A reply unto M. Hardinges answerA replie vnto M. Hardinges ansvveare

And, where as M. Harding, as well herein, as also in the rest, untruly, & unjustly defameth us, as making the Sacraments of Christ, nothing else but Bare Tokens, let him well understand, that we do both think, and speak soberly, and reverently of Christs Sacraments, as knowing them to be the Testimonies of God's Promises, & the Instruments of the Holy Ghost. And, as we make not ⟨p. 380⟩the Sacrament of Baptism,¹ Bare Water, notwithstanding the Nature, and Substance of Water remain still:² so we make not the Sacrament of Christs Body, and Blood,³ bare Bread, & Wine. We use the same words, & Definitions, that S. Augustine, and other Ancient Fathers, and Peter Lombard, & Gratian, M. Hardinges own Doctors, have used before us: Sacramentum est Signum rei Sacrae: Sacramentum est inuisibilis Gratiae visibilis forma. A Sacrament is a Token of a Holy thing: A Sacrament is a Form Visible of Grace Invisible. Neither do we hereof make a Bare, or naked Token, as M. Harding imagineth: but we say, as S▪ Paul saith, It is a perfect Seal, and a sufficient Warrant of God's Promises, ⁴whereby God bindeth him self unto us, and we likewise stand bounden unto God, so as God is our God, and we are his people. This, I reckon, is no Bare, or Naked Token. And touching this word, Signum, what it meaneth, S. Augustine showeth in this sorte: Signum est, quod praeter speciem,⁵ quam ingerit sensibus, aliud quiddam facit ex se in cognitionem venire: A Sign is a thing, that besides the form, or sight, that it offereth to our senses, causeth of it self some other thing to come to our knowledge. And hereof it is called a Mystery, or a Holy Secrecy:⁶ for that our eye beholdeth one thing, and our Faith an other. For example, In Baptism our bodily eye seeth Water: but our Faith, which is the eye of our mind,