The number of sacraments.
There is no need to argue about the number of sacraments before there is agreement on the concept of sacrament. It is not only ungodly but also foolish for the Council of Trent to curse all who accept "either more or less than seven" sacraments.525) The number of sacraments depends on
524) Smalc. Art. 319. art. IV. [Trigl. 491, Part III, Art. IV 🔗] Of the Gospel.
525) Trident, Sess. VII, can. 1 — The Apology, p. 204, 17 [Trigl. 313, XIII, 17 🔗], speaks Christianly and reasonably about the number of sacraments: "No man of understanding will make a great quarrel whether seven or more sacraments be counted, but so far that God's Word and command be not broken off." But it is precisely the latter — the abrogation of the divine word and command and the establishment of her own power — that Rome is concerned with in decreeing the seven number of sacraments, as is evident from the characterization of the Roman sacraments that follows below. — On the use of the word "sacrament" in various meanings in the state and in the Church cf. Gerhard, De sacramentis, § 3 sqq. The discussion of the derivation and use of the word among heathens and Christians is, of course, of no value in answering the question whether and to what extent baptism and the Lord's Supper are means of grace. Because this is not a designation prescribed in Scripture, but a church expression (vox ecclesiastica), we use the word sacrament in Christian freedom (cf. Luther v. Carlstadt XX, 205 ff.) to designate such acts as have God's command, divine external signs, and the promise of the forgiveness of sins. In this sense then we say that only Baptism and the Lord's Supper are sacraments of the New Testament. — Gerhard, L. de sacramentis, § 5: Quamvis vox sacramenti in latina bibliorum versione occurrat, proprie tamen et specifice non usurpatur de externis illis ac visibilibus invisibilis gratiae signis, de quibus hoc loco agimus, sed a scriptoribus ecclesiasticis ad ea demum translata est. [Google] — On the fluctuating use of the word "sacrament" Luthardt, Dogm. 11, pp. 387 ff. Cf. Hauck, RE.2 XIII, 264 ff; Kattenbusch, RE.3 XVII, 349 ff; Nitzsch — Stephan, Ev. Dogm. p. 642 ff.
136 > The Means of Grace. [English ed. ~ 115-116]
depends on how the term "sacrament" is determined. If we understand by sacrament an action which has not only God's command and the promise of the forgiveness of sins, but also a visible element prescribed by God, then there are only two sacraments, baptism and the Lord's Supper. The Apology also includes absolution among the sacraments, not including the visible God-ordained element in the term "sacrament," but defining the sacraments as "ritus, qui habent mandatum Dei, et quibus addita est promissio gratiae."526) This concept also applies to absolution. Besides, The Apology also draws attention to the narrower concept of sacraments and then counts only two sacraments, baptism and supper.527) The Romans and Greeks count seven sacraments, namely, besides baptism and the Lord's Supper, confirmation, penance, last rites, ordination, and marriage. For what the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Catholic Churc understand by confirmation,528) penance,529) last rites530) and priestly ordination531), lacks the mandatum Dei.
526) M. 202, 4. [Trigl. 309, XIII, 4 🔗]
527) op. cit.. Luther in Large Catechism, M. 485, 1. [Trigl. 733, 1, 🔗]
528) Trident, Sess. VII, De confirm. can. 1. 2. on the infancy of the spiritual relationship between the confirming and the confirmed Sess. XXIV, De reform. matrimonii, cap. 2. on the character indelebilis Sess. XXIII, De sacramento ordinis, cap. On the confirmation of children, as a laudable church, not divine, order, cf. Walther, Pastorale, p. 261 ff.
529) By repentance, the Romans do not understand the repentance commanded in Scripture, which includes repentance and faith, but the three human works contritio cordis (self-made meritorious repentance), confessio oris (auricular confession) and satisfactio (works of repentance imposed by the priest), about the anti-Christian abomination of Roman repentance Vol. II, pp. 563 f., 605.
530) Trident, Sess. XIV, De sacram, extr. unet. Smets, p. 75 f. — The anointing with oil, of which Mark. 6:13 is addressed was a miraculous gift for the healing of bodily diseases. James speaks of the common anointing for the refreshment and strengthening of the body in ch. 5:14 and attributes the healing not to the anointing but to the prayer of faith.
531) Trident, Sess. XXIII, De sacr. ordinis. Ordination to the priesthood is to be an act which only the bishop can perform, imprinting an indelible character and conferring the power to offer the body and blood of Christ. — According to Christian doctrine, however, the calling of doctrinally competent persons into the public teaching office instituted by Christ has divine command. But the public separation of these persons under certain ceremonies is only apostolic church order. The Apology 203, 7-13 [Trigl. 311, 7-13 🔗]: "The adversaries understand priesthood not of the ministry of the Word, and administering
137 > The Means of Grace. [English ed. ~ 116-117]
Marriage is of divine order, but it does not have the promise of the forgiveness of sins, but the promise of the procreation of the human generation.532)