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.

Chap. 19. That Matrimony is not a Sacrament.

THe Counsell of Trent vnder Pius 4. Sess. 8 decreeth, a 1.1 If any shall say, that Matrimony is not truely and properly one of the 7. Sacramentes instituted by Christ, but was brought in by men into the Church, and doth not conferre grace let him be accur∣sed. Heereby, they would seeme to set forth the dignity of marriage aboue vs, seeing they lift it vp into the number of the Sacraments of the Church. Yet (as a lyar seldome a∣greeth with himselfe) they complaine that we too highly magnifie the married estate, and themselues cannot abide it in their clergy, because for sooth it is written, Be ye holy for I am holy: they which are in the flesh cannot please God. Mar∣riage therefore is too holy an ordinance for their vnholy cleargy, inasmvch as they teach in this point b 1.2 the doctrin of deuils, and are led by the spirit of error, that forbid mar∣riage which God hath left free. We confesse touching ma∣riage, somuch as the word of God teacheth vs, that it is an ordinance of God, instituted before the fall of man while he was without sinne, c 1.3 and blessed of God, who saide, It is not good for man to be alone, let us make him an helper meete for him. This estate Christ did not abrogate and disanull, but repeated and confirmed, d 1.4 not onely by word, but by his owne presence, and hath left it as a lawfull remedy against fornication and vncleannesse. We account it an honora∣ble estate of life among all, and the bedde vndefiled, but * 1.5 whoremongers and adulterers God will iudge, and cast in∣to

vtter darkenesse, where their worme shall neuer dy, and their fire shall not be quenched, as the Apostle teacheth, 1 Cor. 6, Know ye not that the vnrighteous shal not inherit the kingdome of God? Be not deceiued: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor wantons, nor buggerers, nor drunkards, shal in∣her it the kingdome of God. Notwithstanding, e 1.6 we cannot cal and account it a Sacrament, for diuerse waighty reasons, & euident causes. First, it was not instituted by Christ, but was from the beginning of the world, and therefore it was before the law and vnder the law, how can it be a Sacra∣ment of the new Testament? Againe, matrimony may be among infidels and vnbeleeuers, out of the Church and so∣ciety of the faithfull. For the matrimony of infidels is lawfull. God did institute it for all mankind. The com∣maundement is generall, increase and multiply. The A∣pole teacheth, that if the vnbeleeuing woman will dwell with the beleeuing husband, f 1.7 he must not put her away for her infidelity: and mariage is honourable amonge all persons. Seing therefore it was before the fall of man, be∣fore the giuing of the lawe, vnder the gouernement of the lawe, and made honorable among all, it cannot be a Sacra∣ment of the church of Christ and for the members onely of the Church. Thirdly, it is not common and commaunded to all the faithfull, for it is not needfull and necessary that all in the church should be married. g 1.8 Euery one hath his proper gift, some one way some another. And albeit God haue not tyed grace to the sacramentes, yet they in some sort h 1.9 are necessary for the Church, and to be partaked of the children of the Church, whether we respect the com∣maundement of God, who requireth them: or whether we regard our owne weakenesse, who stand in neede of all ho∣ly meanes and profitable helpes that tend to the confirma∣tion of our faith. Seeing then matrimony is not comman∣ded to al, neither serueth to confirme faith, it cannot be re∣ceiued as a sacrament. Fourthly, the sacramentes are ordi∣nances of god aplying Christ and his merits to al the faith∣ful: but matrymony is not an instrument whereby God ap∣plyeth Christ and al his benifits: much lesse is it a common

instrument of the common saluation and benefites that all haue in Christ Iesus. Furthermore, we haue showd how the Roman church is contrary to itselfe in this point: for ou: ad∣uersaries call matrimony a prophanation i 1.10 of holy orders. And k 1.11 another saieth, it is more tollerable for a priest to keepe many Concubins, then to marry. If matrimony be an holy sa. how should the sacred order of your Priesthood be prophaned, polluted, and defiled therby? Lastly, it 〈◊〉〈◊〉 no promise of saluation ioyned to it (as it ought to haue) thogh it be lawfull and vsed lawfully: in euery Sacra. there must be likewise an outward sign or element, as water in baptism, and bred and wine in the Lords supper, togither with a san ctisieng word to warant it: but in this supposed sacra. there is neither matter, nor word, therfore no sacra. The answer that Belarmin maketh to this last reason is as absurd as their doctrin it selfe, namely, that the word of iustitution is, l 1.12 take thce, which are the words expressing their mutual con∣sent: and that the matter or sign are the parties maried. For, not euery word can consecrate & sanctifie m 1.13 but the word of God. Again, the maried persons are receiuers of this pre∣tended and supposed Sa. so that they cannot be the matter or signe: For the signe and the receiuer are two distinct out¦ward parts of a Sa, so that they cannot be consounded or mingled together, as besore we declared, Chap 3. The mat∣ter cannot be the receiuer: the receiuer cannot be the mat∣ter. The thing receiued, cannot be the receiuer: the receiuer canot be the thing receiued. If then the persons matied be the receiuers, they cannot be the signe receiued. If any far∣ther obiect and say, Marriage is the signe of an holy thing, to wit, of the spirituall coniunction between Christ and his church: I answer, it was not instituted to confirm our faith in that point, but for other ends which we named before. Be∣sides, if we should call al signs of holy things sacraments: we should treble the number of 7. for so many comparisons as we find in scripture, we should haue sacraments, & then the stars, a grain of mustard seed, leauen, a draw-net, a shepherd a Vine, a dore, nay a theese, a murtherer, and infinite other,

things should be Sacramentes; which sometimes are made signes of holy things. This were not so much to increase the number of Sacraments, as to multiply absurdities. Lastly, the Sabbaoth was ordayned to the Iewes to be a signe between God and his people in their generations, n 1.14 and signified the spirituall rest in Christ, yet was it no ordinary sacrament, al∣beit it were blessed and sanctified of God. Wherefore al my∣sticall and signifieng signes are not Sacraments.

But the greatest reason wher of they are most confident is, where the vulgar translation and the Rhemish interpretation o 1.15 readeth, This is a great Sacrament. I answer, first the worde signisieth a mystery or secret: but not euery mystery or se∣cret is a sacrament: neyther will they admitte a sacrament, wheresoeuer a mystery is named. Secondly the Apost spea∣keth not of Matrimony, but of the spiritual coniunction be∣tweene Christ and his church, as the wordes following doe declare, This is a great mystery: but I speake of Christ and of the Church.

Where the Appostle preuenteth this verie obiection, and sheweth in what respect he spake of a mystery. For wher one might happilie obiect and say, Doest thou call marriage this mystery? he answereth, I speake not this of Marriage, I speake it in respect of Christ and of his church. This appea∣reth likewise in that he calleth it a great Mystery; that is, A great secret. But the coniunction of man and wife is sensi∣ble, not secret, much lesse a great secret. Nowe the Sacra∣mentes are called mysteries, p 1.16 in respect of the sacramentall vnion between the signe and the thing signified, between the representation and the thing represented, so that at the same instant that one is present to the eyes, the handes, the mouth, and euery part and member of the bodie, the other by the power and working of Gods spirit is as present in a wonder¦full, mystical, and secret manner to the faith, beeing the eyes and hands of the soule. Wherefore Cardinall Caietan not so grosse as many among them, q 1.17 confesseth that these wordes proue not matrimony to be a Sacra. Further, it is euident to al that consider the circumstance of the text, that the Apostle

not forth marriage in this place as a similitude to represent the neere coniunction between christ and his church, r 1.18 but 〈◊〉〈◊〉 he bringeth forth the exceeding and eminent loue of christ as a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to declare and enforce what should be the loue of the husband toward the wife. For the mayne point of exhortation is set downe, verse 25. Hus∣bands loue your wiues This is argued and enforced by the ex∣ample of Christ, As Christ loued the church and gaue himselfe for it. Againe, The man is the head of the woman, as Christ is the head of the church. And afterward, He that loueth his wife, loueth himselfe, for no man euer yet hated his owne flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it, euen as the Lord doth the church. By all these things it is plaine and manifest, that if they wil needes in this place dreame of a sacrament, consisting of a signe and thing signisied: Christ and the church must be the signe, representati∣on, and consecrated mistery to represent man and his wife, and their mutuall loue each to other, and not marriage a consecrated sign of him. Last of al, I would know of them, whether so often as the old translator vseth the word sacra∣ment, they wil haue it taken strictly, properly, and particu∣larly for the Sacraments of their church? I thinke if they be sober minded and well aduised, they dare not say so: for s 1.19 then godlines shal be a sacrament, Gods wil shall be a sa∣crament, The calling of the Gentiles shal be a Sacrament, Yea iniquity shal be a Sacrament. For in al these places the word Sacrament is vsed, as wel as in this place to the Ephe∣sians * 1.20 by the old Interpretor, & sometimes in the good part, and sometimes in the euil: t 1.21 to whom notwithstanding they cleaue, and must cleaue vnder paine of the censur and curse of the councell of Trent.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Concil. Trid. sess. 8. can. 1.
• b 1.2

  1 Tim. 4. 1. 2, 3.
• c 1.3

  Gen. 2, 18
• d 1.4

  Math. 19, 16, Ioh. 2, 1, 2 Heb. 13. 4.
• * 1.5

  cor. 6, 9, 10.
• e 1.6

  Reasons vvhy mariage is no Sacra∣ment.
• f 1.7

  Grati. in dec. c. 28. qu. 1. Lumb. lib. 4 dist. 39.
• g 1.8

  1 Cor. 7, 7 Mat. 19, 11 12
• h 1.9

  How the Sacramentes are necessary for the church
• i 1.10

  Greg. Mart. d: s. Chap. 15.
• k 1.11

  Pigghius.
• l 1.12

  bellvr. lib. 1. de Matrim. c. 6
• m 1.13

  1. Tim. 4, 5
• n 1.14

  Hob. 4. 8
• o 1.15

  Eph. 5. 3 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• p 1.16

  Why Sacra¦ments are cal¦led 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• q 1.17

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 cap. 5.
• r 1.18

  Eph. 5 23, 25 28, 29, 32
• s 1.19

  1 Tim. 3, 16 Eph. 1, 9, and ch. 3, 9
• * 1.20

  Reuel. 17, 7
• t 1.21

  conc. Trid. ses. 4. decret. 2 Melch. canus. lib. 2. cap. 13. Andrad. lib. 4 defens. Trid.