That They Are Not3 Superfluous to the Faithful; and That They Do Not Depend upon the Worthi-ness or Unworthiness of the Minister. The Seventh Sermon
YESTERDAY, dearly beloved, I told you what a sacrament was; who was the author of them, and for what cause? sacraments were instituted; of what things they consist, that is to say, of the sign and the thing signified. I told you also what a sign is and what the thing signified, and by what names they are termed; how they are consecrated; that the sign is not mingled with the thing signified, but that both of them remain in their own nature and property of nature; that the sign is not taken away or miraculously turned, neither that the thing signified is so joined with the same? that whosoever is partaker of the one, is partaker also of the other. To be short, I declared how and after what manner the sign and the thing signified are coupled together, to make a full,
[ad rumpenda fastidia atque acuenda studia discere volentium, zelandos]
[quoque sive ut ad pietatem convertantur, sive ut a mysteriis seclu-]
[dantur, animos impiorum, utili ac salubri obscuritate dixerunt. Sic]
[quippe illi locuti sunt ut posteriores, qui eos recte intelligerent et]
[exponerent, alteram gratiam, disparem quidem veruntamen subse-]
[quentem, in Dei ecclesia reperirent. Non ergo expositores eorum ita]
[loqui debent, tanquam se ipsi exponendos simili auctoritate propo-]
[nant: sed in omnibus sermonibus suis primitus ac maxime ut intel-]
[ligantur elaborent ea quantum possunt perspicuitate dicendi, ut aut]
[multum tardus sit qui non intelligat, aut in rerum quas explicare]
[atque ostendere volumus difficultate ac subtilitate, non in nostra]
[locutione, sit causa quo minus tardiusve quod dicimus possit intelligi.]
[—1Id. de Doct. Christ. Lib. 1v. cap. 8. Opp. Tom. 111. fol. 16. col. 3.] [2 per se, Lat. omitted: of themselves. ] [3 So ed. 1577: but edd. 1584 and 1587 omit not: non esse super-]
[vacanea, Lat. ] [4 So also ed. 1584; but 1577, causes: quas ob causas, Lat.] [5 So also ed. 1584: but 1577, with the sign; cum hoe, Lat.]]
perfect, and lawful sacrament; where also I entreated of sacramental speeches. Now therefore it remaineth, that I also consequently speak of the nature, virtue, and efficacy of sacraments, and of those things which are joined and of affinity with them: for so the order which I used in my division requireth.
Touching the virtue and nature of sacraments, that is to say, what they work in man, writers have disputed diversely and plentifully. It seemeth unto me, that reverence must be used in this disputation, and that heed must be taken that I do not incline either to the right hand or to the left; that is, that I do not attribute too much unto them, to the derogating of the doctrine of the evangelists and apostles; neither that I should diminish or take from them, to mine own damnation, that which the scripture, the word of God, doth attribute unto them. But we shall plentifully give great praise and glory to the ordinances of God, if we shall say that of them which the Spirit of God hath set down in the holy scriptures: to be willing to attribute more unto them, is not only an error in man, but a great fault which bringeth death and horrible destruction. This is declared unto us in the holy scripture by examples most worthy of remembrance. The ark of the covenant, given by Moses to the people of Israel, was a witness of God’s presence among the people, and of the league and friendship between God and man. For in these words God made a league with the people: “I will make my dwellingplace among them, and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” Of the ordinance and agreement the ark itself was called, “The Lord God of hosts, sitting between the cherubims;” as we may see, 2 Sam. vi. and in the book of the Chronicles. It was also called, The ark of the covenant of the Lord.” For? when the prophets of God did attribute these things to the sacrament of God, they both thought and spake plentifully and reverently enough of the sacrament of God; but when the ignorant and malicious priests, and the people corrupted by them, did attribute far greater things to the ark or sacrament of God, what, I pray you, came to pass? Give ear first what they attributed to the ark: “The elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath the Lord
[1 So also ed. 1584: but 1577, from. [2 Autem, Lat.: But.]]