A Christian instruction, conteyning the law and the Gospell. Also a summarie of the principall poyntes of the Christian fayth and religion, and of the abuses and errors contrary to the same. Done in certayne dialogues in french, by M. Peter Viret, sometime minister of the Word of God at Nymes in Prouince. Translated by I.S. Seene and allowed according to the Queenes Maiesties iniunctions.

In vvhat sorte the faithfull in baptis∣me do put on Iesus Christ, and are vvashed vvith his bloud.

P.

WHen I tell thée that the baptisme declareth vnto vs howe that Ie∣sus Christe is set foorthe vnto vs in bap∣tisme, for a robe of innocencie, Iustice, & holynes, and that we cloth our selfe with him by meane of y^e same, I do not thinke thée to be of so grosse an vnderstanding, to thinke, that the faithfull do put on Ie∣sus Christ naturally and corporally, as a man putteth on a garment or a cloke.

M.

I should be very grosse if I so vnderstoode it.

P.

How doest thou then vnderstand it?

M.

That euen as a garmente or a cloke do serue to couer the body, euen so do the innocencie, iustice and holynesse of Iesus Christe serue vs to couer our sinnes at the iudgemente of God, to the ende that there appere no one spotte of them in his sighte.

P.

And touching the bloude of Ie∣sus Christe, doest thou thinke that oure soules and consciences be washed and made cleane in Baptisme, as one would with water wash a body in a bath or ry∣uer,

or else shéetes in a bucke?

Mathevv.

Thou makest here with me goodly dis∣courses: I thinke there is none so beast∣ly, whiche doth not well knowe that the bloud of Iesus Christe is called the wa∣shing of soules, and of consciences, not as though they must be washed and dipped in the bloud of Iesus Christe, as one woulde wash and dippe a body, that he woulde washe and make cleane, or some other suche like thing, but that the holy Ghost speaketh so, to giue vs to vn∣derstande that whiche thou hast sayde, to witte, what the water of baptisme signi∣fieth, concerning the washing and pu∣rification of our soules and consciences in the bloud of Iesus Christ.