spiritual anointing; that is, is made a member of Christ through faith, and endued with the Holy Ghost, that the ears of his mind may be opened, and the eyes of his heart lightened, to receive and understand heavenly things. And it is evident, that the use of the outward anointing was lawful in that government which Moses instituted, and that outward anointing was used also in the Church, after that the Gospel was published. But it is also evident, that, in the law of Moses, there was a time for shadows, but now, Christ being revealed, it is the time of truth, and the use of external anointing pertaineth to the rudiments of the world. Concerning the abrogating of these rudiments, Paul saith, "If ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though ye lived in the world, are ye burdened with ordinances?" Col. ii. 20. And Dionysius, whom they call the Areopagite, and whom they think to have written out the ceremonies, which the Apostles delivered to the Church, doth insinuate, that an outward anointing was used in the Church; but withal he doth insinuate, and that not obscurely, that this ceremony was taken partly from the heathenish anointings which wrestlers did use, and partly out of the Law of Moses. In Calest. Hierarch. De Baptism. But by what authority, or with what profit, we may take examples of the Heathen, how to worship God, and to administer his Sacraments, that saying of Moses doth witness; "Take heed that thou do not imitate the heathen, and enquire after their ceremonies, saying, As these nations worshipped their Gods, so will I do likewise: Ye shall not so do unto the Lord your God." Deut. xii. 30, 31. And that saying of Christ, "In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrine the precepts of men." Matt. xv. 9. And it is not to be doubted, that the ceremonies of Moses, whereof one part is the use of external anointing, do pertain to the rudiments of this world, to whose decrees Paul said before that we are not tied: and whereof he saith in another place, "Seeing that ye know God, yea, rather are known of God, how turn ye again unto impotent and beggarly rudiments, whereunto, as from the beginning, ye will be in bondage again?" Gal. iv. 9. Furthermore, how can it truly be affirmed, as Fabianus writeth, that the preparation or rite of outward anointing should be taught of the Apostles, seeing that the Acts of the Councils do witness that this ceremony was instituted of Sylvester ? And Ecclesiastical history doth shew, that the Apostles had no purpose to make laws concerning holy days, but to teach men true godliness, and an upright conversation: how much less did they

purpose to institute external anointings in the Church, and to bring in shadows where the Sun doth shine most clearly?

There were added unto Baptism certain other ceremonies also, of salt, dirt, apparel: but because these are not thought necessary, no not of those themselves amongst whom they are used, and are in some sort an idle imitation of those ceremonies, which Christ sometime used in doing miracles, there is no cause why we should take any care for them, whilst we are conversant in so many necessary things.

Chapter 11. Of Confirmation.

We do not doubt, but that the Apostles, in the beginning, when the Gospel was revealed and confirmed in the day of Pentecost, did by the laying on of hands give unto the believers in Christ that wonderful gift of the Holy Ghost, to wit, that they might speak with tongues. But out of a personal and temporal act of the Apostles, a general and perpetual Sacrament must not be ordained in the Church, without the special commandment of God. And it is a horrible thing to be heard, that the Sacrament of Confirmation (such as the Bishops Suffragan use to give unto children) should excel in dignity the Sacrament of Baptism. For thus some of them are not ashamed to write of the Sacrament of Confirmation : 'As one thing,' say they, is done of the greater, that is, of the chief Bishops, which cannot be done of the lesser; so is it to be worshipped and embraced with greater reverence.' In Decretali Epistola Meliadis, in Actis Concil. tom. i. For to the Apostles it was commanded of God, that, by the laying on of hands, they should give, to those that believe in Christ, the gifts of the Holy Ghost. Now we must not understand this properly of those private gifts of the Holy Ghost, which are necessary to every one unto salvation; (for those the faithful receive by the preaching of the Gospel, and by Baptism :) but we must understand it of the public gifts of the Holy Ghost, to wit, speaking with divers tongues, and other gifts, which then were necessary for the public confirmation of the Gospel touching Christ. Therefore, after that the authority of the Gospel was sufficiently confirmed by such miracles, as that wonderful gift of tongues did cease; so also the ceremony of laying on of hands, whereby that gift was given, did altogether, as touching this thing, cease. Otherwise, of a shadow we must make a general Sacrament for the Church; and those that are sick must be shadowed over, because that many were healed by the shadow of Peter. Acts

v. 15. In like sort we must make a general Sacrament of the laying on of napkins; because that many were healed of their diseases, when Paul's napkins were laid upon them. Acts xix. 12. And we must lie upon the dead, because that Paul, by stretching himself upon a young man, did raise him up from death. Acts xx. 10; 12. And yet the Pastors of Churches must not be left at liberty to have no regard to instruct children and youth in that doctrine which is indeed godly; it must be required of them, that they teach the Catechism very diligently.

X.-FROM THE CONFESSION OF SUEVELand.

Chapter 17. Of Baptism.

As touching Baptism, we confess that which the Scripture doth in divers places teach thereof; that we by it are buried into the death of Christ, Rom. vi. 3, 4. are made one body, 1 Cor. xii. 13. and do put on Christ; Gal. iii. 27. that it is the font of regeneration, Tit. iii. 5. that it washeth away sins, and saveth us. Acts xxii. 16. But all these things we do so understand, as St. Peter hath interpreted them, where he saith, "To the figure whereof, Baptism, that now is, answering, doth also save us; not by putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the profession of a good conscience toward God." 1 Pet. iii. 21. For, without faith it is impossible to please God." Heb. xi. 6. And, we are saved by grace, and not by our works." Ephes. ii. 8, 9. And seeing that Baptism is a Sacrament of that covenant, which God hath made with those that be his, promising that he will be their God, and the God of their seed, and that he will be a revenger of their wrongs, and will take them for his people; to conclude, seeing it is a token of the renewing of the Spirit, which is wrought by Christ: therefore our Preachers do teach, that it is to be given to infants also, as well as that in times past under Moses they were circumcised. For we are indeed the children of Abraham; and therefore that promise, "I will be thy God, and the God of thy seed," Gal. iii. 7-9. doth no less pertain unto us, than it did to that ancient people.

316

THE FOURTEENTH SECTION.

OF THE HOLY SUPPER OF THE LORD.

I. FROM THE LATTER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA.

Chapter 12. Of the Holy Supper of the Lord.

The Supper of the Lord (which is also called the Lord's Table, and the Eucharist, that is, a Thanksgiving) is therefore commonly called a Supper, because it was instituted of Christ in that his last Supper, and doth as yet represent the same, and in it the faithful are spiritually fed and nourished. For the author of the Supper of the Lord is not an angel or man, but the very Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, who did first of all consecrate it to his Church. And the same blessing and consecration doth still remain amongst all those who celebrate no other but that very Supper, which the Lord did institute; and at that do recite the words of the Supper of the Lord, and in all things look unto Christ only by a true faith; at whose hands, as it were, they do receive that which they do receive by the ministry of the Ministers of the Church. The Lord by this sacred rite would have that great benefit to be kept in fresh remembrance, which he did for mankind; to wit, that, by giving up his body to death, and shedding his blood, he hath forgiven us all our sins, and redeemed us from eternal death, and the power of the Devil, and doth now feed us with his flesh, and giveth us his blood to drink which things, being apprehended spiritually by a true faith, do nourish us up to life everlasting. And this so great a benefit is renewed, so oft as the Supper is celebrated. For the Lord said, "Do this in remembrance of me." Luke xxii. 19.

:

By this holy Supper also it is sealed unto us, that the very body of Christ was truly given up for us, and his blood shed for the remission of our sins, lest that our faith might somewhat waver. And this is outwardly represented unto us, by the Minister, in the Sacrament, after a visible manner, and, as it were, laid before our eyes to be seen, which is inwardly in the soul invisibly performed by the Holy Ghost. Outwardly, bread is offered by the Minister, and the words of the Lord are heard: "Receive, eat, this is my body; take it, and divide it amongst you: drink ye all of this, this is my blood." Matt. xxvi. 26-28. Luke xxii. 17-20. Therefore the faithful do receive that which is given by the Minister of the Lord, and do eat the bread of the Lord, and drink of the Lord's cup.

But yet, by the working of Christ, through the Holy Ghost, they receive also the flesh and blood of the Lord, and do feed on them to life everlasting. For the flesh and blood of Christ is true meat and drink unto everlasting life: yea Christ himself, in that he was delivered for us, and is our Saviour, is that special thing and substance of the Supper; and therefore we suffer nothing to be put in his place.

But that it may the better and more plainly be understood, how the flesh and blood of Christ are the meat and drink of the faithful, and are received by the faithful to life everlasting, we will add moreover these four things.

Eating is of divers sorts: for there is a corporal eating, whereby meat is taken into a man's mouth, chewed with the teeth, and swallowed down into the belly. After this manner did the Capernaites in times past think that they should eat the flesh of the Lord: but they are confuted by him; John vi. 30-63. For as the flesh of Christ cannot be eaten bodily, without great wickedness and cruelty, so is it not meat for the belly, as all men do confess. We therefore disallow that Canon in the Pope's decrees, Ego Berengarius; De Consecrat. dist. 2. For neither did godly antiquity believe, neither yet do we believe, that the body of Christ can be eaten corporally, and essentially, with a bodily mouth.

There is also a spiritual eating of Christ's body; not such a one, whereby it may be thought that the very meat is changed into the Spirit, but whereby (the Lord's body and blood remaining in their own essence and property) those things are spiritually communicated unto us, not after a corporal, but after a spiritual manner, through the Holy Ghost, who doth apply and bestow upon us those things (to wit, remission of sins, deliverance, and life everlasting) which are prepared for us by the flesh and blood of our Lord, given for us: so that Christ doth now live in us, and we live in him; and doth cause us to apprehend him by true faith, to this end, that he may become unto us such a spiritual meat and drink, that is to say, our life. For even as corporal meat and drink do not only refresh and strengthen our bodies, but also do keep them in life; even so the flesh of Christ delivered for us, and his blood shed for us, do not only refresh and strengthen our souls, but also do preserve them alive, not so far as they be corporally eaten and drunken, but so far as they are communicated unto us spiritually by the Spirit of God:*

The adverb so far as, understand to be used casually, for because; as if he had said, not that they be eaten corporally, &c. But in this place, and other