The Institution of Christian Religion

Yea and the Apostle doth make the Israelites equal with us, not §5only in the grace of the covenant, but also in signification of Sacraments. For meaning by examples of punishments, wherewith the Scripture reciteth that they were corrected in the old time, to make the Corinthians afraid,¹ that they should not run into the like offences, he beginneth with this preface, that there is no cause why we should challenge any prerogative unto our selves, to deliver us from the vengeance of God which they sustained, forasmuch as the Lord did not only grant unto them the same benefits, but he hath gloriously set forth his grace among them with the same tokens: As if he should have said: If ye trust that ye be out of peril, because both Baptism wherewith ye be marked, and the Supper which ye daily receive, have excellent promises, and in the mean time despising the goodness of God, ye are licentiously wanton: Know ye, that the Jews also were not without such sacraments, against whom yet the Lord did most severely put his judgements in execution. They were Baptized in passing over the Sea, and in the cloud wherewith they were defended from the burning heat of the sun. They say, that that same passage was a carnal Baptism, which after a certain proportion answereth to our spiritual Baptism. But if that were allowed true, the Apostles argument could not proceed, which meaneth here to have this taken away from the Christians, that they think that they excel the Jews by the prerogative of Baptism. Neither is that which by and by after followeth, subject to this cavillation: that they did eat the same spiritual meat that we eat, and drunk the same spiritual drink, which he expoundeth to be Christ.

Yea and the Apostle doth make the Israelites egall with vs, not §5only in the grace of the couenant, but also in signification of Sacramentes. For meanyng by examples of punishmentes, wherewith the Scripture reciteth that they were corrected in the olde time, to make the Corinthians afrayde,¹ that they should not runne into the like offenses, he beginneth with this preface, that there is no cause why we should chalenge any prerogatiue vnto our selues, to deliuer vs from the vengeance of God which they susteined, for asmuch as the Lord did not only graunt vnto them the same benefites, but he hath gloriously set forth his grace among them with the same tokens: As yf he should haue sayd: If ye trust that ye be out of peril, bicause both Baptisme wherewith ye be marked, and the Supper which ye dayly receyue, haue excellent promises, and in the meane time despisyng the goodnesse of God, ye are licētiously wanton: Know ye, that the Iewes also were not without such sacramentes, against whom yet the Lord did most seuerely put his iudgementes in execution. They were Baptized in passyng ouer the Sea, and in the cloude wherewith they were defended from the burnyng heate of the sonne. They saye, that that same passage was a carnall Baptisme, whiche after a certayne proportion answereth to our spirituall Baptisme. But yf that were allowed true, the Apostles argument could not procede, which meaneth here to haue this taken away from the Christians, that they thinke that they excell the Iewes by the prerogatiue of Baptisme. Neyther is that whiche by and by after foloweth, subiect to this cauillation: that they did eate the same spirituall meate that we eate, and dronke the same spiritual drinke, whiche he expoundeth to be Christ.