A Brief and Pithy Sum of the Christian Faith

Now there is in the Church of Christ but only two sacraments, that is to say, ⟨p. 162⟩Baptism, and the Lords supper: because that after the abolishing of the Ceremonies of the law, and that the sun of righteousness is sprung up, God would not again wrap us in a multitude of figures and shadows, but only hath ordained two Sacraments, and willed that they should be composed & made of most simple things, that is of water, bread and wine, and that they should be celebrated with most simple Ceremonies, that is with sprinkling of water, in eating of bread, & drinking of Wine, least that man which of nature is sore given to superstition, should abuse these things. For if they should see any great preparation or some gorgeous or exquisite Ceremonies, they would stay and be utterly occupied in these external pomps. And in stead where they should by these marks ascend upward into heaven by faith, and there embrace the things which to us are signified by these marks and tokens, yet contrariwise forgetting heaven, would stay altogether in these outward marks, and there would search his salvation. Therefore ⟨image 206⟩those did wholly & altogether corrupt the use of the Sacraments, the which not content with the simple and bare institution of Jesus Christ, have burdened and charged the Church with infinite Ceremonies, so that of a Christianity, they have made not only a Jewry, but also a Paganrye.

Now there is in the Church of Christe but only two sacraments, that is to saye, ⟨p. 162⟩Baptisme, and the Lords supper: because that after the abolishinge of the Ceremonies of the law, and that the sonne of rightousnes is sproong vp, God woulde not againe wrap vs in a multitude of figures and shadowes, but onelye hath ordayned two Sacramentes, and wylled that they should be composed & made of most simple things, that is of water, bread and wine, and that they shoulde be celebrated with most symple Ceremonies, that is with sprinkling of water, in eating of bread, & drinking of Wine, least that man which of nature is sore geuen to superstition, shoulde abuse these thinges. For if they should see any great preparation or some gorgeous or exquisyte Ceremonies, they woulde staye and be vtterly occupyed in these external pomps. And in stéede wher they shoulde by these markes ascende vpward into heauen by faith, and there embrace the thinges which to vs are signyfied by these markes and tokens, yet contrariwise forgetting heauen, would stay altogether in these outward markes, and there woulde search his saluation. Therfore