The blessings on Mount Gerizzim, and the curses on Movnt Ebal. Or, The happie estate of Protestants compared with the miserable estate of papists vnder the Popes tyrannie. By M.S. Doctor of Diuinitie.

CHAP. III. Of the true and sincere administration of the Sacraments of the Church restored in England.

OF the holy rites and sacraments of Christian religion we cannot speake without griefe of heart, when we consider how shamefully they were abused, mangled and corrupted by the synagogue of Antichrist. Where Christ or∣dained onely two Sacraments, to wit Baptisme, where he said, Teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the * 1.1 Father, and the Sonne, and the holy Ghost: and the sacrament of his body and blood, where he said, Take, eate, this is my body, and drinke ye all of this: for this is the blood of the new testament; and do this in remembrance of me: that synagogue hath added fiue other sacraments, giuing the same vertue to their extreme vnction, and to mariage and orders concer∣ning iustification, that they giue to Baptisme & the Lords supper. The master of the Sentences rehearsing the seuē sa∣craments, * 1.2 for the Lords supper putteth Panis benedictionem, that is, the blessing of the bread, excluding the cup either from the Lords supper, or from the number of sacraments. He doth also differ from the rest in describing the vertue of the sacraments. Alia remedium contra peccatum praebent (saith * 1.3

he) & gratiam adiutricem conferunt, vt baptismus: alia in reme∣dium tantùm sunt, vt coniugium: alia gratia & virtute nos fulciunt, vt eucharistia & ordo: That is, some of the sacraments yeeld vs a remedy against sin, and withall bestow on vs helpfull grace: others are onely for remedy, as mariage: others do strengthen vs with grace and vertue, as the eucharist and holy orders. But Bellarmine lib. 2. de sacrament. c. 13. doth shew, that the com∣mon currant opinion now is otherwise, and that all these sacraments do iustifie ex opere operato: that is, by vertue of the worke wrought. As if all maried men, and priests of Baal were iustified, or as if iustification and grace came by grea∣sing, scraping, crossing and such other ceremonies. But nei∣ther are they able to iustifie this doctrine, nor to shew either institution, or promise of confirmation, or extreme vncti∣on, or certaine signe of mariage, or repentance, or order, or the other two new deuised sacraments. Furthermore, ma∣riage, repentance, and priesthood, were as well vsed in the time of the law, as in the Gospell. How then can these be sacraments of the Gospell?

They haue also altered, corrupted, and mangled Christ his institution, concerning the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords supper. In baptime they salt and coniure the water in which the party baptized is to be dipped. They put salt into his mouth, and touch his eares and nosthrils with spittle, which is oft times very noisom. They annoint him also on the head, and giue him a candle in his hand, and embroyle Christ his institution with diuers other ceremo∣nies. Finally, to make water more effectuall, they poure oyle into the sont.

In the sacrament of the Lords supper instituted in bread and wine, they leaue neither the substance of bread nor wine, but say, that the same is transsubstantiated into Christs body and blood, and that either his body and blood, or the accidents of bread and wine subsisting without their substance make the sacrament. Secondly they hold, that Christs body and bloud are conioyned without any distance to the accidents of bread and wine, albeit they are not there ei∣ther

felt or seene. Thirdly, they haue turned the sacrament of our communion with Christ, and of our mutuall coniun∣ction one with another, into a priuate action of one Priest, that eateth and drinketh all alone vncharitably, and very directly contrary to Christ his institution, who ioyntly said, Accipite & manducate, hoc est corpus meum: and bibite ex hoc omnes: Take, eate, this is my body: and drinke ye all of this: contrary to the practise of the auncient Church, that neuer solemnized this action without distribution of the sacra∣ment: and contrary to the vse and reason of the sacrament. For why should not the faithfull be made partakers of that sacrament, which is a signe of their vnion both with Christ and among themselues? Fourthly, Christ and his Apostles administred the cup to as many as receiued the holy eucha∣rist. But they by a solemne decrée of priests at Constance, take away the cup from all saue the priests that say Masse. Fiftly, Christ ordained that the sacrament of his body and bloud should be distributed and receiued in that action: these fellowes kéepe the sacrament in a boxe, and cary it about in solemne processions. Sixthly, they worship the sacrament, and call it their Lord and God, contrary to all rules of Chri∣stianity. Seuenthly, Christ appointed a holy sacrament, and gaue not his body and bloud to be offered continually in the Masse, as a sacrifice auaileable for quicke and dead, as these good fellowes do beleeue. Finally, the Apostle shew∣eth, that as oft as we celebrate this holy action, we shew forth the Lords death vntill his comming againe. But the Papists forbid this action to be celebrated in a vulgar tong, which is commonly vnderstood of the people, as much as in them lyeth hindring them from shewing forth the Lords death: they hold also that he is already come, and present in the sacrament.

But the Church of England doth religiously obserue Christ his institution, and that doctrine which the Apostles haue deliuered vnto vs. The same admitteth no sacra∣mēts but two, that is, Baptisme and the Lords supper. In Baptisme we refuse the idle and superstitious ceremonies

brought in lately by Papists. That which the Apostle had receiued of Christ Iesus, and deliuered to the Corinthians, 1. Cor. II. that we diligently obserue, renouncing their nouel∣ties, heresies and blasphemies concerning the grosse, carnal and corporall presence, and eating and drinking of Christs body and bloud in the sacrament, the late deuised transsub∣stantiation, the blasphemous idole of the Masse, the diuine worship of consecrated hostes, the mangled communion vnder the forme of bread, their celebration in a tongue not vnderstood of the communicants, and all the rest of their a∣buses, which without either authoritie of scriptures, or al∣lowance of the most auncient and sincere fathers, they haue brought into the Church.

The sacraments therefore of the new Testament being pledges of Gods loue, and seales of Gods graces, whereby he worketh in vs, we are not lightly to prize the true and sincere administration of them according to Christs holy institution, nor to esteeme this a small benefite, that the do∣ctrine concerning the holy sacraments being reformed ac∣cording to the canon of Gods word, both the superstitious ceremonies in Baptisme, and the idolatrous Masse, with al abuses depending thereon, were abrogated and remoued out of the Church, and the celebration of Christs holy sa∣craments conformed according to the prime institution. Many godly Emperors and Kings haue deserued praise in going about to reforme abuses crept into the administra∣tion of sacraments before their time: but none more then our late most gracious Queene, that from extreme abuses brought all to a most excellent order.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Matth. 18.
• * 1.2

  Lib. sent. 4. dist. 2.
• * 1.3

  Ibidem.