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 churches of Rome are euidently conuinced: by pervsing wherof the discreet reader may easily perceiue, the weak 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, shewing the intention of this present worke, opening the differences among vs about the question of the supper, discouering the idolatry and diuisions of the popish clergy, ... By William Attersoll, minister of the Word of God.

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 haue from time to time been offered and vsed, for the reclaiming and re∣couering of such as dangerously follow the spirit of errour, and dayly reuoult to the Romish reli∣gion, which hath beene aduanced by tyrany, defended by lyes, and is now sought to be restored againe by tre∣cheries and rebellions. But notwithstanding the many meanes which heretofore haue beene wisely practised, we see of late the aduersaries of the grace of god as a pestilent brood of vipers mightily to increase and mul∣tiply, sending abroad swarmes of their Iesuites and Se∣minary Priestes, not onely 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 euery congregation. And howsoeuer whol∣some lawes haue beene enacted, penalties increased, conferences with them vsed, disputations offered, their books answered, and sundry other wayes taken by ma∣gistrates and ministers: yet we shall neuer attaine the ende of our desired hopes, vntill euery church haue a learned and painefull Pastor to be resident and remai∣ning 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 see∣king 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 remoo∣ued, and rotten postes set to vnder prop it, and vnlesse he be quelled and conquered by the preaching & pub∣lishing a of the gospell of Christ. Therefore Christ our Sauiour, hauing sent out the 70. disciples into euery b citty and place, whether hee himselfe shoulde come, to prepare the hearts of the people, after their return said vnto them, I saw Satan like lightning fall down from hea∣uen. And the Apostle declareth, that when the lord Ie∣sus led captiuity captiue c he gaue gifts to men, and or∣dained 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, d which is the po∣wer of god to saluation vnto 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 vnder a colour of con∣uersion of the land, doe seek the vtter subuersion of the church and common wealth. Hence it is that the Iesuits who haue gotten the dominion ouer the rest of that ge∣neration, 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 vs haue been too slack & sloth∣full in resisting the approach of these violent intruders. For whiles we preach the word of e reconciliation, euen Christ crucified, & build vp our people in the doctrin

which is according f to godlines, we doe not bende our forces (as we ought) to surprise and suppresse the com∣mon aduersary. Whiles wee sowe the lordes fielde with good corne, we suffer g the enuious man to scatter his tares: accounting it sufficient to teach the trueth to the h flock dedending vpon vs, and esteeming it better ser∣uice to god to saue one soule, then to ouerthrow and de∣stroy many aduersaries. Not much vnlike to Scipio A∣frican 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 i good builder, not onely 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 onely 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 du∣ty of a good k watchman, not onely 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 vpon the Apostle Paul exhorteth the elders of E∣phesus l to 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 e∣nimies of god and his people be vigilant and watchfull, to seduce the simple and to subuert religion: how care∣full and cheerefull ought we to be, not onely 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 vs. Like vnto the people of god af∣ter the returne from captiuity, who did m build the wal with one hand, and held their swordes and weapons in the other.

For this cause I haue put in writing this treatise fol∣lowing, containing the doctrine of the Sacraments, be∣ing 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 sun∣drie other pointes of doctrine seruing to teach, to con∣uince, to correct, and to instruct in the sacraments as are seuerally discussed and largely handled in the trea∣tise following: all which, for special causes and conside∣rations, I heere offer vnto your Worship, and puplish vnder the shield and shadow of your patronage, in re∣spect 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 vpon the beginning of the tenth chap. of the former epistle to the Corinthians, you vouchsafed to be an hearer thereof For as god hath gi∣uen me my calling, where your Wor. haue your dwel∣ling: so by your. owne presence and good example at∣tending to the work of the ministery, as to the word of god, you haue countenanced and encouraged many o∣thers, whose praise is in the church, to come into the ho¦ly assemblies of the Saints with reuerence, and with the affection of Iacoh, who feared and said Howe 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 o 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,

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 na∣ture saw: & hereunto giueth witnesse the word of god, which the prophet declareth to Eli, p Them 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 de∣sire, 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 (es∣pecially such things as accompany saluation) doe slip from vs, and by the tentations of Satan become fruit∣lesse. Besides, the doctrine heer deliuered is after a sort a plant of your owne setting, and fruit of your owne la∣bouring: so that it acknowledgeth it selfe due of right vnto your selfe, flying vnto 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 feri∣tate, sed pro consuetudine latrent: that is, Such speake their pleasure of thee, as haue 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 vnto 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 me∣mories of many men liuing, but such as I haue priuat∣ly enioyed, and which without the most heynous and horrible kind of vnthankfulnes I cannot forget or pre∣termit. For albeit, he that either denieth, or disembleth, or requiteth not a benifite, be accounted worthily vn∣thankfull, according to the opinion of * the same Sene∣ca. Multa sunt genera ingratorum, vt furum, homicida∣rum: quorum vna culpa est, coeterum in partibus variet as magna. Ingratus est, qui benificium accepisse se negat, quod accepit. Ingratus est, qui dissimulat. Ingratus, qui non red∣dit. Ingratissimus omnium qui oblitus est. Ileaue there∣fore this testimony to posterity of my remembrance of your manifolde fauours, and cannot bury in forgetful∣nes either your desire to place me in the charge, where∣by the mercy of god I yet abide, or your worthy trauell and labour to effect it before I did affect it, or your ap∣probation 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 la∣bours 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, ha∣uing your sences expert and excercised in the thinges of god, haue not need to be taught the principles of re∣ligion: yet shrowding it selfe vnder your countenance,

and comming foorth vnder the sasegarde of your pro∣tection, many which otherwise would neuer vouchsafe to look into it, shall therby be imboldned and encoura∣ged 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 hea¦uen and earth with their vanity: and on the other side scorneth and scoffeth at all treatises of religion and de∣uotion. The very heathen in all their consultations and deliberations * were not woont to prefer profite before pleasure: but now such as mask vnder the name of Chri¦stians, delight rather to read legends of lies, then books that may build vs vp in faith and loue, so that we may iust¦ly renew the old complaint * of the poet Persius.

O cur as hominam! o quantum est in rebus inane! 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 haue giuen it in charge not to come vnto you vncalled, nor to

interrupt your more necessarye affaires. The God of heauen and earth multiply the graces of his spirit vpon you and all yours, adding many good and happy daies vnto you, and enritching your heart with true pietye, which 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 giue an inheritaunce im∣mortall and 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.

Notes

• a

  2 Thes: 2
• b

  Luke. x, 1
• c

  Ephe: 4, `8
• d

  Ro. 1, 16
• e

  〈◊〉〈◊〉, 18
• f

  Titus 1, 1
• g

  Mat 13, 25
• h

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 pet, 5, 2
• i

  Plutar. in vita 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• k

  1 cor. 3, 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• l

  Ezeck 33
• m

  〈◊〉〈◊〉, 4, 17
• Gen, 28
• o

  Psa. 138,
• Iuuenal. li. 3. Saty. 2
• p

  1 sam. 2
• Senecade remed for 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• Senec. de Benef. lib 3 cap 1
• Cicero de offic. lib. 3
• Persi, sati. 1
• 1 tim. 4, 8
• Act. xx, 32