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deny Baptism to appertain to children before they have faith and understanding. But the Supper of the Lord we confess to appertain to such only, as be of the household of faith, and can try and examine themselves as well in their faith, as in their duty towards their neighbours. Such as eat and drink at that holy Table without faith, or being at dissension with their brethren, do eat unworthily: 1 Cor. xi. 28, 29. and therefore it is, that, in our Church, our Ministers take public and particular examination of the knowledge and conversation of such as are to be admitted to the Table of the Lord Jesus.

VIII. FROM THE CONFESSION OF BELGIA.

Art. 33. We believe that God, having regard to our dulness and infirmity, did institute Sacraments for us, that by them his promises might be sealed to us, and that they might be most certain pledges of his heavenly love towards us, and of his gifts bestowed upon us, for the cherishing and sustaining of our faith. These Sacraments he added to the word of the Gospel, that he might more lively set before our external senses both those things which he declareth unto us in his word, and those things also which he worketh inwardly in our hearts; and to confirm more and more in us that salvation, which he vouchsafeth to communicate unto us. For the Sacraments are visible signs and tokens of internal and invisible things; by the which, as by certain means, God himself worketh within us, through the power of the Holy Ghost. Therefore they be not vain or idle signs, neither yet ordained of God to deceive or frustrate us of our hope. For the truth of our Sacraments is Jesus Christ, without whom they are of no value. Moreover, that number of Sacraments sufficeth us, which Christ himself, our true and only Teacher, hath instituted: and those are only two; to wit, the Sacrament of Baptism, and the Sacrament of the Holy Supper of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

IX. FROM THE CONFESSION OF AUGSBUrg.

Art. 8. Seeing that in this life many evil men and hypocrites are mingled with the Church, and have fellowship with it in the outward signs and pledges; the Sacraments administered by such as are evil, may lawfully be used, according to the saying of Christ: "The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses' chair, &c." Matt. xxiii. 2. For the Sacraments, and the word of God, are effectual, by reason of the institution and commandment of Christ, though they be delivered by

wicked and evil men. They condemn the Donatists and such like, who said it was not lawful for the people to use the ministry of evil men in the Church, and held opinion that the ministry of evil men was quite without fruit and effect.

The beginning of this 8th Article is elsewhere thus set down :—

Though the Church, to speak properly, be a congregation of saints and true believers, yet, seeing that in this life many hypocrites and evil men be mingled with it, it is a lawful thing to use the Sacraments, ministered by the hands of evil men, &c.

Art. 13. Touching the use of the Sacraments they teach, that they were instituted, not so much to be notes of profession amongst men, as to be signs and pledges of God's good will towards us, set before the eyes, to stir up and confirm faith in them which use them. Therefore we must use Sacraments so, as we must join faith with them; which may believe the promises that are offered and declared unto us by the Sacraments. By this faith we receive both the grace promised, which is represented by the Sacraments, and also the Holy Ghost. Therefore they condemn that Pharisaical opinion of the Papists, which suppresseth the doctrine of faith, and doth not teach that faith, which believeth that grace is freely given us for Christ's sake, is necessary in the use of the Sacraments; but imagineth that men are just, by the very use of the Sacraments, even for the work done, and that without any good affection of them that use it.

This Article we find thus in another Edition :

Concerning the use of the Sacraments, they teach that they were ordained, not so much to be marks and badges of profession amongst men, as that they should be signs or testimonies of the will of God towards us, set forth unto us, to stir up and confirm faith in such as use them. Whereupon they condemn those that teach, that the Sacraments do justify by the work done, and do not teach that faith to believe remission of sins is requisite in the use of Sacraments.

X.-FROM THE CONFESSION OF SAXONY.

Article 12. Of the Sacraments.

The Church also is discerned from other nations, by certain rites and ceremonies instituted of God, and usually called Sacraments;

as are Baptism, and the Lord's Supper: which, notwithstanding, are not only signs of a profession, but much more (as the ancient Fathers said) signs of grace; that is, they be ceremonies added to the promise of the Gospel touching grace, that is, touching the free remission of sins, and touching reconciliation, and the whole benefit of our redemption: the which are so instituted, that every man should use them, because they be pledges and testimonies, which declare that the benefits promised in the Gospel do appertain to every one. For the voice of the Gospel is general: and this use doth bear witness that this voice doth appertain to every one which useth the Sacraments.

XI. FROM THE CONFESSION OF WIRTEMBURG.

Article 9. Of the Sacraments.

The word Sacrament, as also the word Mystery, (which interpreters do expound Sacrament,) is very large. But because some have thought it good to restrain it to the number of seven Sacraments, we will briefly run over every one, that we may shew what we find wanting in the doctrine that some have broached, and what may seem to be repugnant to the meaning of that Church, which is indeed Catholic or Orthodox.

XH.-FROM THE CONFESSION OF SUEVELAND.

Article 16. Of the Sacraments.

Seeing that the Church of Christ doth live here in the flesh, (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 people to maintain an external society among themselves. For which cause he hath given unto them holy signs, among which these are the chiefest, Baptism, and the Lord's Supper: the which we do not only think, therefore, to have had the name of Sacraments among the Fathers, because they are visible signs of invisible grace, (as St. Augustine doth define them;) but also for that reason, because that by them we do consecrate ourselves unto Christ, and do bind ourselves, as it were, by the oath or Sacrament of faith.

THE THIRTEENTH SECTION.

OF THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY BAPTISM

I. FROM THE LATTER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA.

Chapter 20. Of Holy Baptism.

Baptism was instituted and consecrated by God; and the first that baptized was John, who dipped Christ in the water in Jordan. From him it came to the Apostles, who also did baptize with water. The Lord in plain words commanded them, "to preach the Gospel, and to baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost." Matt. xxviii. 19. And Peter also, when divers demanded of him, what they ought to do, said to them, in the Acts, "Let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." Acts ii. 38. Whereupon Baptism is called of some a sign of initiation for God's people, as that whereby the elected of God are consecrated unto God.

There is but one Baptism in the Church of God: for it is sufficient to be once baptized or consecrated unto God. For Baptism once received doth continue all a man's life, and is a perpetual sealing 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 sons of God; yea, and in this life to be called after the name of God, that is to say, to be called a son of God; to be purged also from the filthiness of sins, and to be endued with the manifold grace of God, for to lead a new and innocent life. Baptism therefore doth call to mind, and keep in remembrance, the great benefit of God performed to mankind. For we are all born in the pollution of sin, and are the sons of wrath. But God, who is rich in mercy, doth freely purge us from our sins by the blood of his Son, and in Him doth adopt us to be his sons, and by an holy covenant doth join us to himself, and doth enrich us with divers gifts, that we might live a new life All these things are sealed up unto us in Baptism. For inwardly we are regenerated, purified, and renewed of God through th 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 sprinkled with visible

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water. For the water maketh clean that which is filthy, and refresheth and cooleth the bodies that fail and faint. And the grace of God dealeth in like manner with the soul; and that invisibly, and spiritually.

Moreover by the Sacrament of Baptism God doth separate us from all other religions and nations, and doth consecrate us a peculiar people to himself. We therefore, by being baptized, do confess our faith, and are bound to give unto God obedience, mortification of the flesh, and newness of life; yea, and we are billed soldiers for the holy warfare of Christ, that all our life long we should fight against the world, Satan, and our own 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 mutual duties.

We believe that of all other is the most perfect form* of Baptism, wherein Christ was baptized, and which the rest of the Apostles did use in Baptism. Those things, therefore, which by man's device were added afterwards, and used in the Church, we think them nothing necessary to the perfection of Baptism. Of which kind is exorcism, and the use of lights, oil, salt, spittle, and such other things; as, namely, that baptism is twice every year consecrated with divers ceremonies. For we believe that the Baptism of the Church, which is but one, was sanctified in God's first institution of it, and is consecrated by the word, and is now of full force, by and for the first blessing of God upon it.

We teach that Baptism should not be ministered in the Church by women or midwives. For Paul secludeth women from Ecclesiastical callings: but Baptism belongeth to Ecclesiastical offices. We condemn the Anabaptists, who deny that young infants, born of faithful parents, are to be baptized. For, according to the doctrine of the Gospel, "theirs is the kingdom of God:" Luke xviii. 16. and they are written in the covenant of God. Acts iii. 25. Why then should not the sign of the covenant be given to them? Why should they not be consecrated by holy Baptism, who are God's

Understand, by form, the external ceremony; whether it be of dipping or of sprinkling.

† Yea, we have utterly rejected some of them, as mere superstitious; some, as being manifestly brought by the negligence of Bishops, from the Baptism of those which be of age, unto the baptism of infants; and some, to be short, as altogether unprofitable: as it is clearly expounded in the Confession of Wirtemburg.

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