of bread, penance, extreme unction, orders, and matrimony, are sacraments of the New Testament; the papists have thence gathered, and ever since held, that there are seven sacraments instituted by Christ, truly and properly so called: insomuch that, in the council of Trent, they determined, that whosoever said there are more or less should be accursed. Now our church, not much fearing their curse, hath here declared, that only two of them, to wit, baptism and the eucharist, are properly sacraments of the New Testament, and that the other five are not to be accounted so; not but that, as the word 'sacrament' was anciently used for any sacred sign or ceremony, it may, in some sense, be applied to these also; but, as it is here expressed, those five have not the like nature of sacraments with baptism and the Lord's supper. They may call them sacraments if they please, but they are not such sacraments as baptism and the Lord's supper are, and therefore not sacraments properly so called. For that these two are sacraments properly so called, is acknowledged on both sides; and therefore, whatsoever is a sacrament properly so called, must have the like nature with them, so as to agree with them in all those things wherein their sacramental nature consisteth, that is in such things wherein they two most nearly agree with one another: for that, wherein the species do most nearly agree with one another, must needs be their general nature. Now, there are several things wherein these two do so agree for they are both instituted by Christ; they have both external signs and symbols determined in the Gospel, which represent inward and spiritual grace unto us; yea, and they have both promises annexed to them: firmatio, panis benedictio, id est eucharistia, pœnitentia, extrema unctio, ordo, conjugium. -Lomb. lib. iv. dist. 2. iSi quis dixerit sacramenta novæ legis non fuisse omnia à Jesu Christo Domino nostro instituta, aut esse plura vel pauciora quain septem, videlicet baptismum, confirmationem, eucharistiam, pœnitentiam, extremam unctionem, ordinem, et matrimoninm, aut etiam aliquid horum septem non esse verè et propriè sacramentum, anathema sit. Concil. Trident. Ses. 7. Can. 1. * Sacrificium ergo visibile invisibilis sacrificii sacramentum, id est, sacrum signum est. - Aug. de Civitate Dei, lib. x. cap. 5. Signa cùm ad res divinas pertinent, sacramenta appellantur. - Id. Epist. 5. whereas the other five agree with these in none of these things, or howsoever, none of them agree in all of them, and, by consequence, cannot be sacraments properly so called. 1. First, They do not agree with them in their institution. from Christ. That baptism and the Lord's supper were instituted by Christ, they cannot deny; but that the other were, we do. (1.) As, first, for Confirmation, which we confess was a custom anciently used in the church of Christ, and still ought to be retained, even for children after baptism to be offered to the bishop, that they might receive the Holy Ghost by prayers and the laying on of hands. But some of the papists themselves acknowledge', that this was never instituted and ordained by Christ as the other sacraments were; neither did the fathers use this as any distinct sacrament of itself, but as the perfection and consummation of m Thus did both Alexander Alensis and Bonaventura hold. The first, Quòd confirmatio nec à Christo, nec ab apostolis, sed per concilium Meldense sit instituta. Memb. 1. p. 4, 9, 24. The other, that Chrisma propterea oportere prius sanctificari, quia Christus illud non instituerit et virtute donaverit, sicut baptismum.-Sent. lib. iv. dist. 7. q. 2. Whence Biel saith, De institutione confirmationis tres sunt opiniones. Una opinio est quam tenet Alexander, quòd sacramentum illud non est institutum, neque à Christo neque ab apostolis; tum quòd non legitur in Scripturis quando vel ubi; tum quòd neque apostoli usi sunt hâc materiâ, neque hâc formâ, sed solâ manuum impositione. Sed dicitur quòd confirmatio instituta est ab ecclesiâ in concilio Meldensi. Hanc opinionem sequitur Bonaventura (Biel. Sent. 4. dist. 7.) et ex eo Joh. Altensteig (in Lex.) Nunc quoque apud nos geritur, ut qui in ecclesiâ baptizantur per præpositos ecclesiæ offerantur, et per nostram orationem et manûs impositionem Spiritum Sanctum consequantur, et signaculo Dominico consummentur. Cyprian. Epist. 73. Peregrè navigantes, aut si ecclesia in proximo non fuerit, posse fidelem (qui lavacrum suum integrum habet, nec sit bigamus,) baptizare in necessitate infirmitatis positum catechumenum, ita ut si supervixerit, ad episcopum eum perducat, ut per manûs impositionem perfici possit. Concil. Eliber. Can. 8. Quòd si ab hæreticis baptizatum quempiam fuisse constiterit, erga hunc nullatenus sacramentum regenerationis iteretur, sed hoc tantum quod ibi defuit conferatur, ut per episcopalem manûs impositionem virtutem Sancti Spiritûs consequatur. -Leo. Epist. 37. So it was determined in Concil. Arel. 1. Can. 8. Thus we read of Novatus, how being baptized when sick, Όν μὴν οὐδὲ τῶν λοιπῶν ἔτυχε διαφυγῶν τὴν νόσον ὧν χρὴ μεταλαμβάνειν κατὰ τὸν τῆς ἐκκλησίας κανόνα, τοῦ δὲ σπραγισθῆναι ὑπὸ τοῦ ἐπισκόπου. - Euseb. Hist. lib. vi. cap. 53. Which last the sacrament of baptism; and the chrism" or ointment which they used, was only a ceremony annexed to baptism also, as the cross and other ceremonies were. (2.) And as for Penance, which they define to be a sacrament of the remission of sins which are committed after baptism, I would willingly know where or when Christ ever instituted such a sacrament? What though he commanded all men to repent, is every command of Christ the institution of a sacrament? Or is it outward penance that is here commanded? Or rather, is it not inward and true repentance? And what, though Christ said, "Those sins that you forgive they are forgiven;" what matter, what form, what signs of sacrament, were appointed and instituted in those words? (3.) And so for Orders, or the ordination of ministers, I know it is a thing instituted of Christ: must it needs be therefore a sacrament, or instituted as a sacrament? Because Christ ordained that bishops, priests, and deacons, should be ordained, doth it therefore follow that he intended and instituted their ordination as a sacrament? (4.) And as for Matrimony, I know their corrupt translation has it," And this is a great sacrament," Eph. v. 32. instead of "this is a great mystery," or secret, as the Syriac and Arabic read it; and shall their false translation of the Scripture be a sufficient ground for Christ's institution of a sacrament? (5.) And, lastly, for Extreme Unction, which Bellarmine words Ruffinus translates, Nec reliquia in eo quæ baptismum sequi solent solenniter adimpleta sunt, nec signaculo chrismatis consummatus est. Unguentum effusum nomen tibi. Si magis etiam mysticè vis intelligere, sacri baptismatis mysterium recordare, in quo qui initiantur post Sathanæ abnegationem, et Dei confessionem, veluti signo ac notâ regiâ spiritualis unguenti chrismate inuncti, sub eâ visibili unguenti specie invisibilem Sanctissimi Spiritûs gratiam suscipiunt. -Theodoret. in Cant. cap. 1. Τὸ ἔλαιον βαπτίσματι παραλαμβάνεται μηνέων τὴν χρίσιν ἡμῶν καὶ χριστοὺς ἡμᾶς ἐργαζόμενον. — Damascen. Thes. lib. iv. cap. 10. Ἡμεῖς δὲ τοῦ πάθους καὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ βαπτίσματι τελοῦμεν τὰ σύμβολα, πῶς πρῶτον μὲν ἐλαίῳ χριόμεθα, ἔπειτα δὲ τὰ προλεχθέντα ἐν τῇ κολυμβήθρᾳ τελέσαντες σύμβολα τῷ μύρω opgay Cóμeda ücriz.-Just. Quæst. et Resp. ad Orthod. quæst. 137. » Τὸ μυστήριον τοῦτο μέγα ἐστίν. Syriac on ; ;) هو 'Hoc arcanum magnum est.' Arabic 'Hoc tells us P, is truly and properly a sacrament, wherein the organs of the senses, the eyes, nostrils, lips, hands, feet, and reins, in those that are about to die, are anointed with exorcised oil.' What institution have we for this sacrament in the Gospel? Yes, say they, the apostles anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them, Mark, vi. 13. It is very good; the apostles' practice and example were the institution of a sacrament. By this rule, whatsoever the apostles did, must be a sacrament; and so plucking off the ears of corn, must be a sacrament too at length. But certainly, if example must be the ground of institution, anointing the eyes of the blind with clay and spittle must be much more a sacrament than the anointing of the sick with oil; for it was the apostles only that did this, but it was our Saviour himself that did that, John, ix. 6. But the apostle saith, "Is any one sick amongst you? let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord," James, v. 14. It is true; but what analogy is there betwixt this anointing of the apostle, and the extreme unction of the papists? This was to be applied to any that were sick, "Is any one sick amongst you?" But theirs only to such as are past all hopes of recovery: the apostles' was to be done by several elders; the papists' only by one priest: the apostles' was to be performed with simple oil; the papists' with consecrated and exorcised oil. So that the papists' extreme unction cannot possibly lay claim to any institution from that place, as Cajetan himself acknowledged. r P Est verè et propriè sacramentum, &c. in quo organa sensuum, oculi, nares, labia, manus, pedes, et renes, oleo exorcizato in morituris inunguntur. -Bellar. de Sacram. Extreme Unctionis, cap. 1. ¶ Unctionem extremam non esse adhibendam, nisi illis qui tam graviter ægrotant, ut de vitâ periclitentur.-Bellarm. de Sacram. Ext. Unc. сар. 9. Nec ex his verbis, nec èx effectu, colligi potest, quòd hæc verba loquantur de sacramentali unctione extremâ, sed magis de unctione, quam instituit Dominus Jesus in Evangelio, à discipulis exercendam in ægrotis. Textus enim non dicit,' Infirmatur quis ad mortem?' Sed absolutè, ' Infirmatur quis? Et effectum dicit infirmi allevationem, et de remissione peccatorum non nisi conditionaliter loquitur; cùm extrema unctio non nisi prope articulum mortis detur, et directè, ut ejus forma sonat, tendit ad remissionem peccatorum. Præter boc quòd Jacobus ad unum ægrotum 2. And as for external signs and symbols analogically representing inward spiritual grace, which constitute the very form of the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's supper, it is in vain to look for the like in the other sacraments falsely so called, as is observed in the Article itself. For example; what is the sign in penance? Or if there be a sign, what is the grace that is analogically represented by it? I know they cannot agree amongst themselves, what is the form or sign in this sacrament. Some say the words of absolution, others absolution itself, others imposition of hands; but whichsoever of these we take, they cannot be such signs or symbols as are in baptism and the Lord's supper. For there is water, and bread, and wine, all substances; whereas these are all actions, and so accidents. The like may be said also of confirmation and orders, which have no such visible sign, howsoever not appointed by Christ. And so for matrimony too, there is no visible sign of any invisible grace can possibly be fastened upon it. To say that the priest's words, or the parties' mutual consent, is the form or sign, is a mere evasion: for the parties' consent is an invisible thing, and therefore cannot be a visible sign: the words of the priest are mere words, which may be heard indeed, but cannot be seen, and so cannot be any visible sign. Neither are words significative elements, as bread and wine are, and therefore cannot be the signs of such sacraments as they be. And for extreme unction, there is, I confess, an external sign in it, even unction; but what analogy hath this external sign to any internal grace? Two things, they say, are represented by it, bodily health, and forgiveness of sins; but is bodily health an inward grace? Or, suppose it was, what similitude is there betwixt that and oil, or unction? Forgiveness of sins, I know, is a spiritual grace; but none of them durst ever yet undertake to show the analogy betwixt the outward sign and this invisible grace. And seeing there is no analogy betwixt the oil and remission of sins', that cannot be looked multos presbyteros tum orantes tum unguentes mandat vocari, quod ab extremæ unctionis ritu alienum est.-Cajetan. in Jac. v. * Si sacramenta quandam similitudinem earum rerum quarum sacramenta sunt non haberent, omnino sacramenta non essent. Epist. 23. Aug. |