To the right honourable Sir Francis Walsingham Knight chiefe Secretarie to her Maiestie Chaunceller of the Order one of her highnes priuie Counsell all grace and peace in Christ Iesu THe endelesse making of bookes was a vanitye in the dayes of Salomon when Printing was not The end of all is the seate of God Certainely men may not make it a light matter in conscience to trouble the worlde with vnprofitable writinges Yet as in the shewebread that was shewed to the people as a figure of Christ the olde loaues hauing serued to their use were remoued and other supplied in their roome yet still breade in nature twelue loaues in nomber so those writinges that figure out Christ and set foorth Christian duetye may be oftentimes treated of and eftsoones repeated and added to other mens doinges not withstanding no great variety in the matter or maner of handling It hath beene thought expedient I write publishe this litle treatise Wherupon right Honorable therewithal I haue thought it my boundē duetie humbly to present it to your honours viewe the rather in parte to excuse mine ouer great boldnesse else when but principally to craue such furtheraunce in the setting out therof as your honors piety and place accustometh to shewe to such as in their calling with their talentes eyther fiue two or but one labour to set foorth the trueth to instruct the simple to saue soules This hath bene mine endeuor the successe whereof is to be prayed for of the almightie and merciful God who alwayes preserue your honour to the glorie of his name the benefite of his Church and this our countrie in all faithfull seruice to her Maiestie and great cōforte of her louing subiectes in the Lorde Februarie 14. Anno. 1582. Your Honours most humble and bounden Iohn Prime The Preface AS the vse of all things is most precious so is their abuse most pernicious Many excellent thinges are spoken of the Sacraments of Christian faith They are the Lordes owne ordinances memorials of diuine promises monuments of our duety signes to the word which we professe assured seales of his good will strong bandes whereby we stande bounde first to God in obedience and then in mutual loue amongst our selues Notwithstanding these sacred mysteries the very instrumentes of the holy Ghost haue they not bene of olde or are they not now either vnthankefully refused or vnworthily receiued or lesse duetifully regarded then was and is behoofeful Ful hands can not apprehend any other thing they are full already fowle handes and soyled in the clay and brickeworke of sinfull thoughtes and deedes they are profane and should not presume to touch his Iewels Want of true knowledge in the worde of God hath bred sundry distemperatures and diseases errors and heresies in the body of Christes Church in this behalfe When the writing is not knowen the seales are lesse or more then duely and neuer aright esteemed of the ignorant man Whē the light of the Scriptures was hidde vnder the busshel of a strange tōgue the Sacramēts also in the darke were most irreligiously contemned superstitiously abused carnally and grosly mistaken As good haue a seale to a blancke as to a writing drawen in strange characters and letters that cannot be read or if read yet vnderstoode but of a fewe and of them no further then it pleased the masters of corrupt time at their leasure or begging Fryers for their gaine to expounde in miserable maner to hungry poore and sterued soules And then as good no bread at all as so vile a prouender made of mixtures eyther hard or dowbaked and clammie eyther they coulde not chewe it or it coulde not nourishe them Thus was the Lordes inheritance abused Iren. lib. 3. cap. 19. famished for want of true foode or fedde as Irenee speaketh with lyme water in stead of milke The Deuil knewe he could not beguile in the light and therefore no sleight of Satan euer like to this to deceiue men Mar. 12.24 and slay soules Whiles that Christians were wise they neuer sought in pilgrimage from shrine to shrine S. P. Q. R. Beda neyther to Rome nor to Ierusalem nor to any singular place vnder heaven with obseruation of the place Luke 17.20 as if God were more tyed to this region then to that one or other The true worshippers worshipped in spirit trueth In trueth without hypocrisie Ioh. 4.23 and in spirite without externall respectes For as the Conye is acquainted with his owne burrowe safe rocke Prou. 30.26 so Christians then knew where to seeke whither to runne and howe to finde rest in heauē for their soules They asked help alwayes of an able hande trode the kings high way knocked at the right gate builded their house on the onely foundation that is they beleeued in Christ called vpon God were guyded by his spirite trusted in his promises hoped in his mercies manifestly layde abroad and sufficiently reuealed in his written worde Iohn 20.31 and as certainely confirmed by the pledges of his will the holy Sacramentes whereof this treatise is intended for all such as can be content to learne in fewe wordes of a simple teacher Of the Sacraments in generall The nature of a Sacramēt A Sacrament is a sensible signe to the eye instituted of God to be continued in his Church for the further assurance and increase of spirituall graces in the faithful Of which sort is Baptisme and the Supper August epist 118. and onely these two euen as they are ioyntly specified by the Apostle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 10. In the generall may bee obserued these foure notes chiefely The institution to bee of God The signe visible in sense and resemblance conuenient The graces secret and mystical but singular benefites to the faithfull man The continuance is the Churches duetie rightly to vse and to enioy his ordinaunces as beseemeth the Church of God The institution 1 Concerning the institution as God onely is to be hearkened vnto in his sayings so must hee alone he followed in his wayes wheresoever he goeth before vs and leadeth vs after him with the least thread Reason not directed by faith is a disputing and a busie mistresse in the forge of mans braine and she will be leader in all things Zeale likewise without knowledge is a rashe fire that licketh vp euery fonde deuise feedeth and glutteth her selfe on superstitious fancies whereupon ambition in the man of pride The Papacie taking her aduantage of the former two hath stollen away the peoples heartes from their God vnder pretence of deuocion but in deede superstition enthronised her selfe in the consciences of men and exerciseth a proude dominion ouer the Lordes inheritance in his holy Temple Notwithstanding of the Apostle we haue learned a contrary lesson Iam. 4.12 that the onely Lawgiuer in Israel is the Lorde because he alone seeth the heart whereunto the Lawe is principally proposed searcheth the reines
purest golde The gifte that is bestowed is most syncere the stone white that is deliuered And ought not then the hande to be a cleane hande or rather the heart a pure heart that receiueth such pearles GOD couenanteth to bee our God shoulde we not accept the offer reioyce in his couenant Achaz in hypocrisie pretended he woulde beleeue God without a signe Esai 7.12 Certainely so must we doe in deede many times Balaam Nom. 23.19 that saw lesse thē his asse saw so much the Gods worde is ynough Shall he speake and not doe Yet when he offereth signes withal to helpe forth our infirmities in faith according to his worde eyther naturall as the rainebow or artificiall as the brasen serpent or miraculous or Sacramental or whateuer if we then refuse them in steade of shunning the fault of tempting him we runne vpon the contempt of his heauenly wisedome Goe preach baptize all nations Mat. 28.19 This is a generall commaundement and must be obserued 1. Cor. 10.24 As often as ye eate this bread and drinke this cuppe ye shewe the Lordes death vntill his comming againe As often therefore often and vsually vntill his comming againe therefore perperually must this Sacrament be continued in a godly remembrance of the Lordes death Gen. 29.17 Deut. 34.7 The olde ceremonies were weake sighted like Leah and therefore could not last euer Moses eyes were not dimme vntill his dying day so the force of Christian Sacraments remaine in their full vse vntill the ende of the worlde Their sacraments some were speciall for place and person In Paradise the tree of life was for the place Gen. 2.9 Iudg. 6.37 Esa 28.8 the wette dryed fleece the going backe of the dial were personally to Gedeon and Ezechias And their chiefest Sacraments either extraordinary as Manna and the rocke ceased in the wildernesse or ordinary as circumcision and the Passeouer these also haue had their ende in the fulnesse of time when their wombe as Cirill speaketh was deliuered of Christ as a woman of her childe into the worlde For Christ is come and their ceremonies were of Christ to come and when he came they as shadowes yeelded place at the presence of the body The difference of their Sacraments and ours consisteth in cleerenes of knowledge and continuance of tynte They caryed the former parte of the staffe we the hinder ende Christ is borne betwixt vs both but we that come after haue the fuller viewe and see directly before our face they respectiuely and looking backe to that which they caryed and came after and therefore more obscurely then we And nowe because Christ is borne no more liueth no more dieth no more because all these thinges are plainely to the eye painted poynted to with the finger in our Sacraments ours are not henceforth to be changed any more but are constant and perpetuall and continually in all duety to be vsed and enioyed till his comming again to iudge the quicke and the dead in the last day Of Baptisme The nature of Baptisme BAptisme is the Sacrament of regeneration in water wherby our sinnes are clensed we clad with Christ endued with his spirit our names entred among the number of Christian professours in the name of the blessed Trinitie The institution Touching the institution whether it growe out of the earth or descende from aboue be of men or of God being of all confessed to be a Sacrament and a Sacrament being already proued to be alwayes a diuine institutiō it is needlesse to repeate or say further therein Yet moreouer and aboue that our Sauiours owne example and general commandement Go preach Mat. 3 15. baptize c. are euident warrants autentike and special for proofe herein that it is of God The forme of the administration The fourme of the action declareth what we receiue of God and there withall enformeth vs what we owe and ought to render him againe Through singular mercie in the name of the Father by like merit and mame of the Sonne by the vertue of the Holy Spirite name power thereof we are made partakers of all the priuiledges that may be incident to such as shall be saued in the house Church of God In whose lap we are as it were newe borne newe washed new apparelled made new creatures in Iesus Christ Such is the forme so great the force of this sacrament Wherein yf any man vpon a farther desire to be instructed in the mysteries of his profession The marueilous operation of Baptisme muse in minde breake foorth and say as Mary did to the Angel Luke 1.34 How may this be that a materiall element shoulde thus worke in spirituall things that water touching the body should clense the soule that water in the fountaine where it is cleanest hauing no such operatiō should thus change and be changed in the Church and fonte whither it is brought from his spring are these effectes naturall Exod. 11.25 Of olde the waters of Marah were made sweete water in Cana Iohn 2.8 turned into wine Exod. 7.17 the riuers of Nilus into bloode and though euery of these mutations were marueilous in the sight of the wisest eye yet in this case there is more done Meere and bitter water in comparison is made exceeding sweete sweeter then the fruite of the ripest purest grape yea yet more then this is done Cold and vsual water is really changed truely and indeede turned after the maner of Sacramēts from a common moisture into the dewe of gods spirit and into the bloode of the Lambe Reuel 7.14 wherein the soules of the Saintes are washed For although it leaue not off to be water but remaineth as before a visible signe yet by the accesse of Gods worde and the omnipotent power of his spirite the Angell as it were descending vpon the poole in the Gospel Iohn 5.4 the change is greater then mans wordes can expresse By similitudes framed and vttered to our capacities fayth conceiueth conuenient instruction sufficient comfort Where the sunne warmeth not water is a sterile and bare moysture neyther can it engender any thing without the heate and helpe of the spirite that moued vpon the waters at their first creation Gen. 1.2 For as it was then so is it still as it was and is so in the generation of things so much more is it so in the regeneration of man Water of it selfe cannot make a man much lesse a Christian man The proportion of the signe with the graces signified The spirite of God is sometymes sayde to enflame and purifie like fire and in this case to regenerate in water to clense and washe like water And as verily as cleare water clenseth and cooleth the body so and as truely the like graces by the bloode of Christ and his spirite are wrought vpon the soule by entrance into this bathe Wherin we may obserue a further
our feete such are the wayes wherin we tread neede daily and continuall washing The effect of Baptsme worketh not in a moment but by litle litle as the leauen seasoneth the whole fiue peckes at length After a great sicknesse strength is not recouered but in continuance of time the wound is healed but it must be skinned ouer also When this mortalitie shall change for immortality corruption put on incorruption the olde Phenix be made a newe then neuer till then perfectly euery wrinckle shall be made plaine euery spot washed euery teare wiped away from our face our nakednesse couered ouer or quite done away and we presented blamelesse to the iudgement seat of God Col. 1.22 In the meane time while our dwelling is in this vale of miserie houses of clay it is our continuall duetie daily more and more to contende and proceed from faith to faith from strength to strength frō vertue to vertue crucifying the old mā hauing still recourse to that generall graunt of pardon we obtained in Baptisme at the first remission of sinnes in the death of Christ Not that this Sacrament be eftsoones repeated reiterated againe in fact Anabaptistes but afresh recorded in faith godly meditation August 11. tract in Ioh. vterus non repetitur humble prayer The father doth not often begette his sonne but the sonne remembring that hee was begottē of a louing father bethinketh himself considereth his duetie increaseth in pietie reuerent awe obedience Neither the seede one and the same graine is often sowen but being once sowen in due season it bringeth foorth his fruite The haruest of mans perfectiō is not in this worlde The sowing which is once and the growing time which is still is here full ripenesse is foūd els where August de Ieiunio Imus nondum peruenimus we are but in the way to heauen going on and trauailing till we come thither euen growing toward it groning after it In the midway no man spinneth so euen a thred that neuer breaketh treadeth so right that neuer trippeth For besides diuers actuall sinnes the ineuitable sinne of concupiscēce which lusteth against the spirit is left still as a sting in the Bee notwithstanding his hony and diuers graces by grace receiued The aduersaries to the trueth in their Couent at Trent 1. Decr. 5. Sess Cat. Tri. de bap sacr and in their Treatise of Baptisme woulde extenuate make light of it saying it is not in any wise sinne except it be consēted vnto Saint Iames teaching what will be the ende of sinne Iacob 1.14 sayeth that concupiscence tēpteth draweth and entiseth to actual and externall sinne and is this no sinne It is the mother of sinne and are not the mother daughter both of one nature Againe the very name Lust carieth with it a kinde of consent desire and will to sinne But suppose that by dissenting the external acte of sinning be restrained what then God considereth the hearte and he with all our strength power and faculties is to be serued the least defaulte in any parte of our inward parts is an offence and sinne against his Maiestie But doeth consent or dissent make our lustes eyther sinnes or no sinnes Is not an enemie an enemie if he be conquered Is not rebellion treason if it be preuented Is not sedition sedition if it be repressed Is lust no sinne if it be kept in Is fire no fire except it flame What neede many words Doth not the Apostle in expresse words sundry times cal concupiscence sinne because it hindereth the good he woulde helpeth forward the euil he would not They say the Apostle speaketh improperly a wonder He that framed the eare made the eye fashioned the tongue shall he not heare doth he not see can he not speake as properly as the children of men were there nothing but this that we are taught to pray with sighes as S. Paul doth against this temptation it were sufficient proofe plaine ynough that it is sinne For in praying that it be not we cofesse that where it is it shoulde not be and so because it is it is sinne especially being forbidden in the Lawe A litle feeling of a good conscience might take away all controuersie in the question as hath bene wel declared not long since Reply to the censure 5. articulo And thou O man which hast a sence what sinne is submitte thy selfe vnder the power of Gods hand powre forth thy soule in prayse to so mercifull a Lorde who hath forgiuen the gylte of this and al other thine offences who bindeth them dayly in a bundell will one day drowne or dye them all to an other colour in the blood of his sonne whereof thy Baptisme is a sure seale This knowledge and confession belongeth to al people from the cleauer of the woode to the Prince and counseller from the Cedars of Libanus to the Hyssoppe of the wall backe agayne high and lowe rich and poore old and yong one with another without respect of persons they are the Lordes equally Ancient men must not forget who was hee that tooke them from their cradle and caried them along in his armes to their gray heares Esa 46.4 Children must learne that they also are conteyned in his couenant Iohn was sāctified in his mothers wombe The baptizing of children Samuel in his childhoode consecrated vnto the Lorde Mar. 10.14 Children brought to Christ that he might lay handes on them Bring wee then also our children that Christ may blesse them in his owne institution Gen. 17.12 as of old God did the circūcised infantes of eight dayes age Delayes may be dangerous and are needlesse August de verb. a post hom 9. the vsage is an ancient rule of fayth It is true that not the lacke Bern. ad Hugon Epi. 77. but the neglecte of the Sacrament doeth hurt beware then of contempt Christ baptizeth with the spirit with fire with the spirite that is with spiritual graces he endueth thē who in faith thankfulnesse obserue his word receiue his sacramēts are ingraffed into him growe vp in him as liuely brāches in the true vine Iohn 15.1 Againe hee baptizeth with his spirite Luk. 3.16 able to discerne hypocrites with fire red hote readie to consume al chaffe corruption as both the superstitiō of the Popishe and also the securitie of the Anabaptist that eyther presume or peruert or any way pollute the right vse of this his holy ordinance which to the reuerent receiuer is the bath of his regeneration in Christ the badge of his profession and the bonde of brotherly loue in the house of our God Ephes 4.3 Of the Supper THe Leuits dutie was to prepare the people to the worthy receiuing of the Passeouer 2. Chro. 35.6 In place whereof hath succeeded the Sacramēt of the body blood of our Sauiour Iesus Christ with semblable necessarie and