450 Wolf 



vnto the name of Christ, as farre fortli as they know it, and 

 thinke it for the amendment of hym which is faulen. But nowe 

 I wolde thou declai'edst to me, what profite these outwarde 

 signes, which menn call sacramentall, bringe to the congrega- 

 cion, seinge that it only consisteth in Christ, and is fre from all 

 outwarde dementes of this worlde. Fa. Christen men vse j.heym 

 as they are in dede, for tokens of spretuall thynges, and that 

 to forther dedes of love and charite bitwene theym selves, and 

 vnto all men. And be cause they knowe that they live only by 

 faytlie, they fyrst vse the signe or tokeu thereof, that is to 

 saye baptem, for the augmentacion and eucreace ther of. As 

 thus. Loke even as one which of a gret manne is receaved 

 vnto his Service, as yet is not knowne uor declared vnto wother 

 of that mans housholde to be one of their Company or felis- 

 shippe tili that he have on his badge or liverey. Even so 

 though that a man be of the sed of abraam, and honsse of 

 Israel, borne of Christen father an[d] mother, yet is he not 

 mauifestly declared to be of Christis housse and congregacion 

 tili that he openly be clothed with the garment of baptem, 

 which is nothynge but [fol. 32^.] a signe or token declarynge 

 hym to be of christis flocke and nombre, makynge hym before 

 god, nether better nor worsse. but betokeneth the baptem of 

 Christ, which in the sprete and fire purifieth mans conscience 

 from synne, and geveth trewe rightousnes to as many as tho- 

 rowe this baptem exteriall have put on the lorde Jesus Christ 

 spretually. For it is the maner of wholy scripture commenly 

 to take signes and figures for thynges by theym represented. 

 Titum. iij. as the baptem of water , for Christis baptem. And 

 therefore Paul nameth it a bathe of the newe byrth, and a 

 puttynge on of Christ. Son. What are they which shulde be 

 baptised? Fa. All they whome by the rule of charite (which 

 beleveth and hopeth all thynges vntill that the contrary many- 

 festly apere) we maye suppose to partayne vnto the promeses 

 of the lorde. For whomsoever god accordynge to the porpose 

 of his eleccion witteth save to ascrybe vnto the flocke of his 

 electe, hym ought we with this signe of baptem to knowledge 

 for eure brother, and felowe of one vocacion. So. But howe 

 Mat. vij. canne manne knowe whether he be elect of god or no? 

 Fa. Surely by the frutes of his herte and specially yf they be 



