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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10170	The other parte of Christian questions and answeares which is concerning the sacraments, writte[n] by Theodore Beza Vezelian: to which is added a large table of the same questions. Translated out of Latine into Englishe by Iohn Field.; Quaestionum et responsionum Christianarum libellus. Pars altera. English	Bèze, Théodore de, 1519-1605.; Fielde, John, d. 1588.	1580 (1580)	STC 2045; ESTC S109027	101,745	336

exposition of that doubtfull word Answeare I see that a Sacramēt in this matter is sometime called the signes only somtime the things thēselues sacramentally signified as we haue said in the first signification therefore thus I define it A sacrament is a visible signe ordeyned of God for the church by the vse wherof Christ with his benefites with respect eternal life is so by a certein fitte proportion signified that also truly and in verie deede he is sealed in the hearts of the beleeuers 13. Question I pray thee that thou wilt expounde this difinition vnto me Answeare I cal that a signe which Augustine so defineth Lib. 2. cap. 1. of christiā doctrine that he saith it is a thing which besides the shew that it offereth to the senses maketh by it selfe some other thing to come into our remembrance as water cōsidered in the vse of Baptisme besids the shew of water that it setteth before the eyes representeth vnto our minds the blood wherby our sins be washed away I add ordeined by god that I may shew partly that neither by their own nature neither by miracle but by the institutiō or dināce of god those natural things are made sacraments partly that I may teach that this change is not to be attributed to the words thēselues pronosiced but wholie to the ordination of God the which ordinance is plainly expressed in the wordes themselues 14. Question Deniest thou therefore that woorking worde as they call it Answeare If thou cal that the working word that witnesseth God to work somewhat I admit that speech If thou cal it so as though God had put some vertue in the words thēselues I reiect this dreame as altogether magical or enchanting 15. Question What vertue therefore haue these voyces words Answeare They haue this vertue to shew vnto vs the wil of God of any matter whether he promise threatē or cōmand or to bee short whether he do this or that And I say that nothing els is too be attributed to the words pronoūced of any but that they be signes of those thinges which they are said to be I adde for the Church that I may distinguish those particular momentarie sacraments which belōg to the whole company of the faithfull belong to a continuall vse from them I adde farther by whose vse that I may confute their grosse errour who dreame I cannot tell of what diuine quality infused into the signes which they should haue without the vse it selfe wherevpon haue followed infinite superstitions very ridiculous that I speake no woorse of them Question Thou sayest therfore that I may vse this example that that consecrated bread of the Lords Supper out of the action it self is common bread which notwithstanding in the action it selfe is the true Sacrament of the Lordes body Answeare I say so 16. Question It seemeth notwithstanding that many of the olde fathers being notable men thought otherwise Answeare Of this we shall see more heereafter in his proper place I adde that Christ and his benefites are set foorth vnto vs by a fitte proportion First that I may shew the thing signified by al those Sacramentes whereof we entreate as also by the simple word of God not too bee onely those benefites which wee obtayne by Christ whereof wee haue discoursed more fully in our former treatise but specially to be that Christ himselfe whom whosoeuer possesseth not he cannot obtayne any of these by him I call that a fitte proportion which causeth the thinges signified to bee offered by the signe to the vnderstanding set before the eyes For I pray thee wouldest thou paint an hearbe that thou mightst represent a man to him that woulde beholde a man Very well therefore sayde Augustine Vnlesse sayth he the Sacraments had some likenesse of those thinges they signifie they should not be Sacraments But of this we shal see more herafter Last of all I make mention of sealing folowing the steppes of Rom. 4. 11. the Apostle who not onely calleth Circumcision a signe but also a Seale that we might know that the Lorde in deed performeth that which he promiseth by the signes added thereto Now indeede that thing although it be offred vnto all yet notwithstanding the beleeuers only are made partakers therof in minde or spiritually therefore I added in the mindes of the beleeuers 17. Question But how thou doest define a Sacramēt in that other larger significatiō Answeare So I define it to be a certaine holy action ordeined of God for the church to cōtinue to the end of the world wherin God by a certayne fit proportion of the signes things signified nourisheth in vs the remembrāce of things past partly offereth vnto our mindes euen as it were setting thē before our eies heauenly things which are declared by the word of Institution added thereto and must spiritually be sealed vp by the meanes of fayth wherby to be short the separation of the children of God from the world and their mutuall felowship is ratified and confirmed 18. Question I woulde haue thee particularly to explane this definition vnto me why thou shouldest call the signe an action seeing neither the signes nor the things signified are actions Answeare Yea but certayne kinds of signes are actions as by by I will declare But admit it be no action whatsoeuer heere fall out yet notwithstanding this generall woorde is set in this definition because both the signes themselues the thinges signified are thereto referred that doing that God hath commaunded both they might bee signes vnto vs and those thinges might be bestowed vntoo vs. Now the Sacrifice is also an holy actiō commaunded to the church from aboue but only somuch differing frō this as there is difference betwixt to giue to take For in sacrifices we offer somwhat in the Sacramentes wee receaue somewhat But hereof more hereafter Question I aske not why thou saiest these are holy why from aboue to cōclude why commanded to the church For I vnderstand these things by the former But I demand why thou addest that speach euen to the ende of the world Answeare Because I thought that wee had purposed onely too entreate of the Sacraments of the Christian church which without all controuersie in the end of the world are at length too be abolished 19. Question Be it so But what vnderstandest thou by the word signes Answeare Two thinges to wit first that which they were wont to call the element that is too say that earthly and bodily substaunce as the water in baptisme and bread and wine in the Lordes Supper then the rites which are oftē vsed in the action it self which also are Sacramental neither onely ought they to be changed or omitted 20. Question And what callest thou the proportion Answeare That same agreement of the signe with the thing signified as of the washing of water with the washing of blood and of the nourishment of this life with the nourishment of

euerlasting life 21. Question And what are those same thinges signified Answeare Christ himselfe as I haue sayde before with all his benefites necessary to the saluatiō of the particular members of the Church 22. Question And why doest thou adde that worde spiritually Answeare That I may shew the sealing of these thinges to depende vppon the heauenly power and mysticall vertue of the holy Ghost and not vpon the bodily vnderstanding or outwarde senses or vpon that naturall and sensitiue vnderstanding 23. Question Why dost thou adde by faith Answeare First that I may teach that indeede the signes are set forth vnto the outward senses and are receiued of them but the thinges themselues are offered too the minde and yet notwithstanding are not receiued of euery minde albeit they be offred to the mind of al that come to the Sacraments but onely are receaued of that minde that is indued with fayth because faith is the onely instrument of receiuing Christ 24. Question But why doest thou make mention of things past Answeare Because our faith looketh partely too those thinges which Christ for our sake hath performed partly it beholdeth the promises which are not yet fulfilled in vs. 25. Question What callest thou Healing Answeare A more effectuall application by the increase of faith For the greater Faith is the more excellent is the effect therof that Christ with his gifts may be as it were more and more engrauen in vs whereto the Apostle hauing regarde he saith that Christ groweth vp in vs we againe in him 26. Question But what is that same naturall establishment of our felowship in Christ Answeare So I cal that same spiritual knotte of loue whose bond is in the right vse of the Sacramentes strongly tyed as it were of members knit vntoo the same head quickened by the same spirit aswell by outward profession as by the accesse of the inward affection 27. Question Say therefore what is the efficient cause of our Sacraments Answeare Christ God man according to his own good wil power which he testifieth in prescript wordes by the mouth of the minister 28. Question And what is the matter Answeare The matter of the Sacramentes is two fold one earthly the other heauenly as Ieremias witnesseth which a man may also cal essētial parts For in very deede whatsoeueuer is in the Sacrament either it offereth it selfe to the outward sēses so is considered as a signe or els it is a spirituall or a heauenly thing and so is signified by that outward 29. Question What thou diddest meane by the name of signe thou hast saide before but what doest thou call the spiritual and heauenly thing Answeare I call the heauenly thing chiefly Christ himselfe then his benefites and last of all the application both of himselfe and of them vnto vs. Question Goe to then let vs speake of these three seuerally wilte thou not as I suppose vnderstande by the name of Christ the alone power and operatiō of Christ flowing intoo vs and much more also that his only righteousnes which by imputation is made ours Answeare Thou iudgest aright for Christ himselfe must become ours and must bee ioyned vnto vs as in whom are al these things that we may draw those things from him that are in him and that appeareth plainly by the proportion For thou canst not be washed vnlesse water be applyed and thou canst not be fedde but by taking meate and drinke Question But as I gesse thou vnderstandest Christ wholly and not eyther his Diuinitie alone or his soule alone or his body alone Answeare I vnderstand whole Christe and all that belongeth to Christ For Christ beyng diuided cannot be a Sauiour 30. Question And is there any difference in these Answeare Yea indeed that there is whereof we will speake afterwardes Question Goe to let vs leaue this nowe But if the matter be so why dost thou vnderstande Christ by the name of that spirituall and heauenly matter Doest thou it in respect of his Diuinitie or Soule Answeare No not so For thou seest in the Sacraments mētion to be made expressely of the blood and of the body and againe of the blood which as they are of a bodily nature so also they are represented by bodily signes to wit by water bread and wine 31. Question And why dost thou cal that thing spirituall and heauenly Answeare Not because they are of a spirituall inuisible substance or bicause they are now endued with heauenly glory as the Apostle saith that our bodies shal be spirituall heauenly to wit in glory not in substance but because they are sette foorth in these mysteries not to our bodily senses after a bodily maner For neither can our bodily senses doe otherwise but as the words teach to be beholden in minde and to be laid hold vppon by the hand of fayth 32. Question These are then but mysteries in imagination Answeare So I see some gather but howe vndeseruedly they so conclude I will then shewe when I shall come to that question How we may be partakers of those thinges signified Question Therfore let vs come to that other part to wit to the benefits of Christ which therefore are they Answeare These are declared of vs in the former treatise But they both may and ought keping the Analogie or proportion of the signes and thinges signified be brought to two certayne heades too wit to washing away and too nourishment whereof that is established in the mysterie of Baptisme and this in the mysterie of the Lordes Supper 33. Question And what callest thou washing away Answeare The forgiuenesse of sinnes in place wherof succedeth the obediēce of Christ and the abolishing that is begon of the corruption of nature to which sanctification now begon in vs is opposed 34. Question And what callest thou nourishing Answeare The growth as it were and increase of these 35. Question Now there remaineth the thirde which thou diddest call the applying of these benefites Answeare So I call that same as it were a certayne insinuation which is by the power of the holy Ghoste woorking in vs but is signified by Sacramentall not vaine and vnprofitable rites to wit by the bodily washing through the putting into the water and comming out agayne and also as well by the bodily both eating of breade and drinking of wine 36. Question But what is the forme of the sacraments Answeare Euen that same outwarde action duely and lawfully obserued and also that inwarde action of the holy Ghost 37. Question But doeth this forme change the substance of the signes Answeare No not so For they should cease too be signes if they were changed into any other substaunce because the Analogie or proportion wherein consisteth the whole consideration of the Sacramēts shoulde perishe There is therefore a Sacramentall chaunge but not a substantiall that is not consisting in the chaunge of the thing it selfe but in the vse thereof changed as when water is

be very cruell towardes their newe borne babe so that I shoulde vtterly detest them vnlesse I shoulde vnderstande their meaning to be otherwise Answeare But thou shouldst indeed vnderstand it if I shoulde shewe vnto thee that this were done by the commaundement of God But if so be also I shoulde declare vnto thee by the institution of God that by the foreskinne were signified our natural filthinesses and their fruits which that same sonne of GOD to be borne should take away by the shedding forth of his blood thou wouldest a great deale the rather cōtent thy selfe Notwithstāding thou wouldest desire being taught now the selfe same thing that the same might be shewed vnto thee after a more fit manner and with lesse danger of the infant Nowe if that same simple washing shoulde bee instituted in the place of that bloody cutting of the foreskinne thou wouldest sure preferre this condition before the other And the same reason is there of those slayne Sacrifices which were both laboursom and costly And concerning those same miraculous wonders to wit of Manna falling from Heauen and the water flowing foorth of the rocke these are to be rehearsed in the number of those same figures which were once shewed not amongst the Sacramentes which are perpetual against which our Sacraments are not to be set but the trueth perfourmed in Christe himselfe giuen vnto vs. Question I vnderstand that which thou sayest to wit that the more simple the proportion is the more playne the worde is whereby the signification it self is expressed the more excellent is our condition then our fathers But notwithstanding it seemeth that that same Analogie of the old Sacraments is more playne Answeare Neither doest thou in this point vnderstand what thou saiest For in very deed in circūcision thou seest nothing but the cutting of of the foreskin that is to say thou seest one onely part of the benefite of Christe shadowed And yet neyther ought the olde man onely too bee abolished but also the newe man too bee borne in vs neyther that onelie too be taken away which offended God but also that righteousnes to be geuen wherein he is delighted Now the very water of baptisme and the rites themselues doe they not declare eyther benefite muche more playner vntoo vs And so the difference also of our Fathers feastes and of ours is muche more euident Thou wilt saye that fleshe doth more expresly represent flesh then bread and the slaying of a sacrifice the slaying of Christ admyt it But to what end is Christ slayne vnto me vnles I be a partaker of him Surely no more then dainties set afore mee whereof notwithstandyng I shal not eate Therfore our Sacraments that first parte not altogether pretermitted but yet lesse curiously signified of which we are fully persuaded in the history of the Gospell doe set as it were liuely before our eyes that same other principall parte For in very deede the vse of bread is muche more to the nourishment of this lyfe then the vse of flesh and forasmuch as the life is in the blood and the Fathers were restrayned from all vse of blood which nowe wee are no lesse commaunded to drinke in the wyne Sacramentally then spiritually to eate fleshe in the bread who seeth not that our Sacramentes doe excell those same olde ones euen in the very signes and sacramentall rytes 74. Question Yet there remaineth another doubt howe it shoulde come to passe that the humayne nature of Christ not yet existing in deede shoulde for all that be the thing signified of the olde Sacramentes and so indeede that it shoulde be truely communicated vnto the Fathers Answeare What thinkest thou therefore that the Sacraments of the olde fathers signified For neyther doe I thinke that thou dost agree vnto them who wil haue thē to be certaine resemblances ioyned onely vnto earthly promises Question Surely I consent not vnto that vngodlines which transformeth the people of God into a stye of Hogges But I aske whether they thinke rightly enough who thinke those same giftes in Christ bestowed vppon the Church which if it lacke it cānot be a partaker of euerlasting life to bee promised and giuen also in the Sacramentes of the olde fathers but notwithstanding those were not yet giuen forth which as yet were not Answeare Surely thou doest wonderfully mollifie the harde opinion of these men But I doubt not too say with the Apostle that they did truely and indeed eate the same meate that we doe and dranke the same drinke to witte euen Christ himselfe 1. Cor. 10. 3. 4. GOD and man Question Howe so Answeare First because the Apostle plainely speaketh so Question Yea but the Apostle saieth not in such plaine woordes that the Fathers did eate the same meate that we eate or dranke the same drinke that wee doe but rather that they did eate the same amongest themselues albeeit with a farre other effecte as at this day aswell the Godly as the vngodly are partakers of the same Sacramēts but some to saluation and othersome to iudgement Answeare This Sophisticall startinghole is confuted by foure reasons Firste because that Argument of Sainte Paule were not strong enough if the Sacramentes shoulde bee made vnequall in substaunce and in verie deede Agayne because the Apostle pronounceth in playne and euident woordes that this meate it selfe and this drinke is Christ Thirdly because hee chaungeth the very names of the olde Sacramentes and of the newe attributing the newe vntoo the olde that hee may declare that same thing too bee both in the thing signified and in the vse Fourthly that thing playnely appeareth by the expresse woordes as well of others as also of Augustine in the 45. treatise vppon Iohn and in his Booke of the profite of repentaunce the 102. Iohn 1. 29. 1. Cor. 5. 7. Epistle and elsewhere But nowe if this thing agree vntoo the Figures muche rather is it too bee thought too agree vnto the Sacraments which are perpetuall and which are appoynted to signifie this one thing alone In which sense Iohn the Baptist sayde Beholde the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the worlde Paule Christ our Passeouer is offered vp 75. Question But what if I shoulde except that all these things signifie nothing else but the onely efficacie or vertue of Christ to come Answere Yea but his efficacie dependeth as wel of those things which Christ should suffer for our cause as of Christ himself Why therefore shouldest thou now bee more offended when I say that the very humane nature of Christ it selfe albeit then it were not notwithstanding that it was truely and indeede geuen vntoo the Fathers in the Sacramentes and sealed vppe in them then that the Fathers were iustified and in very deed sanctified in spirite by the righteousnes of his fleshe which yet was not borne For this is the whole summe of the benifites of Christe Furthermore when thou thinkest that the fathers were made partakers of those