitive Church which is the true and best maistresse of the posteritie and going before leadeth us the way For if so be that a man should even after a true manner enjoy the Baptisme of Christ and should by meanes here of be buried with Christ into his death to newnesse of life if afterward his life being prolonged he should not according to the doctrine of the holy Gospel shew forth a true and lively faith in Iesus Christ brotherly love towards all those that are consecrated to the Lord and so should leade a life unworthy his place or calling and unworthy of God and his neighbour and should not in baptisme conceive a lively hope of life everlasting such a one should assuredly give certain testimonie of himselfe that he had in vaine received grace in holy Baptisme wherein the name of the holy Trinity was called on over him the which thing God the Lord as his word declareth suffereth Exod. 20. by no meanes to escape unrevenged or unpunished Out of the FRENCH Confession VVE acknowledge that there be two onely Sacraments Artic. 35. common to the whole Church whereof the first is Baptisme the which is given to us to testifie our adoption because that therein we are ingrafted into Christs body that being washed in his blood we may also be renued to holinesse of life by his Spirit This also we say Although we are baptized but once yet the fruit of baptisme doth pertaine to the whole course of our life that this promise to wit that Christ will be alwaies unto us sanctification and justification may be sealed up in us with a sure and firme seale Furthermore although Baptisme be a Sacrament of faith and repentance yet seeing that God doth together with the Parents account their posteritie also to be of the Church we affirme that infants being borne of holy parents are by the authoritie of Christ to be baptized We say therefore that the element of water be it never so Artic. 38. fraile doth notwithstanding truely witnesse or confirme unto us the inward washing of our soules in the blood of Iesus Christ by the vertue and efficacie of the holy Ghost Out of the ENGLISH Confession VVE say that Baptisme is a Sacrament of the remission of Artic. 12. sinnes and of that washing which we have in the blood of Christ and that no person which will professe Christs name ought to be restrained or keept backe therefrom no not the very babes of Christians forsomuch as they be borne in sinne and pertaine unto the people of God Out of the Confession of BELGIA VVE beleeve and confesse that Iesus Christ which is the end of the law hath by his owne bloud sheading made an end of all other propitiatorie sacrifice for sinnes Also that Circumcision which was done by blood being abolished he hath instituted Baptisme in the place thereof whereby we are received into the Church of God and separated from all other nations and all kinde of strange religions being consecrated unto him alone whose badge and cognisance we weare Finally Baptisme is a token unto us that he will be our God for ever who also is our gracious Father Therefore the Lord hath commanded all his to be baptized with pure water In the name of the Father the Sonue and the holy Ghost To signifie that the blood of Christ doth internally through the operation of the Spirit performe and effect that in the soule which water doth externally worke in the bodies For as water being poured upon us and appearing in the body of him that is baptized moistning the same doth wash away the filthines of the body so the blood of Christ washing the soule doth cleanse it from sinne and doth make us the sonnes of God which before were the children of wrath Not that this materiall water doth these things but the sprinckling of the precious blood of the Son of God which is unto us as the red sea wherethrough we must passe that we may depart from the tyranny of Pharaih that is the Devill and enter into the spirituall land of Canaan Therefore the ministers verily doe deliver unto us the Sacraments and the visible thing but it is the Lord himselfe that giveth it unto us that is represented by the Sacrament namely the gifts and invisible graces washing purifying and cleansing our soules from all spots and iniquities renuing in like manner and filling our hearts with all comfort and to conclude giving unto us a certain perswasion of his Fatherly goodnesse cloathing us with the new man and putting off the old man with all his deeds For these causes we do beleeve that every one that desireth to obtaine eternall life ought to be baptized with one baptisme and that once alone which never afterwards is to be itcrated seeing that we cannot be borne twise Neither doth this Baptisme profit us onely at that moment when the water resteth upon us and when we are sprinckled with it but it is available throughout the whole time of our life Therefore here we doe detest the errour of the Anabaptists who are not onely content with one onely Baptisme and that once received but doe also condemne the Baptisme of infants yea of those that be borne of faithfull parents but we by the same reason doe beleeve that they ought to be baptized and sealed with the signe of the covenant for the which in times past the infants amongst
which we teach touching the office dignitie and power of the Ministers of the Church whom they call Spirituall the which that we may credit we are moved thereunto by those places of Scripture which for the most part we rehearsed before THE TVVELFTH SECTION OF TRVE AND FALSE SACRAMENTS IN GENERALL The latter Confession of HELVETIA Of the Sacraments of Christ CHAP. 19. GOD even from the beginning added unto the preaching of the Word his Sacraments or sacramentall signes in his Church And this doth the holy Scripture plainely testifie Sacraments be mysticall signes or holy rites or sacred actions ordained of God himselfe consisting of his word of outward signes and of things signified whereby he keepeth in continuall memorie and eftsoones calleth to minde in his Church his great benefits bestowed upon man and whereby he sealeth up his promises and outwardly representeth and as it were offereth unto our sight those things which inwardly he performeth unto us and therewithall strengthneth and increaseth our faith though the working of Gods Spirit in our hearts lastly whereby he doth separate us from all other people and religions and consecrateth and bindeth us wholly unto himselfe and giveth us to understand what he requireth of us These Sacraments are either of the Old Testament or of the New The Sacraments of the Old Testament were circumcision and the Paschall Lambe which was offered up in sacrifice and for that cause is referred to the sacrifices which were in use from the beginning of the world The Sacraments of the New Testament are Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord. Some there are which reckon seven Sacraments of the New Testament Of which number we grant that repentance matrimonie and the ordination of ministers we meane not the Popish but the Apostolicall ordination are very profitable ordinances of God but no Sacraments As for confirmation and extreame unction they are meere devices of men which the Church may very well want without any damage or discommoditie at all and therefore we have them not in our Churches because there be certaine things in them which we can at no hand allow of As for that merchandise which the Romish Prelates use in ministring their Sacraments we utterly abhorre it The authour and institutor of all Sacraments is not any man but God alone for men can by no meanes ordain Sacraments because they belong to the worship of God and it is not for man to appoint and prescribe a service of God but to embrace and retaine that which is taught unto him by the Lord. Besides the sacramentall signes have Gods promises annexed to them which necessarily require faith now faith stayeth it selfe onely upon the word of God And the word of God is resembled to writings or letters the Sacraments to seales which the Lord alone setteth to his owne letters Now as the Lord is the Author of the Sacraments so he continually worketh in that Church where they be rightly used so that the faithfull when they receive them of the Ministers doe know that the Lord worketh in his owne ordinance and therefore they receive them as from the hand of God and the Ministers faults if there be any notorious in them cannot hurt them seeing they doe acknowledge the goodnesse of the Sacraments to depend upon the ordinance of the Lord. For which cause they put a difference in the administration of the Sacraments betweene the Lord and the Lords ministers confessing that the substance of the Sacraments is given them of the Lord and the outward signes by the hands of the ministers Now the principall thing that in all the Sacraments is offered of the Lord and chiefly regarded of the godly of all ages which which some have called the substance and matter of the Sacraments is Christ our Saviour That onely sacrifice and the Lambe of God slaine from the beginning of the world the rocke also of which all our fathers dranke by whom all the elect are circumcised with circumcision made without hands through the holy spirit and are washed from all their sinnes and are nourished with the very body and blood of Christ unto eternall life Now in respect of that which is the chiefe thing and the very matter and substance of the Sacraments the Sacraments of both the Testaments are equall For Christ the onely Mediatour and Saviour of the faithfull is the chiefe thing and substance in them both one and the same God is authour of them both They were given unto both Churches as signes and seales of the grace and promises of God which should call to minde and renew the memorie of Gods great benefits to them and should distinguish the faithfull from all the religions in the world lastly which should be received spiritually by faith and should binde the receivers unto the Church and admonish them of their dutie In these I say and such like things the Sacraments of both Churches be not unequall although in the outward signes they be diverse And indeed we doe yet put a greater difference betweene them for ours are more firme and durable as those which are not to be changed to the end of the world Againe ours testifie that the substance and promise is alreadie fulfilled and performed in Christ whereas the other did onely signifie that they should be performed And ours are more simple and nothing painefull nothing so sumptuous nor so full of ceremonies Moreover they belong to a greater people that is dispersed through the face of the whole earth Againe because they are more excellent and doe by the Spirit of God stirre up in us a greater measure of faith therefore a more plentifull measure of the spirit doth follow of them But now since that Christ the true Messias is exhibited unto us and the abundance of grace is powred forth upon the people of the New Testament the Sacraments of the old law are surely abrogated and ceased and in their stead the Sacraments of the New Testament are placed namely for Circumcision Baptisme and for the Paschall Lambe and Sacrifices the Supper of the Lord. And as in the old Church the sacraments consisted of the word the signe and the thing signified so even at this day they stand as it were of the same parts For the word of God maketh them Sacraments which before were none for they are consecrated by the word and declared to be sanctified by him who who first ordeined them To fanctisse or consecrate a thing is to dedicate it unto God and unto holy uses that is to take it from the common and ordinarie use and to appoint it to some holy use For the signes that be in the Sacraments are drawne from common use to things eternall and invisible As in baptisme the outward signe is the element of water and that washing is visible which is done by the Minister The thing * Looke the 1. observation upon this confession signified is regeneration and the cleansing from sinne Likewise in the Lords Supper the outward
and is consecrated by the word and is now of full force by and for the first blessing of God upon it Wee teach that Baptisme should not be ministred in the Church by women or midwives For Paul secludeth women from Ecclesiasticall callings but Baptisme belongeth to Ecclesiasticall offices We condemne the Anabaptists who deny that young infants borne of faithfull parents are to be baptized For according to the doctrine of the Gospel theirs is the kingdome of God And they are written in the covenant of God And why then should not the signe of the covenant be given to them Why should they not be consecrated by holy baptisme who are Gods peculiar people and in the Church of God We condemne also the Anabaptists in the rest of their opinions which they peculiarly doe hold against the word of God We therefore are not Anabaptists neither doe we agree with them in any point that is theirs Out of the former Confession of HELVETEA Of Baptisme BAptisme according to the institution of the Lord is the font Artis 21. of Regeneration the which the Lord doth give to his chosen in a visible signe by the ministery of the Church in such sort as we have declared before In which holy font we doe therefore dippe our infants because that it is not lawfull for us to reject them from the company of the people of God which are borne of us who are the people of God so long as they be not pointed out by the voyce of God especially seeing that we ought godly to presume of their election Out of the Declaration of the same Confession sent unto Luther Of Baptisme BAptisme is a Sacrament wherein the Lord by a visible signe doth testifie his grace unto us whereby he doth regenerate us and cleanse us from our sinnes and also receive us to be his people that we may live to Christ die to the old Adam and be partakers of the good things of Christ For we all are borne sinners whereupon we have need of regeneration and the purging of our sinnes which cometh to passe by the free mercy of God whereby also we are received into the covenant that being buried into his death we may rise againe in newnesse of life the which thing is taught more at large in the Apostls writings But the goodnesse of God doth in deed give unto us these heavenly gifts and also useth a signe hereunto that it may declare these things unto us and by pouring them into our senses might allure us to more excellent things that so the whole glory might be proper to God and yet the holy institution of the signe might not be made frustrate For it is most truly said Baptisme doth save us but it is added of Peter Not that which washeth away the filth of the body And the Baptist saith I indeed doe baptise you with water but he that is Christ shall baptize you with the holy Ghost and with fire Whereunto the holy Councel of Nice having respect did say Our Baptisme is to be considered not with sensible eyes but with the eyes of the minde Also Baptisme is a badge for it serveth to our confession For this we do plainly confesse in the Church that we together with our children and all our family doe professe the Christian religion that the members of that body whereof Christ is the Head to whom we have given our names are received of him into the number of those souldiers who by the good guiding of Christ do through all their life exercise a warfare against the world Satan and the flesh Hitherto also appertaineth the 5. Art ss 2. of the confession of Basill which before was placed in the 12. Sect. Out of the Confession of BOHEMIA Of holy Baptisme CHAP. 12. TOuching holy Baptisme it is taught that men must beleeve and professe that this is a Sacrament or wholesome ministerie of the New Testament instituted of Christ the Lord concerning which the faithfull Ministers have in charge that by the administration hereof they benefit the holy Church This Sacrament consisteth of an outward washing that is done with water with calling on the name of the holy Trinity that of the element and word may arise and be joyntly withall made a Sacrament August he in Ioan. cap. 13. and that washing is used both to signifie and to witnesse a spirituall washing and inward cleansing of the holy Ghost from the disease of hereditarie sinne and from other sinnes the guilt of which is here forgiven and taken away and to the attaining of a new manner of birth or regeneration whereupon it is called the Sacrament of the new birth that is of regeneration or a washing with water in the word of life For we beleeve that whatsoever Act. 2. and 22. by Baptisme as by a Sacrament added to the word of the Gospel is in the outward ceremonie signified and witnessed all that doth the Lord God work and performe inwardly that is that he washeth Iohn 3. Tit. 3. Ephes 5. Galat. 3. Rom. 6. 1 Pet. 3. away sinne begetteth a man againe and bestoweth salvation upon him and through the washing of water cleanseth by the word the societie of his Church cloatheth and apparelleth it with his Son burieth and taketh away sin and giveth testimonie to and sealeth the peace of a good conscience For Baptisme is not a washing away of the outward filth of the flesh but the stipulation or promise that a good conscience maketh unto God For the bestowing of these excellent fruits was holy Baptisme given and granted to the Church which the faithfull shepheards of soules ought to administer and which the faithfull people of Christ touching the receiving thereof ought to use lawfully but once only yet in deed and truth throughout their whole life And although Baptisme in the Primitive Church was for the most part ministred to such as were well grown and of discretion after a confession of faith made by them according to Christs commandement yet this is taught that young children also who are reckoned in the number of Gods people in like sort are by this ministerie to be benefited toward the attaining of salvation that they likewise may be consecrated and dedicated to Christ according to this commandement when he saith Suffer ye the Matth. 16. little ones to come to me and forbid them not because unto such belongeth the kingdome of God Therefore according to the word of the Lord and many other testimonies and other promises made to this beloved age of children especially when as also there is extant an example of that ancient ministerie ordained of God to Gen. 17. wit Circumcision which by reason of the covenant belonged not onely to those of discretion but therewithall also to young children For these causes doe our Ministers without any doubt and boldly baptize children in the name of the holy Trinitie applying unto them a signe of most effectual vertue and a most sure witnesbearing
the Israelites were circumcised that is by reason of the same promises made unto our infants that were made unto others And verily Christ hath no lesse shed his blood to wash the infants of the faithfull then he did for the washing of those that are of riper yeeres Therefore it is meete that they should receive the signe or Sacrament of the thing which Christ hath wrought for their sakes as in the law the Lord commandeth that the sacrament of the death and passion of Christ should be Levit. 12. 6. communicated to children new borne by offering up the lambe for them which was a sacrament of Christ to come Furthermore that which Circumcision did performe to the people of the Iewes the same doth Baptisme performe to the children of the faithfull For the which cause Paul calleth Baptisme The circumcision of Christ Out of the Confession of AUSPURGE COncerning Baptisme they teach that it is * Looke the 1. observation upon this confession necessarie to salvation Artic. 9. as a ceremonie ordained of Christ Also that by Baptisme the grace of God is offered And that young infants are to be baptized and that they being by baptisme commended unto God are received into Gods favour and are made the sonnes of God as Christ witnesseth speaking of little children in the Church Mat. 18. It is not the will of your heavenly Father that any of these little ones should perish They condemne the Anabaptists which allow not the baptisme of infants and * Looke the 1. Observat upon this confession hold that infants are saved though they die without baptisme and be not within the Church of God This in another Edition is set downe in this sort TOuching Baptisme they teach that it is * Looke the 2. observation necessarie to salvation and that by Baptisme the grace of God is offered That childreu are to be baptized and such as by baptisme be presented to God are received into his favour They condemne the Anabaptists that allow not of childrens Baptisme and hold that children are saved without Baptisme Out of the Confession of SAXONIE BAptisme is an entire action to wit a dipping and the pronouncing Artic. 13. of these words I baptise thee in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost We doe often expound the summe of the doctrine of the Gospel comprehended in these words I baptize thee that is I doe witnesse that by this dipping thy sinnes be washed away and that thou art now received of the true God who is the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath redeemed thee by his Sonne Iesus Christ and doth sanctifie thee by his holy Spirit I baptize thee into the name that is invocating of this true God whom thou shalt acknowledge and invocate and distinguish from all other feigned gods and shalt assure thy selfe that those benefits are given to thee which he promised in the Gospel that thou art a member of the Church of God which is redeemed by the Sonne and sanctified by the holy Ghost Let them remember this meaning of this covenant who by reason of their age are capable of doctrine and being confirmed by this testimony let them beleeve that their sinnes be forgiven them and that they are indeed members of the Church of God and let them in a true faith invocate the true God as Abraham considering of Circumcision did behold the promise of the seed to come understand that hee was a member of the Church of God and that the curse was taken away from him also by that seed of whom it was said in the promise Gen. 12. In thy seed shall all nations be blessed So also doth Peter teach 1 Pet. 3. That Baptisme is a stipulation or promise that a good conscience maketh unto God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ which is at the right hand of God He doth namely cal it a stipulation wherby God doth make a covenant with thee receiveth thee into favor the wounds of thy conscience being healed and thou in like sort dost make a covenant with God to invocate this true God and to beleeve that thou art saved by the Sonne of God who is raised up from death and now doth reigne So this Sonne of God sitting at the right hand of the eternall Father is effectuall in thee as also Paul saith to the Gal. You that are baptized have put on Christ And * Looke the 1. Observation upon this confession that the holy Ghost is given in baptisme Paul affirmeth it in his Epistle to Titus saying By the washing of the new birth and the renuing of the holy Ghost And in Iohn it is said Except a man be borne againe of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of heaven Therefore we teach * Looke the 2. observation upon this confession that baptisme is necessarie and we doe once onely baptize every one as every one was but once onely circumcised but we doe often make mention of the most profitable doctrine touching the signification thereof and the mutuall covenant We doe also baptise infants because it is most certaine that the promise of grace doth pertaine also of infants * Look the 3. Observation and to those onely which are ingrafted into the Church because that of these it is said Suffer little ones to come unto me because that to such appertaineth the kingdome of heaven And Origen writeth upon the sixth to the Romanes That the Church received the custome of baptizing infants from the Apostles Neither doe we thinke that this custome is onely an idle ceremonie but that the infants are then in deed received and sanctified of God because that then they are grafted into the Church and the promise pertaineth to such And of this matter there be many things written and published in our Churches whereby the Anabaptists are refuted Also out of the 19. Art Of Confirmation IT is well knowne that the manner of consecrating oyle was magicall and execrable and therefore these annointings wherein there is use of oyle are not to be tollerated and in old time they used these ceremonies otherwise then now they be used In the ceremonie of confirmation there was a triall of doctrine wherein every one did rehearse the forme of doctrine and did openly professe that they did mislike the madnesse of the Heathen and of Heretikes and that they would be and remaine members of the true Church and never forsake that true opinion which they did then professe This custome was profitable to instruct men and to keepe them in the true knowledge of God And in our Churches the like things be done in Catechising the younger sort * Looke the 2. observation upon this confession of Bobem Sect. 8 and in private confession wherein the Pastours doe examine the doctrine of the people But as touching the ceremonie of confirmation which the Bishops doe now retaine what else is it
they set their mindes upon the body of Christ when they see the cup they set their mindes upon the blood of Christ when they see the bread broken and the wine poured out they consider how that the body of Christ was tormented and his blood poured out for their sakes as by bread the bodies are nourished and strengthened as by wine the mindes are made merry so the godly doe beleeve that by the body of the Lord delivered unto death for them they are fed to everlasting life also that by his blood poured out upon the crosse their consciences are renewed to conclude they doe feele the quickning power of Christ which doth confirme them In this sort is the Supper of the Lord accomplished spiritually thus are the bread and wine a Sacrament unto us and not bare and naked signes Hereupon now ariseth a very great rejoycing and thanksgiving for so great benefits also a praising and confessing of the name of God here those works which the Lord once finished are renued and represented but especially the death of the Lord is repeated which although it once hapned and now is past yet unto the faithfull it is as yet fresh and present For the remembrance of the death of Christ which we make in the Supper is farre more noble and holy then theirs who in some prophane banquet are mindfull of their companion when they drinke the wine that he gave them For among these he that is absent worketh nothing but in this holy Supper of the faithfull the Lord is present and doth worke effectually by the spirit in the hearts of them as he who according to his promises is in the middest of them By these things it is most evident that in the holy Supper we doe not take away our Lord Christ from his Church not deny that his body and blood is there received to be our nourishment unto life eternall but we together with our predecessours and the chiefe Prelates of our Religion did and as yet to this day doe deny that the very body of Christ is eaten carnally or that it is present every where corporally and after a naturall manner For we doe openly confesse according to the Scriptures and with all the holy Fathers that Iesus Christ our Lord left this world and went to his Father and that he now sitteth at the right hand of his Father in heavenly glory from whence he shall never descend or be drawne downe into this earthly and transitory world For the true presence of Christ in the Supper is heavenly not earthly or carnall Also we denie that the bread is turned into the body of Christ miraculously so that the bread should become the very body of Christ naturally and substantially yet after a spirituall manner To conclude we denie that the body of Christ is united with the signes by any other then a mysticall meane whereof we have spoken sufficiently in the generall consideration of a Sacrament Seeing therefore we have expressely said and written with the holy Fathers Tertullian Hâ—erome Ambrose and Augustine that the bread is a figure token and signe of the body of Christ and also that by bread and wine the body and blood of the Lord are signified This is it which we would make manifest to wit that the bread is not the very body of the Lord but a token or a Sacrament of his body And yet we do not therefore speake these things as though we did simply deny all kinde of the presence of Christ in the Supper for that kinde of presence which now we have confessed doth remaine true without any prejudice to these kinde of speeches Moreover the word This in this sentence This is my body doth not onely shew bread unto our corporall eyes but therewith also it she weth the very body of Christ unto the eyes of our minde Also we confesse that this use of the Supper is so holy and profitable that whosoever shall worthily that is with a true faith eate of this bread and drinke of this Cup of the Lord he doth receive heavenly gifts from the Lord but Whosoever shall eate of this bread and drinke of this cup unworthily that is without faith by which alone we are made partakers of the Lord and of salvation He doth eate and drinke iudgement unto himselfe as Paul wrote to the Corinthians Wherefore we doe often put this diligently into the heads of our people that they take heed that none of them abuse the Lords table but that every one examine himselfe and then eate of that bread and drinke of that cup. Also the Lords Supper is a badge unto us for as one loafe and one wine are made of many graines and grapes so we being the whole multitude of the faithfull are gathered together to be one bread and one body By this we testifie in an outward profession that we are redeemed by the blood of Christ and made the members of Christ to whom we give thanks in whom we are confederates and doe promise to performe mutuall duties one toward another Out of the Confession of BASILL Of the Supper of the Lord. VVE confesse that the Lord Iesus did institute his holy Supper Artic. 6. that his holy passion might be remembred with thanksgiving his death declared and Christian charitie and unitie with true faith testified And as in Baptisme wherein the washing away of our sins is offered by the Minister of the Church and yet is wrought onely by the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost true water remaineth so also in the Supper of the Lord wherein together with the bread and wine of the Lord the true body and the true blood of Christ is offered by the Minister of the Church bread and wine remaineth Moreover we doe firmely beleeve that Christ himselfe is the meat of faithfull soules unto life eternall and that our soules by faith in Christ crucified are fed and moistned with the flesh blood of Christ so that we being Joh. 11. Eph. 1. 4. 5. Col. 1. members of his body as of our onely head doe live in him and he in us wherein at the last day through him and in him we shall rise againe to eternall joy and blessednesse And in the marginall note upon these words Our soules For it is a spirituall meate and therefore it is received of a faithfull soule that is the soules are made full strong mightie peaceable quiet merrie and lively to all things as the body is by the corporall meate Also upon those words The members of the head And so man is made a spirituall member of the spirituall bodie of Christ And in the margent upon these words To be present to wit Sacramentally and by a remembrance of faith which lifteth up a mans minde to heaven and doth not pull down Christ according to his humanitie from the right hand of God Now we doe not include into the bread and drinke of the Lord the naturall true and substantiall body
9. VVE beleeve and confesse that the Eucharist for so it pleased our forefathers to call the Supper of the Lord is a Sacrament instituted of Christ himselfe and that the use thereof is commended to the Church even to the latter end of the world But because the substance is one thing and the use thereof another thing therefore we will speake of these in order Touching the substance of the Eucharist we thus thinke and teach * Looke the 1. observation upon this confession that the true body of Christ and his true blood is distributed in the Eucharist and we refute them that say that the bread and wine of the Eucharist * Looke the 2. Observat are signes of the body and blood of Christ being onely absent Also we beleeve that the omnipotencie of God is so great that in the Eucharist he may either annihilate the substance of bread and wine * Looke the 3. observation or else change them into the body and blood of Christ but that God doth exercise this his absolute omnipotencie in the Eucharist we have no certaine word of God for it and it is evident that the ancient Church was altogether ignorant of it For as in Ezech. where it is said of the Citie of Hierusalem described on the out side of a wall This is Hierusalem it was not necessary that the substance of the wall should be changed into the substance of the Citie of Hierusalem so when it is said of the bread This is my body it is not necessary that the substance of bread should be changed into the substance of the body of Christ * Looke the 4. observation but for the truth of the Sacrament it is sufficient that the body of Christ is in deed present with the bread and in deed the very necessitie of the truth of the Sacrament doth seeme to require that true bread should remaine with the true presence of the body of Christ For as to the truth of the Sacrament of Baptisme it is necessary that in the use thereof there should be water and that true water should remaine so it is necessary in the Lords Supper that there should be bread in the use thereof and that true bread should remaine whereas if the substance of bread were changed we should have no proofe of the truth of the Sacrament Whereupon both Paul and also the ancient Ecclesiasticall Writers doe call the bread of the Eucharist even after consecration bread 1 Cor. 11. Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of that bread c. And Whosoever shall eate this bread and drinke this cup of the Lord unworthily c. And Augustine in his Sermon to young children saith That which you have seene it is the bread and the cup the which thing also your eyes doe witnesse unto you but that which your faith desireth to learne is this the bread is the body of Christ the cup is his blood Now as touching the use of the Eucharist first although we doe not denie * Looke the 5. observation but that whole Christ is distributed as well in the bread as in the wine of the Eucharist yet we teach that the use of either part ought to be common to the whole Church For it is evident that Christ being nothing at all terrified by any dangers which afterward humane superstition invented or by other devises gave unto his Church both parts to be used Also it is evident that the ancient Church did use both parts for many yeeres And certaine Writers doe clearely witnesse that they which doe receive bread alone doe not receive the whole Sacrament Sacramentally for so they speake and that it is not possible to devide one and the self same mystery without great sacriledge Wherefore we thinke that the use of both parts is in deed Catholike and Apostolike and that it is not lawfull for any man at his pleasure to change this institution of Christ and a ceremony of such continuance in the ancient and true Church and to take away from the Laitie as they call them one part of the Eucharist And it is to be marvelled at that they who professe themselves to defend the ceremonies of the ancient Church should so farre swarve from the ancient Church in this point Moreover seeing that the word Sacrifice is very large and doth generally signifie a holy worship we doe willingly grant that the true and lawfull use of the Eucharist may in this sense be called a Sacrifice howbeit the Eucharist according to the institution of Christ is so celebrated that therein the death of Christ is shewed forth and the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ is distributed to the Church and so it is truely called an applying of the merit of the passion of Christ to wit to them which receive the Sacrament Neither doe we condemne godly lessons and prayers which use to goe before and to follow consecration as they call it and the dispensation of the Eucharist yet in the meane time it is not lawfull for us to dissemble or to allow of those errours which have been added to this holy Sacrament rather by the ignorance of private men then by any lawfull consent of the true Catholike Church One errour is this that of the worship which ought to be common to the Church there is made a private action of one Priest who as he doth alone to himself mumble up the words of the Lords Supper so also he alone doth receive the bread and wine For Christ did institute the Eucharist not that it should be a private action of one man but that it should be a communion of the Church * Looke the 6. observation Therefore to the right action of the Eucharist two things at the lest are requisite to wit the Minister of the Eucharist who blesseth and he to whom the Sacrament of the Eucharist is dispensed For when Christ did institute this Sacrament he did not eate thereof alone but he did dispense it to his Church which then was present with him saying Take ye eate ye c. And Drinke ye all of this c. This institution of Christ the ancient and true Catholike Church did so severely observe that it excommunicated them which being present whilest this holy Sacrament was administred would not communicate with others Anacletus in his first Epistle saith After that consecration is finished let all communicate except they had rather stand without the Church doores And he addeth For so both the Apostles appointed and the holy Church of Rome keepeth it still Also the Antiochian Councell cap. 2. saith All those which come into the Church of God and heare the holy Scriptures but doe not communicate with the people in prayer and cannot abide to receive the Sacrament of the Lord according to a certaine proper discipline these men must be cast out of the Church Dionysius in his book De Eccles Hierarc saith The Bishop when
which Paul writing to Timothy saith Every creature of God is good and nothing is to be reiected which is received with thankesgiving for it is sanctified by the word of God and by prayer But wheras in the new Testament water is consecrated which they call holy water by the sprinkling whereof veniall sins are taken away and Devils are driven away and whereas salt also is consecrated to make things wholesome which otherwise be hurtfull it seemeth neither to be Apostolike nor Catholique For we are not commanded by the word of God to imitate the Leviticall sprinkling or Eilezeus his miracle but it was used by mans arbitrement and pleasure and therefore it appertaineth to this saying of Christ In vaine doe they worship me teaching for doctrines the precepts of men And it is evident that the sprinkling of the blood of Christ which is made by the word of the Gospel by Baptisme and the Lords Supper and received by saith doth purge us from our sinnes That therefore which is proper to the blood of Christ which by the ordinance of God was shed for our sinnes ought not to be attributed to water consecrated by the appointment of man And as touching that Elizeus did heale the barren waters by salt there is a miracle set before our eyes that thereby we may confirme that credit which we ought to give to the preaching of the Prophet but it is not set before us to be imitated without a special calling of God because the miracles of the Saints use not to be generall but personall And as touching that which Paul saith that creatures are sanctified by the word of God and by prayer he meaneth not that creatures as for example salt flesh egges hearbs are to be conjured that Satan by the use of them may be driven away but that all creatures are by the word of God every one appointed to their outward use which then serve for our good when we use them well by faith and praying unto God So God created salt to season meat and to preserve flesh from putrifying he created water to serve for drinke or washing or watering and not to drive away the devil Indeed in Baptisme he ordained * Looke the 1. Observation upon the confession of Saxonie Sect. 13. water to wash away sins but this is not the generall end why water was created but a speciall ordinance appointed by a speciall word of God For as touching the generall creation and sanctification of God there is no word of God that doth witnesse that the creatures which we before have rehearsed by conjurings are made profitable hereunto that they may take away sinnes and chase away the devils Now that which is brought in without the word of God to another use then God hath ordained it unto it cannot be done in faith but it becometh an abuse and doth rather bring destruction then salvation Rom. 14. Whatsoever is not of faith is sinne And Cyprian Epist 2. Lib. 2. saith If Christ alone is be heard we are not to consider what any other before us hath thought good to be done but what Christ who is before all hath done for we ought not to follow the custome of men but the truth of God c. Hitherto also pertaineth Chap. 22. of the same confession Of extreame unction VVE confesse that the Apostles anointed the sick with oyle and that the sick recovered their bodily health Also we confesse that the Epistle which beareth the name of Iames doth command that the Elders of the Church be called unto the sicke that they may anoint them with oyle and pray for them that they may obtaine health But these things were then practised profitably when as yet the Ministers of the Church were indued with the gift of healing the sicke corporally and wonderfully But after that this gift ceased the Gospel being confirmed in the Church the thing it selfe doth witnesse that this ceremonie of anointing is now idlely and unfruitfully used For they which now are anointed use not by this anointing to recover their bodily health yea this anointing is not used but on them of whose bodily health men doe dispaire Neither is there any word of God which doth promise the Gospel of Christ being published that this outward anointing should be of any force to take away sinnes and to give a spirituall and heavenly health Notwithstanding the Ministers of the Church are bound by dutie to visite the sicke and to pray together with the Church for their health * Looke the 1. observation upon this confession and to comfort them as well by the preaching of the Gospel as by dispensing of the Lords Supper And this is a godly anointing whereby the holy Ghost is effectuall in the beleevers CHAP. 24. Of the remembrance of the dead ALthough indeed there is no difference betweene a Saint resting in Christ and a faithfull man departed for everie one which dieth in the faith of Christ is a Saint yet because it hath pleased some to put a difference betwixt these two we also thought it good to make two severall Chapters thereof And first we thinke that it belongeth to a godly minde to made decent mention of his elders which have died in the faith of Christ and to shew forth toward their posteritie and friends which are alive in all dutifull manner that we can that thankfulnesse which is due to those benefits which we received of them Secondly faith requireth of us that we doe not think that the dead are nothing but that they doe indeed live before God to wit that the godly doe live blessedly in Christ and that the wicked doe live in an horrible expectation of the revelation of the judgement of God Also charitie requireth that we should wish all peace and happinesse to them that are dead in Christ This also is to be added that to testifie the hope of our resurrection we must burie our dead decently so neere as may be and as the time and conditions of men will suffer * Looke the 2. Observation upon this confession Therefore we thinke it is a profitable thing that at burials those things be rehearsed and expounded out of the holy Scriptures which do serve to strengthen our faith in the horror of death and to confirme our hope of the resurrection But that the dead are helped by those usuall watchings prayers and sacrifices and that by the merits thereof they be either delivered from their paines or obtaine a greater felicitie which is in heaven there is no testimony out of that doctrine which is indeed Propheticall and Apostolicall For there is one onely merit of eternall life and we have one onely redemption and deliverance to wit Passion of our Lord Iesus Christ and this merit is made ours when we beleeve in Christ and we have nothing to doe with it when we doe not beleeve the Gospel of Christ Iohn 3. God sent not his Sonne into the world that he should condemne the