Wilson on Article XXV: Of the Sacraments

a Sacraments were instituted by our Saviour Christ, and are to be continued, and received of every Christian in due time and order, and for such purpose as our Saviour Christ willed them to be received. Horn. xxi. 1.

We allow the Sacraments of the Church, that is to say, certain holy signs and ceremonies, which Christ would we should use, that by them he might set before our eyes the mysteries of our salvation, and might more strongly confirm the faith which we have in his blood, and might seal his grace in our hearts. Jewell.

b The Lord did ordain his mysteries to this end, that they should be certain marks and tokens of our profession : whereby we should, as it were, bear witness of our faith before men, and should plainly shew that we are partakers of God’s benefits with the rest of the godly, and that we have all one concord and con- sent of religion with them, and should openly testify that we are not ashamed of the name of Christians, and to be called the disciples of Christ. Novell, p. 101. See Art. XXVII. XXVIII.

c Q. What meanest thou by this word Sacrament ? A. I mean an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace given unto us ; ordained by Christ himself as a means whereby we receive the same, and a pledge to assure us thereof. Cate- chism. See Art. XXVII. XXVIII.

b Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ,

for the remission of sins. And

with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward ge- neration. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized : and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued sted- fastly in the Apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. Actsii. 38, 40 — 42. As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. 1 Cor. xi. 26. As many of you as have

been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. Gal. iii. 27. See more on Art. XXVII, XXVIII.

c The long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is eight souls were saved by water : the like figure whereunto even bap- tism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 1 Pet. iii. 20, 21. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the com- munion of the blood of Christ ? The bread which we break is it not the communion of the body of Christ ? 1 Cor. x. 10. Holding the Head,

nesses, and effectual signs of grace and God’s good will towards us, by the which he doth work invisibly in us, and doth not only quicken, but also strengthen and confirm our faith in him.

A Sacrament is an outward testifying of God’s good will and bountifulness towards us through Christ, by a visible sign repre- senting an invisible and spiritual grace, by which the promises of God, touching forgiveness of sins and eternal salvation given through Christ, are as it were sealed, and the truth of them is more certainly confirmed in our hearts. Nowell, p. 101 .

If Sacraments had not a certain similitude of those things, whereof they be Sacraments, they should be no Sacraments at all. And of this similitude, they do for the most part receive the names of the self-same things they signify. By these words of St. Augustine it appeareth, that he alloweth the common de- scription of a Sacrament, which is, that it is a visible sign of an invisible grace : that is to say, that setteth out to the eyes and other outward senses the inward working of God’s free mercy ; and doth, as it were, seal in our hearts the promises of God. And so was circumcision a Sacrament ; which preached unto the outward senses the inward cutting away of the foreskin of the heart, and sealed and made sure, in the hearts of the circumcised, the promise of God touching the promised seed that they looked for. Horn. xxi. 1.

By this mean God hath provided for our weakness, that we which are earthly and blind should in outward elements and figures, as it were in certain glasses, behold the heavenly graces which otherwise we were not able to see. And greatly for our behoof it is that God’s promises should be so presented to our senses, that they may be confirmed to our minds without doubt- ing. Nowell, p. 101.

Q. As thou givest to the Sacraments the strength and efficacy to seal and confirm God’s promises in our hearts, thou seemest to assign to thein the proper offices of the Holy Ghost ! A. To lighlen and give bright clearness to men’s minds and souls, and

from which all the body by joints of Christ : may grow up unto

and bands having nourishment mi- him in all things, which is the head,

nistered, and knit together, increas- even Christ: from whom the whole

eth with the increase of God. Col. body fitly joined together and

ii. 19. Pastors and teachers; for compacted by that which every

the perfecting of the saints, for the joint supplieth, according to the

work of the ministry, for the edify- effectual working in the measure

ing of the body of Christ, till we of every part, maketh increase of

all come in the unity of the faith, the body unto the edifying of itself

and of the knowledge of the Son of in love. Eph. iv. 11 — 13, 15, 16.

God, unto a perfect man, unto the See more on Art. XXVII. XXV11I. measure of the stature of the fulness

ll There are two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gospel, that is to say, ^Baptism, f and the Supper of the Lord.

s Those five commonly called Sacraments,

to make their consciences quiet and in security, as they be in- deed, so ought they to be accounted the proper work of the Holy Ghost alone, and to be imputed to him, and this praise not to be transferred to any other. But this is no impediment but that God may give to his mysteries the second place in quieting and establishing our minds and consciences, but yet so that nothing- be abated from the virtue of his Spirit : wherefore we must de- termine that the outward element hath neither of itself nor in itself inclosed the force and efficacy of a sacrament, but that the same wholly floweth from the Spirit of God, as out of a spring- head, and is by the divine mysteries, which are ordained by the Lord for this end, conveyed unto us. Nowcll, p. 102.

d Q. How many Sacraments hath God ordained in his church ? A. Two: Baptism and the holy Supper, which are commonly used among all the faithful. For by the one we are born again, and by the other we are nourished to everlasting life. Nowell, p. 103.

g And as for the number of them, if they should be considered according to the exact signification of a Sacrament — namely, for the visible signs, expressly commanded in the New Testament, whereunto is annexed the promise of free forgiveness of our sins, and of our holiness and joining in Christ — there be but two; namely, Baptism, and the Supper of the Lord. For, although Absolution hath the promise of forgiveness of sin ; yet by the express word of the New Testament it hath not this promise annexed and tied to the visible sign, which is imposition of hands. For this visible sign — I mean, laying on of hands — is not expressly commanded in the New Testament to be used in Absolution, as the visible signs in Baptism and the Lord’s Sup- per are : and therefore Absolution is no such sacrament as Bap- tism and the Communion are. And though the ordering of ministers hath this visible sign and promise ; yet it lacks the promise of remission of sin, as all other sacraments besides the two above named do. Therefore neither it, nor any other sacra-

’ Go ye therefore and teach all Take, eat : this is my body, which

nations, baptizing1 them. Matt, is broken for you : this do in re-

xxviii. 19. membrance of me. After the same

’ I have received of the Lord, manner also he took the cup, when

that which also I delivered unto he had supped, saying, This cup is

you, that the Lord Jesus the same the new testament in my blood :

night in which he was betrayed this do ye as oft as ye drink it in

took bread: and when he had remembrance of me. 1 Cor. xi.

given thanks he brake it, and said, 23 — 25.

that is to say, h Confirmation, Penance, Orders, Matrimony, and Extreme Unction, are not to be

ment else, be such sacraments as Baptism and the Communion are. But in a general acception, the name of a sacrament may be attributed to any thing, whereby an holy thing is signified. In which understanding of the word, the ancient writers have given this name, not only to the other five, commonly of late years taken and used for supplying the number of the seven sa- craments ; but also to divers and sundry other ceremonies, as to oil, washing of feet, and such like ; not meaning thereby to re- pute them as sacraments, in the same signification that the two forenamed sacraments are. And therefore St. Augustine, weigh- ing the true signification and the exact meaning of the word, writing to Januarius, and also in the third Book of Christian Doctrine, affirmeth, that the sacraments of the Christians, as they are most excellent in signification, so are they most few in number ; and in both places maketh mention expressly of two, the sacrament of Baptism, and the Supper of the Lord. And, although there are retained by the order of the Church of England, besides these two, certain other rites and ceremonies about the institution of Ministers in the Church, Matrimony, Confirmation of Children, by examining them of their knowledge in the Articles of the faith, and joining thereto the prayers of the Church for them, and likewise for the Visitation of the Sick ; yet no man ought to take these for sacraments, in such signi- fication and meaning as the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are ; but either for godly states of life, necessary in Christ’s Church, and therefore worthy to be set forth by public action and solemnity, by the ministry of the Church, or else judged to be such ordinances, as may make for the instruc- tion, comfort, and edification of Christ’s Church. Horn. xxL 1.

h Instead of this most profitable and ancient Confirmation, they conveyed a device of their own, that is, that the bishop should not examine children whether they were skilled in the precepts of religion or no, but that they should anoint young infants un- able yet to speak, much less to give any account of their faith ; adjoining also other ceremonies unknown unto the holy Scrip- tures and the primitive Church. This invention of theirs they would needs have to be a sacrament, and accounted it in manner equal in dignity with Baptism ; yea, some of them preferred it also before Baptism. By all means they would that this their Confirmation should be taken for a certain supplying of Baptism, that it should thereby be finished and brought to perfection, as though Baptism else were imperfect, and as though children who in Baptism had put upon them Christ with his benefits, without their Confirmation were but half Christians ; than which injury no greater could be done against the divine Sacrament, and against God himself, and Christ our Saviour, the author

accounted for Sacraments of the Gospel, being such as have grown, partly of the corrupt following of the Apostles, partly are states of life allowed in the Scriptures: but yet have not like nature of Sacraments with Bap- tism and the Lord s Supper, for that they have not any visible sign or ceremony ordained of God.

The Sacraments were not ordained of Christ to be gazed upon, or to be carried about ; 1 but that we should duly use them. kAnd in such only as worthily receive the same, they have a

and founder of the holy sacrament of Baptism. Nowell, p. 107.

’ To administer a sacrament is, by the outward word and ele- ment, to preach to the receiver the inward and invisible grace of God; both these exercises (prayer and sacraments) were first instituted, and are still continued, to the end that the congrega- tion of Christ might, from time to time, be put in remembrance of their unity in Christ. Horn. xxi.

k Amongst the which means is the public celebration of the memory of his precious death at the Lord’s table. Which, al- though it seem of small virtue to some, yet being rightly done by the faithful, it doth not only help their weakness — who be by their poisoned nature readier to remember injuries than be- nefits— but strengtheneth and comforteth their iuward man with peace and gladness, and maketh them thankful to their Re- deemer, with diligent care and godly conversation. Thus much more the faithful see, hear, and know the favourable mercies of of God sealed, the satisfaction by Christ towards us confirmed, and the remission of sin established. Here they may feel wrought the tranquillity of conscience, the increase of faith, the

k He that belie veth aud is bap- Lord. But let a man examine

tized, shall be saved; but he that himself, and so let him eat of that

believeth not shall be damned, bread and drink of that cup. For

Mark xvi. 16. Whosoever shall he that eateth and drinketh un-

eat this bread and drink this cup worthily, eateth and drinketh dam-

of the Lord unworthily, shall be nation to himself, not discerning

guilty of the body and blood of the the Lord’s body. 1 Cor. xi. 27 29.

X

wholesome effect or operation : but they that re- ceive them unworthily, purchase to themselves damnation, as Saint Paul saith.

strengthening of hope, the large spreading abroad of brotherly kindness, with many other sundry graces of God. Horn. xxvii. 1. See Art XXVII. XXV1IL