Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On the Sacraments in General · Book II: On the Effect, Number, and Ceremonies of the Sacraments
Chapter 8: The sixth class, from reason
Our translation, from the Latin of the Opera Omnia (Paris: Vivès, 1870–74), vol. III, De Sacramentis in Genere, Book II: On the Effect, Number, and Ceremonies of the Sacraments. The Latin source text is public domain; this English rendering is released with the site. Scripture quotations follow Bellarmine's Vulgate citations, rendered in Douay-Rheims wording where he quotes exactly. Click “Show the Latin” for the original (raw OCR of the scan; scanning errors remain — the scan itself is the authority).
The sixth class, from reason. It is to be observed, that the force of the reasons may be more easily understood, that words and other signs are of two kinds. For some are instituted for no other end than to signify, which may be called theoretical signs. Others are instituted to signify and to effect something, which on that account may be called practical. And they differ in this, that the former work nothing immediately and by their own force, but only represent an object; and if perhaps some effect follows, it follows not from the force of that sign, but from elsewhere; the latter work immediately, and by a certain force of their own. For example, when one warns another that an enemy is present, he straightway flees; but the immediate cause of that flight is not that warning, but the apprehension of the harmful thing; and accordingly the warning was a sign of the former kind. In like manner, he who, having seen the sign of an inn, runs to the inn, is not moved by that sign immediately, but by the apprehension of the things he needs, and which that sign represents; and accordingly that too is not properly a practical sign, as we here take it. For sometimes we are wont to call practical all those signs which are referred to a work, whether mediately or immediately — in which way it was taken in the disputation on the intention of the minister; for then we called practical all imperative words; but here we call these theoretical, and we call practical those which besides signification have efficiency — in which way a seal is truly a practical sign, because it not only represents the image, but also imprints it in the wax.
And these various signs are known from another difference. For theoretical words and signs are not applied except to those who understand; for since they do not work except by representing something to the mind, it would be foolish to apply those signs where there is no use of the mind. But practical words and signs can be applied even to inanimate things, and not only to those not understanding, but even to those not perceiving; in which way in the Scriptures Josue commanded the sun and moon, Josue 10: Move not, O sun, toward Gabaon, nor thou, O moon, toward the valley of Ajalon. Matthew 8, the Lord commanded the sea and the winds; Matthew 9, Luke 7, and John 11 he commanded the dead; and Peter, Acts 9: Tabitha, he says, arise. Matthew 17: If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain: Remove from hence, etc. So also as to other signs, Moses struck the rock to give water, Exodus 17; and the Lord put his fingers into the ear of the deaf and dumb man, and touched also his tongue, to cure him. The controversy, then, between us and the heretics is this, that they make the Sacraments signs of the former kind, when they affirm that they do not justify except by exciting faith; we make them of the latter kind. Wherefore if we can show that the Sacraments are signs of the latter kind, we have gained the cause.
Let this, then, be the first reason. The Sacraments are rightly applied to those who do not understand; therefore they are signs of the latter kind, and truly justify not by exciting faith after the manner of a sermon, but by immediately effecting holiness. The consequence is manifest from what has been said. The antecedent is proved, because infants, the deaf, the insane, the sleeping are duly baptized. A notable example is in Augustine, book 4 of the Confessions chapter 4, of a certain man baptized while by the force of disease he was beside himself, and altogether ignorant of what was done to him; to whom, nevertheless, the Sacrament was most useful. Add that the fourth Council of Carthage canon 76, the first of Orange canon 12, Augustine book 1 On adulterous marriages chapters 26 and 28, and Leo epistle 91 to Theodore, teach that the Sacraments of Baptism and Absolution can be conferred even on those who are in danger of life, though they, oppressed by the force of disease, have not the use of reason or of the senses, provided it be established that they before desired such Sacraments. But certainly to these a sermon would be made, or signs applied to excite faith, only most ineptly.
The second reason. The sacramental words and signs depend on divine institution, nor could they have been instituted by men on their own authority; therefore they are not mere signs, like the words of a sermon, but practical signs, having the power of effecting something supernatural. The antecedent is conceded by the adversaries, as was demonstrated above. The consequence is proved; because if the sacramental words and signs were bare signs instituted to excite the mind, they could have been most easily instituted by men, and would have had the same force. For it matters nothing to bare signification who instituted them, provided they represent the same object. For what does it matter who set the signs at inns? And do not the Hebrew words written by God on the tablets and the Greek or Latin words written by men signify in the same manner? Did not the trumpets which God bade be made, Numbers 10, and the profane trumpets of the heathen, incite to war in the same manner? In the same manner, then, if Peter or Paul, or anyone else, had instituted Baptism and the Eucharist, those signs would have the same force which they now have. Which certainly cannot be said according to the opinion of the Catholics, who will have these Sacraments not only signify, but also effect that which of themselves they could not.
The third reason. The Sacraments depend on God not only in their institution, but also in their very use; for it is he who through his ministers baptizes, consecrates, absolves, etc.; therefore they are not bare signs instituted to excite faith, like sermons, but effect something besides. The antecedent is conceded by the adversaries, and was proved above in the question on the efficient cause of the Sacraments, from that of John 1: This is he who baptizeth, from Chrysostom homily 83 on Matthew, and Augustine tract 5 on John, and from others. The consequence is proved. For that words and other signs may only signify and excite the mind by representing, it matters nothing from whom they proceed. For whether the master or the servant speak, the same words always signify the same; nor does the sign of the trumpet excite to war more if the trumpet be blown by the general than by the trumpeter. Therefore if the sacramental signs necessarily depend on God as the principal cause, who works through the ministers, we are compelled to confess that they not only signify, but also effect something.
The fourth reason. The Sacraments depend not only on God as institutor and principal agent, but also on the Passion and death of Christ, as we proved above at the beginning of the question on the efficient cause of the Sacraments; on account of which the Fathers by common consent teach that the Sacraments flowed from the pierced side of Christ. Whence also many of the ancients teach that Christ willed to be baptized that by the touch of his most pure flesh he might give the waters the power of cleansing; as Ambrose book 2 on Luke chapter 12, Nazianzen oration On the holy lights, Chrysostom homily 25 on John, Bede on chapter 3 of Luke, and others; and Luther himself too in his homilies on Baptism confesses the same. Therefore the Sacraments do not work only by representing an object, after the manner of a sermon, but by truly effecting; for otherwise they would not have needed the merits of Christ, nor would Christ have given them any virtue. And as a sermon would not rightly be said to have flowed from the side of Christ, nor is Christ said to have given any virtue to a sermon for signifying, because words have that of themselves, so we would not rightly say that the Sacraments proceeded from the side of Christ, or that Christ gave them any force.
The fifth reason. The Sacraments are instituted to render us certain of the remission of sins and of the grace of God; therefore they do not work only objectively by representing after the manner of a sermon, but by really effecting what they signify. The antecedent is admitted by all, but most of all by the adversaries. For the Catholics teach that from the Sacraments a certain moral certitude of the remission of sins is begotten in us, yet not an infallible one. For although the Sacraments are of themselves infallibly efficacious, yet it can happen that they are not efficacious to us on account of our indisposition. But the adversaries will have an absolute certitude begotten from the Sacraments, and reprehend us as though we bade men doubt of the efficacy of the Sacrament; as is plain from Luther in the book On the Babylonian captivity, chapter On Baptism, from Kemnitz in the second part of the Examen, chapter On the intention of the minister, and from others. The consequence is proved; for if the Sacraments worked only by signifying and exciting faith, they would bring no certitude. For then the Sacrament would depend on our faith, not on the institution of Christ; which is to take away the true certitude of the efficacy of the Sacrament, as Luther confesses in the book against the Anabaptists, published in the year 1528, where he sets forth at length that the Sacrament ought not to depend on the faith of the giver or of the receiver, but on the institution of God alone, lest its efficacy be rendered uncertain. Nor can it be answered that the Sacraments bring an infallible certitude because they infallibly excite faith, which infallibly justifies; since we have learned the contrary by experience. For how many are there who are baptized, and yet do not believe? And if a sermon, which is more efficacious than the Sacraments — Luther himself being witness, in the book against Cochlaeus — does not infallibly excite faith, as we experience, how much less will the Sacraments infallibly excite faith? Therefore if the Sacraments bring any certitude, it is because ex opere operato they effect what they signify.
The sixth reason. The Sacraments are related to faith in a contrary manner to the word; therefore they do not work in the same manner. The antecedent is proved. For the word of God precedes faith, but the Sacraments follow it, since Faith cometh by hearing, Romans 10; whence the word is preached to unbelievers and heretics of every kind, that they may begin to believe. But the Sacraments require faith, at least in adults, nor can they be rightly conferred except on those who first believe. Whence Acts 8, when the Eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? Philip answered: If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest. And it was always the custom in the Church that those who wished to be Christians should first become Catechumens, and be instructed a good while, and be baptized only when instructed and firm and stable in the faith. Justin in the Apology to Antoninus, explaining the customs of the Church: “Whoever,” he says, “have been persuaded and have believed that the things which are handed down and said by us are true, and have undertaken that they can so live, are bidden to pray fasting and to ask of God the remission of their former sins, we praying and fasting together with them; then they are brought by us where there is water, and are regenerated in the manner of regeneration in which we too were regenerated.” So he. From which it follows that the opinion of the heretics is not only false, but also most inept.
The seventh reason. The Sacraments are no less efficacious if they be given in the Greek or Latin tongue, which he who receives the Sacrament does not understand, than if they be given in the vulgar tongue which all understand; therefore they do not work after the manner of a sermon, but have their effect besides the excitation of faith. The consequence is plain, because if they worked after the manner of a sermon, they would effect nothing unless given in the vulgar tongue. The antecedent is proved, because the Lutherans and Calvinists admit our Baptism, which is always given in the Latin tongue; for they do not rebaptize those baptized by us.
The eighth reason. If the Sacraments worked by exciting faith, there would be no cause why they should be applied to learned men, who can read the Scriptures, or even to the unlearned, who hear sermons; for Scripture and a sermon excite faith much better than Baptism or the Eucharist. And so it would be better, in place of Baptism, to read one chapter from the Bible. Add that even an image of Baptism painted on a panel could do the same which Baptism does; for it makes a visible promise and excites faith; and it has this advantage over Baptism, that it remains always, whereas Baptism is done once and passes.
The ninth reason. The Sacraments profit only the receivers, even though many others be present and hear and see what is done; otherwise there would be no need that each be baptized and communicate of the body of the Lord, but it would be enough that one be baptized and communicate before the whole multitude; therefore they do not work after the manner of a sermon, by exciting faith. The consequence is plain. For if they worked after the manner of a sermon, they would profit all the hearers; for all who are present can be excited to faith while the promise of God is pronounced and the visible sign is set before their eyes. Nor does it matter that the Sacrament seems directed to one only. For a sermon too can be directed to one, and yet would excite all the hearers. Besides, while the minister baptizes and says, I baptize thee, he does not mean to say, I wash thee from sins (according to the Lutherans), but, I testify to thee that thy sins are remitted, as Melanchthon expounds in the Commonplaces, chapter On Baptism, and Calvin book 4 of the Institutes chapter 15 section 15, and all the others are compelled to expound. Now this testification does not profit him who is baptized, except because meanwhile he thinks and believes that God is propitious to him through Christ, as they themselves confess. But all who are present can think and believe the same; since the promise is common, and what is said to one agrees with all. For God is not propitious to him who is baptized because he is baptized (according to the opinion of the Lutherans), but the testification of Baptism is true because God is propitious to him, provided he apprehend this good will of God by faith.
The tenth reason. If the Sacraments worked only by signifying, there would be no difference between our Sacraments and the Sacraments of the old law; for those too signified the grace of Christ and the remission of sins, and could excite faith. But that this is false we shall demonstrate in the following question.
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CAPUT VIII. Sexta classis ex ratione. Est autem observandum, ut facilius intel- ligatur efficacia rationum, duplicia esse ver¬ ba, et signa esetera. Quaedam enim sunt non ad alium finem instituta , quam ad signifi¬ candum , quae quidem theorica signa dici possunt. Alia sunt instituta ad significandum, * CAPUT VIII. 439 et efficiendum aliquid , quae ob id practica dici possunt. Differunt autem quod priora nihil immediate, et vi sua operentur, sed so¬ lum repraesentant objectum , ct si forte se¬ quitur effectus aliquis, non sequitur ex vi il¬ lius signi , sed aliunde : posteriora imme¬ diate operantur, et sua quadam virtute : v. gr. cum quis monet alium , adesse hostem, ille continuo fugit; caeterum illius fugae non est causa immediata illa admonitio, sed ap¬ prehensio rei noxiae; proinde admonitio sig¬ num fuit prioris generis. Pari ratione , qui viso signo hospitii currit ad hospitium, non movetur ab eo signo immediate, sed ab ap¬ prehensione rerum, quibus indiget, et quas illud signum repraesentat : proinde illud etiam non est proprie signum practicum, ut hic accipimus. Nam aliquando solemus vo¬ care signa practica omnia illa, quae referun¬ tur ad opus, sive mediate, sive immediate; quomodo accipiebatur in disputatione de in¬ tentione ministri : Tunc enim vocabamus practica omnia verba imperativa : at hic ista vocamus theoriea; practica autem dici¬ mus, quae praeter significationem habent ef¬ ficientiam, quomodo sigillum est vere sig¬ num practicum, quia non tantum repraesentat imaginem, sed etiam eam imprimit in cera. Cognoscuntur autem haec varia signa ex alio discrimine. Nam verba et signa theori¬ ea non adhibentur nisi intelligentibus : cum enim non operentur, nisi repraesentando ali¬ quid menti, stultum esset ea signa adhibere, ubi non est usus mentis. At verba, et signa practica possunt adhiberi etiam rebus ina¬ nimis, et non modo non intelligentibus, sed ne sentientibus quidem; quomodo in Scrip¬ turis Josue imperavit Soli et Lunae, Jos. X : Sol contra Gabacn ne movearis, et Luna contra vallem llaialot. Matth. VIII, Dominus impe¬ rabat mari et ventis ; Matth. IX , Luc. VII, et Joan. XI imperavit mortuis; et Petrus Actor. IX : Tabita , inquit , surge. Matth. XVII : Si habueritis fidem , sicut granum sina¬ pis, dicetis monti huic : Transi hinc etc. (1) Sic etiam quod attinet ad alia signa , Moyses percussit petram, utdaret aquas, Exod.XVII. et Dominus misit digitos in auriculam surdi et muti, et tetigit etiam linguam ejus , nt eum curaret. Controversia igitur est inter nos, et haere¬ ticos , quod illi faciunt Sacramenta , signa prioris generis, dum affirmant ea non justi¬ ficare, nisi excitando fidem : nos facimus generis posterioris. Quare si ostendere po¬ terimus, Sacramenta esse signa posterioris generis, obtinuimus causam. Sit ergo prima ratio. Sacramenta recte adhibentur non intelligentibus; ergo sunt signa posterioris generis, et vere justificant non excitando fidem more concionis, sed im¬ mediate efficiendo sanctitatem. Consequen¬ tia manifesta est ex dictis. Antecedens pro¬ batur, quia baptizantur rite, infantes, surdi, amentes, dormientes. Exemplum insigne est apud Augustinum , lib. IV. confess. cap. 4. de quodam baptizato , dum vi morbi extra se positus esset, et omnino ignoraret , quid erga se fieret : cui tamen Sacramentum uti¬ lissimum fuit. Adde quod Concilium Cartha¬ giniense IV, can. 76. Aurasicanum I, can. 12. Augustinus lib. I. de adulterinis conju¬ giis, c. 26. et 28. et Leo epist. 91. ad Theo¬ dorum, docent, Sacramenta Baptismi et Ab¬ solutionis, posse conferri etiam iis , qui in periculo vitae sunt , licet ipsi vi morbi op¬ pressi non habeant usum rationis , vel sen¬ suum : modo constet eos antea desiderasse ejusmodi Sacramenta. At certe istis non nisi ineptissime fieret concio, aut signa adhibe¬ rentur ad excitandam fidem. Secunda ratio. Verba et signa Sacramen- talia pendent ex divina institutione , neque ab hominibus propria auctoritate institui potuerunt : ergo non sunt mera signa , ut verba concionis, sed signa practica , et vim habentia aliquid supernatur.ale efficiendi. Antecedens conceditur ab adversariis, ut su¬ pra est demonstratum. Probatur consequen¬ tia ; quia si verba, et signa Sacramen talia essent nuda signa ad excitandam mentem instituta, potuissent ab hominibus facillime institui, et eamdem vim habuissent. Non enim refert ad nudam significationem , quis illa instituerit, modo repraesentent idem objec¬ tum. Quid enim refert , quis posuerit signa in hospitiis? et numquid non eodem modo significant verba Hebraica a Deo scripta in tabulis, et verba Graeca , vel Latina scripta ab hominibus? Nonne etiam modo eodem incitabant ad bellum tubae , quas Deus fieri jusserat, Numer. X. ct tubae profanae Eth¬ nicorum? Eodem igitur modo, si Petrus aut Paulus , aut quivis alius instituisset Baptis¬ mum et Eucharistiam , eamdem vim habe¬ rent illa signa , quam modo habent. Quod (1) Jos. X, 12; Act. IX, 40; Matth. XVIII, 19. 440 LIBER II. certe non potest dici secundum Catholicorum sententiam, qui volunt haec Sacramenta non solum significare, sed etiam efficere id, quod ex se non putuissent. Tertia ratio. Sacramenta non solum pen¬ dent a Deo in institutione, sed etiam in ipso usu : ipse enim est , qui per ministros suos baptizat, consecrat , absolvit etc. ergo non sunt nuda signa ad excitandam fidem institu¬ ta, ut conciones; sed aliquid praeterea effi¬ ciunt. Antecedens conceditur ab adversariis, et probatum est supra in quaestione de cau¬ sa efficiente Sacramentorum, ex illo Joann. I : Hic est, qui baptizat (i), ex Chrysostomo homil. 83. in Matthaeum, et Augustino tract. 5. in Joan. et ex aliis. Probatur consequen¬ tia. Nam ut verba, et signa oaetera solum si¬ gnificent, et animum excitent repraesentan¬ do, nihil refert a quo procedant. Sive enim dominus, sive servus loquatur, idem semper verba eadem significant; nec magis excitat signum tubae ad bellum , si tuba infletur ab Imperatore, quam a tubicine. Ergo si signa Sacramentalia necessario pendent a Deo ut causa principali, quae per ministros operetur: fateri cogimur, ea non solum significare, sed etiam aliquid efficere. Quarta ratio. Sacramenta non solum pen¬ dent aDeo, ut institutore, et principali agen¬ te, sed etiam a Christi passione et morte, ut supra probavimus in principio quaestionis de causa efficiente Sacramentorum : propter quod Patres communi consensu docent, Sa¬ cramenta fluxisse a Christi latere perfosso. Unde etiam multi veterum docent, Christum baptizari voluisse, ut tactu sua) mundissimae carnis daret aquis vim mundandi , ut Am¬ brosius lib. II. in Lucam, cap. 12. Nazian- zenus orat, in sancta lumina, Chrysostomus homil. 25. in Joannem , Beda in cap. III. Lucae, et alii, et ipse etiam Lutherus in ho- miliis de Baptismo idem fatetur. Ergo non operantur Sacramenta solum repraesentan¬ do objectum, more concionis, sed vere effi¬ ciendo : nam alioqui non eguissent Christi meritis, nec ullam eis virtutem Christus de¬ disset. Et sicut concio non recte diceretur manasse ex Christi lateie, nec dicitur Chris¬ tus dedisse ullam virtutem concioni ad sig¬ nificandum, quia itl ex se habent verba; ita non recte diceremus, Sacramenta prodiisse ex Christi latere, vel Christum eis vim ullam dedisse. Quinta ratio, Sacramenta instituta sunt, nt nos certos reddant remissionis peccato¬ rum, et gratiae Dei ; ergo non solum operan¬ tur objective repraesentando more concionis, sed efficiendo reipsa quod significant. Ante¬ cedens admittitur ab omnibus, sed maxime ab adversariis. Catholici enim docent, ex Sacrameniis gigni in nobis moralem quan- dam certitudinem remissionis peccatorum, non tamen infallibilem. Tametsi enim Sa¬ cramenta ex se infallibiliter efficacia sint, tamen potest fieri, ut nobis non sint efficacia ob nostram indispositioneiu. At adversarii volunt absolutam certitudinem gigni ex Sa¬ cramentis : et nos reprehendunt, quasi jubea¬ mus homines dubitare de efficacia Sacra¬ menti ; ut patet ex Luthero, in lib. dc cap- tivit. Babylon, cap. de Baptismo, ex Kemni- tio in 2. par. Examinis, cap. de intentione ministri ; et ex aliis. Probatur consequentia; nam si Sacramenta solum operarentur si¬ gnificando, et excitando fidem, nullam ad- ferrent certitudinem. Penderet enim tunc Sacramentum a nostra fide, non a Christi institutione; quod est tollere veram certitu¬ dinem efficacia) Sacramenti, ut Lutherus fa¬ tetur in lib. contra Anabaptistas, edito an¬ no 1528, ubi fuse persequitur, Sacramentum non debere pendere « fide dantis, vel acci¬ pientis, sed a sola Dei institutione, ne incerta reddatur ejus efficacia. Nec potest responderi, Sacramenta ad- ferre certitudinem infallibilem, quia infalli¬ biliter excitent fidem ; quae infallibiliter justificat : siquidem experimento contrarium didicimus. Quot enim sunt, qui baptizantur, et tamen non credunt ?et si concio, qua) est efficacior Sacramentis, ipso etiam teste Lu¬ thero in libro contra Cochlaeum, non excitat fidem infallibiliter, ut experimur ; quanto minus Sacramenta infallibiliter fidem exci¬ tabunt ? Ergo si ullam certitudinem Sacra¬ menta adferunt, id est, quia ex opere operato efficiunt quod significant. Sexta ratio, Sacramenta contrario modo se habent ad fidem, ac verbum : non igitur eodem modo operantur. Probatur antece¬ dens. Nam verbum Dei praecedit fidem, Sa¬ cramenta autem sequuntur, siquidem : Fides ex auditu, Rom (2). X, unde verbum pra)dicatur infidelibus, et haereticis quibus¬ cumque, ut incipiant credere. At Sacramenta requiruntfidem saltem in adultis, nec possunt (1) Joan. I, 33. — (2) Rom. X, 17. rect& conferri, nisi iis, qui prius credunt. Unde Actor. VIII, cum Eunuchus diceret : Ecce aqua, quis prohibet rne baptizari ? res¬ pondit Philippus : Si c?'edis ex toto corde, licet (\). Et semper in Ecclesia jonsuctudo fuit, ut qui Christiani esse vellent, primum fierent Catechumeni, et satis diu instrueren¬ tur, et non nisi instructi, et firmi, ac stabi¬ les in fide baptizarentur. Justinus in Apo- log. ad Antoninum explicans mores Ecclesiae: « Quicumque, inquit, persuasi fuerint, et crediderint vera esse, quae a nobis tradun¬ tur, et dicuntur, ac vivere se ita posse rece¬ perint ; orare jejunantes, et petere a Deo priorum peccatorum remissionem jubentur, nobis cum eis una et orantibus, et jejunan¬ tibus : deinde adducunlur a nobis, ubi aqua est, atque eo regenerationis modo, quo ipsi regenerati sumus, regenerantur. » Hajc ille. Ex quo sequitur, non modo falsam, sed etiam ineptissimam esse haeereticorum sen¬ tentiam. Septima ratio, Sacramenta non minus sunt efficacia, si dentur lingua Graeca, aut Latina, quam non intelligat, qui Sacramen¬ tum suscipit, quam si dentur lingua vulgari, quam omnes intelligant ; Ergo non operan¬ tur more concionis, sed habent effectum suum praeter fidei excitationem. Consequen¬ tia patet, quia si operarentur more concionis, nihil efficei-ent, nisi dai'enlur lingua vulgari. Antecedens probatur ; quia Lutherani, et Calvinistae admittunt nostrum Baptisma, quod semper datur lingua Latina ; non enim rebaptizant a nobis baptizatos. Octava ratio, si Sacramenta operarentur excitando fidem, non esset ulla causa cur adhibei-enfur hominibus doctis, qui legcxe possunt Sciupturas, vel etiam imperitis, qui audiunt conciones : multo enim melius exci¬ tat fidem Scriptura, et concio, quam Baptis¬ mus, vel Eucharistia. Itaque praestaret loco . Baptismi legere unum caput ex Bibliis. Ad¬ de, quod etiam imago Baptismi in tabula depicta posset idem facere, quod facit Bap¬ tismus ; nam facit visibilem promissionem, et excitat fidem ; et hoc preestat Baptismo, quod manet semper, cum Baptismus semel fiat, et transeat. Nona ratio, Saci-amenta non prosunt nisi suscipientibus, etiamsi multi alii praesentes sint, et audiant, et videant quae geruntur : alioqui non esset opus, ut singuli baptiza- renfur, et communicarent corpori Domini, sed satis esset, ut unus baptizaretur, et com¬ municaret coram tota multitudine : ergo non operantur more concionis, excitando fidem. Consequentia patet. Nam si opera- rentur more concionis, prodessent omnibus audientibus : omnes enim excitari possunt ad fidem, qui adsunt, dum pronuntiatur promissio Dei, et signo visibili ante oculos ponitur. Neque refert, quod Sacramentum solum dirigi videtur ad unum. Nam etiam concio potest dirigi ad unum, et tamen om¬ nes audientes excitaret. Praeterea dum minister baptizat, ac dicit : Ego te baptizo, non vult dicere : Ego te abluo a peccatis (secundum Lutheranos) sed, Ego testificor tibi remitti peccata, ut Melanch- thon exponit in locis, cap. de Baptismo, et Calvinus lib. IV. Instit. cap. 15. §. 15. et omnes alii exponere coguntur. Purro haec testificatio non prodest ei, qui baptizatur, nisi quia interim cogitat et credit, Deum si¬ bi esse propitium per Christum, ut ipsimet fatentur. Possunt autem omnes qui adsunt, idem cogitare et credere : siquidem promis¬ sio est communis, et quod uni dicitur, om¬ nibus convenit. Non enim ideo illi, qui bap¬ tizatur, Deus est propitius, quia baptizatur (ex Lutheranorum sententia) sed ideo vera est testificatio Baptismi, quia Deus illi est propitius, modo per fidem apprehendat hanc Dei benevolentiam. Decima ratio, si Sacramenta solum ope¬ rarentur significando, nihil interesset inter nostra Sacramenta, et Sacramenta veteris legis : nam etiam illa significabant Christi gratiam, et remissionem peccatorum, et ex¬ citare poterant fidem. Id autem esse falsum in sequenti quaestione demonstrabimus.