XXII - Of the right administration of the Sacraments

That Sacraments be rightly ministred, we judge two things requisite: The one, that they be ministred by lawfull Ministers, whom we affirme to be onely they that are appointed to the Preaching of the Word, into whose mouthes God hath put some Sermon of Exhortation, they being men of lawfull choosing thereto by some Church. The other, That they be ministred in such elements, and in such sort as God hath appointed. Else we affirme, That they cease to be right Sacraments of Christ Jesus. And therefore it is, that we flee the societie with the Papisticall Church, in participation of their Sacraments; First, because their Ministers are no Ministers of Jesus Christ (yea, Mat. 26.26, &c Mar. 14.22, &c Luk. 22.19, &c 1 Cor. 11.24. which is more horrible) they suffer women, whom the holy Ghost will not suffer to teach in the Congregation, to Baptize. And secondly, because they have so adulterate, both the one Sacrament and the other, with their own inventions, that no part of Christs action abideth in the originall purity, for Oyl, Salt, Spittle, and such like in Baptisme, are but mens inventions, Adoration, Veneration, bearing through Streets and Townes, and keeping of bread in Boxes, are prophanation of Christs Sacraments, and no use of the same: For Christ Jesus said, Take and eat, &c. Do ye this in remembrance of me. By which words and charge he sanctified Bread and Wine to be the Sacrament of his Body and Blood; to the end, that one should be eaten, and that all should drink of the other, and not that they should be kept to be worshipped and honoured as God, as the blinde Papists have done heretofore, who also have committed Sacriledge, stealing from the people one part of the Sacrament; to wit, The blessed Cup. Moreover, that the Sacraments be rightly used, it is required, That the end and cause why the Sacraments were instituted, be understood and observed, as well of the Minister as the Receivers: for if the opinion be changed in the Receiver, the right use ceaseth: which is most evident by the rejection of the sacrifices (as also if the teacher teach false Doctrine) which were odious and abhominable unto God (albeit they were his own ordinances) because that wicked men used them to another end then God hath ordained. The same affirm we of the Sacraments in the Papisticall Church, in which we affirm the whole action of the Lord Jesus to be adulterate, as well in the externall form, as in the end and opinion; What Christ Jesus did, Note. and commanded to be done, is evident by the three Evangelists who speak of the Sacrament, & by S. Paul; what the Priest doth at his Altar, we need not to rehearse. The end and cause of Christs institution, and why the self-same should be used, is expressed in these words, Do ye this in remembrance of me, 1 Cor. 11.25, 26 as oft as ye shall eat of this Bread, and drink of this Cup, ye shall shew forth (that is, extoll, Preach, magnifie and praise) the Lords death till he come. But to what end, and in what opinion the Priests say their Masses, let the words of the same their own Doctours and Writings witnesse; to wit, That they are Mediatours betwixt Christ and his Church, Heb. 9.27, 28 to offer unto God the Father, a Sacrifice propitiatorie for the sinnes of the quick and the dead: Which Doctrine, as blasphemous to Christ Jesus, and making derogation to the sufficiencie of his onely Sacrifice once offered for purgation of all those that shall be sanctified, we utterly abhorre, detest, and renounce.