Our baptism, together with the engagements which we are therein laid under to be the Lord’s, is to be used to good purpose in our daily lives; though this duty be too much neglected. Baptism is improved when we are present at the administration of it to others; in times of temptation, to resist and overcome it; and before and after we are brought into a converted state.… Read More Remember Your Baptism
Heidelberg Catechism & Zacharias Ursinus Q. 72. Is then the external baptism with water, the washing away of sin itself?Answer. Not at all, for the blood of Jesus Christ only, and the Holy Ghost, cleanse us from all sin. “The same division which we made when speaking of the sacraments in general, is also true… Read More Spiritual vs. Water Baptism: A Reformed Distinction?
William PerkinsReformed Catholic, Works VII, pp. 134-138Of the Efficacy of the Sacraments I. Our Consent Conclusion 1. We teach and believe that the sacraments are signs to represent Christ with His benefits unto us. Conclusion 2. We teach further, that the sacraments are indeed instruments whereby God offers and gives the foresaid benefits unto us.… Read More The Efficacy of the Sacraments | William Perkins
Consensus Tigurinus, or the Consensus of Zürich, was written by John Calvin and Heinrich Bullinger as a response to the renewed opposition that Martin Luther had made to the Reformed understanding of the Sacraments. These 26 articles on Reformed Sacramentology were presented by both of them to Zürich and Geneva as a Reformed consensus, and they were adopted by both churches.… Read More The Consensus of Zürich on the Sacraments
In the Nicene Creed (AD 381), the universal church confesses that we believe in “one baptism for the remission of sins.” This language comes directly from several Scripture texts: “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins [εἰς ἄφεσιν… Read More Does Baptism Remit Sins?
The outward baptism doth not save us of itself, but the inward, because outward baptism is common to the hypocrites as well as to the faithful, it comes not unto the soul, and it hath no saving power in itself. This may serve to admonish us, not to put too much trust and confidence in the outward Sacraments, or to rely thereupon, that we are baptized and partake of the Lord’s Supper, but always to seek the spiritual grace of the Sacraments.… Read More Baptism Now Saves You | William Ames
The parts of a Sacrament are of two sorts, some outward, open, sensible, earthly, visible, and signifying—some are inward, hidden, spiritual, heavenly, invisible, and signified. The outward is applied to the body, the inward is applied to the soul and conscience. This division and distinction of parts appeareth plainly, “He is not a Jew which is one outward, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh: but he is a Jew which is one within, and the circumcision is of the heart, in the spirit, not in the letter” (Rom. 2:28-29).… Read More The Nature of a Sacrament: Partly Outward and Partly Inward.
A Sacrament is a visible sign and seal ordained of God, whereby Christ and all his saving graces by certain outward rites are signified, exhibited, and sealed up unto us. There is more in the Sacraments than is seen with the eyes, or felt with the hands: and therefore we must not conceive unreverently of them, nor come negligently unto them, making them mere carnal and outward things: but we must think reverently, speak soberly, receive humbly and penitently these holy mysteries.… Read More What Is A Sacrament?
The Word of God may fitly be resembled to writings and evidences: and the Sacraments to seals, which the Lord alone sets to his own letters. They are as a visible sermon preaching unto us most lively the promises of God: that as the Word we hear doth edify and instruct the mind by the outward ears, so doth the Sacraments by the eyes and other senses… The Word may be without the Sacraments, but the Sacraments cannot be without the Word, as a writing may be without a seal, but not the seal without the writing. Set a seal to a blank, and is it not vain, void, and unprofitable?… Read More Word and Sacrament: Agreements & Differences
“Though the sacraments are connected with the thing signified nevertheless both are not received by all men: the ungodly indeed receives the sacrament to his condemnation but he does not receive the truth of the sacrament. As Judas, and Simon the sorcerer, both indeed received the sacrament, but not Christ, who was signified by it,… Read More Sacraments: The Savor of Death to Ungodly Partakers
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