Point 19: Of the Efficacy of the Sacraments
Our consent.
Conclusion 1. We hold that the sacraments are signs to represent Christ with his benefits to us.
Conclusion 2. We teach further that the sacraments are indeed instruments whereby God offers and gives the foresaid benefits to us. Thus far we consent with the Roman Church.
The difference.
The difference between us stands in sundry points. First of all, the best learned among them teach that sacraments are physical instruments — that is, true and proper instrumental causes having force and efficacy in them to produce and give grace. They use to express their meaning by these comparisons: when the scrivener takes the pen into his hand and writes, the action of writing comes from the pen moved by the hand of the writer; and in cutting of wood or stone, the division comes from the saw moved by the hand of the workman. Even so the grace (say they) that is given by God is conferred by the sacrament itself. Now we for our parts hold that sacraments are not physical but mere voluntary instruments. Voluntary, because it is the will and appointment of God to use them as certain outward means of grace. Instruments, because when we use them aright according to the institution, God then answerably confers grace from himself. In this respect only do we take them for instruments and no otherwise.
The second difference is this: they teach that the very action of the minister dispensing the sacrament, as it is a work done, gives grace immediately if the party be prepared — as the very washing or sprinkling of water in baptism and the giving of bread in the Lord's Supper. We hold the contrary — namely that no action in the dispensation of a sacrament confers grace as it is a work done, that is, by the efficacy and force of the very sacramental action itself though ordained of God. Rather grace is conferred two ways. First, by the signification thereof. For God testifies to us his will and good pleasure partly by the word of promise and partly by the sacrament — the signs representing to the eyes that which the word does to the ears, being also types and certain images of the very same things that are promised in the word and no other. The elements are not general and confused but particular signs to the several communicants, and by the virtue of the institution — for when the faithful receive the signs from God by the hands of the minister, it is as much as if God himself with his own mouth should speak to them severally and by name, promising to them remission of sins. And things said to men particularly do more affect and more take away doubting than if they were generally spoken to a whole company. Therefore signs of graces are as it were an applying and binding of the promise of salvation to every particular believer, and by this means the oftener they are received, the more they help our infirmity and confirm our assurance of mercy.
Again, the sacrament confers grace in that the sign thereof confirms faith as a pledge, by reason it has a promise annexed to it. For when God commands us to receive the signs in faith and withal promises to the receivers to give the thing signified, he binds himself as it were in bond to stand to his own word — even as men bind themselves in obligations, putting their hands and seals, so that they cannot go back. And when the signs are thus used as pledges, and that often, they greatly increase the grace of God — as a token sent from one friend to another renews and confirms the persuasion of love.
These are the two principal ways whereby the sacraments are said to confer grace: in respect of their signification and as they are pledges of God's favor to us. The very point here to be considered is in what order and manner they confirm. And the manner is this: the signs and visible elements affect the senses outward and inward; the senses convey their object to the mind; the mind directed by the Holy Spirit reasons on this manner from the promise annexed to the sacrament: He that uses the elements aright shall receive grace thereby. But I use the elements aright in faith and repentance, says the mind of the believer, therefore shall I receive from God increase of grace. Thus faith is confirmed not by the work done, but by a kind of reasoning caused in the mind, the argument or proof whereof is borrowed from the elements being signs and pledges of God's mercy.
The third difference. The Papists teach that in the sacrament by the work done, the very grace of justification is conferred. We say no — because a man of years must first believe and be justified before he can be a meet partaker of any sacrament. And the grace that is conferred is only the increase of our faith, hope, sanctification, and the like.
Our reasons.
Reason 1. The word preached and the sacraments differ in the manner of giving Christ and his benefits to us — because in the word the Spirit of God teaches us by a voice conveyed to the mind by the bodily ears, but in the sacraments annexed to the word, by certain sensible and bodily signs viewed by the eye. Sacraments are nothing but visible words and promises. Otherwise for the giving itself they differ not. Christ himself says that in the very word his own flesh is eaten, which he was to give for the life of the world — and what can be said more of the Lord's Supper? Augustine says that believers are partakers of the body and blood of Christ in baptism. Jerome to Hedobia says that in baptism we eat and drink the body and blood of Christ. If thus much may be said of baptism, why may it not also be said of the word preached? Again, Jerome upon Ecclesiastes says: It is profitable to be filled with the body of Christ and to drink his blood, not only in mystery but in knowledge of holy Scripture. Now upon this it follows that seeing the work done in the word preached confers not grace, neither does the work done in the sacrament confer any grace.
Reason 2. Matthew 3:11: I baptize you with water to repentance, but he that comes after me is stronger than I — he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Hence it is manifest that grace in the sacrament proceeds not from any action in the sacrament. For John, though he does not disjoin himself and his action from Christ and the action of his Spirit, yet does he distinguish them plainly in number, persons, and effect. To this purpose Paul, who had said of the Galatians that he travailed of them and begot them by the Gospel, says of himself that he is not anything — not only as he was a man, but as he was a faithful Apostle. Thereby excluding the whole evangelical ministry, whereof the sacrament is a part, from the least part of divine operation or efficacy in conferring grace.
Reason 3. The blessed angels — nay, the very flesh of the Son of God — has not any quickening virtue from itself, but all this efficacy or virtue is in and from the Godhead of the Son, who by means of the flesh apprehended by faith derives heavenly and spiritual life from himself to the members. Now if there is no efficacy in the flesh of Christ but by reason of the hypostatic union, how shall bodily actions about bodily elements confer grace immediately?
Reason 4. Paul in Romans 4 stands much upon this, to prove that justification by faith is not conferred by the sacraments. And from the circumstance of time he gathers that Abraham was first justified and then afterward received circumcision, the sign and seal of this righteousness. Now we know that the general condition of all sacraments is one and the same, and that baptism succeeded circumcision. And what can be more plain than the example of Cornelius (Acts 10), who before Peter came to him had the commendation of the fear of God and was endued with the spirit of prayer? And afterward when Peter by preaching opened more fully the way of the Lord, he and the rest received the Holy Spirit. And after all this they were baptized. Now if they received the Holy Spirit before baptism, then they received remission of sins and were justified before baptism.
Reason 5: The judgment of the Church. Basil: If there be any grace in the water, it is not from the nature of the water, but from the presence of the Spirit. Jerome says: Man gives water but God gives the Holy Spirit. Augustine says: Water touches the body and washes the heart. But he shows his meaning elsewhere: There is one water of the sacrament, another of the Spirit. The water of the sacrament is visible, the water of the Spirit invisible. That washes the body and signifies what is done in the soul. By this the soul is purged and sealed.
Objection. Remission of sins, regeneration, and salvation is ascribed to the sacrament of baptism in Acts 22:16, Ephesians 5, Galatians 3:27, and Titus 3:5. Answer: Salvation and remission of sins is ascribed to baptism and the Lord's Supper as to the word, which is the power of God to salvation to all that believe. And that, as they are instruments of the Holy Spirit to signify, seal, and exhibit to the believing mind the foresaid benefits. But indeed the proper instrument whereby salvation is apprehended is faith, and sacraments are but props of faith furthering salvation two ways: first because by their signification they help to nourish and preserve faith; secondly because they seal grace and salvation to us. Yea, God gives grace and salvation when we use them well, provided we believe the word of promise made to the sacrament, of which also they are seals. And thus we keep the middle way, neither giving too much nor too little to the sacraments.
Our consent.
Conclusion 1. We hold that the sacraments are signs that represent Christ and His benefits to us.
Conclusion 2. We further teach that the sacraments are instruments through which God offers and gives these benefits to us. This is as far as we agree with the Roman Church.
The difference.
Our disagreement concerns several points. First, the most learned among them teach that sacraments are physical instruments — that is, true and proper instrumental causes that possess inherent force and efficacy to produce and confer grace. They express this with comparisons: when a scribe takes a pen and writes, the action of writing proceeds from the pen as it is moved by the writer's hand; and in cutting wood or stone, the division comes from the saw moved by the workman's hand. In the same way, they say, grace is given by God through the sacrament itself. We hold the opposite — that sacraments are not physical instruments but voluntary ones. Voluntary, because it is God's will and appointment to use them as specific outward means of grace. Instruments, because when we use them rightly according to their institution, God correspondingly confers grace from Himself. In this sense alone do we call them instruments — in no other.
The second difference is this: they teach that the very act of the minister administering the sacrament, simply as an action performed, immediately gives grace to a properly prepared recipient — such as the act of washing or sprinkling with water in baptism, or the giving of bread in the Lord's Supper. We teach the opposite — that no sacramental action confers grace simply as a performed work, through the power or force of the sacramental action itself, even though it was ordained by God. Rather, grace is conferred in two ways. First, through signification. God declares His will and goodwill to us partly through the word of promise and partly through the sacrament — the signs presenting to the eyes what the word presents to the ears, and serving as types and images of the very same things promised in the word, nothing else. The elements are not general signs addressed to a crowd, but particular signs addressed to each individual communicant. By virtue of their institution, when believers receive the signs from God through the minister's hands, it is as though God Himself personally spoke to each one by name, promising them the forgiveness of sins. Words spoken directly to a person individually affect them far more deeply and remove doubt far more effectively than words spoken generally to a whole assembly. Therefore sacramental signs function as a kind of applying and sealing of the promise of salvation to each individual believer. This is why the more often they are received, the more they strengthen our weakness and confirm our assurance of mercy.
Furthermore, the sacrament confers grace in that its sign confirms faith as a pledge, because a promise is attached to it. When God commands us to receive the signs in faith and promises to give the thing signified to those who receive them, He binds Himself, as it were, to stand by His own word — just as people bind themselves in formal agreements by putting their hands and seals to them so that they cannot go back. When the signs are used this way as pledges, and used repeatedly, they greatly increase God's grace in us — just as a gift sent from one friend to another renews and confirms the sense of love between them.
These are the two principal ways the sacraments are said to confer grace: through their signification, and as pledges of God's favor to us. The key question here is the order and manner in which they confirm faith. The manner is this: the visible signs and elements affect both the outward and inward senses; the senses carry their object to the mind; and the mind, directed by the Holy Spirit, reasons from the promise attached to the sacrament: whoever uses the elements rightly will receive grace through them. But I am using the elements rightly, in faith and repentance, the believing mind concludes — therefore I will receive from God an increase of grace. In this way faith is confirmed not by the work performed, but through a kind of reasoning produced in the mind — reasoning whose basis is drawn from the elements as signs and pledges of God's mercy.
The third difference. The Roman Catholics teach that in the sacrament, by the act of administering it, the very grace of justification is conferred. We say no — because an adult must first believe and be justified before he can properly receive any sacrament. The grace conferred through the sacrament is only the increase of our faith, hope, sanctification, and similar graces.
Our reasons.
Reason 1. The preached word and the sacraments differ in the manner in which they give Christ and His benefits to us — in the word, the Spirit of God teaches us through a voice that reaches the mind through the ears; in the sacraments attached to the word, He does so through certain visible, physical signs perceived by the eye. Sacraments are simply visible words and promises. In this way only do they differ from the word — not in the giving of Christ itself. Christ Himself says that in the very word His flesh is eaten — the flesh He was to give for the life of the world. What more could be said of the Lord's Supper? Augustine says that believers partake of the body and blood of Christ in baptism. Jerome, writing to Hedobia, says that in baptism we eat and drink the body and blood of Christ. If this much can be said of baptism, why cannot the same be said of the preached word? Jerome, commenting on Ecclesiastes, says: 'It is profitable to be filled with the body of Christ and to drink His blood — not only in the sacrament, but in the knowledge of Holy Scripture.' From all this it follows that since the act of preaching does not confer grace by the mere work performed, neither does the act of administering a sacrament confer grace in that way.
Reason 2. Matthew 3:11: 'As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I — He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.' This makes it clear that grace in the sacrament does not come from any action within the sacrament. Although John does not separate himself and his action from Christ and the action of His Spirit, he clearly distinguishes them — as different persons, different acts, and different effects. Paul, who had said of the Galatians that he labored over them and brought them to birth through the Gospel, also said of himself that he was nothing — not merely as a man, but even as a faithful apostle. In this he excluded the entire ministry of the Gospel — of which the sacrament is a part — from playing any part in the divine work of conferring grace.
Reason 3. The blessed angels — and indeed the very flesh of the Son of God — have no life-giving power from themselves. All efficacy and virtue belongs to and proceeds from the Godhead of the Son, who through His flesh, apprehended by faith, channels heavenly and spiritual life from Himself to His members. If there is no life-giving power even in the flesh of Christ except by virtue of the hypostatic union, how could bodily actions performed over physical elements immediately confer grace?
Reason 4. Paul in Romans 4 presses this point at length — that justification by faith is not conferred by the sacraments. From the timing of events he shows that Abraham was first justified and only afterward received circumcision, the sign and seal of that righteousness. We know that the general condition of all sacraments is the same, and that baptism succeeded circumcision. And what could be clearer than the example of Cornelius (Acts 10)? Before Peter came to him, Cornelius was already commended for his fear of God and was endowed with a spirit of prayer. Then, when Peter arrived and more fully opened the way of the Lord through preaching, Cornelius and the others received the Holy Spirit. After all this, they were baptized. If they received the Holy Spirit before baptism, then they received forgiveness of sins and were justified before baptism.
Reason 5: The testimony of the church. Basil: 'If there is any grace in the water, it is not from the nature of the water, but from the presence of the Spirit.' Jerome says: 'Man gives water, but God gives the Holy Spirit.' Augustine says: 'Water touches the body and washes the heart.' Elsewhere he explains his meaning further: 'There is one water of the sacrament, another of the Spirit. The water of the sacrament is visible; the water of the Spirit is invisible. The former washes the body and signifies what is done in the soul. By the latter the soul is purged and sealed.'
Objection. Forgiveness of sins, regeneration, and salvation are attributed to the sacrament of baptism in Acts 22:16, Ephesians 5, Galatians 3:27, and Titus 3:5. Answer: Salvation and forgiveness of sins are attributed to baptism and the Lord's Supper in the same sense they are attributed to the word, which is 'the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.' They are attributed to the sacraments as instruments of the Holy Spirit to signify, seal, and present these benefits to the believing mind. But the proper instrument through which salvation is received is faith. The sacraments are simply supports for faith, furthering salvation in two ways: first, because through their signification they help nourish and preserve faith; and second, because they seal grace and salvation to us. Indeed, God gives grace and salvation when we use the sacraments rightly — provided we believe the word of promise attached to the sacrament, of which the sacraments are also seals. In this way we hold a middle position — giving the sacraments neither too much nor too little.
