A Christian instruction, containing the law and the Gospel Also a summary of the…

M. I have not them well understood thee yet heretofore, and therefore declare unto me more easily that which ⟨p. 325⟩thou now speakest of.

M. I haue not thē wel vnderstoode thée yet heretofore, and therfore declare vnto me more easily that whiche ⟨p. 325⟩thou now speakest of.

P. Although the body of Jesus Christ be not given unto us in baptism as for spiritual food, as it is in the Supper, that notwithstanding it is there given unto us in very deed, as a garment of innocency, of Justice and of holiness to cover all our sins before God. And therefore S. Paul saith, that all those which are baptised, have put on them Jesus Christ.

P. Although the body of Iesus Christe be not giuen vnto vs in baptisme as for spirituall foode, as it is in the Supper, that notwithstanding it is there giuen vnto vs in very déede, as a garment of innocencie, of Iustice and of holynesse to couer all our sinnes before God. And therefore S. Paule saith, that all those which are baptised, haue put on them Iesus Christ.

M. And of the blood,¹ what sayest thou?

M. And of the bloud,¹ what sayest thou?

1. 1Galath. 3.

M. I did never yet so well understand these two points, nor yet the diversity and difference that thou hast made between the benefits of Jesus Christ, and the Baptism and the Supper which are Sacraments, as now I do understand all these things.

M. I did neuer yet so well vnderstande these two pointes, nor yet the diuersitie and difference that thou hast made betwene the benefites of Iesus Christe, and the Baptisme and the Supper whiche are Sacramentes, as now I do vnderstande all these things.

In what sort the faithful in baptism do put on Jesus Christ, and are washed with his blood.

In vvhat sorte the faithfull in baptisme do put on Iesus Christ, and are vvashed vvith his bloud.

P. When I tell thee that the baptism declareth unto us how that Jesus Christ is set forth unto us in baptism, for a robe of innocency, Justice, & holiness, and that we cloth our self with him by mean of the same, I do not think thee to be of so gross an understanding, to think, that the faithful do put on Jesus Christ naturally and corporally, as a man putteth on a garment or a cloak.

P. WHen I tell thée that the baptisme declareth vnto vs howe that Iesus Christe is set foorthe vnto vs in baptisme, for a robe of innocencie, Iustice, & holynes, and that we cloth our selfe with him by meane of ye same, I do not thinke thée to be of so grosse an vnderstanding, to thinke, that the faithfull do put on Iesus Christ naturally and corporally, as a man putteth on a garment or a cloke.

M. I should be very gross if I so understood it.

M. I should be very grosse if I so vnderstoode it.

P. How doest thou then understand it?

P. How doest thou then vnderstand it?

M. That even as a garment or a cloak do serve to cover the body, even so do the innocency, justice and holiness of Jesus Christ serve us to cover our sins at the judgement of God, to the end that there appear no one spot of them in his sight.

M. That euen as a garmente or a cloke do serue to couer the body, euen so do the innocencie, iustice and holynesse of Iesus Christe serue vs to couer our sinnes at the iudgemente of God, to the ende that there appere no one spotte of them in his sighte.

P. And touching the blood of Jesus Christ, doest thou think that our souls and consciences be washed and made clean in Baptism, as one would with water wash a body in a bath or river, ⟨p. 327⟩or else sheets in a buck?

P. And touching the bloude of Iesus Christe, doest thou thinke that oure soules and consciences be washed and made cleane in Baptisme, as one would with water wash a body in a bath or ryuer, ⟨p. 327⟩or else shéetes in a bucke?

Matthew. Thou makest here with me goodly discourses: I think there is none so beastly, which doth not well know that the blood of Jesus Christ is called the washing of souls, and of consciences, not as though they must be washed and dipped in the blood of Jesus Christ, as one would wash and dip a body, that he would wash and make clean, or some other such like thing, but that the holy Ghost speaketh so, to give us to understand that which thou hast said, to wit, what the water of baptism signifieth, concerning the washing and purification of our souls and consciences in the blood of Jesus Christ.

Mathevv. Thou makest here with me goodly discourses: I thinke there is none so beastly, whiche doth not well knowe that the bloud of Iesus Christe is called the washing of soules, and of consciences, not as though they must be washed and dipped in the bloud of Iesus Christe, as one woulde wash and dippe a body, that he woulde washe and make cleane, or some other suche like thing, but that the holy Ghost speaketh so, to giue vs to vnderstande that whiche thou hast sayde, to witte, what the water of baptisme signifieth, concerning the washing and purification of our soules and consciences in the bloud of Iesus Christ.

What greater reason there is to communicate corporally of the body and of the blood of Jesus Christ in the Supper, than in Baptism.

VVhat greater reason there is to communicate corporally of the body and of the bloud of Iesus Christ in the Supper, than in Baptisme.

P. Thou doest answer me very well, but if thou find it strange that a man should say, that they which are baptised ⟨p. 328⟩have put on Jesus Christ bodily as a garment, and are washed with his blood as with a material bath, why shouldest thou not find it as strange or more strange, that a man should say that the body and the blood of Jesus Christ are naturally and bodily eaten and drunken in the Supper, as are the bread & the wine which are the signs?

P. THow doest aunswere me verye well, but if thou find it strange that a man shuld say, that they which are baptised ⟨p. 328⟩haue put on Iesus Christ bodily as a garmente, and are washed with hys bloud as with a materiall bath, why shouldest thou not finde it as straunge or more straunge, that a man should say that the body and the bloud of Iesus Christe are naturally and bodily eaten and drunken in the Supper, as are the bread & the wine which are the signes?

M. Thou makest me to consider somewhat more deeply of this matter, than heretofore I did.

M. Thou makest me to consider somewhat more déepely of this matter, than heretofore I did.

P. It is a matter well to be thought on. For if that in Baptism we have no carnal communication with the body and blood of Jesus Christ, but only a spiritual, I see not what greater reason there is, to have rather in the Supper a carnal communication with him, than in Baptism, considering that the supper dependeth of baptism, and that it is as a more ample confirmation of the possession of the benefits of Jesus Christ, into the which we begin to enter by Baptism, and do continue by the Supper.

P. It is a matter well to be thoughte on. For if that in Baptisme we haue no carnall communication with the body and bloud of Iesus Christ, but only a spiritual, I sée not what greter reason there is, to haue rather in the Supper a carnal communication with him, than in Baptisme, considering that the supper dependeth of baptisme, and that it is as a more ample confirmation of the possession of the benefites of Iesus Christe, into the whiche wée beginne to enter by Baptisme, and doe continue by the Supper.