THe worde which signifieth a Sacrament in Hebrew is Sod and Razi. 1 The first of these wordes is common vnto all secretes and hidden things, & is more in vse. And the other Esaie vsed in the xxiiij. Chapter when he said: Razi-li Razi-li, that is, a secret vnto me, a secret vnto me. Daniel also in his second Chapter, setting downe the interpretation of a mysterie vseth the selfesame word. Such is the nature and condition of Sacramentes, that they containe things hid, knowne yet vnto some, but not vnto all. And from this Etimologie the Gréeke worde ⟨…⟩ differeth not much, which is deriued ⟨…⟩: that is, because wée ought to kéepe things close inwardlie. After such a sort were y e mysteries of Ceres Eleusina in y e Countrie of Athens, 2 which were opened vnto none but those who had bin first instructed. And they are called ⟨…⟩, to whose secresie these things are committed. 3 Chrysostome when he interpreteth the xj. Chapter of the Epistle of Paule to the Romans, where Paul saieth, that he writeth a mysterie of the Israelits, partlie blinded and partly to be restored, saith, that a mysterie signifieth a thing vnknowen, and vnspeakable, & which hath in it much admiration, and which is aboue our opinion. The same father when he interpreteth the second Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians, 4 where it is sayd: We speake wisedome in a mysterie, thus writeth: It should be no diuine or perfect mysterie, if thou shouldest adde anie thing of thy selfe. 5 By which wordes it is manifest, howe much they are to be blamed which at their owne pleasure and iudgement ordaine Sacraments, and from that which Christ himselfe hath ordained, plucke awaie what they will. Those wordes of Chrysostome doe manifestlie reprooue them. Neither let them thinke themselues to be anie thing relieued, by saying that he speaketh of that mysterie which is found in the holie scriptures, whervnto he saieth nothing must be added nor taken awaie: Forsomuch as the Sacraments whereof we intreate are of no lesse weight than the holie Scripture. 6 For they (as Augustine verie aptlie saieth) are the visible wordes of God. Furthermore Chrysostome expounding the place before alleaged saieth, that we in the Sacraments sée one thing, beléeue another thing, beholde with our sense one thing, & vnderstand in our mind another thing. 7 Whereof it followeth, that all are not after one and the selfe same maner affected towardes these mysteries. For an Infidell when he heareth that Iesus Christ was crucified, thinketh it to be a thing foolish and of no value. But the faithfull man acknowledgeth in that mysterie, the most high power and wisedome of God. If an Ethnick heare that Christ was raised from the dead, he will thinke it to be a fable. But a Christian not onelie beléeueth that the same was done, but also will not doubt but that he himselfe as a member of Christ shall one daie be raised vp from the dead. Afterward Chrysostome commeth to the visible Sacrament, and saith: If an Infidel sée Baptisme, he wil iudge that there is but water onely: but the faithfull beholdeth the washing of the soule by the bloud of Christ. And in the Eucharist by the senses is knowen onelie the bread and wine: but the beléeuers referre their minde to the bodie of Christ. Hereunto he applyeth a similitude of a Booke. 8 For if an vnlearned and rude man that cannot reade a worde, should light vpon a Booke, he onelie may behold and woonder at the prickes, figures and colours, but the sense and vnderstanding of them, he cannot finde out: but he which is learned, draweth from thence either Histories, or else other things pleasant and worthie to be knowen. Now that we haue declared the interpretation of the Gréeke and Hebrew worde, there resteth that wée speake somewhat of the Latine worde. Among the auncient writers Sacramentum, that is, 9 a sacrament, signifieth a bond which passed betwéene men by an othe. Wherefore we are accustomed to saie, Sacramento cum aliquo contendere, that is, to contend with a man by an othe, and Sacramentum militare, that is, an othe which a man taketh when he goeth to warfare. And perhaps these our mysteries, are therefore called Sacraments, because in them God bindeth himselfe with couenants and promises, being after a sort sealed: and we on the other side binde our selues vnto him. 10 Now then we treate not of a mysterie or Sacrament generally, whereby (as Chrysostome saieth) is signified anie thing that is vnknowen and vnspeakable, which hath in it much admiration, and is beyond our expectation: for after that maner, there are a huge number of Sacraments. For so the Natiuitie of Christ, his Resurrection, the Gospell, the blinding of the Iewes, the calling of the Gentils, and manie other things may be called Sacraments. But we speake of Sacraments after that maner that Paule speaketh of Circumcision.