The Badges of Christianity, Title page – Sonnet
THE BADGES OF CHRISTIANITY. OR, A Treatise of the Sacraments fully declared out of the word of God:
Wherein the truth it selfe is proued, the doctrine of the reformed Churches maintained, and the errors of the church of Rome are euidently conuinced: by pervsing wherof the discreet Reader may easily perceiue, the weake and vnstable grounds of the Roman religion, and the iust causes of our lawfull separation.
Diuided into three BOOKES:
1. Of the Sacraments in generall.
2. Of Baptisme.
3 Of the Lords Supper.
Hereunto is annexed a Corollarie or necessary aduertisement, she wing the intention of this present worke, opening the differences among vsus about the question of the Supper, discouering the Idolatry and diuisions of the Popish Cleargy, and vnmasking the insolent bragging of the late Warn-word, touching the supposed and pretended vnity thereof.
By WILLIAM ATTERSOLL, Minister of the Word of God.
1. Cor. 12, 13. For by one spirit we are all baptized into one body, whether we be Iewes or Graecians, whether bond or free, and hauehave bin al made to drinke into one spirit.
August. tract. 80 in Iohan. 13. Accedat Verbum ad elementum, et fit sacramentum; that is, Ioine the word of Christs institution with the outward sign, and thereof is made a sacrament.
Printed by W. Iaggard, dwelling in Barbican, 1606.
To the right Worshipfull Sir Iohn Shurley, Knight, one of his Maiesties Iustices of the Peace in the County of Sussex: Grace and peace in Iesus Christ.
RIght woorshipfull, it is not vnknowne, that fundry means hauehave from time to time been offered and vsed, for the reclaiming and recouering of such as dangerously follow the spirit of errour, and dayly reuoult to the Romish religion, which hath beene aduanced by tyrany, defended by lyes, and is now sought to be restored againe by trecheries and rebellions. But notwithstanding the many meanes which heretofore hauehave beene wisely practised, we see of late the aduersaries of the grace of god as a pestilent brood of vipers mightily to increase and multiply, sending abroad swarmes of their Iesuites and Seminary Priestes, not onelyonly to infect the people of the land with the leauen of false doctrine, and to sow their darnel in the lords field, but to seduce them from their alleageance and to stir vp sedition: for the lessening of whose number and suppressing of their power, nothing is more necessary then to establish a godly and learned ministery in eueryevery congregation. And howsoeuer wholsome lawes hauehave beene enacted, penalties increased, conferences with them vsed, disputations offered, their books answered, and sundry other wayes taken by magistrates and ministers: yet we shall neuer attaine the ende of our desired hopes, vntill eueryevery church hauehave a learned and painefull Pastor to be resident and remaining among them. For albeit Antichrist in this noble kingdome hath long since receiued a notable foyle and fall, and the purple whore beene dismounted from her vsurped dignity: yet this monster, hauing taken this deadly wound, will be alwayes looking backe, and seeking to sette his footing againe in this realme, if good corne be pulled vp and the weeds suffered to growe, or if the strongest pillars bearing vp the house be remooued, and rotten postes set to vnderunder prop it, and vnlesse he be quelled and conquered by the preaching & publishing a2 Thes: 2of the gospell of Christ. Therefore Christ our Sauiour, hauing sent out the 70. disciples into eueryevery bLuke. x, 1citty and place, whether hee himselfe shoulde come, to prepare the hearts of the people, after their return said vntounto them, I saw Satan like lightning fall down from heauen. And the Apostle declareth, that when the lord Iesus led captiuity captiue cEphe: 4, `8he gaue gifts to men, and ordained pastors and teachers for the gathering together of the Saintes, for the woorke of the ministery, and for the edification of the body of Christ. And vntill this holy order and ordinance of Christ, dRo. 1, 16which is the power of god to saluation vntounto all that beleeue, be set vp: we can conceiue no hope how the ignorant shoulde be instructed, & the seduced be regained out of the hands of such deceitfull woorkmen, as vnderunder a colour of conuersion of the land, doe seek the vtter subuersion of the church and common wealth. Hence it is that the Iesuits who hauehave gotten the dominion ouer the rest of that generation, spare no labour, refuse no paines, let passe no practise by word or writing, to effect their purposes. In regard of whose vnweariable diligence, it cannot be denied, but many of vsus hauehave been too slack & slothfull in resisting the approach of these violent intruders. For whiles we preach the word of e…, 18reconciliation, euen Christ crucified, & build vp our people in the doctrin which is according fTitus 1, 1to godlines, we doe not bende our forces (as we ought) to surprise and suppresse the common aduersary. Whiles wee sowe the lordes fielde with good corne, we suffer gMat 13, 25the enuious man to scatter his tares: accounting it sufficient to teach the trueth to the h… pet, 5, 2flock dedending vponupon vsus, and esteeming it better seruice to god to saue one soule, then to ouerthrow and destroy many aduersaries. Not much vnlike to Scipio African the Romane captain, who (as Plutarke witnesseth) was oftentimes wont to say, that he had rather saue the life of one Romane citizen, then to kill and conquer a thousand enimies. But it is the duty of a iPlutar. in vita ….good builder, not onelyonly to reare vp the worke in hand, but to remoue the rubbadge and reliques that hinder the building. It is the duty of a good husbandman, not onelyonly to sowe his field with good seede, but to plucke vp the weedes and gtub vp the thornes that choake the corne. It is the duty of a good k1 cor. 3, …watchman, not onelyonly to see to them in the citty, but to descry and discouer the enimy. It is the duty of a painfull shepheard, not only to feed the sheep but to follow and finde out the foote steps of the wolfe. Here vponupon the Apostle Paul exhorteth the elders of Ephesus lEzeck 33to take heed to themselues and to all the flocke, whereof the holy ghost had made them ouerseers, to feede the church of god which he hath purchased with his owne bloude, because after his departure, grieuous woolues shoulde enter in, not sparing the flock, but speaking peruerse things, to draw desciples after them. If then the enimies of god and his people be vigilant and watchfull, to seduce the simple and to subuert religion: how carefull and cheerefull ought we to be, not onelyonly to teach the people committed to our charge, but to resist with hād and hearte all those that vndermine the good estate of the church among vsus. Like vntounto the people of god after the returne from captiuity, who did m…, 4, 17build the wal with one hand, and held their swordes and weapons in the other.
For this cause I hauehave put in writing this treatise following, containing the doctrine of the Sacraments, being the ordinances of god and the badges of christians, whereby all discreet and indifferent men may perceiue the trueth of them cleerly opened out of the woord of God, as also the grosse errours and palpable heresies maintained by Antichrist and his adherents, with sundrie other pointes of doctrine seruing to teach, to conuince, to correct, and to instruct in the sacraments as are seuerally discussed and largely handled in the treatise following: all which, for special causes and considerations, I heere offer vntounto your Worship, and puplish vnderunder the shield and shadow of your patronage, in respect of your Wor, in respect of my selfe, and in respect of others; of which three, somewhat I will say briefly.
First, because it being the summe and substance of … Sermons deliuered vponupon the beginning of the tenth chap. of the former epistle to the Corinthians, you vouchsafed to be an hearer thereof For as god hath giuen me my calling, where your Wor. hauehave your dwelling: so by your. owne presence and good example attending to the work of the ministery, as to the word of god, you hauehave countenanced and encouraged many others, whose praise is in the church, to come into the holy assemblies of the Saints with reuerence, and with the affection of Iacoh, who feared and said Gen, 28Howe fearefull is this place, this is none other but the house of god, this is the gate of heauen. This is the way to true worship, to attēd to his word which he hath magnified oPsa. 138,aboue all names. This is the path that leadeth to true honour, to follow the footsteps of vertue, as the Heathen … in one of his Satyres,Iuuenal. li. 3. Saty. 2
Tota licet veteres exornent undique cerae
Atria, nobilit as sola est, at que vnica virtus.
This the Gentiles by the diuine spirit and light of nature saw: & hereunto giueth witnesse the word of god, which the prophet declareth to Eli, p1 sam. 2Them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shal bee despised. Vouchsafe therefore now to heare me writing, whome before you heard speaking. And it is mine earnest desire, that all those, which were the daily auditors of this doctrine, would now afresh examine themselues, and take an account of their memories, to see what was long agoe forgotten, which heere again is newly published. Whereby we shall learne, how easily good thinges (especially such things as accompany saluation) doe slip from vsus, and by the tentations of Satan become fruitlesse. Besides, the doctrine heer deliuered is after a sort a plant of your owne setting, and fruit of your owne labouring: so that it acknowledgeth it selfe due of right vntounto your selfe, flying vntounto you as to a sanctuarye and city of refuge, and seeking harbour against the barkings and bitings of the malicious and enuyous, of whom the wise Phylosopher speaketh Male de te loquuntur, bene nesciunt loqui: faciunt non quod mereor, sed quod solent. Quibusdam enim canibus sicinnatum est, vt … pro feritate, Senecade remed for ….sed pro consuetudine latrent: that is, Such speake their pleasure of thee, as hauehave not learned to speakwell: they do, not what I do deserue, but what themselues are wont. For this is the property of many curs, they baul and barke rather of custome, then of any curstnesse.
Secondly, I offer it vntounto you, to testifie a thankfull hart for your kindnesse and curtesey receiued at your hands, not only such as is in the open view of the world and as it were publikely recorded in the minds and memories of many men liuing, but such as I hauehave priuatly enioyed, and which without the most heynous and horrible kind of vnthankfulnes I cannot forget or pretermit. For albeit, he that either denieth, or disembleth, or requiteth not a benifite, be accounted worthily vnthankfull, according to the opinion of * the same Seneca. Multa sunt genera ingratorum, vt furum, homicidarum: quorum vna culpa est, coeterum in partibus variet as Senec. de Benef. lib 3 cap 1magna. Ingratus est, qui benificium accepisse se negat, quod accepit. Ingratus est, qui dissimulat. Ingratus, qui non reddit. Ingratissimus omnium qui oblitus est. Ileaue therefore this testimony to posterity of my remembrance of your manifolde fauours, and cannot bury in forgetfulnes either your desire to place me in the charge, whereby the mercy of god I yet abide, or your worthy trauell and labour to effect it before I did affect it, or your approbation of me before others, making the way easie to obtaine my purpose, & finding me out when I sought not after any profit or promotion.
Thirdly, I presume to dedicate these my simple labours to your Worship, in respect of others into whose hands they may hereafrer come. For albeit this treatise be no great booke for your Woorships selfe, who, hauing your sences expert and excercised in the thinges of god, hauehave not need to be taught the principles of religion: yet shrowding it selfe vnderunder your countenance, and comming foorth vnderunder the sasegarde of your protection, many which otherwise would neuer vouchsafe to look into it, shall therby be imboldned and encouraged to read the same, whereby god may more and more be glorified, his people instructed, his trueth and sauing health enlarged and spread abroad. We see in these last and worst times of the world, wherin iniquity aboundeth and getteth the vpper hand, how this present age on the one side surfetteth with the trash and rubbish of folish and filthy writings, such as blot, not only paper, but heauen and earth with their vanity: and on the other side scorneth and scoffeth at all treatises of religion and deuotion. The very heathen in all their consultations and deliberations * were not woont to prefer profite before Cicero de offic. lib. 3pleasure: but now such as mask vnderunder the name of Christians, delight rather to read legends of lies, then books that may build vsus vp in faith and louelove, so that we may iustly renew the old complaint * of the poet Persius.
O cur as hominam! o quantum est in rebus inane!Persi, sati. 1
Quis leget haec? min'tu istud ais? nemo hercule, nemo.
Vel duo, velnemo, turpe, & miserabile. quare?
Ne mihi Polydamas, et Troiades Labeonem
Praetulerint. Nugae.
Accept therefore, I most humbly beseech you, this small testimony of my dutifull goodwill toward your Woorship, rather considering the simple minde and meaning of the giuer, then weighing the woorth and value of the guifte, especially seeing that I hauehave giuen it in charge not to come vntounto you vncalled, nor to interrupt your more necessarye affaires. The God of heauen and earth multiply the graces of his spirit vponupon you and all yours, adding many good and happy daies vntounto you, and enritching your heart with true pietye, 1 tim. 4, 8which hath the promise of the life present, and that life which is to come. Thus commending and committing your Wor: to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build further, and to giuegive an inheritaunce immortall Act. xx, 32and incorruptible, among all them that are sanctified, I most humbly take my leaue of you. From Isfield the 12. of Iune, An. 1606.
Your Worships in all christian duties to be commanded, William Attersoll.
Ad Authorem, in libellum suum de Sacramentis G. S. carmen Encomiasticum.
SItua scripta recepta domiretinebis amice,
Publica nec facies; dic mthi, qualis er is?
Imprimit illa pius quae supprimit impius omni:
Ille bonum patriae respicit, iste suum.
Ecce, boni que malique tibi datur optio: sponte
Impius anne velis, vel velis esse pius.
Sis bonus O faelixque tuis; fac publica multis
Sacramenta: Deus iussit, et ipse doces.
Nonne doces iussisse Deum dare bina duobus
Sexibus; ad caenam lotus vt omnis eat?
Carnifices merito condemn as sacrificantes,
Quod christum comedunt, & sine plebe, bibunt.
Ergo age, facta, …, ne sint contraria dict is,
Vt, cum signa probes publica, scripta neges.
Scriptum de sanct is fieret commune sigillis,
Conuenit vt cunctis fons sacer atque cibus
Da triadi tua scripta Deo tria: Publica sunto.
Publica priuatis sunt meliora bonis.
Vale.
Others in English.
THough feare of shame false-harted men do curbe with bit of sinnes:
From pressing to the Printers presse, where fame or shame begins:
Yet let not vndeserued shame an harmelesse Writer fright
From hardest stamp that Man can make, to bring the truth to light.
The Sonne of God, which once, on earth for mans saluation dyed,
Imprinted had, with Iron printes, his hands, his feete, his side.
Looke how he, looking on the Crowne of glorie, from the skies,
Endur'd the Crosse, despised the shame, with constant setled eies:
So looke to looke for io yes to come, for present paines and spites,
If his example followed be on earth by earthly wightes,
Both bloody Iewes and Gentels to, this bloody booke of life
Did looke vponupon, with scornefull lookes, as people full of strife.
But glad was Thomas, when he had this holy booke in hand:
And saw, and felt the print thereof, though red and rough, as sand.
There might he reade his name in print when opened was the booke:
Therefore he cryed, My Lord, my God, when he on it did looke.
Did not the booke which Moses wrote, and sprinkled all with blood,
Betoken this most worthy booke, containing all our good?
Did not the prophet meane this booke, when in our Maisters name
He spake of grauing in his hands the people of the same?
If this be thus; If any then A commentary write
Of all this Booke, from point, to point, as truth doth it indite:
Who will backbite (but dogged Iewes) The writer, with their chaps?
Who, (but the Gentiles woluish brood) will giuegive him any snaps?
If any do, no more ado, but call him by his name
A Dog, a Wolfe, or some such be ast: as he deserueth blame.
Wherefore, my Friend, which hast describd this Book of life and truth,
With treatise on the sacraments, Fit for both age and youth:
Direct it to the Trinity, as three and yet but one:
Thus much thou maist with reuerence, though he compare with none.
Past all Compar his nature is, his worke is, and his worde:
Yet doth his scripture, with himselfe comparison affoord.
The Sacraments in generall, Do like wise giuegive vsus light,
The euerlasting light to see, Deuoide of any night.
But specially the special two, of water, and of blood,
The gospels sacramental twinnes, and our celestial food.
As for the fiue, which many make, and match with these amisse,
They want some parts substantial: as wel declared is.
He that with euen hand and hart wil vndertake the view
Of seuen sacraments shal find, that onelyonly two are true.
These three books are, like three topt ship, ful fraught with truth, great store:
The Catechisme, like boat doth serue, to bring the load to shore.
Let searcher search thy Marchandize, let Printer print, and sel,
Let al men make the best of al: and so, in CHRIST, Farewell.
W. S.
Ad Lectorem libri, G: Atters: de Sacramentis T. H. carmen protrepticum.
ATRI dum tenebras praebent sine lumine SOLES,
AT-TER-SOL radios sparsit vbique suos.
Nec mirum: … caelest is luminis author,
Misit in atratum lumina sacra solum.
Alba manet sterilis plerunque, & languidatellus,
Dum pingue est atrum, frugiferumque solum.
Hortulus est, liber hic qui dulces fragrat odores
Sacra dei multa fertilitate ferens.
Ergo leg as (bone lector) et hic, pastor que fidelis
Quisque, dei sacro gramine pascat oues.
Flores ac fructus, fluuios, herbasque salubres,
Quicquid et expect as, hie paradisus hahet.
Sacramenta (precor modo) sacra mente feruntor:
Dilige scriptorem: perlege, scripta:
vale.
A Sonnet by the Same, containing the subiect of the booke following.
WHat needs an Iuy bush where wine is good?
To paint this booke with praise were vainereci-
Come hungry faithful soules, without inuiting, (ting,
VntoUnto a supper of celestiall foode.
Looke looke what costly cheere is here addressed
To feede … soule. Whats that? my sauiour slaine?
O dismall … O dolefull bitter paine!
Be not dismaid … onelyonly are we blessed.
The painfull passion, and the bitter griefe
Which Christ sustaind (who all the paine indured)
Is sweet to vsus, because we sinde reliefe
In that pure bloud which hath our lines secured.
Who's ableto expresse that soueraigne good,
Got by the purple tincture of his blood?
O sucke apace (poore soule) that cordiall veine
By which Christis infusd into thy spirit,
Cling, cling, to him by faith: no popish merit,
Can to thy soule this precious putchase gaine.
Then as the outward signes of bread and wine
(Ordain'd by Christ as signes, his louelove to seale)
Thy body cheeres: So Christ thy soule shall heale
And hoise it vp, at length to blisse deuine.
Lo heer's the subiect of this golden booke,
Full fraught with matter, method, doctrine, vses,
All well apply'd: which shewes what paines he tooke
In the vnmasking of the Popes abuses.
Forward (sweet friend) such feasts make many more,
That men may eate, and surfet in thy store.
T. Harison.