The sum of sacred divinity briefly & methodically propoundedThe summe of sacred diuinitie briefly & methodically propounded

These are the¹ two Sacraments, and all the Sacraments that are of perpetual use in the Church of GOD, for the strengthening of our Faith:

These are the¹ two Sacraments, and all the Sacraments that are of perpetuall vse in the Church of GOD, for the strengthening of our Faith:

1. 1The Papists dream of five other Sacraments, Matrimony, Orders, Penance, Confirmation, and Extreme Unction; whereof Confirmation and Extreme Unction are utterly their own inventions without any warrant of the Word. The other three have foundation in the Word, but not for any Sacraments: for touching Matrimony and Penance, neither of them are Ceremonies, but Matrimony a moral duty, & Penance, (as they call it) the grace it self promised in the Gospel. In Orders or Imposition of hands, there is indeed a Ceremony, but neither common to the whole Church, nor instituted for the assurance of our Reconciliation with God in Christ, which is the end and the nature of all Sacraments. The reason of the Papists to make Matrimony a Sacrament, (for that the Apostle, Ephes. 5. 32. saith, This is a great Mystery: which the old Interpreter translateth, This is a great Sacrament) is ridiculous: for First, Paul saith, Mystery only. And if as oft not only as the word Mystery is used, but as the old Interpreter translateth the same (Sacrament) we should forthwith have a new Sacrament, there would be no end of Sacraments. Then the calling of the Gentiles must be a Sacrament; then the Will of God must be a Sacrament, and many moe: for so the old Interpreter translateth this word, Ephes. 1. 9. and 3. 9. and Colos. 1. 27. Secondly, Paul in that place to the Ephesians doth plainly expound himself, under the name of Mystery, to comprehend not the conjunction of man and wife; but the spiritual Conjunction which is between Christ and his Church. To speak nothing, how fond is it to make that a Sacrament, which is the Ordinance of God, not for his Church only, but for those which are without, and which they themselves by their doctrine bar their holy Shavelings from?