A15857:342
H. Zanchius his confession of Christian religion Which now at length being 70. years…H. Zanchius his confession of Christian religion Which novve at length being 70. yeares…
H. Zanchius his confession of Christian religion Which now at length being 70. years of age, he caused to be published in the name of himself & his family. Englished in sense agreeable, and in words as answerable to his own latin copy, as in so grave a mans work is requisite: for the profit of all the unlearneder sort, of English christians, that desire to know his judgement in matters of faith.H. Zanchius his confession of Christian religion Which novve at length being 70. yeares of age, he caused to bee published in the name of himselfe & his family. Englished in sense agreeable, and in words as answerable to his ovvne latine copie, as in so graue a mans worke is requisite: for the profite of all the vnlearneder sort, of English christians, that desire to know his iudgement in matters of faith.
Cambridge: printed by John Legat, 1599Cambridge: printed by Iohn Legat, 1599
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
III. Of what parts a Sacrament consisteth.
III. Of vvhat parts a Sacrament consisteth.
Hereby also we know, of what parts properly consisteth a Sacrament, namely of the word and outward sign, but so as they be referred to the thing signified and represented by them, and whereof they are a Sacrament. For that whereof any thing is a Sacrament, can not be the Sacrament it self, nor part of the Sacrament: sith every Sacrament is a Sacrament, of some other thing then it self. Mean while we do not simply separate the thing it self from the Sacrament, neither do we deny but among the fathers, and most of the godly and learned writers, under the name of Sacrament, is comprehended that it self, whereof any thing is a Sacrament: as by the name of Baptism not only is understood the outward washing with water, and the word, but also is ⟨p. 102⟩contained, the very inward cleansing of the conscience from sin & regeneration. Therefore we embrace that saying of Ireneus, of the Lords supper, that it consisteth of an earthly matter, and a heavenly: Neither do we our selves use to forbear such kind of speeches when we talk of the sacraments: but yet in this sense, not that it is properly a part of the sacrament, sith it is rather that, to the participation whereof the sacraments do bring us: but that the sacrament hath a mystical relation unto it: and by the band or knot of this relation, the earthly matter is coupled with the heavenly. And thus do we reconcile many sayings of the learned writers and of the Fathers, which seem to have some divers and contrary meanings, when indeed their opinions are one & the same every where: most of them calling sacraments simply by the names of signs, figures, tokens, types, antitypes, forms, seals, sealings, ceremonies, visible words, and such like names: others, saying it consisteth of an earthly matter & a heavenly: which how it is to be understood, we declared even now: but all often calling the sacraments, by the names of those things, whereof they be sacraments, after the use of the holy Scriptures: when as notwithstanding all men have meant and professed in the name of sacraments, these three things, the word, the signs added to the word, and the things where of they are signs.