ABSTRACT
In his study of the understanding of sacraments amongst those whom he termed puritan, E. Brookes Holifield drew attention to what he called ‘puritan sacramentalism’, typified by Samuel Ward, Master of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, and Cornelius Burges, royal chaplain, and vicar of Watford. Holifield noted that these two divines became less happy with the concept of sacraments as seals confirming grace, and instead wished to stress sacraments as instruments which actually convey grace.1 It would be more accurate to say, however, that some of those divines schooled in the thought typified by William Perkins, and as maintained by his famous, but nonconforming pupil, William Ames, were becoming more attracted to the type of teaching on sacraments articulated by Richard Hooker; this at least is certainly true of Samuel Ward.
